ETERNALL A TREATISE Of the knowledge of the Di- yine Essence and Attribvtes, Delivered in X V 1 1 1. S e r m o n $, By the late Faithful! and Worthy UMiniHer cf Iesvs Christ, I O H N pR E S T O N , Doftor in Diyinity, Chaplaine in ordinary to his Majefty,Maft€r of Emanutl College in Cedicatorie. hand. For, as dying facob laid his right hand upon the yongcft fon oifofeph : So (jod did firecch forth his on this, the laftiffue of the dy^ i}jgledge of him is amoft ncceffary and efFe<5luall means to friendfhip with him. And The Spiftle i\nd indeed, as, thatC^od fyo"^- eth «x,is the firft Foundation of liis Covenant of Mercie with us , 1 Tim. X. ip. So, our true arid fa^ voury knowledge ofhim,ismade the firft entrance into covenant , continuing of acquaintance, and encreafing of communion with him, ferem. 51. 7,^, ^4. Yea fur- ther, as to make knowne himfelfe was the utraoft end of all his workes,. 1. 19. So rightly to know him, is the befl reward at- tainable by us for ail our workes; f^tb. 17. ThisiseternallLifeto fyow. tke^he' omiytmeQ o d, and I E svs Chr 1ST, nnhom thou hafl fent^on iiiii Which great reward wc doubt nor, butth]sy^';;')?^/ of god attain- ■ ■ .^nifiilv- ne.d.. ^edicatorie. ned. Who, after hee had fpent . the moft of his hving thoughts and breath in unfolding and ap^ plying the moft proper and pecu- liar Charaders of Grace, which is Qods Image • whereby Belee- vers come to beafHired, that (jod is their (fod,Q.nd they in covenant with him • was in the end admit- . ted to exercifc his lafi: an4 dying fhbughts, about the Eflence, /At- tributes and GreatnefTe o£Q OX> himfelfe, who is th^ir portimaiid exceedin^gt&at rmard, I t d^'^/ In the very entrance almoft into which, he was carried up To nigh to Heaven, that he came not •downe againe, but dyed in the i^SAd'oUnt into whicb(by Qods&p- p ointment) he was afcended^and before The epifile before many ofCfods glorious back^ parts 'Were pajjed by him yht was ta- ken up to view tlie refl more fully Face to face* So thar,as he was of- ten in his ficknefle wont to fay, f ijhalibut change mj place^O^ not mj companie ; we may alfo truly fay, hee did but change his fludyiBg place, not his thoughts nor flu- dies. ^0^/ being the only imme- diate lubjecft, about which the ftudies of men and Angels are wholly taken up for all eternity. Which change,though to him full of gaine, had been to us more grievousjhad not this little peece, like to E L I A H s Mantle , falne from him , as hee was afcending. Wherein wee have thofe lofty fpeculationsofthefchooIs(which like[ like emptie clouds flic often high, but drop no fatnefle) digefted in- to ufefull applications,anddiM- led into Spirit-full and quickning cordials,to comfort and confirme thQ inward Alan, Not onely £hewing ( as o- thers) what ^O© is^- butalfo what wee therefore ought to be. At once , emblazoning the 2)/' vme Ejijenee ,^nd glorious <»// tiri- butes ofQod^and withall delinea- ting the moil nobk difpofitions of t\ic'Divtnf^/\(atureinvis, which are the prints and imitations of thofe his Jteributes,SLf plying as a skilfull builder, the patterne to the pecce he was to frame. So, as by thrs unfinifht draught, it may be gathered;, what inlarged and workins; I TheE^iJlle working apprehenfions^ and im- prefsions of the !D^/V/^ poflcft his heart. He fpeakes olQod^ not as one that had onely heard of hira, by the hearing of the ear e, hut "^iphoje eye of faith had feene him^ But needeth hee, orthis reHdt of his, Ep'tjlles of commendation from US unto your Honour , who knew him fo well : Or unto o- thcrs, befidesthis Infcription o^ and Dedication to your Name t which wee account our onely choice, and beflEpiflle to the Reader; You, are ourEpifile, ^c. Seeing in your Honor^thok more Hcroieall Graces , and Noblefl parts of (jods Image , which in ihefc Sermons the ^uthour endeyoured to raife his hearers to arc T>edicatorie, are found already r»ritten,andtm~ j printed not mth inl^, but with the Spirit of the Living Cjod: yea,and not onely written, but alfo by reafoii of the greatnelle of your birth, the Noblenefle of your de- portment in your countrie,^«o)5?» and read of all men . Such inge- nuous firaph'city lodged in depth of wifedome HolinelTc of life fo fet in honour and eficemc, and immoueably fetled. with even- nclle of walfciog in mitJft of ail varieties;Suchhumility in height ofparts "gratioufnefTeofheartin greatnefTe of minde. So rare,fixt, and happie a Gonjunedi€atorie» the beauty of Holinefle as this, to bee but counterfeit, becaufe not tawny,Iike to their own ^and look upon fo high Principles of Godh- nefTe, as empty notions raifed up by art and fancy to make a fliew, may fee & know in you, the true, realI,uniform fubfiftence of thenij and that^oiritSy therefore they mujl be kept fit for communion with him. 4 How to fit our fpiritsfor commmion wkh God. 6 E>ireBionsf9rclednfngthef^irit. ic Vfe 2. The Contents. Vfe2, Gods government chiefly on the f^irits of me^h 2 5 P roved by three D emonftrat ions. 3 8 Vfe 3 , TotrorfhipGodinf^irit. 31 which conjtfls in three things. \ 33 Vf^hat nece^uy of the geflures of the body in Gods ^ fervice. 38 Hotv to conceive of G od in pray er. 44 TheSimplicity of C^OiP, : Godsfmflicity proved by ^xereafons. 48 Confec. I. To fee rvhat a ftable foundation faith hath^ 5 1 Confec. 2. God cannot be hindred in his mrkes. 5 a Confec. 3. The Attributes of God are equal!. 53 Vfe I. To labour to be content in a jimple condition, 54 Vfe 2. Tb labour for finglenejf ? of hear to 5P Trro things in fimplicity, 60 Vfe 3. Togoe to God rather than to the creatures, The Fifth Attribvte* Cods immutability^ 7:2 Five reafons of Gods immutability. 73 Two objeBions dgainjl Gods immutability. 7^ I Confec. I. I :Hdw to under jl and fever all places of Scripture. 7 S } a 3 Confec. 2. Tfie Contents. Confcc. 2 , Love andha^redmO'odeterp.alL Ibid. Vie I. Tal e heed of fv choking him to cajl m off. 80 The time of Gods cafti;?^ off a man^ nnknoivrje. Vfe 2. Gods gifts and caliingmthout refentance,- 84 Hon- to know tve are in covenant mth God, 85 Theunchangabknes ofood takes not away endetw.p^ The occafioM^^end^ andufe ofrevealingthe BoBrine of Gods unchangcablencjfe in Scripture. a6 Vfe 5. ^ ' God difpenceth mercies and judgements^ m^v as in former times, Two cafesrrherein God funifheth his ome children. 9^ Gods judgements different in time andmeanes, 101 ' Vie 4. To fee a difference between Cod and the creature. 16 3 Forgettingthe creatures to be mutable^ three incon- veniences of it. I^lj Vfe 5. To ejleeme things by their unchmgeablencffc , i 0 6- Vfe 6. '{T^o judge our on-n j^irits bj conpncj in welldoinz. 1 1 1 Vfe 7. Togoe to Gcdtoget it. j ^ ^ Tm caufes cfincmjlancie. \ 3 Hel}^es to fircngthenpirpfes. Meanes to he/pe refoktions, up' TbefixthATTRiBVTE. Thegreatnefe of God, 125 The The Contents* I ThegreameJJe of God in jixe things, Ibid« j The greamejf ? of God proved byfoure Rcafinr. 127 ! " Vfe I. To horv our Inter ejl in Gody androgen an anfivershle j gre^tnefeofminde. 1.2 p \ \ why men are led ajide by outmrd things. j ^ o ^ Hoivtoco'/^etotruegreatneJJeofminde^ 157 Vfe 2. To f care him for hkgreatnejfe^ % Vfe 3. To thvjke ne ajfeBivn or obedience enough for hi^^ dnd therefore not to limit our felves, 142 Vfe 4, T 0 reverence before him^ 1^5 The feventh A t t r i b v r e. Godstmmenfvty, 147 3 Reafim of Gods injintteprefence, ij.^ Vfe I. Godgcvernes the mrld immediately^ d remedy againji comvUint of ill Gozermurs. 150 Vfe 2* To choofe God^ andrejoycein hi^y as a friend in all f laces. 152 ^ Vfe 3. To fee a ground nf Gods ^micuUr Providence in the fmalleft things. 154 Vfe 4„ ^ To be patient and meei in injuries ojfered by men a 5 6 Vfe 5. ToivalkevrithGcd. 15^ H on' rte are prefent with God, 1 60 Hotv to make God frefent with 161 The Conte nt s. 1 i 1 \ rrhi defire company. i66 Vfe 6. . God ol^fervethall theevtUmdgoodwe doe. i6% Vfe 7- TtrrouY umchdmm^ Godis menmy they cmmt flee from, 174 ^ The Eighth A t t r i e v t e, God if omnipotent. l ys Omnifotencieof G0d^vt>herein<, 177 j^.ReafonsofGodsomnifotencie<, 178 ObjeBions against the Omnlpotencie of God. 181 vrei. T@ rejojce in our God^who is Almi^ty, i%6 :: r Y{k 2 . - . To mjiie ufe of Godx power y in all wants and ftraights 0 191 Vfe 5. To he k eve the OmnipotencieofGod. 1^4 Men doubt as much of the pwer ofGod^as of his mlL Ibid. Vfe 4: T 0 feele and pray to God in all flraits with confidence. 2 Injlances ff Gods Power. 2 01 •^^ GODS GODS NAME AND ATTRIBVTES: The First Sbrmon* He BRE VVKS 1 1.6. Hce that commeth to God, muU beleeye that God is, and that hce u a rewarder of thm that feekc him • Aving undertaken to go thorow the whole Body of Theologii, I will firft give you a bricfe definition ofj the thing it fclfe^ j which we call I>m;;i- r^V^isthis^ It is that htavenly . mfedome or forme of trholefimwords, revealed l;y the Holy Ghofl^ in the Scripture, touching the knorrkdge of Go jy, and of B our ourfehes^ nherehy tree are tmght themj to turnJ^ life. IcalHt ^heat'enly tvifedome] foTj fo it is ealledj I Or, 2. 1?- Jhemfedomctrhich weteachyisn^tin themrds^ nhich mans mfedome teacheth^butnhich l the Holy Ghfl teachetk So likcvvife the Apoftle ! in another place calls it, Jhe forme of tvho/efime iYords- th^t iSjTbat Syfteme^orcomprebcnfion of whoIefomcDoftrine delivered in theScriptiire. Now it differs from other Syftemes, and bo- dies of Sciences s 1 Becaufe it is revealed from above ^ all other knowledge is gathered from things bclovr. 2 Againcj all other Sciences arc taught by men, but this is taught by the Ho!y Ghoft, 3 All other knowledge is delivered in the writings of men,butthis is revealed to us in the holy Word of G which was written by G o d j himfclfe^though men were the mediatepen-mcn of ir^thereforejadde that^todifticgoifh it from all orher Sciences ; thar^ It u rM revealed hymo!^ btpt hythe.Holy.Choft,notAn hokes mitten by men^hut mtheholy Serif mres, \ In the next place I addc the Dbjcdjabout which j this vvifedomeis ccnverfantjit is/be hotrled^^eof^ Ged'^andif ourfehrsJAvA lo it is likewifediftin- i guifned f rom all other knowledge, which haih j ?ome other objects. It is the knowledge of G'fj^j that iSyO{ Gcd^ not fimplyconfideredj crab fo- lurely, in his EfTence^ but as he is in refcrerxe and relation tons, j j And againcjit is not fimpiy the knowledge of | our fclvesj (foi many things in us belong to ®- ther Arts and Sciences) but as we ft and in refe- rence to Ged^io that thcfe arc the two parts of it- the knowrledge of G'^rfjin reference to us^ and of our felves, in reference to him. Laft of all, it is diftinguiflied by the c^d ^ to which it tends, which it aymesat, which is to peach m the tray to et email life: And therein it dif- fers from allothcrSciences whatfoever^for they onely helpc fonie defers of underftanding here in this prefent life : for where there is fome fai- ling or dcfe^i, whidh common reafon doth not help, t?here arts are invented to fupply and refti- fie thofe defcftsj but this doth foraewhat more, it leads us the way to eternall lifc:and as it hath in it a principle above all others, fo it hath an higher end than others jas the well-head is high- er, fotheftreamcs afcend higher than others. And fo much for this defcription, what this fommeof the Do€l:rine of Theologic is. The parts of it are two I % Concerning ourfetee Now concerning ^^i, t thiags are to be known: 1 That he is I J both thefc are fetdownc in 2 What he is I S the Text. I That God is, wee fhall finde that there are two wayes to prove it, or to make it good to us t % By the ftrength of naturall reafon. ^ By faith. ^ That w(? doe not deliver this without ground, j look in the firft of the Rmans^vao* For the inrvi- B 2 fille Pamofrlic©' logic. z Thingf, ThatG OD I/. I?. \^ibtc things efhim^ that is^ his eternal/ potrer and God-heady arefeene by the creation of the ivorld^ be- ing considered in his ivorkes^ fi that they are mth^ But excufe. So likewifc, AB. 17. 27, 2 8. the A- pofllc faith , that they fhould feeke after the Lordy ifhapfily they might grope after him^ andfinde him : for heeis not farre from every one ofm : for in him me live ^ move , and have enr being ; That is, by the vety things that wee handle and touch, vvemay know that there is ^ Cod ; and al- foj by our ov^hc life, motion and beings wee maylearncthatthcreisaDeitie, from whence thcfe proceed: For the Apoftle fpcaketh this to them, that had no Scripture to teach them. So likcwife, ABs 14. 17. Neverthelefe ^ hee hath not left himfelfe mthout witnefe^ in giving us fru/t- fu//feafens: As if thofedid bcare witnefle of fiim thatis^ thofeworkesofhis in the creatures. So that you fee, there are two waies to come to the knowledge of this, that ^od is 5 One, I fay^is by natural! rcafbn : Orelfcjtomake itmoreplaine we iTiall fee this in thcfc twothings t ' 1 There is enough in the very creation of the world^todeclarehim untous* 2 There is a light of the under/landing^, or reafon, put into us, whereby we are abie to dif- cernethofeeharaders of God ftampedinthe creatures, whereby we may difccrne the invijiik things of Godyhii in^nite fower andmfedome and when thcfe are put together, that which is writ- ten in the creature, there are arg^ents enough in tficm;yand in us there is reafon enough, to fee the TlaP God the force of thofc arguments^and thence we may j conclude, that there is a Ged^ befides the argu- ments of Scripture, that vree have to revcale it. I For, though I faid before, that Divinity was re- vealed by the HelyGhofty yet there is thisditfe- } rence in the points of jWcg/e: Some truths are I wholly revealed, and have no foot-fteps in rfic | crcatureSjno prints in thecreation,or in the works j oi'Gody to difccrne them by, and fuch are all the myfteries of the Gof^el^ and of the Trinitie: o- ther truths there are, that have fome veHigia^ fome Charailers ftamped upon the creature, whereby we may difcerne them, and fuch is this which we now have in hand, that, There is a God. Therefore we will fhew you thefe two things : 1 How it is amanifeft from the creation. 2 How this point is evident to you by faith , 3 A third thing I will adde, that this God whom weworfliip, is the onely true God. Now for the firft, to explicate this, that, The f otter And Cod-head is feen in the creation of the rvortdr. Befides thofc Demonftrations clfe-where handled, drawnefrom the Creation in general], as from : 1 Thefwectconfentand harmony the crea- tures have among themfelves 2 The fitnelfeand proportion of one unto a- nother: 3 From therca{onableaviionJit^ffireatures,in thcmfelv And this is the third particulai:. If things had no beginning, if the world was from cternirie, what is the reafon there are no inonnndents of naorc ancient time, than there are aie? For, if wee confider what eternity is, and what the vaftnefTe of it is^ that when yau have thought of millions of millions of yeeres, yet ftill there is more bcyondjif the world hath been offo long continuance, what is the reafon, that things are but, as it were, newly ripened ? what is the reafon^ that things are of no greater anti- quity tlian they are ? Take all the W riters that ever wrote, (befides the Scripture) and they all exceed not above foure thoufand yeeres^for they almoft all agree in this, that thefirft man, that had every any hiftory written of him, was Ninus^ who lived about Abrahams time, or a little be- fore ; Tregtis Pomfeiti^^ and Diodorm Siculus a- grceinthis. Plutarch fakh^ that Thefeus was the firft, before him ther(? was no hiftory of truth, nothing credible^and this is his cxprefTion.-Take the Hiftories of times before and you lliallfind them to be but like skins in the maps wherein you fhall finde nothing but vaft Seas, Farro one of the raoft learned of their Writers, \ profeffeth , that before the Kingdome of the I Sjcyonians^which begun afteriV/>;ifxtime,nothing j was knowne tobec certaine, and thebeginning I of that was doubtful! and uncertaine. And i rheirufuall divifionofall hiftory, into fabulous, i and certaine, by Hiftorians, is well knowne, to ! ihofe 4 Elfe^where be any raciau- menikcfiioies before thofe mentioned in theScripime ? That God is. thofc that arc converfant in them ^ and yet the Hiftorians that are of any truth^began long after the Captivitic in Babylon*^ (ox HerodomjXh^t li- ved after time, is counted the firft that ever wrote in Profejand he was abo*-'e eight hun- dred yeeres after ^^?/^/ time. Forconclufion of this, vvevvillonly fay, that which one of the an- cienteft of the Roman Poets, drawing this con- clufion from the Argument wee have in hand, faithj If things were from etemitie, and had not a beginning; Cur fupra helium Thtbanum ^fmttA Troj^ Non ali^j alii qmqiie res cecinere Foetde ^ If things wmfrom eternities vrhat is thereafotty that before the theUn artd Trojan trarre , all the ancient PaetSy and ancient Writers did not make mention of any thing ^ Doe you thinke if things had beenc from eternity, there would be no monuments of them, if you confider the vaftnefle of cternitie, what it is? Solikewife for the beginning of Arts and S ciences ; what is the reafon that the origi- nal] of them isknowne 3 why were they no foo- I ncr found out ? why are they not fooner perfe- 1 Why was not the earth peopled together, and in every Land a multitude of in- habitants together, if they had been from eter- nity, and had no beginning > The fecond principall Head, by which wee will make this good to you, that then is a God that made heaven and earth, is the teHimony of C0d himfclfc. There is a double teftimony. one is the written teftimony, which wee have in the Scripture- the other is,that teftimony^which is mitten in the hearts of men. Now,you know that all Nations doe acknow- ledge a God^ (this we take for granted) yea, even thole that have been lately difcovered,that live, as it were, dis joyned from the reft of the world, yti they all have,and worfliipa God*^ thofe Na- tions difcovered lately by the Sfaniards^ in the i^efi Indies^ and thofe that have been difcovered fince^ all ofthem, without exception, have it, written in their hearts, that there u a God, Now the ftrength of the argument lies in thefe two things: t I obferve thatphrafe ufed,^#;»e a. 15 Jt is called That there ii a 6 bursas a man i that dwels m a houfe,if thehoufe fall, hee hath | no dependence on it^ but may goe away to ano- 1 ther houfe • fo the foule hath no dependence up- 1 on the body at all^ therefore you muft not think ; that it doth dye when the body perifheth. | Befides,tbe foule is not worne,it is not weary, 1 j as other things are • thebody iswearie^and the fpirits! of the body depend therefore when the That God u. (pirits arc weary • the body we^rcs, as doth a garment, tili it be wholly worne out : now^any thing that is not weary^ it cannot pcrifli • andjin the very adioris of the foule it felfe there is no wearinefle, but whatfoever comes into the foule pcrfcljfts itjwith a perfedionnaturall to itj< is the ftronger for it* therefore it cannot be &xh]tQc to decay^it cannot wearc ou t^as other things do, but the more notions it hath, the more perfect it the body, indeed, is weary with labour, and IS the fpirits are wearic,but the foule is not weary^ for in the immediate afts thereof, it workes ftill, even when the body fleepeth : Looke upon the anions of the foule, and they are indcpcn- deiTt, and as their independencie growcs, fo the foule growes younger and younger, and ftronger and {iiongcr^fenefcensjuverjefiity and isndtfub- jed to decay,or mortality : as you fee in a Chic- ken, it growes ftill, and fo the (hell brcakes, and falls off.' fois it with tlie foule^ the body hangs onit but as a fhellj and when the foule is growne to perfedionjit falls away, and the foule returnes to the Maker^ Th^ next thing t^at I rtiould come to,isto (hew you how this is made evident by faith. When a man hath fome ru Je thoughts of a thing, and hath fomereafon for if, hee then begins to have fomeperfwafion of it; but wlien (befides) a man wifeandtrue^fhall come and tell him it is fo5this addes much ftrength tohis confidenceifor vrhen you come to difccrne this God-beady and toknow it by rcafons fromfhe creatures, this may give ^ C/i you The fee© n3 way to proYCj that God is; by faith. IhatGoDU. you fome pcrfvvalion ; but when one fliall come and cell you out of the Scripture^made by a wife and true C7^that it is (o indeed- this makes you confirmed in it. Therefore the ftrengthof the argument by faith, you may gather after this manner t I beleeve the Seriptures to bee true, and that they are the word of God -^ now this is €ontained in theScriptures^that God made Heaven andEanh ^ therefore I beleeving the Scriptures to be the Word of aed whatfoever is con- tained in themjmy faith layes hold upon it alfo^ and fo my confent growes ftrong and firme^ that there is a Gsd : After this manner you come to conclude it by faith* For what is faith ? Faith is but when a thing is propounded to you even 1 as an objeft fet before the cye^ there is an habit ©f faith withinjthat fees it what it is 5 for faith is nothingelfcj buta feeing of that which is 1 for though a thing is not true^bccaufe I belecvc it is fo, yet things fitft are, and then I beleeve them. Faith doth not beleeve things imaginary, and fuch as have no ground -but whatfoever faith be- Icevcs^it hath a bcing^and the things we beleeve^ { doe lye before the eye of reafon^ fanftified and i elevated by the eye of faith t therefore Mofes^ I when he goes about to fct do^ne the Scripture, i doth not prove things by reafon, but propounds ithem, as, fn the heginmng God made the \ H^^xe;? W^^rr^ 5 he propounds the objc<^3 and ' leaves it to the eye of faith to looke upon. For the nature of faith is this,* Godhzxh given to man an undcrflanding facultie, ( which wecall^ Rea- (fon That God u. fon)the objeft of which is all the truths that arc dclivcredin the worldjand vvhatfoever hath a be- ing. Now take all things that wee arc faid to be- 1 kcve,andtheyalfo are things that an^which arc the true objedts of the underftanding and reafon. But the underftanding hath ob jert s of two forts : 1 Suchaswemayeafiiy perceive^ as the eye of man doth the objedt that is befor\e him • 2 Such as wee fee with more difficulty, and cannot do it^without fomething above the eic to elevate it: As the candle and the bignefTe of it, the eye can fee 5 but to know thcbigneflc of the Sunne,in the latitude of ir^you muft have inftru- ments of art to fee itjand you muft mcafurc it by degrccs^and fo fee it ; io is it here, fome things wee may fully fce by rcafon alone, and thofcare fuchas lye before us, and them wee may cafi- ly fee: but other things there are, that though they arc true, yet they are more lemotc, and further off ; therefore they are harder to bee fccnc^ and therefore wee muft have fomething to helpe our underftanding to fee them. So that indeed, Faith is but the lifting up of the un- derftanding, by adding a new light to thena and it:and therefore they are ^zidtobcmealed^not bccaufc they were not before, as if the revealing ofihcm gave a being unto them; but even as a new light in the night difcovers to us that which we did not fee before,and as a profpcfiive g!a (Te rcvcales to the eye, that which we could not fee b€fore,and by its owne power, the eye could not reach unto : So that the way to ftrcngthen our C 3 fclvcs Jbs G o D Vfe I. Toftrcngthcn this principle, ihac there is a GtJsnoic in curhcarij. felvcs by this arguaientj is to beleeve the Scrip- tures, and the things contained in them. Now yon iTiall fee, why wee are to beleeye the ScriptiTrcsiburthisweemiift leave till the next time.We will now come to fome ufe of the point, for wee are not to difmifle you without fome application, but we muft infert fome ufes here and there. W hen you beare thcfe Arguments, proving this eonclufion,that thereua Goi^ the ufe you fhould make of them^is^to labor daily to ftreng then our faith in this principle,and to have an cie SitGod in al our aftions:for this is the reafon given in the Text,why one man comes to ^^becaufe hee helenesthahei^-^zviAmoxhttAoihnoi^ be caufc he beleeves it but by baflves- if they did be leeve this fully, they wmild ferve God with k perftd he^rt. What is the reafon, that Mbfes breaker thorow all impediments?heh3d t^mpta- tionson both fides* piofpefity and prefermen-toi the one fid^e^ and adverfi ty and aiHi ilions on thd other, yet he pafleth thorow weaithand pover- tiCj honour and difhonour, and goes ftraight on in the way to heaven, and the reafon is added in the Text, becaufc hee fmv hm that ms kvifi^ky even fo^if you did fee him that was invifible, the God wee now fpeake of^ as you fee a man that ftands before you, yourwayes would bee more even, and wee (houldwalke with him more up^ rightly than wee doe, if vvedid but beleeve, that it is he thatj?/// the heaven and earth-^ as he faith of' himfelfe,/^r. 2 3. 24. ^ j Some! Tbdt God Some may here lay; How can we fee hini that invifible ? here is off&Jitum in adjeBo^to fee him that is invifibJe. Come to the body of a man^ you can fee no- thing bu t the outfidejthe outward bulk and hide of the creature^ yet there is an imniaterialljinvi- iible fubftance withinjthat fils the body, {b come iothe body of the world, there is a G'l?^ that fills Heaven and Earth, as the fouledoth the body. Now to draw this a little neercr, that invifible, , immateiiall fub^ance, the fouleofman which stands at the doores ofthe bodyjand lookes out •At the windowes of theeics^andof the eareSjboth to fee and heare, which yet wee fee not ; yet it is this foule that doth all thefe 5 for if the foule be once gone out of the houfe of thebody^ the eye fees no more, the care heares no more, than an houfe or chamber can fee,when there is no body in it ; and as it is the fpirituall fubftance within thebody that fees, and hearts, andundcrftands all; fo apply this to God that dwels in Heaven and Earth; that as,though you fee not the foule^ yetevery partof the body is full of it; foif wee looke into the world, wefee that it i^ filled, and yet God (like as the foule) is in every place, and fills it with his prefencejhe is prefent with every ! crcaturCjhe is in the ayre, and in your felves, and feeth all your aiHonsjand heareth al your words j and if vvecouldbringour felves to a fetled per- fwafionof this^ it would caufe us to walke more evenly with God than we do, and to convcrfe with I him after another manner^ when a man is pre- 1 C 4 fent. God in the woiU, astUe foule ia the body. 14 T**o kin^s of Arfxciluic. fent before you, yc are felicitous, thinking wfeat that foule thinks ofyou^hovvthat fouleisatfciJ ed to you- fo if you beleevcd God were in the world, it would make you have aneie to him in all your aiiionsj as he hath an eye to you, and to have a fpeciali care to pleafe him in all things^,, rarber than to pleafe men .And this is the ground of all the difference betvveene men : Onemanbeleeves it fully that there is fuch a mighty God • another beleeves it but by halves^ and therefore one man ' hath a care only to pleafe God in all things,andto have an eye to him alone ; the other beleeving it but by halvcsjhe fccketh and earneftly followcth other things, and is not fo folicitous what the Lord thinkes of him. The thing therfore which vre exhort you unto, is^thatyou would endcvor to ftrengthen that prin ciplemoreand more.We fpcake not to Athcifts now, but to them that beleeve there is a God, and yet we do not think our labour loft t For,though I there bean afltnt to this truth inus.yetit is fuch I an one as may receive degrees^and may be flreng- thened ; for I know that'therc are few pcrfeii A- thci fts, yet there arc fomc degrees of Atheifme left in the beft of Gods Children, which we take no notice of • for there is a two^fold Atheifme : 1 One is, when a man thinkes that there is no a nd k no wes hedotb fo, 2 Another kind of Atheifme is, when a man doubts of the Deitie,and obferves it not. Tbe^e. are fome degrees of doubting in the hearts of all men, as we fball fee by thefe cfFcas,that this un- taken- That Gob is. r »s tskci5.-noticc-of Athcifmc doth produce. As> ivhen men fhali avoid crofle?, rather than foncj 1 not confidcring that the wrath and difpleafrire of Cod goes with it, which is the greateft evill that . can befall us : What is the rcafon of it ? That i whereas the greateft crolTe is exceeding light, if thewrathof Godhcc^iM in the other ballance, what is the reafon that yet this fhould overweigh the other, inourapprehenfion, if wee bee fully perfwaded of this principle , that God made Heaven and Earth ? what is the reafon that when croffes and finne come into competition, as two feverall waies whereof we muft neceflarily chufc one; why will men rather turnc afide from a cro(Ie,to fin againft (j^^ijand violate the peace of theirconfcienccs, rather than usidergoe lofleSjOr g:o(reSj,or imprifonment > A gainc, what is the reafon that we arc fo rea- die to pleafcj and loth to difpleafc men, as a po- tent friend or enemy, rather than G o d ? If this principle were fully belceved, that there is a God that made Heaven and Earth,you would not doe fo. The Prophet //^/^Hothcxpreflfe this moft elegantly, I[au 51.12,13,14. who an thou that Aft afraid of man that}halldje^a?jd thefomeofman^ trhich fball he madi as grafjey andforgettefi the Lord thy Mai er^ nhich ftretched forth the Heavens^ and laid the foundat ion of the Earths As if heertiould fay^what Atheifmc is this in the hearts of men? Whence elfe are alfo thofe deceits,.Iyes^,and fliiftings, to make things faircwith men, when they know ihsnGodis ofieBded with it,who feeth allrhings. What That Go d is. What is thereafon that men are fo fenfiblc of outward lliame^ more than of fecret finncs - ■ and care fo much what men thinke of them, and fpeake of them,and not what God fees or knows ? Doth not this declare that men think as thofe A- theifts of whom lob fpeakes/^^ 2 2 .and doe they not conceive in fome degree, as thofe deej as if God did not defcend beneath the circle ef the Hea- vens to the Earthy and his eyes were barred by the curtaines of the nighty that he did not takenotice of the wayes of men ? and looke how men doe this in a greater meafure/o much greater Athc- ifme they have. Againejif you doebeleeve that there is fuch a ^^what is the rcafon when you have any thing to doejthat y ou runne to creatures, and feek help from them, and bufic your fclves wholly abowt outward meanes, andfeekenot to(ji?i^byprayer3 and renewing of your repentance > if you did fully beleeve that there is a God^ you would ra- ther doe this. Againe, What is thereafon that men are car- ried away with the prefenr, ^s^nHotiecaWsit 7i V«, this fame very doth tranfport a man. from the waies of vertue to vice, that they are too bufie about the body^and are carelefle of the ,immortall foule^that they fufFcrthattolfe^Hkea forlorne prifoncr, and to ftarvc within them > Would you doe fo,if you did beleeve that there is firch a Ged^ that made the foule, to whom it muft rcturne and give an account, and live with him foT ever? * Againe, f That Gqu is. i ; Againe^what is die reafon that men doe lecke fo {ox the things of this life, are focarcfull in : building houfes^ gathering cftarcSj & preparing for themfeives here fuch goodly manfions for their bodieSj and fpend no time toadornetbe fouk3(wbenyet thcfe do but grace us amongft |%fiien5and are only for prefent ufe) and Jooke not ' for thofe things which commend the foule to GoJy and regard not eternity, in which the fouJe muft live ? I fay, what is thereafonofthis^if there be not fome groxmds of fecret Atheifme in men? What is the reafon that there is fuch ftupidity in men^that the threatnings will not move them, j they will be moved with nothingjikc beails^u t 'prefent ftrokes • that they doe not forelfee the p'laguejto prevent itjbut go on^and are punifhed > Andfo {ox Gods promifcs and rewards- Why 1 will yeu not forbcare fiiinejthat you may receive : tiic pToraifes, and the rewards ? Whence is this Cupidity both way es ? Why arewcc asbeafts, , led with fenfualityj that vve will not be drawn to ' that which belongs to God^ and his Kingdome ? ■ Is not this an argument of fecret Atheifme, and ihipietie in the heart of p^cry man , more or \ i . Againe, wfaat Js tlae reafon that when men ' come intb the prefenc^of God^ they carry them- feives fonegligentlyjHOt caring how their fbules are clad^and what the behavior of their fpirits is before him ? If you fhould come .before mcDv you ^'^ould looke that your cioath^s be neat and decent. i8 That God is >^ Draw fuch 3S may arlTa from fucfi a coadufion. decent^ and you will carry your fcives with fuch reverence , as becomes him in whofc prefcnce you ftatul 5 this proceeds from Athcifinein the hearts of men, not bclecvingthcX^e^r^tobe hee that fills the Heaven,and the Earth : Therefore as you finde thcfe things in you^more or lefle, fo labour t© confiirac this principle more and more to your felves; and you fhouldfay, when you hearcthefearguments^certainly I will belcevcit more firmelyj furely I will hover no more about it : for to what end arc mo re lights brough t,but that you fhould fee things more clcerely, which you did not before > / So that this double ufc you iliallmakeofit; One is, to fixe this conelufion in your hearts, and to fatten it daily upon your foulcs. The fecond is, if^ there be fuch a mighty God^ then labour to draw fuch confcqucnccs as may arifc from fuch a conclu fion : as, If there be fuch an one that fills Heaven and Earth • then lookc upon him,as one that fees all youdoe,andhearcswhat(oeveryou fpeake : As when you fee a (hip pafle thorowthcfea,and fee thefailes applycd to the wind,and taken do,vne, andhoyfedupagaine, as the wind requires, and iTiall fee it keep fuch a conftant courfe, to fuch a haven, avoiding the rockcs and fands, you will lay/urely there is,one within that guids it; for it could not doe this of it feife:or as when you look upon the body of man, and fee it live and move, anddoetheaikionsof a living man; you mutt needs (ay, the body could not doe this of it felfe, but That God u. but there muft be fomthing within that quickens it,and is the caufe of all the adionsjcvcn fo when you looke upon the creatures^ and fee them to doe fuch thingSjVvhich of themfelves they are no more able to doe, than the body can do the aiii- onsthat it dothj without the foule : therefore hence you may gather that there is a God^ that fils Heaven and Earth, and doth whatfoever hee pleafeth • and if this be fo_, then draw nigh to him, converfe with him, and walke with him from day to day • ob ferve him in all his dealings with us, and our dealings With himjand one with another • be thankfull tohim for all theblef- fings we enjoy, and flye tohim for fuc- cour in all dangersj and up- on all oceafions« THE 50 " " liiiiiiiliiif liiifi THE SEGOND SERMON. He B RE WES 11.^. Hee that commeth to God, muU beleelpe that God ii^ and that bee it a rewarder of them that feeke him • Efore wee come1^)^he fecond fort of Arguments to prove this prin- ciple, th^t G o D ^ 5 wee thinkc it neccflary toanfwer fomcobjcdlir ons of Atheifme, which may arifc and trouble the hearts of men. Men ate ready to fay that which you fhall finde in % Pet. 3,4. Ml things h Ave centinu^d alike ^ncethe^redtion : that is, when men looke upon the condition of things, they fee the Sunne rife, and fet againe, and fee the Rivers nm in acircle V into Tha^ God into the Sea^ the day followcs the night, &c. the winds ruunc in their compaflfesj and they have done fo continually, and there is no alteration 5 therefore they doubt whether there bee fuch a Codyihai hath given a beginning to thefe things^ andfhallgiveanend? Foranfwer to thiSjConfider that thofe bodies ofours, which wee carry about with us, which we know had a beginning,and fliall have an end, that thefe is fomething in them, that is as con- ftant as any of the former ; as the beating of the pulfe, the Dreathing of the lungs,and the motion of the heart, and yet the body had a beginning, and lliall have an end? Now what isthedil]fe» rence bctweene thcfc two ? It is but fmall, this continueth onely for fomc tithes ofyeeres, but the world for tnoufands- the difference is not great 5 and therefore why fhould you not thinke it had a beginning^as well as your body,and like- wile fhall have an ending. See what theApoftle faith in this pIace,though all things continue alike ; yet there are two rea- fons, whereby hee proves that God made the world, and that the world fhall have an end ; I The firft is laid downe in verf. 5. For this they are mlUngly ignorant of^ that by the Word of God the heavens rrere of $ld^ and the earth fian- ding out of the rraters^ and in the rraters: that is^ naturally the waters would cover the earth, as it did at the beginning- forthe natural place of the waters is above the earth, even as of the aire a- bovc the waters:Now who is it that hath dtawnc thefe Vcrfe s That God is thefe waters out of the eartk, and caufed it to ftand out of the vvatcrs^and made it habitable for men and beafts (faith he) was it not the Lordl 2 Itisplainely proved by the Floud^ vcrfe^. trhereby the ivorld^ that then tras^ being overflow- ed mtt fvatersy ferijhed-^ that is, the waters, vrhen G o D tooke away his hand , returned to their place, and covered the face of the earth. Now, who was it that then did drie the earth a- gaine, and ever fincchathrefcrveditto the day of ludgement tobee dellroyed by firc> was it not the Lord You have heard as much, faith he, . but of thu you are mllinglj ignorant ^ that is, they arc fuch things as may be knownejbut by reafon of your luft which obfcurc your knowledge, and hide thofe parts of Nature and reafon, which God hath planted in your hearth:; therefore, of thefc things you are willingly ig- norant. Furthermore wee adde this fecond anfwer to thofe that make this objevSlion. That things are cot alike fince the creation. For, I The courfe of Nature hath beene turned many times, as thofe miracles that the Lord j wrought in flopping the courfe of the Sunne,and making of it goe backward ; he made the waters to run a contrary courfe, and flopped the heat of the fire,and the efficacie of it,fo that it could doe the three children no harme. 2 Bcfides thofe miracles look upon the things j done amongft us, and you fhall fee though they are net contrary to Nature, yet Nature is turned off! Vcrf. ^. That GoDu. of its courfe, as inour bodies there be ficknefles and diftempersjfo there are in the great body of the Worldjftrange inundations^ftirrcs and altc- rations • now if there were not a free Agent^that governes thcfe, why are thefc things fo, and why no morc?vvby doe thefe things go fo farrejand no furcher?why are there any alterations at all and when any alterations come to paffe, who is hee that ftoppeth them ? why doth the fea over-flow fome places, and goe no further > who is he rt&t fets bounds to them^but only the L#rrf/Ther fore this we may learne from itjthe conftancy of thefe things fliewcs the wifdomc of Ged- (as it is wif- dome in us to doe things conftantly)and againe^ the variety of things fliewes the liberty of theA- gcnt jfor the actions of Nature are determined to one^but God fhcwes his liberty in this^that he can and doth change and alter them at his pleafure. Bcfidesjthe things that are ordinary amongft ns, wherein there is no fuch fwarving, but they areconftant in their courfc, doth not Ged guide them and difpofe of them as he pleafeth ? as the former and the latter rainc; doth not God give more or lefTe^ according; to his good pleafure > i which ihcwes^that all things have not con tinued alike; but that there is a G$d^ that governes the world. And as it is thus with natural thingSjfb in other things alfo; you fhall fee fome judgments and rewards upon ibme^and not upon others. Ohbur^ you fay, the mrldhath continued very I long, and there is apromife efhis commin^^ but wee fee no fuch thing ? But Diftempcr the body thewori<3 54 That Q OB ^/. Bur, faith thehoKD^ ^ thoufafidyeeresare to mee hut as one daj^ and one day as a thoufandyeeres, Asifhecfbould Tay^ itmay feemelofig to yoii, whomcafurctimeby mocioa and revolution, to j your narrow iinderftanding itmay leemelong ; | but to God it doth not : A thoufand yeeres with him, is but as one day. Where, by the Tray, wee fliall anfwer that fond objedion : How the Lori imployed himfelfe before the creation of the World > A thoufand yeeres to him is but as one day ^ and againe,0!ie day is as the longcft time,that isy there is noditfereneeof time with him.Towhich I may adde this ; that, who knoweth what the i'Orrfhathdonc ? indeed he made but onc world to our knowledgejbut who knoweth what he did before, and what he will doe after ; who knowes his eounfels?and who is able to judge ofhim^or of his a£lions ? wecan know no more, nor judge no otherwife tban he hath reveaied, wee have no other booke to lookeinto^butthe Bookeofhis Word,and the booke of this World, and there- fore to fceke any furtherjs to be wife above fo- briety, and above that which iswritten. But whence then comes this promifcuous ad- miniftration of things, which feemestomake things runne upon wheels ? they have no certain eourfe, but arc turned upfide downc : whence comes this to paflTe, if there be a G'ai that rules Heaven and Earth? For anfwer of this, XodktinEzeh. i . where you have an expreffion of this,of things running upon That God u. uponwhccles: vvlicrein you may obferve thcfe things: 1 That all things here belovir are exceeding mutable; and therefore compared to H^heeles^ becaufc they are turned about as cafie as a wheel, fo that a man may wonder at their varietic and turning, 2 But yetj thefe whecles have eyes in them^ that isjthough wc fee not the realbn of things in them, yet they have eyes in them, they have fomeching to be difcerned^the fpeech is a meta- phor,and a metonymie too,{hewing that there is fomthing in their eveiits,that they may fhewthe reafon of theirturning, if wee could difcexncitj but it is oft hidden from us. 3 And thefe wheeks arc ftirred^ but as the hea jisftirre them • that is, there is nothing done here bclow,but is brought to pafTe by the inftru- ments of (/(/^ namely, the Angels. 4 And thefe beafts, firft, ha^^e faces likemen^ that is,the wifdome of men. and fecondly on the other fide, dface lihaLim^ for their ftrength ; thirdly, there is fervice, and laborioufneffein them,as in Oxen - fourthly, there is fvviftnefle in tb^nij as in Eagles • and this is meant of the An- gels, that order and guide thecourfe of things, I and change them, as we fee continually. 5 Againe, as thefe move not, but as they arc guided by them, fo both move by the ^p/m- that is, what God commands them, they execute x they goe,when he would have them go, and ftani flili^when he would have them. D 2 ^Againe, 35 ObfervatiottS from the whceles ia THe Angels ufedas inilru< mencs in gui- ding eke courfe of things. That God is. GodhuTi^i his purpofcs CO paffe by waics wctbiokc not of. & Againe, for the manner of their motion • every one of them hadfourefaces^ that is^they could : looke every way from Eaft to Weft , and from North to South;, when as man can fee but one. way before him, hee cannot looke on the right fide, ortheleftj orbchinde hira, and therefore he may be deceived ; but thefe looke every vray« So alfo thtfeet^ on which they goe, are not like mensfect, to goe forward onely, but like calves that is, they were round fee t, which goc ei- ther forward or backward, foj as they are eafily turned; and as they fee every way, fo they are apt to goe every- way, and this with the greatefl facility that can bee. Let a man fet any thir^ on worke, and it muft needs run in fueh a channellj ifl fuch a way,hecannot change it fuddenly; But it is not fo with G o d, he can alter a thing as ea- fily to the left hand, as to the rights and that in^ aninftarit. But what dependanee is there between things- doe we no: fee ftrange things come to pal!e,thar we can fee no reafon for, as the Churches over- throwne, the godly afflidedj the wicked exal- ted? Well, faith the Lord^ this is to be confide- red further, that one trheele is mthindnether^ and the hvings of the Angels are one xvithin another * there is a futableneflc, and an agreeablenefie bctweene them ; fo that take the changes of a thoufand yeeres,and,ifyou fumme them up,you fhall finde them, aswheeles^ one with another. Therefore I would famme up the anfwer thus : this lhdt\J[oDu. ' 57 this deceives uSjWe look viponGods providence in lome few particulars onelVj wee looke but up- on a wheele or two^and not as they are one with- in another^for then(indced)vve fliould fee things that might caufe us to wonder : as wee fee lofeph^ an innocent man^lying in difgrace and itnprifon- ment J and I>Avid^ though innocent, yet a long time difgraccd in the Court of Saul^ and after- wards Shimei curfing him ^ yea wee fee Ie[m Chrifl himfetlfe delivered and condemned for an impoftorj and thatby witneffes, and in a legal! manner : fo we fee Pml^ one that was a man full of zeale, yet accounted one of the wor ft men that lived in his time : and Ndoth^ an innocent man condemned to death by witncflcs, and ftoned, and who (hall rife againe to fhew his innocencie? If you lookc but upon a wheele or two^you fhall findc the Church ready to bee fwallowed up in Efterstimt'^ but if you looke upon them all at once, then you will fee, that thefe pafTages have eyes in them, and that they have Angels,and the Spirit to guide them. As fdiLexampIe,look€On all the wheeles oUofefhs lifi^ou fhall fee the en- vie of his brethrenjfelling him to the Steward of Phmahshowlt^mdi there his falling out with his 1 iVIiftrefle,his being caft into prifo%and meeting with P^^r^^fc/ Officers; whereby hee was made know nc to Pharoah^ and fo hee became great in Phdroshs Court • and then you fee it is a goodly worke. SoinI>^f/^, take all the wheelestogc- thcrjand you fhall fee a glorious worke^ how Ged brought him along to the Kingdome • God was 1 D 3 with ?8 That Gou ts. with him, and wrought his works for him, when he did fit ftill ; and wJhen his hand was not upon ^^j^^then he fent the Philiftmes to vex him5and to end his dayes and firft he gave David the King- dome oiludah 5 and then afterwards ^her andi Ifhhjheth fell out abouta word,whieh occafioned the death of one of them^and then alfo came two wicked raenj and took off the others head, and fo the whole Kingdome of Ifrael came quietly into^ his hand. So alfo in Efthers time^ take all the wheeles together, and you fhall fee an excellent aft ofG^^i/providence^when the Church was rea- dy to be deftroyedjwhen the necke was upon the blockc, and the Sword drawn out ready to ftrikcj that very night the King fhould not fleepe^but a Eooke muftbcbrought^ and rather Chronicles than any other^and that place fhould be opened, where he fhould finde Mordecai his revealing of the treafon againft him, whereupon the decree muft be revoked, and the Church delivered • I fay, take all thefe together, and we fhall plainly fee^that in this ftrange adminiftration of thin^^s, there is flill a providence, and there arc eyes^in the wheeles, and a fpirit to guide them. If there bee fuch a God chat made the Bcaven and the Earth ; what is the reafon then,thac wee fee things are brought to pafTe by natural caufes > If there be a caufe for fuch a thing,the effeadoth fallow - when there is no caufe, then the e&d doth not, as a wife man doth bringa thing to paffe, but the foolifh mifcarrics in it, we fee the diligent hand maketh rich^ and.hee that labours ^ noti That Gor> u . notjhath GOthingi and things that are ftrong pre- vaile againft thoie that arc weakc ; and fo God is forgotten in the Worlds and his Wifdome and Power is not feenc ? It is not fo : ^'(^(i doth carry it often another wa/j as it is, Ecclef. 5^ • 1 1 . .^Iway the bamllis not to theflroHg^ bu^t chance mi accident befall them . that isj the Lord oi purpc^fe doth often change them, that his power and might may bee feene. Wee fee oftenj that Prwces mike on foot like fer- vantSyandfervanti ride like Princes^^s in Cha^. 10. that is, things doe not alwayes cometopafle according to their caufe- for when the caufe is exceeding faire to bring forth fiich an cffedlj yet we fee it is an abortive birth, and fuch things come tofajje that we looked not for ; as hce that was dili- gent, many times come to povertie- the wife doc often mifcarry in bringing their enterprifes to pafle. Though the immediate caufe produceth the effed, yet who is the firft caufe ? Asforexam- pIe5though folly be the caufe^that fuch a bufines doth mifcarry,yet who is the caufe of that folly? It is fin that bringcth deflru^iion, and doth pre- cipitate a man thereunto - but who is it that lea- veth men to their finncs andlufts ? You fee what was the immediate caufe of the lolle of Rehe- f^j^w/Kingdome, the ill counfell that was given him by the young men - but who was it that fit- ted the caufe thereunto ? was it not the Lord ? So on the contrary, wee fee that godlinefle is the caufeor good fuccefTcjand makes men to profper D 4 but 39 Events arc fomctiKics contrary to mans prcpjH racions. Anfw. ^] Godthc 6x11 4 a That G ov u* Anfvf» Gcdi difpofing of ihc affiifti- ODSofthe gGdly,nn of Heaven and Earthy than if a man Oiould a- rife from the dead , if wee confider the many miracles which they did, and holy life which they led. But, 44 IMP vji 0 D !/• But, if you ivill fay, thatjindeed far the decla- ring of things, and for the eonfirming of truths, there is more evidence in thefe, than if one did arife from thedead|but if one fhould come from rhedead, this would be much to fhew the eter- nity of things, and the immortality of the fowle. If this bee fo ; you fee, that men have rifcn from the dead ; as when Chriji did a- rife, then many arofe from the dead alfo. THE 45 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ s iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiif ' THE THIRD SERMON He BRE VVES 11.6. Hee that commeth to Qod^ tnuU beleeloe that God Uy and that bee u a nwarder of thm that feeke him* Mm Ow wcc proceed to that which rcmaincs • wee will fhevv you how this point is made mani- feft to you by faith, that Go d made the Heavens^ and the Earth. It is done after this manner • When you beleeve the Scriptures to be true, and find this fet downe in the Scripturejthat/?^?^ made heaven and Earth, then you beleeve that there is anetci^iall Deityjthat is the Author and Maker of all thefc things:and thus faith gathers the conclufion : If The recofid fort of Argu< mcnti. How this is proved by Faith, 4^ A^cnc double. Difference be- twccns Faith andReaCon. That God f/. Reafon for that that faith . bcJecveth. If you aske me^ how faith differs from reafon, and how this fccond proofe differs from the for- mer ? I anfwerjaftcr this manner : There is a double aflent : One is a doubtfuli affent, which we call Opinion, that is, when we aflent to the one part, fo as we feare the contrary to be true. The other is, a firme alfent, and this is two- fold: Either it is grounded upon reafon, which we call Knowledge : or elfe it is grounded upon the authority of him that reveales it^ 3nd this we call Faith, And the difference of them ftands in this : The objeil: of the firft, which wee call Knowledge, are naturall things, fuch as G&ddid not revealc^/2??/f// Becaufe the men that delivered it , in his Name: did canfirme it by workes,and mi- racles, and predidions of time ; fo that reafon runnes along together with Faith: onely there is thisdifferencebetweene them- Faith addcth to 47 CO the eye of rcafon^ andraifethttbigbcr ^ for the underftandiflg is conver fant^as about things ofreafon/oalfoaboutthingsaf Faith- for they | are propoimded to the underftandiugj only they j are above itjand muft have faith to reveale them^ j as when Mofes faith, the beginning God made the Heaven and the Earth : when wee heare fuch a propofition, reafon doth but looke upon it, and cannot fee it at firfl: i but faith helpeth reafon to gee further* therefore Faith is but an addition to the ftrength of reafon ^ when it could goc no further,Faith makes it to go further: as one that hath drmme cyesjie can fee better with thehcJp of Spedaelesreven fo doth the cyeof rcafon.by a fupernaturall faith infufed ^rSo that all the things which wc beleeve^have a crcdibilitie and entitle in them, and they are the objefts of the under- ftanding • but we cannot find thesi out,without fome fupernaturall help. As if you would choofe a right jewel! ^ (you know there are many coun- terfeit ones) how fliould you know a true one ? The ftander-by cannot tel],but biings it to a La- pidary5or a Ieweller,and he knowes it^becaufe he is skilled in it. Now, as there are the Iewels,and they are to be difcerned and differenced , but all lyes in the skill : So is it in the things that are revealed by God^mA by naturall reafon, to know which are of God^v^hich not; there are the things^ and they are to be feene, yea, the things them- felves have characters, by which they may bee difccmed : but let two men lookeupon them, one beleeves,and the other doth not ^ the reafon Fakhraifctb reafon higher^ 48 Three waycs wheicby-faiih gaihcrBthat the Scriptures are itucjand confcqucBtly thacihcieisa cbeworM. 4 That G on Proofes that Mofei ando- chcr pcn>men of Scripture, fpake by the Holy Ghoft. 6 The miracles which were *. I ViCblc. is one man goes no further than reafon, but the \ other doth 'One is helped from above, and the o- thcr is nor^hc wants that light^ that habit of skill, which the other hath. Now this being prcmifed in general], let us fee how faith gathers, that the Scriptures are true,and that all that is in them is true- and con- fequently,that there h ^Goi that made the world; It gathers it by thefe three heads : When a man lookes into the Scriptures, and fees the phra(es of the Prophets and Apoftles, faying, Thus faith the Lord heeconfiders ifthis be from Godythcn it rauft needs be true. But now the queftion is, whether it was delivered truely, and therefore hce lookes upon the men that did deliver it, as apon M&fes^ &c« and if he can findc any evidence in them, that they delivered it tru- Iy,without collufionjthen he beleeveth that it is fo, and fo faith layes hold and pitches tipon it, and gives folide aflent unto it. Now tfee proofes,w hereby we flicw that thefe men have fpokcn truely by the Holy Ghoft, are thefe three : The miracles which they wroughtrwherin this is firft to be confidered, that they were fueh mi- racles, as were done before many witnefles they were not done in a corner, where onelytwoor three were,and fo related to the people, as many falfe miracles are^but they were done before ma- ny rhoufands,as the (landing ftill of the Sun^ the plagues ofMgyft^ the dividing of the waters,thc Mamah that came downe from Heaven, the wa- ter flowing out of the Rockes, the mimdcsthat wcttmoughtby Eliahy^nAE/ifba^ they were all openly done iathe view of all the people. They werefuch miracles^ as had a reality in thern^ falfcnairacles ftandonely in appearance^ they ha\(e onely a fhadow and not the fub ftancej they have no folidity in them, as the miracles thatlnchantersdoe^theyarebut p^/^eftsf*, as wee call them 5 they are oriely appearances, and no more, as, ifthey give money, it will afterwards prove but drie leaves - and fUch were the mira- cles of theJnchanters in iE^j^^ but looke upon themiracles of ^(^/^/j tbcy were fo-Iide, as the Mmn&h fed the people many yeeres - the water that came out of the rocks did refrefli them • the plagues of ^gyp were reall; the miracles alfo of C/?njf?wetedl ofufeto mankinde, as when hec turned water into wine, it was fuch as they wcr^ refrefhed by- fo,whenhe healed thepeople^when he gave fight to the blindcj they were all uifcfull, and hada reality in them* Befides, confider the Miracles which were wroughtat the delivery of the Law,£x yet then after them was the aniel the Propher^^ and how he ordered the people of the captivity. Moreover, Berofus faith, that afterwards hee was ftruckenwith madneffe,and£^'4;f»/>,hevani^}led (for that is his word) he departed from amongft men. (Indeed om Mnim^ a Monke, bath put forth fome books under the name of but they are but fuppofitions. ) So likewife, of Senachertbwcid SatmanaJ'arsyjmt^ aiid of the buil- ding of Salomons l^mi^lt^ they arc recorded in the Anrtalls of the Tyrians. This is related by } thofe Tba^ G o D 5 5 thofc that are neither letves nor Chriftians ; and thcfe tcftinionies are fetched from thofe that are our enemies, which are more fit forthePreffe than for the Pulpit, and to be written than deli- vered in a popular congregation . I will adde to this but this one • confider the exa6i: Chronologie, which is found in all the Scriptures, and the agreement of them with the Heathen Hiftories. In latter times there have been great confufi- ons, but the greateft evidencc^extant at this pre- fent day, is the Table of Ptolomjy lately found, which doth exaftly agree with the Scripture- he exactly fets downe the time that NebuchadnezzAr and Cyrus reigned^compare them with theScrip- ture, and you fhall finde thcfc agree with Daniel and lererj^. Otherwife Chronologcrs differ very much ; for in lofeph Scaligerstitnc^thatTahk they had nor, but it was found fince; So in the time ^vhen lerufalem was taken, they agree exadly^ and this is the greateft teftimony^that the Scrip- ture can have from Heathen men. But this Queft ion may now bee made ; How fliould we know that thefe books,which we have as written by Mofes^ that thefe are they 5 that there is no altera tion in them, or fuppoHtitious prophecies put in > You have the /^r^T agreeing with the chrifti- 4;7/, wbowcrecnemiesj and the /^^r^jkeptitex- ^ adly, yet their Bookes agree with ours. I But how fhould wee know that thofe of the 1 /ejr/fjandpIainncfreof theftile, and themannerof the exprcflions, a meere relation^ and no more. /« the beginmng was theword^ , Where dotliany booke expreflfe it felfe in fuch a mannerjin the relation of any ftories > So that it carries evidence it is from C? The an- fvi^cr is, that when the Sctiptures were ended their writing did but begin, there being little ufc, and le{Ie knowledge of learning in thofc daies^men living in the firaplicity of thofe times according to the rules of Nature , for it feemes the GreciansyvtXQ the firft, or rather the Chaldees^ amongft whom therewere not fo many Bookes written then, as afterward. Now when all thefe things ate confidered, we are brought to beieeve the Scriptures are the Word o{ G CD, wherein you can findcthisfet downc that there is a Goi^ that made Heaven and Earth, then this begets faith 5 and fo^ By faith we Meeve (as here the Apoftlc faith) that there u me God. I confefle all this which hath bccne faid is not enough^unleffe God infufeth an inward light light by his Spirit to worke this faith, but yet there is enough left in the Scrip- tures ro give evidence of themfelves, t ' THE 58 The fourth ar- gument from the teftimonic of the Chmh, ifii'iiifiiittitiiiiiifit THE FOURTH SERMON. HeBREVVES II. ^. Hee that commeth to God^ musl belecDc that God i5fc. Here is one reafon more remaines, and that is from the teftimonyof the Church . doubtiefle it is an Argument of great ftrength • that fo many generati'os fince Chrifis time, and be- forejhave from hand to handjdelivered it unto u$3 and thaifo many holy men, as the Martyrs and ancient Fathers were when they lived, that thefe all gave tcftimony to this Scripture in all ages. That God U. But yet we will addc fomething to it, becaufc the Tdfi^s have abufed this, and fay, they would indeed have the truth of the Scriptures to depend i upon the authority of the Churchy but not fo I much upon the teftimony it hath received from all ages and generations as upon that teftimony i which the prefect Church gives of it ; becaufe fay they,the Church can crre in nothing • there- fore not in this : and hence they inferrc. This is the Bible,becaufe the very Di6latcof the Vo^e^ in cathedra^ wiihhis Counfell (fome fay) makes it fo, and you muft receive it for Scripture,, upon this very ground, without any further inquiry 5 thoughwithus (who doe not receive that con- : clufion, that the Church cannot erre) this is out of queftion, that the Scripture doth not depend on the authority of the Churchy yet wee will 'give you this reafon againft it. Aske that Churchy that Synodeofmen, what is that which makes the Church to beleeve that the Scripture is the Word of G o D ? Surely , they will give the fame anfwcr, that wee ihall deliver unto you 5 that it could be nothing elfe, but the Scripture it felfe, which therefore mufl: needs bee of grea- ter authority than the Church for the declaration ofchemfelves, in that the Scriptures manifefta- tion of themfelves, is of more force than the authority of the Church, as the caufe hath much more ftrcngth, than theefFedJ. A^ainc, the Church hath no authoritie to judge of the j Scripture, till it be knowne to bee the Church which cannot bee but by the Scripture. More-- ! over 60 That G op is. over^the Scripture hath a teftimony mote anci- ent than the authority of the Churchjand there- fore cannot receive its authority from any ; the Scripture being the firft truth it cannot be pro- ved by any other • it is the confeffion of their owne Writers, that Theologia mn efi argumenta- trva 5 Theologie is not argumentativCj to prove its owne principles^but only our dedu^ions out of it : As allOjthey fay,we cannot prove the Scrip- turesj frolandd^ fed folvendo^ not by proving, but by anfvveringj and refolving objections made againft it. In all other things, you fee^it is fo • as the Standard, being the rule of all, cannot be known but by it felfe, the Sun that fticwes light to all things elfe cannot be known by any other light but its owne: fo the Scripture, that is the ground of all other truths, cannot be knGwn,but by the evidence of thofe truths that it carries in it-felfe. Wee have onely this word tote added more concerning the Scriptures. You fhall obferve this difference betweene the Writings of the Scripture, that were written by holy men infpi- red by the Holy Ghoft, and all mens Writings in the world. In mens Writings, you fliallfee that men are praifed & extolled, fomeching fpo- kcn of their wifedome^and of their courage, and j what ads they have done, there is noftory of any man, hut you {hall find fomething of his praife in it: but you fhall find the quite contrary- in theBookeof G^d^ there is nothing given to men, but aft to God himfelfc^ asMefes^ Bavid^ Paul Aditfeccncc betweene the Wiitings of the Pen 'men efScripturej and other holy pen. That Go jyv* PauljahdaW the Worthies recorded in tic Scrip- turcjyou ftiall finde-nothing given to them. Of Bavid iris faidy^hstht-mlkedrnfetyy bccaufe the Lord was mth him^ it was not his owne firength • jfbjwhen they hadany vidory^it was not through •theirowrne courage^or ftratagems that they uiedv but the Lord did give their enemies irito their bands. And Paul^ who was themeanesofcon- v^erting fo many thoitlands, afcribes nothing to himfelfe^but faies it was the^r^^-^ of Go Djthat was with'him. So3 5^wJ2?;jvvasftrong5biH:yeti£ is faid that he had his ftrength from G&d-^ &c ther- fore this is an argumentjthat theScriptures were writtcnby holy men infpiredby the Holy Chojf. Seeing then we have fach jull grdund tobelecve that t:f)ere is a Cot> tloAtrndde Heaven and Earthy arid that this mrd^ which' tejiifieth ofhimy is indeed thtmrdofGon y This ufe we are to make of it, that it might not be invain td us; It flioiild teach us to cCnfirmc this fitft principle, and make it fure^feeingall the reft are built upon itj therefore we have reafon to weigh itjthat we may give foil confent to it, and not a weake one. But,you will ^yjthis is a principle that needs not to be thus urged,or made qucftion "of* there- fore what need fo many reafons to prove it ? Even thcftrongcftattiongft ushave ftillneed to incrcafeour faith in this point, and therefore wee have caufe to attend to it 5 and that for ihcfe two reafons : 1 Eecaufc thcfe principles^though they be fo common jct there is a great diffcrenife in the be- leefe 61 To CGnfirtne ourfairh in this iirftprin. For two rea- fons. 6l Bccaufi: there iiagreacdifiTc- fence between common faith and chat of the Elcd in thefe principles c I. Theafleecdf the Eled ilronger. That Gob is. 1 In that which breeds a0cnr. leefe of the Sa>ints^ and that with which commoa men belcevc them :thediference is in thefe foure things :both of themdo beleeve,and they fpcak as they thinke, yet you ftiall find th is difference : A regenerate man hath a further and a deeper infight into thefe truths,he gives a more through and a ftronger affent to them • but another man gives a more fleight and overly affent^ that faith, with which they beleeve them , is a faith that vAnts depth of earth therefore, if any ftrong ccm p- tation comes upon themjas feare of being put to deathj&c, they are foone (haken off^ and doc of- ten fall awayjwhen they are put to it. they fhrink away in time of perfecution:for their faith mnts depth of earthy that is the aflent, they give to the Scripturejs but an overlyjandf uperficiall aflentj it doth not take deepe rootein their foule, and therefore it withers in time of tcmptationj they doe not fo ponder them as others doe • neither are they (o grounded in thefe firft principles, as others are - though they have fome hold, yet it is not fo gtcat an hold, as the godly have; for they arc not fo firmely eflahlijbe^y fo grounded in the prefent truth^ they are not rooted , as the Sams are. That which breeds this affent in them, is but a common gift of the HolyGhofl* but that with which the Saints beleeve them,is a fpeciall grace infilled, wrought by the Holy (^oR : now, that which hath a weaker caufe, rauft needs have a weaker cffe^t.^^ that which is wrought by a com- mor^cannQ|i>e fo ftrong an afTenr^as that which IS That God ts. | 65 is wrought by an infufed habit of the Holy Ghoji^ .therefore the faith of the Saints is ftronger than the faith of the mcked. The Saints, the regenerate men build their rbif. f. hope, comfort and happinefle upon the truth of TheSaints thefe principles, as there u a God, that rules hope o" thcfe Heaven and Earth, and that the Serif tures are his pnncii>irVi lif»f=» rlrif li if writnthp ' F fame 1 That God fame faith that they did ; onely here is the diffe- rence^ the Martyrs fpent all at once^and thefc doe it but drop by drop : as when a man forbcares ali prcfent joyes,which this lifeconfifts in 5 it is, as It werc,a dying by peece-meale, a dying drop by drop : as Paul faid, / die dajly. If one of us were to fulfcrjas the Martyrs didjwhat is it that would eftablifli our foulcs ? It is thebeleefe of thefe principleSjthat enables the Saints to doe all this you live by your faith^in thefe principIes,though you obfcrve it not : for this is a thing that is to be marked, to this purpofe 5 That the opinions of men, their imaginations and thoughts, they all proceed from fuch notions as lye more overly in their hearts 5 but their actions proceed from the ftrong fttled noCions,and principles,thatare riveted in their inward heart. And therefore ob- firve the lives of men • fuch as their principles in them arejfuch are their adions : For as it is true, on the one fide ; where men beleevej there they come to God: fo it is true, on the other fide 5 if' men be not grounded in thefe firft principles, iff they doe not belecve, they doe not come to hiw^ butgoeon unevenly in their wayes, and forfake their profeifioiii Now, whence cames this uneven \valMng,this exorbitance of tl:ewliecles,but frotn theweakeJ nede of the maine fpring^that fets ail on motion?! becaufe ihefearc the firft fprings, that fet all the! rcil on worke. For, could a man be carried iaway by the praife of men, by the voice and breath of man,on the one fide • or could he be difcouragcd That God if. by the fcoffes of men on the other fide, if he did fully beleevc this principle } it is impoflible he fhould: as Bfoy 51,1 z.nijo an thou thatfeareji man that jhaK die ^ and forget tefl the Lord thy Maker } As if he (hoiild fay^It is impoflible that men flhould fhrinke fo at the face of man, if they did not for- get the Lord their Maker. Hence it is,(although you doe not obferve from whence it comes) yet hence doe come all thofe fruits of Atheifme in the lives of men - all that unthankfubelTej that men can take blcffings at Gods hands, and never give him thankcs^nay rather,they render evill for good s hence it is, that men truft in meanes,more than in Ggd : hence it is,that men are fo unholy when they come into his prefcnce ; they are not ftrucke with feare and reverence of his Majeftie, when they come before him 2 hence alfo comes that carelefnefle in the lives of men that feare not feis Wordjbut walke on in a carelefle and remifle manner: and hence alfo is thathafting after ho- nours & profits,with the negle(3- of better things- they all arifc from hence, even the weakenefle of the affent to thefe maine principles for there is a double kind of Atheifme in the heart ; there is a ditcQ: thought of Atheifme, when a man doubts of the truth of thefe principles, and knowes hce doth (c^fccondly,when a man doubts,and knowes not that he doubts. But you will fay. If it be of fo much moment^ then what is the way to ftrengthen our faith in them? 1 It is exceeding profitable, to fearch and exa- ^ F 2 mine 67 6$ I Meanes* To confirme our faith in thereprinci- pies. I Search and •examine ihcm that God is. mine thefe truths to the full • not to give over pondering of them,till your hearts be eftabli(hed in the prefent truth. It is good to doe with your felves,as£//^^did in the cafe of ^^^/; fvhy hah you ^ewee?ietmKe\igion$ ? Come to that disjundi- on^ If Baal h god^ feffrn him : So I fay to you in this cafe, examine it to the full 5 If thefe princi- ples be not true,walke according toyour libertic and luftsj take no paines, but live as your nature would have you : but if they be true, then walke fo, as if thou didft throughly beleeve them fo to be : the bcleefe of them, is that which will carry us through all lofics and flanders^ through good report and ill report ; if thou didft throughly be leeve them, they would make thee doe any thing for Oed: I fay^it Is very profitable to come to this disjunfliion, and it ftrengthens our faith much • and this being laid^then draw the coiiclufion from ir5That we thus here muft live^and that it is here beft for us to doe fo. To pray to God^to ftrengthen our faith in thefe common principles • to fay as the Difciplcs did^ Lord encreafe our faith: you fee that ChriH did itjwhcn Peters Mth failed him - hee prayed^that it might be ftrengthened : And when you have found any weakenefle, or doubting, you muft re- member, that faithjin thefe principlcs,is the gift of God, There is indeed a common faith,which others may have, and thou mayeft have ? but the ftrong faith arifeth from the Spirit, God difpen- feth it where he pleafeth: this infufed faith is not gotten by ftrcngtb of argument^ or pcrfpicuitie of That GoDU. of the underftanding 5 it is cot brought in by cu- ftonie^but Cja^^ doth yvorke it- it is not all the an- tecedent preparation that will doe it, but God muft firft vvorke it, and then you are able to be- leeve thefe principles of faith, and able to be- leeve them to purpofc. When thou haft fuch a habit lying in thy foulc, the more thou readeft the word, and acquainteft thyfelfc with it, day by day, tjie more ftrong doth thy faith grow, Rom, 10. FAith comes byhea^ ring^ and hearing bphemrdof G o d« that is, it is amcanes, by which Goivioikts it, both in the beginning and increafe of it.Therefore take that exhortation, which is in Colo£.'^.i6. Letthemri drvellinjou flenteeufl^^ &c, that is, let it not come as a ftranger, looking to it now and then,(as it is the fafhion of moft men) but let it bee famiHar with you, let it dwell rviih you y and let h dmllmth you plentifully y that is, reade not a Chapter or two, butallthe Word • be not content to know one part of it, but know it thorowout. Laftly, Jet it be in wifdome • A man may reade much and underftand little^becaufe he knowes not the mea- ning of it . a childe may be able to fay much by heart, and yet not have it in wifdome : therefore let the Word dwell plentifully in you, inallmf dome, 1 It is profitable to convcrfe with faithfull men. ! As it is faid of Barnabas^ hee tvas a man full of faith 5 therefore it is faid^he converted many : It } is4iot in vaine, that phrafe of the Scripture, hee j was a man full ef faith, and therefore were 1 F 5 added €9 3 Mednes, Acquaint thy felfcwith the Word more fltid more. op«acd* 4 Meanes^ Convcrfcwich faitbfuU men. 70 iheie princi- ples. TotaVe the judgement of tfi? Scripture rather than Ricntfarcisb. ! sMfd u the Lord : For you fliall finde it-h^ex- perience, when you convcrfe with worldly mcii- ^ they will be ready, on cveric occafionj to attri- j biUG the event of things to naturall caufes^ but the godly they afcribeit to God. Now good ! words ftrcngthen our faith, but the evillmrds of naturall mcn^they corrupt good manners. And not only the wordes of the godly workefo^ but the very manncrof thediiivery ofit is emphatically for they doe beleeve it thenifelves mow if a man deliver an hiftory that he beleeves, he will deli- ver it in fuch a raanner,^ that he will make others beleeve it alfo : 1 4. i . They fo fia^ke^that a great multitude of the letres belecvedy that is, in fuch a manner, that many were turned to the faith. lu- } mtu profefleth in his life, that the very firft thing I that turned him from his Atheifme, was the tal- king with a country-man of his, not farrefrom Florence^ and his manner of expreflinghimfelfe? The next was the majefty of £heScripture,which heeobfervedin /ffo^ but the other was the be- ginningofit. So it will ftill be truc,that walking with god-, ly men will increafe our faith, but with worldly men, it will weaken it, Thereforeufeall thefc meanes to ftrcngthen thefe principles in you; for they will have many excellent e&£is in your lives. As ; When a manbeleevcs this throughly, he will rake the judgement of the Scripture againft his own fancie^and the opinions of men (with which we are ftill ready to be mifled^ ) fo that when the Scripture Tljat QoD if. 7« Scripture faith of riches, that they are nothing, whereas before thou thoughteft themtobeea (Irong Tovver^now you will think them to be but aftafteofreed^ foof finfali lufts, which are fo pleafing to us^ the Scripture faith of them^ that they fight againji the foule^ though they arc fweet for the prefentjye t theyare fowre in the later end; fo that thou takeft the judgment of the Scripture againft thine owne reafon. So for the praife of men/ee what the Scripture faith^he is praif-wor- thy whom God praifeth , and therefore thou jud- gcft vaine-glory to be but a bubble ^ I fay, if you could belecvc this throughly, you would fet the judgemeutof the Scripture againft your owne leafons, and the opinions of men. Befidcs this, it will breed notable fervcncie in prayer, when a man knoweth that there are fuch promifes, itwill makehim never give over, it will make him watch and pray continually with all perfevcrance, though many times bee prayeth, and hath no anlwcr, as the woman of CdYidm^ yea though he hath fometimes a contra- ry anfwer and effed to what he askethj yet when he hath laid hold on the promifes,he will not let goe, hee will never give over ; hee knowes, Hee^ v^h hath fr'Omifedyi^ faithful! therefore hee is not likeawaveoftliQ Sea, tojjeduf and dmnewith eveA rywi?:d€. i But it is not onely a ground of all this, but it brings forth this effetl alio, it doth exceedingly ftrengthen our faith in matters of juftification : for it is ceitaine, that the fame faith whereby we _____ F 4 belcevc To be tervcni in prayer. Ic ftrcngth- ncch faith m matters of ju- ftification. _7*_ The fame faith both be* IccTes that (here is a Gsd^ and applycs «hc promjfcs ThatGoi^u. beleeve and apply the promifes of falvation ^ through Chnft^ is the fame faith whereby we be- leeve the Scripture, and that there is a C7^?<;/ that made both Heaven and Earth. Thereis no diffe- rence in this faith yea, that juftifying faith by which thou art favedjarifeth from the beleefe of thefe principles • even as it was the fame eye, whereby the Ifraelites did fee the Mountains and Trees^ and other objeds, and by which they faw the brazen Serpent.No man belceves juftificati-^ on by Chriji^in his faith is mainly grounded up- on this Word of forin Scripturewe finde that Ibsvs Christ is come in the flefli,and that hee is a Lambe flaine for forgiveneffeof finnes; that he is offered to every creature,that a man muft thirft after him, and then take up his Crofic and follow him, Nowcometoabelee^ ver going out of the world, and aske him what hopeheharhtobefaved, and what ground for it > hee will be ready to fay • I knovr that Chrifi is come into the world,and that he is offered up, and I know that lam oneof them that have a part in him^ I know that I have fulfilled thecon- ditions, as that I fhould not continue willingly in any knowne finne.. that I fhould love the Lord fefm^ anddefire to ferve him above all -I know that I have fulfilled thefe conditions, and for all this I have the word for my ground^if the groSd whereon our faith is builded be the Word,then itisbuildedon a flire Rocke, and the gates of heIl,Satan,and all his temptations Oiallnotpre- vaileagainfl: itrbut againft a ftrong fancyit may. Therefore That God is. Therefore let us labour to ftrengthen our faith in thefe principles, that there is a God that made Heaven and Earth ; and that the Scriptures is his Word, whereby his minde is revealed to us^that foyou may know what his will is, and what to expeft from him upoa all occafions. There is one thing which remaincs in this pointjwhich weadded inthe third placc; That, that G^dfphich wee mrjhif is this God : for either it is that whom wc worfliip, or elfe there is no true gU in the world j wc arc to propound it negatively, to take away all other falfe religions: For, if there was ever a G'iJiji revealed in the worlds he was the God of the lewes-^ and if he was the Ged of the lems^ then of the Chriftians • and if of the chriflians, then {ixxqIj ohhc ProtefiantSy and nor of the Papifis'^ (for they do in moft points adde to the garment of Chrijl^and the Protejlants doQ but cut off what they have added before)aHd if of the Prcteftants^ then furely of thofe that doe make conkience of their wayes,that doe not live loofely, but doe labour to pleafc him in all thingse THE l 75 i iiiliiiii-fiiifiiiiif if if THE FIFTH SERMON. ^member the former things ofold^ for Jam G o D, and there u none eJfcy lamGou^ and there is none like mee. ^^^^^^^He third thing which remaines^j The ^j^jj.^ is this, that there if no ether gumentto G o D ; and it is an Argument ^^i'^'^" which is often ufcd in Scrip- There is no tiir^3 to prove that the Lord, is g^"?^^^" God^ becaufe there is nonebe- fides him • for fo you are to ;undcrfland it 1 1 m God ^ becaufe there is n0\ ' other i\ 7« That our God \ Argument* Ithauhcrc is Isio oihct God» i The grcat- I acflc of hts \ Mijcftie and jWorkcs. Other t, this particle is fo ufed many times, JSpjf 45 . 22 . / Go D, and there is none elfe^ there is none befide me^and this ftiewes the falfenefle of all other gods, and all other religions.The ar- gument ftands thus ; that if you looke to all for- mer time s, you fliall fee that there was never any other God^ or any other religion but this, which . we profeCfc. There are two arguments fet downe in the Text: 1 Remember the former times, and you fhatl alwayes findeitthus^ that there is none befides mec. 2 There is none like mee, faith the Lord-, take all other gods, and there is a wonderful! great difference betweene them and the Godwhom wc profefTe^therc is none like him. So that the point to be delivered hence is this ^ It is a great Argument tofrmje the JOeitj^- that there is none befides thehoKB* To open this to you, I will fhew you • 1 What reafons the Scripture ufeth to prove, that there is none befides him. 2 We will give you fome inftances of it, 3 We will make fome ufes of it. From the firft^you (hall finde in the Scripture thefc five arguments, to fhew that there is no o- ther God^hut that the L o r d is G o d alone, and that there is none befides him. From the greatncfle of Gods Majeftie, and the immenfitie of his workcs, and that is the reafon of the words here annexed ; there i$ none like him : asinthefifthr^r/f ofthis Chapter youfhallfcc it uthsTrm Gob. it more plainely« So, Amdngthe gods there is none like t$ thee^O Lord^nehher are phere anj mrkes like thy vporkes. Where you feejthat they are both put to- gether J there is none like to him, for the great- neffe of his Majefty5nor for the immenfitie of his workes. More particularly, firft, in regard of the greatnefleof his Majefty, there is none like him : Meholdj the JSTations are as a dr^f of a Bucket^ and are c&untedas the finaffduftof the Balance : beholdj^e ta- keth uf the Idols as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not fu^cient t6 bume^ mr the Beajls thereof fuffcient Ifor a iurnt'0ffering. AM Nations before him are as no-^ thing^nd they are cmnted tifhimlejfethannothing^and vanitie : that is, let a man looke on the gteatncfle of faith he • it is true^ for all the he^flsGf Lebanon are not fn^cient for a burnt Offering : nay, all the mod 4}f Lebanon is not enough to kindle the burnt offering. And take all the gods of the Gentiles^ they were but men, and their Temples, and all the glory of them, they are nothing to the Lord : See another defcription of this in verfi 25. And as thus in regard of the greatnefle of his Majefty there is none likehim-^to likewife in regard of the greatnefle of his workes -fer. 12. fvhehath meafured out the mters in the hollow of his hand^ and meted out Heaven mth the fpanne^ and comprehended the dufi of the earth in a meafure^ a?3d weighed the mount aines in fcahsy andthehills in aballancei That is, looke upon the great building of Heaven apd Earth, and confidcr what went to thefc buil- dings, what might and power heemu ft have to handle fuch things as thcfe ; as the vafte Moun- taineSjthe huge Earth, the Wind, and the Seas^ and confider what an hand & arme he mu ft have, I that muft do fuch things. And alfo confider the wilHpme of God^ that went to this worke, and he did it alone^he had none to help him; take a man, let h im fet up a buildingjand he cannot doc it of himfelfe, but he needs fomebody to helpe him ; but the LordAlA all this alone : therefore he con- cludes, T^r/. 1 8. that there is none like to him • as if it were his only fcopc & intention in that place. Itappeares hence, that they are not gods from their uihe True G o i>. rheir newneflcj they had a beginning, and they have aa end ^ but Godis from everlafling^ lam the jirjl and lajf^ Efay 41. 4, and 44. and 43 . io« | The meaning is, all the other gods had a begin- 1 ning, we know when they began,and their ovrne | Hiftorians have related itjbut I was before them all, faith the Z/i^r/;/, and they have all vaniflied a- way, even in your owne fight. I Their ignorance and want of knowledge, and his Oraniicience, is another Argument^ which you haveufed £/^)4i. 22,23. and 44. 7,8. Lep Phem bring themfmh^ ami jhe«i us n^hat jhatl happen Let them fhetv the former things fchmtheybeey &c. thatn-ecw^j know that you arc gods. The meaning is this- that there are none of their gods, that doe declare former things, that tell of the beginn-ing of the worlds or of the creation, or can declare things to come, I only can doe it, I have not fpo- ken in fecret, but my Prophecies are plaiiie and open,I have fpoken it,and I will bring it to paflfe. Therefore, I fay, his Omnifcienceand fhewing future things doth tefl:ifie,that there are no other gods befides him, feeing no other hath been able fotodoe,^ The greatncflfe of his power put forth in the Gontinuall paflages of his providence, and their want of power • which is another argument ufcd in I fat. 41. 23. Beh0ldy yoi^ are nothings and your workes are of nought »^ that you are not able to doe] any thing • either goodor hurt to the (bnnes of men, and therefore you are no gods, you are but vani- tie and of no value : which Argument you have often All other go4f are but new. He from ever- 1 ailing, ^fay^^i, 4. and 10, Hee onely knowcfi things t© come. and44.7,S. By the great' neffe of his pc» wer and pro- vidence, wor- king changes in the world. go 7bat our God He oncly the living Gcd 5 other gods but dead vanities* More particu- larly. I The gods of the Gmiles, and their reli- gion, was falfe. often repeated ; as alfo the great changes that ^iv'^^asalwayes God alone. Therefore againft it ! wi-JI ufe foure arguments: I Mahomet iia fully acknowledge the truth both of the Old Teil:ament,andof the New* yet the things that he delive-'s , are contrary to both ; the which confirmes our Reiigion^and fhcws- the falfe-^ ■u the True God. 83 falfenefle of theirs.For he did acknowledgejthat i M0[&s received the Old Teftament from Gody and fo did the Prophets- and he repeates mofl: of the ftorie : hee ackn®ivledgcth a!fb the Creation of , ^dm^^nd the eating of the forbidden Fruit-and the whole ftorie of ^Braham^^nd his calling, and the offring of his fonne Ifa4c:bQC\d€s^h€ acknovr- ledge th the whole Hiftory oiMofes-^ how God ap- peared to him^ and how he went into Mgyft^ and of the ten Plagues that he fent upon the JE^y^ti- dHs^and the wonders that he wrought gc^ing dowii into Cmam • and foof all the reft j naming the and of Bmermmte:fi.^ViO^\td^m^ many of the Prophets^as Eli&hj S^muel^ lob^ and Tonah : and he confeflethj that there were many more^which he did not name* And fo be aeknowledgeth the New Teftament likewife : he aeknowledgeth that Chriji was borne of a Vir^Jjo^ and that by the mighty Power of C7i?(si^without man ; that he hea- led Difeafcs^and that he received the Gofj^el from God himfelfe- and that God gave Power to him more than to all the Prophets that were before him • and that he was the Word and Power of God'^and that all that doe beleeve in himjfliall be i faved , and they fhall follow him in white Gar- ments ; and that he which beleeves it not, rtiall be damned? And he aeknowledgeth the New Te- ftament to bcare witnefie to the Old 5 and he ac- kjQowledgeth the Refurreftion; the comming of lohnBgpiB-^ and he fpeakcs very honourably of , Ci^r/^^j except only in two things % Bookeof Ffalmes^ and G 2 I He That our G on Mdb&met dcni-' cd two ifcirsgs to Cbifip* sxiiiradcs co 3 I His ^Icdtm h barbarous, andwiihoyt fj:nr§« 4 His iJo^trinc isirepurc, and fohisJileo. 1 He tooke up the opinion of the Arrims^ w deny his Divinitie. 2 And alfo bee defied that heems crucified^ but that fome body n'as crucified for him. He brought in a new religion, and yet he pro- fefTethjthat he had no miraelespr predidions of things to come. Novr^when religion is not con- firmed by miracles, or ptediiftions of things to come, or holineffe of life^ it is a token that there is no truth in it« , We may perceive it by the writing of iht Al eofdn • it is fo barbarouSj that there is no fenfe in it; and they fayj that he could neither write nor i^ade I and fo the writings fhewes, that it was by one, that was an ignorant man that had no skill ^ and fhofe ftories that are alledged out of the Scripture^have much fal Aood mixed with them which is a figne that he never read them himfeljf, but had them by relation y whic^> he delivering to a very ignorant people, they received it of him 5 and having inlarged themfelves by the fword, fo they continue to this day« The impurity of his dodrine, he cut off what was hard to be beleeved5and whatfoever was dif- ficult to pradiife, and propounded that to the peoplej wherein there was nohardneffe, no diffi- GuItie,promifingthem aparadift, wherein they lliould have all pleafures, and fhould enjoy wo- men^^and alfo they fhould have mcat^drinkjappa- rel,and fruits of all forts^asalfo^they fhould Imve filken,and purple carpets to lye upon,&G, more-^ over hee profelTeth that hce had a licence given hif2i if th^TmeGoD. liint from God^ to know vrhat women he wouldj and to put them away when he would, which li- cence was given to him and to no other. All which arguments are enough to fhew th€ vanity and falflioodofchis religion. Seeing there is none other God befidcs the Lerd^wc fhould fix this principle in us^and labor to ftrengthen it by this other medium alfo. When more candles are brought into a place, the light is greater^and you may fee the objedsche better. Thereforcjadde this to the othcrjthat there is no othcrgod'^ for thi$ expreflech not only that the Lord is God^ but that it is he whom we VTorflilp : for if there be a God chat made heaven and earth, he would have revealed himfelfe to the fonnes of men, but there hath never bcene any other revea- led. Remember the former things^ and you fl\all fee that there was never any other, Markethis chaine, and every linke of it is exceeding ftrong: fee if ever there hath beene any C7^^ befidcs him: For,ifth€re wasever any^^>irevealed to the fons of men, it was the C/^rf of the /efrtf/,Vi^ho was re- vealed by Mdfes and the Prophets. For all the dunghill gods of the Gentiles^ihty were but vani- tie,and they appeared to be fo • and if it was the Godohholerves^ then alfo of the Chrtflians^ (be- caufethcNewTeftament is builded upon the pid ; ) and then furely he is that God^Ythom the Proteftants worfliip, and not whom the Papiffs worfhip.For,if you take all thofc things,wherin they differ from us 5 as in their worfhipping of Images,theirPurgatory,their Indalgences,their G 3 Prayers 86 That our God Two thin ga make us cleave Prayers to, and for the dead • their Prayers in an unknown tongue^and fo all other points of diffe- rence, youiliall finde that they were added and taken in, in continuance of time, now one, then another ; and there are many-that havecakca I paines tofhew the pedegreeof them^when they came in • and therefore they that have nor fedu- ced heartSjwhofe eyes the god of this world hath not blinded, may fee that what our Divines cut cff, is nothing but that which they have added before • the Papifts agree with us in all that wee teachj onely the difference is hetweene the addi- tions which have come in from time to time. Therefore you muft learne from hence to con- firme your faith, by that Argument which Feter ufcth, loh, 6, 6S. irhitherjhdllvpegQeithQuhaftthe mrdfof eterndllife. Therearc two things which imake us cleave to any thing : 1 The firmenellc of the thing, * \ 2 When we can goe no whither elft. So that | looke to any time or place, and confider that all i other gods are but meereti^^^/fy, Forleoke upon the world Sf the creatures, and they have no bot- i tome to ftand on, they have no flay to hold by. ' Therefore,let th is teach us to cleave to him with- out feparation:look upon every fide,as BavidAid to the right hand,and to the left,and you fhall fee that there was never any other god. Onely here the foule hath fure footing 5 therefore fay^that if the diffolutionofall thingsfliouldcome^as death and martyrdome, (as wee know nothowfoone they may) yet God fhall be our Ced^ we will for- fake is the True God. fake all to folloiv him.Confider the prefent time of the Church, confider how foone the times may come upon us^when we (halbe put to it^for now things arc in frxcipm . hafting downe to thcbottomeof thc-hilli and we know not how neerevre are to that houreoftemftatioHy fpoken of in the Revelatims ^ when it fliail bee as it was in ^/i'itime^ zChren.i%.6. NatmjhaUrife againjf Natien^&c. Thcfe times arrgrpwing and daily gather ftrength more and more 5 therefore let us ftrengthen our faith5and prepare for a tryall. Hi- therto Religion and peace bavewalkcd together in one patl^;but when they ftiall goe in different paths^ it will appeare then, whofe fervants wee are.So when the times of triall come,! t will be a great natter to have this principle laid. If you rnou!dcomc tofuffer deatb5& to lofe your lives, it will be a great matter to be rooted and groun- ded in the faith: for there is a great difference be- twcene thofe that have Much emhy^d betweene thofe that are notwetl rooted, thathave not re^ ceived thkannointing^ that teacheth us thefi things^ This alfo will I fay to you inthe fecond place to comfort y ou^ though you fee the Lord laying the Churches vvaftcj fo diat they arc wallowing in their blood , yet that you might hold up your heads j confider that lice is God alone, and therefore will rowfeuphimfclfe in due time^for Hee rviU not give his glory to another : tlicrefore though you fee all the Churches in Chriften- dome laid vvafte5yet the Lords^iil raife them up and the ground of it is inEfay 4?. 11 . j G4 Fer\ 87 1 Chmas^^* For cemfort j That he will {hew himfelfe to be the ETue Godwin taidn^ up kis Chur- ches. agame 88 That our God Verfs Tokccpcoui" Sicaris from l4o]airy and tofcEUpao o- ihcv god. T wo kindes of Idolatry. Fer mine omie fake^ even- for mine ome Jkl e xt\U I doe I it: fofy how fhould my name becfollutedi dndlwili \not give mjgkry to another fpeaking there to the Churches in that time/aich the Lord^ I hve reji^ ned them^ but not ^ filver^ I have chofen them in the furnace ofs^HBion-^ih^t is,I have thusand thus dealt with them, yet will I not caft them otfj though they be finfull, yet will I not put thera away, for mine owne fake • for my name fhould be polluted^ if I fhould fuffer them to lye thus It daould be thought that the other religion was true^and to I fhould lofe my glory. And againe, v?ill Ood now fay, I will not doe fo 5 for, fhould Antichrift prevailjit would be an argument that tlicy had the truth^and not we.SoEfay/^2.SJ am the Lordy that is my name • and my glory mil not /give to another^neither my fraife to graven images. As the p;raven images there fhould have had the praife, fo fhould the Pajifis oow^if God{hou\A fuffer his Church to be fo^ but for his owne fake ,hc will not fuffer it. Let diis encourage yoij then to be earneft with him in prayer; for the time will eome^when he will turne his hand^when the juft period is come^ he will be feene in the Mount. If there be no other then let us be care- full to keep our hearts from all kind of Idolatry, not to fet up any other in our heart or affe(5^ions. For there are two kinds of Idolatry i: I Cne is grofTe, a^ the worfhipping of Baaly Mahometj^c.and that you are free from^becaufe there is light enough in the Church to fee the vanity of t hem f Abrahamy the God oflfaac^andtbe God oflacob hath [ent me unto jou • \ - this is mj Name for every and this is my memorial unto d! generations, if he fliould fay^If yet they j cannot underftand what this Name is, iti$ thei fame that I was knowne by to Ahrahamyio Ifaac^ 1 and to lacob ^ what I was to them^the fame will I be to you. I was k*nowne to them by my Word, and by my workes, and by my miracles^ and the fame (hall you find me, it is that God which hath fent me unto you. This is my Name-^ which words are to be referred, not onely to the latter words, but to the former, lam that lam. The .words in the originall are in the future tenfe-yet it is fitly tranflated, / am-^ for the future tenfe in Hebref& is often put for the prefcnt tenfe,and the words are put in the future tenfe^toftiewhis immutability, which tranflation Chrilfs words doe warrant- Before Abrahamwas^I am: therefore the Septrn- ^rWidoewelltranflateit itSt^^ fignifyingnomore but hee which is ; fo that, that which wee arc to learne from hence is this; That /amy or lehovahy I am J that //«??^, is the proper and efTcntiall name of Oedy (all Divines agree in this, I know none that differ) becaufe it exprelTethhim in his Ef- fence, without any limitation, or modification ♦ Ecfides,youf[-»alIfinde, that this name is never attributed to any other. The Altar^ indeed, was called Ieh6%'ah '^biM the meaning wasj to Jehovah ; I his God s Hiame^ I Am 97 his otJier names indeed are given t© the creatures but this is given only to him : Whence I gather this point : That, To be, ertofajthi^yliQth^ lam, upn^erto God alone* It ii common to no creature vrith him | you cannot fay of any creature It is: and if it be the only property Q^G^d to be, then you rauft fay of every creature, it.isnat ^^ and oncly the L$rdu.^ which is a ftrange fpcech^but yet it is true,or el fe itis not ptoperto^i^^only. 1 But you will fay- what is the meaning of that } \ for creatures have a beings though not fo excel- lent a being as he hath. .3 In comparifonofhim, they have no being at allj they cannot reach to his being. And there- fore, what this being is, we wiUcxplaine to you by thefe five things: It if an immense being, fuch as hath all thede- grees^and kindcs, and extents of being in it. The creatures have not fo ; theyhav€ fo little of this beingjthat it is nothing : it is not fo much, m the drof of a Buckep^ /fai. 40 • that is, it is of fo fmall a being,that it is no being : therefore that place is to be marked^ /pi. 40 . 1 7. MI N^tms before him are as mthtng^ mi thej are comted to him kfe than nothings or vanity. Which place fhewes, that this phrafe of btingAoxh not ag^ee to the creatures 5 forhaving faid before, they were as thedrop of a JBuchty hee addes, nay, rfey are lefe than nothing. But you will fay, how can^they bee lefle than nothing > lanfwer, if I fhould expreffe it to H you G(?{/oncIy and properly hath Being in him. ncd in five things. I immnft. S8 Qo D S 2N{4«a^^ I A M. ■ \ ' -i ■ \ youjas it is^ they ate leffetbanthat vvhichyott . pcckon as nothing 5 as ym, doca duftof the bal- lance 5 fo that in refpcd of the largcneffe of his bcingjthey arc nothing to him t there arc divers degrees and extents ot being, and he hath them all in him^a^ there is one being of ^^j;f/^^another of men,^^ and fo of every creature • for they are defined, and you knovr that ^egnit ions doe li-^i mit the being of a thing. The Angels have a large and glorious being | men have a good and cxecilent being, but they are nothing in rcfped of the being of G©D» 1 It is thebcing ^fhimfrlfe^ fie i$ a fpring of be- ing, whereas all the creatures are but ciftcincs of b^ng • wkich they have but by participation ' from him, AS.i^^t^Jnhim welivi^m&vi^ndhMVi] $ur Bting.Rm. ri . 3 ^ ./» him^ndfcr him^mi thfiugh him^sre sUthings • he only is of himfelfc. It is not only of himtelfc,- but it is an mrUfl- 1 ingheingi Idmthfirfiandiheldfti that is, lam before any thing was, and I am the laft | every ' thing hath dependance of me* It is a being withm fucce^m: the creatures have not this-thcre is fomcthing to them,which was notbefore, and fomcthing Ihall be, which is npt for the prefent 2 this is true of every crea- ture . of men and Angels ; butwith GUthtrt is no fucGcflionrand therefore it is that theft words are ufed^/ififflifc^^fc fentmmfttBym iyjhicU flicwes that there is no time paft with him^ there is no ' diftinftion of timewiti him,all things are alike to himibutwiditMccrcatyre tHereis^flux of time ' ; the.] GoDsN4i»^, I Am. the creatures cfi^joy one thing one minute,wiiich they doe not another^ut Gid cnjoycs all at once and that is onepart of his bleflednefle,which the creatureis not partaker of. And againe,hi$ tdts arc all done at once • but the creatures doc all theirs by fuccefllon. It is fuch a hcivi^^z% gives Ahetngtosll things dfe: and this is a great difference betvrcene him and the creatures • the Angdsht\t an excellent be- ing, yet they cannot give the Ipafl: being to any thing. So that by thefeiye may plainly fee, that he enly is^ that is,nc only isof an immcnfe being; that isjhe is like a mighty Tea of being^tbat hath neither banks nor bot tome^he only is a fpring a f being • beonly is everlafting • he only is without fucceflion of time prefent, paft or to come ^ laft- ly ,he only gives a being to every thing. Such an one he is,as al this is implied,wherc he bids fes go and tell the people,/ am that I am^ is he that hatli fent me unto you^But we will ftand no lon- ger hereon, only we will labour to reduce thcfe (peculations to ufe,as it is (aid o^Socmes^tdiA DevecarefhikfifhumdecQsUsy bring Philofbphy downetobe praftifed in private houfcs. If we fhould inquire the reafon^why (j^rfdid re- veale his Name to Mofes ; was it^that he and the Ifraelites (hold only find out argute fpcculations in his name, as heretofore many of the Rabhins have done5and now too many Divines following them ftill do? no furely^the end of names is only to make things known. But yet he fets bounds to ©urapprchenfionsjin faying/^w that I am *^ as if Ha there 99 Giving beifig CO all &iRgi. Gods Name,! Am. there were more in it^as if there were fome grea- ter immen£ty in his natirreshence thp ufe is this ; Thatthere is fomething of cbe Effence of (7^ tliatmay not be inquired into, but wee nmft be oontentwith that which is re vealcdj JRom. i . i8. For that Jthich may be knom ofGedJs mamfefl in them for God kathfhmed it unmhem : there is fomthing that may be known, and fomething there is that may notbe knowne: therefore, Bcioved, looke not for a full knowledge of him, but onely fora fmall dcgreeof it* as Exod.^ 3 Myfac€(hithGod to ^ofes) thoucanfl mfie- which place compa- red with that Rom. t.26.tl\Q meaning isthis^that it is very little of G^^^^, that we can know 5 even as when a greattraine, or glorious fhew fliall pafle before us, and all is gone, we only feethe latter end of it • fo Godpdi&dbfMdfes^and he faw but a little of him : even as when you heare the latter endotafentence, only that which the eccho re- fGundSjthcnaaine we cannot know. Tfiefefore we fhould learne from hence,not to befearching and prying into thecounfels of (7^as toinquire why fo many are dfamHed,aiKi fo few favcd 5 how the infallibilitieof 6'^>(5fj will and thelibmieof mans will can ftand together : to aske the reafon why he fuffered the Gentiles to waikein rhe vani- tie of their owne minds fo long a time ; why he fulfers the Church to Iye,as it doth at this time: for WQ might fay as Gedeon did, // the Lord h with rrhy are me thus and thus ^ Why the Chur- ches of the ^w/W,^ thofe famous Churches, have had the golden Ckndleftickes removed from Gods NamC:, I Am» \ from them ? Thefe^ and all other fuch we muft be content to be ignorant of - for he doth not re« vealehimfelfe fully in this life. Thoi^cAnJfnotfee meandlivej^i^iith. Gcdto ^^'/^/; the meaning is this the veile of mortality doth cover usjit hides God from us 5 vrhen that fhall be laid afide, wee fliall know all thefe things, and therefore we muft be content to ftay the time : till then, we are as nar- row-mouthed veflels, we are not able to receive much knowledge^ but a great deale will fall be- fide and be loft, when as Gods^iW doe nothing in vaine^as Chrifl faid to his DifcipIes^T'^ar^/tre ma- ny things that I jhouldreveak untojou^ 6utyo» are not able to beare them:and therefore wc fliould be con= tented ; as a weake eye is not able to behold the Sun, or as the Schoole-men well fay, we cannot fee it in rof^. we cannot fee thecircle wherein the Sun doth run,but only thebeames ofit^no more can wee fee God in his EfTencejbut in the beamcs thereof, his Word and effeds, wee may fee him thcrfbre let us be content to be ignorant of thcfe things. Lethim that askes why dealcs^(?^ thus with his Church? why are fo many damned ? re- member that in Ifai. 45.^. ^oe mt§ him that firi- vethmthhif Maker let the fotjheardftnve with the fotjheards of the earth: Shall the ctaffaytohim that mahth it* rrhat makeflthou ^ the meaning of it j is this • we fhould be content to let God aIone,not,' to inquire into all his anions, into the ground j andreafonofallhisworkes^ let the potlTieard ftrive with the potfheards of the earth: If thou 1 hadft todoewithman, one like thy felfe^ then ' H 3 thou j "Gods Name^ I A m. 1 tliou might!! murauir againft hinvrid aske hnn iwhy doeft thou fo? but vvhat haft thou to doe i with the Lord ^ Shall the clay fay to him that j aiaketh it^vvhy doeft thou fo? This fimilitude of I clay doth nat^by a thoufand parts^ expreftc that I diftance thafi:s betvveene Godand us • and there- ifore we (houlddoe thus^ftand upon the (hore(as j it were)and behold his infinite Eflence/^^ that I am-^ and goe no further^ as a man that ftands upon the Sca-fhore,fees the vaftnefTe of the Sea, but dares goe no further, for if lie goes into the deepe^he is drowned : You may lookc into Gods Effence^and fee and admire it ^ but to think that thoii couideft comprehend Ged ^ is , as if a man fliould think to hold the whole fea in the hollow of his hand ^yea^there is a greater difproportion betweene them • or elfe the Apoftle would never have burft out into that patheticall exprcllion, J^om. 11. O the depth $f the riches hth if the wifdme and hnmledge &f Gon | hot^ unfearchtble are his judgements^ and his myes f aft finding 0ut ! Onely remember this 1 fay 5 and make thus much ufe of it, when you heare this name, iam that I am « that it is theX^^r^/ will to fet limits tous.Whcn the Ii^r^camedownc from the Mmnt^ he fet li- mits to the people, and he gave this reafon of it, ImUnothavethemfianddndgaz^e : fo it is in this cafe it is a dangerous thing to goe too far • you know what did come to the BethjhemittSybccaufe they would be gazing:R€member that fpeeeh of God to Maneah; ^hy dofithou ash my Name that is ficr&t i There is fomc thing that is fecrct in God^ Bur Bur, you will fay • I vvouldfaincfecarcafon of chcfc things • But thou muft ftay for this till mortality bee put off i and in the meaae while ftandafarrc olF, and looke on God : And when thou feeft the vaft workcsof (Sod, when thou fedl him grafpe the winds in his fiftj and meafure the waters in the hollow of his hand, and weigh the mountaines in fcales^and the hils in a ballance^&c. it will be no great thing to thee if thou art ignorant of his counfels. This is made an argument why wee fhould not feareh into his fecretSj Pro. 3 0.4. frho hath afc ended up to heaven^ or defc ended who hathga- thered thewhids hi hisjift^who hath beundedthervaters in a garment ^ who hath ejiablifhed all the ends ef the earth I what is his name^ or what is his Smnes name^ ifthon canfl tell ^ As if he {hould fay • it is impof- fible that thou fhouldeft know this mightie Worke-man, he that did all this, orunderftand the ground of his eounfels ; you can fee but his backe-partSj you can fee no more and live, and you need fee no more, that you may live. SecondlVjthat which is the very fcope and drift ofthejL^?f<$^ revealing his name to Mofes^ Gee and teU the feofk ^ 1 Am That I Am hath fent me unto you ^ {liould ftrengthen our faith, and in- courage US; it fhould raifeour minds^and ftirup hope in us, in all wants, and in all diftreffes that wee fall into upon any occafion : for this is the fcope why the X^'r^/ reveales'it here ; he rcvealcs it in a very feafonable time. A man would have thought it impolTible^that theylhiould be delive- H 4 red 10} 00} ea. Wee c3ftno€ giveareafott of many thing concerning G(?«< till df adj. Vfez: Tollr?ngthee our faith, and encourage UB in our wants an^ ciofTcs* In wants. Gods T>{me^ I Am. red from P/;^r(? out from \ under the burthens of the JEg^fttans^ (sfc. The mea- I ningof it is this ; Many objecSl ions were made ;by M o s E and therefore God revcales this Name to him J Alas, faith Mofex^ who am T ? Shall I f,o unto /'^4r faith the L o r D3 / made the mouth 5 _ phercfore^ and I mil benhh thj rnmh^ and teach ihve ti'hatthoujkahfa'), Againe, / amofmcircumcife^ lifs^ andhm>fBaU Phareah hearken mto^me I Saith tliQ Lord/ have made theeagod to Pharoahj and ^aron thy brother jhall be thy Frofhet. Where obferve this by the way: A man would wondervvhy that went to fuchanoneas Pharoah^ fliould complaine, that he was a man of uncircumcifcd lips. One would thinke that roah being a carnall man^ that uncircumcifed words would pleafe himbettcr^but it isjas if he fhould fay 5 1' Jamlehovah^ faith the I/or^i, I will make that to le^ which is net : I will fend plagues among them ^ and ^hen he will le t them gee. But when they are gone^they are a weake and a naked peoplcj how fhall they doe to live ? Saith G o Dj / will give them favour in the eyes of the MgjptianSj and not fend them empty ^ and 1 will provide fe^d for them. So GhjeB. i^infw. jinfvt* io3 Ifal. ^o.io. opened* Gen.u Gods Nme^ I Am« So Mofes went. A ftrangc kind of errand ; as if one jfhould go awjd tell the great Turk^ that the God of the ChriHUns hath fent to let them goe : but yet Mdfes goeth-and all that comforted hira^ was the revealing of his Name. Now apply this to your felves | when you are in any diftrefTejknow that he that made the hea- vens and the earth, can give a being to all thefe things : Efay 50, 10. fvho is among you that fear etb theLordj that obeyeth the voyceofhufervants^ that walketh in darkeneffe^ and hath n& light } let him truH in the Name of the h ok d, and flay ufon his God. Hee that mlkethin darhenefe^ and hath no light let that be thy cafe,' that everything is defperatCjthoH fecftnotajotoflightjnor fpark of hope, yet truftintheNameof lehovah^ hcc can make light when there is none ; a man that hath no grace in his heart, let himtruft in leho- vah^ he that faith in his heart,I would I could be rid of fuch a luft, atid that I could keep holy the Sabbath, but I have nothing in me, my heart is empty of all;(this is the complaint often even of t hofe that have grace:) why^if there be no light, no grace^yet he can worke it: and fo Paul applies that in Genef i. There was darkenejfe and no light to hiunfelfe and thenijin 2 Cor, 4.5.//^ that com-^ mandethlighttofhineoutofdarknejfe^ ^c. I (faith be) and we Gentiles were in darkneffc.and had no light; yet God comm&ndtd]A^tio(iiix\ti\\to our hearts, and into mine, the darkeft of all the reft. So karne to apply the fame to thy felfe^hc that is in darknefle,and hath nolight,yct let him troft taiftinthe Name of lehovah : belovedj ih^,l is faith ; If yom ftiould exped no more of God^than a man can doe^or a creature can doe^it is not wor- thy the name of faith : as this is proper only to ^^?^5to give things abcing that arcnot- foitis j thepropertie of faith3 ^^^^^ things are not, to j beleeve in the name of lehovah : therefore^ there would thy faith be fecne. And as for thy felfej. fo for the Churches al- fo you fee nowy to how low anebbe they are broughtj-and yet they cannot bee lower than the eftate of the Ifraelites was in JEg^p^Sc when they were in captivitie; yet confider,that that lehovah^ who is thel^^r^of beingjis able to raife the Chur ches,and to give a new being to them : Butjetrin it fhall he a tenth and it jh^ilrtturneyOnd it Jha/ie e/t- ten^as a Telle tree^ and as an Ojcej^rhofe [ubftance is in them ir hen they caft their leases ; fo the holy feedjhall he the fuh fiance thereof: that is. When you fee the Churches goe to wracke^when you fee them cut downc like a mightie wood^that is cut downe,or that is fpoiled of its glory in the Autumne^when you fee(I fay) the glory ofthe Churches thus ta- ken away^yet there is a holy feed, which fhali be like a root or bulke ofatree. Softiouldyoufee the Churches ovcrthro7»?ne, laid under feet, fo that there were no hope of them, fo farreasvTce could fte; yetbeaflured,that thereisaholy feed that fhal! rife andfprcaditfelfeagainejevenasa little root fpreads it felfe into a great tree f but how fhall they doe it.? faith the Lord^ I am lehc- \ vah. I can give a being, 1 can inlarge their being. ! Buf Not to faint in the Churches mifery. no Gods Nm^y I A m* Lut you will fay^ why then is it that they are brought fo low? Confider that it is the Lords ufuall courfc to fit as a man in fleepejbut(faith he) in lfaf.^2»i^ 1 4. The L0rd jhaHgoe f&rth as a mightk man^ he fhaU flirreupjeahujielike a manefmrrc'^ hee jhaUcrie^ jea roare* hee fhaliprevaile againU his enemies : I havehng ttmeholdenmy peace^ I have refrained my felfe^ now will I cry like a travelling mman^ / mil deftroy and devour e at once^ He ufeth three exprcf- fions there, to ftiew what hee will doc for his Chptrch in extremity • / mUraife^y felfe like a Gi- anp^(p' cand when he comes,hc will come fuddea- ly, as f dines on a mman with childe come fuddenly, To faith the I'dr^; frhenyouMenot mee^ then will I comCy there fballgoe nothing iefore me^ 1 will come on a fudden • and not onely fo^ but he will cry as a Giant ^ hee will doe it (jtrongly, and hee will doe it effedually 5 hee will bring it to paflc as a manofwarre- and hee will doe for his Church againe, hee that hath railed it in former times^he will doe it now; therefore let usnotfaintand give over hoping/or hec that is Almightie^he is able t6 doe all thefc things ; He vrho could in loel deftroy the armie of Catterpillars, and leave a blcflingbehinde him j can doe the fame as well to men (though never f© many) who arc the enemies of his Church* THE III , A * 4 ^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ THE SEVENTH SERMON. Exo Dvs 5«i}5 145^* I } ^nd Mefes faid unto G 0 d j behold ^xphen 1 com mto tbi Children of JJraeh and [hall mto them j The God ofyour Fathm hatb/ent wee mto^w, and the^ (ball faj mto meiy What is bis Name ? fiphat Jhall 1 fay mto them I 14 And God faid unto Mo feSyl Am That I A M. Jindbeefaidy Thus /halt thou fay unto the children of Ifraelyl Am hathfent tneuntoyouif i foind (jtOD faid moreoyer unto Mofes^ Thus /halt thou fay unto the Children oj If- raely The Lord God of^our Fa- 112, vfi ?: To give him the praifcof his Being. To fa^/ 1 will j doc fuch a j thing, what a linnc k is. It hJdoiatry. Gods Nme^ 1 Au* thers^the God of ^brabam^tht God oj Jfaac^and the God of Jacob batbjmt me unto jf ou : this u my TSLmefor eyery and this u my memorial unto aU genera- tions* F God he the Lord of hting^ full of be- ing in himfelfe, and giving being to every thing • learne then to give hin3 his praile,?!^/. ^o, 4. Tefballl fraifethe Lerd^^Mjt^allextollhim \ Byhisj^ame I a H.For heonly brings | enterprifes to paflc • as he gives being to every i thing/o he gives being to ail the vsrorkes that are | wrought by the creatures. If our being be from \ hiaij much more all our vrorkes are wrought by hinij becaufe they arabutdependants onourbe- ing. Now this God takes to himfclfej as moll proper to hin:ifelfe^ and that horn his Name, lehovdhy there be many places for this • Imll doe it ^ for famlEHOY A $cc. Now if the creature fliall fay • I have fuch a purpofe, fuch a projed in my hearty and I will doeit, I willbringittopaffe- whatisitbutto arrogate that tohimfelfcj which is properto /e- h&i'ah^ which is a greater finncj than weearea- vvareof, for it is no leffe than idoiatry*^ and the Z(?r^fo rakes k-^Ifai. 42.8. lamtheL o fL r^ythat f^mj Name^ And my glory will not ^ give to another^ neither my ftdfe to graven irndgest^ that is, I will takcafpeclallcare, that yoa fhall not fay^ that your Images doc bring things to pafle^ for then they (Tiould be called lehvahy it being proper a- lone to me, to bring any thing to pafle , So a man may apply it tomy thingclfe; if a man ftiali fay^ that hi? ovvnewit, or worthj or in- duftrie^&c, doth bring things to pafle * he takes that praife vyhich peculiarly belongs to O^and gives it to tiiecreacure • whereas the L^rd fayes, lehovah is my Name^ aijd there isnottheleaft thing^but I bring it do pafle, Take heed therfore of thac fecret Idolatry^ God hates it ; .itis a place ivhich y ou kno?7j !• 16. Therefore they facri- fee mto their net^ and burne mc^enfi unto thtif ^ra^' becaufeiy them their fortign is fat y and their mekte flenteous. ;Sacrifi,ce is. due onely to Gedt.nowto foe about any thing, giKi-tofayytha^t thywealtS r ings i t to pa fle^ is jio facrifi^e te 'thm* owne i^et\ that is; to attribute that to thy fe}% which is proper.onely tohira. • ; ' - Againe, as itis Idolatryj fo it is a vaine thing to do i t/or we.^ nqt able to do any thii3g^ Pfai,^ 37. He will bring it topaffe there the Lord takes it as peculiar to him only 5 therefore in Ifai.z S. i 2 . (you may compare th^m both together) it is fard j there, Lcrd^ thou wilt ordme feaa for m^fs^thiu] alfo-hajl wrought all our mrke^s in The fcope of this placeis this : Other men(faith he) they for^ get God^ they carry themfelyes aloft, but it ishd that will ordaine us peace^thowgh none clfe fhall put his ha^id to it. it is he that doth aUom works' foriLi^pnot pur fpeciall vf orkes only, but^all • it is not aTQy.man^ or ^iiy 4vid (to give you an example of it) , when he did truft God^ hee had a promife of the kingdomcjbut not that be himfclfe fhould get it, ^isowne power ihould notdocit 3 and yet the wheeles 01 (^i^^providcncedid bring it topaflfe, S© when he ftaid his hand from killingA^/i^^/jdid nor the Lwd bring it to paffe in a better manner tkanke could bavedonc>l ikcwife after he had the KiDgdome, >^4«ff was his great enemy, but yet J>^/Jdid nothing,but what was right and you fcehow God^id bring it to pafle, he t^ke away his life without any hand of David. So ifhhfheth ,was his enemy, yet when David fate ftill, and did nothing , his bead was brought to hrm ; . (though Gods Name, I Am* »5 (chough they that did it, did it wickedly) yet it wasana(a of Gods providence to him. Thus things arc done for tlie beft, when wee commit them to him ; butifwrcdoc them our felves, ive are as rfiey that fifbci all the ffi^tlong^ and caught mthing ; yet when Chrifi came, and bade rficm to caft in the net, then they inclofed a great multi- tude of fi(hes : So it is with us, when we goe a- bout any enterprifcof our felves, it is in vainc, we are UQt able to doe it.There is a double g^ing about any enter prif^ when we goe about an en- terprife without Avid had before, vfrfe 5. the objeilion then is^ there are many that doe not truft in Gody and yet they bring their things to palTc. To thiswcanfwer ; i. thatcither they docit nor, it withers under their hand ; a Or elfe, if they doe it, it is to no purpofc, they receive no com fort from it. Therefore hee addcs ; the evill doer Jball be cut off^ that is^, though they doc goe farre in an cnterprife, yet they ne- ver come to the end, they reape not the fruit I of ir, bee cuts them off ; fo that if you looke ^ I 2 to Of tbofc that tf uft aoc in Gsdy an4 yet docfiofpcr* 11 Goi> s:Mm£,l A. M. Lea^ac the canity of ail creatures, fiii4 the remedy fi« gainft it. to the ifTuej it is as.g.ood"^as nothing. 3 It tends to their ownehnrt, to their owne rijinc ^ if theyget.vvcakh/avotirvtith great men^ Gredit,,5 If you loolce^to th^ R<3k?te^ ko the fouh- da.tions frami.n^]if fic6 they Wem hewen , and * to the hole., of. the pit Fromvvhenc^c they were digged^they were made 6f nothing, and are rea- dieto returne to nothing. Take a glafTe^ or an' earthen veflell, they are brittle, if you aske the leafonjthey are made of briErfe materials 5 plate isnot fo ; thefelfc famc is the/reafonof all the creatures vanity under the Sonlie^ they are made- of nothing. Therefore there is no way tt) rcme- diethis, buttoJookeuptO' GoD, yfkityViBJ ^or inhim tret live^ nicve^ akd:hi They^hm^i^not onely haW j their being from Him at thc^firft, but theiflle- j ing is in him : We havcour bein^ in him, as ^& Beam^es in the Sufine^ and a;n AccidenT'iilthe jSuhjca* . ' • ■ • -^■>^ e'^^"' \ Therefore God s Hame, I Au* II7 Therefore if thou wouldeft have oanftancy in any thing, thou muft looke up to G o d. Every creature is of a mutable nature, which is fo farre uncliaiigeablejas conftancieis communicatedto it from the unchangeable G o 1 Confider this for matter of grace. When ! thou haft got any gooddefircs^or good purpofes atanytime, remember that the being of them comes from Go B. And hence it comes topafle, that good purpofes oft-times doe come tono- thingjand like fparkes go out againc,becaufe wt remember not that they are from Ged-^ we thinke that if we iuve good purpofes to day, if wee be fpiritually minded to day^we (hall be fo to mor- row ^and thus you deceive your felves,in notcon- fidering that the being of thenxcomes from Gcd: To this purpofe that place is remarkeable^i C/?r, 29 , i8.wbenX>iit'/Whad rejoyced that the people had offered willingly, he prayes that God would keefc it in the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts : If we would thus hang upon himjand de- pend on -him, when the Spirit hath breathed in us at any time^when we haveany fparks of truth, and are warmed with an holy affeftion, if wee would give him the glory, who gives a being to them, ifwe would make this prayer that David doth, wee fhould findeit a nieanes to make us more equall^and more even in grace. And what I fay of this, I fay ofall other things : It is the fault ofus all, weare all fubjed to that which is faid ofwickcd men,//i. 5 i i.Come ye (fay they) / mil fetch wine^ and \xee will our fehesmth fir ong I 5 drinke. Gov sNamc:,! A drinke^ and U mGmtvfhaliieasthis dayy mi muck- moredbundant, Nowj whence comes this > let a man have health to day, he thinkcs he fhall have it to mc^- xow ^ let him have peace and friends to day, hee i thinkes it v^ill bee io rtiH. This is every mans thought ^ and it ariieth from hence, that we for- gQt!ehvah^ht^hd.i continues the being of every thing If wQ did reoicmber h ii^^every one would iky - I doe not knovii er it be his pleafure that gives being to therxi : 1 kaWjChar it he with- draw his handjthey will come to nothing. It is a great fault to boa ft of to morrow/oi hereby you detrad from Ged^ and difhonour him exceeding- ly-yoii fee how he complains of it, lam.^, 1 35140 and indeed it is an entry upon his royall preroga- tives; asiif a man fhouid challenge many 100, j acres of groimd^and hath not one foot jfor future • tinies are properly the Lords ^^ow^hm we will anticipate things in ourthoughtSjand rejoycein ! our projeds before-hand5as if they were come to paflfe^this is a finfull rejoycing. And thence it is, that ffide goes before a fall ; becaufe when a man begins to reft himfelfe upon the creature, and to build iipon that which is but vanity, then the Lordh^gms to take away the foundationjand hin- der his purpofes^and then he falls and perifheth. Therefore why doeft thou boaft of to morrow ? Knoweft thou what is in the wombe of the day ? thou knoweft no more, than men know what is in the wombe of a woman,till they fee it. Now, God hath an over-ruling hand in all ' thefej G o D u pcr/eB^ thefcjand therfore he doth difappoint us^becaufe wee are ready to give to the creature that which belongs tohimfelfe j therefore, if thou wouldft have any thing to contifftie, depend upon him, bccaufe all things elfc are fub jcd to vanity, and hee onely gives beings and continuance to them IN the next place wc come to declare to y ou^ how this EjJmce oiGodh made knowne. It is by his Attributes^ and they are of two forts : 1 Either ftich as defcribe God in himfelfe. 2 Or elfq fuch as declare God as he is to us, O- ther divifiohs there arc^but this is the beft that I can finde . becaufe it agrees with the fcope of all the Scripture. For the firft^ fomc Attributes fhcw what God is inhimfelfe^aswhenthe Scripture faith, that God isperfeB • as. Be yep£rfeB^ as lam ferfeB, So when the Scripture faith, that he is unchangeable^ almighty^ et email thcfe fhew what he is in him- felfe; then other Attributes fhew what he is to us, as that he is mjrcifull^fatiem^ abundant in mer- all. l^he zAttrihutes of God The G o d is perJeEi. G«ff before all tcbings. The frft Ami}m FIrfl: thcHj we will take this out of the Text, I Am hMhfentmemto^oti^ Thit /V^er/e^ ; he hath all the kinds, d^rces, andextentsof being in him. There be divers kindes of being-^ in the world • .fome have more^/ome leflfe 5 fome h^ve a more excellent beings fome have a lefle excellent • fome have a larger being/ome a leiTcrjand yet all are in him ^ and this is his ferfeBion. Impcrfed^ionis awant of fome being; Perfection is to have all the de- grees of being^that belong to a thing in his kind allwbichisiaVVhen he had fet forth his Effencean Ifai.^o. headdes. To nhom mll^Qu liken God • or nvhat likene/e^will ^ei^ comfaremtohiml" There be five differences between the pcrfedi- on that is in God^&c that which is in any creature. I All creatures have pcrfedion within their owne kinde only, and in fuch a degree ^ but he is fiiiTply and aifilutely perfed without all refped^ without all comparifon^he is amighty fea of be- ings without banke and bo ttomc. The creatures have all fome imperfedlion mingled with it^ as take all the Angels • take all the SaintSjwhen they are in the higheft top, and fulJeft ofall theirblefledneflcjyet they have fome imperfeftion, as fob faith ; he e hath charged them mth folly : but Gods perfection is unmixed^no im- perfection canbe afcribed unto him. But you wil fayjthe Saints and Angels are per- fedi in their kind^how then are^they impcrfeil: ? They have a negative impcrfediODjthough not a privative ^ for though they are not deprived of that which (hould be in them- yet there is a nega- tive imperfedion^that is,there be many perfe(5li- ons which they have notjit cannot be faid of any creature. God mihovit Five differen- ces beiweene the pettedioo that is in C&d and which ih in ihc crca» cures I on is abroiutc* 2 Negative im. pertedion in ihcSainis. I John i« 3 Vncapablc, of finnc and miiery. 4 Subftantiall. God uperfeBi $ Without want creature, though the moft as i lohn i. That in it there is light and there is no darknejfeat all: OfG^ onely can that be properly faid ^ for there is no creture fo perfecS^but it hath fontie imperfedion 3 The creature though it be perfect, yet it is capable of fin and mifery^anditis inpolTibilitie to lofc that perfedion it is in • but Ged is not in poflibility to hfe that perfediori he hath^neithcr can he be capable of finnc, 4 Take the beft and moft exquiilte creatures, the Angelsj their perfedion is made up by fome things that are not fubftantiall • by circumftan- ces which are no fubftaneesj Zl havea poffibility to be feparated (though they are not-) for there is fomething in them which is bctter^fomething which is worfe • a fubftancc and an accidentjand every accident is feparable^it may be loft^you fee the evil Angelsjtheyfelljthey loft that they had: but Godi% a perfed fubfiance^ wholy fubftance; there is nothing in him, whereby it may be faid, there is fomething in him that is beft,fomething that is worfe. 5 The creatures though they hav« perfedion yet they have alwaycs needpf fomethiiiig; but it is not fo wirh G o d, hee hath need ofnoihing. To the moft compleat and fulleft perfedion of the creature is ftill fomething wanting, whereofit ftands in need ; as you will fay of a river, though you fee it now full, yet fomething is wanting,it hath need of the fountain to maintaine ir^fo may I fay of the creatures, though they be full of per- fedion in their k inde, yet they have need of that fountaine, Gouu perfkSi. fountaine/rom whenee their perfedion comcth^ which if it be ftoptjthey will come to nothing. Thus C^ati is infinitely perfed and immenfe, having no liniits^and the reafon is^becaufe all li- mits are either from the matter or the forme- the forme is liniiited^becaufeit wants matter to carry it to a further cxtent5& the matter is limitedjbe- caufe it is bounded with fuch a forme^but in God there is neither matter nor forme ; as there is no- thing without him, fo there is nothing within him to bound that largnes of him which he hath* But now to apply this : If Ggdh^ thus full of being^as the fea is full of water^ and a thouftnd times fuller, then all that you can doe, reacheth not to him * Ffal. 16.^, It extends net tMrn^^ the finnes that you commit hurt him not^ all the righteoufneffe you per- forme doth not pleafure or benefit him. And if it be fOjthen confider what little caufc you have to murmur againfthim at any time^upon any oc- cafion ^ For all difcontentment among the crea- tures comes from hence,that their expedation is not fatisfied-, and what elfe is the reafon why it is not fatisfied, but becaufe they thinkc that there is fome reafon why they fhould bee refpe^led } therfore examine your own hearts,whether there benotafecretPopery in your hearts, that you thisik that you can do fomthing,that reacheth to God^ih^iht fhould refpeftyou foriconfider I fay iiGodht thus fuljthou canft do nothing, that can reach to him. But you fliall fee how prone men 1 are te this ^ are we not ready to fay, Why am I not Ml Vfe t; Then all wee candoejreaeh eih not tolwBi to merkanjf thing. Difcontent- ment whence ifiso 1^4 Wee mud be uf.tcnt with iofus. Vfe 2. God iipsrfeB^ not in fo great a place as afiother? Why have not 1 more gifts > Why have I not greater imploy- ments ? Why have I fuch imperfein:ions ? Why am I thus fubjewh€iice comes all this but becaufc we expeft fomcthing from our defervings^ becaufc wethinkeweare not well dealt with .-.and why doe we thinke fo ? becaufe men thinke, that there is fomething in them why they fhould be lookt after, they think that they have carried themfclves fojthat thcreis ibmthingin juftice due tothcm.But if thoucanft fay with David^ and lo^y or as Chriji faith to his Difciplcs ; fvhen you have done all that you can, fay that you are mpropahle fervants. What if God will not have I>avid to build a Templej but his fonne muft doe it ? Or Mofes to lead the children of Ifrael'mto thcLmdo^Caman^hutJofhuahmuA have the glory of it ? They muft be content , yet they d id more for God^than ever thou canft doe 5 therefore thou muft labour to be content alfb. The, creature receives of him whatfocver it hath, and thcrfore it can give nothing tohim- (hall the River be beholding to him that drinkes ofitjbe-^ caufehec comes and quenchethhis thirft? Gr fhall the Sun be beholding to him that hath the ufc of his light? When thou haft done all that thou canftj fay thou art an unprofitable fcrvanr," thdu canft doe.nothing that reachcth to God^and upon this confideration labour to be vile and low in thine owne eyes, and willing to be difpo- fed of as it pleafeth him • Againe, if this be fo, then confidcr the frcc- neffe riefle oF his grace, in iail goo in^ which hee befloives : for to have done any thifig for a man before handVdoth leffenthe benefit befto;ved. Now corifider, that thou haft done nothing to the Lerd 3 therefore labour to'magnifie the Lord^ rharhath bcftoivcd it upon thee : For this caufe the l^firdwill have juftification by faitHj and not ' by;WJOrkcs, that he might be magnified : And fo hevviil havQ fan^iffeationj not by the power of free-will, but by the infu fed grace of the Spi- ritj.thatno flefh might boaft* It is theX^/r<;/ that is fiilljtt is he that gives it to thee^thoa canft do . nothing to him • Rom. ix. 3 55 3 6. ^hohathfirli ^given t& hm^ andit fhallbe recotnjenced him hgaine ^ \fpr of Him^ and through Bim^ md to Htm^ are all \ things^ . As if he flioirld fay; the Lord out of ] his fr(^e grace had fhewed mercy to the "Uwes (for , o;f them he, there fpeakes) they were wct^Iikc Ge~ : diOHs fleece, when all the world was dry, Afr er- ! wards it pleafedhirii tavid,iofBuah^ and ElijBa^ they were to them as a little water 5 but when God comes againft a man, then every little thing^if he pleafeth to extend and joine his power^ is able therewith to quell the ftrongeft man. Then, one man fhallchafe a thoufandy and a thoufand fhall fut ten thoufand to flighty Beut. 28 . Hee is a mighty Riverjthat carries all before it, Nahum. i. Therefore regard the enmity of the creature^as fmall thingSjhis enmity is only to be refp€<9;ed. If thou thinkeft of him thus then thou wilt be fatisfied with him- for thou haft him that is^ and thou wanteft only the thing that is not;and there fore thou mu ft fay, when thou haft loft any thing, I have loft that which is nothing ; when thou haft gained any thing, lay, that thou haft gotten that which is noth ing;it is ahard thing to fay fo,but yet it is fo- as it is faid of riches in the Prov.2^ . 5 . fo it is true of honour, pleafure, pro- fit,&c.Indeed riches to men are their fubftance- fo they call them, but to God they are nothing • and fohe cals them: riches5honor,&c.they have buialittIediminutivebeiDg,as if they were no- thiDS, God uperfeSi. thing. And they are nothing in two refpeds : 1 In comparifon of God^ they are nothing. 2 Becaufe they are able to doe nothing. So other comparifons argue, as that they are flowers and falfe treafures^ and fhadovves : now doth any man grieve, if his fliadow doth difap- pcarcj or that he hath loft a flower. Therefore Icarne to magnifie God^ior he is all • thou wanteft nothingjif thou haft him^he is all in heaven^and why fhould hee not be fo here ? Beeaufc when Peter faid tjiey had left all, Chriji tells them they fhould have an hundred fold • and why ? becaufe they had a full communion with Ged-^ and there- fore, they had all the comfort that friends or lands could affordj he was in ftead of all to them as Pml^ when he was in prifon^ was not Godall to him ? and what need had he of riches, or lands, or friends ? for friends are but to comfort a man^ and money can doe no more than man can doe ; and praife and honour doe but knit mens hearts f^ous- now if we have the light of Gods counte- nance, wee need not mans helpe • if Ged will put forth his power for us, what need we anything elfe? if he will heale us, what needs the Phyfi- tian > ifhewillcloathus, and gh e us meat and drinke, then what needs wealth? Therefore la- bour to beefatisfied with him, to prize and e- fteeme him, and to thinke him to be all in all. Kz THE 4 i THE EIGHTH SERMON. ExoDVs 5. ij, 14, 15. I J ^nd Mofes faid unto G o d j Behold^wbm I come mto the Children of IJraeh and (hall fay unto them ; The Odd ofjfour Fathers hathfentmeeuntoyouj md they (hall faj mto mee^ What is bis Name ? -^hat Jhalll fay unto them ? 14 And God faid unto Mofes ^1 Am That I A M. Jindhee faid^ Thus Jhalt thoufay mto the children of Ifraelil Aubathfent metmtojou^ 15 ^And God faid moreover unto Mofes ^ Thus /halt thou fay unto the Children ojlf- rael'^ The Lord Gox> of your Fa- \ K 5 tkrs. T34 G o D ^ perfeB* 3 Aboly itisgna, niroitie in en joying Gid, thers.the God of ^hrahamytke God oj Ifaac^ and the God of lacob hath (em me unto j^ou : this u my Name for eDer^ and thu u my memorial mto aU generj^ Onfider, whether your mindcs ga- ther an holy magnanimitic even from hence, that you have the L^rd for your for if hebe mod: per- feiSi:, if hee hath the fulneffeofall things in himi^then if you have him, the mind is ready to grow to an holy kind of greatncffe ; for it is the greatnefle of the objed, that makes the j minde great : and the greatnefTe of the mind ap- peares in this, that it doth not efteeme fmall things. Animo mkgno nihileft msgnum . When a man can, out of this coniideration, that the Lord if my Sum and [hie Id^ and exceeding great reward^ contemns and reckon all things elfe as matters of fmall momentdt is an argument that hrhath, in truth, apprehended God^ as he ought to appre- hend him* I fay^this is true holy magnanimity : there is a falfe magnanimity when as mens mindes are great, becaufe they grow great with menjbecaufe of their great hopes,and riches^and great learning^this is afalfegreatneffe^becaufeit drawes men from Gedi it is fuch a greatnefTe as thearme hath, when it is ^veiled, which rifeth not from the ftrength and true greatnefle of ir, but fiom the weakenefTe of it,. This is of an ill kinde 21 ^35 kindc I but there is another kinde of greatneflc, when the mindc growes therefore to an holy magnanimity, becaufc it is fet upon the great God : SLs Bavid^ he had fuch a magnaniniity, Pfal. ij.i.^.The Lord is my light^dnd my fdvatien^whem jhalllfeare? the Lordis theflrength ofmylife^afrvhom JJmH T ie afraid ^ 7 hough an hoft of men ^ould in camp againji me^ my heart fhouldnot feare^ (^c. If there be any thing in this world to be regar° dedjit is an hofl: of men ; beeaufe it is the povver- fulleft thing amongft men- but I will not regard it. Why ? not beeaufe hee was Uronger than they, but beeaufe Godwas his life and ftrength ; when his minde raifed up it felfe to fuch a great- neflejUpon this confideration,then he was able to contemne thefe things, that were to be contem- ned. Such was the greatneffe of mind,which was found in Mofes^ Heb, 1 1 . he cared not for the fa- vour or disfavour of the King, beeaufe hee farv^ en- joyed, and bore himfelfc upon himtvhowasinvi- fble. Confider, whether you exalt him as God^ you fhall know it by thfs^by feeking to him to fill up all thofe defe£ts and imperfe6h'ons5that we meet with in our IivcSj from day to day. Beloved, there are many things that wewant^as if we lofe afriendjWecompIaineof a want-^ if we lofe fa-, ther or mother, it is a want; yea, if we lofe no- 1 things yet we find many defcfts which we would ' ha\ emadeup: now, what is the way to doe it ? If thou thinkft to make them up by the creature, thou wilt find tha\t to be but a frnal biiHi that wil K 4 not True mag mitic* 4 Exalting h as G9i* 156 God uperfeSt. How lo &n®vr whether wee not flop the gap-but if thou goeft to him that is all in all, Cohf. 3 . if thou fcekeft to make it up in him, when any thing is loft : when the Bucket is broken,if thou goeft to the fountaine, if a beame be cut off that was given and fhined thprovr the creaturejif thou goeft to the Sunne^that cian give the like beame thorow another creature ^ if thou feekcft to have communion with him, then it i* an argument that thou cfteemcft him as thou ©ughtefttodoe« Every man will fayi I feck to the Uri^ I lookc for all my comfort from him. Yea, out how doeft thou beftow thy labour ^ l[au 5 5. a. wherefm doe you jjpend m§ney fir that nhieh is not bread I and your labour fir that n>hkh fatis§ethmt? hearken diligently unt$ mee^ and eate thatn>hich is goody and let your foule delight itfilfein fatnefe. Let a man confider in this cafe, how hce beftoweth his paines : if he thinke to have all in Godyhewill ftvc his paines,afld not lay it out up- on vanity, but he will beftow it tofome purpofe, that is, hee Will take much paines to fceke hisia- vour in all things^and look to him for a fupply of alljand not tothccreatures^becaufetheycandoc but little, they have no power,no ftrcngth to doe any thing,they are of no moment : but if Godhc pleafed to make up the defeiS-jthen if he have but little wealthjhe will make it to ferve his turne-,if he have but one friend, it fhall be to him,as if he had many^if he have but a Iittlccredit,it fhallbe to him, as ifhc had a great name, &c. all things elfe will be but of a little bulke without him. But God uper/eSl. Buc the creatures are of great moment, expe- rience Acvves them to be fomething: for, who lives without them ? Againe, arc wee not com- manded to pray for outward bleflings ? and wee arenot topray for that which is nothing j» Again, doth not the Scripture reckon them fo?they are things for which we mu ft be thankfully and the want of them dothafflid us^and we mufl: efteem it as a chaftifcment. Now^no man will be thank- tiiUjOrafflidlhimfelfe for that which is nothings and therefore there is fomething in the creature, it is not altogether nothing or vanity. To this we will give a threefold anfwer % Though the creature is fomething • yet its cf- ficacie is net from it feifc^but from the Lord, An hrfe is able to doe fomething ; but to fave a man it if 4 vaine thing • the Builder builds^ but it is no- thing* and the H^atch-mn watch in vaine^ with- out the Lerdi the efficacy that they have to do us hurt or good, is from him, and net from them- felves 2 If Godwin fay to the creature 5 Goe^and doe fuch a man good,it will doe it^bccaufe there goes a concourfeof efficacy from him to doe it : So if bee fay to a creature, Goe to fuch a man, and afflid him, it will doc it, though it be never fo fmall and meane a creature ^ tberfore of them- felves they neither doe good nor hurt^the efficaw cie that they have is from him, and not from themfelves : they arc meereinftruments ^ and if ^^rfwithdrawhisbleffingand curfingj they can doc us neither good nor hurt. We % that they arenothing,becaufc they arc at That the crea- \ tures ia tbcm- 1 felves arc of j ne txiomenc to tts, arc no* thing in three refpeSs. Their cfficacle is from God^ 158 They are at liiscominand Simile, God uperfeSi. at his command ^ if he would do^^ us good, hce never wanes one to fend of his errand ^ if he will make a man rich^ he wanes not wealthj it is at his command • ii he will give a man friends, he can fetch them againe • if all thy friends be prcfent, yet they ftirre not unleffe he command. The rich and thefoore^they meet together^but the Lokd makes them hth, Andin this regard^ riches are faid to be nothings Froz\2 3 . Miches take to themselves tvings^ andflje atvay^ And tvhy doji thou fet thy heart uf o?