A LIVELES LIFE: OR, Man's Spiritual death in Sinne. Wherein is both learnedly and profitably handled these four Doctrines The Spiritual Death in Sinne. The Doctrine of Humiliation. Mercy to be found in Christ. Continuance in sin, dangerous. Being the substance of several Sermons upon EPHES. 2. 1, 2, 3. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, etc. Whereunto is annexed a profitable Sermon at LINCOLN'S INN, On GEN. XXII. XIV. Delivered by that late faithful Preacher, and worthy Instrument of God's glory, JOHN PRESTON, Dr. in Divinity, Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher of Lincolns-Inne. ROME 7. 9 For I was alive without the Law once, but when the Commandment came, sin revived, and I died. LONDON: Printed by I. Beale, for Andrew Crook, at the Black Bear in Paul's Churchyard, 1633. AN EXCELLENT TREATISE OF THE SPIRITVALL DEATH IN SIN. EPHES. 2. 1, 2, 3. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. THe scope of the Apostle in the former part of this Chapter, The scope of the Chapter. is, to stir up the Ephesians to a high estimation of their redemption by Christ; and that he might the better do this, he showeth ●hem their estate without Christ; That they were children of wrath, and dead in sins and trespasses: and that they were dead in sin, he proveth, Because they walked in sin: That they walked in sin, he proveth, Because they had amongst them some false guides, Three false guides among the Ephesians. which here he reckons up, and declares them to be these three: First, the World; (They walked according to the course of the world.) Secondly, the Devil; (According to the prince of the power of the air.) Thirdly, the lusts of the flesh; (Among whom also we all had our conversation, in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, etc.) The first point that we will observe as naturally arising out of the words, Doct. is this, That all men by nature are dead in trespasses and sins. This point is to be considered of all men, both those which are alive, and quickened out of this Lethargy; and those which are yet dead in their trespasses and sins. That we are thus dead in sin, The Doctrine proved first by Reason, it plainly appears by this reason; All mankind were represented in our first parent Adam, of whose fall this death of sin, and of nature, was made a part of the punishment; now he being the root of us all, and that being dead, all the branches must needs be dead also. Secondly, by Scriptures. It is also plain by places of Scripture: as, joh 5. 25. The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live: so again, Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Also in the Gospel, our Saviour Christ saith, Let the dead go bury the dead: that is, let such as are dead in trespasses and sins, go bury those that are dead through sin. By all which places it plainly appears, that all men by nature are dead in sin. This men consider not: You would think it a ghastly sight to see Churches, streets, and houses for to lie full of dead corpses: but for to see places full of men spiritually dead, which is far the worse, is a more ghastly sight; and yet who amongst us is there, almost, that doth consider it? In this death in trespasses and sins, for our fuller understanding of it, I will show you these five things: 1. What this death is. 2. The kinds of this death. 3. The signs of this death. 4. The degrees of this death. 5. The use to be made of it. 1▪ What this death is. First, What this death is. To know this, we must understand that as a corporal death, Two things, a natural and a spiritual death so a spiritual death hath two things in it: First, As in the natural death there is a privation of life when the soul is separated from the body; so in the spiritual death there is a privation of the life of the soul; namely, the extinction of original righteousness; by reason of which, a man can neither set hand nor foot forward in the ways of goodness; as Paul confesseth of himself: for as the separation of the soul makes the body to dye; so the extinction of original righteousness makes the soul to dye. Secondly, As in the death of the body there is a stinking carcase left, when the soul is departed thence; so in the death of the soul there is a positive corrupted quality left, called the flesh, whereby a man is prone to do all evil: And therefore they are called dead works: Dead works why so called. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, etc. Heb. 6. 1. And so again in the 9 chapter of the same Epistle,, and 15. verse; where it is said, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God. Now it seems a contradiction that they should be works, and yet dead; but yet it is so, because besides the privation of good, there is a positive evil, and stirring quality, which is active, and bringeth forth these evil and dead works. Now for the chief seat of this death: The seat of this death. It is chiefly seated in the mind and understanding, and not in the will. The Understanding is primum vivens, & moriens primum; the first living, and first dead: for although the will be corrupted, yet whatsoever is in it, is carried through the understanding. And this death of the understanding is such a darkness of judgement, as thereby a man esteems not, but dislikes the ways of God and goodness, and approves the ways of sin and wickedness. And in this faculty of man, the understanding, is this death of sin chiefly seated; therefore it it is said, joh. 1. 4, 5. In him was light, and that light was the life of men. So also, Ephes. 5. 14. the place before mentioned, Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light: Ephes. 5. 1●. where he says, not life, but light; for if there be light, life will certainly follow: So again, Acts 26. 18. To open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light. One would think, that in these places it should be life, and not light; but it is so put to show that the chiefest seat of this death is in the understanding. Therefore also is it said, Be renewed in the spirit of your minds, Rom. 12. 2. And to the same purpose also saith james, jam. 1. 18. The word of Truth begat you: now Truth hath a reference to the understanding. And thus briefly have I given you a taste what this death is, and the place wherein it is seated. 2. 2. The kinds of this death. Now it follows that we speak of the kinds of this death; which for the better handling, and benefit of your memories, I will range into these three sorts: 1 The death of guilt, by which we are bound o-over to eternal damnation: and so in the same manner usually we say, a man condemned is a dead man. 2 The death which is opposed to the life of grace which is the separation of grace from our soul. 3. The death which is opposed to the life of joy and comfort, which is a thousand times more terrible than all deaths, if it were truly, and as it is indeed apprehended. Which latter death, that you may the better conceive of, I will open it a little to you. God joins with every man's soul, and gives to the most wicked man some seeming life of grace, and some colourable life of comfort; for else they would endure an hell here upon earth. For the first; although the wicked have no true grace, yet they have a shadow of it, as is manifest in their moral virtues. So for the second, for comfort, they have some, although no true comfort: for God is the author of comfort, as the Sun is of light; which all, both good and bad, do more or less participate of, or else they could not subsist: As may appear by the contrary; for, when he doth but once withdraw his comfort from us, How terrible the taking away of God's presence is. it is the terriblest thing in the world: An example of this we may see in Christ; when this comfort was withdrawn from him but in sense and feeling only, it made him cry out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matth. 27. 46. Where God's presence is taken away, there is nothing but horror and trembling: and I have known such, that in his absence, when his presence hath been taken away, have had their souls so pressed with horror, that they have said, That if at a thousan● years' end they might enjoy the comfortable presence of God, they would think themselves th● happiest men in the world. The absence of this, made Luther to say, That if all the creatures in heaven and hell should set to torment him, they could not do it so much as the withdrawing of God's comfort did. Alas, poor creatures, now in this world God is not separated from you, you feel not the torment of this death, but now you enjoy the crepusculum, and daylight of this comfort; and therefore although it be now slightly esteemed, and little regarded, yet when that day shall come that the Lord shall totally separate them from his presence, they shall by lamentable experience learn how terrible a thing it is. Thus much for the second point, the kinds of this death. 3. 3. The signs of this death. For the signs of this death. The signs of it may be taken from them of the bodily death; the signs of that are these four: 1. The understanding faileth. Four signs of bodily death. 2. There is want of sense. 3. Want of motion. 4. There is a deadness in the face. These four things you shall find in a spiritual death: 1. Privation of reason. First, As those that are corporally dead, want reason and understanding, so do those that are spiritually dead; they cannot understand the things of God, no more than men can judge of colours in the dark. I but some man will object and say, Object. The carnal man knows many things, he hath a general notion of the Godhead, and can talk of the creation of man, and his redemption by Christ, he can discourse of faith, repentance, etc. There is a great difference between knowing Spiritual things, Answ. A difference between knowing spiritual things, and knowing them in a right manner. and knowing them after a right manner; a carnal man knoweth them, but not in a right manner, not in a spiritual manner. And hence is that of the Apostle, Tit. 1. 16. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate: The word which there is translated reprobate, is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; signifying, unable to judge. Indeed in the general they may understand and like the things that are of God, but come to particular circumstances, that crosseth them; they, as a Divine says of them, love veritatem lucentem, non redarguentem; they wholly dislike particulars, because they bring them to hic et nunc, to particulars. In the abstract they love holiness, but not as it is applied to particulars, as it convinces them of their particular sins. Hence it is that godly men are most hated of them that come nearest to them in show, because they bring light home to them, and discover their acerrima proximorumodiv, their inward and bosom hatred of their neighbours: It is as much as if one should bring a Torch to one that is a doing some unlawful thing, some deed of darkness, he would wish him further off: their lives shine as lights, and therefore giving good examples by a shining and godly conversation, which is contrary to the life of the ungodly and hypocritical ones, they cannot choose but hate them: and as all wicked men hate them, so especially those that are nighest unto them in show; because that their life doth not only shine unto them, and lay open their vildness, but scorch them also; and therefore they being occupied about the works of darkness, wish them as far off as they can: So that hence we see, with an approving judgement, not any save those which are quickened, can understand spiritual things. 2. 2. Privation of sense. The second thing wherein a natural death consisteth, was in a privation of sense; so also is it in the Spiritual death; for their hearts are strong and cannot be moved; although I deny not but sometime they may have a little griping of conscience, and sense of God's judgement, which naturally ariseth from conscience; but they never have any real and true feeling of it. 3. 3. Want of motion. In a natural death they are without motion; so likewise it is in a Spiritual death; for the wicked can no more move themselves unto any good work, than a dead man can move himself out of his grave. 4. 4. Want of beauty and vigour. In a natural death there is a want of vigorousness and beauty, as well in the face as in all other parts of the body; so also there is in the Spiritual death the loss of that vigorous beauty which follows the life of grace; they may be seen to have death in the face; if a living man beholds them, he knows how to discern it: although I deny not but that they may have hypocritical painted virtues, which may to weak eyes for a great while seem true ones; as men may have painted faces that have been taken for living ones, but they are not true graces, such as proceed from the life of grace indeed. I but some may here object and say, Object. have not some men many excellent moral virtues, such as even the godly themselves have not? Indeed it's true that they have, Answ. How wicked men may have moral virtues and these are Gods gifts also, but yet they are but as chains of gold about a dead man's neck, oras pearls in a swine's snout: There may be many good things in them, but they make them not good men; for as the evil actions of good men redound not to their persons to make them evil, so these good actions in evil men, redound not to their persons to make them good; they may have good in them, but are not good. And thus much for this third point, the signs of this death. 4. To come to the degrees of this death: First, 4. The degrees of this death. The death of guilt. for the death of guilt, that hath degrees; some men are more bound over than others, as the Heathen men that were guided only by the light of nature, they indeed were guilty; but the Jews which had a more perfect knowledge, they were more guilty than they: and now we that live under the tropic of the Gospel, and have Sermon upon Sermon, line upon line, and every day are instructed, are more guilty than the Jews: and amongst us, they that have most means, and profit least, are most guilty of all; and therefore are most bound over unto this death. Secondly, The death opposite to the life of grace. for the death that is opposite to the life of grace and sanctification, that also admits degrees: 1. For the first part, the privation of life, indeed there is no degree; but all that are dead, in regard of the privation and absence of original righteousness, are all dead alike. 2. But for the second, to wit, the positive corrupt quality, which is called the flesh, that admits degrees: for one may be mad and drunk both alike, but the one may have some sparks of reason more than the other. The degrees therefore of this death, Three degrees of this death. The first. are these three that follow: 1. When men do oppose and set themselves against a holy life, although it be closely and covertly under other names, for against them directly the Devil will not speak, because the knoweth it will not be regarded; but he speaks against them under names of reproach, which he himself hath invented. These men are one of the bottom stairs of the chamber of death; and therefore it is almost impossible they should ever rise, but must needs remain in a pitiful case, although it may be they think far otherwise. 2. When men are given up to voluptuousness and sensuality; The second. as Paul speaketh of the wanton widow, 1. Tim. 5. 6. that because she lived in voluptuousness, she was dead while she lived: Even so, the more a man is sunk into voluptuous courses, the more he is dead, and as it were buried in his corruptions, so that he is altogether unable to stir out of them; it is a very difficult thing to leave them; The third. as in the sins of uncleanness. 3. When we are indifferent, and care not how things go; and this is when a man is addicted unto the death of civil men, which is a degree nearer to life, yet is truly and indeed no better than a death: such as have much restraining grace, these are nearer the gate of heaven than others, yet they are as truly shut out as they that are furthest off; it is no matter how near they are to heaven, since they are all out of heaven alike; they shall be sure, if never any more quickened, to go to hell as well as others. Thirdly, The death opposite to the life of joy. The death that is opposed to the life of joy and comfort, that hath also degrees: God sometimes withdraws his comfort from some more than others, and so suffers some to have less horror than others: Thus I have briefly explained this death, in which all men naturally are. I will now answer an objection of Bellarmine against that which hath been said, and so come to the fifth thing. Some there be that say, Object. If all men are dead in sin, as you say they are, then to what end is all our Preaching, and your hearing? for the dead are without life, and cannot be moved with any of these things, and therefore they are all in vain. To this I answer; Ans. 1 first, that although every man by nature be dead unto grace, yet he hath the lif● of reason in sin, whereby he is able to perceive two things: 1. To see that they are dead, and without this life of grace, their conscience telling them so. 2. By the sight and feeling of their death, they are able to bring themselves to the means of life, as to the Word and Sacraments. Secondly, I answer; Ans. 2. that though all men be dead, yet there is an end and effect of our speaking, and their hearing: for the Word that we speak may put life into them, as the word that Christ spoke unto Lazarus, was able to raise him from the dead. Thirdly, Ans. 3. A difference between the spiritual and corporal death. We must know that there is a great difference between this spiritual death, and the corporal death; for this death consisteth in the understanding and will, and is a free willing death; in it they freely sly good, and embrace evil; they freely choose the ways of death, and therefore are said to be already dead: as, suppose a man is resolved to commit murder, or treason, and a friend come to him, and persuade him from it, and cannot prevail, that man may be said to be dead, because he will do that that will cost him his life: Even so we may affirm that that man is dead already, because he will do that that will bring death after the doing of it. 5. 5. The Uses of this point. Now for the fifth thing, the uses of this point, That all men by nature are dead in sin. The first Use then that we may make of this point, Uses. 1. is, If all men are dead in sin, then let us be exhorted not to defer our repentance, Not to defer repentance. saying, we will repent afterward. This is a fault usual amongst young men, and such as presume of their strength and ability of nature to live a great while, they find nature strong in them, and therefore put off repentance till they be sick, and age bring them to think of death: but let such consider that they are dead already, and repentance is a putting of a new life into them: Dost thou think it is in thy power to create a new life in thee when thou art dead? Surely, How the devil deceives men in persuading them to put off their repentance, no more is it in thy power to repent when thou wouldst. Hereby the devil entrappeth many, in putting this conceit into them, that they may repent when they will; and this he bringeth them unto, by making them to mistake repentance, in conceiving of it to be nothing else but a sorrow for sin past, and a purpose to live well afterward, and leave all sin: he never tells them, nor they never think that it is the creation of a new life in them; for than they would say more: but they are decejued, this is not to repent, for thou mayest do all this, and yet when thou hast done, be damned. But such repentance as will save thy soul, Saving repentance what it is. is a sorrow for they sin that is past, and a purpose for the time to come to endeavour to leave all sin, arising out of a love to God: for all repentance ariseth either out of a love of God, or else from self-love: if it be out of a love of God, thou wilt presently give thyself unto his service, and forsake thy sin: if it be not out of love to God, but out of self-love, that thou purposest to forsake thy sin, than it is not true repentance, b●● false, and riseth from by-respects. Repentance is hard to be had, it is not in thine own power; except God breathe a new life into thee, thou canst not repent; thou art as the red clod of earth before God, of which he made Adam; it had no life, until he breathed into it: so while the spirit breatheth in us, we are dead. A Beast may desire his own life, so may a man his own salvation, but he can do nothing without the spirit blows. When then the spirit blows, why wilt thou be so foolish as to defer thy repentance unto another time? If a man upon pain of death were within twenty days to be beyond the Seas, Simile. if the wind should blow well for his purpose the first, second, or third day, would he be so foolish as to neglect it, and defer his journey, and say, it may be it will blow again ten days hence, and then I will go? No, he will not be so foolish, for he knows the wind bloweth where and when it listeth; and therefore he will take it when it blows, lest it blow there no more. In these earthly things men are not so foolish, why therefore are they so ignorant in this point of spiritual wisdom? Let every one of us then hereby be persuaded to learn wisdom; when the spirit bloweth, neglect it not: certain it is, that except it doth blow in thy heart, thou art damned; therefore when it doth blow, suppose it be at 17. or 18. years of age, neglect it not, omit it not, neither defer it, it may be it will never blow again, and thou canst not make it blow when thou wouldst, for it is free. There are none which live under the Gospel, but at some time or other have had some blasts of the Spirit, but in some it vanisheth as bubbles in the water: but let us take heed of that, and unless we could have them again when we would, let us not let them pass: when thou hast but the least spark, let it not go out, leave it not till it is become a flame to purify thy heart. Francis Spira neglecting these comfortable blasts, An example of Spira. at the last wished that he might have had but one drop of that comfort which once he despised; and so till his last breath, cried out, I am damned. God not therefore still on in thy sins, falsely persuading thyself, saying, thou shalt be saved: Remember what God threateneth unto such men, Deut. 29. 