EFFIGIES JOHANNIS PRESTONI VIRI CLARISSIMI SS THEOLOGIAE DOCTORIS.   

How can this shadow please thee: when thou knowst  
The substance was but Dust at best, at most.  
Go rather view his Volume, and there find  
A picture far more curious more refined:  
Peruse thou This, and yet neglect not That:  
That tells thee, Who he was; the to there, What.  
What here thou seest, salute, and pass it o'er;  
   

THE SAINT'S QVALIFICATION: Or A TREATISE 

I. Of HUMILIATION, in Ten Sermons.  
II. Of SANCTIFICATION, in nine Sermons:  
WHEREUNTO IS ADDED A Treatise of Communion with Christ in the Sacrament, in three Sermons.   PREACHED, By the late faithful and worthy Minister of JESUS CHRIST, JOHN PRESTON, Doctor in Divinity, Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometime Preacher of Lincoln's INN.  When men are cast down, than thou shalt say, There is lifting up: and be shall save the humble person, job. 22.29. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit: etc. Ezek. 18.13. He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him, joh. 6.56. 
LONDON, Printed by R. B. for NICOLAS BOURNE, and are to be sold at his shop at the Royal Exchange. 1633.   

ILLUSTRISSIMO, NOBILISSIMO VIRO, PHILIPPO, PEMBROCHIAE ET MONTIS GOMERICI COMITI, BARONI HERBERT DE CARDIFFE ET SHERLAND, ORDINIS GARTERII EQVITI, REGIAE DOMUS CAMERARIO, REGIAE MAIESTATI A SECRETIORIBUS CONSILIIS, etc.  
TRIPLICEM HUNC IOHANNES PRAESTONI, S.S. THEOLOGIAE D ri. COLLEGII IMMANNUELIS NUPER MAGIST. ET REGIAE MAYEST. A SACRIS, TRACTATUM, 

DE HUMILIATIONE,  
DE NOVA CREATURA,  
DE PRAEPARATIONE AD SACRAM  
DE SYNAXIN.    
INDEVOTISSIMAE, TAM AUTHORIS, QVAM IPSORUM OBSERVANTIAE TESTIMONIUM, L.M.D.D.D. RICHARDUS SIBS. JOHANNES DAVENPORT.   

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.  
THE good acceptance, the Sermons of this worthy man have found amongst well disposed Christians, hath made us the willinger to give way to the publishing of these, as coming from the same Author. The good they may thus do, prevails more for the sending of them forth, than some imperfections (that usually accompany the taking of other men's speeches) may do to suppress them. Something may well be yielded to public good in things not altogether so as we wish. They are enforced upon none that shall except against them, they may either read or refuse them at their pleasure. The argument of them is such as may draw the more regard, being of matters of necessary and perpetual use.  
For Humiliation 
a Treatise.  we never so deeply see into the grounds of it, (sinfulness of nature, and life) or so far as we see, look upon it with that eye of detestation we should, and therefore a holy heart desireth still further light to be brought in, to discover whatsoever may hinder communion with God, and is glad when sin is made loathsome unto it, as being its greatest enemy that doth more hurt than all the world beside, and the only thing that divides between our chiefest good, and us. As this humiliation increaseth, so in the like proportion all other graces increase: for the more we are emptied of ourselves, the more we are filled with the fullness of God. The defects of this appear, in the whole frame of a Christian life, which is so far unsound as we retain any thing of corrupted self, unhumbled for.  
The foundation of Christianity is laid very low; and therefore the treatise of Humiliation is well premised before that of the 
b 2 Treatise.  New Creature. God will build upon nothing in us. We must be nothing in ourselves before we be raised up for a fit Temple for God to dwell in, whose course is to pull down before he build. Old things must be out of request, before all become new, and without this newness of the whole man from Union with Christ, no interest in the new heavens can be hoped for, whereinto no defiled thing shall enter as altogether unsuitable to that condition and place. Nothing is in request with God but this New Creature, all things else are adjudged to the fire, and without this it had been better be no Creature at all. By this we may judge of the usefulness of discourses tending this way. One thing more thou art to be advertised of (Courteous Reader) and that is, of the injurious dealing of such as for private gain have published what they can get, howsoever taken, without any acquainting either of those friends of the Authors that resided in Cambridge (to whose care he left the publishing of those things that were delivered there) or of us, to whom he committed the publishing of what should be thought fit for public view, of that which was preached in London. Hereby not only wrong is done to others but to the deceased likewise, by mangling and misshaping the birth of his brain, and therefore once again we desire men to forbear publishing of any thing, until those that were entrusted have the review. And so we commit the treatise, and thee to God's blessing.  


RICHARD SIBS.  
JOHN DAVEN-PORT.     

A BRIEF COLLECTION OF THE principal Heads in the ensuing Treatises.  

Part 1.  

Doct. 1.  Humiliation must go before justification: 
Page 6  Two things in Humiliation: 
8   

Reas. 1.  In reference to justification: 
13   

Reas. 2.  In reference to Sanctification: 
14   

Use 1.  To labour for Humiliation: 
18  Five helps to Humiliation: 
26   

Use 2.  The best men should labour to be Humbled: 
30   

Doct. 2.  The nature of man is full of all Unrighteousness, and Ungodliness: 
33  Man's nature evidenced to be so by the Law: 
34  Original Sin: 
40  The corruption of the Understanding, in five things: 
43  The corruption of the Will in four things: 
48  The corruption of the Memory, in two things: 
53  The corruption of the Conscience, in three acts of it: 
54  The corruption of the Sensitive appetite: 
58  The corruption of the Affections: 
63  Actual Sins: 
68  Man's Nature showed to be corrupt by the rule of the Gospel: 
76   

Use 1.  The ignorance of those that know not the corruption of Nature: 
78   

Use 2.  To Labour to prize CHRIST the more; 
81   

Use 3.  Our Sinfulness should drive us to Christ: 
82  Circumstances agravating Sin: 
89  Excuses of Sin: 
101  Helps against those Excuses: 
108   

Doct. 3.  There is a revelation of wrath against all Unrighteousness of men: 
111   

Use 1.  To teach us what Sin is: 
118   

Use 2.  To labour for a Sense of GOD'S wrath: 
119   

Use 3.  To make us go to Christ: 
121   

Doct. 4.  All men before regeneration with hold the Truth in unrighteousness: 
126  The greatness of this Sin in three things: 
136   

Use 1.  To Humble us: 
931   

Use 2.  The misery of men that are near and not in the Kingdom of God, in three things: 
143  How far men unconverted may go, showed in five things: 
151  How far they come short in five things: 
153   

Use 3.  Most sin out of love to Sin: 
163   

Use 4.  The danger of disobeying the Truth: 
167   

Use 5.  To give the Truth leave to rule. 
169   

Doct. 5.  The Truth or Law of every man's judgement is made manifest by God: 
180   

Use 1.  The greatness of men's sin against this Truth: 
184   

Use 2.  To be thankful for the Truth: 
192   

Use 3.  To do nothing contrary to the Truth: 
193   

Use 4.  To expect happiness or misery as we observe or neglect this Truth: 
215   

Doct. 6.  God hath revealed so much to every man as makes him Inexcusable: 
219  Excuses that men frame to themselves: 
221   

Use 1.  To justify God, and to blame ourselves: 
234   

Use 2.  To give God the glory of his long suffering: 
237  


The Contents of the Sermon before the Commons house of Parliament.  FAsting necessary: 
248  Fast defined: 
248  Defects in Fasting: 
249     

Doct. 1.  God only doth Good and Evil: 
253  Four Connections to demonstrate it: 
255   

Reas. 1.  Else God were not God: 
261   

Reas. 2.  Else the Creature should be God: 
262   

Use 1  To labour to see God in his greatness: 
265   

Use 2.  To look to God in all our business: 
269   

Use 3.  To set Faith on work to judge of these things: 
270   

Doct. 2.  Sin causeth Wrath: 
271  Gods Wrath a treasure, in three respects: 
273   

Use  To see Sin in the effects of it: 
275  How to prevent God's Wrath: 
278   

Doct. 3.  Zeal turns away Wrath: 
283   

Use 1.  Not to discourage those that be Zealous: 
286   

Use 2.  Four convictions of our want of Zeal: 
288   

Doct. 4.  Want of Zeal makes GOD'S jealousy grow hotter: 
299   

Doct. 5.  jealousy for the most part shall proceed to utter destruction: 
301   

Use  To learn to Fear: 
302    

Part 2.  

Doct.  justification and Sanctification are inseparable: 
4  How Sanctification ariseth from justification: 
5   

Reas. 1.  None saved by the second Adam that are not borne of him: 
18   

Reas. 2.  It is the Will of God: 
19   

Reas. 3.  It is the end of our Engraffing into Christ: 
ibid.   

Reas. 4.  It is the end of Christ's coming: 
20   

Reas. 5.  Christ is Prophet and King where he is a Priest 
ibid.   

Reas. 6.  All the means of Grace tend this way: 
21   

Use 1.  To pray for Sanctification: 
22  Six encouragements to Pray for it: 
ibid.   

Use 2.  To esteem Sanctification as highly as justification: 
36  The excellency of Grace: 
37   

Use 2.  To take heed of challenging justification without Sanctification: 
44  Four signs of a New creature: 
49  New Creature what: 
61  The Heart new framed: 
62  The Conversation changed: 
66  A new quality of Holiness infused: 
71  Old man what: 
73  Mortification of the Old man: 
83  Where God pardoneth he healeth Sin: 
88  First, it stands with God's Honour: 
89  Secondly, with our Comfort: 
ibid.  Thirdly, with God's Service: 
ibid.   

Doct.  Those that are in Christ have another Nature: 
95   

Use 1.  Not to Defer coming to God: 
98   

Use 2.  Not to content ourselves without a new Nature: 
101   

Use 3.  To see that good Performances be natural to us. 
107   

Use 4.  To abhor our Old Nature and labour for a change: 
114   

Use 5.  Not to fear Falling away: 
117   

Use 6.  Not to be discouraged with the difficulty of any Duty: 
120   

Use 7.  Change of Nature a ground of comfort: 
121   

Doct.  We must be New Creatures: 
122   

Consect. 1.  We are redeemed from old customs. 
Ibid.   

Consect. 2.  Not to wonder that the World wonders at us. 
124   

Consect. 3.  To pull down all that is old. 
127   

Consect. 4.  Not to wonder at unevenness in men's lives. 
131   

Consect. 5.  To expect a combat. 
137   

Consect. 6.  Not to wonder at Aukednesse that we find in the ways of God. 
140   

Consect. 7.  To give God the praise of the changing of natures. 
144   

Doct.  The New Creature is God's work: 
149  Four arguments to prove it: 
ibid.   

Use 1.  To show our condition in Christ is better than in Adam: 
154   

Use 2.  God setteth us not about an impossible work. 
155   

Use 3.  To make us love Christ. 
156   

Use 4.  Not to put off Christ's call. 
Ibid.   

Use 5.  To see with whom we have to do in hearing the Word. 
156   

Use 6.  To give God the praise of any good in us. 
161   

Use 7.  Expect not that Ministers come with excellency of Wisdom or words: 
162   

Use 8.  Observe what the preaching of the Word works on our hearts: 
164   

Doct.  First, in Christ, and then New Creatures: 
169   

Doct.  To be in Christ is the ground of all Salvation: 
171   

Use 1.  First, to increase Union with Christ in those that have it: 
176  Five helps to do it: 
178  Secondly, to seek it, if it be wanting: 
185  Five motives to seek this Union: 
186    

Part. 3  

Doct.  IN the sacrament there is a communication of the very Body and blood of Christ: 
2  Arguments against Transubstantiation 
 First, there is no Necessity of it: 
3  Secondly, no Possibility of it: 
8  Thirdly, it is against Sense: 
10  Fourthly, against Reason: 
11  Fifthly, against Scripture: 
13  Sacrament of the Lords Supper what: 
15  Condition of the Covenant on God's part: 
16   

Use 1.  To confirm our faith in the forgiveness of sins: 
19  Conditions of the Covenant required on our part: 
24  Papists objection out of joh. 6. of eating Christ's Flesh answered: 
33   

Use 2.  To see the greatness of Christ's Love to us: 
39  And to Love him again and serve him: 
41  Two things to move us to come in to Christ: 
45  First, our Misery out of him: 
46  1 We are subject to Death: 
47  2 To the fear of Death: 
48  3 To Hell: 
49  Secondly, our Happiness by Christ 
54  Benefit by Christ: 
 1 We shall have Life: 
55  2 Our Debts shall be paid: 
61  3 We shall have Rest: 
68  4 We shall have a Kingdom which consisteth in: 
72  Liberty: 
73  Plenty: 
74  Peace: 
75  Glory: 
76  Riches: 
77  5 We shall have a Feast: 
86  Properties, of spiritual Food: 
88  6 Apparel: 
93  What this spiritual Clothing is: 
94    
FINIS.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON HUMILIATION.  ROMANS 1.18. 
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, which withhold the Truth in unrighteousness.  
IT is true, we that are the Ministers of the Gospel are to make it our chief business to preach Christ; indeed that is all in all. But we may preach Christ long enough to men, telling them of Remission of sins, and justification, but they will not hearken to us, because before they can come to Christ they must be humbled. It is true our end is Consolation, for that is indeed the end of the Scriptures; I say, the end of the Scriptures is Consolation, that through them you might have hope: and so is it the end of this doctrine of Humiliation, as, though a purge or lancing are troublesome to the body, yet the end of the Physician using them is health, and help; and without this course there is no help. And for that cause we have fallen on this Text, that it may teach us to know ourselves, and the need we stand in of Christ. You shall find these three to be the three great parts of the Apostolical Ambassage: First, to humble men, to make them know what need they stand in of Christ. Secondly, to raise them again, to preach Remission of sins. Thirdly, to teach the doctrine of Sanctification. These three, Humiliation, justification, and Sanctification, are the three main things wherein our condition to God consists. Therefore my Intent is to go thorough these three. And we will do it briefly, beginning with this Text which we have in hand. The occasion whereof is this.  
Paul tells the Romans that his intent was To come to them: But what should he do there? He would preach the Gospel: yea, but it was an ignominious thing to be a Christian, a thing that would expose him to much persecution and shame. It is no matter, saith he, I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God to salvation. But how doth he prove that it is the power of God to salvation? We see that in the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, that is, there is no way in the world for men to be justified, to be counted righteous before God, but to have a righteousness revealed from heaven, even another kind of Righteousness than any man hath in himself; a righteousness of Christ, a righteousness that is to be imputed to men; and this, saith he, is revealed in the Gospel: and therefore the Gospel only is the power of God to salvation. But here comes the great question; Why is it needful that there should be a new kind of righteousness revealed, a righteousness wrought by another, and made ours only but by Imputation, saith he: It must be so, else no flesh can be saved: every man must needs be condemned, for all men are unrighteous, every man is full of all impiety and wickedness, which he delivers in this verse; thence concluding that it is needful to have the Gospel revealed, for that is it that reveals the righteousness of Christ. A righteousness of Christ, which is only wrought by Christ, and will only stand out before the judgement-seat of God.  
So that the end of the words is to convince men, to show unto them that they have no righteousness of their own, to assure them, that if they stand in the condition, they are in by nature, they remain in condemnation, for he that believes not, is condemned already: there needs no new condemnation, 
john 3. ult.  if he have not the Son, the wrath of God abides on him.  

Doct. 1.  So that the main thing in these words is this assertion, 
Man's nature is full of ungodliness and unrighteousness.  That man's nature is full of ungodliness and unrighteousness. Two things are charged upon man's nature. First, a fullness of all kind of sins against God. Secondly, of all injustice and unrighteousness to men; one touching the first Table, the other the second. Now when he saith, All ungodliness, and all unrighteousness of men. The meaning is, That in man's nature there is all kind of ungodliness, and unrighteousness of all sorts. And again, that is to be marked unrighteousness of men: he sets it down in general, because he speaks it of all men, none excepted, so you must take both in; Every man (none excepted) is full of all unrighteousness, all impiety, all parts of impiety, all kinds of unrighteousness are found in him.  
But how will this be proved? He proves it by two Arguments. First, because the wrath of God is revealed against every man▪ and God being a just judge, his wrath would not be kindled against men, except there were just cause; and that is one Argument. But how shall we know that God is angry with men? saith he, It is revealed from heaven. Whence three things may be noted. For thence you may see the evidence of his wrath, It is revealed.  
And secondly, the sureness of it, it comes from heaven, and God will be as good as his word. And thirdly, the terribleness of it, it is revealed from heaven. For when God is said to sit in heaven, and to laugh them to scorn. And 2 Cor. 6. to sit in heaven, it argues he doth things powerfully.  
But you will ask, how is the wrath of God revealed from heaven? It is revealed by the light of nature. Every man hath so much light in him, as to know that he deserves wrath, and judgement, and punishment.  
And partly it is revealed by the Scripture, and partly by continual experience, God is ever and anon executing his wrath and judgement on sinners. And that is the first Argument.  
The second argument to prove their unrighteousness, is, because they Withhold the truth in unrighteousness. And here is a secret objection answered. For it may be objected, There be many excellent things in men, as your moral Philosophers, had they not much light in their understandings? much rectitude in their lives? Did they not practise many moral virtues? That is all one, it will but increase their condemnation. It was God's work to put so much light, so many excellent things in them, which had they used as they should, and might, those Principles would have shed themselves into their whole soul and conversation, but they imprisoned them, shutting them up within the walls of their Conscience: men do not use the light they have, nor improve it, they do not bring it out in their lives and conversations, but Withhold it in unrighteousness. So that in the words there are three points laid down, all which will help exceedingly to humble us. First, That man's Nature is full of all impiety and unrighteousness. The second is, The wrath of God will surely fall on men for this. If sin went alone it would not so much amaze men, but when the wrath of God comes too, accompanied with the fruits of his wrath, men out of self-love will be moved therewith. The third, That all the good in a man before his regeneration serves only to help forward his condemnation.  
But before I come to the handling of these points; one point we must needs observe out of the method of the Apostle. This that he saith here in few words, is amplified to the middle of the third Chapter. All which time he spends in expressing particularly how man's nature is full of impiety, and unrighteousness: and when he hath done that, he urges justification by Christ; and after that he comes to Sanctification.  
Wherein the Apostles method is very observable: and therefore from his method (before we come to the main) we will briefly deliver this point. 
Doct.  That Humiliation must go before justification: You may observe it from the method used. Men must first be convinced of their impiety and unrighteousness, before they can be fit to receive the Gospel. As the Physicians have their method in curing, first to purge and cleanse the body, and then to give Cordials: so it is a rule in Divinity, you must be humbled before you can be justified, or, Humiliation goes before justification. Which may be gathered not only from this, but likewise from many other places. You shall find it is the course God takes every where with men, and it is a very necessary thing to be known; for by reason of the ignorance of this method, men do not take the right course, they go not the right way to work. This is the cause many continue in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity, they know not the right way to come out. I say, you shall find this in other places. Observe, Deut. 8.2, 3. you shall find there how God deals with his people, he carries them thorough the wilderness, and to what end? to humble them; And how doth he humble them? Two ways; First, by showing them the sinfulness of their hearts, letting them know their rebellions and start aside, when he led them along, saith he, I have carried thee these forty years in the wilderness to humble thee, and prove thee: All thy sin and corruption was there before, but thou knowest it not. But that is not enough, for if men saw never so much sin in themselves, yet if they have a bottom to stand on, if they have health, and strength, they regard it not: therefore he adds further, I humbled thee, I made thee hungry, and then I fed thee with Mannah; that thou mightest see thou hadst nothing without me. And this I did, that when I bring thee into the good Land, ye may know it was not for your own righteousness, but for the Covenant I made with your Father's Abraham, Isaac, and jacob. This is nothing but a resemblance of the same God doth now. Carrying men thorough this world, he first humbles them, he lets them fall into sin, that they may know themselves, and withal afflicts them, suffering them to fall into other necessities, that they may know what they are, that they may see their miserable condition, and that God brings them not to heaven for their righteousness, but for his Covenants sake, with Abraham and Isaac, that is, for his mercy sake in Christ. So Zechar. 12. and 13. Chap. You shall find first God pours on them the Spirit of compunction that they shall mourn for their sins, as a man mourneth for his only son; and when they are humbled, then (and not before) I will open a fountain to judah and jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness; that is, it is shut before they be humbled, but when that is done, the fountain is opened. So you shall see Paul when he had to do with Felix (a place worth your marking) Act. 24.26. you shall find that when Felix and his wife Drusilla, a jewesse, called Paul before them, it is said, They heard him of the faith of Christ: But how began he? He began, saith the Text, with preaching of Temperance, Righteousness, and the judgement to come: He told Felix what Righteousness, and what Temperance the Law of God required, and likewise the judgement to come; for those two things must be in Humiliation. An Endictment to show how far short we be of the Righteousness and Temperance that the Law of God requires, and withal a pronouncing of the Sentence, a declaration of the judgement to come. And this course made Felix to tremble.  
So john the Baptist, that came to prepare the way of the Lord, to make way for Christ: How did he make way? He came as with the Spirit and power of Elias; so with much Terror calling them a Generation of Vipers, told them of their miserable condition, as much as he could, to humble them. And that was the way to prepare them.  
So when Christ went about to convert any, this was his Method, as in joh. 4. when he had that discourse with the woman of Samaria, meeting her by Accident; first he tells her of her sin; The man whom thou hast is not thy husband, thou hast committed adultery: whereby he amazed her, and made her look into herself; and then he tells her he was the Messiah, and, that in him there was hope. So he deals with Nichodemus, he tells him he was flesh, that all that was in him was nought, and not any thing good; and then he preaches the Gospel, telling him, he must be borne again. But of all places you shall find the clearest to be that in joh. 16. where Christ promises that he would send His Spirit into the world, and three great works the Spirit should do (which were wrought by the ministry of the Apostles) he should Convince the world of Sin, and of Righteousness, and of judgement. First, he saith of Sin, Because they have not believed in me; mark that, there were many other sins that the Holy Ghost convinced them of, but the contempt of the Gospel, the not taking of Christ offered, that is the main sin. And the Holy Ghost shall convince men of this sin. All the men of the world cannot do it. We may tell you long enough of particular sins, you have done these and these sins, sworn such oaths, defiled yourselves with such abominations, and yet all will come to nothing; but when the Spirit sets in, and makes a man sensible of sin, that works to purpose. Then it follows in the Method, He shall convince the world of righteousness, because I am risen again and gone to the Father: he should teach that there is another Righteousness, in me, by which you must be justified, when you see no righteousness in yourselves, than the Holy Ghost shall show you the righteousness that I have wrought. But how will this appear? In that I am dead and risen again, and gone to my Father, whereby it is declared that i am righteous, that I have overcome death, & satisfied my Father's justice. And then when that is done, he shall convince the world of judgement, that is, of holiness, for so the word is there used, that is, than the Prince of this world shall be judged. Satan reigns in the hearts of men, in the children of disobedience, till they be justified and engrafted into Christ; but when they be once justified, than Christ shall cast him out; you shall see him fall like lightning out of the hearts of men and this is that which was before prophesied, He shall bring forth judgement unto victory; that is, he shall overcome the Prince of the world, take away sin, and enable men to serve him in holiness. And this is the method you must observe in turning to God, labour to be convinced of Sin, then of Righteousness, and then of judgement.  
And to show the necessity of this, take that one place, Gal. 3.24. a place you all know, The Law must be a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. No man living can come to Christ, till the Law be his Schoolmaster. Now how is the Law a Schoolmaster? It gives lessons that we cannot go through with, thereby is such a Rectitude required, as we are not able to reach, like the Schoolmasters task to the scholar, which he is not able to perform, and is therefore fain to go to another to do his exercise for him. So the Lord tells men, you must be exactly holy, perfect righteousness must run through the whole course of your life: when we see we cannot do it, it makes us run to Christ, to have his righteousness imputed to us; such a necessity is there that men be humbled.  
Now that you may a little better understand this point, 
Doct. 2.  
Two things keep men from coming to Christ.  you must know that there are but two things that keep men off from coming to Christ. One is unbelief, when they do not believe that he is the Messiah, or that they are to be saved by him. 
1 Unbelief.  This was the great hindrance in the Apostles time, and that is the reason that you have faith in the Messiah pressed so much, to believe that that was he. But that is not the thing to be pressed so much in these Times. But, as you see in the Old Testament, when the Prophets spoke to a Church to confirm it in the truth, they do not press so much to believe there is a God, and that he is One God, and that a God of Truth, but to trust in God, and to make use of their knowledge. So must we do. There is therefore another thing that hinders from Christ, 
2 Negligence, which is twofold.  and that is, Negligence: Men care not for Christ, they are not affected with him; and this is twofold, Totall, or Partial: 
1 Totall.  Totall is that which they were guilty of that were bidden to the Feast, and excused themselves, and had bought a yoke of oxen, another had married a wife, another had taken a farm, and therefore they could not come. They were persuaded there was a Feast of fatlings provided, but they minded other things, for they were not hungry, and therefore cared not for it. And in this kind the greatest part of men, of your common Protestants, neglect the Gospel: Tell them of Remission of sins and justification, they mind it not. Secondly, 
2 Partial.  there is a Partial neglect: And so many profess Christ, do many things for him, but regard him not. And in this the second and third Ground failed: the second did much, but not so far regarded him, as to endure persecution. The third did respect him more, but not so as to forgo their lusts for him, this is a partial neglect. And that that helpeth this double neglect is Humiliation.  
Now to give a Reason or two of this point, and so we will make use of it, and come to the other which is the main, and that I most intent. God will have it thus, for these two Reasons:  
First, 
Two Reasons of it.  with reference to our justification; he will justify none till he hath brought him to acknowledge both his justice and his Mercy, 
Reason 1.  he will have men know what he doth to them, 
In reference to justification.  before he justifies them, and receives them to favour: I say, he will have a man acknowledge his justice, that is, confess himself to be a sinner, to be ashamed of his sins, to acknowledge himself worthy to be destroyed. As in Ezek. 36. there you shall find how God justifies men, and washes them with clean water from their sins. Then when I do this, whensoever I shall justify any man, than you shall remember your deeds that were not good, and shall acknowledge yourselves worthy to be destroyed. God will have this honour given him, he will have men know that it is not done for any thing in themselves, he will have the glory of his justice and Righteousness; and that is the sum of the fourth verse of the one and fiftieth Psalm, Against thee only have I sinned, etc. that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest: that glory may be given to God, and shame taken to himself. This God will have done. As in the work of Redemption, his justice and Mercy are both satisfied; so in the application of it, in taking hold of this Redemption, God will have a work wrought, wherein his justice shall be acknowledged. Secondly, he will have his Mercy acknowledged; as Princes, when they will make a condemned man be sensible of their mercy, they will bring him to the uttermost, they will bring his neck to the block, than he will know that he was saved, he shall have more sense of his pardon. And so God in the work of Humiliation, humbles a man exceedingly; and when that is done, than He is seen in the Mount. He is not seen till men be in extremity, that is, he will have them on their knees, and so be sensible of that mercy of his, which otherwise they would not prise. The end of all is Christ, he will have Christ esteemed and known; and this men will never do till they be throughly humbled.  

Reason 2.  Secondly, God will have it so with reference to Sanctification, 
In reference to Sanctification.  that is the second Reason, and that for these Causes.  
First, because otherwise men's thoughts would never be drawn inward, men would never withdraw themselves from Covetousness, and from regarding vanity; but lusts of youth in them that be young, and business and correspondency in matters of State, and one thing or other would take up the minds of them that be old, and would so occupy their thoughts, that we might speak long enough, but men's minds would go after an hundred several vanities; as the Psalmist saith, God is not in all the thoughts of a wicked man, before he be humbled, that is, God is not there to any purpose,, nor the things belonging to the kingdom of God, but vanity is in their thoughts, and that raises such a Tumult and noise within, that they attend not to what we say, but lock up the doors of their heart, that what we say can have no entrance. We shall see it in 2 Chro. 33. when Manasses had corrupted himself with monstrous abominations there set down, the Lord spoke to him, but he regarded it not, till he was humbled, but when being led into captivity and bound in fetters, he was humbled, than he besought God, who was entreated of him. In the fifteenth of Luke you shall find this phrase, The Prodigal son came to himself; It is Parable showing every man's natural condition, he was not himself before, he was a drunken man, or a mad man; and that is the case of every man before he be humbled, he is as a drunken man; now come and speak to a drunken man, as long as you will, so long as he is in his drunkenness and madness he hears not: it is only this Humiliation that brings a man to himself. In 2 Chron. 6.37. you shall find this phrase, If they shall turn with all their hearts in their captivity, and repent for their transgressions, then do thou hear in heaven, etc. I name it for the phrase, if they shall turn with their heart, which they will not do till they be humbled, till than they be busied about pleasures, or profits, or something else, but they look not into their hearts. The phrase imports so much: suppose a man be instant in some sport and recreation, and one come and tell him in the midst of his sport, there is an officer without ready to take you and carry you to prison; such a message will turn to his heart, and make him consider what he hath done, and what a miserable condition he is in: so when the Law comes it humbles a man, making him to draw in his Thoughts, and to see his misery; and when he is wounded with the sense of his sins, and with the wrath of God, then, and not till then, the feet of them that bring glad Tidings of salvation are beautiful.  
Likewise Humiliation is necessary for this cause, because except men be throughly humbled, they will never take the Kingdom of heaven by violence; and they must take it so, else they shall never have it: now by the Kingdom of heaven is meant the Gospel; you know it is called the Gospel of the Kingdom, that is, righteousness and grace therein revealed and offered. In Matth. 11. and Luke 16.16. you shall find that from the time of john the Baptist, The kingdom of heaven suffered violence, and the violence take it by force: The meaning is this, saith Christ to them, we preach the Gospel, so did john, with him it began to be preached; but deceive not yourselves, many think they take the kingdom of heaven, but you must know there be two kinds of taking; some are content to be saved, and to do many things as Herod did, and as the second, and third ground did, but this is a false taking, and deceive not yourselves thereby. There is another kind of taking, when a man takes this kingdom violently, and indeed none shall have it, but after this manner. Now, what is it to take it violently? When a man takes a thing violently, he doth it with all his might, he puts all his strength to it, he doth it not coldly, and slightly, and overly, but with all his might. So the meaning is this; The kingdom of heaven is as if one were to come within a narrow door, which cannot be without difficulty, when he puts to all his violence and strength to do it. According to the phrase in Luke, Since the time of john the Baptist, they press into the kingdom of heaven, that is, with violence, as if God seems to hold the kingdom of heaven in his hand, that unless you pull it, and extort it from him, as it were, you shall never have it: Now will any man do thus till he be humbled? It is impossible he should. When a man is brought into fear of his life, and is like to die, the fear of loss of natural life will make him work any thing with violence, much more than when a man sees eternal death, that he shall die for ever, will he take the kingdom of heaven with violence, that is, he will not perform duties in a slight manner, as if God were beholden to him, not with that laxity in his judgement of the truth, as he conceives, nor with that coldness in the duty. Those that will be saved, must take Salvation by force, which a man will never do till he be humbled. There is much profession, and many kinds of taking Christ in the world, but the right taking is, when a man will be at this cost, to part with all, to deny himself perfectly, and every way, and take up his cross, and every cross, when his lusts are throughly mortified, and this cannot be till he be humbled: For mark, nothing mortifies but joy and love, that doth properly and immediately mortify; for no man will part with his lusts, till he find Christ sweeter than they, till than he will never part with them in good earnest; now Christ will never be sweet, till we have found the bitterness of sin, till God hath so pressed it on their consciences, that they feel the weight and burden of it. And so much for the reasons of it.  

Use 1.  Now the use of this is double: First, is this so necessary? Then labour to see yourself humbled, if ever you look to be saved and justified; for though God offers Salvation to all (as it is true none is excepted) yet he looks to none with a gracious eye to save him indeed, but him that is poor and contrite in heart, and trembles at his Word. And good reason, for none else will look after him; the poor receive the Gospel and none else: When we preach the Gospel, it is like Cyrus his Proclamation, it was a general proclamation, that all that would might go out of captivity and build the Temple, but saith the Text, only they went, whose heart the Lord stirred up to go; other would no● go: So when we preach, we offer Salvation to all men, that is our Commission, Mark 16. Go and preach to all Nations, that is, offer Grace and Salvation to all men; but when it comes to the point that men must go out of their captivity, and build a Temple to God, they will not do it, they will rather live in captivity still, because they be not humble. To go out of their sins wherein they have been captivated, a great while, and to build a Temple to Christ, that is, to make their hearts fit Temples for Christ, to purge themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, to labour to walk in his fear, to leave all, even the beloved sins, and to delight in the Lord, in the Inner man, they will not, what is the reason? they are not yet humbled, and therefore they cannot be saved. The jubilee among the jews may be a very fit resemblance hereof, and for aught I know, may be so intended, to resemble the glorious Liberty in the times of the Gospel. Now the jubilee was this, All servants should then go free, but if any would not, (as of them there were many) than he was to be bored in the ear, and to be a perpetual servant. So when we preach the Gospel, this is the great jubilee, every man may be free, the Son comes to that end, and it is the end of the Truth to make men free: The Son comes to deliver every man out of the Gaol, if he will, but men will not be at liberty, they will be servants still, because they were never humbled, they never felt the heaviness of Satan's yoke, they were never wearied with sin; for if they were so, this would be acceptable news, but it is not so. Now mark this by the way, if a servant would not go free, he should not afterwards be at liberty to go, and stay when he list, but his ear shall be bored, and he should be a perpetual servant. So if you defer this, when you hear the Gospel preached, and think I will not always live in this condition, I will repent and come out of it, know, that is not enough, God will not wait thy leisure, if thou wilt not come out, take heed lest God bore thee in the ear, that is, never give thee an heart to come out. Do not say, If it be so necessary, I will do it hereafter: take heed that thy opportunities be not wholly taken from thee, and know that Christ came into the world not only to take away sin, for that was but a part of it: But what was his business? he came like wise to purify to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. 
Titus 2.14.  If men might run out their age in sin, and Christ forgive them in the end, when they please to give over sinning, than he might have one of his ends made good, which is to take away thy sins, but thou couldst not be a people zealous of good works, neither could he have any service of thee. But thou must know Christ hath hired thee for the whole day, that is, all the Time of thy life. When he went out in the morning to call in labourers into his Vineyard, they did not make answer. Well, we will come at noon, but when his pleasure is to call, whether at one or two a clock, that is his call, but if he call thee in the morning, that is, if thou have the Word preached, if he knock at the door of thy heart, and by his Spirit suggest many good motions in thee to come home, if his will be revealed to thee, it may be thou mayest not have such an opportunity again; that is his call: take heed that thou defer it not, lest so his wrath should be kindled against thee; and woe unto thee if his wrath be kindled but a little; this is a thing not considered. In Ezek. 24.13. Thou remainest in thy wickedness; And why is that? He gives this reason for it, I would have purged thee, and thou wouldst not be purged, therefore thou shalt never be purged till my wrath light on thee. That is, when God makes an offer, when the powerful Word sounds in our ears; when he calls, and we cannot deny his knocking at our doors, and yet we will not come in; because then, and there at that time, thou wouldst not be purged, therefore thou shalt never be purged, till God's wrath light on thee; therefore defer it not.  
But you will say (and that is a thing that keeps men off) I have done it already, 
Object.  and what need you to press this? I hope I am not now to practise these principles and rudiments, I hope I have done this duty of Humiliation long ago.  
It is well if thou hast, 
Answ.  but take heed thou deceive not thyself in this case, than which there is not a greater evil in the world, even to think thou hast done it, when thou hast not. I will give thee one note of it: Is it such an humiliation as hath brought thee to Christ? To count him the chiefest good, to overgo any thing rather than him, to stand out against all persecutions, rather than to forsake him; canst thou forsake all Sirens, all lusts and pleasures which allure thee? Art thou thus brought home to Christ, to esteem him above all things, that come what will come, hadst thou an hundred lives to part with for him, all were nothing? Art thou thus brought home with Humiliation, that thou wilt not let Christ go for any thing, neither losses, nor pleasures, for Temptations on the right and left hand, than thou art come home indeed; otherwise thou hast not taken him truly, neither art humble, for thou must know there is much counterfeit Humiliation, there be many light wounds that may trouble thee, but not bring thee to the Physician. God awakens sinners, but what kind of awakening is it? With such awakning that they fall asleep again. God may send many messengers of wrath to knock at the door of their hearts, which perhaps disquiets and troubles them a little, but they return to their rest again. And this God may not only do outwardly, but he may cast many sparks of his displeasure into their hearts, which may there lie glowing for a time, but they last not, they go out in the end. And this is the condition of most men, therefore they make many proffers, as if they would be saved, and come to Christ; and this they take for Humiliation. But this is not the Humiliation that is required. When God means to save a man, he will go thorough with the work, and never give over till he hath brought him home, causing sorrow to abide on his heart. As it is Christ's office to give repentance to men, and remission of sins; so it is his office, Luke 1.79. To guide men's feet into the way of Peace; Now when he will save a man, he will set it on so, that his heart shall never be quiet till his feet be guided into the way of peace. Others may have much Humiliation at time of a Sacrament, or under some great sickness or cross, or in a good mood, or for apprehension of some judgement and wrath to come, but it is like a flash of lightning that quickly vanishes; but when Christ will humble a man, he sets a Pillar of fire before him, that leads him along from time to time, till he be brought home to Christ. A small thing, when God hath the setting of it on, shall work, and never give over working, till our hearts be qualified aright, till we believe in Christ, and embrace the Gospel. And such an Humiliation you must have, else it is nothing: If it be a right Humiliation, I say, it will bring you home; for you must know this is the condition of every man, they cannot abide the net, no man will come in if he can choose. Now the Gospel is a Net that catches men, and as in the taking of fishes, if they will take the Fish, they beat the sides of the River, and will not suffer them to rest in any corner, for if they can find any place to rest in, they will not come into the Net: So man hath many starting holes, and fain would be quiet; God humbles him a little, but he gets in a nook, and there hides himself, that if God beat not the River throughout, that is, if God do not pursue a man, he will not be brought in. As it was with them that fled to the City of refuge; you know if one man killed another at unawares, if he could get into the City of Refuge he were safe; but were not he pursued by the Avenger of blood, he would not fly thither: if God ever give over pursuing a man till he be just at the City, he will step aside and not regard it; but when God shall charge sin upon the conscience, and pursue him, never giving him rest, this brings him to the City of Refuge. This is exemplified in the Prodigal son, so long as he had any thing to restrain him, while his goods lasted he never thought of going home to his Father: When he had spent his goods, so long as he could get work, or had any thing to do, though he hired himself in a very mean condition to keep the Swine, yet he was well content; but in the end, when he came to have Husks, his utmost shift, (and yet if he could have had husks, he would not have come home) when he had no sustenance, but must needs perish, than he goes home. And indeed a man will never go home till he have no bottom to stand on, nothing to hold by, to sustain him; when a man is nothing, is cut off the Tree he grew on before, and sees that he must now perish eternally; this is true Humiliation. You that are to receive the Sacrament, what do we therein, but offer Christ to you? we preach Christ in the Sacrament, he is therein indeed offered more sensibly: Now what have you to do with Christ, if you are not humble? Consider if this be not wrought in you; and remember this, that whosoever comes to the Sacrament without this Humiliation, that wants this brokenness of heart, receives it unworthily, and provokes God to wrath. The Passover was to be eaten with sour herbs, and the main business therein was to remember the condition they were set at liberty from, to remember their bondage in Egypt, and their miseries endured there; for by that, they saw the greatness of God's mercies. So one of the main businesses you have to do, is to consider your sins, and be humbled, to consider your miserable condition, and to think it not a light matter that you may omit it. Consider but that one place, Levit. 23.29 you shall find there that in the day of Expiation, in the day of Atonement, when they came to offer sacrifice, he that on that day did not afflict his soul, he was to be cut off from his people. You have it two or three times repeated, It is an ordinance, and this is still put in, He that comes to make an Atonement, to be reconciled, and offer a Sacrifice, remember this ordinance for ever, He shall afflict his soul, and he that doth it not, shall be cut off from his people: Therefore you have occasion to make use of it that are to receive, and not you only, for the Doctrine is general, Whosoever doth not afflict his soul, he shall never be reconciled, but shall be cut off from his people.  

Object.  But, you will say, I should be willing to do this, but how shall I be able to do it? If God would humble me, and set it on, and convince me by his Spirit, it might be done, but how shall I do it myself?  

Answ.  I answer; Thou art to go about it thyself▪ It is not for nothing that those words are used in joel 2.13. 
Helps to humble and afflict the soul for sin.  Rend your hearts and not your garments: He says, rend your hearts. And jer. 6.4. Blow up the fallow grounds of your hearts; that is, you shall afflict your souls: And james 4.9. Be afflicted, that is, suffer yourselves to be afflicted for yourselves, sorrow and weep, that is the way to cleanse you. Therefore a man should go about the work himself, that is, take this resolution, Well, I see I must be humbled, else I cannot on good grounds take Christ, for I shall not prize him, therefore I will not give over labouring of my heart till it be humbled. Suffer thyself to be afflicted, as if he should say, Men are not willing to suffer it; if they do hang their heads for a day, they are quickly weary, outward business comes, or pleasure commands, and the work grows tedious. Therefore is that in joel 2. Sanctify a Fast, that ye may rend your hearts; that is, sequester yourselves from all other businesses, from all other occasions, sanctify a Fast, that ye may have leisure to do it; if one Fast will not do it, take another: Let a man go alone and resolve never to give over till it be done, till he hath brought his heart to do it.  
When I have done this, 
Object. 2.  what shall I then do?  
Consider your sins, 
Answ.  look back and consider how many oaths you have sworn, how oft you have broken the Sabbath, whether you have defiled yourselves with sins of uncleanness, how often you have broken the Commandments; look on your idleness, your omissions, your sinful silence, your neglect of prayer and other duties. Go over all particular sins, and their multitude will amaze you: Remember the sins you have committed twenty years ago, and take this rule withal, that these sins are the same now that they were, though not in thy apprehension, that is, the weakness of our nature; as it is the weakness of our eye, we cannot discern a thing that is a great distance from it, it is its weakness that it cannot see things as they are, but that will seem little or nothing which in itself is big. So it is with the sins that we have committed many years ago, we think them little, and past, but know that they are the same in themselves, and, in God's esteem, as they were before, for he sees them as they are: Therefore, I say consider them, lay them together, and see the multitude, and that will help to amaze thee.  
And not that only, but consider them with their circumstances: some, it may be, have been committed against light of conscience, and that aggravates sin, it makes a small sin out of measure sinful: When it is committed against knowledge, it is not the same with the sin against the Holy Ghost, but it is near to it.  
Again, consider the hardness of thy heart, in sinning, the very sin doth not hurt so much as that, when a man slights it, he knows he hath sinned, yet goes about his business, and neglects it, and this God looks at. When a man is injured, the injury is not so much to him, as it is to see the other to neglect it, he cares not for angering me. So you look back on your sins in a cold, regardless, and negligent manner.  
Again, consider your relapses and falls into the same sins, again, and again, though you have been often admonished of it, yea, and have made a covenant and vow to God never to fall into it. And know this, that relapses and fall into sin, often stand for so many sins as in numbers the second figure is in proportion to the first, which is ten times as much as the first, and the third an hundred times as much: So the addition of sins, by falling into them again and again, and that carelessly too, that makes the sin a great deal more; consider this.  