^^ that which is nothing ^ that is^ they goe and come at his command^ and therefore they are to bee counted as nothing. If a man fee a flocke of the beft wild Fowle on his land, lieelookes upon them as nothing to himjbecaufe they have wings and will flye away 5 fo you fhould thinke of all things elfe^ they have wings, they goe and come at his command^ they are nothings bccaufe they are nothing to you. They are nothing5becaufeas they can doebut little goodj fo that which they doe^is of no con- tinuance • and therefore they are faid to be vani- ty. So that put the cafe that they have fome effi- bofnoconii- ^ cacic in them, (when yet they are a(5i:edby the Lord^ ) y^^? put the cafe that they were at their ovvne command (as they were nor) yet they can \ doe but little good^md that is of no fhort conti- i nuance, and therefore they are vanity, they are I norhingji becaufe they are little more than no- \ thmg^ as5'^/(?;^e^;?cal!eth them - all things under \ the Sunneare -vanity ; they are empty things ^ and I that which is under the Sun cannot reach above ^ the They can doe licile good at which they do nuance the Sunne 5 and therefore they are faid to be va- nitic. But if you fay that they are great thirvgs, and therefore you fee how the Prophets did magni- fie them^ and did fet forth the greatnefTe of affli- dions in the want of them» I anfwcr, that they are of ufe indeed, in re- gard of the weakencfle of the creature^ and the continuance of this life; but ifthey be compa- red to eternity, they are nothing and againe, if the Lordht with us in the want of them, they are nothings if the X^ri fend us afflidions and give us his favour and the light of his countenance, all is nothing • if he fend us into prifon, if he be with us, it will be nothing : As, on the contrary, if a man had a brave Pa!ace,and^£'i were not with him, if he did withdraw his favour from him, it were nothing. 13^ 140 Tke fecond Attribute ol God. Ooduthejlr^ mthout dl caufe. Kml 3. 14. 44* (^« B fcfonnhini Ihould be be- fore the lovd. Go d 'Without all Caufei. The fecond Attribute efGov. THe ncxt^nriBHteywhlch likewife may be drawne from this place, is this t That Ged is thefrji mthtu allcaufesjfdvin^ his Being and Beginning from himfelfe. Thislfinde fct downe in ReveL i • 8 . / Alpha and O- MEGA, the Beginning and the ending , faith the Lord, which ^, Mch veas^ and whicfi is t$ come^ the Almightte . that is, what Mfha and Omega ztc in the letters, that I am to the creatures:! am the firftj aRdthelafti that is, iflftiouid fuiferthe creatures to fall, then I fhould be the Iaft,^and I am He they would returnc untOj^ w.j . 14. Chrift according to his God-hcad, is faidto he the Be-- ginning of the creation ofG o d, Ifai^ 44. 6, 1 am the firB^andlaH: The meaning of it is, thatheeis without all caufes, that he is from himfelfe^ and By himfelfe^ andofhimfelfe^ andforhimfelfe^ Rom. 11^ 3 6. that is, hee is the firft, hee never had any efficient caufe, as all the creatures have* that whichhath no efficient caufe, hath no end . that which hath no cnd,hath no forme; (for the forme doth but fcrve to carry a thing to fuch an end) that whichhath no forme, hath no matter, for the matter is dependent on the forme • and fo confequently, hcis without all caufe. But wee will fhevv you the grounds of th is, they are thcfe three : He is without all caufe • for, ifthere were any caufeofhim, that caufe muft needs bee caufcd, either God Without all Caufes* 141 cither from fomeother^or from it felfe:not from any other , for then there fnould be femething that is before th€L$yd^hat is better than he/rom whom he receives all things-^but that cannot be, for then it fhould be Ged^and not the L&rd • and it is not from it felf^becaufe nothing is the caufe of it felfe/or then it ftiould be before it felfe,and it fliould be better than it felfe - for the caufe^ though it give the fame that is in it felfe, to the effedj as the father to the fonne • yet the caufe is better, becaufe that which gives is better than that which receives. Againcjit fhould be different from it felfc/or the caufe is different from the effed : therefore it muft needs be, that he is without all caufe,and the firft^ and chebeginning of all the creatures of God^ Wherefoever you fee any thingjthat hath but a part of another, it muft needs receive it from fome whole - and ifit doth receive it from that which is but a part; yet by degrees it mu ft come to fome whole as to thefowntaine* as for exam- ple, if iron or wood be on fire, &c, they have but a part of that element^ which argues that there is fome whole. But it may be faid_^ it hath that part of it felfe originally. Thatcannotbe/Decaafewhatfoever hath any thing originally, muft have the whole and not a part ; as the Sun.becaufe it hath thelig^ht origi- nally^thercfore it bath not a part, but tlie whole, though afterward it gives light to many ^ fo a fountaine. T^afen i. Q o i> without all Caufes. fountaine^thathathAvatcr originally, hath not the parr, bat the whole, though afterwrards it runnes into oiany bfookes^ and if there were but one fountaine,as there is but one Sunne,then all the water would be in that fouHtaiiie,as the light is in the Sunne, Now to apply this, looke upon all thecrea- tures^andyou (liall find that they have al but part of beingj the Angels have one partjmen another, and other creatures another part,&c.whieh is an argument that there is a whole, which is God blejjed for ever. Befides it argues that he hath wholnefle of be- ing from himfelfe • for he that hath but part of a thing, doth borrow it,and theifore muft come to theoriginall 5 for nothing is borrowed but it is from another,and not from it felfe; therforejfee- ing the creatures have but a part of being, it pre- fuppofeth that there is a whole, that there is an immenfc being,that is of himfelfe,and from him felfe, and hath it not from any creature. Laftly^there is nothing that the eye hath feene or that the eare hath heard, but it is poiTible not to be ; there is almoft nothing but is fubie£i to corruption ^ but if it be not fo, yet they have a poffibility not to be^as the heavensjthough they are not corrupted, yet they may be : nowwhat- foever hath a pOiTibility nor to be, it is certaine that it was mot^S^ that which was not is brought to a being by him that is^{o that you muft come tofomcthingtrhichix^ thatisthecaufe, and the beginning and ending, that is without caufe, thati God '9Piihout all Caufes. th^c hAlpia and Omega^ht that was and that is to GOiiie. Now we come to application. If the Lord be without all caufe, wee may gather then, that he doth not will any thing, be- eaule it is jiiftpr defire it, bccau fe it is good, or Jove any thing,bccaufe it is pleafant^for there is no caufe without himjall perfeiilion is in him o- riginally. The creatures indeed defire things,be- caufe they are good^and love themjbecaufe they are pleafant5becaufe they feek for perfeiftion out of themfelves, becaufe they are caufed by that which is out of themfelves : but this is not fo in ^^ is it enough for thee to livcjand no more?fuch alfo as have their cftates provided for them, who care HOt ought for learningjfayingjthey can live with- out it^bat ait not thou made?& is not this thine end to fcrve God and men? So he that (hal ehoofe a calling or courfe of life according to his owne fancicjoot that which fhal be ferviceable to men, but that which pleafeth himfelf,!ct him ask him- fclfc this queftion 3 Am I not made ^ Am I not a creature Aave 1 no other end.but my felfe? Shall no more be required of me but this ? have I not diofcn this courfe of life, and have I not an end appointed to me> which is to be ferviceable to C7^and m profit mensBot if a man fnall bethink himfelfe anely what is the beft way to live and provide for himfelf, which way to get profit and wealth jthefe are idolatrous and finful thoughts, Godnu^ doe all things for himfelfe- becaufc he hath eothing above himfelfe-but if thou doft fo^ diou provokeft him to wrath exceedingly. But you will fay,! doc all for this cnd^tofcrvc Godand men. Thou that doft pretend to doe all things to be ferviceable toGodgiud men,and not to thy felf^ thou fhalt know it by this 2 I Ifthou putteft thy felfe to things that are above God 'Without all Caufes. above thee, ic is a figne that thou doeft it not for his fake, that hath appointed thee, but for thine owne. 2 If thou art fit for an higher place,if thou re- fteft in things that are beneath thee for thy grea- ter profitjthou feekft thy felfe, and not the Lord. 3 If thon doeft rcfift the providence of God, that when thou haft a calling5& art put in it^and tkou putteft thy felf out again for thy advantage then thine end is thine ownefelfe. went to Macedonia^ though he had found but bad enter- tainment there, yet he vvent^becaufc he was fent. So lohn went to Pathms^ though the people were but few and barbarous, yet he obeyed God, and went. So £liab, did when hee was fent to ^ha^^ and to prophefie to the ifraelites^ among whom, for ought hee knew, there was not one Soulc that did tiOt bow his knee to Baal. Ezekiel and ifaidh, when they went to harden the people to dcftrudion, went willingly, faecaufethe Lord fenc them : in all jthefe, their willingneflTc was an argument that they did it not for themfelves. A fervant is not to doe his awne worke, he doth it as his matter will have him to doe it;if he doth the things that his mafter bids him, and faith, I am bis fervant ; and if he bid megoe, I will goe, or if he bid me corae, I will come ; if hee bid me to keepe within doore, and todoethemeaneft workes, I will doe thtm • this is an argument that he doth not fcek himfelfe.Hcre we fee when a man is thus dependent upon God^ and takes im- pioyment,neither above him, nor below him^nor L 3 refifts 149 Himfclfc, to th!i>gstoo high. 2- Reding m things Ec^ low, 5 In putdflg a mans felfe from God: iiE- playmea: foe his ovfnc ad* I JO 4 Itt minding too snuchbis ownc iinploy- iBCHt,nc§left- ing Codi ki* In grle> ing moft torthe kfTeof that that concerns himfc^fe. GoDypithoutallCaufes. \ refills his providenccjbut is willing to be guided | by hinij it is a figne that he feeks the L^rd^ and nothimfelfc. 4 B^fides, let a man confider what he doth in thefe fervices that immediatly concerns thcLord himfelfe.Ifa man fhall ftudy much^and pray lit- tle^if aman fhall fpend allhis time inhis calling about worldly bufinesj and little tinie for duties to build up himfelfe in knowledge, as in prayer and reading, &c. it is a figne that he doth it not for the Lordy but for himfelfe ; for he that feekes not the Lordyin that which is done to his worfliip he doth it not in that which is done in outward workes; he that will not be faithful! in the grea- ter, and that which (^^rrf, if thou doeft it becaufe he fees it, and knowes it,and that he may fay,/ kmt» thy work andthylatour • it is a figne that thy end in it was the Lord^ and not thy felfe. 7 Againe, from whence doeft thou lookc for wages ? from Ged or from men ? Whence come thofe complaints of the unthankfuJnes of friends and pupils, and thofe we doe good to > but be- caufe we looke to mcttjand not to God. For if we did looke to Godiov our reward, their thankful- nefrebrunthankfuInelTe would be of (mall mo- ment to us : for doth the Nurfenurfc the child for it owne fake only ? doth fhe looke for reward from the chiId,or from the mother that puttethit to nurfe ? if you look for your reward from men ; they are your end^but if you look for it from the I'^r^, their encouragements or difcouragcments will not much move you. 8 Laftly,confider whereon thy minderefteth for that which a man makes his end, therein his L 4 minde Infwcetmng bifclaboui'by (btnewhat conccrncs In looking for reward from men. Simile, In refting in that which conccrncs himfclfe. — — — — — 1 Goo -s^ithom all Caufcs. mind reftctbjand in nothing befides ; a hiisbaod- man^ though he doth plow and fovr, &c. yet hee refts nqt till he comes to the harveft : hee that hewes ftone^and fquares timber^doth it,and reft- ethflot till the houfe be built : therefore, doe thou confider with thy felfe, in all thy workes, what it is that gives reft to thy thoughts-, if thou doftfay, I have now wealth and riches enough, and naeaaes enough, I have gotten what I aimed at, and now my foule is at reft ^ if thou fayeft, I have now honour and Hame enough,my children be well provided for, and now my foule take thy reft • then this was your end, and not the Lerd-^ whereas you ought to fay, though I have provi- ded for my children^yet doe they feare the Lord? ate tJiey brought home to him ? My Trade hath brought me in much, but how ferviceable have Ibeenev\^ith it > I have much credit andeftate, but what glory hath it brought to /^//^ ChripSo fhouldhethatisa Minifteriay, it is true, I have enough,enough credit, enough cflate ^ but what is this ? have I brought any glojyt© the Leri? have I converted any ? If thy heart can have no reft, but in the Lord^axA in the things that be- long to the LQfd^ it is an argument that thine eye wasuponhim, • Let us remember then feeing we are made, fee- ing we have an higher caufe,and that to be with- out caufe belongs totji^^/alofie^thcrfore wemuft carry our lelvcs as fervants • asitisfaid of 1?^- ^'/W, hee [er'ved his time hee did nothing for his own endjbu t he carried himfelfe as a fervant ^ he did God without all Caufes. did no: fay • I will bav^ fomucliple^fure, and then kryc ^^od • he did not cut the Lord {hort^hut hee ferved his time, hee gave the Lord the whole day. It was the comfort of lefus Chrtji j when hewastogoeoutof theworldjM. 17.4. Ihave glori§ed thee on earthy I have fimjbed the trorkethat thougdveft me to do-^ that is^I was as a fervantjand I chofe not my own work,bnt it is that which thou gavefimc* and I have not done it by halves, but I havejimfhedity theicfore glmfie thou me. Which if thou canft fay when thou goeft out of the worldjit will be thy comfort at that day • but if not,remember that it is the Lords manner of dca- lifig^ when men will fcekc themfelves, and their owne end • he layes them afide^ as wee doe bro- ken veffels,fit for no more ufe, and he takes ano- ther.If there be any here^that can fay fOjthat the Lord hath laid thee a-fidc, and taken thy gifts from thee 5 remember, confider with thy felfe, that hadft thou Mfed them to his glory^and made him thy end, be fua-e that he would not have laid thee afide^but that he would have ufed thce,Be- loved, we fee by experience^ men of fmall parts that have had humble hear tSj and did ufc their raeane gifts in the fimplicitieof their fplrits to Gods glory, hee hath inlarged and ufed them in greateft imployments. Againe, on the contrary fide« men of excellent parts, have withered, be- caufe they did not ufe them to Gods glory^therc- foreheh^th laid them a-fide as brokenveflels. John THE THE NINTH SERMON. ExoDvs 1. 15> i4> 15. 1 5 w/Z/^^i Mofesfaid unto G o dj behold ^wben I com unto the Children of Ijrael^ and [hall fay unto them ; The Qo d ofyour Fathers hath [ent mee unto pouy and they (hall f(V^ unto mee^ What is his Name ? -^bat Jhall 1 fay unto them ? 14 And God /aid unto MofeSyl Am That I A M. Jind bee faid^ Thus Jhalt thou fay unto the children of Ifraeli I Am hathfent me mtoyotu 15 ^nd Qo-D faid moreoloer unto Mofes^j Thus /hah thou fay unto the Children ojlf raeli The Lord God of your Fa- tkrs. The Eternitj of God* thers.the God of Mraham.the God of IJaacy and the God of M hatbfeta me mto ^o» : this u my Name for eyer^ and this if my memoriai mto genera- tiotts. Atliii^ Attti- butcof Goit His BUmty, The fecond j^ttrihutQ ofG o d, E E come now to a third Attri- bute, and that is the Eternity $f God • for G(^d doih not fay, Hcc that was, but Hee that hath Jem me mto yotf. And indeed he that is without all caufe the efficient and final}, hee muft needs be eternal!, he that hath no beginning nor end alfo, he muft needs be eternall : and befides, in that hee faith, lam thatlam^noi I am that I was, it rau ft needs be that he is without facceflion. Therefore from hence wee may gather, that GoT>is eternall. Inhandlingofthispoint, wee will (hew you, Fir ft, wherein this confip. Secondly, the reafon, tvhy it mufl hefo. Thitdly,the differences. The V The Eternity a/ God* Fourthly^the confeBaries^ that flow from thefe diftiniStions of eternity . For the firft jou miul: kno\v> that to eternitie thcfe five things are required ; It mu ft not only have a fimple,but a llvmg and m»jl perfcB heing. For eternity is a tranfcendent pioperty,and therefore can be in none^buc in the moft excellent and perfeft being^and therefore it muft be a living being. This we have exprefled mlfai^ ') I Thus faith thehigh aidhftj onCythat inhabit eth eternity y who fe name is Holy^ I dwell in the high andhfflyflace^ ^e. As if he fhould fay . there is nohoufefitfor hina to dwell in, that is high and excellent, butonely thehoufe of eternity. Where eternity is compared to an houfe or ha- bitation, towhich none canenter, but Godhim- felfcj becaiifehe only is high and excellent; all the creatures arc excluded out of his habitation. It is required to eternity, that there beno^^- ghming • as may eafily be gathered out of Pfalme 90.2, Lord, thi^u hajl beene onr duelling f lace in all generations 'y before the Mount aines ir^re brought forth y or ever thou hadfi formed the earthy or the mrli'y even frm everlajfing to everlaliing thou art G O B.^ And there alfo you have the third expreflion ^ and that is, to have;^^? endings he is not only from everlaftingybuttoeverlafting. There is no fucce[fion : as, fuppofe all the plea- fures that are in a long banquet, were dravvne to- gether intoovie moment - fuppofe all the a£rs of mans undcrftanding, and will, from the begin- ning 57 I Five things re quired incur Hiiic. I 158 The Eternity of God. II The reafon why God mufl; be cternall. ning of his life to the end, could be found in hina in one inftant • fuch is eternity. (F^t^poflefleth all things all together^he hathallat once^ leh.S.'yZ* Ferilj^ verily^ I fay unto jouy before Abrahamvc^^I am : As ithee ihould fay, there is no time paft, prefcnt or to come with me he doth not fay^be- fore Abraham waSy I was, but / am^ and therefore heiseternalL He is the dif^encer ef all time to others • hee is Lord of all time, all times doe but ifTue out from him,as rivers from the fea-hc difpenfeth them as it pleafeth him : Pfal.po. com pare i^^r. :i.and 3. together, the Momtaines mre brought forthy (^c. even from everlafling to ever lajiing^thou art God. Thou turneft mm to deftruBion^ andfayeflyReturne yee children of men. He fets time to the fons of men • where wee fhall fee that this is the property of him, that is eternall, to fet times and feafons to menj&c. reafon why G^'rfmuft be eternall, is this, becaufe he is what he is of himfelfe, he is with- out all caufe,and therfore can have nobeginning or ending^and therefore he muft of neceflitie be without all motion- and without all fuccefTion, for all fucceflion prefuppofeth motion, and all motion prefuppofeth a caufe and effed;forwhat- fbever is moved, is either moved from no being to a being, or from an imperfed, to a more per- fcd being • that is, to be moved to an higher de- gree: now G'^^^^f that hath nothing in him to bee perfe(^ied, is not capable of a further and higher The j degree. The Eternity o/Q o d* { The third thing is the difference betweenc the j eternity of God^and the duration of all creatures • i which confifts in thefe particulars ; , ! The creatures even the beft of theiTij have but an halfe eternity 5 they are not from everlafting, though they are to everlafting. That eternall duration that the creatures have is not intrinficall to them, it is dependent, they receive it from another. The creatures cannot communicate it to ano- ther5nor extend it beyond thefelves • the Angels though they be eternall^yet they cannot make o- ther things to be eternall; 6'^^ only can doe this. All the aOis of rhe creatures^all their pleafures and thoughts, and whatfbever is in them doe ad- mit a fuccelfion, a continuall flux and mocion • but iaC^^itisnotfo ; he is as a rocke in the wa- ter that ftands fail: though the waves move about it 5 that is, though the creatures admit of a con- tinual] fluxe and fucceffion about him, as the waves doe ^ yet there is none can move him. And thefe are the differences between the eternity of God^ and the duration of all the creatures. Now followes the fourth thing ; 7htconfeBan€s that flow from hence, which are thefe two: If this be the eternity of God^ then to him all timcjthat is to come, is (as it were) paft,P/^/.9 o , 4. -A thoufand jeeres in his fight are but as jeHer-l day^whenit isfafl : that is^ a thoufand yeeres that ] arc to come, they are to him as paft,they arc bo- ' thing to him. And againeja thoufand yeeres that are 159 III Foiire diffe- lenccs between the eternity of God^ and the duration oFall creatures, I % IV Hepofibfieih j aJl things to* j getherjandsll; timcisprelenti and as it were pall withbioi. j i6o To Ooitio timeisfitfeer long orihorc. t Tim, 1. 17* Tb^ Eternity of God Con/ecl. 2. Eteinitic makes good things infi- nitely gooJ, cvill things in .finitely evill. are paftjare(as ic were)prcfcnc tohim,as rvehcard before ^ Befere Abraham mf^ I am: For hepof- feflech all things together^by r eafon of the vaft- nefle of his being, to him all things are prefent. As he that (lands upon an high naountaine, and lookes dovvne (it is aji?»f/e that theSchoole-men often ufc;) though to the pafienger tjhat goes by, fome are before, fome behinde, yet to him they are all pref^t. So though one generation pat feth, and another commeth ^ yet to Gsd^ that in- habits and ftands upon eternity, they are the fame, they are all prefent, there is no ditfcrencc. And tlien this followes from henee, that to God no time is either long or lliort, but all times arc alike to him ; therefore he is not fub jed to aiiy delaycsorexpedances* he isnotfubjedtoany feares, for they areof things to come; nor to the paffionofgriefe, or pleafure, or the lofleofany excellcncie,that before hce had not, as all crea- tures are^thereforc we fliouldconfiderof thecx- ccllencieof (j(7^,to give him the praKeofit: this ufe is made of it , in i Tim. 1. 17. JVow mu the Kingeternall^mmBnall^ invtfible^ andthe&neljmfe God, be homur^^ndgloryfsr ever and eyer^ Amen. As if he fhould fay; this very confideration,that Godi$ cternaljfliouldcaufeus to givchim praife, and fo is that in !fai. 57. 15. Eternity makes that which is good,tobe infi- nitely more good than ic is, and that which is evil! to be much more evill ; and that not onely iarefpedl of duration (that which is good for a weeke, is better for a yeerc • and an evill, when it con- Tbs Eternity of God. continues an infinite time, it is infinitely more evill, ) but alfo in regard of that colleftioa into oncjwhich is found in thofc things that continue to cternitie : as when all joyes are collcded into one heape^and all griefcs into one centcrifo that you fliall joy as much in one inftant,as ever here- after • and notwithftanding though the thing be ftill but the fame, yet the continuance naakes k infinitely more good. Seeing eternitie is a propertie of God • wee fhould learne hence to mindc moft the things that arc cternall, for they are, of all other things, of the greateft moment, beeaufe th^y doc moft participate of this tr^nfccndcnt prc^pertie of the Almightie. God is cternall, thc^ule is eternall, heaven and hell are eternall, therefore they are more to be regarded of us. You fhall fee this in I loh. 2^ ij.asareafonwliy wefhouldnotmind the things of the world; beeaufe the mrldvani- fheth^ it fajjeth may^ and the luHs thereof (faith the Apoftlc 5 ) that is, Jooke upon all the things be- low, and not only the things pafle,but alfo your affections and defircs palTe, that which you love today, to morrow you will not love* therefore love them not, regard them not, for they are of a flitting and paffmg nature, but he that doth the will ^fthehoKv> abides for ever • and therefore we are tominde fueh things moft : fuch as the King is, fuch are his Subje. ghfjfor- ever. And as he is a King ctern^ll, fe bee 6ath given to us, his fubjefts, to bee eternal!, as^^ the (oule is ; and he hath given punifhment, and^ revtrards eternally hell is an everlafting prifon, a^nd heaven is an cternall Palace ^ therefore thefe are the things moft tobc regarded of us. And if wee vTOiild but throughly confider that tbcfc things are eternallj it would effectually draw our mindes to the things that are above. A man that comes to an Inne^if he can get a better roomc he will; i^notjhee can bee content vrith it, forhee faith, it is but for a night j feyour habitation conditioHjlabour for it rather5but if not, be not I much movedjfor it is but for a night. In worldly 1 things the fhort continuance makes us toundcr- goe them cheerfully s An ApprentiQiip that is hard^ a man will indure,for he ftith it is Diit for a time* fo things that are pleafanr, if they be but of fhort continuanccjwee regard them the Icffe. Now our time that wee have here, in refpeft of etcrnityjis fhorter than an apprenf i(hip,nay5than a night, nay, (liorterthananhoure. Put the cafe that a man fhould have an houre given him , and it ftiould bee faid to him ; as thou fpendeft this houre,fo thou fhalt live all thy dayes ; what would not a man doe, or what would he not fuF- fer ? bow carefull would hee be to fpend this hourewell? Now this life is not fo much as a^i houre to eternitie; and tkerefore why fhould we not be carefull how we fpend this houre, fee- ing it (hajl beewith us for ever according as wee I here is but for anight: if have a better fpend The Eternity of God. fpendic? i Cor. 9.2%. Everpne that flriveth fir thetnaflerps temfjerate *^ mw thej d$e it t9 obtdine a corruftihle cr&me^ but wee an inwruftible. Thus | he reafoneth. If men that ufcche 0/j;»l?/>«gaRies will endure fo much hard (hip and ab ftinence^ acciiftome their bodies to h&at and cold before- hand for the race, anddoeailbut foracrowne, that will laft but this ihortlifeac thenioft j v^e | doe nothing ( faith hec ) for an incorruptible crowne? Beloved, if wee would fitdownebuc f one halfe houre, and confider ferioufly what eternitie is, it would make us to negle(£l all tem- ' porary things, which now wee are fo atfedled with. It is eternity, my brethren, and the confi- deration of it, that doth fet an high price upon! grace, and gives the juft weight to finne, but it makes all other things exceeding light ^ for this is atrue rule ; that untill we come to apprehend fin, as the greateft evill in the world, we arc not truely humbled, which eternity onely make us rightly to apprehend ; for ( as was faid before ) eternitie makes an evill infinitely the greater. Now if you looke upon all other things, as ho- nour and difgrace, and the favour of men, they reach but a lit tie way, to the end of this lifcj at ' theutmoft- but if yo« look to the reach of grace and fin, they reach (*s it were) a thoufarul thou- fand miles beyond, for grace reacheth to eterni- tie, and finne reaches to eternity^ and therefore thefeare things that a man fhould bee buficd about. W hatafhamcis it for a man to grieve for fome outward crofTes^ and to rcjoyce much M 2 for 1 i«4 The Etemitj o/Q o for fome preferment here ; and not to regard or be affcfted with eternity :It is the phrafe thatthc Apoftle Paul ufeth, he calls itmans day^ Icaremp tp bee judged by mans day- and indeed it is but a fliort dayy and what is it to that eternity I looke for ? What is it to that God^ with whom I muft live for ever ? therefore I care not what men fay of mCj but I rather thinke what the cternali Ged thinkes of me, and what will be thought of mee inthat Kingdomewherelmuft livefor ever. If a man were in Turkie^ or in fome other remote place, to^ trafficke there awhile, hee would not care what the men of that place thought of himj, for hee faith, this isnottheplacewherelmuft live : fb doe you but confidcr, that this is not the place where ydu muft live, and then of what mo- ment will it appeare to you, what men fay of you > Beloved, if the foule were mortall, there were feme reafon that you fhould make provifion for it here ^ but feeing it is immortall,you ought to make a proportionable provifion for it, even for ever : for the body you are apt to make pro- vifion, a w^iVf^ beyond the journey 4 butcon- fider, that you have an immortal! foule, which muft live for ever, and you muft make fome pro- vifion for it, to carry it fo long a journey. It is our Saviours exhortation, loh. ^.27. Ldioarmp for the meat that j^erifjjethj btttfor the meat that en- dureth to everUfiing life^ ^c. As if he fhould fay • if you had no other life to live but thiSjthen you might fceke the things of this life, as gIory,ho^ nour, pleafure, &€. but thefe things perifli,.and thej The Eternity of God. the tafte of them perifheth, as the fvreetnefle of meat in the^ating^ but (faith our Saviour) feeie thofe things that mil abide for ever: you have an [ everlafting life to live, therefore you muft make fome provifion anfvverablc thereunto : As for the body, thefouleweares it but as a garment, and when it is vvome out, the foule muft have a new fu i t of apparell one day . Well, feeing Ged hath brought this point to our hands this day, let me but prevaile with you fo farre, as to fet fome time apart the following vveeke, when you may enter intoa ferious conn- deration of eternitie, the very thinking of it^will be of great moment to you ^ for looke what the obied is^fuch is the foule, about which it is con- verfant^highobjeds lift up the Ibule to th^ Urd, and make the mind anfwcrable to them,and low objeds make the mind like to them. Now eter- ' nity is an high ob jed, and it will worke in men high mindes- and hence it iSjfor the want of this confideration^that when a man comes to dfe,and fees eternity before hira,how doth it then amaze the foule of man ? I have feene it by experience ; I knew one who faid, // it were but for a thonfand yeeres^ I could beare it^ but feeing it is to eternitie^ this amdzeth mee. Behold, if you would confi- der that after many thoufands of yeeres are pail, ► yet you arc to begin as at the firft; if men did . confider this feriouflvjwonld they let their eter- ; call cftate depend fo upon incertainties. And let ^ them confider this, that arevet ftrangers to the life of Ged^ih^t if death fhould come,they fnould _ M 3 not The Eternity of God, not efcapc eternall death it is good to keep our thoughts upon thisjfor it will make us not fo to haften after the things of the world, as we doc t and for thy fin thou doteft on fo^ there are three things to be confidered in it; Vix&^thcfleafure of * it-is as thefpeckled skin of the SerpentrSecond- lyjthe/i;^^ thereof: and thirdly, thtetermtjof that fting. Now looke not thou upon the flea- fure of finiic, th^t endures but for afeafin^hut con- fider the hurt that comes from finne, and thea confider the eternity of it : a candle inadarke night makes a great fticw, but when the Sunne i comes it vaniftieth^ and is nothing • fo will ali i thefe things that wc doe fo much affcd now, if they come to be compared with eternity in our thoughtssit is great wifdome in this kind to huf- band our thoughts well, i C^r. j. 3 1 .P^fe thismrldy as mt u^ng itjor thefafhm of this mrldpajjeth amy: that is, mind them not much, be not much affc- ^ acd with them, oneway or other, cither in joy or griefeglct them be fuch as if they wcrenot ^for why ? they arc tcmporall thing?, pafling things, things that continue not ; for that is the thing I gather out of that place,that the Lordwould not have our thoughts to bee bellowed upon them, but foTemiflcly,as ifnotataH,becaufc there are eternall tbings,whereon we arc to fet our minds, for the time is fhort : As if he fhould fay,thou haft not fo much time to fpare the time is ftiorr,and iyou have bufineffe enough another way, there is water little enough to run in the right channel!, therefore let none runne bcfide^ and the things The Eternity of Qeu. that ftiould take up your minds only, are fin^and grace, things that are eternall. Is it not a pitiful! ^hing that the noble intentions of eternallmind^ ftioldbc beftonred fo il upon thefc flitting things which are nothing to eternity? A man that hadli not much mony in his purfc, but only for to pro- vide ncccflariesj when one comes and askes hitn to borrow any, he will fay^ I have no more than to buy me food and rayment; oriffeehathhis rent to pay^and no more, if one fhouldcomc to borrow any of him, he faith, No, I have no more than to pay my rent. So faith the Apoftle there ; you have no fuch fpare time,no (uch fpare afifedi- ons that you can beftow clfc-wherc, therfbre be- ftow them upo things that endure to eternal life. And further to move you to this, confider the fbortneffe and vanity of this lifc,how al man- kinde are hurried and rapt with a fuddcn motion to the Weft ©f their dayes. Our fathers went be- fore .us,we follow them, and our children follow us at the hecles, as one wave followes another, and at laft we are alldaflicd on the rtiore of death ; and withal.confider the vanity that all conditions are fubjcA unto,whether they be mountaines or valleycs^if mountaines,thcy are fubjc(51: to blafts to bee envied ; or if valleyes, to beovcrdrow- nedjoppreffcd, and contemned . yea, the things that we prize moft, honour and pleafiire • .what doc they but weary us, and then whet our appe- tite to a new edge ? Confider the men that have beene before us ; many of them havebcene like a gfccn tree, but now the floudof their wealthis _ M 4 dried 1(58 The Eternity of Q o d. dried up^ they and their goods have perifhcd to- gether; Gonfider in the fecond place^what eternity is- here the body is corrupted with difeafes,and the foulefubje A a as The fourth Ac« li'ibute oi God^ Mis SiP/fiicUy, The Simplicity of Gov ^ Gcd a Spirit. John 4*%^. What feind of 4 rroperties of a Spirit. 1 Invifible, as we are • but he is fimplcjwitliouc all compofi- tion. Which I gather out of thefe words, I Am What I Am^ thatis^whatfocverisiame^itis my felfe. I am a pure ei6t^ all being, a whole en- tirej fimple and uniforme being, without parts, not like to the creatures : for the beft of them is compounded of actions and qualities5but what- foever is in me, it is my felfe. Now in this fimplicity, and immixture of God, wee will firft fall upon that which the Scripture fets downe in plaine words, loh, 4.24. God if a Spirit : that is, hee is not mixt, he is not compounded of body and foule, as men are, but hee is a Spirit. The word Spirity both in the Hebrew, Greekcj and Latine Tongue, doth fig- nifiie, breath. A breath is indeed a body , but becaufe it is the fineft body, the moft fubrile, and moft invifible, therefore imraateriall fub- ftances, which wee cannot orherwife conceive, are reprcfented to us under the name fjpirit^ or breath. Befides, this is to be added, though Godh^e faidtobea]J?/w, yet he is not properly a fpirit as Angels are • for an Angell is a creature, and though it want a body, and a fpirit, yet it is a created fubftance.-but ncverthelcfle becaufe that is neereft to the pure and incompounded nature of God^thQTcfort he calls himfelfe a %irir,as An- gels, and our foules are. To jfhew you what a fpirit is,thefe fbure things are to be confidercd : I It is proper to a fpirit to bo irtvijil?le, im- palpable. God a Spirit. palpable, not to bee difcerned by any fcnfe. Therefore Chrifi bids his Difeiples to feele hini« Behldmyh-ands andmjfeet^ (faith he) that it is I myfelfe^ handle andfee^ for a Sprit hath notfiefkand bones as I have. A Spirit is that which is with- drawne from the perceivance ofanycorporeall fenfe vvhatfoever, and in this fenfc God is called a Spiritjbecaufc he is invifible : and therefore Mq.» is called to fee hmthatisinvifbky not by any bodily eyc^but by the eye faith. 2 Every Spirit moves it felfe^ and ochei' thi^^gs alfo: Thc ibody is but an earthly piece, thatisnotabletoftirrc it felfcatall, as you fee it is when the foule is gone out of it, k is the fpirit, that both moves it fclfe, and carries the bpdy up and downe where it lifteth ; and it moves it felfe with all fpeed, and agility, be- caufc it findes no refiftance. Bodiesjbcfide their elementary motion upward and downcward, have no voluntary motion, they cannot move themfelves whither they will, as Spirts doe: And this I gather out of leh. 3 . 8. where the ho- ly Ghofi is compared to the mnde^ that bkms mhere itUHeth. 3 It is the property of every Spirit to move with exceeding great force znA ftrength, and with much vehemencie, fo that it farre exceedesthe ftrength of any body. Therefore in I fay 31.3. fpeaking of the ftrength oi xho, ^gyftians^ hee faith, that they are fieflj ^ and not.fpirit : as if hee fliould fay ; ail fiefh is weake^ but a fpirit I is ftrong. Therefore youfee, the Dcvilsj that Aa 2 are Luke i^' ^9' ielfeandoiher Ie tnovf s with force and 4 It is not held in asiy place. rfet. Gods eye is chiefly upon the fpirits of men ; and our care therefore isi.okccp our fpirits htfor communion with Gddi ' The Simplicity of Gojy. are fpintSjwIiatftrength they have; as the man in the Gofpeljwho vva§ pofTefTed, it is faid that hee could h'cake the fiforjgefi bands which alfo wee fee commonly in thofe that are poifefled^befides you read, how hee threw downe the hoafe over children : Such is the ftrength of a fpiritjex- ceediHg the ftrength of any body, 4 It infinuaces it felfe, and enters into any bo- dily fubftance, without all penetrdt ion oi dimcnfi- on 3 that is^it is not held out of any place^by reg- fon of a body that is in it 5 for it may be in any placCjthougk it be otherwife fulhasjyou fccjthe fouleis in the body, you fhail find no where an empty place, the body is cverj^ where whole ^ yet the fpirit infinuates it felfe into every part, and jno body can keep it out. In like manner Goi^ ^ hee is invifibie^ not feene by any eye, he moves himfelfe and all things in the world, as he lifts, andwhatfoever he doth it is with exceeding great ftrength - hee fills every place, both heaven and earth 5 what bodies foever bee there, yet hee^ may bee there notwithftanding. And thus you fee in what fenfe this is to be under ftood^ G o ?5 is a Spirit, Now we will come to apply this . l£God be a Spirit, firft then this wee may ga- ther from it: I That his eye is chiefly upon the fpirits of men. There are many things in the world,, which his hand hath made ; but that which hee chiefly lookes to , is the minde and fpirit of man. Whereas a man confifts of two parrs , a body QoD a Spirit. • body and a fpiritjitis tfae fpirit thuislikc toGed I and in regard of the (pirituall fiibftance of the! I foLiy t is faid to be made after his Image^Sc ther- I fore in Heb.ii. G§dis calkd^ihc Father of f^iritx: Not but that he is the Father of the body alfo^ for he made that too; but the raeaningis^heis KAT* 6|«x^V , Father of fpiritSjbecaufe he raoft pe- culiarly and chiefly re fpedts them, being moft Jike to himfelfe ^ as the fon is like the father, fo they are like to him, and therefore he moft re- gards the fpirits of men. As you may fee when Samuel wtnt to anoint David King, and all the fonnes of lejfe came before him^ thofe that were much more proper than David^ Ged tells him^ that hee did noclooke upon the perfons of men, or upon their outmrd apfcarances ^ hee heedes them not- what then? he fees the fouleand fpirit of man ; the L^rd looketh upon the hearty and accor- ding to that he judgcth of them, i Sam. i6. 7, NoWj if his eye bee chiefly upon the (pirit, thou fliouldeft labour alfo to be like him,and to have regard chiefly to thy fpiritjand fo thoufhalt moft pleafc him:let thy cie be upon thy foulejto keepe it cleane, that it may be fit for commu- nion with him,who is a fpirit. This (I fay) flhould teach you to looke to the fafhion of your foules within, bccaufe they are likeft to him, and carry his Image in them 5 hee is a Father of them in a fpeciall manner, and this is that whereby you may have communion with him,in that which is moft proper unto him, in fpirituall exercifes and performances, Aa 5 But lie Simplicity a/ G o d • How chat is CO be dont?. I lP€t. 1.4' Lu{l defiles the fp siw Tit. J* t ^ But, you will fay, what is it that you would have us to doe to our fpirits^ to have them fit for the Lerd^that he may regard them, and that they may be like to him ? I Thou muft fcoure and cleanfe them from all ^Ithinefe^ 2 C(?f . 7. i. Having therefore thefe pre- mifesy (dearelj Beloved^) let us cleanfe our felves from all filthinejfe ofthefiefh^ and f^irit^ perfeBiTtg holinefeinthefeareofGod* There is a pollution, which the Apoftles fpeakes of, which pullutfon he divides into two kindes, of the flefli, and of the fpirit : both of thefe thou muft labour to be cleanfed from, but fpecially that of the fpirit, if thou wouldeft have it fit for the Xeri to delight in, for fie being a Spirir, doth moft regard thofe anions which are done by the fpirit , and there- fore that is the thing that mainly thou (houldft looketo. But what is that pollution of fpirit, or what is that which doth dcj^e it ? Every thing in the world defiles the fpirit, when it is lufted after, 2 Fet^ 1.4, Haxingcfca- fed the corruption that is in the mrld through tuft: that is, the world, and all things in 'the world, and all the parts of it, they doe then corrupt the fpirit, defile, and foile it when the foule of man hath a luft after them. You might meddle with all things in the world, and not bee defiled by themj if you had pure affedlions, but when you have an inordinate luft after any thing, then it defiles your fpirit; therefore in Titti^ 1. 1 5. the Apoftle fpeakes of a confcience dtfiled^ And in Mat. God 4 Spirit. ^dt. 1^.19. faith our Saviour, Out 9f the heart froceed evillthou^ts^ munhers^ Adulteries^fernicA- ti&ns^ thefts^ falfe mtnejje^ bUffhemies ; thefe are the the things rt>hich defile a man.Hc doth not fpeake onely of aduall adultery, or murther, but even i>f the finfull difpofitions of the fouIc|evcii thcfe arc things that defile the fpirit in Gods fight,vvho lookes upon them as you doe uponoutvrard fil- thinefle with the eyes of your body ;So that eve- ry inordinate iufting of the fouIe,doth defile the foule. But is not this rule too ftrait > Wee arc com- manded not to murther, nor to commit adulte- ry : this is thecommandement ; and why fhould you fay, that every difordered affcdion doth de- file the foulc,and that it is more regarded by G$d than the outward adions ? You mu ft know that the tenth Commande- ment doth ftrike againft thcfe abominations • {halt not luft : as it is tranflated, Ramans 7. fo that thefc luftings of the fpirit, are thofe that defile the fouIe.You fee that Godb^ah fpent a whole Commandcmcnt againft them : Xnd indeed, all the a 6i:uall finnes committed by us fimplyconfidered inthemfelves, as committed by the body, are not fo hated of G^orf, as the pol- lution of the fpirit is. Nay, I dare bee bold to fay, that the ad of adultery, and murther, is not fo abominable in GodytyQs^ as tbefilthineffeof the fpirit ; this is more abominable in the fight o^Ged, who is a Spirit, than the ad of the bo- dy ^ for it is the fpirit that he mainly lookes to. Aa 4 Indeed 7 The i©.Com- niandementa« gaind AilualiGHncs cowmicicd by the body arc aotfohatcdof Gcias the pollution of tfic fpirit, i The Simplicity of God. Kcafonsor j Indeed the a £l€omra6ls the guilt, beeaufe the luft is then growne up to an height, fo that it is conae toan abfolute will and execution* There- forCj if theie luftings doc preffe into the foule, wee fliould put them out againe^and rejedi them with fname and griefc : for God s Spirit ^ and beholds the eontinuali behaviour of thy fpirit* Againe, the injury which you offer to others, though in it felfe it beeagreatfinne, yet that inward brooding of it in thy heart, plotting mif- chicfe, that boiles within thee^while it hatcheth rancour and revenge, this is that which he hates though thou fhouldcft never commit any aciuall finne this way. lam.j^. 5, you have this phrafe ufed, The lujt of the j^irit to envie : that is, the bent of the fpirit, and inclination of thcminde^ which lookcs upon the gifts of others, that out- fliinethem, fo that they luft to have that light put out, that their candle might appearc above it^ chough they aft nothing, yet this is abomi- nable to him. And that I might not deliver this without confiderations ground,confider : l^rovmg IS. 1 A broken fpilit pleafeth C(fd* There is nothing fo plealing to God as a bro- ken heart, 7/4/. 57. Now the breaking of the heart is nothing clfe, but the ferving betweene the heart and fin. As when you fee an Artificers worke, wherein many parts are glued toge- ther ^ if it fhould fall downe, or the glue be dif- folved, then they all breake to pieces • fo whcn the lufts that are in our foules are thus fevered.; this G on a Spirit. \this pleafeth the Lord:not that the affiiiftion of a mans fpirit is pleafing unto the Lord^ but the re- paration of fin from his fouI;,when the foder that joynes a finfull adion and the heart together, when this is diflbked^this doth pleafe the Lerd: And by the rule of contraries, if this bee true, then it is true on the other fide, that when the fpirit is glued by any luft to any inordinate thing it is moft hatefull to God: and the ftronger the lufl is5the ftronger is the glue^and therfore a man the more he is tyed to this world, and hath fuch ftrong lufts, the more he hath this unckannefle and pollution of fpirit in him. And therefore as i a broken heart is moftacceptableto G^i; foa j fpirit that is knit to any inoidinatcobjeta,by the ' thing that it cleaves to, it become moft hatefull ; and abominable to him. Confidcr, that although a luft left at liber- ty when Gdd hath taken off the chaine, andfuf- fersittod©cwhat it will, doth contradi more guilt, and doth indeed more hurt to mankinde • yet hee that hath a heart as full of luft and filthi- nefle, is no leffe abominable, and odious in Gods fight. Take a Wolfe, that runnes upanddowne and kills the fhcepe, that Wolfe is abominable, and every one erics out againft him; but a wife man that fees a Wolfe tyed up in a chaine,hates that as much as he did the other : for he knowes that he hath the fame nature, and would doe as 4i^trch huTt if hee were let loofe. So wee may fay of men, whofe hearts are full of lufts, God it may be, hath tyed them up, fo that they breake not forth 1 ncdas hateful to G^dai Ji/fls thathavell- btxty. 10 X OC Olfnylicivjf VJ V4 KJ u% ? Luftsofthe fpirit fulof the (pawneofiin, Dircfi ons for ckaiifing the jipirit. . I Fin<3c ciitthc ! _ forth • yet thcfelufts are abominable and hate- full in his fight, though they doe not fo much hurt^nor break fo many commandcments. There- fore let them confidcr this, that live under good families or good Tutors, or in good company, commonly they are as Wolves tied up,they can- not break forth cafily into outward ads, it may be they are reftrained by reafon of fome bodies, favour that they would not lofe, or the like, but yet they give way to thp fpirit virithin, that ran- gethandluftethupanddo^vne^ which is there- fore defiled in €ods fight, 3 Confider that thefe lulis of the Spirit, arc full of the fpawnc, andegges of fin : that is, they ate the mother fin • they are very pregnant with adluall finne. Um.^. i^Fromwhence comesmnes and fighthigs among you ^ come they not hence^ even of your lujfs that tvarre in your members } Concu- pifcence is but as the luft of the fpirit,which con cupifcence is full of artuali fins,and brings them forth when oceafion is given - lam. 1. 15. And therefore it is more to bee hated than an ad is, which is but one, and hath not fo much fpawnc it in : wherefore you ought to cleanfc your fpirit from this pollution. But how fhallwe doe this ? togetourfpirits thus clean fed ? You muft fcarch out the pollution of the fpi- rit. For the fpirit of man is a deepe thing, and hidden, full of corners and crannies, a luft and pollution will eafily hide it felfc in it ; therefore thoumuftfindeit out and confefTe it. Doe as Davtd God ^ Spirit. 11 I> avid didf goeto God^ and fay 3 Lord feanhy and try me^fee if there be any mckeinefe in me : as if bee fhoLild fay, if I could, I would fearch my ovvne heartjbut I cannot doe it enough^ it is too deepe forme, therefore doe thoa come and doe it* I will open the doores • as a man ufeth to fay to the Officers that come to looke for a Tray tor, Do you come in, and fearch if there be any here, I will fet open my doores • fo faith Bavidhtxc. In like manner when a man would cleanfe his heart from the pollution ofhisfpirir,let him doe fo too • let him rcmcmber,that to hide a Tray tor is to be a Tray tor thy felfe, therefore labour to find itout^and when it is found^confcfTe it to the Lord & lay a juft weight upon it : What though it never breakcs forth into outward anions ? fay to xht Lord^ 0 Lord^l know that thou look eft to the fpirit and art convcrfant about it ^ to have a polluted fpiritjis an abomination to thee.This is a thing that we fhould doe, for herein we are of- tentimes to blame in your prayers,when we con- fe/Te our aduall finnes, arid doe not confeflc the pollution of our fpirits to the Lord. But you will fay, wee would fainehavefomc direftions to finde out this unclcannefle of our fpirits. Confider what arifeth in thy fpirit, when it is ftirred at any time, and there thou fhait finde whatihe pollution of the fpirit is. Set a pot on the fire, put flefhintoit; while it is cold, there is nothing but water and meat but fet it a boy- ling, and then the fcum arifeth.lt is a fimilitude 1 ufcri How CO finde ounhe un- fpirir. 12. 1 JbeSim^^icity o/God. E:^?^. 124' 13. Hate ihe pol- lution ©ffpi- u{cdinEuk.2^-iih'^^^ I fay,obrervc what ari- fech in thy fpirit^atany time, whea there is fomc comriiotion, when thy fpirit is ftirred more than Ordinary ^ for every temptation is (as it were) a fire to make the pot boy Ic, any injury that is of- fered to usj makes the fcum to arifc; now fee what arifeth out there , and when any objcd comes to allure thee to finne, fee what thoughts arife in thy heart, as the thought of profit or preferment, when an opportunity^ is offered ^ ftirre the fpirit, and fees it on boyling | con- fider what then arifeth in thy heart, and thou fhalt fee what thy fpirit is. And that which thou art to doe, when thou findeft it, is to con feffe it to the Lord^ and fuflPcr it not to come into outward ad^caft it out,fuffer it not to boyle in When thou haft done this, thou muft not ftay here r but thou muft labour to loath and hate that pollution of fpirit. There are two things to be hated by us • the fnne that we looke upon as a pleafant thing • and thy inclination to that thing, which is the pollution of thy fpi- rit, and muft bee hated and loathed of us for thou muft not oncly hate the objeandvvilt have the law upoa him and wilt be content with nothing but bis life: So when thou haft found out thy fin, then goc this ftcp further, to caft it out before the Lord^ and cry againft it, and fay, that it is his enemy, and thy enemy, and an enemy to his grace ^ it hath fought thy life, and thou wilt have the life of it before thou haft done : and give not over till thou getteft it utterly caft out, and haft made an utter leparationbetweenethy fouleandit; fo that if there fhould cornea temptation to it againe, if there (hould bee pleafurc prefcntedon theone hand, and threatnings on the other, yet th^n thou mighteft be able to fay, Rather any thing than this fin, than this luft, it is my grcateft ene- my, that hath done me thus much mifchiefe • fo that my foulenot only loathes it, but 1 wilt not fuffcr it to live in me^this is that which we ought to doe, if we would cleanfe our fpirits. When a man hath done all this, thou muft goe to 6•^ and befeech him that he would break off the amity betv?^ixt luft and thy heart, that he would make a diflTolution, that hce would fever thy foule, and the luft that cleaves fo faft to it. That which made the fbule, andtheobje^i : to cleave fo faft togedief, is luft, thatisthefoder; i which muftbee melted with fire • Ifaj ^.ver. 4. God a Spirit. }Vhen the L&rd jhail hdve mjhed arvaj the filth of j the daughter of Sion^ and jhail have purged the blo&d [ of lerafalem frm the midfl thereof the ^^mt,of-\ ivifedome^ a?id by the ffHrit of burning : that is, the | holyGhejiy who is as f^re, tlmt melts the foder^ and \ Loofens itiandaKo thcmrd^fer.2^.2^,and foalfb ! 1 in MaL 3 - Chrift there is compared tofircy and to 1 ^ Fullers fope^ and all toexprefle thedivcrfewayes ' that the Lord hath to cleanfe our (pirits from fin. Sin cleaves to the foule as drojje to ih^gold: now the f^irit of burning cleanfetb and furifes it ^ yea^it doth it violently ; and therefore it is com- pared to a hammer in leremy. Again^fin finks in as adeepftaine, therefore Chrijl is as fife towafli it out. Let us goe then to God^awd fay, Rather than Lflioiild not be cleanfed^ Lord cleanfe mec with -the fire of afflidion : as it is alfo calkd^Zech. 1 3 . p. ^nd I will bring the third party faith the Lord^ through the^re^ and triU refine them^ asfiher is refi- nedy and mil try them^ as gold is tryed. 1 1 were beft therefore (my Beloved) toyeeldto the Spirit ^ and the ^ord, that they may cleanfe you before his fight : For if they will not do it^he will come with the fire of afflidion^and it is better that yoii flioiild bee fo dealt with, than that your foules^ being fl^ ill uncleane, fhould perifh for ever. To fit thy fpirit for the Lord^ (who is a Spirit, and the father of fpirits^) thou rnufl goe yet one ftep further • thou muft labour to bcautifie ir^ro feek toadorne it with all fpirituall excellencies. Now if thou wouldeft beautifie it by any thing, fteke not for outward excellencies^, as clQathcs,j fine ' ^5 ferem. 14. The bfmt as fire. Zcpb, ij.^, Adorn the fpU fit wkhfpiri- i6 Ihe Simplicity of God. fine apparell or adornings, in the fight of men, but feekefiich an excellencie as is fiitablc to the fpirit : fecke not other things, for they are fuch things that regards nor. So that, as every man feeks fpme excellencie orotherjthatwhidi^ thou art to feeke, is to get fpirituall excellencie, fuch as may beautifie thy heart ^ for that which is outward, €od regardeth not ; You (liall fee a pregnant place for this/fay.66n %. Mltheje things hath my handmade^ faith the Lord, But to this man will I looke^ even to him that is foore^ and of a con- trite fj^irit^ and trembleth at fVerd, When the Lord lookes upon all things here below, My hand hath made them^ faith hee, and I can difpofe of them as I will ; but what is it, of all them,that I doeefteeme > a fpirit that is fafhioned, and beautified with inward ornaments, fo that it trembles at my word 5 that is the thing which I regard. So i Pet. 3.3. youhaveacomparifoH there of outward excellencies, and of tne fpiri- tuall decking of the inward man, which the! Apoftle prcferreth, becaufe that is a thing that is eftecmed of by God ^ ffhofe adorning^ faith the Apoftle, it not be that outrrardadorningy ^f flaiting the haire^ and of wearing gold ^ oreffut- ting on of apparell : But let it bee the hidden man of the hearty in that which is not corruptible^ even the ornament of a meeke and ^uiet fpirit^ Mchisin thejight of God of great price. So it is faid ofwife- dome, Prov, 3.22. It (ball bee life to thj fiuk^ and grate to thy necke: that is, trifedome adorn es the foule in the fight of G o d 3 therefore that is the excellencie God a spirits excellency that is chiefly to bcc fought by as^ e- ven thus to adorne thy foule. And there is good reafon for it : for if thou confiderwhat thy body is^ and what thy fpirit is, thou (halt fee, that all thcfe things that doe adorne the outward man^ are not the excellen- cies to bee fought after. Indeed, there are divers kindes of thofe excellencies; they are of three forts • Firft^excellency of chthesy mdhmldingmd fuch gaudy things, which children and vaine men and women ar€ fenfible of. Secondly, great thksyavid homnrSy and great rewards, which a higher fort of men are capable of. Thirdly, the exceliencie of learnings and knowledge^ and skill in m/and fctences ; and this alfo is but an outward exceliencie for though it be fcated in the fpi- Tit, yet it enables onely to outward things. Thelearenot the excellencies that thou fhoul- defi: fecke for : but it is an exceliencie of the fpi- rit thou art to regard: lookcto thy fpirit what that is • for as the fpirit is,fuchis the man : Per- j feBio mentis efl j>efeBio heminiSy this is the proper excellency :the body is but(as it were) the fheath for the foule ; a man is faid to bee more excel- lent, as his foule is excellent : the exceliencie thereof is a mans proper excellency, and there- fore every one fhould labor to excel! in this pro- per exceliencie. Other exceliencie is but an out- vvard excellencies this is that which is intrinfe- cal to a man; the other are but adventitious fro^n without, not proper, they are not that which aiakcs the difference, as this doth. The righteous B b is 17 Outward ex- cellencies not to he foughE alter. Outward ex» celicncy oi 3.' forts. i8 The Simplicity of Go N®sbisig bi2t the adorning ©£ the Spirit comme-ndsus to Qsd% is mere excellent than his Nei^hhur r as if he faid'* there is a difference of honorjbut all theft are but accidentall differ^^nces^as men diflPcring in cloth^ the cflential difference is the fpiritjand chat is it which God regards^ and by thisihou excelleft thy Neighbour. AH other excellencies are but as when a mule or an afle having goodly trappings, (hould boaft it felfcagainftan hoifCj which is the ftrongeft creature, becaufe it wants fuch goodly trappings- or as if a mtid-wall, that the Sunne ftiines upon , {hould boaft it felfc againft a wall of Marble that ftands in the nia« dow. Therefore confider of this, that fo thou maift labour to beautifie thy fpirit | for if there were no other reafon, but that Gedis a Sfirit^ and that he beholds the excellency of the fpirit, this werefufficient. Take all other excellencies in the world, they make thee onely excellent in the fight of man ; but this makes thee excellent before. God • this is a folfd thing, all the glory of the world is but ;ttv« c/io|jt, empj glory ^ as being efteemed valine and empty men ; 'but that which maks tliee excellent before God^is this only. We read lam. 2. 5. Hathnot Godchofenthefomofthis i¥drldy richinfaith^ andheires^of the Ktngdomervhich hehathfrmifed to them that love him^ Ks if hce ftiould fay, that which makes men glorious, is their faith and hoIinefTe within,this is the thing that makes us excellent in Gods ix^x^ and ena- bles us to doe higher workes : all other things habilitate us but to the things of this life, bur ftrong, and makes thee to ferve grace makes thee G o D ^ spirit* fervethc L0rd mth fean md reverence^ Heb^ ii* 2 8, And therefore faith die Apoftle^ If there he any trrfueor fraife^ thinke.of thefe things^ Phil. 4. 8. though the world (cekcs other things after their ownt fancie, yet feeke you after thefe things 4 this is the excelIenciethat\veelliould feeke, for this adornes thy fpirit. And now if I fhauldaskeany Schollerjwhether is it not better to have Geds image renewed in him, and to bee like to him, than to have the excellencie of hu- mane knowledge ? every one would fay, that to have Gods image renewed in thera5were the beft : btitithen why do ft thou not bufic thy felfc about it ? why doeft thou not labour for it ? why doe you ftudiefo much, and pray fo little ? So if I fliould aske another man, whether grace,or out- ward excellency were better?he would fay,grace: butthenwhy doeyou not bcftow fome time a- bout it,tG get it? It is a great fignc that the heart is right, when wee can judge aright of things,as God judgeth of them, and of the excellency that is to be fought by us. 2 Cor. 5 . It is made a figne of a new creature y that he doth judge aright of^/- fituall things, lames 1. 10. It is made a fignc of a man converted to G o d, when he is Brought kw^ that is, hee is drawne from that high efteeme of outward excellency, which before he had when hcc fees that they are but fading flowers, things of no worth ; and thus the foule gets ftrength to- ft felf^p. When thou haft ehanfedth^ffirit^ when thou ^ haft adorned it with fuch fpiricuall beauty, fo, \ Bb 2 that Let ibc fplric that G o D is delighted in thee ; then thou muft , goe yet further- thou muftkt it have rule, and dominion- thou mu ft let it have the upper h^nd of the body inall things. Let thy fpint be ftill advanced,, that is, let it not bee drowned with the body, but bee emergent ftill above it, kept from all bafe affeiftionSj let it be clearc from all thole mifts and corporalldrofle, that is^ frOiii thofe bodily affedions of meat, drinkcjuncleanr nes, fports, paftime, &c. wherewith thebody is delighted : forthis fpirit is the moft excellent thing.in thee, therefore it is meet that it fhould have dominion, that it fhould not bee brought into {ubje(aion,no not by any fpirituall luft,that arifeth from the fpirit, that the body is not ca- pable of ; much more than a ihame is it to bee brought into fnbjeflion by any bodily luft, that • ^yxoi^gstht Father of fpirit f J i C@r. 6, 12, 13. ^11 things are latrfull to me^ faith the Apoft le///^ / mii not he brought under the fmer of anf thing, Ment is for the bellj^ artd the hellj for meaty htt 'God^M ie. fircyhth itandthem. His meaning is this, I fee that it is not convenient for me to eateflefTij I doe not deny but that I have a defire to eate fiefh as well as others, but becaufe It is not convenient, therefore 1 will bridle that appe- tite : for, Aleat is for the helly^ and the hetlf for meat^ hut GodfBall defiroy both it and them. If that appetite fhould prevaile, the body would rufe over the foule : but that I will not fuffef, tliat my fpirit fhould be brought into fubjeftionby any bodily appetite. And confider^ (vhat an j unrea- ; God unreafonable thing it is^that the fpirit fhoald be brought under the body.There are but tv\'0 parts of a manjOnd they draw us two wayes : the fpirit drawcs us upward to the Father offfirits^ (as it is a fpirit J ) and the body drawes us downward. Now confider which fhould have the upper handjtbey will not goe both together^and there- fore remember, that if the fpirit bee under the body, it will breed confufion, and bee thy deftrudionintheend. It is foinother things; lookeinto the Common wealth, ifyouflhoiild fee fervants ridings and Frtnces going on foot :. looke into nature, if the fire and aire fliould be below, and the water and earth above, what confulion would there be ? So is it in this cafe. The Apo- ftle compares them to bruit beads, 2 Pet. 1. 12. (and the wife man compares them to a Chie^ tvho fetalis are broken d$me^ fo that there is an ut- ter ruine.) Saith the Apoftle Peter^ in the place forenamed, that they as naturall brmt beafts made to bee taken and to bee dejtreyed^ who ffeahevillof the things they under jiand mt^ and jhall utterly pe- rifh in their owne corruption : that is, if a man will come to this, tofjffer fuch a confufion as this they fhall even bee ferved as bruit beaftsare: Indeed, if it were w i th us, as it is with beafts, we mighr give liberty for thcfe corporall appetites to rule over the foule : as, take a horfe, if he hath no rider, then you blame him not tliough hee runne, and kicke up and downe, for he is a beaft, and hath no riderto rule him - butwhenheeis under the bridle, then, if hee doe not doe that Bb 3 which CoaftiGon when thebody rules ,he Spi- Th^Simplkity of Go d . vvhichhe fhoulddocjyou blame him. But a maa hath reafon to guide him, and hee hath grace to guide reafon 5 now to ca ft off both thefe is more than bruitifh, Confidcr alfo, that all things, the more refined they are, the better they are, for they come neercr to the nature of a fpirit. So then doe thou looke upon thy felfe; and fay with thy felfe ; the more that the ifpirit with in me is advanced, the more it isfufferedtorule, without impediment, it is the better for mee. To give you an inftance or two, that you may fee the pradife of the Saints in this cafe : Ub^ he faith, / ejleemed thy ^ordas my appointed meales^ C^^.that is,I will rather reftraine my body in this than I will fufifer my fbule to want that which ; belongs to it,and as he faid for eating & drinking 5 1 fo faith Ddvid for (leefc • Mine ey$s prevent the mor- ningrratch^that I might be exercifedinthy Statutes : \ that is, rather than -my foulcrtiould sot doe its i duty, I will deprive my hodjo^jleepe. So lefus ChriH^ loh. 4. 34. Jifus faith unto them^ m^meate is to doe the mil of my Father^ andtojini^hismrke: (this he faid when the time of eating was part, and they brought himmeattocatc ? ) his mea- ning is, i will be content to negledi my body,to doe that which is the vvorke of my //?/n>,the work o^my Father. And fuch is his owne advice ; feekc not the loaveSjfaith hcjnourifh not your bodies, labour not for the meat thatperijheth • butlook that thy fouleget the better in all things. But how fhall lknow this, whether my foule doth rule or no ?: When; God a Spirit. When the bodily appetite and inclination fhall rife fo high^ as to rule the fterne of the foule and the aiftions of it, then the body gets rule over the foule : but vrhen thefe fhall be iub» dued, brought under, and guided by the foule, when they fhall be brought to that fquare which the fpirit within fhall fet downe, then the fpirit rules over the body. But the inclinations of the body arc flrongjn- cefTantand prevailing, and I cannot rule them t what muft I doe then } Thou mufl doe in this cafe as Saint Paul did, who kept under his i'^^f) by violence, asmenufe to tame horfes, wee fhould keefe it dome wee mufl take heed of carnall lufts, they will keepe the body too high, asaborfemaybetooluflie for his rider 5 yetfo,ason the other fide it mufl not bee kept too low, but onely the foule mufl have dominion over it, for it is theinflrument of the Ibulc, and therefore it fhould alwaycs bee fub jcd to the principal! agent. As it is faid of a fcrvant, that hee fhould not bee fuffa negotiwn^ mx inffA negotitm ^ hut par negotio, not above, norbelow, but fit for his bufincfTe : fo ought the body to bee the foules fcrvant, Bcloved,con- fiderthis, doc but thinke what your fbulesare, that you fhold fuffer them to be thus in fubjedli- on; thinke what a fhame it is, that thcfe bodily affedlions fhould fo over-rule the fpirit that is made like to God^ihe fou!e,which fliall live for e- ver, the foule for which Chrift dyed, and which is better than all the world befide • thinke I fay, I B b 4 with _^3_ Howio kiow when the fpi- rit rttktb« The l>@dy muft bekeptdow% yet not too ' TheSimplicity ofG o d. I j i ivith your fclvesj what a fenfeleffe and unrea- fonable thing it is^that this heavenly borne foule fhouIdbefubjeiSl: toahttle walking earth, and that a piece of clay fhould rule over it ? Are not men^ in this kindcjlike to beafts, fub jeft to fen- fuality^ that eate that they may play, and play that they may eate? and the foule is not confide- rcd all this while, how it is a fpirit, that is like to ^^^hin:ifelf5whois a Spirit.AIaSjWhat is the bo- dy to it ? It is in it as in a prifon : fuch is the bo- dy to the foule, not to be regarded in compari- fon of it. Therefore adde this to the other, that the foule may ftill be advanced, and that it fuf- fer not bodily actions tobrins it into fub- jedion, left y©u be as £w>^e^//,fub- jed to knimWty ^made to be taken^ andt& ieede- THE ELEVENTH SERMON. • ExoDVs 1. 13^ 14. 1 5 v/fnd Mqfes /aid unto G o d j behold ^wben 1 come unto the Children oflJraeU and p? all fay unto them j The Q o d ofyour Fathers hath fent mee unto pjs y and they (hall [ay unto mee. What is his Name ? -^hat /hall I Jay unto them ? 14 And God /aid unto Mofes^l Am That I Au^isfc. Second ufe from this point is this r If God be a f^irit^ then his dominien^ government ^znd frovidence is chit&y menc chiefly exercifed on the fpiritsof men. It 1 Z'^^.T^ is true, his providence is over all things that belong to us : but, as he is in himfelfe a Spirit^ fo hec puts forth, and exereifeth this , power of his principally in guiding the fpirits of His govern^ t6 The Simplicity of God Spirituall juQgcmcnts ib.cgrcatcft. of men, and in that you arc chiefly to obferve bis providence toward you . And that you (hall fee in Rom. 14. i y.jhe Kingdome of God (that is his rule and government ) is rM in meat and drinke^ for they arc outward things, and he that is a fprit regards them not, hut it is, in righteoujhcfe and peace^ and joy in the Holy Chofl : that is^ in the things that belong to the fpirit, therein is his kingdome, and dominion chiefly excrcifed. So alio, P/^/, 33. 143 15. From the f lace of his habita- tion hee lookith dome ufon all the inhabitants of the earth : he fafhioneth their hearts alike^ hee confix dereth all their mrkes. Marke it, whtn God hokes from heaven, and beholds the children (fmen^ the chiefeft thing that hee doth, wherein his government is exercifed, is, tliat hee fafliions their hearts and fpirits; and therefore thofbe- ternall fubje£i:s of his that live with him for ever are Spirits^ as the Angels andtheSoules of men. Therefore if tliou wouldefl: obferve the will of the L^^^^/ towards thee, and wouldeft fee , wherein his providence is chiefly exerci- fed , looke upon thy fpirit on all occafions ; that is, what bents, what inclinations, what hopes and defires hee hath put into thy foule. If you Icoke upon men in the world, you fhall fee them diverfe in their fpirits ; one man lufts after riches, honour and preferment; another after gaming ^ fporting and drinking : now looke upon this tempter of fpirit as the grea- teft j udgement of al! others. Againe5lookc upon the fpirits of other men^ theyarefafhioneda contrary God ^ Spftit. contrary way,to deny themfelves, to feeke grace, and avoid finne^to be concent to have GcdsLlone^ todoehisworke, to leave their wages to God, tolivea paincfull life, ferving G o d, and men Yfith their fvveet converfation : this is aqiiitc contrary fpirit, and this is the greatcft blefling, as the other the greatcft judgement. Therefore ' you fhall fee, that when the I^.jr.j/ is angry with a man, fo that his anger is woond up to the higheft peg^then he gives him over to this judg- ment : a^s it is, PfaL ii.iz. So /gave them over to their ome hearts lufisy and they miked in their oirne c9un[els : that is,my judgement ftiall be executed upon their fpirits, to leave them to an unjndicious mnd. Againe,on the other fidcj when ihtLord would doe a man the greateft kindneffe, then he fafhionshis fpirit another way. Deut.^o.6. ^nd the Lord thy God rvitl circwmctfe thine hearty and I the heart of thy feed^ to l&ve the Lord rrith all thine [heart and with all thy fouUy that thou nj at jf live : as I if he {hould fay, when I mind todoc you a kind- 1 nefre,then I will thus falTiion your hearts aright. So Ezjsk. 3^, 26. ^ nerv heart alfimlll give unto \you^ and a new ffirit mUlfut within yeu^ and! will takeaway the fiony heart out of your bodies^ and will \ give you an heart offiejh. The Scripture is plenti- full in this : Therefore if thou wouldeft obferve what the Lordis to thee, looke how hee fafhions thy fpirit- if thou findeft that he leaves thee to wnrulyafFedlions and lufts, and gives theeoverj j to be glued to that from which thou fiiouldftbcj j divorced • or that hee hath left theeinbondagej J he Simplicity of God. Proved by 5. Dcraonflraci' ons. Outward things difpcn- fcdpiGtnilcu- o,;|iy. Ecdef, ^. I. Tbc guiding the rpirit bc« longs oncly T.6 God, to the feare of men^ as a fnare to thee, there is no greater judgement in the world than this, as the contrary is the grcateft mercy. Therefore in 2 rim. /!^, 22. Paul pray es. The Lord lefus Chrift be with thyffirit : as if he fhoiald fay,this is the grea- teft mercy that I canwifh theCj and the greateft good that God can doethee5and therforehe vvijfh- cth God to be with hisfj^irit. Now to preflc this point a little further, and to make it plaine unto you 3 you fhall fee it in thefe three things ; 1 Becaufeallother things, as riches, pover- ty, health/ickneflej&c.hedifpenceth thefe pro- mifcuoufly ^ fo he gives riches to wicked men, &c. becaufe as ft is Ecclef. 1.9 . His l&ve^ or ha- tred^ cannot bee home by thefe things. Whence I reafonthus^ That wherein the love and hatred of G o D is moft feene, therein his providence chiefly exercifeth it felfe • but in the fafhioning of the fpirits of men, there, and there chiefly, is his love and hatred moft feene 5 for other things come alike to men, to him that facrijiceth 5 and tohim that [acri§ceth not : therefore he governcth the fpirits. 2 The difpofing of other things is much in the power of men • A Prince, or a man that hath power to kill, or to fave, hee can give riches, and honour, and take them away at his pleafure : But to rule the fpirits and compofe, and guide the apprehenfions, and affedlionsof the foule, that belongs to God alone; a man is no more able todoe it, than to rule the raging Sea, For as God d Spirits as it is proper to Ggd doiiej to compofc the winde, and to mle the waves : fo it is proper to him alone to rule the turbulent affeaiom, to compofe and guide them. If there beany difor- dered afFedions in the heart, asan immoderate love of any thing, qt an impatient defire to any thingj who is able to remove it, but the L o r d who is a Sfirit ^ So, who can implant holy alFe- dions in thee, but he alone > as for example, to thinke a good thought^ a man cannot doe it with- out him, who is the Father off^irits : fo to per- fwadea man, no man can doe it, itmuftbeethe L o R D 4 as ^oah faith, God fbsllferfrade laphet t® dtveff in the Tents ofSem. So to fee the hainoufhes of fin,and theevill of it, no man can doe it but by the fpirit of God : as it faid, loh. 16. p . The sp- rit convinceth men of finne. So towill this, or that, which is good, It is he that tvorkes both the will and the deed. A man cannot mournc for fin without the Spirit of G oi>, and he cannot chufe butbee fwallowed up with worldly griefe for worldly ioiles, except 6' J and OBds providence upon them. 3. ^5. Give God 4 Spirit. Give them forrotv^ or obftinaey of hear thy curfe upon them : the words fignifie^ which is thy curfe upon them. Therefore if you fee an obftinate heart in a man, that is thegreateftciirfeofall s As in receiving the Sacrament^there we doepro- nounce a curfe to him that receiver it umonhily, and profanes the Lords bodj. But (it may be) hee goes on and fees it not ; let him looke upon his fpirir^and fee how (?^>ideales with that;, whether his heart dotli not grow harder, and more obdu- rate, which is the grcateft curfe. You may ob= ferve this every wnere : If thou fceft one that hathavaineandidle fpirit, that cannot ft udie^ that cannot pray, that cannot chufe but bee car« ricd away by an unruly luft to this or that thing, belecve it,this is a greater judgment than all the diieafes in the world, than all fhame anddif- grace, that wee account fo much of, than pover- ty and crofTes, as it is the greateft mercy on the other fide, when a man is able to ferve God with an upright heartland tobe fincere in all his carri- age. Thus it is with other men, and this thou fliouldft ob ferve in thy felf alfo from day to day. Let us not obferve fo much, what accidents be- fall us, what good is done to us, or what erodes wc have,(it is true indeed, God is feen in all thcfe things : ) but chiefly looke what God hath done toourfpirit, what compofingofminde, or what turbulcncy of afPedions , or what quictnefTe , what patience, or what iki patience • and for this be chiefly humbled, or be chiefly thankfull ; for lo take away from Chrift the praife of fanftifi- cation^ I 7 he Simplicity qf G o d . ,( _ — ^^^.-^...-^ ^_ — . . - cation^ is as much as to take away the praife of his redemption. Herein thouftialt fee his love or hatred manifefted to thee ^ his greateft judge- ' meiit^ or his greateft mercies. The third Vfe is that which the Scripture makes of it, lohi 4. 24. If God be a Spirit^ then mrjhiphim in f^ir it and truth. What it is to mr- fhip God in f^int and truth^ you fhall fee if you compare tliis place with that in Rom. i .For 6 ad is my mtnejje^ whom I ferve mth my fpirit in the Gof^elofhis SonnCy that mthout ceajing { make men- tion of you almyes in my prayers. The meaning of it is this When Faulhzd taken this folcmneaf- feverationj God is my mtnejfe^ doe not thinke faith hee, that i have done this feinedly, I am no fuch man ; for in preaching the Gofpel of Z^- I fus Chriji^ I ferve God in my fpirit : that is, I doe it not for by-ends, not in appearance and fight of men, or the like, but I doe it in my j^irit^ that is, plainly,heartiiy,and fincerely. So thutoworfhip God in jjpirit^ is to have a plainneflTe, and fincerity in our worfhipping him, that is, to doe hear- tily what wee doe to him, in our praying, and worfhipping him ; when it is not formally, and cuftomariiy done, but our fpirit feconds it within^thisis to worfhip him in fpirit. So that the fcope of our exhortation is, that you would worfhip C"/?^ chiefly in your fpirit. Asitisfaid of fingingPfalmes, 3. 16. ^dmenijh one ano- ther inPfalmes^ and/'jmne/^ and fpirituallfongs^ (ing" ingwith grace in your heart^^c xh^t is,Ieryour fpirit joyne with the outward performance. And the ' ground lohn 4. ^4. Worfhip him in Ipirit. Rom, 1.9. What it is to fcrve God in tac Ipiiif. GoT> a Spirit. groundof it isj becaufe God isaSfim^ and there" lore he beholds atany foeh time^whcn you come before bim5che inward behaviour of your fpiritsj that is^ heeobfervcs when you come to preachy or pray, what fquint-cy'd ends, what vaine glo- ry^ what refped tomenyou ha^^Ce Ycaj iieob- fcrves how far naturall confcicnce Icades you^ fo that you doe it as a taskej out ofcuftonsej&'C, he obferves what wotldiy-mindedneffe, and car- nail affedions creep into the foule, at chat timc^ thatmakes you either to poftofFtheduty^orelf© to doe it in a cnftomary manner. All this dotli he behold, he lookes to the inward carriage of the fpirit : and therefore doe you looke cniefly to the inward carriage, to the inward frame of yourminde. But what is that more particularly ? I will fhew it to you in thefe three things t I See that thy fpirit be as ncere him as thy Jippcs are. Ifay 2^, 13, Hee complaines of a fort of people, that drarv nigh unto G§dmth their mouthy and with their lippes d$ehon§urhim^ But have rem4)vedtheirheartfarre from him^ and their fear e tomrdshim is taught By the precepts of men. So ler, 12. 2. ihou^ O Lord^ art neere in their mmith^ and farre from their reines. Now if thou wouldeft mrfbip himinfpiritj fee that thy fpirit be as ncere him as thy words are. As fof example, in prayer thou confeffeft thy finnes, and profelleft that thou doeft hate them^ thou prayeft formor- I tificacion, and grace, and for weaned neffcfron^ I the world - herein thy vvords and ^o^ij- will doe :S C c agree Parucukrlyin three things. I I Thefpiritfflufl bee asneere Goiii% the lips. Tb^ Simplicity of God. drawing neett wicbtbclips agfee, they are con ibnant, when yet, it may be, the inward inclinaiion of thy heart is farre e- noughofffrom therecxpreflions^tbereforebring thy fpirit neete to G o d as thy lips are, and then thou worfhig|)eft him in fpirir. To fhew you more plainly" what this farnefle off the fpirit is 5 take a covetous man^and put him upon the racke ©f any exigent, where hee muft part with all to fave his iife^he will fay as much as need to be in this eafe^ that hee is willing to part with all; but hisheartisfetasclofc to his wealth, as ever it was before, fo that be is loth to part with any j thing. And take a theefe that comes before the I ludge, he confeffeth his fault, and begs pardon and faith that he will doe f© no more^but yet his heart fits as necre to his theft, he is as farre from honefty ascvcrhee was before. So take a man when he comes into fome exigent, (for that ufu ally is the time) as at the receiving of the Sa cramtnt, or at hisdayofdeath, hcecomesand profeffeth to the Lord^ that hee will follow no mckchiswickcd courfes, but hee will becomea new man 5 here his words draw neeere, but looke to the bent and inclination of his heart, to the fadicall conftitution of it, and that is farre from h^iineffi, there hee fits as clofc to his finne as hee did before. Therefore, if thouwouldeft mrfbip €oi in fjpirit^ take care that thy fpirir draw neere to him upon all fuch oecafions, as thywordsdoe. A man in his ordinary courfe (it may bee) prayes, and his prayers are good 5 bqt how farre his heart is hom-God^ that his life Ibewcs. God a Spirit* 55 Patwcs. It is a ftrange thing, that at the Sacra- ment, men come and make cosfcllion of their I fms ; and yet their fpirits are far from it,and that I their pra(2:ifefhevvcs. Confiderthis5ifany furch be here; you are the men that the Prophet doth fpeake to, Tou draw neere to ed^but when it is fignified by the come- ly gefture of the body, as farre as wee may, I fay, they muft concurre, the body muftgoe with the fpirit^ (though indeed he chiefly looks to the fpirit) for they are both his, i Cor. 6. 20. hee muft bee fervedinboth. Befides, the bo- dy doth exceedingly heipe the fpiritjand it doth tcftifie, when you come before others, thatho- lineffe and reverenccj which you have of Godj^ glory ^ God 4 Spirit. glory and majefty. Therefore to perfwadc yen J to this 3 you muft know, that when ever you j come to worfhip (^od^ there ought to be a great j folemnity in every part of his worftiip, which I cannot be without the concurrence of the body and fpirit of man, they cannot be disjoyned t Andyoufhall feethcneceffity of this, in thcfc three things ? I Becaufe, though holineffe be featcd in the fpirit, yet it doth and will appeare in the body at the fame time. You know the light of the candle is fcated in the candle, yet it fhines through the lanthorne, if it be there | fo, though bolines be feared in the fpirit, yet it will appeare in the body, if it be there. It is fo in all other things, and therefore muft needs be fo in this • As, take any affedions that are in us, as a blafti- ing affedion, when occafion is, will appeare in the body, whether wee will or no • fo an im- pudent face is difcerncd and perceived alfo • fo awefulnefle, and fearc, and reverence, they will fhew themfclves, and looke out at the windowcs of the eyes, and appeare in the face, except wee willingly fupprefTe them. Now, if thefe will doefo, furely it holds in this alfo: If there bee a reverence of the minde, it will be fecne in the behaviour of the body. Therefore you fee, Eliah, when hee prayed earneftly, thedifpofiti- on of the body went with it, hee put his face downe betweenehis legs. So Iesvs Christ when hee prayed for Lazarus^ hee groaned in his Sprit and Now if hedidio, (who might be ^xemp- C c 4 ted, t Wkereifl 40 I'iie outward The Simplicity of God* Our perfor- lasrvs.sife. tedjif any might) then doc not then thinke that thou canfi: have a holy, reverent difpofition of the mindejand it not appeare in the body, it can- not be. Therefore you fhail find that it is called the heart c\ovy where J becaufe theaffedions are feated there,and what affections aman hathjfuch is his heart|for the body is accordingly aflFedied^ as the heart is affefted, 2 Confider this 5 if thou findcft thy felfe apt to a carclcfl[e,aegligcnt behavior and carriage of the body, v^hen thou commeft to Ood^ and pre- tended this, that he is a fpirit, and muft be wor» ftiippcd in fpirit ; I fay,confidcr whether this be net an excufc that thy flefli makes to this end^ that it may be Iazie,and have fomc eafe to it felfe from a falfe application of that principle, God k <« 5^'m,whieh makes thee give way to an out- ward lazineflfe of thy body ^Therefore looke nar- rowly to it, thou fiiouldeft ftirrc up the outward man, that thou thereby maift alfo ftirre up the inward man, when thoH commeft before Goe> inany worfhipi 3 Confider, that to make any thing an or- dinance , there muft bee an application of the whole man to it ^ otlierwife, it is but a lame performancr, and God will not reckon it as the obedience of an ordinance-. For this truth muft be remembred • That an ordinance of God per- fomiedasitoughttobee, doth ufually carry a blefling with it. A prayer made, a Sacrament re- ceived as it ought, a faft kept as it fhould, moves the L9rd to give a blefling, and if thou doeft npt Penerh God a Spirit, \ ,Pontre §ticem^ thou fhalt not goe av? ay empty • j for it is alwayes accompanied with a bleffing s i as it is QLidto^fianiaSj -AEls p. Gee toPaul^forbe^ holdheprayes : when it is a prayer indeed, God can hold no longer. Doe you thinke^ that Padntvtr prayed before, when hee wasa Pharifee > who made long prayers. Yes* but it was not as hee ought, hee never prayed indeed till now ; now eonfider, when thou commeft before the Z^rt^ toperformeanyduty tohim, thou wilt fay (it 1 maybe) that my fpirit is well difpofed, though thegcftureofmybody be not anfwerablej bur I fay, deceive not thy felfe with this, but looke that it be a thorow performance. For as it was in the old Law, a lame facrifice was accepted as none i fo a lame prayer, a lame hearing the word, a lame performance of anyexereife G&d reckons as none.Therfore in thefe things God fends them away empty as they came, what better are they ? doe their hearts get any thing ? Beloved, God is a fountaine, and if he meet with a fit pipe, (as is an ordinance rightly performed) there he ufually conveyes his grace: butifhemeetwithafoule pipe, and obflruaed, there he doth not conferre anyblelTing, Now, if thou faift^ I have thus behaved my felfe, and have not beenc anfwered ? Doe not deceive thy felfe 5 for if it be truely performed, you fhall bee anfwered : fo that looke, if it be iruely done, cxped ablefiing, God will not ftifferhis ordinance at that time, to bee a pen without inkej or a pipe without water, I hope there 41 Men may pray much, and not 7 he Simplicity ef GoD. there bee noHC ofus here that neglcd prayer to God iporning and evening, that live as if there \¥pre no (^od in the worlds and as if they were tlothisfubjeds : if there bee God^ willmund the hairy fcalpe of fuch. But thcfe are not the men I fpeake to ; but they are thofe that doc it from day to day, they pray from time to time, and o- mit it not 5 thefe are the men, whom wee are to advertife in this cafe. Take heed, though you pray every day, yet it may be thou haft not made a prayer all thy life yetj and this is the cafe of many. For, if thou eonfidereftwhatan ordinance is indeed^ thou fhalt know that the Lord doth not reckon all petitioningas a pray- er, nor fetit downe for the ordinance. And it may bee the cafe of the Saints fometimcs, (though we fpeake not now to them^) they may pray often, and yet the L o r d not regiftcr, nor fet it downe for a prayer, and therefore it may never come into remembrance before him. And this I take to be Davids cafe in the time of his impenitency for his adultery ; the ground of which you fhall fee, FfaL 51. i ^3 17. Open thou my iippes ( O Lord ) and my mouth fhall fet forth thy praife^ David, before he came to repentance, had (as it were) miftakenhimfelfe, hee thought that hee had prayed^ and oflFered a facrifice, but (faith he) I was deceived all this while J was not able to open my mouth roany purpofe • there- fore, L/jr^sf, openthoiT my mouth; I brought fa- crif ce ir^ but tbou regardeft it not till my heart was humbled : And then, a hrolen and contrite heart. God a Spirit • 43 wean^ O Ood^ thouwiU^otdifpife, JhcxcfoxQ you 1 deceive your felves^ thatgoeoninacuftomary ' performance of holy dutiesj and thinke that you pray, or that thisworlliipconfifts inthefpiritj only, when as your outward man carries itfelfe 1 negligently 5 which is but a lame performance, for they muft goe both together. Therefore looke that it be the obedience of an ordinance, which then it is, when not onely the fpirit of a man is well fet, but the whole man is applied to thedutyjthatisjwhenall the ftrengh of a man goes to it. If you fay, May not a man pray fometimes, when hec is walking, or lying, or riding by the way, or the like? 1 anfwcr, Therebe two times of prayer, one is ordinary, and in private, when you may have allopportufiity to doe it in a holy and folemne manner, and then you ought to doe it folemne- ly* The other is, when you pray occafionally ^ and there the occafion and difpofition doth not admit fuch outward folemnity : as when a man gives thankes at meate, or prayeth when hee rides, here tlic Lord accepts the will for the deed: God requires not this upon all occafi- ons- yet when you may, you ought to doe it, in a reverent manner, not only of fpirit^ but of the body alfo. You may gather it from ChriHs ^'X.amplQ^hefell en his face and prayed^ Luk. 2 2 .42, and of Daniel and Abraham it is faid, that they bowed themfikes t9 the ground. Further it is faid of Chrift, that hee lifted up his eyes to heaven^ when Two times of How to con- cdve t)f Ged in f I'aysr, The Simplicity qfGoD^ when bee blcfled the loaves. Why are thcfe gc- ftyres fct dovvn> If any man might b€ fvctd^lefus Chriji might • bmic pleafeth the Haly Ghoji to fet dovvnc that circumflance of him, that he fell on his face, and tha£ he lift up his eyes to heaven. Indeed, in thiscafewhenit ishurtfulltothe bodyjthere it may be omitted^the L^ir-ji will have mercie rather than lacrifice, even mercie upon your bodies. So alfo^whcn you find that it hurts the inward man, and hinders it, when the heart doth it without deceit, that it may perfortae it the better,then there is a liberty left unto you to .difpencewithit. As I fay for prayer^ fo for other duties : when a man comes to heare theWotd,he faith,my mind is intent enough,thoiigh I make not fuch a fhew^ yet noj:withftaBding know this, that thoumuft behave thy felfe reverently when thou commeft before God. You fhall fee in Luke 4. when ChriJl preached, it is faid,that the eyes ofaihhefc&ple i»er€ fafieneduponhim. Why is fuch a corporeall ge- fture noted in the Text > is it in vaine } N© ; he- caufe it is a comely gefture, therefore it is te be I regarded. How fhould wee conceive of Q&i in prayer^ feeing hee is a fpirit, and a Spirit we never faw ? I what conceit and apprehenfion of God fliould wee have then when wee come to call upon his name ? Wee may rot conceive him under any^xo^^ porcall fhape, for bee is a Spirit : and therefore they that thinke they may worfiiip the huma- nity God a Spirit, iiity of Chriftdisjoynedj are deceived : wee are not to woxfhip it as fcparated from his Deity; forweare toworrniptlic Trinity in the Vnity, and the Vnity in Trinitie, which we cannot doc, if we vrorfliiphis Humanity as feparared from his Deitie. Therefore when you come to pray before G o d, you muft remember how Ooddc- fcribes himfelfe to Mgfes^ Exod^ 34.^. and alfo ehcwherc; That hee is a Spm^plingheaven arid earth^jlmtg^gracious^ mercifully fullofgood?:eJ^e atid truths &c. concerning whom three things are to beconfidered, Firfl-j that he is a Spirit. Buthow fhall Iconceive ofa Spirit ? How doeft thou conceive of the foule of an- other man when thou fpeakeft to him ? thou never did ft fee it^ yet thou knoweft that there is fuch a fpirit that fills the body, arid thardoth underftand whatthou faift, and fpeakes to thee againcj fo remember this of the Lordy that he is a %irit:and remember that e^i^preiTion concerning hiraj fer, 23.24. with thi^'i Can any manhide him'- felfe in fecretflaces^ that Ifball mt feehi^^y faith the Lf^rd^ Doe not I fill heaven and earthyfaith theLord? Secondly/eeiGg ihoiLord fils heaven and earth as the foule fills the body, therefore thou muft j think of him as one that fees all things, &: heares ' all things. Indeed the Lord is not in the world, as the foule is in the bod y, but in an incomprehen- fible manner, which we cannot exprefTe to you ; yet this is an cxpreffion which we may helpe our felves by^and is ufed every where in Scriprure. Thirdly, 45 ThcKuBMnity lonc nottobs I OhjeB. ^nfwm Hovvto con- ceive ofa fpU- rir. The Icr^ fills heaven and earth. 4<5 He is power- fall^ gracious^ acc. Dm. ti^ 1[ he Simplicity of God, Thirdly, fixe thy mindcchiefly on his Attri- buteSjthat he is a Spirit filling heaven and earth, and he is exceeding fearefulljpowerfulljalmigh- ty, exceeding gracious and long futfering, abun- dant in mercy and truth, that he hath pure eyes, and cannot fee any iniquity r I>eut. 24. So Exed. 34. (5. As could not fee him, would fhcvvbim w fhape,but his Attributts,his backe parts ; fo thou muft conceive of him^ as a Spirit that is exceeding ftrong, potent, a^d fearefull, one that will not hold the wicked innocent, but fticwes mercy to thoufands of them that feare himi and t© finners, if they will come in umohimp And thus you muft con« ccive of him,whca you.(?ome before feim. THE TWELFTH SERMON. ExoDvs 5. 15, 14. 1 5 J^nd Mofes faid unto G o d j behold ^when 1 come unto the Children $f IJraeh and^pall fay unto them iTheQoD ofyour Fathers hath fentmee unto ^ouy and they (hall /4y unto mee^ What is hu Name ? -s^hat Jball 1 fay unto them? 14 And God faid unto Mofes Am That I Au^^c. A V I N G finifjhcd that pointy that G od is a Sfirh ^hlck is a particular expreffion of the simplicity of Gody vveecometofpeakeofthe SimpH^ city it felfe : which is that At- tribute^ by which bee is one moft pure and entire cffcnce 3 one moft fmfle being mthout all 48 The Simplicity of Go ThcSmplkiiy God {^lovcd by ^ Re a ions. H^afm I. There are not Riany nordif- jfcrent things There is muliiplicati all comfofnion . fo that there is np fu^HuMce^ accident ^ matter ^ forme ^ hdy ov fou/e in any ; bat bee is every way mofi fimple, nothing in hinijbut what is God^whsit is himfelfe. The rife that it hath from hence, w£e fliall fee hereafter, AUthofe phrafes of Scripture, where God is laidtobc /f whiGhhcisGompounded : But in God blefei for ever^ there are no parts , becaufe then there fliould be imperfcilion, for every part is imper- fed. Againe5Parts arc in order of nature before the whole^but in Godihac is nothing firft or fecond, faeeaufe he is fimply firft. Againe^Parts cannot be united and knit, and compounded together, without caufes todoe ir, but here is nocaufe to knit and unite any part to- gether, becaufe he is without all caufe, as hath beene fhewed before. I will conclude this with a reafon out of the Text, He is a being, I A m hathfent mee umopu. If hec be a being, then either the firft or fecond being. A fecond being hec cannot be, for then there fhould bee fomething bcfor^him, and a- bovehim, upon vvhich he Hiould wdepcndent*: but this cannot bcjthcreforc he is abfolutely the firft hting.^dam indeed was ihc^rfi man^but God onely the firft abfolute being. Now the firft being was never in poifibih'ty tobc : and there- fore he is a pure ad in regard ofhis Eflence. A- gaine, there are no qualities fpringing from him^ for if there were, they fhould have had fometimes nobeing • and fo in poffibility to be, and confequently have a beginning;, and bee a creature : Therefore there is neither Potentia fubjiantialisy nor Mcidentalis in him, and fo bee muft htprmaUuSydLS the Schoo!e-men fay • and there- The Simplicity of God. therefore he is moft/^f/e^vvithoutall compofitjon. This I fpeake to Sehoh'ers ; for it is a mixt aadi- tory : and therefore you mufl: give me a little li- berty. Now I come to thofe 'Confeftaries which flow from hence *^ and they are thefe three : If Gedht fiich afimple^firft^pre^andabf&lntehe" ingjthen hence you may fee, what a liable foun- dation our faith hath to reft upon wee are built upon the loweft foundation in all the world , that is, upon the firft, moft abfolute, zndfimple^ andpure^and intire being* which I fay is the low- eft foundation, becaufeic depends upon no o- thcr,butall upon it : and this is an happy condi- tion of all Chriftians,and of them alone. Angels, .mcn^ heaven, and earth are foundations to fuch things as are built upon them • but they them- felves arc all built upon this,and therefore depen- deat^fo that if this foundation (hake it felfe(for ,tb he hath power to doe) they all muft needs fall to ruine : But God is the frfl^ fimple^ and loweft foundation, being the firft, abfolute,and fimplc being ^ therefore he that is built upon him, hath the greateft ftability, which is the tranfcendent bappinelTe of Chriftians, above all men in the world. And this great and excellent priviledgeof theirs, you fhall findcupon this ground magni- fied and/et forth in Tfah 4^. I3 2, God is our hope and flrength'^ therefore mil wee not fear though the earth be removed^ and though the Mount aines bet I carried into the midfl of the Sea^ &c. As if hee (hould fay, Though there wercafubverfionof \ Dd 2 Kin g- 5« See what a ftable founda- cion faith hath so reft upon. 5^ The Simplicity of Gojy. €(^^cannoi be hin^redinary workc he goes about. Kingdomcs, and an overthrow of all the Chur- chesj yeaaconfufion of heaven and earth, (as there fhall beat the laft day ) though rhe monn- f^i/m were rent from their foundations, eiU&caji into the middle of the Sea^ yet Chriftians (hould bee fureall thevvhilejbccaufe G o d, who is thb Jrfi^abfolute^ and ftmfle being, andfothe lowcft foundation, is their hofc^ andjfrength • that is, hfe ' is a foundation lower than all thefe, that when' all thefc things fhall come to mine , yet G o d on whom wee truft, fhall beeafure helpcand comfort toallfuch as ground thcmfelves upon him. BeIoved,this is tobeconfidered, thatyou' may know what your comfort island upon what foundation you are built. ' If G o D be moft ftmfle^ without all compofiti- then this will follow, that hee cannot bee 1 hindted in any thing that he goes about to doe; Init is moft indefendent^ as in beings fo in mrking hyvcaCono(his(implicity. There is no creature but may be hindred : for in the beft of thecrea- turcSjto wir,the Angelsj there is an eflence^ and anexecutive power by which they workc : Even as you fee it in the^r^, there is the fubftanceof firey which heateth not by it felfe^and the quality ofk^r by which itwork^s : now where there arc two things, an efiTencc and a faculty by which it workes, fomething may come betwecne, and hinder the working and operation. As in the B^bylomjh furnace, Ged feparated betweene the fire and the h^ate, that it could notburnetbe men that were ca ft into ir, Dam 3 . So hcc doth with The Simplicity of God with the Angelsjhc comes between the fubftance and the executive povvetjand often hinders them froni doing what they would : But in G'oijfceing hee is moSfiwfie^ and intire^ there isneitheref^ (ence, nor executive power^ (as the Schoolemen call It) therfore there can nothing come between to be an impediment; there is not any aftion that he intends, but hee workes it abfolutely andof himfclfe. Hence wee are to confider, that with thai G o T> which wee have to worfhip and ferve, there is nothingcan come betweene, and hinder him in working, but what he will doe, he doth ; and therefore wee fhould learne to feare befor e him^and to truft in him^and to acknowledge the greatneffe of his power^and to know the grounds ofit. Hence likcwife it followes, that all the At- tributes of G o D are equall among thcmfelves, not one higher than another, or larger than ano- ther- for if hee hcfimple^ and there are not two things in him, then his Attributes, and his ef- fence, and himfelfc are the fame 5 and if (b, one cannot exceed another ^ his mercy is not be- yond his jufiice^ nor his juflice beyond his wife- dome. Therefore though he doth put forth one Attribute now, another then, yetweemuftnot thinke that his mercy is greater than all his At- tributes : therefore that place in the Pfalmift, Hhynercy is ahve all his mrkeSy is commonly mif-underftood. The meaning is not, that his ^ercy exceeds all his other Attributes, but that his mercy is every aad ufon alUjisnorkes. As ! D d r the 5} That the Acri- butes oiGdd are equall in bisjuftice^and hi8raercy,8fc. • 54 : Simile^ How the mer- cy of Gsd is over ali bis woikcs. rfe 1. Tolabourfo? wiihthefim- plicity of our cooditicn. ibcwarniihoftlicHcn h^ver all the cggcs, to warme^ and chcrillij ajid batch them : fo Gods mercy is over all his trorkesy to (^hcn(h^ and nou- rifli and perfc^l tbem ^ that is,it is (hewed forth ufon them all. For it is not a comparative fpeech, as if his mercy did exceed all his other Attribqtcs'for ifallhis Attributes arehimfclfej they muft bee equall, there is no difference m regard of height or largenefle betwccne them. And thus the place is to be underftood, forfo the word fignifies in the originally and not ac- cording to the conrimon acception. So much for the Confeilaries, now wee will come to ufes of pradife. I If ^mf licit j be one of G o d s excellencies then let us labour to come as necre to it as wee can, by bringing our hearts to bee content with a fimplicity ©f condition : for this is a fure rule. The mme co?^f^fit ion and divifion^ the more weakue^Cy the more imfedimmt^ and withally the m&re expofed- m^^$t^ difolution and decay. Therefore God is not fubjed to weakenefle and impediment in wor- king becaufe he is mofk fimple ; not having ef- fence:>& faculty difiinft/othat any thing ihould comcbetweeneand hifider him- and therefore alfo is he not capable ofdiflfblution t and confe- quently the neerer any come to this fimplicif y, they are ( I fay) lelTeweake, leflefubjeii to im- pediment and deftrudlion; and the fafcr, and ftrongcr, and happier they be. As for example, the Angels, fo farre as they fall fhort of the fimf licit j of the eternall G o who is blefed for everA xvF oaapuwy Of VJfU|>« 55 ct'f f J fo far they are fubjcd to all this • they have faculties different frGm their effenceSj and one from anothcrj as mderjfanding^ wiU^ and their executive fewer : hence they are fub jed to vreak^ neflc J for they may fall into finne, as you kno»v _ the firft Angels did,and their faculties jarred one with another^and fell out of tune ; and having an executive povver^ they are alio fub j eft to impe- dimentyw hence neither the good Angels^oor the bad^ can doe vrhat they wouldj but they arc and may be hindred. In the next place confider man, whoashecis much morecompoundcd than the Angcls^fbhe is more weak^more fub jcd to impedimenr^more liable to decay and ruine,as ficknefle diftemper, crofTes, death ; for hee hath not onely a rationaS faculty, as the Angels have, but fcnfitivc alfo 5 a fenfitive memory^ a fenjitive fancy ^ and a fenfitive appetite , he hath alfo a body confifting of divers members, needing many cxtcmall helps, as aire, diet, houfes,exercifes,aBd fo he is fubjeft to ma- ny weaknefles, many hurts, many impediments and loffes of all forts. But you virill fay, this is a mans naturall con- dition, which cannot be changed, and how fhall Ais be helped? A naturall condition cannot be changed, but it may be exceedingly help'd, if wee bring our 1 hearts to be content with a fimplicity of conditi- ODjthat is, if the difpofition of the mind be fuch that it be not dependent upon many things, but I 1 upon few: this is done when the thoughts and ' Dd 4 affect ions 5^ To be coatesit with God^' lonCjand not depend OB ma> ay thiogs. The Simplicity of God* affedionsoftheminde doc not lye fcatttered, hangingoi: lying upon this or that ihing/o that you connot jive without it^ but when the mind is r-ecolleded and gathered up, fo that you can be content VTith a firnplicity of conditioDj with I God alone for your portion; fo that you can i live with exceeding little, not requiring a mu!- titudeof things,, upon which the contcntmentj and fatisfadionofthe mind doth depend. As I for example 5 Ibmemen cannot live without ! fports and pleafure, and a great living to main- tainethem : another muft have great learning and gifts^, and eminency, and praife that fol- lowcs it : another hath his heart fo wedded to a convenient houfe, wife, children^ compa- nions,&c. that if any of thefe be taken away, he is dead intheneft s. not to fpeakeofthcirvainc, bafe, diftemperedaffedions, whamufthavcan hundred things, their fancie is infinite, and all muft bee to their minde, or elfe they areftill complaining. Now the more things a man needes,, the more compound , andlefle fimple heeis, (asTmayfofay) and confequently, the weaker he is, and more apt to be hindred, more agttobee hurt and difquiered • becaufeifyou touch any of that multitude of things ^ upon which his heart is fct, hee is prefently troubled ; which the cafilier done , as the things are morcjj upon which his affediens are placed : butheis beft, who is come to that felfefuffici- ency of minde, and to be content with that firn- plicity of condition, that be cajj&yofanyof tbcfe The Simplicity ofGo v 57 thefe things - I can live by them and without them, I can Jive without liberty, I can live with- out friends, I can live without fports and plca- fure, without worldly credit, and cftceme, with- out wife and children, without riches, without convenicncy of aire. Garden, Orchards. This is the condition that we fh^uld labourto grow up to; and the necret we grow up to it^ the better we are, and the fafer is our condition. But will you not have us toufe fuch things ? Yes, but not to be wedded to them , but fo vreaned from them, that youmay ufethem,^^ if you ufed them not • whereas there are fome that have their hearts fo glued to them, thatit breakes their hearts, when they have their friends, or children, or eftates, or credit faile them, or if they be hindered from their livings, pJcafure and conveniences : but he is in the hap- pieft and beft condition, who can live aJone, and can be content with God alone • that can fetch fo much comfort and helpe from him, thathee can be without friends and companions, with- out wife, and children ; and if hee be put into a Country Towne farre from all futable acquain- tance, yea,ifhebeiliutupinaclof€prifon, yet hee can walke^vith God^ and doe as Paul and ^'i/^j.have his heart filled with joy and peace through beleeving. This is the fafety and ftrength of a man : For even as the body, the more fieke it is, the more helpcs it needes and the lamer it is, the more props it muil have, one for his arme, another for hislegges, ano- ther OhjeEi* To ufe out- ward thing* with weaned hearts. Simile^ S8 Ihe Simplidty qfGo d* PR 4. Godliaclle brcedcth con- tent. ther for his baekc| whereas a ftroag man can walke upon his owne legges , hee needes no other heipe t even fothe foule, the morcficke and lame it is, the more it needs ^ but he which hath a ftrong inward man which is in health, let him have God, and fhift him from veflfell to vefleil, from condition to condition, let him be ftripped of all, yet hee can goe upon his owne legges, and can live without all. So faith the Apoftlei^4»/, PhiL^. I have learned inwhat efiate fiever lam^ therewith to be content : that is, riches or not riches, honour or not honour , yet his minde had a bottom of his owne, that he could ftand upon, and be happy without them* Thus I fay, the more a mans affeftion is inlargedtoa multitude of things, the weaker hee is,and more fubjeftto bedifquietcdby any thing: but the more his mind is contraded,and gathered into a narrow compaffe, and content with a greater finlplicity of condition,the fafer and ftronger he is, and lefle fubjed tobe difquieted by any crea- ture- becaufeletcome what will come,whatfo- ever condition he is put into,hec hath a bottome to ftand upon, hee hath fomething tocon^fort his heart. But how flialla man get his minde to fuch a frame > Youhaveameanesfortbis prefcribed i Tim. 6. 6. Godlinejjewith content isagreatgaine : that is, godline^e is alwayes joyned with contentment^ it is alwayes the caufe of contentment^ and there- foxegreat gaine. So then, b^a godly man, that is T!?e Simplicity Go 59 is, make thy heart per fe»^ with G@d^ ferve and fcare him alone, bee content with him alone for your portion • he is all-fiifficient, his com- munion will breed contenrment and fatifadion enough to thy heart, fo that thou fhalt bee able tolivewitha very (lender outward condition. And this is theonely meanes to have the mindc drawne from theft things that other men arc fo glued to ^ to labour to be content with God alone, to ferve and feare him, to grow up to him more and more j for hee is all-fufficient^ there is no fuch way in the world to contra ft the minde, as to have God to bee knit to him, to ferve and feare him, and to be alTured of his fa- vour and love in all conditions. Beloved, what a miferablething is it,to have a changeable hap- pincllc, for a man to be fodependcnt upon ma- ny things which are fo exceeding mutable ? Therefore it fliould be our wiTedome to bring ourmindes to be content with a narrownelle or fc3nti>effc, or fimplicity of condition, to let the minde be drawne into ai'narrow a compaffe as may he^ and fo to come as neere to this excellen- cy of God^ as our prefent humane condition will well permit us. 2 Seeing it is fasd^BeyeefetfeB as ymr heavenly Father if ^erfeB^ holy as heifholy^ diViAgoodor kinde t9 the evilly as hee is, caufing the raine tofaliufon them^ and his Sunne to fhine upon them : So upon the fame ground we may fay, bee fimple as hee is fimfle: that is, you muft lalDour togrow up to a fimplicity of mind j and chough fuch ajimplicity as 2, Labour for fimplicity and /ingle ncffe of hearts 60 Two things ia firoplicity. The heart muftlookcbut upon one ob- Double- mifid^ ed man, who. The Simplicity of God as is in Almighty God you cannot reach to, yet to have a heart immixcd^to be cle^nfed from droITe as the gold is, fuch a fimplicity of mind yon fhould labour to get • a thing often commended in Scripture.What this Simplicity is vre have brief- ly touched heretoforej but v\x will now open it to you more fully. There are two things required to fimplicity or (inglenejfeofheart. ^ 1 That the heart looke but upon one fingle objedi:, 2 That it be cleanfed from all admixture of finfull affedionsj as gold is faid to be fimple when it is cleanfed from droflbjand the aire from darkneflejthat fo the frame of it may be fitted to doefo. For the firft, I pray you markc that in Um. i. 8. A double minded man is unfiMe in all his myes: uthf^v^ix@',dmTArA76f^ &c. By a double minded ma» ther is meant, one whofe mind hangs betwecne a double objcft, fo that hee knowes not which of the two is more eligible | his mind^isinan even ballance, where neither leak doth pf acpon- derate : On the contrary, he is a fimple or finglc- hearted man, who is not thus divided betweene two objefts, but hee fo refolveth and pitcheth uponone^that he fubordinates all theothcr to it. As for example, a double-minded man hath an eye to God and his credit, to God and his plea- fure, to God and his friends,he would faine grafp both, and is willing to part with neither : fuch a man goes not ftraight on, but he walkes une- venly The Simplicity of God. venly in his courfes , ^KArdwaT ; fometimes it may bee, while hee is quiet and no temptation doth aflfaile him, then he walkes with G o d by a ftraittule, bur let a temptation come, and put him to it, thenhe fteps outoftheway, hee will not let his credit or his profit goe. As a weather- c^cke, let therebe no winde at all, and it ftands ftill like a fixt thing; but as foone as the winde comes itturnes about : So is it with fuch a man, while hecis quiet, while religion cofts him no- thing, hee walkes on in an even way, but let a temptation come and aflault him, and then be- caule he hath not a fingle obje^,upon which he is rcfolved, therefore hee goes out and walkes imcvenly . The contrary to this doih hee that hath pitched upon one objed, upou G o t> a- lone ; hec faith, let me have the Lord alone, and Heaven alone, though I have no more, thus I have pitched, thus I have refolved, that let what will come, I will part with all, when it comes into competition with this. Beloved, you never have a fingle heart till now. This finglenej'e ef heart David exprefleth in himfclfe, ^fal, 27. 4, 0»e 'thin^ have I de'^red^ that I mil require^ that I may drveil in 'the houfe of the Lord all my daye.r^ and behold thy beauty : that is, this one ! thing have I chofen, I have pitched upon it, I care for nothing befidcs • if other things come, fo it is, but this I require, that I may walke with the Lord, thsttlmay heeinhishoufiatlmy dayes : that is, thatlmayenjoy theufe of Gods^ ordinances, and walke with him' 5 and iehildi his' 62. The Simplicity of God. The heart mud be clean- fed from Cwi" Simile* Sinfullaffeai- make the heart double. his beauty in them. And fuch a fpecch was that of Chrifi to Martha One thing is nece/ary: that is, if you looke to any thifig elfe, your heart is not fingle: you ought to take him alone, as a wife takes a husband, that muft have none befides, (for fo it muft be.) And this is the firft thing re- quired to fimflichy and fingknefe of ^irit. The fecond is this. Let the heart be cleanfed from all admixture of finfuU affeftionsj and fo brought into fuch a frame, that it may bee apt to looke onely upon one objed upon God alone. And this I take out of Mat. 6.12. The light of the body is the eye^ if then the eye he jingle^ the whole Body jhall be lighty &c. even as the eye guides all the members of the body^ the hands, feet, &c. fo doth the heart orminde guide all the ad ions of a man. Now as the eye, if it be vitiated or diftempered with drunkennefle, orfurfcit, orthelike, it dothnot reprefent things fingle, but double and treble, and fo makes a man to walke unevenly : io fin- full affedions, which are contrary to the ftm- flicityoi theminde, doe fodiftempcr it, that it cannot looke upon God alone, as upon one fingle ob jed, but it hath an eye to other ob jeds with him,and he is.diftempered betweene them, and fo hee walkes unevenly. As for example, feare will make a man to walke in a double way - all dilTembling and double-dealing car- riage comes from feare ; were it not for feare, men would beplainc^and fimple ; therefore feare of men, or any creature, lofle of credit, life or ' liberty. The Simplicity o/God. liberty, this is a fnare, and diftempcrs the eye; and till the heart be cleanled of thefe^ you will never vvalke evenly. And fo doth covctouf- neflc di ftemper u^^ and voluptuoufneffe^ or any crA«m|/A in any kinde, any over-eager defire, or too much hafte to acGOmpIifli the end which a -man propound to himfelfc. So laceh too much hafting after the blefling made him not to looke finglely upon God»^ but to goe a double and uneven way in ufiag unlau'fall meanes to obtaineit. And leroham too greedy defire of the Kingdome, madehirh to joyne ^^?iand the Calves together : for two feverali principles caufe two feverali motions. And foisitwhen there is any inordinate affedtion, be it what it will'be, there is not a jimpluhfo^'hcan -^ and if there be not, you will never looke upon God a- lone, but upon fome creature, upon fome ob- jcift or other. Therefore, /^^j^e/ 4. 8. Cka?ifeyoiir hearts jm nAVering-minded, As if when the heart was cleanfed from corruptioii, the mind would be freed from wavering, and broi^ghttofimpli- city 5 were the heart purged^ there would be a ; conftancieandevennefTe in our mouth^and in a!I ourwayes, Thisexpreflion o? jmpdchy you fhall find in Mat. TO. 16. Behold^ f fend ^Oii as fheepe amng Selves he mfe therefore as Serpents^ and innocent as -^(?m.The meaning is this-,I fend you (faith our Saviour)among men as cruel! as-^^/t'^jr^that will perfecute, hurt, and devoure you; wherefore I give you leave, nay, exhort you to bee wife as <55 opened. SeYfent\ The Smplicity o/G o d SerpentSy that isjas Serf em have many wiles^doe vvindeandturneto (helter ofF a ftroke, and de- fend their head, fo doc you ? but on the other fide, take heed of being too fearefull of this pcr- fecution/o that when to endurCjit comes tobea duty, you doc not fhrinkebacke and withdraw your felves, but in fuch acafe let your hearts be | fimple,cleanfed from fuchaninordinatcaffedli- 1 on, as that feare is ^ and even take that blovr, as the Doves doe, which have no wiles, as the Ser- pents have to defend them fclvcs, burftandftill and take the blow : So that in any fuch cafe when a duty is to bee done, as the profefling of my name, or the like, here you muft take the blow as willingly as Dove deth, there is no avoiding in fuch a cafe,therfore take heed that your hearts be fimple^ that there be no feare there. And this is the very meaning and fcopc of the words Jmo.^ cent asDoveSy fimplc as Doves in the originall y that is, let no finfull inordinate temptation ad- mixe it felfe, and fo deprive you of this fimplicity of heart, becaufe you doc not like my fervice. This you {hall fee lively exemplified in Saint Pauly 2 Cor. !• 12. For ourrejojcinginthisy thete* ftimoHj of our confcience^ that in ^mf licit y and godly fincerit% not with flefhly mfedome^ But by the grace of God me have had our converfation in the world and more abundantly to you-irards. Saint Paul was a very prudent man, and therefore hated above all the Apoftles, even asSaulwsis angry with David^ becaufe he mlkedmfely^ heewasfo fubtlcto efcapeoutofhis hands, which is as if the The Simplicity of God. the hounds fliouldcofnplaine of the hare, that j fhee hath fo many trickes toefcape from them* ibutaslfaid, hee was a very prudent man, and I hee ufed the ferpents wifedome to fave himfelfe, as hee did when the aflembly confifted of Sadduces and Pharifes , hee put a divifjon betweene them, and fo efcapedhimfelfejCas it were) through the middeft of them. So the firft part was true in him , hec was as mfe as a ferment ^ to keep the blow off from himlclfe; But now (faith the A- poftle) if carnaJI wifedome fhallconie in^ (that is^) if my underftanding iliali fuggcft an inordi- nate meanes, and fhall fayjGoe and give a bribe to Fdlix^ and thou fhalt efcapc imprifonment, as by this meanes at another time he might • or goe and take a gift of thefe Corinthians^ and thou (lialt have fomething of thine owne, and flialt not bee fo dependent on the almes of others; now ( faith hee ) when a carnall wifdome fhali fuggeft any fuch thing to me, I never would ad- mit of itjbut I have walked in fimplicityand god- ly pureneffe toward all men , but efpccially to- ward you Corinthians ; here was in him the jimpH^ cityohhcBoves^ That wee might draw it to a little more par- ticulars, you fhall fee another expreflion of this, Ephef, 6. Servants heobedientt0 them that are jour mafters in the fiefh^ with feare and trem- bling , in finglenefe of jour heart as unto Chrijl: (that is,) fervants^ take heed even mth feare and trembling , that you admit not any fintfter or by- refpefts in performing your duty ^ for there are E e many Carnall wife- dome opjjofitc to finccrity, 66 The Simbiichy of God. j 1 7^5*?. 12,8. < many motives , as feare, hope, reward, and a ne- j ceflfity to doe itj but keepe your hearts jingle^thu ' yon may looke only upon Chrift and his Gom- mandemenc , and then you iT^all be faithfull in your fervice^ but if other refpcfis mingle thera- ftlvcs with this 5. you will doe but eye- fervice^ you will doe it in a double and diflcm- bling manner, not plainely, and heartily^and fi^fly.- Therefore let us put in praftife this fimf licit j upon ail occafions, in all other things whatfoever3 Ror^. 12.8. He that dift'ributeth^ let him doe it in ^mplicity : that is, men are fub- jcft to by-ends in their good works^as in giving almes, or fhewing a kindneffc to men^ there may bee many by-refpcds, as that they may make ufe of them hereafter, or the like, but (faith hee)ke€pc you your 5 to lookc upon God alone in them. So in converfing with men ^ when you profeflTe love and tinde- nefle, you are fubjed to by-ends in doing it-but the Difciplesare commended that they did eat their meat irith gladnej?e andfinglenefe of heart : that is, what love, they profefled one to another 5 they wcrt fimple and plaine in it, not double. Compare this- plate with that in 2 .Pet, I. 22. Seeing pnhofvefurijied your fehes in obeying the truth through the Sprite unto mfained love of the brethren ; fee thatyee lore one another with apure love fe? vent ly: that is^when there is nothing elfe, when the heart Is jimple and plaice, when there is noth ing but love , no mixture , no by-ends in it. So likewifc when yon come to preach the The Simplicity of God. 6j, the Gofpell, doe it in fimplicity of heart, that let there bee nothing bcfides ; as the Apoftle Taithof himfclfe , hee preached ChrJJl and not himfelfe, fo wee fhould doe every thing in fimfli^ of heart. And fo you fhould behave your felvesinyourEledions, to lookcwithafingle eye to the oath by which you ought to bee gui- ded • doc nothing for feare or favour of men^ or for any finiftcr refped : Ivvifhicould fpeake and give this rule to all theKingdome at Parlia<- ment times ; for it is an errour among men to think that in cle6l:ion of BurgefTes or any others that may pleafurc their friends, or themfelves, by having this or that eye to their owne advan- tage or difadvantage that may arifc from it; whereas they ought to keepe their mindes fingle and free from all refpeds ^ fo that when they come to choofe, they might choofe him;whom in their o\vne<:onfciences, and in the fight of Ced^ they thinke fittefl: for the place* and that you may doe fo, you arc to get a fingle and a Jim- fie heart to doe it, J If there bee in G o d this jimplicity that we have declared to you , then goe to him upon all OGcafions • goe not to the ftreame , goe not to the creatures , which have what they have but by derivation and participation ; but goe to j him 5 that hath all that face hath "^^"^^lly^^^^d j^^^^^^j^ I abundantly, not fparingly, as they have, that jli'^^p'irdy that j have itby participation. As when a man is in jisinhim, } any miferable condition,wheKein be defires mer- \ ^ ■ ry, and would bee refpcified and relecved, what ji^^^^* Ec 2 wilt I Goe CO God rather than the creatures, he being mer- cy, wilcdome it 6% Simile, 2 Prou.ga T/;e Simpiiehy of God. wilt ihou doe in this eafe ? Wilt thou goe to a weakc maB^and b^ive him to pitty thee > N©,goc to the great G O in whom there is mercy it felfe. Amongft men, bee that is the fulleft of pitty, he hath bur a ftreame of it^a drop of it^ therefore fecke not fo much to him ; no not t6 parentSj their pitty falls infinitely fliort of what is in God-^ remember thathee is mercy it felfe, that is, thouflialt findc infinitely more mercy in him, then can bee faid to be in man . the moft that can be fayd of man, is, that he is mercifull, but that which can be faid of God is^ that the ve- ry thing it felfcxs there. If yau have a firebrand, and light it by the fire , it is fomcthing, but fire it felfe is another things man hee hath a lit- tle mercy, but if you goe to Gad^ he hath a fea af mercy, and bee is never dry. Therefore whatfo- 1 everthy mifery ordiftreffebee, whether of con- I fcience or eitate, bee fure that thou goe to God, and fay to himjjfevill parents can be fo merci- full to their children when theya^ke it of them, what then fhall I have of him that is mercy it felfe ? Mat. J^ ii* So hkcwife toxmfedome-^ if thou haft a doubtfuU cafe , and knoweft not whattodoe, thou goefl: to thy friends, (which indeed is a good meancs and ought not to be ncglcdedj for in the multitude of comfell there is pace: ) but remember this, that there is but a little wifedome in them , and therefore they will counfell thee but a little; but goe i^-G<>Dj that is VTifdome it felfe, Prov, 8. Goe to him, for hccwill gkethee mfedomeliherallj ^ and mth- om i The SitnpImyof GoD. 69 ' Qttr reproach^ lam. 1,5. thinke of him5that he is the um, i. f. fountaine of wifdome, and fuhieffe it felfe.So if thou needeft^r^r^, thou wouldeft faine have 5 more, thou wouldeft have thy faith ftrengthe=« ^'^^^^ ncd, and thy love and zeale more fervent, goe to Chrift then, from whom me receive gr^ce^ for grace^ who is made to us mfedome^ fanBipatien^ andredemftiony goe to that is grace it felfa Goe not to men for what they have, they have it from him ; therefore looke upon all oecafions, that thou goeft to the Lord: when thou wanteft comfort^goe not to thy pleafure,and fports^and friendsj and acquaintance, but goe to Ged that is the great G o d of Heaven and Earth, that hath it in him abundantly I and in him thou £halt find more abundance^ thaB inanj^ man or creature intheworlda Ee| THE THE THIRTEENTH SERMON. ExoDVs 1. 15, 14. I J Jnd Mofes [aid unto Q o d j Behold^wben I come unto tb€ Children eflJracU and (hall fay unto them ^TheQoD ofyour Fathers hathjent mee unto ffou, and thtf (ball (^ unto mee^ What is his Name ? fn^hat /ball I fa^ unto them? 14 AndQoD faidmto Mofes^I Am That I A M5 isfc. N thefc words, as you know, God defcribes himfelfe to Mofes by his cccrnall being ; I A m hathfent ime j unto ydufy now our bufineffe is to make this eflence and being of God more fully known to you : which is; done b V d'sclaring to you the fevcrall Attributed Ec 4 which 72. 71)e ImmuuViUty c?/ G o d. tribme of God^ Bnlmmniabi'- iky. s^hlch are given to him in SGripuirej. wee have, pa fled- thioiigh aivers ; ihe laft Atmbure was hisSmplttity. That which foliowes next in order is his,//^- mutability and Fnchargedlencfe. Now thathee takes this property to himfelfe, you iTiallfeein Numb, 2'^. ip, God if not a mm thathee jhouW lie^ neither the Sonne of man that hee jhould recent. Repenting, you know, isafigne'ofchangcj hee mU not rf^w, thatis, hee is not fubjed to a- ny change : whatfoever purpofe or decree, or counfell hee takes to him, heeis immutablein it. Shall hee fay^ mdmpdoeit ^ jhal^hee f^eake^ andnot make it g&od^i So lames i. 17. Every good and f erf eB gift is from above^ and commeth dome from the Father of lights^ with whom therein no rariabk' neffe y mr fhadofv of turning. When thequeftion was whence temptations fliould arife^^ faith the Apo ftle, G O D tempts no man , for hee is in himfelfejuft, good, and full of goodneffe, and hee can never bee otherwife, and therefore no temptation to evill can arife from him x and fee- mg fie isfo^he muft alwayes be fo, for he is not changed, nay, there is no fhadow of change in him. S^Mal. ^.6,^ am the Lord^I change not , As tlkoiighout this whole Treatife I ha\^e done heretofore in the other Attributes, foin tftis alfo I have endeavoured to fumme up divers heads and to open them unto you : and therefore this fhall be m^y method 5 Firft, I witt fhew you the reafons why. - Secondly, takeaway two objcftions againftit. Thirdly, The Immutability of Gqd, Thirdly, declare the confequences and V(es that arife fron^i it. Now to convince us fully of this point, con- lider thefe reafons : W herefoevcr there is any change, there muft bee fome vanity and imperfeflion • hence it ari- feth that all the creaturs being fubje^i to change are fubjed alfo toTomc impcrfertion. Now thatvYbichis moft perfed, cannot bee fiibjed: to change • becaufe in every change , either there is fome perfection added that before was wanting, or elfe fomething is taken away which before was enjoyed. Neither of which can befall our G o d ^ who is moft perfed> nothing can bee added or taken away from him 5 for if any thing could, hee were not perfed : whence it muft needes follow, that hee 1% mchange- dhle. Whatfoever is changeable, muft be in a poC fiblity either to receive fomc new being , or fome other being that it had not before, either in fubftancc or in circumftance,or elfeit cannot bee changeable ; now that which is capable of no new being in any refped^cannor be changed. Wherefore God who is exceeding full of be- ing:, as the Sea is of water, and the Sunneof light, that isjhee hath all the degrees and cxten- fions of being in him • is not in poffibility of receiving any other being, than he hath^ hee is not fubjed to receive any other being for fub- ftance, nor any other being fot quantity, and therefore nothing, can be added to this time or place 75 \ 5 Reafons God muft bcc immutable. l^ajen I, j Where there ii' I chanccj there ; is iRiperfedL on. is capable of noncwbe- The Immutahility of God. place where hee is ^ neither can hee receive any other being for quality, no new habits, no new powers can be added to him - for if there could bee, hee fiiould not bee full of being, but there fliould bee fome defedl in himjif there were any pofllbility in him of having any more : but fee- ing hee is full of being, and conftantly full, it cannot be that hee fhould bee fubjed to any change 5 fome other being muft bee added to him, or elfe taken from him ^ whicH^feeing it cannot be, therefore he muft needs be unchange- able. G o D is fimplc; and becaufe there is nothing inhimbutwhatishimfelfc, but what ishiscf fence, therefore unleffc his e (fence fhould be an- nihilated (which is impoflible) he is not fubjeil to change. Now all the creatures, befides their 1 effencc, have quantity in them, and that may be greater or lefle in the creature - and befides, they have quality; and therefore they maybe better or worfe:but Gedis great without quanti- ty, and good without quality; and therefore in regard of his fimplicity, feeing there is nothing in him,but what ishimfelfe,hecannotadmitof any fhadow df turning. God is infinite- and you know, an in- finite thing is that which extends it felfe , which fills all things, to which nothing can bee added • and therefore feeing hee is infinite at the utnnoft extent , hee cannot extend him- Ifelfe any further. Againc, nothing can bee j taken from him, whereby hee fhould be than- 1 he ImmutcMlity of God • gcd ^ for, fr^firntum eft^cm nec addi^nec adimifotejt : and therefore feeing hee is moft infinite, hee is alfo imchangeable . for whatfoever is infinite can* not be greater or leffer, nothing can be added or taken from it • and therefore he muft needs bee unchangeable. If you obferve it among the creatures, you fhallfinde, that all change arifeth from one of thefe two things 5 either from fomething with- out, or elfe from fome difpofition within the creature: But in God there can be no change in either of thefe refpecls. Not from any thing without him, becaufe he is the firft and fupreme being, and therefore there is no being before him,that he fhould borrow any thing oi^neither is there any being above him, or ftronger than hee that fhould make any impreUion upon him. Againe, not from any thing within him • for when there is in any creature any change that arifeth from a principle within , there muft needes bee fomething to move, and to bee mo- ved- fomethingto ad and to fuffer in the crea- ture, elfe there can bee no change : as mans bo- die is fubjed to change, becaufe there bedi« vers principles within, of which fome doe ad, and fome doe fuffer, and fo the body is fubjed to change, and moulders away : but in G o d there are not two things ^ there is not in him fbmethingtoaft, and fomething to fuffer, and therefore hee is not made up of fuch principles, as can admit any change within him. S€ then iheconclufion ftands furc, that hee can admit of' 75 Change ia the creature whence ic a* rifcih. 7^ 1 Sam. 15. II. How repen- tance is attri- buted CO G(j//. The Immutability of God. of no change or variation within or without him- and therefore needs muft ho^mchangedk. Theobjediofisagainft this are but two- The firft is. That which is taken from thofe places of Scripture^ where God is faid to repent, as that H ee repented that he made Saul King^ i Sam. 1 5 . 1 1 • and'^) ,,&€ were jn him from eternity* Th^ Immutability of Gx> d Scripture, wherein the Lord exprefTeth fucha follicirudc for the death of fmncrs: as, ^hy mU you die^ O houfe of IfraeiS why will yee not hear- ken, and obey? And, Hive faith the Lord, I defire not the death of a fimer. And, ^on^ J freji under your abomination , tuen as a cart ifpref- fed rrith fheaves } And it is faid, Gen, 6. 6. That the Lord tvas grieved at the hearty or it pained him at the heart , that he had made man. All thefe kind of expreffions (as it is evident from hence.) are but attributed to G o d after the manner of men; not that he is moved, for it cannot be, fee- ing hee is unchangeable: whatfoever new acci- dents fall out in the world, hee is not ftirred with them , hee is not moved with any new affe- dion • for if he were, he thould be, as a man is changeable. But the meaning of thofe places is, to fhew the infinite goodneile of his nature, and the greatneflfe of our finnes ; for as men grieve much, when their wills are crofTed, and when their woike is brought to nothing, how weary arc they when they ftrive Iong,and doe no good ? So the Lord would exprefle it to us thus, that we might rake notice, what the great provocations are, what the fins and faults are , wherewith wee offend him from day today, that wee may know what they bee , and what price to fet upon thofe finnes whereby wee weary him froiia time to time. That all the love and hatred, that hee hath now fince the world was made , all the compli- cency and difplicency, all the happinefTe and joy I The Immu tability c?/ G o d . I jt)y which he hath from any thing, done either by the Angels or men, that hce had it fiom all eternity ; for if any thing were new in him, there fliOLild be a change ; but now there being none, you mufl needes grant this, that they were in him from all eternity. So that all the workes of men and Angels bee nothing to him^ all the joy that hce hath from ttem, heehad fiom all eter- nity, Againe, all the finncs whereby evill men provoke him, and all the puniftiments that they fuffer for fiiine, it mooves not him- but as when a glaflerufhethagainfta wall, theglaffe is Brbkcnjbut the wall is not mooved : fo wicked men , thejr hurt themfelvcs , but he is not moo- ved. Therefore hence obfervc 5 that God muft needs bee mojl holy^ and righteous y and juji inaH hii' trayes^ bccaufe there is neither love, nor ha- tred, norgriefe in him, nor joy, which fhould make crooked or bend the rule of his will, or al- ter it in any action. Men are therefore unjuft, becaul'e in all that they doc , there is fomething that bends their wills this way or that way , and makes them crooked , they arc capable of love, joy,griefc:but (7^^, feeing he is capable of none of thefe, therfore he muft needsbe moft juft and righteous in all his workes. Therefore whatfo- cverhcdoih, though thou feeft no reafon for ir, yetjuftifie thou him in all; when thou feeft him overthrowing the Churches , denying his grace to many thoufands, and the like, yet doe thou ju ftifie. 79 Simile. Whence i. He muft needs bcj^ighceous I inalll\is waics So z Ail his de dees' and caunfels we from eternity re rfe 1. Take heed of prouoking hjm to caft thee off. The Immuubilhj of Go db ' juftifie him in all his wayes ; becaufe there is no gri|£te or irQ4,ibIe can come to hift), as to the crea- ture, there hee muft needes bee holy in all his wyes^ and righteous in all h IS rvorkes. If this be fOjthen this vvillalfofoUoWjthat ail thedecrees^ all the counfell, and all the avtsof his will, that ever were m him, they were in him from all eternity; th^t isythere is noc a viciffitude of counfclISj thoughts^and defires upon the pal- fages of things in the vv^orldj as there is in men ^ for then he fhould be fubjed to ehange.For this is a fure rule, n'hatfoever is under different termes there is a change in it - hec is not now, that which he was not before : and if there were any inftant, inwhich(^od fhould vvili'one thing which he did not another time^he fhould be fut jed to change. Therefore looke baeke to all times, in your ima- ginations and thoughts, as to the making of the world^all thofe ads^thofe counfcis that have bin executed upon men, they were in him from ever- lafting. Now I come to ufcs for pradife : and we will make fuchufes as the Scripture doth make of this point. The firft is this. In I Sam. i 5. 28, 2p. ^nd Samuel [aid unto Sduly The Lord hath rent the Kingdme of Ifrael from thee this day^ and hath given it to a neighhxr of thinCy that is better than thee : andalfo the Jfrength of Ifrael wiMnet lie^ nor repent ; for he is not as man that hee fhould r$vent. If Q o d h'^ mchangeahle^ take heede then, left hee come to this, that he cafttheooflF, as hee did ^W.' for if ever he doe The Immutahility o/God. itj hcc will never repent, never titer, never rie- tnA his Decree. Saul lived, you know, many yeeres after, for it was in the beginning of his reigncj and yet becaufe the will of God was revealed clcarelv to him, hee was bidby a cleere command, Gg€^ and kiU all the Amalekites^ and leave not any of them alive: Saul now had a heart contemning GOD in this commandement , therefore alio God came to a refolution and decree, tocaft him off t though .S'itf^/ lived ma- ny yeeres after, yet you could fee m change in him, there was no alteration in his outward behaviour ^ Bur, faith hee, and it is moft feare- full, God doth not repent : it is not with him as it is with man, who may be intreated, and may repent * but the Lord is not as man that he jhould repent. Confider this, you that have cleere commandements from God, you that have becnetold that you ought to bee confcionable in your calling, that you oughtto pray in your families, if you will be ftill breaking the Lords will, and live idly in your calling, and rebelli- oufly finneagainft G o d, living, |s if there were tio^^rfin the world, take heed Idft the Lord re- jc(S you ; for when hee hath rcfolved upon it, confider, that he is an unchangeable and that all his decrees are immutable, Confider al- fo that place, I^ee frore in his heart that they jhould not enter into his rejt: It w2i$ not long after the children of J came out of ^g^pt^ yet tenne times they provoked , him, before hee declared this refolution, and many of them lived forty F f yeeres 8i. Ihe Immutability of G 6 d . yceres after : but becaufe many of them did fee clcarely that it was the vrill of G o they did fee his miracles and his workes that bee had done amongft them^and yet forall this they ftill rebelled , Bee fwore in his rvrath^ that they fhould never enter into his reft. It is afearefull cafe, when God ftialldothis (which doubtlefle he doth now as well as then, even unto all you that hearc me this days) there is a time, I am peifwaded, when I the Li'fipronouncethfuch a decree upon fucha j man/aying'J have rejcded himtyet no man fees it^no not be himfclfc, but becomes to Church, and hcares the Word from day to day. But yet remember that Goi is unchmgedk ^ for (you fee) th^ lerves m leremiestimt^ they lived under /^r^- ^itf/Miniftcryalmoft twenty yecres^but Godh^A\ rej^ded them, and bee would not bee intreated, though and the people did pray to him ; There arc three places for it^ ler.'j. 16. There- fere f raj mt theu for this feeple^ neither lift thou up cry nor fr4yer for them ^ neither make inHrcejjidn ume^ferlmBnothesfe thee. But what if ihtlems being moved with the calamity when it came, fhouldcry, and be importunate with the Lordy would not their teares move him ? No, f^ith hee ; lerem. 