19 He that hearing the words of this curse, shall bless himself, saying, I shall have peace though I follow my sins; the Lord will not be merciful to that man. Sat down therefore but one half hour, and consider with thyself, that thou art but a dead man, and that thou canst not quicken thyself, but it is God only that is able to quicken thee; and the quickeneth whom he will, and those whom he quickeneth are but very few, as the gleaning after the harvest, or the grapes after the vintage, and thou knowest not whether thou art in that small number: Consider, I say, but this with thyself, and surely this will make thee never to give thyself rest, until thou findest life in thee, and never be quiet until thou art sure thou art quickened. Another Use which we will make of this point, Use 2. How to esteem civil men. is, If naturally all men are dead in trespasses and sins, this should teach us how to esteem of civil men, and such like; we should esteem of such men as of dead men: and therefore, 1 We should not overvalue them. 2 We should not make them our companions. First, We should not overvalue them. For their beauty, they have none that is true beauty: what beauty have dead men in them? they are dead, let us not regard their seeming beauty. Esteem the poor Saints; for they, though never so mean, are better than those, though never so brave. Grant your civil men be as Lions, (than which no irrational creature is better,) and that your Saints are but as dogs (than which no creature is worse,) yet a living dog is better than a dead Lion. It's a sign of a new life to esteem no carnal excellency: so saith Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 16, 17. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new: he, that is, a new creature, will not regard these things, but they will be dead in his account. They account us but dead men, therefore let us account them so also. Secondly, Make them not your companions. We may, and aught to love them with the love of pity, but not with the love of delight and complacency: if thou love them, and delight in them, it is a sign thou art dead also; yet in this we are to blame, that we do not more pity them, and seek their salvation, but we must not delight in them, and make them our familiar acquaintance, for we can never thrive in grace till we leave them: for although they be dead, yet they have a leaven which will infect thee, although thou perceivest it not. We use to say, we will make use to ourselves of the good in them, but let the hurt go: but we cannot do so; for we are insensibly hurt, when we think we are furthest from it: Simile. Even as a man is tanned when he is working in the Sun, and he never perceives it; so doth their company infect us insensibly, when we think least of it: It's therefore but a folly to purpose to serve God, and not to break off their company; Simile. yea, it is a plain contradiction. Every man is compared to a coal, he is either living or dead; if he be a living coal, he will kindle him that is next him; but if he be a dead coal, he then will black and fully thee: Even so it is with company, if it be good and zealous, it will kindle our affections; but if bad, it will be sure to infect us: therefore from such company thou must either gain good or harm; but for good, certain it is that thou canst receive none, and therefore thou must receive harm: If thou walk with the wise, thou shalt be more wise; if with the fool, thou shalt learn folly, Pro. 13. 20. The third Use we will make of this point, is this, Use 3. To stir up to thankfulness for being quickened. Seeing that by nature all of us are children of wrath, and dead in trespasses and sins, This should stir up those that are quickened, to be thankful to God therefore. Above all, we ever labour to be most thankful to him that hath saved our lives; and this God hath done for us, let us therefore stir up ourselves to thankfulness. Paul, as we may read, Rom. 7. 24, 25. joins these two together, his deliverance, and his thankfulness; O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God, through jesus Christ our Lord. I confess the world esteems not this, but if they have riches therein, they rejoice; and so like the dunghill Cock, or unskilful Lapidaries, prefer vain things before this precious Jewel; but they that have once found the sweetness of it, will not lose it for a world: for if we have but this, what though we lose wife, children, goods, credit, and good name? they are all too light being laid in the balance with this. Do ye every one therefore consider who it was that gave thee this, and to him yield all thankfulness. Let us love much, because as much is forgiven, so much is given to us: Paul was much stirred up with this consideration, thinking that he could never do enough for Christ, who had done so much for him; as appears in many places of his Epistles. The fourth Use we will make of this point, is, If we are all dead in trespasses and sins, Use 4. How to esteem of the means of grace. than this teacheth us how we should esteem of the means of grace: if we are dead, than it must be an Omnipotent power which must quicken us. All the means, as the Word preached, the receiving the Sacraments, etc. are but dead letters, they are but as pens without ink, God must put ink into them if ever they be effectual: and therefore as we must not give too little to the means, so we must not give too much, nor rest in them. When we come to hear the Word preached, it is not the hearing of the Minister, but Christ in the Word preached, which makes us live. It is good to hear the Minister, but except we hear another voice speaking to the heart, as his doth to the ear, we shall never be the better: it is Christ's voice in the Word which doth quicken and put life in our souls. But here let me warn you to take heed of breaking the Conduit-pipe from the Fountain; if thou hearest and profitest not, know that it is because Christ speaketh not to the ears of the heart, as well as the Minister to our outward ears. The fifth and last Use we will make of this point shall be, Use 5. To examine ourselves whether we have life in us or no. Simile. If that naturally all men are dead in sin, this should teach us to try ourselves, and see whether we are dead or alive. Consider the shortness and uncertainty of thy life here: Man's life is like an hourglass; if it runs his course it is but an hour, and it may be broken before it is run out: ye have but a short while to live here, according to the course of Nature, and yet perhaps that course may not run out too, it may be broken off before we are aware; and then for ever, either in heaven or hell, we must abide hereafter: Oh then never be quiet until you see wihther you shall go, to eternal bliss, or everlasting woe. Here the Devil's triicke is to put it into men's heads, How the devil deceives civil men. that a civil life will serve the turn: but he dealeth with them as those that take gold from infants, and give them counters and rattles: and thus he would keep them from this consideration, persuading them of the latitude of religion, and telling them that they are well enough, seeing they are troubled for some sins, and do some duties, perhaps, in private, but this you may do, and yet be dead still. If he cannot prevail this way, than he will labour to hinder them by drawing them on in a voluptuous course of life, or with worldly cares, and so draweth them from themselves, and so makes them never to consider what they are doing, nor whit●er they are going: and therefore is it that in the Gospel of Saint Luke, chap. 16. the prodigal Son is said, to come home to himself, when he once began to consider his estate: Although their conscience tell them all is wrong, yet the tabrets of lusts and pleasures make such a deane where they are, that they hear it not, and so never consider: nay, if that Christ himself again, or the sons of Thunder should speak, yet except God's Spirit should inwardly work, it would not make men seriously to consider their estates: It is the hardest thing in the world to make men sensible of life and death. Let us therefore be moved in particular to consider whether we are dead or alive. If thou art quickened, Two signs of our quickening 1. thou shalt find, one time or other, these two things in thee: First, Thou once hadst a deep and sensible consideration of thine estate by nature, thou wert deeply affected with it, so that thou sawest what need thou hadst of Christ: till thou hast had this consideration, thou art a dead man. I know God can save thee without this, he could come without the terrible voice, as Christ could have come without john Baptist before him, but he will not, neither ever doth, because it is impossible for a man highly to esteem of Christ till he is thus humbled; for he never will prefer him in particular actions, and take him with all crosses and losses, till he fully see what need he hath of him, which he cannot until he is thus humbled. Secondly, Consider if thou wer● ever changed from what thou formerly wert; neither is it a slight change that will serve, but it must be both constant and general; it must not be for a month or a year, but daily and continually. It must be such a change that all where thou livest may see it; thou must become a new soul in another body: Thy change must be so great that thou mayst say, Ego non sum ego, I am not myself, I am quite another man: There must be as great a change in thee, as there is in a white cloth when it is died black. Such a change was in Paul, he was converted from a persecutor to a Preacher: So thou must of a Lion be made a Lamb: there must as much difference be in us, as is between winter & summer. And now seeing the time of the Sacrament is at hand, An application to examine ourselves before we receive the Sacrament, let us all examine ourselves: we must not make excuses to keep from the Sacrament, but as all, Nehem. 9 were to come to the Passeover, else they were to be cut off from their people, except they could show some good cause; so I know no reason why it should not be so still for the Sacrament. But again, on the other side, if we do come, and are dead men, we come unworthily, and eat and drink our own damnation in not discerning the body of Christ, 1. Cor. 11. 29. which we do when we do not sufficiently esteem it, and conceive not what right we have to, which was the Corinthians sin; for they knew well enough that that did represent his body. Let us therefore take heed we come preparedly; for as God struck Vzzah for touching the Ark with polluted hands, and Nadab and Abihu for offering of strange fire, so if thou come unpreparedly to the Sacrament, he will strike thee. But to return to the point which was even now handled, That all men are dead in trespasses and sins, because it is point which concerns all sorts of men, we will a little further consider it, and in the next place speak of the nature of dead men. The nature of dead men. Dead men are either, 1. Such as are stark dead in sin, Two kinds of spiritually dead men. and do make no show at all of life; as are all open profane, and notoriously wicked men. 2. Such as are dead indeed, and in truth, but yet make a show of life, outwardly seem to have it; like the Angels, that have appeared many times in assumed bodies, but yet have none of their own that is true and substantial; and these are chiefly dissembling hypocrites, or men merely civil. First, This stark deadness, without any show at all of life, First, stark deadness. of which sort we have every where too too many; consists chiefly, 1. In the privation of life. 2. In an active positive principle. Now there are certain signs arising from both these, and they are 1. Positive. 2. Privative. 1 The Positive signs of a dead man, Three positive signs of dead men. are these three: First, All those which live any life, whatsoever it be, A careless neglect of goodness. seek such things as are agreeable to preserve that life, and hate the contrary: as a man that liveth a natural life, looketh for food, raiment, etc. so in the life of grace, there is an aptness to cleave unto goodness, and unto Christ, as iron doth to the Loadstone: So a man that lives the life of grace, his delight is in praying, hearing, reading, etc. but his lusts, they are aegritudines animae, the soul's sicknesses; they are as thorns to his sides, and smoke to his eyes, and he is never well or at quiet, until they are removed and gone: but a wicked man, one that is dead in sin, he is sick of goodness (as the other is of wickedness) and weary of it; he is too straitlaced in it, and therefore cannot brook it. A godly man hath an inward aptness and inclination to serve God, as fire naturally inclines to go upward: indeed he may sometimes contract impurity, and have some corruptions, yet they are but as mud in a clear and living fountain, they are soon washed away; but wicked men are like ditches which are full of mud at their best, and there it lies and continues. Secondly, another positive sign of this deadness, is, A lying still in any lust. When a man lies in any living lust, or known sin: for as a mortal disease and life cannot stand together, no more can a living lust and the life of grace. That is a living lust, when although sometimes he may have fits of resisting, A living lust, what it is. yet he always gives over, and still yields to that lust, saying, It is their nature, and they cannot choose but commit, it, they know not how to resist it; when as if there was some present Judgement threatened thee, upon the commission of it, than thou couldst forbear: This I call a living lust, and although it be but one, yet if other lusts tempted thee as much as that, thou wouldst commit them also: if thou forsakest other sins, because they are sins, why forsakest thou not this also? Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. There is in every man a body of lust; if any member of that body be unmortified, he is yet a dead man. 1 Tim. 5. 6. She which liveth in pleasure, is dead while she is alive. Some may keep themselves clean from some sins, but that will not serve; for if they live in any known sin, they are dead. Thirdly, An antipathy to God and godliness. a third positive sign is, When a man hath a secret antipathy against God and godliness. Some beasts naturally hate some colours; so some men, out of a natural inclination, cannot endure goodness itself, though they pretend some cause. I call it an antipathy when a man's stomach riseth against a thing, and he knoweth not wherefore: so they hate goodness, merely out of a natural abhorring of the thing itself, although they pretend some cause for which they hate it. They distant holiness of life, and for no just cause: if it be you distaste such men as profess an holy and pure conversation, only because they do not conform (as some pretend,) why do you distant those also that do conform? If you dislike the professors of an holy life because of the hypocrisy they have found in them, as some have not stood to say, why do you also dislike those that you are sure are no hypocrites? They cannot define the holy man they hate, but have a secret natural hatred to them they cannot tell why: but we know the reason well enough; it is because they live a contrary life to them, and therefore cannot agree no more than fire and water: indeed fire and water may agree in remiss degrees, but not in intense; so these men can suffer those which are indifferently holy, but if they come to any perfection and height of holiness, than they cannot endure them. Now the Apostle says expressly, 1 joh. 3. 14. By this we know we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren: he that loveth not his brother, abideth in death. So that it is an infallible sign of deadness not to love the brethren: if thou hatest the Saints; nay, if thou lovest them not; nay, if thou lovest them not according to the measure of grace that is in them, and if thou art not grieved for any of their sins, by which they may cause scandal, or be disgraced, thou art yet a dead man. And so much for the positive signs. 2 The Privative signs of deadness follow, Five Privitive signs of dead men, which are these five: The first privitive sign of deadness, Privation of speech. is want of speech: He that is dead, is speechless, and breathless; so he that is dead in sin, in all holy things is speechless; Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, saith Christ in the Gospel, Matth. 12. 14. When the mouth is speechless, the heart is empty. Some that are dead in trespasses and sins may speak well sometimes; but there is no living man but doth speak well. Esa. 19 18. Those that belong to Canaan, will speak in the language of Canaan: Their language will show whether they are Galileans or not: every man delights in operations agreeable to their habits. Here you may learn to judge of yourselves by your words; not by some words that are spoken by fits, but by thy usual and customary speech, that is a sign of that that is in you. The godly sometimes cannot speak godlily and holily; as a Fountain sometimes is stopped up, so that it cannot send forth pure streams, yet take away the rubbish that stopped it, and then it will run clear again; even so it is with the godly; and therefore consider your ordinary speeches, if they be not holy and good, it is a sign that you are a dead man. The second privitive sign is Coldness; when a man is dead, Privation of heat. he grows cold; so is it with men dead in sin; they may pray, but it is coldly; and so in all other holy duties they are very cold. But some man will be ready to object and say, Object. You tell us of coldness, but for any thing I can see, there is as much coldness in the best men: for your godliest men are sometimes cold in their prayers. It is true; Answ. but there is this difference between the coldness of a godly man, and a dead man; If the means be used to a godly man, it doth bring life to him again: if he be rubbed and chafed with admonitions, or hath the aquavitae of the Word, he will recover his heat, because the inward principle of heat still remains within him. But to a wicked man use never so many reproofs, or admonitions, he will still remain cold: Let this therefore be a certain trial, if after all admonitions you still remain cold, you are dead. The third privitive sign is Stiffness; a dead man grows stiff, Stiffness, and in what position his body is in when it is dead, in the same it will remain, you cannot bendit; so is it with men spiritually dead, what course they take, what opinions they hold, what company they keep, they will not be changed from them. Rev. 22. 11. He that is filthy, let him be filthy still: that is, he will be filthy still, they will not be changed: If that they hold to be Gods will, be Gods will, so it is, than they are right; but it is not because it is Gods will, but because his pleasure fell on what they held. As a rusty hand of a clock, Simile. it turns not with the day, but stands still; but if the time of the day chance to be such as it stands at, it is true; not because it moveth with the day (as it should) but because the day hath fell jump with it: So these men, if Gods will hit with theirs, they will do it; if not, they will cross it: This is a sign of a dead man. The fourth privitive sign is Senselessness; he that is dead, Privation of sense. is senseless: so it is with the spiritual death, there is no sense in it; they can neither see, hear, nor taste. I but some man will object and say, Object. that is not true always; for even the wicked sometimes know m●tters of faith; nay, and sometimes they relish them too. To this I answer, Answ. Matth, 13. 13. opened. As it is said of the dead Idol, so may it be said of them: Mat. 13. 13. Eyes they have and see not, ears and hear not. First for seeing, they see not aright: Gods children see experimentally, the wicked only by contemplation; and there is a great difference between them, for as we see there is a great difference betwixt knowing fire to be hot, and the feeling of it; so between a mere notional knowledge of God's will, and a knowledge that doth like and approve it. Secondly for taste, they find no taste in God's Word; or if they find any, like a vitiated palate, they account that which is most sweet to be very bitter. Thirdly for smelling, they smell no sweetness in Christ's name, whereas to his Saints it is a sweet ointment poured out, that perfumeth all the room. Fourthly for feeling, they feel not whether the Law or Gospel be applied to them, rub over their scars, and make them run down with blood, they are notwithstanding all that senseless still: they may have a counterfeit feeling arising from a natural conscience, but to have such a feeling as may drive them to Christ, they cannot; and therefore still they are but dead men. The fifth sign is this, No sympathising in the miseries of others. A living member, if the body be in danger, will have a sympathising and feeling of the danger; as the hand will lift itself up to save the head, so now if we hearing the case of God's Church in what danger it is, if we take it not to heart, or be not affected with it (especially now we are put in mind thereof) it is a certain sign we are dead men: We should have the spirits that Moses and Paul had, who even wished to be stroyed, so they might save the Church. Moses, rather than that should perish, would have his name razed out of the book of life: Paul, for the Church's sake would be anathema. It is a true sign of a living member to be touched with others miseries; this was an ecstasy of love, in which out of love to the Church, they forgot themselves. This here we must know, that if the creature could destroy itself for God, it could not but be well, because the good of the creature is more contained in God than in itself, as the beam of the Sun is more contained in the Sun than in itself. Now is the time of considering this, now is the time of more than extraordinary fasting; now if you have any feeling, you will show it; if you are living men, now you will show yourselves; now the Church lies in tents, and wallows in blood, now the foundations thereof are shaken; never was the face of Christendom in such danger as now it is. Do we think to stand now others fall? If the fire be at one end of the building, shall we be safe which are at the other end? (for all God's house is but one building.) Are not they our brethren, and sons of the same father? have they not the same spirit? are they not of the same profession? shall we not then be ready to help them? we cannot send arms over to them, but we may send up prayers unto God for them: Christians are stronger than Politicians, and their prayers are armies. Let us therefore do what we can, the storm is not yet quite over. Two things to move us to consider the Church's misery. Now there are two things that may move us to this: 1. The greatness of the Judgement. 