Object.  And if you go about to excuse ourselves, It is true if God should mark all that is done amiss, who can stand, but I hope I shall be pardoned, my nature is violently carried, I am flesh and blood, and I hope God will pity me.  
But this should humble you the more, that you are ready to fall into sin again, 
Answ.  and again, if it be thus in your actions, it is much more abundant in the heart. For put case there be a necessity, hast not thou caused it thyself? Again, you must know actual sins intent original corruption, and there is no man that is guilty of any prevalent lust, but he was the cause of it, for if he had not by committing it often, carelessly and negligently given so much strength to it, it had not so prevailed. Addition of sin in every act of sin varnishes over original sin, it makes it more active, more efficacious in his life. A man's weight in the balance weighs down the scales, but if he put to his strength too, that is as much more as his weight. So if you have any strong sins, you have cause to be humbled for it, but when you put your strength to it, it intends that original habit of sin: So that the necessity that lies on thee, by reason of thy nature, it aggravates thy sin. jer. 13.23. The Prophet aggravates their sin from their custom in it, they could choose not to sin no more than the Blackamoor could change his skin: The Prophet, I say, brings it in for this purpose to aggravate sin. See it in our own case, when a man comes to be accused before a judge, if he plead he is accustomed to such a sin, to swearing or drinking, doth it not increase his condemnation? So that though you say, I d●d slip through frailty, yet, I say, you have cause to be humbled for it.  
I will but name the second use (for I have respect to the Time and Wether). Secondly, not only evil men, 
Use 2.  but good men within the Covenant should make this use of it, to humble themselves, for they have need of it. A man must know this, when he is once humbled and come into state of Grace, he hath not then done with Humiliation, it is to be practised still. For there is this difference between a wicked man and another. Many are like a land-floud, none more ready to be religious than they, (as your great land-flouds swell, though they have no spring to feed them) but with a godly man it is otherwise, Humiliation is in him as a Spring, he hath not done with it at his Conversion, but practiseth it still.  
And not only so, but he must labour to add to the measure of it, and that will add to his love, and to his faith, and draws him nearer to Christ, the more his sin is discovered. It is said of the woman, she loved much, because much was forgiven her: Others had as much mercy as she, but she had more sense of it, because she was more humbled, the more you see and are sensible of your sins, the more it adds to your love, it makes you to prize him, when you see you are so much beholden to him. Again, it will add to faith, I mean not only the act of believing, but the act of taking Christ. The more a man sees the need he stands in of Christ, the more he is convinced of sin, the more he takes Christ; for there be degrees of taking him. When a woman takes an husband, there be degrees in her will, there may be additions to her will, she may be morefully contented in him, and more prize him. And so in taking of Christ for our Lord, and Husband, and Saviour. It is true, if we will take him in earnest, any measure of true faith will save us, but we may do it more abundantly, for the more sense we have of sin, the more greedy shall we be of him. Again, the more empty the soul is, the more a man is humbled, the more he sees into himself (as faith comes with an empty hand) the faster hold is laid on Christ. Therefore, add still to Humiliation, let it be your exercise, the worse you be persuaded of yourselves, and the better you conceit of God, it is the more for your advantage; the more you can hate and abhor yourselves, the more you are improved thereby, for the flesh in you must be abhorred, and it is our fault we do it not enough; and again, the more you apprehend Christ, the nearer you draw to him. And take this withal, Humiliation doth not weaken assurance, but works the contrary: Indeed, the less sincerity, and the less mourning for sin, and the less Humiliation, the less assurance. But reckoning up, and thinking on thy sins increaseth it. If I have so many sins, how can I be saved? Yes, so much the rather, the more thou canst see and be humbled for them, the more thou addest to thy assurance, and so to thy love and faith. Therefore a man should make a daily practice of Humiliation, for it is to a man's great advantage, it is a thing too much omitted, we should take time for it. And think it your advantage to be able to see what we have in our nature, how much guilt we have contracted by sin, and how our sins may be aggravated; for this will teach us to prise Christ. And so much for this point.  
The end of the First Sermon.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON HUMILIATION. The second SERMON.  ROMANS 1.18. 
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, which withhold the Truth in unrighteousness.  
WE come now to the matter of Humiliation, contained in these words which I have already opened and showed the points that may thence be drawn. The first whereof, which we will begin with, is this:  
That the Nature of man is full of all unrighteousness and ungodliness. 
Doctr.  You know by that which you heard before, how it is gathered. It will be a vain labour to go about to prove it, you know how plentiful the Scripture is in it, and you are not so ignorant of the Grounds of Divinity, as not to confess it. The business will be to show wherein it consists, and how the Nature of man is corrupted, for by making this evident, we shall by the same labour, prove and confirm it to you.  
Now the way to evidence this, that the Nature of man is full of all unrighteousness and ungodliness, is to look to the rule. If you will find out the disorder and distemper that any thing is subject to, the way is to look to the rule to amend it by. Now every Creature hath a law, the Fire, the Water, the Sea, yea, every Creature sensible, and insensible hath a law given to it, which, as they observe, they continue in perfection, and look how far they go aside, that so far they be imperfect. Now the Law given to man, is the Moral Law and the Gospel, and these two he is to observe. And if you will find out the truth of this, That the nature of man is full of all ungodliness and unrighteousness, look to these two. First, look to the Law of God, and see if that do not conclude all men under sin, look therein to both the Tables. It is true, Hypocrites make a good show of keeping the first Table, they seem to be forward in the duties belonging to God; but look to the second Table, and that discovers them. Civil men seem to be exact in the second Table, in performing duties to man, but look to the first Table, what their carriage to God is, what little conscience they make of taking his Name in vain, of sanctifying his Sabbath, of performing holy duties in an holy manner, of love, and fear. This discovers civility: (that is, when there is nothing else but civility.) Again, look to sins of all sorts, some gross sins, Peccata vastantia Conscientiam, crying sins, and smaller sins too, sins of less moment, the Law discovers all.  
Now, by the Law you must not only understand the ten Commandments, but that rectitude which runs thorough the whole Book of God expressed in the whole Scriptures. As in the Scripture, the Law and the Prophets are put together, as if the Prophets were but a Commentary on the Law; look on the Scriptures, look upon the straightness, the rectitude in the whole Book of God.  
Then when that is done, look on your own Natures, your own Errors, the secret windings, and turnings of the heart, your own thoughts and affections, and see what a disproportion, a dislikenesse there is; see how far you are from that holiness, that purity, and rectitude described in this Book of God, for that, I say, you are to understand by the Law. And when you have done that, you shall find your sins to be exceeding great for their quantity, and exceeding many for their number, and that will amaze you. This amazed Paul, when he once understood the Law, when he looked on all the parts of it, not only on grosser sins forbidden, but on the rectitude, the holiness which is required that amazed him, Rom. 7.9. That made sin alive, he was alive before, and sin was dead, but when the Law discovered Lust to be sin, than Sin was alive, and he died. So if we could see the Law, the strictness of it, it would do thus with us. And mark what is said of the Law, for we may press the Law long enough, but many are remiss in attending to it. Therefore, to stir you up (as I know it is but a small matter) I will name but one place, and let that stay in your memories, Matth. 5.11. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but one tittle, one jot of this Law shall not pass away: Mark that, not one jot of the Law shall perish. That is, look thorough the whole Law of God, take all the Commandments there, you shall give account of every idle word, you must keep the Sabbath exactly, you must not speak your own words. Take any Commandment that you think the Nature of man is most ready to break, and consider that saying of Christ, Not one jot of the Law shall perish; heaven and earth shall pass away, but the Law of God in the least part of it shall not perish: That is, there shall not be one of these small things, that the Law commands, but if you neglect it, by disobeying it, God will surely require it; there is not the least thing, wherein you have gone aside this rectitude, and disobeyed this Law, but it shall be required of you. And that is the meaning of that phrase, Thou shalt pay the uttermost farthing. Though we reckon them trifles, the uttermost farthing shall be paid, For this is our fault, though we press the Law, and tell you of your sins, yet you think this is a small thing, and God may bear with me in this, for we be apt to judge of God, as of ourselves: A small fault I can bear with in my servant, therefore God may in this dispense with me. We think of the Law of God, as of man's law; but we must not judge of God so, we must judge of him according to his own rule, his Thoughts are not as our thoughts; he hath given a rule, and hath said, The least jot of it shall not pass, but be fulfilled, not the least breach of it, but it shall be requried. Consider this, and it will amaze us, and make us to tremble, when you know that the sins you have forgotten, and the least breach of this Law shall be surely required to the uttermost.  
But, 
Object.  you will say, you talk of Impossibilities, which no man is able to perform?  
It is true, 
Answ.  it is a thing we are not able to perform: But therein is seen the Terror of the Law, and that should humble you the more, for I cannot compare the Law to any thing better, than to the Taskmasters in Egypt, the people had enough to do, indeed more than they could perform, complaining of their sore bondage; what relief had they? they are told, they shall give in the same number of Bricks that they did before, and yet shall have no straw; Now how should they do this? So it is with the Law, it commands, Do this; you complain, Alas, I know not how to do it, I have no ability; you bid me make Brick, but allow me no straw; that is all one, the same Tale of Brick shall be required of you, that is, the same measure of obedience that was required of Adam, as if you had the same abilities remaining in you.  
And yet God is not unjust, he doth not reap where he did not sow before; he sowed it once in Adam, and consequently in his Posterity. And that no man may think this hard, look to the first sin that Adam committed, and if we be guilty of that sin, there is equity that the Law be required of us, though we have not ability to perform it. Now, why should it seem unreasonable that I should be liable to Adam's account? Even to the same exactness, though I want ability to perform it? It is true, Adam ran in debt, but do not we pay many debts of our Grandfathers and Fathers, which we never drunk for? though we run not into them, yet we stand liable to the payment. In the Law, if a man had committed an offence, and was adjudged to be a bondslave, it was his particular offence, but were not all his children bondslaves after him? and yet it was not their offence. So Adam forfeited his liberty, became a Bondslave to sin and Satan, and the same is the condition of all his Posterity.  
And besides the common reason, which is a true one, and a good one, that if in equity we should have stood with him, therefore in equity we should fall with him, I will add two considerations, and then you shall find it very reasonable that we should fall with him, and that the same should be required of us, which was of him, though we have not the same ability.  
One is, that the Angels (though we did not sin as they did, for they sinned every one in his own person) are justly condemned, because every Angel sinned himself, he committed the sin, he was the Author of it; and therefore it is reason they should be punished. But come to Adam's Posterity, consider that they had a means given them, and that they that are condemned (except children) of Adam's Posterity, they are condemned for their own sins, they might do much more than they do, they sin against the Law, they have, and so they are not only condemned for Adam's sin, but for the sins committed in their own persons. For God intended to give them a second Board after the great shipwreck in Adam, on which they might save themselves if they would, if the fault were not in themselves; for, it is true, they might do more if they would, they might keep the Law of Nature better than they do, and for that they are condemned.  
Again, as we are condemned for Adam's sin, though we did not commit it, so we are saved by the righteousness of Christ, though we did not perform it; and therefore there is an equity in that regard: We can see an equity for our Salvation, and is there not as much equity in the other? that we should stand guilty of it, though we never acted it: For as we are condemned by Adam's sin, though not done by us, so are we saved by Christ's righteousness, though only imputed to us. So that in equity the severe righteousness of the Law should be required of us, though we have not power to fulfil it.  
Now that we may not stay in Generals only, telling you that the Law of God is holy, and pure, and you carnal, and contrary to it, we will come to particulars. And that we may help your memories, observe the breaches of this Law in the several faculties of the mind. And we will begin first with the General: the general sore overspreading all our nature, and that is it which the Divines call Original sin: first consider that, and see how your nature is full of all unrighteousness and ungodliness. First, I say, consider your original sin, and the general corruption of your nature thereby, john 3.6. Whatsoever is borne of Flesh, is flesh. And Rom. 7.18. I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing. Mark that, he says no good thing. We think we have something that is good, for all our general corruption, but there is nothing good at all; As Gal. 3.22. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin: Not only all men, but (for the word is in the neuter Gender) all things. Therefore in Gen. 6.5. he doth not only say, The frame of a man's heart is evil but it is only evil, and always evil. In all actions, at all Times. This is a common Truth, but men consider not of it, they think there is some goodness in them, they will not be persuaded of this Truth in good earnest. And therefore when a man comes into the state of Grace, it is not mending two or three things that are amiss, it is not repairing of an old house, but all must be taken down, and be built anew, you must be New Creatures. And therefore God promises, I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit: For all is out of order, and nothing good. And there is an equity in this; for, as in Psal. 49.12. Man being in honour abideth not, but is like the beasts that perish: That is, as God raised man above himself, giving him supernatural glory, in which he was created (for he was created in holiness, and perfect righteousness) so man not keeping this condition, he was cast beneath himself. And in this there is equity, that being raised above himself, having an holiness given him transcending common nature, he should now be made worse than himself, even as the beast that perisheth. Consider this corruption, and know it is a thing that makes you loathsome in God's sight. For this, Tit. 1. ult. Men are called Abominable: that is, men that God abhors, as you abhor the snuff of a candle, or name any filthy thing your nature abhors; such is the nature of men to God. You know how we hate Toads and Serpents for their loathsome poisonful nature, though they do us no hurt. Now God looks on the corruption of our nature, as we look on Toads that are contrary to us, against which we have an Antipathy.  
It is disputed by the Schoolmen, whether this be unum peccatum, one sin or more, we may easily answer it: It is one in act, one in essence, but many in virtue, and power, and efficacy. As a seed is one individual, but it is many, as many branches may arise from it: As Drunkenness, (which will better express it) is but one fault, but it disorders the whole man, neither the head, nor the feet, nor the reason is excluded: So original sin, though it be but one sin, yet it distempers the whole man, it sets the whol● soul out of order. And when the Instrument the heart, is out of tune, every sound, every action is unsavoury, and sinful, and thus should you look upon yourselves.  
It is further disputed, whether this be privative or positive, likewise I answer, It is only privative, it is nothing but a mere want of righteousness: But seeing it falls upon an active subject, as the soul of man is, which is never idle, but ever stirring; thence it comes that the habits and fruits thereof are active and positive. It is true, the want of sight to guide, is enough to cause error, but the vigour of nature is enough to make it positive. Therefore Divines say well, It is not only compared to Darkness, which is a mere privation of light, but to sickness, where is not only want of health, but corrupt humours which are contrary to health. That is the first thing to be considered, even the corruption of Nature which is in you, which will exceedingly aggravate sin, as I have showed heretofore, and shall more largely hereafter have occasion to speak of it, Therefore I will say no more of it now, but so much shall serve for the general Original corruption that is in us.  
And now we will come to the particular faculties, 
The corruption of the Faculties.  and will show how they are corrupted, that we may know ourselves, and the truth of this point, which I am to prove, that the nature of man is full of all impiety and wickedness.  
And first, 
1 The Understanding.  we will begin with the Understanding or mind of a man.  
In this, 
1 The Vanity of it.  mark first the Vanity of it, How ready it is to attend to trifles; which was the disposition that the Apostle found fault with in his Epistle to Timothy and others, That they gave themselves to Fables, and Genealogies, and this is in every man by nature. How full of questions were the Schoolmen? and so every man is ready to turn Religion into questions of curiosities, which shows a sickness in the understanding, it sets a man on work to find out what is propounded to it, that he may not lose his labour. And thence come so many errors, this is the vanity of the mind. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men (saith the Psalmist) that they are vanity. And this should humble us, that our minds are no more ready to attend the means of salvation. As the Schoolmen spent themselves in idle speculations, so are we ready to attend to idle questions, but that which is wholesome and sound we neglect.  

2 The blindness of it.  Secondly, consider the blindness of the mind, we are unwilling to learn, and so long must needs be in an Error, and not come to the knowledge of the Lord. To other things we are forward enough, but to do well we have no understanding. Therefore it is, that men continue ignorant, notwithstanding so much preaching; when they learn other Arts, they are quick and dexterous, but in the things belonging to Salvation, how ignorant do they continue? The Schoolmen give a good reason of it, and we may take it from them; because spiritual light is above us, it transcends us, we have not enough in us to see spiritual objects, for they be supernatural, and above our reach, but other things are proportionable to us; Bats and Owls in the night can see well, because the glimmering light, and their weak eyes agree well together: So can we discern vain things, but things truly spiritual we do not: 1 Cor. 2.14. Spiritual things must be discerned by spiritual light, A natural man cannot conceive of them; Why? They are spiritually discerned, that is, they are above him, and his nature is not able to reach them. Consider that blindness in the understanding, that unaptness, how quick and ready men are to bring their own ends to pass? How wise are they for other things? but they desire not to come to the knowledge of the Truth, and when they apply themselves to it, they profit not by it.  
Add to this blindness the unteachableness of the understanding, 
3 The V●te●chablenesse of it.  the resistance that is in it; for it is not a simple blindness, but a resistance of the Truth, and an unaptness to receive it. Now this is distinct from the second, which you may see by this comparison. The air is dark, but it is fit to receive light, if the Sun cast light into it; but the understanding of a man is not so, it is not fit to receive light, but resists it. Philosophers were wont to say, that the Soul, the Mind of a man, is, Rasa Tabula, that having nothing written on it, it is a Table of wax to any thing that is evil, and will receive a quick impression, but a Table of Flint, of Adamant, to any thing that is good. Therefore the mighty God must write his Law in our hearts, for we want that which is good, and are of ourselves unteachable. And therefore this disadvantage we have that preach the Gospel, above others. If an Astronomer come and tell a Countryman, that a Star were bigger than the earth, it would seem a strange position at the first hearing, but if he might have liberty to deal with him, and to demonstrate his Grounds, he might make him to believe it, and to see reason for it: But we cannot do so, we can only propound things to Faith, and there is not only a blindness in men, but an unteachableness, and resistance against the Truth.  
Add to this the incredulity of the understanding, how unapt it is to believe. 
4 The Incredulity of it.  In other things it is too credulous, and apt to believe, and to be deceived with false tales and idle stories; but come to the Scripture, doubts and questions arise. Therefore, this unaptness of the mind to believe, is to be considered. This I take to be the meaning of that, 2 Cor. 4.4. where it is said, The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not: As if he had said, The light of the Gospel is clear, you may as well see the light of it, as you see the light of the Sun at noonday, but the god of this world hath blinded your eyes, not by a privative extinction of the light, for that is more than the Devil can do, but by a positive blindness, a positive ignorance, that is, the Devil tells you something against it, and that you believe: And that is our nature, we are more ready to believe the Devil than God. This may seem strange, yet Eve you know did it, and that sin is transmitted to all our natures, we are ready to believe false suggestions against the Truth, which weaken faith rather than the sure Word of God.  

5 The Enmity of it.  Last of all, add to all this the Enmity of the understanding, which is more than all the rest. Rom. 8.7. The carnal mind is Enmity against God: That is, the understanding is not only vain, ready to pitch on idle speculataions, and not only blind, ready to resist, and not only slow and backward to believe, but it is an Enemy, and fights against the Truth; and the reason is in these words: It is Enmity, and why? It is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be; and therefore, it is an Enemy, that is, when the mind of a man looks on the exactness, and strictness of holiness and pureness that God requires, he doth not mean to be subject to it; and seeing he will not be subject to it, he resists it, fights against it as an Enemy, looks on it, as a thing contrary to him; did it give more liberty, he would be ready to embrace it, and think well of it; but because it is too strict, he breaks these cords, and casts them away, and fights against the Truth, and this is the nature of every man. Now when we say the wisdom of th● flesh is Enmity, we do not say that men oppose the Truth, for there is not any Truth in Divinity, but a man may fully embrace and assent to it, and yet be an Enemy to Holiness, to the Image of God stamped therein, to the saving knowledge, that is, the saving manner of knowing the Truths he assents to. Therefore the Apostle saith, Many know much, but nothing as they ought to know: So many may know these spiritual Truths, and confess them to be good in themselves, and yet may have a reluctance against them, a distaste of them, they savour not the things they understand. Tit. 1. ult. They are to every good work reprobate; which I take not to be meant passively, but actively, that is, men that cannot judge aright of any work, that look not on it with a right eye, as a thing lovely, and imitable, as right and good, but in this regard they strive against it. Therefore, the Apostle speaks of some that exalt themselves against the knowledge of the truth; that is, that fight and defend themselves against it, that speak evil of the things they know, (for they know them, else they would never speak of them) but they know them not so, as to love them, and delight in them; therefore they resist, and fortify themselves against the ways of God, against the strictness and holiness that God requires, and persuade themselves to think amiss of them, that they need not to be so exact: This is the nature of every man, and the Enmity of the understanding.  
And now my brethren, if the understanding be thus bad, think it is no small matter, if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness? The understanding is that that must guide thee, and when the stern is out of order, when the Auriga, the Waggoner is blind, or amiss, and sees not the right way, think what a case you are in. But you will say this is Ignorance. But is not this of great Consequence? When a man is blind he knows not whither he goes, he is altogether a stranger from the life of God: Therefore first let this humble you, labour to see how your minds are full of wickedness, and unrighteousness.  

2 The depravedness of the Will▪  Secondly, let us come to the will, and you shall find that to be no less corrupt than the understanding; for the will takes every thing as the understanding presents it; and if the understanding, the mind of a man be thus corrupted, the will must needs be corrupted. As a man that looks thorough a coloured glass, every thing he sees is coloured; or as a man that hath his palate possessed with a vicious humour, every thing seems bitter according to the humour: so the will of man sees every thing thorough the understanding, as we see thorough a glass, but (Seeing) is not so proper a word to express it: the understanding tastes things, it is as the palate is to the stomach, when it is out of order, it perverts the ways of God, it sees no such beauty, nor excellency in them; and the will disposes of itself accordingly. Now you shall find that the understanding reckons the ways of God both Enmity and folly, and godly men to be partly fools, and partly Enemies, and contrary to them. Therefore you shall find a disposition, an affection, a frame of the will to answer that, mingled partly of hatred, and partly of contempt, and a man partly hates, and partly contemns, and thinks light of holiness: And this is the disposition of the will of every man before Regeneration, I say, the holiness described in the pure Word of God, and expressed in the lives of the Saints, he partly hates as a thing contrary to him, and partly contemns it as folly. But we will show you the particulars of the will, as we did of the understanding.  
Therefore, 
1 Of the Contrariety of the will to God.  first consider the Contrariety of the will, it is contrary to God in all things; look what Gods will is in any thing, you shall find your will contradicting it, and going a contrary way: It is said of the jews, as a thing that exceedingly aggravated their sin, and the miserable Condition they were in, they were contrary to all men; and if it be so much to be contrary to men, what is it to be contrary to God, to resist him, to go against him? and yet what he will have done, that we will not do; and what he will not have done, that we do, that is the disposition of our will.  

2 The Pride of the will.  Secondly, consider the Pride of the will, how ready it is to exalt itself above its measure, for the will of man should be a dependant will, a subject will, waiting on God, as the servant waits on the master, or as the handmaid waits on her mistress, that is, a man's will should be disposed in every thing as God pleases. If he will have him to be poor, in disgrace, or in a lower place and condition, the will should be subject, for we must remember, GOD is the Creator, we are creatures, and must be subject to the will of the Creator; but our Will will not stoop to Gods Will: As Adam would be in another condition than God had placed him in; so we exalt ourselves above measure, we are not content to be disposed of, to be carried from condition to condition, to have our affairs ordered as God pleases, we will have plots and projects of our own, we will shape out our own Condition, else we murmur and are discontent, and that is the pride of the will.  

3 The Inconstancy of it.  Thirdly, consider the Inconstancy of the will, the weakness of it in good things, and its peremptoriness in evil; in good things our resolutions are weak and inconstant, and as bubbles come to nothing; but in evil things we are stiff and peremptory, and will do what we list. Our tongues are our own, we will use them, Who is Lord over us? This is the nature of men, they swear and break the Sabbath, they do it, and will do it, though they say it not in words, yet God looks on it, and sees it; many purposes they have, they will change their courses; but what come they to? It is but by accident, when the wind is in that corner, when the weathercock stands that way, so that there is no constancy in our wills.  
Again, 
4 The Disobedience of it.  mark the Disobedience of our will, and that is not a small thing, that is the great and proper fault of the will, that it is disobedient to God, that is, when God commands a thing, and says, this I will have done, for the will to be disobedient to it, negligent of it, is a great and fearful sin, the eating of the forbidden fruit was unlawful, because God commanded Adam the contrary; If Gods command be on the least thing, the neglect of it makes it a disobedience; when God came to Adam, saith he, Hast thou eaten of the Tree concerning which I have said, thou shalt not eat of it? That is, hast thou been disobedient? Hast thou broken my Commandment? You see what followed on it. So Saul, when God bade him destroy the Amalekites, you would not reckon it a great sin to save a few cattle alive; but because God commanded the contrary, the fault was great. So the Prophet, 1 King. 13. One would not think it to be a great matter for him to go that way or the other: yet because he went that way, God sent a Lion that devoured him. The sin of Disobedience you may think a small thing, no man thinks it so gross a sin as Idolatry, Adultery, and Murder; but see how God judgeth of it, 1 Sam. 15. 23. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as Iniquity and Idolatry, that is, thou thinkest it no great matter to save as few cattle, and to keep the King alive, though thou destroyest all the rest: thou thinkest it a small thing, but it is not so, look what thou thinkest of the sin of Witchcraft and Idolatry, such is Disobedience. Now let men apply this to themselves, look what is revealed to you to be a sin, I know this is a sin, I know it is Gods command not to commit it; if thou fall into it, it is now a Disobedience, as adam's was, and as Saul's was, and as the Prophets was, and consider how God will take it; you see how he dealt with them. Come to particulars, do you not know, it is his Command you should not swear, not only greater, but lesser oaths? To keep the Sabbath, to keep your vessels pure, your bodies clean, for they are the Temples of God, and therefore that you ought not to defile them with any uncleanness, Drunkenness, or Gluttony: Do not you know, he commands that you should be constant in prayer, that you perform it constantly, and earnestly, and fervently? Now consider what Disobedience is; Remember that speech, Hast thou eaten of the Tree concerning which I commanded, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it? This is the Disobedience of man's will, labour to see this, how apt thy will is to break the Commandments of God, and how in this respect thy nature is full of all unrighteousness, and ungodliness.  
Next we will come to the Memory, 
3 The corruption of the Memory.  and you shall find that out of order likewise, that the things God commands us to remember, those we are exceeding ready to forget, and the things we should forget, we are too ready to remember, wherein I will be brief.  
First, 
1 In the things we are commanded to Remember.  for the things he commands us, he doth command, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. In your youth you shall serve me, and yet how apt is youth to forget God? And for the Sabbath he bids us Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day: How apt are we to neglect it, to disobey it? it is out of our minds. So Psal. 78.11. He would have his wondrous works, and the great Acts he did for the children of Israel, Remembered, but they remembered not (saith he) his wonders in Egypt. And so we may go through any thing else, Hebr. 12. You have forgot the Consolations, etc.  
Again, 
2 In things we are commanded to Forget.  we are ready to remember what God bids us to forget. We are apt to remember Injuries, yea, one Injury will be thought on more than many years good service, or many good turns. We should not do thus, but should remember the benefits from God and man for the increase of love. So Idle tales we are ready to remember, but good things, though they be accompanied with the motion, and quickening of the spirit go out like sparks in wet tinder, they go out again quickly, as if they had not been. So for hearing the Word, jam. 1. we are called forgetful hearers, when we are about that duty, if a tale be told us in a Sermon that we can remember, but what is profitable and wholesome, that we forget. Our minds are like strainers, all the milk passes thorough them; that that we should grow by, that which is wholesome, and necessary for nourishment runs thorough, but the dross remains: Trifles and vain things we can remember, and carry away with us, and this is the sinfulness of our memories. You may call it weakness of memory, and may think that it is not so great a matter. No, it is not the infirmity of thy memory, but the corruption of thy nature, if we forget other things as much, it were another case, but because holy things are spiritual, and the frame of the heart is nought, our corrupt ill disposition makes us ready to forget them; and more than that, there is a carelessness in our minds, we regard not the things of God, but every vanity we regard, and our mind is instant thereon, and that is the reason we remember it, but forget the things that concern God, and our Salvation.  

4 The corruption of the Conscience.  Come we from the Memory to the Conscience. The Conscience of a man is that which should have life; It should be like jobs last messengers, to bring us word that all the rest is dead: There should be a remaining light of Conscience to tell us that all the rest of our faculties are dead, disordered, and corrupted, but look upon the Conscience, you shall see how short it is in that which belongs to it, and it is a great matter to have that out of order.  
There be but three Acts of the Conscience, 
In three Acts.  and it is disordered in them all.  
The first Act of the Conscience is to be a Remembrancer, 
1 As it is a Remembrancer.  to be a faithful Register, to set all down, and to present it to us, but it is a false Register; like the Steward in Luke, that when there were hundreds, set down fifties: So the Conscience sets down things by halves, it thinks not what is done, it recals them not; if it were as it should be, it would recall our sins, and their Circumstances, in another manner than they do: And so is in that regard corrupt.  
The second Act or office of Conscience, 
2 
As it is an Instigatour to good, or a Restrainer from evil.  
Wherein three Virtues are required.   is, to instigate to good, and to restrain from evil, but in this you shall find it exceedingly corrupted.  
In this Act there be three Virtues which should be in the Conscience.  
The first is Clearness; the Conscience should be so clear as to see all things that are amiss, 
1 Clearness.  but in this it sails exceedingly, Tit. 1. It is said, Their mind and Conscience are defiled, mark that; look as in a Glass, which is in itself clear, when it shall be covered with dust, it shows nothing, it presents not things clearly, for it is defiled, so the Conscience of man should be clear as a bright lookingglass, that should present every thing that is amiss in a man's heart or life, but it is defiled, and you can see nothing by it.  

2 Sensibleness.  The second virtue in this Act of Conscience is, as to see sins clearly, so to feel them, to be sensible of them: like a fine flesh which is sensible of the least prick, or like the eye that is sensible of the least mote. Now in this it fails more than in the other; there is a brawniness grown over the Conscience, and in some it hath lost all sense, and therein you may see the Corruption of it. If you look to the Glass, and there find swearing to be a sin, you are not sensible of it, you feel it not.  

3 Activeness.  But there is a third Virtue wherein it fails more than in these two. It should stir us up, and give us no rest, till it had constrained us to do the good thing God commands, and restrained us from the Evil he forbids, it should awaken us, but it being dull and sleepy, stirs up sometimes good purposes, thereby awaking us, but it lets us fall asleep again; we can rest in sin, we can sin, and our minds be quiet in it, and can put off our turning to God. This is a great Corruption of the Conscience which should amaze us: This is the sinfulness of it, which should persuade us that our natures are full of all unrighteousness and ungodliness.  

3 As it is an Accuser, or Excuser.  Last of all, the third office or Act of the Conscience, is, to accuse aright, and excuse, and in this we shall see it fails as much as, or more than in any of the other. But you will say, the Conscience is ready enough to accuse; it is true, but the light it hath, by which it is able to see sin, and to accuse us for sin, it abuses, and perverts to a wrong end, for this you shall find in the Conscience when we preach the Law, and the Conscience should join with us to accuse, than it excuses, making every thing seem small and little. And again, when we preach the Gospel, and the Conscience should excuse, than it accuses; my sins are so great and many, that there is no mercy for me. And this perverting of the light, this excusing, when it should accuse; and this accusing, when it should excuse, causeth us, Declinare Ictum, to scape the blow of Law and Gospel, and we are robbed of the fruit of both, because the Conscience doth not his part aright. And so you may see how far off you are from a good Conscience.  
But, 
Object.  you will say, I do many things in secret out of Conscience, and I hope it is not so much corrupted?  
I will add this then to that I said before, 
Answ.  you must know it is not a good Conscience which only suppresseth and restraineth from evil. The matter is, in what terms it stands with God; If it look on God, as a chaste loving wife looks on her husband, or a son on the father, that out of reverend loving respects, fears to offend him, because they prise their favour more, than any man's favour in the world, and after this manner restrains, it is a good Conscience; but if it restrain us, as a servant is restrained under an hard master, or as a thief under the judge, trembling at his word, at his judgement, this is not a good Conscience. Your Conscience may restrain you from many things; nay, you may do many things in secret between you and God alone, and yet for all this have no good, but an evil Conscience. So you see the corruption of man in the Understanding, Will, Memory, and Conscience. I will add another, and that is the sensual Appetite.  

5 The corruption of the sensitive Appetite.  And this you shall find exceedingly out of order above all these faculties I have named, it is ready to run over, and beyond all measure. By this I understand, that appetite in a man, by which he taketh pleasure in sensible things, such as are conveyed by the eyes, the ears, or the taste; set any object before it, it is ready to run out quickly, by inordinate affections, as to women, to meat and drink, to any kind of sport, or recreation, or sensible thing. How corrupt is this sensual Appetite? How prone to evil? How ready to run out? to break over the Pale, to go aside the rule? If any delightful object be propounded, how ready is it to embrace it?  

Object.  But, you will say, (and indeed it is Bellarmine's quarrelling.) The rebellion of the sensual Appetite is but natural, the same that is in beasts, because, before original sin was committed, he was in the same constitution, there was such rebellion between the sensual appetite and reason, as there is now, and therefore being natural, it is not sinful.  
But this is his Error, though every man be hereby ready to excuse himself, 
Answ.  thinking the rebellion of the sensual Appetite not to be so great a matter. But to take his own words, he saith, the same as it is in Beasts; It is true, if it were with us, as it is with beasts, it were no sin, and so not a thing which gives us cause to be so much humbled: for in beasts the sensual Appetite hath no superior governor, but is supreme. To express it to you, Take an horse in a pasture that is loose, and free, if he run up and down and play, we find no fault with him, for he is loose; but if he doth this under the bridle, when the rider is on his back, will you not now reckon him a stiffnecked horse, and count it a fault in him, for there is a rider on his back. So for this sensual Appetite in beasts, where there is liberty, and no superior command to keep them in order, the beasts are not to be blamed. But take a man where God hath set reason above the sensual Appetite, and grace above reason to guide it; in him this sensual Appetite rebels against reason, which it should obey, and this shows it to be a great sin in men, considering that reason should be the rule to guide, and keep in the sensual Appetite, for God hath giv●n it for that purpose. Indeed some desires are natural; Christ desired life, which was lawful, and a right object of desire; but take this withal, it was perfectly subjugated and brought under, and made obedient to the will of God, as his will was holy and sanctified: So we may desire meat and drink, but many times the Law of God may forbid it, as in many cases it doth, for it may differ from the will of God, as it is holy, and yet in itself it may be right. Here is no more but subordination required. But when this runs out amiss, affecting of things inordinately, though you do suppress it, yet that affection is sinful, and you must be humbled for it; God sees it in you, and it is hateful, and abominable to him.  
These things I should make use of, But I am less careful of that, because all these points are immediately useful. Why? It is to make you know yourselves, and to be acquainted with the corruption of your nature. And do not you think it to be enough, that this be as an hand in the margin, pointing to the corruption of your hearts, or that you may content yourselves with the contemplative knowledge of these things, so to cause a new light to shine in your understanding. Our end is to make you examine the corruption of your natures, your disobedience, your rebellions, to see how you have behaved yourselves, to be acquainted with your own particular sins, your own particular failings, and to labour to be humbled for them. Otherwise you may have a knowledge of these Truths, but not a saving knowledge, and such as will be profitable: But this you shall see when I come to make use of them. And now for the Sacrament these things be of special use, because, as you heard before out of Levit. 23. On the day of reconciliation, when an atonement was to be made, he that afflicted not his soul, was to be cut off from his people. When we come to the Sacrament, there is a reconciliation, an atonement to be made in a special manner; What must you do then? Afflict your souls, consider your sins, see what debts you have run into, see what corrupt natures you have, and likewise know what you have in Christ, and rejoice therein, (for those must go together) an humbling of the soul for sin, and rejoicing in CHRIST for your Deliverance from it.  
The end of the Second Sermon.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON HUMILIATION. The third SERMON.  ROMANS 1.18. 
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, which withhold the Truth in unrighteousness.  
THe last faculty, 
6 The corruption of the Affections.  is, The Affections, and here you shall find exceeding great cause to say that they are full of unrighteousness and ungodliness, for they come like a mighty Tempest, like a turbulent wind that carries us away, even then, when we are well set. The disorder of them exceeds the disorder of all the rest, for they are quickly moved, nothing sooner, and when they are moved, they are exceeding apt to exceed, to transcend their limits, for such is the sullenness, the awkednesse and waywardness of our affections, either they are not active, not placed where they should be, or if they be placed as they ought to be, they are ready to run over, to overlove, and over-grieve, and overjoy. I say, where we may love lawfully, and rejoice lawfully, they are ready to exceed.  
If I should come to particulars, you should find how exceedingly they are out of order. Come to love and hatred; we little think we hate what is good, and love sin; come and tell any man so much, he will not believe it, but examine it a little. Do not you hate holiness in others? You will say, No, we hate no man for his Goodness: But consider, the nature of man doth so, every unregenerate man doth so. David was hated for that cause. And Cain hated his brother, because his works were good. And Gen. 3. The Enmity between the seed of the Woman, and the seed of the Serpent: Whence comes it, but from the holiness of the one, and the wickedness of the other? Look to our actions, and you shall find we do not hate sin, we do not hate our lusts, for if we did, we should not be angry with them, that speak evil of them; if we hated these things, we should like them that speak against them, but we be Enemies to those that be Enemies to them, and Friends to those that be Friends to them. Do we not lodge them? Do we not feed them with the things they desire? They can ask nothing, but they have it. Godly men hate their sins, though they be carried away with present objects, but a wicked man loves the lust itself; he can say, I could wish I were free from this lust, from the vexation it puts me to, but for all this he is not angry; he may indeed be angry with it, as with a friend, when he hath done some unkind Turn, but he hates it not, for if he hated it, he would not be at peace with it again, for hatred is implacable. Again, if a man hates, he hates all the kind: But why dost thou love one more than another? If thou didst hate any one, because it is a sin, because it is a rebellion against God, thou wouldst love none: As the Lamb hates all Wolves. Again, if thou hatest them, why wilt not thou labour to have them utterly destroyed? Why wilt thou cherish them a little? Where hatred is, it will have the thing hated utterly taken away, as if there were no such thing; and that shall be laboured for, not remissely, but we will put our strength to it, and do it with all our might, and in good earnest. But seeing we do not thus, it appears we hate goodness, and love sin. It is true, we are ready to lay it on other things, and to say, The Infirmities of the Saints, which we see, we hate, but their goodness we love, if it be every way right. But let me ask you a question; Didst thou love them for their holiness, wouldst not thou rather labour to cover their Infirmities, grieving for them? Do you not so out of love? then your hearts are deceived, when you think you hate the Infirmities, and not the goodness in them, you hate the goodness itself; and this is the nature of every man before Regeneration.  
Besides these of Love and Hatred, look to your Delight, and see if that be not turned upside down. The wheel turns the quite contrary way. We delight in things we should not delight in; you know we delight in vain things, in sinful things, in things that are suitable to our lusts and humours. Again, we delight in the falls and sufferings of others; as 1 Cor. 5. They were puffed up when others fell, and they stood. It should no be so, we should be humbled at the falls of others, and be grieved for them, that they being members of the same body with us, should be any way blemished. Again, the things we should delight in, are they not tedious to us? are they not grievous? The Sabbath should be kept with delight, but how burdensome is it to give God his whole time, to keep it holy, and not to rob him of any part of it? That is, not to pollute it with unholy actions. And so holy company should be our delight, we should think ourselves in our Element among them, and so the hearing of the Word; how tedious are these to our natures. But I cannot stand on this.  
Come we to Fear. Do not we fear men? Do not we fear the Creature, and this and that particular evil? But God we fear not. Take it in that one sin of lying: A man will lie to a man, to keep his credit with him; but he cares not to lose it with God. This is a sign you do not sanctify God in your hearts, that is, not reverence him, not value him.  
Come to Sorrow, how ready are we to exceed in worldly sorrow? Let us be told of an Injury in our names, loss in our estate, of troubles and calamities any way, it affects us much, but sin we make nothing of; we think it is but a passion, a trifle, and it is not so great a matter to be in passion. Yes, my beloved, it is a great matter to have passion; these passions shall condemn us, if they be not mortified, if you kill them not, they will be your death: Whosoever is in Christ, hath crucified these.  
Again, consider that affections are the Principles of Actions, therefore it is not so light a matter to err in your affections, for they will cause error in your actions.  
Consider that your estimation is taken by your affections, according to them you are said to be good or evil. Therefore, an holy man is described to be one that loves God, fears God, delights in his Commandments, so as it is no slight matter to be distempered in your affections; and know this, if it be no more than lust, you know what Christ saith of that; He that looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery already with her in his heart. Now if lust breaks the match in the marriage of men, these inordinate affections, these whorish affections, these adulterous affections will break the marriage between God and us. Affections are placed in us for this purpose, to draw nearer to God, but we misplacing them, and setting them on the Creature, they draw us further from God.  
Again, when they be thus distempered, they grow hindrances: As the Israelites could not pray for the anguish of their hearts; and Peter's fear made him to deny Christ. So that this distemper of our Affections, as well as the disorder of the rest of the faculties doth show the Truth of this point; That the nature of man is full of all unrighteousness and ungodliness. And so much shall serve to show the corruption of Nature by the faculties.  