11, 14, Therefore fray not thou for this fe^fk^ neither lift Ufa cry^ or frayer for them : fof I mil mt he^n them in the time that thej cry unto mee for their troMe, But what if thev faft and pray ? No, not then ncithefg though they doe that, I will not heare them. ler. 14.11,12. Then G O- D faid unto mee^ pray not for this fcople for Tie Immutability of God for their good : tvhen they fafty I will net heare thef cry • tphen they effer burnt offering and an ebUtion^ I mil not acceft them, but I mil c^nfume them by the Sword y and by the famine ^ and by the fejti- lence^. When the day of death comes, when the timeoffickencfleand extremity comes , then youwillcry^ and cry earneftly s but Oodfhall fay to you then, the time was, when I cryed to you by the Minifters, and you would not heare : nay, you flighted and mocked themj and yOLi would not heare them, I will alfo mocke and laugh at your deJlruBion^ Prov. 1.2^, Doe not thinke this is a cafe that feldome comes, it is done every day, continually upon fome. There is a double time ; a time of preparing and trying before this unchangeable decree come forth. Zefh. 2. i,2» Gather your felver together^ jea ga- ther together^ O nation not defired, before the decree cmte forth, before the da'jfafe, as thechafft^ before thejierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lords anger come ufon you. And there is a time, when the decree is paft ; and when this is not paftjthere is a doore of hope opened : but when the decree is come forth, then you are paft hope. But how.fhall I doe to know this ^ Beloved, never an Angell, nor I, nor any crea- ture can tell you ; you fee that be tookc SauUt the beginning of the Kingdome, when hee was young and ftrong ; hee tooke the letpes at the beginning of leremies preachings onely theufe that you are to make of it,wisthis ; Takeheede F f 2 of 83 nsan ©ff^ all hkindeavoi'e bdpe Rox» A double time. ObjeSi, The time of off a Qiao ua kOOWDC, 84 The hnmutahility of Q o d. Gsdi gifts and filing are without re- pentance to hisElca, Kr«. 11, of negk(Sing God, or good admonition, take ' heed of contemning the Word from day to day, I andfayiRg, that 1 will repent hereafter- for the Z(?rd. So that this doiflrine is a great comfort to all the Saints of God. Therefore con- fider thou^whethcr thou art in the ftate of grace, whether thou haft made the match with lefus Chrift, whether ever there was a covenant bc- twccne Chrift, and thy foule. But how fhall I know it , you will fay > Did you ever come to this, as to fay, I am content to be divorced from, and to part with all things, with every luft, and to bee content to follow him, through allhis wayes^ and to beare every croflfe ? yet this is not enough 5 Did there fol- low hereupon , a generall change within thy heart, and anew heart, and a new fpirit given thee ? othcrwife it is but lip-labour, a thought onely that palTeth through the mindc,and there- fore was never any fuch aduall agreement be- tweenc Chrift and thee. But if there were any fuch change,then thou maieft comfort thy felfe; Ff 3 for How CO know we are in co- venancwicb God« 8^ The Immuubility of G o d. Covenant (ox God is mchmgeabh ^ and this covenant, it is an €z:€r I ajling covenant, COiiddci thacit is every where called fo ^ Ifay 5 5 . 3 . it is faid to beean f- verUjting xcvenmt^ . becaufe it is fe%{nded"upori the^ fare mermr^f Jbauid : God gave Sau^^ I asATell as David^ avid likewife ftarted out of the way, as well as Saul ; but they were fure mercies that were prooiifed him, fotitwasaneveriajlmg covenant of mere There- fore you muft know this y that therie ii a^ twfc^- ' fold cov^cnant : 'Vix% a^ngle covenant ^ fuchas gU makes w ith h is child ren^ when they are bap- tized, whichis this.- if you vvill ^^/^f and r^- fent 5 and walke in my wayes , ybu fliall be fi- ved ; now if they breakrtlle condition, G o d h freed , hee is not bound any further. Secondly^ a double covenant^ to performe both parts • which is thisy lf you wiH Wtof^and f^pmjyou ftall befaved;, and, I vvill give you an heart, and you fhall recent zvid beleeve ^ m6. bee faved ; I begaH theworke, and I will finifh it : here is not one- ly a Covenant on {7 I will forgive them faith the Lord. Oh, but lafts do xe- bell, old lufts, and new: but, faith the Lerd^l will mortifie thera^ and give you grace to overcome theni* Oh, but grace is fubjcd to decay: but I will renew it, faith G o: p. If thy finnes and lufts fliould exceed his mercies, then they (hould f^ile^ but they cannot : and therefore they are calhd, Cmpd^ons that faile mt. Bcfides, confider this, that the covenant is inade in y^jf^i Chrift. Dxtt&nttwo^dams^ hee made a covenant with both r with the firft -^(ii/w, he made a covenant, as with thecomn?ionroote of all mankinde^ but^^/i*/» brake the covenant^ and fodidall his! meS^bersin him. But.there is Sifeco^d Adat^^^ ^^A^\\\hs^%^^^^ arc mem- bers of him as truly as we are of xhtfirfl Adam • and hee kept the covenant, and therefore if hee ftand,they fhallftandalfo. F f 4 Againe, 87 Anfvf* Falling into finnes cannot fruftracc Gods Covenanc. §8 The Immuuhility of G od. Godslmmu* tabilicy makes I Why men |lcaue thfir AgainCjCOnfider that lie makeis this Covenant, as to Sonnes , and not as to Servants. To the fervant the Matter faithjDoe my worke faithful- ly 3 and thou fhalthave thy wages, if not, I will turne thee out of my doores : but with his Son, it is not fo , heeaiideth in the hoiife for ever*^ if hce fall into fmne, hee correfts and nurtures him ^ but yet he keeper him his Boufe for ever. Biat what ufe is there of this Doctrine ? There is this end for it • were it not for this DOif^rine, thou couldeft never love G o d with a fincere and perfed lovc;For I aske thee this que- ftionj canft thou love him with aperfcd love, whom thou thiirkeft may fomtime become thine enemy ? It is a faying, j4mdre tanquam diquand^ @furm]is the very poy fon of true friendfhip. But nowjwhen thop knoweft that God is knit to thee by an unchmgeahUhmA^xhn he is a friend,whom thou maift build upon for cver^whom thou maift spsjft : this makes thy heart to cleave tohim, as PaulCaith^IhowrvhomlhavetrHjled'^ this makes thy heart to fatten upon him , and there is no foruple of love, which would btc, if there were a poiTibffity of change; Againe, what makes man to depart from his profeffion ? Becaufc hee thinkesto^et a better portion : butwhen thou haft this portion fiirc: Chrifi^ an^d heaven, fure 5 why ftiouldeft thou let icgoe? H^^'. ro. 23; Bcfides, endeavours never faile, tilt hope failes : And therefore when thou art fure that thy The Immutability of God. thy worke is not in vaine in the Lordyii is that which makes thee conftaDt^and immoveable in ml doing. And therefore the ufe is^to make us have ftrongcGnfoUtienm the Lord^ and to doe his mrke abmdmly^ to doe that which we are exhorted to doc 5 tocleavetothe Lord without reparation. And this we cannot doe , except we were fure of him ; which you may attaine unto by knowing this, that hec is an unchangeable God^ and the gifts of his caffing are mthouP repentance^ 8p THE I I THE FOVRTEENTH S,E,R M O N, .I-'--- ■ — — ^; ExoDvs 5. 15, 14* t j i 3 ^r}d Mofes faid unto Go d; behold en I come unto the Children ofJjMd^ andp?aU ' (ay unto them j The Q o d of your Fathers j hath le^tmeeumoyoii^ and they fha^^ i " ' " mto nie. , What, is hu Name i j^hat Jhall l\ ; [ay unto them ? 14 And God [aid unto Mo feSyl Am That j H E N men Beare that rayers'^&c except he were changeable, he muft needs be ready to heare thee, if thou fee- keft tohim: Vot the Lerd is unchmgeabk in his prornifes, and thou {\\n\tfindt\um unchmgeabk towards thee : but toamanthat will not pray, that is fctupohcvill, and vvill not bccvrought upon, to fuchaman this is a fearefull and terri- ble dodrine. ; "jaI ^iv-ri: Secondly, I If 2 man be ut- terly rcjedesl hee cannot pray. Km. r. 94 If there bee a change inus it lliall go well Simile* Simile* The ImmutahiHty ef QoD. Sccondlyjthough Gods decree be unchangeable^ yet if thou canft findc ;a change in thy felfe, it thai! goe well with thee : asif;a Father fliould take up an unchangeable refohitioo todifinheritja ftubbornc and ungracious child, becaufc he is fo. if the child fliould change and alter his cour- fes, and grow fober, the Father may now re- ceive him to mercy, and yet no change in his re- foIutioD, but the change is onely inthefonne: Otjifa Prince fliouldfetdownc in a law. (as a law of the Medes and i^ierj?4;f/^that alters not) fay- ing, I will not receive to favour fuch a rebellious fubjed, bccaufe hee is fo : yet if his fubjed be changedjhe may receive him^andyctihis Decree may bee unchangeable^ becaufe the change was in the fubjeft, and the decree was grounded up- on this, if hee did remaine fo rebellious and ftubborne : So I fay to thee, if hath there- fore threatned to reje£t thee, becaufe thou art a ftubborne and rebellious wretch, if now thou fhalt finde a change in thy fclfe, that thy ftub- borne heart is broken, ftanding in awe of him, fearing to offend him, or to commit any finne thatthou knoweft to.bfea finne, I fay, notwith- ftanding that unchdngeablenefe of his, he cannot but receive thee to mercy. As if a Phifitian fhould take up an unchangeable refolutfon, not to give his patient fuch reftorative phyficke, bc- caufehis ftomack isfoule^fothatitwill norwork and becaufe he willnot receive fuch purgations vrhereby hee ftould be prepared for it: But if therebe a change inthePatient,ifhis ftomacke be The Jmmm ability oJQgd. 9$ be clean and fit for it,fo thac it will vvorkcjand he become willing to receive it,if he give it hiiTi>thc change is not in the Phyfitiajbut in the patient. Therefore vvhen you hearc this, fit not downe difcouragcdj but rather goe and fit alone, and confider of thy finnes, and give not over till thy heart be broken for them : and when this is done be fure tha;t he will receive thee to mercy, for he may reniainc unchangeable in his decree, if the change be in thee. And therefore thisDodrine dothnotdifcouragCjbut rather ftirup,and incite men to change their courfes, yea, it is the very fcopcofit. Againjadde this further^be that faith,to what purpofc it is to endeavour ? whofoever it is that fayes fOj I would askcthatmanthisqueftion; didft thou ever goe about any holy duty, and yet didft find this ftop init^that though thou woul- dcft doe them^ thoucouldeft not be accepted > hadft thou ever a fcriousrefolutiontoforlakc iuch and fuch a fin, and the occafions of it, and yet thou didft finde fuch a bar as this, that thou couldeft not alter decree thereby, anS for that onely reafon haft gone on in it ? Did ever a- ny man upon hisdcath-bed fay fo? no man fure- ly dares to affirme it : but it is becaufe he would not feeke to (7<) ip. Whenmany of j the /^rref did not come in, to whom did belong i the Covenant^ and the Larv^ and the TeBim&mes^ ' this was an objedion that was made againft the | Doftrineof theGofpcll^ what was the reafon that the letves did not come in, and that his owne people were not wrought upon ? Toan- fwerthis obiedion, the Apoftle tells them, that this was not againft Gods good will, he was able to doe it, if it were his plcafure • but (faith bee) fomehath hechofen,and fomenot • fome bee loves, and fome hce hates j fomc hee hath mercy upon, and fome he hardens. So that the fcopeofthat Do£i:rine is, that might bee magnified, that no objedion might be madea- gainft the Almighty power o( God^ as if hce was not able to bring them in, that men might not fay that they have refifted his will : and the Apoftle reveales it for that purpofe, that men might be anfwered. So that fuch Doctrines as this, you muft confider for what end they arc revealed. So for this Dodlrinc of Gods un- changeablenefe^what is the end, why it it is revea- led? Youiballfcein Nnmb.i^n 19. He is net as mm that hee ^ouldr4fent : Therefore I have hle^ed Ifrael^andhefhall betlejjed. The end is, to Ihcw that Tie Immutabilhy of Go thskthishsoui is unchangeable favour: So face hath curfcd Saul^ and he ftall beciirfcd, i Sam. 15.2^. his decrees are unalterable. Solikewifc lam. 1 . 1 5 . Cod is goodjand cannot be otherwife: therefore hec can tempt no man. Out of ail thefe places it is apparent , that theufeof thisDo- drine is , that wee might tremble at his judge- meats , and that we might rejoyce in his favour with joy unfpeakeablc and glorious : In a word, that men might know the excellency of the Al» mighty , and might know and magnifie God^t- caufe conftancy and mchangeablene^e is a pro- perty of wifedome* This being the end why it is revealed, it ought to be applycd only to thefe ufes.' As J (to (hew it in thofc particulars which beferc wee did mention ) when wee heare that God rejefled Saul^ andwi/fnot rcfentof it, and the letpes:^ &c. the uft that we fhould make of it is this ■ to thinke with thy fclfe, If G o d fhould pafTe fuch a decree of rcjeftion upon mee it can< not be changed ; therforc I will feare before himj' and take heed of that ftubbornnefle and wicked coarfe of difobedi€ce, that may bring fuch curfe Upon me, and fuch a ftroke upon my foule, as ne- ver can bee altered, never revoked. And this ufe the Apoftle makes of it, Heb. 3 .when he had delivered GGdsunchameabkdecrtGj declares by his fwearinginhis math that they fhoM never enter inte reft : therefore deferre not , faith hee, •rfc/7e it is called to day^ left that you continuing inacourfeof rebellion, the doore of mercy bee fhut upon yoiT , and GOD doe ftveare in his Gg fvrath^ 97 58 I Wc {hall finde \ God the fame in di^penfing judgiinents and mercies in thcfc tinocs to issthathchath httm in for, w.eruDQCst© 2 he hnmutahility of Go d . math J as heed id to tliemj that joulh^neicer enter into his reji-. Belovedjtbere is a double time; ( as I faid beforejatime of the comming forth of this dccrecj and a time of preparing and trying while the doore (lands open : therefore take heed that that acceptable time doe not paflfe away, left thou be hardened through the deceitfdnef e efjinne. If God bee unchangeable ^ then lookevvhatfo- ever bee hath done in former times, what judge- ments hee hath inflided, and for what; what mercies he hath fliewen^and upon what ground, | and thou mayeft exped the fame ftill, bc-l caufe there is no change in him .- therefore goe over all the Scripture, and behold what hee hath done there 5 looke through all thine owne experience , and lee what hee hath done to thee, and to others 3 and know that hee will doc the fame againe to thee, for htt is unchangeable. As for example , looke what hee did to leab^shimei^ and the houle of SauL You know the fiiines that they committed ; Jonb had committed murther, and Shimei reviled Davld^ and flew the tcdnites againfi his oath: though they went on a long time in peaceand profperity , yet becaufe their pardon was not fucd out, therefore after manyyeeres God called them to an account. As /oab went not to the grave in peace; andshmei defervcd death , and therefore it was brought upon him ■ and Saul was punifhed in the blond of his fonnes^and hee was iTaine bimfelfe^ as bee had flaine others in battcll. So be thou affured, if there bee any finne which thou haft formerly comH The Immutability of Gob* committed, unrepcnted of, theugh it bee long fince^G o D will waken it in due time. So,looke what he did to T>avid-^ hee had committed a fin in fecretjbut the Lord, laith that he will make his punifhmcnts tobeopcn^ he will doe it before the Sun: So if thou halt committed a fininfecrct, take heed left he bring it to light, he will doe to thee as be did to ^>^t'/^jand I fay unto theej that though tlmvbce regenerate!, and artoneof his ele£t , yet if thy cafe be the fame with Davids^ hcc will doefoto thee, fothcchmchangeabko There bee two cafes wherein the Lord will not fparej but bring judgement upon his ownc chil- dren. Firft, inthecafeof fcandall, as Davids was^ foi though his firft ftn was fecret, yet his fecond was publikc, and made the firft fo too, Therfote though his fin was forgiven him, God tells him that his punifhmcnt fhould be open^^and that the fmrd fhoM not depart from his houfe. Secondly, though the finnebe not fcandalou j, yet if it be unrepentedof,G o d will even punifh itinhisowiie children. And as God deales with fecrct ftnnes to bring them to light, fo hee will doe with fecret innocency, on the other- fide alio. As lofefh^ whofc uprightnefle was in lectet, for none did fee it but himfelfe • as for his Miftreffc, ftceaccufedhim, andwasbelee- ved: yet tbeZJ^4^3 and ^hihu^ and f^zzahy and the Bethjhemites'^ you know that he dcftr oycd t^hemall, and that with a prefent deftrudion : fo iT thou wilt abufe his Name, abufe his holy /^^ ^ things and come unto the Sacraments with an mcircuwdfedheartyhcislixc fame G^dfiilly hct is as much offended now, and he is as ready to exe- cute his wrath upon thee^as he was then. So look how he dealt with Saul, with the fewes that came out of he fmre in his iprath^that they jhould not enter m0 his refi: if thou wilt doe the fame that they did, rebel againft him as they did , hce will fiveare in his wrath, that thou jhalt tie- %'er enter into his. reB. As he pa fled his fcntence upon Saul^ and as hee pafleth his fentence uponany^ fo he will bring it to pafle,if thy cafe be th c fame, for he is mchangeahle. So looke how hee did deale in lohn BaptiSx time, and make their cafe your owne, N^tp the axe is laide to the root of the tree^ when the Gofpcl, and the mcanes of grace , and the fpring-time of the Word began | bccaufe they did not regard it then , they were caft ofFs the time of their igno- rance God regarded not fo much 5 but then hee called upon every one to repent, and becaufe they did not come in then , hee deferred not his judgment. That upon which I ground this, you (hall The Immutability of Go D» ftiall find in two places of Scripture, 2. Pet.^.^ . If the Lffrddid lowith the Angels, ff and not them faith bee, hee is the fame Gody aod therefore heknovfcs how to refervethe unjufi to the day of judgement ytndQfpccially thofe that are mcleane: the ground of it is his unchangeshleneffe. The o- iher place is in 2 Cor. i o. You know what he did to the Ifraelites faith he, he will doe the fame to you ; therefore doe you take heede, that you d^e not commit fornication ^ as fomeofthem committed^ and died in the mldernefe^ ^c. Onely here is this caution diligently to be re- membred , which wee muft adde to all this that hath becne fpoken. It is fure , that whenfoever it is the fame cafe 5 he will doe the fame thing: though his judgments are diffcrent,the time dit ferent , the wayes and meanes different. As for cxamplc,hc ftroke Vzzah prefently,and fo he did Gehex>iy and T^adak , and jibihu ; yet to others there may bee a difference in the time : to thefc hee did it prefently, to others it may be, hee will' doe it many yeeres after. Againe,he ftroke them with death, butitmaybethereis another kinde of iudgement referved for thee; as it may bee he will not cut thee off in the aft, but will give thee up to hardncfle of heart, or the like. Againe, fo it is in fhewing mercy, for the rule is as true therein alfo : He fhewes mercy to fomc this way , and to others that way, and he humbles men after divers manners 3 fo fome men hee punifhcth for their finnes in this life, fome hee rcfcrves for another World : Againe, % fomc lOl ACattUoii«i< oieacc diSe- rcnc in the time, and 10% Similil The Immutahility of God. forae he ftrikes ptefcntly, and fome he forbeares with much patience. And this you muft remember in both thefe that though he doth the fame things,yct he may doc them in a different manner^timc^and way '.he hath divers judgements, and afflifkions r And as there are divers means to attainc to ihc lameend as fbme may ride, fome goe on foot^ and yet all come to one journeys end % fo the judgmcBts and afflidions may bee different, yet the end the famc:this caution therefore being taken in,thou maift be fure, that the fame judgements that he did execute in former time , hce is ready to exe- cute them ftill r As heehath given fome up to pen fins, that did neglect him in feer€t,fo he will doe to thee^and as he hath ftricken fome menin their fins, fo the fame wrath is gone out againft ^nd remaines for thee,if thou doe not repent and turnc tohins s for thb kinds^as whether by fickc* neflc, or death, thefe we canisot determine of I the waycs of G&d&tt infinite, and exceeding diverfe unfearchable, and paft finding out i. - but though in regard of his particular waycs it doth BOtalwaies followjhe did thus to this manjther- fore he will do the very fame to thee^yet becaufe he did thus to fome,thou maift conclude,he will doe the fame thing to thee in the fame, ot in a different manner So looke what hehath done to all his Saints; hee hath blefled them, and heard them. But thou wilt fay, I have prayed^ and I am not heard. 1 fay to thee , if thy cafe bee the fame, thou[ The Immutability of Got>. thou fhalt be heard. To this end arc thofe pla« ces : The Lords hand u nQtfh$rtned^thst hecannn fave^mrhiftarehedvy^ thdp it unmheare : This is the fcop'e of theProphcs^ as if G o d rtiould fay, Yoa wonder why you are nocl^ard, that you have not the fame fuccefle in prayer that the Saints have had, why the cafe is not the fame, faith hcj they repented, but you doc nor- you are miftaken, for you are yet in your finnes 1 1 am as ftrong to helpc you, and as ready, and if I doe it not, it is bccaufe the cafe is different Tourfinms have made a fefaratien ketmene me andy^u. Which implies^ that G&d will hearc if the cafe bee the fame. Only remember this, that God mayde- ferrc it fomething long before he heares you,yet he will doe it in the end. I£imchang€ahlene£ehe proper to O^dpntly (for fo you muft underftand it, proper to him, and common to no other) then learne to know the difference betweene him and the creatures. There be divers branches of this ufe : As, Firft, if this be fo, then every creature is,and mufl; be changable, and if fo,then take heed^that you doe notexpeft raorcof the creature, than is in it/or this will raife your affeftions to the crea- ture, and fo caufe griefe and vexation in the end: and indeed the forgetfulneffe of this changable- neffe in the creature, unchangeablencffe inGtfrf, is the caufe of all our croffes and forrow in out- ward things we mtet with. And there bee thefc degrees to it. For^ firft, Theforg^tfulncffcof the mutabi- 10} Gg4 lity Oofi hearcs ia foraaer cimc if our cafe be che &me. To fee the diff i fcrencebe^ cvreene Ga4 SLtid che crea* cures. Coflcaincj two branches. I Lookeon che creatures as mutable and expe^ AOS much from thera. Forgetting the, creatures to be tnutable* z Makes us €K« ptd much from shcm« io4 Raifccliouraf- fefiicmco chem* breed ftrong Tf;^ ImmuubiUty of God. lity of the creature caufeth us to expcft more from it than is in it. Secondly, This expcdati- on raifeth our atfedJrions unto the creature: hence it i$, that wee fee ouraffcdions t6o much upon thcm^ and delight too much in them. Thirdly, Strong affeftions^ when they arc fct upon the acaturc, doe alwaycs bring foorth ftrong affliiftions t fbrwhat is thereafonofall the griefe , that we undcrgoe from day to day ? Is it nor, becaufe our affedions arc fetupon changeable obieds , upon the creatures ? And therefore when they are changed , then there is a change in our mindes alfo : whereas if thou didft lookc alone upon the mchangeable G§d. this would keepe thee from worldly care and for- row, this would prcferve inthee evcnnefleand equabiliric of minde. Therefore take heed of forgetting this^that to be unchangedble^ is pro- per to God alone y. and then fe t thy a tfeiaions up- on none but him t which if thou wilt doe, thou (halt alwayes enioy a conftant ferenity and fc- curity of minde- as ifa man were in^ihe upper Region, ivhere there is no change of weather, when as below here, there is one day foule, an- other faire • fo if a man could live with G O D, and waike with him , and have his convcrfa- tion in heaven,hec ihould not be fubied to fuch changes ; whereas if a man fct his mind upon earthly things , he fhalbe ftill futied to pertur- bations and unevennefle ; f of all griefe of minde comes from hence, that thou lookeft £orun- changeahknefe fiom the creature, where it is not to Tl^e Immutability of God. to be had J whereas if thou wouldeft looke up to which dries up in Summer time7an butlaboar to bee perfWaded ofthy lclfc, as a man. I neede not fpeakc to you of riches , they take to themfclves wings and fly away | nor of credit and honour^ they are in the power of them that give thena % whatfoever is changtable^ according to the mu- tabiliticof it, fa value it* But Ipreflethccon" trary:Look€ upon the things that are not chang- able , and labour to prize them. Thou fliale finde faving grace to bee unchangeMe^ though it may be impaired in degree , and may rccoy le to the roote , and may not bud foorth as at other times, ytt it is umhanged/4^ it fball never bee taken away t So fpirituall life is mcha^geablt^ when Grace un* The Immutabikty oj G od. The worduii- ehaQgeabie. ttftehaiigcabk when that beginSj then the other (hales off, even as old nailes doe , when new grow under them : therefore this fliould teach us to value it much. SothQS^otA9^Go6.i%2LXiunchmgeahle thfng, Ipij 40.8* The gra/emthereph^ thejlmerfdieth: but the mrd of the Lord jhaS ftandfor ever^And Matth, 5, MeA^en and enrthlhaltfafe amy^but fTord jhdU not fofe amy. Now what ufe (bould wee make of this ? Then ftuddy the word more than any thing in the World befidcs. There is matter of much learning in the World , becaufc there are many creatures | now all other know- ledge is but of the creature, andtheknowkdgc of them cannot be more excellent than the thing knowne, and it vaniflieth away with them, but th€mrdGfG9dfBal(n0pp/^e^ the n^eri indures for ever. Therefore lookc what truth thou canft get out of (he word, which may build up the inward man , lookc what profit t nou caaft get from that fhall remainc for evir ? wHewfbre'^thou (houldeft prize it much , get it plentcoufly in- to thy heart, in the fuUwifedomc and power of it. We have indeed many imployments in this life-but that which is beftowed upon unchaugc- able things which ftiall neveralter, that is the beft time (pent. Ltftly , all the good workcs thou doeft , and all the evill workes of unregeneratcmen unre- pentcd of, fliall remaine for ever. Looke what good workes thou doeft in the world, they fhall remaine with thee for cver^ they fliall bee had in ! cofitinuallremembranee. Therefore thou ihoul- deft The Immutability (?/ Go d. deft: labour to bee abundant in good works, that is, to bee fure to ferve God vvhatfoever thou do- I eft. This is the happy condition of the Saints, ' that their finnes fhall bee blotted our, and their ! good workes (hall remainc to eternity, they are i fpirituall feed fowne, which fhall bring foorth a I fure harveft. If thou be a fervant^ or a labouring man; when thou doeft5thy workes Hiall remainc. So looke upon any thing that thou haft done for Chrift^ all thefe things ftiall remain for evcr:what faithfull prayers focver thou haft made, or what- focver thou haft fuffered for chrift^ what paines thou haft taken in preaching or in repenting, or in advancing the caufe of Chrift , thefe fhall bee j had in cvcrlafting remembrance, 1 Gn the other udc, looke what finnes unrepcn- I ted of, thou haft committedjfor the fins of unre- j generate men ftiall alfo remtine. All the praifc that comes from a dion, and the pleafureof it, that pafleth away, and comes to nothing; but loo ke what fi nfulne fle there is in any w orkc, that remaincs, andlfThou repent DoFofl^ that finne fhall be reckoned upon thy fcor e % and what up- nghtncfle foevcrthereisin any worke, that alfb fhall remaine. Therefore learne from hence to prize, and value onely thofe good things that are imnpiutablc, and proportiojiably to feare and ftiun the evillo 09 TH E THE FIFTEENTH SERMON, ill ExoDVs 5» ij, 14. 1 J jind Mofes [aid unto G o d j ^BehoM^when 1 come unto the Children ofljrasl^ and [hall fay unto them j The God ofjour Fathers hath j&nt mee unto you y and they (hall faj unto me , What is hu Nam ? -^pbat Jhalll f(p unto them ? 14 And God /aid unto Mofes^l Am That S we are tojudg ef other things by the iRUtability ofthem : folearne to judge of thineowne fpirit, by that conftancy that thou findeft , in \vclI-doiBg,orthatmiitabiiity icg aod unconftancy that thou art fubjed to. Ifa ' man would make a eenfure of bimfelfe, let him confider that the neererhee comes to chafigeahlene^ein well-doings the better hce is, and y/e 6 To judge of our owne fpl- ritsby eoBftan cy in wcU dc-' 112. 1 The Immutab'Aity oj G od. To feelium- and the ftronger he is: againe,the more mutable, theweakcre Thou arc to judge of thy fetfe,as wee ufe to efteeme one of anoiher 2 Now lek a man be unconftant, ane that we can have no holH^ of 3 that is as fickle as the weather, that will re- folve uponfuch a thing today, and change his minde to morrow • what ever learning or excel- lency, or whatkindnefle foeveris in this man, wee regard him not,bccaufe hee is an unconftant man. Now learne thou to doe fo with thy felfe, to aske thy felfe that queftion % Haft thou not jhad many refolutions, that never came to any endeavours ? Haft thou not begun many good workes, and brokcoff in the middle, and never finifhed them? Haft thou not found that proper- ty of folly in thee, To begin ftill to live? Std- titia fimper inciftt vivereiHaA thou not often be- gun & ended, and begun againe,& ftill brought no fruit to perfe^Sion? If this be thy cafe, learne to abhor thy felfe for it, and to be afhamed : for all is nothing , till we come to a conftant and un-^ changeable refolution : So that we come tofet it downe with our felves as an inviolable law: this is a duty^and I will doc it, whatfoever it coft mee ; this is a iinnc, and I will avoide it, whatfo« ever come of it. Which refolution the Prophet Daniel takes up, Dan. 1,8. Hee determined in his hearty that hee would not he defiled with the Kings medte : and fuch a refolution they were exhor- ted to in ^Bs II. 21, fVith fuU furfofe ef heart to cleave unto God. It is tranflatcd ^ full purpofe^, but the words are, with a decree, and full refo lutloni The Immutability of Go lution oF hccirt ^ ^« «>e*fi^' "^^^ Tm^S'iAi Tt^vi^Uf t^HJu^f^s' $ That is J when a man doth not lightly put himfelfe upon an hojy courfc ; but takes up a ftroDg refolution to goc through n'ith it • fuch a refolution as Pauls wasy A^s 20. 22* hee knew that bands by the way did waite for him as for theevesjit was no matter j he n>as bound tnthe ffirit : All is nothing • I care not^ faies he, fi thap I may fulfil/ the Minijiery cmmhted to mee. Such a refolution we fhould have. And accor- ding as thou findeftthy felfeableto doc this, fo thou fhoiildeft judge of thy felfe. A man that is on and oflF in his waycs, Sokm$n co^- pares him to a Cittie, whofe walles are bro=. ken downcj that is jif a temptation come,and fct i upon him 5 it hath free entrance, and the temp- tation comes in 5 bccaufe his foule was without guard and ward. But on the other fidcj a man that doth not ftand trifling with the Lord^ to fay onely I wifh I could, and I am forty that I can- not, but be that will goc through a good courfc, fuch a man is like to a Cittie which hath walles round about it; that if a temptation come.therc is fomething to kecpc it out. I fay, as thou art to judge of other things by the mutability of them • fo of thy felfe : for there is nothing bet- ter than to have a peremptorie refolution in well-doing, to beconftanttherein^andrhereis nothing worfe than to bee peremptorie in c- vill. Simile* ConAancjein evill nothing worfe. To goctoGed If God be immutahle^then thouknoweftwhi- 1 togetconft ther to goe to get this conftancy , to make thy ^^/jJ'J^'^^^' Hh felfe I 1 he Immut ability of God. ' felfe unchangeable and immutable and conftant in well-doing. For elfe to what end hath hee revea- led to us that hee is unchangeable I is it not for our life > Sure it is, even to teach us 3 that when we find our felves fubjed to immutability, wee fnould goe to the unchangeable God ; and befeech i him toeftablifli our hearts : Which no creature is able to doe, feeing every creature is mutable, only fo far unchangeMe^as he maketh it to be fo- he only is originally unchangeable'^ all friends and all other things in the world are no further changeable than he communicates it to them, (as was faid before;) and the fame was trueof thine owne heart and of thy purpofes. Therefore thou muft thinke with thy felfc, and make this ufe o^f the unchangeablenejje of God^ that hee oncly can make thee unchangeable: and in any bufinefle wherein thou wanreft diredion be fure to goe to GQd'^ fam, 1.5, who isonly wife^andcan fhewa \ man what to doe, when he is in a ftrair. So upon the fame ground when thou feefl: that thou art unconftant, goe to him that is unchangeable^ that can makethee conftant ; and defire him to fixe thy quicke-filver, to ballanee thy lightneffe, and that hee would fettle and fill that vaine and empty heart of thine with fomething that may ftay and eftablifh it. There isnoother way; all the meanes that can be ufed,all the motives that can bee p»ut to a man , all the reafons that can bee brought , are not able to make us conftant, till God worke it in us, and for us. Therefore the oncly way to give^ O B the glory of his immut abilitj^ Tf}e Immut ability o/Qod* immutability , to goe to him in a fcnfe of thine owne uiiconftancy, and fay; LORD thou haft revealed thy felfe to bee unchangeable ^ that we may Iceke ftability of thee , and finde it in thee, thou alone art osiginally and elfentially fo - and no creature is any further fo than thou doftcora- municate to it. Therefore doe thou, Lord^ make me ftable and conftant in well-doing. Grace it felfe of it felfe is not immutable^ foritis fubjeia to ebbing and flowing ; and the reafon why wee doe not quite lofc it , is not from the nature of grace, as if it were immutable^ but becaufe it comes from, and ftickes clofe to Chrift, There- fore goe to him ^ hee is the roote that communi- cates fapand life to thee, becaufe thou abideft ingrafted in him. But the Lord doth this by meancs: it is not en- ough to pray , and to fecke tobim, to make mee unchangeable, ( fo much as humane infirmity can reach) but I muft ufe the meanes alfb. It is true, hee doth it by meanes ? and if you fay, what are thofc meanes > I will fhew it you briefly. You fhall finde that there are two caufes of un- conftancy, or mutability, orficklenefle: and if you finde out what the caufes are, you will ea- fily fee the way to helpe it. Firft, ftrengthof luft: that caufeth men to bee unconftant . lames 4. 8 . Cleanfe your hands , jee jtmers^ andfurge your hearts jott wavering-minded: what is the reafon that the Apoftle bids them, to furge their hearts^ that were mvering-minded, Hh2 but 115 Grace in it fdf nctifflsnacablc ObjeB. Two caufes of inconflancy, andcwofceans to procure con ftancy. Lufls:gctthem moriiHed. Im. 4.8. 116 The ImmutahilUy 0/ G o d. Strang lufts {ireak off ftrong purpo* but becaiife that corruption,and thofe unruly af- feilios that are within,caufe us to be unconftant and to waver, even as anarro.v though iTiot with a ftrong hand, which notwithftanding the wind makes to fly unconftantly: fo a man that refolves upon a good courfe, and takes to himfelfc good purpofes and defiresjyet having fome luft in him thefe thru ft in,and make him unftable ; therfore purgeyour hearts yoU' wavering-minded. As if hee (liould fay, the reafon why you are not ftable, is, becaufc you are not cleanfed from thefe corrnp- tfonsjwhich are thecaufeof this unconftancy.So Pfal. 5 . ^ . There is no fmhfulne^e in their mouthy their inmrd fart is very filthinejfe^ The reafon why there is no conftancy in their (peech 3 life, and actions is, becaufe withm they are very cor- ruption? that isjthe fin that is within is thecaufe of all the wavering that is in the life of raai3; which TcmovedjOur adlions would not be of fnch diffe rent colors^ there lYOuId be no fuch uneven^ neffe in our lives. Wherefore if this be the caufe, the onely way to helpe it^is, to get this corrupti- on mortified, and to cleanfe our felves from all pollution of flefh andfpirit, as much as may be. Take a man that fayes hee will amend his cotirfe, that intends to be diligent in his calling, and tlmkes never toturne to fuch evill courfes but to ferve God with a pcrfed heart ; obfervc now what is the reafon that this man breakes his purpofes 5 and falls ofiFagaine. it is becaufc there is fome ftrong lu ft , that comc§ like a guft of a contrary winde, and breakes him off from his The Immutahility of Qod. his courfe. Therefore the firft way is, to cleanfe thy heart, if thou wilt be conft^nt. The fecond caufe of unconftancyj isweake- neffe 5 if a man w^ere free from that ioward cor- ruption, yet vveakenefle would make a man to bee unconftant : fo much weakenefTe, fo much .unconftancy ; and fo much ftrength as a man hath/o much conftancy he hath.For what is the ^eafon that a man is fo fickle ? Becaufe the banks of his refolution are too weak to hold out againft temptations when they aflaulr him jand he gives o,ver b ecau fe hee is nat able t of efi;ft t hem . And this ground I take out of i Sam. 15. z^. The firength ef Ifrael mil not refent^ for hee i^ not as mm ■that hee fhculd repent. By repenting is meant a change : now you fee the reafon given why the Lord is not fubiect to change, he is the flrength of Ifrael. For yoti fliall alwaies finde in the Scrip- /turc^ that fuch attributes are given (?(?^, as fut€ beft to the nature of the worke he hath in hand : As here the rcafon why the Lord will not repent^ isjbecaufe he is ftrong. To make this appeare to you, you muft know, that tbf ee things muft concurre to make a refo- lution ftrong, Firft , there muft bee fomc rcafon that muft move a man. Secondly, there muft fee an inclination of the will joyaed with that reafon. Thirdly, It muft be often renewed. Firft, I fay , there muft bee fome reafon that mu ft move him ; but if that were all^he would not refolve at Hh3 all, 117 Voconftancy comes from weakeneffe. I, Sam. If* a^o Three heipes to ftrengthen purpofes. ii8 Ihc Immutability of Go d. aIl5thererore hee muft have an inclination of the Purpofes pro- vvilltoit^ both thefCjwhcn they concLirre^ they uedonreafonij make the refolution up: when the underftanding is Gonvinced, and the will inclined, the under- ftanding faith, there is reafon for it, and the will faith, it is good, then this makes up the refolu- tion. As fiift, when a naan hath any reafon to move him to any aftion^and it is a ftrong reafon, fo that hee anfwcrs all objeftions that hee meets with, now the refolution. continues firme : but if his reafon be not fuSicient,but hee meets with objedions that are ftronger, then the firft I principle being taken avvay,the refolution grows [flaggy and weake. And fo it is in the other aIfo,wheo a man hath a dcfire to any thing, if it be fo ftrong, and no o- ludinaiionf. ther defire is ftronger , than it that can overtop, and overrule it, then he goes on without any im- pediment •;but if it be weake, fo that a ftronger defire can come , and over-ballaoce it, then the fecond principle is demollifliedalfo, and there is an end of this refolution. So that let the rea- fon on which we fixe it bee ftrong, and let the in- clination (which muftconcurre,) bee fix'dand ftrong, and then the refolutiaa will bee accor- ding. But I adde the third, that there muft bee a renei^ing of this : for thougti the refolution be well built, yet to make it ^onftant, it nuift ftiil be renewed. For there are fome workcs, which muft have a third and fourth hand to goeovcr them , or elfe they will faile, and moulder away: And j Renewing of phrpofes. The Immutahilit^ of God. And this is the nature of our refolucioaalfOjit is not the refolution of a day or two, that will lerve the turnc, for the nature of a man is fubjcd to fuch vveakcneffe , that except our refokiti^ns be gone over and over againe, they fhrink and come to nothing.Therefore the thing that caufeth un- conftancy , is one of xhtfh three : either vveake- nelTe of rcafon that fets thee on vrorkc, or vveake- nefle of the inclination and defire^or elfe^aot re- newing of this. Now when you have found out the caufes of weakcnefle, you may eafily finde out the meanes to make you refolute in well-doing. As, Firft 5 labour to get ftrong rcafons for what you refolve on. The want of this was the caufe of the mutability of the fecund ground ; It wan- ted depth of earth : that is, the feed was good, and the Earth was good , but it was not deepe en- ough, and fo the ftrength of theSunnecaufed it to wither away. So when wee fhall have good purpofcs and refolutions^and they have not root enough , that is j when a man hath not well ex- amined the thing , fo as to bee fully convinced of the thing that hee undertakes , he is apt to be inconftant in it. And this was the reafon of Eves inconftancy, becaufe fheeconfidered not the bottome that fliee was built upon. On the other fide, the Woman of Canaan when (he had fixed her faith upon a good ground, fliee would not be beaten off ; though fhe could not anfwer the ©bieftion, yet ftiee would not be plucked off : Thou art the Me^tas , and therefore thou Hh4 wilt 11^ Means £0 help refolucions. i Get ftrong rcc Tons foe thetHc The Immutability of God. lOuibifd Satans ;ten3ptau©ns wilt fliew mercy : andbefides fhehath need of I mercy, for her daughter wasficl^e, andweake, ^ and therefore fliee would not be driven off, fliec would take no deniall : So is it vvith all out re- folutions when they have this depth of earth. Wherefore the beft way is 5 to confidcr, and forccaft the worft ^ as our Saviour counfelleth every one in thofe words^ How canft thou that hafi but tm hundred^ goe againft him that hatha thou- fand'^ fo is it in this cafe. When you fhall un- dertake a good courfe^and you goe out but with weake reafons y if Satan or a luft come and ob- jed ftronger reafons ^ this will make thee give out. Therefore the beft way is to forc- caft the worft ^ and to outbid the Divell in eve- ry temptation. As for example, when hee (hall come and fay , that thou flialt have favour with men, fay to him that the favour of G 0 d is bet- ter- if he fhall tell thee ofriches and wealth, fay that thou fhalt have a treafure in heaven ; if hee fay to thee that thou fhalt have reft and pleafure in fmne, fay to him, that the peace of confci- ence, and joy in the Holy Ghoft, isfarrebe- yGkid that reft, and pleafure, whatfoeverit bec.- Soin all thctemptations on the other hand, it is good to ponder thesi well , that wee may bee able to outbid him therein. Whatfoever hee doth objafi , is ever one of thefe two • ei-^ ther fome good that thou {lialt have, or fome e- vill : Now confider, that as the love and fa- vour of Go d, is a greater good than all the world can give thee ^ fo his wrath is a greater evill The Immutability o/Qor^ cvili than any the World can infli(5l upon thee. Secondly, if thou wouldeft have thy refo- iution ftrong, to breake through all impedi» mentSjlabour to get vehement defires to overtop I all other; that wbatfoever comes^ yet they may ' over-ballance them. But how fhall I come to get fuch a defire ? There is no way in the World but this- La- bour to bee humbled for thy finnes, to get a broken heart for them , for then a man comes to prize grace exceeding much 5 and worldly things as nothing- For this is a fure rule, rrhen theu feeleU thy [innes to lie heaty ufon thee^ then all the thinges in the Florid mil be exceeding light : therefore labour to know the bittemeffe of fin ; it is that which fets an edge upon all fpirituall defircs • without this a man doth but cheapen the Kingdoni of Heaven 5 he doth as the people did with Rehoham^ they expoftulated with him about their fcrving him: fo we doc capitulate with the Lord (as it were) and ftand upon rermes with him 5 untill wee are humbled 5 and then we are ready to take heaven upon any condition. Till a man bee thm humbled ; his defires are re- mi fle, and weake, and flaggy defires ; they raife up great buildings upon no foundation; the foundation is weake and crazie , and fo the building comes downe. And hence it is, that men fut their hdndes to the plough and looke backe againe. A Scholler will ferve the L O R if he may have eminency in gifts, and outward excel-- Icncy, or tome honour in the flclli when as other- ' wife III Ge£fi?ong4e How to get A humble manil caies heaven upon any con' did@ns. The Immutability of God. wife his defires to Gods workc arcremifTcrbuc when hee is once humbledjthen he will fay with St. Paiil^ Ldfd^ n^hat mh thou have mee to doe I and I will doe it, whatfoever it is, and whatfocver thou wouldeft have me to futfcr,! will fuffer it. HemU take the Kingdome of HeavcM by violence: and then his refolutions continue conftant that way. For what can the world and Satan doe to him ? will they take away his pleafure fromhim^his wealth or credit ? they aie things that he hath defpifed before: th^y take nothing from him , but what he cares not for. It is the bitternefle of finne, that makes him now to prize gUs love and fa- vour above all things. Thirdly^ thou muft renew thy refolutionofc: it is not enough to fet the heart in a good frame of grace for for a day , or two j er for a moneth, but thou muft have a conftant courfe in doing of - it 5 ever and anon t as the I>utch Men ufe to doe with their bankes , they keepe them with little coft, bccaufe they looke narrowly to thera 5 if there bee but the leaft breach, they make it up prefcntly, otherwife the water would over-flow them and their Cities. So thou fliouldeft doe with thy heart, obfervc it from day to day,marke whatobjedions come that thou canft not an- fwcre, whatlufts and defires doe ovcr-ballance thee, and learne ft ill to renew thy rcafons and re- folutions againft them 5 and this will make thee conftant 5 and Bxvat^ and peremptory in well- doing. 3 Renew ourrc folucions. Now Th^ Greatneffe o£ Qo^d. NOvv I come to the next Attribute, and that is. The Greatnejfe of God^ or his In^nitenejje : Wee will follow in this, rather the rule of the Scriptare, than the traft of the Sehoolemcn, and intend to infift upon thofe that ^^^i doth e^ fpecially take to him in Scripture* Now that G o d talces this Attribute to him- felfe, you fhall fee in iChron, 2.5, For great is our GodaSove all Gods. PfaL ly^.^.For ( know that the Lord is great^andthat our Lord is above alt Gods, But the place that I would chiefly com- mend to you is this: PfaL 145 .3 • Great is the Lord andmolimrthy to beepraifed: andhis greatnej^e is unfearchable.\\htTe you fee5that it is an infinite, and incomprehenfibk greatneffe that the Lord takes tohimfelfe. So Pfal, 147. 5, Great if our Gody arid of great fotver : and his mderjiandingis in-- fnite. In handling of this, I will fliew you thefe two rhings. Firft, how the greatneffe of God is gathered from the Scriptures. Secondly^ the reafons of it^ as 1 have done in the reft. The greatneffe of God is declared to us in the Scripture by thefe fixe things. Firft, By the workes of his Creation, The greatnefe of the workes doe (hew the greatneffe of the maker : Ifaf^o. 1 2 . VFhohathmeafuyeithe Waters in the hofferv of hishand^ andmeted out the HeaveTis with a ff ame ^ and comprehended the dujl of the Earth in a meafure^ and weighed the Thefe At. tribute of God His grcatnclle and Infinite* ncSfe. The greatnes of God decla- red in 6 thin ge I j By the worlfsj of Creation, j i 2.4 The infinitene(^e^ and By the en%i^s of his great- taines in fiaks ^ and the Hils in a baUance I that is^ If you would looke upon any worke of the crea- tion you may judge of the workman by it* if you fee a great building, you conceive it to be made by a manbf fome power ; fo when you looke up- | on the great building of Heaven and Earth, you may thinke that hee did handle the materialls thereof^ as an Archited doth handle the ftones, and lay them in the place, is great : no^v the Lnri doth put the waters together, as if he held them in his hand ; and he meafures out the Heavens,^ as a workeman meafuresout the roofe : Againe, every workman muft worke by the plummet and by weight, now confiderthe great moimtaioes, faith heCjhee weighs them in fcalcs, and the hils in a ballance : as this building doth goebeyond mans , fo doth xht greAtnefeoi God. exceed the greatnejfe of man : and by this you may take^ glimplc of thcgreamej'eof the Lord. Secondly, by the enfignesof his^r^^^^^ fiance from others^ (as Princes do)fG we efteeme them greater : Now his holineffe is nothing elfe^ but his feparation and diftance fram every crea- ture. Every thing is holy beeaofe it is feparated from common ufes • and that is common .which is not fequeftred ; now the holineffe of God goes bcyond.the holineffe of all other things, for God is io feparated as none may come neere him, the Cherul/tns cover their faces before him ^ and when he was rn the Mount^nonemightapproach neere to him . if they did, they were to be thnift through with a dart : He d^els in light inacceffible-^ and ther- fore the great k//>^^/^ eflence 5 fox as a thing is inmrking^fo it is in being : an infinite effed fuppofeth an tnfime caufe : therefore when his power is infinite ^ that muft needs bee infinite^ in which it is rooted,and from whence it proceeds* Thirdly ^ That which is beyond all that wee can Qnatneffe of Go can conceive is irijinite ; but God is fo, for if any thing could be imagined more perfe*^ tjbankeis that Ihould be G o d and not be : and therefore whatfocvervveecan conceive or him, hee is in Scripture faid to be beyond it ; for 1 1 . His myesarefali^ndhgout ; and clfcwhere it is faid;^ that he dwels in light inacce^ihle Fourthly5Confider it from his works : you fee that he hath made the world fornothingtwhencc Ireafon; If you would beat the aire, it is more cafily heated than water, becaufethepaflivepo- wer is neerer theadive; and if you would heat water, you may more eafily heate it than the earth : Now according to the refiftance, accor- ding to the paflive power,fuch is the adive:if the paffive power lye open, the a£livc power is Icffe, thatworkes upon it : but when the paffive power is infinitely low, then the a^ive power muft bee infinitely high, and anfwerable to it. Therefore when comes to make fomethingof nothing, the a£l:ive power muftbe exceeding highjbccaufe the paffive povrcr is infinitely low : and there- fore requires an infinite active power to make fomething of nothing, and confequently , hee muft bee infinite, in whom this power is feated. If he be (b great a God^ he that is our God, the God, who is oitr Fathefy if hee be thus great and incomprebenfible, learne you to know what you are then : that you have an injinite (j The Injinitenep^ nnd Why men aie r« bofic in worldly' th3Si|s is thewcakcncffeof theraind % wh ch caufcth a man to be ovcr-affedcd with thele thiDgS3 to rc* joyce too much 5n the ooe , and to bee too much afifesfted with the other. Even as, we feCj a weakc eye^as theeyes of Owles and Bacs^cannot indiire a great light- anda weakebraine cannot bcare ftrengdrinke : byta ftrong eye, as the eye of an E5gJe5 can indurc the greateft light : foa ftrong niindc , it will indure great grace and difgrace, with ike lame temper , it will beare all well en- cmgh jrit knowes hoviy to wmty O/jdhowtoahund: whereas others have their eyes dazeled jancl their brainC'S made giddy as it were with the favour or difcountenafice of great men. Hence alfo it is tHfet wee are fo buiie about worldly thmgSjdignityjandriches^&c.ii: is true wee fhould feekeafterthefe things, but why doe wee doe it tanto conatui It was Padsgreatmji'e of minde , that made him ambit torn to f reach the G0JI ,feU: 10 ferve tables , and foch like, were fniall I matters, hee would hot Idoke after them : So if j wee hdiA great mindes^s^^Q fhould feekc for grace, j and how to increafeinit, how to live an ufefuil, ; and painfull and prefitable life.Worldly things I are too little for the minde to beftow rt felfe up- on-, which would bee'fotous, ifwee would fee I Ged in hhgreatmjje^zvi& our intereft in it. Men of j little mindes^ and jmfiUmimui , with the Bram*- ^/V,reckon it a great matter to f eigne eter the trees* whereas the /^/Wand the P/gfW€fleemeditnot fo 5 but chofe rather to ferve God andman with their f0eetneffd andfatnejfe. Hence Greatnep of God. Hence it is that men are fo niuch affedcd with the injuries of men on the one fide, and the favours of men on the other fide : all this arifeth from chelittleneflTe of their minds. Saint Paul^ GorL 5. 13. when the Gdathians had done him great injury ^ yet, feith he, Brethren^ be as I am ^ for lamasfu are: you have done me great injury, butlefteeme it not , you havenot hurt me at all. For, a man inlarged to a holy greatnejje of mmd^ all the in/uries put upon him by men, feemc fmall to him: when men are full of complaints, and fay, they cannot beare fuch diTgrace, and flander , and reproach^ this doth not proceede from the greatnejj e ^ but from the weakenefTe of their minies. Men thinkeit indiCtdi greatnefeoi wW, not to paffe over thcfc things, not to put up an injury :but fuerly it is a note o?^ great minde^ to overlooke them alL So it is true on the other fide, not to regard the praifeof men: The Philofophcr could fay, that the magnani- mous man did not regard the praife of common men,becaufehevvasaboue them; as, is nothee aweake man, that would regard the praife of children, feeing they are not able to judge ? fo hee hath but a weake mind^ that regards the praife of wordly-men • for they are too little for him to regard, if hee did fee GOD in his greatnefe. This made P^j*/ to fay, that hee did not care for mans day, let them fay what they will by mee, better or worfe, I regard it not. (Thereis indeedea meetc regard to be had of them • but if they come into competition li 5 ______ ^vith I3J Why raen arc afFeded wish iniurics Qi men. Wcakcncffe to regard the praife of men. The Infimteneffe^ and fcarcfulnefife VR pxofeffion whence tc sso with GOD thenmuft theybcare no weight at all:) and thus becaufedifgrace and difparage- ! ment, &c.feemed but little lO Faul^ he dcfpifed j themalL. | Safrom this weakenefTe of mindarifexh th^ ] coward line fie which wee fee often in m^nJ' Whence is it that men are fofearefull toholdj out the light of a holy profeflion? is it not from i hence, that they are fu^xUanimom^ that they doe | too n:iuch ettceme the face and fpeeches of men ? | A Lion, becaufe he knowcs hunfelfe to be a t i- ' oHj if the dogs barke, he vvalkes in the ftrcec and regards them not ; he tarneth not his headafide for them : So a magnanimous man^that knowes himfelfe in God s favour, will pafle by the obioquies of men. You fhall fee David did fo ; hee went on in a courfe like a Lion, when 5*/;/-. rmi railed againfl him , fo that the two fonnes of Zerviah would have cut offhis head : No, let him alone, faith heejtheXi^ri then raifed him up j to a pjedtneJJ'e ofmhtde. So was it with Pml^ hee \ fafed thrQiigh eviU report ^ and good report^ and never turned afide for any. So Mofes^ and Jeremy^ Thej jhdU fmite thee mth the tongue of merj^ (ayes GOD, hi^t I dm with thee , and I mil make thee a hYAzmvraU'^ andm irsn jnl/ar. And fo, if we couid fee G O D in his o^reatnefft^ a\\ thefeout- /vvard things wouM feeme nothing to us. As an hundred Torches appeare to bee nothing, when we looke upon the Sunne : fo. if we would confi- der arigbtof the greatncjje of G o t>,- aH the faire fpeeches of men would beas notlilog,. Now tbe Gre4meJ[e c/God. way to get this magnammhie^ is to beleeve this greatnej^e of G9iy and to confidcr that ?ree are the fons of (/(^^jandfc^/wofheaven; thecaufeof this pujWammity is the want of faith • If vree did beleeve that we were the fins of God-^ and did be- leeve that 6od wovild bee with us, that he was fo great 4 God^ and that he did ftand by, and fecond us, we would not be fo fearefull as we are.There- fore ftrengthen your faith , that you may have your minaes inlarged , that fo you may walke without inapedimentSj and be perfedi with him. This was the argument ufed to Mrahdm^ that made him ferfeS with G$d in all his wayes ; that Ged was All-fuf^ ficienp J and hU gnat reward. U4r THE 1^ THE S IX T E EN TH SERMON. ExoDVs 5. 1J3 14. 1 5 Jnd Mefes [aid unto Q o T>i^ehold;(i>hen I come mto the Children ofJJraeh and ppall mto them ; Q o d ofyour Fathers hath Jmmee mtojyoH, and they (hall [aj mto me , What is his Name ? Hi^hat Jhall I fay unto them ? 14 And God /aid unto Mofes^I Am That F you aske the queftion , How a man fhall come to this grtunefeof i How mlnd4, what rife, it hath from the j a man greAtneffe9f(Todi lanfwer: Firft, it arifeth thus from it. When a man confidcrs that G © i> is fo excee- ding of mino, and what rife it tjathfrom i cdi grearncs. ij8 The {ight of Gsds grcatncs makes a man diifpife alio- .-ther things. The Infimtmefe^ acid 1 He as able to defend us a- gainftall op- scions. dinggreatyanA that he hath intereft inhimjthis wil make him to defpife all other thiqgSjas fmall things in comparifon of him.Indeedjthe^ugh God were great^ yet if wc had no intcreft in him, then there was nocaufc why weefhould take to our fclves this mAgtiAnimhic nfK^n any fuch ground : but feeing that he is (ogreAty asd that this great- nefle fhall be improved to our advantage , what addition can any thing elfe make unto us ? You fhall fee that P^ul raifed vp his heart upon this ground rPW/. 3.8 • confidering the privilcdges that he had in Chrift^this makes him to account other things as nothing.Hence in lam. i . 10, Let him that is of ^ high degree^ rejoice in that he is made lew : that is , let him rejoyce that he h inabled to looke upon his riches which he did fohigh- \ ly magnifie before , to thinke them as nothing, but as fading flowers 5 let him rejoyce in it, j becau/e now hee is made a greater man, bccaufe I hee is made too bigge for them^they are no fuch \ thiflgs 5 as before hee thought them to bee : not that they are made lefle, but becaufe hee is exal- ted and lifted above them. Secondly, fo likewife there is a rife for it in this regard, becaufe God is able to defend us,and prorc Thus Mofes^ Heb. ij. regarded not Greatnejje of God. ficjtthewracfiof a King, becaufejhedid fee tbiic GOD that was invifible: tkat is^ when he jconfidered (^ed inhisgreatnefle, the King and I his wrath we?e nothing to him. So that the way to get this magnanimity /is^ to belee\^that GOD is our GOD: and according to the great- r^ejs'eof amansfaithy fuch mil lee thu greatnejje and magnanimity of minde that wee commend to you. Sad, when he was a King, had a new heart, and another fpirit J becaufc when he beleeved Hi earncft that hee was a King , he looked upon things after another manner^ hee had other thoughts and other affieiiions than hee had be- fore .- and fo would any man elfe, if hee were ad- vanced from ameaneeftate to a kingdome. In 1 ike manner if wee did beleeve that wee were the j(ms the great God of heaven and earth, we would have great mindes- therefore the ftronger our faith is ^th^ greater our minde is. Oftely this is to bee added - tnatthis thy faith muft not be in the ha- bit onely, but it muft bee cxerciied and renewed continually: there muft not be onely jctV^, but ^f(T9^^tht a/iuall ufeofit. And were that which GO 2>'fayd to Abraham). I am thy exceeding great remrd ^ ) truly belce\'ed of any of that G o D is Co great ^ and thathis^^rf^r;:?^/eis our exceeding great' fcrrardy then all other re- wards VYOuld feeme but fmall thinges.^ You fhall fee what I^avid did upon this ground, in Pfal, ay.-T. The Lord is my light andmy faJraffm^ trhom wall I feare ^ the Lord is the flrcngth'if my iife^ ofnhom^jJoall I ke^afrmdl Se%hcrc ^:fc two 140 The InfinitemJIei and Learnctofear him for hi & things: Firftjheeonfiders that G o d is his j Hee is my falvation^ Secondly, he confiders ihQ great- ;^^r/f5andftrengthand power of GodySLud frora thence he dravves this conclufioni whom fhall I feare ^ For in thee doe I trtift* that is, in this po- wct^&ndgreamejje of God^ and the intereft that I have in him PfaL ^6. i, 2, 3. G&d is Oitr refuge and firengthy a veryprefent helpe inmMe: There- fore tpill v^eemt feare though the earth bee removed^ ^ and though the momtaines be carried into the midji l §f the fea : though the waters there of roare and bee] troubled J and though the mountaines jhake with the\ fuelling thereof: that is, when G o d is feene in j his greatnejje^ when wee looke upon him, and j beleeve him to be fuch a God^ and that wee have intereft in him, in tht greatejt trouble and confu- j fion that can befall us : though the earth be fhake^i and the mountaines cajl into the midft of the Sea^ yet the minde wilinot be fhaken, but ftill re- maines the fame. They beare out all, becaufe they have a great to beare themfelves upon, who wil proted and defend them upon all occa- fions. If G o D be £0 great and infinite^ (as he is)hence we ftiould learne to feare him, and to tremble at his mrd. h great and potent enemy , men will feare : Wherefore this is one ufe that we are to , make of xhtgreatneffe of God in that his wrath is j exceeding great , and fo is his goodncflej and botharetobc feared. Wee ought to feare his wrath, left it come upon us, and his goodnefle left wee lofe ir : for hce is 2l great God^ and his wrath 1 Grutnejje of Go v. 4 , wrath is able to cru Cn in peeccs , and tocsnfiiine J us/uch hccxprefTed it to be, when heput foorth ' but fomcpartofhis ilrength, as when he confuu med them with their Cenfers, even tlie company ' of Coraby Dsthan^and ^l^iram, jvho c/ind'reU trith' eter/afiwg burnings I as if he fhould fay; hec is a great God, who can come neere him ? who can ! convcrfc with him ? how fhallmen dealewith him? Some of them there made an evil! u fe of it. but we muft Icarne to make ufe of it for our o,vn advantage ; to take heed how wee provoke him ; for it is a fmall thing to have the great God of heaven and earth our enemy ? Let them con- fider thisjthat live without God in the worId,that j fin, and will finne', they are tould of their parti- I cular faults, of their idleneffe^ &g. and they are I fo and will be fo ft ill: but let them confider thac which is fpoken in i Cer. i o. 2 2 • Doetvee prcvoke the Lord ti jtaUujie ? Are tre ftrenger than he ^ He fpeakes it to them that receive the Sacrament unworthily : As if he fhould fay . Both in this, and in all other fins that you doe commit,you do as it were, contend vrith the ^r^^^ God^-yNhichis avaincthing, if you confiderhis^re4^;i(//>: for i^e joH fhonger than he I So P[aU 90. ^ho horns the fencer of his wr^th^ And fo fnould wee doe in regard of his geei- nefe^ Bof, 3 . uh.Men fhaSfearehugocdnesiihat is^if j To fcarc his his goodnefle be {ogreat andtnjinite^ as himfclfc, I then the loiTe of it, isa lofle abovethc loflcof all things intheworld. Whatfoever is pi-ccious to us, that wee feare the lofleof, as of our liber- i ties I The Infinitemffe^ and Thatnoaffe- 6ion or obe- dience m us is great enough tor him, an^ therefore not to hn it our felucs in ei- ther. ties and lives j and all other things as they arc iBore precious tons, (o the more .wee fcare the loflcot ihem.Now the goodncffe of grea- ter than all other ihings,ic is beyond all theie, as having all thcfe in it : therefore wee are tofeare the lolTe of it as the^re^^^^evill in the worlds Furthermore if we could fee theextenfioa of his wrath and good nefTc, the ioffcof the one, would be thzgreateji lo0e,and the having the other,thc great eft crolfe to us ^ the enjoying of the one the greatefi good, and the enduring of the other the greatefi evill in the world in our efteem*Thecon- fidcration of this fliould helpeustoguideour hopes and feares aright ; for agreat caufe of mif^ leading us in our wayes, are the vaine hopes and feares that we arc fubjedi to : we fcare the loile of friendsjand loffc of lives and liberties • but thcfc in comparifonarenot to bee feared. This ufc Chrift makes of it 5 Feare not thfe that can kill the boi'j^ but feare the great G^d^ that can deftroy both bedj andfitikJThcgreatnes of his wrath we fhould fearc as che^r^^i^^jf evil- and his goodneffeas the chiefeft good : and our thoughts and intentions being taken up about thefe two^ it would fet our hopes and feare aright • and worldly things, as credif,and profit,&c.wou M fecme nothing to us, and pievaile nothing with us. If Godht fo exceeding great ^ then there is no lovcenough^ no affedion, no defire anfwerable to him. If our love were pcrfed^yct it could not reach to him, vMhokgreAtneJfe^oih farre exceed it ; but being ixTiperfeiljas it is^it fals exceeding {hoxt Gremejfc of God. fhorcof him.Thereforc let no man doubt thacfae ' can goc too farre, that there can bee too much holineflc and ftridnede in his wayes • but let him remember the great God of heaven and earthy and what is due to him , and then thinke how ; farre thou falleft fnort of chat: which thou fnoul- deft doe tohim. It is an expresfion of ChriflyLuk, ] 2 6, Mat. lo.zy.^e that loveth father or mother more than mte^ is not worthy of mee. That which I , ?youId have obferved out of theft: places is, He isnotworthj $fmee: thatiSjifmenconfideredmy Greatnejfe^ and excellency, they would cafily fee mc worthy of more love, than this of friends, or than any that are dcareft to thee | and except you can doe fo , except you can prize my love above thcfe things , yea even hare them all , if they come into competition with mee, you arc rM northy of mee. Confider therefore, how much love he is worthy of, and fee if there bee not I reafbn for that commandement, where wee are ! commanded to love the Lordmth ali our flrengthi [that is, if you would love God with tbarlove I that hee is worthy of, you would love God mth \ aS your firength t that is, whatfoever ftrengch a^ j man hath , his love fhould caufe him to pt?t ir ; forth to do fervicc to I f a man be rich^hee is : able to doc more for God than a poore man . if I he be a MagiftratCj hee can doe more than a pri- | vate man ; if hee haih learning and knowledge, | hee hath much more ftrength than another mow 1 the improvement of thefe to the glory of GOD^ I that is. to love him mth ali thy firength. And if j 144 The Infinitenep^ and The love of o- ihcr ibings lubordtnate \io iheloveof 1 Iq]u 1. 1 5. you conflder how great a God hee is, you will fee great rcafon why you fhould love him thus vcith all your fir e>igth. Therefore we fhould checke our felves when we fee thedulnefTe of our harts>hoAr ready and how apt we arc to beftow our love up- on any befides him ^ we fhould obferve all thofc rivolets,whcrein our love goes out, and whereby our foules runne to other things, and bring them backe againe into the right channell : For if you conflder the greatnej^e of God^yonwiil fee, that there is no love to fpare. But may wee not love him, and love other things alfo? You cannot with a [co-ordinate^ but with a fiti- ordinate love you may : that is, you cannot love him and the world,for they arc oppofed. i 2 . 15. Love not the mrld^ neither the things of the trorld^ if any man hve the narldy the love of the Fa- ther is net in him. So fam. 4 ,4. Knorvye mty that the Ifriendjhif of the mrld is enmity trith God^ rvhofoe- ver therefore mil bee a friend of the mrld^ is an ene- my to God. All our love muft be beftowed upon hiai^as moft worthy of it : there is not one parti- cle to be beftowed upon aay other thing. But then he gives us our love again5and then we may difpofe of it here and there according tohis vYill. As for example5h€ hath commanded thee to love father, and mother, and friends : and the ground that thou art to do it upon is,becaufe he hath^ommanded thee, and gives thee leave to doc it : Only he hath put naturallatFedioninta thee^that thou maift doe it more readily. So Gremeffe of Q or>. So he hath given thee leave to love recreati- ons and other things that are futable to our de> fires3 but you muft remember, that the end is, that you may bee made more ferviceable to him, to quicken and ftrengthenyou to doe his fervice, and thus it may be beftowed upon other things. But that which we have inhand^ and corn- mend to your coafideration is this I that if bee be fo exceeding ^re^^ in goodneflcj then hee de- ferves thy whole love, i €or, 16, 22 « If any man l&ve mt the Lord lefus Chrift;^ let him bee Ana- thema Maranatha, Paul com with indignati- on, con fideringthe^r^^^ good that lefus Chrifi had done for them- if any man love not him, hee is worthy to perifh, let him be accurfed even to death, I fay, if wee confider the greatpieffe that is in him, you {hall fee fome reafon for that in- dignationof the Apoftle, and that curfc where- by he exprefleth it 5 and fo farre as we fall rtiort of our love herein, we fliould goe to Chrili^ and befcecti him to make it up, that fo our defcifts may be llipplycd, and that wee may be accepted in him. Againe, if hee be fo great, then wee fliould learne to reverence him, to come before him with much feare, when wee performe any duty tohim. According as a man is gnat, fo wee feare him. This ufe is made of it in MaU i . 14. \ Cur fed be the deceiver^ that hath inhisfiocke a male, >^nd vmeth and facrificeth to the L&rd a corrupt I ^^^^S, ' fi^ I am a great ^ing, faith the Lsrd of Kk Hofts. 4S I Cer, I&, ti, To reverence him' when wee cerae before him% The InfinHemffs of his Pre fence; hofts 5 And mme is dreadful! am$ng all Natians : that is the reafoDjthat the Lord time ufeth to ftir them up,/ am a great King,So that the confidera- tion of hisgreatmfe fliould caufe us to feare be- fore him. When he appeared to lacoh^ when he fled from his fathers houfe to his uncle Laban^ Gen, 2 8a 7, lacob (aith of the place wherein God appeared to him, Surely this place is exceedingfearefdl : and the reafon was becaufe G$d appeared there, becaufe hee was prefent there ^ for his prefenpe itroke him with fuch an awefuU reverence,that he faid, the place was exceedingfeareftdl. So wee fliould thmkeofhisdreadfull prefence when wee come before him : Ecclef. '^,2, Be not rafh with thy mouthy and let not thine heart he hajiy to utter any thkg be- fore God^ for God is in heaven^ and thou m earthy therfire let thymrdsiefe^ * that is^he is exceeding greaty and hee is in heavm^ therefore karne to ' feare him^ when you draw nigh unto him. Now that which may helpe us in this, is to oonfider how glorious his apparitions were, when he ap- pealed to Mofesy to the Prophets, as Eliah and j Ezekiel: and youmufl remember, that though } you fee not fuch apparitions, yet confider that i you have the fame God to deale withall; and though he doth not manifeft himfclffo now,Yer he is as great now as then*and therefore feare be- ! fore him. And this is to fanBifie God in our hearts-^ vrhen we conceive of him as he is,and according- ly fearej when we come before hiaiv And thus much in generall of this Attributef^ Now ; Or^ Hu Immenfitiei THE SEVENTH AT. TRIBVTE OF GOD, The lnfh:h n:^ of his prefenci, Os , His Immenfity. Or the firft. The lf^§mtene(!e of his ftefenceh aaother Attribute which he takes to Limfelfc in Scripture ; As ler^ 23, 24, Can any man hide himfelfe in fecret flam^ that I jha/l not fee him^ faith the Lord I Dee not I fill heaven and and earthy faith the Lord I Thatis, heeisprefent every where, in all the patts of heaven and earth, even as water when it fills every channel], and as the light when it fhines throughout the whole world So^ Boe not ifJl heaven and earth, Kk 2 faith U7 N^w this greatneffe of G^d is feenc in foure particulars : Firft, In the In^nitenajfeofhis Prefence, Secondly. In the Infinitenefe of his Fomr^ YihlchhhisOmnifotence. Thirdly, In the ^njinitenej^eofhismfedme. Fourthly, In the Mfolutene/e of his mll^ that it is without all bounds and limits. The fcvcnth Attribute ©f the lr,finUm^e efhisprefmi^ Othklwrnenfi- tit. !4S God without she world as well as in it. (Q^ of an in* flake eifenccs j'hsrforeofaa The hfinitenejle of hu Brejencei \ faith the. Lord! So Eph, ^. .6. One Gcd and Father of all^ who is ahve aU^ and through aU^ mdin ^maU^, ^^^(^ fills all in alL. Only this qucftion may be a skcd^ whether hec be without the world,as wel as he is in the world i Becaufe fame have difputed it> therefore I will aafweritioa word« The Scripture is cleare in itj that fie is with- out the world • there are no limits of his cflence^ that wee can fet downe ^ hce is not contained^ within the compalTc of heaven and earth, as you fliall fee in ^ Chron, 2. 6.^vi>t rchois Me to hmld,^ him an hou[e\ feeing the heaven of heavens cannot antaim him ^ But this is but a curious queftion- therefore I will leave it^ and'will come to fTiew the x^^Rms oihi%f mmifrefence^ why heeis im- menfe^ why hee is every where^^^s I have done in the reil-. This property or Attribute oiimmenftjmvG: needs be given to God; becaufe his effence is which hath beene before proved. Now as \ the argument holds goad, that according to the | fubftance of every-thing^ fuch muft the quanta ty be in things that have quantity- as^if the body | begrear^accordingly muftthe quantity be^ So \ iiGedbtznin^mtet&nct^ (as he is) there is as I good reafon that hee fhouldh^vean infinite ^it- j fenceaccompanyingit^as that a great body hath a quantity anfvverable to it So then feeing he is of an t;?^/^//^ being, therefore alfo of an infimte prefence. 2 Againe,you lee by experienccjand cannot de- 1 nyj Or, Hu Immenfiiie* 149 ny it, that his power is everywhere, he guides all things, hee puts forth his power every where. N0W5 feeing in G^d there is no faculty ^ as is in man - butwhatfoever is in him, is hirafelfe . it cannot be, but that he himfclfe muft be in every E lace where -he doth any thing. The fire may cat afarre off, and the Sunne can give light to the whole World, though it abides in the hrma- ment^becaufe it hath an inherent quality of heat, and light : But Almighty G o d is moft fimple, iheie is nocompofition in him , no qualitie , no executive powcr,but hee is himfelfe,what hee is- and therefore what hee doth, is done by himfclfe immediately, immediatione fupfofitiy^s the School- men exprefle it. Laftly, I adde, that God muft be every where prefent ; not onely within the World, but as Sa- kmon expxt&ih it, The Heaven ef Heavens canm c0ntainehim : that is, he is without the World as well as within it • becauft we cannot deny, but that he is abletomakcother Worlds as well as this : and then, if hee fhould not be without this World , hee fhould move himfelfe, and change his place ; or there fhould be a World where hee is not prefent : but hee is not capable of any change, of any motion or alteration of place. Onely one caution muft be taken in •- You fee that the Light is in many places throughout the World, but the prefence of G o d is not like to that prefence , or the prefence of any creature^ becaufe hee is totally prefent : the creatures are Kk 3 not Becaufe his power is every where* Becaufe he is able CO make other Worlds. A Caution concerning Gods omni. prefence^ ISO The In/imtemfe of hu Prefencci ^.govemes woria ina- fKcdiatcly i which is a re medy againft she complaint of evil Gover aiours* not fo 3 but according to the parts of them, one pa there, another there 5 but Cj^?^^ being without all partSj wherefoever hee is, bee muft be totally there. Hence it is, that you muft not conceive God is commenfurated by the place^as if he were partly herCjand partly in another place, for hee is e\ery where all prefent. The. Heavens you fee have a large place, but they have one part here, another there • it is not fo with God^ for he is to- tally prefent,wherefoever he is prefent. Firft, If GodhQ everywhere prefent, fo that he doth not doe stny thing bya mediate vertue or power, but immediately by the prefence of his eflencevbencewe gather, firft, that he governes the World immediately : For though there be men ufed therein^yet he is himfelfe prefent with thofe raeanes. Other Kings muft needs governe by Deputies and Vice- royes, and inferiour Ma- giftrates of lufticCjbecaufe they themfelves can not beevery where • whence it comts to pafle, ] that Kings may be goodjand yet the people may be oppreffid by their wicked inftruments. But Vv ith the Lord it is not fo ^ for hee guides Immt^ diately, and being every where prefenr, hee nec- deth no Deputies^ neither is he capable of infor- mation, as Kings are , but fees all with his owne eyes J and heares all with his owne eares. And againejhe ufeth no Deputies ; for the ufe of De- pvuies argues a defe£),as the ufing of Speflacles or Crutches doth ; if the eyes or legges were well^and found enough , a man would not ufe them: fo a man would not vvnteLetters^ orufe otherl Or 3 His Immenjitie. other meanes todae his bufinefTe, if there were no defed in him^or he were large enough to doe his bufineffe immediately : But x^hnightie (^od I is every where prefent , and in his governing all things are done by his owne Almightie- power. Good Governors may have wicked inftruments, contrary to their mindes^, which they know not of, as Eli and Samuel had • but in Gods Govern- ment it is not fo : therefore learne from hence, not to complaine of the iniquitie of the times, or the injuftice of men. It is true, that a kinde Mother may ignorantly put her Childe to a wic- ked Nurfe, that will abufe it ; but God never putsany of his Ghildren to Nurfe, but he is pre- ftnt with them, his Government is immediate; Therefore that which is faid of David^ho. is a mm after Gods ome hearty may be faid of every King and Govcrnour f they doe what God would have them to doe, (though it be for evill, as Da- vids was for good ) they are men after Gods owne heart : fb wc fee it was in the killing of I e s r s Christ, even that it is faid to be done by the determinate Comfell of God. And therefore let no man complaine of his Government ; for G o d governes not by Deputies, but by himfelfc; neither let any man fay , that he hath an cvill Mafter, or Governour • but let him acknow- ledge, that whatfoevcr he hath from man, it is the worke of the Almightic G o r>, who is every where prefent : it is hee that difpofeth of men, and puts them into fuch a condition • for hee is the King of Heaven and Earth. Therefore com- Kk 4 plaine The hfinitenejfe ofhu Pr^/dftce* Therefore to chufe liiniaand wjoyce in hira as a friend in all places. plaine to hims andbe patient, becaufe hcehath done it • doenotcomplaine of men^ aod fret a- gainft thern/eeing the Lord is never abfent in his KingdomCs but is prefent to guide and difpofe the DLieanes according to his owne pleafure. Secondly 5 If God be every where prefent in his owne effeece and perfon^we fliould the rather chufe him to be our (je.§?. 15^ Ffi4. It teaches lis pacience^and meekcneffe^ when injuries are offered* The hfimteneffe ofhu Prefme i cafilybebeleevedj if wee would thinke thathcc is prefent every where. There is no man that fpeakes for usjor againft us, that doth us either hart or good, but G o d is prefent with him, and ftirres him up to it, whatfoever it be. i Xhrort. y 2 6. it is faid,^;?^ the God eflfrael Jlirred up the f^irit of Ful^ King ef ^£yria^ that is, he him- felfewas prefent with his fpir it ^ hee flinedhim up: (for the thoughts of men have their ri- fing up, from their fpirit ftirring them to good or cvill.) So alfo for their fpeeches . when Shimei curfed David^ David faith, that it was the Lord that bade him. So then the L^d is pre- fent with the creatures; it is he that ads in them, and fets them on worke, to doe us any good. And this is the next ufe that wee are to make of it. Fourthly, If Go© be prefent every where, it (hould teach us patience, and mcekeneire,and quietneffc of minde in all injuries and hard mea- fure which wee futfer from men. This ufe you fhall (ee made of it,^^//,4.5. Let your moderatien be knowne unto all men^ The Lord is at hand. lam, 5 8, 9 . Be ye alfo patient^ ft ablifh jour hearts j for the commingef the Lord dramthnigh^ the Judge ftands at the doore. Therefore, when any injurie is done you, when you are opprefled by men that have power over you,y et be quiet • for God fees it^and knowes it, and hee takes care for you, A man will be readie to fay ; Shall I take this ? fhall I be trampled under foot ? as I fhall be, if I re- fift them not i Saith the Apoftle • Tou need mt Or. His Immenfttie. t&feareyfrrthe Loriufrefenp-^^V^&tufc to fay^ if die Magiftrate be not prefentj we may offend a» notherjiQ defend our felves I but if the Magi- flratc b^ prefentjthefeis no exciife t fo here the fudge fiands at the dme, ServantSjif their Matters be abfentj will defend tbemfelves again ft their fellow- fetvants I but ifthe Mafterbetherej and lookeon^ theywill let them aloiaej becaufehee hath power to puniHijafid kaowes better how to revenge ther wrongs % So is it in this cafe ^ whea we confider that Ogd is prefent, and that bee fees what we fuflPer^ weeffiould be quietjand patient^ and not only be patient within, but lep our pattern mindes bee knome unto dU men « that is^ carry our felves fo^ that men may fee it^ a&d take notice of it„ And if you fay^ that nothing is done^ bat hee abufeth mee more and more i I aflfwer, Confider^it is not becaufe theLcr<5l is weake, and cannot helpeus 5 orbecaufe he is negligent^and will not doe it 5 no^ hee isprefentand fcesitalJ the while % but you muft coniider, that the due time is not come, therefore you muft be quier^ and not tumultuous in your thoughts, and re- vengeful! in your fpirits, becaufe theXc>r(i looks on, and will avenge you in due time. There- fore this is the thing added in P/?/7. 4, in nothing hee carefull : Becaufe when a man fuffers any thing fiom another man, then heewill be ready to bee follicitous, how to defend him felfe, and what hee fhall doe hereafter , faith the Apoftle^ Bejou in nothing carefuU^ . for the Lord is at »57 Why God doth lioiaverge his #1 hfinitrnffi ofkuPnfmi 5 hmd : that is^ he dotii not ftand by g bare fp aator^ and looker ©n^wiiosneaiies to do nothing on either fide, but fee the injuries done and M- fered, but he lookes on^ as one that takes care fot you. Theyefm kejm inmthmgcarefull: lup in ever^ thing bjfrAjer^ md fufflicatim^ with thmkefgiving^ k$j&m gmjtshmsiekmmi THE THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON. ExoDVs 5. 133 14' 1 3 Jnd Mofes faid mta G o d j fBehold:, when 1 come unto the Children of I/rael^ and [hall mto them ; The G o d ofyoi$r Fathers hath fmtmeemto^ouy and they (hall mto me , What is hu Name ? -s^hat /hall 1 fay mto them I 14 And Gonfaidmto Mofes^l Am That Gaine, if 6'^^^ bee prefent with us, thisfhould ftirrens up to walfce w ith h im, to be prefent with him . Shall he be prefent with ns^where foever we are ; when wee goc by the way^or lye in our beds, or fit in our houfes ? and fhall not we take notice of his prefence, and 159 To wallsc with j6q I The Infiniteneffe o/hu f refme ^ To walke with Ged^ whac. A mans pre- fence is feene in 3. things. 1 ^nd fo is (f with and otirs with him. How we are prefent with God. I By feeing him. dire/i our thoughts to him^ and apply our fetes to him?It is an exceeding great diftionor to him; for you know a great man^ when he is with you^ if you negled him,and apply your felves to infe^ riour mcn^ he will take it as a great wrong done unto hinij to let him fit aionCj and not to regard him : So how can the X^^r^chufebutbeangry^ when he is with us^and we will not take notice of him? Let them confider this^that fuffer dayes to pafle without any calling upon the Lerd^ that ne-- ver think ofhim^nor confider that he beholds all that they doe % Yon knowj it was the onely com- mendation of Enochs that he mlhdwith Cod. But yoif will fayj What is this to walke with th^ Lord I Itis to fee him prefent with usj and to make our felves prefen t with him : and what that is, we will eafily find outj when wee confider what it is to be prefent with any one. The prefence of any man is feene in three things? Firft, A man that fees and heares all things that we doe, he is faid to be prefent. Secondly^ he that fpeakes to US3 hee isprefent with us. Thirdly, hee thata£is or doth fomething a- bout us or tovTards os, heeis prefent. Inthis i manner is God prcfcot with us : and fb wee \ {houldbewithhim. I Firft, wee muft be prefent vrith him^ that is, wemuftfeehim, ashefeesus, Heethaclookes upon the Lord^ as beholding himj as knowing all Or 3 His Immen^tie. all that hec doth, hee that obfcrves all thepaf- &gcs ®f his providence toward him^ and about him, hee makes himfelfe prefent with the Lord. Secondly, hee that fpeakes to the Lord^ and maketh knovvne his fccrcts to him , and opens to him all his defires, and all his griefes upon all occ^fions, hee makes himfelfe prefent y/ith him. Thirdly, hee that pleafeth (^<^d in ail his afH- onSjand dothwhat is acceptable to him^that doth what hee hath commanded, and abftaines from what he hath forbidden, he which behaves him- felfe after this manner makes himfelfe prefent with the Lord. This lafl: you may more plairely perceivejif you compare that in Genefis^ of Emchs walking vfith Cj^^^with that in Heb . 1 1 . 5 . To make our anions agreeable to the rule of his will, this is to walke with the Lord : for Enoch is feid to walke with God^ in Genefts • and in the Hebr^ej hee is faid tofleafe theLerd. Now as we muft be thus prefent with the Lord-^ fo fecondly, we muft make him prefent with us. And that firft, wee muft looke upon him, asonewhoobferveth all that wee doe. When a man hath this full perfwafion in his heart, not onely habitually, but adually, that the L&rd lookes upon him in all that he fpeakes, and doth, heemakes the X^r<^ prefent with him ; Then fe- condly, wee muft obferve the Lord fpca- king to us, which a man doth by meditating on his Word. But this isliot en<»ugh ; for you L I muft i5l By fpcakingto 5 By ioing that- thin pieai'e ih Cent with us. I By looking on him feeing all wc doe. Obftrvc him Ipeatingtouf l6t The hfimtenejfe of his Prefence; fl©w«heLor4 fpeakes lom Toconllder what he doth so OS. . muft obfcrve what the Lord faith to yovt upon every occafion^ and in every paifage of his pro* videnee alfo : For although the 'I^^r^ doth not fpeake to us now as he did to the Ptophets | yet he doth after a manner fpeake to us.He fpeaks to our confcicnccs | that is the immediate deputy by which he fpeakes toevery man t And alfo hae fpeakes to us by the fuggcftions of the Spirit, and the good motions of it : likewife he fpeaks to us by the good counfell of our friends^ of the MinifterSj and others • laftly be fpeakes to us by the pafTages of his providence, ( for a man may make knowne his will by his adions, as well as by his word.) I fay, to'oblerve what the Lord faith to us in all thefe, is a great part of our wal- king with him.. Laftlyj we muft confider what he doth, and what the mercies are, which hee (liewes to us 5 what corre^ions^ what judgements, what tur^ nings of his providence, what he doth to thoft that are neere about us ^ for God VTOuld have us to take fpcciall notice of it, a$ wee may fee Daft^ 5.22.) So alfo obfcrve what is brought to your knowledge • for as the Word of God^ fo alfo his workes ought to be fought out by them that be- long to him. After this manner wee ftiould walke with the Lord from day to day. And it is one maine thing rcquiredjwhereof you are put in mind^when you heare that hie is every where prefent, you fhould alfobe prefent tvith him upon all occafionSjand I obferve his dealing towards you, and your carriage Or^ His Immenfitie. carriage to him. Everyman walkes with fome- thing continually • now looke what a mans mind is bufied about moft. that he walkes with. And indeed, towalkewithany thing, is to give it the honour that is due onely to God, When a man is bufie about what men thinke of him* about his riches and eftatc , how they ebbe and flow, about his credit with men. thefe arc the things that a man walkes with« Belo- ved, you are not to goeaftep with any thing, except hee fend you on fuch an errand, as a Matter doth his fcrvant ^ but youaretowaike with hmi from day to day. We fee it is poffible that a man may bee in company, and his mind bee in another place , bufied about other things • and where his minde is , there hee walkes So a man may bee in the world, and yet his minde and cenverfatim in Heaxm • as Enoch 6xdi the things of this life, and yet hee is faid to mike mth God: if thou doeft fo, this is a figne that thou loveft Go©, and delighteft in him 5 for to walke with a thing, it is the .beft argument that thou loveft it. Let a man profefle never fo much love to a friend, if hee will not walke with him, it is but in flhew, and not in truth. If thou wouldcft fhew thy love to God, why doeft thou not walke with him ? If there bee a friend that thou loveft, doeft thou not defire to bee with him ? And when thou art in company with many others to fingle out him,is it not a figne alfo of delight in him? As when many are togetherj allgoeto L 1 2 the 16^ To walke with GodaHgaeof Ciiu 17.2. The Infimtenelje of hu Prefence i Gods prefence makes a man at home, and ar liberty eve- v/bere. the chiefe man • fo thou muft walke with G o d e You know what god faith to Abraham ^ Ge^ n^jis^ ij.i.I am 6od AlLju^cient • n^alke tvith mee^ md bee thou fcrfeB. Marke here the connexion, as if hee fhould fay, Abraham^ when I defire this, thou fhouldeft withdraw thy felfe from all o- ther creatures, and things, towalkewithmee - know that there is a great reafon for it, £ovIam Ali-fu^cient y thou needeft no other. If thou hadft a friend all-fu^cient^ haft thou not reafon to walkc with him? §ut as we fhewed you before^ gU is in flead of ten thoufand friends. A man needs many friend, a friends at Court, a friend at home, a friend abroad, to bee there where bee bimfeife cannot bee ^ but wfaerefoever thou go- eft, the /.ori is with thee - if into baniiliment, baniiliment is nothing you will fay, if I might have all my companions with mee 5 now re- member, that G&^l is with thee : if thou goeft in- to imprffonment, hee is there. Every man will confcfTc, that no friend in the world can doe fo, j but yet thel'Or^doth. When went to Pa- j dan Aram^ C/^^^rfpromifed him, that he would goe with him • fo /^/^'^'^, when hee went into prifbn, God went With him • and with when hee was inbonds:fowhen ^^r^fc^^^^wasbanifhed in- 1 to a ftrange Countryjthc Z,£>r and is tbcT^eany thing' then that thou fhouldeft choofe towalke with more than with him ? Every man^ the more faith ^ Or 3 tiu Immenlitie. I6j faith, and the more wifedome be hath, the mor^ able he is to vvalke wkh Gody and with hitBfelfe : on the other iide the more iinbeleeving, and weake, and unconftant, the more unable hce is to be alone. And the ground of it is ; By faith a man rvalkes mth God^ and by refleBion he mikes with himfelfe. There are two companions which a man needes never to be deftitute of, G o d and himfelfe. Firft, a man walkes with God^when by faith he fees him prefent, andfpeaking to him^ and hee fpeakes again to the Lord: theifore the ftronger a mans faitl] is, the more he doth it. Againe, a man walks with himfelfe by reflexi- on on his owne actions, and heart, andwayes- a bead cannot walke with it felfe5b caufe it can- not reeoyle and turnc in uponit felfe^neiiher can children or foo!es,or weakcand unconftant men, therefore it is that fuch cannot endure to be with- out company,it is a hell to them to be alone; for the leflc a mans w ifedome is, the more he com- plaines of want of company . Firft therefore, feeing is every where pre- fent, labour to ftrengthcn thy faith in that his prefence, that fothou mayeftftillbe withhim, and walke with him. And then fecondly, labour to fpeaketothy felfc, to reprove and admonifli thy felfe, to confider thine owne wayes and adioos, to cheareand comfort thy felfe • for thefc are all the aftions of one that makes himfelfe his com- panion; and hee that doth thefe things, fball LI 4 never Two compa^ Ged Vfe 6. He 0br§rvcth all the fi lines thou cG>mmit- teftand all the good thou do- eft, for incou- ragefnencand reftrainci The Infinitenejfe of hu Pnfnce; never complaine of want of company^ and foli- tarinefle. Sixthly , If G o D be every where pi*efent , then hee obferveth all the finnes that thou com- mitreft, and obferveth all the good that thou doeft. Therefore thou mayeft make this ufe of it • that the prefence of the Lord fhould be a rc- ftraint to keepe thee from finning on the one Ijand, and it fhould encourage thee on the other hand to abound in every good worke* A man fhould fay thus vvith himfelfe; I dare not doe thisbecaufe God is prefent, hee ftands by and lookes on. It was lofiphs Teaton to hisMiftrefle, though wee be alone, yet God is prefent^ and beholds it , and how can I doe this great mckedneffe^ and finne again ft God. As if he fhould fay^though wee fee him not, yet he is prefent^and fees it^and knowes it. Neither (houldeft thou onelyfayj^I dare not doe it, but I dare not fo much as thinkc it; for hee beholds the thoughts. You fliall fee an excellent place for this, if you compare lob 31. Verfe i. and 4« together , it is one continued fpecch • I have made a covenant with mine eyes ; nhy then fhould / thinke upon a maid? jy&th not hee fee n^y myes^ and count all my fleps i As if hee iliould fay • I durft not fo much as give liberty to my thoughts , becaufc hee be- held all my waycs. It is a queftion which thofe that feare G o d, are often wonttoaske • How fhall I doe to bee rid of fuch and fuch thoughts, that haunt mee continually ? I would very faine bee rid of them. This is an excellent Or^ Hu Immenfitie* vvay^ to confiderthat Go d himfelfeftandsby and knowes all thy thoughts, and takes notice of them. As put this cafe ; Suppofe a wife and godly ncian fhould ftand by^ and take notice of all tliy bafe thoughts, that pafle through thy heart ; wouldeft not thou bee afhamed of thy felfe ? If thy body were made a glafle, and men fhould fee all thy thoughts through itjwouldeft thou not bee afhamed of them^ and careful! in themj as we are of our anions now before men ? Now confiderthat the wife and holy G o d be- holds theoij confider that he fees every thought^ (the Icafl: whereof is no light matter,) and fure« | ly it will bee a meanes to reflraine thee? Nay confider 5 that the Lord doth not onely be- hold them, but hee ponders all thy a^iions, to give thee the fruit of them I fo that God doth not ftand by as a mecrc looker on, but hee rakes fuch notice of all thy thoughts that pafle through thy heart, and all thy vaine words, that hee tveighes them, as it were And therefore hee is faid in Scripture fo often to pnderour myes^ He puts thy fins, and thofe lufls in oneballance, andhiscenfureinthc other, and gives thee ac- cordingly . he putsweightforweight- he gives thee corre^ion, if thou art his child, and judge- ment if thou be wicked .Ther fore thou muflcon^ fider who it is that knowes them, what a one he is : as it is Rev. 2 . when he tels his'C hutches that he knowes them all, then he defcribes himielfe, what an one hee is 5 as his eyes to bee of flaming fire, and his fccte likc brafle. This, if confide^ ________ ^^^3 Agpodway to thoughts. I70 The hfinitem^e oflm Prefeme y opened^ red, would make a man to looke about him. If there was a company fet together, and there was an Informer ftanding by, and did noie down in hisTable-booke what they faid or did, to declare it to their enemies, or to the King and Councel], men would be exceeding wary, they would ponder every word oefore they fpake : fo when God is prefent, and beholdeth all that thou Joeft, haft thou not reaion much more to eonfidcr thy wayes ? Men fay indeed, that the Lord is prefent every where, but our lives fhew that wee thinkc like the Atheiftsin M.that God is fhut up in the thicke clouds, and cannot fee through them. Yea, there is no man, but needs an increafe of faith in this po nt^for if it were fully beleeved, it could not be, but that wee fliould take more heed to our wayes and thoughts than wee doe. Therefore to convince you of, and perfwade you to this, I will name two places : One you fhali find in Ephef,^.6. One God, one Lord^ tvho is nbove yoi^ aS^ and through all^ and in you aS. Fir ft, he is above aU .'Asa man that ftands above can fee all that is done below j fo the Lerdlookes downe, and beholds all that is done on earth,as a man in an high place,fees all that is done below. But it may bee ob jeaed, though a man bee a- bove, yet their may bee fome corners , fome rockcs and dens, wherein he may hide himfelfc from the eyes of him that is above him : there" fore it is addcd^tvh is in you all that is, hee be- holds every thought, every fecret place^ every corner Or 3 Hu htmenjhie. corner of our hearts ^ nay, hee is in yon aff^ and thro-fghaU, 1 his you iliali fiadeaiorear large in Ffal.i^g.i.O L ord^ thou haft fear ched me and known mee^ th^u Inovce^ mj doivne jisting md mine uf-ri- fing^ thou underftandeft thovghts afarre off^ The meaning of it is this : D^vid labours to perfvvade his owne heart that Go© is prefent with him • and hee doth it by this argument 5 If I goe forward the X^jr^jf is there - if on this fide or that fide yet ftill he is prefenr^ he compafTeth mee round about, hce is behind and before c» therefore it m^aftneeds bee, that there is not a word thati fpeake or a thought that I thinke, but bee fees and heares all. Yea, kmwes thoughts a farre off^ that is, as a man that knotves what roots hee hath in his Garderi,though there doenoraflowet appearc, yet hee can fay, when the fpring comes, thi^ and this willcon^ Up, be- caufe hee knowes the Garden, and knowes what roots are there ; So the tp;:i luowes a rriaHs thoughts a farre off, becaufe he khwes the prin- ciples that are w irhin, and be knowes what they would doe, when occafion is offered- and therefore faith David^ I have caufe to fearc ex^ ceedingly before him. Nay, he doth not onely fee mens thoughts a farre 0^^ but he will j udgc you a farre off for them, Weufe todeftroy hem- lockeeven in themiddeft of winter,-becaufe we know what it wili do,if it be fuffered to grow ; fb xhtLord doth cut off men long before, becaufe he knowes their natures that they will doe this and this.. Such palFages of his providence there ^_ opened. §im$k Smile rbi hfiniteneffi ofhii Prefence may be, as to cut of children and young men out of the forefight of the efilJjthat they would doe to his Church, becaufe he knovrs their thoughts afarreoC So bee knowcs thy thoughts for good a farre ©ff 5 therefore though a childe of G o d may be cut off in fome undifcovercd finne , when hee hath not adually repented, yet God forgives it hinij bccaufe hee knowes what hee would doc if he had time to repentgand fliould come to dif- cover it 5 and therefore God judgcth him ac- cordingly : fo likewifc if wee have begun any good workc, if wee be cut offbefore wee have finiflied it, yet remenaberj that God kntwes whatwc would do@« And feeing hecdoth this, wc fliould learne therefore exceedingly tofeare before him, to ponder our owne thoughts and fpeechcs, feeing God himfelfc takes notice of them* Againe, it fhould be a continual! incouragc mcnt to coniSder that G§d takes notice of all the good that we doe, as wellasoftheevilli Revel. 2.3./ knotv thj mrkes^ thj lahur and thy fan- ence^ I knm thy fi^pfi^gs i that is, when a man is mifcalled, flandered, andevillQjoken of, be- caufehe ferves and feares ^^rf, becaufehe is none of the worlds owne, and therefore it fliewes forth its hatred in a wordjwhcn it cannot in deed; ( for malice muft have fome vent,) yet / knm fi^ff^^^^&^i enough that / h&t» them^ and regifter them : there is not the leaft fuffering but I take notice of it^ and it fliall bee rewarded Or^His Immenfttie. rewarded. Againe^ men take muchpaincs, and no man regards it, yet God takes notice of their /^^^jj^f^ and their faine$^ and not of their vvorkes onely, but their labour in deing them, and fees what ends they intend in aji. Againe, men put up injuries^ and fuifcr much wrong, yet faith the Lord^ I know thjpmence^^'c. What is faid of thisjrnay be faid ofall other good actions. And it is a great honour to the Lord^ that we are con- tent with this, that he alone knowes it : Which wc may be well enough, for his knowledge will bring in fure fruit with it- as lacoi faid to Lahan^ GodhathfeenmineAffliBiQns^dndthelahmr ofmj hands : And what follavcd that ? WhyjG'^?^^ taught /ijjro^ how to inlarge his wages, and {o tranflared Labans fubftance tohini. SoPfal. i^ ult. it,is faid, the Lordknowes therxapfthe righte^ w, and therefore rvhatfieverhee dethjhall profper • hee hmrsalfethewayef the mcked^ and therefore they fl^aSI periflo : Hence then it is enough to us, that hee is prefent to fee and knowc our la- bour. Againe, tbis fhould ftir us up to good duties, feeing hee is ahvaycs prefent ^ you know fouldi- ers though they are fomewhat cowardly other- wife, yetintheprcfenceof the Generall, if hee looke on,tbey will adventure much • fervants al- fo that are otherwife idle , yk will doe eye» fervice, they will worke while the Matter lookeson: fo when wee con fidcr that the L0rd flatidsbyandlookcson, and takes notice what paincs ^-ee take^ how wee doe fight his battels, and ^71 Simile, 174 The hfiniteneffe of hit Prefme j i Terror eo wk* &ed raen,wh® hayefuchaii enemy from %vhom tbcy cannot tij« and what we doe for him, it ftiould incourage us and makes us abundant in the mrke §f the Lord^ feeing we knotp that our lahur is not in vaine in the Lord. Nay, it is an encouragenaent againft the difcouragement of men 5 thou maift have difcouragement from friends , from Neigh- boursj in the place where thou liveft ^ yet let this bee thy comfort^ the Luri is prelent, hce knowes thy dwelling, thy Neighbours, who is for thee, and who againft thee^ hee knowes the difficulties thou mecteft within any perfor- mance, hce knowes whait hindrance thou haft^ as it is ReveL 2.13./ knew thjWQrkes^ and where thou di^eUeB^ even where Satans feate is, and thou holdejl faji my Name^ and half not denied my faith , even in thofe dayes wherein Antifas was myfaith-^ fuU Martyr^ irfo ms fiaine am§ng you, where Satan dwelleth. Seventhly, this fliould bee an exceeding great terrour to all men that rcmaine in the ftate of unregeneration, the L © e i> is their enemy • and they have fuch an enemy from whom they cannot flic or efcape,which is a miferable thing. On earth if a man have an enemy in one place, and he goe to another he is free • if hee have an enemy in one Land yet he may flye to another, and there bee free • but however, when hee dies hee fhall be free from thevoyce of the oppref fours, and the maried^dlbeatrefi^ as hb faith* his enemy can follow him no furthers Butcon- fider what an enemy (je?^ is, who is everywhere prefent^ flye whither thou canft, hee followes thee, Or^ Hulmmenfitie. thee, if thou goeft into another Country, hee will be with thee there, or if thou dieft and goeft into another world, yet ftill hee folJowes thee. Iprefleit the rather, beeaufe, when fomc great man makes requeft to a man, and God com- mands the contrary 3 when the commands of God and men differ, they will rather make God their enemy than a powerfuU man; thusfome men wrench their confciences, chufing rather Gods enmity than mens. I would fuch did but conjSder what it is,to have the Lwrd their enemy, he will meet them in every place : Though man be thy enemy, yet hee meets not with thee every where, ifthoubcein thy chamber, hee cannot come at thee* but God can meetc with thee there. And how will hee meetthee ? Hee will meet thee asaLm^ and as a Beare robbed of her Whelps. You ftiall fee how the Lord expref- leth it, ^mos. 2 5 3,4» Thugh they digge mo Hell^ thente fball my hand fake the^ though they climle up to Heaven^ thence hill I bring them donne^ ^c. It is a common opinion, that if men have ftrong friends, ftrong Towers, and a -ftrongLand, that is well begirt with Sea^ and clifts, or great eftates that will defend them, that then they are fafe: but ifthcL^rrf be thine enemy,nGne of all thefe will doc thee any good • folikewifeif a man have made- peace with his enemies, hee thinkes himfelfe fafe, as if there «vere no other enemy but mortall men . as the /^jrei, notbeingkilled,bur going into captivity onely, . thought their lives fafe^ their peace made- 75 What an cnc* my God 176 Th€ eighth Ac- tribute of 5 The Omnipotence o/ Qod* made • but, faith the Lord^ ifymgee into captivity^ yet there I wis command the fmrd to flay you^ vet. ^. The meaning is this ^ no condition that a man can be in, no greatnefle, though he be compafled about with friends and fafety on every fide, can avaikjif God be his enemy ; hee will fuM thee from themidftoftheSea^stx. 3. notwithftanding every man thinkcs it an hard thing to find a man in the midft of the Sea; and all this is is buttode- fcribe that no condition is fafe, when God is a mans ^nemie. And thus much for this Attri- bute, THE EIGHTH A T- TRIBVTE OF GOD, His Omniptence. JA E next Attribute is the Omni" fotence of G o d : for wee told youj that this i;i;^;^/^e/fe//(? of G$d confi- ftcd in foare things : Firftj in the Injimtenejfe of his frefence. Secondly, In the In^nitenefeofhisfower. Thirdly, In the In^nimefe of his mfedome. "Fourthly, I The Omnipotence of God. ^ Fourthly, In the ^bfilmeneffeofhis mil. The firft of thefe we have fpoken of^his Omni- fvefeace : now we come to fpeake of his Omni- fetence. I will not ftand to prove it. It is obferved by fome Divines , that God is Almighty^ is cx- prefled feventytimes in the Scripture. Math. 19. 16. Luke I. 3^. To God nothing is impojphk, Hee doth trhatfoever h^e mil : and in GcMefis^ it is faid, The God Almighty bee with thee^ orV,. Gen. 28.5. In handling this AttribiTtC) I will fliew you what it isj and the reaf(^s of it^ and the ob/efti- ons againft itj as I have done in the reft. The Omnifotence of God lies in thisjthat he is a- ble todoe whatfoever is abfolntely, fimply, and generally poflible to bee done.Other things can doe what is poflible to be done in their own kind, as fire can doe what properly belongs to fire to doe, and a Lion can doe what is polliblc for him to doe • fo alfo menjand Angels : but no creature can doe what is fimply and abfolutelypoflible to bedone. Now whatfoever can be done, whereto the nature of the thing is not repugnant,with©ut any limitation, that the Lord is able to doe : and herein is his Omniptence feene. And the ground ofitisthis. Becaufe all creatures arc put into their feve- rall kindes , a man is one kinde of creature, hee is not an Angell ; Angels are another kinde ^ they are not men; and as they are put in fcve- rall kindes, and hedged in, and limited with M m bounds 1, '77 That God is Almighty 70. times repeated in Scripture* Lul^e I. j^. Oisiniporence of God ^hsfci-; in. 178 From the Cre- ation. The OmntpQtence o/ God. bounds diddefinicions,fo is their po^vcr limited^ they can do what is in the compafife of their otvn fphearcjfor according to their eflenee and being, fuch is their povrer-.but the L^r(iis abeing with- out all limits and reftraint^anabfolutebeing^and an unliniited eflfencc- and therfore he can be faid not onely to doe things within fuch a compafle, within this or that kinde^but whatfoever is fim- ply^and abfolutely poifible to be done* even that his power rcacheth untOj and this is properly his Omnipotence. There is no Attribute of c^^that doth need a greater degree of faith fhan this • therefore rca^ lOHS are not unncceflary/eeing they may demon- ftratc it more elcerely untous. Therefore FirftjConfidcr, that he that made thcfc great things, hee that made the highcft Heavens, and thofe Heavens that thou feeft, hee that made the earth, and thedcepefea, hee that made the mnd I and the treafures of fnovv, and haiJe, hccthat made the Angels, hee that wrought fo many mi- racles, th©u muft thinke hee that bath done fo great things can doe the like: as hee that hath raadca fairepiftijre or ftatuc, hee can make ano- ther- hee that hath madeafairehGufe,youarc ready to fay, he is able to build another. Lookc then upon his great workes, and you will thinke that he is able to doe the like. Tkis fame argumentis frequently ufed in Scripture, when there is any occafion of exprefling Gods great power to bring any thingtopafle; as, hee that made heaven and earthy hee that bromht the children The Omnipotence o/G o b . 179 of iff del out ofEgsp:, he that divided the red SeA^hct that wrou^ght the mnder sin Egypt before PhAToah and all his hojt j and fiich like. Secondly , confidcr the manner how tlic Lorddidali thcfc things. You know hee did no more, but fay, Let there bee light ^ and there ms light : Let the trees Bring forthy let the jifhes mnlti- fly^ and the ayre beefiUed with fo^le^ and it ms fi. Now to doe fuch things with a word, with fuch facility, is a fignc of an infinite power : for when one can doe great things,with his breath,or little finger, we arc apt to fay, what could he doe ifhc put his whole ftrength to it ? even fo the manner of his working doth fhew the/»^^/Vf^f/Ji ofhis powers Thirdly, the further any thing is oflpfrom be- ing, the more power it requires to bring it to Being. As take bafc materialls, and there is grcatcf power required, to make a fairc buil- ding of them- to makca goodly ftatueof a croo- ked peece of wood, is harder than of a peecc ftraight, even, andmoreapttoworkeon. Now no being at all is in a thoufand times* greater di- ftance, than the bafeft materialls are, from fuch or fuch a being, and therefore the power muft bee infinitely greater that brings it to a being. Now the Lord hath done this, therefore his power muft bee infinite great. To make this more plaine to you j Confider what it is that reftraines mans power, fo that bee can goc nb further • it is becaufe the matter will not permit him. If you give him clay, and ftraw, hec can Mm 2 make From the mannef ofthe Creation, That he made things otnov thing. i8o The Omnipotence o/God. aiake bricke, bur if you give him nothing, hce Man canKot I eanmakenone: foif you give him timber, hee maurialls. can make an noule^ but if you give him none, it is impoflible hee fhould doe it. But fuppofe nov\^5 there were fuch an Archite^lour, fuch a builder, that if hee did but imagine the modell I Or frame of an houfe in his minde^ hee could fet it up of nothings or make materiails at his plea^ furej that could make it as big as hee could con- ceive itj and alfo could make as manyhoufes as hee could thinke of, and in as great and large a manner^ as hee could conceive, if there were fuch an one, there would benoreftraint tohina. Now the Lord is fuch a builder, whatfoever hee GOnceiveSjhee can make it without any thing,as he did the heavens and the earth • and therefore thercisnoreftraint in his power, as there is in the creature. Fourthly, confider that the Attributes of God are equall, and needs muft bee fo^ becaufe eve- ry Attribute is his Eflence, and wee doe but diftinguifh them in our underftanding : his Om- ntfotencie to be the aUhefower ; his will^ the com^ winding and his underfianding^ the direBing: vTee diftinguifli them thus, but in him they are all one. Hence I reafon thus • the wifedome of God, the largeneffe and infinitencffe of his underftanding and knowledge , what is it notabletoconceive? You know men are able to thinke much, and Angels more than men, but G o D is able to conceive infinitely beyond them -for his thoughts are i^bowours^ astheBea- vens 'B^afon 4. From the c« i|uality of bis Atuikmees. The Omnipotence o/Qg q. 1 8 i ffd. 13 j vens are above the earth. Now whatfoevcr hee ' can conceive, his power is able to aft ; In man I it is not lo- he imagines and wills many things^ ' but his povverofeffeding falls (Irortjbecaufehis faculties are not of equall largeneffe : but God can imagine infinirelvj and his power is as large and infinite as his vvifcdome^ therefore he mu ft bee able todoethings that are infinite. Hence it is faid Pfalme 135, Hee dcth pjhatfoez'-r he mli^ to fhew that his po-vm is^s larg;eas hiswil! : jp^^^po^^^as 1-1 1 1 r ^ r ^ ' isrgc as his which cannot oee laid of any creaciTre.Confider , wui. thefe things; for when you are indiftreffe^ and under the rod of afflidion or temptation, you fhall find need of them, to perfwade you that <^od is -Almighty, Now Icometoanfvvcr the objedions whicli are made againft this, which are thefe ; Fir ft, why then doth God produce no infinite thing,no infinite effcvd? All his effcds are finite; and therefore we cannot fee by any thing he doth thsit he is omnipotent . It is trucinnaturallcaufes, and fuch caufcs as produce things only like to themfelvesjwhich are called «»/V«r4//caufcs3(but I will not trouble you vyith that diftindion ) there the caufe goes not beyond the eflfed;as fire al vraies begets fire, and cannot chufe but doe it, being necelTitated thereto by the force of its ownenature, beyond thecompafle whereof 'tis impoflible, itfl^ould operate^fo: all natural caufes produce cfFedslike tothemfelves; in like manner, a Lion begets a Lionjbecaufe it is a naturall caufe. Mm 3 But God a volunta- ry not a natu- rall caufe. i8i The Omnipotence of God, That God ctiVi' nocdoefome thingSjis not for-wsBtoFpO' ler, becaufe they are not so be done. 0* But there arc caufes wherein it is not fo- Of which you cannot fay, they produce fach an ef- fedjbecaufc they could not doe ochervvife, be- ' caufe the caufe could notgoe beyond theeffed,. for involuntary caufes we find the contrary, the caufe doth not vvorkeneceffarily, but by the li- berty of his win, and therefore it may be able to doe much more than it dorh. Now God is a vo- luntary caufe, he workcs according to the liber- ty of his will, and therefore is able todoe much more than he doth. 2 There are feme things vvhich G&d cannot doe^as things that are already paftjand have once becne, hce cannot caufe them never to have bcene5&c. The reafon why God cannot doe thefe things; is not becaufe there ii a reftraint of his power, but becaufe the things are not poffible to be done ^ and ftherefore he cannot make truth to be fa] fhoodjOr things that arejnot to be 3 what- foever implies a contrad iftion, hee cannot doe i and the reafon is^becaufe rhe things are not to be done ; But in things {imply pofliblejtherein con- fidshisorr^^fpotence : as when it is not contrary to the nature of the thing, as when the fr£dicate h not repugnant to rhe nature & cflencc of the fuS- /Vc9; as a Lion being a Lion cannot be a man, this a thing that cannot be done becaufe it is re- pugnant to the nature of a Lion: therefore it is no impeachment to his omnifotence not to doe it^j 3 Gdd cannot fimie, God canmt denjhmfdfe^\ We! i he Omnipotence o/God. We need not (land long to anfvver this : for even for this caiife he is omnifotent becaufehee cannot doethefe things. As if I fhould fay, the Sunne is full of lightjtherfore it cannot be darke.Thefe are theexpreffions which the Scripture u- fcth;asT/?.i.2. God cannot lie: and 27/^.1.13. God camot deny himfelfe^ 183 Anfw* God is there- fore onanipo - tcnc, becaufe hecaanocfin. Mm4. THE 185 THE EIGHTEENTH S E R M O N, ExoDVs 5* 13, 14. 1 3 ^nd Mojes [aid unto Go dj behold :,wben I come unto the Children ofl/rael^ and ^all fay unto them j The Q o d ofyour Fathers hath fentmee unto you ^ and they (hall fajy unto me , What is his Name I y^hat Jhalll jay unto them? 14 And God [aid unto MofeSyl Am That I AM ^ iS^r. F God pxodvicnh no infinite eflPed, and yet is infininit in power, then that po^cr which is never brought intoadisinvaine. _ _ _ To this I anfwer, that it is true, when any power is appointed and deftinated to any I The cud ©f God$ powcr« The Omnipotence of God on to make a creature infi- nite. Let all in cote nant with ^ed rejoycc that tVcy have an Almighty Gerf iot theii: God^ any aft^ it is fo far in vaine^as it doth not arcaine to that end and aft : as bread appointed to nou- rifhjif it doth not^it attains not the end to which it is made^and fo is in vaine : I may fay the fame of every thing elfe. But it is not the end of Gods powcTj to bring forth any cfcft anfwerable to it felfe^for his power (to fpeake properly) hath no cndjbut al things arc made for it. In otherthings the caufe is appointed for the effeft as its end : but be himfelfe is the cau(e of all other things ^ all that bee doth, is for himfelfe ^ and therefore though he doth not produce any fuch efFed, yet his power is infinite. Second ly^ when there is arcpugnancie in the nature of the thing, it is no fliortning or limita- tion of his power* Now a creaturcjas it is a crea- ture^mufl: be finite and determinate, but to alter the property of its nature^and to make it infinite, is repugnant both to the nature and eflence ofthe creature? and therefore if G$d do^ it notjitis not becawfe he cannot doe it, but becaufe the thing it felfe cannot be done. Wee BOW come to application of this points If G © p be Mmightj^ then let all thofe that are in covenant with and that have intercft in him, that can fay, they aretheZ^rrf/, and the Lord is theirs, let them exceedingly re/oyce in this, that they have an Almighty Ogd for their G e ij. To have a friend that is able to doe all thingSj and as we told you before, that is every where prefent, it is a great benefit ^ as to have a friend The Omnipotence of Go d. friend in Court, in Countryj a friend beyond the Seas, if you fhall haveoGcafion to bee bani- thed thither- but if you adde this^ hceisable to doe whatfoever bee will, it will adde much to our eomfort. A friend many times is willing, but hee is not able - ifable and willing, yet not prefenc ; but feeing G o i> is every where, if thou haft any bufineffe to doe, thou needeft not to fend a letter, doe but put up a prayer to him to be thy fadour, to doe it for thee, to worke thy workes for thee, hee is every where prefent • and againe, he is almighty alfo, able todoe it, there- fore be content to have him alone for your por- tion. What is the caufe now, that mens wayes are fo unlike one to another : becaufe they would grafpe God and the creature. And why doe they doe fo ? Becaufe they will not be con- tent to have God alone. And what is the ground of that ? Becaufe they doe not thinke him in- deed Ali'fu^cient avid. Mmighty^ for if they did, they neede not to joyne any other with him. But you will fay, this is againft fenfe : God is ^ff-fifjfpcientj it is true, itis good tahavehim . bur, doe wee not need many hundred things be- fides ? Muft not wee have friends, houfe, wife, &c. Can wee live without them ? Can wee live without friendsjeftate convenient? What is your meaning then to have God alone for our por^ tion, God hath all rbefe in him 5 that is , hee hath the .comfort of tliem all 5^ if hee bee ^Z- 187 Why men are not concent, with Ged l©ac. The comfort ofc all things in God. The Omnipcftence of God. mighty and JlLfu^cientj then looke about, and confider the multitude of the things thou nccd'fl: and the variety of comforts thou defireftj and thou fhalt finde all in him : That is an argument which you are not ftrafigers to. Hce hath made them all - and there is nothing in the efte^i', but what is in the caufej becaufe it gave all to thcet fed firft, and it gives nothing, but what it lelfe had before : ifhehathputftschbeames of com- fort, and fuch beauty in the fevcrall creatures, muft they not needs be in him ? But you will fay^ that this is but a fpecu- lation. Nay, that it is more than fb, I will put you to one place, which I defire you to confider fcri- onfly : which is, Mar. lo. 2 8, 2^, ^o. Then Peter began to fay unto him^ Loem have left all^ and have followed thee. And lefus anfwered and faid • verily i fay mto you^ there is no man that hath kft k^ufe^ or Brethren^ or Sifters y or Father^ or M&ther^ or ^ife^ 0r Children^ or Lands for my fake^ *and the Gofpels ^ but hee ]hall receive an hundred fold netp in this time ^ Houfes ^ and Brethren^ and Sifters^ and Mothers^ and children^ and Lands ^ mth per- fecutions ^y and in the world to come et email life. When it is faid here, hee fhall receive the ve- ry fame ; why doth the Holy Ghoft repeat them in particular* Me fhall receive ho^fes and Brethren^ ^c. voith perfecution ^ that is, you fhall be ftript of all thefe things by^perfecution, yet at the fame time, you ftallhavethem all. At that time when hee is in a clofe prifon, and driven from all The Omnipotence o/G o d lS9 allthefc, hee fliall receive thenj for this pre- fent. The meaning is this": let a man have com- munion with G o D 5 let the Lord reveale him- felfe to a man , if hee beonce pkafed to come to a man^ and fuf with himy if he will but commu- nicate to a man the confolation of the fpirit^and ^11 him volth jOj and feace through beleeving: I fay^ though hee bee in a clofeprifon, yetheefball have the comfort of Houfes^ Brethren^ SiHers ^ Mothers^&c. that is, that comfort which they would yeeld him^ hee fliall finde them altoge- ther in G o r • So that if one fhould come and fay.tohim, what if you wo\^\Ah^^vt Father ^Mo- ther 2LV\d friends reftored toyou, that you might enjoy them • I fay^ a man that hath a neere com- munion With G o D3 to whom God fayeSgthat hee will come and fup mth him • at fuch a time, hee will fay, I doe not care (Hie jot for them^ for I have that which is better than them all. For example ; you fee this in the Apoftles^ that rejoyced in prifon. What doe you thinkc they would have faid to men that offered them rich- es ? Would they not have flighted them > They d id flight imprifonment : but in that they did flight fhame, and prifon^&c. they would have flighted the other by the rule of contra- ries. Therefore labour to be content with God alone. To make this argument without doubt, Coo- fiderwhat Heaven is. Doe you thinke, that there you fhall have a worfe condition than here ? Here you have need of many comforts and 1 ISO If all comforts were not in G#^,the Saints fhould bee worfcin hea- vcB,ihanherc. andconv^Dicnccs, it isat^^w^^^^tppetitejthat is^aa appetite that is fall of multiplicity 5 vrhy, when you come to heaven, you doe not ky afide your nature, but you dcfire ftill | and there you fhall h^vc none but God alone* fo that there you (hall bee in a worfe cftate than here, if all thefc things vrere not to be found in the Lord? if there were not this variety in the L 0 r d , it could not bee, that in Heaven you (hould bee fo happy. Here you need Sunnc, and Moone, andStarres, and a thoufand other things, but there you fliall have none, but I, faith he, mU he Smne uni Mme^md all to you : and therefore fee faithj that hee will bee all in all^ which is the plu- rail number, and fignifies all things, I will bee Now this Almighty God, that will bee AS'fu^cimmht^vtn^ if hee will but commu- nicate to a man, and draw him neerc to his pre- fence, (hall not that be enough > Beloved, it is ccrtaine, that hee will be enough for your por- tion. As for inftance- let a man bee ftript of all his friends, and brethren , and fifters , aad country, as Abrahamwas^ who was ftript of all, and had nothing but alone left for his porti- on, yet you fee that he was exceeding rich, and made a great Prince,and he had a great poftcrity. Therefore let us make this ufe of it 5 to care for none but the alone, for wee know not what fhall become of us, we may bee led intobanifli- ment, as others now are, and have beene : now if you have the I'f^riwith you, it is enough. So if any The Omnipotence o/God. any other condition befall yotijif you ca-abe con- tent with alone, you are well; what if your friends deceive you } what if you fhould be {hm up inaclofeprifon ? Itisnothing^heis^//-ytfJ^- cie^/t: and Almighty^ and there is no eftate or con- dition, but he is with you in iCj there is no ftrait, but he can helpe you out. Therefore ftudy thefe thingSj and examine them, and labour to beat theai upon your foules : never reft 5 till you have brought your hearts to fueh a condition, as to fay, I know that no man can Separate be- tweeiac God and mee, and 1 am content with G o D alone. Secondly, if this be {o, then labour to make ufe of this power of his. Why is this Attribute revealed to you ? is it not for this, that men might make ufe of this power of his > Then let every man confider with himfelfc, what he hath necdeof, what ftraithcis in, whatbufineffehee Would have done^and then remember that God is •Almighty^ and is able to bring it to pafTe ; be it poverty in your eftates, or debts, which a man is not abletooverwraftle, if therebeablemifh in your nam and it is our i$l Make ulc of his power in wants^and ia The Omnipotence q/ G oD. oyir parts to make ufe of it 5 though it bee an he- reditary difeafe in thee, ( cow you know an he- reditary difeafe is that which we have from our parents,) though thou haft fuch a difeafe/uch a ftrong luft, yet thinke wi^h thy felfe, the Lord is able to heale this. lames 6. A place named before. But hee givethmoregrace^ As if hee fliould fay - (when hee had told them of the luftsthat fight in their members, thisobje(^ion being framed by them, Alas wee are not able to mafter thefe lufts ; ) It is true^ the liifts that are inusjdoeluftagainftthe Spirit, as naturally as the ftone defcends downward: but how ihould wee heale them fay you ? How faith hee ? The Scripture givcth more grace, that is, there is an omnipotent power which can heale all this. So Math, With men this is imfojp" bky but with God aU things are pjjil^le. It is a place worthy confideration : faith our Savi- our : It is impol^hle for a rich man to enter into the Kingdoms Heaven : why ? fay the Difciples, frho then can be faved ^ Indeed, faith ChriJi^ it is imfoffible with men , but with God all things are fofswle. The meaning is this • when a man hath riches, that is, when the obje^l is prefent and before him, a man cannot of himfelfe but fet his heart upon them • and when a mans heart is femipon them, no man in the world can weane his heart from thofc riches ; whatfhall wee doe then ? Why, faith hee, the Lord hath an Almighty power, hee is able to raorti- The Omnipotence o/Q o b . iiethefeluflis : vvcc can no more dot itythan^ cable r^fe ca/igoe through the eye of a needle^ Now thac which is faid of riches^ may be faid of any luft : let an ambitious maa have honourjOr a car- nall man an objed futable ta a carnal! minde, he cannot chufe but fet his heart upon it- now when his heart is fet upon an objed of luft, a Camel may as tvellgee through a needles eye^ as he can loofe his heart from that luft : but yet the Lord can doe it, mth him all things are p^ble : And as the Apoftle faith of the lewesy Bgm. 11.23. The Lord can ingraft them inagaine^ as bad as they bee, though the wrath of G o d bee gone over them to rJ^ utrermoft, yet G o d can doe it : fois it true of thy felfe, and any one elfe, the L o k d can, if hee will ^ to him nothing is irapofTible. Confider with your felves, that he that can draw fuch beautifull flowers out of fo unapt earth, as you looke upon in winter- though thou haft an heart as farre from grace, as the flowers feeme to be from comming forth in the midftof winter, yet he that can doe (o in nature, is able to doe the like in grace alfo ; remember Paul a perfecu- f or, and Mary Magdalen^ that had feven Devils, what they would have been without his power : j and by his power wemay be as excellent as they.; Toconfirme this, confider what a change grace ! hath wrought evenamongft us • bow many a- mongft us, that of proud have become humble, of fierce and cruell have become gentle ; of loofe, fober; of weake, ftrong, Src. Goe there- fore to him^bcleeve this, and apply it : and bee N n fure Kom* 12. 13. By Gods pow- er in iheworks of nature wee IKouldftreng. then f aith. Xo bdecvc this great po« wer of:God. The Omnipotence of God. Tii at ir e« doubcj»s much oi the power- of Goei, as of his Will, by 3« infVanccs, I- Bfcaufe wee are raorein- couraged by probabilities, fure it fhaff bee according te tBy faith. If a man ! would goe CO the Lord^anA fay to him. Lord A I havefuchalnft, aud cannot overcome it, and ] I want griefe and forrow for finnc, but thou cha& baft an almighty power, thou that didft draw light out of dark enefFe, thou art abletamakca change in my heart^thou canft purge it and make itcleane, for to thee nothing is impolTibie.I fay. Jet a man doe fo, and the Lord will put forth hi^ power, to cifedl the thing that thou defireft^ Surely he which eftablifheth the earth upon no- thing^and keeps the wind in his fifts, and bounds the water as in a garment, can fixe the moft un- fet'ed mmde, and the wildeft difporition, and fet bounds to the moft loofeand intemperate defires. If God be Mmighty^ you muft bcleeve this al- mghtinej^e of his s and becaufe fome fay wee doubt not of his power5but of his will : therefore r will fhew to yoH^ thatall our doubts, and dif- Gouragcments and dcjedions doe arife from j hence, not becaufeyou thinke the Lord wiW not, but becaufe you thinke he cannot. For I am per- fwadcd moft men know not the deceitfulnefle of their owne hearts, in faying that they doubt not of the power of God:- and this 1 will make good to you by thefe arguments : If wee did not doubt of the power of G q d, what is the reafon that when you fee a great probability of a thing, you can goe and pray for it with greatcheerefulneflfes but if there be no hope^ how doe your hands grow faint, and your The Omnipotence of Q od^ your knees feeble in the perform ace of the duty: You pray becaufe the duty muft not be omitted, but you doc not pray with a hearty defirc. And fo forcndevouTS : are not your minds de|e(3:cd , doe you not fit ftill as men difcouraged, with your armes folded np^if you fee every doore fhut up ; and no probability of faelpc from the crea- ture? And all this is for want ofa lively faith • forwouldthis bcfo, ifypu did belecve this ^7- mighy power of G$d.^ cannot he bring it to pafle when things are not probable, as well as when there are the faireft bloflbmes of hope > Befides, doth it not ring in the cares ofevcry man, when the times are bad, doe not men fay, Oh wee fliall never fee better dayes > So when a man is in afflidion, oh he thinkes this will never be altered • on the other fide, if he be in profpe- rity, he thinkes there will bee no change. Now whence comes all this,but becaufe we forget the Almighty power of Ood^ If we thought that hee could make fuch a change in anight, as hedorh in the weather, as he did with lob^ we fhould not be fo dejcdted in cafe of adverfity, and fo lift up in profperity. Moreover, men have not ordinarily more abi- lity to beleevCjthan the Israelites had which were Gods owne people : now confider, that thefe very men, that had (ecneall thofc great plagues, which the Lord brought upon the Eeypians, I thereby meane, all his Almighty power, rh^r faw bis power in bringing them through the ^ed Sea,and giving them bread and water in the w i ^-^ Nn 2 derneflc , 195 Bccaafeivce thinksour pre- lent coftdit Oil canoe be^iian^ gc4. WeJitiiic the Lord rh I. The Omnipotence oj Go "D. derneffe'^y ct called his power into qiieftion^ and faidjthat^e^ could not bring theminto theland 1 of Canam.St^mW find they did fo, TfaL 78.41. They turned hacke^ ani limited the holy one eflfraelA in that they faid, hee cannot doe this and this : and why ? becaiife they have Cities walled up to\ heaven.Thzi is the thiDglaid to their charge^Tfejf limitedthehely one of Ifrael that is, theyremem- bred not that hee had an unlimited power, but they thought, if the Cities had bin I0W5 and the men had bin but ordinary men, hee could have done it : but becaufc they were fo mighty men, I and the C ities had (uch high wals;therfore they could not beleeve, that he could bring them in. 1 Now if they did fo, doe you not thinke it is hard for you todoeotherwife^Docbut take him that I thinkes he doth not donbt of the power of God^l bring that man to a particular diflreffe, andyee fhalTfee him faile : (for it is one thing to have a thing in the notion, as fora man to thinke what he would doc, if he were a Pilot, or a Captaine ^ \ and another thing to have it in thereall mana- I ging,as when he is brought to right-/ois it here)' It is one thing to fay, I beleeve Gods Mmightj power, and another to reft upon it. But I aske you,if you have hada triallofyourheartj ifyoct havebeen brought to an exigent ; Doe you find it foeafie a thing, to beleeve in difficulties, as in facility > But you Wilt fay, the people o^lCrael were a ftubhorne and jUjfe-necked rebellious feofle .* and I hope our faith is gieater than theirs-o The Omnipotence o/Qq d. I; but doe you thinke that your faith is grea- ter than the faith of Marj or Marthit^Teh? 11.21 . Lord^ ifthouhadfi beeneherempBmmrhadndt'd'j- ed. Sox'^r/. 32. If you obferve theineafoning, you fliall fee, all this doubt was of his power. If thou hadft bin here, when he wa-s fickejand wh^ri it was time, thou mighteft have raifed him ; but now it is too latej he hath bin dead foure dayes, and his body is putrified. Here is no doubt of his good will 5 out all the queftion was of his power. And fo it is with us ^ doe we not doc the famCj and fay with our felvesj if this had beene taken in tim^, it might have ^een done,but now the cafe is defperate ? Why? is nottheL^r^as well able to helpe in defpcratecafes^ if hee bee Yea^but thefe were but weake women, and we hope our faith may be ftronger than theirs. But is your faith ftronger than that of -^e- fes^ Numb. 11. You fliall fee there thu Mofes did doubt of Gods power. When ^^/>4when hee was caft | into the Lions den, when all the Lions were! prefent with their raouthes opened ready to! devoure, yet the Lvrd flopped their mouthes^ theycoulddoehim no hurt. So is it in many cafes anaongft us • when our enemies are ready | to devoure us, then God conaes injin the nicke^ 1 betweene the cup and the lip 5 and workes a way for our delivery. Therefore never be dif- couragedwhatfoever thy cafe %eer it is a very great matter to fay, that the ^(^r^i can doe fuch a things though you thinke it but a fmall thing. 1 As when the Leper could goe to ChriH^ andj fay, L^ri, thopi^ cmfl make met cleme if thon mh^i then the Lard did fo. Itwas a greatniatter for I j thofe three children in I>4;^, 3 . to be able to fay, | when the Rm was ready prepared, and the King \ was wroth,, and there was iio-refiftance, yet'j' I they hidy The Lord is to fm)e us out &fthj hmi \ j O King ! The L o e d did take this fo well at j their hands, that the Lord did helpe them 5 1 ! and favc them. Oia the contrary fide, when a | j man doth doubt of his power ^ you £hall fee | 1 how much moment it is of. As that Prince j faia to Eliah , though God fBould make windoms in' heaven^ yet there could not he fuck a fknty^ as hee fpake of mow the L o r d was fo difpleafed with it^ that hee deflroyed him for ito So the j Ifiaelites did not beleeve that the Lord couldj bring them into the Land of Cmaan^ therefore rhef The Omnipotence efQoD* 101 thcLords anger was kindled againft them for this^ Pfal.yS. But todravv thisufetoa coBcIufion, Learne to bring your hearts to this, vvhatfoever your cafe is, flill to beleeve his power^ and bee able to fay ftill^the X^r^can doit.For it is not a fmall matter to be able to fay fo when the Churches are very low, a^^d there is no hope, and you fee little helpe,a man ftould goe,and pray with fuch cheerefulnefl[e,and fuch hope,and confidence.as if it were the eafieft thing in the world to helpe them • which you would doe, if you did beleeve that G o d is Mmighty. You know what the cafe of the Church was in ^hafuerus time^yet fa- iling and praying made a great change on the fud^ine* Nay, when the Church is downe, yet pray with as great hope, as if it had the beft props to hold it up, for the£or^is abletoraifc it up againe, I will give you two inftances, that you may confiderthe power on both fides: firft,his power to raife it up from a low condition • ( as now, if you confider the miferable eftate of the Church in Chriftendome at this time : ) as may appeare by the vifionof the dric bones in H^e- j kiel : the meaning whereof is, that when the people arc as low as low may bee, like dead men, buried men, men fcattered to the foure windes, yet faith the L o r d, I will put life into them, I will raife them and make theni a great axmy^and I will put vigour into them, and make them living men^ that is, though the Church be ?fai. 78. Gods power to raife from a % Gods powers in bringing downe thok that aieTc- cure. The Omniptence of Q od be never fo lo?vr, yet the Lord c&u put life into it^ and makeawonderfull change. Againe, there is no Church fo fafe, (as wee doe thinke our felves now, and as the FaUmate did thinke themfelves ) but that yet the Lord can make a fudden change ^ and bring them downe 3 as well as hec could rayfc thefe dry bones ^ and as hee hath done to others alreadie. This you fhall fee^ Lam^^. la. The Kings and aU the inhdkiunts §f the JVarldy mM mt have be* leeved^that the adverfarie and the enemie could have entredinte the Gates of lerufalem. lerufalemwas fo ftrong^ there was fuch probabilitie of fafetie, that no man would ever have beleeved that the enemie and the adverfarie fliould ever have cn- tred into the Gates thereof 5 yttihc ^S-mightie power of Ged brought them downe on a fudden, and layd them flat to the ground. Therefore, let the cafe be what it will bc^ fuppofe a Na- tion be never fo ftrong, yet G§d can bring them downe ; and let it be never fo weakc and low, yet the Lord is able to rayfe them up. The fame is true of every particular thing alfo ; and therefore beleeve this ^i^-w^k/tf power of Ged^ and apply it, whatfoever thy cafe bee • confider, that thou haft to doe with an mightie God^ But you will fay5the cafe may be fucb^as there is no heipe • the Lord hath declared his will, by an event; and the cafe is fuch, as never was hel- ped % and will you have us to belecve it now^be- I caufc there is an AU-mightie powet ? You The Qnmpot^nce ofQ o d * You muft learne to doe in this cafe^as ChriFt did : Lord,tfthot& wilt Jet this Cuffafefrommet^yet mtmjwili^ but thine ke done. luft after this man- ner you ought to doe in every one of thefe cafes, where there is no hope ryou muft fay thus* L^r^/^ it is poiTible for thee to doe itjbe the cafe as def- perate as it will be. As fuppofe a man hath a Stone in the Bladder,which we thinke an incura- ble difeafcjbecaufe the Scone is fohard^as it can- not be foftencdj yet it is poffible to him • he can fo lodge itj and bed it, that it fliall doe you no hurt : befides^if he doe take away th is lifejyet he gives you abetter; if it doc paine you hereby et he will give you joy and peace, which will farre eK- ceed the enduring a little paine in the flefli. Sub- mit then your felves to C@dsYfin^^% Chrili did ; and remember this^that in fuch acafcjyour bufi- nefle is not with the power, but with the will of God: that is, you mu ft fay 3 Lord^ I know it is poffible that this Gup may pafTe ; but,/--(>r^:>here is a 11 the matter 5 it ismy defire that it (Tiould pafre,and it may be it is thy will that it fhall not- Lordyif this be the cafCjit is meet my will Oiould yeeld, and that thy will (hould be done ? As if ChriH fliould have faid ; Lord^ I will give thee this honour, that thou canft remove this Cup from me ; but if thou doell not, and it is not thy will to doe fo,I am content. So doe thou give the Lord this glory of his poi^rer in every cafe, that he can doe it Jf it be his will. Be it, that thy defire is to be delivered from fuch orfuchanaffliftion^ confider this ; Is it meet No eafe fo i04 Weclofenot by yeelding to Gods will. The OmnipotiM? ^ meet Gds will fhould yeeld Co thinej ©r thine to his ? Then bring thy heart dovrmejand be content thatitfhouldbefo. But you will fay, it is hard to doe this^ to bee willing to undergoe fuchln afflidion. Confider it is Gods will ^ and therfore if it were not beft for thee^ yet thou fhouidcfl: honour him fo farre^as to preferre his will before thine own i but it being his will^thou fhaltbeaffuredifthou art one that belongs to hxm^ that it ftiall be beft for thee. Chrift W3is nolofer whenheyeelded to his Fathers will, for Godheardhim inv&hathifraj" edfor : as it is He^ 5. though the L§rds will pat fed on hinaj and he dranke of the cup. So thou tmfk yceld to his will whatfoever it is, be con-^ tent with what i-s done, and beleeve that thou flialtbenolofcf by it in thecnd^bnt thouflialt have #hatthou defireft, though not ifi that manner that thou w©uld» defthaveittobee done. THE T^'BLE. A. THE perfcaion of God ahfo- Ime. 1? 