The continuation of Christ's alarm to drowsie saints by the reverend and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. William Fenner ...

The Second Part of CRISTS Alarm to DROUSIE SAINTS .

REVEL. 3. 1. Thou hast a name that thou livest , and art dead .

I Have spoken of the life of the affections , and now I should come to the next thing , namely , to shew how far a child of God may be said to be dead ; but before I handle this , there 1. Point why a child of God may think he is dead , or deader then ever when there is no such matter . Seven cases of false liveliness . 1. Novelty of Religion and grace . is another point that would be spoken to in a word or two ; and that is this , Why a child of God may think himself to be dead when he is not , and think he is grown deader then ever he was , and there is no such matter ; and others may think he is grown cold and negligent , and yet the truth is , he is more affected , and more alive towards God then formerly ; this is a very needful point , and there be several causes of false liveliness which a child of God may have , and when they go away he may seem to be deader then he was , whereas indeed he is not so .

The first is novelty of Religion and grace , when grace is yet new , and the word comes fresh to a man , and the promises of eternal life look freshly into a mans heart , they will affect him much , and not only raise his sanctified affections , but his unsanctified too ; for the unsanctified affections will stir at a novelty ; a man that hath no grace at all , nor any life , will be stirred at a new thing ; as when the Apostle preached new doctrine to the Athenians , Acts 17. 32. we will hear thee again of this matter , say they ; they cared not how often they heard this , because it was news to them ; so when Christ preached up and down , O what new doctrine is this ! say they , never man spake as this man , Joh. 7. 46. it was a new kind of preaching , new gifts , this stirred them mightily ; so it may be with a true Christian , when the word of God comes first to him , and grace comes first to him , the novelty of grace may affect him ; when God first opens his eyes , how strangely will he be moved in prayer ? how strangely will he carry himself at a Sermon ? his very bowels yearn at a Sermon , and he will cry out , Oh the infinite mercy of God to my soul ! what a beast was I before ? I was an hell-hound , a child of the Divel ; and now the Lord hath made me a child of God ; I went on in the high way to perdition , and now God hath brought me into the right way ; this is admirable ; but do you think these are all good affections ? there is a great deal of corruption in these ; as new Beer , when it is first tunned , it hath a great deal of working then , but when it is staler , it doth not work so much , yet then is the Beer more powerfull , and hath more life ; as it is with a mans first entrance into an hot bath , it doth so stir him , as if it did seald him , but after he hath been in a while , he is sensible of little or no heat ; the heart is as much as it was at the first , and works upon him as much , but he feels it not so much ; so a good Christian doth not seem to be so much affected afterwards as formerly ; are his true affections therefore down ? no , but his unsanctified ones are down ; may be a man hath not lost a jot of his true , and sound , and sanctified affections , but only his unsanctified ones ; for when grace comes first into the soul of a new convert , there is a greater Army raised up for God then is likely to continue ; there are a company of mercenary Souldiers steping , and seem to go out and to fight for God , as well as the 〈…〉 t ; you shall have more fears in that man , then are true ; and more de●●res after grace then are true ; carnal desires , and joys , and delights , these will be all up at the first , and will go out , though they never go to the journeys end ; it is with a new convert , at his setting out towards heaven , as it was with the children of Israel , when they came out of Egypt , there was a mixed multitude went up with them , Exod. 12. 38. why ? the plagues of God had wrought upon many of the Egyptians , and they would go up with them , but they would not go into the land of Canaan , but returned back again ; the true Israelites , that were affected truly , they only went into the Land of Canaan ● but a mixed company went up with them ; so when a man sets forth towards heaven , there is a mixed company in that mans bosome , goeth along with him , mixed joy , and fear , and hope , and even corrupt nature is raised up at first ; for you must think the fears of God lying upon the soul , and the newness of Religion , ( he was in hell before , now he is in heaven ) that will raise up even corrupt nature , for a time a man will seem to be so affected and so lively ; now after a while these mercenary Souldiers , this mixed company go back again , and leave nothing but the b●re sanctified affections ; and now the man seems to be deader then he was ; as if he had lost all ; and may be he complains he is not the man he was , he was thus , and thus moved before , and enlarged to good duties , now he is down the wind ; I say this doth not follow , it is even as if a man that hath bought a bushel of pease at the Market , when they are shell'd , and the pods are off , and none but the bare pease left , should complain he hath less then he had at first ; so it is here , there is nothing gone but the meer trash and husks ; when a man is first converted , there is a great deal of trash with it , a great deal of corrupt nature that will leave a man in the lurch afterwards : yet it follows not , but the man hath the same sanctified affections he had formerly .

Secondly , Violent commotions may stir a man , and make him seem to 2. Violent Commotions . be more affected then he is ; there are many seem to be full of life , whereas , if they were searched to the bottome , there is nothing but violent commotions , that will come to nothing ; a child of God at first setting out , may be marvellously quickned & stirred , and seem to be mighty zealous and fervent , when in truth the greatest part of this is nothing but violent commotions ; a● little grace will seem a great deal when there are these violent stirrings ; this man will make a greater shew , then the same godly man afterwards , when he hath more grace a great deal ; as James and John seemed to be very zealous , Luke 9. 54. as zealous as Elias ; you will say were they not affected ? when they saw the Samaritans would not receive Christ , oh thought they , they deserve to be burnt down to the ground ; Wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them , as Elias did ? they could have been content to have fired whole Towns that would not receive Christ ; you will say this is admirable ; but these were nothing but violent commotions ; now when Christ had stilled these violent commotions , will you say they were grown cold and dead , and not so lively as formerly ? you know the torrent , though it run not so violently as in a great flood , yet still it runs ; so it is here , may be a godly Minister at his first entrance puts forth himself more , and preaches as if he would fly in the face of the ungodly ; afterwards he preacheth more gently and evenly ; shall we say he is grown more dull and dead , and not so well affected as before ? no , he may be more affected ; so for a private Christian , it may be so soon as ever God turned his heart and inclined him towards his heavenly Kingdom , and made him look out for the good of his soul we shall have hm pray with such violence and such extended passages , he will reach forth himself in the confession of sin , as if he would trample upon himself , and in his petitioning for grace , as if he would wrestle with God ; and in his acknowledging of Gods goodness as if he were affected more then thousand Christians besides ; but afterwards when he comes to have his eyes better enlightned , to see what a deal of froth was in these things , and how dead he is in regard of true saving life , now he begins to be ashamed of himself , he doth not lay them down , but he would have them in more truth : Now shall we say this man is more dead and lesse affected then he was before ? no , but this man hath less violent commotions .

Thirdly , Indiscretion will make a man seem to be more affected then indeed 3. Indiscretion . he is ; as a godly man that is rash and indiscreet , let this man reprove a sin , he will be so zealous and earnest , nay , he will be so cholerick , that if you do not yeild presently , he is in a combustion ; afterwards , when God gives him more knowledge of his waies , and more discretion to reprove sin , he will not be so cholerick , and in such a passion ; hath this man lost his affections now ? no , this doth not follow ; he may keep his affections still , and it may be hates sin a thousand times more then he did before , but he goes another way to work , and deals more composedly , and gravely , and zealously , for the good of the mans soul ; as when Paul saw the Philippians so loving in the midst of all his afflictions and sufferings for the Gospels sak● , sending him so many hundred miles a great present to relieve him in his necessity , what doth he do ? doth he bid them abate their love ? no , eu 〈…〉 use in it more and more saith he , but let it be with knowledge and judgment , Phil. 1. 9. a man that is of a loving nature , when he hath pared off all foolish charity , and all vain and proud charity , whereby he doth things out of pride , ostentation , and vanity , as he will do when he comes to have more understanding ; if he do not discern and compare himself with the word of God , he may seem to abate in his love , but he is not less loving but more judicious . So Samuel at first , he was so zealous against Saul , when he had sinned against Gods commandment , that he would , not stay with him by any means ; no , saith he , you have rejected the word of the Lord , when Saul confessed his sins , and entreated him to stay , and was very earnest ; no , by no means ; what , stay with a wretch that hath rejected the word of the Lord ? 1 Sam. 15. 26. yet afterwards he did stay ; will you say now Samuel was grown cold , and less affected against sin ? no , but he was more judicious ; he begun to consider , certainly if I do not stay , it will be a disparagement to the Lords anointed ; I may disparage the Lords ordinance , and disparage the Kings Authority , and cause the people to scorn him ; he began to see that Saul spake with sense , honour me before the people ; and he did stay then ; now he was not less affected , but more judicious .

Fourthly , Presumption may make a man seem to be more affected and 4. Presumption . quickned a great deal then indeed he is ; as Peter , he seemed to be so mightily transported and enlarged towards Christ , and so full of zeal for him ; though all men forsake thee , yet will not I : he thought he was so affected , that he could compare with all the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ , and go beyond them all ; but afterwards when Christ asked him , Peter , lovest thou me ? see his answer , Joh. 21. 15. his answer was nakedly , Lord , thou knowest that I love thee ; he would make no more comparisons ; though Christ put him upon it there , yet he would not be brought to compare any more . Now was he less affected towards Christ ? no , but he was less presumptuous .

Fifthly , Activeness of natural disposition may make a man seem to be 5. Activeness of natural disposition . more affected then indeed he is ; for a man the more active his nature is , and the more spirits he hath , the more stirring he hath ; a man that hath such a disposition , will go further then another of a slower spirit ; there is a great deal more grace required to make an heavy dull natured man to speak a word for God , then to make a cholerick man strike a blow for God ; mens natures differ , some men are more active naturally ; may be one man is full of activity and stirring , another man is of a dull dispostion ; will you say this man is deader then he ? no , this man may have more life of grace then he ; it is as if one man should swim with the stream , and another against the stream he that swims with the stream , will more easily swim a mile , then he that swims against the stream , will swim half a mile ; will you say that this man cannot swim so well as the other ? no , he may be a better swimmer of the twain ; for this is the thing , we are not to judge of the life of our grace , by what we do , but by what labour we take in doing , as the Apostle saith , remembring without ceasing , your work of faith , and labour of love , 1 Thes. 1. 3. may be another man is of a more loving nature then this man , but the man that is more unkinde naturally , and harsh-natured , he labours a thousand times more abundantly then the other ; who hath most grace of love now ? the other hath most natural love , but this man hath more grace of love , as Paul proves he had the life of grace in him , because he laboured more abundantly then they all ; it is not what thou doest , but what thou laborest to do , he that swims down the stream , doth not labour , if he should do nothing but stir his hands and feet without any labour , the stream will carry him , so when a man hath nature to help him , he need not labour much , but when a man must fetch all out of the hard flint , how is he fain to labour ? there thou mayst try the life of thy affections , not by what thou prayest , but by what thou labourest in prayer , not by what thou remembrest at a Sermon , but though thou hast a blockish memory , how dost thou labour to remember ? so it is not the not doing of sin , but the labouring against sin , hereby thou mayst know whither they zeal and affection be abated in thee : So again for a mans self , may be he was more active heretofore , had a more nimble spirit and temper of body , now he is grown more sad and melaneholy , his head is distempered and grown more weak , his memory fails , and his understanding decayes , that quick disposition of his body is taken down , and he cannot do as he did before , is the man therefore not so quickned as he was before ? is he grown more dead ? may be the man complains , certainly he hath cause to suspect himself , and he doth not think he is right ; formerly he could remember a Sermon , be fixed in meditation , be attentive at the word , be fervent in prayer , and put forth himself in this fashion ; now he cannot , he was so lively before , now he hath not the same activity , and therefore begins to call all into question , certainly all is not right . I answer , this doth not follow ; it is true , in many a man it is the deadness of his heart , and the decayedness of his spiritual estate that causeth this , but it doth not follow that it is so with thee , but the cause is this , may be thou hast worn out thy tools , therefore no marvel thou canst not work so well as formerly ; take a skilful Musitian , whose instrument is crackt and marred , he cannot make so good musick upon this instrument , as he could when it was sound ; doth it follow , he hath lost his skill ? no , give this man ● sound instrument , as he had before , and he will play as well as ever ; all our operations , not only external , but also internal , do much depend upon the disposition of the body ; as for meditation , may be when the body was lively and active , a man could fix his meditations upon a thing , now it is weakned he cannot ; may be he hath the same desire and delight as he had before , but he cannot do it ; so may be he hath as great a desire as ever to remember the word , but his memory is gone ; so may be he hath as great a desire to put forth himself in any ordinance of God as ever in all his life , but his body will not bear it ; I say , the spirits depend much upon the body ; you may see this in natural operations ; let a mans eyes fail , will any man say , that the soul of that man is less able to see then it was ? no , the soul is as able to see in a blind man , as in a seeing man ; in an old man whose eyes fail him , as in a young man that hath the quickest sight ; if this man had an excellent eye given him , he would see as well as any body else ; the soul is able to do it , but it wants a tool ; so many Saints of God , cannot do many duties as they were wont , not for want of love and zeal , and affections , but for want of tools ; it is said 2 Sam. 21. 16. that when David waxed old , they would not let him go out into the field ; did they look upon David now as less worthy then before ? no , they looked upon him as more worthy then before ; the text saith , they looked upon him as the very light of Israel , though he could not fight for Israel so well as he did before ; so you shall see many a godly man , and reverend father upon his death bed , shews no great matter in his dying ; what , because he is dead , and is not the man he was ? no , but because he hath worn out his tools ; he is not the man in regard of operation , though he hath the same affections he had formerly .

Sixthly , Extraordinary assistance may make a man seem to be more lively 6. Extraordinary assistance and quickned then indeed he is ; for God doth assist his people extraordinarily in their beginning , 't is true some of his people he doth extraordinarily assist all their life long , but he doth not usually do it , he doth choose rather extraordinarily to strive and help his people at the first , and afterwards he helps them only ordinarily , leaving them to fight with their own corruptions ; why ? because it is an extraordinary case ; when a child is young , his parents will extraordinarily help him to go , and will not let the weight of his body lie upon any one step , but help him in every step ; afterwards they help the child , but more ordinarily they look the child should go alone , and may be now he gets more knocks then he did before , and falls oftner ; will you say the child is now grown weaker ? no , he is stronger then he was , but there is a difference , he had extraordinary assistance before , now he is left to himself and to his own legs ; so it is with God towards his children ; at first , when they are new beginners , when they are nowly born again , he takes compassion upon them extraordinarily , helps them in prayer , and against their corrupt lusts ; and if the Lord should not do thus , it is impossible they should stand , as the Lord saith of Ephraim , when he was a child I loved him , and taught him to go , Hos. 11. 1 , 3. he carried him in his arms as a child , when he was young ; afterwards he looks he should go alone ; not as if any of Gods children could go alone , they have need of his help every day ; but they must go alone in respect of extraordinary help ; for God hath given them access to the throne of grace , and hath given them understanding , and some strength ; and he looks they should use these things not as though they could use them without his assistance , but without extraordinary assistance ; now when God leaves his child to walk by himself , he will fall oftner then before ; you shall have many grown Christians fall oftner then young beginners ; why ? because they are weaker and less quickned ? no , but because they have not such extraordinary assistance ; they can go alone . I speak not as though it were without the assistance of God , but without extraordinary assistance ; and though for want of care and watchfulness they get a fall , yet they are not weaker ; few new beginners ever fell as David and Peter fell afterwards ; no , the Lord bears them in his arms , but afterwards he lets them go alone ; now when the Saints of God feel duties to come on so heavily , extraordinary assistance being gone , they think they are grown dead and lumpish ; why ? the load lies heavier upon their own backs then ever it did before ; yet it doth not follow they are more dead ; a child whom his father bears in his arms , may be carried along from one end of the house to the other , sooner then another child that goes alone , can go it in thrice as much time ; will you say this child is weaker then the other ? no , this child goes alone , and the other is extraordinarily helped ; so the people of God , when they are first converted , they must know they are extraordinarily assisted , and they must take heed left they be proud and conceited ; oh they may think they have gotten such a deal of grace and life already ; no , no , alas you shall see what you have when you go alone .

Seventhly , Freedom from temptations may make a man seem to be more 7 Freedom from temptations . quickned then he is ; as a heavy dull tempered man , may go faster a great deal having no clog , then the nimblest man in the Country with a clog at his heels ; a man at his first conversion , God will not let him be tempted , he is but in his nonage , in his entrance into the Kingdom of God , and if God should let temptations presently fly upon him , before he hath more grace and judgement , and more experience of the vileness of his own heart , and the goodness of God , he would break his neck ; now God will never suffer a man to be tempted above what he is able ; therefore when his people are first converted , he frees them from temptations a while , and then they go roundly on ; afterwards when they have been ten or twenty or thirty years in grace , may be they are fouly overtaken , and go heavily on ; shall they therefore complain they are deader then they were ? as an horse , when he carries single may go roundly ; afterwards , the same horse being put to carry double , he goes more heavily ; will a man say the mettal of the horse is grown worse ? no , but he carries double ; so it is with the Saints of God ; may be formerly they carried single , now they carry double ; the Lord lets more temptations fall upon them then he did before ; will you say that Joseph was grown cold , because he had gotten that vile custome of swearing in Pharaohs Court ? he never sware at home , alas he had no temptations at home ; if he had had those temptations at home , and had had no more grace then he had then , it would have been the bane of his soul ; no wonder he goeth on more heavily , because he hath more temptations ; you may see how heavily David drew on , 1 Sam. 27. 1. shall one day perish by the hand of Saul ; formerly he could believe admirably , and trust in Gods promises wonderfully ; he fought against the Lyon and the Bear , and was mightily affected with God , but now he goeth heavily on ; what hath he lost his faith ? no , but he is more tempted then he was before ; may be the man had more grace of life in him then before , but he was more tempted , and carried double .

We come now to the next thing , to shew you how far forth a child of How far forth a child of God may be dead . God may be dead and lose his quickning , not only seem deader , but be deader indeed then he was ; and this point we will shew you in these particulars .

1. That every man by nature is dead to all goodness . 2ly , That the liveliest of Gods servants have some of this deadness still remaining in them . 3ly , The meanest of Gods servants that have least grace , have some life , and cannot be quite dead . 4ly , We will shew you this is a very ticklish point , and very dangerous ; a world of mischief may come of it by reason of the corruption of mens hearts . Yet 5ly , It is a very necessary point . 6ly , Those particulars wherein he may be dead . 7ly , The uses of the point .

First , We are all by nature dead , we have no heart to seek reconciliation 1. All by nature dead . with God , no heart to get his image in our hearts , and to have communion with him , and approve our selves unto him ; we see naturally , how the world slights these things ; they seek how they may live , and do as others do , but to look after righteousness , and holiness , and pleasing of God , they have no heart to these things ; and though God afford them good motions ; and checks of conscience , and all helps , yet people have no life at all to these things , Eph. 4. 18. they are as Paul speaks there , alienated from the life of God ; and as ●he father speaks of his prodigal son , this my son● was dead , quite dead ; by nature we have not the son of God , and therefore have no life ; as Christ saith , the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God , and live ; he speaks of the elect people that naturally are dead to all good ; for though a man be alive to many of the acts which the Saints of God do naturally , yet to those works that a Saint doth as he is a Saint , he is altogether dead ; as a beast , though it hath a life of its own , yet it is dead to the life of a man ; indeed it can do many things a man doth , a beast can see and hear , and goe up and down as well as a man doth , but for those acts a man doth as he is a man , he is altogether dead to those acts a beast cannot discourse ; how many things are in a man which a beast looks not after ? it is altogether dead to them ; so a natural man is alive to do what the Saints of God doe as they are men , because he is a man himself ; but as they are Saints of God , and have the life of God in them , he is altogether dead to that ; he cannot carry himself as the Saints do , he cannot curb himself of all his lusts as the Saints of God do ; you cannot if you would never so fain bring a natural man to these things , you may as well bring a dead m●n to walk up and down among men , as to make a natural man to be so strict and precise as a Saint .

Secondly ▪ the liveliest of all Gods Saints have some of this deadness remaining 2. Liveliest of Saints have some deadnesse . in them , the child of God , though in one part , sc. the spirit , he be alive , yet in the fle●h he is dead , P●u● himself tells us , I am not perfect , neither have I yet attained , Phil. 3. 13. David was as lively a man as any in the Old Testament , yet he cries out Psal. 143. 11. quicken me O Lord for thy names sake ; the Saints are like to a man sick of the numbe palsey , he is dead on one side ; so the Saints are dead on one side ; like the Moon , that side the Sun shines upon is light , but the other side is dark ; so when God shines upon his Saints by his Spirit , there is light : but they are dark on one side , for though justification be perfect in this life , yet sanctification is still but imperfect ; the guilt of sin may be fully forgiven here , but the power of sin is never here fully destroyed ; none of the Saints of God but find some clog , they go not so quick as they should or would do : Paul himself groans under this burden , Rom. 7. 24. and Christ doth not quicken his servants all at once , Joh. 10. 10. Christ doth put life into his people , yet so as that it goeth gradually on , he gives them more and more , he makes them more and more agill and quick in good duties ; the best of Gods Saints are like to a goodly tree , that may be hath a hundred dead boughs upon it , though the root and body be alive ; may be a young tree hath fewer dead boughs , yet it is weak , and there is less strength a great deal in it then in the other , and less fruit ; so I say for a Saint of God , though he be consolidated and setled , and grown substantial , yet there may be abundance of dead boughs .

Thirdly , The meanest of Gods Saints , the deadest of them all have some 3. Deadest of Saints have some life . life , they cannot lose all their life , they have an eternal life , Joh. 1. 36. he that believes on the son hath everlasting life , a child of God , though he may lose all his liveliness yet he cannot lose his life , there is a difference between liveliness and being alive , as Exod. 1. 19. the Hebrew women there are said to be lively ; any woman is alive , but not lively : so all the children of God are alive , they may lose their liveliness but not their life ; as the wise Virgins all slumbred and slept , but yet their oyl was not gone out ; though old Eli was grown marvelous dull , and heavy , and lumpish , and had no zeal for God and liveliness in him , yet he was not altogether dead , as appears by his answer to Samuel , and his care of the Ark of the Covenant ; for the life of a Saint of God , is like a vessel of Canary that cannot be quite frozen up ; a child of God , though he be never so cold and frozen , yet he shall not be altogether frozen up , he shall have some life still , the seed of God remaineth in him , 1 Joh. 3. 9.

Fourthly , This is a ticklish point , and marvellous dangerous , unless 4. Dangerousness of the point . great heed be taken ; those that hear it , that hear how far a child of God may grow dead , may recieve much mischief by it ; and I was once of the mind not to have spoken of it , in regard of the evil consequents that may grow upon it .

For first , This may greatly embolden the adversaries of the Church of God . In some sense it were well that the adversaries of the Church did think the Church were more lively then they are ; it might be a great ●eans to curb them of doing that they do ; as it is noted of the Scribes and Pharisees , that conceiving that the people were more more lively then they were , it did withhold them from what they otherwise would have done ; as when Christ spake of Johns baptism , they would have vilified it , but that the● thought the people were so affected to his ministry , that they would sto●e them ; I do not think they were so affected and wrought upon ; I do not think there would have been such a stir in the Country , but this was wel they thought so , for it saved a great deal of mischief , Mat. 13. 25. when the go●● m●ns servant , were asleep , then the enemies sowed tares ; so when the enemies of the Church shall see thee grown dult and careless , and sleepy , the Sabbaths are little sanctified , and the holy ordinances of God , and powerful preaching little looked after , nay even such as were strict people are grown cold ; this doth embolden them to bring in errors , and broach what they list , when they durst not do it if the Church were lively ; so that it is something dangerous to tell this in Gath , and publish it in the streets of Ashkalon .

Secondly , This may hearten abundance that are standers by , that are dead in sins and trespasses , to be hardned under their deadness , and to be secure ; for when a Minister shall shew how that the children of God may be marvellously dead , and may be quite off the hooks , and their zeal be quite gone , the life and liveliness that hath been formerly is not seen ; when they hear this , this may help them to ho●e , 't is true I am dead , and my heart is like a stone in prayer , and like a block at the hearing of the word of God ; I have no spirit , nor heat , nor affections in the ordinance of God ; yet Gods blessing on the Ministers heart ; I heard him say a child of God might be dead like a dead tree , and I hope I may be a child of God for all this no question when a carnal heart shall read how Christ upbraided his own Disciples with unbelief and hardness of heart , no question when they read such passages , but they have a great deal of succour to their own consciences ; for when their consciences flie in their faces for their untowardness and heartlesseness in any thing that is good , they think the Saints of God have a great deal of heartlesseness , and so reckon themselves to be Saints of God ; and so the Church of God when it was grown to be marvellous remiss , and prophane , and loose ( Jer. 7. ) though God had told the ten Tribes that he would cut them off , yet they comforted themselves ; how did they comfort themselves ? they comforted themselves in this , they thought verily they were a Church ; so people , if they can get any word that falls out of the Ministers mouth that may make for themselves , they catch at it ; if any word drop out from a Ministers mouth , or if any miscarriage or distemper be seen in a godly mans life , they lie at catch for these things ; therefore it is dangerous .

Thirdly , It is dangerous because it may teach people how to be dead ; nay , people that were stirred at their deadness , and saw an infinite need of laying it aside , and took pains to do it , yet when they hear this Doctrine , through the corruption of their own hearts , they may grow careless , and think , what need I keep such a pudder ? I am a child of God still , though I am so dead and heartless , and have no more feeling under Gods word , yet I may be a child of God ; I heard a Minister make an excellent Sermon upon that point , that a child of God may be very dead ; but let me tell you , if any of you came to Church this day with a kind of joy and delight , oh , this day we shall hear how a child of God may be dead ; if it be thus , you may justly fear that you have a rotten heart ; for what is this a sign of ? but that your hearts lie at catch , and if you have but any argument to make you think you are a child of God , this is enough ; I know this may be a comfort to the children of God , but th●y are such as are absolutely dejected and cast down , and wrought upon ; and whatsoever they hear out of the word of God , they use it for their help , that they may be recovered out of their deadness ; but if any of you hear this to the end you may be secure , this will be your bane .

Fifthly , Though it be dangerous ▪ yet it is a necessary point to be insisted 5 Needfulness of the point . upon , the people of God may ▪ have need of it ; but you will say , it is pitty such a Sermon should be preached to ●hew how far a child of God may be dead , there be so many stumbling blocks , and such a deal of mischief ; I answer , whatsoever truth may tend to the establishing of the people of God , and the building of faith , is not to be omitted , though thousands of reprob●tes break their necks a● it ; as Christ , when the Pharisees stumbled at his doctrine , Mat. 15. 12. see how he answers , ver. 13. Every plant which my heav●●ly f●●her hath ●ot planted , shall be rooted up ; so I say we must hazard that ; we must tell people what danger they may catch if they take not heed ▪ and we must deliver the truth , for it is helpful to the people of God ; we know that the credit of his servants is precious in his sight ; and yet he hath disgraced his servants in the Scriptures as it were , and hath left their dulness and untowardness upon record , that the world may know it ; as who should s●y , it is o● such use to all generations to know this , that it may not be concealed from the world ; you may see those horrible sins of David , and fowl offences , that one would think the spirit of God would cast a vail over ; yet he is so far from hiding of that his murther and adultery , and making V●iah drunk , that he doth not only record his murther and adultery once , 1 Sam. 11. but again , Psal. 51. and committed the Psalm to the Musitian , to be sung in the Church to the end of the world ; so Peters denial of his Master , one would have thought the Scripture would have said nothing of that ; what a Disciple of Christ to deny his master , and curse and ban himself ? yet the spirit of God is so earnest to have this known , that he will have all the Evangelists set it down ; you have things of great importance , that our eternal life depends upon , yet there is but one Evangelist toucheth them ; but every one tells us of peters fault ; how sh●mefully he did forget himself , and how he was carried away with his lusts , so that it is very needful to be known : now then to come to the sixth thing , how 6. How far forth a child of God may be dead . far a child of God may be dead ; for this we will shew you these particulars .

First , he may lose all his zeal ; you know zeal is a thing that God baptizeth his pe●●le with , not only with the holy Ghost , but with fire ; yet a child of God if he stand not upon his guard , and looks to himself , if he grow secure and drowsie and give way to sin , he may come to this , to lose his zeal ; it was the case of many o● Gods people in Laodicea , though the chiefest bulke in the Town were lukewarm ; yet it is plain that many of th●se that were neither hot nor cold , were Gods own children ; for he saith , Rev. 3. 19. as many ●● I love , I rebuke and chasten : so in the daies of Saul , when Religion went down the wind , and the Ordinances of God were slacked , every thing went to wrack during his government , you shall see how the Church of God had lost their zeal , 1 Sam. 17. 16. it is said there , that when Goliah of Gath came into the host , and all Israel were there , and the main bulke of the Church of God were looking on , and hearing what this fowlmouth said , there he stood defying and blaspheming the Army of God , and he shewed himself so forty daies together , and all Israel heard him , and they were all dull and blockish , and not a man stepped out to hazard his life to appear in Gods cause , until it pleased God to make a little child take up a weapon , and sight against him ; so our Saviour Christ shews us in the last times ( which is strange ) for in the last times knowledge shall abound , the love of many shall wax cold , Mat. 24. 12. you know what zeal is ; it is when a man doth not only walk in Gods commandements and do them , but useth Gods arguments , and useth them with all his heart , and stirreth up himself to take hold on God ; he presseth hard after the mark ; he is a man that stands upon his guard ; a man that will be precise and strict in every thing ; he will eschue every evil ; if he find any lust rising , he is never at quiet till he get it down again ; if this man be in company , he will not stand upon curtesie to see who will begin to speak , but if others will not , he will ; and he will not stand upon terms and difficulties ▪ but come what can come , he will stand for God ; now 't is strange how this zeal may be taken off , in a man that is otherwise a good man .

Secondly , He may lose all his affections , which is a strange thing ; you know what the affections are , they are the wings of the soul ; if the wings be off , the bird cannot flie ; now a child of God may lose all his affections ; as it was with Sardis , they had not only lost all their zeal , but their affections , Rev. 3. 2. strengthen the things which remain , that are ready to die ; they had lost all , and but a little remained , and that little was ready to die ; what a poor heartless ▪ lifeless creature was Asa ? he was grown to 2 Chro. 16. that pass , that though God sent his Prophets to him , yet his affections were not stirred ; nay , they were stirred the clean contrary way ; he was angry with him ; and when God laid afflictions upon him , he was so little affected with his sins , that he sought not to the Lord , but to the Physitians ; a child of God may lose his sorrow and grief for sin ; though he be privy to a world of corruption and distempers , and dulness , and blockishness , yet he is not able to relent and grieve for them , there is no sorrow in his heart ; as David , when he had committed those horrible sins , there were no affections in him ; when Joab sent him word that Vriah was dead , which he had a hand in , one would have thought it should have made him cry and roar , and made his heart to burst ; but he was so far from being affected with remorse , as that he made nothing of it ; oh saith he ▪ tell Joab , the sword kills one as well as another , 2 Sam. 11. 25. so a child of God may lose all the affection of shame . It is one of the duties we owe to God , that all the corruptions , and untowardness that is in us , we should be ashamed of them ; now a child of God may lose this shame ; David when he had committed adultery , he was not ashamed of it , he did not blush , nay he was impudent , he durst let his servants know it , and be privy to his villany ; he could say to them , go and fetch me the woman , 2 Sam. 11. Again , he may lose all his delights in good duties , and the ordinances of God ▪ he may go to them , but with poor delight ; what poor delight do you think David had in good duties for the space of ten months , till Nathan came unto him ? we may well think what a blockish and seared heart he had ; again , he may lose all his desires and yearnings ; he may pray , and have no heart to lift up his soul to God , and be earnest for the having of those graces he stands in need of , but pray so coldly , as if indeed he would teach God to deny him ; again , he may lose all his fear , he may grow to be so marvellous venterous and bold , he may grow to be familiar with sins , he may grow to come neer the occasions of sin , and thrust himself upon temptation ▪ again , he may lose his affections of love , and have hardly any love at all to God , as Christ complains of Simon , who otherwise was a good man ; he forgave his sins , and yet he complains he loved him but a little , Luke 7. 44. sc. in one word , a child of God may lose all his affections .

Thirdly , He may grow to be even senseless of sin , and of the grace of God ; I may shew this in divers examples ; to instance in the Patriarchs , they conspired the death of Joseph , afterwards flung him into a ditch , which was a most horrible and unnatural thing ; one would think this should have been as an arrow unto their hearts , and they should have been ashamed of themselves ; but were they sensible of this , or moved at it ? no , but they sate down to eat and drink when they had done , Gen. 37. so for the children of Israel in the wilderness , when they had committed that horrible sin , of making a golden calf , and the Text shews that many of the children of God were guilty of it ▪ when they had done , did their hearts smite them ? were they affected with their sin ? did it work any impression upon their hearts ? no , they sate down to eat and drink , and rose up to play , Exod. 32. 6. so David , when he had committed those horrible hainous sins of murther and adultery , sins which deserved death by the Law , his fault was aggravated by many circumstanc●s ; he had wives of his own , he was not a young man , but well grown in years , he was no novice , he was not ignorant of God , but an old disciple , and one that had had a great deal of experience of Gods goodness , ●●e that was the most noted man in all Israel for forwardness for God , one that as himself confesseth , had more understanding then any one in the world , more then his teachers ; these do aggravate his sin , but when he had done , was he sensible of this ? no , he was so far from it , that he laboured to father his bastard upon Vriah ; Vriah had been a great whiie from his Wife , and must have known it to have been a bastard , if he had not sent him down to his house ; now thought he , if I can but get him to go down to his house , and lye with his Wife , the child may be thought to be his child , and not mine ; nay , wh●n Vriah spake words that might have burst his bowels , when he bade him go to his house , you may see what a gracious answer he gave him , 2 Sam. 11. 11. The Ark and Israel , &c. as who should say , I had more need to be at prayer , and keep a fast ; all Israel is in the field against their enemies , therefore I had more need to seek God , then look after my pleasures , and pampering my body ; now one would think this should have been as a dagger to David , heart , and made him ashamed ; yet he was so senseless that he laboured to do it more and more , and was never at quiet till he had made him drunk , thinking he would go home ; thus we see that a child of God may be senseless of his sins .

Fourthly , A child of God may grow to be notoriously vain , and notoriously worldly , and to be notoriously guilty of sin . I do not say to live in s●● , but to sin notoriously , that a man that hath but half an eye may say , Yonder man is notoriously proud and conceited of himself , he is marvelous froward and given to his passions ; yonder man is marvelous remiss in his place and calling , marvelous dull and idle , and sluggish ; and even those that are without may see this , much more the children of God ; thus it was with many of Pauls brethren and companions he had at Rome ; though he did conceive these were the children of God , yet they were grown notoriously and grossely worldly ; when Paul had occasion to send some Minister or other to fight against the false Apostles , he spake it seems to all his brethren and acquaintance , to intreat them to go to Philippi , but he could not get one of them to go ; what excuse they made we know not , whither they were loth to be at that charge , or whither they loved their own ease , but Phil. 2. 21. he breaks out into this speech , they all seek their own , and none the things that are Christs : Not as Calvin notes upon the place , as though they had no grace or life in them , but they were grown marvelous worldly and earthly , and carried away with their lusts , marvelously tender of their profits , seeking their own , and not the things of Christ ; though Paul told them , it was the cause of Christ required it , yet it was against their profits and ease , he could get none of them to go ; so David , that sin of numbring the people , it lay upon his heart nine months , and he came not to repentance ; yet Joab saw this thing , and he used gracious arguments to divert him ; he saw plainly that he was transported with some lust or other .

Fifthly , The child of God may grow to that pass , that the service of God may be a burthen ; 't is true , it cannot be absolutely a burthen to any child of God ; so the wicked only are absolutely without zeal and affection , they are absolutely wicked and worldly ; therefore this cannot be absolutely in a child of God ; yet it may be horribly and grossely , even to be tired and jaded under Gods service , even to count it a burthen , to cry out with those Mal. 1. what a weariness is it Lord ! even to be loth to go to prayer , to go to it dully , as a trewant goes to his book ; and when they are at it , to be blockish and without any spirit in it , and have no life , not so much as to heave up their hearts to the Throne of grace ; nay , they may think it too long , and wish it were done ; and they may think the opportunities to do and receive good come too often ; this is an horrible thing , yet thus it may be ; what was the reason that the Galatians were so open-eared to the false Apostles that came with another Gospel , that separated from the Gospel of Christ ? what is the reason that they opened the ear to them , and were even poysoned by it ? O saith the Apostle , be not weary of well doing , Gal. 6. 9. as who should say , you are weary of well doing ; you were once affected with the word ▪ and would have plucked out your eyes to do me good ; you were wonderfully wrought upon , and went on in a right manner in some measure ; Oh be not weary of well doing ; as who should say , the cause of your yielding is because you were weary of well doing ; you seek out for new opinions , and errours , and are ready to receive false doctrines , contrary to the doctrine of Christ ; therefore , take heed that you be not weary of well doing .

Lastly , A child of God may be so dead that nothing can quicken him ; nay , the whole Church of God may be so dead , that the Gospel may be going away , and God may be ready to depart , and shew signs of his going away from them , and yet they may have no heart to humble themselves , and seek the Lord , to be moved and stirred to get more life , and intreat God to turn away the plague , as God saith , Isa. 59. 16. I wondred there was no Intercessor ; he sent Prophet after Prophet to tell them that he would take away his Kingdom from them , and scatter them among the Nations ; but though he had told them of these things , over and over again , yet there was none to stand in the gap ; he speaks in the general , there was not a man ( though otherwise good ) that could cry to God in this distress ; so that I say , a man may grow to this pass , that nothing can quicken him ; all the ordinances of God cannot , nay , though he have many judgements of God upon him , and his conscience lies digging in his side from day to day , yet nothing may work upon him , unless the Lord be more strangely merciful to his soul ; till a whale was provided to swallow up Jonah , there was no bringing of his heart to relent .

Qu. But you will say , Where is the sign of Gods grace all this while ? may a child of God be thus dead ? certainly the life of the children of God is eternal ; and when God gives his children grace , it continues for ever , it is springing up to eternal life ; now if a Saint may be thus dead , where is grace ? is he unchilded again ?

Ans. I answer , the grace of a child of God can never be taken away , not for any goodness in himself , but through the goodness of God .

For first , there is the seed of God remaining still in him , 1 John 3. 9. a godly man cannot commit sin , saith the Apostle , for the seed of God remaineth in him ; that is , he cannot commit sin as the wicked commit it , he can never grow to be a wicked man again , to do as the wicked do ; why ? the seed of God remaineth in him ; you know seed is a little thing , there is a little thing left still in that man , that shall still difference him from ungodly men , that he cannot commit sin with that fulness of sway as the wicked do ; now by this seed the Scripture means regeneration ; regeneration is immortal , it is that seed which remaineth for ever , 1 Pet. 1. the last .

Secondly , As there is a seed of God remaining in him , so there be supernatural habits ; and the difference between this seed , and these supernatural habits is this ; this seed is immediately in the soul , though it runs through all the powers of it ; but these supernatural habits are immediately in the powers and faculties of the soul ; now these habits are such , whereby they have heavenly inclinations to good , and inclinations against evil ; and these shall never be quite extinguished , though they be not like to moral and natural habits ; for they do actually incline but supernatural habits do never actually incline that way , but upon concurrence of special grace ; though they be in the soul yet they do not actually incline but upon concurrence of grace ; now these habits can never be taken from a child of God , as David saith , Psal. 37. 24. though the righteous fall , yet he shall not utterly be cast down ; he may fall upon his hands and knees , but he shall not quite fall ; he shall have something or other to moderate and break the fall .

Thirdly , A child of God ever hath an anointing , 1 John 2. 27. that is , a gift and grace of God whereby he doth enlighten his eyes by the spirit of revelation , whereby he looks upon God , and all sin and iniquity , and the ordinances of God , with an heavenly eye ; now I say , this eye can never be taken away ; let a child of God be at the lowest ebbe , he looks upon sin , and Gods wayes after another fashion then other men ; he looks upon corruption after another manner then any other man ; so he looks upon Gods holiness , and righteousness , and graciousness , he looks upon these so as no natural man doth ; if a man do but talk with him , he will see that he hath anointing at the lowest ebbe ; he will not talk of the wayes of God as a natural man ; he will discover that he hath something of God , something of this oyntment left in him still .

Fourthly , There is a little strength in his heart , as the Lord saith , Rev. 3. 8. A child of God , take him at the lowest ebbe , yet he hath a little strength ; I speak not here of actual grace , for a child of God may have no actual grace stirring , it may be quite in a swound ; as David ; I hardly think there was any grace stirring in his heart when he lay with Bathsheba ; but I speak of the frame of a child of God ; when he is grown dead in his general bent , frame , and inclination , he hath yet a little strength ; he doth a little fear God , though it be much born down ; he hath some good desires , though but weak and in a great measure ineffectual ; he hath a little endeavour to please God , though the pleasing of his flesh and corruptions be so much , that his grace doth scarcely appear .

The first use is this ; Is it so , that a child of God may thus far grow dead ? Use . let us know , this is not to encourage any man in sin , that any man should conclude , well then it is no great matter though I sin now and then , and lie and swear now and then ; in many things we offend all , and we are all sinners ; the Minister told us to day how dead a man may be , and yet be a child of God for all this ; this is a damned use of this doctrine ; there is no doctrine , no example recorded in all the whole Bible , to encourage men to sin ; therefore when we look into the lives of Noah , of Abraham , of Lot , &c. and read of their great falls , this is not to encourage any man to sin , but rather to stir up a man so much the more to labour against sin ; for if the children of God that have his favour , and have got into his covenant , and have got power in grace , and have traded in Religion , and have waded far in mortification and newness of life , and have gone many degrees towards Gods Kingdom ; if these men give way never so little , may be dead , if sin may get dominion over these ; how should others quake and tremble , and reason thus , Did David and Peter fall ? how then shall I stand ? how careful should I be ? David had a thousand times more grace then I , and was more mortified then I , and had a better heart then I ; if he were so weak to overcome sin , when he had given way to it ; if he could not preserve his affections from being deaded ; and if he could not preserve his soul from being a block in Gods service ; if he had so many advantages beyond me , and yet giving way to idleness and drowsiness , were born down in that fashion ; oh how should I take heed then ?

Secondly , If a child of God may be thus dead , then let the best of Gods Use . 2 Saints and children that are now most zealous and lively , take heed ; let them follow hard after the mark , let them stand upon their guard , let them fight against idleness and drowsiness of spirit , let them not be carnally confident to trust in their own hearts ; take heed , thou knowest not how thy heavenly father may deal with thee ; for this is certain , no child of God can get up again ( though he had the most grace that ever man had , besides the Lord Jesus Christ , if he give way to sin ) except the Lord help him ; we are like to a little babe ; if it falls , there it lies till the parent help it up ; so when a child of God falls , there he lieth in woful distress all this while , and cannot get up for his life ; and if he had a thousand souls , and they were all to be damned , he could not save one of them , unless God assist him , Lam. 5. 21. turn us O Lord , and we shall be turned ; therefore art thou never so full of life ? take heed , despise not prophesying , despise not preaching , despise not prayer , despise not any ordinance of God , despise none of these things , never grow secure ; if thou dost , woe unto thee ; may be God will help thee up again , but who can tell ? the covenant of grace is certain for nothing but for eternal life ; if a man take heed , and stand upon his watch , he may the better build upon God , that he shall not fall , Pro. 28. 4. therefore take heed that you pass the time of your so journing here in fear , 1 Pet. 1. 17. and having these promises , let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit , &c. 2 Cor. 7. 1. as who should say , let us labour to have this holy fear in our heart , ever to consider how weak and impotent we are ; if we grow drowsie and careless at any time , we give advantage to the Divel ; we let him in , and God knows when we shall get him out again ; therefore let this work fear and trembling .

Thirdly , This may be for comfort to those people of God , that have Use . 3 been foolish , and have deceived their own souls , and have given way to Satan , and let in this cruel and damned enemy that hath done a world of mischief , that they are now come to despair almost ; they are afraid they shall never get up again ; never were any of Gods servants so dead and dull as I am ; Gods children can never be thus ; I say , is there such a one among you ? let this doctrine be a thred let down from heaven to help him up again ; as the Apostle saith , all things are written for our learning , Rom. 15. 4. so these Scriptures that speak of the falls of Gods Saints , are written for such peoples learning , that they may take comfort in the Scriptures , that they may not be altogether out of heart , but have something to lay hold on ; as Paul speaks of his sins of being a persecutor , and a blasphemer , 1 Tim. 1. he saith , it is recorded , that I afterwards may be an help to them that shall believe ; and as the sins of Gods elect before conversion are recorded , that this may be a means to perswade Gods elected ( not yet converted ) that they may find grace , though they be never so vile sinners ; for God hath left a pattern and pledge , he hath been merciful to hainous sinners ; so the fall of Gods Saints and children after conversion , are recorded to this end ; and I can tell you in time of temptation , when conscience shall be awakned , and the wrath of God shall stick in a mans soul , a man cannot spare any one sweet proposition in Scripture , nor any one example in Scripture , nor ●ny tittle of comfort ; it will be little enough to bear up the soul from despair and from being overwhelmed ; all will be little enough to assure the soul of Gods favour , and that he can and will pardon such transgressors ; therefore I say look upon this doctrine , it is for those that are dejected with their dead hearts , that they may yet receive some comfort to their souls .

The last day I shewed you how far forth a child of God might be dead ; The deadness of a child of God amplified . but some may say , I cannot believe a child of God may come to this ; and thou art confident thou shall not come to this ; therefore I will speak a little further of it .

And first , Let me tell you , there is not the sowlest , haynousest , abominablest , A child of God may fall into very foul sins . the most notorious , scandalous sin in the world , but the most devout , godly mortified man upon the face of the earth may fall into it , if he take not heed , ( except the sin against the holy Ghost ) I will instance in some particulars .

First , For Idolatry , gross Idolatry ; will you think that ever a child of God , that believes in his name , and is acquainted with his word , and his goodness and mercy , and his jealousie against this sin and iniquity , should fall into it , should fall down and worship a stock , a stone , a creature ? you will never believe it ; yet you shall see the wisest man that ever was , and one that was beloved of God , did fall into this sin in a great degree , 1 Kings 11. 4 , Solomons wives drew his heart away from God ; they drew away his heart from God in an high degree ; and they did not nakedly draw away his heart from God , but they drew his heart after other gods . If a man should say , I hope I shall never fall into this sin ; I say let us hope so still , and go on in using the means ; if we be so confident , let us take heed that none of us come to bowe to the creature ; let our own hating and abominating of it , be a watch-word to us to take heed .

Secondly , What say you to apostacy ? nay , almost totall apostacy , that a child of God should grow to be an apostate , which of you would think it ; that he should come to curse and bann himself , if ever he knew Jesus Christ , or loved him , or ever did countenance him ? yet you may see a child of God ▪ and a notable one too , fell in this fashion ; Peter , he did curse and ban himself , that he never knew the man , Mark 14. 71. this is very far .

Thirdly , What say you to persecution ? to persecute a man that is godly ; dost think that a man that hath the image of God in him , that hath the knowledge of the Scripture , that hath the fear of God before his eyes , and a sympathy with all the Saints of God in the world , that this man should ever persecute one that is godly , and for his godliness too ? would you think this ? yet directly thus it is ; Asa , a godly man , for a fit , as long as the time lasted , when the Prophet reproved him for his sins , and dealt roundly with him , what was this but gracious dealing ? yet the man did not only not submit to the Prophets reproof , but hi● very heart rose up against him , and he cast him into prison , he was a persecutor of him 2 Chro. 16. 10. in one word , what enormous flagitious sin in the world is there , but a child of God ( if he look not to himself ) may actually fall into ( but the sin unto death ? ) Noah a Preacher of righteousness , the holiest man upon the earth , the world had not his fellow , yet he fell to be once drunk ; David a man after Gods own heart , a man of admirable experience , a man that traded as far in mortification , in holiness and righteousness , and walking with God , and acquaintance with him and his Laws and promises as ever any Saint in the Old Testament ; yet he fell into the sin of murther and adultery , yea , to make a man drunk , and that otherwise a good man too , one of the worthiest of all the Kingdom ; you see this is clear , there is no sin so desperate ( the sin against the holy Ghost excepted ) but a child of God may fall into it ; therefore he had not need to be carnally confident .

Secondly , When a child of God hath fallen thus into some sowl sin , he 2. A child of God may be hardned in sin . may be much hardened , wofully deaded and benummed , and grow blockish and untoward to call upon God , and go on in any of his waies , become marvelously unfitted and indisposed to the use of Gods ordinances ; nay , he may be grown to that pass that he should never rise up more , but that for the infinite goodness of God that doth bring him again home , and lift him up again by renewing his faith , and his repentance ; you may see when Jehoshaphat had struck with Ahab , and helped the ungodly , and loved him 2 Chro. 19. that hated the Lord , though he were smitten in the field , and were like to have lost his life , and saw what danger he was in for joyning with Ahab , yet all this did not humble him ; the Lord sent after him by hue and cry , rousing up his conscience by his Prophets ; if he had not done thus , God knows how long he might have lain thus ; so David he found a deadness in all goodness , when he had committed those foul sins , he found no working of Gods blessed spirit , his own spirit grew dull , his own heart grew dead , he was as if he had never known what grace meant ; create in me O Lord a new heart , Psal. 51. 10. his sin was like to a sweeping rain that leaves nothing ; like to a consumption that wastes all ; it was even like a Thief , that breaks into a mans ware-house in the night , and a man knows not what he hath lost , till he casts up his accounts , and then he seeth he hath lost almost all his estate ; so it is with the best of Gods servants ; if they give way to sin , contrary to evangelical obedience , God knows what a Thief they let into their soul ; they know not what they have lost , till God give them an heart to cast up their accounts , and then they may see that they have lost almost all that they have ; who knows what God may do ? it is a fearful thing ; you see a child of God may not only fall into foul and fearful sins , but he may lie in them .

Then Thirdly , To go further , when a child of God is come hither , then you 3. A child of God may be long in sin . will say , certainly this man must rise up again quickly , grace will not let him lie dead ; 't is true , God will not for ever let him lie dead ; but for how long he shall lie dead , no man nor Angel can t●ll ; as the Church speaks concerning her misery , there is never a Prophet , never an ordinance of God , all is gone to wrack , and there is none among us can tell us how long , Psal. 74. 9. so when a man hath fallen into sin , and hath pulled distempers into his soul , there is none among us can tell us how long ; 't is true , Peter got up again within a few hours ; but David got not up again till after ten months ; and may be another not till after ten years , may be twenty , forty , nay , who can tell how long ? grace is free ; therefore no man can prescribe any time , the wind blows where it listeth , and how long it listeth , and how long it will John 3. Reasons of the point . 1. Reas. be ere it blow again who knoweth ?

The Reasons of th● , first in regard of Satan , he fights most of all against the children of God , his ●ingers itch to be at them , and at them most ; his greatest spight is against them , the very bowels of the enmity is between him and them ; the children of God come to take his place that he once had in heaven ; the children of God are set up against Satan , as David was put in the room of Saul ; therefore I say , all the strength of hell is still a working against the Church of God , and the Saints of God , and every one of them , from that very moment that the woman was delivered of a Rev. 12. 13. man child , he sought to destroy it : Simon , Simon , ( saith Christ ) Satan desires to winnow thee , &c. Luk● 22 31. he is the god of this world , and his temptations are welcome enough with any body but the children of God ; none resist his dominion but they ; he is the Gaoler , and hath all the world in close prison , but only them ; they are the only ones that have broken loose , that have gotten away out of the power of Satan ; therefore all his malice , and all the gates of he●l , they are up to send hue and cry after them , to hook them in again if they can ; he is ●ust like a Pyrate ; a Pyrate will rather set upon one rich ship , then upon a thousand beggarly barks , because there he may have a rich prize ; so the Divel knows he can advantage his Kingdom , if but on● fall that is a Saint , more then by the falls and the notoriouse●t falls of millions of others ; therefore no wonder that a child of God should grow remiss and carele●s at any time , that he may have a mischief ; for it is all the Divels business , he hath nothing else to do but do mischief , to be busie to get a child of God down , and if he have him down , to hold him down if he can .

Secondly , Another reason is ▪ in regard of the children of God themselves ; 2. Reas. they carry flesh about them as well as other men , they have a Traitor in their own bosomes , that li●s in scout every moment to work them woe ; as Paul saith , I find another law in my members , &c. Rom. 7. 23. though a child of God hath wounded all his lusts , nay , though he hath given them their deaths wound , yet there is never a one but may revive and make head again , if he take not heed , and that in a woful degree ; as the Lord saith of the Caldeans , Jer. 37. ( I quote it only for a similitude ) ver. 10. though you had smitten all the whole army of the Caldeans , yet they shall come and fire the City ; when Judah had provoked God , though they had wounded all the Caldeans , yet those wounded men should come and fire the City ; so let a man take heed he doth not give way to sin ; for though his lusts be mortified , and he hath given them their deaths wound , yet these wounded Caldeans may come and fire all his soul , if he take not heed .

Thirdly , In regard of God himself ; God is pleased to try his people , to 3. Reas. withdraw himself now and then from them , to leave them to themselves , and the grace they have received ; to let them alone with that ; and when he doth thus , no wonder though they fall ; for every man hath some vileness and rottenness in his heart ; the wholest simplest heart in the world hath a deal of rottenness in it ; I say , the Lord doth sometim●s leave his children to themselves , as he did Hezekiah in the business of the Ambassadors , 2 Chro. 32. 31. as the Church saith , Cant. 5 6. my beloved had withdrawn himself ; the lovingest mothers may sometimes let their little child go alone , though they know he will fall ; they provide may be a rouler about his head that whither they fall backward or forward , or any way , they may not break their skull , and do themselves a mischief , to undo themselves ; but when they have done thus , they will sometimes leave them to themselves to go , though they know they will fall ; so the Lord doth put a rouler upon his people , that when they fall , they may not fall totally and finally , as the wicked men do ; they shall never strike into a wicked course , as the ungodly of the earth do ; that he takes order for ; but he doth many times leave them , not out of any ill will to them , but he leaves them to themselves , though he knows they will fall ; and that for divers reasons .

First , That they might be patterns to others of Gods people , that if they should fall ( as they may do ) when they are down , they may have wherewithal to get up again ; I say , the Lord leaves the eminentest of his people to themselves , to fall into lamentable miscarriages , that they may help inferiour people , and they may have something to encourage them that God will recover them , and relieve them again , and that God will not cast them off for ever ; as Paul shews 1 Tim. 1. 16. saith he , for this cause I obtained mercy , that in me first , Jesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering , for a pattern to them who shall hereafter believe ; as who should say , there may be a persecutor , a blasphemer smitten , a vile wretch , a fighter against God and Jesus Christ , such a one may be smitten , and come to see his damned estate ; a thousand to one , but this man will be overwhelmed and drowned in despair ; but saith he , The Lord , though I was one of his elect , yet he let me fall to this pass , that I might be a pattern to them which shall afterwards believe ; so we may say of Gods children after conversion ; David may say , For this cause among the rest the Lord left me to my self ; the Lord let me fall so fouly , and lifted me up again , that I might be a pattern to many poor people to the end of the world , that they may see the loving kindness of the Lord , and the infinite compassions , and bowels of mercy that is in the father of mercy towards them that trust in his name ; we should never believe the mercy of God , the freeness of his grace , the goodness of his nature towards his beloved , towards those whom he hath effectually called , were it not for such examples .

Secondly , The Lord doth this for to punish the carelesseness of his people , and their security many times ; what sin is there that is more apt to grow upon them then security ? it is a stealing sin , it is a secret and cunning sin , that comes closely and slightly upon a man , before he is aware , if he look not to himself ; now when a man grows to be secure , the Lord takes this course many times to eat it out , to punish the security of his people ; Peter when he had gotten faith in Christ , and affection to Christ , when he felt that his bowels did yearn after Christ , and his heart was enlarged towards him , he grow secure upon it ; though all forsake thee , yet will not I ; he was Mat. 26. confident , but it was carnal confidence ; for though the thing a man trusts in be the grace of God , yet as long as it is grace received , it is trusting in a mans self ; he therefore was carnally confident ; now he would venture himself into the high Priests hall ; though he thus , affections will never be drowned ; he might go any whither ; well , he comes into the high Priests hall , and there comes into the very mouth of temptations and dangers ; he doth not dream how easily his heart may be caused to deny Christ , he did not dream what a ticklish heart he carried in his bosome , he grew to be bold and venturous ; now the Lord to heal this security , let him fall in a desperate manner ; he let him get a knock almost to beat out his brains , even Mat. 26. 74. to curse and ban himself ; not only to deny Christ , but with abjuration ; the Lord seeth it is needful to do thus when people grow secure ; we ought alwaies to carry a covenant about our eyes , to take heed where we look ; and when we are in company , to have a bridle in our mouth , to take heed what we speak ; now if we grow careless and negligent , and this bridle is gone , and this covenant is gone , and our watch is taken away , no marvel though the Lord be provoked against us , to punish us , and that soundly , and let many of his people get a knock ; and who knows how great a one ? and how hard to heal again ?

Thirdly , the Lord sometimes leaves his people to themselves , that so they may see they stand meerly by grace ; I doe not mean by grace received , though they had all faith , though they had never so much knowledge , never so much experience and interest in God , never so much sense and feeling of him , never so much life , and zeal , and quickening , whatsoever it be , all the enlargements that ever any man had , I doe not mean this ; for a man never stands by this , but by the free favour of God , that is the grace a man stands by , the free good will and love that God doth bear unto him . Now when a childe of God shall have received a great deal of grace , a great deal of knowledge and faith , &c. he is apt to be remisse in seeking of God to direct him in that thing he knowes ; he thinks he can direct himselfe : we see , let a man have very good parts and knowledge , and be able to preach , how apt is he to be the lesse in prayer to God to help him to Preach , and guide him to deliver the Word ? So let another man have a great deal of knowledge , may be the man will be the less sensible of his own wretchednesse and ignorance , and aptness to mistake and erre , and goe aside , and so to be lesse eager and earnest with God for his continual aid , and teaching , and assisting of him every moment : So let a man have a great deal of zeal , and life , and quickening , he is apt to discern the lesse pronenesse to coole again : And suppose a man hath mortified a lust , nay , all his lusts , he can hardly feel he hath any desire after such a sin ; hardly any motions or stirrings in his heart ; I tell you this man , if he takes not heed , will be a venturing ; oh he thinks he is cock-sure ! he is so taken off from the lusts of the flesh , that he can never catch hurt , and he may be sometimes will admit of occasions , and admit of drawing something neer the pits brink ; he is so mortified , he fears nothing . Now the Lord in his infinite goodnesse to his people , leaves them to themselves ; are you so mortified ? come , let us see how mortified you are , and so leave him to himselfe , to see what the man can doe with all his knowledge , and zeal , and mortification ; and now this man falls : Look how far God leaves a man , so far he falls ; he will have his people see that they stand not by grace received , but by the free grace and favour of God : It is not in him that willeth , nor in him that runneth , but in God that sheweth mercy . Rom. 9. No , though a man have never so many gracious endowments , and heavenly vertues , it is not in him that willeth , but in God that sheweth mercy ; it is in the fountain of mercy and loving kindnesse in God . Let a man keep close to God , let a man still observe the pleasing of God , that there may be a continual fountain open , running down upon him from day to day ; for if he grow secure , and look not to himselfe , he exposeth himself to woful dangers .

Fourthly , The Lord leaves his people sometimes thus fearfully to themselves , that he might teach us to be sensible towards our brethren ; to be mild , and meek , and piteous , and full of bowels and compassion towards the weakest and meanest of all the Saints of God ; if we see but any thing of God , nay , but any likelihood that a man is of God , to be tender , for fear we should wrong a childe of God ; the Lord doth this of purpose to breed bowels , and meeknesse , and gentlenesse towards his people : As God lets men fall horribly before conversion , that they may carry themselves meekly towards those that are unconverted , for fear any of them should be of the Elect of God ; so he lets them fall after conversion , that they may carry themselves so towards them that are converted ; I say the Lord lets his people fall horribly into woful evils , that though they see a man fall never so much , yet they may no● omit any thing to doe him good , that they may not be taken off from their bowels and compassion ; who knowes but this man may be of God ? for I was as wretched as he once , as Paul would have the Cretians take notice of this , they were horrible sinners before conversion , lyars , slow-bellies ; now saith he , Tit. 3. 2. Speak to them that they shew all meeknesse to all men . Mark his reason , ver. 3. We our selves also were sometimes foolish , disobedient , &c. We our selves were thus , therefore let us shew meeknesse to all whatsoever , and let us be kinde , and full of bowels and compassion to●ards them , studying how to doe them good , and prevent all manner of evil , and labour to win them , if it be possible , with all meeknesse and condiscending ▪ who knows but they may be of God ? for we our selves have been mal●cious and spightful , ignorant , haters , and have served divers lusts and pleasures ▪ so it is with people after conversion ; the Lord lets them fall into horrible sinnes , and distempers , that so they may be gentle , and that they may have the spirit of meeknesse towards all men ; a man is apt to be severe , and rude , and rigid towards others , if he hath gotten any thing himselfe ; if he hath gotten a little knowledge , a little zeal , a little faith , a little humility , a little ability to please God , he is apt to think it such a deal , and he is apt to cry down every one that is not as he is , You are so proud , and so thus and thus ; and to take off his heart from doing those duties which he owes towards him ; ● man is apt to be very insolent in the Church of God ; many are thus , till God do●h take them down ; therefore the Lord by this means doth teach his people gentlenesse and meeknesse ; indeed God teacheth people many wayes besides this ; if they will take warning by his Word , or some other course , they save him a labour ; but if that will not doe , God takes this course with a man , to make him see his pride , and conceitednesse , and his want of mercy , and unlikenesse to Christ , in bowels , and pity , and compassion towards his brethren .

Fifthly , The Lord leaves his own children to themselves sometimes to fall so foulely , that he may humble them , and bring them down low ▪ that he may make them see yet further into the corruptions of their own hearts , that so he may make them capable of more grace ; for he gives grace to the humble . Now when he would give more grace to a man , may be he lets him James 4. fall into some horrible sinne , that he may be the more humbled , and see the naughtinesse of his own heart , that he may be driven to God , and may be deeper in mortification ; may be he thought he could goe no furthrer ; he did please himself in his prayers ; as I have heard of one that said , when he had prayed , he could hardly see any sinne in his prayer . Now when the Lord is pleased to bestow ▪ upon them more grace , he doth shew them the corruptions . You know how often God let his people fall in the Wildernesse , and that horribly , by murmuring , and repining , and infidelity ; though they were his own chosen , yet he let them all at the waters of strife , and at the red Sea he let them fall ; he let them fall concerning Manna : why was this ? the text saith , The Lord thy God he proved thee , he led the● up and down in all this ●arren wilde●nesse , where were Scorpious and fiery Serpents , that he might humble thee , and doe thee good in thy latter end , Deut. 8. 15 , 16 ▪ Meaning , the Lord let them fall into those horrible evils , that he might humble them , that they might see the wickednesse of their own hearts , and the infinite need they had of grace , and the fear of God , and standing upon their guard ; this d 〈…〉 to humble them , and do them good in the latter end .

The first Use may seem to condemn those speeches that commonly go up & down in Christians mouths , let me tell you they are wicked speeches ; O ▪ say Vse . they , grace will not let a man have such pride and vanity in him ; grace will not let a man do thus and thus ; I say these speeches are not good ▪ they savour of a world of ignorance of the grace of God : Indeed in three cases these are admirable speeches .

First , Certainly grace will bring a man home to God that belongs to him ; it will put him into Jesus Christ ; it will certainly make him a new creature , and bring him ▪ out of the estate of sinne ; he shall not live in the estate of sin ; grace will do that , and God in the covenant of grace doth set down that it is a fundamental promise , he will do this for every one ; as the Apostle saith , Eph. 4. 7. this grace will surely undertake that a man shall be a believer ( if he belong to God ) and he shall be justified and sanctified in some measure , he shall hate sin , and love goodness in some measure , and delight in Gods ordinances in some measure ; he shall be in the estate of grace , and not in the estate of sin ; grace will do this ; this we may boldly say , if a man have grace he , must do this , for God will teach him to do it .

Secondly , Grace will undertake that a man shall not fall finally away ; that is certain , that we may boldly say , if a man be of God , grace will teach him that he shall not fall away finally , grace will uphold a man and maintain him ; when we see a man fall away finally , we may conclude he had no true grace ; Gods children shall never fall finally away , God will preserve and keep them ; whom he loves he loves , to the end ; of all those that my father hath given me I have lost none , saith Christ , Joh. 17. neither life , nor dea●k , things present , nor things to come , shall ever be able to separate us from Joh. 13. 1. the love of ●od in Christ Jesus , saith Paul , Rom. 8. ult . that is most certain , blessed and happy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection , for over such the second death hath no power , Rev. 2 26. that is , such a man can never come to be damned , he can never fall finally away , or perish everlastingly ; there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ , that walk not after the flesh , but after the spirit , Rom. 8. 1. & v. 30. whom God hath predestinated , them he hath also called , &c. there is an individual necture of all the links of the chain of predestination ; in all the several buckles of it , there is an indivisible connexion ; if a man be called , he shall be justified , and if he be justified , he shall be sanctified ; and if he be sanctified , he shall be glorified ; so that grace will undertake this , that a man shall not ●all finally away .

Thirdly , We may say that grace will not suffer any man that is of God to fall totally away ; as not finally for ever , so not totally ; he shall not be altogether without grace , from that moment he began to have it for ever and ever ; he that drinketh of this water shall never thirst , &c. Joh. 4. 14. that is , he shall never thirst with total indigency again , he shall never thirst with total want ; he shall ever have some grace , and some of the image of God , and some of the fear of God , and some of the love of his truth , and some desire to his name , and some hatred of sin , though in a poor degree , yet he shall have something of God in him ; there shall be the seed of God remaining in him at all times , 1 Joh. 3. 9. my feet were almost gone ( saith David ) Psal. 73. 2. they were but almost gone , they were not quite gone ; as it is said of the Church of Philadelphia , she had a little strength ; so let a child of God be at the lowest ebbe , yet there shall be a little water of life , it shall Rev. 3. 8. not be quite exhaust ; though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down , for the Lord will uphold him , Psal. 37. 24. so that all this you may boldly say , for in these things it is not conditionally Gods covenant , but absolutely for God will give thee strength and power , and faith , and direction , and assistance ; he will not only give thee the thing , but the condition also here , that a man shall be a believer , and a new creature ; and if a man be once a new creature , he shall never be an old creature again altogether ; the covenant of grace is so , which is an everlasting covenant ; God will forgive their sins , and remember them no more : but now for particular passages ; for a man to say that a man cannot be proud and distempred , but grace will heal him ; a man cannot have an hard heart , but grace will soften it ; these are ill speeches , men know not what they say when they say thus ; for in particular passages the children of God have no promise , but only upon condition that they stand upon their guard ; but to be defended from particular evils , and to be saved from particular distempers , and horrible distempers , without standing upon their guard , and taking heed , and cleaving unto God , without carefulness , and watchfulness , and having a diligent eye to their wayes , they have no promise for this ; as the Prophet told Asa ; you know Asa was a good man , it seems he was of this mind , grace will teach a man and so forth ; but see what the Prophet told him , 2 Chron. 15. 2. the Lord is with you , while you are with him , &c. lie doth not mean that the Lord would forsake Asa and all his people in regard of eternal life , that they should not have eternal life that forsake him , that they should be altogether without grace , but he speaks here of particular passages of this or that sin , or this or that danger , this or that mischief either in soul or body ; saith he , the Lord is with you , as long as you are with him ; and if you seek him , he will be found of you ; but if you forsake him , he will forsake you : this is most certain ; 't is true , God doth not do thus alwayes , but when he doth not do thus , it is more then we can expect ; for if we be careless and negligent , we can look for nothing at Gods hand ; we may look up to him that he would not undo us , and cast us off for ever , but we cannot look that he should free us from this sin , or this distemper , from this dulness and untowardness in going on ; we cannot look that God should free us from these sins , unless we draw neer to him , and cleave to him , and keep by him ; if we forsake him , he will forsake us ; as for instance , suppose the Sacrament of the Lords Supper were to be administred ; now a true believer may comfortably look to have peace and comfort , to have the promise sealed to his soul , and to have his faith strengthned , and his spirit revived , and his graces enlarged by the Sacrament , for there be promises made to him for this purpose ; but how are they made ? not simply and absolutely , that howsoever he comes it shall be so , but let him prepare himself for the Sacrament , let him examine himself , let him whet his heart , and be sensible of his wants and necessities , let him be earnest with God to be with him in his ordinance ; but if a man do neglect this , when he hath been at the Sacrament , he shall no● have peace and comfort , nor the promise of God sealed to him , but he shall be more doubting then he was before , and more with the wrath of God in his soul , and shall have more distempers and overwhelmings then he had formerly ; saith the Apostle , 1 Cor. 11. 31. speaking of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper , we must judge our selves , and then we shall not be judged of the Lord ; the Lord will bless us , we shall eat and drink salvation to our selves , we shall eat and drink to our own peace and comfort , and glory , and to our increase in grace ; but if we do not judge our selves , we shall be judged of the Lord ; here is a condition ; so for the preaching of the word , we have the ministry of the word among us up and down ; we hear it day after day , line upon line , precept upon precept ; this is very good , there is a promise for the children of God to grow up in knowledge , and that they shall thrive under these blessed ordinances , and be strengthned by them , for temptations , miseries , and woful times , they shall be well stored with a great deal of knowledge and experience ; 't is true , if you be careful while you have the word , and receive it with thankfulness and good affections , and stir up your selves to prize the word of God , and stir up in your selves an eager and earnest hunger and thirsting after it , and will not suffer in your souls awkness , and untowardness , and formality to creep upon you ; but if you hear Gods word , and do not apply it aright , God knows what woful miseries you may fall into , if you look not to these Why Gods people are to stand upon their guard ▪ 1 Reas. things ; in all these things the Lord looks his people should stand upon their guard .

The first reason is , because grace looks for this ; 't is true , Gods covenant is everlasting ; but for particulars , grace must be stirred up ; if thou hast any faith thou must provoke thy faith ; if thou hast any promise belonging to thee , thou must make use of that promise ; if thou hast any fear of God , thou mu●●●ook to cheri●h it , and nourish it , and look that it doth not die and decay ; for grace is of that nature , it must be stirred up , 2 Tim. 1. 6. as it is ●ith a bowle● though the bowle be made never so right , and fit to run this way , and th●● wa● yet if a man doe bowle it on the ground overgrowne with grasse , i● will have an hundred rubs , and will not goe ; so i● thou let thy hear● be overgrown with lusts and corruptions , grace will move dully ; unlesse you make way for it , and stir it up , it will gather ●rust , and a rusty k●y will not readily open the door ; a rustly grace , a neglected grace will never work kindl● ; Take faith , or knowledge , or experience , or any ot●er grace , i● yo● n●gl●ct it , if you stir it not up , it works but poorly , not as though 〈…〉 ns stirring did the thing ; no , it is grace that doth all .

Secon●ly Another reason is , because there is no promise in all the Bible 2 Reason . for the keeping of the children of God from this or that sin absolutel● but only upon condition ; there is no hold that a soul can have upon God to bear him up , if he be carelesse ; 't is certain that God in his infinite wisedome hath not left the conversion of people , and their standing in grace in this fashion , that in case they will be converted , so ; if not , let them die and ●erish ; no , but he will convert them , and he will give them a will to yield ; he will make them of unwilling to be willing , and will turn them home unto him ; and when they are converted , he doth not say , this man I will bring to my ●ingdome and Glory , if he stand upon his guard , and be carefull if not , he shall perish ; no , God is absolutely minded he shall be saved ; and though he hath played the undutiful beast , He will chasten him 2 Sam. ● . Jer. 32. with rods , but his loving kindness he will not take away for ever ; nay , be will give him an heart to cleave to him for ever , that he shall not goe quite away from him ; and this is the infinite goodnesse of God , that he doth not hang their eternal life upon their own wills , if he did , no ●lesh would ●e saved ; here is the goodnesse of God : but now for particular passages , they have no such hold of God , but they are turned to the use of the meanes ; a man is turned to the use of the means in the other too ; a man cannot think to stand in grace to hold out at all , but he must look to the use of the meanes ; but in ●ase men have ne●lected , God will not take his people upon the lurch ; but here he may ●ake them , and for ought we know , he will take them upon the lurch , if they gr●● carelesse ; when we meet with a temptation , we venture upon it , suppose it be to be earthly , and vain , and omit good duties , take heed ; who knowes what God may doe ? how he may break our hearts , and rend us , and teare in pieces ; who knowes what may fall for dulnesse , and deadnesse , and untowardnesse , and want of peace of conscience , for irksomenesse and awknesse , that a man hath an hellish life from day to day ; we may fall into this ; the best of all Gods people , if they stand not upon their guard , nay , watchfulnesse is the thing that is commended to us . God hath shewed us when we may have all grace , and be kept from all deadnesse ; and when we ma● have life , and comfort , and quickening , and when he will be found of us , namely , when we seek him with all our hearts ; but let a man be carelesse of seeking of God , he will be carelesse of him ; and if a man doe not stir up the grace of God , let him know he falls into the hands of a consuming fire ; he is not only so to the Reprobate ; but even to his Sain●s and children , if they grow carelesse ; therefore when Paul was about to leave the world , he gives Timothy this charge , O Tim thy , preach in season and out of season , &c. what followes ? watch thou in all things ; as who should say , may be you shall meet with many temptations and discouragements , and therefore watch in all things , 2 Tim. 4 , 5. as Christ saith , What I say to you , I say to all , Watch , Mark 13. 37.

Because we see this by experience in the Sain●s of God in all ages , that sometimes God leaves his people ; and when he doth leave them , they fall into grievous sinnes ; this cannot be denied ; for experience proves it in every generation : You see Jacob himselfe , how grievously he sinned , he yielded to his Mother to tell a lye , thinking to get a blessing by an untruth , by saying he was Esau , when he was not ; and you see what misery he brought upon himselfe by it ; even twenty years bondage that one sinne did cost that poor man ; he thought to get the blessing ; for it was Gods promise ; but by his unlawful going about it , God kept him from it in a terrible manner , and brought him a wide way about ; and so we might instance in many other Saints of God ; for this is most certain , let a man be the dearest of Gods servants , yet if sinne be yielded unto , it will disuse a man of Gods Ordinances , and make a man untoward to good duties ; it will make a breach between God and the soul ; it will drive him , and carry him into thickets and bushes , as Adam ; the Spirit of God will turn away the gale of his breath , and then how uncomfortable a man shall be in good duties , we may think with our selves , and reason the case in our own souls ; it will be so , for God is an holy God ; for though he love his people that re●oyce in his name , yet he hath said , that all their wayes should be with trembling , Psal. 2. 11.

But you will say , Is grace indifferent in regard of particular passages ? Quest. grace will work , a man shall be converted , and shall not fall totally and finally away ; but in particular passages is grace indifferent , to let a man doe what he list ? God forbid ; that man hath no grace that hath such thoughts .

For first grace when it comes into the soul , it sets up an universal principle Answ. to serve God , not only in the main course of his life , but in every particular , to hate all sinne , and in every particular , to love all good duties ; and every particular , to be careful at home and abroad , and in his calling ; in company and alone ; in health and sicknesse ; in all estates ; whether he be rich or poor ; whether he be persecuted or not persecuted ; in all conditions of life to hate all sin , and follow all goodnesse ; grace sets up this principle wheresoever it is ; but yet a man may fall into a thousand sinnes , if he be not watchful ; but if there be not such a principle in thy heart , thou art not a child of God , and a believer . Psal. 119. 3. The people of God are described by this , They doe no iniquity , they walk in his wayes . He speaks of this principle , not that they may not fall , but if they doe , it is meerly against the principle ; if a man hath true grace , he hath a principle to love and fear God , not only for the main , but in every particular passage .

Secondly , It is plain that cannot be the meaning of it , that grace is indifferent , because that if grace be truly in any man , it doth set up a watch in the soul to preserve it , that the man shall be eager not to sin in any particular , and desirous in some measure , and careful in some degree , to doe all manner of good ; if a man give way to the lusts of the flesh , his care may be brought to a low ebb ; but grace sets up a watch in the soule , and breeds care , and desire , and purposes , and resolutions , and revenge upon his own lusts , and abundance of things , as you may see 2 Cor. 7. 11. So that grace will not let a man be indifferent ; therefore when we say for particulars , God doth not undertake this or that ; the meaning is not as if grace would only convert a man , and keep him from falling totally and finally away ; but for particulars it is indifferent ; this is to blaspheme the grace of God ; but the meaning is , though a man be the childe of God and never so much mortified , if this man should grow carelesse , and remiss , and secure , and give way to sin , grace doth not undertake to keep a man from the fearfullest falls that can be , nor from the fearfullest distempers . Indeed when a man hath play'd the beast , God may preserve him , but a man cannot look for this at the hands of God ; who knows how God will deal with him , if he be unthankful to God for his grace and goodness , and mercy vouchsafed unto him ?

The second Use : Is is so that a child of God may be left to himselfe to Vse 2 fall fouly , then let every one that hopes he hath any grace , learn the words of Saint Paul , Work out your salvation with fear and trembling , Phil. 2 12. Hath any man gotten quickening ? goe on with fear and trembling ; hath any got softness of heart ? in the fear of God goe on with a trembling heart , and consider how brittle your hearts are ; they are like glass , you had need goe charily and tenderly up and down ; grace is a fine delicate thing ; if it be cherished and preserved , and stirred up , what a deal of good may a man attain unto ? if God hath been good to any of us , to give us any saving grace , we are very fooles if we look not to it ; it is a dainty and delicate thing ; it cannot enter indeed into a mans heart to conceive what a great mercy God hath vouchsafed unto him , if he hath bestowed any grace upon him ; therefore be chary of it , and remember Lots Wife ; remember those fearful examples ; remember how David brake his bones ; remember the miserable , distressed , uncomfortable condition thou mayst bring thy soul into ▪ if thou dost not take heed to thy selfe ? and if thou beest in such a condition , consider what gracious promises there are to help thee up again , and what gracious examples , to make thee think with thy selfe , there is yet grace , and mercy , and quickening for me ; and if I seek God , he will assuredly be found of me .

The third Use . Is it so , that a childe of God may fall so foulely ? Then Vse . 3 let not any man stumble at this Doctrine ; let not any think a childe of God cannot fall to be so dead ; I say , doe not stumble at it , but rather see if it be not thy case , if thou art not fallen down into this depth of misery ; for what have I said ? did not I say that a childe of God might lose his zeal ? Look abroad what zeal is up and down , what yearnings when the Church is in misery ; nay , what need we look abroad ? who hath zeal against his own sins and corruptions ? Again , did I not say that a childe of God may lose his affections ? what affections are now a dayes ? we heare Sermons , but what affections are stirred up , either in hearing , or speaking the Word of God ? So for prayer , what affections are there in prayer ? So for sin , what griefe is there for our sins ? There is no affection or sorrow at all in us . Where is that same anguish of heart that should be in us for our corruptions ? they are even lost ; I speak not of wicked men only , but even of good people , though they be sensible of their deadnesse , and hardnesse of heart , though they see it , yet they are not able to relent at it ; Then for desires , where are they ? Did I say a childe of God may have hardly any desire almost , not be able to wrestle with God for grace , and tug for it ; and is not this our case ? What frozen prayers ? what cold devotions are sent up from day to day ? So , did I say a childe of God may be senselesse of sin ? How far hath this distemper grown upon us now a dayes ? our hearts might even ake to be privy to that backwardnesse , and untowardnesse , and unfruitfulnesse ; I say , it might make us to be at our wits end , until we were delivered , and yet no man complaines ; there is complaining in a dull manner , but no mans heart bursts almost . Again , did I say a childe of God may grow palpably vain , and proud , and worldly , that a man that hath but halfe an eye may see it , and take notice of it ? is not it thus among us ? how do we discover our shame wheresoever we come ? those that have but half an eye see how worldly we are , and how we have no mind to God , and the things of eternal life ; is not this our conversation from day to day ? nay , the very world sees it , they see how heartless good people are grown .

The last use may be to rap all mens fingers off , that think to comfort Vse . 4 themselves with this that hath been said ; there are these things will answer these conceits ; first , all this is nothing to thee , unless thou wert once a godly , holy , zealous man ; for all these examples are of men that were once zealous and forward for God and goodness ; they were once changed from the estate of nature to the estate of grace : And again , when they were fallen , they gat up again , and were the more wary and watchful afterwards , but it is not so with thee .

Now we come in the next place to shew what are the causes of this deadness Causes of deadness . 1. Gener. of mens hearts , in these times wherein God hath revealed himself more fully and clearly ; the general reason of this is the giving way to sin , and not looking to themselves to abstain from sin , and have a care of the commandments of God , and walking before him as they ought to do , which thing is an horrible deader of the heart ; as Solomon speaks concerning the adulterer , he knows not that the dead are there ; when a man gives way to Prov. 9. 18. sin , to worldliness , or passion , or any other corruption , he doth even go where the dead are , and there where the guests of hell are ; if a man gives way to pleasure , to be carried away with sinful delights , this will dead a mans heart ; as the Apostle sheweth of the Widows that lived in pleasure , 1 Tim. 5. 6. they were dead while they were alive ; as soon as ever David gave way to his sinful corruptions , his heart was deaded presently upon it , as may appear by the prayer he had afterwards , when he came to himself , and to look out for quickning , uphold me with thy free spirit , Psal. 51. 12. as who should say , I feel a base dull slavish spirit come upon me , that former liveliness that was in me it is wofully decayed ; sin had made a mighty breach in his soul , it had knockt off his wheels and made him dull , and therefore he is fain to pray that God would give him a free spirit again ; so it was with Peter , as soon as ever he had given way to his curiosity , and security , and presumption , he would needs go and see sights , he would go into the high Priests hall , and see how the business went ; he did not see the proneness of his heart to be carried into sin ; now you may see how wofully it deaded his heart in a moment , as soon as the damsel spake ▪ thou also wert with Jesus of Galilee ; a man would wonder how no life at all almost appeared in that mans heart ; if he had had any life , would he have carried himself in that fashion ? his life was so gone , that he cursed and sware that he never kn●w the Mat. 26. 47. man ; if he had any life in him , he would rather have said , what if I were with Jesus of Galilee ? I was with him , and I am with him , and I will be with him , I am ready to dye with him , I profess my self to be his Disciple ; he had no heart in the world to stand for Jesus Christ ; he had no heart to appear in pleading for him , and expose himself to danger for him ; he was now called to it , but he had no heart at all ; sin it is even like ashes cast upon the fire , the fire cannot then send sorth its heat ; so sin doth even cast ashes upon the soul , that it cannot express such life as otherwise it would .

The first reason is , because sin is a soul killing thing ; it is like Mare Mortuum , the fishes dye as soon as ever they come there ; so when the Divel hooks a man into sin , he hooks him into the dead sea ; as the Apostle saith of the Ephesians , you were dead in sins ; if the Divel can but hook a man into Eph. 2. sin , he is presently in the dead sea ; Hos. 13. 12. it is said of Ephraim , when he offended in Baal he died , &c. before , when their affections were up , and they trembled before God , they were lively ; but when they gave way to sin and iniquity , the Church presently died , they withered away more and more till they came to nothing ; therefore the Apostle calls the Law of sin , the Law of death ; the Law of the spirit of Christ hath freed us from the Law of sin , and of death , Rom. 8. 2. sin doth even bring a man to deaths door ; it doth weaken all the powers and faculties of the soul , that a man cannot stir to any duty ; it makes a man like a snake that is frozen with the cold , it cannot stir ; so it is with a man when he gives way to sin and iniquity , it freezeth all the powers that are in him , and lesseneth all the powers of Gods spirit ; it is even like a weight , as the Apostle calls it , Heb. 12. 1. If a man should have a great weight upon his back , fetters upon his legs , how can that man go ? he must needs go very dully ; so it is with sin and iniquity ; when a man gives way to it , it is like plumets of lead , like great weights and burthens that clog a mans heart and affections , it makes them dull and lumpish and heavy to any thing that is good ; as Christ speaks of the cares of this life , if a man give way to them , they will overcharge the heart ; they will lie heavy that the heart cannot stir , Luke 21. 34. sin poysons all the soul , it poysons the mind , that a man cannot look upon things as he did ; it poysons a mans heart , though his heart were deeply affected towards God ; it is strange , if a man give way to sin , how it will take off the affections from God , it separates between God and the soul , and comes between God the fountain of life and the soul , and therefore must needs be a killing and deading thing .

Secondly , Sin is a deading thing , because it doth grieve the holy spirit of God that dwels in a man ; you know all the quickning of a Christian consists in the gracious assistance of Gods spirit ; as long as Gods spirit is pleased to go along with us , and work our works for us , then we can pray and deny our selves , then we are fitted to every good word and work ; but if the spirit of God retire , if it withdraw and suspend his actions , and forbear his operations , what can a man do ? a man is even a block without the spirit of God ; now though the spirit of God delight never so much in doing good to the Saints , and delight in accompanying of them , and assisting of them , and enlarging of them in all their wayes ; yet if they give way to sin directly , he will be grieved , and sent sad back again to heaven , as it were ; and when the spirit of God is grieved , all must needs go sad and heavy with the child of God ; suppose a child of God give way to vain talk and discourse ; you shall see what the Apostle saith , this will grieve the spirit of God ; grieve not the spirit of God , whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption ▪ Eph. 4. 13. he speaks of that very sin , if a man give way to it , the spirit of God will be grieved ; though formerly he was pleased mightily to help , yet now he will withdraw ; and then how dully shall a man goon ? so if we should give way to the suffering of our hearts not to be affected with God and his truth , not to see God in all his wayes , in all his goodness , and dealings , that we should not be thankful , this will quench the spirit of God , it will quench its motions ; as if a man should pour pail-fuls of water upon the fire , so this will quench the spirit of God , 1 Thes. 5. 18 , 19. there is a manifest dependence between all those exhortations ; and this is certain , let a man once not be affected with God , let him not see Gods goodness in all his wayes , let him not be affected with Gods mercy and loving kindness , it will quench the spirit of God ; and then consider what a lamentable case a man shall be in .

Thirdly , Sin must needs dead a mans heart , because it doth put a most woful bitter hard task upon the soul to go through ; for you know hard tasks stir up reluctancy against them ; when a man hath an hard task to go through , the very thought of it dulls him ; it is like a stone upon his heart ; now let a man sin against grace and the goodness of God , and Gods gracious dealing , let a man sin against these , it doth put a man to a most hard task to go through , to go and humble himself before Almighty God ; and the soul shall find a world of conflicts , that he is loth to come to it , loth to deal about this bitter business , to go about to renew his repentance with bitter remorse for his sins ; it is like a desperate debtor that hath run himself over head and ears in debt ; the very thought of coming to a reckoning is death to him , he cannot abide to think of it ; it is like a boy that hath made false Latine ; if his Master should call him to construe and pearse it , and give a rule for every word , he knows it is not according to rule , he hath not looked after rule , and every thing is false ; now he cannot abide to come to construe and pearse it ; so when a man hath provoked God by his sins , and hath broken his covenant , and slighted his ordinances , when God calls him to construe and pearse , what do you make of such an action , and such a word , and such a thought ? the heart is even afraid of these things , as a dog is of a whip , it is an hard task to be brought to this ; as David , when he had yielded to his security , and idleness , and unwatchfulness , and so had given way to Satan , you may see what an hard task he brought upon his soul , and how his soul was ever afraid to go about humiliation ; how many frowning looks doth a man cast upon the pykes he must go through , if he mean to obtain mercy ; it even deads him as a dagger at his heart ; David was loth to come to this , to come to a reckoning , to come to be humbled ; when Bathsheba sent him word that she was with child , then God called him to a reckoning to be humbled ; God told him to his face it is high time to be humbled , and ashamed ; God hath been laying rods in brine for thee , and to bring thee upon the stage , and to make thee odious and vile in the sight of the world ; yet he was loth to come to a reckoning , he shun'd it , and shut his eyes from seeing it , he devised tricks to send Vriah home to his Wife ; and when this would not be , but Vriah carried himself constantly , with feeling of the case of the Church that then lay in the field against their enemies ; this could not but call for humbling , yet he shunned it still , and instead of humbling himself , he went further into the briars , and made Vriah drunk , thinking then he would go home ; it is impossible but he should see the hand of God in all this , that he gave him a warning to down on his knees ; but he shunned it again , and instead of humbling himself ▪ he devised the death of Vriah , and when n●●s c●me Vriah is dead , which one would think should have been as an ha 〈…〉 r to have knockt him down , he puts this off , the sword kills one as well as another ; and till the Lord was pleased to set it on , he could not be brought to humble himself ; thus it is , sin puts an hard task upon a man ; a man may easily slip into sin , it is a merry way unto it ; but when a man is once in , he cannot get out again , without tearing and rending , and abasing , and casting himself down before God ; this is an hard task , and the soul shall find abundance of reluctancies , and the very thought of it deads the soul , unless the Lord be the more merciful .

A fourth reason why sin deads a man , is , because sin defiles the conscience , for sin is a dead work , and it goes into the conscience and defiles it , until it be purged by the blood of Christ , Heb. 9. 14. sin is a dead work , and the winding sheet of it is the conscience ; presently as soon as a man doth iniquity , this dead work runs into the conscience ; and catcheth hold , and this defiles the conscience , and puts guilt into it ; and nothing in the world more deads a man then a guilty conscience ; why because it knocks a mans fingers off from that which should enliven and quicken him , it makes him see that he doth defile Gods promises if he medle with them , Isa. 38. 16. the promises of God are the things by which men live ; now when the conscience is guilty , it doth even knock a mans fingers off from the promises , it tells him this guilt must out first , before he can apply the promises , nay , the very hearing of the promises deads his heart , and this is the reason why good people , as long as they have not clear consciences , rather call for Sermons of judgement then of mercy ; and their consciences say the promises doe not belong to me ; I know God is an holy God , and his promises holy , and it is no meddling with them without holinesse ; therefore when a man gives way to sin , he must needs dead his heart , because he defiles his own conscience ; and therefore no wonder that there is so much deadnesse up and downe , when there is hardly a clear conscience in the Country ; nay , good people , how slightly doe they deal in this case , and hinder their own life and quickning , because they have not a care to come before God with a cleare conscience !

The fifth Reason is , Because sin doth either utterly destroy , or mightily weaken all assurance of welcome with God ; and therefore no marvel if it dead the heart ; for if a man cannot look for comfort and entertainment with God when he goeth to him , it takes man off from that willingness to come into Gods presence , it makes a man shie of God , and of Jesus Christ , and his Ordinances ; it makes a man that he hath no desire to pray almost , nay , sometimes he hath no heart at all ; nay , sometimes he totally omits the duty , he is so afraid , he cannot goe to God without carnal feares and mis-givings , and horrours ; and this takes the heart quite off for a time , that he cannot pray at all ; it is like a childe when he hath committed some villany that he knows his father knowes , he is shy of coming into his fathers presence , he is afraid to come where his father is , he knowes be shall be chid , and hear of his doings ; so it is in this case ; it is not thus with wicked and ungodly men ; for they can look God in the face ; but Gods own people , when they sin against God ; it must needs take off that cheerful willingness to goe before God , that delight to be in his presence , that comfort in prayer ; sinne makes it an irksome thing ; sinne makes a man to have little heart to deal with God ; for the heart doth not love to be caught by God in Satans company , or of any lust ; as a servant cannot abide that his Master should take him in any villany or unfaithfulnesse ; if he hath been unfaithful , it would kill his heart that his Master should take him in it ; so it is with Gods children , let them sinne against God ; it doth dull and dead their hearts , in regard of the throne of grace , it makes them have small heart to come before it : See it in Jonah ; when he had fled Jonah 1. away from God , and had put off Gods charge , and was gone downe to Jo●p● , and was shipped into the Sea , see whether he had any minde to pray , or call upon God or no ; he had none in the earth ; nay , he was afraid of God , and shy of his presence , he knew he should be upbraided ; indeed when God laid it upon his conscience , then Jonah prayed ; but he did not pray before that , if he did , it was as good as nothing : So it is noted of David , when he had committed his sins , he confesseth he roared to God , but we can hear of no prayer ; but when God sent Nathan , then he could pray ; it is the title of the 51. Psalm , A Psalm of David when Nathan came to him ; then he could pray ; but all the while sinne lay upon his soul , he could not pray : or if he did , he did but roar , he came before God with horror , and unbelief , and dismay , and had no comfort : Now when a man is privy to sin , what man that hath the knowledge of God , how ill God likes these courses , how ill he likes a mans pride and security , and neglect of worship and service ; how can it chuse but the thought of these things should gall his heart ? And thus we see for the general , that it is sinne that deads mens hearts , when they give way to it . 2 Partic●

Now for particulars , What are those sins that cause this deadnesse up and down ? First , the niggardliness of people in Gods service , they will do no more for him then they must needs doe , whereas a quickened heart that loves quickning , will rather overdoe then underdoe , and will rather superabound , then be wanting ; there are many duties in Religion that we have no express text of Scripture for , for such a quantity , or such a measure , or such a time , or how often ; as how often we should pray in secret every day , how often we should meditate , and how long at a time , how much we should give out of almes , how much we should doe thus and thus ; the duty is commanded , but the quantity for time or frequency is not expressed in Scripture ; there be a thousand things of this nature . Now a man that loves his own quickning , will rather overdoe in this case then underdoe ; as it was with Philemon , Phil. 21. Paul you know was to entreat him to doe an act of kindness to receive Onesimus ; now , saith he , I know thou wilt doe more then I ask of thee , &c. He would rather overdoe then underdoe : So it was with the Israelites , when God would have them offer to the building of the Tabernacle ; he did not tell them how much , but they would rather overdoe then underdoe , Exod. 36. 5. They brought so much , that the Lord was fain to say there was enough , and too much : So it was with the Macedonians , 2 Cor. 8. 3. Paul asked a little , they gave more : So it is with a man that loves quickning ; if God bid him pray twice a day , rather then fail he will pray thrice a day ; if God hath required some time in his service , he will rather give him more time then afford him smaller time , as Christ saith , If a man will have thy coat , let him have thy cloak also ; as who should say , rather overdo then underdoe , if thou beest called to doe any thing for the glory of God , and the good of thine own soul , or the good of others ; we should imitate God in this ; God gives his people above that which they ask ; so we should doe more then is asked . I doe not mean as if we could do more then God bids us ; for God requires all the heart , and all the minde , and all the strength ; but I speak of a frank and free heart ; when he doth not know Matth. 22. what measure God sets down in his Word , he will rather doe more then lesse ; he will rather be with the forwardest then with the backwardest , if he love his own quickning ; but when a man growes niggardly in Gods service , and will doe no more then needs must , and takes advantage that he may doe as little as may be , this deads the heart ; because there is no expresse place in Scripture for prayer in this kinde , he will take any advantage in the world , for his own security , and worldliness , and littleness in Gods service , he lieth at catch ; in this case this man sets open his heart to all deadness ; therefore no marvel he hath no life ; where is a man in town or country , that is like to Philemon , that a Minister may say , I know then wilt doe more then I say ? It were well if we could say , thou wilt do as much as I say ; nay , it is come to this pass , we may say , I know you will doe nothing at all ; I may bid thee doe this and that , but thou wilt do nothing at all ; people will hardly regard the Communion of Saints at all , they will hardly regard secret prayer at all , they will heartily regard any of those duties upon which life and quickning so much depends ; and this is one cause of the horrible deadness that is everywhere .

Secondly , Another cause is unwatchfulness ; people doe not watch over their soules , and over their wayes , they doe not ponder their paths , they have not an eye to their wayes ; this is a great cause of deadness of heart ; therefore here when Christ chargeth the Church of Sardis with deadness , I know thou hast a name to live , but art dead : In the next words he gives a remedy , Be watchful therfore ; as who should say , here is the cause of thy deadness , thou hast not been watchful ; if thou hadst been watchful , thou hadst escaped all this deadness ; if thou hadst sloop upon thy guard , and looked well to thy wayes , this had never been ; if a man be quickened at any time , the Devil lieth at catch ; and if he doe not watch , he will be deaded again , as the Apostle saith , 1 Pet. 5. 8. A man had need be watchful , else he can never preserve himselfe from the temptations of Satan ; when a City is beleaguered with the enemy , there are ever some Watchers and Scouts that lie in wait , that so if any danger be towards , they may give warning , lest it be surprized on the sudden ; so when God doth good to our hearts , how should we keep watch over our soules ; for we are beleaguered on every side , sometimes with presumption , and sometimes with despair ; we are every way in danger , therefore we had need to watch ; no sooner had Eve gone apart from her husband , and looked here and there , but the Devil took her presently ; no sooner had Noah begun to taste the liquor of the grape he had planted , and delighted in it , but presently the Devil hooked him in , which he might have prevented if he had been watchful ; the Devil is that Nimrod , that greedy hunter , that goeth up and down , and makes pits , and layes snares to catch souls , and if we doe not watch , we fall into them , 1 Cor. 2. 13. Paul saith , I was among you with much feare ; he knew what danger he was in , therefore he was in much fear ; if we did love our own quickning , and the cherishing of whatsoever grace we have received , we would watch over our selves ; but where is this ? generally all the world is fast asleep , even good men and all ; the Devil may sow what tares he will , there is no watching in prayer and in hearing of the Word , and doing good duties ; no watching in observing the Sabbath ; no watching in company ; no watching alone ; what may not the Devil doe , when we are all as sleepy dogs , and love to snoar ? and dulnesse , and deadnesse , and blockishnesse , and worldlinesse , and unsetlednesse grows upon us to the utmost ; there is no body watching against temptations , they may come flowing in like violent waters , there is no withstanding of them ; people are like to Saul , that was marvellous finely quickned at one time , he would not goe on in his envy against David , he should not die by any meanes ; no , his heart was so enlarged , that he bound his soul by a covenant , that he would be as good as his word , As the Lord lives he shall not die . Jonathan had used many arguments , and they so wrought upon him , that he could give the right hand to David , and all his malice was out , and David was a great man at Court again , 1 Sam. 19. 6 , 7 , 8. But for want of watchfulnesse , within a little while the evil spirit came into him , and he would have murthered him again ; so Jonah , when he had run from God , and God had humbled him , now he would never follow lying vanities any more ; now he would goe to Niniveh and preach , let what danger would come ; but by and by , not looking to himselfe , he is as much out of tune again as ever he was , as if he had never had these shinings , he was overgrown with passions , I doe well to be angry , even Jonah . 4. to the death ; I cannot tell which was the fouler distemper .

A third Cause of our general deadness , is the lowness of Religion , which men generally content themselves withal ; a low kinde of Religion , that will never reach half way to Heaven , that will never attain to any quickning ; Religion , it is a very high thing , Prov. 15. 24. it is a thing alone , a man must raise himself aloft , when he means to come into the way of eternal life ; it is an high calling , Phil. 3. 14. It is said of Jehosaphat , that his heart was lifted up in the wayes of God ; Jerusalem , that is above ; all 2 Chron. 17 , godly souls that have true Religion indeed , are men above : Now people generally content themselves with a low kinde of serving of God , that doth not come out of the suburbs of Hell and condemnation ; the suburbs of hell Gal. 4. reach a great way , a man may goe even to heaven gates , and yet be in the suburbs of hell ; but to get into heaven , and escape hell beneath , is an high pitch ; but men seek out a low way by the valleys , they think to come to heaven this way , it would choak most people to say , that their conversation Phil. ● . is in heaven , as the Apostles was ; that they are strangers upon earth , as the Patriarchs were , that they hate every sinne , as all godly men doe , that they go mourning all the day long under their corruptions and failings , and that it is the greatest grief of their hearts that they walk not according to Gods goodness , and that they use all means to get rid of their sins ; that they delight in every ordinance , that they delight in Gods Sabbaths , and hunger and thirst after righteousness ; it is the greatest desire of their souls and hearts to do thus ; it would choak them to say thus , no they never attain it ; this is the way of life that is above , but it is too high for fooles ; therefore no wonder that men never come to quickning , for they are not in the way of life , for the way of life is above , and Pro. 15. they grope after the things below , and have not their conversation above ; now how can we look for quickning , when we do not go in the way of life which is above ?

Fourthly , Another reason is the vanity of mens minds ; this is the cause of horrible deadness , Psal. 119. 37. vanity when a man gives way to it , it doth horribly dead the heart ; vain thoughts , vain speeches , vain expences of time , vain meetings together without benefit , these are deaders , they lock up mens hearts , and exhaust all the good , and all the sap of any goodness in them ; 't is true , the children of God may talk how things go in a far country in the Church of God and other places , and they may talk of their business in the world , and this may be like bottle-beer ; when it is first poured out into the cup it seems to be all froth , but by and by it turns to good liquor again ; so though these discourses about worldly affairs , and how things go are froth , if they go no further ; yet if they turn to good substance , and are sanctified , and brought home to the heart , to edifie and awaken , and bring a man nearer to God , now they are good where there is a good use made of them ; but otherwise they are horrible instruments of death , and soul-murther among men .

Fifthly , Mutual example ; we do even dead one another ; for people are apt to look upon one another ; Ministers upon people , and people upon Ministers , and Ministers one upon another , and if we be not much cast behind one another , we hope all is well with us ; this is that which deads peoples hearts ; whereas people should follow Gods light , Gods dealing with them , and not look upon others ; and if we look upon others , we should look upon those that are quickned , Luke 7. 44. seest thou this woman , &c. there was a woman was quickned indeed , her bowels melted , her eyes were fountains of tears , her very soul was affected , she was quickned indeed ; seest thou this woman ? so if we will look upon others , upon the Saints of God , seest thou this woman ? look upon those that are most quickned ; but when we look upon others , and say , such a one doth so and so , and why may not I ? I may do as well as he ; when we do thus , this is apt to dead our hearts .

The sixth cause of deadness , is covetousness and worldliness ; Christians that have been weaned from the world , so long as they keep their minds off from the world , and set them upon better things , they are full of life and quickning , and are able to pray and confer sweetly ; but when as once they come to let in the world again , this doth mightily dead and damp their hearts , this doth wonderfully lay bolts and fetters upon their soul , that it cannot go on as formerly , as the Apostle shews , 1 Tim. 6. 10. as soon as ever a man gives way to look after the world , presently , if he had any faith he erres from it , if he had any quickning before , he is now deaded ; this deaded Demas his heart ; for a time he was so full of life , that he was able to hold company with St. Paul , but when this came once to take possession of him , Demas hath forsaken me , he was gone , he was able to hold 2 Tim. 4. company with Paul no longer ; worldliness will quickly take off all the affections , and all the quickning that was in the soul , it will presently fail , and die , and decay ; therefore you shall see when the Lord would set down how dull Ezekiels hearers were , and how heartless , he sets down this as a reason o● it , their heart is gone after their covetousness , Ezek. 33. no marvel then they went not after Ezekiels Sermons ; for their hearts could not go after both at once ; so long as their hearts were after the world and profits , they must needs be dead and untoward to the word of God ; therefore the Apostle saith , Eph. 5. 3. let not covetousness be named among you , as becometh Saints ; as who should say , it will utterly dead and kill all your Saint-qualities and dispositions that are in you , if you suffer your hearts to grow earthly ; the dames of the earth as one saith , doth not more quench a candle and put it out , then the love of the world doth damp grace , and put it out presently ; and this is the cause of that deadness that is grown among us ; we are grown worldly , and the world carries us away ; we are all for the world , so that all our words , thoughts , affections , carriages , they are all little else but worldly ; most people have many businesses abroad in the world , riding abroad into the world ; but who takes that short journey into his own heart ? people can tend businesse with every body else but themselves ; they know what is done beyond sea , and the countries round about , and yet hardly any one marks how things go in his own soul , whither he goes backward , or forward whither he gets , or loseth ; every body can ask how others do , but no man looks how his own soul doth ; people are grown at great distance from themselves ; I speak not of drunkards or prophane persons , such as are absolutely dead in sins and trespasses , but I speak of Christians in whom we should look for life ; we are grown strangers to our selves , we are out of our own reach , we are grown to a mighty distance from looking to our own estates and conditions as we ought to do ; our minds are scattered up and down about other things ; therefore no marvel we are so heartlesse towards God .

Seventhly , The next cause is idleness and spiritual sloth , when men let their minds go as a boat without a guide ; the boat goeth uncertainly when it hath no body to guide and steer it ; so people let their thoughts , and hearts , and minds run at all adventures ; people do not take pains with their own hearts and hold them to that which is good ; we let our hearts be like the field of the sluggard , any thing may grow in them for all us ; we do not look to our hearts , that we may have good things grow in them , and that we may fence our hearts from those things which may make us untoward in the wayes of God ; if we have any stirrings at any time , we are like idle huswives ; when the liquor hath done working they forget to stop up the bunghole ; so when men have any stirrings , then they are in motion and action ; but when they are gone , they let their hearts get a vent and they are deaded again , as if they had nothing at all ; as Solomon shews , Prov. 19. 15. though a man hath enough for the present , yet if he grow idle , when that is spent he will samish and starve , and die ; the idle soul shall suffer hunger ; may be he hath something now , but if he be idle and sluggish , that may be all spent , and then for want of supply he may famish ; so it is with the soul ; though it hath something for the present , yet if it be idle , and sluggish , and slothful , and take not pains from day to day , it must needs go to wrack ; when God gives us knowledge of sin , we should improve that knowledge to root out sin ; when God gives us insight into graces , we should employ it , that we may get those graces ; if God give us his ordinances , if he give us a Sermon at any time , we should presently work with it . As it is with a graft that a man cuts off to plant and set , if he lets it lie till it be dead , it will never grow , but if he presently plant it , it will take in the ground and prosper so if a man would presently take a good motion when it comes , if he would presently take hold of a reproof or counsel given him out of the word of God , while it hath life in it , and works upon his heart , the heart might receive much benefit ; but when people are blockish and ▪ dull , they are not willing to take any pains , no wonder though they go down as they do , Eccles. 10. 18. by much slothfulness the building decayeth , &c. it is so in the spiritual building ; if people be slothful , all gracious things must needs vanish away , and go out more and more ; and this is a most grievous thing ; it is generally among all people , nay , among the better sort ; for wicked men that live palpably in sin , they are struck dead in ●●n , and never had any colour of life ; but I speak of those that have had some kind of quickning , yet notwithstanding suffer themselves to be deaded through idleness ; when we go to prayer , we do not put forth our selves in prayer , our prayers are dead ; when we go to the word , we do not put forth our minds , and therefore our hearing is dead ; our hearts are like to a sieve ; when it is in the water it is full , but when it is once taken out again , not a jot remains ; so it is while people are at a Sermon , may be they seem to drink in something , and their hearts are affected ( yet these people are rare too ) but when they are gone , all is gone , all leaks out again for want of stopping , for want of observing the things they have heard ; this is the reason there is no more life among Christians , because they are so idle and sluggish ; thou evil and slothful servant saith Christ ; when a man is a Matth. 25. slothful servant , he must needs be an evil servant ; Christians will confer may be now and then of grace , but with such loose thoughts that there is no edification or quickning ; nay , their hearts grow dull and sleepy under the same ; how is it possible a man should get any quickning , or keep it without labour and pains ? men must labour for it , as the Apostle saith , give all diligence to 2 Pet. 1. Phil. 3. make this sure ; it is said of Paul , that he followed hard after the mark ; there is nothing can be done in this thing without labour ; as it is with our outward callings , if a man will have a living in the world , he must labour for it ; the earth will bring forth no fruit unless he till it , and take pains about it ; so it is here much more ; a mans heart by reason of sin , is cursed as the earth is , and it will bring forth nothing but weeds , vanities , fooleries , and vile passions , and inordinate affections , unless a man be still husbanding of it ; therefore unless a man be diligent in this work , he can never be quickned .

Eighthly , In the next place , the neglect of secret duties is the cause of the deadness of our hearts in all duties of Religion ; secret duties are the best quickners ; when a man goeth alone , and serveth God alone , as it is spoken of Peter , when his heart was dead and untoward in the high Priests hall , if he had had any life , he would have stood for Christ ; What if I be one of them ? what say you to that ? I am one , and I confess it , and if that be my fault , it shall be my fault still ; but he was dead and had no life ; now what course did he take ? he went out ( and went by himself ) and wept bitterly ; Matth. 26. he went to a private and secret duty , to humble his soul before Almighty God ; when a man is sick and would recover his health , he goes and be takes himself to a chamber , and shuts the windows , and will not let the air come in ; so if a man would recover life and quickning , the saving health of his soul , he must take himself to his chamber , and privately deal with God concerning his own soul , as the Prophet speaks , Zech. 12. every family apart , the house of David apart , and the house of Nathan apart ; when Jeremiah would humble himself before God , Jer. 15. 17. I sate alone , saith he ; so even go and sit alone .

But you will say , are not publique duties better then private ? 't is true ; they are so , when we may have publique duties as on the Sabbath day , or any other day , when we may go to publique ordinances , then to go to private duties , to private prayer , &c. this is to despise Gods publique worship ; but if we be not diligent in secret duties , in private calling upon God , if we be not frequent in these , all outward duties of Gods worship will do us no good ; the preaching of the Word will do us no good , except we preach to our selves ; the prayers in the congregation will do us no good , if we pray not in our closets ; now when men neglect private prayer , and seeking of God ; when a good motion comes into their mind to seek God in secret , they put it off , they will do it anon , they shall have more liesure another time , and if they do it , they do it lothly and hoverly , even so , so , they do not do it roundly and throughly as they ought to do ; this deads their hearts , Lam. 3. 28. the Church sat● alo●e ; that is the way to be quickned ; if a man did love quickning , ●e would plot and study to be alone , nay , he would search all the ●orn●●s o● his house for privacy ; if he did love his own quickning , he would do thus , he would be frequent with God in secret ; it is noted that the greate●● work that ever Jacob did , it was in private , Gen. 32. 24. he had sent all his company away , and dispatched them over the brook , he was l●ft al 〈…〉 , and so went to ●ug with God all alone , and there wrestled so hard , this he would not let the A●g●l go until he had blessed him ; so this were the way for people to take God aside , and go between him and them , and th●re afflict their souls and acknowledge all their vileness , there to be instant with him , and look up to him and bless him ; as it is noted of our Saviour Christ , he would shift out of the way many times , and go and pray alone , Mat. 14 23. We may do that when we are alone , that w● cannot do in any company ; we may speak that in private , which is not fit for the Wife , or the brother to hear ; a man may do that alone , which he is not able to do when he is in company ; how many secret arguments hath a man to move God in private many secret businesses that only God and his own soul knows off ; so that if he would be diligent in private duties , he knows not what good h● might do to his own soul : Now the neglect of this blessed Ordinance of God , of se●king of him in secret , is the cause of this deadness ; nay , the want of this duty is the cause why publique Ordinances do ●● no more good .

Ninthly , The next cause of deadness is the not looking after inward duties in a mans own brest ; spiritual life and quickning is an inward thing , and it is inward duties that must cherish it ; and the omitting of these duties doth most destroy it and let it die . I say inward duties ; outward duties it is more easie doing of them ; as for a man to pray , and hear , and receive the Sacrament , and externally to observe the Sabbath , or outwardly to confer and sing Psalms , an● read a Chapter ; these outward duties a man may do them with more ease ; nay , hypocrites may do them , and do do them , and yet never come to life and quickning ; they do them after their manner ; but there is no man can do them aright , but they that are quickned up to God ; but I say men may do this , and never be quickned but now there be inward duties , and these are the main quickners of the heart , and the careles●●ess of these is a great cause of deadnesse ; but what are these ?

It is the setting of God before a mans eyes , thinking when he goeth up and down of God , of his holiness , of his precepts , of the danger of being under his displeasure , and of the happiness of being in his favour ; it is for a man to be striving against temptations , and opposing his own wickedness ; if sin rise up at an● time , to beat it down ; these be inward duties , which no man can see ▪ if a man were in the market cross , he might do these duties and no man see him ; no man can tell what a man thinks , what he is doing in his bosome ; now I say , if a man would be careful of these inward duties , what a deal of good might he gain ? these inward duties are they that raise up quickning , Mal. 2. 15. take heed to the spirit ; many take heed to their lips , they will not speak ; and to the outward man , they will not do evil ; but take heed to your spirit , Eph. 5. 19. speak to your selves , saith the Apostle , we speak , may be , to others about God ; this is an outward duty ; but we should speak to our selves ; if a man loved quickning , he would reason the case with his own soul , and speak to himself , and ever and anon upon occasion retire into his own bosome , and recolle upon his own heart , and commune with himselfe ; this is it , to be inwardly resisting the Devil , and cherishing of good motions ; this is an excellent thing , and nothing deads a Christian so much as the neglect of these duties . It is observed of Nehemiah , when he was speaking to the King , he was doing of an inward duty at the same time , Neh. 2. 4. At the same time that he spake to the King , he was careful of the inward duty to speak to God to blesse him , and to be with him : So when Moses was exhorting all Israel to believe in God , Exod. 14. 13 , 14. At the same time when no body knew what Moses did , he was doing of an inward duty , he was crying to God ; as the Lord saith , ver. 15. Moses , why criest thou unto me ? This was when he was conversing with Israel , and talking with them ; these inward duties may stand with any duty ; they run along in prayer , and hearing of the Word : they run along when a man is in company , and when he is alone ; when he is at home , and when he is abroad ; when he is eating and drinking ; these inward duties , if men would make much of them , it would make a man to have a gracious living heart . Now what should ayle us but that we may doe these duties ? we have no excuse for the not doing of them ; when we are in company , what should ayle us but we may think thus ? I will take heed now , I will not speak words that my heart may reproach me for afterwards , I will behave my selfe as I ought ; though a persecutor of Religion were in company , can he know these thoughts ? No man can persecute or mock him for any of these ; a man may think as good thoughts as he will , if he hath an heart to them ; and this will keep up a mans quickning ; when a man goeth abroad , what should hinder but he may be imployed in inward duties , considering seriously , and thinking solemnly , how it stands between God and his soule ? what shall hinder a man from these duties ? Now the neglect of these is the cause of the deadnesse of mens hearts ; people come to Church , and hear Sermons ; but what do ye do within ? do you set up Gods Ordinances in your bosomes ? do you set up a Christian watch in your bosomes ? and prayer in your bosoms ? how do you go up and down all day long ? is heaven in your bosoms ? is the fear of God in your bosoms , preserving and keeping of you ? This is that which will quicken you ; and a man can never be quickned , if he make not conscience of this .

Lastly , Another cause of deadnesse , is peoples contenting themselves with what they have attained unto ; if they have g●tten any thing , they are apt to set up their staves there , and content themselves as if all were well ; this is the cause of the deadnesse of peoples hearts , because every little sufficeth them ; if they have but any hope that they are of God , and fear his name ; if they finde they have any thing in them , they are apt to be secure , and not to be earnest to grow in grace from day to day . Now when this gets into a mans heart , it will dead him presently ; therefore the Apostle , when he perceived many of the Hebrews deaded their hearts this way , he shakes them up , Heb. 6. 1. Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ , let us go on unto perfection : As who should say , Let us on , on , for shame unto perfection , let us proceed further , let us not ever be learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth ; let us not be ever laying a foundation , and never building thereupon ; let us not be ever going about repentance , and faith , and the first principles of the Oracles of God , and never come to perfection : This is the effect of the Epistles of Peter , that people should not content themselves with what they have , but that they may grow and goe forward ; Desire the sincere milk of the Word , that you may grow thereby , 1 Pet. 2. 2. and grow in grace , 2 Pet. 3. 18. He is beating upon this , that no man should content himselfe with any measure already attained ; if he do , his heart will be deaded , and made dull and blockish to all goodnesse ; and this is another cause of the deadness of peoples hearts , they are at a stay , they are at a stand ; every man ( may be ) would be a good Christian , and a childe of God ; and if he can get but any hope that he is a childe of God , now he is safe , and now he goeth dully and blockishly on , if he can but hold there ; and if he hath any fears that he is not right , then may be he begins to stir himselfe a little ; but as soon as ever he gets any hopes again that he is right , he goeth on in a blockish manner , and passeth over holy things otherwise then he ought to doe ; and then if any spurs come into his conscience , and awaken him , may be he stirs again , till he gets up a little hope that his condition is good , and then he falls off , and grows as secure again as he was before ; and this deads the hearts of people .

I come now to the meanes how a man may be quickened , and the first Means of quickning . 1. Means . is this . If we would be quickened , we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ , we must goe to him ( I speak now to good people ) if you would be quickned , you must goe and fetch it from the Lord Jesus Christ ; he is a fountain of life opened unto all that come unto him ; I am come ( saith Christ ) that they might have life , and that they might have it more abundantly , John 10. 10. Christ is not only come to quicken the dead , and raise them up that they may be alive towards God , barely , and nakedly ; but he came to make all his people lively , that they should have more life and quickning , and be more enlarged in grace ; he came not onely to work the thing , but to work a growth and increase of it more and more : Now if you would know how to come by this life in Christ Jesus , the only way is to believe in Christ , John 7. 38 He that believeth in me , out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living water ; there shall be rivers of spiritual life in that man , that shall never be drawn dry ; so then , doe any of us stand sticking at this , how shall we be quickned , and shake off this deadness that is in us ? I say , look up to Christ , and labour truly and unfainedly to desire him , and hunger and thirst after him ; if we did search after Christ , wee should be quickned presently ; there is no man is dead , but he that hath no care to look after Christ , and desire him ; if we would have Christ , if our hearts be open to him , if we doe but desire him , and long for him , if we have but these groanes , and outgoings in our souls , oh that I had but Christ shed abroad in my heart ! if I had him , I should have life and quickning ; if I had him , I should have right and title to all Gods heavenly comforts ; if our hearts did but goe up and down longing after Christ , this is the way to attain to quickning . Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth , come ye to the waters , &c. Come , and ye shall have waters that shall never be dried up ; the want of faith is the cause of hardness of heart , and of deadnesse ; as our Saviour Christ , when he saw they were dead , Matth. 16. he did upbraid them with unbeliefe : if a man did but once believe , if a man did but truly cast his soul upon God , if he had but once his eyes opened to see the vanity of all other things , to see the danger of sinne and iniquity , the misery of all unregenerate people , and to see the worth of Christ , and the infinite goodnesse of God in Christ , what an admirable pearl it is to enjoy him ; how it is better then life it selfe , better then the whole world , yea , then thousands of worlds ; if a man did but see this , and had his heart affected with this , to be drawn to Christ , and to have his heart and minde run after him , to be possessed of him , this is faith ; you that would know whether you have faith or no , if you had all the faiths in the world , you are infidels without this faith ; but if you have this faith , you have true faith ; if you have a heart running after Christ , minding him , and longing for him , and casting your soules upon him for all good , accounting this your principal , and total , and main good , and accordingly affecting this , these are the works of faith ; and if you have these works , you may be quickned ; believe in the Lord Jesus Christ , set your hearts upon him , and seek after him , and you shall have all manner of good , even life it self .

The second meanes is , a careful learning of the Word of God preached . Second means When the Corin●hians were marvellously blocked u● in their minds and hearts , and were straightned in good things , 2 C●r 6 12. mark what the Apostle saith v. 11. Our m●uth is ●pen to you &c. as who should say , in our Ministery there is abundance of grace , abundance of life , and largenesse of heart , abundance of gracious things ; all manner of good things we bring with us in our Ministery ; peace , and comfort , and hope , and all the promises of God , and all the rich treasu●es of Jesus Christ ; we come with our armes full ; you are not straightned here , but you are straightned in your 〈◊〉 bowels ; as who should say ▪ you may be enlarged sweetly by our Ministry ; w● deliver unto you abundance of grace and mercy , and abundance of supply ; all those deadnesses , and lockings up of heart in you , would be healed by the Ministery of the Word ; so may , I say , if your hearts are locked up , certainly it is for not taking what the Word offers ; if you would come hungerly and greedily to the Word of God , with an heart desirous to be edified and instructed , and to apply what the Word speaks to your souls , certainly you shall here meet with abundance of grace and life ; for the Word is the Word of life , and the Ministery of the Word is the Ministery of the Spirit of God and life , so that the deadness of all people is meerly from their own bowels ; you are not straightned in us , saith the Apostle ; no , in th● Ministery of the Word is abundance of life .