2. Our ability to help them. First, The greatness of the Judgement: It will prove the extinguishing of God's Church and the Gospel, and when that is once gone, what are all other things? It was a good saying of that Saint, That brown bread and the Gospel was good cheer; what are all our houses, lands, etc. if this Spiritual food be wanting? Secondly, Consider our ability to help them. We may do much by our prayers; he that knoweth not his strength, useth it not: Did not one Moses, one Eliah stand in the gap? They did not these things as they were extraordinary men, but as they were God's children: We may by our prayers do as much; though one child may have better gifts than another, yet commonly the father loves all alike; so God (although they had better gifts than we) will grant our prayers as soon as he did theirs. But some man will here be ready to make a question, Quest. and askeme, what I would have him do for the Church now? he is but a singleman, and therefore is unable to do much himself alone. I answer, Answ. What we must do for the Church. Though thou canst not do much, yet these things thou mayest do; and therefore, 1. Pray for it: God delights to be called upon, for else his hand is not taken notice of; but then we see his hand, Pray for it. and acknowledge it, when we see him granting our desires. So that the strength of a land lies in Christians, and their strength lies in their prayers, as Sampsons' strength did in his hair. Oftentimes prayer is more available than fight: Moses prayer in the mountain, did more than joshuahs' fight in the valleys. If Noah, Daniel, and job stood before me (saith God, Ezek. 14. 20.) they should not prevail: which showeth, that if any thing could have prevailed, their prayer would: So also Luther attributes all to prayer, as may be seen in diverse of his Treatises. Now this prayer which I urge unto you, must 1. Not only be small expressions of the mind, Our Prayers must be fervent. but now God looks for strong cries, and long continuance in prayer. Moses prayed all day: Christ, which had less need than we have, prayed all night; Daniel three weeks: therefore we that have more wants and needs, aught to be the more fervent. 2. Our prayers must be Spiritual, Spiritual. not out of self-love; as to desire the safety of the Church, that so under it we may lead a safe and quiet life; but out of mere respect to God, and love to his Church. 3. It must be a prayer of faith; Of Faith. so the Apostle saith, jam. 5. 15, 16. The prayer of faith shall save the sick, etc. And a little after, The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much: Now there is no man righteous without faith: so according to their faith Christ still yielded to them. 4. Pray with constancy and fervency: With Constancy. it is not for a snatch and away, that is pleasing to God; but a constant performance of duty which he accepteth. 5. It must be the prayer of a righteous man: Of righteousness. Therefore, Micah 2. the Prophets sought unto God in the time of trouble, but prevailed not, because they were not righteous: for it is said there, vers. 7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? 6. It must be with humility; With humility. and that consists First, in confessing how unworthy we are to obtain any thing at the hands of God. Secondly, how unable to help ourselves, and therefore to have our eyes only towards God. Another way to do good to God's Church, Be more ●ealous. is, to be more zealous; seek unto God extraordinarily: The cause of the destruction of a Land, is chiefly the sins of the godly. When they grow cold and dead, and lose their first love, than God, as Rev. 2. will remove the Candlestick from among them, and take away his Gospel. Indeed the carnalness of dead men, their profaneness in contemning of God's Saints and his Gospel, etc. hasten Gods Judgements on a Land, but chiefly the lukewarmness of Professors do it: when Israel, as Hosea saith, is as a cake half baked. Let us therefore rectify our lives, renew our repentance, quicken our zeal, else shall we be guilty of the destruction of God's Church by our sins. 3 A third means to do good to God's Church, Stir up others is, to stir up others to take to heart the miseries of the Church, to pray, to renew their repentance. It would be good if Ministers would be as Beacons to give warning to others, and to set them on fire. Thus the old Christians did, as it were, make an army (manu facta) against God, by joining together in prayer. This is a blessed action to stir up others: thus they did in the Prophet Malachies' time, Mal. 3.16. Then they that feared the Lord, spoke often one unto another, (see the issue of all,) and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his Name. So, Zach. 8. 21. there they did so; And the Inhabitants of the City shall go one to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts, I will go also. Let us therefore, as the Apostle exhorts, Heb. 10. 24. consider one another to provoke ourselves to this good work of fasting and prayer for the Church; let us mark who is a likely man to join with us, and not let him pass. 4 A fourth means to do good to the Church, is, Perform duties in due time. to do it in due time: Jerusalem had a time to seek God; if then she would have sought, she might have been saved: And Christ complains, Luk. 19 41, 42. saying, If thou hadst known, even thou in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. And so before Christ, the Prophets of old complained of the people; as jer. 8. 7. Yea, the Stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow observe the time of their coming, but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. The time to seek unto the Lord is now: Some Judgements are sudden, and have no forerunners, as the Gunpowder-treason, in such God looks not that we should meet him by repentance, because we know them not: Others use lingering, such as send fear and rumours before them, as are those mentioned by the Prophet, Ezek. 22. 30, 31. there God expects we should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before him, and so meet him with repentance to stop the judgement. 5 The fifth means to do good to the Church, With Continuance. is this, Let us do it with continuance: It may be while the news is fresh we will be fervent in prayer; but often the news altereth, and sometimes it happens to be good, and then we leave off: But this must not be; we must be constant in this duty, to the very uttermost end of all; there may be ebbs and flow, but it is the last issue which brings all: therefore let us continue in this duty of fasting and praying, that we may try that last issue of al. It is the common fashion to make the afflictions of the Church only a wonder of nine days. This was the Jews fault, jer. 34. 10, 11. When they heard of their enemies, for a while they would pray. But although the news be good, yet still continue as the importunate widow did to the Judge, and your importunity will move God. Set therefore to it, and continue in it; Pray for jerusalem, let those prosper that love her peace, Psalm. 122. 6. Mourn apart, every family apart: It is not enough to hear this, and to let the Minister's voice be to you as one that singeth with a pleasant voice: Thus were the Prophets to the Jews, Ezek. 33. 32. Who heard his words, but did not do them: and therefore God tells them that they shall be destroyed in the judgement. The devil will suffer you to purpose and purpose to do this duty, The Devil's cunning to defer men from doing good Duties. but keeps you from the execution of it, and present practice, which is that only which may do the deed. Consider it therefore, and defer not the present doing of this duty: what can you do better than to deliver God's Church, and you may do it, although you be poor and despised, yet being God's Saints, your prayers are in force with God; as in Eccles. 9 14, 15. the poor man delivered the city by his wisdom; he was poor and despised, yet it was he that delivered it. Others may seem to do much, and stand vaunting on the hatches, but it is the Saints that do it. If there be any consideration of Christ in you, if any love, any grace, any well-wishing to the Church, pray for it: this is that I fear, you will purpose to do it, but will defer it; but, beloved, the doing only God regards. We, when we read how much Alexander, Caesar, and the like, did, we admire them; why we may do more by our prayers, performed in a right manner: if you do it, either the Church shall be delivered, and you shall have comfort; or else you shall save your own souls. Without you thus pray, you are guilty of the Church's destruction: The horsemen, if they stand still, although they fight not against their own army, yet are guilty of their destruction, because they should have fought for them. The Praetor, if he let the enemies in the gate, he is the destroyer of the City, because he should have kept them out: so the Saints, which should stand in the breach, if they pray not, they destroy the land: So God says, Ezek. 22. 30, 31. And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none: therefore have I poured out again indignation upon them, I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God. Because he could not find a man to stand in the gap, therefore he poured forth his indignation on the land. Their not praying destroys the land: The Saints and holy Prophets are the Chariots and horsemen of Israel; if then they stand still, they do what in them lies to destroy the whole Nation: they are not only the Chariots, but the horsemen also; they are the whole defence of Israel; and therefore if at these times they be idle, they are guilty of the destruction of the whole Church. Hence Solomon said, An idle man is brother to him that is a great waster. As a Pilot, who for want of attention suffers a Ship to be overthrown, or split against the rocks, is guilty of the loss thereof: So the Prophet Samuel, notwithstanding the people had sinned a great sin in forsaking God to be their King, saith, 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: and therefore it is a great sin not to pray for God's Church. The Jews in the captivity were commanded to pray for the peace of Nabuchadnezzar, who was an heathen Prince; how much more than ought we to pray for Christian Princes? And surely, if God should take away from you this Prince, and give you such an one as Queen Mary, you would then know what it is to enjoy such a Prince, as now by God's mercy we do. Therefore stir up yourselves to the duty by fasting and praying, much may you do this way. Ester delivered all the Jews by this means: it was not ester's word that did it; for what made the King not to sleep that night? how came he to call for the book of the Chronicle? how light he on that place of Mordecay? They had first turned God by fasting and prayer, and then he thus prepared the King for Ester to speak. Thus then, and by these means we may relieve the Church in distress: And therefore if we be true living members, let us manifest our endeavour to relieve them by these means. And thus much for the signs of men which are stark dead. Now follow signs of distinction between such as seem to live, and such as live indeed: and these may be resembled to such spirits as assume bodies to themselves, and seem to inform them; and they are chiefly all Civil men. Now they are discerned by these and the like signs; The first sign is this; Signs of civil men that seem to have life, but have none indeed. As the Angels in their assumed bodies seemed to eat and drink, but manifested not any effect of it, for they did not grow by it: so these man, they seem to hear the Word, They do not Grow. but they make no progress in it: they may seem to feed on the Sacraments, but they grow by none of these means, they still go on in their old tract. They are not unlike some men which eat as much, or more than others, but are never the fatter, but as lean as ever they were: even so the Ministers of the Gospel now deliver the Spiritual food of the Word, in as great abundance as ever, yet where is the fruit? who grows any fatter, any better liking than before? We, (beloved) desire not to have again the fruit of our teaching in your understanding only (although that be good) but in your practice: Like shepherds which would not have their hay again of their sheep in hay, but in the milk and wool. And hence it is that the Apostle Peter exhorts them, 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes to desire the sincere milk of the Word: and why? that they may grow thereby. Though thou be'st never so weak at the first, yet if thou growest stronger, it is a sign of life; but if thou hast gotten no strength in grace, nor no victory over your lusts, notwithstanding all the means of grace you have had, yet whatsoever you seem, you are still but dead men. The second sign is; They are moved by an outward Principle. As the Angels, though they were moved, yet it was from no inward, but from an outward principle; so these Civil men, and all hypocrites may be moved, and do all that good men can do, but it is not from an inward principle, but from some outward and by-respect. They are like Clocks and Watches, which are moved by some spring, and therefore when the weights or spring is down, they move no longer: when that false end which made them take in hand the show of Religion is gone, than they will be no more Religious. Thus joash was Religious, but for some by-end; viz. while jehoiada lived; and therefore after his death, joash forsook God. Thus many will be good whilst they are in good families, under good Governors, but being removed from them, they turn with the swine to the tumbling in the mire. Some again, good exhortations and counsel will make them live well, and they will continue so, while they are in that good mood: Others will be good while a storm of sickness endures, but when the sunshine of prosperity shall begin to appear, they return to their old courses: they are like a Bulrush, which hangs down his head till the storm is over it, but as soon as the Sun shines it lifts it up again. Some may hold out longer than others, yet at the last all will give over, because they are not moved from some inward principle. The third is this; As the Angels assumed those bodies but for certain times, They do it but in some places and company. and places, and occasions, and afterwards laid them aside again; so will your hypocrites do in some places and companies at some times, they will take on them the bodies of living men, and so have a name to live, but indeed are dead: But come they in other places or companies, they will lay aside their bodies, and then will be as profane as any. I confess, a godly man may be the worse for being in an ill company; they may be miry and dirty, but yet they still remain sheep: as a pebble and a pearl foiled with the same mire can scarce be distinguished till they be washed; so the godly, do but wash them, and then you shall discern them to be pearls; but these Wolves, the wicked, which only takes sheep's clothing on them, coming amongst Wolves, cast off that clothing and become as much Wolves as any. The fourth sign is this: As Angels or devils which assume bodies, They speak from the teeth, not from the heart. cannot speak heartily as living men, but have an artificial framed voice, which is from the teeth outward, not heart; so where there is no true grace but seeming, it may be discerned from the speeches, not in the matter, but in the manner; an hypocrite may often babble more than the true Christian, as a blazing Star shines as bright, if not brighter than the true Star; but there is abroad difference betwixt them; the one speaks but from the head, and the other from the heart: for a true living man doth speak heartily and feelingly. That the manner of speaking doth much affect others, junius converted by a countryman's hearty speaking. it is plain: Hence is that that junius reports of himself, that he lighting into a Country man's house, which was wholly illiterate and unlearned, he confesseth that his hearty speaking of faith and repentance, etc. did so move him, that he thought that there was something more in it than mere knowledge, and so wrought on him, that by God's grace it converted him; so that the manner of speaking doth often affect where the matter doth not; which an hypocrite cannot have. And thus much for the signs of seeming living, but indeed dead men. Now having showed that all are dead, it follows that we should show the means of getting life, which are also comprehended in my text, Two means to get life. and they are these two: 1. To labour to see that ye are dead, (You that were dead in trespasses and sins, etc.) as all men are by nature. 2. To go to Christ for life, he it is only that can give it; so saith my Text (he hath quickened you:) It is the property of God alone to give life. Now we cannot go to him but by Christ, and we must go to Christ by faith, therefore is faith called a living faith, because it unites Christ and the soul together. Now the difficulty is in this, that men will not come to Christ and take him: some come not for him at all, others take him, but not in good earnest; as grafts put into a stock, but not so engrafted as to grow thereby: but when a man is once sound humbled, then will he come to Christ, and not before; for till then he doth not hunger and thirst after him: but the extreme hungry will be satisfied with nought but meat: as Samson said, Give me drink or else I die. Now life consists in the union betwixt Christ and thy soul: This union is by Luther compared to fire and iron united, which causes the iron to have all the properties of fire, as burn, scorch, etc. so an humble Saint, united to Christ, hath all his proprieties, though not in the same measure and degree. The Doctrine of Humiliation. Now these must be handled distinctly: and therefore the first means of life, is to see ourselves children of wrath, and that we are dead in trespasses and sins: The point that hence ariseth, is, That whosoever would be translated from death to life, must first apprehend himself to be a child of wrath: Doct. No translation to life, without apprehension of God's wrath due to sin. that is, he must see the face of God, as of an angry judge, so far forth as it may drive him to Christ. So that a man cannot be saved until he hath not only a touch or two, but a true sense of sin, a deep apprehension of his sins, of death, and of damnation; for only to such are all the promises made, Christ is only sent to bind up the broken hearted: Christ came to call all that were heavy laden, and those only, those he will ease: Peace must be preached to none but those that moume in Zion. Therefore the Apostle saith, Gal. 4. 21. Tell me, ye that are under the Law, do ye not desire to hear the Law? Yea, the Law is said to be a Schoolmaster to drive men to Christ: that is, first there must be the Law before Christ can be had; for else, although we should Preach the Gospel, it would be contemned: therefore Christ in his time gained only the poor; The poor receive the Gospel: that is, the poor in spirit. God will have his jewels of life and salvation to be esteemed, which we will never do until we see our misery, how that we are in the estate of death. As the deliverance out of Egypt would never have been so sweet, had they not been in extreme slavery and bondage first. God deals with us, as Princes do with their malefactors; first they bring their necks to the block, and then give them a pardon, for than they apprehending death, the pardon is the sweeter and more welcome and acceptable to them. Indeed if the question were made, what God could do in his absolute power; I know that God might convert us and not humble us if he would; he might say as he did in the Creation, Let it be, and it must be: he might come in a still voice only, without sending before a voice rending the rocks: he might use lightning and no thunder, but we speak of his ordinary course, wherein he will not; for none are saved but such as have not only a sight, but also a deep apprehension of their sins. For the better understanding of this point, Things considerable. we must consider these things: 1 That there are three things which keep a man from Christ. Three things keep a man from Christ: 1. Unbelief. First, Unbelief: when men will not believe that he which was borne of the Virgin Mary was Christ and God; therefore about the proving of this, the Apostles did spend most time, because than it was hard to believe. Secondly, Not caring for Christ: 2. Neglect of him. as those that came not to the King's feast, they believed that there was a King and a feast, but cared not for it, they regarded more their Oxen, etc. Thirdly, Not willingness to part with all for Christ; 3. Unwillingness to part with other things for him they will not take him upon all conditions: they see some need they have of Christ, but not much; and so they will forsake some things for him, but not all: they are loath to part with their master sin; like the young man in the Gospel, he had done a great deal, yet he would not part with his possessions. Three things to be set against these, to bring us to Christ. But to these three things must be opposed three other things to bring us to Christ: 1. Faith to believe he is God. 2. A sleight humiliation to bring us in love with Christ. 3. Sound humiliation, to be willing to part with all for his sake. The first is received amongst all Christians, although it is to be feared that many do believe it but confusedly. The second is a slighter manner of apprehending of Christ, and that a little sorrow will do, a little humiliation. But the third (which we must have before we can be saved) to be willing to forsake all, to leave every sin for Christ his sake: and that we will not do until we be thoroughly humbled, The necessity of a deep humiliation. & are fully broken hearted: therefore first a deep humiliation is necessary for salvation. Secondly, If we have not such an humiliation, then either: 1. We will not come to Christ. 2. Or we will not stay with him. 3. Or else we will not do or suffer any thing for him. And if we want any of these we cannot be saved. First, If we be not truly humbled, we can never come to Christ, Without sound humiliation we will not come to Christ. nor regard him: we may preach Christ long enough, and no body will regard him, except they be sound humbled for their sins: as in the Law no body did care for the City of refuge, but he that had slain a man; to him only whom the revenger of blood pursueth, is the City of refuge sweet: when the fiery Serpent had stung a man, than he looked to the Brazen-serpent, and nevertill then: so when we see our sins and misery thereby, then, I say, and never till then is Christ welcome. The prodigal Son never thought of returning home to his Father until he saw that he must else starve; when he saw he could no longer subsist, than he returned. So, when we are so humbled for our sins that we see we shall indeed be damned without Christ, then, and never until then we care for him. Secondly, We will not stay with him. Although we do come to Christ, yet without we be truly humbled we will never stay with him, althougst we may rejoice in his light for a season. And for the better understanding of this, consider the four sorts of grounds which represented four sorts of hearers, Humiliation compared to the sout sorts of ground, Mat. 13. Matth. 