121 Adorne Tlie (pirit of jimu howit Ciould bee adorned^. 2y 1 5 Adorning of the (pirit commends us to God. 3^ 18 . Adverfaries^ Tlw trmb of the Scriptures prov^ by . the teftimony of the adverfaries, i> 53 Hce that puts kimfclfe from Gods worke for his owne advantage , makes himlelfe his end* i, 14^ AffeSliens* AjfeBions inordinately«4ct on a thing make it a god. r, 90 ■^ffclhions fmfull muft bee ptirgcd our^ . 2,52 JffeUions to the a^atures^ what rai- feththcm. 2,204 JfeUions ^rong breed flrong af- ^ fliaioiis. Jbid. Agreemmto Agreement of the prophecies in "scripture^ s, 52 AkarofiM Alcftrm of tJMahomep barbarous^ Almigbty<^ Qod IS tslmightj, 3, 228^ TbatGodis^/«ji^A^5', 70, times re- peated in Scripture* ^3 ^77 Wee ihould rcjoycethatoiir©odis almighty. 2, 186 Tobcleeve that God is God alone » 1,85 To behold God alone in fering bioi. Wh y THE TABLE. Why men trc not content with God tyingels ufed ia guiding the courfi ©tihings^ I, 3f Antiquity of Sctiptuf c proves them true^ I, J7 jipfrehenfipnQf things makes them tovicorcafic, a, jo Arts why ka?cnted« double. i, ^ ^/^wtbrcddiftcrcntlyia Ac Saints and others, x, & ^theifm o£ two kindcs. i , 14 Atheifmi thccftas of it» i , ^mius converted ftom %4thdfme. ^Attribmeso ^UrAum ©f God ©f two forts. t$ 119 God he f Of 6 all thuigs* i ^ If God had any caufc^fbrncwhat was hefm him* 140 'Beings Beifjg properly only in God » i, 97 of g§d explained in five things^ ibid. Teiftg given to ail things by Goii. ^>99 WeflioiildgifcG^^ thepraifcofhis Ail thiogs but Gsi are capable of not beittg^ I, 141 What beinjr hee muft have that is c. tcrnail. i» ^57 the fird yHn£» 2 ^ 50 not capable of any new being, 73 Beginnings Hee that is ctcrnall muft bee without beginning* i, 157 ^Wjf muftbekcptdownc. 2, 23 f gcfturcs of it ufcd in Gods Worfnip, 38 Why men arc fo bufie in worldly things^ ^> ^3* C4 We mowld take heed Qod cafi us not o£ 2, 80 The THE TABLE. The time of gods cafiwg off un- knowns. ^> ^3 The creatures fliould bee without f^/^/^>ifthey were not made, 8 God without all eanfe* i, 140 God^^olmm^ CAufe^ 2, 181 Change* Ckafffetn the creature whence it 2, 75 Change in us a token of good. 2^ p/j When wee thinke our condition can. not chan£f^ wee doubt of gods power. 2, ip^ (loronologie. Chrenolo^ie of Scripture exafl.. l, 55 Chftrches teftimony proves the truth ofScriprurc, ^g; SGripturesoK greater authority than the Church. jp ^o<{wilI fhewhimfelfe ^ed'iQ raifing tbeCl?«rc/7a> i, 87 Not to faint in tlje mifcry of the Qhhrches. 1,10^ ^^r//? hishumanky alone not to be woi{Lippcd» See LMahemet, Cleave, What makes us cleave to a thing4,a5 (Conceive* Ced'is beyond all that \vec taa csn^ conceive^ 2^ 129 Complahr* Complaint and gticfe whence it an', feth, 1^104 ^ommand^ The creature at gods commands Confufion^ Confnfim^ when the body rules the fpiric. 3, 22 Comfart^ fee god^&c HeAven* €omf option^ ^&d without compefition* 2, 4^ i^omftil^ fte Eternity^ How to know wee arc la covenant nantwithGod*^ 2, % i Covenant twofold^, 2, 85 Couenanp not fruftrate by our fiunes. To jtidgc of our fpiritsby cmftancie in well doin^. C<^npamy in ill nothing wor/e, 2, iii Conftancy ^to beg it of Gpd* Ibid. Conftarjcy^tvio meanes togctit,25ii5 Company^ Ow/(i;f^,why itisdefired* 2, idd Compmnons that a man may alway iwvc. 2, 167 Company, the more gije(^ iri waiu of ir, the Icfle wifedome. Ibid. To be coiitGit with God ^ thou^ withcroffes, I3I50 To bee coutent with a fimplc conditi- on. 2, 54 Com$m bf c4 by godUncffe. 2^ 5 B Creatnre^ Creatures f to Icanie the yanitic of them«, 1, 116 Creamres of thcmleWcs can doe 110- thiRgforus. I>137 Creatfsres, difference bctwccne God ^dthenu i^H^ CreatnreSf not to goc to them^ but ^od^ a, 6j Creatures^ dlficrencc betweene ged and them in re(pc5^ of his unchan'* gcablenefle. 23 105 Creatures^ iK)t toexpcftsnnchfrom thcttj* Xbid. Creationo Wotkcs of Creation fli€W the great* ncStoi^od* 2,123 ^eds omnipotence in the creation* 2, 178 Crops s 5' (fd doth his good by them, I, Crojfes^ faith .fircngthcned in them. how. Sec (foment i 105 D. Deady'Death HethatbeleevethnotChrifl', would not belceve one rifing from the dead. i, 41 We camiot fee reafon for many things till death. Death fweecned by walking with god. 1,165 Decree^ Decree of God uncbangcabie^yctun- knownc. 2,92 Defends God is able to defend us, i€6 belay of god fhould not offend us, why, 1,168 Delay leemcs long, why. i, 1 6^ DefendfDefendent* t^otzo depend on many things. 2, 56 Dependent felicity to truft in the creature* ^^^^ De fires. Defres muft be ftrong that hcipe re. foIution» 2,121 How to get ftrong defres* ibid. Defpife^ What makes a man defpife outward thing$« 2, 153 Deflroy^ A man defiroyeth him{cIfc,how. i,iO Die, MortlFying of iufts a dying daily, Heatheo gods^/j'f ,therfbrc falfei^Si Mendcfire company Jor dire^ion. 2)166 Difcontent, Difc0mef2P^y^'htnccit\?, 1,125 Affliction and proiperity difpofedhy God. 1, 40 To be content with Gods diffofing ofus. 1^124 Wc are prcfent with ©od by doing his wilU 1, 161 To confider what God doth to us Some things that God cannot doe^ why. 2,182 Dokhle* Double- minded man, who, 2^ 60 Sinfull affeftions jaake the heart E. I Three effe^ls of a firmc aUcnt that that there is a God. 1,70 Efficacies E^c4Ci> of the creature from God« Enemy* Jl^rhat an inemy God is to wicked All creatures have an 1 ^ Wc ftould doe nothing for our own ^nds. 1^1^^ of mens callings appointeti by God 1 1^7 Wnen a man makes hirafelfc his 1^ 14S Efidingt He that is eternall muft bee without See vantage^ infigneSn Enfgms of Gods gteatneffe. a, 124 Attributes of ©od eqnalU 2, 5I Equality Gods Attributes prove him omnipotent, Em^ktRftle. EJfence'^ ^pMceofGod what/ Offence of God infinite, 1,148 Eternally Eternity^ Eternity of God, I3 1 '^6 Eternity 5. things in if, i, i Why God muft be eternalL 1,158 O o Fouvc j THE TABLE Fowrc dlifFercHces between the eternu tie of God, and duration of tkc creatqres. ^^^59 £r#r«4// things to bee minded more* 1,1^1 Etermtjf an exhortation to confider ofif. h^^$ faculties* Faint 3 fee ^hnrchi 2 J 1 66 Faiths That there is a G©d provedby faith, 1, 19 45 Fatth y^hzt^ I.2 0 £^em>y,niotives to confider it.i,i67 ^^^^^ 1^ J^'^ '^^'"^ 9^ - • i,i68 1 "louldbcconnrraed. i^^i Love md enmity of God W/. ' ^^^/^ of cled and others differ. i,6z \ r lit. \ P^*^^ though the larnc hath Icverall ■^71 L Hatred aod joy in G9d from eterni^ i ' ^. n i j i ^^^^ *^ ^ 2^^yg|J ^4 luflificatien* Faith ftrcngthencd in matters ofy«. flificatioft, whence, 71 fuJfyCczmil. Judgements^ ludgements fpirituall the greateft. Judgements difpenicd by God now as in former times, % 98 Judgements of God different in time and meane?. 2, lot K. Kin. Lulls muft be ^//W, Knowledge * Knowledge experimental! that there is a God. 3^63 L. Labour, tflsQHr, how it is fweetned, i , i Oo THE TABlEo. Lame. Performances iame when the body is not exercifed, ^,4^: Lam written in mens hearts proves that there is a G^^i?, 1,13 Liberty^ goilj, prefcnce glvcs'/g^^ rty» 2^ 1^4 god only the living CJoJ^ 1 Life^^hc fhortneire oht iliouPd make us^thinkc of eternicy* h^^7 Li^htt, What makes all outward things Limit, Prophecies of Scripture limited to a fee time. i> 5^ God without limits. I, Our obedience to G^d fhould not be . limited, 2,142 When wee limit Go^^ wee doubt of his power. 2,1^^ Lips, Our fpkits muft be neeie God^^^ our Long, Shorts Wee fiiould nor left io things too : lo^. 1)149 Gods power can life from a con- 2,201, Love* (jods immutability makes us love him. 2,BS of other thing? muft bee fub- ord inate to the love of Qod* 2, 144 To waike with Gcas. 1,132 OijiB^ Ohje^ien^ Single heart lookes but upon one 2,^0 Ooj^Objem . f THE TJBLB. Ob]e[lkn$ agaiiift this principle, that there is a God , 1,30 Ohferve* God ehferveth all wc doe. 2^ 1^8 Sec ft me* OmnipotmU Ommpoter76y ofGod^ ' Omnipoteney of God whetcio. 2^177 Omnprepnce^ A caution concerning the ommpre- fsnceoiGoi, 2,14 OrigwalU Love, Wifedomc, &c. orlgimlly in God. 2^ ^6 Two cafes when God punidieth hi$ eiy^^childtcn. Outward man ftirrcs up the Inward. P. Why it is oothing to God that ma- Froph€cksof Scripture partkuiar, 1^50 PerfpicHons» Proplisciesof Scripture ;?er/^/V;^o;.^. Cod IS perfi 6^^ j^jio Terf^Bion, v/hat. ibid. 5 D'^erences betweene perfeBion iw. God, and ill the creatures, 1 21 To praife God for his perfeHion^ 1,12^: 4Signes ofpraiiing Gods p erf e^llon Ibid. Piace, A fpirit not held in any place. 2, 4 Pleafnre* PieafHres^ why men are carrki a- way withthcm. ^^^3^ Tfic. ' I 50 Peers theGcntiles^jr^^^^'^ J, 8i Providence* Providence o^god^ the grcatnefTc I by wayesunknowncto us. i, | ' Strong, 1 -of it proves that there is^ns oilier God^ I- Grcatnc-fle of God fceqein bis . Vidence, 2^11$ The ground of ^ods particular ;?ri?- vldence, ^^154 Provoke^ fee Cafting off. Profper, Thofe that truft not in ^od may profper. 1,115 Profejfion^ Why men leave their pr&fefsion, 3,88 Fcarefulncflfe in profefsion.^ whence, . 2,134 Promifcuoujly^ , Outward things difpenfed /r^'^^/T- ; CHonJly^ 2^28 ProbMiiieSi When V'c are incouraged by proha- hilities wcdoubtof gods power* . - Pmty* : P«ri7j of Scriptures prove them, true. 3^ ^5 Pmyofes. Ptirppfcs of^ God btoiight to paffc i THE TJBLE^ Strong lufts breakp ftiong pHrpe^ fes. ^Hrpofes, |. helpes to ftrcngthcii them, 2 J 11 J Pmpefcs muft be renewed, 1 1 8 iimpic without quantity^ 74 R# Miracles ia Scripture Xj49] Difference bet wccne faith and rea- fin, 1,^6 Reafin for tbat faith beleeveth« Ibid. %sn[on raifed by faiths 1,47 Purpoles grounded on reafom 2,118 Wee muft not get ftrong reafins for ouriefolutlon* ^^up We ffiould ng^ird the Lord in three thingf* I3I7X Rejoycc^ fee Immenfty. See %yilmigbtj. "R^ligioH^Ccc Falfe* %eptntance* Refentanc^, how attributed to *,7B (^ods gifts and calling without re- pentufJCe^ ^ 2^84 %efolHtien, lueanes to hdpe it, 2^11^ Refiluti&n muft be rcnewod. 2, U2 Defire, Reje^ikt Fray. 01 refling in things concerning a mansfeifc, He that lookes for regard from men makes himfelfe his end, 15 Wecflhduld reverence God, why, 2,145 gffdrighteeMi in ail his waycs. 2,7^ The raate of all finncj what, i ^ W That which gocth by a r«/^ may crrc, x>i44 Wc fiiould let the fpirit rnle, 2 ^ 19 How to know when the /pirit bea rcthr/^/f. 2,22 Sec Qenfnf9ff. s, Scandall* God puniibeth his owne children in cafe effiandall, * 2, ^9 Serif THE JaSLE. ] ScriptHrc^s^ ScriptHres proved true by faith ^, waycs, 1, 48 Scriptures proved by thcmfelves Difference becwccnc pen- men of fcriptptre and other writers, 80 Whence it is that men take the j; dg- nient of Scripture rather than mens fancies. i jo How to undcrlland fcriptures* 2,78 Seehe, How to know we feek}o God. iiLi6 Serve ^ Service^ Hcthatnegle6^5 Gods fervkernaks him not his end, i:^ i 50 Why WGC fliould labour to ferve God. I5I72 Secure^ Gads, ppw^t i« bringing down thofe that arc jf"f'//r^, 2, 202 St ting,, Wcareprcfent wkh Gedh^ feeing him. 2,1^0 Q O 2> prefent withv\sby fesing us. 2, 1 61 1 Short. I The good the creatures doe us is Jhort^ ijl^S; To ^od no time l©ng or J^mt. i, 1^0 Sinne, | The perfed^ion of God to bee unca-' pablc ofyj;?;;^ . Sinne^xhxcc things in \t* 1^166^ Sime and grace to bee thought on chiefly, 1,167 Sime oblerved by go^. 2 168 God therefore Omnipotent becaufe he cannot fime^ 2, 1 82 See Lights Simplicity^ Simplicity of 5" od, what,. 2,1 Simplicity of proved by Hxc reafon>% 2^49 Simplicity^ two things ic ic 2^ pa See Qmntity^. Singlemjfe. Shgiemp of hcM v^'hzr, 2,37 Singknejfe to be filboured for, 2^ 5P Sicl^ejfe^ ^/c^tf^^ inthebociy of the world, Sonlci A^&d proved'by ihc/onle-' of man, 5id. 4 Piopcities of a ^^r^f . ibid. G(?^jeyccfpedaUy on the Jhim of map, 4 HowtofitourJ^/r^f^ for commu- nion wit-k^©^. Pollution oF^/n>, how hatcfiiUto God. '^yJ Spirit broken plcafeth g od^ ^ Direftions for cleanfing the Jpint, 2, 10 gods government chiefly on mens '^irits. h ^7 Spirit, God guides oncly • % , 28 \ Spirit, the guiding of it of great i confequence. 2, 29 Godm\x& be worffiippcd in fiirit. 3> 3^ 2,41 To fcrve Goi\x\ Jjfirit^ what* How to conceive of a j^iV/V. Stz Aiorneylnd^ement. Stability^ Stahlity in that we enjoy to be beg^ gedofG-tf^. 3,105 Stranger. The affcnt intheele^ft fironger that there is a god^ than in others. Snhfimidl, Perfeaionin GodfubftantidL iji^^ Succefsion* God without jHCcefsion* Suffer. Why mea rather iinne than fnffer. T. Temptmons. Temppations, we muft outbid them, 2,120 Teflament* Tefiament both Old and New ac- knowledged by Mahomet, i, 82 TeflimonyykQ jidverfaria , itc Churchy 'theologies Theologievih^t. 1,1 Tbeologie, wherein it diftcreth from other fcienccs. i, 8 Theologie, the parts of it, 1, 3 Difference in points of Theolegie. Time. Time difpcnfcd by God, 1,1 58 All time prefent with god. 1 5 9 Time of outward things fliorM, 1 6i (J(?fl^thcLordofriW. Time as a field to be fowne. Ibid. ^ Tme double, 2, 3 S^cjfidgemer^tc Thoughts THE Toi^LE* Thoughts* How to be rid of \^ th9iAghts^2f i6p Together^ God poffcffclh all things together. To trnft in God, 171 V. Vanity* Vanity to rcfolvc in our owne Sec CreatHre. Veffeis. All outwatd things earthen veffels. 2,105 nftble. Miracles of Scripture 'x;//?^'/^^ i, 48 Vnderjl'dndiftg, 1 ObjCiSs of the HTiderftafidtng of two forts, 1^21 T^tichafigeahle^. Men make excuies from this that Gods decree is mchangcMe.iy^^ ypon 'what occafion ihc do6l:nVe of Gods Hnchartgeableneffe revea- led, 2j ^6 The end and iifc of the do(5^rine of Qo^sunchangeahlenfff'e^ ^iP7 To prize things by their anchange- ; ahlet7ejfe» 2^ io6 Grace umhatJgeMr^ 2^ 107 Sec Decree 9 Vftmixedl The perfeilion of God mntixsd. X, 1 21 Fditmarj^ fee €aufe^ rraike. To waike With God. 2^ 15 9 1 To with God what, a.^ 2do| SceZ,^-?;^, Hc^w faith is flrengthcned ia our Perfection of god without mm. To naake ufe of (?^ilL 2, 181 1 Mcni THE TABLE. Mca ioMbt moit of Gods powec than his wf/i, 2> IP4 Malofleby yceldmg to Gods WtlL \ Wifedme caniall oppofitc to fin- ccrity. - h^S Sec (^ompanje Word, Word of ©od unchangeable* % ,108 mrkes* Worhs oi G O D the greatncflfe of them. 1,7^ Good vo&rhts uncha ngeable. 2, leg G®ds gieauicftc fecnc in hisworkfs, Worlds ffsrld^ the ditiuiCition of k proved. I, ?i W?r/^/,why we arcfentintoit.i, iC% God able to imke other worldS'i,i^9 Worfitip, fee S/riV/r, Ckrifi, mnh* Want of ^er^ib in us mufi; not dif. courage us ftoin commiag to God, f THE I S A I N T Si I (SALIFICATION I 1 A TREATISE t f I. OfH u M I L I A T I o in Tenne Sermons* 2 ^ 11. OFSanctificatio N^in nine Sermons : ^ fWHEREVNTO IS ADDED A| ^ Treatife of Commmion with ChriU in the ^ Y Sacramcnt^in three Sermons, ^ m Preached, ^ ^ By the late faithfull and worthy Minifter of # 1^ I E S V S C H R I S T, i ^ IOhnPreston, ^ ^ Doiioi'inDivinitiejChaplaine in Ordinary to his Ma jeftie, % % MaAcr o( Emmamel Collcdgc in Car/^l?ridge,md ^ ^ fometime Preacher o ( Lincolns I n n e . ^ A — ^ _ J| The fecsnd EditHDn, Correded. ^ jVhenmen(irecafieio)v}ie,thefithcuJhal:fayy There is Uftingup a?fd beJhaU fave ^ ^ the bumblf perfeti, lob a a. 2^. 1 i Cafi away fromyeti all yeur tranfgreJJionSi ivherebvyeebave tranfgreffeei, and make m jp yon d new heart and a new jpirit ; &e. Ezck, 1831. ^ ^ //e that eats fftyfiejh and unni(es my bloUdy dweUeih in me and 1 i/? hlm,ldh.6,^6, ^ il LONDON, 5 Printed by 2^. ^. for Nicolas Bour n b, andaretobcfold SSf ^ at his (hop at the Royall Exchange. 1634. ILLVSTRISSIMO ET NOBILISSIMO VIRO, Philippo^ Pembrochi^ ET MONTIS GOMERICI COMITI, BARONI HERBERT DE CARDIFFE ET SHERLAND, ORDINIS GARTERII EQVITI, REGIME DOMVS CAMERARIG, REGI^ MAIESTATI A SECRETIORIBVS CONSILIIS, &c. TRIPLICEM HVNC loHANNis Prestoni, S. S. THEO- LOGIifiDOCT. COLLEG. Immanuelis NVPER MAGIST. ET REGIME MAIEST. A SACRIS, TRACTAtVM, CH UMILIAT10NE5 £^£^NovA Creatura, %P R ^ P A R A T I O N E Ad SaCRAM ^ S Y N A X I IN DEVOTlSSlMiE, TAM AVTHORIS, QA^AM IPSORVM OBSERVANTl^ TF STIMONI VM, L. M. D. D. D. RiCHARDUs SiBS, loHANNES DaVENPO R*T . TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader. ^ H E good acceptance, the Sermons of this worthy man have found a- mongft voell diffofed ChrifltanSy hath made us the rvilUnger to give rvay to fuhU[hing of thefcy as com - mi ng from the fame Author. The good they may thiis doe^ frevailes more for the fending of them f$rth^ thanfomeimferfeBions (tbatufually ac^ company the taking of other mensjfeeches ) may doe to Jupprejfe them. Something may rvell hee yeelded to puhlihegood in things not altogether fo as we )vijh. T hey are inforced upon none that jh all except againjl them^ they may either reade or re- fuf ? them at their pleaf we. The argument oft hem is f u'h as may draw the more regard,bemg of mat- ters of neceff try and perpetualluf \ Tor Humiliation (^) wencverfce fodeepelyin. tothe grounds ofity { fin f nines of nature and life) a I Trcacifc. IT 3 or To the Reader. a Treatife, or fo fane a^s we f 'x, looke upon it rvith that eye of dtteftdion '^veepould^ and therefore a holy heart defirethjlillfurf her light to he brought in, to dif- cover rvhatfoewr may hinder commum on rvith Gody and is glad when fn is made loath feme unto ity as being its greateft enemy that doth more hurt than all the world heftdeSy and the onely thingthat dimdes hetweeneeur chiefefi G&od and m. As this humiliation increaf 'ih^f ? in the like proportion all other graces encreafe: for the more we are emptied of our f elves y the more we are filled with thefuL neffe of God. The defers of this appear e in the 0hole frame of a Chrifiian life^ which is fefarre unbound as we retaine any thing of corrupted f elf Cy unhumhled for* ' * The foundation of Chrifi:ianity is laid very low-y and therefore the treatife of Humiliation ds well premifed before that of the {^)^ New Creature: God will build upon nothing in us,^ We mufl be thing in our f elves before we be-rdifedup for a fit Temple for God to dwell inj whofe courfe is to pull downe before he build, old things ?mfi bee out of requefty before all became new ^ and without thts new neffe of the whole ?ndn from Vnion with Chrijiy no inter eH in the new heavens can h'e hoped fory whereinto no defiled thing fball ent^r^ as alto- gether unfutable to that condition andplace. No- thing is in requefi with God but this "H^w Crea- ture^ all things elfe are adjudged toihe f re y and without this it had beene better he no Creature at all. By this we may judge of the ufefulneff ? of dif cmrfes tending this way. Om thing mwe thou art tfl To the Reader. to be advertifedofl Courteous Reader) and that is of the in]urious dealing of fueh as for private gaine have fublijhedrvhat they cangetyhmf uver taken , withmt any acquainting either of thofe friends of the Authors that refided in Cam- bridge (to tphofe care hee left thefublijhingof thof things that were delivered there ) or ofus^ to whom he committed thefublijhingof what Jhould be thought fitforfublike view^ of that which rvas preached in London. Hereby not onely wrong is done to others ^hut to the deceafed likewije,by man- gling andmisjhapng the birth of hts braine^ and therefore once again we deftre men to forbeare fub- lijhing of any thing, untiM thofe that were intru^ fed have the review. And [owe commit the trea- tifeandtheetoGods blefmg. Richard Si b s. I©HN Davenport, if #f if f##ff#fff#ff##ff ######## fffffffffffiiffififff A BRIEFE COLLECTION O F THE principall Heads in the enfuiug Treaties, Mans nature evidenced to be fo DoB. I. HVmiliation muft goe before Infitfication : Page^ Two things in Humiiiatkn : 8 Reaf, u In reference to Inflificatkm 1 3 Vfe I by the Law : Origin all Sime : The corruption of the mderfian" ding^ in five things i 43 The corruption of the WiU in foure things s 48 The corruption of the Memorj^m two things : j I The corruption of ^^^confiience^ in three ad:s of fc s 54 The corruption of the Senftnve « appetite: j§ The con uption of the AffeSHoas s InrcfQVcnccto Sm^ffimiofi: Mans Natfire {hewed to bee cor- rupt by the ruie of the Gof- To labour for Humiliation : 18 Five helpes to Hnmiliation : 26 '^fi 2. The bcft men (hold labour to be Humbled: go The nature of man ;is full of all Vnrightmfnejfe^ and Vngodlp- fiefe: 33 pell 7^ The ignorance of tbofe that know not the corruption of Nature; Vfe 2 . To labour to prize Chrift the more; gi The Table. Our Sinfulneffe fliould drive us to Christ. 82 Circuoailances aggravating S'mne: Excufes of Sinne t toi Helpes againft thofe excufes: 108 There is a revelation of wrath againft all VnrigkeoHfne^e of men* iii ToteachuswhatiS'^w^^iss 118 To labour for a Senfi of Gods wraths ^^9 Vfe j ; To make us goe to ChnU i w All men before regeneration With hold the Tmfoin unrighteouf- nefles 126 The greatneffe of this Sin in three things s and not inthe^»g^/(?i»^6>/' god^ in three things: 143. Howfatre men ^^r^^^f^^-^if^may gOjfliewed in five things s 151 How farre they come [hort in five things: 15 j Moftfinoutoflovcto J'/^.- idg The danger of difobeying the Truth'. i6l Vfe$. ^ To give the 2>^f^ leave to rule i The Tmh or Law of every mans jadgement is made manifeft by6ods iBo To Hamhle us : The greatncffe of mens finne a- gainft thisTm^s 1 84 Vfe 2. To be thankful for the Tmhnpi V/ep I To doe nothing contrary tothe I 1 ^.....L. jgj Tmh; The miferie of men that are nun To e^peft happincffc or miicrie as The Table. as wee obferve or negle^l this Tmh: ai5 Kfi t To labour to fee Oodmhis srcat- neffe .6f God hath revealed fo much to every man as makes him /»- f To looke to God in allourbufi- excafabie: 2Ip Excafes that men frame to them- felvess 221 Vfi u . To juftifie G^d, and to blame our felves; 334 Ffe2. To givc^<7^the glory of his long fuffcring: 237 The Contents of the Ser- mon before the Commons hof^fe of Farliament. neflbs i6g Defeds in Fafiing : 248 248 34P To fet Fahb on worke to |udge of thefethif^gss 270 Sinnc caufeth fVrath ^ 271 Gods fvmh a treafure^ in three relpedlsii 273 To fee Sinnc in the efFccls of it 275 How to prevent Gods fVrath: 278 -2'(?oB. The Qreature i s 5*<'if worke ; Poareargiimenrs to prove itxibid Vfei. To fliew our condition in Chrift is betcerth n in Adan^: ^60- Vfel. God fetteth us not about an itn- poffible works. ^61 To make us love Chrif?:. 4^2 Not to putoffClirinsr^//. Ibid. Vfe^s. To fee with whooa wee have to doe in heading the JVord* 4^2 To give god ih^ pray fe of any good in us. 477 Vfe 7. ^ Exp€(5!: iK)t thi^ Minifterscome ! A ^ with 1 The Tab l e. with excellencie of Wi/edomeov words: 47^ Vfe 8. Obferve what the preaching of che Word works on our hearts : 480 BoU* FirO-jin thrift then New Crea- tures: ■ 475 DoB. To bee in Chrlft is theground of AlSalvmon : ^jj Vfe I. FiiG: ^ to increafe Vmon wich j Chrift in chofe that have it'492 Five helpes to doe it : 4^4 Secondly^ to fceke it^if it bcwa^- ting: ^ 491 Five motives to feeke this Vni- 4P2 Gods parti 54^ 1 Vfe u ^ j To confirme our faith in the for« giveneffe of fins : 549 Conditions of the Covenant re- quired on our part : 55^ Papifts objedion out of leh. 6> of eating Chrifts i^/fT^anfvvered s -Vfe 2. (555 To fee the greatnefle of Chrifts Love to mi 57I And to Love hitnagaineand ferve , him: 573 Two things to move us to come iwloChrifi: ^y6 FirftjOur Afi/^ri^outofhim : 578 1 Wearcfub/edltoD^'^r^; 2 To the fcare of Z>tf^^^ : on 579 580 S81 Fart, 3 IN the facrament there is a com- munication of the verie Bodj and blond of Chrift : 534 Arguments againft Tran^ubflanti- mon, ^ (535 Firft, there is no Necejftie of it s Secondly,noP/>of it 1540 Thirdly,itisagainfti'^^^/ftiaIlbepayd5 3 Wee (hall have i?^/: 560 4 Wee (hall have a Kingdome which confifteth in s 5 54, Libertiet 565 iHentie: $66 Teacet $6y Glory I 5^8 Rkhef: $6p 5 Wee fliall have a Peafi .-578 Propertiespffpiritual food: ^ So 6 Apparrelis 585 What this fpiritual C loathing is 58<5 The end of the Contents. i I THE FIRST SERMON rTON HVMILIATION- Romans i. i8. Forthemath of (jod isreysaled from heayen againjl all mgodlineffe and mrighteoujhejfe of men, rphich mth^hola the Truth in mrighte^ oufiieffe. Tis true, wcc tliatare the Minifters of the Gofpell arc to make it our chiefc bufincffc to preach Chrift j indeed that is all in all. But we may preach Chrift long enough to men, tcHing them of Remiffion of finncs^and luftification^but they will not hearken B to I 1 E R 1.1 . 1 < 'Comfort the end ot Scrip- .4^ Mans nature is full of uitgodlieejje. j to us, becaufe before they can come to Chrift | they rauftbehuiiibledJtistruejOurendis Con- folatioHj for that is indeed the end of the Scrip- tui^Sj I (ay^thUnd ofthe Scriptures is C^rola. tion, t hat thr&ngh them jm mtgk Ip^^thefe : and fo is it the end of this do(5i:rine of HumiliationjaSj though a purge^or lancing^are tt;dublefon3e to th? tody, yet theend of the Phy litiaii in ufiiig them is health^and help . and without this cour^ fhere [ is no hclpe. And for that cauie wee have fallen on this Text, that it may teach us to.know our felves, and the need we (land in of Chrift. You fliall finde th? fe three to bee the three great parts of the Apoftolicall Ambaffage: Fitft, to humbk men, to make them know what need they (land in ofChrifl:. Secondly, to raife them againe, to preach remiflion of finnes. Thirdly, to teach thfe dodrinc of Sandification.Thefe three^Humilia^ tion Juflification^and Sandiificationjarethe three mainc things wherein Qur condition to Gob confifts . Therefore my intent is to goe thorow thefe three^ And we will doe it briefllyjbeginmng with this Text which we have in hand. The oc- c^fion whereof is this. Fml tela the Romans that his intent was To com to them .- But what fhould he doe thereC He I would Preach the Gofpcll : yea, but it was.an ig- nominious thing to be a Chriftian, a thing that would ^xpofe him to much perfecution and fhai^e. It i^^m matter, faith he, / am tfot aflmmed of the Goffellyfor it is thepmrof Codtofahation* But how doth hee prove that it is the power of God Mans nature is full of ungodUneffe. God to falvation f Wee fee that in the Gofpell the rightecufmffe of God Unvtdedy that is, there is no way in the world for men to be juftified, to be counted righteous beforre God, but to have a ' righteoufnefle revealed from heaven, even ano- ther kinde of righteoufnefle than any man hath inhimfelfe^ a righteoufnefle of Chriftjarightc- oufncfle that is to bee imputed to men ; and this, » faith he, is revealed in the Gofpelirand therefore the Gofpell only is the power of God to falvati- on. But here comes the great queftion 5 Why is ; it needfull that there fliould be a new kind of righ« teoufnefle revealed, a righteoufnefle wrought by another, and made ours only but by Imputation, faith he : It muft be fo, elfe noflefh can be favcd; Every man muft needs be condemncdjbt^al men are unrig hr eous^ every man is fuITof al l impiety and wickedneflc, which he delivers in this verfe- thence concluding that it is needfull to have the Gofpell revealed, for that is it, that revealesthe righteoufneffe of Chrift. A righteoufnefle of \ Chrift, which is oncly wrought by Chrift, and will onely ftand out before the ludgement-feat of God. So that the end of the words is to convince men, to ftiew unto them that they have no righ- teoufnefle of their ownc, to affure them, that if they ftand in the condition they are in by nature, they remaine in condemnation ; for hee that be- leeves not,is condemned already : there needs no new condemnation ; if he have not the Sonm^ the wrath of God abides on him. \ ' B 2 So E R M I. Why wc are juftified by the righteouf-' ncffe of ano-. thcr. -7- S E R M.I. Mans nature is full of ungod- lincfle and un- rightcoufnefle. Mans nature is full of ungodlinejfe. Sothatthemainc thing in thcfe words is this affcxtioUyThat mms nmre kfuHofungodlintflt 4nk unnghttoufnt^e. Two things arc charged upon mans nature, Firft^a fulneflc of all kind ot fins againft God. Secondly, of all injufticeand unrighteoufnefletomcn^ one touching the firft Table, the other the fecond. Now when hce faith , ungodlinejfc^ and all mrighteoufnejfc of mtn^ The meaning is, That in mans nature there is all lindc of ungodlinefle, and unrigh- teoufnefle of all forts. And againe, that is to be marked unn^hteoufaefTe of men; he fees it down in generaTl, becaufehe fpeakes it of all men,none exceptedi,foyou muft takcbothinj Everyman (none excepted) is full of all unrighleoufaefIe,all impiety, all parts of impiety, all kinds of tinrigh- teoufneflb arc found in him. But how will this be proved i He proves it by two Arguments- Firfl,becaufc^^eirr4/^p/' God is revealed againfi every man : and God being a juft ludge, his wrath would not bee kindled sgainft men,c2iccpt there were jwft caufe- and that is one Argument. But how fhall we know that God is angry with men i faith hec. It is revealed from heaven. Whence thrcethings may be noted. For thence you may fee the evidence of his wrath, // is revealed. And fecondly, tlie furencfle of it, it comes from heaven^ and G o d will bee as good as his word. And thirdly^ the Tcrribleneffe of ir, it is revealed from heaven. For when God is faid to fit in hearuen, and to Uugh them to fiorne. And 2€^r, Mans nature is full of nngodlinejjt 2 Cor.S. te fit in heaven ^ it argues he doth things powerfully. But you will aske, how is the wrath of God revealed from heavens Ic is revealed by the light of nature. Every man hath fo much light in him^ as to kiiow that hee deferves wrath, and judge- ment, and punifliment. And partly it is revealed by the Scripture, and partly by continual! experience-. G o d is ever and anon executing his wrath and fudge- ment on finners. And that is the firft Argu, ment. The fecond argument to prove their unrigh^ teoufneffe, is, becaufe they WithMd the truth in mrigkeoufnejfe. And here is a fecret objedion anfwered.For it may be objeded. There be ma- ny excellent things in men, as your morall Phi. lofophers, had they not much light in their un- derftandings^^Much reditude in their lives ^ Did they not pradice many morall vertues That is all one, it will but encrcafe their condemnation. It was Gods workc to put fo much light, fo ma- ny excellent things in them^whichhad they ufed as they (hould^and might ,thofe Principles would havefliedthemfelvcs into their whole foulc and converfation,but they imprifoned them,fliutting them up within the walls of their Confcience: men doe not ufc the light they have, nor improve it,they doe not bring it out in their lives and con* verfations, but mth-hold it in mrightemfnejfe. So that in the words there are three points laid downe,aU which will heipe exceedingly to hum- _ B 3 bk S E R M. L Wrath of God reve.ikd how. S E R M, I. HumiUatim before luHification, DcB. Humiliation muftgoe be- fore luftifi ca- tion. blc us . Firft , T hat mam nature is fuU efdl impietj and unrighteoHfneffc. The fecond is. The wrath ofGpdmllfurelyfall on wen for this,^ If finne went alone ic would not fo much amaze menjbuc when the wrath of God comes too, accompanied with the fruits of his wrath, men out oflelfeJove will be moved therewith. Tbtihitd^That all the good in a man before his regeneration ferves omly to helfe \ forward his condemnation. But before I come to the handling of thefe points; one point we muft needs obferve out of the Method of the Apoftlc. This that he faith here ia few words, is amplified to the middle of the third Chapter. All which time he fpends in exprefling particularly how mans nature is full of impiety, and unrighteoufnefTe: and when hee hath done that, he urges juflification by Chriil • and after that he comes to Sandification, * Wiierein the Apoftks Method is very obfer- vable? and therefore from his Method (before we come to the maine) wee will briefly) deliver this point. T hat Humiliation muft goe before lujli- fcation: Yow may obferve it from the Method ufed. Men muft firft be convinced of their im- piety an3u nngEr^^ to receive th eoofpeH'. mTEFPhyfitians hi their Method in curing, firft to purge and clcanfc the body, and then to giye Cordials ; fo it is a rule in Divinity, you muft bee humbled before you can bejuftified, or. Humiliation goes before luftification. Which may be gathered not onely from this, butlikewife from many other places. You t have Humiliation hefore lujlification. Youfhali finde it is thecourfe God takes every where with men, and ic is a very neceffary thing to be knowne 5 for by reafon of the ignorance of this Method, men doe not take the right courfe, they goe not the right way to worke. This is the caufc many continue in th^gaU of bitter mjfe, and in the bond of iniquity, they know not the right way to come out. I fay, you (hall finde in other places. ObkivCyDeut. 8.253. youfhall finde there how God deales with his people, hee carries them thorow thewilderne(fe, and to what end f To humble them ; and how doth he humble them < Two wayes 5 Firft, by flicwing them the finfulneffe of their hear ts^letting them know their rebellions and ftartings afide, when he led them along, faith he,/ have carried thee thefi forty yeares in thewilderneffe to humble thee and prove thee: All thy finne and corruption was there before, but thou kneweft it not. But thatis not enough, for if men law never fo much finne inthemfelves, yet if they have a bottome to ftand on, if they have health, and ftrength, they regard it not : therefore he addes further, / humbled thee, I made thee hungry^ and then I fed thee with Mannah • that thou mighteft fee thou hadft nothing without me. And this I did, that when I bring thee into the good Land,ye may know it was not for your owne righteoulheffe, but for the Covenant I made with jour Fathers, Abraham , ifaac and Jacob, This is nothing b ut a refemblance of the fame God E R M Dait.8,2,5 How Go(i humbled the doth now. Carrying men thorow this world, fielirfl: humbles them^ he lets them fail into fin, B 4 thai 8 E R M Two things in, humiliation. .Humiliation before lu ftificatton , ! that they may know themfclves, and withall I flidisthem, fufFering them to fall into other ne- ceflides^ that they may know what they arCjthat they may fee their raiferable condition and that God brings them not to heaven for their righte- oufricffejbut for his Covenants fake^ with Abra- ham and ifaac^thzt is.for his mercy fake in Chrift. So^^i;^^r.i2.and 13. Chap. You (liall find firft God powreson them the Spirit of compundion that they fhall mourne fortheirftnnes^ as a man mourneth forbis onely fonoe-and when they are humbledj then (and not before) / will open a feun^ imit to ludah and lerufdem for fime and for un. cleanneffe-^xh^us^vt is fliutbefore they be hum- bledjbuc when that is done, the fountaine is ope- ned. So you fliall fee PW when hechadtodoe with Felix (a place worth your marking) J6ls 24.25. you iliall findethat when Felts: and his w^ife Drufi/la^d, lewefTe, called before them^ it is [aid, Thy hear^ him of the faith of Chrifi : But how began he* He began, faith the Text, with preaching of Temfcrance^ Righteoufnejfcy and the lu^gemcnttocome: He told what Righte- oufnefTc, and what Temperance the Law of God required^ and iikewife the ludgement to come 5 for thofe two things muftbcein Humiliation. An Endidment to ihew how far fhort wee be of the Righteoufncffc and Temperance that the \ Law of God requires, andwithall a pronoun- cing of the Sentence, a declaration of the ludge- ment to come. And this courfe made Feltx to tremble, r So Humiliation before lufiification^ So lohft the Baptiji, that came to pr^/?^r^ the may efthe Lord^ tomake way forChrift; How did he make way^ He came as with the Spirit and power of :BUa4 • fo with much Terrour cal- ling them a GcmrMkn told them of their miferable condition, as much ashccoukJ, to humble them. And that was the way to pre- pare? them. So when Chrifl went about to convert any, this was his Method, as in Uhn. 4* when he had that dikourfe with the Woman of Samaria , meeting her by Accident, firftheetels her of her finne 3 T^he mm whom thou hafl isnot thy huf' band, thou^ hast committed adulttry : whereby he amazed her, and made her iooke into her feJfe . and then he tels her hee was the Oliepah, nnd^ that in him there was hope. So he deales with Nuhodewtis.hcQ tels him hee was flcfh, that all that was in him was nought, and not any thing good 5 and then hee preaches the GofpclJ, tel- ling him, he mufi beborm againe. But of all pla- ces, you fliall finde theclc areft to be that in lohn 1 6. where Chrift promifcsthat hee would fend His Spirit into the worlds and three great workes the Spirit fliouid doe (which were wrought by the miniftery of the Apoftles) hee fhould Con- vince the world of finney andof RighteoufneJJey and of ludgement. Firft, he faith of Sinne, Becattfe they have not beleevedinmee - marke that, there were many other finnes that the Holy Ghofi convinced them of/ but the contempt of the Gofpefl, the not taking of ChrifirOfFered, that is Iohn'4. iS. 10 E R M .1. Convi-dion by Spirit, Humiliation before luBification. is the maine finne. And the Holy Gholl fliall convince men of thisiinne. AH the men of the ^orld cannot doe it. Wee may tell you long enough of particular finnes 3 you have done thefe and thefe finnesj fwornefuchoathes, de* filed your felves with fuch abominations, and yet ^11 will come to nothing 5 but when the Spirit fcts inj and makes a man ftnfiblc of finne, that workes to purpofe. Then it followes in the Method^ He Jl)aM convincethe world of righe^ oufmjfe^btcm^t I am rifenagaimandgomte the Father.* hec fliould teach that there is another RighteoufnelTcj in mee, by which you muft bee juftified, whefi you fee no righteoufnefTe in your felveSj then the Holy Ghoft fliall fliew you the righteoufneflc that I have wrought. But how will this appeared In that I am dead and rifen againe, and gone to ray Father, where- by it is declared that I am righteous, that I have overcome deatb,and fatisfied my Fathers juftice. And then when that is done, he {h^ilUo^vme the world of Iudger»ent^ that is, of holinefle, for fo the word is there ufed, that is, when the Prince of this world fliall be judged. Satan raignes in the hearts of men, in the children of difobedi- ence, till they bee juftified and engrafted into ChriH '^ but when they bee once juftified, then Chrifl:fliallcafthimout 5 you fliall fee him fall like lightning out of the hearts of men : and this is that which was before prophefied, Hee pall bring forth judgement unto victory • that is, hee fliall overconie the Prince of the world, take away Humiliation before lufiification. away finne, and enable men to fervc him in ho- linefle. And this is the method youmuftob- ferveinturniflg to God, labour to be consumed offmty then ofRighmufneffef and then of ludge^ mem, . , And to fhew thencceffity of this, take that one place,, (74/. 3. 24. aplace^yo^allknow, Tk Law mujl be a Schoole-Id after to bring m t$ Chrijl. No man living can come to Chrift , tj jl the Law beeTisScHooIc^ Now hovT is the Law a Schoolc-mafter ^ It gives leffons that ivc cannot goe through with, thereby isfuch a Reditude required, as wee are not able to rcach^ like the Schoolc-mafters tasketotheScholkr, which hec is notable toperformCjandis there- fore fainc to goe to another to doc his exercife for him. So the Lord tels men, youmuftbee exadlly holy, perfed righteoufnefle muft runne through the whole courfe of your life ; when wee fee wee cannot doe it, it makes us runne to Chrift, to have his righteoufnefle imputed to us. fuch a neceflity is therethatraenbee hum- bled. Now that you may a little better underftand this point, you muft know that there are but two things that kccpe men off from comming to Ghrift, One is unbekefe, when they do not hckcwc that he is the MeJ^idhj or that they are to be favcd by him. This was the great hind- ranee in the Apoftles time, and that is the rca- fon that you have faith in the UHefiah preflcd fo much, to bekevc that that was he. But that is 11 ■ I ■III M IIII H I I I S E R M, L Gal. 3.^4 The L^w a Schoolc-ma- fter how. Two things keepe men from com- ming to Chrift Fnkkefe. IZ Humiliation before luflijication. S E R M. I. is not the thing to beeprcflfed fo much in thefc Times. But,^as you fee ia the Old Teftamentj when the Prophets fpaketo a Church to con- firme it in the truths they doe not prelle fo much to bekeve there is a God^ and thathee is One God^ andthataGod of Truth, but to truft in Godj and to make ufc of their knowledge. So muftwedoe. There is therefore another thing that hinder§ fromChrift^ and iMiis^ Neglu geme : Men eare not for Chriftj they are not afFeded with him* and this is two-fold. To- tall, or Partiall : Totall is that which they were guihy of that were bidden to the Feaft, and ex- cufcd themfelves • one had bought a yoke of Oxen^ another had maried a wife, another had taken a Fafme , and therefore they could not come. They were perfwadcd there was a Feaft of fadings provided, but they minded other thingSj for they were not hungry, and there- fore cared not for it. And in this kinde the grea- teft part of men, of your common Proteftants, ncgled the Gofpell : Tell them of Remiffion of linnes and luftification, they minde it not. Secondly, there is a Partiall negled : And fo many profefTe Chrift, doe many things for him, but regard him not. And in this the fecond and third Ground failed, the fecond did much, but not fo far regarded him, as to endure per- fccution. The third did rerpe4 Sb R M 2 His mei'cy. Inreference to Saiiltification, To make men rcfledonthem felyes. Humilmtion befom luflijicamn. bold of this Redemption, God will have a woi k wrought, wherein his luftice fliallbe acknow- ledg^'d. Secondly , hee will have hi^^ Mercy acknowledged^ • as Princes, wien they will make a condemned man bee fenfible of their mercy, thiey will bring him to the uttermoft, chey will bring his nccke to the blocke, then hec will teow that hee was faved, hee fhall have more fenfc of his pardon. Andfo God in the worke of Ht^miliation , hunrtbles a mm exceedingly - and when that is-done, then Hee kfeenomthe Mourn. Heis not fcenc till men bee In cxtteniititysi^fiat is, he will have them on tjieir knees, and fo bee fenfible of that mercy of his, which otherwife they would not prize. The end of all is Cbrift, hee will have Chrifteftee- med and knownc - and this men will never doe till they be throughly humbled. Secondly, God will have it fo with reference to Sandification, that is the fecond reafon-j and thatf or thefe caufts, Firft , becaufc otherwife mens thoughts would never bee drawnc inward, men would never withdraw themfelves from Covetouf neflc, and from regarding vanity 5 but lufts of youth in them that be young, and bufineffe and correfpiondencic in matters of State 5 and one thing or other would take up the mindes of them that bee old, and would fo oecupie their thoughts, that wee might fpeake long enough, but mens mindes wlould goc after an hundrc d feverall vanities as the Pfalmift faithj God is not Humiliatim he fore lufiificittim^^ i^fit w all.the thoughts 0 man^ before hee be hurtibledjthat iSjGod is notthere to any pur* pofcj. nor the things belonging to the kingdoip^e of Godj bu^ vanity is in their tbppghts,: and t|g t raifes fueh a Tumult and noilc\^ithiii7 "tHt they attend not to what wee fay/but iocke up the doores of their beartj that what wee lay can have no entrance. Wee fliall fee it in 2 Chro.^^. 12. vihtn Manages hzd, corrupted himfelfe ji?/>>& monfrcus Abominations there fet downe^ the Lord fpake to him, but hee regarded it not, till hee was . humbled, but when hdngMmo capivitie and bomd in fetters, hee was humbled^ then hee befought God, who was intreated of him. In the fifteenth of Luke you (hall finde this phrafe. The Predigall Sonne came to htmfelfii It is a Para- ble fhewing eyery n^ans natur^ll condition, hee was not himielfe before, lice was a drunken man, or a mad man 5 and that is the cafe of every iKan before hee bee humbled, hee is as a drunken man . no w< come andfpcakcwa drun. ken man, as long as you will, fo long as he is in his drunkennelTe and madneffe he heares not ; it is onely this Humiliation that brings a man to himfelte. In 2 Chran.S.^j. you iliall finde this phrafc, // they flail turne wit hall their hearts in their captivitie, and repent for their tranfgref ions, then dae thou heare in heaven, &c. I name it for the phrafe, if they fliajl turnc with their heart, which they will not doe till they bee humbled, till then they be bufied about pleafures, or pro- fits, or fomething clfcjbut they lookenot.in- ^ . , to E R M Luke i6 $ E -R M •!« Simile, Elfe men take not the king- doBie ^khvi- oiencec Humiliation before luftification. to their hearts. Thepbrafe imports fotnuch: fuppofe amanbecinftant in Tome fportand re* creation, and one come and tell him in the midft of his fport, there is an Officer without ready to take you and carry you to prifon- fuch a mefTage will turne to his heart , and make him confider what hee hath done, and what a miferable condition hee is in : fo when the Law comes it humbles a man, making him to draw in his Thoughts, and to Tee his mifcry • and when he is wounded with the fenfe of his unnes, and with the wrath of God, then, and not till then, the feet $f them that bring glad ty dings of frU vAtion are beautifuU, Likewifc Humiliation is neceffary for this caufe, becaufe except men bee throughly hum- bled, they will never ttkVtilit Kingdome of Hed- ven by violence • and they muft take it fo, clfe they lhall never have it.' now by the Kingdonie of Heaven is meant the Gofpell- you know it is called the GofpeUofthe Kingdome^ that is, righ- teoufncffe and grace therein revealed and offe- red. In cJ^i^.ii. 12 «and£/y^^i 6.x 6. you (hall finde that from the time of John the Baptift, The kingdome of heaven fuffered violence^Mndthe vio- lent take it by force: The meaning is this, faith Chrift to them, wee preach the Gofpell, lo did /^>&/i,withhimit beganne to bee preached; but deceive not your felves, many thinkethey take the kingdome of heaven, but you muft know there be two kindes of taking j fome are content to bee faved, and to doe manV things as Herod did. Humiliation before luflificatiom did, and as the fecond and third ground did, but this is afalfe taking, and deceive not your feives thereby. There is another kinds oftaking,when a man takes f this Kingdome violently, and in- deed none (hall haveit^ but after this manner^ Nowr whatis it to take it violently f _When^ man takesa thing violently, bee doth it with all his mightThc puts all his ftrength to ir^ hcdoth knot coldly, and ili^htly^ and overly ^ but yyjt h- all his might. Sothc meaning is this | The King. Borne of Heaven is as if one were to come within a narrow doore, which cannot be without diffi- culty, when hce puts to all his violence and ftrengthtodocit. According rothe phrafe in Luke, Since the time ofuhn the BapiB^ they frep into the Kingd$me of Heaven is,with violence as if God fcemes to hold the Kingdome of Hea- ven in his hand, that unkflTe you pull it, and ex- tort it from him, as it were, you fliall never have it: Now will any man doe thus till he be humbled f^Itisimpofliblehe Ihould. When a S R M, man Is brought into fearc ot his liie, and is like todye,the feare of loffc of naturall life will make him worke any thing with violence, much more then when a man fees cternall death, that he (hall die for ever, will he take the Kingdome of Hea- ven with violence, that is, he will not performe duties in a flight manner, as if God were behol- den to him, not with that laxity in his judge- ment of the truth, as he conceives, nor with that coldnefTeiiithe duty. Thofc that will befaved, mufttakefalvation by force, which a man will C never To sake hea-* vcn violently , what. i8 S E R M, L Humiliation before luHificatiorh loy and love mortifie lufts. Ffe I. To labour for humiliation . never doe till he be humbled. There is much profeffioiij and many.kindcs of taking Ghrift in the world, but the right taking is, when a man willbe at this coft, to part with all, to deny him- felfe perfedly, and every way, and take up his croffe 3 and every crofle, when his lufts arc throughly mortified^ and this cannot bee till hee be humbled : For matke, nothing mortlfiesbu t joy and love, TEaF3otE properly and immedi- atH}rmorHEe^^ for no man will par t with his lufts, tUlhec finde GHrifl fweeter than th ey, till ilR^ahe will never part with them in ic^deif^ _ yL^?5 tieft • now Chrift wflTnever ^ecT^ wee E5ve found the bitter nefle of finne, till God hath fo preft it on mens confciences, that they fcele the weight and burden of it* And fomuch for thereafons of it. Now the ufe of this is double 2 Flrft, isthis fo necefflry t Then labour to fee your feife humbled, if ever youlooke tobcefavedand ju- ftified 5 for though God offers Salvation to^aj]. (as it is true none is excepted) yet he lookes to none with a gracious eye to fave him indeed, but him that is pere and centrite in hearty and trembles at his Word. And good reafon, for none elfewill lookcafter him - ^/^^p^^?;'^ receive the GefieU and nonecift When wee preach the Gofpell, ic is like Cyms his Proclamation it was a generall Proclamation , that all that would might goeM of captwityandhutldthe Tern- fie, but faith the Text , onely they went^ whofe heart the L&rd fiimd upt0g$€} others would not HumUiation hefore lujlification. goe : So when we preachy wc offer Salvation to all mcn^ that is our Commiffion, Marke 1 6. Goe dnd f reach to all Natkns^ that is, offer <3 race and Salvation to all men ; but when ic cemcs to the point chat mentnuftgoe out of their capti- vide, and baild a Temple ro God, they will nor doeic, they will rather live in captivity ft ill, be- caufe they bee not humble. To goe out of their finnes wherein they have bin captivated^ a great while, and to build a Temple to Ghrift, that is^ to make their hearts fit Temples for Chrifl, to purge themfelves from all filthinejfe of jit jh and Spirit, to labour to walke in his feare, to leave all. even the beloved finnes, and to delight in the Lord, in the Inner man, they will nor, what is thereafon^f They are not yet humbled, and therefore they cannot be faved. Thelubilc amongthelewcsmaybea very fit refemblance hereof, and for ought I know, ma3^be fo inten- dcd, to rcfemble the glorious Liberty in the times of the Gofpell. Now the lubilev/as this, c/f // fervants jhould then goe free, bnt if any muld m,(asoi them there were many) t%en he was to be boredin the eare, and to 6e a ferpetuall fervant. So when we preach the Gofpelljthis is the great lubile, every man may be free, the Sonne comes to that end, and it is the end of the Truth to make men free : The Son comes to deliver eve- ry man out of the Gaole, ifhee will, but men will not be at Kbeny , they will bee fcrvants ftillj bccaufe they were never humbled, they never felt the heaviueffc of Satans yoke, they were C 2 never 19 E R M. Iirbiie refem- Mancc of the liberty in the Gafpcll. %0 E R M. L Banger to de- lay when God cals. End ofCllri^ls comn:iing. Titus i.iA, . - Humiliation before luftifications never wearied with finne- for if they were fOj this would be acceptable newes, but it is not fo. Now marke this by the way, if a fervant would not goe free, he fliould not afterwards be at liber- ty to goe and ftay when heelift^ but his eare (hall be bored, and he fliould be a perpetuall fer- vant, Soif you deferre this when you heare the Gofpell preached, and thinkel willnotalway live in this condition, I will repent and come out of it, know, that is not enough, Go d v^illnot wait thy legfufc^ it thou wilt not conie our, take heed lelTGbd bore thee in the eares^ that is, ne- vg: give thee an heart tocomeour. Doe not fayjlfitbefoncceffary, I will doe it hereafter ; take heed that thy opportunities be not wholly taken from thee, and know that Chrift came i n- to the world, mt eneli Uiakema^ fimey t6r tha t was but a parF ot It : But w hat was his buff. nelleTTlieGimiTip to^ mf etfe a Jecu^aFJe&^^ ^fgio^ T^of^s^ If men ins^ETfufmc out ffi^ and Chrift forgive them in theend, uvheq they pleafe to give over finning, then he might have one of his ends made good ^ which is to take away thy finncs, but thou couldft not bee a people zealous of good workes, neither could he have any fer* viceofthee^ But thou mufl: know Chrift hath hired thee for the whole day, that is , all the Time of thy life. When hee went outin the 1 morning to call in Labourers into his Vineyard^ j they did not make anfwer. Well, wee will cosie at aoone, but when hispleafureis tocalJ^ whe- ther Humiliation before luHification. 11 E R M ther at one or two a clocke, that is his call, but if hee call thee in the morning, that is, if thou have the Word preached, if hee knocke at the doore of thy heart, and by his Spirit fuggcft many good motions in thee to come home, i{ his will bee revealed to thee^ it may bee thou mayeft not have fuch an opportunity againe. that is his call 5 take heed that thou defe r re it not,left fo his wrath (hould be kindled againft thee 5 and woe unto thee if his wrath be kindled but a lit* tic- this is athingnotconfidered. lnEzek.24.. 13. ThoH remain^ in thy mckedmffe And why is that i He gives this reafonforit, / would have purged t hee f and thouwouldfi nothefurged^ there- fore thou jhalt never be purged till mj wrath light on thee. That is, when God makes an offer, when the powerfuU Word foundsin our cares ; when hcc cals, and wee cannot deny his knocking at our doores, and yet wee will not come in. be- caufe then, and there at that time, thou wouldft not be purged^ therefore thou fhalt never be pur- ged,till Gods wrath light on thee 5 and therefore defer it not. But you will fay (and that is a thing that L^>/| ketpes men off) I have done it already, and j ^ whacneed you to prefle this^ I hope I am not now to pradife thefe principles and rudiments, I hope 1 have done this duty of Humiliation long agoe. It is well if thou haft, but take heed thou de- ceive not thy felfe in this cafe, than which there is not a greater cvill in the world, even to thinke C 3 thou Anjwo 21 S E 11 M • I • Whether hu- miliation be uuc. Counterfeit humiliation, Humiliation before lufiification. thou haft done it^ when thou haft nor. I will give thee one note of it: Is itfuch anhumiliati- on as hath brought thee to Chrift i To count him the chiefeftgood, to over-goe any thing rather than him^ to ftand out againft allpcrle- cutions, rather than toforfakehim; canftthou forfakc all Syrens^ all iufts and pleafures which allure thee f Art thou thus brought home to Chrift 5 to efteeme him above all things^ that come what will come^ hadft thou an hundred lives to part with for him, all were nothing ^ Art thou thus brought home with Humiliation^ that thou wilt not let Chrift gocforany things neither loffcs nor pleafures, nor temptations on the right and left hand, then thou art come home indeed 5 orherwife ihou haft not taken him truely, neither art humble, for thou muft know there is much counterfeit Humiliation^ there bee many light wounds that may trouble thee, but not bring thee to the Phyfitian. God awakens ilnners^ but what kinde of awakening is it f With fuch awakning that they fall afleepe againe, God may fend many meffcngers of wrath to knocke at thedoore of their hearts, which perhaps difquiets and troubles them a iittkj but they returne to their reft againe. And this God may not onelydoe outwardly 3 but hee may caft many fparkes of his difpleafure into their hearts, which may there lye glowing for a time, but they laft nor, they goe out in the end. And this js the condition of moft men, therefore thej^makTmin^ they would Humiliation he fore lujlification. ivouldbe faved, and come to Chrift; and this they rake for Humiliation. But this is not the Humiliation that is required. When God meanes to fave a nrian ^ bee will goe thorow with the worke, and never give over till he hath brought him home, caufing forrow to abide on his heart. As it is Chrifts office to give repentance to men, andremiffionof finncs; fo it is his office, Luke i>79» Te guide mens feet into the way of Peace-^ Now when he will fave a man^ he will Cct it on fo, that his heart fliall never bee quiet till his feet be guided into the way of peace. Others may have much Humiliation at time of a Sa^ cramcntj or uadcr fome great ficknefle or croffe, or in a good mood, or for apprehenfionoffomc lodgement and wrath to come ^ but it is like a flafti of lightning that quickly vaniflies • but when Chrift will humble a man, he fets a Pillar of fire before him, that leads him along from time to time, till he be brought home to Chrift. A fmall thing, when God hath the fetting of it on, (hall worke, and ncveif give over working, till our hearts bee qualified aright, till we bc- leevcin Chrift, and embrace the Gofpell.And fuchan Humiliation youmuft have,elfe iris no- thing: Ifit be a right Humiliation,- 1 fay, it will bring you hom^e 3 for you muft know this is the ^3 S E R M. L condition of every man, they cannot abide the net, no man will come in if he can chufe. Now the Gofpell is a Net that catches men, and as in I the taking of fiffies, if they will take the Fifh, I they beat the (ides of the River^ and will not \_ C4 f^ff^r Luke 1.7^ True humilia- tion brings home to Chrift Gofpell a net. Simile. Humiliation before lujlification^ ] Tuffer them to reft in any cornerjfor ifthe^can findtan ^jplace to r eft in, they will not comcTn- tothe Net : So man hath many ftarting holes, and feme would bee quiet - God humbles him a 'little^ but hce ^ets in a nooke and theTe hijes himrdf^^at ifliod beat not the River tho- row-outjthat is, if God doc not purfue a man, hewillnotbe brought in. Asit was with them that fled to the Citie of refuge - you know if one man killed another at unawarcs^if hecould gee into the Citie of Refuge he were fak; but werenot heepurfued by the Avenger of blond he would not flie thither: if God ever give over purfuing a man till he be juft at the City, he will ftep afide and not regard it- but when God fliall charge finupon the confciencej and purfue hilti, never giving him reft, this brings him to the Ci- ty of Refuge. Tiiis is- exemplified in the Pro- digall fonne, fo long as he had any thing to fu- ftainc him , while his goods lafted hee never thought ofgoing home to his Father: When he had fpent his gooA,^ fo long as hee could get worke, or had any thing to doe^ though he hi- red himfelfe in a very meane condition to kecpe the Swine, yet he was well content • but in the end, V7hen hee came to have fl^j^/, his utmoft Ihift, (and yetif hee could have had huskcs, he wodJ^^^ ftj^^^^^BuT^ft^^^^ifli, then hce goes liome^ Anffinaceda manwilllieveFgoeliome tiTl he have no bottomc to ftand on, nothing to hold by,to fuftaine him • when a man is nothing. Humiliation before lufi ifi cation, is cut off the Tree hee grew on before, and fees that hee muft now perifli eternally j , this is true Humilirtion. You that are to receive the Sa- cramenr, what doe we t here in^ but offer Chrift to you r we preach ChTnOntheSacramenr^he is therein indeed offered more fenfibly : How what have y ou to doe with Chrift, if you are noijjumble ?^ Confider if^^isbeenot wrought in you- and remember this , that wh ofocver comes to the SajCtgment w th is Humilia' tion., thatjants this brokehnelle pnieatTTre^ c eives it unworthily ^ and provokes God to wrath. The Pafle-over was to be eaten with lowre herbeSj and the raainc bufineffe therein was to remember the condition they were fet at liberty from, to remember their bondage in JE^ gypr, andtheir miferies endured there- for by that, they fawthe gieatneffc of Gods mercies. Sooneofthemaine bufineffes you have to doe is to confider your finnes, and bee humbled, to confider your miferable condition, and to chink it not a light matter that y ou may omit it. Con- fider but that onepiace,Xm>. 23. 2p. you fliall finde there that in the day of Expiation, in the day of Atonement, when they came to offer fa- crifice, hee that on that day did not afBid his foule, he was to be cut off from his people. You have it two orthree times repeated, Kfs anordL namcy and this is ftill put in, Hee that comes to make an Atonement, to be reconciled, and offer a Sacrifice, remember this ordinance for ever, Hee jhAlUffltii ^A^yS/^/^, and he that doth it not, fliali S E R M. L PaiTeoverwhy eaten with fowrc hcrbes. E R M .1, Anfrv. Helps to hum- bleandafflia the foule for finne. loeU.ig. Icr.^.4. lames 4. 9. I Be willing to be humbled. Humiliation before lujlijication. fliall be cut off from his people : Therefore you have occafion to make ufc of it that are to re- ceive, and not you onely , for the Dodrinc is ge- neral!, Whofoever doth not affliSt his fiule^hej})all never bee reconciled^ but J1)4S be cut off from his people. But you will fay, I fliould be willing to doe this, but how ftiaMbe ableto doeit^r IfGod would humble me, and fet it on, and convince me by his Spirit, it mightbe done, buthow fhall I doc it my felfe lanfwer- Thou art to goe about it thy felfe: It is not for nothing that thofe words are u fed in loel. 2.13. Rend pur hearts and not your gar^ ments : He fayes, rend your hearts. And ler.6,^. Flow t$p the fallow ground of your ^^^m 5 that is, youfliall afflid your fouks : hnA lames Be affliSiedy that is, fuffer your fclves to be affli(aed for your felvcs, forrow and wcepc, that is the way to cleanfe you. Therefore a man fliould goe about the worke himfelfe, that is, take this refolution- Well, I fee I muft be humbled, elfe I cannot on good grounds take Chrift, for I fliall not prize him,therefore I will not give over la- bouring of my heart till it be humbled. Suffer thy felfe to be afflicted, as if he fliould fay. Men are not willing to fuffer it • if they doe hang their heads for a day, they are quickly weary, outward bufineffc comes, or pleafure com- mandsj and the worke growes tedious. Thcre- I fore is that in loel i . SanB'tfe a Fajl^ that you may rend your hearts j that is, fequefter your fclves from Humiliation before luSiification, from all other bufincfles, from all other occa- fions, fandifie a Faft, that ycc may have Icafure to doe it 5 ifoneFaft will not doe it, take ano- ther: Let a man goe alone and refolve never to give over till it be done^ till hee hath brought his heart to doe it. When I have done thiSjWhat fhall I then doe^* Confider your finnes, looke backe and confi- der how many oathes you have fworne^ how oft you have broken the Sabbath, whether you have defiled your felves with finnes of unclean- neffe, how often you have broken the Com- HiandcmentS; looke on your idlenefre;j your omiffions, your finfull filence, your negledi of prayer and other duties. Goe over all particu- lar finnes, and their multitude will amaz^ you ; Remember the finnes you have committed twenty yeares agoc, and take this rule withal], that thefe finnes are the fame nov/ that they were, thpugh tiot in thy apprehenfion, that is, the w^akeneffeof our nature^ as it is the weak- neffcofour eye, we cannot difcerne a thing that is a great diftancc from it, it is its wcaknefie that it cannot fee things as they arCjbut that will feeme little or nothing which in it felfc is big. So ft is with the finnes that wee have committed many yeares agoe, we thinke them little, and paft, buc know that they are the fame in thcmfelvcs^and in Gods efteeme, as they were before, for hee fees them as they are : Therefore, I fay, confider thefn, lay them together, and lee the multitude, and that will helpe to ama^c thee. And 27 E R M Confider the number offor= mcr fins. Old Cmnzs thought leUe 28 S E*R M. L The circum- ftaiices of fins. 4 HardnefTc of heart in fin- Humiliation before luflification Rclapfes into the fame fins. And not that oncly, but confider them with their circumftances : fome, it may be have beenc committed againft light of confcicncc, and that aggravates flnne, itmakesafmalliin^^/ of mea* fure finfuU : when it is committed againft know- ledge, it is not the fame with the finnc againft the Holy Ghofij but it is neare to it. Againe, confider the hardnefte of thy hearty in finning^ the very finne doth not hurt fo much as that, when a man flights it, hce knowes he hath finned, yet goes about his bufinefle, and negleds it, and this Gob lookcs at. When a man is injured, the injuryis not fo much to him as it is to fee the other to negled it, hee cares not for angring me. So you lookc back on your fins in a cold, regardlelfe, and negligent manner . Againe, confider your relapfes and fals into the fame fins, againe, and againe, though you have bcene often admoniflied of it, yea,and have made a covenant and vow to God never to fall into it. And know this, that rclapfes and fallings into fiD,o{tcn ftand for fo many finnes as in num- bers the fecond figure is in proportion to the firft, which is ten times as much as the firft, and the third an hundred times as much : So the addi- tion of finnes, by falling into them againe and againe, and that carelelTely too, that makes the fin a great deale more 5 confider this . And if you goe about to excule your felves, It is true if GO B jhould marke all that is dene Amijfcywhocanjland? But I hope Ifliallbe par- doncd,my nature is violently carried, I am flefh and Humiliation before lufiificatiom and bloud,and I hope God will pittymc. But this fhould humble you the more, that you are ready to fall into fin againe, and againc^ if it bee thus in your afiions it is much more aboundant in the heart. For put cafe there be a ncceflity, haft thou not caufcd itthyfelfe^ A- gaine, you muft know aftuall fins intend origi- nail corruption, and there is no man that is guil- ty of an y prevalent luft, but he was the caufe of Uj^lor It hee had not by committing it often, carelelTeJy and negligently given fo much ftrength to it, it had not fo prevailed. Addition of fin in every apnng3 1 not'done with it aFfiis Converfi6i5J¥ut pra the worler you bee peHwi^ dedof your felves^ and the better you conceit of God, it is the more for your advantage ^ the more you can hate and abhorreyour felves,the more you are improved thereby, for the fle(h in you muft be abhorred, and it is our fault we doc i tnotcnoug ht and againe, the more you appre- liend Chrilt, the nearer you dr^w tahim. And take this wit hall^ Huniuiation doth not weaken affurance, but workes the contrary : Indeedjhe^ lefle jincerit y, and t he ki Te mou rning for fin.and Lfae kfle Humiliation, the k0e afTurancct Bur reckoning up, and thinking on thyfinnes encrea- feth it. If I have fo many finnes, how can I be fa- ved < Yes, fo much the rather, the more thou canfl fee and be humbled for them, the more thouaddeflto thy alTurance, and fotothy love and faith. Th erefore a man fliould make a daily pradlife Humiliation, for it is to a mans great ' * advantage S E R M.I. Humiliation increafeth ai- furance. J5_ S E R Me L Humiliation before luflificatm, advantage, it is a thing too much omitted, wee ftiould take time for iu And thinkeityour ad- vantage to be able to fee what we have in our nature, how much guilt we have contra- ded by finne, and how our finncs may bee aggravated 5 for this will teach us to prife Chrift. And fo much for this point. The €nd0f tk pji Scrmom THE THE SECOND S E R M O N V^OK FIVMILIATION. Romans i. i8. For the math of (jod is reyealed fromheoMen againfl all mgodlineffe and mrighteoujhejfe of men, which mth-hoia the Truth in mrighte- oufnejfe, E come now to the matter of Hu' milUtm, contained in thefe words which I have already opened and fliew'd the points that may thence be drawne.The firftwherof, which we will begin with, is this : That the Nature of mm is full ef all mrighteouf neffe nftd ungodlm^e. You know by that which D you 5 E R M T>oB. The Nitlire of man, iuU of uniighteour- refTeand un- 34 That the "t^ature of man is full of E R M.II, The nature of man evidenced to be xull of ungodlincflc . By the -Law. you heard bcforeg how it is gathered. It will be a vaioe labour to go about to prove it^you know hov/ plentiful! the Scripture is in it^ and you are | not fo ignorant of the Grounds of Divinity, as not to confeflTe ic. The bufineUc will be to fliew wherein it confifts, and how the Nature of man is corrupted, for by making this evident, wee fiiaiJ by the fame labour^ prove and confirme it to y ou. Now the way to evidence this^ that the Na. ture of man is full of all unrighieoufnefTeand un. godlineffejis to look to the rule. If you will finde out the diforder and diftemper that any thing is fubje(ato, the way is tol'ooke to the rule to iamend it by; Now every Creature hath a law, the Fire^ the Water, the Sea, yea, every Crea- ture fenfible^ and infcDfible hath a law given to it, whicb^ as they obierve, they continue in pcr- fedion, sBd look how farre they goe afide from that,fo far :hey be imperfed:. Now the Law gi« veil to roan, is the Mor all Law and the GofpelJ, and theft two, he is to obferve. And if you will finde out the truth of this, T/?^? the Nature of man UfuU of all ungodlinefft and mrighfeoujhejje^lookz tocheietwo. Firft, look^to the Law of God, and fee Jf that doe liot conclude all menjonuer finnejooke therein to both the Ta bles. It is true, hypocrites maJe a good fliewl)f keeping the firft Table, they feeme to be for ward in the du- ties belonging to God - butUooketo thefecond Table, and that difeovers them. Civil! men feeme to bee cxait in the fccond Table, in per- forming all unrighteoufnejfe and ungodlineffe, forming duties to man, burlooke tothefirfl: Ta- ble, what their carriage to God is, what littk confciencs they make of taking his N^me in vafne, of fandifying his Sabbath, of pcrformin- holy duties in an holy manner of love, an^ feare. This difcovers civility: (that is,whea there is nothing elfe but civility.) Againe, look^ tafins of all lorts, fome gvoffk{inncs^Pecm4va. ftantia CGnfcientUmy crying finnes, and ftnaller fiimes too, finncs oflefle moment, the Lawdi- fcovcK all. Now, by the Law you muft notonely un der > ftand the ten Confi mande ments, but thatredi- tilde which runljestSorow the whole Booke of God cxpreffedln tliTw^^ the Scripture, the Ea w and^tHe Prophets are put to- gether, as it the Prophets were but a Commen- tary on the Law ; lookeonthe Scriptures, looke upon the ftraitnefle, the reditude in the whole Booke of God. Then when that is done, looke on your owne Natures, your owne Errours, the fecret win- dings, and turnings of the heart, your owne thoughts andafFedions, and fee whatadifpro- portion, a diflikeneflfe there is^ fee how far you are from that holine i Te^ that puTity, an d re(57^ tude defcrib ed in this Booke of Godj for rhat, I iay, you are to underftand by the Law. And when you have done that, you (hall find erour finnes ^to be exceed ing grea t far their q uancity^ and e xceeSing many for their num^r, and that will amaze you. This amazed EJ^vwhen hee D 2 once S E R mJI, Lav^howto beundcrftood. 3« S E R M.II Rom, 7.5). Mat.5.iS. The icaft ^ breach of the Law will bee Tl^at the Islature of man is full of * once underftood the Law, when he looked on ali the parts of if, notonely ongroflerfins for- bidden, but on the reditudc,the holineffc which is required that amazed him, Rom j p. That made finne alive, he was alive beforehand fin was dead, but when the Law dircovered Luftto be fin, then fin ne was alive, anJBe died. So if wc c^uld lee the Law, the ilridnefle of it, it would doe thus with us . "^Sndmarkywhat is faid'oFtHe Eiw^ToFwee may prefle the Law long enough, but many arc remifle in attending to it, There» fore, to ftirre you up (as I know it is but a fmall nistter) I will name but one place, and let that flay in ycur memories, Mauk$ .18. Heaven And earth fhsU fajfe may, but one tittle^ one jot of this La%v pull notplfe amy : Marke that, not one jot of I he^fcaw tn4l per ifli. That is, looke thojrow the whole Law of God, take all the Comman- dements there, you ihall give account of every idle word, you muft keepe the Sabbath exadly, you muft not fpeake your owne words. Take any Gommandemefll: that you tbinkc theTIa- tuje of man is moft ready to breakcj an^confi. 3ej that raying of Chrift, Not one jot of the Law jhaU fertjh^^eaven andurih jhallpAffe awayy but the Law of God in the lea!l part of it fhall not perifh *. T hat is, there fli all not bee one ofthefe (mall things, tliat the Law conimandiT^fat if }^ou nggleiaK^ by "gilobiyiog ir, God wiITIure^ ly require it 3 there is nbtThe kaft thing, wherein you have gone afide this reditude , and difo- beycd this Law, but it fliali bereqaired of you. And all unrighteoufnejje and ungodlinejfe . 37 And chat is the meaning of that phrafe. Thou j S e r m JI fhalt fay the uttermojl farthing. Though rec- kon them trifles, the uttermofl farthing fliall be paidj For this is our fault, though wee preffe the Law, and tell you of your finnes, yet you chinke this is afmall thing, and God may bearewith mc in this, for we be apt to judge of God, as of our felves : A fmall fault I can beare with in my fervanr, therefore God may in this difpenie with me. We thinkeoftheLaw of God, as of mans law 5 but wee muft not judge of God fo, wee muft judge of him according to his owne rule, his Thoughts are not as our thoughts 5 hee hath given a rule, and hath faid, T he leafijot of it Jha/l mpajfej but be fulfilled, not the leaft breach of it, but it (hall be required. Confideivthis,and it will amaze us, and make us to tremble, when you know that thefinnesyou have forgotten,and the leaft breach of this Law fhallbefurely requi- red to the uttermofl:. But^ you will fay, you talkc of Impoflibilities, which no man is abletoperforme. It is true, it is a thing we are not able to per- forme: Bur therein is feene the Tcrrour of^thje Law, and that njouIcnTiimble^you the m ore, Foj; fc^noFcom^ than to jh^Taske- matters in jE^p^tEcpco^ pleTiadenoupuo ^oeTluae tlian they could pcrforme, complaining of their fore bon- dage- what releefe had they ^ Theyaretold, they (hall give in the fime number of Brickcs that they did did before, and yet fhall have no D 3 ftraw^ The law com- pared to >^gyp tian taske-ma- fters. Godjjuftinre* quiring of us according to Adams abili- ties. Adams finncs charged onuso 17;^f the TSlature of man is full of ftraw 5 NovVjhow (hould they doc this f So it is with the Law, it commands^ Doe this • you complaine, Alas^ I know not how to doe ir, I have no abiiity, you bid mce make BriGkej but allow mce no ftraw 5 that is all one, the fame Tale of Bricke {hall be required of you, that is, the fame meafure ot obedience that was requi- red of ^^4?;?5 asify ouhad the fame abilities re- maining in you- And yet God#not unjuft, he doth not reape where he did not fow before . he fowed it once m Adam-, and confequentlyJnhis Poftcrity. And that no man may thinke this hard, looke to the firft fmm that kJ^ dam committed, and if we bee guilty of that finne, there is equity that the Law be requited of us, though wee have not ability to pertbrme it. Now, why fiiould it f:eme un- reafonable that I fliould be liable to Adams ac- count ^ Even to the fame exadnelTe, though I want ability to pcrforme it f It is true Jdam ran in debt, but doe not we pay many debts of our ! Grand-fathers, and Fathers, which wee never drunkefor^f though v^e run not into them, yet we ftand liable to the payment. In the Law, if a man had committed an oifcncc, and was ad- judged to be a bond. Have, it was his particular offence, but were not all his chi!dteDbond*flaves after him < and yet it was not their offence. So Adam forfeited his librrry^bccame aBond flave to linandSacan, and the fajiie is the condition of all hisPofteriry^ And befides the common reafon, which is a true all unrl^hteoufmjfe and ungoillnefje 19 true one, and a good one, that if inequity wee fliould have flood with him, therefore in equity we fliGuld fall with him^I will adde two confide- rationsjand then you (hall finde itvcry reafona- ble that wee ibouid fall with him,and that the fame fliouid be required ofuSjWhich was of him though we iTkave not the fame ability. One is, chat the Angels (though wee did not finasthey didj for they finned every one in his owne perfon) are juftly condemned , becaufe every Angeli finned himfelfc, he committed the fiane^ hee was the Author of it j and therefore it is reafon they fliould be punimcd. But come to K^dams Pofterityj confiderthat they had a meancs given them, and thatthey that are con- demned (except children^ oi^dams Pofteriry they are condemned for their owne finncs, they might doe much more than they doe, they fin againfttheLaw, they have, and fo they are not only condemned for Adams but for the fins committed in their owne perfbns. For Cod in- t<:nded to give them a fecond Board after the great (hipwrack In AdAm^ on which they might fave themfelves if they would^ if the fault were not in themfelves • for, it is true, they might doc more if they would, they might keepethe Law of Nature better than they doe, and forthat they are condemned . Againe, as weare condemned for Adams fin, though we did not commit it, fo we are faved by the righteoufnefle of Chrift, though we did j not performe it; and therefore there is an equity I ' D 4 in E R M II Men condem- ned for their perlonaU fins. Chrlfls tigh- teoufiielTe im- puted as well as Adams fis. That the lS{ature of man is full of in that regard : Wee can fee an equity for our Salvation, and is there not as much equity in the other That we ftould ftand guilty of ir^though we never adtcd it : Foras we are condemned by i^dams {in^though not done by us, fo are wefa- vedby Chrifts righteourneffCj though only im". puted to us. So that in equity the fevere righte- oufnefie of the Law Ihould bee required of us, though we hvive not power to fulfill ir. Now that we may not ftay in Generals only, tellmg you that the Law of God is holy, and pure, and you carnall, and contrary to it^we will come to particulars. And that wee may helpc your memories, obfcrve the breaches of this Law in the feverall faculties of the mindc. And we will begin firft with the Generall: the gene- rail fore over-fpreading all our nature, and that is it which the Divines call Originalljime : firft confider that, and fee how your nature is full of all unrighreoufnefle and ungodlinefie. Firft, I fiiy, confider your originall fio, and the generaJl corruption of your nature thereby, Whatfoever is borne of FleJhyU flcfl). And Ro?nq. iSmI know that in me (t hat is in my flcfh) dwelleth mgood thing* l yiai kethar, hee faye s no good things Wee thinke'we have fomerhingthat is good, for all our generall corruption, but there is nothing good at all. h%Gd.'^.^^. The Scrip- ture hath concluded aU under finnt Not onely all men, but (for the word is in the neuter Gender) all things. Th^retbre in Geru6^^\rt^ €So\\\ not o nely f ay, " fmfrarm of a mans heart is evt/^ hm it _ ^ f • allunrighteoufnejje and ungodlimjfe. 41 IS oml'^ evi/l^znd alway evill. In all adions, at all Times, This is a common Truth, but men con. fidernotofir, they thinke there is fomegood- nefTe in them, they will not bee perfvvaded of this Truth in good earneft. And therefore when ,aman comes into the Hate of Grace, it is not mending two or three things that are amifiTejjt^ is not repairing of an old houfe, but ail muft be taken downe, and bee buUc anew, you muft be New Creatures. And therefore God promifes, / S E R M.IL All things in mans nature corrupted. ■ Tit.i.ulr. } mil (live joH a new hearty and a netP Spirit : For all is out of order, and nothing good. And there IS an equity in this • for^ as in Pjar^9*i 2 . CMan being in honour abideth not, but u like the beajls that perijh: That is, as God railed man above him- f elfe, giving him fupernaturall glory, in wliich he was created (for he was created in holineffe, and perfed righteoufnefle) fo man not keeping this condition, hee was caft beneath himfclfc. And in this there is equity, that being raifcd above himfelfe, having an holinelTe given him tranfcending common nature, he ihould now be made worfe than himfelfe^evenasthe Beaft that pcrifheth. Confider this corruption, and knovv it is a thing that makes yoLfToatHTome in Gods ^gBF. For this, Ti/.i./^//. Men are called Abomi- nable : that is, men that God abhors, as you ab- horrethcfnufie of a Candle, or name any filthy thing your nature abnors ; fuch is the nature of men to God. You know how we hate Toads and Serpents for their loathlbmc poilonfuil na- ture, though they doe us no hurt. Now God lookes 4 ^ S E R M JL Originall fin how it is one fin and many. Originall fin, iiov¥ privative and pofitive That the Nature ofman is full of lookcs on the corruption of our nature, as wee looke on Toads that arc contrary to us, againfi which we have an AnppMhk. It is difputed by the Schoole-mcn, whether this be mumpeccatum^ontRn or moe^wceiBay eafily anfwer it : It is one in ail, one in eflencc^ but many in vertue, and power, and efficacy. As a feed is one individuall, but it is many, as many branches may arife from it i As Drunkennefle , (which will better expreffe it) is but one fault, but it diforders the whole man , neither the head, nor the feet, nor the rcafon is excluded : Soori- ginallfin , though it be but one fin, yet it diftem". pers the whole man, itfetsthe whole foulc out of order. And when the Inftrument, the heart, is out oftunc, every found, every adion is unfa- vory, and finfull, and thus fliould you looke up. onyour felvcs. It is further difputed, whether this be priva- tive or pofitive, likcwifc I anfwer, Itisonlypri- vative^ it is nothing but ameercwant of rightc- oufaefle: But feeing itfalsupon an adive fub- je tend 43__ S E R M.IL The corrupti- on of the Fa«» culties» 1 The Vnder- I. The V^inity of ic. 44 S E R M.II. The blind- nefTe of it. Why the un« derftanding is bi inde in fpi- dtuall things. TIj^^ ^Z?^ Nature of man is full of tend to idle queftionsj but that which is whole- fome and f Dund we nesle<5l;. Secondly , confider the blindneffe of the minde, we are unwilling to learne^ and fo long muft needs be in an Errouiyand not come to the knowledge of the Lord. To other things wc are for ward enou^h^ but to doe well wee have no underftanding . Therefore it is, that men con^ tinue ignorant, notwithftaoding fo much prea- ching, when they learne other Arts, they are quick and dexterous, but in the things belonging to Salvation, how ignorant doe they continue ^ The Schoole-^men giv e a good reafoon of it, and wee may take it from them ^ becaufe fpirituall lightisabovcus, ictranfcendsus, wee have not enough in us to fee fpirituall objeds, for they be ftipernaturall, and above our reach, but other things are proportionable to us j Bats and Owles in the night can fee well, becaufe the glimmering light ^ and their weake eyes agree well together: So can we difcernc vaine things, but things truly fpirituall we doe not: i Cor. 2. I4e Spirituall things muft be difcerned by fpiri- tuall light, A nmrall mincmmt concewe of them-^ Why i They are fpmtuall'i difcerned, t hat is, they are above him, and his nature is not able to reach them. Confider that blindneffe in the underftanding , that unaptnciTCj how quicke and ready men are to bring their owne ends to pafFe^ How wife are they for other things f but they defirc not to come to the knowledge of the Truth, and when they apply them- felves / all^mrip-hteoufnefjt and mxodlinefk^ 45 felves to itj they profit not byir. Adde to this blindnefle theunteachablcnelTe ofthcunderftanding, the refiftance that is in it 3 for ic is not a fimple blindnefle^ but a refiftance of the Truth, and anunaptnefle to receive it, Now this is diftindi from the fccond , which you may fee by this comparifon. The Aire is darie, but it is fit to receive lights if the Sun caft hght into it; but the underftauding of a man is notfo, irisnotfictorect.ivehghr3 but refifts it. Philofophers were wont to fay , that the SouJe^ theMindeof a man is JRafaTdu/a^that having nothing written on it, it is a Table of wax to anything that is evilly and will receive a quick impreffion, but a tabic of Flint, of Adamant, to any thingthatis good. Therefore the migh- ty God muft write his Law in our hearts, for we want that which is good, and are of ourfelves unteachablc. And therefore this difadvantage wee have that preach the Gofpdl, above others. If an Aftronomer come and tell a Country- man, that a Starre were bigger than the earth, it would feeme aftrange pofition at the firft hea- ring, but if hee might have liberty to dcale with him, and to demonflrate his Grounds, he might make him to beleeve it, and to fee reafon for it : But wee cannot doe fo, wee can onely propound things to Faith, and there is not oncly a blind- nefle in men, bat an unteachablenefle, . and refi- ftance againft the Truth, Adde to this the incredulity of the under* ftatiding, how unapt it is to belceve. In other things S E R M JL 3, The un- teachablencffe of it. Eaficr toper- fwade other things thcu 4- The Incrc- Mny of it. 1 4^ S E R M.II 2- Cor. 4. 4 The Enmi- ty of it. Rom. 8.7. That the Nature of man is full of things it is too credulous^ and apt to beleeve, and to be deceived with falfe tales, and idle fto- fies I but come to the Scripture, doubts and queftions arife. Therefore^ this unaptnefle of the min de to beleeveTis to beconfid ered. This I take to bee the meaning of thar^ 2 0^.4,4. where it is faid^Tkgod cf this mrld hath blinded the minds of them which beleeve not : As if he had faid. The light of the Gofpell is cleare, you may as well fee the light ofit, as you fee the light of the Sunne at noone-day^butthegod of this world hath blinded your eyes, not by a pri- vative cxtindion of the light, for that is more than the divell can doe, but hy a pofitivc bUnd* nelTe, a pofitive ignorance, that is, the Deyill tcls you fomcthing againft it, and that you be l eeve : And that is ou r nature, w ee are morerea^ dy to bcl e ^c the^iye lT than God^ may feeme ftrange, yet BvevG)^^ms ^ iu and that finne is tranfmitted to all our natures^ wee are readyTo bcleeve falfe fuggeftions ^ainft the Truth, which weaken faith rather than the fure Word of God# Laft of all, adde to all this the Enmity of the underftanding, which is more than all the reft* Rom. 8.7. The carnall minde is Enmity dgainB God : That is , the under ftanding is not oncly v^ine, ready to pitch onidle lpecuISions^|and not onely blinde, ready to refift^ and not onely flow and backward to beleeve, bun t is an Ene- mie, and fights againft the TrutlTjlnd the rea. Torus in thefe words : it is Enmity , and why ^ It \ is all unrighteoufnejje and ujigodlinejfe. ts mtfuhjeB U> the Law of God^ mither indeed can he J and therefore, it is an Enemiejthat is^ when the mind of a manlookes on the exaciinefle^and ftridnelfe of holinefle and purenefTe that God requires^he doth not meane to be fubjed: to it 5 and feeing he will not be fubjeiito it, he refifts it, iSghts againft it as an Enemie^lookes onitjas a thing-contrary to him>didit give more hber- ty, he would be ready to embrace it,and thinke well of it ^ but becaufe it is too ftridi,he breaks \ thele cords, and cafts them away and fights againft theTruth.and thisis thenature of every man. Now when we fay the v/ifdome of the } flelli is Enmitie, we doe not fay that men op- pofe the Truth, for there is not any Truth in pivinity.but a man may fuilv embrace and af- ient to it^ and yet be anEnemie t o Holmelie, to t he Image of God ibmped therein , rothefz- \ vmg knowle3ge, that is, the laving manner of knowing the Truths he aflents to. Therfore the Apoftle faith, CManj knovp much^ hut nothing as- thej ought to knorv- : So many may know thefe fpirituall Truths,and confclie them to be good inthmfelves, and yet may have a reluftance' againft- them, a diftafte of thern^ they f avour not the things they underft and. Tit.i.Hk, Thej arete every good work reprobate-^ which I take nor to be meant paifively, but adively,that is^men that cannot judge aright of any work/hat look not on it with a right eye,as a thing lovely,and imitable, as right and good, but in this regard they ftrive againft it. Therefore, theApoftle f^e-kfs ^ 47 S E R M.II _48 S E R M,II. \ a.ThcBepia^ I Yednefleot'the 1 Will. That the Nature of man k full fpcakes of fome that exalt themfelves againfi the kmwledge of the truth 5 that is, that fight and de- fend themfelves agaiaft it, that fpeake evill of the things they know, (for they/ know them, elfe they would never fpeake of them) but they know them not fo^ a s to love them, and delight in themT thereforcTheyrefift, and fortiHc them- lelves againft the wayes of God, againftthe ftridnelTe and holinefle that God requires, and perfwade themfelves to thinke amiffe of them, that they need not to be fo tKzGti This is the na- ture of every man, and the EnmityoT the under« ftanding. And now my brethren, if the underftanding be thus bad, ihinkeit isnofmall matter, ]f_the light that is in thee bee dark eneffe, how great is that darkenefle ^ The underftanding is that that muft guide thee, and when the Stcarne is out of order, whea the Auriga^ the Waggoner is blind, or amifle, and fees notthc right wayjthinke what a cafe youarein. But you will fay this is Igno- rance.But is not this ofgreat confequencef When a man is blinde he knowes not whither hee goes, he is altogether a ftranger from the life of God : Therefore firft let this humble you, labour to fee ho w your mindcs are full of wickedneffe, and unngHteo u fnefle^ Secondly, let us com e to the wiU, and yo u fliall findethatip bee no Teilc corrupt than the underChnding^ for the will takes every thing as tTieunderflaDciing prefentsitj and if the under ftanding, the mindc of a man be thus corrupted, the all unrighteoufnejfe and ungodlinejje. the will mufl: needs bee corrupted. As a man that lookcs thorow a coloured glafle , every thing he fees is coloured 3 or as a man that hath his Pallate polTeft with a vicious humour, every thing feemes bitter according to the humour : To the will of man fees every thing thorow the underftanding, as wee fee thorow a giafie, but (Seeing) is not fo proper a wordtoexpreffeic : the underftanding taftes things, it is as the pal- late is^o the ftomac ke, when it is out of o rder^ it perverts the wayes of God, it fees no luch beau- ty, nor excellency in them 5 and the will difpo- fes of it felfe accordingly. Now you {hall findc that t he unde rftanding reckons the ,WjQjgs of God both En mity at^tollY^^id^dly men to beejartly fooles, and partly Enemres, and con- t rary to them f TBcrcloreTo'^^ flialTHnde a dl- IpofinonTanaffedion, aframeofthe willto an- fwer that, mingled partly of hatred, and part- ly of contempt, and a man partly hates, and pardy contemnes, and thinkes light of holinelTe ; And , this is the difpoficion of the wi ll of every m ^n_before Regen eration, I fay, the holinefle ckfcribed in the pure Word of G o d, and ex- preflcd in the lives of the Saints, he partly hates as a thing contrary to him,and partly contemnes it as folly. But we will fhew you the particulars of the will, as we did of the underftanding. Therefore firft conMcv thtC0ntr4riety tftht wtll, it is contrary to God in all things ^ Jooke wiat Gods will is in any thing, you ftiall finde your will comradifling it, and going a contrary E way : 49 E R M JL simile. I. Ot the con- i trariety of thei willto God. 5° E R M II. P. r That the future of man is full of z. The Pruie of the will. way: It is faid oftbckwes, as arhingthatex- ceedingly aggravated their fin, and the mifera- blc condition they were in, they were cemr^ry to all men 5 and if it be fo much to bee contrary to men, what is ittobe contrary to God, to re- fift him^ to goe againft him < And yet what hee will have done, that wc will not doe; and what he will nothavedone, that wee doe, that is the difpofition ofour will. Secondly, confider the Pride of themB^ how I ready it is to exalt it felfe above its meafure, for ' thewill ofmanlliould bee a dependant will, a fubjcvS will waiting on God, as the fervanf waits on the Mafler, or as the hand- maid waits on her Miftreffe, that is^ a mans will fhould be difpofed in every thing as God pleafcs. If hee will have him to be poore, in difgrace, or in a lower place and condition;, the will fhould bee fubjedl, for wee muft remember G o d is the Creator, wee are Creatures and muft be fubjed to the vdlloftlie Creator- but our Will wil l not ftoope to G ods Will : hs Adam would See 111 anotEerconHBon. thin God hatli placed him m 5. The Incon- itancieof it- _^^fowee exalt our ielves above meafure^ wee are not content to be dif^ofed"of7tio bee carried froai condition so condition , to have our af- faires ordered as God pieafes, wee will have plots and projeds of ourowne, wee willfliape out our owne Condition, elfe we murmureand are difcontcnt, and that is the pride of the will. Thirdly, confider the Imonfiamkof the^ill, theweakeacffe of it in good things, and its per- emptorineffe allunrighteoufnelje and ungodlmejfe. emptorinefle in evill 5 in good things our rcfolu- tions are weake and inconftanr, and as bubbles come to nothing 5 but in evill things we are ftiffe and peremptory, and will doc what we lift. Our tongues are our owne, wee will ufe them, Whou Lord overm? This is the nature of men, they fweare and breake the Sabbath, they doe ir, and will doe it, though theyTay it not inwordSjyet God lookes on ir, and fees it ; jgany purpofes they have^ they w ill cha ng^heir counes y^u^ what come they toTT Tis but by accident^wHcn the wind is in that corner, when the weather- cocke ftands that way, fo that there is no con- ftancic in our wils. Againc, markc the DtfohccHenceofour mil find that is not a fmall thing, that is the great and proper fault of the will, that it is dilobedienuo God^ that is, when God commands a thing, and fayes, this I will have done, for the will to bee difobedicnt to it, negligent of it, is a great and fearefull finne, the eating ofthe forbidden fruit was unlawful!, becaufe God commanded c^- ddm tht contrary* IfGods command be on the leaft thing, thenegledi of it makesitadifobedi- ence 5 when God came to Jdam^ (aith he, Hajl thou eaten ofthe T tee concerning which 1 h^ve faid, thou Jhalt not eat efitf That is, haft thou beene difobedient 1 Haft thou broken my Comman^ dement i Youfeewhatfollowedonit, So Saul, xvhen COD hade him defiroy the Amalekites, you would not reckon it a great finnetofave a few Cattell alive ; but becaufe E God commanded 51 S E H M.ll- the 4. The Difo- bedience of it.. Bifobedicnce in fmall things a ^rear fin. That the jS[ature of man is full of the contrary, the fault was great. So the Pro- phet, I Kwgs 1 3 . Or^e would not thinke it to bee a great matter for him to gee that way or the other : yetbecaufe he went that way, God fentaLion that devoured him. The fin of Difobedience youmay thinkeafmallthing, no manthinkesit fogroffea fin as Idolatry, Adultery and Mur- ther 5 but fee how God jtidgeth of it, i Sam. 1 5 . 23 . MheUion is iis the fmne of mtcheraft • and ftub- bornenefle is as iniquity and Idolatry that is^ thou thinkcft it no great matter to fave a few cattell, and to keepe the King alive, though thou deftroyeft all the reft : thou thinkeft it a fmall thing, but it is not fo^ looke what thou thinkeft of the finne of Witchcraft and Idolatry, fuch is Difobedience. Now let men apply this to them* felves, looke what is revealed to you to bee a fin^ I know this is a fin, I know it is Gods command not to commit it 3 if thou fall into it, it is now a Difobedience, as Adms was, and as Sauls was^ and as the Prophets was, and confiderhow God will take it 5 you fee how bee dealt with them. Come to particulars^ doc you not know, it is his Comtnand you fhotsldmt fwtm ^noi onely great- ter, but leller oathes ^^To keepe ihe Sabbath^to keep pur vejfels pre, your bodies clem^lox they are the Temples ot God, and therefore that you ought not to defile them with any uncleannefle, Drun- kennelTc, or Gluttony : doe you not know, hee commands that you (hould be conHant in prayer, that youperforme it conflantly^ and earneftlyj and fervently Now confider^what Difobediem all unri^hteoufnejfe and ungodlmeffe. is 5 Remember that fpcech, Hajl thou eaun of the Tree concerning xvhichi commdnded, faying, Thou jhalt not e4t of it ? This is the difobedience of mans will, labour to fee this, how apt thy will is to breake the Commandements of God, and how in this refped thy nature is full of all un- righteoufnefle,and ungodlineffe. Nexr, we will come to the memory, and you flidi finde that out of order likewifc, that rhc things God commands us to rcmember,tho{e we are exceeding ready to forget, and the things we fhould forger, wee are too ready to remem. ber, wherein I will be briefe. Firft, for the things he commands us, he doth command, Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth. In your youth you fliall fer ve me,and^ yet how apt is youth to forget God < And for the Sabbath he bids us Remember to keepe holy the Sabbath day : How apt arc wee to negled it, to difbbey it f It is out of our mindes. So P/aLjS. 1 1 . ffee would have his wondrous mrkes^ and the great ASts he did for the children of Ifraely Remem^ bred, but they remembred not (faith hee) his wonders in iEgypt. And fo we may go through any thing clfe. Heb, ii.You have forgot the confe- iations^Scc. Againe, wee are ready to remember what God bids us to forget. We are apt to renieber Injuries, yea, one injury will be thought on more than many yeares good fervice, or many good turnes. We fhould not do thus,butlhould remember the benefits from God and man for 51 E R M.IL E 5 th( J. The cor- ruption of th{ Memory. i.In the things we arc gom- manded to Re- member, Pral.78.11. 2. In things we are comman- ded &o Forget. 54 E R M ,11" 4, Tfie cor- r' prion of the C^nfcicrCCo . Tl?at the TS{afun of man is full of the encreafe of love. So idle tales we are ready to remember, but good things, though they be accompanied with the motion, and quickening of the fpiritgocour like fparkes in wet tinder, they goe out againe quickly, as if they had not beene. So, for hearing the Word, 1.2 5 . we are cdXkd forget full hearers y wbca wee are about that duty, it a tale bee told us in a Sermon that wee can remember, but what is profitable and wholefome, that we forger. Our mindes arc like ftrainers, all the milke pafles thorow them 5 that that wee fliould grow by, that which is whole- fome, and neceflary for nouriilment runs tho- row, but the droffercmaines : Triflts and vaine things we can remember, and carry away with us, and this is thefinfulneffeof our memories. You may call it weakenelTc of memory, and may thinke that it is not fo great a matter. No, it is not the infirmity of thy memory, but the cor ruption of thy nature, if we forget other things as much, it were another cafe, butbecaufe holy things are fpirituall, and the frame of the heart is nought,, our corrupt ill difpofition makes us ready to forget them . and more than that, there is a carelefntlEHn our mindeSj we regard not the things of God, but every vanity we regard, and our mindeis inftant thereon, and that is the rea- fon we remember it, but forget the things that conccme God, and our Salvation. ^ Come we from the Memory to the Confci- "tnce. The Confcience of a man is that which fliould have life 5 It fliould bee like lobsh& mef. fengers, all unnghteoujhejfe and ungodlinefje. fcngcrs, tohrmg us word, that aU the reft is dead: There fliould be a remaining light of Confci- ence to tell us^ that all the reft of our faculties are dead, difordered, and corrupted, but looke upon the Confcience, you ihall fee how (horc it is in that which belongs to it, and it is a great matter to have that out ot order. There be but three Ads of the Confcience ^ and it is difordcred in them all. The fir ft A61 of the Confcience is to bee a Remembrancer, tobe afaithfuU Regiftcr^ to fet alldowne, andtoprefentittous, but it is a falfe Rcgifter • like the Steward in Luke^ that when there were hundreds Jit d^wne fifties: So the Confcience fcts downe things by halfes, it thinkcs not wha t is done,it recals them not - if it were as it fhould be, it would recall our finnes, and their Circum- ftanceSj in another manner than it doth; And fo is in that regard corrupt. The fecond or Office of Confcience, is, to mfiigate to geodyZni to reftrainefrom evill^biitin this you fliall findc it exceedingly corrupted. In this A(S there bee three Vertucs which fiiould be in the Confcience. The firft is Clear ene(fe^ the Confcience fliould bee fo clearc as to fee all things that are amiffe, but in this it failcs exceedingly, Tit. i . It is faid. Their minde and confcience are defiled, mar ke that 3 looke as in a Glaile, which is in itfelfe clearc, when it (hall bee covered with duft, itfliowes nothing, it prcfentsnot things cleare]y,toricis defiled, fo the Confcience of man fliould bcc E 4 ck.ive 55 S E R M.IL In three Ads. I. As it is a Remembran- cer. 2. Asit is an inftigatour to good, or aFc- ftrainer from CVill. Wherein three Vertues aie re- quired. i.ClearcnclTe. Tit. I.I J. Simile. 5^ E R M .ScnftbkneiTe 4„ As it Is an AccufcrjOi: £x< Tl^at the jS[ature of man is full of cleare as a bright Looking-glaffG, that fliould prefent every thing that is amide in a mans heart or lifcj but it isdefiledj and you can fee nothing by it. Thefecond vertue in this Ad of Confcience, iSjastofeefinscIcarely, fo tofeele them, t0 he fenftbie ofthm : like a fine fle(h v;hich is fenfible of thelcaft prick, or like the eye that is fenfible of the leaft mote. Now in this it failes more than in the other there is a brawnineffc growne over the Confcience, and in fome it hath loft all fenfe, and therein you may fee the Corruption of it. IfyouiooketotheGlafTe, and there finde (wearing to be a fin jou arc not fenfible of it^you fecle it not. But there is a third Vertue wherein it failes more than in thefe tvi^o^ It fliould fiir us nfy and give usmrefi^ xxW it had conftrained us to doc the good thing God commands, and reftrained us from theEvillhec forbidsj it fliould awaken us, but it being dull and fleepie, ftir-res upfomc- times good purpofes, thereby awaking us, but it lets us fall afleepe againcj wc can reft in fin, wc can fin^ and our mindes be quiet in it, and can put oft' our turning to God . This is a great cor- rupion of the Gonfcience which fliould amaze us : This is the finfulnefleofir,which fliould per- fvvadeus that our natures are full of dWtmrightei oufneffe andungodlimffc. Laft of al],the third Office or Adi of the Gon- fcience, is, to acc^ife right, andexcufe^ and in this weftiallfce ic failes as much as, or more than in i any all mrighteoufnejje midmgodltnejje^ any ot the other. But you will fay, the Con- icienceis ready enough to accufc; it is true, but the light it hath, by which it is able to fee finne, and to accufe us for finne,^ it abufes and perverts ' to a v/rong end, tor this you fliall findein thc Confdence when wee preach the Law, and the S E K M.IL Confcience abufcth the lighc it hath, : ! 1 ! Signe of ^ good ccnici. Confcience fhould joyne with us to accufe, then it excufcSg-makin^ every thing feeme fmall and iittk. And a^ainc, when we preach the Gofpel]^ and the Confcience fhould excufc, then it accu- fes • ray finnes are lo great and many^tliat there is no mercy^ for me. And this perverting of The light, this cxcuiing, when it fliould accufe 5 and thisaccufing, v^henit fliouldexcufe^ caufeth us, Beclinare lUum, to fcape the blow of Law and Gofpell,and wearc robbed ofthe fruit of both, becaufethc Gonfcience doth not his partaiighr. And fo you may fee, howfarre off you are from a good Confcience. But, you will fay, I doc many things in fecret out of Confcience, and I hope it isnotfo much corrupted. I will adde this then to that I faid before, you vm{{ know it is nota ^ood Confcience which onely fupprefleth and reftraineth fromevill. The matter is,in what tearmcs it fiandswith Qod ; if it looke on God, as a chaft loving wife lookes on her husband, or a fon on the father, that out of reverent loving refpeds, fearcs to offendhim, bccaufe they prize their favour more, than any mans favour in the world, and after this manner ^ rcftraines, it is a good Confcience 5 but if it re- 58 S E R M.II. The corrup- tion of the fen- fitive Appetice. Ohje£f, Tloat the Nature ofman is full of ftrainc us, as a fervant is rcftraincd under an hard Matter, or as a thc^fc under the ludgc, trembling athisword^his judgementjthisisnota good ConfcieiTce, Your Confciencc may reftraine you from many things 5 nay, you may doe ma- ny thingsin fecret bctwcene you and God alone, and yet for all this have nogood,butanevill Confcienceo So you fee the corruption of man in the Vnder (landings WilljMemory, and Con- fcience. I will addc another, and that is the (en- fuall Appetite- And this you (hall finde exceedingly out of order above all thefe faculties I have named, it is ready torunneover, and beyond all meafure. By this I underftand, that appetite in a man, by which he taketh pleafure in lenfible things, fuch as are conveyed by the eyes, the cares, or the taftcj fee any objed before it, it is ready to run out quickly, by inordinate affedlions, as to wo- men,to meat and drinke, to anykindeof fport, or recreation, or fenfible thing. How corrupt is this fenfuall Appetite t How prone to evill ^ How ready to run out < To break over the Pale, to goeafide the rule ^ If any dclightftill objciJJ be propounded, how ready is it to embrace it Bm^ you will fay, (and indeed it is BeUarmints quarrelhng.) The rebellion of the fenfuall Ap* petite is but naturall, the fame that is in beafts, bec^ule, before originall fin was committed, he was in the fame conftiturion, there was fuch re- bellion betweenc the fenfuall appetite andxeafon, as there is now, and therefore being naturall,it is notfinfulJ, Bu' all mrighteoufnejfe andungodlinejje^ j 5^ But this is his Errour, though every man bee SeT"mJI hereby ready to excufc himfclfeTtliinking the rebellion of the fenfuall Ap petite not to bee fo ^^f^* great a matter . But to take his ovvn^ words, he ' taitb'^ the fame as it is in Beafts « It is true, if it were with us^a sit is with Beafts^ itwerenofin^ and fo not a thing which givjs uscaulc to be fo much humbkd : for in Beafts the fenfuall Appe- tite hath no fuperiour govcrnour, but is fu- preme. To expreflc it to you. Take an Horfe in simik. a pafture that is loofTe, and free, if he run up and downe and play, we finde no fault with him, for heisloofc J but if he doth this under the bridle, when the rider is on his back, will you not now rekon him a ftiffe.necked Horfe, and count it a fault in him, for there is a rider on his back. So for this fenfuall Appetite in Beafts, where there is liberty, and no fuperiour command to keepe them in order, the Beafts are not to bee blamed. But take a man where God hath fet reafon a- bove the fenfuall Appetite, and grace above reafon to guide it; in him this fenfuall Appetite rebels againft reafon, which it fliould obey, and this fhewes it to be a great finnc in mcn^confide- ring that reafon fliauld be the rule to guide, and \ keepe in the fenfuall Appetite, for god hath j ven it for that purpofe. Indeed fomc defires are naturally Chrift defired life, which was lawful, and a right objehtnm atonement waste bee made J he that afp51ed not his fouky was to he cut off from hispofle. When we come to the Sa- crament, there is a reconciliatioiij an atonement to bee made in a fpeciall manner | What muft you doe then AfBicS your foulcs^conlider your fins, fee what debts you have run into, fee what corrupt natures you have^ and likewifc know what you have in Chrift, and rcjoyce there- in 5 (for thofe muft goe together) an humbling of the Soule for fin, and rejoycingin Christ for your Deliverance fromit^ THE THIRD S E R M O r

neffe to take what they" have not d one You have not clot hed wFTyoSHv^ to judge^ailgbt of thefe finncs of omiflionj that they may help to amazeus^and fo much for ailu- all finnes. And fomuch fortheLaw^ the firft part of our rule^ wherein we have runne thorow the corruption of the Faculties^ and fo have dif- covered our habituall finnes^ and now thorow the three kinds of aiSiuaU finncs, in Thought, in Word, and in Adion. The fecond rule, which I told you wee are to obferve, is the Gofpell. And here you think you fliallfcape well enough, for the Gofpell brings damnation to no body. But if you confider of it aright^you (hall finde that the Gofpell is much more terrible in this cafe than the Law, that it will humble us more, and that the fins againft the Gofpell are much greater thanlHoIeagainfl: the Law/ 'TJlii^elhiFTnnBHe^ rcfufingof lefus Chrift when God offers him, and remiflionof fins by him, that you may have him when you will, if you will have him on^fuch confequent conditions as are rcq uired^vyhichisto deny your g^c^^^j^^youFc^^ The gteatneCTc of this fmnce this wFpreach continually : I fay, this contempt ofTHe Go{pel,yourunwiIiingneift to take Chrift is a great fin, and that fliould humble you above all the reft. And that you may know that I have reafon to fay fo,confider Chrifts fpcech, It jhallbe more eaficl all mrighteoufnejje and mgodlinejje eafte for Sodome and Gomorrah jhan for fuchafeo^ fie, for fuchaCitie, as whcnrhe Gofpellotthe Kiadome was preached to them, neglected it, fo that the fin of Sodomc is not fo great a lin as the refufifig of Chcift. You know the greatneffe of that fin, the puniflimentfliewcsir, yetitisnot fo great as this. Againe^ it is Hiid of Mofes and Chrift, being compared together jT^/i^ ^/^% ^^^^ f^^e againk Mofes's Law are condemmd, how much for^rpunijlu mtnt flia/l they be worthy of^ that hreake the Law of Chr 'tjl^ that beleeve not the GofpU? It exceeds the finne againft the other. Againe, confider, is it a fmall thing to caufe the blond of lefus Chriftto be Qied in vaine, to trample it underfoot, and to count it a common thing i But fo doth every man that neglcfts ir^ that hearkens not to it, that is, not ready to re- ceive ir, that is, notpoorein ipiritjandfo dorh not hunger and thirft after Chrift- Againcj confider, Ic is the ciiiefe Command, and the breach of the chiefe Command mufl needs be the greateft finne. When the Difciples asked Chrift what was the great Commaode- menr, heefaid^This is the gxt^tt^oi ?M^to be^ leevc on him whom the Father hadfent. So ilohn ^ 2%. This is his Commandement^that we pm/dbe-^ leeve in the Narne oj lefus Chrifl^ Agaioe^the Golpeliis the uttermoft, the L^w makes way for the Gofpeli, therefor the fcn- tence, and condemnation of she Gofpell is per- emptory, and terrible, and nothing beyond jr. Aaain- 78 Se RM.IIL 6 Pfal.t.ult. Tl?at the Nature of man is full of Againe , confider, God was angry for the contempt of this, you (hall not findcinall the Sc riptures an y thing that angers jiim fo tnuch^ rfe I. The ignorance ot thole that know not the corruption ot with them that were invited',and wouldnor come he was angry ^and commanded thenajo beflaine. So PfaLz.nk* Ki^etkcSonne lefhebe angry : The contemning of this condcmnes a manmoft of all to wrath. Laft oi all, confider, that when you negled I E s V s C H R I s T 5 and finne againft the Gofpell, and are not ready to receive it, you take his Name in vainc in the higheft degree, and he will not hold him guiltleflc that taketh his Name in vainc, at all. Now Gods Name be- ing in his Sonne moft revealed, take heed of ta- king it in vaine, i C4ir.6. i . / lefeech yeu take mt the Grace of C^d in vaine : It is a greater matter than you thinke it to bee, that when God fliall offer Chrift,(hall propound to marry his Sonne to you , you fhould rcfufe him 5 confider the finne and be humbled. And byjhis is feene the corruption of our nature, and thislHould huni- ble_us more than any finne committed againft tHe^aw^ ^nd thus much fiiall ferve to make plaine the point in all the parts of it, that the Nature of man is full of all unrighteoufneile, and ungod- lincfle. Now to makeufe of it. Andfiift, if this be the Condition of all men by Nature, then hee that fees not this, he that isijorperfwadcd ofir, hee is deceived, he is anunskiltuil, an ignorant man all mrighteoufnefje and ungodlinejje. man, he hath not yec his vplt exerctfed t$ difcerm betwtene geod and evilL And kt him fo reckon ofhimfelfe. If this be the Condition of eve- ry man by nature, and yet God hath not ope- ned the window for him to fee it, and to ftand amazed at ir- he is, I fay, ao unskilfullman, he is not yet enlightned^ the true light hath not yet fliined into him. For when God enlightens a man truely, itworkesfuch an alteration as was in them, in 2 . that mre prieked at their hurts andmrc amazed, at that, which before^ being as ether men^ they faw not . So that you may obfervc a double difpofi- tionin men; one is a complaining, a felfe-accu- fing difpofition, when a man is apt to com> plaine of himfclte^ and can never find too much fault with himfelfe , delights in the exadinelle of other mens converfations, loves thatdoiiiine which is felfe-feperaring, wonders at his owne corruption; fo that no man can fay fomuch againft him, but he can fay much more againft himfelfe. This is a good figne, and fuch a Con- dition was in f$henbi$ heart melted^ and in Faul, Rom,'], where you mayfeehowhecomplames of ^he abundance of his Corruption, But there is another excufing difpofition, when a man fees nothing amiffe in himfelfc- that will not have any fuch doubts made be, twecne man and man, and that for his owne part, he will not be (but out of the number, buc anfwereth for his owne rightcoufuefle, that hec is rich, and increafedin goods, when indeed he is 76 Sekm.III Aas a. Double dirpo- fitionln men. . 8o I Tl^at the Nature of man is full of' \ is naked, and poore^ and mifcrabk : I lay, thi^ isaniilfignethatthou haft notyec rece ived the Holy Ghoft, that thou art not yet partaker of the righteournefle of C h r i s for the Holy Ghoft will firft convince thee of firme, and it chouare notfoconvincedj it is afignethoutiaft oor. yet received than righteoufnefle ; and know 'thiSj that in all the Sain ts \- in- allro whom God hach revealed himlclfe^ you iliali finde this di- fpoficionTt o^ompal^ of them{e!yes>_^ How abundanrwas itlh David f Bee rvas ever compU ning that his finnes were more than the h aires of his head.ks in VfaLi§Who can underfiar^d his faults? Andj my ftmes are too heavy for mee,and they are gone over mj head : Hee isftill complaining of himfelfe. And whaiisthereafonif It was be- caufe a veine of cleare light flione into his heart. Others have but a common Illumina- tion, and there is a great difference bet weenc a bright beame that (hewcs the fmaifeft mote, and common light. Another niay have hght to fee great detormities^ but not to fee motes : thou mayeft have a common lights Sitid mayeft carry it tohell, tor it is no ktter thaa darknc fie. Therefore know that if thou h >ift not in fbme mealurc beene perfwaded of all theft Truths^ the tighreoufneffe of Chriit isnot yet revealed to theej for this is Gods method, firft bee re- veales his wrath againft unrightcoufnefle of men, and then difcovers the righteoufneiTe of Chrift by faith. And it this bee not done, ii I chou art not throughly humbled, fo thai Goc' I Serm.IIL all unrighteoufnejje and uitgodlinefje. hath opened acrevife of light to fee this eor- ruption Nature, fo as to abhorre it in thy felfe, and to bee vile in thine owne eyes^ to be much humbled forif, not to hang downe thine head for a day, but to take it ro heart in another manner, I conclude , thou art not a man en- lightnedj thou art an unskiifull, an ignorant man, and you know what condition that puts a man into. Secondly if mens natures, bee thus full of Corruption, even the.Saints them fclves, then godly men may make this ufe of ir, to learne to ; prife lefus Chrifl : Doe you make this .ufe of ^ the Table wee have drawne for you to looke' into, and to fee the multitude of your finnncs, and the Corruptions of your natures, to karne to prifc I E s u s C H a I s T For yoa muft take this for a rule, no man wil ever know the length, and breadth, and depth of G od s mercy in I e s u s C h r i s t , and his love therein, unit flfe hee firft know the length, and breadth, and depth of his finne, and this ufe you mufl make of all thefe explications. To fee the grearnefle of finne is of mucl«ire to the Saints, that they may know how much they are beholden to God 5 you will never fee how Gods Grace bar h abounded towards you, if you doe nor fee how your finnes hath abounded towards G o d: Labour to fee ir, that you may love much, becaule much is for- given you, that you may prife Christ much, and bee brou-ght much more into love G with Serm.IIL To prife Chuil; more. g2 \ Tha t the T<{ature of man is full of sTTm JlT. ^^^^ Saints fliouId make of if 5 and it willbcc profeablc. And they that receive the Sacranaent ftiould fpccially Gonfidcr ofit« ; When they came to the Paffeovery one of the chie{e things they , were dir cited to doe in that Geremony, was to rememfaer their bon- dage. Againe, looke on the Concomitants of the Paflftover- their fowrc hearbes^ their going in hafte, their flaffc in their hand^ Againejthe ' Paffeover ic felfe^ their fprinkUng of bJoud on the doorc-poftes, all was to put them in minde of their miferyj and their deliverance, which v/as the onely way to magnific his mercy. So in this fpiritKall freedomeg remember your bondage^, the Sinncs you have commit- ted, your Gondition by. nature^ that you may learneto magnife your freedome by Chriftj and give God the praifeof it, to magnific and love him with all your heart, and ftrength : The more you doe theis, the more it will enlarge your hearts ^ to know the love of G H R I s T, which pafferh knowledge. Of many way es to know which, this is one, and a Principall One^ even toinow the greatnefle ofyourfinnes* The third and chiefe ufc ofall the reft is this : ^ 5. This Gorruption of Nature, this abundance of Toanveusto GorroptioD which hath beenc fliewedto you,i chrift. fliould drive us to Ghrift, And 8j And that is our end, wee doe not preach damnation, our end is Salvation^ Therefore wee would have men to know their condition, to know that they be in ftate of death. For tha^ chat keepes menfrom commingto C h r i s and the reafon that fo few arc fared , that fo few take the GofpeUg is^ they ^re not poorc in fpirit. And why are they not fo f Becaulc chey fee not their linnes. And for this caufe wee have beene thus long in opening this point, that you may know your felves. And this I dare fay, If you did know your felves, if Go i> bad kindled alight within, whereby to fee your Corruptions, you would not ftand cheapning the Kingdome of Heaven as you docj you come now in a lame, and xcmifk manner, but you would then come and give all that you have for it, and gocaway rejoycing, and thin^e you have a good bar- gaine. Godfliould not then deny you, you would wrcftlewithhim, as Z^^^^did, and give him no reft till you have obtained a blelling.This would awaken men out of their dead fleepe of fecurity, as that is the condition of every man by nature, asheis(infuU, foheeis fecdre, hcconiiders not his (innes. Therefore, to all that I have faid, you muft adde fomething of your owne- what I tiave faid, is no more able to (hew you the finnes you are fubjehocankmrv h f There is a depth of evill in the heartjwhich no man can fearch, it is deceitfully and purs ialfe glofTes on things^ to hide them from our .eyes. - ; ■ Therefore aU unri^hteoujhejfe and ungodlineffe. Therefore doe not thinkethoucanft exceed, but labour for thy Humiliation, to fee all thefe things in a greater meafurc in thy fclfc^than as they bee here defcribcd , and that not nakedly, but with all Circumftances. 85 mmttmmmm iiHinMI T ' III Serm.IV. The end of the third Sermn. 9% THE THE FOVRTH S E R M O N HVMILIATION. Romans i. i8. Forthemath of (jod is reyealed from heaven againjl all mgodlinefe and mrighteoujhejfe of men, rf hicb mth-hold the Truth in unrighte^ oujneffe* N D this is a thing wee are very unwilling to doe,for the Medicine (bewesthe Bifeafe. The Apoftles taking of (o \ UiUchpainestoperfwademeD ( that they fliall not bee faved by their owne righteoufoefle, is an argument, that it ' is an hard matter to per- ' G 4 fwade | sg Serm.1V. To quicken our defires af- ter Chiilt, Con'fidcr. Tl?at the jSlature of man is full of Iwadethem. It isjhehardeftthjngmhe^odd to pcrfwadea dyillmanthaxhemuft not fticke tb his ownejJghte<^fn^ till God himlHfe puts Tus hand to the worlcc, for it is net in any mans power to convince him of his finne, or of thedcficiency of hisrighteoulmfle. Therefore that ufe wee fliouldmal^eofall that hath beene faidj to fee the nec< flity that lies on us to goe to Chrift, and that there is no-^falvation-withdut him. Now to make this Do(Jlrine more cffiduall^ to awaken you the more, to rouzemcHout of that fleepe, wherein they are by nature^ we will handle thefetwo points. Firftj that the aggravations of finnc arc more than the finnesthemfelves. Secondly, we will take away all excufes, that fo every mouth may bee flopped , and when thefe two are done, you will have much adoc to finde any ftarting-hole.to keepe you from commingto Chrift. For that is our Ead i A^^d thefe are very neccffaiy: For though you doe confidcr in your fdvesall the fins formerly na. med, if it be done negligently, without the Cir. cumftances ^ fin is a fword without an edge, the Circumftanca is that that gives it an edge^ that fbarpcns fin, that makes it fir to wound us : And Iccondly^ if the fword bee never fo ieene^and ftarpe, arid yet wee be forced to keepe it off^. if will not wound m i Therefore wewill, I fay^ in the fecond place, talcc away the excufes, by\ which men fence thcmfelves , and decline the firoke all nnrighteoufnejfe andungodlinejje^ ftrokc of truth, decline this wound of the Law : And (o wc€ will conclude this pointj and haflcn to the reft. For the firft, to make all you have heard be- fore cffcftuall, w^e will adde the CircumftanceSj which is a thing neccflary, for it is atrue ruk the Schoole-men havCjthat in morall things^ the circuniftance is more than the thing it felfc Ma- ny times in naturall things^accidents ^re nothing in comparifonot theforaie j but, mralihus (as they fay) Circumftantia flus valet ^uam for^ m ' For it is the circumltance by which an a(5lion lookeSj if youlookc round about it, and fee all that borders on it^ it will aggravate, and make fiaout of meafure finfuli. To run thorow them briefly*- Fir ft, Confidcr this Circumftance in finnes committed (I fpeake of the corrupt nature of nwn) that every fin committed againft God^ is not onely an offence committed againftfogrcat a Majefty (for I will not {land to enlarge that Gircumftance, that the fin is greater, as the per* fon is greater, againft whom it is commitcd) bur confider the affedtion with which you commit it, and youfhall finde all this in a^fin committed by anaturall man. Firft, an hatred of God in the fin. They thinkc they love God 5 but if it be fo,what is the tea- fon that word is put in, Rom.i. 30, where the Apoftle fpcaking of the rebellion of manktndej he reckons up particularly, that which here he puts up in the groffc,anihc genctall, Haters of C9d, Serm, IV. I. The Cir- cumftances that doe aggra- vate fin. I. ThcMaje« % offended. 2.TheafF.a> on wherewiih it is commitcd 1. Hatred of God. Rom.i.jo. Tl^at the Nature of man is full of S E R M .IV. I You will fay you doe not hate Godj but let mce aske you this queftioD^ Wouldeft thou not live at liDerty i Wouldeft thou not have that removed which reftraines thee^ Couldeft thou not wi(h that there were no (uch ftrid Law, as Gods Law is f Couldeft thou not wifli that there were not any ludge to call thee to ac- count If Every naturall man had rather be at li- berty, hce wiflies with all his heart that there were no fuch God, no fuch ludge. Now if thou wiiheft Gob were not, ccrtainely thou hateft God- when we wifli a man not to be, to bee ta- ken out of the nature of things, out of the fub* fiftence of being, this man wee properly hate • and thus every man hates Godo ThQtdoxQ^Rom, 5.10* the Apoftlc fpeakirig generally of man- kinde, {aycSy Wkff ym were enemies. It is the condition of every man, he is an Enemie to God, and fins out of Enmity, and what obedience he perfbrmes is out of a falfe fervilefeare, that is ) thefirft. Secondly^thatisnot all, but he denies God, dethrones him, and fets yp another god; natu- ral l men littl e thinke they doe fo> whenTIiey FoITow theirTJoveFoHneile, Xufts, Honours, Ambitions, they little thinke they doe it 5 But they doe, t it. i . ult. They frofe^e thdt they know Gtd, but in their workes they deny htm. When they " are charged wichthis, that they thinke there is no God, and told of the greatneffe of the fault, asitisthegreatcft Treafonto deny the King to | be the King, this Atheifme every man is ready) i. Denial! 6)f God.t all unri^hteoufnejfe and ungodlinejfe. todifclairaej Jieethinkes it is not lo with him - But Ibefeechyeuconfidcr there be twokindes of Thoughts in a mans hearty fome wee call re- flex thooghtS j when a man thinkes a thing, and knowesthathethinkesit- other wee call direft thoughts, which are in the heart, but a man knowes itnotj and ihcfe muft be found out by the A^iions, for they are difcovered by the fruits. But God that knowes the meaning of the fpirif, knowes likewile the meaning of the flefh; Now, faith the Text, they proftfle they ktiow him, but in deeds they deny him, that js^injjjurh they deny Go p^, there bee cercaine dircd tTougEtswhwRTi^ not fuch refledion in the heart of every naturall man, by which hec de. nies God, for he honours not God as he ought, hec denies the Power, the Omni-prefence, the luftice, and Omni-fcience of God, and if you can fee this inhisworkesyou may fay, there be fuch thoughts in him,becaufe he lives as if there were no God. But you will objc^3 every man thinks there is a God ^ It is true , there is naturally forae light in them . but where there bee two different Princi- ples, there be two different Gonclufions, there is fomc light planted in them that teaches that there isa God, but take thedarkneffe that is in their heart, fet afide from this light, there is no- thing but Atheifme, he fets God afide, and puts up fomething elfe inftcad of liim : fome m ake pleafures their god;>fom e make their riches their — - ' golV 5)1 Sekm.IV. Thoisghts re« ThougTits di- rea. J .D.-{pifing of God. a,Th«Itis againft Know^ ledge. That the Nature of man is full of god^fomc make chci c belly thck go d^ &c. But wc cannoTHiiiHoEuhis. Thirdly, they dcfpife God ia the Cotamif- fion of iin; fee it in the fin of lying, wherein a man refpecSs man more than God, and fo defpi* fes God- hcecaresnot though God knowes it, andis a witncfle to it, and fo it is an injury to God^ a contending with God. Welictle thinkc itis fo, but fee that piace>; iCumo^iz, the A poIHeTpeakingthere^ro^^ particular finnejthat is, of eating meat offer-ed to Idols, faith. Will you continue to doe it f Will you f revoke God ujeakufie ? Arc you fironger than i Ii is as if you fet your felves againft him of purpofe, to doe hiohan Injury. And thefeaffedionsarcin the finnc ot every natural! manT^And thatlslhc ErfTCirdiiiftance. Afecond Gircumftance xh aggravate fin^is, when it is committed againft KaowlcdgCj and indeed no circumftance does it more tHan this, that a man finnes againft the hght he hath^^whei^ heknowes it to^be a fio,and (It may be)Bew5Si^ WmTcncoTIf, ariJ yet commits it. You know how it is with men- An offence committed, an Injury offered to a King^ after Proclamation^ comes to bee a reb ilion, bccaufe his will was madeknowne. And fo it is with God, when he hath revealed a Truth to me, that I know this to be a fin^ and am convinced of it, and yet goe on in it, -this alters the nature of a fin,it is not no w a bare Tranfgreflion of the Law, but a Re- bellion, and fo God is provoked in an high de gree; all mmghteoufmjfe and ungodlinejje^ gree . for in d finne againft Knowledge^ there is more harme , r^ore difobedience , more pre- fumpcion; If a Pnncebee in a place where he is not knovvne,. aud findes not i efped furablc to his worthy hee matters it nor^ hec will not takeii amiffe/or he is not knowne ^bur if he be knowne, and taken notice of, and yet negledied, insgreat dif-refptfi^ and taken for a great offence. So when rneniin againft light given^ ic aggravates finne exceedingly. As in the one and twentieth verfe of this Chapter, this that the Apoftle laid to the charge otthe Romans, aggravated their fin 3 they knew G o d, but they glorified him not as God^as if hee had laid. If you had not knowne him it were another cafe 3 but to know God, and not to pra(Sife according to kncvv^ jedge, to-know God, aud not to glorifie him as Gpu .vthis God will not take in good parr, it ihcwcs you are finners, and in a condition of deatn. Therefore in ^^^J.iy 30,faith the Apoille,- The times of Ignorance God,reg2rdediiot, but now hcadmoniflies eve-ry oncto repent, that isy when the Gentiles walked in their ownewayes^ before the Gofpell came^ before God publillied and made knowne his will, he wincked at itytur now regards it, not a yeare nor a day fliall noW; paffe. without an account for it 5 the Axe is now! laid to the root of the Tree, he will defeirend longer, hee will take it no more .as. he did^bere'! tofore. Therefore the Apoftle Fauly.i XMvi '■ 13. faith, livAS a ferfccutor^ and hlafvhemt^Y^^^,k(d nmrmi'Vtd to mcrcy^-becaufe l didMiignoraflh l Rom, 1.21 I Tim. J J. ! 9A Serm.IV. jf7?4t thz Nature of man is full of Why doth heeadde that f Becaufc if he had had knowled ge, and fo had done itwittipglya^ nd willin^Tyrhii fin had beeneout ot me alUrc^n^ faU^ 2ndexceedingl yjg^avit€3Tr. Therefore ^amT^W^dlt^za^^m^^mno his finncs) Thouknoweft allihis^ and yet haft not hum- bled thy fclfe 5 if thou hadft not knowneir, if thou hadft not had an examplej if it h'ad not bin revealed to t hee^jh y fin had bea^To"S uchtE€" lefle^ and pe^aps^oiTwouIdha^^ ^live, buFthouTSowcKWthi^^ yet didft not humble thy felfe. But of all places^ take chatin^^/i^.y.ij. Was that then which m$ffOi>d^ made death mt§mee ? God ferhid^ Bnt firiy that it might appear e finne^ working desthinm^eby thdt which is good : that ftnm hy the Commandemem might become txccedtngftnfuU^ The meaning is this. When a man knowes that the Law of God difcovers this and that to be a fin, if he commits it^ his knowledge makes it outofmeafure fin- fuU. The fame Irregularity may he in others, the fame finne may in it felfe be as great in ano- ther that knowes not the Commandemenr, but the knowledge of it, makes it to exceed in great- nefTc; for when a man knowes the will of God, andyct finnes againft it, it is a refifting of the HolyGhoftj and fuch finncs ofTeod God more, than the finnes againft the Father and the Sonne, for the Ho L Y G h o s r enlightens,andwhen one is once enlightncd , there is a great con- tempt againft the whole Trinity ;nnd therefore whena fin is fully againft the Holy Ghoft, itisf never all unrighteoufnefje and ungodlmjfe. never forgiven. Take heed of this rejSfting of theSpirif, of this tempting of the Holy Ghoft, for foit is called^ -.^i^j 5,5^. As any man hath more knowledge, hath bcene more inftrudled^ fo it addcs the more to his finne, TrihuUtim m anguijlrto ihc lewpft, and then ta the Greeh; for the knowledge of the lew was greater than the knowledge of the Grceke; So that as any man hath more Jight, hec hath fo much more condemnation, his finne is fb much the more out of meafurc finfuU : they that finne onely againft light of nature, their fiois fo much th€ lefle, becaufc they had but that one Law, and fo not fo much light. The lewcs that had another light above the light of Nature , are funkc deeper into finne than the meereNatura- lift, and foare in a more miferable condition 5 but wee that live under the Gofpell, fin againft Eo5[tIieTormer^ ^^^iJ^^^^'i^il^s the greater. And this Fs a Circumftancc that fhould much humble us, as for generall fins, fo for particular fins, when they are commited againft knowledge. A third Circumilantc, is, when finnes are committed without Temptation, or with kffe Temptation , but when they proceed meerely out of the perver fenefle ot the will, for when the Tempt ario n is leflc,the finne is peater « ^mnto major facUttas mn feccaridi, tanto maim pec atum* When the fault is oncly in the wils being amifTc, it is a finne that exceeds : iind that is the cafe of wany natural! itien. As ior example, fuppofe the f 95 Serm.IV. Ads f .p. Rom. j.p. 5 . When it is done without Temptation^ or wiih fmall Temptation o That the Nature of man is full of the will be tight j and the afiedigns be well or- dered, and the underftanding onely be ignorant, this we call a finne of Ignorance 5 and that is a Circumftance which rather kflens a finne fimply confidered. Sccondlyj fuppofe the underftae- ding bee rightj and the will well difpofed^ bar paffion tranfports a man^ this is a {in of Infirmi* ty: But when the underftanding (hall inforraej Mich a fin is a fin , and no violent paflion be ftir- red up to tranfport the foule, but the will never- thekflechufes it, this Icall afin wkhour Temp tation , and this C ircumftjgce jg^ravates fin, becaufe there is more wlinn it, and it is much tti Have the vyinMrringin a^ff^^^ Therefore, He6r. 1 0.26. you {hall finde this exprelfion,// m fwne wilfully after wee have received the knowledge of the 7 ruthy there remames m more Sacrifce for fime, I c is cruc,heipeakes thereof the finne of Apoftacie, but marke that word, If wee fime wilfully ythdLi is, if the will have much to doe in it, when the other faculties are righdy informed, and well let when there is no Tenipracion, no refifiance, it is an ill figne that the finne is out of choice. It is true, a man may have his minde let the right wt^y^andyeraguftof wind may come, and car- ry him our of lie way • but when the wind is {till, and the Sea calme^ and there is nothing to ti-oublehim, andyet heturnes the Rudder the Wrong w.y, and aims at a wrong haven, he now fins out oi will and pcrverfenefre* There arc many fias of this nature, as fwcaj jng, when there is no Temptation j when the Vnderft^nding k'.owes aU unrighteoufnejfe and ungodlinefje. knowes it to bee a fin, and no great affciJlion is ftirredup, but men will doe icbccaufc they wil doe it« So, ordinary neglc d: of the Sabbat i? which can have no vi^>lcnc Temptation to car ry a m^n to it. So negled of hearing the Word, and Prayer, (I fpeake not offals through infir; mity.) Sothe favouring of fin in others, as alfo fcornefuU and corrupt fpeechcs, tending to thr difgrace of holincffe and purity of Converfa tion. Thele be fins out of choice, which a man is not tranfportGd to, not carried to through any violence of palfion: It is one thing for a man to fell hitnielfe to fin, as y^hab did, and another thing to be fold under fin, as Pdul^ it is one thing ro goe into Captivity, another thing to be led thither with a kindc of over-ruling violence : for in fuch a cafe the moft upright-hearted man may bee mifcarried, when fin fliall get on the hill of paflion, when it fliall have the wind of him, and (land on the higher ground, he may bee foiled • but when a man (hall bee on even termes with fin, when it fliall have no fuch ad- 1 vantage, but a man is every way himfelfe, and \ yet then fin againft God, this aggravates it ex- j ceedingly, for heedoth it not out of paflion, but | in cold bloudandout of choice; and whenhee | choofcs to fin, it is a fearefull thing. When it is with him, as Auguftim fpeakes of himfelfe, who when hee had Apples enough, yet out of delight ^ti t healature af man is full of \ heart that hachcauled this ftnicing. Therefore ^ heis angry5asHi?/74.i4. / wiU vifit jourdaugh. ten no more, Sec* becau/c they have not frofited by what I have done already : that is the .meaning of theplace. But chiefly, and of all thejeft of his iiiercieSy he e will noi bearcthe contempt oFhis Word. I will name but one place, iChron.^e. 15. faith the Prophet there, J re fe early and fent my r^eff engerS j but how did jou carry your ^elfe to- wards them f Teu mocked my ?m (fingers, and deffi fed Word, till my wrath roje agninjl you, and there was no remedy. As if he had faid. When a man once comes to this^ that when God fliall oncefpeake in his Word^ fhall declare his truth, (hall make knoWDc fin, and call him home by the Gofpel!,but he fliall ncgle^i it, take no good byitj nor fufferit toworkeonhim: Nowtherc is no remedy. What thenf The wrath of God riks againft him, and then comes dcftrudion, fo that it rifes not the fecond time • fo that as God hath fliewed you more m ercy^ fo are your fins moreT Poe but thintewhat an unreafonabic unequall thing it iSj that you (hould take fo ma- ny mercies^ health and wealthg from his imme- diate handj and yet never fo much as thinkc of him, never wor fliiip htm, nor feare him^nor take his mercies to heart : How many tafte of his goodneffe, and yet continue todefpife him, and not to bring forth fruit by his Word 1 which is aofmall thinga And fo much (hall fervc for the aggravati- ons of fin, ^ Now all mri^teoufmjje and mgodUnefJe. 101 Now wee will come to take away the Ex- cufcs. And firfi: , every man is ready to fay , TEo'u^h I failc in many things, yet I hope my To quicken ourdefircs af« cr Chiift^take vc-iy the Ex- cuferoflinne. I Excufe, Good mea- nings. 2,Excufe. BadneUe of na- ture. Aggravates fin M1t.15.1p. ! meaning is good^ I have as good an heart as an- other man, though I make not fuch a fhow. But I will aske thee this briefe qucftion. Whence come thy evill words ? &c. are they not fruits and buds that proceed fromalappe within f When fparks flye out of the Chimney top, fliafU we not fay ^ there is a fire in the houfc If we fee evill words and anions, fhall not wee fay the corruption is greater in the rootj than in the branches. Thou wiltcxcufe it. It is my nature, and I hope I fliallbcexcufedjand that God will not dcale fo hardly with me, heknowes I amflefh and bloud, and the ftrcngth of my nature. Well, I willadde fomething to that I have formerly (aid, it being a point hard for us to be- leevc, and to make ufe of. I fay, the badneffe of thy nature is fo farrc from excufing thy fin, that it exceedingly aggra- \ vates ir, I have ihewed^ many reafons, and will now adde thefe foure, and then it will be evident to you. Firft, whereas you thinke your finisexcufa- ble, becaufe of your natures, you muft know it is moft ftrong, and violent, and flirting there ; for I will aske you, whence come your fins It is anfwered, Mattki 5.19. Out of the heart comes x^dulterieSy Formc4tiom, &c. And if out of the 1 hcarr, is it not thence as from the caufe, the ? H 3 Principle lOZ RM. IV. 4 H^at the Nature of man is full of Principle Arethey not minted there ^ And is nor every thing ftrongeft in the Caufe If the Dough be fowrcj how fowre was the Leaven ^ If fo much iii be in the fruitjthere is^ much more in the Parents of that fruit. Secondly^ as it is ftrong in the heart, fo it is much more aboundant there, tbat .prafe expref 1 ifcs it (ufBciently, Out of the abmdance of the heart \ the mouth fpe^keth : As if our Saviour had faid^ . [ There is fome evill in the tongue^ but it is alioun^ ' dant in the heart : fo that, take any fief alTa^ on, itisadifli of water taken out oftheSea^or like a drop taken out ot the fountaine, for there is an aboundance^afea ofcorruption within. Thirdly^ confider that fin in the heart is a fpringj and therefore an aduall fin, that is ex- ceeding hainous, is not fo much in Gods fight, as a finfull luft that is in the hearty becaufe it is a Spring, and therefore is vert;ually more than a great Pond: I fay, vertually more, for it doth more. Take a great vaft ji n, it is a broad Pond that vaniH^ away aTcv eryadion doth, b uTa luft within^ istH nm}]), it is a ipring; of fin, and therefore isjn cfficacie more. FourtElyTthe laft conHderation is neare this, and that is, fin in the heart is permanent, thepoi- fon of Corruption remaines, the adion paffes, but the finfull difpofition continues in a man, that when God lookes on him, he fees him as an hatefullperfon, he lookes onhim,as wedoeon Toads and Serpents, for his very nature is bad^ and-jJm continues, and in this regard exceeds finne »-r-,-. ^ ^ — . ^ , J all unrighteoufnejje and ungodlineffe. fin inadion. This Ifay that you may make this life ofka When you meete with any particular fin which appeares hai;?ouSj kt it be as a River to lead you to the Sea. VVhen you Teeafin of covctoufneflej of vanity /of wTathToF unclean- nefl e^ let that lead you to the hearty and c^n- clu3e^ t hat you have an uncleane heart., a con. tentlous heart, a covetous heart, a rcbellioul heart. This ufe Da^uid m a 3eoFhis murder~and upon tliitoccafioii he waTbroughtto conceive a right p t Originallfin^ which perhaps^ he never To confidered before jinne hath my motWr conceived mec '^ the greatncffe of bis fin made him brcakc forth in that manner, gainB the have 1 finned ^ that amazed him, ic made him to know what Originall finne was, whereof this was buta fruit^and being the fpring it muft needs have more efficacie. If a man finde any pride in his a(5i:ions , let him looke to his heart, it may be God hath left him to fuch fals that he may fee what is within^ as it was with Bezehah, 2 Chron. :^2.