The third meanes is , A careful shunning of all those causes of deadness which we named formerly ; we must take heed of sin ; for if we give way to sinne , it will dead the heart , it will make a make a man shy of God , and put a man to woful tasks , and bre●d lo●hness to goe about duties ; it will make a man to have a guilty conscience , and dead a man that way ; it will grieve the spirit of God , and quench all the operations , and sweet influences , and gracious motions of the Spirit , that the sweet livelinesse of his workings will be gone away , if a man give way to sinne ; if he give way to the world , or slackning in a godly course ; if a man give way to pride or vanity , or any sin ; this will dead the heart , a mans heart will presently be deaded , if he give way to the Devil , and to his temptations . In particular , you must take heed of niggardlinesse in Religion ; they that love quickning , must labour for a frank and free spirit , that will rather overdoe in Gods service then underdoe ; as long as a man hath a free heart , he shall have a quickened heart ; therefore labour to preserve it ; doe as Philemon , I kn●w thou wil● d●e more than I say . Paul knew he had a free spirit , that if be commanded him a little , he would doe more ; he would rather overdoe then underdoe ▪ our Saviour Christ calls for this free spirit ; I● a man take thy coat , give him thy cloak also ; rather overdoe then underdoe in any good thing ; have a free heart ; if God bid thee pray , pray thr●e times , five times a day , rather then not often enough ; there be m●n● duties that God doth not set down how often , and how frequent , and ho● long ; now labour for a free spirit ; rather do twice as much , then underdo .

Again ▪ Take heed of lownesse of Religion , of taking up a low , and base , and mean kinde of Religion , that will not reach the Kingdome of God ; there is a low kinde of Christianity , that wil not be able to attain to salvation ; a low faith , that doth not make a man to have his conversation in heaven ; a low repentance , that reacheth not to mortification ; a low profession of Religion , that comes not to the power of Godliness , Prov. 15. 24. The way of life is above ; it is an high thing , therefore take heed of low Religion ; for people think that any kinde of righteousness will serve turn ; if they have but a little Reformation and Religion , they presently think this is godliness ; but let us take heed of this low Religion , that will never do the deed .

Again , We must take heed of want of Watchfulnesse ; we must set up a gracious and Christian watch in our hearts from day to day ; when the Lord had found fault with the Church of Sardis for being dead , in the next words he bids them be watchful ; as who should say , the want of this watchfulness , and looking to your selves , and having a care over your thoughts and a●fections , lest you should be drawn aside , the neglect of this is the cause of all deadness .

Again , We must take heed of vanity ; as David saith , Psal. 119. 37. Turn away mine e●es from beholding vanity , and quicken me O Lord .

Again ▪ We must take heed of covetousness ; for we shall never have any gracious work upon us , if we give way to it .

Again , We should take heed of slacking and abating private duties ; we should carefully call upon God every day in secret , when there is no body by but God and our own souls ; if we finde backwardness to this duty , know it comes from the Devil , that would drown us in perdition if he could ; therefore we must resist him , and goe about it ; for certatnly otherwise we cannot be quickned .

Again , We should take heed of slighting inward duties , the holy ordinances of God in our bosoms , holy meditations , gracious strivings against corruptions when they arise , setting the Lord before us , seeking Gods presence in all places ; we must have a care we have gracious purposes , and endeavours , and strivings inwardly in our bosomes .

Lastly , Let us take heed of contenting our selves with any pitch we have attained ; but still labour to grow in grace , lest we fall short , and never enter into Gods rest .

The next meanes is to be earnest with God to quicken our hearts ; to pray The fourth meanes . to God for his grace , that God would be pleased to put life into us ; we should make Elijahs prayer , that prayed to heaven for fire to come downe upon the sacrifice ; so pray earnestly to God to send down his celestial fire into thy heart , to warm thee , and heat thee , and stir thee up to that which is good ; as the Church doth , Psal. 80. 18. Quicken us , and we will call , &c. Of all Petitions under heaven , we should pray most of all for life , next unto the glory of God , and the salvation of our souls ( nay indeed , as the very means for both ) we should pray that God would quicken us ; into all our prayers let us put in this Petition , that God would quicken us ; evermore to have it as the standing desire of our souls , and the daily request and suit we have at the throne of grace that God would quicken us ; there is no grace we have more need of then this ; and indeed it is that which sets all other Graces awork ; if we did know how ready God would be to welcome such a suit , we would be more ready to pray to God for it ; there is no man so tenderly welcome to God , as he that prayes for quickning ; the more he is weary of deadness and common professing of God , the more welcome to God ; he would fain fear God indeed , and please God indeed ; when a man is possessed with deep studies how to attain to this , this man is a welcome man to the throne of grace ; therefore let us stir up our selves to this ; there is no mercy better then this , that God should quicken us , Psalm 119. 156. Great are thy tender mercies , quicken me , O Lord ! He takes here quickning for all Gods gracious mercies and tender compassions ; he takes the quickning of his heart as a gracious effect of Gods infinite mercy to his soul ; if we had but this , how welcome would good duties and opportunities of doing and receiving good be unto us ?

The fifth meanes is to be diligent , and to take earnest and effectual pains 5. Meanes . in this work , and in all Christian duties , in all the worship of God ; there is a secret blessing of God upon those that take pains , even in the meanest calling ; you shall have poor Widows that have four or five small children to keep ; yet being painful , it is a wonderful thing what a blessing of God is upon them , that they make a shift to live , and never come to trouble the Parish ; such a blessing of God there is upon the diligent , as Solomon saith , The hand of the diligent maketh rich , Prov. 10. 4. So it is in regard of spiritual life ; there is a secret blessing of God upon the men and women that labour , and are diligent about the meanes of grace , and are careful to take paines to have them made profitable to their souls ; upon those that are diligent in prayer , and striving against sin , diligent in hearing of the Word , diligent in partaking of the Sacrament when it comes , and diligent about the Sabbath , that they may not lose the benefit of it ; it is a wonderful blessing that shall accompany such men ; they shall thrive in grace , when as others shall be like Pharaohs lean kine , that devoured all their fellows , and yet were lean and ill-favoured still ; it is not the greatness of a mans comings in that makes a man rich , but the well-managing of it ; there is many a rich Heir comes to poverty , when as another that was never born to a foot of Land , yet with pains , and labour , and industry , is well able to live , and give more to any good use , then twenty base idle fellows ; let a man hold but a little ground , twenty acres , he may grow more rich upon it , being a good husband , then another man that holds twenty times as much , and is a spendthrift , and lazy , and careless , and never looks how business goes forward ; there is a blessing of God upon labour and industry , as Solomon saith , Prov. 13. 11. He that gathers by labour shall increase . So it is here ; it is not he that lives under the best Ministery , that is most quickned , but he that lives under a poor Ministery , and is diligent , he is better then hundreds that live under the powerfull Preaching of the Word , and never are carefull to improve it . It is noted of Johns hearers , that many of them had more life , then they that sate under Christs Ministery : It is noted of Job , though he dwelt in Midian , where was no meanes of grace , yet he had more grace and life in his heart then almost all the Church of God that dwelt in Zion ; there was hardly a man in all Israel like Job ; Paul , though he came into the Vineyard after all the Apostles , yet by his labour and diligence he gat before most of them all ; so a man that sits under the Ministery , and takes pains with his heart , that the Sermons he heares may do him good , that he may be the better for them ; if a man labours to get good by the Sacrament , to get good by conference ; if he labour to have every Ordinance of God made profitable to him ; this man , with a little grace , shall grow more then thousands that goe on idly , and yet have more helps then he ; therefore if we desire to be quickned , let us be diligent , and take pains , and not go with our hands in our bosomes , like Solomons sluggard .

Sixthly , Another means is to exercise that grace we have ; there is never 6. Means . a man in this Congregation hath so little grace , but if he did exercise it , so far as it would goe , who knows how much quickning he might quickly have ? which of you do not know that there is a God ? and that there is a Heaven , and an Hell , and the Principles of Religion ? if you would but make conscience to make use of all the checks of conscience , and the knowledge you have , if you would but make use of the relentings you have now and then , and the motions you have now and then , if you would but make use of them , and exercise them , this is the way to quicken you ▪ let a man have but a little knowledge , and let him exercise it and improve it , and frame his life an● conversation accordingly , knowledge shall be multiplied to this man ; and so again , let a man have any relentings , any meltings now and then at a Sermon and exercise these , strike while the iron ●s hot , and put them to the utmost , this is the way to be quickned ; as it is the saying of one , Every thing is increased with the exercise of its own kind ; as it was with the bread in the D●sciples hands , while they were distributing of it , it increased ; so it is with the graces of Gods spirit , peculiar and saving graces , and common graces ; let a man exercise the graces of Gods spirit , this is the way to abound in them , and to have them quickned and strengthned , and made more and more operative in a man ; therefore let us exercise all the graces of Gods spirit , and improve them all ; grace is like a snow-ball , the more it is rouled up and down , the bigger it grows ; so let a man but go and improve all the graces of Gods spirit that he hath bestowed upon him , there will be addition to every one of them ; by repenting a man may learn to repent ; and by relenting , a man may learn to relent ; and by striving against sin , he may learn to strive against sin more and more .

The last means is to consider the examples of the worthies in all ages , 7. Meant . and such as are even in our dayes , we should consider these , and these will quicken us up to be more forward ; when St. James would quicken up the James 5. Christians to whom he writes , to waite with patience the coming of the Lord , he quickens them by the example of Job and the Prophets ; so when he would quicken them up to prayer , he presseth them by the example of Elias , he w 〈…〉 man as well as we , saith he , and had the like passions , yet he prayed when the heavens had been shut three years and six months , &c. Consider this ; the zeal of others may provoke us ; specially if we set it before our eyes , we should think with our selves , What he so believing , and I so full of doubting ? he so lively , and I so dull and blockish ? he so affected , and I so untoward ? this should shame us , and provoke us to stir up our selves by looking upon such , especially upon those that have taken up the profession since we did , and yet have gone beyond us ; it should awaken us ; this is an excellent means to quicken us ; as our Saviour Christ , when he would exhort his Disciples to suffer persecution , saith he , consider the Prophets that were persecuted before you ; so if we would be quickned up , we should look upon Matth. 6. the Saints that have been quickned before us , that we may have their grace and comfort .

We come now to the last thing , and that is to perswade you by some Motives . 5 Motives to shake off this deadness ; Motives are special things to quicken up a man ; the Apostle when he would quicken up the Corinthians to love , he useth divers Motives unto them ; the first is taken from the collation of love , with all the extraordinary gifts of Gods spirit ; he shews , without love they are all nothing , though a man had all knowledge , and all faith , so that he could remove mountains , and had not love , it were nothing ; so that you see love is an excellent grace , 1 Cor. 13. 1 , 2 , 3. Another Motive he takes from the effects and adjuncts of love , love suffereth long , &c. from the fourth to the seventh verse . Thirdly , He useth another Motive to shew how love doth generally surpass most graces in the endurance of it ; Prophesies they shall cease , knowledge that shall cease and be done away , but love that shall never be done away ; love never faileth . Lastly , He compares it with the cardinal vertues , with the principal graces , namely , faith and hope , and shews how love is beyond them ; hope edifies a mans self , but love edifies the whole Church of God ; faith and hope must vanish , and will not go into the Kingdom of heaven with us , but love it doth alwayes accompany us ; so that you see the Apostle is careful to use motives to quicken up people to that which he exhorts them unto ; the Scripture as it doth bid us do a duty , so it useth motives to quicken us up to the doing of it .

And again , When it forbids any sin , it useth motives to take off our hearts from that sin ; as when the Apostle would diswade from the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament , what abundance of motives doth he heap one upon another to terrifie us from it ? 1 Cor. 11. 23. &c. the first is from the institution of the Lord Jesus Christ , I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you , that the Lord Jesus , &c. as who should say , what will you prophane his institution . Secondly , From the time when he instituted it , the same night he was betrayed ; in his agony and in the midst of his sorrows he thought of your good , & will you prophane such a mercy & blessing ? Thirdly , From the nature of the Sacrament , it is the Sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and will you not reverence that ? Another is from the end of the Sacrament , it is to shew forth the Lords death till he comes ; therefore how should we have a care of this ? that we may come to the Sacrament in a gracious and reverent manner , duly meditating what it is , having a lively apprehension of the Lord Jesus Christ , and to keep a constant memory of what he hath done for us . Another is from the greatness of the sin of unworthy receiving , he shall he guilty of the body and blood of Christ ; again , from the danger of it , whosoever eats and drinks unworthily , eats and drinks damnation to himself ; again , from the particular judgements that God had inflicted upon that town , for this cause many are sick among you , and many sleep ; and questionless it is for this cause , for your unworthy receiving of the Sacrament ; you see what abundance of motives he brings for this ; now I say if Motives be good in any point , look whatsoever we exhort people unto if it be good to use Motives to stir them up to it , then much more in this point ; in the point of deadness to shake it off , in the point of quickning that they would labour to get it ; and indeed when a man useth Motives to faith and repentance , it is not only to get that , but to quicken them up to faith and repentance ; when a man spurs a horse , it is not only to make him go , but to quicken him up to go ; we are all dull and careless and blockish ; now Motives serve to stir us up , Eccles. 12. the words of the wise are as go●ds to provoke and stir up people .

Well then , The first motive shall be this , to consider the woful ingredients 1. Motive . of this sin of deadness , the horrible sins that are contained in it , what a compound of spiritual diseases are in this sin .

First , There is a dulnesse and blockishnesse of mind , dull and heavy to learn any thing that is good ; as it is said of the Jews , Acts 28. 27. when a man hath an unteachable mind , though he be never so long under the word of God , it cannot strike into his heart , and enter into his understanding , his mind cannot ●eel the weight of divine truths ; take outward truths of profit and pleasure , a man may lead him up and down with these truths , he feels weight in these ; but for the word of God he hath no understanding in that ; may be he can tell what the Ministers say , and talk of it ; but for the weight of divine reason , the mind is blockish to this ; men are like to a blockish scholler that hath gone seven years to school , and yet is not beyond the primmer ; so when a man shall sit so long under the Ministry of the word , and yet be a stranger to it , as if he had never heard of it ; he hears discourses of faith , and can speak of it , and talk of it , of the letter of it as well as the best believer , and yet is as blockish to go about it as can be ; what an horrible thing is this ? that the truth should come to a mans mind , and a man should be dull to conceive it .

Secondly , Another evil is awkness and averseness of heart , listleseness to the wayes of Jesus Christ ; as Christ saith of the Jews , Mat. 15. 8. their hearts cannot be pulled to that which is good , their hearts are untoward , and have no list or disposition that way ; even as if a man should go about a thing that he hath no heart to , so people go about prayer and the hearing of the word , as if they had no heart to it ; they have no heart to prayer , they have no heart to think soundly of God , and of their latter end ; they come to duties , but their hearts are a thousand miles off .

Thirdly , There is senselesness of conscience , it is not tender of little sins , it feels them not at all ; and as for great sins , it feels them but a little ; may be peoples consciences find fault with them from day to day for doing what they do , and tells them they ought not to do it , but yet they will not leave their sins ; it tells them thus and thus they ought to do , but it hath no power to make them do it ; may be it accuseth them , but they are never the better , peoples consciences are dull and blunt and have no force at all .

Fourthly , For coldness and lukewarmness of affections ; the affections of a man are not set upon God ; they pray without affections , and hear without affections ▪ the doctrine of eternal life doth not affect their hearts ; hatred of evil is cold , and love of God and goodness is cold , as Christ saith , the love of many shall waxe cold , and so their desires are cold and Matth. 24. languish and come to nothing ; we can find tears for other matters , but not for our sins ; we can have our affections soon stirred when our selves and our own wills are crossed , but God may be dishonoured a thousand wayes , and we never grieved or moved at it ; so when we hear a fine story , and carnal news , this delights ; but when we hear the word of God , the truth of God that concerns our eternal well doing , we are not moved , or affected at all with that .

Fifthly , Another ingredient of this sin is the weakness and faintness of endeavours ; if people have any endeavours , any kinde of putting themselves forth to that which is good , it is with faintness , as if they cared not whither they went about it yea or no ; as Solomon saith , Prov. 13. 4. people desire mercy and pardon , and would have hope and salvation , and the Kingdom of God , but will not be at the cost and charges they ought to be at for these things ; this is nothing but the deadnesse of our hearts .

Lastly , That same dulness and drowsiness of the whole man ; though men be careful enough of outward things , yet how careless are they of their souls ? were our hearts broken and contrite under these things , we should be soon quickned ; as the Lord saith , Isa. 57. 15. I rev●ve the spirit of the contrite one ; so God would revive us if we were sensible of these distempers of ours ; if we would humble our selves before God , and plead to him for help , he would help us ; but when we do not lay these distempers to heart , and seek out to God for redress , no marvel though we are dead and dull still ; well then , is it so ? that there are so many horrible ingredients in this sin of deadness , then how should we labour to fling it away , and use all means to be quickned ? the Apostle being to disswade from following the will of the Gentiles , he useth this very argument , the abundance of the vile ingredients that is in the will of the Gentiles , 1 Pet. 43. so you may see how the wise man disswades , Prov. 26. 25. when he speaketh fair , believe him not ; for there are seven abominations in his heart : so let us think there is seven abominations , yea seventy times seven abominations in this sin of deadness ; therefore let us look out that God may help us and quicken us , and revive us in all our wayes .

The second motive is to consider that as long as we are dead we cannot 2. Motive . pray , Psal. 80. 18. Lord , quicken us and we will call upon thy name ; as who should say , Lord , we are not fit to pray and call upon thy name except thou quicken us ; therefore quicken us , that we may call upon thee : So Ministers cannot preach unless they be quickned ; as Dr. Ames tells a story of a godly man of France , there was such cold preaching that he was fain to go out of the Town to s●t under a powerful Ministry ; therefore we cannot preach if we be dead ; the Scribes and Pharisees preached without Authority and life , they were dead , and therefore had no authority in their preaching , but Christ preached with Authority ; if we were quickned we should be the better able to preach : So again , you are not able to hear unless you be quickned ; a dead heart may hear a thousand Sermons , but what doth it work upon them ? even as good as nothing ; if Paul or Apollos , or an Angel from heaven should preach to us , unless God quicken us , all is nothing ; nay , Christ tells us , that his own Ministry , and Johns Ministry , there were not two such in all the world again , yet how dead and fruitless were they ? whereunto shall I liken this generation ? &c. Mat. 11. 16. &c. the meaning is this , John the Baptist he came mourning and in a doleful manner , fasting and afflicting himself , and crying out Repent ; he mourned but none would relent ; Christ he came piping , he came in another manner , he came eating and drinking , and he preached gracious things , the Kingdom of God and the acceptable year of our Lord ; now saith he , you have not daunced , all these things have not affected your hearts a jot , you are as blockish as if you had no Ministry at all ; as Christ saith , Mat. 8. 22. let the dead bury their dead ; what doth he mean by that ? he means those that are dead in their souls ; those that are dead in their spirits and souls , they are fit for dead imployments and nothing else ; the coherence was this , there was a man came to Christ , and was willing it seems to be the Disciple of Christ ; but oh sai●h he , first I pray thee , let me go and bury my father ; bury thy father ? saith he , any man may serve for that , let the dead bury their dead , those that are fit for nothing else may do that ; but if thy heart be alive , thou art fit for me , thou art fit for spiritual employments ; but when a man hath a dead heart he is sit for nothing ; as Christ , he gave the bag to Judas , he was the fittest man for that ; so let a man be in office , if he be dead , he hath no heart to punish sin , no not so much as to use his faithful endeavour to root it out ; nay , he will pull down the guilt of the sins of the parish upon his own soul , rather then he will stickle a little for God , Judg. 4. 8. how backward was Barak to go against the enemies of the Lord ? if you will go , I will go , saith he to Deborah , otherwise he had no heart to go ; so Esther , how dull was she to stand for the Church of God ? she would let the Church be ruinated rather then she would go and speak to the King in the behalf thereof , but that Mordecai stirred her up soundly ; now is not this a sufficient motive to stir us up to labour for quickning ? how can we do the things God calls for from day today ? we should stand for him , and call upon him , and set up his worship in our families ; we should fear his name , and set him before our eyes , and fight against sin , and labour to please him in all our wayes ; now without being quickned we are sit for none of these things ; now what a woful thing is it when we shall not be furnished to every good work as we should , and fitted to do that which God requires of us ; therefore let us shake off this dulness and blockishness of spirit .

Thirdly , Another motive is this , we can have no true sign at all to our 3. Motive . souls , that we have any true grace at all as long as we are dead ; when Christ is said to give a man grace , he is said to quicken a man , Joh. 5. 21. conversion is called the life of the dead ; a mans repentance is no better then the repentance of a reprobate , unless it be repentance from dead works , and repentance unto life ; if a man hath faith , it is not the faith of Gods elect if it doth not quicken him , I live by faith , saith Paul , Gal. 2. 20. justification is communicated only to a man that is quickned ; God together with justification doth quicken a man , he doth revive him and make him alive towards God ; nay , we have no argument that we have our sins forgiven us , unlesse God hath quickned us , Col. 2. 13. he hath quickned them , having forgiven them all trespasses ; when God forgives the trespasses of his people , he doth quicken them , h● takes away the dulness of their hearts , and the blockishness of the●r minds , and the senselesness of their consciences , and their awkness and untowardness to that which is good ; he doth quicken them up ● every man hath life , for we see how lively men are in seeking after their profits and pleasures , people have life enough , but it is upon things here below ; and they have affections enough , love enough , and hope enough , and joy and delight enough in the world , but they are set upon carnal things ; but if grace comes into the heart , it is the vigour of the heart ; now as long as we are dead and dull , what sign of grace can we have ? if we have grace ye● we cannot have any proof and comfort of it as long as we are drowzy and dull ; 't is true , no man can have any grace but he hath some life ▪ but if he doth not quicken up himself , he hinders himself of the peace and comfort that otherwise he might have ; hence it is that the conscience is troubled , and people are unsetled , and are so full of fears to dye ; hence i● is that people are so like to the sea , the waves whereof cannot rest ; their minds are unquiet and unsetled ; it is for want of quickning , if we were quickned we should have great peace come into our souls .

Fourthly , We cannot grow in grace unless we are quickned ; as long as 4. Motive . we are thus dull and heavy and lumpish to the things that are good , we cannot grow in grace . Hos. 14. 7. they shall revive as the corn , and grow as the vine ; first they shall revive , and then grow ; first God quickens a man , and then he makes him grow ; the Philippians love was dead to Paul , afterwards it quickned again ; now saith he , your love flourish●th , Phil. 4. 10. now their hearts were quickned , it began to grow ; but when a man hath a dead heart , how can he grow ? as he said , Joh. 15. 4. can the branch bear fruit without the vine ? so may I say , can a mans heart grow in goodness without life ? it is only a living creature that can grow ; if a plant be once dead , it withers away and cannot grow ; if a man have a dead heart , though he should hear lectures and sermons every day , he would never grow , he would be never the more holy , never the more godly ; if he should have family prayer , closet prayer , yet if he should be dead , he should have never the more ability against his temptations ; though the ordinances of God be admirable helps to growing , yet if a man be dead and dull , they will never help him to grow in grace ; though grace be of a growing nature , yet a dead heart starves all the graces that a man hath .

Fifthly , Another motive is this as long as we are dead , we shall be so 5. Motive . far from growing ▪ that we shall be hardly able to keep our own , Rev. 3. 2. strengthen the things that remain , that are ready to dye ; as who should say , thou art so far from growing , that the good things that are in thee are even ready to dye ; thou wilt lose that very good that is in thee if thou dost not sha●● off this d●●dness and careleseness , and heartleseness to that which is good ; as it is with a man that hath a consumption upon his body , he is so far from growing that he rather pines away , he waxeth more and more faint and groweth d●ader , and waxeth neerer to his end , he pines away ; so when a man is dead , ( though not quite dead ) his heart is deaded , he doth pine away ; as the Prophet saith , Ezek. 33. 10. if we pine away , how shall we do o● yet thus it is 〈◊〉 man hath a dead heart he doth pine away ; I , and again ▪ how is it possible for a man whose heart is dead to prayer , and he hath no affections to 〈◊〉 which is good ? if there be any opportunity to that which is good , he hangs off ; how can this man doe otherwise but wax worse and worse ? for he wants that which should work out sin ; if it be a springing water , it will work out the mud ; but if it be a standing water , it will grow thicker and thicker , and will be noysome ; so if the body be alive , though it be never so full of ill humours , if it be lively , nature will work them out ; but if the pangs of death be upon a man , every disease and distemper gets the victory , his nature cannot work it out now ; so it is with a man that hath a dead heart , he cannot work out the corruption that daily bubbles up in his heart ; as Eli , though he had never so many corruptions , he had no heart to root them out ; 't is true , he reproved his sons , but it was to no purpose : as good never a whit as never the better ; so when Solomon was grown dead , and had lost his former life of grace , afterwards when corruption grew in his heart , he could not work it out ; for when God had chosen Jeroboam to be put in his room , though Solomon knew that it was of God , and he set him up to be King , yet he could not work out this corruption , but his heart to his dying day rose up against Jeroboam , and he sought to kill him ; he wanted the life of grace he had before , and sin got up , and he could not work it out soundly to his dying day . Now is not this a most grievous thing ? the very consideration of this , how should it provoke us to shake off this deadness ? Can that body do well that hath lost his expulsive faculty ? when distempers arise it cannot expell them , it must needs be the destruction of the body ; so when the life of the soul is either in part or wholly taken away , how can he work out his corruptions and distempers that daily arise in him ? we have need of grace , and life , and quickning ; we are tempted every day , and the corruptions that dwell in us , are ever boyling up . Now if we have not the expulsive faculty to purge them out , the heart must needs be in a woful condition .

Sixthly , This sin of deadness , in some sense , is worse then any other sin , 6. Motive . and that in six respects .

First , Other sins , for the most part , are in one part of a man ; as drunkenness is in the appetite , and covetousness is in the concupiscible faculty , and pride and ostentation is in the heart , and ignorance is in the minde ; but deadness is in all the whole man ; as it is with a languishing disease ; other diseases , one may be in the head , another in the neck , another in the back ; but a Consumption runs over all the whole man ; So it is with deadness ; as it was with the Church of L●odicea ; when they were grown dead and careless , he chargeth them that they were dead all over ; Thou art poor , and blind , and miserable , and naked ; this heaps all miseries upon a man ; Rev. 3. such a man is like unto Judah , From the crown of the head , to the sole of the foot , there was no sound part , Isa. 1. 6. It is a general disease ; it is like the deluge that drowned the whole world , it drowns the whole man ; I confesse drunkenness , and adultery , and such particular sinnes , may kill and damn a man ; but I say by accident , deadness is worse then they ; 't is true , drunkennesse , and adultery , and prophanesse are worse ; but why are they worse but because they have this deadnesse too ? but if they could be taken alone ▪ and a man might have a living heart towards God otherwise , they should not be worse then deadness .

Secondly ▪ Other sins are against one commandement of God , or two , or so ; but this deadnesse is against all the commandements of God ; it is a sin against prayer , for we should pray with life ; it is a sin against hearing , for we should hear with life ; it is a sin against the Sabbath , for we should keep it with delight ; it is a sin against all the Ordinances of God , for we should come to them all with life and affection . Suppose a servant , his Master should bid him do a thing ; he bids him goe to one place , he goes to another ; he goes & drinks , and swills ; another servant he goes about that his Mr. bids him , but whatsoever his Mr. bids him do , he goes about it slothfully , and by halfs ; this servant is a worse servant then the other ; why ? because thi● servant offends in all the business he hath to do ; whatsoever his Mr. sets him about , he marrs it , and doth it to halfs : So deadness of heart , it disables a man to every duty , to whatsoever God requires of a man ; and this is one of the reasons why he that breaks one of the commandements of God , is said to break them all , Iam. 2. 10 , 11. Why ? because he deads his heart , a man that gives way to sin against any one commandement , deads his heart to all ; and so by reason of that deadness , he becoms guitlty of all .

Thirdly , Other sins are not so deep in the soul ; but this deadness is deeper then all ; a man will be willinger to lay down any sin then deadness , and to take up any duty then quickning ; a man had rather do any thing , if he may do it without life ; if the bare hearing , praying , and profession will serve turn , may be he will do that ; but to do all with life , this the heart is loth to come to ; when it comes to lay out all the strength and vigour of the whole man upon God , the heart cannot abide this . Judah was content to turn to God ; but to do it with life , this they would not do , Jer. 3. 10. Treacherous Judah hath not turned to me with the whole heart , &c. He doth not deny but they turned unto him ; but they would not do it with their whole heart , with life , with all their power and strength ; thus they did not turn unto him . As it was with the Ruler in the Gospel , he was content to observe the commandements of God , not to murther , not to commit adultery , not to steal , not to swear ; All these have I observed from Matth. 19. my youth , saith he ; but when Christ came to call for life , that he should sell all , forsake all , and follow him ; that is the life of a man , the soule and heart of a man must be put forth ; he was sad at that saying : So Laodicea was content to do any thing ; the spirit of God layeth nothing to her charge , he chargeth her with no particular sin , but lukewarmnesse onely ; she would do any thing ; but to be fervent and zealous in it , to lay out her strength for God , that she would not do ; so that we had need to take heed of deadness of all other sins ; it is a deep sin , and is the harder to be gotten out ; and the harder it is to be gotten out , the more paines is to be taken .

Fourthly , other sins may be but acts ; as a man may be drunk , but he may not have the habit of drunkenness ; as Noah was drunk , but he was not a drunkard ; we see David committed adultery , but he had not the habit of adultery ; but deadness is an habit , Eph. 2. 1. Now when a man leaves sin in a dead manner , he leaves it , but his affections are not crucified to it ; he doth good duties , but he is dead to them ; this man comes neer to the estate of sin : now an estate of sin is worse then any particular act of sin .

Fifthly , Other sins are the first death of the soul ; we are all under trespasses and sins , Rom. 5. Death passed upon all men , for that all have sinned . We are all by nature the children of wrath ; we were all once dead , but now , if after we are Christians , we grow dead again , we grow twice dead ; of all sins we should take heed of deadnesse , for that causeth the second death ; not the second death of damnation , but of being dead after a man hath been quickned ; as Saint Jude speaks ver. 12. twice dead ; so we are twice dead . Now other sins do make a man but once dead ; but after the Gospel hath come among us , and hath stirred up our hearts , and quickned us in some measure , if we grow remiss and dead , and cold again , we are twice dead , or at least grow and tend that way , and so our estate is more dangerous ; therefore how should we take heed of this !

Lastly , Other sins , though God threatens hell and damnation against them , yet more specially against deadness ; did you ever hear of a more special threatning then that 2 Thess. 2. 10 , 11 , 12. when men doe not receive the truth in the love of it . He doth not say , When they do not receive it , but When they do not receive it with affection , with all their hearts . You may see there how terribly God threatens , when we do not receive the truth in the love of it ; we do not love Gods Word ; we do not love prayer , and his ordinances ; we do not love the communion of Saints ; we do not love obedience to Gods truth ; this is a most woful thing ; though we doe receive it , yet if we do not receive it in the love of it , see there what he saith ; For this cause God shall send them strong delus●ns , that they should believe a lye that they might all be damned , &c. So when Ephesus left her first love , God threatned to remove the candlestick , Rev. 2. 4 , 5. When Laodicea was grown cold and careless , and of a middle temper , Gods threatens to spue her out of his mouth , Rev. 3. 16. When Eli was grown cold and remiss , and wanted zeal and life to stand for him , see how terribly God threatens him , I will doe a thing that whosoever heares it , both his eares shall tingle , 1 Sam. 3. 11. Nay , saith he , I will judge his house for ever for this thing , v. 13. What remains then , but that we should with all our might , and all care and diligence , even set to both our shoulders for the casting off this sin of deadness , that if it be possible , we may come to be quickned , and serve God as we ought to do , and follow his heavenly Kingdome with eagerness , that none of these things we have spoken may befall us .

Consider first , we have life , and why may not God have it ? He hath breathed into our souls the breath of life ; in him we live , move , and have our being ; he hath given unto us all life and breath ; and if we have life , why may not God have it ? if he hath given us affections , why should they not be given to him again ? if he hath given us thoughts , why should we not bestow them upon him ? if he hath given us dispositions and inclinations ; why should they not be set upon him ? The Rivers that come from the sea , return to the sea again . It is said of the Macedonians , that they did yield themselves to the Lord , 2 Cor. 8. 5. So we should yield our selves to the Lord ; if God did ask any thing that were not in us , it were another matter ; if we had no thoughts and affections ; if we had no heart and inclinations ; then no wonder though we did not give him them ; but when we have them , why should not he have them ? all things are of him ; therefore let all things be to him ; shall our lusts have our thoughts , and not God ? shall the world carry away our minds , and not God ? that is against reason .

Secondly , Consider that all the world is alive in their own courses ; let Christians be alive in theirs ; as the Prophet speaks , Micah 4. 5. Every man walks in the name of his god , let us walk in the name of our God . So I say , every man follows his god ; those that have their belly for their god , all their minde and affections run that way ; those that have their pleasure for their god , and their profit for their god , how eager are they after these things ? as one saith , the world is like the Ant ; poor little creatures , they goe carrying of straws after their manner , and are so busie ; so it is with the world ; what a deal of drudging up and down , and going this way and that way is there in the world ? one for one thing , another for another ; one for his Mammon , another for the lusts of his flesh , and the pride of life ; men are busy and stirring , every one is setting forward ; why should not we be as forward in our way ? if we be Christians , and the servants of God , why should not we bestir our selves for him ? the Devil himselfe is a spirit , and is working and busie , as himself saith , Job 2. 2. Then let us walk up and down and bestir our selves this way , and that way , and every way for God , and be as active and agile for him ; let us consider how the poor prisoners in Ludgate beg for a token , what eagerness they use , that though a man had no minde , yet their importunity will make him give them something ; and shall not we beg earnestly of God to pardon our sins , and quicken us , and humble us for our deadness , and for the time to come , to make us earnest for the Kingdom to come ; if men be so earnest for bables , how earnest should we be for these precious jewels ?

Thirdly , Consider the worth of these things ; the worth of the Kingdome of Heaven , the worth of eternal life , the worth of the Gospel , the worth of prayer and all Gods holy Ordinances ; are they such poor beggarly trifles , that we follow them with such a slender pursuit ? are they such beggarly commodities that they are not worth the looking after ? Certainly Heaven may justly challenge our best desires , our best affections , our best pains and endeavours , and the best and flower of all our parts and learning , as the Church saith , Cant. 7. 9. My beloved is sweet ; so our beloved is sweet ; sweet things goe down pleasantly ; so how should the word be , and prayer be ? how sweet should all the things of our beloved be they should goe sweetly down , nothing should delight us more . When Solomon set up his Throne , it is said that he laid out the best gold upon it ; so if we would have the crown of life , we must lay out our best parts , and affections , and endeavours upon it ; how sweet should the calling upon God , and the going to Gods house be ? what a shame is it , that when such heavenly things , such precious jewels are to be had , people will not come to them , whereas these things should be the sweetest things in the world ? if we were carefull of the good of our soules , and were affected with Heaven and heavenly things , as we ought to be , we should be tender of this ; how should we take heed of pride , and covetousness , and any thing that should hinder us of so great salvation ?

Fourthly , Consider , if we be quickned , nothing will be hard ; all the difficulty of Religion is over , if a man be quickned : for nothing is hard to a willing minde , when a mans heart and soule is set upon it ; nothing is hard , as the Apostle saith , to him that loves God , His commandements are 1 John ● . not grievous ; all the difficulty , that we cannot pray , and hold our hearts to the Word , and overcome our corruptions , all lieth in the deadnesse of our hearts ; if we would have mastery over our corruptions , if our hearts be dead , we must look for the more toyle , as Solomon saith , If the iron be blunt ▪ if a man doth not sharpen the edge , he had need put the more strength to it , Eccles. 10. 10. So when a mans h●art is dull and dead , there is the more difficulty in the overcoming of any lust , in the doing of any good duty , every thing comes hardly off . Now when a mans heart is quickned , it is like oyle to the wheele , it makes it goe easie ; when a mans heart is quickned up towards God , what is it but that man can do ?

Fifthly , Consider , If we be quickned , we shall hae a great deale of peace , and joy , and comfort . I may say as the Church in another case , Revive us again , O Lord , and we shall rejoyce in thee , Psal. 85. 6. So I say , if we were revived , if God did quicken our hearts , if we were earnest with him to do it , and we could once attain unto it , we should rejoyce in God ; those that follow God with an earnest heart ; they have those joyes , which no other can intermeddle with ; God gives them unknown comfort , unknown peace , and unknown support ; the more a man followes after God , the more he shall partake of God , a man shall have joy unspeakable and glorious .

Sixthly , We should make all heaven to rejoyce ; when the Father had his prodigal Son come to him , that was before dead , and was now alive , saith he , It is meet we should be glad , Luke 15. 32. So when any poor creature that was dead before to all goodness , is now made alive , and is quickned up in all the wayes of God , it is even meet that there should be mirth in Heaven , that the Angels in Heaven should rejoyce ; whereas if a man go on in Gods service dully and blockishly , it is as vinegar to the teeth , and smoak to the eys , and the heavens are sad over us .

Seventhly , If we were quickned , we should not only do our selves good , but we should do others good too ; we should be earnest to do it ; there is an excellent place for this in the story of David ; David being marvellously quickned , just as he came from Gath , there met him 400 poor destitute and afflicted men , and presently he made the 34 Psalm , wherein he saith , O come and taste and see how good the Lord is ; blessed are they that trust in the Lord : presently he calls upon them to be quickned also . So Paul , when he was quickned up himself , though he were before the Judge , and went upon life and death , yet he regarded not that , but he laboured to quicken Agrippa too , insomuch that he made him to cry out , Thou perswadest me almost to become a Christian ; and he would not leave him there , but saith he , I would not that thou only , but that all that do hear me this day , were not only almost , but altogether Acts 26. such as I am , excepting these bonds . O , thought he , that all this company were but acquainted with that I feel and finde ; a quickned heart will labour and strive to do good unto others .

REV. 3. 2. Watch therefore and strengthen the things that remain , that are ready to die , &c.

WE told you this Epistle contained three things . First , a Reproof of the most of them in that Church for their grievous sins . Secondly , Remedy to cure them of those sins . Thirdly , A Commendation of certain vertues in those persons that were not carried away with the iniquities of those times . The Reproof we have spoken of already ; and now we are come to the second part , and that is the Remedy ; for when Christ doth reprove them , he doth it not for ill will , but for their good and therefore he gives them good directions . The Remedies he gives this Church are five .

The first is , Be w 〈…〉 full , as who should say , This is the reason you goe Five Remedies given the Church . down the wind , and want life , and are dead and dull in Religion , because you are not watchful .

The second Direction is , Strengthen the things that remain : as who should say , if you would be careful to fortifie those good things that are in you , you may stand out against these temptations ; a little grace will go a great way if it be well managed . Now he doth urge this direction three wayes . First because these things they have are but remainders ; they had a great deal more once Strengthen the things that do remain ; as who should say , all is even almost quite gone ; you had a great deal more zeal and forwardnesse ; but what you have now , is but the remainders and the leavings ; therefore it is high time to look about you .

Secondly , Because even those remainders were almost gone too , Stengthen th● thing● that remain , that are ready to die : as who should say , they will be gone too , if you bestir not your selves , and look well to your estates and conditions ,

Thirdly , Because thy works are not perfect ; they are nothing else almost but hypocriticall and unsound , I have not found thy works perfect before God .

The third Remedy is , Remember how thou hast received and heard , &c. Verse 3. as who should say , consider how thou hast been formerly ; consider how the Word hath been delivered , and how thou hast received it .

The fourth Remedy is , Hold fast ; as who should say , labour to get up again , and hold fast , that the Devil , and the world , and the temptations to sin , may not get away the good things that are in thee , that they may not spoil thee of the good things of God , and of the hope of eternal life .

The fifth Remedy is , Repent ; that is , bewail thy selfe , and lament thy unfruitfulnesse , and unwatchfulnesse , and carelesnesse this way , and humble thy selfe before Almighty God ; thou mayst yet have mercy ; when a man doth confes 〈…〉 s sins , God is just to forgive them , and is ready to vouchsafe mercy 1 John 1. 9. and quickning , and comfort ; therefore repent , saith he .

Well then , the first remedy is to be watchful ; to watch , is to be attentive , to be considerative , to look what may doe a man good and what may doe a man hurt , that he may thereafter carry himselfe ; it is for a man to have his eyes in his head , to have his wits about him for spiritual things : This is the subject of it , it is properly in the minde and in the heart ; it is a Metaphor taken from the body ; for the body when it is asleep , the senses are lockt up ; the eye cannot see , the eare cannot hear , they are all wrapt up , they are not lively and operative ; but when the body is awake , the senses are all open , the eye can see , and the eare hear , and the senses are ready for every Object ; from hence it is derived to the soules of men , they may be said to sleep or watch ; for when the soul is careless and negligent towards a thing , may be dangers are towards a man , and he doth not fear them , nor study to prevent them ; may be there is a great deal of good coming towards the soule , and he goes drowsily about it the soule now is said to be asleep ; but when the soule lo●ks seriously and consideratively about things , then it is said to watch ; so that there is a sleep of the soule , and a watch of the soule , as the Apostle speaks , 1 Th●s . 5 6. So that this watchfulnesse is nothing else but the active prudence of the soule , whereby it stirs up all the faculties to look about , that if any good be towards it , it may get it ; if any danger be towards it , it may abhor it ; this is the watchfulness here spoken of ; for this drowsinesse and sleepinesse is a part of the corruption of our natures , whereby we are marvellous careless of God and eternal life , that though we be in the gall of bitterness , and by nature the children of wrath , yet this is the corruption of our nature ▪ to look sleepily upon this , that danger may be upon us , and we never observe it ; and though there be eternal life to be had , yet we are as it were asleep ; we doe not study how to attain it ; though there be misery insupportable , and unspeakable , and sure and certain to fall upon us , unlesse we be delivered ; yet we doe not think of these things , we have no fear at all , or else our hearts are drowsie , and are content to make any thing serve the turn . Now when the soule is rowzed up , and made to have a due consideration of these things , now is is awakened , now it is watchful .

The Point we observe from hence it this , That it is an excellent & soveraign Observation . thing for a Christian to watch ; and therefore Christ commends it to his disciples , and commends it to all people to the end of the world , Mark 13. 37. ●at which I say unto you , I say unto all , watch . Now it is good to watch in five respects .

First , In regard of our selves ; for our own selves are false unto our selves ; 1. Reason . if we be godly men and women , we are two selves ; we have a bad selfe , whereby we are apt to be proud , and carnal , and ungodly in all our wayes , and to forget God ; and we have a good selfe , that is better minded . Now it is an excellent thing , when this good selfe shall watch over this bad sel●e , and have an eye to it ; as if a man had a pilfering servant in his family , would he not watch him , and eye him ? would he not watch him what money he had in his house , and observe what is in his house from day to day ? So we having such a deceitful selfe about us , we had need to watch continually , as the Apostle speaks , 2 John 8. Look to these , that we lose not those things , &c. As who should say , you will lose the benefit of all the good things that are in you , if you doe not look to them ? there is a thief in thy bosome , a deceiver that will steale and cosen thee of all , if thou look not to it .

And here first we should watch our own hearts ; for our own hearts are deceitful , as the Prophet speaks , The heart is deceitful above all things , Jerem. 17. 9. It is very sly ; and how easily doth it deceive us , and carry us aside ? therefore we had need watch over it , as the wise man saith , Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence . If a man were to ride upon a wilde horse , would he not have a care to keep the bridle ? would he let the bridle goe ? then he would run away and he should hardly catch him again : his business will be hindered and his time spent ; so it is here , a mans heart is like a wild Colt , like an untamed Hei●er , if a man let it go ; a man had need alwayes to have the bridle in his hand ; if a man do not watch it and observe it , and hold it in , it will r●n away and a man cannot catch it again ; as a man that is ringing a bell , if he let the rope go , he cannot readily get hold of it again ; so a mans heart is slippery , therefore a man had need ever to be watching of it .

Secondly , We had need watch our thoughts ? what slippery things are our thoughts if they be upon that which is good ? will they be long there ? they are now there , now gone again ; therefore how careful should we be to hold our thoughts to that which is good ? the thoughts are so loose and fickle , and unconstant , and uncertain , that though they be on good things for a minute of an hour , they will be ten times as long upon vain things ; there is no trusting of our thoughts , we need not say as David of the men of Keilah , will they deliver me to Saul ? will the lusts of my heart 1 Sam. 23. 11 : deliver me to Satan ? nay , they will deliver us , if we watch not over our selves .

Thirdly , We should watch over our affections ; they are admirable things , if we set them upon the things that are above , and be watchful to keep them there ; what admirable advantages are they ? they are the wings of the soul to help us in prayer and any good duty we go about ; they will wipe away the difficulties of the wayes of God ; but they are marvelous uncertain things , that if we be not alwayes looking to our selves , though our joys and delights , &c. be upon heaven and heavenly things , they will run upon the world again and lose themselves there , so that our affections had need to be looked unto .

Fourthly , The Conscience had need to be looked unto ; for though the Conscience be the best part of a man , yet it will ●latter us and speak peace to us if we look not to it , where is no peace , and will check us very carelessy , and will not hold forth our du●ies nakedly , if we do not watch over it .

Fifthly , So again , We should set a watch over our tongues , over our very words that we speak ; as David saith , I will set a watch before the door of my lips , Psa. 41. 3. when a man speaks his words , it is as if he should bend his bow to shoot ; now when ● man bends his bow to shoot , he had need level well , or else he will not hit the mark ; so if we be not watchful over the words we speak , we shall speak vainly , and to Gods dishonour ; therefore saith Solomon , he that keeps his mouth , keeps his own soul ▪ he that watcheth Prov. 13. 3. over his lips that he may not offend , watcheth over his own soul .

Secondly , It is good to watch in regard of the world , for the world will 2 Reason . get in and undo u● if we take not heed , when we are about our callings , when as we let our eyes look upon our wares and commodities , upon our barns or our Cattel , or the like ; whatsoever comes into our eye is apt to po●son us , and whatsoever we see or touch , or handle is apt to do us mischief ; how many thousands are carried away by their eyes , by what comes into their senses ? as Am●ziah cryed out , 2 Chron. 25. 9. What shall do for the hundred talents ? he could not lose an hundred talents , but his eyes were marvellous eager after them , they were a stumbling block to him , he could not go so freely about the commandments of God for fear he should lose them : Demetrius having commings in by his calling , when the word of God shewed what an unwarrantable calling he had , he had rather put off the word of God then his calling ; O saith he , by this calling we have our Acts 19. 25. gain : So powerful is the world over men , that it can keep men in unwarrantable courses ; the world windes into men and makes their affections earthly ; how many thousands are there that can hardly find any competent time to serve God ? they are so taken up with the world when they come to the Ordinances of God ; their hearts are so spent upon the world , that the Ordinances cannot work upon them ; therefore had not a man n●e● to watch over himself ? as a man that eats fish may choak himself if he take not heed ; so our Saviour tells us , that the cares of this world are ch●aking things ; a man Mark 4. 19. had need be careful how he speaks of the world , and thinks of the world , for fear he be made listless and hear●less to the things of God ; this is the reason why people have no more heart for heaven , because they do not watch against the world , the world poysons and choaks them ; let a man have never so sweet dispositions , and be never so awakened and star●ed ▪ yet if he give way to the world , and the things of the world , his heart will be taken off again from these things .

Thirdly , It is good to watch in regard of the Divel , in regard of Satan ; Reas. 3 it is the Apostles own exhortation , 1 Pet. 5. 8 be vigilant and sober ; for your adversary the Divel goeth up and down like a roaring Lyon , seeking whom he may devour .

Consider first what a subtle enemy he is ; if a man were to deal with a subtle enemy , he would watch and have a care of himself , lest he should have advantage against him ; he would think with himself , There is some mischief intended towards me ; he would look to all his wayes , lest a snare should be laid for him ; when David knew that Saul dealt subtilly with him , you see how he looked to himself , he scouted everywhere , that Saul could come nowhere but David looked to himself ; he was very careful of himself , so that Saul saith , I hear he deals subtilly : So it were good that the Divel heard 1 Sam. 23. 22. that we dealt subtilly ; for he deals subtilly with us , and collogues , and colours , and varnisheth ; in matters of evil , he sets the best side outward ; and in matters of good , the worst side outwards ; if any good be to be done , he labours to make a man dead in the doing of it ; if any thing be sinful he hides the danger of it , and shews a man nothing but the pleasure and delight and profit of it , and a man shall see nothing else almost ; the Divel is so subtle that he knows what we delight in ▪ and where he may have us ; he knows what sins we are prone to , and where he may get us ; he knows what will hit our humour best , he knows what will like us best ; there was but one passage wherein Peter was naked , and the Divel caught him there ; if he had taken any other course , a hundred to one but he had withstood him ; he seeth where the water is low , and there he leaps over ; therefore how careful should we be when he is so subtle ?

Secondly , Consider how diligent he is ; he is ever trudging up and down from place to place ; as Saul hunted David up and down Town and Coun●● , so the Divel hunts up and down ; all places are full of him , the streets , the market , the house , the fields , our beds and clos●ts , our Pulpits ; wheresoever we are , he will be sure to be there too ; he is diligent to follow us everywhere ; now if we do not watch we shall be caught by him ; we may say o● Satan in some sense , as David of the spirit of God , whether shall I go from thy spirit , and whether shall I flee from thy presence ? &c. so , whether shall we go from Satan ? we can go nowhere but he will follow us ; he is as busie as a fly about a bald head ; though they be beaten off again and again , yet they will come again ; though our Saviour Christ beat him off , yet he comes again and again , and hath more and more flings at him ; nay , he set Peter to tempt Christ : He rangeth over all the earth , therefore we had need watch .

Thirdly , Consider his strength ; he is a strong enemy , he is the strong man , Mat. 12. 29. 't is true , notwithstanding all his strength , he cannot force us to sin , he can but say as he did to Christ , cast thy self down ; he can but say lye , and covet , &c. he cannot force a man ; nay , whatsoever he puts into us , it is not a sin if we give not way to it ; a man may put it out again if he will ; he did but provoke David to number the people , he might have resisted it ; he cannot force a man ; but yet he is a strong enemy , and comes with fiery darts ; and he is strong in regard of our lusts and corruptions that Ephes. 6. are so strong ; there lies the Divels strength ; he hath that in our own bosomes that is so mightily on his side ; therefore we had need to watch .

Fourthly , Again , Consider the malice of this enemy ; he is the enemy that doth it , as the Apostle Peter saith , your adversary the Divel ; he is an adversary 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , his temptations may be overthrown , but his malice can never be overthrown ; a man can never make his peace with him , so long as he lives in this world ; he is like a frenzy man , as 't is said , he is full of Rev. 12. 12. wrath , knowing his time is short .

Fifthly , Again , Consider the Divel hath nothing else to do ; if the enemy had something else to do , a man might be the less careful ; as it was a comfort to David that Saul had something else to do ; when Saul was on one side of the mountain , David on the other , because he had something else to do , the Phil●●mes invaded his land , this took him away ; but the Divel hath nothing to employ his time about but only to watch to do mischief ; therefore we had need be wondrous watchful over our selves .

Fourthly , It is good to watch in regard of the wicked , the Divels instruments ; Reas. 4 and where shall we not meet with them ? we must go out of the world , if we will go where the are not ▪ they are everywhere : Now if we do not watch , it is impossible for us to walk up and down in the world , but we shall be surprized and learn their works ▪ how many thousands are poysoned with the errours of the wicked for want of watchfulness ? the Galathians , if they had watched , they had never been drawn from the truth ; so for practical errours , how many cursed principles get into mens heart●●nd appear in their lives ? that such kind of Religion is good Religion ; that such kind of faith is good faith ; they have abundandance of cursed principles : Now if we look not to our selves , how shall we be carried away , as the Apostle saith , 2 Pet. 3. 17. ●o may be thou art in a wicked family , as Lot in Sodom ; now I say it is impossible for thee to stand in such a place● but thou shalt be hooked in , in an horrible manner ; the Apostle pure a chiefly upon the Saints in Caesars house , Phil. 4 12 chiefly those that are of C●sars houshold ; it is a wonder of wonders there should be Saints in Caesars house ; it is impossible for a man to be among the wicked , to have wicked neighbours and companions , but he shall be drawn away by them , if he be not watchful over his own soul .

Fifthly , It is good to watch in regard of good things . I speak to the Reas. 5 Saints of God .

First , It is good to watch in regard of our graces ; look what grace a man hath , it is as a precious jewel , and thou mayst lose it if thou be not watchful ; thou mayst los● a great deal of faith , and quickning , and heavenly mindedness , or anygood that is in thee , thou mayst lose a great deal of it , if thou look not well to it : As a sheep that hath a great deal of wool , if she go among briars and thorns , how soon may a great deal of it be torn off ? so a poor creature that walks in the world among so many briars and thorns , among so many temptations , he may have all good things rent away if he look not to it ; if a man had a great deal of money in his purse , and were among cut ●urses & cheaters , would not a man have an eye about him ? it is said of a godly one , 1 John 5 18. he keeps himself , &c. he looks what he hath and carries about him , that he may not lose it .

Again , We should watch our graces , to encrease our graces , and strengthen them ; watchfulness is an excellent thing to strengthen grace ; as it is in the Text , watch , and strengthen the things that remain ; whereas if a man do not watch , his graces will dye and decay , every temptation will overcome him ; now we have need of more grace , though we be mortified , and lively , and fear God , and regard his name , and are humble , &c. yet we had need be more humble , and more vile in our own eyes ; now , how can we have this unless we be watchful ? the Apostle therefore when he had called upon Christians to be watchful , in the next words saith he , grow in grace , 2 Pet. 3. 18. for if a man be watchful , it is the way to grow .

Thirdly , We should watch our graces that we may work with them , and exercise them , and improve them upon all occasions , we should watch all opportunities to occupie with our talents ; it is said that God will have his people to seek good , Amos 5. 14. to seek how to do good from day to day ; so we should watch all opportunities to do good , and to stand for God , and glorifie his name , and adorn the Gospel that we professe ; opportunities do not come so often , we had need take them when they come , they are precious things ; now if we do not watch , God will many times tender us these things , and we shall have no heart to them .

Secondly , It is good to watch all good duties ; What is the reason that people pray no better , hear no better , draw neer to Gods table and partake of the Sacrament no better , they get no power against sin , no power against corruption ? it is because they do these things without watchfulness , Mat. 26. 41. Christ saith , watch unto prayer ; we must be watchful if we will get good by the Ordinances of God .

First , We should watch before the duty ; when we are going to prayer , and going to Gods courts , we should be watchful ; a prudent man looks well to his going , Prov. 14. 15. wheresoever he goeth he looks well about him , that he may observe all circumstances ; how many thousand lets and impediments are there ? which if a man take not off aforehand he cannot perform the duty aright ; if we had been watchful we might have done the duty better a great deal .

Secondly , We should be watchful in the duty ; when we call upon God , we should take heed how we come into his presence ; when we hear the Word , we should be careful that we be not carried away with vile thoughts , nor suffer any thing to attempt us when we are about any good duty ; the Divel will be about us to interrupt us , therefore we had need be watchful against him .

Again , We should watch after the duty , that we may not lose the fruit and benefit of it ; most people when they have been at the Ordinances of God ; are as if they had not been there ; when they have been at prayer , as far from power against sin , and drawing mercy down from heaven , as if See more of this in the Sermons upon 2 Tim. 4. 5. they had never been down upon their knees .

Thirdly , It is good to watch in regard of God .

First , Sometimes God comes with motions , and draws nearer to us then he doth at other times ; therefore now we had need take hold of them , Isa. 55. 6. call ye upon him while he is neer ; as who should say , sometimes God is neerer then at other times ; O now have your eyes in your heads , and let not God go , but make use of this ; if ever God speaks to our souls , or open our eyes , let us make use of these things , and be up and a doing , lest they slip away from us .

Secondly , Sometimes God doth extraordinarily help us , and give us extraordinary favours ; let us watch those favours , for then the Divel is most busie ; when God doth any notable thing for us , when he gives us peace , or joy , or comforts or power against sin , or whatsoever it be , then Satan is most busie ; so soon as Christ had that extraordinary favour from his Father , to be owned from heaven before all the standers by , This is my beloved son &c. Matth. 3. 17. The next newes we hear of , he had a terrible assault by Satan ; when God had shewed great favour to Saint Paul , in wraping him up into the third Heaven , the next thing he met with , was Satan to buffet him .

Thirdly , Sometime God doth punish us and afflict us : now how should we watch to get good by our afflictions ? This is the reason that afflictions , and crosses , and distresses are so often among us , and do no good ; it is for ●ant of watchfulness .

Is it so , that it is good to watch ? Then how may we lament the horrible Vse 1 neglect of this duty ? I speak not to drunkards and prophane persons ; no wonder though they doe not watch ; neither doe I speak to the common sort of Christians , that content themselves with civility and fair carriage ; but I speak to those that are of the better sort ; how horribly is this duty laid aside ? this is the reason of the want of grace , and that people go down the wind , and that there are so many Apostates and Decliners ; and this is the reason that so many become very unsavoury and unfruitful in their lives ; the reason is because they do not watch ; what drowsie thoughts have we to be delivered from the wrath of God ? what lumpish , heartlesse care have we to doe good duties ? This is the reason of the vanity of our minds , and the hardness of our hearts , and that so little good is done by preaching among us , because people doe not watch . When you sow your corn , you set hullers to drive away the fowls : so why doe you not set up hullers , a watch over your own hearts , that so if temptations come to pick away the Word , and the benefit of it , you may resist them ? how should we labour to hide the Word in our hearts , that it may do us good ?

The second Use is to exhort us all to take up this duty of watchfulnesse , Vse 2 nay , to watch in all things , as the Apostle speaks , 2 Tim. 4 5. to watch in our eating and drinking , that we may not eat and drink our bane ; to watch in company , that if they be good , we may get good by them ; if evill , we may get no hurt from them ; we should watch in good duties , for we shall meet with the Devil there too ; every one that hath the fear of God before his eyes , whatsoever grace he hath , he should watch over it ; whatsoever good work he hath to doe , he should watch , that he may goe on in it ; for watchfulnesse is an helpfull duty ; watch and pray ; it is helpful to prayer , and so for all other duties ; it is a duty destinated to another duty , so that we can doe no other duty without watchfulnesse ; therefore we had need to watch .

First , Consid●r the misery of them that doe not watch , they must needs decline , and wax worse and worse ; you see the Church of Sardis here for want of watchfulness grew dead , nay the very good things in her were ready to die .

Secondly , Consider the good of watchfulnesse ; if we watch we shall be satisfied with grace ; if we have grace , we shall increase it , Prov. 20. 13. Slothfulness keeps a man in poverty , but he that openeth his eye shall be satisfied with bread . It is true , as in outward things , so in spiritual things ; let a man be drowsie and slothful , he shall be a poor man and a beggar , and shall have nothing to shew for eternal life ; but if thou wilt open thine e●es and look about thee , thou shalt be satisfied with bread , with the bread of life , with the image of God , with righteousness and holiness ; the more thou watchest , the more abundantly will God bless thee .

Thirdly , Consider that men in their outward callings are watchful ; the shepherds watch their flocks , and the husbandman his seasons , when to sow , and when to reap his corne ; when to sell it , and when to buy it , how much more should we for the good of our souls ?

Fourthly , We should consider the examples of Gods Saints ; David he Psal. 119. 92. watched , at midnight I will arise and praise thee ; he would rise out of his bed in the night , and pour out his heart before God , and bless God for his goodness ; he would not doe it in his bed , but he would goe out of his bed and doe it by his bedside upon his knees ; how should this stir us up to watchfulnesse ?

Now I come to the second Remedy , and that is to strengthen the things that 2. Remedy . remain , and the rather , because they are but remainders , and ready to die , and their deeds are not perfect before God . These words are diversly interpreted by Divines ; some understand them personally , Strengthen those persons that remain ; as if he should say to the Angel of the Church , Thy people are generally cold and dead , and drowsie , there is hardly any life in them ; now those that do remain , strengthen them , that they may be awakened , they are ready to die ; there are hardly any of thy hearers that are upright and sincere before God , therefore strengthen them ; thus Pareus , and many others interpret it ; and this is a very good sense ; for a Minister is bound to strengthen all his people , if any be drowsie , to awaken them ; if any be dead , to quicken them ; and the Lord complains against Ministers when they doe not doe thus , Ezek. 3. 4. The diseased have they not strengthened , &c.

But then there is another Exposition of these words given by Divines , that understand it of things , and not of persons ; and so it is in the Original , Strengthen the things that remain ; that both Minister and people would strengthen the good things that were in them ; for the Minister was grown weak and remiss , and the people , weak in all good things : Now the Spirit calls upon the Angel of this Church , and in him upon all the Congregation , to strengthen the good things that were in them .

So that the point of Doctrine is this , that it is every Christians duty to Observation . labour that he might be strengthened , specially if he hath had more grace formerly then now he hath ; it is every Christians duty to strengthen the good things that are in him .

For the opening of this word strengthen , it hath an opposition to weakness . Now there is a double weakness .

First , Of those people that are unconverted , that are weak to the resisting of sin , and doing any that is good ; they have some principles in them to resist sin , and doe good , but they are weak , as common illuminations , and natural conscience , and fear of wrath , and hope of Heaven , and shame of others , and the good example of others , and living under the means , and restraining grace , and the like ; these things may do a great deal of good , but they are weak , and cannot make them resist sinne , and doe good soundly ; thus unconverted people are weak . This is not properly the weakness that is opposed to strength , that he would have them get out of the weakness of unconverted people .

Therefore secondly , There is another weakness , and that is of the children of God themselves ; they have weakness to resist sinne , and doe good ; and this is twofold .

First , There is a weakness of Beginning . Secondly , of Declining .

First , In beginning ; when a childe of God is a beginner in grace , and is but a babe , Heb. 5. 12. When for the time ye ought to be , &c. Such as are babes have need of milk , they cannot digest strong meat , they are too weak for that ; as may be a new beginner hath gotten faith , but it is weak , he is not able to apprehend the promises of salvation , and the assurance of Gods goodness and mercy towards him ; he hath much ado to apprehend Christ himself , and uphold his heart ; so a man may have some knowledge , but it is weak ; and some resolutions and endeavours , but they are weak ; corruptions bear him down , and his mortification is weak ; he cannot master many of his heady and mighty lusts . Now such people as these are to be exhorted to strengthen these good things that God hath begun in them : Hath God begun any good things in thee ? any lively fear of his name , any hatred of evil , any love to goodness , any longing and thirsting after righteousness , any endeavour after eternal life , any faith ? thou shouldst labour to strengthen these things , that they may abound in thee , and that they may be confirmed and established in thee , that thou mayst be made unblameable against the coming of the Lord Jesus ; but 〈…〉 s is not the meaning neither .

Secondly therefore , There is a weakness of declining , when a man hath been stronger , and now hath abated of his strength , and is grown weaker ; a strong man may grow into a consumption , which may spend him away till he comes to be an Anatomy , and so is grown weak ; so many Christians that have been stronger , they are now grown weak , they are grown into a consumption o● graces , they are grown to be an Anatomy , to be nothing but even skin and bone ; they were wont to have more faith to apprehend a promise , but now they have more doubting ; they could pray strongly , but now they are faint and weak ; they were powerfull in every good duty , but now they are down the wind ; they are like a Jack that wants wanding up , they had need be wound up again ; they are grown more cholerick , and peevish , and pettish , and have less strength over their corruptions , and are made more ready to be drawn away . Now such persons are exhorted to strengthen these things ; and the rather , because they are but remainders ; you have had more grace , and have let it die and decay ; therefore strengthen that which remains , and is ready to die ; so that there are two parts of this Doctrine .

First , That every man should be earnest , and use all manner of holy Part 1. meanes to strengthen himselfe . 'T is true , First it is every Ministers duty to labour to get strength into his people , to strengthen their understanding , and knowledge , and judgement , to strengthen them in the promises , to hold forth Jesus Christ nakedly unto them , to expound the free grace of God , that they may be strong in faith : So if a Minister sees they are weak to bear afflictions , he should labour to support and bear them up , and poure some spirit into them , and enable them to bear : So if he finde they are unable to bear temptations , he should use all arguments to piece them up that they may stand against the wiles of the Devill ; a Minister hath his own strength given him of purpose to strengthen his brethren , Isa. 35. 3. the Lord saith , Strengthen the weak hands , &c. He would have Ministers call upon people to get strength , and to use all means by preaching , and teaching , and exhortations , to get some strength into his people ; it is a Ministers duty , not only to gather Saints , but to perfect the Saints ; whither should the people come but to the Minister to get strength in grace ?

Secondly , It is every neighbours duty to strengthen his neighbour ; Christians should strengthen one another in all manner of good duties ▪ as coals of fire doe warm and heat one another when they are together ; but if they are severed , they will be dead ; so Christians , when they meet together , should labour to warm , and heat , and quicken one another . Saint Paul writes to the Thessalonians to mark all the weak and feeble people among them , and to strengthen the feeble-minded , 1 Thes. 5. 14.

But then thirdly , Every man should doe this duty to himself , to strengthen the good things that are in him ; we see all the world labours to be strong in outward things , some to be strong in riches and wealth , some to be strong at the Court , and others to strengthen themselves in their friends and alliance ; as Abner laboured to be strong for the house of Saul , for he knew he should be no body if that went down ; if a man have a case to defend , he will make himselfe as strong as he can to desend himselfe ; if a man be to fight a battel , he will make himselfe as strong as he can ; nay , people will strengthen themselves in their wickedness . Now if it be so , then how much more should we labour to be strong in the grace of God ? If we have any good things given us of God , we should strengthen them ; as Paul saith to the Corinthians , when he saw they were babes still and were weak , and never came to strength , he calls upon them at last to strengthen themselves , 1 Cor. 16 ▪ 5.

Because we can have no comfortable argument to our souls that we are true 1. Reas. Christians except we get strength ; every true Christian is a very able man as Paul saith , Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things through Christ that strengthneth me . He was a strong man , and able to doe great things ; what man of a thousand can be rich , and not be proud and vain , and let his heart follow after pleasures and the things of the world ? yet a true Christian can be rich , and yet not be thus ; so what man almost can be poor , and not be discontented , and repine against God , and take unlawfull courses ? yet a true Christian is able to be poor , and yet not deny God , nor distrust God nor fall a carking and caring ; so likewise a true Christian can have a peevish nature , and yet not be peevish ; he can have as crabbed a disposition as any body else , and yet not be crabbed ; he can have as vile a cursed nature as any man under heaven , and yet have a good disposition ; he is able to doe all things , as Job saith , Job 9. 19. If you talk of strength , God is strong . So it is with a childe of God that hath the image of God in him ; if you talk of strength , he is strong ; a man cannot have any true argument to his soul that he is a true Christian , unless he be strengthened to doe the things of God , unless he be lifted up of God to doe supernaturall things ; a true Christian is no weakling ; a man saith , I cannot doe thus and thus , it is my weakness ; then thou canst not say thou art a true Christian ; for a true Christian is an able man , a mighty man ; nay all the graces of Gods spirit are strong , that if a man hath any degree of them , he may doe wonders with them , 1 John 5. 4. This is our victory that overcometh the world , even our faith . He doth not say great faith , but our faith ; a little faith , though but as a grain of mustardseed , is able to overcome the world ; a true Christian can overcome sin , and the world , and the Devil , and whatsoever is contray to him ; a natural man may believe in some sense , but he can nothing with his faith , it is not of the right stamp ; but a true Christian he can doe wonders with his faith ; he can draw neer to God , and cry Abba Father ; he is able to purifie his own heart ; all things are possible to him that believeth , it is a powerful thing ; Jacob had power with God , saith the Text ; he is able to fit Gen. 32. 28. himself against every lust , and goe about every duty , and please God in all his wayes in some measure ; a little faith is strong ; so love is a strong grace , it is as strong as death , Cant. 8. If a man hath but a little true love to God , it will enable him to doe strange things , it will make him suffer any thing , doe any thing , leave any thing for God . Now natural people they say they love God , but it is a weak love , it cannot make them leave a lust for God , it cannot make them doe any thing for God , it cannot carry a man beyond nature ; but all the graces of Gods spirit are marvellous strong things ; therefore as ever we desire to have a sign and token that we are true Christians , and have the grace of God in truth in any measure in us , we should labour to strengthen all the good things that are in us ; for if we doe not strengthen them , they are not of the right stamp .

Secondly , We can never doe any act of new obedience unless we be strengthened , 2. Reas. as the Lord saith to Joshua , Josh. 17. Onely be then strong , and doe my commandements , &c. He would have him strong , that he might observe all the Law of God ; as who should say , Joshua , thou canst never be able to observe my Law , there be mighty performances , things that flesh and blood can never reach unto ; therefore unless thou hast strength , and divine strength , thou canst never be able to doe this ; therefore be strong , strengthen thy s●lf , labour to have all the courage and might that may be . God bids us do nothing but he requires all the strength of the whole man ; Thou shalt love the Mar. 12. 30. Lord thy God with all thy heart , and all thy strength ; it must be thus ; if the water-man be to rowe with the tyde and the wind he puts forth no strength , the stream will carry the vessel ; but if he be to rowe against wind and ●yde , now he must put forth all his strength ; else the bo●t cannot ●o ; nay , it will go the contrary way ; so if we would please God , and work the works of God , and attain to his heavenly Kingdom , we must rowe against wind and tyde , and without tugging and hailing , and putting forth a great deal of strength , we shall never do it ; as suppose a man be wronged and offered an injury , he cannot be quiet an hour together , but he is abused and misused , and mocked , and opposed ; now he cannot be patient unless ; he be strong , and have great strength to deny himself ; as Col. 1. 11. Be strengthned with all might according to h 〈…〉 ●lorious power , to all patience and long suffering with joyfulness : As who should say , if you would have patience , you must be strengthned with all might , specially if you would be patient with joy ; may be a man may be patient , but then he is surly and lumpish , and all amort● may be he bears , but he is like a block or stock , he cannot joy in trib●lation , he had need have a great deal of strength to do this ; so if a man would pray , can he pray without a great deal of strength ? it is not a little heave will lift up a mans heart to God ; I lift my heart to thee ; he gave a Psa. 25. 1. great lift to his heart ; and Heb. 5. 7. it is said that Christ prayed with strong cries ; we cannot pray aright unlesse we come with strong cries and strong desires ; so if a man hear the word , if it awaken him and quicken him , he will lose all again , and be as blockish as he was before , unless he be strong ; 1 John 2. 14. we can do no good duty without strength , and therefore we had need to labour for strength .

Thirdly , We can never overcome temptations , nor make our part good 3. Reas. against temptations without strength ; nay , we cannot resist them , or combate with them , or stand in the field against them , but we shall be beaten out , and be overwhelmed if we have not strength ; if we would go to heaven we shall be sure to meet with abundance of temptations ; and if temptations will put us out of the way , we shall have enough of them ; if they can sway us , and make us do this and that , we shall not want temptations ; if a bowl hath bias , the strength of the arm will take away that , though the bias be never so strong ; as long as the strength of the arm lasts , the bias goeth according to the strength of the arm ; when the strength of the arm is gone , then the bias begins to sway it : So if a man have strength , it will swallow up the bias of temptations ; but when a man hath no strength , then the bias of temptations carries him away , then the world bows him , then pleasure and his natural inclination sways him this way and that way , whereas if a man had strength he might resist temptations . 1 Cor. 15. 58. be stedfast , and unmoveable , abounding in the work of the Lord ; that is , if you were strong , you would be unmoveable , and abound in the work of the Lord ; all the world could not withdraw you from the work of the Lord ; for all temptations , you would abound in good things ; what in●inite need have we to resist temptations ? none of us can arrive at heaven , unless we be able to go through thick and thin , and a world of temptations ; blessed is the man that endures temptations , he shall have enough of them ; and happy is the man that can endure them , and overcome them ; if we be not strong , if we have not this spiritual might , what shall become of us ? if we have not strong love to the truth , we shall be hooked away from it ; if we have not strong love to obedience , we shall be disobedient ; if we have not strong love to the wayes of God , we shall be pulled away from them by force of temptations .

Fourthly , Without strength , if we should chance to fall , we cannot get 4. Reas . James 3. 2. up again ; what man is there that falls not ? in many things we offend all ; how often doth the godly man fall into sin , through weakness and infirmity , and ignorance , and sometimes in a worse manner ? now if he have spiritual strength in him , then he may rise up again ; if he hath a strong relation to God in Jesus Christ that cannot be broken , then he may get up again ; as the body , if it hath abundance of sores , and blains , and divers diseases and distempers upon it , yet as long as the strength of nature lasts it may work them out again ; if you give this man Physick , as long as the strength of nature lasts , Physick may do him good , but if the strength of nature be gone , the disease will overcome him , it will be his death ; so it is with a Christian , as long as there is any spiritual strength in him , it will work out corruption ; if a man have strong relation to God , strong interest in Christ , strong apprehension of the evil of sin , and of the goodness of Gods wayes , strong fear of God , and a strong judgement , these will work out any sin and corruption ; but if he hath not these , he can never get up again , as the Apostle saith , Heb. 12. 12 , 13. lift up the hands that hang down , and the feeble knees ; and make strait paths for your feet , &c. as who should say , if you will strengthen your feeble knees , then though they be lame , they will rather be healed then turned out of the way ; but if you let your feeble knees be weak still , then if you have any lameness or any distemper , you will be turned out of the way ; but if you strengthen your feeble knees , when you have been lame , and have any distemper , you will rather be healed then turned out of the way : You shall see when Israel were without the true God , and were distempered , they were Idolators , and all manner of wickedness was grown upon them ; now when God would have Asa purge out these abuses , see how he calls upon him , 2 Chron. 15. 7. be strong , &c. now in the words following we may see Asa did strengthen himself , and reformed all the abuses , and set up the worship of God , and went on admirably in that work , now he had gotten strength .

Lastly , If we have not strength , we can never do any thing God bids us 5. Reas. with ease ; but if we have strength , we may not only do what God bids us , but do it with ease ; as when a man hath a strong memory , he can get two or three leafes by heart with ease , he hath it presently ; another that hath a weak memory , will be conning and conning it I know not how long , and as fast as he remembers one thing , he forgets another ; he hath much ado to get it ; so if a man have a strong judgement and understanding , though he meet with an hard word or passage , he will understand it , and pick out the meaning ; whereas one of a weak understanding may be studying all the dayes of his life , and yet never apprehend it ; so when a man hath got spiritual strength , he can do what God bids him do ; and leave what God bids him leave with ease ; he may pray , and humble and deny himself with ease , and lay those lusts aside , which before he had as live have parted with his blood as parted with them ; when a man is strong in his love to God , and strong in the consideration of Gods goodness and mercy , he can do these things with ease ; my yoak is easie ( saith Christ ) and my burthen is Matth. 11. 30. light ; whereas to a natural man it is the heaviest yoak and burthen in the world for a man to be tied to abstain from all vanity , from all vile passions , and inordinate affections , from all sinful pleasures , and covetous desires ; it is a burthen intollerable for a natural man , it is because of his weakness ; but now a gracious heart that hath gotten spiritual strength , can do it , and do it with ease .

The first Use is to condemn those that have no strength at all , that are Vse . 1 not capable of this Exhortation , we cannot say strengthen the good things that are in you , because they have no good things in them at all , they have nothing of saving grace and of the covenant of life wrought in them● they have nothing but the common graces , that may be in a reprobate ; as Paul saith , Rom. 8. 7. of the carnal mind , it is not subject to the Law of God , neither indeed can be ; it cannot be subject ; there is no strength of grace ; there is strength enough , but it is let out upon the world ; may be they have strong parts and gifts , but there is no strength to this duty ; to be subject to the Law of God , he is not able to do it ; as Christ saith of the corrupt Matth. 7. 18. tree it cannot bring forth good fruit ; it hath as much strength to suck from the earth , and to bud and blossome , and bring forth fruit , and as much fruit as a good tree ▪ but it cannot bring forth good fruit ; so a natural man thinks as much , and speaks as much , and eats and drinks , and sleeps as much as a godly man doth , and goes about the business of his calling , and hearts the word of God may be , and prayes as often as a godly man doth , but he is not able to bring them to a good end , to do them well , he hath no strength at all : as Christ saith to the Scribes and Pharisees , how can ye escape the wrath to come ? they had great parts and strength in other matters , but to escape hell , and shun the wrath to come , they had no strength to do that , they were as weak as water there ; what a woful thing is this , when a man hath no strength to overcome his sins , and deny himself ? when men have eyes full of Adultery , and cannot cease from sin , 2 Pet. 2. 14. this is a miserable condition for a man to be in .

Secondly , This may condemn those , that though they have some good things in them , yet they do not strengthen them that are of the strain of the Church of Sardis , that let their graces dye and decay , and go down the wind , and perish and consume ; they suffer a consumption in their graces , rather then watch and strengthen the things that are in them ; what a lamentable thing is this ? though our faith be never so weak , we are hardly able to lay hold upon one promise ; and when we study to find sign of conversion in us , we can hardly find any ; and yet notwithstanding people will not strengthen their faith , and other graces . Let us not deceive our selves if we be Christians let us shew it by the strength that is in us ; for if we be true Christians , we must be able Christians to do all the works of God , able to fight against our corruptions , able to do good duties , able to obey the Gospel ; he hath the least strength of true saving grace is able to be upright in all his wayes , he is able to observe all the commandements of God in some measure , he is able to carry himself uprightly against every evil way ; in one word , he is able to keep all the word of God in some measure ; he that hath but the least strength of grace is able to do this as the Lord saith , Rev. 3. 8. of the Church of Philadelphia , though she had but a little strength , yet she kept the very word of God ; a little strength of saving grace ; will make a man do more then the whole world can do ; it is able to make a man reach above all the reach of nature , and all na●●ral parts , and morality and civility , and all the fair carriages that ever were ; it is able to go beyond all ; there is more wisedom in the least degree of saving grace , then in all the Politicians in the world ; and more knowledge in the least fool in Christs school , then in all the wise men under heaven ; I mean true saving knowledge ; therefore let us not deceive our selves , but as we desire to be able to say that we are true Christians , let us labour to strengthen all the good things that are in us , that our faith we think we have to shew for heaven may be a strong faith , and that our hope may be a strong hope , that we may purifie our selves by it , and that the fear of God may be a strong fear , to make us depart from hell beneath , & so that our desires may be strong to the throne of grace , and our endeavours strong against our corruptions , and our care & conscience strong from day to day to do the works of God . Vse 2

The second Use is an Use of direction , what we are to do to strengthen the good things that are in us . A●● fi●s● ▪ Let ●s labour to have all the powers of our ●ouls strengthened by the strengthening the powers of the soul ; I mean this ; you know that divine operations are above nature , above the reach of the powers of our souls naturally . Now if we would be strong to doe the works of God , and divine things , we must get our hearts to be raised and lif●ed up to an higher strain , to a subli●er pitch ; as it is said of Jehosap●at , 2 Chr●n. 17● His heart was lif●ed up in the ways of God . That is , his heart was strengthened to walk in the wayes of God ; and now his heart was lifted up ; the Text shewes ●e did great matters ; he could restore the worship of God , and make the Priests and Levites doe their duties ; he could doe admirable things for the glory of God . Now his heart was lifted up above the reach of nature ; so we should labour to have all the powers of our souls lifted up to God ; we are not converted to God ; unless God hath raised up our minds , and wills , and affections ; as it is said , God raised up Judges to deliver Israel from their enemies : The Judg. 2. 16. meaning is , they were no more able to deliver them then other people ; but God raised up their spirits , and li●ted them up , that they were able to goe about the function God had set them in : So Jer. 51. 11. before God had raised up the spirits of the Medes , they were a weak people , they durst not meddle with Babylon● ; but when God had raised up their spirits and lifted them up to an higher pitch of courage and strength , they were not only able to goe against them , but to overcome them ; so before God raise up our minds to an higher pitch , we are not able to know God aright ; we are not able to doe good , and mortifie sin , and be crucified to the world , we are not not able to goe about these things ; but when God hath raised up our hearts , and the powers of our souls , we can then goe about them ; as the water is not able to boil the meat of it self ; but let the fire come and raise the water to an higher pitch , to a seething quality , now it is able to ●oil the meat ; so it is with a mans heart ; therefore we should labour earnestly with God in the use of all good means , that we may get the powers of our souls raised and lifted up on high , that they may be able to reach the works of God , and attain unto them .

And first labour to have strong minds and understandings ; I do not mean strong literal knowledge ; for with a little of that a man may have strong love to God ; and zeal to his glory , as we may see in the book of Martyrs . Elizabeth Sackwell , and Katharine H●rst , and others , they were marvellous ignorant ; when they were asked what a Sacrament was , and how many there were , they could not tell , and yet were admirable Martyrs , and sealed to Gods truth according to that knowledge they had , and laid down their lives for the Gospel , though they had not this knowledge ▪ therefore I mean not that , though that be very good ; and without some literal knowledge the mind cannot be good ; a man may have literal knowledge without spiritual , but not spiritual without literal ; therefore it is good , but that is not it ; therefore we must labour to have str●ng spiritual understandings , that we may understand spiritually the things of God , as David : saith , Psal. 119. 34. Give me understanding , and I shall keep thy Law ; as who should say , if ever any man doth s●n against thy Law , it is because he doth not understand himselfe , therefore 〈◊〉 see how eager he is that God would give him understanding , that he mi●ht understand his wayes , and understand what his will is , that so ●e 〈…〉 ht do it , that he might understand it savingly , powerfully , and deliver his Law into his heart ; God delivers his Law into every man● heart ; but saith he , grant me thy Law graciously ; he prays that Psal. 119. 29. God would not only deliver his Law to his understanding , but in a gracious manner ●a man nev●● sins against God , but his understanding is deceived ; when we are proud , we are deceived ; for we think too well of of our selves ; when we are worldly , we are deceived ; for we think the world is better then it is ; so when we are dead to good duties , we are deceived ; for we look upon Gods wayes and ordinances , as if they were not such admirable things ; it is through the deceitfulness of our understandings that we give way to sin . Now if our understandings were strengthened , we should be fenced against the deceivableness of sin , that when the Devil comes with his delusions , and the temptations of the flesh with false colours to put us upon sin , the understanding would be strong , and see the weakness of all such reasons ; every man follows reason ; reason is a strong thing , and leads all the world ; no man doth any thing , but he hath some reason for it ; the worldly man hath some , though not true reason why he is so carnal , he is afraid he shall not know how to live ; therefore we should be earnest with God to strengthen our understandings , that we may see the baseness , and beggery , and folly of all such vile reasons as these ; if the understanding were sound , it were a marvellous strong thing ; A wise man is strong , yea a man of knowledge encreaseth strongly , Prov. 24. 5. Therefore I say we should labour to have sound understandings , that God would give us to know his Word as it is , and to look upon things as they are , that the world may not seem to be otherwise then it is , and our names , and credit , or any thing in the world may not seem to be more beautiful then they are , that we may look upon things in their own colours , that we may have light ; if we had the light that comes from above , we should be marvellous strong ; as Paul saith , Let us put on the Armour of light . So Heb. 10. 32. saith he , After Rom. 13. 12. you were enlightned , you endured a great fight of affliction . When they had true light come into their hearts , that they durst not be impatient , then , though they had mighty afflictions upon them , they endured them , they had light come in , they could not rise up against God ; if our knowledge were strong , our corruptions would be weak , our carnal hearts would be weak , we should not be so able to goe against God and his commandements ; I can doe nothnig against the truth , saith Paul ; why ? he had a strong light , he saw so clearly that it was the truth of God , and it 2 Cor. 13. 8. was the way to be damned for ever to goe against it , and he saw so clearly what an admirable thing the truth was , that he could do nothing against it ; as Joseph saith , How can I commit this great wickedness , & c ? He had such a light , and so saw the nature of the evil , that he durst not do it for a Gen. 39. 9. world ; the understanding is a very strong thing , see it in that which is in wicked wretches ; what a deal of strength hath that little knowledge of God that is in their hearts ? when a wicked man knowes that his courses are of the Devil , and he is informed and reads it in the Word of God , he knows his wayes are condemned of God . I tell you this knowledge keeps a great deal of stir in his heart , and makes his conscience afraid , and sometimes qualms come over his heart , and sometimes makes him resolve I will be a drunkard and adulterer no more ; it makes him that he cannot goe so freely about his wicked courses , Mark 6. 20. When Herod knew John Baptist was a godly man , this made him fear him . So when Saul knew assuredly that David should be King , though he went out to destroy him , he let him goe ; nay , a very persecutor , if he knows they be the people of God he persecutes , it will make his very heart ake , and will make him give over his persecution , except he be marvellous strong , Isa. 11. 9. Why ? how will God bridle persecutors ? The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord . There shall be such a deal of knowledge , that they shall not be able to hurt in my holy mountain ; nay this knowledge may make wicked men mightily to deny themselves . Balaam , though he was greedy after riches and preferment , yet when he knew that it was Gods mind that he he should not curse Israel , he should provoke God ; saith he , If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold , I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord , &c. Nay , knowledge may work Reformation , After they escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ , 2 Pet. 2. 20. Now if knowledge be such a thing where it is not rooted soundly in the mind , then how strong would it be if we did get our understandings soundly informed ? if we would get knowledge rooted in us , the very knowledge that God hath commanded us , to serve him , and fear him , that , he hath revealed his wrath from Heaven upon all disobedience ; that Christ is the Saviour of the world , it would strengthen us against sin , and to doe good ; therefore let us labour to have strong minds .

Secondly , Let us labour to have a strong will , as David had , Psalm 119. 15 , 16. I will meditate in thy precepts , I will delight my selfe in thy statutes , I will not forget thy word . You see how absolutely he is set upon it , I will do thus and thus , and I will not do the contrary ; this is a strong Will ; and therefore you see what admirable things he could do , because his Will was strong ; what is the reason people are so weak ? they cannot resist sin , they cannot give over such a lust , they cannot get life and quickning in prayer and other duties ; if an Enemy come , they cannot put it up ; if affliction come , they cannot bear it patiently ; if they are called to stand for God , they cannot put off carnal fears ; this is the weakness of our Wills ; if our Wills were absolutely set that way , we should be marvellous strong , and break through all oppositions ; all the strength of a man lies in the Will of a man ; if a mans Will be set upon a thing , he will go through fire and water , he will do it ; therefore we should labour that our Wills may be strong in the works of God , to the pleasing of God , and hatred of evill , and opposing of all the wayes of the flesh ; as David saith , Psalm 119. 10. I have sought thee with my whole heart . We should doe thus ; you may see this in wicked men , when their hearts are absolutely set to do evil , how doe they goe through difficulties ? nothing shall hinder them ; how wonderfully did Saul persecute David , over hills and dales , and caves of the earth , over rocks and craggy places ? if he had not been furious and mad , he could not have followed him in such places ; nay , he spurned against conscience ; God met with him oftentimes , and infatuated his counsels , which could not but be as hedges in his way ; but he broke over all : Whence was this ? his Will was absolutely set , 1 Sam. 23. 23. he was resolved , if David were to be found under the copes of heaven , he would have him ; so if our hearts , our wills were absolutely set to finde God and his grace ; if we would say , if Christ be to be found , we will have him ; if he be in Heaven or Earth we will have him ; we will run over all ordinances and duties ; what sin will we not leave ? what course will we not take ? if he be to be found , we will have him . A man might go through any difficulty , if his Will were absolute ; the Will is a strong faculty , it hath the command over the whole man ; the mind thinks , and the heart intends , and the affections stir , and the tongue speaks , and the foot walks , and the hand works , but the Will sways all ; nay if a mans appetite be to a thing , yet if he will not doe it , he may refrain it ; the Will is the strongest faculty in a man ; as soon as we heare the Prodigal had a Will to goe to his Father , the next newes we hear , he did goe ; I will arise and goe to my Father , and now nothing could stay him ; if our Wills were set earnestly towards God , that we would serve him , and obey him , and would not be carried away with our lusts , what a deal of strength would this help us with ? we should be strong to trample Satan under our feet , and mortifie our lusts ; and this is the reason God accepts the Will above all , if there be a willing mind , God accepts it , nay not only accepts it , but rewards it also , 1 Cor. 9. 19. If I doe it willingly , I have my reward . The Will is the strongest faculty God knows ; if he hath a mans will , he hath all that ever a man can do , he hath all his power , nay , he hath more then his power ; the will is able to go beyond a mans power ; as it is said of the Macedonians , 2 Cor. 8. 3. they did to their power , and beyond their power ; the will is a mighty strong thing ; therefore if we will be strong in the Lord , let us labour for strong wills .

Thirdly , Let us labour for sound affections , that our affections may be conversant about God and all his holy laws and commandments ; which way a mans affections run , so they run mightily ; that way a mans strength runs , as the Prophet saith , Isa. 63. 15. look down from heaven ; where is thy zeal and thy ●●rength ? that is , when God is zealous for his peoples good , he puts forth his strength for their defence ; therefore the Prophet cries , Lord , where is thy zeal and thy strength ? so we may say , where is our zeal to God , and against sin , where is our zeal for good duties , for heavenly-mindedness , and the spreading of the Gospel , and doing good in our places ? if we were but zealous and earnest in our affections , we should not go so dully and faintly in the wayes of God as we do : it would make us strong ; we see how strongly men follow after the world , when they are zealous for the world ; so if we were earnest after God , we should be strongly carried after him .

Secondly , If we would get strength , let us labour to believe ; for when a man hath once gotten faith , now , though he be never so weak , he may say , God is my strength , Psal. 73. 26. A man that hath gotten this faith , may say as David , Psal. 71. 16 , I will go in the strength of the Lord ; I will go to prayer , to the word , to the Sacrament , I will go about my calling , when I am put upon my business , I will go in the strength of the Lord to do it ; if this man wants strength , he goes and even borrows strength from heaven , Heb. 11. 34. by faith , of weak they became strong ; as the rivers that watered Paradise , their heads and springs were out of Paradise ; so though there be streams of mercy and grace , and power , and love communicated to us , yet the heads of these are out of us ; Christ is the head from which we must fetch all ; I can do all things ( saith Paul ) through Christ that strengthneth me , Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things ; you will say , this is to brag and boast ; alas no , I can do nothing , it is Christ that strengthneth me ; like the Ivy that creeps up by the wall , so a Christian creeps up by Christ ; there lies all our strength ; therefore all our care should be to believe , to get off from our own bottoms ; a true Christian is never so weak as when he will be himself , when he goes about actions himself ; if he would let Christ do all , and he only take that course Christ bids him , and never go his own way to work , he were a strong man , Isa. 30. 7. It is your strength to sit s●ill ; the children of Israel were so busie to help themselves , they would to Egypt , and they should help them ; saith God , you shall never have help this way ; your strength is to sit still and wait upon God , and trust in him ; so I say , then is a true Christian weak , when he departs from Christ , and doth not keep close to him ; suppose a man should be in misery , there be but two wayes to help him , the one is by himself , the other is by Christ ; now , suppose a man were in such a straight , that he must be delivered in a quarter of an hour , or else he is undone ; shall a man go to prayer now , or to his own strength ? to prayer if it were for a mans life ; now when a man goes to his own strength and parts , this weakens him ; we should do every thing better if we would go to Christ , and set our hearts upon him , if we would use the means , but hang upon God , this were our strength .

Thirdly , We should fly all occasions of evil ; may be a child can contain it self from the dug ( when it is newly weaned ) so long as it comes not near it ; but when the child seeth the dug , now the fancy runs upon the dug again , and now it cries for the dug again ; it is because it is not perfectly weaned ; if it were perfectly weaned , though it saw the dug , it would not look after it ; so we are not perfectly weaned from sin ; therefore though when we resist occasions and temptations of sin , we are able to abstain and contain our selves , yet because we are not perfectly weaned , if we give way to occasions we lose all ; when we will rashly venture upon the occasions of evil , we lose our strength ; therefore saith David , Psal. 101. 3. I will set no evil thing before mine eyes ; as he would not do it , so he would not have it in his sight ; every man is privy to himself , and may know what thoughts , what desires , what appearances , what customs , what speeches are occasions of evil to him ; he might know what doth occasion him to sin ; may be he had not committed sin but for this or that ; now when a man shall give way to these occasions , and not stand upon his guard , this loseth all a mans strength ; as Saul he was privy to himself how testy and furious he was , and if he had any instrument of fury in his hand , he had no power over himself ; yet he would ever be with his javelin in his hand , when he was in the field , or in the house , still he had his javelin in his hand ; now you may see what mischief he exposed himself unto , he flung it twice at David , and a third time at his own son Jonathan ; if he had been careful not to have given way to the occasions of sin , knowing how weak he was , and that he had not command over himself , he might have escaped this ; a man that is furious had not need alwayes to have a sword about him ; a man had need shun all the occasions of evil ; Joseph was a strong man , how can I do this wickedness ? &c. all the temptations of his Mistriss could not allure him ; what was the cause of this ? he would not hearken to his Mistris , nor be with her , Gen. 39. What made Achan to be so weak ? he must needs take the Babylonish garment , and the wedge of gold ; he gave way to the occasion , I looked upon it , saith he ; he being privy to his own covetous heart , should have been shy of giving any occasion to the flesh ; but he giving way to the Josh. 7. 21. occasion was weak and not able to stand .

Fourthly , We should never go up and down without a constant continual purpose to please God ; when we first rise in the morning , we should think with our selves , well , I purpose to take heed of sin this day ; so when I am at dinner , I will take heed that I let not the remembrance of God go out of my mind ; I will have fresh thoughts of him while I am at board ; as it is said of Daniel , he purposed not to defile himself with the Kings meat : So when we go into the fields , we should think with our selves , I purpose God Dan. 1. 8. willing , to beware that I may not come home with a guilty conscience , & do things that may be to my shame and wounding another day ; when we are to come among wicked people , we should resolve before we come , I will let fall nothing to dishonour God ; thus if we would go armed up and down , we should go strongly ; if we would make serious resolutions to cleave to God , and not to do evil , this would strengthen us ; now when temptations meet us unresolved , we are not able to put them off .

Fifthly , We should frequent the Ordinances of God . First , We should be careful of hearing the word of God in a godly manner . Strength and beauty are in his Sanctuary , Psal. 96. 6. there is strength to be had in Gods house , in Gods courts ; his Word and Ordinances are the food of the soul , that as bread strengthens a mans body , so this spiritual bread of life strengthens a mans soul . So again , For prayer , to go to God in prayer , that would strengthen us , Prov. 18. 10. So the Sacraments , they are a means to strengthen us ; to go to the Lords Table with hunger and thirst , and serious consideration of our own unworthiness , and of our need , and with true faith unto it ; the Lords Supper is a means to strengthen , as it is noted in the primitive Church , Acts 2. 42. so again for meditations , if we would meditate of the things we hear , of Gods word , and his blessings , and judgement , and warning we have from day to day ; if we would digest these things , and chew them from day to day , they would yield a great deal of nourishment unto us ; as David saith , Blessed is the man whose meditations are in Gods Law , he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers side ; and his leafe shall not wither , Psal. 1. 2 , 3. that man shall flourish like a green bay tree : So for holy conference , that is a great means to strengthen all good things ; as those good people , when the times were bad , mark how they strengthned themselves , that they might not be infected with evil ; they that feared the Lord spake often one to another , Mal. 3. 16.

Sixthly , We should put forth our selves to the utmost in good duties ; it is our lazinesse and idleness that we are not more able to do good , and that we are so frail and infirm to do any thing that is of God ; if we would take pains and put forth our selves , we should be strong ; and indeed what is strength but taking of pains when a man puts forth himself ? as Eccles. 10. 10. that is , a man must take the more pains ; the more pains a man takes , the more strength he puts forth ; there is no creature that God hath made besides man , but doth act to its utmost strength ; the fire burns as much as ever it can ; and the light shines as much as ever it can ; and the stone goes down as low as ever it can ; every creature works as far as it can ; but now man he can limit his strength , because he hath reason and will , and according as he sees a thing more or less necessary , according as he sees it easier or harder to be attained , accordingly he lessens or puts forth his strength ; and it is great reason that God should give man power to limit his strength , for he is to deal with the creature as well as with the Creator ; and if he should love and seek the creature as much as ever he can , this were Idolatry ; therefore the Lord hath given a man power to limit his strength , not to let out all his love or fear upon any thing here below ; but yet God doth not give a man that power to limit his strength , and the exercise of it towards his Maker , but he should let out all towards God ; as David saith , let all that is within wee praise the Lord ; he opens his floodgates wide , and le ts out all towards Psal. 103. God .

Seventhly , Consider that all received strength is worth nothing unlesse God give us new supply ; wherefore are true Christians weak at any time , but because they think thus ? I had true grace in the morning , and an hour ago I had the fear of God and the hatred of sin ; and the consideration of this makes him that he is not so careful to keep close to Christ , and to take heed of falling ; he thinks , I had power the other day , and I was able to resist temptations then ; this makes a man weak ; he thinks he had grace a while a go , and so trusts to that ; for if a man do not still look up to Christ , and cleave unto him , as if he had no strength , the man is presently a weak man , as weak as another man , and cannot stand ; a man cannot be strong in the grace that is in himself , but in the grace that is in God , Eph. 6. 10. Brethren , be strong in the Lord , and in the power of his might : And as Paul speaks to Timothy , though Timothy were a man that was as strong as any man upon the face of the earth almost , yet he bids him not count himself strong in the grace that was in him , but in the grace that is in Christ Jesus , 2 Tim. 2. 1. As it is with the air , which is not strong with the light that is in it self , but with the light that is in the Sun ; therefore we are careful not to shut the windows ; for if we shut the light of the Sun out , the air though it be light now , will be dark again in a moment ; therefore though the room be light , yet we keep the windows open , for the light of the air is strong in the light of the Sun ; so a Christian should keep his windows ever open towards Christ ; if a man ever turn his back again upon Christ , and neglect Christ , if he do not cleave to Christ , and take heed he do not provoke Christ against him , he is gone , he is as weak as can be ; as Ezra speaks , Ezr. 7. 28. I was strengthned as the hand of the Lord was upon me ; no otherwise , if the Lord should take away his hand , he were gone though he had never so much strength , wisedom and parts ; he were no body without God .

Eighthly , Lastly , Take heed of striving against knowledge , or willingly ; that weakens us horribly ; and in particular take heed of pride ; no man so weak as a proud man , nor so strong as an humble man , as a Divine speaks ; a man that is sensible of his own weakness , of his own being no body , of his own folly , and that he is able to do nothing of himself , he that is sensible of this is strong ; as Paul saith , 2 Cor. 12. 10. when we are weak then are we strong ; that is , when we are humble and weak in our own apprehension and consideration , when we lay this to heart , that we are weak , then are we strong ; for this makes a man lay about him , to cleave unto God .

I have laid down divers directions for the strengthning of those good things that are in us , and I will now adde one more , because it is seasonable for the time . Direct .

Make conscience of using and improving the Sacraments , for they are excellent Ordinances to strengthen a man .

First , The Sacrament of Baptism ; I do not mean the meer receiving outward baptism , that is a weak thing ; but when a man hath a care to improve his baptism . It is noted of Abraham , that he had faith before his circumcision ; but he received circumcision , the seal of the righteousness of faith , for this , that he might be the father of the faithful , Rom. 4. 19. Now he could believe incredible wonderful strange things , that would have staggered him before : So when David was to fight against Goliah , he was a great warrier , and a mighty souldier , and David a weak stripling ; now see how he strengthned himself against Goliah ; he useth three argument , and one is taken from the Sacrament of Gods covenant ; he was an uncircumcised man , but David was circumcised , and within the covenant ; What is this 1 Sam. 17. uncircumcised Philistin , to one that is circumcised and in covenant with God ? and he hath given me the Sacrament of it , that he will help me and be with me , and stand by me in all estates and conditions . So it was with the Gaoler ; before when the Magistrates bid him put Paul and his fellows in the worst prison , he durst do no other ; and when he saw the prison doors Acts 16. open , he would have killed himself , he was not able to have any power over himself ; but when he had faith and was baptized , now he was able to take them out of the prison , and carry them to his own house , and give them the best entertainment ; though the Magistrates counted them Roagues and vagabonds , he had gotten strength now .

Secondly , The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is of great force , being used with faith and due preparation according to Gods Ordinance ; it is a Sacrament for the very nonce to help a mans faith , and strengthen him in every good thing .

First , Because this is the very nature of the Sacrament ; it is the Sacrament of growth and increasing in grace ; the other Sacrament puts a man into the estate of grace , and this strengthens a man in the estate of grace ; therefore when Christ administred the Sacrament , he tells us , we may receive Matth 26. it as our very bread ; now Psal. 104. 15. bread strengthens a mans heart : He tells us if we come to the Sacrament aright , as our bodies receive bread and it strengthens them , so we may receive that which will nourish our souls ; take , eat , this is my body ; will not this bread nourish you ? directly my body is such a thing , that do but take it by faith , it shall strengthen you , just as this bread strengthens the body ; as Eliah went in the strength of that 1 Kings 19. meat he eat forty dayes and forty nights ; so if we come to this Sacrament understandingly and preparedly , it is most certain we shall have strength ; may be not that we would have our selves ; may be we would have more grace , and more assistance , but we shall have that strength whereby we shall be able to go on in the service of God , doing good , and shunning evil from day to day ; My flesh is meat indeed , &c. And indeed it will nourish a man ; as it is said of Jonathan , he was weak and faint , and his eyes grew John 6. 55. 1 Sam. 14. dim ; but when he tasted a little honey , his strength came to him again : So the Sacrament received by a true Communicant , that sets himself to prepare his soule to partake of it , he shall have his eyes enlightned , and his heart quickened , he shall have some succour and relief from it to goe about every good word and work .

Secondly , It is a seal of Gods Covenant , and therefore must needs strengthen a man that is in Covenant with God , if he come to it as it ought to become unto ; for what is the Covenant a true believer is in ? I will make an everlasting Covenant , never to turn away from them to doe them good ; and I will put my fear into their hearts , &c. Jer. 32. 40. It is an everlasting Covenant , I will never let them goe , I will put a strong fear into their hearts , that they shall not doe as the wicked doe , they shall stand in awe of God ; it is a strong light ; others shall be deluded ; they shall not be deluded ; it is a strong apprehension of the Word and Will of God ; this is the Covenant of God . Now when a man shall come to have this sealed , when God shall give this Sacrament to make this good , and he takes the Sacrament upon it , that he will walk according to this Covenant , according to the grace that God hath given him ; this man hath all the witnesses in heaven and earth ; why should he be weak in faith then ? There be but three witnesses in 1 John 5. heaven ; he hath these that hath faith ; there be but three on earth , the spirit , water , and blood ; by spirit , is meant the same spirit that works true faith and obedience in the hearts of his people ; then water , that is the water of Baptism ; and blood , that is the blood of the Lords Supper ; the Lord doth witnesse eternal life to this mans heart ; therefore what can this man want ?

Thirdly , This Sacrament is Communion with Jesus Christ , 1 Cor. 10. 16. The cup of blessing which we bless , is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ ? &c. So that when a man comes to the Sacrament aright , he hath communion with Jesus Christ ; therefore he must needs be strengthened , though he were never so weak before ; as Solomon saith of the Contes , they are a feeble folke , and yet they make their houses in the Rocks , Prov. 30. 26. So true Christians are a feeble folk , yet they make their houses in the Rock , where they eat this spiritual meat , and drink this spiritual drink ; they drink of that Rock Jesus Christ ; when they draw neer to this Table , they draw neer to Christ , and therefore must needs gather strength ; they come to this Rock to be rooted and established in this Rock ; and therefore must needs get strength .

Fourthly , Because this Sacrament is a Sacrament of communion with the members of Christ ; a man that rightly receives it , doth increase the Communion of Saints over all the world ; though he never saw them , yet he is loved more and more of all the Saints ; therefore he must needs grow stronger : Take a man that is woven into every man , there is hardly any man of any power but loves him , he hath friends everywhere ; this man is a strong man , as it is said of Absolom , he grew strong , for the people increas'd continually with him , 2 Sam. 21. 15. So a Christian must needs grow strong , that truly hears the Word , and receives the Sacrament ; for people still come flocking more and more unto him ; for still as the Church comes to grow , or any soul comes to believe in Christ , he strengthens himselfe ; as Paul was strong in every Town where he went , in regard of the Communion of Saints ; such a man is strong in regard of his infirmities , he hath many to help him to bear them ; he is strong also in regard of advice and counsel , he shall have the counsel of the Saints , Job 4. 3. If a man be doubtful what course to take when instruction comes , it strengthens a man much : Now when a man hath communion with all the Saints , what abundance of counsel hath he ? you may see how weak David was , he was not able to 1 Sam. 25. beat down his wrath and impatience : Now when Abigail came with her good counsel , he blessed God for it .

Let us have a care to come so to the Sacrament , that we may be strengthened in all good things , that we may be more quickned up to every good word Vse 1 and work ; for it is a strengthening Ordinance ; it is appointed of God for the very nonce to strengthen Gods people in all business and employments they have to doe from day to day . When Moses , and all Israel received the Passeover , God smote the first borne of all Egypt , Psal. 105. 30. This was a seal that God smote all the strength of the Egyptians , but there was not one weak person among the Israelites : So if we did receive the Sacrament aright , there should not be a weak Christian among us , God would smite the Egyptians , and weaken the strength of all their lusts and corruptions ; is therefore any among us weak , and he cannot do this and that ? his lusts are like the sons of Zerviah to David , too hard for him ; Though I be anointed King , I am weak , &c. 2 Sam. 3. 39. So dost thou say , I am very weak this day , and though God hath anointed me King over my lusts , and I am a Christian that should have power over my lusts , yet these base lusts and cursed corruptions are too hard for me ; I say , if we did but wisely and carefully , as we ought to do , goe to the Word and Sacrament , and the rest of Gods Ordinances , we should have marvellous supply and help to carry us on in our Christian Combate : It is a very remarkable thing , that when God would have Joshua and all Israel goe about that same hard work , to goe and encounter with 31 Kings of Canaan at one clap , and they were now newly come into the Land of Canaan , and were hemmed in , the waters of Jordan came back , and they could not goe back again , it is to be noted that before God would have them strike a blow , he would have them take the Sacrament of Circumcision ; you know the Canaanites might have come and cut their throats when they were sore ; nay when they were circumcised , God would not Josh. 5. have them goe fight yet , but they must take the Sacrament of the Passeover , which would cost them seven dayes ; one would think this was not the way to be strong ; but this was indeed the way to be strong , to go in the strength of heaven ; this made the spirits of their enemies melt , for they were now within the Covenant of God ; therefore how should we help our own souls , if we would but go in the strength of Gods Covenant to prayer and every business we have to do , and if we would but rightly partake of this Sacrament as a seal of the Covenant ? nothing would make it so strong as this .

This may seem to condemn the most of us all generally . How do Christians misse of the partaking of the Sacrament ? what a deal of weakness is Vse 2 there among us ? where is there a strong Christian ? they can hardly doe any thing , or suffer any thing ; whence is all this ? this comes from not receiving the Sacrament as they ought to doe ; as the Apostle saith of bodily weakness , 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you , and many sleep . He speaks there of their unworthy receiving the Sacrament ; this is the cause that your bodies are weak : So this is as true of the weakness of the soule ; for this cause many are weak among you , and many have such sick souls ; nay , many are even dead to all manner of good , even for this cause , the not receiving the Lords Supper in a right manner ; for if the Sacrament were duely come unto as it doth require , it is to strengthen us in grace , and against Satan ; but when people come hand over head , when they pr●pare themselves slightly , pray slightly before they come , and come carelesle and negligently , and take not pains to come in due fashion , they rather strengthen themselves in sinne and Satan against them ; as it is said of Judas , after he had received the sop , the Devil entred into him , John 13. 27. you see he went away with more hardness of heart from the Lords Supper , then he came to it ; he went away with more wrath and discontent against Christ and his blessed company then before ; the Devil had more strength then he had before : A true Christian that comes to the Sacrament as he ought , gets more strength to his faith , more strength to his lively hope , more patience and meekness ; he strengthens all the graces of Gods spirit , and strengthens himselfe against Satan and his own flesh , and against his l●sts and corruptions ; but when a man comes otherwise , he doth not only not get strength against corruption , but corruption gets strength rather ; he goes away with more corruption of heart , and more guiltiness of sinne then before , and is more heartless to prayer and good duties : The Devil deals with men , as the Monk did with Henry the 7th . Emperour ▪ it is reported that he was poysoned by coming to the Sacrament ; for he had poysoned it ; so the Devil poysons the Sacrament to most men , they eat and drink their own damnation , when they goe away from the Lords Supper they are worse then when they came , more weak and unable to put off Satan , and more exposed to his fiery darts ; whereas if the Sacrament were approached unto according to the due order that God hath set down in his Word , we should gather , strength from it .

This may serve to shew the reason why people get no more good by the Vse 3 Sacrament , and doe not meet with this strength that the Sacrament administers to every worthy Communicant in general , because they doe not come in ● right manner to the partaking of it ; and when they doe not regard the manner , God doth not regard the matter ; when they doe not come faithfully , and readily , and preparedly to the Table of the Lord , the Lord regards not their coming , and they shall get no good by it ; as Solomon saith , When a man is not ready to heare , he offers the sacrifice of f●ls , Eccles. 5. 1. So when a man receives the Sacrament , and is not ready to receive , he receives the Sacrament of fools ; he doth not consider what a sacred thing it is , and what great matters are required of him , and what care and conscience is requisite thereunto ; we should examine our selves , as the Apostle saith , 1 Cor. 11. 28. We must not only eat of that bread , and drink of that cup , for so even wretches and carnal people do , and never partake of any strength ; but we must partake of it after a right manner , as Christ saith , Luke . 12. 47. He that knew his Lords will , and prepared not himselfe to doe it , shall be beaten with many stripes ; so when we know it is Gods will we should come preparedly , and we will not prepare our selves ; God will not strengthen us and help us against our lusts , but our lusts shal get head against us . This is in general . Now I come to speak of some particular reasons that hinder men from partaking aright of the Sacrament .

First , Because people come not to the Sacrament with a sense and feeling of their own wants ; if we would partake of strength by the Sacrament , before we come we must feel our wants , how we want hope , and patience , and faith , and strength , we want spiritual understanding in the wayes of God ; we should not only see this ▪ but feel it ; people , may be , see this , that they want this or that ; but there is no sound feeling of their wants ; they are without faith , and do not feel it ; without hope and patience , and doe not feel it ; they do not find the want of these things . Now Prov. 9. 4 , 5. Wisedome saith to him that wanteth understanding , Come eat of my bread , &c. When a man doth want understanding , is not onely without it , but feels the want of it ; he is not only without strength and faith , but feels the want of it ; he sees the want of wisedom and discretion , and Gods helping of him more and more ; if it be so , eat of my bread , &c.

Secondly , Because people come without true repentance to the Lords Table , they do not repent of their sins , they do not break the league between them and their own wayes , they come to the Sacrament , and mean to think as they have done , and speak as they have done , and keep company as they have done , and behave themselves in their places and callings as they have done , and no otherwise then they have done ; and though they cry God mercy , and make some prayers , yet the covenant between them and their wicked courses was never broken ; and therefore it can do them no good : People come to the Sacrament as Judas did , he came fresh from the Pharisees conspiring the betraying his Master , and as soon as he had done , he meant to go to them again , and so got no good by it ; whereas if we would get good by the Sacrament , that it may build us up in knowledge and believing , in having a care to please God , and making conscience of all our wayes , we ought to root out our sins and corruptions , and fling away our lusts and vile affections ; we should throw sin out of doors , as the Israelites were to throw leaven out of doors , and not to have any in their houses ; nay we should deal with sin , as Ammon did with Thamar ; he hated her now more then he loved her before ; nay he put her out , and bolted the doore after her ; so though we loved vanity , and worldliness , and passion before , yet now we should hate them , and put them out of doors , yea bolt the door after them , that they may come in no more . This is the way to come to the Sacrament , so as to get strength thereby ; and the want of this is the cause that people go away so weak .

Thirdly , Because they come without faith ; they come doubting to the Sacrament , Rom. 14. 23. He that doubteth , is damned if he eat . I may apply it to this ; he that doubts is damned if he receive the Sacrament , his own conscience will reprove him , his own soul will say , I have not done well , I have not pleased God in comming ; his own conscience will condemn him , and damn him ; when he looks upon the Covenant of grace , he cannot apply it , conscience puts him off : This is for want of true faith ; if people would come to the Lords Table with faith , they would receive strength , as it is said of Moses , Heb. 11. 28. By faith he received the Passeover ; so if by faith we would receive the Lords Supper , and beat down all doubts and fears of flesh and blood , and resolve to cast our selves upon Christ and his promises , and let him have the disposing of us ; if we would truly cast our selves upon Christ , and believe in his name , and so come to the Sacrament , we should have strength ; how can we get strength without this ? Eph. 3. 17. When we come to the Sacrament , we come to partake of Christ , and receive Christ , that we may dwell in Christ , and he in us . Now he will not doe thus without faith ; faith is the wedding garment ; if we come without it , we shall be bound hand and foot and cast into utter darkness ; may be thou wert fettered before , but now thou shalt be more bound , even bound hand and foot , that thou canst not stir , as the Apostle saith , Above all things take the shield of faith ; so I may say , if you will come to the Sacrament to your Eph. 6. own peace and comfort , above all things take the shield of faith . When men come to the Sacrament only with bodily eyes , and bodily hands , what do they get ? nothing but a piece of bread , and a drop of wine ; but if they had faith , they should have the evidence of things not seen ; Christ , and heaven , and the covenant of grace , are not seen with bodily eyes ; faith would help them to the evidence of these things not seen ; as St. Austin speaks of a worthy Martyr , when he was to suffer Martyrdome , he took the Sacrament to strengthen him to suffer Martyrdom ; and the Martyrs in the Primitive Church , every day expecting Martyrdom , they every day received the Sacrament to help them with strength ; but when we come to the Sacrament without faith , we deprive our selves of this benefit . Now as long as we give way to our sins , doubting will reign , and faith cannot be in our soules .

Fourthly , Because they do not seek earnestly to God to blesse the Sacrament to them they do not make themselves strong in heaven before they come ; they do not go with strong cries and groans to the Throne of grace , that God would quicken them that they may get the good they ought to do at it . If we would come to the Sacrament of Lords Supper as we ought to do , we should be earnest with God and wrestle with him , that he would make us sensible of our wants , and that he would pluck up our hearts to come with faith , that he would strengthen us , that we may behave our selves well when we are there , and when we come away ; every Ordinance of God is sanctified by the word and prayer , 1 Tim. 4. 5. Now because either people do not pray at all , or if they do , they are not earnest with God , therefore it is that they return home little the better .

Fifthly , Because they do not behave themselves ●ell when they are at it , they are not well occupied when they sit at the Lords Table , they know not how to employ themselves as the duty requires ; this is that would help us to true strength by the Sacrament , if we were well employed when we were at it . Cant. 1. 12. While the King sitteth at his table , &c. saith the Church , that is , while the King was enjoying communion with me and I with him , I was just at the same time very well employed ; I laboured in some measure to stir up all the graces that were in me , that my Spikenard might send up a sweet perfume into his nostrils , that my faith might work , and my love might work ; so while we are sitting at the Lords Table , and the King sitteth down to bid us welcome ; we should labour to be well employed , to keep vanities out of our minds , and employ them well , that we may have a good meal before we go .

Sixthly , Because people when they have been at the Sacrament , they do not examine themselves diligently , whither they have got any good by the Sacrament ; I have received the Sacrament , have I got any good by it ? is my faith strengthned ? am I yet backward to Gods will , untoward in his worship , dead in his service , am I still hovering and doubting in my conscience , have I no care of God , have I got no good by the Sacrament ? if people would but call themselves to account , whither they have got any good by the Sacrament , this would do them a great deal of good ; it would make them bewail and lament , and cry out if they got no good ; people let things r●n on at six and sevens ; if they get good , so it is ; if they get none , so it is , but lay it not to heart ; whereas a godly heart when he hath been at an Ordinance , calls himself to account , and takes it marvellous heavily if he see he hath got no good ; as the Church when she prayed , and saw her prayers did not prevail , it was a bitter thing to her ; Thou hast covered thy self with a cloud , that our prayer should not pass thorow , Lam. 3. 44. when she saw she prayed , and strived , and tugged with God , and there was no comfort , O how she took it to heart , she made it the burthen of her complaint ; so if Christians would do thus , The Sacrament doth not take , the Lord covers himself with clouds , and hides himself from me , he will not own me ; we should go crying and yelling up and down to see that we do not get good by the Sacrament ; if we would do thus , we might get good by it .

Seventhly , If people do get good by the Sacrament afterwards , yet they do not interpret this to be by the goodness of God in the Sacrament ; may be they meet with some comfort and assistance now and then which might do them a world of good , and strengthen their hearts wonderfully if they did look to it ; when they have gotten many good blessings , now they do not construe this to be by reason of Gods Sacrament and Covenant ; if they did look upon it , O this came by vertue of Gods Covenant , and the seal of his Covenant to my soul , this would make them strong in Gods Covenant , and help them exceedingly ; thus David did , if he got any mercy at any time , still he laid it upon going to Gods Ordinances ; this I had because I kept thy precepts ; This I had because I prayed unto thee , and sought thee Psal. 119. earnestly ; I followed God earnestly , and now I see his infinite goodnesse and mercy towards me , how he hath rewarded me ; I confess it was a poor thing I did , God might even have slung it as dung in my face , but see how he hath rewarded me : So if Christians would say , this I had because I was careful , though I had formerly neglected Gods Ordinances ; yet at last I came to seek him earnestly with my whole heart , and to come more preparedly and diligently to the Lords Supper , and now this I find I had by it ; how hath God blessed me since ? how hath he assisted me , and lifted me over many rubs and temptations ? I will have a care of this therefore afterwards ; this would strengthen a man wonderfully , but for want of this people get little good .

Eighthly , Because Christians do not rowse and stir up the Sacraments that they have partaked of formerly , they do not provoke their souls to extort the efficacy and fruit of former Sacraments ; when Moses had perceived that all Israel had entered into Covenant with God , he rowseth up their hearts to look upon this Covenant , Deut. 26. 17 , 18 , 19. Then hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God , &c. As who should say , you have entered into covenant with God this very day ; now rowse up your selves and and consider what God hath done ; this very God hath promised you to set you up above all Nations ; then stir up your selves and believe God , and say , Why should I distrust God ? certainly he will blesse me , and do good to me ; and this day thou hast vowed thy self to God , therefore rowse up thy self and think there is no going back ; I have made a covenant , and taken the Sacrament upon it , and now there is no going back ; as Luther speaks of a good Virgin , she was marvellously tempted by her lusts and corruptions ; she helped herself by the covenant ; I am a Christian , and am baptized , I have taken the Sacrament upon it , and will not yield ; and this did marvellously help her ; but when Christians neglect this , no marvel though they continue weak still ; nay , most people though they have been at the Sacrament make no conscience of their vows to God , they break covenant with God , therefore no marvel they get no good by the Sacrament .

REV. 3. 2. Be watchful therefore and strengthen the things which remain , &c.

STrengthen the things which remain ; As who should say , thou hast some grace in thee , but what grace ? nothing but the remainder of a great deal ; more thou hast had formerly ; thou hast been more earnest , and more fruitful , and hast abounded in the work of the Lord , thou hast had more a great deal , thou art horribly grown down the wind , thou hast nothing but the remainders of what thou hadst , therefore it is high time for thee to go and strengthen the things that remain .

Now here by the way , before we come to the main point , we may observe A child of God cannot fall from grace . That a child of God cannot fall totally away ; there will be ever something that remains ; though he may lose much of his good graces , he cannot lose all ; though Sardis was brought to a low ebbe , yet there was something remaining ; I say , a child of God can never come to such a low pass , but he shall have something remaining ; he may have horrible declinings , and woful decayings of grace , but he can never come to this passe , to have no grace , no faith , no love to God , no ca●e of his name , to be a wicked man again , there will be something remaining in him that is good ; as we may see , 1 J●hn 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not , for the seed of God rem●ineth in him ; a child of God that is born of God cannot sin , that is , he cannot absolutely and totally fall away , there will be good things in him as long as he lives , there will be a seed remaining in him for ever ; he can never be a bankrupt , and come to nothing ; he shall be a godly man , and a child of God , and one that fears Gods name for ever ; he cannot lose all , though he lose much ; as it is said of J●hoshaphat , though he yielded much to sin , and gave way to the lusts of his own heart in an horrible manner , yet there was something remaining in him ; though he had greatly dishonoured God , and distempered his own soul , so far forth as to love the ungodly , and to help those that were the enemies of God ; yet saith the Text , there are good things sound in thee ; he was not quite deprived of all the graces of Gods 2 Chron. 19. 2. 3. Mat. 25. blessed spirit , but there were good things in him still ; so the five wise Virgins , though they slumbred and slept , and were exceeding secure , yet their lamps were not gone out ; I may compare a Christian to a cup of right Canarie Wine , that no frost in the world can quite freeze ; it may freeze it very much , but yet there will be some spirits of the Wine remaining unfroz●n ; so godly men are an everlasting foundation , all cannot possibly be spent and consumed in them , they shall have something remaining in them . Now I will tell you , First , What is not the reason of this . Secondly , What is the reason of it .