2 Actual Sins.  Now this is not all; there are beside these actual sins, whereby likewise this Truth will be made manifest. And these are of three sorts, that is, in Thought, in Word, in Action; for they be all actual sins, though inwardly they be the Acts of the mind.  
First, let us see it by the Thoughts, and you shall see in them this great corruption of Nature, and the great cause you have to be humbled, and it is that that should amaze us, we shall find in us abundance of idle Thoughts, and wicked thoughts, which like a shower of rain, you cannot number for multitude.  

1 In Thoughts  If a man should write down all the Thoughts that pass thorough his mind in one day, and observe their little dependence one up another, so vain are they, and so foolish, when he comes to read them at night, he will think he was half out of his wits, and be amazed at himself.  
And think not this a small matter, for Thoughts are the first contrivers, 
The importance of thoughts.  the first plotters of good, and evil, and therefore are of more moment than that which immediately acts it.  
Again, are not they things which we should entertain God with? He comes and dwells with us, he sups with us, we are Temples where God inhabits. Now if we are to entertain a great Prince, if we never speak to him, but spend our time with idle Companions, will not he think himself much injuried? And will not God think so, when we bestow the Thoughts in vain things, which should be occupied about him?  
Again, consider, Thoughts are other things than men reckon them, for it may be said of every Christian, he is a Garden wherein God walks, wherein he eats his honey with his milk. God would have fruit of the Trees which he hath planted in us; now our Thoughts are the fruit of the best Tree, even of the Understanding: You know Christ was angry with the Tree that bore no fruit: And when he comes to the understanding of a man, that should be full of good thoughts, and finding nothing b● lose, nothing but empty and frothy thoughts, what will he think of it? We do not give a due esteem to Thoughts, and that's the reason we give such liberty to them, that we are not more humbled for them; for Thoughts are the water wherewith is driven the wheel of businesses, and why do we let so much water run beside the Mill? that is, they are the things we should occupy in every thing we do, they are precious. And as Esay saith of a cluster of Grapes, Destroy it not, for there is a blessing in it: So your Thoughts, which you so little account of, have a blessing in them; then why do you make such waste of them, as if they were of little worth?  
Consider, it is no small thing to anger God with your Thoughts, they being the same to God, that words and actions (the interpreters of Thoughts) are to men; God sees them without any Interpreter, as men hear and see words and actions. Therefore, it was said to Simon Magus, Pray to God, if perhaps the Thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. If thou seest a Christian in poverty, and despisest him for it, God sees it, and it is a sin in Thought.  

2 In our Words.  The second actual sin is our words; And here likewise you shall find the Truth of this, that our natures are full of impiety and wickedness, and exceeding prone to evil. The tongue of man is very slippery, nothing being so cheap as breath, it is ready at hand to do any evil. If a thing be to be acted, there is time required to prepare for it, but a word is quickly out: So the frequency of offending with our tongue should humble us.  
And again, 
The importance of our words.  as our offences herein are frequent, so it is a matter of much moment, which we have cause to mark, because we do esteem not so of them. jam. chap. 2, 3. vers. 4. you shall find three Similitudes, by which the Tongue is expressed, and there you shall find what it is to offend in words. It is compared to a Bit, which will keep in the wildest horse; and to a Rudder, which (though it be exceeding great) will turn the Ship. And thirdly, to a fire, what a great matter will a little fire kindle? Men think it a small thing to offend in speeches, but God will have them know it is another kind of matter. Therefore, consider this, you that suffer your tongues to walk up and down at random, from morning till night, and think it a small thing. I will ask you these questions out of these Similitudes. Is it a small matter to neglect the Rudder of the Ship? will it not quickly run to the Sands? Suppose a man ride on an unruly horse, Is it a small thing not to keep the hand on the bridle, to neglect it? To have a tongue without a bridle, is as an unruly horse in a dangerous place, or on a narrow bridge, the neglect is not small. Therefore consider it, and if you have not yet learned the meaning of that place, learn now to understand it.  
Secondly, you shall give account for every idle word; It will be thought, that to speak a few words is not so much, but a few sparks will set a great City on fire; you see what the tongue did in Arrius for evil, and in Luther for good. There is no Element so active as fire, and nothing so efficacious as your tongue, which you so lightly esteem of. Again, fire flies about, so doth the tongue, it hath wings. Fire likewise assimulates, turning things quickly into its own nature; so the tongue assimulates the hearts of men, to whom we speak, it changes them, and now consider if it be a light thing to neglect it. You are wont to say, Take heed to the fire, for you know not what a spark may do, and is it a small matter to neglect your tongues? specially where there be thatched-houses and combustible matter near? And are not the hearts of men, to whom we speak, as Tinder, ready to take fire at the least spark, if you heed it not? And is it then so small a matter to neglect words? Gather this out of all these Similitudes to humble you. If the tongue be as a Bridle, as the Rudder, and as Fire, than it is of much efficacy; that cannot be denied, for to prove that, it is the only end of these Similitudes. And if it be so, then learn hence to know what the illness of your speech is; for the more efficacious any thing is, if it lie idle, the greater is the sin; look what good you have done with your tongues, the more that is, the more is on your reckoning. Again, if you have employed them amiss, a little rudder turns the whole ship, the meaning is, it is very effectual: and therefore, I say, if there be such efficacy in them, consider of how great moment they are, when you use your tongues amiss, to corrupt speaking, to lying, dissembling, slandering, backbiting, think it not a matter of small moment, it is a fire, and if the State provides death for them that set barns, and houses on fire, what punishment shall they be worthy of, that set the souls of men on fire, the Temples where God dwells? And this the tongues of men do; Ignem in ore gestamus, we carry fire in our mouths. Take heed lest we kindle such a fire in the breasts of others, as we shall never live to quench again, and so kindle the fire of God's wrath, which shall smoke to our destruction. Thus by your words, learn to know the sinfulness of your natures.  
Lastly, 
3 In our Actions.  see it by your Actions. Now sins in actions are of two sorts, either sins of Commission, and here you are to go back and consider what sins you have committed, whether drunkenness, uncleanness, inordinate affections, or injuries to men, what provocations or rebellions against God, and when you see them, look on the number of them, and on the greatness of them: Consider their circumstances, and among the rest, the frequency of them, your relapses into them; and that will make you with David, Psal. 19 to cry out, Lord, who can understand his faults? But we will not stand on this, because i● is obvious, every one knows that actions are sins: we will come to the second sort:  
And that is sins of Omission, 
2 Si●●es of Omission. 1. Of 〈◊〉.  which we are ready to slight and forget as no great matters; but they are other things than we take them to be, nothing hath more cause to humble us than they; I say, the sins of Omission, the barrenness and unfruitfulness of our lives may humble us, as well as the rebellions and sinfulness of them.  
We will run thorough them. As first to be idle on the Sabbath-day, is a sin of Omission, and provokes God to anger, as well as polluting it, and breaking it with positive Acts. So the restraining of Prayer, to neglect it, to omit it, or to perform it slightly (for God takes prayers by weight, and not by number,) this is not a small thing. Again, to neglect the hearing of the Word, to neglect the Sacraments (a fault we have much cause to be blamed for in this place) and thing you have often been admonished to, I beseech you learn by our Admonitions, for they are the Admonitions of God; let them, I say, learn that are guilty of it. So Communion of Saints is a thing we think not of: But Heb. 10.25. You shall see what a matter it was to neglect that Ordinance: So Fasting and Prayer we think are not required at our hands, and if nothing but the neglect of that were laid to our charge, it were nothing. But see what that is, when the time is that God calls for it, I say, the very omission of that when God calls for it, is a sin, saith the Prophet, which shall never be purged away by sacrifice, but shall remain to death.  
Besides these omissions of Acts, come to the omission of Graces, 
2 Of Graces.  I mean the want of them, as the want of Love to jesus Christ. Yet who confesses this want of love, although 1 Cor. 16.22. He is pronounced accursed that loves not the Lord jesus, let him be had in execration to the death. So the want of Delight in God, who thinks of it?  
Come to our Callings, 
3 Of time.  and see our negligence and idleness in them; shall we give account for every idle word we speak, and not for every idle hour we spend? Let young Gentlemen look to this, that pass from vanity to vanity, spending their time idly, and unprofitably trifling out their Seedtime. Consider what this sin of Omission is. And so for growing in spiritual graces and knowledge, that we gather not more knowledge, it being the key of heaven; that we grow not in good works, but are poor in them, omitting our times and opportunities. Again, our sinful silence not speaking when we should, either out of sluggishness, or fear of men, or by-respects, this is no small thing, God will call thee to an account for it.  
Consider whether you have let go occasions of doing good; 
4 Of Occasions.  denying of meat and drink kills a man as well as poison, so the neglecting of duties, the omission of what tends to salvation shall be death, as well as actual sins, by which you provoke the eyes of God's glory to vengeance. Therefore in that sentence of Christ, he doth not tell them what they have done, but what they have not done; You have not clothed me, you have not visited me: Learn therefore to judge aright of these sins of omission, that they may help to amaze us, and so much for actual sins. And so much for the Law, the first part of our rule, wherein we have run thorough the corruption of the Faculties, and so have discovered our habitual sins, and now thorough the three kinds of actual sins, in Thought, in Word, and in Action.  

2 Rule, the Gospel.  The second rule, which I told you we are to observe, is the Gospel. And here you think you shall scape well enough, for the Gospel brings damnation to no body.  

Sins against the Gospel.  But if you consider of it right, you shall find that the Gospel is much more terrible in this case than the Law, that it will humble us more, and that the sins against the Gospel are much greater than those against the Law.  

Unwillingness to take Christ.  Mark this in brief: The refusing of jesus Christ when God offers him, and remission of sins by him, that you may have him when you will, if you will have him on such consequent conditions as are required, which is to deny yourselves, to take up your cross and follow him; this we preach continually: I say, this contempt of the Gospel, your unwillingness to take Christ is a great sin, and that that should humble you above all the rest. 
The greatness of this Sinne.   
And that you may know that I have reason to say so, consider Christ's speech, It shall be more easy for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for such a people, for such a City, as when the Gospel of the Kingdom was preached to them, neglected it, so that the sin of Sodom is not so great a sin as the refusing of Christ. You know the greatness of that sin, the punishment shows it, yet it is not so great as this.  
Again, it is said of Moses and Christ, being compared together, That if they that sin against Moses Law are condemned, how much sorer punishment shall they be worthy of, that break the Law of Christ, that believe not the Gospel? It exceeds the sin against the other.  
Again, consider, is it a small thing to cause the blood of jesus Christ to be shed in vain, to trample it under foot, and to count it a common thing? But so doth every man that neglects it, that hearkens not to it, that is, not ready to receive it, that is, not poor in spirit, and so doth not hunger and thirst after Christ.  
Again, consider, It is the chief Command, and the breach of the chief Command must needs be the greatest sin. When the Disciples asked Christ what was the great Commandment, he said, This is the greatest of all, To believe on him whom the Father had sent. So 1 joh. 3.23. This is his Commandment, that we should believe in the name of jesus Christ.  
Again, the Gospel is the uttermost, the Law makes way for the Gospel, therefore the sentence, and condemnation of the Gospel is peremptory, and terrible, and nothing beyond it.  
Again, consider, God was angry for the contempt of this, you shall not find in all the Scriptures any thing that angers him so much; with them that were invited, and would not come he was angry, and commanded them to be slain. So Psalm. 2. ult. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry: The contemning of this condemns a man most of all to wrath.  
Last of all, consider, that when you neglect JESUS CHRIST, and sin against the Gospel, and are not ready to receive it, you take his Name in vain in the highest degree, and he will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain, at all. Now Gods Name being in his Son most revealed, take heed of taking it in vain, 2 Cor. 6.1. I beseech you take not the Grace of God in vain: It is a greater matter than you think it to be, that when God shall offer Christ, shall profound to marry his Son to you, you should refuse him; consider the sin, and be humbled. And by this is seen the corruption of our nature, and this should humble us more than any sin committed against the Law  
And thus much shall serve to make plain the point in all the parts of it, that the Nature of man is full of all unrighteousness, and ungodliness.  

Use 1.  Now to make use of it. And first, if this be the Condition of all men by nature, than he that sees not this, he that is not persuaded of it, he is deceived, he is an unskilful, an ignorant man, he hath not yet his wit exercised to discern between good and evil. And let him so reckon of himself. If this be the Condition of every man by nature, and yet God hath not opened the window for him to see it, and to stand amazed at it; he is, I say, an unskilful man, he is not yet enlightened, the true light hath not yet shined into him. For when God enlightens a man truly, it works such an alteration as was in them, in Act. 2. that were pricked at their hearts and were amazed, at that, which before, being as other men, they saw not.  
So that you may observe a double disposition in men; one is a complaining, a self-accusing disposition, when a man is apt to complain of himself, and can never find too much fault with himself, delights in the exactness of other men's conversations, loves that doctrine which is selfe-separating, wonders at his own corruption; so that no man can say so much against him, but he can say much more against himself. This is a good sign, and such a Condition was in jesiah, when his heart melted, and in Paul, Rom. 7. where you may see how he complains of the abundance of his Corruption.  
But there is another excusing disposition, when a man sees nothing amiss in himself, that will not have any such doubts made between man and man, and that for his own part, he will not be shut out of the number, but answereth for his own righteousness, that he is rich, and increased in goods, when indeed he is naked, and poor, and miserable: I say, this is an ill sign that thou hast not yet received the Holy Ghost, that thou art not yet partaker of the righteousness of CHRIST, for the Holy Ghost will first convince thee of sin, and if thou art not so convinced, it is a sign thou hast not yet received that righteousness; and know this, that in all the Saints, in all to whom God hath revealed himself, you shall find this disposition to complain of themselves. How abundant was it in David? He was ever complaining that his sins were more than the hairs of his head. As in Psal. 19 who can understand his faults. And, my sins are too heavy for me, and they are gone over my head; he is still complaining of himself. And what is the reason? It was because a vein of clear light shone into his heart. Others have but a common Illumination, and there is great difference between a bright beam that shows the smallest mote, and common light. Another may have light to see great deformities, but not to see motes; thou mayest have a common light, and mayest carry it to hell, for it is no better than darkness. Therefore know that if thou hast not in some measure been persuaded of all these Truths, the righteousness of Christ is not yet revealed to thee; for this is God's method, first he reveals his wrath against unrighteousness of men, and then discovers the righteousness of Christ by faith. And if this be not done, if thou art not throughly humbled, so that God hath opened a crevise of light to see this corruption of Nature, so as to abhor it in thyself, and to be vile in thine own eyes, to be much humbled for it, not to hang down thine head for a day, but to take it to heart in another manner, I conclude, thou art not a man enlightened, thou art an unskilful, an ignorant man, and you know what condition that puts a man into.  
Secondly, 
Use 2.  if men's natures be thus full of Corruption, even the Saints themselves, then godly men may make this use of it, to learn to prize jesus Christ: Do you make this use of the Table we have drawn for you to look into, and to see the multitude of your sins, and the Corruptions of your natures, to learn to prize JESUS CHRIST? For you must take this for a rule, no man will ever know the length, and breadth, and depth of GOD'S mercy in JESUS CHRIST, and his love therein, unless he first know the length, and breadth, and depth of his sin, and this use you must make of all these explications. To see the greatness of sin is of much use to the Saints, that they may know how much they are beholden to GOD; you will never see how GOD'S Grace hath abounded towards you, if you do not see how your sins hath abounded towards GOD: Labour to see it, that you may love much, because much is forgiven you, that you may prize CHRIST much, and be brought much more into love with him. That use the Saints should make of it, and it will be profitable. And they that receive the Sacrament should specially consider of it.  
When they came to the Passeover, one of the chief things they were directed to do in that Ceremony, was to remember their bondage.  
Again, look on the Concomitants of the Passeover; their sour herbs, their going in haste, their staff in their hand. Again, the Passeover itself; their sprinkling of blood on the door-posts, all was to put them in mind of their misery, and their deliverance, which was the only way to magnify his mercy.  
So in this spiritual freedom, remember your bondage, the Sins you have committed, your Condition by nature, that you may learn to magnify your freedom by Christ, and give God the praise of it, to magnify and love him with all your heart, and strength: The more you do this, the more it will enlarge your hearts, to know the love of CHRIST, which passeth knowledge. Of many ways to know which, this is one, and a principal One, even to know the greatness of your sins.  

Use 3.  The third and chief use of all the rest is this: This Corruption of Nature, this abundance of Corruption which hath been showed to you, should drive us to Christ.  
And that is our end, we do not preach damnation, our end is Salvation. Therefore we would have men to know their condition, to know that they be in state of death. For that that keeps men from coming to CHRIST; and the reason that so few are saved, that so few take the Gospel, is, they are not poor in spirit.  
And why are they not so? 
Object.   
Because they see not their sins. 
Answ.   
And for this cause we have been thus long in opening this point, that you may know yourselves. And this I dare say, If you did know yourselves, if GOD had kindled a light within, whereby to see your Corruptions, you would not stand cheapening the Kingdom of Heaven as you do; you come now in a lame, and remiss manner, but you would then come, and give all that you have for it, and go away rejoicing, and think you have a good bargain.  
God should not then deny you, you would wrestle with him, as jacob did, and give him no rest till you have obtained a blessing. This would awaken men out of their dead sleep of security, as that is the condition of every man by nature, as he is sinful, so he is secure, he considers not his sins.  
Therefore, to all that I have said, you must add something of your own; what I have said, is no more able to show you the sins you are subject to, than a little Map is to show you the whole world, it doth but point to the sins you are subject to, as a point in the margin: The way to make it profitable, is to go home to your own hearts, to consider these things particularly, to see how your mind, your Conscience, Will, and Memory is out of order, to consider how you have offended in thoughts, in words, and in actions, by sins of Omission, and of Commission; and by that means you shall read your Natures in your hearts, and make what I have said profitable to you. And do not think you may go too far. Do not think we wrong your nature, in saying it is more guilty than it is; for we do not so, I may boldly say this, Take that man that thinks worst of himself, he is worse than he thinks himself to be; and that I may not speak without Ground, look upon the first Epistle of Saint john, the third Chapter, and the twentieth verse, If our Conscience condemn us, God is greater than our Conscience, and knows all things: That is, the Conscience of man hath some light, but what is it to the eye of GOD? to the light that is in him? And so much as his light is greater than ours, so much more he sees what is amiss in us. The heart, saith jeremy is deceitful above all things, who can know it? There is a depth of evil in the heart, which no man can search, it is deceitful, and puts false glosses on things, to hide them from our eyes.  
Therefore do not think thou canst exceed, but labour for thy Humiliation, to see all these things in a greater measure in thyself, than as they be here described, and that not nakedly, but with all Circumstances.  
The end of the Third Sermon.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON HUMILIATION. The Fourth SERMON.  ROMANS 1.18. 
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, which withhold the Truth in unrighteousness.  
AND this is a thing we are very unwilling to do, for the Medicine shows the Disease. The Apostles taking of so much pains to persuade men that they shall not be saved by their own righteousness, is an argument, that it is an hard matter to persuade them. It is the hardest thing in the Word to persuade a civil man that he must not stick to his own righteousness, till God himself puts his hand to the work, for it is not in any man's power to convince him of his sin, or of the deficiency of his righteousness. Therefore that use we should make of all that hath been said, to see the necessity that lies on us to go to Christ, and that there is no salvation without him.  

To quicken our desires after Christ.  Now to make this Doctrine more effectual, to awaken you the more, to rouse men out of that sleep, wherein they are by nature, we will handle these two points: 

First, that the aggravations of sin are more than the sins themselves.  

Consider.  Secondly, we will take away all excuses, that so every mouth may be stopped, and when these two are done, you will have much ado to find any starting-hole to keep you from coming to Christ. For that is our End; And these are very necessary: For though you do consider in yourselves all the sins formerly named, if it be done negligently, without the Circumstances; sin is a sword without an edge, the Circumstance is that that gives it an edge, that sharpens sin, that makes it fit to wound us: And secondly, if the sword be never so keen, and sharp, and yet we be forced to keep it off, it will not wound us: Therefore we will, I say, in the second place, take away the excuses, by which men fence themselves, and decline the stroke of truth, decline this wound of the Law: And so we will conclude this point, and hasten to the rest.    
For the first, 
1 The Circumstances that do aggravate sin.  to make all you have heard before effectual, we will add the Circumstances, which is a thing necessary, for it is a true rule the Schoolmen have, that in moral things, the circumstance is more than the thing itself. Many times in natural things, accidents are nothing in comparison of the form; but, In moralibus (as they say) Circumstantia plus valet quam forma: For it is the Circumstance by which an action looks, if you look round about it, and see all that borders on it, it will aggravate, and make sin out of measure sinful. To run thorough them briefly.  
First, 
1 The Majesty offended.  Consider this Circumstance in sins committed (I speak of the corrupt nature of man) that every sin committed against God, is not only an offence committed against so great a Majesty (for I will not stand to enlarge that Circumstance, 
2 The affection wherewith it is committed.  that the sin is greater, as the person is greater, against whom it is committed) but consider the affection with which you commit it, and you shall find all this in a sin committed by a natural man.  
First, 
1 Hatred of God.  an hatred of God in the sin. They think they love God; but if it be so, what is the reason that word is put in, Rom. 1.30. where the Apostle speaking of the rebellion of mankind, he reckons up particularly, that which here he puts up in the gross, in the general, Haters of God. You will say you do not hate God; but let me ask you this question, wouldst thou not live at liberty? wouldst thou not have that removed which restrains thee? Couldst thou not wish that there were no such strict law, as God's Law is? Couldst thou not wish that there were not any judge to call thee to account? Every natural man had rather be at liberty, he wishes with all his heart that there were no such God, no such judge. Now if thou wishest God were not, certainly thou hatest God; when we wish a man not to be, to be taken out of the nature of things, out of the subsistence of being, this man we properly hate; and thus every man hates God. Therefore, Rom. 5.10. the Apostle speaking generally of mankind, says, When you were Enemies. It is the condition of every man, he is an Enemy to God, and sins out of Enmity, and what obedience he performs is out of a false servile fear, that is the first.  

2 Denial of God.  Secondly, that is not all, but he denies God, dethrones him, and sets up another god; natural men little think they do so; when they follow their Covetousness, Lusts, Honours, Ambitions, they little think they do it; But they do, Tit. 1. ult. They profess that they know God, but in their works they deny him. When they are charged with this, that they think there is no God, and told of the greatness of the fault, as it is the greatest Treason to deny the King to be the King, this Atheism every man is ready to disclaim, he thinks it is not so with him: But I beseech you consider there be two kinds of Thoughts in a man's heart, some we call reflex thoughts, when a man thinks a thing, and knows that he thinks it; other we call direct thoughts, which are in the heart, but a man knows it not; and these must be found out by the Actions, for they are discovered by the fruits. But God that knows the meaning of the spirit, knows likewise the meaning of the flesh: Now, saith the Text, they profess they know him, but in deeds they deny him, that is, in truth they deny God, there be certain direct thoughts which have not such reflection in the heart of every natural man, by which he denies God, for he honours not God as he ought, he denies the Power, the Omni-presence, the justice, and Omni-science of God, and if you can see this in his works you may say, there be such thoughts in him, because he lives as if there were no God.  
But you will object; 
Object.  every man thinks there is a God?  
It is true, 
Answ.  there is naturally some light in them; but where there be two different Principles, there be two different conclusions, there is some light planted in them that teaches that there is a God, but take the darkness that is in their heart, set aside from this light, there is nothing but Atheism, he sets God aside, and puts up something else in stead of him: some make pleasures their god, some make their riches their god, some make their belly their god, etc. But we cannot stand on this.  

3 Despising of God.  Thirdly, they despise God in the Commission of sin; see it in the sin of lying, wherein a man respects man more than God, and so despises God; he cares not though God knows it, and is a witness to it, and so it is an injury to God, a contending with God. We little think it is so, but see that place, 1 Cor. 10.22. the Apostle speaking there of one particular sin, that is, of eating meat offered to Idols, saith, Will you continue to do it? Will you provoke God to jealousy? Are you stronger than he? It is as if you set yourselves against him of purpose, to do him an Injury. And these affections are in the sin of every natural man. And that is the first Circumstance.  

3 That it is against Knowledge.  A second Circumstance to aggravate sin, is, when it is committed against Knowledge, and indeed no Circumstance does it more than this, that a man sins against the light he hath, when he knows it to be a sin, and (it may be) bethinks himself of it, and yet commits it. You know how it is with men; An offence committed, an Injury offered to a King, after Proclamation, comes to be a rebellion, because his will was made known. And so it is with God, when he hath revealed a Truth to me, that I know this to be a sin, and am convinced of it, and yet go on in it, this altars the nature of a sin, it is not now a bare Transgression of the Law, but a Rebellion, and so God is provoked in an high degree; for in a sin against Knowledge, there is more harm, more disobedience, more presumption: If a Prince be in a place where he is not known, and finds not respect suitable to his worth, he matters it not, he will not take it amiss, for he is not known, but if h● be known, and taken notice of, and yet neglected, it is great disrespect, and taken for a great offence. So when men sin against light given, it aggravates sin exceedingly. As in the one and twentieth verse of this Chapter, this that the Apostle laid to the charge of the Romans, aggravated their sin; they knew God, but they glorified him not as God, as if he had said, If you had not known him it were another case; but to know God, and not to practise according to knowledge, to know God, and not to glorify him as God; this God will not take in good part, it shows you are sinners, and in a condition of death. Therefore in Acts 17. saith dthe Apostle, The times of Ignorance God regarded not, but now he admonishes every one to repent, that is, when the Gentiles walked in their own ways, before the Gospel came, before God published and made known his will, he winked at it, but now regards it, not a year nor a day shall now pass without an account for it; the axe is now laid to the root of the Tree, he will defer no longer, he will take it no more as he did heretofore. Therefore the Apostle Paul, 1 Tim. 1. 13. saith, I was a persecutor, and blasphemer, but am received to mercy, because I did it ignorantly. Why doth he add that? Because if he had had knowledge, and so had done it wittingly, and willingly, his sin had been out of measure sinful, and exceedingly aggravated it. Therefore Daniel tells Balthasar (as an addition to his sins) Thou knowest all this, and yet hast not humbled thyself; if thou hadst not known it, if thou hadst not had an example, if it had not been revealed to thee, thy sin had been so much the less, and perhaps God would have suffered thee to live, but thou knowest all this, and yet didst not humble thyself. But of all places, take that in Rom. 7.13. Was that than which was good, made death unto me? God forbid: But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good: that sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful. The meaning is this, When a man knows that the Law of God discovers this and that to be a sin, if he commits it, his knowledge makes it out of measure sinful. The same Irregularity may be in others, the same sin may in itself be as great in another that knows not the Commandment, but the knowledge of it, makes it to exceed in greatness; for when a man knows the will of God, and yet sins against it, it is a resisting of the Holy Ghost, and such sins offend God more, than the sins against the Father and the Son, for the HOLY GHOST enlightens, and when one is once enlightened, there is a great contempt against the whole Trinity; and therefore when a sin is fully against the Holy Ghost, it is never forgiven. Take heed of this resisting of the Spirit, of this tempting of the Holy Ghost, for so it is called, Act. 5.9. As any man hath more knowledge, hath been more instructed, so it adds the more to his sin. Rom. 2.9. Tribulation and anguish to the jew first, and then to the Greek; for the knowledge of the jew was greater than the knowledge of the Greek: So that as any man hath more light, he hath so much more condemnation, his sin is so much the more out of measure sinful: they that sin only against light of nature, their sin is so much the less, because they had but that one Law, and so not so much light. The jews that had another light above the light of Nature, are sunk deeper into sin than the mere Naturalist, and so are in a more miserable condition; but we that live under the Gospel, sin against both the former Laws, and against the Gospel too, which makes our sins the greater. And this is a Circumstance that should much humble us, as for general sins, so for particular sins, when they are committed against knowledge.  
A third Circumstance, 
4 When it is done without Temptation, or with small Temptation.  is, when sins are committed without Temptation, or with less Temptation, but when they proceed merely out of the perverseness of the will, for when the Temptation is less, the sin is greater; Quantò major facilitas non peccandi, tantò majus peccatum; When the fault is only in the wills being amiss, it is a sin that exceeds: and that is the case of many natural men. As for example, suppose the will be right, and the affections be well ordered, and the understanding only be ignorant, this we call a sin of Ignorance; and that is a Circumstance which rather lessens a sin simply considered. Secondly, suppose the understanding be right, and the will well disposed, but passion transports a man, this is a sin of Infirmity: But when the understanding shall inform, such a sin is a sin, and no violent passion be stirred up to transport the soul, but the will nevertheless chooses it, this I call a sin without Temptation, and this Circumstance aggravates sin, because there is more will in it, and it is much to have the will stirring in a sin: Therefore, Hebr. 10.26. you shall find this expression, If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remains no more Sacrifice for sin. It is true, he speaks there of the sin of Apostasy, but mark that word, If we sin wilfully, that is, if the will have much to do in it, when the other faculties are rightly informed, and well set, when there is no Temptation, no resistance, it is an ill sign that the sin is out of choice. It is true, a man may have his mind set the right way, and yet a gust of wind may come, and carry him out of the way; but when the wind is still, and the Sea calm, and there is nothing to trouble him, and yet he turns the Rudder the wrong way, and aims at a wrong haven, he now sins out of will and perverseness. There are many sins of this nature, as swearing, when there is no Temptation, when the Understanding knows it to be a sin, and no great affection is stirred up, but men will do it, because they will do it. So ordinary neglect of the Sabbath, which can have no violent Temptation to carry a man to it. So neglect of hearing the Word, and Prayer (I speak not of falls through infirmity.) So the favouring of sin in others, as also scornful and corrupt speeches, tending to the disgrace of holiness and purity of Conversation. These be sins out of choice, which a man is not transported to, not carried to through any violence of passion: It is one thing for a man to sell himself to sin, as Ahab did, and another thing to be sold under sin, as Paul, it is one thing to go into Captivity, another thing to be led thither with a kind of overruling violence, for in such a case the most upright-hearted man may be miscarried, when sin shall get on the hill of passion, when it shall have the wind of him, and stand on the higher ground, he may be foiled; but when a man shall be on even terms with sin, when it shall have no such advantage, but a man is every way himself, and yet then sin against God, this aggravates it exceedingly, for he doth it not out of passion, but ●n cold blood, and out of choice; and when he chooses to sin, it is a fearful thing. When it ●s with him, as Augustine speaks of himself, ●ho when he had Apples enough, yet out of ●elight in the action, he would go to another Orchard and rob that, without Temptation, because he would do it. So that there is difference between a man that is overruled, and overcome out of violence and passion, and a man that seeks Company and occasions, and incentives to whet and quicken his lusts, that so he may have more pleasure and delight in it. Let those that are guilty consider this▪ Circumstance.  

5 What it is done against Vows and Covenants.  Fourthly, sinning against Vows and Covenants made with God, aggravates sin; for God hath said he will require our Vows, if a man have covenanted, God will either have the thing done, or else he will surely punish the party for breaking it, it is a thing he will not omit. Now besides particular Vows and Covenants, consider the general Vows we entered into at Baptism, besides those which we have renewed at the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: Gal. 5.3. When a man is once Circumcised, he is bound to keep the whole Law: So he that receives this Sacrament, binds himself in a solemn bond to keep the whole Law: now it is usual, that after men have received the Sacrament, we see no alteration in their carriage; if they were given to swearing before, they swear still; if they were given to ill company, to vain and idle courses, they continue the same still, and think the sin the same; but they are deceived in that, for sin after Covenant is greater than it was before. Ezek. 16.32. Sin is there aggravated from this reason, saith the Prophet, Thou hast been an harlot, as a wife that commits adultery, that taketh strangers in stead of her husband. As if he had said, Thou art married to me in holiness and righteousness, and so thou playst the harlot as a wife, and that makes the sin out of measure sinful. And it is true of particular vows, that you may judge aright of sin, and know the greatness of it.  
Lastly, 
6 When it is done against much means.  sin is aggravated from the means you have to resist sin, consider how many means we enjoy, and yet profit not by them. The mercies of God should draw us to him, God expects a return of that fruit at our hands; and yet (as the Prophet complains, jer. 5.22.) You have not said in your hearts, Let us fear that God who gives us the first and later rain, and keeps for us the appointed times of harvest. As if he had said, God expects this at your hands, he gives the first and later rain for this end, that you may remember him, and think of him, and when we say not in our hearts, Let us fear that God that doth this and that for us, God takes it amiss, for his bountifulness should lead us to repentance; and therefore the despising of it must aggravate sin. So after Corrections (as no man can say he hath had no correction) a sin is much aggravated. Therefore, jerem. 5.3. it is complained of, I have strucken you, and you have not sorrowed; I have wounded you, but you have refused to receive correction. As if he had said, This is it God takes exceeding ill at your hands, and it shows that your rebellion is come to a great height; he hath smitten you, and you have not sorrowed, that is, you have not taken the sin to heart, that hath caused this smiting. Therefore he is angry, as Host 4.14. I will visit your daughters no more, etc. because they have not profited by what I have done already: that is the meaning of the place. But chiefly, and of all the rest of his mercies, he will not bear the contempt of his Word. I will name but one place, 2 Chron. 36.15. saith the Prophet there, I rose early, and sent my messengers, but how did you carry yourself towards them? You mocked my messengers, and despised my Word, till my wrath rose against you, and there was no remedy. As if he had said, When a man once comes to this, that when God shall once speak in his Word, shall declare his truth, shall make known sin, and call him home by the Gospel, but he shall neglect it, take no good by it, not suffer it to work on him: Now there is no remedy. What then? the wrath of God rises against him, and then comes destruction, so that it rises not the second time; so that as God hath showed you more mercy, so are your sins more. Do but think what an unreasonable unequal thing it is, that you should take so many mercies, health and wealth, from his immediate hand, and yet never so much as think of him, never worship him, nor fear him, nor take his mercies to heart: How many taste of his goodness, and yet continue to despise him, and not to bring forth fruit by his Word? which is no small thing.  
And so much shall serve for the aggravations of sin.  
Now we will come to take away the Excuses. And first, Every man is ready to say, Though I fail in many things, 
2 To quicken our desires after Christ, take away the Excuses of sin.  yet I hope my meaning is good, I have as good an heart as another man, though I make not such a show.  
But I will ask thee this brief question. 
1 Excuse.  Whence come thy evil words? 
Good meanings.  etc. are they not fruits and buds that proceed from a sap within? 
Quest.  When sparks fly out of the Chimney top, shall we not say, there is fire in the house? If we see evil words and actions, shall not we say the corruption is greater in the root, than in the branches.  
Thou wilt excuse it, 
2 Excuse.  It is my nature, and I hope I shall be excused, 
Badness of nature.  and that God will not deal so hardly with me, he knows I am flesh and blood, and the strength of my nature.  
Well, I will add something to that I have formerly said, it being a point hard for us to believe, and to make use of.  
I say, 
Answ.  the badness of thy nature is so far from excusing thy sin, that it exceedingly aggravates it. I have showed many reasons, and will now add these four, and then it will be evident to you.  
First, whereas you think your sin is excusable, because of your natures, you must know it is most strong, and violent, and stirring there; for I will ask you, whence come your sins? It is answered, Matth. 15.19. Out of the heart comes Adulteries, Fornications, etc. And if out of the heart, is it not thence as from the cause, the Principle? Are they not minted there? And is not every thing strongest in the Cause? If the Dough be sour, how sour was the Leaven? If so much ill be in the fruit, there is much more in the Parents of that fruit.  
Secondly, as it is strong in the heart, so it is much more abundant there, that phrase expresses it sufficiently, Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: As if our Saviour had said, There is some evil in the tongue, but it is abundant in the heart: so that, take any sinful action, it is a dish of water taken out of the Sea, or like a drop taken out of the fountain, for there is an abundance, a sea of corruption within.  
Thirdly, consider that sin in the heart is a spring, and therefore an actual sin, that is exceeding heinous, is not so much in God's sight, as a sinful lust that is in the heart, because it is a Spring, and therefore is virtually more than a great Pond: I say, virtually more, for it doth more. Take a great vast sin, it is a broad Pond that vanishes away as every action doth, but a lust within, is fruitful, it is a spring of sin, and therefore is in efficacy more.  
Fourthly, the last consideration is near this, and that is, sin in the heart is permanent, the poison of Corruption remains, the action passes, but the sinful disposition continues in a man, that when God looks on him, he sees him as an hateful person, he looks on him, as we do on Toads and Serpents, for his very nature is bad, and that continues, and in this regard exceeds sin in action. This I say that you may make this use of it. When you meet with any particular sin which appears heinous, let it be as a River to lead you to the Sea. When you see a sin of covetousness, of vanity, of wrath, of uncleanness, let that lead you to the heart, and conclude, that you have an unclean heart, a contentious heart, a covetous heart, a rebellious heart. This use David made of his murder, and upon that occasion he was brought to conceive aright of original sin, which, perhaps, he never so considered before. Psal. 51.4. In sin hath my mother conceived me; the greatness of his sin made him break forth in that manner, Against thee have I sinned, that amazed him, it made him to know what Original sin was, whereof this was but a fruit, and being the spring it must needs have more efficacy. If a man find any pride in his actions, let him look to his heart, it may be God hath left him to such falls that he may see what is within; as it was with Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32.31. For this cause God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart, that it might be discovered to him what an heart he had. The Apostle speaketh, Rom. 9.22.23. (a place very considerable, for it may help to humble us) of vessels prepared for honour, and of vessels prepared for wrath, and destruction: the vessels be of two sorts; those for honour, they have a fashion peculiar to them, which when you see, you may say, this is made for such a purpose, and in other vessels you shall see another fashion and may say, This is not a vessel of honour, but of dishonour. So look on thy heart, see how it is framed, and when thou seest the fashion of it thou mayst say, for aught I see my heart is framed, and fashioned to destruction. This use we should make of our nature, it should be so far from excusing sin, that it should aggravate it.  

5 The times are times of the Gospel, not of the law.  The third Excuse is; But we live in times of the Gospel, and God is full of mercy, and will not deal with us now, as he did with them in the time of the Law.  

Object.  Will you make God all justice?  

Answ.  I answer, and show that there is a great deceit in this, out of that place, Matth. 5.20. Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. This is spoken to them that were under the Gospel, for he saith, I say unto you, etc. The meaning is this, The Pharisees did many things, they kept the Law in a great measure, and thought to be saved by it; but except you do more than that, you shall never be saved. As for example, in the sequel of this chapter he names four particulars: The Pharisees say, Thou shalt not kill; but that is not enough: I say, Thou shalt not be angry unadvisedly. Again, they say, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say, If thou cherishest any lust, though thou never comest to act it, thou committest adultery. Again, the Pharisees say, Forswear not: But I say, Swear not at all, but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than that, is evil. Let them that swear, By Faith and Troth, consider this. Again, the Pharisees say, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say, You shall do good to them that hurt you, and bless them that curse you, and except you do this, (which is more than the Pharisees do) you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. You that think your condition so good, because you have a new Priesthood, a new jubilee, a time of liberty, I tell you, except you yield an Evangelicall obedience to all I have now named (which are but some of many more) at all times, and in every particular, although you live under the Gospel, you cannot be saved, for otherwise the Publicans and Pharisees can do as much as you, and you must do more than men can do by nature, you must do something that is singular, and above the reach of Nature, you must strive to perfection, labouring to be like your heavenly Father. So much for that.  
The fourth Excuse is. 
Object.  But we do many things that will balance our sins, 
4 Excuse. The good things we do, will balance the evil.  although we do some things amiss, yet we do many things well, we give Alms, receive the Sacrament, it may be, we come to Church diligently; and these things, in their conceits, balance their sins; and though they sin, yet they ask God forgiveness morning and evening, and their sins are not so heinous, as if they had done no good at all, and for this they think God may deal better with them.  
But it is true in this, as in your Law, Stoppage is no payment. When a man does somethings that God commands, 
Answ.  and leaves othersome undone; let him know God requires a perfect obedience to every Commandment, jam. 2.10. He that keeps the whole Law, and fails but in one, that is, omits one duty, he is guilty of all. If that be so, than every bush can stop but one gap, you have no more than was your duty. If you could do something superfluous, and more than God requires at your hands, it were some satisfaction. But if there be other sins wherein you spare yourself, and would have a little more liberty, you would not be so straight laced in this; seeing, I say, God requires an exact obedience to all, all that you do is nothing. It matters not how much you do, if you fail in one, though you be careful to do all the duties of new obedience, so that there is no Commandment but thou endevourest to perform it to the full, yet if there be one thing wherein thou takest liberty, it is enough to condemn thee.  

Object.  Again: But I hope I am not so bad as others; I am free from many sins, 
5 Excuse Others are worse.  wherewith others are tainted; and I have many good things in me, that they want. To this I answer briefly, 
Answ.  and so will pass from it: First, thou mayst deceive thyself much, in thinking thou art not so bad as others. Art not thou cut out of the same piece, and made of the same mass, the same clay? Hast not thou the same nature that other men have? And what is the reason thou runnest not into the same Outrages that others do? Not because thy nature is better, but because thou art more restrained. A Wolf that is tied up, is the same with the Wolf that doth all the mischief. This therefore know, that every natural man is restrained by by-respects. That rule is general, Rom. 3.18. They have not the fear of God before their eyes, when he would have a reason why the nature of man is so bad, having spent the former part of the Chapter in reckoning up the sins to which it is inclined, he gives this reason, They have not the fear of God before their eyes; all are alike in this, one is not more restrained than the other. The difference of restraint is in regard of outward actions, there is no new spring of Grace in them, as is in the Saints. Again, for thy Virtues, take heed thou deceive not thyself, for thou must know there be natural virtues that imitate those which be true, and are very like them; as the Bristol stone is very like the Diamond, yet there is great difference, one is a Pearl, the other is only a shining stone: So I say, natural virtues may be very like true, but in God's sight there is a great deal of difference. For example, two men may come to die,; One man is not afraid out of a stupidity of spirit, and on false grounds may be as secure as another, that hath peace on the best grounds, and this imitates true faith: So a man that is naturally meek, may carry it better than one that hath true meekness, therefore it is hard to find the difference; But if you look to the principles whence they come, the masters whom they serve, you shall find, they may be good all the way, but not at the journeys end, they have an ill scope, they aim at a wrong mark: Let them have what they will, Circumcision, nor Uncircumcision, avails nothing, unless they be New Creatures, else God regards them not. And so much shall serve for Excuses.  