13. The first were not humbled at all, (It fell by the ways side, and presently the Fowls of the air devoured it, vers 4) The second was humbled a little, but not so much as to suffer for him, (The Sun parched them for lack of rooting, verse. 6.) The third sort were so far humbled for sin, that they suffered some persecutions, but would not part with all for Christ, the world they esteemed more; The thorns choked them, vers. 7.) But the fourth ground was fully humbled; that is, they were so humbled in a sight of their sin, that they saw that they had more need of Christ, than of any thing in the world, and so would part with all for him, and suffer any thing; and therefore they are said to bring forth fruit with patience. Others may stay a while with Christ, but when that comes that they prefer before Christ, than they leave Christ; for until a man can bring his heart to that pass, that he can prise Christ above all things, undergo all persecutions for his sake, he is not sound humbled, but is like the second and third ground. 3. If we stay thus with Christ, We will not suffer or do any thing for him. yet except we be thus humbled, we shall neither suffer nor do any thing for Christ. If Christ had bidden Paul, (before he was humbled) to have done so much for him as he did, he would never have done it; but when he was humbled, then, Lord, what wouldst thou have me do? And the reason of this is apparent, if we consider these things: First, Reas. 1. There are many lusts that do encumber us whilst our hearts are unbroken; so that there is such a baseness on the outside of Religion, that except we be humbled we will never like it, but shall be offended at it; and like proud servants, say our wages are too little, our fellow-servants too base: but on the contrary, he that hath once been sound humbled, thinks all too good for him. Secondly, Reas. 2. There be such strong lusts to be mortified, which cannot be done without humiliation, that we care not for Christ: our lusts indeed may for a while sleep, but when once they are awaked, like Samson, they crack a two all the bonds of good purposes and vows; they are never slain until we be sound humbled. Thirdly, Reas. 3. there are such contrary laws to be delighted in, that we can never frame our nature unto, until we hunger and thirst after Christ, and ●●en his laws will be meat and drink unto us: for before we delighted in the Law of the flesh, but now if we be truly humbled, we must delight in the law of the Spirit. Fourthly, Reas. 4. There are so many strong lusts to be parted from, so many isaack's, which every man at some time or other will be called upon to offer up, the which if he doth not do, he will damn his own soul; yet until he is humbled, and shown what damnation is, he will not buy salvation so dear. For these causes is Humiliation necessary in the first place: Therefore in the Scripture this method is always used, The Doctrine of Humiliation must go before Sanctification. by the Prophets, Apostles, and Christ himself, they preached ever repentance and humiliation before sanctification and justification: This was Christ order, as you may see, Luke 4. Thus did Nathan with David, he laboured to humble him, before he told him God had forgiven him. Thus did jonas; Yet forty days and Nineveh shallbe destroyed, jon. 3. Thus also God dealt with Adam in Paradise, he intended to reveal unto him the promises of the Gospel, and yet at the first he strikes him down with terror that made him hide himself, than he told him of his sins, and after all reveals the Gospel unto him, (The seed of the woman shall break the Serpent's head, Gen. 3.) Thus dealt Peter with his auditors, Acts 2. 38, 39 Repent and be baptised every one of you, etc. Thus you see that Humiliation is so necessary, that without it there is no salvation: Let us come in the next place to make some Use of it. Therefore (my brethren) seeing this is so, Use. content not yourselves with morality and civility, except you have more in you than nature can give you; nay, except you be all new, not patched up; as 2 Cor. 5. Except you be wholly changed and cast into a new mould, being first broken by humiliation, you cannot be saved. Try therefore whether now you do that that others will not do; wherein else doth the power of Religion consist? Try whether you have denied yourselves, and throughly mortified your dearest lust, and what soever the fl●sh desireth? and whether you be sick of sin? regard not what the world prizeth, labour you to h●ve your hearts broken, else you may pray, be charitable and loving to oth●rs, and with Herod, make a conscience of many things, yet all will stand you in no stead, because it cometh not from an humble heart: for be it never so holy a duty, never so constantly performed, except it comes from a broken heart, God accepts it not: So the Prophet David saith, Psal. 51. 16, 17. God careth not for Sacrifices, (and yet they were his ordinances as well as our prayers,) only a broken heart was pleasing ●nto him; and therefore whatsoever you have done from a broken heart, is accepted of God. But here Satan deceives men, with gilded things, namely, formal performance of holy 〈◊〉 which when they need them (as in the day of 〈◊〉 or trouble) stand them in no stead. As often he coozeneth Witches, in giving them money to do some murders, they laying up the money, and when they have need of it, going to fetch it, have found nothing but dry leaves; Even thus will all the holy duties we have performed from an unbroken heart fail us. They are like Glow-worms, they glister greatly in the dark, Simile. but when once the Sun comes, their light is nothing. So Paul, before he was humbled, he accounted himself a godly man, and none better than he; but afterward, he was not worthy (as he said) to be counted an Apostle. Therefore deceive not yourselves any longer, for nothing is more dangerous than an unsound heart, therefore take heed it deceive you not: if you never have been humbled, now labour to be humbled; for it was that that made the Publican to be justified rather than the Pharisie, because he was humbled and the Pharisie was not: and indeed none are further from salvation than those that content themselves with outward formalities. Now in Humiliation, for our fuller understanding of it, Three questions. I will explain these three questions: 1 Wherein Humiliation doth consist. 2 What kind of sorrow is required in this Humiliation. 3 How we shall know whether our sorrows are true or not. The first question is, Quest. 1. Wherein consists this true Humiliation? I answer, Answ. In three things: 1. In seeing your life to abound with acutall sins, True humiliation consists then in looking into your heart and nature, which is wholly corrupted, In seeing our lives abound in sin. and the root of all evil, and where your corruption is strongest, as fire in the root. Many labour to excuse their sins from their nature, because that that is prone unto it; but that makes their cause the worse, it increaseth their vildness; for, why hast thou such a nature, and dost not curb it? Besides, their natures are odious to God, though they never should break out; as a Serpent is odious unto us, though he never hurt us. Further, consider, hast thou not made thy nature worse? Every sin thou hast committed makes it worse; for actual sin doth more increase the custom and habit of sin; so that besides Adam's sin, thou thyself art guilty of corrupting thine own nature. 2. In considering that there is nothing in thee that is good at all; In considering that there is nothing good in thee. so the Apostle saith, Rom. 7. 18. For I know that in me dwelleth no good thing: and, Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath concluded all (not only men, but things) under sin. Men think well of themselves, because they have much good in them; but consider with thyself thou hast nothing good in thee at all: Can good fruit proceed from an ill tree? 3. In smiting thy heart with an apprehension of death, In smiting th● heart with a● apprehension of God's curs● hell, and misery, due to thy sin; then wilt thou find thyself in a miserable estate, and canst not choose but be humbled, when in consideration of these things, thy heart smites thee, as Belchazzars' did him. And so much for the first question. The second question is, Quest. 2. What kind of sorrow is required in this Humiliation? I answer; Answ. Not those violent flashings of sorrow, which for a while amaze like a land-stood, What sorrow is required to true humiliation. but it must be this: When thy judgement is enlightened to see thy estate, and the judgements of God hanging over thee; and after this convincing, then thy affections are stirred to mourn for thy sin. If the judgement be fully convinced, the affections will follow: therefore in Scripture, when any is said to be humbled, in those places is showed that their affections were stirred; as we may see, Acts 16. in the Jailor: and of Peter, it is said of his conversion, He went out and wept bitterly: So also of those, Acts 2. it is said, They were pricked in their hearts: for the ground of their sorrow is the convincing of the judgement, which works upon the affections; therefore Christ saith, The Spirit shall come to convince the world of sin, etc. joh. 16. 8. The other sorrow not arising from this convincing of the judgement, is but a passion, and so is straight gone; this is an affection, and so is more permanent although it is stiller, as the deepest water; are ever stillest. And so much for the second question. The third question is, Quest. 3. How shall he know whether these sorrows of his be true or no? To this I answer, Answ. There is an Humiliation not deep enough, How to know true sorrow. a sleight Humiliation; and there is another too deep, which so drowns us in sorrow that it takes away all hope of salvation, and brings despair, such was the sorrow of judas and Achitophel: but the third and true, is an indifferent between both: sometimes there may be an humiliation and no grace, as there may be a ploughing and no sowing. How true Humiliation differs from other sorrow. But true humiliation differs from other sorrows thus: First, In the rice of it: both a godly man and an hypocrite may; In the rise. first, be wounded with God's wrath: secondly, desire freedom from hell; but into the godly God doth instill gracious seeds, whereby he is humbled for sin as well as hell, and desires grace as well as mercy: But the hypocrite only desires mercy and freedom from these torments, and therefore when the terror ceaseth his holiness and desire of goodness ceaseth, and so being eased from the torments, he cares for no more; but the godly he desires to be joined to Christ, and to have his lusts mortified. Secondly, in the continuance of it: hypocritical humiliation may be longer or shorter, In the continuance. but it is never constant, Bousion Cons. 299. it doth vanish; but true humiliation doth last all the life long. Simile. The humiliation of hypocrites is like iron, which while it is hot in the fire you may fashion it which way you will, but when it is once out, it is presently stiff again: So Pharaoh as long as God's hand was on him, he would let the people go, but as soon as the fire of affliction was removed, his heart was hardened, so was Ahab and Saul. But in true humiliation God takes away the iron heart, & gives an heart of flesh, so that although it may be brawny a little, yet still it is flesh: Hypocrites so long only as they are under the judgement are soft, but the heart of the godly is always soft. Thirdly, By the signs and effects. by the signs of brokenness of heart: Contrition of heart. Now brokenness of heart 1. Heals our sins. First, the beloved, the master sin, 1. Heals our Sins. and then all the rest: other humiliation skin over, but cures not; it stops the stream for a while, but it breaks out again: it may cause you to make many purposes to leave the sin; yea, and to leave it awhile, but you will return to them again; whereas if one be truly humbled he is stronger against that beloved sin than against any other; not but that he hath strong inclinations to that sin, but he is more shy of it, and shuns the occasions of that sin, because he hath fully felt the smart of it, and hath by his humiliation seen that sin more than any other. Now after the beloved sin is once healed, than the other sins will soon be healed; Simile. as in a cloth by washing out a deeper stain, the same labour doth wash out lesser stains. 2. It causeth love of Christ: 2. It causeth love to Christ: So Mary Magdalen, because she was humbled much, and saw that Christ had forgiven her much, therefore she loved much. So Paul, who was much humbled, ever expressed a servant love to Christ, as we may see, Acts 21. 13. where he saith, having been persuaded by his friends not to go to Jerusalem, I am ready not to be bound, but also to dye for the name of the Lord jesus: as who should say, I fear nothing, because I care for nothing but Christ, So also, 2 Cor. 5. 14. he saith, The love of Christ constraineth me: and therefore when by humiliation we see what Christ hath done for us, we think we can never do enough for him. Now you may know if you love Christ or not, Signs to know whether we love Christ or no. by these signs: The first sign to know the love of Christ, 1. Obedience. is obedience; He that loveth Christ, keepeth his Commandments, and they are not grievous unto him. The second sign is this; 2. Affection towards him. If you love him, you shall find in your heart that you love him, your heart will be carried towards him; as I can tell if I love a man, for then my heart is carried towards him. The third sign to know the love of Christ, 3. The light prising of spiritual things. is this; It causeth me to esteem of spiritual things, to prise them at an high rate, and other things little worth: for when a man is sound humbled, ask him then what he desires most, he will answer Christ and Grace, and that his corruptions may cease in him; as for outward things, he passeth not for them: as a man that sees he must dye, he cares for no outward wealth, take you that, give him only the pardon of his sins. The fourth sign of the love of Christ, is this; It maketh him content with the meanest condition. 4. Contentedness with the meanest condition. The prodigal Son, when he was humbled, so he might be in his father's house he was content; he liked the meanest condition, even to be a servant; I am unworthy to be thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants, Luk. 15. 21. So Paul, after he was humbled, thought himself unworthy for the Saints company, and that not for a fit only, but even ever after he still cries out, I am unworthy to be an Apostle. Thus Naomi, returning home to her Country, said, she went out full, and yet had nothing but herself, sons, and husband; she accounted any thing too much for her. If a man once come to be verily persuaded that he is worthy to be destroyed, he can with patience bear any losses and crosses; for these are nothing to death, which he knows he hath deserved; therefore what impatience soever thou hast, so much art thou short of true humiliation. The fifth sign to know we love Christ, 5. Fear of offending God. is this; It makes us fearful of offending God: tenderness of conscience is ever according to the measure of true humiliation; for by how much the more we are humbled, by so much do we fear to offend God, and labour to walk obediently unto him. Esay 66. 2. the Lord saith, To him will I look that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word: If thou art of a contrite heart, thou wilt tremble at his words; that is, at his Commandments; such an one fears to break any Commandment, he is sensible of the least sin: Hence it is, that Prov. 28. 14. fear is opposed to hardness of heart; Happy is the man that feareth always, but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief: Now the opposite to hardness, is brokenness of heart, but fear is opposed to it because it is a sign of brokenness of heart. Now this fearfulness stands in two things: 1. In a facility to be convicted of any sin; for he that is not thus broken in heart, stands out with God, and will not yield unto him. 2. In a fear to offend God; for when he is once convinced, he labours to do according to his knowledge; and then is afraid to displease God, either▪ 1 In committing the least sin; as Moses would not leave the least hoof behind him; and as job feared lest his sons should have sinned in heart, job 1. 4. He was so truly humbled, that he would not sacrifice for own sins only, but even for his sons also, and that the least, the thoughts of their hearts. 2 In omitting the least good duty, or doing it formally; which thing the hypocrite cannot do, because he hath not this tenderness of conscience. The sixth sign of the love of Christ, 6. The finding of sweetness in the word of God. is this; It makes God's Word sweet unto us; as it was to David, Sweeter than the honey and the home-combe: Crumbs are sweet to an hungry man; so if a man hunger after the Gospel, it will be sweet unto him. Indeed if the Word be sweetened with humane Eloquence, it may be sweet to one that is carnal (for so it is pleasing to nature,) but if the purer it is, and the more it is separated from those gaudy flowers; if the more piercing it is, the sweeter it is to us, than it is a sign of a broken heart; for it is a reproach to those that have not a broken heart, and so it cannot be sweet: as we may see, Ier 6 10. where the Lord saith, Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the Word of the Lord is unto them a reproach, they have no delight mit. And again, the Prophet saith, jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: It is joy and rejoicing to those that have a broken heart, as the Prophet had: nay, the sharper it is, the more they delight in it. The seventh sign of our love to Christ, 7. Meekness of spirit. is this; It causeth meekness of spirit. The spirit that dwellethin us (before we are humbled) lusteth after envy, jam. 4. 5. now every natural man is so; but he that is of a broken heart envieth not, he spends his ●nger on himself, and looks to his own offences so much, that he regards not others. But some man will here be ready to object and say, Object. My nature is hasty, and I cannot suppress it. To this I answer, Answ. It is true, every one by nature is a Lion; Humiliation changeth our nature. but grace when that comes, it tur●s us into Lambs and meek Sheep. Luk. 3. 4. john cries in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, etc. but how? by Humility: Every high mountain and hill shall be digged down, and the crooked shall be made strait, and the rough ways shall be made smooth: Humility, which prepareth for Christ, diggeth down those high mountains, and maketh plain those rough ways. I deny not but that sometimes God's child may have a passion of anger; yet the peace of God rules in his heart, although that sometimes breaks out as a rebel, but it dwells not in him: Christ is meek, and so are all his. And so much for the third question. Now to proceed further in the explication of Humiliation, and come to the fourth question, which is this, Whether this Humiliation must be in all men, Quest. 4. as well in those which are well educated, and have fallen into no gross sins, as in others? I answer, Answ. yes; it must be in all, even this great Humiliation here spoken of, else let them go never so far, they will in the end fall away: and that is the very reason why so many Professors, that have given up their names to follow Christ, fall away, because they were never humbled sound for sin. Yet there is this difference betwixt the humiliation of one brought up well, The different of humiliation in one well educated and a gross sinner. and a gross sinner: 1. The filth of sin is not so suddenly revealed to those that have been well brought up, and have some knowledge, and therefore they are not so suddenly smitten, as to those that lived in ignorance all their life long: those that have a light on the sudden, it presently amazeth them; even so God strikes down suddenly the gross sinner, and amazes him with a more violent sorrow and humiliation, than he doth the other. 2. The Joy is not so sudden, nor flashing, nor sensible in him that hath more knowledge; the medicine is known to him as soon as the wound: he knows Christ a Saviour offered up for all that are wounded for sin, and so as soon as he feels the wound he applies the medicine; so is not his trouble so irksome, neither being delivered hath he such sensible joy: For instance, Suppose a man be in the way wounded among thiefs, and almost killed, so that he saw no means of life; if one, a friend of his, on the sudden should step forth and help him, he would be more sensible of it, than such an one as knowing before he shall be robbed, getteth company to go with him, and so escapes the danger. And so much for the fourth question. The fifth question is this; Quest. 5. What is the least degree of Humiliation that must be in one that will be saved? I answer, it is so much as will bring us home to Christ; Answ. that is, so much as will make us apprehend sin to be the greatest evil in the world, The least degree of humiliation will make us count sin the greatest evil, Christ the greatest good and Christ to be the greatest good; so much as will enable us to make sin our chiefest sorrow, and Christ our chiefest joy: when we do so, than whatsoever is offered we neglect for Christ, and prefer him. Thence is it that the Churches are said to rejoice in Christ with joy unspeakable and glorious, 1 Pet. 1. 8. For when we apprehend sin to be the greatest evil, and by Christ to beefreed from it, A man's conversion consists in three things. we must needs rejoice unspeakably. For we are to know that our conversion consists in threethings: 1. In being sound humbled, so that we see sin to be the greatest evil in the world. 2. In steadfastly laying hold of Christ, and believing in him, so that we will not part with him for any thing in the world. 