^i. For thiscaufe God left him to try him, that "he might know all that was in his heart, that it might be difcovercd to him what an heart he had. The Apoftle fpea- keth, Eom, 9.22^2^, (a place very confidcrable, foritqjayhelpe to humble us) of vejfels pnf a- red fir honour, and of vejfels prepared for m^th^ anddeftruBion : the vefTels be of two forts ; thofe for honour , they have a fafliion peculiar to them, which when you fee, you may fay, this [ is made for fuch a purpofc, and in other vcllels \ H 4 you \ Serm.IV. Aftuall fins fhould lead us CO fee oriei- nail. ^ 1 Chro.ji.^ I Rom.^. II. 104 Serm.IV. 5. The times are times of the Gofpellj not of the Law Mat.f.20. Tloat the ^ature of mm is full of you (hall fee another fafliioD^and may fay. This is noc a vcfftll of honourj but of diflionour. So looke on thy heart, fee how it is framed, and when thou fceftthefafliionofitthoumayftfliy, for ought I fee my heart is framed^ and fafhio- ned to deftruilion. This ufe we fliould make of ournaturej it fliould bee fofarre from excufing fin^ that it Ihould aggravate it. The third excufe is; But we live in times of the Gofpell^snd God is ft3ll of mercy, and will not dcaie with us now^ as he did with them in the time of the Law. Will you naake Godall luftice f I anfwer^ and (hew that there is a great de. ceitin this^ out of that xA^c^^ MMth.'S.^o.Ex. cept jour ri^hteoufkeffe exceed the ri^hteoufne(fe of the imbes and Fhari(ees ^jou Jmm enter into the_ Kin^dme of Cod. This IFfpo k entothen TthaT vvere under th e GoTpelJ^ for he lalt BTT/S^y nmo joHy &c. The meaning is this. The P harifees did many things, they kcpr the Law in a great mea- furc, arrd thought to be faved by it 5 but except you doe more than that^ you fliall never bee fa- ved. A^for examgle,^^ terj2eej2am£s^ lay 5 7heu flmlt not'^\ but that is not enough : I ' fay J T houjhait not be angry unadvifedly . Againe, they fay, Thoupak not commit adultery : But I fay, ifthoticherifoeft my lufij though thou never commeFi to aB it^thou committejl adultery .AgamQ^ the Phanfccs ky^ForJweare not : But 1 fay, Sivcarenot ata/l, but let your yea, be yea ^ and your nay. I all unrighteoufne^e andmgodlinep. 105 tjay, najy for whatfeever is more than that^ is tvill. Let them that fwcare, Faith mdTroth^ con. fiderthis. AgainejthePharifcesfay, An eye for aneie^ and 4 tooth for at 00th. But ihy ^Toujha// doe good to them that hurtjou^ and blejje them that cttrfejen^and cxcejjt you doe r^/V, (which is more than the Pharifec s doe) you cannot enter into the Kingdome of Cod. You thatthicike your con- dition fo good, becaufe you have a new Prieft. hoodjanew/^^i/^^atimeof liberty, I tellyoUj except you yeeid an Evangelicall obedience to all I have now named (which are but (ome of many more) at alltimesj 2nd in every parcicu- lar, although you live under the Gofpell, you cannot bee faved, for otherwife the Publicans and Pharifecs can doc as much as you, and you muil doe more than men can doe by nature, you muft doe fomething that isfingular, and above the reach of Nature, you muft ftrive to perfecti- on, labouring to be like your heavenly Father. So much for that. The fourth Excufe is. But wee doe many things that will ballance our fins, although wee doe fome things amjffe/yet we doe many things well, we give Almes, receive the Sacrament, it may bee, we come to Church diligently; and thefe things, in their conceits,ballance their fins 5 and though they fin, yet they aske God for- givenefte morning and evening, and their fins are not fo hainous, as if they had done no good at all, and for this they tbinke God mayucale better with them. Eut Serm.IV. 0b]eB. 4 Excufe. The good things wedoe^ Will ball.incc theevill. io6 ERM IV. lam. 2. 10, 5. Excufe Others are worfe. That the Tslatnre of man is full of But it is true in this, as in your Law, Stop- page is no payment. When a man does fome- things that God commands, and leaves other- fome undone • lec him know God requires a per- fc(51: obedience to every Commandement, lam. 2.10, He that keepes the wh0leLaw, andfailes hut in one, that is, omits one duety, hee is guilty of aH., If thatbeefo, then every bufh can flop but one gap, you have no more than was your duty. If you could doe fomething fuperfiuous^and more than God requires at your hands, it were iomc fatisfadion. But if there be other fins wherein you fpare your felfc , and would have a Utile more liberty , you would not bee fo ftrait la- ced in this 5 feeing, I fay, God requires an exad obedience to all, all that you doeis nothing. It matters not how much you doe, if yoe faile in one, though you bee carefuU to doe all the du- ties of new obedience, fo that there is no Com. mandement but thou cndeavoureft to perf orme it to the full, yet \i there bee one thing wherein thou tdceft liberty, it is enough to condemnc thee. Againe : But I hope I am not fo bad as others^ I am free from many fios, wherewith othersare tainted • and I have many good things in mee, that they want To this I anfwer briefly, and fowill pafTe from it: Firft, thoumaift deceive thy felfe much, in thinking thou arc not fo bad as others. Art not thou cue out of the lame peece, and made of the fame maflfe, the fame clay ^ Haft not thou the fame nature that other men all unrighteoufnejfe and ungodUnejfe. \ men have i And what is the rcafon thou runneft not into the fame Outrages that others doe !f Not becaufe thy nature is better, but becaufe thou art more reftrained. A Wolfe that is tyed up, is the fame with the Wolfe that doth all the milfehiefe. This therefore know, that every na- tural! man is reftrained by by-refpc(^s. That rule is generally Rom.^.iS. They have mt the feare ef God before their g^j, when hec would have a reafon why the nature of man is fo bad, having fpent the former part ©f the Chapter in reckoning up the fins to which it is iaclinedj he gives this reafon. They have not the feare of God before their eyes - all are alike inthis^one is not more reftrained than the other. The diffe- rence of reftraint is in regard of outward aiii- ons, there is no new fpring of Grace in them^as is in the Saints. Againe, for thy Vertues, take heed thou deceive no^ thy felfe, for thou muft know there be natural! vcrtues that imitate thole which be true^ and arc very like them ^ as the Brijiow ftoncisvery like the yet there is great difference, one is a Pearle, the other is onely a fliining ftone: Solfay, naturallvertues may be very like true, but in Gods fight there is a great dealc of difference. For example, two men may come to die- One man is not afraid out of a ftupidity of fpirit, and on falfe grounds may beasfecure as another, that hath peace on the beft grounds, and this imitates true faith : So a man that is naturally mecke, may carry it better than one that hath traemeckencfle,thcre- fore io8 Serm.IV. That the Nature of man is full cf Means to arme us againft thefe Excufes. I. The Word i. The fpirit of bondage. fore it is hard to finde the difference • But if you lookc to the principles whence they come, the matters whom theyfervc, youfliallfinde, they may be good all the way, but not at the jour- neycs end, they have an ill fcope, they aime at awrongmarke: Let them have what they will, Circumcifion, nor VncircumcifioHj availes no. thing, uolclTe they be New Creatures, elfe God regards them not. And fo much ihall ferve for EKcufes. Nowadde this to the reft, labour to aggra- vate your fin by removing the Excufes which the nature of man is witty to invent 5 ufc the or- dinance of G o D which hee hath appointed to humble you, and to worke thefc things on your hearts, and that is his Wordj/^r.ij.ap. Ismt my Word as fire ^ and as the hammer that hreaketh thejlones. The fcopeofthe place istoflicwthe power of preaching the Word purely • what is the chafFe to the Wheat f You fliall know my Word, and diftinguifli it from the word of fiien, my Word when it is right, is as a fire which melts and thawes the hearts of men, and as an hammer to breake their ftrong and ftony hearts ; Come to the Word powerfully preached, as it is in its owne nature, delivered in the Evidence of the Spirit asitfliouldbee, and it will bee a meancs to foften the heart, and breake thy ftub. borne fpirit, as an hammer and fire, not fufFcring theetobe at reft, untill thou commeft under the power of ir. And if with this thou art not fatisfied, goe \ one all unrighmufnejfe and mgpdlinejje. one ftep further to the Spirit of God, thou muft have a fpiric of Bondage, elfe thou canft cxpe man IV. That the T^ature of man is full of out an Arme to handle it And when you hav t done that, you will eafily doc the thing I have exhorted you to doe, that is, you will then come to Chriftj you will not ftand to cheapen the Kingdomc of God, but you will buy it, though you give all you have for it, and yet will thinke you have a good bargaine 5 you will not feeke the Kingdome of God infuch alaziCjand laxe, and remiffe manner as you were wont to doe, but will take it violently. And it you come to God after this mianner, if you bedriven out of your felvcs, and fee whatyour owne righteouf- nefle is^ that it will nut ferveyourturnc, and therefore feeke for a r ighteoufnt iTe at his hands you may bee furc hce will not deny you. You may fee vuhzt Pdulfahh^Galat 3.8- That you may be affured, ri&4f fcekmgpu jh^U ihtaincyimh hc^Ifan AngeUfrom heaven preach amther Goffell^ or if I my felfe jhould doe it^ heletve not tht Angell^ and let mee he accurfi As if he had faid, I have made this truth kaown^chac you (hall be juftificd by nieere grace, without workes, that you are to come to Chrift with an empty hand, bringing nothing with you. If any niannow fliould que- ftion this Gofpell, and thinke to bring fome- thing of his owne^ and will not fticke to this clearcpromife j nay^if an Angell come from hea- ven and contradict it, let him be accurfed. This is tfie true Gofpell, and you may be- leeve it. If you can therefore doe as Faul did, Philip. ^.p. That reckoned ai as drajfe and dung, that he might he found tn ChriH^ not having his om righteouf all mrtghteoujnejfe and ungodlinejje. righeoufne^c t>f the Law^ but that which is through faith in Cbrifi. That when yon came to fee your condicion^youd lirethcrighteoufnelTcof Chrift with that earneftneflc that he did, wherr he reck- oned all as droffe and dung, even his own righ- teoufneflc, which hce new would not ferve the turne. Ifjlfay^thoucanftrhusgoto C h r i s knowing that no antecedent condition is requi- red, buconely thii ft^ng f him, being fully pcr- fwaded that thine ow u nghrcoufneflejs unfuffi- cienr, and having a fwin^ and firme knowledge That mms nature ts full $fa& umtghteoufneffe and ur}godlim(fe. Chrift cannot d<:ny ihce, hce will receive thee to mercy. We will now briefly come to the next point, and that is this : There is a revelation of math againfi allunrtgh" teoufnejfeofmen. And that is another thing that will humble us, for there muft be two things to doe it- one is to fee our finnes,to know that there is no worth, no excellency, no worthineflcatailinus: And the fccond is, to have an apprehenfion of wrath due for a finne, and fo his mifery under the fame. Thougha man be never fo miferable, yet it hee have a bottometoftandon, he will not goe to Chrift 5 but when hee fees his owne nothing- nefle, and withall, that the wrath of God hangs over him^ fo that he muft finke utterly, and that there is no way to hclpe him, when both thcfe concurrCj a man is humbled. Men may have one without the other : As the Scribes and Pha- rifees lOl SeR M.IV. Bo though thou feeleft it not for the prefentj yet there is wiaihlaidupforthec, j Godf a^ainjl all mri^hteouf -•ejfe of men. God hath it in ftorc : Remember Gods dca- ling with them that fianed againft him 5 Siimei had commirted a finne that in Gods fight de- fer ved Death • fo did y^donijah'^ fo did S4fil and his fcvcn fonnes, that were hanged for breaking their oath with the Gibconites: You fee how long thtfe lay, as if God had forgot- ten them, but at length bee brings them all to death. Hee doth not power out his wrath on the fudden, perhaps thou (halt feele nothing of a long time, but thou art condemned, and when the Gaole-delivery comes thouflialt bee execu- ted, for God remembers thy finnes. Cairn fin lay at his doore, though he faw it not, it was not taken away, but continued, and it not onely con- tinued,and kept awake,but it cried day and iiigbr, unto him, untilhhccry entred into the eares of the Lord. The cry of finne is Irke the cry of ^n Hire« ling, to whom the juft Matter, when the day is finiflied, payes fuch wages as hee defervcs : So a finncr, when his time comes, isremem. bred before God • though wrath hath becne reftrained lor a time, yet now it fliallfeazc on him. Wee (hould learnc by this to humble our fclvcs. Andlaftly, if wee findc the wrath of God, and no way toeicape it, then goetoCbriftfur thele two things we muft doe : Firft , wee muft have our mouthes ft(^p. 121 Serm.IV. Ill Serm.IV. There is a ^yelation of Wrath ped, that fo all men may bee culpable before him. Secondly , wee muft bee ftiut up in pri. fon, hee (hues up all under finne, that the pro- mife might bee to them that belecve* when a man is fliut up under the wrath of God, fo that there is no evafion , this will bring him ia Indeed 5 if the minde of a man can finde any way to get our, hee will never come in to Chrift. But when hee fliall not tell how to fcape the wrath of God, if hee finne againft man, man fhall jidge him; but who (hall, when hee finnes againft God< If hcc confider the Terrour of G o d s wrath, if hee bee lliur up^ and his mouth flopped, and hee left inex- cufable, and fliall kc himfclfe a miferabk man i I fay, this will make him goe home to Chrift. And that is the ufe you fliould make of it, and bee fure hcc will receive you ^ if you goc to him. Sinne is like the iiry Serpcnt,and the Wrath of God like the Sting , when you are woun- ded therewith, then know there is no way to bee healed p but to looke up unto 1b sus C H R I s T, the Brazen Serpent, (and if a man bee not wounded, hee will not looke up); Gods promifes aregenerall, hee hath bound himfelfe in his Word, Gee and preach the Ge- fpell to every Creature^ none excepted, and let him I agcunflall unri^hteoufnejfe of men. him that is a thirft come, and take the waters of life freely. Let thefe drive thee to the Lord C h r i s t, and thou lhalt certainly bee accepted. And fp much (hall ferve for that point. Serm.IV. The tnd of the fourth Semen. THE _____ - 1 Serm>. V* THE FIFTH E R M O N HVMILIATION- Romans i. i8. Forthem'ath of ^od isreyealed from heaven againjl aU mgodlineffe and mrighteoujhejje of men^ i»hich Ippith^holi the Truth in mrighte^ oufneffe. ND now wee have almoft gone thorow thefe words 5 the laft part of them rcraains, that is, which with'hold the i Truth in unrighnoufntjfe* Wherein, after the Apo- flic had declared the corrup- tion of mans Nature in general!, he now pitches on Ofwitl>hol- ding the Truth 2.1 unrighteous ncile. 1x6 Serm, V» Three things confiderablco mstr. Men before re- generation with.hoid the Truth in un- righteoulheflrc. \oh\ca. The befi men before regeneration on one particular, efpecially, that is, fuch as with Ma th Truth in umight€Oufnej[e - agaipft whom the wrath of God is revealed. In thefc words, marke thcfe three things i Firft, that there is a truth which God hath writ- ten in the hearts of naturall men. Secondly, that this truth is withhbldeit by them. The wocd in the O riginallUgJg^ kgg ping it in Prifon 7ic is ke"gt downe, not (uffcrcd to rife up, and (hew it feife in pradlife and adlion. Thirdly, the caufe of it is, o ur of love to un- righteoufnefle, or delig ht therein, that ST^fun^ righteous l ufts. But wee will put all thefe Into this one Propofirion. It isthecondiiionof thebeft men before re- generation, to with' hold the T ruth in unrtghteotff^ nejfe* That is the point. Paul fpeakes not of the condition of fome few, but of the condition of men in general!. And thefe bee the menagainft whom the wrath of God is chiefly revealed, thefe bee the men that of all other thinke them- felves the free civill men, that carry chemfelvcs foberly, deale juftly with men, that doe well in many things, that indeed know much, but pra- Andifthat bee queftioned, hath every man fuch light, fuch Truths revealed to him, by which hceknowcs ' what he ougfit to doe, in a great meafure, and what hee ought not to doe, the Apoftle proves it by foure Arguments in this Epiftlc (to goe no further for proofe:) Firft, they muft needs know much, for they have meanestoknowit. The invifible things of God are made knownc by the things they fee. The heavens are the worke of his hands, and they declare it, and eve- ry man underftands their language. If we fhould preach in Greekeor Latinc, every man, haply, could not underftand us, but their Language eve- ry man underftands. Secondly, Every man bath thoughts cxcu. fing Ipith'hoU the Truth in unrighteoufnejje. j i ji fing 01 aGCuGng him/akh the J^,po^ik^R0m,2.l^ which (hewes that he hath this Lights for that proceeds from Confcience and light , flicwing what is cvill , and what is good 5 there is a fccret remorfe of Confcience in the worft. Thirdly 5They doe the things contained in the Law 5 therefore they fliew the eifed of the Law written in their hearts • they doc many morall things , which flicwes that they have the Morall Law. And laft of all , they judge other men, they are able to finde fault with the beft, tofpicout I 1 what is amiflein the moft holy man , and be rea- j r dy to blame him for it , Rom, 2. i. 7hou which judgeH Another ^ doeflmt thou condemne thy felfe ? All this makes the point evident , that every man is enlightned. And fo you fee what this Truth is, where it is placed^ whence it comes, and how far re it extends. And now we come to the fecond particular, to fliew how it is wich-holden. It is nfith-holden^ faith the Apoftle, out of unrightedufnejjc.ihzus, after this manner ; When men know that luch things are true, and that they ought to doe them, yet out of their love to, and delight in their unrighteous lufts, they pradile not accor- ding to knowledge, they have fome light in them, but their darkcnefle will not fuffer that light to (hoot forth it felfe into their adions, in- to their whole Convcrfation: As it is excellent- ly expreflTed in Uhn i.5.aplace worth your con- Ifidering. TAtf light [Ime in iinrkcneffe Jbut the dark- K2 neSfc Serm. V. Rom. %. 14. % t. 2. How thif Truth is with- holdcc* loh. i.f. Tl:e beftmen before regeneration^ ne^e comprehend it not-^ or, the darkeneffe recci- , ved it not. The meaning is this. When Chrift fliines in the hearts and Confciences of men, there the light ftayes, it goes no further, it is (but up within the Wals of their Confciences, within the compalfe of that one facultie, it doth not flied it fehc into all the reft of the foule- I therefore it doth not enlighten the foule, though there bee fome light, yet itdothnotturnethc darkeneffe to light, and thence it is, that it is im- prifoned, for it is (hut up, and cannot put it felfe forth. Thus the light in a naturall man isfliutup : As for example, Take the light of a Starre in a darke night, and compare it with the light of the Sunne, the Starre will fliew it fclfe, and no more, it cannot turnethe darkeneflc to light, but the light of the Sunne, though never fo little, looke in what meafure it appeares, it fcatters the darkeneffe from Eaft to Weft : So there is light in the mindes of men^-~which isbutasaStarrc in a darke night, which doth not take away the } , darkeneffe • bqt if it bea fan^fying light, it is like theiight of the Sunne, not fliut within a nar- row compaffe, but fpreading it felfe into all the I parts of the foule : Or as if a candle be brought into a roome, it lightens all the houfe, but if it be a fparke of fire, it fhewes it fclfe, and glowes, and does no more, it doth not enlighten the i houfe. It is fo in carnall men before Regeneration, all the light they have doth but glow in their \ brc/}, ')mh'hold the Truth in unrighteoufnefjc, \ i^^ jbreftj fnewing kfciferhcre, and making it cvi, i dentthat they have fuch knowledge, bu: it is not ■a Candle that enlightens alhheicome3 thaccn- ■ lightens all the coi ners of the foule. Therefore in • U'datth, 6.21* Chrift fpeakes of a f.ifgleeye^\\'hc n the eye is right, it makes the whole body fdi of light, that is, when the knowledge is right indeed, when the knowledge a man hath is fandifying, and powerfull, then it ealighrens a man round about, that he may fee which way to gee, but if it be a common light, which hee termes a double eye, it will not fufficientlydired. Likethofe holy men thattheApoftle fpeakes ofjP^/. 2. 15. That (hm as lights in the mrld, rfiat is, men fee them, they look on them^but they doc not change their darkeneffe into light 5 or like that light fpoken of byS^ Peter, 2 P^M.ip.that£hinethinadark place. If you will know what is the teafon that there fhould bee a light in the Confcience, and the minde of a man, which neverthelefTc wor- keth not on the will and affedlions, but is fliuc up there, I anfwer, there is a double rcafon The fir ft is that fpoken of in z ftejf. i'. To, They received the Truth, but not the love of the Truth, and therefore they hate it: Now what a man hates he J keepes off as much as hee can, it muft not come j neare him, for he counts it his enemy, and there- 1 fore will not fuffer it to difJufe it felfe into the \ reft of the faculties of the foule* I Another reafon, which goes hand in hand K 3" with Match <<.2 2. 2 Pet.x.r^. Uhy men im- pzifon the Truth. z ThcHa.io. They hateir. Serm. V" The heft men before regeneration "Rom. I. .11, ofimprifgnin^ 1 theLiaht. withthiSjis^they love darknefle rather than light, | and therefore they are not every wayenlight-1 ned^ for what a man loves^he dcfires to prefervCj! to hedge about , and to kepe fafe : Thus men cannot abide to have darkneffe taken av;ay by a» ny Information or Admonition 3 for they dcfite to preferve it 5 Rom, x. 2 1, Theirfooltfl) heart was fullof dArkneffiy ihey herv Cod ^ htthey glorifed him mt as God: Though there was ligbt^yec their j heart was full of darkneffej and becaufe they lo- ved this darkieffe^thercfore they would not have it expelled. As a man commits a filthy aft, or unfeemly thing , he defires to have the light put out 5 becaufe it is contrary to that which (hould cover and cloake his adion ; Thus men imprifon and fhut up the light, not fufFering it to difperfe it fclfc into their foulc. But in this imprifoning of this light , you ' muft know all goe fiot the fame way to worke 3 for there be thele foure different way es of do- 1 ingit. I Firft, fome there are which imprifon this light meerely by laying it afide , mcerly by for^ ; gehifig it 5 by iuffenng it to lye ftillj and not a-l Vfakliig it - when men remember not what they [ oavctodojthey are foiufied about other things,^ io tranfported with pkafures and luftSj fo ocCu» pit'd in cares, and things 6fthe world, •thai this comes not into their mindes , they Cvonfidcr ttnof.- Secondly , Others' with.hold it cut of per- I verfctieile oi opinion, their judgements are not rpith'hold the Truth in unrighteoufnefjt rightj they doc not thinke that fuch things oughr to be cione , they are not perfwaded that fuch an ilridncfTe of holincffc is required ^ they thinke men may live after another manner • and thus they doe imprifon the light » fo doe all He- retikes that bekeve lyes, and fo with-holdrhe Truth • Thirdly, There befome that faile in neither of thefe^ they remember the Truth wel enough^ and they have no falfe opinions concerning ir^ but they refilUhe Truth 5 zsStepk?^^ t^ffs 7. 'ver. 5 1 . fpcakes of fome tlsat refijled the H o l y G H o s T , that is 5 when their opinion's rights and they remembred it too , but they fuppreffe I it 5 they keepc it dow^ne , they fuiffer it not to come forrb, out of thdr love to unrighteoufncfie^ to fome lui\ wherein they arc refolved to pleafe tbemfelves. Laftly^ there bee fome that imprifon the TruthjUOt out of any of thefe three refpe^Ss^ but becaufe they misapply it, men that know ir, that have no perverfe hereticall opinions, that likevvife doe not refift it, that make not warre againft it, that doe not rife in rebellion againft it 5 but yet when they come to the point, out of falfe diftindions and evafions which they have inven- tedjthey wreftthe rule of Trutb^they bend it too much to their owne particular affedions, and pra^licc^thoughthey know the Truth in general, yet in particulars chey i'eeketo evade it, and faile in J^pplying it. As for example. Men doe not thinke Sabbath-breaking good , but now the K 4 queftioo n5 Serm. V 3 How great a finne it is fo . wich-hold the Trutk in un- nghceoufnefie. It brings great* eft condemna- tion. Tl^e heft men before regmeratton \ ■" -t- — • ' — — — • " ' ii qtertion is, whether the Pc!ion I doe at fuch a time bee Sabbath-breaking or no ^ Here thgy finde a diftindion to put it off; fovaine Company I know is to bee avoided, but whether this bee ill Company is all the quefti^ ofi. All ihefe wayes men are (aid to imprifon the Truth. And io much for the fecond parti- cular. The third thingwepropoundedjWastofliew hoiv great a finneicistowith-holdthcTruthin unrighteoufneffe^ and that will appearc from hence. It is that which brings the greareft Condem^ nation of any thing elfe j This is the condemnation^ \ lohn^^ that light is come into the world^ and men loved darkeneffe better than light: As if he had faid^ there bee other things for which God will pu= nifli men, but this above all the reft deferves condemnations it brings great, andfwift Con- demnation, that light is come into the world, but men, &c. That is, when men fliall bee infor- f medj Whcn God (hall reveale his Truth, fothat| his light glares in their eyes, and they cannot? but fc^e it, and yet they love darkeneilc morej than lights this puts men into farrc worlecondi- tion, than if they were altogether ignorant of the Truth. Elfe why fliould -Pi^^^r fay. It had kent betur the) had never knorvne the way ofrigh- tioufne(fe f They fhallperiflhihat be ignorant of ihcle Truths, and of the degree of them, but at che day. of Judgement it ftall bee a great d^^ale harder with them that know and doe not pradifc them ^ith-hold the Truth in unri^hteoufnejfe. them : As ler. 5.4. Sf^rc/y, (ayes thePropher, they are a poor e and foohjl) people^ they know mi the ivajes of the Lord^ nor the Judgement of their God : They fliall theicfore pcrifii | but then there is another Generation that know God: / will get I me to the great men that have knoivne the wajes of 1 G 0 D.but thefe have altogether broken the yoke ^and \ burU the bonds : That is^ thefe bee the men with | whom God is moftangty, upon whom this con- demnation fliall fall heavie, that know the ludge- ment of their God^and yet breake hisbonds^that know, anddoeno^pradife. Secondly, (to goe no further than this place) The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, but againft whom f againft them that with-holdthe Truth in unrighteoufnejfe : That for which God is angry, for which his wrath is revealed againft men, in a fpeciall manner muft bee a finne. It is true he will punilh other finnes, but thefe words are not here ufedin vaine, for they that doe thus, jSnne out of contempr,and amongft m^2n,a fin out of contempt kindles wrath; fo they that know Gods will, but pradiile not according to know- ledgjprovoke Gods wrath againft them. An excel, lent place for this, is Heb.^.py i o. you ft^all finde this the cafe of the people, when they knew not God acall, orbutaiittle number of them, God blefied them all that time, but when hee had re- vealed himfclfe fully to them, and had endured them forty yearcs, VfhQnthey tempted hm, proved hm^andfaw hlsworkeSy then he [ware in his wrath that they jhould not enter into hisrejl. His wraih wns ler. J, 4. 2 It provokes Gods wrath, 138 The beJi men before regeneration^ Serm.V. From the kind of puoifkmentc ucn a mcalurejthat Now when God was then kindicdj and that io hee cntred into luchaaoaA takes an oath, the decree is peremptory, and ne- ver to be reverfed • and that is the eoadkion of them that with-hold the Truth in unrighteouf- nefle, "the wrath of God abides on them, loh. 3 . uh. God may be angry with his owne children, asa Father is with his fonne^but his wrath abides not on them 3 hee takes them to favour againe- but they are in a miferable condition j on whom the wrath of God remaines. And confider what his wrath is • The violence of a Lion is terrible, the wrath of a'Kingisgreat , but who kftowes the power of Gods wrath f And therefore fiflcc the WTath of God lhall in fuch a manner be revu-^ led againjl fuch as withhold the Truth in unrighte^ oufnejfe : You need no other Argument to Ihew that thefinne is great. Againc, One Evidence moreis in this very Chapter , that is from thekinde of puniQiment, for punifliments , you know, where the ludge is juft, are according to ihcmeafure ofthcfinne. Now marke , God puniflies this mih givin^? them up to a reprobate fenfe 3 For this caufe (kith the ApoftIe,i2^^, is 26.) God gave them up unn vile affections :) And afterwards in the eight and twcniierhverfe. As they rcgardednot to know God^ even fo , or therefore , God delivered them uftoa reprobate minde : that is, a minde without know- ledge, an injudicious minde 3 that cannot judge of things. And looke in all the Booke of God^ among all the Armies of forrow , there is not my yt^kh'hold the Truth in unrighteoufriejje. any like this^ to be given up to vile affedions, to lufls, to an injudicious mind in matters of God, and things belonging to their Salvation. This punifliment fliewes the greatnefTe of the fin ^ but men flight this, asitisthegreateft judgemcntj fo it is the leaftfelt; men lyc at reft, they are caft into a dead ileepe , but it is like the fleepe of them that have crazie braines, they wake in a frenzie, fo thefe fliall wake in an horrible afto- nifhment , their fleepe is fuch a calme , as will end in a tempeft , and fuch a tempeft as (hall ne- ver bee blowne over. Therefore, Ice no man blefle himfelfe in this , I feele none of thefe things 5 for thou haft the greateft judgment on thee when thoufeeleftkleaft. And fo much for the three things I propounded to you, what this Truth is, how it is with-holden, andthegreat- nefle ofthefinne : now wee will come to make uftofitt ' And .the fir ft ufe we are to make of it is that which is themaine fcope of the Apoftle heere, and that for which wee pitched on thefe words, and that is to humble us, to learnetofcnow our felvesj to know in what condition we are , for the Truth is revealed to us , but with-hold ic in unrighteoufneffe. This Truth that fliould rule i \ the hearts of men, that Ijiouldbeeasthefu- preme governour inthefoule, of vt^hichitmay be faid,as it is fayd of the Peace of God , Let it rule in your foules, that whereby men fnould be aded;, is fay menimprifoncd. Therefore, i?.^?.??^. \ 2. 9. the Apoftle denouncech, Trihulduon und 1 IiP hpiT yyipy} ht>Tf\vp vPOPYiPV/itifwi S P R M V . mguijli upon cvcrj one that difibejes the truth: Inn- mating chat Truth is our King, thacfliouldgo- verne and rule in our hearts^ now when men dif- obey if, nay, goe further, imprifon this Truth, it is as when men imprifon their lawful! King, or fervaats their Maftcr^ and they runriotjand at liberty in the meane time. And this is our cafe 5 we doe with it, as Childrendoe with their Matters, we defire to be rid of ic^becaufe it wat- ches over us, and fo we grow enemies to it. And this is nofmall finne, for if we confider whence this comes, who puts it into our hearts, it will appeare hainous - by the Law of man it is death to kill children that^ are begot by man, but this Truth is begot by the Holy Ghoftj it is put in by the Spirit of God , and to extinguifli this Truth, not to fuffer ittolive, nottonourifliit, not to bring it forth, is the great fin of all. Even the Heathen fliall rife in Judgement againft Chtiftians for this^ who maintained the Vcftall fire, becaufe they conceived it to come from heaven^ they for that caufe never fuffereditto goc out.But this Truth is a fire which came from heaven, a fparke put into the breftsof men to I guide their feet into the way of Peace; when men fball extinguifli this Truch^ let it goc out, and not maintaine it, the Heathen fliall rife a- gainft them in judgement • as the men of Ninweh fliould rife up againflthemenof thatCenerati- on among whom Chrift livedo Wee are wont to take care of precious things, confider the pre- cioufneflTe of this truth j what is precious we will not, t^ith'Uld the Truth in unri^7teoufnef]e. not be willing to deftroy, as the Prophet faid of the bunch of GvaipcSyDeJlroy h mt^ for there is a blefing in it^ And what doc you thinke of this Truths is it not a precious things Yea, it is the chicfc thing in a man. Inafhipawifemanwill have an eye to the rudder, for that turncs all the reft of the body of the (hip. Of all things in our felves wee looke to our eye, the guide of the body • fo wee fhould learne to watch, and be ten- der over this Truth as over our eye, for the one is the light but of this life, the other is the light of the foule to eternalllife. It is threatned as a great ludgemenr^ when God fliall turne their Vifions into night, and their Divina- tions into darkenefle, when the Sunne fhall goe downe on their Prophets, and the day (hall bee darke on them, and will you bring this Judge- ment on your felves 1 They that are guilty of this, that have not ufed this Truth, but impri- foned it, and laboured as much as they can to caufe the Sunne to goe downe, and rife no more, to turne the day into night, let them confider whatthe finis -when you reade the ftory of the Kings, and hearc them fayingtotheProphetS;, Pr;f^;,imprifoningthem, as AhabfMdMi- cdiah, and flaying them, as leaf}) did Zechariahj you will little thinke you are guilty of the fame j finne^j but when this Truth comes as a Prophet | from God, and tells you, fuch and fuch things ought to be done, and fuch and fuch evilis ought to bceabflained from, and you fliall defirc it to be filent, and fliali fay,Prophefie not, when you fliall 141 Serm. V Mkah.3.6, 1^1 1 T^)e he[l men before regeneration^ S E R M . V. ftail not IbfFer ii co fpeake freely , I fay, your fiancs ihali be as great as theirs 5 therefore karne to coofider of it, and be humbled for it : men are woot to thinke their Condition better , becaufe they know more than others, but it is quite con- trary, for nothing aggravates fin more than that. It is ao extreme folly in men when they cannot deny the fad , they flight the fault, and will not , acknowledge it. It was i^dawshyAx^ when] God came towards him , hee fled, and hides his finne • and it is the fault of all x^dams pofterity. But let men know, that thequite contrary way is the way to Salvation. It is not with God , as it is with men, among whom confeffion makes way for condemnation j for, with GodjConfefTu on is the way to Salvation. Therefore be not un- willing to examine your felves ^ confider how much you have knowne, what truths have becne revealed toyou. Do this with one eye -with an- other eye looke on your lives, and fee how fliort your pradice hath becne of your knowledge , come willingly, and if you confefre,you fhali be forgiven. This will drive you out ot your felves, it will be your Schoole-tnafter to bringyouto Chrift* They that carric this lightin a darke Lanthornc, that rake thefe fparkes in the aflies, that as they would not have others fee what they doe, fo neither would they have their owne Confciences take notice of it that will finnc , let men fay what they will, that liveloofely, that either hcarc nof , or regard not what they hcare, let them confider it ^ for they doe in a fpeciall manner Ipith-hld the Truth in unrighteoufnefje. 143 manner imprifon the Truth, they with-hold it in unrighteoufnefli, labour to know the fin, your miferabk condition, and karne to bee humbkd under it. A fecond ufc we may make of this, is from hence to difcerne the condition of thofe men whiifh are miferabk, but fee not their miferie^ that are nearc the kingdome of God, but not in it : Men that are meerly civilly that hearc much, and doe much, and goe farre^keeping their hghts burning till the very point of the Bridegroomes comming, and for want of a little more oyk are excluded; as Ananids for a little rekrvation loft all 5 and the young man in the Gorpcll,that kept all the Commandementsof the Lord from his youth up, that camev;ithin a ftep, but never in- to the mountaine of the L o r d . This is a race many miffeof, as the Apoftle, i Cor, 9. fpeaking of many running in a race, faics, LM^ny run, but dUohtaint mt^ that is, there iS a company of men run in the wayes of God, as well as the Saints^ both run, both doe very much, if you looke o» the wayes they goe, you fhallfcarce findc dif- ference in any outward adion that they doCjyer, many obtainc not • and v/hy < they either runne not as they ought, orelfe they hold not out to the end : jAmAzlah ^Vii loajh ran long,almoft to the end of the race, but becaufe they continued not faithfull to the death, they received not the Crowne of life, thefe bee the men that come neare the kingdome of heaven, but never enter into it. And the fcope of the Text ferves todif- ■s^,,-.. ./ cover Serm. V. Ffe 2. Shcwech the mifery of thofc men that arc ncarc the king, dome or God, but notinic. ■ i 144 Serm, V. Their mifery is in three things » I. The good thingSj that they have, doe them no good. I They are the worke of the Spirit . Hcbr.5. The beft men before regeneration, They make them not good. cover thefe men 5 when we heare therefore that there is fuch a Generation^ it concernes every man to defire to know his Condition, lefthce fliould be of that number - for that caufe we will fpend this ufe in difcovering thefe three things; Firft, that the good things thatthefe men have in them doe them no good. Sccondlyjthat they doe them much hurt. Thirdly, I will fet downe how far they goe, and yet how far fliort they be of that which is proper to the godly. Fir ft, I fay, the good things in them doe them no good, for they are the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, and fliall bee found to thepraifeof the Holy Ghoft, and not to their owne advantage at all, they are not their owne, but the workes of the Spirit within them. H^^^/*. 6. the Apoftle fpeakes of men enlightned^ and that have tafied of , the gift of the Holy Ghojly that is, there bee gifts that theHoly Ghoft puts into their heart, as we lay flowers in the window, which doc not grow there ^ or as fome Out-landifli fruit which is brought over, but it will not grow in our Coun- trey, except the foile be altcredjand changed, it will not thrive there,nor bring forth fruit to any purpofe : So though thefe things be in them;, yet they arc not theirs, neither fliall they be to their owne praife, and advantage. Againe, they cannot doc them good, becaufc | they doe not make them good 5 they doe not as Divines fay, redundare in perfomm, they make not any mans perfon better, though a man, not yet truly regenerate^ have never fo many excel- lent li>ith'hold the Truth in unrighteoufnejfe, lent things in him^ yet his perfon is never the better for them. As we fay of godly and rege- nerate men^^though they commit eviiljyet their perfons are good in Gods fight. God fees their evill) but he fcowres them by afflidion, and he hates the evil! 3 but loves the perfon, which fliewes that the perfon is notaccounted evill/or if the perfon were evilly he mud needs hate it On the other fide,t hey that have received com- mon Graces, though they have gone farre, yet their perfons are not the better, but the fame: And there is goodreafon for it, for it is not the perfon that doth the good thing : But as S. Paul faycs of fin. It is no more I that doe it but fin that dwels in rne-^ fo they may fay,It is not I that doe it3but the good that is in me : therefore it is rea- fon it fliould not doe them good, when it makes nor their perfons good, but leaves them the flime notwithftanding. So that it may be faid ofthe good things in them, as is faid of beauty in an evill woman,or as of a Pearle in a Swines fnout, the things bee good and precious, the Pearle is a Pearle indeed, yet notwithftanding they may be evill women,in whom beauty,and Swinein whom the Pearle is found. So you fee the firft,that though a man have excellent things in him before regeneration, yet they flialldoe him no good. Secondly, which may make every man looke about him,andto confider with feare and trem- bling, if it be not his owne cafe : If a m m fliail have thefe Truths revealed, but he fnail either L let 145 S E R M V I. They doe hem much hurt. 14^ Their fioiies ave rhc w^ii'kc aggravated* They croiTe Gods eati. Jhe hefi men before regeneration let them lye itill, and ruli:, or if he bring them CO aftion^ fliall checke and curbe them, and not ufe them as he (liould, they fliall encreafe his condemnation. And that may be made evident from hence^ the finnes fuch men commit are augmented and aggravated, from hence they are committed againitmorelight, and the more their light is chanorhers, the greater their fin is than others . Therefore that is to be marked^ Rom. 2, g. Trk huUtion andangmlJ) on every foule that doth evilly to whomc'Tt? the Uw fir jl ^md then to the Grecian-^ Marke it. They that doe evill are of two fortSs lewes or Grecians.. lewes were they that knew and were acquainted with the Law, and the Grecians were ignorant of it therefore Tribu- lation fliall be firft, andingreatefl: meafure on the lew I fo that their knowledge aggravates their fin, it had beene better for them that they had not had the Truth, that they had never heard of the Gofpell of Chrift, nor beene ac- quainted with the wayes of Godjbecaufe when they have lightjand fin againfl: it,the more light they have, the more refiftance there is, andfo the more inexcufable they are,and the more in- excufiible they be, the greater is their fin» Againc, thefe men of all other are mofl:apt to refift God, to refifl: Chnft and his righteouf- neffe, and that doth exceedingly encreafe their fin, becaufe they croffe God in his chief eft end, and that muft needs make their fingreatj and that they do more than others,for Gods chiefe end ^Vith-holdthe truth in unrighteoufnejfe. j 147 end is to have Chriitsrighieoufneflerevealedj but thefe men having a concdcof their owne righteouaiefTe, regard it nor, and fo refiit God. What elfe is the reafon of that in Luke ij.i. There referred to lnm{{n\h che Evangeiift Itcans andfimerSyh\Xit]\t F hart fees murmur e at him. What is che meaning of that < It is as if he hadfaid^they that were righteous more than orhers^rhat were in all their Converfation un- blameable, that did more good^ and abftained from more evill than ochers, thefe men did not come to Chrift/or they thought themfelves in a reafonable good condition already. But the Publicans and linners reforted to him. So thefe men that have many good things in them, wee have moft adoe to drive them out of them- felves^and to bring them to Chrifl:3fo that they thatrelift Chriftsrighteoufneffe, which is Gods, chiefe endjmuft needs do themfelves moft hurt. AgainCjthey in whom Gods)vS!i\Qt doth moft appeare^their condition muft needs be moft mi- ferable; butfoit is with thefe men^ they that are acquainted with his willj and doe it not, in them at the day of Judgement his lufticefliall moft appeare : Othervvifeto what end did God fend the Prophets < Why fent \\t^aiah^zwA E- zekiel, &c. It was not onely to convert men/o win their foules, to bring them to Salvation. What thenc' To cieare his luftice, and to in- creafetheir condemnafion.Hov/ was that donee' By making knowne thefe Truths, that knowing them, and not pradtifing them, their Condem- L 2 nation Gods juiiice ?ippe:ires mod on them. The heft men before regeneratim^ nation might be greater. So v/e Minifters come not onely to convert the foules of men^not only to build, but aifo to pluck downe, not only to open che hearts of men tobeleevetheTruth^ but to harden mens hearts to hate the Truth^noc but that we long for the falvation of men, and uhat the proper end of the Word is to favemen, but the ufe they make ofit fervesto.encreafe their condemnation : So that the more Truth is revealed, if it be not praiiifed accordingly, che greater isthefinne. Againe, thefemen are of all others fartheft bothlfom luftification and Sandification, this Truth puts them farther off both : I lay, the more knowledge is revealed, the more they are acquainted with the myfleries of Salvation, if j they precifely anfvver it not in their life,they are further than other men from luftification, be- caufe, asl faid before, they thinkenotthem- felves to be as other men 5 as the Pharifee faid, l am not as other meUy or as this Publican : There- 1 fofe faies Chrift, T he Publican went to his houf ? juBified rather than the other. Againe, they be further from Sandification than others, for they be wife in their own eyes, and will carve out their owne wayes, they are not v/illing to refigne thcmfelves to God, they chufe wayes of their owne, thinking the Word to bee foolifh, and common, for the more the knowledge, the ftronger is the refiftance, and therefore they are faid to contend with the ' Truth, Kem,2.%. T ethemthat are contentious ^and l^lthMdthe Truth in unrighteoufnefje. dey not the Truth* The meaning is. Men that know much, that are much enlightned, but not truly {kndlRed^ they quarrrell with the Truth^ they except againft it, they have many things to alleage againft the wayesof God, the refi- ftance is ftronger in them than in otherSjthey are contentious men, that is, not men that contend with men, nor fimply with God, but they con- tend with the Truth, not onely in willand affe- (Sions, but in their underftandings alfo, men rea- ibn againft it, and therefore are apt to difobey the Truth, and fo of all others furtheft off from Sandlification, they will goe their owne courfe, and will not be taught. So you fee the fc- cond thing. That the good things i that are in thefc men doe them much hurt. H9 SerMo v. The end of the fifth Scrm$n. L5 THE THE SrXTH SERMON FIVMILIATION. Romans i. i8. Forthewathof (jod is repealed from heayen again/l all mgodlineffe and mrighteoufneffe of men^ which mth^hotd the Truth in mrighte^ oufneffe. Ow to come to that which remaincs, which is the third thing, that is, to fet downe how far thefe men may goe, and yet how far re they fall fliort of that which is proper ^ to the Saints thatftiall be fa- ved. And thus farre they may goe. I L 4 Firft. 1 Serm^VI. ^. How farre they gocj and yet hovv farre they fall fiiorc of chat which is proper to the godly. I ijx I The heft men before regeneration^ Serm.VI. Fir ft 5 they maybe enlightned to under ftand all the truths of God • there is no Truth we de- liver to you^ but an unregencrate man may un- derftand it wholly, and diftindly^and may come to foHiemeafure of approbation, he may be well acquainted with the myfterics of Faith and Re. pL^ntance, fo as he may dilcourfe thereof better than many that have the things indeed. Secondly, not onely fo, but hee may have a Confcience that ftiall doe its duty in many things, hee may make a Confcience of man) duties , as you fliall finde of divers in Scrip- ture, who notwithftanding were not fandified/ When Godknt ReMoam that meffage, not to goctowarre againft leroham^ knomng it was Gods command, he made confcience of obeying it, and likewife for lome yeares Heferved the Lord. So when the Lord would hzve Jmziah fend backe the Ifraelites, hee durft notclifobey the voice of the Lord, although if hee had loo- ked on all probabilities it might have ruined him. So Abimelech durft not meddle with hrahams wife, when God had given a charge to f he contrary. So Balaam in many things reftrai- ned himfelfe, and would not doe but as the Lord commanded him : So that an unregenerate man may keepe a good confcience in fecrec, when no 1 man fees it or knowes ito I Thirdly, he may not onely have hisjudge- ment enlightned, and his Confcience enabled to doe its duty in many things, but likewife he may j have many common gifts planted in his will 1 ^ and ( in inligmning. In their Con» fcieiise* In common gifcs. ^tth'hU the Truth inunri^teoufnejfe. and affedions, many excellent morall venues of luftice, and Temperance, and Patience, and in thefe he may many times exceed the godly, as many times Blazing ftarrcs goe beyond true Starresforlightj fo may thefe exceed the godly in outwart appearance. Fourthly, thereis not onely all this wrought within them, but they doe many rimes exprefle it in their adions. Come to their lives, they arc able to doe many things - asicisfaidof Herod, heheardlohn gladly, and did many things : So the fecondand third ground, as they knewfome- thing, fo they pradifed according to their know- ledge. Intheir performances they may not come fliort of any of the godly, and may for a long time have as faire, fpecious,and probable fliowes ofgoodncfleasany. Fifthly and laflly, they may goe thus farre, they may have two men in them, as well as re- generate men, one that contends for the Truth, theotherthat reliftsit. And what ftronger fig ne is there in regenerate men, to evidence their re- generation, than this Contention betwecnc the flefh and thefpirit^ Yet this maybe found in them, there may be ftrong Inclinations to that which is good, and a refiftancc of it. This Truth may lye in their breft,as a fire tiiat would rife, and breake out, but much quench cole, and wet ftuffe within may keepe it downe- fo that there maybe, and are two men inihe Civillman,as well as in the Regenerate. Now to fbcw how farrc they fall fnort of them Serm.VI; 4 In their st<^l' ons. In their Con- 2. Hqw farrc they fall Ihort, .VI. In light and underftanding. In two things. I They under'=» ftandnot Gods fecrcts. The heH men before regeneration^ them that be truly fandified. Firlt, in matter of light and under (landing that they have, youfliall finde a double difference. Hrft, though in the Truths they know they goe exceeding f arre, as I l^avc fiiewed you, yet in this they fall (hortj that they underftand not the fccrets of God. There bee certainefccrets which God rcveales to none but to chem that feare him s There is fomething in thefe Truthcs that civiil men doe not underfland. Confider that fpecch fpokenbyour Saviour to Jerufalem^ O lerufalemthatthoti hadjl kmwne the things be- longing to thy feace^ hut now they are hid from thine eyes ! Whar was hid fromthemf Not the things themfelves fimply confidered , for they were fully revealed, Chrift himfelfe Preached there, there wanted no light to fhine to them 5 yet it was hid from their f yes, that is^ there was a cer- taine fccret , which , if God had revealed, it would have pcrfwadcd them to have turned to him efFcdually , but that was hid from their eyes, and fo they mre grangers from the life of God, So the life of holinefl:e and religion theic men underftand not, there is fomething fpiritu- all which they cannot comprehend. Their light goes as farre as it may; when a man hath a na- turall,a common lignt, it will apprehend com- mon objeds, fuch as are fucablc to ir, it appre- I hends • but chat which is (pirituall, it cannot reach unto. iC the favour of thefe Truthes they want, and there- fore they receive the Truth, but nor the love of the Truth j they doe not reliih it,they apprehend it not aright^ and for that caufethey pradife it not. You have them excellently fet downe in ludc 14. thtj fpeake evill (layes the Apoftlcj 6f the things tky know mt. You fee there be fome things Serm.VI. 2 They reli/lj not what they know. ludc I tj6 S-ERM.VL Tl:^ heft men before regeneration^ In their Coiv« fcience. Confciencc good in two refpcas. things they know not, and therefore they fpeake evillofthem : And tvhat things they dee how ^ as beafts without reafon in them^they corrupt thmfelves that is, they doe not pradife according to rheir knowIedgC5thoogh they are acquainted with the wayes of God in that meafure, that they know they ought to abftaine from thefe and thefe fins, yet in thefe things that they know naturally they are corrupt: So you fee the difference bet wcene them and the truly regenerate, in matter of un- derftanding. Secondly (to keepe the fame method I did inthe other) for matter of Confcience, you ihall finde this difference, and in this they fall ihort. Though they doc make confciencc of many things, notwithftanding they have not a good Confcience . for, Confcience is good in tworc- fpeds • either becaufe it witneues good to us, and fo wee commonly ufe it, or as it isfubje- dively good, and foihc love ofGod, is good, and the feare of God is good, and in this they have not a good Confcience, for it is required that the Confcience bee inherently and iubje- divtly good, that a man make Confciencc not out of flavifli feare, but out of willingnefle, as a chaftc wife defires to pleafe her husband, be- caufe ftiee loves him, fliee is loth to difpleale him, will not lofc his favour for any thing, and therefore (hee obfcrves him exadUy, and will I not offend him, when the Confcience (lands in this reference to God, it is a good Confcience. On the other fide^ let a man make Confcience i of ^i^ith'hold the Truth in unrighteoufnejfe. of never fo many things^yet if it be out of feare, as a fervant feares his Matter, or as the Theefe feares the ludge^his confcience is not good. So that the civil men cannot befaid to have a good Confcience in the things they abftaine from out of Confcience, becaul e they doe it not willing- ly, but as of neceffiry. Now all God lookes to, is to have what is done, done willingly, and therefore it is no. wonder that Divines give this as a fure rule that defire is a figne fure enough of Grace : If a man hath a true defire to pleafe God, it cannot deceive him, for the de- fire is more than the deed, as Saint Paul faith in , 2 Cor, 8 . 1 o . In matter of giving, T on have not onely beene ready to doe, hut to ivtll, and to he for^ ward ; as if the will were more than the deed 5 and fo it is indeed. A man may performe many actions of Religion, abftaine from many fins, reforme his life in many things, but it is ano- ther matter ro defire to pleafe God, according to that of Nehemiah 1. 1 1 . Let thine eare hee at- tentive to the grayer of thy fervants that defire to feare thy Name .-there is none but the fervants of God that defire to feare him. If others be asked whether they could not bee content there were no law to reftraine them, that no neceflity of holineffe lay on them • they will anfwer, they could defire that there were none, that they were at liberty ; and therefore when they make confcience of any thing.it is not out of willing- nelTe, butoutof aflavilli feare, though it bee out of Confcience , yet the Confcience is ; not Serm .VL Note. 158 Serm.VL 3 Moral'i vercues Simile* The heft men before regeneration not goodj and ia this rcfped they fall fliorc. Thirdly, formatter of morall vertiies^they may have many excellent vertues planted in their hearts, which are the gifts of the Holy Ghoft, for the Holy Ghoft doth not onely en- lighten the underftandings of 1 ome that fhall ne- ver be faved, but alfo places many gifts in their will and affedions. But this defers they have, they neither come from a right Principle, nor tend to a right end, they come from no higher a Well-head than Nature, they be common to them that be onely naturall3and therefor it can- not be proper to them that fhall be faved.I fay. Nature is able to bring forth thefe vertues,even as the earth (for that fimilitude will exprelTe it) is able to bring forth two things. Weeds, and GraiTe : You know weeds are unprofitable, and many of them hurtfull, but grafle is good and ufefuU : But Corne and Flojvers of the chiefeft fort the earth cannot bring forth without plow- ing and fowing ^ fo it is with mans nature. Take it as fecluded from Grace, it is able to doe two things, to bring forth Sinne and Luft, which comes from the corruption of it, and like wife many excellent vertues which proceed from common nature, which is in a man unregene- rate, asv^ellas finfull nature. Thefe things be good and very commendable, but this is their fault,they goeno further,there is no morethan nature in them , they are very like true Grace, as falfe lev^els are like true ones,and as your wilde corne is like true corne, there is a great fimili- tude l^tth'hoU the truth in unrighteoufnejfe, c IS a great tude bervveene rhem, but yet ther deale of diffcrencejif you looke on them \vith a curious eye^and judge of them with a righteous judgement. Fourthly) for matter of Adions^ it is true they doe many things, but they fall fhorc in thefetworefpedis. ' Firft, they doe not all^ they are ahvay wan- ting in fomerhing. It is not faid Herod did all, but many things, He heard I o/m gladly ^^nd did much 5 this rule will not faile, they are not ge- neral! in rheir obedience, there is not a general! change : Now the effed cannot goe beyond the caufe, but it is true of the regenerate. They are New Creatures every way, and therefore there is a general! obfervation of the Law of God, I ..fpeate of an Evangelical! obfervation compe- tent to the Saints, I fay, they have a refpedl to all the Commandements ^ the other have not, I ' becaufe their hearts are not fully, not generally j changed, they have light, but it is fhut up with- \ in the compafTc of one faculty, it turnes not the foule into light, and therefore they know many things, and doe m.any things, yet becciufe the Vv^orkeis not generall, they have ftillfome ex. ception,fomething there is wherein they favour themfelves, fome duty there is that they omit, and that conftantly from time to time. Againe,as they doe not doe alljfo whatthey doe,they doe not in fincerity,they doe it not to the Lord,but for other refpeds,for themfelves, for credit or applaufe, to winne love and good will 159 Serm.VI. 4 In Actions. In iwo refpeds They doe not all. ' That they dee is notfincere. 6o Serm.VL Anjiv. ® in their con- flia,in foure things^ In refped of the Subject. The hejl men before regeneration^ will among meOjOr to avoid fliame^or they doe it to efcape judgement 5 and to attaine that fafe- ty which Nature it felfe may defire, or elfeto fatisfie natural Confciencermany other refpeds \ there bee^ but they doe it not in fincerity to the [ Lord« But it may be objeded:When they do things infecret, doe they not doe them to the Lord c' It is true, they doe it to him as to a naturall good^as a ludge that punifhes and rewards^as a Difpencer of good and evill 5 fo they doe it to the Lordj but not to him as a Father, as holy and purcjas abfl:ra(5ted from all punifliment^and reward, they doe not fix their eye on the Per- fonof God to love him, to defire favour and Communion with him y after this manner they defire him not, and fo they faile in the good a^iions they doe. Fifthly and laftly, there are two meninCi- vill men before Regeneration, that is,aninfti- gation to that which is good, and a reludancy to it, a renitency againft it,fomething contrary thereto, as well as in the Regenerate 5 bur you fliall finde them to fall fhort of the Saints in thefefoure regards, Firft, this combate in them differs from that in the Saints, in refpecS of the fubjed, it being betweene the Confcience,and all the reft of the Soule. The Confcience fayes, fuch things muft be done, but the reft of the faculties rife in re- bellion againft it, becaufe (as I told you) the light is ftiut up there, and all the fouleisnot enli^ht- "^ith'holdthe Truth in unrlghteoufnefje. enlightncdj but in the Saints the Controverfie is betweene every faculty and it fclfcj betwecnethc underftanding and it (eife, betweene the whole Soulc^ as it is compared with it [clk^ there is fomethrng good in every part of iCj and fome- thing ill, and thefc two contend. Secondly, as it differs in the fubjed, fo like* wife in the objed^ the contention is about diiTe- rent things. A civil! man (chat is one that hath many excellent and good things in him 5 but yet is unregenerate, for that I meane by a civil] man) may have a controverfie with himfelfe about many things belonging tohoneily, ver- tue, fins of the greateft extent, fuch as he is able to fee (as in a darke night we fee the Star res of a greater magnitude, but the other are hid from US) but there is fomething fpirituall, things that belong to the Image of G o d to the life of Grace, which he makes not Confciencc of, can- not contend about, for heunderftands them not. He may be troubled about many cvills, and if he fall into groiTe fins, there may bee a Contention in him after hee hath committed them as well as before, but the fpirituall performance of duties which belong to godlineffc and true holineffe, is not controverted , and fo they differ in the objeft. Thirdly, it differs in regard of the efTecaand ifTue of cheCombate, Inanaturallman,where there is a ftrife, you fliallfindc this the iffue, tht better is the lofcr, and the worfe is the gainer, a* itwasthcfpecchofiW'^^iP^, Deter tor a fequdr-^hu M it 161 Se RM.VI. 2 In the o bjea. 3 In the Event, j The bejl men before regeneration ^ icis not fo with the Saints, for in their Corn- bate ordinarily they have the better; as Paul, when this combate and ftrife was within him, lee was ftill fofuftainedby theGraceof God that he had the vidorie^ and that I take to be the meaning of that in 2 Cor. 11,9. when there was that ftrife in him about the ^^^r;?^ in the flefh, that is, fome ftrong luft that Satan had (harp-- ned again ft him. The Grace of God w.'ufufficitm for him, and in the iffue thereof hecdid tMe- liora fequi, but the other goes away wich the worft. Fourthly and laftly, there is a difference in regard of the Continuance, and durance of this Combate in carnall men, it continues not to the end, but they give over 3 andthisyoufhall alfo findc, they ftand not at a ftay, but .grow worfe and worfe, for that is a general! Truth, ] Evill men (hall wax woi fe and worfe, there may be a contention for a time, the two men may for a Time bee in an iE^«/V/^W^, the ballance may hang equaU for a while, butatlaft they give the raine to their iuft, they are weary of conten. ding, but the Spirit in the Saints gr owes ftron- ger and ftronger, as it wasfaidof thehoufcof Saul Jit waxed weaker and weaker, but the houfc of David grew ftronger and ftronger. And as k was faid of Peter yWhen he jhouldbe old^ he Jhould be carried whiiher hemuldnot (hewing by what death he fhouIdglorifieGod^ thatis, this ftrife (hould continue tillhe was oId,tili the latter end of his dayes, yea, and about that whichisbar^ l^ith-hold the Truth in unrighteoufnejp. deft of all, thatis^'torefiftthcdcfircoflifc, to bee content to die for C h r i s t. So you fee how farrethey may goe, and yet how farrc they faliftiort. And now have I done with thofe. three things, that the good things that carnall men have, doe ttiem nogood. Secondly, that they doc them hurt. Thirdly, that they may goe farre, and yet, (that you may not be deceived, in apprehending what men they arc,and what Con- dition wee fpeake of) that they fall (hort of that which is proper to the Saints, and fo much for the fccond ufc. Thirdly 5 if this be the Condition of men to withMdtheTmh m mrightemf^ejje > then this will likewifc follow, that commonly men finne not out of miftake, not out of want of Infor- mation and conviftion, but out of the very love of unrighteouineffe : And this ferves to take away the Common excufe whereby men doe ufually mitigate, and extenuate their fins, as if they were committed by accident, out of in- cogitation, or want of dueconfidcration; you fee it is notfo, but that is the cafe of every man out of the ftatc of Regeneration to commit fin out of love to unrighteoufnefTe. And this is a point that needs much to bee urged, becaufc men are not humbled 3 you knowthefcope of this Text is to humble men, to convince them of their fins, to flicw them the Circumftances by which their fins are juftly to bee aggravated 5 now becaufe men will pretend they finne out ot M 2 Infirmirie. ^^3 Serm.VL Men fin not out of want of information, but out of love ofunrighte- oiifncfie. The bejl men before regeneration^ Infirmity, and their meaning is good, and they intend nor to doefuchand fuch evills, or if they doe them it is not v/uh an illminde- ladvife you take heed you deceive not your felves, you know it was Iond6 his cafe, when hee had no mindc to goc to Kinwehy he pretends faire rea- fons. God that fearches the heart, knowcs your i hearts, howfoever you defend and difpute for iyour fins, and there is a Truth within that tells you fuch and fuch things ought not to bee done. Therefore, learne from hence to know your fins, and the quality of them. And, if you ob- jed, we doe not refift this Truth, we obey it in many things < Letmeaskeyou^ Doe you obey hj njhofe thin^sThat croflT e that particular un T [jj^^^^^^^iT^ wjherein you are delighted ^~ (for there is tbe_£ro^}^there be fome perfOTalTSns to'wMchT mans nature is inoft enclined, exa- mine if out of love to them you doc not with- hold the Truth ^ for jc fares commonly with Truth in this cafe^ as it did v^kKjohrBapt/fi^ ^'afl the while he preached Hgrg^heardhim wliliog- ly^yea, gladly, but when he came to touch up- on //OT^^ then hetookeaway hishead^ and as he dealt with loh^ fo doe we with Truth, fo long as it fuggeftsnothingtousthatcroflesour defi^res, wee are willing to obey it in all things that it fliall didatetous, but when it tell s us of fins that wee are unwilling to heare of, wee firft irnprilon ^r, an d theatxiin guiflMt, as there b ilegFcesTn' iei[liiining''oFTr, firft m one degree, then ia a greater degree, and at laft wee put it quite "tt>ithholdthe Truth in unrig hteoufnejfe. quite out: Therefore take heed to k, labour to know your fins^ to fee thofe which arc moft na- turall to you, whether in thefe you doc not mth'holdthe T ruth in unrigheouf ^ejf r ; which is done after this manner : When a man (hall have his heart fett upon any particular thing which he is not willing to part with^and the Truth fliall tell him fomething that is contrary thereto , now let him try himfelfe. Pilate {xh^ Text faith) knew that the Pha rifees^had deiivered C H R I s t for Enyle^tEisTiee knew, but yet to content the people, lay es one Eva^geliji^md out of fearc of C^far^ fayes the other, he delive- red him to them. Out or thofe two refpecSis, be- caufe hee would not part with his love of the people, nor with the good-will of C^far, hee would part with Chrift. Now here is the Triall, Suppofe thou efteemeft credit, and applaufe with men, the Truth comes and tels thee thou art to doe a thing that croffes this, marke what thou art ready to doe in this cafe ; you lliall fee an inftance in I^hn 12 •42. There ^were many among the chiefe Rulers which he \leeved on Chrifi , but for reare kfi the ?haru \fees fliouldcaltthem^^^ of the Synagogue, they durft not confeiTc him^ for they loved the praife of men more than the praife of God. They beleeved on him, the Truth did its part, they were there- by informed well enough what they were to doe, but becaufe they loved the praife of men, they refifted this fiuth out oTIove to unrighte- pufneflc. So put cafe thy minde be fet upon_ RTj wealth. How the Truth is with- held xsx unrigh^ t66 Serm.VL ^ ^ -i- ----- - u The beH men before regeneration^. ■ | we^ilth, and in that thou wilt not be croft^ This | truth tels thee, thou muft doe one thing, but it | will croffe thee in matter of thy eftate, as the.} Young-man had that Triali put on him, Goe]^ and fell dll thou hajl^ mdthepi [halt have treafure in heaven. • Compare thine owne with the Young- mans beIKwiQur^ H^^^^"t away'^Brro wfull . Whence we may gatlier that he was enlightu^id | to, fee the Truth, he knew it was beft to fbllow= Chrilh the Truth was thus far re revealed to him, for other wife why Ihould heegoeaway. forrowfull i If he had not beleeved him'to 'be the Mepah^ht needed^ot to haveforrowed,but in that forrow. was left in his: heart, it manife- fted what Bis -minde wasfett upon* Is it thus with thee;f Learne hence to humble your felves to judge aright ofyour lins, and ofyour Con- dition by them. \ -And if all this will not perfwade you, take this one inftance which I will give you. Take a view of thy felfe as thou art affeded at fome apprehenfion of Death >in fome dangerous fick- rieflTe^ in fome good mood, after fome quick- ning of the Spirit in thee,^aft£r fome great trou- ble into which thou art caft, and fee what thqu wilt doe in fucha cafe: See what liberty this Truth hath at fuch a time, how ready thouart to obey it ia.all things^ how ready will the Truth be to informe thee,thefc and thefe things thououghteftnotto doc, and thou haftnegle- ded thefe and thefe duties 5 how imminent this Trutb is> to didate.to thee v^hat thou oughteft ' : ' to Vuh-hold the Truth in unrighttoufrejfe. \6y to dot. Confider againcwhac thy behaviour is in time of health and ftrengrh, in time of Peace^ when thou liveft in aboundance of all things.See how farre fliort thou art of performing what in thofe times thou wouldeft doe, and in theifame | meafure thou with-holdejl the Truth in unrighte- eufnejf ? 5 in fuch meafure thou imprifoncft ir3for that declares what light is in thee. Take a furvey of one or two dayesj goe through the adioHS that pafTe by thee in the fame, fee what evill thou haft done, and what goodthou haft omitted, and fay thus. Might not I have forborne this evill, if I would have fee my felfe to doeit C Might not I have per- formed this duty, if I would fiavegone-about it ^ And let this humble thee. For this caufe I havechofenthis Text, that you might be driven but of your felves; and why fliould you bee backward in it, feeing itisthefirftftep to Sal- vation C And fo much fliaU ferve for this third ufe. Fourthly, if this be the cafe and miferable Conditioa wherein every man is before Rege- neratiofi, to with^hold the Truth in mrighteouf^ nejfe : Then take heed ofputting thy ifelfe into ^ that Conditlon,confider the danger of difobey- ingthrs Truth, of offending it, of doing any thing contrary to it, of reftraining and curbing it, for it is of that namre, thatifthoubffendeft it, it will offend thee. It is a Truth that God hath fet in thy heart, and appointed it to rute;^ there, if thou oppofe it, and fet up ufurpers, he 1 _ M 4 will 1 E R M Ffe 4 . Confider the danger oLdif- obeying the Truth, VL 7he hejl men hefon regeneration will doe as lehojada didy th3,t (ct up the right King^ he will even fet up this Truth at the day of death to accufethee^and toraigne overthee as a Tyrants It fits in thy Confciencejit markes what is done amiffe, and will bee affuredJy re- venged, for every rebellion^ and offence com- mitted againftit^ as it isfaid of Truth in gene- rally M^^a^/^^/ Veritas cjr pr£valet^£ thou be for theTruthj it will bee for thee, and if thou bee againft it, itwillbeeagainft thee, and it hath God on its fide^ it is attended with the wrath of the Almighty, who will bee ready to execute upon thee whatsoever this Truth fliall alleage againft thee, though hee doth it not prefently^ yet all the whilethouart inthe way to Dam- nation, as it was with ludas and CAchmphei. Therefore be fure to keepe this Truth well,that thou offend it not I as thou art tender ovey thy weake ftomacke^ to give what contents it, to avoid what may offend it, and then it Aall bee as a continual! feaft to thee, otherwife it fhall bee as a ficke ftomacke to thee, that doe what thou wilt, yet whether walking or fitting ftill^ it will trouble thee So this Truth thou wilt ! not be able to deceive, it will fee what is amifle, whether thou wilt or no? zCor^^a,^ faith the Apoftle, W€€Co?nmend OHT f elves t'^ .every mms- fonfcienceinth mmifefiatim&f the Truth ; That is, the. Gonfcience within will jfee thee thorow,doe what thou canft^ ther^ will pe an agreement bet weene itj and the Truth that bprefentedtoitj k cannot but obferve all the obliquities^ H^lth'hold the Truth inunrlghteoufnejje. obliquities of thy lifir, all thy errours, thou canftnot deceive it^ nor long fhakeitofF. But it may be objected, may not a man ob- fervc this Truth too muchj may he not be too fcrupulous^ too carefuU in regarding it f j I anfwere^ theConfciencemay miftake^ and I give that charge that it ought not| but as wee fay of Thiftles^ they are a bad v^eed^ but it is a figne of a good ground where they grow j fo though fcrupuloufneffebenotgood, yet it is a figne of agood heart where it ise If a man bee to goethorow a narrow paflagej or over a nar- row bridge, it is good to goeinthe midft | fo i^ is good not to be Icrupulous, and yet not to ^ive itoffence^ forifthoudoft with-^hold itj impri! fonit, or reftraineit, thoufhaltfindeit willbe revenged on thee^ for it is attended with the wrath of God. ' Fifthly, if this bee the miferable Condition i of all unregenerate men, thus to with-heU the T mth in mrighteouf ^ejf As there have beene words of Humihation and reproofe^ foletme lliutupwitha word of exhortation. Beexhor* ted therefore from hence to give this Truth leave to rule and governe in thy hearty and life i doe not make abancke againftit, or an hedge about it, rcftraineitnot^. fetter icTiot^buc fuffer itto walke freely in every pa^t of thy conver- fation, to redifie and reforme every faculty, fpeech, and adion, for fo it ought to doc | andj as I faid before, thou fllalt finde it a dangerous thing to rcftraneit^ . _ Among 169 Serm.VL OhjeH. May not a man Be toofcrupu» Give she Truth leave so rule. lyo \ T^he ft mtn before regeneration I Among men, he tha? imprifons one whom he fliould nor tins imoz^rsmunirejzndioxidts all he hath. Commonly weefaile bochthefe wayes, we give Lufts liberty, which fliould be reflrained V^nd imprifon Truth, which fliould 1 beat liberty, therefore our judgement fliallbe i j accordingly. For letting thy lufts goeat liber- 1 ty, take heed left God fay to thee, as he did to ^^^^ for letting King -^^/^^^i'^t^ go, T^;^ life Jh all \ kef or his life / left on the other fide by imprifo- ning the Truth' you forfeit all things, and God take advantage of your forfeiture* Since the fall j o f ^dam^ mm d^th turne all things up-fide ! Tk S^^^ ^^^'^^^^"^ to that which is complained ot tjfiole Prophets,T'/?^j didflaj the Joules "offhem that jhouldlive-^^ gave life to thefoules that fhoM die. So doe men,the Truth that ftiould live they flay, and the luft that fliould dye, they give life ufito 'i But you lcnow what Gods judgement was on them,-E;^f^« I3»i4* He would defroy both the > dawber mdthewallofunte?nferedmorter. Godre- I quires at thy hands that thou give account of the Authority committed to thee,and take heed of abufing it« If the Kingfenda PrivieCoun- cellour, or a great man about him to reveale his will, to exprefle his commandemeritinthis or that particular, that fo men may know it,and be free from the danger of the La;w 3 if a man, in ft^ad of obeying it, imprifon him, how will the King take it at his hands ^ What then will God daein this cafe f Heehath put his Truth into , the hearts of men^he hath fent his meflengers to fhevv i Serm.VL I The dangei: of rcftraining it '^ith'hoU the Truth m mrightioufnejfe. ihew his will^ that this hee will have dope : if ttiou imprifon this Truth, be afiTured God will not hold thee guiltlefle^ therfore let it have liber- ty^ let it rule and raigpe in thy hearty let it dot what it will. This benefit thou flialt have. Thou fets, it at liberty, and it fhall fet thee at liberty, loh. 8 .3.2 . If you continue in my words ^ &c. the T ruth Jhall mjikepufree. From what Or what great be- nefit hath a man by this frefdomec' A benefit unfpeakeable, . thou (halt bee free from the feare of Death, from the ha.nds of all thine Enemies, to ferve God in hoUneffe and righteoufnelTe, from the feare of ludgemenr, from the feare of hell, from the guilt and puniftiment of fin,from the rule and tyranny of fin, and is not this to be defired^ Againe, if thou fet this atliberty,if thou wilt pradife and "ufe it, thou flialt finde more bene^ fit and fweetnefie from it, than from the meere contemplation of it 5 wee are deceived in think- ing that the knowledge of it is pleafanr, butthe pradlice hard.indeed that that keepes the world trom practice , is, becaufe it is accompanied with perfecution,whereas bare knowledge crof- fes aot at all 5 ^md therefore moft men are wil- hng to heare, and know, but in pra(5lrce they fall fliort- But in this tHey are deceived, for this Truth brings more pleafureinthe pra(aice and ufe of it, than in the knowledge and contempla- tion of it. . Inftance in Faith,fuppofe thou know all the dqftrine of Faith, the knowledge is plea- j fant,^ 171 Serm.VL 2. The benefit of fetting it at f liberty. \ I \ Freedome. 2 Serm.VL The hefl men before regeneration I Jnfv. Meanesflow to fetthc Truth at liberty. I Prayer. faat, much more the pradice, if thou wilt let it goeatUbettyj if it may pacifie, andpurifiethy heart, if thou bee much in contemplating thy priviledges in Chrift^ thou (halt finde the fweet of iu And fo I may fay of love^ and patience, and every grace i knowledge of things is like Wine or Cordials ftandmg on the Table, thou canft view them^ and looke on them then, and have them prefented to thee, but if thou feed on them by prad:ice, how doe they warme thy fpi- rits and quicken thee, andput life into thee, if they bee digefted, and diftributed intoall the partSjinto all the faculties,(for that is digetture) till they turne to flefli and bloud; and fpirits, as it were, then thou fhalt finde their fweetneffe, even more than any man can expreCTe^who him- felfe hath not left ito But now all the queftion is^ how fliall a man be able to doe this^ It may beemany will be ready to fay , I could be content to doc it, but lam not able 5 I have many good purpofes and dcfires, and am willing to praiSife what I know^ but I am weake in performance^ I will onely point to the heads rby thefe meanes thou fhalt doe it« Firft, thou muft feeke to God^ befeech him to fet this Truth at liberty, bee convinced of thine ownedifability, in thy felfe, that if thou goe about it by thine owne ftrength, thou flialt lofe thy labour.* In his owne ftrength no man toll beeftrong,it is Gods power muft doe it, Pfd.iig.22, Iwillruntheway of thy Commanded ments^ "^tth'hold the 1 ruth m unrt^hteoujnejje. ments whentheu jl)alt enlarge my hMft. David had this Truth, but it was not in his power to fee it at liberty ; therefore he goes to God, acknow- ledges his owne infufficiencie, defires Go d to C TC7T enlarge his heart, and when hec hath fei it at li- berty, the harftineffe will be taken off, and thou wik run freely the way of Gods Commande- menrs. The like is in 2 Or. 10. 4, The weapons of OUT warfare are mighty ^ but how f Through God to bring domethe firong holds ^ in our hearts, there be firong holds in men, certaioe rcafons in the underftanding, certaine lufts in the will and affe<3ions5 and thefc cannot be beaten downe by all the wit in the world, and all underftanding that thou canft learne out of any Morall Wri- ter, or the Scriptures themfelves* but there is a power through God todoeit,tobringdowne ^thefe ftrong holds, to bring all into fubjedion ^ therefore goe to God, beg it earneftly;, and let bim givethee no denial!. Secondly, as thou muft goetohim, fothou muft doc fomeching thy felfe, thoumuft pradifc thy felfe, and the morethou doftfo, the more thou lhalc beefetatliberty 5 themorethoufet. teft thy felfe to worke, the more ground thou fnalr get, the more Truth will be enlarged • as it is in marble, tiie more you rub it, the more it will (hine 5 fo the morcthis Truth is ufed, the j brighter it will be in our actions • the more thou putteft it in pradife, the more power fiialt thou have in thy life, zs CWiM^^yc^^ If ye bekeve my fayings^yee jliallnnderjlandmyvperds. Therefore, , % Cor. 10.4, 2. Pradice the Truths' Tie heH men before regeneration^ if you will have this power, bee doing, have a good Confcicnce, for that is the fealc of this Truth. How did Paul doc to give this Truth h- berty to rule in his life i Why, faith he, lexer^ cifemy felfcto keefc a go$dConfcienc€y that is. If I knew any thing that was to beedone,Ifetmy felfc about it 5 andastheMufitianby oftenpra- difing his leiron,oras one that writes, by pra- difing his hand doth incrcafe his skill ; So in I thefe Truths, the more thou doft,the nnore thou maycft doe, letting them lye ftill extinguiflies them, and for that God often gives men up to a reprobate fcnfe, Ontheotherfide, if thoudoft ufe them, doubt not but God will delight to en- large them. As in other Talents, labouring to improve them, is the way to encrcafe them. Againe, adde this to it : The Communion of Saints you fliall finde a great meanes to enlarge this Truth, and to fet it at liberty ; by walking with the wife, you will be more wife, and what is laid of Wifdome, may be laid of Truth, for they are the fame xSml, when bee was among I the Prophets, had a fparke of the Spirit of Pro- phecie , which though it was but a common adion in a wicked man, yet this fparke of a na- 1 turall and comm.on gift of the Spirit, 5^^/ had when hee came among the Prophets. It is the Apoftles diredion, Provoke one mother to love l and good workes : AsoneSouldierencourageth I another, and a fafl goer flirres up one that is I flow - lo good Company whets Graces. On the other fide, ill Company imprifons the I Trurh: I wiin'footCL luc JL ruirJin HnrigPituuj iic l l^a Truth : If thou wile kecpe company with them that are not good, thou muft correfpond with them, and this will caufe thee to choake this Truth, for many times thoa canft not doe duties without (hame, becaufe thou canft not hold in with them, and with durie too. It is not for no- thing that David ufes tnat phrafe, Pfal. i ip. 1 1 5. i^way fidm me jee eviU doers , for 1 mS keefethe Commandements of my God : As if hec had faid^ When I goc about to keepe the Commande- ments of Godj if I have Company about mee that is not good^ they will bee a barre unto mee, and as fetters to my foule 5 fo that it is true both wayesr the Company of Saints enlarges Truth, the other ftraitensit. Saint FauI and others were good men, yet when they were miftaken in . that, you fliall fee what a fetter it was : When Saint Paul was to goe to Jerufakm to preach the Gofpcll of C H R I s T, they at Cefarea wept, and wailed, defiringto ftay him ^ But, fayes hee^ what doe you breaking mine heart <' You may fee by that fpeech they were a great Impediment to him: And as C h k is t feid to Saint Feter, Get thee khindm Satan : And as X>4w'^faidto the Sonncs of Zerviah^ 2 Sam, 1 6. 1 0. What have I i$ doe with yeu yee Sons of Zerviah^ when they advikd him to take of Shemei his head : So if yoa would have the Truth to have liberty, take heed of ill company. As lames faith of refrai- • ning the Tongue, lam. 1.26, He that refiaimth not his tongue y his Religion is in vaine So we may fiiy of Company, Hec that lookes not to his Companv,, VI, Pfal.iip.xij. Aft. 2.1, 15. 2 Sam. I ^. 10. Iara.1,25. 1^6 Tlje hefl men before regeneratkn^ Serm.VlI Company, his Religion is in vainc, hee fliall finde it fo, for this Truth will never be at libertic, except it be among them, among whom it will have its liberties jf if The end of the Sixth Sem$n. THE THE SEVENTH S E R MO HVMILIATION. Romans 1.19,20. Forafmuch as that yt^hicb may he knowne of Godj is manifeH in them, for God hath Uhewed it unto them. [ For the inVtfible things of him, that is, his eternall power andOod-head are clearly feen e by the creation of the Iporld^heing confidered in his yt^orkes^to the intent that they Jhould he 'Without excufe. E have purpofed ftillrogoeon in this point of Humiliation, and then, God willing^ wee will pro- ceed tothat of luftification, which we promifcd to handle. Thele words doe fecond the former, which N we Ser. vil I .That there is, fuch a Truth, proved fourc I . The Lam of mans judgement \ we have gone thovow^The math ofGod.isrevea- ! led from he4veny &c. The Apoftle having fet this downCj hath two things to prove: Firft, that there is fuch a Truth revealed. Secondly , That they with^hQldit m unrighteoafnejfcr' Bdth which he proves in the fequele of this Chapter. Firft, there is fuch a Truth revealed to men; for (faith he©) T hat that may he kmwne of God is manifejl in them ; that is, there is a certaine por- tion of Truth, a certaine meafure of knowledge I which God hath made knowne to every man 5 ' indeed there be different jmeafures, but to every one fome meafure is givens fet forth by the Au- thor thereof, C?Mfaith he)i&4^^ Jhewedit to them. Secondly, it is fet forth more particularly by the thing that is revealed : And thirdly, by the meanes whereby it is revealed*- Fourthtyj by the end. Secondly, the thing that is revealed, as if hee had faid 1 if you will know more particularly what this knowledge is, it is the knowledge of God's eternail Power and God-head.: Thirdly, will you know the meanes how it is revealed ^ It is revealed by his workes , and chiefly by the Creation of the World. But, you will objed, his eternail Power and God-head areinvifible, Ihut up from the^view of men, how fliall men doe to fee and under- ftand thefe things, > feeingthey are fo remote (Saithhec) Thefartknowmhy thtM arefeene : Youjnay fee the world, you may fee the workes of his providence 1 thele things run into is made manifefl by God. \79 into the fcnfeSj and by thefe they are knowne ; As the fouleof manis a thing in it felfe invifi- ble, but yet you may fee it by the motions of the body, the effeilsof the fouleinthebody, this the fenfes are capable of; fo theinvifible things of God are knowneby the things that are feene. Laft of all, this is fet out by the end, where- fore God hath done this, the end is, tkdtthey may be mthout txcufe : And fo far he proves the firlt part, that there is a Truth revealed to men. In the next words he comes to prove. That they wit heboid the Truth in unrighteourfmjf ? j For they knew Gody hut they glorified him not as God^ and not negatively only, but affirmatively alfo. Their f 00 Itjh hearts are full ofdarkeneffe^ they he- came vaine in their imaginations. But, they were wife men, Grecians, Atheni- ans, men excelling' in wifdome all other, how did theydetaine it, one would thinke they did enlarge it It is true, they were wife in their owne conceit; but thinking themfelves wife, they became fooles, how doth that appearec' They turned the glory of the incorruptible God, into the image of corruptible man^ &c. So much for thefcope offhewordse Wee willnotrunneto every particular, be- caufethis isaplaceof Scripture on which wee meane not to dwell, but thefe three points wee intend to handle out of thefe two verfes. In the handling of which, you fhall fee allthefeparti- culars will be brought in : N 2 The E R VIL 4 1, That they with-hold the Truth in uQ" righteoufneflc. Ob'ieSi. Anjw, i8q ^ The Law ojmans "judgement ThatTruthjOr Lawjor Know* !c(Sge;by which every man iliall be judged 5 is made manifgH by God him«. felfe. I. Wlutthis Truth is. T9 yVag'OyJ Tht fivM^^Tijat f/rat Lmv/ Know- \ ledge; by which eveny man [hall be judged^ is made_ ' mamfeji by God him f elf e^. . Stcondly-i'Thervorkes of God ^ or the Creation^ are the me me shy which he hath made it knownc. Thirdly 5 T^^j? arefo mHch madeknowne to evt- ry marly will make him inexcuf able. To begin with the firft^ I fay^ "That Truth ^ or that Law, or that Knowledge^ by which every man jball be judged at the lafi day^ is made evident to him by God himfelfe. In this propofition you mull marke three things. Firft^ what it is that is made knowne 5 It is that Law or Truth^, by which every, man fhali be judged 5 the word in the originallj is ^3 yvt^^h That which m^^ he kmwmofGoa^ that is, there is a certaine meafure and portion of Truth, which God difpofes and reveales to men, to fome one meafure, to fome another meafure, and accor- ding to the meafure of Truth he muft conforme himfelfe^ and for breaking that rule onely,^ hee (hall be condemned at the laft day i The Gen- tiles have one meafure of Truth^the leweshave a greater meafure, but Chriftians, to whom the Gofpell is revealed, have the greateft meafure of Truth given them : Againe, fome Ghriflians that live under better Minifteries, they whofe education is better, they have more Truth than others: Now feeing hee faith it is mademani- feft, the meaning is , every man hath a mea- fure, andthatistobeemademanifefti as light when it comes into a roome, it fliowesall the I is made manifefi hy God. | , ig| glory, all the beauty and deformity round | Ser. VII. about, it fliewesthe right way and the wrong 'way, if you come to the light, all things are made manifeft now, which were covered, when you were in darknelfe: thus God enlightens men^ hee kindles a certaine light in their minde (for fo the word fignifies) hee ptits a light into their hearts, by which they are able to judge of that which is good and evill, of that which is agree== able to his will,and contrary to his will - of that which is the way to happineffe, and that which is not 3 and this is made knowne. The fecond thing to be marked in this pro- pofition, is, to fliews how it is made knowne 5 you fee that the thing is miide knowne to us : Now it is made knowne" to us thefe foure , wayes : i Firft^ it Is made knowne to us by the light of Nature, God hath mittenthe Law in their hearts ^ ! By the light of Rem.z.i^. They pjetvtheeffeBsoftheLaWyV^hich. Lav/ is mitten in their hearts ^ that is, God hath implanted it there, God hath written it there,he i hath faftened it there;, hee hath revealed to men fome Truths : but the queftion will bee how it fhall bee knowne that God hath done^f 05 why '\ (faithhe) you fhall know it by the effeds, every | man , even Heathens , though they have not come to the knowledge of the Scripture, yet they have the Law written in their hearts, for ' they doe the things contained in the Law, their I anions {how it,they could not doe thefe things, I ufthey had not the Law- written in their hearts, j 1^ N 3 Againe, V a. How it is made knowne. Foure waycy. 5 .By the Scrip- 4 . Bytbe Saints. , TJ)e Lam of mans judgement Againe^ their confcknces accufe and excpfe. A- gakie it is feene by their Judging . of others^ for in judging of others^ they judge thcmfelves^and make it evident^, that they doe kaov/, though they doe not praftife^ aad fo it is revealed by the Lawof Nature. ^ SecQndlyy G o d makes it .kaowae by his workesjfpecially^by the creation of the worlds by hi$ workes of Providence. which be ordinar ry, andex.raordinary, as miracles^ that isjwhen a plan lookes-on the great voiumeof the world, there thofe things which God will have known, are written in capicall letter% and fuch letters as I every one may underftand andreade s fo as that I which the Papifts fay of Images, they are Lay- - I men^ bookesj and ignorant mens bpokes ^ ib | (and in a much better fenfe) this Booke of the | world is the Heathen mans booke, wherein he j may fee, there is. ^ God^. and his^ternall power, I and wherein all men may fee whatthey ought l I to doe to this God. I Thirdly, it is manifeft by the.Scriptures,/^?^;; I 5.39. faith Chxiii^ Scmkthe Sm^ ! therein you thinke to,hA%;e,eternnll lifsyandthey tc- \lli^<^ cfmee : This is out of queftion, that the I Scriptures teftifie of :G.O;D3.they,make.Go d i knowne ta men. Laftly, it is made knovvneby the Saiats, as in th^ fame Chapter, lohn '^. lohn hmmtMjfeof ?//e^md what is faid of loh^, may befaid of o- thers, the Saints bcare witneffe of God. There- fofeinthefecondto the P^///^p^^;they are faid to is made manifeU by God. to jhincM lights in the worlds that is, they make God knowne to men : So by th^fe foure wayes God makes it knovvne, namely by the Law of Nature: Secondly, by his workes. Thirdly, by the Scriptures. Founhly, by thcfairhiuil riiat live in the world. Thetwo firft m:^ke it knowne to the Heathen ; the two laft to them within the Church, that is, the fairh^ ill, and i thefe be the meanes by which it is evident. Now the third thing to be obfervedjs, Tha!- it is God that maketh this Tratii evident 5 This isrnough to prove that it is God, becaufe ic is univcrfaily dOTe, goe to all Nacioas, ro uvage men, that feeme to bee moft remote from the light, that come not ncare any meanes of die knowledge of the Truth, yec rhefe men beleeve there is a God, every man, without exception, doth fo 3 now where thereis an univerfall effe(5L it muft needs come frdman univerfall caufc j therefore from G od himfclfe. Now this is not added in vaine, but this yon may obferve in that it comes from God/ Firft, if it come from C^^.itis not adeceive- able rule, it is not a fancie, butanrme Truth which you may build on. | Againe,if God raakeirknowne,it isnot done 5, (Idiglitly • whatfoevcr Goddoeth, if he make i: \ knowne, it is done to purpofe, and effedlualiy, | if he haveblefTed any, heiliall bebleft, fc^farre- j asit is his will to. reveale, fa farre it is to pur- f pofaj^ acd. tills ;mak$/ men more without ex- , cufe* S r VII It is God that TiULh evident. Hence thefc Confcduies may be dedu- ced. I Tl>e Lam vjntans judgement [ Againc^ if God have made ic knowne, then | it is a thing you muft take heed to^^y ou muft not neglcdt it, becaufe it is God that is the Author , ofit^ if it had beene made knowneto us by ac» cidehr^ orany creaturej you might have given the ieflfe heed to it^ but God having made it knowne, it is of fpeciall moment^ you muft in a 1 fpeciall manner attend to ito I Laftly^ in that God hath made itknowne, I then you may know it is the rule of perfedion that is given to every man ^ in obferving of j which hee fhali finde happineffe^ in breaking of which confifts his deftru^tion andruine j when God gives a rulej in the keeping of it man (hall be made happyj as in the breaking of it he fhall be made milerable^fo you fee thefe three things,- Firfi:^ what is made knowneg A certainc meafure of Truth divided according to Gods wilL Se* condly^howitis made knovvne by naturcj by his workSj by Scripture^ by the faithfulLTiiird'^ , ly^ it is God that makes it knowne^therefore not a deceiveabie truth, not a fancie^ "^or dreame^ but- to purpofe, therefore you muft not negie^ it^ in obferving of it is happincfle^ and in breaking i of itj you (hail finde there will come ruine^ and \ deftruiSionj and mifery upon you* Now we will come to make ufe ofit r Firft, if there bee fuch a Truth made Jcnowne to men by God himfelfe s then learne hence to aggra- vate yourfinnes^to knowthe greatne/Teof the guilt of your finnes « Hence wee may learne to know 3 that the loofenefle and licentioufnefTe ' men ! Ser. m i 3 of mens iinne^ ismade manifeftby God. j 185 men take to themfelves againft this Truth is | Ser. VII. more defperate^ and hainous^ and inexcufable : | — — ford C^^^himfelfehath made it knowne to them: j For every precept of men is of more or leffe rmomentj according to the quality of the Au- i thor, the Law is to be valued accordingto the 1 perfon that gives the Law 5 therefore mens Lawes are offome moment 5 but GodsLawes are of more moment : This Truth is moftpref- fed in Scripture, when Christ preacheth the Wordjhe faifh, every fin is encreafed that is committed againft this Word : When lonas came to Nimnjchy it had beene a great fin if they had not repented 5 God would have vifited them for negleding the word of lonas^ hut a I greater than lon^ts is here^ faith Chrift : fo the Queene of the South came to heare the wifdome I of Salomon, but a greater than Salomon is here : - I That iSjCvery fin committed againft this Truths Iis out of meafure finfulL Therefore^if they that breake Mofes's Law fhall die under two or three ' , . witneffes, how lhall they efcape that negleii fo I ; great falvation, which began to be preached by the Lord himfelfe He hath madeit knowne 3 ' therefore it is a fearefuU thing to negle<5i: it. Therefore you may fee what an God puts onthatj HaftthoH eaten of the Tree, of which I bade thm (houldjl not eat ? As if he had faid, the i thing is a fmall matter in it felfej yet it being the Conimandement of the great G o D, I have commanded it and thou didft n^leditj there- 1 \ Fore thou fealt die the death. \ V And The Law of mans judgement I They take Gods name , in !; vaine. S E R . VII. i Aad there is good reafon for it^ if we confi- ' j der it, if G o d glvcth the Law ic is his 5 now 1 Gods name is takenin -vain^^ when his Law is ' not obferved 5 for though thedifobcdiencebee immediately againft the Law, yet it is termi- nately agaiiift Godhimfelfes forwhatfoever is done againft the Scripture, is done againft God hinifelfe: Therefore faith Codto Saul ^ In that thou hasicajl meaway^ I m/lcafi thee aivay» And fo faith Chrift to his TJlCcipkSy WhatJ^^ done againjlyoujs done againfime^it is terminated in me : Thereforej thinke when you fliall come to dkj or to any cafe of extremityj and God iliallfpeake toyour.confciences, and tell you^ Thou haft broken the Law gave theejthou haft rebelled againft me^ thou haft .given thy I members as weapons of unrighteoufeeSe a- 1 gainft me, now I will bee aveuged of thee^ thou j ihalt know l am iuft, thou-ftalt know whoitis I that thou haft , offended, this is no fmaii matter. If wee Miniftersxorae and tell you, youmuft I not fweare, but youryea, muft-beyea, and your i nay;, nay, and whatfoever moreis eviilj you ; muftfweare nokinde of oathes, if we tell you i 3^ou muft not diffemblc^ not lye, not keep vaine [company, nor iiiifpend your Talents, not re I ftrain prayer fTom the Almighty, if we tell you 1 this^ictsnofmall matter to negledtit, it being I the Comraandementof God ; doe not ifay-of I finae ns you were wonr. Indeed it is a faiilj, and I I would I could.doe orherwife, but feeing they I be fimies againft God, know what it is to fimK I againft I is made manifejl hj God. a againlhheludgeof all the worldjthis will mak^ I thee thinke of linne in another manner. Tliere- jfore in your finnes labour to fix your eyes on I God^an'd it will aggravate finne. As David m I the one and fiftieth Plalmefaithj Againjl theey., \ dgainfi thee ondy have I finmdy repeating it twice \ in that place ^ hee compofed that Pfaime to fee 1 forth his fin, but that which wounded his con- \ fcience, that made him fee the hainoufnefie of his finne was this^ Againjl thee I have (inncd: So I theProdigall fonne^ this^is the circumftance by i wiiich he aggravates his Cm^- Agdnft heaven and \ againjl thee 1 have fended : So learne to know ithatyour finnes are againfl: God, and thCi'efore;! I to. prclTe this Truth a little more. I Confidcr well with your felves, what is the :| : reafonthat God hath required fuch a vaftpu- j 1 nifliment againft finne, that is, eternall death ; \ thinke what eternity is, it is that which fwal- 1 lowcs* tip your thoughts;, it is -a puniflimenr, \ the length, and depth, and breadth whereof you i cannot comprehend, Thinke why God [lath | j appointed fuch a vaft punifliment, and you iliall \ I finde,it is becaufe you fiane againft an Iinmenfe, 1 ! a great and Almighty God, the length, and i breadcli ^ and depth of whofe greatnelfe you ! cannot comprehend. \ I Againe, v;haris thcreafon God fiiould ap- \ point fuch a Mediatour to rake away the fins of f vvi^iy ^'cdap- \ the world^-tha^ the Son of Codm\JtvL needs take j poinceti^{licha \ flefh, which the Angels themfelves wonder at ^ | Mcdato^ir. Ji itisfuchawonderfuil adion^ that they cannot ' \ but Why Q6'\ pu^ niflieth (lanc vvith death eternall. ^gg . Law of mans judgement S E R . VII • but admire^and in heaven we ftiall ftand amazed . at it 5 which evidences the greatneffe of finne : Learne to knowthis^put al thefefoure togetherj and fee how thefe doe hold correfpondencie one with another, and you fliall finde out the nature of your finne. FirftjConfider the greatneiTe of God his in- finitenefTe^tliegreatnefTe of his Authority, the wonderfull vaft Soveraignety he hath over all creatures 5 from this greatneffe of God, comes the fecond the greatneffe of fin, I have made knownethis Truth, but thou haft with-holden ii:, thence it comes that finne is fo great^ that the leaft finne which thou makeft nothing of, is a thing of fb great momento That is the fecond, | which folio wes on the greatneffe of God« Thirdly, upon the greatneffe of finne, you fee the greatneffe ofthepunifliment 5 iffuchan one as AriJlMle^ or a ftranger fromtheTruth fliouldheare of this punifliment (the grearneffc whereof appcares herein, that the wormedieth j not, and the fire is not quenched,) how would j he wonder at it But knitting thefe together it will not feeme ftrange* Laft of all, the greatneffe of the punifliment caufeth the greatneffe of fuch a Mediatour, to take away this punifliment and fin ; So there is a correfpondeney in them, come from G o d to fin/rom finne to the punifliment^ from punifli- ment to the mediation or redemption, by which this fi.nne is taken away, Learne therefore to know what fin is, I know not a Truth of greater moment* is made manifejl hy God. moment.' And to all adde that, i Co^. 15*56. The fting of death is jinnc: If you looke on death, it is the moft terriblething in the world: You know what the Philofopher faid of ir, of all ter=. rible things.it is the mott terrible/he moft fear- full, but fin is the fting of death: AsTf hee had faidjDeath is a fmall thing in comparifon of finj let a man want finne, and Death is nothing, it is but flcepejJt is nothing to have the body and foulefeparated. Againe, fuppofe there were no death, but let body and foule remaine together, yet fin is a terrible things it is above all the Tier- rours in the world, as in luda^ fee his Terrours, though there was no death on him ; fee ^dam when he was not in Hell, but in Paradife, yet how was he tormented with his fin Therefore weigh not fin in a wrong ballance, looke not on it with a wrong light, take heed of being decei- ved, for in this of all other things men are moft apt to bee deceived: That is the corruption of Nature, that ftrange darkeneffe is brought on men by Adcimy that in thething that moft con- cerneth him, which is fin, in that bee is moft ig- norant, moft apt to bee deceived : Therefore when the Apoftle fpeakes of fin,hecomesin ftill with this caution, -Be i Or.5.p« Be mt deceivedyneither Fornicatours^nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, 3cc. fhalltnhent the kingdome of God -^ as if men in that were moft apt to bee deceived : So Efhef. 5,6. Be not deceived for, for fuch things the math of God comes on the children of dtfohedi^ , ence: And obferve when Chrift goeth about to • fhew , I The Law of mans judgement (how to any man, or to any Ghufch what their fins arCj or what their danger is, hee addes this^ Let him that hath m eare heare^ what the Spirit faith to the Churches ^ his end being to tel! them of their fin5ftill that comes in, He that hath an eare to heare^ let him heare f As if he had faidj j I when I come to fpeake of matter of finjthere be i ; many here that can tell what I fay, that can un- derftand me well, but few haveearesto under« i ftand indeed. As when the Prophet came to It- \ roboamy hee heard the Prophet fo as it angered j him, he knew what his finne was, but he heard ^t \ not to purpofe ; So when Chrift pronounceh a woetothei'^'r/^^/ and Pharifees^ they heard it \ well enough, but they had not an eare to heare j it to purpofe : Men may heare what flelli and common reafon, and common men fay of fm^ but not what the Spirit faith of it, there is ano^- ther kindeoffinfulncfTe in fin, which is the fpi- rituall evill of fin, and what the Spirit faith of this they doe not heare t Therfore you muft even be brought to Chrift, as the >deafe man was, who being both deafe and dumbe, was brought to Chrift, that he might lay his hands on him, now Chrift put his finger into his eares and faith, Bphata, be thou opened, and then the man heard and fpake § fo of all men that heare this Word, there is not a man but hee is deafe, according to this inward kinde of hearing ; therefore you muft be brought to Chrift, and , befecch him to give you eares to heare • for few [ have .eares to heare what the Spirit faith unto | the is made manifejlby God. the Cburches^when it difcovers their fia and mi- feiy ; Therfore5iet not this Do(ilrine be in vaine to you, but learne from hence to humble your felves, to come to God5and fay to him. Lord, I am now amazed and confounded,! thought be- fore lofTes and croffes were great matters, but now I fee they are but flea-bitings to fin, I was heretofore troubled at afmall crofTe, buthttle or nothing at fin ^ Lord, I confefl^, this was my cafe, but I fee now fin is another thing ; Thus wee fliould learne to humble our felves before God. But, if any objed: ^ This is the way to difcou- rage men, to make them defperate, to make them flye from Religion by telling them finne is fo terrible ^ I anfwjer, it.is Jiot theway to difcourage men from comming to Chrift, but to encourage them and drive them to him ; This is the way to Salvation: indeed, if there were no remedy for fin, it were a defperate cafe, but there is a reme- dy, if you will but fee this finne of yours, and mourne for it, for allthat;noumeinSion, .and are broken-hearted, fliall be comforted ; there- fore you muft 'know, there is a pafliveforrow for fin, when God (hall affright a man with the Terrour of his wrath, andthat is a flafli of hell- fire : if our end were only to kindle thefe fparks, ' it were indeed to breed Torture- in the lode ; but there is an adive humiliation, when a man labours to be convinced of his fin, to know all hee caa againft himfclfe, and this is it v/hich leads The Law of mans judgement leads to life ^ for this is the end of our preach- ing, the end of our difcovering of fin. And this ufe you may make of the hainoufnefle of finne 5 and fo much fhall ferve for the firft ufe. Secondly, if there bee fuch a truth^ fuch a knowledge made evident by God himfelfe^then men fhould learne hence to be thankefuU to God ' for it : for whereas all men might have periflied as the Devils did^as the Angels that fell did^yet God hath Ihewed this mercy to mankinde, hee hath given thcm^Secundam T aMamf oI^ naufra- giumy and that is this lights which is the thing which you have caufe to be thankefullfor^ for this light is worth all the world befide, nothing is fo precious, becaufeit (hewes the way to e- fcape Hell and damnation i therefore you ought to be thankefuU to God for it You efpecially that live under theSunne-fhine of the Gofpell 5 you muft thinke you might have beene borne in other agesj when darknefle covered the worlds or in another Nation, and not in Golhenj where the light (hines 5 and if in the ChurchjVou might have beene ignorant, as many of our Countrey people are, even almoft as ignorant as Turkes and lewes, but when God hath difcovercd light in great meafure, and hath given a great portion thereof to yoU| you muft know all this is not cometopaneby accidentj but by Gods provi- dences you are to take notice of it, and learne to be thankfuI,not in fhow onlyjbut in deed and in truth, that is, by pradifing according to the knowledge you have^ for it is a thing moft pre* ciouSj is made nianifefl by God. ciom^Mat.j.6, An Admonition is compared to a Pearle5whereas tiic admonition is but one part of this lighr^ and what is faid of a part^ may be faid of the whole, Salomon could not finde a fit thing to compare this wifdome to : It is more precious than Pearles^^nay all that can be named or defired cannot be compared with it : There- fore feeing it is, a precious thing, tramplenot thefe Pearles under your feet : know that God hath put a price into thine hand, and that is thy light, and it is a price thst will buy heaven^ it will bring thee to falvation 3 but if thou wanteft an heart (as the foole hath a price, but he wants an heart )it will do thee no good : take heed thou doe not negleft it, doe not abufe it, take not the grace of God in vaine,but fee thou ufe this lightj When the great promife of Chrift his comming was made, what was it but this^that they fhould have a new light, that the people that fate in darknelfeand in the /haddo w of death,(liould fee a light they never faw before: you that live in this light, that enjoy thatwhich was fo many yeares ago promifed to the Gentiles,and is now , fulfilled ; take heed of abufing it, ufe it to the purpofe for which it is given, that is, to guide your feet into the way of peace. Againe, thirdly,to joyne that with it : As you muft bethankfull,fo in the third place,youmuft take heed of doing any thing contrary ro this Truth, it is a very dangerous thing to neglecft it. There is not a fparke of it, not a beameof this light, which is conveyed to you by the mini. O ftery E R VII Doc nothing contrary to the Truth, ip4 The Law oj mans judgement Ser. Vll.lftery of the Golpellj.whichfhallbeeinvaiae^ ; — [ Though you doe not prize it, it fliall fet you a ; ; fteppe xiearer heaven or hell, even every iparke ; * \ and beanie of this s and this is It which may \ \ make men afraid, and looke about them, feeing j 'that when this light is made knowne, it is fb ] - dangerous to negled it : Therefore thlnke this 1 ^ when. God hath fent a right Minifliery, Con- 1 fidet who hath fcnt this light s God hath done | lit, and will God fend a vaine meflfage f A | 1 wife man will not doe fb , if then God fend it i not in vaine, it is to fome purpofej.to doe either ^ good or hurt ^ Now fuppofe that, this light have done you no good, that you have lived long under this light , . but have attained no, ; good, you have knowne much5 pradiled. ; I little, tfienkuow this iliall exceedingly encreafe j your condemnation. Pml^dxth^WethankeGod] that he hath cat^fedus to triumfh inlefu^ Chrisi^ \ w making manifejl the favour of his kmrv^ \ ledge in every place. What is, the reafbn hee \ fliould rejoyce that thiis was made manifefl, I feeing to fom.e,it did no g^od f Y es (faitfi hee) iit fliall encreafe their condemnation, itfhallbe \ the fweet favour $f God in them that are fa- j ved ^ and in them that ferijh. So when wee f preach, if the light doe you no good, it doth I you hurt : As i/^/^^his Commilfionwas, Gee., i If reach to this feo fie ^ and jhut their eyes y kit they \fbouldfee mth their eyes ^and heave with their ear£Sy \ \ Ifwe are not fent to enlighten men, wee are fent \ to make their hearts fat^ , and their eaves heavie, \ \ Thou 1 is mademanifefl hy God. Thoti fhalt doe mgood by thy mimfiery^ yet I have fent theCy that they may kmrv there was a Prophet amongthem. Therefore take heed, you to whom this is fent, that it be not fent onely to this end, that it may be knowne there hath bcene a Pro- phet among you : Thofe to whom God hath revealed much, let them know it fliall not be in vaine ; If the King fend a Meirage,and^men will obey it fo it is, if not, if they make his authori- ty worth nothing, hee will elevate hisAutho- rity, and will infli^fi a Penalty : fo God fends I not in vaine, if you will not obey him, God will I not fuffer any to flight his Authority, but he j will bee furely revenged. Therefore take heed \ how you detaine this Truth in unrighteoufnefTe, ! that when C7(?^hath difcovered this knowledge, lyoudoenotpradiieit. ' \ But, every man will bee apt to fay, { and in- I deed they that are moil guilty) but 1 hope wee j doe pradtife it, and not detaine it 't Therefore I will fet downe (though not all, ( yet) many ^of the Cafes wherein they detaine I this Truth and with-hold it in unrighteouf- tncffe, wherein they doe not pradife according I to this knowledge , and thefe are feven in 1^ number.:) I . .vij o-Hiriiriijrf t)d v;^rn^iD:--. I Firft, in the Commiffioh of all knowne fins, [there youdetainethis Trnth^^thare youimpri- ) fon it. whenfoever you finck this ta bee your^ I l -Gafe rhat you commit any knowne finne^there- } f in you are a detainer bf the Truth, an imprifo- ner ofjit. As for example, when a man fliall O 2 know iP5 I.Ser. VIL \ Anfw, \ Seven Cafes, r wherein men 'i detaine this j Truth in un« ;! rightcoiifheile. In the Com- miflion of knowne fins. 1^6 Tl^§ Law of mans judgement know that thefe duties ought to bedonej ought to pray fervently, and frequently, l oughtto fandifie the Lods Sabbath, but out of an I unliftineflTe to it, out of love to eafe and plea- ; fure, that carries him another way, he negleds j it, and fo the duty lies undone : This is the I Commiffion of a knowne finne : So againe, I [know I ought not to remeniber an injury, I \ ought to fDrgive mine enemy, yet thou inviteft \ [him to doe thee a new injury , when this isj ; knowne and not praCliiedjin this cafe men com-] i mit a knowne finne 5 fo againe, doft thou not ; know that thou oughteft not toufe any dalli- \ ance, any touch of uncleannefTe, any chambe- 1 ring or wantonnefTe If a man know this, and | yet will commit it, becaufc his lufts intend his i minde to fuch a finne, and it is a thing to which ' he is ftrongly inclined, this is: a knowne finne^ fo in many other things, in cafes of ele(5lion, or in doing of bufinefTes this man ought to bee cho- fen, and bufineflfes ought to be carried thus, but yet out of fomeby^refpecSls, a man will: have it carried orherwife , this is committing of a knowne finne 5 fo in cafe of Envie, this mans preferment may be profitable, but becaufe his eminencie may be hurcfull to mee^ I cannoftiaf- fed him, this is a kno wne finne ; fain Gafe of the S 4crameM}3^idoQ you not know you mght to receive ofcoi, andaot to negled it in^the Con- gregation where y-om are f Are yoir not bound to that ^ You thiiike it a finne n6t to heare the Word^ and is it not fo^ not to receive the SMramentf is made manifefl hy God. Sac The end of the Smntk-Sgmm THE THE EIGHTH S E R M O N on HVMILIATION. 105 Romans 1.19,20* Forafmucb m that ^hkh may he knomne of Gody is manifefi in them^ for God hath peit^ed it unto them. For the iny ifihle things of him, that is^iis eternall power and God-head are dearly feene by the creation of thelporldyleing confidered in his iporkesjto the intent that they Jhould be tli^ithout excufe. He fourth Cafe wherein wee with^ cafe hold this Truth ia iinrighteouf- neffe^arid imphfon it, is when wee diredly fuppreffe it^, when we doe indeed fuftocare it, when wee doe ' this of purpofe^ this is an evident Cafe^ when a man III luffocit ng and fupprcfiing ' Ser.VIII. Two wayes. I By laboring to forget ite T7;e Law of mans judgement man not only withdrawes fcvvellj when he doth not only not ad it, negledling themeanes, but doth purpofely fupprefle it: As forexamplej when Go p fhail kindle a good fparkeinany mans heart, and put in a good motion^ not only revealeSj but ftirres up fome Truths which con- cerne his falvation, and he doth endeavour to putitoutj to quench itj and labours to lay that truth a^fleepe, and is glad when by any meanes he can forget ir^ left it^lhould trouble him^this is a great fuppreffing of the Truths and by this we not onely fupprefle this Taith^ but we doe har- den our owne hearts exceedingly ; as inlron, when we quench it^ we doe not only put out the firCj but harden the Iron : fo when God ftirs up | many Truths (as it is in hearing the Word, inj apprehcnfion of deaths in fuffering foraecala- 'j mity in a good mood) the putting out of thefe doth harden the heart. Therefore5when a man fliall have good purpofes^ andthinke withhim- felfc^ Iwillnowbegin tobe another man, and to change my couries, and yet fhallgoe into ill company 3 fuch as it may bee hee hath kept be- fore 5 this is an eyident fuffocating of the Truth^ a thing often fpoken of, and blame me not that I fpeakc ofitagainej for it is the great quench- coale of Religioa, a man cannot profperthere^ in, ifhelookenot to his companyj becaufe it is as a continuall dropping on a fire-brand, which will be fare to put outthelight^ and life and grace which one hath. Chryfojlom compares ill company to putting in of Swine, when a man ihath is made mamfejl hy God. hath planted an Orchard with tender PlantSj when he hath fowed ir^ and the corne, or what- foever it is, appeares, leave the hedge open, and let the Swine come in, and they wiU overturne all by the roots ; So when we Minifters have fowed the Seed, and it begins to grow, a little to put forth, when ill company come in, they fpoile all, they marreall,they pull up all by the roots, fo that wee have loft our labour, it is in- deed fo cffe(9:uall to keepe downe the Seed, and to make us imprifon the Truth. Againe, cuftome in fin, giving your feives li- berty in any fin, that keepes dov/ne the Truth, and nothing more. Therefore , of all other things, you muft know, nothing fupprefles that Truth, thvit knowledge, thofe beginnings of Grace, thofe good motions in us fomuch as a(5tuall fin,becaufeit is quite contrary to it : Fire is not quenched fo much with any thing as with water, being quite contrary thereto ; and light is not hid fo much in any thing as in darkeneue. Take heed then that you be not led away with the deceitfulnefle of fin,- you may thinkeyou fliall be able to leave this fin afterwards, but it is not in your power to do (b, ioi fin takes way \ the fsnfe,, and a great finne weakens the faculty that fhould refift, it puts out the Truth, becaufe it is fo diredly contrary unto it. And herein you muftobfervea notable dif» ference betweene men that live godly, and o- thers ; the godly when they fall into fin, it is fo farrefrom putting out this Truth, that it helps it 105 Ser.VIIL By ciaftome 2o6 Ser.VIII. 5 - jf7;e Law of mans judgment in not remo- ving impcdi-^ ments. it forward, for theu* fals doe but difcover fuch i fins, and fo it caufes them to fearch themfel ves, | by which meanes they findc out that to bee in v them, which they never knew of before, it may J be it is Covetoufoefle, oritmay beEnvie^ one) I thing or other is difcoveredj andwhenitisdif- j \ covered, there is a winnowing of themftlvesj \ they (tc there is drofle, and when they fee ir,! j they labour to purgeit by repentance : it is quite J i contrary with the other, the more they fall into | \ fin, the more they (uffocate the Truth, their fal- '[ I ling into fin, gives fin more ground, it makes | them more in love with fin^ it is the more pre^ I I valent againft them,the more they delight in it : ' I fo that every finis like the Sea, getting ground of the Land^which they know not how to reco- i venSo this is the fourth way by frequent quen- ching of good motions, by ill company and I falling into finne, they doe harden their hearts, and fo fuffocatc and quench this Truth* The fifth way is> when we doe not remove the impediments , which if they were taken away^ the Truth would rife and Ihew it felfc, for that is itjthat keepes downe the Truths God J hath written it plaine enough on mens hearts, but when we let duft and foile lye onit, we can- not reade it- this IdleneiTeandLazinelTcfufFe- j 1 ring thefe impediments to lye on you, to cover 1 I the Truth in you^ isto with-hold the Truth, j I Therefore, Seneca hath a notion in this Cafe, though he was an Heathen 5 thefouleof man,.! 1 were it free from paffions and diftradions, and ^ were ^ I is made manifeflby God. \ I wereit quiet. Truth fliould be (eene clearcly^ as you fee a penny, or a ftone in a cleare nver, fo : Truth would appeare : Doe but remove the im- ; pediments that commonly rife from us, and ; which Satan injeds, and this Truth will fhew it ] \ felfe : for thefc words (they with-hold the j I Truth) fliew that the Truth is ready enough of! it felfe to come forth. | Now there bee certaine impediments which | ; we remove not, and they are thefe two y either | ] bufineffe,- and from thq£ice proceeds feare, and | care , and griefe, or elfc recreations, and the i pleasures and joycs that come from tliem, one \ \ of thefctwo are alway the impediments. i I ^ Firft, for bufineffe, when a man takes too \ ' much on him, even more than hee is able to | ! weald,or doth give himftlfc to too much feare, ] and care, and griefe, which are contrary to this i Truth, as Luke i. it is the promife that w^ee j ^ {hould ferv^ him. in holinejfe and righ'tmifneffe \ \ allour dayes without feare : Butletamanbehlled : [ with carnall feare, it iiipprefleth the Truth, and j j keepes it dbwne* . So for Gare, Caji ' ' ymr care on Gadyfor he careth for you*^andthefeace \ ; of Godwhichfaffeth all underflanding, jhall kee^e \ 1 your hearts andmindes in Chrifi lef : The mea- ; \ ning is, if you will care for your owne matters, 1 pefter your felves with cares and perplexities, it \ \ will interrupt your Communion with Chrift i ' lefus, it will interrupt your peace, andif your i ' peace, then your Communion with Chrift ^ \ i therefore hee exhorts them to caft their care on 1 1 Chrlft.1 ao8 I The Law of mans judgement Ser.VHI. 2 Kccreationg, Chrift. SoforGriefe, it is a great hinderance, the Ifraelites could not hearken to Mofes for the anguifli of their hearts, and he that minds thihgs too much, pierceth himfelfe thorow with for- rowes, this was the thing that fuffocated the third ground, they were kept downe, partly with care and partly with divers lulls : OH art ha was troubled with mmf things :■ Therefore take heed of too much bufineffej or intending it too much, or inordinately « \ Secondly, Sports, PJeafures, and Recreati- j ons jthings wherein men delight too muchjthefe are impediments to the Truth, if any of thefe | get predominancie iny^ur mindes, they hinder | this Truth, if you will fet it at liberty, remove \ this impediment i divers lufts keepe it do wtie,as ^ cares, as wee may fee m the third ground : and ifaiah i « Woe he tojm that laughr^ If there were not fomething in this inordinate mirth and jol- lity that keepes downe the Truth, why fhould that be added f And the remo vail of thefe Im- pediments is of great confequence. For there may be many hundreds ofmenwhich,perhaps, have not fo ill meanings with diem, yet are car- ried away with the trad of vanity, that are not. fo oppofite to the Truth, as forgetfuU of it,that doenotfomuchrefift it, as negledit, that yet ) keepe downe the Truth. Thefe men partly bu- ^ fied with cares, partly intent on pleafures,death fliall come upon them as atheefeinthenight, and fliall lead them captive to hell,becaufe they I held thiS Truth captive, which had they fet at libertv, is made manifiH by God. liberty^ it would have fee them at liberty^free from death and condemnation : That is the fifth Cafe. The fixth Cafe wherein they with Jjold this Truth in mrighteoufmjfe, is, when they have it, and doe not ufeit, and communicate it to the good of others, and herein many faile : As firft, Minifters that have their charge, yet doe either Nm r€fider£^ or fegmterrejidere; but that con- cernes not this Auditory : Therefore I will not meddle with it; but it concernes not onely them but common Chriftians likewife : When men are converted, a charge lyes on them toende- vour to convert their brethren, theyfhould la- bour to ufe this Truth, to kindle it in others, the negleft thereof is afupprelfingofit ; for there is a charge laid upon them^ that according to their meafure, in their Sphere,according to their callings,they Ihould endeavour as much as they can to enlarge this Truth; So likewife mafters of Families are bound to doe it, fliall hee bee worfe than an Infidell, that provides not food for his family, and fhall it not be a greater fin in him that provides not fpirituall food Doth it not concerne him in private, as well as the Mi- nifter in publike Was it not that which God tooke fpeciall notice of in ^haham, I will mt hide it from ^hrahami for hee '^illinfiruB his fdrr^iljy and his fonnes ^ and they jhallknow the tvayes of the L ok d : Therefore, when they neglecft this Charge, they wit hh old the Truth in mrighteoufnejfe : S o Patrons of livings, if they p doei top E R .VIII Cafe 6. In not com- municating it CO others » The Law ojmans judgement doe not their part to bring faithfiill labourers i into the Vineyard, and uphold them when rhey are there, they with^hold the Truth muffngfjte- mfrnffc}, for they hinder it, though it bee not [their calling properly to bring forth fruit (for I that is the Minifters) yet it is their part to up^ ' hold them : It is the Vine that brings forth the Grapes^ but the Proppe is to hold it up : So it is the office of Patrons to fuftaine Minifters in the Lords Vipeyard : Likewife Lawyers and Ad- vocates have a charge to miniftcr the Truth, not to cloake it : It is the Office of loiftice, to redifie the Truth, and not to adulterate it, but to informe rightly, and properly, when they doe not difcover the Trurh,they doe with-hold the Truth, if they fliould not labour to doe thatj it were a hurtfull calUng ^butthereis no calling that is not for the benefit of men, but if it bee thus ufed to conceale the Truth, it were hurtfull, and not ufefuU ; So likewife they that; be Governours, luftices ofPeaceinthe Coun- Crey, they with-hold this Truth, if they per- forme not their duties diligently for this Truth, As it is committed to us Minifters to preach it, foit is committed to you, that are Governours, to bring men into the obedience of ir, you are to goe your way by the Sword, and by your Authority, for it is committed to your kee- ping, as it is faidofthegrcatMagiftrate, heis Cujios utriufque tabuU 5 you muft lookc that Truth have his progreflc^ as well as that the Common-wealth fuflpers no detriment : There- fore is made manifefl hy God. 2H fore let not your Authority lye as a Sword in S e r .VIII a fcabbard, but let it bee kept fharpe, to cut downe Popery, and whatfoever is an Impedi- ment to this Truthj and thinke it no fmail thing to neglect it j for whatfoever finnes are com- mitted, which you have Authority to reftraine, thefe finnes are put on your reckoning : Looke on thefirftEpiftleofTVw^^^, the fifth Chap- ter, and the two and twentieth verfe. Lay hands on no man fuddenly (faith the ApolUe) and be not partakers of another mans finnes : Ifany be un- der thee vvhom thou haft to doe with, if thou doeft not bring him in, andreftrainehim, thou art partaker of his finnes; you know v^hatwas faidto ^hahj Thy life jhallgoe for his life and you know that not to ftrikethcNocent, is as abominable in Godsfighr, as toftrikethe In- nocent : Therefore take heed of negle6ling it, whether it bee outoffeare, (as that is one Im- pediment^ or out ofnegligence, Rom.12.8. Let themthatrule doeit diligenly i let them that give dimes doeit cheer efully: As if that were a thing wherein givers are to blame, that they doeit a^not cheerefully and diligently: Therefore be \ you diligent in your places, to fet the Truth at liberty, to bring men into fubjed:ionto it, fo \ farre as may be : And fo much fhall fcrve for this, being the fixth Cafe. Now^thcfeventhandlaft cafe is, when wee know thefe Truths of God, and doe not pro- feflfe them, when God kindleth a light, and you put it under a bulhell : When God worketh P 2 Grace Cafcf* When truth is not prof cfled. I Tl?e Law of mans judgement Ser-VIII. Grace ia any mans heart, bis Intent is, it fliould fhine forth to the eycs ofotherSj youmuftaot fhut up the windoweSj that no body may fee if you doe, whatfocver your refpecfts be ^ you withMd the T ruth in unrighteouf nejf z : He that fliall know the Truth, and out of feare fhall not profelTe it openly, this feare is afinne, and hee that with-holds it out of that refpe(5i, with- holds it in unrighteoufneffe It is that which God requires of neceflity , With the heart wee beleeve, and with the mouth wee confeffe to Salvation, God requires the one as well as the other 5 this is that, that fhut out the Pharifees, the chiefe men among the Rulers that beleeved, they durft not confeffe him for feare of the Pharifees, you fliall fee a brand fet on them, they loft their foulesforit. There- fore doe not fay a man may keepe Religion to himfelfe, may have a good minde, and bee devout in fecrer, and that tobringitto viewil hypocrifie, it is not fo^ it isafalfeopinionjin doing fo, you robbe God of his glory, and yourfelvesof falvation: It is the bearing wit- neffeto the Truth, which you are bound unto, and you cannot have this Truth in you, but it will appeare, Grace cannot bee concealed, it cannot be hidde 5 and if it could^ yet you muft know that the very concealing of this Truth, puts an imputation on it 3 for wee conceale no- thing but what wee are afliamed of, and fliamc implies (you know) that there is fomething amiffe j fo that though you little thinke of it, this w made mmifejl hy God. 11^ this concealing of the Truth, this hiding of it, ISer^VIII. isadegreetoblafphemie, it layes an iniputa» tion on the Ho L Y G h o s t ^ for it doth on the Light and Truth which is an efife finne there recorded, and fee if the party bee not alofer: Goe to lereboamy did heenotlofe his Kingdome by that, by which hee thought to fave it: Goe to ludas, to Gehezi, was it not his ruine I fay, every man is deceived j as it wasfaid of Eve, Eve was deceived 5 fo it may be faid of all the fonnes of Adam, when they com- mit a fin they are deceived. But if you objedl, Ada,m was not deceived, P 4 I Tim. ^^5 Ser^VIIX rjt 4. To exped happineffe or mifery as wee obferTc or negledthis truth. VIII. '--^ f^.!..:^. CI... I. - I : ■ I ^ , I The Lam of mans judgement I Tim.z. Thw0man was deceived^ but the mm was mt» lanfvver^ the meaning is, there is an imme- diate deceiving, whenamanismeerelycooze- nedjbecaufe there is a fault in his reafon^and for that miftakcs a thing, and fo was Eve. onely de- ceived, flie being the weaker : But there is . a fe- cond kinde, when a man is not immediately de- ceived, buttranfportedby aluft, and that was Adam's Cafe; and that luftarifes from deceit: Suppofc it bee a luft of Envie that tratifports a man to a finne, although that doth not imme. diately deceive, yet this (as all finnes) arifes from Errour* Therefpre when any tempta- tion comes, fee if it be a finne,if it be a finne, be fure thou art deceived, and though thou canft not find out the deceit, yet remember it is there, Bfhef,^. you fliall finde thefe put together, 7he M man is corrup through lufts proceeding from deceit^ and bee renewed in the J^irit of your mindesy after the Image of Qod in holineffe and right eouf- nejfe, which comes from the Spirit of Truth, you fliali finde there is not a luft but it comes from deceit, and not any holincflfe, but it comes from a redifying of the Apprehenfion and j from Truth I for in thefc two things (markeit) the Image of G o b and Satan confift i The Image of God confifts not onely in holineffe but in truth s therefore the Image of God is re- newed in holinefle proceeding from Truth : As on the contrary fide the old man doth not onely ftand in lufts, but in deceit^, from whence the luft comes. is made manifefi by God. comes. Therefore take heed of that deceit, and know this^ when any finne is committed^ it is contrary to'Truth^ to the Law, to this know» ledge, and let that be an argument againft it,. I cannot ftand to prefle it more t So much fhall ferve for this point. ^17 Ser.VIIL The end Iff the Eighth Sermon. ] .The THE NINTH SERMON F