Means to arm us against these Excuses.  Now add this to the rest, labour to aggravate your sin by removing the Excuses which the nature of man is witty to invent; use the ordinance of God which he hath appointed to humble you, and to work these things on your hearts, and that is his Word, 
1 The Word.  jer. 23.29. Is not my Word as fire, and as the hammer that breaketh the stones. The scope of the place is to show the power of preaching the Word purely; what is the chaff to the Wheat? you shall know my Word, and distinguish it from the word of men, my Word when it is right, is as a fire which melts and thaws the hearts of men, and as an hammer to break their strong and stony hearts: Come to the Word powerfully preached, as it is in its own nature, delivered in the Evidence of the Spirit as it should be, and it will be a means to soften the heart, and break thy stubborn spirit, as an hammer and fire, not suffering thee to be at rest, until thou comest under the power of it.  

2 The Spirit of bondage.  And if with this thou art not satisfied, go one step further to the Spirit of God, thou must have a spirit of Bondage, else thou canst expect no power. All that we have said in drawing this map of sin, in adding these aggravations, and removing these excuses, is nothing, if God give not a spirit of Bondage to cause you to fear, for it is that that makes the Law effectual, as the Spirit of Adoption makes the Gospel, no man without it can see sin with a saving, and feeling sight.  
But how doth it work this effect in a man's heart? 
How it worketh this in a man?  Not by making him fear God as a slave, for that the Holy Ghost will not do; therefore that is not an Act we can attribute to him, but my meaning is, The Holy Ghost by the spirit of bondage enlightens a man to see his sin, and the sentence of the Law against it, and to judge of his estate with a righteous judgement, and when he sees things as they are, he knows and feels the bondage he was in before, though before he felt it not.  
I say, the Holy Ghost enlightens us, which enlightening discovers to us, and convinceth us of sin; and then we look on the Law, and there find, Cursed is he that continues not in all these Commandments to do them. Then observing our hearts, and seeing how far we are from that rectitude the Law requires, our spirits begin to fear, like a man in bondage, that is shut up in prison, and in danger of his life: therefore, as for the Word, so labour for this Spirit; the Word is a sharp sword, but how can it wound us without an Arm to handle it? And when you have done that, you will easily do the thing I have exhorted you to do, that is, you will then come to Christ, you will not stand to cheapen the Kingdom of God, but you will buy it, though you give all you have for it, and yet will think you have a good bargain; you will not seek the Kingdom of God in such a lazy, and lax, and remiss manner as you were wont to do, but will take it violently. And if you come to God after this manner, if you be driven out of yourselves, and see what your own righteousness is, that it will not serve your turn, and therefore seek for a righteousness at his hands, you may be sure he will not deny you. You may see what Paul saith, Galat. 3.8. That you may be assured, that seeking you shall obtain, saith he, If an Angel from heaven preach another Gospel, or if I myself should do it, believe not the Angel, and let me accursed: As if he had said, I have made this Truth known, that you shall be justified by mere Grace, without works, that you are to come to Christ with an empty hand, bringing nothing with you. If any man now should question this Gospel, and think to bring something of his own, and will not stick to this clear promise; nay, if an Angel come from heaven and contradict it, let him be accursed.  
This is the true Gospel, and you may believe it. If you can therefore do as Paul did, Philip. 3.9. That reckoned all as dross and dung, that he might be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness of the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ. That when you came to see your condition, you desire the righteousness of Christ with that earnestness that he did, when he reckoned all as dross and dung, even his own righteousness, which he knew would not serve the turn. If, I say, thou canst thus go to Christ, knowing that no antecedent condition is required, but only thirsting for him, being fully persuaded that thine own righteousness is unsufficient, and having a saving and firm knowledge That man's nature is full of all unrighteousness and ungodliness. Christ cannot deny thee, he will receive the to mercy.  
We will now briefly come to the next point, and that is this: There is a revelation of wrath against all unrighteousness of men. 
Doct. 2.  
There is a Revelation of wrath against all unrighteousness of men.   
And that is another thing that will humble us, for there must be two things to do it; one is to see our sins, to know that there is no worth, no excellency, no worthiness at all in us: And the second is, to have an apprehension of wrath due for sin, and so his misery under the same. Though a man be never so miserable, yet if he have a bottom to stand on, he will not go to Christ; but when he sees his own nothingness, and withal, that the wrath of God hangs over him, so that he must sink utterly, and that there is no way to help him, when both these concur, a man is humbled. Men may have one without the other; As the Scribes and Pharisees (O ye Generation of vipers, who hath warned you to fly from the wrath to come,) they were sensible of wrath, and had so much to humble them, but they did not see that viperous serpentine evil disposition that was in themselves.  
Again, many men may see their sins, and acknowledge the insufficiency of all they have, but they are not sensible of wrath, God hath not charged sin upon their consciences, nor revealed his wrath; and therefore they go on in a senseless manner, and are no more moved with the other than stocks and stones.  
Now the scope of all this being to bring us to Christ. I will run over a few things, which may from hence be observed. 
2 Things to be observed.  I say, There is a revelation of wrath from heaven against all unrighteousness. Wherein mark two things.  

1 The certainty of this wrath.  First, the certainty of this wrath, It shall come on all that are unrighteous: And secondly, what this wrath is; I will but briefly name the heads, and dispatch the point.  

Proofs of it.  First, I say, there is a certainty in it, for God hath revealed it from heaven, Rom. 2.15. They had Thoughts accusing and excusing them, the light of Nature told them that they deserved wrath, judgement struck them with fear.  
Secondly, It appears by experience, there be many steps, many prints and Vestigia of the wrath of GOD in the world continually.  
Lastly, by the Scriptures, Cursed be every one that continues not in the whole Law to do it. And as the Law, so the Gospel reveals it, CHRIST shall come to judge the secrets of men's hearts according to my Gospel. Nay, it is an old Truth delivered before the Scriptures, As in judes' Epistle, Enoch preached, Behold, the Lord shall come with ten thousands of Angels, etc. And if this will not persuade, we will reason with you a little, for it is not needless to strengthen these common truths with reason, because we are not convinced of them enough, which is the cause men live without God in the world.  
Therefore consider, if there be a God, he is not a negligent, an idle, or unactive God, for should he be such a God, he must either be dead or asleep. But God is a living God, and if so then the administration of the things of this world is in his hands, now in that the main business is to punish and restrain them that be evil, and to reward them that be good.  
Again, if there be a God, he will be feared and worshipped by men; but if he would not punish men for sin, if his wrath could not be kindled against them, for their provocations of him, he should do neither good nor hurt: and it is natural to men to condemn that that can neither hurt nor profit them; and so he should not be feared.  
Again, if there be any God, he must needs be delighted in goodness, he must needs have a certain inclination to that which is holy and right; and if so, than he must needs hate that, that is evil. If he love light, he must needs hate darkness, if he loves life, he must needs hate death, and indeed love of goodness proceeds from hatred of evil, and hatred of evil arises from love of goodness; and if it be so, why should not hatred be active, as well as love? Therefore, it is certain there shall wrath come against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.  

2 
What this Wrath is.  
Three things observable.   Secondly, what kind of wrath is this? In this Wrath you shall observe three things.  
First, there is a treasure of this Wrath, Rom. 2.5. 
1 It is a Treasure.  Thou according to the hardness of thy heart, that cannot repent, treasurest up wrath.  
Now in a Treasure you shall find three things: 

First, it is an heap, and there is still an addition thereto, a man grows richer, and richer, saving shillings and pence, and they still add to the heap. So GOD adds to the heap of his wrath, as men add sins, he adds drops to his Viol, and when the measure of our sins is full, than the Viol of his wrath is full, it is still increasing. Let not a man think, that when he is over the shoes, he can go no further, for wrath receives addition.  
Secondly, Treasures are close, and covered, there being no use of them for the present. It is therefore said, Wrath is ●owne for the wicked, as joy is sown for the righteous, it lies under the ground for a time: Therefore, do not say God is slack, because you find not his wrath presently poured forth. It is not slackness, but patience: And if you do of negligence sin, and God marks it not, but is patient towards you, and suffers you, know that he will not suffer that patience of his to be abused, but for every hour that you spend after the commission of a sin, without returning to God, you shall far the worse. Revel. 2.20. I gave her space to repent, and she did not; What then? Therefore I will cast her into great Tribulation. So that as God is angry, and as his wrath increases, so it lies hid for a time.  
Thirdly, there is an expense of Treasures, in time of need they bring them forth, and use them; so doth God partly in this life, when he shall smite a man with destruction, that shall quite sweep him away, as he did Saul and judas, partly and specially in the life to come, which is called the declaration of the just judgement of God, that shall then be declared, which is now for a time hid.    
Secondly, 
2 The power of it.  as there is a Treasure of his wrath, so there is a power of his wrath, Psal. 90.11. Who knows the power of thine anger? That is, it is not a wrath like the wrath of men, but a wrath that hath much power it it; so that look how much God is stronger than man, so much doth his wrath exceed the wrath of men. God shows all his power in executing his justice on the wicked: Therefore, it is said, Rom. 9.22. What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endure with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction? That is, he will show his mighty power in punishing them, as he shows the great riches of the glory of his mercy on the Saints. God is known by executing judgement, and the greatness of God is known by the greatness of the punishment inflicted, and you shall know him to be an Almighty God aswell in punishment as in mercy; there is a transcendent power exercised in one aswell as in the other: Therefore it is said, Who knows the power of his wrath? You know the wrath of a King is great, because he is powerful; and how much the power of God exceeds the power of a King, so much his wrath exceeds the wrath of a King. It is therefore compared to a consuming fire that devours all, to the wind that breaks the rock in sunder, and to an overflowing River that carries all away with it. Consider God therefore in the greatness of his power, for such is he in his wrath.  

3 The suddenness of it.  Thirdly, consider the suddenness of it, it comes suddenly on men, and that makes it the more fearful: If God gave warning, it were another case, but he surprises men before they be aware. It is true that Damnation sleeps not, but travels as fast as thyself, and will meet with thee at thy journeys end, but men know it not. Therefore, when you see this to be your case: What makes you secure? you feel it not, you have no sense of evil, you live by sense, and not by faith. But consider, wrath comes suddenly, which is enough to awake a man out of his sleep of security; for let him thus reason, If GOD meant to save me, he would give me no rest in sin, for whom he intends to save, he afflicts beforehand, that they may not perish with the world, but those that will go with the world he suffers to go. That is a terrible saying in the first Book of Samuel, the third Chapter and eleventh verse, speaking of Hophni and Phinees, saith GOD, When I begin, I will make an end, and this is the sentence of all the wicked. It is small comfort that you are free, it being with you, as with them that be seldom sick, that when they be sick, for the most part die for it. When all things go well with the wicked, than the wrath of GOD comes like an Earthquake, which by reason of the winds being enclosed in the bowels of the earth, hath a calm preceding it; and so there is a calm in men's spirits, before the Earthquake of God's wrath comes, and then it is as a thief in the night, who comes when they be in a dead sleep, and lest look for him: After this manner, comes the wrath of God on the wicked, as it is threatened, Prov. 1.27. There shall come on them sudden desolation, and destruction shall overtake them as a whirlwind, it shall surprise them on a sudden; and this may make men to tremble, when they consider that sin is attended with destruction; when they sin, either GOD punishes them presently, and then there is small cause of joy, for the bitterness is more than the pleasure, or else he lets them alone, and there is nothing in the world worse than to thrive in sin, for then destruction will come suddenly.  

Use 1.  The use than you are to make of it, is, First, to teach you to see what sin is, 
See what Sin is.  in that it hath the wrath of God for its Concomitant. We are apt to make a mock of sin, we are ready to slight sin, and to lay it in the light balance of Common opinion, and not in the balance of the Sanctuary, and so we come to be deceived: Therefore this word, Revealed, must be marked, it intimates that we are backward to take notice of it; except the LORD reveals his wrath from heaven, and take us in hand to convince us of sin, to show us our corruption in its own colours, for we look on these things by a false light.  
Think with yourselves therefore, what that must be which God punishes with eternal punishment. See what it is in the punishment of CHRIT our Surety, think what that is that brought CHRIST from heaven, what that is that cast those Angels into hell, to be bound in chains of everlasting darkness.  
Again, see it as you use to see it in the day of Death, for then men are commonly awake, see how it is then presented, if it be not then terrible.  
Again, judge of sin as men enlightened do look to holy men how they judge of sin; And, which is without exception, see how the Scripture presents sin with this Concomitant, the wrath of God, as an evil, and bitter thing. See the Prophet jeremy, the second Chapter, and it is certain that the judgement of the Scripture is right. And let all this humble you.  
Secondly, 
Use 2.  make this use of it, learn to add this to your humiliation. 
Labour for a Sense of the wrath of God.  As you must labour to see your state, to have that corruption of nature, which is in you, discovered: So you must labour for a sense of the wrath of God, which if you get not, you will never be humbled: Labour to see God himself in his wrath, look not nakedly on an affliction, but see God in it. If a man hath a sight of him, the Creator, it will wholly amaze, and humble the Creature. Eliah was not moved with the wind that tore the rocks, nor with the Earthquake, though terrible, but when God came (though in a soft voice, yet) the presence of GOD humbled him, that made him cover his face with his Mantle.  
There be two kinds of Affliction, one is that which the Creature is able to bear, the other sort is, when GOD'S hand is in it, when they are mingled with his wrath. These be like Arrows dipped in venom, that make a deeper wound, and such an one as is incurable: when you feel the wrath God in any affliction, let it be but a light apprehension in itself, yet when the LORD shall set it on, and mingle it with his wrath, it will grow insupportable.  
judas before his Treason thought thirty pieces of silver to be a great matter, and that he had got much by it, but when God did manifest himself, and revealed his wrath a little, so that he saw God, and had a feeling of him, (as every man shall have sooner or later) you see what a condition he was in.  
So it was with Belshazzer, It was his fear of GOD when he saw the Hand, it was not the hand, but the apprehension of GOD'S wrath that raised his thoughts, and loosed his loins, and made his knees knock one against the other.  
So Paul, when he heard the Word of GOD by false Samuel, it cast him on his face, he cared not for any thing that men did to him, (you know how David described his valour,) but when GOD comes to him, that humbles him.  
Consider what it is to have the mighty GOD of Heaven and Earth to be thine Enemy, who hath all things at his Command, and if he be thine Enemy, all things shall work together for thine hurt, as every thing shall be for thy good, if thou be in favour, and covenant with him.  
If thou say, But I feel nothing for the present; Remember, though thou feelest it not for the present, yet there is wrath laid up for thee, God hath it in store: Remember Gods dealing with them that sinned against him; Shimei had committed a sin that in God's sight deserved Death; so did Adonijah; so did Saul and his seven sons, that were hanged for breaking their oath with the Gibeonites: You see how long these lay, as if God had forgotten them, but at length he brings them all to death.  
He doth not pour out his wrath on the sudden, perhaps thou shalt feel nothing of a long time, but thou art condemned, and when the Gaoledelivery comes thou shalt be executed, for God remembers thy sins. cain's sin lay at his door, though he saw it not, it was not taken away, but continued, and it not only continued, and kept awake, but it cried day and night unto him, until the cry entered into the ears of the Lord.  
The cry of sin is like the cry of an Hireling, to whom the just Master, when the day is finished, pays such wages as he deserves: So a sinner, when his time comes, is remembered before God; though wrath hath been restrained for a time, yet now it shall seize on him.  
We should learn by this to humble ourselves.  
And lastly, if we find the wrath of God, 
Use 3.  and no way to scape it, 
Go to Christ.  then go to Christ for these two things we must do: 

First, We must have our mouths stopped, that so all men may be culpable before him.  
Secondly, We must be shut up in prison, he shuts up all under sin, that the promise might be to them that believe; when a man is shut up under the wrath of GOD, so that there is no evasion, this will bring him in.    
Indeed, if the mind of a man can find any way to get out, he will never come in to CHRIST.  
But when he shall not tell how to scape the wrath of GOD, if he sin against man, man shall judge him; but who shall, when he sins against GOD? If he consider the Terror of GOD'S wrath, if he shut up, and his mouth stopped, and he left inexcusable, and shall see himself a miserable man; I say, this will make him go home to CHRIST.  
And that is the use you should make of it, and be sure he will receive you, if you go to him.  
Sin is like the fiery Serpent, and the Wrath of GOD like the Sting, when you are wounded therewith, then know there is no way to be healed, but to look up unto JESUS CHRIST, the Brazen Serpent, (and if a man be not wounded, he will not look up) GOD'S promises are general, he hath bound himself in his Word, Go and preach the Gospel to every Creature, none excepted, and let him that is a thirst come, and take the waters of life freely. Let these drive thee to the LORD CHRIST, and thou shalt certainly be accepted. And so much shall serve for that point  
The end of the Fourth Sermon.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON HUMILIATION. The Fifth SERMON.  ROMANS 1.18. 
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, which withhold the Truth in unrighteousness.  
AND now we have almost gone thorough these words; 
Of withholding the Truth in unrighteousness.  the last part of them remains, that is, which withhold the Truth in unrighteousness.  
Wherein, after the Apostle had declared the corruption of man's Nature in general, he now pitches on one particular, especially, that is, such as withhold the Truth in unrighteousness; against whom the wrath of God is revealed.  

Three things considerable.  In these words, mark these three things: First, that there is a truth which God hath written in the hearts of natural men. Secondly, that this truth is withheld by them. The word in the Original, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifies keeping it in Prison, it is kept down, not suffered to rise up, and show itself in practice and action. Thirdly, the cause of it is, out of love to unrighteousness, or delight therein, that is, of unrighteous lusts. But we will put all these into this one Proposition.  

Doctr.  It is the condition of the best men before Regeneration, to withhold the Truth in unrighteousness. That is the point. Paul speaks not of the condition of some few, but of the condition of men in general. And these be the men against whom the wrath of God is chiefly revealed, these be the men that of all other think themselves the free, civil men, that carry themselves soberly, deal justly with men, that do well in many things, that indeed know much, but practise not according to knowledge: these, I say, be the men against whom the wrath, etc.  

Object.  It may be you will object here, That is strange, that the more truth is revealed to men, the more knowledge they have, the more moral virtues they practise, the worse it shall be with them?  

Answ.  For answer to this, you must know, that the having of this Truth, the bestowing of any of these common graces, puts no man into a better condition. It is God's work, and put upon his reckoning only. Indeed the using or abusing of them is his own work, and put upon his own reckoning. And therefore in regard he may abuse them, they may do him hurt. And those that have much of these Truths, but use them not, or that if they do use some of them, yet do it for their own Ends, and not simply for God's glory, are as abominable to God, as those that run into the greatest outrages. Men that are more civil, are like Wolves tied up, others are like Wolves at liberty. It is true, other men do more mischief, that is, they commit more sinful actions, and consequently run into more guilt, and their Condemnation shall be greater; but those that are tied up, that by civility have their lusts restrained, are no less abominable in God's sight than others: a wolf tied up is as hateful to a sheep, as one that is at large; and so it is with these men, for it is the condition of the best men, before Regeneration, to withhold the Truth in unrighteousness.  
Now in this point we will handle three things: First, what this truth is. Secondly, how it is withheld. Thirdly, the greatness of the sin of withholding the Truth, etc.  
For the first, what this Truth is, 
1 
What this Truth is.  
A threefold Truth.   you must know there is a threefold kind of Truth: 

First, a natural Truth written in the hearts of men, to whom the Scripture was never revealed.  
Secondly, a common Truth, or common knowledge, such as they have that live in the Church, but are not sanctified.  
Thirdly, a spiritual knowledge, which sanctifies the heart of them in whom it is; the two first whereof, natural knowledge and common knowledge, natural men may have. Now the thing we have to do, is to show you what this knowledge here meant is, because the difference is not very apparent. Now as to understand what an accident is, you consider the subject, the author, and efficient, and the extent thereof; so consider you these three things, and then you shall know what this Truth is.    

1 The subject of this Truth.  First, where this Truth is: now there is a Truth placed in the speculative part of the mind, or understanding, which is that, by which we know and judge aright concerning God and moral virtues, what is good, and what is bad, what is just, and what is unjust; whereby many men can discourse learnedly and clearly, as Seneca, and Tully, and others of the Heathen, in whom we find many glimmerings and sparkles of true light. As we may find Flowers in the waste, though the proper place be the Garden. The Church is the Garden of God, as in Canticles, My Sister, my Spouse is as a Garden enclosed: and it is true, these Flowers properly grow there, and if you will have them, you must seek them in the Scriptures, in the Church of God: but we may likewise find them abroad.  
Secondly, this Truth is placed in the practical part of the understanding, and that is when we judge of good things to be done, and of ill things not to be done; and that as having reference to God that judges or rewards: And this is it Divines call Conscience, and it differs from the other in this, that that judgeth simply, whether it be good or bad, but this gives laws, and rules, and edicts of life, it tells us, this must be done, and this must not be done: so there is a Treasure first of speculative, then of practical Truth. But besides them, there is in the third place, another thing issuing from both these, which shoots itself into the will and affections. And that is it which the Schoolmen call Synteresis, that is, a certain Inclination to that which is good, and a reluctance to the contra●y. There is in natural men not only a light to know that this is good, or not good, and a Conscience to dictate; this you must do, or not do, but there is even an Inclination in the will and affections, whereby men are provoked to do good, and to oppose the Evil. And therefore the proposition is true, that natural men have some truths, because they have this Inclination remaining, even in the worst of them. As the air though it be dark in the night, yet there is a little light (though it be very little) by which we can discern something. So that thus far men may go, to know the Truths of God, to have a practical knowledge of them, to have an inclination to that which is good, and a dislike to that which is evil.  
Secondly, whence comes this knowledge: It comes from JESUS CHRIST, the second Person in the Trinity, 
2 The Author of it.  joh. 1. john was not the Light, but he was the true Light, which enlighteneth every man that comes into the world: It is he that infuses light into the heart of every man, as he is the true good, that makes good; and as it is true fire that begets fire, so it is true light that enlightens. john was not that Light, neither is any Minister of the Gospel, for they enlighten only by way of propounding the object, but Christ opens the understanding, and puts light within, therefore he is the true Light.  

3 The extent of it.  Now thirdly, for the Extent of this, to know how far it reaches; It enlightens every man that comes into the world, none is excepted, every man hath a part in this Light. And if that be questioned, hath every man such light, such Truths revealed to him, by which he knows what he ought to do, in a great measure, and what he ought not to do, the Apostle proves it by four Arguments in this Epistle (to go no further for proof:) First, they must needs know much, for they have means to know it. The invisible things of God are made known by the things they see. The heavens are the work of his hands, and they declare it, and every man understands their language. If we should preach in Greek or Latin, every man, haply, could not understand us, but their language every man understands.  
Secondly, Every man hath thoughts excusing or accusing him, saith the Apostle, Rom. 2.14. which shows that he hath this Light, for that proceeds from Conscience and light, showing what is evil, and what is good; there is a secret remorse of Conscience in the worst.  
Thirdly, They do the things contained in the Law, therefore they show the effect of the Law written in their hearts; they do many moral things, which shows that they have the Moral Law.  
And last of all, they judge other men, they are able to find fault with the best, to spy out what is amiss in the most holy man, and be ready to blame him for it, Rom. 2.1. Thou which judgest another, dost not thou condemn thyself? All this makes the point evident, that every man is enlightened. And so you see what this Truth is, where it is placed, whence it comes, and how far it extends.  
And now we come to the second particular, 
2 How this Truth is withholden.  to show how it is withheld. It is withheld, saith the Apostle, out of unrighteousness, that is, after this manner: When men know that such things are true, and that they ought to do them, yet out of their love to, and delight in their unrighteous lusts, they practise not according to knowledge, they have some light in them, but their darkness will not suffer that light to shoot forth itself into their actions, into their whole Conversation: As it is excellently expressed in john 5. a place worth your considering; The light shone in darkness, but the darkness comprehended it not; or, the darkness received it not. The meaning is this, When Christ shines in the hearts and Consciences of men, there the light stays, it goes no further, it is shut up within the walls of their Consciences, within the compass of that one faculty, it doth not shed itself into all the rest of the soul; therefore it doth not enlighten the soul, though there be some light, yet it doth not turn the darkness to light, and thence it is, that it is imprisoned, for it is shut up, and cannot put itself forth.  
Thus the light in a natural man is shut up: As for example, Take the light of a Star in a dark night, and compare it with the light of the Sun, the Star will show itself, and no more, it cannot turn the darkness to light, but the light of the Sun, though never so little, look in what measure it appears, it scatters the darkness from East to West: So there is light in the minds of men, which is but as a Star in a dark night, which doth not take away the darkness; but if it be a sanctifying light, it is like the light of the Sun, not shut within a narrow compass, but spreading itself into all the parts of the soul: Or, as if a candle be brought into a room, it lightens all the house, but if it be a spark of fire, it shows itself, and glows, and does no more, it doth not enlighten the house.  
It is so in carnal men before Regeneration, all the light they have doth but glow in their breast, showing itself there, and making it evident that they have such knowledge, but it is not a Candle that enlightens all the room, that enlightens all the corners of the soul. Therefore in Matth. 6. Christ speaks of a single eye, when the eye is right, it makes the whole body full of light, that is, when the knowledge is right indeed, when the knowledge a man hath is sanctifying, and powerful, than it enlightens a man round about, that he may see which way to go, but if it be a common light, which he terms a double eye, it will not sufficiently direct. Like those holy men that the Apostle speaks of, Philip. 2.15. that shine as lights in the world, that is, men see them, they look on them, but they do not change their darkness into light; or like that light spoken of by Peter, 2 Pet. 1.19. that shineth in a dark place.  
If you will know what is the reason that there should be a light in the Conscience, 
Quest.  and the mind of a man, which nevertheless worketh not on the will and affections, but is shut up there.  
I answer, 
Answ.  There is a double reason: The first is that spoken of in 2 Thess. 2.10. They received the Truth, but not the love of the Truth, and therefore they hate it: Now what a man hates he keeps off as much as he can, it must not come near him, for he counts it his enemy, and therefore will not suffer it to diffuse itself into the rest of the faculties of the soul.  
Another reason, which goes hand in hand with this, is, they love darkness rather than light and therefore they are not every way enlightened, for what a man loves, he desires to preserve, to hedge about, and to keep safe: thus men cannot abide to have darkness taken away by any Information or Admonition, for they desire to preserve it, Rom. 1.21. Their foolish heart was full of darkness, they knew God, but they glorified him not as God: Though there was light, yet their heart was full of darkness, and because they loved this darkness, therefore they would not have it expelled. As a man commits a filthy act, or unseemly thing, he desires to have the light put out, because it is contrary to that which should cover and cloak his action: thus men imprison and shut up the light,, not suffering it to disperse itself into their soul.  

Four ways of imprisoning the Light.  But in this imprisoning of this light, you must know all go not the same way to work, for there be these four different ways of doing it.  
First, some there are which imprison this light merely by laying it aside, merely by forgetting it, by suffering it to lie still, and not awaking it; when men remember not what they have to do, they are so busied about other things, so transported with pleasures and lusts, so occupied in cares, and things of the world, that this comes not into their minds, they consider it not.  
Secondly, Others withhold it out of perverseness of opinion, their judgements are not right, they do not think that such things ought to be done, they are not persuaded that such an exact strictness of holiness is required, they think men may live after another manner; and thus they do imprison the light; so do all heretics that believe lies, and so withhold the Truth.  
Thirdly, There be some that fail in neither of these, they remember the Truth well enough, and they have no false opinions concerning it, but they resist the Truth, as Stephen, Act. 7.51. speaks of some that resisted the Holy Ghost, that is, when their opinion's right, and they remembered it too, but they suppress it, they keep it down, they suffer it not to come forth, out of their love to unrighteousness, to some lust wherein they are resolved to please themselves.  
Lastly, there be some that imprison the Truth, not out of any of these three respects, but because they misapply it, men that know it, that have no perverse heretical opinions, that likewise do not resist it, that make not war against it, that do not rise in rebellion against it, but yet when they come to the point out of false distinctions and evasions which they have iuvented, they wrest the rule of Truth, they bend it too much to their own particular affections, and practise, though they know the Truth in general, yet in particulars they seek to evade it, and fail in applying it. As for example, Men do not think Sabbath-breaking good, but now the question is, whether the action I do at such a time be Sabbath-breaking or no? here they find a distinction to put it off; so vain Company I know is to be avoided, but whether this be ill Company is all the question. All these ways men are said to imprison the Truth. And so much for the second particular.  
The third thing we propounded, was to show how great a sin it is to withhold the Truth in unrighteousness, 
How great a sin it is to withhold the Truth in unrighteousness.  and that will appear from hence.  
It is that which brings the greatest Condemnation of any thing else; This is the condemnation, joh. 3. that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness better than light: As if he had said, there be other things for which God will punish men, but this above all the rest deserves condemnation, it brings great, and swift Condemnation, that light is come into the world, but men etc. that is, when men shall be informed, when God shall reveal his Truth, so that his light glares in their eyes, and they cannot but see it, and yet they love darkness more than light, this puts men into far worse condition, than if they were altogether ignorant of the Truth. Else why should Peter say, It had been better they had never known the way of righteousness? They shall perish that be ignorant of these Truths, and of the degree of them, but at the day of judgement it shall be a great deal harder with them that know and do not practise them: As jer. 5.4. Surely, says the Prophet, they are a poor and foolish people, they know not the ways of the Lord, nor the judgement of their God: They shall therefore perish; but then there is another Generation that know God: I will get me to the great men that have known the ways of God, but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds: That is, these be the men with whom God is most angry, upon whom this condemnation shall fall heavy, that know the judgement of their God, and yet break his bonds, that know, and do not practise.  
Secondly, (to go no further than this place) The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, but against whom? against them that withhold the Truth in unrighteousness: That for which God is angry, for which his wrath is revealed against men, in a special manner must be a sin. It is true he will punish other sins, but these words are not here used in vain, for they that do thus, sin out of contempt, and amongst men, a sin out of contempt kindles wrath; so they that know Gods will, but practise not according to knowledge, provoke God's wrath against them. An excellent place for this, is Heb. 3. you shall find this the case of the people, when they knew not God at all, or but a little number of them, God blessed them all that time, but when he had revealed himself fully to them, and had endured them forty years, when they tempted him proved him, and saw his works, than he swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest. His wrath was then kindled, and that in such a measure, that he entered into such an oath. Now when God takes an oath the decree is peremptory, and never to be reversed; and that is the Condition of them that withhold the Truth in unrighteousness, The wrath of God abides on them, joh. 3. ult. God may be angry with his own children, as a father is with his son, but his wrath abides not on them, he takes them to favour again; but they are in a miserable Condition, on whom the wrath of God remains. And consider what his wrath is, The violence of a Lion is terrible, the wrath of a King is great, but who knows the power of God's wrath? And therefore since the wrath of God shall in such a manner be revealed against such as withhold the Truth in unrighteousness: You need no other Argument to show that the sin is great.  
Again, One Evidence more is in this very Chapter, that is, from the kind of punishment, for punishments, you know, where the judge is just, are according to the measure of the sin. Now mark, God punishes this with giving them up to a reprobate sense; For this cause (saith the Apostle, Rom. 1.26.) God gave them up unto vile affections: And afterwards in the eight and twentieth verse, As they regarded not to know God, even so, or therefore, God delivered them up to a reprobate mind: that is, a mind without knowledge, an injudicious mind, that cannot judge of things. And look in all the book of God, among all the Armies of sorrow, there is not any like this, to be given up to vile affections, to lusts, to an injudicious mind, in matters of God, and things belonging to their Salvation. This punishment shows the greatness of the sin, but men slight this, as it is the greatest judgement, so it is the least felt; men lie at rest, they are cast into a dead sleep, but it is like the sleep of them that have crazy brains, they wake in a frenzy, so these shall wake in an horrible astonishment, their sleep is such a calm, as will end in a tempest, and such a tempest as shall never be blown over. Therefore, let no man bless himself in this, I feel none of these things, for thou hast the greatest judgement on thee when thou feelest it least. And so much for the three things I propounded to you, what this Truth is, how it is withheld, and the greatness of the sin: now we will come to make use of it.  
And the first use we are to make of it, 
Use 1.  is that which is the main scope of the Apostle here, and that for which we pitched on these words, and that is to humble us, to learn to know ourselves, to know in what Condition we are, for the Truth is revealed to us, but we withhold it in unrighteousness. This Truth that should rule in the hearts of men, that should be as the supreme governor in the soul, of which it may be said, as it is said of the Peace of God, let it rule in your souls, that where by men should be acted, is by men imprisoned. Therefore, Rom. 2.9. the Apostle denounceth Tribulation and anguish upon every one that disobeyes the Truth: Intimating that Truth is our King, that should govern and rule in our hearts; now when men disobey it, nay, go further, imprison this Truth, it is as when men imprison their lawful King, or servants their Master, and they run riot, and at liberty in the mean time. And this is our case; we do with it, as children do with their Masters, we desire to be rid of it, because it watches over us, and so we grow enemies to it. And this is no small sin, for if we consider whence this comes, who puts it into our hearts, it will appear heinous; by the Law of man it is death to kill children that are begot by man, but this Truth is begot by the Holy Ghost, it is put in by the Spirit of God, and to extinguish this Truth, not to suffer it to live, not to nourish it, not to bring it forth, is the great sin of all. Even the Heathen shall rise in judgement against Christians for this, who maintained the Vestal fire, because they conceived it to come from heaven, they for that cause never suffered it to go out. But this Truth is a fire which came from heaven, a spark put into the breasts of men to guide their feet into the way of Peace; when men shall extinguish this Truth, let it go out, and not maintain it, the Heathen shall rise against them in judgement; as the men of Niniveh should rise up against the men of that Generation among whom Christ lived. We were wont to take care of precious things, consider the preciousness of this Truth; what is precious we will not be willing to destroy, as the Prophet said of the bunch of Grapes, Destroy it not, for there is a blessing in it. And what do you think of this Truth? is it not a precious thing? Yea, it is the chief thing in a man. In a ship a wise man will have an eye to the rudder, for that turns all the rest of the body of the ship. Of all things in ourselves we look to our eye, the guide of the body; so we should learn to watch, and be tender over this Truth as over our eye, for the one is the light but of this life, the other is the light of the soul to eternal life. In Micah 3.5. It is threatened as a great judgement, when God shall turn their Visions into night, and their Divinations into darkness, when the Sun shall go down on their Prophets, and the day shall be dark on them, and will you bring this judgement on yourselves? They that are guilty of this, that have not used this Truth, but imprisoned it, and laboured as much as they can to cause the Sun to go down, and rise no more, to turn the day into night, let them consider what the sin is; when you read the story of the Kings, and hear them saying to the Prophets, prophesy not, imprisoning them, as Ahab did Micaiah, and slaying them, as joash did Zecharial, you will little think you are guilty of the same sin, but when this Truth comes as a Prophet from God, and tells you, such and such things ought to be done, and such and such evils ought to be abstained from, and you shall desire it to be silent, and shall say, Prophesy not, when you shall not suffer it to speak freely, I say, your sins shall be as great as theirs; therefore learn to consider of it, and be humbled for it: men are wont to think their Condition better, because they know more than others, but it is quite contrary, for nothing aggravates sin more than that. It is an extreme folly in men when they cannot deny the fact, they slight the fault, and will not acknowledge it. It was Adam's fault, when God came towards him, he fled, and hides his sin; and it is the fault of all Adam's posterity. But let men know, that the quite contrary way is the way to Salvation. It is not with God, as it is with men, among whom confession makes way for condemnation, for with God confession is the way to salvation. Therefore be not unwilling to examine yourselves, consider how much you have known, what truths have been revealed to you. Do this with one eye; with another eye look on your lives, and see how short your practice hath been of your knowledge, come willingly, and if you confess, you shall be forgiven. This will drive you out of yourselves, it will be your Schoolmaster to bring you to Christ. They that carry this light in a dark Lantern, that rake these sparks in the ashes, that as they would not have others see what they do, so neither would they have their own Consciences take notice of it that will sin, let men say what they will, that live loosely, that either hear not, or regard not what they hear, let them consider it, for they do in a special manner imprison the Truth, they withhold it in unrighteousness, labour to know the sin, your miserable condition, and learn to be humbled under it.  
A second use we may make of this, 
Use 2.  is from hence to discern the condition of those men which are miserable, 
showeth the misery of th●se men that are near the kingdom of God, but not in it.  but see not their misery that are near the kingdom of God, but not in it: Men that are merely civil, that hear much, and do much, and go far, keeping their lights burning till the very point of the Bridegroom's coming, and for want of a little more oil are excluded; as Ananias for a little reservation lost all; and the young man in the Gospel, that kept all the Commandments of the Lord from his youth up, that came within a step, but never into the mountain of the Lord. This is a race many miss of, as the Apostle, 1 Cor. 9 speaking of many running in a race, says, Many run, but all obtain not, that is, there is a company of men run in the ways of God, as well as the Saints, both run, both do very much, if you look on the ways they go, you shall scarce find difference in any outward action that they do, yet, many obtain not; and why? they either run not as they ought, or else they hold not out to the end: Amaziah and joash ran long, almost to the end of the race, but because they continued not faithful to the death, they received not the Crown of life, these be the men that come near the kingdom of heaven, but never enter into it. And the scope of the Text serves to discover these men; when we hear therefore that there is such a Generation, it concerns every man to desire to know his Condition, lest he should be of that number; for that cause we will spend this use in discovering these three things: 
Their misery is in three things.  First, that the good things that these men have in them do them no good. Secondly, that they do them much hurt. Thirdly, I will set down how far they go, and yet how far short they be of that which is proper to the godly.  

1 The good things, that they have, do them no good.  First, I say, the good things in them do them no good, for they are the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and shall be found to the praise of the Holy Ghost, and not to their own advantage at all, they are not their own, but the works of the Spirit within them. Hebr. 6. the Apostle speaks of men enlightened, and that have tasted of the gift of the Holy Ghost, that is, there be gifts that the Holy Ghost puts into their heart, as we lay flowers in the window, which do not grow there, or as some Outlandish fruit which is brought over, but it will not grow in our Country, except the soil be altered, and changed, it will not thrive there, nor bring forth fruit to any purpose: So though these things be in them, yet they are not theirs, neither shall they be to their own praise, and advantage.  
Again, they cannot do them good, because they do not make them good; they do not as Divines say, redundare in personam, they make not any man's person better, though a man, not yet truly regenerate, have never so many excellent things in him, yet his person is never the better for them. As we say of godly and regenerate men, though they commit evil, yet their persons are good in God's sight. God sees their evil, but he scours them by affliction, and he hates the evil, but loves the person, which shows that the person is not accounted evil, for if the person were evil, he must needs hate it: On the other side, they that have received common Graces, though they have gone far, yet their persons are not the better, but the same: And there is good reason for it, for it is not the person that doth the good thing: But, as Paul says of ●in, It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me; so they may say, It is not I that do it, but the good that is in me: therefore it is reason it should not do them good, when it makes not their persons good, but leaves them the same notwithstanding. So that it may be said of the good things in them, as is said of beauty in an evil woman, or as of a pearl in a swine's snout, the things be good and precious, the pearl is a pearl indeed, yet notwithstanding they may be evil women, in whom beauty, and swine in whom the pearl is found. So you see the first, that though a man have excellent things in him before regeneration, yet they shall do him no good.  
Secondly, 
2 They do● them much hurt.  which may make every man look about him, and to consider with fear and trembling, if it be not his own case: If a man shall have these Truths revealed, but he shall either let them lie still, and rust, or if he bring them to action, shall check and curb them, and not use them as he should, they shall increase his Condemnation.  
And that may be made evident from hence, the sins such men commit are augmented and aggravated, from hence they are committed against more light, and the more their light is than others, the greater their sin is than others. Therefore that is to be marked, Rom. 2.9. Tribulation and anguish on every soul that doth evil, to whom? To the jew first, and then to the Grecian: Mark it, They that do evil are of two sorts, jews or Grecians. jews' were they that knew and were acquainted with the Law, and the Grecians were ignorant of it; therefore Tribulation shall be first, and in greatest measure on the jew; so that their knowledge aggravates their sin, it had been better for them that they had not had the Truth, that they had never heard of the Gospel of Christ, nor been acquainted with the ways of God, because when they have light, and sin against it, the more light they have, the more resistance there is, and so the more inexcusable they are, and the more inexcusable they be, the greater is their sin.  
Again, these men of all other are most apt to resist God, to resist Christ and his righteousness, and that doth exceedingly increase their sin, because they cross God in his chiefest end, and that must needs make their sin great; and that they do more than others, for God's chief end is to have Christ's righteousness revealed, but these men having a Conceit of their own righteousness, regard it not, and so resist God. What else is the reason of that in Luke 15.1. There resorted to him (saith the Evangelist) Publicans and sinners, but the Pharisees murmur at him. What is the meaning of that? It is as if he had said; They that were righteous more than others, that were in all their Conversation unblameable, that did more good, and abstained from more ill than others, these men did not come to Christ, for they thought themselves in a reasonable good condition already. But the Publicans and sinners resorted to him. So these men that have many good things in them, we have most ado to drive them out of themselves, and to bring them to Christ; so that they that resist Christ's righteousness, which is God's chief end, must needs do themselves most hurt.  
Again, they in whom God's justice doth most appear, their condition must needs be most miserable; but so it is with these men, they that are acquainted with his will, and do it not, in them at the day of judgement his justice shall most appear: Otherwise, to what end did God send the Prophets? Why sent he Isaiah, and Ezekiel, etc. it was not only to convert men, to win their souls, to bring them to Salvation. What then? To clear his justice, and to increase their condemnation. How was that done? by making known these Truths, that knowing them, and not practising them, their Condemnation might be greater. So we Ministers come not only to convert the souls of men, not only to build, but also to pluck down, not only to open the hearts of men to believe the Truth, but to harden men's hearts to hate the Truth; not but that we long for the salvation of men, and that the proper end of the Word is to save men, but the use they make of it serves to increase their condemnation: So that the more Truth is revealed, if it be not practised accordingly, the greater is the sin.  
Again, these men are of all others farthest both from justification and Sanctification, this Truth puts them farther off both: I say, the more knowledge is revealed, the more they are acquainted with the mysteries of Salvation, if they precisely answer it not in their life, they are further than other men from justification, because, as I said before, they think not themselves to be as other men; as the Pharisee said, I am not as other men, or as this Publican: Therefore, says Christ, The Publican went to his house justified rather than the other.  
Again, they be further from Sanctification than others, for they be wise in their own eyes, and will carve out their own ways, they are not willing to resign themselves to God, they chose ways of their own, thinking the Word to be foolish, and common, for the more the knowledge, the stronger is the resistance, and therefore they are said to contend with the Truth, Rom. 2.8. To them that are contentious, and obey not the Truth. The meaning is, Men that know much, that are much enlightened, but not truly sanctified, they quarrel with the Truth, they except against it, they have many things to allege against the ways of God, the resistance is stronger in them than in others, they are contentious men, that is, not men that contend with men, nor simply with God, but they contend with the Truth, not only in will and affections, but in their understandings also, men reason against it, and therefore are apt to disobey the Truth, and so of all others furthest off from Sanctification, they will go their own course, and will not be taught. So you see the second thing, That the good things that are in these men do them much hurt.  
The end of the Fifth Sermon.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON HUMILIATION. The Sixth SERMON.  ROMANS 1.18. 
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, which withhold the Truth in unrighteousness.  
NOw to come to that which remains, 
3 How far they go, and yet how far they fall short of that which is proper to the godly.  which is the third thing, that is, to set down how far these men may go, and yet how far they fall short of that which is proper to the Saints that shall be saved. And thus far they may go.  
First, they may be enlightened to understand all the truths of God; there is no Truth we deliver to you, 
1 In enlightening.  but an unregenerate man may understand it wholly, and distinctly, and may come to some measure of approbation, he may be well acquainted with the mysteries of Fa●th and Repentance, so as he may discourse thereof better than many that have the things indeed.  