First , Not any thing in himself ; it is not any grace received in it self , it 1. What not the Reason . is nothing in thee ; no not the image of God in thee , nor any holiness , nor mortification ; there is nothing in him keeps him from falling away ; for let a man have all the grace that ever any man had , he may fall totally for all that ; nay , if he were as holy inherently as Adam in his innocency , he may fall away totally ; nay , if he were as holy as the Angels in Heaven , and were in the same estate that the Angels in Heaven are ; they are not immutable in their own nature , therefore that they are confirmed in grace , it is Gods goodness and mercy to them , it is nothing in themselves ; those Angels that do stand , may fall notwithstanding any thing that is in them ; no grace received will keep a man from falling totally away , if he have not the fountain and the favour of God to keep him , if he have not a better bottom then himself ; intrinsecal unchangableness is only a property of the Lord , Mal. 3. 6. All creatures may change , if they had a thousand times more of the image of God , yet they may change and fall , and lose all notwithstanding any thing they have received ; it is nothing in a mans self ; Now I will make this appear that it is not any thing in a mans self .

First , Because the godliest man in the world is bid to look upon himself Evid . as one that may fall absolutely into any sin in the world in himself ; for all the love he hath of God , he may yet hate him ; for all the fear he hath of God , he may yet slight him ; a child of God is commanded to look upon himself , as left to himself , to be in a woful case ; that he may fall finally and totally away , to be nothing and worse then nothing ; as the Apostle saith , Gal. 6. 1. if a man be overtaken in a fault , ye that are spiritual restore such a man , knowing that ye your selves also may be tempted that is , consider , it may be thy case , thou mayst be tempted to fall as well as he , and worse too ; you that are spiritual , though you be never so spiritual , though your minds be never so wrapt up with God , and taken up with spiritual things , yet you are not so spiritual , but if you will hearken to the counsel of your own hearts , you may be carnal and brutish ; look upon thy self as a poor miserable creature ; though thou hast never so much grace , thou canst not keep it , unlesse thou hast a better keeper then thy self .

Secondly , Because the people of God are bound to fear themselves ( I bring the very arguments that they bring that hold a child of God may fall away totally ; therefore I grant them that the arguments are good , that in themselves they may fall away ) and I say a child of God is commanded to fear ; be not high-minded but fear ; that is , though thou hast an excellent faith , and standest by faith , yet be not high-minded , do not think thou art higher then thou art , and remoter from the power of the flesh then thou art ; be not proud and conceited ; for all the faith thou hast , thou mayst distrust God ; and if God leave thee to thy self thou mayst be an unbeliever , and as vile an infidel as ever breathed upon the face of the earth ; in thy self thou hast as vile a wretched heart as any man , which if thou wert left to thy self would quickly shew what it is , Phil. 2. 12. 13. work out your salvation with fear and trembling ; for God worketh both the will and the deed : As who should say , I do not deny but a child of God doth depend upon the good pleasure of God , and is built upon his eternal counsel ; he is not built upon his own pleasure , he doth not stand upon the hap hazard of his own will , but upon the good pleasure of Gods will ; but saith he , it is our part to fear ; for we for our part may fall , we can do nothing , no more then we are holpen ; no more then God doth stand by us , and keep us from falling ; it is our part to fear and tremble from day to day ; as the Apostle saith , Heb. 4. 1. let us fear , lest having the promises of entring into his rest , any of us should fall short : Let us fear ; as who should say , we are in danger of coming short , we are in danger to fall , and not to reach the Kingdom of Heaven ; how many temptations are there ? what a vile flesh do we carry about with us ? therefore let us fear .

Thirdly , The children of God are commanded to take heed , lest they fall totally away ; where note they may for all that is in themselves , for any grace that is received ; therefore God calls upon them to cling to him , and ●o cleave to him , that he may not be provoked to withhold himself from them ; as we may see , Heb. 12. 15. take heed lest any man fail of the grace of God , &c. Take heed , look diligently to your selves , lest any man fail of the grace of God ; if you mean to go to heaven , I can tell you you must have care and diligence , and look to your selves ; take heed you be not proud and worldly ; take heed you suffer not security nor any other corruption to steal upon you , and hinder you from going on in a godly course ; take heed lest any of you fail of the grace of God ; what do these words import ▪ but that a man in himself is in greiveous danger , in regard of falling totally away ? so 1 Cor. 10. 12. he that stands , let him take heed lest he falls , though he stand never so firm for the present , though he be never so stout and couragious ; no man ever went so far in the wayes of God but he might turn back if he lookt not to himself ; no man was ever so zealous , but he might be lukewarm if he lookt not to it ; no man was ever so quickned , but he may be deaded , if he look not to it ; therefore he that stands let him take heed lest he fall .

Fourthly , Because the children of God are commanded still to grow in grace , because there is no grace yet received , or that can be received in this world , is enough to keep them from falling totally away ; if a man think with himself , this grace I have is enough , I need no more , if ▪ he do stand at a stay , and limit himself , and think this will suffice , he is mistaken ; there is no grace , if it were a thousand times greater then that which the best Saint in the world hath , that can secure a man from falling away ; therefore when the Apostle would perswade Christians to take heed that they did not fall away , 2 Pet. 3. 17. he bids them grow in grace ; would you not fall , but stand stedfast ? would you not be led away with the errours of the wicked ? know assuredly that all the graces you have received are not sufficient ; but grow in grace , labour to be more humble , and meek , and patient , and zealous ; labour to make more conscience of your wayes , to have a more tender heart , to be more taken up with God , and more careful to please him ; to be more earnest and frequent in prayer , to mark his word , and look to your steps every day ; labour to stand firmer and stronger yet ; for all that you have attained to it is not so much , but it may be weakned and born down ; Therefore grow in grace , and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ .

Sixthly , Because the examples of Apostates and backsliders are propounded to the very Saints , for them to take warning by ; as the Apostle propounds the example of the Jewish Apostates to the Romans ; if God spared not the natural branches , &c. Look upon them , see how they are fallen away , Rom. 11. 21 ▪ how that Church is Apostatized ; therefore look thou to thy self , lest that which befell them befall thee ; lest thou sin against God , as they did , and so that light upon thee , which did light upon them ; so the Apostle doth propound t●● example of Alexander and Hymeneus and Philetus even to Timothy ; though Timothy was elect of God , yet he knew Timothy was of a flexible nature , and might change and fall , and fall totally in himself , if he did not look to it ; O saith he , hold faith and a good conscience , &c. 1 Tim. 1. 19 , 20. He propounds it even to Timothy , that the falls of Apostates might make him wary and careful to stand upon his guard .

Seventhly , Bee use the children of God are fain to pray that God would keep them from falling away finally & totally ; which is a sign that they may fall away totally in themselves , notwithstanding whatsoever acquaintance they have with God , or whatsoever vertue they have gotten from Christs death , yet they are to go to God to keep them from falling away ; as Psal. 119. 43. 44. take not away the word of thy truth , &c. As who should say , Lord , for ever keep me , do thou never forsake me utterly , though I may provoke thee to forsake me very much , yet never take away the word of thy truth utterly out of my mouth , then I shall never be able to hold out to the end ; if thou wilt keep me and uphold me , then I shall keep thy Law for ever ; but otherwise I shall never do it : Nay , Christ plainly tells us , that he is fain to put in , and pour out his prayers before his heavenly father , that his dearest Saints and elect may not fall away ; as who should say , Father , they may fall totally away , if thou do not preserve them ; as he saith to Peter , Luke 22. 32. I have prayed that thy faith fail not ; faith is the best grace that any child of God hath , and love proceeding from faith is a good grace ; but they are all failing things , and may be worn out by corruptions ; therefore Christ prayeth his heavenly Father that it may be fed and cherished , and kept by his heavenly Father , that it may never fail ; implying it would fail otherwise : Nay , the children of God are fain to confesse in their prayers it were just with God to let them fall totally away , by reason of their sins , by reason of their unthankfulnesse and unfruitfulness under the means , and want of knowledge of his son Jesus Christ ; they confess it were just with God to be weary of them , and give them for gone ; nay , the children of God , the best of them all do find that it is a very hard thing to keep themselves from decayes of grace , and declinings , and weaknings ; they find that they have much ado to hold their own , much more to grow in grace , and increase more and more ; to grow more and more heavenly , and more and more vertuous , and more and more selfdenying ; they see how many thousand corruptions and temptations they have , and how backward their own hearts are , and how soon they are surprized , that they have much ado to keep that which is begun in them , much more to encrease it , and grow in it : Nay , the children of God may so far fall away , that in their own sense and feeling they may think that they have not a jot of grace , so that they are sometimes ready to conclude against themselves , that they have no grace , they were never wrought upon , never subdued ; many times it is thus , and though they do not conclude thus , yet how often are they put to this desperate lift ? to look every moment when they shall fall , and fall totally and lose all , they shall not have a relique of grace in them ; it is thus with the Saints of God .

Lastly , Because there is no grace received is able to hold without continual influences from Heaven ; this is the nature of the grace of the second Covenant , that it is by continual influence ; it is not like the first Covenant ; when God gave Adam all his portion in his hand , not only for the present , but for ever ; if he would he might stand for ever , he need not pray to God to keep him , but if he would obey God , he might stand of himself , by the Covenant that God had made with him ; but under the Covenant of grace , grace runs thus , that grace is but for the present ; if a man stand now , if he would stand the next hour , he must have a new supply of grace ; though he be never so patient now , he may be impatient in a quarter of an hour ; though he be never so humble now , he may be as proud as Luciser in a quarter of an hour ; I say , God under the Covenant of grace gives a man only for the present , so that now he may know it is in Gods hand ; he is kept by the power of God , through faith unto salvation ; so that grace is in a child of God , as light is in an house ; light is never so in an house , but in a moment it will be dark if you shut the windows ; so it is with a true Christian , he had need keep his windows open towards Christ , he hath need of continual shinings of grace from heaven ; as Christ teacheth us concerning our daily bread , give us this day our daily bread ; so it is much more in regard of grace for our souls ; good Lord give me wisedom and faith , and patience this hour , and so the next hour , and the next day ; give me the comfort of this day , and the assistance of this day , give me the concurrence of thy grace this day , and so the next ; and we must never leave praying to God to accompany us with his grace from day to day ; for a man stands not by the grace that is in him , but by the grace that is in God ; as the Apostle saith , Heb. 6. 10. be strong in the Lord , by the power of his might ; he doth not say , be strong by the grace ye have received , but be strong in the Lord ; be sure you call upon him , and keep close to him ; there is all you stand by . So 2 Tim. 2. 1. be strong in the grace in Christ Jesus ; if any man in the Church might be strong by the grace in himself , Timothy might ▪ he was as vertuous a young man as any in the Church ; no man that Paul loved so as Timothy ; I know no man like minded , saith he ; he was so endued with Gods spirit , and the graces and vertues thereof , that there was none like him ; yet Paul doth not bid him be strong in the grace that was in him , but be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus ; grace is in a child of God , as heat is in the water ; though it be never so seething hot , yet take it from the fire , and it will f●ing out all the heat , and be as cold as ever it was ; so it is here , notwithstanding all the graces that are in a child of God , if he do not hang over Jesus Christ , and keep close to him , the daily incursions of sin will consume his graces ; the temptations of the flesh ▪ and the Divel within , and the world without , will consume them all , unless a man be a good husband , and receive new supply from Heaven ; so that we say that no grace received can keep a man from falling , but that he may fall totally away in himself : Now to come to the true reasons why a child of God cannot fall totally away , but something of the Image of God shall remain in him ; though he may lose much , yet he shall not lose all , but something shall be remaining in him ; the reason of this is nothing else but the meer goodness of God to him , that God will not let him so fall , and God hath covenanted so with him , that man that truly believes in his name , he shall be kept for ever through faith unto salvation ; he shall not be quite broken off , but he shall have some grace , he shall have something of God in him , something that shall distinguish him from all wicked men in the world ; as the Lord saith of David , Psal 89 33. though they did sin against him , and carry themselves unworthy that God should keep them ; yet notwithstanding the Lord would whip them and chastize them , but his loving kindness he would never take from them ; why ? because he had sworn by his holiness that he would never fail David ; so that here we see it was meerly through the goodness of God to David and his elect people , that they were kept from falling away ; so Psal. 37. 24. saith he , the righteous shall not be utterly cast down ; a child of God may fall , and fall souly and fearfully , he may stain his own conscience in a lamentable manner , and wound his own soul , and disable himself to good duties in a fearful manner ; but yet though he fall , he shall not be utterly cast down , there shall be some standing still , it shall not be an utter fall ; so he that doth these things , shall never be removed , Psal. 15. 5. he speaks there of a man that shall dwel in Gods holy mount , and be names who it is , one that hath clean hands , and a pure heart , &c. so that you see it is the promise of God , that this man shall stand for ever ; he shall never be totally unsetled ; he doth not mean he shall not be moved at all , but not absolutely , so as to be quite and clean thrown down ; but yet no thanks to himself , but thanks to the promise ; otherwise he might be moved , and unsetled , and break his neck , and fall and never rise more ; but the promise is , that he shall never ●e moved , Psal. 112. 6. the righteous shall never be moved , he shall be had in everlasting remembrance ; the Lord will remember a righteous man in the midst of all temptations ; let all the Divels in hell set upon him , the Lord will for ever remember that man , and never let him go from him ; so that you see it is meerly the goodness of God , not from any thing in himself , not from any grace received , but meerly from Gods goodness ; he may thank the rock he is built upon ; as Christ saith , Mat. 7 25. He that heareth these sayings , and doth them , I will liken him to a man that built his house upon a rock , &c. The house fell not , but he may thank the rock ; it was built upon a rock ; so a childe of God is built upon a rock ▪ as we have a Proverb , how can he but swim that is held up by the chin ? so a child of God , the Lord holds him up by the chin , he shall never sink so as to be drowned ; he may fall , and fall fearfully , but not totally ; but there shall be something of God remaining in him for ever , the Lord will ever keep some truth of grace in that mans soule that he hath given the truth of grace to ▪ 2 John 2. For the truths sake ( saith he ) which dwelleth in us , and shall be in us for ever . When God hath put in the truth of saving grace into any of his peoples hearts , it shall dwell in them for ever , the Lord will take an order for the keeping of it ; therefore though a childe of God may be grievously overcome ▪ yet God doth ever let somthing or other remain he doth ever exempt something ; God deals with his children in regard of their souls , as he dealt with Job in regard of his body ; though he let the Devil have a great deal of power over him , yet he did limit him ; he is in thy hand , but save his life ; though he would not let him have power over his life to kill him , he let him have Jobs children in his hands , and he let him have his goods in his hands , his cattel and his substance in his hands , nay he let him have his health in his hands , so that he did strike him with boyles , and blains , and woful sicknesse , but yet save his life , you shall not take away his life ; so God deals with the life of his Saints ; though he may let the Devil horribly tempt them , and the World horribly carry them away , and the lusts of the flesh horribly vanquish them ; yet saith God , he is my childe , and the Devil , and the Flesh , and the Temptations of the World shall never kill him ; save his life , let him never be dead in trespasses and sinnes as a wretch .

But you will say , What is it that doth remain , and what shall for ever remain in the children of God ? You know David fell into adultery to lie with another mans wife ; he fell to that pass , that he laboured to defend his sin , and maintain it , that it might not come abroad ; he added murder to it ; what grace , what fear of God , what love to his Majesty , what regard of Gods commandements , what goodness or holiness at all was in Davids heart now at this time ? So Solomon , when he gave way to Idolatry over all Israel , to the Idols of Moab , and Ammon , and Edom , and the Philistins round about , that the true God was not truly worshipped ; what grace had he ? was there any goodness or piety in Solomon at that time ? So when Peter denied his Master , and forswore him , and confirmed it with an oath , and cursed himself if he knew the man ; what grace was in Peters heart at that time ? So when Asa threw the Prophet into prison when he came to reprove him ; what grace remained in him at that time ? Thus the enemies of this Doctrine argue against it ; therefore they say a child of God may fall totally . Was there any grace at all in Davids heart when he was committing adultery and murder ? was there any grace at all in Lots heart when he was committing drunkennesse and incest one night after another ?

I answer , There are four things which shall ever remain in Gods children , and shall never be taken away quite and clean after they are once converted , and brought home to God .

First , They have an Unction , an anointing from the holy one , and that is in them , and shall abide in them for ever , 1 John 2. 27. The anointing which ye have received of him dwelleth in you , &c. This same anointing , it abides in the people of God for ever : By this same anointing , I mean the opening of their eyes , whereby they look upon God and Christ , and his goodness , and holinesse , and righteousnesse , and the commandements of God , and sin , and hell , and the world , and profits , and pleasures ; they look upon the things of the world , and upon the things of heaven , in another manner then any other people doe ; God opens their eyes , that they look upon things in a different manner from other men● ; and this unction shall abide in them for ever : 'T is true , sin may h●rribly dazle their eyes , by reason of the corruptions of the f●esh , and the deceivablenesse of sin ; they may be marvellously weakened in this unction , and darkness and deadness of soule may blinde their eyes , and dimme their looks ; but it can never be quite taken away ; they will have a better sight of God , and Heaven , and Christ , and heavenly things , and of the Ordinances of God , and of the world , and their callings , and the businesse of the world , they shall see these things after a different manner from the world ; as for example : A child of God shall see more of the word then any other ; others may see the word , and yet continue in sin still ; but a godly man shall see that in the word , that he ●ares not live in any sin for a thousand worlds . So for the Sacrament , he seeth more then a natural man ; a natural man seeth nothing in the Sacrament , but he may come to it as he doth come to it , he may live in his sins still , he sees nothing in the Sacrament , he doth not see that he eats and drinks his own damnation if he come unworthily ; but a childe of God seeth that in the Sacrament , that he dares not come unpreparedly and unworthily by any meanes ; he seeth that in the Sacrament that requires preparation and worthinesse ; so for sin , he seeth that in sin , that he dares not goe on in it ; he will rather die at stake , rather then doe as the world doth ; though through weakness and want of cautelousnesse , sin may get great advantage against him , yet it shall never bear him down , and the unction keeps him that he dares not lay the reins upon his neck . This is one thing shall ever remain in a child of God ; and this appears by two things .

First by this , That if ever the Devil get a childe of God to commit sin , he cannot carry it away as others doe , but it makes the heart bleed , and wounds the conscience ; he seeth such things in yielding to sin , and giving way to the Devil ( I speak of known s●ns ) the unction doth so wound him , that he cannot carry it as others doe ; if he tell a lye , he cannot bear it as the wicked can doe , they can be merry , and jovi●l and carry it away , it never troubles them ; but where this unction is ▪ it lies heavy upon the soul ; as th● Prophet David had this unction in the midst of all his falling into adultery ; for you may see , for all he lived ten months in the sin before he came to thorough repentance ; 't is true , he did so , yet all this while he had this unction ; for so himselfe confesseth , Psalm 51. M● sin ●ever before me . Though he never sought to God soundly and thoroughly for ten months together , yet still good things were in him , his ●●ns were ever before him , it did haunt him as a ghost , and wound his conscience ; his unction did shew him , what a beast am I , what a wretch , what have I done ?

Secondly , It appeares too by this , That a childe of God , though he hath sinned never so much , yet he cannot stand it out ; but let him be soundly dealt with , he is not able to hold out , but he must submit to the Lord ; it is a signe this unction is in him ; for he seeth Gods Word , his displeasure , his grace and goodnesse ; a childe of God may be horribly peevish , and horribly transported in this fashion , to the dishonour of God , and opening of the mouths of the ungodly ; but come and deal with him , shew him his sins , he is not able to maintain bucklers against it ; he seeth that in your reproof which will burst all his bones , and make him stoop , and fling away his sins , and cast away his disguisements ; as it was with David when N●than came to him , O saith he , I have sinned ; he resented presently ; the unction made him see that in Nathans Sermon , that he was not able to hold out any longer , but now his soule bleeds , and melts within him ; so when a childe of God comes to the word , and heares his sins reproved , he cannot carry himselfe as the wicked doe ; they can heare the word , and keep their sins still ; but a child of God hath an unction , and when the word doth discover his sins to him , he cannot hold up his hand against God , but he must fall down and bow before him .

Secondly , There shall ever remain in a childe of God lusting against every known sin ; there will be ever in a childe of God , both before and after the committing of known sins , lusting against the flesh ; the sanctified par● will lust against the unsanctified ; he shall never sin with an whole will , and full consent , as the Apostle speaks , Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit , and the spirit against the flesh , &c. There is a spiritual will in a child of God , that will ever lust against the carnal will , so that a man cannot commit sin with his whole will , as a wicked man doth ; as Paul saith , Rom. 7. 25. He did not sin with all his soule , with all his heart ; his mind was for God , the spiritual part of his will was against his sin ; I find another law in my members , rebelling against the law of my minde , &c. He did not sin with all his will ; for he had another law in his heart , rebelling against the law of sin and death ; therefore the Apostle saith , 1 John 5. 18. Whatsoever is borne of God sinneth not ; that is , he cannot sin with his free will , with his whole consent . I will make this appear by five things , that a child of God can never sin with his whole will .

First , Because he never sins , but it is against his standing purpose and resolution , A childe of God cannot sin with his whole will . and determination in himselfe ; a childe of God hath a purpose never to sin against God , by using all manner of wayes , by striving , praying , labouring , endeavouring , comming to all Gods Ordinances , and taking all courses to resist sin ; he hath this purpose ; a wicked man now hath no purpose not to sin , but he hath a secret purpose to sin ; a Drunkard hath a purpose when he meets with his companions to goe to the Alehouse and drink with them ; and a covetous man hath a secret purpose to be worldly ; so let a man be a vain and an evill companion , he will not give over his company-keeping , they are his friends , and he will converse with them ; tell him he must converse with the Saints of God , he will not , he hath a secret purpose to the contrary ; but if a childe of God sin , it is against his purpose , he hath a standing purpose not to sin , Psalm 119. 27. Psal. 39. 1. Psal. 101. 3. So , I will never forget thy precepts , I will consider thy testimonies , and I will turn my feet unto thy wayes . There are abundance of places of Scripture that shew that a childe of God ever takes up an absolute purpose concerning holinesse and godlinesse of life and conversation . Now if a child of God be born down at any time , it is against the purpose of his heart , which is a signe that he doth not sin with his whole will ; for if a mans will were absolutely set upon wicked courses , then he would have a purpose and resolution to live in them ; but a childe of God hath alwayes a purpose to doe the contrary , and to walk in Gods wayes .

Secondly , Because a child of God never sins , but it is against the study and composure of his heart ▪ it is against his course , against the frame he composeth to himselfe , which is , that he may not sin against God , but that he is borne down with sin , Psal. 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to keep thy statutes alwayes , even to the end . He had a study and composure in his soule to keep Gods statutes and to keep them alwayes , even to the end ; therefore whensoever David sinned , it was not with his whole will ; for he sinned against the study and composure of his heart .

Thirdly , A childe of God never sins , but there is something or other that breaks the fulnesse of the voluntariness of it ; as for example ; if a childe of God sins , sometimes it is out of ignorance , he doth not know that he offends God ; if he did , he would not doe it for a world . Now ignorance doth lessen the voluntarinesse of a thing ; a man in ignorance may doe a thing which he would not have done if he had known it ; therefore when a childe of God sinnes in ignorance , his will is not with it .

Again , If he sin against knowldge at any time , then it is through inconsideratenesse , it is in his haste ; you know inconsideratenesse doth lessen the will mightily ; a man may in haste doe a thing , which when he comes to think of , he would rather have cut off his right arm then have done it ; therefore this is an argument that all his will was not in the committing of the sin , because he did not consider of it , he did not doe it deliberately . Psal. 116. 11. In my haste I said all men are lyars ; in my haste I said I am cut off from thy presence .

Again , If he he doe it with more deliberation , yet there is something still that doth lessen the will ; there be grievous and violent passions . Now violent passions doe exceedingly take away the will ; a man in passion will doe things that his will is absolutely against ; a man will stab his dearest friend in f●r● and ●a●lion ; as when David murdered Vriah , it was meerly out of passion ▪ th● p●●ion of shame , lest his sin should come out , to the dishonour of God , and the shame of his Kingdome and Crown ; he was overwhelmed with shame and fear of the disgrace of his sins , and in fear he did doe it . So Peter was in fear when he denied his Master , in fear that he should be put to death , when at the same time I dare say many qualms came over his heart ▪ O that I were not here ! O that I were not put to this ! So when Jon●● ran away from God , it was in a passion .

Again , Suppose that passion be down , yet something or other there will be still , that will lessen the will , as violent temptations and impulsions to sin ; when a man himself at the same time hath a great act of his will to resist these temptations and impulsions to sin ; when a man at the same time hath a great act of his will to resist these temptations , but the temptations are greater , and so he is born down ; but here is not all the will ; for he would not do it ; a wicked man may have reluctancy , and resistance against sin in his conscience , but a godly man his will is against it .

Fourthly , A child of God can never be brought so low as to make a trade of sin ; He that committeth sin , is of the Divel , 1 Joh. 3. 8. that is , he that committeth sin by way of trade ; now this cannot be in a child of God ; he is of the Divel that makes a trade of sin ; a child of God his course is to the contrary , it is his trade to cleanse himself , and purifie his heart by faith from day to day ; if he be impatient , he cannot make a practice of it ; a child of God cannot sin , for he is sanctified . Psal. 119. 1. 2. they do no wicked thing , &c. This is by way of trade and occupation ; a child of God doth never sin in that fashion ; therefore it is certain his full will is not to sin , for if his whole will were after sin , he would go on in it , and live in it , and make a practice of it ; but he dares not , nor will not make a practice of it .

Fifthly , A child of God doth never so sin but he hath an aptness in him to rise again ; a child of God hath a greater aptness to rise again and repent , and love God again ; he hath a gracious heavenly aptness above all other men in the world ; let him sin never so much , let his fall be never so great , there will be this aptness left , and it shall remain in him continually ; and this is an evident sign he never sinned with his whole will ; for if he did sin with his whole will , he would be as unapt to repent as if he had never been converted ; as Solomon saith , Prov. 9. 8. As who should say , a wise man is apt to take a rebuke , he is apt to take it in good part ; he will take it humbly and obediently , if he be a wise man ; and this is a sign his will is not absolutely set upon folly ; but if you tell him you have played the fool , and dealt unadvisedly , why would you be overtaken with such a corruption ? you have provoked God , &c. he will love you for it , he hath an aptness so to do , and this aptness shall ever remain ; and this is another good thing remaining in the children of God , that is , a lusting against sinne .

Thirdly , Another thing is for ever to have a tender disposition to look after God , and to have an eye to God ; this shall never be taken away quit● and clean ; as you may see in Jonah , though he had run away from God in that lamentable manner , yet saith he , I will look towards thy Temple ; his thoughts were there , his mind was to have Gods love , his goodness , and countenance to shine upon him ; he must have an eye to that above all things in the world ; but you will say , affliction made him do that , he was now in the Whales belly ; but you may see , he looked upon God before he was in the Whales belly ; for when the Mariners asked him what he was , saith he , I am an Hebrew that fears God ; and as a proof of this fear , you may see how he submitted to God ; I have run away from God , saith he ; he confessed his sin , and took shame to himself , and submitted himself to be flung into the Sea , that God might have glory by his drowning if he would .

So that all was not drowned in him ; now that this disposition remaines appears by five things .

First , Though a child of God should grow to never so sluggish a pace in Religion , that all his vigour in prayer is gone , he hath not the affection and heart in good duties that once he had , he is lumpish and untoward ; yet in the midst of all these distempers , he cannot lie down to this , but he hath abundance of heaves to God to quicken him again ; as David saith , Psalm 119. 25. My soule cleaveth unto the dust , O quicken thou me according to thy word . His wings were off , and his chariot-wheels were knockt aside , he could not goe on in good duties with any pace , he was lumpish and untoward , his soule cleaved to the dust ; and yet you see what heaves he gives , he would be quickned , he would not be at this passe ; Oh that God would quicken him ? this was his disease , and the burthen of his soule , O quicken me ! O the lamentable throwes and secret yernings that are in a poor soule that is dead and dull ! he cannot pray , nor finde the Word work upon his soule , he can receive no fruit and benefit by the Word of God ; O the moanes , and yernings , and lookings up to God , that God would quicken him ! though he hath no heart almost , but is marvellously borne down , yet he is not able to lie down under this , it is a disease to him ; O quicken me !

Again , Let him be never so much hardened , as a childe of God may be fearfully hardened ; yet in the midst of all he hath a feeling of this hardning , whereupon he makes out after God , and will never give him over , till he hath freed him from it , Isa. 63. 17.

Again , Though a childe of God be never so secure , as he may be secure and grow careless of God , yet in the midst of all , he can never be quite overcome by security , so as quite and clean to forget God ; no , he must listen after God , and will hearken after God , and hear the voice of God in some measure , when the word reproves him , and finds fault with his courses , he doth hearken to it , he is not quite asleep ; as the Church saith , I sleep , but my heart waketh , Cant. 5. 2. She did take notice of God in the midst of all her security ; it is the voyce of my Beloved , saith she .

Fourthly , A childe of God can never so far goe down the wind , but he shall for ever love the Image of God , and love mercy , and love holinesse and goodness , and love the Ordinances of God , and the Image of God , wheresoever he sees it ; nay , he doth love the children of God , and this is a signe unto him that he is passed from death to life , when he hardly hath any other signe ; 't is true , when sin a●● corruption hath exceedingly defiled Gods childe , it may make him shy of Gods children , and make him winde out of their company ; but yet grace makes him love them , they are the amiab lest persons in the world in that mans eye , he blesseth the very ground they goe upon , he hath this ever left in him ; and by this a childe of God may know that he is passed from death to life , because he loves the Brethren , 1 John 3. 14.

Fifthly , A childe of God shall never be brought so low , but in the midst of all he shall chide , and check , and finde fault with his own soule , not as wicked men doe , by reason of the terrours of conscience , but in a gracious manner ; why have I done thus ? is this the thanks for the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ ? is this the thanks for the Gospel ? are these the fruits I bring forth under Gods Ordinances ? why am I thus dull to good duties ? why am I thus dastardly and cowardly for God ? there will be these gracious chidings ; though sin and corruption makes him full of legal terrours , yet there be some gracious checkings and expostulations , as David saith , Why art thou so heavy O my soule ? O be quickned , O be awakened , hear better , and pray better ! He doth check and condemn himselfe in a gracious manner , and he can never like of these courses ; this will be for ever .

Lastly , Another thing that shall be in Gods children for ever , is the habits of grace ; they shall ever have these ; though the acts of grace may be asleep , and cease working , yet the habits of grace shall ever remain ; as a man , though through violent sickness he may run mad and frantick , and lose the act of reason , and be like a mad man ; yet the habit of reason is in him still , because he hath a reasonable soule ; and let the distemper be gone , and he will put forth the acts of reason : So a childe of God , though for the present he be horribly distempered , and all the acts of grace are asleep ; yet he hath the spirit of God in him , and therefore hath the habits of grace ; although no grace were shining in Davids heart in the act of them , when he fell in to the sins of murder and adultery ; yet he had all graces in the habit of them , in the root of them ; as a tree , though it seem to be quite dead , yet life is in the root ; so a childe of God will have the habit and life of grace ever remaining in him ; and this appeares by two things .

First , A childe of God in the midst of all his carelesness and negligence , there is a miraculous preserving of that man , that though that man hath been very ●areless , and wonderful unwatchful , and exposing himself to the temptations of Satan ; yet he shall be strangely kept , that he shall not fall , in a wonderful manner , though it be no thank to himselfe , 1 Sam. 2. 9. This is an evident sign of Gods spirit in him , that though he let him get abundance of knocks , yet he will not let him get that fatal knock , but he carrieth him along from day to day .

Secondly , It appeares by this , that this man shall never be to be converted again , but he shall for ever be a new creature ; though the spirit of God hide himselfe , and withhold his former operations , yet he will not goe quite away , because a childe of God shall never need to be converted again : 'T is true , the rising up of a childe of God out of sin , into which he is fallen , is called conversion sometimes ; as our Saviour Christ saith to Peter , When thou art converted , strengthen thy brethren . Nay a childe of God may think he hath need of new conversion , and that he must begin all anew again ; as David said , Create in me O Lord a clean heart , and renew a right spirit within me , Psal. 51. 10. as though he were to begin anew again : But a childe of God is never to begin anew ; no , regeneration is an incorruptible thing , 1 Pet. 2. 23. Psalm 112. 5. His righteousness remaineth for ever , he shall never have quite lost it , so as that he shall be to seek again , as if he had never had it ; for if regeneration were to be renewed , a man should be reprobated again ; but there is but one Faith , one Baptism , one Lord , Eph. 4. Therefore if there be but one Baptism , there is but one Regeneration ; The faith is but once delivered to the Saints , Jude 3. God delivers his vertues and graces but once to the soul , and is never to deliver them again ; indeed they may be smothered and choaked sometimes , and lie under the ashes , as coals under the embers , but they shall never be quite extinguished ; there needs nothing but a stirring up and provoking of the gift of God that is in them ; and this is a signe that they never fell totally away ; for if they fell totally away , they must have new repentance , as if they had never had it , and they must be converted again , and regenerated againe with a second regeneration , which was never heard of .

The first Use may serve for the confutation of those that hold that a childe of God may fall totally away ; here you see he cannot ; though he may fall never so grievously into foul sins and grievous distempers , yet he shall never fall totally , but some good things shall remain in him , Psal. 37. 28. The Lord preserveth his Saints . And Jude 1. they are called a people sanctified by God the Father , and preserved in Jesus Christ . And as the Apostle speaks , 1 Pet. 2. 10. He that doth these things shall never fall . A childe of God shall never fall totally ; it is everlasting life that he hath ; that faith which he hath is an eternal grace ; he that believeth hath everlasting life ; so the fear of God is an everlasting grace ; The fear of God endureth for ever , Psal. 19. 9. And therefore those that totally fall away , shew plainly that they were never the children of God ; as the Apostle faith , If after they have been enlightned , &c. they fall away , it is impossible they should be renewed by repentance , Heb. 6. Because they were never right , there was never any true grace in that mans heart ; but saith he , I hope better things of you , and things that accompany salvation , Heb. 6. 19. As who should say , they that have things accompanying salvation , can never fall totally away .

The second Use is for comfort to Gods children . Hast thou true faith , or any good things wrought in thy soule ? thou shalt never lose it ; though thou mayst suffer a great deal of sickness , and fall into many decayes of grace and goodness , yet thou shalt never lose all ; there shall be some good things remaining in thee ; the Lord will not suffer thy righteousnesse to fall for ever , he will have thee in everlasting remembrance ; therefore what a comfort ought this to be to every true beleeving soule ?

Again , This is a great comfort against all fears . Art thou afraid thou hast no grace ? I beseech thee believe the Word of God rather then thine own sense and feeling ; thou hast heard the Word of God say a childe of God can never be without grace , he can never fall totally away ; therefore though sense and feeling tell thee thou hast none , yet believe the Word that saith thou hast , 2 Cor. 5. 10. We walk by faith , and not by feeling , saith the Apostle . The best of Gods children sometimes are put to this , to live by faith , and not by sense at all ; though God help thee not in prayer , nor quicken thee in good duties , and though thy sense and feeling tell thee thou hast no grace , believe it not , but believe the Word of God that tells thee a childe of God shall never be without grace to the worlds end , but something shall remain in him for evermore ; therefore be of good comfort , though thou see nothing , and thy neighbours see nothing , yet believe neither thy selfe nor thy neighbours , but rather believe the Word of God then a thousand witnesses ; for it is certain , a childe of God shall never fall totally away .

Again , It may be a comfort against all manner of temptations ; God knows how thou mayst be tempted & assaulted ; the Devil may be let loose upon thee ; but still remember and think with thy selfe , I was told , a child of God can never fall totally away one whose heart God hath once inclined , one whose soul God hath once sanctified , one whom God hath once turned , & brought home to him in some measure , I have been told he shall never fal away ; therefore hold this principle even to death , against all the Devils in Hell ; God is my God , and I have grace , and shall have grace , and shall never be totally off the hooks as long as I live ; as David , though he said God had forsaken him in regard of sense and feeling , yet he holds this principle still , My God , my God , Psal. 22. 1.

Again , This is a great comfort against all persecutions ; we know not what persecutions and what troubles we may come to , and what may become of us before we goe hence : Now it is a great comfort to hear this , that come prosperity , come adver●ity , come what can come , come temptations on the right hand , and on the left hand , come fire and faggot , come prison , come banishment , I tell you a childe of God shall never be a bankrupt , he shall never be void of all the spirit of God , and all the graces of God , he shall have something in him still remaining . 'T is true , a childe of God may be brought to that pass , that persecutions may be heavy to him , and may be a grievous cut , and he may be ready to put off this , and ready to consult with flesh and blood to put it off ; and unless a childe of God provide for persecution , it shall be harder for him to bear it ; but yet if thou be a childe of God , the Lord will never leave thee nor forsake thee , as the Apostle saith , Heb. 13. 5. though the cross and affliction be never so bitter and irksome to thee , yet thou shalt have something or other that shall make thee able to bear it , and to go on in it ; though thou dost but hang by the fingers ends , yet something shall bear thee up , so that thou shalt not fall .

Lastly , Labour to make it sure to our souls that we are godly ; for we see what an happy estate it is to be godly ; once godly , and ever godly ; once a believer , and ever a believer ; a man that is a godly man shall never fall totally away ; therefore labour to make it sure that thou art a child of God , and hast the grace of life in thy heart ; and then be of good cheer , and take that comfort the Prophet takes to himself ; the Lord is my hope , I shall never be greatly moved , Psal. 62. 2. As who should say , I do not indeed deny but I may be moved ; but though I be moved , I shall never be greatly moved ; I shall never be so moved as to break my neck , and be utterly undone ; to be quite and clean forsaken , and given over for gone , so as to be removed from all hope of the Gospel , and fear of Gods name ; a man may be horribly assaulted , yet a child of God shall never be at such a pass as that the Lord shall leave him utterly .

We come now to the second Motive , and that is that these remainders were ready to dye ; we may take these words to concerne the whole Church , or every particular soule that was guilty of it ; but we will speake of them only as they have reference to the Church :

From whence we observe that a particular Church may be ready to dye ; A particular Church may perish . this must not be understood of the Catholique Church , or any part of it ; as if the Catholique Church or any members thereof could dye ; for there is no true believer , that believes in Christ by a true and a lively faith , can possibly perish or be destroyed for evermore , John 3. 16. this Church is a Church that Christ hath undertaken for , to defend unto the end , Mat. 16. 18. lo , I am with you to the end of the world , Mat. 28. 20. So that this Catholique Church of Christ , in all the members of it , it is a safe Church ; and though all particular Churches should fail , yet shall not one member of this Catholique Church ; the Church is the first born , whose names are written in Heaven , Heb. 12. 2● , 23. and if this Church cannot be in one Town , it will be in another ; if it cannot be in one Kingdom , it will be among another people ; the woman in the Revelation , hath the Wilderness to flye unto ; in the most desperate times ; God prepares a place for her in one corner or other ; it is impossible that the Catholique Church should dye in any members or branches of it ; God will have some to know his name ; and if it cannot have particular meetings and congregations , God will have it subsist in some particulars ; but a particular Church , a local Church , as it is taken for a company of people in such a place ; any such Church may fail and dye and come to nothing ; you see it here in the Church of Sardis ; at this time it had only a name to live , but was dead ; and what did remain , they were but the last throws as it were ; they did go out at last , they were ready to dye .

Now that any particular Church in the whole world may dye , and cease to be a Church , may be proved out of many places of Scripture : Christ speaking of the Jews ( that had as great priviledges as any people upon the earth ) he tells them , that they might not only cease to be a Church , but should cease to be a Church ; as you may see , Mat. 21. 43. The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you , &c. here he tells them , that he will quite and clean depart from them , and take away all signs and marks of a true Church of God from among them ; so the Apostle speaks of the Church of Corinth , he tells them they may come to be no Church , and that he doth greatly fear that such an evil shall come upon them , 2 Cor. 11. 3. he doth not speak to the particular persons that were truly converted , for they were members of the Catholique Church , but he speaks to the particular Church of Corinth ; they did warp and decline ; though many particular members should be preserved , yet he supposeth that particular Church might fail ; so he tells the Galatians , that he did much fear them ; you observe dayes and years , I am afraid lest I have bestowed my labour in vain ; so likewise he gives the Church of Rome to understand , though it were an excellent Church at that time ; for he saith , their faith was spoken of abroad , and they were beloved of God ; yet he tells them they have need to take heed , that they do not lose their Crown ; that they do not suffer Satan , or the world , or any other means to draw them away from their profession ; as goodly a Church as themselves had come to warpe and decline and come to nothing , Rom. 11. 20 , 21 , 22. As who should say , Thou hast no priviledge of immortality , of being an immortal Church , that thou shouldst ever be a Church , that Gods Gospel and Ordinances , and his name should ever be within thy dwellings ; you have no such prerogative ; take heed therefore you walk worthy the Gospel , take heed you grow not high-minded and secure ; it may be your case as well as any other ; so the Church of Israel , the Ten Tribes , they were a Church , but in the end they came to be no Church , they provoked God to give them over , Hos. 1. 9. it is a parabolical kind of speech , that the Prophet should marry an whore , and have a son , and call his name , &c. and that was one degree of removing ; and the second should be called , &c. which was the utter renouncing of his people .

Now there are four several marks and notes infallible of a true Church ; 4. Notes of a true Church . and there is no particular Church but had them once , and may lose them every one .

The first is , the sincere preaching of the Gospel is an infallible and inseparable mark of a true Church of God ; wheresoever there is the true 1. Sincere preaching the Gospel . Church in any Parish or Kingdom , there must be a sincere Preaching of the Word of God ; therefore a Church is described by the Preaching of the Word and Oracles of God , Rom. 3. 2. that is , they were a Church of God , the Oracles of God were among them , and were to be heard ; opened and declared among them ; so Psal. 147. 19. He sheweth his word unto Jacob , and his statutes unto Israel ; that is , he makes it a Church , he explains his word , and makes it known there ; so Acts 14. 23. it is said that Paul and Barnabas went up and down and ordained Elders in every Church ; if there were a Church , there must be Elders in it ; there must be Elders , Pastors and Ministers , that may not only preach the Word , but open it aright ; for the Scripture may be in an Antichristian Church , but if they in their preaching make the Scriptures doctrines of Divels , and expound them in that fashion , they are no Church ; but the Elders must speak the word of God as the word of God , at least in the fundamentals ; now there is no Parish or Kingdom can be said to be a Church of God , that have not true Ministers able to preach the word of God soundly , to teach the Doctrine of faith and repentance , so as people may believe and turn from their sins to God ▪ and this is a grand mark of all other ; where the voice of Christ sounds , it is a sign he hath a Church there ; now I say this sincere preaching of the word of God , it is not tied to any place ; there is no place but may be deprived of it , if they do not walk worthy of it ; it is free , and hath all the whole wide world before it ; the Lord hath not limited his Gospel to any Town or Kingdom ; he may send it where he please , and continue it as long as he list , and may remove it when he thinks fit ; therefore when the Corinths were something sawcy and impudent , and bore themselves upon this , that they had the word and Gospel of Christ , 1 Cor. 14. 36. saith the Apostle , What ? came the word of God out from you ? &c. As who should say , be humble , down with your pride , receive instruction ; as the word of God is come to you , so you are not the only men in the world that the word can come to ; the word may be taken from you if you take not heed ; therefore receive instruction by the word , and give way to it ; for the word of God may go any whether else , and you may be deprived of it if you take not heed . Rev. 6. 2. Christ had his word on horse-back ; now if any Kingdom or Parish , or Congregation do not give him good entertainment , he is ready to go away ; and the sincere preaching of the word is the spiritual rain ; now if any people grow unfruitful , and bring not forth the blessed fruit of the doctrine of life , God threatens to take away this rain ; as it was with the Church of Judah , Isa. 5. 6. he speaks here of his vineyard , the Church he had in Judah and Jerusalem , and he finds fault with their barrenness and unfruitfulness ; when he looked they should bring forth grapes , they brought forth wild grapes ; nothing but covetousness and security , and all manner of uncleanness , and they did not bring forth fruit answerable to the means of grace vouchsafed ; therefore the Lord threatens to command the clouds that they shall rain no more upon his vineyard ; thus you see the sincere preaching of the Gospel , any particular Church may lose and be deprived of ; there is no place or Congregation that hath a lease of the Gospel , but it may lose it again , and be left in blindness , and sit in the region and shadow of death ; now when a Parish or Kingdom is come to this , to be deprived of the sincere preaching of the word , it ceaseth wholly to be a Church of God . I do not deny but God may have some members of his Catholique Church there , for they may subsist without Congregations , though very poorly , and under a great deal of affliction ; but there is no National Church , no particular Church , no Parish-Church ; that Parish is not a Church of God ; there may be some particular members of the Catholique Church there , but there cannot be any particular Church of God there : that Congregation is a Congregation without God ; and that Kingdom is a Kingdom without God ; as you may see , 2 Chron. 15. 3. when as a Kingdom is without a preaching Priest , &c. He doth not here mean by a preaching Priest , one that barely did preach ; but he means by a preaching Priest , true sincere preaching , at least in fundamentals ; now when Israel were without this teaching Priest , they were without God at that time , and therefore was no true Church ; for Christ is ever among the candlesticks , as you may see in the Revelation ; there is no Church but Christ dwells there in his Ordinances more or less ; now when people are deprived of the sincere preaching of the word , God goeth away together with his Gospel from that Nation ; and they are a people without God , unless God be pleased to look upon them again ; they are a Congregation of undone people , and not a Congregation of blessed people as the Church of God is , so far forth as the judgement of man can judge ; where the Gospel is gone in the sincere preaching of it , they are an undone people Prov. 29. 18. Where there is no vision , the people perish : Now there is no Nation or Parish , but may be deprived of the preaching of the word , if they walk not worthy of it ; therefore may cease to be a Church .

Secondly , Another inseparable mark of the true Church is this , a true 2. True and sincere use of the Sacraments . and sincere use of the Sacraments , at least in the substance of them ; you shall find a particular Church is described by this , to have the right administration of the Sacraments ; as the Church of Judah is called circumcision , Rom. 3. 1. the meaning is , what profit hath the Church of Judah above other people ? and he calls them by that name , because that was a Sacrament of the Covenant of grace which God established among them ; and so it is under the Gospel ; the Churches under the Gospel are defined by the Sacraments ; as the Apostle speaks , Phil. 3. 3. we are the circumcision , which worship God in the spirit ; As who should say , they brag that they are the people of God , and have the seals of the covenant , as circumcision , and the like ; but we are the people of God , for we worship God in the spirit : Now any Church may lose the right use of the Sacraments ; the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was almost left out of the Church of Corinth , 1 Cor. 11. 20. saith he , this is not to eat the Lords Supper : They met together , and had a Table spread , and bread and wine , and had a form of consecration ; yet they were come to this pass , that they did not receive the Sacrament . So the Church of Rome hath lost this inseparable mark of a Church of God , they have lost the Sacrament ; for the ordination of God is quite changed in the main essentials of it , and they are made the badges of an Harlot , rather then of a true Wife ; They withhold the cup from the people , and administer the Sacrament in one kind only , whereas Christ commanded it to be in both kinds ; again , they deliver it in an unknown tongue , whereas Christ commanded it to be delivered in a known tongue ; again , they turn it into Idolatry , to adore the host , to adore the elements ; so how many Churches are there up and down , that yield to the Church of Rome ▪ that have quite and clean lost the right use of the Sacrament , nay , lost the Doctrin of the Sacraments ? for this is seen , as long as the word of God continues so●●d in the fundamentals , the Sacraments continue in the doctrin of them ; but the Church may lose the Doctrine of the Sacraments , and the right use of them .

Thirdly , Another inseparable mark of a true Church , is a sincere profession 3. Sincere profession of the word of God , &c. of the word of God , and true Christian Religion , either in truth and uprightness of heart , or else so far as man can judge ; for though the preaching of the Word come to a place , yet it doth not follow presently that there is a Church of God ; for suppose a Minister come to a place where they are all Pagans , this doth not make a Church ; as when Paul came among the Athenians and begun his Sermon , they were all Pagans and Infidels , they were not a Church presently , as soon as ever he begun his Sermon , but when divers of them embraced the word , either sincerely , or else to see to , as far as Paul and others could judge , then they were a Church ; there must be a congregation of people that do professe the pure Religion , and make it appear ( at least to the judgement of man ) that they are godly in Christ Jesus ; this is an inseparable mark of a true Church , as we may see 1 Cor. 14. 33. you shall see there that the Church is called a cong●egation of Saints , a Church of Saints ; for saith he , as in all Churches of the Saints ; that is , all particular Churches , they are Churches of Saints ; not as if every one of them were Saints before God , but they were either Saints before God or men ; so Gal. 1. 22. I was unknown to the Churches of Judea , which were in Christ ; mark it , all particular Churches , are Churches that are in Christ ; the members of those Churches are in Christ , either truly , or before men ; now I say , this mark may perish from any particular Church ; there is no Church that is a Church of Saints , but may become a Church of Divels , and ● Synagogue of Satan , all wicked , and dissolute , and ungodly . Jer. 29. 2. Jeremiah was weary of his life , he would count it a great blessing of God , if he would open a place to him to be apart , that he might not be among them , he was even tired , and his life was uncomfortable ; they were so wicked and abominable , and so far off from being a Church of God , he did ●ather with himself in a wildernesse then there ; so it may be with any particular Church , if they look not to the word of God , and the Ordinances of God , and good order and Government , they may come to lose this essential and inseparable mark of a true Church of God .

Fourthly , Another mark ( though I cannot call it inseparable , because 4. True Discipline . it may be severed ) is true discipline , and the right use of the censures of the Church ; when there is true discipline according to the Institution of Christ in his Church , this is a mark of the Church of God . Now a Church of God may lose this , and be stript stark naked of true discipline , to have no publique reproof , no excommunication of those that are profane ; nay , these censures may be perverted and corrupted , so as to use them against Christ , and not for Christ ; to excommunicate , not drunkards , and adulterets , and prophane people , but those that are sincere and godly , and lead an honest and pure life ; it was so with Judaea , John 9. 22. These words spake his parents , &c. Here you see discipline was out of this Church , and so far out that it was quite perverted ; and such as should be counted the only members of the Congregation , they threw them out ; if any confessed Christ to be the Redeemer of the world , which was a necessary truth , they threw them out of the Church ; so that we see the censures may be quite gone . Now 't is true , this is not an inseparable mark of the Church of God , it is not a sign of the esse of the Church , but it is a sign of the bene esse , the well being of a Church : A Church of God , 't is true , may be without discipline ; as the Church of P●rgamus , the Spirit saith , it was a true Church , and commends this Church ; yet ( saith he ) I have a few things against thee ; what were those ? namely , that they wanted discipline , that they did not throw out wicked and rotten members , and such as were erroneous in doctrine and manners ; this Church was guilty of suffering this ; if they had thrown them out , God would never have charged them with it ; the Church cannot hinder but there will be wicked and ungodly men , but as long as they throw them out of the congregation , not to have communion with them , the Church hath washed her hands ; but it seems this Church had not washed her hands of this . So the Church of Thyatira , Rev. 2. 18. the Spirit of God calls it a true Church , yet vers. 20. he tels them plainly , it was a grievous offence to God that they had not discipline in the Church ; Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee , because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel , &c. Thou hast suffered this , and let her alone , and dost even countenance her , and art guilty of all her errours ; for thou didst not throw her out , and discard her from being an outward member of the Church ; so that we see the Church may be without discipline in the being of it ; yet I make this a mark of the Church of God , because though a Church may be without this , yet it is mightily defaced , and wants its beauty : And again , it is a Church that cannot continue ; for when they doe not reprove and rebuke offenders , and deal severely with them directly , they will infect the whole body , and it must needs weaken and decline , till at last it comes to nothing ; therefore I make this a signe of a true Church . Thus we see there be four notes of a true Church , which it may have , and afterwards come to be no Church .

Now in the next place I will shew you there be severall notes of a false Marks of a false Church . Church ; and the Church that once had those true notes , may have none but false notes .

As first Antiquity . You shall have some Churches , as the Church of Rome , they 1. Antiquity . brag of Antiquity , they have Antiquity for their prayers for the dead , and Purgatory , & the like , and they shew 5 , 6 , or 700. years for these things ; and none but a company of upstart fellows , as Luther , and Calvin , and Perkins , did ever condemn these things . This is a false mark ; and a Church that hath this mark , may be a Synagogue of Satan , and not a Church of God : For , as a Divine saith , no Church can be sound because of Antiquity , unless it hath been from the beginning ; as Christ , when the Jewes pleaded Antiquity , he saith , It was not so from the beginning . All Antiquity is nothing , unless it be from the first beginning , when Gods Institution and first ordering was ; a lye will be a lye , notwithstanding its Antiquity ; and so an whore , the elder she is , the impudenter she is ; and Errours and Heresies in process of time grow to be more infectious , they take deeper root . Now if they were once new , what if there were a thousand yeares upon such a Doctrine , and such a manner of Administration of the Sacrament , what is this to the purpose , if there were a time when this was a novelty and a new device ? as the Apostle saith , 2 Thes. 2. 7. The Mystery of iniquity worketh . Therefore no marvel it is grown ancient , no wonder it is come to be gray-headed ; this is nothing , we are not to pick our Religion by yeares , but by Scripture ; let a thing be never so old , if we cannot prove it by Scripture , this is nothing ; if the Church have no other mark to plead that they are the Church of God , but Antiquity , that is a poor plea ; as Paul thought before his conversion , I am of the Church ; He was exceeding zealous for the traditions of his Fathers , Gal. 1. 14. This is a poor thing ; Religion may be a vain Religion for all this . 1 Pet. 1. 18. If any people come to be redeemed by Christ , Christ comes to redeem them from such Religion as this ; the drunkard may shew Antiquity for his drunkenness , and the adulterer may shew Antiquity for his uncleanness , &c. But he is a true Christian that can shew the Scripture for his title ; and that is a true Church that maintaines for matters of Faith , and walks for matters of manners , according to the Scriptures . Now if a Church hath no better mark then Antiquity , it is a false Church .

Another mark of a false Church is universality ; when they have no other 2. Universality mark to shew , but that the most are of their side , they can shew the greatest bulk ; if you go and count , there is most of their number a great deal ; this is a sure mark of a false Church ; yet the Church of Rome makes use of this mark ; for they confute our marks of a true Church , and will have multitudes to be their mark ; and by this we may see they are Antichrist , Rev. 13. 12. so Rev. 13. 8. All that dwell upon the earth , whose names were not written in the book of the Lamb , worshipped the beast ; the reprobate are the greatest part of the world ; now here he saith , all that dwell upon the earth almost shall worship the Beast ; if this were the mark of a true Church , Christ had miscounted himself when he counted his flock a little flock . Luke 12. 32. Fear not little flock , &c. And again , he saith , Strive to enter in at the straight gate , &c. He describes a true Church by the fewness , and not by the universality of it ; therefore what a madness is this to make universality a note of a true Church ?

Thirdly , Another is succession of Pastors from the Apostles times to this 3. Succession of Pastors . very day ; this they make a mark of a true Church ; O say they we can shew succession down from Peter here at Rome , even to this day : The Protestants are not able to shew this ; this is a poor mark ; Cai●phas that condemned Christ , could shew succession from Aaron ; so a Church may be a Church that renounceth Christ , and is an Antichristian Church , and yet may shew succession ; and other Churches , as Alexandria and others can shew succession as well as Rome ; so that succession of Pastors is nothing , unless they can shew succession of Doctrine .

Fourthly , Unity , They make that to be a mark of the true Church ; and 4. Unity . this is a false mark too ; others say they , have not unity among them , but we have unity ; thus you may as well prove the Divels in Hell to be a Church , for there is unity ; as our Saviour saith , If Satan be divided against Satan , how can his Kingdom stand ? so Acts 4. 27. you may see what an unity was there , they were all of one knot and one mind ; there was a marvellous great unity among them all to condemn Christ ; the Church must be proved to be a true Church , before unity can be brought to be any sign of it ; for the more unity is in a wicked way , the more hellish is the conspiracy .

Fifthly , Miracles is a note of a false Church ; now the Papists say , We 5. Miracles . can shew miracles for our Religion ; where can you shew miracles ? Christ saith , we may know Antichrist and his adherents by this , Mat. 24. 24. there shall arise false Christs , &c. False Christs and such as make as though they were Christians , and the people of God , and come to you in the name of the Lord , and they may shew you signs and wonders to make you believe them ; but they are the Divels signs , and they shall be very strong to delude the world ; so 2 Thes. 2. 9. the Apostle shews us that the coming of Antichrist shall be after this manner ; therefore no marvel that they plead signs and wonders , and apparitions of the dead , from their doctrine of the Mass and Purgatory , and prayers for the dead , &c. this is an argument that their Church is Antichristian ; that which is a true Church according to the Scripture , needs no new miracles ; therefore Calvin and Luther that propounded nothing but the truth of the Scripture , they need bring no miracles to confirm it if indeed they had brought any new doctrines of their own heads , they had need to have brought miracles to confirm them ; but when they brought nothing but what they could prove out of the Scripture , Scripture-miracles were enough to prove this .

Sixthly ▪ Another mark is pompe and stateliness ; a Church may come to 6. Pompe and stateliness . have no other mark but this , that it is a goodly and stately Church , a pompous kind of serving God ; things are set ou● pompously , this is rather an argument of an Antichristian Church ; for the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world , and that which is highly esteemed amongst men , is abonimable in the sight of God .

Lastly , They make outward prosperity and happiness to be a mark of 7. Outward happiness and prosperity . the true Church of God ; but this is rather a mark of a Synagogue of Satan , For all that live godly in Christ Jesus , must suffer persecution , 2 Tim. 3. 12. And if any man will be my Disciple ( saith Christ ) let him take up his cross and follow me . I say the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world ; therefore prosperity and felicity is not a sign of a Church of God ; thus we see that a Church that was once a true Church of God , may come to be no true Church ; they may lose all the true notes of a Church of God , and have no , other notes , but such as prove it to be no true Church , but rather a Church of Infidels and unbelievers .

The first reason is , because the Church of God is Catholique , that is , Reas. 1. Because the Church is Catholique . it is not tied and pent up in any place , God may carry it where he will , he may set up his Church in what Country , and Town , and Family he will , and choose what particular person in the whole world he will ; God is not tied to any ; therefore when the Jews bore themselves upon this , that they were the Church , and Gods Ordinances and Oracles were approp●iated to them , they came at the first hour of the day , at the first hand ; but if the Gentiles were a Church , it was but at the second hand , they came but at the eleventh hour ; he takes up a parable , Mat. 20. and saith , they that are last , shall be first , &c. and he gives a reason , shall I not do what I will with mine own ? so God may do with his Ordinances , and gifts and graces of his spirit ; he may bestow them where he will , he may give his Gospel to a Kingdom , and take it away at his pleasure ; and he may stay as long as he will , and be gone when he will .

Secondly , God doth not need any place , any people ; though a place be 2. God needs no place or persons . never so glorious and stately , and though it be never so admirable a Church , God doth not need that Nation , but if it grow male●ert , and stiffe and stubborn against him , the Lord will make them know he hath no need of them , and cares not for them ; as the Jews , when they bore themselves upon this that they were the people of God , and had Abraham for their father , and were barren and fruitless and dissolute in their lives , you may see how John Baptist answers their foolish conceit , think not with your selves , we have Abraham to our father , &c. Mat. 3. 9. he hath no need of you ; you are the children of Abraham , but know God can cast you into Hell for all you are the children of Abraham , and can make Heathens and Infidels children of Abraham ; so when the Jews boasted , Mal. 1. that God had chosen them , he hated Esau , and loved Jacob , and they grew to be insolent and disobedient to God , and polluted his holy Temple , and despised his name ; see what God saith , I will accept none of these things at your hands , I will gather me a people among the Heathens , Mal. 1. 13. As who should say , I want not people , I can go among the Heathen , and there have my worship regarded which you have slighted and neglected .

Thirdly , There is no particular Church in the world hath a promise 3 No particular Church hath a promise of continuance . alwayes to be a Church , but it they grow careless and secure and unprofitable under the means , the Lord will be gone ; he hath made no such promise to continue with them for ever ▪ 't is true , there is never a godly soul , never a member of the Church but God hath promised he will never leave him , 2 Tim. 2. 19. and Mat. 28. 20. he saith so of his own people , he will never leave them , but the good things he hath begun in them , he will perfect them in the day of Christ ; nay , though all particular Churches should be destroyed , God will have a care of these particular Saints of his Catholique Church , that not any limbe of it shall cease ; but for particular Churches God hath made no such promises , but upon condition , Rom. 11. 22. if a Parish or Kingdom continue in the fear of Gods name , and regard his commandements , & be fruitful under his Ordinances , and thankful for his goodness , then he will stay ; but otherwise saith he , thou shalt be broken off , though thou be the famousest Church in the world .

This may con●ound the Church of Rome , who promise to themselves they ●se 1. ●o con●ound the Church of Rome . shall never be unchurched ; though they have been unchurched many years , yet they brag they are the only Church in the world ; Bellarmine brags that St. Peters chair shall never go from Rome ; and no wonder , for the spirit of God foretold it , Rev. 17. I sit as Queen and shall never be a Widow , I shall be a Wife , a Spouse for ever , I shall see no sorrow ; you see how secure she is , just the child of her proud mother Babylon , Isa. 47. 8. So 't is with the Church of Rome , I am , and none else ; I am ; she calls her self the Roman Catholique Church , as if there were no Church but Rome ; all the Nations of the world , if they will be a ●hurch , must be members of that Church ; as it was said of Rome in Augusius time , If Jupiter should come down from Heaven , there is no Country for him to come into but Rome ; look into this or that country , Rome hath to doe there ; so Rome , notwithstanding her Apostacy , is grown to that height of pride and security , as if she were , and none but she . O poor deluded company , there is scarce any true note of a Church of Christ among them , and yet they make themselves to be the onely Church .

This may be an Item for all the particular Churches in the whole world , Vse 2. To all particular Churches . for England , Denmark , France , wheresoever is any . Here you see the Church of Sardis had but a name to live , and was dead ; there was nothing but remainders in her , and they were ready to die and come to nothing . But what speak I of the Church of Sarar● ? Where are all the famous Churches of Asta , of Pergamus and Th●at●ra ? &c. what is become of these famous Churches ? are they not turned into a wilderness , and to worship Meb●met and Idols , and are even grown as bad as Heathens ? But what need I speak of these ? Look upon the Church of the Jewes , that were th● pri●cipal people of God ; no Church like that ; Israel is my first borne ; there was never any Church under the Gospel that was his onely Church ; but Judaea was his onely o●e , his pleasant Plant ; nay they were the Fathers of Jesus Christ according to the flesh , Rom. 9. yet notwithstanding that Church was cut off . When the holy City proved a Harlot ; when these people grew to be weary of God and his Ordinances , and grew to be loose , and would not be ruled by God and his Word , the Lord gave them a Bill of Divorcement , and sent them away ; therefore let us be warned by them ; it is a fearfull thing when God for Idolatry shall cast off Churches , and yet we not tremble but live under security and hardness of heart , and take not warning by it . Jer. 3. 8. God saith , Yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not , but played the harlot . When God cast off the ten Tribes , Judah saw this , and heard of this , and could not chuse but understand this , and yet she did not fear for all this : So when this Parish , or any other Parish shall hear of any Parish that is unchurched and unministred , and God hath taken away his presence from among them , and there shall be no signe of his gracious presence any more , the Gospel is gone from such a place , and we hear of it , and yet doe not fear , but are as secure as ever , as unfruitful under the means as ever , and doe not stir up our selves to be more obedient to God and his Ordinances , but goe on to play the harlot , and goe a whoring from God from day to day ; nay we are even ready to promise our selves peace for all this ; this is a fearful thing . Mark what the Lord saith , Jer. 7. 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15. He speaks there of Jerusalem : So when God hath poured out his plagues and punishments upon other Parishes , and other places , and hath taken away his Ark and the glory is departed from them , and they are left in the shadow of death , and we see it , and yet tremble not at it , God calls upon us from day to day to amend our lives , that we mi●ht finde mercy with him ; God tells us , as he hath done to other Parishes in the Kingdome , so he will doe to us ; the Lord will lay us desolate and waste as other parts of the land are ; and certainly the Lords wrath and vengeance is hard at our heels if we doe not speedily repent , who knows how soon God may deprive us of his Word and Ordinances ? For 〈◊〉 not found thy works perfect before God .

If we take these words in sunder , they containe these five Propositions .

First , That the covenant of grace requires works .

Secondly , That these works should be perfect .

Thirdly , That they should not onely be perect in the sight of men , for that is nothing ; but perfect in the sight of God , before God .

Fourthly , That the Lord Jesus searcheth whither they be so or no.

Fifthly , Upon due search he finds it out many times , not onely in particular persons , but in particular Churches , as we see here in the Church of Sardis , that their works are not so .

For the first of these , That the second Covenant requires works , we see Observat . 1. The second Covenant requires works . here that the Lord Jesus looks for works in the Church of Sardis that were in covenant with him ; 't is true , there is this difference between the two Covenants ; the first covenant requires works as the condition of it ; He that doth them , shall live in them , Gal. 3. 12. The doers of the Law shall be blessed , Rom. 2. 13. Therefore it is called the covenant of works , and that in two senses .

First , In that works are the condition of it .

Secondly , In that it is left unto man ; God gives onely a power not to sin , if so be that man will ; but he doth not give the will . Now the second covenant is not a covenant of works ; the condition of it is not works , but the condition of it is faith ; The just shall live by faith , Rom. 1. 17. Therefore it is called a covenant of grace , and that in two respects opposite to the former ; not onely in regard that these works are done by another , and so nothing is required of the party justified , but onely faith for his justification ; but also because though the covenant of grace require works , yet God doth not expect a man should doe any thing of himself , but it is by grace ; we are saved by grace through faith , and not of our selves , it is the gift of God . I say the second covenant is a covenant of grace , and yet it requires works .

And works are here necessary . First by necessity of presence ; for though faith be the condition , yet it is such a faith as hath necessarily good works together present with it ; as the Apostle speaks , Faith if it have not works is dead , Jam. 2. 17. Good works they are inseparably joyned together with true faith ; for as the body without the spirit is dead , so faith without works is dead also ; not as though works were the essential forme of true faith ; but the nature of faith , if it be true , is such as doth necessarily cause good works to accompany with it .

They are necessary by necessity of inseparable effects ; good works are not onely present together with faith , but they are so present , as that they doe flow from faith . God hath required such a faith in the covenant of grace , as doth produce good works ; they are not onely inseparable from faith , but thus inseparable , that true faith must needs produce them ; He that hath this hope , purifies himselfe as he is pure , 1 John 3. 3. That is , He that hath this faith , he sets down faith by the effect hope , and sets it down by another effect , it must needs purifie , it makes that man purifie himself as Christ is pure . So Christ having exhorted them to believe , having raised up their minds to believe the things that are above , Lay up your treasure in Heaven , Mat. 6. 20. in the next verse he shews this will have the effect of all manner of good works ; For where your treasure is , there will your hearts be also ; it will draw up your hearts , and make you heavenly-minded , and make you seek the things that are above ; where your treasure is , there will your hearts be also . So likewise we may see Heb. 11. thorow the whole chapter , what abundance of effects are set down of true saving faith : By faith Abel offered sacrifice to God . By faith Noah being warned of God , obeyed God , and did the things that God commanded , verse 7. And so by faith Abraham when he was called , yielded to God . So by faith believers wrought righteousness , and did wonderfull things , subdued Kingdomes , &c. They were able to work wonderful effects ; so that when a man hath not works , when he doth not obey God through the power of faith , he hath not faith it self

Thirdly , Good works are necessary by necessity of signs ; they are not only to be in a Believer as effects , but as proofs of his faith ; ●or a man must justifie his faith by his works ; they are signes and proofs whereby he may know whether his faith be true , and of the right stamp o● no ; for if a mans faith be a lively faith , a faith that doth justifie , though in the act of justi●ication it be alone , yet in existency it is not alone , but it hath good ●orks together with it , as signs and marks of the same ; as 1 John 1. 6. If we say we have fellowship with him , and walk in darkness , we lye , and 〈◊〉 not the truth . Hereby we may know that we are deceived ; we may think we have saith , and so fellowship together with him ; yet if we walk in darknesse , we may know we lye ; for this could not be if we had fellowship with God . So 1 John 2. 4. He that sa● I know him , and keepeth not his commandements , is a lyar . If a man should once think that he knows God with the knowledge of faith and yet keeps not the commandements of God ▪ by this very thing he may know that he is a lyar . Hereby shall all men know ye are my disc●ples , if ye love me 〈◊〉 or saith Christ ; and as it is a sign to others , so it is a sign to a mans own self ; Her●by we know that we are passed from death to life , it we loveth Brethren . He sets down one good work in stead of all other : if we bring forth the works of new obedience , and if our hearts be purg●d of God i● we bring forth the fruits of holiness , this is a signe we have faith : for faith makes a man to choose God for his God , and raises a man up to see him to be the chiefest good of all and to see all happiness in him , and a supply of all the good we need in him , and so it makes a man to love God , and by love to doe the works of God .

Fourthly , Good works are necessary also by necessity of commandement , not onely to be effects and signes of faith , but they are also such things as are commanded of God ; God hath commanded good works , that we should walk in all holiness of conversation , to be holy as he is holy , that we should be holy in our carriages and behaviour , Tit. 3. 8. The same God that commands us to believe , commands us to maintain good works , as we may see there ; we s●e that Ministers are to urge people , and maintaine it against all gainsayers , that there is a necessity of good works , and that the Lord will have us to go on in them ; for faith through the Object of it , as it justifies , is the promise of God in Christ for forgiveness of sins ; yet faith in it selfe looks upon the whole word of God , and looks whatsoever it seeth joyned together by that , it joynes together of it self ; as the Promises and Commandements are bound together by an inviolable knot , so faith joynes them together ; it cannot take the promises of God , but it must take the commandements of God also ; faith looks upon God , and as it seeth him to be gracious , whereby it comes to have faith to rely upon him , so also it seeth him to be holy , a God that is severe against sin , and hateth unrighteousness ; so that it is necessary that works be together with faith , for the commandement and nature of God require it .

Fifthly , They are necessary also by necessity of end ; for God hath ordained his people to this end , that they should bring forth good works . Eph. 2. 10. We are his workmanship created in Christ to good works , which God hath before ordained , that we should walk in them . We are created in Christ Jesus , not onely that we should be saved , but that we should bring forth good works . Now good works are necessary by necessity of end in divers respects .

First to this end , To glorifie God in the world ; Let your light so shine before men , &c. Matth. 5. 16. So 1 Pet. 2. 12. the Apostle saith , Having our conversation honest amongst the Gentiles , that whereas they speak against you as evil doers , &c. For when a Christian that professeth he believes in God and Jesus Christ , is plentiful in all manner of good works , this stops the mouth of all gainsayers : You know Piety and Religion is hated in the world , the Gospel finds opposition among men . Now when those that are Professors are loose and licentious in their lives , this opens their mouths against the truth ; but when our lives and conversations hold forth Jesus Christ , as we take up the profession of his holy name , so they are agreeable to his will , they are just , and holy , and righteous , and good ; this makes men think in their conscience this is of God ; this stops their mouths that they cannot rail at the Gospel .

Secondly , They are necessary to doe good to others , and convert others , as the Apostle instanceth in women that believe , if they be zealous of good works , if they be chast , and humble , and meek , and discreet ; by this means they may be instruments to convert their husbands that believe not , 1 Pet. 3. The Lord looks that his people , all that believe in him , should be fruitful in good works , that they may winne and gaine others to the faith .

Thirdly , Another end is to purifie our selves ; for it is vertue that must throw out vice ; we are all borne by nature filthy and unclean , and full of noysome lusts , and the way to expel these is by the contrary vertues , 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing you have purified your soules by obeying the truth .

Fourthly , Another end is to qualifie us for Heaven ; we cannot be qualified for the Kingdome of heaven unless we be holy and godly in Christ Jesus , except we have our conversations honest as becometh Saints ; for though it be faith that entitles a man to the Kingdome of Heaven , and gives a man right to the Kingdome of God ; yet holinesse and conformity to the minde of God , and the image of God , is that which doth fit and qualifie a man for to enter into the Kindome of God ; as Christ saith , Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees , you can in no wise enter into the Kingdome of Heaven . Though it be true , we are saved by grace , and so good works have no causality , no proper efficiency in our salvation ; yet notwithstanding they are a cause sine qua non , without them there can be no salvation ; we cannot enter into Gods Kingdome , except we be humble , and meek , and lowly ; except we fear God , and be according to his minde in all things in some measure , we cannot enter into his Kingdom . Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see God . A man cannot be admitted to the Beatifical Vision of God , except he be pure in heart ; and he cannot enjoy the Kingdome of grace neither here unless he be pure in heart , Rev. 21. 27. Without holiness a● man shall see the Lord , Heb. 13. It is impossible we should enter into Gods Kingdome by having actual possession of it , except we be holy and fitted for it , as the Apostle saith , Col. 1. 12. It is impossible that drunkards , and unclean persons should have society with the blessed Trinity , with the eternal God , with the Spirit of holinesse , to dwell with them for evermore ; we must be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light .

Fifthly , To proportion our Reward ; for though we are saved only by grace , yet God doth proportion our reward , according to the multitude , and zeal , and fervency of our good works ; for Gods Covenant is a remunerating Covenant ; for mercy doth not consist only in the pardoning of a man , but also in the sanctifying of a man , and the inclining of a mans heart to new obedience , that there may be remuneration ; for though God doth not reward people for their works , yet according to their works he doth . 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that soweth sparingly , shall reap sparingly , &c. Though a man be a Believer , and a godly man , if he be sparing in his godliness , he shall fare accordingly , and if he be abundant in the work of the Lord , he shall reap abundantly ; for as there are differences and degrees of torments to the wicked , so there be degrees in the Kingdom of God , and in glory , and the Lord doth reward his people according to their works .

Lastly , Good works are necessary by necessity of thankfulness ; it is necessary that we having received the forgiveness of our sins , and God being pleased to be our God , and to deliver us from the wrath to come , and the power of Satan , that we should be thankful for these mercies ; as David saith , Psal. 118. 19. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts , and be thankeful , Col. 1. 15. When David had considered what the Lord had done for his soul , saith he , what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits ? as soon as ever God hath been good to a man to open his eyes , to let him see his damned estate and condition , and to let him have hope , and comfort , and encouragement in him , concerning deliverance from it , and bestowing upon him his heavenly Kingdom and glory , it cannot be but the soul must be thankful ; what shall I do unto the Lord for all his benefits ? you know there is nothing that we can do back again for these benefits , except we will praise and glorifie him , by living unto him and not unto our selves ; therefore when the Psalmist had reckoned up the benefits of God to Israel , Psal. 105. 46. he concludes that they may keep his statutes and observe his Laws .

First , Here we see how horribly the Papists wrong us when they say we Vse 1 do not teach people good works , and therefore nickname us , and call us Solifidia●s , whereas we maintain a necessity of them , and as great a necessity of them as they ; only we beat down the merit of them , that no man may think to be saved by works ; as a reverend Divine Mr. Carter said , we teach people holiness and righteousness , and good works , as if there were no way to be saved but by good works ; and again , we teach that there must be as much hanging upon the grace of God , as if we could shew no more to be saved then the vilest drunkard or adulterer ; all our righteousness is as a menstruous cloth , and it is Gods mercy that any of us have an heart to do good ; you see how the world runs after their hearts lusts , and every man is of this disposition ; and it is Gods grace and mercy to incline any mans heart to walk in that way that tends to his heavenly Kingdom ; and if God should not be infinitely gracious to pardon us for our best doings , they would rise up in judgement against us ; God might condemn us for all our prayert and performances .

Secondly , This teacheth Ministers how to preach to people , to call upon Vse 2 them that they have an operative faith , not only to believe , but to have a faith that may be fruitful , and make their lives n●t to barren in obedience ; and to be abundant in the works of the Lord and to serve him , and fear him , and glorifie him in the world ; as the Apostle having shewed how Christ gave himself for us , to purchase to himself a people zealous of good works , saith he , these things speak , Tit. 2. 14 , 15. We must speak these things , and rebuke our hearers with all authority ; rebuke evil workers , and tell them they turn the grace of Christ into wantonness , they trample the blood of the Covenant under their feet , and kick at the spirit of grace , and misconstrue the meaning of the Covenant of God in Christ , and rend themselves off that they cannot enter into life ; for no man without holiness shall see God : Ministers should tell people plainly , and affirm constantly , that unless they bring forth good fruit they shall be cast into the fire ; and that without holiness they cannot have license and dispensation to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven ; for God is an holy God , and our faith is an holy faith , and the promises are made to none but those that lead an holy and a godly life ; we must preach these things , and reprove with all Authority , and let people know that are loose Christians , and Hell-hounds , that if they do not depart from iniquity , they shall see God as a Judge to condemn them for evermore .

Thirdly , This confutes all the graceless conceits of men , that think to be Vse 3 saved by Christ , and yet walk not after Christ ; they cast not away from them the works of darkness , nor renounce their wicked ●ayes and yet hope to be saved by Christ ; this is a cursed and blasphemous hope , whereby a man blasphemes God , 1 Joh. 3. 6. whosoever sinne●h , but 〈…〉 en him , neither kn●wn him ; if a man live in his sins still ( that is the meaning of it ) and walks not after the spirit ▪ but after the flesh , that man hath not seen him , neither ever known him ; he doth not know Jesus Christ otherwise then the Divels know him , otherwise then Hell-hounds and reprobates may know him ; for the second Covenant is as holy as the first , and rather more holy , and before God hath done , it shall bring a man to a nearer communion with God , and a nearer likeness ; it will raise the powers and faculties of the soul , so as I believe A●am in innocency never attained unto so much participation of God , as God by degrees will bring a man unto by the Covenant of grace ; therefore no man can look to ●e saved by Christ except he mean to be ruled by Christ , and to have him for his Lord and Master , and to obey him in all things ; if a man should lie sick in his bed of a burning feaver , and should say he were well , would you believe him ▪ so if we see a man that is burning in lust , wallowing in sinful courses , that hath a carnal and a worldly heart , unmortified and unsubdued to God , if he should say that he were in Christ , and hoped to be saved by him , believe him not ; all the world cannot save this man ; for the Lord Jesus Christ hath this very name Jesus , not only because he shall save his people from hell , but also from their sins , and make them fruitful in all the works of God .

Fourthly , To exhort that we would consider of this , the Gospel doth Vse 4 call for works as well and as strongly , yea , and more strongly then the Law , and there be necessary uses of holiness and obedience and all manner of pious works under the Gospel ; as the Apostle saith , Tit. 3. 4. let us maintain good works for necessary uses , &c. We are barren trees ; whatsoever we are , we are barren and dead Christians , and have no life of God in us , if we bring not forth good works ; for good works are necessary for many uses .

First , They are for signs , to shew us what estate and condition we are Motive 1. in ; we may know what estate and condition we are in by our carriage and conversation ; whither it be earthly or heavenly , holy or prophane , so is our condition either happy or damned .

First , They are signs of a mans election , 2 Tim. 1. 20. this is a sign and a badge , and a token whereby we may know that we are vessels of honour , if we be sanctified and made meet for our masters use , and furnished and prepared for every good work ; if we do not deny all ungodly lusts , and live righteously and soberly in this present world , we have rather badges and tokens of reprobation then election ; we cannot say that God hath appointed us to attain salvation by Jesus Christ , but have rather marks of hell and destruction upon us ; and what is the reason that men that profess Christ , do so much question their election ? no wonder when we are so scanty in our holiness and obedience to God , and so backward to do good ; there is no nickling of Gods everlasting favour breaking out , whereas if we were plentiful in good works , it would break forth as the Sun out of a cloud .

Secondly , They are signs of effectual calling , Jude 1. if a man be called of God , he is sanctified also and kept in an holy course ; preserved in Christ . 2 Pet. 1. 3. you are an holy Nation , a peculiar people , to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you , 1 Pet. 2. 9. so that we may be sure that we yet abide in darkness , and are under the power of sin and Satan ; if we have not given over our sinful courses , and conformed our selves to the Gospel of God , we were never called according to Gods purpose , but lie under the wrath of Heaven to this day ; it is holiness and righteousness that is a sign of our effectuall calling .

Thirdly , They are signs of justification also ; as the Apostle sheweth , but you are washed , &c. 1 Cor. 6. 11. you see if we be justified , we are also sanctified ; so 1 Joh. 1. 7. if we walk in the light , as he is in the light , &c. We have not one drop of the blood of Christ sprinkled upon our souls by Gods eternal spirit through faith , unless we walk in the light , and bring forth the works of the light .

Fourthly , They are signs of adoption , John 8. 39. If you were Abrahams children , you would bring forth the works of Abraham ; so if we were Gods children , we would do the works of God , the will of God : The Apostle having spoken of the adoption of Saints , behold what love the Father hath shewed to us , &c. presently he tells us that holiness and righteousness follows from hence ; he that hath this hope purifieth himself , as he is pure . So Rom. 8. 14. As many are led by the spirit of God , are the sons of God ; this is an infallible sign , if we be the sons of God , we are led by the spirit of God ; so that we have no mark that we are the children of God , but rather of the Divel , unlesse we walk in purenesse of conversation from day to day .

Fifthly , They are the marks of our love to God , as Christ saith , if you love me , keep my commundements , John ▪ 14. 15. we love not God except we keep his commandments ; as ever you would be able to say in truth you love me , keep my commandments ; look that you yield not to the corruptions of the world , look that you renounce the Divel and all his works ; I will conclude you love me not at all , if you keep not my commandments ; and he that loves not Christ , let him be Anathema Maranatha , saith the Apostle .

Secondly , Consider this , that the reason why we cannot pray better is Motive 2. because we are no more abundant in good works ; not only because we want faith , but because we want good works ; for certainly this is a great help to prayer , a great support to the soul , a great encouragement to go to the Throne of grace , and a great sign that God means to hear a man when God hath given him an heart to fear him , and love him , and make conscience of his wayes ; as the Apostle saith , 1 John 3. 22. Whatsoever we aske we receive of him , because we keep his commandments , and do the things pleasing in his sight : As who should say , when we go to God , and intreat him to be merciful to us , and intreat such and such favours that we stand in need of ; we know that we shall receive them , because we keep his commandments . These are admirable supports to hold up the hands to the Throne of grace , and to make us importunate in prayer , and confident , because we know God hath poured forth his gracious good will and pleasure into our hearts , and hath given us a mark he loves us , and beares us good will indeed . Why can we pray no better , our hands are weake and our knees feeble ; there is no power in our supplications to the Almighty , the spirit of grace is departed from us ; why the spirit of holiness is gone ; there is the reason of it , when people are loose and do not mortifie their lusts , when they are not abundant in following God , in fearing God , and serving God , and obeying the commandments of God , they cannot have confidence at the Throne of grace .

Thirdly , Consider this would be a great chearing and rejoycing in the Motive 3. evil day ; whatsoever afflictions come upon us in this world , if we can carry letters testimonial in our own conscience , that we do serve God with a pure conscience in this world ; as Paul saith , 2 Cor. 1. 12. God knows what evil may befal us before we are a little older , what temptations may await us , what distresses and calamities may fall upon us ; happy are we if we have the testimony of a good conscience , that we walk in the wayes of God , and fear him , and love those things that are beloved of God ; if we love his children , his Ordinances , his glory , and are tender of it ; a good conscience tender of the commandments of God and his wa●es , is the best comfort a man can have in the world , setting aside his faith in God ; and this is an evidence of his faith too ; how can we tell what may be ? may be the best of us may come to Davids pass ; you know ho● he was put to it once in the time of his misery and affliction he was fain to look if he could see an honest life and conversation , whither he had pleased God : saith he , I communed with my spirit , and made diligent search , P●al . 77. 6. How have I pleased God , and followed God ? what manner of ●e have I led ? he ransacked all his life and conversation , and would be glad to see he had done the things pleasing to God ; i● would be more comfort th●n if all the Angels in heaven had spoken comfort ; so temptations or af●●ictions may be upon us , that we would be glad to see signs and tokens of Gods favour in sanctifying our hearts , and making us to be obedient to his will , and tremble at his word ; and if we cannot see these things , woe unto us , 1 Tim 6. 19. charge them that be rich in the world , that they be not high ▪ minded , &c. So we do not know what times may come , we had need l●y a good foundation for comfort against the time to come , and charge rich men that they be rich in good works ; charge all Christians , all that desire to had ▪ in the evil day , to be rich in good works , and abound in them , and lay up in store a good foundation against the time to come , that they may lay hold of eternal life .

Lastly , Consider that your want of obedience and good works is the cause of all Gods temporal judgements , why God doth stop the bottles of Heaven , and turns the Earth into dust , and parcheth our Corn ; we see God hath begun the plague among us in the principal place of the Kingdom ; wherefore is all this ? see what the Prophet saith , Jer. 3. 3. therefore have the showers been withholder , because you have been wicked ; thou hast an whores forehead , and refusest to be ashamed ; thy carelesseness and barrenness under the means of grace , thy impenitency and hardness of heart , these have caused the showers to be withholden , and have made God to deny the former and latter rain .

The second point is this , As the Covenant of grace requires works , so it Doctrine . The Covenant of grace requires perfect works . Objection . requires perfect works he tells the Church of Sardis that he looks for works , and perfect works , but c●nnot find them ; so that the second Covenant requires perfect works .

But you will say , how can that he ? Paul himself that was as forward a man , and had as perfect works as any man , yet he confesseth he was not perfect , Phil. 3. 12. so likewise here we know but in part , 1 Cor. 13. 10. perfection is not yet come ; in the world to come it may come . Heb 12. there we read of the spirits of just and perfect men ; then men are made perfect , but they are not perfect in this life .

I answer , 't is true , therefore there is a double perfection . First , A perfection Answer . of degrees , to be perfectly perfect , and so no man can be perfect by any perfection inherent ▪ indeed the Covenant of works requires this perfection , but the Covenant of grace doth not ; indeed when we come to glory , there shall be this perfection , but not in this life ; in this life the Lord only subdues our sins , but casts them not into the bottom of the Sea til the life to come ; therefore this perfection cannot be looked for upon earth .

Therefore secondly , There is another perfection , and that is a perfection by way of sincerity and uprightnesse . Job 1. 1. Job was a perfect and upright man . Now this perfection differs from the other five wayes ; the perfection God requires in the Gospel from that in the Law .

First , The Law stands upon performances , as well as the will and desire : The difference between Legal and Evangelical Perfection . and a man is not perfect unlesse he perform all as well as desire to doe it ; But now the perfection of the Gospel is without these performances , indeed that man labours for as many performances as he can , but it may be onely by desires , Rom. 7. 18. Paul was perfect by Evangelical Perfection , he was upright before God , yet he could not reach performances ; no , he had a will to be good he did unfeignedly desire to be godly , and serve God in every thing unfeignedly , endeavouring after godly courses , yet could not attain to that which he did desire . So it was with Nehemiah , and all the good people of God , Nehem. 1. 11. O Lord , I beseech thee lot thine ear be atten●ive t● the prayers of thy servants who desire to fear thy name . He could hardly say that he did perform it , but he did desire it ; he could hardly say he did love , and obey God , and doe his will , but this he would say , he did desire to doe it , and unfeignedly desire it ; as Solomon saith , Prov. 21. 21. He that followeth after righteousnesse and mercy , findeth life . He doth not say , he that reacheth in he cannot reach it may be , but he that followeth after it shall have life : it is a sign that he hath the life of justification , and that he shall have the life of glory .

Secondly , The perfection of the Law it stands upon quantities as well as upon qualities & truth ; it is not satisfied though a man be never so truly holy and religious , unless man hath quantities , and is so much holy : But now the perfection of the Gospel , indeed it will have as much quantity as a man can , but yet it will stand with truth ; though a man hath not that quantity of humiliation and self-denial , and power against sin , yet if he have it in truth , he is Evangelically perfect in some measure , he is sincere and upright before God ; as Solomon saith of his Father , 1 Kings 13. 6. M. Father had great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth . He doth not say he walked before thee in legal perfection , he was perfectly righteous ; but he was truly righteous , he was humble in truth , and godly in truth , and zealous in truth ; he had none of all these things to the utmost , yet he walked before thee in truth . So Josh. 24. 14. Fear the Lord , and serve him in sincerity and truth . He doth not say , serve him as if you should doe every thing he commands ; but doe it in truth and sincerity , Now sincerity is , when there is no commandement but a man sets himselfe to doe it ; there is no sin but he labours to avoid it , and there is no right manner , but he sets himself to doe it in the right manner to his power ; this is the perfection of the Gospel .

Thirdly , The perfection of the Law stands upon full measure ; whether a man have power or no , that is nothing to the purpose ; the law will have all holiness and righteousness , whether a man hath power or no : But now the perfection of the Gospel by way of sincerity , it looks at what measure God hath given and bestowed , and no more but what God hath given and enabled a man to doe ; as you may see the Lord doth not require the gain of ten talents , when he gave but five , nor the gain of five when he gave but two ; the widows two mites were accepted , and taken for a good and sincere gift , because she gave all that she had , Luke 21. 4. as the Apostle speaks , 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing minde , it is accepted according to that a man hath , and not according to that a man hath not . The law will have perfection whether a man hath power or no , or else it will damn a man ; but in the Gospel a man may say as Peter to the lame man , Silver and gold have I none , but such as I have , that give I thee . Lord , such a memory , and such parts and gifts have I not , but such as I have , that give I thee ; according to that measure of knowledge I have , according to that grace I have , I will give it thee : If a man can say thus , he is accepted , not according to that he hath not , but according to that he hath ; as it was in the law of Moses , Levit. 5. 6 , 7. Atrespasse-●ffering should be a lamb or a kid ; but if a man were not able to give that , then two turtle doves , or two young pigeons ; if he be not able to give that , let him give two or three handfuls of fine flowre , Levit. 5. 11. So Levit. 14. 20. Let him give according at he can get , he shall be accepted according to that . This is the perfection of the Gospel ▪ according to the help and assistance God gives a man , and according to the means God afford● a man , it shall be accepted .

Fourthly , The perfection of the law admits of no failings ; if a man fails , no matter though it be out of infirmity , the law condemns him the law requires perfection without failings ; but the perfection of the Gospel , by way of sincerity admits of failings ; as the best gold hath his allowances , so it is with a true Christian ; he may be sincere and upright , though he hath a thousand failings ; as it is said of David , 1 Kings 15. 5. He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord in all things , but onely in the mo●ter of Uriah . That indeed would not stand with sincerity , his sincerity was quite in a swo●m then : that could not stand with sincerity ; if he had gone on to sin in that fashion , he could not have been sincere ; but in all other things he did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord . You will say he had a thousand failings , yet saith the Text , they all stood with sincerity ; he numbred the people , and God was mightily angry with him , and you know how unjust he was in the matter of Zibah and Mephibosheth ; you know how he told a lye to Abimelech , and was the occasion of the death of the Priests of the Lord ; you know how he counterfelted himself mad , and he had horrible disorders in his family , and had lost the power of controul over his children ; were not these horrible failings ? and what a company of Wives and Concubines had he ? yet all these stood with sincerity , because they were either done out of ignorance , or want of due consideration sometimes , or through humane frailty and infirmity , or through violence of temptation , contrary to his constant course , and intendment and purpose ; they might all stand with sincerity and an upright heart according to the perfection of the Gospel .

Fifthly , The perfection of the Law makes nothing of repentance ; if you break the commandements of God , if you shed tears of blood , and repent your heart out , what cares the law ? the law will have perfect obedience , or else to hell you shall . But now in the perfection of the Gospel , repentance is a great matter ; nay , if a man be never so vile and wretched , if yet he humble himselfe before God , and be unfeignedly sorry for sinning against God , this is a great matter ; this man is an upright man , that is unfeignedly humbled and abased before God ; The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit , a broken and contrite heart thou shalt not despise . This is the voyce of the Gospel . So Ez●k. 18. 21. If the wicked will turn from all his sins , and do that which is lawful and right , he shall surely live , he shall not die . As it is Joh 23. 27 , 28. He looked upon men , and if any said I have sinned , he will deliver his soule from going down into the pit . In the Gospel a man is an upright man , if he come before the throne of grace with shame and confusion of face for all his sins , with unfeigned sorrow that he hath broken Gods Covenant ; if he hath never so many failings , if he set himselfe to please God , and when he fails , he repents , and humbles himself before God , this man Doctrine . Every man ought to labour for perfection . hath the perfection of the Gospel . Thus we see the meaning of the words , Perfect before God .

The point of Doctrine is this , That every man is to labour to be perfect , that is the thing that God will require , and enquire after at the last day , whether we be upright . You see this , 1 Cor. 5. 7 , 8. and so likewise in other places of Scripture .

The first Reason is from the nature of God , with whom we have to doe , Reason 1 he is upright ; therefore it concerns us to labour to be like him ; he himselfe is an upright God , and there is no unrighteousness in him , his wayes are perfect , and his judgments are truth ; therefore if a man be not perfect , he cannot be like him . Mat. 5. 48. Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect . we know his spirit is the spirit of truth , himselfe is the God of truth , his Son is the way , the truth , and the life , he is the faithful witness ; and as God is upright , so he looks that his servants should shew what Master they serve , that they may make it appear that their Master is an upright Master , Psalm 92. ult . to shew forth that the Lord is upright ; This is our duty ; God is upright , and Christ is upright ; and therefore we should follow his steps , 1 Pet. 2. 21 , 22.

Secondly , God hath commanded us to be sincere ; though he remit from the first Covenant of absolute and perfect righteousness and holiness without sin , ye he will have his people truly fearing him , and hating sin , universal in obedience , that they shall be from the bottome of their hearts followers of him ; therefore this slung David to the heart when he committed sin : O thought he , Thou desirest truth in the inward parts , Psal. 51. 6. As who should say , thou lookest into the heart , thou requirest truth of thy servants ; O what a false heart have I had in this businesse ! God hath many worshippers in this world , such as they are ; but God cares for none , but such as deale faithfully in his Covenant ; as Christ speaks , John 424.

Thirdly , God knows our hearts ; therefore though we serve him , and do duties to him ; though we call upon his name , hear his Word , come to his Table , observe his Sabbaths , keep his Ordinances ; yet if we doe not doe these things in truth , his eyes are ever upon our bosomes , he casts his eyes upon the secrets of men ; if our hearts be rotten , and proud , and vaine , and loose , and filthy ; if our hearts be not of a right frame , all is nothing ; if there be any way of wickednesse in us , if there be any secret sins , or cursed corruptions that we favour our selves in ; if there be any false way we secre●ly haunt , the Lord shall search it out , for the knowes the secrets of our hearts ; therefore it becomes us to be upright ; as he saith of Ephraim , Hos. 5. 3. I know Ephraim , he is not hid from us . So if we preach never so zealously , and doe not according to our preaching , the Lord knows ●s ; so if we hear never so zealously , and doe not practice what we hear , he knows it ; therefore it concerns us to be upright .

Fourthly , Because the Lord will let down the Covenant no lower . Now God hath been pleased to moderate the first Covenant , which it was impossible for us to keep , and hath brought it down to the Covenant of faith , to believe , and to be sincere in all our wayes ; this God requires , and will let it down no lower . Isa. 63. 8. the Lord saith there , Surely they are my people , children that will not lye ; and so he was their Saviour . So he requires his people should be children that should not lye , and be base-hearted , and deal deceitfully and crookedly in his Covenant ; he was their Saviour , so they would be children that would not lye . So Eph. 6. 24. Grace be with all them that love Christ in sincerity . There is no man is under the Covenant of grace , unlesse he be sincere in all the will of God in Jesus Christ : There are two things the Covenant of grace gives ; the one is the forgivenesse of sins , the other is a sincere heart ; if a man hath not these two , he is yet in his sins ; as we may see , Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the man , &c.

Fifthly , The Examples of all the Saints in all Ages ; all the people of God that ever were upright , to begin with Noah , Gen. 6. 9. The text saith , he was a just and perfect man in his generation . You know it was in a corrupt time , all the Earth had corrupted their wayes ; no question a man that was religious in those dayes , he could not chuse but be scorned and derided ; but what cared he ? he would be a just man , and was perfect in his generation ; though it were a devillish generation , yet he was an upright man , and would not doe as the world did , but he would draw near to God , and walk with him from day to day . So it is said of Job , Job 1. 2. That he was an upright and perfect man ; though Job lived in a blind corner out of the Church , and setting aside 304 , generally the whole Countrey were Heathens and Pagans , and he was as an Owl in the Desart ; yet he would not doe as the world did , but keep himself to God . So Luke 1. 6. Zachary and Elizabeth were both righteous before God , &c. You know the times were then very bad , and all the devotion that went for currant , was nothing but to be zealous of humane inventions and traditions , and worshipping God after the imaginations of men ; this was the holiness of the world , yet the Text saith this man and his wife would be righteous before God , and walked in all the Ordinances of God blameless ; not in the Ordinances of the Scribes and Pharisees , but they were righteous before God , and walked in all the Ordinances of God blameless .

Then this may serve to reprove these dayes , and times , and places of Vse 1. Reproof . ours where we live ; where are hardly any upright people ? we may say of them as the Prophet Micah said of his time , Micah 7. 2. The good man is perished off the earth . As who should say , we had a great company of godly and holy people , religious Ministers , painful in their places , and abundance of private Christians , faithful before the Lord ; but now there is hardly an upright man ; there are so many drunkards and adulterers , so many unclean persons , so many covetous : there are so many mockers and enemies to sincerity , so many complementers with God , so many ignorant , nay willingly ignorant , though they live under the means of knowledge , so many that have a form of golinesse , but deny the power thereof , so many that are come to the birth , but have no strength to bring forth , they will never come to be godly indeed ; there are so many that are dead-hearted , and never were quickned by Jesus Christ , nor endued with the life of the spirit of grace , that we may say as Solomon saith , A faithful man who shall finde ? Prov. 20. 6. Many fathers we have among us , but a faithful father who shall finde , that doth discharge his duty towards his children ? many Masters we may finde ; but who carries himself towards his servants as he ought to doe ? so we have many in place of Authority , that might stand for God , and hinder sin , and doe some good in their places ; but a faithful man who shall finde , but here one , and there one , rare birds , and they are the offscouring of the world , and are hated ; and mocked and persecuted ? so we have a great many that have gotten a great deal of light , God hath awakened their consciences , and made them see their miserable condition ; but a faithful man that doth discharge a good conscience in that place wherein he is , that carries himself uprightly under the means of grace , under the Word , under the preaching of it , under Gods Ordinances , such a man where shall we finde ? as David saith , Psalm 12. 1. Help Lord , &c. He had occasion , through the persecution of S●ul , to travel thorough the most of the Towns of Israel , and all were so loose and licentious , and carnall , and worldly , and serving the times , and pleasing and humouring the Court ; he saw the Countrey so empty of goodness , that he prayeth Help Lord , &c. and as the Lord saith , Isa. 1. 21. How is the faithful City become an Harlot ? &c. So we may say , How is the faithful City become an harlot ? a faithful Town , that hath had the Word sincerely taught , that hath had many walking sincerely in obedience according to the Word in some measure , and hath set up the power of the Word in their Families ; but what is become of them ? there was judgement and righteousnesse ; but now where is it ? there was truth , and truth could have abode , but now it can have no admittance : But how may we complain that our faithful Countrey is become an harlot ▪ I doe not speak of Papists , and Turks , and Pagans , but of the Church of God ; the faithful are diminished from among the sons of men .

Secondly , This may serve to humble the best of all Gods children , it Vse 2. Humility . may serve to ashame us before God , to think what a deal of corruption is in our hearts ; if David might complain of himself , how much more may we ? Lord , saith he , thou dost require truth in the inward parts , Psal. 51. 6. As who should say , Lord how far am I from it ? who would ever have thought that Davids heart should so play fast and loose , that ever he should s● abuse Vriah his faithful servant , that ever he should so abuse Bathsheba that good woman , and bring her to sin ? If David himself may thus complain ; how much more may we complain and loath our selves for the deal of rottenness that is in our hearts ! O what windlings and fetches are there ! Austin himself saith , I can hardly tell when to believe my own heart ; so I say , what a company of windings , and turnings , and tricks , and starting●oles are there in the hearts of Gods people ? sometimes we are ready to think we have the good we have not ; and what evasions have we to put off any good duty , if we have not a minde to doe it ? what put offs , what tricks to slip our neck out of the collar if we doe not like it ? what a company of deceits are in the heart ? So what a company of slights to doe evil ? such a company of blindin●s , and besottings , and carnal reasons ; and foolish arguments , as if we did well in doing it , whereas it is but the falseness of our hearts ? As Mr. Hearn saith , It is better for a man to be delivered up to the Devil , then to his own heart . We read of a man delivered up to Satan , as Paul saith , and yet we read that that man was brought home again ; but we never read of any man brought home that was delivered up to the corruptions of his own heart ; therefore if God hath made us see the falsenesse of our own hearts , and made us humble our selves before him for it , and made us to endeavour more and more a●ter sincerity ; what a mercy of God is this ? but the people of God have cause to com●lain of the falseness of their hearts .

Thirdly , Is it so that we must be upright , then let this serve to exhort us that we would be upright more and more ; for this is that which the Lord doth look for and especially look for : What though we should do things never so good for the matter ; yet if we do them not with an upright heart , all is nothing , though the children of Judah fasted and that for 70. years together , four times in a year they sought the Lord extraordinarily ; yet because they did not seek him thoroughly , he did not count it sincerely done , Zach. 7. 4 , 5. As who should say , You did not fast unto me . Doubtless they themselves thought they were very religious ; what not only to doe the duties of religion , but to doe extraordinary duties , no question they thought this was very much ; yet every one were cast off , because their hearts were not upright before him . A●●ziah , the Text saith , did those things that were good in the eyes of the Lord ; yet the Text makes this exception against him , that it was not with an upright heart , 2 Chron. 25. 2.

Con●ider first , That God delights only in an upright heart . Prov. 11. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord ; but those that are upright in their wayes are his delight . Upright Prayer , and upright hearing of the Word , and upright Preaching of it , upright walking in a mans Family , and upright carriag● in a mans conversation , when a man carries himself uprightly in all his wayes , this man is a delight to God , as he saith , Isa. 66. 2. I can look over heaven and earth , but at him will I look that trembleth at my Word . The prayer of the upright is his delight , Prov. 15. 8. When a man can make faithful pleas to the throne of grace for mercy , faithful pleas that God would pardon him , faithful pleas that God would enable him , and accept him , and he doth not make these pleas falsly , but his own heart can say , there is no sin , but he sets himselfe against it , and there is no commandement but he sets himself to obey it ; but the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to him , he cannot abide it ; let them pray a thousand prayers , God abhors their prayers , if they have not upright hearts . So 1 Chron. 29. 17. see what David saith ; as who should say , Lord , thou hast pleasure in uprightness ; and then certainly thou hast some pleasure in me ; for with an upright heart , and in the sincerity of my soule have I sought thee . Now on the contrary , if a man be not upright before God , if a man have a loose conversation , and he be not sincere , the Lord abhors that man .

Secondly , Consider that this is the totall summe of all that God requires in the Covenant of grace , that they should be upright and faithful in his Covenant ; as when he made his Covenant with Abraham , Gen. 17. 1. he saith , Walk before me , and be upright . This is that God requires , and he would be an Almighty God unto him , and bless him , and do him good to all generations . 1 Sam. 12. 24. It is the saying of Samuel to the people , Only fear the Lord , and walk before him with an upright heart . As who should say , this is the onely thing , and God requires no more ; if God had required more , he might lawfully have done it ; if he had required the fulfilling of the Law to the utmost rigour , he might have done it ; but this is the onely thing that God doth stand upon , that we should be upright before him ; he doth not look that we should be Angels upon earth , but that we should be sincere , and no● goe a whoring from him wittingly and willingly .

Thirdly , Consider , The least faith , the least grace and goodness , if it be with uprightness , is better then all the goodly performances of the whole world ; God liked more of the poor womans two mites , then of all the abundance that the Scribes and Pharisees cast into the Treasury ; And he that gives a cup of cold water to a Prophet , in the name of a Prophet , shall no● lose his reward : Therefore you shall see many poore beggarly things , over those things that other men have done , have been accepted ; whereas the building of Hospitals and Colledges have been rejected ; though a man have but a little knowledge , as many of the Martyrs hardly knew how many Sacraments there were ; yet having uprightness , died at stake ; so if a man have but a little faith with sincerity , it shall pass , when a thousand presumptuous fools shall goe to hell .

Fourthly , Consider , God will wink at manifold and grievous faults , so there be sincerity and uprightness . Asa his faults were horrible faults , 1 Kings 15. 14. yet his heart was perfect : What a company of faults had he ? what an horrible failing was this that he should cast the very Prophet of God into prison that reproved him ? Now God answers , he had his failings , and horrible ones ; yet he was a good man , for his heart was upright before me . Asa was not himselfe in that businesse ; Asa was not Asa then ; his heart was upright with the Lord . So good Jehosaphat , a man that was grievously besmeared with corruptions and infirmities , and those no small ones ; how fearfully did he marry his daughters into a most devillish Family , as if he had no fear of God before his eyes ? he married them to the house of Ahab , and another time he helped the enemies of the Lord , and loved them that hated the Lord ; I know not how he was hooked in to joyn with Ahab , and goe up to Ramoth ▪ Gilead ; and when he had done this , and had humbled himselfe for this , he did it again , 2 Kings 3. 7. And the Reformation he wrought was not thorough , as it ought to have been ; yet saith the Text , 2 Chro. 19. 3. There are good things in thee ; because he was upright , the Lord was pleased to accept him ; nay , I will tell you more , look upon the people at the Passeover in the dayes of Hezekiah , what a company of people came to Jerusalem to keep the Passeover , and came horribly unprepared ? the Text saith , they were not prepared according to the Law of Moses , which was a grievous thing ; yet the Text saith , the Lord heard the prayers of Hezekiah for them , because they prepared their hearts to seeke the Lord ; they did endeavour to grieve and be ashamed for their failings and want of preparation ; now on the other side , what goodly men doth God reject , not being upright and sincere ? as Jehu , what a glorious King was he ? I warrant all the good people of Judah and Israel blessed God that ever he sate upon the Throne ; what to root out Baal , and to destroy all the Idolatrous Priests , and to be zealous in it ? come and see ▪ my zeal for the Lord ; these were admirable things ; yet the Lord doth discharge him , and would have none of him , because he was not upright : Look upon the Scribes and Pharisees , the none suches , and mirrours of their times ; that was a Proverbe in Israel , that if but two men in the world should go to Heaven , the one should be a Scribe , and the other Pharisee ; they were thought to be the holiest men in the world ; yet when the Lord saw this was not with an upright heart , he denounceth woe upon woe against them .

Fifthly , Consider , That if we be upright , it will help us to profit by all Gods Ordinances ; take the preaching of the word ; Micah 2. 7. the Prophet brings in the Lord speaking thus , that the word shall do such people good ; is there any man in the world that walks uprightly , that my word doth not do good unto , that it doth not comfort his heart , and quicken his soul to obedience ? is it not a light unto his feet , and a Lanthorne to his paths ; so that an upright man , when he comes to the Ordinances of God , he shall be the better for it ; when he goes to prayer , he shall be the better for it ; when he comes to the Sacrament , he shall be the better for it ; all the Ordinances of God shall doe him good ; whereas if a man have a false heart , the word hardens him , prayer deads him ; if he come to the Sacrament , it is not for the better , but for the worse ; if he be reproved for his sins , if he have not a sincere heart , he is so much the worse , it will do him no good , it will make his heart rise up against those that reprove him , and hardens his heart so much the more .

Sixthly , Consider that if we be upright , what a deal of comfort this will be to our hearts ; there is no comfort in the world comparable to the comfort of one that hath walked uprightly ; as Hezekiah when he had received the sentence of death , what did comfort him ? did all his wealth , and greatness and renown comfort him ? no , but remember Lord how I have walked before thee with an upright heart ; marke what he saith , he doth not say , Remember Lord how I have reformed the Church , and purged the Temple , and thrown out all the abominations in the Land , and purified the Passeover , and set the Ordinances of God in his house in due order ; no , none of all these comforted his heart , but looke what he did he did with an upright heart ; as who should say , I might have done all these things , but if it had not been with an upright heart , it had been nothing ; that which I did I did from my heart , with a fear of thy command ; I sought thee in it , and no by-ends ; all my care was to approve my selfe before thee ; how Lord , remember this ; remember the infinite goodnesse and promises that thou hast made to those that are upright before thee . Nay , if thou hast an upright heart , whatsoever troubles come upon the earth , or upon thine own soul , if thou beest cast into prison , or made to flie from one Country to another , I tell thee , in the midst of all thy afflictions and troubles , if thou hast an upright heart , thou shalt have peace and comfort , Psal. 97. 11. in the midst of darkness , in the midst of afflictions there is some light , some cranney , some hold , some comfort for the righteous ; on the other side , if a man be not upright , what a woeful case is this man in ; nay , though a man be upright , yet if he doe not apprehend himselfe to be so , what a lamentable case is he in ? he can have no comfort ; all the skilful Physitians in Gilead can hardly fasten comfort upon that man ; tell him of all his reformations and prayers , and good duties he hath performed ; O saith he , all this is but hypocrisie , I am so dead and dull , God hath not all my heart ; tell him of his good desires and purposes , and endeavours , he is affraid he is not right ; tell him of Gods promises to pardon him , he saith , I am not sincere , I am not upright .

Lastly , If we be upright , we shall be blessed our selves , and not only our selves but our very posterity shall be blessed ; as the Prophet David saith , Psal. 112. ● His seed shall be mighty upon the earth ; he speakes of the upright , nor onely himselfe shall be blessed , but he layeth up a blessing for the generation that shall come out of his loins ; so Prov. 20. 7. his very children are blessed after him ; if thou set thy selfe to serve God uprightly with all thy heart though thou canst not leave thy children any great outward matters , yet thou shalt leave them a blessing from Heaven ; thy children shall fare the better for it ; if we would know what shall become of our children , and would faine provide for them , let us be upright , and that is the way to ●ay up a blessing in store for our children ; now on the other side , if a man be not upright , he is so farre from treasuring up mercy for his children , that lie rather treasures up wrath both for them and his own soul ; nay , though a man hath been never such a convert to outward appearance , never so strangely reformed , that all the Country admires at it ; as it was the case of Simon Magus , he was a Conjurer , yet this man was converted very much to see too , he was wonderfully reformed , and gave over his Conjuring , and embraced the Gospel , and would follow the Saints , and joyned himselfe to Peter , and to Philip also , when he came to Town ; yet having not an upright heart , the Text saith , he had no Lot nor portion in Jesus Christ , nor in the Covenant of grace and mercy , but was in the gall of bitterness , and in the bond of iniquity .

The fourth Use is for examination , To examine our selves whither we be Vse 4 upright or no ; and this is a very necessary Use , because those that are no● sincere , are most subject to think they are sincere ; and they that are sincere indeed , are most afraid they are not sincere .

Therefore first , Consider , A sincere man is universal in regard of all the Signes of uprightness . commandements of God , he doth set himself in all his wayes , to obey God in all his statutes ; as we may see , Psal. 119 6. This is an upright man , that hath respect to all Gods commandements ; but a false-hearted man , may be he will do something , he will pick and choose , and take what he likes of the commandments of God ; some things he will doe , others he will not doe ; he cannot be gotten to stoop to all Gods holy will , he will never yield to that ; may be he will not commit adultery , but then he will drinke horribly ; may be he will not swear , but then he will lye ; if he be good in one thing , he will not be good in another ; if he be diligent in his particular calling , he will be negligent in his general calling ; he will not be holy and strict , and one that doth walk in Gods holy Laws ; a true upright man doth not deal with the commandements of God as the swine doth with the pease-cods , that will squeeze them , and then leave the rest ; but an upright man digests all the commandments of God .

Secondly , An upright man , he is universal in all graces , he is a man of all graces ; for why is God said to be the God of all grace ? but in respect that his people have all graces in them , and he is the Author of all ; 2 Cor. 8. 7. the Apostle saith , therefore as you abound in every grace , &c. As who should say , if you be sincere , for so it is in the next verse , &c. you do not shew your selves to be sincere in your love to God and his Church , unless you abound in this grace and that grace , and all the graces of Gods holy spirit ; so that a man must have all graces that is upright ; there must be none wanting ; he must have the whole image of God , he must have the whole new cloathing , he must be a new creature , he must be endued with all the cluster of graces , Eph. 5. 9. And as the Apostle speaks , 2 Pet. 1. 5 , 6 , 7. you may see there how all graces are concatenated and linked together , that if a man have one he must have all ; suppose a man should have faith , if he should not adde to his faith vertue , what would his faith do him good ? he is never the nearer , his faith cannot save him , he must adde to it vertue ; and when a man hath faith , if he have not knowledge , what is zeal without knowledge ? the Apostle preacheth the doctrine of reprobation against the Jews for their zeal , when they had not knowledge ; a man cannot be really vertuous , unless he hath knowledge , and doth it with wisedom and discretion ; now if a man had faith , and all other vertues , and were not temperate , he were a very beast ; and if a man had all these , and had not patience , a man cannot possess his s●ul ; though a man hath faith , yet without patience he cannot inherit the promises ; so that you see an upright man is one that hath all graces ; so that a man that hath not all the graces of Gods spirit , if he want one , he hath never a one of them ; and thus it is with every man that is not right , though he may have admirable qualities and endowments of Gods blessed spirit , yet if he have not all , he is not upright ; but now an upright man hath all the graces of Gods spirit ; 't is true , some of Gods children are more eminent in one grace , and some in another , but every child of God hath all the graces of Gods spirit ; if a man want one , he cannot have another .

Thirdly , An upright man is universal in regard of place , he is not onely good among good company , but good also among bad company ; he is good out of the Church , as well as in the Church ; and good at home , as well as in the streets , among such and such ; he is good abroad , as well as in his own Town ; as you may see , Psalm 16. 8. I have alwayes set God before mine eyes ; an upright man wheresoever he is , he sets God before his eyes , that he may not provoke him , nor offend him ; The upright dwell in his presence , Psalm 140. 13. you wil say , may be they goe an hundred miles off , but wheresoever they go they dwell in his presence , and this makes him good in all places , now a rotten-hearted man , may be he will be good in the Church , but leaves his Religion at the Church doore ; may be he will be good abroad , but he will neglect his own family ; or if he be honest and well ordered while he is in his own Parish , yet let him go abroad afar off into another Town where no body knows him , may be there he will flie out ; you shall see many a professor , that joyns himself to the people of God at home , and will be drunk abroad ; these are false and unsound hearts , that are not good in all places ; if they be godly openly , they are not so secretly ; thus it is with wicked and ungodly men , if they come among good people , they will not for shame drinke nor swill nor swear , nor speake against goodness ; but if they be among wicked people , they will side with them , and may be gird at the Saints of God , and give them back blows ; just as it is with water , put it into a Tub , it will have the shape of a Tub ; put it into a Beaker , it will have the shape of a Beaker ; it still fashions it self according to the vessel into which it is put ; but an upright man is like a solid thing that keeps its own figure , he is the same in all places .

Fourthly , An upright man is universal in regard of time , he is good at all times , Psal. 106. 3. Blessed is he that keeps judgement and righteousness at all times ; not as though a childe of God may not fall fearfully many times , but it is against the absolute bent of his heart , and care and study of his soul ; a Divine sets it out by a spring between a couple of hills , it will alwayes run , it will either run thorough those lets that stop it , or else it will run over those lets ; it cannot cease running if it be a living spring ; so a godly sincere heart is good at all times ; now an unsound Christian , that never had the true grace of life in his heart , he will not be good at all times , he will be good by fits and turns ; when he is smitten at a Sermon , when he is under the rod , under a cross , then he will fall foul with his ●ins , and when conscience is up , then he will be good ; as a Windmill goeth as long as the wind sills the sailes ; but if the wind be down , the grist may lie long enough till the wind blow again ; but a true Christian is like a good boate man , if the wind blow he may go the better , but if the wind be down he will goe too , nay , he will labour so much the more ; he will go though it be against wind and tide ; so it is with an upright man , he is good at all times , not only when he is well , but also when he is sick ; he is good in prosperity , and good in adversity ; good when his conscience is up , and good when his conscience is not so stirring ; though he wants some helps , and drives so much the more heavily , yet he strives and will be good ; but an ungodly heart , may be he may be good sometimes , but it will not hold ; as it is said of Sigismund the Emperour , when he was sick , then he would be good and godly , and thought of repentance , and sent for a Confessor , and would repent , and asked him Have I not repented ? yes saith he , if it hold ; but a wicked mans repentance will not hold ; let God but pluck out the arrow , he will return to his old byas again , and he is never the nearer , nay , may be he is worse then he was before .

Fifthly , An upright man is universal in regard of parts ; as Christ speaks of his Spouse , Thou art all fair my love , Cant. 4. 7. She was all fair in all parts , and there was no spot in her ; he doth not deny but there was failings and weaknesses , but no such soul spots as upon wicked men ; so a godly man is all fair ; his understanding that is teachable , and made to savour of the truth , and capable to be guided and informed by the spirit of God ▪ you know there is rebellion in the understandings of men , carnal reasons , and strong holds , and haughty and proud principles of reasoning ; if they are convinced of a sin , they will not leave it , they have reasonings for that ●n ; and if they have never such convictions for a duty , there is rebellion in the understanding to put off this ; but an upright heart , his understanding is good in some measure , he is unfeignedly willing to be instructed of God ; whatsoever course he takes , tell him out of the word of God that it is not good , though his life depends upon it , it shall goe , he dares not stand out against God ; but a wicked heart hath not a teachable understanding ▪ it is still under its stubbornness and stoutness , and reasoning against God : and things he doth not like , he will not see ; when there is any sin he would not leave , or any duty he would not doe , as Christ saith , Mat. 13. 15. he thus his eyes , and will not see . What wicked man that lives under the Gospel of God , but may see his courses are naught , but he will not see it ? how many sins do ungodly men keep ? there is light enough , and reason enough against their sinnes , but they have sturdy mindes , and will not be convinced of it .

Again , An upright man his heart is converted and made godly , his will is made pliable to be led by God , and guided by Gods blessed spirit : the stone is taken out of it ; there may be much hardness , but the stone is gone , the heart of stone is gone , and he hath an heart of flesh given unto him , to be sensible of God , and sensible of his word , and sensible of the light that shines in his face ; and his heart being converted , he is moved by an inward principle , and so moves the more willingly , and the more freely ; as David saith , 1 Chron. 28. 9. He hath a willing heart . But now a carnal heart , and a heart that is not turned to God , the stone is not taken out , a man rebels to this day ; if he be moved to goodnesse , it is not by an inward principle , but by education or goodnesse of nature ; or by the stings of conscience that over-power his heart ; or by reason of a great light that breaks in and over-awes his heart : Therefore a naughty heart , be he never so good and fair-carriaged , may be his conscience sometimes makes him forbear more then he would , and makes him doe more good then he would ; but a godly heart is willing to doe what good he can , nay he would doe more good then he can doe , nay he never can doe so much as he would , he is ashamed of all his works ; look what he doth , ●he doth it with a willing heart .

Again ▪ A godly heart is good in his memory ▪ as David saith , Psalm 119. 16. I will never forget thy precepts . His memory is turned to good things , and made to remember good things ; he hideth the word of God in his heart , that he may not sin against him : But a carnal heart forgets to be good , and zealous , and please God , and obey God ; his memory is not washed and sanctified in any measure .

Again , A good man is good in his thoughts ; he doth not onely purge the outside of the platter , but the inside also ; he labours to have his thoughts set upon things above ; he labours that vain thoughts may not lodge in him ; nay his main care is within doors , in his own bosome , to have his thoughts upright towards God .