orkes^to the intent that they Jhould be lt>ithoHt excuje. |He third point then which now re- mains to be handledjis this. There is fo much revealed to every man, as will make him inexcufable, we fee the words arecleare, God hath made it kmmc to them bj the Great hn^ by his workeSy Point 5. Ther^is fo much revealed to every man as will make him inexcttfa- bic. Law of mans judgement \ mrkesyto themtmt they (heuld he without excufet, or if you will tranflate it 5 fo that they are tPithout ^;crf^/^, the words will beare either. There is fo much revealed then, as will make every man in* excufable : For the manifeftation of this Truth, goe no further than this Chapter. Firft, confider 3 God hath made hlmfelfel knowne to every man by his wof kes of Crea- 1 tion, this is the Booke every man may readeJ this is expefed to every mans eyerie is a language which every man underftands. Secondly, you (hall fee what they doe, they I did not glorifie him as G o d, neither were thankfull, but became vaine in their imaginati- ! ons, and their foolifli hearts were full of dark- nefTe, that is their carriage towards God. Thirdly, when God doth behold this car- riage in them, hee gives them up to a reprobate fenfe, to vile affections, to their hearts lufts, till they be fullofallunrighteoufneflTe, as itisex- prefled in the latter end of the Chapter, becaufe they regarded not to know God, hee delivered them up to a reprobate minde, to doe things un- comely, being full of all unrighteoufneffe. And if you marke this prophecie, you fliall fee how God is excufed, and how all the world is inex- cufable: Firft, God did that which wasfufficicnt on his part, he made himfelfc knowne. Secondly, they did wilfully and ftubbornely defpife this knowledge, they regarded not to I know God, nor pradifed according to know- is made manifejl hy God^ ledge^ but provoked them with their finnes^and became vaine^ making no confcience of offen- ding him : Then comes in this in the third place, they are delivered up to a reprobate fenfe, fo as they cannot heale themfelves, they are brought to an irrecoverable ftate, as a man in quicke- fands that goes deeper and deeper, and knowes not how to get out, they are given up to vile af- fedioas, fo as they cannot loofe themfelves out of the bands of the Divell, but marke the pro- greffe : Firft, God reveales hirafelfe^ then they provoke him by precedent finnes, then hee gave them up to thefe affedions. But to open the point at large, and to fliew the excufes men have,and their weakeneflre,and how they are ta- ken away, and then it will bee evident that all men are inexcufable. The firft pretence men have, is that they know not God, they are not acquainted with him, they are ignorant of his wayes : That is eafiJy anfwered, that they that know him leaft, yet have fo miach knowledge as will make them inexcufable: They that have onelybeene ac- quainted with the Creation of the World, fal- v^e men that never heard the Word, that were never acquainted with the Scripture^, yet thefe know God, for God hath manifefted himfelfe to them. This I proved at large in the former point, fo thatnomancandei^y but he knowes <5od,that is,thatthereisa God, and this very thing, if no more^ is enough to make them in- excufablejfor they knew God,but glorified him , not 221 Se RM.IX. The Excufes whereby men endevour to purge them- felves, Excufe I. That they know not God 11% Serm.IX, Tl^e Law of mans judgement Excufei^ God recjuircs more know- ledge than men have of him. The itiexcufa- blcnefle of ig- noranj Coun- trey people* not as God: when fuchamanknowesthercis an almighty power, by his natural! wit, he is able to deduce, if there bee a God, I muft be- have my felfe well towards him, I muft feare him as God, I muft bee aifeded to him as God, I muft wonliip him with all reverence as God 5 but the moft ignorant man confefles there is a God, no Nation denies it, but how far are they from glorifying him as God ^ From carrying themfelves towards him, as it becomes men to carry themfelyes towards an Almighty God ma- ker of heaven md earth. But fecondly,the fecond pretence is,but God requires more of mee than that, if that were i enough to know God, that there is an iavifibie 1 God, to acknowledge the Deity and eternail! Power, it were well, but God requires more» | To this I anfwer, God requires no more of any man than either hee doth know, or might have knowne ^ goe thorow the whole Yiiivcrfe, all men of the world that are or have beene^ and I fay, God requires of no man more than either hee doth know, ormight have knowne :; I put that in, becaufe there be many men that might know more than they doe, fpoken of 2 Fet.^.$ . Some there are that aremllingly igrJorantcHc mea- neth men that are willingly ignorant of fome things, but it is all one as if they knew them. And this makes men of this Nation inexcufa- ble, as your ignorant Countrey-people, who though, they know nothing, yet becaufe they might have knowne, they are inexcufable as 1 if is made mariifeji hy God. 11 if they had knowiie as much as any 5 for though S e r m .IX every Parffh have not a Preaching Minifter, (which is a thing much to be wiilied) yet there is no Countrey but fome light is fetrup inir^ whither they may refort if they will, and this will make them inexcufable : So they that live under much meanes, that are ever learning, and nevercome to the knowledge of the Truth, and fo have brought a fottifhnefle on themfelves, they are inexcufable 5 becaufe themfelves are th^ caufe of their not profiting, as a man that is drunke, though hee is not able to underftand the commands of his Mafter, yet becaufe hee the firft Author of the drunkenneffe. was (which caufed fuch fottifhneffe) he is inexcufa- ble; fo they that negled the Wordy or when the Word enters not into the heart.becaufe men delight not in it, (as you fliall finde thefe put together, Vro^u, 2 .1 o . W^e/^ wifdome enters into thy Joule, and knowledge delights thee) whefi the caufe that men profit not, is becaufe they de* light in other thihgs^the flreamerunnes another way s and fo as the Sunne puts owt fire, and the outward heat extinguiflieth the inward heat, fo they doe drive out the Word by divers lufts, when they might have abftai^ed from thofe other delights, and have attended to the Word Y/ith more diligence, they are inexcufable: So that God requires no more of any man, than either he dothknow, or might have kno wne. The third pretence is, and that is greater than the other two, I but wee have no ability to - - Pg^- Pretence 3., We have no ability copera-f forme the things wee know. 224 SermJX. Tin Law of mans judgement performe the things wee doe know. That every man is ready co fay. Who is able to pra(5life according to his knowledge To this lanfwer. It isfalfe3 there is ability in every man to do according to that he knowesj for fo farre as light goesj fo farre there is abili- ty in the will and affedions to follow that light} there is a common light ia^en that are in ftate of unregeneration(indeed fan6lifying light they have not) and they are able to goe as farre as their light goes, and I will appeale to any mans experience, let him looke backeto the courfe of his life, and examine himfelfe, was there ever any particular adion in all thy life, from which thou waft fohindrcd, that thou canft fay thou couldft not doe it Was there ever any parti- cular finne, of which thou couldft fay, this finne I could not abftaine from if And howfoever we may make it a matter of difputcin the Schooles^ yet the worft man> one in whom we may thinke corruption of nature to bee moft ftrong, when he comes to dye, hee doth not excufe himfelfe, but acknowledge he is guilty. If youconfider the nature of liberty, there a fpontaneity in beafts, by which they are carried to that which their appetite defires, but that is not Liberumy though Spontaneum : But when a reafonable creature lookes on a thing as Eligihik or mn E- ligihile, and not only fo, but is able to reafon on both fides,is ableto feearguments for both,that makes it differ from Spontaneity, when there is no other impediment, when you may take or refufe Is made manifeft kj God. refufe it, when you have arguments to reafon, and fee the commodity and difcommodity of it, your will is now free, fo that I may truly af- firme every man hath a free-will to doe that, for the not doing ofwhichhce is condemned 5 markeit. But you will object, I but a man is condem- ned for not belecving, for not turning to God, for not having his heart changed, for not being a New Creature, but thefe no man hath power to doe^ therefore a man is condemned for fome- thing which he is not able to doe. To this lanfwer. It is true, a man hath not power to performe thefe, but yet withall I fay, hee hath power to doc thofe things, upon the neglect of which, God denies him ability to beleeve and repent : So that it is true, though a man cannot beleeve and repent, and neverthc- lefife for this is condemned 3 yet withall take tliis with you, there be many precedent adts, which a man hath in his liberty to doe, or not to doe, by which he ties God, and deferves this luftly, that God Ihould leave him to himfelfe, and deny him ability of beleeving and repenting , which as a necefiary duty lyes on him : So that though a man hath no ability to doe this,yet he hath ability to abftaine from the things, by the which he provokes God to anger,and by which hce deferves this at his hands, not to be able to beleeve, c^^* For proofe goe to this Chapter, The J knew Cod, hut they glorified him not as Gody therefore {they having not done tlie precedent Aas Serm.IX Anjt9* Tl?s Law of mans judgement Pretence ^. From the cor= riiption of na- ture which they cannot refift. ^ - I J Anfw:%~ Acts which they :lliould have done) {airb thei \\ Text5 God gave them ^ to their lujls He tooke | I away all. ability to tepenty he deprived them of I lall the fparkles of common grace and know- '[ ledge vv hich before they had^ but this is a thing which they themfelves deferved firft. So mach for the Thirds when ^^^e come to the ufe^ve will ibbmoreiarge,: ■ - : ' I Fourthly^ men excufethemlelves from this^ their natures are corrupt., and they have ftrong inclinations, ftrong luCts inclining ttemto this or that iinne which they canooc refift^ thercfoce ^ are excufable. I To this I anfwer Jt is not fo, none hath fo I ftrong an inclination to any lin, but he is able to 1 rofift ib This is the Argun:ient 3 Let a man have 5 hell and death fet before himjnayjetiome tem- I porall fliamc or punifliment bee fet before him, I which hee fhall immediartely undergoe, when fuch a fin is committed^, and fee if this will not reftraine him, when the iuft is nrtoft impetuous. Therfore it is not, becaufe he cannot reftraine it, . but becaufehewill not- , - Secondly, haft not rfiou brought on thy ftHe. that ftrong inclination, that ftrange power ot^ \ finne ^ Art not thou thecaule of it c Tor though, there be originall feinein us, yet we may intend that ongin^U finne by frequency in any aduall finne : As Varnifli intends colours, it puts on noj new colours, but intends it , makes it more; j bright s if there was a glimmering light be- fore, additionof light makes the former light greatei* is made manifeH hy God. 117 greater, fo frequency of fin 5 makes fin more adive^ more emcaciouSj more vigorous^ as hu= mours being accuftomed to a place, are ready- to breake forth there ; fo a fin wherein you have had an iffue^wherein you have given your felves libetty, there fin gets greater victory over you; therefore confider if you bee not guilty of the power of fin, of the impetuity of your lufls, Laftly^confider if you have not defervcd that God fhould give you uptothefelufts s many are taken in^fin, asthefiihonthehooke, which cannot get off^it feazes as an Apoplexie on a man that cannot bee cured .* When the finne gets ground, it is like the Sea, getting ground on the Land, which cannot be recovered. I confefTe this is the Cafe of many hundred men, but con- fider ifyou have not made way for this 5 for as the lower ftayres lead up to the higher^ fo there bee lefler fins which make way for greater, not I by way of efficacie, as Ads beget an habit, but by way of merit, God may juftly give them over to' this ftrengthof fin: Therefore though their lufts beftrongand impetuous^yetthis doth not make them inexcufable. Fifthly, when none of thefe will ferve the turne, then they are ready to lay it on their temptations : How can a man doe otherwife when it ftands in fuch circumftancesjthat is,fub- je6i to fuch company, to fuch occafions, fuch I bufinefles , and fo many things to draw him j away : When that within will not excufe him, | he comes to that without. | Qj. To] I 5-E R M Pretence 5, From Temp=^; tations of com- pany;, bufincfFc, 228 Serm JX, PremceS. from the want of mcaneSo Hoe Law oj mm s judgement To thisi anfwer, whena manis drawne toa- , ny thing without, it is the concupifcence within ! that doth It, put fire to that which is not com- I buftible, it will not burne, it is the corruption 1 within that doth all. Therefore, obferve that in I Aci.'y Jt is Peters fpeech to Ananias and Saphira^ why hath Sat an filled thj heart? ks if he had faid,^ It is true, Sacan hath put this into thy heart, hee hath tempted thee to the fin, to lye to the Holy Ghoftjbut know, thou waft thecaufe of it, thou hadft the keyes ofthy heart,, if thou hadft not fuffered Satan to have entred, he could not have done it. And befides, confider if thou haft not put thy felfe into this Temptation; It is one thing for God to lead into tempcation, and another thing to lead our felves into it. You know what is faid oiAhaziah z Kings 8 .ij*He miked in the mayes of the K ings of ifrael^ and did as the houf ? of A hah had domyhecaufe he had the daughter of Ah ah to wife : As if he had faid. It is true,it was Ahahs daughter that led him into thofefins, but he led himfelfe into the temptation,he lliould not have maried ^hahs daughters : Confider whether thou haft not put thy felfe into this circumftance and led thy felfe into this temptation. Laft of all, another Pretence and Excufe is, as I have the temptation that others want, fol want the meanes others havcjif I had the meanes others have,I fhould doe well enough. I anfwer , firft confider if thou hadft not ! meanesj and didft not profit by theoi^ confider how 1 is made manifeH by God. how many meanes GodafFoorded thee, £xoni whence thou receivedft not that fruit and pro- fit, which thou mighteft have done : And if thou didft not 3 and God deprive thee of the meanes, know thou art the caufe of it thy felfe : for when men negleiftthemeanesj when God (hall fet up a light, and men will not worke by that light, hee doth, as Mafters doe with their fervants, when they fet them a candle, and they play by it, and will not ufe it as they fhould, they take it away in anger 3 fo God removes away the light, hee takes away the Gofpcll, he fends a famine of the Word, whenwenegled it, or as parents doe, when their children play with their meat, they take it from them : When men will not ufe their Talents, God takes them away, and this Talent of the Word above all other, when it fliallbeabufed, and not iifed to Gods glory. If all this will not ferve toexcufe them in generall, then are they ready toexcufe them- felves, in particular : Firft,by denying the fad, or, Secondly, by flighting the fault. Firft, by denying the Fa.£RM.IX. j that dotmtw2ich^And 1 willceme at atme thou _ j ff^i^j^^ji of ?nee: If thou didft confidcr this when thou arc moft fecure and fiirtheft off from Godj in the midft of thy jollity, and faft a-flcepe, / mil com at a time when thou^ lookeji not forme : And didft thou not think this threatning in vaine Didft thou beleeve this Scripture and lay it to heart ^ Thouwouldeft notdeferre thy turning to God. Againe, confider, put cafe thou haft liberty, if ficknelTe come and give thee warning, alas how farre art thou from being able to repent ^ Are the times in thine hand < Muft not the Ho- ly Ghoft change thine heart If thoudoft now take refoiution to amend, haft not thou caufe CO fufped that it proceeds from felfe-love For if it had beene out of love to God, wouldeft thou not have turned fooner^ And ifitbeout of felfe4ove, God accepcs it not. All this while we havefpentinfliewingtheDifeafe:, and now we muft ihew the Remedy s A SERMON PREACHED AT A GENERALL FAST BEFORE THE COM- mons-Houfe of Parlia- ment : the fecond of In the time of the Plague. I By the late faithfuU and worthy I MmJleroflEsus Christ^ IohnPreston^ D. in Divinity, Chaplaine in ordinarv to Emmcinuei CcUedge in Cambridge, andrometimes Preacher of Lincolns I N N E. L O N D O N3 Printed by R. -S. for N i c h o l a s Bourne, and are to be fold at his fliopat the Royall Exchange. 1^3 3. 1 A SERMON PREACHED AT A Generall Fajft, before the Commons-houfe of Parlia- ment^ lulyi. i6i^. Numbers 25. lo^ 11. And the Lord fpake unto LMofes, faying^ Phinehas the [onm ofEleaz,ar the fon of Aaron ^ the Friejl hath turned wy math away from the children of ifraely ( while hee rpaf zealous for my fake among them ) that I confumednot the children of ifrael in my jealoufie. E are met together, you know, to fan(5iifie a Faft to the Lord. I will therefore fpeake a word, or two, of that Dutie, before I come to the Text, which I have read to you: But I will doe. it briefly, the Common R 4 place Fafting is no Arbitrary du- tie. Which is pro- ved by Texts of Scripture « The definition A Sermon preached before place thereof, being too iargeafubje(ftatthis time to enter into. And firft, wee will fay thus much to you ; That this duty is necelTary, not aa arbitrary thing, which wee may doe, or leave uadone at ourpleafures : You know there be many exam- ples of it^ many commands for it in Scripture • but of them wee will onely repeate two : The firft is that in loel 2 . 1 5 . pl^ce you well know) SmSiijie to met a Fajl^ ca/l a folemm Ajfembly . When the Lord began to fend Judgement on the Land, he ftraitly enjoyned the performance of this duty, which fliowes that it may not bee left undone at pleafure.. To which I will adde that in 22.12,13, 14. The L$rd called in that day toweepingy and mourning '^ hnt becaufe at that time they fell to rejoycing : Jt was revealed by the Lordofhoaft^^ that that finne [heuld not be pt^rged away till their death. When there is a time for FMingy and when there are luft occafions for mourning and humiliation, the Lord doth then fo require it, that if you doe it not,but will doe the contrary^ the Lord will never forgive it ^ it is a finne that fhall notbe purged away till you dye. You will fay then. What is a Faft if In a word, a is nothing elfe hntthe fan5iifying or fetting apart of a day for humiliation yreconcilia- tim^ and reformation. I fay^ it is to fandifie a Bayt^ becaufe the day of a Faft muft be equal! to the Sabbath 5 the very word ufed in that place of Uel^ SanStifie to met aFa/i^ihcwcsas much. the CommmS'houfe of Parliament, much Jn that day you may doe no fcrviU works ^but mufi keepe it holy to the Lord. That you have to doe in thaeday isfirftto humble yovx felves, as in that place oiloel^Turne to me rvlth fafting, mourning, and weeping. Se- condly, it is for Reconciliation^ Lev. 23. 2 7. it is called a day of Atonement. Laftly , it is for Re^ formationymd therefore in the day of fafting^the whole people entred into covenant with Godjas in iV^A^;?^ .the ninth chapter^and the beginning of the tenth verfe^you flial fee the Princes and peo- 'ple come altogether^and feale a Covenant to the Lord, to rcforme their finne of taking ftrange wives, and entred into a curfe, and anoathto walke in Gods law. I will fay no more of that, but will onely tell you, what are the failings which wee are moft fubjed to in this bufineffe; for we may know the difeafe by the medicine : if God takes great care to prevent our falling into a finne, it argues that we are apt to fall into it. And firft^ we are very ready to reft in the workedone, in opere operato, t o think that the very adion will pleafe God. Therefore it is carefully added in loel 2 .Rend not four clothes y hut your hearts : that is, when you come to fandifie a Faft, doe not thinke that the very outward performance o( the duty moves me : It is che heart that I looke to,thereforeyou muft take care that at this time, your greateft bufines be with your hearts. Lev, 2^.29 . He who in that day (meaning the day of the annuall Paft, which was theninftituted)^(?^^ not afJliB his f mleifov fo the 249 which we are fubjeayj rob me not of it: every houre of that day that you fpendin common fpeeches and ^6tionSy you rob the Lord ofthat hourejfor all the day is his. And doe not thinke that men are tyed to this obfervance onelyjUnder the Old Tcftament^but know that it continues ftill: for doe but confider [ wkh your felveSj ifthe Lord lliould have left it I 4 me^ly in the power of the Church to appoint a Sabbath day^ it might have bin brought from a week to a monethjand from a moneth to a yeare and foif of meeting together hadbinnoneccflity put upon US by God himfelfe, where would reli- gion have bin^ And do you think God would not have provided for his Church better than fo. BefideSj why lliould it bequeftioned, when it is tranfmitted to us from the moft ancient times. n^Jlm Mart, fayes^that on the day which we call Sunday^the Chriftians met together to worfliip God ; and the people came out of the Countrey for that end^and it was a folemne day, T ertullian in his Apolo§ie faith as much : and therfore becaufe they fpent that day in worlhip- ping Godjall the Heathen called it Sunday. And in all ancient times it was never controveited, never called into quefti on. AgainCjdo we not need fuch a day f Therfore the Lord faith, Sahhath was made for man i As if he had faid : I could have fpared the Sabbath. It is not for mine owne fake^ and for my worfliip fake the QommonS'^houfe of^arliment. fake^ but for mans fake, that isj left he fliould forget Godj and bee a ftranger to hinij which would redound to our owne hurt* And therefore fhall not we bee wilHng to keepeit^ when it was for our owne fakes that the Lord appointed it f What gainers might wee bee in grace and holi- neffe, if wee would fan^Jlific every Sabbath as we fliouId ^ Should we be lofers by it ^ but this isadegreflion, and Ifpeakeitby the way. But marke it, I fay, if you keepethe Commande- ments of God, Wkat memes this bleating of the Iheej^e ? Thefe a(fts of difobedience on his owne Day f Wee will goe on in the examination. If in- deed wee thinkethat it is the Lord that doth good and evilly why are wc fo inobfervant and negligent of him ^ Why do we reckon it a wea- rineue to fervc him tf Why turne wee Religion into formality, porting over holy duties in a carelelTe and negligent manner,when we fhould bee carefuU and fervent in the fame Why is there fo little growth in Religion, fo much bar- renneffe in good workes, the price whereof is more than gold and filver ^ In a word. Why doe we turne the maine into the by, and the by | into the maine ^ That ^s, why goe we about all other bufineffe as our maine and chiefe fcope^ and take in holy duties by the way, more to ftop the mouth of tiatutall Confcience (as car- nail men may doe) than for any delight wee have in them ^ IfwetltinkeGodtobethe Au- thor of good and evill, why are thefe things foe' ^ S Every ^57 Convidion is our negle(aing of (jutie. 258 Sermon breached before Conviftionis OUL* not fearing and trufting hiffi alone. Difcovering the Nature of trufting in Odd which is to bee content with God alonCo To rely upon hinv in E3ci- gents. Every man- is ready to profefTe his faith in thej Truth hereof, but if wee did beleeve it> wec| fhould bee more carefull to pleafe the L o Pv d ' I in all things. Againc, if wee thinke that God only doth good and evill, why have not wee our eyes on him altogether^ Why doe we notfearehim, and nothing elfe, truft in him and in nothing be- fideSj. depend on him, and upon no other < In all our calamities and dangers, w^hy doe not wee feeke to himj as to one that onely can helpe us, andhealeusf You will fay, we doe depend on God, wee truft in God, and none but him c It is very well if you doe s but confider, that to truft in God, is to part with all for his fake, and to have an eye only unto the recompencej of reward 3. to bee willing to deny our felves in! our profits, and credits,and pleafurcs5to be con- tent to have him alone» Thus Szmx. Faul ex- preflesit,2T»«aa3. Thr ef ore, [akh he, have [we fuffered thefe things^for m know mhm me hdve trulied. As if he had faid, we have parted I with all, wee are content to be led from prifon to prifon>.wee are content with God alone, for wee know the power apd faithfulneffe of him whom wc have trufted. Againe, to truft in God, is then to reft on him, when the cafe is fuch ^arkc it) that if vve faile we are undone, then to build on him as a fure rockei that isthe^natureoftrueholinelfe, and exadi walking, when God puts us into an exigent^ the CmntonS'hufe of^arlmient. exigent, removes from us friends^ takes away- worldly helpes, yec in this cafe to truft him. Thus Hejier trufted God3 when (he undertooke that dangerous enterprife^ /// prifh^ Ipenjh^ when if the Lord had failed herj fhee had loft her life. So DaniehxuQizd God^ when he would put himfelfe upon him^ being in fuch danger for the open profelHonofhis ReKgion, which by .death they would have forced him to deny. Thus Afa trufted God) when hee went with a fmall number againft a great multitude , the Text faith of him, T hat he tmjledin God, Now doe wethus truft him^ Surely we doe not : but when faith and fenfe come in^o competition^ when they meet together on a narrow bridge 5 we arc readytoByasourconfcience the wrong way, to goe afide, and decline the blow, that is, we are ready in fuch a cafe, though with breach j of a good conicience, fo to truft in God, that withall wee will keepe a fure foot on fome out- ward, probable, fenfible meanes, that if God failes us, yet, weemay know what to truft to. The truth is, we doe not leane to the Lord. For what is it to leane to him < You know a man is then faid to leane, when heeftandsnotonhis owne feet, but fo refts thTl>ulke of his body on a raile, or ftaffe, or the like, that if it faile him, hefals downe : To reft on God in this manner, is to leane to him 5 and did wee thinke that hee had all power to doe good and hurt to the Creaturcjwe ftiould thus truft in him^but in that it isanargu- S 2 ment j we doe it fo little,, andfofeldome. 259 Which ij'in- ftapccd in And 'DankL A Sermon preached he fire mcnt that whatfoever wee profefle wee doe nor 1 ' indeed beleeve it. Laft of all (to make an end 1 of this examination) if we think indeed^ that the Lord onely is able to doe good and evilly why- doe we not that which is a neceffary confequent thereof, which you fhall findcinG'^';;.37.i,-it Us Godsfpeechto Ahrabamy 1 amGoddiLfuffi^ cienty therefore tvalke before mee andheeferfei^^ Marke that, when any man thinkes God to bee -All-fufficient, that he hath^// power in his hands^ ! thathee is Almighty (forfo the word fignifies) that which will nceflarily fallow on this be- liefe, is this 5 he will heeferfeB with the Lord. You will fay 5 1 hope we are perfed with God : But if we be, why are our adions fo diflfonant : ^ Why doe wee ferve God fo by halfes, and by fics < Wi^y are we fo unequall and uneven in our wayes^ We are zealous for a fit, andinfome particulars, but grow cold againe, as if wee ne- ver had beene the men. We goe on in a good courfe, till wee mcete with fome crofTc, and then wTe baulke it ; till wee meet with fome advantage and preferment, and then wee ftep out ofthe way totakeit : Is this tobeeperfed , with Godf But if wee thought the Lordto S ibe All'fufjicient and Alrmghty, we wo-uld walke ^ ferfeBly before him. For what is the reafon that any man fteps out from God i It is becaufe he findes fomething in the Creature, which he fees not in God 5 therefore faith God, lam All- ifuffcient, that is, let a man looke round about I him^ and confiderwhatfoeverit is thathee can defire [ the Comtnonsrhoufe of Parliament. defie or .needj feee ,lliall have iyn fhe Lprd, for he is All^fufjick^L \yhy4ien ft^^ be perfecS wich him Why will you ftart from him at any time^ or upon any occafion ^ And this fhall fuffice to niake it evident, that it is a very hard thing to bcleeye this indeed^ that God only is able to doe good and evilL , Indeed wee care for the favour of Princes, and think that they can hurt us, or doe us good ; and therefore wee are fo intent about scHem^ fo bufily occupied about them, but this would not worke on us fo much if wee did beleev^ that which I have now delivered untd you that God onely is the Author of good and cvill. Therefore will wee reafon with you, and fee if wee can plant this principle in you,^ahd ftrengthen your beleefe thereof. For it is cer- taine that all the errpurs and obliquities wee j finde in the lives of men^, come from thisy th^t ' thefe common Principles are not ^lirayghly^ beleeved, but by halfes, andof them wee faile'' in none more th^n of this for if we did beleeve that God is the cawfe^ of all, wee fhould fervi him with willipg hearts and ready miAdesinXlI things. It is true, we thinke God hath a chiefe h^nd in good and evill j yet we thinke the Crea- ture can doc fomewhat top, bufNCpnfider this one reafon. \i^rA^ ?-^^':'- r r.^nj" ^ \\ If the Greaturc wqeltleto do'eyoy ,or hurt, I will be bold po fay to you, that God were not God, and ypu might bee' abfolved ii:om woifliipping/hi^n : TFor this is a^principle S3 planted x6\ Reafon If the creatures could do good or evillj God were not God. i6i A^^ermii^reachei before Reafotf 2 * The Creatvire (bould be G6(i planted is ever5rtaans nature, bf the Aut hoTOf 5 Nature, that we regard or fiegle<£i every Grea:- tuf e more or leflfe, as tbey are more or iefle able to doe us hurt : now if^the Creature could but in part doe us good orvurty wee need not then care to worfliip the i^^Z-i/ (^Mj, for hee onely could not benefit or hurt us, but God onely is to bee worfhipped^ therefore hee onely hath powerjto doe good or hurt. For on this ground ' we worlhip hinl alone ^ that hee onely is able to doe good orhurt, otherwifehee werenota compleat adequate G o d tothe worfhipthat is required. Againe, ifthe Creature eould doeany thingj it might challenge part in the Mity^hvLt it is im- poflible there fhould bee any more Gods than one : Therefore At is the Lt)rd oriely that doth good and evilL Thus Amt^s conduditsix. in his third Chapter, Is thcYtmjtviUih the cHtkfhat hee hdh not done ? Artd fo wee miaiy By^ Is th^rpj any good that hee hath not done ^ wheremarfe he generality^ is there any evilt that he hath mt dof^e f Thcrcfote glorifie him in thyjife, and) iri all tlr^ wayeis : For, as i)4/?if/told i^^//^Mi z^ATyln his hands are all our vpojes^ That is, wee' take not the leaft ftep toprofi^erity oradverfi-i ty through the whole courfe of our life, but it i is the Lord that guides our fteps. Thdtfore in| iC&r.i,^. P^i/calsi^him ^^Qodof all comfort ^ exclu/ively, fo that no Creature is able to joyne with him in giving the leaft comfort. But you will lay to me. Is thisfo f D6e ndt we the CommonsJmfe of Parliament. we finde by experiencCj that riches, and friends, and credit, and wildome and the like doe com- fort us -f And that the want and abfence of thef e doth us4iurt. YeSj but I may give you thisdouble anfwer : Firft, thefe things are at Gods difpoling and command, therefore it is not they that doe any thing, but the Lord by them. It is the hand that brings to pafle a thing, yet icis noc vertually in the hand, but in the will of the man that com- mands it. But fecondly, I anfwer. It is not thefe things that do you good or hurt,but thei^^r^ by them. Y ou know when water heates t he hand, you doe not fay, the water doth it,but the heat that is by the fire in the water. When you rake a medi- cine in Beere or Wme, it is not the Beere or Wine that cures, but the medicine that is taken in that beere or Wine.- So it is the Lord that re- freflies and comforts, he wounds and hee heales by thecreature^but the creature doth neither. But you will fay jthis abiHty is borne and bred with the creature, and is never feparatedfrom it. I anfwer,it is very true,the creature hath a fit- neffc in it to do us good or hurt jbut ir is not able to put forth that fitneffe, or that ftrength, till it beaftedby God 5 that is,rillit befeta worketo doeit,byhisblellingorcurfing: For example, The bread hath a firneffe to nourifli, but if God fayes not to the bread, nourilh fuch an one, it flial not be able to do ir;for we live not by bread, but by the word of Godyby his bleifing of it,and S 4 commanding 265 From the ope- ration of fe- condcaufcs. 1. The Lord worke* b/ them. Which is illu- ftrace bv fome com^ariTons. t6^ By their diffe- cent effects* Sertno?i ^reachei before By places oi commanding tte creature to doit^On the other | fidei take a difeafe^^ or any Creature - that is ' fit to diTiis hurt^it (hall not hurt unleife the Lord fay 5 g )e and ftrike fuch a wretch, bee an iaftru' mcnt of mine to punifli him. Let an Axe bee ne- ver fo ih irpe and kefene, till the Work-man take it in his hand and apply it to the worke, it ihail | do nothing : So Gods blefling and curfing doth | all;tbr God's blefling is nothing eife^but his bid- \ ding of the Creature to doe fuch an one good, \ and his curfing is nothing elfe^but his bidding of a creature- afflidi fuch an oncrand therfore foiiie- times men are cheered by the Creature^ fome- times again they want that cheering ; fometimes they have contentment therein, and fometimes againethey haveoot. And hence k is, that there may be abundance of all things, and yet bee no more than as the husk without the graine, as the fliell without thekernell, affording nothing but ^mprinefl'e. Againe, y ou jnay have a hundred^ fold with perfecution,that is,God can give you more comfort in perfecution, and the want of ^very thing, than.you had in profperity, whea you had every thing fupplied: therefore in /^r. P*23 ofee how the Lord reafons,X^^ thefir&ng mm rejoyce in his jlrength^ nor the wifeman in his mfMme^^xiA why For it is I the Lord which ex^ ercife loving kindnejf t^and judgement ^and right e. oufnejfe inthe earth. As if hee had faid, Jf theie things were able to doe you good or burr, you might rejoyce in them, butit is/M^i^^^r^that ihow juftice and judgmentg and am only able to doe I the CmimonS'houfe of Parliament I doc all. So in PfaLSz.io, If riches encreafe^fct imtjour heart onthem^znd s^hy*. For power hclon- gethunu God. But they might objedj The Lord ufech chemcanes^thatis anfwered in thelaft ver. It Is truCj but God rewards according to oar vvortes3 and not according to our meanes. And fo much for the clearing of this : and now wee will apply it. Firft, if the Lord be able to doeall goodjand evilljthen learn \ve hence to fee Godm his great- neflc: the Lordis forgotten in the v/orid, we do not fee him in his greatneife and Majcftie, and Almighty power; if we did^ it would draw all our thoughts and affections to him, which are now occupied aboi-it fo many feverall fancies : I j fay^tbey would be all pitched upon him^where- j as feeing chey are converfant about poverty and riches and friends and difgrace, as able to doe Kgood or evill.-itisan argumenr^weatcribucethat tothe creature which belongs to God, which is no better than Idolatry : as 'vaCol.i,^, Morttjie "jOUr earthly member Syformcation:,uncleanneJf z^arid cdvetoufmjfe which is idolatrj ^ marke that. Now Idolatry is of two forts, either when you wor- fhip the true God in a wrong manner, or elfe when you make the creature God : and that you do cither when you conceive the creature under the notion of God as the Heathen did the Sunne and Moone: and as the Papifts doe the breads for if there be Idolatry in the world,thatis Ido- , iatry^or elfe when you attribute to the Creature ! that which is proper to God^thac is, when you place 26^ Ffe u To labour to fee GgJ in his greatnefle. Which would draw our a^-j dionssaj God, i The want of it canics us to the Creature, and brings us upon the dan- ger otTdoiatry t66 J Sermon preached before By advaacing the creatures in our opini- ons. place your comfort and fafety in the creature, a'nd fo place your joy and delight in him. And thus we do when we think riches or poverty by their prefence or abfence can do us good or hurt. Efay 41 .2 3. you flial fee therCjthe Prophet ufeth two arguments to prove that Idols were not gods: Firftj They telimyme things tec&me Se- condly^ They doc neither good nor evilly As if he hadfaid, if they could doe good or hurt, they were gods : yet there is a fecret opinion that lodgeth in our breafts though we obferve it nof^ that thefe things can doe us good or hurt; and therefore5becaufe our affedions follow ouropi- nion5we luft after them inordinately jand thence it is that they fteale away our hearts, as km was faid to finale away the hearts of thtfeopk: that isjhee who was not the owner tookethemo And fccondly^he did it fecretly^and fodeale the creatureswith us when we havea fecret opinion of them. The rich man in X^/t^ having much wealth about \vimcond\idcsyNow fotiktake thy eafe. And when Davids Momtainey^as vrnd^ I fttong, ht^'^yos^therefore I (hdl(n9the moved-^md have not we the fame thoughts in us f Are not we ready to think?, if I hadfuch an advantage, | fuch a f riend^I {hould do well ^ But I fay to you, thatifyou had all thefe, you fliould not bea jot the better, nor in the want of all thefe are you a jortheworfe; for it is God onely that creates peace & commands comforts;that you may fet dovvne for a conclufion.That is his Prerogative Roy all, and thence it is that wee muft love him with the Qomimm-houfe of Parliament. 267 with all our hearts^and withal oiirfoules^thcnce ic isjthat we are not to regard the creature at all^ becaufe He onely can make our lives comforta- ble or not comfortable. If this were beleeved, how would it change our joyes into teares^ What an alteration^would it make in our lives ^ If we did beleeve it indeed^ fliould wee bee To taken up in fecking of wealthy ,and outward excellencies 5 and not rather in growing rich in faith and good wwkes^ If it were well planted in our hearts, we fhould mind nothing but grace and fin : for you know grace onely findes acceptance with God^and fin onely provokes him to anger. And indeed what in the world elfe is worthy our intentions: you may joy in thefe things, but ftill remember the Apo- ftles rule. Buy 04 if you bought mt^ And grieve as if you grieved not, S>cz.vAiY fo:'Becaufe thefe things \ can do you neither hurt nor good,if they could, they might ha v^e your intentions, but they can- not. . Therefore doe as Mefes did^Heb. 11. He endured^ for he farvhimthat was invifthle. What then:* Therefore he forfooke Egypt not fearing the math of pharaohMVh^nht faw God'm his great- rieffe, when h^ faw him that rvas inviftble, that is, when he faw him as if he had beene vifible^xi re- moved all feare of the Creatiire. When a man fees the Sun, what is a Candle of Tordi to himc' And fo will all thefe things feemc to thee, if thou couldftfee God in his might. If God only doth good and evill, why then doe you haften lafter outward things,and weary your felvesin ' vaine 26s I A Sermon breached before vaiiie for that which will not profit Therefore the Schoole-men call fin Averfto a Beomd Con- verfwadCreaturam^y a turning from God, and a turning to the Creature* | But you will fay , to wlmt end then are the | creatures ^ And what will you have us to doe ^ I anfwerjyou may make ufe of thefe things (I deny you not that liberty) onely ufe them with a dependant affedion, fo as ftillyou have an eye on God 5 you may take water out of the ftreame fo as you have an eye to the Fauntaine-^YO^ may I take light from the Airejfo as your eye be on the j Sunne. So that ifthe glory of the Sunnefet^you account all your light to bee gone though you have the Aire fl:ill: that is, you may enjoy all thefe outward comforts , you may ufe your wealth and friends, and hav.e wife and children, &c.but your comfort flial notbe more nor lefTe, nor your profperity longer nor Ihorter, than as God is pleafed more or leffc to fliine on you, by the enjoyment and want of whofe favour, you may be happy in the want of all5and aboundant- ly miferable in the having of them all.Therfore (mh the Prophet y You> have forfaken God the feun- tatM of UvmgwaterSyand digged to your felvesCi- ft ernes that will hold no water. What is that < It is as ifthe Lord faid, what doe you meane:* Iti^ j the Lord that doth all i he is the Fountaine, ;and the creatures are but Cifl:ernes,and al their coxnr fort is but borrowed* Againe,youhave in God living waters, that is, comforts of a betrer na- tures but the water thait y ou finde in.thefe pits is ^ ' ■ ^ -but J Qucftion con- cern iag the ufe of the Crea- tures. They are to be ufedvvith a fiibordinate af- the Commons -houfe of Parliament. \ 269 but muddy water- Agame^heis a fountaine that is never drwiwrie dry^ but thefe are broken pits that hold no water. . Againe, if God onely doe all good5and cvill, then let us confider that what bufineffe fo ever wee have in the world, what outward imploy- ment foever wee exercife our felves in^ yet our maine bufineffe is in heaven 3 we be ready on all occafions to look to the face of the Ruler^of the Phyfition ofmen and creatures 5 but we forget that the fwaying oftheballancethis way pr that way^is from the Lord. When lacob had prayed earneftly to be deliver'd from Efai^^Codanfwcvs him, thou haft prevailed with G od^ and thoti JIult frevailervith?nen fo whatfoever bufineffe you have on earth, if you will bring your enterprize to paffejprevaile with God3and you fnal be fure to prevaile with men^turne him^and allis turned with him, for all depends upon him. Wliatfoe- ver is done on earth, isfirft done in heaven, and concluded there, and then wc feele and tafte the fruit of it here. From this Generall we may de- fcend to particulars ; and from hen.ce you may learne. That- it is not our Armie by Land, nor our Navie at Sea that fliall fecure us at home,or prevaile abroad, though it bee well that thefe things bee done, and therefore you doe well in contributing cheerefully to his Majcfty, for the maintenance thereof,for the common good.yet ftill remember that all your bufineffe is in hea- ven-and that you muft truft more to your faith- full 4)rayers5 than to your preparations for fuc- ceffe in all cnterprifes. It To looke £0 God in all qui: biifineire. He doth in- ftancc in par* 170 \ A Sermon breached, before Set Faith md the Spirit on work to judge of thcfe things. It is not our woodden wals that will guard us^ it is not the Sea wherewith you are invironed, nor our policy^counfell^and ftrength that wil fe- cure us, and defend us, but it is turning to* the Lord, and cleanfing the Land from the finnes wherewith he is provoked that will do the deed. Turne to him and then he will turne to you,tliat (hall be a blefling, on us and all our enterprifes. This is to fee God in all things, this is to hntii- fie and exalt him for God, in our hearts 5 and without this all is nothing. I will end this point with this briefe diredion: you know there is in every man (I fpeake now of every man that is holy,and not of others who are ftrangers from God) the fiefh^ and the f fir it ; there is faith and fenferand one of thefe two eve- ry man fets on work to take a view of the things that are before them.If you fet faith and the fpi- rit on worke to looke on things^^ they will tell you, it matters not what outward things are, what the Creature is, for it is God that doth all: fet the flefli on work,fet fenfe andcarnall reafon on worke, and they will bring quite contrary newes- like the wicked Spies that were fenr into the Land of Canaany-v^ho when they did but caft their eye on the ftate of things there, they were firft difcouraged themfelves, and then-difcoura- ged the hearts of the people ; oh there he Grants and wals reaching to heaven! whcvcas the good Spies that looked on things with another eye, brought another kinde of meflageJuft thus it is with us, in fending out our Spies to looke upon the I the Commons 'houfe of Parliament, [the ftate of things before 11S5 if wee fend forth ; the Fleflij Senfe and Reafon^ they bring report i of terrible WalS'^and cruell Giants, their power lis fo great, their forces foftroag, that there is no medling with them 3 but fend Faith, and the Spirit,and they will,like the good Spies^look on things with a right Iudgement,.and indeed that is all the difference betweenean holy man, and another ; the one lookes on things with another eye, hee fees a vanity in the Cicature, which the other doth not, heefeesanAll-fufficiency in God, which the other cannot. And there- fore hee hath onejy an eye to the Lord, all his care is to ferve him , and pleafe him in all things. So "he hath no ill newes from heaven^ he cares for nothing on earth. Tlie other cares not how matters ftand betwixt God and him, fo all things bee well below, fo his Moun- taine ftands^lrong , and therefore that we may j I judge of things wich a righteous judgement, we 1 murt bee carefull to fee them irv their true na- I rurc, which onely Faith, and the Spirit will \ prefeor. And fo much lliall ferve for that I point, I You fee then, that it is the wrath of God I that doth all hurt, and the favour of the Lord • that doth all the good. Wee come now to the fecond point, which will come in well upon the former: That it is finne that caufes wrath; fin and wrath are knit together, they are infepara- ble. So that as EUp^a faid, when leheram knx. a meffcnger unto him to take awiy his life, when — - he 271 Sinnc € lufes Wrash, Whidihe.illu- ftrates by a Comparifbn. A Sermon ^reached before ! hee was fitting in the houfe with the reft of the EXdQ'Cs^Shutthe doore upon him handhold him fajl^ for is not thef )Und of his majlersfeet behind him f So I fay to every manjf finne and wrath come together^then firft iliut the doore of finne which is the MelTengerj fufferit not to come in, give it no entertainment, for is not the found of his Matters feet behind him < Doth not the wrath of God follow i And fiiall not that wrath take away our head^as Eliflia fliid t Therefore, if you will keeepe out G o d s anger^ keepe out finne. But you will fay J feele no fuch thing,! have committed finne, and yet have no experience of his wrath following fo clofeupon it ^ I anfwer, you muft know this, that as difea- fcsmuft have a time of ripening, foniuft finne. You know the poifon of a difeafe enters not in- ( I to the heart at firft: Sin hath ctn^ixxt yefiigia>^\ which arefetdowne, lames i.i^. WhenLufi is conceived it brings forth finne y and rvhenftnne is ripened and perfected ^ it brings forth death. The reafon why it brings not death prefently, is,be- 1 caufe it is not perfeifl, becaufe it is not ripe* the i fmnes of the Arnoritesy faith God, are notjetfulL \ \yihah had committed a finne, hee had got the | Vineyard, and flaine Nahoth, and yet heard no- \ thing of it 5 but when hee had killed, and taken | poffeflion too, then came the Meflenger of wrath^ and execution followed. God let lu- dasgoc on, till hee had made the march, taken recompence> and betrayed his Mafter, but then wrath * the Commons Jooufe of Parliament. wrath came in upon him. God flayed a great while, till the fin of Phdraoh was perfedied, till his hardneiTe of heart was come to a ripenefife, and then he was drown'd in the Red-fea. ThereforCj in the fecond of the Romansli is faid. Then is dtreafure of wrath. Now in atreafure there are three things: Firft, when a man is onxre able to treafure up any thing, heeisftilladdingtoit, and by degrees it growes : and in that fenfe the Lord hath a trea- fure of wrath, as we adde finnes, he addes drops to the viall of his wrath, till it be fall. Secondly, it is a treafure for a time, it lyes ftill a while, for elfe it were no treafure. And Thirdly , when the time of expence comes, then it is opened : And fo it is: with the wrath of the Lord, it is gathered by little and little, as you heape up finneby little and little, then it lyes covered for a time, but in due fea, fon there lhail bee an expence of it 5 if you fow to the flefh, the feed muft lye covered a time, and then it muft have a time of ripening, bat at length comes reaping. Therefore bee not de- ceived in this, though you feele not the wrath prcfently, yet thinke not that it will not fol- low. ^No, be afTuredthis linkebetweenefinne and wrath cannot be diffolved. Y ou iliall finde a phrafein 2 Pet .1.3, Whofe damnation Jleepeth not 3 what is the meaning of chat c' That is, they bring on themfelves fwift Deftru(f):iGn, though they thinke damnation fleepes, yerit doth not fo, it goes as faft as vve, and will be fure to meet T us 27? Goa^s wrlthis a treafure. I. Becaufe em fins adde to his wrath. 1. Becaufe it lyesftilUora time, 5 . Beciu e in time it is ex- pended. 274 Siniie isliltca ftormie cloud. A Sermon breached before \ us in the journeyes end. So CMofeswkth this 1 phrafe. Tour [mm jhallfindejouout : And David in the Pfalmes faith, Evi/lfha/l hunt the violent man to overthrow him 5 that is, Sinne when it is committed is like a hloudJjoundy which, though a man bee got far from the place where a thing is adedj yet folio wes the Trad, he purfues, and gives not over till he hath found : So God fees finne upon the Sent, as it were, and it will bee j (ure to finde us out. And for the moft part \ when we thinke our felves fafeft, it deftroyes us ; fuddenlieft. Doe not thinke therefore, thatl thefe two linkes of finne and wrath can bee fe- 1 vereda That which deceives us is thij, wee fee i all is quiet, and heare no more of finne, but you muft know that all that while finne is fending its cries to heaven for vengeance, which are like unto the Vapours in the middle Region, that are fent up infenfibly, we fee them not^we heare them not , but they come downe .In^a Storme. As God faid to I>avidy Thou offendedji in fecrety but thy funifhment Jha/l bee before thk Sunne. We thinke finne a fmall thing : A great body, when we are paft a mile or two from it, we thinke very little, which proceeds from the weakenefie of the eye. The fame imbecillity is in our mindes, when finne is part a great while fince, wee looke not on it as the &mc thing, whereas the finne is the fame in it felfe, the fame in Gods Account, and fliall have the fame punifhment. But you will fay 3 Is this the cafe of every the CommonS'houfe of^arliament. every tnan Who then fhall be faved 1 I anfwer^ there is a difference in fins. Sinne doth not alway bring the fame thing to paflTe in allj though in fomc cafes it may ; both godly men and eviUmen doe fin ; Pearles and Pibbles may both fall into the mire, but oneisaPearle the other a Pibble. And there is this difference in the punifliment, if a fonne offend, his father will chaftife and admonifli him, but not caft him off, the father will fpare his fonne in whom hedelighteth, but if afervant offends him, hee turnes him out of doores , and will no more have to doe with him 5 if you bee fervants of finne, eternall wrath fhall come on you, hee will turne you out of doores^ and utterly caft you off. We will apply this. And firft, it fliowes you, that if finne ftill drawes on wrath, then if you cannot fee finne in it felfe,yet fee it in its Effedis, in it's Concomitants, as it is attended on by the wrath of God; though you care not for the blackneffeof the cole, yet care for the burning of the cole 5 though you care not for the foule- neffe of finne, which holineffefhould teach you to regard, yet let the fire that is in it move you, fpecially confidering it is the wrath of God, which feare and felfe-love fhould perfwade you to decline ; Pjal.g o . 1 1 . faith the Pfalmift there, I who knowes the power of his wrath ? As if he had faid, no man knowesit but thofe that have felc it. I fay, it is a thing we doe not know: i^^?^. ^.22. faith the Apoftle there. What if God T 2 to I From the ge« ncrality of (in. An[w. Yet all fin not alike. And therefore are diferemly pUDiflned = Ffe 1. Of the Point. To fee fin in its cffcftj. Which is urged from the Ter- rour of Gods wrath. ASermon^reached before fiotn the not prefent feeling ofWratk * to Jhm his wrath y and to make his power kmivm^ fuffer with much patience the vejf ds of wrath fit- ted to DefiruBion f Marke ic ^ the meaning is^ when the Lord comes to execute his v/rath, he will fliow his Almighfj power i As hee fliowes the Riches of his glory in his mercy to others, fo his vtiy 'Bower y yea, the transcendent grddtneffe of his Fower fliall bee declared in his Wrath. B^ut^ alas, wherefore doe I goe about to enlarge my expreflions of this Wrath 1 The truth is^ you will never underftand it by the j fpeaking of others, it muft bee the L o r d s worke. If hee will manifeft himfelfe to yoUj that isj if hee will open a crevifeto let in to your foule the leaft ghmpfc of him in his wrath and anger^ it will amaze and confound the ftouteft. hearted ofyou all. Saul was a ftout man, Achi^ tQphel was a wiie man s but when God manife- fted himfelfe tothem, as he did to 54?^/ the day before hec dyed, when God would not an- fwer him, when hee apprehended God in his wrath, he fell downe to the ground. If G o d bee fet againft us^ let but an imagination, an apprehenlion, yea, the leaft thing, come as a MefTenger of his difpieafure, as an Arrow dip- ped in the venome of his wrath^ it fhallbeein- ilipportable. But you will fay^ I never felt it to bee fo ter- rible. I, but if once the Lord lliall mingle the leafi trouble fomt thought with hismdthyfo that you fhalii the Commons 'houfe of^arliment. (hall fee him init| I fay, that will amaze and confound you^ as the hand- writing did Beljha{^ zar : It was not the hand-writing that did fo diftemper him^ but the apprehenfion of an an- gry Godj that was able to take away his life from him. When God came to Elijah i Kings ' I p. 1 1 . he fir ft of all fent a winde that broke the Mountaines, andrenttheRockes; then hee fent an Earthquake^andthena Fire, to let him knaw what a God hee is: And thus fliall every man findc him, that meets him not by repentance. Therefore doe not truft to t his, that the fins you committed are long agoe paft. I will for that purpofe commend unto your remembrance /(?4^'s cafej and Shimei*s cafe: loah had committed a finnelong agoe, but he was never a whit the better for that, nis pardon being not fued out, God fo ordered it in his providence, thas his Gray-haires ihould bee brought to the grave in bloud. So Shimei fce- med to bee quiet a great while^ but at laft the Lord met with him. I may alfo tell you of Saul's^ finne in wronging the Gibeonites^ though it refted a while, yet it was brought home to him at the end. But, you will fay, I feele nothing f But let not that deceive you 5 remember that terrible faying ia i Sam.^* Samuel threatned from God a great judgemeni: on the houfe of Ely • but the houfe of Ely flourilhed Ihll : It is 110 matter for thatjfayes Sa/mel,l would haveyOu know t|iis^ that when the Lord begins, he will alia aiake It is not kits becaufe it is not apprchen- Sinne remains on Record. And at length God will ft like once fcrall. I 278 A Sermon ^reached before The; remedy prefcribed, is to meet the Lord. rifts,firft^m Humiliation. an end, that is thegreateftterrour of all others. Wheaa man obferves this to be his Cvife, to lye in finne, and goe on in finne, and tliinke there is no ludgemcnt, nor greater terrour, it is an ar- gument that when God begins, hee will alfo make and end. As when one that is feldome ficke, is feazed upon by ficknefle, hee is as one that is left by the Phyfitians, there remaines no- thing but death. But you will fay to me. If this wrath of God ! bee fo terrible, and it be finnethat brings this wrath, what (hall we doe ^ I anfwer. It is your wifdome then to meet the Lord: K^m$s^.ii. Therefore, faith God, mil I dee thus nnto thee^ and becaufe I mil doe thm^ f re fare to meet thy G od, o ifraeL When the Ifraelites had finned, fayes Mofes to Aaro^, Be^ hold his math is gone forth, rume quickly with Incenfe^ and flandhetmxt the living and the dead. It is our cafe, Wrath is gone out, the Plague is begunne amongft us s therefore let every one looke to his owne privates, and know that the way to prevent further ludgement, is to meet the Lord. But what is it to meet the Lord i It ftands in two things : Firft, in Humiliation of our hearcs 5 Secondly, in reformation of our lives. Firft, there muft bee Humiliation^ and indeed till then,no man will goe in to God. We preach Reconciliation in the Gofpell,but men regard it not becaufe they be not humbled ; men will on- ly cheapen the Kingdomeof Go d, but they will the Commons^houfe of Parliament. will not buy it 5 they will goe through for it^till they know the bitterneffe of finne. Men doe in this cafe, as the Ifraelices of whom when Cyru^ made a Proclamation^that every one that would j might goe out of Captivity, onely they went, j whofe hearts the Lord ftirred up : And what ' fhould ftirre up our hearts togo out of the bon- dage of fin^ Surely nothing but this fenfe of fin. Humiliation for & Apprehenfion of the wrath of God. In the luMe every man would not goe out offervitude^fome would continue fervants ftillj and why They felt not the yoke, for if they had, they would have gone out. So I fay, this very Gofpel that we preach is a general ///- (?ilee^ every one may go out from under the yoke of Satan if he wills but till men feele the bitter- nes of finne,the heavines of hisyoke,til men be humbled they will not goe out, but continue fervants ftill. And therfore Humiliation is firft required^ for as long as a man hath any thing to trufi to,he wil not come in. It was the cafe of the Prodigall Sonne, as long as his goods lafted, he thought not of returning home^when they were fpent, he hired himfelfe forth, and if that could have afforded him a living, he would not have come home, nay, if he could have got huskes to maintaine life,he would ftil have flayed abroad; but whe^iall meanes of comfort failed hirri^ when he had nothit^ to fupport him ^ then,faith hee, / will goe home t0 my fathers houfe. And fo, till we be humbled thorowout, fo that wee 1 can fee ho racaocs of longer fti>fiftance, that I T4 our 28o lii Reforma- tion. Thefmallncfle of fianco The leaft finr*c is difobedience againft God Inftance of the example of SmL Theexampk of Adam* A Sermon breached before our hearts bethroughly touched with the fenfe of fin, wc will never com^ in to God 5 and that is the firft thing!we'muftdoe. Secondly^ this is not enough, but that you may meet the Lord there is recfuired reforma- tion likewife. And herein I will fay this briefly, you muft remember that this reformation bee generally of greater finncs, and of fmaller too. You will fay,I hope there is fome difference, and every fmall fintie is not fuch a matter. I will fhow the danger even of fmall finnes^and fo will end this point. You fliall fee what a fmall fin is by thatfpeech of Samuel yi Sam. 1$ .i^.v/hmthc Lord had bidden.J4/^/to^ as if they were halfe afhamed of bis fervice, when as they fliould weare his Livery in open viewjas accounting that their great eft honour.It were well, if fome meanes were ufed to prevent this. If it be zeale that turnes away the wrath of God, welTiould doe well then to nourifli and cherifli them that are zealous. Are not Religion and Zeale the two which hold all up ^ Are they not the pillars that beare up the Church and Common-wealth f Are not they the refcues that deliver the Citic Yet doe not wicked men with them, as thofe that to lop the Tree are ftill hacking at the boughes C But the Lord ftill holds them up, and the world for 1 their fakes. For why is this heape of chafe ; preferv'd from burning f Is it not becaufe there i is fome Corne fome Wheate mixed therewith^f j If the Corne, be once out^wili not the Lord (as ^ men the Commons 'houfe of Parliament, men ufe to doe after winaowiag)fet the chafFc ! on fire < As women with childe are grieved to ' be delivered, fo the Lord ftayes till the world be delivered^asit wereof ailhisEIeCiones, of all the Saints, of all his holy and zealous oneS; and then fliall be brought forth the judgement of the great day. The World may call: out thefe men, as the Sea doth Pearles, among mire and dirt, but rhey are Pearlesnotwithftanding ; God knowes them to be fo, and wife-men know them to bee fo5yea5 Pearles excelling other men, as much as ^ lewels doe common itones, as much as Li- jlies and Rofes doe T homes and Bryers, among which they grow. What is the reafon that ^/z- jj^/^ is called ihcChanotoflfraelyandthe Horfe- j ?nen thereof^ But becaufe he was an holy man, Ithat did much for Gods glory, that did more I advantage the State at home, and did more pre- \ vaile abroad, than all the Chariots and Horfe- I men. And may not weapply this tothe zea- • lous among us Therefore when we injure any ; of them, doe not wee cut off thehaire from Sav^pfens head, wherein the ftrength of every Countrey and Nation, and every Citie and (Towne confiits 1 Yea, the cuttingofFofthem, is like the cutting offof hislockes, which the more they grow5the more ftrengch a Kingdome hath. I fay no more, but commend it to every man in his place, williing that you would let it be your gensrall care to encourage true Religi- on and Zeale, the omitting whereof, I am per- - fwaded, 287 They are Gods Pear e;, though caftou: in {he World, 288 Ffe 2. Containing many convidi- ons of oiir want of Zeale» I . From the formality of the Times, A Sermon preached before \ fwadedj is one of thofe things which caufeth the Lords hand to be ftretched forth againft us* Secondly 3 if it be zealediatturnes away the Lords wrathjthen where is the zeale that fliould be among us ^ Are wee not rather fallen into thofe later i times the Apoftle fpeakes of^ which fliould have a forme of Religion without the Zeale^ and Power, and Life of it.tf AndifZealeturne away Gods wrath, certainely then this formali- tiej this overlineffe of Religion, thiscoldneflfe without Zeale and Power, is it that brings on his wrath. It is true, and we cannot deny but knowledge abounds amongfl us, as the waters in the Sea : But where is the Salt ^ That is, where is that zeale, and hoIinefTe that fliould feafon all our knowledge f Where is the Fire that fliould adde pra(5lice to our knowledge, and make it an acceptable facrifice to God f Wee have the light of former Times, but not their heat: As he comphines^ Jg^is ^ui m Fa- rentihm fuh c alidus, in nobis lucidus The Fire which in ancient Times was hot, is now onely light. We thinke it enough to goe to Church, to receive the Sacrament, and fo to keepe a round, as it were, to doe as mofl: doe, being carried about with the generall courfe of the World, as the Planets are with therefliofthe Spheres , contrary to that virhich fliould bee their proper motion. Bur, I befeech you, con- fider it. Is this Relidonf Is this the Power of godUneue 5 is this to be baptized with the Holv the £mmonS'houfe ofParliament. 289 Holy Ghoftj which is a Fire^ Surely, Reli- gion ftands not in thefe outward formalitiesj but in changing the heart, in making us New Creatures, in Mortifying our Lufts, and tho- rowly purging out the love of every corrup- tion. Therefore, if you will turne away Gods wrath, turne your formality into Zeale, that is, content not your felves with the performance of the duties of Religion externally, but get that wherein the power ofgodlineifeconfifts, elfe the outfide of Duties will not divert Wrath. Againe, did zeale turne away the wrath of the Lord, then where are our zealous affecti- ons Why are we not zealous for the Lord, ind zealous againft finne f You know Chiift died for this end, that hee might purifieunto himfelfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes.TVV/iJj' 2.14. Men doe good anions as a Taske, they are glad when they be over ^ but doe you them with much intention, muchfer- vencie, much defire, be you a people zealous of goodworkes. Therefore in 2.1 1. They are put together, be fervent in fpirit, and fer- ving the Lord 5 implying that the Lord refpeds no fervice, but as it is joyncd with fervencie : Therefore know, that it is not enough to Cerve the Lord in an ordinary Traift, youmufl: mend your pace to heaven; it is not enough to goe,but you muft runne the way of Gods Comman- dements. And as you muft be zealous for him, fo you V muft 2. Convidion. From our wane of afFcftion for the Lord, 2. Aga'inft ijd. Differences be, twixt Hatred and Anger. I. Hatred is coiiftant. i.Itfetsagainft the whole SpC- • J. Sermon breached before muft bee zealous againft evill : For you muft know this (and marke it well) it is not enough to abftaine fromfinne^ it is not that alone that God will accept, but he lookesthat you ftiould hate finne. As it isfaidof Lot^ his righteous foule was vexed with the uncleane converfa- tion of the Sodomites that is , his heart rofe againft them^ there was an inward diftafte a- gainft them ^ the like you fliall lee in David and C^tofes, You will fay, I hope, I deteft finne, and am angry with it. It may be fo 5 perhaps you are angry with finne, but Zeale you know is an intention of the atfedion of hatred, and it is required that you hate finne : Revel, 2.6. This thou hajt^ that thoU' hatejl the mrke of the Nicolaitam^ which 1 alfo hate. You will fay, How doe they differ ^ You fliall know hatred by this. Firft, it is a conftant affedion, it abides with us s Anger goes away, as all paflions doe, it is but for a fit, for a flafh, on fome occafion. Agalne, hatred is alwayes of generals ; the Sheep hates all Wolves, we hate all Toads, all Serpents. I fay, wherefoever there is hatred, it turnes to the whole Species. Now doe you hate all finne, all kinds of finne, one as well as ano- ther^ Doe you notonelyabftaine from them, buc alfo hate them, of what fort foevenhey bee. Laftly 3 Hatred feekes the utter deftruaion of the Commons 'houfe of^arliamejit. of the thing hated. Anger would have but a proportion of luftice, as AriHotle(d.yts. Now is it fo with you f Doe you feeke the utter de- (huciicn of finne, abftaining not onely from grolTe linnes, but from ail dalliances, from the leaft touch of finne, cleanfingyour felvcs from all pollutions of the flelli and fpirit c' If you will bee zealous for the Lord, then know that this is required, that you not onely doe things, but that you doe them zealouily, that you not onely abftaine from fin^ie, but that you hate it. Againe^ if it be zeale that turnes away the wrath of the Lord, then where is ourbold- ncfTc^ our courage, our forwardnefle for the Truth 1 Why are we fo fearefuU and Ihie of doing the thing that otherwife we thinkemeet to bee done 1 For zeale hath that property among the reft, it makes men bold 5 the zeale of the Apoftles was knowne by their bold- nefTe. , But you will fay, A man may be too bold. It is very true 3 when the Horfe runnes up and downe, and is at liberty, the more mettle theworfe, but under thebridle, and in the way there cannot be too much ; keepe the ftreamc within the bankes, and let it runne in a right Channell, and thenthe ftronger the better. It is good therefore in this cafe to come to a dif- jundion, v/hich is the thing that Elijah advifcd^ // Baal bee God^ follorv him ; hut if God hee God, follow him 5 and follow him to purpole. And V 2 as 291 J.Itrefls not but in utter de- ftruftion. ludge ofonr Anger by thcfe markes. 5. Convidion for our want of courage for the truth. From the - dan- ger 01 too much fcold- ncfle. y!nfh Dai^.gcr of Ex- cciTc muft bee prevented by a well regukting our boldneiTe. J Sermon preached before The Objeai- on is profecu- ted. And more ful- ly anfwcred. 4 Convidion. From our want of Zealefor the Church. as Lmkr wrote to Mela?^cfhon^ whcnhtb^gm to faint ; Why, MelanBhon^ if this be thecaufe of God^ why lliould we be difcouraged Why fhould we goe coldly about it < If it be not the Caufe of God, why doe not wee defift altoge- ther This Dis jundion put life into him.. I5 but difcretion and moderation muft bee ufed. It is true, but doth this croiT i your zeale:' Doth one grace croffe another Prudence doth not abate diligence^but guides it in its worke. It teaches not todoe leiTe^but to doe better.There- forCjas for Moderation5you muft knmv it ftands in avoiding the Rock, in declining the extreme^ but Moderation in a right courfe, is not Mode- ration, but luke-warmenefTe, and coldnelTe. Laft of all,to conclude this point,and only to name the reft. If zealeturneaway the wrath of God, then where is our zeale for the Church of God < Why doe not we take its cafe to heart if Why have not we the bowels of compaffion to lament over its condition,as if it were our own^ It was a moft commendable thing in old Eljy when hee heard the newes that the battell was loft, that his fons were flaine, that moved him not fo much i but when hee heard that the Arke of God was taken:) that amazed him, fo that he fell from his feat and brake his neck, Confider this, and know, that it is required that you bee zealous for the Church. Let our Gallants con- fider this, that care not how things goe. And , I thofe that will have the Church negligently re- 1 garded,let them confider that a curfe abides him who I the Qommons-honfe of Parliament. Who doth the worke of the Lord negligently. And know that though the Lord be angry with his Church, as many times he is, yet your zeale on its behalfe^yourprayersforit^ your coft up- on it, your labour about it5yea5whatfoever you doe for it is acceptable to God even then when he is angry with ic,when he afflids it.David was angry whh Abfolomy lub makes a fuit to him to call home his banifhed^ though Ddvid was zn- gxy \y\t\i Ah f ohm y yet loalf's Cuit to I> avid was very acceptable, hee could not have come on a better meflfage. So you cannot doe a more ac» ceptable worke, than to leeke.for the Churches good, and to pray for its profperity. It is true indeed, the Lord will take care of his Church, and they that bee enemies to it ihall not be gai- ners 5 as Zach, 1 2.5. They that feeke to hurt the Church of God, fliall be^j a cempany of [heaves, that go^ about to fupprcjf ? a cole ofjirey which jhall confumethem aU.kxiA they that goe about to de- voure the Church,lhall be like a man that thinks to devourc a cup of poifon, but by it is killed himfelfe , or like a man that goes about to throw up a ftone that is too heavie for him, which fals backe, and crufhes him to powder. All thefe expreflions there be in that Chapter. It is true, he will not cafl away the care of his Church, he will defend it againft them that op- pofe it 5 but in the meane time, if you doe not your part, you fliall lofe your glory, nay, you | ftiallbeguilty of Negligence, which will bring a Curfe with it upon you. V 5 But Zeale for the Ghnrch isac« eeptablc to God, even when he is an- gry wirfi kcr. ft IS dangerous to Wrong the Church. 294 Dii'cdit.n whut we muft doefoi the Church. Abroad. At home. CoBC€ifmng the Chuich at home three things arc commended to confideratioa. A Sermon breached before I Euc you will fay. What would you have us to doc for it I anfwer^ Wee muft confider the Church a-broadj and at home. For the Churches a-broad vvee will not pre- j fcribe unto you any particular dire^iion^ onely wee will commend to you this generall, That you fecke their fafety and prefervation, and the propagation of Religion among them, with all care and intention, as you ftiall feeoccafions and circumftances to require. But for the Church at home5youfeethe Lord ! 1 hath begun to make a breach upon u . And as it I is in Ezek>2 2 .3 o. Hee f ^ekesfor a man among us I that may Hand in the Cap. It is^ well done that you have gone fo farre, as you have, but remember that it is a thing that the Lorddefires. And know withall, that the Lord markes what every man doth for his Church, he obferves who is zealous, and who fits ftill, hee takes notice who doth nothing, who doth fomething,and how much every man doth : As in Mai, 3.15. The Lord barkened , and hear dy and a Booke of Remembrance wds written. The Lord hearkensandheares what every man fpeakes,what every man doth,yea,to what end, with what heart • how his Church is thought upon. Confider this thereforejthat you may be ftirredup to doe more. You will fay. What would you have us to doe morec" I will commend thefe three things unto you^ and fo conclude this point : Firft,, the CommonS'houfe of Parliament. Firtt, doc as Fhineas is in the Text faid to do, the thing he did to turne away the wrath of the Lord was, execming of judgement in the puni- ment of ZJmri and Cosby that had committed that great finne. And marke this, when Fhineas began to ftirre, the Lord ceafed to ftrive^ And know, that the Lord regards not fo much what the particular fins of a Nation or Church arenas what the adion, the behaviour, the carriage of the State towards them is . Doubtlefle the acti- on of both the Houfes of Parliament declaring their zeale both now and heretofore, hath beene a great meanes of turning away the Ldrds wrath and will be more and more, if you doe fo more and more. This is a thing I cannot baulke fee- ing the Text cafts me on it; that this zeale of Phimasy thi$ a(ft of his in Punifhing finne turned away the Lords wrath, \o\x will fay, what things fhould we punifh f Three things, Firft, Whorcdome : you fee here the people committed Whoredome as it is plainely mentioned by the Apoftle. Be mtyee fornicators asfomeofthm mre^ andfeUh one day fo mmythoufands. - x^vm'^ Another fin was Idolatry ,they joyned thcm- felves with BaaLfeor. And there is a third fin, not mentioned here, but is as frequently mentioned by the Prophets, to have a hand in common judgements as any other, and that is Injuftice ; when righteoufnerfe is mrned into Hemlocke, and judgement into worme-wood; that is a thing that muftbere- V 4 membred 295 'execution of lodgement. Specially a- gainft three things : I ♦Whorcdome 2. Wolatiy. Contention for the Faith. J Sermon preached before To which we (kould be pro- voked by the praaifcofhcr enemies. membred among the reft* Indeedtheremaybe miftakes in theadminiftration of luftice) which through ignorance and the not perfed know- ledge of a caufe may be fallen into ; but the in- juflice, that turnes right eoufnefle into worme- woodj as 1 faid before, muft be remembredjand that is, either Briberie, or that refpcifting of per- fons in judgement^ which is equivalent thereun- to, and will come in among the reft. Tiiefebee finnes,the punifliment whereof turnes away the wrath of the Lord. Therefore remember thefe in particular, and confider what it is to fpare in this cafe 5 Sai^l was loft by fparing Agag : and remember what gained, mdlehu gained by being zealous. The manner we will wholly leave to you, onely, be zealous for the Lord. The fecond thing you muft doe for the Church, toturne away the Lord? wrath, is, to contend for that v/hich maintaines the Church, j I meane feith^ maint^ine that which maintaines you,preferve thatw^^ prefervesyou,the whole Church and Kingdome. Wee will therefore commend to you, that of lu^Cy I cohort jm^ faith he, that cmtend for the faith which rvas once given to the Saints: Marke it,you are to con- tend earneftly, for fo maich the word implies, herein we ate to be contentious men. The very example of our adverfariesmay teach us to con- tend for the truth,if we confider,how they con- tend for the contrary ^ if we obferve what unity there is among them, what joynt confent in op- pofing the truth* Againe, remember what you are the Cmnions^houfe of Parliament. j 297 arc to contend for, it is for Faith, for the whole dodrineof Faith_,every jot vvliereofis precious^ and it is the Faith that was once given to the Saints, As if he had faid, Looke to it, if you I^eitjit fliall be recovered no more. Chrift will not come againe from heaven to deliver this point of doctrine* And againe, it was once de- livered to the Szints, for what < Certainely to bee kept as we keepe Peavles and lewels, that it may not fuffer the leaft detriment. And let no man fay he hath nothing to doe with this, for it is the common faith which eve- ry man hath to doe with : you know in common things wherein every man hath intcreft, every man is ready to maintaine his right. Confider , this, and ftand for the whole Faith, for all the doftrinc of Faith, andknow, that thefe are mat- ters of exceeding great moment; all that wee have faid before of the punifliment of Injuftice, Whoredome, Idolatry, and Superftition, &c. is not fo much as this 3 for a man may turne afide to thefe fins,and yet have a right judgement,but fo long as the judgement is perverted, the foule is irrecoverable. j ' Againe, thefe are of exceeding great confe- Iquence, for what Blifha did with the Syrians ^ who when they thought thy were led to the I man whom they fought to take^werebrought in to Samaria to be taken 3 the fame fals out where there is anerrour of faith : that which men think builds them up untotheKingdomeof God, leads them to that wich will bee their deftru- dion. A sermon Treached before ^ion. Therefore contend for the Faith, for the whole Do6trine of Faith, for every point of Faith, and remember to contend for it ear- neftly. I The third and laft adion that we will com- mend unto yoUjis this. Labour to doe that moft which will moft glorifie God,that is,endeavour to fet up a learned Miniftery in the Land and Church ; you know it is a great complaint. My \ people ferijh for want of knowledge ; and who are they that perifli ^ J^s 20.28. Even the Floe ke that C od hath furchaf :d with his owne hloud. \ And at whofe hands muft it be required It i is true, we are the Vines that bearethe Grapes, j but you are the Ebnes that muft hold up the | Vines. It is true, wee arc the Shepheards to \ defend the flocke, but it muft bee your care to j fee that every flock have a Shepheard. Is it not j a lamentable cafe to fee how many perifli for want of knowledge in Wales, in the Northerne ' Countries, and in many places befidcs. Is it not your part to take care and labour as farre as you may, that every Candlefticke may have a Candle fet in it to give light f That every Pa- rifli have an able preaching Minifter. It is true, every Parifli cannot be provided for alike; Starresare of different magnitudes, fome Stars are greater, fome are leffer, fomeStarres/hine not at all, fome againefliine in another Hemi- fphere, and not in our owne/ome fliinelike Me- teors for a little time, and then difappeare a- gaine: let itbc your care, that all Stars that are the Commom-houfe ofTarliament. in the Firmameni: of the ChurchJ meane chofe that are to difpencethemyfteriesof (Idvation, I may (though vveakely yet) like true Stars fliine. { Thcfe things we mnft commend to your care, onely rememberthis, you know the wrong that is done to the flock, if dogges be fuffered among them, therefore let them be removed; I meane thofe that endeavour to pur out the light^that fo they may the better prevaile, and teach their dodrines of darkeneffe. As when the day is done, the beafi: wanders abroad ^ and doe not we finde it fo amongft us ^ For where doth Po- pery abound fo much, as inthedarke places of the Kingdome c' I befeech you confider this and be zealous, I fhould have added more, but fo much fliall ferve for the third point. The other I will but name 5 and indeed I will the rather name them, though I do no rtiorCjbe- caufe they follov;^ fo one upon another. You have heard that Gods anger brings all evill,that fin is the caufe of that anger, that it is zeale that turnes away that anger. Now Fourthly itfollowes, that if you bee not zealous, his jealoufic fliall grow hotter, it fliall encrcafe more and more. The very word lealoufie hath fomething in it; when the Lord lookes on a Church or Nation, the loffe of rtieir affedion breeds a jealoufie, which isin«- tended more and more if there bee not care to prevent it. Therefore when the Lord is jealous, he fends fome tokeas of his jealoufie, as when a man ftrikes 299 By keeping cKtdogs that Will flCYoure. Generail point If we be not zealouj, Gods jealoufie grows hotter. oo And his Mef- fengev muil have an anfwer A Sermon f reached before ] Meanes to flop his wrath isio fiand in the ftrikcs^ we know he is angry ; fo when the Lord fends a plague among us, we may conclude hee is angry. When a Meflenger comes, the fooner he hath his anfwerthefoonerheeisgone,.but he will ftay till he hath his anfwer : and will the Lord fend this Melfenger invainec' Doth] hee not fend it for an anfwer 1 And what is the anfwer the L o r d lookes for That you faft and pray, qind humble your felves, and turne from your evill wayes, and be zealous for his fake. What elfe is the end of all his >udge- ments Are they not as medicines, or plaifters to heale a Church, or a Nation, or a particular Perfon They will ftick on till the fore be hea- led, but when it is healed they will fall off : So you fhall find thefe judgements of the Lord, as long as we remaineunrcformed tKey will fticke by us, till we be healed the play fter will conti- nue. Therefore are thofcphrafes in Scripture, His hand is Jlretchedout Jli/land Hill 5 as in Bcut. 28. T ill wee be healed^ he will not make an end of corrc^ing: he is now as it were engaged 5 and you know when a man is engaged to proceed in a thing, he muft goc on till he hath brought it to an iffue, elfe it will be counted raflineffe ; and do you thinke the Lord will turne from his wrath now it is begun, unlelfe we give him an expexfied iffue It cannot be. * What fliall we then doe ^ The way to ftop his wrath is to ftand in the gap ; when a breach is made in the Sea, or in a River, as long as the breach continues, the waters comeinuponthe Land . the Commms-houfe of Parliament, Lands the way to prevent further inundation^is to make up the breach. This plague is but a gap, a few may yet ftand in the gap and ftop ir : you fee what Phmeas did here alone^ and it is much what one man may doe 3 therefore let every man for his owne part humble himfelfe for his owne finncs, let him turne from them and bee zealous with God by prayer^ by ftri- ying and contending with him 5 for there bee but two wayes to ftand in thegap^ one is faith- full and fervent Prayer, the other is Zeale a- gainft finne, and in defence of that which is good. I will fay no more of this (for I doe but name the point) onely remember, that ex- cept you doe thus, this jealoufieof Godfhall goe on, grow upon us, and wax hotter and hotter. a- Now the laft point of all is this, That the ef- fed of this jealoufie (if it goes on) lliall bee ut- ter deftrudion^ therefore fayes the Text, That 1 confumed them not in my jealoufie : as ifheehad faid, elfe my jealoufie fhould have gone on,and that jealoufie fliould have beene confufion. It is yet but a plague^ the Land is yet fafe( wherein you may fee the Lords great patience,and long- fuffering ;) but if fomething be not done, if this jealoufie of his be fuffered to goe on, if nothing bee done to prevent its further progrefTe, his wrath will end in utter deftrudiion ; you know I need no: tell you, how nearev;e were to that deftrudtionin Eighty eighty xhtGunpowder-trea- /i^/ we were brought much nearer - the Axe was then 301 which connHs in faithfuii prayer. General! point Icaloufie for the m.oik part fliail proceed to utter deiliu- dion. Two great de- liverances wee have had : Beware the third time. ^01 A Sermon ^reached before The Staryof Ahdb is confi- derable to this purpofe. Tofearc. then laid to the root : this was twice* I will fay thus much unto you, take heed of the third time^ The Lord fayes, well, let the Tree ftand yet a while longer, let no more blowes bee yet given it, that I may/ee if it will bring forth any more fruit : but as I faid (and remember it) take heed of the third time J the Lord hath appointed iinne to de- ftrudiion, and he expeihee with pu^ hut ifpn for fake the I Lord J, the Lotd lhallalfof §r fake you. And this I I fay to you alls If you will bee with the Lord, I the Lord ftiall be with you, and if you forfake the Lord he will rejed you. But you will fay^ What great newes is I there in this Marke it i Wee are apt to \ thinke, that to bee with the L o r d is not I enough, but we muft have other meanes, and \ pJ^oppes, and helpes. No, faith hee, it is e- I nough foryouto ftickeclofeto the Lord, and to take no other care, for tHe Lord will bee with you, who is Almighty^ and able to de- fend you* Againe, wee are apt to thinke, that though wee forfake the Lord, yet hee will not forfake ^ us : the {jommons-houje of Tarltament. 305 us ? elfe why arc wecfoboldinfinnef Why are not we more zealous againft finne if Why mourne we not for the abominations that arc 1 amongft us But the Prophet anfwers us for chat 5 If JBH doe for fake the Lordy the Lord willalfo forfdke^afiddefdrt fiomjm, Gonfider it, and the Lord give you underftan= ding. X I 1 INEVV CREATVRE:f i i A TR.EATISE OF| SANCTIFICATION. | t Delivered in Nine Sermons, upon ^ f By the late faichfull and worthy Minifter ^ IeSUs Christ, gl lOHN Preston, f ■ S # Do(5lor in Divinity, Chaplainc in Oidinary to his Majeftie^ % % Mafter of Emwanucl Collcdge in CambridgCjZnd ^ % fometime Preacher of* Lincolns I n n e . % ^ ^ — __— ^? ^ The fecond Edition. ^ ^ — — — - ■ ■ __ ^ *f Romans 12.2. ^ ^ Be not crfjfsrmed to this mrU, but beeyee transformed by the renemng of your ^ ^mindc. ' ^ Gal ath.(5 15. ^ S -F"^'^* m C&r/y? 7^?/?^ neither circiimcifon avaiUtb my thhig/aor Fmrcumcifonj ^ *'4§> but a New Creature. % i| — ^ LONDON, ® m Printed by i?. -5. for N i c o l a s Bourne, and are to be fold ^ ^ , at his fliop at the Royall Exchange. K534, % THE FIRST SERMON VPON THE NEW CREATVRE. 1. Cor. 5.17. / ^Therefore if a man he in Qhri/l^ tit %im m a Qreature. E have propounded to our felves this method. Firft to fhew that wee are out of Chrift, and there ourworke was to humble men. Secondly, to fhew what wee have by Chrift, ^^^d how we are made parta- kers of him, and that is done by faith. Y The ;o8 Serm.I. Dependance of the loords, The depen- dance of the words» The third is to ihew what wee fliould doe for \ Chrift, and here begins the worke of Sandifi- ^ cation: for (as I told you) thefe were the three parts of the Apoftles Ambaffage; To preach the Law firtt, that it might bee a Schoole-ma- fter to bring us to Chrift: And then to preach luftification by Chrift : Thirdly jto preach San- dification. Now we have chofen this Text as a ground for the laft-3 having finifhed the two former. We will fliew you in a word how it depends upon what goes before, that you may fee the fcope of the Apoftlein thefe words. In the thirteenth and foureteenth verfes of i this Chapter^ the Apoftle tels them that hee was ill ufed by them; SomeofjouiSdkh hee) think we are no better than out of our wits. It is no matter, whether wee are in our wits, or out of our wits, yet we muft goe through the worke oftheMiniftery, of the Gofpell committed to us for Chrifts fake^ that is, wee looke notto you. It is the iove df Chrilithat oonpraineth we can doe no otherwife. When hee had faid this, he gives the reafon why the love of Chrift carried him along to doe this dutie, whether he had wages or not, whether he had good report or not, yet for the love of Chrift he did it : For (faith he)n?^ thus]udgeythat if one died for alUthen were all dead, that thef that live jhHuld not hence- forth live to themfelvesy hut to him that died for them As if hee had faid. Is there no? r^alon that wee fliould thus negk that3 if in Chrifi^ heemujl bee a Creature y that is^ he muft put oflfhimfelfe altogether, he muft be no ' more the fame man he was, hee muft lay a-fide himfelfe, and put on Chrift lefus^ he muft be made like him. We will not ftand longer to open the words, becaufe wee fliall doe that in the handling of the feverall points that ^fliall be delivered to you out of them. And firft we will take this plaine point thatthe words afford us. That Sm^iifcmon mufl needs folUw lujlif cation Or, if yoa will, take it in the words that are kid downe in the TtKt^ Whatfreveru^^ c'hrifiy that is, whcrfbever will bee juftified by Chrift, ; muft. have a new Nature created in him by^ God; for that is the meaning of it, whofoevef is in Chrift rnuft bt madea new mai3^:te muft have another Nature, v/hich is treated in him .by Go D, that is intimated l>y this word \^Creat'ure. ' . ■ ■ ' Now in the handling of this po|nt, we will doe thefe two things : Firft, wee willihew how SjaaJHication ari feth from luftification, hcc:^{dmt is th^ main fcope for which we chofe tWjj^xt. Secondly, v/ee will ili^l^ou the reafons why How SanBification arifethfromlujlification. why they are infeparablc, why the one muft needs follow the other^ and then further open this Doctrine to you, that whofoever is in Chriftj muft have a new Nature created in him by God. The firft thing that we have Co doe is to fiiew you how Sandtification arifech from Iuftificad» on, and it hath a double rife. The one is from the Spirit th^ is infufed in- to us prefently after wee are juftified, or at the fame time^ only there is a difference in the or- der of Nature. Secondly, it arifeth from {ome a(5i:ions wrought in the minde, whereby ^ man comes to thisconclufion 5 If Chrift have accepted mee for his, if hee be mine, and will juftifie me, and jfree me from myfinnes, then IwiUfevehim in all things. For the firft, as foone as any man hath taken Chrift, and received that Righteoufnefle of his by faith, there is an union betweene Chrift and him, and upon this union the Spirit of Chrift is ftiedinto him, Becaufe ym are femes , God hath fent the Spirit of his Son into you ; that is, as foone as you receive him, you have the fame Spirit fent into your hearts that dwells in Chrift : and fo Gal. 5,2. Received you the Spirit hy the works of the Lawyer by the hearing of faith prea^ ched? That is,b| hearing the doctrine of Faith : I fay, asfooneas a manisjuftified, he receives the Spirit. S(^Ukewife,i^^»^.8.p. Ton are not in the fejbybut t%mfpirit^5cc.md he that hath not V ' Y 3 the —ILL Se R M .L How San^ifi cation rifcth from luflifica By the workc of the Spirit, How SanSllfication the Spirit of Chrtft is none of his, that is, as | Ibone as weearejuftified, God fends the Spirit] of his Sonne into us^ and if any man have not 1 the Spirit of Chrift^ he is not yet juftificd. And t tlie like you have Rom. 6.2. when fome had ! made this objedion, If grace ahmd^ why dot wee not finne the more, that grace may more abounds The Apoftle faith. It is impoifi- ble that thof^ that are dead to finne ^ JJwuldlive .any longer therein 5 as if he fliould fay. Set a-fide I all your carnall reafonings, it is impoffible for* 1 him th^t is dead tofinnc, to live yet therein 3 1 how cahhee^ Asifhefliouldfay, Whofoever \ is in Qirift, the Spirit ofChrift is fent into his I heart, that mortifies fin fo, that he cannot live anymore in it, there isfucha change wrought in him, hee is a new Creature^ if he be once in Chrifts that is the fir ft rife, as foone as we are juftified,the Spirit of Chrift is fent into our hearts. 1 But is not the Spirit fent into our hearts be- fore, when he workes faith f '\ It is true, but the meaning is, when wee are j once in Chrift, the Spirit of Sandificatidn is filed more plentifully, and in a greater degree than before, for thereisacertaincworkofthe - Spirit that, begetteth faith, and the fame worke ofthe Spirit, in its time, begetteth the degrees of Sandification. But now, that this may not be in notion on- ly, wee will fliew you, how th.e* Spirit workes this, that you may not thinke^thefe to be things carried RM.L arifeth from luHification. carried in clouds, and to have place only in our uaderftandingSj but that you may know it in the experience, that every man findes inhim- felfe, that after he hath taken Chrift, there is indeed fuch a Spirit flied into his heart that changeth him. For the underftanding of this know, that when wee come to invite mgyto come into Chrift (as it is all our bufineffe toin- vite men to the mariage) all the world ftands out, and every man gives that anfwer that they didintheGofpell, they have bought Farmes, and maried Wives 5 every man is fo fet on thefe outward things that his carnall heart carrieth him to, that they will not hearken to us, fo that wee may preach in vaine : you fee to how many Chrift himfelfe preached in vaine, and the A- poftles had preached in vaine, if there had been no more than their owne preaching. So like wife, now the Spirit is fent Into the hearts of men, that when v^ee come and invite men to come into Chrift, the Spirit alfo fecret- ly compels them to come in. Wee are indeed bidden to compell men to come in, but unleiTe there bee another compeller, that is, except there be tfie Spirit within to doe it, theworke is not done, unlelfe therebetwocompeliersat the fame time, the Holy Ghoft within prea- ching to your hearts, when we preach to your earesj except there bee two callers, that when wee call men, the Lord fends his Spirit to call youtoo,itisinvaine: And that you may un- derftand this, you muft know that it Is as hard a Y 4 thing Shrm.L The Spirit compels men to come in. Serm.L Converfiou of men as the turning the coiufe of Ha-» turc. How SanBification thing to move a man to leave his pleafures, and divers lufts, and his vaine converfation^ as to turne the whole courfe of nature, (which I call the inftind that God hath put into every crea- turCj to move that way that it goeth^ as the wa- ter to move downeward, and the fire to goe up- ward :)Thinke with your felves now, whether there muft not be an Almighty Power to turne the co'eirfe of Nature 5 becaufe the heart of man naturally goes downcward to finne, it defcends downeward with the fame propenfityj it hath the fame p^h. as we call it, the fame forward- nelfe and proneneffe to cvill that any naturall thing hath to goe the courfe, that is naturall to it. Now unleffe there be an Almighty Power to turne this courfe of Nature, no man will ever come to Chrift. As for example. That re- ditudeof Gods Image, that is expreffedinthe Word, come to experience, and looke upon every mans heart living, and fee whether it bee not quite contrary to it in all things, even as contrary as the motion of the ftone is from afcending towards the heavens, but when the Spirit commeth he turneth this couffe of Na- ture. Now when wee come to doe thiSi, doe you thinke that any man in the world is able to worke it in the hearts of men f It is true, a man may goe thus farre^ It is poflible for a King, or for a m an in authority, to fet prefer- mcnts on the one fide, and punilhments on the other, to make a man todoemuch,ortofufFer ! much. arifeth from juflification. muchj but all this while here is ) but a turning of the adions of men, but to turne the incli- nations of mans heart^it is proper only to God^ man is not able to doe it in any partiGular; if a mans heart bee fetupoacovetoufneflej^. Ghrift 1 faith it isimpofTible all the men in the world I can change his heart: But put the cafe a man could doe it (as no mancan)if he could turne amansheart, it would be but in a particular or two, but to turne the whole frame of the heart, to make a general! change, to make him ano- ther man, another Creature : It is impollible for any man in the world to doe it. Or, put the cafe he could doe fo, it muft bee after long reafoning, but to doe it upon the fud- den, and at one Sermon, as the Spirit fome- times doth , to take one word and by it to change the heart of man, it muft needs be the worke of an Almighty Power. Therefore in the 2 . Chap, and the laft verle, when the Apoftle fpeakes of this great change, hee faith, when wereadeorhearethe Word, we fee there the Image of God, as one feeth hisfaceinaglafTe, and are changed into it from glory to glory y that is, from one glorious degree to another ; but how is this donee' It is done, faith he, hy the Sprit of the Lord. As if he fhould fay. It isimpofllble for a man to be tur^ ned into the glorious Image of God, and not by the Spirit of God. A man may as well fay, I will make a clod of earth a fliining Starre, as to fay he can make the carnalland dead heart of P5 Se RM,L To turne the hcvirt proper tJ God. 311 Serm J, How SanBification \ I of man to belike the Image of Goc!:Itmuft be the Spirit of God himfeife that muft doe it, it is a worke above Nature : it is therefore done by the Spirit, which doth fo enlighten the iin- derftanding, and fo bow the will, that whereas | before there was in man fuch a ftrong appetite^ fuch a ftrong propenfity to ill, fuch a ftrong in- clination that would over-weigh all the rea- fons that would bee brought to the contrary, when the Spirit hath wrought this work, there is fuch a contrary inclination, fuch a propenf- neffe to. God, and to that which is good, that it over-ballanceth all the temptations that the world, the flefli, and the Devili can lay a- gainft it. Is not this a mighty Power that muft doe this^ That whereas there was in a man before fuch a ftrong inclination to fin, there is a difpo- fition fo contrary now, fuch a defire wrought in him,fuch a ftrong imprelfionthat carries him to God, to Chrift, and to holinefle, that let all the reafons in the world be brought to the con- trary, they cannot keepe him off. But, you will fay,thefe things that you fpeak are wonderfull things, how fliall wee have this wrought in us ^ By being in Chrift this wonder is wrought in us, when a man is once ingrafted into Chrift, when hee hath once received hxm^ this great work is wrought in him in his heart, he is made a new Creature. But if you adde to this the fecond way of raifine arifeth from hifitftcver,and yet beget not this airecSion in you, but the Spirits (hewing is effexftuall to that end, and when you love him, you rauftiieedspleafr him in all things,i£ being the care of the married wife , jopleafe the.husband. -J.: So that .when the heart is prepared by hu- .miliation^ and takes Chrift, love is wrought in the Soule, and love fandifies; for San fligei haid act beene Tiiefuccefle thac others have-hati by Foyer. Encouragements to pray 5£ KM.Il, Gnctmty bee deikcd carnally beene put to that difficulty a little: therefcMre, when you prefle God, when you ftanditout, and are not difcouraged^ in the end you (hall have it in a greater meafurejand it will be a grea- ter commendations of your faith. And fo it was with lacob^ if he had not wr eft- led as he did, he had never had that greatreward which heehadi he never had a greater reward for any thing that ever he did in his lifejthan for Ms contending with God, when God refufed (as it were) when hee ftrove witfh him^whenhee would not doe it^when he feeriied to be of a con- trary minde i yet when he held out, and did not give over till he had gotten it^ he never got fo much at Gods hands* And fo I fay to every one of you i if you finde it an hard taske to get this change, to bee made New Creatures, you pray and have fought^ and yet you have not gotten it, yet be encouraged, doe it ftill, never give over, you lliali bave a greater meafure as your prayers are ftronger t for this you muft know j that when you make requejls to God^accordmg to Gods will^ that then it is the voice of his Spirit | there- fore when you defire to be made New Crea- tures, doe you thinke it is poffiblefor God to deny you f No, becaufe this defire comes from his Spirits Now it is true, a man may defire to be made a Mew Creature^ he may defire grace, and yet doe it in a carnall manner, that is, he may defire it^ becaufe he fees that he cannot be faved without it, he tnay defire itasathingof necelfity TQY SdYlEliuCdtioYl^ necelfity, that will make him fafe and whole, as a thing, without whichheihallperifb : Na- ture may goe thus far, butto defiretobemade a New Cw^^^^, out of the beauty and tafte of it, out of a defire to pleafe God, and to glorifie him. whofe Name is called upon you, out of a defire to pleafe the Spirit that dwcls in you, this is proper to the Saints, it is the voyce of the Spirit, and therefore goe on boldly, God hath promifed to heare you, hee cannot de- nie you. See how Chrift did when hee was upon the earth, thofe that were lame and blinde, when they came and cried after him, and would not give him over, he did not refufe to heale every ones there was not a man that was importunate with him, but, howfoever his Bifcifles flighted xhtm^Chrifi refpeiied them. Now do butthink with your felves; doc you thinke he leffe pities the difeafes of the Soule, than hee did the difea=- 1 fes of the Body if Doe you thinke that he hath lelTe compaflion now he is in heaven, than hee had when he was on Earth f Or doeyou thinke that His arme is Jhortnedj that he cannot doe as much now to heale the running fores that are on thy foule, as he did on earth to heale bodi- ly difeafes ^ My brethren, if you doe but feeke to him, if you can get but a word from him^^if he fay but to you, Bee whole^ if hee doe but re- 1 buke thy finfuU lufts, as he rebuked the Feaver, they fliall prefently obey him: He that wasable to calme the Sea, and that hath the ftrong winds in Sekm.il Chrift able and willing to give «?an(5lification. Encouragements to pray j in his power, is henotableto diflfolveaflrongl inordinate apprehenfion^ a ftrong luft^ a ftrong j unruly affe^lion^ and fo fet them at liberty ^ Certainely heisable* You know 5 the woman that had fpent fo many^yeares^ and all that flie had upon Phyfi- tianSj and could doe her felfe no good by all^ yet when fhee comes to Chrift once^ you fee it I was done in aninftant. So^Ifayjaftrongluftj an old luft, which is contrary to this New; Creature, which it may be thou haft beene con- || tending with many yeares^ and cannot get the ' I vi(5lory over itj yet ifthoucanft come in this |i manner to him, and contend with him^ and I knocke at the doorcj and never give over till thou haft awaked him, certainly hee will give thee the holy Ghoftjhe will change and renue thy heart, he will fet thee at full liberty. This hee hath confirmed with an oath, and whatfoever God hath fworn, he willperforme it without all refervation (where hee is faid to doe a thing without an oath, there may be a re- fervation left, therefore we never finde an oath to the old Covemnt) but he hath fworneto per- forme the new Covemnt , and you know this is a great part oixhtviON Covemnt^ to give a new heart,to make a man a New Creature^jihtrt- fore, where the new Covenant is made, there this is repeated in ler.^ i . and Heb. 8 . / will make, a covenant with mjfeofle^ and what is that i I wilput my Law into their minds ^andin their hearts will I write ^^^^ (that is)I will make them New Creatures* There for San&i/icatton. ^.The great import arKe oi ii to ai. ThereforCj I fay, this is a matter of much Serm ufe toyou^IfyougoetoChiiftj and labour to have this done. My brethren, there is nothing lefcforustobeaflfured, nor any other experi- ment that wee need have that there is another Hfe, that lefus Chrift hath done thefe*great things for uSjand that the Gofpell is true, I fay, there is nothing elfe left for us, no other expe- riment incomparifonofthis, that wee fee wee are made New Creatures: ThisisaJl the mi- racles that wee have 5 nay, I dare be bold to fay more. It was the greateft miracle that they had in that time, when all the miracles were wrought. And therefote'you ftiall finde thatP4///gives this as the maine argument, among the reft, Tlfat they jhall be raif 'J againe at the lajl day^ that they were in Chrift,that the Gofpell is reall and true. For, faith he. Wee have received the Spirit: Wee have had the Spirit which is the earneft, the pledge, the annointingj you fliall finde it every v/herefcattered in his Epiftles, the recei- ving of the Spirit is the maine ground that hee builds on, as in the 2 Ccr.i.i^. Bee hath eBabliJhed m together with you, and hath anointed usy and[ealedu$^ by giving the Sprit as an ear- neft into our hearts : As if hee fiiould fay, this |is the Argument we have, that hee fliould be fa- ved; nor, for all the miracles fo much as this, that we have received the Spirit 3 for that is the itrue annointing wee feele it in our felves, that jfealeth and confirmethus, wee cannot doubt. IL Aa having ?40 II Encouragements to pray ments Ihindec from Religion having had experiei^ceof fuch a mighty worke in usjihat is, the earneft and the pledge we have; and thcYcfor:Q^EphePi\ip, He prayes that they might fee the exceeding greatnes of his power wor- king in thofethat kleeve* as if that would bee a great confirmation to them, if once they ftiould finde an experiment of the greatnefle of his power: And[o^PhiL^,io. I care not for a!l the w0rld)On this cendition^that I might know him^and the vertue of his refurre^ion{th^t is) that I might know him by the power of his SpiritjChanging my heart, killing my finnes, rainng mcagaine, and, in a word, making me a New Creature^thu l I might know this experiment 5 I looke upon j all the world as droffe and dung, as things not to be named. So, I fay, feeing there is nothing elfe leftincontparifonofthis, and v^hen mira- cles were wrought, there was nothing like this, that wee might have this experiment in ourj felves, we fhould goe to God^and not give him j over^ till the worke be wrought in u^^ that we mightbc made New Creatures . That which ieepes men off Jlom religious cowrfes, for the moft pare is difcouragement, they thinke they (fcall not be abk to goe thoro w it, when they heare they muft bee made new men in all thirds, that tliere muft bee nothing that is old left, but all the old leaven muft bee purged out, it difcourageth men, becaufe they thinke they ftiaU never bee able to reach it^ whereas this isahaflTurancetothee, that if you go about itj you fta^ll mtMk of your purpofe, but for SanBification. but you fhall certainly bring it to paffejbecaufe if you fecke it at Gods ha^ds, hee cannot deny you, oneiy I told you, y oi^ muft pray. It may bee for this pui^pofe God will not heale thee altogether, but iiuffer many luftsto grapple and to contend with thee, that thou may eft be taught to doe this duty : and there- fore we fliould learne to goe to Chrift, we fliould feed on him every day, and by that meanes we fhall be renewed, ^e fliall get new ftrength s otherwife what is the meaning of that, this momt hee will make a feajl of fined wines ^ and of fat lings ^ of fat things full of marrow^ of wines fined mdfurified? Bf ay 2$.6. Themea- ning is this ; when you come to Chrift to re- new your Communion and your Covenant with hinty which is done through faith and prayer, you draw nearer to him, and that ftrengthneth the foule, as Mannah ftrengthnedthemin the wildernG0e, that you live by it ; for every day there growes new diftanccs betweene Chrift and us, we let goe our hold, as it werCjin fome meafure, and begin to fall offfrom him a little ^ therefore, every day we fliould renue this Co- venant, efpecially when we come to the Sacra- ment : As Jonathan and Bavid^ they renuedthe Covenant of God agzinc that was betweene them, as if there were a new Solemnity of mariage, if it were often to be ferfoed, to make the par- ties iovned moreunitd li te & ake no queftion of it, we fliould renue our^^^V with Chrift, we fliould come neerer to him jth'^i we may ftreng- Aa 2 then Serm. IL fcrslufls tore= mainc ialiis children^ ^ E R M . II. ©pcned* SanBi(i:cation to he priced Set SandiSca- tion 3s ^high in our efteeme then our foules, becaufewe recover our Com- munion with him* For what is Sanftificationj but a drawing neare to the Lord ^ And then wc draw neare when we renue our Communion^ 2in(io\xtCovenmt %vith him^ when the match is renewed betweene us 5 and if we doe fo,we(hall goe from him every day, as men refreflied at a j banquet, like men that have fed on fat things j full of marrow^ as men full of wine. Beyoufii- \ led, not with rvifk^ wherein is excejfc, hut with the ] I Sfirit : What is the nfteaning of that Ant it hefts, I but to fliew that the sprit is like wine, it ftreng- I thens, and how receive we the Sprit Is there I not the fame meanes of renuing of it from day I to day 5 Is not the fame meanes of renuing it, as Uhere is of receiving ofit atthefirfttf Didftnot I thou get it firft by going to Chrift, and fliall [ not thou ftill regaine andrepairethy ftrengrh I by that meanes ^ I cannot ftand to prefle. this I farther. I j Secondly, in that they are put together thus, luftification and San^ftification 5 hence wee fliould bee ft irred up to prize it, to fet it at the fame rate as wee doe Remiflion of finnes, be- caufe wee fe^ the Holy Ghoft doth fo. For fee- ing this thing is proniifed, feeing it ischofen out among the great benefits wee have by Chrift, that wee ftiall bee nenued, weeftiould learnefo to judge of it, to fet it at an high rate, in our conceits, toconfbrme our judgement tG| the judgemefit of the Scriptures. . 1 Every man would bee content to beefaved, but 45 much 06 lujlification. but ro be made a New Creature, men are fo farre from reckoning it a priviledge, that they rec- kon it a bondage : you would faine be free from Hell, you would faine goe to Heaven withouc fuch a neceflity put upon you s this is the com- mon faftiion of men; but marke, the Holy Ghoft puts this among the great benefits wee have by Chrift. You know the comming of the Mefias., how it was magnified by the lewes, what great things they ihould have when Chrift fhould come. What were thofe great things ^ One of the chiefe was, to make them New creatures, to fet them at liberty from their fpirituall enemies, T'/'4^f^^)' Jhould be taught ofGodithatthey jhould have his law written in their hearts^ and have their hearts circumcifedto love him, that they fliould have new hearts and new Spirits given them ; this is that great benefit that hath beene fo much magnified fo many yeares before the comming of Chrift* It is that, which the ^pUlesy when they came to preach the Gofpell, fet out as fo great a Privi- ledge; learnc we toprifeit, for certainly there is nothing in the world lo precious as grace, whereby we are made New Creatures, It is a true faying, becaufe indeed there is no excellcn- cy that is like it, if you would reilifie your judgments, and teach them to apprehend things as they are ; therefore let us reafon with you a little for that old man,thofe lufts that you prife fo much, that you will not part with, that you cherifhand nourifliinyourfelves, and you are _ Aa 3 Enemies 14? Serm, II. The excel Icn- cv of the New CreatUie. I. Above old H4 SeR M. 11. SanBification to be priced a. Abe 'Call worldly %xc€l- leiicics. Two conditi- S ons of ^dam» Enemies to thofe that are Enemies to them, I fay, confider what you doe, this old man, is it not the ficknefle of the foule Is it not the filch, and the fouleneflfe of the foule c' Is it not the flavery and bondage of the foule f And the new man, is it not the contrary f Doth it nor excell it C Therefore as much as health exceeds fickneife, as much as cleannefTc exceeds impu- rity, fouleneffe, and filthineffe, as much as li- berty exceeds flavery and bondage;, fo much and more doth the New man excell the Old man. Befidcs3 if you looke to other things, take all other things which the world hath, all the profits, all the pleafures, all the learning and knowledge whatfoever it is, that in the world is precious, yet to.be made a Nm Creature goes beyond all^ becaufe, indeed, it puts you into the fame condition that Adam had in Innocency : you will fay,to be made like Adam againe,to be reftored to that happineffe,it is beyond all that the world can afford: Now to be made a AV/i? Creature^ it puts you into that eftate. But, you will fay, that is not fo, Adam \v3.s> in Paradifcj hee had outward contentments in aboundance^ but tobeemadeaiV^jv Creature h notfoif It is true, there were two Conditions that K^dam had 5 one was his outward Conditi- on, being placed in Paradife, the other was his happinefre,tobea Nerv Creature : this was incomparably beyond the other, as we fliall eafih^ dsmuchM luftification. : calily make that plaine to you* Put cafe there were a man that had faire Pallaces, and Gar- \ dens, and Orchards, and all things that his heart could defireto have, but all this while he hath not health would he regard all this ^ On the other fide 5 fuppofe he had heakh, put him I into a Cottage, if he have ftrengch, wo jld hee ' not beare it well enough C Tnxc is our cafe. When Adam had all that, yec when he had loll Gods Image, when hee had loft being a Neiv Creature, he was like a man that was fallen into a great fickneiTe, he was fallen into terrourand horrour of confcience, what good could all that doe A man that is out of Paradife, that lives as we doe among men, that hath Gods Image renued on him (which hee loft) that is, made a Nerv Creature, he is happy, when Adam was miferable. Let usconfideralittle^ What was it, thinke you, that made happy in Paradife 1 Was it the being in a Garden full of pleafant things 'f No, it was not that, but his Communion with God that made him happy. Therefore you fee wherein his mifery confi- fted, it confifted not in the lofTe of Paradife, for there he v/asftill, he had all that he had be- fore for outward things, but hefelc iliimeand horrour of confcience, he ft:lc inward trouble andanguiflioffpirit, when he heard the voice of God walking in the Garden : therefore .it ftands not in that, but to bee m^de xNem Crea^ ture, is to bee put into the inward condition thae was in, and chereforeyou have rcafonto A a 4 feeke Oracethe health otthe ^6 Serm. II Gracea Mans proper excel- SanBi^cationto be pri:^ed The mwlife hath new kn- feeke it. If any thing in the world be worth the feeking, it is this, to bee made aNerv Creature. All other things are not the proper excellen- cie of a man, you know the Angels and the Saints want them, and thebeafts enjoy them, but the excellency of man is to be made accor- ding to the firftRule, to be fquared according to the Image of God, after which he was firft created, and hee is never well till hee come to that. As no Creature is well till it have that ex- cellency belonging to the kinde of it : this is an excellency peculiar to man, therefore feeke I happineUc as long as you will in other things, youfliall never finde it, but in being made New Creatures, in having Gods Image repaired, in being fan(5i:ified in Body, and Soule, and Spirit, this puts you into an happy condition. But, you will fay, thefe are but Notions, imaginary AlTcrtions, we feelc not fuch things, give mec that man that hath the fcnfeofthis, that feeles more fweetnefle in this, than Adam did in all his outward Paradife which he had ^ To this we anfwer : Firft, that there is a fenfe of it, though fpiri- tuall grace bee a thing that is not expofedto^ the fenfes, yet there is as true and asquickea fenfe, as there is of out ward and corporall de- lights ; becaufe, when you are made New Creatures, you have a new life, and that hath new fenfes in it; It hath a tafte^ hunger and tjiirft, it hath as quicke a fight, it hath eve- ry thing that the other hath 5 you know, the appre- ci^ much as luHijication. apprehenfion of all the comforts we have, is not that which ftands in the outward feafes, that is not worthy the name, but the apprehen- fion that the will and underftanding hath of things 5 it is every mans minde^thar makes a man to live happy or mifcrablc, that is, his appre- henfion of things, when thou liveft a new life, and thy apprehenfion is altered and changed, thou haft as quicke a fenfe of thofefpiricuall priviledges in C^r//?, of peace of Confcience^ of joy in the Holy Ghojl ; of all the benefirs that rife from his Paflion, thou wilt have as quicke a fenfe, as ever thou hadft of outward delights. Againe, if thou wouldcft have fuch a fenfe, let me fay this to thee, the time is not yet come thou fhalt have it, and haveit inaboundance, but as yet (as it is faid) Wee are the fonnes of Gody hut it appeares not what wee (hatlbee / Ic is true on both fides, thofe worldly men chat bragge fo much of their prefent fenfe that they have, and that others want, it appeares not yet what ei- ther ftiall be^ but you are mingled together, and there is one common condition to all, becaufe this is thctimeoftriall.Mark the wife Generall, he doth not like of aSouldieratthefirft, but when he hath tried him, and hath fuflfered both to runne outtheircourfe,thevaHant man, and thofe that are cow irds ; wh.^a - heir courfe is finlflied, and when the baitell isdone> that is the time of conferring of honours, .The wife Mafter doth not reward his fervants ar thr firft, but he lets them alone, the good fervant and ■he J>A7 Se R M. II. The apprehen- fion makes happy ormife- rabic. 2 The ftate of Gods children hid. i.lobn 5.1. 548 bERM. II. Ecckf. 10. SanHijication to be priced \ the badj till their time bee outj till the rime of | their wages come, that is, the time when he! j makes the difference. So doth the Lord, for ' this time th battellisnot to the firongythwi is^men have not their reward here for the prefent time. Even as it is upon a Stage, but are let alone till they have aded their part, there is no ^ alteration, but when they come off from the | Stage, that is the time, when the one is com- 1 mended, and the other is difcommended. Soit'| iswiththeSonnesof God, and theSonnes of men, God lets you both alone for the time, till you be gone off the Stage, that is the ame that you mult looke for the difference ; therefore be not prepofterous in your expedation, be not difcouraged, becaufe you have not fuch out- ward contentments, becaufe you are not above, but below, for the prefent life, the time is not yet come | for God doth noc yet rule the world, at he will doe 5 he hathjas it were,left the world to be ruled by others, he hath left men to rule: now err our comes from the face oft he Ruler (as the Wife-man faith) that is, there is that obHquity in the hearts of men, thofe that are in place of government generally. That Servants ride eh Horfe-backe^ and Princes andwife-mengoe as Ser- vants on foot. The Reafon is, becaufe men rule the world 5 For err our (faith Salomon) is from the face of the Ruler. But now when God fliall take all the government into his owne hands, when he fhall be abfolute King in the exercife of his dominion, then he will fet all ftraight, and not before : ^ much as lujlification. before : then Servants fhall goe on foot, and Princes and Wife-men fliall ride on Horfe- backe ; therefore expert not thou it yet, the time is not yec come that thou flioiildeft be on Horfe-backe, thou muftbee concent to goe on foot yet. And therefore^ tliough you have not theprefentfenfe, goe on notwithftanding, hold out thy expeftation a while, though ic appeare not yec what thou llialt bee, yet it will come when thou llialt have the fenfe of it in abun- dance. Thirdly, and laftly, though thou have it not fully, though the time be deferred till the day of the declaration of the wrath ofGod on the one hand, and of his favour to the Saints on the other, yet by being New Creatures, you fliall have outward comforts in great aboundance, you fliall not fareche worfe,but much the bet- ter for it j for the Promifeisfuretothofethat feare the LordrTo humility mdthefeare of God; to them is fromifed Riches, and Honour, and Life r And God performes it inthisUfe, though the full harvefl: bee kept for afterwards : though you have but the firft fruics of the reward, as well as you have but the firfl: fruits of rhe Spi- l ic^ yer, in this life, as you walke more perfect- ly with him, fo he vvill with you • and the leflTe you walke v^ith him, the lefle hee will walke with you (that is) fuch an evennefTe you fliall finde in the vyayes of God to you, fuch a mea- fure of ludgcment and mercy, as there is even- nelTe or uncleanaciTe of your hearts, as there is i fol Se R M . IL men fare not the worf.- in o'.uwird things for holmeiTel Serm. 11. Take heed o£ challenging luftification without San- dification. luHifioation not to be claimed fo much newj or fo much old. Let us labour to make our wayes more pafed:, and we fhall bee more perfeft in our outward eftate, wee fliall be better in our wealthy we ftiall bee bleffed better in our name, thou (halt bee more cheerefuU in thy Spirit, thou llialt bee bleifed m thy wife, and in thy children, at thy going out ^ and at thy comming in^m every thing : fo that the prefent wages that you fliall have, fet a-fide that which is deferred for the future, it is exceeding large to the New Creature ; there is comfort enough in the thing, holinelTe is reward enough to it felfe, if you fliould have no more. If a man be in flrengrh and health, what if you put him into a Cottage, whatif hebeputintoprifonc' He can beare it well enough : if there were no more but to be made a New Creature, it were enough to make your hearts to defire that con- dition , but befides that, it brings outward com- forts in aboundance ^ or, if you have not abun- dance, it will make a little inftead to you of a great deale. So much for this, bccaufe I have other things to deliver. Thirdly, are they infeparablef Then take heed ofchallengingrheone without the other; doe not thinke that you are in Chrift, if you finde not the New Creature: And this Do- drine is of much moment, for this is that, that we fliall all be tried by at the lafl: day, anditis that peremptory Sentence that can never be re- voked, becaufe it is the Sentence of the Gofpell, therefore t^ithoui luJltficatiQn. therefore you muft know this^ that all the judg- I ments that are pronounced in the Gofpell^ they are without all refervation, there is no more re- voking of themjtherefore Pml(dkh^Rom.2.i6, He lha/l judge thefecrets of mens hearts according to myGoffell: So that you muftknow that the Gofpell hath a judgement^ and a terrible judge- ment as well as the Law.(There is a j udging by the Law, that is,') men that have lived without the knowing of Ghrift, they fliall be judged by the Law, but when we come to Chrift, to live under the Gofpell, (as we all doe) we fliall bee judged by the^Gofpell ; What is that c Thofc that receive not Chrifl: fliall bee damned : that is one part of the Gofpell you know 3 therefore you fee that there is a judgement there , He that heleeves flmllhefavect^ hut he thatheleeves not all bee damned. Well, as it is true concerning the point of luftification, hee that beleeves not and takes not Chrift, fliall bee damned for it: So it is as true in thepointofSanftificati- on, he that is not a iVot^ Creature y hee that is not borne againe^he jh all net enter into the Kingdome of Cody lohn^.^. There is a peremptory judge- ment : therefore confider with thy felfe, when thou commefl: to dye, what thou wilt fay then, Satan will then come and lay thy finnes to thy charge, thou muft then thinke what thou ha^fl: toanfwer, thou haft nothing to fay but I am in Chrift: well, but how dqft thou prove that, he will aske thee that queftion, Arcthoii a New Creature 1 If thou doe finde that thou art not a New 15] Serm- IL luJgement of the Oofpell. J luBtfication not to be clamed E RM II. New Creature, thou art not in Chrifl:, and thou needeft not a new condemnation, but thou art condemned already. For Chrift found all tiie worjd in a ftate of condemnation, and if thou be not in him, thou art in the fameeftate; and therefore ifthoufliould but heare thefe words, if wee fhould bee^filent, and fhould but reade j thefe words, Whofoever is in Chr 'tfi ylct himhc a, \ Creature : it may make a man tremble^ and | looke about him, and confider his eftate, and take heed of dif-joyning thefe things that the Lord hath joyned together : if being in Chrift, and being a New Creature be infeparable,think not that thou canft take Chrift divided, that thou canft take him halfe, and leave the other partj that thou canft take him as a Saviour^and not take him as a Prophet, and a King ; thinke not to have luftification, and to want Saniiifi- cation: and therefore, you fee, when the Go- fpell was preached, this was the maine thing thatwasurged,-3/^r^e5.i3. when the feventy were fent out (faith the Text) this was their preaching, it fets dovvnethefumme, that men fliould amend their lives. When Chrift him- felfe was to preach, MAtth.d^.i'j. this was the fumme of his Doiflrine, Amend 'jom lives y for the Kingdome of heavers is at hand. Taul^ when he would tell them what was the fumme of his preaching, y^^j* 20.21. faith hc^Weegoe about f reaching J witnefing to I ewes and Grecians repen- tance tex^ards Cod^ and faith towards Chrift. So that this R.epentancc that makes a man a New Creature, I 'i^ithout SanHijication. Crcatiue, k was preffed as a thing of abfolure neceffiiVj as well as the taking of Chrift. Y on know, when lohnBaftiH r^/^^^-, what hee called foi':, Fruits worthy of amendment of life. Deceive not your felves, apply not the promifes of the Gofpeil, except you finde this Sympuome of being in Chrift^ that you arc made New Crea- tures. This diftinguiOieth betweene a Temporary beleever^and another 5 both goe thus farie^both have an infition into the Root, but the Tempo- rary beleever /^r^^^^i not of the fatnejfe of the Ro$t^Q receives not life from the Root ; It may be thou haft taken Chrift in thy fenfe, but haft thou tafted of the fatneffe of the Root, haft thou drawne life from him, art thoumade a New Creature, as a graft that is put into a new 'ftocke : when wee are engrafted into Chrift, there is an inverfion of the order, there the ftocke changeth the graft j in the other, the graft changeth the ftocke into its Nature. A- gaine,when thoutakeft Chrift without this^ it is as putting ftones one upon another ^ when there is nothing to cement them, and toglew them together; whofoever is in Chrift^ is built upon him, as upon the corner-ftone 5 now an Hypocrite may bee built on him, as well as a true profeiTour 5 but here is the difference, they are living ftones^ their Nature is altered, they differ as much from themfelves what they were before, as living things differ from dead ftones 5 fo it may be thou haft had an adhefion ^ to Sift M.'II. Difference be- tweene a tcm- p->i-ary,and tru« 354 Serm, II* y^ithout SanB'tjicatton. to the body of Chrift, thou haft ftucketo it, as ic were 5 but, if thou bee a true member, then thou art knit to it by ligaments and finewes, thou haft communion with the head, there is an influence of bloud ^nd fpirits into thee ; therefore confiderthat with thy felfe; it may bee, thou liveft in the Church, and art fuch a m^ember of it, as a glafte-eye is of the body : but haft thou communion with the head, art thou made a New Creature by being in Chrift^ Is thy heart changed and fandified by being in him f If it bee fo • then conclude, thou art in Chrift For^ if any man beinChriJl^heis aNew Creature. Exmimcxhy felfeinthis, deceive not thy feife^ to ^hom^otvoxhcis made Righteouf^ ne'jfe^ he is made San£Hf cation. It is impoflible thexfliouldbc dtf-joyned,(asItoldyouin the morning,) his bloud hath not onely a vertue to ciganhfe thee from the guilt of thy finnes, but a power to purge thy conscience from deadmrkes^ to fervethe living Lord^ Heb.g.i^^ And whercfoever it isaplaiftertocover thy finnes , it doth likewife heale and cure them : therefore thinke not that thou art in Chrift, ex- cept thou finde this to be thy condition. Yea, but you will fay. Is there fuch a con- dition in the world i Who is it that findes him- felfe fuch a New Creature^ This I finde that my old lufts ret urne, the fame inclinations I had, I finde them ftill, and this experiment of being all new, that all old things are paffed away, I have not yet had 3 what ftiall we fay to this i We Si^ne^ of a I^ew Creature. Wee will anfwer it very briefely t Though thou haft it not already, yet thou muft not bee difcouragcd, thou muft not fay^ there is nothing done^becaufe all is not done:for motions are denominated from the termes they tend to, notfrom that they are already: when a thing is a little white, though it be not per- fedly white, we fayjit is white : when the Lord begins new qualities, if it beein fincerity,itis properly faid to be a New Creature ^fot in time it will come to that, that will bee the iflue of it: therfore that which ftands you in hand, is to confider, whether you be fo or no ; for indeed it is a difficult thing to difcerne, and needfuU for you to confider it : therefore I will briefely fliew you how you (hall difcerne it. Firft, you muft know you ftiall have a pre- fent Senfe oi'v:^ you fliall feelc it in your felves, you fliall know that fuch a change is wrought in you : for this is thedifference betweene the Soule of a Man, and the foule of a Beaft 5 a I Beaft cannot returne upon his adion, to know whether he have done fuch a thing or no, but , the Soule of a Man is able to doe ir, it is capa- ' ble of refled adte, as we fay, Itcanrecoileand returne upon it felfe, and can confider what is done with it; therefore examine thy felfe by this, thou may eft know, whether fuch a change be wrought in thy heart or no. See it in other things, thou canft tell what thou delighteft in, thou canft tell what thine inclination is 5 for a mans inclination is of a quick fenfe, it puts him B b forward Sigrlesof a neyy Greature, I ASenfeof it, ?56 ERM. II, Signes of a New Qreature. forward^ it carries him to that which he defires • therefore thou mayeft fee the fcope of this^thou mayeft deceive another^ thou canft not deceive thine own heartjcfpecially in judging this^whe^ ther thou bee a New Creature. If thou judge ftridily of thy felfe, if thou have a right rule to examine it by j the pr-efent fenfe of it may bee an afifuranGe that thou art madea New Creature: for to be a New Creature is nothing elfe, but to be turned up-fide downe^ when a man changeth his courfe (as it were, from Eaft to Weft) when he failcsto a quite contrary point of the Com- pafle, when the Rudder of his life is turned : therefore PauKdkh^ he came to preach, T o turne men from darkem^e to lights from the pweref Sathm to God : Therefore there is a contrary courfe, it is a turning, it is true, if the New Crea. ture were but a buckling, but a bowing of the courfe, it would be hardly difcerned, but when , it is from contrary to contrary, fuch a thing is eafily found* I know fuch a thing as I hated, now I love it 5 I know fuch a duty that was tedious, novv^ it is 1 delightfully fuch a thing I could not doe, now I can performe it 5 goethorowallthe parts of thy life thou mayell have a prcfent fenfe. Wonder not at this Do(ilrinc, for if it were not thus, no man could have affurance at the, firft converfioa of his heart to God, if it were not that you might judge your felves, by a pre- fent fenfe you have, by that alteration^ by that reflect acft of the foule ; for when I fay fenfe, I meane Stones of a New Creature. meane that inclination of thy Soulc- If wee could not judge our feivcs by that3 no man at his firfl: comming to Christ could judge of himfelfejtill he had flayed fome time 5 and then at what time fliall wefet limits, fliall we flay at I a day, or a weekc, or at a moneth, or a yearc, or feven yeare : therefore a man may have affu- ranee from the inclination of his Soule, that there is a change in him 5 or elfc weefhouldne» ver be able to comfort men in an exigent: For, except they had had triall, except they had a long time to live, except they might come to converfe, and be put upon it by temptation and Itriall, no man could comfort himfelfe: there« , i fore that is one thing to try it, you fliall finde a change wrought, you fliall finde the inclination of the Soule turned another way : Goe thorow all the particulars, looke thorow the whole re- ■ditude of the Image of God, exprefled in all the graces of that whole line, and looke to your heart what it was before, and thou flialt finde in every thing an alteration, that is one thing to judge it by. Secondly, you fliall judge fomething by the univerfality of it ; Whofoever is in Chriji is a New Creature : The meaning is not, that the fub- ftance of a man is changed, but the order and frame of his Soule is altered, there are the fame firings, as it were, but there is a new tune put to them; there is the fame Soule, the fame facul- ties, but there is a new order there. Marke, as it is in all things that confift in order, there you Bb 2 muft Men may know their ftate u their firftcon?cr£oii The Vnivcj:fk« lity ofiCs Signes of a Ncjp Creature. muft have the whole, or none at all, the har- mony that hach not every ftring fet aright, in fome meafure, it is no harmony, but the har- mony is diffolved. Beauty that confifts in a I conformity of all the parts, except there bee a ! concurrence of ail, the beauty is diifolved, it is i nothing ; fo in all things elfe: therefore confi- ; der with thy felfe, art thou made all new ^ For thou muft know that God workes not by halves; no man ever had an heart halfe new and old ; in the worke of Redemption and Re-crea- ting, and repairing of mankind, there is not a worke of the Lord but it is perfeft. It is true, it | 1 is not ripe yet, there is a time for the maturity \ of it, it fhall grow to full ripenefle ; but yet the \ Lord lookes on it, and it muft be very good, that is, there muft be all of it: therefore confi- der with thy felfe. Art thou all new < Is there not fome exempted place in thy heart and life that is yet old, as old as it was !f If there bee, certainely thou art not yet made a New Crea- ture. Take ludas for example, you ftiall finde this, be had old ftill, his covetoufnefTe yet remained in him that was not renued : thence it was, that in the Paflreover,there wasfucha ftrait chargCj that all the leaven (hould be purged out; you fee how it is repeated, not a jot of heaven fliall bee left. So faith theApoftie, all muft be new and unleavened^ kcaufe Chrifi our Pajf '.over is offered for us. But the naturall man will fay, this is im- poffiblej Si^nes of a T{ew Creature. poffible; for then wee fliall have no finnef Serm, li My Brethren^ that is not the meaning of it ^ jj^^ ^ the meaning is, that thou mufl: be purged from j Smvinga« all the old leaven, that is,thou muft allow none, 1 g^i"^ ail fin. thou muft ftrive againft all, thou muft hate all, I thou muft doe thy beft to cleanfe it out, and not fuffer any to be there willingly, as to take pof- j feflion in thy heart 5 it may be there as a theefe, j (as it were, as a Creeper in) but otherwife it is not to be there : therefore confider that, Let them looke to this, that thinke ftoppage is pay- ment, that take liberty in fome things,and think to recompence it by a more ftri<5l care in other things : for when a man comes to this, to fupcr- errogatcin fomething?, and to be negligent in others, it is an evill figne, it is a figne thou art not a New Creature, for then all would bee new 5 I fay, it is an ill figne, that there is no life there, it is a figne that all that thou doeft other- j wife is but counterfeit : therefore it is worth I your obfcrvation , that when any man ferves I I the Lord, when hee doth it not with his whole Ij heart, it is reckoned as counterfeit, if there be if but one old place in the heart, if there bee but oneoldluft living there, God takes all asfai- ned,/^r.3.io. Tou did not turne to me with your I whole hearty hut fainedly : As if he fliould fay. If it bee not done with the whole heart, icisfai- ned, it is a figne there is no life there, if a man abound in duties never fo much 5 let him be ex- I cellent in prayer, excellent in almes-deeds, in ! doing juftice, let him come to Church, let him I B b ^ doe ! 5 do Serm. II. Looking upon every thing with a new eye t Cor 4.16, Signesofa New (feature. doe what he will, if there be any thing old, yec it is aiigne he wants life, for where there is life, there is augmentation of parts; a man that is living encreafeth in all. If thou finde fome part of thy foule, of thy life, to be augmented, and not the reft, thou art dead, a dead thing may be capable of it, you may encreafe one pare of Wheat, or of Silver, or Gold, but the other part continues as it was, but all encreafe in li- ving Creatures, it is a generall encreafe, there is nothing ftands at a ftay 5 if thou finde a refer- vation in fome things wherein thou takeft li^ berty, and ftandeft at a ftay, thou art not yet a Creature, Thirdly, thou fhalt knoWy if thou bee new by this, thou iookeft upon every thing with a new eye, every thing is prefented to thee in a new manner: this I take from this very Chap- ter, the Apoftle faith. Wee know no man after the flejh^ therefore whofoever is in Chrifi let him hee a New Creature: As if he fliould fay, lama iV^ii; Creature^ or elfe I could not be in Chrift 5 as I, fo every man elfe muft be : for that inftance he gives of living to the Lord, of being a New Creature,heknew no man after the flefliXooke to thy felfe in this, doft thou looke upon every thing in the world with a new eye, (that is) up- on all the particulars 5 thou Iookeft upon finne in another fafhion than thou didftbefbrc, thou feeft more in it, than ever thou didft ^ Thou Iookeft upon fpirituali grace in another man- ner, thou feeft more excellency in it than thou j diddeft;' Sixties of a New Creature. diddeftj thou lookeft upon the world in another manner, than when thou didPc raagnifie it, and the things of it, the dignity, the honour and the wealth ; thou arc not able to fay as Paul, They are as droffe, as a withering flower : thou loo- keft upon good and ill men after another man- ner, a vile perfon will be defpifed in thine eyes, let him have all outward excellencies, and he that feares the Lord, tiioti wilt honour him, let him be never fo bafe : thou lookeft on thy felfe after another manner, thou doeft no more be- hold thy felfe asthoudidft, tothinke thy felfe perfe not fr&m this time crie unto mCy thou art my fat her ^md the guide of my youth ? &c. All this is well fpoken. But beholdy thou hafi ffoker^ md done evill things as thou couldejl. So that good profeflions will not ferve the turne when we doe evill 5 God judgeth not by our intentions ^ but according to our workes. 36; R M THE THE THIRD SERMON VPON THE NEW CREATVRE. z. Cor, 5.17. ^Therefore if a man he in Qhri/lp let him heaU^vp Qreature. V R bufincfle now fliall be to fl:iew what a New Creature is, and to apply it as we go along, that you may know upon good grounds whether you be New Creatures no, that fo you niay have comfort if you be, elfe that you may feeke it, if you be nor. To bee a New Creature is nothing elfe but have a heart new moulded by the infufion of or or to ANewCrea" ture, what. III. A New Creature^ l^hat. of a new quality of grace, and by the deftru(fti- on of the old. There are three things to bee marked : Firft, the heart muft be new moulded. Secondly, itmuftbedoneby the infufioa of a new quaUty. And thirdly, there muft be a mortification of the old man. Let us goe thorow thefc three di- ftindly 5 and apply them as we goe. Firft, the heart muft be new moulded, or caft into a new frame. You may fee this by compa- ring it with the old man, wee fliall know the one by the other : you fliall finde that when Adams nature was corrupted, there was a dif order in all the faculties. As for example, in the Ruine of a Palace, there are the materials left ftill, onely the order is taken away 5 fo in the corruption of nature, there arc the fame na- turall operations, but all is difordered and tur- ned up-fide downej thus was theconfufionof man after the fall. But the New Creature doth worke the contrary, it fets up the houfe againe, and reftores us unto our firft eftate in K^dm. When TimzxxismzAt^New Creature^ his Souk is put in joynt againe,fo that the face of every fa- culty lookes towards God, whereas before it looked towards the World, Sinne and Hell,the Souleis quite altered, as a man that turnes his face from Eaft to Weft, whereas a man had be- fore his backe, now hee hath his face turned to -heaven 5 therefore itis called Turningto the Lord, Obfervc here two things^s Firft. } A New Creature, l^hat Firftj when we fay, you muft be caft inco a new frame, it is not enongh to have the adions of the foule changed,, but the whole bene of the Soule. In a regenerate man, the turning of the ani- ons is. nothing, for even when hee doth that which is evill, the bent or pofiture of his foule ftands to God, although it be tranfported. to doe evill, and it is true on the other fide, al- though an evill man doth good adions, yet the bent of his foule lookes another way;, for there- in ftands the alteration of the New Creature, even in the bent of the facultiesj which is to turne us from Satan unto God. ^riBotk hath an obfervation 3 It is one thing, faith he, to doe an k£t of Art, and ano- ther thing to doe it like an Artijl. It is one thing to doe an Adl ofmufike, and another thing to doeit^/Z-z/^-like : If one doth a thing, and have no Art in the doing of it, he deferves no com- mendation 3 fo there is a great difference be- tweene doing anya(5i of goodncflre,-and having the adions of the Soule well habited ; for when you onely doe the ad without the bent of your Souies, that way, God regards it not at your hands, but when the inward frame of the heart is fet right, whereas it was contrary before, it is a figne of a New Creature : Apply thisto your feives. But how fliall' we know whether, the frame of our foules be thus altered or no ^ You fliall know it by this: If there bee fuch an ^69 Se RM JIL Anjw. ;70 A 2<[em Creature^ lohat. E RM How this alte- ration of the inclmatiou may be known an alteration of the inward faculties, you fliall finde your felves ready to every good worke. When a man hath no naturall inclination unto goodnefTe ^ without forcing himfelfe, it doth undoe the action, but when a mans heart is lan- (ftified and made new, hee prefently falls upon good workes. He is ready to ever) good werke^ for every good worke, and ftands ready for it * he doth what he doth readily ^without much adoes for when the heart is changed in a man that is a New Creature, hee is like a Conduit, doe but turne the cocke, and there needs no forcing of the water ou|: j fo when a man is become a N e w Creature, he is ready to every good worke (like a good wife that is ready to bring forth fruits unto her husband) where as before hee brought forth fruit unto finne and death . Againe, you lliall finde that you doe good things with facility and delight, and that is a figne that thy heart is turned another way. It is the property of a good man to delight in the Lord his Cod-^ and what he delights in,he makes his owne, what he doth he doth with facility^ The Cemmdndements of God are not hurthenfome to him, the yoke ofchrifi is eafte : therefore, if thou art new, thou art eafie in thy obedience, where- as another man that hath no fuch change wrought in him, doth delight in nothing but to doe evill,to doe well he hath no pleafure, Gods Commandements are burchenfome to him 5 therfore the Laws of God are too ftrait for him, that he cannot march in them, zsDavidcould not A ]S[ew Creature^ l^haL not march in Sauls Armour, for it was too hea- vie for him, A man that is a New Creature doth things with facility and delight. But this is not all ^ If thy foule be fafhioned and caft into a new mould, thou wilt not onely doe good things readily, but well and hand- fomely (toufeourcomm.onterme) wiien as o- ther men bungle at good workes, and know not how to turne their hand unto them : They doe them indeed, but as the Wifeman faith, Frov. %6.j. As the legs of the lame are not equally f$ is a F arable in a fooles mouth : When they come to j doe any good actions, it is like a Parable in a fooles mouth, the Parable is not fit for his mouth; as when a man hath one legge longer thaaanother,he is lame; fo a Parable in a fooles mouth is not equall to his moutt.t the adion may be good,yet he doth it but lamely , it is be- yond his reach, hee doth not doe adions as hee fliould, but an holy man doth them as a worke- I man. I fpeake nor of doing of them before men, but before God,who judgeth righteoufly,when he comes to performe anholy duty; hee doth it as it is meet, hee prayes fervently, and confe- crates himfelfe unto the Lord with delight, Hee \Jhewes mercy with cheer efulnejf and every grace j hath his peculiar property, wherein the good- ! neffe of it confifts, as Faith, Love,and Hope,are the concomitants of his adions, wherein their excellency confifts, whereas other men doe the j fame duties,but not with that afFed:ion that they fhould, and they doe it but with a dead heart, C c they ! Serm.III 5 E KM. Ill* T/;e New? Creature y^hat. 1. This change is in his whole Converfauon. they are woi'kes ofvercue, and have the Unea- ments of true ones^ but they are dead workes^ becaufe Ufe is not in them. Therefore oonfider how thou doefl things ^ the macter is not fo much what thou docft^ as how thou doeft them. Againe, if thou bee a New Creaturej thou {halt know it, by thy doing of good conftantly, as a man that doth it naturally. In Nature^ you know^ the habits and inclinations are clofe and neereuntous, and growing in us 5 therefore, if thou doe good in thy conftant pradlice, it is a figne rhy heart is changed,^ This is the firft thing, there is a new frame, all thebent of the faculties are changed, and by this you may know it, if you doe good readily with facility and delight^, and conftantly. One thing more obferve in this new frame, there is not onely a bending of the Soule to a contrary point(as it were)but moreover all muft bee changed 5 as for example, Caft any thing into a new mould, there is not onely one part al- tered, but all ^ fo if you bV New Creatures, you muft finde this in your fel ves, that you doe not make choice in the duties of godlineiTe, but take all, and omit nothing; Tou mufi hce holy in all manner of converfation-^ thofe words are added in all manner of converfation, and they are much to bee obfervedijthatis, in all the turnings of a mans life: As,if hebeaMagiftrate, heemuft be exadin hearing of Caufes, neither to feare I any mans face^ nor to bee moved by any mans !• favour: The ^ew Creature J H^hat. favour: i^hcc be an husband^ his fpeeches and actions muillbeholy, his fpeeches muft be gra- cious; If thou be a Subject in reverence to the King, and refpe(aive toothers, thou muft be ho- ly in all manner of converfation, otherwifethe frame is not altered3 this muft bee of neceffity ^ for that which God requires of us, is the^ kee- ping ofthe wholeLaw3as/4;^^^faith,/4«;.i.2o. I where he fpeakes of keeping the Law Evangeli- j cally. For whofocver jhall keepe the whole Law^ andyetfaile in one pint ^ he is guilty afalL Goe thorow the whole Latitude of our obe- dience ; if in one part thou wilt favour thy felfe, thou art guilty of all. In the fameEpiftle, lam. 1 . 