2 In their Conscience.  Secondly, not only so, but he may have a Conscience that shall do its duty in many things, he may make a Conscience of many duties, as you shall find of diverse in Scripture, who notwithstanding were not sanctified. When God sent Rohoboam that message, not to go to war against jeroboam, knowing it was Gods command, he made Conscience of obeyit, and likewise for some years he served the Lord. So when the Lord would have Amaziah send back the Israelites, he durst not disobey the voice of the Lord, although if he had looked on all probabilities it might have ruined him. So Abimelech durst not meddle with Abraham's wife, when God had given a charge to the contrary. So Balaam in many things restrained himself, and would not do but as the Lord commanded him: So that an unregenerate man may keep a good Conscience in secret, when no man sees it or knows it.  
Thirdly, 
3 In common gifts.  he may not only have his judgement enlightened, and his Conscience enabled to do its duty in many things, but likewise he may have many common gifts planted in his will and affections, many excellent moral virtues of justice, and Temperance, and Patience, and in these he may many times exceed the godly, as many times Blazing-starres go beyond true Stars for light; so may these exceed the godly in outward appearance.  
Fourthly, 
4 In their actions.  there is not only all this wrought within them, but they do many times express it in their actions. Come to their lives, they are able to do many things; as it is said of Herod, he heard john gladly, and did many things: So the second and third ground, as they knew something, so they practised according to their knowledge. In their performances they may not come short of any of the godly, and may for a long time have as fair, specious, and probable shows of goodness as any.  
Fifthly and lastly, 
5 In their Conflicts.  they may go thus far, they may have two men in them, aswell as regenerate men, one that contends for the Truth, the other that resists it. And what stronger sign is there in regenerate men, to evidence their regeneration, than this Contention between the flesh and the spirit? yet this may be found in them, there may be strong Inclinations to that which is good, and a resistance of it. This Truth may lie in their breast, as a fire that would rise, and break out, but much quench-cole, and wet stuff within may keep it down; so that there may be, and are two men in the Civil man, as well as in the Regenerate.  
Now to show how far they fall short of 
2 How far they fall short▪  them that be truly sanctified. First, in matter of light and understanding that they have, you shall find a double difference. 
1 In light and understanding. In two things.   
First, though in the Truths they know they go exceeding far, as I have showed you, yet in this they fall short, that they understand not the secrets of God. There be certain secrets which God reveals to none but to them that fear him: There is something in these Truths that civil men do not understand. Consider that speech spoken by our Saviour to jerusalem, O jerusalem, that thou hadst known the things belonging to thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes! What was hid from them? not the things themselves simply considered, for they were fully revealed, Christ himself Preached there, there wanted no light to shine to them; yet it was hid from their eyes, that is, there was a certain secret, which, if God had revealed, it would have persuaded them to have turned to him effectually, but that was hid from their eyes, and so they were strangers from the life of God. So the life of holiness and religion these men understand not, there is something spiritual which they cannot comprehend. There light goes as far as it may; when a man hath a natural, a common light, it will apprehend common objects, such as are suitable to it, it apprehends; but that which is spiritual, it cannot reach unto. 1 Cor. 2.14. A natural man understandeth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are spiritually discerned, that is, the very thing wherein the Image of God consists, wherein true holiness expresseth itself, they do not understand. Therefore it seems a strange thing to them (as in 1 Pet. 4.4.) that others run not into the same excess of riot. It seems strange, (now mark that word) nothing seems strange but when a man is ignorant of its cause, is not acquainted with it, and therefore he is still finding fault with it. Therefore, unholy men have a light that reaches to common justice, and to a common care of serving God, to common moral virtues, and to an upright behaviour to men, but further they cannot go, they know not what it is to be exact, and strict in all things, and that is the first difference, they know not the secret of God, they may go thorough the whole course of Divinity, and be acquainted with all the mysteries of Salvation, but that secret of his they understand not.  
Secondly, there is this difference in the things they do know, they know them indeed, (I speak of them they do know, that are within their own sphere, their own compass) but they have not the savour of what they know, that is it which the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the savour of these Truths they want, and therefore they receive the Truth, but not the love of the Truth; they do not relish it, they apprehend it not aright, and for that cause they practise it not. You have them excellently set down in jude 14. they speak evil (says the Apostle) of the things they know not. You see there be some things they know not, and therefore they speak evil of them: And what things they do know, as beast's without reason in them, they corrupt themselves, that is, they do not practise according to their knowledge, though they are acquainted with the ways of God in that measure, that they know they ought to abstain from these and these sins, yet in these things that they know naturally they are corrupt: So you see the difference between them and the truly regenerate in matter of understanding.  

2 In their Conscience.  Secondly (to keep the same method I did in the other) for matter of Conscience, you shall find this difference, and in this they fall short. Though they do make Conscience of many things, notwithstanding they have not a good Conscience; for, Conscience is good in two respects; either because it witnesss good to us, and so we commonly use it, or as it is subjectively good, and so the love of God, is good, and the fear of God is good, and in this they have not a good Conscience, for it is required that the Conscience be inherently and subjectively good, that a man make Conscience not out of slavish fear, but out of willingness, as a chaste wife desires to please her husband, because she loves him, she is loath to displease him, will not lose his favour for any thing, and therefore she observes him exactly, and will not offend him, when the Conscience stands in this reference to God, it is a good Conscience. On the other side, let a man make Conscience of never so many things, yet if it be out of fear, as a servant fears his Master, or as the Thief fears the judge, his Conscience is not good. So that the civil men cannot be said to have a good Conscience in the things they abstain from out of Conscience, 
Note.  because they do it not willingly, but as of necessity. Now all God looks to is to have what is done, done willingly, and therefore it is no wonder that Divines give this as a sure rule that Desire is a sign sure enough of Grace: If a man hath a true desire to please God, it cannot deceive him, for the desire is more than the deed, as Saint Paul saith in 2 Cor. 8. In matter of giving, You have not only been ready to do, but to will, and to be forward; as if the will were more than the deed; and so it is indeed. A man may perform many actions of Religion, abstain from many sins, reform his life in many things, but it is another matter to desire to please God, according to that of Nehemiah 1.11. Let thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servants that desire to fear thy Name: there is none but the servants of God that desire to fear him. If others be asked whether they could not be content there were no law to restrain them, that no necessity of holiness lay on them; they will answer, they could desire that there were none, that they were at liberty; and therefore when they make Conscience of any thing, it is not out of willingness, but out of a slavish fear, though it be out of Conscience, yet the Conscience is not good, and in this respect they fall short.  
Thirdly, for matter of moral virtues, they may have many excellent virtues planted in their hearts, 
3 Moral Virtues.  which are the gifts of the Holy Ghost, for the Holy Ghost doth not only enlighten the understandings of some that shall never be saved, but also places many gifts in their will and affections. But this defect they have, they neither come from a right Principle, nor tend to a right end, they come from no higher a Wellhead than Nature, they be common to them that be only natural; and therefore it cannot be proper to them that shall be saved. I say, Nature is able to bring forth these virtues, even as the earth (for that similitude will express it) is able to bring forth two things, Weeds, and Grass: You know weeds are unprofitable, and many of them hurtful, but grass is good and useful: But corn and flowers of the chiefest sort the earth cannot bring forth without ploughing and sowing; so it is with man's nature. Take it as secluded from Grace, it is able to do two things, to bring forth Sin and Lust, which comes from the corruption of it, and likewise many excellent virtues which proceed from common nature, which is in a man unregenerate, as well as sinful nature. These things be good and very commendable, but this is their fault, they go no further, there is no more than nature in them, they are very like true Grace, as false jewels are like true ones, and as your wild corn is like true corn, there is a great similitude between them, but yet there is a great deal of difference, if you look on them with a curious eye, and judge of them with a righteous judgement.  
Fourthly, for matter of Actions, it is true they do many things, 
4 In Actions In two respects.  but they fall short in these two respects:  
First, they do not all, they are always wanthing in something. It is not said Herod did all, but many things, He heard john gladly, and did much; this rule will not fail, they are not general in their obedience, there is not a general change: Now the effect cannot go beyond the cause, but it is true of the regenerate. They are New Creatures every way, and therefore there is a general observation of the Law of God, I speak of an Evangelicall observation competent to the Saints, I say, they have a respect to all the Commandments; the other have not, because their hearts are not fully, not generally changed, they have light, but it is shut up within the compass of one faculty, it turns not the soul into light, and therefore they know many things, and do many things, yet because the work is not general, they have still some exception, something there is wherein they favour themselves, some duty there is that they omit, and that constantly from time to time.  
Again, as they do not do all, so what they do, they do not in sincerity, they do it not to the Lord, but for other respects, for themselves, for credit or applause, to win love and good will among men, or to avoid shame, or they do it to escape judgement, and to attain that safety which Nature itself may desire, or else to satisfy natural Conscience: many other respects there be, but they do it not in sincerity to the Lord.  

Object.  But, it may be objected, when they do things in secret, do they not do them to the Lord?  

Answ.  It is true, they do it to him as to a natural good, as a judge that punishes and rewards, as a Dispenser of good and evil; so they do it to the Lord, but not to him as a Father, as holy and pure, as abstracted from all punishment, and reward, they do not fix their eye on the Person of God, to love him, to desire favour and Communion with him; after this manner they desire him not, and so they fail in the good actions they do.  

5 In their Conflict, in four things.  Fifthly and lastly, there are two men in Civil men before Regeneration, that is, an instigation to that which is good, and a reluctancy to it, a renitency against it, something contrary thereto, as well as in the Regenerate; but you shall find them to fall short of the Saints in these four regards.  
First, this Combat in them differs from that in the Saints, in respects of the subject, it being between the Conscience, and all the rest of the Soul. The Conscience says, such things must be done, but the rest of the faculties rise in rebellion against it, because (as I told you) the light is shut up there, and all the Soul is not enlightened, but in the Saints the Controversy is between every faculty and itself, between the understanding and itself, between the whole Soul, as it is compared with itself, there is something good in every part of it, and something ill, and these two contend.  
Secondly, as it differs in the subject, so likewise in the object, the contention is about different things. A civil man (that is one that hath many excellent and good things in him, but yet is unregenerate, for that I mean by a civil man) may have a controversy with himself about many things belonging to honesty, virtue, sins of the greatest extent, such as he is able to see (as in a dark night we see the Stars of a greater magnitude, but the other are hid from us) but there is something spiritual, things that belong to the Image of God to the life of Grace, which he makes not Conscience of, cannot contend about, for he understands them not. He may be troubled about many evils, and if he fall into gross sins, there may be a Contention in him after he hath committed them as well as before, but the spiritual perfomance of duties which belong to godliness and true holiness, is not controverted, and so they differ in the object.  
Thirdly, it differs in regard of the effect and issue of the Combat. In a natural man where there is a strife you shall find this the issue, the better is the loser, and the worse is the gainer, as it was the speech of Medea, Deteriora sequor; but it is not so with the Saints, for in their Combat ordinarily they have the better; as Paul, when this combat and strife was within him, he was still so sustained by the Grace of God that he had the victory, and that I take to be the meaning of that in 2 Cor. 12.9. when there was that strife in him about the thorn in the flesh, that is, some strong lust that Satan had sharpened against him, The Grace of God was sufficient for him, and in the issue thereof he did Meliora sequi, but the other goes away with the worst.  
Fourthly and lastly, there is a difference in regard of the Continuance, and durance of this Combat in carnal men, it continues not to the end, but they give over; and this you shall also find, they stand not at a stay, but grow worse and worse, for that is a general Truth, Evil men shall wax worse and worse, there may be a contention for a time, the two men may for a Time be in an Aequilibrio, the balance may hang equal for a while, but at last they give the rain to their lust, they are weary of contending; but the Spirit in the Saints grows stronger and stronger, as it was said of the house of Saul, it waxed weaker and weaker, but the house of David grew stronger and stronger. And as it was said of Peter, When he should be old, he should be carried whither he would not; showing by what death he should glorify God, that is, this strife should continue till he was old, till the latter end of his days, yea, and about that which is hardest of all, that is, to resist the desire of life, to be content to die for CHRIST. So you see how far they may go, and yet how far they fall short.  
And now have I done with those three things, that the good things, that carnal men have, do them no good. Secondly, that they do them hurt. Thirdly, that they may go far, and yet, (that you may not be deceived, in apprehending what men they are, and what Condition we speak of) that they fall short of that which is proper to the Saints, and so much for the second use.  
Thirdly, 
Use 3.  if this be the Condition of men to withhold the Truth in unrighteousness; 
Men sin not out of want of information, but out of love of unrighteousness.  then this will likewise follow, that commonly men sin not out of mistake, not out of want of Information and conviction, but out of the very love of unrighteousness: And this serves to take away the Common excuse whereby men do usually mitigate, and extenuate their sins, as if they were committed by accident, out of incogitation, or want of due consideration; you see it is not so, but that is the case of every man out of the state of Regeneration to commit sin out of love to unrighteousness. And this is a point that needs much to be urged, because men are not humbled; you know the scope of this Text is to humble men, to convince them of their sins, to show them the Circumstances by which their sins are justly to be aggravated; now because men will pretend they sin out of Infirmity, and their meaning is good, and they intent not to do such and such evils, or if they do them it is not with an ill mind; I advise you, take heed you deceive not yourselves, you know it was jonas his case, when he had no mind to go to Niniveh, he pretends fair reasons. God that searches the heart, knows your hearts, howsoever you defend and dispute for your sins, and there is a Truth within that tells you such and such things ought not to be done. Therefore, learn from hence to know your sins, and the quality of them. And, if you object, we do not resist this Truth, we obey it in many things? Let me ask you, Do you obey it in those things that cross that particular unrighteousness wherein you are delighted? (for there is the proof) there be some personal sins to which a man's nature is most inclined, examine if out of love to them you do not withhold the Truth, for it fares commonly with Truth in this case, as it did with john Baptist, all the while he preached Herod heard him willingly, yea, gladly, but when he came to touch upon Herodias, than he took away his head; and as he dealt with john, so do we with Truth, so long as it suggests nothing to us that crosses our desires, we are willing to obey it in all things that it shall dictate to us, but when it tells us of sins that we are unwilling to hear of, we first imprison it, and then extinguish it, as there be degrees in restraining of it, first in one degree, then in a greater degree, and at last we put it quite out: Therefore take heed to it, labour to know your sins, to see those which are most natural to you, 
How the Truth is withheld in unrighteousness.  whether in these you do not withhold the Truth in unrighteousness; which is done after this manner: When a man shall have his heart set upon any particular thing which he is not willing to part with, and the Truth shall tell him something that is contrary thereto, now let him try himself. Pilate (the Text saith) knew that the Pharisees had delivered CHRIST for Envy, this he knew, but yet to content the people, says one Evangelist, and out of fear of Caesar, says the other, he delivered him to them. Out of those two respects, because he would not part with his love of the people, nor with the goodwill of Caesar, he would part with CHRIST. Now here is the Trial, Suppose thou esteemest credit, and applause with men, the Truth comes and tells thee thou art to do a thing that crosses this, mark what thou art ready to do in this case; you shall see an instance in john 12.42. There were many among the chief Rulers which believed on CHRIST, but for fear lest the Pharisees should cast them out of the Synagogue, they durst not confess him, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. They believed on him, the Truth did its part, they were thereby informed well enough what they were to do, but because they loved the praise of men, they resisted this Truth out of love to unrighteousness. So put case thy mind be set upon wealth, and in that thou wilt not be crossed, This truth tells thee, thou must do one thing, but it will cross thee in matter of thy estate, as the Youngman had that Trial put on him, Go and sell all thou hast, and thou shalt have Treasure in heaven: Compare thine own with the Youngman's behaviour, he went away sorrowful. Whence we may gather that he was enlightened to see the Truth, he knew it was best to follow CHRIST, the Truth was thus far revealed to him, for otherwise why should he go away sorrowful? If he had not believed him to be the Messiah, he needed not to have sorrowed, but in that sorrow was left in his heart, it manifested what his mind was set upon. Is it thus with thee? Learn hence to humble yourselves, to judge aright of your sins, and of your Condition by them.  
And if all this will not persuade you, take this one instance which I will give you. Take a view of thyself as thou art affected at some apprehension of Death, in some dangerous sickness, in some good mood, after some quickening of the Spirit in thee, after some great trouble into which thou art cast, and see what thou wilt do in such a case: See what liberty this Truth hath at such a time, how ready thou art to obey it in all things, how ready will the Truth be to inform thee, these and these things thou oughtest not to do, and thou hast neglected these and these duties; how imminent this Truth is, to dictate to thee what thou oughtest to do. Consider again what thy behaviour is in time of health and strength, in time of Peace, when thou livest in abundance of all things. See how far short thou art of performing what in those times thou wouldst do, and in the same measure thou withholdest the Truth in unrighteousness; in such measure thou imprisonest it, for that declares what light is in thee.  
Take a survey of one or two days, go through the actions that pass by thee in the same, see what evil thou hast done, and what good thou hast omitted, and say thus, Might not I have forborn this evil, if I would have set myself to do it? Might not I have performed this duty, if I would have gone about it? and let this humble thee. For this cause I have chosen this Text, that you might be driven out of yourselves; and why should you be backward in it, seeing it is the first step to Salvation? And so much shall serve for this third use.  
Fourthly, 
Use 4.  if this be the case and miserable Condition wherein every man is before Regeneration, 
Consider the danger of disobeying the Truth.  to withhold the Truth in unrighteousness: Then take heed of putting thyself into that Condition, consider the danger of disobeying this Truth, of offending it, of doing any thing contrary to it, of restraining and curbing it, for it is of that nature, that if thou offendest it, it will offend thee. It is a Truth that God hath set in thy heart, and appointed it to rule there, if thou oppose it, and set up usurpers, he will do as jehojada did, that set up the right King, he will even set up this Truth at the day of death to accuse thee, and to reign over thee as a Tyrant. It sits in thy Conscience, it marks what is done amiss, and will be assuredly revenged, for every rebellion, and offence committed against it, as it is said of Truth in general, Magna est veritas & praevalet, if thou be for the Truth, it will be for thee, and if thou be against it, it will be against thee, and it hath God on its side, it is attended with the wrath of the Almighty, who will be ready to execute upon thee whatsoever this Truth shall allege against thee, though he doth it not presently, yet all the while thou art in the way to Damnation, as it was with judas and Achitophel. Therefore be sure to keep this Truth well, that thou offend it not; as thou art tender over thy weak stomach, to give what contents it, to avoid what may offend it, and then it shall be as a continual feast to thee, otherwise it shall be as a sick stomach to thee, that do what thou wilt, yet whether walking or sitting still, it will trouble thee: So this Truth thou wilt not be able to deceive, it will see what is amiss, whether thou wilt or no: 2 Cor. 4.2. saith the Apostle, We commend ourselves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God, by manifestation of the Truth: That is, the Conscience within will see thee thorough, do what thou canst, there will be an agreement between it, and the Truth that is presented to it, it cannot but observe all the obliquities of thy life, all thy errors, thou canst not deceive it, nor long shake it off.  
But, 
Object.  it may be objected, May not a man observe this Truth too much, 
May not a man be too scrupulous.  may he not be too scrupulous, too careful in regarding it?  
I answer, 
Answ.  the Conscience may mistake, and give that charge that it ought not; but as we say of Thistles, they are a bad weed, but it is a sign of a good ground where they grow; so though scrupulousness be not good, yet it is a sign of a good heart where it is. If a man be to go thorough a narrow passage, or over a narrow bridge, it is good to go in the midst; so it is good not to be scrupulous, and yet not to give it offence, for if thou dost withhold it, imprison it, or restrain it, thou shalt find it will be revenged on thee, for it is attended with the wrath of God.  
Fifthly, 
Use 5.  if this be the miserable Condition of all unregenerate men, 
Give the Truth leave to rule.  thus to withhold the Truth in unrighteousness. As there have been words of Humiliation and reproof, so let me shut up with a word of exhortation. Be exhorted therefore from hence to give this Truth leave to rule and govern in thy heart, and life; do not make a bank against it, or an hedge about it, restrain it not, fetter it not, but suffer it to walk freely in every part of thy conversation, to rectify and reform every faculty, speech, and action, for so it ought to do; and, as I said before, thou shalt find it a dangerous thing to restrain it.  
Among men, he that imprisons one whom he should not, 
1 The danger of restraining it.  runs into a Praemunire, and forfeits all he hath. Commonly we fail both these ways, we give Lust's liberty, which should be restrained; and imprison Truth, which should be at liberty, therefore our judgement shall be accordingly. For letting thy lusts go at liberty, take heed lest God say to thee, as he did to Ahab for letting King Benhadad go, Thy life shall be for his life: lest on the other side by imprisoning the Truth you forfeit all things, and God take advantage of your forfeiture. Since the fall of Adam, man doth turn all things upside down, according to that which is complained of those Prophets, They did slay the souls of them that should live, and gave life to the souls that should die. So do men, the Truth that should live they slay, and the lust that should die, they give life unto: But you know what Gods judgement was on them, Ezek. 13. He would destroy both the dauber and the wall of untempered mortar. God requires at thy hands that thou give account of the Authority committed to thee, and take heed of abusing it. If the King send a Privy Counsellor, or a great man about him to reveal his will, to express his commandment in this or that particular, that so men may know it, and be free from the danger of the Law; if a man, in stead of obeying it, imprison him, how will the King take it at his hands? What then will God do in this case? He hath put his Truth into the hearts of men, he hath sent his messengers to show his will, that this he will have done: If thou imprison this Truth, be assured, God will not hold thee guiltless, therefore let it have liberty, let it rule and reign in thy heart, let it do what it will.  
This benefit thou shalt have, 
2 The benefit of setting it at liberty.  Thou sets it at liberty, and it shall set thee at liberty, joh. 8.32. If you continue in my words, etc. the Truth shall make you free. From what? or what great benefit hath a man by this freedom? a benefit unspeakable, thou shalt be free from the fear of Death, from the hands of all thine Enemies, to serve God in holiness and righteousness, from the fear of judgement, from the fear of hell, from the guilt, and punishment of sin, from the rule and tyranny of sin, and is not this to be desired?  
Again, if thou set this at liberty, if thou wilt practise and use it, thou shalt find more benefit and sweetness from it, than from the mere contemplation of it; we are deceived in thinking that the knowledge of it is pleasant, but the practice hard. Indeed, that that keeps the world from practice, is, because it is accompanied with persecution, whereas bare knowledge crosses not at all; and therefore most men are willing to hear, and know, but in practice they fall short. But in this they are deceived, for this Truth brings more pleasure in the practice and use of it, than in the knowledge and contemplation of it. Instance in Faith, suppose thou know all the doctrine of Faith, the knowledge is pleasant, much more the practice, if thou wilt let it go at liberty, if it may pacify, and purify thy heart, if thou be much in contemplating thy privileges in Christ, thou shalt find the sweet of it. And so I may say of love, and patience, and every grace: Knowledge of things is like W●ne or Cordials standing on the table, thou canst view them, and look on them then, and have them presented to thee, but if thou feed on them by practice, how do they warm thy spirits, and quicken thee, and put life into thee, if they be digested, and distributed into all the parts, into all the faculties, (for that is digesture) till they turn to flesh and blood, and spirits, as it were, than thou shalt find their sweetness, even more than any man can express, who himself hath not felt it.  

Object.  But now all the question is, how shall a man be able to do this? It may be many will be ready to say, I could be content to do it, but I am not able; I have many good purposes and desires, and am willing to practise what I know, but I am weak in performance.  

Answ.  I will only point to the heads, by these means thou shalt do it. 
Means how to set the Truth at liberty.   
First, thou must seek to God, beseech him to set this Truth at liberty, be convinced of thine own disability, 
Prayer.  in thyself, that if thou go about it by thine own strength, thou shalt lose thy labour: In his own strength no man shall be strong, it is God's power must do it, Psal. 119.22. I will run the way of thy Commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. David had this Truth, but it was not in his power to set it at liberty; therefore he goes to God, acknowledg●s his own insufficiency, desires God to enlarge his heart, and when he hath set it at liberty, the harshness will be taken off, and thou wilt run freely the way of God's Commandments. The like is in 2 Cor. 10.4. The weapons of our warfare are mighty▪ but how? Through God to bring down the strong holds, in our hearts, these be strong holds in men, certain reasons in the understanding, certain lusts in the will and affections, and these cannot be beaten down by all the wit in the world, and all understanding that thou canst learn out of any Moral Writer, or the Scriptures themselves; but there is a power through God to do it, to bring down these strong holds, to bring all into subjection; therefore go to God, beg it earnestly, and let him give thee no denial.  
Secondly, 
2 Practise the Truth.  as thou must go to him, so thou must do something thyself, thou must practise thyself, and the more thou dost so, the more thou shalt be set at liberty; the more thou settest thyself to work, the more ground thou shalt get, the more Truth will be enlarged; as it is in marble, the more you rub it, the more it will shine; so the more this Truth is used, the brighter it will be in our actions; the more thou puttest it in practice, the more power shalt thou have in thy life, as Christ says, If ye believe my sayings, ye shall understand my words, Therefore, if you will have this power, be doing, have a good Conscience, for that is the seal of this Truth. How did Paul do to give this Truth liberty to rule in his life? Why, saith he, I exercise myself to keep a good Conscience, that is, If I knew any thing that was to be done, I set myself about it; and as the Musician by often practising his lesson, or as one that writes, by practising his hand doth increase his skill: So in these Truths, the more thou dost, the more thou mayest do, letting them lie still extinguishes them, and for that God often gives men up to a reprobate sense, On the other side, if thou dost use them, doubt not but God will delight to enlarge them. As in other Talents, labouring to improve them, is the way to increase them.  

3 Communion Saints.  Again, add this to it: The Communion of Saints you shall find a great means to enlarge this Truth, and to set it at liberty; by walking with the wise, you will be more wise, and what is said of Wisdom, may be said of Truth, for they are the same: Saul, when he was among the Prophets, had a spark of the Spirit of Prophecy, which though it was but a common action in a wicked man, yet this spark of a natural and common gift of the Spirit, Saul had when he came among the Prophets. It is the Apostles direction, Provoke one another to love and good works: As one soldier encourageth another, and a fast goer stirs up one that is slow; so good Company whets Graces. On the other side, ill Company imprisons the Truth: If thou wilt keep company with them that are not good, thou must correspond with them, and this will cause thee to choke this Truth, for many times thou canst not do duties without shame, because thou canst not hold in with them, and with duty too. It is not for nothing that David uses that phrase, Psal. 119.115. Away from me ye evil doers, for I will keep the Commandments of my God: As if he had said, When I go about to keep the Commandments of God, if I have Company about me that is not good, they will be a bar unto me, and as fetters to my soul; so that it is true both ways: the company of Saints enlarges Truth, the other straitens it. Saint Paul and others were good men, yet when they were mistaken in that, you shall see what a fetter it was: When Saint Paul was to go to jerusalem to preach the Gospel of CHRIST, 
Act. 21.13.  they at Caesarea wept, and wailed, desiring to stay him; But, says he, What do you breaking mine heart? You may see by that speech they were a great Impediment to him: And as CHRIST said to Saint Peter, Get thee behind me Satan: And as David said to the sons of Zerviah, 2 Sam. 16.10. What have I to do with you ye sons of Zerviah, when they advised him to take off Shemei his head: So if you would have the Truth to have liberty, take heed of ill company. As james saith of refraining the Tongue, I am. 1.26. He that refraineth not his tongue, his Religion is in vain: So we may say of Company, He that looks not to his Company, his Religion is in vain, he shall find it so, for this Truth will never be at liberty, except it be among them, among whom it will have its liberty.  
The end of the Sixth Sermon.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON HUMILIATION. The Seventh SERMON.  ROMANS 1.19, 20. 
Forasmuch as that which may be known of God, is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them.  
For the invisible things of him, that is, his eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen by the creation of the world, being considered in his works, to the intent that they should be without excuse.  
WE have purposed still to go on in this point of Humiliation, and then, God willing, we will proceed to that of justification, which we promised to handle.  
These words do second the former, which we have gone thorough, The wrath of God is revealed from heaven, etc. The Apostle having set this down, hath two things to prove: First, that there is such a Truth revealed. Secondly, That they withhold it in unrighteousness: Both which he proves in the sequel of this Chapter. 
1 That there is such a Truth, proved four ways.   
First, there is such a Truth revealed to men, for (saith he) That that may be known of God is manifest in them; that is, there is a certain portion of Truth, a certain measure of knowledge which God hath made-knowne to every man; indeed there be different measures, but to every one some measure is given, set forth by the Author thereof, God (saith he) hath showed it to them. Secondly, it is set forth more particularly by the thing that is revealed: And thirdly, by the means whereby it is revealed: Fourthly, by the end.  
Secondly, the thing that is reavealed, as if he had said; if you will know more particularly what this knowledge is, it is the knowledge of God's eternal Power and Godhead.  
Thirdly, will you know the means how it is revealed? It is revealed by his works, and chiefly by the creation of the world. 
Object.   
But, you will object, his eternal power and Godhead are invisible, shut up from the view of men, how shall men do to see and understand these things, 
Answ.  seeing they are so remote?  
(Saith he) They are known by the things that are seen: You may see the world, you may see the works of his providence; these things run into the senses, and by these they are known: As the soul of a man is a thing in itself invisible, but yet you may see it by the motions of the body, the effects of the soul in the body, this the senses are capable of; so the invisible things of God are known by the things that are seen.  
Last of all, this is set out by the end, wherefore GOD hath done this, the end is, that they may be without excuse: And so far he proves the first part, that there is a Truth revealed to men.  
In the next words he comes to prove, 
2 That they withhold the Truth in unrighteousness.  That they withhold the Truth in unrighteousness; For they knew God, but they glorified him not as God, and not negatively only, but affirmatively also, Their foolish hearts are full of darkness, they became vain in their imaginations.  
But, 
Object.  they were wise men, Grecians, Athenians, men excelling in wisdom all other, how did they detain it, one would think they did enlarge it? It is true, they were wise in their own conceit; but thinking themselves wise, they became fools, how doth that appear? They turned the glory of the incorruptible God, into the image of corruptible man, etc. So much for the scope of the words.  
We will not run to every particular, because this is a place of Scripture on which we mean not to dwell, but these three points we intent to handle out of these two verses. In the handling of which, you shall see all these particulars will be brought in: 

The first is, That that Law, or Truth, or Knowledge, by which every man shall be judged, is made manifest by God himself.  
Secondly, The works of God, or the Creation, are the means by which he hath made it known.  
Thirdly, They are so much made known to every man, as will make him inexcusable.    

Doct. 1.  To begin with the first, I say, That truth, or that Law, 
That Truth or Law, or knowledge, by which every man shall be judged, is made manifest by God himself.  or that knowledge, by which every man shall be judged at the last day, is made evident to him by God himself. In this proportion you must mark three things:  
First, what it is that is made known; It is that Law or Truth, 
1 What this Truth is. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  by which every man shall be judged, the word in the originals, is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That which may be known of God, that is, there is a certain measure and portion of Truth, which God disposes and reveals to men, to some one measure, to some another measure, and according to the measure of Truth he must conform himself, and for breaking that rule only, he shall be condemned at the last day: The Gentiles have one measure of Truth, the jews have a greater measure, but Christians, to whom the Gospel is revealed, have the greatest measure of Truth given them: Again, some Christians that live under better Ministeries, they whose education is better, they have more Truth than others: Now seeing he saith it is made manifest, the meaning is, every man hath a measure, and that is to be made manifest; as light when it comes into a room, it shows all the glory, all the beauty and deformity round about, it shows the right way and the wrong way, if you come to the light, all things are made manifest now, which were covered, when you were in darkness: thus God enlightens men, he kindles a certain light in their mind (for so the word signifies) he puts a light into their hearts, by which they are able to judge of that which is good and evil, of that which is agreeable to his will, and contrary to his will; of that which is the way to happiness, and that which is not; and this is made known.  
The second thing to be marked in this proposition, 
2 How it is made known.  is, to show, how it is made known; you see that the thing is made known to us: Not it is made known to us these four ways: 
Four ways.  

First, 
1 By the light of Nature.  it is made known to us by the light of Nature, God hath written the Law in their hearts, Rom. 2.15. They show the effects of the Law, which Law is written in their hearts, that is, God hath implanted it there, God hath written it there, he hath fastened it there, he hath revealed to men some Truths: but the question will be how it shall be known that God hath done so; why (saith he) you shall know it by the effects, every man, even Heathens, though they have not come to the knowledge of the Scripture, ye● they have the Law written in their hearts, fo● they do the things contained in the Law, their actions show it, they could not do these things, if they had not the Law written in their hearts. Again, their consciences accuse and excuse. Again, it is seen by their judging of others, for in judging of others, they judge themselves, and make it evident, that they do know, though they do not practice, and so it is revealed by the Law of Nature.  

2 By God's works.  Secondly, God makes it known by his works, specially, by the creation of the world, by his works of Providence, which be ordinary, and extraordinary, as miracles, that is, when a man looks on the great volume of the world, there those things which God will have known, are written in capital letters, and such letters as every one may understand and read; so as that which the Papists say of Images, they are laymen's books, and ignorant men's books; so (and in a much better sense) this Book of the world is the Heathen man's book, wherein he may see there is a God, and his eternal power, and wherein all men may see what they ought to do to this God.  

3 By the Scriptures.  Thirdly, it is manifest by the Scriptures, joh. 5.39. saith Christ, Search the Scriptures, for therein you think to have eternal life, and they testify of me: This is out of question, that the Scriptures testify of GOD, they make GOD known to men.  

4 By the Saints.  Lastly, it is made known by the Saints, as in the same Chapter, joh. 5. john bare witness of me, and what is said of john, may be said of others, the Saints bear witness of God. Therefore in the second to the Philippians, they are said to shine as lights in the world, that is, they make God known to men: So by these four ways God makes it known, namely by the Law of Nature: Secondly, by his works. Thirdly, by the Scriptures. Fourthly, by the faithful that live in the world. The two first make it known to the Heathen; the two last to them within the Church, that is, the faithful, and these be the means by which it is evident.    
Now the third thing to be observed, 
3 It is God that maketh this Truth evident.  is, That it is God that maketh this Truth evident; This is enough to prove that it is God, because it is universally done, go to all Nations, to savage men, that seem to be most remote from the light, that come not near any means of the knowledge of the Truth, yet these men believe there ●s a God, every man, without exception, doth so; now where there is an universal effect, it must needs come from an universal cause; therefore from God himself.  
Now this is not added in vain, 
Hence these Consectaries may be deduced.  but this you may observe in that it comes from God.  
First, if it come from God, it is not a deceivable rule, it is not a fancy, but a firm Truth which you may build on.  
Again, if God make it known, it is not done slightly; whatsoever God doth, if he make it known, it is done to purpose, and effectually, if he have blessed any, he shall be blessed, so far as it is his will to reveal, so far it is to purpose, and this makes men more without excuse.  
Again, if God have made it known, than it is a thing you must take heed to, you must not neglect it, because it is God that is the Author of it; if it had been made known to us by accident, or any creature you might have given the less heed to it, bu● God having made it known, it is of special moment, you must in a special manner attend to it.  
Lastly, in that God hath made it known, than you may know it is the rule of perfection that is given to every man, in observing of which he shall find happiness, in breaking of which consists his destruction and ruin; when God gives a rule, in the keeping of it man shall be made happy, as in the breaking of it he shall be made miserable; so you see these three things: First, what is made known, A certain measure of Truth divided according to Gods will. Secondly, how it is made known by nature, by his works, by Scripture, by the faithful. Thirdly, it is God that makes it known, therefore not a deceivable truth, not a fancy, or dream, but to purpose, therefore you must not neglect it, in observing of it is happiness, and in breaking of it, you shall find there will come ruin, and destruction, and misery upon you.  

Use 1.  Now we will come to make use of it: First, if there be such a Truth made known to men by God himself; 
To show the heinousness of men's sins against this Truth.  then learn hence to aggravate your sins, to know the greatness of the guilt of your sins: Hence we may learn to know, that the looseness and licentiousness men take to themselves against this Truth is more desperate, and heinous, and inexcusable: for God himself hath made it known to them: For every precept of men is of more or less moment, according to the quality of the Author, the Law is to be valued according to the person that gives the Law, therefore men's Laws are of some moment, but God's Laws are of more moment: This Truth is most pressed in Scripture, when CHRIST preacheth the Word, he saith, every sin is increased that is committed against this Word: When jonas came to Niniveh, it had been a great sin if they had not repent, God would have visited them for neglecting the word of jonas, but a greater than jonas is here, saith Christ: So the Queen of the South came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, but a greater than Solomon is here: That is, every sin committed against this Truth, is out of measurable sinful. Therefore, if they that break Moses Law shall die under two or three witnesses, how shall they escape that neglect so great Salvation, which began to be preached by the Lord himself? He hath made it known; therefore it is a fearful thing to neglect it. Therefore you may see what an Emphasis God puts on that, Hast thou eaten of the tree, of which I bade thou shouldest not eat? As if he had said, the thing is a small matter in itself, yet it being the Commandment of the great GOD, I have commanded it, and thou didst neglect it, therefore thou shalt die the death.  
And there is good reason for it, if we consider it, if God giveth the Law it is his; now God's name is taken in vain, when his Law is now observed; fro though the disobedience be immediately against the Law, yet it is terminately against God himself; for whatsoever is done against the Scripture, is done against God himself: Therefore, saith God to Saul, In that thou hast cast me away, I will cast thee away. And so siath Christ to his Disciples, Whatsoever is done against you, is done against me; it is terminated in me: Therefore, think when you shall come to die, or to any case of extremity, and God shall speak to your consciences and tell you, Thou hast broken the Law I gave thee, thou hast rebelled against me, thou hast given thy members as weapons of unrighteousness against me, now I will be avenged of thee, thou shalt know I am Just, thou shalt know who it is that thou hast offended, this is no small matter. If we Ministers come and tell you, you must not swear, but your yea, must be yea, and your nay, nay, and whatsoever more is evil; you must swear no kind of oaths, if we tell you, you must not dissemble, not lie, not keep vain company, not misspend your Talents, not restrain prayer from the Almighty, if we tell you this, it is no small matter to neglect it, it being the Commandment of God; do not say of sin as you were wont, Indeed it is a fault, and I would I could do otherwise, but seeing they be sins against God, know what it is to sin against the judge of all the world, this will make thee think of sin in another manner. Therefore in your sin's labour to fix your eyes on God, and it will aggravate sin. As David in the one and fiftieth Psalm saith, Against thee, against thee only have I sinned, repeating it twice in that place; he composed that Psalm to set forth his sin, but that which wounded his conscience, that made him see the heinousness of his sin was this, Against thee I have sinned: So the Prodigal son, this is the circumstance by which he aggravates his sin, Against heaven and against thee I have offended: So learn to know that your sins are against god, and therefore to press this Truth a little more.  
Consider well with yourselves, what is the reason that God hath required such a vast punishment against sin, that is, eternal death; think what eternity is, it is that which swallows up your thoughts, it is a punishment, the length, and depth, and breadth whereof you cannto comprehend. Think why God hath appointed such a vast punishment, and you shall find, it is because you sin against an Immense, a great and Almighty God, the length, and breadth, and depth of whose greatness you cannot comprehend.  
Again, what is the reason God should appoint such a Mediator to take away the sins of the world, that the Son of God must needs take flesh, which the Angels themselves wonder at; it is such a wonderful action, that they cannot but admire, and in heaven we shall stand amazed at it; which evidences the greatness of sin: Learn to know this, put all these four together, and see how these do hold correspondency one with another, and you shall find out the nature of your sin.  
First, consider the greatness of God his infiniteness, the greatness of his Authority, the wonderful vast Sovereignty he hath over all creatures; from this greatness of God, comes the second, the greatness of sin, I have made known this Truth, but thou hast withheld it, thence it comes that sin is so great, that the least sin which thou makest nothing of, is a thing of so great moment. That is the second, which follows on the greatness of God.  
Thirdly, upon the greatness of sin, you see the greatness of the punishment; if such an one as Aristotle, or a stranger from the Truth should hear of this punishment (the greatness whereof appears herein, that the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched,) how would he wonder at it? but knitting these together it will not seem strange.  
Last of all, the greatness of the punishment causeth the greatness of such a Mediator, to take away this punishment and sin: So there is a correspondency in them, come from God to sin, from sin to the punishment, from punishment to the Mediation or redemption, by which this sin is taken away. Learn therefore to know what sin is, I know not a truth of greater moment. And to all add that, 1 Cor. 15.56. The sting of death is sin: If you look on death, it is the most terrible thing in the world: You know what the Philosopher said of it, of all terrible things, it is the most terrible, the most fearful, but sin is the sting of death: As if he had said, Death is a small thing in comparison of sin; let a man want sin, and death is nothing, it is but sleep, it is nothing to have the body and soul separated. Again, suppose there were no death, but let body and soul remain together, yet sin is a terrible thing, it is above all the Terrors in the world, as in judas, see his Terrors, though there was no death on him; see Adam when he was not in Hell, but in Paradise, yet how was he Tormented with his sin. Therefore weigh not sin in a wrong balance, look not on it with a wrong light, take heed of being deceived, for in this of all other things men are most apt to be deceived: That is the corruption of Nature, that strange darkness is brought on men by Adam, that in the thing that most concerneth him, which is sin, in that he is most ignorant, most apt to be deceived: Therefore when the Apostle speaks of sin, he comes in still with this caution, Be not deceived, 1 Cor. 6.9. Be not deceived, neither fornicator, nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, etc. shall inherit the kingdom of God; as if men in that were most apt to be deceived: So Ephes. 5.6. Be not deceived, for, for such things the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience: And observe when Christ goeth about to show to any man, or to any Church what their sins are, or what their danger is, he adds this, Let him that hath an ear hear, what the Spirit saith to the Churches, his end being to tell them of their sin, still that comes in, He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear: As if he had said, when I come to speak of matter of sin, there be many here that can tell what I say, that can understand me well, but few have ears to understand indeed. As when the Prophet came to jeroboam, he heard the Prophet so as it angered him, he knew what his sin was, but he heard it not to purpose: So when Christ pronounceth a woe to the Scribes and Pharisees, they heard it well enough, but they had not an ear to hear it to purpose: Men may hear what flesh and common reason, and common men say of sin, but not what the Spirit saith of it, there is another kind of sinfulness in sin, which is the spiritual evil of sin, and what the Spirit saith of this they do not hear: Therefore you must even be brought to Christ, as the deaf man was, who being both deaf and dumb, was brought to Christ, that he might lay his hands on him, now Christ put his finger into his ears and saith, Ephata, be thou opened, and then the man heard and spoke; so of all men that hear this Word, there is not a man but he is deaf, according to this inward kind of hearing: therefore you must be brought to Christ, and beseech him to give you ears to hear; for few hath ears to hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches, when it discovers their sin and misery: Therefore, let not this Doctrine be in vain to you, but learn from hence to humble yourselves, to come to God, and say to him, Lord, I am now amazed and confounded, I thought before losses and crosses were great matters, but now I see they are but flea-bite to sin, I was heretofore troubled at a small cross, but little or nothing at sin; Lord, I confess, this was my case, but I see now sin is another thing: Thus we should learn to humble ourselves before God.  
But, if any object; 
Object.  This is the way to discourage men, to make them desperate, to make them fly from Religion by telling them sin is so terrible?  
I answer, 
Answ.  it is not the way to discourage men from coming to Christ, but to encourage them and drive them to him; This is the way to Salvation: Indeed, if there were no remedy for sin, it were a desperate case, but there is a remedy, if you will but see this sin of yours, and mourn for it, for all that mourn in Zion, and are broken hearted, shall be comforted: Therefore you must know, there is a passive sorrow for sin, when God shall affright a man with the Terror of his wrath, and that is a flash of hell fire: if our end were only to kindle these sparks, it were indeed to breed Torture in the soul; but there is an active humiliation, when a man labours to be convinced of his sin, to know all he can against himself, and this is it which leads to life; for this is the end of our preaching, the end of our discovering of sin. And this use you may make of the heinousness of sin; and so much shall serve for the first use.  