So again , he is good in his affections , he doth hunger and thirst after righteousness , he doth desire the things that are most excellent , he doth delight in God and his presence ; he mourns for his sins , and mourns that he can mourn no more ; he hath all his affections in some measure rightly seated and qualified ; he is good all over , as the Apostle Paul saith , 1 Thes. 5. 23. The God of peace sanctifie you throughout . As who should say , This is sincerity , and I pray God give it you , that you may not deceive your own souls , but that your whole spirit and body , and soule , and whole man may be true in the eyes of the Lord : But now a carnal heart is not thus ; though he be like a whited Sepulchre , he doth seem outwardly to be a good man , and a man cannot check him ; if a man should say , such a one is rotten , he should be th●ught to be censorious and uncharitable ; yet in his inward parts he is naught , if a man be not upright , he doth not look to his thoughts , but can let them be vaine and unfruitfull , and can let his affections run at randome ; he is not affected with God , he doth not mourn for his sins , he doth not delight in good things , his affections are not set upon things that are above .

Sixthly , An upright man is universal in regard of cases and conditions , if he be under any kinde of temptation whatsoever , as we may see , James 1. 12. It is nothing for a man to be godly , and meek , and patient , and vertuous , when he is not tempted ; the Devil himselfe is good when he is pleased , as we say : This is godlinesse and uprightnesse , when a man resists temptations ▪ when a man doth watch and pray , and is careful that he may not enter into temptations ; when a man is careful of all the objects , and beginnings , and occasions of sin ; when a man fights against the temptations of the flesh , and warres against the suggestions of Satan , and puts on all the armour of God , to withstand the fiery darts of the Devil ; though he be tempted to be proud , and wrathful , and impatient , yet he will not ; 't is true , now and then he may be overcome against his principles , and care , and labour , but that is as a dagger to his heart . This is his course and practise to fight against temptations : nay take him in the desperatest cases , yet a godly man is sincere ; take him when he is most afraid that he is not sincere , when he cries out , how dastardly am I for God ? how dead in good duties ? how full of unbelief ? what a vile heart have I ? how filthy and untoward ? take him in these desperate lifts , he is not without sincerity ; and in this case he doth one of these two things ; either he walks according to the measure of grace given unto him , or else according to the condition wherein he is ; 't is true , the conditions Gods people are in , are sometimes better , and sometimes worse ; sometimes horrible distempers are up , and sometimes they are down ; but when they are never so up , he doth as a man in that case may doe ; as a man when he is bound hand and foot , what can he doe ? if he rowle himselfe upon the ground , that is all he can doe ; and this he will doe , as you may see what David saith , Psalm 119. 40. It seems he felt himself marvellously dead , and dull , and wonderfully inobedient , and he could not get hold of Gods commandements to doe them as he ought ; yet he rowls himselfe , and thrusts himselfe forward to doe them ; he longed for Gods commandements , he longed for the spirit of grace to assist him and quicken his heart . Now a naughty heart is not good in all cases ; nay there are but a few cases wherein he is good at all .

Again , Take an upright man in the lowest ebb , he doth question his sincerity , and he cannot quiet himselfe , because he thinks he hath it not , but this is certain , a man that hath most sincerity , doth most suspect the want of it ; that man is most eager , and most questions himselfe ; as David , was not he an upright man ? yet no man did suspect himselfe more , Psalm 119. 80. as who should say , Lord I am afraid I shall be ashamed in the end , I am afraid my heart is not sound towards thee ; and directly sometimes , I am horribly afraid I shall be confounded in the end : Now good Lord let me be sound in thy statutes , that I may not be confounded . So it was with Christs Disciples , when he said one of them should betray him ; though eleven of his Disciples were privy to themselves that they had not the least thought to betray him , yet eleven of the Disciples did suspect themselves , I may be the man that he means ; though they were privy to themselves for the present they had no such thought , nay it was against the love and principles they had in them ; they did love him , and fear him , and believe in him to be the Saviour of the world , and they durst not doe it , yet they suspected themselves , Master , is it I ? As who should say , I have a base corrupt heart , and it may be I for all the goodnesse that is in ●e and the love I bear to thee ; they were all more unquiet then Judas that was the man : indeed when all questioned it , he would question it also for company .

Seventhly , an upright man is universal in regard of relations . Consider him with good people , and the Saints of God , O how he loves them ▪ he honours them that fear the Lord , Psal. 15. 4. Though they ●e never so poor and vile , yet he honours them that fear the Lord ; as Elisha saith , he would not have spoken , but onely for Jehosaphat ; so an upright man he honours the Saints of God . All my delight is in the Saints , saith David , Psal. 16. Psal. 119. 63. Nay an upright man is faithful with the Saints ; as it is said of good Judah , she was faithful with the Saints , Hos. 11. 12. So an upright man is faithful with the Saints , his heart closeth with them , they are his bosome friends , and the beloved of his soule : But one that is not sound , though he take himself to be a Christian , and one of Gods servants , ye● he cares not for the people of God ; may be he cares for those that seem to be religious ; but if a man he religious indeed , he cares not for him , he is too nice and precise for him , and he is false to the Saints , and will shew ●hem some slippery trick in the end .

Now again Consider an upright man with the wicked ; he carries himselfe uprightly towards them , he will not be acquainted with them , nor all one with them , lest he should countenance their wicked wayes ; as the Psalmist speaks , He despiseth them that are wicked , Psal. 15. 4. Let a vile man be never so brave , and excellent , and noble , and high in preferment ; yet if he be a wicked man , in the eyes of a godly man he is despised ; I doe not mean for his person ; he gives him the honour due to his place , as he ought to doe , a childe to his Father , a servant to his Master , &c. as Paul , Acts 22. 1. Though they persecuted him , he gave them their due ; but he abhors their courses and practises , as Solomon saith , A wicked man is an abomination to the just . Now an unsound heart , though he joyn himselfe to the people of God , yet he cannot close with the Saints of God , but abhors them , and counts them vile .

Again , Consider an upright man with his friends ; he is true to them , especially to their souls . Consider him with his enemies ; he doth not yield them railing for railing , he dares not hate them that hate him , but blesseth them that curse him , and prayes for them that despitefully use him . Consider him in his Family ; he sets himselfe to walk uprightly in the midst of his house ; if he be a Master , he labours to be a servant to Christ ; and if he be a servant , he labours to be the Lords Freeman , and to be a profitable servant to his Master ; if he hath Superiours , he gives them the reverence due unto them ; and if he deal with inferiours , he makes himselfe equall with those of low degree . Thus an upright man is good in all relations .

Lastly , An upright man is good in all the manners and circumstances of his actions ; he is careful to doe , not onely for matter what God commands him , but for the manner as God commands him ; though he doth what God commands , yet if he dot●●ot find the love of God setting him a work , he is not contented ; he must 〈◊〉 in a right manner , constantly , duely , faithfully , and to a right end , to the glory of God ; he is not content to pray and hear , but he must pray and hear in a right manner , or else he is not content . Now if thou hast these signs and tokens of an upright heart , blessed be God , thou mayst take all the comforts spoken of before concerning an upright heart , and mayst take all the promises of God to thy self that are made to an upright heart ; may be men may call thee hypocrite , and say all manner of evil of thee ; but either they are such as doe not know thee , or if they doe , they are some vile wretches , they have not the fear of God before their eyes ; may be the Devil will accuse thee , and cast in all accusations against thee before God ; but what of all that ? God himselfe said Job was an upright man , and yet the Devil accused him for an hypocrite ; therefore care not for the Devils accusations ; may be thine own conscience may accuse thee ; but if thou labour to humble thy self for thy failings , and stir up the gift of God that is in thee , if thou unfeignedly desire and endeavour to please God , and serve him , no matter though thy conscience accuse thee . 1 Cor. 4. 3. Paul saith , I cannot be my own Judge , but God shall judge me . 'T is true , conscience is a judge , but it is subordinate , and must be guided and ruled by the Word of God ; as the clock is the judge of the day , but it must be ruled by the Sun ; Davids conscience was his judge , I have cleansed my hands in vain , but the clock lyed ; so thy conscience may lye , and accuse thee falsly , and speak things against thee that are not so ; but if thy conscience hath things against thee indeed and in truth , that thou art guilty of such and such sins and failings , yet it doth not follow but thou mayst be sincere ; therefore believe not conscience , when thou hast the Word of God on thy side ; nay , may be God himselfe will seem to accuse thee , and to be thine enemy , and discountenance thee , and will not own thee for one of his children ; when thou commest before him , he will seem to dash thee under his feet , and give thee no countenance , but look upon thee as an enemy ; yet be not dismayed , if thou hast these things in thee in any measure ; the Lord doth this , that he may doe thee good in thy latter end ; he doth it that he may humble thee , and try thee , whether thou wilt live by faith or by sense , and whether thou darest trust him ; but if thou hast not these signs of uprightness , thou art in the gall of bitternesse , and bond of iniquity , and thou canst have no true comfort to thine own soul .

The next point is , That as we must be perfect , so we must be perfect before Doctrine . We must labour to be perfect before God . God ; I have not found thy works perfect before God . As who should say , I lookt thou shouldst be perfect before him , and I have not found it so . Well then for the meaning of the word perfect before God ; that is , so as God may approve and allow of them . Now a mans works may be perfect so as God may approve of them two wayes .

First , So as God may approve of them in his strict Justice ; and so no mans works can be perfect . Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgement , &c. No man living can be justified before God . So Rom. 3. 20. By the deeds of the Law shall no man be justified before him . This therefore is not the meaning .

Secondly , To be perfect before God , so as God shall approve of ●s in his mercy in Jesus Christ for his owne faithful people ; as it is said of Zachary and Elizabeth , Luke 1. 5. This is the meaning of the place .

Now if you would know what it is to be perfect before God , it is this in one word : when a man is for matter and for manner right in the eyes of God ; not only right in the eyes of men , to be a 〈…〉ed of men , but right in the eyes of God , to be approved of God ; for matt 〈…〉 n a man doth those things that God commands him ; and for manner , 〈◊〉 he doth them as God commands him , out of faith in God , and love to God , and fear of God ; when a man doth it with all his heart , soule , and strength , when a man doth it constantly , and frequently , and livelily in some measure , this is to be upright before God ; you may see both these set down in one verse , Deut. 6. 25. Here is the matter , If ye observe to doe his commandements ; and then here is the manner , right in the eyes of the Lord as he hath commanded . If we doe thus , then we are upright before God . Now if either of these be wanting , we are not upright before God ; if we doe not for matter what God hath commanded ; if we lye , or swear , or be covetous , or proud , or worldly , these things are of the Devil , and not of God ; we doe the thing● of the Devil , and not the things of God .

Again , If a man should bow the knee to Baal , and doe the inventions of men , this is not to be unright before God ; but if we doe the things that God doth not bid us , God will say as he did , Matth. 15. 9. If we doe for the matter the things that God hath commanded , yet if the manner be wanting , if we doe them not as God hath commanded , if we doe them not with faith , and love to God , with conscience , and fervency , and quickning , all is nothing ; as it is said of Amaziah , he did those things that were right in the eyes of the Lord , but the Lord cared not for it , 2 Chron. 25. 2. it was not with an upright heart ; Therefore when both these concur , this is to be upright before God .

First , Because God hath so commanded , thou shalt have no other gods Reason . 2 before me ; that is , I will have thee sincere before me ; As who should say , thou mayst vow and swear , and protest thou dost love God , and fear God ; but if it be not so indeed , thou hast a false heart ; if thou hast carnal ends , if thou lovest the world more then God , and thou lovest thy lusts more then him , if it be so , woe unto thee ; God will have thee upright before him . As God saith to Abraham , Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me , and be upright : As who should say , Abraham , if there be any way of wickedness in thee , thou art not for me ; look thou be perfect before me ; if thou dost acknowledge that I am God Almighty , and I am able to help thee , and succour thee in all estates , then be upright before me ; when a man sins , it is for something he sins ; now , what is there that is good but we may have it in God ? God is Almighty , and therefore he would have us upright before him ; and if we be not upright , he is Almighty and can crush us and destroy us for ever ; so that we should not only be upright before men , but before God .

Secondly , As the Law is so , so is the Gospel ; if a man hath not faith in Christ Jesus , that man is no true Christian ; howsoever he may hope to be saved by Christ , yet if he be not upright before God in all his wayes and commandements in some measure , in studying and endeavouring to keep himself unspotted of the world in all things , he hath not faith , he doth not believe in Jesus Christ , Psal. 116. 9 , 10. as David saith , I will walke before the Lord in ●●e land of the living ; how comes David to speak that ? O , I believed , therefore I have spoken ; if a man believe in God , it will make him walke well not only before men , but before God who is privy to all his thoughts and affections ; privy to what he doth both at home , and abroad ; privy to what he doth alone , and in company , in his shop , and in the market ; unless he be upright before him that knows all things , he is not a believer ; though Simon Magus were baptized , and did partake of Christian Religion , and had some kinde of faith , and joyned himselfe to Philip and the Church , as a member of the Church , and gave over his witchcraft and wicked courses , yet when Peter saw his heart was not right before God , marke what he saith , Acts 8. 21. God hath sworne an oath , that whomsoever he delivers from sin , from Satan , from Hell , from the wrath to come , they shall be holy and righteous before him . Luke 1. 73. God will not be forsworne ; if thou dost hope to be saved by Jesus Christ , and prayest , and howlest , and criest in thy afflictions from the bottom of thy heart , with all thy eagerness to be saved by Jesus Christ , God hath sworne an oath thou shalt not be saved by him , unless thou wilt walk in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of thy life , and be conformable to his will in all things ; so that you see the Gospel requires it , that we should be thus .

Again , This is the end of the redemption of the world by Christ , that they should not only be upright , but upright before God ; as Paul tells the Coll●ssians , chap. 1. To present you holy and unblameable in his sight ; not only to present you holy and unblameable before men ; for if a man in his outward carriage be civil , and honest and faire , this is to be holy and unblamable before men ; but if a man be holy and unblamable before God , he must have a pure conscience , and his ends must be right ; this is the end why Christ redeemed his people , to purchase to himself a peculiar people , zealous of good works .

And as it is in the end of redemption , so it is the end of election ; whomsoever God doth elect to eternal life , he doth elect to this end , not only to be holy before men , but before God . As the Apostle saith , Eph. 1. 4. he hath chosen us to be holy before him , not only to be holy before men ( though those that are not holy before men , cannot be holy before God ) but it is not enough for us to be holy before men , but before the piercing eye of the all-seeing God ; that he may see who knoweth our ▪ hearts , that we do unfeignedly desire to serve his name , and walk before him in the shunning of all sin , and in the practicing of all good things , so that we have not an argument of our election , unlesse we be upright before him .

Fourthly , Because the Lord will search us out ; certainly though we be upright before men , if we be not upright before God he will search us out ; it is not our profession shall bear us out , if we have an unbelieving heart , to depart from the living God ; if we have a minde to live in any one sin , and to allow our selves in any one wicked way , God will finde us out . Neh. 9. 8. he speaks there of Abraham ; what a comfort was it to Abrahams heart that God sound his heart upright before him ? God will search us , and put us upon the trial , and bring something or other , that if we be not upright , though we be affected , and pray , and be Protestants , and seem to be godly , and seem to hold our godliness and uprightness , yet if we be not sound at the core , God will have something or other that shall discover us , and it shall appear what we are ; nay , God doth of purpose bring in heresies , that those that are approved may be manifest , 1 Cor. 11. 19.

Lastly , It is God only that doth esteem of the worth of things ; holinesse is nothing , but that which is holiness in Gods esteem ; and Religion is nothing , but that which is Religion in Gods esteem ; Religion is a divine thing , and no man hath the judgement of it but God ; it is God only that hath invented Religion , and framed it to us , and it is he only that can tell the worth of it , and approve of it ; and unless we fear his name , and hate all sin , and be upright before him , all is nothing . As the Apostle saith , 1 Pet. 3. 4. concerning meekness in women , in the esteem of God it is of high price ; may be a beautiful woman , of rare parts and great gifts , this woman is of high esteem with some men ; but a woman of an humble and meek spirit , she is a mockery in the eyes of the world , but in Gods sight it is of great price : so far a man to be outwardly Religious , this man is very devout and religious in the sight of men , but it is the broken heart , and the co●●ite spirit , one that is holy inwardly as well as outwardly , that is upright as Paul saith , 2 Cor. 5. 9. all our care and labour is that we may be accepted of him ; it is no matter what the world say of a religious man , and a devout man ; all our care is to be accepted of him , that he may account us upright , for we must appear before him .

This condemns the ceremonious devotion that many content themselves Vse 1 with , especially the Church of Rome ; they are so religious , and whatsoever they do , they think it is with such devotion ; therefore they have ceremonies for every thing ; they have ceremonies to shew that we must be strangers and Pilgrims upon earth , therefore they have Pilgrimages to such and such places ; other ceremonies they have to shew that we must take up the Crosse of Christ , and follow him ; they will have a ceremony to shew that they believe that Christ was offered for a sacrifice ; and a ceremony to shew that they believe he was God and man , and so mixe Wine and water together ; the one shall signifie that they believe he was God , and the other that he was man ; again , they will have other ceremonies , to shew that they believe the departure of the Saints , therefore they bring in a catalogue of the Virgin Mary , and of the Saints ; again , they have another ceremony to shew that they honour the Lords prayer ; another ceremony they have to shew that they believe the resurrection of the dead ; another ceremony to shew that they should not be ashamed of the Christian faith ; and they are so devout and think themselves the only Saints in the world ▪ so that they account a man that is godly indeed , according as God would have a man to be , that makes conscience of the word , that is careful to please God , and fearful to offend him , and scruples every thing that is not according to the word , this man is worse then a drunkard , or an hell-hound in their account ; they are counted the vilest hypocrites and dissembl●rs that can be ; what an horrible thing is this ! men love a life such a Religion as this ; this shakes no Corn , this breaks no bones , what care men for this . Mat. 15. 8. there is an excellent place for this ; you know we are bound to be pure , and alwayes pure ; now the Jews to shew this ▪ they would never eat nor drink but they would wash their hands , to shew that they must be pure ; which was as good , and as clean , and as handsome a ceremony as ever was in the Church of Rome ; and would you think that Christ should ever finde fault with such ceremonies ? they took on because they neglected this , Why do thy Disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders , by eating with unwashed hands ? now Christ was so far from bidding his Disciples yield to this , that he calls the Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for it , and tells them they made the commandment of God of no effect through their traditions ; if this were to be devout and religious , the vilest drunkard may be religious , for they may perform this as well as any other , therefore this is nothing .

Again , This may serve to condemn carnal Protestants , who give God now and then the hearing of a Sermon , and frequent the Sacrament , and do the outward things of Religion , but never come to worship God in spirit and in truth ; let me tell you all this Religion is nothing at all ; suppose a man comes to Church only , and lives in his lusts , what then ? Who required this at your hands to tread in my courts ? Isa. 1. 12. Who ? why God requires it ; 't is true , but not without uprightness ; to be proud still , and worldly still , he requires you to come into his courts , but not in this manner ; so likewise for preaching , it is an ordinance of God , but if a man will preach , and doth not lead an holy and mortified life , and is not zealous for God and against sin , and to hold forth a blessed pattern of uprightness , God had as live have that mans room as his company , Psal. 50. 16. What hast thou to do to take my word into thy mouth , and hatest to be reformed ? As who should say , what makest thou here ? it is fitter for thee to be in an Alehouse then in a Pulpit ; so God hath commanded prayer , but if a man pray not in spirit and in truth , and is not an holy man , his prayers are nothing . Prov. 15. 8. The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to God ; As who should say , if you prayed with an upright heart , your sacrifice would be a delight to God ; but seeing you are not upright , all your prayers and sacrifices are abominable in the sight of God .

For humiliation to humble us ; how should we be ashamed , there is no uprightness among us ? the most of us are not upright before men , much less before God .

For exhortation , that we would strive and labour to be upright , and upright before him ; that we would cry out with the Prophet David , O let my heart be upright before thee , that I may not be ashamed ; if we find listlessenesse , and backwardness for God , if we find our hearts side with the ungodly , let us know we are wicked people , and cannot be of God ; therefore set us labour to be upright before God .

REV. 3. 2. I have not found thy works perfect before God .

THe point of Doctrine is this , that the Lord will search whither Doctrine . God will search whither we be perfect . those that seem to be upright be so or no ; finding presupposeth searching ; I have not found thy works perfect . Now for the meaning of this searching , we must know that Gods searching and mans searching do much differ , and they differ in five respects .

First , Mans searching may be without finding ; though a man search all that ever he can , yet may be he cannot finde out the matter how it stands ; Laban searched in Jacobs tent , and Leahs tent , and the two maids tent , and in Rachels tent for his images , and when he had done all he could not tell where they were ; but now when God searcheth men , he is sure to find men out ; O Lord thou searchest me out , saith David , Psal. 139. 1. This is the reason why men that are sligh and subtil , they care not much though they be si●●ed by men , especially if there be none to witness against them ; you shall have them swear and swagger they were never guilty of such a thing , because they are confident it shall never come to light ; but if God searcheth , he will be sure to find .

Secondly , Mans searching hath ever ignorance foregoing , though after search may be he comes to know , yet before searching he knows not ; Job , 29. 16. the case I knew not , I searched out ; he searched because he knew not ; but God as after searching he is sure to know and find out , so he knows before all searching ; as the Church saith , if we be false in thy covenant , shall not God finde us out ? for thou knowest the very thoughts of the heart and the reins , Psal. 44. 21. you see God searcheth because he doth know , man because he doth not .

Thirdly , Mans searching is properly so called ; but when searching is spoken of God , it is after the manner of men ; God doth rather act a kind of searching , then search indeed ; as he doth act a comming down , whereas properly he doth not come down , for he is everywhere ; and so he acts a kinde of ignorance , as if he knew not , and yet he knows all things ; as he speaks to Abraham concerning Sodom , Gen. 18. 21. I will goe down no● ; there is an horrible noyse , what horrible sinners these Sodomites be ; I will g● down now , and see whither it be altogether according to the cry that is come up unto me ; if not , I will know : He speaks after the manner of men ; he need not come down , for he is present everywhere , and cannot move from one place to another ; and whereas he saith , if not , I will know ; these things a● improperly spoken after the manner of men .

Fourthly , It is mans duty to search if he know not any particular passage of his life , whither it be warrantable or no ; so Magistrates ought to search matters before they determine sentence , otherwise they may judge unrighteous judgement ; now God searcheth not as though he had any need of searching , but to tell us our duty , to give us a good example ; this phrase is given to him , to shew us what we should do ; as when there was an horrible attempt in the old world among the Builders of Babel , they would build a Tower whose top should reach up unto Heaven . Now the Text saith , The Lord came down to see the Tower and the City that was built ; not as if he came down , so as taking this phrase unto himselfe ; but to shew what our duty , and Magistrates duty is ; to search before they pass sentence , and to see whether reports given out be true or no.

Fifthly , Mans searching is for himselfe , that things may appear to himselfe ; but when God searcheth , it is not that it may appear unto him , but to the world , that it may be manifest abroad , that a mans selfe and others may see it ; it is spoken onely in regard of the nature of the thing ; some things are manifest , and some secret . Now God is said to search , when he makes other things that in their own nature are hidden to men , when God brings them abroad , and unveils them , and unmasks them , and openly reveals them . 1 Cor. 4. 5. Judge not before the time , till the Lord comes , who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness . He searcheth them not for himselfe , but to make them manifest ; he saw them before , but they were not manifest abroad ; they were under the hatches , no body could tell whether they were so or no. Now God is said to search to bring them abroad .

Now God is said to search five manner of wayes .

First , By his own Spirit , 1 Cor. 2. 10. So saith David , Whither shall I fly from thy Spirit ? if I goe up into heaven , thou art there , &c. If thou shouldst goe into the Alehouse , or any bad place , God is there a spectator ; though the Devil onely , and such as are his Imps , are there keeping company with thee , yet God is there beholding thee ; though we should dig never so deep , God can trace us , and finde us out ; though we should be never so closely and cleverly wicked , God can dive into us what we are ; Come in thou wife of Jeroboam , saith the Prophet , why dissemblest thou thy selfe to be another ? The Spirit of God revealed it . When Gehesai wiped his lips , O thy servant ●ent no whither ; Did not my spirit goe with thee , saith Elisha , when the man returned ? He shewes how the Spirit of God , which he calls his spirit , because it dwelt in him , did reveal his wretchedness .

Secondly , As the Lord searcheth by his own Spirit , so also by the spirit of man ; as for example , by the spirit of the Magistrate , he doth search out sly offenders ; when Solomon had said , The King doth scatter the wicked , Prov. 20. 27. in the next words he answers an Objection , How shall he finde out whether such a man be wicked or no ? A man may be brought before a Magistrate , and yet have all the hands in the Parish for his good behaviour : Now how shall the Magistrate finde it out ? saith he , The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord ; that is , as Tremelius expounds it , the Lord helps the Magistrate to finde out these fellows , though they be never so subtle ; and how doth he help him ? by the Magistrates own wit and wisedome ; it is the candle of the Lord , the Lord gives him light to sift things , and bring things to light ; and though wicked and ungodly men hang together , though they swear and combine themselves hand in hand together , yet if a Magistrate be an able man , and gifted of the Lord , the Lord hath set a candle in that mans minde , to light him how to discover them : As when the two Harlots came before Solomon , the spirit of Solomon was the candle of the Lord that lighted him to discover which was the mother of the childe .

Thirdly , God doth search a man by the conscience in a man himselfe ; sometimes you shall have a childe of God much afraid that he is not sincere , and calls all into question ; anon the Lord discovers he is sincere , and reveals he is upright ; how doth he doe it ? by his own conscience ; as the ease was Davids ; one time he concluded all was naught , and he had nothing of God in him , and God was gone quite away , and had shut up his mercy for evermore ; at last God revealed David to himselfe , and that by his own conscience ; My own spirit searched , saith he , Psal. 77. 6. and then he saw that it was but his infirmity ; his own spirit and conscience , the Lord stirred it up to make diligent search , and David perceived himselfe to be as he was ; so on the contrary a wicked man may seem to have good hopes to be godly , and to have an honest & sincere heart , and be a good Christian , and he professeth himselfe to be so ; and if any one should charge him with the contrary , he would say they were uncharitable . Now this is a secret . Now the Lord searcheth him out by his own conscience ; thus it was with Pharaoh ; he thought he did well in not letting the children of Israel goe , nay he thought Moses was unreasonable to demand such a thing ; what , to let six hundred thousand of his servants to goe out of his Kingdome at once ! there was no equity he should let them goe . Now the Lord discovered this was nothing but the wretchednesse of his own heart , and made his conscience cry out , The Lord is righteous , and I and my people are wicked . Rightly doth he call for it at my hands , and rightly doth he punish me for not doing of it , and I am a wicked man , and have done it out of the wickedness of my heart .

Fourthly , The Lord searcheth men out by his Word ; he doth thereby discover men to be what they are , Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful , sharper then a two-edged sword , &c. and is a searcher and discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the hearts ; the Word of God doth search and discover men ; though they be never so secretly covered , yet notwithstanding the Word of the Lord finds them out ; as you may see it discovered the woman of Samaria ; it made her give over all her wrangling and disputing the case with Christ ; it made her cry out at the last , O come and see a man that hath told me all that ever I have done , John 4. 29. So the Apostle when he would exhort the Corinthians to expound the word in a known tongue , he gives this reason ; O saith he , if you doe thus , it will discover people ; if a man should come in , he will be judged by you , and the thoughts of his heart will be made manifest , 1 Cor. 14. 24. The Word of God is a divine thing , and it is a plain sign that it is the word of an all-searching God ; for it can meet with mens thoughts , and mens secrets . When King Ahasuerus said , What shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour ? what man living could tell what Haman thought at that time ? yet the Word of God revealed the thought of his heart , Hest. 6. 6. When David was dancing before the Ark , and Michal looked o●t at the window , what man could tell what she thought in her heart ? yet the Word of God sets it down , She despised him in her heart , 2 Sam. 6. 16. When Foelix was talking privately with St. Paul friendly and kindly , what man or Angel could imagine what Foelix thought at that time ? yet the Word of the Lord layes it open , He thought to have a bribe : You will say , who could tell that 't is true ? men know not peoples hearts ; yet many times the Word meets with them , insomuch that they are ready to say sometimes , who told the Minister of me ? certainly he hath some blab , how should he come to know this , and speak of this in the Pulpit ? the Word of God meets with them .

Fifthly , the Lord searcheth men by his providence ; though men carry it out never so handsomely and fairly , and can goe in the dark , and under the hatches for a long time ; yet the providence of God will have a time to finde them out , as Job speaks , Job 12. 22. He discovereth the deep things out of darkness , &c. That is , he doth it many times by his providence , he reveals things that are otherwise secret and unknown , and lie hid , yet he brings them out ; men may blear the world , and deceive their own soules , but the providence of God in the end will search out all secret things , and make them as manifest as things done on the house top ; it is a strange thing to see how many , that have boyled in their hearts against the Saints and Ministers of God , and they have carried it it out slyly and fairly , yet God hath discovered their malice and spight , and their venemous speeches , and the envy they have borne against the people of God : What strange things hath the Lord discovered ? when men have concluded no eye should see it , I hope no body shall know it ; yet the providence of God comes to finde it out either first or last . Now the providence of God discovers mens works that are in secret divers wayes .

First , By letting his people to suspect men ; 't is true , we ought not to give way to an humour of suspition , for it is directly against charity ; for charity thinketh no ill ; therefore we should take heed of suspition without just cause of suspition ; for hereby we may wrong persons , as the Disciples , though Paul was a true Convert , yet they suspected he was not , and so wronged him : It is a dangerous thing to suspect any man without infallible ground ; yet many times the providence of God doth discover men by this meanes , as you may see an example in those false-hearted ones Ezra 4. they would come and build with Zerubbabel and Jehoshua ; they made as if they did intend the promotion of the Church and Common-wealth . Now verse 3. they suspected them . Now when they saw that they were shy of them , they displayed themselves , and laid themselves open , and turned to the contrary side , and did them all the mischiefe they could .

Secondly , by letting of good people to injure and wrong them ; this is very true , that the children of God should wrong no body , especially none that are Christians , that we may have any hope they are godly ; if a child of God should ●ong any man in the least degree , he is guilty of all the mischief that shall follow after ; therefore we should be marvellous careful that we wrong no man in thought , word , or deed ; but yet it will be so long as we dwell here in the flesh ; wrongs will be committed by good people sometimes against their wills , sometimes by corruptions rising in their hearts contrary to their minds and principles they goe upon . Now when these wrongs fall upon those that are not sound , this discovers them ; for their venom and madnesse falls not onely upon them , but upon all Professors ; these are your Professors , and precise fellows ! nay let but the children of God be indiscreet , this by the providence of God doth divers times discover men ; as Saul a great hypocrite , indeed he had many admirable things in him , he had admirable Government ; and though he were not a man that truly loved holinesse , yet he did abundance of good things , and he hoped he was right . Now the Lord discovered him by this , by letting him have some indiscretion shewed towards him ; as the women in the Song , Saul hath slain his thousands , and David his ten thousands ; it was indiscreetly spoken of them ; though it were true , they ought not to have made such a Song of it ; though no question the women meant well in what they did , and were honest and well-minded people ; yet through their indiscretion Saul stomachs David , and grows to be a persecutor ; From this time forward be eyed David .

Thirdly , By guiding of his Ministers to home-preaching ; this discovers people what they are ; if they be godly and upright , when the word of God meets with any corruption of theirs , then it shews they are of God ; for then they fall down before God , and acknowledge their sin , and repent of it , and part with it , and loath it , and cry to Heaven for the pardon of it , and labour to have it rooted out of their soules and consciences , and so they are discovered to be sound ; but when this meets with an unsound heart , and comes to display his secret lusts , and vile courses , not being able to stoop to this , it shewes what it is ; as when Christ preached something sharply , John 6. 55 , 60. O say they , It is hard hard saying , who can bear it ? And from that time many of his Disciples forsook him . It fares with Gods Church in this case , as with Ishbosheth ; Abner seemed to be his dear friend , and stuck close to him ; yet when Ishbesheth told him of his faults , of his whoredome , and lying with his Fathers Concubines , then he 2 Sam. 3. 8. was mad , and was not able to brook him ; presently he falls off from Ishbesheth , because of this away he goes , and turns his enemy : So it fares with the Saints of God , many seem to be their dear friends , and keep close to them , and joyn with them ; but when they are dealt withal about things amisse in them , they discover what they are , they do not like such men , they care not how little they come in their company , they fail off , and so are made manifest what they are .

Fourthly , By their own lusts and corruptions ; for you shall have men many times hear the Word , and being wrought upon in their consciences by the Word , or by Gods judgements , that startles them , they give over their sins upon this , and reform , and will have good orders in their Families , and take up good duties ; and not having a sound , but a false heart , a covetous heart , in the end this worldlinesse , or any other lust that is unmortified , the Lord doth use it as an instrument to discover that all th●se Reformations of theirs were never sound ; in the end they come to count this a burden , and such a burden as they are not able to bear , and so grow to be something weary of their strict courses , and give over by degrees not to be so careful in their Families to pray morning and evening , and sometimes omit it , and not to be so forward for God and goodnesse ; and at the last they come to shew plainly that there was never any soundnesse in them ; thus the Lord doth many times lead them forth among evil doers , Psa. 125. 5. and so such as have kept company among good doers , are discovered to be evil doers , thus Demas was discovered ; for a time he followed St. Paul , but having a worldly heart , the Lord discovered him by it in the ●nd , it made him weary of Pauls company , and he fell to embrace this present world , 2 Tim. 4. 10.

Lastly , By the times , by persecutions that arise against the Church of God ; and this knocks off all that were but meer hangbyes ; it knocks them off from the good course they seemed to follow before , and they follow the contrary ; as Christ notes , Matth. 13. 20 , 21. They that received the seed into stony ground , when persecution arose , they f●ll off . When persecution and trouble did arise , they were offended ; this discovered them ; as if there be any rift or unsound place in the house , a sharp tempest will discover it , and shew where is a flaw in the building ; so if there be a flaw in a mans faith or profession ; if a man be not right towards God , the times will discover this .

The Reasons of this are , First , because it is Gods Prerogative thus to Reason . 1 doe , because the perfection of mens works ; though men may give a guesse at it , yet it is a secret . Now it is Gods Prerogative Royal to reveale secrets , Jer. 17. 10. I the Lord search the heart , &c. The heart is deceitfull above all things , who can know it ? 'T is true , but I the Lord search the heart , and try the reins . So you see God takes it to himselfe as his own Prerogative Royal , to search men out what they are : And indeed the Lord sometimes in Scripture is described by this very thing , the searching of the heart . Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth the heart . Who is that ? The Apostle doth not tell us who it is , but you may guesse who it is by the Epithite he gives him . So that God , I say , is known by this , and will be known by this , by searching mens hearts , and discovering what men are , and aym at , and intend ; what men hate , and what they love ; what things they doe , and how they doe them .

Secondly , As this is Gods Prerogative Royal , so of all things in ▪ the world he will bring that which is secret out , whether men be sincere or no. Men make a shew , O they are baptized , and come to Church , and take paines in their places and callings ; and what can you alledge against me ? Now of all things in the world , God will discover this , if men be not as they seem to be ; if men have malice in their hearts , and pride ; if they seek the world , and be ambitious , and seek to please men , and make as if they would please God ; if they be false-hearted , God will discover this ; he will discover all things , but specially Hypocrisie ; if any will be Adulterers , and will not be known to be such ; if any will be proud , or scoffers of Religion , and will not be known to be such , God will bring this to light ; as Job saith , If you secretly accept persons , God will surely reprove you , Job ●3 . 10. God will bring all the world , and all their doings to light ; but of all things , if men have secret haunts , and back-doors to doe evill ; if men have devices and colours to put off their actions , if men can dawb up wretched and filthy cases as if they were good ; if men will goe about in this fashion to dawb with untempered morter , such sins and sinners as these , God will lay before him , as Moses saith , Psal. 90. 8. As who should say , thou layest all our sins before us ; but if we have any secret sins , thou layest them upon a rock in the open Sun , the Lord especially ayms at them ; there be many persons in the world , that are godly and honest , and yet are covered by the scoffs and reproaches of the world , as if they had no good , nor did any good ; and there are others again that are boulstered up in the world , as if they were good men , and better then those that keep such a pudder . Now the Lord , as he will bring every thing abroad , so specially this .

Thirdly , Because it is for the glory of God to search men out ; as Solomon saith of a King , Prov. 25. 2. It is the glory of a King to search out a matter ; as when the two Harlots were brought before Solomon concerning the child whose it was , there was no way in the world to know it , there was nothing but their own asseverations ; the one said it was hers , and the other said it was hers ; the one affirmed , the other denied it before the King ; now we shall see what a glory it was to Solomon ▪ to search out who was the mother of the child ; the Text saith , all Israel feared King Solomon because of this thing , 1 Kings 3. 28. They trembled before him , they saw he could search out secrets and hidden things , therefore they durst not do wickedness in secret for fear he should finde them out ; so it is the glory of God to search out secret matters and bring them on the stage ; if a man be upright , and this man is spawl'd and spit upon , and born down in the world , if the Lord should not search it out , what a dishonour would it be to God ? and if a man should goe for a good Christian , and is not , and God should not finde them out , what a dishonour would it be to him ? it is the glory of God to search out secret matters .

Fourthly , It is for the truth of God ; he hath said he will search every one out , as you may see Job 34. 22. So he hath said , He that hideth his sins sha●l not p●o●per , Prov. 28. 13. So he hath said , He that walketh uprightly walketh su●●ly , but he that perverteth his wayes shall be known . If God hath said thus , certainly it concerns his truth to see it made good ; and therefore he must search them out .

Fifthly , This is for the Justice of God , that God should search out every one what he is , and what his works be , how should God judge the world else ? therefore when God said he would judge Judah , and punish them because they had forgotten him ; he gives this as the reason of it ; Therefore saith he , I will discover thy skirts upon thy face , that thy shame may appear . So when God means to glorifie his Saints , and bestow the Kingdome of Heaven upon them , therefore he will discover their honesty , and lay open their godly courses , and reward them for all the taunts and vile reproaches of the wicked .

The first Use may serve to reprove most men generally ; we do not consider that God will search us ; what a company of pleas are there to doe evil ? what a company of put offs to doe good duties ? If men can but find any starting hole , glad are they ; and if they can but finde any silly pretence , then they are made , then a man can never get them to doe that which is good . When Moses was loth to goe to Pharaoh , what abundance of pretences had he to put it off ? O , saith he , I am unworthy , who am I that I should goe before Pharaoh ? and another time , I am not eloquent . He made as if it had been his modesty , he was not fit for the office ; he did not consider that he was to deal with God , that could search him out ; Moses , saith he , goe before Pharaoh , for they are dead that sought thy life . As if he had said , I know thy thoughts , thou hast killed a man in Egypt , and thou art afraid that Pharaoh will kill thee ; but that Pharaoh is dead , therefore goe . So when a man is unwilling to doe a duty , he will have a thousand excuses ; bid men have prayers in their Family , they will say they are not book-learned , and cannot pray ; and how prove you it to be a duty ? any thing God bids them doe , they are willing to doe ; if you shew them but a place of Scripture for it , they make this the reason ; but this is hypocrisie , the reason is , they care not for God , nor for the Family ; they care not whether they be saved or damned ; they care not that the fear of God may be in their children and servants , they care not for this ; but they will not believe this is the cause . Again , bid another be diligent in his Office , alas what shall a man doe ? I shall doe no good , he is a peaceable man , and he seeth all the Parish bandy themselves together ; if he saw there were any hope of doing good , he would doe it ; as if he had a very good heart to doe what God would have him , in the end God discovers his hypocrisie , it was because he cared not for God , he did not hate sin , he had no zeal to Gods glory , he is a lover of men more then God , he loves his owne ease more then holinesse , or piety , or good order ; therefore let us know what a dangerous thing it is for a man to dally and double with God , when we doe not consider that God will search our hearts ; the Lord knows whether thou art loth to have such a thing to be a duty , or whether thou dost secretly desire it may not be imposed upon thee ; the Lord knows it , therefore doe not put off God in this fashion , for God will search thee out ; it is but a folly for us not to consider that God will search us out ; as Solomon saith , Prov. 10. 18. He that covereth hatred with lying lips , is a foole ; that is , if a man doe bear secret malice against a man , doe not love a man , and is not in sincere charity with him , may be the man covers it with lying lips , O 't is not for this reason and that reason , God forbid I should hate him , whereas indeed he doth not love him ; saith Solomon , this man is a foole ; as who should say , God will finde him , and discover him ; therefore what a folly is it not to lay this to heart .

The second Use is to bid us take heed how we hide our sins from others , or from our selves .

First , From others , you shall have children , so they can hide their faults from their parents , that is all they care for ; and so servants , if they can but hide their faults from their Masters and Mistresses , they care not how bad they be , or how false ; so it is with many , you shall have many a man his own bosome knows what an hard heart he hath , what a dead heart , how carelesse he is of God , how that he hath no delight in good duties ; yet if he can but cover it from the Saints , that when he comes to pray before them , he may carry it off something handsomely , this is all he cares for , or look after ; what an horrible thing is this , that people should have no more consideration that God will search us out ? we had as good that all the world should know it , as that God should know it ; if we do iniquity , and be carelesse of his commandements ; if we do evil , though never so secretly , it were better all the world should know it then God ; now God will search it out . Jer. 23. 24. Prov. 5. 21. Therefore we should ever take heed that we may not have this humour in us , to venture to do evil , so we can hide it from men ; for what though no man knows it ? yet we shall finde that God knows it , and will bring it to light one day .

Secondly , We should take heed how we hide our sins from our selves ; this is fearful , and in some sense a great deal more fearful then the other ; for many times when a man hides his sins from others , he knows them himselfe ; but when a man hath a deceitful heart , that he hides them from his own eyes , how can he repent ? a man cannot repent without the sight of his sins ; yet , as a Divine saith men desire to hide their sins from God , and from others , but most of all from themselves : Now what a madness is this , though a man do hide his sins from himself , he cannot hide them from God , God will search it out ; though a man hath never so many colours for his sins , he will not believe it is a sin ; alas poor creature , God will finde thee out ; as a pluralist , he will think it lawful to have two livings , but what dost thou get by hiding it from thy selfe , God will finde it out ; so for jesting , they think it is lawful to do it ; Elisha jested ; and did not Aristotle account it a vertue ? and the like ; I deny not but men may have jesting if it be convenient , but when men are excessive in this , and have no meetings without jesting , and will stand for it , God will find them out ; so men that will not believe that a man should be so strict and precise , God forbid that none should be saved but such ; thus they hide it from themselves ; but when they have done all they cannot hide it from God ; but God will discover them at the last day , may be in this world : so a man that was never converted , nor never had faith , he thinks he is converted and hath faith , and is religious , and a good Christian . Thus he hides his woful and vile estate from his own eyes ; but canst thou hide it from God ? assure thy selfe God will search thee out .

Thirdly , This may be for comfort to good people . First , It may be a comfort against others that shall judge them . Secondly , against themselves .

First , Against others that judge them ; may be others are harsh towards them , and think all manner of evil of them , and may be speak it too . Now this is a great comfort , that God will search them out ; as they be true and upright , and as they doe from the bottome of their hearts set themselves to please God , so they shall not be judged by mens conceits , but by the Lord ; this is that which comforted Paul against the censures of the Corinths , 1 Cor. 4. 3 , 4. I count it a small matter to be judged by you , 't is the Lord that judgeth me . As who should say , I shall not stand or fall at your sentence what you think of me ; no , the Lord judgeth me ; this is a great comfort . So this comforted Peter when Christ put that triple query to him , Simon thou son of Jonah , lovest thou me ? As who should say , thou sayst thou lovest me , but how can I think it ? hast thou not denied me thrice ? therefore I ask thee thrice dost thou love me ; what saith he now ? Lord , thou knowest all things , thou knowest that I love thee . This was his comfort , that God that searcheth the heart knew it was his weaknesse , and he loved him unfeignedly ; as who should say , men may judge me to be a wretch and an Apostate , and that I love my life and my liberty more then thee ; they may justly judge thus ; but thou knowest how I have grieved for it , and have been ashamed of it , and it hath been as a dagger to my heart ; Thou knowest all things , and thou knowest that I love thee .

Secondly , This may be a comfort against their own selves ; as a mans Conscience many times may have shrewd thin●s against the people of God ; for the conscience by nature is legal ▪ and by nature a man is borne under the Covenant of works , and conscience is apt to be very strict and severe against the children of God , and to have shrewd things against them , that they can hardly tell how to answer . Now what a comfort is this to them , though their consciences be unquiet many times to think that God will search them out , they shall not be judged by their consciences altogether , but the Lord shall judge them ! As Paul did not onely set down a comfort against the censures of the Corinths , but against his own conscience , I am not my own Judge . Many times conscience may be abused and cry out , there is nothing good , nothing sounds no true good in my soul Now a man should say I must not judge my selfe , but the Lord must judge me ▪ and search me out ; so that this is a great comfort to the people of God , that God will search every man .

Thirdly ▪ This may stir us up to be able to stand out Gods search , when he shall come and search .

First , That we may be able to stand when offences come . When offences come , the Lord searcheth whether people love themselves or love his commandements , and love his servants ; there be such horrible offences sometimes , that if he doe not love God indeed , he will stumble ; the commandements of God , and his pure worship and service may be so derided and opp●ed , a man may be offended at it that professed it before , if he love it not indeed , therefore Matth. 18. 10. our Saviour saith , Woe to the World , because of offences . As if he had said , when offences shall come , they shall discover thousands in the world to be naught ▪ woe to the world when they come , for these be searching things ; therefore let us labour when offences come , that we may not be offended , as Christ saith Matth. 11 5. bl●ssed is the man that is not offended in me . That man is a blessed man ▪ that when all off●nces arise , nothing can make him offended at Jesus Christ : This doth pla●nly shew that a man hath the grace of God in him ▪ when nothing can offend him , not the means of Christ in the world in his members , not the crosse that doth accompany Religion , not the multitudes of evil men , not persecutions , revilings , nick-names , poverty , and disgrace , nothing in the world can offend him but he will love God , and feare him , and keep close to his commandements ; this is a sign we shall stand when God searcheth us .

Again Let us be able to stand out against aff●ictions and persecutions ; these search men ▪ as it is said of Josep● , when he was laid in prison because he would not yield to his Mistris , the Text saith , The word of the Lord tryed him , Psal. ●05 . If he had not been sincere , when he saw how the times went , he would have been afraid , and yielded to the temptation ; but the Word of the Lord tryed him , and he was found to be sincere and godly indeed . So when God afflicted Job , Job 10. he saith , Thou search ● for ●y sins . When God afflicts us , or persecutes us , or suffers any evil to fall upon us , then he searcheth us , and then if we be hypoc●ites , and have onely a forme of godlinesse , and are not sound at the bot●ome then God will finde it out , it will appear ; when crosses and afflictions come , it will lay a man open ; therefore let us be able to stand in afflictions to be dead to the world and worldly things , to be able to deny our lives and livings , and forgoe all the world rather then any of Gods commandements , that when we come to be tryed , we may be found to have faith more precious then gold .

Thirdly , Labour to stand in time of difficult commandements sometimes God calls a man to difficult commandements that he cannot doe except he cut off his right hand , and pull out his right eye , except he will lose his life , except he will be driven up and down like a vagrant Traitor , and cast into prison ; sometimes may be God puts a man upon commandements that he must lose all that he hath if he doth them . Now know , God comes to search whether we love him best , whether we will rather obey him or the world , whether we love profits , or credit , or any thing more then him . So when the young man in the Go●pel made as if he were well-minded to enter into eternal life , he was an observer of the commandements of God : Now when Christ would search him he doth it with a difficult commandement ; the man was rich , and he bids him goe and sell and give it to the poore ; this was a very difficult commandement and this discovered him to be a very wretch , he was not ●ble to doe it , ●n● h● w●nt aw●●●or●owful ; this commandement could not ●nk ●own ●nto h●s he●rt : It is so many ●imes , the Lord puts a man upon difficult ●●mm●●dements ; such common●ements , th●t if he doe them , the world will think him m●d ; such comman●ements , th●t if he doe them , he must part with his living , and all that he hath . Now if we be not able to doe this , we shall be discovered not to be ●ood .

Lastly , Let us be able to stand out against judgement , for then God searcheth people most of all : there may be something left after all the other searchings ; a man hath stood out persecutions , and yet hath turned Apostate ; but when the pan●s of death , and the day of Judgment comes , nothing shall be hid then therefore let us labour to stand then , when the King of terrours shall appeare before us ; nay , when the Judge of quick and dead ●hall stand before us .

The last Use is for exhortation . Will God search us out ? then we should search our selves what our works are , whether good or evil ; as the Apostle saith , 2 Cor. 13. 5. Ex●mine your selves whether you be in the faith .

First , Consider , we can never repent of what is amisse in our selves , or in our works , except we search our selves . Let us search our selves , and turne unto the Lord , Lam. 1. 43. If there be hypocrisie or hollow-heartednesse in us , if we doe not search it out , we cannot bewaile it , and shake it off .

Secondly , Consider it is a character and mark of the childe of God that he doth desire , and is one that doth search himselfe ; nay , he doth not onely use all the meanes he can to doe it , but he doth cry and groan to God to help him ▪ as David saith , Psalm 139 23. Search me , O Lord , &c. As who should say , Lord , help me to search my heart ▪ I have looked into it , and turned it ●opsy tur●y , and I cannot finde but I am upright , but I feare m● selfe still ; O help me ; if there be any way of wickednesse in me , shew it me . A childe of God is one that do●h indeed de●●re to know himself , and to know the worst of himself .

Thirdly , Consider , if we doe not search our selves , it will b● the worse for us , for God will search us ; and if we doe search our selves , we shall scape well when he comes to search us ; but if we neglect ●●is duty , what saith J●b , Chap. 13 10. So I may say , Is it good that God should s●●rch us o●t ? is it good for us to leave all this w●●● to him ? to negl●●t 〈◊〉 soules , to lay aside our lives , and consciences , and bos●m●s , and never to ●ansick th●m from ●ay to day , never to enquire into our owne bosomes , that we may refor●● our selves , but leave all to God to search us ? doe you think this ●ill doe will , saith Job ? Then when afflictions , and death , and judgement shall come , that then God should search you , and lay before you your works ; therefore as you desire when God shall search you you may be found upright , be careful to search your selves .

FINIS .

2 TIM. 1. 9. Who hath saved us , and called us with an holy calling , not according to our works , but according to his own purpose and grace , which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began .

IN this verse the Apostle declares what God hath done for him and for Timothy , he hath saved us , that is , he hath redeemed us with the blood of his Son , and freed us from sin and from Satan , and from hell , and hath given us title to eternal life , he hath saved us .

2. He hath called us , that is , he hath given us a pledge of this , that we shall be saved , that we shall The reasons of Gods mercies to Paul and Timothy . certainly have salvation compleatly and fully , for he hath called us . Now he illustrates this two wayes ; first , by shewing what kinde of calling it is which he here means , and that is an holy calling , he hath called us with an holy calling , and then , 2ly . By shewing the reason why God would do these things for him and for Timothy , these are great things , what to save them , and make them heirs of his Kingdome , and to call them to the fellowship of Jesus Christ , and give them interest in all Gods goodness and mercy ? what should be the reason that should move God to do so much for Paul , and for Timothy ? he doth here expresse this three wayes .

First , by removing all false causes , not according to our works ; as who The removing of false causes . should say , it is not for any thing in us , there was nothing in us that moved God to do this .

2ly . He layes down the true cause of it , in the next words , but according to The true cause of it . his own purpose and grace ; that is , he hath done it freely , out of his own mercy , and love , and according to his own purpose .

Lastly . He proves this , and that by three arguments , that this must be the Proved by three arguments . cause and no other : the first is this , it was a gift that was given us , therefore it must needs be free . 2ly . It was given in Jesus Christ , as who should say , he did not look at any thing in us ; there was nothing in us that was in his eyes , no it was meerly for the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ . Lastly . Another argument is taken from the time when , and that is from all eternity , before the world began .

The point that I will handle out of these words , is this ; that it is an excellent Doctrine ▪ thing for a man to be able to say , that God hath effectually called him , the Apostle here speaks it , as a great comfort to his soul and the soul of Timothy , and as a pledge of Gods everlasting love and salvation to them both , that the Lord had called them , and had been pleased to take them out of the world , and to make them partakers of his Kingdome and glory .

Now for the opening of the point , I will here first shew you what kinde of For the opening of the point calling it is that is here spoken of , and it is not that calling whereby God doth call people to an office , as of a Magistrate or a Minister , but he speaks of a general calling , of a calling out of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan , into the Kingdome of his dear Son , to be made partakers of eternal communion with himself . 2ly . It is not an outward call , whereby wicked men that go on in their sins are called , for so a reprobate may be called , he may be called out of his own sinful courses , and wretched estate and condition , to the participation of Jesus Christ , thus every man is called , all men are called by Gods Ministers , as Mat. 22. 9. the King sent out his servants , to bid all that they found to the marriage .

Secondly , A reprobate may be called inwardly by Gods Spirit , I mean the How a reprobate may be called . Spirit of God may go along with Gods Ministers , to strive and wrestle with the soul and conscience of a man that remains in his sins . Prov. 1. 24. because I called , and ye refused , therefore will I laugh at your destruction , and m●●ke when your fear cometh .

Thirdly , A wicked man may be called , not only with an outward call of How a wicked man may be called . the Minister , and with an inward call of the Spirit , but with some efficacy it may go a great way , so far forth as to make a man come in some kind● , as it was with the man , Mat. 22. 12. He was called together with the r●s●●● come to the wedding and he came , but he came without a wedding garment , n●w one of these callings are meant here , for in this sence , many are called , but 〈…〉 s●n , Mat. 22. 14. But the calling here meant , is a different calling from them , and that in three things .

First , It is a call according to Gods own purpose , when God calls a man , and hath a purpose to make a man come in deed , and to come home , this is A calling to Gods purposes . the calling here spoken of , Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things worke together for the best to Gods children that are called according to his purpose , as God calls them , so he doth purpose to make them come to himself , and make them partakers of everlasting mercy ; God hath no such purpose when he calls the reprobate , he hath a purpose indeed to do them good , if it be not through their own default ; but yet notwithstanding he hath no such purpose , and absolute intention to do them good , he hath no such purpose to bring them to his Kingdome , and carry them quite through in the business .

Secondly , This is a secret in Gods own bosome , and that is another difference , How one calling differs from another . wherein this calling differs from the other ; it is such a calling wherein God puts forth his power , and the greatness of his power too ; God called the light and it came , God called the Heavens and they came , when as they were not , God calling of them they were made to come : so when God doth call a man by his Spirit , he calls a man powerfully , he doth powre in divine instincts of grace and faith , and all other holy vertues , whereby the soul is made able to come to God ; the Lord gives the heart a kinde of touch , that being touched by his Spirit , it must , and shall , and will know God in Jesus Christ , it puts in divine things into the soul , whereby the soul must needs know him , and come to him , and be reconciled to him , 1 Joh. 3. 9. he puts his own seed into him , he that is borne of God sinneth not , for the seed of God remaineth in him ; the Lord puts an holy kinde of ointment upon his eyes , and makes him see , and that abides in him , 1 Joh. 2. 27. The holy anoynting which ye have received abideth in you .

Thirdly , It is a continual call , it is not a call and so away , a call for a year Gods call is an effectual ca●l . and so an end , but it is a continual call ; he never leaves calling of him , till he comes home to him , as 1 Thes. 5. 24. Faithful is he that hath called you , who will also do it , as who should say , he hath called you , and doth call you ▪ and he is faithful , and will do it ; he hath called you heretofore , and made you come to him in truth and sincerity ; and he will still continue his call , he will still do it more and more , the Lord draws his people nearer and nearer to himself .

Now I will prove the Doctrine by divers particulars .

First , Because , a man then may be able to look back upon all his life , even from Then a man may reflect on his life past . his cradle to this day ; even before his call , and see Gods love to him as Paul , though he could not see it before , yet when God had effectually called him , he is able to look back upon all his former time and space he had lived , even from his mothers womb , Gal. 1. 15. Who hath seperated me ( saith he ) from my mothers wombe , and called me by his grace , and so it was with David , I have been cast upon thee , ( saith he ) even from my mothers belly , Psal. 22. 9 , 10. it is not likely , that David was converted then , but when God had effectually called him , then he was able to go back all along , even to his very infancy , and trace Gods goodness towards him in this and that , even to his very bringing him into the world .

Secondly , This interests a man in all the promises of God , 2 Pet. 1. 3. Who This interest a man in the promises . hath given unto us all things pertaining to life and godliness , through the knowledge of him , that hath called us to glory and vertue , if we know that God hath called us to glory and vertue , then we know that God hath given us all things that pertaine to life and godliness , to this life , and the life to come we know it ; when God hath effectually called us , we know that all the promises belong unto us , as the Apostle speaks , Acts 2. 39. For the promise is to you , and to your children , and to yours that are afar of , even as many as the Lord our God shall call , look how many God calls , so many do the promises belong unto , all the promises of mercy and grace , and comfort , of strength and direction , and eternal redemption , the compleat working of it , all these promises from the first to the last , they all belong to a man , when God hath called him : when the Lord effectually calls a man , he takes him out of the world , to have fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ ; and in whatsoever he hath done , or suffered , or purchased for his people .

Thirdly , It doth sweeten all Gods promises to a man ? what is the reason we can hear such admirable things out of the Word , and yet they affect people It sweetens the promises to a man . generally , for the most part no more then a dry chip , though they hear of the promises of God , what promises he hath made to his people , to their Prayers , to their hearing of the Word , to their receiving of the Sacrament ; what promises he hath made in adversity , and prosperity , in sickness , and in health , in life , and death , when they sin through frailty , what promises they have to help them up againe when they are to do any thing , what promises to assist them , and go along with them , when they are called to any employment , what promises to sustaine them , and bear them out ; I say though all these things be delivered to people , things that were sweeter to David , then the hony , and the hony combe , Psal. 119. 103. Yet generally , people are not affected with these things ; the reason is , because they are not able to say , that God hath effectually called them , therefore when they heare such things , the heart cannot lay hold upon them , they think with Francis Spera , I have no part in these things , they think 't is true , they are so to Gods people , but they think there is little comfort , little sweetness in them , because they cannot say , that they are effectually called of God .

Fourthly , If a man be effectually called , this helps a man to pray , Psal. 119. 94. I am thine save me , when David was able to say , thou hast called me to be one of thine , then he was able to pray to God , Lord save me , Lord help me , It helps him to pray . I am thine , thou art my God ; when he was able to say , that he had interest and propriety in God ; this did exceedingly help him , and encourage him with boldness in prayer ; but when a man questions his effectual calling , every petition a man puts up , it is choaked , a man cannot pray to God , but he is beaten off , there is no strength in such a prayer , as soon as ever Paul was converted , saith God to Ananias , behold now he prayes , Act. 9. 11. Paul had prayed a thousand times before , no man in Judea prayed more then he , but God took no notice of his prayers ; but when God had effectually called him by his grace , now the Lord took notice of his prayers , and observed them , and heard them , and regarded them , and inclined his ear to them , behold now he prayes .

Fifthly , This is a great encouragement to all goodness in outward things , Knowledge of our effectual calling , a help to good actions . it is a great encouragement to a man to take them in hand , when he seeth he hath a calling thereunto ; Gideon was very earnest with the Angel , that he might see he had a calling to that he was to go about , Judg. 6. 11. So it is in this divine calling , it is a great encouragement , when a man can see that he is called ; true it is , that every man is called , but I speak not of the general calling , but of the effectual call , when a man can see that he is effectually called of God ; this helps a man in all good actions , then a man may go to God , as to ● Father ; he may go to the Sacrament as the seale of his righteousness and saith ; then a man may take Gods name into his mouth , God challengeth the wicked for doing of it without his call , Psal. 50. 16. What hast thou to d● , to take my name into thy mouth , seeing thou hatest to be reformed ? now a man may take up the profession of religion , and hold forth the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as Paul saith to Timothy , fight the good fight of faith , lay hold on eternal life , now marke the encouragement , whereunto thou art also called , 1 Tim. 6. 12.

Sixthly , It is an excellent ground of a godly life , when a man can say he is effectually called of God , that man hath laid a good foundation to be a godly A foundation of godlinesse . man , he hath laid it low , he hath built it upon such a ground , that can never be shaken , nor removed ; he that builds upon this foundation , shall never be removed . What is the reason why so many thousands undertake to be godly , and are never able to carry it through ; others go about it , and through the mercy of God are carried through stitch with it ? the reason is , because those that are effectually called of God , they have a good foundation , they go upon the right ground , as the Apostle Peter exhorting Christians to holiness , and sanctity , and righteousness of conversation , be ye holy in all manner of conversation ; he doth presently lay down the ground , whereupon he exhorts them , whereunto you are called , saith he , 1 Pet. 1 15. so 1 Pet. 2. 9. saith he , ye are a chosen generation , a royal Priesthood , an holy nation , &c. that you should shew forth the prayses of him that hath called you out of the darkness , into his marvellous light .

In the last place , this is the best means to help a man up againe ; suppose a A help against falling . man have fallen , as the best of all Gods Saints and Children may fall , and fall fowlly ; but when a man is effectually called of God , this doth help a man up againe , as it was with David , Psal. 51. 14. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness , O God of my salvation , &c he being able to say , that the Lord was the God of his Salvation , this made him to get up againe ; as who should say , Lord I have committed murther , I am guilty of innocent blood , yet Lord thou hast called me by thy grace , to be a God unto me , thou art the God of my salvation ; I beseech thee purge me from my filthiness , and cleanse me from my sins : whereas there be thousands , when they have committed murther , it breaks their necks , they never get up againe , they are never able to finde repentance , and a broken heart , and to obtaine favour of the Lord , that the sin be not laid to their charge ; but David , though he had such a heavy fall , and though it burst his bones , and put him to much grief , yet he got up againe , because God had effectually called him .

The first reason of the point is this , because effectual calling is an evident Reas. 1 argument of a mans election unto life , it is that which flows from election to It is an argument of his election . life , as Rom. 8. 30. Whom he hath predestinated , those hath he called , &c. as who should say , them , and none but them , this is the lowest linke of that golden chaine , if a man can but once finde that he is effectually called of God , he hath a part of that chaine , whereof one end is eternal predestination to life , and the other is eternal glory ; now he knows that all the whole chaine of mercy , from first to last , from eternity to eternity ; all belongs to him , when he finds himself to be effectually called .

Secondly , This effectual calling , is a sure and certaine pledge , that a man It 's a su●e 〈◊〉 . shall have all Gods acts of mercy , when God effectually calls a man , he doth this for him , not only as that particular mercy , but as a pledge of all after mercies , as it was with the delivering of the people of Israel out of Egypt ; he did not this onely as a particular mercy , but as a pledge of future mercies for time to come ; therefore whensoever the Lord would assure the people that be would shew them mercy , and do them good ; many times this is set down , I have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt , open thy mouth wide , and I will fill i● , Psal. 81. 10. Nay , when they pleaded for mercy , they pleaded this as a pledge , that God would shew them mercy , Neh. 1. 10 , 11. Now these are thy servants , which thou hast redeemed by thy great power , we beseech thee let thine ear be attentive to our supplication . So it is with effectual calling , it is an evident pledge , and sure token , that God will shew a man all his other mercies , when a man is once effectually called , though he hath all yet to do , all the whole business ; yet to wade through , it may be he hath abundance of estates and conditions to fall into before he dye : why ? now he hath the whole compasse of Gods mercy to carry him along in it , God hath given him a pledge of it , and he may say to God , Lord thou hast effectually called me by thy grace , I beseech thee to justifie me , I beseech thee to sanctifie me and help me by thy grace to pray , and to go on through the several passages of this life , to bear afflictions , to humble me in prosperity , and to stand upon my guard , in sickness , Lord sustaine me , and in troubles and afflictions Lord give me patience ; thou hast called me , and I have the pledge , therefore I beseech thee do this for me , as Paul saith , 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is faithful , who hath called you to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ ; as who should say , when God called you to the fellowship of Jesus Christ , he did not this as a particular mercy to you onely , but as a sure pledge that he would shew you all other mercies ; and assure your selves , he will be faithful , and make good all these mercies to you ; go on with faith and affiance , and courage , for God will be faithful as the Apostle Peter saith , 1 Pet. 5. 10. marke how he pleads , that God would be pleased to give them grace ; the God of all grace that hath called you , he make you perfect , establish , and settle you ; he that hath called you settle you , he that hath given you a pledge , he that hath vouchsafed you a pawne , he will make it good , he will strengthen you , and enable you , and carry you through , from the beginning to the end .

Vse 1. Then certainly the thing is a possible thing , a man may be able to Vse 1 say so , it is a thing may be known ; effectual calling , whosoever is partaker of it , that man may know he hath it , though it be such a great jewel , such an admirable thing , and happy is that man that ever he was borne when he seeth it , yet it is such a thing you may come to see and know ; every man may know what estate he is in , whether he be good or bad , the conscience doth not onely excuse in good actions , but also in a good estate , preserve my soul , for I am holy , saith David , Psal ▪ 86. 2. his conscience did not excuse him onely in that he had done holy duties , but in that he wa● an holy man , his conscience could witness with him , that he was an holy man : and on the other side , the conscience doth not onely accuse in evil actions , but also in an evil estate , I and my people are wicked saith Pharoh , Exod. 9. his conscience did not onely accuse him , that he did evil actions , but that he was in an evil estate ; not onely that he had done a wicked thing , but was a wicked man : and the reason of this is , because how else should a man be commanded to shun a bad , and follow a good estate , if it were not discernable who are in a good and bad estate , as we see we are called to avoid the one , and follow hard after the other , therefore it is a thing that may be attained to ; nay it is not onely a thing that may be attained unto , but the children of God are wont to know it , as Paul here to Timothy , he hath called us ; we are able to speak it , our consciences choake us not in speaking of it ; nay the doubtfullest man that ever was , was H●mar , Psal. 88. 1. O Lord God of my salvation , I have cryed night and day unto thee ? as who should say , I am very much bewildered , and much to seek , and lost in doubts and fears , marvelously oppressed and overwhelmed ; yet this I can say , thou art my God , the God of my salvation ; thou hast effectually called me to pertake of thy mercy , and I have relation to that thou hast given me union with thee , thou art the God of my salvation ; and so it was with David , when he was at his worst , hath God forgotten to be gracious ? will he c●st off for ever , & c ? Psal 77. though he had named all their grievous passages , of feare and despaire as a man would think , yet at the self same time , ver. 5. I have considered the dayes of old , he was able to lay hold upon this certainty , I have been called , such a time the Lord was gracious and merciful unto me , I have believed , I have tasted of Gods goodness , and pertake of his mercy , and known the forgiveness of my sinnes , he looked unto the dayes of old , he could not deny it , though he were now miserably put to it , he could not deny this , but in the dayes of old , God had been his God , and he his servant : and so Jonah , when he was dejected , and cast down , and seemed to be in the belly of hell , Lord ( saith he ) I am cast out of thy sight , as if he had been cast off , and quite at a losse , yet at the selfe same time , ( saith he ) I will lo●k towards thy holy Temple , Jon. 2. 4. as who should say , I cannot deny , but thou hast effectually called me ; I have looked to thy Temple heretofore , I have looked to Christ , and rested upon thee for eternal life , and for mercy , and thou art my refuge ▪ therefore I will look againe to thee , So Joh. 14. 5 , 6 , 7. Thomas he speaks as if he had not known Christ , Thomas ( saith he ) ver. 7. thou dost know me , nay when he made a vow , that he would not believe , except he saw the print of the nailes , yet this was but in a fit , for within a little space , ( he saith ) my Lord , and my God , Joh. 20.

I will prove this by reason , that a man that is quite to seek ; that a man that is not able to speak with any certainty , he hath not a jot of faith in this point to believe that he is the Lords , for that man walks in darkness , our Saviour makes it a brand of a man that walks in darkness , that knoweth not whether he goeth , Joh. 12. 35. He that walks in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth , whither to heaven or to hell , whither he goes right or wrong , to Christ or not ; it is a shroad signe , that that man is in a bad estate ; that God never yet took him out of the world , to the fellowship of Jesus Christ .

The first reason is , because it is the office of the Spirit to make known to a The spirit make ▪ known the things of God ▪ man , the things given him of God , 1 Cor. 2. 12. now saith he , we have received the Spirit , not of the world , but the Spirit of God , that we might know the things , that are freely given to us of God , as who should say , as God hath given us such and such things : So we have the Spirit of God , that can tell us the things that God hath freely given us , when God hath given a man effectual calling , it is a free gift , and then it is the Spirits office to let a man know it ▪ and the Spirit will do his office ; nay , when God effectually calls a man by his Spirit ; the Spirit saith to a man , as the disciples of Christ said to the man that was brought to Christ , Matth ▪ 10. 40 Be of good cheare ; he calls thee , so when God effectually calls a man , the Spirit saith , arise , be of good cheare , the Lord calls thee ; the Lord of heaven and earth , gives thee a gracious call to come to his heavenly Kingdome , to believe in his name , and to rest upon him for Salvation , and for every needful thing , for this life , and the life to come : the Spirit whereby a man is called , doth speak internum verbum , ( as Divines speak ) an inward word , which the soul hears , as well as the outward eare hears the external word ; our Saviour sheweth this , Joh. 6. 45. he that hath heard and learned of the Father ( saith he ) cometh unto me ; when a man is effectually called to come unto Christ , he hears of the Father ; there is a word that the Father speaks , not onely the word of the Minister ; but an inward word , and that man hears a word from the Father , and how can it be but a man may know it , when he hears it ? for there is a word , and an audible word , a word whereby the Lord of glory speaks to a man , when he effectually calls him to come out of his sins .

Secondly , Because a man that is effectually called of God , he is commanded How to make our calling and election sure . by God to make his calling and election sure ; as we may see , 2 Pet. 1. 10. as who should say , you may make it sure ; 't is true , in legal precepts , this doth not follow ; that if so be God bid a man to do it , therefore it is possible to do it ; for the law commands things , not possible to be done , by reason of the weakness of the flesh , but this is an evangelical precept ; now when a man is effectually called of God , and is commanded to make his calling sure , he may do it , the thing is possible and it may be performed , and it is a mans own fault if he do it not ; if a man that is effectually called of God , do not know it , it is his own fault , and negligence , and carelesness ; when God bids his people that are called , make their calling sure , it implyeth , they may do it ; the Lord laies no impossibility upon his own servants , that he hath called to his Kingdome and glory , but together with his precepts , he sheweth them , where grace is , and the throne of grace is open for them ; and they have an interest in God that quickens the dead , and have an open highway to the throne of grace to have any thing that they are required to do .

Thirdly , Because the knowledge of our effectual calling , is the ground of Of the knowledge of our effectual calling . thanksgiving for it God requires , that they that are effectually called to have such mercies , should be thankful to God for it ? now how can a man be thankful for that which he is ignorant of , whether he have it or no ? that is but a mockery , as carnal people in their thanks , will put in things they know not , we returne unto thee O Lord , all possible praise and thanks , for election , vocation , justification , &c. Carnal people put these things into their graces , blessing God for these things ; now if a man come to them , do you know that you are elected , and called , and justified , and have a true ground and hope of glory ? nay , that we cannot tell say they , this is a foolish thanksgiving , this is to make a mock of God , and to lie before him ; the Lord will have no such thanks , but sing praises with understanding , as the Scripture speaks , he will have real , and reasonable service ; now unlesse a man know this , he cannot be thankful to God aright . The Apostle willing the Corinths to be thankful for their calling , the poore Corinths that were despised , and ignoble and mean , and of the lower rank of all the Town , he wisheth them to glory in Gods goodness , and in nothing of their own ; how doth he urge it ? you know your calling , not many wise men after the flesh , not many noble , &c. but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise , &c. 1 Cor. 1. 26. you see it , many there are that God hath called among you , and you see what manner of persons they are , it is palpable , and you cannot deny it , therefore I would not have you glory in your selves , but in God , so Col. 1. 12 , 13. giving thanks unto God the Father ( saith he ) that hath made us meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints , who hath delivered us from the power of darkness , and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son ; the Lord expects thanks for this effectual calling , when God hath delivered us from the power of darkness , and translated us into the Kingdome of his dear Son ; that is , when he hath effectually called us , we should give thanks to God for it ; now how can we give thanks to God for it , when we are uncertain and ignorant of it ? surely the Spirit of Christ , and the Lord Jesus Christ loveth the glory of God , and that God should have praise from his people for every mercy ; therefore without doubt they may come to know it , because otherwise God should require that of them , which they are not able to performe .

Fourthly , Because this is the very end of the word of God , it is one of the Why the word of God is written to us . ends why the word of God is written to us : indeed there are other ends besids this , it is to convert , to strengthen , to direct , to comfort , to counsel , it is to build up , and to pull down ; the end of the word is to pull , and hew some down to be cast into the fire ; but one end is to acquaint the people of God with the mercies of God , and with graces , and mercies , and kindnesses , he hath laid up for them in Jesus Christ , and how they are called to these things , this is one end of the word , that they may know these things that God hath vouchsafed , 1 Joh. 5. 13. These things have I written unto you , that believe on the name of the Son of God , that ye may know that ye have eternal life , &c. I have written to you that do believe , to you that are effectually called , that you may know that you have eternal life ; you have it , but I would faine have you know that you have it : Now the Word is a sure Word that will not faile us .

Fiftly , Because the soul of a man , it hath the power of reflection in it , and The soul hath the power of reflection . it is able to reflect upon it self , and know what it self doth , and what it self hath ; the soul of a man is a reflective being , and reflects upon its own bosom , whereby it is privy to what it thinks , and what it saith , and what passages there be therein , 1 Cor. 2. 11. What man ( saith he ) knoweth the things of a man , but the spirit of a man ? the spirit of a man that is in him , knows the things that be in a man , it is privy to its own affaires , as it is with wickedness , so it is with good actions and thoughts : now for wicked courses , we see that the conscience is privy to what sins and corruptions are in a man , as S●l●m●n told Shimei , thou knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to , that th●● didst to David my Father ; thou knowest it , thy heart is privy to it , thou canst reflect upon thine own bosome , and canst tell what wretched speeches thou didst speak , thou art able to utter them in order , as thou art privy to it , as Solomon saith , Eccl. 7 22. oftentimes thine own heart knoweth ▪ that thou thy self likewise hast cursed others ; he speaks of one that hath cursed , thy own heart knows that thou hast done it saith he ; so it is in good actions , and things that are in a man , a mans heart is privy to it ; if a man obey the call of God , how can a man do it , but he must know that he is effectually called ? If a man do mourn for his sins , and grieve for his iniquities , the heart knows its own bitterness , it is able to reflect upon what it self doth ; so if a man do desire grace , and hunger and thirst after righteousness , and pant after the living God , he is able to say I do this , Psal. 42. 1. As the hart pants after the rivers of water , so doth my soul pant after thee O G●● ; his own heart shall be able to reflect upon it , if thou humble thy soul , and set thy self to prayer , and approve thy self to God from day to day , look into thy bosom , and there thou mayst see it .

But it may be objected then , how is it that those that are effectually called , Obj. are very doubtful , and have many questions , and are uncertaine whether they are called or no ? if it be so ; how come these doubts , and troubles , and perplexities that are in the minds of good people that are effectually called of God , and we find by experience that they were effectually called ?

I answer , first we must know , that though the knowledge of a mans calling Ans. may be had , yet it is had by degrees , it is a gradual knowledge ; a man cannot know it all at first dash , God doth not manifest his favour and love all at once to his people ; and when he gives it , he doth not presently tell a man what he gives him , though there be wayes for him to know it , and find it out ; yet the Lord doth not open himself to his people all at the first ; nay , he doth not so to his own Son Christ Jesus , in respect of his humanity , as he grew in stature and wisdom , so he grew in favour with God , Luk. 2. 52. The divine nature manifested it self more and more to his humane ; so God doth manifest his favour and love ; and openeth himself to his people more and more ; according as they grow in goodness , they grow in this knowledge , as they are more and more pure in heart , the more do they see God , and Gods goodness to them , and what God hath done for them ; this knowledge , though it be to be had , yet it is to be had by degrees , and the people of God have it not all in one degree ; some have it in a higher degree , and some in a lower ; but every man hath some of this knowledge that he is called of God ; it is impossible that a man should be effectually called , and be wholly , and totally ignorant of it .

Secondly , As this knowledge is gradual ▪ so it is experimental ; a man knows The knowledge of effectual calling experimental . that he is called by experience , chiefly and mainly ; as when a man knows by experience , that he comes to God and draws near to God , and that he doth abstract himself from the world , and worldly wayes and practises , and layes aside more and more the carnal wayes of men , and doth approach nearer and nearer unto the things of God in Christ : if a man hath experience of these things , he comes now to say God hath effectually called me , and hath been pleased to do me good ; when he finds this by experience , that these things ●re wrought in him then he can conclude this : at the first he was like a man in a vision , he could hardly believe that God had effectually called him ; as it was with Peter , when the Angel delivered him out of prison , he was as one that had seen a vision , he had not thought it had been a real thing , he could not tell what to make of it , Act. 12. 11. but when he came to himself , now saith he I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel , and delivered me out of prison . At first , he could not tell what to make of it , but afterwards , when he saw he was in the streets , and that the iron gate opened to him of its own accord ; now saith he , I know of a surety , that the Lord hath sent his Angel , and delivered me . So it is with the people of God ; at first , when they hear something from the Father , they know not what to make of this call at the first ; but afterwards , when they come to see this lust , and that lust fall off ; and these and these heavenly works in their souls ; they now know of a surety that God hath sent his Spirit into their souls , and delivered them from sins , and Satan , and hell , and damnation , &c. At first they were like dreamers , they were not able to say , whether they were called or no ; as the children of Israel , when they were delivered out of captivity , they could hardly believe it at first , Psal. 126. 1. When the Lord turned away the captivity of Zion , we were as those that dreamed , we could hardly perswade our selves , that God had delivered us out of captivity , with such a mercy , so great a favour , so unlikely , so improbable , it could never enter into their hearts almost ; we were like those that dreamed ; but when they saw they were in Jerusalem , and were helped , and assisted , and heard the Gentiles talke of it , and all the people runne up and down when they saw it was so , and had experience of it , then they saw God had done it indeed , and did believe it ; so when a man is first effectually called to come out of his sins , the Lord knocks off his bolts , and plucks him out of the jaile of hell , and sets him as it were in Jerusalem , he is at first as a man that dreams , he can hardly believe it is so ; as it was with David , when God called him to be King , he could hardly believe it , it could hardly enter into his heart , that he should be King over Israel ; especially being dayly persecuteed by Saul , and calamities heaping up themselves against him , he could not conclude it ; but when the Lord had set him in his Kingdome , and given him victory over his enemies , now ( saith he ) I know that the Lord saveth his anointed ; now he could speak it , and found it by experience , that the Lord had made him his anointed , and saved and delivered him from all his enemies ; before he was ready to deny it , and say Samuel was a lyar , he had anointed him to be King , but I said in my hast all men are lyars , but when he had experience of it , now ( saith he ) I know that the Lord hath saved his anointed .

Thirdly , As the knowledge of effectual calling is gradual and experimental , so likewise it is very spiritual , it is a marvellous spiritual work , and therefore The knowledge of effectual calling spiritual . no marvel though it be something insensible ; indeed there be things in it , which are very sencible and conspicuous as may be , a reprobate may be galled at a Sermon , he may have his eyes broad open to see his sins and iniquities , and may be wonderfully wrought upon , and may have the sencible work of vocation , by the very Spirit of God ; but the very specificalness of it , whereby this effectual calling doth differ from all other callings ; this is a marvelous Spiritual thing , and therefore no wonder that it is insencible sometimes , and many of the people of God , feare they have it not ; these things may be done in the soul of a man , and a man not know it , and yet it may seem strange , that the eyes of the blind should be opened , and the feet of the lame should walk , and the dead should be raised , and the devils should be cast out ! it is strange I say , that these things should be done in a mans soul , and yet the man in whose soul they are done , should be ignorant of them ; it is a strange thing , but the works of the Spirit are wonderful secret , the actions of the Spirit are very invisible ; when a man humbles himself , and prayes , and mournes , these are sencible , he knows what they are ; many talke of hunger , and thirst , and reformation , &c. But to see the saving , sanctifying , gracious work of God in these things , that is a marvelous hard thing to find this , and it is very spiritual , as Solomon saith , Eccl. 11. 5. As thou knowest not the way of the Spirit , nor how the bones grow in the womb of a woman that is with child ; even so thou knowest not the works of God , who maketh all ! if it be so in natural things , that we know not how the bones of the child grow in the womb , much lesse these things of the Spirit , so our Saviour Christ saith , Joh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth , and thou knowest not whence it cometh , nor whither it goeth ; even so is every one that is borne of the Spirit ; that is , every one that is effectually called of God ; for regeneration is a part of this effectual calling ; to be effectually called of God , it is the blowing of the wind , a man knows not whence it cometh nor whither it goeth ; there is a world of ignorance about the wind , so there is about the workings of Gods holy and heavenly Spirit ; when our Saviour was a working of regeneration in Nicodemus , his heart was at the same time , saying , how can these things be ? Christ was working these things in his heart , and the very same time when he was questioning , how can these things be ? So Gideon , at the very same time when God said unto him , the Lord is with th●● , thou mighty man of valour , Judg. 6. 14 , ●5 . Gideon was doubting that the Lord was not with him , and that he had no might nor strength , as our Saviour said of the seed that was sown in the ground , Mark . 4. 26. As if a man should cast seed into the ground , and sleep night and day , and the seed springeth up and grows , he knows not how : so saith he is the Kingdome of God , and as our Saviour saith , so it shall be at the last day , when Christ shall say come ye blessed of my Father , inherit the Kingdome prepared for you , for I was hungry , and ye fed me , &c. But marke at the very same time , the righteous that did all this , and our Sauiour Christ did witness to their faces that they had done it , the righteous shall answer , when saw we thee hungry and fed thee ? &c. They hardly knew they had done these things , the actions themselves they could not but know of , they knew they had fed and cloathed the poore children of God , but that they did it to Christ , for Christs sake , they could hardly see this ; when did we see thee thus and thus , and did so and so ? that they looked at Christ in this , they had hardly so good eyes , hardly so good a heart : so I might instance in more , I say the works of God , they are marvelous spiritual , and of a wonderful subtil substance ; they may be wrought in the soul of a man , and yet a man may be something doubting , and questioning whether they be wrought in him yea , or no ; nay , a man may be afraid they are not .

Fourthly , Another reason is , because the knowledge of a mans effectual The knowledge of a mans calling hindred for a time . calling may be very much hindered for a time , partly in regard of loathness of heart to leave some lust , though a mans heart may be subdued , and humbled for the maine ; yet there may be a great deal of holding back ; though a man cannot stand out in sin as the wicked do , yet there may be a great deal of backwardness , and unmortifiedness in the children of God , and conscience may see it ; now when conscience seeth it , conscience will hide effectual calling from a man , and object ; how can you say you are effectually called , when you are so borne down with such a lust , and hanker so much after it ? now if our own hearts condemn us , God is greater then our hearts , and shall condemn us ? much more ; it is a pitiful thing , when a man s own heart shall condemn him , and his own conscience shall be questioning whether he be right or no : sometimes it falls out thus , even those that are called ; yet in regard of unmortifiedness , there is such a deale of matter that the conscience hath to object , that a man cannot believe indeed , and soundly , that he is effectually called : for at first when Christ comes into the soul , before it hath gotten the mastery and victory , the Spirit doth work exceedingly in the dark , as when it works poverty of spirit , sorrow for sin , endeavour to leave all sin , hatred and detestation of a mans own wayes ; loathing of a mans own self , shame , confusion before Gods footstoole ; there is such a smoak in the soul , where the Spirit doth these , that a man cannot see them ; as if a man be working in a smoaky house , though he work excellent things , a man can hardly perceive what he doth ; so there is such a deal of smoak in the heart , such a deal of corruption stirring , that it hides the sight of the work of God from a man , yet the work of God goeth along ; as suppose two armies in a field , and the battel be doubtful , the guns fly off , and the swords clatter , and the dust ariseth , and there is such a confusion , that neither themselves nor others , know which way the battel will go , but sometimes some fall on one side , and sometimes some on the other side ; and if a man should stand on an hill , and see this battle , he cannot tell on which side it will be ; sometimes he thinks it will be on this side , and by and by , it is turned on the other side ; and so while it is doubtful , it cannot be determined and concluded on which side the victory will fall . So it is with the war between the flesh and the spirit , the war is very doubtful before the odds begin , for there is a great deal of evenness at first ; nay , the Spirit seems to be the weaker side , and the flesh to be the stronger , and there are many falls and foiles given to the soul , and the flesh is too strong ; afterwards , it begins to be something equal , and the battel to be poyzed ; now while the battel is so doubtful , a man cannot tell on which side the victory will be , whether on the spirits side , or on the fleshes side ; whether on graces side , or on sinnes side ; but when the warfare is accomplished ( I do not mean perfectly , for that will never be in this life ) a man may then see on which side the victory will go ; a man may see ten thousand corruptions lie dead , with their throats cut , and the Spirit standing triumphing and conquering more and more , we may now see which way the victory will go ; the Spirit reigns , and grace reigns , and humility reigns , and heavenly mindedness reigns , and all the graces of Gods Spirit have dominion over the whole man .

Another reason , why the knowledge of effectual calling is hindered , is because The knowledge of our effectual calling , may be hindered by ignorance . of ignorance ; a child is a man , though he doth not know it , so it is with a man that is a new beginner in Religion , he is a new man , though he doth not know it , he hath that in him , that let him have but time , let him but grow , he will quickly be able to look upon it , and be able to see what it is ; so it is with the people of God , they are at first very ignorant what God hath given them , as the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians , Eph. 1. 17. that God would let them be no longer children , but that God would open the eyes of their understanding , that they might know what the hope of their calling was , that he would let them know what he had given them ; they hardly knew what they had at the first , they had an effectual calling from God , and they had a thousand hopes ; they might hope to be strengthened against corruptions , to be delivered in six troubles , and in seaven ; they might hope when they died , to be translated into the Kingdome of immortallity and glory for evermore : they had this hope , now ( saith he ) the Lord of heaven and earth , open the eyes of your understanding , that you may see the hope of your calling , and the exceeding riches of those things that God hath bestowed upon you .

Againe they may be ignorant of the voyce of the Spirit , they do not understand A young believer is ignorant of the voyce of the Spirit . the Spirits language , when a child of God is first effectually called , he comes into a new world , and meets with a new language , he is a Barbarian to it , and that is barbarous to him , he cannot understand the language of the Spirit ; the Spirit speaks many comfortable things , and there are many works of the Spirit , whereby the Spirit doth speak to a man for his comfort and consolation ; if he could take them as a man that comes into a strange Countrey , he lives a very uncomfortable life at first , he hears them speak , but he cannot understand them ; they speak strange language , he cannot tell what to make of it ; but the longer he is there , he comes to understand such a word , and then such a word , and it may be a sentence now and then ; and so in the end , he understands them plainly : so at the first , when God calls his people into a new world , the Spirit speaks many things to them , but yet i● is in an unknown tongue , it is gibberish to them , they cannot tell what to make of it , but when they come to understand the dialect , they come to rejoyce .

Againe , the children of God are ignorant of the work of grace , they think certainly , never could any of the children of God that were aright , be●n that A child of God is ignorant of the work grace . estate that I am , they never find their hearts so like a log in prayer ; when I go to the Sacrament , sometimes I behave my self like a block , and cannot behave my self in any competent manner as I ought ; certainly none of Gods people can be thus an I am ; they are ignorant what may be in the people of God , what may stand with the truth of God , and so they question their estate , and conditions out of ignorance ; afterwards when they come to more experience , and finde the wayes of God in them , and come to have a knowledge of their owne corruptions , and of the goodness of God in purging them out more and more ; in the end they are able to speak it to Gods glory , and their own consolation .

Againe , the knowledge of a mans effectual calling may be hindered by being unresolved of a mans Christian liberty , when there be Christian liberties that a How the knowledge of effectual calling may be hindred man hath need of every day ; and yet notwithstanding a man is not resolved upon it , many a man thinks verily , if he should finde any delight in the good creatures of God , if he should be merry or chearful at any time , if he should be talking of his calling in the world , and speak of it in his communication , and follow his calling diligently ; if he should be angry , and let bitter words fly at any time , though his nature make him so ; he thinks verily , and concludes that he hath no grace , he is a very worldly carnal man , he savours of these things here below , he savours of the creature , and he is carnally merry ; though a man may take care for outward things moderately , and be chearful , & so for anger a man may be angry , be angry saith the Apostle ●●t sin not ; now if he be angry at any time , though the thing be lawful , and he hath Christian liberty in the thing , yet not knowing his Christian liberty ▪ this doth exceedingly trouble a man many times , and makes him question his effectual calling ; there be abundance of Christian liberties , that we have need of every day , and have need of the knowledge of ; and when the soul and conscience doth not know his Christian liberty , ( I do not speak of this in regard of the world , they had need have straight limitations & curbs , and we had need put in all the caveats that can be , for they are apt of their own accord to take too much elbow-roome ; every man is ready to stand upon his liberty , what he may lawfully do ; but though wicked men damne their own soules in these things ; yet it is fit the children of God should have their portion , and know it , ) and the want of this knowledge hinders a man from the knowledge of the things given him of God .

Againe , a man may be ignorant of the tenderness of Jesus Christ , and of A man may be ignorant of the tenderness of Jesus Christ . the infinite bowels of the Sonne of God , and how chary he is over his people , and that he regards a graine of wheat , under an heap of chaffe : it is very probable , that the son of J●roboam had a taint of the family he was taken from , which was marvelous foule ; yet notwithstanding God takes notice of the good things that were in him , though in the Churches in the Revelation , foule and grievous things were found , yet the Lord notwithstanding takes notice of any thing that was good in them ; if there be but a drop of true saving grace in the heart , God will take notice of it ; though a man be but smoaking flax , God will be tender of it ; now many a child of God doth not know the tender compassions of Jesus Christ , and that he will accept them notwithstanding a thousand weaknesses , and though they have but a little hold , and a little strength to put forth in the wayes of God , and they see how many thousand things they can say against themselves , when they see not the tender compassions of Jesus Christ , and what a tender Saviour he is , the tender mercies of our God , as it is , Luke 1. This hinders them from the knowledge of that , which otherwise they might know .

Againe , it may be hindered very much through melancholy , it is the very It may be hindred through melancholy . coach that the devil rides in , as Divines speak , it corrupts a mans imagination , and fills it with groundlesse fears , and doubts , and makes a man speak he knows not what , and he saith he doth not do those things he doth , when as those that stand by can see the contrary : this humour blinds a mans eyes , and presents he knows not what to a mans minde ; as when David was in that passion , he cryed out ; I am cast off , what is the matter ? Psal. 31. 10. he was in a melancholy fit , grief hath even wasted me , he was even wasted and pined with grief , sorrow deading his heart , and mouldring , and pining , and wasting of him ; this made him speak words , that he would never have spoken at another time : the Apostle shews , that when a man is overmuch sad , and grieved , and dejected , and cast down , and lyeth moaping , and the devil hath a great deal of advantage by this : therefore he speaks to the Corinths to have a care of that poore man that had committed an horrible sinne , and it pleased God to humble him , he was excommunicated , and delivered over to Satan : now the C●rinths were something harsh to this poore man , and were ready to trample upon him , and tread upon him , as if he were not humbled enough , 2 Cor. 2. 7. O saith he , forgive him , and comfort him , least he be swallowed up of evermuch sorrow ; wherefore I beseech you confirme your love towards him , least Satan should get an advantage of us , ver , 11. that was the reason why he would have him careful of this , least Satan should circumvent us ; the meaning is , least the devil should make us guilty of overwhelming a poor man ; and others by that example might do the like , and so the devil might have advantage in aftertimes .

In the next place , it may be hindred by the unskilfulness of a Minister , many Grace may be hindred by the unskilfulness of a Minister . times those that are effectually called , may chance to lye a long time ignorant of Gods mercy , unacquainted with the work of grace which God hath begun in their souls , by the unskilfulness of the Minister ; the Minister that should bind up those that God hath broken , may be like those that efflict him wh●m God hath smitten , Psal. 109. he doth not feed the lambs of Christ , and hold forth the grace of Jesus Christ ; perhaps he may preach good truths , admirable excellent passages , and yet make those sad , whom God would not have made sad ; and make those grieved , whom God would not have grieved , as the Lord complains , Ezek. 34. 4. The diseased have ye not strengthned , neither have ye healed that which was sick neither have ye bound up that which was broken , neither have ye brought againe that which was driven away , &c.

A Minister though he preach the wayes of God , and Jesus Christ , and the promises of the Gospe● and eternal life ; yet if he preach it not in a right maner , A Minister ought to preach the word of God in a right manner . if he carry it not as he ought to do , rightly dividing the word of life , he may do a world of mischief , if a man preach hell and damnation , ( indeed if a man be going on in his sinnes , and be hardened in his wicked courses , we are to preach hell and damnation to him ) but if a man preach hell and damnation to a man that is sencible of his sins , and is of a tender conscience , and ready to think too hardly of his sinnes ; it is as if a man should take a beetle to kill a fly upon a mans forehead , to lay a heavy load upon those that are not able to beare it . Ministers may do a great deal of hurt , by preaching the law without distinguishing , and all exceptions being shewed , when he hath not a tender heart towards those whom God hath wounded , and doth not alwayes put in that that may do them good ; when a Minister knows what it is , and hath gone through the pikes himself , he can the better stay up the souls of those that are dejected , and yet belong to Christ ; therefore David prayeth , give me the way of thy salvation , and then I shall teach sinners the way unto thee , Psal , 51. 12 , 13. as who should say , if I do not know what belongs to the comforts of the Spirit , if I have not waded through ●●ese things , and know not how they are given , and how they are taken , I shall never teach sinners the way unto thee , I shall never carry my self aright in that way ; he that is a Surgeon , had not need to have a hard hand : so those that have a tender heart , and those that are truely broken for their sins , and are of a contrite spirit , a man had need deale gently with them , according to the estate and condition wherein they are : Ministers many times are too blame , in not preaching Christ aright , as they ought to do , and so may 〈◊〉 hinderance to the comfort of their people .

What a woeful thing is it when a man is not able to say thus , what laborinths , and meanders is such a soul in , and what heart aches , and terrible fears , and terrours , and afrightments , and quakings , and misgivings are they subject unto ? they must needs be in a miserable , and pitiful case , for whether can they go ? what can they hang upon to get comfort ? and this is the case and condition of most of those that are amongst ●● even of the best sort , though many of them have some good things in them ; yet who almost comes to know that he is effectually called of God ? these are declining times , and languishing dayes , and people are marvelously scattered for want of care and diligence , and watchfulness , and paines-taking in the wayes of God ; there is a woeful deale of unsetling , and want of groundedness in a good estate , people are very much off , and all to pieces ; and that you may see what a woeful thing this is , do but consider these particulars .

First , Your consciences cannot but accuse you , you cannot say Christ bare First , conscience doth accuse . your sins , you know not whether you are in him or no ; you know Christ bare the sins of his people , but whether he bare your sins or no that you cannot tell ; all your sins and iniquities lie upon your consciences still , though you have been bewailing your sins and confessing of them , and craving forgiveness of them ; yet all your actual sins they still ly upon your consciences : what your consciences could accuse you of formerly they accuse you of still , such by-thoughts , such wandring prayers , such unprofitable hearing , Paul could say , 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a good saying , that Christ came into the world to save sinners , whereof I am chief ; you cannot say so , though you can say that of sinners you are the chief ; yet that you have obtained mercy , your conscience ; will not let you say it , you question whether you ever had any mercy , or any hold of the mercy of God ; therefore you must be like a dry leafe driven to and fro , or a reed shaken with the wind , and as weak as water , you are altogether unstable : what a miserable thing is this , that all a mans corruptions and miseries should lie upon a man , notwithstanding all his prayers , and asking forgiveness , and many tears and sighs , that they should yet lie upon him , as they do until a man knows that he is effectually called of God ; all the guiltiness lieth upon his soul , he cannot say he hath obtained mercy of God , he is without God , and without Christ , and is yet in his sins for ought he knows .

Secondly , As your consciences must needs accuse you , so likewise you can N 〈…〉 y in Jesus Christ without knowledge of ou● interest in him , &c. have no joy in Jesus Christ , nor any of his promises , nor any of the gracious things in his Covenant , because you know not w●ether they belong to you or no ; when a man knows not a thing , he cannot have any joy in any thing , as Prov 27. 1. Boast not thy self of to morrow , for thou know●st not what a day may bring f●rth , a man cannot boast of that he knows not , can a man boast of to morrow ? O I shall have a fine day to morrow , when he knows not whether he shall have a morrow or no ; he may be dead by to morrow , or his house may be burnt over his head to morrow , he cannot rejoyee in it : So when a man knows not whether he be effectually called of God or no , what joy can he have ? what joy can he have in Christ or his ordinances , when his conscience knocks him off , and his soul stands in doubt whether these things belong to him or no ? he may catch at these , as Josephs Mistres catcht hold on him , but he left his garment and fled away : so they catch at the promises , and these things , but they fly away from them , and leave them as a shadow , and they are as much to seek as before : and it will be thus as long as a man doth not go on to make his effectual calling sure .

Thirdly , Thou canst not tell what to make of Gods mercies and blessings to We cannot tell what to make of Gods mercies , without this knowledge . thee ; God hath given thee many blessings , life and health , and means , and maintenance , and sweetly provided for thee from thy cradle to this day , and hath recovered thee out of many sicknesses and afflictions , and hath given thee the means of grace , and thou hast heard Sermon upon Sermon , and hast had the acquaintance of his children , and hast dwelt in the land of uprightness , and seen the Saints of God , and the examples of Gods Saints , and thou hast had the motions of Gods Spirit from day to day , and many good things God hath vouchsafed : but while a man is questioning and doubting , whether he be effectually called or no , he cannot tell what to make of these things ; whether he should call them mercies or no , whether they be in wrath or no , to fat him up against the day of wrath , to whom much is given , of him much is required . It is said of the Virgin Mary , when the Angel saluted her graciously and comfortably , the text saith , she was much troubled , wondring what manner of salutation this should be , Luk. 1. 29. So when the Lord sends abundance of sweet mercies , the soul is troubled what mercies these should be ; are these mercies that come from Christ , and flow from Gods goodness , as pledges of his grace and favour or no ? he is troubled , and cannot tell what to make of them , what are these mercies : and he is afraid he had been better to have been without them , and better he had never known them ; it is a miserable thing when a man is uncertaine of his effectual calling ; for uncertaine of that , uncertaine of all .

Fourthly , Thou dost not know what to do in time of affliction , when affliction We know not h●w to beare our selves in afflictions without this knowledge . comes , ( as thou canst not but expect it every day ) yet when it comes , how wilt thou bear it ? how wilt thou be able to suffer for Christ , and to go to prison for Christs sake ; when thou dost question whether the truth ever made thee free ? if thou wert able to speak of God as thy Father , and a Kingdom prepared for thee , this would cast out fears , feare not little flock , it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom ; Luk. 12. 37. but when a man questions whether God be his Father or no ? questions whether he hath given him a Kingdom or no ? yea whether any such thing belongs to him ? nay he thinks he is a wretch , and he should wrong God . if he should lay hold o● such things ; this exposeth a man to fears ; what is the reason that many ●all away in time of persecution ? it is because they want hold of God , as D 〈…〉 as , what is the reason he could not beare Pauls afflictions , but fell away and 〈◊〉 the world ? it was because he wanted Pauls hold : a man must have hold some where , if not on God , some where else : this is the reason why many break their necks , and when persecution comes , they are troubled , and put by , and make shipwrack of a good conscience and forbear to go on in that way which they ought to go on in , and to yield to those things which they kn●w they ought not to yield to . When a man knows he is effectually c 〈…〉 of God , this will make a man suffer for God , as the Apostle Peter sp〈…〉g of the sufferings of the Saints , hereunto saith he were you called , knowing th●● Christ suffered for you ; when a man is able to say , Christ suffered for 〈◊〉 God hath effectually called me to his heavenly Kingdom , to pertake o● C 〈…〉 st it and his benefits , and sufferings ; now this will beare a man out , this 〈◊〉 able to endure the losse of liberty , of means , maintenance , or any th 〈…〉 t the Gospels sake ; but before what shall a man do in afflictions ? as long as a man doth not know that he is effectually called , he doth expose himself to lazards , and breaknecks , and who knows what may be ?

Fifthly , Thou canst not pray with any courage , thy prayers are but 〈◊〉 and lanke and weak as water ; thou canst not come boldly to the throne of We cannot pray without this knowledge . grace , thou art afraid thou art none of Gods , and none of Christs ; afraid ●●t thou hast not received the Spirit of God , that thou mayst be the child of God , and art afraid that thy prayers are not accepted of God , but he turnes them into sin , thou canst never have boldness , ( unless it be the boldness of impude●ce ) but never the boldness of confidence , how shall a man call upon him , 〈◊〉 ●e hath not believed ? a man without faith cannot please God , he cannot pray to God : O my Lord , saith Manoah , &c. Judg 13. 8. if he had not prayed with faith , knowing that God was his God , his prayer had not had successe ; but this made him pray with the more boldness and strength ; when the Priests of Baal had done praying , and God would not hear them ; marke what 〈…〉 h saith , I am thy servant , Lord heare me , 1 King . 18. 36. as who should say , here be people praying , they pray they know not what , and to they know not whom ; they are none of thine , but I am thy servant h●are me Lord , he comes and acts a better part , and he will be heard before he goes , and 〈◊〉 acc●ptance before he departs ; when a man can say , Lord I am thy servant , 〈◊〉 one whom thou hast redeemed , and effectually called , heare me Lord , this man prayes indeed , he prayes to some purpose .

Sixthly , Thou canst not sweetly go on in the waies of God , all the duties of Religion will be a burthen to thy soul , and thou wilt be weary of them , We cannot go on in the waies of God without this knowledge . which would be light and pleasant , if thou didst know thy effectual calling of God : but now they will be burthensome ; and thou wilt think the Sabb●th comes too often , and good duties come too often about ; they come so fast , that thou hast no heart or minde to them , for want of that which should sweeten the wayes of God to a man ; the knowing of God , and what he goeth about , and the knowing of him he hath to deale withal , without this a man can never go on , nay it is a wonder that thou hast not broken thy neck before this day , that thou hast not turned back to folly , and revolted cleane to the wayes of sinne , that thou hast not turned back to be a drunkard and profane person againe : it is a wonder that thou prayest in thy family , that thou hast not given over all holy duties , and reassumed the works of the flesh , and can off all the courses of a godly life ; it is a wonderful mercy of God , that tho● hast not apostatized Take a man that knows he is effectually called , it is a wonder to see that man fall ; I marvel saith Paul that ye are soone removed , Gal. 1. 6. A man may wonder what ayleth that man , that knows he hath an effectual call of God , and falls ; that man is besides himself , he is not his own man certainly ; if he turne back to folly , when he knows God , to turne from his Commandements , to yeild to the lusts of the flesh , and grow carelesse and negligent ; it is a wonder that such a man should be removed back , but he that never knew of any such things ; he hath no knowledge of Gods goodness towards him ; it is a wounder that he doth not quite fall off , for the knowledge of a mans effectual calling is that which doth preserve a man , Jude 1. the Apostle saith , Jude a servant of Jesus Christ , to them that are preserved in Christ and called ; when a man hath an effectual call , he hath that which should preserve him ; therefore when a man comes to know it , what a sweet thing is this , to be preserved of God ; to be kept and carried through , when Gods people know not this , they are subject to falls , and returning back without the Lords wounderful mercy .

Seventhly , What difference is there between thee , and a very wretch , as We differ not from wretches wit●out this knowledge . long as thou knowest not that thou art effectually called of God ? what difference between thee , and one that is in darkness , and under the power of darkness , in thy own sence and feeling ? when David was but afraid of falling into this passe , Psal. 28. 1. O Lord ( saith he ) be not silent , least I be like them that go down into the pit ; he was afraid of falling into that estate of doubting of Gods love , and the assurance of his love and favour , least he should be like unto those that go down into the pit : so may I say of those that are unsetled in their minds , and do not know whether they have any good at all wrought in their hearts ; what difference do you see between your selves , and those that are wicked and abominable ? you can hardly pitch upon any thing , wherein you differ from a wicked man , as Throgmorton said , brother what will you say , if I dye a reprobate ? so such speeches may come out of thy mouth ; what will you say , if I dye a reprobate ? as David when he had committed those two foule sins , and had blurred his evidences , and could not see Gods goodness and mercy towards him ; he was faine to begin the world again , create in me O Lord , a cleane heart &c. as though he were to begin from the very ground againe , as if he had lost all , and had nothing in him ; what a miserable thing is this ?

Eighthly , Thou art of all men most miserable , if thou knowest not thy effectual We are of all me● most mis●●a●le without it . calling ; for other men , though they have no comfort in heaven , yet they have comfort in the world ; but as for thee , thou hast neither comfort above nor here below ; the wicked of the earth , they care not for thee , because thou little for thee , because thou art not right ; and so thou art as a meteor hanging in the ayre , cast out from men and God ; conscience will not let thee close with God , nor close with the wicked ; not with God , because thou doubtest whether thou art his , or no ; not with the wicked , because thou art strongly convicted , that their courses are damnable : now what comfort canst thou have ? when a man cannot tell whether to go , this is the case of a man , that knows not whether he be effectually called of God or no.

Nay lastly , Let me tell thee this , if thou be totally uncertaine , thou wert We were never effectually called if we totally want it . never effectually called of God to this very day , but still remainest under the guilt of thy sins , and the wrath of God , and the curse of the law , and the damnation of ungodly men : for if a man be called , he presently comes to be faithful , chosen and faithful , Rev. 19. it is faith that makes up the effectual call , for this call differs from the other ; in that this call makes a man come to God by faith ; so that a man is a believer , if he be effectually called ; now if a man be a believer , there is some knowledge in faith , Isa. 45. 24. Surely shall one say , in the Lord have I righteousness and strength , saith the text : look up and down in all the Scripture , there is some surety in every believer that he hath righteousness in God , that he hath salvation in his name , as the Church saith , Isa. 53. 15. doubtlesse thou art our Father ; it is the speech of people that are marvelously troubled with unbelief and doubting , yet at last they conclude it , doubtlesse thou art our Father , they cannot deny it : so saith David , Psal. 23. 6. Surely goodnesse and mercy , shall follow me all the dayes of my life . 1 Joh. 5. 19. We know that we are of God , he doth not only say it is thus , but we knows it is thus : nay take the doubtfullest man that ever was , which was H●m●n , Psal. 88. 1. O Lord God of my salvation saith he : he was able in some measure to speak it , that God was the God of his salvation , he was not totally uncertaine of it ; wheresoever there is faith , there is some knowledge .

But then you will say , what is the difference , between the uncertainty that Obj. is in believers , and other people ? it is true that all believers are effectually called of God , but yet a man may be uncertaine ; now the question is , how differs the uncertainty of a true believer that is called of God , and others ? The difference is in these several particulars .

First , A man that is effectually called of God , as it may be he cannot say it , Answ. How the uncertainty of beleevers differs from others . so he cannot deny it ; and as in part he cannot say it , so in part he can say it , though he hath a great deal of feare and terror and affrightment ; and in some measure he cannot say it , yet in some measure he can , Mark . 9. 24. the man there that came to Christ , as he could not simply say that he did believe , so he could not simply deny it , but he partly did , and partly did not , Lord I believe , help my unbeliefe ; though he could not say , he had the grace of faith , so he could not deny it : but other men , though they would faine say it ; yet they cannot in spight of their teethes , it makes it appeare ( unlesse they be presumptuous ) that they do but deceive themselves , and rock themselves asleep in a fooles paradice ; but the people of God that are called indeed , as they cannot say they are so , so they cannot deny it .

Secondly , They that are called of God effectually , though they do not The 2 difference . know it ; but it may be speak bitter things , as though they were not called , and deny it many times ; yet it is only in their haste , in an odd sit that is come upon them , I sayd in my haste all men are lyars , Psal 31. 22. it was only in his haste , it was only in a pang that came upon him : but now other men , they do not say it in their haste , neither is it only in a passion , when they question their effectual calling ; but they speak it in their sober witts , nay they are never in their sober witts but then ; for when they think it is otherwise , then they are in a passion , in their haste , they are then in their sober witts and speak most judiciously , when they say it is not so .

Thirdly , A godly man as he will say he hath no grace , so he will let others The 3 difference . say so too ; and it will humble him so much the more , and he will be the more abased , and caused to seek out more then ever he did before ; but an hypocrite , though he will say in company sometimes , I was never yet wrought upon ; yet if he hears another say so , he begins to mince and saith you are mistaken Sir ; blessed be God I have beeen wrought upon , they cannot endure to heare that another should say so ; but they make as though they had assurance , and these and these gifts and graces , though their own consciences witness to their teeths , that they have it not , yet they cannot abide others should say so : but a child of God , will not exercise himself in things that are too high for him ; as he is to seek , so he is content to be taken to be such a one , and when the people of God suspect him , it humbles him , and drives him nearer to God .

Fourthly , Such persons that are effectually called indeed , though they are The 4 difference . very ungrounded , and to seek in regard of their effectual calling ; yet they most love and esteem those that tell them of it , that they may be better grounded , and see God better ; when a man comes to them and tells them , you are hypocritical and secure and you neglect duties in your families , and you must give over this and that : those that are effectually called of God indeed , will love those that are most sound , and most rip them up as it was with Paul , when he was converted ; at first the Disciples questioned him , Act. 9. 26. they would not believe that he was a convert ; did Paul now stomack them , and shew himself offended ? no , Paul did go on to manifest the truth of his grace more and more , till at last it did manifest it self : so those that are effectually called , they love those most that are godly , and question most their sincerity , and it humbles them ; and they love a life to be in such company , and they cannot abide those that dawbe them up with untempered mo●ter ; but an hypocrite though his own conscience questions it , and he is as one in a wilderness , and in darkness , that knows not whither he goeth , yet he cannot abide another should beare him down so .

Fifthly , The uncertainty of the people of God breaks their hearts , and pulls The uncertain●y o● it breaks the heart . them down before God , it bursts their hearts , and tears , and rends them , that they are not able to endure ; they must have the favour of God , and the light of his countenance , and know where they are , and the things given them of God ; and they count themselves to have done nothing till they come to this , as David was in this case , Psal. 55. 5. he was in a miserable case , as if he were quite lost : what did this make him do ? I w●nt to God and mourned in my prayer , and cryed unto him , as you may see in the beginning of the Psalm , it made him mourne before God , till the light of his countenance shined upon his soul ; but a wretched heart that hopes he is called , though his conscience doubts of it , this breaks not his heart , nor awakens him , but his vaine hopes build him up , and so he is kept off from being right as he ought to be .

Againe , those that are effectually called , though they be uncertaine , yet Faith supplies this uncertainty they believe they shall be certaine , and they follow hard after God , till he give them assurance , and they build upon it , that they shall have it one day , and this builds them up : as it was with Mr. Moore of Norwich a reverend Divine , in all his Sermons for the most part , he would in one passage or other move his people to get assurance , in the end he sickened himself , and called for all the good people in his parish , and told them , you know what Doctrine I have delivered to you ; and amongst the rest , this was one that I frequently beate upon , that you would labour to be assured ; now I must tell you that I never had assurance to my selfe , but I did ever look for it ; and now by the mercy of God I have it , and as I preached this doctrine to you when I was living ▪ so now I say unto you being a dying man , labour to get assurance ; so that he did verily believe that he should have it in the end , though as yet he had it not , and this stayed his soul to go on in all his wayes : as David , when he was cast down , and had much ado to keep his hold , and had no assurance at that time ; Why art thou cast down O my soul ? why art thou disquieted within me , hope thou in God , for I shall yet praise him , who is the health of my countenance and my God , Psal. 42. 11. though he were cast down and dejected , this was his stay , I shall yet praise him , &c. he did verily believe he should rejoyce in his holy name , and overcome those distresses , and have the Lords mercy sealed to his soule , and have his mouth filled with his praises , Why art thou cast down O my soul ? I shall yet rejoyce in his holy name , I shall yet shew forth his prayses , I shall yet be able to apply his promises , and be able to say he is my God and my Redeemer .

Againe , the children of God , that are effectually called , though they doubt Faith contrary to doubting . never so much , yet their faith is of a contrary nature to their doubting , and excludes doubting , Mat. 21. If you believe and have faith , and doubt not , saith the text ; not as though faith cannot have doubtings stand with it , but faith is of that nature , as excludes , and expells doubtings , and fights against it , as fire against water , and such a man fights against doubtings , as he would ●ight against temptations ; to murther & adultery ; he knows that infidelity is the mother of all sinne , and therefore faith fights against doubting , and goeth to the throne of grace to be established .

Lastly , Though a child of God doubt of his condition ; yet this is certaine , that Christ is the power of God to that man , though he know not whether he A child of God may doubt of his condition . be effectually called by Christ , yet Christ is the power of ●od to his soul , as 1 Cor , 1. 24. Vnto them which are called Christ is the power of God , and the wisdom of God . He is powerful to his soul , for the humbling , awakening , quickenning of him , for strengthening of him against sinne , for the making him hold out in the waies of God : he is of power to him in all his ordinances , in prayer , in hearing the Word , and in all his wayes : But it is not so with others that question the effectual calling , Christ is not the power of God to them , Christ is of no effect to them ; he may be of some effect , for enlightnings , and stirrings , and outward reformation ; but to bring them to goodness , and holiness indeed , and to hatred against sinne , Christ is not the power of God to those persons , but he is foolishness to them .

Now the next thing that I will shew you , is a point that hath been a little touched ; but I will passe over what hath been spoken , and will speak more at large of it : I desire to speak more particularly , and punctually of this same effectual calling .

And the first point we will take out of it is this ; that effectual calling is the Effectual calling is the first gathering of men unto Christ . first gathering of men unto Christ , the first making of men to come to Christ , the first putting of a man into the estate of grace , it is the very portall ●o religion , the very entry into eternal life ; it is the first bringing of a man to pertake of the Lord Jesus Christ , and to have fellowship with him : so it is called in Scripture , the gathering of the elect home , Isa. 56. 8. I will gather ( saith the Lord ) the out casts of Israel : he prophesieth there of the effectual calling of the Gentiles ; and God saith here , this is the first thing that I will do , I will gather them to my people , I will make them come home to the Lord Jesus Christ● this is set forth unto us by our Saviour Christ in two principal parables , one of the Net . Mat. 13. 47 , 48. againe , the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a N●t , &c. So that here speaking of the effectual calling of people , this is said to be the first act of God in it ; namely , the gathering of them for the Kingdom of heaven by the preaching of the Word , and this net is the Gospel that is preached ▪ the sea is this world , the fishes are men , and the good and bad are elect , and reprobate ; ( not as though the elect were good before they are effectually called , but they are called good , because of Gods designation and decree to make them good ; and he looks upon them as such as shall be good , and such as he hath purposed to make good in his time ) Now the Gospel doth draw out of the world Gods elect ( by a general call , it calls both elect and reprobate ) but effectual calling , is the gathering of good fishes , that in the end of the world shall be put into vessels by themselves , so that effectual calling , the first act of it , is the gathering of men home to God ; the other parable is , Luk. 15. 4 , 5. What man having lost an hundred sheep , &c. all the lost sheep of Israel , and of Gods election that are in their lost estate , as well as other people , before God takes them in hand : here you see the first act God doth towards them , before which they were altogether lost , and are now found againe ; is the fetching of them home , the taking of them upon Christ his shoulders , and bringing them home unto him : I say , effectual calling , it is Gods first making of a man to come to Christ , you may see it , 1 Pet. 2. 4. To whom coming as to a living stone , ye also are built up , &c. he alludes unto their first effectual calling , when God did first deale with them , he made them to come to him to be put into this building ; the children of God after that they are effectually called , are said to be in this building , but this first act of God , is the putting of them into this building ; the bringing of them to be laid into this excellent edifice , for there is no such building in the world , is it a building , whose foundation is Christ , and all the Saints of God are built upon it ; it is the most admirable building in the world : now effectual calling brings a man , and layes him into this building ; before a man is effectually called he is as a stray sheep , as a sheep scattered abroad , and roaming and ranging up and down the waies of sin , and of death , whom the devil hath po●nded as a stray ; he is departed from God , and is roaming up and down in the world ; he is in a lost estate , till God come with this effectual calling and bring him home , 1 Pet. 2. 25. For ye were as sheep going astray , but are now returned to your shepheard ; that is , ever since your effectual calling you are come home to God , that was your returning time ; before you were as chickens subject to the kite , till this ●hen gathered you under her wings , and made you safe : so againe , it is called the drawing of a man unto Christ , Joh. 6. 44. No man cometh to me , except the Father draweth him ; that is except the Father effectually call him , he cannot come unto me ; now this bare and naked calling cannot do it without drawing , therefore it is here called drawing of a man , before which a man was altogether out of Christ : therefore this is the first act God performes upon a man , to draw him to Christ ; the man is as unwilling to come to Christ naturally , as any else ; his lusts draw him another way , and he is as heavy as a milstone , and his heart is lumpish to the things of God , till the father draws him , and pulls his affections , and thoughts , and minde to come home unto Christ ; this is the first act God doth ; and againe , it is called the bringing of a man to Christ , Joh. 10. 16. other sheep also have I , saith Christ , which I must bring unto this fold , he speaks here how that he means to call the Gentiles , ( all the elect of God among them ) now because they cannot come , they have no strength of their own to come , therefore he saith , he must bring them unto him .

Againe , there must be application of Christ unto a man ; now effectual calling is the first step to the application of the Lord Jesus Christ to a man ; There must be applying of Christ to a man . we know the Lord Jesus is the Redeemer of the world , he hath taken away the sinnes of the world , satisfied the wrath of God , wrought righteousness for Gods elect , he hath overcome death , and sinne , and Satan , and hath expiated for us , and wrought an everlasting salvation by his own death and passion , in the daies of his flesh , Christ hath done this ; now except this be applied to a man , what is a man the nearer ? now the first step of the application of the redemption of Christ is wrought by this effectual calling of a man unto him : then the Lord begins to make a man have union with Jesus Christ , before a man was like a branch out of the vine , a dead branch that could do nothing , he could not repent , or serve God , or please God , or do any thing , he was estranged in minde and heart , and will : but when God doth effectually call a man , he doth first work this application of Christ , that a man may have union with him , and effectual calling is the first putting of a man into the estate of grace ; the first estating of a man into eternal life , it is the first ingraffing of a man into the Son of God , it is the putting on of Christ ; the Saints of God , after they are called weare Christ , and walke in Christ : but at a mans first effectual calling , there is the putting of him on : it is the first notice that a man hath of salvation , the first tydings that comes to the soul of eternal redemption by Jesus Christ ; people heare it with their outward ears before , but never do they come to heare this in their souls and spirits till now ; this is the first notice and inkling of it ; when God doth effectually call them , then he begins this work , as Col. 1. 6. which Word is come unto you ( speaking of the Gospel ) it is come unto you , and bringeth forth fruit , since the day you heard of it , and knew the grace of God in truth ; that is , since the day you were effectually called , then was the first time of hearing this blessed Gospel ; your ears were deaf till then , your hearts were dead in sins and trespasses till then ; but when you were effectually called , then was the first knowing of the grace of God in truth ; therefore it is called in Scripture , the first beginning of God to do a man good : it is the first beginning of all the goodness of God towards a man , as Phil. 1. 6. being confident in this , that he which hath begun a good work in you , will perform it till the day of Jesus Christ ; that is , he that did effectually call you , as he did begin a good work in you , and did begin to put forth his eternal good will and pleasure in you , and powred forth the beginning of his mercy , and grace and favour into your souls ; now he that hath done this , will never leave it , till he hath brought it to perfection . So againe , it is called the first building of a man for heaven , this is done in effectual calling , Acts 15. 14. Sim●on hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles ( saith the text ) to take out of them a people for his name ; that is , the Word had effectually called the Gentiles , and this ver. 16. is called the first building of the Gentiles , and the first plucking of them out of the other people of the world , to be a people of God . This is the first day of a child of Gods consecration , it is called the forming of Christ in a mans heart , when a man comes to be formed in the womb of the Church , before he was a non ens , he had no being in the world , he was but a natural man ; but this new workmanship never came into the world till now , when a man is effectually called . So againe , it is called a mans first entring into Christ , enter in at the straight-gate , as who should say , obey the call of God , come in ; a mans effectual calling , is a mans first entring into the estate of grace ( I speak the more largely of it , because I would have you understand the Scripture that speaks of it in these phrases ) I say , effectual calling is the first step to the application of Jesus Christ , the first step of putting a man into the estate of grace , the first bringing of a man to Christ .