3. In a newness of life, walking in obedience to all his Commandments: and therefore Christ saith, john 16. He will send the Comforter to convince the world of sin, and righteousness: first, to humble for sin: and in this also there are degrees; for here one may be humbled more than another, and so thirst after Christ more; but the more we are humbled, the better we are humbled; it is a sign God hath a greater work to do by us, when we are thus humbled: It is a great fault in us that we are prone to think that we are humbled enough, and that our humiliation at our first conversion was enough; no (beloved) our humiliation must not be like a land-flood, that runs but for a little time, but like a spring running continually; for all degrees in grace, depending on God, mortification of our lusts, etc. depends on the degrees of our humiliation; and he that is the most humbled, would be much more if he saw himself to be the better. And so much for the fifth question. The sixth question is this, Quest. 6. How shall we come to be thus humbled? I answer, Answ. By the Law; for though the whole act of our humiliation is wrought by the Law and the Gospel, The Law the only means of humiliation Rom. 6. yet that humiliation which I now urge, is that legal humiliation which is wrought by the Law: by the Law, I mean not only the ten Commandments, but the rectitude of our persons to the whole Scripture, which is the exposition of them: First, consider therefore how much perfection God's word requireth, than how short you come of that perfection; this is one means. I but some man will be ready to say, Object. I have done what I could, and yet I am not humbled. To this I answer, Answ. it is not the Law alone that must humble us, but it must be joined with the spirit of bondage; for as to make the Gospel effectual there is required the spirit of consolation, and a faith to believe it; so to make the Law effectual there is required the spirit of bondage, and faith proportionable. The spirit of bondage, what and why required to humiliation. The spirit of bondage is that which enlighteneth us to see the bondage wherein we are by reason of our sins, and then is required a faith to believe the threats against those sins; for faith is required to believe God's threats as well as his promises; faith in the general being nothing but a lifting us up to see what nature cannot: for when the unclean person is threatened he is not moved because he believes not. But here some man will be ready to object and say, Object. Afflictions often humbleus, therefore it is not the Law that doth it. To this I answer, Answ. Afflictions, as the plough, make way, How afflictions and the Law concur to humiliation but it is the seed of the Law sown in our hearts that must humble us: indeed those notions, which they had before, are in afflictions made to seem otherwise then before: but we must take heed that afflictions cause not worldly sorrow, for that is the applying of the corrosive to a whole place. Now you must know that there is an extraordinary humiliation which God at some times works in some men; we urge not to that, (God works that in whom he pleaseth, and intendeth to make extraordinary,) we urge to the ordinary humiliation. Now the means to attain that, are these five: The first means to aftaine humiliation, Five means to humiliation. is, To enter into a serious consideration of our estate, as the prodigal Son did; 1. Means, to consider our estates. he is said, Luk. 15. to come to himself, and consider that his father had enough, and he starved. So every one of us should do: consider First, the greatness of thy sins in particular, and make Catalogues of them. And then secondly, let our actual sins lead us to our corrupt heart, which is the root of all. So God dealt with the children of Israel, Deut. 8. 2. where it is said, God led them forty years in the wilderness, to humble them, and to prove them, and to know what was in their hearts, etc. He himself knew it well enough, but by their sins he would make it known to themselves and others. So also God dealt with Hezekias, 2 Chron. 32. 31. Where it is said, God left him, to try him, and to know all that was in his heart. Hezekiah had a proud heart, and God left him to himself, not that God might know what was in his heart, but that he himself might know. So God tells the Israelites, Ezek. 36. 31. Ye shall remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquity, etc. Thirdly, Having thus considered your sins, consider God's wrath, and the certainty of it; the wrath of a King is the messenger of death, what then is the wrath of almighty God? even as the power of God is more than the power of man, so is his wrath also: as long as he lives, so long will he punish thee in hell. The consideration of this made Moses break out, Psal. 90. and say, Who knows the power of his wrath? Paul is in great heaviness for the jews, Rom. 9 And as God showed his almighty power in making of man, so will he in destroying and punishing. And this wrath of his shall fall upon the most sensible part of man, viz. the soul, which as it is capable of the greatest measure of joy, so is it capable of the greatest measure of grief. What is God but infinite? what is his wrath but infinite? under it thou shalt most wish for death, which now thou most fearest. The second means to obtain Humiliation, 1. Means, to suffer sorrow to abide on us is, to stay a great while on this consideration, to suffer sorrow to abide on our hearts; for it is the oft and serious consideration that effects this: and therefore we may learn something from Satan, when he would drive a man to despair, he oft puts thoughts of God's wrath due unto our sins into our minds, he holds the object close unto our minds, and so letteth us think of nothing else. It is the frequent and seirous consideration of these things that humbleth us: This was that that humbled David, Psal. 51. My sin was always before me: so jam. 4. 8. cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double minded: How is that done? vers. 9 be afflicted and mourn: all waveringnesse and instability comes from the corruption of the heart, and therefore cleanse that; and the way to cleanse that is to be humbled; and the way to be humbled is to sequester yourself from all carnal mirth (though else lawful) and stay on these considerations. The third means is this; If you cannot see sin in itself, 3. Means see sin in 〈◊〉 effects. labour to see it in his effects. All miseries which you feel in yourself, or know in others, are the fruits of it; and this will make you say, it is a bitter thing to sin; so Peter in his second Epistle and second chapter, by this effect aggravates sin, where he shows it was for sin that the Angels were thrown down into hell, that the old world was drowned, that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. The fourth means to attain humiliation is, 4. Means, to make these evilspresent by faith. to make these evils present before you by faith: as in an optic glass, those things that are a far off will seem near to those that look in it; so these by faith should seem at the very door: it may be the not considering them as present makes them not affect you; for what is a far off, although it be in itself fearful, yet is not feared, as death, etc. therefore set hell before your eyes, and see it as present before you. Make present unto you these two things: Two things ought to be present before us. 1 All sins past: a thing that is passed us will seem small unto us, though it be as great as ever it was before, and so do our sins to us: we usually do as men that leave something behind them, when they are far gone they think it is but a little, and therefore they will not return for it; so we being far off from our sins, they seem little unto us, but we must remember the day of our iniquity. Let us therefore make them our sins present, God he esteems them as great as ever they were, let us do so therefore, let them seem abominable to us: thus did job possess the sins of his youth. 2. Things future: as God's judgements, which are near at hand, and lie at the door, as God says to Cain, although they seem to us a far off: But this is Satan's cunning to deceive us; he is as a Painter, who by the collusion of colours makes things seem far off which are nigh; so he makes God's wrath which lies at our door, seem a far off, when as it may be it will light on us the next day. The fifth means to attain Humiliation, 5. Means. To take heed of shifts; is, To take heed of all such false shifts whereby you may seem to keep off the blow of God's law from lighting on you: we are never moved with these considerations until all shifts are removed; so that we see nothing but death, and then we tremble. The shifts by which men think to keep off the blow of God's judgements, Eight shifts, whereby men think to keep off judgements and so withhold themselves from being humbled, are these eight: 1 Civility; 1. Civility. this Glow-worm of civility so glittereth in the dark, that we think it to be a true spark of grace, but where the spirit shines we shall find it false: and as the Devil deludeth Witches, in giving them leaves instead of silver and gold, so doth he deal with thee here; for except there be a supernatural frame of thy hear●, there is not cause of comfort notwithstanding all thy civility: and therefore thou must be sure to have something in thee more than nature, for civility will not bring to heaven. 2 Formal performance of holy duties; 2. Formal performance of holy duties. as praying, reading, etc. that puffs men up, and keeps them from humiliation. If you either omitted them altogether, than your conscience would check you; or performed them well, than your heart would be bettered, and you would be humbled: but this formal doing of them keeps the heart dead and senseless. Remember therefore that no sacrifice is acceptable to God, but that that comes from a Broken heart, Psal. 51. 3 The badness of your nature; 3. Badness of nature. you would do better, but your nature is so bad that you cannot. But remember, Two cautions first, That that aggravates your sin, and God likes you the worse for that, and will the hardlier pardon you; even as we ourselves are readiest to pardon an offence in a good nature. Secondly, yourself is the cause of the badness of your nature: God gave you in Adam a good nature, but you have lost it, and since by many sins have made it worse by far. 4 Gods mercy: 4. God's mercy he is merciful, therefore you will not fear: but what if he be merciful, he calls not thee, thou art not burdened with thy sins, he calls only such, Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, and I will ease you. What hast thou to do with mercy, which seest not thy misery? thou hast no part in it, as jehu said to jezabel. 5 The making conscience of many things; 5. The making conscience of many things. so Herod did many things after john's preaching; so the Gentiles did by nature the things contained in the Law, yet were without God, Rome 2. but there is no example like unto that of Amazia, 2 Chron. 25. 2. he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord for a long time, but not with a perfect heart. One may make conscience of praying in private, and of doing many good duties, and yet have no true grace, but do all out of a natural conscience for fear of punishment. 6. Because Judgements come not swiftly, 6. The delay of executing of judgement and are not speedily executed, Ministers threaten but they feel nothing: But we must know, that the less afflictions we have had, the more are behind; and I know not a more miserable condition than this is; it is a most dangerous sign thou art ordained to death, when thou art thus let alone unpunished: As we use to say, when men are frequently sick there is no danger of death, Simile. but when they never have been sick, and at length fall into it, it is very dangerous; so it is to be feared, that when once God begins with thee, he will make an end, as he threatened to Hophnie and Phincas; he will so strike, that he will not strike twice: so that nothing can be worse, than for a sinner to go on without trouble. 7. Men judge their estates and sins in a false balance of opinion: 7. A false opinion of their estates, none (say they) think ill of them, but a few that are more precise than wise. But consider: 1 That Ministers are only the men by whom ye believe, Three cautions. not whom ye should believe: take our words but so far forth as they are proved unto you by Scripture; and if they be true, then (although few be of that mind) yet you ought to believe them. 2 Consider whether that latitude of Religion which thou stickest unto, and hopest to be saved by, will serve thee on thy deathbed, and at the day of Judgement. 3. Consider that it is the part of holy men, and of none else, to discern which are the ways of God: every one is to be believed in his own art, therefore believe them. Men think that it concerns only some to be holy, 8. An opinion that some should be holy and not all. as Ministers, etc. and not all. I will answer such with the saying of Wisdom, The way of godliness is too high for a fool: If thou wert wise, thou wouldst think it concerned thee also. Now I beseech you (brethren) humble yourselves, Use. and so much the rather, because now the time and necessity of the Church requires it, now while she is thus in her mourning gown seek not after your profits and pleasures, drink not Wine in bowls, use not now the liberties that otherwise lawfully you might. Remember that saying of Vriah, 2 Sam. 11. 11. The Ark, and Israel, and judah abide in tents, and my Lord joab, and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields, shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? etc. And do as Daniel did, chap. 9 Now practise all the parts of Humiliation, now God's Church needeth it; although you yourselves were free, yet humble yourselves for the sins of others; continually pray to God for them. Remember what God threateneth to those, Esa. 22. 12. that when he called to mourning, they followed their pleasure; he saith, He will not forget it to the death: so Esa. 66. 4. God is angry with all that neglect this duty, and will not be stirred up to perform it; but those that do call on him he will hear. The unrighteous judge, Luk. 18. was overcome by importunity, and then much more will God: if we humble ourselves, as Mordecay, Ester 4. 14. concluded excellently, Their deliverance shall arise from another place; so may we; then certainly the Church shall stand, and Antichrist shall fall, as a millstone into the sea, never to rise up again. I grant he may rage very far, he hath raged far already, and how far more he shall rage, God only knows; yet in the end, certain it is he shall fall, & the Church shall stand. Let us all therefore be humbled, you which have not yet begun this humiliation, now begin; and ye which have begun, be steadfast therein, knowing that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. Mercy to be found in Christ. The next thing to be showed after this doctrine that we are dead in sin, is the means of recovering our life, and that is by Christ, as it is in the Text (you hath he quickened that were dead, etc.) He, that is, Chest hath done it. Hence learn this doctrine of comfort, as a refreshing cordial next after the bitter potion of humiliation. That: Whosoever will come to Christ, Doctr. 3. may come and find mercy, Rev. 22. 17. Whosever will, 3 Things in the doctrine, let him taste of the waters of life freely. Here I will show: 1 What is meant by will (whosoever will) that is, 1 Taking of Christ. he that will receive Christ with all his conditions, to be his Lord and his Ruler, etc. Whosoever will thus take Christ he may: if we would take Christ before we were humbled we might, but till we be humbled we will not take him. It is Christ that gives life, but till we be hungry we will not take him and eat him: the Sun enlighteneth, Simile. but the window lets it in; Christ gives life, but our hungering after him makes us eat him, which we will not do until we be humbled. 2 May come to Christ] that is, 2 Laying hold of him. receive him, and believe in him; it is but laying hold of him when he sees he must perish, Simile. as a man that is falling into the sea, casts himself on a rock, and there will lie and rest; so we seeing we must perish without him; we clap hold on him, and will not leave him for any persecution or pleasure. 3 Whosoever will] It is generally propounded; 3 All may come and take him. for Christ is a common fountain, he that will, may come; As john 7. 3, 7. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink: he that believeth in me, as saith the Scripture, out of his belly shall flow living waters: and again, job. 3. 16. God gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. As the old Adam was a common root of sin and damnation; so is Christ the second Adam, of grace and salvation: as at the year of jubilee, when the trumpet sounded, whosoever would might go free, but if any would be sollavish as to serve, they might; so now to Christ, now he calleth, whosoever will, may go free and be delivered; but if there be any so flavish minded as to stay, they may. The grounds of this Doctrine why I thus generally deliver it, The grounds of the Doctrine generally. are these: 1 Because else there were no ground of our faith; 1 Otherwise no ground of our faith. faith must have a ground of Scripture, and the Scripture makes no particular promise to any man; it saith not, thou Thomas, or thou john, shalt be saved, but it faith, Whosoever will, let him come, and drink freely of the water of life: Then we say, but I will; therefore on this ground is the strength of faith, that whosoever will, may come. 2 Because faith is about things that are; 2. Faith is about things that are. faith presupposeth his object: God gives the general promise, Whosoever will believe, shall be saved: This is the object of faith, this premised the faith followeth; and is the the cause of all the consequences, as that Christ is mine, I am sanctified, justified, etc. these follow faith, but the object is before, viz. that whosoever will come to Christ, may: as, if I believe the world is created, than it must first be created; so if I believe, I shall be saved, if I go to Christ, than I must first have this, for to believe, that whosoever will come to Christ, may come. To exhort so many as are humbled for sin, Use. and see what need they have of Christ, to come to him to be quickened; the fountain is opened, so that, be thy sins never so many, or great however, committed of knowledge after many vows or covenants, yet if thou art so touched and humbled for thy sins, that thou truly thirstest after Christ, if thou wilt take him, thou mayst. To those only that are humbled is this wide door of comfort opened; art thou but humbled, let thy sin be never so great, suppose it be of murder, uncleanness, etc. let them be aggravated with all the circumstances, yet if thou canst be but humbled, and then lay hold on Christ thou mayest, Read 1 Cor. 6. 9 See what great sins those were, how can you name greater? Neither fornicator, nor idolater, nor adulter, nor effeminate, now abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thiefs, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, not extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God. And such were some of you: But ye are washed but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, etc. Nay, suppose you have not one jot of holiness, nor of godly sorrow, yet do but take Christ, and he is thine. To look for sorrow and holiness before thou takest Christ, is to look for life before the soul. Therefore do but take him and he is thine: for, 1 The promise is free without any condition; If godly sorrow and grace were required, it were not free; godly sorrow and grace follows faith, but are not required before it. 2 The promise is general, Mark. 16. 16. Go ye unto all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature: If therefore there be any poor soul touched with his sins, so as he will do or suffer any thing for Christ, to him I speak comfort, to him Christ doth belong, thou mayest have CHRIST if thou wilt. But some man will here be ready to object and say, Object. Then every one will take him. To this I answer, Answer. Every one would take him for a Saviour, Every one would take Christ as a Saviour, but not as a Lord. but there be conditions following after, though not going before faith: if you believe he is your Saviour, you must believe he is your Lord, you must serve him in all his commands, and leave all your sins, which none will do, until they see that without him they cannot but perish: and none but they will take him, whom, when they have taken him, he descendeth into them, and quickeneth them, and animates them, and makes them like himself. As fire doth iron, Simile. to have the same qualities which fire hath, although not the same degrees. Thus when a man, humbled for sin, longeth after Christ, and receives him, Christ enters into him, Christ gives whom he quickeneth a threefold life and gives him a threefold life: 1 The life of guiltlessness, by which we are free from the guilt of sin. 2 The life of grace. 3 The life of joy. Thus he quickeneth those which are dead in trespasses and sins. Hitherto of the first verse, we come now to the second. Continuance in SIN DANGEROUS. EPHES. 2. VERS. 2. Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now ruleth in the children of disobedience, etc. AFter the Apostle had proved these Ephesians, to whom he writes, to be dead in trespasses and sins; here in the next verse he proceeds to confirm his Dorctrine, by proving them to be dead men from the signs of death, which are three: That they walked: 1 According to the course of the world: 2 According to the Prince of the air: 3 In the lusts of the flesh. These are the guides by whom they were led, the world, the flesh and the devil: where such guides lead a man, he is like to run a good course. Now the point of Doctrine that ariseth from the first of these, is: That whosoever walketh in any course of sin, Doctr. 1. is a dead man, and the child of wrath: that is, if there be any ruling lust in a man, so that he follows it, and it commandeth him, that man is in the estate of condemnation. This is plain, The Doctrine proved Scripture. Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to those which are in Christ jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. If there be no condemnation to those which walk after the spirit; then certainly there is condemnation to those which walk after the flesh: So likewise, Rom. 6. 