Use 2.  Secondly, if there be such a truth, such a knowledge made evident by God himself, 
Be thankful for the Truth.  than men should learn hence to be thankful to God for it: for whereas all men might have perished as the Devils did, as the Angels that fell did, yet God hath showed this mercy to mankind, he hath given them Secundam Tabulam post naufragium, and that is this light, which is the thing which you have cause to be thankful for; for this light is worth all the world beside, nothing is so precious, because it shows the way to escape Hell and damnation; therefore you ought to be thankful to God for it: You specially that live under the Sunshine of the Gospel; you must think you might have been borne in other ages, when darkness covered the world, or in another Nation, and not in Goshen, where the light shines; and if in the Church, you might have been ignorant, as many of our Country people are, even almost as ignorant as Turks and jews, but when God hath discovered light in great measure, and hath given a great portion thereof to you; you must know all this is not come to pass by accident, but by God's providence; you are to take notice of it, and learn to be thankful, not in show only, but indeed and in truth, that is, by practising according to the knowledge you have, for it is a thing most precious, Mat. 7.6. An Admonition is compared to a pearl, whereas the admonition is but one part of this light, and what is said of a part, may be said of the whole. Solomon could not find a fit thing to compare this Wisdom to: It is more precious than pearls, nay all that can be named or desired cannot be compared with it: Therefore seeing it is a precious thing, trample not these pearls under your feet: know that God hath put a price into thine hand, and that is thy light, and it is a price that will buy heaven, it will bring thee to salvation; but if thou wantest an heart (as the fool hath a price, but he wants an heart) it will do thee no good: take heed thou do not neglect it, do not abuse it, take not the grace of God in vain, but see thou use this light; When the great promise of Christ his coming was made, what was it but this, that they should have a new light, that the people that sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, should see a light they never saw before: you that live in this light, that enjoy that which was so many years ago promised to the Gentiles, and is now fulfilled; take heed of abusing it, use it to the purpose for which it is given, that is, to guide your feet into the way of peace.  
Again, 
Use 3.  thirdly, to join that with it: As you must be thankful, 
Do nothing contrary to the Truth.  so in the third place, you must take heed of doing any thing contrary to this Truth, it is a very dangerous thing to neglect it. There is not a spark of it, not a beam of this light, which is conveyed to you by the ministry of the Gospel, which shall be in vain, Though you do not prise it, it shall set you a step nearer heaven or hell, even every spark and beam of this; and this is it which may make men afraid, and look about them, seeing that when this light is made known, it is so dangerous to neglect it: Therefore think this, when God hath sent a right Ministry, Consider who hath sent this light; God hath done it, and will GOD send a vain m●ssage? A wise man will not do so; if then God send it not in vain, it is to some purpose, to do either good or hurt; Now suppose that this light have done you no good, that you have lived long under this light, but have attained no good, you have known much, but practised little, then know this shall exceedingly increase your condemnation. Paul saith, We thank God that he hath caused us to triumph in JESUS CHRIST, in making manifest the savour of his knowledge in every place. What is the reason he should rejoice that this was made manifest, seeing to some it did no good? Yes (saith he) it shall increase their condemnation, it shall be the sweet savour of God in them that are saved, and in them that perish. So when we preach, if the light do you no good, it doth you hurt: As Isaiah his Commission was, Go, preach to this people, and shut their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears; If we are not sent to enlighten men, we are sent to make their hearts fat, and their ears heavy, Thou shalt do no good by thy ministry, yet I have sent thee, that they may know there was a Prophet among them. Therefore take heed, you to whom this is sent, that it be not sent only to this end, that it may be known there hath been a Prophet among you: Those to whom God hath revealed much, let them know it shall not be in vain; If the King send a Message, and men will obey it, so it is, if not, if they make his authority worth nothing, he will elevate his Authority, and will inflict a Penalty: So God sends not in vain, if you will not obey him, God will not suffer any to slight his Authority, but he will be surely revenged. Therefore take heed how you detain this Truth in unrighteousness, that when GOD hath discovered this knowledge, you do not practise it.  
But, 
Object.  every man will be apt to say, (and indeed they that are most guilty) but I hope we do practise it, and not detain it?  
Therefore I will set down (though not all, 
Answ.  yet) many of the Cases wherein they detain this Truth and withhold it in unrighteousness, 
Seven Cases, wherein men detain this Truth in unrighteousness.  wherein they do not practise according to this knowledge, and these are seven in number.  
First, 
1 In the Commission of known sins.  in the Commission of all known sins, there you detain this Truth, there you imprison it, whensoever you find this to be your Case that you commit any known sin, therein you are a detainer of the Truth, an imprisoner of it. As for example, when a man shall know that these duties ought to be done, I ought to pray fervently, and frequently, I ought to sanctify the Lords Sabbath, but out of an unlistinesse to it, out of love to ease and pleasure, that carries him another way, he neglects it, and so the duty lies undone: This is the Commission of a known sin: So again, I know I ought not to remember an injury, I ought to forgive mine Enemy, yet thou invitest him to do thee a new injury, when this is known and not practised, in this case men commit a known sin; so again, dost thou not know that thou oughtest not to use any dalliance, any touch of uncleanness, any chambering or wantonness? if a man know this, and yet will commit it, because his lusts intent his mind to such a sin, and it is a thing to which he is strongly inclined, this is a known sin; so in many other things, in cases of election, or in doing of businesses this man ought to be chosen, and businesses ought to be carried thus, but yet out of some by-respects, a man will have it carried otherwise, this is committing of a known sin; so in case of Envy, this man's preferment may be profitable, but because his eminency may be hurtful to me, I cannot affect him, this is a known sin; so in Case of the Sacrament, do you not know you ought to receive often, and not to neglect it in the Congregation where you are? Are you not bound to that? You think it a sin not to hear the Word, and is it not so, not to receive the Sacrament? If he shall be cut off that came not to the Passeover; shall not he be cut off that comes not to the Sacrament? So you know you must renew your repentance; are not these Truths known? and yet will you commit these sins? Go thorough any known sin, and in this Case you do withhold the Truth in unrighteousness. But what is it to commit a known sin, because it may be I am not convinced sufficiently of that? By this thou mayest know it if thou find thy Conscience to give a secret intimation that it is naught, it is a sign it is a known sin, though thou hast got many Arguments for it, and canst dispute for it; for thy Conscience shall witness against thee: as in case of Usury and inordinate gain, and matters of the Sabbath, many of which things be in question; see what thy Conscience saith, and take heed of disobeying the secret intimations of thy Conscience, whatsoever thou hast to say for thy sin before men: Men think a sin not to be a known sin, because they are not willing to search it out: Now if thou find this to be thy Case, that thou art not willing to search it out, to see all that can be said for it, or against it, thou shalt find it a known sin: And this is a notable difference between the faithful and others. A godly man whose heart is set to serve God with a perfect heart in all things; there is nothing that comes under the name of a sin, nothing that hath the shadow of a sin, but he is willing to search it out, to examine it to the full, he is willing to let all say, what they can against it, and when all is done, he desires God to try him: Another is not willing to search, because he is willing to lie in some sin, or because he will not have his Conscience troubled with it, This is a sign of a false heart, though they do not know that this is a sin, yet it having the shadow of a sin, and they being unwilling to examine it to the full, it shows it is no less.  

Case 2.  Secondly, the second Case wherein a man withholds this knowledge, 
In unwillingness to increase a man's Knowledge.  and detains this Truth which God hath made manifest, is when he is not willing to enlarge it; a man that hath already some knowledge (as every man hath some) and is not willing to add to this knowledge, to increase it, that man properly withholds the Truth in unrighteousness: For he that withholds fuel, puts out the fire, as well as he that casts water on it, and he that takes away food from a living Creature, kills it, as well as he that takes away its life with violence; so if thou dost not feed this with fuel, with that which may make it grow and increase, if thou dost not labour to enlarge it, thou dost extinguish it.  

Two sorts of those.  And of these men there be two sorts.  
First, such as do not care for any knowledge at all, or if they do come to hear, yet they recall it not, meditate not upon it, and so as good never a whit, as never the better, some things they must do for fashion sake; but if they do hear, they do it in a negligent manner, they be ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the truth: These be the first sort of men.  
But there is a second sort, and that is those which have known much, have heard much, have gone very far in the knowledge of this Truth, yet will not go to the uttermost. I may resemble them by Felix (he went not far, but I use it as a resemblance) when Paul preached, and began to know some measure of this Truth, when some of these sparks began to be revived and stirred up in him, he bade him go away, and said, he would call for him another time, but he was not so good as his word; so when a man is loath to be brought to that strictness and exactness that is required as our duty, when he is not willing to be straight laced, that lives at liberty, and thinks he will do it before he dies, but puts it off, this man imprisons the Truth; when the Truth is brought to their doors, to such an high degree that it is almost loose, yet they let it lie there still; when they shall come to Agrippa's Case, to be almost a Christian, this is to withhold it, the uttermost end and finishing of the work is all, and that is the reason men are so shy of it: So when we care not for admonition to live exactly and perfectly in all things, when there shall be little reservation, when we will have a little liberty in this or that▪ I say, the not admitting of this, the not going through with the work, is an imprisoning of the Truth: When men shall come to be unwilling to be called on, it is as if a man shut the door, and draw the curtains about him, it shows that he delights to sleep, that he means to sleep, and to continue so; when a man puts off the Truth, and will not be brought to the uttermost, this is the second way of imprisoning the Truth, when he is not willing to add fuel, to give that which may strengthen and increase it.  
Thirdly, I will name but the third, and that is when a man is passed this degree, 
Case 3.  and is come to be willing to know all Truths, 
In not acting and practising the Truth, by the use of means.  doth not desire to have any concealed from him, doth not say to the Prophets, prophesy not, but is willing to be informed to the full, yet when he hath it he acts it not, he doth not exercise, nor practise this Truth: That is another degree of withholding it. And this is a frequent Case; for a man may know and be informed in all Truths, yet they may lie there unused, and unacted, they may lie there idle: Now when a man is not willing to practise the means by which these Truths are used, he doth properly withhold the Truth in unrighteousness: As for example, the way to act the Truths we have to stir them up, to blow up these coals, to bring them to present memory, so as they may be brought to present practice, is the Communion of Saints, the company of holy men, that when a man hath forgot, godly company may bring to mind again; so frequent reading and hearing these do act the Truth; for the end of our ministry is not only to make you to know these things, but to bring those things to mind which you have forgot; if we will not use, but neglect the means of acting the Truth, than we withhold it. So for private prayer, whereas a man should bring his heart to God every day, should do it throughly, should call himself to a reckoning for every sin, for all sorts, of Omissions, or of Commissions, this is a means to act this Truth, this good purpose and inclination, this spark which God hath kindled, were it not for this, they would be raked up in the ashes again; now performing prayer in a devout and fervent manner, doth liven them, whereas to do things for fashion, or to satisfy natural conscience, and not throughly, is to neglect them; so that when a man doth not practice, not exercise the Truths he hath (as the very exercise quickens them again) when he doth neglect any of the means by which these coals are blown up, by which these Truths are to be stirred up, he properly imprisons the Truth.  
Let no man say, 
Object.  But when a man imprisons a thing, he bars the door, but to let the Truth lie is a matter of negligence, how is it then an imprisoning?  
Yes, 
Answ.  it is an imprisoning, a surprising of it, as it is with fire, if it have not a vent, though you cast no water upon it, yet you put it out; as on the contrary side, if you give it vent, you increase it; so you are guilty in this Case of murdering the Truth, of putting it out: As in any Art that a man learns, if he let his Art or Trade lie still and unused, he forgets it, so these Truths are extinguished, when a man is not diligent in using all means of grace. The receiving of the Sacrament is a means to quicken and Act these Truths; fasting and prayer, when God calls for it, is a means to quicken them; go through all means which God hath ordained to put us in mind of these Truths, and so far as you neglect the means, so far you detain these Truths in unrighteousness.  
The end of the Seventh Sermon.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON HUMILIATION. The Eighth SERMON.  ROMANS 1.19, 20. 
Forasmuch as that which may be known of God, is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them.  
For the invisible things of him, that is, his eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen by the creation of the world, being considered in his works, to the intent that they should be without excuse.  
THe fourth Case wherein we withhold this truth in unrighteousness, 
Case 4.  
In suffocating, and suppressing it.  and imprison it, is, when we directly suppress it, when we do indeed suffocate it, when we do this of purpose, this is an evident Case, when a man not only withdraws fuel, when he doth not only not act it, neglecting the means, but doth purposely suppress it: 
Two ways.  As for example, when God shall kindle a good spark in any man's heart, and put in a good motion, not only reveals, but stirs up some Truths which concern his salvation, and he doth endeavour to put it out, to quench it, and labours to lay that truth asleep, and is glad when by any means he can forget it, lest it should trouble him, this is a great suppessing of the Truth, and by this we not only suppress this Truth, but we do harden our own hearts exceedingly; as in iron, when we quench it, we do not only put out the fire, but harden the Iron: so when God stirs up many Truths (as it is in hearing the Word, in apprehension of death, in suffering some calamity in a good mood) the putting out of these doth harden the heart. Therefore, when a man shall have good purposes, and think with himself, I will now begin to be another man, and to change my courses, and yet shall go into ill company, such as it may be he hath kept before; this is an evident suffocating of the Truth, a thing often spoken of, and blame me not that I speak of it again; for it is the great quench-coale of Religion, a man cannot prosper therein, if he look not to his company, because it is as a continual dropping on a firebrand, which will be sure to put out the light, and life and grace which one hath. Chrysostome compares ill company to putting in of swine, when a man hath planted an Orchard with tender Plants, when he hath sowed it, and the corn, or whatsoever it is, appears, leave the hedge open, and let the swine come in, and they will overturn all by the roots: So when we Ministers have sowed the Seed, and it begins to grow, a little to put forth, when ill company come in they spoil all, they mar all, they pull up all by the roots, so that we have lost our labour, it is indeed so effectual to keep down the Seed, and to make us imprison the Truth.  
Again, custom in sin, giving yourselves liberty in any sin, that keeps down the Truth, and nothing more. Therefore, of all other things, you must know, nothing suppresses that Truth, that knowledge, those beginnings of Grace, those good motions in us so much as actual sin, because it is quite contrary to it: Fire is not quenched so much with any thing as with water, being quite contrary thereto; and light is not hid so much in any thing as in darkness. Take heed then that you be not led away with the deceitfulness of sin; you may think you shall be able to leave this sin afterwards, but it is not in your power to do so, for sin takes away the sense, and a great sin weakens the faculty that should resist, it puts out the Truth, because it is so directly contrary unto it.  
And herein you must observe a notable difference between men that live godly, and others; the godly when they fall into sin, it is so far from putting out this Truth, that it helps it forward, for their falls do but discover such sins, and so it causes them to search themselves, by which means they find out that to be in them, which they never knew of before, it may be it is Covetousness, or it may be Envy, one thing or other is discovered, and when it is discovered, there is a winnowing of themselves, they see there is dross, and when they see it, they labour to purge it by repentance: It is quite contrary with the other the more they fall into sin, the more they suffocate the Truth, their falling into sin, gives sin more ground, it makes them more in love with sin, it is the more prevalent against them, the more they delight in it; so that every sin is like the Sea, getting ground of the Land, which they know not how to recover: So this is the fourth way by frequent quenching of good motions, by ill company, and falling into sin, they do harden their hearts, and so suffocate and quench this Truth.  

Case 5.  The fifth way is, when we do not remove the impediments, 
In removing impediments.  which if they were taken away, the Truth would rise and show itself, for that is it, that keeps down the Truth; God hath written it plain enough on men's hearts, but when we let dust and soil lie on it, we cannot read it: This Idleness and Laziness suffering these impediments to lie on you, to cover the Truth in you, is to withhold the Truth. Therefore, Seneca hath a notion in this Case, though he was an Heathen; the soul of man, were it free from passions and distractions, and were quiet, Truth should be seen clearly, as you see a penny, or a stone in a clear river, so Truth would appear: Do but remove the impediments that commonly rise from us, and which Satan injects, and this Truth will show itself: for these words (they withhold the Truth) show that the Truth is ready enough of itself to come forth.  
Now there be certain impediments which we remove not, and they are these two; either business, and from thence proceeds fear, and care, and grief, or else recreations, and the pleasures and joys that come from them, one of these two are always the impediments.  
First, for business, when a man takes too much on him, even more than he is able to weald, or doth give himself to too much fear, and care, and grief, which are contrary to this Truth, as Luke 1. it is the promise that we should serve him in holiness and righteousness all our days without fear: But let a man be filled with carnal fear, it suppresseth the Truth, and keeps it down. So for Care, Philip. 4. Cast your care on God, for he careth for you; and the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ jesus: The meaning is, if you will care for your own matters, pester yourselves with Cares and perplexities, it will interrupt your Communion with Christ jesus, it will interrupt your peace, and if your peace, than your Communion with Christ; therefore he exhorts them to cast their care on Christ. So for Grief, it is a great hindrance, the Israelites could not hearken to Moses for the anguish of their hearts, and he that minds things too much, pierceth himself thorough with sorrows, this was the thing that suffocated the third ground, they were kept down, partly with care, and partly with diverse lusts: Martha was troubled with many things: Therefore take heed of too much business, or intending it too much, or inordinately.  
Secondly, Sports, Pleasures, and Recreations, things wherein men delight too much, these are impediments to the Truth, if any of these get predominancy in your minds, they hinder this Truth, if you will set it at liberty, remove this impediment; diverse lusts keep it down, as cares, as we may see in the third ground: And Esay 1. Woe be to you that laugh; If there were not something in this inordinate mirth and jollity that keeps down the Truth, why should that be added? and the removal of these Impediments is of great consequence. For there may be many hundreds of men which, perhaps, have not so ill meanings with them, yet are carried away with the tract of vanity, that are not so opposite to the Truth, as forgetful of it, that do not so much resist it, as neglect it, that yet keep down the truth. These men partly busied with cares, partly intent on pleasures, death shall come upon them as a thief in the night, and shall lead them captive to hell, because they held this Truth captive, which had they set at liberty, it would have set them at liberty, free from death and condemnation: That is the fifth Case.  
The sixth Case wherein they withhold this Truth in unrighteousness, 
Case 6.  is, when they have it, and do not use it, and communicate it to the good of others, and herein many fail: As first, Ministers that have their charge, yet do either Non residere, or segniter residere; but that concerns not this Auditory: Therefore I will not meddle with it; but it concerns not only them, but common Christians likewise: When men are converted, a charge lies on them to endeavour to convert their brethren, they should labour to use this Truth, to kindle it in others, the neglect thereof is a suppressing of it; for there is a charge laid upon them, that according to their measure, in their sphere, according to their callings, they should endeavour as much as they can to enlarge this Truth: So likewise masters of families are bound to do it, shall he be worse than an Infidel, that provides not food for his family, and shall it not be a greater sin in him that provides not spiritual food? doth it not concern him in private, as well as the Minister in public? Was it not that which God took special notice of in Abraham, I will not hide it from Abraham, for he will instruct his family, and his sons, and they shall know the ways of the LORD: Therefore, when they neglect this Charge, they withhold the Truth in unrighteousness: So Patrons of livings, if they do not their part to bring faithful labourers into the Vineyard, and uphold them when they are there, they withhold the Truth in unrighteousness; for they hinder it, though it be not their calling properly to bring forth fruit (for that is the Ministers) yet it is their part to uphold them: It is the Vine that brings forth the Grapes, but the Prop is to hold it up: So it is the office of Patrons to sustain Ministers in the Lord's Vineyard: Likewise Lawyers and Advocates have a charge to minister the Truth, not to cloak it: It is the office of justice, to rectify the Truth, and not to adulterate it, but to inform rightly, and properly, when they do not discover the Truth, they do withhold the Truth, if they should not labour to do that, it were a hurtful calling; but there is no calling that is not for the benefit of men, but if it be thus used to conceal the Truth, it were hurtful, and not useful: so likewise they that be Governors, justices of Peace in the Country, they withhold this Truth, if they perform not their duties diligently for this Truth: As it is committed to us Ministers to preach it, so it is committed to you, that are Governors, to bring men into the obedience of it, you are to go your way by the Sword, and by your Authority, for it is committed to your keeping, as it is said of the great Magistrate, he is Custos utriusque tabulae; you must look that Truth have his progress, as well as that the Commonwealth suffers no detriment: Therefore let not your Authority lie as a Sword in a scabbard, but let it be kept sharp, to cut down Popery, and whatsoever is an Impediment to this Truth, and think it no small thing to neglect it; for whatsoever sins are committed, which you have Authority to restrain, these sins are put on your reckoning: Look on the first Epistle of Timothy, the fifth Chapter, and the two and twentieth verse, Lay hands on no man suddenly (saith the Apostle) and be not partakers of another man's sins: If any be under thee whom thou hast to do with, if thou dost not bring him in, and restrain him, thou art partaker of his sins; you know what was said to Ahab, Thy life shall go for his life; and you know that not to strike the Nocent, is as abominable in God's sight, as to strike the Innocent: Therefore take heed of neglecting it, whether it be out of fear, (as that is one Impediment) or out of negligence, Rom. 12.8. Let them that rule do it diligently; let them that give Alms do it cheerfully: As if that were a thing wherein givers are too blame, that they do it not cheerfully and diligently: Therefore be you diligent in your places, to set the Truth at liberty, to bring men into subjection to it, so far as may be: And so much shall serve for this, being the sixth Case.  
Now the seventh and last case, 
Case 7.  is, when we know these Truths of God, and do not profess them, when God kindled a light, and you put it under a bushel: When God worketh Grace in any man's heart, his Intent is, it should shine forth to the eyes of others, you must not shut up the windows, that no body may see; if you do, whatsoever your respects be; you withhold the Truth in unrighteousness: He that shall know the Truth, and out of fear shall not profess it openly, this fear is a sin, and he that withholds it out of that respect, withholds it in unrighteousness; It is that which GOD requires of necessity, With the heart we believe, and with the mouth we confess to Salvation, GOD requires the one as well as the other; this is that, that shut out the Pharisees, the chief men among the Rulers that believed, they durst not confess him for fear of the Pharisees, you shall see a brand set on them, they lost their souls for it. Therefore do not say a man may keep Religion to himself, may have a good mind, and be devout in secret, and that to bring it to view is hypocrisy, it is not so, it is a false opinion; In doing so, you rob GOD of his glory, and yourselves of salvation: It it the bearing witness to the Truth, which you are bound unto, and you cannot have this Truth in you, but it will appear, Grace cannot be concealed, it cannot be hid; and if it could, yet you must know that the very concealing of this Truth, puts an imputation on it; for we conceal nothing but what we are ashamed of, and shame implies (you know) that there is something amiss; so that though you little think of it, this concealing of the Truth, this hiding of it, is a degree to blasphemy, it lays an imputation on the HOLY GHOST, for it doth on the Light and Truth which is an effect of the HOLY GHOST: Therefore know GOD desires both, he will have the inside clean, and the outside too; Indeed, if the inside be clean, the outside will be so also, but it is not true on the contrary; A man may have a clean outside, as in Matthew the three and twentieth Chapter, Make the inside clean, that the outside may be clean also: The meaning is, If a man have a clean inside, it is not possible but a clean outside will follow: It is true, there may be leaves, and no fruit, but there can be no fruit, but there will beleaves; many counterfeit pieces may look yellow, but there is no Gold but it looks yellow: Do not say then it is hypocrisy, in them that profess Religion, for they would not take the profession of these things to themselves, but that they see a beauty, and excellency in them.  
Therefore consider it, and know there lies a necessity on you; do you think it unequal that God should be ashamed of you, and will you be ashamed of him? Is he such a Father that his children should be ashamed of him? or such a Master as we should be ashamed to wear his Livery? Do this to earthly Masters, and see how they will take it: Indeed if there were not some loss to men in undertaking this profession, we need not spend so much time to press men to it, but there is a loss in professing the Truth; you may lose many friends, and procure many enemies, undergo many crosses, lose many benefits and preferments, which you might have had, this CHRIST tells you beforehand, but if you love him, you must deny yourselves in these. They breed an enmity in men, instance that place of Ahab, Hast thou found me, Oh mine enemy? And am I your enemy, because I tell you the Truth? All men shall hate you for my Names sake: And the more the Truth appears, the greater is the hatred, because the object of hatred is greater.  

Object.  But, if you object what is the reason Peter saith, 1 Pet. 3.13. Will any man deny to follow that which is good?  

Answ.  I answer, There is a double good, and that is profitable to man, as to be Just, Meek, Gentle, Patient, ready to do good; in a word, all goodness of this kind men will love you for; but there is another thing in Religion, and that is practice of true Righteousness, and Holiness, and that crosses men: Therefore Saint Peter adds, Blessed are ye, if ye suffer for righteousness sake: As if he had said, though for your goodness men love you, yet for your righteousness you must suffer persecution; therefore that must be made account of beforehand and you must be ready to bear it: So much shall serve to set down the Cases, Wherewith men withhold this Truth in unrighteousness.  
Fourthly, if there be such a Truth made known to us by God himself, then in the observing of this Truth, 
Use 4.  look for happiness, in the transgressing of it expect misery, ruin and destruction: If God that is the Governor, the Summum bonum, shall appoint the Truth, and set man a Law, whatsoever that Law is, in observing of that Law, there is happiness: It is so with every creature, he hath given every creature a Law, and so long as he keeps to that, he is in a good condition and state: Now the Law given to us is this Truth, in observing it thou shalt keep thy life, thy happiness; take heed, therefore, of departing from it, whensoever a man departs from it he is deceived, and no man will willingly be deceived.  
But, 
Object.  you will say, a man is not deceived in sin, for I know it is a sin.  
Yes, 
Answ.  in this thou art deceived, no man commits a sin, but at that time he thinks it better that he commit it, and worse that he abstain from it, and in this thou art deceived: Go thorough all the Scripture, and find any one sin there recorded, and see if the party be not a loser: Go to jeroboam, did he not lose his Kingdom by that, by which he thought to save it: Go to judas, to Gehezi, was it not his ruin▪ I say, every man is deceived; as it was said of Eve, Eve was deceived; so it may b● said of all the sons of Adam, when they commi● a sin they are deceived.  
But if you object, 
Object.  Adam was not deceived▪ 1 Tim. 2. The woman was deceived, but the man was not.  

Answ.  I answer, the meaning is, there is an immediate deceiving, when a man is merely cozened, because there is a fault in his reason, and for that mistakes a thing, and so was Eve only deceived, she being the weaker: But there is a second kind, when a man is not immediately deceived, but transported by a lust, and that was Adam's Case; and that lust arises from deceit: Suppose it be a lust of envy that transports a man to a sin, although that doth not immediately deceive, yet this (as all sins) arises from Error. Therefore when any temptation comes, see if it be a sin, if it be a sin, be sure thou art deceived, and though thou canst not find out the deceit, yet remember it is there, Ephes. 4. you shall find these put together, The old man is corrupt through lusts proceeding from deceit, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds after the Image of God in holiness and righteousness, which comes from the Spirit of Truth, you shall find there is not a lust but it comes from deceit, and not any holiness, but it comes from a rectifying of the Apprehension and from Truth; for in these two things (mark it) the Image of God and Satan consist: The Image of God consists not only in holiness, but in truth; therefore the Image of God is renewed in holiness proceeding from Truth: As on the contrary side the old man doth not only stand in lusts, but in deceit, from whence the lust comes. Therefore take heed of that deceit, and know this, when any sin is committed, it is contrary to Truth, to the Law, to this knowledge, and let that be an Argument against it. I cannot stand to press it more: So much shall serve for this point.  
The end of the Eighth Sermon.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON HUMILIATION. The Ninth SERMON.  ROMANS 1.19, 20. 
Forasmuch as that which may be known of God, is manifest in them, for God hath showed it unto them.  
For the invisible things of him, that is, his eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen by the creation of the world, being considered in his works, to the intent that they should be without excuse.  
THe third point than which now remains to be handled, 
Point 3.  is this, There is so much revealed to every man, 
There is so much revealed to every man as will make him inexcusable.  as will make him inexcusable, we see the words are clear, GOD hath made it known to them by the Creation, by his works, to the intent they should be without excuse; or if you will translate it, so that they are without excuse, the words will bear either. There is so much revealed then, as will make every man inexcusable: For the manifestation of this Truth, go no further than this Chapter.  
First, consider, God hath made himself known to every man by his works of Creation, this is the book every man may read, this is exposed to every man's eye, it is a language which every man understands.  
Secondly, you shall see what they do, they did not glorify him as GOD, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were full of darkness, that is their carriage towards God.  
Thirdly, when God doth behold this carriage in them, he gives them up to a reprobate sense, to vile affections, to their hearts lusts, till they be full of all unrighteousness, as it is expressed in the latter end of the Chapter, because they regarded not to know God, he delivered them up to a reprobate mind, to do things uncomely, being full of all unrighteousness. And if you mark this prophecy, you shall see how God is excused, and how all the world is inexcusable:  
First, God did that which was sufficient on his part, he made himself known.  
Secondly, they did wilfully and stubbornly despise this knowledge, they regarded not to know God, nor practised according to knowledge, but provoked him with their sins, and became vain, making no conscience of offending him: Then comes in this in the third place, they are delivered up to a reprobate sense, so as they cannot heal themselves, they are brought to an irrecoverable state, as a man in quick sands that goes deeper and deeper, and knows not how to get out, they are given up to vile affections, so as they cannot lose themselves out of the bands of the Devil, but mark the progress: First, God reveals himself, than they provoke him by precedent sins, than he gave them up to these affections. But to open the point at large, and to show the excuses men have, and their weakness, and how they are taken away, and then it will be evident that all men are inexcusable. 
The Excuses; whereby men endeavour to purge themselves.   
The first pretence men have, is that they know not God, they are not acquainted with him, 
Excuse 1.  they are ignorant of his ways: That is easily answered, 
Tha● they know not God.  that they that know him least, yet have so much knowledge as will make them inexcusable: 
Answ.  They that have only been acquainted with the Creation of the world, savage men that never heard the Word, that were never acquainted with the Scripture, yet these know God, for God hath manifested himself to them. This I proved at large in the former point, so that no man can deny but he knows God, that is, that there is a God, and this very thing, if no more, is enough to make them inexcusable, for they knew God, but glorified him not as God: when such a man knows there is an almighty power, by his natural wit, he is able to deduce, if there be a God, I must behave myself well towards him, I must fear him as God, I must be affected to him as God, I must worship him with all reverence as God; but the most ignorant man confesses there is a God, no Nation denies it, but how far are they from glorifying him as God? from carrying themselves towards him, as it becomes men to carry themselves towards an Almighty God maker of heaven and earth.  
But secondly, 
Excuse 2.  the second pretence is, but God requires more of me than that, 
God requires more knowledge than men have of him.  if that were enough to know God, that there is an invisible God, to acknowledge the Deity and eternal Power, it were well, but God requires more.  

Answ.  To this I answer, God requires no more of any man than either he doth know, or might have known; go thorough the whole Universe, all men of the world that are or have been, and I say, God requires of no man more than either he doth know, or might have known: I put that in, because there be many men that might know more than they do, spoken of 2 Pet. 3.5. Some there are that are willingly ignorant: He meaneth men that are willingly ignorant of some things, but it is all one as if they knew them. And this makes men of this Nation inexcusable, 
The inexcusableness of ignorant Country people.  as your ignorant Countrypeople, who though they know nothing, yet because they might have known, they are as inexcusable as if they had known as much as any; for though every Parish have not a preaching Minister, (which is a thing much to be wished) yet there is no Country but some light is set up in it, whither they may resort if they will, and this will make them inexcusable: So they that live under much means, that are ever learning, and never come to the knowledge of the Truth, and so have brought a sottishness on themselves, they are inexcusable, because themselves are the cause of their not profiting, as a man that is drunk, though he is not able to understand the commands of his Master, yet because he was the first Author of the drunkenness, (which caused such sottishness) he is inexcusable; so they that neglect the Word, or when the Word enters not into the heart, because men delight not in it, (as you shall find these put together, Prov. 2.10. When wisdom enters into thy soul, and knowledge delights thee) when the cause that men profit not, is because they delight in other things, the stream runs another way; and so as the Sun puts out fire, and the outward heat extinguisheth the inward heat, so they do drive out the Word by diverse lusts, when they might have abstained from those other delights, and have attended to the Word with more diligence, they are inexcusable: So that God requires no more of any man, 
Pretence 3.  than either he doth know, 
We h●ve no ability to perform the things we know.  or might have known.  
The third pretence is, and that is greater than the other two, I but we have no ability to perform the things we do know.  

Quest.  That every man is ready to say, Who is able to practise according to his knowledge?  

Answ.  To this I answer, It is false, there is ability in every man to do according to that he knows; for so far as light goes, so far there is ability in the will and affections to follow that light; there is a common light in men that are in state of unregeneration (indeed sanctifying light they have not) and they are able to go as far as their light goes, and I will appeal to any man's experience, let him look back to the course of his life, and examine himself, was there ever any particular action in all thy life, from which thou wast so hindered, that thou canst say thou couldst not do it? was there ever any particular sin, of which thou couldst say, this sin I could not abstain from? And howsoever we may make it a matter of dispute in the Schools; yet the worst man, one in whom we may think corruption of nature to be most strong, when he comes to die, he doth not excuse himself, but acknowledge he is guilty. If you consider the nature of liberty, there a spontaneity in beasts, by which they are carried to that which their appetite desires, but that is not Liberum, though Spontaneum: But when a reasonable creature looks on a thing as Elegibile or non Elegibile, and not only so, but is able to reason on both sides, is able to see arguments for both, that makes it differ from Spontaneity, when there is no outer impediment, when you may take or refuse it, when you have Arguments to reason, and see the commodity and discommodity of it, your will is now free, so that I may truly affirm every man hath a freewill to do that, for the not doing of which he is condemned; mark it.  
But you will object, 
Object.  I but a man is condemned for not believing, for not turning to God, for not having his heart changed, for not being a new Creature, but these no man hath power to do; therefore a man is condemned for something which he is not able to do.  
To this I answer, 
Answ.  It is true, a man hath not power to perform these, but yet withal, I say, he hath power to do those things, upon the neglect of which, God denies him ability to believe and repent: So that, it is true, though a man cannot believe and repent, and nevertheless for this is condemned; yet withal take this with you, there be many precedent Acts, which a man hath in his liberty to do, or not to do, by which he ties God, and deserves this justly, that God should leave him to himself, and deny him ability of believing and repenting, which as a necessary duty lies on him: So that though a man hath no ability to do this, yet he hath ability to abstain from the things, by the which he provoks God to anger, and by which he deserves this at his hands, not to be able to believe, etc. For proof go to this Chapter, They knew God, but they glorified him not as God, therefore (they having not done the precedent Acts which they should have done) saith the Text, God gave them up to their lusts: He took away all ability to repent, he deprived them of all the sparkles of common grace and knowledge which before they had, but this is a thing which they themselves deserved first. So much for the Third, when we come to the use we will be more large.  

Pretence 4.  Fourthly, men excuse themselves from this, their natures are corrupt, 
From the corruption of nature, which they cannot resist.  and they have strong inclinations, strong lusts inclining them to this or that sin which they cannot resist, therefore are excusable.  

Answ. 1.  To this I answer, It is not so, none hath so strong an inclination to any sin, but he is able to resist it. This is the Argument; Let a man have hell and death set before him, nay, let some temporal shame or punishment be set before him, which he shall immediately undergo, when such a sin is committed, and see if this will not restrain him, when the lust is most impetuous. Therefore it is not, because he cannot restrain it, but because he will not.  

Answ. 2.  Secondly, hast not thou brought on thyself that strong Inclination, that strange power of sin? Art not thou the cause of it? For though there be original sin in us, yet we may intend that original sin by frequency in any actual sin: As Varnish intends colours, it puts on no new colours, but intends it, makes it more bright; if there was a glimmering light before, addition of light makes the former light greater, so frequency of sin, makes sin more active, more efficacious, more vigorous, as humours being accustomed to a place, are ready to break forth there; so a sin wherein you have had an issue, wherein you have given yourselves liberty, there sin gets greater victory over you; therefore consider if you be not guilty of the power of sin, of the impetuity of your lusts.  
Lastly, 
Answ. 3.  consider if you have not deserved that God should give you up to these lusts; many are taken in sin, as the fish on the hook, which cannot get off, it seizes as an Apoplexy on a man that cannot be cured: When the sin gets ground, it is like the sea, getting ground on the land, which cannot be recovered. I confess this is the Case of many hundred men, but consider if you have not made way for this; for as the lower stairs lead up to the higher; so there be lesser sins which make way for greater, not by way of efficacy, as Acts beget an habit, but by way of merit, God may justly give them over to this strength of sin: Therefore though their lusts be strong and impetuous, yet this doth not make them inexcusable.  
Fifthly, 
Pretence 5.  when none of this will serve the turn, 
From Temptations of company, business, etc.  than they are ready to lay it on their temptations: How can a man do otherwise when it stands in such circumstances, that is, subject to such company, to such occasions, such businesses, and so many things to draw him away: When that within will not excuse him, he comes to that without.  
To this I answer, when a man is drawn to any thing without, it is the concupiscence within that doth it; 
Answ. 1.  put fire to that which is not combustible, it will not burn, it is the corruption within that doth all. Therefore, observe that in Act. 5. It is Peter's speech to Ananias and Saphira, Why hath Satan filled thy heart? As if he had said, It is true, Satan hath put this into thy heart, he hath tempted thee to the sin, to lie to the Holy Ghost, but know, thou wast the cause of it, thou hadst the keys of thy heart, if thou hadst not suffered Satan to have entered, he could not have done it.  

Answ. 2.  And beside, consider if thou hast not put thyself into this Temptation; It is one thing for God to lead into temptation, and another thing to lead ourselves into it. You know what is said of Ahaziah 2 King. 8.27. He walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel, and did as the house of Ahab had done, because he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: As if he had said, It is true, it was ahab's daughter that led him into those sins, but he led himself into the temptation, he should not have married ahab's daughters: Consider whether thou hast not put thyself into this circumstance, and led thyself into this temptation.  

Pretence 6.  Last of all, another Pretence and Excuse is, as I have the temptation that others want, 
From the want of means.  so I want the means others have; If I had the means others have, I should do well enough.  