The first reason of this is , because , before effectual calling , a man was without Before effectual calling no interest in Christ out Christ , and had no interest in Christ , no communion or fellowship with Christ , he was altogether dead in trespasses and sinnes , a cursed creature , a damned creature , in the estate of sinne and condemnation ; whatever parts or gifts he had , all were no better then may be in a reprobate , Eph. 2. 12. before that time you were without Christ , aliens and strangers from the commonwealth of Israel ; may be you were civil , but you had no union with Christ ; though you were constant hearers of the Word ( which is a laudable thing ) yet you had no union with Christ ; may be you were decked with admirable qualities and jewels , as the Prophet shews ; a man may be decked with golden vertues , and afterwards turne to drosse ; a man may have admirable things in him , before he hath this ; but there was nothing of God in a man , nothing of Christ in a man , no saving operation of Gods Spirit at all in a man , no union with Christ : this is the first passage of a man from death to life , from nature to grace , from the devil to God , we are passed from death to life ( saith the Apostle ) this is an allusion to a mans effectual calling , afterwards a man brings forth the fruits of life , and is alive to God ; but when a man is first effectually called , there is his passage from death to life , he was a dead man before . Now this effectual calling therefore is the first work that is wrought in a man , because it is the first passage of a man from death to life ; it is a transition from sinne , hell , and damnation , to be in Christ ; therefore marke how Peter speaks , when he had a hope that his hearers were effectually called , Acts 8. 40. Save your selves ( saith he ) from this untoward generation ; as who should say , this is your first parting from the world , the first shaking of hands , and bidding them farewell , if you be effectually called as you seem to be , come out from among them , and save your selves from this untoward generation , this is the first bursting of the bonds between you and sin ; the first breaking of the league between you and carnal company ; now save your selves from this untoward generation , and make it appeare that you are called , this the Apostle sheweth , Gal. 1. 13. that before he was called he had nothing in him at all ; you have heard saith he , how in times past beyond measure I persecuted the Church , &c. I confesse I had goodly things in me , and I profitted in the jewish Religion above many my equals in my own nation , being more jealous for the traditions of my fathers ; I was marvellous strict and forward , and for the letter of the law ; I was marvellous zealous and blamelesse : there were excellent good things in me ; but I had nothing of Christ all this while , but when it pleased God , who seperated me from my mothers womb , and called me by his grace , &c. as who should say , now here was the first dawning of that blessed light in my heart , now begun that to appeare when God called me by his grace , and first revealed his Son in me , then was the deed done , and never till then : so also he shews that he was a cursed creature living in iniquity ; it may be himself , and his companions , took him to be as good a man as any was in all Israel , but see how he casts his own water , Tit. 3. 3. We our selves also , were sometimes foolish , serving divers lusts , &c. but after that the kindness and love of God appeared , &c. from thence he began to be in the estate of grace , when God called him out of that bad estate , when God made a breach between him , and his old courses ; when he made the first rent , and division , and revoke , then grace began to appeare , from that time forward I was in Christ : thus you see that effectual calling is the first work of God in a mans soul , it is the first bringing of a man to Christ , and the first making of a man to put him on .

Secondly , Because before effectual calling , all was within God ; what Effectual calling declared in the heart . God would do with this or that man ; may be he meant to save him , may be he meant to dam him , may be he meant to open his eyes , ma● be he meant to let him go on , and live and dye in blindness , may be he meant to turne his heart , may be he meant to let him go on with the world ; all was within his own bosom , there was no inkling , that ever this man should have grace , and eternal life , nor man , nor Angel , nor himself , could perceive any such thing : a man might have vaine hopes , and false conceits ; but no inkling from heaven , but he was as faire to be a reprobate , as the devils in hell ? but when God effectually calls a man , then he begins to declare what he intends to this or that man , he begins to open his brest , and shew what purpose he had in himself from all eternity , as Eph. 1. 9. having made known unto us ( saith the Apostle ) the mystery of his will , which he purposed in himself , &c. it was all in himself before , shut up in his own secret and privy bosom , but when God did effectually call us saith he , then did he make known unto us the mystery of his will ; it was a mystery locked up , it was a secret thing that ever he had a purpose to bring us to such things , to let us see such mercies ; now here was the breaking open of this seale , now it began to shew it self , now the Lord declared what purpose he had in himself , now he makes it appeare , that we are his elect and chosen , and his beloved ones , as Paul saith of the Romans , to all that are at Rome , beloved of God called to be Saints , &c. Rom. 1. 7. you will say , how do you know we are beloved ones ? If you be called to be Saints , I dare be bold to say , you are beloved of God , God hath made it to appeare that he loves you : I could not speak thus before , you were as vile drunkards and profane persons , as any were in Rome ; but now I dare be bold to say , you are beloved of God ; nay more , grace and peace be to you from God the Father , and from our Lord Jesus Christ , you are called to be Saints , and if you are once called , then it doth appeare you are the beloved of God ; it is Gods golden scepter , no man could tell whom the King would call to him , no man could tell , this or that man should be called rather then another , till he held out his golden scepter , Hest. 4. 11. So it is with God ; when God doth hold out this golden scepter to a man , now a man hath an inkling that the Lord hath chosen him , and will be good to him , and hear him , and help him in all his wayes and pardon him , and do every good thing for him , as Mark. 3. 13. ( I use it onely as a similitude ) our Saviour Christ was there in the mount , and the people were below in the vally , now saith the Text , he called unto him , whom he would , and they came unto him ; he was in the mount , and all his Disciples were in the vally ; now no man could tell , who should be an Apostle : Andrew saith Christ , come up ; now he was one who should be next no man could tell , Peter come up , then they knew he was one too , &c. Therefore this calling was the first intimation of Christs purpose to them , it was secret in his own bosom , whom he would make Apostles before ; but when he called them , it came forth , Andrew sees he is the man , and Peter sees he is the man , &c.

Thirdly , Because all other works , follow this work of effectual calling ; All works follow the work of effectual calling . there be abundance of works that God doth work upon his people , that he hath chosen to his Kingdom and glory ; he doth justifie them , and pardon their sins , and sanctifie and cleanse them from iniquity , makes them grow in grace , hears their prayers , makes them depend upon him in all their needs and necessities , he makes them deny themselves , and works the grace of humiliation more and more , and a trade of godlinesse , and a course of holiness and piety ; now not one of these works are , till a man is called , all things work together for the best to those that are called , Rom. 8. 28. this is a lea●ing work , now all works come in ; now the word works , and prayer works , and the Sacrament works , and afflictions work , and sinne works , when a man is effectually called ; this is the great wheele of motion , now all things work together for the good of him that is called according to Gods purpose : this is the first ground work , the first breaking of the ice , the first setting of a man forth towards heaven ; therefore we shall see when the Apostle is to write to any man or Churches , commonly before ever he bids them do this or that , the first thing he speaks to them about , is this ; he tells them they are effectually called , as Rom. 1. 7. afterwards he bids them yield their members , as weapons to righteousness , and adviseth them to walk in the Spirit , and give up their bodies and souls , as a living sacrifice to God ; not to be conformed to the world , but to be transformed in the spirit of their minds , and to walk in love , and redeem● the time ; and abundance of other works he sets them about : but first of all he names their effectual calling ; as who should say , I take it for granted that ●o●●re called ; it is a folly for me to bid you do this or that , if you were not effectually called , else I should alwaies be beating , what damned and ●iserable creatures you are ; shall I bid you pray , and professe Religion , and you not effectually called , you can never do this : therefore this is the first thing , 〈◊〉 called of God . So when he writes to the Corinths , 1 Cor. 1. 2. called ●●e Saints , it is the fore front of all his Epistles ; as who should say , I shall speak abundance of things to you , but you are called of God ; therefore he bids them do this and that , and the other , all works come after this effectual calling , as it is in other particular callings ; suppose a man be called to be an Apostle , all the acts and performances that an Apostle doth , they come after he is called , else they are not the acts of an Apostle , but a medler ; therefore in all the Apostles writings , when he doth the acts of an Apostle , to exhort them , and rebuke them in the Lord , he shews his calling , Paul called to be an Apostle ; as who should say , do not judge amiss of me ; you may think , what have I to do with you ? we have a Minister already , what have you to do in Corinth ? meddle with your own places where you live ; mistake me not , I am called to be an Apostle ; so that his calling to be an Apostle , is before all other actions ; first he is called , and then exhorts , instructs , reproves , &c. Several names given to effectual calling .

Fourthly , Another reason is taken from the names that are given unto effectual calling : first it is called a mans gathering unto Christ , as Joh. 11. 50 , 51 , 52. it is the prophecy of Caiphas , though he spake he knew not what , yet he spake right , as the place doth imply , it is expedient , saith he , that one man should dye for the people , and gather together the children of God that were scattered ; as who should say , this is the first act that the Lord Jesus doth upon those that are his , they were scattered till then ; and now when he comes effectually to call them , he puts his first act upon them , and gathered them to himself ; so also it is called a drawing unto God , Joh 12. 32. When I am lifted up ▪ I will draw all men unto me ; that is when he was lifted up upon the crosse , he would call the Gentiles , all his elect people unto him ; he doth not speak of all men , but he speaks of the elect , he will draw all them to him ▪ he will call them home . So againe , it is called in Scripture , the entring of a man into Christ , as a Scholar that is admitted into a Colledge , his name is first entred ; so effectual calling is a mans first entring into the Schoole of Christ , into the family of Christ ; when a man is first entred into that blessed society , as Joh. 10. 9. I am the doore , if any man will enter by me , he shall be saved , and go in and out , and finde pasture ; he speaks here of the first act of a mans coming before that he was quite out of doors : this is the first act , his first entring into Christ to be of his sheepfold , and flock , to feed upon his pastures , and to have the benefit of his Scepter , and be governed and guided by him , as the true shepheard : effectual calling enters a man into Christ . Againe it is called a mans coming in , Rom. 11. 25. untill the fulness of the Gentiles is come in , that is , until the elect Gentiles be effectually called ; now because he would expresse what effectual calling is , he calls it the coming of a man in ; he was without before , as other dogs were , that had no part in the tree of life , no interest in the salvation purchased , as far off as those that were reprobates ; but now is his coming in ▪ and so I might instance in other names .

Lastly , Because it is the first extract of election , and predestination unto eternal life , as Rom. 8. 30. Whom he did predestinate , them also he called . there was the first impression of the seale upon the wax , there was the first image that he made , whom he did predestinate , them he called ; afterwards he justified them , &c : therefore you shall finde in Scripture , that election & calling are put together , because this is the first blush of it , as Rev. 17. 14. The King of Kings , Lord of Lords , and they that are with him are called and chosen , he puts them both together ; what a marvelous comfort is this to those that know they are effectually called of God! election and vocation , are individual companions , and cannot be separated one from the other ; that man that is elected , it is certaine he shall be called ; this is that which makes a man actually elected ; my meaning is this , though a man were elected before all worlds , though now living in the estate of sinne and death , and damnation , a vile wretched sinner ; he was elected it may be , but not actually elected in himself , there was nothing of election in him , there was no image nor seale of election stamped upon him , nothing of it put forth in him ; therefore this is the reason , why in Scripture vocation is called election , 1 Cor. 1. 26 , 27. You see your calling brethren , not many wisemen after the flesh , not many mighty , &c. are called , but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise ; the one is the image and the effect of the other , he puts one for the other , you see your calling ; how ? because God hath chosen the foolish and base people , and not those that are more noble and excellent ; this is the reason , for as election is before all times , so vocation is in time ; it is the electing , or choosing , or calling of a man out of the world ; so that vocation and election are very much a kinne the one to the other ; it is just as Gods decree of creating and creating ; the creating of the world was just according to the idea he had framed in his decree , so the calling of a man is just the image and idea of what God had decreed to a party from all eternity ; therefore it must needs be the first work that is wrought upon a man .

Vse 1. This sheweth us why it is such a dangerous thing for any man in Dangerous to erre about our effectual calling the world to mistake his effectual calling , and think he is called of God , when he is not ; because it is the first work of all , therefore very dangerous to erre in it ! what , to erre in the very first work of all , in the maine and principal , in the very beginning of all the whole workmanship ! it is a very grievous thing : The Apostle St. James , writing to Christians professing Religion , to take heed they think not they have grace , when they have not ; he bids them take heed they do not erre , Iam. 1. 16. he speaks not there in regard of particulars , but in the general it is dangerous to erre in any point ; but to erre in such a thing as is of this nature , it is most woeful .

Reas. 1. Because this is the foundation ; now it is a horrible thing in intellectuals , Because this is the foundation . in matters of theory to erre in fundamentals : so it is in practicals ; it is an horrible thing for a man to erre in the very foundation of Religion , in the first acquaintance with God , in the very ground and bottom of all , a man had need lay the foundation well , because else the whole building falls ; effectual calling is the very ground of a mans going to God , it is the very ground of a mans laying hold upon God , and of the profession of Religion , and all the building must come to nothing , if this be not well laid ; God forbid I should go about to shake any man , or call in question any mans Religion , or hope or comfort ; I deny not people the professing of Gods name , or the calling upon God , or the coming to the Sacraments , I do not deny th●● this ; but I beseech you , be sure that you have a good foundation for all , for all will come to nothing elss ; you remember what became of the mans house that was built upon the sands , that had no foundation , Mat. 7. 26. When the winds came , and the floods beate upon that house , it fell , the house came falling down as if it had never been built : so have a care of the foundation , it is a most miserable thing , if the foundation be not well laid .

Secondly , Because effectual calling is a thing that a man must have a thousand Because man most often have recourse to it . references unto before he die ; if he lives , he must every day have a reference to this , a man can do nothing , but he must still have a reference to his effectual calling , he must ever and anon be looking back to this ; God hath called me to his glory and vertue ; he will be driven to this whether he will or no ; it is like a mans evidence , when any wrangling companion shall question his right in his estate , he must have reference to his evidences , and if he find them hardly currant , what a stound will he be put unto , if he find his evidences rotten and unsound , he knows not what course to take : why ! effectual calling is that which a child of God must have reference unto all the dayes of his life , from the first estating of him in the Kingdom of God , from the first bringing of him to partake of eternal life : when David was in affliction in body and minde , and doubts came upon him thick and threefold , he was faine to have reference to his effectual calling , and that comforted him , Psal. 1 9. 50. This is my comfort in affliction ▪ for thy Word hath quickened me , when he was ●n affliction of conscience , and minde , and body , he began to look back ; time was when I was dead in sinnes and trespasses , I never looked after God , but thy Word hath quickened me ; this raised him up , this was his comfort in his affliction , the Lord had called him to his Kingdom , and made him partaker of the work of grace , and this cheared him ; had he not had reference to this , he could have had no hold ; without this a man is as in a wilderne●s , a lost man : therefore what a feareful thing is it for a man to take himself to be effectually called when he is not ? it is as it were to lay a springe for a mans soul , it is as a net for the devil to take a man , and to carry him on in hopes and expectations ; and then when he looks back , and sees his bottom and foundation he stands upon is nothing but conceit , this is a miserable thing . Because it is the beginning of Gods works on the soul .

Thirdly , Because it is the beginning of the works of God ; now what a thing is it for a man to strike out of the way at his beginning ? if a man have a journy to go , if he go out of the way as soon as ever he goes out of doores ; he must needs be wide , he had been better have stayed at home ; a man were better go out of his way at any time , then at the beginning , if he go ten miles , and then go out of his way , there is some hope ; it is not all in vaine , he hath gone ten miles onward of his journy ; but for a man to go out of his way , as soone as ever he steps out of doors , he is cast further off , then if he had never stirred a foot ; it is an excellent thing when a man begins well , Gal. 3. 3. Ye began in the Spirit , &c. though they struck out of the way afterwards , and yielded to a great deale of carnal doctrine and fleshly propositions , and were a world out of the way , yet this was to great purpose that they began well ; St. Paul durst not but call them the children of God , he could hardly tell what to make of them ; yet he saith , little children ye have put on Christ , and done thus and thus , and went out to eternal life in a right manner , therefore God will bring you in againe certainly , you must come againe , you began well you began in the Spirit ; but when a man in his very beginning shall erre , his error was in principi● , as ever he set out of doors , he went clean contrary , this man hardly ever returnes , nay he had been better never to have stepped forth ; when a man steps into a way which seems good to him , commonly that way is death to him ; when he hath gone a thousand miles , as he thinks , in the profession of Religion , and hath gotten the apprehension in his ow● soul to be the child of God then to lay it down ▪ it goes to the heart of him ; he will build an high wall in his own imagination , certainly it is thus ; indeed it is better to turne then go forward , but it is the corruption of a mans heart he cannot abide to returne , it will be a shame to him , and there must be such a do , that he is not able to beare it ; I do not desire to unsettle any man , if a man hath but his fingers ends to lay hold upon Christ , any truth to hang upon him , let him hang , God for bid I should shake such a one ; but if your error be in the beginning , and if you have gone out of the way , you were better to returne , for you will never go right .

Vse 2. Here we may see the reason why the Scripture is so urgent to See why Scriptu●e u●ge●● us to make out calling sure . make our calling sure , because this is the first entrance , and admission into Jesus Christ ; there is an excellent place , 2 Pet. 1. 10 , 11. Wherefore the rather brethren give all diligence to make your calling and election sure , for he that doth these things shall never fall ; for so an entrance shall be made unto you , into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ ; make it sure ▪ why ? for if you do , you shall never fall ; that is not all neither , though this is a great matter , is not this a great matter for a man to be sure never to fall away ? but he shall stand and hold our for ever , what a mercy is this ? yet this is not all ; for saith he , so shall an emrance be made unto you , into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ , as who should say , your effectual calling is the very entrance into the Kingdom and glory of Jesus Christ , it is the very first entring into the way of eternal life , if you are assured of this , you are in a faire way , you are in the gates of heaven , you are in an excellent way , if you have made this sure ; therefore make that pastlal peradventure , that you were called indeed of God to partake of Jesus Christ .

Reas. 1. The reason to urge this , is first , because effectual calling is such a Reas. 1 first work , that as God doth it at first , so it stands for all , a man shall never be called more : God doth it once , and will never do it againe ; look what God gives a man at first , he gives him once for all , you may see it , Jud 1. saith he I would have you earnestly contend for the faith , which was once delivered to the Saints ; when God did effectually call his Saints , he delivered to them faith , and he delivered it to them then once for all , never to give it to them againe ; but then they had it once for all , as it is said of Christ , he was once offered for all , Heb 9. So when God doth effectually call a man , he doth give him this call once for all , he gives him faith once for all , and grace once for all ; but you will say when God gives grace he reneweth it every day , and affoards new helps , and new assistances ; 't is true , and without this , no man can stand without supply from God continually , the very elect could not persevere unto the end ; but yet God gives them no new graces , he gives them more of the same love to God , and more of the same faith , and more of the same desires , and endeavours after goodness ; but the thing is never to do againe , as Christ saith to the woman of Samaria , 1 Joh. 4. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst ; when Christ brings a man to this well , and gives him the first draught , he shall never thirst more , he shall never have it to do againe ; God doth it once for all ? that is , that man that is once effectually called , is never uncalled , if he hath once faith given him , he is never totally deprived of it , it is once delivered to him , for all times afterwards : now this shews us , that it concerns us nearly to be assured of this , when a man hath done a thing , that can be but once done , it must stand for all ; and the thing is good and necessary , would he not be sure of it ? such a thing is effectual calling .

Secondly , Because all the promises meet here , as all the streams meet where All the promises of God , meet in a mans effectual calling the fountaine opens its self , so all the promises of God meet in a mans effectual calling ; when God effectually calls a man , he saith , take my Son , come unto me , cast thy self upon me ; and be ruled by me , he doth this effectually , and saith thus to him ; thou shalt have my Son , and with him all things , pardon of thy sins , the peace of a good conscience ; I will give thee power against ●ll thy lusts , the gates of hell shall not prevaile against thee ; I will keep thee here in this world through faith unto salvation , take my y●ak upon th● , and learne of me , and thou shalt have all these things , and therefore , Rev. 19. 9. Blessed is he that is called to the supper of the Lamb , these are the true sayings of God , as who should say , though you may question it , and doubt it , and call it into controversy , I tell you it is true ; these are the true sayings of God and you may build your self upon it , you are blessed if you be once effectually called of God , all the promises of God belong unto you , Acts 2. 39. the pr●mises belong to you , and to your children , to as many as God shall call ; all that are called of God , all the promises of God belong unto them ; as soon as ever Christ hath effectually called a man , he opens his liver-veine , and le ts out all his heart blood upon him , all belongs to that man , it is like the first joyning of hands between man and wife , with all my goods I thee ●ndow : when God first takes a man out of the world , to live unto him , and seek his Kingdom , and labour to please him , and from this time forward to believe in his name , with all his goods he him endows , he gives him title to eternal life , to all the help● and furtherances , that ever he shall need for this life or eternal life , he shall have all : now what a needful thing is it , when all the promises meet here , as at a fountaine head ; here is the spring let forth , how needful is it I say , that a man should labour that he be effectually called of God ; we should look for i● every day , and pray to God to have it , and strive to have it appeare unto us ▪ that our calling is sound : here is the very in-let of all the comforts of the holy Ghost , and all the hope that the soul can have , here is all the satisfaction and content of the soul of man ; they are bestowed upon a man , when he is effectually called , there is a way set open unto him , that he may have the same .

Thirdly , Because this is the first of all obedience , a man cannot obey God , Effectual calling is the first point of obedience till he be effectually called ; nay , it is not obedience till he be called , if a man should heare Sermons , come to the Sacraments , give to the poore , it is no obedience till a man be effectually called : when once a man is bound apprentice , and his indentures are drawn , his running of errands , and all he doth is service to his Master ; when thou art bound apprentice to Christ , and thy indentures are sealed , and thou art called to be a servant unto him ; now all thy works are obedience to him , Come saith Christ , learne of me , &c. Mat. 11. 28. first he would have them come to him , and beare his yoak , and then learn of me ; then be meek as I am meek , and humble as I am humble , and then bear my burthen ; then it is obedience and you are able to go through , Faithful is he that hath called you , who will also do it ; effectual calling is the fill-horse of the cart , that bears up the cart , this is the first draught ; a Painter cannot lay any colour , till the first draught be made : this is the very ground of a mans workings ; this is the ground of all obedience , of all prayer , and hearing ; here is the ground of doing all aright , otherwise God will say , what hast thou to do , to take my name into thy mouth , unlesse thou wilt submit to my Covenant and be bound apprentice with me ; a man that is yet in his sins , he hath nothing to do as yet , but to lye at the throne of grace , crying that God would give him a call , for he can do nothing till he is effectually called of God .

Fourthly , This is the only way to go forward ; a man cannot go forward , Effectual calling is the only means to go forward . there is no proceeding unlesse the beginning be well done , as the Apostle saith , Heb. 6. 1. leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ , let us go on unto perfection ; as who should say , taking it for granted , that you are effectually called of God , that the principals of Religion are laid in your souls , let us go on unto perfection , let us wax better and better , and pray to God that we may encrease in grace , let us walk in holy and sincere obedience to all Gods Commandements , let us labour and strive to out-strip our selves , and amend our selves from day to day ; if we have laid the foundation well , if that be first well laid , a man may go on to perfection , a man cannot otherwise go on well ; nay , the further a man goeth on , the more mischief he pulls upon his soul .

Lastly , This is the maine stud in the house , the very ground a man is to Effectual calling the very ground to stand fast upon . stand fast upon ; this is the ground to keep a man from falling away , that God hath effectually called him , as the Apostle saith , 2 Thes. 2. 13 , 14. We are bound to give God thanks for you brethren , because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation , through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth , whereunto he called you by our Gospel , therefore brethren stand fast ; when a man is effectually called , a man may say stand fast , otherwise he cannot persevere unto the end .

MATTH. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that are weary , and heavy laden , and I will give you rest .

WE have been large in the opening of effectual calling , and the last thing we handled concerning it , was this ; that it was the first gathering of a man unto Christ , the first making of a man to come unto Christ ; it is a mans first admission into the estate of grace ; it is the first dawning of the light that shineth from above , the first coming forth of Gods good will and pleasure to a man .

Now before I can proceed to the particular parts of effectual calling , I must needs take a thing by the way , namely Gods preparatory work , that he doth work as a way hereunto ; though it be not the work of saving grace , a man may perish for all that work , unless the Lord carry a man further on ; yet there is a preparatory work , that God doth work in the soul , before he calls a man effectually , the Lord doth prepare a man , by detecting of sinne , and shewing him his misery by sinne , and letting him see and perceive what a miserable creature he is in himself ; and God doth stop and silence a man before him , and leave him without excuse , and cut him and hew him down by the law , that he may see that he is a dead creature and a damned wretch ; before this a man will not come , though God call him never so often , he will not here his lusts carry him away , and stop his ears , and harden his heart , though he seem to come , and sets divers steps to come home , yet he never comes home indeed , till God takes a man down in this fashion .

Now this is the thing we are to speak of , and we have it in the text , in the which we may observe three things : first the preparatory work which now we are to speak of , you that are weary , and heavy laden : secondly , the call it self , come unto me : thirdly , the benefit of this yielding to this call , I will give you rest .

To speak then , first of this preparatory work , the Lord brings the law to a There is a preparatory work to effectual calling . man , and laies load upon the soul , and makes the soul labour , and toile , and sweat , and makes his heart burst within him , and he is heavily laden , as if mountaines were upon his back ; God layeth load upon the soul , and then comes effectual calling : see what the Apostle speaks , Gal. 3. 24. the Apostle here speaks by his own experience , once we were strangers from Christ and absent from Christ : now how did God fetch us home ? he sent the law , the ferula of the law , he sent the law to arrest us , and schoole us to Christ , it was a Schoole-Master : I can speak it for my part , it was mine as you may see , Rom. 7. from the beginning to the 12. ver. So the law fetched Paul home and struck him dead , and made him see what a miserable and wretched creature he was ; it made him see he had no hope nor no hold , nothing in the world to trust to in himself , he was a dead man , the law like a sword stabs him at the heart ; and so it pleased the Lord to bring him home to Christ , that he might be justified by faith : first , the Israelites were stung with the fiery Serpents , before they were healed by looking up to the brazen Serpent : first our first parents saw they were naked , and then came forth the promise of the seed of the woman : so first God convinceth a man of sinne , and then of righteousness , Joh 10. 8. first he convinceth a man of his sins , and then shews him where righteousness is to be had , how he may have righteousness , and peace of conscience , and be justified before God .

Now for the opening of the point , I will shew you three things : first , that it is thus , God doth first prepare a man , before he calls him effectually . Secondly , the reasons why the Lord doth thus : and Thirdly , the uses .

First , That it is true , the Lord doth prepare a man , before he doth effectually Proofe 1. from texts full of terror . call him , either more or lesse ; there must be a work of the law one way or other , and to prove this : first , wherefore else are those many texts of Scripture , full of terrours ▪ of sharp arrows , and fierce pellets against sinners ? wherefore are these but to terrifie a man , and pull a man down ? and that we that are Ministers of God , should fling them against sinners , and the Lord looks that men should tremble , Amos 3. 6 , 8. The Lord saith there , shall a trumpet be blown in a City , and people not be afraid ? &c. and ver. 8. When the Lyon roars , who will not feare ? all those terrible texts of Scripture , they are the roaring of the Lyon of the tribe of Judah against all that go on in sinne ; now who would not tremble saith the Prophet ? 't is true many wicked and ungodly men do not tremble a jot almost ; but some shall tremble , God looks upon some , and they shall tremble at his Word , Isa. 66. 1 , 2.

Secondly , Because this is the office of the Spirit of God , to be a Spirit of 2 From the Spir●ts office . bondage , before he be the Spirit of adoption ; he was so to the Romans , he was the Spirit of bondage in their hearts , before he was the Spirit of adoption , to make them cry Abba Father , R●m. 8. 15. You have not received againe the Spirit of bondage to feare , you did receive it once , but you have not received it againe ; but now you have received , the Spirit of adoption , whereby you cry , A●ba Father . Now to deny this doctrine , is to deny the maine office of the Spirit , which is dangerous , for every man naturally is a bedlam : now how are bedlams tamed ? they are beaten and whipt , and kept under till they come to themselves : so the Lord deals with a man as with a bedlam ; he comes with the Spirit of bondage , flinging in slavish terrours and fears , and what a miserable creature he is , this sin and the other sinne , and the wrath of God is come out against him ; the Spirit takes a man down from day to day , and undermines him and breaks his stomack ; and then afterwards , when he hath ●●ought that work , he comes to be the Spirit of adoption , to teach him to cry Abba Father .

Thirdly , Because the Gospels turne is not come , till the Law hath done his 3 Because the Gospel follows the law . part ; th●s was the method that Christ was anointed to observe in his Ministery , he would first have a man bruised and broken , and captivated , and blind , and poore , and in misery , and then he preacheth the Gospel to him , as you may see , L●k 4. 19. The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to this order , saith he ; it is an excellent place for this purpose , to stop the mouthes of those that hope there is an easier way ; he will preach the Gospel , and liberty , and comfort , and enlargement ; but he will have a broken heart first , and a tender Spirit first .

Fourthly , You may see an expresse place of our Saviour Christ , that he 4 From Christs design in coming . came to save that which was lost : first a man shall be in a lost estate , and he shall be in a wilderness , and he shall have his sinnes discovered , and his misery , and then the Lord comes to those that he hath a minde to do good unto , Mat. 9. 12. 13. saith he , They that are whole need not the Physitian , but they that are s●●k , he means to deale with a man as a Physitian , a man must be sick before he comes to him , the Physitian gives Physick to none till they be sick : now till a man is sick of his sinnes ▪ till they are the diseases of his soul , till he is in torments and misery , the Lord Jesus saith , he will not be his Physician .

Fifthly , Because God doth see it sitting to deale thus with his converted ones when they fall into some foule sinne , and grosse iniquity , the Lord is 5 From Gods working with believers after grosse sins . pleased to go this way to work , even towards his own converted ones ; when they sinne , not onely through invincible infirmities , and through temptation ; but when they grow stubborn , when they fall into some horrible iniquity , the Lord doth use to go even legally to work with them ▪ though they lie under grace ; therefore much more towards those that never yet were under grace , that never had any free Spirit , that never had any part of an ingenious nature , that were never yet wrought to be led by the faire means of grace ; if God work so with those that he hath given in some measure his grace , and given in some measure a portion of his free Spirit unto ; if when they sinne , and sinne foully , it is not all the promise of the Gospel , all the covenant of Grace , that will raise them up againe , and make them walk before God with holiness , and zeale , and fervency ; then much more will he deale thus with those that never had any grace at all : Thus David cryeth out , thy fears have got hold upon me , and Psal. 28. 4. his sinnes were as an heavy burthen unto him , too heavy for him to beare ; he did not onely set his sinnes before him , they were not onely the objects before his eyes ; so they are to a man that walks in the comforts of the Spirit ; they are before his eyes , every man that walks in obedience , he hath his sinnes before him at times to humble him , and keep him low , and make him still hang upon Christ , and depend upon him , and esteem Christ precious to you that believe Christ is precious , 2 Pet. 4. 5. But now he sets them before them , not only as objects , but layeth them as loads upon their backs , that their sins shall not only be seen , but felt by them : now this is a legal work , when any part of a mans sinnes and misery lyes upon his soul and conscience ; 't is true , God never shews sinne to the utmost to his people , he never layeth all the load ; if God should stirre up all the stink of uncleanness that is in his people ; if God should discover to them all the ugly looks of their sinnes , they were not able to beare it : As a good man said , when I see my self , saith he , it is an intollerable horror to me , it makes my very flesh to shiver and my soul to quake , to think what I am in my self . Nay , if God should lay all the burden of sinne upon the soul , the children of God their Spirits would faile , they were not able to subsist under it ; but thus farre the Lord reveals their sinnes , and layeth load upon them , to break their hearts , and rend the kall of their spirits , to tame , and pull them to him , to bring them under , and to make them beare his yoake .

Lastly , Because , wheresoever the Scripture doth speak at large , and professedly of any mans conversation ; we do not read of any conversation , b●t 6 From Scripture examples . it was after this manner , by revealing their misery in themselves , and charging their sinnes upon their souls : Thus the Lord dealt with Manasses , he did mightily afflict him , he opened his eyes by outward afflictions , and then charged his misery upon his soul : Thus the Lord dealt with Ephraim , as with an untamed hei●er , and then he cryed out , Convert me O Lord , and I shall be converted , Jer. 31. 18. And thus the Lord dealt with the woman in the Gospel , that washed his feet with her tears ; you must think it was not ordinary sorrow that could make her tears trickle down in such plentiful manner as to wash his feet ; thus it was with her before she had the pardon of her sinnes ; and thus it was with Peters hearers ; he told them , that they were the murtherers of the Lord Jesus , and then they were pricked in their hearts ; before he did preach the Gospel , and bid them repent evangelically : Thus did John the Baptist deale ; first , he comes with the axe and hews at them , and layes at the root of the tree , and then he tells them of Christ , there comes one after me , that is more worthy then I , &c. First , he did lay about him to detect their misery , and reveale to their wretched estate , and then at the last he preached the Gospel , and poured in oyle : So it was with Paul , the Lord made it appeare that he fought against heaven , and persecuted the Lord Jesus Christ and he laid him flat upon his face ; nay , he smote him with blindness ; and sent him crying and roaring , and made him glad to go to their houses , whom before he ha● persecuted and scorned ; and afterwards he told him that he was a chosen vessel : so the Lord dealt with the jaylor , he rent , and tore him , and burst him in peices , as if all the devils in hell were about him ; and afterwards he saith , Beli●ve in the Lord Jesus Christ , and thou shalt be saved , Act. 16. 26

But you will say there are some in Scripture are related not to have any such Object . work , Lidia she heard Paul preach , and the Lord opened her heart at first , and was a convert presently , Act. 6. 14. So it was with Corn●lius , and his company , ●eter o●●ned his mouth , and preached to them , and while ●e 〈◊〉 spake the holy Gh●s● sel● on them all , Act. 10. 24. Therefore it seems all mens conversions , and callings home , are not ushered by this legal work

I answer , This is a poore Argument , that because the Scripture doth not Answ. say , this work of the Law did not go before , therefore it did not g● before : a man cannot make such an inference , because the Scripture doth not ●pea●e it ; it is sufficient that the Scripture hath related it in other places , how the Lord brings his people ●ome , and what method he useth in doing them good : first , he useth the work ● the Law , and then of the Gospel ; the Lord sets it down in other places , and therefore though he omits it here ; it doth not follow there was no such th●●g in Lidia and Cornelius , and 〈◊〉 prove there was in both places , that there was a p●eparato●● work in Lida , is plaine by two Arguments , for the Scripture she●●th 〈…〉 efore this evangelical work came , she was a worshipper of God before , 〈…〉 g ●here was something went before this opening of her heart ; there was a work of the Law before , for this was the first work of the Gospel , when God ope●ed her heart : another Argument is in the 13 ver. where it is said , that Lidia before she heard this Sermon , resorted to Paul to the Rivers side to pray ; therefore it is a plaine sign that she was wrought upon by a preparatory work , before Paul converted her , and wrought upon her by the Gospel : And then for Cornelius and his friends , for Cornelius himself ; it is a plaine case , that he was wrought upon before the Holy Ghost fell upon him ; for in the beginning of the Chapter , it is said he was a devout man , one that called upon God , and set times apart , extraordinarily to seek God , before the Holy Ghost fell upon him , and no question it was so with his kinsfo●●s ; for whom did he call to meet with Peter at this Sermon , but those that he had been conversant with ? therefore it is likely , they were wrought upon before as well as Cornelius , otherwise he would have had little hope to get them thither : well then , the first thing we have proved that God doth thus prepare his people legally , before he doth effectually call them .

Now we come to the second thing : why God thus ? and the first Reason Reas. 1. To declare Gods justice . is , because God will declare and shew forth his justice ; for as God did shew forth his justice in the Redemption of his people ; so he will also in the application of this Redemption , shew some part of his justice ; in the Redemption of the World he poured forth the full viols of it , he required full satisfaction of the Lord Jesus , now he will not let justice be utterly swallowed up of mercy when he comes to apply this , but justice shall shew his face , and they shall come to see what Christ hath done for them ; and miseries he hath waded through for a man , he shall ●ee that God is a just and righteous God , that hates sinne , and abhors unquity : what a consuming fire he is against them that disobey him ; the Lord makes his justice appeare in the application of Redemption : you see how he takes up his people upon Mount Ebal , and delivers the curses of the Law , and makes his own people to say Amen , and subscribe to them , Deut. 27. 26. Here he delivers the curses , and makes proclamation of his justice ; and saith he , I will have all the people say Amen ; he will have all lye a bleeding under this curse ; and marke what Moses saith in the first verse of the next Chapter , it shall come to passe , if thou wilt hearken to the voyce of the Lord , he will set thee up above all nations ; here comes in a fire Sunshiny day afterwards ; the Lord will have his people see his justice , and what it is to be delivered from sinne ; the Lord will make them see , that he is a just and righteous God , and that there is no sinning against him , there is no living in his sight , no entring into his Kingdom without righteousness ; I must be a new creature , else I shall be consumed ; he chargeth these things upon the soul , and that soundly too ; because now he will lay down the foundation of a godly life , the soul shall have need of this point as long as he lives , to remember that God is a righteous God ; he hath found him to be a ju●● God against sinne , though he be a gracious and merciful God to them that truly repent , and set themselves to obey his Name : yet the soul seeth there is no living in sinne , no following after a mans own lusts , and the soul never loseth this ; for though the soul many times , through temptations may ●e carried away , yet he shall never be under that former blindness he was in ; never so ignorant of God ; never think so meanly and ignominiously of God ●s he did in his unregeneracy ; he still knows that God is a severe God and there● no expecting of mercy at his hands , without holinesse and righteousnes ; if God should smother up the work all at first , justice would not be seen : as we see it is among men ; suppose a base fellow hath wronged a noble man , may be the noble man means to pardon him ; but yet he will have him smart for it , and feele and know what it is to displease and wrong , and impeach such a great man as he . So if the Lord should smother up the business presently , as soon as ever he sends the word to a man presently convert a man a●d pardon him , and give him true and saving faith , justice would not be s 〈…〉 , and therefore the Lord first tramples upon a mans neck , and shews ●m his sil●hiness , and casts him out of the Camp ; as the Lord said concerning M●rian , she is unclean , carry her out of the Camp ; so the Lord flings a person ●orth like a cursed damned creature , as if he would take him by the heeles , and fl●●g him down to hell , and never look upon him , and then he takes him in ; thus the Lord tells his people , Isa. 45. 21. There is none but me , a just God and a Saviour : first , he makes them see that he is a just God , and then he makes them see that he is their Saviour and Redeemer ; and notwithstanding his justice and severity against sinne and iniquity , yet he ●ill give his grace and mercy to them that repent , and humble themselves under his hand .

Secondly , The Lord doth this , because he would sweeten his mercy to the I. To sweeten mercy . soul , as you may see how he dealt with the Prophets widow ; he let her creditors arrest her first , and seize upon her two sons for bondmen , and then he wrought a wonder for her , 2 King . 4. 1. now this mercy was sweet , and came in due season , I was in misery , and the Lord helped me , saith David ; as who should say , it came in a time when I had need of it : The Lord deales , as it is reported King . James did at the beginning of his reign , when some of his Nobles had been offenders , he let the law proceed against them , till they were brought to the scaffold , and their heads laid upon the block , and then sent a pardon , and now a pardon was acceptable indeed . So the Lord deales with his people , he lets the law loose upon the soul , yea , and the devil too , many times , and he rends them , and teares them as a Lyon , and lets them look when they shall perish , and layes their heads upon the block , and then sends hope of a pardon , and forgiveness of sinnes : what a sweet staying of Abrahams hand was that , when the knife was just ready to be stuck in Isaacks throat ? so when the knife of Justice is ready to be stuck into a mans throat , and he is ready to perish for ever ; now mercy will be sweet mercy , now it will be mercy indeed , This is the time of love , saith God , Ezek. 16. 8. When God had laid his people a bleeding in their goare blood , now he passeth by , and saith , This is a time of love ; he laid them in their blood and silthinesse , he laid them vile and miserable in themselves , and now saith he is the time of love . Now the mountaines drop with sweet wine , as the Prophet speaks , what is the reason that people do not taste any sweetnesse in the Gospel , and Sacraments , and Ordinances of Christ ? Alas , they were never sensible of their sinnes , therefore the Lord doth thus to make his mercy sweet to his people , that they may prize it , and esteeme it , and make good account of it from day to day .

Thirdly , the Lord doth this , that he may fetch his people home to the Lord 3. That he may bring men home to Christ . Jesus Christ ; for before they will not come to God , they will not come at him , as the Prophet speaks , but when they are in the Margent of Hell ready to perish , and have no hope to hold to , nothing to trust to , they are quite and cleane at a loss , and know not whither to go ; now this makes them come home : as it is said of Abs●lom , he sent once to Joab , but he would not come to him ; yea , twice and he would not come ; but when he set his Barley field on fire , then he came . So the Lord sets his peoples hearts on fire , he fires their consciences , and their very bowels , and makes their soules ake within them , for want of mercy , and grace , and favour , for want of power against their sinnes , for want of Gods helping and assisting of them from day to day , and this makes them glad to come home to him . You know how long it was before the woman in the Gospel would come to Christ , she was sick twelve years and had spent all her living upon the Physicians and could have no help , now she came to Christ when she was quite spent , and her patience was come to the utmost , she was a dead woman if she came not to Christ , all the Physicians could not help her , now she comes home to Christ ; As it was with Agur when he saw his brutishnesse , this drave him to Ithiel and V●al , Prov. 30. 1 , 2. that is , to the Lord Jesus Christ , as it is with a Coney when she is persued by a Dogge , then she runnes to her burrough ; When Naomi was bereft of Husband , Children , Meanes , and Maintenance , and heares there is plenty in Israel , she returns presently ; she might have gone long before but she wanted a scourge and whip to send her home , but when she had lost all , and was ready to sink , and heard good tidings from Bethlehem , now she makes speed thither presently : as the Lord speaks , H●s . 2. 6. I will hedge her wayes with thornes ; how doth the Lord make the poore Church here come home to him , that was her husband and beloved , from whom she was gone a whoring ? God takes this course , he hedgeth her wayes with thornes , she would have rests , and friends , and comforts , and something to hang upon , but God knocks her off from all , and now she will returne to her husband again ; so the Lord to make his people stoop to his yoake , he shews them their misery , and worries them , and wearies them , that they can hold out no longer , and then down go their bucklers , and now , speak Lord , thy servants hear , now they are willing to hear him .

Fourthly , God doth it that he may weane his people from sinne , and take off their hearts from their own wayes : for a man is marvellous eager of sinne 4. To wean men from sin . by nature , and will not let it go , and will not part with it by no meanes , his heart is set upon his lusts , and he will have them , though he hath hell and damnation with them ; when the Lord calls upon them to walk in his wayes , they say they will not walk therein , Jer. 6. 16. People will not be diligent in prayer and h●ld close to God , they will not be strict in their wayes as the precisenesse of the Gospel teacheth them , now the Lord breaks in upon them in this fashion , and makes them willing As a man deales with a young horse or colt , when a man would tame a colt that is lustly , and head-strong , and violent , he carries him out may be , and makes him apprehend in his fancy , that he will ride him against stone-walls , and carries him , may be , into Quagmires , and Muds , and rotten Fennes , and there he makes him go , and spurs him , and beats him , and raines him , and snafles him , and thus he breakes his stomack , and at last he will beare the saddle , and carry a man quietly ; so the Lord Jesus doth with a poor creature he casts off the bonds of Christ , and though the truth begins to work upon his conscience , he throwes out the arrow againe , and heales himself with vaine healings ; now the Lord breakes a mans heart , and opens a peep hole into hell , as though he would throw him in quick thither , and shews him his misery to the life , and to the quick , and so makes them come off ; as the Lord dealt with Moses when he would make him circumcise his sonne , he was loath to displease his wi●e , she was against it , being a Midianitish woman , and he was loath to have her ill-will , and therefore deferred it , now what course took God with him , the Lord met him , and would have slaine him ; the Lord made as though he were his enemy , and would slay him ; and now he was willing to do it ; so the Lord deals with a stubborne soul if it belongs to him , he will overcome his heart , and make him let fall his sinnes , he will make as though he would slay him ; he will make him a weary of keeping his lusts , before he hath done with him : The Lord deales in this case as he dealt with the Philistins , they would not send home the Arke , what course did he take to make them send it home , and send it home in pomp , and great respect : God did fling down Dagon which was their chief Idoll , and the Lord smote them with Emerods . And now they think with themselves , let us send home the Arke of the Lord , and how shall we send it home ? Let us provide golden Mi●● and Emerods , they sent it home with cost and offerings ; So the Lord deals with those that belong to him , he tires them in their own ways , and makes them willing to come out at last .

Lastly , the Lord doth it to knock his people quite and cleane off from all ; 5. To knock us off from any thing else . every man naturally hangs upon something , and above all hangs upon his good works , and good prayers , and performances ; and this keeps his heart from seeing what a miserable creature he is , this keeps him from mourning , and zeal , and fervency , and all this while that he hangs upon these , his heart is hard●ned , he will never stoop and yield to God ; now , when the Lord means to do a man good , he knocks him quite off , and plucks out of his hands all his works , and makes him let all go ; not that he ceaseth to work , but as the Apostle speaks , Rom 4. 14. He makes him as a man that worketh not , not as though he worketh not , for there is no carnal man works more then this poor soul in this estate , he keeps a great deal of stir to find out mercy and obtaine grace from God ; there is none that mournes and laments more , and goes to Sermons more , but yet he is no worker now , he is faine to go to his father , to him that justifies the ungodly , all his wayes are loathsome and abominable , he seeth nothing to trust upon , but is driven to him that justifies the ungodly , he sees he is a vile wretched creature , he sees no worth , no reason why God should look upon him , he is now pennilesse , and worthlesse , and miserable in himself , the Lord makes him a very bankrout , he thought he was a rich Merchant , but now he makes him a very bankrout , and makes him appeare to be naked .

First , here all Dawbers are to be reproved that preach nothing but mercy , Vse . 1. To reprove Dawbers . and the promises of the Gospel , many love alife to be upon such theames , O say they , the promises are best to humble a man , and bring him out of his sins , whom shall we believe , God or man ? This not the way , Ezek. 13. 22. the text saith , Ye have strengthened the hands of the wicked , that he should not turne from his wicked wayes , by promising him life : When a man preacheth the promise of God before wicked and ungodly men , this hardens their hearts , and strengthens them that they will not returne from their wicked wayes , because the promises are propounded to them , and the Minister makes no distinction between the precious and the vile , this strengthens them in their sinnes , and makes them think they are not so vile , but they hope they are in a good case for all this , therefore Saint Austine calls such men desolatores , not consolatores ; such work desolation in their hearers , and no sound consolation ; such Ministers as make their Sermons to be pillowes under peoples elbowes , they make themselves guilty of the peoples blood , and their souls shall be required at their hands , they are the cause of peoples miscarriage , when a Minister thinks to do people good , by crying peace , peace ; when the Prophet saith there is no peace to the wicked , this rather drives people further off from God ; may be it may make them seeme outward professors , but it will never make them sound in the faith ; rebuke them sharply , saith the Apostle , that they may be stand in the faith , Tit. 1. 13. sharp rebuking the powerful delivering of the Law and Gospel is the meanes to ma●e men sound in the faith , the more humble a man is made to be , the more faith he comes to have ; our Saviour saith of the Centurion , he had not found the like faith in Israel , how came this ? the text shewes plainly , that we shall hardly heare of a man so humble in an age as he was , he did even grudge to think that Christ should come into his house , he thought he was unworthy that Christ should come under his roofe , though he were in the dayes of his humiliation , in the forme of a servant , his heart was employed and brought low , he had no hope in himself , all the worth he saw was in Christ ; this helps a man to the more faith , the more a man is emplyed , the more may be poured in . Wherefore serve all those texts in Scripture ? The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousnesse , tribulation , and anguish shall be upon the soul of every one that doth evill , flesh and blood can never enter into the Kingdome of God , that which is borne of the flesh is flesh , and such a one can never please God while the world stands : Wherefore serve all these texts of Scripture when Gods s●ings balls of fire upon men that live in their wicked wayes ? Why do we not open them and presse them upon mens consciences ? Why do we not apply them to those to whom they belong , are they not in the Bible ? were the Prophets fooles ? were the Holy Pen-men of the Scripture mistaken in putting such texts into the Bible ? If they be there , they ought to be uttered and applied ; and if they be to be applied to whom , but to those to whom they belong ? Then such persons had need to look to themselves , and we that are Ministers , woe unto us if we do not preach terrour to whom terrour belongs , as well as mercy to whom mercy belongs : but you will say , are not we Ministers of the Gospel ? 't is true , and so was Christ , yet mark what he saith , repent and then believe , first he discovers their miserable conditions , and breaks their hearts , and then bids them lay hold upon the Gospel of peace , this is the Method that we that are the Ministers of God should take , first wound , and then heale ; first lance , and then bind up ; first detect m●ns sinnes , and shew them their miseries ; and then shew them a remedy : first let them see what they are , and then see how they may be better .

Then you must be content to let us go up upon Mount Eball and pronounce Vse . 2. Be content to heare the curses of the Law preached . the curses of God upon those that go on in their sinnes , you must be content to have your estates and conditions ripped up , be not ready to be snappish and murmuring against the revelation of the Law , and the opening of the hellish sink of sin that is in your hearts , be you willing to hear it and let us do it ; 't is true , we must be ready to poure in Oyle into every bruised spirit ; but first we must come with the hammer of the Law to breake and then bind up , let me tell you , as many as go on in your sins , and are yet without Christ , let me tell you what your condition is , be it known from the Lord whatsoever you may think , you are in the gall of bitternesse , and in the bond of iniquity , hell is moved for your coming , and the pit is digged for such as you are ; you are under the wrath of heaven , and though God be gracious and full of mercy yet he will never save those that disobey him and stand out against his Holy and Heavenly Word ; though Christ died for sinners , yet he is a stumbling block and a rock of offence to those that are disobedient ▪ and stumble at the Word , 1 Pet. 2 ▪ 8 ▪ Whatsoever you may think of your selves and do not think of these things ▪ but suffer the world and your pleasures to take up your mindes , think of it , what a woefull case you are in , know that the great God of Heaven and Earth hath bitter things against you , and you shall heare it with both eares when it is too late ; there is no mercy ▪ but for them that repent and forsake their sins , there is no Kingdome of Heaven for you , you have no hope , the Devils and you have one hope . What turned so many Angels of Heaven into Hell ? was it not sin ? you have that very sin ▪ upon you , you do not see your misery , but if your eyes were open and would but heare what God saith , you would loath ▪ your selves in dust and ashes , and your knees would knock together for ▪ anguish of heart . What no conversion yet , no new creatures yet ? then no Christ , no Heaven , no Happiness : what a woful thing is this ▪ I beseech you think of it , and apply it , and tell your soules , either sin must down , or else no Heaven to be looked for ; either I must be an holy man , either God will give me grace and holinesse here , or else I shall ●ever see his face with comfort hereafter ; either I must have my life changed , and my conversation made spiritual and godly by Jesus Christ , or else I do but deceive my own soul to think of any happinesse ; this is certaine , therefore do not think lightly of any sin , there is no sin so small but is able to damn thy soul unlesse thou embrace the Gospel and the Kingdome of God ▪ If it were possible ▪ that thou never hadst sinned but one sin , that one sin will damn thee , unlesse thou be a new creature , and by Faith embrace the Son of God , thou canst not ●e saved ; there is no sin so small , but the wrath of God from Heaven is revealed against it ; if people did but see their sins like so many Devils , if they did but once see these Cockatrices stings , if people were but affected with their estates and conditions , something might be said , but unless mens sins be laid before their eyes , and charged upon their souls , what hope have we to do them any good ?

Thirdly , this is for comfort to those that are humbled , such as have had Vse . 3. To comfort those that have had this work of the Law on them . the Law come unto them , and hath knocked them off , that they have nothing to trust to , and they see what miserable creatures they are ; look up and hear what the Gospel saith , the Gospel of God sheweth mercy freely to be had , and delivers promises freely to be apprehended , and doth proffer eternal life without money or moneys worth , though a man be never so vile and wretched ; if you see your misery , you have Davids own argument , go and use it , Psal. 25. 16. Have mercy upon me O Lord , for I am desolate and afflicted ; all the Saints of God have no other argument but this , in begging of mercy , as who should say , I am a miserable creature , no grounds whereupon to expect any mercy , I am a desolate , afflicted , undone man in my self , all my hope is in thee ; go to God , and lie at his gate , and plead this argument , submitting to the Gospel , Have mercy on me O Lord , for I am desolate and afflicted : and here now comes in effectual calling , when the Law hath shewed a man his wretched estate ▪ and his blindness , and nakedness , and captivity , if the Lord do mean any mercy to a man , here comes in his effectual calling .

2 THES. 2. 14. Whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ .

I Have spoken already of the prepatory work that goes before Effectual Calling , the next thing I am to speake of , is the parts of Effectual Calling , and they are Two parts of effectual calling . 1. Offering of Christ . two .

First , the offering of Christ and his merits , the objective propounding of Christ and his benefits ; when Christ comes and offers himself to a man in the Gospel , he came to his own , John 1. 11. but his own received him not , he came and offered himself to them , I am the way , the truth and the light , I am the Messias , and the Saviour of the ▪ world , and I have eternal life , and here I am , take me , and all with me ; this is the first thing in Effectual Calling , the objective propounding of Christ to a man .

The second thing is the receiving of Christ , not only the offering of Christ 2. The receiving of Christ . to a man , for so he offers himself to those that are not of God , even to all , but in Effectual Calling , as there is an offer on Gods side , so there is a reflection on Gods side ; as many as received him , &c. John 1. 12. they received him , these two now make up Effectual Calling , the offering of Christ and the receiving of him , when Christ calls a man to him , and he answers to his call ; thus you see the parts of Effectual Calling .

First to speak of the first , the objective propounding of Christ and all the things of Christ to a man , and this hath two degrees like the morning light that hath two parts , the dawning of the day , and the Sunnes arising ; so there Two parts o● degrees of offering Christ ▪ 1. General . are two parts in this objective propounding of Christ to the soul ; the first is that general propounding of him to every creature ; now the soul thinks what to every creature , then it is propounded to me as well as to any body else ; but the effectualness of this call is , that it breeds the seeds of grace in a man , it breeds saving desires , and saving longings , and saving , and kindly mournings for the want of this sweet good ; when it sees such an excellent good , and a possibility of it , and that it is propounded to every creature , then the soule thinks I may be one as well as any body else , and ▪ so the soul longs after it .

The second thing is the personal propounding of this to those that have these 2. Personal . seeds of Grace ; the first was general , to one as well as to another , but now this is to this mans person rather then to any body else ; and now the soul begins to think seriously this proposition is to me , this tender is to me ; I hunger , and thirst , and long , and therefore this belongs to me , and the effectualnesse of this call is to make the soul come to Christ , and cast himselfe upon him by faith ; these are the parts of propounding of Christ , and both these are twofold ; 2. Both , 1. External . 2. Internal . the first is the external part of it by the Word , the other the internal part of it by the Spirit . Now we are to speak of the first of these , how the Word works this general call , and for this I have chosen this text , Whereunto he hath called you by our Gospel , &c. For the coherence of these words in the former verses , the Apostle had told the Thessalonians of a woful falling away that should he among all visible Churches in the whole world almost , that there should be a general defection , unlesse of Gods Elect , and they should have fearful declinings , and he sheweth that the power of the Devil and ●●s instruments should be the cause of this falling away , he should come with strong delusions , and then the just cause why God doth suffer the Devil and his imps to bring this about , that all they might be damned that had phas 〈…〉 in unrighteousnesse ; the Lord would have them damned , and this made the Lord suffer the Devil to work Apostacy , and declining to them . Now this is a fearful thing , and therefore in the next place he comes to comfort the Th●s●●lonians , for they for their part , the godly amongst them need not to be dismayed for fear of falling away , as if they should not hold out , but he would have them encouraged that they shall stand out for ever , and he comforts them by two Arguments : First , by Gods predestination of them to life from all eternity , God hath chosen you to Salvation from the beginning ; and then ●e laies down the meanes God had appointed for the attaining this salvation , and that was through Sanctification in the Spirit , as who should say , 't is true , there shall be such a falling away , but you that are godly need not be dejected , for God hath chosen you from all eternity , and therefore will sanctifie you , and keep you through his mighty power unto salvation , that you shall not fall away . The second Argument is their Effectual Calling , that is in the text , Whereunto he hath called you by our Gospel , &c. as who should say ▪ the Lord hath given you a pledge that you shall never fall away finally , for it is plaine that God hath chosen you , and he hath given a pledge of hi● Election , for he hath called you , therefore be of good cheare . Well then in the words of the text you may consider these four things .

First , Effectual Calling , he called you .

Secondly , the meanes whereby he hath wrought this in you , namely , the Gospel .

Thirdly , the tearme whereunto he called them , noted in this word hereunto , which if you look into the former verse was unto 〈…〉tion .

Fourthly , what this salvation is , it is a most admirable incomparable thing , no tongue is able to speak it ; Oh saith he , It is to the attaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ , the very same glory that the Lord Jesus Christ was advanced to , you have part and communion therein . Now three of these points I lay aside , the point that serves our turn is the second , he called you by our Gospell .

That the thing that calls Gods people home , it is the General tender of Doct. The Gospel or general tender of grace , is that by which God calls men home . grace , indifferently to any man without exception , whosoever will have it , that is , the Gospel . When Christ should call Nicodemus , after he had convinced him of his blindnesse , and cursed estate , and made him see he was a fool in all the things of God ; now he gives him a call , and how doth he call him ▪ it was even this general tender , John 3. 14 , 15. As Moses lifted up the Serpent i● the Wildernesse , so must the Son of man be lifted up , that whosoever believeth in him , should not perish , but have eternal life : As who should say , I bring an indifferent doctrine , I propound it to all creatures , and thou maist have a part in it as well as any other ; Whosoever believes shall not perish , if thou hast a heart to believe and come unto me , thou shalt not perish , but have salvation . So when our Saviour sent his Disciples to call his Elect throughout the world , mark what directions he gave them , he calls people with a general call , Whosoever will , let him take of the water life ; whosoever hath a mind to be saved , to know God , and have Communion with him , and be united to him ; whosoever hath a minde to these things , tell him I am for him , he proclaimes it over the whole world , tell every creature in the whole world , He that believeth , and is baptized shall be saved ; here is no exception put in , but preach the Gospel to every creature ; tell every creature what I have done for the sins of the world ; and how I have opened the Kingdome to whomsoever will enter ; thus God calls his people , his Ministers go up and down and tell them they may have pardon ▪ and grace , and righteousnesse for nothing , come and buy without money , though you cannot give a farthing token for it , but be poor , and miserable , and cursed creatures ; Come , here it is , wine , and milk , and bread , and all without money , you shall have it for taking and carrying away , so Rev. 22. 7. Whosoever will , let him take of the water of life freely ; it is a quicunquae vult , thereis none exempted , if any man will he may be saved , if he have a will , a minde , a heart to it , he may have salvation .

Now here be three things I would shew unto you ; first , what this general tender is , whereby God effectually calls his people . Secondly , why it is by a general tender . Thirdly , the uses .

First , what is this general tender of Christ and grace to every creature that What is this general tender of Christ . hath a minde to it ? and it is this , that Christ is the only alsufficient meanes to make a man happy ; that whereas he is out with his Maker , he alone can set him in again ; though he be under a thousand miseries in this life , and under a thousand eternal miseries in the life to come ; there is in Christ an alsufficiency to make a man happy , God is the fountaine of all goodnesse , and till his goodnesse is opened in Christ Jesus , this is that same general thing , as Paul saith , 1 Cor. 1. 23 , 24. We preach Christ crucified unto th●se that are called the power and wisdome of God ; as who should say , this is the thing we go up and down every where preaching , that Christ was crucified for the sinnes of the world , and hath power to save any man that comes to him ; it was the wisdome of God , he found out this meanes ; it was an impossibility in the wisdome of men and Angels , how man should be saved , the Wisdome of God hath found out the Lord Jesus Christ to be the meanes , and he is the power of God to save any man that believes , and wheresoever we come we preach this Doctrine . So again you may see , Heb. 7. 24 , 25. This man hath an unch●ngable Priesthood , for he is able to save to the utmost all those that come unto him , &c. As who should say , he is a publick Saviour , he is not onely able to save these and these , but all that come unto him , he is able to save them to the utmost ; whosoever you are , though you be never so wretched , and reprobate to every good work , though never so foule , and all the nitre in the world cannot cleanse you , never so stubborne and all the meanes and Ordinances you have enjoyed have not tamed you : why , yet here is a Saviour for you , he is able to save you to the utmost , though you be never so out with God ; and though God be never so much displeased with your sinful courses , and all the Angels and all the world cannot take away Gods wrath from you , yet he is able to save you to the utmost if you will come unto him ; This is the tender of the Gospel delivered to every man . Now in the next place I will shew you the reasons why God calls people home by a general tender in this fashion .

First , because this is the surest ground of faith ; suppose a soul that is effectually Reas. 1. This the surest ground of faith called shall afterwards feare and question , and by what warrant do I hope to be saved by Christ ? and by what warrant do I look to be heard for Christs sake ? and how is it that I ●ay hold upon such promises , and cast my self upon such things in the Gospel ? upon what acquaintance do I presume that the Lord Jesus will see you assisted in all my wayes , and helped in all estates and conditions , and save my soul when I die ? Why ? saith he , I have a good warrant , for I see in Scripture that Christ is tendered to all , and wh●so●ver believes shall no● perish but have everlasting life , and whosoever will have him , may ▪ I could not tell indeed I was elected before I heard the Sermon , but I heard that any man might have Christ that would , and I am sure I would have him , and I finde in Scripture that he came to save that which is lost , and I am sure I am a lost creature , and if he came to save that which is lost , I have warrant to believe . This is that which grounded Saint Paul , this generall offer , This ( saith he ) is a faithful saying , worthy to be received of all men , that Christ died for sinners , whereof I am chief , 1 Tim. 1. 15. As who should say , here is the thing , this is that which comforts me , and staies my soul ; I see that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners , and I see it is a faithful saying , and worthy of all men to be received , all men whosoever have a heart may receive it , and I am sure then he came to save me , and this is my hold , I have no other hold but this . But now if a man were called by any other call but this , a man could have no ground for his calling ; if the Scripture should say they only are called that are elected , he would have no ground for his call .

Secondly , because this is the best answer to Satan , many times a man will be 2. This is the best answer to Satan . put to heavy straits , and will have much ado to answer Satan ; sometimes a man will be under uncertainty , sometimes under want of feeling and sense , sometimes under horror of conscience ; and a mans sins may come to a mans view , and feares may step up in the soul ; then Satan comes , how look you to be saved ? you are a wretch , you have a stiffe faith indeed ! What believe , and no sense and feeling ? such a horrible wretch , and such a guilty conscience , and you believe ? What have you to shew ? Is any one promise in the Bible to such a one as you that are so foul and filthy , and cannot pray , nor do any thing ? you see God casts you off , where is any promise for you to hang upon ? Yes , I can believe for all this , because the Gospel is not tendered to sense , and feeling , and such and such things , but to every one that would have Christ , and I would have Christ , and so much the more eager is my heart to have him , the more I am troubled and cast down , the more I would have Christ and grace ; here is my hold , this is the thing , the sure Word of Faith , it is called the Word of Faith , Rom. 10. 8. Now you know the Word of God is true , whether a man believe or no ; and now when faith comes in , it layes hold upon that general Word ; the thing is true , so that if any man comes and believes , though I never found it before , I believed it , yet now I may hang upon it ; and there is nothing in the world will put off Satan more then this , he will say , you have Christ ; how can you have him ? you are proud , aye but I would be humbled ; you are dead , 't is true , but that is my grief and mourning ; I would be quickened , and therefore would have Christ that I may be so , and so ; here he hangs upon the general tender of Christ .

Thirdly , because this is that same simple Scripture that is simply true in it 3. Because this is that which is true before all acts of man . self before all acts in man ; a man cannot be effectually called by any truth , but that which is true in it self before all acts in man ; now what truth can effectually call a man before any act of grace in man , but only the general tenders of the Gospel ? these are the truths that are simply true in themselves . Before any thing is done upon man , it may be true that God hath elected me , but it is not a Scripture truth before something be done in me , the Scripture doth not say simply in it self that I am elected before some grace be put forth in me ; if I have grace put forth already in me , then I may say , that God did specially intend it to me , and did elect me in Christ before all worlds ; but now these truths cannot call a man , because before effectual calling nothing is done in a man , therefore those truths that suppose any thing in a man , cannot be calling truths ; the first truths that a man is effectually called unto , a man hath no more to shew for it , then any man else in the world ; therefore it must be meerly the truths of the Gospel in themselves , what Christ did , and so forth .

As for example , these be the calling truths , Behold , the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world , Joh. 1. 29. God so loved the world , that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish , but have eternal life , John 3. 16. and Mat. 18. 11. The Sonne of man came to save that which is l●st ; but these truths concerning this mans election , that God doth love him , and hear him , and accept of him ; these are not Scripture truths in themselves , but when a man is called then they come in ; now a man may see that he is elected , and accepted of God ; but these truths can never effectually call a man ▪ because effectual calling is the first thing that is done in a man , and this work ●inds nothing in a man more then in any other , and therefore it must needs be a general tender .

Fourthly , because this is only that which every man is bound to believe it is 4. This only th●t which every man is bou●d ●o beleeve . that only which a man is called unto ; God when he doth effectually call his people , doth call them to do nothing , but that which is every mans duty to do ; he calls them to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ which is one mans duy as well as another ; as Christ when he went to preach every where up and down , saith he , Repent and believe the Gospel ; as who should say , it is every one of your duties to repent , and believe the Gospel , it is the very same truth , that believed , saveth Gods people , and not believed , damneth the reprobates , as Mark 16. 16. He that beleeves shall be saved , and he that beleeves not shall be damned ; as who should say , both is the same truth that is propounded to this man that is saved , and that man that is damned , therefore they must be the general truths of the Gospel ; particular truths do not bind every man to believe , it is not every mans duty to believe that he is elected , that he hath intended his Son Christ for him , rather then any other ; God binds not every man to beleeve this , but he binds every man to believe that God is the eternal good of a man , and this is to be had by coming unto Christ ; when a man can believe this , and cast himself upon it , this is true and saving faith , when this draws a man to God , and pulls him out of his sins , and this is the reason that the Apostle saith , 1 John 3. 23. This is the Commandment of God , that ye beleeve in his Son Jesus Christ ; so that you see this is clear , that it is the general tender of the Gospel that cals Gods people home to God : whatsoever a man be , an old sinner , a young sinner , a grosse sinner , be he what he will , if his heart stoop that he would have Christ ▪ and all Christ , he shall not perish , but have everlasting life .

Obj. But you may say , faith is onely of Gods Elect ; how then can Ministers tender such a proffer as this , whereas Christ is only given to the Elect ?

I answer , it is true , that the Elect , when all comes to all , they only get it , yet it is seriously tendred to all ; we had never heard of Election and reprobation , but only because of this , because that when the Gospel is preached , we see that some receive it , and some receive it not ; now thus you come to see election and reprobation , for when a man comes to receive the call , we see that that man is elected , because no man takes Christ but by grace , every man would stand out and refuse Christ ; but when we see a man takes Christ , then we see he is elected ; and when we see another man doth not take Christ , we see then that man is left to himself , and hath a wretched heart , and reprobate minde , and God lets him have it still ; as he will have his sins , so God lets him have them still ; yet notwithstanding this is very true , that Christ is propounded to all , and this the reason why our Saviour Christ saith , Mat. 20. 16. Many are called , but few are chosen , the meaning is , many are called , but few there are that do answer this call , there The tender of ●he G●spel must b● without ●estr●int to election . 1 O●herwise the ●ect would have no ground for their faith . are few that have grace to do it ; the most part of the world will rather have their lusts then Christ , and therefore there are but few , because God hath chosen but few .

Now the reason why the tender of the Gospel must be delivered without any restraint to election ; is ,

First ▪ because if there were not such a proffer without exception to any that will have Christ , then the Elect should have no ground for their faith ; a man cannot see he is elected till after he hath faith ; no man hath faith and repentance at his first effectual call ; now how shall a man have any ground for his faith when the Gospel is propounded onely to the Elect ? every man will be at a stand , I know not whether I be elected or no ; I am as fair for hell , as any for ought I know ; I have sins to damn me , but no election , as far as I know ; you preach Sermons all your life time , I can beleeve none , because you preach only to the Elect ; so the children of God can have no ground for their faith , because there is no particular place of Scripture that bindes a man to beleeve his election , therefore it must be a general proffer of the Gospel propounded to every man ; John 6. 35. there saith Christ , He that will come unto me , I will in no wise cast off ; there you see it is general , any man that will come to Christ , whether Elect of God no matter , Ministers should not stand demurring and questioning , I know not whether these be Elect or no , do you deliver the Gospel , and afterwards it will appea● who are elected , and who not , by their receiving or not receiving the Gospel , leave you that to me ; preach you how men may be happy , and what a miserable estate they are in , but if they will come out of their sinnes they may receive the pardon of them ; tell them , that whosoever comes to me shall in no wise be cast out , be they what the ▪ will .

Secondly , because though election be first in Gods order , he doth first Elect 2. Because in reference to men , calling is before election . a man before he calls him , yet with the Elect , with Gods own people it is clean contrary ; first , they must be effectually called before they can have any inkling of their election in the point of knowing of it , therefore 2 Pet. 1. 10. the Apostle saith , give all diligence to make your calling and election sure ; first , make your calling sure , else you can have no inkling of your election ; now when this is sure , you may be sure of your election ; before the point of effectual calling there must be no talking of election , either in the Minister that preacheth , or people that hear ; this election is a thing in Gods own bosom , which comes after the receiving or rejecting the Gospel , the one will reveal election , the other reprobation .

Thirdly , because there is a difference between men and devils , thereis no 3. Because there is a difference between men and devils . possibility for devils , though they would never so faine , to be saved , for Christ took not upon him the nature of Angels , Heb. 2. 16. he did not meddle with them , therefore now we cannot say to them , if ye beleeve , you shall be saved , because there is possibility for them , though they would never so faine ; but there is a possibility for all men to be saved , if they would believe , there is sufficiency of merits in Christ , and it was intended to the sonnes of men , to as many as would have it , though indeed all men would have none of him , if they were left to themselves ; yet notwithstanding the Gospel is offered to all , every man might have him , but that he will not have him .

But there be two Objections against this doctrine .

1. Because this seems to be the contrary to the doctrine of many godly and religious Divines heretofore , who seem to say , that the Gospel is only for the Elects sake ; it is the doctrine of many Divines , if I knew who were elected , and who were not , I would not deliver it to them ; this is a dangerous doctrine , yet the ground of the doctrine is true , that the Gospel is properly bestowed upon the Elect , To us a child is born , to us a child is given ; that is , to the Elect , but yet this is not contradictory to that which I now deliver ; I deny not that Christ is given intentionally to Gods Elect upon beleeving , yet he is tendered to others to , and intended too , upon that condition ; God cannot mock people , and make as though they might have eternal life , and cannot have it though never so faine ; it is not so , but God deales seriously with people , for every man shall have Christ that hath a true and sincere heart ; now it is true , this heart is only given of God , because otherwise a man is stubborn and stiff-necked , and will not give over his sins , and deny himself , but will rather have his own courses then Christ , though he may have eternal life by him , yet the proposition of the Gospel is general to every man that will believe , and will have Christ ; and this is necessary , and this is the very self-same doctrine that all Divines have preached heretofore , only it is delivered otherwise , and the reason why there is a necessity of delivering it thus , is , because this is the form of preaching set down in the Scripture , and this is the way to fish out Gods Elect , and the best way to settle their mindes , and establish their consciences , and this is the best way to feel and groap in Congregations who are of God : Wilt thou have Christ and eternal life , and be delivered from thy sinnes ? thou mayest then have the pardon of thy sinnes , and the favour of God ; now if a man be of God he will hear us , if he be not , he will not hear us ; this is the way Scripture sets down , as you may see , John 1. 11. He came to his own , and his own received him not ; Christ came and offered himself to his own , he calls all his own people , the very reprobates are his own in respect of the offer , but in respect of receiving it ; so the Elect onely are his own , ver. 12. To as many as received him , he gave power to be the Sonnes of God . So Acts 8. 37. The Eunuch would faine have Christ by baptisme ; what hinders me but I may be baptized ? let me enter into Covenant with Christ ; what should let me ? Mark what Philip saith , If thou beleevest , thou mayest , could he tell whether he were Elect or no ? no , but he feels him with the general tender of the Gospel ; what lets me ? he saith , nothing lets thee if thou canst beleeve , he could not tell whether he were elected or no ; but saith he , if thou canst beleeve with all thy heart , thou mayest have Christ and all the benefits of the Covenant of grace , if thou hast a heart and minde unto it , thou mayest have it , and after he p●ofessed he had , he baptized him . So Paul dealt with the Jaylor , Acts 16. 30 , 31. when Paul saw the Jaylor ready to stab himself ; how could he tell whether he were el●cted or no ? yea , when he cried out , What shall I do to be saved ? he might speak out of horror and conscience : how did Paul know that he was elected ? but he feels him with the general tender , beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ ( saith he ) and thou mayest be saved , whatsoever thou art ; he doth no● stand upon his election , but beleeve in Christ and his Gospel , and believe eternal life is in him , and rest upon him for it ; let this be a means to pull thee out of thy sins , and to seek after righteousnesse and communion with him ; if thou hast faith thou shalt be saved .

Obj. The second Objection is this , that this doctrine seems to favour our adversaries , our adversaries say , that Christ died for one as well as for another ; and the Gospel is to be propounded to one as well as to another ; and it is as much for one as for another ; now if we say so too , we shake hands with them .

Answ. 1. I answer , First there is a great deal of difference between that which the Pelagians speak concerning this thing , they say that Christ intended his death no more to one then to another ; no more to Abraham then Pharaoh ; no more to Peter then Judas ; look what minde God bare to one à parte ante , he bare as good a minde towards the other ; now this we peremptorily deny , and it is an horrible blaspheming of the grace of God towards his people , for he will have one rather then another , Acts 13. 48. as many as was ordained to eternal life beleeved ; as who should say , as many as God had chosen , they took Christ and none else , God did intend Christ to them especially , more then to the rest , he gave them a heart , and let the rest go on in the stubbornnesse of their hearts .

Secondly , they say , that Christ came to bring nothing but a possibility of salvation into the world ; now that any man is saved , is through the ability of a mans will , that one man will be saved , another will not ; this man will beleeve in Christ , another will not ; This we peremptorily deny too , for this is to blaspheme the Lord Jesus Christ to say so ; for 't is true , Christ hath wrought a possibility for others , they might have been saved , but would not ; the rebellion of their hearts damned them , their unbelief sent them to hell ; but yet he first brought an actuality of Salvation for some , for he had his name for this ; Mat. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Jesus , for he shall save his people from their sinnes ; nay , the Father and he did indent one with another , that he dying upon the crosse should see his seed , Esay 53. 10.

Thirdly , they say that Christ might have died and none have been saved , which is an horrible impiety for a man once to speak , whereas certainly Christs death could never have been frustrated ; if Christ did die for his people , ●● will save them , the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them , he will gather up all that do belong to his election .

Lastly , the adversaries say , that as there is a generality in the offer , so there is an universality in the grace ; now this we deny too , that there is an universal grace , God gives more mercy to his own people then to others , to 〈…〉 ven , ( saith Christ , &c. ) Mat. 13. 10 , 11. so to you it is given , saith the 〈…〉 e , not only to beleeve in him , but to die for him , Phil. 1. 29. so that God gives more grace to his people then to others , he gives onely common 〈◊〉 to the wicked ; 't is true , God is not wanting to the wicked , God will ever be aforehand with them , and they shall have more then they make use ●t , now wicked men the Lord leaves them without excuse , for they stick ●ot at an impossibility , but at a will , they will not come in that they might ●e 〈◊〉 , they will not do that which God hath put into the power of their hands to do ; God gives them knowledge , and they will not practise it ; God shew● them their sinnes , and they will not leave their sins ; may be God makes the●● leave their sinnes , and then they return to them againe ; it may be God makes them that they never return to their sins again , but then they take up onely a kinde of forme , and there they stick and go no further , thus they ●●ck at the will , they will not have the Gospel upon Christs termes .

The first use of the point is this , it is a great comfort and encourage●●nt Use 1. For the comfort and encouragement of Beleevers . to the faith of all Gods people ; what an excellent and sure word is th●s , when they shall finde that they have such an excellent warrant to lay hold upon Christ , when he is so publickly tendred in the Scripture ; there is a common salvation in Jesus Christ , Jude 3. Christ hath made it to be common for any man that will have it upon the tearms thereof , it is as common as Adam was , As in Adam all died , so in Christ shall all be made alive , 1 Cor. 15. 22. not as though all men simply shall be made alive , for all men possibly are not alive , as all men possibly are not dead in Adam , for there might be millions of men after the world is ended , but only those that are in the loynes of Adam ; all men that came out of the loyns of Adam shall die , so all they that ever are in the loyns of Christ ( as all they are ) that will have him , they shall be made alive ; it is as general as Adam , as many as were in the loyns of Adam , and lived and died so , shall die ; so all that are in the loyns of Christ , and have a will to come to Christ , shall be saved , for it is the will that carrieth all the soul ; when a man will do or suffer any thing for Christ , whatsoever sin Christ will have him leave , he will leave it , whatsoever duty Christ will have him take up , he will assume it , he will break through all hindrances , and use all means , he will have it ; the righteousnesse of Christ is for every one that will have it , I will have it saith the soul , therefore it belongs to me ; the Gospel of salvation is tendred to every one that hath a minde to it ; I have a mind to it upon the Gospels tearms , and therefore it belongs to me .

The second use is of confutation , to confute those that desire faith by the full assurance of the pardon of a mans sins , and the salvation of his soul ; this is a Use 2. For confutation . dangerous doctrine , and condemns the half of the generation of God ; nay , all of them at one time or other , you see how the Gospel calls a man to believe , concerning justification and salvation , it calls to beleeve in the record of his Son , that he is the Lamb of God , that takes away the sins of the world , that he is eternal life ; that he is the way , the truth , and the light , that he is the hope of glory ; that he is the way of coming to God the Father ; now when a man hath this saith in a lively manner , and this pulls a man out of the world , & draws him to Christ ; this is the true faith , this is the faith of the Gospel ; faith is not defined by assurance in Scripture but by beleeving in Christ , John 3. 18. by trusting upon Christ , Ephes. 1. 12. by resting upon God , 2 Chr. 14. 11. by relying upon God , 2 Chr. 19. 8. by adhering and cleaving to God in Christ , Acts 11. 23. this is true faith , when a man relies upon God , when he believes this same blessed record , and throws himself and casts himself upon it , and will obey God ; I may say to you all that have this faith , as the Prophet Esay saith to such as you are , Who is there among you that feareth the Lord , and obeyeth the voice of his servants , though he sit in darknesse , and seeth no light , yet let him rest upon the Lord , and stay himself upon the God of his salvation ? Esay 50. 10. as who should say , though you be in the dark , and have no light , no assurance , no sense and feeling , no inkling of Gods mercy ; though you be in darkness and know not where you are , yet if you have a heart to fear God , and obey the voice of his servants , and hearken to the tender of the Gospel , trust in the Lord your God , relie upon him for all want of sense and feeling , for all darknesse , for all want of light in you , for all want of comfort , and stay your souls that way , yet trust in the name of the Lord , relie upon him for all his mercies , though you be at this passe .

Object . But the soul will say , I am afraid I have nothing , I have no interest Object . in Christ , but what of that ?

Answ. If thou be never so much afraid , mark what David saith , Psalme Answ. 56. 3. What time I am afraid , I will trust in thee ; as who should say , though I be in the middest of fears and doubts , and terrors of conscience , what time this fear comes upon me , I will cast my self upon thee ; so that this is that which the soul is to do that beleeves the tender of the Gospel , and this draws him , and works upon him , it is not a dead faith , but an operative faith , it pulls him , and draws him to Christ ; he must have Christ , and he must have righteousnesse ; is there such a faith ? then relie upon God ; though thy fears come upon thee , yet urge thy self to trust in God .

Obj. And againe it may be objected , I have hardly any hope that ever I Object . shal have the pardon of my sins , that ever God will hear my prayers , and accept my duties and performances . What of that ? if thou hast this faith ?

Answ. Mark how it was with Abrahams faith , when God told him he should Answ. have a sonne , though it were above hope , besides hope , against hope , yet he believes in hope ; so though thou hast hardly any hope , yet above hope , believe under hope , and though thou art put besides all hope , and art even ready to be at the brink of despaire ; yet through thy self upon God , if I perish , I perish ; go on in the ways of God , and seek after the ways of Jesus Christ , and rest upon him from day to day , and strive to draw neerer to him , to have communion with him , and though thou beest put besides hope , yet believe under hope .

Obj. Again , it may be objected again , if I have any faith , it is such a weak Object . faith , that I can hardly perceive it is any at al , God will never receive me surely ?

Answ. I answer , it is not the strength of faith that justifies , but it is faith Answ. that justifies ; the plaister may heal the wound , though the hand be weak that lays it on ; faith is the hand that lays hold on Christ , and Christ is the plaister that is applied to the soul ; now though the hand be never so weak , yet it will do the deed as well as a stronger ; so it was with the Father of the child that came to Christ , he could hardly see he had any faith ; he could not simply deny he had faith , but Lord , saith he , I believe , help my unbelief ; he cried and spake with tears ; he saw such a deal of unbelief , that the tears trickled down her cheeks , Matthew 9. 24. yet notwithing , that faith got mercy from Christ : Mark what Christ saith , Mat. 18. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones ; if Christ will not have his little ones despised of men , then certainly he will not despise them himselfe .

Object . But you will say weak faith will save indeed , but I question whether Object . I have any faith or no , therefore how can I lay hold , and embrace this same mercy then ?

Answ. I answer , though thou beest put to this at any time , do as the Answ. servants of God have done , ( for it may be the case of the very servants of God , yea of the best of Gods servants ; ) now you may see what they do in such a case , how they run to God , and pray to him , Psalme 61. 2. When my heart is overwhelmed , lead me to the rock that is higher then I. The Prophet Davids heart sometimes was overwhelmed , but he now went to the rock Christ , when I am in this case ( saith he ) lead me to the rock , shew me Christ , guide me to him , set me upon him .

Object . But then it may be objected , I cannot pray ; if I could pray , Object . it were something , but I can hardly pray ; I go to pray , and when I am down upon my knees , I can say nothing ; this may be the case of Gods choisest servants , Romans 8. 26. Paul puts himself into the number , We know not what to pray as we ought ; we know not what to speak as we should ; but yet God hath appointed his Spirit to help us in such a case , though Hezekiah , Esay 38. 14. could not speak a word , but chatter like a Crane or Swallow , and mourne as a dove ; yet he had experience that God heard him at that time . So Psalme 77. 4. The Prophet there confesseth he was in this case , that he could not pray , I am so distressed saith he , that I cannot speak ; he meanes , to God ; and it seemes he found by experience , that he could not pray , nor tell how to poure out a request to God , he was was even stopped and stifled in his prayer , yet in the first verse he could speak it that God heard him for all this : Well then , here you see is the ground of the faith of any poore soul , though he have not any assurance , yet if he hath this faith to relie and rest upon God ; if the Gospel calls him , and he comes at this gracious tender ; if he casts himself upon this , and this draws him to Christ ; and if he love God , and labour to please him , and obey him , and throw away all whatsoever displeaseth him ; if this makes him heavenly minded , and long after the knowledge of God , and the revelation of it , this deads his heart to worldly things , and makes him spiritual ; if it be thus , this is true and saving faith , and not dead faith .

This is encouragement to those that are without . How many are there Vse . 3. For encouragement to all that are without . among you , that are yet in your sinnes , and were never yet brought home to Christ ? Consider what an excellent invitation here for you ; the Gospel is sent to every Creature under Heaven , as you may see , Col. 1. 23. You may have Christ if you have a will ; you may have righteousnesse , if you have a will to it ; you may have redemption , if you have a wil to it ; you may be delivered from sin and Satan , if you have a will to it ; you may have the favour of God , if you have a will to it ; you may have Christ , if you will have all Christ ; he will come to you , and will receive you , as you may see an excellent place for this , 1 Cor. 6. 11. The Apostle there saith , that drunkards and adulterers , and covetous persons shall never inherit the Kingdome of God ; such were some of you , but you are justified in the Name of Christ ; as who should say , there is no limitation in the Gospel of God , as none in the tender of it , so none in the execution of it ; for all you were drunkards , and prophane , and covetous , yet you have found mercy with God by entertaining of this ; this methinks should envite people , and draw people to come to Christ : whosoever hath a minde not to perish , not to go in a hard heart , not to be worldly , and without God in the world ; here Christ doth envite them all to come , Matthew 22. 9. Go into the high-wayes ( saith Christ ) and whomsoever you finde , bid them to the Marriage ; God knows who we may finde here at Church to day ; may be some of you are drunkards , some enemies to God , some hardned in your lusts , some relapsed and fallen back into your carnal courses after profession of Religion ; some mockers and despisers ; God knows whom we finde ; we are bid to go into the high-wayes , and bid all we finde ; therefore in the Name of Christ let me speak to you ; come to Christ , will you let your sinnes damne you , rather then receive Christ to save you ? think of this , and if you will but follow Christ in all his Ordinances , He hath shewed thee O man what the Lord requires of thee , that thou shouldest be humbled , and see what a wretched creature thou art ; that thou shouldest see what is amisse in thy soule , and use all courses to reforme thy selfe , he hath shewed thee how he would have thee pray ; what company he would have thee keep ; what kinde of carriage he would have thee use , he hath shewed thee , O man , what he hath required ; hast thou a heart now to come to Christ ? he can help thee to all this , and though thou hast not power to do all this , yet if thou hast but a heart to do it , to walk aright , and live aright , and spend thy dayes well in this world : Though thou canst do none of all these things , if though hast but an heart to do them , and dost beleeve that eternal life is in Christ , and this draws thee to Christ ; if thou doest but beleeve that in him is acceptance with God , and he can bring thee to God for pardon and peace , and hope and glory ; if thou doest beleeve this , and the faith of this doth draw thee to come unto God ; I tell thee all thy sinnes shall not damne thee , never a one of thy sinnes shall rise up in judgement against thee ; whatsoever thy conscience ; whatsoever the devil hath against thee ; whatsoever feares , terrours , discouragements are upon thee , they shall never withhold thee from eternal life ; do but come to Christ and lay hold upon him , and here he offers himself unto thee ; thou art not excepted or excluded , unlesse thou exclude thy selfe ; If thou beleeve not , thou shalt be damned ; but whosoever beleeves , shall not perish , but have everlasting life . Use 4. For terrour to the obstinate .

Vse 4. In the last place , this is for use to those that are obstinate , namely , to be as hell fire , and the flames of Tophet , in their soules and consciences : You have heard the tender of Christ , that salvation is in Christ and none other : What a miserable taking are you then in , that will not have him ; if we should carry the Gospel up and down into any place , would not every one make it welcome ? If we should carry it into Innes and Taverns , and amongst the basest wretches in the Countrey , would they not say , we will have Christ ? a man would think so , as God saith , Matthew 21. 37. Certainly they will reverence my Sonne , not as if God were deceived in his expectation , but he speaks of the probability of the thing , in all reason one would think , if they may have eternal life , and Gods good will and pleasure toward them , that they may have acquittance from all damnation , that they may be happy for ever ; certainly they will receive my Sonne gladly , they will take him and receive him in all reason , one would think it were so ; but we see it is otherwise , they will not take up Christ and abandon their own courses , they will be vaine , they will be company keepers , they will be worldly , and will neglect the best things ; they will have their pleasures , and they will have their fopperies and fooleries , they will not have Christ ; there be many things in Christ , that every man would have , the very devils in hell would have it , namely , to be redeemed from hell ; to have some peace in their consciences , but the Regiment of Christ , the dominion of Christ to have all Christ , this they will not ; this therefore is no comfort to stubborne sinners , but hell and damnation is the portion of all that refuse him , Ezechiel 34. 16. See what the Lord there saith , I will destroy the fat and the strong , and feed them with judgement ; you that have fat hearts , and strong ; your hearts are strong , and your consciences are strong , and all our Sermons are not able to make you shake ; those that are fat and strong , saith the Lord , I will feed them with judgements , none of the mercies and comforts of the Gospel belong to such .

And assure your selves , if you care not for Christ , Christ cares as little for you ; as the Prophet speaks , Esay 49. 5. Though Israel be 〈◊〉 gathered , I shall have glory in his eyes ; so though you be not called and brought home , though you be not saved , I shall have glory , saith Christ , I shall be known to all eternity to be a Saviour , to be a Prince , to be the glory of the world ; I shall be glorious in heaven and in earth , and in hell to all the world , to all eternity ; Though Israel be not gathered ; if you be obstinate and will have your sinnes , take them and perish with them , I shall never ●e your absence in heaven , therefore Christ is at a point ; if you will have him , here he is ; if you will not , assure your selves you shall die in your sinnes ; except you beleeve in him you shall die in your sins .

COL. 1. 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and setled , and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel , which ye have heard , and which was preached to every creature under heaven , whereof I Paul am made a Minister .

WE have spoken of a Christians call , by the general indifferent propounding of the Gospel to every creature without exception ; now the effectualnesse of this call lieth here , that the Lord doth put in a little hope into the soul ; though the man be one of Gods chosen , he doth not presently give him faith , but doth open a little door of hope to the soul . First , the Lord brings his Law to a man , and layeth him dead in Law , utterly undone , past all hope of recovery in himself ; he is a lost creature , a miserable wretched creature , having no hold to stay upon , but a fearful looking for of vengeance ; he seeth nothing but wrath ; now when God hath a minde to call a man home at the hearing of the Gospel of peace , the Lord lets in a little hope into the soul , whereby he doth draw the soul to seek out unto him , and makes it look out with hope of salvation ; the soul seeth now that there is mercy in Christ , and grace in Christ , and eternal life in Christ ; and he seeth this is generally and freely tendred to all that will have it ; and out of these two branches of general faith spirings this hope : now thinks the soul , I may have it as well as another , the dole is free , the mercy is free , and why may not I be saved ? why may not I finde mercy and forgiveness , and be ingraffed into the Lord Jesus Christ ? before this the soul was groaping for hope , if it could have told where to have had it ▪ as Acts 2. 37. they were there groaping where to have it , Men and brethren , say they , what shall we do ? they do not say there is nothing to be done , there is no hope , but what shall we do ? as who should say , there is something to be done , some course to be taken , you that are Ministers of God , is there no way whereby we may be pardoned ? whereby we may be saved ? whereby we may have a new heart , and the favour of God , and be delivered from the wrath to come ? but when the Gospel comes they see now a possibility , and this breeds this hope , so that this is the next point .

That when God doth effectually call a soul by his Gospel , at the hearing Doct. The general tender of mercy workes some hope in the soul . of this gracious tender of eternal life and grace in Jesus Christ , the Lord doth let in a possibility of mercy , and every grace into the soule , and this doth help the soul with hope , and this doth make the soul to trace God in all his wayes , and he hath some encouragement that God will be found of him , and that he may attaine salvation ; this the first thing ; the Lord p●ts in hope attaining of it ; the Lord deales with his people in this kinde , as he dealt with his people in delivering them out of Babylon , Zech. 9. 12. they were prisoners in Babylon ; now when God would deliver them out of Babylon , he did first put in hope into their souls , he made them prisoners of hope ; there was first a pouring of hope into their souls , and then he opened the prison doors : So the Lord makes his people prisoners of hope , that though they be in the captivity of sinne and Satan , yet they are prisoners of hope ; and the Lord gives some hope , that the prison doores shall be opened ▪ and this we have here in the text ; for though the Apostle means here by hope , the things hoped for ; yet we call it hope , because as soone as ever they dawn in the soul , they breed hope , if they be the servants of God ; so that this Gospel breeds hope in a mans bosom . Now here be five things I would shew unto you ; First , what this hope is . Secondly , how i● agreeth with that hope that follows justifying faith . Thirdly , how it disagrees with it . Fourthly , the Reasons of the point . And fifthly , the Uses .

For the first , what this hope is , and it is an hope that ariseth out of the 1. What is this hope ? faith of possibility , when the Lord lets in a possibility of faith , and makes the soul believe that his sinnes may be forgiven , and he may attaine everlasting life ; and he may come to be a Saint , and one of Gods dear and faithful children ; he lets in such a possibility into the heart , and this hope slows out of this faith of possibility ; and this faith of possibility is another-gesse thing then people take it for ; every drunkard will say he beleeves that it is possible to be saved , and to finde mercy with God ; but you will finde it is a greater matter then so ; it is spoken as a great commendation of Abraham , that he did beleeve that God was able to raise up his sonne Isaac , Heb. 11. 19. so our Saviour Christ speaking to the blinde man , asks him this question , do you believe that I am able to do this for you ? Mat. 9. 23. it was a great matter for him to believe that he was able to do this for him . Sarah , though an excellent woman for faith otherwise , yet she stuck mightily here , and thought it was impossible for her to have a childe ; nay , Moses as faithful a man as he was , he could not believe that all the people could be fed in the wildernesse ; it is a greater matter then you think for , for every sinful wretch thinks it is an easie matter to believe that Christ died for sinners , and that they may be saved ; it is an easie matter for the faith of presumption , but if a mans eyes be opened , and his conscience awakened , and he comes to have a sight of his sins ; now Cain will say , his sinnes are greater then can be forgiven ; and J●das is not able to flie unto Christ to believe a possibility of pardon ▪ but goes and hangs himself , and despairs totally of the businesse ; this faith of possibility , it comes within the compasse of a definition of faith , it is the evidence of thi●gs not seen , it is far above our nature , and flesh & blood cannot reveal it ; that there is salvation in Christ , and that there is such a thing as a pardon to be had at Gods hands , let a man have his understanding enlightned to see what a wretch he is , and how fearfully he hath provoked Gods wrath against him ▪ and ●t is not in his power to beleeve that there is a possibility for him to finde mercy , or any hope of pardon , it cannot be attained to without the work of God ; a weak shelfe is able to hold , when a man lays but a book upon it , but if a man lay a great weight upon a weak shelf , it will break under it ; so it is with the faith of men , when there is no weight laid upon it , the burthen of the Lord is not laid upon them , then they may think it is an easie matter to have salvation and their sinnes pardoned ; but if this weight should be laid upon them , their faith would burst , unlesse the Lord should be pleased to put in a better faith then this ; it is not in a mans power to look beyond the power of justice , for a man to beleeve that there is mercy in God contrary to the sentence of his own Law , and contrary to the sense and feeling of a mans own soul ; and therefore when the Lord is pleased effectually to call a man , though he lay a bleeding bleeding before in the sight and sense of his misery , he opens a door of hope to the soul , he lets in a light of possibility , that he may yet come to be quickened , and be a new creature , and obtaine mercy at the hands of the Lord ; as the Lord dealt with his people , Hos. 2. 14. there saith the text , I will give them the valley of Achor for the door of hope ; so when the Lord doth cast a man into the valley of Achor , of stoning and astonishment , then he opens a door of hope that he may look in , and see at a crevis some hope for him to speed ; though yet I have an hard heart , yet such a thing may be , if I come to Christ ; I see God may afford mercy to whom he will , and hath propounded it to every man that will have it , therefore I may have mercy ; the Lord begins to stir and move the heart , and now the soul begins to have a door of hope ; you see then what this hope is , it is such a thing as flowes from the faith of possibility , I do not say that it is a justifying faith , but it is the forerunner of it , to make way for it .

The second thing is , how this hope agrees with that which proceeds 2. How it agrees with that which followes justifying faith . 1. Both are of God . from a justifying faith ? I answer , it agrees in five things .

First , both are of God , all the hope a creature hath , if it be a true hope , it is of God , therefore the Apostle saith , the God of all hope , &c. Rom. 15. 13. God is the God of all hope ; I do not say that all hope absolutely is of God , for the vaine hope of wicked men is of the Devil , and is not of God , but I speak of a true hope and courage that the soul gets to seek God in his wayes , and fear him .

Secondly , they are both wrought by the Gospel , Rom. 15. 4. All things 2. Both are wrought by the Gospel . were written for our learning ( saith the Apostle ) that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope ; Thus it is with a believer though he hath nothing in present possession , though he be persecuted , and afflicted , and forsaken in the world , though he hath never so many miseries here below ; yet when he looks into the Scriptures , and sees what promises God hath made , he comes to have some hope ; it is thus with a man that is not yet a believer , but is in the way to be a believer , the Lord works with him this way , though he see himself a miserable and wretched sinner , and undone man , cast off , and there is no hope in himself ; yet when he looks into the Scriptures , and sees what a gracious tender of mercy there is to any man that will have mercy , it is not the wretchednesse of a mans heart that casts him off , but the not coming to Christ , and receiving of him that damnes him ; for the fountaine of mercy is open for every one that will receive Christ ; thus the Scripture gives hope .

Thirdly , both set a man on work ; as suppose a man hath an hope that proceeds 3. Both set a man on work . from justifying faith , as he believes in Christ , so this sets him a work , 1 John 3. 3. He that hath this hope purifies himself as Christ is pure ; it makes him labour to be humble and meek , and to be made partaker of the Spirit of Grace ; it makes him labour after the things that are above , and to be sitted and disposed to every good work , and to purge himself , and cleanse his conscience more and more ; and so a man that hath not this justifying faith , but hath only this branch of effectual calling begun in him ; he that hath this hope I now speak of , it sets him a work to seek after Christ , and to labour hard for the enjoying of him , and to seek him in all his Ordinances in his manner , though he cannot pray and performe duties as others do , yet he will do it in that manner he is able .

Fourthly , both are the anchor of the soul ; as it is with a believer , though he 4. Both are the anchor of the soul . Heb. 6. 19. be a godly believer , and hath interest in Christ ; yet what with temptations from hell , and his own heart , he will be tossed to and fro were it not for this hope which is as an anchor to the soul ; so it is with a man that is not come thus far , but is only under the same first branch , though his tossings be fierce , and his temptations be violent and his case be doubtful and full of hazard ; yet notwithstanding when this hope comes into the soul , it doth marvelously stay the heart though it see nothing but hell , and damnation , and misery , and his conscience is not purged , and his life renewed , and his soul sanctified and wrought upon in Jesus Christ ; though he sees there is no way but hell and damnation , yet when this hope comes into the soul , though he can see neither star-light , nor Moon-light , nor nothing , it doth stay him much , and prop him up much , and doth encourage him to go on without dismay .

Neither of these two hopes shall make a man ashamed , if a man hath 5. Neither of them shall make a man ashamed . this true hope , he shall never be ashamed , Rom. 5. 4. Hope maketh not ashamed ; so it is with a man that is truly wrought upon , the Lord never deceives him ; there is a working of grace for grace , before grace it self comes into the soul , which carries a man beyond a reprobate , and this hope the soul hath , will never let him be in this case , that he shall need to be ashamed .

The third thing is this , how this hope differs from that hope which proceeds 3. How this hope differs from that which followes justification . 1 This ariseth out of the seeds of grace , the other out of grace it self . from justifying faith , and they differ in two things .

The first is , that this hope I now speak of , it ariseth out of the seeds of grace , the other out of grace it self ; there are the seeds of grace which are something of grace in the soul , before grace it self comes ; and though we have not any place of Scripture to shew this , yet there are abundance of places that aime at , and include this . As it may be referred to the woeings of Christ , Hos. 2. 14. when the excellency and necessity of Christ woes the soul and the possibility of having Christ , these things allure a man ; here is this work , when the soul begins to be a neuter , before the soul believes , yet there is a kinde of bending of faith , as the man in the Gospel , when Christ asked him , if he believed in the Son of God ; he saith , Lord what is he that I may believe ? as who should say , I am ready to believe if I could , I am ready to resigne my self to believe , do but shew me how I may believe ?

Secondly , this may be referred to the forming of Christ in the heart , Gal. 4. 19. before the babe is organized , there is seed , so there is a seed of God in the soul , and he that hath this seed cannot sin , because he is borne of God ; as there is a seed of generation , so of regeneration ; as the prodigal before he came home to his Father , he saith with himself , I will go home to my Father , and say , Father I have sinned against Heaven , and before thee , &c. Luke 15. 16. What made him do this ? they are nothing else but the effects of the seeds of grace ; So the Jaylor , Acts 16. 13. that cried out , Sirs , what shall I do to be saved ? what were these but the expressions of the seeds of grace that were in him ? the next newes we heare , he did believe ; now the Lord sowes seeds of grace in the soul , and these break forth into hope , and desires , and wa●●ings for grace , these are the seeds of grace , and from thence comes this hope , but the other hope comes from grace it self , it is true , that these seeds of grace are grace in themselves , they are the work of grace for grace , but they are not grace fully and compleatly wrought in the soul .

They come from several apprehensions , the hope we now speak of apprehends 2. They come from several apprehensions . nothing but a possibility of pardon , that he may be pardoned , and have power over his sins , he may attaine to be a new creature , and to be one of the redeemed of the Lord ; and this is that which sends him after God , and makes him trace him up and down , till the Lord doth it for him , but the other apprehends that he hath it already , or else rests upon God for it , and hopes undoubtedly for the accomplishment of it ; this hope I now speak of was in the King of Niniveh , Who knows but the Lord may repent , and turne from his fierce anger that we perish not ? I cannot tell , but there is hope it may be , and who knows but God will do it ? And this hope made him humble himself , and seek to God , and there was a publike kinde of reformation outwardly . So it is here , the Lord lets in some hope ; who knows but the Lord will yet shew mercy ? and it is not only an imaginary hope , such a hope as vanisheth and leaves a man in the lurch , but this hope doth stir up a mans soul , and provoke a man to look out to God for that mercy , whereof he sees a possibility of attaining .

I come now to the reasons of the point , why the Lord doth work this hope Reas. 1. To prevent despaire . in the soul , and the first is this ; Lest a man should lie all along in despaire , when the Lord shews a man his sins and his misery in regard thereof , if the Lord should not put in this hope , a man would altogether despaire ; it is impossible a man should be able to stand , as Solomon saith , A wounded spirit who can beare ? So , when the Lord chargeth a mans sins and iniquities upon his conscience , and aggravates all his sinfulnesse , a man would sink under this burthen , and never be able to hold up his head , were it not for this hope , as we use to say ; were it not for hope , the heart would break ; so this is the reason why God puts in this hope , he doth it to stay the soul , that it may not sink under the hand of God . I will revive the heart of the contrite ones , I will not contend with them for ever , Isa. 57. 16 , 17. Lest their spirits faile before me ; as who should say , if I should let my wrath into their souls , and should not put in this hope and reviving into their hearts , their very spirits would faile before me , and sink under me , they would be at their wits end , and be utterly overwhelmed ; therefore God puts in this that he may help their soules ; if God should shew a man his sins as they are in his ire , and shew him all the corruption of his nature , and his filthinesse from the womb , till now , and reckon with him for this in his soul , and conscience , and let him see what a cursed creature he is , his spirit would faile before Almighty God , and the stoutest creature under Heaven were not able to stand under it , but would rather take an ha●tar and hang himself then undergo it ; now , when the Lord deales with a man , he puts in this supporting hope to stay him up , otherwise the soul were not able to hold .

Secondly , if the Lord should not put in this hope it would utterly disable a 2. That a man may not be disabled from looking after heaven . man from looking after Heaven ; when a man conceives no hope , this breaks the neck of all his endeavours , a man will not toile for nothing , and lay out his strength and all that is in him , when he conceives he hath no hope at all ; He that plowes , plowes in hope , &c. 1 Cor. 9. 10. therefore when a man can hardly see any hope , this doth ever vale a man , it makes a man rather despaire ; it makes a man do as commonly people do when they see they must go to hell , they fill their souls with pleasures and delights , there is little hope for them to come into the strict way , that they will ever be able to beare it , that they may have mercy like those wretches , Jer. 2. 25. There is no hope , &c. there is no hope , ●●ve have loved our ow● lusts , and after them we will go ; When people have not hope to get through , this makes them desperate , they care not what they do , and they grow carelesse and negligent , many a man hath said so , I was of the minde once to be precise , but the further I pried into it , the worse I was ; and these Preachers will make a man mad ; when people finde humiliation so hard a thing , they think they are not able to wade through and so leave it , when they have no hope to go on , they grow remiss , and loose , and carelesse in this kinde , it makes a man desperate when this hope is gone ; therefore when the Lord hath a minde to do good to a man and encourage him to go on in the wayes of holinesse , he puts some hope into the soul ; and when a man sees some hope , then he will pray and fast , and humble himself , the Lord lets in this hope , and so prepares a man for himself .

Thirdly , because he will not do all at once , but work upon a man by degrees , 3. Because God will not do all at once . the Lord could put faith into the soul at first , but the Lord will first make a man a probationer of faith , the Lord will first have the seed sowen , and then quicken in the ground , and then have a blade , and then an eare , and then harvest .

Again , the Lord will so do it , that he may be sought to for every mercy ; 4. That he may be sought to for every mercy . and therefore first the Lord gives a man natural parts , that he may come to Church and hear the Word , and then the Lord knocks him down that he may be abased ; and then he shatters him all to pieces , that he may look out for hope ; and then when he hath gotten hope , the Lord makes him seek out for faith ; and when he hath gotten faith , to seek out for other graces ; and when he hath them , to seek for the accomplishment of them ; the Lord will be sought to for every thing , and it is fit we should seek to him ; though the parent doth not engender the reasonable soul in the babe , but God doth create it immediately , yet none of us do count marriage superstuous ; so though God doth give this grace of faith only , yet we are not to account the using of means in vain , the Lord doth not power in humane wit into stocks and stones , but into a body sitted and ordered for a reasonable soul ; so it is in respect of faith and grace , the creature shall be first ordered and sitted for grace ; there must be preparation and a foregoing work ; it is his manner of working , he will so work as he will still be sought unto of all his people , though they have not faith , if they have hope , they shall seek to him for faith ; as it is with a Scholar , if he will be a Scholar or Fellow of a Colledge , he must sit for it ; so the Lord will have a man sit for it , he will have a man sit at the pool of grace , and seek to him for it before he shall have it .

This shews us the graciousness of our good God , that when he takes us to Use 1. To shew the graciousnes of God . do for our sins , He remembers us when we are in our low estate , for his mercy endures for ever , Psal. 136. 53. when we are at the brink of hell , at the very bottome of destruction , and in the belly of damnation , when we know not which way to turne our selves ; then he remembers us , for his mercy endures for ever ; thus the Lord deals with his people for their good , as he opens the casement , that his justice may look out upon us , so he sets his mercy in the window that we may see it through the glasse , that we may not be overwhelmed , this is the goodness of God , and were it not for this , no man should be able to abide his look , nor bear his displeasure when he breakes out upon a man , this is the infinite goodness of our gracious God , to deal thus favourably with his people ; therefore you that have gotten this hope , know , that the Lord night have held you down to this day , and he had justly served you if he had done so ; therefore whosoever of you are in the briars do not repine and grumble , because you are not refreshed as others are ; if you have but the least cranny of hope to hang upon , make much of it , it is more then God owes you ; how easily might the Lord teare the soul all in pieces , when he comes to deal with a man , when he shews a man his sins and abominations ? he might make them as heavy as rocks and mountaines unto him , and break him all to powder , it were just if he did so ; now when the Lord puts in this hope , what a wonderful mercy is this ? When God told Hezekiah , Behold thou shalt die , he presently bade him take a lump of Figgs and healed the disease ; so what a mercy is this , that God saith , Th●● shalt die , thou art a damned creature , and bids him presently take a plaiste● , and so recovers him .

For comfort to all those that are the Lords , though it be a poor faith , a poor Use 2. Comfort for believers . hope that flowes from possibility only , yet I tell you that even believers may have need sometimes to have resort unto it , for how often hath the Devil been let loose upon poor souls , even those that are of God ? as sometimes he doth tempt them to presumption , that so they may neglect their watch over themselves ; so it is his practice to drive us from one extreame to another and hurry us to despair , and urge upon us that we have no faith , we have no grace , and are as sure to be damned as if we were in hell already , David ( Psal. 31. 22. ) seems to be out of all hope to be saved , as if he were utterly undone , the servants of light many of them have found this too too true ; how fearfully they have been perplexed and galled in minde , seeking release , but could finde none , and pronouncing against themselves bitter things , as if they had nothing of God in them , the devil dazling their eyes that they cannot see , and putting out of their minds all the sweet passages of the Gospel , and preaching nothing but the terrible passages of the Law , he that doubts is damned , and he that wavers is like a wave of the sea , and he urgeth them with every vain thought , with every omission , with every failing , and every sin they have committed ; it is strange to see how some of Gods own people have reasoned against themselves , as if all the devils logick were in them , and all mercy were gone ; thus the devil sometimes deals with Gods people , that they cannot tell where to hold ; they can see nothing to give any comfort or stay , they are ready to let go all , and give over all hope ; now what an excellent thing is this , if a man have this hope , that he may be never driven from God , that there is eternal life and forgivenesse in him , and all these things are attainable ; I tell you , it is a great help to a man when he can say with the Church , Joel 2. 13. Who can tell whether th● Lord will turn , and leave a blessing behind him ? a man that hath but this hope in him , it will never let him go off from God , and be quite overcome by Satan ; so that though it be but a poor thing , yet it is worth a Kings ransome in time of trouble .

To shew unto us how God doth work this hope , and he works it , first , Use 3. Informe how God wo 〈…〉 this hope . 1. By rooting out all vain hopes . by rooting out of the heart all vaine hopes , and bringing in a better hope , as the Apostle speaks , Heb. 7. 19. The Law made nothing perfect ; when God brought in Christ , he brought in a better hope ; when God brings Christ to the soul , he brings a better hope into the soul ; the soul before had a vaine hope , he prayed and came to Church , and was civil and well brought up , and had many good gifts , and many terrours and affrightments , all these are nothing but legal works ; a man can never have hope in this ; but when God brings in a better hope , he throws out all the other , he shoots his Law like a great Ordnance into the soul , and strikes him dead , and makes him see there is no hope , all his vaine hopes are nothing , and still the soul will be gathering false hopes , and returning to them , but the Lord throws them out still , and puts in a better hope .

By setting a look upon the Gospel , as the Gospel tenders this to every creature , 2. By setting a look upon the Gospel . to one as well as to another , so the Lord puts a particular look upon the Gospel , as Peter said to the lame man , look upon me , and this made him expect to receive an alms from him , Acts 3. 4 , 5. So the Lord makes a man look upon the Gospel to minde the Gospel , and regard and take notice of it , what it saith , for people let these things slip , but when God works this hope in the soul , he makes a man to mind the Gospel , and makes as if it looked at him , and so he comes to have sound hope in the Gospel , as a beggar when a Gentleman puts his hand into his purse , though he sees nothing , yet he thinks he will give him something ; so the Lord puts his hand into his purse , as it were , he lays his hand upon mercy , and lets the soul see him tendring of mercy , and this makes him hope he shall have mercy , he casts a look upon him , and so affects and draws the soul , and he finds the Lord moving the soul , and inclining the heart , and weaning the soul from the world , and quickning him to seek after the things that are above .

By removing of all impossibilities that lie upon the soul , you know there 3. By removing all impossibilities . is abundance of impossibilities that appear , as for a man to live in his sinnes , a man then hath no heart to Christ , no heart to heavenly things , no mind to pray and to strict courses ; it is impossible for a man in this case ever to attaine these things , when he hath no heart to them ; now the Lord takes away that impossibility , and makes the soul see it is possible to attain these things ; therefore there is a kinde of seed of regeneration going along with this , 1 Pet. 1. 3. as there is a seed before regeneration it self , before that hope that proceeds from justifying faith , so these seeds of regeneration are before this hope I now speak of ; the soul hath something wherby it seeth a possibility , and the Lord shews him a way of recovery , and sets up a standard to guide him in the way , and takes away all impediments that hinder him in the way ; and now the soul seeth it is possible to attain unto these things .

If we have any such hope as this , let us not labour to diminish it ; but Use 4. Labour not to diminish this hope . let it grow in us , it is an excellent mercy of God to begin this hope ; if we have the least crevis or cranny of it , let us make much of it , let us tender it , cherish it , for it will help us to pray and seek God , and let go our corruptions ; it will enable us to do many things , when a man hath gotten this hope once ; therefore , if we have it , let us put it on , as the Apostle saith , if you mean to go to heaven , you shall be sure to meet with blows , therefore you should have your helmet on ; the devil will say , have you any hope to go to heaven , having such a vile cursed heart ? you were better give all over , for your betters have missed it ; now we had need of this hope to be nourished and cherished in us ; nay , though a man hath never so much faith , he should cherish this more and more .

But how shall a man cherish it ? Quest. How may this hope be cherished . Ans. 1. Look to the power of God .

I answer ; first , look to the power of God ; do not say , how shall I be able to do this and that ? how shall I get my lusts to be mortified , and how shall I get my heart to submit to God ? but look unto the power of God , and do not limit the holy one of Israel ; the Lord may pardon thy sins and renue thy heart , therefore look unto the power of God . When Christ told his Disciples , Mat. 16. 24. that it is easier for a Camel to go thorough the eye of a needle , then for 〈…〉 ich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven ; they were all astonished , O say they , who then can be saved ? Oh saith Christ , look unto God ; 't is true , with m●n it is impossibl● ▪ for the heart and affections of a man are so glued to the things of this world ; a●●●e hath so much pleasure and delight in the things of this life , that his heart cannot look after mercy with zeal and fervency ; it is as impossible as for a cable to go through a needles eye , but saith he , look to the power of God , he is able to work it ; a rich man may be saved for all this , if a rich man be touched with the sence and feeling of his sinnes , and have a heart to come to God , though he meet with never so many difficulties in his way , let him look unto the power of God , to whom nothing is hard .

Secondly , look to the freenesse of Gods promises , the indifferency and universality 2. Look to the freeness , indifferency and universality of the promises . of the tender of them , whosoever thirsteth , let him buy wine and milk without money , Esay 55. 1. when a doale is tendred to all at the doore ; Why may not every beggar hope to receive it ? so if mercy be free for every one that comes to Gods door for it ; why mayst not thou look up with hope ? if thou hast an heart , to it thou mayest ; if thou hast not an heart , thou art none of Gods ; but if thou hast an heart , look up to God , and be not dismayed , but see the infinitenesse of Gods mercy , that as the heavens are 〈…〉 her then the earth , so his mercies are far above our thoughts and apprehensions , and where sinne abounds , grace abounds much more ; there are many poor souls that would come to Christ , but thorough their daily distempers and untowardnesse , and the temptations of Satan , they are repelled ; they would come to God , but know not how ; they have hardly any hope , these things are spoken for such poor creatures .

Thirdly , send often unto God , call upon his Name , as it is said of F●li● , 3. Send often unto God by prayer . when he hoped to receive money of Paul , he sent often for him to commune with him , Acts 24. 26. So send often to God , and be often communing with God , and calling upon his name ; above all duties under heaven , there is no Ordinance helps a man more with communion with God then frequent prayer doth , or that the heart is more against then that ; not pray out of formality , or in a perfunctory manner , but to pray indeed ; of all duties I commend unto thee that , go to God and pray often , if thou wouldest hope to receive mercy at his hands .

JOHN 6. 45. Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father , cometh unto me .

WE come now to the second degree of effectual calling , and that is a personal call of this or that man by a particular word , when the Lord doth particularize his promises , and tenders them to this or that man ; come unto me and here is free grace and mercy for thee ; come and believe , and rest upon me for it : when the Lord doth speak a particular word to the soul , as you may see ; Esay 43. 1. I have called thee by name , thou art mine ; when God effectually calls a man , he calls him by name , he calls him with a particular word ; come unto me , here is pardon ; rely upon me and thou shalt have it , here is peace of conscience ; rely upon me and thou shalt attain to it ; thou art an undone creature in thy self , here is mercy for thee , not only when there is a general word propounded to the soul , but when the Lord joynes with the word , and follows it to the soul and conscience ; come to me man , when God calls a man by name ; so it is said of Matthew , Christ saw him sitting at the receipt of custom , and said unto him , follow me , he called him in particular , and directed a particular word to his heart , and bid him follow him and depend upon him for all good : so it was with Zach●us , when Christ looked up and saw him in the fig-tree , he said Come down Zach●us ; he directed a particular word to him ; this is the thing ; now I do not meane the outward word onely in the Scripture , either preached or read ; But secondly , when it is inwardly spoken by God himself to the soule ▪ and set on , when God bids a man believe and come unto him , this is the thing , and this we have heard in the Text , Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father , cometh unto me ; for the coherence of these words , you must know , that in the former verses our Saviour Christ had told them , that he was the bread that came down from heaven , inviting them to come unto him , ver. 41 , 42. and you may see what effect this wrought in their hearts , how they murmured at him , they were so far from yeilding to his call , that they sell a murmuring at him ; And secondly , see how they alledge reasons for their murmuring , v. 42. Is ●● this Jesus the Sonne of J●s●p● , &c. as who should say , if he came from the earth , how did he come from heaven ? therefore you may see what answer Christ makes , v. 43. First , he reproves them , and said , murmur not among your selves ; as who should say , this is no murmuring matter , it is a mourning and lamenting matter ; you should bewaile your condition , and turne your murmuring into mourning ; Again he bids them not wonder at it , v. 44. For no man cometh unto me ▪ except the Father draw●th him , as who should say , it is no news to me that you stumble at my words , and will not hear what I say , for non● can c●me to me exc●pt my Father draw him ; you care not for me , but murmur against me , and your hearts are sto●t against the Lord ; you cannot attain unto it , for 〈…〉 . Thirdly , he shews that some would come to him for all this , though some would not , yet some would , even all his Elect , therefore he quotes this saying out of the Prophets , Every one that hath heard and learned of the Father , cometh unto me ; the word shall not only come to the outward eare , but they shall be taught of God , and then they will come home to me ; and then concludes with the words of the Text , Every man that hath heard , &c. as who should say , though you will not , yet I am sure , every man that hath heard my Father speak to his heart , that hath heard him preaching from heaven in his bosome , that man will come to me , so that God can call those things which are not , as if they were ; though a man be never so rebellious and averse from Christ , yet when he speaks a particular word to the soul , it comes .

But you will say , what is this particular word which the Lord speaks to the Quest. What is that particular word which God speaks . Ans. It is contained in general . soul ? is there any such particular word to be found in all the Scripture , Th●mas or Richard , do you come to me ?

I answer , there is a general word in the Scripture , and this particular word is in the general , so that though there be not a particular word expressively , yet there is equivalently ; and this I will make appear in three or four particulars .

First , what particular place of Scripture saith , that Thomas , or James , or such a one is a childe of wrath by nature , is here any Scripture saith so of him ? I answer , yes , this particular is in the general , we are all the children of wrath by nature , Eph. 2. 3. and cursed is every one that continues not i● all the things written in the Law to do them , Gal. 3. 10. now though a mans name be not named , William such a one is accursed by nature , yet notwithstanding he findes his particular in the general , that he is a cursed creature .

Again , what place of Scripture saith that Robert or John must love God , and is bound to love God , is there any such place of Scripture ? no , why will you say then , that you are bound to love God and obey him , if there be no such place of Scripture ? yes , for this particular is in the general , Thou shalt love the Lard thy God , &c. That Commandment is delivered to all men in the whole world : So , Thou shalt do no murther , thou shalt not commit adultery , &c. this Commandment lies upon the whole world ; therefore if thou beest a man , though thou canst not finde thy name set down , that the Lord speaks to thee ▪ yet thy particular is in those generals ; so though it cannot be shewn in all the Scripture that such a particular man shall rise againe , yet when the Scripture saith , that all men shall rise againe , as John 5. 28. Marvel not , for the houre shall come that all flesh that is in the gr●v● shall come forth ; if all that are dead shall rise again , then every man shall rise again , though his name be not named in Scripture ; so it is hear , we read in Scripture that Christ saith , John 7. 37. If any man thirst , let him come unto me and drink , now the Lord includes a particular in it , and brings it to the soul , thou thirstest , thou wouldest faine have Christ , here are the promises , here is all mercy in my Sonne , believe in him , come and receive him , take him , and thou shalt have them ; so if Christ saith , whosoever believes shall be saved , then Saint Paul might safely conclude a particular word to the Jaylor , bel●eve in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved , Acts 16. 31. so that you see here is a particular word , though not particular directly , yet equivalent to a particular , namely a particular in the general , and the Spirit of God doth speak this to the soul , and makes the soul hear it , Every man therefore that hath heard it , &c.