14. Sin hath no dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace; that is, if sin hath but dominion over you, than were you in the estate of death: if but any lust hath dominion over you, so that you must yield obedience to it, you are not in the estate of grace, but of damnation: and the reason hereof is vers. 18. because, you are the servants of sin, (for his servants you are whom you obey.) Suppose you have but any one predominant sin, it is enough to dam thee. There are some that can deny the sin of lusts, but for to leave their company, that they cannot do: Again, some can leave their company, but by no means will part with the sin of lust; some can part with both: but for their riches, they will not part with a penny; and so for other particulars, many will be content to part with some of their sins, but one is so sweet, that they will not part with it. But let all such know, that if they have but any one sin to rule and reign so in them, that they must needs obey it; if it be so sweet unto them, that they cannot leave it, they are in the estate of condemnation: yea, if they continue but in any one known sin, for there is but one way to heaven, but byways a thousand: now, if thou takest but one by-way, it will lead thee from heaven as well as if twenty; for the right way to hit the mark, is but one, but there are many byways wherein we may miss. I added, Whosoever walketh in any known sin. Indeed, a man may sometimes by chance slip out of the way into some sin; but I mean not such a man, but him that maketh some sin his continual walk. But every one will be ready to say; This is a hard saying, By reason. and who can endure it? I will therefore show you some reasons for it. The first reason is, Reason. 1. because, that whosoever walketh in any known sin, He that walketh in sin is overcome of sin. is overcome of sin, and whosoever is overcome of sin cannot be saved. Indeed, a godly man may oftentimes be foiled, but never is overcome, and at the last getteth the victory: But when a man assimulates himself to sin, and without any reluctation is overcome of it, striving no more against it, as fire when it is overcome by water, that man is certainly in the estate of condemnation. This is the meaning of the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 2. 9 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption, for of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought in bondage: If any sin overcome thee, thou art in the estate of damnation. It will not serve our turn, to use those weak excuses, which commonly is our plea; to say, we cannot leave them, because we are flesh and blood, and they are naturally in us. The second reason is, Reason. 2. because, whosoever walketh in any known sin, In him sin hath the chiefest command, and God no place. in him sin is predominant, and hath the chief command, and where that hath the chief command and rules, God hath no place; for the motion follows the predominant element; if godliness be predominant, that moves us and rules us; if sin be predominant in us, that rules us. As a man speaketh out of the abundance that is in his heart, so also he worketh out of the abundance that is in his heart. This is plain, for when Christ would show their hearts to be bad, he biddeth them consider their speech; and if he could gather the naughtiness of their hearts by their speech, then certainly much more by their actions and works. ay, Object. but some may say, I have a secret sin in my heart, yet it breaketh not forth; I keep it in, and will not suffer it to come out, and so long it is not predominant, neither doth it bear rule, neither doth he walk after it, but covers it. I answer, Answ. they have so, and though they do not walk after them, yet they are not the better for that, for God judgeth according to the inward heart, he judgeth according to the heaven we aim at in our own hearts, he fee the secret bent of the heart which way it is; it may seem contrary to the eyes of men, but he judgeth not according to the outward appearance, but he judgeth with righteous judgement. The third reason is, Reas. 3. because, that whosoever lieth in any known sin, He is an hypocrite. is an hypocrite, and no hypocrite can be saved, though he doth other things never so well; for such an one hangeth not like the sprig, but like a bough that is almost rend off the olive tree, which can never prosper. If he did but a little, and yet did it in sincerity, it would be accepted, whereas, while he doth much, God hath respect unto small things with sincerity, more than many great things with hypocrisy. yet in hypocrisy, God regardeth it not. This I find by comparing these two places together. 2 Cron. 25. 2. And 2 Cron. 15. 17. In the first place it is said, that Amazia did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart, and therefore God rejected him: the meaning is, that he was not throughout perfect, but had some secret sin in him, therefore God rejected him. Now, in the other place, It is said, The hears of Asa was perfect all his days; yet as we may read, he had many infirmities: as 1 He put not away the high places: 2 He relied upon the King of Egypt: 3 He trusted on the Physicians: 4 He put the Prophet into prison. Yet notwithstanding all these infirmities, it is said, his heart was perfect, because that these did not rule in him: For, where there is found humiliation wrought in any man, he, though these through infirmity may be in him, yet he walketh not after them; and then only humiliation is good, when a man is desirous to be rid of his sins; and this the hypocrite wanteth, because there is rottenness at the core, and his heart is not truly sound. The fourth reason is, Reason 4, because that he that walketh but in any one known sin, He is ready to run into other sins upon occasion. if he had but tentation unto other sins, he would run into them also. Thence is that of the Apostle james 2. 10, 11. Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all; his meaning is, that if such a man had but as strong tentations unto other sins, he would commit them also; for if a man doth any duty out of sincerity, he would do all, because that God commandeth all, as it followeth in the same place: For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill: Now, if thou commit not adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the whole Law. For, look what sin soever thou art tempted unto, the same thou wilt commit, and if a hundred tentations should as much beset thee, thou wouldst yield to them all as well as to one. For the better meaning of the point, Quest. here it may be demanded, what this walking is. What this walking is. To this I answer, Answ. It is a metaphor taken from the manner of men in their most usual and ordinary carriage of themselves; Right walking is known and therefore it needs some explanation, 1 By the choice of the way. because it is a figurative speech. Now it is discerned by these four things. First, See what way a man chooseth to walk in; If a man by accident happeneth to fall into some by-path, where lies not his journey, that way is not of his choosing, he is not said to walk in that way: Psal. 119. 30. There David saith, I have chosen the way of truth, thy judgements have I laid before me. His meaning is, when he did wholly consider what journey to take, than he fell into God's path, and went in his ways; this was his resolution. If then after consideration thou hast a full purpose and inward resolution to go in the paths of righteousness, thou walkest right. 2 See what way thou goest forward in, 2 By the progress therein. for that way thou walkest in; if a man choose a way, and go not on in that way, it is nothing: David, Psal. 119. 32. says, I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. But many are here deceived, they think they have chosen the ways of God, and yet go on in the ways of sin; if they would walk aright, they must hold on the paths of goodness. 3 See what companions and guides you choose for your journey; 3 By companions and guides. if thou profess thou hast chosen the ways of God, and yet dost delight in the same sinful pleasures thou didst desire, thou mayest say what thou wilt, but certain it is, that thou art the same man thou wert: for David's resolution, when he walked in this path, was quite contrary, he says, Away from me ye that work iniquity, for I will now keep the commandments of my God. And this is laid down in the Text: if therefore we follow the same guides, the world, the flesh and the devil, we still go wrong, and are not yet in the right way. 4 See what provision thou makest for the place before thou come thither; 4 By the provision we make. See whether thou seekest God or the devil. A man that is to travel into Italy, or any other country to traffic there, will be sure to provide afore hand for his journey; do thou likewise, see for what country thou bringest exchange for; if thou layst out all here for heaven, it is a sign thou art travelling thither; but if we will make shipwreck of a good conscience, and all our care is to gain here, it is a plain sign we walk not aright; and that we mind nothing less than heaven. Now, thus much for the meaning of walking. The uses follow: Use. 1. 1 This should be a trial for us to examine ourselves, For trial to see whether we walk in the right way or no. whether we be living men or no; for if we be living, than we walk, and if we walk, than we are to see whether we walk in the right way or not; for, this is the scope of the Aposte here. Now, this we may know by that place, Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit: his meaning is, by this ye shall know, whether ye are in Christ Jesus or not, if ye are in Christ, ye walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. This is a sure place of trial, and a true touchstone. And this trial is very necessary for us; because, that men live in the Church as corn lies in the barn, after it is thresht in the floor. It is called corn from the more worthy part, and that rightly; yet there is more chaff than corn in the heap, and therefore it is necessary that the fan should come and discern the chaff from the true corn: so in the Church, there is need of the fan also, to winnow the good corn from the chaff. Let men therefore by these two rules examine themselves: Two rules to try whether we walk aright. 1 See if it be a known sin. 2 See if you continue in any sin. 1 To see whether it be a known sin. 1 See if it be a known sin. A good man may continue in sin, and yet be perfect before God, if he know it not to be a sin; as the patriarchs lay in polygamy, yet it was not accounted of before God, because they knew it not to be a sin: There were many good Kings continued in it, but if they had known it to be a sin, they would have forsaken it, and therefore, for all that they are said to serve God: Simile. As for example, a good subject may be said to be obedient to his Prince, when it may be he doth not that which at that time is his Princes will; because, that if he knew what were his Princes will, he would do it: but if a man willingly commits treason, he cannot be said to be a faithful subject; so he that sins against knowledge, cannot be a good man. 2 See if thy sin be continued in. 2 To see if thy sin be continued in. It is the continuance in sin that makes thee the in estate of condemnation: if it be a known sin a man falls into, yet if he continue not therein, this is no argument against him, for the godliest man upon occasion may fall, but such a man is not himself. Hence is that saying, He was not himself when he did it: But as for those that make a common trade of sinning, they cannot say, but that they are themselves in the committing thereof. In the godly, as Paul said, Rom. 7. 17. Now, then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. It is not they, but sin that still remaineth in them: yet the sin, though it be in them after their regeneration, yet it hath no possession as it had before. Take heed therefore, that although thou hast the same occasions offered thee as before thou hadst, yet thou dost not continue in it, but totally abstain therefrom, for a wicked man may a great while, even, a whole year, abstain from some sin, and yet be said to lie in it, because, that if he had the same occasions offered as before he had, he would have committed the same sin as before he did. Let every man therefore look back unto his own heart, and consider with himself, whether he is not the same man he was; some had their delight in covetousness, some in pleasure, some in preferment, some in credit, examine now yourselves, and see whether thou dost not delight in the same things still; see if thou dost not continue still in them, and commit them usually, and so judge of it accordingly. But here men may make many evasions, and find many doubts, that it is no known sin, that they lie not in it, and the like. Therefore, to the end I may make it plain, I will reduce all to these five heads: The first question shall be this, Quest. when it is a known sin, I. When sin is a known sin. for the hypocrite will be ready to find an evasion about this; as for the breaking of the Sabbath, for covetousness and the like, they will say they are no sins, how shall they know they are sins? To this I answer, Answ. the sparks of conscience will glow in the midst of this darkness, Every man's conscience will tell him what is a known sin that will grudge at that sin, and then be sure it is a known sin, though it do but whisper against it. If therefore thy conscience tells thee, that such and such things are naught, and to be avoided, (although it may be for a time thou mayest keep down thy conscience, and sufferest it not to speak out for the noise thy lusts make) yet, when thou shalt come to lie upon thy deathbed, and at the last day, when thou shalt appear before God in judgement, then for certain shalt thou find these to be sins, and that to thy cost: Thou now wilt be ready to say some thing, and put away thy sin from thee, but that will not serve the turn; hearken therefore now to thy conscience, and see whether that doth not tell thee, such and such things are sinful. Here it may be demanded; Object. A godly man sometimes may have a scruple in conscience, whether he is to do such or such things; now therefore wherein lies the difference between the scruple of the godly, and ignorance of the wicked. To this I answer, Answ. Indeed there is a great difference between the scruple of the godly, and the ignorance that is in the wicked, 3 Differences between the accusing of a guilty conscience, and the scruples of the godly. and the murmuring and accusing of a guilty conscience. There are three signs whereby they may be discerned: 1 For the guilty conscience; when he lies in a known sin, Differ. 1. and his conscience tells him it is a sin, he makes no inquiry after it, The wicked after knowledge lie in it, but the godly forsake it. but he finds such a sweetness in it, that his heart is engaged to it, he cannot speak against it, nay, he resolves to sin, yea, and whensoever he is reproved for it, he is very angry. But on the contrary side, for him that hath a scruple in conscience might he but be informed of it that it were a sin, he would fain know it, and with all his heart leave it. Therefore he doth but inquire and labour by all means to know if it be a sin, and no sooner doth he know it to be a sin, but he forsaketh it. 2 Differ. 2. Thou mayest discern of it by the subject matter of their scruple: In the subject matter. if it be a hard knot and question, than it may be in a good man, and such an one should gather the soundest and best reasons, and see what side is most probable, and that he must follow. But on the contrary side, if it be an easy matter of morality, than thou art the more to be suspected, for the moral law is engrafted into our hearts. For an instance, if it be about the neglect of the Sabbath, or about company keeping, and the like, the conscience that is a virgin, and never will be corrupted, that will tell thee these things, and persuade thee of them: Indeed, sometimes thou mayest have a seared conscience, past feeling, and then, when once thy conscience hath done telling of thee, than thou art in a pitiful case. 3 Differ. 3. Thou mayest discern of them by the rest of their actions; In the rest of their actions. if they have a good conscience, they will be troubled about that, and the rest of their life will be good: but thou mayest quickly gather whether it be a raging sin or no, for than they will do all things on the other side, and one known sin draws on another, and the falseness of their hearts will be discerned in other things also; for one reigning sin is like to a disease that weakeneth all the faculties of the body: for even so that weakeneth all the faculties of the soul. And so much of the first question. The second question is this, Quest. he that is a carnal man may say, I do many good things as well as others, and although I do sometime sin, yet I allow not myself therein; and what can a godly man do or say more? To this I answer: Answ. Godly men and wicked may go far together, Wherein a godly man & a wicked may be said to agree & differ. but in themselves they differ much. Therefore first, I will show how far they may be said to agree and differ, and secondly, how they may be discerned. 1. 1 1 They agree in the way & differ in the end of their journey. In these things they agree and differ. First, both may agree in the way, and yet differ in the end, their journeys end may be 2. several places: for the end of all that a godly man doth, is the glory of God; but the good which a wicked man doth, is either out of some present fear, or hope, or flashes of conscience, or for some by-respects, so that in all he aims most at his own profit; it proceedeth not from the inward man, a new regenerated heart, as it doth in the godly: Simile. for example, suppose a man travelling, and by chance fall into London road, because it is coincident with his way, and not because his journey lies to London, but only for that is his readiest and perhaps cleanest way; now we cannot say, that man tends to London for all that, because here the denomination is taken from the utmost end of his journey. 2. 2 They both disagree and differ in the disapproving of evil. They both agree and differ for the disapproving of evil: I know that this may be in the wicked a disapproving of evil, as well as in the godly: wherefore we are to know that there is a twofold disapproving of evil. 1. That that ariseth from a principle nature, Disapproving of evil twofold. in conscience. 2. From a true principle of regeneration. If thy disallowing of sin doth but arise from a natural conscience, that is nothing. But if it be from a principle of regeneration, that is, from a new disposition that is wrought in us, if from it we disallow sin, our case is good. But now the signs whereby we shall discern between these two, Three s●gnes to distinguish between a natural dislike of evil and a regenerate. are three: The first sign is this; if thou dost disallow thyself in sin from a new principle of regeneration, thou wilt abstain from sin with delight, 1 A delightful abstaining from sin. and settle upon goodness, as a stone, or any other heavy thing rests in its centre, for working with a habit, is working with delight, when a man sets himself against sin with all might and main, than it is a true sign. But now for the natural conscience, let him be but out of his old company he is out of his element whatsoever good thing he doth, lie doth it not with the whole bent of his spirit, but it seems tedious unto him. The second sign whereby you may discern the natural conscience, 2 A change & rising of the heart both against old sins and the doers of them. is sin; if he loveth those that continue in such sins as he doth; if he be a drunkard, he doth delight in drunkards, if a gamester, he doth delight in gamesters: for he never comes to the contrary grace, but hath pleasure in them that commit the same sins But the regenerate man, he that hath a heart changed, his heart riseth against such men. Therefore, Rom. 1. 32. it is said, Who knowing the judgement of God (that they which commit such things, are worthy of death) not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. If this is reckoned as one of the sins of the Gentiles, not only to commit sins themselves, but also to take pleasure in those that commit the same sins. When therefore a man hates them that love goodness, and favoureth and delighteth in those that are evil, it's a great sign the heart is not changed; for the Scripture makes that a less sign of a dead man, to do evil, than to favour them that do it. On the contrary side, for a man to favour good men and goodness and hate sin, it is a great sign of a regenerated man; when, as the wise man saith, Prov. 29. 10. The unjust man is an abomination to the just. The third sign whereby you may discern it, 3 A change of the whole ma▪ is this, if thy disallowance of sinen arise from a true principle of regeneration, Simile. it will transform the whole man; as a sprig being once engrafted into the stock, will change the whole nature of the stock. For look what the will is set upon, that will change the whole man, and draw that after it; see therefore now what thy speeches and delights are, if thy disallowance of sin arise from a good principle, they are true. On the contrary side, the natural conscience that doth not transform the whole man, but only in some few things; though it disallow of sin, yet it will go on in sin; and such men hold, or as the word in the original is, (Rom. 1. 18.) They imprison the truth in unrighteousness. Their consciences beinlightned, they keep it, and imprison it in that faculty; The conscience that telleth us what to do, and yet there is no general amendment in us. And this is a great sign we are not inwardly changed. And so much for the second question. The third question is this; Quest. 3. godly men oftentimes relapse and go back again and again, and often fall into the same sin, and they know it to be a sin: how therefore shall I distinguish between this relapsing and lying in sin? To this I answer: Answ. You shall distinguish it by these 3. signs: The first sign is this, Distinction betwixt a godly man's relapsing and lying in sin. a godly man never relapses into purposes of sinning, he doth not before hand premeditate and think of the pleasantness and sweetness thereof: and after this manner is it said, 1 He hath no purpose to sin he that is borne of God cannot sin; for he is overcome of sin but upon some occasion. But the wicked man after he hath committed sin, doth purpose to do it again; so that he cannot be properly said to fall into sin again, because in purpose he never left it. The second sign is this; 2 He favoureth not his sin Look what sin a carnal man lieth in, that is his beloved sin, he favoureth it most, and would not be crossed in it, he cannot abide to be told and admonished of that sin. Now it is otherwise with the godly man, he favoureth not himself herein, but that sin which he is most ready to fall into, he is gladdest to hear that condemned, he is very willing to hear the Preacher speak against that. As for the wicked man he must not be touched, he is like a lame man which cannot endure to be stirred, so he cannot abide that his beloved sin should be spoken against. 