Answ.  I answer, first consider if thou hadst not means, and didst not profit by them, consider how many means God afforded thee, from whence thou receivedst not that fruit and profit, which thou mightest have done: And if thou didst not, and God deprived thee of the means, know thou art the cause of it thyself: for when men neglect the means, when God shall set up a light, and men will not work by that light, he doth, as Masters do with their servants, when they set them a candle, and they play by it, and will not use it as they should, they take it away in anger; so God removes away the light, he takes away the Gospel, he sends a famine of the Word, when we neglect it, or as parents do, when their children play with their meat, they take it from them: When men will not use their Talents, God takes them away, and this Talon of the Word above all other, when it shall be abused, and not used to God's glory.  
If all this will not serve to excuse them in general, 
Other particular Excuses.  then are they ready to excuse themselves, in particular: First, by denying the fact; or, Secondly, by slighting the fault.  
First, 
First, by denying the Fact.  by denying the Fact, they deny that they are guilty of a thousand sins of which they are guilty; this disposition you shall find in them in Malach. 1. You have despised me, and you say, Wherein have we despised thee? And you have robbed me, and spoiled me, and you say, Wherein have we robbed thee? And you reckon it a weariness to serve the Lord, and you say, wherein are we weary? So it is the nature of man to deny the Fact, if it be possible: See Gods answer, when they have asked these questions, You have offered the lame and blind in sacrifice. Consider what you do? do you not despise God in the prayers that you make, do not you perform them in a sleight and perfunctory manner? Do you not offer to God of the worst? There be men that Solomon speaks of, that despise their way, that is, some things they neglect, which they think are not worth looking after, some things they reckon as trifles, which they will not care for, this is to despise God.  
Secondly, 
Secondly, By slighting the Fault.  If they cannot deny the Fact, they slight the Fault, and one of these they say, either the sin is small which they commit, and hope that will excuse them; or if they be greater sins, they fall into them by humane frailty, and infirmity, and are sorry for what they have done, so extenuating what they do, and making it a matter of nothing.  

Ob. It is a small sin.  But to answer first for small sins, sins are not to be measured by the bulk, but by the circumstances with which they are committed, 
Answ.  though thou thinkest it a small sin in itself, yet considering it with the circumstances it may be great: A sin committed against light of conscience, and with deliberation, is a great sin, as the Prophet that turned another way, it was a small thing for him to do it, yet having the sure Word of God for a rule not to do it, you see God punished him, not, as for a small sin, and he being just, we may argue from the greatness of the punishment, that the sin was great; so Adam's eating of the forbidden fruit, to eat an Apple was a small matter, but there being the Almighty God's Command to the contrary, the punishment shows what the sin was: So men think that to swear a small oath, is no great matter, but Christ saith, Let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay; and when God hath commanded a thing, though it be never so small, yet that makes it great: so it was a small thing for Saul to sacrifice before Samuel came, but you see what it cost him, God for that cast him away for ever? So in the things you reckon small, take heed you be not deceived, be the thing never so small, yet for that you may be contemned, as well as for the greatest sin, for he that is unfaithful in the least, will not be faithful in much: And take the least sin, there is the same reason of sinfulness in that, that is in the greatest, as a drop is water, aswell as the Ocean: If thou abstain from sin, because there is an Antipathy between sin and thee, as it is with every man after regeneration, thou wilt abstain from all sins. You know a Pigeon will not meddle with any feather of an Hawk, because there is an Antipathy between them, and the sheep hates every Wolf, and men hate every Toad, his stomach rises at a little Toad; so a right gracious heart abhors every thing that is evil, and cleaves to every thing that is good, indeed he fails much in performance, but his heart is sound.  
Again, there is no small sin, but it makes way for a greater, as playing at small games, makes us afterward to play at greater: Therefore the littleness of the sin excuses not; for one sin admitted is of great consequence, because it draws on many that are great.  

Ob. I fell into by infirmity.  Now for the second, some they say are small, some are great, and for them that be great, they commit them by Accident, out of infirmity, and are sorry for what they have done.  

Answ. 1.  You must know this, if they were committed by infirmity, the Excuse were good, for even the faithful themselves fall into diverse sins out of infirmity; but take heed of deceiving thyself.  
If thou findest this thy Case, that thy heart is renewed, that thou wagest a continual war against thy sins, resolvest never to make peace or truce with them, usest all means thou canst againts them, admittest of no occasion to lead thee to sin, and yet fallest into it against purpose, and sincere desire of heart, it is a sin of infirmity, and God will so judge of it, but put case thou hold'st not a continual war with thyself, but sayest, I see it is a sin which I am strongly inclined to, I shall be weary with resisting, therefore I must give out, I cannot choose; now if thou leave striving, and lay down thy wasters, this is not a sin of infirmity.  
Again, if thou keepest company that leads to that sin, of dost venture on that occasion, beholding such objects walking on the brink and coming near the sin. It is a false pretence that thou fallest into it by infirmity, or by accident, for thou allowest thyself in it, thou liest and continuest in it.  
So again, hast thou used thy uttermost power, hast thou prayed hard against it, nay, hast thou fasted and prayed against it, for some devils cannot be cast out without both: Indeed if a man use all his strength to resist it, he shall fall into it seldom, and it is to be excused thus, but if otherwise, it is no sin of infirmity.  
But they say, 
Ob. But I am sorry that I so sinned.  I am sorry for what I have done; Take heed thou be not deceived in that. Is it not a false sorrow? 
Answ. 1.  art not thou more sorry for the effect of sin, than for the evil of sin, for the burning of the coal, than for the blackness of the coal? There is much present evil in sin, that may make thee repent it afterward.  
Again, 
Answ. 2.  if it be not so, is it not a slight sorrow? not proportionable to thy sin: Is it a sorrow that continues on thy heart? Is it a sorrow effectual to work any change in thee, to prevent sin for the time to come? Otherwise, if thou say thou art sorry for it, and yet fallest into it again and again, it is no true sorrow: Go to thy Neighbour and say, I have done thee an Injury, and am sorry for it, and yet fall into the same again and again, it will seem that it was but a false sorrow: So if thou dost pretend sorrow for thy sins, and yet relapsest into them again, it is a slight sorrow that God regards not. So much shall serve to take away the Excuses, learn to lay this to heart, and consider it, and see how you be inexcusable: Now to make use of it.  
The first Use is to justify God, 
Use 1.  learn to lay the blame where it is, that is, on ourselves; think not that God condemns any without cause, for every man is inexcusable. And here this point is specially to be marked: I do not say, men are inexcusable only, in regard of Adam's sin (that being a Truth we all assent unto, that in regard of Adam's sin, the ability we had, we lost in him) but I will go further, men are inexcusable in regard of their present condition, and their actual sins, mark it well. The reason whereupon he infers that they are inexcusable, is; God hath made himself known to them, namely by his works and creation, he goes not to Adam's sin, but they had knowledge enough; this knowledge they practised not, and in regard of the present actual evils which they committed, they are inexcusable. Therefore, that God may be glorified and justified, that he may be true, and every man a liar, know that God condemneth not for any more than he hath revealed, as some have only the Law of Nature, so they are condemned only for breaking that Law, they are not condemned for not worshipping God according to the Law of Moses or the Gospel, but simply and only for breaking the Law of Nature; They that have sinned without the Law, shall be condemned without the Law, Rom. 2.12. That is, at the last day there shall no more be laid to their charge, this you knew, and this you broke: So again, they that only knew the Law of Moses, yea, at this day, if there be any jew in the world, which never heard of Christ, which never had means to know him, he shall not be condemned for not believing in Christ, but for the breach of the Law of Nature, and the Law of Moses, and the reason is good, for by the same reason that the Gentiles shall not be condemned for breaking the Law of Moses, by the same equity and ground, they that have not the knowledge of the Gospel, shall not be condemned for breaking the Law of the Gospel: So that if we consider this, There is no man (go thorough all) but God shall lay this to his charge at the day of judgement; Do not say, I bound thee to impossible things, that I laid on thee a Law, thou couldst not keep, thou shalt not have this excuse left thee, I gave thee ability to do much, but thou didst not do that thou wert able to do, for that is the condition of every man, he is able to do more than he doth, and if any man perish, it is for not doing the things he was able to do.  
But you will say, 
Object.  God might have revealed more.  
I answer, 
Answ.  God doth lead along, but men do Ponere obices, lay blocks in his way; God deals not only in justice, but in much mercy with any vessel of wrath: Indeed he loves the godly in a special manner, but mercy he shows to every man, and the reason why he is not brought to more light, is, because he lays blocks, and when God reveals still, he lays more, till at length there be an end of his patience and long-suffering.  
To give an instance in Saul and David; God led Saul along, but he sins still, God leads him on, till at length he went his way, and God leaves him quite; but in David you shall find as many frailties as in Saul; if you look on David's nature, the strong temptations to which he was subject, he was ready to lay blocks too; but because God had a peculiar love to David, he removed them all; yet God dealt with Saul in much mercy, he showed much patience, and long-suffering; but David he loved with a peculiar love, therefore he carried him thorough all: So it is with all the faithful, I will put my fear in thine heart, that thou shalt never depart from me, saith God.  

Object.  But, you will say, this is to preach freewill, and if men have freewill and be condemned for not doing what they might do, what is the difference between the Doctrine of the Papists and this?  

Answ.  I answer, Though there be a freewill to do that, for the not doing of which they shall be condemned; so as you cannot come to any particular that these men cannot do, yet God hath kept it in his power to draw whom he will, to sanctify whom he will, for God keeps these two together, he keeps men within compass of common grace, so that they may do much of themselves, and the changing of men's hearts, the enabling of them to believe effectually, or repent, the drawing of them to God, that is, proper to God: So that these may well stand together, this freedom they have, yet it is not in any man's power to believe, to repent effectually.  
The second use we should make of it, 
Use 2.  is for practice; learn hence then to justify God, and to condemn ourselves, to think well of him, and ill of ourselves, to give him the glory of his mercy, and patience, and long-suffering; and to take shame to ourselves, lay the blame where the blame ought to be laid: for let a man have committed never so great, never so many sins, if he hath something to say for himself, he will never be humble; labour to come to this, to see that thou hast nothing to say for thyself, to see that thy sin is out of measure sinful, as indeed it is; and this will put a necessity on thee, and teach thee to love much, because much is forgiven thee, and till this thou canst not be a man fit to come to Christ: Therefore you shall find these two expressions, Rom. 3. All are under sin: And the like is in Galath. 3.22. He hath shut up all under sin, that the promise by the faith of JESUS CHRIST might be given to them that believe, that every mouth may be stopped. That is, before God will show mercy, he will bring them to see that they are inexcusable, that their mouths may be every way stopped, that they may have nothing to say for themselves, that they may have no excuse, no Postica, no backdoor when a man is shut up in sin, when there is no evasion, nothing to extenuate sin withal, than his soul is humble, and begins to sin●e before God; then he sees the necessity of coming to Christ, and is brought into the case they were in, in the second Chapter of the Acts, Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved? As if they should say, before we thought we were in a good condition, at least we had something to hold by in our apprehension, but when Peter shows them their guiltiness, then, men and brethren what shall we do to be saved: This is it the Scripture calls, Afflict yourselves, jam. 3. Now the Greek word for Affliction, is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, when sorrow stands round about a man, when there is no way to get out, when one is hedged in on every side, for when there is any escape, it is not properly an Affliction, because there is an evasion, a way to help out, but that makes it an Affliction, when it compasses us round, when we have nothing to say, when all objections are removed, so that we are thoroughly convinced of sin, this stirs up present apprehension of danger, present sorrow for sin, and when any Affliction is present, it will have present ease. There be many excuses, but when the Holy Ghost removes all these, than men are driven to Christ, indeed; before they clavae to sin, as to their Centre, still departing, and loath to depart, for men come out of the state of unregeneration, as Lot did come out of Sodom, who was so loath to come out, that the Angel was fain to draw him out; so till we be all nothing, till there be no twig to hang by, till there be no Fibrae to nourish us on our own bottom, we will never come to Christ: as joab, if he could have escaped Solomon, he would not have flown to the horns of the Altar, but when he saw no hopes, than he laid hold on them, and said, If he will kill me, he shall kill me here: So if we can subsist in our natural condition wherein we are, we will love it, we will cleave to it; but when God hath ferited us out of all our turnings, that there is no hope left, than we go to Christ, than we take hold on the horns of the Altar; as when a man hath a cord let down to him into the sea, you need not bid him hold fast: So when God takes away all excuses, takes a man quite from his own bottom, cuts him from the root of Nature on which he grew, this makes him come to Christ. When we tell men of their sins, that they are accursed, that do not keep every part of the Law, they deal with us as the Egyptians did, when it was told them, that in every house the first borne should die, except the destroying Angel saw their doore-posts sprinkled with blood, they regarded it not, they minded it not, till the very day, and then where the blood was not found, they died for it: So we may tell you of sin, of the danger you are in, we may tell you, that you shall die, yet you believe it not, only a few, whose hearts are sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb, they indeed defer it not, for they do not know how soon the destroying Angel may come. Therefore labour to be convinced, this is to know what a Mediator is, and not to have it in speculation only. And here it were good to consider, what that is that holds men on their roots; there is an Anchor under water, though men see it not, that keeps them in their old condition, if we could hit on it.  

Means whereby men are kept in their old condition. First, Inconsideration.  And it is either Inconsideration, men consider not what they have to do, they look not about them, according to that in Deut. 29. You have seen all what the Lord did to Pharaoh, but the Lord hath not given you hearts to consider it to this day: Now if you ask what Consideration is; I answer, Consideration is nothing else but an Act superadded to Knowledge, when a man not only knows, but returns and reflects on what he knows, when he stays and abides on it, when he looks round about a business, not on a corner of it, but fully and weighs every circumstance: Therefore we are said to ponder our ways, when we do not only look to that which is present, but to the time past and to come, when all things are taken in: Now when a man shall lay all together, when he shall consider, that is, think seriously, and remember that he hath but a little time to live here, and that there is another place where he shall live for all eternity, that he hath an immortal soul, and that his state is dangerous, that his sins are great, and the wrath of God is as a consuming fire; when these are laid together, when he considers them, and stays on them, by these means he comes to see with his eyes, and understand with his heart, and to be converted and healed; but because men do consider, thence it is that they grow on their root still, and are not brought to this inexcusableness, nor have all Arguments taken away.  
Or another reason is, some Lust, 
2 Some Lust.  there is world credit, riches, pleasures, or something which they are loath to part with, the rich man will not part with his possessions, they in the twelfth of john will not part with their credit with the Pharisees, jeroboam will not part with his Kingdom, till these Arguments shall be answered, and God shall cut off those snares, for so they are termed, 2 Tim. 2.25. Waiting if God will give them repentance, to know the truth, and to come out of the snare of the Devil, who taketh them at his will: The meaning is, every man, before he be regenerate, is holden by some snare, the snare is some lust, the root of it is some false reasoning; now when men come to know the truth, and to be delivered out of the snare of the Devil, when God convinceth a man, and opens that truth, undoes that false reasoning on which that lust is founded, he cuts the snare asunder, and then they are set at liberty: Every man saith, I cannot live without credit, without my state, without my kingdom, (as every man hath a kingdom of his own) when God teacheth that this is vanity, and if we will be happy, the best way is to serve God with a perfect heart, when God teacheth the contrary Truth, than he is out of the snare of the Devil, when he hath awaked his conscience, that he is sick of sin, that he feels his rebellions, than the thing he magnified before, is nothing now; As when a man is sick, the houses and orchards he magnified before, are now not regarded, his dainty fare, and gorgeous apparel, he hath no pleasure in them, for he is sick: So it is with the Soul when God chargeth sin on the Conscience.  
Again, when God shows better things than these, as Heb. 10.34. They had in heaven a better, and an enduring substance, and therefore cared for nothing: They cared not for parting with their goods, when they had another righteousness to trust to: So when God opened the heavens and showed himself to Paul, He reckons all as dung and dross, he doth not magnify what he did before. And thus are men freed from the snare of the Devil: Therefore when a man shall defer and think I am ready to come, but I will not yet: I say, these must be taken away, for they are false reasonings by which we are built on our root: Now when a man shall be persuaded of the danger of putting the evil day far from him, when the Holy Ghost shall give him wisdom to number his days, than he will take to himself new thoughts. Every man naturally fears death, but because it is far off, no man regards it; and so because we put the evil day far from us, we turn not to God; now when God shall convince a man of the Truth, and teach him to number his days: Well, thou art now in health and strength, but when thou comest to num●ber the days that remain, they are very small. Put case a man had an hundred dishes of meat before him, if one come and says, Take heed what you do, for one of these dishes is poison, he will not taste of any of them, except he have taken an Antidote before: So when the Holy Ghost teacheth, it is true, In one of these days is death, thou shalt find poison that shall take away thy life; whether first or last it is uncertain, if thou were wise to consider thy latter end, that is, if thou hadst the wisdom, which God must teach, thou wouldst see little reason, why to venture thy soul on one of these days, if thou hast not made thy Election sure; for this is as to eat of one of those dishes when there is poison in it.  
Therefore consider (beloved) what uncertainty of life there is, what it is to venture the soul, and what eternity is: When God shall each this, and stir up present affections of fear, and apprehension of wrath, it will teach a man not to defer, but to come home speedily.  
Again, when this place of Scripture, and the like, shall be seriously considered, That if the Goodman of the house knew at what time the Thief would come, he would have an eye to him; That Christ hath threatened all before hand that do not watch, And I will come at a time thou thinkest not of me: If thou didst consider this when thou art most secure and furthest off from God, in the midst of thy jollity, and fast asleep, I will come at a time when thou lookest not for me: And didst thou think this threatening in vain? Didst thou believe this Scripture and lay it to heart? thou wouldst not defer thy Turning to God.  
Again, consider, put case thou hast liberty, if sickness come and give thee warning, alas how far art thou from being able to repent? Are the times in thine hand? Must not the Holy Ghost change thine heart? If thou dost now take resolution to amend, hast not thou cause to suspect that it proceeds from self-love? For if it had been not of love to God, wouldst thou not have turned sooner? And if it be out of self-love, God accepts it not. All this while we have spent in showing the Disease, and now we must show the Remedy.  
FINIS.   

A SERMON PREACHED AT A GENERAL FAST BEFORE THE COMmons-House of Parliament: the second of july, 1625. In the time of the Plague. By the late faithful and worthy Minister of JESUS CHRIST, JOHN PRESTON, D. in Divinity, Chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher of Lincoln's INN.  
LONDON, Printed by R. B. for NICHOLAS BOURNE, and are to be sold at his shop at the Royal Exchange. 1633.   

A SERMON PREACHED AT A General Fast, before the Commmons-house of Parliament, july 2. 1625.  NUMBERS 25.10, 11. 
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying,  
Phinehas the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron the Priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, (while he was zealous for my sake among them) that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.  
WE are met together, you know, to sanctify a Fast to the Lord. I will therefore speak a word, or two, of that Duty, before I come to the Text, which I have read to you: But I will do it briefly, the Common place thereof, being too large a subject at this time to enter into.  

Fastiug is no Arbitrary duty.  And first, we will say thus much to you; That this duty is a necessary, not an arbitrary thing, which we may do, or leave undone at our pleasures: You know there be many examples of it, many commands for it in Scripture; but of them we will only repeat two: The first is that in joel 2.15. 
Which is proved by ●ex●s of Scripture.  (a place you well know) Sanctify to me a Fast, call a solemn Assembly. When the Lord began to send judgement on the Land, he straight enjoined the performance of this duty, which shows that it may not be left undone at pleasure.  
To which I will add that in Esay 22.12, 13, 14. The Lord called in that day to weeping, and mourning; but because at that time they fell to rejoicing: It was revealed by the Lord of hosts, that that sin should not be purged away till their death. When there is a time for Fasting, and when there are Just occasions for mourning and humiliation, the Lord doth then so require it, that if you do it not, but will do the contrary, the Lord will never forgive it; it is a sin that shall not be purged away till you die.  

The definition of a Fast.  You will say then, What is a Fast? In a word, a Fast is nothing else but the sanctifying or setting apart of a day for humiliation, reconciliation, and reformation. I say, it is to sanctify a Day; because the day of a Fast must be equal to the Sabbath; the very word used in that place of joel, Sanctify to me a Fast, shows as much. In that day you may do no servile work, but must keep it holy to the Lord.  
That you have to do in that day is first to humble yourselves, as in that place of joel, Turn to me with fasting, mourning, and weeping. Secondly, it is for Reconciliation, Leu. 23.27. it is called a day of Atonement. Lastly, it is for Reformation, and therefore in the day of fasting, the whole people entered into covenant with God; as in Nehem▪ the ninth chapter, and the beginning of the tenth verse, you shall see the Princes, and people came altogether, and seal a Covenant to the Lord, to reform their sin of taking strange wives, and entered into a curse, and an oath to walk in God's law.  
I will say no more of that, 
The defects which we are subject to in performing that duty.  but will only tell you, what are the failings which we are most subject to in this business; for we may know the disease by the medicine: if God takes great care to prevent our falling into a sin, it argues that we are apt to fall into it. And first, 
1 To rest in the work done  we are very ready to rest in the work done, in opere operato, to think that the very action will please GOD. Therefore it is carefully added in joel 2. Rend not your clothes, but your hearts: that is, when you come to sanctify a Fast, do not think that the very outward performance of the duty moves me: It is the heart that I look to, therefore you must take care that at this time, your greatest business be with your hearts. Leu. 23.29. He who in that day (meaning the day of the annual Fast, which was then instituted) doth not afflict his soul (for so the word is to be translated) shall be cut off from his people. The outward performance is not the thing that God respects, or accepts; he doth not regard that, (for he is a Spirit, and beholds the behaviour of the spirit;) he considers how we are affected in secret before him.  

2 To do it for a fit.  A second thing werein we are apt to fail, is, to think that One day is enough, and when that is done, there is an end of the business: but it is not so, that is but the beginning of it. Esay 58.5. Is this a Fast, to hang down your head for a day? Is it to bow it down as a Bulrush? Bulrushes you know in a storm hang down their heads, but when fair weather comes they lift them up again. So when affliction is upon us, we are apt to humble our souls for a time, for a fit; but when a little peace or prosperity comes, we forget to be longer humbled: whereas the end of a Fast, is so to begin the work of Humiliation, that we may the better continue it afterwards.  

3 Not to reform upon the doing of it.  A third defect is this; we are perhaps content to do the duty, and with some affection too, but there follows no reformation of life. Therefore in the same Chapter, see how carefully that is put in; Is this an acceptable day to the Lord? Will I accept such a Fast as this? When you find pleasure, and continue in strife and debate? That is, the Lord regards not the bare performance of the duty, unless the end of it be attained; now the end of it is nothing else, but that every man in particular reform the evils he is subject to; yea, his particular weaknesses, and personal infirmities, the mending of which, is carefully to be endeavoured when we sanctify a Fast to the Lord; else we assemble together for Wine and for Oil, Host 7.14. As if he should say, you have not sought Me when you howled upon your beds; but your Wine and your Oil: That is, men are affected with the judgements of the Lord, they desire to have them removed, they wish for ease and prosperity, and for that they assemble themselves; but to Me, saith he, ye return not. A beast will do as much when it feels any evil oppressing it; and therefore God calls it, howling on their beds, an action proper to beasts: but the Lord looks, that you seek him in sincerity, and that you labour to make your hearts perfect in him.  
In a word; 
There is a double performance of duties.  to conclude this, remember, That there is a double performance of every holy duty; one is, when we do the work as a task, and are glad when it is over; when we do it as servants that do eye-service to their masters: 
1 When they be performed as Fasts.  another is, when not only the thing is done, but your hearts also are wrought upon; for that is the end of the outward performance, and the work is so far accepted as it hath an operation on our hearts and affections. 
2 When its affections are wrought upon in the duty.  It is so in every duty; as in Prayer, when you call on God in private, doth God regard the words of a prayer? No, but ' its working on your hearts, ' it's humbling of them, ' it's bringing of them into frame, and making them perfect with God every day, by a thorough renewing of your repentance, and this is the doing of the thing. Amongst your selves, if a servant doth only make a show of doing a thing, it is not regarded; but he that brings the thing to pass is accepted of you: and that is it, which the Lord requires and accepts in our performances. Now we shall see that this Text will help us to all that is required in a Fast, as will appear in the particulars.  

Ver. 1.2.  Phineas the son of Eleazar, etc.] In the former part of the Chapter the disease is set down, 
The Analysis of the Text. The Israelites disease Sin. The consequent of sin is wrath.  and that is Sin, (which is indeed the only disease of the soul) illustrated from two consequents. First, from the wrath of God, who (as the Text saith) was very angry with Israel, for they had committed whoredom and joined with Baal-Peor. 
Ver. 3.  That was the disease, the sin, for which they had brought on them God's wrath. 
The effect of God's wrath. the Plague.  And secondly from an effect of that wrath, the Plague; (God struck them with pestilence, that is the punishment.  

The remedy was the turning away of God's wrath.  In this verse is set down the remedy, and that is the turning away of God's wrath. For as the Physician says, Morbi curantur contrarijs, so it is true in Divinity: as the wrath of God was the cause of the Plague, so the turning away thereof is the remedy.  
This turning away of his wrath, is set forth by the cause of its turning away; 
Which was done by zeal. And that for two reasons.  and that was the zeal of Phineas, while he was zealous for my sake; and that is made good by two reasons. One is in the latter end of my Text; therefore have I not consumed them in my jealousy. As if he had said, If Phineas had not been zealous, my jealous should have burned more and more, and the jealousy of that should have been utter destruction. The second is Gods own Testimony, set down before my Text. The Lord himself said unto Moses, that his wrath was turned away.  
I will say no more for opening the words; but in them you shall see these five points lie evidently before you. 
Five general points raised out of the text.   
First, in that the removal of the Plague is attributed to God, and to the turning away of his anger, this is clearly deduced: That it is God only that doth good and evil; for you see his anger brought the Plague on them, and the turning away of his anger healed them again.  
Secondly, it is sin that causes God's anger: anger in God hath always relation to sin, for sin is the cause of it.  
Thirdly, the way to turn away the Lords anger, is zeal, for his sake.  
Fourthly, if there be want of this zeal among us, his jealousy shall grow hotter and hotter, it shall increase upon us more and more.  
Fifthly, and lastly, the issue of this jealousy of his, will be utter destruction.  
We will begin with the first, 
1 General point.  which is, That it is God only, 
God only doth good and evil.  that doth good and evil to every Nation, to every Church and Kingdom, yea to every particular person. As you see here; it was not the corruption of the Air that brought the Plague, nor the clearing of it with frost and wind, that turned it away; but the cloud of the Lords wrath shed this storm on them; and when he was appeased with them there followed health and peace: The Lord wounds, and the Lord heals. For what is the Plague but a sword in the hand of an Angel, who draws it out, and puts it into its sheath again, at his Master's appointment? And is not there the same reason of all other evils? War you know is a terrible thing, when Enemies come as Bees on a Land; but doth not the Lord hiss for them? And again, they are driven away as with a breath at his appointment. Famine is a lean devouring evil, which causes the Land to eat up the inhabitants thereof; but is not the Lord the only cause of it? Doth not he make the Heaven as Brass, and the Earth as Iron? Doth not he when he will, open the windows of Heaven, and unstop the bottles of the clouds, and power outraine unseasonably? And is not he the cause of death, which is the journey's end of both the former? To which, every one of us is subject, yet we consider it not. Though we see men fall from the Tree of Life every moment yet we regard it not. This the Lord takes only to himself, Psal. 68.20. To the Lord belong the issues from death: and therefore let us give to the Lord, this great Prerogative of his; That he only doth good and evil, and let no man question it.  
You will say, who doth question it? It is very true; we do not question it in words, but if we question it in our deeds, it is an argument that our hearts make a doubt of it, though our tongues do not question it. Therefore let us examine the matter.  
If we think the Lord only doth good and evil, 
Certain convictions for demonstrations of the point.  why then will not we obey him and serve him, and please him in all things? But provoke him to anger, by our words, and by our works, as the Prophet speaks. Perhaps you will say to me, 
1 Conviction; The frequency of our sinning.  as Saul answered Samuel, when he came from the war of the Amalekites; Oh thou blessed of the Lord, I have fully kept the Commandment of the Lord; but saith Samuel, If thou hast done so, What means the bleating of the Sheep, and the lowing of the Oxen: So I say to you, if you obey the Lord, what means so many sins amongst us? What means Fornication and Whoredom which is so frequent? What mean those Oaths amongst us, for which the Land mourns? Not only greater oaths, but smaller oaths, which exceed the greater for frequency, though the greater exceed them, in that they take the Name of God in vain. Again, what means the breaches of the Sabbath? Of which I will speak a word by the way: and that you may know that I do not blame you for that as a sin, which is no sin, I will make this digression. Do you not think that Sabbaths are to be kept, 
A digression touching the Sabbath, proving that it ought to be sanctified.  and to be kept holy? I will name but two reasons to make it good; you shall find them in Esay 57.30. It is My Holy Day. First, it is a Holy Day, and if it be holy, you may do nothing thereon that is common. A Vessel that is sanctified and made holy, 
1 Because it is a Holy Day.  may not be employed to take up common water, or used in common services, for it is holy. So the time of the Sabbath is holy, therefore you must not spend it about common actions, for if you do, you profane that which is holy.  

2 It is God's day.  Seeondly it is My Day, and if it be My Day, rob me not of it: every hour of that day that you spend in common speeches and actions, you rob the Lord of that hour, for all the day is his.  

It is further convinced.  And do not think that men were tied to this observance only, under the Old Testament; but know that it continues still: 
1 From the hazard of Religion by leaving man at liberty.  for do but consider with yourselves, if the Lord should have left it merely in the power of the Church to appoint a Sabbath day, it might have been brought from a week to a month, and from a month to a year, and so if of meeting together had been no necessity put upon us by God himself, where would religion have been? And do you think God would not have provided for his Church better than so.  

2 From the Antiquity of its celebration.  Besides, why should it be questioned, when it is transmitted to us from the most ancient times. justin Martyr says, that on the day which we call Sunday, the Christians met together to worship God; and the people came out of the Country for that end, and it was a Solemn day.  
Tertullian in his Apology saith as much: and therefore because they spent that day in worshipping God, all the Heathen called it Sunday. And in all ancient times it was never controverted, never called into question.  

3 From the usefulness of a Sabbath.  Again, do we not need such a day? Therefore the Lord saith, Sabbath was made for man; as if he had said, I could have spared the Sabbath. It is not for my own sake and for my worship sake, but for man's sake, that is, lest he should forget God, and be a stranger to him, which would redound to our own hurt. And therefore shall not we be willing to keep it, when it was for our own sakes that the Lord appointed it? What gainers might we be in grace and holiness, if we would sanctify every Sabbath as we should? Should we be losers by it: but this is a digression, and I speak it by the way. But mark it, I say, if you keep the Commandments of God, What means this bleating of the sheep? These acts of disobedience on his own Day?  
We will go on in the examination. 
2 Conviction is our neglecting of duty.  If indeed we think that it is the Lord that doth good and evil; why are we so inobservant and negligent of him? why do we reckon it a weariness to serve him? why turn we Religion into formality, posting over holy duties in a careless and negligent manner, when we should be careful and fervent in the same? Why is there so little growth in religion, so much barrenness in good works, the price whereof is more than gold and silver? In a word, Why do we turn the main into the by, and the by into the main? That is, why go we about all other business as our main and chief scope, and take in holy duties by the way, more to stop the mouth of natural Conscience (as carnal men may do) than for any delight we● have in them? If we think God to be the Author of good and evil, why are these things so? Every man is ready to profess his faith in the Truth hereof, but if we did believe it, we should be more careful to please the LORD in all things.  

3 Conviction is our not fearing and trusting him alone.  Again, if we think that God only doth good and evil, why have not we our eyes on him altogether? why do we not fear him, and nothing else, trust in him and in nothing besides, depend on him, and upon no other? In all our calamities and dangers, why do not we seek to him, as to one that only can help us, and heal us?  

Quest.  You will say, we do depend on God, we trust in God, and none but him?  

Answ.  It is very well if you do; but consider, that to trust in God, 
Discovering the Nature of trusting in God, which is to be content with God alone.  is to part with all for his sake, and to have an eye only unto the recompense of reward, to be willing to deny ourselves in our profits, and credits, and pleasures, to be content to have him alone. Thus Saint Paul expresses it, 2 Tim. 1.13. Therefore, saith he, have we suffered these things, for we know whom we have trusted. As if he had said, we have parted with all, we are content to be led from prison to prison, we are content with God alone, for we know the power and faithfulness of him whom we have trusted.  

2 To rely upon him in Exigents.  Again, to trust in God, is then to rest on him, when the case is such (mark it) that if we fail we are undone, then to build on him as a sure rock; that is the nature of true holiness, and exact walking, when God puts us into an exigent, removes from us friends, taketh away worldly helps, yet in this case to trust him. Thus Hester trusted God, 
Which is instanced in Hester.  when she undertook that dangerous enterprise, If I perish, I perish, when if the Lord had failed her, she had lost her life. So Daniel trusted God, 
And Daniel.  when he would put himself upon him, being in such danger for the open profession of his Religion, which by death they would have forced him to deny. Thus Asa trusted God, when he went with a small number against a great multitude, the Text saith of him, That he trusted in God. Now do we thus trust him? Surely we do not: but when faith and sense come into competition, when they meet together on a narrow bridge; we are ready to bias our conscience the wrong way, to go aside, and decline the blow, that is, we are ready in such a case, though with breach of a good conscience, so to trust in God, that withal we will keep a sure foot on some outward, probable, sensible means, that if God fails us, yet, we may know what to trust to. The truth is, we do not lean to the Lord. For what ●● it to lean to him? You know a man is then ●●id to lean, when he stands not on his own●●eet, but so rests the bu●ke of his body on a ra●●e, or staff, or the like, that if it fail him, he falls down: To rest on God in this manner, is to lean to him; and did we think that he had all power to do good and hurt to the Creature we should thus trust in him; but in that we do it so little, and so seldom, it it an argument that whatsoever we profess we do not indeed believe it. 
4 Conviction, or not walking perfectly with the Lord.  Last of all (to make an end of this examination) if we think indeed, that the Lord only is able to do good and evil, why do we not that which is a necessary consequent thereof, which you shall find in Gen. 17.1. it is God's speech to Abraham, I am God all-sufficient, therefore walk before me and be perfect. Mark that, when any man thinks God to be all-sufficient, that he hath all power in his hands, that he is Almighty (for so the word signifies) that which will necessarily follow on this belief, is this; he will be perfect with the Lord. You will say, I hope we are perfect with God: But if we be, why are our actions so dissonant? why do we serve God so by halves, and by fits? why are we so unequal and uneven in our ways? we are zealous for a fit, and in some particulars, but grow cold again, as if we never had been the men. We go on in a good course, till we meet with some cross, and then we balk it; till we meet with some advantage and preferment, and then we step out of the way to take it: Is this to be perfect with God? But if we thought the Lord to be All-sufficient and Almighty, we would walk perfectly before him. For what is the reason that any man steps out from God? It is because he finds something in the Creature, which he sees not in God; therefore saith God, I am all-sufficient, that is, let a man look round about him, and consider whatsoever it is that he can desire or need, he shall have it in the Lord, for he is All-sufficient. Why then should not you be perfect with him? why will you start from him at any time, or upon any occasion? And this shall suffice to make it evident, that it is a very hard thing to believe this indeed, that God only is able to do good and evil.  
Indeed we care for the favour of Princes, and think that they can hurt us, or do us good; and therefore we are so intent about them, so busily occupied about them, but this would not work on us so much if we did believe that which I have now delivered unto you that God only is the Author of good and evil.  
Therefore will we reason with you, 
Reason 2. To prove the point.  and see if we can plant this principle in you, and strengthen your belief thereof. For it is certain that all the errors and obliquities we find in the lives of men, come from this, that these common Principles are not throughly believed, but by halves, and of them we fail in none more than in this; for if we did believe that God is the cause of all, we should serve him with willing hearts and ready minds in all things. It is true, we think God hath a chief hand in good and evil; yet we think the Creature can do somewhat too, but consider this one reason.  
If the Creature were able to do you good or hurt, 
Reason 1. If the creatures could do good or evil, God were not God.  I will be bold to say to you, that God were not God, and you might be absolved from worshipping him: For this is a principle planted in every man's nature, by the Author of Nature, that we regard or neglect every Creature more or less, as they are more or less able to do us hurt: now if the Creature could but in part do us good or hurt, we need not then care to worship the Lord only, for he only could not benefit or hurt us, but God only is to be worshipped; therefore he only hath power to do good or hurt. For on this ground we worship him alone; that he only is able to do good or hurt, otherwise he were not a complete adequate God to the worship that is required.  

Reason 2. The Creature should be God.  Again, if the Creature could do any thing, it might challenge part in the Deity, but it is impossible there should be any more Gods than one: Therefore it is the Lord only that doth good and evil. Thus Amos concludes it in his third Chapter, Is there any evil in the City that he hath not done? And so we may say, Is there any good that he hath not done; where mark the generality, Is there any evil that he hath not done? Therefore glorify him in thy life, and in all thy ways: 
Dan. 5.23.  For, as Daniel told Belshazzar, In his hands are all our ways. That is, we take not the least step to prosperity or adversity through the whole course of our life, but it is the Lord that guides our steps. Therefore in 2 Cor. 1.3. Paul calls him the God of all comfort exclusively, so that no Creature is able to join with him in giving the least comfort.  

Object. 1.  But you will say to me, Is this so? Do not we find by experience, 
From the operation of second causes.  that riches, and friends, and credit, and wisdom and the like do comfort us? And that the want and absence of these doth us hurt.  
Yes, but I may give you this double answer: 
Answ. 1.  First, 
1 The Lord works by them.  these things are at God's disposing and command, therefore it is not they that do any thing, but the Lord by them. It is the hand that brings to pass a thing, yet it is not virtually in the hand, but in the will of the man that commands it.  
But secondly, 
Reason 1. Which is illustrate by some comparisons.  I answer, It is not these things that do you good or hurt, but the Lord by them. You know when water heats the hand, you do not say, the water doth it, but the heat that is by the fire in the water. When you take a medicine in Beer or Wine, it is not the Beer or Wine that cures, but the medicine that is taken in that Beer or Wiine: So it is the Lord that refreshes and comforts, he wounds and he heals by the creature, but the creature doth neither.  
But you will say, this ability is borne and bred with the creature, and is never separated from it.  
I answer, it is very true, the Creature hath a fitness in it to do us good or hurt; but it is not able to put forth that fitness, or that strength, till it be acted by God; that is, till it be set a work to do it, by his blessing or cursing: For example, The bread hath a fitness to nourish, but if God says not to the bread, nourish such an one, it shall not be able to do it; for we live not by bread, but by the word of God, by his blessing of it, and commanding the Creature to do it. On the other side; take a disease, or any Creature that is fit to do us hurt, it shall not hurt, unless the Lord say, go and strike such a wretch, be an instrument of mine to punish him. Let an Axe be never so sharp and keen, till the Workman take it in his hand and apply it to the work, it shall do nothing: So God's blessing and cursing doth all; for God's blessing is nothing else, but his bidding of the Creature to do such an one good; and his cursing is nothing else, but his bidding of a Creature afflict such an one: 
By their different effects.  and therefore sometimes men are cheered by the Creature, sometimes again they want that cheering; sometimes they have contentment therein, and sometimes again they have not And hence it is, that there may be abundance of all things, and yet be no more than as the husk without the grain, as the shell without the kernel, affording nothing but emptiness. Again, you may have a hundred-fold with persecution, that is, God can give you more comfort in persecution, and the want of every thing, than you had in prosperity, when you had every thing supplied: therefore in jer. 9.23. 
By places of Scripture.  see how the Lord reasons, Let not the strong man rejoice in his strength, nor the wiseman in his wisdom, and why? For it is I the Lord which exercise loving kindness, and judgement, and righteousness in the earth. As if he had said, if these things were able to do you good or hurt, you might rejoice in them, but it is I the Lord that show justice and judgement, and am only able to do all. So in Psal. 62.10. If riches increase, set not your heart on them, and why? For power belongeth unto God. But they might object, The Lord useth the means; that is answered in the last ver. It is true, but GOD rewards according to our works, and not according to our means. And so much for the clearing of this: and now we will apply it.  
First, 
Use 1.  if the Lord be able to do all good, and evil, 
To labour to see God in his greatness.  then learn we hence to see God in his greatness: the Lord is forgotten in the world, we do not see him in his greatness and Majesty, and Almighty power; if we did, it would draw all our thoughts and affections to him, which are now occupied about so many several fancies: 
Which would draw our affections to God.  I say, they would be all pitched upon him, whereas seeing they are conversant about poverty and riches and friends and disgrace, as able to do good or evil: it is an argument, we attribute that to the creature which belongs to God, 
The want of it carries us to the Creature, and brings us upon the danger of Idolatry.  which is no better than Idolatry: as in Colos. 3.5. Mortify your earthly members, fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness which is idolatry; mark that. Now Idolatry is of two sorts, either when you worship the true God in a wrong manner, or else when you make the creature God: and that you do either when you conceive the creature under the notion of God as the heathen did the Sun and Moon: and as the Papists do the bread, (for if there be Idolatry in the world, that is Idolatry) or else when you attribute to the Creature that which is proper to God, that is, when you place your comfort and safety in the creature, and so place your joy and delight in him. And thus we do when we think riches or poverty by their presence or absence can do us good or hurt. Esay 41.23. you shall see there, the Prophet useth two arguments to prove that Idols were not gods: First, They tell us, not things to come: Secondly, They do neither good nor evil. As if he had said, if they could do good or hurt, they were gods: yet there is a secret opinion that lodgeth in our breasts though we observe it not, 
By advancing the creatures in our opinions.  that these things can do us good or hurt; and therefore, because our affections follow our opinion, we lust after them inordinately; and thence it is that they steal away our hearts, as as Absolom was said to steal away the hearts of the people: that is, he who was not the owner took them. And secondly, he did it secretly, and so deal the creatures with us, when we have a secret opinion of them. The rich man in Luke having much wealth about him concludes, Now soul take thy ease. And when David's Mountain was made strong, he says, therefore I shall not be moved; and have not we the same thoughts in us? Are not we ready to think, if I had such an advantage, such a friend, I should do well? But I say to you, that if you had all these, you should not be a jot the better, nor in the want of all these are you a jot the worse; for it is God only that creates peace and commands comforts; that you may set down for a conclusion. That is his Prerogative Royal, and thence it is that we must love him with all our hearts, and withal our souls; thence it is, that we are not to regard the creature at all, because he only can make our lives comfortable or not comfortable.  
If this were believed, how would it change our joys into tears? What an alteration would it make in our lives? If we did believe it indeed, should we be so taken up in seeking of wealth, and outward excellencies, and not rather in growing rich in faith and good-workes? If it were well planted in our hearts, we should mind nothing but grace and sin: for you know grace only finds acceptance with God, and sin only provokes him to anger. And indeed what in the world else is worthy our intentions: you may joy in these things, but still remember the Apostles rule, Buy as if you bought not, and grieve as if you grieved not, etc. Why so? Because these things can do you neither hurt nor good, if they could, they might have your intentions, but they cannot. Therefore do as Moses did, Heb. 11.27. He endured, for he saw him that was invisible. What then? Therefore he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of Pharaoh. When he saw God in his greatness, when he saw him that was invisible, that is, when he saw him as if he had been visible, it removed all fear of the creature. When a man sees the Sun, what is a Candle or torch to him? And so will all these things seem to thee, if thou couldst see God in his might. If God only doth good and evil, why then do you hasten after outward things and weary yourselves in vain for that which will not profit? Therefore the Schoolmen call sin Aversio a Deo and Conversio ad Creaturam, a turning from God, and a turning to the Creature.  