When God calls the soul home , he makes the soul hear his voice , here a Doct. When God calls the soul he makes it hear a particular voice . particular voice and word to him ; believe in the Lord , come unto me for salvation relie upon me for eternal life ; the sinnes that trouble thy soule , cast thy self upon me for the forgiving of them , the diseases , miseries , distempers thou art subject unto , lay hold upon me , and rest upon me for the delivering thee from them ; the Lord when he calls a man effectually , he speaks it , not onely the Minister and the Word speaks it , but the Lord speaks it ; and so the soul hearing of the Father comes to Christ ; thus you may see the Lord holds the free promises of the Gospel before the soul , and bids a man relie upon them ; as Peter dealt with his contrite hearers , the Spirit of the Lord going along with his word , Acts 2. 39. believe , saith he , for the promise belongs to you and to your children , &c. as who should say , when God calls a man effectually , he holds forth his promises , and propounds them to the soul , beleeve this promise , and rest upon me for it ; thus the Lord doth call a man home , he sends his promise before him , he sets up hope before him , he sends the gracious invitation of the Gospel before him , and bids him relie upon it ; thus God dealt with his Elect C●rinths , 1 Cor. 1. 9. God is faithful ( saith the Apostle ) by whom ye are called to the followship of his Sonne Jesus Christ , as who should say , when God called you , he spake to every one of you in particular ; come and be fellow heirs with my Son ; come and have every good thing with my Sonne ; come and be a sonne with him ; come and be an heir of grace with him , and have title to eternal life and salvation , God calls you , saith he , to beleeve that he is faithful : So I might instance in many more , though there be never so many in the Congregation , yet the Lord doth not speak to them all ; they do not all hear his voice ; they all hear the Minister , but that makes them not to come , that doth not the deed , but when the Lord calls a man , he comes , he joyns with the Word , and speaks to this or that man , and takes him alone , and whispers him in the ear , and tells him where mercy is , and bids him rely upon him , and though sense and seeling be against him , though all fears and objections be against him , he bids him believe and be of good cheere , he shall have all these mercies it he will believe in him , as he saith Esay 51. 20. Look unto Abraham your father ; for I called him alone and blessed him ; mark it , the Lord took him alone , and spake to his heart , between him and himself ; so when the Lord speaks to a soul , and calls him by his grace , he calls him alone , and takes him alone , though all the Congregation hears the same Sermon , yet he takes him alone , and speaks to his heart , and bids him beleeve in him , for I will never faile thee , it is a sure foundation , he may build upon it for ever and ever .

Because no man could come unto Christ else , for we see daily , though Reas. 1. El●e no man could come to Christ . Ministers call all the Congregation and assembly , yet people do not stir , they are dead in their sins , they cannot hear the Minister , no , it must be a louder voice , and one that is more powerful and effectual , unlesse the Lord come and bid a man beleeve , he can never do it , therefore , John 5. 26. See what Christ saith , Verily I say unto you , that the hour shall come , when the dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God ; here comes an Almighty voice , that speaks to the raising of a man out of the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse and faith , and he shews that there is a voice of Christ that speaks to the soul , that though the soul be dead , yet it shall heare and live ; so Ephesians 5. 14. and were it not for this call no man could beleeve .

That so they may have a ground for their faith , the soul cannot first beleeve , ● . That we may have a ground for out faith . and then come to the promise ; but the Lord brings the promise first , and then makes the soul to beleeve ; he lets in the promise first , and then causeth the soul to lay hold upon it ; the soul doth not first come , and then look to the promise ; but the soul first looks upon the promise , and then beleeves as you may see , Psal. 119. 49. it is the speech of the Prophet David , Remember thy Word O Lord , wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust , the Lord lets in a word of promise into Davids heart , then caused him to hope in it , and made him look upon it as a thing tendred and propounded to him , and so made him relic upon it ; if it were not for this call of God , who were able to beleeve ? for without this call , the soul when it seeth its dulnesse , and deadnesse , and untowardnesse , and unworthinesse , it would go away , it would say , I cannot look to the promise , I cannot do this and that ; and I have no faith ; and what have I to do with the promise ; therefore the Lord when he effectually calls a man , he lets in the sight of his promises , he holds forth his free and gracious promises ; so that now the soul can say , the Lord calls me by his grace , and though I be never so wretched and my heart be stark naught , though I be as reprobate to every good word and work , as the vilest in the world ; yet here is a free offer , and I will relie upon it , it is tendred unto me ▪ otherwise why should God propound it so freely ? why should he hold it forth so indifferently ? why should he confirm it with the blood of his own Son ? why should there be the Sac 〈…〉 s and so many Seal ; to establish the truth of it ? and why doth he propound it so freely to me ? when he looks upon the promise , the promise makes him believe the freenesse of it , the universality of it , the indifferent●y of it to as many as will have it ; the Lord puts power into the promise to affect the heart , & fire the heart , there is so much truth and goodness in the promise as is able to make the soul beleeve when God speaks it to the heart , it is such a good promise , and such a free promise , and so Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus to all that do but rest upon it ; the Lord holds the promise before a ma●s eyes , and saith here is a promise for thee , beleeve , here is mercy , here is favour , here is pardon , here is peace , here is Christ , here is strength , here is wis 〈…〉 thou art a fool , here is wisdome for thee to direct thee ; thou art weak 〈◊〉 strength for thee to enable thee ; do but rely upon me , and thou s 〈…〉 have it ; the soul doth not first believe the promise , and then take it ; but the Lord first propounds the promise to the soul , and makes the soul look up to God in his promise , I am a vile sinner , but with the Lord there is mercy , and I have a cursed spirit within me ; but with the Lord there is power to subdue it : the truth of the promise and the power of God going with it , makes the soul beleeve it , and this is the reason when God would renew the saith of his people , he gives them as it were a new call , and holds the promise afresh before them , as Gen. 17. 1. I am God alsufficient , walk b 〈…〉 me and be upright , as who should say , Abraham , go not away from me , 〈◊〉 not any where else ; thou mayest have any thing in me , I am God Alm●g●ty beleeve in me , keep by me , go not from me , but walk before me all the dayes of thy life , and I will be a God unto thee , and in blessing I will blesse thee , therefore Rom. 9. 8. the people of God are called the children 〈…〉 I se , because the promise breeds them , and converts them , and is the ground of all unto them , they are the very children of the promise ; now here be three things I would shew unto you . First , why this act is attributed to the ●●the● , the Father speaks to the soul , the soul hears it and so comes . Secondly , what speech this is , which the soul hears and so comes to God by faith . Thirdly , how a man may know whither he hath heard this voice or no.

First , why this act is attributed to the Father , Every man that hath heard and Quest. 1. Why is this act attributed to the Father ? 1. Not as though Christ did not speak learned of the Father , &c. the Father speaks , and the soul hears from the Father .

I answer ; First , not as though Christ did not speak , but he came to send them to to the Father , go to him and hear him , that is not the meaning of it , no , Christ cuts off all such thoughts in the next verse , Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father , &c. not that any man hath seen the Father , &c. as who should say , I do not mean that you should runne to the Father , as though I were not able to teach you , no man can go to the Father ; he dwells in light that is unaproachable , no man can come to the Father but by me . Mat. 11. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father , &c. you see here , that is not the meaning of it , Christ is a sufficient Doctor , he is the great Prophet of his Church , and is able to instruct his people , therefore that is not the meaning of it .

Secondly , not as though we should set up a conceited distinction of works 2. Notes ●hough we should set up a conceited distinction of wo●ks in the Trinity . in the Trinity , as though a man should say , now a man is under the work of the Father , and then under the work of the Sonne , and then under the work of the holy Ghost ( as some imagine , ) sometimes the soul is under the work of the Father , as when the soul doth not beleeve the Father draws it and pulls it ; and when it beleeves , then it is under the work of the Sonne , and he works upon the conscience , and justifies , it ; and afterwards it is under the work of the holy Ghost , when it is sealed with the Spirit of promise , these things are true , yet this is not the meaning , neither doth our Saviour Christ intend any such construction , neither have we any warrant for any such distinction of works ; for as this act of drawing is here given to the Father , so John 11. it is given to the Sonne ; When I am listed up I will draw all men unto me , and as we say the soul hears the Father , so it heares the Son also , John 5. 25. so that these are but conceits , and as the seal is given to the Spirit , so it is given to the Father and the Son sometimes , therefore to say that the soul is now under the work of the Father , and now under the work of the Sonne , and now under the work of the holy Ghost , these things are not warrantable in Scripture ; but the meaning is this , our Saviour meeting with the stubbornnesse of the Jews that would not believe , but murmured and repined at his doctrine ; he puts in this , no man cometh unto me , except the Father draweth him , he means their utter inability of coming to him by nature , unlesse it be given them from above ; if he had spoken of it againe , may be would have said no man cometh unto me , except the Spirit draweth him ; you must know that all the acts of the blessed Trinity are indevidable ; 't is true , the Father , as he is first in order of subsistance , so he is first in order of operation and working , but look what one works all work , one act flows from them all , as it is said , you are washed in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ , and the Spirit had a hand in the same work , they all do the same work ; for any further meaning of this , I know not any warrant .

The second thing is , what this voice is that the Father doth speak to the 2. What is this voice ? Not distinct from the word pre●ched . soul , and so the soul is made to come to Christ ?

I answer , you must not conceive that here is any voice distinct from the Word , it is but imaginary and notional , when men dream of any other Relations besides the Word ; it is not a proper , but a metaphorical speech , and it consists in two things .

First , in opening a mans senses .

Secondly , in removing a mans lamenesse and inability . Consists , 1. In the opening a a mans senses .

First , in opening a mans senses , in opening a mans understanding , a mans understanding is quite blinded , and cannot see the things of God ; and though a man literally know all the cripture , yet notwithstanding there is a veile upon his eyes , and he doth not see the excellency and glory of it ; now when the Spirit of God comes and anoints a mans eyes , and takes away the scales that they fall off from his eyes , the man now begins with open face to see the glory of God , and the glorious Gospel of God ; the natural man saw the Gospel to be a glorious thing , yet the God of this world blinded his eyes that he could not see it in this glorious manner ; now when the Spirit of the Father comes to call a man effectually , he doth anoint a mans eyes , Esay 35. 5. The eyes of the blinde shall see , he makes a man to see the wonders of Gods Law , to see his gracious promises in Jesus Christ , the freenesse of them , the indifferency of them , that they are propounded to every man that hath an heart to them , and hungers and thirsts after them ; so that the Lord doth as it were say to the soul , here are the promises , here you see them , beleeve in me , this is the speech of the Father , these are the promises , this is the happinesse , if you will embrace it , you may be happy for ever ; now the world , and profits , and pieasures are not such a thing , you may be damned for all them , therefore come unto me and you shall have eternal happinesse ; thus the Spirit of the Father sheweth the soul the glory of the wayes of Jesus Christ , and the glory of the promises , here they are , beleeve , that is the first .

Secondly , he opens the sense of hearing , for as the minde of a man is stark blinde , and cannot see the things of God ; so the heart of a man is stark dead , and cannot hearken to God ; a man hath no ears by nature to hear God speak to him , till the Lord comes and opens his ears , as the Prophet speaks , Esay 35. 5. The ears of the deaf shall hear ; when the Lord comes to open the ears of the deaf , now the soul begins to hear , before it was like the deafe adder , that could not hear the voice of the charmer , charme he never so wisely ; though he heard never so many Sermons , he yet heard none , his hearing was to no purpose , in hearing he heard , but perceived not ; but when the Lord comes and takes away the uncircumcision of the eare , the soul now begins to heare and hearken to him ; now the stone begins to vanish out of the heart , and flesh and feeling comes in the place thereof ; the soul is ready to say as Samuel , Speak Lord , thy servant heareth ; now the soul begins to hear a Sermon , to hear a counsel , to hear a threatning , when the Lord begins to open the ear , this is another thing whereby the soul is able to hear what the Lord saith .

Again , this voice consists in taking away a mans lamnesse , for as a man was 2. In taking away a mans lameness . perverted , and this was taken away by opening the ear , yet now a man is lame , and cannot come to Christ , therefore the Lord takes away his lamenesse , Esay 35. 5. The feet of the lame shall walk ; First , he makes the soul walk , and afterwards run , and at last to flie as an Eagle ; First , it walks , you shall walk in my statutes , and afterwards runnes and flies as an Eagle ; thus you see what this voice is .

Now there be two reasons why it is called a voice . First , because it is a Called a voice , 1. Because it is joyned to the word . thing joyned with the Word , because it is all one together with the Word , as Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing , he doth not mean their onely outward hearing , for faith will not come by outward hearing , but he means the hearing of the outward ear , and this hearing of the Father speaking to the heart , and so faith comes

Secondly , because it hath a similitude of a voice , the soul doth as it were 2 Because it hath a similitude of a voice . hear a voice speaking to it , not as though the acts you heard of even now can distinctly be known , he doth them not vocally , he doth not open the eyes , and open the ear vocally , but as the blind man said , One thing I know , that whereas I was blind , now I see ; but how he came to see , that he could not tell ; so when the Spirit comes and speaks to his heart , a man can tell no more the way of the Spirit then he can tell how the wind blows , or the fashioning of the bones in the womb ; what man can expresse the manner of Gods secret working ? could the Apostles see the breath of Christ breathed upon them , when he said , receive ye the holy Ghost ? no , they could not ; the acts of the Spirit upon the soul cannot be discerned , but as the blind man said , once I was blinde , but now I see , so a man may say , whereas I was deaf , now I can hear the voice of God ; and happy is the man that can say this , but the things cannot be discerned , but at the same time , when the Lord works these acts ; the soul doth as it were hear a speech , mentally and spiritualy in the soul , Esay 30 22. Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee , saying , this is the way , walk in it , so the Lord speaks to the soul , this is the way , and this is the promise , and this is the Gospel of peace , and this is the mercy that I offer unto thee , beleeve it , the Lord makes the soule as it were heare a voice , the Lord speakes , and the soul hears , it is done after such a manner , so effectually , as if the Lord did speak to the heart ; I will allure her into the Wildernesse , the Lord doth as it were entice a man , thus and thus it shall be with thee if thou wilt follow me , it is done after such a manner , therefore it is called a voice .

The third thing is , how we may know whether the soul hath heard this Quest. How may we know whether that 〈◊〉 hath heard this voice . Answ. 1. There is a power goes along with this Word . voice or no ?

I answer ; first , there is a power goeth along with the Word , when this voice of the Father goeth with it ; there is a power put into the promises , not only the Minister speaks them , or the bare letter of the word utters them , but when the Spirit speaks with them , there is a power goeth along with them , as John 6. 44. there is a power to draw the heart ; when the Lord calls a man , when he speaks to a man ▪ he puts a power into the promise , that it draws the heart of a man , the truth , the goodness , the excellency , freenesse , attainableness of it , the Lord puts a power into these things to draw the heart , so that that man is drawn to look after heaven , and come to God from day to day , the excellency and incomparable worth of these things , having the power of God in them , woeth the heart , and enticeth it , and draws it , and hales it to come to God , and weaneth it from the world , and he lets them go more and more , not seeing such worth in them to draw his minde away more and more ; hence the Gospell is call'd the power of God to salvation , Rom. 16. 6. when God calls a man by the Gospel ▪ he puts a power into all the promises , to draw a man home , to pull a man effectually and powerfully unto him , he is enamoured of them , and must have them , and will have them , and casts himself upon God , for the having of them , when any soul obeyeth the call of God , what is the reason that it obeyeth it ? it feels a power in the Word , in the promises of God , when he hears it preached , as 1 Thes. 1. 5. Our Gospel came not unto you in Word onely , but in power ; the Lord calling of these good , Thes. By his grace , there was a power went along with the Word , and made them receive the Word , and that drew their hearts to take it , though by nature they were averse from it , though by nature they were stubborn , and rebellious , and would not submit to the Gospel , yet when the Lord puts this power into the promise to overwoe the soul more then lusts and sinnes , and things of the world could do ; more then the inclinations of the soul could do , it came with a stronger power then all these to the soul , and this made the soul hear this voice .

Secondly , he that hears this voice , hears more then a man , or any creature ; 2. This voice makes one hear more then any creature can speak . say unto him beleeve , saying unto him , come unto Christ , cast thy selfe upon God , here is mercy , here is a promise ; here is peace that thou needest , when he doth not onely hear the Minister say it , all the Congregation hears him speak it , and no man stirs , but when a man hears more then a Minister say so , he feels such a coming of the Word to him , that all the created powers in heaven and earth could never move him in that manner , then he heares the voice of the Spirit of God , for when God calls a man effectually ; he makes the Gospel a glasse for a man to see the glory of God thorow , as you may see , 2 Cor. 3. 18. he means by the glasse there , the Gospel ; the Lord when he calls a man , he makes the Gospel a glasse to him , that he may behold the glory of God , the infinite graciousnesse and lovelinesse of God , the infinite goodness , happinesse , and blessednesse of God , and what an infinite fountaine of all goodnesse he is in his own Son Jesus Christ ; he lets him see , not only the Gospel ; every man seeth the Gospel , but every man hath not this glasse , it is not this glasse to him , to let him see the glory of God ; when God turns a man he comes with this glorious light thorow the Gospel to his soul , there is a great light shines from heaven about a man , as there did about Saint Paul ; the Gospel it self a light , and every man seeth this light , but there is darkness upon the minde still for all that , but when God calls a man there is a great light comes into the soul , you are a chosen generation , &c. 1 Pet. 2 ▪ 9. mark , there is a marvellous deal of light the Lord lets into the soul , that the soul can now see how the devil , and sin , and the world deluded him , and how the world , and all profits and pleasures are a meer painted thing , and are meerly vexations of Spirit ; now he sees how to distinguish between things and things , there is a glorious and a marvellous light come in , he sees the wiles of his own heart , and how he was beguiled before , and betwitched by the devil before , he seeth all the folly and the Popery of his own heart ; such a deal of light comes in that it discovers all so far forth , as is necessary to bring him to God ; now he sees that his moaping and blundering upon his sins , and condemning of himself , it had a form of humility , but it was nothing but pride and stubbornnesse of heart , and he would rather have him be without mercy , then have it upon Gods termes ; he beholding the glory of God , seeth the wyles and deceits of his own soul , this light sheweth him the glory of God , and propounds to him these things , and makes him beleeve them .

Thirdly , this same voice of the Father , when the Father speaks to a man , 3. It is the irrefragable propounding of the promise . it is the irrefragable propounding of the promise to him , when the promises of the Gospel are delivered in an irrefragable manner , contrary to all the objections of the heart of man , all the pleas that can be brought against it , it comes in an irrefragable manner , and holds itself before him , that he may believe , not that he may not be tempted to the contrary , but he sees tha● they are but temptations ; O saith the soul , I see I am unwilling to do good duties , what of that ? if thou wouldest be willing , the promise is free ; may he , saith the soul , I am full of stubbornnesse , and rebellion , and unprofitableness ; what of that ? that is nothing saith the promise , if thou come to me , I can heal thee of this stubbornnesse , beleeve in me this is the way to be rid of thy stubbornnesse , and to have a better heart , and more abilities , as long as it is a burthen to thee ; beleeve in me , it comes in an irrefragable manner , so that the soul can say , I refused comfort all this while , as David saith , Ps. 77. comfort was propounded to me , but I would not have it , I was fullen and peevish and put it off , and withstood my own comforts , now the soul seeth its putting off of Gods mercie , and the forsaking its own mercies , and the gracious proffers tendred to it , I say when the Spirit speaks this voice to the soul , it speaks in a marvellous great and convincing manner , it speaks in a prevailing manner , it speaks over and above all , it speaks in a ravishing manner , it makes the soule see a cornucopia of all good , an abundant treasury of all mercy in the ways of God , and in the promises of the Gospel , it makes a man see that whatsoever the heart can wish and desire that is good , it is there to be had , and no where else to be attained , it speaks in an uncontroulable manner to the soul , that the soul can stand out no longer , but must come off .

JOHN . 6. 35. He that cometh unto me shall never hunger , and he that believeth in me shall never thirst .

WE have finished the first part of Effectual Calling , and now we come to the second ; Namely , the answer to this Call ; for this is the difference between effectual calling , and that which is not effectual ; the one makes a man come , and the other doth not ; now this coming is by faith , and this we have here in the text , He that cometh unto me , &c. Now before I come to handle this point , I must premise something concerning faith ; Namely , that it is not only a bare assent of the minde that all good things are in Christ , but it is a confidence for the having of all the good things that are in him , it is not only the first act of faith : Namely , an assent to the truths of the Gospel , that God hath put all treasures of eternal life in his Son ; this I will not speak of , because all , both Papists and Protestants agree in this , that faith is an assent of the minde , this is a controversie on neither side , therefore I will omit it But it is the second part or act of faith , which is the believing that in the Lord Jesus Christ he shall have eternal life ; which is an act of the heart , and this is that which I will stand upon , it is a confidence in God and Christ for all good things , when a man doth not only believe that all the promises of God are yea and amen in Christ , but when a man doth fiducially and confidencially bear himself , and rest upon Christ for all these things , he comes to Christ for all good he looks for , this I will prove to be an act of a justifying faith , and that I may not be mistaken , I will distinguish ; 3. Confidence , in natural man . 1. In the power of God .

There is a confidence in the power of God , a natural man may believe the power of God , and yet not have a justifying faith , all that had miraculous faith did believe the power of God , but the Apostle saith , 1 Cor. 13. 2. If I had all faith , that is all miraculous faith , even to the removing of mountaines without charity it were nothing .

Secondly , there is an unrooted confidence of the will , which may be in a natural 2. Unrooted in the will . man ; as a natural man may believe that Christ is the only hope of Glory , the only way , the Truth and the Life , the only one , for whose sake he shall be accepted ; as he may assent to this so he may have a kinde of unrooted confidence in these things , which may procure a great deal of peace to his conscience ; this is that which Divines call a temporary faith , Mat. 13. for a time they do believe , &c. A natural man may not only believe Christ , but believe in Christ in some sense truly he cannot , but in an unrooted manner , there may be such an act put forth , though it be not rooted in the heart , this you may see , John 2. 23 , 24. Many believed on Christ , saith the text ▪ yet he would not commit himself unto them ; he would not trust them with mercy , and grace , and favour ▪ he would not trust them in regard of his own body and safety , they were not right for all that ; and yet they did not only believe Christ , but in some sense , and in an unrooted manner they believed on Christ ; therefore there is not only a firme assent to the truth which may be in a natural man , but also some kind of confidence .

Thirdly , there is a presumptuous confidence in God and Christ for salvation 3. Presumptuous . which the workers of iniquity may have ; they may not only believe the general truths of the Gospel , but have some kind of confidence in Christ , though not so good as the former , for that reformes a man , and makes him follow Christ till persecution come , and may be in persecution too , till he be weary ; but this is not so good , you shall have a drunkard , a prophane person , he hath confidence in Christ that God heares his prayers , accepts his duties , and will provide for him , our Saviour Christ speaks of such , Matth. 7. 22. He tells us of many that shall be confident in him , how they have done wonderful works in his Name , and eate and drank in his presence , and have heard him preach in their streets , and yet are but workers of iniquity ; I do not mean this neither , these are but false confidences .

Now there are two godly considences , gracious ones such as are only in Gods 2. Confidence in the godly . 1. Special perswasion of Gods love ▪ Elect , and not in all Gods Elect neither ; but only in such as are effectually called , and yet come not within this definition of faith : The first is that full special perswasion of the heart ; a man may have true justifying faith though he never attaine to this , for justifying faith is a confidence in Christ for justification ; now this special and full perswasion of the heart , is not only an affiance in Christ for justification , it doth not only apprehend Christ for justification , but it apprehends justification it self ; now this must needs be after justifying , a man must needs be justified before he can confidently apprehend justification , he must first be justified before he can say he is justified , the object must be before the act . Thus it goeth , justifying faith must needs be before justification ; and justification must be before the sense and feeling of justification ; before a man can feel and apprehend he is justified ; the cause goeth before the effect in order of nature , for a man is justified by faith ; Now if a man know he is justified , then the thing must be true before he knows it is so ; now here they differ , that faith is a confident apprehending of Christ for justification , and this full special perswasion of the heart is not only a confident apprehending of Christ for justification , but an apprehending of justification it self : Now true justifying faith may be without this , Job . 13. 15. Though he kill me yet I will trust in him ; That is , suppose that I were at an utter losse , that I knew not whether God will slay me ; yet slay me , or not slay me ; perish , or not perish ; I will trust in him ; Imagine God deliver me up , and will none of me ; yet though he kill me , I will trust in him ; I do not say I am at this losse that he will kill me , blessed be God I am not in this case ; but if I were at this losse , that he would kill me for ought I knew , yet I would trust in him , so that we see this confidence may be without this full perswasion of heart .

Secondly , there is another good confidence that comes not within this definition 2. A constant expectation . of faith , and that is a constant expectation , and this is the daughter of faith , Ephes. 3. 12. This confidence whereby the soul hopes in God , differs from the confidence of faith , for this confidence is an effect of faith ▪ it is by faith ; Now these two differ thus , the confidence of hope is that which a man hath for the future having of those things that for the present a man believes ; now the confidence of faith is the confident apprehending of Christ for the having of them , John 3. 36. He that believeth in Christ hath eternal life , he that believes in Christ hath a present possession of that he believes in Christ for , eternal Confidence in Christ for life and salvation is true justifying faith . Arg. 1. From the several expressions of faith in Scripture . ● . Trusting life is his for the present , he hath present justification and acceptance with God , and hath a title to all good and all the mercies of the Covenant of grace .

Now we come to prove this , that this confidence is a true justifying faith ; and the Arguments to prove it are these , and the first is taken from the several expressions of faith in Scripture , Psal. 78. 22. it is called a trusting , they believed not in God ; Why ? They trusted not in his salvation ; so that faith is a trusting in God , when a man hath confidence in God , and can fiducially leane upon God for all good things . As Alexander trusted his Physician , when his Physician gave him a Potion ▪ before he took it , a friend of his wrote unto him , do not take the Potion , the man is set to poyson you ; if you take it you are a dead man ; he read the letter , and then took the Potion , and then gave the letter to the Physician , and said , I have trusted to your faithfulness , and cast my self upon you , if you have given me poyson you have killed me ; you see by the letter I have witness of it , but I trust you ▪ and suppose you have not done it . So faith is a trusting upon God , when the soul resolves to follow God in all wayes , and when the world and the flesh come in and object , if you be so strict and follow these courses , you will undo your self , and be laughed at , and loose your friends , your very living depends upon such a course , and you will be a begger , and will never have any delight , you are given to pleasure and laughter , but all these must be gone , farewell all carnal pleasure ; Well , but the soul now believes in God , God bids him come to him for comfort , for friends , for delight , for pleasure , for the satisfaction of all his desires , and he shall want no manner of good , he trusts upon this , and he will never leave God , never leave his wayes , this is rooted in him , and now he can go to God and say , the Devil told me I should loose my friends , and I should never have comfort , never be able to live , my flesh and my own heart said so , but I have trusted thee , and if friends go , so , farewell friends ; if means go , so , farewell them ; I am told so , flesh and blood say so , but I believe in thee is eternal life , and in thee is all peace , and happinesse , and comfort , and this is that which drawes me to thee ; and keeps me to thee , and I rest upon thee for all good ; thus you see that faith must be an affiance in God , because it is a trusting in God .

Secondly , it is called a relying upon God , as Asa , when the Aethiopians and 2. Relying on God . Lubims came against him , the Scriptures shewes that he believed in God , now mark how the Scripture expresseth his faith , 2 Chro. 16. 8. Because thou didst relie upon the Lord , therefore he delivered them into their hands ; May be the world might tell him , what do you think to overcome these enemies , with strictness and fasting , and praying .

You had more need make a league with the King of Syria , and take some other course , but he relied upon God , and if he failed him , he failed him , he would relie upon him , and therefore faith must needs be an affiance in God .

Thirdly , faith is called a staying upon God , when a man stayes himself upon God , Isa. 50. 10. there faith is expressed by staying a mans self upon 3. Staying upon God . God , He that sitteth in darkness and seeth no light , let him trust in the Lord and stay himself upon his God . It is a similitude taken from a staffe , and old man that dares not trust to his own legs , but thinks I shall fall and get some mischiefe , he takes a staffe and stayes himself upon it , now is this all that he looks upon , that he conceives the staffe is able to bear him ? so a man that hath no staffe knows that such a staffe is able to beare him , that is not the thing , but this man doth not only believe the staffe is able to beare him , but he commits himself unto it , and leanes upon it , and if he falls he is content , he laies the bulk of his body upon the staffe , and dares leane upon it ; so it is with faith , it is not only an assent to this , that God is wise and omnipotent , and gracious , and an hearer of prayers , and that he comforts them that mourne for sinne , and satisfies them that hunger for righteousnesse , he not only believes there is a Christ , and salvation in him he not only assents to these things , but he staies upon them , and commits himself to them .

Fourthly , it is expressed by a mans rolling himself upon God , Psal ▪ 37. 5. 4. Rolling ones ●el● on God . We translate the words , Commit thy way unto the Lord ; but in the Originall , it signifieth to roll a mans way upon God , so Psal. 22. 8. He trusted God would deliver him , it is the same word is used here , he rolled himself upon God ; this is a similitude taken from a Cart-wheele , that rolls it self about the Axeltree , and staies it self upon it , and helps it self in its motion , it could not move , but for that , and by vertue of that it moves to and fro . So this is true faith , not only when a man assents to the promises of God , but rolls himself upon God , moves his soul upon Christ , and commits himself unto Christ in all his wayes .

Fifthly , faith is expressed by adherence and sticking unto God , Psal. 119. 31. I have stuck unto thy Commandements , Lord put me not unto confusion ; as who 5. Adhering unto God . should say ; Lord , here I hang , here I hold , here I will stick fast ; I will ever fear thee , I will ever obey thee , here I hang , and hold , and will keep my hold ; Lord put me not to confusion ; that is , Lord I hope thou wilt do as thou hast spoken ; Lord let me not be confounded , let me not be scoffed at in the world ; if I be put to shame I am confounded , doth this man now only believe the promises in general ? No , but he relieth upon these promises , he dares go and take this Bear by the tooth , and dares venter upon those harsh duties that are crosse to a mans will , and seeme to have no good in them ; What , because he assents to the promises that they are true ? No , but because he is confident that the promises shall be performed . So Deut. 4. 4. there saith Moses to the Israelites , You that did cleave to the Lord your God , you are all alive at this day ; as who should say , though your brethren went away from God , some to satisfie their lusts , as in the matter of quailes and flesh-pots , and others to humour their fancies , as in the matter of the calf , and others to fulfill their filthy delights , as in the matter of Baal-Peor , your brethren went away from God as if they might have comfort , and delight , and good elsewhere , they went from God , but you cleave to God , and are all alive to this day ; that is , as you did look for good in God you had it ; your brethren looked for good elsewhere , and they are disappointed , where are their profits and pleasures ? They went away from God and are dead , but you followed God , and are alive to this day . So 2 King . 18. 6. it is said of Hezekiah that he clave to God , &c. that is , he did not only conceive that the chief good was in God , but he did stick to God in all his wayes , he did cleave to God and would not go away .

Lastly , a true justifying faith is expressed in Scripture by believing on God , 6. Beleeving on God . or believing in God ; a phrase that is not used in any Greek Authour , but only in the Scripture , and those that have been acquainted with the Scripture ; now why doth God pick out a new phrase , but to imply a new work ? What , is it only to assent to the truth ? Then the old phrase would have served the turne , but when a man believes on God , or in God , this is the expression of a justifying faith , as you may see , 1 Pet. 2. 5. So John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne , that whosoever believeth on him should not p●rish , &c. So Rom. 4. 5. and Rom. 3. 26. What do all these phrases import , onely a naked consent and belief , that all the things in the Gospel are true ? No , but when a man can believe on these things , when a man can submit to all the Ordinances of God , and embrace Christ in all his wayes , and believe that all the good things spoken of in the Gospel are to be had in him .

I confesse sometimes simple believing Christ , without on , or in , is put for a justifying faith , as Ro. 4. 3. it is said that , Abraham believed God , and it was counted Arg. 2. From the offer of Christ . to him for righteousnes ; he doth not say he believed in God , but that is the meaning of it , and if you look into Gen. 15. you shall find through the story that he beleived in God ; he did not only believe that God was good , but he committed himself to God in all his wayes , and did relie upon him ; that God was Almighty , and that made him walk before God in uprightnesse , and that made him live a different life from all the rest of the Countrey , this shews that it was a confidence and affiance in God , that was accounted to him for righteousness .

The second Argument is taken from the offer of Christ , which is the giving Arg. 2. From the off●r of Christ . of Christ to be a propitiation for sin , and to be a Mediatour between God and man , to be the only means of eternal life ; this is the offer of Jesus Christ in the Gospel , Christ is given to be a redeemer to them that do believe ; now what can answer this giving ? Can only an act of the mind answer this gift ? 'T is true indeed , he is the only Mediatour , the only Messias , the only way , the truth and the life ; and he is freely offered and given in the Gospel , I believe this and assent unto it ; is this taking ? No , this is only believing he may take him , therefore true faith must be a taking of Christ ; that only answers to the giving of Christ ; giving is a relative which answers to taking , a gift is no gif● èxcept it be taken ; the nature of the gift returns back again to the giver if it be not taken ; so it is here , God so loved the world , that he gave his only begotten Sonne , that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life ; He gave his only begotten Sonne ; that hath a relation to taking of him , he gave him , that whosoever believeth on him might not perish ; that is , God gave him that whosoever takes him might not perish but have eternal life ; though a man offer himself to a woman , yet if the woman do not take him , he is not her husband , the match is made up by taking : so though Christ be given to the world in the Gospel , yet Christ is not ours but by taking of him ; when you take Christ , then you are in the number of those that shall not p●rish , but have everlasting life ; when you take Christ , that is , when you take him to be your chiefe good , when you take his promises to be your stay and propp , to be the the life and comfort of your hearts , when you take his Commandements to do them , when you take his ordinances to walk in them , when you take his people to have society with them , when you take Christ , and all Christ , now you shall have everlasting life , this is to take Christ , though the woman assent firmly that the man is a proper man , and a goodly man , and a godly man , and a rich man , this makes not up the ●atch ; but when she takes him to be her husband , then she hath interest in his person , and all that he hath ; so when a man takes Christ , then he hath title to Christ and all the good things , that are in him .

It is said of the faithfull , that they did not only see the Promises afar off , but they did embrace them , Heb. 11. 13. the word signifieth they hugged them , they kist them ; many see the Promises afar off , but embrace them not ; they embrace the things of this present world , they hugg them , but never take the promises of God home to there soules ; true faith therefore is such a faith as takes Christ , and then it followes , that it cannot be an act of the mind , but an act of the heart in relying and taking the thing to himself , to hang upon it ; and live by it .

The third argument is this , Faith is an act of coming unto Christ , Christ you Arg. 3. Because faith is a coming to Christ . know is the righteousnesse of God , now when a man is come to it , he hath it ; now what motion of coming is this ? is it only a motion of the mind , a Contemplation of the mind , when a man seeth Christ afar off ? I may see a goodly man , a goodly thing afarr of , my eye sight may go to it , but if my whole man do not come to it , I am not come to it , this cannot be only the Contemplation of the mind , when the eye of a mans understanding discovers Christ , for this makes him the more foole and the more inexcusable , if he comes not to him ; no this motion of coming unto Christ , it is a spirituall motion of all the whole man , a mans minde goeth to Christ and a mans heart , and a mans affections , and all the strength of a mans soule goeth to Christ , this is coming to Christ , Mat. 11. 28 , Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden ; that is beleive in me ; he puts it into that phrase , this true faith makes the soul come to Christ , so 1 Pet. 2. 4. to whome coming , as to a chiefe corner stone : There are two tearmes in this coming to Christ , the one from whence a man comes , from all his owne wayes , from all his owne desires , from all his owne ends and aimes , and the other tearme is , to what a man comes , and that is to Christ , to ●as promises , to his Commandements , to live and dy with him , this is coming unto Christ , as you may see Acts 26. 18. there both these tearmes are set downe ▪ to open their eyes saith the Text , and to turne them from darknesse to light , that they might receive forgivenesse of sinnes ; It is this coming that receives forgivenesse , not only an act of the mind , when that goeth to Christ , but an act of the heart , when that goeth to Christ , when a man comes from darknesse to light , from pride to humility , from the world to God , when a man passeth from the one tearme to the other tearme , and so cometh to this righteousnesse of God in Jesus Christ ; now he is come to Christ , and now he shall receive forgivenesse of sinnes , so that you see faith is not only an assent of the mind , but an a 〈…〉 of the heart , both these together make up this coming of the soule to Christ .

Fourthly , true justifying faith , the proper object of it , is no sentence , no Arg. 4. Because the object of justifying faith is no proposition , but Christ himself . proposition in the Word , I mean the act of a justifying faith , in that act whereby it justifieth the proper object of it , is no sentence or proposition in the Word , no complext truth in the Word , but it is Christ himself ; t is true , a man must beleive that the Word of God is true , and the promies true , and Yea and Amen ; but that act doth not justifie , it may be in a reprobate , or in a ●●vill , therefore it cannot be an assent of the mind , for that supposeth that the object must be a proposition ; neither can it be a sure and certain persw●●on , that God hath elected me , and intended Christ to me , this may be the 〈◊〉 an after faith , but not the act that justifies ; but Christ himself i● the object o● a justifying faith , I am the way , the truth , and the life , I my self , it is 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 God by Christ , when a man beleives in Christ , or by Christ beleives in Go● ; this is the object of a justifying faith , it is no proposition or text of Scripture that is the object of a justifying faith ; that is , the thing that is a justifying faith , as it justifyes , doth assent unto ; but the object of a true justifying ●aith , as it justifies , is Christ himself the cause of forgivenesse of sinnes , the cause of eternall life , the cause of the derivation of all these blessings to us , it lookes for all in Christs own person ; 't is true , the propositions of the Scripture about Christ , are the ground of a justifying faith , as he that believes in Christ shall be saved ; that is the ground of a justifying faith , but these propositions , though they must be acknowledged at the time by faith , yet these propositions do not justifie a man , for a wretch may do this , but when a man believes in Christ , that is propounded and tendered in the Word , when a man hath a●●iance in him , and commits himself to him , faith seekes for all good in Christs own person ; first , it layes hold on the person of Christ , and taking him , it takes all good things with him , indeed it takes the propositions of the Word for its ground , because the Word saith thus , and thus , that eternall life is in him , and he openeth the Kingdom of heaven to all believers , and he is a sufficient Saviour , this is the ground of faith ; but the object of a justifying faith , is Christs owne person , so that believing cannot be an act of the mind , but when a man believes in Christ , and is rooted and built upon him , it is the person of Christ , I will make this appeare to you , you know God doth count it Idolatry for a man to believe in any creature , when a man believes in the Son of man , God forbids this , as an Idolatrous thing , for a man to believe and put his confidence and affiance in any creature , now what is the meaning of this ? what , is this Idolatry , to assent to such a creature ? to believe that such a man is his friend and tenders him , and is faithfull unto him , this is a truth about a friend , is this Idolatry ? No , but when a man makes a friend his staffe , a creature his staffe , when a man makes riches his Idol , is this onely to assent that riches can do much in the world , can buy meate , and cloathes , and lands , and inheritances , is it the knowing these things are so ? No , but when a man makes riches his prop and stay , and believes in them , and that is the stay that he hath ; It is not the beleiving these things about riches , for so a man that believes only in God may know these things about riches and a friend , Jer. 17. 5. Cursed is he that maketh fl●sh his arme , he doth not say , cursed is he that apprehends that a man is his friend and willing to releive him ; but cursed is he that maketh flesh his arme , that l●ans upon this man , that trusts unto him , that is the thing ; so what is the meaning that we must not trust in Chariots and in horses ? doth the Scripture mean that we may not assent and affirme these truths about them , that they are many , and strong , and potent , that they are admirable horses ? is this it ? No , but , woe be to them that go down to Egypt for help , and put their trust in Chari●ts and Horses , Isa. 31. 1. When a man rides a journey and makes his Horse his stay ; when a man goeth about a businesse , and makes his purse his prop ; when a man walks from day to day , and the creature is the thing he hangs upon ; he doth not see God , and draw near to God ; he doth not set his heart upon God ; he doth not relie upon him , to have God with him in his journey , and what he goeth about ; No , he hath an Horse with him , and means , and maintenance with him ; and God shall have a prayer may be now and then , but he makes not God his arme , and this is idolatry ; so our believing , it is not the believing the propositions about a thing , but when a man believes in the thing it self , and makes the thing his stay , his buckler , his aide , his help and comfort .

Lastly , the maine Argument is this ; true justifying faith is a faith of union , it is such a faith as unites a man to God and Christ , and in him to God ; the Arg. 5 Because true faith is a faith of union . Apostle saith , 1 John 5. 20. We know that we are in him that is true ; his meaning is , we are in him by faith , that is , we have such a kinde of faith , whereby we do not only assent to him , that he is the Sonne of God , and all things are true that are spoken of him ; but we are in him , we are in him that is true ; that is , we are united to him , and 2 Cor. 17. 5. Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature ; and Paul saith of Andronicus and Junia , they were in Christ before him , Rom. 16 7. So Christ is said to be in them , Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you , except you be reprobates ? it is the faith of union , He that hath the Sonne , hath life , 1 John 5. 12. That is , he that believes in the Sonne of God ; that is , so believes that he hath him , and is united to him , that man hath life , and none else ; so that it is a faith of union that justifies a man ; not as though faith of it self doth this for its own worthinesse , as though it were able to unite a man to Christ , it is only by vertue of Gods Ordinance that faith unites a man to Christ ; God of his infinite mercy and goodnesse hath appointed faith to be such a thing , that upon putting forth of that act , he shall presently have relation to Christ , and Communion with him ; by grace are we saved through faith , saith the Apostle ; we are saved through faith , but not for any worthinesse of faith , but by grace ; this is the thing , the Lord hath appointed such a kinde of faith shall justifie as shall unite a man to Jesus Christ ; Nay , if faith did not do this , faith could not justifie , and sanctifie , and purifie , and intitle a man to Heaven , for it doth all these by vertue of union ; first , it unites a man to Christ , and makes Christ one with him , and him one with Christ , and so he comes to have right and title to all the merits , and all the good things that come by Christ ; so then , if thou hast not this faith of union , though thou hast all faiths besides historical faith , temporary faith , and if it were possible miraculous faith ; Nay , if thou hadst ten thousand thousand faiths more , if it were possible ; yet if thou hast not such a faith as to be united to Christ , thou art in thy sins , and art under the law , and under the curse of the law , and under Gods justice ; if thou shouldest pray never so much , and give thy body to be burned , yet if thou do not dwell in Christ , and Christ in thee ; if thou be not one with Christ , and Christ one with thee , thou art nothing but as ●ounding Brasse , and as a tinkling Cymball ; though thou hast been a professor these twenty yeares together , and hast been taken for a godly man through Town and Countrey ; yet if thou art not in Christ , thou ar●● still in thy sins , faith doth unite a man to Christ through the Ordinance o● God ; by the Grace of God it doth unite a man to Christ , 1 John 4 15 wha● confession doth the Apostle meane there ? Only a confession of histori●● , faith : when a man believes that God is so and so , and confesseth him ; No the Apostle expounds himself , 1 John 3. 24. as who should say , it is such a faith as wholly resignes a man unto God , to be ruled and guided by him as well as saved by him ; it is such a faith as makes a man with minde , and heart , and will , and all that is in a man , to cast himself upon Christ , so that all obedience , and all conformity to the Sonne of God will follow ; he that hath this faith to keep his Commandements , dwelleth in God , and God in him . Now what kinde of faith can this be ? can it be only the act of the minde whereby a man believes all the truths concerning Christ ? doth this unite a man to Christ ? It were blasphemy to say so , for by this Argument , the union between Christ and a true believer , were no better then the union between a true believer and the Devil , because a true believer believes all the truths and assents unto them that God hath spoken concerning the Devil , as well as concerning Christ , this doth not unite a man ; there is a kinde of union indeed in the minde , but that union is only notional , and intentional , and rational ; as for example , when I think of an horse , or a tree , there is an union of the tree with my minde , for the tree is in my minde in the notion of it , but this is a bare intentional and simple union ; the maine union of all is in the heart , when the heart is united to a thing ; an heavenly minded man , he may have an union of his understanding with the things of this world ; he may understand carnal men , understand their courses and wayes ; and there is a notional , intentional union with these things in his understanding , but he is not truly united to those courses except his heart be set upon those courses , then he takes them up ; so untill the heart is set upon Christ , a man is never heavenly , never godly , never a true Christian , till he is thus united into Christ . Nay , I will tell you more , and I will prove it , and it is a thing to be considered , that were it possible ; Suppose God should reveal , ( he might if he would ) to any man ; that he is elected before he is converted ; Suppose this , I do not say God doth thus to any of his Elect ; but suppose an Elect man that is yet unconverted , and yet out of Christ , he is a natural man , and yet an elected man ; ●uppose I say , God should reveal to this man , thou art elected to eternal life , I have intended from all eternity to give my Son to thee , all his merits , and death ; and passion ; I have intended them to thee , and I have intended thou shalt have fellowship with him ; God reveales this , and the man firmly assents to the authority of the speaker , that he is elected to eternal life ; doth this faith justifie a man ? A man is in his sins , yet for all this , though he knoweth , and God hath revealed such a thing to him , that he hath intended Christ to him , ( as long as he hath not revealed that he is in Christ ) this doth not put him into Christ , this sheweth him that he shall be in Christ ; but this act of believing doth not put him into Christ ; therefore the children of God that are converted , and are believers , and can believe that God hath elected them , and eternally intended Christ to them , this act of their faith doth not justifie them , this only is an act to know that they are justified already , and converted already .

I will shew you an excellent place for this , 2 Tim. 1. 12. For which cause , saith the Apostle , I also suffer these things , for I know in whom I have believed , and that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day . Mark here , I know in whom I have believed , there is the act of faith , I have believed in him , he expounds himself there , he means I have committed my self to him , all I have , all I am , this was the act of justification , and intitling him unto him ; but now saith he , I know this , this is an act of assurance whereby he reflects upon himself , that God was his God , and intended to save him ; but this was not the thing that justified him : No , I believe on him , and committed myself unto him ; and I know this , this act is but the knowledge of a ●hans justifying faith , and not the thing it self .

For the use of the point , here , First , we s●e that it is no absurdity to say that Use 1. Then ●●ab ●●dity to say faith is 〈◊〉 the heart as well as in the minde true justifying faith is in the heart as well as in the minde ; many good Divines ( as Master Perkins ) say , that faith is only in the minde ; and this is the opinion of the Papists also ; the reason why good Divines say so , is because they do make faith to be the full perswasion of a man that God hath intended Christ to him particularly ; but this is not an act of a justifying faith , but comes after it , it is a consequent of it . The reason why the Papists say so , is this , because they hold that a justifying faith is nothing else but a fir●e assent o● the minde , to the general promises of the Gospel , and in particular the promise of the forgivenesse of sinnes in and through the Lord Jesus Christ , generally taken they say , this is a true faith ; now , when we say this may be a read faith ; 't is true , say they , therefore a man is quickened and enlivened by charity and good works , so that this faith and good works will justifie a man ; but this is Antichristian leaven ; but I say that true justifying faith is not in the mind only , but in the heart also .

Object . But you will say , is it not absur'd that one grace should be in two Object . powers of the soul , that it should stand stradling like a colosse , with one foot in the minde , and another in the heart ?

Answ. 1. I answer , it is but a conceit for ought we know , we can have no Answ. 1 firme ground for it , that the understanding and will are two several powers of the soul really and distinct ; many good ●ivines , both Pro●testants and Papists ●eny it , as Scaliger and others : But they are two several offices of one and the self-same soul ; the self-same soul able to understand , is called the understanding ; and the self-same soul able to will , is called the will ; the self-same soul i● able to understand and will .

2. But suppose that the understanding and the will were really different one from another , yet I say , it is not properly to be said that faith is either in the understanding or in the will , but it is properly in the soul of a man ; the reason is , because faith is an act of the new nature , a believer is born of God , 〈◊〉 Joh. 5. 1. and regeneration or the new nature is not in the understanding or will only , but the whole soul is regenerate , the very soul hath a new nature ; I do not remember that Aquinas speaks of regeneration , but only in this place , and he saith that regeneration is in the soul , and the soul is regenerated ; not is though the substance of the soul were altered ; but this new nature is as deeply rooted in the soul as the understanding and will it self ; as it is with the old nature in a man unconverted , this old nature moves the understanding to think of worldly things , and savour them , and moves the will and affections to love worldly things , and go after them ; the old nature moves both minde and will to go this way ; the old nature is the inclination of a man to the world , to the creature , to the things of this life ; now , when the new nature comes in and a man is renewed , this new nature inclines the minde to minde Jesus Christ , and inclines the will to affect Jesus Christ , and moves all the soul to go that way , so that the very soul is renewed , and faith is as deeply ●ooted in the soul as any thing else ; Nay , as low as the very faculties themselves in some sence , for it reacheth so far forth as to move them after Christ ; and this faith puts forth the mind to assent to the truths of the Gospel , and puts forth the will to relie upon Christ .

Thirdly , the Scripture plainly seates faith in the heart as well as in the minde , Rom. 10. 10 With the heart a man believeth unto righteousnesse , neither may a man say that the heart is put for the whole soul of a man , it is not put for the will , the text plainly shewes he meanes the will , because the Apostle puts the believing with the heart , to distinguish this saith from all other , to exclude hypocrisie and all counterfeit faith ▪ for an hypocrite may confesse with his tongue , he may have braine faith , and notional saith , so much as to work upon the outward man ; but with the heart a man believeth unto righteousnesse ; if it be a sincere cordial-faith , as he notionally believes these truths , so his heart runnes after them and is set upon them , and this is unto righteousnesse ; so when the Eunuch had asked Philip for baptisme , I am a believer ; and what lets but I may be baptized ? saith he , if thou belie●●● with all thine heart thou mayest ; As who should say , thou sai●st thou art a believer , but take heed , do not deceive thy soul ; may be thou ●●st an intellectual faith , but is it an heart faith ? Nay , thou maiest have some kinde of cordial faith , a temporary faith ; but doest thou believe with all thine heart ? Doest thou place all thine heart , upon Christ ? Doest thou place all thy ends and aimes upon Christ ? Doest thou so reach thy self forth to Christ , that in all things Christ have the preheminence ? Doest thou wholly resigne thy self up unto Christ , minde , and heart , and all that is in thee ? If thou believest with all thine heart I dare be bold to baptize thee , and seale thee up unto eternal life ; so that the Scripture makes faith to be not only an assent of the mind , but an affiance of the heart in Christ .

Fourthly , it is no absurdity to say that faith is in the heart , and in severall powers of the soul , because faith is such a thing as must purifie the whole man , and all the powers of the soul , it justifies , and sanctifies the whole man ; it is faith that reneweth the whole man , therefore no wonder it is such a thing that the whole man must put forth it self in , it is like leaven , Matth. 13. 33. That leaveneth the whole lump ; so faith is such a thing , that he which hathie purifieth himself , himself is the agent , all himself is the patient ; all himself is set to strive against sin and to please God , and to draw the whole man to God ; his whole self is both the agent and the patient , faith comes in to justifie the whole man , and sanctifie the whole man , and renew the whole man , therefore no wonder it is such an act as the whole man doth put forth , not only the mind by assenting , but the heart by relying , and the affections by placing themselves upon God .

Fifthly , there be abundance of graces besides faith , that are in all the powers of the soul , as livelihood is in the whole , and unblameablenesse , 1 Thess. 5. 23. and perseverance is in the whole man , so that the mind must not only persevere in saving knowledge , but the heart also in saving confidence , perseverance runs through all the soul , and why not faith , many graces have a complext and compounded nature ; in one regard they may be said to be in the minde , in another in the heart , in another in the memory , in another in the affections , in another in the body ; so it is with faith , in one regard , in regard of assent it is in the mind , in regard of confidence and affiance it is in the will .

Here we see that though faith be sure of salvation and justification in regard of the event , yet it is not alwayes sure of it in regard of sense and feeling , Use . 2. A believer may not be sure in regard of sense . for true faith , is not the apprehending of salvation it self , but the apprehending of Christ for salvation ; when a man placeth all his affiance in Christ , and all the good he looks for , spiritual good , temporal good , help , comfort , meanes , and maintenance , and particularly the pardon of his sinnes , this is justifying faith ; though for sense and feeling there is much uncertainty , faith is certaine for the event , the man that believes is justified , and shall be sanctified , and saved ; but in regard of sense and feeling , it is not alwayes certaine , Joh. 3. 15. He doth not say , whosoever believes he shall have eternal life , hath it , but whosoever believes in me he shall have it , though he be afraid he shall not have it , yet if he believes in me he shall have it certainly , if with heart , and minde , and soul , and all , he resigne up himself to me , to be guided and ruled by me in all his wayes , if he commit● himself to me he shall have eternal life● may be he is afraid he shall not have it ; a man hath that affiance in Christ , that is confident in Christ for salvation , and commits himself to Christ for all his comfort , and hope , and stay , and is ●●lly resolved by the Grace of God never it have him , he is inwardly purposed never to forsake him , he will ever set hi●self to please him , he will eve● follow his Commandements , and ever striv● 〈◊〉 his corruptions ; and whereas he may be tempted to be carried from 〈◊〉 , he hath an inward principle in his soul for a rule which he goeth b● , that he must please God , and not man ; there is an inward rule rooted in his 〈◊〉 , that thus i● is , and this man commits himself to Christ , for audience in his prayers , for acceptance in his duties , for the resisting of his corruptions , 〈◊〉 for the salvation of his soul when he dieth , and for the comfortable resurrection of his body at the last day ; yet notwithstanding this man would give a world to be assured of Gods favour , though he casts himself upon God for it , and commits himself , and betrusts himself with Jesus Christ ; he doth so believe in him that he dares follow him in all his wayes , and he dares cast himself upon him ; whatsoever it will cost me I will follow Christ ; may be it may cost me the ill will of my friends ; may be of my husband ; may be it may cost me the ill will of all the Countrey ; yet that way I will walk , thought it cost me 〈◊〉 and faggot ; may be I shall be persecuted and imprisoned , it is no matter , her● is eternal life and no where els● ; here I come for it , and here I trust that Christ will give it to me , it is he only that can help me , he only that can give me audience in prayer , he only can bring me to acceptance in heaven ; here I come to him for it , and cast my self upon him in all my wayes ; yet may be this man would give a world for this favour ; that he hath committed himself to Christ , for he would give all the world to the shirt upon his back that he had the sense and feeling of it , many times between hope and despaire , he even staggers and knows not what to think , yet he will cast himself upon Christ , and trust to him ; yet he hath much ado to believe certainly , there is a great deal of feares and doubtings in his faith ; the reason is , when a man hath trusted in Christ , and lookes upon his faith , he shall finde may be such strength of worldly allurements , such yieldings to the assents of the flesh , and himself sometimes foiled with a paultry and petty lust ; he shall finde such a deal of deadnesse , and so much untowardnesse , and such a company of cor●●ptions marching before him , that he is afraid ; 't is true , I have cast my self upon Christ , but I doubt my faith is not of the right stamp ; not as though a man can believe in hugger mugger , and a man knows not what he doth , for a man sees it , and knows it , for the spirit of a man knows what is in him ; ask the man ? Sir , do you not do thus and thus ? Yes , have you not these and these workings in you ? he cannot deny it , do you not hate your self for every sinne you know , and do you not know your own sinnes , and do you not grieve to see what a vile creature you are ? do you not labour after more sincerity in your wayes , and more quickning in good duties ? He cannot deny but he hungers after these things , and 〈◊〉 you not still follow Christ , and cleave still to Christ , and do you not still labour to deny your selfe ? He cannot but confesse it , why then you have faith ; 't is true , saith he , I go out of my self , but it is I know not how , I am at this passe , if I perish I perish , here I stick , and here I wil ad●●re , but yet I fear I am not right ; the Scripture saith true , faith doth thus and thus , and thus ; but here I see such a corruption so strong , and such a lust so mighty ; I say , true faith may be without sense and feeling of it , there may be much f●●re and ●rem●●ing in regard of assurance of salvation , though a man do truly and confidently cast himself upon Christ ; and I will prove this unto you by five Arguments .

First , the event is not the object of a justifying faith , that a man shall be Arg. 1. The event is not the object of justifying faith . ●ustified● sanctified , and saved ; this is the event of a justifying faith , that he lookes for ; Now the object of a justifying faith is not the event , that it shall fall out thus with him , he commits this to God , he believes in the general that all that believe shall be saved ; and that a reprobate may believe , but the event that he shall be justified and saved , is the fruit of a justifying faith ; when a man hath justifying faith , this is not the object of it , but he commits himself to Christ for justifycation and salvation , he truly believes the event shall be , that they which truly believe shall be justified and saved , and God will help their infimities , and pardon their weaknesses ; but now justifying faith apprehends not the event that comes afterwards , but faith commits it self to Christ for the event , as I will shew you by a similitude ; a man resolves to leane upon a staffe , what is in this mans minde ? is the object this , that he shall not slip nor fall ? no , he findes by experience that he may fall for all his staffe , but he casts himself upon his staffe , fall or not fall , and though he do fall , he will not fling away his staffe ; No , but he will look better to himselfe afterwards , he knows the fault was not in his staffe , but in his own managing of it , therefore he commits himself to his staffe still , and resolves to leane upon it ; he is not sure he shall not fall , but though he do fall , he will up again , and help himself with his staffe in his going still ; he knows the staffe is not in the fault , but himself ; may be he doth not leane upon it , or he knows not the right way , but he is still leaning upon his staffe , and venturing upon his staffe ; so I say true saving faith doth not truly apprehend he is justified , as if a man could not be justified unlesse he did believe it ; this is the event , justifying faith is the committing himself to God for the event , Heb. 11. 23. By faith Abraham being called of God , went out of his owne Countrey , &c. By faith he cast himself upon God ; did he belive now whether he should go ? He could not tell , ●e believed in the general , that God would not faile those that trusted in him ; but for his own particular he knew not whether he should go , but he casts himself upon God , whethersoever God will have me to go , I will go ; he commits himself to God at all adventures ; this is true faith , and yet the event all this while may not be known , but a man may be much troubled about assurance .

Secondly , the event ; that a man shall be justified , and sanctified , and saved , is conditional until a man hath believed ; Suppose a natural man , and yet an 2. The event is conditional till a man believes . Elect man of God ; what , must this man believe ? must he beleeve that he shall be justified , and sanctified , and saved ? No , there is no such thing in the Scripture ; take any natural man in the world , and look from the beginning of the Bible to the end , there is not one text that saith a natural man shall be saved ; but justification and salvation are conditional till a man believes , but when a man hath beleeved , his justification , sanctification , and salvation is certain ; but he must beleeve before he can be said to be justified ; now , before a man beleeves justification is upon condition , if a man beleeves he shall be justified and saved , so may Judas and Simon Magus , Rom. 10. 9. 'T is true , this is the condition , if thou beleeve in the Son of God , if thou take up his crosse and follow him , thou shalt be saved ; this is but the conditio● but when a man hath believed , he is justified , and shall be saved ; it is absolute now , but he believed first ; therefore justifying faith doth not beleeve he shall be saved and justified , for he must have faith first ; 't is true , if a man have saving and justifying faith , there is the truth of the Word for it , that he shall be saved ; therefore justifying faith must be the casting off a mans selfe upon Christ for salvation .

Thirdly , the event , that a man shall be justified , and sanctified , and saved ; this cannot be the thing , that a justifying faith in the act of justification must Argument . 3 apprehend , because then we could not say to every man , if thou beleevest , thou shalt be saved , that must be the object of a justifying faith ; that may be applied to any man , for else how should we preach the Word ? we should expose our selves to cavils , and open the mouthes of blasphemers , we must say then this is faith ; you must believe you shall be saved , and that you are in the favour of God , and then we could not bid every man believe if it were so ; where the Gospel comes we are to bid every man to believe , what , to believe that every shall be justified , and sanctified , and saved ? No , that were a lie , God commands no man to believe a lie , but he commands every man to believe in Christ for justification , and for sanctification , and for salvation ; Now , there are two things that God requires of every man where the Gospel comes .

First , he requires that he beleeves the Word , which saith , that whosoever believes in Christ shall be saved .

Secondly , he commands him to believe in Christ for salvation , and this is faith ; the other comes in afterwards ; I will make it plaine ; the Lord said to Ahez , Isa. 7. 9. Believe and thou shalt be established , what must Ahaz here believe ? Doth God bid him believe that he should be established ? No , for that was a lie , for when all came to all he was not established , but he must beleeve God , and then he should be established ; but he not believing in God , could not be established ; so God told Adam , if he believed , he should live ; did God now bid Adam beleeve he should live for ever ? No , for then it had been a lie ; but he biddeth him believe , that if he obeyed his voice , he should live for ever ; he was not to believe that he should live for ever ; so God doth not command men to beleeve they shall he saved , but to believe in Christ for salvation .

Fourthly , the event is known another way , and not by a justifying faith ; Arg. 4. The event is known another way . 't is true , some men know the event that God intends to save them , and that they shall be glorified for evermore , but this is known by another thing , and not by an act of faith ; the act of faith is the committing of a mans self to God for this thing . I will set it out by a similitude , suppose I have a great businesse to do at London , I am condemned to be put to death , and except I have a pardon got to morrow , I shall be executed ; I cannot go my self , for I am in hold ; but I have a friend at London , and I trust to him to go to the Court to procure me a pardon ; in the mean time the businesse goeth forward against me , and may be I am going to the place of execution ; but still I cast my self upon my friend that he will get me a pardon ; now if my friend send me a letter , and send me a pardon under the Kings Seal , now I know I have a pardon , but my trusting my friend was nothing , but my casting my self upon him , and setling my self upon him , I was confident in him ; Now , when he sends down a token , and a Seal under the Kings Majesties hand , now I know the event , that I have gotten a pardon . So it is with a poore creature that is under condemnation , and the wrath of God is gone out against him , and the justice of God is threatned against him , which way soever he looks he can see nothing but hell and damnation , and the Gospel hath told him of a friend , the Lord Jesus Christ he can help him to a pardon , and he trusts to him , the Law may be proceeds against him , and fears , and terrours , and may be he is upon the ladder ready to be turned off ; yet he hangs upon Christ , a pardon will come , he trusts upon Christ , he will not go to the world and to carnal company to pacifie his conscience , a pardon will come , he casts himself upon this ; and yet he is not certaine it will come , he hath affiance in Christ that it will come ; now , if it be so that whereas he believes in Christ for forgivenesse , so Christ sends him a token , there is peace of conscience for thee , and joy in the Holy Ghost for thee ; and as he depends upon him for meanes and maintenance , so Christ saith , there is something for thee to live upon , or patience to bear poverty ; as he believes he shall be accepted of God , so here is a token , thy prayers are heard : Now he hath a token , now he may know it , Psal. 22. 4. They trusted in God and they were delivered ; that is , they trusted in thee , and thou diddest send them a token ; now they knew they were delivered ; 't is true , a man might know this though God should send him no token , he might know that he is justified , and pardoned , and hath title to all the mercy in Christ ; he might know it without this , but that for his own weaknesse , and that by two things . First , by looking into the Word , there he might find , that he which trusts in Christ , and commits himself to God , shall be saved ; Another thing is , to reflect upon himself ; there he shall find that he truly goeth out of himself , and casts himself upon God ; then here he may know it , he that believes in Christ shall be saved , but I find that I believe in Christ , therefore I shall be saved , but this is not the act of faith , but the knowing of it .

Fifthly , it is not the truth of faith , but the strength of faith that apprehends the event ; let a man believe in Christ ; and cast himself upon him in all his ways , Arg. 5 Not the truth , but strength of saith aprehends the event . and follow him in all his Commandments , this is faith , be it never so weak , and this doth intitle to justification , and sanctification , and salvation , though it be never so weak ; yet while it is weak it cannot apprehend the event , it will be much afraid in regard of that ; as suppose a man were learning to swimme , he beleeves that if he could but spread his armes and legges the water would beare him up ; now when he begins to learne , he commits himself to the water , and spreads his armes and leggs , but this is with much feare and misgiving , and he sometimes sets one leg on the ground , and he hath but little sense and feeling of the waters bearing him , because he commits not himself to the water ; but the more and more he commits himself to the water , the more he finds the water bears him , and now he can fling away his bladders , and swimme over the river ; he did believe before that the water would beare him , but when he did commit himself to the water he had a great deal of feare , and could not swim to any purpose , but when he had learned the art ; then he committed himselfe to the water , and then he could spread his armes , and leggs , and swimme ; So when a man comes first to believe in Christ , he thinks I should be the happiest man in the world , I should be in a better estate then Kings and Princes ●f I could believe ; and withal it makes him to believe in Christ , and to deny himself , and cast himself upon Christ , plucks up both his feet , and commits himself to the water , and fling out himself upon Christ , sink or swim ; yet at the first this is very weak , and sometimes he doth it , and sometimes he doth it not ; and sometimes he is feelling for this , sometimes for that ; and somtimes he doth not pray well enough , and is not humble enough , this is nothing but trusting to himself ; may be a pleasure comes , he cannot deny it , he cannot commit himself to Christ , the weakness of this is the reason why he cannot apprehend the event , for a strong confidence in Christ carries all along with it , it will reflect upon it self , and gather all these things , and be assured he will not only have confidence in Christ , but also be confident for the having of those good things he believes in him for .

HEB. 11. 8 ▪ By faith Abraham being called to go out into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance , obeyed , and he went out not knowing whither he went .

WE have spoken of Effectual Calling , what a great mercy it is , that God should vouchsafe this unto us , and the abundance of benefits it brings to a man ; we have shewed how it is differenced from in-effectual Calling ; How a man may know whether he be effectually called , yea or no ; and so we came to shew you how a man answers this call , and he answers it only by faith , and so we made a digresse to speak of faith what it is , that it is an affiance in Christ ; not every affiance , but a rooted affiance in Christ ; and now we come to take up the point again , that it is only faith whereby a mans calling is made effectual ; when a man is first called out of darknesse into marvelous light , out of the Kingdome of sinne into the Kingdome of God , it is only faith that answers that call ; and so it is ever after , whatsoever God cals a Christian to do , or to leave undone , it is faith that makes a man obey this call .

The Apostle in this Chapter doth set out many commendations of faith to exhort the Hebrewes , and all Beleevers , and all persons to the getting of it , and to labour to have it grow in them , and to make much of it , as being a most excellent Grace of God ; and he commends faith two wayes .

First , by the description of it in the first verse , Faith is the substance of things hoped for , the evidence of things not seen ; a Believer hopes for great matters , though he seeth not any of them ; may be he is yet a poore miserable contemptible creature in the eyes of the world ; yet he hopes for great matters , he hopes for a glorious resurrection , and for an excellent triumph over sinne , and death , and hell ; and to have his body and soul for ever in the Kingdome of Christ Jesus ; you will say he seeth none of these things , he hopes that God will blesse him in all his wayes , and be with him in sicknesse , and in health , in misery and prosperity , and in all estates , and that he will do him good while he lives , and when he dyes he seeth none of these things ? No , saith the Apostle , Faith is the substance of things hoped for , and the evidence of things not seen ; though many think there is no substance in these things , yet faith doth deliver the substance of them unto him , and it is an evidence that he shall certainly have them , and it is as it were a Sacrament ; therefore the Fathers call it the Sacrament of faith , and the Sacrament of hopes , and the Sacrament of repentance , because they are certaine and sure tokens and pledges of those things that a Christian looks for .

Secondly , the Apostle commends faith by a long Catalogue of believers , of Holy Fathers , and Patriarchs , and Prophets , and Judges , and Worthies from the beginning of the world , and he shewes there was no worth in them , but it did proceed from faith ; and this he doth ,

First , generally , in the second verse ; By it the Elders obtained a good report ; he speaks of them all ingeneral , he calls them Elders , a reverend grave company , and he amplifies this by giving a general ground and reason why faith can build upon nothing as it were to see to , and yet is able to gather great matters , though it see little or nothing , ●●rse 3. You may see this ( saith he ) by Historical faith ; For , through saith we understand that the worlds were made by the Word of God , so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appeare ; though nothing was before a mans eyes , yet through this faith he might see an whole world out of nothing ; so , though the world , and flesh , and blood see nothing , yet he that believes in God he is able to raise a world out of nothing , he may look for these things at the hands of God , though for the present he sees nothing .

Secondly , he doth divide these believers into foure several rankes .

The first is , the Holy Fathers before the Flood ; and he instanceth onely in three for all the rest , as Ab●l , En●ch , N●ah , Verse 4 , 5 , 6 , 7.

Secondly , the Holy Patriarchs from the Flood to the time of Moses , and he instanceth in five , not as though there were no more , but he contents himself with these , Abraham , Sarah , Isaac , Jacob , Joseph , from ver. 8. to the 22.

And then in the third place , he takes all those Worthies from Moses to the time of the entrance into the Land of C●naan , and he doth instance in Moses's Parents , and then in Moses , then in the children of Israel , then in Rahab , from Ver. 23. to 31.

In the fourth place , he reckons up all those Heroes , from that time , to the time of the Maccabees , and Names Gideon , and Barach , and Samps●n , and Jophtah , and David , and Samuel ; and then he reckons them up only in generall , the Prophets , and Martyrs , and Confessors , under the persecutions of cursed Anticchus . Now in all this Catalogue , he shewes the admirable effects of true justifying faith , what faith is able to do when a man is a true believer in God , what great matters he is able to atchieve ; it gives a man the testimony of a good conscience , and makes him able to do the things acceptable to God ; it makes a man believe things incredible to sense and reason ; it makes a man forsake all and follow God ; it makes a man do or suffer any thing for Christ ; it makes a man so precious , that the world is not worthy that he should dwell among them , that there should be any such person in such a base place as the world is ; it is an excellent thing , and it is set out most admirably , what glorious things faith doth enable a man in the strength of God to do ; and his scope in all this is , to exhort them to abound in faith , and they that have it not , to use all meanes for the obtaining of it , and come by it , and lye at God , and to be trading in the meanes of Grace , and never be at quiet till they have it , and when they have it , to endeare it , and labour to abound in it , and persevere in it to their dying day ; now among all this grave , and venerable , and rev●rend society of believers that he here reckons and summes up , he calls out Abraham in this text to speak of him , and that he speaks of him in this place is this ; that when God called him to leave his Countrey , and Kindred , and Fathers house , to leave his inheritance , and all his friends and acquaintance , by faith he was able to obey this call , By saith ( saith he ) Abraham being called out to go into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance , obeyed , and he went out , not knowing whether he went .

Doct. So that the Doctrine which I observe from hence is this ; that Doct. It is saith that makes a man obey the call of God . it is faith that makes a man obey the call of God , the command of God , whether it be the first call and command , for the coming out of sinne , or all after commands whatsoever , it is faith that makes a man obey them ; if a man have faith , though he had never so stubborne and perverse an heart before , though he were never so set upon his lusts , and sinfull courses before , faith is that which will make a man lay it downe and disavow it , and oppose himself against it , and he shall no longer live in it ; as soone as ever faith comes into the soul it makes a man obey God , it brings a man home to God , to do his will and to walk according to his directions , and to be at his dispose , and to commit , and commend , and resigne himself wholly to God in all his wayes ; this is the onely thing that heales a mans backslidings , this is the onely thing that drawes a man home to God , this is the onely instrument whereby a man is tyed to God himself , whereby a man doth fetch downe all the graces from above , so long as a man is stubborne and perverse , and walks after the flesh , and goeth on in any evil way ; he hath no faith , as the Psalmist speaks , Psal. 78. 32. For all this they sinned yet still , and believed not his wendrous works ; that is , they were disobedient , therefore certainly they had no faith , for if faith once looked into their hearts , it would have made them to discard their sinnes , and it would have made them obedient to God , it would have pared them from the flesh , and weaned them from their owne desires , and would have made them to give up themselves to God ; therefore seeing they went on in their sinnes , it is certaine , they did not believe , for faith only makes a man obey God , and wheresoever it is , a man obeyeth God .

Reas. 1. Because faith seeth an indissolvable couple of attributes in God , Reas. 1 Because faith seeth Gods purity and mercy to be in●eparable attributes . that cannot be separated and severed ; as it seeth his grace and mercy to draw him forward , so it seeth his purity , and justice , and holinesse , and righteousnesse , that it dares not but obey God , as it doth discerne his grace and mercy to make him perfectly to trust in God ; so it seeth another thing in God , that God is of that nature that he must be served , and worshipped , and obeyed . Therefore you shall see Noah , though the building of the Ark were an endlesse work , and a costly , and chargeable work in the eyes of men , it would cost him many yeares to build , and he could not look after his calling , and after the world , but it would take him up for an hundred and twenty yeares , and set all the world a talking of him , and mocking at him for it ; yet when God commanded him to do it , faith made him do it , and how did faith make him do it ? Heb. 11. 7. By faith Noah being forewarned of God of things not seen as yet , moved by feare , prepared an Ark ; fear moved him , faith made him do it ; but how did faith make him do it ? It moved him with feare , and so made him do it ; it made him see God was an holy and righteous God that would not be dallied withal , and this moved him with feare , and he durst not but do it ; whatsoever it put him to , he durst not omit it ; faith makes a man that he dares not be bold with God , it takes away the impudency of the heart , and the venterousnesse of the soul ; as long as a man doth not believe , he dares make bold with such Commandements of God , as he likes not , he will omit them for all him ; but when faith comes it reveales God to the soul , and shewes who he is , and what nature he is of , and that he is such a one as will not be dallied with , but his Commandements must be done , and his will must be obeyed , or else woe to that man ; it shewes to a man the infinite Majestie of God , and sets it before a mans face , that he dares not go on in any thing contrary to Gods will , but obey God in whatsoever he commands him , and abstaine from whatsoever God forbids , as Paul saith , We dare not make our selves of the number , or compare our selves with some that commend themselves , 2 Cor. 10. 12. He knew God had forbidden it , and he durst not but obey . So , 1 Cor. 6. 1. Dare any of you having a matter , go to Law before unbeleevers ? As who should say , you are not beleevers if you do it ; faith would shew you what God is , and what an inglorious , and what a bitter thing it is for you to do it , how dare you do it ?

Secondly , Faith doth not onely look upon Christ as a Saviour , and a Redeemer , but also as a Lord and King , when Christ comes to a man , 2. Because ●aith looks on Christ not only as a Saviour ▪ but as a Lord when faith comes into the soul : Christ is called our Lord Jesus Christ , as he is a Jesus , so he is a Lord ; and faith doth not only receive him as a Jesus , but submits to him as to a Sovereigne ; Faith takes them both together , faith will not let a man live Lordlesse , it knowes he must take Christ as a Lord as well as a Redeemer ; as faith takes off the guilt of sinne , so it puts the yoake of Christ on ; Is Christ divided ? saith the Apostle , 1 Corinthians 1. 13. So I may say , is Christ divided ? Can he be disjoynted himselfe from himselfe ? Can people mangle Christ in pieces , and divide him asunder ? May be thou wilt have him as a Jesus , but thou wilt not have him as a Lord , then thou canst not have him at all ; as Peter saith , Acts 2. 36. Be it known to all , that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ ; As he hath made him a Christ by anointing him to be a Saviour , to bring men from sinne , and to bring them to Gods Kingdome , and save them from wrath ; so he hath made him a Lord , he hath set him up as a King upon his Holy Hill of Zion ; look as it was with Jephtah , when the Gileadites would have him to save them from the Ammonites , shall I be your head then , saith he ? and he made them to sweare before the Lord that they would make him their Head , or else he would not deliver them ; so if thou wilt have Christ to deliver thee out of the hands of thine enemies ; sinne is an enemy , and the Law is an enemy , and the Devill is an enemy , and the world , and thine own flesh is an enemy ; if thou wilt have Christ to deliver thee from these enemies , shall he be thy Head ? He hath sworne an Oath , That we being delivered from the hands of our enemies should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our lives , Luke 1. 73. He hath sworne with an Oath , that that man whom he delivers from his enemies shall serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse , and shall not live as he list , he shall not live Lawlesse , he shall take Christs Lawes as well as his Merits ; as well Christs Government as the imputation of his truth and righteousnesse , he shall take the one as well as the other ; Now , it is an easie thing for a man to believe by a presumptuous faith that Christ is a Jesus , but here is the difficulty to take him as a Lord ; No man can call Christ a Lord but by the Holy Ghost , saith the Apostle , 1 Cor. 12. 3. He doth not say no man can say Christ is a Jesus , the Devill and presumption can make a man say so , and every man hopes , and beares himself upon this , that Christ is a Jesus , but no man can truly confesse him to be a Lord , but by the Holy Ghost ; unlesse the Holy Ghost enable him , as our Saviour saith , David by the Spirit called him Lord ; he speakes of himselfe , Matth. 22. 43. It is a great matter to submit to Christ as a Sovereigne , as well as to take Christ for a Saviour ; now faith seeth both must be done , it must take Christ under both relations , as he must take him under the relation of a Redeemer , so under the relation of a Lord as to be saved by him , so to be guided and swayed by him in all his wayes , and to be at his disposing in all his courses ; thus faith seeth Christ is propounded in the Gospell , and thus Christ embraceth him , it cannot have him in one respect , but it must also have him in the other , and so faith brings in obedience .

Thirdly , Faith seeth another couple that cannot be disjoynted and severed one from another , and that is this ; as faith tyeth the heart to 3. Because faith gleweth the heart to the Commandements as well as to the promi●es . the promises , so it glueth the heart to the Commandements , these go together , and when faith reacheth forth the hand to the one , it reacheth forth the hand to the other , they are tyed with bonds of adamant that cannot be severed , Psalme 119. 56. When faith will go to God in vertue of a promise to do this or that for him , he reacheth forth the hand to the Commandements too . I am the Lord thy God , thou shalt have no other Gods but me ; As who should say , if you will look upon me as your God by faith , then look that you have no other gods but me , look that you honour me in all my wayes , and stoop to me , and obey my Word , as the Lord propounded the one , so he set before them the other , a man forgets that God is his God by faith , if he keeps not his Commandements , beware ( saith Moses ) least thou forget the Lord thy God in not keeping his Commandements ; How can a man believe in God , when he forgets that which he should believe ? When a man forgets to be subject to God , and to give up himself in all his wayes ? The Promises and Commandements are tyed together with bonds of adamant , and no man can pull them asunder , as it is with sinne and the threatnings , if a man go on in sinne , he shall be sure to have the threatnings light upon him , they are bound together by bonds of adamant and everlasting coards ; let a man do what he can , if he howle and roare to God to take away his plagues , to take away Hell fire and damnation ; if he go on in sinne , it will never be , they hang together in an everlasting truth , The way of the wicked shall perish ; and if a man soweth iniquity he shall reap misery , saith the Wiseman , As a man soweth , so he shall reap , do not deceive your selves ; We are marvelous apt to reason as Eve did , to put in perhaps , perhaps you shall dye ; Nay , assuredly we shall dye if we go on in sinne , and will not live that life which God hath set before us , the life of faith , the life of God , the life of Heaven , the life of true Holinesse and righteousnesse ; if we will not submit to this , and give up our selves to be brought under it , we shall assuredly perish , never did any man live and goe on in sinne , but he dyed in perdition . Never any man lived a wicked and ungodly life , but had a wicked , wretched , and damned death ; if a man do go on in sinne he shall be sure to have the threatnings of God light upon him , he cannot avoyde them ; so it is on the other side , the Promises and the Commandements go together ; and if a man do observe the Commandements ' of God by a true and lively faith , he shall assuredly have the promises ; and if he reject the Commandements , or be un●ound in the doing of them , he cannot have the Promises ; if he have the one , he must have the other ; he can never make a faithful Plea for Peace , for Pardon , for Heaven , or any thing that God hath promised , that bindes not himselfe over to God to do his will in every thing ; Nay , the strength of Faith puts forth it selfe in as strong an act towards the Commandements as towards the Promises , and if there be any difference , it is on the Promises side , for the Promises are more supernatural then the Commandements , for they were once written in the heart , therefore the Commandements are not so supernatural ; a man was once acquainted with them , but the Promises of Mercy , and Pardon , and Redemption are more supernatural , and we see this in poore weak beleevers that go on and are enabled to make good conscience of their wayes , and to be very carefull of sinning against God , and walk in very good strictnesse , diligence , and circumspection , and yet have much ado to apply the Promises , and appropriate them to themselves . I say , broken-hearted people that are weak in faith , in regard of personall confidence , may yet notwithstanding be very strong in the doing of the Commandements of God ; The reason is , because obedience flows from a direct act of faith , and this bearing a man upon the Promises from a reflect act of faith , it flowes from a consciousnesse of obedience , when a man is conscious that he is sincere ; then , and never before can a man have confidence that the Promises are sealed to him , this is a reflect act of faith ; but it is a direct act that makes a man obey Gods Commandements , so that faith must needs work obedience , for if there be this blessed couple propounded to the soule in the Gospel together with the Commandements , Faith looking on both takes one as well as the other .

Fourthly , there is another close couple that faith looks upon , and that is , as upon a Title to the Kingdome of Heaven , so also to a fitnesse 4. Because faith looks to a fitnesse for heaven as well as a title to heaven . for the Kingdome of Heaven , and one is as needfull as the other , as things without which a man cannot enter into the Kingdome of God ; Now , Faith as it helps a man to a title to Glory , so it helps a man more and more with fitnesse , because it seeth it cannot be otherwise ; When David had committed his two fowle sinnes of murther and adultery , though he had not lost his title to the Kingdome of Heaven , yet he could not enter into it , he could not have actual possession of it ; Why ? Because he was unfit , Heb. 12. 14. Without holinesse a man cannot see God , though a man hath all the titles in the world , though he be elected to it before all worlds , yet till he is made fit for it , he cannot enter into it , flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God ; as the Apostle Peter speakes , it is an inheritance holy and undefiled , and a man must be holy , before he can be made partaker of it ; Joseph must shave himself before he come before Pharaoh . Ahasuerus women must be prepared , and purified with spices and odours , and mirrhe , Hest. 2. 11. And then they came before the King , when they were prepared and adorned , and made sweet and persumed ; So a man must first be prepared and fitted for the Kingdom of heaven , or else there is no admission into it , heaven is too fine a place for adulterers , and drunkards , &c. As soone as ever the Angels of heaven , though glorious creatures , began to sinne against God , God thrust them out of heaven ; they left their habitation , it was too fine for them : and do you think the Lord will admit the Devill into heaven againe in his members ? what a thing is it when every drunkard , and profane person shall think himself meet company for the blessed trinity ? it cannot be , God will never take such foule loathsome creatures into fellowship and Communion with him , they are too neare him already in the world , and therefore he will fling them out of his presence into Hell ; in Heaven is nothing but beatifical vision , viewing of God , and delighting in God , and not thinking a thought but of God , and therefore no roome for those that are empty of grace , and not fitted and prepared for it ; now faith knowes this , and believes this , and therefore as it layeth hold on Christ for title , so it never leaves till it hath gotten fitnesse from Christ , as the Apostle speakes , Col. 1. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet , &c. God makes all meet for Heaven that he brings thither , and till they are so they cannot be admitted thither ; if a man will go to heaven he must be a vessel of honour , 2 Tim. 2. 21. Therefore Faith purifies a mans heart , pares off a mans flesh , weanes a man from the world , and knocks off a mans cursed corruptions more and more , and pulls downe a man before God , makes a man stoop to Gods Covenant , and to be hol● and righteous as he is ; it knows , unlesse he be made fit for Gods Kingdome , he can never come there ; we should look to this , and it should make us feare , and tremble , and look to our selves , for unlesse we be fit for the Kingdome of Heaven we shall never have abode there , John 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe , &c. That is , except a man be made meet for the Kingdome of God he cannot come into it ; Except he have Heavens frame and disposition , and Heavens conversation , except his conversation be in Heaven here , he can never come there ; and this is the reason we are so often called upon to be godly in Christ Jesus , to walk in purenesse and holinesse of living , because no uncleane thing shall enter into the heavenly Jerusalem ; without are Dogges , the Lord counts them Doggs that shall never enjoy his presence ; this is another reason why Faith workes obedience , because if he will have Title to the Kingdome of Heaven , he must look to be fitted for the same .

Fifthly , because Faith is eminently all that a man is to do , it is the whole work of a Christian , John 6. 29. This is the work of 5. Because faith is eminently all that a man is to do . God , &c. That is , this is eminently all the workes of God . But is there no work but this ? Yes , there are many other works , but this is the work of God that ye believe , because this is eminently all that God looks for , as the Apostle speaks , 1 John . 3 , 22. This is his Commandement , that ye believe , &c. Is there no other Commandement but this ? is this all we must do , and no more ? No ; but this is eminently the Commandement , there are other Commandements , but all are included in this of beleeving ; so faith is eminently all graces , all other graces are but the daughters and brood of faith , they grow out of faith as out of the spring and root , so that do this and do all , do but beleeve in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ , and what wilt thou not do ? it will make thee give over thy sinnes , and be humbled and mortified , it will make thee give over vaine company , and delight in all goodnesse , make thee zealous and servent , and teach thee how to pray and be thankfull to God ; it will fill thy mouth with laughter , and thy tongue with joy , it will make thee do any thing if thou believe , Acts 16. 31. As who should say , believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and this will make thee do all , there will be nothing left , as Christ saith , If thou believe , all things are possible ; So I may say , if thou believe all things will be done , and thou wilt stick at nothing , be backward in nothing , but wilt be brought to obey God in every thing ; it is like the turning of the Cock , if the Cock be turned , the water will flow forth ; so if a mans heart be opened by faith , all the heart runnes to God ; a Wind-mill , if the Sailes go , the stones and all go ; so if ●aith be once working and operating , all the soul is turning it self towards God , though never so Heavy , and Carnal , and Vaine , and Earthly before , yet now all is going in the wayes of God ; As the Mother of Christ said to the servants of the marriage , Whatsoever he ●ids you do , do it ; So faith saith thus to all the soul , look whatsoever Christ John 2. commands , look you do it , minde those things he bids you minde , affect that he affects , retaine that he bids you remember ; it is like Abner , that brought all Israel to be the servants of David ; so faith when it comes into the foul , it brings all the faculties of the soul of the whole man to be subject to the Lord Jesus Christ ; thus you see that faith works obedience in a man .

The first Use is this , to answer a demand that will arise out of the hearts of people , when they heare that Faith makes a man to obey .

Quest. How doth it make a man obey ?

Answ. I answer , by setting before a man the corruptions of his owne heart , and what woeful stubbornenesse is in the same ; it makes a man see those innumerable corruptions in the soul , and how deeply they have eaten into the soul ; it makes a man see what a loathsome creature he is , and what a deal of rebellion there is in his will , and minde , and thoughts , and affections , and what oppositions there are against the doing of Gods Holy Will ; he seeth that if he will obey God what little help he shall have from himself , from his own will , his own reason , his own parts , his own nature , though he had never so good a nature ; Nay , how he shall be hindered , and hampered , and opposed by himself ; faith lets him see this , and so pulls him down before God , to abhor himself in dust and ashes ; it was thus in Paul , Rom. 7. 24. O miserable man , &c. It made him finde this , that he could not do the good he would ; thus faith empties a man of himself , and makes him to renounce himself , and makes him not to stand upon his own feeet , never to stand alone , never to go about any thing but with the help of Christ ; it makes a man see what a damned will he hath , what a damned reason he hath , what a damned heart and disposition he hath : O! saith he , here is Wisdome indeed , here is a disposition indeed , I will never be ruled by this disposition , and he looks upon himself as an undone creature if he followes his own desires ; here be desires indeed , and thoughts indeed , and here is an horrible frame , and this makes him renounce himself : and thus faith works obedience in a man , by driving of him out of himself , and dividing a mans self from himself , that he will not be led by his own thoughts , nor carried by his owne imaginations , it seeth ' Hell in all these , and that he can do nothing without Christ live in his heart by faith ; without faith you can do nothing , saith Christ , and faith tells a man this ; it makes him know what a wretched creature he is , and what a damned nature he carries about with him , and that he must not follow , and please , and give satisfaction to that at any time . Now , a natural man may see his insufficiency of himself , and the vilenesse of his nature , but conscience only shewes him this ; but because he hath not faith , it doth not humble him , and put him down , but he will follow his own thoughts , and go after his own reason for all this , he hath not true and saving faith , to reveal these things in power to him , but when faith comes into the soul , it doth it to the purpose ; it makes a man not to be a little affected with his sinnes , but ●oundly affected , and makes him see that he is undone for ever if he go on in that course he was wont to do ; and thus faith working in this fashion delivers a man over to Christ , by taking a man off from that which was his Pilate and guide before , and making him to be guided by Christ .

Secondly , Faith works obedience by carrying a man to God , it 2. By carrying a man to God . makes a man seek to God how to obey ; Teach me O Lord to do thy will , Psal. 143. 10. Faith carried him to God ; so faith doth wheresoever it is , it brings a man to God , that God would be pleased to strengthen our apprehension , that so we may look upon his will , and to fortifie our understandings that we may conceive of all his wayes , with a Divine and heavenly understanding , and to fortifie our wills , that the feeblenesse of them towards God may be removed , it crieth to God from day to day , that he may not do as he hath done , nor live as he hath done ; faith wheresoever it is , drives the soul to God , and to lie at him from day to day , to guide him , and teach him , and instruct him , and shew him his wayes , and reveal unto him his Statutes ; as David , Psalme 119. 35 , 36. Incline my heart to thy Testimonies , and not to Covetousnesse ; As who should say , Lord , here is my heart , will , and whole man , I beseech thee make me walk in thy wayes , I am very loath and untoward , I beseech thee put some strength into this will of mine ; when I go to thy Word , let me heare it with trembling ; when I go to prayer , let me go to it with an heavenly minde ; encline my heart this way , and make it stand bent this way ; 't is true , when naturall men are convinced that all strength is from God , they pray too , but this is not faith in prayer , but faith makes the soul that it cannot be quiet , but it must obey and stoop to him in all his wayes .

Thirdly , Faith works obedience by making a man improve all the abilities that God hath given him already , and this is the best way to 3. By making a man improve all his abilities . encrease them , Matth. 13. 12. When a man hath grace , hath a Talent , and makes use of it , and hath it to some purpose , and layeth it forth , that man shall encrease his Talent and abound , God will give him more ; now as faith works obedience by shewing a man his own wretchednesse , that he must not yield to his own desires , and be carried by his own vaine imaginations , that for his part would conclude such a course is lawful ; and why not ? Though God saith the contrary , faith makes him consider that , and so drives him to God , and so also it makes him go and improve those gifts , and parts , and strength that God hath given him already , that he may lay it forth , and use it to the uttermost , as if a man be haunted and baited by any lust , deadnesse , security , coldnesse in duty , or some other lust ; Now , Faith when it would make a man obedient to God , to crucifie these lusts , it makes a man look out to see what power God hath given him , what abilities God hath lent , what helps and furtherances God hath reached out unto him , and he takes all to fight against that lust ; hath he understanding ? that he employes to think of the evill of the sinne , to consider of the danger of the sinne , how he may avoyde it , and what course he may take to overcome it ; if God hath given him a memory , he layeth it forth to remember and recollect such things as he hath heard , and hath been told of , he layeth all his Talents forth that ever he can to master that lust , and so works obedience ; as faith drives a man to God for help , so look what help God lends , and what Talent God puts into his hand , he layeth all forth for the working of obedience , he will not let any one lye idle , but will employ all to help him forward in obedience .

Fourthly , Faith doth work obedience , by making a man to relie upon Christ , it doth look unto an union with Christ , it doth make 4. By making a man relie on Christ . a man to cast himselfe upon Christ for power against his sinnes , it doth extract vigour from Christ against corruption , it doth distill and draw down graces from him , faith is the pipe whereby grace is conveyed from Christ to the soul , and faith opens the passages of this pipe that it may descend down to the heart from the Lord Jesus Christ ; faith is a marvelous excellent thing , it doth extract efficacy , and validity , and power , from the life and death of the Lord Jesus Christ , for the crucifying of the flesh , for the mortifying of the deeds of the body ; and thus , it changeth the heart , and brings willingnesse to every duty by doing thus . I say , faith goeth to Christ , and casts it self upon him for all things it wants , for the performance of all good courses and wayes ; Thus David got power against his carnal ●eare , when he was afraid of Saul on one side , and the Philistins on the other side ; how doth he fence himself against this , Psalme 56. 4. I put my trust in God , and therefore need not feare what man can do unto me ; and so faith was able to root out his feares ; So it was with the remnant of Israel , Zeph. 3. 13. They shall do no iniquity ; you will say , how can that be ? Can flesh and blood do that ? As long as a man is flesh and blood he will be doing some iniquity or other ; how shall a man be able to do no iniquity , and let no iniquity have dominion over him ? it goeth before in the twelfe verse , They trust in God , They trust in God , and so shall 〈◊〉 iniquity ; When a man doth trust in God , and hath faith to relie upon him , a●d distill down power and strength from Christ , this will help him to do no iniquity , and help him to oppose himself against all his corruptions , and fight against the strength of all his lusts , as the Apostle saith , Rom. 3. 13. let us therefore cast off the workes of darknesse . You will say this is very strange , are we able to do this ? can we tame our own hearts , or change our own minds ? are we able to purge out these corruptions ? is this possible ? how shall a man do this ? Why ? put on the Lord Jesus Christ , ( in the next words ) go to him by a true and lively faith , and then you may be strong in Christ , and able to do every good Duty , and subdue every sinne , receiving strength from Christ ; when a man is to go through thornes and briars , a man is not able to go through ; but if he put on his Bootes and his Gloves , &c. he may ; so when a man goes on in his owne wayes he cannot avoide sinne , pride , and covetousnesse , and vanity , how shall he avoide these things ? 't is true , he cannot avoide them if he go naked , but if he put on Christ he may ; it is a similitude taken from a garment , and that in two respects .

First , it must be fitted , and then it must be put on ; so Christ first takes measure of all the infirmities , and frailties of his people , and communicates to them a sutable grace ; are they troubled with afflictions , then he measures out patience to beare them ? are they persecuted , then he makes them able to stand for his Name ? are they to pray , to deny themselves , to sight against Satan , he measures them out a sutable proportion of his grace and Spirit to him ? and now when a man hath his Gloves , and all provision on , he may go about hedging , or ditching , or any businesse ; so when a man hath put on Christ , and is armed with grace and strength from him , what is it but a man may do ? In that very moment wherein a man casts himself upon God in Christ , and doth lay hold upon Christ by a true and lively faith , this grace is made over to him the same moment , may be the grace of victory he must stay for a while , but there comes a grace of sincerity from God that very moment that he believes in Christ , though may be there comes not that power from Christ he would have , yet that power , that he shall be sincere , and will never let corruption make him a slave ; he shall never walk after the flesh , never be stubborne and worldly , never do as the wicked do , never depart from God as unbelievers use to do ; he shall depend upon God , and waite upon him , and adhere and cleave unto him , and continue a faithfull Souldier to Christ , fighting against sinne and corruption to the death ; a man shall have power from Christ to do this , if he have a true and a lively faith , By faith , ●aith the text , Hebrewes 11. 5 En●ch walked with God ; how is it possible ? could he walk with God ? what a strange kinde of life is this ? How averse is the heart of man from it ? People cannot abide such strictnesse to have commerce , and society , and communion with God , to keep close to God , and not go away from him , how could he do this ? Why ? By faith he walketh with God : So Abraham , God bade him leave his Countrey and all he had ; you must think a thousand things were objected to him ; you must think he had abundance of reasonings to and ●ro in his minde ; I am in yeares , unfit for travell , and I shall now travell God knowes whither ; and I am now where I was bred and brought up , and I have hear meanes ; and maintenance , and friends , and know how to live ; and for me to go into a strange Countrey where I know no body , and I know not what may become of me ; and for me to leave certainties for uncertainties , all the world will count me a foole ; how did he do this ? By faith he obeyed , saith the text , &c. Faith helped him with power to look up unto God , and cast himselfe upon God , that helped him against all difficulties , that helped him against all the backwardnesse and dulnesse of his nature ; he committed himself to God , and would do it , he packt up himself , never once standing upon the matter , but away he goeth ; By faith he obeyed , &c. So , By faith Abel offered up a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain , Hebrewes 11. 4. How is that possible ? Was he not made of the same mettall Cain was ? was he not borne out of the same womb , digged out of the same pit ? As apt and prone to serve God after an earthly manner as Cain ? How was he able to offer up a more acceptable sacrifice ? He had no better sheep then Cain . Why ? it was done by faith , he had faith in God , he renounced himself , and was divided from himselfe ; he was united to God by faith , and resolved to hang upon him , and so leaned upon him for every thing he had promised , and so got acceptance with God . So Rahab , by faith entertained the spies , Hebrewes 11. 31. It was a hard piece of service , a marvelous difficult piece of businesse ; you must think she thus reasoned with her selfe , shall I entertaine Traytors ? Shall I betray my owne Countrey ? The Town will see it , it will come to the Kings eare , and I shall become a Traytor to my Countrey and Prince , and a thousand to one but I shall lose my life if I suffer them to be here ; but how did she overcome this ? By faith , by faith she entertained the spies , for all it was so hard , for all death was at the doore , yet by faith she was able to do it ; What shall we say to Gideon , Baruch , &c. Who by faith subdued Kingdomes , &c. Hebrewes 11. 37 ? Out of weak they were made strong ; How , did they work righteousnesse ? They were as weak as others , but saith made them of weak , strong , faith strengthened their wills to that which was good ; faith corroborated their resolutions and purposes towards the pleasing of God ; and resisting corruptions faith made them strongly resolve that they would not be led by their owne wills , they believed in God , and so were able to do it . What shall I say of Moses , Hebrewes 11. 24 ? This is a wonderful thing , that he should refuse to be called the sonne of Pharoahs daughter ; a meane man born , and yet refuse to be called King Pharoahs Grand-childe ! who would refuse such excellent hopes of honours and preferments ? may be he might be King afterwards ? Nay , when he was come to yeares to do it ; if he had refused it when he was a childe , before he had come to yeares it had been no such wonder , it might have been attributed to his childishnesse ; Nay , but he was come to yeares , and was a learned and understanding man ; what man would have done this ? Indeed rare are such persons that are able to renounce themselves in this fashion , but you see what faith can do .

Quest. Thus you see how faith doth work obedience , and now if Quest. How doth ●aith fetch power from Christ . you would know how faith doth fetch power from Christ to do these things .

I answer , it is by two wayes . Answ. 1. As an instrument .

First , Faith is an instrument whereby God doth by the acting and placing of it aright upon him , let out that power which is in Christ to a poore soul ; that that power which is in Christ is to him , and that goodnesse which is in Christ is to him , that he shall have grace for grace , an answerable grace , for every grace in Christ , Eph●s . 1. 19. The exceeding greatnesse of his power , to us-ward that believe ; When we believe the exceeding greatnesse of his power is to us-ward , it is not only a power in God , but it is for us , and we may take that power and fetch it from God , and obtaine of him to put it forth . You know that Christ hath promised to take away the stony heart , &c. He hath made such promises as these , to pull down strong holds , to overcome Satan and all the enemies of our ●oules , to poure out his Spirit upon his people , as water upon the thirsty ground ; now as soone as ever faith comes into the soul it goeth to these promises , and takes hold of them , Lord here is such a promise , Lord make me a new heart , make me obey this Commandment , and overcome such a sin , and all the power that is in God , it is to him-ward .

Secondly , Faith doth fetch down power from . Heaven in a moral manner , 2. In a moral way . by considering the exceeding greatnesse of the recompence of reward , as it s said of Moses , Hebrewes 1. 25. I say , faith looks unto Christ , looks unto the favour of God , unto the forgivenesse of sinnes , and Title to Gods Kingdome , it looks unto eternal life , unto those admirable joyes that are at Gods right hand for evermore , which are promised to them that believe ; it seeth these things , and this makes him able to deny any thing , to overcome any thing , to go about any thing ; shall I have Heaven , the favour of God , a Kingdome ; shall I be happy for ever ? Shall I have all these things if I will pray and heare the Word ? Obey God , and give over vaine company , and joyne to Gods people , and hate all manner of evil , if I will labour to crosse my own thoughts and desires and approve my selfe to God in all my wayes , shall I have all these things ? this makes him able to do it ; he looks to this , and so goeth about it , and when the flesh shall object hardnesse , and difficulty , and opposition , and losse of comfort , and losse of carnal ease and delight ; faith goeth and sets these admirable things against them , it sets Heaven ; and the Kingdome of Heaven , and Christ , and the joyes of Gods right hand against them , and this makes him do it ; it sets the will of God against his will , the favour of God against the favour of men , the joyes of Heaven against carnal joyes , eternal happinesse for evermore against the sufferings here for a moment , weighs one in one scale and the other in the other , and so works with them .

Here we may see what little faith there is among people , certainly there Use 2. See what little faith is in the world . is but little faith , because if there were much faith , there would be much obedience given to God ; we should have admirable Townes , gracious Congregations ; we should have never a drunkard , never a prophane person , but all Saints , and holy men , and women , every one would be thinking of God and his wayes , and heavenly minded ; if there were much faith , people would have their lives changed , and their conversations altered ; as Christ saith , When the Sonne of man comes , shall he finde faith upon the Earth ? So may I say , if the Sonne of man should now come among us , should he find faith among us ? He should find it very rare ; for this is certain , there are not very many that professe faith ; drunkards , and the greatest company of prophane persons are such as have not the face of holinesse and faith ; and amongst this little number that professe it , how few are there that have true faith indeed ? You see none have true faith but those that are obedient unto God ; true faith doth bend the soul to God , it makes the soul spiritual , and holy , and humble , and cleane another man from that he was before , that he shall be resigned over to God , to live at his dispose ; this is true faith , therefore faith is hardly to be found upon earth ; it is a pitiful thing to see how little Gods will is regarded up and down ; and though God be our Maker , and his hands have formed us , though we professe we are his people whom he hath redeemed , though we know he hath sent Christ into the world , and the blood of his own Sonne is cried up and down in the streets , and calls upon men to believe , and take hold on it ; though we do know these things , yet for all this equity of obedience to God , and notwithstanding the necessity of obedience , how do people sleight the will of God ? it is his will we should be fruitful under the meanes , heavenly in holy duties , fervent in calling upon his Name , that we should have the true feare of his Name before our eyes ; it is his will that we should serve him in sincerity all the dayes of our lives , that we should stand for him , and glorifie him before men ; that we should walk with God and be strangers upon earth , and wean our selves from the world , and be taken up with him , more then with any thing in this life , that we should count nothing deare for him , and deny our selves in every thing , it is his will for us to do these things , but who looks after these things ? As if we were possessed with a legion of Devils , we go slighting , and contemning , and breaking all bonds of equity , and necessity of obedience , and Gods will is not obeyed , his worship is not promoted , his name is not feared , few give their minds to do these things ; if God had not thrown millions of devils into hell for ●●nning against him ; if God had not revealed his wrath against sinne and i●quity , and all unrighteousnesse ; if God had not showen how jealous he stands upon keeping his Lawes , and observing his Commandments , and his holy and heavenly Word ; if God had not revealed himself unto us , it had been another matter , but he hath revealed these things , yet how s●●ure are we ? He hath made it appear , Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul that doth evil , and cursed be the man that obeyeth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 w●rds of this Covenant , Jer. 11. 63. And he will come in ●laming fire to render veng●ance upon all that obey not the truth , 2 Thes. 1. 8. These things are spoken and delivered , and we know these things , and confesse them ; yet God is not respected for all this ; Nay , such is the impudency of men , that they will acknowledge that God ought to be obeyed , and served , and it is good to serve him , and it is a dangerous thing not to serve him , and yet for all this they will not do it , as if it were nothing to be damned , and as if they would try whether they can bear hell ; nay , such is the impudency of mens faces , that notwithstanding they have heard they are unconverted and their hearts are not subject to God , yet they hope they have true faith in God , and their sins are infirmities , whereas you see it cannot be true faith unlesse it make a man to be obedient to God in all his wayes , and binde a man in a perpetual bond to God for ever , never to depart from him .

Thirdly , it may be an Use of examination , to see whether we obey God Use 3 For examination . or no , for if our saith be the faith we hope it is , it will make us obedient . Evidences of true obedience .

First , then true obedience is a willing , affectionate , hearty obedience , 1. Willing and hearty . Prov. 3. 1. My son , let thy heart keep my Commandments ; the Lrod will have such obedience as proceeds from the bottome of the heart , not when a 〈◊〉 heart is dull , and dead , and hangs off ; but when the heart pour●s forth it self in his wayes , and performing his gracious pleasures from day to day , this the Lord requires , that it be done with the affection of the heart , as well as the thing be done , in the thing done , & the wicked may go as far ; nay , further then the sincere , they may multiply duties as well as the other for the things done ; but here is the thing , a wicked man doth duties hear●lesly , unaffectionately ; but a child of God doth them sincerely , and willingly , and le ts out his heart and affections upon them all ; God lo●●s a chearful giver , 2 Cor 9. 10. He loves a giver that gives with all his affections ; so he loves a chearful comer to Church , that is glad to hear a Sermon , and his heart leapes to hear the Word of God , and he is affected with it , he loves a chearful praying , one that in prayer poures out his soul before him ; he loves a chearful comer to the Sacrament , that delights to shew forth the Lords death till he comes ; God doth not love a man unlesse ●e doth this with all his affections ; as it is said , it is good to be zealous in a good matter , the worship and Commandments of God are good matters ; now , it is good to be zealous in these matters ; nay , to have the creame , and flower , and chief of our affections set upon these things ; we are acquainted with the wayes , and histories of grace , and we can speak thereof , but it doth not sink down into our hearts , it doth not warme us , nor put any heat into our souls , we are not quickened and moved by these things ; we know Gods attribute , his power , and wisdome , and mercy , and justice , &c. But none sink down into our hearts , they affect us not as they ought to do , where are our affections in prayer ? We pray , and come to Church , and to the Lords Table , but where are our affections in all these things ? The Lord cares not for these services , that have not affections to spice them and sweeten them , and beautifie them ; the Lord loves when a man serves him with all his heart ; when the will hangs off , it is base service , and the Lord regards it not ; as the Lord loves that we that are Ministers should preach with a ready mind● , 1 Pet. 5. 2. That we should preach with gracious affections , and be affected in the Pulpit , and desire from the bottome of our souls to do good to the people , and yearne over the people ; the Lord loves these things when we do them willingly and heartily ; so he delights in people when they heare and call upon his Name with affection ; when we go about Gods Commandments as a Bear to the stake , God abhors it ; may be God commands a man to do such a thing , he doth it , but it is hard saith he ; when money is to be fetched out of his purse for good duties , it is hard saith he ; and when he must go against the wicked , and pull the ill will of the Countrey upon him , may be he doth it , but it is hard ; the Lord distasts this , the Lord loves a chearful giver , and a chearful worker , a chearful Minister , and chearfull people ; now if faith comes into the soul , it will not only work obedience , but chearful obedience , and from the bottome of the heart .

Secondly , true obedience makes a man resigne himself to God , it makes a man to be altogether at Gods dispose ; I am thine , saith David , he looked 2. Works resignation to God . upon himself as if he were altogether at Gods dispose , as if he were his , and not his own ; You are not your own , saith the Apostle , you are bought with a pri●● , 1 Cor. 2 6. So that is true obedience , when a man gives up himself to God ; many will do things that God commands , but they know not how to do them with resignation , to be altogether at Gods dispose ; they love to be called Gods servants , but they will be only retainers ; as many will get to be servants to some Gentleman , but it is only for their own advantage , to save their purses , to have the Gentlemans countenance , these will not dwell with the Gentleman , but in their own houses , and when he hath some great strangers at a Feast , or when he rides abroad in state , then they will attend upon him , but yet they will live at home , and be their own men ; so most people are but the Lords retainers , this is no obedience at all , it is none of faiths obedience .

Thirdly , true obedience puts forth all a mans strength to God ; Thou shalt 3. It puts forth all a mans strength to God . love the Lord thy God with all thy heart , and all thy soul , and all thy strengh ; Praise the Lord O my soul , and all that is within me praise his Holy Name , Psal. 103. True obedience lets forth all that is in a man to Christ , Mat. 4. 20 When Christ called Simon , and Andrew , they flung away their nets and followed him ; it was all the living they had , and yet they flung away all to follow him ; so when he spake to Matthew a Publican , faith came no sooner into his soul but he followed him presently , Mat. 9. 9 Though it was a rich office , he was a Knight by his place , as Cicero speaks , it was worth five hundred pounds a yeare of our money ; yet as soone as ever Christ called him , he le●t his place and went after Christ ; so when a man will part with purse and friends , and all he hath , and fling all at Gods foot , and give up all to him , this is true obedience ; now if we have not this , we have not faithful obedience .

THE KILLING POWER OF THE LAW. Rom. 7. 9. For I was once alive without the Law , but when the Commandment came , Sin revived , and I died .

IN these words the Apostle shewes Two things ; First , The Division of the Text. What a jolly man he thought himself to be whilst he was a Pharisee , before the Lord wrought upon him by the Law : Secondly , What a miserable wretched creature he saw himself to be when the Lord took him in hand , and discovered his sins unto him : before the Law came home unto him , and convinced his Conscience , he thought himself to be alive ; but when the Commandment came , Sin revived , and he died .

1. In the former we may observe Two things :

First , The jolliness of the Apostle , he thought himself to be alive ; I was alive without the Law , I was a Pharisee , and thought my self to be alive ; I fasted twice a week , and prayed every day , and made long Prayers each day : when he considered how he walked thus in all the Ordinances of God , he thought , if this was not to be alive , he knew not what it was to be alive ; I was alive once without the Law .

Secondly , We have here the cause why he had this good conceit of himself , it was because he was without the Law , the law of God had not convinced him , it had not discovered his miserable and wretched estate unto him ; though he had some understanding in the literal sense of the Law , yet the Law was not yet come home unto him , he was as yet without the Law , and that was the reason of that good conceit he had of himself , he did esteem himself to be alive .

And then again in the latter part ; When the Commandment came , Sin revived , but I died . There we may also observe Two things .

First , The Law shewed him what a wretched estate and condition he was in , for all his self-conceitednesse , sin revived , and I died : Though I thought before I was alive , yet when the Commandment came , sin 〈◊〉 , and I died : I saw I was a dead man , when the Lord took me in hand to deal with me , and let me see how my case stood before him . Howsoever I thought my self to be in a good case before , now I saw I was but a dead man ; I did not see such evil , and such a masse of corruption before ; but when the Lord discovered my self unto my self , and when I saw the Spiritualnesse of the Law , then I saw that sin was alive in me , and I died ; when I saw how I ought to behave my self in my affections , and in my inward man , then sin revived , and I for my part was a dead man , I was sain to come down from those high conceits , and imaginations I had before .

Secondly , We have here the Cause why he was thus brought down , it was because of the Commandment of God which came home unto him , the Law of God came home unto his Conscience , and discovered unto him , how it was with him , and it made him to shake in the apprehensions of his own estate , that he was but a dead man , and that he had gone to Hell , and perished everlastingly , if he had continued in that estate and condition .

I intend at this time to treat of the former part , Without the Law I was once alive : And here Two things must be opened : First , what doth the Apostle mean , by without the Law . Secondly , What doth he mean when he saith , I was once alive .

1. For the First , When the Apostle saith , he was without the Law , he doth not mean simply , that he did think himself without the Law , that is , without the binding Authority of the Law , for so no reasonable creature is , yea , indeed no creature at all is without the Law of God , for there is a Law of Obedience imposed upon all the Creatures , and the unreasonable Creatures do keep the Law that is imposed upon them by God ; and howsoever reasonable Creatures depart from this Law and break it , yet they are under the binding power of this Law ; therefore the Apostle doth not thus mean that he was without the Law , therefore we must know , that to be without the Law is taken Four wayes :

First , To be without the Law , is meant , to be without the promulgation and publishing of the Law , and so the Heathen only are said to be without the Law , as we may see , Rom. 2. 12. there the Heathen are said to be without the Law : that is , without the promulgation of the Law , it was published only to the Jewes upon Mount Sinai , and so Paul was not without the Law .

Secondly , It is taken in regard of the literal knowledge of the Law , and so ignorant people are said to be without the Law of God ; they know not the Law of God ; and in this sense Paul was not without the Law , he was trained up in the Law , he was learned in the Law , for he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel , Acts 22. 3. so that he had the logical meaning of the Law , and was able to speak of the points of Religion , better then a thousand millions of carnal men , he had the literal knowledge of the Law .

Thirdly , It is taken in regard of the moral Obedience to the Law , and so wicked men are said to be without the Law , as we may see , 1 Tim. 1. 9. The Law is not given to a Righteous man ; but to the Lawless and Disobedient ; wicked men are lawless , they live as if there were no Law , Drunkards and Prophane persons , as they are said to live without God in the world , so they are said to live without the Law , as if there were no Law to bind them ; they are people that are not to be held within any compass , they take notice of no command to rule in their hearts , and rectifie their lives ; and in this sense Paul was not without the Law neither , for he lived after the most strict and exact Sect of the Pharisees , Phil. 3. 4 , 5. If any man think he hath whereof he may trust in the fl●sh , I much more , circumcised the eighth day , of the stock of Israel , of the tribe of Benjamin , an Hebrew of the Hebrews , as touching the Law a Pharisee ; He was one that fasted and curbed himself , yea , he kept two Fasts a week , ( as those Pharisees did , that were of the better rank ) he Prayed daily , and performed the duties of Religion , and there was no outward Ordinance of the Law which he performed not ; he was one that was conformable to the letter of the Law , according as he understood the Law , he was Morally Obedient to the Law ; he was no extortioner , nor unjust person ; no , he did the works of the Law , and those things contained in the Law ; nay , there was no body that could challenge him with any blame ; none that were familiar with him , could say any thing to tax him withal , when he was in his ignorance , and blindness ; therefore in this sense he was not without the Law .

Fourthly , Therefore in the Fourth place , we are said to be without the Law in regard of the spiritual sense of the Law , and so Paul was without the Law ; he did not clearly understand the divine and spiritual sense of the law ; he did not see the glory and the beauty of the Law of God , how it did discover all the breaches of Righteousness , how it reached to all the inward parts , how contrary the Law of God was to all his nature ; thus Paul understood not the spiritual nature of the Law , he had not the spiritual understanding of the Law , and thus he was without the Law .

2. Now for the other words , I was alive once .

1. It is meant here spiritually towards God ; he doth not mean naturally , for he was alive naturally , both before and after the commandment came ; but the meaning is , he did not think himself to be such a wretched cursed creature as he was ; he thought he had the fear of God in him , and true Obedience in him ; he thought he had a spiritual kind of life , as we may see Rom. 6. 11. Ye are dead ( saith the Apostle ) to sin , but are alive to God in Jesus Christ . And , Rom. 7. 13. Give not your members as weapons unto sin , but give your selves unto God , as those that are alive from the dead , i. e. As those that have the pure and spiritual life of grace in them : So Luke 15. 24. This my son was dead , and is alive again ; that is , spiritually alive again ; he was a dead creature , he was departed from his Father , which is the fountain of life ; he was dead in sins and trespasses , he was a dead man , but now he is alive again , he hath spiritual life again .

2. To be alive is taken to be conceitedly so , alive in his own conceit , he hath no true life in him , yet he doth imagine that he hath life in him , he thinks he hath life , and is dead , Rev. 3. 1. I know thy works , thou hast a name thou livest , but thou art dead : Here the Church of Sardis did imagine she was alive , and others conceived so ; she seemed to be alive , and yet notwithstanding was dead , she had no true life in her : she seemed to be alive , not only in the sight of others , but in her own apprehension ; she seemed to be alive , and yet was dead ; now this is the meaning of the words , without the Law I was alive once ; that is , I thought my self to be alive ; I apprehended my self to be no dead man , no damned man : I thought not my self to be under the wrath of God , and one that should perish evermore , if I continued in that estate wherein I was ; I hoped better things of my self , I saw these signs of Grace and Life in me , and I thought I was alive indeed , till the Commandment came , till the Law of God was pressed upon my Conscience , and shewed me the contrary ; I thought my self to be a very live man , and one that had some hope of eternal happiness , and one that might enter into glory , I took my self to be alive ; Thus we see the meaning of the words .

Now the Point I intend at this time to insist upon , is the livelinesse of a Obser . carnal mans heart , before the Law comes home to him , and is pressed to him , and shews him his damnable estate , and that he is dead in his sins and trespasses , he hath some colour of Righteousness , that he is moral and civil , and orderly , and he hath somthing that is like Grace and Life , he hath some hope towards God , and hath some kind of obedience , he seems to be obedient to the commandment of God ; before he is humbled by the Law of God , he is a live creature . Here St. Paul shews it by his own example , Without the Law I was once alive ; noting out unto us , how it is with every unhumbled man , with every unmortified man , that is not yet converted to God , he hath many things to say for himself , but he doth not understand the purenesse of the Law , the Law hath not yet killed him , it hath not yet pulled him flat down before Almighty God : A man that is unhumbled by the Law of God is a live man , he will not be perswaded , that he is a dead , damned creature ; he doth apprehend and hope he hath life : it is so with men , before their Conversion , they will not believe that they are damned creatures , and they think it uncharitablenesse in any to say they are damned creatures , and dead creatures , they will not believe it ; so long as the Law is not charged upon their Consciences , so long as they see not how it is with them , they do verily apprehend that they have life in them , their hearts are not killed , their spirits are not dead within them , they are not pulled down in the apprehension of their own cursed estates before Almighty God : this is the thing I intend to insist upon .

2. For the Proof of the Point , we may see , 1 Tim. 5. 5. there the Apostle speaking of Widows that lived in pleasure , saith , She that liveth 〈◊〉 pleasure , is dead while she is alive ; that is , dead in pleasure , dead in sin , dead in the vanity of her own heart , and yet such a Widow liveth , she liveth not only a natural life , but she is alive in her own conceit in regard of a spiritual life ; for if she conceived she were a dead creature , a damned creature , such thoughts would kill the heart of any creature under heaven , it would break the neck of all her pleasure ; but in that she took her pleasure , it was a plain token that she was not killed .

Now for the Opening of the Point , I will do these Three things :

First , I will shew what this liveliness is , and wherein it consists .

Secondly , I will shew what the Effects of it are .

Thirdly , The Uses .

First I will shew what this livelinesse is , and it consists in these Three things ; I could branch them into Four , but I will reduce them into Three Heads .

1. First , It consists in the non-appearance of a mans dead , and damned estate : So long as a mans dead and damned estate doth not appear unto him , so long a man thinks he is alive , and that he is not a dead man , he is not a man that hath the sentence of condemnation lying upon him , so long as the Law hath not come , and shewed a man his wretched estate , and made his damnable estate appear in its own colours unto him , why he is alive man , he conceives himself to be alive because the Law of God hath not convinced him of the contrary : if the Law of God doth seise upon a mans heart , and in its own colours appear to a mans eyes , and hold it self as a glasse to a mans understanding , and shew him his wretchednesse , and what a cursed estate he is in before God , this will kill his very heart , and break the livelinesse that is in him , and make him burst out into out-cries , Oh! I am a dead man , I am a damned man ; so that the livelinesse that is here spoken of , consists in the non-appearance of a mans dead and damnable estate : As for example , an Adulterer , his damdable estate doth not appear to him , he knows not that he is a dead man , as Prov. 9. 18. He knows not that the dead are there , and that her guests are in the depth of hell : When he goes to lie with his Whore , and commit his wickednesse , he doth not think that they are dead and damned men that are there , nor that they are in the pit of Hell . Though his Conscience may tell him , that he is wicked , and sinful , and wretched , and that he is half dead ; yet he is not a dead man , he is not absolutely a dead man , he doth not know this : It may be he will confesse it , Lord , I am a dead man , Lord , I am a damned man ; it may be he will confesse this in his Prayer , because he hath some light : but yet his heart is not taken down , the livelinesse of his heart is not killed . I will prove it to you : for let another man , a Minister of God , or a child of God , say he is a dead man , a damned man , one that lies under the wrath of God , he will deny it , and say he is uncharitable , and judgeth hardly , and why may he not be a live man , and a good Christian ? he hopes he is , he doth not know that he is a dead man ; as the wise-man speaks , Prov. 14. 12. There is a way that seemetht right to a man , but the issues thereof are death : that is , there is a way that seems to be a way of life , and a man seems to be alive that walks in that way ; but the truth is , it is a way of death , and a man that goeth in that way is a dead man , and a damned man ; but yet in the mean time , while he walks in that way , it seems to be a way of life unto him ; there is a non-appearance of the deadnesse , and damnednesse of a mans estate and condition that walks in that way , and therefore it seems to him to be a right way , and a way of life , and there is great hope in him that he shall live for evermore ; and many men do walk in that way , and therefore it seems to him to be a right way , and a way of life ; it seems right to a man , but the end thereof is death : And this is the First thing , wherein this liveliness consists , The non-appearance of a mans dead and damned estate .