3. There is a great difference in these two things. 3 He falls not into the same sin. 1. The godly man falls not into it so often as he did before. 2. He falls not into it after the same manner. 1. He falls not so often as he did before. 1 So often as before. He doth greatly resist it, the being and essence of sin is not still in him, though it may be in part; if the same occasions be set before him, yet he is not drawn away as he was before. As for the wicked man, he is the same he was, and upon every slight occasion he will be drawn away; he cannot abstain from sinning, because that sin is not weakened, but is full still in him. 2 For the manner: Although he doth sometimes slip, 2 After the same manner. yet it is with great grief and reluctation, he is more sorry for it always, and every time gets ground of it, and strength against it. But as for the wicked man it is nothing so, he doth it with as much joy as ever he did, he findeth as much sweetness in it as ever he did before. So then we see there is a plain difference between the relapses of the godly, and the wickeds lying in sin. And so much for the third question. The fourth question, Quest. 4. or rather an objection, is this: No body can do all things, the best of us are sinners, we are but flesh and blood, which is frail, the best have some imperfections; and therefore, who is it that sinneth not? To this I answer, Answ. It is true that all men are sinners, the godly offend as well as the wicked, yea, the godly offend often, and much; A double difference between the sins of the godly and the wicked. but yet there is a double difference between the offences of the godly and the wicked. 1 The hypocrite hath always some predominant and ruling sin in him, 1 In the wicked some sin is ever predominant. wherein he favoureth himself, so that all he doth must have respect to it, and where religion crosses that it must give place, and there must be a bawlking of good duties, if it be against it. But as for the godly, in them there is no predominant sin, it may be now one infirmity starts up, than another, but down they go again, none can get the victory over him. The hypocrite hath some domineering sin, in which he will be favoured, but as for the godly man, he desires none to spare him. 2 There is a great difference in the manner; 2 The wicked commit sin as a proper work. a wicked man doth it as his proper work, his delight and his glory, he acts himself in it. But the godly man, he acts not himself in committing such a sin, it is not he that sins, but something that is in him, and he is very sorry afterwards that he was so foolishly overtaken therewith. Simile. One man may wear a chain for an ornament, another for a fetter, and would with all his heart be rid of it: so it is with the godly man, his sin is a burden unto him, and he would be very glad to be rid of it, but to the wicked man it is no burden, but he rejoiceth in it, he accounteth it all his pleasure, he reckons it a loss to be hindered in his way, or to leave it. The godly man he esteemeth it as very hurtful, he knows it hinders him, so that he cannot do that he would. The godly man, he entertains sin as a thief, but the wicked man as a welcome guest. And so much for the fourth question. The fifth and last question is this, Quest. 5. How shall we distinguish between the purposes of the wicked and of the godly, because that oft times both seem to be good; and there be many men that have good purposes, and do but very little. To this I answer, Answ. The purposes of the wicked are weak and fruitless, but of the godly strong and effectual. the purposes of the hypocrite are weak, and bring nothing to pass, but as they rise, so they presently vanish again, But the godly man's, they are well rooted in the soul, and bring the thing to pass that they labour to effect. A good man will use all the means he can to abstain from sin, he will shun all the occasions: but the wicked man, he will not abstain from the occasions, he knows his nature will be ready to take hold of sin, and yet he will not avoid the occasions and allurements thereto; surely therefore this man hath no purpose to leave sin; for if his purpose be not put in practice, he had as good never purpose, for it hath no effect. The godly man, he will use all good means to further his intent, by fasting and prayer, and all other good duties. Again, a godly man, if he hath a lust in sin, he will resist it with all his might, and never give over, though he doth slip, yet he presently riseth again, and never ceaseth, and therefore it shall not be imputed to him; but if a man hath flitting purposes in his brain, that is nothing, though he falleth no into the same sin so often. Thus much for the first use of trial. The second use serveth for comfort. Use. 2. To comfort all those that do not continue sin. For if this be a sign of deadness, to walk in sin; Then is it a matter of comfort to all those, who, although they often times slip into sin, yet are sincere hearted, and do not continue in known sins. You had therefore no need to cry out against us, that our words are cruel words, for this is a doctrine full sweet; you must at the first give us leave to open the wound, though it be painful, yet after, you shall find the ease and sweetness. Simile. The bonesetter, that because he would not deal roughly, setteth not the bone aright, but puts in the sore joint only a little, and doth not set it throughly; it may be at first thou shalt be called a good bone setter, because the person ill affected, for the present, feels no pain, yet afterwards when the joint is not seated, will be railed against: or the Surgeon that will not search the wound, to the bottom, for paining the patient, at the first may be pleasing; but afterwards in the end he shall have little thank for his labour: in like manner should the doctrine be harsh at first, because it fearcheth the sore to the quick, yet the end of it is comfort. The end of Christ's speaking to the people in Saint john's Gospel, was at the last comfort and joy. Labour therefore all of you to make this use of this doctrine; you that have sincere hearts, take it home to yourselves, if you do walk in no known sins: but if ye have walked formerly in any known sins, now begin to rectify your lives, that so you may have cause to take this Doctrine unto your own souls. Break the bands of Satan, and forget all his fair allurements, you must part with all your sweetest sins for it, and give all you have to purchase this Jewel. Comfort you may have, and all our desire is, to make your hearts perfect, that so you may find comfort. 4 Comforts in a perfect heart. If your hearts be perfect, you shall find these four comforts: 1 You shall find more comfort in easiness and contentedness to forbear that lust we most delighted in, 1 Contentedness to forsake lust. than ever we did in yielding to it. 2 You shall find yourselves able to rest, 2 Ability ●● prayer. to pray, to hear, and to sanctify the Sabbath; make your hearts good, and you shall do these things with delight: for, Simile. as when a man's hand is out of joint he cannot work; so if the soul be out of frame it cannot pray, etc. 3 You shall find yourselves able to bear afflictions; 3 Ability to beat afflictions. before you can bear nothing, but every thing is as a burden unto you: A man having a shoulder that is out of joint, cannot bear any thing; so, if sin be mingled with affliction, it makes that bitter: but after you have purged yourselves from sin, you shall be able to bear them; but when there is no strength within, how shall we bear them? 4 When you hearts are perfect, 4 Sound pea●● and lasting. the wound will presently be healed and grow well. The peace of the wicked is but like a wound that is skinned over, at the last it will break out again, he may make a show for a while, but there is a secret disease in him; and the later end of that man will be worse than the beginning; their pain will be worse hereafter, the pain that he shall endure when death comes, when Gods insupportable wrath begins to charge his sin upon his conscience, that will be worse than all he endured before. And thus you see this Doctrine is most sweet to all those that have perfect hearts, but to the other, that remain still in their sins, most dangerous. A PROFITABLE SERMON PREACHED AT LINCOLNS-INN, ON GEN. XXII. XIV. As it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. THe occasion of these words, The occasion of the words▪ was that famous history of Abraham's offering his Son Isaac: now that so great a passage of God's providence, and so great a trial of Abraham's faith might not pass away, but be remembered, the Lord delivereth it in a proverb, As it is said unto this day; because we are apt to forget, and proverbs are short and pithy, and so the better remembered, and therefore the Lord setteth this mark upon it: Observ. whence by the way we observe, That special passages of God's providence should not be forgotten. And therefore it is the manner of the Lord in such passages of his providence, to make songs of them: and so hath it been likewise the practice of the Lords people to turn such things into songs, which they would not forget, as we see at the Red Sea, judg. 5. Deut. 31. 19 and in the time of Dehora; and so did Moses, when he would have some things to be remembered of the children of Israel, he left them a song: so did David likewise, who for the remembrance of the Lords goodness, made many Psalms of thanksgiving. Now a proverb is much of the same nature; but it is short, and makes a greater impression, and therefore this great matter here set forth by it, is the dispensation of the Lords providence. Wherein note we in the first place, That the Lord will be seen: Two things observable in the Text. why, what strange thing is that? the Lord is seen every where of us, and makes himself continually visible unto us. ay, but this is another kind of sight, which is not in a general manner to be beheld, but in his special providence to his servants in their afflictions. The second thing is, The time when he will be seen; that is, In the mount: that is, when things are brought to an extremity, when we think there is no more help nor hope, that is the time when the Lord will be seen. Now the scope of this place is, The scope of the place against discouragements. to help us against discouragements, when we see it go hard with the Church that there is no hope for them, for than we are not to distrust, Because in the mount will the Lord be seen, in distress will the Lord show himself; and therefore you are to take heed of discouragements that you leave not your hope, for than you take away endeavour, and so God's causes fall to the ground, and thereby the Lord is forsaken of us; for it is our hope that sets all a-work, and the want of hope makes us turn our backs; yea, foil and give over the Lords Battles; and therefore we should still maintain our hope in all extremities whatsoever, for when the Lord sends any afflictions on the Church or ourselves, we ought not to despise or make light of them, because they are the messengers of the Lord, to humble us: so we must not on the other side have the sinews of our souls loosened by them; for as we are not to despise the Chastening of the Lord, so are we not to faint when we are rebuked of him; for in the Mount will the Lord be seen: that is, it is a thing that the Lord will usually do, not at this time when thou wouldst have him, but even when Abraham was fetching the blow, then to stay his hand: And it is his usual course so to do; and therefore it is turned into a proverb, because it is ordinary. Secondly, For ordinary use. we have ordinary use of it, and therefore likewise it is put into a proverb; for the Lord usually brings us into extremities; and that it might be the better remembered of us, it is put into a proverb, for that is the use of short sentences to be easily carried in the memory; and therefore the Lord hath thus turned it: As men do by their Silver, Simile. they change it into Gold that it may with the more ease be carried. Now to cometo the words; out of which we may learn, Doct. 1. That it is Gods usual manner to bring his children to extremities. The examples are so many in Scriptures, and in our daily experience of this, that we need not insist on the proof of it, but proceed to show the reasons thereof. And the first cause why the Lord doth so usually do it, Reas. 1. To make it an affliction. is, When he brings afflictions on his children, he lets it run along till they may think there is no more help, nor hope, that so it may be an affliction to them; for it would not be an affliction, except it did run on to the uttermost point; for if there were any door for us to get out, we were not compassed about, but when a man hath no gap to go out at, that is it that makes the spirit of a man to sink. Simile. If a man were in a smoky house, and had a door open, it were no difficulty for him to shift himself out of it; but when we are shut up, that is it which makes it difficult; and that it might be so, the Lord suffers it to come to an extremity. Secondly, Reas. 2. Because the Lord might be sought unto. The Lord brings us to an extremity because the Lord might be sought to; for so long as the Creatures can do us any good, we will go no further; but when they fail us, we are ready to look up to the Lord: Simile. As it is with men which are on the Seas, when they are in an extremity, those that will not pray at any other time, will pray now, and be ready to say with these in the Prophet Hosea 6. 1. Come and let us return unto the Lord; for ●● hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up: and the reason is, because where the Creature ends, the Lord must begin, otherwise there can be no help at all. And hence it is that at the time of death, when a man once sees that, and hath no deliverance, it quaileth the stoutest spirits that are: as Saul, when he could see nothing but death before him, than he sank down to the ground, and till then the Lord is not sought to; but in their afflictions they will seek me, saith the Lord; because than they can go no where else. Therefore when a man is brought to say, vain is the help of man, than he will look to the Lord for his help; but till then, man is subject to look round on every side to see if there be any that will help: but when there is none, than he seeks unto the Lord and is delivered. Thirdly, Reas. 3. Because God may be known to be the helper. The Lord doth it, because that hereby it comes to pass that the Lord may be known to be the helper; that when we are delivered, he may have all the praise; for otherwise if there be but a little help in the Creature, we are ready many times to ascribe it all to it, or at least to divide the praise; and therefore the Lord said to Gideon, judg. 7. 2. The people that are with thee, are too many: though indeed they were but few in comparison of the multitude which they were to go against, yet they were too many for Gideon, to have acknowledged the hand of the Lord in it, if he should have had the victory with them. But the Lord will not divide his glory with another, and therefore he will bring a man to the straight to be without all hope, that so he may have all the praise; for when other means concur with his help, than it is divided; but without that, his arm lies naked, as it were, and therefore that it might be known, he brings them to extremity. Fourthly, The Lord doth it, because all that we have, Reas. 4. Because we might receive it as a new gift we might have as a new gift: Therefore the Lord suffers us, as it were, to forfeit our Leases, that he may renew them; otherwise we should think ourselves to be Freeholders'. But when we come to see all gone, our health, wealth, and credit to fail us, and in that extremity the Lord to give it us, it is as a thing given on a new gift, and then we take our life as given again of the Lord: and so in any other straight, when there is no help of man left, than we take it wholly from the Lord; and then we give it to him again. Fifthly, Reas. 5. Because we may know the Lord. Quest. The Lord doth it, because he may teach us by Experience to know him. But here some man will be ready to say, Why cannot that be without these extremities? To this I answer, Answ. God is never known well but by experience. You must know when a man goes on in a course, without any troubles, or changes, his experience is to no purpose; for he hath no great experience of the Lord: But when a man is in tribulation, that brings experience; and experience, ●●pe; for it is another kind of experience that is so learned, than that which comes without it: and indeed nothing is well learned till it be learned by experience. And therefore our Saviour Christ himself that had all knowledge that could be had without this, would have this also of experience likewise; for when a man is in extremity, then shall he have experience of the Lord: And therefore it is said of Manasses, when he was in affliction, and had prayed to the Lord, humbling himself, and was restored, that he knew the Lord was God, 2 Chron. 33. 13. Why, did he not know that before? No, not as now he did; for now he knew the Lord by experience: and the want of this is the cause why many fear not God; for because they have no changes, they know him not by experience, and therefore they fear him not. God manifefleth himself ever upon some great change. And for this cause, when the Lord did ever manifest himself in any special manner to any of his people, ye shall see it always to be upon some great change that befell them: As when jacob was forced to leave his father's house, to fly from his brother Esau, then did the Lord in a special manner manifest himself unto him; and so likewise at his returning home again, when his brother Esau came against him with four hundred men to destroy him, which was a great change, than the Lord appeared to him again: so still upon the great changes of his people doth the Lord appear unto them; and as he did to them in former days, so he doth to us now; he doth appear unto us sometimes by ●●erience of his goodness; which that he may do, he brings us to extremities. Lastly, Reas. 6. The Lord doth it for proof and trial, for so it is said in the beginning of this Chapter, God did prove Abraham; and therefore said unto him, Take now thine only Son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and offer him up on one of the mountains which I shall show thee: Now seeing the Lord's intent was to prove him whether he would part with his son Isaac for his sake, therefore he lets him go to the very place and utmost period of offering his son; for if the Lord had taken this trial of him before he had brought him to the very utmost, he had not beenetryed; but when the knife was as it were going to the throat of his son, than was heefully tried: And like unto this do we deal with friends one towards another; for when you will try how another will trust unto you, you will let him alone till there be none else to help; for if there be any other for him to go to, it is no trial; but if it is come to this that you must do it, or none will, then have you tried him and not before: in like manner did the Lord prove Abraham in this place. The Use of it is, Use. Not to be discouraged whatever our case be. That we might searne never to be discouraged; whatsoever our case is, let us never suffer our hearts to be cast down in us; for as we are very prone to let go our hold upon all occasions, so is it a very great fault so to do. We see how David doth recollect himself together when h●● soul was disquieted within him, Psal. 43. 5. ask himself why it was so? which he would not have done, if the other had not been a fault in him; and therefore why do we so cast down our souls? If we say, Object. it is because it will be long before the Lord will come and undertake our help: Answ. I answer, no, it will not, for as soon as he doth see thee fit for help, he will give it; for when things are most desperate, than his help is nearest: for as he is able then to do it, so is he most willing to do it then. And to this purpose is that place, Host 14. 4, 5, 6. I will heal their backesliding, I will love them freely, Hosea 14. 