2 6Jfany man among youf ^emeibio be religious^ and bridleth not his tongue ^ but deceives his owne hearty that mans Religion is in v aim. That which is here faid of the tongue, may beefaidofany thing elfe : Doeft thou doe thus and thus, doeft thou fand:ifie the Sabbath, doeft thou goe to God in prayer, goe to all particular duties, I know not what to name unto you, and yet in a» ny ofthefedoefaile; confider that the Apoftle might as well have faid unto thee, for that thy I Religion is in vaine(he fpeakes of keeping the Law in an Evangelicall manner) a man muft fet himfelfe to keepe every Commandemenr, and if he doe bm take liberty in any, he is guilty of ; the whole. Take this for a fure rule, what God requires of us in the Gofpell, he gives us ftrength to pcr- formc,but if our hearts were notaltogether new Cc 2 moulded, I ^74 Serm.IIL d Netp Creature y^haL moulded, the worke would bee more tham our ftrength 5 therefore^ofneccfficy^ the heart muft be altogether new moulded. Therefore the A- poftlc laith^Cand what he fakh is common to all the Saints) 1 can doe all things through Chrifi that Jlrengthmth me. Every man that hath this new frame wrought in him may fay fo : If thou bee in Chrift, thou haft a new frami in thy heart, which makes thee able to doe all things through Chrift, Confider ofthis^ and apply it to yourfclves, for it is amatterofmuchmoment, (as the A- poftle faith) We are not a(hamed to write unto you ofthefe things againe^ andagame : So it is a point wehavetoucncd before, (yet wewillfpeakc of itagaineand againe.) Confider with thyfelfe, whether there be fuch a generall change in thee or no : for the goodnefTe of a thing confifts in the order, elfe the whole is dilfoived^ as in beauty there are two things wherein it confifts, the frame and order of it, that we fay is beau- tifuU, when the frame is good, and no part is to be admired above the reft 5 fo it is the frame and order of the Soule wherein its beau- ty confifts, when the whole frame is right, and thou art enabled to doe the whole duties of new obedience* Obferve Gods dealing in this cafe 5 when Sml hd,A failed in onethingg God caft him off. But, you will fay, this was an hard judge- ment, did not B avid £z\lt many times as well as heet* It A iSlew Creature J ^hat. It is true, but here isthedfference^^Whad a naturall heart to doe evill, although his pro- feflion was good s yet when hee was put to the trivill5whether he would take the fat Shecpc and the Oxen, he did it 5 yet you mull know, it was not for that that God caft him off, but becaufc the frame of his heart was not good 5 for hee would have doneitagaineandagaine, an hun- dred times over 5 I fay, the difpofition of his heart was evill. Balaams eyeuftto the tvages ofinu 5^/;^//^ marred all, though he kept himfelfc aloft and carried the matter fairely, but like the Eagle hee had his eye upon the prey j this fecret eye marres all. Doe not thinke that this is but a no- tion, doe not fay, v/ho is it but doth finne ^ And wee may goe to heaven although we be not fo exadi, as the Preacher faith we fliould be. No, it is more thanfo, wemayfeegoodreafonfor it, if we obferve it well : It is a good argument which we have in Philofophy, A cupordifli that is boared thorow is no dilh, yet there is but one hole in it, becaufeitisnowofnoufe, j which makes it none, becaufe it is as good as none. Take a difli boared thorow, powre wa- ter into it, it will hold none : fo take a mans heart, (for the reafon will hold good in that) and let there bee butfomefecretleakeinit,or fome fecret evill difpofition, although Saul doth well in every thing elfe, yet if he harbour any finne; or although Balaam Adtw^ in all things elfe,yet if there be refped unto the wages of Iniquity,they are both but like a difli with an Cc 3 hole Serm.IIL Simile^ ^76 Serm.IIL A Nem Qreature^ iphat. hole boared thorowj that take up any things there will be an ifluing out. Therefore deceive not thy felfe^thou art no New Creature, except thy heart be perfedin all things : This which wee deliver unto you, take it no otherwife than what with reafon you fliall finde grounded upon a foreword in ler.i^ Thej fought me not with their whole hearty but fai- nedly : When a man feekes God, but not with his whole hearc, God reckons it but a counter- feit feeking of him. Therefore, I befeech you, looke unto your felves, fee, whether you be holy in all manner of converfation, I cannot goe thorow particu- lars, but I muft leave this to every mans breft, who muft refle<51: upon his owne heart. Confi- der with thy felfe, if fometimes thou giveft li- berty to thy felfe in ill, or inthe duties of new ©bedience to performe them flightly, as good never a whit, as never the better : ifthoudoeft any duty, which thou knoweft to be a duty, and not truly, know it is not accepted: If you conr tinue in finne, and will not know it to be aiinne, as in your inordinate gaming, and the vanity of your fpeeches, although thou thlnkeft them fmall, yet they are able to kill .thees the biting of a Viper is as fmall a thing, yet it will bring death with it : fo if any fin bee allowed in thee, thou art not a New Creature, thou wanteft this new moulding, thou art not yet caft into a new frame. ^ So much for the fii:ft part. The fecQjtid thing which wee obferved in. this A New Creature^ t^hat this defcripcion of a New Creature, is that, J mm mufi he cafi into a mm mould, hy the infufton ofa new quality of Grace. A mans heart is not put into a new frame by the tranfient a6is of the Holy Ghoft (as in buil- ding of an houfe, there is no more for a man to doe, but with his hands to joyne one thing with another) but it is donebytheinfufionofanew quality. As in Adam there was not onely a defed: of weaknefTe, but of wickednefle, fo there muft be a new quality infufed into thy heart, elfe thou art no New Creature. In all things in the world that have aftions there is a quality 3 as the fire j moves upward, and there is a quality of heat in | it5as our Saviour Chrift faith of the tree, it muft bee good before it can bring forth good fruit, and as in the Heb. 12.18. Wherefore feeing we re^ ceive a Kingdomethat cannot he fhaken^ let us have grace whereby wee may foferveGod^ that we may fleaf ? him with reverence and feare 5 that is, there mutt bee a new quality wrought in the heart, whereby we may be enabled to ferve the Lord with reverence and feare. The quettion you willaskeme, willbe,what is that hew quality^Not to ftandupon generals, for it is not that which profits, but to pitch up« ^ on it, I will fhew you what it is by two places [ of Scripture, Gal.^.i$. For in Chrifi lefus nei- ther Circumcifion availeth any thingy nor Fncir- cumcifion-Jhut a New Creature: comf^ttthis with Gal. $.6. For in Chrijl lefus neithertircumcifon Cc 4 availeth »♦ It muft See done by infufi- onofa neyv quality of god- iincflc. The newqui«= lity, what. How to take Chrifto A New Creature, l^^h at. dvdleth an) thing^nor Vncircumcifion^hut faith\ which worketh by love : Would you know what this new quality which is infufed, is c* It is faith and love5thatis^ when this is once wrought in thy heartj that thy heart is humble and broken^ which makes thee to know what finiSjand what the wrath of God is for finne, and thoudefirefl: Chrift, and thou haft thy heart calmed againe through beleeving 5 thou doeft beleeve that God offers his Sonne unto thee^ and thou art wil- ling to rake him^ not as a Saviour only, but as a Lord alfo to obey him, not as a Prieft only, but as a King to be fubjed to him, not as a friend only,but as an husband^if this be doae^itis pro- perly faith. Againe, confider whether it bee done out of love or out of feare^ left thy Creditours fliould come upon thee^ and caft thee into that eternall prifon^whcre thou lhalt pay every farthing,this is not out of love. Again,doeft thou take him for his kingdome and his wealth only i That is thedifpofition of an harlot, who takes her husband for his health and not becaufe fhee loves him, but thou muft take him for love j The Virgins love thecy Cant, i . 2 « The harlots doc not fo, but the Virgins love thy goodly perfon. Againe, thou muft not take him In a good mood, bur till death doe part you, thou muft love him for ever : No man loves a man truely, but he is rooted and grounded in hislavc 5 when ^ thou doeft finde thy heart fo humbled,that thou I doefti A Is^ew Creature^ l^hat. doeft reckon finne the great eft evilly and doeft hunger after Chrift, and doeft keepe him as thy life^ when thou doeft all this from a love unto him, thou art a New Creature y when thou takeft Chrift with love, and fuch an one as is a wor- king love, now bee affured that chou art a New Creature y for this is that wherein it confifts. I obferve this by the way, for thofe that thinke they never have bcene humbled enough; the New Creature ^conCi&s not in thar,but in faith and love : Haft thou faith and love c' Then thou haft the thing it felfe, and if thou haft that, thou haft the preparation. That is the firftexprefli- on. Another is in Efhef. 4.22,23,24. Thatyee cajl ojf^ concerning the conversation intimes -^afi y the old man which is corrup through deceiveable lufisy andberenuedin the Spirit of your minde, and fut on the new man^which after God is createdin righteoufnejfe and holinejfe proceeding from truth. There you have the thing named, whac it is to be a New Creature^y and what it is to be the old manftill. To be the old Creature, ortheoldman, is nothing elfe but to bee guided by tuft, which comes from errour in judgement and underftan- ding. But wherein confifts the new man f The new man confifts in holiaelTe wrought in the will, which proceeds from truth, revealed unto the underftanding ; fo when the underftanding and the judgement is reftified, thou art made a New Creature. Againe, when the will is corrupt by iufts, proceeding from errour in the Se r m.IIL Old men,wbat I A New Creature^ li^hat. the underftanding thoii art in ftate of an old Creature, The old man ftands properly in Ilufts-, therefore, faith Peter y zPet.i.^. Fly the corr^ifti&n which Um the worldthrough luji : All the corruption of mankinde ftands in thefe inor- dinate lufts. Others we may looke onas the Fruit, but this as the Root. What arethofe | lufts ^ loh^ flievves them by three heads, i loh/^ 2,i6.TheluBs oftheflejh^thelujlsoftheeye^and the f ride of life. The old man ftands in thefe three. Take the firft luft, even the luft of the I Eye. A man lookes upon wealth to make him I happie in this life, (I meane no other wife) and looking upon this, hee lufts* after it: Doe but i redifie his judgement, and let wealth be pre- fented to him, as it is init felfe, and hee will come to beaffeded with it, as Paul was, who accounted all hut. drojfe and dung^ hee will fay then, why fliould I fet my heart upon that which is nothing but vanity ^ I fay, when the underftanding is redified, you will looke upon wealth aright, and as you fliall fee it at the day of death ; for then wee are as a man awakened j out of a dreame, we will looke on it then, as it is lames i • i o . Let the Rich man rejojce that he is made lew j for 04 a flower ofthegrajfe fo jhall hz va- mlh : The meaning of this is, when a man is made a New Creature, he is brought downe in his conceit, whereas before hee thought him- felfe a great man, becaufe of his wealth: Now '\ Religion comes, and that makes him„ low, and I let him bee glad of its Why f What reafon A New Creature y l^^hat. hath aman to be glad ofit ^ Indeed if wealth were a thing'of momefity it were another mat- ter, but he was deceived. Riches are but as the flower of grafTc. A wife man lookes on Ri- ches as flowers of the Garden which children, and the w^eakeft doe much magnifie. Indeed, if they were of great moment, he loft by it, but^ aslames (mhy They arebut as flowers of thgraffe worth little ? For the Lufl: of the flefh 5 that is^ another thing whereby this old man is feene. A man lookes on outward pleaflires or delights, as able togivefatisfaftion, and as the great eft dcr lights in the world, let his judgement be r^di- fiedj he lookes upon them as Enemies that fight againft the foule, as the workes ofdarkene0e which he abhorres, andfo hecomesto Z^^^^ di-. (^oCmoTiy Whofe righteous foule was vexed to fee thefilthinefe of the Sodomites : When his judge- menr is right, hee lookes on them as bafeand vile things^ as Enemies unto his foulcj that will be his deftru(Sion. For the Pride of life: Man lookes on out- ward things as the onely excellencies, which makes him admire them fo , but when his judgement is once rectified, hee lookes upon them as the Apoftle doth^, who accounted them but empty things, as bubbles blowne up by boy cs. To conclude, when the judgement is refti- fied, in ftead of Errour and Deceit^ which is the Root of the old man, whence comes thefe three ?8i Serm.IIL 382 SermJII' What know- ledge makes a New Creature, A 'blew Creature ^ 'ii>hat. 4 three great Lufts (which are the maine, and from which all the reft will follow) then the lufts are diflblved, and the new man comes from truchjas che other is corrupted^ and comes from deceit. So you f^e what it is to have this new quality, to have the judgement redtified^ and theluft diffolved. And not fo oncly, but there muft be new de- fires wrought in thee. A carnall man over-va- lues carnall things, and in fpirituall things hee comes farre too fhort, like a man that lookes upon a banquet when his belly is full, he hath no appetite unro it ; So a carnall man lookes upon finne and forgiveneflfe. But when a man hath his judgement redified, hee comes to have many holy defires, andinthisftands the New Creature. Againe, it comes from knowledge of the Spirit. But, you will fay, we have knowledge^ and, if that would doeit^ then they that know moft arebeftmen^ But you muft know what kinde of know- ledge this is'^henew man mu>fi heremedin know- ledge : This is fuch a knowledge of holine(re,as the Holy Ghoft reveales unto us, and except this knowledge be revealed unto you,our revea- ling is nothing ) Wee preach Wifdome^ which the Princes of the werld know mt^ neither can know. Take Arijlotle ox oihtts which are the Prin- ces of the world for wifdome; they know not thefe things, nay, if they were taught them, they J l it muft be tilled, and there mufl: bee feed put in; Nature, I fay, may doe much, but this New Creature muft come from an immortall feed fo wen in the heart, by God himfelfe. Therefore, looke whether thou haft that wrought in thee or no. For this is all the com- fort wee have^ when the body is decayed and waxen old § yet , let us not bee dlfcouraged, though this outward man decay and perifli, there is anew youth fpringirig up. This is all the comfort we have, that when the old houfe is going downe, wee have a new houfe fetting up in ftead ofic. Every man is glad to fee an old houfe pulled downe, and a new fet up in ftead of it 5 but to fee an old houfe going downe, and no new one to bee fet up, the ruine of it is a moft miferable Spe- aacle. Take an Husband-man, who hath taken great paines in plowing and fowing his ground, when he fees his corne is rotten, he is glad of it, becaufe hee knowes new will come up in ftead of it 5 fo when we fee the body decaying, and our day draw^g towards evening, when the Sunne of life is ready to bee fet upon us^ when we 507 we fliall grow no more : this prefents nothing but confufion, yet here is hope for us 5 T here is light Sowen unto the righteous : All the con= folation and all the comfort wee have in thefe dayes of our vanity, is, that wee have a New Crea« ture^ that is not fub je(5l to vanity. S F R M TTT. The end of the Third Sermon. Mm Dd THEj THE FOVRTH S E R M O N VPON THE N E W CREATVRE. z. Cor. 5.17. ^rherefore if a man he in Chrift^ let him be a U^vq Qreature. Ow wccometothelaft thing CO bee obferved in the New Creatvre ^ which is, that chere is not oaely aninfulion of a new Quality 3 but a ^ weakning of the old: There- !i fore we put that into the de- fcription. A man is a New Creature when his heart is caft into another mould, bythe in- Dd 2 fufioa ^. There miift be a mortifica- tion of the old man. ^9Q Serm.IV* a. parts of a New Creature. Simile. Vfi. To mortifie oldiufts. T?;e N^i«> Creature )ii>hat. fufion of a new quality of grace, and by a de^ rtroyingoftheold^ And this is efpecially to be obfervedjbecaufe there bee two parts of the New Creature^a mortification of finne, as well as a vivification. For, common Nature is like a Bowie betweene two bya0es5 Corruption is the wrong by as, carrying us out of the wayiand Grace the good byas carrying us into the way : So you muft kriocke off the old byas, as well as put on a new one, that is. Common Nature lyes as an indif- ferent thing betweene Grace ana Sin, theFlefli and the Spirit, Corruption and HolineflTe ; fo that as the body is betweene he£th and fick- neffe, fo is Common Nature between originall finne, which is as the ficknefle or death of the Soule, and HolineflTe, which is the health of it. N o w it is not onely required that there be an in- fufion of the new Quality, but likewife a weak- ning of this old, both cannot ftand together, fo farre as you ftrengthen one, the other is weak- ned, it is al wayes fo where is contrariety,wherc there is no contrariety two may ftand toge- ther; but when things bee oppofite,'the com- ming in of the one, is the weakning of the other, the comming of heat is a weakning of cold, this isoffpeciallufe. And this ufe we are to make of it ; that hence then you fee this will follow, that, If you finde much newnefTe in your felves (according to your owne opinion) you fode you can doe ma- ny things, you could never doe before you are able The New Creature^ l^fhat able to doe thefe and thefe duties of new obe- dience : well, fuppofe it, yet except there be a mortification of the old lufts 3 if thou finde that there be any lufts continue in thee^ in ftrength^ thatj in that regard, thou art the fame man ftill whatfoever addition there be, it is no matter, it is certaine thou art not yet a New Creature ; for a New Creature eonfifts not in fuperindu- dion of the new Quality, the old remaining 5 but in a weakning of the old too. It is not onely a fuperaddition of the new, but the death of the old alfo; Therefore^if thou findeft any cormp- tions continuing in the fulneffe of their firft ftrength, not weakned at all 5 though thou haft all fignes of grace, all parts of a New Creature^ to thy feeming, yet thou art deceived; becaufc ifthou wertnew, there would be a mortificati- on of the old lufts. So againe, it is true on the other fide: Put cafe thou finde a great change in thy felfe, fuch lufts as have beene vigorous and lively ,thou fin- deft to be now deadjCxcept it be by the ingreffe of this New Creature, thou haft little caufe to comfort thy felfe ; for thofe lufts are but cove- red and laid a-fleepe for a time, and will wake and rife againe : as Samffon when hee was tied with cords, rofe againe, and was as ftrong as ever he was, when the oportunity came. And it was toldhimy the Philifiims are upn thee^Samf- fon: So lufts are laid a-fleepe, till the opportu- nity comes, when all the threed of good purpo- jfcs breaks, and they rife againein their ftrength : I Dd 3 there- Se K M JV. Sfn may fcemc dead when it fleepeth. Tl?e New Creature j'^hat, thereforcj if there bee not a New Creature, brought within thy, foukj thy lufts arebuc laid a-fleepe, they will rife againe : Or put cafe they be dead, and rife no more 5 yet, except it be by theingredience of this New Creature, they are but dcadofthemfelves, and fo long as they die ofthemfelves, God regards not that death : for that which is required of us iaRom. 12.1. is, that wefacrificeour f elves .* Now two things arc required in the Sacrifice; one, that it be flainc, that it dye aot of it felfe, for that is not a Sacri- fice. Secondly, that it be oflFered Co God, and notto any other god. Now this wee oft finde, that lufts dye of themfelves, change of age, ex- perieiicCjOperation of circumftances,time,place3 and many things may alter the defires : for, you muft know, The world pajf ',th amjy and the lufi, of it: that is, they are of a tranfitory Nature. A man doth not defire that, this year e, which hec did the laft. Doe wee not fee, many have beene riotous and prodigall in youth, yet there ^ is a great change in them, not for gracCjbut age, and ufe, and experience,and many things,make alteration : Thefe are not flaine to the Lord, but they die of themfelves, fo God would not ac^ ceptthem^ Againe> they may bee flaine, but not to the Lord, thou may eft offer them to thy felfe, which is the fame, as if thou offeredft them to another god,that is,a man may finde much evill and inconvenience, much bitternefle in them, it may be,they have brought ftiame and mifery on thee. Againe, I?;^ H^em Creature J l^bat. Againe, thou mayft feare Gods judgements ^ and therefore may eft reftrainethy felfe. In a word. If thy felfe be thy end^in abftaining from any fin what ever it be, there is a Sacrifice5thou haft llaine it, but not offered it to the Lord, it is not done to him, It is not becaufe thou loveft the Lord lefus : therefore it is not a fruit of the New Creature, for till then every man makes himfelfe his end in all he doth, but whcnhee is made a New Creature, he makes the Lord his end. This therefore is the ufe jof this : there muft be two parts of this New Creature, Vivificati- on, and Mortification, an infufion of the new Quality, and a weakning of the old. Becaufe this is a point of much moment, I will preffeit a little further, and deliver this Rule, I fay, this other Confeilary may be gathered : If it be fo, then thou muft finde in thy felfe thefc two things: Thou muft finde in thy felfe fomething more than Nature, and againe, thou muft finde in thy felfe fomething leffe than Nature : Thou muft havelefle than what thy corrupt nature had in it, and more than common nature hath in it, or elfe thou wanteft this third part of the New Creature,this third thing wherein it confiftSjthe induftion of a new Quality, and a weakning of the old; We will urge this a little. Firft, there muftbealeffeningand a weake- ning of what was there before : for, you muft know every man hath fome perfonall infir- D d 4 mkks, 1 393 Serm.IIL 2.Ffe, or Confeiiary. There muft be romthing leflTe than corrupt nature. ?94 Se K M.IIL Where CJod~" forgiveth he heaieth • where he p.irdonetha he purificth. The New QreaturCj ^hat. mides, fomefinncs mor^ peculiar to his Nature ! than others, fomething wherein hee is weake, \ every man hathic, one of one fort, another of i another fort 3 every man hath a more inclinati- j on to this or that finne, which is bred and borne with him. If thou findeft that this continues with thee ftill, that thou haft the fame running- fore on thee, that thou hadft, that thou findeft no alteration in that^ that there is noleffening, no wcakning, no deftroying and mortifying of that, then thou art not a New Creature, and confequently, thy fins are nor forgiven, for lu- ftification and Sand:ification are infeparable. If thy fins were pardoned^ they would be healed, lhat is the thing you muft confider. Itiscer- taine therefore,if you doe not find them healed, you are not yet in Chrift ^ for if thou wertin Chrift truly, there would a vertue come out of him that would heale the bloudy-ilTue; for the vertue of his death is never dis-joyned from the ' picrit of his death, where ever hee forgives fin, he cures finne : therefore if thou findeft that hee hath not cured any fin, know it is not forgiven. You may fceit every where OHary Magdalen, as much was forgiven her, fo Ihe had a great cure wrought in her, fliee was changed, fhe be- came another woman, you fee how exceeding holyfheewasj when Chn&faidyTffyfmmsare forgiven^fhcwcntzwzy with another heart : So it was with Paul^ when once his fins were forgi- ven, when God fent word by Ananias that hee was a chofen vcflTell, withall he was made a glo- rious The New Creature^ l^hat. riaus profe(four of a raging perfecutour, there was a healing of fin, as well as forgiving of it. So David^ when his finne was forgiven, when God told him hy-Nathan^omMch^ his fin was curedjhe did not commit adultery againerthere- fore in the one and fiftieth Pfd. the cure ftands on record, that all the v/orld may know, that where God forgiveth, he healeth likewife. So Peter ^ when God had forgiven him that finne of denying his Matter, he cured it too* To adde a little more, I fay, Sinne muft bee healed, if it bee forgiven; forit cannot bee o- therwife 5 if God take any man to beare his Name, and his finnesbe not healed, his Name lliould be blafphemed, it v^ould redound to his dilhonour. - ^ ; Againe, if hee fhould Forgive and not heale us, we Ihould have no comfort from him, nor he no fervicefrom us : we fhotild have no com- fort fcom him, becaufe of the rage and vexation ofrulinglufe. Againe,he fliould have no fervice from us/or how can weferve him when we are not healed c' Cam a fick man doe any fervice i Hee muft bee healed, and reftored to health firft. Now doe youthinke, God will put his children in a con- dition, that neither they fhall have comfort from him, nor he fervice from them ; therefore it is of neceflity, whcrefoever fin is forgiven, it is healed: Therefore in Hofeaijs^. Whenltake away y^ur iniquities ^1 mil he aU your rebellions, S o 'vxBeut.^0,6, when hee will have mercy upon ■ them, 395 Serm.IV. Red fin I. It ftaads wich Cjods honor. Reafini. With our com- fort. Reafon^, With Gods ftrvicc. Tl?e Tiew Creature ^l^hat. Cautidn, Sin may re- Maine, though mortified. them, faith he^ / mllalf ? circumcifeymr hearts^ andthcheartsofjotirfeedy that you jball lovemce with all your foule^and with Ml yoHrfirength : Hee never pardons, but he likewifeGircumcifeth. So , in ler. 24.7. / will fet mine eye upnyou for good : that is, I will pardon you, and receive you to mercy 5 and alf ? will give y ou an heart to 1mm me^ f& that you jhallbemy peofle^andl mil h your God: For you fhall turne to mee v^ith all your heart. In a wordjthey are never dis- joyned ; take it for a fure rule, as Ez^ek,^ 6»i 6. I will wajh thee from thy idols, thzt is,from thy lufts and Idolatry,and v^ill give thee a new hearty and a new ffirit^ he ne- ver doth one without the other- therefore ap- ply it. It may be there be many particular fins which thou thinkeft are forgiven, Sabbath- breaking, Swearing, Vncleannefle, goe thorow any particular fin, if they be not healed,they be not forgiven,and fo thou art in a miferable con- dition. Therefore, doe riot fay, though I finne againe and againe, yet God is racrcifull,and, I hope ready to forgive. It is very true 5 but thou muft know,that he is never mercifuU to forgive, but he is as ready f o heale and curc^thy fins like- wife ; therefore deceive not your felves in that. Only before I paflTe from this point, miilafcc me not, my meaning is nor, that it is fo hea|ed, that there is not the leaft vigour left in it, that it isfo dead and buried,that thouflialt never heare of it againe, that the Spring of originall corrupt \ tion is dried up, that none of it is left 5 but the meaning is, it is healed, that is, Sinne is pulled downe j The T^ew Creature ^ t^hat. downc from his Regency, it may aflaiilt thee^as J S e r m .III . a Rebellj but ic comes no more as a Lord^ as a Kingj it is put out ofpofleflion, itmay creepe in as a Theefe, but it comes no more as the owner of the houfe^ for that is religned up to grace and the New Creature. Sin creepes in^ as it were, but there is another Mafter of the houfe. To that now thou mayeft fay, 1 doe it not but fm that dmlUth in meCy that is, that creepes in 3 thy denomination is from that, that bearesruie in thy heart 5 for that is all that is done in Regene- ration ; Sin is put out of poflelfion, and Grace is ^ now the Ruler, the Lord of the heart 5 therefore we may fay, it is healed, that is, it is fo fliut out, j that thou haft dominion over it, it may affault thee now and then, it may overcome thee now . and then but it dwels not in thee, thou never entertaineft it as agueft, thou never biddeftit welcome, thou never makeft peace with it, thou haft perpctuall warre with it, as there was withthc Cyimdekitesn Againe, corrupt nature muft bee leflened, weakned, and mortified s fo there rauft be more i than nature in thee, that is, thou muft bee able to do more than any naturall man in the world can doe, or then thou waft ever able to doe be- fore this change was wrought in thee 3 for, you muft know, Grace doth not onely mortifie and healc Sin, but it goes beyond the power of Na- ture 5 as we fay, Phyficke helpes where Nature failes, and Art helpes where Nature fals ftiort : Such a thing is Grace where Nature failes, there Se RM JV. Love cannot be counterfeit ted. The Nem Creature, ti^hat. ^here is ufe of Grace, indeed elfe what were the efficacie of the Word, and the vertue of the Spirit^ and the power of Chrift if If they did not enable a man to doe more than nature doth. Grace comes from an higher Well-head than Nature, therefore it raifetha man to an higher pitch than Nature can afcend to. Therefore; confider, if thou haft that which goes beyond Nature 5 Samffon had a ftrength beyond Na- ture, he could doe what a common man could not doe, but God being with him, he had more than the ftrength of N ature. How do we know that^ He was able to carry away the gates of the Gitiej&c. which none elfe could doe^there- fore there was in him ftrength above Nature : Now examine^ canft thou doc that which no man elfe can doethatisa meerenaturallraan^ Thou muft have a ftrength piit into thee, which none can reach to, that hath nothing but Na-. ture in him, that is^ canft thou love the Lord lefus and the Saints f An Hypocrite can coun- terfeit many things, but not love. Againe, canft thou delight in the Law of God, in the Inner man, I aske not if thoi? canft approve of it, but canft thou delight in it^ counting it^ meat and drinke to doe the mil of thy Father ? This is a thing which cannot bee countcrftit. So, canft thou deny thy felfe f I aske not, if thou canft deny this or that particular finne, but the whole body of fin, if thou fa voureft the tilings of the Spirit, ifthoH canft mortifie the deeds of the Body, and walke according to that Spirit. In a word, what- ^99 i The 2^ew Creature^ l^hat. whatfoever itls, if. thou artaNew Creature^ ISerm.IV. thou murt finde thy felfe able to doe that which no natarall man can doe, and which thy fclfe could'd never doe before 3 f or^ othervvife what wilt thou have to anfwer Tor thy felfe^ when the deftroying Angell (hall come, if hee finde not in thee more than Nature, the Deftrudion fliall pafTe on thee, as it was in the Pajf wver^ ex- cept there was found bloud on the doore-pofts, they dyed for it ; Now the bloud that this De- ftroying Angell muft fee, when he lliall paffe over the worlds is that which is, more than Na- ture. You muft know the bloud of Chrift leaves an impreffion. Their garments mre made white in the bloud of the Lambe 5 that is, not only the guilt of fin is taken away, but a newvertue is put on them, a new efficacie is put into them, and if thou haft not the vertueofthe bloud of Chrift, as well to purge thy confcience from dead workes, as to take away the guilt of finne ; all is nothing, you muft know all the old world ftiall bee deftroyed, and theworkes-ofit, and whatfoever is in it, whatfoever is old fliall bee deftroyed 3 the Lord will fpare nothing but what is new. He makes a nerv Heaven, and anew Earth and what is new fliall be fpared, when he comes to take an examination of men, and findes nothing but old in thee, thou artfureto be deftroyed-, if thou be new he will fpare thee, there is a blefling there, thisisthemarkeinthe forhead,thisisthat new Name, this is that certain watch-word, which if a man know not, hee is counted The New Creature J t^hat. counted as an enemie : y ou have a fafliion fome.. times to givemarkes, if they have that maike, that token in their hand3thcy are knowne to be of them that are allowed. So there is acertaine fealing of men to life^ God gives a new name, a white fiom with a new nAme written on it ^which none canreade but G^^/ and thy felfe : I fay^except thou art a New Creature (for that is the nev/ name) the Deftroying Angell lliall not fpare thee, but thy finnes fhall be caft on thy confci- ence^ as ufually hee doth when thou art on thy death-bedjhe never bindes the burthen till thea^ you have it before, but you never feele irtill then, but when God fliall charge it on thy con. fciencejwhat wilt thou fay f If thou findeft not thefe two things, a weakning of this old nature, an healing of /inland fomething more than Na- ture, thou canft not apply the comfort ofluffi- fication, thou art not in Chrift, for thou art not a New Creature, which confifts of thefe two partf^Vivification and Mortification* So much for this point ^ So we have done with this, that luftificati^n and Sandification are infeparable: all this ikdrawne from the conjundiion^ Whofoe- ver is in Chrijl is a New Creature^'] they ^re not disjoyned^ if you have one 5 you have the other. Now this is further to bee obferved. If hee mufl hea ^^w Caeaturey then he mi^Jl have a nem Nature ^ He muft have another Nature, for he is made another man, that is, he is fo altered, as if he were another man, as if another Soule came to Tl?e New Creature, ^hat. to d well in that body • therefore, there muft be another Nature. Againe, it muft hccz New Creatures rthcrc- fore wee muft obferve fomething from that word Netv. And fourthly, wee will obferve fomething from this, that kis a Creature, and fo is created by God, no man is able to doe it. And laft of all, the order 5 firft in C^r//?, and then a New Creature. Thefe be the foure things we have to doe, Firft, there muft bee in thee another Nature, that is, it is not enough to be altered in this and that particular, but thou muft have another Nature ; for you fliall finde, that when any man is in Chrift, the whole nature is changed. Lions be turned into LamheSy that is, the very Nature is altered . A Lion doth not carry himfelfe like a Lambe, and remaines a Lion ftill; nor a Ser- pent like a Doe, and remaine a Serpent ftill 5 but the Lion is turned into a Lambe, that is, there is another Nature given ; 2 P^?«i .4. Wee are made fartakers of the divine n4ture : thtre is the very- word ufed, that is, wee have another nature gi- ven like the Nature of God, and it hath in it all the properties of Nature. As how will you know when a thing is naturall ^ You may know it by this that is naturall, not which is begotten by precedent a(5lion,but when the faculty is in- fufed, and then we exercife the operations of it. So it is in all the faculties of Nature, you have firft a fenfe of feeing given you before you fee : In 401 Se RM.IV. olferv,^. Ohferv.^. obferv.^. Obferv.i^ Thofe that are in Chrift have another Na- ture » When a thing is faid to be Naturall. 4o^ J The 2{em Creature ^li>hat. SeRMsIV. h is received CAHtml f 5 ■ It IS common to the whole kiiidei In the. things that are not naturall, there the adions goe before the thing, before the faculty orhabite; as, when a man learnes anything, that is not natural!, as to play on a Lute, or any \ other Art, hee doth many adions, and then he 1 hath got the habit i and when he hath got it, he doth it eafily, for what is naturall is planted in a man^ fo is this, it is planted in the lieart, as the Senfes are, it is infiifed into the Sode, and then we excrcife the operations of it; fo that it is an- other nature, it is juft as the thing that is naturall. Agalne, Nature Is that which wee receive from our Parents, , and whereby wee are made^ like to our Parents. As the Sonne is taken from the Father, and is made like him 3 fo this New Creature is wr0Hght hy God^ and by it, wee are made like him. Therefore, ChriHisfaidtohe formed in m ^ ItraveUin birth till Chrijl bee fer^ med in yoti / that is, till the Holy Ghofl: doe change the whole Soulc into another Creature y fo as it is made like Chrift in every thing, as the Son is like the Father 5 onely the difference is in the degrees, as the Sonne differeth from the Fa* ther in degrees, yet he hath all the lineaments of the Father, fo youare bornecf Chrift, and arelikehim^ Borne ^ not of the will of mAn^ nor of the will of the flejh^ hut ofth^ will of God, if you be New Creatures. > Againe, that is Nature^ which is common to the whole SfecieSy to the whole kinde s what is not naturall, om man ha th, and another man wants. T[?e Nem Creature^ ^hat wants, and this we finde in the New Creature^ the whole kinde, that is^ all the Saints that are living in allplaceSs they have the fame Nature in them, that is, they have the fame Spirit in them, though they be a thoufand miles afunder, though they never faw one another/ yet they may Icnow one anothers mindesjforoneminde dwels in them, when one mindedwels in divers^ they beeof the famedifpofition, fo this Nature is common to them all. Againe, what is Nature it cannot bee altered againe, for that is the property of Nature^ it ftill flicks by us, and will not be changed, but, as Arijlotle obferves, throw aftone up a thou- fand times, it will returne againe, becaufeit is the nature of it to returne; fo what is the nature of a man, put him from it an hundred times and an hundred times againe over, yet he returnes to it againe, becaufe it is naturallto him : So it is with this New Creature, when the heart is once framed aright,though the Saints are fometimes tranfported, though fometimes they are nor like themfelves, though fometimes ftronglufts lead them captives, yet they returne againe, though it were an hundred times done 5 for Na- ture will not be put off, you cannot lay it a-fide againe, Laft of all. Nature is a thing that cannot bee taught, no more can this New Creature, no man can reach you to be New Creatures. Arts may be taught, and things not natural! may bee taught, but this no m< 4^1 Serm«IV. It cannot fee altered. .n can teach you. Wee It cannot be taught. 404 SeR M.IV< Tloe New QnatuUyl^hat. Not to deferre commins; to may (hew what it is to be a New Creature, wee may declare it to you, but God muft doe it. In- deed hee cals it T eachmg^ but it is fuch a teach- ing (as I told you) hec teacheth Bees and Anrs to doe after their kinde, hee teacheth the Storke and other creatures to doe thus and thus, that is, hee puts into them an inftind to doe fo ; In this fenfe he teacheth thee to be a New Creature^he puts an inftind into thee. AH thefe properties are in Nature^thereforewe may conclude,who- foever is in Chrift muft ha\x another Nature* We will now makeufe of it* There be many things profitable arifing from thiSj that there muft be another nature. Firft, then learne hence, not to deferre com- ming to God, becaufe if Repentance were no- thing clfe, but an abftinence from the ads of fin, a refolution to change your courfes, and a feconding of it with fomefutable endevourS;, you might goe farre, and it may bee, come in hereafter, when you will your fclves: but if it be another nature that is required, takeheed of refufing, when God will come and make an of- fer to thee, becaufe another nature is required. What wilt thou doe ^ Put cafe thou hadft ne- ver fo much warning before thou dieft, ifthou hadft EzekiAhs warning, if thou hadft fifteene yeeres given th^e, arc thou able to change thy nature f Why then art thou bold on f Why doft thou defer toturneto God f Whenever God cals for thee, there muft be beauty in thee, thou muft have (as I may fay) a countenance well favoured The New Creature^ Iphat favoured in fome degree i now if thy face bee but befmeared with dirt^ thou mayefl: wafli it off, but if it bee the changing of a Black-moores skin^ how wilt thou doe that f Can the Black- moore change his skime ^ Therefore^ feeing it is a change of Nature, bee not too fecure : Thinke not thus (for it is the onely thing that keepes men from comming to God) I will come in, but it lhall bee hereafter, I will goeyet a little further; this is a very dangerous cafe, becaufe it is a changing of nature that is required, and no Creature in Heaven and Earth is able to doe this. Therefore, when thou commeft to die, or when any crofle comes, thou may eft be willing to change, and thou mayeft take purpofes to thy felfe 5 but doe wee not fee by experience, in fuch cafes, the Nature is not altered, doe not all returne to their byas, there is not one of a thou- fand but doih it, becaufe it is a forced adion. Now a ftone forced upward returnes againe, fo there bee many forced anions in time of Temp- tation, and the houre of death, but ftill the na- ture is the fame, therefore men returne againe. Therefore know this very heart of thine, the very nature of it muft bee altered, it muft bee changed into a light ayrie vapour, that may afcend, elfe it will not hold out, and thou fhalt have no comfort from it, and when it is turned into an ayrie vapour, It muft be done by alight and heat that comes from heaven : So muftthy heart, it is the Holy Ghoft that muft doeit, it is 'onely the Authorof Nature that can change Ee 2 Nanire, Good purpofes in cxtjcamity feldomc truCc ll?e New Creattm^ l^hat. - J Natui^5 hee that made It canreiioeit. Aad as onely fire b^ets fire, fo oneiy the Spirit begets the qualities called the Spirit 3 the Holy Ghoft muft breathe this breath of life io thee. This is a thing not coiifidered^ therefore yoo are bold I , i to put it -o^ if toe Holy Ghoft, 'were at thy I ^^^^^J^^^f^ command 3 if hee would breathe when thou ? e pint ee. i j-^^^^ ^^^^ another cafe,, but hee breathes when and where he lifteth^ nothing is fo free as I the will of the Spirir,he breathes where he lifts : I That it is no more inthee to alter him than the 1 winds, when they blow to the Eaft, canft thou caufe it to blow to the Weftjno more canft thou alter the will ofthe Spirit : Therefore take heed of refufingtheoffer^ when the Lord will offer, it is a dangerous thing to refufe. What the Lord bade them in the Gofpeilto doe, he is ready to doe himfelfe ; whenjou come into a Citiey ojferpace^ifthej will receive it^f ) it is^- j let it come on them j^ut ifthej mill not yfiay not there y. \ let them goe^ {hake off the dtiH off 'jour feet againfi jl them • fuch a people (hall perifti, Confider that, I and fee if the Lord bee not ready to doe it him- ij felfe. If hee make an offer, as he did, when he j gave his Difciples this command - take heed ! that he goe not away in anger, he knocks at thy j heart againe and againe, take heed that he goe not away in wrath. It is the Lords manner, no | man knowes thetime ofhisoffer^^fbrnetimesat ; l the third, fometimes at the fifth, and fomerimes : at the laft houre^ the time is not in thy hand, but whenfbever he offers take heed of refufing, for 406 Tl7e New Creature^ l^hat. if he growes angry, heturnesnomorc. When he Jha/lf veare in his wrath, 8cc. Pf d^9 5 Mlt. that is a place worth confidering. The Apoftle perfvvades them tiottodefcrre Repentance, but to come while it is to dajy put it not ofF 'y and he gives them two reafons, Lejljm he hardned through the deceit fulnejf ? offmne^ that is, you will not be able to come in, fin will har- denyou againe^ left the Lordf veare in his wrath, as hee did to the Ifraelites* Now, you muft marke, they offended him, once, twice, and thrice, ftill the Lord bore with them^ they were rebellious at the Red-fea, and prefently after, yet this the Lord bore with, but there was a time, when the Lord will beare with them no longer, yet they lived many yeares after, then hee fware in his wrath, and then they were de- ftroy ed. It is true, the Lord is not fo angry ft^r every reftafing and fin, which thou committeft, but when he comes to fweare, there is no retra- <5iingofitrhen, v/herefoever you findeanoath in the Scripture, there is no refervation, when he fware, he never returned againe. Therefore take heed ofangriog the Lord lefjSj though he be the Saviour of the world, yet kijf ? the Son leU hee bee angry. Take heed of deferring, for a change of Natureis required, which is a thing that thou canft not doe, but the Lord maft doe ito Againe, if it be a change of Nature, I will but urge this a little. Then v\^e may learns hencetoknovv^ that all Ee 3 the Serm.IV, \rfe2. \ Conteiitnot ! yon-: /elvcs n'ic'i any thing if I bis L>c wan- Ser mJII. the defires that came from Nature are nothing, 1 for that is not tohave another Nature : They I are Flowers , that have abeautie in them , but diey are the F lowers of the Grajfe^ fubjcd: to corruption 3 as well as the ftalke on which they growe, therefore G o d. accepts them not. Againe ^ it is not Morall Vercues, for that is not changing of Nature,. for they maybe got and loft againe. Againe , it isnot the Tranfient ads of Holi- neife which the Holy Ghoft workes in the heart, when hec comes as a PaflTenger for a night, or as a Sojourner for a moneth or two, buc he muft come to be an Inhabitant, and fo as the Soule is in the body, to make the Nature another Nature* Laft of all, it isnot any good Intentions, any good Defires, any good purpofes, but another Nature. Therefore, take heed that you doe not de- ceive your felves, and that is a thing we are ex- ceeding apt to be deceived in, becauTe wee have other purpofes wee thinkeallis well : thiswe^- muft looke to, for there bee many times when men are very prodigall of good purpofes, as when they come to receive the Sacrament, or in time of apprehenfion of death, or it may bee you will purpofe to leave finne, when you have fmarted for fome finne you have committed 5 you then meane to alter all, and you thinke you are welL becaufe you have other defires and » pui poles All the dcfoes that come from Nature arc nothing. Morall Vci'- tueSo J: Tranfient ads HoliaefTe. A ■ Good Intenti- ons and Pat- pofe§i : tr/;e New Creature^ li^haL purpofes in yoUj but it is not fo^ there muft bee another Nature, that is, thcfe purpofes God re- gards as nothing, for indeed they are worth no- thing, when there are new purpofes^ and the old Nature continues ftill, they come to the births and when they have done foy There is m ftrength to bring forth^ that is^ when the purpofes are new, and the nature old, they are not able to dwell there, but it is like a new peece in an old garment, that is, old nature is not able to fute with new purpofes, but the peece breakes forth, and the rent is greater then it wasc So ufually it is,when wee have the old nature,and take new purpofes, there is not a futablenelTe, and the rent is made greater than it was. A man re- turnes againe to fin, and is worfe than hee was ; but when there is another Nature, as well as other purpofes, then the purpofes live there, as Creatures live in their owne Element^ and as branches live and grow on their owne roots , but when purpofes are holy and good, and the nature bad, they are as Plants planted in a foile not proper to them, where they will not grow nor profper^ becaufe the foile is notfutableto them : therefore let us not content our felves with thefe good Purpofes and Tranfient Ads, there muft bee another Nature. For thefe good purpofes, what are they but as bloifomes nipt with untimely frofts ^ they may make a faire fhew, and come to nothing, as a tree that promifeth largely, hath bloffomes very faire, but you fliall findenofruit onit ^ foitiswhen Ee 4 Nature 4Q9 Serm.IV, 410 ERM .I¥. TheNew QnaturejlDhcit Natural! men may approve o£ Gads Law. Nature is not good : There is fo much in Na^ turcj that is in a man not fandtified^ that he hath thefe two things • Firftj hee may approve oPthe Law of God* And fecondly 5 have a defire to i>e faved. Put thefe two together. Approbation of the Law of G o and Defire to-bee faved 5 they will bring forth a purpofeof change of lifej they are able to doe that, but now the heart is not changed : As in l> cut erommie the fifth chapter, and the nine and twentiethverfe you (hall finde an expreffionof it there,, when tMofes told the people^ that G o © would fpeake to them by a man like therafelves 5 they m^de a faire promife that they would doe alf that the LoK d commanded them, LMofes anfwered them , You havefaid wellj But, 0 that there were an heart in this pofle keepe Gods Commandements 3 and to do^ thm^ that it may goe well with them and their children. As if hee had faid, I know you fpeake no more than you thinke, I know that you are refolved to doe what the Lord v^ill appoint, but you have your old hearts ftill : oh that there were an- heart there. So they that take^new Purpofes to them-' fel ves, it is well ; but we may fay, O h that there were inthem an heart ! Forit fares with menin this cafe, as with them fpoken of in Scrip- ture s Onefaid^heweuldgoeintQtkFineyardj 4nd did not 6 , It Tloe New Creature^ Iphat It is a frequent cafe, when men fayj they will goe into G o p s Vineyard, they doe no-t, becaufe they are not able, till they have another Nature: It is an intent above their ftrength^ therefore con- tent not your felves with Purpofes, 4n Serm.IV THE THE FIFTH S E R M O N VPO N THE NEW CREATVRE. Z. Co R. 5.17. ^Therefore if a man he in Qhrift^ let him be a U\(evp Qreature . Hirdly, if this be required of every man^ that hee have aa- other Nature, then wee muft lead you a ftep further than wee did before, you muii not only, not content your felves with good purpofes and de- fires, but more than that with good and holy actions: It is not enough that you doe the adi- ons 41? Se RM JV, Looke that good perfor- mances be n; turail to you. 414 I . The New Creature ,l^hitt. ^* ons that are holy and goodly that your lives bee holy and good in great tneafure, or for a fit, but the Nature muft bee altered^ that is, it is not enough that thou exercifefl: meekeneffe and tern- I perance, gentlenefle^and humilityjbutthou muft bee an humble nian, and ameekeman3, a man lowly fpiritj of a fbher and temperate diipo- fition, thy very nature muft bee turned into this : that isj thefe Graces muft be £0 incorporated in- to thee, as if they vs^ere con-naturall to thee : therefore it is faid ofD^viJ, not onely that hce ; did what wasgood, and Gods will, but he had an heart after Gods heart : fo it muft bee true of all the SaintSj for God delights not but in the heart : Therefore in Pfal. $1.6. Thou hvefi truth in the inner fmsytherefore hajl thdu taught me mf- dome in thefecret of my heart : that is, though the oi^tward performances bee good in themfelves, yet thou delighteft not in them, that which thou delighteft in, is to have another Nature, to have truth in theinward parts ;that is, when the inward frame of the heart is altered, when that is fet right, therefore thou haft taught meewif- dome in my hidden parts,in my heart, thou haft not onely given me wifdometo behave my felfe well abroad in my adiions and carriage, but | thou haft made mee wife in the iecret of my I heart. It is faid of lofhuay he had another Spirit,elfe hee had not come into that Land : therefore fee if thou haft fuch a change in thy heart, that thou doeft not onely doe good things, but that thou I The New Creature^ '^hat rhou docft them in chat manner, that thou docft naturall anions, that is, infuch amanner^that thou canft not but doe them, as i lohit 3 .p. They cannot finney for they are borne of God. They have \ another Nature^what followes on that ^ There- fore they cannot fin, as a man cannot do agalnft Nature, they cannot doe any thing againft the \ truth. Againe, ontheother fide, they cannot chufe but doe good, as a man cannot chufe but doe that which is natural! to him . Doe not fay. This Rule is ftrid^ who can heare it ^ Doe we make it fcraiter than the Holy Ghoft dothf What elfe is the meaning of it, Whofo- ever isinChrifik a New Creature i that is, hath another Nature; allweedoe, muftcomefrom another Principle, which is the fame to thee now, which Nature was before, all muft be al- tered ; as wee fay of Creatures, that which is dogs-meat, is a flieepes poyfon ; fo ic h true of men, when the Nature is changed, there is not "^nely an alteration of ad:s, but what was his neat before, is now his poyfon 5 and what was •poyfon to him before, is now his delight, it is i" that he feeds on. i But, you will fay, How fliall I knowwhen : my Nature is altered:' It is a matter of great moment, no man can be faved without it, and j it is nothing to have holy purpofes, defires, and j anions, but the Nature muft be altered there- t fore it ftands us in hand to know it. ! Youi M . V. How to know our nature is altered. ^>E RM. V Anfi Iciscuflome. f It is pkafant. The New Creature^ lohat. You fliali kaow it briefly by this ; Firft, what you doe naturally, you doe k conftantly, you do it ordinarily : for Nature is a conftant thing. In things not naturall, there may bee much in- equality, they may continue for a time, and be laid a-fide againe, as apeece gilded over,ldng wearing will weare off the gilt , but what if the lead or filver be turned into gold f Then it will beeftillthef^me: fo it is with the man, whofe nature is changed, he will be conftant, the fame nature will hold out and continue. A Wolfe that puts on a Sheepes cloathing, may bee like a Sheepe, but is not turned into a Sheepe : wee are turned into Sheepe, as Chrift turned Lions into Lambes, Serpents into Doves, that is, hee alters the very Nature, when that is done, then a man is alway like himfelfe, indeed hee doth it by degrees, as you (hall heare hereafter, but he is ftill the fame* Therefore confider what con- ttancy, what evenneffe^ what equality is in your Nature 5 for if there bee another nature given you, if you be other men, you doe not a<5i: ano- ther perfon, for then you may be ready to put it ofF,andlay ita-fide^ butyour Nature is alte- red, and fo your carriage will be conftant. Againe, what is narurall to thee, is pleafant, becaufe indeed all pleafure is nothing elfe, but a futablenelfe to ourNature, Let the nature bee what it will be 5 any thing futable to it will bee pleafant: Therefore it is a conclufion the Phi- lofophers had, that, that light which is O^i/^- nkntipma Naturd^is the pleafanteft light. Now if Hoe TSletp Creature^ It^haV \ 417 if thou have another nature, allthewayes of 5erm. V. God v^ill be pleafant to thee^ It mil be meat md drinke to thee to doe his will. Againe^ if it bee natural], thou wilt nat bee 3 Tubjed to wearineffe. Another maa is ftill go- [-Jl""^''' ing up the hill, when heeis about holy duties^ and growes weary and fits downe, and is not able to continue 5 but vv^hat wee doe naturally, wee are not weary of^ The c^je is not weary v^ith feeing y nor the eare with hearings becaufe it is na- tural! : The afliduity of holy duties, wearieth out any man that hath another nature s but let the nature bee altered, and he holds ^ut, they be fo farre from wearying him, that they abilitate him, they make him more able, the burthen growes lighter, and the way more eafie, when to another man it is hard, and hee carts it off. I Againe, if it benaturall,,it will out-grow the contrary, it will weary it out 5 for Nature is neerer to us,than that which is adventitiouSo Sin is put out of pofTeflionj a maps felfe is altered, finne doth not dwell there,but it comes in there. Now there is another Nature which weares it j out^ as a Spring doth mud, let jnud fall into a Spring, it will worke it out, for it is a living wa- ter, ftill working. So if a mans nature be chan- ged, if a man fall to finne, yet there is a Spring, and that nature will returne againe and againe, land w^orke it out, ifnot today, it v^ill tomor-| row, becaufe there is a Spring there. Againe, where there is not a New Creature, it will never leave fetling till it have corrupted the whole. 4 It will wcare out that that IS contrary 0 Simtle^ 4i8 SfiRM. V The T>{ew CreMure^l^hat. Two things in anew Nature „ Butaa Objedtion will come in^ I cannot find this change of Nature, I find that the fins I de- lighted in before, I delight in Ml, thofeevill I inclinations which I had before, I have them I ftili, I find not fuch an inward alteration, I find that I can fupprefTe them,and reftraine thein,biit the change of Nature I find not* This is a great Objedion^ and needs an* fwering. To this therefore I anfwer, two things thou lhalt find in thy felfe, if thy naturebe changed, if thou have another nature in thee, though there bee fomething in thee, that dodi Hke the objeds of thine owne lufts, yet there is fome- thing in thee that abhorres them, though there be an inclination that carries thee towards them, yet there is a contrary incHnation that refifts ! them, fo there is fomething ftill that contradids and oppofeth them* And that is not all, there is, befides this, a weakning of the vigour which before they had, there is not that ftrength in them that was be- fore* So that there are two things in every man that harh a new Nature : Firft, though there bee much of the old there, y,et it is excee- dingly weakned and mortified. Andfecondly, there is much new that was not there before. In every faculty there is fomething new, that puts a good tiniSure, a beauty, and glolle on every adion thoudocft; fo as though thou doe much of the old, yet not fo much as thou didft before, and thou doeft much that thou couldft not doe before. before. Thereforebenot difcouragcd, though xiiere bee fome inclinations left ftill, yet the ffreameis weakened, the vigour is abated : and ^aine, tfieie is a contrary ftreamcthatoppo- feth, refifkth, and overcommeth it. It may be 4t the firft, thou mayeftfinde itmoredifficult, but in continuance thou (halt finde it more evi- -denr. I cannot better rcfcmble it to you, than by a man newly recovered out of fickneffe, take a man that is newly recovered, asfooneas his ^Jifeafe begins to iofe hisftrength, and health begins to enter, the health is exceeding little ar the firft, but you fliallfindethis infucha man^ that health isin every part, and youfliall finde it will grow ftill and get ground. Andagainc, although a manbee exceeding weake, notable to goe out ofhis chamber 5 not able, it maybe, to goe out of his bed, yetthcfickneffeisgone and fubdued, and health hath gotthe viiftory 5 fo the ficknefTe gro wes weaker and weaker, and Jiealth ftronger and ftrongerj fo Sincerity is the icaft of all Graces at the firft, and growls to be the greateft at the end : therefore, though there be the fame Inclinations in thee ftill ^yet it is like a fickneffe when a man is upon point of reco- very, when the health begins to enter in, there is a great weaknefle remaines,but the health over- ballancerh it* ^ ; Therefore, be nor difcoiiraged for that, onc- ly, be fure that thou finde thofe Inclinations die in thee more and more, and that health growes I moreand more s for: lufts arefaid to bee morti- I Ff fied, Serm. v. Simiko Sincerity little at the £rft. 42 o To -abhor the old nature,an4 gofecke to Ti)e New Creature^ lUfhat. fied, not becaufe they arc aJature till thou behumbic ; when thou commi^fl: to abhorrerhy felfe^thou wilt labour, for - another felfe, and not before, thou wilt thenbe content, yea defirous that that old heart of thine may be broken in peeces^^and that thou be made jtievv^ But, you will fay. What fliall I doe to have this old Nature made new Goe^oChrift, the fame adions hee ufcd when he raifed La'^arus^ tht fame actions he doth, when he raifeth any to life s therefore the fame^ourfe muft be taken^ that was taken to raife Lazarus from the dead o What was that ^ To beleeve in him. You havein lohnix .^.it is faid, .^hisp befallmhim, that tk^ glory of the Son of man may. hefeem : that is, that Ghrift may be glorifiedr. S<) the blinde man was faid to bee blindefor the glory of God: So it may. be faid of the old Nature in man, of the death that h^th. gone over all mankinde 5 therefore it is that God may be glorified, .that is^. may fhew his power in renuingic : Therefore, as Chrift faid ta Mary Did not I fay to thee beleeve f Beke^c only 3 ^nd tbou^fhahfce thepmr and glory of God : So fay I to every one of you i onely beleeve, that is, gpe to God,befeech hina^and givenot over, and be- leeve that he is iible and willing to doe it, and he will not deny thee, , hee will raife thee from the dead, hee will change that old nature of thine, and know it is no fmall matter to beleeve^ he can doeit -3 LorJ^faith hy if thou mlt^ thoucanjtmakt me • How to^get our natures xe* I i The New Creature ^'t^hat me cle^ne. It was a great matter to fay fo : Exa- mine thy felfcjand fee if it be fo with thee^canft thou fay to Chrift, Lotd, if thou wilr^ thou canft heale this nature and d^ifpofition of mine^ Men are difcouraged whetl they fee finne hath got ground of themj they have had a long corn- bate with itj and cannot overcome it. It is an hard thing to goe to Chrift and fay, Lord^ thou ca^Jl make me tphle ' but thou muftbeleeve, for he can doe it, and doth it daily, therefore goe to him, beg earneftly of him, and he will change this nature of thine, and make thee a New Creature* Againe, fifthly, if wee have another nature, ^fi 5- then doe not feare falling away, for when a fil^^^^^^^^'^ man is made a New Creature once, he hath an- other nature, if Grace were nothing but a thing infufed, an adventitious quality, that did onely tdhere to us, wee might lofe it againe, but ha- ving another nature, never feare that thou canft be changed to the contrary, for thou haft ano- ther Nature. Indeed you muft goe thus farra^, you may lofe Florem{zs we fay) but not RadL cem^ a&umy but not Potentiam, you may lofe the Flower, the Branches may bee cut downe, but life remaines in the Roots you may lofe the cxf^j but notthepower, you may lofe the de- grees ; you may lofe it Gradualiter^not Tot alitor. And laftly, you may lofe the fenfe, you may have Gratiam fine fenfti grainy yOu may lofe the fenfe of it, but not the thing; you may lofe the ufe, the Root and fubftance youcannot ^ you Ff 3 may 5erm. V. Grace united toChrift can- not pcndi. Tl)e New Creature^ ivhat. may lofe the degree^ not the whole : that is^ when you are once a member of Chriftj there may be a benumming, that may hinder the in- fluence of bloud andfpirits^but foas it fliali ne- ver be gangred, it ihall never die againe s there may be a cloud on you^ buttheSunnelhall ne- ver fet on you. But, you wiil objetS:, Grace of it felfc is of a mutable nature s for that which isfubjedto decay in part;, is fubj:e<5itodecay inthe whole.^ Againe,: it is a CreaturCj and every Creature is fubjed: to perifh. Againe, wee fee that the An- gels and Jdam In Paradife had grace as true as we, yet they fell from it f I anfwer, It is trues Grace of itfelfemay perifli, itispoffibIe,itmay die, for it is a Crea- ture, and may perifli as well as any other, con- fidered in it felfe, but if we confider it as united and joyned to Ch r i s r I e s v s, fo it can- not faileyou i for, you muft know, Gracein eve- ry mans heart, is like light in the aire, and like water in the Cifterne: now it is true, if the Sun fet,the light will vani(h,and if the Spring fliould drie up the water, the River would drie up too : but feeing the Sunne never fets, that is, Chrift never departs from you, when heehath taken you to himfelfe;^ and feeing the Spring never driesup, though grace of it felfe bee of a muta- ble nature, yet by reafon of that conjundiion with him, it can never be altered, andthenceit is that you cannot fall off. It is true, if we were cut off from Chrift, Grace fhould wither, as the Branch Tl^eNew Creature^^hat, Branch being cut off from the Root^^ b' ut being knit tohim,5 the Sap muft bee in the Branches, becaufe itisinthe Root, and life will be in the members, becaufe it is in the Head : therefore, wee fay, no man can fall from Grace, becaufe he cannot be cut off, once on, and never off,once his,and never feparated againe,as Rom.S.s^.Thc Apoftle goes through variety of things, that may feemeto bee abletofeparateus, but No- thing can, and feeing nothing can feparate you, you fhall have alway Sap, that is, Grace, it fliall never be taken from you, when once you have it. So that, if a member may be cut off from Chrifts body, it might perifli and die, but as Chrifl: dies no more, fo every one in Chrift dies no more; Rom.6.9. Chrifl dies m more jfo every one in him dies no more : that is,he lives as Chrift lives: Therefore, if therecanbenodisjunftion from Chrift, thou mayeft comfort thy felfe, thou (halt have grace for ever. Therefore com- fort your felves,my Brethren, with thefe words, Doe you regard an Inheritance above a Leafe, j becaufe an Inheritance is a conftant thing Doe I you regard Pearles above Flowers, becaufe ; they will not withers* Why then doe you not I get Grace, which is fo conftant a thing. Be not I difcouraged, give not over your fight; for fee- ing Grace fliail never have an end in you, you I fhall be fure to overcome, you may have many an hard bickerings but you are fure to hold out. Difcouragement is a great meanes to make a lliall never get vidlory over my F f 4 (innes. i j man fit ftill ^ 4i6 5erm. v. Be not diCcou^ nged with the difiicuhy oi any duty. Difficulty whoice- it is. Tf)e New Creature^ '^hat. finnes, and then I fliall be cue off. No, it is im- poflible, when it is once planted, it iliall growj thou (halt have the victory. Sixthly, ifcommingto Chrift^we flialihave another nature, then bee not difcouraged tofet upon fo holy a vvorke* Indeed, if this neceflity j were laid on thee, to ierve God in newneffe of \ life with an old heart, it were an hard taske, and very intollerabIe,thouhadft reafon tofit downc and never attempt it* But this is for comfort, Thouihak have another nature. All difficulty arifeth from d fproportion, betweenethe facul- tie and the objecSl, or the thing to bee done. As for aman of afhallow underftanding, to be put to ftudy an hard thing, the difficulty is, there is no proportion betweene his underftanding and theburrhen of the thing i lay a great burthen on a childe^ and he cannot bearcit, but were he as ftrong as the burthen, it were nothing. If God fhouldimpofeontheenewneflTeoflife, and fuf- fertheetokeepe thy old nature, it were an hard taske^ and thou wilt never performe it, thou wilt find that difficulty in it by reafon of the difpro- portion betweene thy nature and the duty $ but ieeing thou (halt have another nature, be not difcouraged, goeon with comfort, and remem^ ber that the beft nature in the world, if God change it not,it will not ferve the turne. And the worfe nature, if chou thinkeft thou haft a worfe nature than others,if he will changeit, he is able todoe i', with readinefle and facility^ therefore be not difcouraged* Againe, 71?€ New Creature ^li^hat. Againe, if thy nature be changed, thou muft^ bee comforted i Comfort your felvesin this, that you have anothernature (and fo wee will end this point) for it is a very great comfort, a comfort beyond that which perhaps you ima- gine, for the Saints are too flow, too backward to confider their confolations, their priviledges, the glorious condition they are in : therefore glory in that, comfort thy felfe in that,that thou haft another nature given thee. But, you will fay, what benefit have I by that 1 I will not ftand on it, but name one place^ lames i.iS.He hath begot us againe with the Word of truth y that we jhould bee a kinde offrB fruits of his Creatures: that is, he hath given lis^anochcr nature; And what doe we get by that ^ By this meanes you are made Primitia^ the firft fruits of his Creatures. There are two things in that, when wee are faid to be firft fruits, we are the creamcand the prime of all his Creatures, as the firft fruits were thecreame of all thefield,thetop of all the Creatures of God 3 and is not that a glorious con= , ditionthatthis-new Nature puts us intothat bee changed, that it will make you thehigheftin that kinde, this is a great prlviledge : there is a wonderfuU difference betweene Angels and De. vils,oae is the top,and the other is the bottome^ all the diff.rence is only this,N^w? Nature: there- fore, when thou haft a New nature, thou art put into a high and glorious condition, and this 4^7 Sekm. V Aciiangc of nature is a ground of Two things in firft fruitr 428 The TS^ew Creature ^lohat. It'muft bee a new Creature, Confcdaiies 1 That we are redeemed from old Cu, flomes. ^his is the firft fenfe^ that we are New Cre^- Then there is another, by being the firft fruits 5 you fancSifie the whole field 5 all the -world fares the better for you % for the firft fruits are, not onely the beft, but thy fanftifie all the reft, that is^ all mankinde receives good from you. When was out of Sodome, it was fet on fire, when the Ifraelites were once out of the R ead-fea, the waters returned and drowned Ph- raoh ; So Gods children fandifie the whole lumpe : therefore you have a great priviledge by being New Creatures : So much for this, that you muft have ailother Nature, Now the next pointis, there muftbe a New- nefle, Whofoever is in Chrijl^ let him bee a New Creature: From thence many things are to bee gathered 5 As firft, if wee muft beNew Crea- tures, then ar^v/e redeemed from oldcuftomes, there is a lingring in our Nature after that wee havebeene longaccuftomedtodoe, old haunts are irery prevalent. Cuftome is as an Iron chain, to tye us to the things that are evilL Now thou muft bee a New Creature, Old Cuftomes arc fuch as Chrift died to redeeme thee from. Even from the vaine converfstiony ou have received from your Fathers. Therefore, you that are held in any by-wayes, remember that you are bound to be New 'Creatures ^ and take beed that cuftome prevaile not with you 3 for it is exceeding pre- valent, becaufeitispleaflmt, as what a man is long Tl?e New Creamre^l^hat. 4^9 long accuftomed to^is very pleafant/or cuftome breeds another nature, and what is fo futable to us/ as things connaturall with us^ and what are fojarevery pleafant ^ A man will bee loath to come out of a thing which he hath much been accuftomed to 5 Firfl, it wins of our ludgements, or our opinions, and that IS the reafon why young men are not able to judge5and other men that are accuftomed to evill courfes have judged already, and will not judge againes and by this meanes cuftome prevailes ex^- ceedingly/or it is not onely pleafant, but it wins ofour ludgement, Againe it is exceeding troublefome to change, when a man is accuftomed in a thing, itiseafie to continue in that courfe, but to goe out is troublefome. And againe, wee thinke it a difparagement, what have wee lived thus long, thus many yeares together in^ this traft, and lliall now change it C And which is worfe than all the reft : Cu- a:ome breeds a fenfclefnelfe ; Take heed that pu> '^ee not hardnedthrough the deceitfulnejf z offinne 3 chat Cuftome takes not away all fenfe • Confue- tudo pccandi to Hit f '.nfumfeccati-^i is not an eafie :hing to leave an old cuftome ; but remember, chat i^you hec in Chrtjly jou mufl be new Creatnres: Hee ilied his bloud to redeemeyoufrom finne, that is, hee hath paid a deare price to rcdeeme you from the bondage of cuftoroes^ from jour oldConverfation-y therefore doe not lay you have ____ long Serm. V Cuftome hath many advanta- ges againft us- I Jt'gaincs up- on our judge- ments. litis trou- blefome to al- ter it. 3 . We plead for it. 4. It breeds SenfekrncfTe. 5fiRM. V. Tl)e 7>letP Credture^ H^hat. Wonder not thai the world wondeis as thee- IfayS.iS, long done it^and will doe it ftill^ Antique confm. tudoy is noihing elfe but vemffas errms Men do excufe tlieir cvill actions from their cuftome in them^ buc know it is no good excufe^ to excufe iecond errours with a former, Doeft thou thinke it a good excufe to fay, I have done it thus long, and therefore will doe it ftiiW Yeeld not to it^ but know thou oughtcft to be changed^ have this {till in thy minde, thou muft have a new Nature^ thou art redeemed from thy old cuftdmes: And rhislfpeakenot onely to theold^ but to the y oung. I call it old, not becaufe men have long continued in it, but becaufe it is futable to the old nature. Ifou fliould therefore rather make a contrary ufe of it^ and be ready to fay, feeing I have continued in fuch a courfe fo long, it is time formee to ai ter 5 it is enough and too much that I havefpent fo much time amiflfe, I have fuffered Chrift to wait, and knock till head he wet with the dew ^ he fhall wait no longer, I will now ©pemohm^ for therefore are we New Creatures, that wee may bee redeemed and freed from thefe old cu- ftomes. Secondly, if thou muft bee New, then let it not feeme ftrange to thee, that the world won- ders at thee y for any thing that is new, wee are apt to wonder at, as at new Stars that have not appeared before, and at new fafhions. This is the condition of all Saints to be wondred at, / and the children whom thou hafi given me, are as fignes and wonders in ifraeL If it were among- Turkes The New Creature^ l^hat. Turkes it were another matter, but it isfo in Ifrad. Be not difcouragedfor this, make account of ity the world will wonder at New Creatures^ and let it not feeme ftrange j for when thou knoweft that all the world Im in wickednejfe^ as in the 1 lehn 5. 1 p. And knoweft thatthouma Creacurcj why wilt thou be difcouraged t Let the Mathtmatinonht\VQv\imQ according to his Art J he drawes lines according to his Rule, if a Country-man laugh at him, will he gi^e over^ and be difcouraged He will not doe fo, foi* he knowes it is the mans ignorance; foif thou ap- proved thy felfeto God,ifthoukeepeft a good confcienceinall thiT^s towards God^ and towards i//?;^^, the world will wonder at it,yet thou goefl; ■by Rule, it is their ignorance, it feemes ftrange • to them, and therefore they fpeake evill • It is' the multitude that doth it, and the multitude dotb alway caft fliameonthat, which fliames chem : know it is the falhion of the world to doe fo, thelifeofthe Saints is a fccret cenfiire.now diere is no way for the world to helpethem- feives, but to blemifli that which fhames them 3 to caft fliame on that, toblemilh thatasmuch as can be. Therefore the old world doth put away all, chat may difcover them: As the Painter when hee had pictured a Cocke very ill, commands^ his Boy to drive away all true Cockes from the pidlure s >for, faith hee, if they come neere it, all men will fee what a bungler I- am, but if no Why the world difgraces the Saints. Tloel^lewCredtkre^ l^hat \ no true Cockes come neere, itmay pafTeweii etiough: After this manner doth the world. As long as no New Creature comes neere, their oldnefle is not feene, it is not taken notice of^ they doe well enough, but ifthere bee one in a Countrey or Towne, or one of a Society jwhofe courfe is of another fafliion, that hath another life that is^a New Creature^when he ftands by, I the old will appeare, and they will have it dri- ven away: I would the times were not fuch as j that I need preflfethis^ j Indeed it is a great weaknefle to be difcoura- ged in the wayes-of God, and to bee afliamed of ^ that which fliould be our glory. It hath alway i beene the manner of the world, and that may j comfort thee s for the wprld is as the Sea that cafts out Pearles,but this is my comfort, fomc will gather them up, fome know them to bee Pearles, and prize them fo, though the world cafts them out as mud, yet the Lord knowes what thou art, T he world loves her own^ but what is not like themfelves, the world cannot love 5 as the ^Ethiopians picture Angels blacke and Devils white s fo doth the old world, what is | blacke like themfelves, they reckon beautiful!, but they that have the true beauty they honour not, becaufe they are not like them. Therefore, if thou iindeft ill entertainment in the world , thou muft know, every New Creature (hall haveit : And let mce fay this of the old world, that ai'e r^ady tocaft fliame on the New Creatures,, you fay you doe it not to the. New Cnature^l^hat. the Kew Creatures^ not to them that are reli- gious, but you doe it to Hypocrites : Let me fay thus much tO' you before I paffc this point* Thofe men whom of ail others you may thinke not to be New Creatures^may be the beft men 5 as a Philofopbcr anfwered5and it was a wifean- fwer jwhen an ignorant man asked him^who was an happy man, whereas men reckon Kings and Princes happy men ^ Hee anfwered. He that of all others, thou, thinkeftmoft happy, may bee .moft unhappy,and he whom thou thinkeft moft ■unhappy, may be moft happy : So thofe that be difliked for the moft part, are thefe New Crea- tures, and thofe men l poken well of^ are of ano^ ther ftockc, like themftlves. Thirdly, if wc muftbenew Creamres,then pull downc all that is old 5 for whatfoever is old muft bee rejciSled^^a man muft in every thing be another man than hee was : So as thou may eft fay, Ihadfuchaluft, fuch adifpofition, my de- light was in fuch things, fuch men, (uch compa- ny J now I am changed, all is made new. So that thy bufinefTc is to pull downe now, and to build up, that is the bufine(rc of every man to be ftill plucking downe theold building, whatfo- ever is old, v^aatfoever is in thy felfe, in thy old )relfe,thou muft be emptied ofF,and thou muft be hew, that is, Thott mujl purge oi4t the old leaven, \i C^r.^.j. Furge out the old levean.for-ChriJl yeur Fafeover is offered : Uthaz was to be done for the liadow, muft it not be done for the fubftance < The Apoftle ^xt^ihkSo^ Phrgeout alhhe old leaven:, 431 S I ^ M • V . Confer. ^. Pull dav?ac all that is old. f 4?4 Shlike old leaven, all muft bee purged, alloldthii^see taken away j thete was a ftraitchargethat they muft fearchthefrhoufes^ yea, every cor- ner of their cup-boord, nor any place ihould^ be left iinfearehed, and it was to be done exact- ly, that in the leaft corner there fhould be no lea- ven left : So thou muft fearch'all the corners of thy heart, all the turnings of thyconverfation/ the old leven muft be purged out of all, out of xhy underftanding, out of thy tongue,therem«ft J3e no more thy old fpeech and language, out of thine eyes, there muft be no more wantonnelfe ^ out of thine eares, every part of the old man, of i the old leaven, muft be purged out of the whole Soule,there is no queftion of that,and of thy bo- dy too I all the manner of converfation muft be holy I all old leaven muft be purged out,becaufe : it is old leaven I and you muft keepe the PaflTe* .over with that which is new, with new dougb, I with the New Creature. -J For Sinne is like old leavenjnow leaven whml it is old is the worft, as every thing gets ftreogtil from their age, and it is of that Nature, that if they do not purge it outfit will leaven the whdll lumpe : If there be any jot of Iea^::nleft,it fhaft vfower all thy heart, Sinne islik^a fretting Id- profie that will runne over all ^ So leaven 14 ftrong, it fowres quickly and fpeedily. But,^ou will fay. How fliall I doe that, then lihall be fr^e from all finne f The meaning is, thou muflLdiflike all, Sinne muft be put out of pofleffida, it muft be emptied forth,' ThtNew Creature, l^fhat. forth, thourauftbe inwarrewithitall, that is, thoutnuft refift all , if any bee not purged out, that thou fuffereft it to lye quietly without re- filling, it will leaven the whole, therefore purge all out. But muft all the old building bee pulled downe y Is there nothing to be left there ^ What (hall we doe with our naturall difpofitions f You muft know, that only the oldnelTc is to be taken away^ but the nature it felfe is to conti- nue, there is much ufe of nature, ondy you muft know, grace takes away th^obliquity, theold- nefle, the fowreneflTc of it, and puts a fweetnefle into it* As a Ship under faile, the wind is pro- fitable to drive t'- Ship, elfe it will not goe, all the matter is in the Rudder, that it be turned the right way. So Nature, the ftrength of nature, affethat it fpends it felfe in earthly forrow and worldly difcon- tent, when grace comes, when the new man comes, it powres it felfe forth in Prayer, Is any manf xd Let him fray. _ Gg So 4^5 Serm.-';V< Grace takes not away na- ture^ but the oldaqfls of it. m6 SeR M. V The Nem Qreature^ Iphat. So it may be thou arc naturally merry, grace j ' takes not avyay this difpoficioa, bat whereas be- 1 fore it was fpent in vanity ; now he that is merry fmgs Pfalmes ; Let him that is merry fing Pfalmes-^ that is, a mans merrineffe is turned to an holy cheerefulnefle^ the diiroluteneffeis taken away^ i but the difpofition continues ftill : Religio ejl U- ta-^ though noi^dijfoluta.So it may bethou art of a facile nature, before it was to evill, thou waft ready to be drawne away by evill, when gracs- comes, thou muft be facile to good. It may be thou haft a fturdy difpofition, full of metall,and courage, whereas before it was to attempt evill things with much violenc^Si^ow it is fet on good enterprises with as much zeale^^ fo there is nothing to be pulkd downe,only the oldneiTe muft be taken away. The end of the Fift h Sermon. i THE i THE SIXTH E R M O VPO^' THE NEW CREATVRE. N 2. Cor. 5.17a Hoerefore if a mm he in Qhri^^ let him hea^ey^ Qreature. Gaine^ if weemuftbee New Creatures^ if that mufrbethe condition of every man to have another new man be- gun in him ^ then wonder not • at the uaevennefiTe which is found in the lives ofthe bePc of the Saints. Foriftherebefomething new^^ and fomething oldj (as there is) there muft . Ccnfect,^^ Wonder not at the uneven- nelTe which IS found in the li'/esof the Gg 2 needs ' 438 Serm.VL Bifeence be« twecn uneven- nefle intke Saints, and in The New Creature^l^hat. needs be an unevenneffe, as where there be two contvd0 Principles 3 moving two comrary way es, the body muft needs be n:\oved with fomeunevenneflej and unequality : therefore be not difcouraged, for that you are not perfed in all things, you have fomething new in you^and fomething old i onely take heed you bee not mi- ftaken in it«. For there is a great difference be- tweene the unevennefTe befalling the Saints, which are New Creatures^ and the unevennefle in the wayes of the wicked, there is a great dif- ference betwecne the failings that they are fub^ jc£t to^ who are upright-he attfrd, and betweene I the failings of them that are rotten and not found at heart. You will aske, how fhall I know the dif- ferenced This isthediflferencer There be fome men whom Saint Imes cam- plaines of in his firft Chapter, that are unftable in all their wayes, andinthefixth Chapter of Saint Matt km, that have not a fisgle eye : 2/ the eye be ftngte^ allthe body is light | bnt if the eye bee doMe^ all the body is fuUofdarknejfe : That is, there are caufeswhy men walke un|venly, one is becaafe they are as in Bivio, they know not which way to choofe ^ they are yet in doubt what to pitch on 5 as a man Handing betweene two ob|e(as, and not knowing which way to choofe, but fbmetimes will be with one, fbme- times with the other, according as bis different; temper guides hinij he will not pitch refolutely; i on Tlje New Creature, ft)hat. on either: So it isadoubleeyejbecaufeofthe objedlss itlooJkson two objedsjnow on one^and now on anotherj now it is carded this way^now that way- This is a thing every where condem- ned in the Scripture i but there is difference be- tweenethis and a fingle eye, that hath one ob- ject, that hath chofen God for his God, but foliowes him with much weakneflfbj with much imperfednefle ; this man hath a fingle eye, and hath pitched on God 5 another hath two things in his eye. One thing I doe deftre,(mh David, and mc thing will I feekcfor^ &c. And Iliavc chofen torunnethewayofthy Commanderaents. So all the SaintSj onething they defire \^hich they pitch on, they have rcfblvjed to i^rve God with a perfeERM«VI. Hypocrites bring not forth fruits. T?;e New Creature ^'^hat. windsj yet there is a certaine Havea whicli it tencfs to: So thereisa certainc Haven^which all the Saints of Godgoeto, ho^vfoever they ^re tranfponed by temptations and luftsy yet tnc ConfipaflTe ftands the right way : Another i$ carried a-fide by uncertaine winds, (for that is a Scripture fimilitude) that is, there istlic wind of a good mood carrying them towards God;, let them bee turned, they goe another way, they are not bound to a certaine Haven, they are not pitcht, the others are carried a-fide by accident, fometimes they miftake the way^ fometimcs they fall, and flip in the way, bat that is their journey they travell to heaven* Laft of all, thofe that are uneven 5 out of falfeneffeof heart, and not weakeneffe of grace,, they never bring forth fruit. I finde that tobe the Scriptures Rule in the eight Chapter of Saint Lukcy in the Parable of the Seed, you (hall fee, it is faid of the third ground, which went furtheft of the three, that it broughrnot forth fruit 5 for the thornesgrew up, that is,the world and the pleafures of divers lufts, and choaked ir^, fo thefe men bring not forth fruit. But, you will fay, they doe bring forth fruit, doe they not doe many anions in good moods may not an hypocritegoefarre f May heenot have many bloffomcs f Yes, but they are but bloflTomes y there is fomethinggreene, but they are but blades^ the corne never comes to caring, that is, they are nevet ripe : now a thing muft be ripe before it can The New Creature ^^hat. can be called good fruit, they never bring forth ripe fruit, that is, fruit indeed 3 they bring forth fowregrapeSj-Epjf 5.2 •! did thusjmd thus to my Vineyard, and it brought fqfth vvilde grapes ^ it may be^ to mens feeming they^^e as good as any, they may looke as well as thebeft, but tafte them and they are fowreft, there is not any fruit, that is onely t^e property of the laft ground, to bring forth fruit v^ith patience. Now it is true of all the Saints, though they be weake ycrthey bring forth fruit, and true^and ripe,and pleafant fruit, fuch as God delights to eat of ; Come let us rvalke in the Garden, and gather (ome fruity as in Cant.'y . i . The other bring not forth fruit. Take the beft adion they doe, be- ing rightly examined, it is not good, there is fomething there that marrcs it 5 and God fees this, they may bee very faire in the eye of man, but they are abominable in Gods fight. There- fore, if thou have a New nature, be not difcou- raged for thy unevennefTe, which the beft of the Saints areliableto. Againe, this is another Confeitary from this point, and we may put thefe two together, becaufe theyaretwo branches comming from the fame Root: If there be another New Na- ture pu|: into us, then expert a combatCj for certainly new and old will not agree together 5 youx:annot put two contraries together, but -fthere muft needs be a fighting, there muftbea contention ; therefore expedl that, and know you are not right 3 thereis no new Nature there, . except 443 SfiRM.Vl ohferv.^, Expe(^ a com. 444 Serm.VI object* The New (/eatureyli^hat Differences betwe^nc the comtoe in the New Qveatare and that fight thatfeemes to be in naturall men^ In the fubjed. except you finde fuch a controverfie within. But, you will fay, this is not fo fure a figne, for before this i found many a combate ; .and doe not Heathen men expreffe what reludlance they have had^ Have not civill mcn^ carnall men, and men ignorant of the wayes of God, a great conflict many times, betweenetheconfci- ence checking them within^ and the adions they doe^ I anftver, it is true, but there is a great diffe- rence betweene the Combate, that is , betweene the New Nature , and the remainders of the old, and betweene the naturall confcience^ thofe glimmerings, thofe fparkes, thofegooS defires which even they may have that are not fandified5 for you flball finde allthefedif- ferences* Firft, in them that are found, there is aUa fe- des klli^ there is another feat ofthewarre: for where before it was in the confcience, it is now throughout tiie whole foule, there is a difference in the Subjed, every faculty is fet againft it felfes becaufe before, the light was fhut up within the wals of confcience, but it was nor flied into the whole foule, it lay glowing as a Sparke there, but it was imprifoned, you im- prifoned the truth, and would let it goe no fur- ther s but now it fheeds into the foule, what the underftanding knowes, is infufed into the will, and all the affecSionss fo there is a generall change, and when the change is generall, the combate mud needs be generally thecombate Tl:e Nem Creature^ ^haL muft now bee in every part, whereas before it was but in one. Againe, there is a difference in fucceife, for in the contention betweene the confcience and the reft of the foule, the confcience ftill lofes^ and the other gets the vidovy : Bat in the other^ alwayes the new man prevailes^ T'i'^^^?^/^? of David frevaiksagainjl the Houfi of Saul / There muft needs be warres betweene two contraries^ but the Houfe of David gr owes ftrongcr : S05 by which our Divines ufe to refemble this, Ucoh got the better in the end:^o there is a different fuc- ceffej the new man out-wreftles the flefh. Some- times a man is foiled, but wedoe not fay a man hath loft the battle becaufe he hath a wound, or a foile, or hath beene beaten backe a little, he hath got the vidory that wins it in the end, and that is the cafe of all the Saints. Thirdly, there is difference in the objed about which th^ controverfieis. The common nature hath but a common light,, therefore fees but groffe finnes, as your eyes fee only ftarres of : a greater magnitude, when a man hath a glim- mering light j things that bee greatandconfpi- cuous he difcernes, thatisallhedoth. Anatu» rail mans contention is about finnes of a great nature, betaufe light goes no further 3 but in them that be fanftified, a cleare light comes in- to the houfc, and fliines as thorow a glalTe in a cleare day, where you doe not onely fee the great heapes of dirt and duft, but thefmaUcft mote s the others doe not fee the motes be- caufe 445 Serm.VL In she fuccelTes In th« objcd. 440 5hrm,V1. caufe they have not that peaiUar lig ht,thereforc they are nevertroubfed abourmotes: So the ccmtentioa differs in the object v the Saints con- tention is about fmalt things, about the very manner of doing holy duties^ about theinward turnings of theaffedions, about the fanilificd- neffe of them about ill thoughts, they have a pe- culiar light 5 this doth not put out common light, but makes you fee more than you did be- fore 5 there be many hundred iSnnes now,which you never faw to be linnes before* Had not Pdui a new light f Before, he had not confidered that luft was finne, bur afterwards he knew it : In the Saints, the affedions wherewith they performe holy duties, yea, their affedion to their ill aflfe- x5lions, the controverfie is about that. Laft of all, there is difference in the continu- ance; this contention of the naturall confcience lafls but for a time, but it being betweene the old Nature, and new, it continues to the end, it is never given over, others may be incontrover^ fie for a fit, but hold not out 5 becaufc the caufe of controyerfie continues not, it is worneout and overcome, but in a new Nature, when it be- gins it lafts for everg there is no end: So you fee there is difference. If then you have newNa- tures,exped: a combate ; yea, fo as if you have it not, be fure there is no new Nature there. The fixth Confedtary, that I will deliver to you, is, that if you muft be New, then let it not leeme frrangeto you, though you fincte alittlc aukedneffe in the wayes of godlineffeat the firft 5 In the conti* nuanc§« ConfeCiS, Thinke it not'^^ ftrange that yoLiHnde tome aukcdnefle in the wayesof GodatiiLft. J Tie New Creature. Iphat. for new things are a little troublefomc, fudden changes are fo^ when the thing is New. Be not difcouraged, it is that you muft expedi^ and re- member that cuftome will make it pleafant, when you are ufed to it a little. Therefore com- plaine nor^lay not a-fide the Armour of God^ becaufe it is a little heavie and ungainfomeat the firfl: 5 as David, who would not goe in Sauls armour^ becaufe he was notaccuftomedtoits lay it not a-fide^ when thou art accuftomed to it^ thou wiit beareit well enough. Guftome makes the wortt things, even grievous things pleafant, how much more, when one fals on that which is good indeed ^ Therefore y ou muft know, this is the nature of tlie burthen of Chrifts Com- mandements w^hich he cals a burthen, the more you beareit, the lighter it is, and there is good reafonforit, becaufe indeed it is not a burthen to the new man, but a delight, though to the flefliitis a burthen, the longer you beareit, the better it is : If you reckon it a burthen, as it feemes to be at the beginning 5 yet remember it is, as Phyfikeis, aburthen toafickemansyou know a ficke man reckons it a burdien to take phyfike,and eat wholefome meats, but it is that that takes away the difeafe: So isgodlinefle, it is a burthen asPhyfike is, and as wholefome diet is, but It partly heales, and partly ftreng- thens : therefore the longer you goe in his wayes, the leffe burthenfomethey will be,the difeafe will bee taken away: as the more phy- llike and wholefome meat, the more the difeafe i is Serm.VI. Chrifts hat- then growes light by bea- ring. I , TTo€ New Creature^ ^fmt. ] isweakned, 2nd the man ft reagthned. This de- ceives us (and take heed of being deceived) we 1 chlnke we muft be tied from drfnke5and have the I I Dropfie ftill, and have our fe^ver ftill^we thinke ' we muft eat wholefome meats, and befickftill^ I it is impoffible itftioutdt^e fo, you muft know' therefore^ that the Dropfie is healed^ and then what if abftinence bee commanded f You mufl! il 1 know that ficknefle is cured^ and health is come ^ inthe roome^ then what matter is it, if youare bound to thefe duties They are burthenfbniej i before, they will not be now. TherefDre be not | difcouraged,the infolence, the uncouthnefle^thc I unaccuftomednefle of a thing makes it uftially | burthenfome* It is not Co with thewayesof i wickedneffe, they are pleafant in the beginning, but bittemefleinthelatter endi but the waycs : of gbdlincffe, though they are a little aukeand hai'd at the firft, yet they are pleafant in the end, and you muft be content to endure a little paines I (as we fay) M&fas^^ molam^ fugit farinam : If you will not take paines at the mill, you ftiall \ not have any meale 5 if you will not take a little paines st the beginning, you lhall want the fluit [ of it : theref3re be content with it,that you may have the fruit. A man doth not fay, becaufe a ! new fute, or a new paire of fliooes is hard at' firft putting on 5 therefore I will goe in ragges, | but he faith, the new is better than the old, and I after I have worneita while, it will bee more I eafie. So bee fure the wayes of God will be as eafie as pleafing, yeaj more pleafing than any i The' New Creature^ l^hat. thing/oi* they a^e jucunda fer f ?,pleafeg in their owne nature, others are pleafing to this or that humour J to this or that cafe i now this is a true I rule, vvhatfoever is (o^per f ?^ is alwayes fo. So * thou fhalt finde this new man more eafieand j)leafant5 for thouflialt finde it to be fo at all mmes, it is a eontinuall feaft pleafing in all con- ditions.Take all other things that pleafe thy na- ture, it is but when thou haft fiich a luftj fuch an I humour in fuch a time, it is not fo at ail times^ it I is not a-continuall feaft. ' But, you will fay, I finde it not fo, Ifind that fincc I began this new courfe, I have more trou- ble and perplexity of minde than I had before^ I was quiet before, and all at reft I anfwer, it may be fo, but ftay a while till the Sunne of Grace hath got higher, till it hath got more ftrength, and thou fhalt finde it able to difperfe thofe vapours, and to fcatter all thofe clouds . It is true at the beginning, there is but ^ ftrength enough to move them, to raife them a j little, but when it hath more ftrength, they are fcatteredanddifperfed; therefore though there be a little hardneffe at the firft, yet goe on, and thou uialt finde it pleafant. The Heathen man : could fay, Eltge vitatn oftimam,^ confuctudofa. cietjucund^m : Chufe the good way,and though ' it be haxd at the firft, afterwards it will bee the ' more eafie. If we appointed you a new worke \ without a new heart, it were another cafe, but * you muft know what we faid before, youfliall I iiuvc a New Nature, and being fo, itv/illbeel i pleafant,^ 449 Se RM,VI Anfw. 450 The KetP Qreature^ l^hat. ER M .VI. Give God the praife of chan- ging thy Na- ture. pleafantj becaufe the wayes of God will be fu- table to So much likewifeforthis. Xaft ofallj if vveemuftbe made Nerv Crea- tures J then give God the praife of that great worke^ of changing old men into new men, J fay, give himthepraifeof ir, for he lookesforj that at your hands. Will you magnifie him for healing a lame man, a blind man (for they were true maladies, and he was worthy of praife for them) and is he not worthy to bemagnified for changing the whole Nature, for altering the whole frame of it ^ Are the cures of the foule lefTe than the cures ofthebody ^ What if Chrift ihould now make the lame to walke, the blmde to fee, to take away the blindneffe of the minde, to heale the fickneffe of the foule, to make a man a New Creature : Is not this a workeof a higher Nature f When the Centurion faw the Veile of the Temple rentj he faid. Surely thisi^as the Sonne of Odd: So when thou (halt fee the Courfe of Nature turned, that old Nature of thine rent to peeces, be ready to fay. Surely this was the Sonne of God: Shall we fay Chrift was God for turning water into wine^ and /hall wee not give him the praife of his power, when^wee fee him turne one Creature into another t* Ma- king Lions Lambes , making you New Crea- tures f This is a turning of the courfe of Na- ture^ is not your Nacurie carried as violently to finne, as the Sunne in his courfe f And to turne it, is as much as to ftay the Sunne in his courfe, It is no leffe to make you New Creatures : No man 77;e New Creature^ l^hat. 451 man confiders it, therefore let mee put you in Serm.VI. minde what it is, for this is a thing you fhould marke. Therefore lo(f^ Baptiji gives this figne. of Chrift, by which hee might bee diftinguifhed from himfelfe, and all men, I baptize jou. mth fVdteKy but when he comes y he (hallbaptizeyoumth theHolj Ghojl and with fire, chat is, when that is done, be a(?ured that the Sonne of God is come in the flefh. This is the great miracle that Ivhn will have them attend unto ^ and is not this dai- ly done^ Doth not Chrift baptize us with fire and with xhtHely GhoHf Therefore you fliall fee what anfwer he gives to lohn Baft, when he would know. Art then he^or looke xve for another f Goe and tell lohn the blinde fee^ the lame walke^and the pore receive the Gofpell, that is, I have made them New Creatures : This is put with the other miracles of healing the blinde and lame. It is true, we that live fee not this done, the blind to fee, or the lame to goe, yet we fee men receive i the Gofpell, that is, are regenerate by the Go- fpell,are made New Creatures : This is a thing we fhould hearken to 5 as it was a great finne in them in Chrifts time, tonegletft the miracles he did 5 fo it is with us when wee neglefl: this. Therefore Chrift takes up Nichodemn^, w^ien he tels him that men muft bee made New Crea- , tures , he wondering at it, faith, what dofl: thou ; meane by that^* Chrift faith, what wilt thou ] doe,when I tell thee of things in heaven, if chou j I wilt not beleeve, when I tell thee of earthly '; I Hh thing^sv] 45^ Serm.VI . Tl^e Netp Creature ^ t^hat. things : The meaning is this. Regeneration is a thing done on earth ( that is the meaning of the place ) this you fee before your eyes, this you have experience of, if you will not beleeve this. How will you beleeve things that are remote from your eyes ^ that are ihut up froxH yoi^ which you have no experience of, but only that I tell you, and therefore you ought to beleeve me i Therefore, when you fee New Creatures,, argue thus with your felves . Certainly , there is a renewing God , and a renewing Spirir,that is, there is a Redeemer 5 for as by the common creatures, which you fee, you know there is a Creator ( ?i%^ofmmQnfirat efficientem) if you fee a creature , then you know there is a Creator, then why fhould not that renewing of Chrift, his exercifing that ad: of renewing among the fonnesof men, putyouinmindeof glorifying God, and of giving you the praife of it < When Chrift wrought miracles , you fliall findc what different fucceffe they had, fayth the Text in more places than one , (therefore Ineedenot quote it ) feme of the people glorifed God, when they faw fuch a thing done, others envied,fomc glorified God, others went and told the Phari- fies» You fliall fee when Lazarus was raifed from the dead , fome beleeved and glorified God, others went ta the Pharifies : Now, I fay, when you fee this done, ( for this is thegreateft miracle, and all the miracles that is now left) that men are made New Creatures ^ and it is done before your eyes , if yon will fee it ; ( as Chrift Tl:e New Creature, yt>hat. 45^ Serm.VL Moft men ea- ry the New Creature, Chrift fayd ) H^e t hat hath eares , Ut him heare. Take heed howyovi looke on it , confider with what eye 5 God never makes a Hew Creature, but when men looke onit^ there is a different judgement i fome there are that magaifie it,and dcfireto bee made folikewife, that make this ufe of it , and fo you ought to doe, furely there Is vertue in the Spint, a vertue in Grace, an effi- ' caciein the Word 5 furely thefe be the minifters and fervants of the moft high God. This you ought to doe 5 but on the other fide, how many hundreds and thoufands are there that doe as they did, when they faw the miracles, they en- vied ^ Yea, as they did with X/^z.4r/^, When the lewesf trv that for Laz>aru4 f tke, many mnt away, and heleevedon him, they c$nf dttd how to put La- zarus to death : That is the fafliion of the world, when they fee New Creatures, men regenerate, that HolinelTe, andpuiity of GodUncffefhines forth in their lives, and when that caufes others .to goe away, and that, forthatthey willbe- f leeve on Chrift , they will doe as they did with Lazari^ , they will have him put to death, that is, they will have him removed our of the way, they will have him taken, ex rerum natura. Take heed of this. But , you will fay. If we knew they were I Ol]eB, New Creatures, we would not doe fo^:' j 1 Itis very true, but doe you thinke,when they ^n^* \ would have killed le^tis md Lazar^, ihty knew them to beefo They did not know Chrili: to (be the Lord of Ufe , the Scripture faith fo. A- H h 2 g^in^: 454 ^ Serm.VL The Netp Creature^ l^hat. AgainCj they thought r^^^r/^/ to beanlmpo- ftor^ it is like they did, but it is takenfora per- fecution of Chriii. The kwes that killed th^ ProphetSjdoe you thinke they thought them to be Prophets when they flew them < Take heed of that,' you know the danger of it, when lefus Chrift wrought miracles by the power of the Holy Ghoft: No^ faythey,hedothitby -Se/- ^e^/^^; Chrift* tels them, in this they blafphe- med the Holy Ghoft. When thou (halt fee a m^n madca New Creature, when thou flialt fee a man Regenerate;, take heed of faying, this is guile, and cunning, and impofture, for it is done by the Spirit^- take heed of blafpheming the Ho- ly Ghoft* It is a dangerous cafe : Ifay, wheti fuch things be done, we fhould praife Godj and glorifie God for ir, labouring to conieinonr felvesi, ^nd not looke on it with an eye of envie, and hatred, and diftafte. The different eftecfe | Chrifts miracles had,ruch hath this : Our fcope is, that ye mayglorifie God, andgivehim tHe praife of it, chat when he hath done^fuch a work, you may fay this is the power of Grace, and thbi vertue of the Spirit, So much for this pointjthM you muftbe New Creatures^ andfo weehavcT gone thorow three things, w^hich were obfervecf out of the words : Flrft,theinfeparability betwecnc luftificati- OQ and SandlijScation . Secondly, the having of another Nature. Thirdly, it muft be new. Now, thefourthis, it is a Creature wrought by ^ TI)eNetp Creature^ l^hat. 455 by God, for that word is not in vaine, Whofo- ever is in Chrifi let him he a NetP Creature: iThe meaning is tliisjwe are New Creatures^that is, it is God that worketh itinus/or Creation is propertohimjno Angell nor Creature under I the Sunne can knit thofe things together ^which 1 have an infinit diftance, as fomething, and no- ! thingstherefore it is proper to him jit is he that maketh us New Creatures^not that himfelfe is the beginnerjand fomething elfe perfects it, as jfome fay5but Deu^ejlcmf at otitis ent is ^Hqis the * beginner and ender, he makes us New. And there is much reafon,for it cannot be otherwife , for if it were in our power ^of our felvestocomein: i Firft5it will follow that the Saints inHeaven I fliould be no more beholding to God , than thofe that are condemned in hell.- For, if God i did give every man fufficient meanes of fal vati- i on5and I have taken it, and another refufed it, whom may I thanke when I am in heaven and another in heI,not God f for he gave the meanes equally )but my felfe,Itooke it, and another did not. and fo the love God fhewesjit fhould I be as much to the damned,as to the Saints , if he hath done on his part equally to both. Againe,it fliould not be God that makes the ; difference ,but man^and fo you may ftand up j and contradict what Paul {^xth^Who art thou that \hoftefiiV(fho hath fut the difference? If man hath free will to take Gracejor refufe itjand if God hath given to all fufScient meanes , then , thou , H h 3 haft Se RM.VL Thq New Creature is Gods worke* This is proved by foure Argu« mentSo Elfe good men were not be- houlding to God, ^.rg. 2. Elfcnoc God but men iliould difference themfclves. i 4^6 Ser. VII, Elfe we take a- way Eledion and ReprobajU on. Tlw New Creature jli>hat\ hath made the difference, G o p hath not. Againe if this were fo, we muft take away all Ekiiion and Reprobation s for what is Ele- dion ^ Eledion is nothing elfe but this, God hath taken fome to life, and makes them holy , as godlinefle is an effed: of his Eledion, and the j|| wickednefle of men is a fruit of their rejedion:! but now here would be no Eledion, but a meere jj prejudication of a reward to the thing done on- jj ly 5 but therefore God is faid to have chofenus,,i becaufe he makes us good^ now by this you takeij that quite away • ^ But, you will objetft, why Ihould there bee 1 thofe diflferent kinds of working^ we fee in all !|| otherthingSjif there be an end propounded and {ufficient motives it is enough : andwhyfliould God give different objeds f therefore they fay , it is but as propounding of the bough to the ftieepe, and the flieepe will follow : If God pro- pounds congruous objeds to the faculties of the ibule of man, he will come im But I anfwer it briefly, ifhe will comein for j this congruity of objeds^ becaufe a bough is | propounded to him ; i Firft, he muft be a (heepe,before he will fol- f low the bough : Now thou art a Wolfe by Na- ture, firft, therefore he muft turnethy nature, God muft turne thy 'uduntmm Lupnm into Agnimm - therefore thou muft have another na- ture before thou canft follow the bough. Againe, thou muft have an eye to fee that boughjbut we are blind by nature^ and till God opens] TT?e New Creature^ li^hat. 457 opei^is our eyes andinlightens us^ we cannot fee | Se^r^VIL the exeellencies of the waies of Godjand there fore we lhall not follow it. { Againe, there muft bee ftrength to follow, { but except God give thee ftrength though thou (houldeft fee it, and fee beauty in it too, thou |Wilt never follow it to purpofe, thou wilt never 'follow it to the end. Saul looked on it for a time, but nottothe end, there muftbea pow- er of God to carry a man through all objeds,all impediments to the end j therefore, No mtn cm cme to met (faith Christ) esccep my Father draw him : N ot fome men, but no man, though he have great meanes ; heedoth notfay, will j come,but can come s he doth not fay^cxcept my Father allure him with congruous objeds, but I except my Father change his nature; for draw- ing fignifies a reluiaance , and backwardneffe in us. Goe to experience you fliall findit fo 5 when , ^ we fpeake to men, it is true, wee fay, they be dead in lins and trefpaffes: Doenotmenheare j us as dead men^ No man ftlrres up himfelfe,they ! goe away as they came, and till God put life in- ' to them, they will not hearken to us. Againe, how perverfc are judgements of menf they fee no excellencies in thewayesaf j I Gods therefore are apt to quarrelland^eakc^ Ugainftthem. Againe, doc we not findc our defires fo pit» 1 ched on prefent things, andour luftsfo fetiipon ' them, that without an Almighty Power they H h 4 cannot Experience teacketh iu The New Creature^lifhat cannot be loofed ^ Therforc Chrift faith^Itis impoflible for a rich man^thatisjone that fets his hart on riches^to enter into the kingdome of heaven* That place is as ftroi^ as any place in all the Booke ofGod^to ftiewthat there is no I [xccdomofwiHi^t^isimpopble for a rich man^ for a mm that hath this one luft5( he might have faid of any other luft)whofe heart is fee onga-? ming 3 on any other finne , it is as impofllble^is for a C^hlt-to^cto goethorotv theeyeofaneedk: Butthen(faithP^^erj No man Jballhefaved:mi indeed 00 man lhall be laved, if there be no \ more than his owne ftrength, but God wiU puti I to his Almighty power, to change his nature^ to mortifie thefc luftes. Therfbre,thk we finde; | by cxperienc^it is not a notion that men are notf able to come in» i But,you will fay, this is a rfifcouraging dcri drine, if God muft doe all, what^fliall we doe^ itteacheth every man tofic ftilL ' M I anfwerjNo^ it will not teach men to lit ftillj becaule there was no mar^ ever went about ir;| that ever found any impediment t Therforc he j muft know^ what is an Jmpediment* Impcdij ments ( when a man cannot doe a thing ) are or \ two forts t One is ^ when I fee fiich a thing as 1 1 defire^ but there 1^ ^ doore lockt on me, and I \ cannot come at it, or I am fettered, and cannot goetoitjOf it is in an other mans hand, and I ; cannot get it out of his hand| here a man may complaine* The fecond Impediment is, when the thing ly^s before theejthoumaieft have it. ThtNew Creature^ l^hat if thau wilt^every shing lyes ready ,an^ ^ it is becaufe thou wilt not. Here now no man ca« '-ompbine, faying. Why is there fuch an Impediment ^ Why may not I come in f Was there ever any man refolved with himfeife 5 1 will live a godly lifCjif I can^ Nojit is not that, all the extrinfecal impediments are taken away^ f and all the matter is in thy willj thoii> refufefito corns in , and wilt not walke in that wdy. Herelj- tth the Impediment. Againe, it is not a dodrine of difcourage- ment ^ for, you muft know, though God doth it by his Almighty Power ,yer he workes in us^ In modo intelligentium. He u/es us in the worke^ and he ufeth us after the manner of men ^ for every man doth A^us agere^hc workes in us by propounding reafons^ e Gods workeman.fliip created to good workes^ hee "doth ir, and remember you have to doe with him ; You have an elegant cx- preflion of it in 2 Cor. 1*2, 7 mare Chrijlj Epi- jlle admimftrcd by us^afidrvrittennot rvith Inke^hin with 465 Se R M .VI Tl?e New Qreature^l^hcit. with the Spirit of the living God : That is^the law of God is written in your iiearts. You know. Regeneration is in many other places of Scrip, ture, A writing theLawe of God in their hems then there is a writing, and in this fenfethe Sainrs are called an but they are Chrifts JBpiJk, we are the pen^ and he is the Writer^ he handles the pen, and what lhal the pen do,when there is paper and nolnke ^ Will there be any Epiftlc written Now, what is that, you are Chritts Epiftle not written withlnke, but by the Spirit of God ^ We doe but apply the pen 1 to the paper J but if God put notlnkeiatothe pen, that is, the Spirit of the living God, no- thing will bee written in your hearts. There- fore, remember what you have to doe^and with whom 5 not with us, for we are able to doe no- thing : not Pavlov Jf o/U mighty in Scriptures, FFe are the LMiniJiers bywhomyoubeleeve. It is God that doth it 5 weearebutchofebywhom you beleeve : Peter ^ if that ever any man was able fo to doe it, he was, that had his tongue fet on fire by the Holy Ghoft, yet he was not able to do it, Galath. 2»S» Hee that was mighty by Fe- ter over thecircumeifwnjGodw^ mighty by Peter: but the work was none of his 5 we are the Rams homes , but who throwes downe the walls of lericho f Are we able to doe it f No, my Bre- thren, no more than Peter was able to open the Iron»gates. It is true , when Peter came to them, they opened, and not before , but it was So when we preach the GofpelL the Angellthatdidit. Tl:e New Creature^ ^hat Gofpell 5 there be everlafting doores 5 can wee open the Iron-gates ^ Nomore than any man can open Iron-doores. Therefore LiMas heart was opened, elfe Paul might have preached long enough in vaine ; in Luke the laft Chapter, He ofened their under^mdin^s ythat thej might un- JerHand the Scriptures. It hee had not opened jtheir underftandings, as he was God, he had idone them nogood, when he preached to them as man : Therefore it is God that doth it. But, you will fay, of what ufe is this to us, that God doth itf It is of much ufc : therefore, when you come CO this place every Sabbath day to hearethe jWord, when you fee you haue to doe with the Imighty God (we are the Pen,it is God chat doth iic) learne to come with reverence and fearej ilearne to fay of this place, as Jacob did, when he faw God,when4iefawthe Ladder, and Angels lafcendlng, and defcending.Surely this is a f^re- SfuU place, and no other than the gate of Hea- ven^ and the Houfe of God i it may be, you thought of it before: You come to heare Ser- .mons, or ledures and Declamations, to haue lyour underftandings bettered, but you doe not remember that it is the gate of Heaven, and the Houfe of God ; you fee not God ftanding over us, you fliould over-looke us y It is the gate of 'Heaven, that is, you (hall never come to Hea- ven ordinarily,if you goe not through this gate, it is the Houfe of God; And indeed when you comehithcr^youreyemuftbe upon him more than 4^5 Serm.VI. Luke 24. 4^ Lcame hence. I. To come to hearc the Word with re- verence and ftare. Se R M.VI The New (feature J lohat. Fire from hea- ven to be che- rifbed. than upon us 5 expeft and wait what God will doe on your heartS5 in fuch atime;> if you come and hcarej and God hath done nothing, ob- ferve that, and fay, it is becaufe God hath with-holden his hand, therefore my heart is not quickned at this Sermon, if any thing hath beeiie done, know, it is a fparke kindled from Hea- ven, therefore cherifhit, looke welltoit,fbrit is a fparke kindled from heaven : therefore, doe as they did in the Law, ieewhat2>4t^/^didon|i the Altar which hee built on Mount C^^oriahJi when the Altar was built, they layd the wood and Sacrifice, and looked to Go d when hee would fend fire from heaven: So wee are the wood, looke to God for fire, ifyoucangeta Sparke, befuretomaintaineit; for that wasthe manner of the Priefts, when they had a little fire from heaven, they alway gave fewell, they never let it goe out againe. Looke to it diligent- ly, if you have got a (parke from heaven, let it I not goe out againe, (as it is the cafe of many | thotiands to doe) there may be Iparkes, and you . may heat your (elves by them, and it may bee but fire from earth : When a Sacrifice was ^ kindled by common ^fire, God accepted it nor, though it burnt as other fire, yet it was no fa- crifice to God. Morall reafon and naturall wif- dome may kindle a fire, that may bee very like true fire, but it is not from heaven? Therefore I come with much feare to this place, like men ^ that h^ve your eyes on God, feeke him not j 1 for faihion, and know it is to no purpofe, if !l ' Godi Tl^e New Qeature, 'tt>hat. God fent not bis Spirit from Heaven. Againe, you will fay, what ufe is there of this, that it is God that doth it and not man. I fay therefore^ give the praife and glory of it to God, give it not to us, but to him, this is jnot a light notion^ but ofgreat moment, for it will makethee love the Lord lefus : Saint P^^/ puis this among thegreateft mercies 5 He hath [beene mercifull to me mth faith and love : that jamazed him, that he could never be thankful! (enough for it, that is, he hath wrought in mee jfaith and love, therefore gives him the praife. It is God that doth it, wee are but the inftru- jraents 5 wee praife not the Trumpet, but the frrumpetter, we praife not the Pcnfill, but the Painter. It is God that doth the worke, give biim therefore the whole praife ofit 5 this is a matter of much ufe to you. For when there lis a Minifter of God,that hath beenean inftru- itnent of bringing you to heaven, you will love jrhis man, prize him, and magnifie him in your \ jchoughrs, and you doe well ; but remember, | ^hat you take nothing from Chrift^alas! What \ Is thePen to him that writes the Epiftle^What are v^^e, my brethren:' Give not to us what be- longs unto him^nothing unto us,faith Paul^ we have done thus and thus, but it is nothing, it is Chrift that hath done all,and let him have all; as the fervants of Chrift,we muft be wary , that jvve rob not our Mafter of mens affediions, for jWe are but fpokefmen to prefent you to Chrifi Itherfore be exceeding wary, give your aflfe(5li. I i ons. 477 } Ser.VI. a. To give the I praife of any ' good you re- ceive [by the prcachiag of the Word, to God onely 478 Ser.vL Tlye NetP Creature^ l^hat. that the Mini- fter ihould come with ex- cellency of Wildomej oi: ons to the Lord^xo whomxhey belong:Ifever you receive any goqirby any Sermonj. if you beever quickned, if ever a little enlivened by the powerfuU-preaching: ofthe Word, give glory to Chriftj,and fay hee hath done it, let him have the praife of it, love him fo much the more, for of allgraces, nothing isiikethat to workegrace in your hearts^. Againe^if you will fay, what ufe is there of it f That it is nots the Minifter but God that doth it. Then do not exped from us^at we fhould come with ejtcellency of wifdom,or of words that we fhould come with wit,and eloquence, and learning* Wil this make a:New Creature^ No,it will jtiot doe it| for it isxGod^that makes men New CreatureSjand if it be fo5he willdoe it by his owne Inflruments-, that is,by his own Word : Thus Paul reafons,i C&m.yWefreach the Gdffell, not with cmlkmypf words :,fcrthm thedeatbofChrift would be of no eflfed^^hatlSj. ^no man will be; a.Ncw Creature, and Chrili I would^ die in vaine r therefore wee preach tte ^ Gofpel in the evidence of the Spirit &power, t hefe go together* evidence of fpirit and po wer. What then is this preaching in evidence of the Spirit i Certainly^ it is never evident that the Spirit fpeak^^but when youknow the Word fpcake 2 therefore,iivhen any mancknowes,that it is the Word wepreach,there is an evidencCj it is afpeech of the Spirit,and when the Spirit fpeakes to the hearty thereis Power, and that waf 77?e Nm £reatufe, lt>hat. was the reafonthac Chrift did fo much good^i He taught mth mthmty , andmt as the Scribes, What is that to come w^^ authority ^ As when ^ a Conftablc comes in the name of the King,hdb ' fhewes his cvidence,he hath that which makes evident to him, with whom he hath to deale, |that he comes from the King: We preach with authority 5 then onely when we fpeake from God to the confciences of raen^this confifteth not in excellency of words^ but io mucli as there is of God/o much authority.Therefore come not with aflfedation of excellency of words and wifdomerif we had all the wit in the world to fet the Word of God in it^it is better than that in which it Is fet ; as the Diamond is. better than the Gold in which it is fet. If you were tochufe a Minifter^chufc not fuch an one, defireitnot, exped it not, thefooliflineffeof preaching is wifer than men, it will doe more thanallthewifdomeofman, though it is but foolillinefle to fome. We fpeake mf dome to them that are ferfe^y faith Paul^zhcy that be pecfed:, will account it wifdome, it is fooliftinelfe to them that are children and unable to difcerne. Againe,though it be but fooliftineffe on the out-fide, yet ther be treafures within,and God hath hid thefe treafures under bafe out-fides, that men may ftumble at them, as men that hide treafurc under ftraw, the fooliflineffe of preaching faves thefoulesofmen; therefore j feeing it is God that dothit,hewil ufe his own Inftruments, God workesi3y it. Gan words, li can 479 _ Seh.VI The New Creature^ T^hat. can all morall wit make a New Creature \* Nojitis God;chen why doe we make a que- rtion ^ The more the Word is difcovered and I brought homejthe better it is • becaufe indeed, ; when we preach any tiling elfe, you do but fee I a Creature, and you thinke you have to doe I with a Creature ^ for you can anfwer wit with I wit^ andlearning with learning; and when you fee you have to do. with men-^ though never fo excellent^yet they are men: But when Chrift fpeakes to the Gonfciencey now the lieart is brought downe, when it fceth.he hath todoe with Godjth^it only hath to doe with the con- fciences of men 3 therefore expeiinot the con- traryjand remember that God isxht doer of it, it is he that writes the Epiftle, though we bee the Minifter^^ It is therefore not without ufe that we preach this dofirine to you. And to all that I have faid adde this one iiiore:Therefbre if you find there jiath not bin a mighty work.of 6'4?^ wrought in your hearts [ at any time, when you have heard the Wo^d\, I know you have heard in vain/or the Llbour is I loft, if there bee no more than the worke of a | I man* Therefore you muft know there beiwo | Preachers at the fametime^oae that fpeakes to the heart powerfully, that makes you New Creatures, that baptizeth you with the H^ly ; Ghoft and with fire, and then thereis a prea- : ching to the eares: A nd there are two hearings, one is, when you can repeat, and recall the Word to memory, but there is another faving hearing, Tl^e New Creature^ l^hctt. hearing, that is, when it is ingrafted ^ And when is it ingrafted ^ Even then when it maketh you New Creatures, as a graft is then grafted j when it changes all the Stocke, Therefore con- fider whether you doe foheare, or no, that it hath bred fuch a change in you, and know, o- therwife you have heard icinvaineo For what ' doe we doe when we preach the Word ^ we doe as Geh^ did, hee came running with Elifhas ftaffe to raife the child, but he could not doe it, for though hehad-E/zy^^Vftaffe, he had not lijhas fpirit : So we come with the ftaffe, but not with the Spirit; therefore thou art not raifedto •life, for there is the ftaffe without the Spirit: therefore doe not thinke thou haft heard to any purpofe, if the Stocke be not turned, if thou fin- deft not the Spirit there. What doe we, when wee drefle upaSermonneverfo welU Itisbut the rigging of the failes, and what will all this doe without wind Is not the Spirit the wind ^ What are Organs without breath ^ There is no . mufike made : And what is all our preaching, when the Spirit is abfent ^ That is all in all, in-, deed it is the fvYordof the Spirit, buuvhatisit without the Almighty hand of God^ Itisfaid of one, who hearing that Scanderbegs fword had done fuch and fuch ftrange workes, would needs fee it, and fent for the Sword; when hee ftw the fword, hefdd, he faw no fuch matter in it ; Is this the S word that hath done all this ^ Scmderheg fent him word againe,! have fent the fword, but not the Arme that handled itV So tHe | I i 3 Word 4/2 EE VI The New Qreature^li^hat. I Word we preach to you^ is but the Sword of 1 God, God lends you the Sword many times., ! when hee keepesthe Arme tohimfelfe: It may i be you have not (eene fo great things done by it I as we tell you of^That it is the fower of Godtofd- 'l vMim^ that it is the Word of Truth that begets ; men againe s thereafbn is, becauie God referves 5 the Arme to himlelfe. Therefore, when you \ come to heare,as you have the Swordjpray ear- 1 neftly that the Arme may goc together with the I Swordjthat God will make it lively and mighty in operation, to caft downe your lufts^ to pierce as a two-edged fword, dividing betweenethe bones and the marrrow, the joynts and the fpi- rit s that is, that you may know your felves bet- ter than you did before i And all this ufe y ou may make of this, that y ou arc Creatures,and no man can make you New Creatures : It is God muft doeita H H. i, I f i ■ • M . The md of the Smh Semoru THE SEVENTH S E R M O N VPON THE NEW CREATVRE. zCoR^jf.iy. Horn fore if my man be in Qhrift^ let him he a Creature. ^.jj ^^j^^^ God workes in us the deed, even every deed, fo that a man hath not Free-will after he is Regenerate. To thisweanfwer^thatfo farre as his grace, and the ftrength he hat h, goes, fo far he is able to keepe the Commandements of God^ by vertueof a M4 generall Anfw. In what fcnft he would be iindcrftood, whenhce^affir- meththe' wili cf Regenerate pcrfons £0 b§ free. 474 Ser. VIL Two things wherein we need fupervc- nienthejp. 77?e Kern Qreature^ lohat. generall concourfe : It is not denied that a maa cannot move his hand^nordoeany adion with- out the generall concourfe of God 3 but that God never denyes, but as he gives the Creature ability 3 fo hee vouchfafes a generall concourfe to it. As it is true in that, fo in all a(51:ions of grace, a man cannot doe any thing without a concourfe : But when a man hath grace, there be two things wherein a man hath need of fpe- ciall fupervenlent helpe from God : Firft, when he is called to doe a worke, which is above the ftrcngth hee hathreceiveds here muft be more ftrength, there muft be a new addition, for the worke goes beyond the ftrength : As a childe may goe on plaine ground, but if you will have him goe u|> a paire of ftaires, you muft lend him your helpe: So a Chriftian may doe ani- ons proportionable to the grace hee hath recei- ved; yet being called to fomewhat above that pitch, hee muft have a new helpe from.God. Secondly, when a man is affaulted by a tempta- tion, beyond the ftrength he hath received, here needs ftrength beyond his owne toholdhim up I A child may ftand alone, but if one thrufts him,you muft hold him up or elfe he fals; fo the Lord muft put under his hand, and we muft have helpe above that wee have received, but otherwifethe pofition is true, fofarre as wee are regenerate, fo farre wee have Free-will, which followes grace : So much life as we have, fo farre wee may move and ftirre our felves. And in thefe cafes it is true, that we need more helpe from The New Creatures^ ^hat. from God beyond the grace we have received. The fifth thing to bee obferved is the order, firft in Chrift, and then a New Creature j out of which we are briefly to obferve this. Let no manlookeforSandification;, before he is juftified, that is. Let no man be difcoura- ged from comming to CJirift, becaufe he finds not in himfelfe that godly forrow for finne, that abihty to repent, that difpoficion of heart, which he defires to have : for a New Creature followes it; wee muft firft bee in Chrift before we can be New Creatures. And this is a com^ mon fault among us, we will faine have fome- thing before we come, we thinke Gods pardons are not free, but we muft bring fomething in our hand : You know the Proclamation runnes thus. Buy without money y that is,come without any ex- cellencie at all, becaufe wee are commanded to come and take the water of life freely: There- fore, doe not fay, I have a finfuU difpotion;» and an hard heart, and cannot mourne for finne as I fhould, therefore I will ftay rill that bee donc^it is all one as if thou fliould'ft fay, I muft goeto thePhyfitian,but I will have my wounds well^and my difeafe healed firft ; and when that is done, I will goe to the Phyfitian. What is thy end of going to himjbut to have thy difeafe healed C Doeft thou thinketo have thy difeafe healed before ^ I fay it is the fame folly : The end of going to Chrift is, that this very hard- neffe of thy heart may be taken away, that this very deadneffe of fpirit may be remov^d^ that thou _47? Ser. VIL The order • firft in Chrift, and then New Creatures. , Hence learne.l I. Not to be difcouraged from going to Chrift for any j defedijor im- | pcrfeftion chat i IS in us. WearefirUin Chrijl. Reafem. From your union with Chrift.toper- fwadc you to goodvYOikes. thou mayeft be enlivened, and quickned, and healed^that thou mayeft hate finne^ for he is thy Phyfitianjlooknot for it before-hand^thou muft firft bee in Chrift, before thou canft bee a Nerv Creature. Againej if we muff firft be in Chrift^ before we can be New Creatures, if that be the order, if that bee the motive and the thing that carries us on, then let us bee content to ufe the motive that God ufeth. The Papifts propound other motives to goqd workes i they tell them, they t (hall have Heaven and efcape damnation for I them. Is this a good reafon to move men to good workes < But the courfeof Scripture is otherwife : Thou art in Chrift^he is thine^there- fore be a New Creature, confider what he hath done for thee; therefore labour to turne to him, Againe, confider what thou hadft beene with- out him, what thou haft by him, and, by that, ftirre up thy felfe to doe for him^ what hee re- quires* Therefore the Apoftle comming .to anfwer that queftion. If grace abound, why doth not finne abound Why doth not a man finne more^ Hee doth not fay, you fliall have thefe and thefe motives to draw you from finne, but he tels them, whofoevcr is in Chrift, is dead to finne, andifyoubedeadtoit, howftiallyou Hve therein f If you be in Chrift, you will bee New Creatures, there needs no other motive to make you fo. And fo much for this, becaufe we will haften to the pointy we intend to handle at this time. J'nd then New Creatures, 477 if my mm bem Chn[tyUt hm h a New Cna - \ ture,"] ;:, - . -i The laft point wee. are to obferve in tliis 'Text^is: ThdP to he in Chrijl is the ground of ourfdvati- on : That is:, of all the priviledges wehave^and I of all the graces we haveffor in thofe two things 'doth the Kingdome of God confiftj it is the ground of all the priviledges we havej we have them therefore becauTe we bein Chrift 5lt is the I ground o/all the graces we have, becaufewee ' are in Chrift, therefore we are New Creatures 3 therefore we have the Image of God repaired in us, which is nothing but the bundle of all gra- ces^ as the old matiis tte bundle andheapc of all corruption and fin. Now we will {hew what it is to be in Chrift , and (jf vv^hat nnfonie^^t itis ^ then ivewill make ufeof it :ltw Creature, l^hcit^, the braaches in the Vine^ thence it is, that we aremadeNew Creatures^that is^thereisa new Sap Ihed in the branches^ which wearesour the old Sap, thqpld man, originall lin which was there beforehand changeth ic by the ingre- dience of the new Sap. So doth GhriftrTherc- fore we are faid to beingrafted into the limili- tude of his Death and Refurreiliori^that isjthe old nature in us is \vorne out by the comming in of the new : now as Chrift did die, but revi- ved againe 5 fo we put on another nature/o we have this benefit by this union, wee are made New Creatures. Befides this, we have an hun- dred others, v/hen we are ia Chrift we are un- der covert,he hath intereftin ail our debts,and we have intereft in al his riches,as the husband is bound to pay all the debts of the wife, when he hath maried her,flie is under covert,(lie hath intereft in all her husbands riches 5 fo we have intereft in all the wealth of Chrift,and chat is a very large wealth, as you have it^expreffed in I C^nthelaft Chaptcr,?^^/ and ApoUo^Scc.znd the world is yours, it is a wealth beyond all that men can give you. T he world is y ours ^ no man in the world can go fo far re, Princes may reach thorow their ownc Kingdomes, but the World is yours, that is, CWft who hath the command of it, caufeth every thing there to ferve your turne,even every creature that man cannot commands the wind and thefeas obey him for your goodyfor you have intereft in all his richesy there is nothing in the world bur is yours, TI?e New Creature^haU yoxxxs^Things ^refcnt and things to comem ours. If men can heipe you to things prefent, yet things to come are beyond their reach. Ifthe things of this lifebethcirs, yet Death is not theirs s but herein ^Chrift likcwifefurniflieth you* In a word J you have intereftin alt his wealthy lookc how farre hq can goebcy ond a man, fo farre are you advantaged by. him^ and have intcreftin al his riches,he hath intereft in all-your debts, you are under coyert^ and no- thing can hurt you^the gates of Hell^Men^Di- yels^ Sin, and all the Creatures in heaven and earth are not to hi^^mi^ljeeaufe youaic in him, you are as Copeyes in their Burrowes, he coversy ou, he keepes y ou fafe. If our eyes were opened tcfee thisi ast.h.e ApojGtle P4»/i weresweihcHildmagniiieitj and ftand amazed at it, when he comes to expreffe what we have by Chrift, heklipwes not how to expreffe it 3 In him are all the mafures q£pifdome andkmv^^ /^4'^,and they are ours s-he hath a fCingdome;, that is ours : He is a Sonne, fo are we ; he. is^ an Heire, foare wee^ nQthing^anhurt i][s,ihut it hurts him. Therefore ma&,u/i qf this, when any thing is objected thatislterribie; and gtie- vous,anfwer it with this,! am in chrifl ^ Whcri thou wanteft any thing^know thoy canft not be denied, for thou art in Qh r i sV. Set all Qur thoughts on workc,:.tO;lQ0fee to^ajl th^thifig^ mans nature is capable o'^ that y(Qu delireitQ make you happy, we haye them all in him, p the length yand height ^and depth of Us mercy /In- deed! Ser.VJL _ 492 Ser.VH. Ffc \t I. Exhortatioji two-fold. I. Thofe that havethii uni- on with Chrift let them feekc to enlarge it more. Tloe Creature yt^hat deed it is fuch a depth that we canaot fadome, and a height we cannot ireach, and a length wc cannot meafure ; allthis we have by Chrift : if we had but Pauls fpirit to apprehend it, and a little crevife oflig^ht opened to us5as there was Xi^ hra^ that we might fee iiitd this utifearcha* ble riches of Chrift, we would ftand amazed,! caftaot fiand to enlarge it any further, yau fee what it is to be united to Ghrift, and of what moment. Now we will co;ne to make fome ufeofit. If it be fo glorious a conditidft to fce u^^^ to Ghrift, it ffiould inflame us then with a de- iire to be in him5with a defire to be in this con- dition 5 for, if you have the Son^you have life, n fSn f. 12. He that hdth the Son^hdth Ufe^ and all things elft fertdmng to life ^ godUnejf and haff inejf ? j he that hath not the Sm, hath not life j that IS5 he is yet m death and condemnation j have Ghrift, and have all things 5 therefoi^ it isan hap^py and glorious condition. Therefore let thofe, thatha^e it, defire to enlarge it inore and more,and thofe that wane it^ let them feeke to get it. ^ Eir% I fhofe that haveit^ let them la- bour to inlarge it. You will fay,If a man be in Chri{l,how can he be more ^ If he be united,if hebe maried to him,^ how can he be more ^ IiiffiHcation ad- mits of no degrees : Theg^fore this is a point worth four Confideration^ That joh rnaj hee m$HinQhri^i It The New Creature y li>hat. It is true, luftification, in this fenfcj admits of no degrees, but it is indivifible, either you are married^ or not married s either you are iti him, or nor in him 3 fo farre, indeed, it admits of no degrees : But now when a Spoufe takes an Huf- Dand, fhee hath fo much will as to refolve to make fuchan one her Husband, yet there may be degrees of willingnefTejlhe may will it more, there may be moredefire of it, there may be a greater approbation of it 5 fo^ though it be true, that every man that is juftified in Ghriftjis with^ [in the Covenant, within the doore 5 yet h e may sgoe in further, orleffefarrewhenheis within : So I fay you may be within the Covenant, but this taking of Chrift , thfe being in Chrift, this pceiving of him, admits of degrees, becaufe, [though onebe married to an husband,that there isfo much will, as to refolve to take him, rather than refufe him,yet this very will of taking may bee ftronger, as her affehat. Ser. VII- 4 •Get experience of him . Pray tbaalie Holy Ghoft may draw thee $0 ChriE.: him cleave fo faft to God, as hee did. Fourthly, get experience of him ; for it was 1 Paids experience that united him nearer to Chrift, the experience that he had of Ghriftin the mortification of hislufts, inallthecourfes of his miniftry, in all the diftreiTes and troubles that he pafTed thorowjhe ftill had experience of him, and the more experience you have of the Lord lefus, the nearer you come to converfe with him, and the more you will love him, and joyne to him: Strangeneffe disjoynes affedlions, wee fay there is ftrangenefle when men falute not, when there is not a neare converfing ; Strangeneffe doth dif joyne the heart. Agaitie, nearenelfe of converfing and walking with him from day today, drawes us nearer to him, and intends the will of defiring him to be our Huf- band* Laft of alI,thereisacertaine impreffionmade in the fpirit of man by the Holy Ghoft, which caufeth him to draw neare to Chrift, that makes him prize him more. As there is in the Iron a certaine naturall quality to follow the Load- ftone 5 fo there is in the Saints towards-Chrift : And if we feeke a reafon why and the reft of the Saints that excelled fo, were able to prize Chrift above all things, and to count all things loffe in refped: of him, the true reafon is, it was the impreflion made upon their fpirits by the Holy Ghoft 5 there is a certaine attradive vertue put into them, enabling them to prize Chrift above all. and to draw neare to him 5 there- Th^ New Creature^ Ti^hat. therefore you muft know, it is the gift of the Holy Ghoft to inable us to prize him. There- fore to all the reft addethat^ feeke to the Lord that he would workeit in your hearts, that you may leacne to magnifie him. Thus you muft feeke to encreafe the union, to adde degrees do the will, by which you arc content and refolve to match wit hChrift, and to be made one with him : And this is the thing that you are to be ex- horted to, not only to know this, but to exercife it : when Paul had once taftedthefweetnefTc in IChrift, he could relifh nothing elfe, hee counts 'all other things as drofle: Softiouldwe, if we had once experience of it. Therefore wefliouldlearneto renue this uni- on from day to day, and, as I faid before, JVee ihiuid C4t huflefl)y anddrinke his hloud every day ; that is, every time we renue the covenant with |God, we renuethe match, asdt were, betweene - jus, we eat Chrifts flefh^aad drinke his bloud. He ' that Bread that came dovonefiom heaven-^thej ate CMmnah in the wUderaejfeartd died, hut hee that feedeth on me, Jhall have life everlajling r There- fore eate my flefli and drinke ray bioud, that is, take mc, come to me, for eating of his flefh is tiothlngbuttocomerohim,totakehim, to re- ceive him : N0W5 faith he,the very ail of taking me is your duty, as you renue that every day-,fo youtakemeanew^ as it were, and fo there will i jcomc new ftrength to you, as from bread or ; IManna, when you eat it, or from flefh and wine, when you eat and drinke it, fo doth there Kk 3 Jfrom 487 Ser. VII. EaiiagChiifts fleilijwhac. 