2. Secondly , It consists in Performance ; he is able , as he conceives , to do the duties that God commands ; he hath wisdom and ability at home to go about his Affairs ; he hath understanding and supply at home ; he hath life , and sufficiency to go about these and these duties and performances ; let the Law tell him , he must be sober , he hath life to avoid the Ale-house , and if he commit a Drunken Act , he would have you think he hath grace to be sorry for it ; and let a man tell him , he is a dead man , he hath no grace in him , no life in him ; he will tell you , he doth thus and thus , he hears Gods Word , and he Prayes to God , and he Trusts in God , and he Believes in God ; your telling of him this , doth not kill his heart , he thinks he is alive for all this ; nay , let the Law of God , come and tell him , He is a dead man for all his doing ; this will not kill him neither , so long as the Lord himself doth not open his eyes , and clear his eye-sight , and discover his sins , and convince his Conscience ; though the Law say he is a dead man , and a damned man , this doth not kill him , he can wait upon God and perform these and these duties . Then let the Law of God say , He is a dead man for all this , he must deny himself : why so he will ; I confesse , Lord , I am an unrighteous man , a wretched man , a sinful creature , and all my righteousnesse is as menstruous raggs ; and now he thinks all is well , but the Law of God , hath not yet come home unto him , and shewed him his heavie estate , but he is alive in regard of the performance of the duty , and thinks verily he hath life at home in him ; whereas , if the Law of God did come home and charge his estate upon him , and shew him , what obedience the Law requires , what severity , and truth in the inward parts , it would break a mans heart , and kill him , notwithstanding all performances : but in the mean time that a mans heart is not killed , and the Law hath not given him his deaths Wound , he thinks he is alive : Cry aloud , ( saith God ) lift up thy voice like a Trumpet , sh●w my people their Transgressions , and the house of Israel their sins , Isai. 58. 1. there the Lord looks upon the people as dead , wretched sinners , and abominable people , but yet notwithstanding they thought they were alive in performances , as we may see , vers. 2. Yet they seek me daily , and delight to know my wayes , even as a Nation that did righteously , and had not forsaken the Statutes of their God : they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice , they draw near to me , saying , We have fasted , and thou regardest it n●t . We see here they take delight in approaching unto God , they take delight in Gods Ordinances , and seek God early , they can do thus , and thus , and are alive in all performances ; but that man whose spirit the Law hath pulled down , and the Lord hath convinced him of his infinite inability to perform the Law , he cannot see any liveliness in him , unto any performance . Let any duty come , it kill ; his heart : I should now hear the Word of God , but my heart is unprepared , and my ear uncircumcised , and I cannot hear aright . Let an opportunity be offered to Pray , it kills his heart ; I should now call upon the Name of the Lord , but I have such a cursed heart I cannot Pray , I cannot spe●k one right word before God . Let an occasion be offered of holy Conference , it kills his heart ; Alas , saith he , I want pure language , my tongue was never touched with a coal from the Altar , my lips have not ability to drop forth favoury speeches , I am not able to speak one syllable aright to Gods glory ; it kills his heart , he sees no life at all in him , unlesse he can have life from without , and ability from without , he is dead , all is nothing to him , the law hath taken away the livelinesse that was in him : But he that is not humbled by the Law , he is alive , he hath life in himself , it is nothing with him to Pray , and go to Church , and hear Gods Word , it is nothing , but thrusting to do the duty ; he hath life in him to do duties , and wait upon God in his Ordinances , but when the Law comes home to him , it plainly lets him see that he hath no life in himself to do any good , he must seek for life and abibility from without , else he is a dead man , he can do nothing in this case : David in this case cannot look up : Mine iniquities are gone over my head , I cannot lo●k up , Psal. 40. M●ses , he is a man of uncircumcised lips , and cannot speak unto Ph●raoh ; Paul cannot do any thing that is good , In me dwelleth no good thing , Rom. 7. And so for the rest of Gods people , when the Law hath killed them and laid them dead , in regard of any performance , they must have life from without , there is no life at home , no grace at home , no understanding at home , they must go out for all : but a carnal man , he is alive unto all performances . Many a man is like unsavoury Salt , good for nothing , but to throw upon the dunghil . He never received the Holy Ghost , and yet he will be inducted into a Living , and take a Pastoral Charge upon him , as if he were able to perform the Duty of a Minister , and take the Charge of Souls upon him . So Ananias will be a Husband , and Sapphira a Wife ; Athalia will be a Queen , and Nimred a King ; and Abimilech a Judge ; they are alive to discharge all these Duties : thus men are alive , the Law of God hath not killed their hearts , and pulled down their spirits ; it hath not made it appear unto them , what wretched , cursed Creatures they are . This is the Second thing , wherein this Liveliness consists .

Thirdly , This Livelinesse consists in a presumptuous hope ; he conceives that he is justified before God , and that God will not damn him , but forgive him his sins . There is nothing can make a mans heart more full of life , than to think that he is righteous before God , and that God will not impute his sins unto him : there is nothing can make a man more alive , then this . If they think they are justified before God , they have then a lively hope , 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God ( saith the Apostle ) even the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ , which according to his abundant mercy , hath begotten us again , to a lively hope , by the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead . So these men have a hope , that makes them lively , and full of life ; as a poor man that hath some grounded hope of an Earthly inheritance , it makes the heart lively : Poverty deads the heart ; he that hath nothing to maintain himself , and those that belongs unto him , it deads his heart ; but if he hath some hopes of an hundred pound a year , and his hope is grounded , if he hath sure hope of it , and he makes no doubt of it ; it makes his heart full of life : so when a man doth believe that he is in a good case , that he is delivered from death , that he is in the estate of grace , when he hath some probability that God hath justified him from sin ; this breeds an hope in him of an eternal Inheritance , and this hope , the consideration of it , makes the soul full of life ; There is nothing can make a man more lively , then a hope that he is justified before God , and that God will not impute his sins unto him . Now when a carnal man conceives he is righteous before God , and that God will forgive him his iniquities , that God will not damn him , nor count him a dead and a damned man ; so long as a man doth imagine this , he must needs be a lively man ; he is alive in his own apprehension ; nay , all the delights in the world , cannot make a man so full of life , as this hope . It is not mens following their pleasure , that makes their hearts so full of life ; as to have hope that the Lord doth not account them dead men , that they are justified men , and righteous men , that they have salvation to shew for , Heaven and eternal happinesse to shew for , that they shall go to heaven . But if now the Law were charged upon a man , if he knew that he were a dead man , a damned man , it would pluck down his spirits , and make his spirits dead , for all his pleasures . It is the conceit that men are Justified , that makes them so full of life ; so long as the Law doth not come home to a man , and point him out in his colours , and make it appear to him , that he lyeth under the wrath of Almighty God , that the Lord doth account him an abominable , wretched Creature , so long as he doth not apprehend this ; especially if he have any good Gifts , and Parts , and Qualities , and Moral Obedience to the Law ; doing good Duties , and a general laying hold upon the Promises , and a hope they belong to him ; this makes him alive , Phil. 3. 9. Paul when he was a Pharisee , and did Moral Duties , and performed Moral Obedience to the Law of God , he thought he had Righteousnesse of his own ; he calls it there , his own Righteousnesse , he so apprehended of himself ; now this is that which makes men alive , when they conceive , that they have some Religion , and some Grace . You shall have many men and women that hate the Servants of God , and yet think they are godly men , and have Grace and Life in them . We may see it , Acts 13. 50. there it is said that the Jews stirred up certain devout and honourable women , and raised Persecution against Paul and Barnabas , and expelled them out of their Coasts : Though they hated Paul and Barnabas , yet they are said to be devout , and honourable women . They imagined they were very Devout , they conceived they were Religious ; How many men and women are there , that think they are Righteous , and they will do many Duties , and take many good Courses ; in so much , that it would pity a man to think they should go to hell ? they will be very Zealous , they will be very Earnest against Drunkennesse , and cry out against the abominations of the times ; they are marvellous Devout and Godly , and yet a man that is Devout and Godly in truth and in deed , they cannot abide him , but hate him . Now if the Law should come home unto them , and discover how indeed it is with them , it would humble their souls , and pull down their spirits , and make them dead ; so that this presumptuous hope , that men are in good terms with God , and that God will be merciful to them , and forgive them their sins ; this makes them to be alive .

2. We come now to the Second thing , and that is the Effect of this ●iveliness , what Effects it works in the heart ; And the Effects of this Liveliness are Four .

1. First , It makes them sound and heart-whole , like a Boyl unlaunced , it is yet sound . The true sight of sin , and wrath of God in the soul , is able to break the heart of any man ; it is able to dead his spirit , and kill all the Livelinesse that is in him , and make him have little life to go on as he doth . But so long as the Law of God is not come home to a man , though he have no Title to Heaven , though Hell be the Portion of his Cup , yet he is as sound as can be , as heart-whole as may be : Let carnal comfort come , he can take it ; let pleasures come , he is able to delight himself therewith , and go on in his course as if he ailed nothing , Prov. 18. 14. the Wise man saith , The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities , but a wounded spirit , who can bear ? When the Lord comes to wound a mans heart with the sight of his sins , and the fearful condition he is in , what a cursed creature he is , having no Mercy , and being out of Christ ; having no Pardon , no Grace , no Holinesse , but lyeth under the Curse of God : If the Law this come home , and wounds his Conscience , he is not able to bear it ; this man , let carnal Comforts come , he is not able to take them ; it kills the heart . Look as it is with the Stomack , if it can take meat , and digest it , it must needs be alive ; for if the Stomack be dead , it can digest nothing . So for the Taste , If a mans Palat , and all the instruments of the taste be dead , he takes no delight in any meats : So there is a kind of soundness in the Soul , that is the reason why a man can delight in carnal pleasures , in Drinking , and Sporting , and in Profit and Gain . There is a kind of soundness , and ●iveliness in the Heart ; the heart is not yet broken : If the Law come , and take the Hearts life away , this will pull down the Heart , it will make a mans heart even break , it will pull down his spirit : But a man whom the Law hath not yet humbled , and shewed him his damned estate , his heart is yet whole , and sound . When the Law of God had but a little killed Ahab● heart , you might see it in his very gate , he went softly , he could not tread so confidently upon the ground , as he was wont to do ; it tamed his very steps , it is wonderful how his heart was broken ; it appeared in his very going up and down . When the Law comes home to a man , it is able to kill his heart , and makes him Soul-sick , and makes him cry out , O the wretchednesse of my heart ; it makes a man sick at the heart , it lyes like a heavie Plague upon the heart and conscience , it will make a man at deaths door with his sins ; it will make him say with Paul , When the Commandment came , Sin revived , and I died . But another man , though he hath evident demonstration that he is a dead man , yet the Law of God hath not pulled down his heart ; sicknesse will pull down a mans Stomack : so when the law of God comes home to a mans conscience , and makes him sick , it makes him yield , and pulls down his stomack . Many men are crazy , and sickly ; and yet they lye not by it , but walk up and down , and go abroad ; but if they were heart-sick , it would pull them down , and make them lye by it . So many a carnal man , may have some qualms of sin , but yet their hearts can go abroad after profits , and pleasures , after vanities , and delights ; they can go abroad for all this . But when the law comes home , it will pull down a mans spirit , and make him heart-sick . This is the meaning of that place , The whole need not a Physician , but the sick Mat. 9. 12. Every carnal man , so long as he is not humbled , and broken under the sight of his sins , his heart is yet whole , his spirit is yet sound , he is not yet wounded ; as the Prophet Isaiah speaks , Isa. 1. 6. From the crown of the h●ad , to the sole of the foot , there is nothing , but wounds , and swellings , and sores full of corruption ; there is no soundnesse in him : He is indeed full of wounds , but the skin is yet sound , it is not broken , he fells it not ; the law hath not yet discovered his estate unto him . This is the first effect of this livelynesse ; it makes men to be sound , and heart-whole .

2. The Second effect of this livelynesse , when a man is alive in the non-appearance of his dead and damned estate ; alive in performance , alive in presumption , and self-justifying , and self-hopes ; The effect of it is , that he is fearlesse ; the more lively , the more fearlesse . First , the Object must dead the heart , before it can make the heart fear ; so long as the heart is s●out , the livelynesse that is in the heart , is able to keep out fear : So the livelynesse of a sinner , makes the heart fearlesse and secure . A man would wonder how any creature durst provoke God ; it is almost beyond the reach of true reason , how any creature should dare to provoke God ; to consider what infinite danger he is in , to have the wrath of the God of heaven and earth to hang over his head , to be under the hand of revenging Justice ; to pull down all the Woes , and Plagues , and Comminations of God upon the Soul ; that a man should do this , and yet be secure , it would make a man wonder at it . But a man that hath this livelynesse , he can provoke God , and yet be secure , as J●b 12. 6. those that provoke God are secure , the reason is , the law of God hath not taken down their hearts , the law of God hath not deaded their spirits ; they are alive in presumption , and imagination , and therefore though they provoke God , they are ●ecure , and fear nothing . It is the disquietnesse of a mans heart , that makes him fear ; therefore so long as a mans mind is quiet , and is not disturbed , he is fearlesse : So long as the law hath not disquieted a mans mind , nor broken the rest of a mans Soul , nor disturbed his conscience , but tells him , go on in quiet ; he spends his dayes in security , he fears nothing ; whereas , fearfulnesse , and trembling , and horrible dread , would overwhelm him , if the law of God should come and take away his life : It is fear that deads a mans heart , as we may see , Mat. 28. 4. when the Angel of the Lord roled away the stone from Christs Sepulchre , it is said , For fear of the A●gel , the Keepers trembled , and became as dead men : There is the effect of fear ; if the law did but open mens eyes , and paint out before them , how it is with them , how they are liable to Gods wrath , and under the sentence of condemnation : If they were once thus feared , it would make them seem as dead men : the Drunkards would be so afraid , that they would become as dead men : All wretched men , all ungrounded Christians , all that are not truly alive towards God , it would make them become as dead men ; and it is the deadnesse of the heart that makes men fear , and such a man cannot be secure . Carelessenesse and fear , are two contraries , as Ezek. 30. 9. In that day shall Messengers go forth from me in Ships , to make the carelesse Ethiopian afraid , and great pain shall come upon them : The Prophet there makes these two contraries ; they shall be full of fear , to rouze them out of security : so the cause why men are carelesse to get Repentance , carelesse to get deliverance from sin , carelesse of their walking with God ; the reason is , because of this damnable livelinesse that is in their hearts , they are not yet deaded by the Law .

3. Thirdly , Another effect of this livelinesse is this , it makes the heart stiff ; what a deal of stiffnesse is in the hearts of carnal men ? Let God forbid sinne , they are stiff , and will still continue in their sins , as the Prophet speaks , the heart of this people is waxed stiff , their hearts are marvellous stiffe ; the reason of it is , because the Law of God hath not taken away their livelynesse , it hath not humbled their hearts , and pull'd down their spirits : whereas if the Law had past upon them , and the consideration of their estate were rooted in their minds , it would make their stoutnesse to yeild , and their stiffenesse to come down ; infinite is the stiffenesse of a man for want of this work of the law : Tell a vain gallant of his locks , how s●●●●ly will he reason for it ? Tell a prophane person of the lewdnesse of his course , how stiftly will he argue for it ? This is for want of this killing work of the law .

4. Fourthly , The last effect of this livelinesse is this , it makes the heart peark , and brisk ; what a deal of brisknesse , and pearknesse do we see every day in the hearts of men , because their hearts are not taken down ? I will give you two or three Instances ; If a man have a little knowledge more then others , he is proud , and brisk , and peark ; and he will be some-body , he will be talking , and thinks he hath such a deal of knowledg ; what is the reason of this , that he is so peark ? It is because the Law hath not made it known unto him , that he knows nothing as he ought to know . 1 Cor. 8. 2. There saith the Apostle , If a man thinks he knows any thing , he knows nothing as he ought to know . If the law of God did shew him he were a beast , and a bruit for all his understanding ; if it did discover unto him , his blockishnesse , and blindnesse , and ignorance , that he knows nothing of the Mysteries of Grace and Salvation , this would pull down his pearknesse ; take another man , that hath more knowledge , and can speak better a thousand times , if the law hath shewed him his estate , and truly humbled him , all h● brisknesse is taken away , the law hath taught him such a lesson , that he cannot be peark : Oh! saith he , I know nothing , there is no man more foolish then I , I have not the knowledge of the most High in me ; though he have never so much knowledge , and gifts , and parts , yet the law hath discovered his estate unto him , and pulled down the pearknesse of his spirit . Again , another man is ready to carp at every word , every little occasion will make him on the top of the house , his heart is so brisk , that it is up upon every little occasion , but when the law comes home unto him , this will pull down all his pearkness ; alas , he angry at a word speaking ? The law hath told him how he hath offended God , and provoked his Spirit from time to time ; he is now cooled from being so peark , to be angry at every word . So take a man that is full of pleasure and voluptuousnesse , and is ready to be vain and foolish , every pleasure puts life into him ; but now let the law come , and be charged upon his conscience , and then all his pearknesse is presently down , he is not able to look up , he seeth so many sins discovered by the law , that he is not able to look up : Jam. 5. 1. Go to now ye rich men ( saith the Apostle ) weep and ●owl for the misery that shall come upon you . If the law were charged upon rich men , it would make them weep and howle ; rich men are fullest of pleasure and delight , and farthest from weeping and howling , but if the Law were charged upon their consciences , it would make them weep and howle , and have little heart to be so pleasant .

I come now to the Uses , and the First Vse is for Instruction , to shew us the reason , why there are so many men and women among us , that think Vse . 1 themselves alive , that are so secure , and fearlesse , and carelesse , that have their hearts so sound , and their spirits so unbroken ; the reason is , because the Law hath not yet come home , and killed their hearts , 2 Cor. 3. 6. The very letter of the Law is able to kill as many of us as are in this estate and condition ; therefore the cause of this livelinesse , and security , is because we are strangers from the Law of God , our eyes were never open to behold it , the Law of God never came home unto our hearts .

The Second Vse is this , When we find our hearts to be brisk and peark , Vse . 2 let us pray unto God that he would be pleased to charge his Law upon our Consciences : Let us buy precious eye-salve , that we may be able to look into the Law of God , this will make our hearts that they will not be so wanton , and our spirits , that they will not be so brisk ; though they would never so fain mind earthly things , they cannot . If the Lord would be pleased but to charge his Law upon the heart , it would make the stoutest spirit to yield .

Thirdly , This takes away the imputation that is laid upon the Word of Vse . 3 God ; many think hardly of the Word of God , it takes away the spirits of men : the Preaching of the Law , it pulls down the spirits of men , and breaks mens hearts , it makes men have no spirits , as they said of J●remy , thou makest the knees feeble : so the Law infeebles the knees , and takes away the spirits of a man ; why here we see that the Law of God will do so , it is the Property of the Law to do so , wheresoever it comes , it kills the heart , and pulls down all the pearknesse of it . The Law , it will ever break a mans bones , as David speaks , Let me hear of joy and gladnesse , that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce , Psal. 51. The Lord had broken his very back-bone by the Law , and now he could not rejoyce , Isai. 57. 15. I the Lord dwell with him that is of an humble and contrite spirit , to revive the spirit of the humble : When the Law of God hath broken a mans heart , and made him contrite , he is a dead man , till the Lord comes to revive him , and raise up his spirit .

I come now to the Second part of the Text , When the Commandment came , The latter part of the Text Opened . sin revived , and I died .

Here also , as in the former part , are Two things to be expounded :

First , What doth the Apostle here mean by reviving ? When the Commandment came , sin revived .

Secondly , What doth he mean by dying ; I died ?

When the Law and Commandment came , and discovered me to my self , and shewed me what a damnable thing sin was , and what a wretched dead creature I was for committing the same , and how I lay under the guilt thereof , sin revived , and I died● . Therefore , What doth the Apostle mean by sin revived ? I Answer , The Apostle doth not mean here , as if sin were indeed dead in him , before the Commandment came : for sin is alive in every carnal mans heart , before the Commandment comes , and therefore he cannot mean thus , when the Commandment came , sin revived , as if it were truly , and really dead before ; for his sins were not dead in him , when he was a Pharisee , his sins were not mortified , when he was in his unregenerat●d estate and condition sin was not dead in him , that cannot be the meaning , eas if sin were dead before , and now revived : But he speaks of the Appearance of the death of sin , though it were not dead before , yet it did appear to be dead ; as a Snake in cold weather , though it be alive , yet it appears to be dead , the life of it is in a swound ; though it hath life , yet the cold benums it , and keeps it from appearing : So before the comm●●●ment came , sin was in Paul , but it seemed to have no life but when the ●●●mandment came , and discovered plainly , what a dead creature he was , then the life of sin came indeed to be manifested .

Now the Law of God doth manifest the life of sin Three wayes ; it manifests Three lifes of Sin : There are three lifes of sin that appear to the soul , when the Law comes .

1. First , There is the life of Aggravation ; the Law of God doth aggravate and point out sin to the full life of it , it makes sin appear in the true nature of it : the true nature of every thing is the life of the thing : the nature of a man is the life of a man : Now the Law did shew him the nature of his sins , it painted them out to the very life , in their lively colours ; this made him see how his sins were aggravated : what a cursed and damned thing sin was , and what a person it was committed against , this made sin appear unto him in the very life of it ; therefore in the 13. v●●s . of this Chapter , the Apostle saith , ●●n , that it might appear sin , wrought ●ath in me , that si● might be out of measure sinful by the commandment : that is , when the commandment comes , and is manifested to the soul , it makes the life of sin appear , the life of sin is then manifested , the Law of God 〈◊〉 glasse , doth shew the life of the Commandment and the very nature of all sinning , and transgressing . Now before the Law came thus home ●●to him , he could not thus see sin ; he could say , he was a sinner , and had committed these , and these sins : But what these sins were , and the exceeding sinfulnesse of these sins , he did not see that . He had a dead kind of picture of his sins before , but the life thereof was not manifested ; but the Law of God did make his sin revive , and made him see his sins in the life of them .

2. Secondly , There is the life of Irritation , as I may so call it , or of ●ching , and egging a man . This is another life of sin , whereby it is full of Operation , and Working in the Soul : The Operation of a thing , is the life of a thing . Now before the Commandment came , sin seemed dead , it wrought indeed many evils in him , but he did not think his heart had been so full of life , and so full of activity against Gods Law and commandments . Sin seemed to lye dead before , but now when the Commandment came , and set upon his heart , and began to charge him with better Obedience ; now his heart grew itching , and marvellous full of life unto lust . Hereupon sin egged him the more on to lust : It is like water , when a man goes about to stop it , it runs the more violently . So it is with sin in the heart , the more the Law of God goes about to stop it , and hinder it , the more eager it is , and the more full of life and working , as the Apostle speaks , vers. 8. Without the Law , sin was dead : there was no such working of sin in my mortal body then : but when the Commandment came , when the Law was charged upon my heart , then sin took occasion hereby to be the more violent , and work in me all manner of Concupiscence : before I committed sin without any check , I had vain thoughts , and foolish courses , and many a lust in my soul , and I went to it as if it had been a good thing , not as if it had been evil : But when the Law of God came to shew me the slacknesse of my Obedience , and to controle me , and convince me , and to stop the course of sin , it wrought all manner of Concupiscence in me ; it wrought before in Paul , for it wrought all his security , and all his hardnesse of heart , and all his vain thoughts and imaginations : but this was but a dead kind of working , in comparison of that which it wrought after the commandment came . There are none that have such active Rebellions against the Law and Commandment of God , as those to whom the Law comes ; it eggs a man forward , and makes him itch unto Rebellion . If a man had asked Paul before , whether he had such a divelish heart against God ? he saw no such matter , he never meant God any hurt when he went on in his course , he thought not that he was so stubborn and Rebellious , he did not feel this stubbornnesse and rebellion ; But when the Law came once , it shewed him the ve●ome , and cursed nature of his sins .

3. The Third life of sin is the worst of all ; and that is , the life of Imputation ; for here sin is so full of life , that it is not only able to discover unto him , that he is a sinful wretch , and an abominable creature ; but to bind him over to wrath and send him to Hell , and everlasting destruction . Now it is the Law of God that discovers this life of sin : before the Law comes , a man hath many vain hopes , that God is merciful , and Christ died for sinners , and that God will forgive him his sins , he doth not see the imputation of sin : the imputation of sin lying upon the Soul is not clearly discovered , before the Law come ; for where there is no Law , there is no imputation of sin , Rom. 5. 13. there saith the Apostle , Vnto the time of the Law was sin in the world ; but sin is not imputed , while there is no Law . Before the Law is charged upon the heart , the heart never dreams of the imputation of sin , as if he should answer for sin , and be damned for sin for ever : He thought the contrary before , but now the Law discovers the life of sin unto him , and sin revives , and appears to have life to damn him for evermore . Sin now appears to have life to cast him off from God , and to bind him over to Everlasting vengeance . Thus it was with Paul , when the Commandment came , sin revived : I saw sin was alive indeed , and I saw the life of Aggravation , I saw the hellish nature of sin , it was painted out to the full ; I saw the life of Irritation , I saw the infinite egging , and itching of sin , how it did work in me ; I saw the life of imputation , how all my sins were imputed unto me , and did all lye upon my conscience , and so sin revived , that is the meaning .

Now for the meaning of the Second word , I dyed ; that is , I saw I was a dead man ; I saw plainly , and clearly , that I was but a dead man ; I thought I was alive before , because I did good duties , and walked in the Ordinances of God ; and I thought that I might go for a Christian , and Servant of God , as well as another . I did not think I was a dead man , I thought I had some goodnesse in me , some hope of eternal life in me ; I did not conclude that I was a dead man . But when the Law of God humbled me , and discovered my estate plainly unto me ; then I saw I was a dead man indeed , my heart failed me , and the livelyness that was in me before , departed from me . I saw I was a dead man , and had not the Spirit of Christ come and quickned me , I had been a dead man to all eternity ; I now saw that sin began to revive in me , and I began to be a dead man . Thus we see the meaning of the words .

Now the Theame I propounded to you was this , namely , how the Lord converts the will ; and the first work that prepares a man hereunto , is the work of pulling down the will , and the pulling down of a mans heart ; for the will of a man is full of obstinacy , full of livelinesse against the truth and commandment of God ; full of livelinesse in sin , and conceives it self to be in a better estate and condition , and so the will is obstinate still . Now when it pleaseth God to convert a man , first he pulls down the will of a man , and pulls down his spirit ; now here is a Doctrine to make way for this .

Namely , That when the Lord takes a man in hand to pull him down , to pull down his will , he doth shew him what a dead Creature he is . The Obser . Lord by pronouncing a man in his own Bosom , a dead man , a damned man , one that can no way help himself ; he is dead , absolutely dead in his own estate , and in Gods account , all his hopes are rotten ; he is meerly , a dead , damned man : hereby the Lord pulls down his Will. We may see this in Paul , before his Conversion ; his Will was full of Obstinacy and Rebellion against God , he would go and make havock of the Church , he would not submit to the Will of God ; but when the Lord came to work upon him , Saul , Saul , Why persecutest thou me ? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks : What wilt thou that I shall do Lord , saith he , Act. 9. 6 ? Now his Will is come down : but mark how the Lord puts him off ; Go to such a place ( saith he ) and there it shall be told thee what thou shalt do . The Lord puts him off , and would not give him an Answer presently , what he should do ; as who should say , Thou hast as yet an obstinate Will , thou wilt not do as I command thee : I will not tell thee as yet , what I will have thee to do , but go to such a place , and I will Arrest thee there , and charge my Law upon thy Conscience , and shew thee thy dead , and damned estate . And now his Will is come down ; he bids him be Baptized , and he was so ; he bids him go and Preach the Gospel , and he did so ; now his Will is come down .

So the Prodigal , his Heart was marvellous Obstinate against his Fathers commandment ; he would be gone from his Father , he could not abide to stay in a house where there were such strict courses , he would have his Goods and Patrimony in his own hand , ( as it is the Property of every carnal man ) he would have his Inheritance in his own hand ; he would have Power , and Strength , and Ability , and these Gifts , and Parts , in his own hand : but when he is humbled by the Law , he is content to have all in Gods hand , he is content to have all his Wisdom there , that he may come thither for it ; he is content to have all his Righteousnesse there , and all his Ability , Strength , and Sufficiency there , that he may come thither for it ; all is there , and he sees himself a beggar , if he comes not to God , and keeps close to God , and keeps fast to his Covenant , he is a very beggar . But this man would have all in his own hands , and go and squander away all upon his Lusts and Pleasures , and he would not stay at home with his Father . Now when the Law of God came home to him , to shew this man to himself , when he came to himself , as the Text saith ( his Father did esteem him a dead man before , ) but when he came to himself , and saw he was a dead man for going away from his Father , the Father of Life : Now his Will is come down , I will go to my Father , and say , Father , I have sinned against Heaven , and against thee , and am no more worthy to be called thy Son , make me as one of thy hired servants , Luke 15. 17. Here his Wi●l is come down : he would be gone from his Father before , he could not abide to be held in so strictly , he would fain be gone , and be at liberty ; he had no mind to stay in his Fathers house : But when he came to himself , when the Law shewed him , he was but a dead man , for going from his Father ; and going after his Lusts and Pleasures ; now his Will is brought down , and it submits , and yields ; and now he will go to his Father , and humble himself before his Father , and say , Father , I have sinned against heaven , and against thee , &c. Now I desire here to shew you Three things , as I did in the former Point .

First , Wherein this deadnesse consists .

Secondly , What be the effects of this deadnesse , and how it pulls down the heart . And.

Thirdly , The Uses we are to make of it .

1. For the First , Wherein this deadnesse consists : and it consists in Three things .

First , In deadnesse in being .

Secondly ; In deadnesse in Gods account .

Thirdly , In deadnesse to all doing .

1. First , It consists in deadnesse in being . When the law comes , it shews a man indeed to be a dead man , 2 Cor. 3. 6. the Letter killeth , saith the Apostle : the very letter of the law , without the Spirit of life , which Christ doth inform it with , when he comes to work upon his children ; The letter alone , without the Spirit of God , kills a man : now when a man is killed , he is a dead man ; he is then fully dead , he hath the very being of a dead man , he is a dead man ; that is his Estate and Condition . So when the law of God comes ●ome to a man , it shews him indeed that he is a dead man . The property of the law , when it is let in to work upon the heart , is to slay a man , I have slain them by the words of my mouth , Hos. 6. 5. The law which proceeds from Gods mouth , is able to slay a poor sinner , and kill him at the heart , and lay him for dead before Almighty God , that he can strive no more ; the reason is , because the law doth charge the truth of God upon a man . Now the truth is , that every sinner is a dead man , this is the very truth of it , Rom 8. 6. To be carnally-minded is death : That man is a dead man ; there is the very death of sinne , and hell , and condemnation in that man , that is a carnal-minded man . Now the law of God when it comes , doth charge this Truth upon the Soul , it discovers a man to be in this estate and condition , wherein in truth he is .

2. Secondly , It consists in deadnesse in Gods account . For all a mans presumptions , for all a mans vain hopes that he is justified ; for this is the nature of man , before he is convinced by the law of God , to justifie himself , ( you are they that justifie your selves , ) not that he is indeed Luke 16. justified ; but he falsely applies justification to himself , and he hopes he is justified before God , he is apt to pronounce this hope unto himself . Let a Minister tell him of his sins , here is his Salve , God is merciful , and Christ came to save sinners . Let Sermons beat upon him from day to day , to humble him , he cannot imagine that he is in a damnable estate : Preachers are too harsh , and censorious , and the like . But when the Law comes , it shuts up a man that he cannot get out , as the Apostle speaks , Gal. 3. 22. The Law hath concluded all under sin : that is the nature of the word of God , to shut up a man , that a man is not able to get out : before the law is charged , the heart hath a thousand starting-holes . Denounce hell , and damnation against it , it hath this starting-hole , that Christ dyed for sinners : discover plainly that he is a dead man , he hath these starting-holes , he hopes he shall have peace , and he hopes he is not so vile before Almighty God , and he hopes he hath better righteousnesse then you would bear him down with ; and so he hath an evasion to get out : but when the law comes , and shuts him up , this will tame him . As we use to tame Lions , and Bears , and such like fierce and cruel creatures , by shutting of them up , so the Lord tames the heart of a poor creature , when he would pull him down , he shuts him up , and layes him in the prison , and in the Gaole , and he hath no way to get out , he is a dead man , and there is no way to get out , no evasion to escape ; but still he is a dead man , and a damned man , he cannot open his mouth any more , Ezek. 16. 63. That thou mayest remember , and be confounded , and never open thy mouth any more , when I am pacified towards thee , for all that thou hast done , saith the Lord God . The law indeed works thus in the Regenerate , though the Lord be pacified towards them , yet they shall never open their mouths , never cavil against Gods precepts more , never be so brisk any more . But so long as a man is in his sins , the law doth not only convince him that he is dead in himself , but that he is also dead towards God ; that God accounts him a dead man , that God is not pacified towards him , but he lies under the wrath of God , and this pulls him down , and stops his mouth . A carnal mans mouth will not be stopped , but he will have some thing to say , some vain hope , or confidence , or other , some pleading , or excusing or other . His mouth will never be stopped , till the law of God comes ; and when that comes , that will stop his mouth , and make it appear , that he is guilty before God , Rom. 3. 19. the Apostle saith , Now we know , that whatsoever the Law saith , it saith to them that are under the Law , that every mouth might be stopped , and all the world may be culpable before God . But before the law comes , a mans mouth will not be stopped . Gen. 20. 3. God came to Abimilech by night , and said , Thou art but a dead man , because of the woman which th●u hast taken , for she is a mans Wife : He was a dead man , but he little thought it ; he would not believe that he was a dead man : As the Text there speaks of temporal death . So it is true of the other , carnal men are indeed dead men , but they will not believe that they are dead men , and damned men ; they hope for mercy , and cry , peace , peace to their soul● ; but when the law comes , that knocks off all mens hopes , and layes them for dead in Gods account .

3. Thirdly , This deadnesse I here speak of , it consists in regard of all manner of doing ; when the law of God hath charged it self upon the conscience , and discovered to a man , that he is a dead , and a damned man . It makes it now appear unto him , that he is utterly unable to do any thing ; he is in the depth of misery , and he is unable to cry mercy aright , he is not able to make a prayer , no more then a dead man : he seeth he can no more keep a Sabbath as he ought , than a dead man . So for any duty of Religion , he seeth he hath no more life to do it , then a dead man hath to do the actions of the living : as the Apostle speaks , Gal. 2. 19. I am dead to the Law , that I might live unto God . God made Saint Paul alive unto him , but first he charged his law upon his conscience , and made him seem to be a dead man to the law : That he had no life or ●●●ty to do any thing pleasing to God : but when the Lord made him aliv● to himself , then he could do something ; nay , he was able to do all things , through the Lord Jesus Christ that strengthned him . But in himself , both still , and before , he was altogether dead to the law of God ; so that when the law comes , and shews a mans estate unto him , it shews him his utter inability to the performance of any good duty . The Pharisee will to the Temple as well as the Publican ; Saul will Sacrifice as well as Samuel ; Prophane people will take up the Ordinances of God , as if they had life to go through them , as well as the people of God . But when the law comes , it plainly convinceth a man ; it makes him feel and understand , that he hath no activity , or life to perform any thing pleasing to Almighty God ; a dead man can do nothing , he is cut off from all the actions of the living ; dead men they cannot devise ought , they cannot purpose ought , they cannot work ought . So when the Law of God is charged upon a man , and shews him that he is but a dead man ; and a damned man , now he seeth , he can as well create a world , as make a prayer : he can as well remove a Mountain , as do any thing acceptable to God . Such a man will say , I am a dry tree , and cannot grow ; I am lost in the wildernesse of sin , and cannot get out again . Thus we see wherein this deadnesse consists .

2. Now I come to shew you the Effects if this deadnesse , how it pulls down the heart : this will pull down the heart of a man marvellously , when the Law chargeth this upon him , that he is but a dead man ; though the will of man be infinitely unruly , it is wild , it is like the mad man in the Gospel , that the Divel was in , no man was able to bind him , no Chains were able to hold him , no Creature could tame him , Mark . 5. 34. So it is with the will of an unregenerate man , his will is marvellous wild , he breaks all bonds , and snaps all cords in pieces , and casts off the yoak from him . Let God bid him do this , he will not do it ; let him be in a good mood , he is presently out of it again ; let him be convinced of his vain hopes , and let him see what a wretched Creature he is , he will have vain hopes again ; his will is infinitely unruly , and desperately wild , the very Divel in hell hath the rule of it ; it is full of life against God and his Commandments , and will never yield while the wo●ld stands , till now the Lord comes with his Law , and shews a man , that he is a dead man , and a damned man , and shews him that he is under the wrath of God ; the Law is able to do this , as the Apostle speaks , Rom. 4. 15. The Law causeth wrath , It makes a man appear to lye under the wrath of God , under Gods everlasting displeasure , and in the mouth of hell and damnation ; and if God be not merciful to him , and more merciful then to a world of men , he seeth he is a dead man , utterly lost , and undone for ever ; now this will make his spirit yield , and make his heart begin to come in ; as the Psalmist speaks concerning Princes , He shall cut off the spirit of Princes , he is terrible to the Kings of the earth , Psal. 76. 12. Kings and Princes have stout spirits ; now when the Lord sends but a little terrour into their hearts , he is able to snib their spirits , for all their security , and for all the height of their magnanimity ; he is able to cut off all , by sending his terrour into their hearts , so the Law sends terrour into the heart . Can there be a greater terrour then to have the Law denounce a man to be a dead man ? and that the wrath of God is gone out against him ? and that he lyeth in the very mouth of all the Canons of the fury of the most High ? This will break the heart of a man , if his heart were made of brasse , this would break it . Look as it was with the Moabites , 2 Sam. 8. 2. They were stout against David , and would not yield and submit unto him ; but when David smote them , and measured them with a cord , and cast them down to the ground ; when he measured them with two cords to put them to death , and with one full cord to keep them alive ; then saith the Text , the Moabites became Davids servants , and brought him gifts . So it is with a prophane creature , whilest God lets him go on , he is stout , and will not serve God , but his will is altogether crosse , and contrary to Gods will and Commandments ; he will not take up those courses that God commands , he will not submit himself to the precifenesse of the Gospel , his will is infinitely crosse in this kind , and marvellous obstinate . But if the Lord takes him in hand , and charges his Law upon his conscience , he puts such terrours into his heart , that he is willing to submit unto God upon any terms . I confesse the Law cannot do this of it self ; it cannot thus bring down the will of a man , and mortifie a mans sins : For if the damned in hell were let loose again , to live here upon earth , they would forget all their former Plagues , and Torments , and sin would revive again in them . The Law of it self , can only lay sinne in a swound , it will up again if it be loose : the law cannot do this of it self ; but I speak now of the Law , as it is Gods Instrument . Hereby he pulls down the heart of a man , and pulls down his Spirit ; labour will pull down any mans spirit : when a man is in labour , and pain , and affliction , it will make a mans stomack come down ; as we may see , Psal. 107. 11 , 12. Because they rebelled , against the words of the Lord● ; therefore he humbled their heart with labour and heaviness ; then they fell down , but there was no helper : Before they were stout against the Lord , and would not hearken unto him , and obey his Commandments ; now the Lord brought down their heart . But how did he bring them down ? he pulled them down by laying labours upon them ; labour , and torment , and heavynesse pulled down their hearts . So when the Law makes the heart labour under the wrath of God , it lies labouring , and quaking , and shaking , and weltring , and bleeding under the wrath of God ; this pulls down the will ▪ And now I come to speak of the Effects it works , in doing of it .

1. The First Effect is this , It casts the heart into those woful privations we read of ; there are abundance of comfortable things , which the man which is alive in his own conceit , thinks himself to have . Now when the Law comes to deaden him , it knocks him off from all those comfortable things he seemed to have ; whereas he seemed to have some admittance to God in prayer , he could pray to him before , but now he sees he is an out-cast , and dares not lift up his eyes to heaven : Before he hoped that God would have mercy on him , and that he had some interest in Christ , and hope of salvation ; but now he seeth he is lost : Before he seemed to have liberty , and freedom ; he could do this , and that , and had a thousand evasions ; but now he seeth himself a meer captive : before he thought he had some riches , some goodnesse ; but now he seeth he is but a poor begger : before he had some Fig-leaves to cover him , but now he seeth he is altogether naked : before he was heart-whole , and sound , he had peace , and comfort , and quietnesse within him , but now he is altogether broken . This is the effect of this deadnesse , it brings all these privations into the soul ; death is a privation it self , and it brings an hundred privations with it ; even a privation of all the priviledges of the living : this the Law doth when it comes . All this while the Soul is lost , and captived , and poor , and blind , and miserable , and naked , and an outcast ; it is utterly undone , and altogether unable to help it self ; and this as it doth make a man an Object of the Gospel , one for whom Christ dyed , as it points out such a man ; so there is a Finger of the Gospel in it also , when the soul understands the goodnesse of the Gospel , and sees it self to be lost for want thereof ; yet notwithstanding the first stroke is given by the Law , the first stroke that casts the Soul into this privation is done by the Law , and if the Lord means to convert , there the Gospel begins , Luk. 4. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me , because he hath annointed me , that I should preach the Gospel to the poor ; he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted , to preach deliverance to the Captives , and recovering of sight to the blind , that I should set at liberty them that are bruised . When the Law hath humbled a man , and thus brought down his will , then begins the work of the Gospel . As we use to say of Natural Philosophy ; where Natural Philosophy ends , there Physick begins ; So where the Law ends , the Gospel begins . Thus we see the first Effect of this deadnesse .

2. Secondly , When the Law hath done this , when the deadnesse the Law hath wrought , hath produced this Effect ; then the next Effect is this , the Law holds the heart there : when a man is dead , the effect of death is to hold a man there . There is no redresse , no return , without the Almighty power of God : there is no return to his former life . So when the Law hath deaded a man , it holds a man there , though a man would never so fain get out , he cannot ; he will be snatching at a Christ , and looking at the promises , and be presuming that there is mercy for him ; he would fain be brisk again . But if the Law hath killed him , and made him a dead man , he cannot get out . Rom. 7. 6. the Apostle saith , We are delivered from the Law , being dead unto that wherein we were holden ▪ St. Paul could not get out to his livelynesse again , but the Law held him . So it is with the Law , when the Law of God hath humbled a man , and made him a dead man , it holds him there ; let the Divel come with all the comforts he can , there is no evasion ; let his vain neighbors bring what Scriptures they can to cheer him , there is nothing can lift that soul up : let all profits and pleasures come , they cannot take off his heart , they cannot make him alive again , unlesse it please the Lord to quicken and revive him .

2. The next Effect of this deadnesse is , that it makes the heart stiff : when the body is dead , all the members are stiff , the beatings of the pulses cease , and all are stiff . So when a man is killed by the Law , it makes his head stiff , it breaks off all his arguing , and reasoning , and disputing against the Law of God ; That is against my profit , and that is against my pleasure , and that is against my credit ; thus the heart is full of life end activity before . But when the Law comes , and shews him he is a dead man : now he is not able to stir , now he can say , what if it be against my profit , and pleasure ? what if it be against my credit ? what if men make a mock at me ? I am a dead man if I live not in this course . Psal. 36. 12. There saith the Text , They are fallen that work iniquity , they are cast d●w● 〈◊〉 shall not be able to rise . So when the Law of God comes , and preacheth righteousnesse to a man , and shews him against whom he hath sinned , it makes him a dead man , he cannot stir any more ; if the Divel bids him reason for his lusts , he dares not do it ; if his old company perswade him to his former life and conversation , he dares not do it . Isa● . 41. 21. Stand to your cause saith the Lord , bring forth your strong reasons , saith the God of Jacob. You could be reasoning , and pleading for your lusts , let us now hear your strong reasons , and arguments . Now this man is a dead man , and a damned man ; he hath no reason , no plea to alledge , to go on in his former course , this man is killed now .

4. Fourthly , This deadnesse makes the ●eart yield ; before the Law comes , the heart is marvellous obstinate , but now when the stiffnesse of it is gone , and the Law hath made him a dead man , now he will yield , 2 Chron. 30. 8. As H●zekiah speaks ; Be not now stiff-●ecked as your fath●rs , but give the hand to the Lord , and come into his Sanctuary . So when the Lord hath broken the neck of a mans stiffnesse , and hath broken his back-bone , that he cannot stand stiffly out , and hath taken away his livelynesse , which was his whale-bone as it were , to uphold him in his strength , and courage , and in his sins Now his heart is made to yield to God , he cannot now but yield to the Lord . Thus it is with a poor creature , when the law works upon him , he cannot stand out any longer : It is m●st true , before the Lord converts a man he doth take away his stiffnesse , and make a man a dead man . But you will say , when a man is dead , all his joynts are stiff , his body is cold , and grows stiff ; but when a man is alive , his joynts are lithe and lively . I Answer , It is true , the law of God cannot take away a mans natural stiffnesse , but his voluntary stiffness is taken a way . The voluntary stiffnesse is taken away when he is dead ; when a man was alive , he could shut his hand , and hold it so ; he could stretch out his arm , and hold it so : but when a man is dead , he cannot do so . So it is in this case , although the stiffnesse of nature remain still ; yet the voluntary stiffnesse is taken away ; the will and heart of a man is out of life ; It cannot be stiff towards God . I confesse , the Lord doth not take a way all stiffnesse , no not out of his Saints ; but he takes so much stiffnesse out of the heart , as to make it a patient , he shall not be voluntarily stiff , he shall not be overcomingly resisting . Divines use to say , that in the first conversion of a sinner , he is meerly a Patient ; first the Lord makes him a patient , and then converts him , Jer. 31. 19. After I was converted , I repented , after I was instructed , I smote upon the thigh , & c. ●●st God made him a patient , and instructed him , and afterwards converted him .

The Use of the Points is this , Is it so that the law of God doth make a man a dead man ? Then here we may observe the wonderful p●wer of the law ; a man hath so much livelinesse in him , so much ●se and activity , and so many strong conceits , that it is wonderful hard to make him dead ; therefore the word of God is mighty . It is said of ●p●●● , that he did mightily convince the Jewes , Act. 18. 28. for he was mighty in the Scriptures ; there had need be might in the Scriptures to do this . What strong reasons had they in regard of flesh and blood , that Jesus was not the Christ ? What , he the Christ that was born in a manger , and hath none but a beggerly company to his kindred ? Are not his brethren and kinsfolk 〈◊〉 ? None but th● tag-rag and refuse of the Country follow him . What , he that had no form or beauty in him , the Saviour of the world ? The Word of God was marvellous powerfull , that could convince them of thi● ; so a man that goeth on in his sinful estate and condition , it is a marvellous hard thing to convince him that he is a dead man : he hears the Word constantly , and goes on in his Calling diligently , and he hopes that Christ ●ed for him ; he is afraid of sin , and his heart trembles to commit sin , and he is sorry for his sins , he is thus , and thus : he that hath so many things to plead for himselfe , what , he a dead man ? It is impossible Therefore if the law of God be able to convince a man , and make a man a de a man that is so full of l●fe , the law must needs be mighty that can do this : to dead this man , and kill this man , is a mighty work . So that we may say , as the Psalmist saith of the Sea and the Mountains , Psal. 114. 5 , 6. W●a●●●ed ●hee , O Sea , that thou fleddest ? O Jordan , why were th●● turned back ? Ye Mountains , why leaped ye as Rams , and ye Hills as Lambs ? So I may say , What ayleth this poor man that he is now driven from his former courses , and like the ●ea , out of his own Channel ? what ayls those Mountains of lusts and corruptions , that were settled upon his soule , as a Mountain upon his Base ; what ayle these to move , and stir , and fall away ? What ayls the man that was so full of life before , that at one Sermon he is killed ? What ayls the man ? he came brisk and peark into the Church , and who but he ? He was immoveable from his sinful lusts , and corruptions , and he had this Plea , and that confidence , and was full of life , but by one hours discourse ( which it may be another heard as well as he , and went away as brisk as before , but ) this mans spirit is deaded , and his heart taken down ; what ayls the man now ? why the law of God hath done it : See therefore the marvellous power of the law .

I told you formerly , That when the Law comes home to a mans soule , and is charged upon his Conscience , it casts the heart into all those woful priv●tions we read of in Scripture ; a man before he is thus deaded by the law , thinks himselfe to be possessed of abundance of comforts , but now he seeth himselfe to be an out-cast , and utterly lost , to be a captive , and poor , and miserable , and blind , and naked ; he lies under all these privations : And as the Philosopher saith , That Privation is one of the Principles of Nature : Every body ( saith he ) hath Three Principles , Matter , Form , and Privation : No natural thing can have this or that From put into it , but it must be deprived of all other Forms , as if fire be turned into air ; first the form of fire must be taken away , before it can be turned into air , so it is in Grace , Privation is one of the Principles of Religion ; before the life of Christ can be brought into a man , there must first be a Privation of all other contrary lives : the life of the flesh , that cursed livelinesse of the flesh , the life of sin , and the life of the world , whereby a man lives unto the world , and the things of the world . A man must be deprived of all other lives , of all other forms , he must have a Privation of all other forms , before the life of Christ can be formed in him . As for example , Take a man that is worldly wise put him upon civil Affairs , he is wise enough to order all his businesse ; in eating and drinking , he is wise enough not to distemper himself , wise enough to keep a good diet : Put him upon matters of Religion , he is wise there too , he will not be so precise as some are , that are more nice then wise ; he will be moderate , and wise in the Service of God Tell him , that he is one that doth not please God that he walks to hell-ward , that he hath no care of his Salvation ; he thinks that he is wiser then so . Would you make this man a wise man indeed ? you can never make him truly a wise man , till you bring a Privation upon him , till he be first deprived of all that worldly wisdom that is in him ; If any man among you seem to be wise ( saith the Apostle ) let him become a fool that he may 〈◊〉 wise . I Cor. 3. 18 Let him have first a Privation of all the seeming wisdom he hath , of all the wisdom of the flesh and carnal reason ; he must first be a fool , or else true wisdom is not able to enter it to him : So if a man would be high , he must first be humbled , and brought low , before he can be trul● high ; a man must be naked , before he can be cloat●ed ; a man ●ust be lost , before he can be found ; there are none of you that live in your sins , but you must be stripped of all the forms that are in you ; there must be a Privation come into you , before true Grace can be formed in you . Privation is one of the Principles of Religion , and unlesse you be deprived of all other forms , you cannot have the essential form of Religion come into you ; it is the poor that receive the Gospel : when a man is deprived of all other forms , then is he fit to receive the forme of the Gospel . When a man is deprived of his own wisdom , he may then receive the wisdom of the Gospel ; when a man is deprived of his own self-confidence , of his own strength , and sufficiency , then he may receive the strength of the Gospel : when a man is deprived of all other contrary livelinesse and contrary forms that are opposite to all these , when a man is deprived of all these , he is capable of the true life of Christ , and the Gospel . I will Instance onely in one thing which I named before , and that is poverty : a man can never receive Christ , or any impression of the true form of Christianity , till first his Heart be emptied , and his Will and his Mind be emptied and his Conscience be emptied , till all other forms be voided out , and he begins to be made poor and nothing in himself , till every room in the soule be naked , and empty , there is never a room for the kingdome of God to come into the soule , the kingdom of God is a great thing , and will take up a great deal of room where it comes , therefore the Heart , and the Mind , and the Will , and the Affections must be emptied : the soul must be rid and void of all other things , or else there is no room for the Kingdom of God . As our Saviour saith Matth. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit , for they shall receive the Kingdome of God : Then there is room for the Kingdom of God , when the heart is made poor , and all is voided out , the world , and the flesh , and all cranal delights , and pleasures , and all self-conceitednesse , which the heart was full of . When it was full of the world , there was no room for Gods Kingdome ; but when a man is made poor in spirit , when he hath a Privation of those things wherewith his soule was filled ; now there is room for the Kingdom of God ; the reason is , because a man can never be brought to Christ , till he is pinched with these Privations ; before he can never come to Christ , his heart can never be brought to bid so much , and stake down so much for Christ , as he must do , if ever he come to attain him ; unlesse his heart be pinched with poverty , unlesse his heart be void of all these high imaginations he had of himself , he will never come to Christ . It is plenty that brings down the market , and scarcity that makes it rise : plentiful years , will make Corn of no price almost ; but if there be famine , and scarcity , and no bread almost to be had , but men are ready to dye for hunger , then they wil give any thing , they will give ten shillings a bushel , twenty , nay fourty shillings hath been given for a bushel of Corn , as I have read in Chronicles ; it is poverty that makes men come to a price . So must the heart be pinched with Spiritual poverty , else it will not come to Christ ; men will give nothing for the Kingdom of God , they will not part with a single groat for Christ ; the prophane Gallant will not part with a look for Christ ; the proud vain fool , will not part with a foolish lace , a foolish fashion for Christ ; the drunkard will not foregoe a pot for Christ , men will not part with any thing for Christ ; they will not part with a paultry lust , or base affection for Christ ; People will not stir , they will not open their purses , they will not open their hearts to give any thing for Christ ; the reason is , their hearts are full already . People count their profits , and pleasures , and lusts , and vanities , and delights , their Jewels , a man must be poor , before he will part with his Jewels ; but if a man be throughly pinched with poverty , he will part with his old Gold ; and Rings , and Jewels , and all ; but he will never part with his Jewels , till he be forced to it by extremity . So all the lusts of the heart , all the things of the world , that the mind and affections run upon , men account them their Jewels , and they will not part with them , till they be pinched with poverty . Thus it was with the Jaylor , Acts 16. 30. when he was pinched with this poverty , he cryes out , Men and brethren , what shall I do to be saved ? when his heart was pinched with this poverty , he was content to part with any thing , he was willing to do any thing , to hearken to any terms that he might have mercy : So that it is necessary for a man to have all these Privations wrought in his heart , and be made poor , else he will never take Christ upon those terms whereupon he is offered .

Secondly , Suppose a man should conceive worth to be in Christ : suppose he should put a great price upon him , yet if a man be not under these Privations , if he be not pinched with poverty , with Spiritual need and want ; he will never use all means for the attaining of the Kingdom of God . He will never betake himself to all those courses that God hath commanded himselfe to be sought in . It was need that made Ahab send up and down all Countries , and Soiles for water ; it was need that made the rich Women of Shunem to hazard her life , and her family , and houshold in a forraign Country ; she would not have gone a mile of that Journey , but for her poverty , as Divines use to speak . Let two men go to the market , the one hath need , the other hath not ; he that hath need will go whatsoever the weather be , though the weather be never so foul , he will go ; bread he wants , and bread he must have , and bread he will have ; and if he cannot have it at an easie rate , he will part with any thing ; he will pawn his very cloaths from his back for it . Why ? Because he , and his Wife , and his Children want it . But the other he will go according as he likes the weather , if the weather be answerable to his mind , it may be he will go ; and it may be not ; and when he is there , it may be he will buy , and it may be not , according as the price goeth , because he hath no need of it . So it is in Grace , let two men be called upon to seek out for Grace ; one doth not feel any great need , he is not pinched with the want of Faith , and Repentance , and Pardon , and Peace of Conscience : though he want these , yet he is not pinched with the want , his heart is yet full , he is not yet come to this Spiritual poverty . It may be he will come to a Sermon , it may be not ; it may be he will part with a Lust , and it may be not ; it is according as the bargain pleaseth him , he will never use all means , nor take up all courses that are prescribed : But a man that is ready to starve for want of Christ ; as Sisera said , Give me drink or else I perish ; so , give me Christ or else I perish : This man will take any course , use any means , he must have Christ , and will have him ; when he comes to the Word , Christ he wants , and Christ he will have , and must have ; all Sermons , and all hearing , are but as Oile to the fire , they do but pinch his Soul so much the more , till Christ comes ; he must have Christ in his Ordinances , because he is sensible of his Spiritual poverty . So that it is he which is lost that will be found , it is he which is a captive that will be freed , it is he that is blind that must have his sight , and it is he that is naked that must be cloathed ; he that lies under these woful Privations , he must have the form , he looks after it , he cannot be without it . Thus we see that Privation is necessary for Religion , the true life of Religion can never come into a man , till he be layed under all these woful Privations we read of in Scripture .

But now here is a Question which will arise , which those that are godly Quest. would be glad to have resolved , and that is this : Whether these Privations that the Apostle here speaks of , makes a man the formal Object of mercy ? Saint Paul was alive once before the Law came , but when the Law came , and was charged upon his Conscience , it deprived him of his livelynesse , and made him a dead man ; I dyed saith he . Now the Question is this , Whether is such a man the formal Object of mercy ? When the Law hath deprived a man of his conceited riches , and made him a poor man , and hath proclaimed him a bank-rupt , and a begger , and made him a captive , that he is not able to stir one foot , he is not able so much as to think a good thought ; but he lyeth under wrath , and is not able to get out : Whether is such a man the formal Object of mercy ? I mean , whether is he such a one , as the Gospel hath promised deliverance unto ? When a man by the Law is made a dead Creature , and is altogether deprived of life and health ; he hath no life actually , and there is no life actually to be had for him , ( for so the law leaves him without any hope of getting any life . ) Whether is this man the formal Object of mercy ? whether is he such a one as the Gospel doth make promise to of quickning , and enriching , and gathering , and finding , and saving , and comforting , and the like ? whether is this man the formal Object of mercy ? Every man is the Object of mercy , but whether hath this man got those properties that belong to the actual Object of mercy ?

The reason why I propound this Question , is this , Because the Scripture seems to make such a one the formal Object of mercy , such a one as mercy is promised to , such a one as the Gospel looks upon , as the proper and actual Object of mercy ; for the Gospel is said to quicken the dead , and to give them life ; it is the Letter that killeth , and the Spirit that giveth life , 2 Cor. 3. 6. It giveth life to him that was before a dead man , to him that was killed by the letter . So for poverty ; Luk. 4. 18. To the poor the Gospel is preached , the Spirit of the Lord is upon me , because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor , he hath sent me that I should heal the broken hearted , and preach deliverance to the Captives , and recovering of sight to the blind : So that when the Law hath made a man a poor man , and hath stripped him of all his conceited riches , and hath made him a begger , it seems that Christ is anointed to preach mercy to such a one ; it seems that such a one is the formal Object of the Gospel . See Psal. 147. 2. He gathers the out-casts of Israel : when the Law hath made a man an out-cast , it seems he is the formal Object of mercy : The Gospel undertakes to gather such people so far lost . The Son of man is come to save that which is lost , Mat. 18. 11. he is come for that purpose , it is his Commission , he is sent to save that which is lost ; when the Law hath made a man to be a lost man , that he seeth he is utterly undone without mercy ; Christ is come to save such people , and to look upon them as the formal Object of mercy .

So for death it self , when a man is made dead by the Law ; The houre shall come saith our Saviour , and now is , that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God ; and they that do hear it shall live , Joh. 5. 25. It seems that the Scripture makes such as are made dead by the Law ; and poor , and blind , and naked , and wretched , and miserable , by reason of the Law being pressed upon them , and pulling them down with terrour and conviction ; it seems such a one is the formal Object of mercy , such a one to whom mercy is promised . I do not mean that he is the formal Object of the invitations of the Gospel , that is most certain , there is no question of that , Come unto me all ye that are weary , and heavy lad●n , and you shall find rest to your souls . Come unto me , all you that are poor , and blind , and naked , and dead , and I will give you life ; have you a hard heart , that you cannot free your selves from , come unto me , and I will free you from it ? have you no power to repent and believe ? come unto me , and take mercy upon my terms , and believe in me ; whatsoever weaknesse is in you , I will strengthen you ; whatever discomforts and wants lye upon you , I will relieve and chear you . This is certain , the more a man seeth himself a dead man , the more he is the formal Object of the invitation of the Gospel . But the Question is , Whether he is the formal Object of the promises of the Gospel ?

I Answer , No ; There is a great deal of difference between legal Privations , and these Privations as they are Evangelical , as the Gospel makes Answ. them before it quickens a man : there is a great deal of difference between a man that is dead , and poor , and blind , and naked , and miserable by reason of the Law ; and a man that hath these privations wrought in him by the power of the Gospel : when a man is made dead by the Law , and sees himself a lost creature by reason that the Law plainly shews him his estate and condition , this man may be a Reprobate for all this , and go to hell ; there is no promise in the Word that God will quicken him , and raise him up , Christ is free from any promise in this kind , he may quicken him if he will , and not quicken him if he please . I may say in this sense , as Christ himself saith , Joh. 5. The Son of man quickens wh●m he will ; He is free to quicken whom he will , though a man be made a dead man by the Law , and cry out he is a dead man , and a damned man , though he hath the works of the Law , and be terrified , and gastered , and humbled by the Law , yet Christ is free from any promise he hath made to these people ; there is never a Promise in all the Word , that Christ hath bound himself by to these people to quicken them : they cannot say there is such a Promise in the Word that Christ shall quicken them . There are plain places in the Scripture , wherein the Lord invites such people , upon condition they will come and believe , and submit to the Gospel ; there is a conditional invitation upon these terms : But that these People shall be quickned , and shall have eternal Life given them , there in no such Promise ; the Lord is free , the Lord hath not bound himself to it ; but when a man is dead according as the Gospel makes a man dead before it quickens him , and when a man is poor according as the Gospel makes him poor , and when a man is blind according as the Gospel makes him blind , now a man is within the compasse of Gods Promises , he is one that is the formal Object of Mercy , he is one that shall have Mercy , and shall have Salvation , and Redemption by Jesus Christ ; these dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God , and shall live ; the tongue of these stammerers shall speak plain , the eyes of these blind shall see , these out-casts shall be gathered , these naked shall be cloathed , these lost shall be found , these poor shall be enriched ; when a man is dead , so as the Gospel deads a man , before it quickens a man ( for the Lord damns a man before he saves a man , and kills a man before he quickens him ) like a good Surgeon , that cuts before he cures ; or like a good Physician , that kills a man almost with Physick , so the Lord doth bring a man to deaths door before he quickens him ; it is the Gospel that truly humbles him , and works these Privations ; and now he is within the compasse of the Promise : now he hath a Promise that he shall be quickned , and have supply in regard of all these Privations ; but so long as these Privations are only legal , he hath no Promise that he shall be quickned , for many are humbled and made dead as it were by the Law , and yet shake it off again , and go to their pro●its , and pleasures , and delights , and hardnesse of heart again ; many a man hath been gastered by the Law , and cryed out of his damned estate and condition , and yet hath got up again , and recovered himself by the world and the things of the world ; and it was ever so of old , as we may see in Cain , the Law had discovered him to himself to be a dead man , and a damned man : I see my sins are greater then can be forgiven , or are forgiven , or shall be forgiven : he saw his punishment was intolerable , his condemnation was more then he was able to bear ; From thy presence am I cast out , and a Vagabond shall I be upon the fac● of the earth , Gen. 4. 14. Yet he was not the formal Object of Mercy ; the Gospel did not quicken him , nor convert him : he was not the formal Object of Mercy , for he shook off these terrours again , as we may see in the very same Chapter , and went to building of Cities , and inventing of Musick , and other Arts and Sciences ; and this quickned , and revived him again : but he never came to true Life . So it is with many men , though they be terrified , and gastered , and humbled , and cast down by the Law , yet they get up again , and run after the world , and after security , and hardnesse of heart again , so that such a man is not the formal Object of Mercy .

2. Again , We see many , though they be wrought upon thus by the Law , and their Eyes be enlightned , and their Consciences awaked , and they see that they are in a wretched and damned estate ; yet they scrape together a company of vain hopes , and so heal themselves again . When they have been terrified by the Law , they seek presently for Promises , and how they may get up again , and they would fain get up ; and they lye at catch at every Sermon , and at every Chapter , and at every Word which a good man speaks , and if they can get any hold , they catch at it ; and so get up again and go on : And when they have got a little comfort , and think they shall do well , they are as carelesse , and as stubborn , and as secure as ever they were ; they may go on in the profession of Religion , but yet their latter end is worse than their beginning : The unclean Divel may be cast out , but the Devil transforms himself into an angel of light , and enters into them , and they go on in doing good duties , but they never have the power of Religion .

Again Thirdly , Many that are humbled by the Law , they run away , and never come to Christ , as Judas when he saw he was condemned , he went and hanged himself , Matth. 27. 3 , 5. Some expound it of Christ , when he saw Christ was condemned ; but others expound it of himself , when Judas saw himself was condemned , and that seems to be the meaning of the place ; for Christ was not condemned , nor so much as accused ; there came not any witnesse against him , till Judas had hanged himself , as we may see if we read that Chapter . But whether that be the meaning or no , this is true and certain , he saw he was a dead man , he saw he lay under the guilt of his sins , and he despaired of Mercy , and went and hanged himself .

Again Lastly , If such a man were the Object of Mercy , then all the damned in Hell were the formal Objects of Mercy ; for there is never a man in Hell , but the Law hath its work to the uttermost upon him ; it can work a man no lower , it can sink a man no deeper , it can make a man no more miserable , then those that are in Hell . Now if a dead man by the Law should be the formal Object of mercy , then the damned in Hell should be the formal Object of mercy , which cannot be ; for from thence there is no Redemption , Go ye cursed into everlasting fire , prepared for the Divel and his angels , Matth. 25. there is no quenching of that fire . So that we see , the legal killing of the Law , doth not make a man the formal Object of mercy . But yet such a man hath a great deal of advantage , he is before a world of other men , that live secure ; if men were in this estate , they were in a thousand times more likelyhood to be saved . If I could hear of people that were gastered , and cast down by the Law ; that saw themselves without Christ , and without Mercy , in the power of Satan , and in the bond of iniquity ; if they cryed out , I am a dead man , and a damned man , if I dye now at this present I shall go to Hell , if People were in this estate and condition , there were more hopes of them a thousand times : there is no hope of people that do live secure in their sins ; so long as the Trumpet of the Law hath not sounded in their ears , so long as the Hammer of the Law hath not sounded upon their hearts , there is no hope of mercy for them . Therefore now for the clearing of this a little more , let me shew you ,

First , What it is to be dead , according as the Gospel makes a man to be a dead man .

Secondly , What is the difference between Legal Privation , and Evangelical ; and when these Privations are Evangelical , and put a man under the actual title to Mercy , under an actual interest in the Promises .

Thirdly , What Use we are to make of it .

For the First , What it is to be Evangelically dead : To be Legally dead , is not to be half a quarter so much dead , as to be Evangelically dead , so as the Gospel makes a man dead before it quickens him . When a man is Evangelically dead , it makes him more dead by a thousand degrees , then all the Law in the world can make him , it makes him more dead by odds ; when a man is Legally dead , and sees himself to be a damned creature , and whereas he hoped to have mercy , he seeth now he hath none ; and whereas he hoped to go to Heaven , he now seeth the Gates are shut against him ; and whereas he hoped he had some good in him , now he sees he hath nothing in him : a man would think this were a dead man , but his livelinesse is only in a swound , the Law lying upon him , will not let his livelinesse appear ; and if the Law should lye upon him for ever , it would never let his livelinesse actually appear ; but yet he is not throughly dead all this while : as for example .

1. Self-conceitednesse , it is not deaded when a man is killed by the Law : you would think his conceitednesse were gone : he was conceited he was a good Christian ; but now he sees no such matter : he was conceited before , that he would repent , and God would be merciful to him ; but now he seeth , he is utterly deprived of mercy , and lies under the wrath of God : you would think now that all his conceitedness was gone ; but it is but only in a swound all this while , he lies for dead as it were , but he is not dead . So take a man that is in Hell , all his good conceits of mercy , and of himself , and his profits , and pleasures , and vanities , and delights , they are all gone now . What doth Pride profit me ? What good do Riches do me ? What have all my Pleasures and Delights done me good ? All my labour is vanity , and all my delights folly ; one would think all his conceits were clean gone ; but they are only in a swound . If a damned man were out of Hell , if the Lord should take off the lash of his Law from him , he would have as good a conceit of his Profits , and Pleasures , and Riches again , as ever he had ; and he would have his carnal Reasons against the strictnesse of Religion again , as rise as ever he had ; they are only laid in a swound , indeed there they shall lie : a man can never get up again , because the Law lies continually upon him , he is continually under the lash of the Law ; and the Law holds this picture before his eyes , and shews him his damned estate an● condition : but upon such a supposition , that he might come out of Hell , his conceits would rise up again . Prov. 5. 12 , 13. Solomon there brings in a man wrought upon by the Law , the Law discovered him to be a dead man . How have I hated instruction , and despised correction ; and have not obeyed the voice of them that taught me , nor inclined my eare to them that instructed me ? His carnal Reasons are now all gone , they are in a swound ; they were true Instructions that I have hated , they were true Reports that I have despised , and they were base and damned Courses which I have followed . How have I lived ? One would think all his foolish conceits now were gone : they are in a swound indeed , and cannot get up . But the Gospel will give a man his deaths wound ; a man can never have that good conceit of himself he had before ; nor of his lusts , and vanities , and profits , and delights ; his self-conceitednesse hath now got his deaths wound .

Secondly , For self-confidence , when the Law hath humbled-a man , his self-confidence is only in a swound ; when he lyeth in Hell under the lash of the Law , he seemeth to have no power in himself , no life , or activity to any duty . He sees that he is poor , and weak , and rotten , and wretched . A poor creature he is , he seeth it plainly , and all his self-confidence seems to he gone ; but yet there is a great deal of self-confidence actually in Hell , for though they are in Hell , yet they think if they were alive again , what they would do ; I would hear the Word , and call upon God ; I would repent , and not live in sin , and not do as I have done ; they think they would do thus , and thus , as it was with Dives , Luke 16. 30. I have five brethren ( saith he ) if one should come to them from the dead , they would repent , and not come where I am . If they knew but as much as I know , they would repent ; I am sure if they were in my case , they would , if they were in hell where I am , if they knew how certain it is , that they shall come to hell where I am when they die , unlesse they do repent at the preaching of the Prophets , and hearken to the voice of Gods Ministers , and yield and submit to God ; they would do it : I would , if it were my case . This is self-confidence ; for self-confidence is only laid asleep in Hell , and it cannot rise again . It is true , the Law may dead a man , and give him three deaths wounds . There are Three Wounds that the Law gives a man .

First , It makes it appear that a man is worthy of death ; the Law makes him see his guiltinesse .

Secondly , The Law pronounceth upon a sinner the sentence of death , as Paul saith of a natural death , I received the sentence of death , 2 Cor. 1. 9. that is , I was a dead man , I took my self to be a dead man . So the Law doth make a man to be a dead man , it pronounceth the sentence of death upon him ; it doth not only make it appear that he is worthy of death , ( for so it may do , and yet he may have hope of mercy ) but it makes a man receive the sentence of death , and to be a dead man : If a man be once condemned , if the sentence of death be passed upon him , then he is without hope that the Judge will save him , because the sentence of condemnation is passed upon him . A man may see himself worthy of death , and yet hope for mercy , Rom. 1. 31. Therefore the Law doth pronounce the sentence of death upon him , and makes a man in a second degree dead .

Nay , Thirdly , The law makes a man see there is no hope of return ; as it is with a dead man , when a man is truly dead , there is no return from death , there is no rising again : as the Wise-man speaks of the strange women , Prov. 2. 18 , 19. Surely her house tendeth to death , and her paths unto the dead , they that go unto her return not again , neither take they hold of the wayes of life . Here the Wise-man sets forth the infinite misery , and damnable estate of such a creature , and the irrecoverableness of such a person , without the extraordinary mercy of God . Ordinarily , such persons are seldom , or never brought to repentance : ordinarily they are irrecoverable . So the Law makes a man see he is guilty of death , and it passeth the sentence of condemnation upon him , and it makes him see there is no repeal of that sentence ; thus the law leaves him . Now a man would think , Can a man be more dead then thus ? How can a man be more dead ? Yet he may be a thousand times more dead ; for the livelynesse of a man is but in a swound all this while : a man cannot be brisk , and peark , and self-conceited , he is now laid in a swound , but is not stark dead . But when a man comes to be Evangelically dead , he is more dead a great deale . And I will shew you it in these three things .

1. First , He is most dead that is hardest to recover : Now when a man is legally dead , it is easie to recover that man ; let but the lash of the law be taken off , let but God let him alone ; and the profits and pleasures of the world , will make him alive again ; his friends , and vanities , and delights , will put life into him again , it is an easie matter to recover this man ; but let a man be evangelically dead , when the Gospel hath deaded a man , he is a thousand times more dead , and a great deal harder to recover , nothing can recover that man but Christ ; let all the profits in the world come , they cannot chear him without Christ ; if the devil should come and put into his minde all good conceits , and the good opinion of the world : If the Ministers should tell him he is in a good estate , they cannot quicken his heart , he is dead still , he is harder a thousand times to be revived then the other , as the Apostle saith , Col. 3. 2 , 3. Set your affections on things that be above , not on things that are on earth ; for ye are dead , and your life is hid in Christ . The Gospel hath made you dead , and you cannot be revived by any thing but Christ , your life is hid with Christ ; do not you set your affections on things that are below , they can never put life into you , therefore let not them take up your minds and affections any more , for your life is in Christ alone .

2. Secondly , He is most dead that life it self cannot make alive : When a man is but legally dead , the law hath made him a dead man , and killed him , and shewed him he is a damned creature ; this man , let him have but a little life , or any thought of life come into him , let him have any affections towards God , any seeming desires , it will make him think I am alive : But if the Gospel once have made a man a dead man , life it self cannot quicken him , Christ himself cannot make this man a live man in himself , though life come into him , and though he hath life from God , yet h● himself is dead . I am dead through the law , ( saith Paul ) that I might live unto God ; thus I live , yet not I , but Christ liveth in me , and that life I now live in the flesh , I live by Faith in the Son of God , Gal. 2. 19 , 20. When the Gospel had made him dead ( for that is the meaning of the words ) he was not only dead by the law , but by the power of the Gospel working by the law : Now , saith he , though I have life , and Christ be come into me , and lives in me , yet I do not live : I live , but not I , but it is Christ that liveth in me : I live , yet do not mistake me , I am a dead man , I have no life , it is Christ that liveth in me : when a man is evangelically dead , it makes a man content , that God should keep life in his hand , and keep the purse in his hand , and all in his hand , it makes him content to be without strength and ability , and to have nothing in his own hand , but to have all from the Lord ; and he saith , I am a dead man , and if I ever have comfort , I have none in my self , I must go to Christ for comfort , and life , and strength , and ability : and so for power and activity , and riches , and means , and maintenance , and every thing ; it is not my parts and gifts that can help me to them , but I must go to Christ to fetch them : now it is the desire of mans heart to have life at home , he cannot abide to have life in anothers hands : and though the law , and hell it self proclaim a man a dead man , and make a man see himself a dead man , yet it cannot kill this Principle , a man would have life and strength in his own hand , and ability , and sufficiency in his own custody ; we may see this Principle in Gods own Children , though this Principle be begun to be killed , yet it rests partly in Gods children , there is still a secret lust in their hearts , to have life , and grace , and strength in their own keeping ; and if any child of God be negligent in coming to God , it is because of this Principle that remains in him .

3. Thirdly , He is most dead that death hath most power over : Now when a man is legally dead , and the law hath made him a dead man , though he be a dead man , yet death hath no power over him , his heart is stubborn still , and will not look toward Christ and the Gospel , he is still as stubborn as ever he was ; he will roar and howl , and hear every Sermon , but still he hath a hard heart , the law hath not power to break his heart to powder , and to soften his heart : but when a man is evangelically dead , when the Gospel hath made him dead , as it doth before it quickens a man , it breaks the sturdinesse of a mans heart , and shatters a man all to pieces ; that is the meaning of that place , Psal. 147. 3. He healeth those that are broken in heart , and bindeth up their sores : Now he is thus made a dead man , it makes his heart to burst under the weight of his sins , and it beats him to powder : but a man that is onely legally dead , he is heart-whole still , and his spirit is as stout against the kind working of the Gospel asever it was , nay , worse a great deal ; there are none more hardened then those that see themselves dead , damned creatures , by the power of the law , without the power of the Gospel . But when the Gospel comes , it breaks the heart to powder , Isa. 57. 15. Thus saith the high and lofty one , He that inhabiteth Eternity , whose name is Holy , I dwell in the high and holy place , and with him who is of an humble and contrite spirit , to revive the spirit of the humble , and to give life to them that are of a contrite heart . This man is the object of Mercy that is evangelically dead , he is the formal object of mercy : Why ? because he is dead with such a kind of death as hath gotten power over him , power to break his heart , to make it an humble and contrite heart : now saith the Lord , I will revive such a man . This man is the formal object of mercy , and into him eternal life will come .

2. The Second thing I promised to shew you , is the difference between these two , between legal and evangelical Privation . Between one that is legally dead , and one that is dead as the Gospel deads a man before it quickens him .

1. First , He that is legally dead lies all along in his death : but when the Gospel makes a man a dead man , it makes him stand up that he might have life , Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest , and stand up from the dead , and Christ shall give thee life : He doth not mean , stand up from being dead , but stand up from the dead , and then Christ shall give thee life ; he means such a standing up from the dead , as before Christ gives him life : the Gospel doth thus far awaken a man , though he be more dead a thousand times , then he that is dead by the law , yet thus far it quickens him , that he stands up from his secure estate : when the law comes and shews a man that he is a dead man , he still lies under his sins , he is a dead man , and cannot stand up that Christ may give him life . That is the First thing .

2. Secondly , He that is legally dead , made dead only by the law , he is deaf to the Gospel : but when a man is evangelically dead , it boars his ears and makes him hear the voice of the Word , and not only so , but the voice of Christ in the Word , Isa. 55. 3. Incline your ears and come unto me , hear and your soul shall live : He calls those that were evangelically dead , Hear , and your soul shall live ; they are made able to hear : Let their profits , and old courses , and old companions come and tempt them to walk as they have done , they are deaf of that ear , they cannot go that way to work , no , now their ears are open heaven-wards , seek the Lord , and you shall live , Amos 5. 6. They are made to seek the Lord , thus much life they have : though they are more dead in regard of their own misery , then one that is dead by the law ; yet thus much life they have put into them , that they will go and seek unto God in the use of the means , and follow him up and down , and nothing will satisfy the heart but Christ , they leave no stone unroled , they seek up and down every where .

3. Thirdly , He that is legally dead , it is a kind of death to love ; but he that is evangelically dead , it is a death of love ; when the Church in the Canticles was but sensible of the countenance of Christ , she was presently sick of love , I charge you , O ye daughters of Jerusalem , if ye find my welbeloved , tell him that I am sick of love , Cant. 5. There is a great deal of difference between sicknesse and death , death is a total privation of life ; sicknesse is but a partial privation : now when the Gospel hath wrought upon a man that he hath some of Christ , and is not deprived of all , that privation makes him sick of love ; but when the Gospel makes a man see he is dead , and altogether deprived of Christ , now he is dead of love : when a man is legally dead , this is his death that he is damned , and must go to hell ; this is his death that he hath no mercy , not that he hath not grace , and holiness , and Christ ; but if a man be evangelically dead , this is his death , that he hath not Christ .

The Use is this , If there be any that the law hath made dead , rest not Vse . there , but labour that the Gospel may make you dead also ; when thou art humbled by the law , thou mayest think that mercy is prepared for thee , but thy lusts may recover again , and that damned life that is in thee may recover again ; therefore labour to be more deaded by the Gospel , that thou mayest have a total death begun in thee , that thou mayest have thy deaths wound given thee deep , not only to be in a swound , but to be dead indeed . Joh. 11. Christ staid four dayes after Lazarus was dead before he would raise him , because he would have him irrecoverably dead before he would raise him : Lord , ( saith Martha ) he stinketh , f●r he hath been dead four dayes , vers. 39. If he had raised him sooner , his glory had not been so great : so thou must labour to be dead in deed , and to be buried , and to be loathsome and abominable , and then Christ will quicken thee : It is certain , that Gods Children have some of this death wrought in them , before they are quickned at all ; for death is before quickning in order of nature : there must be a corruption of one thing , before there can be a generation of another ; there must be a privation of one form , before there can be an introduction of another : A child of God must be dead before he can be quickned . Now then , if he will have more life , he must labour to be dead more and more : now thou must labour to have this death truly begun to be wrought in thee , thou must labour to have the love of this world and self-conceitednesse altogether dead in thee . Hos. 6. 2. After two dayes will he revive us , and the third day will he raise us up , and we shall live in his sight : A man may be alive , though he have been seemingly dead twenty four hours ; therefore it is a good custom among us to keep men near two dayes before we bury them , that we may be sure they are throughly dead ; for there are many have been buried alive : so after two dayes he will revive us , and the third day he will raise us up : when a man is dead indeed , and hath his liveliness throughly killed in him , then God will revive him ; if he should revive him before , his glory would not be so great , if he should revive him before he were quite dead ; when Ahab humbled himself , and put on sackcloth , and went softly , a man would have thought he had been dead ; but in the next Chapter 1 King . 2● . we may see he is alive again . So Ananias and Sapphira , one would have thought their covetousnesse had been dead , ( whether they were any Acts 5. of the three thousand that were pricked at Peters Sermon , I dispute not ; but they were pricked and made sensible of their damned estate , and pretended to lay down all at the Apostles feet , one would have thought their covetousness had been dead ) but yet it was alive : therefore labour that the Gospel may make thee throughly dead .

THE SPIRITUAL WATCH . 2 Tim. 4. 5. Watch thou in all things .

IN the verses going before we have , 1. The charge that the Apostle gives to Timothy , ver. 1. I charge thee before God , and the Lord Jesus Christ , that shall judge the quick and the dead . There are many duties we are loath to come unto , and are tempted from ; so that we have need of all strong cords to draw us to them .

2. We have the thing he gives him this charge for ; and that is , ver. 2. Preach the Word in season , and out of season , &c. which duty strongly lyeth upon the Ministers of the Gospel , to hold forth the Word of God , to edifie and convert mens souls .

3. Here is the reason why he gives him this charge , and that is in the third and fourth verses , For the time will come , when they will not endure sound Doctrine , &c. The more danger there is among people , the more instant should Ministers be , to preach the Word unto the conscience . Now in the verse I have read unto you , the Apostle perswades Tim●thy to watchfulnesse ; as who should say , Though others be careless and negligent , yet I would have thee to be watchful , consider , thou art a Watchman . Every Christian is to watch over his own wayes , and those that are committed to his charge : but Ministers are watchmen over their people , therefore here is a double reason to move him to watchfulness ; both in regard of his own soul , and the people he was set over , Mark . 13. 37. our Saviour saith , What I say to you , I say to all , Watch. And what Paul saith here to Timothy , I may say to all Christians , Watch in all things .

For the better handling of this point , I will shew you ,

First , What it is to watch .

Secondly , The things we must watch .

Thirdly , The reasons of it .

First , What it is to watch . And to watch in Scripture is taken two What it is to watch . wayes , Literally , and Spiritually .

First , Watching sometimes is taken Literally , and then it signifies a waking , Literally . when the time , or nature calls not for sleep ; for there is a difference between watching , and waking : we are all awake at this time , or else ought to be , but yet we cannot be said to watch ; but this is to watch , when time or nature calls for sleep . When a man awaketh all night , or the greatest part of the night , as Luke 2. 8. The Shepherds were watching their flocks by night : And this is two fold , either Ordinary , or Extraordinary .

Ordinary watching is contrary to immoderatenesse in sleeping . As when Ordinary . a man is sober in eating , and drinking , and other lawful things ; so we ought to be sober in our sleep , for it is a dangerous thing , if we suffer immoderate sleep to fall upon us .

Now Extraordinary watching is contrary to sleep it self , as ordinary Extraordinary . watching is contrary to sleepinesse ; for it takes away our natural sleep , which otherwise we are to have . And this is for two reasons :

The first is for a Civil end , when we watch with those that are sick , as a For a civil end . duty of Charity ; it is fit that those that are well , should break their natural sleep and rest , to be helpful to those that are sick ; this is a Civil end .

Secondly , There is a Spiritual end of extraordinary watching , and that For a Spiritual end . is , when a man is not only moderate in sleeping , but abates himself of that rest he may lawfully take , for a Spiritual end . As Saint Peter saith , Watch unto prayer . 1 Pet. 4. 7. and the Church , Lament. 2. 19. watched to humble their souls under Gods hand . For sometimes we have need to break our very natural rest , for the good of our souls . Though we be never so careful , and conscionable in the day time , yet it may so fall out , that the day will not be enough , but we must entrench upon the night also , to seek the Lord extraordinarily ; but this watching is not here meant , though it be sometimes required . But a Spiritual watching is specially meant , which includes Spiritually . Three things in it .

First , It doth note a readinesse of minde to be drowzy ; for as in natural It implies proneness to be drowzy . and literal watching , it doth note a natural proneness to be drowzy , either through the darknesse of the night , or the heat of the weather , or the like ; so this spiritual watching signifieth unto us , that we are naturally subject to be secure spiritually , and vain , and idle , and negligent , and have need to be rouzed up : for indeed all Commandments since the Fall , are such as do not agree with our nature ; as when he commands us to seek the Lord while he may be found , that intimates , that we are by nature apt to put it off , and to be careless of making our peace with God ; and when the Lord saith , pray alwayes , it doth imply , how backward we are to that duty , how apt to neglect it , or to shuffle it over , and to be luke-warm in it : before the Fall when God did bid man do any thing , the bidding of him did imply , that if he were not careful , he was in a possibility of breaking the commandments ; it did not argue a proneness to break them : but since the Fall , the commandements of God , whatsoever God hath commanded us to do , either for matter or manner of it , it implyeth , how backward to , and untoward we are in doing it .

Secondly , Watchfulnesse doth imply a labour and endeavour in our selves , to take off this sinful pronenesse to evil that is in us , and to be seriously stirred Endeavour to stir up our selves . up , to look after our Duty , whatsoever it is , both towards God , and towards man , we ought to shake off all untowardnesse of Spirit , whereby we are unfit to Watch ; Watchfulnesse implyeth this also , Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest , and stand up from the dead : as who should say , Shake off thy drowzinesse , and labour to break off this folly of heart , whereby thou goest dreaming on , and rouze up thy spirit , and stand upon thy guard .

The Third and main thing : This Watchfulness doth include some further It is an intentive Consideration in all Cases . businesse or duty to be done that is not yet performed ; for watchfulness is an act to help forward some further act : As for example , We are bound to remember God in all our wayes ; the want of this , is the reason we so often sin against God ; now if we did remember God , if we did remember his Holinesse , if we did remember the greatnesse of his Power , and the strictnesse of his Justice against Sin , if we did remember our Death , and what account we are to make before him , this would be a great help to keep us from sin ; now if we would remember this , a special way to help us , is to watch , as Acts 20. 31. Watch and remember , saith the Apostle ; he being desirous that they should remember the admonitions which he had propounded , he layes down this as a special means to help them hereunto , to watch : So we are to be watchful , that we may be sober in eating and drinking , and all lawful things ; for how sudduly do distempers break in upon us , unlesse a man look to himself ? now watchfulnesse is an excellent help to Sobriety , 1 Thess. 5. 6. Let us watch and be sober : We had need to watch whatsoever we go about , that we may be sober in it ; whatsoever wordly businesse we go about in our Callings , we had need to have this watchfulnesse , that we be not overwhelmed , and over head and ears in the world , that we may not be intemperate in our eating and drinking , that we may not give our selves too much liberty and freedom in talking and discoursing of the things here below ; so we are bound to keep our garments , that our nakednesse may not be seen , that the sins that are up and down in the world do not defile them , that the temptations , and allurements , and occasions we meet withal , and the examples of the times , and such like , do not take away our righteousnesse from us : now watchfulnesse is an help hereunto , as we may see , Rev. 16. 15. the text saith , Blessed is he that watcheth , and keepeth his garments : So that watchfulnesse is an excellent help for a further act to be done : when a man hath some duty or other to be done , which the Lord requires should be done with care and diligence , watchfulnesse is a help thereunto , as Hab. 2. 1. the Prophet knowing there was some Prophecy to be bestowed upon them , the Prophet laboured to be in a fit case to receive it ; and that he might so be , I will watch saith he : in a word , watchfulnesse , is an intentive consideratenesse of the heart , when a man doth consider how he is to do every thing , lest he be surprised either by Satan , or the world , or by his own subtil flesh ; when a man is considerative , and takes heed to himself , to his thoughts , and his words , and all his actions , as our Saviour saith , Take heed , Watch , and Pray , Mark . 13. 33. When he would describe watchfulnesse , what it is , he sets another phrase by it to open it to us , Take heed , watch and pray . There is a kind of heedlessenesse that is apt to cleave to the heart , whereby the heart is carelesse what snares are before it : now watchfulnesse doth take off this , and maketh a man to take more heed in whatsoever he doth , so that there can be no opportunity of doing good , but he takes it ; no good motion is suggested , but he lyeth at catch to receive it , for this is watchfulnesse . Prov. 8. 33. Blessed is the man that heareth me , watching daily at my gates : here you may see watchfulness is expressed , when a man comes into the presence of Christ , waiting to hear whatsoever shall come from Christ , and there is nothing that drops from the Minister that concerns him , but he is ready to receive it ; when a man waits to be ready to obey whatsoever commandment the Lord delivers , and to take heed to avoid whatsoever the Lord forbids . This is watchfulness .

Now the second thing is , what we must watch ? I Answer , We must watch What we must watch . our selves , and all the duties of Religion , and time .

First we must watch over our selves . Ponder thy pathes , saith the Wise Our Selves . man , Prov. 4. 26. as who should say , Look to thy self ; take heed to every step that it be ordered aright : How soon may a man be turned out of the way ? How soon was David carried away into those two great sins of Murther and Adultery ? How soon was Peter put besides his Resolution in the high Priests Hall , for want of watchfulness ? If he had watched and remembred our Saviours item , he had never denied his Master : A man is marvellous ready to be carried away , therefore we must watch our selves .

First , And in particular we must watch our own thoughts : naturally all our thoughts are idle and unprofitable , our minds are apt to spend themselves Our thoughts . upon that which will do us no good : we had need therefore to watch over our thoughts , Deut. 15. 9. Beware ( saith the text ) that there be not an evil thought in thy heart : Take heed that vain thoughts come not into thy mind , idle thoughts , or wordly thoughts will dead us , and dull us to the service of God , and poyson the heart , and no good thing can dwell in us , if we do not look unto our thoughts : the eyes of the Lord are upon our thoughts , therefore watch over thy thoughts .

Secondly , We should watch over the Heart it self : The heart is the Heart . very spring , there be the very issues of Life and Death , the actions flow from thence ; therefore , Prov. 4. 23. the wise man saith , Keep thy heart with all keeping : as who should say , Thy heart is deceitful and desperate , it will make thee believe thou art going to heaven , when it leads thee to hell ; if thou be never so well affected for a time , this heart will fly off , it is naturally so naught and reprobate to what is good ; Therefore keep thy heart with all diligence .

Thirdly , Watch over thy Words : Psal. 141. 3. Set a watch , O Lord , before Words . the door of my lips . We must watch our lips , and have a care that our words be agreeable to Gods Word , and seasoned with salt , and that we shun all manner of communication , that doth not minister grace to the hearers ; we must take heed lest idle words proceed out of our mouths , for which we must give an account at the day of Judgement ; how many times do such words proceed out of our mouths that we would give a world to recal again , onely because we do not watch over your words , that they may be such as may tend to edifying , and expresse the grace that is within ?

Fourthly , Again , we should watch over our Senses , we should make a covenant with our eyes , as Job speaks chap. 31. 1. not to look upon a maid ; Senses , Eyes . when our eyes are looking up and down , though they be not caught with adultery , or such gross sins , yet there is danger to be caught one way or other ; for when a man looks upon the Objects of the world , as good , and the like , how ready is his mind to be carryed after it ? Men are led by their eyes , they carry the mind and heart with them , therefore we should have a care , that whatsoever comes to our eyes , we make a good use of .

Fistly , Again , we should set a watch before our Ears we should take heed what we hear , when we come in company , left we be infected by what Ears . is spoken ; we should have an hedge about our ears , to stop them from unfavoury things . D●th not the ear take words , saith Job ? We should have tasting ears , that should be able to taste and relish the good words that are spoken , and hate the contrary , and distaste them .

Lastly , We should watch our selves , ever the whole man : Only take heed to thy selfe , Deut. 4. 9. As who should say , This is the only thing ; have Whole selves . a care of , watch over thy self , lest thy self undoe thy self ; there is no enemie so dangerous unto us as our selves : the Divel in hell cannot do us so much mischief How many corruptions are there in us , to draw us from God , and incite us unto sin ? There are abundance of corruptions lying in the heart of man , to make a man unfit for any thing that is good ; that is , idlenesse in the understanding , it cannot abide to take pains , and exercise it self in Divine matters . There is in the will and affections , covetousness , and abundance of corrupt inclinations , that if a man look not to , it will break forth : So that this is the thing we must watch over , our selves .

Secondly , We are to watch over the duties of Religion ; as for example , Duties of Religion . we are to watch unto prayer , as the Apostle speaks , 1 Pet. 4. 7. we are to watch to meditating , and reading , and hearing of the Word of God . Otherwise though we do them for the matter of them , yet we cannot for the right form , and manner of them : though our hearts be in a pretty good tune for the present , yet we cannot hold this frame , if we watch not thereunto . Rev. 3. 3. is an excellent place , If you will not watch , saith the Text , and hold fast , I will come against thee as a chief in the night : As who should say , Stir up thy self and watch , that thou maist hold fast ; if thou hast got any hatred of sin in thy heart , hold it fast ; if strength against corruption , hold it fast . How shall I do that ? why watch saith ●e , of else Christ will come against thee as a thief . If a book be in a mans hand when he is drowzy , it will fall out , he cannot hold it fast ; So when a m●ns heart is drowzy , and secure , it will let go comfort , and any thing that God hath bestowed for the good of the soul ; therefore we ought ●o watch : if we have any sweet disposition of heart , to go on in the Service of God , and in the duties of Religion , we may go on if we be watchful . And now to branch this into particulars .

First , We must watch before the Duty .

Secondly , We must watch in the Duty .

Thirdly , We must watch after the Duty .

First ; We must watch before the Duty . Remember the Sabbath day , to keep it holy , Exod. 20. 8. So I may say , remember Prayer , to keep it holy ; Before Duty . remember Meditation , to keep it holy ; remember all the duties of Religion , to keep them holy , and perform them in an holy manner : think of them before you go about the performance of them ; we cannot pray unless we watch unto prayer , unless we be careful , and have our eyes in our heads , before we go about the duty .

In the morning as soon as we awake , we should think of prayer ; and when tempted to sin , we should think of prayer . If I sin , how can I pray unto God ? I have ever and anon need to poure out my prayers before God ; now if I commit these and these sins , how can I look up to heaven , when my conscience doth reproach me for sin ? So when we hear the word of God , look to thy foot when thou comest into the house of God , Eccles. 5. 1. that is , Before thou goest into the House of God to hear the Word of Salvation , see into thine own heart , think whose wo●● it is thou hearest ; and that thou goest to hear the Word , that shall judge thee at the last day . When thou comest into the presence of God , take heed lest thou hearest as fools hear ; and take heed lest thou prayest as fools pray ; and comest to the Sacrament , as fools use to come ; we should watch before the duty , that all things may be in a readinesse , before we come to the performance of it , that we may prevent all things that may hinder us , and be ●itted with all things that may help forward the duty ; that time , place , and all advantages may meet together for the better doing of it .

Then secondly , We must watch in the duty , as well as before the duty . In Duty As the Apostle speaks concerning prayer , so I may say concerning all other duties , Contain in pr●●●● , and watch therein with thanksgiving , Col. 4. 2. As we are to watch before , that we may have preparation , so we must watch in the duty , that we may rightly discharge it ; for though a man hath been watchful before the duty , and hath been prepared in some measure , and sitted , yet you are not without danger . But when you are in prayer , and when you are at the Lords Table , or any other duty ; for all your former preparation , if you be not watchful now , you may fail in some kind or other , and so mar the duty ; therefore we should watch in the duty , that our hearts may be waking in it , and our mind attentive upon it , that our hearts may be fixed upon that we are about ; My 〈◊〉 fixed , my hea●t is fixed , saith the Prophet David ; he was a joyful man , he repeats it again and again ; as if a man should be jocund , and say , I have got it , I have got it . We should get hearts fixed upon the duty that so we may not have wavering hearts , half off , and half on the duty ; but that the whole man may be employed about it .

Thirdly , We should be watchful after the duty , that we may not lose the benefit , and reward of the duty , lest the subtilties of Satan , and the wiles of our own hearts , do rob us of the fruits of it ; though a man hears very attentively , and pray , and perform all other duties very enlargedly , yet when he hath done all , he may lose the comfort and reward of the duty . Therefore when we hear the word , we should watch over our hearts , that the fouls of the ayre may not pluck it out again , that if we have any quickning , we may not lose it again ; if we have heard any thing that hath helped us forward in Grace , we should take heed that we lose not the ground again ; As the Publican , as soone as he had prayed to God , and performed an Ordinance aright , how careful was he not to lose the benefit thereof ? He went to the Temple to pray , and he was watchful before the duty ; thinking , I am now going to pray , and power out my soul before God . He was watchful in the duty , for you may see how humbly , and feelingly , and penitently he did pray ; standing a far off , and smiting upon his brest , and not li●●ng up his eyes to heaven , bewailing the hardness of his own heart , and rowzing it up , Lord be merciful to me a sinner : and when he had done this , he was careful afterwards , for the Text saith , Luk. 18. 14. As he had prayed for mercy , so he was careful to carry it along with him . He prayed that he might be justified , and as he prayed for it , so he was careful to carry home justification in his bosome . So when we are at a Sermon , we should watch , that we may go home quickned , and bettered : and when we are at conference , we should watch that we may return home with the fruit and benefit of the duty : So for all other Ordinances , we should be careful and watchful , that we may not lose the reward , for the Divel is crafty , and our own hearts are ready to betray us , therefore we had need be watchful ; and that is the second thing we should watch , the duties of Religion .

Thirdly , We should watch times and seasons ; God knows what miserable things are a coming , therefore what time the Lord allots us , we had Time . Present time . need improve it to the best advantage , that we may redeem the time . How many hours do run from us , before we are aware ? How many dayes , and months , and years , have we let slip away , and we are little the better ? Our time is a special thing , and therefore we had need to watch it , that we may improve it to the best advantage , that we may be no longer fools , but wise in the imploying of it .

Secondly , We should watch all the times of Gods anger and displeasure ; it is a miserable thing when a man passeth on like a fool , and Gods Time of Gods wrath . anger comes forth , and a man is not provided , hath not a defence for it . There be dayes of anger , and visitation , when God comes to visit people for their sins ; to visit a parish , to visit a family , to visit a person ; and what a woful thing is it , for a man to be drowzy and negligent , when Gods anger bursts forth , and so he hath no evidence of comfort to his soul ; be knows not how to meet God in the field ? But when the wrath of God breaks out in any kind upon his Goods , or Wife , or Children , or Body , or Friends , or any thing , he is at a losse , and knows not what to do ; he is fain to sink under the hand of God , and hath no refuge to flie unto ; therefore we should watch against the day of Gods anger .

Thirdly , We should watch over the times of Grace : for there be gracious Time of Grace . and acceptable times , as the Apostle calls them , 2 Cor. 6. 21. Many times good motions come in : Now if we do not watch , to keep them , and nourish them in our hearts , the Lord will passe us by at another time , and we shall not be moved . Sometimes God affects thy heart at a Sermon , and puts in a good resolution to forsake sin , and lead a new life ; now have a care to keep these resolutions , and let them not perish in thee , and go out like lightning . The Lord hath given many a blessed season , and oportunity of mercy , the water was moved , if he would have but stepped in , if he would but have taken hold of the mercy , he might have had it ; but afterwards , he may go mourning , and thirsting , and longing , and never have the mercy offered more ; and it is well if he can be humbled for missing of that mercy , by his neglect , and watch for the future the times of Grace .

Again we should watch the times of Death ; we are all mortal men , Death . must die , and Blessed is that servant , whom his Lord when he cometh shall find him so doing , Mat. 24. 5. If any of us should dye , before we are converted , and brought home to God , we perish for ever : Whosoever thou art , if thou die in thy sins with thy dead , hard , unsanctified , unregenerate heart , thou art damned , thou goest to Hell . Therefore watch for the coming of death , that so when it comes , it may not be the King of Terrours , and an amazement to thy heart .

Againe , We must watch for the day of Judgment ; as Death leaves us , so Judgment will find us : Therefore we should consider with our selves seriously , Judgment . the strictnesse of the account we are to give at the dreadful day of the Son of man , when all works shall be brought to a Touch-stone , and all secrets shall be Preached on the House top . It is an excellent thing , when a man doth consider these things before hand ; when a man hath looked upon his thoughts , for they shall be Judged ; and upon his speeches , and upon all his wayes , for they shall all be brought before the Judgment Seat of God ; and according as a man hath done , such reward he shall receive for evermore .

The next thing , is , the Reasons why we are to Watch. Reasons . Our proneness to be drowzy .

And the First Reason is , Because we are marvellous prone to be Drowzy in Spiritual things . In temporal things we are watchful enough ; for Covetousnesse , and Pride , and the like , we are very watchful , but in Spiritual things , how subject are we to Drowzyness ? Paul himself was fain to complain , I know that in me , that is , in my flesh , dwelleth no good thing , Rom. 7. 18. Is thy heart better then Saint Pauls ? If he were left to himself , he should be as miserable , and proud , and untoward as another ; and have as vile an heart as another : and therefore that made him watch . Therefore we had need to watch , for how loath are we to be brought to watch ? And how unwilling to take such an hard piece of service to do ? we are marvellous apt to be secure . If Jonah had watched , if he had had a watch over his heart , he would have gone to Nineveh ; but for want of watchfulnesse , he ran away . Cant. 5. 2. I sleep , saith the Church ; it was not like the sleep of she wicked , and ungodly , for her heart waked ; but she was asleep , she was proud , and marvellous secure , there was a great deal of untowardnesse of spirit grew upon her : And as we are untoward to that which is good , so we are prone to that which is evil ; we are glued naturally to the world , and the things of this life , it is an easie thing to draw us away into evill , therefore we had need to watch . As it is said of the Disciples of Christ in regard of temporal drowziness , so it is with us , in regard of Spiritual drowziness , Matth. 26. 43. He came and found them asleep again , for their eyes were heavy : Though Christ had awakened them , and jogged them , yet they were asleep again , for their eyes were heavy ; So though the Lord hath awakened us , even now we were awakened by a Crosse , by Sicknesse , by a Sermon , by a Reproof , something or other God hath been pleased to waken us by ; but all on the suddain we fall asleep again , for our hearts are very heavy : as it is with an heavy brain , what a doe he hath to keep himself awake ? though he pinch himself , and rowze up himself , yet he hath much adoe to keep his eyes open ; so the heart of man is so drowzy , that he hath much ado● to keep any Grace alive in himself ; we are so apt to be so secure , that we had need to watch . Zech. 4. 1. the Prophet complains of the drowziness of his heart , The Angel that talked with me , came again and waked me , as a man is wakened out of his sleep : when God was talking with him , he fell into a sleep . So when we are in Prayer , we have much adoe to hold out in the duty , we have such vile natures , and cursed dispositions . How ought we then to watch over our selves ?

Secondly , Another reason why we should be watchful , is , because our life is a Warfare , and we do not lie like two Armies in a field , removed Christians life is a Warfare . one from the other ; but we lie in the midst of our enemies round about us , and so they are ready to surprize us .

The greatest means of doing us mischief , are most commonly those things we have need of ; as our meat , and drink , and affaires , and callings ; The world an Eenemy . we cannot go to prayer , but worldly thoughts are ready to intangle us ; we cannot go to the House of God , but a man is in danger to be intrapped . There is danger in every thing we go about , by reason of the worlds powerful enticements , therefore we had need to stand upon our guard , and be careful , for else how can we avoid to be suprized , and led away ? This is the reason , why so many sink into Perdition : Many that have given good hopes , many that have promised excellent things , have come to nothing , but have fallen away as the fall of a leafe . Whence comes this , but because they have not been careful and watchful ?

The Divel is watchful , to insnare and intrap us , therefore we should watch The Divel to avoid his snares ; As the Apostle saith , 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober and watchful , for your Adversary , the Divel , goeth about like a roaring Lion , seeking whom he may devour : The Divel is alwayes busie , and therefore we had need watch and busie our selves , and be careful at all times : when we are secure , and consider not God , and consider not the good of our Souls , and the peace of our Consciences ; Satan presently hath advantage against us : If the Divel had any thing else to do , it were something , but the Divel hath nothing to do , but to hurt us , and lay Siege against us ; All his practice , from the beginning of the world to this day , is to go roaming and ranging up and down to do mischief , it is all his employment , from the beginning of the day to the end thereof ; If he get us alone , he will ensnare us there ; if not there , he will ensnare us in company ; if he cannot get us there , he will get us in a Sermon , and if any thing falls against our lusts , he will cause our hearts to rise against it . Now when we do not watch over our selves , we are led away by Satan ; therefore we had need be careful , for the Divel is alwayes watchful , therefore we should labour to be alwayes provided to resist him .

Again , we have the flesh that is continually about us , it is an enemy within us , it is that which doth betray us to the World , and the Divel , even our own hearts do betray us , and therefore we had need be careful ; we have enemies from without , and our own hearts within , and all to undo us . Take a man that is in a good way , and hath all means , and helps to make him Godly , though there be no temptation from without , yet he may de damned from his own heart , if he be not delivered from it . Jam. 1. 14. Every man is tempted by his own lusts , and Jam. 4. 5. The Spirit that is within us lusteth to envy , and covetousness , and security , and vanity , and carnal ease , it lusts after these things , and therefore we had need to watch .

A Third reason is , Because it will do us a great deal of good : for as if we do not watch we are easily surprized , so if we do watch it is an easie thing to The certain advantage of Watchfulness . stand : all our miscarriages in the duties of Religion , lye in security ; whereas if we were watchful , and would walk with eyes in our heads , and would consider the snares that be laid for us , and consider Gods threatnings , and Commandments , the duties of Religion would be easie : For if we do not watch , the Divel , and the World , and the Flesh have advantage against us ; but if we do watch , this is as it were a fence to the hear● , to hedge a man in to keep him safe . Rev. 3. 2. There is an excellent place , Be watchful ▪ and strengthen the things that remain ; it is the strength of the soul . When a man watcheth , let a man have but a little grace , suppose a man be marvellously fallen off , and hath but a little good remaining , a few graces in him ; a little faith , a little hope , a little sanctified desire ; he hath but a little strength to go on against sin , if a man doth but now watch , if a man do but husband this little , how strong will he be ? A little Faith is able to overcome all the Divels in Hell , well managed : a little hope is able to keep a man above water from sinking : a little strength is able to maintain the Combate : a little affection to goodness , if a man have a carefull heart to improve it to the uttermost , will go a great way ; if a man did but watch , it would strengthen the things that remaine . Though a man were never so infeebled , and come to never so low an ebb , watchfulnesse is a stay and strength to the heart .

Fourthly , Again if we do not watch , we cannot so much as pray to God to We cannot else expect help or pardon . forgive us : our consciences tell us , unlesse the Lord save us , we cannot be saved ; now how can we expect that God should save us , if we do not pray unto him ? And we cannot pray to him to save us , unlesse we watch : it is to tempt God , to pray to him to preserve us from evil , when we do not watch over our selves : it is to tempt God , to pray to him to quicken us , when we deaden our selves : to intreat God to give us an holy mind , when we our selves let in vain thoughts . Therefore see what Christ speaks , Mar. 14. 38. Watch and Pray , that ye fall not into temptation : As who should say , You cannot Pray that you may not enter into temptation , you tempt God if you intreat him to do any thing , if you do not watch over your own souls . Though a man hath no Activity to do any good , yet God will have him be watchful ; if he mean to purifie a man , he will make him purifie himself ; if he mean to keep him from pride , he will make his own heart resist pride : therefore watch , that thou enter not into temptation , if thou mean to pray to God , not to lead thee into temptation .

But you will say , All a mans watching will do no good , except God watcheth over him , Psal. 127. 1. Except the Lord keep the City , the Watchmen Object . watch in vain .

I answer , 'T is true indeed , unlesse the Lord keeps a mans soul , all a mans Answ. watching is nothing . But I tell thee , If thou watchest , thou hast Two watchers , thou hast God to watch over thee , and thy self to watch over thee ; thou hast God to watch over thee , and keep thee in all thy wayes , and then thou watchet over thy self , and art sustained by God , so that thou hast two watchers , God above , and thy own soul within thee employed about this work .

A Fourth Reason is , Because this is the very means prescribed by God to do us good : It is the very remedy that the Lord of Heaven hath appointed Gods appointment . unto us to save us from danger , and keep us from falling ; the Lord hath sanctified this means to this very end and purpose : therefore when our Saviour Christ would disswade his people from carking and caring for the things of this life , Luke 21. 36. see what means he prescribeth and layeth down to do it , Be watchful ( saith he ) and pray : the world is ready to get in , therefore watch ( saith he ) and pray alwayes , that you may be accounted worthy to escape these things : So that we see this the means prescribed by God himself , to escape the falling into sin .

Fifthly , Again , We should be so much the more careful in this watch , None can Watch for us . because no other can watch for us : in outward things one man may watch , while another sleepeth ; as in sailing , when all the rest are asleep , there is one watcheth ; so in war , when all the Souldiers lye in their tents asleep , it may be some few are watching , that the rest may take their rest : but it is not so in regard of our souls , one man cannot watch while another man sleeps , but every man must watch over his own heart : If we do not watch our own souls , we shall perish ; and if we do not perish everlastingly , we shall have miserable temptations , and evils , and many inconveniences we shall be exposed unto .

But some may say , Are not Ministers to watch over us ? How then is every Object . man to watch over himself ? Ministers are watchmen : Son of man , I have made thee a watchman over the house of Israel , saith the Lord to the Prophet Ezekiel , and Heb. 13. 17. The Apostle speaking of Ministers , saith , They watch for your souls ?

I Answer , The word in the Original is not for your souls , but over your souls ; to watch for a man , is to watch for another that he may not watch ; Answ. as when a man watcheth for his neighbor that his neighbour may not watch : but the Ministers are not so to watch for the people , that the people may not watch ; but the Ministers are to watch over the people , that they may watch : as when a man watcheth Deer , or Hawkes , he watcheth them , that they may watch and not sleep , that so he may tame them : as a man that watcheth with a man which is sick of the Lethargy , which is such a Dise●se , that if a man be let sleep , he goeth away in his sleep , therefore their friends stand about them , to watch over them , that they may not sleep , knowing that if they do sleep , their lives are hazarded ; and if they see them but to slumber , they awaken them , lest in their sleep they die , and go away : So it is with the Ministers of the Gospel , we ought to watch over your souls , that you may not sleep : for you are all sick of the Lethargy of sin , and if ye sleep , you go away , if you be not careful for heaven , and heavenly things ; if you follow vanity and security of heart , and do not take heed to avoid sin , your souls will die , therefore the Ministers are to watch over you , and keep you from sleeping , and shew you the danger of it , and labour to awaken you , and keep your eyes waking .

The First Use is , To condemne the infinite security that is grown upon people : Vse . Condemning the general neglect of Watchfulnesse . that though it be so excellent a duty for a man to watch , yet where is the man almost , that is careful of it ? They put this duty over to God , as if it did not belong to them , they will watch over outward things , for plowing , and sowing , and reaping , and the like ; but for the good of their souls , they never acquaint themselves with this watching ; their hearts are like the wildernesse , as the wildernesse is open for all wild-beasts , so their hearts are open for all temptations , that is the reason they have such dead hearts , and cold affections , that is the reason they look so little after salvation and eternal life , because people never look after this duty of watchfulness ; nay , they are so far from watching how to be saved , that they watch how the divel may take them ; when a man sins , he wisheth the Divel would help him to more sin : a covetous man is so far from watching over his sin , that he would have more opportunities , and more occasions of getting ; the Devil cannot come fast enough to fill his heart with these things : So if a man be given to pleasure , he thinks he cannot have enough , but would have more still . Thus people would have the Divel put more corn into the hopper : They are so far from watching for good , that they watch for evil , they devise evil upon their beds , as the Prophet Micah speaks : They are possessed with the spirit of slumber , they have eyes and see not , they have eares and hear not , hearts and understand not ; they do not know what watchfulnesse is , if they do , they are the lesse excusable , because they practice it not , they do not watch and wake unto Prayer , that they may not enter into temptation , but are carried away with the world and sin .

The Second Use is , To them that are Godly in some measure ; that we Reproving the godly's too great neglect . cannot say they altogether do not watch , yet how negligent are they in this duty ? Many Christians are there among us that have some goodnesse in them , yet how doth this duty lye unpractised ? whence come all the vanities in our minds , and untowardnesse in the Ordinances of God ? Whence comes all unfruitfulnesse in our meetings , and unsettlednesse in our Consciences ? It is because we do not watch : Whence comes it that we are no more ready to good duties ? When we are called forth on the sudden to pray or do any thing for the good of Gods Church and People , that we are so unfit to do it , and so backward ; it is for want of watchfulness . Nay , what is the reason that we perform not the Worship of God in our Families better , but because we do not watch : the very Regenerate themselves , what a world of mischief do they do to their own souls , for want of this duty of watchfulness ? How do they swell in sin , and are slack in goodnesse , and slubber over Gods service ? How do they favour themselves too too much , and suffer the dishonour of God , by the wicked ? and suffer their own hearts to dishonour him too too much ?

Thirdly , The next Vse shall be to shew you the Rules that are to be observed Directing how to watch . in watching , and the Rules are these : If you would watch over your selves .

First , Count watchfulnesse your very life , and think if you let watchfulnesse Account watchfulness our life . go , you let your life go ; for if once watchfulness go , how dead are you in Prayer , and hearing the Word of God ? So that the security of the heart , will be the death of the heart ; wherefore if we would go on in watching , let us labour to keep this Holy disposition ; count it your very lives , and think with your selves , I let Life go , if I let Watchfulnesse go . We use to say of Sleep , that it is the brother of Death , and 1 Thes. 5. 6. we may see the Phrase used by the Apostle ; where waking is put for living , and sleeping , for dying , that is the meaning of the words . So that as sleep , natural sleep , doth lively represent death ; so it is with Spiritual sleep , which is the death of the soul . Therefore dost thou find thy self to be out of frame , and not watch over thy wayes ? then think with thy self that thou art a dead man , and take up thy watch as fast as thou ca●st again .

Secondly , Thou must let thy watch stand Catholically , universally in all Watching in all things . duties , and all times ; watch thereunto , and persevere therein ; we must not only watch , but Persevere . Be careful in the morning how we may begin our watch ; in the day , how we may spend it ; at night , how we may end it . So we must watch in all duties ; when we go to Prayer , we must watch in prayer ; when you go about your Callings , watch about them ; when we are alone , we should be watchful ; and when we are in Company , we should be watchful , for the Divel , and our own souls , plot a great deal of mischief against us , we must watch in all places ; in our houses , and without doors , and in the fields ; we are still in danger wheresoever we are .

Thirdly , We should proportion our watch , according as the duty is we take Proportioning it to what we are about . in hand , so our watching may bee ; there is one kind of watching for one kind of duty , another for another . If we be to go about our callings , then our watching must be against distrustfulnesse , and covetousness , and distracting cares ; that so we may not be over head and ears in the world . If our duty be prayer , we must have an eye to the promises , and take hold on the Lord Jesus Christ , and come in his mediation and his onely . So whatsoever duty it be , if it be hearing of the Word of God , there is a watchfulness to be proportionable to it . A man should think , the word will do me no good , unlesse the Lord meet with my lusts : I have an unmortified heart , and unlesse the Lord work upon me , I shall never lie down under him . Therefore we should be watchful , that we may practice , and be able to apply whatsoever is spoken to us ; we are to keep a due watchfulness , for that which is due to one thing is not due to another ; that which is sufficient for one , is not for another .

Fourthly , Take heed of all things that may hinder Watchfulnesse . Avoiding hinderances . Vaincompany .

And first , Take heed of vain Company . If we will be watchful , we must exercise our selves with those that are godly . To be with secure Christians , is the way to be secure ; this will hinder a man : A man had better be alone , then be in bad Company , as the Prophet David saith , Psal. 102. 7. I watch and am alone as a Sparrow on the house top : he was alone , and yet he was watching . A man when he is alone may be watching , rather then when he is in such Company : a man can never look to himself well , unlesse he prize the Communion of Saints .

Secondly , A man should be sober ; Take heed of Spiritual Drunkenness : Spiritual drunkennesse . Take heed of the cares of this life , and that you be not immoderate in any lawful thing ; we should stand upon our guard , and keep our hearts with all manner of keeping ; if our hearts grow drowzy and idle , and if we neglect Sobriety , then we are gone , therefore in Scripture these are put together , be ●●ber , and wat●● , 1 Thess. 5. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 8. I do not mean Drunkennesse with Wine , for there is a Drunkennesse , and not with Wine , as the Prophet speaks , a man may be drunk with the love of the Creature : if thou lovest thy ease too well , or any thing in the world too well , thou art drunk with it , thy heart is giddy , thou art no more able to Pray , or do any thing that 's good , then a drunken man is .

Fifthly , If thou wilt Watch , then set the Lord alwayes before thy eyes : Set the watchman of Israel before thy face , God is called a watcher , Dan. Setting God before our eyes . 4. 23. Now if thou wilt watch over thy self , set God before thy face , as David did , Psal. 16. 8. I have set God before mine eyes ; so alwayes set the Lord before thine eyes .

Now I come to the last thing , which is an Vse of Exhortation ; To exhort Vse . Exhorting to watchfulnesse . us to be careful of this Duty , and there is great need of it .

First , We all desire to do well . Now how can we do well at last , unless we watch well all our life time ? What is the reason that many are without Motives . Because otherwise it will be in with us at last . comfort , not like the Servants of God , full of horrour , and fear , and quaking ? It is because they do not watch , as it was with the Five wise Virgins , they were something wise , not like the foolish , but they slumbred too ; Now when the bridegroom came , there was a cry ; they made an out-cry , and a skrieking , and an howling , they were undone , the bridegroom was come : one would have thought , they should have rejoyced that the bridegroom was come . What godly Christians , and Religious People , when the bridegroom comes to fall a howling and a crying ? This was because they slumbred , whereas if a man be watchful over his life , and careful to keep an humble heart , and to honour God , and study how to die comfortably at last , he may rejoyce at the coming of the bridegroom ; but because they were in a slumber , there was a cry , therefore as the Apostle Peter saith , 1 Pet. 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand , therefore be sober , and watch unto prayer ; the Apostle brings this as an Argument : so I may say , the end of all things is at hand , therefore be sober , and watch ; as a Traveller , when the day is almost spent , and he hath a great way to go , he puts spurs to his Horse , and rides the faster ; so the end of all things is at hand , therefore we had need to be the more diligent and watchful , that we may have all things ready ; the end comes upon us : We have had the Gospel a long time , and God knows how soon we shall have an end thereof ; therefore how ought we to be careful ? as a man that is to write a Letter , may be at first he is something carelesse , and writes his lines something broad , but when he comes near to the end , and hath a great deal to write , he writes his lines close , and crowds them together : So now when we are coming towards an end , we cannot look that God should alwayes strive with us , we should now therefore labour to write close , and to make our Duties thick , and to be enquiring after Grace , wheresoever we come , we think the time is long , but we may justly fear it is shorter then we imagine ; as when an hour-glass is almost out , a man that sits below , will think there is a great deal to run , but the sand is hollow , and is run out before a man is aware ; so the Lord so carries himself towards people , that they may think there is a great deal of Patience more , and a great deal of Mercy more to be extended towards them , but when all comes to all , they shall find it lyes hollow , and will be out before they are aware .