4, 5, 6. opened. for mine anger is turned away from them. I will be as the dew to Israel, he shall grow as the Lily and cast forth his roots as Lebanon: his branches shall spread, his beauty shall be as this Olive, and his smell as Lebanon. When Israel was fallen into a very low condition, and had taken to him words, and repent of their sins, than the Lord healed their back-sliding, which was the cause of their misery: and then though they were outwardly miserable, yet he will be as the dew unto them; that though they be as the Lilies in winter which hath neither colour, scent, nor beauty, yet consider in the spring time what I do unto them, and learn to know me by the works of nature; for if I do but send a little dew, such as is in the time of spring, it shall grow again, yea and bring forth such a flower, whose beauty shall exceed Solomon in all his Royalty: and if the Lord can do so in nature to the herbs of the field, do you not think he is able 〈◊〉 do it to you in the ordinary passages of his providence? If he shall but shine on you with the light of his Countenance, yea though you were as the Lily in the Winter, yet shall you spring again as the Lily in the Spring: that is, you shall spring quickly. I but you will say, and quickly wither again: No, saith the Lord, you shall be confirmed and established in your estate, for he will fasten your roots as the trees of Lebanon, and they were faster than the trees in other places; for though they be tall, and so their boughs might be moved, yet the bodies of the trees hold their own, because they were well rooted: and in Lebanon they were faster than in other places, because it was a firmer ground: so that if the Lord list to plant you, you shall be sure to remain firm. ay but what shall I be good for? I know not how to be useful neither for God nor man, but to be laid aside as a thing for which there is no more use. Nay, saith the Lord, I will not only make you beautiful as the Lilies, and rooted as the Cedars, but I will make you as the Olivetrees which are fit for use. And put the case thy name and credit be lost, yet your smell shall be as the smell of Lebanon, that is, as Lebanon had many sweet blossoms and sweet smells, so shall it be with you, whatsoever your condition be. This place than is a place of comfort against discouragements, Examples. which you may see exemplified in diverse examples: job. As in the example of job: you know in what a case he was, he lost all he had, that he had not a friend left him; no, not his wife nor servants that would stick unto him, but was brought to the very Mount, to an extremity that could not go further, for he was at the very brim of the hill: yet when job was fit for mercy, when he had humbled himself, you see what a change the Lord made, how his beauty did return again, and how all his health, prosperity, and friends did return unto him, in so much as he was in all things as before, yea and beyond it. So in the fourth of Daniel 26. Nabuchadnezzar, who would have thought it possible for Nabuchadnezzar ever to have been restored, that had lost his kingdom and wits too, which is the only means to bring a man in again; yea, he had lost all his beauty, for he was a beast of the field, yet the Lord made a change with him: now a man would wonder how this should be brought to pass that he should have his kingdom again and be made known to his Nobles; why the Text saith, He looked up to heaven, vers. 34. and then his Nobles and Princes sought unto him: for the disposition of all people is to have the right heir to rule the kingdom; and therefore he had as much glory and honour as ever before. The like you shall see in Mordecayes time, 〈◊〉 ●ewes in Mordicaes' time. when the Church was in extremity; for you see how far Haman went, the blow was as it were in the giving, the knife was in his hand to cut the throat of the whole Church of the Jews, yet when they had humbled themselves by fasting and prayer to the Lord, that made work in heaven; and when there was a change in heaven, you see how quickly the Church was changed, and brought even from the lowest degree to the highest that could be, or ever was in the time of their trials. And therefore let us never give over our hopes, and despair not, for because the Lord is ever ready to show mercy, for mercy pleaseth him: A man when he corrects his child, Simile. he doth it unwillingly; but when he is fit for mercy, he is glad to show that: why so it is with the Lord, he being willing to do it, and exceeding able, for he is a Physician that is able to heal the most dangerous diseases, and shall we then doubt of the accomplishment? It is a common fault amongst us to measure the Lord according to ourselves; and so when we see man cannot help us, we think that God cannot; but he that can turn Winter into a Summer, can speedily turn our estates when we are fit for it: As a Physician that administers hard potions to his Patient, Simile. it is not because he cannot or will not give him pleasant things, but it is because his Patient is not fit for it; for as soon as he is fit for Cordials, he most willingly gives them unto him: And as the Husbandman, Simile. he is willing enough to sow his seed in the earth, and would be glad if the time were come; I but he knoweth if he so we it on the wild waste ground it would be lost, and therefore he ploughs it first, and again too, yea thrice if it be needful, and then having well fitted it, he sows his seed; Even so it is with the Lord, he first ploughs the ground, he digs deep into the hearts of men if it be needful so to do, but if a little ploughing will serve, he never takes a deeper; and if one will serve, he never gives a second; and therefore when we are fit to receive the seed, mercy shall come in amain amongst us, even as that which goes with wind and tide; yea, it shall come as fast as our misery did, which though it comes headlong upon us as it did upon Nabuchadnezzar, yet how quickly did the Lord deliver him again? and so shall it, be with us, because the Lord is delighted with mercy, therefore the Lord doth usually help in extremities, and not before; for in the Mount will the Lord be seen. And as the first Doctrine is drawn naturally from these words, That it is Gods usual manner to bring his children into the Mount; so in the second place, then and there will he be seen: Therefore it follows, That In the time of extremities will the Lord be seen, Doct. 2. Reason's why God will not be seen till extremities are. and not before: But then he will appear in his special providence, for the comfort of his Children, though not before. And why so? To exercise the graces of your God by. First, because the Lord knows this is the best way to draw forth the practice of many graces, and good duties, which otherwise would be without use: As for example; When jacob had made his brother Esau his enemy by his hasty getting of the blessing, whereas if he had stayed the Lords time, he might have had it without any sorrows with it; but because he will have it a wrong way, it is accompanied with many sorrows both in him and Rebecca likewise: Now if the Lord had presently made reconciliation betwixt him and his brother, as he could have done, though he did not, but made it long first, that made jacob exceeding fruitful; for he being caused to to fly, as his mother counselled him to do, in his necessity became acquainted with the Lord, and knew him better than ever otherwise he should have known him; yea, he knew himself better too, and therefore vowed to give the Lord the tenth of all that he had, and that the Lord should be his God for ever if he would give him food and Clothing, of which he felt the want at that time; and this brought his heart to the Lord: So likewise when Esau came against him at his returning home again; if it at the first it had been told jacob that his brother had been friends with him, he had never wrestled with the Lord as he did; and so should he have miss of that great blessing which he received in being called Israel. And therefore we se● the Lord by this doth draw many great fruits from them, of which otherwise the Lord should lose the glory, and we the benefit, if it were not so with us. So likewise the Angel was sent to Daniel when he began to pray; I but if the message had then been delivered to him, his heart had not been so well moulded in the frame of grace, therefore the Lord lets him alone; though he had given the Angel charge to deliver the message to him, yet till he had done his work, and was made fit for it, the message of their full deliverance was not made known unto him. A second reason why the Lord defers, and will stay till the very extremity comes, is, Reas. 2. To give time of repentance▪ Because he would give a time to men to repent and meet him in, which is good for his Children, otherwise we should not seek unto the Lord: and for such as do not seek him, it is to leave them without excuse: as in 2 Chron. 11. 12. Chapters, you shall find that Roboam sought the Lord for three years together, and then departed from him, yet Shisacke was not sent against him till the fifth year of his reign: Whence this is to be observed, that though he had forsaken the Lord, who therefore had resolved to bring judgement upon him, yet he gives him two years' liberty to see if he would return. So when Nabuchadnezzar was like a flourishing tree, when he had dreamt his dream, and that made known unto him, that he should be cut down to the very root, like the lily in winter, nothing should be left but the stumps, yet you shall find it twelve months after before the Lord struck him. So in the destruction of Jerusalem by Nabuchadnezzar, the Lord was oftentimes offering to strike it, yet called back his hand again that they might humble themselves and seek his face: but as it is said of jezabel in the second of the Revelations verse 12. he gave her time to repent, but she repented not. Thirdly, Reas. 3. To let us know the vanity of the creature. the Lord doth not deliver till the time of extremity, that we may know the vanity of the creature. And see that they are but as reeds that are empty: as for example, when a man is brought to some great strait, and sees that men will forsake him in it, as the Lord will cause them to do when he will bring a man to a straight indeed, for than he will show him that there is no help in man; as when a man that is sick, Simile. and so far gone that no physic will do him good, but all Physicians have left him; or when a man hath some great business in hand, and nothing that he hath will effect it; and so likewise a man at Sea, when he is in such a tempest that neither rowing nor any thing else will do him good, then when men are in such cases, they come to see the vanity of the creature, and that all outward means will start aside like a broken bow; for a broken bow being drawn but a little, will hold; but if it be drawn up to the head, than it breaks in the hand of him that handles it: Even so, when the creature is put to it, than the vanity of them is seen, and that they are but as hollow reeds that are empty, and so not be trusted to. Now we must add to this, Though God defer till extremity, yet than he will surely help. that as the Lord will not deliver till then, yet than he will do it; and of that you must make no doubt, because the Lord will make good his promises and be just, for he is abundant in truth, he will make good all that he hath said, and that in abundance. Now if the Lord will help, and yet not till a man come to extremity, why then he must help or not at all, and so he should fail them that trust unto him, when as one man will not fail another that trusteth him, for that were treachery so to do; why then much less will the Lord fail thee, if thou rely upon him, if thy heart can tell thee thou dost entirely rest upon him, it is impossible he should fail thee: And therefore he must help thee at the last cast, or else not at all; and until thou art so far gone, thou art not come unto the Mount; for Abraham was three days in going the journey, and the Lord might have revealed it before if he would, but he did not till he came to the mount: And therefore do not say, now is the extremity, and yet the Lord doth not help me, when thou art but in the way, for thou art not yet come to the brow of the hill, thou art not at the utmost part of the Mount. The Use of it is, Use. To teach us not to make too much haste for deliverance. to teach us not to make too much haste for deliverance in the time of distress, but to wait upon the Lord, yea depend upon his providence when we seem to be without help: If we look upon the Creature, yet then are we to depend upon the Lord, so as never to say there is no help; but on the contrary, to say, I will trust in him though he kill me; for so did Abraham here, he was to kill his Son, and yet he had hope: So let us, though there were a thing that would be our utter undoing if it should come on us, yet if it do come thou oughtest to hope, because it is the Lords manner to bring his people to extremities, as here to Abraham: and the like he did to Peter when he came to him on the waters; for he might have holpen him before he began to sink if he would, but he did first let him sink a little and then he holp him: So when the people were at the Red Sea, and had no gap to go out at, than the Lord holp them, by making a way thorough the Sea: In like manner he did to jacob when he was returning home from his father in law Laban, he, suffered Esau to come out against him with four hundred men, before he holp him; and who would have thought that Esau's mind should have been so suddenly turned? But when jacob was brought to a straight, than the Lord turned all another way. And the like he did with David in the time of his distress, he let him alone till the waters were like to go over him: but when his feet had almost slipped, in regard of his outward and inward troubles, for he was at the very going down to the grave, than the Lord brought his feet out of the Net, and set him at liberty, and took him out of the waters that he was not drowned▪ and therefore still trust in the Lord, and labour that thy faith fail thee not whatsoever thy straits be; for that was Peter's fault when he was on the water, for if he had sunk, being he had the Lords word, he should have been safe enough, and therefore had no cause to doubt; and so we should learn to do, in all our straits still to believe; which if we do, we shall find the Lord very exceeding ready to help beyond all that we can be able to ask or think. See this in an example or two, how the Lord comes betwixt the cup and the lip as it were, betwixt the very lifting up of the hand to the stroke; and as in the Text, so also when the Shunamite had by the command of the Prophet left her land, because of the Famine that was to come when the seven years were done; for she trusted the Prophet, and therefore did not say, Alas, what shall I do for my lands again? but did go; and when she returned, and was gone to the King for her lands again, at that very instant was the King talking with Elishaes' servant about the great works of the Prophet, who then told the King of this woman and her son, confirming that which Gehezi had said, and Gehezi being present to help to speak for the woman; and then she had not only her lands restored her, but the fruits of it also for the whole time of her absence. So likewise when Mordecayes destruction was plotted by Haman, and so near brought to pass, that there could be no hope of help on any side, yet then when Mordecay was asleep in the night, and had made no plots at all for his safety, than the Lord brought it to pass; Ester 6. 1. for that night the King could not sleep; then he must needs call for a book, and then that above all other books, that should be brought, and in that book that very place to be turned to of the treason against the King, and Mordecayes truth and faithfulness in discovering the same; and that this should be done at the very extremity, when a day or two after would have done him no good, it is worth the considering: therefore never doubt, fear not, but trust to the Lord in any straight; for though he doth not work miracles now, yet he works wonders, and is able to do as great things as ever he was, yea, and doth so too when there is the like occasion: In like manner, when our Saviour Christ was brought to the very brow of the hill by the people to be cast down from it, why then he went a way thorough the midst of them; so is the Lord able to do with us, and will also if there be the like need; and therefore let us learn to trust in the Lord, and in all things to depend upon him. One would have thought it impossible when forty men had secretly vowed neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul, for that to be revealed, and Paul to be delivered, when so many that were able enough to destroy a poor prisoner had conspired against him, yet we see the Lord delivered him from that great straight; and therefore let us wait still upon the Lord, for it is but the staying till the time be out, and then he that can save, will save, and will not tarry. And so much for the second thing. The last point observable from these 〈◊〉 That godly men's extremities are but trials, Doct. 3. Godly men's extremities are trials, not punishments. sent for their good; and not punishments, sent for their hurt and ruin. The Lord did this but to prove Abraham, he meant him to hurt at all in it: And so the Lord doth by afflicting others of his own people, he doth not mean to hurt them by it. And therefore when you see an affliction to be so great as if it would undo those on whom it is, yet you shall see in the issue it was but like an evil; for when Abraham was bid to take his only Son Isaac whom he loved, and offer him in a Sacrifice to the Lord, and was suffered to be the three days in the trial, yet the Lord meant him no hurt; here was indeed a great apprehension of evil, yet it was no evil; but it might as much work upon him as the evil itself: Even so is it with us in our afflictions, they are not evils, but mere trials, and therefore we are not much to be dismayed for the greatest afflictions that can befall us in the world, because they are but trials, that do befall thee from God. ay, Object. Answ. but will some say, what shall I get by it? Why, so much that there is so little cause to be sorry for it, that thou hast cause to rejoice, if thou woudest believe; as it is said in the first of james 2. My Brethren, count it great joy when you fall into diverse trials: It is a very fit Text for the purpose, for the Lord said he would prove Abraham; and all is no more but to try us, and not to do us any hurt: and this is a good reason why it is so, in that we are bid to rejoice in it; now we have no cause to rejoice in that which will hurt us, neither will the Lord lay any unreasonable command upon us. ay, Object. Answ. but what if the trials be many? Yet he bids us rejoice, though they be of diverse kinds; when we are not only afflicted in the loss of goods, and our friends forsake us, in which we might have some comfort, if our healths and liberty might be enjoyed; or if all the outward man were afflicted, yet if the spirit were whole it would bear out infirmity. ay, but what if that be wounded too? Why, if there be trials of all sorts, and you fall into them all, and that of a sudden too, as a fall of waves, one coming upon the neck of another as they did upon job, yet we are bid to rejoice: Why one would think it were enough for a man to be patient in that case; yet (saith the Apostle) you must rejoice in it; yea, count it exceeding joy: that is, as your trials are greater, so let your joy be greater. Why, Object. Answ. We ought to rejoice in trials, because the greater the trial is, the more will be the good. that is a strange command you will say: I but though you see not the reason of God's Commandments, yet there is a great reason in them, which if you saw, you would keep them most willingly. And the reason of this Command is, the greater the trial is, the more will be the good, and therefore the more cause of joy; for if the most painful be the most gainful, than they that have them, have the greatest cause to rejoice in them: It was a trial for Abraham to go from his own land, and to cast out his son Ishmael; I but this was the greatest, and this brought him the greatest fruit that ever he had. ay, Object. Answ. The good that comes of trials, is, but what is that good? Why this; first, it shall increase grace in your hearts; for as the gold when it is tried loseth nothing but dross, and so is made the better thereby; so it is with our afflictions, for the trial of our faith, 1 Increase of grace. saith the Apostle, bringeth forth patience: so the greater thy trial is, the more it strengthens thy faith, and so increaseth comfort: for when the afflictions of the Apostle abounded, his Consolation abounded also. And hence it is, that our Saviour Christ saith, You shall receive an hundred fold with persecutions; that is, when the trial doth abound, the comfort shall abound. Again, 2 Increase of reward. you shall have the greater wages; for when a man hath a friend that hath be one employed about any great thing for him, why the greater the trouble was which he did undergo for him, the more will he be beholding to him, and the greater reward will he bestow upon him; even so the greater the trials are from the Lord, the greater benefit will come to us by them; and therefore when you see the greatest trials befall the Church and people of God, be assured by this which hath been said, that some great benefit is coming to them; for do you not think this is a useful doctrine; it may be it concerns some of you now at this present; if not, it may do, and therefore lay it up beforehand; and let us not think of our afflictions as of things that will undo us, but as trials that will bring us profit. For as the Spies that went to Canaan were of two sorts, and looked upon the Giants that were in it with a double eye; and so some of them said, O the land is a very good land, and encouraged the people to go up into it; and others that were afraid, they said, nay but the land eats up the Inhabitants thereof, and discouraged the people to go up into it: Even so it is with many amongst us, when they see afflictions befall the Church and people of God, O they presently are afraid, and therefore they say, Who would be as these men? let me be of such as be in prosperity and have friends, and some that will provide for me: but what is the reason of this? Why they send forth wrong spies, and therefore they bring back a false report: but if thou wouldst send forth thy faith and spiritual wisdom which ought to be in thy heart, than thou shouldest see it were no such matter. And therefore let this be our practice concerning the estate and condition of the Church at this time, and needful it is we should so do; for do you not see the dangers that they and we are in, and the confusion that is almost throughout all Europe? yet God hath not forgotten us, neither will he leave us, if we can but rest upon him: what though there should be a sudden change, so that all things were with us as it was in hester's time? yet could the Lord bring forth some good thing out of it that should tend much to his glory and our good: Put the case all were turned upside down, as it was in the confused Chaos, wherein heaven and earth was mingled together, and the waters overcoming all the rest, Simile. yet as then when the spirit of the Lord did but move upon the waters, many beautiful creatures were brought forth, and the Sea divided from the rest, that those waters that seemed then to spoil all, serves now to water all, and without it we cannot be: Even so, were the Church in never so confused a condition, yet the Lord shall so order the things that seem to undo us, that they shall bring forth something of special use; that is, something to water and make fruitful the house and people of God: and therefore be not out of hope whatsoever befalls thee, only be humbled; for there is great cause so to be, and the Lord calls thee to it by his Ministers, and we are his messengers to declare his will unto you; and as we must be humbled and take to heart the cause of the Church, so we must consider the time, that we may be throughly affected thereby; for it was Ephraim's fault not to do it: and thou must see this distress, so as it may bring thee into the Mount; for it is not an extremity simply that will cause the Lord to help thee; but when thy soul is ploughed up therewith, and then the Lord will cast in the seed and water it, so as thy soul shall spring again; and therefore let us still maintain our hope in all conditions whatsoever. And for this end did I fall upon this Text at this time, That in the Mount will the Lord be seen. FINIS.