488 Ser. VIL Neceflity of feeding on Chnft daily. The New Creature, 1ft^/;^f. from mecj when you renue your eating of my flefli, and drinking of my bloud, that is, when you renue your aS: of taking and receiving me. there comes newftrengthtoyou, that is, you; fliali have new comforts and confolations, you ftial be incouraged themore^ herein you draw nearer to mee than before: For^^s your union | with Chrift at the firft^jdoth make a way for the ' Spiritj and caufeth ittobeeiliedinyourheariJSj fo the more^this union is encreafed^the more you I are filled with the Holy Ghoft ; So you get new I \ ftrength from day today, as this union is morel confirmed i It is lik€ a new eating and drinking^ your Peace is more abundant, and your ftrength is more enlarged^you are more full of joy in the i Holy Ghoft 5 every grace is more enereafed and ftrcngthenedin you^therfore exercife this unionj eat his flelh,and drinke his bloud every day. But,, you will fay, what needs that, when we have once done,is it not enough ^ No, it is not enough; fortheregrowesadi- ftance betweene Chrift and you from day to day,a little negle(ft> the very omiffion of duties, yea, though it were no finfull omiflion m^| caufe it. As the body isfubjedtowafte, and! needs eating and drinking that itmay beerepaiJ reds So doth the foule and inner man, there is a continnuall wafting of ftrength, and you mufti eat his flefli and drinke his bloud every day to repaire it, that is,you muft renue the union, that grace may. bee ftrengthened and renucd in your hearts, , that thofe fpirits may be repaired, that you 77;e New Creature^ i^hat. you fpcnd every day, that your very ftrength may bee renued ; you fliall finde this true by ex- perience^ the more you doe this, more neare you get to Chriji^thc more you renue that march and make a new oiarriage with him, you fliall finde tiew ftrcngch commingtoyou, you fliall finde lyout hearts draw nearer to him^and further from tin, you fliall find yourfelves made morefpiritu- pll, more heavenly minded, you fliall find your felves more ftrengthned^you will be a/hamed to {in, when you ftand in fuch neare termes with him, there will be a fecret influence of the Spirit in your hearts. Therefore excrcife this union, and, as you mufl: excrcife it from day to day, fo know the comfort of it,and improve and husband it well. If I have Chritt for my Husband, fliall he bee my Husband in vaine Shall I have him, and (not makeufeof him^ No, youmufl:learneto make ufe of him, learne to ufehim, as hee is a Prophet,a Pricflijand a King : If you would bee more enlighmed, goe to him as a Prophet, be- feech him to enlighten thee, to give thee wif- dome, to give t he^ the Spirit of Revelation,and he cannot deny th^e. If thou hafl: committed a finj:iC5 ufe him as a Mediatour,as a Pricft ; for he is thy Husband, thou haft him for that purpofe, forget not that Chrift is a Mediatour : Wee fall into finnc from day to day ^ but, if wee knew re- ally what it is to have Chrift an Interceflbur ^ to have himourPrieft, tomakeanattonementfor our finnes every day, wefliould learne to prize Kk 4 him 489 Ser. vir To improve Chsifts o/li- ces, 4po Ser, VIL The New Creature y Ti^hat. r him more, we fhoiild be full of comfort, wee fliould doe in another manner than we doe ; If theie bee any ftrong luft which thou canft not fubdue, know that itmuft be done by himj as a King, he muft bring it into fubjedion, hecmuft J circumcife thy heart : Therefore, know what is I in Chrift, for all that is in him is thine, and he is full of treafure t When thou haft the field, what flaouldeft thou doe but digge the treafure to know what is there § when thou knowclt thou haft fuch a treafure in him^ that he is full of all grace i Wilt thou goe poore, and miferable, and naked,3nd in rags < having fuch a full ward- robe there^ why doftnotthougoeandfutethy felfc from top to toe ^ Why doft not thou get grace of all forts to adorne and beautifie thy felfc withall f For all treafures are in him. Why doeft thou goe ftarved,hungry andthirfty^droo- ping all the day If thou haft him^ he hath fat- lings, and fined wines,, he bids< thee to a Fcaft, that isy there is abundance of comfort in him^ there bee Priviledges there, if youconfiderof them, if y ou will feed on them as a man doth on meat, you fliall be comforted with them, as a man refrefhed with Wine. Confider what \i \ in Chrift, and make ufe of it, and know there is not only plenty in him^ but bounty too $ in him is all fulnefle, and why is it in him f not for his fake^ but fof ours, he hath fiUed himfeJfe for us and heis not only full, butbountifull, he hath an even hand to difpeoce that goodne/Tcs there- fore make ufe of it. Now. The New Creature , li?hat. Now thefccondpartof this exhortation j I told 'yoUj belongs to them that yet are not in hitriy that they would bee content totakethe Lord lefus for their Husband ; fc^r, if the being in him be the ground of allfalvation5 itis mo- tive enough to bring you in: Nowyoumuft know that -the Lord offers him to you, heis ex» pofed to you^if you will but take him. You will fay, in what confifts this takit^ ^ It Gonfifts in thcfe two A<5ls^one is a perfwa- fion, that the Lord is willing to come to thee to be thy Husband, to be thine : Thefecondis a 1 refolution, on thy part, tobehis^ if thou canft j be content to give thy felfe up to him, to fervc him, to love him, to live no more to thy felfe, butto him altogether. Now, when wee exhort men to come into Chrift, it may be, for the firft A£t-^ you willbecontenttobeperfwadedof it, I that he is willing to take you 5 though there be a difficulty in that, yet, it may be, you will goe 1 fofarre 3 but whcnyoucometothefecond, to refol vetogiveupyourfelvestohim, to bee his for ever, and to ferve him in newneffe of life: here every man isat a ftand, here m^n deale with God, as thcy,that were invited to the Marriage, j they made light of it,and went their way, one i to hisFarme, another tohis Oxen, &c. So is it here with us, for the mofl part, they make light when we offer Chrift, they goe about their bu- I fineffe, one about this vanity , another about I that, they will not come in, and take him 5 and I what fliallwefay toperfwademen, to come in I : - to 49' ER VII, 3 Thofe that Want this Vni- on, let them feeke to get it. In what this taking confifts. Intwoaf^s. 49^ Ser.VIL 'reft. to Chrift ^ Indeedeic is a dangerous thing to re- fufetocomein. You are the men that arc invi- ted, and wee are meffengers fent to invite you ; every man muft apply this to himfelfe, he mud thinkejam the man invited; therefore I muft confider what anfwer to give^for you fhall finde of them that were invited and did not come^not a man of them fliail taft of the Supper, not a man of them that was invited muft come.There were many thoufands that were never bidden, yea , many hundreds that live in the Church were never bidden to the-Feaft ^ that is , Chrift was never clearely offered to them 3 but when Chrift is propounded to you, (as you know he hath oft bin ) this is the very bidding of you to the Supper. Take you heed of rcfufeing. It may be, many others there are that were never bidden , but when you have bin bidden, take heed, not a man of them that have bin bidden and refufed, fliall tafte of the Supper. Now you know, wee are bid while wee are in this life, this is the time of grace, but yet when a man refufeth this bidding at this time, or at any other time, take heed left he bid you no more,' he fent no more to them that refufed; Let them alone y and they Jhdlhe fiaine before me : But how- foever, our bufineffe is tocompellyoutocome in, that is, by ftrong arguments, byreafoning with you, by perfwadingyou, effedually to come in. Therefore, confider thefe Motives- Firft, fyou fliall find reft to yourfoules, Come unto The New Creature ylohat. unta me allyee that are meary andhcdvy Udeny and you^all jindereftyCHatth. i i.28,2p,Reftis that which every man would have : For finneisa wearineife to the Soule, it wearies you with the guilt of it, with the taint and corruption of it. Ton jhall finde rejl unto your f mlesy that is, if you were in mee once, you fliould have your finnes forgiven you. Which -D^x'/^magnified in P/S/. 32.1. Blejfed is he whofe fmne is covered. But you will fay, this is a fmall mercy, you fliall have your finnes forgiven, will this move men to come in < who cares for forgiveneffe of fins 5 if we fhould come and make offer to men, that they fliould bee free from croffes and trou- ble$5that they (hall have prefent benefit,and ho- nours, and riches, that were a motive indeed to bring men to Chrift < Thou foole, if thy fins be forgiven thee, fhall not all mifery bee taken away Is not finne the firft linkc of the chained The firftwheele that drawes onallthy miferies 5 if thy finnes be for- given, all thy miferies fliall bee fcattered, all thofe clouds (hall be difperfed : Therefore the Scripturecompares Sin to a Cloud : What hin- ders good things from thee but finne < When a mans finnes be forgiven him, he (hall have them in abundance ; Be of good comfort, faith he. Thy finnes be forgiven thee : Till then, a mans heart is never filled with comfort 5 but, as I faid, it is clouded with many difcomforts, forrowes and perplexities; therefore they are compared to clouds, becaufe they lhal be difperfed as clouds ; when 49? E K VII Ohjecl. An{w. Forgiveiiefle offiumnkes a mm blcfled foure wayes. I. In taking amy ihat which is the caufe.of all mi- fericso 494 Ser.VII a. In giving boldneffc. The NeiP Qreature^^haL g. In taking the ftingoutol afflidion. when thy fins are forgiven thee, all thy-life after is as aShun-fliine day, when all the clouds are fcattered : Therefor e5>5^ of good comfort. Againe^thou haft boldncire by it j Thelnnp- cent is bold as a Lion : thou art bold with God, For thou commejl mth boldmjfe unto the Throne VIL nefle within , but when thy finnes bee ^t^^^^ forgiven thee^ thou fhalt finde rcfttothyfouka Thi tndtftht Siventh Smmn. 'J I j I i ; i i A THE EIGHTH S E R M ON VPON THE NEW CREATVRE. 499 Ser.VIIL rC 0 R.5.17. Ho ere fore if iny man be in Qhriji^ let him he ^ ^A(£13? G^^^^^^i?. 0 D hath planted m every man felfe-love, every man feekes his owne happincfle. Two things every man would have, they would be 1 freed from all evill, and en- joyall good things ; if they could findethefeinChrift, men would be per- fwaded to come in. Now we can aflureyou ■4t. L 1 that If you Reuni- ted with him, I you Yhall be * free from all evilijand enjoy aU good. 5O0 The New Creature^ l^hat Luk.i>?>r^. LuLr, 74. Gods childreo freed from feare. that both thefe you ){hall finde in Chrift, you (hall by him be freed from all evill^atid be com- pafTed about with mercy on every fide : Firft, I fay you fhall be freed from all evill, for what Chrift faith to all his Difciples, Luk.io. Ton [ImII tread on Serpents andScorpons, and all the power of the Enemie, and nothing (hall hurt you, may bee applied to all the Saints, though there be many hurtfiiU things in the world, yet nothing fhall hurt them. It is true indeed, they may have to doe with Serpents and Scorpions,, that is, evill things may fall upon them, as well as upon others ^ you fee the fame condition fals to all, yet it (hall not hurt them;, accordingto that in Luke 1.74. l^hat rve being delivered fi-om- our enemies yis thatywe majferve him without fear e:^ Mark that, you fliall be delivered from all your enemies, if you. will come ifi>> that is3there (hall | not an enemie in the world bee able to doe you hurt, and you fliall live without feare, that is, the great advantage you fliall have, as if hee fliouid fay,, other men feare a thoufand things, they feare death, they feare fickne(fe,they feare: lo(re of friends and good names but when a man is once in Chrift,he fliall be delivered from ail his enemies, hee (hall ferve the Lord with- out feare, becaufe nothing is able to hurt him^ for what could hurt him i Either it mufcbe the Devill or men^ or fome other Creature, but none of theft can hurt him. Is not God the Go- vernourof thehoufej IshenortheMafter, Is not he able to rate the Maftivesfrom flying in the The New Creature^ T^hat. 501 the face of any of his friends that come to him^ yea, he is able to doe it5and none but the Matter i of the houfe is able to do it : None can keep the | Creatures from hurting of 70U5 but he that hath i the command of all the Creatures, therefore if' you will come in^nothing fhall hurt you^hee is a Buckler and a jhieldto cempajfeyou rotmdalout:Hc will bee your ftrong fortrefle, into which no Creature fliall be able to fhoor an arrow^ But belides this you (hall have all things elfc that youcandefire^ The Lord himfelfe fhdl bee ^our hahitationyfiem generation to generation^ PfaL 90.1. That is, you (hall dwell in the Lord, and you (hall not dwell in him for a fit, as wee doe in our houfes of clay, but for ever, andlooke what an houfe doth, that doth he, hewillkeepe you fafe, and defend you from evill, he is an houfe that it (hall not raine thorow, andfwch an ! houfe he is,^s will goe with you wMtherfoever | you goe, he is our habitattonfrom generation to generation 5 yea, fuch a houfe as will not onely defend you, but refre(h you with all manner of comforts, for houfes are made for delight, ais ( well as for defence. Whatfoever you want, ! he will helpe you to ^ If you be (icke, hee is able to heale you; if you be weake, hee is able to ftrengthen you s if hungry, to fatisfie you^what- foever condition you are in, he is able to furnifh you; if you need any fervice from any Crea- ture in heaven or earth, he will give command to all the Creatures to wait on you : In a word, every man that comes to Chrift fliall bee like a O - 2 Spoufe, Ser.VIIL Wim kind of houfe God is« Ser.VIIL The New Creature^ Iphat. In pai'ticulaij confider. i.Mansmifery out of" Chrift i. Mans hap- pinefTe by ba- iBgiaChrift. Spoufcj whom her Husband hath placed in an houfe well ftored with abundance of all things that her heart can wifh, and aU this you jflball have if you will come in» But becaufe Generals move not fo much^wee will come alittletoParticularSj and will infift upon thefe two,, as the oncly things that can move us to come in. Firftj the miferies^hurts, and inconveniences you are expofcd t050Uf of him And fecondJy, the happinelTe you fliali have by being ingrafted inhim^ andmariedtohim. If you were to perfwade a woman to marry fuch a man, you know thefe are the two Argu- ments which muft winne her. If youimrrynot you will bee undone ^ you know you are in debt, and the debts bee debts which you are not able to pay I and, if you cannot pay them, you are furc to be caftinto Prifon, and to lye in that Prifon till you have paid the utmoft fir- thing, this is your condition if you will refufe* Againe, on the other fide if you vi^ill take him, you fliall have a Husband that fliall make you rich, that will pay all your debts for you, and make you honourable, you lhall want nothing. If you Will take an Husband whom you may love, take Chrift, for whatfoever is amiable is in him« Thefe two ferious confideratlons will make her come in, and be wiUing to marry and to take him for her Hiisband. And fo it is with us, if we confider what we are out of Chrift,and what we fliall havebyhim^ it will move us to take The New Creature, t^hat take him* You know, it moved the Prodigall fonne, hee few that if he lived outfromhisFa- thers houfe^ he muft needs perifli , hee could not get huskes to live by. Againe, if he would goe home, there was bread enough, his fathers fer- vants living there in plenty , and thefe two mo- ved him to refolve to come home. You will fay, what are thofe evils in particu- lars that we muft needs fall into, if we come not in to Chrift , and what good ihall wee get by him^ To this end , I will name fuch arguments as arc ufed in Scripture for this purpofe,;foryou know that the bufineffe of Chrift himfelfe, ^nd his Apoftles was onely to bring men unto him, and therefore wee will open fuch arguments as we finde there, as briefly as we can. And firft, you have this for one malne motive to bring menin, CMarkeiS* i6. If you will he- leeve and he hapti^d,youfha/l he faved, ifyou will not heleeveyjou Jhallhe damned : G<7^,faith Chrift, into all the worldyfreachthe G off ell to every Crea. ture. What fliall we fay when thou haft given us commiflion < faith hee, no more but this , Goe to all the world. Tell them if they will come in and be united to mce. If they will take raee for their husband and Lord, they fliall be faved, ufe that for 'a motive on the one fide , and on the o- ther fide tell them, if they will not come in, they fliall be damned : And this you fliall finde was pradHfed, CMatth. lohn tclsthcm^ If you mil come in andrefent , you fhall have the K ingdome : L I 3 That Ser.VIIL Anfwl If you bclccvcj you (hall be fa- ved : if not, yoa fliall 6c dam- ned. Mark.i^.i^o 5^4 ER VIIL j That iSj if you will leave your finaesjif you I will be married to the Lord, if you will bee di- I vorced from all other husbands and turne from i all your evillwayes^ yaufliall have a kingdom,, i that is you fliallbe favedj but if you will nor, what then i The Axe is laid to the root of the treey • and you ihall be cut downe* So, wee fee, when I the Apoftle Paul came to do this bufineffe with 1 Felix y. to have btought him to Chrift, if he I could, what courfe takes he ^ he tels him of his mileries out of Chrift, Reafoning o f Tempramt, \ Right eoufnejfe and judgement to come 3 he told him what fobriety and Righteoufneffe , and Temperance was, in another manner than ever any Morallift had done : Now theEndidment beeing no*i enough without the Sentence, hee i addes the judgement to come. And it is, as if the had faid 5 Thoufeefthowfliortthou art of that Temperance and Righteoufneflle, that even | natural! confcience requires of every man , and \ thou muft know , there is a judgement to come, though thou perhaps feeleft it not for the pre- fent , yet there is a damnation and wrath refer- ved for thee 5 thereby fhewing the mifery hee was in, if he came not home to Chrift ; and that is partly fet downe , and is probable , the other was not omitted , though it bee not expreffed : there. And fo P^/^r dealt with them , k^Bs2. \ He fliewed them their mifery^ and fo the Lord dealt with the Gaoler , He teacheth him to fee what cafe hee was in, and upon the fight of that to enquire after faivation. As indeed the thing that The New Creature^ lohat. that brings men into Chriftjis to make them fen- fibleof falvation and damnation 5 and when the Gaoler came to this^to thinke of falvation^^^W^ \ what Jhall I do to be f tved ^ That was it that made \ him willing to doc any thing 5 whatfoever Pad ^ appointed him to doe 5 for now hee had afenfe of the wrath of God , a fenfe of thofe terrours, hee began tofeethe Almighty Power of Godj he began to have his heart fmitten with the ap- prehenfion of Judgement , and when hee was fmitten with that he began to enquire after fal- 1 vation , and his heart thus prepared with thefe two motives, thefeare of falvation and damna- tion 5 he was fit to come in^ then faith the Apo- ftle. Beleeve and thou jhaltbe faved: So I fayjthat is one motive, if you will not come in, you ftiall be damned, if you will, you fhall be faved. ^But now wee have another bufinelTe to make men regard thefe. One would thinke that men fliould not neede much perfwafioa to tell them of damnation, that great evill, and of fal vation, to bee a thing that much concerncs them, but there is that deadneffein the heart of man , that it regards neither. Therefore, let me fay a word | or two , to fhew that thefe two bee matters of great moment : Firft, this Salvation and Dam- nation chiefly concernesyou all , other things are but trifles in comparifon thereof, becaufe Salvation and Damnation belong to the Soule. It is the Soule that is to bee faved,or to be dam- ned. Now the Soulc of man is a mansowne felfci other things are but the out-fide,as it were Ser.VIIL LI nd Salvauon an Damnation, arc matters of great moment I They belong to the Coule. 5od Ser.VIII, The foulc to be regarded The New Qreaturey it^hat. and that is the reafon that Chrift faith ^ Wha^ matters -it ^ if )ouwinne the whole worid y andlofe ymrowne foule i As if he Ihould have fayd. Thy Soule is thy felfe 5 therefore to win other things and to lolc that^ itis great folly; what is it to fave the Ship , and lofethe fraught i Tofave the Ihooe, and lofethe foot, tofave the cloaths, and to have the body deftroied f So^ what is it to thee, to have thy body^ thy eftate, and name, and all outward conveniences right , and fuch as thou wouldeft have them to be, and thy Soule that dwels within , thy Soule which is thy felfe, for t hofe doe but cloath the Soule and wait on it , when this is loft, what are all thefe 1 There- fore, if there be any wifdomeinthe world,itis wifedome certainly to regard that, and if there be any folly intheworld , itistonegledlthatj, becaufe that is all in all to a man. If newes come to a man , your friends are loft, your goods are loft , you are wronged in your name ; Suppofe hee had as many meflengers of ill ti- dings, as Job had , yet when a man confiders fe- rioufly, this is but a rending of the cloathes^ but the tearing of the (heath,but the breaking do wne of the houfe, as it were, but the man is whole and fafe , as long as the foule is fafe , as long as falvation is fure^ as long as a man is free from damnation,allis nothing : Therefore, to a wife- man, that will confider things ferioufly, there is no motive to this, if you will not come in to Chrift, you fliali bec damnedjifyou will, you ilialibefaved* But Tl)eNew Creatures^ lifhat. But let mee adde this more ^ Salvation and Damnation continues for ever : Take all other things 5 even the beft , . and worft things in the world, they are foone blovvne over, and, as you know 3 . o£ no continuance s but Salvation is a thing that abides for ever. And this is a thing you regard much in fmaller matters 5 take any good thing, if it will laft but a day or two, you regard it nor, but as things are of more durance, fo you fee a greater price on them* Why will you not minde this then ^ If you come in to Chrift, youlhallbefaved, youihallhaveeter- nall life. But, now comes inthe other , If you will not, you fliall be damned, and that remains for ever : Remember , fayth the Wik-mztiythe dates efdarknef^for they art many ^that is^infinitej and this fhould worke on a man 3 thatdamnation fliall be perpetuall. Take a man now, when hee is fallen into any mifery ^ and fee what it is that comforts him, you fliall finde nothing comforts a man in mifery but hope 5 for, if there bee no hope ( as we fay ) the heart would breake : But, now come to this, of damnation there will be no end, there is no hope there j when a man is in mifery^ hee lookes about him , and beginnes to thinke. Is there any evafion t* If hee finde there is none^he begins then to thinke, yeajbut is there any comfort to mingle with it ^ No; But what kind of mifery is it c' It may be by one mifery I fliall be freed from another , this doth moderate it, but if all kind of miferies come , that a man hath no way in the world to evade them , not ^ any 5^7 Ser.VIIL a. iney coa- linue for ever. Ser.VIII, We arefirU in Chr'ift j ! Youtthirft , fliall be Citisfi- ied and healed. ;Ioh.4. lO. any thing to mitigate them^ this is that 5 that fwaliowes up the Souie, and this over- wheimes it with griefci and this is the condition of a man fubjedl to damnation* Now, Ifay, thisbriefe argument we are to ufe 3 If you will not come in you (hail be damned 5 if you will come in , you (hall be faved. Well;, perhaps all this will not worke upon you, then weehave thistofay to you. Our commiffion extends no further 5 if this will not move you , you are not to be wrought on by us , but we mull leave you to your felves, and to your ownc waies , to goe on and pcrifli, and receive your Portion with thofe that are hardned through unbeliefe, whofeendisdam- nation, and your bloud (hall be upon your ow^ne heads , for that is all our Commiffion to pro- pound thefe two to you. It muft be Gods worke to make your hearts fenfible of thefe things , we | canbut propound objeds : And fo much for the firft, Hee that comes injhall he faved j he that doth not Jha/l be damned. The third Motive 5 I take from Iohn/[. lo. when the Lord had that converfe with the wo- jman of Samaria^ what faith He to caufeherto come inc* Woman^if thou hadji asked of me ^1 would have given thee the water of Ufe : Hee that drink es of this water fl)allthirfi againejsut he that drinks of the water that I pall give him^ Jbal/thirjl no more^ hut it jhall he in him a Well jpringing up to everla- (ling life : So, that is the Argument , if you will I come in to Chrift, you fliall thirft no more, but you fliall have your thirft fatisfied, and you fliall have The New Creatures^ ^hat. have water given you 5 which will be water of life- What is that ^ That is. If you will come in to Chrift, two things you fliall have by it : Firit,yourtbirft ^ that you had before, that difeafe of thirft, that {every man living is fubjedlto, until! hee be in I Chrift, that fliall be healed 5 that is, every man hath many things hethiiils after 5 as tak*e every naturall man, he thirfts after credite,and wealthy' and honour, and life, after a thoufand things, which the nature of manisfenfibleof : Wdl, faith Chrift, this thirft (hall be healed in you, if you come in tome. How iliall it be healed ^ By breedingin you a right thirft, by bringing the foule into health , as it were 5 It is, as if hee had faid, I will reveale thingsto you,which you fliall prize above all thefe, when you fliall fee their precioufnelfc , and the need you ftand in of them : for thefe tv/o things make thirft, then the other^ Chrift heales itinyou: As,take every; man that is regenerate, to whom God hath re- vealed better things, Bvenjuch 04 the eye hath not fe€ne:,nor the ear e heard^ neither h^h ent red into the heart of any naturall man. J fay, the heart fetsfqj by thefe things, it fo magnifies them, that they' take up his heart altogether, that hee no more thirfts after other things , but his defires grow remilTe in them , though they were all taken a- way, he could be content,be hatb better things, ' I there is a true thirft come in, which hath cured 1 the 5^9 ER VIII.! Arijw, Arijrv. Difeafed thirft healed in the Saints. Tlye New Creature, ^hat. the falfethirftj as the true Serpent devoured the falfe- Bur^ you will fay 3 wee finde not this experi- ence ^ doe not regenerate men thirft after thefe things as well as others^ I cannot deny it 5 they thirft after them too much, but yet this thirft is healed, for now they do not thirft after them, as things wherein their happinefle confifts, their hearts are in a good meafure taken off them, they look on them with 1 a right eye , and fotheirthirft is faid to be hea- led, not becaufe the worke is perfed, but be- ,caufe it is the way to be healed , and will bee perfeRWW»iMHere is one motive thit remains, H^and that is this, which you {hall ^^finde. Revel. 3. 17. For thou fay ejl, ^^^^^^l am rich and encreafed in goods ^ and ^^^^^ have needofnothingy and howejl not that thou art wretched'^ andmiferahle^andpore^and hlindej and naked. Becaufe wc are moved much ; with fenfiblc things, it pleafeth the Holy Ghoft to expreffe our fpirituall mifery , by that mifery , 1 M m which Ser. IX. I. Poore.' What that po- verry Is. RcYeLs.9. Riches what end they ferve tor To fetch in what '.^c want. which we arcfenfible of, which is outward ; If you be but of Chriftjyouarepoore, and naked^ : andmiferable- If you come into him, you fliall have the contrary s we will pitch therefore upon thefe three particulars : Firft^ifyoubeoutofChriftj you are poore. What is that poverty ^ It is the want of whatfoever may make the foule rich, for, you know, there is a double ri- chtS'fiharge thofe that are rich in this )?^hat. usjWcfhaJi want thatj thatisneceflTary forour falvation. For riches doe but fet men a woi ke^ to doeusfervice^ riches can doe no more, than| men can doe; but thefefpirituali riches fet God a worke^5 todoeusgood sthey are beyond the other 5 as much as the help of God goes beyond the heipe of man 5 when you need any thing. If you be rich in Chrifl: , if you be rich in grace^ if you be rich ingood workes, it is but putting up yourrequeft, andyou fhallhavc itat the hand of God, if you want them^you fliall have what- foever he is able to doe for you : Now if you be outofChrift, faith the Text , you are poore , ( that is ) you want thefe fpirituall riches;» you : hav^e no ground to goe^and to make your fuic to ^ God for any thing. Againe, riches ftand us in ftead in the time of needjfor why doemen lay up treafuresf that when death comes 5 when there comes a time of need 5 the riches that they hav-e laid up , may ^ ferve their turne, they may have thofe ready for their ufe, when other men want them. Arc not thefe riches for the fame purpofe 1 Will there not come a day of need , will there not come a time of fpending , when there will be no leafure to gather at the day of death ^ Then all the feed fowne to thefpirit 5 all the good workes that wc have laid up, will be as a treafure, and at that , time will doe us good^* And that is the difference ! between the death of a godly man, and another 5 when a wicked man comes to the time of need, 1 he hath nothing to fuftaine him, hehathnooile 1 Mm 2 left' 5iy Sbr.IX. The Kev> (/eature, l^hat. left in hislampe, he hath nothing to hclpehitn up 5 bucthegodlyman hathatreafure , thathec hath gathered, all his lifewastolay up atrea^ fure : Andthis, my Brethren, youfhalliindeta be a great comfort at that time , that when you. come to dye > all the faithfull prayers that you have made , all the good workcs that you have |i done, all the fincerity thatyouhavefhewcdin I denying your felves, in palling by the things> that worldly men catch at , in doing things, that i it may be, hath brought trouble and flander,and j difgrace, and perfecution on you, you fliall then . finde it a treaftire. Take two men , when they ii come tathat day , the one rich in this world,ano-' therrichingood workes, and confider which of, thejfe two conditions you would choofej and I thafore it is not a (mall matter to berich : Now | when you are in Chrifl:,youare rich 5 out of him, you arepoore, and have nothing to ftand you in (lead in the time of need. j| Againe, this a man hath by riches, that he is independant, hee needs not toierve others, and therefore you know the Proverbe is, that a rich ^ man he canlive by others , and without others, j and that is it, they boaftof : Soitis with all the Saints, they may lay to all the world , they can || live without it , becaufe they have God to bee theirs , they have all histreafures open to them-, |, they have enough in him, for he is all-fufficienr, though they have but him alone for their porti- on, yet he is enough,as he faith to Ahraham^l am aU-fufjicient 5 and why, there are but two things that' Tl:fe New Crekture^ ^hM, that a man candefire^tobefree from evill'^f "and t to enjoy good, faith hee^ ldmihy BueUeryto\ kcepe thee from eviil, and thy e'xceejf^_ great j retvardtogivegeodto thee i thatis^thoii 'fliatt have | enough, if thou enjoy me. Now, if you be out of Chrift, you fliallbe poore, that is^you fliall want thefe riches, you want the riches of graef, and of good workes, that fliouid ftand yduiri ftead in the time of need, which will fetch any thing in for you, when you want it, which will make you more independant, and ftand upon your owne bottomes , which is th^t that every mandefires. Againe, if you beoutof Chrift, you are na- ked. Nakedneffe is a want of that which fhould adorne us, which fliould bcautifie iis,and that is the cafe of every man but of Ghrift, there is no beauty in him* It is the Lord only that cloaths us with beauty. As itisfaidof SaulyWeepefor Sdnly yee Daughters of lerufdemy fer hte clothed you mth Scarlet^ ^ dUhmg (yrnmentsof goU uf- on your appare/L It mzy truly bee faid of Chrift, that he cloaths us with fcarlet, and hangs orna- ments of gold on our appardl, that is, it is hee chat makes us Priefts to hisFather : Nowthe Prieftsin the old Law^werc but a type of us,we are the true Priefts indeed, you know, they had lewels, and embroidered garments 3 and fo all the Saints have the fhining graces of t he Spirit, which adorne and beautifie them ; -when a man becomes fo beautified, thien his fight is comely, his voice is pleafant, and his prayers dre accep- M m 3 table. I 5^9 t 2 Kikcd. what* Tl^e New Creature, l^hat. table. Thi^benefit wehaveby being in Chrift., that it mandby the way^that ufe you may make of it, when you come to him^where there are garments of all forts, where there is chaise of raiment^ why ihould you futfer your foules to be naked in any part, I know you reckon it undecent for a man to be unevenly cloathed , to liave fome garments rich and precious, and to have fome vile andbafe , and why willyou fu& fer your felves then to gocfo unequally clad f It may be, you have graces in one kind, but you want othmy if you comein to him, it is he thait cloatl^s you,you are n^ked withbut him,this be-- ' nefit you lliall have by him , yoitfliall be cloa- thed and bee made beautifuU, you fliall havc that glorious attire^tjiat will make youglorious within j which will make , you comely in the fight of God s if mty you fllallbcnaked , and ^ there- The Nem Qre ature^ Hohat. therefore you fhall be rejeded , you fhall want that beauty which God only accepts* Againe, if you be out of Chrift, you fhall bt hungry ^you flial be wretched and mifcrable/or I pitch on that generall one, beeaufe that is one of the outward mifcries, when a man is hiingrie, when he is ftarved, when hee wants that which fliould ftrengthen him, and refrefli him, and maintaine his life. This is thecafe of every man out of Chrift, he wants that which fliould feed him, that which flio^ld ftrengthen himjTor you muft know, that the foule hath a meat as well as the body 5 other wife, why doth Chrift fay, / have A meat to eate that; you know not of ? They wondred to fee him neglect his dinner, when he ftood talking with the woma»of Samaria Joh.^. why, fay th he, / have another meate to eate. And why doth D^'T/V/ fay. Thy Law isfweetertomee ^han the honey y if there were not fomewhat that his foule did feed on 1 Andfo, Whyisitfaid that Manna was Angels food ^ You know Man- na was a materiall thing, fuch as a fpirituall fub-, ftance cannot feed on, but beeaufe by that Man- na Chrift was reprefented You know he is faid to be the true CManna , T he true Bread that came down from heaven 5 the Angels they feed on this, and in that refpeft, it is called Angels food, they feed on the fame fpitituall mcat,i Cor.x o. Tour Fahers did eat that Jpirituaff meat, that is,the cor- porall meat did typifie the fpiritual meat,which is Angels food 5 thereforethere is a food , that the foule feeds on, out of Chrift,thereisnone of M m 4 this, SfiRM.lXt Manna Angets ioh.rf . f. 77;e 2S(eiii? Creature^ ^hat. things i^efem- MedtoaFeall^. chiSj but your foules are ftarved, are miferable and wretched. For what is it that food doth It maiatainslife in a Aianjtake away foodjand you die for it. Now it is Chrift that gives that^ IJis \flefb is me ate indeed, and his hlotid is drinkc indeed : i that i%WhQfoev.er hekevesnot in ^/V^^wliofoever partakes not of him^he dies for everc- : Againe^ meat ftirengtheneth^ and fo doththe Lord when we come to him^ he gives fpirituall ftrengthj Without him we are able to doe nothing ; As you \mt it^lah. 15. Without m^ou are ahlet% bring forth mfrtdt-: But asthe Apoftle fpe^keSi^ PhiL^MThrough Chrifi I amable to do every thing: It isthe Lord that giveth ftrength : If you will come in,^ you fhall have ftrength given you 5 -which is the property of nieat. Againe, meat .refrefliethaiidreyives thefpi- rit, fo doth the Lord by his graces, by the joy of the Holy Ghoftj by peace of confcienceyby thofe things that he puts into the heart of every beietver^ I fayythey refrefli the foule^naore than flaggofls of wine^and there is as evident refrefh- ing : and therefore you know that metaphor is ufed often in 26. Iwillmakeafeajlofjimd mims^ and of fat things : And in Mat. 2 2 . he cals them to come in, for his failings tpm prepared, and all things were read What is the reafon that the Lord refembleth fpirituall things by a Feaft C Becaufe they doe the fame things-as a Feaft doth 5 a Feaft isa re- frefhing to a man, a continuaU feaft is a conti- nuall comfort, ^nd this y ouihall have, if you will Tl?e 'blew Creature^ will come in to the Lord : if you will not come in you fliallbee ftarved, you ftall be wretched and miferable. This you lhall have by the Lord lefii^. Let this move you to come in. But now amanwillbereadytoobjeifl-j you tel us of thefe thingSjand indeed thefe axe good- ly rhingSjifthey were prefent^if they werereall, if they were not Imaginary things onely, that confifted in notion, and in fpeculation ; if they were things that werefenfible, but they are not fo^thefe things are future thiags^they are reniote things^ they are things but in Imaginationj they are things that w^ee have no feeling of, they are things that if we looke after them^we fliall lole j other things in this life j This objedion; all the world makes againft I fuch motives as thefe V a-nd t herefore I will an- I fvverthefe brieflyjand proceed. I Firftj whereas men fay, they are things that I are farre off, (and indeed fuch things move not mucli : ) I fay, they are already prefent, they are a:great part prefent, we have the firft fruits pre fent, though the har veft bee deferxed, and. wee may boldly fay to you, that thofe very glea- nings for the prefent, are beyond the vintage that the children of this world enjoy, the peace pf confcience,the joy of the Spirit^boldnefle in death, fecurity and frecdome from all deaths , and dangers, familiarity and acquaintance with God, to enjoy his favour with all that hee can doe, the graces that prevent us, the bleffing that Ifollowes us in all our aftions, the comforts of 1 the £ K IX. I Sprirituall things prefent in the firli fruits. ) 1 he New Lreature^ w)at. \ Ser.IX. the Saints, whofe hearts arc made glad with the j light of Gods countenance % thefe things, I fay, are beyond the wine and oile, beyond the dain- ties and honours which they have, who have their portion in this life ; therefore you have fomething for the prefentrlndeed the out-fide of thefe things are but bafcjbut thein-fide is preci- ous. This is the difference betweene Heavenly things and earthly 5 in heavenly the worft is firft, the beft is laft : In outward things it is true, the beginning is fweet^but the latter end is bittereft : but let that be one anfwere to it , that you have much of it for theprefent. And befides this,remember though you have it npt prcfent, yet you fliall havcit after and what great matter is it to want a little, to enjoy more for thefuturef Arc we not content to buy great reverfions with the loffe of a little money for the prcfent, for we fay it will come in ^ Are we not content to endure an Apprentiflilp of fe- ven or eight yeeres , for our greater advantage i Doe not men v^illingly ferve a Mafter, or a Mi- ftrefTcjalongtime, for hopes hereafter ? Now what folly 5yca,what Atheifme,and unbeleefe is it for a man in things that concern falvatlon^ not to be content to want a little for the prefent, to enjoy happinefle for ever ? If amanfliouldbe put to hischoife, whether he would have five {hillings to day jor many thoufands to morrow, a man, no queftion would have it to morrow. You know, this life is not fo much to eterhitie, as to day is to the next day 5 why fhould we not DC 1 t We fiiall have fiilncflc of ^hcm after. The New Creature^ li^hat. be concent to want a little ^ that wee may have the more afterwards. And befides ^ if you con{ider what men are, men are reafonable , and to what end is reafon given you , but to looke on things paft and fu- ture:' That is the part of a Beaft only to look on prefent things , you fhould doe more than the Beafts doe , you fliould looke to things that are future, and (hould order your lives according to that 5 And what have y ou faith for For faith is , that which diftinguiflieth a Chriftian from another man , as reafon diftinguiflieth a man from a beaft3furcly this fliould teach you to goe beyond reafon, reafon teacheth you to goe be- yond that which is prefent,and faith Carries you beyond that s and therefore you fliould have an eye to things future, to things to come , and not bee occupied in things prefent , and therefore, though you have not thofe things for the pre- fentjyou flial have them,and you fliould be con- tent to want a little, that you may enjoy the more for the future ; you fliould confidcr things future and not prefent, if reafon teacheth you to doe fo, much more will faith. But it will be obje(fted againe. It is true 5 but thefe things that you tell us of,they are not reall things, they are things that confift but in notion and {peculation ^ It is not fo, you muft know that thefe fpiritu- all Priviledges are reall. All that are in Chrift,. are as truly Kings and Priefts , they areas truly Sonncs and Heires apparant, and have all the promifes 5^5 Serm.IX Reafon, and faith (lioulci help us to mind fiuiu'C things. Spirituill pri- viledges^reall. Se R • IX, Tl?€ Nelp Qreature. Spiritual things .fenfibk. ipleaCttreiWhat. promifes of God intailed upon them and theirs^ (as any' Princes in this world) and there is no regenerate man that knowes this^ that will change that glory that is referved for him in heaven, for any earthly kingdome^ But we have no feeling of thefe things f Wee anfwer againe, that there isafenfeof them, as quicke a fenfe and apprehenfion of thcra,as there is of any other j for what is it that makes men fenfible of thefe outward riches^and kingdomeSj and honours f nothing but thisj be- caufe theunderftandingmagnifieth fuch things, and the affedion loves and defires fuch things, when you enjoy them, th^n you are refrelhed with them , for pleafure is nothing elfe, but the futing of a mans defires whatfoever they bee : No man would take pleafure in any outward chings,but becaufe, firft he defires them, and the Satisfying of that, is that that breeds a'pleafure i now when you come home to Chrift, you muft know that you fliall have other defires, as you have it in this Xext, Ton Jh all bee made nevsf Cru- turesj you fhall have other affedions than you had before,and when thefe arefatisfied,you fhal have as true Pleafure and rejoyeing, as ever yoti had in the other; for, ifthatbe a true definition of Pleafure and rejoyeing, that it is a fatisfying of the defire, a fatisfying of the appetite, what- f oever it is,' when that is changed ; Why fiiould you doubt, that you fiiali not have as much fenfe, and as quicke an apprehenfion, ^ea, why may we not fay, you fliall have more f For this I Tl)e New Creature^ Iphat. I will be bold to affirme, that the objed is grea-. ter, and the faculty is more capacious and appre- henfive. The objed is greater, for it is durable riches, it is durable honour, a durable kingdome, grea- ter than any Kingdome upon the earth. Looke on all things that God propounds to thefons of men, and they are far beyond the things that are here below: To be the fon of God is more than to be the fon of any King, to bean heire of hea- ven, to be an heireof all things, is more than to be an heire apparant to a Crowne ; whatfoever is propounded, I fay it is beyond it , therefore the objed is greater. Then come tothe facul- ties, they are more capacious, they have a more quicke and lively fenfe and apprehenfion , as the Rationall faculties, the Vnderftanding, and the Will , their apprehenfions are deeper than thofe of phanfie , of fenfe, or fenfuall appetite ; and therefore you fee the griefe of the reafonable part is more than that of the fenfes, and hence it is, that the mifery of thofe that are in hell, goes beyond the miferies of any in this life; and fo the joy es of thofe that are in heaven, is beyond the joy of any in this life : Man, as he is more happy , fo hee is more miferable than the Beaft, and why fo ^ Becaufe the faculty is larger , and therefore a man that is heavenly-minded, a man that lives by faith, that is , in Chrift , hee hath greater things to enjoy , than a worldly man hath, or can have* I Againe , the thoughts , the faculties that ate ' taken 5i8 Tile New Creature ^ f^hat. taken up about them, they are of a larger appre- henfion^ and have a more deepe and quick fenfe than the others have ; and therefore in matter of fenfe, we cannot yeeld that thefe things are not fenfible, Eoritu peace of Cmfcie^ce that pa/feth a/l underfiandingytt is joj unfpeakahleandglormsAt is faid fo of no outward thing, and therefore thefe arefarre beyond them 5 that flull ferve to an- fwerthatobjedion. And fo wQ^have gone thorow three of them, chat they are things abfent, that chey are things that are not reall, that confift irfnotion and fpe- culation^that they are things not fenfible. Nowthere isafourthobjedion, but I muft lofe prefent things for them ; if we might have him and enjoy our pleafures , if we could have him and eajoy riches and honour , we would be content, but we muft be at a loffe < But to this we anfwcr , that you lliall bee no lofers, no not for this life, you fhall but make an exchange, and change for a better 5 What is it that Chrift requires of you^ it is but to do fome- thing for his fake, and to fuffer fomething^ if you doc, it is but feed fowne to the Spirit, and as in other feeds, every feed bringeth forth more abundantly 5 itrifeth with a greater plenty 3 fo every good worke you doe, it will doe you good at one time or other , you lhall be fure to have prefent wages for it. and for that you fuffer, Mark. I o.r oufbal have an hundred fold in this life andfetafide jetcrnalllif^ , for every thing that youiofe for Chrifts fal^^ you ihall have an hun- dred , The New Creature^ lohat. Sred"- fold ; Many particulars there he reckons up, if you lofc friends or goods, whatfoever you lofe 3 you fliall have an hundred fold in this life with perfecution j for there is the objection. O but wee fee they are perfecuted , they are beneath and not above 5 they are trampled on, they are miferable* VVhy though they be, yet with perfecution you fliali have an hundred fold, that is^you lhali have an hundred fold more comfort : As, I will give you but this inftance. Take P^^^/,he was perfecuted and affli(5ied,had not he an hundred fold l Take a man that lives in abundance 5 and in plenty of all things, com- pare his condition with that Apoftlcs-, and fee whether he had not more joy of heart , more comfort in thofe afBidiions, when he went from Prifon to^Prifon ., from affliction to affidion, ithan Nerohziv^i his-Palac^, or than men have that enjoy outward things in. abundance, for they are not outward things that will comfort us, them a man may have in plenty, and yet want the comfort of rhem, as many thoufands have had. So much lhall fewe for the anfwe- ringof thofe objedions. Therefore, fince there are fa many. motives to move you to come into Chriftj the impediments which you finde in the way, the objedions of the flefh^ and the objedi- ons that come from Satan are but delufions. VVhy Ihould you not come in^f. He is the ground of all comfort-, have him, and have all; want htm, and want all things : i lohn 5. He that hath the 529 ER IX. Hussdrcd foL.i With pcilc- cutica. Ser. IX. Happineflcj what. The Nem Creature, Ti^hat the Sen h^th life,he that hath not the Son^the maB of God abides upon him ; That is^ he that hath the Sotijhath life, and all things that pertaine to life] that is it that makes a man happy, as you know every thing is faid then to be happy , when it hath that which is agreeable to that beeing , a- greeable to that life that it leades. A man that leads the life of nature, is happy for this world, according to his condition, when he hath every thing that belongs to this life, when hee hath wealth, when he hath houfes, when he hath all conveniences. Now, when a man hath the Son, he hath fpirituall life , and all things pertaining to it,there is nothing wanting to make him hap- pies when hee hath not that, ThemathofGod ahides on him y that is, the Lord is his Enemy, that is the Governour of the world, and he is not his enemy for a lit, but the wrath of God abides on him for ever. And therefore, fince the Lord is the caufe of all our comfort he is the ground of all Salvation , both of allthegraces, and of all the Priviledges that follow upon it , this (hould move us to come in, and to take him ^ thofe two arguincnts , I fay, the mifery that you are injOUt of him , and the happi- neffe you (hall have by him, but I will urge this no further, fo much fiiallferve for this Text. Hill THE C V P P E Of BLESSING; T>BLIV£%ST> Three Sermons upon I Co R. lo. l6» By the late faithfull and worthy MmiJleroflEsus Christ^ I O H N P R E S T O 1^ 5 jD. in Divinity, Cbaplaine in ordinary to hisMajeftie, Mifterof Emmamel Colledge in Cambridge, andfomctimes Preacher of Lincolns I N N E. The Second Edition, L O N DON Printed by i^. J5. for N i c h o l a s Bourne, and are to be fold at his fhop attheRoyall Exchange. 163 4, pillltlltllHiilllllilllllMllililllii^^ THE C U P P E OF BLESSING: DELIVERED IN THREE SermonS;, upon The Firfl Sermon. I Cor INT H.io. The CupofhleJ?in^^that wehkjje^ is it net the Communion of the hloud of ChriHI &:c* F all the adions wherein wee are converfant throughout the whole Trad of life, none are of fo great confequence as thofe wherein we have to doe with the Mightie :God of Heaven and Earth t And among all thofe 5 none fo weightie, as that wherein we N n 2- draw 5H Ser.IX. .In the Skcra- menc there is a commum'ca- tion of the bo- dy and bloud ofChrift. draw neareft to him, as we doe in this holy Sa- crament of the Lords^upper. And therefore, nothing concernes us m.ore than that we doe not receive it unworthily , becaufe the Lord will be faniiified in thofe that draw neareft un- to him, that is, cither in the holineCfe of their hearts, or in executing his juft judgement upoa them : And therefore that at this time, ando- thers alfo, you may not come unprepared to the holy Sacrament^ vvehavepurpofely pitched onthefe words: TheCupofhlepng that weUeffe'}^ &c. In which ye (hall findethefe three parts : Firft, that in this Sacrament there is a true communicating of the body and bloud of Chrifto Secondly, the meanes whereby this com munication is made to us, it is the breaking of the bread, and by po wring out the wine : Is not the bread that we hreake the Commmion of the bod) ofchriJl?&:c. And thirdly, thefettinga-part, ortheblef- fing, or fandifying of thefe elements to fuch a purpofe, ^he Cuf of hlefmg whish we bleff % is it not the Communion of the bloud of Chrijl Now for the firft of thefe, I fay, in the Sa- crament there is a communication of the very body and bloud of Chrift : The Papifts affirme the fame ; but all the queftion is, in what man- ner there is this communicating of his body and bloud, they fay, corporally that there is Tranfubftantiation there 5 we fay the thing is really The C %p of (Blef^ino^. \ really done, but it is done fpiritually, it is done myftically, it is done facnmentally. The reafon of our difference, is^ becaufe of thefe words of our Saviour, This is my body. And the Popifh indeed is ioftrange an opinion that I would not wafte time in confuting of ir.but that I know there are divers amongftour felves that doe willingly leave the Papifts in other points, yet they are held with fome fcruplc with this, they know not how to contradi<5l fuch plaine words, This is m'j body ^ and therefore they cannot bee perfwaded but that there is fome what in it more than our Divines affirme- and there- fore it {hall not bee necdlclTe to fpend a little time in Ihcwing you the falfencfle of thisopi. nion. Firft, I would aske this queftion, whether there bee neceflity or no, thai: there fliould bee fuch aTranfubftantiationj for furely, if there bee not neceflity, if that bee but an arbitrary thing, wee may as well deny it, as they af- firmeit. Againe, fuch a monftrous conceit as this, compounded of fo many ingrediences,offoma» ny ftrange miracles, the leaft of which goes be- yond thehigheft in all the Scriptures, I fay,is not to be put upon us without neceflity , thcmfelves grant,that,unlefli there be a neccflicy,we have no reafon to receive it at their hands : And there- fore wee will enquire firft, and fee what neceflity there is.' Firft, I fay, there is no fuch neceflity that Nn 2 there Sekm.L Againfi Tran^ fubftantiasiosi. i There is no neceiHrie of it. \ SeR Me L The Cap of ^lejsing. In regard of the ends of the Sacrament which arCo I To bf ing IChrift to otlr renvemferancf.' To fliew forth the Lords death* there fliould beany fuch Tranfubftantiation,anyi fuch corporall prefence of Chrifl: in the Sacra- ment, neither in regard of the thing, nor in regard of iht woxAs^T^is is mjbeij» I fay, it is not neccffary in regard of the thing, looke to all the ends of the Sacrament, you lhall finde that you may have all without fuch a Tran- fubftantiation. Firft, if the end of the Sacrament be to bring G H R I St to our remembrance, as himfclfe faith, that it was his end, I>^e^M,(laith he)/«tf eften as you doe it^ in rmembrance of mee ; certain- ly, it is not neccffary that there (hould be a change of bread into his body for that purpofc, be* caufe the Sacrament it felfc with thofe words in- ftituted are enough for his remembrances And be- fides this, the very word, ifm^w^^r, fliewesthat hec is rather abfent than prefent, for wee re- member not things prefent, but remembrance is of things abfent: Befides,the other Sacra- ment reprefents Ch e i s t, andcalsbim to re- membrance, where there is no fuch Tranfubftan- tiation .* and therefore it is not for remembrance that it is needfull that Cbrift fliould be corporally prefent. Or fecondlyjis it-needfuUfor this, the Ihew- ing forth the Lords death till hee come : Surely, for this it is not needfull neither, for in preach- ing wee (hew forththe Lords death y As theApo- ftle faith to the Gdathims^ Chrijl was f$ plainly Preached^ that hee was as good as crucified mong#them 5 And therefore it is npt needfull for The Cup of^lepinx. for the Ihcwing forth of the Lords death till hce come .- befides, there is a particle put in there, chat may hclpe us a little, till he come, whichprefup- pofeth that he is not yet here,and therfore it is not neceflfary for that end. But againe, is it neceffary for our union with Christ, for that is another end of the Sacra- ment, that wee may bee united to him 5 furclyif the union were corporall, then indeed there might feeme forae neceffity of it ^ if wee were fo uni- ted to Ch R I s T, as when two boards are clapt together^ where one toucheth another : but you know there is no fuch corporall union, it is fpi- rituall, and not corporall, it is by faith, and not by fenfe t What is the union betweenc Ghrift and us^ Partly relative,as the union betweenc the hus- band and the Wife, and you know if the Hus- band and the Wife bee a thoufand miles a-funder j (here might be fuch an union : And partly it is re- ' all, a true reall unity, when Chrifls Spirit dwcls mus, which may bee done without the corporall prefenccof Chrift : And therefore certainly it is not needful! for the uniting of us to Chrift, be- caufe this union is fpirituall, it is doncby faitb,by communicating the Spirit of Chrift in us | and therefore in this regard it is not neceflary that there fbould be a corporall prefence in the Sacra-^ raent, Laft of all, is it neccffary to cncreafe our faith, for that likcwife is one end of the Sacra- ment that our faith may be ftrengthened : Why I fiarcly, it is not ncedfullforthispurpofejNo, I ! ' N n 4 fay, 5]7 S E R M 0I, 3 To unite us more to 4 To increafc our faith. 5?8 See Tl?e Cup of fBleJ^in^. No nece (jitic in regard of the words. it cannot ftrepgihen faith, bccaufe the mcaoes^ you know, is iubordinare to the end ^ kisleff: than the end, wherej?s the faith that is icqm&d to beleeve theTranfubfiamiatioPjisfer w.'i y liid the higheft pitch of 'faith exprclled in ail Scripture : I fay, it cannot bee that , that aioiild bee made a meanes to helpe faith^ that is | Uyond the thing thatistobebcleevcd, (marke l ir) confider what it is weeare to bekeve, wee are tobekevcthat C h r i s r tooke mans nature on brm for us, that his fuf&rings and crucifying bdoog unto us, 6rc. Is it not much eafier to birkeve this , than to bekeve that a pccce of bread is turned into the body of C h r i s t Though you fee nothings though you tafle no- thing but bread: I fay, ic is mucheaficr :Now, as we fay, we mufl not blow a fparke too much j for putting it out, now to have fuch mcanies'as! thefe to heipe faith, that cheriflieth not thej fparke of faith, but blowes it out, it doth not | helpe faith, but over-whelmes faith , when the I meanes ufed to flrengthen are fuch as ^re be- yond the thingtobeeftrengthencd ; Therefore in regard of the thing there is no neceflity, that there fhould bee any corporall prefence of G H R I s T in the Sacrament. But kt us cot>fider whether there bee any ncceflity in regard of the ; words. This umy bodf : Surely, there is not any I neceflity here, for the words may have another j meanings This is my bodf ^ that is, this is thcfi-| gure of my body, or this is the Sacrament of ! my body 3 and therefore it is not neceflary , fpe- 1 cially ' TleQup of(Blepngi 519 cially feeing it is fo-^frequenr with Scripture to ufe-mctaphors in this kinde , I need not name than toyou , you know Chrid Is called a Rocke , hce is laid to oe a Lambe^ to be a Lic/i^ and in ano* rhcr cafe ladas is faid to bee a Deviil, the Seed is faid to bee the Word, nothing more frequent, Chrifc is faid to h^t^Fim: I- need nor give you more inftanccs : Ucrod^ Chrift calls him J'^x The meaning of all this is, that tlicy are types and fignes, like fuch and fuch things. But yet it is the manner of the Scriprurcsfpecch , and therefore it is not of neceffity that thofe words fliould bee fo taken, for words are like cfoathes that may fit more backes thanthe owners* the w^ords may agree to fomcwhat elfe, there is not a word here, but it may agree to divers things : Bod^^ it fignifies divers bodies : theVVord, 7his^ fignifics as many things as you point to ; and therefore there is no neceffity that they fliould fig- nifie a corporal] prcfence of Chrift. But you willobjcd, I, bur in a matter of this moment, as the Sacrament, the Lord fpeakes di- ftindly andexprcfl}^, there he ufcth no raetaphorj though in other cafes he doe. \ To this I anfwer briefly, it is fo farre from I being true, that hee ufeth them not in the Sacra- ' ment, that there arc none of all the Sacramepts , but it is ufed. In the Sacrament of Circumci- ; fion, This the Covenant^ &c. In the Sacrament of the Paficover ( which were the Sacraments i of the old Law) the Lamhe isthePaffcover, in I this very Sacrament: To goe no further for in- f^ances, Serm J. Metaphors u- fed in the Sa- craments of the Law. 540 I The Cup of ,taken for this Wine • T his is the Cup ef the New T ejlament^ that is, the Sacranient of the New Teftamcnt: And therefore we fee, there is no neccfTity in re- gard of the words: Andthereisnoiieceffityfince with a little bucklingand fwarving,7^^/i is my hodj^ that is, this is the figure of my body, wee have a convenient fenib, why fliould wee faine fuch a monftrous thing that bread is turned in- to the very body of Christ, and the wine into the very bloud f What needs fuch a mon- ftrous fetch as this, tohclpe the words to a mea- ning f What need or neceffity is there that they ftiould bee fo interpreted f And therefore wc fee in the fir ft place that there is no neceffity, and if there bee no neceffity, it is not to be put upon us, for if that be an arbitrary thing,wcmay afwell deny it. Secondly, as there isnotneceffitie, fo there is not poffibilitie , (though it werepoffiblc) they would not get inuch , for there are many things that are poffible that are not done ; But itisnotpoffible, if it were poffible, thenitmuft ftand with the power of Go d : But the power of Go D is not ufed, \M where the glory and ! wifedome of Go b goe before, for it is the har- binger of his glory and wifdome. The power of God is not ufed, but if it be for his honour, therefore it is faid, Cod canmtlye^ becaufeitis not for ^is honour^ and hce cannot deny him- I fcjfe, The Qip of ^lefing. fclfe, becaufe ic is not for hiswifdome and his glory : Now I fay fince this is not for the glory of God (for it is againft his glory) that there (hould bee fuch a converfion of the bread into the body of Chrift, and itis againft bis wife- I dome : And if ic bee againft thefe, then certain- ly, the power of God muft not be called to it; NoWj I fay, ic is againft his glory, becaufe vvhen- foever the Lord appeared, he appeared al way in glory, though fometimcshee appeared as a man, yet there was fuchaMajeftiethatcaufedthem to tremble that beheld him: Shall we fee God and livetr You fee when he appeared to what j Majeftic hee came in f What harbcngers he lent before him, the Wind that rent the -K^?^^^/^ and a Fire^ &c. But, you will fay Chrift humbled himfelfe to death as a man, therefore he doth not alwayes ap- pearc in glory. It is true, and that was the loweft degree of HHmiliation:^ and yet when hee appeared as man, there was fome fparkc of his Divinitie appeared there : ButthatCH k i s t fliould appeare in the lij^enelfe of a pcecc of bread that thou mayeft ■ put in thine owne mouth, furely this is a mon- jftrous thing, it is againft the glory of God. I Doe you thinke, if Chrift ftiould comedowne upon the earth, after his Afcenfion, and exhi- bite himfelfe to bee worfhipcd amongft us , ; that hec would prcfcnt himfelfe in the forme of I a peece of bread i It is impoffibk, it is not for his glory, and if it bee not for his glory, then certainly \ Serm.L 3 It is againft the glory of God. Glory appeared inChriftslow eft humiliati- on. 54> Ser m. L A^ainil his wifedomc. Againll fenfe. Cup of ^lejsing. certaioely :he power of God muft not bee brought d awne for the working of ir. And as it isagainft his glory j fo it is againft his wif. dome, for the Lord doth nothing to no pur- pofe, hee doth nothing in vaine , hee never wrought miracles when they might bee fpared, where the thing might bee done without a mi. rack. Since this might bee done without a mi- racle, all that wee have by Chrift, all that is re- , prefented in the Sacrament, what necelTity is there i And if there bee no necellity, it befeemes not the wifdome of G o d to doe it : Againe, would not the fmalleft miracle, really and vi- fibly cxpofed to fenfe, help^ more than fuch a miracle as this : Befidesallthis, Ifay,itisnot pollible (make your owne fenfes Judges j you fee nothing but bread i now this is a fure rule , that of all demonftrations of rea(on that wee have to prove things • nothing is fo firme as that which is taken from fenfe ; To prove the fire is hor, wecfeele it hot, or honey to be fwccr, when wee tafte it to bee fweet ? There is no rca- fon in the world makes it fo firme as fenfe : As it is true in thefe cafes, fo it is an undoubted Truth in Divinity, that in all matters of fenfe , fenfe is a competent ludge i Indeed, if it bee a matter of reafon . there fenfe is not able to ji^dge, the eye is able to judge of his owne fenfe, of founds it cannot judge 5 but, I fay, objcdspro* per to fenfe, peculiar to fenfe, in thefe fenfe is a competent ludgc. And therefore Chrift him- fclfc , in this very bufineCfCj when hee would prove The (up of Blefing. prove that he had a true body, hce fends them to their fenfes^o^' ffirit hath net flejh and blond as yop^ifee mee have: AndThomas hchids^ Put thy \ hand into my fide and f tele, &cc. He fends them to their fenfes : Lookethorow the Scriptures, and fee if there be one miracle there, if fenfe be not a competent judge acording to that part of the miracle that concernes the fenfe; would you not thinkeit ftrange, if Chrift fliould have come to the Mafter of the feaft, when he wrought the miracle, and have faid. Sir, you muftbeleeve that this is wine,though you fee nothing,though you tafte nothing but water, yet you muft be- leeve that it is turned into wine ; And if God fliould have faid unto L^ofes, Though thou fee nothing but a Rod, thou muftbeleeve it is turned into a Serpent : If there hadbeeneno change indeed, and (uch as fenfe might fee, we would thinke it a ridiculous thing, and next do^re to animpofture : And therefore certainly in rtiatters of fenfe, fenfe is a competent ludge 5 and therefore when all the fenfes tell us that it is bread when we tafte, when the eye and the touch, when every thing makes it evident that it is bread, why fliould we fay there is any thing elfe but bread ^ Befides, ifwcwilladdetolenfe, reafon^itis againft reafon, as well as againft fenfe •: It is againft reafon that Chrift fliould be in heaven, and yet havetenthoufand bodies on earth, and yet Chrift hath but one body, and a body can be but in one place : And againe, this body muft m SfiRM.I Againftreafott 544 Ser. I.{ Tin Cup of ^kfiing. 5' Ajsinft Faith, i muft be without all circunifcription and quali- ties and properties of a bodie. And againejthat the bread that wee fee (hould be no bread, fay they^ there is the whiteneffe of bread 3 there is the tafte of bread, there is the quantitie of bread, and that is all : T would but askethem one thing, when this bread is eaten , fince there is nothing there, but thefe accidents;, there is nothing but thcmeere quantity , and rheiike: I would aske , whether it nouriih the body or no ; they muft needs anfwere no, if they follow, their principles , becaufe the body of Chrift i not there, they fay itisremoovedasfooneas the bread isdeftroyed , whenit begins to turne| into flefh, it lofeth thefe accidents 3 well, the bread returnes not againe, there is nothing but accidents of the.bread,and yet certainly it doth nourifli 5 for it is reported by credible Authors, that fome have been fo holy , that they would feed upon nothing elfe but ihtEucharlfi y fora Prieft may confecrate a Cellar of wine , and as much bread as he will, and may feed upon this, and with thefe hee may be nourifhed, and yet there is nothing but accidents of bread : In a word, the Schoolcs that traverfe this fo accuce ly, are not fatisfied at all in this, but they leaves 1 1 it as a wonder , as a thing that cannot bee ex- plained- So it is agaioft reafon 5 asitisagainft fenfe. But, you will fay, faith is beyond fenfe and reafon^ it is true, it is beyond both, but it is not contrary to both 5 fajth teacheth nothing con- i trary I The Cup of ^kj^in^. crary to rcafon, for fenfe and rcafon are Gods workes as well as grace y now one worke of God doth not deftroy another , if they fhould^ there muft bee an imperfedion in the worke- man , fand therefore grace and faith contrary not fenfe and reafon ; indeed it elevateth reafon^ and makes it higher, it makes it fee further than reafon could, it is contrary indeed to corrupt reafon, but to reafon that is right reafon, it is not contrary, onely it raifeth it higher : And therefore faith teacheth nothing contrary to fenfe and reafon. But befides thefe, if we fliew them Scripture too, what will they have then to fay f whea wee fay it is againft fenfe and reafon 5 fay they, the Scriptures affirmc it, if it do wc willyeeld. I I Let us examine the words if the Scripture af- Ifimie it : Yes, fay they, the Scripture fay th, This is my Body^ they are Chrifts words 5 but if jthe Scriptures fay fo, yet the Scripture fay th ^nowhere, that that bread is turned into the bo- die, that no where faith, that there is fucha Tranfubftantiation, onely thofe words i^ed, which, as you heard, way haveametaphori- call, tropicall, figurative fenfe : But befides this, what if the Scripture fay the contrarie; ; you lhall finde this in the next Chapter five ■ times called Bredd, and afteritisconfecrated | too, as the Apoftle faith. The Cune of Blepng that Tve bleff andthc breadthat m make : After he had blelTed the bread , then he tooke it , and after hee had tooke it , then hee brake it , hee thus 54<5 Sbrm.L Tf?e Cup of (BleJ^ing. thus tooke that vvhichis called Breads Againe, they fay the body of Chrift isnot broken, but that is broken^ which is alwayes after the words of Confccration^ but it is the bread that we breake. Againe, if it could bee underftood othei- wife, you fee what a Tautologie wouldbein the words, Th bread that me brenke, it is the Communion of the bodyofchrifi 5 if the meaning was, that it is the body, here the words muft be thus rendred 1 Thebody that we breake, is it not the communion of the body ^ But^, I fay, five times you fhallfindeit inthisnext Chap- ter, that it is Bread after the words of Conse- cration 5 and you knowitisfaidto be JVine : I Ghrift faith, he will not drinke of the fruit of the Vine I by which he meanes the vtty wine which was before in the Sacrament : and therefore certainly they finde nothing that affirmes it. Befides 5 if it were the meaning of Cjirift, This is my body^ what is the reafon the IHfdples never asked any queftion about it ^ Wh^t is the reafon the Fathers, that followed in the firft times fpake not of fuch things ^ I neede not troubleyou with that. Nowyouihall finde all along from the firft, that the Fathers make no fuch mention of that 5. but not toftand to prefTe this further becaufe IfeethetimepafTeth, and this thing I intend not to ftand on : You fee therefore the falfenelTe of this opinion, that this Communion of thebloud of Chrift, and ofthebody of Chrift, fhould bee through any reall reall Jcorporall Tranfubftamiation, But what [ is it then ^ Wc are to diftinguifli betwcene the 1 inward and the outward adion, there need no more but that with the outward adion, with ithe mouth of the body, we take the bread and wine; and with the inward adion, that is, by faith wee take the very body and blond of Chrift 5 thefe wee diftinguifli, thefe they con- tfound : But, I fay, wee agree in the thing , iwefay Christ is communicated to us in the Sacrament, as truly and really as they, on- ly there is difference in the manner, wee fay it iisfpiritually, they fay it is corporally. For what is the Sacrament i (to open it to you) and fo Iwillcometomakeforaeufcto you» This Sacrament is nothing elfe , but the Scale of the Gofpell of the New Covenant; lind it is indeed nothing elfe^ but a vifiblc Go- fpeli • for what is the Gofpell ^ the Gofpell is but an offer of Chrift,to all that will take him, or remiflion of finncs • now the fame thing ^hich the Gofpell preachcth to the care, that ame the Sacrament preachcth to the eye, that s, in the Sacrament there is an offer of Chrift ous, T'ake 4»rf^4f, that is, take Chrift, t^hefi '^od'j W(t5 brokenydnd tvhofi bloud was jhed for jou^ ake him for remiffion of fins : I fay the fame s done, only the Gofpell prefems it to us un- 3er audible words, and the Sacrament prefcnts t to us under vifible figncs : this is all the dif- crcncc; It wee would know what the Sacra- O o ment w Ser.L The Sacra- aaciu the feale oftheG©%clI. The condition on Gods part. 548 . Tl:>e Cup of ^lejiin^. Gofpeliwhat. ment is^confidcr what the Gofpellisj and the ^ Covenant, and you (hall know what this is/or | it is but a Seale^biit a memorial! of the Go/pel. i now what is this Gofpell ^ It is nothing but ' this^ when God looked on mankinde, as fallen I in Jdam^ he tooke a rcfolution in himfelfc to * xecover them ^igaioe, by giving his Sonne to i them : Now this muft be manifcfted to mctt^ therefore he fends his meffengers to declare ttf the fonnes of men, to let them know thcS eftatc by nature, and to tell them that bee hath given them his Sonne to fave them from the fins, and to reconcile th^m to himfelfe, ti give them title to the kingdome^f romthe hope of which they were fallen : this is one part of the Gofpelljthis promife which he hath made, which, I fay, is nothing elfe but a meere office of Chrift. But theie is another part, w^^ is the cdnditi- on requiftd on our part,whcn Chriftis thus gi- ven, you muft ferve him, and love him, and o- bey him, and turnc from all your cvillwayes, you muft be hiSjas he is yours tnow when ch^ covenant and agreement is made betweeneus, hee puts bis Scale to it, this Sacrament of the Lords Supper : As lacob and LdAn^v^\\Qn they had made an agreement one with another,, that they (hould nor. hurt oneanother,thcy pitched ftones upon aaheape, T his (hall be a wimejfe ht\ twe^ne that is^ if either of us breake the bar- gaine, let this heapc witnefte that there was fucfa a covenant made : And as God himfelfc, did, I Tl)e (up of SleJ^ing. did, wiicn he made a covenant with iV^^^^^that the waters fliould no more overflow the earth, he fet his Bow in the clouds, and that was a | iwitneffe, that when I fee the Bow in the cloud, | if I goe about to drowne the earth againe with water, let this witneffe againft me : So in the Paffeovcr, when hec made a promifc tliat the dcftroyingAngcllfliouldfparethcm, he com- 1 jmands them that they fliould fprinkle the I ^oore-cheekes with bloud, that when hee fees 1 [the bloud, that witneffe might fecure them , bat the Lord would remember what he had .ipromifed when he had feene that : And as I bmong men, when a man conveys either lands or money, to another man, they ufe to con- ffirme the bargainc with feales or with fomc I figne or memoriall, that when they forget the bargaine,ordeny it, or goc about to breakc it, j it may be faid to them. This is your hand and j fealc, the thing is done, you have pali if ,it can. | not be recalled - if you doe, this will witneffe j againflyou : Sothc Lord here, when he bath | made his Covenant with us, I will give you my Sonne : And you againe fhall give your Pelves up to him, hec put his hand and feale to i t, as it were ^ he addcs this Sacrament that will | 3e a witnefle againft him, if he fhould go about j ;o breake the covenant,as it is a witneffe againft ! js, if we breake the Covenant of faith and re- \ pentance,that is required on our part: You fee 1 :heref ore what the Sacrament is, it is nothing but the Scale of the Gofpell,prefenting that to i O o 2 the ^ Ser*L SER»r The Cup of &.ejsing. z parts of Gofgcil* the eye 5 which the Gofpcll prcfenrs to thei earCj for itprefents Godasitwere, he comes' with Chrift in his hand, faying this to us. This my Son^his body is broken for you^ and his bloud jhed for you, take Bim, kt Him be yours, only remember that you ferve Himj that you love Him, that you obey i^/^again^and let this Sacra- ment be a figne and a witnefle betweene us : fo that as the Gofpell hath two parts, one is a re- lation oi all that Chrift hath done; andano* ther is the giving and offering Chrift to us, fo in this Sacrament there is a rcprefenting of Chrift,he was crucified^j his body was broken, his bloud was (hed,and a deed of gift is delive- red of Chrifl tous,T4^^ W^^^ And there- fore know that it is not a bare figne, but it is a figne of the Covenant^and there is a difference betweene thofetwo, to fay the Sacrament is a figne of Chrifl:, and a figne of the Covenant, even as tlicre is a great difference betweene the wax that only bears the impreffion of an image flamped upon it, and betweene that which is a I feale to a Deed-that is the figne of the covenant I orbargaine, and agreement, for that gives in- terefl into the thing, that gives Title to the thing that conveyes the thing to us, that binds the owner perpetually to the performance of the thing . fo the Sacrament is not a naked figne, rcprefenting this z(k of Chrifl, but it gives us interefl, not oncly into fome benefits , no, hee faith not, youfhallhavcremiffionof fins, or you fliall have adopiion^but hee faith, \7Ake, 77;eO^ of^lejsing. 7ak^, this is my body : By body is meant whole Chriftj by a Sjmcdoche^vjc have Chrift and all j things clfe. What ufe are we to make of this < Surely it is of great ufe many wayes: Firft^wcemuft make this ufe of ir, which is themaineend of the Sacrament, to confirme our faith in the af- j furance of the forgivcnelle of our fins, as like- wife to renew our Covenantjand the Condiri. on required on our parr, when God hath faid I he is willing to pardon our fins^^if he had but j barely faid it^it had bcene enough^God cannot lye; But left it fhould not bee enough,hce hath not only faid ir^but he hath fworne it, I^ebr. 6. He hathfaorne by hiwfelfe^that hy tm immutable things we might have Jlrengconjilation : Being willing, faith the Apoftle,to (hew to the heircs of promife the ftablcneffe of his Counfell, he bound himfelfe with an oath, but yet kfl: that (hould not be enough, he hath added fcales to it,he hath given the inward feale of the Spirit, \ an d the outward fealc of the Sacrament ; as if ! he fliould fay, I have promifcd to forgive you I your fins, let the Sacrament witnefTc againfi I me, if I performe it not : Here by the way ob- fcrve, how difficult a thing it is for us to be« lecve, you may thinke it an eafie thing when you are in hcakh,whcn you are well ; but when death comes, when temptation comes, when trouble of confciencc comes, I fay, you fhall finde it a difficult thing, youfliallfindeaneed j of allthefe helpesjfor ccrtainely Godfweares ) O o 3 not rfeil To confirme us in the aflu- ranee of for- givsnede. TvYo Scales, A diffictilc thing to bc- 5?^ Ser. I. The Cup of (Blejsing. Rcafons to armc U3 a. gain ft doubt- ing of forgive nelie. The Lord de- lircth the fal- vatloa of ii;icn The lender- Hcfle in men teachcthit. Eire Chrifis death were lot in vaine^he would not have bound himfdfc with an oath^ to be ready to forgive finnes , if chere were not exceedingly needof fuchhelpes ro confirme us 5 and therefore you have need to fer your fcivcs more diligent about it, make this ufeof the Sac carnentjabour to con- firme your felvcs in thisaflurance: Sothatas ihe Apoille faitbj Tou may have finng eonf$kti- 0($,xhzi is when the temptations of Satan fliall affauit you with objedions to the contrary , you may be ftrong, and not fliaken : And why fliould you be doubtful! (if wee fliould a little reafon with you)that you may receive the fruit of this/or why fliould you feare it f For firft^ the Lord profelTeth, I would not the death of a fipm^ as 1 live: And why willy oh dieyohyou houfe of jfiael : W hat is the meaning of this^ but to fliew that the Lord hath an exceeding great dciire, earnefily longs to fave the foules ot men. Indeed he faith not that he will give eve- ry one grace to come in^but if he doc,^/ ///W, faith the Lcrd^ I will not his death^ that is^ I am ready to forgive him : Befides this^ confider what a man is ready ro doe, confiderhow ten* der-hearted fathers and mothers arc to their children • if we find fo much mercy there^con- fider bow much there is in God • that mercy that is in us^is but a drop to the Ocean, it is but ^ beame, tothefulneflethatisinhim : ifjou that are eviUcangivegood things to your children how much more flmll your heavenly Father do it? Againe^confider if the Lord were not readyto fliew 71)6 Qup of duping. fhew mercy to you, t hat Chrift fliould not be of none effeiljthat is,the bloud of Chrijl fhouJd be flicd in vaine. And doe you thin^e the Lord would fend his Sonne to fuffer death , and to fufier it in vaine f and that fliould be in vaine,if he fliould not be ready to receive men to mer- cy, when they come to feekeit at his hands ^ befides if the Lord fliould not doe this5no flefli fliQuld be favcd : Pfal, 130.3. f^ith the Pfalmift thtxCylfthoH Lord jhouldejl marke aU that is done miffe^voho could flmd ? The meaning is this^if the Lord fliould not be ready to do this^which he hath given to the Sacrament 10 coafirme, namely to forgive finnes, if he fliould not be ready to doe it, if he fliould mark ftraitly what is doneamiffe, who could fl:andj that is, who fliould be faved:" Now certainly the Lord hath made. man for that purpofe,manfliallbecfa. vcd, none were made for damnation ; Befides, there is another argument, I'hereismerqwith thee that thoU' mightejl be feared : Feare is taken for theworfliipof God, that is, if the Lord fliould not receive men, none would worfliip him, none would ferve him • when there is no hope, take away all hope, take away all endea- vour. If this will not perfwadeyou,confider what the Lord hath done for others, how ma- ny thoufands of other have had their finnes forgiven, and then thinke, had hee mercy for fach and fuch, and hath he not mercy enough - for me i Hath not Chrifl: taken thy nature as 1 well as theirs i If all this will not perfwade O o 4 you Ser, L Feare put for the worlhipofi God. " 4 Confider what Godhath done for others. m Ser m. L The mereie of Ghrift when he was upon earth. The Cup of (Blejsing, Ohlech Godsmercic greater than A fight of our unficnes makes us £it. forroeis yoUjConfider how mercifull Chrift was in the dayes of his flcfb^he was exceeding gcrnkjCafie to be entrd&ted, you (hall never finde that there was any thatasked at his hands, but he granted it : And thinke you that he is leffe pitifull now to mens foulcsj than he was to their bodies i Doe you thinke that now he is in heaven, hee hath laid afide his mercifull difpofition No, Hek^. Wee have a mrcifull high Prieft that is \ tmched with our infirmities^ that is ready to fer- ' give : Ob, but my finnes are exceeding grear, what though they bee, is not the Lords mercy exceeding, is it not like the piighty Sea, that drownes mountaines afwcU as mole, hils : My fins are of divers forts, what if they be, in the Lord there is multitudes of merciesjas many as ! thou haft finnes : I, but they have oft beene re- peated, I have oft fallen into them againeand | againe : What if thou haft < Is not his mercids | renewed every morning.* hnd^Zachary 13. i. There is a fountaine opened for the houfeof ludd and lerufdem towajh in : Not a cifterne, but a \ fountaincjthat is^asthereis^priog of finnein j us, (b there is a fpring of mercy in God, there j is no end of his mercy, jherefore doubt not in i regard of that. i But againe, I am unfit,if I were fit and ready j for this I mi ht receivefruit from the Sacra- i| ment,but I am unfitf Why^r Ifchou thoughteft i thy fclfe fit, thou Ihouldeftnothaveit- even li therefore, becaufe thou feeleft thy felfc unfit J i the rather thou fhalt be received to mercy : the j s Lord i The Qip of (Blefing. 555 I Lord lookes for this at our hands^ that we find and fcele fuch unfitneffe in our fouks3 the more we are humbled, the Icfle we find in our felves, the more ready the Lord is to receive us to ? mercy : Befides, thisvery unficnellcj I would aske thee, bur what it is 5 Is it not finne c* IfalF finnes bee forgiven, if the pardon be general), then it is contained among the reft, andfhalj^ not beany impediment : And therefore make this ufe when you come to the Sacrament, thinkc not that God is backward to forgive, that he will not be as good as his word, cer- tainely hee will • and know this, that what hee hath faid, andfworne, hewillperforme. Hea- ven and earth Jl}alipa[fea}vaj, buthisWordjhall not jfajfe. This indeed is our chiefeft confolati- on, that our faithis not built upon perfwafions and imaginations of our owne, that our finnes lhallbe forgiven, but iti'sbuiltnpon thefure Wordof God: And as SaintP^^/ faith, If an ^ngellfiom heaven jlwuld preaih any other Gofpell^ pu jhould not receive it from him. So when you have this fure Word that God hath given you a generall pardon. Come unto me all yee that are weary ^ and heavy laden^ &c. You may build upon this fure Word: Now when I you put all thefe together, that the Lord hath i faidir, and puthisfcaletoir, if he ftiould not I dock, the death of Chrift fhouldbeof none efFcd, no flefh fliould be faved, no man would worfhip God, Againc, there is nothing can be an impediment touSj notthegreatncffc, and multitude SfiRM. L The condition ofihecove- ^ nant on our part. I To take Chrlfi loh.i.ia^ What his to take Chrift. jjiukkude of our finneSj and our relapfe into fin^not our unfitneffej why (hould we doubt i But now this is the condition of Gods part. Then fee the Condition required on our part J what is that f Firftj it is required that wee take the Lord lefus Chriftj for though the Lord give him in the Sacrament5though he offer him in the Go- fpelly^xceptwetakehimheisnot ours. It wc beleeve that one will give us a thoufand pound, that makes not a man rich, if he be ready to give itjit is the taking that makes us rich : If we beleeve that there isfuchafoveraigneeledu- ry that is able to heale, that bdeeving doth not heale, it is the taking of it, if it be not taken, it hcalesnot : And therefore, there is required a taking of Chrifi-^So manj as reuivedhim^hi gave ^ower to he thefom of God. So many as received him . If a Virgin beleeve that fuch a Suiter is willing to take her for his wife,except flie take him for her husband it is no match. And fo to beleeve that Chrift is ready to forgive and par- don our finnes,to beleeve that God the Father will give Chrift to you as he hath J 71?^ /jfi'^^ is given^BfA) p. 6. To beleeve this except wee take him, it doth not profit, he is not ours till then ; This taking is that which the Scripture cals Faith, this isabeleevingiahim : If you would know what this taking is, it is nothing j elfe but the very accepting of Ghrift/or our Kingjfor our Lord and Husband: So.that look what it is among men, if you would askc what ir h is for a fpoufe to t ak€ fuch an one for her husband, for a fervant totakefuchanonefor his mafter, for a fubjed to take fuch an one for his King,it is no morCjbut this^ the very ad of the wiiljWhereby they con fent^and accept fuch an one for their husband, for their Mafter or King 5 it is the taking of hinij and this is the ta- king of lefus Chrift 5 1 fay, when we (hall ac- cept him, when wc fee God hath given him to us, and that he hath given himfelfe, when wee take him for oufLord and Mafter, that is the vcry.ad of the Will, whereby wcc refol ve to make him ours ^ and refolve to give up our felves tohim, as he is given to us : That is the firft condition that is required, we mufttake him 5 and this the Scripture cals faith. Is this all i No, there is fomewhat clfe required, you muft take him indeed, afwell as in will, that is, you muft fotake him,as to ferve himjand only him, toturnefromallcvillwayes, and there- fore the pardon runnes fo, though it bee a ge- nerall pardon ^ as there is a generall proclama- tion* whatfoever your rebellions be, it is no matter for all kinde of rebelHons, there is nei- ther any fitme, nor any perfon excepted, but then this condition runncs along with it, you muft take him for your King : Is that allf No, you muft lay downeyour armes of rebellion, you muft renounce the Colours and Tents of theenemie,and come in and be fubjed to him, you muft live by his Lawes : And therefore, befides taking of him^there is required that wc be 557 E R I. To feiTt him. To tume from Cm. Serm. I 4 . To fervc him in love. ' bee ready to obey Chrift indeed, and not to take Chrift onely as a Saviour : Every man is ready to take him as a Prieft to favc them from their fins, buttotakehimasaKingand a Lordjfo as to be fubjed; unto him^hcre all the world is at a ftand 5 as the young man when he came to Chrift, and he tcls him what he muft doe 3 Goe fell /U, &c. He would not take him with this condition ^ here every man is ready to refufe him: we are willing to follow Chrift thorow faireway, but notthorow fouleand rough way • we are willing to take him with a Crowne of glory, but not with a Crowne of thornes- wearewiilingtotake thefwcer, but noi thelbwre: Butminuftknow, if we will take Chrift, we muft likcwife obey him, and take him as an Husband, our will muft be fub- jed to his will^ we muft take him as a Lord, we muft bee fubjed to him in all things, we muft keepc his Commandcments • and therefore he hath fo expreft it. If you mllfufer with him^ jou Jhall r eigne with him, not clfe • if you wiU obey me, and keefe my Commandements^thQwyou fiallhe my DifcipleSy if you will follow me ^ znddeny your felves^and take up your crojfe, &c. Take up my croflc daily. Therefore a fecond Condition is this,which the Scripture calls fometimes repentance and converfion to God, fometime obedience. But is this aik No, there is one more re- quired that wee doe allthisoutof love, for when a man is in extremity, when he is driven to Tl^eCup ofBlej^lng, to an exigcnr, now to take Chrift, and to kecpe his CommandeiPients 3 perhaps he will be vvil- ling to doe,'to expedite himfelfe out of fucha ftrait: but wil the Lord regard thisc^Surely no, except it be from love 5 thereforc^G^/. 5.5 . yon fliall findc them all th rec put together. Neither Circumcifion availeth any thing^nor urjcircumcifi- en Jout faith that w$rhth by love:i\\^xt you have the firft Condition^ which is faith. The fecond which worketh,!: is not an idle faith^ but it is a faith that fets you a worke 5 and then you have the third, they are workes that come from love. A man will be ready to doe any thing to fave his life - you know a Merchant when he is on the fea, cafts away his goods, when he is in extreme danger, not becaufe he and his goods are fallen out, but to fave his life he will doe it : Take a covetous man, let him bee on the racke^ he will be ready to doc any thing, but yet the man is the lame; And fo for a man to do much for Chtift,todoe as we are ready to doe in the time of extremity, when death comes, when fickneflc comes, when we are under fomc great crofle that is upon us, when confcience is trou- bled, I fay, in thefe cafes to doe it,the Lord re. -gards it not : This therefore is the Condition that is required to be done out of love 5 it is a rule in the CWiWAm ^^CemraBu^ qui jit ftr mi- na^^nuUtu ejl ; The contrads that are gotten by threamings, are no contradls at all , but if a Virgin confent,when flie is free,whenit is done v9ithoutcompulfion,that makes the match: So it Feare of a flee- ting nature, love conftam 0 The Cup ofiBlepn^. it is bctweene Chrift and us/or usto take him and keepehis CommandcmentSj and to doc it out of fearc and other refpedJs, this Chrift re- gards notj At is love that makes the match r If we take him out of lovfj if all we doe, be done j out of lovcj then there is a macth betweene us^ otherwife not* And there is good reafon for thatj becaufe feare is of a fleeting nature, it foone pafles and vaniflies away, but when it is rooted and grounded in love, when that which wee doc, comes from this principlcj then we hold out and cleave to Chrift, without fepara- ting againe ^ when that proceeds from fcare, we doe it not with delight, we doe it not with propcnfcneflc,wich proclivity of minde, with an inward willingnefl'e.Now the Lord fo loves a cheerefull giver, achearefullfervant, and a cheerefuU performer, that hee loves no other ; And therefore that Condition is required, to Delight in the Lm^ in the inward man,that wee doe not only keepehis Commandernents, but that they be not grievous to us, and what wee doc,be done out of love ^ and therefore it is re- quired, when wee doe this, that we love the Lordlcfus Chrift. I will be bold to fay, a man may pray day and night as carneftly as Hannah did,hc may keep the Commandements of God without repr©ofe,as Zachary and Elizabeth did for the outward a^l, hee may abound in the workc of the Lord, but whatfoever he doth, if he doc it not out of love, God looks upon fuch workesj as upon a deadcarkafe- fo they are called, The Cup of^lefsing. •Galled, Hehr.g.Deadtvorkes^ that is^ workes that arc good for fubftanccj and for circum- ftance too, but yet they are dead^ becaiifc they come not from love, there is no life in them ; j Therefore5in i Cor. 16.22* Whofoever loves not the Lord lefm^ faith the Apoftk, let him ke ac^ I curjQd. whofoever loves mt the Lord lefm^ that j is, whatfoevcr a mandoth befides^let h^m pro- I ftffe vs^hat he will^ and performe what he will ^ " if he love not the Lord lefus, he is accurfed : I And that I fpeake not this without ground, ; looke i C$r. 1 3 .Take the moft glorious adions \ that a man can performe, if a man give his My t$ be burnt ^ that is, to be a Martyr, if he^ i^^j j his goods to the poor e,v7h\ch is an high aftion for a man to part with all hee hath 5 if he doe that which Ch rift required of the young man, to def^y himfelfe : If a man were able to preach the Gofpelljif he had gifts as an Angell,asthe Apoftle Ipeakes,//^^ rvereabk to Jpcake with the tongues of men and Angels ^ and if it were without love^God regards it noP: Love is a diftingurfhing Chara(aer,an Hypocrite may goe very far,but love he cannot - it is love therefore that fets an high price upon all that we doe; And therefore you fliall findefromthebeginningof Genefis, to the end of the Revelation^ the Promife is made ftill to the Affc(aion,, anditis the Affe- dion that makes a man a good man ; heethat fcares the Lord,and he that loves the Lord,and \ Ihee that delights in theCommandements of | |God,&c. And therefore it is not enough that I ' we 561 S ER L Heb.p. 14, I Cor. 1^,11. 2 Cor. 1 5. J. Hypocrites can not love TheCupof^lepng. 4- we take Chrift, and that wee belecve in him, ^ that we doe the workes that heecomniadsusj but that we doe them out of love : And this is the Condition that is required on our part. So you fee now what the Gofpell is^ what the fummeof it is, that is fealed in the holy Sacra- ment, it is this Covenant on Gods part,that he is ready to for give m ; wherein you muft ftreng. then your f aithj when you draw ncarc to him. And agamc, this condition on your part. Faith and obedience out of love, as you have heard sThis is the firft ufe that youare to make. \ fliould proceed. Theendof the Firfi Sermon^ THE CUPPE OF BLESSING: DELIVERED IN THREE Sermons, upon i(]br. lo.id The Second Sermon, I Cor X n t h. id. i6. The Cup ofblej^ing^that m hlejjejs it not the Communion of the bloud of ChriH ? &c. BEING we havethc fame oc* cafion tor which I tooke this Text, being to receive the Sa« crament againe the next: Sab- bath, and fo along 5 I thought it better to continue it, than to divert to sn- othcr : when wc handled it the laft time, wee Pp_ told} The Cupof _(BleJshig. told you there were thefe three parts in the words : Firft^there is a true Communion of the bo- dy and bbud of Chrift. Secondly, the meanes by v;hich itiscon« vcyedtouS;; the bread and wine, the outward ekments which God hath Saadified to that purpofc. The third, is the adopting or fitting thefe elements tor fuch an end • and that is by fandi- fy ing themjby blefling them, by fetting them apart - "the Cup &/ Ble(fwg which we blejfe^^c. The point we delivered wasthis, that in the Sacrament there is a reall and true Communi- on of the body and bloud of Chrift to every Receiver* Wee told you the difference betweene the Papifts and OS, wee both agree that Chrifl is really in the Sacrament, they fay it is corpo. j rally, wee fay it is only done by faith. But to u(e an expreffion ot Augupne^ which hee hath upon the very Text, faith he, lohmBapit/l [aid hee was not EliaSy and yet Chrifl faith, John was Ehas faith hee, how jhaU wee recom:ik\ thefe tw } ? they are thmrecenciled-^ John /pcakes properly ^ mdchrijl f^akcf gurmvdy^ and there^ fore thej croffe not one another (he gives this ve- ry inftance) fo faith he,whcD Cbrift faitb,T his is mjbodyj and wee fay it is not his body , but bread, (they arc Augujlines owne words) faith he.the nrieaning is t his,It is the body, if we take k figuratively, and it is not his body, if wcc fpeake fpcake properly • fo that as it was wkhttte Temple of his body^when he fpake of it, Imi^ deftrcy this T emple, and build H in three day es 5 they underftood ic of the materiall Temple ; and, faiih the Text, 7 hey mre reckoned m falfe rvitmjfes againjl Chrifi : So when Chrift jpeaks thus of his body3T/;A^ is my hody, vvhcn they UD- derft ood it materially and c6r porally , when i t is a thing fo frequent and ufuallwithbim to fpeak Metaphorically,! fayjChey fliall be fourid falfc witneflesagainfthim, in applying this to his material and corporall body ^that he under- ftands of his myfticallbody^whichis received 1 by faith. I will not ftand to repeat more of that I delivered then left the time prevent us in that which rcmaines. Onely one thing which I then omitted, and that is a great objection of thePapifts^outof the fixth Chapter of Saint loh^^ where Chrift fpeakes fo much of eating his flefli, and drin- king his bloud, which, fay they, muft needs be underftood of a corporall manducation^of eat- ing his body and drinking hisbloud in the Sa- crament ^ we will fpeake one word of this, Firflr,that this cannot be the meaning of that claufe, is evident, becaufe the Supper of the Lord was not then inftijuted^ and tjficrcfore it could not bee hcftiouldhave relation to that, j becaufe Chrift fpake to thofe that might un- derftandhim,the words were intelligible at tl?e leaft: Now it was impoflible that thofe that heard himjflioldunderftand him of the Sacra. ^ Pp 2 ment I 567 II. Obje^ions of the Papifts out of lohn ^. Anfmrcd, ment ot the Lords Supper ^ becaufe it was a thing that was not 5 and if they fay that was their dulncffe : I anfwer ^it is not dulneffe not to conceive that which fimply could not bee knowne : This that had no beings could not be ' knownc 5 and therefore this is certaine hee had not relation to that « Befides that, if you mailae the courfe of the words, you (hall finde he faith there, that ra- 1 ther the flefli is turned into bread, than the J bread to flefli, faith he, lam the true bnad, that \ came downe from heaven^ he repeats that often 1 in the Chapter, ver f. 5 1 • l am the living bread, \ and mj flejh is bread y and 1 give life t$ the world : 1 So that you fliall finde more rcafon, if you J reade that Chapter, why the flefli ftsould bee turned to bread,than the bread into flefli. But befides that, the eating of Chrifts flefli, and the drinking of his bloud,is al way es taken in a good fenfe,and it is alway es peculiar to the Saints : And therefore, verfe 5 3 ,54* you fliall finde both expreffed : Except a man eat bis fitjh^ and drinke his blond, hee hath no Ufeinhim : A- I%z\w^^Whofoever^ (without exception) ^^/i^/i j anddrinkcs his bload Joe hath eternaUUfe\and chrifi mil raife him uf at thelafi day : So if you take the words generally as Chrifl: expreflcth them, and fo they muft needs be undcrftood I Then it is impoffiblethat his flefli fliould bee I eaten in the Sacrament, and his bloud drunke, j becaufe many that fliould eat his fl fli there, in acorporall manner fliall not be faved, which you f TloeQup of^lejsing. you know thcmfclves grant. Befides^thcrc are many that never cat his fle£h, nor drinke his bloud in the Sacrament, that arefavcd, and have life in them, asyouknowtheTheefeon the Croffc, went immediately to Paradifc, though hec never eat the flefli of Chriftin the Sacrament^nordranke his bloud : All the Pa- triarkes before Chrift, Did mtthej drmkethe f me fpirituaS drink ^did they not eat the fame fpi^ rituall meat^ ivs we doe ? but they never eat it in the Sacrament: Mav'j Magdalen^v;hcn fliee had never tafted of the Sacrament, faith Ch ri st, Goe thy way, thy finnes are forgiven thee : what need Igiveyouinflancesof children that die f It is the opinion of the Councell of T rent ^ihcy I fct itdownein plaine termes. That children, that arc baptized, though they eat not the Sa- crament, and drink of the bloud of Chrift,and eat his fl€fli,arc faved : And therefore Chrifls own words mufl: be meant in this fenfe, and cannot be undcrflood of acorporalleatingof hts flefh and drinking of hisbloud. But be- caufe thofe words, peeatmyfiejl)^ and drink my bloud ^yu cannot have life • arc a place which the Papifls doc much urge, as if it were impoffibk to be anfwered, and appeale herein to the Fathers, We v^ill ftiew you brie fly, that it was fo interpreted bythei^athers that lived ncare the Apoftles times, as by us,n ow,before there were any Popifti Doctors to corrupt the GlofTe, as Origen (that was very ancient) upon the fifth of Matthew S^"^^^ this, That if it could Pp3 be 5^7 Ser.il Many faved that never cate the flefli of ChrijR: in the Sacrament, Expofition of the Fathers on Iohn5. 5 1. Origen^ cn Se R*II. Augujl. on loha. The Cu^ of &epn^. 1 1 . be that he that remaines an ill man^cotdld eat the Jlefl) of Chrifi^ and drinke his bloud^ then it could never be faid^ lohn 6 . Whofoever eats mj flejl) and drinkes mj bkud^hath eternall ltfe,and I mill raife him uf at the lajl day . Ag^^inc^aKoyAuguJiine in his 26. Trad, upon the G of pell of Saint lohn, faith this^Whof0ever is not a member ofChrifi he eats not his flejl)^ he drinkes not his bl ud^ though vifiblj ana corf oraHj hee crujl^ with his teeth the Sacrament of the body and blond ofchrijl, Marke the wordSjT'fo Sacrament oj the body andbloud of chrijl : But itis vainetormetoinfift upon the particular laying of i^ugujline, bccaufe thofe that are acquainted with his fayings, if they deaie ingenuoufly, they know they are every where fcattered,that he is very cleareand evident i But I will name one that is exceding perfpicuous, in his third booke, DeDoHrim Chrtjliana^ C^/.i 3. he gives us this rule for the interpreting of Scripture 5 If me findethat com mandedthat is flagitiofis, and hnrt full, andevill, we mufl not interpret Scripture fo/hat fuch a thing is to be done : As for example, he gives this in- fiance, lohn 6. Chvi&fpc^kQS of eating his fep and drinking his blond, faith he, thisisa flagiti- ous, an evill, and an hainous thing, that a man abhors when he thinkesof itj and therefore the words are not fo to be underftood,but you muft underftand themfpiritually, and figura- ti vely J you muft,when you heare thofe words remember that Chrifls fe[l) was crmifedfor you andihat his bhud was ped-^ and fo the Words are to The Qup of 'Ble/^ing^ to be interpreted. Ambrofe upon the 1 1 8 having occafion to fpeakc of the Sacrament, hath reference to this, faith he, Chriji is the bread of life, he that eats life camot die, for hew JljaM he die^ (faith he^ ChriJl is the bread of life, he that eats him therefore^canmt die^there- fore (faith hce) none are faidtoeatethe bloud of Chrift^ and drinke his bleud^but they mujl needs live for ever, for he eats that which is life. At ha- nafius hath fpeeches, as plaine as thefe^ it is not, (faith ht) corporallbutit is f^irituall^ that which ChriJI Jpeakes concerning eating of hisflejl), and drinking of his bloud, (faith he) that fmall bodie of his ^ould not feed jp jnanj^ faith hce is recko- ntd the meat of the whole world : And therefore, faith he, in the latter end of that Chapter, lohn 6. when Chrift hadfinijhed his Jpeech of eat- ing his flejh, and drinking his bloudyheffeahes of \ his Afcenfton into heaven, that he might draw us \ from carnall conceits, to raifeour minde to under* \ and the thingjpiritaally to afcend to him by faith and to know thefpirituall nounjhment of the foule, and not corporall of the bodie, Befidc s him, T er. tuHianm his booke, Be rcfurre^iione carnis-^ Eu- febirn contra MarceUum , not to name other particulars, they all interpret the place thus: And therefore let not our Adverfaries fay,it is a new interpretation 5 it isfaftncd on the words by Calvin and Beza,z% they doe 9 it is the inter- pretation of the Fathers, nay, I will goe fur- i ther, it is the interpretation not of the Fathers j onely, but of fome of their ownc Writers • ! Pp 4 Cajetan 5^9 Ser JL K^mbrof on Pfai.iiS, Athanafitts. T ertullian. Derefme^lo- ne Carats, Eiiftbm cmtra MarceUum* The Cupof^lejsijig. Ca]etan. Bid. Ca]etan upon the third part oiThomu^ the 8 0. Qucftionjfaith plainly, To eat the flefh of Chrtfi^ is to kleeve in Cbrifi* And Biel in the Canon of his Maffe, and Canifim upon the Cor Miam, and others of their owrie Writers^ which is enough to make it clearc to them, that this is the meaning of thewords^ that wee have faid before it. So much fliall ferve for the anfwering of that ob jedion. Wee jfliewed the laft day in what manner ■ Chrift is in the Sacrament (Ivvilinotftand to \ repeat it) we came to draw fome confedaries \ from the pointjthat there is a reall Communf- \ on of the body and bloud of Chrift in the Sa- [ crament : The firft was for the ftrengthnifig of i our faith : If God had faid it onIy,it had beene I enoughjGodthat cannot lye : But I cold you, jhe had not only laid it, butfworneit, and not i only fworne it, but hath put to his Scale : And I therefore we have reafbn to beleeve him 5 only I I told you what was required, ifwewillpar- |take of Chrift : Firft, wee muftfakebimby j faith: Secondly, that is not all, wee muft take \ him indeedjafweUasin word, that is, we muft obey- him, and live by his Lawes- wemuft lay dovsTne the armes of rebellion, and come in, if we will have pardon : Thirdly ,it is not enough to doe this, but wee muft doe all out of love. Now whenamanhearesof this,that all this is required in taking of Chrift; here, I told you, j all the world is at a ftand, there is nobody will be content to take him, when they hearc thefe conditions, ! The Qip of mining. condicionSj that they muft deny themlelvesin every rhingjin their profit,ia their pleafurcs,in their credit, and muft take up every croflcjand when they meetacroffcj they muft not bailee the way, but they muft gocthoi ow>whea they heare they muft follow him and ferve him : I fay, when men heare this, they refufe Chrift , they will not cpme in to God : Now what is our bufinefle, but to invite men to come in to God, and to compel! them,as he (mh^That my houfc ma'j be full • wc are the Meflengers of the Lord,fent,that we may invite men to this ban- quet, I mean not to this Sacrament, but to the thing: And therfore we will make it the fecond Confedary, and fo proceed. If there be here a reall Communion of the bodysndof thebloudof Chrift, then here is thegifcor offer of his body and bloud : Con- iider therefore the greatneffe of Chriftslove that he fhould regard us fo much, as to take our Nature, to cloathhimlelfe without flefli :ad bloud, that he might be crucified, in that i fay, this is an extraordinary love : Compare 3 pi 5 ! hue our condition with the.Angels that were fallen, and wee fliallfcethe greacneffeof this love : The Angels that were fallen (and wee were funke in the fame mire) when God loo- ked downe from heaven,and law the miferabic condition of both, (faith the Author to the Hebrews ) he had compaiTion on us, but on the Angels bee had not compaflion: which diffe- rence (hewes his libert)!^ and magnificth his mercy 571 Ser.II rf€2. To iliCw the greacncfTe of Chrift s love. Se R, IL Tl^e Cup of !BleJ?m^. mercy towards us^as you fliallfind in Malady^ the Lord reafoning with Ifrael, Thus havello^ vedyoti^a^dyet you fay^ Wherein ha[l thou loved m f faith he. Was not Bfau lacobs Brother, and yet lacob have 1 loved^and Efau have I hated. So ^ I fay, the Lord hath loved us, in doing this for us^in giving this body of bis to be broken^ and his bloud to be flied, he hath loved us, and ha- ted them f And why hath hec put this diffe- rence, but becaufe beloved us i And therefore Pmlj as hce is excellent, when hee comes to fct forth this pointy Ephef. 2. hctfaith.Whenrve were Childrenofwrath^ when we were dead in tre- Jp^Jfes and ftnnes^ when we were enemies ^he that is rich in mercy ^ according tothegreatnejjeof his love^ hath quickned us^ and fet us together with Chrijl in heavenly places jimaikc it) when WQC were in this condition, dcad,it was he that was rich in mercy, according tothegreatnefleof his love,&c. You lliall finde that the Apoftle, whcnfoever he comes to this matter, knowes nothow toexprefTe himfelfe,butasa manthat ftood amazed at the greatnefle of Gods love, he had bis thoughts (wallowed up with it, phef z , 1 9 .That you may know the love of ChriB^ whic^ pa/feth knowledge ^that you may comprehend the lengthy and breadth,, and depth ^ and height of the love of Chrijl ^S>ic. which cmnot be meajnred : that iSjthe love of Chrift was exceeding great : And this is that you are to doc now when you come ro the Sacrament,and not only then, but at all times : For it is profitable for us to doc this. The Cup af^le/Iing. tbAs^Dee t bat (^Czkh Chrift) inrmcmbranceof mt'^ what is that we Ihould remember His love : And why his lovef to gaze upon ir^ on]y to know it NOj but to be moved with ir, to I love him againe, totakehim^tofearehim, to fervebim, to obey him^ for that end^ you (hould remember it. When was going to Damafcus^ you know the Lord met him by the way ^and wiien he had met him, (faith hee) i 4^ I e s us whom thoti ferfecHteft^ lam l^sus that was crucified for thee, lam Ie sus that gave my ho- dj for thee^and as man) as receive me: You know when VauI heard this, it melted, it foftned his hearty and drawes from him that holy, and good, and humble expreffion • Lord, what mlt thoti that I doe ? As if he (hould fay, I will doe whatfbevcr thou wilt have me. I fay, it was i this love, lam lefm whom thou ferfecutefi^ that melted the heart of Paul: So I may fay,to eve-- ry one that heares me at this time 5 If there be any among you, that live in any finne, whatfo- ever it is, be it fwearing, be it drinking, bee it fornication,bc it Sabbath- breaking, be it wb; t it wills I may faytohim,asif a voycefliould come from heaven, as it did to Baul, It is lefus whom thou provokeft^it is he, whom thou of- fendeft, whom thou wrongcft, whom thou diflionoureft, it is lefus that was crucified for thee, that lefus that gives his body andbloud for thee, (hall not this melt thee f ftiall not this affright thee fomewhat c lhall it not, bring i yo» Ser.il The confiitn^ tion ofChnfts lovcfliould melt our hearts. Ser.11. lyou on your kncs, and make you fay^ I am a " — finfuU wrctchj not worthy to be received into the number of the Saints^ Lord^v^hzi wilt thou that I doe, I will doe it, I will continue to doc this no more: Surely this is a ftrong motive ; Paul thought fo : I befeech you by the mercies of God that you would come in : Take it in the Prodigall fonne^when he comes homeland expcfls little (as he had reafon to cxpefoeverreceivethme^{dk\\ Chriftj jliallbe made the fonne ef God. Confider this^be afFedcd with ir,kt it not be in vaine unto yoinvhen youheare thofe pathc ticall fpeeches, i lohn^ He came to his oivne^and his oivne received him not: And againe, oh leru^ falem^ lerufalem^ hom eft wotdd I have gathered thee^ &c. I fay 3 when you hcare thefethings^it may be you thixike with your felvcs^thefe were rebellious people to ufe Chrift thus, you think if it had beene your cafe^if you had beene there among them you would not have done it: Well, I fay, it is the cafe of every man that continues in any knowne fin,Chrifl: offers him- I felfc, we make offer of him, when We preach 1 the Gofpell, ia the Sacrament he is offered, he I is made like a common dole^all may come that 1 will, and certainly all that hunger doe come j I but when thou goeft on ftill in thy fins, thou art one of them to whom Ghrift is come, and thou wilt not receive him ; thou art one of them, whom hee would gather, and thou wilt not: No, but thou wilt goc on, thou takefl the Grace ot G o d in vaine, thou tramplcfl the bloudof Christ Iesus under-foot, as a common thing, thou doefl what thou canfl, that the death of C h r i s t fliould bee of no effedi,thou recompencefl to the Lord,evill for good, doefl thou thinke that the Lord will beare this at thy hands i No furely, he will be revenged on fuch a man, onfuchapeoplcas ; this ; j TbeCupof^lel^inz. ^7(5 this ; Buc you will fay^it is an hard thing to do this that you exhort us to ; And thcrefore^that I may not onely fliew you what the duty is without affording you fome helpe to doe it , wc will adde fome things^ that may invite you to come in: And take Chrift thus offered in the ■ Sacrament^and which is continually offered by and in the Gofpell. And what is it that (hould invite us ^ But ' two things (to goe no further) one is thcmife- , ry out of Chrift 5 the fecond is the happinefle ! you (hall have by him; And that is thebu- (ineffe we have principally to doe^atthis time^ that wee might invite you take the body and \ bloud of Chrift, thatiSj to take the Lord him- 1 fclfe, who is offered cffedually and freely to you? He makes proclamation to all that will come and take of the waters of life freely, ; Now a we confider what flioid invite the fons 1 of men to come in^thefe two things will doe ir^ ' their mifery outof Chrift, and tlieir happincs by him : As the ProdigalljWhat did invite him to come home i The mifery he was in, he faw he could aot live, he could not get huskes to fuftaine him : On the other fide, in his fathers houfe there was bread enx>ugh- thofe two to- gether wrought on him , and brought him home : So we, when we invite men to the mar- riage of the Kings Son, that is, to marry the Sonne himfclfe 3 What (hould we fay to invite them i We bring thetn to confider on the one fide, I cannot live without Chrift • I am un- done Sbr, II. i Two things to invite us to come in and take Chrift. neCupofmepng Our m'^'^i'v out of Chrifte Rom .^.2, 2. done, 1 perifti if I doe : Againe^ onthe other- {idc,by matching with him J {hall have all by Gracethathe hath by Nature : Ifliallbcafon ofGod5aKing, and heire of all things, Ifliall have all that Chrift hath : I fay, chefe two fhould invite us to come in j and therefore wc will doe thcfe two. Firftj fhew you the mifcry you arc in out of Chrift, loh^ 3 • 1 8 . faiih the Evanglift there. He that helecves not in Chrtfiis condemned air ea- die : (Marke) he needs not a new condemnari- on, but hee that belecves not in Chrift is con- demned already 5 He that hath not the Sen.hath not life : Is not this mifery enough to be in a ftatc of condemnation i lohn 3 . He that obey es not the Sonne, the wrath of God abides on him : And what is that wrath of God < If the wrath of a King be a melTenger of Death, what thinke youofthe wrath of God f Who knowesthe power of his wrath : Rom. 9. What if he mil to Jhervhis math ^and to make his fower known yfuf- fer with fatience the vejf ds of wrath , appointed to dejlru^ionythat is^when the Lord fliallcome to execute his wrath on^vill men,he will ufe al rhe power he hath to execute the ficrcenefle of nis wrath on them ; And therefore it is a terri- f>lc thing to bee lubjed to the wrath of God : But becaufc that moves aot fo much, being ge- nerall, you will aske wherein this wrath of Godis fcene, and wherein more particularly is this mifery in being out of Chrift 5 I will name but thefe three par ticukr^» Firft, Firft, you fhall be fubjedl to Death, fubjedl to him that hath the power of Death: You will fay this is no fuch mifery, for are not holy men fubjed to death^as well asevill men^ I^but there is great difference ^ the evill fliall be fub- jed to death, as an enemy, the laft enemy that (hall be deftroyed is Deatb^ which fhewes that Death is an enemy; Ifayjthey arefubjeiito Death as an enemy ^ Death may come to two men, and be a friend co the one, and an enemy to the other, that which he faith, Dsathisthe rich mans enemie, and the poore mans friend, we may better apply it, to the godly man, and to the evill man : And furely it is true^Dcath is the godly mans friend, and the wicked mans enemy. the fame Death, as you know, the fame meflenger comes to call HarAohs Butler and his Baker, he came as an enemy to the one,and as a friend to the other, he came to call the one to promotion, and the other to execution, fo doth Death : Now Death, when that comes as an enemie, is terrible^ when that comes with a fting, Death indeed without a ftingis nothing.- bur Dc^ath, when it conies with a fting,and the fting of Death is this we confider nor^that Death hath a fting, it is a Serpent, that of- ten ftings without hiffing, without warning^it comes fuddenly,it comes certainly jWe fee con- tinually how men fall from the tree of life, as leaves in Aatumne^ wee confider not this; but this is among the mileries, that weearc fubjcd to death, and that is a great mifery . Thofe that 579 Serm, IL We arc fubjed to death. Difference of the fubjedion CO death ia good^ and bad men. 58q Serm, 1L Sui>jed: to* the feare of death. can looke upon othe r miferiesand dangcrSjand out-face them, without being dauntedj when Death comes, that appales them, thatloofes the joyntSjthat makesthem tremblc^hat makes their knees b'ocke together ; . You know it is (aid oiSauly David profcffeth that hce was va- HantasaLion, in his Songs of him, when the newes of lieath comes, be fals to the ground, there was no ftrength in him ; all are pretty mi fcries to thiSjthis is the great Giant that makes the. ftouteft heart to tremble at his approi^ch. But is this all, that wee are fuhj 6 to death, when weareoutotChrift No, we arcfub- jed: to the feare of death likewiie, which is an hundred times worfe than death it klk^HeLi. 1 4. He hath delivered m from htm that hadthe pmr of death ^he hath deliver tdm, that for fiare of death mre all our lives fubjcBio bondage: I fay, thcfeare of death, isworlcthan death it felfc^ becaufe death continues but a mom^enr, itis foone gone,but the fearc of death continues al- wayes, a long time, like the hand-writing w<^^ kept Belfhazzar in feare * fo this feare of death keepes us in a continuall trembling, this is that that imbitters all our comforts, thatfowres all our joy, this feare of death, they were all their life-time fubjed to bondage through the feare of death: Therefore it is not faid that death is bitter to him that lives in plcafure, but the re- membrance of death 5 all the joyes and com- forts that wee have in this life, what are they when they are accompanied w^thisjfayjthcr is The C up of Bleflin^z is nothing terrible, but fo farre as it is mingled with this feare: Allevilland dangers are fofar terrible, as they are batbingersof deatb^ as they are crackes to give warning of the f^i of the whole houie chac (hall never be repaired a- gaine : Whatlocver pleaiu c enjoy^ this is the gall that takes away thciwcemcffeof ill, though the portage were other wife good when the CeHoqmntida was in thf there is death in the pot • fu I may fay, wnen death is joyned , what fweetnel^'.- is in tliem^ That is the condi- tion of every man hving out of Chrift, hccis not onlyfubjcdl to death, but to theieareof death continually. Bat is this all^ No, there is yet more, there is Hwll, death hath a Page thatcomesbehinde him,that is ten times worfe than bXmidk^Rev. 6.7,8 / looked faw a pate ho^fe^ and the mme of him that rode on him was Death, and behind him followed Hell : That is. Hell is the hookc chat is hid in dcarh,when we are once taken with that hooke, wee ate kept there for ever : If Death (hould come without hell,ic were another mat- ter, Death is but the lightning, it is Hell that is thecrack of thunder : and fliall we like children be afraid of the lightning, and not be afraid of the bolt^ It is hell that is the gate that keeps us for ever,Death is but the arrcft, that <:arrics us thither. Therefore confider what it is to be fulije^a to hell • as our Saviour faith. What will that availe a man to winthe whole world, andlofe Vhisfoule ? Confider well of that fpeeeh. What 1 Q 0 2 will Serm, 1L Sekm. 11 will that availe you to fave all things elfe, it you lofe your fouks, as ifamanfliouldfavc the paring of his nailes^and lofc his fingerjas if he iiiould lave his (hooe^and lofe his footjas if he (hould fave the ffiipjand lofe the fraught^ as if he fliould fave the houfe^and deftroy the man that dwels in it-fo it is to fave other things, and to lofe the foulc: No, it is the terrible thingj Hell, that followes Death: in all other mife- riesj yet this is our comfort,, that death will come in thecndjand put a full point and period to them 5 but this fecond death. Hell, is luch a death, as hath no other death to end it : There- fore, as wee fay. But for hpe the heart would hreake ; furely thereis no hope, and therefore there is a breaking of the foule, as well as tor. mcnt of the body : Therefore confider what Hell isj what eternity is, this is the mifery wc are in out of Chiift,youarefubjed to the fearc of death, you are fubjc£t to deathj and to Hell too : Death is but the ftalking-horle^ it is Hdl that is th^Fowler, that hath the peece and the Oiot to dcftroy us utterly. And therefore con- fider What cafe you are inout of Ghrifl, what mifery youarcin out of him, that when Hell and Death come - as ftiefaid, y f Sampfor^yfor the Philijlims are on thee i fo, when we (hall fay. Hell and Death is on you^ and your haircsare cut ofF,that iSjGhrift is gone from you(for the cutting off his lockes, was but an embleme that God was departed from him) I fay,when they arc on us: If Chriftbcaway, whata cafe are we T7;e (^up of Skp'tng. tve in < Shall they not take us and carry us to that prifon, thereto lie for ever: Therefore confider this, it is certaine the deftroying An- gcll willcomejanS commonly he comes in the night • D eath commtth when thou lea ft lookejl for Mm as athiefe: I fay, the deftroying Angell will come • what will their condition be thenj ; when there is no fprinkling of the bloud on the doore-pofts of thy fouled It is thecaufe of cve- ty man out of Chrift^ What are we out of him i When the avengers of bloud, when the purfuers (hall feton us, andpurfueus, from whom we cannot flie. And when we (hall bee fhut out from the homes of the Altar, when we cannot come to Chrifi the Citic of Refuge, it is a terrible thing, if we confider it ferioufly. It is faid that Aaron ^v^htn he caufcd the people, to commit that finne, or was an inftrument ra- ther, it is faid that hecleft the people naked, why^ Becaufehee deprived them of the pre- fence of the Lord : Now when Chrifl fhall be taken from us5whcn we are without him,when we are deprived of him, arc we not naked < Is not the hedge broken downef There is nothing left to fhelter us ^ what are we without him f but as the Conneyes out of the rockes, that have nothing to fliclter us from the devouring Lion ; Now Mofcs was but a type, it is Chrift that holds the hands of God that he cannot de- flroyuSj itis he that flands in the breach, and kcepes out the inundation of evils, that we bee not over-whelmed with them 5 he is the Arke 58? Ser JL TI}eCupof !Blefm^ I of Godjthatcaufeththehoufe of Obed-Edm to be blcded ^ and we have more caufcto take to heart the want of him, a thoufand timeSp than they had to lament th^loffeof thcArke, when it was among the Philiftims/or the Arkc was but a type of Chrift : This is the cafe of every man living out of Chrift. I butayou will fay 5 Chrift is mercifull^he is very ready to forgive^ I hope lam not out of himj but he is ready to receive me ^ It is very true^he is mcrcifuUjbut to whomf furely not to the wicked, he holds not the wic^ ked innocent 5 to fpcake plainly to you, Who- foevcr continues in any knowne finne, be it ne- ver fo fmall, to fuch a man Chrift will not be mercituU : Ne finm jhall have. dominion over you, Rom. 6, for you are not under the Lm^ hut under Grace: As if he fhould fay^thereareiione whom Chrift takes to himfelfe^ and puts into the condition of grace, but he frees them from the dominion of every finne,thcrc is not one ruling luft there: You know there are many paths that lead to hell, the way that leads the right way is but one,errour is manifold ; there are a thoufand paths that leadthc wrong way, and will not one path lead to hell as well as a thou- fand f He that is in Chrift hath crucified the flefli, and all the affcdions, there is not one raigning luft there- fo that as Antichrift had his marke, and they received the marke of the Beaft : So Chrift hath his marke too » as you have iX^B^ek.gShe Writer marked alltht maur* ncd^ The Qip of !Ble/?ing. 585 ned, God fee a marke upon thenij and he fets a I S £ r . il. markcupon all thofc that he is merciful! to. You will fay ^what is this mark of the Lordf You (ball finde, 20^.4.17. Whofoeveruin Chrtfi^ he is A new Creature^ that is the marke of the Lord lefus; And therefore, if thouwoul- deft know whether Chrift will be mercifull to thee, confider if thou finde that marke there. Art th$u A New Creature? That is^art tnou made all New, as if thou haddcfl another foule dwelling in thy body, for thou muft not bee new by halfes, thy whole fpirit muft be New. Againe, if you will come more properly to thismarke, you {hall finde, JBphef.i. iCor.i. ^q^^ what it is. The Seale and marke that Chrijl fcts^k his f^irit : Whomever hath net the Spirit of Chrijl is none of his : You know Merchants fet Scales upon their goods, to know them, that when they meet with their feale they may fay, This is my parcell of goods: So it is in the multi- tudes of men ^ AH that Chrift will be merci- full unto, he fets hisfealconthem, and where he finds his fealc and his mark,thofe he knowcs to be his • 7 hat Scale is his fanCiifying Spirit that he hath given us^itisasaSealeor earnefi^i Cor .i Ephef.i. 1%. and Epbef.i. He hath Jealed us with the Spirit of Fromtfe : that is, with the Spirit that he hath promifedtous. So confider if thou have that Spirit then, to fandifie & ro change thy heart, to make thee another man than thou art by na. ture,toenable thee to do more than thou can ft doe by nature 5 If thou have not this ^cak of 586 .IL Tk Clip of 3lejsing. God, thou art yet none of his : But you will fay 5 1 have the Seale, I hope I have the Spirit ; Well, it is well, if thou haft; but know this, that Chrift never gives that privie Seale and Si net of his^ that inward Seale that none knowes, fave thofc that have it - bur there is a Broad- fealelikewife that foUowes, that Seale fpoken of ^2 Tm*2^ This foundation of the Lord rematneth fure^ and hath this Seale^ The Lord knoweth who are his^ and let them depart from iniquity that call upon the name of the Lord-^ hee addes to that other, a parting from iniquitie, from ailTcinde o\ iniquity, there muft be none exempt place in thine heart, nor in thy life, wherein thou wilt have a priviledge,thou con- tinueft not in the leaft finnc,but departeft from all iniquity, then thouhaft this Seale afwcU as the other: If thou want thefe two Scales, if thou be not a New Creature, if any finne have dominion over thee, if there be one living luft in thee that is not morcificd^ that is not healed, I aflfure thee thou never haddeft yet any part in Chrift : and if thou be out of Chrift,thou fecft what thou art fubjeii to, to the wrath of God, and you fee the particulars, youarefubje(5ito daath, you are fubjc£ttothe feare of death and to hell • and this is the cafe of every man out of Chrift, and mee thinkcs this ftiould fomewhat move us to come in, and to take him. But this is not all, that which we have by Chriftmay invite us a gr^^t; deale more forcibly: If wee ^ could but open the Casket, and fliewyouthe Icwels, Tl:e Cup ofSlefs'mg, lewclSjOr if we could buc unlocke the treafurcs that arc hid in Chrift, it would bring a man in love with him, it would make men do as Paul, Account alldrojfe and dung^ that they might have him. Well, though wc cannot doe it fully, yet we will endeavour to doe it a little : You will fay. What fliall we have by Chrift ^ Firft^ you fliall have life by him, lohn 6. the place fpoken of in the beginning, Hethatbeleeves in me.jl^all have eternal life,a}id I will raife hmup at the lafl day : When he comes to fpeake of water to the woman of Samaria^lohn 4. when hee would commend tous a motivcto ftir us up to com.e andtakehim^andtodrinke^&c. he faith, Hee^ that drtnkts this water ^all thirjl no more : That is, hec (halllive for ever, itis water that (hall keep life in him for all eternity ^when (he heard this, (he hearkenstoheareof water that could keepe life for.ever. When you rcadethe (lory in Geneffs^ that the i^ngeUrvasfetv^ith a pvord jljaken, to keepe man from comming to tafie of the tree of life-^yovi (hould thinke with your felvcs, if the Angels were removed now^orthere were a man fo happy, that the Angell would give way to him, that he might come and eat of the tree, and when he had eaten to live for ever, you thinke that man in an happy condition. Now the Lord doth hy^ReveLz, He that over-- comes I mil give to eat of the tree in the middeft of the Paradife of God: That is, he fliall eat of mc, and live for ever- this is the great happinefTe we have. When Sek JI. Benefits by Chrift. Life. loha 4,14, Rev. 2, TheCu^of!Blefing. When Chrift woiild are a compelling argu- ment to move, :ReveLt.i i . He that over ernes pall not bee hurt ofthefeconi death : Why, is it fo great a matter^ Oh chat is all, not to be hurt of the fecond death : The firft death is nothing 5 the firft death is but the doorc,it is but the gate that leads to the pafling thorow 5 the firft death is but a going over the threfliold, the breadth of it is but a ftep, and the length of it is but a moment of time or two : the fecond death, there are the chambers of death, as Salomon fpeakes^ where you fliallbelcdfrom one mife- ry to another, and where you fliall dwell for ever: And therefore confider this, if you take Chrift, you jluU not be hurt of the fecond death : Ibefeech you confider fcrioufty, reckon no^. thingfofweet; ifthis life be fweet, that is but a f panne long, isnotaboundanceoflifemuch fweeter : Ic is naturall to every man to defire immortality, if you could but have this life continued, let every man aske his owne breft what he would give,that his life might be con- tinued, that he might be immortally If there were fuch a thing as the Alchy mifts fpeak of,if I could draw out the thrcd of this life to keep it firme and even as they dreame of; what would you givetoobtaineitf And will you not re- gard this that will doe that indeed < Will you not take'Chrift,which is life indced,which will give you another life of immoatality,for you muft know that it is not immortality fimply that mandefires. The Naturalifts were dccei- I vcd The Qup of ^lefing. ved in rhat^for a man had rather not tobethan to be in mifery : And the foules in hell are im- mortall ; and therefore it is not immortality that we defire fimply, for death is not the ex- tinguifhing of life, but the mifery of life ; And therefore, where the Scripture fpeakes of the lofTe of thefoukjit is to be meant thus - a mans finger or his joy mis lofl:, when it isfeizedon by an incurable fore : So whenetcrnall mifery is on the foule, then the fouleis loft, and yet you have the joynt ftill,you have the foule ftill, you have life ftill : and therefore it is not im- mortality (imply that wc defire,if we confider what it is, but it is happinellc, it is fuch a life as is not only immortally but happy withall : this life Chrift hath promifed, we fliall live,and m\ happy lifCj fach as S. P^^/exprefTetb, 2 Cor j^. faith he, We dejire not to be unclothed^ but to bee clothed on y that immrtality might be fwallov&ed uf of life : As if he ftiould fay, confider with your felvcs, you that love this life fo well, that you negled that which is to come, faith he, we love our lives as well as you, we are not weary of them, no more than you arc, we defire not ^to be uncloathed,no but we defire that immor- tality maybefwallowedupoflifc; how fwal- lowed up(f as we fee a rude draught in a pidure, (wallowed up with the pidure when it is per- f eded^ as child^hood is fwallowed up of man- hood, as the glimmering light is fwallowed up of the perfe^a light 5 fo their immortality is fwallowed up of life^^that is, if there beafmall - poore 589 Ser. II. a Cor. 5 4. 59g_ Ser. II. TheCupof^lefin^. poore glimpfe of comfort here, faith Paul, we would not be rid of thefe, wee would bee con- tent to have thefe as well as you, onely we would have them fwallowed up of perfed life, we would have impcrfedion fwallowed up of perfedion: And therefore J^?^ faith, I will wait till my change fhaU come -^hc faith not till my de- ftru6tion come, till my perifliing come, or till my death come, but I will wait till my change come : and he that changeth doth it for the bet- ter : If you will take Chrift,you fliall have this immortality and life^perhaps you will fay, but I could bee content to have this temporall life continued : And haply, my brethren, if the Lord would make that promife, that he would proclaime to men that they flioul^ have im- mortall life here, it may be he (hall have more followers than now heh^th, whenhepromi- feth immortal] life in heavcrv: but to take away chat in a word 5 1 fay, it is a foolilli choyce, if you might have it : For what have you here ^ Here the body is tormented with difeafcs, the fpirit is wearied with vexation, and the ftate is aflaultcd with loffes and crofTes 5 cvill things wound us with forrow^and the good things we heare, doe but infect our afFecSions, and weary us ftill, and yet they whet our tired appetites with a new edge. In a word, every condition here is peftcred and troubled w^^ bufinelTe- one invites and drawes on another: we are hampred with fucceeding fetters, and makes this fliort life more fliort than it would be with carefull griefe/l The Qupof^leJ^ing. griefe, with bitter feares, and with corrupt joyes; andatlaft, all cur offand end, as many men many times fpread their branches & flou- rifli 5 their eftate over-fwallowes their wiflies^ their fuccefle exceeds their defires ; now on a fudden^ their pompe is no where to be found^ their defires vanifh, the floud of there wealth is dried up,the owners and their goods perifli to- gether 5 they will not fee this by experience. What is it in this life you would have, if there were immortality «f But, I fay, it catinot befoj that is not fo • you cannot have immortality in this lifc,but as evidently as you fee the heavens roll about every day, fo plainely we may fce^if wee will take it into confideration, mankindc hurried along with an unwearied motion to the Weft of his dayes 5 their pofterity porting af- ter them by an unrepealeable law of fucccffion: our fathers you know are gone before, and we arc paffing, and our children (iiall follow us at our heeks : that as you fee the billowes of the Sea, one tumble on the neck of another, and in the end all are dalhed upon the flioare • fo all generations and ages in the end, are fplit on bankcs of death, and this is the condition of every man^flcisnotour wifdomethcn to pro- vide tor another life < Certaineiy, if there bee any wifdomcin the world, it is wifdome to re- member our latter end. The wifeft among the Heathen were wont to fay* There fhould bee nothing but a meditation of death : that is, a wife man through the courfeot his life,fliould be Serm. IL The Qup of'Blefing. | beftil fitting and preparing himfelfe for death- and ihall Chriftians coniebehindcthenif It was a wife fpecch of Peter to our S^viour^X^^ri^ xvhither jhdlwego^thou haft the words of etermll lifi : as if hee ihould fay, there is no motive to tbar^ furely we will not leave thee : therefore, I fayjconfider, here we arc but Tcnnants at will, wee may bee turned out of doores tomorrow, thereforciet this be a motive to win to Chrift, you fliall have life. Bur you will fay, I hope death is farre off,yet I have time enough : well, take heed thou be not deceiv'd in that,for there is^ collufion there : as the Painter by coUufion of colours,makes a thing fee me far re off, when it is neere at hand: lo we by our f<^Ily and va- nity ,our fanfic mif-apprehendmg *)f things,we lookc on death. as farre off, when ic may be it is atourheelcs^ at the n^tdore- thou kaow^^ft not how foone thou maift meet with it, there- fore fay not, it is farre off • bur thinkc with thy felfl-, goe fit alone, but a litrletime together, and the n think with thy fclfe I muft diejit is ap- pointed to me as to aU men once id die : Confi- j der^ if 4 man might die twice or thrice,perhaps he would be ready, he would be prepared ^ but confider thou muft die but once, if thou be not \ prepared,theFe is not a fecond 0pportunity:and 1" then confider^thy foulc isimmortall inanother place, it muft live tor ever. And then remem- ber Chrift faith, thou (halt have life, if thou \ take him, thou lhalt live for ever; then thou wilt findc it an exceeding blefling worth the \ I having. 59^ Serm. 1L The Q^i>of?f4r/^ wrote againft it- who upon his condemnadon retraced it, but before his death repented the retractation • rand upon writing his rctradationjit began to be pur upon men by ncccflicy, by the Pope : which wus done in the time of Bernard^ four^ bundled yeares fince. I have done this, that thofc rnay bee fatisfitd, that are not fatsstied wkh the Scriptures , and with the realons that wcrt wrought, but would know the opinions of the I Fathers. To ftand to cite all the particulars I wer a vaineworke: Somuchfo that. After we (hewed the faHenclIe of their opi- nion • wee fhewed in what manner Chrift is communicated to us in the Sacrament : Not t6 ftand to repeateit. Wee arc now to come to thofc other particulars bkffings or comforts which we have in Chrift, which fliouldiilvitc uj> ro come in and take him. The next therefore is this, you have it in Matth II 30. Come t^7ncS^iihhc^aMyeiJl;40 are mary and heavy Uden^ and 1 will eufiymi you ♦hallfinde reft to your foules : that you fliall nave to invite you,if you will come in and take Chrift.you ftiall finde reiltoyour foules : that is,look what the heaven is to a Sea-faring wea- ther-beaten man- lookcwhatacoolcrefrcfli- inglhade is, ro a man that is fcorched with the hcate of the Sunnc 5 looke what a cover is to a man The Qup of ^lefing. 561 man chat is beaten with the ftorm to the fliore, fuch is Chrift to thofe that come in and take him: Andthereforcthat wee may know what this reft is^ which you (hall finde if you come into Chrift. Let us finde out what this weari- neffeis. Now in iinnc you fiiali findc this weari- nefle. Firftj there is a wearineffe in the fervicc of fin, there is no bondage to the bondage of ty- rannous lufts, they are hard mafters, they let you to hard taskes y if they Tay goe, you niuft ^oe • if they fay come, you muft come. Chrift fets you at liberty from this bon^ dyge,by mortifying of finne, and killing it, as M0[es 4id the jEgyptian, that ftrove with the Hebrew, which is a deliverance far exceeding that outoi the bondagepf ^gypr^ which was fo much magnified, as muchasthe fubftance exceeds the fliadow. This is one kinde of reft you fliall have by Chrift' you Ihall be delivered from the bon- dage of fin. Againc, there isaweanneflein theguiltot fincommitted,which haunts us like furies, and ever and anon gives fecret whippes , fecrct twinges to the foulc; from this Chrift delivers us. For kmg]upfiedb'j faith ^we have peace with GodyRom. 5 . 1 .That is,f heconfcicnce is calmed^ it is quier, which before was full of horr our and vexation, Againe, there is a wearineffe in the fruits of Rr 4 fis Ser. IIIc Wh^ft the Wea. rinrfleoffin is I In the fer- vice of fin. E Reft by Chrift. z Wearincfl^ mtheguikof iinne. I WeariafiUe in theftuitot finne. TheCupof^leJsing. -fin^ the lolTes, the crofles^the ficknefle^theim- prilonment, difgrace- all which are but the fruits of finne : Thereisa wearineffeinthefc, and from all thcfe Chrift delivers uSj partly in freeing us from many of thefc, that otherwife i we ftiould have felt 5 and partly in taking away 1 the vcnome and fting from thofe we doe ftele : | For that which is faid of Death, oh death \ when k thy viiiory.Stc.TheJlwg of death ufm, \ it may be faid of every calamity. The fting of 1 j imprifonment , the fting ot fickncfTe, the fting | of difgrace, the fting of all mifery is fin . | What is the Adder when the fting is away f S05 what are all thefe, when fin is removcdf IYou know what they were to Paul, what he endured^ , how many prifons he went thorow, how oft he was whipped, how oft be was fto ncd, bow many things he fuffered 3 you havea catalogue of ihtm, ten or ckven, and yet al' was nothing to him 5 he was happier in theft than iVeri?wasin his Palace t But whatj fliould II give you an inftancef Take /i(^am in Paradice, when he was in Pa- radice^y et when he had but the fting of confci- encc,y ou know he was filled with horrour. Paul againe, when he was fore whipped w the day and his feet were faft in the ftocks, and the ftingof finne was tookc away, and he en- joyj^d a good confeience-i;//^ and he (uns rhar ' the prifon luog of them ; I fay, this condition you (hall have in Ghrift, you (hall be delivered from finne, from the fting of finne, from the I fruit The Qip of mej^ing. ^fuitof fin* butbefidesthis^asthcrcisawea- rinefle in the fervicc of fiD, and a wearineffe in theguiitoffin, and in the fruit of fin. So yet there is more wearineffe. There is a wearineffe in the habitc of fin^Cfor fin is to the foulc^asficknefleis to the body.) Now a man that is ffcke is weary of every thingjhc is weary of fitting,he is weary of ly* ingjfo the foule while fin abounds in it, i$ wea- ry of every thing; a man is weary of bimfclfCj he is weary of his owne company. Now when Chrift comes, betakes away this wearineffejand gives grace,which is to the foule as healthis to the body, that cures all the diftempers and give reft unco it^butyet there is more than this. There is a wearineffe in all that finne touch- eth, in all the conditions ofthi^ life there is a wearineffe. A man is weary of folitarinefle, and hee is weary of company, he is weary of bufia€ffe,he is weary of idlencffe, he is weary of highcoa. dition, forthatisfubjedtoenvie, as the wind is moft boifterous upon the top of hils. And he is weary againe of low condition, for the vallcycs are over-low, there a man is flill fub- je