Secondly , Consider how sickly and diseased our Souls are ; how apt they are to fall into sin : Sickly men are most careful ; Now our Souls are Because our souls are sickly . sick of sin , sick of Pride , sick of Covetousnesse , and Earthly-mindednesse , easily carried away with the sins of the times ; they are sick of pronenesse to do evil , and indisposednesse to that which is good , therefore we had need to watch over our souls , we had need be our own Porters . Matth. 13. 34. our Saviour Christ doth compare every Christian to a Porter ; The Lord of the house takes a great journey , and commands the Porter to watch : We should all be Porters , and keep the gates of our Souls , for we are alwayes in danger .

Thirdly , Consider that God hath awakened many of in already , and therefore We are already awakened . it is a miserable thing for us to sleep again : wicked and ungodly men that were never converted , and healed , and awakened , and wrought upon , they go to Hell and damnation in a sleepy security ; but when a man hath been once awakened , and hath shaken off sleep , and God hath made him look about him , to see how he might be saved ; if this man fall asleep again , it is a most miserable thing ; the latter end of that man will be worse then his beginning .

Fourthly , Consider the badnesse of the Times , and Places , and Families Badness of the times , and carelessness of the most . we ●●ve in ; they are all secure , and therefore we had need be so much the more watchful ; and you know it is a very hard thing , for a man not to do as others do ; therefore the Apostle , 1 Thess. 5. 6. would not have them sleep as others do , as who should say , Others do so ; and therefore you have so much the more need to look to your selves , that you may not do as others do .

THE NEW BIRTH . Joh. 3. 6. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh , but that which is born of the Spirit , is Spirit .

MY Purpose is to speak of the several Works of Gods holy Spirit in the hearts and minds of his chosen ; they are Gods peculiar people , and therefore he will work greater Mercies for them , then for any else : Now the First grand distinguishing work of the Holy Ghost in the Elect is Regeneration ; he is the Author of Spiritual life in them , they are born of him , though by nature they are born of the flesh , and so are flesh ; and in that estate can never enter into the kingdom of God : yet when the Spirit of God comes to regenerate them , they come to be Spirit , they come to have a new life , and the Spirit of God gives it them : it is true that Christ is the Author of this life , he procured it by his death , he quickens whom he will , as he told his Disciples , Joh. 14. 19. Because I live , ye shall live also : Life is derived by Christ to all the Members of Christ ; for as all in Adam died , Adam is the general root of all , in his loins , and by him they come to be dead in sin ; so Christ is the Second Adam , and all that are in his loins , all that are in him , he is a quickning Spirit to them , 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a living Soul , the second Adam was made a quickning Spirit : Christ is the second Adam , and is a quickning Spirit to all that are in him ; God the Father hath appointed him to be the Prince of Life , as Peter tells his Hearers , Act. 3. 15. The Lord Jesus Christ , he is the Prince of life to all the people of God : and therefore Saint John saith , He that hath the Son , hath life ; and he that hath not the Son , hath not life , 1 Joh. 5. 12. He is the Father of this new Birth , and he is the daily and continual Father of it : He is not a Father for one , or two , or divers years , but Isa. 9. 6. he is called , An everlasting Father , to regenerate a people to God ; and he doth it by his Resurrection , 1 Pet. 1. 3. This must needs be granted , That Christ must be the Author of this new Life .

Now you will say , Then why is it attributed to the Spirit ? The Text gives it to the Spirit of God , the Holy Ghost ; now if Christ be the Author of this new Birth , and the giver of this new Life , and God the Father hath appointed him to be so , Why is it then here said , That the Spirit doth it ? Regeneration attributed to the spirit ,

I Answer : It is given to the Spirit for Three Reasons :

First , Because Christ doth it by the Spirit : Whatsoever Christ doth without , he doth it by the Spirit : when he cast out Divels here upon Because Christ doth it by the spirit . Earth , he did it by his Spirit ; all the outward Works that he wrought , he wrought them by his Spirit ; and therefore the Spirit is called , the Finger of God , Luk. 11. 20. Now if Christ do this Work by his Spirit , if he do Regenerate all his people by his own Spirit , there is Reason why they should be said to be born of the Spirit .

Secondly , Another Reason is , Because though this life be all from Christ , Spirit is the bond of union between us and Christ . it is he that begets it ; ( it is he that is the soul of every Believer , as I may so speak ) yet it is the Spirit that is the Bond of Vnion ; it is the Spirit that joyns Christ and them together , it is the Spirit that tyeth the knot , it is the Spirit that unites and puts them together into one ; though Christ be life , and eternal life , yet notwithstanding they are all Aliens from Christ , they are all out of Christ , that the Spirit doth not joyn together with Christ : they that have not the Spirit of Christ , they are none of his ; they are all out of Christ , they are like dead branches out of the Vine ; it is the Spirit that is the bond of Vnion between Christ , and those that are Christs .

Thirdly , Another Reason is , Because the Spirit quickens the Word , whereby Because the spirit quickens the word whereby we are born again . this is done : The people of God , the thing that they are born of again , it is the immortal seed of the Word , 1 Pet. 1. 23. You are born again , not of corruptible seed , but of incorruptible ; Now this seed is sowen in all mens hearts , scattered among all the Congregation , but yet it doth not Regenerate all the Congregation : The Reason is , where the Spirit comes , that makes it fruitful , and that makes it to quicken the heart ; and thus you see the meaning of the words , That which is born of the Spirit , is Spirit .

Now here are Two Points :

First , That the Spirit of God , or the Holy Ghost , Regenerates all the people of God ; whosoever is born again , is born of the Spirit .

The Second Point is this , That all that are Regenerate , all that are born of the Spirit , they are Spirit ; that is , they are spiritual , they are like the Spirit .

The First is , That it is the Spirit of God , the Holy Ghost , that doth Regenerate That the spirit of God doth regenerate all the Saints . all the people of God ; this is that which makes them to be new Creatures , to be new men , to be altogether different from that they were before ; this is that which doth distinguish them from themselves , even as much as white from black ; this is that which doth alienate them from the courses of the world ; this is that which doth make them to be singular and odde fellows , as if they were of another world ; this makes them lead a different kind of life , and follow a different kind of way from all their neighbors , because the Spirit of God works in them ; as Ishmael and Isaac , though Ishmael was born after the flesh , yet Isaac was born after the Spirit , as the Apostle alludes , Gal. 4. 23. that is , one took one kind of course , the other another ; one was born one way , the other another way ; the Spirit begat one , the Flesh the other ; and this made Ishmael to persecute Isaac , because Isaac could not abide his courses ; they were of different Natures and Dispositions , one was born after the Spirit , the other after the Flesh .

Now here be Six Things I would shew unto you :

First , What Regeneration is .

Secondly , Why it is so called .

Thirdly , Wherein it consists .

Fourthly , The Reasons why the Spirit of God only works this work .

Fifthly , How he works it .

And Lastly , The Vses .

First , What Regeneration is : And it is thus much , namely , The renewing What Regeneration is . of the whole man , and by degrees completed after the Image of God in Jesus Christ : This is Regeneration ; and there be Five Things to be opened in it :

First , That it is the renewing of a man ; It is not every change , there A Renewing . may be abundance of changes and alterations , and yet a man for the main may be the same man he is ; a man may be changed from a Drunkard to be sober ; from an Adulterer to be chaste ; yet still he was the same man he was before , though there be changes wrought in him : but Regeneration is the renewing of a man , the making of a man another man , as the Apostle speaks , 2 Cor. 5. 17. Old things are passed away , and all things are become new : The Lord doth take away the old frame , and the old affections , and the old inclinations , the old acquaintance , the old course and conversation ; all these things passe away , and the Lord puts in new things in the room thereof , till all things become new ; thus it is in this work , as the Apostle speaks , Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration , and renewing of the Holy Ghost ; the Lord removeth the old rubbish , and puts a new fabrick in the room ; as a Goldsmith , he takes a vessel of dishonour and melts it , and makes it a vessel of honour ; God doth undo the old workmanship , and makes a new : as David saith , Create in me , O Lord , a clean heart , &c. Psal. 51. 10. David thought he had lost all , therefore he prayeth to God that he may be new cast , that he may be taken all to pieces , as a Watch-maker takes a Watch that is out of order , he takes it all to pieces , and sets it together anew again ; so he prayes God to deal with him , he had lost all in sense and feeling , and would have God make him a new workmanship , it is called the renewing of a man . Ezek 11. 19. there is an excellent place , I will give them a new heart , &c. The Lord puts out , and he puts in , even just as a Suister doth when she works cut-works , she puts out the old heart , and puts in a new heart ; he takes out that which was stark naught , and puts in that which is good and agreeable to his mind : the old heart is corrupt , and the old man is stark naught , there is nothing good in it ; these the Lord takes out , and puts in all new : A man is altogether naught and reprobate before ; what poor creatures are all people that are not Regenerate ? they are all proud , and vain , and foolish , and wordly , and earthly , and harden their hearts , and are carelesse of Gods wayes , they have no fear of God before their eyes , they are altogether rotten , how ill-favouredly do they pray ? How worldly do they go on in their callings ? How unfruitfully do they come to Church ? They are all rotten and refractory , they do nothing that right is ; now when the Spirit of God doth make them up , he puts out all old things , and makes them new . This is the First thing , Regeneration , is the renewing of a man .

Secondly , As it is the renewing of a man , so it is the renewing of the whole A Renewing of the whole man . man : It is not only in some things , for Saul was another man in some sense ; but Regeneration is the renewing of the whole man , as the Apostle saith , The God of peace sanctifie you throughout , in body , soul , and Spirit , 1 Thess. 5. 23. it is a work upon the whole man ; our Saviour Christ compares it to leaven , which a woman took and leavened the whole Lump : It is like unto Original sin , as Original sin infects the whole man ; so Regeneration doth repair and renew the whole man ; it is as general and universal , as original sin : the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse , Ephes. 5. 9. It is in all goodnesse ; in the goodnesse of a mans mind , and in the goodnesse of a mans affections , in the goodnesse of the inclination and d●sposition , in the goodnesse of the whole man ; the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness ; indeed it begins in the goodnesse of the mind , as the Apostle speaks , Ephes. 4. 23. Be renewed in the Spirit of your minds : Where he calls upon them for this new work ; Put off the old man ( saith he ) and be renewed in the Spirit of your minds ; that is the First thing , when a man hath a new mind given unto him , a new knowledge put into his understanding , a man is renewed in knowledge , Col. 3. 10. This is the first thing , when God reneweth a mans knowledge and apprehension of things , when a man begins to know the plagues of his own heart , and the evils of all his own wayes , now a man begins to see through these things , and now he begins to see the wayes of God , and to dive deep beneath the irksomnesse of them , to know the amiablenesse of them , the sweetnesse of them : the delights of them are hidden from a man , so long as he is unregenerate ; but when God doth begin to regenerate a man , now he begins to discover them to him , that a man seeth what they are : he could say before that the wayes of God were good , but he could never taste and find them so ; but when a man is renewed , now he seeth the lustre and amiablenesse of them : so also , he seeth the uglinesse of sin , this was covered before , sin deceived the heart , and carried him after it ; but now sin begins to be laid stark naked , and a man seeth the deformity of it , here begins Regeneration in the mind ; for the understanding is the key of the Soul , the key of all the Faculties of the Soul , it is like a sluce or flood gate , pull up that , and the water goes out and runs all abroad ; so when the Lord doth pluck up this sluce , and lift up a mans heart , and mind , and understanding : now the waters of life flow into the soul : this is against them now , that have plenty of knowledge , and yet notwithstanding go no further ; that have new minds , and old wills and affections , there is a new brain , but an old heart ; this is not regeneration : regeneration ( it is true ) begins in the understanding , but it runs along in all the soul , it descends into heart and mind , and all the whole man , and therefore it is called a new creature ; whosoever is in Christ is a new creature ; Behold , I make all things new , ( saith Christ ) Rev. 21. 5. As Regeneration is the renewing of a man , so it is the renewing of the whole man .

Thirdly , It is done by degrees : Though Regeneration be in all parts , By degrees perfected . yet it is not in all degrees at once ; the spirit of God doth renew more and more , and beget a man more and more ; there is of the old birth a great while , but he doth eat it out more and more , as the Apostle speaks , 2 Cor. 3. 18. And we all with open face , &c. Mark here , he calls this change glory , because it is a glorious creature ; as long as a man is not renewed , he is a base creature ; but when he is renewed , he is a glorious creature : Now saith he , when the Lord doth this , he doth it from glory to glory , from one degree to another ; as this is done by the spirit of God , so he doth it more ; he proceeds from little beginnings to greater perfections ; it was not so with Adam , God made him in his full stature at the first , he was a man at the first dash ; but this new creature , is as a Babe conceived in the Womb , it begins there , and so grows up ; As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word , 1 Pet. 2. 2. He is a babe first , a●d so growes , though it be not a starveling but grows , yet it is but a weak one at first , and must grow and come to its strength more and more : it is like a good husband that begins with a little , and ariseth up to a great estate in the end ; so Regeneration makes a man a good husband , puts a little stock into his hands , and makes him rise to a great matter .

Fourthly , This is according to the Image of God : It is not all kind of Renewing : A man may have a new work that he had not before ; According to Gods Image . but the work of regeneration , as it is a renewing , so it is a renewing after the image of God ; man had quite and clean lost the Image of God , which consisted in Righteousness and Holiness ; Now when Gods Spirit comes to regenerate a man , that reneweth him according to this Image : As the Apostle speaks , Ephes. 4. 24. That ye put on the new man which is created after his image : and how is that ? In Righteousness and Holiness . As it is in Nature , though a man be never so godly when he begets a man , he begets him after his image , as he is by nature polluted and unclean : Gen. 5. 3. So Adam begat Seth in his own image : so when the Spirit begets a man again , he begets him after his own image , he makes him merciful as his heavenly Father is merciful , Luke 6. 36. and perfect as he is perfect , Matth. 5. ult. There are none regenerate and born again , but those that are like God , the Lord stamps upon them his own similitude , and makes them like to himself .

Fifthly , This is the Image of God in Jesus Christ ; who is the express image of his Father ; he is the pattern after which this frame is made : In Jesus Christ nay , God did order it should be so from eternity , Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did fore-know , he did predestinate , that they should be conformed to the image of his Son : 'T is true , this similitude is not presently made out , it is but by halves as it were ; it is but a poor first draught , and never perfect in this life , but it shall be made perfect , 1 Joh. 3. 2 , 3. We know when he appears , we shall be like him , and shall see him as he is ; then we shall be perfectly like him , and see him as he is , and know him as he is ; as Paul saith , Col. 3. 2 , 3. You are dead , and your life is hid in Christ , &c. Here the work is hardly come to its glory , there is a great deal of basenesse and old rubbish still , but it shall be glorious before God hath done , it shall come to be perfect then ; in the mean time , it is but by degrees ; but the work of regeneration puts a man to go to Christ , and believe in Christ ; You that follow me in Regeneration , &c. saith our Saviour , Matth. 19. 28. When a man is regenerate , regeneration puts a frame into a mans heart to be like unto Christ , and to follow his steps , and his example , that as he hath done , so he may do more and more : this is the work of regeneration , That the Spirit of God works in Gods people , conforming them to the Image of Christ : Yea , Regeneration doth more than repair a man , more than reduce a man to that estate wherein he was in Adam's loins before the Fall ; it is the ingrasting of a man into Christ , and the estating a man into the Merits and Priviledges of the Lord Jesus Christ , it is a greater matter , then the bare restoring of a man to that which he lost , it is the restoring of a man to a better estate ; this differences it from Sanctification . Thus we see what Regeneration is .

Now the Second Thing is , Why it is so called ? Why this same blessed work of the renewing of the whole man after the Image of God in Christ Why called Regeneration . Jesus is called Regeneration . There be Two Reasons of it .

First , To shew us how marvellously we are corrupt by Nature : Until the To shew the great Corruption of Nature . Spirit of God take us in hand , a man is quite rotten , there is no soundnesse left , there is nothing in him will serve , it is not a little melting will serve the turn , it is not a little plaistering , or patching , or piecing will do the deed : though there be a thousand changes in a man , yet if a man be not another man , if he be not a new creature , it is to no effect , it will never bring a man into the kingdom of God ; what saith Christ , Joh. 3. 3. Verily , verily , I say unto thee , Except a man be born again , he cannot enter into the kingdom of God : As who should say , Verily , verily , I say unto thee , a man is all to shatters , all to pieces , all rotten , and unlesse he be born again , and made a new creature , it is impossible he should enter into the kingdom of God ; though a man be never so much altered , he is not in the estate of Grace till he be a new man , till the Lord hath given him a new frame , and a new inclination : except a man be born again , he cannot see the kingdom of God , he cannot see the kingdom of Grace : that is the first dowry of the kingdom of Grace , to give a man a new Being that he never had before : a natural man is just like an old rotten house , that hath not one piece that will serve the turn ; but a man that will make it an habitable house , must take it all down to the ground , and build it up from the ground : so it is here , there is not one piece will serve the turn ; though ye see admirable things in men , though they seem excellent in the eyes of men , yet they will not serve the turn , they are rott●n and stark naught ; there is an absence of all Good , Rom. 7. 18. Nay besides , there is an universal indisposition in a man , like to a thing that is all rotten and marred , and can never be made up again , except it be made spick and span new ; and so it is with a man , he is altogether corrupt , as the Prophet speaks , Isa. 1. from the sole of the foot , to the crown of the head , nothing but bruises and putrified soars ; take a man that is never so civil , and of fair carriage , so long as he is not a new creature , this is nothing for the entring into the kingdom of God , and being amiable in his sight : Nay , Gen. 6. 5. the Text saith , The thoughts of the heart of man are only evil continually , there is nothing found in a man , though he daily think of Grace , and think of God , his thoughts cannot be said to be good , for the mind whereby he thinks of these things is rotten , and unsavory ; though he speaks of never so good things , the same things the Saints of God speak of ; though he doth the same actions the people of God do ; though he hears the same Word , and receives the same Sacraments , he cannot do them aright , they are abomination in Gods sight , therefore when God regenerates a man , he must make him another man then he was before . This speaks natures corruption .

Secondly , Because the things of Regeneration are admirably set out by The work well expressed by the Name way of this similitude : Natural Generation is generally , sweetly answered in this Work of Regeneration .

First , As a man cannot come into the World without Parents , but he must have a Father to beget him , so it is in this new Birth : as in the other Father , both in Natural and Spiritual Generation . there was an earthly Father , so here is an heavenly Father , as the Author to the Hebrews speaks , Heb. 12. 9. How much rather shall we be subjected to the Father of Spirits ? There are two Fathers , an earthly Father , the Father of the natural and corrupt man , and God the Father of our Spirits , that is , the Father of our spiritual Nature , as many excellent Divines do expound it : though it may be expounded the Father of our Souls ; yet this is more likely , because here is an opposition between the Father of the Flesh , and the Father of the Spirits : God himself is the Father of this new work .

Secondly , Here is a Mother too ; That Jerusalem which is from above , is the Mother of them all ; they are all Zions Children , here is A Mother in both . the Womb that these new creatures lye in , Christs Spouse ; the Lambs wife is their Mother ; though the world hate them and her too , yet they love her ; nay , though the woman be thrown out into the wilderness , yet their hearts run after her ; the Regenerate only are the true born , this is their Mother .

Thirdly , As it is in the Natural Birth , There is a shaping in the Womb , before there is a coming into life : so it is here , as the Apostle saith , there is a First , Conception , and then Birth . conceiving of a man in the womb , before he is , Gal. 4. 19. My little Children , of whom I travel in Birth , till Christ be formed in you ; There is the Conception ; 't is true , wicked men have many Conceptions , but they do not bring forth , Christ is not formed in them ; they may have many stirrings that way , but they perish in the Birth ; but Zion travels and brings forth Children , Isa. 66. 8.

Fourthly , Again , As it is in the Natural Birth , None is brought forth , without the pains of travel ; So there be pains in this new Birth , legal terrours Pain accompanies both Births . which the Reprobate are killed with and die under , but the godly come forth from under them safe and bettered .

Fifthly , Again , As it is in the first Birth , the Child that is born and comes into the world , he comes from no Being to a Being , from no Existency Both come to a Being they had not . to an Existency ; so it is here in this new Birth , those which were no people , are now made the people of God ; those that had no being in Christ , now have a being in him ; they are come into a new world , into a new heaven and a new earth ; others live in this world , but they live in a new world .

Sixthly , Again , As it is in the first Birth , A man comes to have Children , to have Brothers and Sisters ; so in this Birth , a man comes to have new New Kindred follows both . Kindred , all the Godly in the world are of his Consanguinity ; though they be counted the Puritans of the Parish , yet they are of his bloud , and Christ himself is their Brother , and Abraham is their Father ( under God ) and Sarah is their Mother ; there is a new Kindred . Indeed here is the difference , that the Children of the first Birth they are visible , and their lives and courses are visible , and their alliance and kindred is visible , and all that they are and do is visible ; but the Children of the second Birth are not visible : indeed their persons are visible as well as others , but their life is an invisible thing , their excellency , their glory , this new creature in them , this is invisible , it is like that River in Spain , which runs fourteen miles under ground ; whence they have a Proverb , That the Bridge over the River is fourteen miles long : So there is a River in Surry that is just the like , it runs under the ground invisible , they cannot see it ; so these new creatures they cannot be seen , their lives run under ground , their lives are hidden with God , indeed their persons , and outward actions and courses may be seen ; nay , wicked men may do those very outward actions which they do ; they may Pray together with them , and come to Church together with them , but this new workmanship they cannot see , that runs along under ground , the world seeth it not , neither can they know it , because they know not Christ the Author of it : Thus we see the second thing , namely , Why it is so called .

Now the Third Thing is , Wherein this blessed Work doth consist : and it Wherein Regeneration consisteth . consists in Two Things , Joh. 1. 12. The Evangelist saith , To as many as received him , he gave power to become the Sons of God . Here be Two Things , and both these Regeneration consists of :

First , A Passive receiving of Christ , Whosoever receives him .

Secondly , An Active Title to God , as to a Father , They have power to become the Sons of God .

First , A Passive receiving of Christ ; To as many as received him : for Passive receiving Christ . he came to his own and they received him not ; his own , even his own Elect , would not receive him , till he made them receive him ; but as many as received him , as many as were made passively to receive him , did receive him also actively : so that this word implyes the Passive receiving of Christ ; for there is none can receive any thing , except it be given him from above , Joh 3. 27. That is , except there be first a passive reception of it : It is a strange phrase , N● m●● can receive Christ , till Christ is first received of him ; he can never take Christ , till Christ come into him , till Christ ingraft himself into him , and him into Christ ; this is an act of God , it is a passive receiving of Christ : the reason is , because all the Graces , and all the Activity of Gods people flowes from this , their Faith , and all ; for Faith is an act , which receives from the passive receiving of Christ , as Paul speaks to the Colossians , As you have received Christ , so walk in him ; Faith receives Christ , that is an active receiving of Christ , but there was a passive receiving of Christ first ; for a man is in Christ first in a passive manner , before he is in him in an active manner , Christ hath taken him already , before he can take Christ actually : This is the first Thing wherein this work of Regeneration consists , The Passive receiving of Christ .

Secondly , It consists in having an active power and title to become a Son of An active power to become a child of God . God ; together with Jesus Christ ; These are the Two Things wherein Regeneration consists . I know many Divines branch it otherwise , and make Regeneration to consist otherwise :

First , Of Mortification .

Secondly , Of Vivification .

First , Of Mortification : Whereby the Spirit kills the Lusts of the Flesh more , as Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die , but if ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the Flesh , ye shall live : Mark ; here is Mortification , and it is done by the Spirit ; if you through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body .

Secondly , There is Vivification ; that is , when a man doth not only die unto sin , but rise up again to a new life , Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead unto sin , but alive unto God , through Jesus Christ our Lord . This is the other work of Vivification , when a man is made alive unto God , and is made able by the spirit of God to be alive unto God , and to wind himself out of death into life , by the spirit of the holy One. These be the Two Parts whereof many Divines make Regeneration to consist of ; but though they beat at the same thing , yet I rather make them the Effects and Consequents of Regeneration , as flowing from Regeneration ; this passive work goeth before , a man never goeth on in mortifying the works of the Flesh , and never raiseth himself up to this heavenly life till he be Regenerated ; so that regeneration is the first ingrafting of a man into Christ , whereby he is alive , that he may do all these things ; it is a power put into him whereby he may believe and repent , so that Believing , and Repentance , and Mortification , and Vivification are acts of the new creature ; a man must therefore be a new creature first , now this is by Regeneration , so that Regeneration consists only of these Two Things : First , Of a passive receiving of Christ the Son of God . Secondly , In having a title to be the Son of God ; and Regeneration doth not only bring a relative change , but a real change to a man : If you would know the meaning of the phrase , A relative change is this , when there is a change in a man , from that he was before ; but the change doth not lye in a man , as the change of Justification : before he was not Justified , now he is Justified , the man is changed ; but he is not changed in himself , but it stands only in Gods imputation ; he is not just in himself , but by imputation just Now the real change is , When God doth purifie and make up the defects in a man more and more , that is a real change ; so that I say , Regeneration is not only a relative change , whereby God accounts a man as a child ; but it breeds a real change in a man , it gives a man a spiritual Being ; for the Spirit of God when it comes to work this work , is a fruitful principle of all good in that man more and more : Therefore the Apostle saith , The fruits of the Spirit , are joy , peace , long-suffering , &c. Gal. 5. 22. 'T is true , the Spirit doth not bring forth these Graces till after a man is regenerate , but by working that Regeneration , which makes the soul to bring forth these fruits , and making the heart an honest heart , and so a good ground to bring forth these seeds ; the Spirit is a fruitful principle of all good in that man . Thus you see the Third Thing , viz. Wherein Regeneration consists .

Now the Fourth Thing is the Reasons of this Point , Why the Spirit of Reasons why the Spirit worketh Regeneration . God doth work this work of Regeneration .

The First Reason is , Because it is meerly according to the Will of God : Man hath no power at all , man hath no activity , it is meerly at the pleasure It is the good pleasure of God of God , whether he will do it or no ; Jam. 1. 18. Of his own Will begat he us ; he only had an hand in it , he only did it , and it was meerly at his good Will and Pleasure , he might have chosen whether he would have done it or no ; it is no fruit of our liberty , it is no brood of our breeding , it is meerly the free act of God in a man , Joh. 6. 44. No man cometh to me except the Father draweth him ; There Christ sheweth it , this bringing of a man to be in Christ , it cannot be from any man , except the Father draw him ; except he send forth his heavenly Spirit , he can never come to Christ ; all our sufficiency is from God , we cannot so much as think a good thought , we cannot renew our thoughts , we cannot renew our inclinations , or our wills , or our affections ; we can do nothing of our selves , it is only his work ; therefore seeing it is such a special work , it must be , only the Spirit of God that must work it ; it is a glorious work , a supernatural work ; this new Birth , is such a Birth as comes from above , Psal. 110 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power , &c. saith the text , that is , all that are born of God , they are brought forth in the day of Gods power , in the day wherein God is pleased to put forth his power in them ; therefore they are called the seed of Christ , Isa. 53. 10. They are his seed , but unless he begets them by his Spirit , they can never be so ; Therefore if we consider the greatness of the work , it sheweth plainly , it must needs be the effect of the Will of God , and his good Pleasure towards man , and therefore must be wrought by the Spirit .

Secondly , Another Reason is , Because it is not a work of this world : It No other agent can do it . is a work of another world , it is none of the creatures of this life , it is beyond the sphere of the activity of any natural agent , they cannot reach it , Joh. 1. 13. Which were born not of the will of the flesh , nor of bloud , &c. It is not of mans Will , he cannot so much as Will it , or Desire it effectually , he cannot wish it truly , nay , his heart had rather have the world ; nay , saith he , It is not of the Will of the Flesh , that is , a man may go and beget another Child in the world , because it is of the Will of the Flesh , it is in the power of the Will of the Flesh , Gods power going along with him , but this is not so , whatsoever a man be , though he hath never so many excellent parts , it is not in the Will of the Flesh to do it : Then again , it is not of Bloud , it is no terrene or earthly thing , this new creature is otherwise made , than any new creature in the world besides , therefore he concludes , it is only born of God , it is God only that is the great Author of this great work , it descends down meerly from above .

Thirdly , Because it is so far from being wrought by any power Man is totally against it of himself . in man , or any counsel in man , or any endeavours in man , it is so far from that , as that a man is totally against it ; A man is an enemy unto it , a man hath reluctancy and repugnancy against it , he would not be regenerate ; when a man doth think he desires heaven , and to be regenerated of God , he doth apprehend Regeneration in a wrong way , and heaven in a wrong way , so as he apprehends it , he doth Will it ; he thinks of heaven as of a fine place , and a place full of pleasure , and therefore desires it ; but that he should alwayes be with God , that he should alwayes be praysing and thinking of God , and minding of God , and have his heart weaned from all other things , and set it on God , this is heaven , but he hates these things , and so hates heaven , so he Wills that which he apprehends to be Regeneration ; but Regeneration , is when a man hath a new heart , and when he is a new-man : he was wordly before , but he is now brought to be spiritual , he was proud before , but he is now come to be humble , but the heart cannot abide this , therefore let the Lord fling in abundance of throws into a natural mans heart , to begin some preparatory work this way , to make a man begin to look out towards heaven , he flings all away , he is weary of them quickly ; as a man at a Sermon , perhaps may have throws concerning the new Birth , but the corruption of his heart will throw all way , he cannot endure them , they are contrary to the corruption of a mans nature ; nay , when God comes to work upon his own people , what a deal of pleading is there with the world , the flesh , and the Divel , that they may not be cast out : Therefore when Peter saw that through the grace and power of God , this work was wrought in those he wrote unto , 1 Pet. 1. 3. Mark how he speaks , Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ , which according to his abundant mercy , hath begotten us again to a lively hope , by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead : He lifts up his hands to heaven , and blesseth God that ever this work was wrought ; he saw so much adoe , and such a stir , and such a deal of opposition ; this is a plain sign that it is not of man , it is not of him that willeth , nor of him that runneth , but of God which sheweth mercy , Rom. 9. 16. Neither can man Will , neither can he run , neither go , nor stir towards it ; nay , though God make him go , how apt is ●e to laggar in the way , and draw back again ? So you see the Fourth Thing , Why it must needs be the Spirits Work .

The Fifth Thing is , How the Spirit of God works this Work . It is after How the Spirit worketh Regeneration . an unspeakable manner : Who can declare the noble acts of the Lord ? The works of God in Nature are marvellous . David himself , when he looked upon his natural Birth , the Conception of him in the Womb of his Mother , he wondered at it , Psal. 139. 14. That was a wonderful work , how much more is this unspeakable , and unutterable ? As it is said of our Saviour Christ , Who can declare his generations ? So may I say in a lower sense , of this Work , Who can declare this Regeneration of his people ? But yet thus far the Scripture doth authorize , and warrant us to go .

First , That he doth it by the word of Life ; By the Gospel of Salvation , by the Preaching of it , or otherwise according as he pleaseth , that is the By the Word of Life . immortal seed , 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born again , not of corruptible seed , but of incorruptible , by the word of God , &c. And as Paul saith to the Cori●thians , Though you have ten thousand and instructers , yet you have not many Fathers , for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel , 1 Cor. 4. 15. As who should say , You are begotten and born again , and you are born again by the Word , and I was an instrument under God of your new Birth , by the Word which I have Preached among you ; and therefore , 1 Tim. 1. 2. he calls Timothy , His own Son ; So Tit. 1. 4. he calls him , His Son in the Faith : that is , he was an instrumental Father under God , by the Doctrine of Faith , to bring him to be a Child of God : So that I say it is done by the Word , Of his own Will hath he begotten 〈◊〉 by the Word of truth , Jam. 1. 18. The Spirit of the Lord sanctifies the Word when he is pleased to convert a man , the Word shall shew him what a miserable creature he is by nature ; it sheweth him that flesh and bloud cannot enter into the kingdom of God ; it sheweth him that he is utterly forlorn in himself , and past all recovery , and shews him where life is to be had : namely , in Jesus Christ , discovering his worth , and excellency , and necessity , and that all Grace and good is in him , and shews him the freedom of this gracious offer : Thus the Spirit of God , when he propounds the Word to the soul , holds it before the eyes and conscience , and sanctifies it , and puts a power into it , to enter deep into the soul , that it may Conceive in the soul .

Secondly , The Lord doth it by an unspeakable working : There is a Divine work which the Lord worketh ; The spirit comes into the soul after the By a secret and supernatural power . manner of water ; as Christ saith , Joh. 3. Except a man be born again of water and the holy Ghost , &c. that is , unless he be born of the Spirit , which worketh in the spirit of a man , as water doth in working upon a ●oul thing . Now what this working is we cannot tell ; but we can tell you the effects of it : whereas the soul was rotten and naught before , and impotent to all good ; now it begins to have a better disposition and a new power : And whereas it did savour of the things of this life before , now it savours of the things that are above : but this is a secret kind of working in the soul , therefore it is called the washing , and the la●er of it : And the Apostle speaking of the Corinthians , what miserable creatures they were before Regeneration , he nameth Drunkards , Idolaters , Adulterers , &c. and all manner of filthy persons , Such were some of you ( saith he ) before your Regeneration , but now you are washed , and justified , and sanctified in the Name of Christ , 1 Cor. 6. 11. That same washing there , he means by that you are Regenerated ; so that Regeneration , it is a supernatural , an unspeakable kind of washing of the soul by the holy Ghost , whereby the soul hath its Corruption washed from it in part , and made clean in pa●● and way made for all the Graces of Gods Spirit to come in now , and all the fruits of the spirit to be brought forth : Thus the Spirit of God works this work , he works it in an ineffable manner by the word of Life , and by a secret kind of washing .

I come now to the Application of this Point : And first of all , If the Spirit of God be the Regenerater of Gods people ; then we may here see Vse . 1. Of Confutation of Pelagians , &c. the errour of the Papists , Pelagians , and others ; That set up the Will of man , and put any activity in the Reason , and Judgement , and Wisdom , and Election of man ; This Doctrine of theirs is un●ound , and contrary to the working of Gods holy spirit : If it be such a work as God sends his own Spirit to do it ; What man can do it ? It is called Regeneration , and this shews it is not of man : who is able to beget himself , and shape himself in the womb , and dispose of his own body in the belly ? Nay more , Can any man beget himself again ? The very name of Again , shews that it is a work only of God , none but he can do it ; and we see it plainly , it is wrought no where , but where God himself doth it , and they that have it are able to speak it , that they did not chuse God , but God chose them ; I was found of them that sought me not ; all the souls of his people will subscribe , That it was not in them that willed , or in them that ran , but in God that shewed mercy : It is God only that is the Author of this thing , and none but he .

Secondly , Again , This should teach us to consider that we have alwayes Informaton , Of our continual need of the Spirit . need of the Spirit of God : If the Spirit of God hath begotten us again , then we have alwayes need of him ; it is not in this as in the first Birth ; when the Child is born , though the Father be gone , the Child may subsist ; but it is not so here : but the Spirit of God as he begets a man , so he is fain alwayes to stand by him and bear him up , and give him supplies of Grace from day to day : As it is with the Air , the Sun doth not only enlighten it , but it doth every moment give light to it : for suppose the Sun should shine four or five hours in the day , yet if the Sun should with-hold its light , the Air would be dark presently ; it is not as it is with Fire , let a man heat the water , though he take away the Fire , the water will keep its heat a while after ; but do but with-hold the light of the Sun , and all is gone in the same moment ; so it is with this new Creature and the Spirit of God , he doth dwell in the soul , as the Sun in the Air ; his presence warms the soul , and quickens the soul , and inables a man to good , and gives a principle of life , and enables to all actions that are good ; therefore how should all Gods people carry themselves towards this Spirit ? They should have a care that they quench him not , nor go against him in any particular .

The Third Vse is for all Gods people , in whom God hath wrought this Exhortation 1. Not to grieve the Spirit . blessed work ; the Spirit of God hath regenerated and begotten them again . I say to all such persons , Let them endear this Spirit of God , let them not grieve , or offend , or displease him , seeing he is such a gracious worker in them : Ephes. 1. 13. The Apostle makes this very Inference , in whom after ye believed ye were sealed by the holy Spirit of Promise : that is , whereby you were Regenerated ; Regeneration is the first seal of the Spirit , whereby he seals Gods good will to a man . Now , hath the Spirit of God sealed you ? Then do not grieve him , nor cause him to take any indignation against you ; for though he will never depart from them , whom he hath made new Creatures , yet notwithstanding he may hide his face for a time if we displease him . Yea , Consider , Will any natural Child willingly displease his loving Father ? The Spirit of God is our Father , therefore we should have respect to him .

Again , This should be a Motive to Gods people , to be willing to do any 2. To do any thing for God . thing for God ; because he hath made them , as David saith , Psal. 100. 3. This very Consideration , That God hath made us , and re-made us , he hath done that for us that all our own wits could never have done , that the whole world hath not the like ( the Lord gener-ally lets the whole World sink in ruine and damnation ) should be a Motive to you , to be willing to serve him gladly , and to call upon his Name , to be ready prest to execute any of his Commands , to enter into his presence upon all occasions , seeing it is he that hath made us , and not we ourselves .

To them that are Vnregenerated : Here we see where to have Regeneration ; 3. To the Unregenerate to pray for the Spirit . it is only in God , and in the Spirit of God , to renew a man , and make a man up again : As David prayed when he had the Spirit , Lord , take not thy holy Spirit from me . Psal. 51. 11. So when a man hath not the Spirit of God , he should pray to God , Lord , Give thy holy Spirit to me , and send down thy holy Spirit into my heart , that may work this work in me . But it may be many of you will think that you expect this , and desire it , and wish it , and use some means . I Answer , Then shew it by thy coming unto God for it , from day to day ; will any man say , That Noah did expect that God should deliver him from the Deluge , if he had not took that course which God appointed ? If he had not built an Ark , certainly we may justly say , That he did not look that God would deliver him . Therefore it is said of Noah , That as he did expect that God should keep him ; so being warned of God , he built an Ark , &c. Heb. 11. 7. So when a man shall say , That he looks that God should deliver him from his natural estate and condition , that God should renew him by his Grace and goodness , yet if a man will not prepare an Ark : if when a man is Commanded and directed by God what to do , yet he will not come to God , to do that which should be done for him , these men do but deceive their own souls , and treasure up indignation against themselves . I remember the story of Moses , Exod. 14. when the Children of Israel were in Pi●hahiroth , and the Egyptians were behind them , and the Mountains were on the side that they could not pass , and the Sea was before them , and there was notable crying out , Oh! that God would deliver them , now they were dead men , the Egyptians were come out to destroy them , the Mountains were on the side , and the Sea before them : Now mark what an Answer God gives to their cry ; cause the people to go forward , you keep a crying to me , I pray go forward , you are not yet at the red sea , but go to the red sea , and when you are there , then cry to me ; you are idleing , and lazing , and mistrusting me ; though the red Sea be before them , yet cause them to come thither , and when they are there , then cry for help to me : So thou sayest thou desirest that God would Regenerate thee , and quicken thee , and turn thy heart , and vouchsafe thee his holy Spirit : do you so ? I say it is very well , the thing is very good , but if the desire be sincere , you will take that course Gods bids you : art thou come to the utmost difficulty ? Are not many things to be done which thou refusest to do ? Must thou not seek God more , and more carefully ? Go forward , go forward , if thou meanest to have help and aid from God , otherwise it is in vain : if thou wouldst go on in the wayes of God , and do what God Commands thee , thou shouldst be quickened and renewed .

Fourthly , Another Vse is for Examination : To examine our selves Of Examination , whether regenerated , or ●o . First Signe , When doing good is natural . whether the Word of God hath wrought this for us , yea or no. And the first sign is this , If thou beest born again , if thou hast this new Nature , then it is natural to thee to do good duties , to follow good courses , and to yield obedience to the commandements of God ; it is not enough for a man to do good duties : a natural man , an unregenerate man may do them , but whether is it natural to thee ? A proud man may do the actions of humility , a proud man may pull off his Hat , and give the time of the day , and speak meanly of himself ; a proud man may suffer another to do him wrong , and put up base language , he may do these things , but the man is a proud man still , he hath no humble nature ; but the question is , whether it be thy nature to do this ? May be thou dost these things for fear , or some by-respects : A worldly man may speak of heavenly things , but is thy nature heavenly ? A man may think of God , but is thy nature godly ? Here is the thing , If a man be regenerate , there is Grace got into a mans Nature , Jer. 31. 33. When God Regenerates his people , he saith , He will write his laws in their inward parts ; he doth not only say they shall do these duties , but their very hearts shall carry them , their very hearts shall go to a Sermon , their very souls shall go about the duties of God ; as it is with the fire , water may heat , but not by nature ; but it is the nature of fire to heat : So if a man be Regenerate , it is natural to him to do good duties , Rom. 2. 14. A man by nature may do the things commanded in the Law : but here is the question , Whether he doth them with this new nature , this heavenly nature ? The old creature may hear , and pray , and be sober , and moral , for by nature the Heathen did the things contained in the Law : But if a man be Regenerated , as he doth the things contained in the Law and Gospel , so he doth them with a new nature ; as Deut. 5. 29. when the Children of Israel had spoken admirable speeches ; All that the Lord saith to us we will do ; they made goodly professions : now mark what God saith , Oh that there were an heart in this people to keep my commandments ! As who should say , These are very good words , and I know that you think what you speak ; but Oh that this were written in your hearts , that this were natural to you ; this will not hold , your hearts are not carried this way .

Secondly , If the Spirit of God hath Regenerated a man , then the heart The heart 's a good soil for Grace . begins to be a good soyl for Grace , and the heart begins to be sutable , so that the heart is fit for Grace ; A natural heart is not a proper soyl for Grace : As if a man should bring a Plant from Spain , and set it here in England , it cannot thrive , unlesse a man meet with a soyl that is fit for it : So Grace , if it come into the heart , and the heart is not a soyl for it , it can never thrive there , unlesse the heart be Regenerated , and unlesse there be a new nature : There may be admirable things in a natural man , excellent good purposes , and resolutions ; God may come to him , as a Passenger that lodgeth for a night , but he is gone the next morning ; he may come as a sojourner , to endure for a while , but here is no dwelling for him ; these resolutions , and purposes , and desires cannot last long , that heart will squander them away ; it is like the putting of a new piece into an old garment , Matth. 9. 16. When a man puts a new piece into an old garment , a fine new purpose into an old heart , a new good desire into an old mind , the rent will be worse , for that man will return back again , and will have his lusts , and will be worse then he was before , for the heart is not able to hold these : 't is true , in the best hearts of Gods people , is a great deal of unnatural soyl for Grace ; but there is some of this good new soyl , that Grace now can hold , and shall hold , so that the gates of Hell shall not prevail ; it is not for any goodnesse of the heart , but for the goodnesse of Grace in the heart : there may be transient acts of goodnesse in a wicked man , as Prayer , and such-like transient acts ; but when the transient act is done , there is a conclusion : but nature is permanent and an enduring thing , it is not only to come to Prayer , and then be dead ; to come to a Sermon , and then be dead ; but it is a permanent thing , a man is godly between Prayer and Prayer , and religious between Sermon and Sermon , and in all his wayes he sets himself to be good , and well disposed all his dayes . God complains against those that give him transient acts of goodnesse , Oh Ephraim ! what shall I do to thee , that art as a morning cloud , & c ?

Thirdly , If the Spirit of God hath made a man a new nature , then He cannot live in Sin . he cannot live in sin , As the Apostle saith , 1 Joh. 3. 9. He that is born of God , sinneth not , &c. he is born of God , and it is against his nature to go on in sin ; a man cannot go against his nature : 't is true , a man for a little time may go against his nature , as Moses , though his nature was mild and meek , yet he was transported very much , Hear ye rebels , and shall I bring water out of this rock ? He was carried away in his passion , but he could not hold on in that strain , for it was against his nature ; so if a man be overcome with any other sin , yet when a man is renewed , as a Spring clears it self of the mud , so this new nature is so opposite and contrary to sin , that he cannot go on in sin .

Fourthly , If the Spirit of God hath wrought this work in thee , Then it It is pleasant to do the will of God . is pleasant to thee to do the will of God ; Look what a man is naturally inclined to , it is marvellous pleasant to him to follow it : As for example , If a mans nature be gluttonous , how pleasing is it for him to satisfie his Appetite ? And if a mans nature be given to Intemperance , how pleasing is Excess unto him ? And if a mans nature be proud , how pleasing is it to be flattered , and spoken fair , to be reverenced and respected at every word ? A man loves these thngs a-life , because they suit with his nature : So if a man have a new nature , and partakes of the divine nature , how pleasing will Prayer be ? And how pleasing will the Word be ? how pleasing will Counsels and Exhortations be ? how pleasing to be corrected and reproved for sin ? How sweet are thy words unto my mouth , saith the Prophet David , Psal. 119. 103. As our Saviour saith , Joh. 4. 34. It is my meat and drink to do his Will that sent me : So I have l●nged for thy Commandments ( saith David ) I have loved to know wherein I might glorifie thee , and be serviceable to thee : Now when it is irksom for a man to obey , he cannot abide strictness and preciseness , and he counts it a disgrace to him to deny himself in such a thing , and he goeth to duty like a Bear to the Stake , and he hath no forwardnesse , it is a sign he hath no new nature .

Fifthly , If a man be born again , Grace will get the upper hand ; when Grace gets the upper hand . a man meets with lusts , and concupiscence of Soul , though they may exceedingly bear a man down for a time , and transport a man beyond himself , yet in the end Grace will have the victory and prevail , 1 Joh 5. 4. He that is born of God , overcomes the world , all temptations of the world , all pul-backs and draw-backs , he that is born of God , he will have the mastery ; so 1 Joh. 5. 18. the Apostle saith , The wicked one cannot touch a man that is born of God , that is , with a deadly touch , as he toucheth wicked men ; he toucheth wicked men so , as he infects them , and poysons them , and carries them away .

Sixthly , He that is born of God , he is one that loves the Children of God : He loves the people of God . If there be any Saint in the parish , any Child of God , there is his affection and bowels most ; I speak of spiritual affections , for otherwise Grace doth not take away nature , but set it up , having refin'd it . But I speak of spiritual love , if a man be born of God himself , he loves all others that are born of God , 1 Joh. 5. 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ , is born of God ; and he that loveth him that begat , loveth him also that is begotten . If a man loves God that begets , he must needs love them that are begotten of God .

Lastly , If a man be born again , then a man labours to do good , and to He loves Spiritually to profit others . spread the Knowledge of Jesus Christ , to the glory of God : He loves to be communicating that he hath ; he that hath this Spirit , loves to be breathing upon others , and would fain scatter his sweet things up and down where he goeth , and would fain leave a sweet savour of himself wheresoever he comes ; this is the nature of him that is born again and regenerate , to beget others : That man is unworthy to be born , by whom another is not born , as we say ; when a man is born again , he labours to beget others to God , to be generative , and fruitful , and abundant in doing good up and down , he labours to beget his Children , and Family , to God ; and to draw his neighbours and acquaintance unto God : he would fain have people know Christ , and obey him , and submit unto him . Thus you see the signs whereby we may know , Whether we be born again , or no ?

CHRISTIANS Ingrafting into CHRIST . 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body , whether we be Jews or Grecians , whether we be Bond , or Free , and have been all made to drink into one Spirit .

WEE have spoken of Regeneration , which is a work of the Spirit , and the first implanting of a man into Christ : Now we come to speak of a new work of the Spirit , The implanting of a man into the Church , the Body of Christ , when the Spirit makes a man to be a Member of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ ; and this is done all under one ; for being once ingrafted in Christ , we come to be fellow-Members with all those that are Christs ; and this we have here in the Text , By one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body , &c. The Apostles meaning is this , All we that are the people of God , we are all one Body ; and the efficient cause of this , is the Spirit of God , it is by the Spirit that we are made thus , and the instrumental cause , though it be not here expressed , yet it is implyed , and that is Faith ; and the means of confirming this Faith are the Two Sacraments : First , The Sacrament of Baptisme , we are baptized into the same Body . Secondly , The Sacrament of the Lords Supper , intimated in one part of it , namely , the Cup , which is put for the whole , and are made all to drink of the same Cup , we are all of one and the self same Body ; as many as are in Christ , are endued with the same Spirit ; not one endued with one Spirit , and another endued with another Spirit , but by one Spirit we are Baptized into one Body ; our Baptisme is one , and our Food one ; it is altogether one , though our condition in the world be never so different , bond , or free , though our Countrey , and Nation , and Parish be never so various one to another , one of one , and another of another , Jews and Gentiles , we are all baptized into one Body , and this is done by one and the self-same Spirit .

Now to speak of the putting of a man into the Body of Christ : We will shew you these Five things .

First , What this Body of Christ is . Secondly , What this putting of a man into it is . Thirdly , That this is done by the Spirit of God . Fourthly , How the Spirit of God doth it : How a man is made part of the Body of Christ . Fifthly , The Application of the Point .

For the First , What is this Body of Christ , which is Spirit of God What this Body is . doth ingraft his people into ? In a word , It is the invisible Church of God : which is a peculiar company of men and women , out of all Nations under heaven predestinated to eternal life , gathered together by the Word , and made all one in Christ : This is the Body of Jesus Christ : so that here are Five Things that are to be opened .

First , It is the Church of God ; as the Apostle saith , Col. 1. 18. He is The invisible Church of God . the Head of the Body , the Church : So that the Church is the Body of Christ , that same peculiar company of men and women , as Saint Peter calls them , You are a chosen generation , a peculiar people , a royal priesthood , 1 Pet. 2. 9. The Author to the Hebrews calls them , The Assembly of the first born , Heb. 12. 23. And Christ himself calls them , A little flock , in regard of the multitude of other people that is in the world , and are not of this brother-hood : Now I call this invisible , for though their persons , and courses , and manner of life be seen and known , and they may be known who they are , yet all of them were never known , nor ever will be ; there may be more then we can tell , and fewer then we think of ; The foundation of God is sure , having this seal , The Lord knoweth who are his , 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Lord had seven thousand in Israel that had not bent their knees to Baal , when Eliah could see never a one : So that this is the First Thing ; it is the invisible Church of God .

Secondly , It 's such a company as is gathered out of all Nations under heaven ; Gathered out of all Nations . As Saint John speaks , Rev. 7. 9. After this , behold and loe , I saw a great multitude of all Nations , and Countryes , and Tongues , &c. Though it be a little Flock in respect of the Reprobate ; yet it is a great multitude considered in it self : and they stood before the throne , and before the Lambe , with long white Robes , and with Palms in their hands : This white Robe is the Righteousnesse of Christ Jesus imputed , which begets another Righteousnesse which is inherent in some measure ; and the Palms in their hands , is the sign of Victory over Sin , Death , and Hell ; and this is a great multitude : and it was out of all Cities , and Nations , and Kindreds of the world ; and therefore our Saviour Christ , speaking of his own taking of this company home unto himself at the last day , see what he speaks , Mat. 24. 31. He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet , and they shall gather his Elect from the four Winds , from the one end of the Earth to the other : The Lord gathers here one , and there another , as a man would gather a Posie in a Garden , here a flower , and there a flower . This is Another Thing in the Body of Christ : it is a Company gathered out of all Nations , and People , and Places , at one time , or other .

Thirdly , This same godly Company , are a Company of Predestinated Predestinated unto life . men unto Eternal life . For there are none but the chosen of God that are the true Body of Christ ; this is a company only of Elect men , and women , and babes ; therefore they are called Elect , Rom. 8. 33. They are such a company as are written in the Lamb's Book of life , Rev. 21. 27. Therefore all those that seem to be of God , and go a great way with the people of God , and yet turn back , as Orphah from Naomi , Ruth 1. They were never of this number , 1 Joh. 2. 19. They were not of us , they went out from us ; if they had been of us , they would have continued with us : So that it is only the Elect of God that are of this Company , that are the Members of this Body .

Fourthly , It is such a godly Company as is gathered by the Word of God : Begotten again by the Word . The Word of God gathers them together ; they , as well as other people by nature , are of another Body , of another Corporation , as vile , and as wretched , and as miserable in themselves , if left to themselves ; but God found them when he passed by them , and said to them , Live ; they were defiled as well as others in their bloud , but the Lord turned their hearts by the Word , and doth beget them again thereby : This is that immortal seed whereby God doth beget them again unto eternal life .

Fifthly , They are such a company as are made one , knit and combined together in Christ ; though themselves are never so many , and never so remote and distant from one another , may be they never saw one another , nor ever heard of one another , one lives in one Country , another in another ; one in one parish , another in another , and have little bodily communion , and are not known one to another ; may be some of this company are in heaven already , and some upon earth ; yet they are all one in Christ , they all meet together in one heart and soul in Christ Jesus , they are all of one minde in him , as being all one body , as the Apostle speaks , 1 Cor. 12. 12. And they are all one seed , Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the Promises made . He saith not , To seeds , as if they were many ; but , To thy seed , as of one , that is Christ : that is , which is Christ , and all that are Christs ; they are one seed , the seed of the woman ; indeed all men come forth of the womans loins , the wicked as well as the godly , only here is the difference , The one is the seed of God , the other of the Serpent : Now Christ , and all that are Christs , are one and the self-same seed ; though they are different in Place , different in Countrey , different in estate and condition ; some Jews , some Gentiles , some Bond , some Free , some Noble , some Mean ; yet they are all one in Christ Jesus , as the Apostle saith , Gal. 3 28. There is neither Jew nor Grecian , there is neither bond nor free , there is neither male nor female ; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus . 'T is true , you are different among your selves , one is a master , another a servant , one is a rich man , another a poor man , so there is a difference ; but they are all one in Christ Jesus , they have all one and the self-same Faith , they have all one and the self-same Father , there is but one Lord , and one Spirit to quicken and unite them all : Thus we see what this Body of Christ is .

Now in the Second place , What it is to be put into this Body ; to be implanted What putting into this Body is . into it , to be knit into this Body : I Answer , in a few words it is this :

It is a part of a mans Ingrafting into Christ by Faith , whereby a man is ingrafted into the Body of Christ , having one common life with all the rest of the Members for mutual consent , and profit , and care , and help , and sympathy , or fellow-feeling .

First , It is a part of a mans ingrafting into Christ ; For the ingrafting A part of our ingrafting into Christ . of a man into Christ , and into the body of Christ , are not Two things , but God doth them by one and the self-same act , as you may see , Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one body in Christ , and every one Members one of another : that is , by being Members of Christ , and by being ingrafted into Christ , we come to have fellowship , and conjunction , and joyning one with another : it must needs be the same work , for the putting a man into Christ in whom are the other Members , that very act makes a man to have fellowship with Christ , together with all the other Members , as the Apostle speaks , Rom. 11. 17. Though some of the branches be broken off , and thou being a wilde olive tree , wast grafted in for them , and made partaker of the root : When a man is ingrafted into this Olive tree , he is ingrafted with the rest of Christs Members , and he doth partake together with the other Members of the same root , and of the same Gifts , and Graces , God doth both under one : Therefore though I handle this after the other , it is because I cannot handle them both at once . Saint John saith , 1 Joh. 1. 7. If we walk in the light , as he is in the light , we have fellowship one with another ; So that if a man be in Christ , he hath communion with the Body of Christ ; if he hath fellowship with Christ , he hath fellowship with the Body of Christ ; so that you see the Spirit doth both by one and the self-same act , as the Apostle saith , Ephes. 2. 12. Ye were at that time without Christ , and aliants from the common-wealth of Israel : It is all one thing to say that a man is out of Christ , and an Aliant from the common-wealth of Israel , without that corporation , without that Body , he is no Member of that Body ; therefore it follows on the other side , If a man be in Christ , and ingrafted into Christ , then he is of this society , he is of the common-wealth of the Israel of God : So that this is the First Thing , It is a part of a mans ingrafting into Christ .

Secondly , This likewise is done by Faith : When a man is ingrafted Wrought by Faith . into Christ , he is ingrafted into him by Faith : As the Apostle saith , Rom. 11. 23. And they also , if they abide not in unbelief , shall be grafted in , for God is able to graft them : As who should say , If ever they have Faith , they are ingrafted into Christ ; it is Faith that ingrafts a man into Christ , and the same Faith that makes a man to be of the Body of Christ , that puts a man into the number of the Members of Christ ; as Paul saith , To Titus my Son in the common Faith , Tit. 1. 4. that is , it is such a Faith as doth not only ingraft this man into Christ , but the very self-same Faith , another man having it , it doth ingraft him into the Body of Christ too : So that it is a common Faith , whereby one is ingrafted into the Body of Christ as well as another , as Act. 2. 44. They were all of one minde , and one heart , they all hung together as one body , they imparted their gifts , and things they had , even to their very Lands and Goods , one to another ; here was a sweet communion : but then , what was the reason of this ? What was the Instrument that wrought this ? It was Faith ; for the text saith , they were believers , or else they could not have done it : And therefore as we are said to come to Christ , so to the Body of Christ , as Heb. 12. 22. But ye are come to Mount Zion , to the City of the living God , the celestial Jerusalem , and to the company of innumerable Angels ; and to the congregation of the first born , which are written in heaven . You are come , he speaks of a spiritual coming by Faith : So that this putting into the Body of Christ , is by Faith .

Then in the Third place , It makes a man have a common life with all the Making us have common life with other Members . rest of the Members of Jesus Christ : As you may see , Col. 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall appear ; ye also shall appear with him in glory ▪ Christ who is our life ; We that are the people of God , Christ is our life , we have one and the self-same life , all one and the self-same minde in the wayes of God ; As it is said , Act. 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul ; all the people of God in the whole world would quickly be acquainted if they were brought together , for they are all of one and the self-same disposition and mind ; As our Saviour speaks to his Father , Joh. 17. 21. That they all may be one , as thou art in me , and I in thee , so that all they may be one in us : As the Three Persons in the blessed Trinity are three distinct Persons , and yet are all one ; so in some sense , the Members of the Body of Christ , though they be of several callings and conditions in the world , yet they are all one , that they may be all one as we are one , vers. 21. They all live by the same rule , and walk by the same rule , they are all guided by the same Word , and swayed by the same Commandment , they all walk in one Way , they all Pray by one and the self-same Spirit , they have a life that is common : look as one lives , so lives another ; look as one repents , so another repents ; look as one believes , so another believes ; and look as one apprehends of God , and comes before him with affection , and fear , and trembling , so doth another ; though they never saw one another , yet they all meet in the same life , for they have the same root of life , the same cause of life .

In the Fourth place , It makes a man to be of one consent with all the people It makes of one consent with all the people of God . of God every where ; As you may see , Zeph. 3. 9. For then will I turn to the people a pure language , that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord , to serve him with one consent . The Lord helps them all to Pray after one pure language , and gives them all one pure consent in the Service of God ( though it is in different degrees indeed , one ariseth to an higher pitch than another ) therefore the Apostle speaks , 1 Cor. 1. 10. Now I beseech you brethren , by the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ , that ye speak all the same things , that there be no divisions among you : As who should say , All the Members of Christ are so , I beseech you endeavour to have this sign of being Members of Christ , be all joyned together in the same mind ; it is true , that this union , and consent , and agreement , and oneness of heart and mind ( as I may call it ) is very imperfect , but in some it is more imperfect then it is in other ; some have attained to a further degree , there is a great deal of unlikeness of affections , a great deal of unlikeness in Prayer , a great deal of unlikeness in Obedience , there is a great deal of jarrings now and then through weakness ; but as the Apostle saith , As far as we have attained , let us be thus minded , Phil. 3. 15 , 16. Let us walk by the same rule , and mind the same things ; the Children of God throughout the whole world , they are of one mind , as far as they have attained , though in Faith , in Repentance , in new Obedience they differ gradually in their attainments , yet they all agree in this consent of judgment , That sin must be hated , that a man must live in no sin , that a man must yield Obedience to all Gods commandments , that a man must deny himself in all things , that in all things God must be glorified ; they all agree that we are Members one of another , and that we must love one another , and forgive one another , as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us ; they all agree in this , They are all of one mind : and as one is mortified , so is the other ; and as one is meek and gentle , so is the other : It is true indeed , one hath attained further then another ; but whereunto they have attained , they are all alike minded : Now whereunto we have not attained , God will reveal it in his good time unto us , saith the Apostle : May be one seeth such a thing is a duty , which another doth not , yet all see that it is their duty to fear God , and obey him in all their wayes , and they all set themselves to hate and oppose all manner of known sins : As far as they have attained , they are all of one minde .

Fifthly , All this is for mutual profit , and help , and care , and sympathy , For mutual care and help . as you may see delivered by the Apostle , 1 Cor. 12. That it must be for mutual profit , see the seventh vers . The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal ; that is , when the Spirit of God doth manifest himself in one man one way , and in another man another way ; he gives one man ( may be ) the gift of Teaching , to another man the gift of Knowledge ; some have excellent gifts in one kind , some in another ( but all have the gifts of new Obedience . ) Now look whatsoever gifts they are , whensoever the Spirit doth manifest it self to any Member of the Body of Christ , it is to be helpful and useful to others , so that the Members of Christ need one another : that you may see , vers. 21 , 22. The eye cannot say to the hand , I have no need of thee : nor the head to the foot , I have no need of thee , &c. We cannot be without the poorest , and vilest , and contemptiblest Member in the Body ; nay , the very life of the Body may depend upon the vilest Members .

So again , That they are to care for one another ; That you may see in the 25. verse ; Lest there should be any division in the Body , but that the Members should have the same care one for another . You see how it is in the Body of a man , the head hath care of the feet , it guides the feet ; and the foot hath care of the head , to hold it up , and carry it up and down ; and the hand is useful for the relieving of any part , they have all the same care one of another , so it is in the Body of Christ . And for a Sympathy , see it in the 26. verse , Wherefore if one Member suffer , all suffer with it ; and if one Member rejoyce , all rejoyce with it ; all have a fellow-feeling of one anothers necessities and comforts . Therefore when the Spirit of God doth implant a man into the Body of Christ , it is all one with the implanting a man into Christ , he doth give him a common life , one minde and heart , he doth give them all natural help , and natural care one of another , for they have need one of another .

In the Third place we must shew , That the Spirit doth this , And why he That this is the Spirits work . doth it .

First , That it is the Spirit that unites and tyeth all these Members together ; This makes them hang together ; therefore it is called , the unity of the Spirit , Eph. 4. 3. He exhorts the Ephesians that were the Members of Christ , to keep the unity of the Spirit ; because as the Members of Christ are united to Christ , so they are united mutually by the Spirit ; Therefore take heed ( saith the Apostle ) to keep the unity of the Spirit , that you may be of one mind , and one heart : Therefore the Apostle speaking of the Body of Christ , he compares it to a building ; A building consists of divers bricks , and stones , and timber , which being joyned together , make up an house : So the Members of Christ being joyned together , make up an house for God to dwell in : But who makes this ? The text saith , the Spirit of God , Eph. 2. 22. The Spirit of God makes up this blessed building , all the elect of God , all the faithful , all the heirs of Grace in the world , are as an house or body : though there be never so many parts in it , yet they make all but one body or house , so it is here ; Now the Spirit unites these , and layes them artificially together , so that they may prop one another . Ezek. 11. 19. The Lord there speaking of his Elect , I will give them ( saith he ) one heart , and make them of one mind ; How will he do it ? I will put a new Spirit within them ; And so he makes them to be of one and the self-same mind .

Now the Reason , Why the Spirit of God doth do this , is , Reasons why the Spirit of God doth thus unite to the Body of Christ . None but the Spirit is able .

First , Because none else besides the Spirit is able to do it : For by nature we are wofully and fearfully different from the Body of Christ , we are of another nature , of another kind , of another life ; nay , we are contrary to it : all the Members of Christ , they are as young sucking children ; but wicked men , and all men by nature are Lions , and Leopards , and Bears , and Tigers , as the Prophet speaks , Isa. 11. 6. 7. Now the Prophet there speaking how Christ means to effect it , is to unite these together , to make the Lion and the Lamb to have communion together , to make the Bear and the Kid to lye down together : Mark how he sheweth how Christ will do it , in the second verse of the same Chapter , the text saith , The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him ; he speaks of Christ ; that is , whereas this requires a great deal of power to do this , to make a man to be clean contrary to his nature ; whenas a mans nature is carnal , and wicked , and earthly , to make him of the Body of Christ ; therefore saith the text , The Spirit of Might shall be upon him , &c. There is a great deal of Might required to turn their dispositions : it is a mighty thing to change a man that is a drunkard , a proud person , a wicked wretch ; to turn this man topsie-turvy , to make him mind other things , to make him clean another man ; this requires infinite wisdom : Therefore the Spirit of Wisdom shall rest upon him to do it ; and the Spirit of Knowledge , and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord ; that is , the Lord Jesus shall put in the Spirit of Fear into mens hearts , and this will turn them , this will alter mens minds , and conversations .

Secondly , There is none so fit as the Spirit of God to do it : For this None but the Spirit is fit to do it . Body of Christ , it is a company of Sons and Daughters that God hath up and down in the world , that are able to cry , Abba Father : now who is so fit to do this as the Spirit of the Son ? As the Apostle saith , That he might redeem them that were under the Law , that they might receive the Adoption of Sons , Gal. 4. 5.

Fourthly , How the Spirit of God doth this ; and that is Two wayes , as How the Spirit doth Unite to Christ's Body . By being one and the same spirit in all Members . the Scripture reveals to us .

The One is , By being one and the same Spirit in all the Members of Christ : He comes into them , and dwells in them as one and the self-same Spirit , and so makes up this union : The same Spirit that was in Paul , was in Peter ; and so all the rest of the Members of Christ one and the self-same Spirit is in them , 1 Cor. 3. 16. Know ye not that yeare the Temple of God , and that the Spirit dwelleth in you ? Therefore look what Spirit of Faith one man hath , another comes to have the same Spirit of Faith : as the Apostle speaks , 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of Faith with them , as it is written , I believe , and therefore I speak ; so we believe , and therefore we speak .

Secondly , The Spirit doth this by uniting and tying a knot between these By tying a knot between all the Members . Members : He doth unite them , and make them hang together in one ; he makes them to be of one heart , and of one soul by knitting and combining of their hearts all together : Therefore this fellowship is called the fellowship of the Spirit , Phil. 2. 1. Though Paul were far off from Philippi , yet he could adjure the Philippians by the fellowship of the Spirit . But you will say , How can this be ? Can the people of God have communion and fellowship one with another when they are so far asunder one from another , and may be never saw one another , may be never heard one of another ? How can this be ? I say , Very well : for the Spirit of God hath a long arm , and is able to make the people of God shake hands , though they be a thousand miles asunder ; it is the Spirit that tyeth this knot , and unites them together : As Paul speaks , Col. 2. 5. Though I be absent in the Flesh , yet I am present with you in the Spirit ; and methinks I am in your company and meetings ; when you meet together ; I see you in my mind methinks , and I joy in your order : The Spirit makes the communion between the people of God ; and hence it is that they can love one another , because all the Members are tyed together by one knot ; and they come to help one another , and do any thing one for another ; even by the very love of the Spirit which they have one towards another , Rom. 15 30. The Apostle had some need of the good Romans to help him : Now see how he doth intreat help from them : he desires them by the love of the Spirit , to pray heartily for him : he knew that the love of the Spirit would be a great motive to them : you know you and I are joyned together by the same Spirit , for the love of the Spirit pray for me . Thus we see ,

First , What this Body of Christ is . Secondly , What the putting a man into this Body is . Thirdly , The Reasons why . Fourthly , How the Spirit doth it .

Now I come to the Vses . Vses . The want of the Spirit is the cause of difference .

And First , Is it so that the Spirit of God doth unite all the Saints of God together in one Body ? Then here we may see the reason of the difference of men in the world : The difference of our Congregations ; some companies that hang together are of one mind , another of another mind ; the reason is , they have a different Spirit ; but all the Saints of God have the Spirit of God which makes them hang together ; and the wicked , they have another Spirit .

Secondly , Doth the Spirit of God joyn all the Saints of God together in Let none put asunder what the Spirit joyns . one Body ? Then that which God hath joyned together , let no man put asunder . It is spoken in regard of man and wife ; if it be such a horrible thing to part man and wife , then what a horrible thing is it to part Saint and Saint that are joyned together by the Spirit of God ; this blessed communion of the Spirit , what a fearful thing is it for a man to root it out ? When there shall be heart-burnings and strivings between those that are the children of God , what a fearful thing is this ? Is the number of those that fear God so great , that we can spare any ? Or are the Graces of Gods Spirit Wilderness Graces , that can walk alone and need no help from , or can do no good to others ? Therefore the Apostle prayeth God in the behalf of the Corinthians , That the Members of Christ may be of one minde , and live in peace , 2 Cor. 13. 11.

Thirdly , Here we may see how to try our acquaintance , and whether To try our acquaintance hereby . the company we joyn our selves unto , be good or no : If our company be right , the Spirit of God tyeth the knot ; therefore the Apostle will tell you , whether you have the right communion and fellowship , or no ; try the spirits , whether they be of God or no , saith he , If the fellowship we have one with another be not of God , if the Spirit of God do not knit us together , our fellowship is not right . 1. Joh. 1. 3. there is an excellent place , That they may have fellowship with us ( saith he ) and truly our fellowship is with the Father , and with his Son Jesus Christ : As who should say , We would fain have you have fellowship with us ; and I tell you what kind of fellowship you must have , if you be acquainted with us , you must have fellowship with the father , and with the Lord Jesus Christ , for our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ : so that we may see , whether our Company be right or no , by this .

The Last Vse is this , Is it so that the Spirit of God joyns all the Saints To stir up a sympathy amongst the Saints . of God together in one Body ? Then we should have a fellow-feeling with all the Members of Christ : Do not say thou art a Member of the Church of England , and not of France , or Germany ; do not say thou art a Member of this Parish , but not of another ; do not say so , for if thou art a Member of Christ , there is one Body , and one Spirit , Eph. 4. 4. If there be one Body , there must be one Spirit ; and therefore we should have a fellow-feeling .

But how shall we have a fellow-feeling with the Members of Christ ? How to work , maintain , and express this sympathy . By informing our selves concerning one another .

I say , First , We must inform our selves as much as we can concerning one another ; As when the Ark of God was among the Philistims , old Eli , though he gave way too far to his Sons wickednesse , yet was he very careful of the Ark and people of God ; and therefore ( 1 Sam. 4. 13 , 14. ) he went out and sate in the high-way , that so he might hear , in the first place , what was the news ; and you know how his heart trembled when he heard that the Ark of God was taken : So it was with David , when any came out of the Camp of Israel , he saith to them , What is done I pray thee ? 2 Sam. 1. 4. So we should enquire concerning one another .

Secondly , We should visit our fellow-members : As it is said of Moses , By visiting our fellow-Members . though he were a great Courtier in Pharaoh's Court , yet he went out to look upon his Brethrens burthens , Exod. 2. 11. he would be ever and anon steping out to see how his brethren fared , and how did this affect his heart with their trouble ?

Thirdly , We should lay to heart their Afflictions : It is a strange thing By laying to heart their afflictions . how the people of God in all ages , have been affected with the Afflictions of the Church ; nay , though they have not seen it , but only fore-saw what would be afterwards ; As Elisha wept when he fore-saw what cruelty Hazael would use towards the People of Israel , 2 King . 8. 11 , 12. So Daniel , Dan. 8. 27. when God revealed the Afflictions of the Church to him two hundered years before it should come to pass , yet when he heard of the Affliction that should fall out , the text saith , that Daniel fainted ; and how can we think that the Spirit of Christ hath united us into one Body , when we have not this disposition in our souls ?

OF THE SABBATH . Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day , to keep it Holy .

THAT which I intend to speak concerning the Sabbath at this time , I will cast into these Propositions :

The First is this , That there must be some set time Proposit . 1. A set time for worship . for the Worship and immediate Service of God .

Now the Reason why there must be some set time for Gods immediate Worship , is ,

First , Because all Actions cannot be done at once , Reas. 1 but by succession ; first one , and then another : for a man to perform the duties of Gods Worship in an instant , and to get down the knees of body and soul before his Maker in an instant , this cannot be . Eccles. 3. 1. There is an appointed time for every Action under the Sun : Then if there be a time for all actions , surely there must be a time for the Worship of God .

Secondly , There must be a set time ; Because such is our dulness in the Reas. 2 duties of Gods Worship , that we had need to have times set apart for Gods Worship ; there is a great deal of ado required to fix a mans Thoughts upon heaven , to have a fixed apprehension of the Presence of God , these do not only require time , but a great deal of time .

Secondly , The Second Proposition is this , That as there must be some Propos. 2. Some set time for worship every day . time for Gods immediate Worship , and Service ; so there must be some set time every day , all the dayes of our lives ; there must be some defined and determinate time for Worship of God every day , at the least morning and evening . David , though he were employed in great affairs , yet he had three times a day to glorifie God in , in his holy Ordinances ; Three times in the day will I praise thee , Psal. 55. 17.

The Reason of this is , Because men live like Beasts without daily invocation upon God , 2 Chron. 13. 10 , 11. Abijah there speaking against Je●choam the King of Israel , though himself had no great goodness in him , he saith , The Lord is our God , and we offer sacrifices , and burn sweet incense every day ; Every day they did it ; as who should say , it were a sign that God were not amongst us , if we did not this : he takes it as a principle written in the conscience , though he were a natural man , yet he doth reason thus , that where there is not every day some time for Gods Worship , God is not amongst them .

Another Reason is , Because every morning God reneweth his Mercies , Reas. 2 and every evening they are continued to us , as the Church saith in the Lamentations , ch. 3. 23. Every morning his mercies are renewed to us , and in the evening his compassions sail not ; therefore every morning we are to set our selves before God , to ask of him the forgivenesse of our sins ; every morning and evening we are to do this . Psal. 92. 1 , 2. David saith , It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord , to sing praises to thy Name , O thou most High ; To sh●w forth thy loving kindness in the morning , and thy faithfulness every night .

And then again God is the Alpha , and Omega , he is the beginning , and Reas. 3 the ending of all things , and of all actions we do ; God should therefore have the beginning and ending of every day , that the Worship of God may have the start of all other actions ; it is necessary it should be so : when a man first awakes in the morning , God should be the first thought that should come into his mind ; As David saith , Psal. 5. 3. My voice will I lift up unto thee in the morning ; as soon as ever he awakes in the morning , his heart is lifted up to God : so it is good for a man to make the first part of the day holy , that the rest of the day may be thereafter : and so as we are to begin the day with the solemn Worship of God , so we are to end it in the evening , that we may reckon up all our accounts , and make even with God ; as the Apostle saith , Ephes. 4. 26. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath : so let not the Sun go down upon a dead heart , upon a carnal heart , upon a worldly heart ; but as the Sun goeth down upon our bodies , so let the Sun of Righteousness set upon our hearts , that we may lye down in peace , having all our reckoning made even , and all scores cancelled .

The Third Proposition is this , As there must be some time for Gods Propos. 3. Every day in some sort a Sabbath . immediate Service , and there must be every day some set time , at least morning and evening , so likewise every whole day , all the dayes of our lives , should be in some manner a Sabbath day to the Lord , we should be holy every day ; The Apostle finds fault , Gal. 4. 10. That they observed times , and seasons , and dayes , and months , and years ; we must not be earthly-minded one day , and heavenly-minded another ; but we must be every day holy to the Lord .

The First Reason is , The Covenant which God hath made with us doth Reas. 1 require it : that is the end why God saves a man from his sins , and brings him into the kingdom of Christ , he takes a solemn Oath from him , That being delivered from the hands of his enemies , he shall serve him without fear , Luk. 1. 74 , 75. in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of his life : Every day must be a Sabbath day , whensoever a man gives himself up to God , there is an Oath hangs upon him , and he breaks this Oath , if he set upon it with all his might , that every day may be a Sabbath day ; he is to be careful to live godly , and religiously in all places , and at all times , and in every action he puts his hand unto ; a man is not only to make conscience on the seventh day , but every day of his life .

The Second Reason is , Because not to make every day an holy day , is Reas. 2 the brand of an Hypocrite , it is hypocrisie , Job . 27. 10. Will be alwayes call upon God ? To be holy sometimes , and not at another time , is the trick of an hypocrite ; will he alwayes call upon God , will that man alwayes obey God and worship him , will he alwayes set himself to keep close with God ? No , an hypocrite will not do so . You may know an hypocrite , he hath his fits , and his pangs , and his moods ; but a godly man , a sincere hearted man , is one that doth compose himself to keep a constant course in Gods worship ; as Act. 24. 16. There saith Paul , Herein do I exercise my self to keep a good conscience alwayes , both towards God and towards man : And as it was the practise of Paul , so of all the Elect people of God , of all sincere Christians in the world , Act. 26. 7. all the Elect of God , all the beloved of God , they did instantly serve God day and night .

Thirdly , Because blessednesse doth consist in this , In keeping every day Reas. 3 in some kind as a Sabbath day , as the Holy Ghost doth pronounce him blessed , that feareth the Lord alwayes , Prov. 28. 14. and that doth righteousness at all times , Psa. 106. 3. It is true , the Servants of God are sometimes out of the way , they have their swervings and failings , but their resolution is to keep a constant course in Gods Worship , and they do strive to humble themselves under the hand of God for their failings , and to be the more wary because of them .

Lastly , This is the Sum and Scope of all the Law of Righteousness ; it Reas. 4 is the very drift and end of all the Ten Commandements , the Lord hath set down in the Decalogue his whole Will and Pleasure , what we are to do all the dayes of our lives , this day , and that day , as long as we live ; and there is no set time , but that we should alwayes obey it ; and this is the practise of the godly , alwayes to keep his Commandments , as David , Psal. 16. 8. He set the Lord alwayes before him ; that is , every day he did make it an holy day , that he might walk as in Gods presence , and live as in Gods Courts , that he might do all his worldly businesse as in the presence of God .

The Fourth Proposition is this , As there must be a set time every day , Propos. 4. A particular special day for Gods worship . and we are to keep every day as a Sabbath day in some sense , so there must be a particular special day , set apart for Gods immediate Worship and Service : This is the next Proposition I will prove unto you ; for though every day is to be a Sabbath day , yet we have particular callings , and we have businesse in the world to employ our selves about , so that we cannot be every day hearing of the Word , and employing our selves in Prayer and spiritual exercises ; though every day we are to keep it holy , yet we cannot be vacant wholly and totally every day ; Now therefore I say , That there is a set day that the Lord hath called for to be devoted unto him : The very School-men themselves do acknowledge this , and the very Heathen have found it out ; They have set a day apart for the Service of their Gods , which they call their holy day , wherein they lay aside all other businesse , and set themselves apart to honor and worship their Images and Idols , according to their manner . Now I will make this good by many Arguments , that God will have a set day , besides the every day Sabbath , he will have a set particular Sabbath for his Worship and Service .

The First Reason is , Because he will have a little emblem and picture of the Reas. 1 kingdom of heaven among his Saints and Children in this life ; in the kingdom of heaven there is no buying and selling , no eating and drinking , no worldly businesse , there is nothing but praysing and glorifying of God , and speaking of God , and singing of Halelujah unto his holy Name ; there is nothing but enjoying communion with the Lord , and feeding upon him continually , there is nothing but this is the kingdom of heaven ; Now God will have a little picture of this among his Saints here upon earth : You know there remains a rest for the people of God , Heb. 4. 9. It is an express place , the word in the Original is , There remains a Sabbath for the people of God . As who should say , There is a glorious Sabbath that all the Elect of God shall have , and they are preserved for it , and that is reserved for them , and they shall enter into it , when this body of death is laid down , and they shall enjoy God face to face , to all eternity , they shall behold him as he is , and have communion with him ; now the Lord will have a little picture of this here in this life ; we cannot have it altogether in this life ; for we have mortal bodies , that must be fed , and cloathed , and stand in need of the creature ; for mans sin is not yet purged away , but there is a great deal of rubbish still left , therefore this cannot be complete here : but yet God will have a little picture ot this , even in this life , and that is the Sabbath day , wherein they are to lay aside all the works of their ordinary callings ; and rest from all servil labours , this is Gods day , and we must now call upon him , and hear what he saith , and wholly employ , and occupy our selves about him , as neer as we possibly can ; but now , this we cannot do every day , for we have Children to look after , and Families to provide for , and there be an hundred occasions to call a man away ; it may be a man thinks to go into his Closet , and seek God in private , and one occasion or other calls him aside , that he cannot go on ; but the Lord will have a little emblem and expression of the kingdom of heaven upon the Sabbath day : therefore the Apostle saith , It remains for us , scil. in the life to come .

The Second Reason , why the Lord will have a set day for his Worship and Reas. 2 Service besides the every day Sabbath , is because the honour of God doth so require , it doth require that there should be a solemn day for Gods Service ; as Kings , though their subjects are to obey them every day , and keep their Laws every day , and if a subject transgress the Laws at any time , he is in danger of the displeasure of the King ; but he will have one day of solemnity to his Majesty : So God Almighty , though every day we are to tremble before him , and stand in aw of his Word , and take heed we do not err from his Commandments , yet he will have one solemn day for the honour of his Name , he will have a solemn day , wherein his people shall have nothing else to do , but to set themselves apart for his Worship ; therefore this set day is called , The honourable of the Lord , Isa. 58. 13. that is , we must count the Sabbath day an honourable day ; a day of honour , wherein Gods Servants should from morning to evening fall down before him , and confess that great is the Lord God : We should wholly dedicate it unto him , seeking of him in Publick and in Private ; that we may store up holy affections for all the week following .

Thirdly , Because God sometimes calls for an extraordinary day , and an Reas. 3 extraordinary day hath ever relation to an ordinary ; if I say this is my extraordinary food and diet , I imply that I have ordinary diet : so if the Scripture tells us that God calls for extraordinary dayes , it is an evident Argument , that there be ordinary dayes which he calls for .

Now that God calls for extraordinary dayes , it is plain ,

1. First , He calls for extraordinary dayes of rejoycing ; when God compasseth us about with songs of Deliverance , and works wonderful Mercies for us , we ought to set a part a day for rejoycing , and delighting in his goodness and favour towards us , and this day is to be an holy day , as Nehemiah 8. 9. This day is holy unto the Lord your God , mourn not , nor weep ; So that when we are to rejoyce towards God for any spiritual favour towards us , we ought to keep this day an holy day , we ought to employ the hours of the day in labouring to affect our hearts with his kindnesse , and labouring to make his goodness to have impression upon us , that we may with cheerfulness run over all our dayes afterwards , that we may adhere unto him the better all our life time .

2. Secondly , As he calls for extraordinary dayes of rejoycing , so he calls for extraordinary dayes of Fasting and Humiliation , and that in Four Cases .

1. First , When we fear some heavie judgement to come upon us , or else when some judgement is already upon us : may be some heavie judgement is upon us , or else we fear it to come upon us , and now we are to set an extraordinary day apart to seek the Lord ; as 2 Chron. 20. Je●osaphat proclaimed a Fast , when the Land was in danger : Suppose the Lord should take away the Gospel , and the feet of those that bring glad tydings should be turned from us , then should we Fast in those dayes , we should grieve before God , and bewail the loss of his Mercies and Favours ; that we may have his Goodnesse to quicken us , and keep us , and uphold us in the want of them .

2. Secondly , In case that we want some Mercy that we cannot well be without , in such a case as this , if ordinary seeking will not do the deed , we ought to set apart an extraordinary time to prevail with God ; as Ezra , he was in danger of the enemy , and if he should go to Jerusalem , the enemy would set upon him ; now , thought he , if I should go to the King , though he were very great with the King of Persia , at that time , yet thought he , if I should go to the Kigng for a Band of Souldiers , he would think our God were a weak God ; I have told him what a strong God we have , and that he is ready to help all those that trust in him ; now if I should go to him for a Band of Souldiers , he might think that our God were not able to deliver us , and it would be a great dishonour to God ; therefore he set a day apart for a Fast , and laboured to get aid and help from heaven , Ezra 8. 21. So when a Child of God is exceedingly afflicted with any crosse or temptation , and he shall wonderfully dishonour God , and cast a snare upon them that fear his Name , in this case he is bound to seek God extraordinarily , and if the ordinary means that God hath appointed will not prevail , he is to set a part a Fast to seek him extraordinarily .

3. Thirdly , If we be assaulted from hell , and Satan , and our own hearts , with strong temptations , then we are to seek God extraordinarily ; as it was with Paul , when the Messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him , when he lay under some heavy temptation , either unto Pride , or Lust , or Uncleannesse , some prick in the flesh , that the Lord sent upon him , and let him be encountered withal ; then Paul sought God in a solemn manner , more then ever he did at other times , 2 Cor. 12. 8. For this I besought God thrice .

4. Fourthly , In case a man is to do some notable service , he is to enter into some new Calling ; or if the Lord doth put him upon some new service , that doth require some more then ordinary help , now a man is to seek God by Fasting and Prayer , as you may see it was with Barnabas and Paul when they entred into the Ministery , Acts 13 3. Now the reason why I name these things is to shew you , that sometimes God will have an extraordinary set day for his immediate worship and service , when we are to lay aside all other businesse , and set out selves apart , to call upon his Name , and seek him . The thing I gather from hence is this , If there be an extraordinary set day , then there must be an ordinary set day for Gods immediate Service .

Another Argument is taken from the Equity of it , and that stands Two wayes :

1. First , It is very equal when as we have six dayes to provide for our Reas. 4 selves , and for the maintenance of our bodies : God gives us divers dayes for that ; now Equity doth require that we should give one day to him , we having several dayes ; it is equity that he should have at least one for himself : Therefore this doth aggravate our sins exceedingly , if we give not this day to God . Did not this aggravate the sin of Adam , in eating of the forbidden fruit ? in that God gave him liberty to eat freely of all other trees in the garden , and forbad him only the eating of that one ? Now what excuse could Adam have for not abstaining from that one ? So here , God having given us divers dayes for the good of our bodies , and for means and maintenance of the things of this life ; duty requires , that we should not touch Gods day , nor set our foot upon it , nor turn our eyes away from it , we ought to remember it ; as Joseph said in regard of his Mistris , when she enticed him to folly ; mark how he answers the temptation ; My Master hath put all things into my hands that are in the house , he hath with-held nothing from me but only thee his Wife , and that is equal , and reasonable , how therefore shall I do this great wickedness , and sin against God ? Gen. 39. 9. So should we say , when we are tempted to break the Lords day , we should say , The Lord hath not imposed any day besides , the Lord hath given us all the six daies for our use , how therefore shall I do this great wickednesse , and sin against God with worldly thoughts , and speeches , and actions upon that day ? It stands with very good equity that it should be so .

2. Secondly , It stands with equity , in regard of our Souls ; if our bodies which are the worser part , have several dayes for their use , then how much more should the soul have one day , which is a thousand times more worth then the body ? You know what Christ saith , W●●t will it profit a man to gain the whole world , and lose his own soul ? Matth. 16. 26. Our souls are more worth then our bodies , and we have more need to seek out for Holinesse and Grace for them , and to be well provided for in regard of them , then for any thing in this present world ; if we want meat , we can but starve ; if we want cloaths , we can but famish ; if we want outward things , we can but temporally perish ; but if we want Grace and the Favour of God , we perish for ever . Now if there be six dayes allowed for the good of our bodies , how much more should we be willing to have one day for the good of our souls specially considering what need we have thereof ? This Argument our Saviour Christ useth to prove the Sabbath , Mark ● . 27. The Sabbath was made for man , not man for the Sabbath : The Sabbath was made for man , as meat was made for the body ; and a man cannot be without food , no more can the soul be without the Sabbath ; so that we see , there must be a solemn day set a part for Gods Worship and Service .

The Fifth Proposition is this , That as there must be a set day for Gods Propos. 5. One day of Seven to be set apart for Gods worship . Worship and Service , so this day must be one of seven , not one of eight , or nine , or five , or four , but one of seven ; and this , though it be not naturally moral , yet it is positively moral , though it be not natural , written in the heart of man , as a man : if he had no teaching , his conscience would find out that he should not be idle , and steal , and commit murther ; the Conscience will grope out these Ordinances and Statutes of God ; and the Conscience will find out that there must be a set day for Gods Worship and Service ; the light of nature will find out that , but that it must be one day of seven , that it cannot find out ; but I say , that it is the positive law of God , that it must be one of seven .

Now , Because it is not written in the heart of man , but in the Commandment Reas. 1 of God positively delivered to us , and required of us ; I can give no other Reason for it , but only the reason taken out of the Scripture ; there can be no reason taken from the judgment of man , as other Lawes , the very law of Reason will enforce them ; but there can be no other reason for this , but only out of the Word of God . The Lord hath commanded , six dayes thou shalt labour , and being his Will , it must be performed ; for God might require six dayes for himself , and leave us but one day ; God might have ordained it so ; but God intending we should live by the sweat of our brows , the Lord was pleased to allow us six dayes ; now he giving us six dayes , doth reserve unto himself one of seven .

Secondly , Another Reason is this , As the Lord hath commanded this seventh Reas. 2 day ; so he saith it is his day ; The seventh day , is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; Now then if the seventh day be the Sabbath of the Lord our God , then we must not divert any of the hours , or any part of the day away ; when our minds run into the world , we must curbe them and remember that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God .

Thirdly , Another Reason is , That our Cattel , and Servants , and Children , Reas. 3 may rest as well as our selves , they are to labour six dayes , and one of seven they are to rest .

Another Reason is , Because he hath sanctified it ; therefore the Lord blessed Reas. 4 the seventh day , and hallowed it : Now then , if the Lord hath sanctified the seventh day , and appointed it , if he hath set it apart for that purpose , for spiritual employments , and not to be filled up with any thing else , we are guilty of Sacriledge , if we do not give him this , as Levit. 27. 28. the Lord saith , Whatsoever is devoted unto the Lord , that is most holy unto him ; now God saith , he hath devoted the seventh day to himself , therefore we are to keep it holy : Nebuchadnezzar , a very heathen , when he knew that the Vessels came out of the Temple of the Lord , he would not employ them to a common use , Dan. 1. 2. He put them into the house of his god ; which was the holiest place he had .

Fifthly , This is necessary , because we are apt to be worldly , and carnal , Reas. 5 and non-resident from Prayer , and from the Word , and serious humbling of our selves before God , if we be never so little taken off ; how suddenly do our minds cleave unto the world , and grow vain , and unfit , and distempered ? Now if God should not once in seven dayes , have a day to take us off from the world ; as six dayes are employed in worldly affairs , so if there were not a seventh day to take us off , there would be no ho● with us ; therefore there must be a whole day to accustom us , and habituate us to the Service of God , otherwise we should drown our selves in the world .

The Sixth Proposition is this , That as it must be one of seven , so it is not Propos. 6. That day of the seven to be kept holy , on which God rested . indifferent which of the seven dayes we keep holy , but it must be that day whereupon God rested , therefore it hath the name of a Sabbath ; Sabbath is nothing but rest : The reason of the name is Two-fold , First , Because God rested upon that day ; And Secondly , Because we are to rest upon that day .

The Seventh Proposition is this , That all that is in the fourth Commandment , Propos. 7. All that is in the Fourth Commandment , is not essential to it . is not essential to the Commandment : the fourth Commandment delivers only these Two things , First , That God will have a seventh day ; Secondly , That this seventh day is to be the day of Gods rest : This is the whole meaning of the fourth Commandment : now all other particulars in the fourth Commandment , are not essential to the fourth Commandment ; as that God made Heaven and Earth in six dayes , and rested the seventh day , &c. It is not essential to the fourth Commandment , but because at that time when God delivered the Decalogue , there was no greater work then the Creation ; and the rest from that work , was the rest from the greatest work in the world ; theefore it was kept upon the last day of the week , upon which God rested from the Creation : Now the meaning of the fourth Commandment , is in the eighth Verse ; all the other particulars , are but Commentaries to open it to the Jewes , Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy ; this is the fourth Commandment : The Sabbath , that is , the day that God rested on , and the day that we are to rest upon : this is the holy day that is devoted to the Lord ; now it was kept upon the last day of the week , because God created heaven and earth , and rested upon that day ; and the Creation of heaven and earth was the greatest work that God then had done .

But then you will say , Why doth the Commandment say , That in Quest six dayes God created Heaven and Earth , and rested the seventh day ?

I Answer , 1. It is no strange thing , to see some things in the Commandments Answ. which are not essential to them , because the Commandments were delivered to the Jewes : though they concern the whole world , yet the persons , that actually stood before God , when the Decalogue was delivered , were only the Jewes , Deut. 5. 22. God spake to the Jewes ; now no wonder , that God , speaking to the Jews , did speak divers particulars according to them , and in their phrase , which if we had been alive , and they to succeed us , God would have spoken according to us , as he did according to them .

2. Secondly , We see plainly , there are some things in the Commandments , which do not concern the whole world , but only the Nation of the Jewes , as in the first Commandment , I have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt , out of the house of Bondage : [ Thou shalt have no other gods but me : ] That is the Commandment ; but though they , together with the other , were put into the Tables of Stone , yet it concerns only the Jewes . 'T is true indeed , it is a type of our deliverance , that we are delivered from Hell , and Sin , and Satan , as they were delivered out of Egypt , and the house of Bondage ; but literally these words belong only to the Jews ; and the Commandment is this , Thou shalt have no other gods but me ; So it is for the fourth Commandment .

Again , There is something in the Fifth Commandment , that doth not concern us , but only them , Honour thy Father and thy Mother , &c. [ That thy dayes may be long in the Land which the thy God giveth thee ] that belongs only to the Jews , it is meant particularly of the Land of Canaan . This then is the effect of the Commandment , Honour thy Father and thy Mother , that thy dayes may be long in the Land of Canaan . So that the first words are the Commandment , and the later part belongs only to the Jewes : So Deut. 5. 14. the Fourth Commandment , it was put into the Tables of Stone thus , Remember the seventh day to keep it holy , for the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt do no manner of work , thou , nor thy Son , nor thy Daughter , &c. that thy man-servant , and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou ; that belongs to us , as well as to them ; but then it follows , Remember thou wert a servant in the Land of Egypt : Here you see the Jewes have another Argument , besides the Arguments that we have ; but though we have not that Argument , yet the Commandment stands still , and the Commandment is only thus much ; namely , That there must be a Seventh day , and that seventh day God rested upon : now whereas the Jewes kept the last day of the week , that was only by a temporary Commandment , because the making of heaven and earth , was the greatest thing that God had then done , and God rested from that upon that day ; but now if God work a greater work then the Creating of heaven and earth , and rest from that , then by vertue of the fourth Commandment , we are to keep that day holy , upon which he rested from that work .

Now I come to the Eighth Proposition , That this Fourth Commandment , Propos. 8. The 4th Commandment continual , alwayes to abide in the Church . concerning a Sabbath day , concerning the keeping of a Seventh day holy , is a continual Commandment , alwayes to abide in the Church of God ; I will prove it by divers Arguments , that it was not to continue only in the time of the Jewes , but it is to abide alwayes in the Church to the coming of the Son of man ; there is not a jot of Ceremony in the fourth Commandment .

The First Reason is , Because God did institute the Sabbath before there Reas. 1 was any room for Ceremonies ; it was commanded to Adam in his Innocency : Now all Ceremonies did prefigure Christ ; and before Adam fell , there was no Promise of the Seed of the Woman , nor no need of it , and so no need of a Figure to represent it ; but before Adam fell , the Sabbath was prescribed , Gen. 2. 2 , 3. On the seventh day God rested from all that he had made , so that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it : So that you see God having rested upon this day , he sanctified it , and put holiness upon it ; therefore we are not to name that Common , which he hath named Holy ; now though we do not read of Adams keeping this day , nor Abels , nor Enochs , nor Noahs , nor Abrahams , nor Isaacs , nor Jacobs ; yet it doth not follow it was not kept : for Moses doth not take in hand to set down the actions of the Fathers , but only generally ; for you see what a short story we have of Methashelah , a good man , though he lived a thousand years almost , yet we have scarce Three Syllables concerning him . Now sith Moses did not undertake to set down all that they did , therefore they might keep the Sabbath , though he did not set it down : neither afterwards doth he set it down for 319. years , and 111. years , which 430. years , to the time of the Judges , we have nothing spoken of concerning the Sabbath ; therefore seeing God did Institute it to Adam in his Innocency , that is enough ; but what though the Fathers had not kept it holy , doth it therefore follow that we must not keep it holy ? They had many wives , doth it therefore follow that we must have many wives ? So , suppose they did not sanctifie the seventh day , ( though wee can see no proof that they did not ) yet this is enough , That God did sanctifie it before any Ceremony was .

Again , Though we do not read that they practised this , yet the Scripture doth intimate to us that they did it .

The Second Argument to prove this , is out of Exod. 16. 23. before the Reas. 2 Law was delivered upon Mount Sinai , before the Commandment was spoken from Horeb ; yet you may see that the Sabbath is spoken of , and the Lord doth finde fault with Israel , for not keeping of it , which intimateth it was a day they well knew , and the Lord saith afterwards to Moses , How long will ye refuse to keep my Laws and Statutes ? As in vers. 28. the Lord there speaks of a Sabbath , as a day well known unto them , that it was commanded to be sanctified by them , and this was before the delivering of the Ceremonial Law ; therefore it is not a ceremonial Law , but a positive Law , equipollent with the moral Law .

A Third Reason is , Because it was written by the singer of God in Tabels Reas. 3 of stone and put into the Ark , Exod. 31. 18. and Deut. 10. ● the Commandments were written upon Two tables of stone , and by the finger of God ; Now all Divines , in all ages , agree upon this , that the writing of this Commandment in the Two tables of stone , is an evident Argument of the morality of it . For as a Reverend Divine saith , Not to think the Fourth Commandment to be moral , is the way to all Atheisme ; for if one should say the Fourth Commandment is not moral , but ceremonial ; another might step up the next year and say the Second , and the Fifth , is not : So that whereas the Law is written by the finger of God in tables of stone , if we root it out of the tables of stone , we shall root it out of the heart of man ; therefore the writing of it in the tables of stone , is an evident Argument of the morality of it to all ages .

A Fourth Argument is this , The Lord doth urge this Commandment , Reas. 4 more then any other Commandment in the Decalogue ; so that a man may question the First , or Second , or any of the Ten as well as this ; for first we know that God hath made this Commandment larger then any of the rest : Secondly , hee hath made it stronger , and urged it with more arguments then any of the rest . 3. He hath fixed a memento , remember before it : As who should say , Be carefull of this , and take heed of forgetting it , take heed of those that shall teach you the contrary , that this Commandment is not morall . 4. It is negatively delivered , and affirmatively ; the other delivered only one way ; either affirmatively only , as the Fifth , Honour thy Father and Mother : or else negatively only , as all the rest : There is never a Commandment delivered both negatively and affirmatively , but only the Fourth , as , Remember the Sabbath day , to keep it holy ; there it is delivered affirmatively : And afterwards it is delivered negatively , In it thou shalt do no manner of work , thou , nor thy son , nor thy daughter , &c. The Lord hath delivered it both wayes ; noting , that this Commandment is equall and equipollent with the other : and the Lord did this in infinite wisdome , because he had not written this Commandment in the heart of man by the light of nature , therefore the Lord did urge it more with Arguments , that what was wanting in the light of nature , might be supplyed by the pressing of Arguments .

5. Another Argument is , Because if this be not morall , then we have Reas. 5 not Ten morall Commandments , there are but Nine : now this is false ; for the Scripture tels us , that the Commandments are Ten , as Deut. 10. 4. it is not an Ecclesiasticall thing , but the Lord hath said it , as you may see there : And he wrote upon the Tables according to the first writing , the Ten Commandments , which the Lord spake unto you in the Mount , out of the midst of the fire . The Lord spake Ten Commandments ; now if the Fourth Commandment be not morall , there be not ten Commandments : And you may as well deny the Articles of the Faith , and the Petitions of the Lords Prayer , as the ten Commandments .

The Sixth Argument is this ; Christ tels us plainely , that it is a Reas. 6 morall Commandment , Matth. 24. 20. Pray ( saith he ) that your flight be not in the winter , nor on the Sabbath day . Our Saviour Christ here prophesied of the destruction of Jerusalem , which was forty yeares after Christs Ascension , when all Ceremonies were ceased , as Paul had proclaimed before the destruction of Jerusalem , That if any man would be Gal. 5. 2 ▪ circumcised , Christ should profit him nothing , Galat. 5. 2. That is , if he would keep the Ceremonial Law : Now Christ bids those that should live forty years after the Ceremonies were ceased , I would have you have a care of the Sabbath , and delight in hearing of the word of God , and meditating upon it , and so forth ; and if any occasion come that you fall into the hands of your enemies , pray that your flight be not in the Winter , nor on the Sabbath day : as who should say , If it be in the Winter , that will do hurt , and be troublesome to your bodies : and so if you fly upon the Sabbath day , that will trouble your consciences , if you regard Gods commandment and the good of your own consciences ; if you regard or fear Gods name , it will grieve you to fly on the Sabbath day , whereby you shall be deprived of the Congregation of Gods Saints ; therefore pray that your flight be not upon that day : Intimating , that it was Morall ; for if it had been Ceremoniall , he would not have wished them to pray that it might not be upon that day .

Now whereas our Saviour doth so often condemn the Pharisees in regard of their strictnesse of the Sabbath ; it is not as if he did disallow the keeping of it ; but they were foolishly precise , they strained at a gnat , and swallowed a camel ; they crowded out , and regarded nor Mercy and Judgment , they would not pull a poor beast out of a pit , or relieve a poor man upon the Sabbath day : they found fault that a man should be helped from deaths door by our Saviour upon the Sabbath , this was their folly . Now our Saviour did not condemn strict keeping of the Sabbath , but he did condemn their Superstition ; for ever since Adams time , it was lawful to do works of Mercy on the Sabbath , it was Lawful to pull a beast out of the pit , and do works of Mercy , and Necessity upon the Sabbath day . And , whereas the Law saith , The Jewes might not kindle a fire on the Sabbath Exod. 35. 3 day , if we were in their case , we might not neither ; for they were in the Wildernesse , in an hot Countrey , where they needed no Fire , and having their Food provided to their hands . And being in an hot Countrey , if they kindled a Fire , it was out of wantonnesse , but if it had been a cold Countrey , in Adams time , and Abrahams time , and in all times , it was lawful to kindle a Fire .

Againe , another Argument is this , The very Heathen themselves have Reas. 7 ever kept a Sabbath day , though they could not tell which the day was ; some kept the Eighth day , and some the Ninth , yet they ever kept a Sabbath day : Yea , it is certain , many of the Heathen themselves kept the Sabbath after their manner . Alexandrinus , a godly Father , that lived but a little after Christ , saith , That the Heathen did count the ●eventh day , an Holy day . And it is related of Alexander Severus Emperour of Rome , though he were a Pagan , and Infidel , yet every Sabbath day , he retired from his Warlike affaires , and went up into the Capitol to worship his gods . And it is reported againe in Heathen Histories , our boyes go not to School upon the Sabbath day , neither are Humane Arts taught on that day ; but we have a Rest upon that day : Nay , some of the Heathens tell us , That they keep it from the Creation ; therefore Philo tells us , That the Sabbath day , is the Creation day : and divers other poor people , that never had Scripture , or Prophet , or Minister among them , but went meerly by the light of Nature , and what they had learned from their Ancestors and Fathers , they did keep the Sabbath day . Nay , one of them saith , That on the Seventh day , all the Host of Heaven and Earth was finished . Therefore seeing the very Heathen have learned to keep this day Holy , it is an Evident Argument , that this is a Moral Commandement . I conclude the Proof of this Point , with the saying of our Saviour Christ , Mat. 5. 18. Heaven and Earth shall passe away , but not one jot or title of the Law shall passe away : Marke , our Saviour saith there , that there shall not one jot or title of the Decalogue passe away . As for the Ceremonial , and Judicial law , they stand not still , but the whole compasse of them is removed , the Ceremonial Law is quite and clean abolished ; and the Judicial Law , in many particulars ; therefore our Saviour meant it not of those two Laws , but he speaks of the Decalogue , and he saith , Heaven and Earth shall passe away , before one jot of it shall passe away , much lesse an whole branch be rooted out . And Gal. 3. 10. the Apostle saith , Cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in this Law to do them ; not only he that continueth not in the fourth , and fifth , and all the rest . And Jam. 2. 10. the Apostle there saith , If a man should keep the whole Law of God , and be guilty only in one point , he is guilty of all . Suppose thou didst keep the Three first Commandments , and all the Six last , if thou keepest not the Fourth Commandment , thou art guilty of the breach of all the Commandments .

I let this passe , and come now to the last Proposition , which is this , That Propos. 9. The first day of the week was the Lords day , and so to continue to the end of the world . though the last day of the week were kept for the Sabbath , till the coming of Christ , yet the first day of the week , that seventh day , is now the Lords Day , and is so to continue to the end of the World : I frame it thus , The change of the seventh day , to the first day of the week , is not by Ecclesiastical Law , or by the Law of man , or Apostolical Tradition , but it is by the Institution , and express Commandment of God .

The first Argument to prove it , is taken out of Psal. 118. 24. It is an Argument Reas. 1 used by the Church of God in all Ages , ever since twelve hundred years agoe . Saint Austin did use it in his time , the Psalmist Prophecieth of the Resurrection of Christ , the Stone which the builders refused , is become the Head-stone of the Corner , this is the Lords doing , and it is marvellous in ver. 22 , 23 our eyes . ( Our Saviour Christ , Mat. 21. doth expound it of his Crucifying , and Resurrection ) This is the day that the Lord hath made , we will be glad and rejoyce in it . The Psalmist speaks here of the Resurrection of Christ ; now speaking of this very day , saith he , This is The day that the Lord hath made : And we for our part , that are godly , and desire to be built upon this Corner Stone , we will be glad , and rejoyce in it ; we will keep it as a glorious day , a day of Thanksgiving , and Rejoycing in God . The thing is plain , see Isa. 56. 1 , 2. the Prophet Prophecyeth of the Day of Christ , and saith , They are blessed that keep the Sabbath , thus saith the Lord , Keep Judgement , and Justice , for my Salvation is at hand to come , and my Righteousness is to be revealed : Blessed is the man that doth this , and keepeth my Sabbaths . This is a Prophecie of the day of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ; and he pronounceth a blessing upon those that keep the Sabbath in those dayes . Again , Isa. 11. 10. it was Prophecied of old , that the first day of the week , should be the Sabbath day , the Lords day : In that day , there shall be a Root of Jesse , which shall stand up for an Ensigne to the people , and the Nations shall flie unto it , and his Rest shall be Glorious : Not only the Fathers Rest shall be glorious , when he had Created Heaven , and Earth , and rested the seventh day , but Christs Rest also shall be glorious ; for all Divines agree , that the Prophet speaks of the Rest of Christ , from the work of Redemption ; now his Rest shall be glorious . As God the Father Rested from his work , and his Rest was glorious for four thousand years together ; so Christs Rest from his work shall be glorious , there shall be glory and honour put upon it , as well as upon the Rest of the Father , when he Rested from making of Heaven and Earth .

Secondly , Another Argument to prove this , is out of Rev. 1. 10. there Reas. 2 Saint John speaking of the first day of the week , the Spirit of the Lord calls it the Lords Day , I was in the Spirit on the Lords Day , so that it is not by Apostolical Tradition only , but by the Institution of God himself , he doth call it the Lords Day , I was in the Spirit upon the Lords Day ; he calls the first day of the week the Lords Day , by the same reason that the Sacrament is called the Lords Supper . Now the Sacrament is so called , because the Lord Instituted it , and therefore it must be Holy : so the Lords Day is called so , because the Lord Instituted it , and therefore it must be kept Holy .

Another Argument is this , Our Saviour Christ himself doth Intitle himself Reas. 3 to be the Lord of the Sabbath , and therefore able to alter it , and change it , and appoint what businesse is to be done , and what not to be done , upon that day ; he doth openly profess , that he is Lord of the Sabbath , Mark 2. 28. and John 5. 23. he saith , They shall Honour the Son , as they Honour the Father ; As they honour the Father with a Sabbath , in regard of his Rest from the work of Creation , so they shall honour the Son with a Sabbath , in regard of his Rest from the work of Redemption , which being compared with Rev. 1. 10. where it is called the Lords Day : These two being put together , do plainly prove it .

Fourthly , Christ himself did command his Apostles to keep this day , it Reas. 4 was not by the Apostles counsel , as if they would set up this day in the Church , as some would have it ; but Christ did command them so to do ; for the Apostles did deliver nothing Generally to the Church , but what they received from the Lord , as Paul saith , What I have received from the Lora , that I declare unto you , 1 Cor. 11. But I will prove it was the Commandment of Christ to them , by this Argument , Because the first day of the week was alwayes kept for the assemblies of the people of God , before the Apostles durst order any thing in the Church : the Apostles never durst undertake to set up any order in the Church , until the Holy Ghost fell upon them in fiery tongues , and that was fourty dayes after . Now the first day of the week was kept long before this , John 20. 19. they kept the first day of the week : and again the next week , ver 26. they kept the first day of the week ; and Luke 24. they kept the first day of the week . And if you compare three or four places of Scripture together , as Mat. 28. 16 , 20. together with John 20. 19 , 26. we shall see plainly in John , that they did meet upon the first day of the week , and in Mat. 28. we shall see that Christ appointed them so to do , it was by his Commandment .

Fifthly , Another Argument to prove that it is by Divine Institution , and Reas. 5 not by Humane Ordinance , is this , Because the Wisdome of Jesus Christ , would never have committed such a weighty thing as this is to the Judgement of man . Certainly the Lord Jesus Christ , before his ascending up unto his Father , would never have left things so raw , and uncertain , and imperfect , as to leave such a Branch of such a Sacred Ordinance , to be at the Arbitrament of men , being so apt to take liberty , and so negligent to keep any day Holy , surely the Lord would never have left it to the Arbitrament of men . Therefore we may well conclude , it is to be found in Scripture by Ordination of God ; for mark what the Apostle saith , As Moses was faithful in all his house , so Christ is faithful in all his house , Heb. 3. 2 , 3. He proves that Christ is more faithful then Moses : Now Moses was faithful , for he delivered the whole mind of God to the people of Israel , there was nothing left out , for time , or place , or manner ; there was not any Ceremony in the worship of God left out , but he delivered all to them , he was faithful . So Christ is faithful in his house , therefore seeing Christ knew how ready men were to neglect , and prophane the Sabbath , plain reason tells us , that he would order it himself .

Again , Who should Institute any Ordinance in the Church , but only he Reas. 6 that is the Head of the Church ?

Again , Another Argument is this , It hath been the Practice of all holy Reas. 7 men since the Apostles daies , to keep this day . That it was the practice of the Apostles , that you will grant , that they kept the first day of the week . Now if there were no Argument but this , that the Apostles did keep it , this were enough to prove the change of the day , when we find that the Apostles did sanctifie this day , this were proof enough to stay our mindes ; for certainly they had a more Infallible guidance and direction then we have , and they insisted upon this day , 1 Cor. 16. 1. 2. They ordained , and John the Divine kept this day , though he were in the place of his banishment , where he could hear no Sermon , but was all alone , yet he would keep the Sabbath , on the first day of the week , and the Lord rewarded his sanctifying of this day , by declaring the Revelation unto him , to incourage all good people to go on in keeping this day . But to leave these , and come to the time of the ancient Fathers , immediately after the Apostles ; they all agree upon the first day of the week : Ignatius doth so ; and Saint Austin saith , as the Virgin Mary is among women , so is the first day of the week , among dayes ; as she was blessed above women , so is the first day of the week blessed above daies : No man that makes conscience of his wayes , but shall find a blessing upon every day ; but God hath blessed this day in a more peculiar manner , and the soul that makes conscience of the keeping of it , may by the Covenant of God expect a blessing .

Now to come to the dead times of Popery , If ever the Sabbath was out of memory , and out of date , then was the time ; for then there was a great falling away , a great forsaking , a great declining , and people hearkned to Doctrines of Divels , and Damnable Heresies , and the whole world groaned under Popery : Yet in the dead times of Popery there were abundance of Prophets , the Lord did keep their Judgements entire in this thing , as Gregory , and Silvester , and others , though they were Superstitious Papists , yet they say , That the change of the Sabbath , from the last day of the week to the first , is by Divine Institution . Now to come to the times of Reformation , here we have abundance of Reverend men beyond the sea , both in Germany , and France , that maintain it is by Divine Institution .

Another Argument is taken from the Judgements of God ; If men will not Reas. 8 hearken to reason , and the examples of the Saints , and Judgement of Divines in all ages , yet the Lord will make it appear from heaven , that this is the Lords Day , and the Lord hath sealed it .

First by his Judgements , for the wrath of God hath been revealed from heaven upon those that have prophaned this day : the Stories in all ages shew it . In the Councel of Paris , where Divines out of all Countries in Christendome were met together , to consult about matters of Religion , Ministers stepped up , and made complaint , concernining the Sabbath , Let us make a Canon for the sanctifying of the Sabbath day , for to our knowledg , the Lords wrath hath broken out upon the Countrey for the breach of this day ; and one related one story , and another , another ; as one told a Story of a Miller , that grinding upon the Sabbath day , a fire brake out , and burnt Mill , and Man , and all . Another , of an Husbandman , that going into the field to fetch home his Corn upon the Sabbath day , thunder and lightning brake forth , and burnt him and his corn . Many such stories were related in that Councel , and the Magdenbergs have a story of a Noble-man , that using to Hunt upon the Sabbath day , the Lord brought it so to passe , that his Wife brought forth a child , with a head just like a dog . I could relate abundance of Stories beyond sea , but we have enough here at home ; the Town of Stratford , in Warwick shire , as it is related in the Practice of Piety , was Burnt three times upon this day . And the Story of the Parris Garden , 1583. they were gathered together this day , to see the sport of the Beasts fighting together , and the Scaffold fell down , and eight were slain , and abundance hurt . So there are many more such Examples , I remember my self above a dozen within this half year ; the Lord hath revealed his displeasure from heaven , for the breach of this day .

Secondly , Again the Lord hath sealed this in the conscience of his people . For who are they that break this day , but loose , and vain , and prophane men ? And who make conscience of it , but those that most fear God , those that God hath most crowned with Righteousnesse and sanctification ? they delight in this , and Sanctifie it , and count it Holy to the Lord ; and the more a man fears God , the more careful he is of the keeping of this day , and the more he is grieved to see it prophaned , either by himself or others , because he hath experience of the blessings of God upon the keeping of this day ; no man doth Sanctifie this day conscionably , but he shall find a blessing , therefore it is surely from the Lord .

The First Vse is this , Is the first day of the week the Sabbath by Divine Vse . 1 institution ? then here we see , that we are to keep a whole day . The Divel , if he cannot make men keep no day , then it is his policy to make them keep it by halves . Oh , say they , Do we not keep the Sabbath ? Do we not come to Church , and hear the word , and Divine Service Morning and Evening ? Is not this to keep the Sabbath ? But if the Lord hath Instituted this day , then certainly he hath Instituted a whole day . It is madnesse , and want of reason for a man to think the contrary . Suppose I hire a man to labour with mee for a day , do I not make account he should work one whole day ? Suppose I hire a Servant for a year , do I not mean an whole year ? though I put not in the word Whole , yet I suppose he must dwell a whole year with me . And if I hire a man for a day , it is for an whole day : so that in Grammatical sense , when the Scripture saith , Thou shalt Sanctifie the Sabbath day , it is meant a whole day ▪ It is not in this , as in other words ; any piece of a stone is stone : but in things that signifie the whole , it is not the same , as a day ; a part of a day , is not a day : the least part of water is water , or of fire is fire , but a part of a day , is not a day Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day ; and I was in the Spirit on the Lords day ; and they met together on the first day of the week : it is a day , therefore the meaning of the scripture is , that it should be a whole day , and it is so in reason , and therefore we are to keep an whole day : therefore we should not curtail the Lords day , as the servants of Hanun did the garments of Davids servants . You know what became of Ananias , and Saphira , that brought but part , when they should have brought the whole ; they should have brought the whole price of their inheritance , but they brought but part , therefore the Lord smote them with death : so when the Lord requires a whole day , and we give him but a part , we shall bring vengeance upon our own heads .

There are divers arguments for it : First the weeke consists of seven dayes , and he hath given six to us and reserves one day to himself : now we wil grant that we have not part of six dayes , but six whole dayes . If you aske a man what , do you work all day ? Why yea , the Lord hath given us six dayes , therefore six whole dayes . Now by the same reason God must have an whole day ; if we take any part of the seventh day , then we have more then six dayes , which is contrary to the scripture .

Another reason is this , God rested the seventh day : now looke what time God rested , that time we must sanctifie : now God rested the seventh day , all of it , he left none of the creation to do upon the seventh day ; he had finished the creation in six dayes , and rested all the seventh day , therefore we must keep the whole day . Thirdly , because this is the nature of a Sabbath to bee 24 houres , not to be an artificiall day , but to be a naturall day , 24 houres together , as you may see Lev. 23. 32. you shall keep the Sabbath from evening to evening ; then the dayes were reckoned from evening to evening from the creation ; though now under the gospel , because Christ arose in the morning , they are reckoned from morning to morning .

Fourthly , another argument is this , God never ordained halfe holy dayes in his Church ; indeed the Church of Rome have halfe holy dayes , as saint Blacies day , which is to be kept in the fore noon : so they have other dayes that are to be kept in the after-noone , but in the fore-noone , they may do what they list : so heathens did , as Ovid saith , the former part of the day is holy , the latter part of the day is not holy ; the Lord hath no such days as these , but all holy dayes in scripture : if God ever appointed a fast , or new moon , or feast of Tabernacles , whatsoever holy day , he did institute , it was an whole day , and not a part of a day , therefore much more this solemn day .

Again , the judgment of all Divines in all ages hath been concerning an whole day . I could instance in the fathers , as in Irenaeus , who saith , we are to continue in the Sabbath all the day long , for the Lord hath required all the day to be kept holy unto him , and the saints of God have alwayes kept an whole day : so saint Austin saith , It is not enough , that wee keep three or four houres of the day , but that we rest the whole day . And what rest ? not only to rest from our bodily labours , for the beasts keep this Sabbath ; nor the rest of sport and pastime , for that is the Sabbath of the golden calfe , they ate and drink , and rose up to play : No , but that thou mayest be vacant to God all the day in prayer and serving of him . So in the Councell of Mexicon there was an assembly of ministers out of all nations in Christendome , and they ordained a canon , concerning the Lords day , We ordain , that people keep the whole Lords day holy , and that they set themselves the whole day to pray to God , and delight in God , and heare his word : and if a countrey-mans servant breake this day , his punishment shall be to be beaten with severe blowes , [ ictubus gravi●ribus , are the very words of the Councell ; ] and if a Lawyer offer to plead this day , he shall not have the benefit of his pleading or case ; and if a minister breake this day , he shall be excommunicated half a year , and throwne out of the Church , and shall not be received into the Church again , but upon great humiliation . This was the judgment of Divines in all ages , and it is the observation of a reverend Divine , Musculus , upon Exod. 20. God doth not say , Remember the Sabbath , to keepe it holy ; he that keeps it an hour or two , keeps it holy : but , Remember the Sabbath Day , to keepe it holy ; he will have a day kept holy : Nay Calvin , whom they take to be on their side , to be a patron of their liberty , he himselfe writing upon Deut. 6 upon these words , Remember the Sabbath day , he saith , we are to keep this day , ( speaking of himselfe , and all the people of God , ) we are to keepe this day ; and not a part of it , but all of it .

The second Use is this : we may hence see that sports and pastimes are not Vse . 2 agreeable to the Lords day ; for if the Lord hath forbidden our weekly works on that day , then surely he hath forbidden sports and pastimes .

The reason is good , first because our weekly works , are things Commanded at other times , now sports and pastimes are never Commanded by God , but onely permitted : now if things commanded , and things that are good at sometimes , if these notwithstanding may not be done upon the Lords day , then much lesse must those be done that are permitted onely .

Secondly , because weekely works do lesse distract a man from God , then sports and pastimes . I appeale to any man here present , if he be not more heavenly and better employed , and lesse distract from good thoughts , and gracious affections , when he is plowing , or sowing , or threshing , then when he is diceing , and carding ; sports and pastimes beat a man further off from religion , and let a man go to prayer after sports and pastimes , he shall find himselfe more unfit and unaffected a great deal , then he shall when he comes from the works of his calling . Now if those things that do lesse distract from Gods worship and service are forbidden upon the Sabbath day , then surely much more those things that doe more distract , must needs be forbidden upon that day .

THE END .