Question concerning the use of the Creatures.  But you will say, to what end then are the creatures? And what will you have us to do?  

Answ.  I answer, you may make use of these things (I deny you not that liberty) only use them with a dependant affection, 
They are to be used with a subordinate affection.  so as still you have an eye on God; you may take water out of the stream so as you have an eye to the Fountain; you may take light from the Air, so as your eye be on the Sun. So that if the glory of the Sun set, you account all your light to be gone though you have the Air still: that is, you may enjoy all these outward comforts, you may use your wealth and friends, and have wife and children, etc. but your comfort shall not be more nor less, nor your prosperity longer nor shorter, than as God is pleased more or less to shine on you, by the enjoyment or want of whose favour, you may be happy in the want of all, and abundantly miserable in the having of them all. Therefore saith the Prophet, You have forsaken God the fountain of living waters, and digged to yourselves Cisterns that will hold no water. What is that? It is as if the Lord said, what do you mean? It is the Lord that doth all; he is the Fountain, and the creatures are but Cisterns, and all their comfort is but borrowed. Again, you have in God living waters, that is, comforts of a better nature; but the water that you find in these pits is but muddy water. Again, he is a fountain that is never drawn dry, but these are broken pits that hold no water.  
Again, 
To look to God in all our business.  if God only do all good, and evil, then let us consider that what business so ever we have in the world, what outward employment soever we exercise ourselves in, yet our main business is in heaven; we be ready on all occasions to look to the face of the Ruler, of the Physician of men, and creatures: but we forget that the swaying of the balance this way, or that way, is from the Lord, When jacob had prayed earnestly to be delivered from Esau, God answers him, thou hast prevailed with God, and thou shalt prevail with men; so whatsoever business you have on earth, if you will bring your enterprise to pass, prevail with God, and you shall be sure to prevail with men; turn him, and all is turned with him, for all depends upon him. Whatsoever is done on earth, is first done in heaven, and concluded there, 
He doth instance in particulars.  and then we feel and taste the fruit of it here. From this general we may descend to particulars; and from hence you may learn, That it is not our Army by Land, nor our Navy at Sea that shall secure us at home, or prevail abroad, though it be well that these things be done, and therefore you do well in contributing cheerfully to his Majesty, for the maintenance thereof, for the common good: yet still remember that all your business is in heaven; and that you must trust more to your faithful prayers, then to your preparations for success in all enterprises.  
It is not our wooden walls that will guard us, it is not the Sea wherewith you are environed, nor our policy, counsel, and strength that will secure us, and defend us, but it is turning to the Lord, and cleansing the Land from the sins wherewith he is provoked that will do the deed. Turn to him and then he will turn to you, that shall be a blessing on us and all our enterprises. This is to see God in all things, this is to sanctify and exalt him for God, in our hearts; and without this all is nothing.  

Use 3.  I will end this point with this brief direction: you know there is in every man (I speak now of every man that is holy, 
Set Faith and the Spirit on work to judge of these things.  and not of others who are strangers from God) the flesh, and the spirit; there is faith and sense: and one of these two every man sets on work to take a view of the things that are before them. If you set faith and the spirit on work to look on things, they will tell you, it matters not what outward things are, what the Creature is, for it is God that doth all: set the flesh on work, set sense and carnal reason on work, and they will bring quite contrary news; like the wicked Spies that were sent into the Land of Canaan, who when they did but cast their eye on the state of things there, they were first discouraged themselves, and then discouraged the hearts of the people; Oh there be Giants, and walls reaching up to heaven! Whereas the good Spies that looked on things with another eye, brought another kind of message. Just thus it is with us, in sending out our Spies to look upon the state of things before us, if we send forth the Flesh, Sense and Reason, they bring report of terrible Walls, and cruel Giants, their power is so great, their forces so strong, that there is no meddling with them; but send Faith, and the Spirit, and the Will, like good Spies look on things with a right judgement, and indeed that is all the difference between an holy man, and another; the one looks on things with another eye, he sees a vanity in the Creature, which the other doth not, he sees an all-sufficiency in God, which the other cannot. And therefore he hath only an eye to the Lord, all his care is to serve him, and please him in all things. So he hath no ill news from heaven, he cares for nothing on earth. The other cares not how matters stand betwixt God and him; so all things be well below, so his Mountain stands strong; and therefore that we may judge of things with a righteous judgement, we must be careful to see them in their true nature, which only Faith, and the Spirit will present. And so much shall serve for that point.  
You see then, 

Two general points.  
Sin cause's Wrath.   that it is the wrath of God that doth all hurt, and the favour of the Lord that doth all the good. We come now to the second point, which will come in well upon the former: That it is sin that causes wrath; sin and wrath are knit together, they are inseparable. So that as Elisha said, 
Which he illustrates by a Compa●●●●n.  when jehoram sent a messenger unto him to take away his life, when he was sitting in the house with the rest of the Elders, Shut the door upon him, and hold him fast, for is not the sound of his Master's feet behind him? So I say to every man, If sin and wrath come together, than first shut the door of sin, which is the Messenger, suffer it not to come in, give it no entertainment, for is not the sound of his Master's feet behind him? Doth not the wrath of God follow? And shall not that wrath take away our head, as Elisha said? Therefore, if you will keep out GOD'S anger, keep out sin.  

Object.  But you will say, I feel no such thing. I have committed sin, 
From the insensibleness of wrath.  and yet have no experience of his wrath following so close upon it?  

Answ.  I answer, you must know this, that as diseases must have a time of ripening, 
Containing in it the proofs of the Doctrine.  so must sin. You know the poison of a disease enters not into the heart at first: Sin hath certain Vestigia, which are set down, james 1.14. When Lust is conceived, it brings forth sin, and when sin is ripened and perfected, it brings forth death. The reason why it brings not death presently, is, because it is not perfect, because it is not ripe. The sins of the Amorites, saith God, are not yet full. Ahab had committed a sin, he had got the Vineyard, and slain Naboth, and yet heard nothing of it; but when he had killed, and taken possession too, then came the Messenger of wrath, and execution followed. God let judas go on, till he had made the match, taken recompense, and betrayed his Master, but than wrath came in upon him. God stayed a great while, till the sin of Pharaoh was perfected, till his hardness of heart was come to a ripeness, and then he was drowned in the Red-sea.  
Therefore, in the second to the Romans it is said, There is a Treasure of wrath.  
Now in a Treasure there are three things: 
God's wrath is a Treasure.  First, when a man is once able to treasure up any thing, 
1 Because our sins add to his wrath.  he is still adding to it, and by degrees it grows: and in that sense the Lord hath a Treasure of wrath, as we add sins, he adds drops to the vial of his wrath, till it be full.  
Secondly, 
2 Because it lies still for a time.  it is a Treasure for a Time, it lies still a while, for else it were not Treasure.  
And thirdly, 
3 Because in time it is expended.  when the time of expense comes, than it is opened: And so it is with the wrath of the Lord, it is gathered by little and little, as you heap up sin by little and little, than it lies covered for a Time, but in due Season there shall be an expense of it; if you sow to the flesh, the seed must lie covered a time, and then it must have a Time of ripening, but at length comes reaping. Therefore be not deceived in this, though you feel not the wrath presently, yet think not that it will not follow. No, be assured this link between sin and wrath cannot be dissolved. You shall find a phrase in 2 Pet. 2.3. Whose damnation sleepeth not; What is the meaning of that? That is, they bring on themselves swift Destruction, though they think Damnation sleeps, yet it doth not so, it goes as fast as we, and will be sure to meet us in the journeys end. So Moses useth this phrase, Your sin shall find you out: And David in the Psalm saith, Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him, that is, Sin when it is committed, is like a Bloodhound, which, though a man be got far from the place where a thing is acted, yet follows the Tract, he pursues, and gives not over till he hath found: So God sets sin upon the Sent, as it were, and it will be sure to find us out. And for the most part when we think ourselves safest, it destroys us suddenliest. Do not think therefore, that these two links of sin and wrath can be severed. That which deceives us is this, we see all is quiet, and hear no more of sin, but you must know that all that while sin is sending its cries to heaven for vengeance, which are like unto the Vapours in the middle Region, 
Sin is like a stormy cloud.  that are sent up insensibly, we see them not, we hear them not, but they come down in a Storm. As God said to David, Thou offendedst in secret, but thy punishment shall be before this Sun. 
Simile.  We think sin a small thing: A great body, when we are passed a mile or two from it, we think very little, which proceeds from the weakness of the eye. The same imbesillity is in our minds, when sin is passed a great while since, we look not on it as the same thing, whereas the sin is the same in itself, the same in God's Account, and shall have the same punishment.  

Object. 2.  But you will say, Is this the case of every man, 
From the generality of sin.  who then shall be saved?  
I answer, 
Answ.  there is a difference in sins. Sin doth not always bring the same thing to pass in all, 
Yet all sin not alike.  though in some cases it may; both godly men and evil men do sin, Pearls and Pebbles may both fall into the mire, but one is a Pearl, the other a Pibble. 
And therefore are differently punished.  And there is this difference in the punishment, if a son offend, his father will chastise and admonish him, but not cast him off, the father will spare his son in whom he delighteth, but if a servant offends him, he turns him out of doors, and will no more have to do with him; if you be servants of sin, eternal wrath shall come on you, he will turn you out of doors, and utterly cast you off.  
We will apply this. 
Use 1.  And first, it shows you, that if sin still draws on wrath, 
Of the Point. To see sin in its effects.  then if you cannot see sin in itself, yet see it in its Effects, in its Concomitants, as it is attended on by the wrath of God; though you care not for the blackness of the coal, yet care for the burning of the coal; though you care not for the foulness of sin, which holiness should teach you to regard, yet let the fire that is in it move you, specially considering it is the wrath of God, 
Which is urged from the Terror of God's wrath.  which fear and self-love should persuade you to decline: Psa. 90.11. saith the Psalmist there, Who knows the power of his wrath? As if he had said, no man knows it, but those that have felt it. I say, it is a thing we do not know: Rom. 9.22. saith the Apostle there, What if God to show his wrath, and to make his power known, suffer with much patience the vessels of wrath fitted to Destruction? Mark it; the meaning is, when the Lord comes to execute his wrath, he will show his Almighty Power therein: As he shows the Riches of his glory in his mercy to others, so his very Power, yea the transcendent greatness of his Power shall be declared in his Wrath. But, alas, wherefore do I go about to enlarge my expressions of this Wrath? The Truth is, you will never understand it by the speaking of others, it must be the LORDS work.  
If he will manifest himself to you, that is, if he will open a crevise to let in to your soul the least Glimpse of him in his wrath and anger, it will amaze and confound the stoutest hearted of you all. Saul was a stout man, Achitophel was a wise man; but when God manifested himself to them, as he did to Saul the day before he died, when GOD would not answer him, when he apprehended God in his wrath, he fell down to the ground. If God be set against us, let but an imagination, an apprehension, yea, the least thing, come as a Messenger of his displeasure, as an Arrow dipped in the venom of his wrath, it shall be insupportable.  

Object.  But you will say, I never felt it to be so terrible.  

From the not present feeling of Wrath.  ay, but if once the Lord shall mingle the least troublesome thought with his wrath, 
Answ.  so that you shall see him in it; 
It is not felt, because it is not apprehended.  I say, that will amaze and confound you, as the hand-writing did Belshazzar: It was not the hand-writing that did so distemper him, but the apprehension of an angry God, that was able to take away his life from him. When God came to Elijah, 1 King. 19.11. he first of all sent a wind that broke the Mountains, and rend the Rocks; then he sent an Earthquake, and then a Fire, to let him know what a God he is: And thus shall every man find him, that meets him not by repentance. Therefore do not trust to this, that the sins you committed are long ago past.  
I will for that purpose commend unto your remembrance joabs' case; 
2 Sin remains on Record.  and Shimei's case: joab had committed a sin long ago, but he was never a whit the better for that, his pardon being not sued out, God so ordered it in his providence, that his Gray-hairs should be brought to the grave in blood. So Shimei seemed to be quiet a great while, but at last the Lord met with him. I may also tell you of Saul's sin in wronging the Gibeonites, though it rested a while, yet it was brought home to him at the end.  
But, 
3 And at length God will strike once for all.  you will say I feel nothing? But let not that deceive you; remember that terrible saying in 1 Sam. 3. Samuel threatened from God a great judgement on the house of Ely; but the house of Ely flourished still: It is no matter for that, says Samuel, I would have you know this, that when the Lord begins, he will also make an end, that is the greatest terror of all others. When a man observes this to be his case, to lie in sin, and go on in sin, and think there is no judgement, nor greater terror, it is an argument that when God begins, he will also make an end. As when one that is seldom sick, is seized upon by sickness, he is as one that is left by the Physicians, there remains nothing but death.  

Object.  But you will say to me, If this wrath of God be so terrible, 
The remedy prescribed, is to meet the Lord.  and it be sin that brings this wrath, what shall we do?  

Answ.  I answer, It is your wisdom then to meet the Lord: Amos 4.12. Therefore, saith God, will I do thus unto there, and because I will do thus, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. When the Israelites had sinned, says Moses to Aaron, Behold his wrath is gone forth, run quickly with Incense, and stand betwixt the living and the dead. It is our case, Wrath is gone out, the Plague is begun amongst us; therefore let every one look to his own privates, and know that the way to prevent further judgement, is to meet the Lord.  
But what is it to meet the Lord? It stands in two things: First, in Humiliation of our hearts; Secondly, in Reformation of our lives.  

Which consists, first, in Humiliation.  First, there must be Humiliation, and indeed till then, no man will go in to God. We preach Reconciliation in the Gospel, but men regard it not because they be not humbled; men will only cheapen the Kingdom of GOD, but they will not buy it; they will go through for it, till they know the bitterness of sin. Men do in this case, as the Israelites of whom when Cyrus made a Proclamation, that every one that would might go out of Captivity, only they went, whose hearts the Lord stirred up; and what should stir up our hearts to go out of the bondage of sin? Surely nothing but this sense of sin, Humiliation for, and Apprehension of the wrath of God. In the jubilee, every man would not go out of servitude, some would continue servants still; and why? They felt not the yoke, for if they had they would have gone out. So I say, this very Gospel that we preach is a general jubilee, every one may go out from under the yoke of Satan if he will; but till men feel the bitterness of sin, the heaviness of his yoke, till men be humbled they will not go out, but continue servants still. And therefore Humiliation is first required; for as long as a man hath any thing to trust to, he will not come in. It was the case of the Prodigal Son, as long as his goods lasted, he thought not of returning home, when they were spent, he hired himself forth, and if that could have afforded him a living, he would not have come home, nay, if he could have got husks to maintain life, he would still have stayed abroad; but when all means of comfort failed him, when he had nothing to support him, then saith he, I will go home to my father's house. And so till we be humbled throughout, so that we can see no means of longer subsistence that our hearts be throughly touched with the sense of sin, we will never come in to God; and that is the first thing we must do.  

In Reformation▪  Secondly, this is not enough, but that you may meet the Lord there is required reformation likewise. And herein I will say this briefly, you must remember that this reformation be general, of greater sins, and of smaller too.  

Object.  You will say, I hope there is some difference, and every small sin is not such a matter. 
The smallness of sin.  I will show the danger even of small sins, 
Answ.  and so will end this point. 
The least sin is disobedience against God. Instance of the example of Saul.  You shall see what a small sin is by that speech of Samuel, 1 Sam. 15.23. when the Lord had bidden Saul to go and slay the Amalekites, and destroy them and theirs utterly, but Saul did not so, for he spared the best of the flocks and Agag their King: Samuel gives him this answer in effect; Saul, saith he, be the thing never so small, yet thy not doing of it is disobedience, yea, it is stubbornness and rebellion. And so I say to every one, be the sin never so small, instance in what you will, is it not disobedience? Suppose it be the least Oath, yea, but a vain speech; suppose it be careless performance of holy duties be they what they will, yet is it not disobedience? Is it not repugnant to what the Lord hath commanded? 
The example of Adam.  As the Lord said to Adam, the matter was not the action of eating of the Tree, but hast thou eaten of the Tree of which I said Thou shalt not eat. And if it be disobedience, whether it be in greater or smaller matters; see what Samuel judgeth of that, Disobedience and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, thou hast cast the Lord away by doing it. The meaning is this, When a man comes under the Lord's government, he applies himself to him as the Soldier doth to his General, always to follow him, and in all things to obey him; now he that disobeyes his General, he casts his General away and leaves him. And thus Saul was said to cast the Lord away, because in that particular he would not follow him.  
Again, 
Every sin is the setting up of another God.  why do you cease to follow the LORD, but that you set up some other god to follow? And therefore Samuel adds, stubornnesse and disobedience is as Idolatry; that is, you never disobey God, but you take another god to you, therefore it is no small sin, because every sin is disobedience. And since God commands exactness, since he hath commanded me to keep the Sabbath, to pray, and to be fervent, and frequent in it: consider it, shall I neglect what the Lord hath commanded me? If there be a command to this or that duty, am not I bound to endeavour to keep it? And if I go aside, ought I not to return again, for else it is disobedience.  
It is true, 
A difference betwixt a godly and a wicked man in regard of sins.  the best of the Saints are not able to do all this; that we do not deny, yet this they do, they endeavour to do it, they carry a constant purpose of heart to do it, they desire to do it, they never come to give over striving to do it; they never say, I must give liberty to myself in this, I cannot choose but fail in this, and so lay aside their wasters: they have continual war with Amalek, they never make peace with Sin; and that's the difference betwixt spiritual men and others, they are as a Spring: for if an unclean thing fall into a Spring, the Spring is not unclean, because the Spring works it out again: Indeed if it fall into a Pond or Pit of water, that shall be unclean because it lies there, it cannot work it out. So it is with every godly man; in every regenerate heart there is a Spring of grace, though he may sometimes fall into foul sins, yet he will work them out, and clear himself again: whereas another man when he is fallen into sin, continues in it, the guilt and power of it remains upon his soul, and he excuses himself with the smallness of it.  

No sin is small, for it is committed against an exact Law. Mat. 5.18.  This is a common fault, and therefore I will press it the more. Consider that which Christ saith, Heaven and earth shall pass, but the least jot of this Law shall not pass: What is the meaning of that? It is as if he had said, somethings in the Law of God you may think small, which are but ïotas, though other things be greater; but take you heed that you keep every particular, for there is not a jot of it, but the Lord will have all his servants regard it exactly; they shall have respect to every Commandment, and to every part of that Commandment, the least particular in his Law shall not pass away. For consider, if it were not so, it would be a prejudice to the Lords wisdom, for there would be something that he commands which we might slight. But the Lord that hath commanded all, both great and small, knows that it is best that all shall be kept, and therefore though heaven and earth shall pass, yet the least jot of that Law shall not pass; that this is the meaning of the place you may see by Christ's exposition of the Law.  
The pharisees said, Adultery must not be committed, but I say (saith CHRIST,) He that lusts hath committed adultery in his heart: They said, You must not swear by the Temple, but I say, Swear ●ot at all: they said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I say, You must forgive your brethren. Thus we must labour to resist sin in every, even the least particular, and reform ourselves in the omission of the least particle of the Law. And so much likewise for the second point.  
Thirdly, 
The third general point, Zeal turns away wrath.  we come now to consider what it is that turns away his wrath, and that is Zeal. Phineas hath turned away my wrath, while he was zealous for my sake; so that Zeal turns away the Lords wrath.  
You shall see it exemplefied in Elijah's answer to the Lords demand, 
1 Proved by Scripture and instances.  1 Kings 19.4. What dost thou here Elijah? 
1 Elijah.  As if he had said, what hast thou done abroad in the world? Says he, I have been zealous for the Lord of Hosts, because the children of Israel have broke thy covenants, thrown down thine Altars, and killed thy Prophets, and I only am escaped. As if he had said, I have done the most I could for the safety of the Church, I have been zealous for the Lord, and therefore he prevailed with God for his own deliverance. You may see it likewise in jehu, who being zealous not in word only, but in deed also, turned away the wrath of the Lord. 
The truth of it appears from the danger of lukewarmeness.   
And you may know it by the contrary, that it is zeal that turns away the Lords wrath, because it is coldness and lukewarmeness that brings on his wrath. Rev. 3.16. consider there, what is the reason why the Lord will spew out the Church of Laodicea, and cast it away? Because it was lukewarm, and therefore the means to continue or procure his favour, is it not heat and zeal? Again, Rev. 2.4. The Church of Ephesus fell from her first love, what then? Therefore I will come against thee shortly and remove thy Candlestick. Then to abound in love, so that our works may be more at last, than at first; to be zealous for the LORD, is the way to stay the Lord among us, and to continue his Gospel of peace.  

Coldness provokes as much sin.  Therefore (by the way) it is not only the great sins of the Land that are causes of God's wrath, but the coldness of them that are otherwise good, that causeth the Lord to remove the Candlestick. The very coldness of the Church of Ephesus, in falling from her first love; the lukewarmeness of the Laodiceans, the LORD would not endure in them.  
Let every man consider this; is his zeal now as much as it hath been, if not, let us know that it is reckoned coldness, and lukewarmeness: the falling from our first love, is the cause of bringing Gods judgements on a Nation.  
But what is this zeal? Zeal is nothing else but the intention of all holy affections and actions. I will go no further than this Text to show the nature of it.  
Phineas was zealous, 
Which is a stirring up of affection.  that is, he not only did the thing, but his heart burned within him with zeal for GOD. So as, First, there must be a stirring up of affection; 
2 For the Lord.  Secondly, it must be holy, it must be for the Lord; and this is it that discovers true zeal, to look only to the Lord, to have no by-respects, as there may be zeal that makes a great deal of hea●e, and yet it comes from the earth, although it makes as great a show as the best.  
Again, 
3 There must be with it intention of action.  there must be intention, not only of affections, but also of action. Therefore it is said, while he was zealous for my sake among them: as if he had said, this zeal of Phineas was not kept smothered in his own breast, but it brak● forth into action; he did something for the Lord.  
And indeed, it is action that glorifies GOD, and that benefits men, only actions stand on our reckoning: for you know God judgeth every man according to his works. It is action that doth ourselves good, that makes us useful, and serviceable to men; and the Church, that makes us instruments of God's glory. Therefore add action to affection, and know that zeal stands in both, for it is the intention of holy actions and affections. I will add no more in the explication, but will briefly apply it.  

Use 1.  And first, if it be zeal that turns away the Lords wrath, 
Not to discourage those that be zealous.  then why should we discourage zeal; by it I dare be bold to say the City stands.  
Why do wicked men cry down all religion and zeal under the name of preciseness, 
The frequency of such discouragements.  and overmuch strictness of life, walking boldly in the streets, and reckoning it their glory to wound God through the sides of men? So that they make those that bear the name of Christ, 
The ill effects.  ready to reckon that their shame which is their glory; to hang down the wing, and to seek corners to hide their heads in: whence it is, that the servants of Christ follow their Master a far off, as if they were half ashamed of his service, when as they should wear his Livery in open view, as accounting that their greatest honour. It were well, if some means were used to prevent this. If it be zeal that turns away the wrath of God, we should do well then to nourish and cherish them that are zealous.  
Are not religion and zeal the two which hold all up? 
Zeal and Religion, the pillars of Church and Commonwealth.  Are they not the pillars that bear up the Church and Commonwealth? Are not they the reskues that deliver the City? Yet do not wicked men with them, as those that to lop the Tree are still hacking at the boughs? But the Lord still holds them up, and the world for their sakes. For why is this heap of chaff preserved from burning? Is it not because there is some Corn some Wheat mixed therewith? If the Corn be once out, will not the Lord (as men use to do after winnowing) set the chaff on fire? As women with child are grieved to be delivered, so the Lord stays till the world be delivered, as it were, of all his Elect ones, of all the Saints, of all his holy and zealous ones, and then shall be brought forth the judgement of the great day.  
The World may cast out these men, 
They are Gods Pearls, though cast out in the world.  as the Sea doth Pearls, among mire and dirt, but they are Pearls notwithstanding; God knows them to be so, and wisemen know them to be so, yea, Pearls excelling other men, as much as jewels do common stones, as much as Lilies and Roses do Thorns and Briers, among which they grow. What's the reason that Elijah is called the Chariot of Israel, and the Horsemen thereof, but because he was an holy man, that did much for God's glory, that did more advantage the State at home, and did more prevail abroad, than all the Chariots and Horsemen. And may not we apply this to the zealous among us: Therefore, when we injury any of them, do not we cut off the hair from Sampsons' head, wherein the strength of every Country and Nation, and every City and Town consists? Yea, the cutting off of them, is like the cutting off of his locks, which the more the grow, the more strength a Kingdom hath. I say no more, but commend it to every man in his place, wishing that you would let it be your general care to encourage true Religion and Zeal, the omitting whereof, I am persuaded, is one of those things which causeth the Lord's hand to be stretched forth against us.  

Use 1.  Secondly, if it be Zeal that turns away the LORDS wrath, 
Containing many Convictions of our want of Zeal. 1. From the formality of the Times.  then where is the Zeal that should be among us?  
Are we not rather fallen into those later times the Apostle speaks of, which should have a form of Religion without the Zeal, and Power and Life of it? And if Zeal turns away God's wrath, certainly then this formality, this overlinesse of Religion, this coldness without Zeal and Power, is it that brings on his wrath. It is true, and we cannot deny but knowledge abounds amongst us, as the waters in the Sea: But where is the Salt? That is, where is that Zeal, and holiness that should season all our knowledge? Where is the Fire that should add practice to our knowledge, and make it an acceptable sacrifice to GOD? We have the light of former Times, but not their heat: As he complains, Ignis qui in Parentibus fuit calidus, in nobis lucidus; The Fire which in ancient Times was hot, is now only light. We think it enough to go to Church, to receive the Sacrament, and so to keep a round, as it were, to do as most do, being carried about with the general course of the World, as the Planets are with the rest of the Spheres, contrary to that which should be their proper motion. But, I beseech you, consider it. Is this Religion? Is this the Power of Godliness; is this to be Baptised with the Holy Ghost, which is as Fire? Surely, Religion stands not in these outward formalities, but in changing the heart, in making us New Creatures, in mortifying our Lusts, and thoroughly purging out the love of every corruption. Therefore, if you will turn away God's wrath, turn your formality into Zeal, that is, content not yourselves with the performance of the duties of Religion externally, but get that wherein the power of godliness consists, else the outside of Duties will not divert Wrath.  
Again, 
2 Conviction. From our want of affection for the Lord.  did Zeal turn away the wrath of the Lord, then where are our zealous affections? Why are we not zealous for the Lord, and zealous against sin? You know Christ died for this end, that he might purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. Titus 2.14. Men do good actions as a Task, they are glad when they be over; but do you them with much intention, much fervency, much desire, be you a people zealous of good works. Therefore in Rom. 12.11. They are put together, be fervent in spirit, and serving the Lord; implying that the Lord respects no service, but as it is joined with fervency: Therefore know, that it is not enough to serve the Lord in an ordinary Tract, you must mend your pace to heaven; it is not enough to go, but you must run the way of God's Commandments.  
And as you must be zealous for him, 
2 Against sin.  so you must be zealous against evil: For you must know this (and mark it well) it is not enough to abstain from sin, it is not that alone that God will accept, but he looks that you should hate sin. As it is said of Lot, his righteous soul was vexed with the unclean conversation of the Sodomites, that is, his heart rose against them, there was an inward distaste against them; the like you shall see in David and Moses.  

Differences betwixt Hatred and Anger.  You will say, I hope I detest sin, and am angry with it.  

1 Hatred is constant.  It may be so; perhaps you are angry with sin, but Zeal you know is an intention of the affection of hatred, and it is required that you hate sin: Revel. 2.6. This thou hast, that thou hatest the work of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  
You will say, How do they differ? You shall know hatred by this.  
First, it is a constant affection, it abides with us; Anger goes away as all passions do, it is but for a fit, for a flash, on some occasion.  

2 It sets against the whole Species.  Again, hatred is always of generals; the sheep hates all Wolves, we hate all Toads, all Serpents. I say, wheresoever there is hatred, it turns to the whole Species. Now do you hate all sin, all kinds of sin, one as well as another? Do you not only abstain from them, but also hate them, of what sort soever they be.  
Lastly, Hatred seeks the utter destruction of the thing hated. 
3 
It ●ests not but in utter destruction.  
judge of our Anger by these ●arkes.   Anger would have but a proportion of justice, as Aristotle says. Now is it so with you? Do you seek the utter destruction of sin, abstaining not only from gross sins, but from all dalliances, from the least touch of sin, cleansing yourselves from all pollusions of the flesh and spirit? If you will be zealous for the Lord, then know that this is required, that you not only do things, but that you do them zealously, that you not only abstain from sin, but that you hate it.  
Again, 
3 Conviction. From our want of courage for the truth.  if it be Zeal that turns away the wrath of the Lord, then where is our boldness, our courage, our forwardness for the Truth? Why are we so fearful and shy of doing the thing that otherwise we think meet to be done? For Zeal hath that property among the rest, it makes men bold; the Zeal of the Apostles was known by their boldness.  
But you will say, 
Object.  A man may be too bold  
It is very true; 
From the danger of too much boldness.  when the horse runs up and down, and is at liberty, the more mettle the worse, but under the bridle, and in the way there cannot be too much; 
Answ.  keep the stream within the banks, 
Danger of Excess must be prevented by a well regular●●g our boldness.  and let it run in a right Channel, and then the stronger the better. It is good therefore in this case to come to a disjunction, which is the thing that Elijah advised, If Baal be God, follow him; but if God be God, follow him; and follow him to purpose. And as Luther wrote to Melancthon, when he began to faint; Why, Melancthon, if this be the Cause of God, why should we be discouraged? why should we go coldly about it? If it be not the Cause of God, why do not we desist altogether? This Disjunction put life into him.  


The Objection is prosecuted.  
And more fully answered.   ay, but discretion and moderation must be used. It is true, but doth this cross your zeal? Doth one Grace cross another? Prudence doth not abate diligence, but guides it in its work. It teaches not to do less, but to do better. Therefore, as for Moderation, you must know it stands in avoiding the Rock, in declining the extreme, but Moderation in a right course, is not moderation, but lukewarmness, and coldness.  

4 Conviction. From our want of Zeal for the Church.  Last of all, to conclude this point, and only to name the rest. If Zeal turn away the wrath of God, then where is our zeal for the Church of God? Why do not we take its case to heart? why have not we the bowels of compassion to lament over its condition, as if it were our own? It was a most commendable thing in old Ely, when he heard the news that the battle was lost, that his sons were slain, that moved him not so much; but when he heard that the Ark of God was taken, that amazed him, so that he fell from his seat and broke his neck. Consider this, and know, that it is required that you be zealous for the Church. Let our Gallants consider this, that care not how things go, And those that will have the Church negligently regarded, let them consider that a curse abides him Who doth the work of the Lord negligently. 
Ze●le for the Church is acceptable to God, even when he is angry with her.  And know, that though the Lord be angry with his Church, as many times he is, yet your zeal● on its behalf, your prayers for it, your cost upon it, your labour about if, yea, whatsoever you do, for it is acceptable to God even then when he is angry with it, when he afflicts i. David was angry with Absolom, joab makes a suit to ●i● to call home his banished, though David was angry with Absolom, yet joabs' suit to David was very acceptable, he could not have come of a better message. So you cannot do a more acceptable work, than to seek for the Churches good, and to pray for its prosperity. It is true indeed, the Lord will take care of his Church, and they that, be enemies to it shall not be gainers; as Zach. 12.6. 
It is dangerous to wrong the Church.  They that seek to hurt the Church of God, shall be as a company of sheaves that go about to suppress a coal of fire, which shall consume them all. And they that go about to devour the Church, shall be like a man that thinks to devour a cup of poison, but by it is killed himself, or like a man that goes about to throw up a stone that is too heavy for him, which falls back, and crushes him to powder. All these expressions there be in that Chapter. It is true, he will not cast away the care of his Church, he will defend it against them that oppose it; but in the mean time, if you do not your part, you shall lose your glory, nay, you shall be guilty of Negligence, which will bring a Curse with it upon you.  

Direction what we must do for the Church.  But you will say, What would you have us to do for it?  
I answer, We must consider the Church abroad, and at home.  

Abroad.  For the Churches abroad we will not prescribe unto you any particular direction, only we will commend to you this general, That you seek their safety and preservation, and the propagation of Religion among them, with all care and intention, as you shall see occasions and circumstances to require.  

At home.  But for the Church at home, you see the Lord hath begun to make a breach upon us. And as it is in Ezek. 22.30. He seeks for a man among us that may stand in the Gap.  
It is well done that you have gone so far, as you have, but remember that it is a thing that the Lord desires. And know withal, that the Lord marks what every man doth for his Church, he observes who is zealous, and who sits still, he takes notice who doth nothing, who doth something, and how much every man doth: As in Malach. 3.16. The Lord hearkened, and heard, and a Book of Remembrance was written. The Lord harkens and hears what every man speaks, what every man doth, yea, to what end, with what heart; how his Church is thought upon. 
Concerning the Church at home three things are commended to consideration.  Consider this therefore, that you may be stirred up to do more.  
You will say, What would you have us to do more? I will commend these three things unto you, and so conclude this point:  
First, 
Execution of judgement.  do as Phineas is in the Text said to do, the thing he did to turn away the wrath of the Lord was, executing of judgement in the punishment of Z●mri and Cosby that had committed that grea● si●ne. And mark this, when Phineas began to stir, the Lord ceased to strive. And know, that the Lord regards not so much what the particular sins of a Nation or Church are, as what the action, the behaviour, the carriage of the S●ate tow●●●s them is. Doubtless the action of both th● Houses of Parliament declaring th●ir zeal both ●●w and heretofore, hath ●●●ne a great meres of turning away the Lords wrath, and will ●e more and more, if you do so more and more. This is a thing I cannot b●●lke seeing the Text casts me on it; that this zeal of Phineas, this act of his in punishing sin turned away the Lords wrath.  
You will say, 
Specially against three things:  what things should we punish?  
Three things, First, Whoredom: you see here ●he people committed whoredom as it is plainly mentioned by the Apostle. 
1 Whoredom  Be not ye fornicators as some of them were, and fell in one day so many thousands.  
Another sin was Idolatry, 
2 Idolatry.  they joined themselves with Baal-peor.  
And there is a third sin, 
3 Injustice.  not mentioned here, but is as frequently mentioned by the Prophets, to have a hand in common judgements as any other, and that is Injustice; when righteousness is turned into Hemlock, and judgement into wormwood; that is a thing that must be remembered among the rest. Indeed there may be mistakes in the administration of justice, which through ignorance and the not perfect knowledge of a cause may be fallen into; but the Injustice, that turns righteousness into wormwood, as I said before, must be remembered, and that is, either Bribery, or that respecting of persons in judgement, which is equivalent thereunto, and will come in among the rest. These be sins, the punishment whereof turns away the wrath of the Lord. Therefore remember these in particular, and consider what it is to spare in this case; Saul was lost by sparing Agag: and remember what Elijah gained, and jehu gained by being zealous. The manner we will wholly leave to you, only, be zealous for the Lord.  

2 Contention for the Faith.  The second thing you must do for the Church, to turn away the Lords wrath, is, to contend for that which maintains the Church, I mean, Faith; maintain that which maintains you, preserve that which preserus you, the whole Church and Kingdom. We will therefore commend to you, that of judges, I exhort you, saith he, that you contend for the faith which was once given to the Saints: Mark it, you are to contend earnestly, for so much the word implies, herein we are to be contentious men. The very example of our adversaries may teach us to contend for th● Truth, if we consider, how they contend f●r the contrary; 
To which we should be provoked by the practice of her enemies.  if we observe what unity there is among them, what joint consent in opposing the truth. Again, remember what you are to contend for, it is for Faith, for the whole doctrine of Faith, every jot whereof is precious, and it is the faith that was once given to the Saints. As if he had said, look to it, if you lose it, it shall be recovered no more. Christ will not come again from heaven to deliver this point of doctrine. And again, it was once delivered to the Saints, for what? Certainly to be kept as we keep Pearls and jewels, that it may not suffer the least detriment.  
And let no man say he hath nothing to do with this, for it is the common faith which every man hath to do with: you know in common things wherein every man hath interest, every man is ready to maintain his right. Consider this, and stand for the whole Faith, for all the doctrine of Faith, and know, that these are matters of exceeding great moment; all that we have said before of the punishment of Injustice, Whoredom, Idolatry, and Superstition, etc. is not so much as this; for a man may turn aside to these sins, and yet have a right judgement, but so long as the judgement is perverted, the soul is irrecoverable.  
Again, these are of exceeding great consequence, for what Elisha did with the Syrians, who when they thought they were led to the man whom they sought to take, were brought into Samaria to be taken; the same falls out where there is an error of faith: that which men think builds them up unto the Kingdom of GOD, leads them to that which will be their destruction. Therefore contend for the Faith, for the whole doctrine of Faith, for every point of Faith, and remember to contend for it earnestly.  

Advancement of the Ministry.  The third and last action that we will commend unto you, is this, Labour to do that most which will most glorify God, that is, endeavour to set up a learned Ministry in the Land and Church: you know it is a great complaint, My people perish for want of knowledge; and who are they that perish? Acts 20.28. Even the flock that God hath purchased with his own blood.  
And at whose hands must it be required? It is true, we are the Vines that bear the Grapes, but you are the Elms that must hold up the Vines. It is true, we are the Shepherds to defend the flock, but it must be your care to see that every flock have a Shepherd. Is it not a lamentable thing to see how many perish for want of knowledge in Wales, in the Northern Countries, 
By setting a Candle in every candlestick.  and in many places beside. Is it not your part to take care and labour as far as you may, that every Candlestick may have a Candle set in it to give light? That every P●rish have an able Preaching Minister. It is true, every Parish cannot be provided for alike; Stars are of different magnitudes, some Stars are greater, some are lesser, some Stars shine not at all, some again shine in another Hemisphere, and not in our own, some shine like Meteors for a little time, and then disappear again: let it be your care, that all S●rres that are in the firmament of the Church, I mean those that are to dispense the mysteries of salvation, may (though weakly yet) like true Stars shine. These things we must commend to your care, only remember this, you know the wrong that is done to the flock, 
By keeping out dogs that will devour.  if dogs be suffered among them, therefore let them be removed; I mean those that endeavour to put out the light, that so they may the better prevail, and teach their doctrines of darkness. As when the day is done, the beast wanders abroad; and do not we find it so amongst us? For where doth Popery abound so much, as in the dark places of the Kingdom? I beseech you consider this and be zealous. I should have added more, but so much shall serve for the third point. 
4 General point If we be not zealous, God's jealousy grows hotter.   
The other I will but name; and indeed I will the rather name them, though I do no more, because they follow so one upon another. You have heard that GOD'S anger brings all evil, that sin is the cause of that anger, that it is zeal that turns away that anger.  
Now Fourthly it follows, that if you be not zealous, his jealousy shall grow hotter, it shall increase more and more. The very word jealousy hath something in it; when the Lord looks on a Church or Nation, the loss of their affection breeds a jealousy, which is intended more and more if there be not care to prevent it.  
Therefore when the Lord is jealous, he sends some tokens of his jealousy; as when a man strikes, we know he is angry; so when the Lord sends a plague among us, we may conclude he is angry. When a messenger comes, the sooner he hat● his answer the sooner he is gone, but he will stay till he hath his answer: 
And his messenger must have an answer  and will the Lord send this messenger in vain? Doth he not send it for an answer? And what is the answer the Lord looks for? That you fast and pray, and humble yourselves, and turn from your evil ways, and be zealous for his sake. What else is the end of all his judgements? Are they not as medicines, or plasters to heal a Church, or a Nation or a particular person? They will stick on till the sore be healed, but when it is healed they will fall off: so you shall find these judgements of the Lord, as long as we remain unreformed they will stick by us, till we be healed the plaster will continue. Therefore are those phrases in Scripture, his hand is stretched out still and still; as in Deut. 28. Till we be healed, he will not make an end of correcting: he is now as it were engaged; and you know when a man is engaged to proceed in a thing, he must go on till he hath brought it to an issue, else it will be counted rashness; and do you think the LORD will turn from his wrath now it is begun, unless we give him an expected issue? It cannot be.  

Means to stop his wrath is to stand in the gap.  What shall we then do? The way to stop his wrath is to stand in the gap: when a breach is made in the Sea, or in a River, as long as the breach continues, the waters come in upon the Land; the way to prevent further inundation, is to make up the breach. This plague is but a gap, a few may yet stand in the gap and stop it: you see what Phineas did here alone, and it is much what one man may do; therefore let every man for his own part humble himself for his own sins, let him turn from them, and be zealous with God by prayer, by striving and contending with him; for there be but two ways to stand in the gap, 
Which consists in faithful prayer.  one is faithful and fervent Prayer, the other is Zeal against sin, and in defence of that which is good. I will say no more of this (for I do but name the point) only remember, that except you do thus, this jealousy of GOD shall go on, grow upon us, and wax hotter and hotter.  
Now the last point of all is this, 
5 General point jealousy for the most part shall proceed to utter destruction.  that the effect of this jealousy (if it goes on) shall be utter destruction; therefore says the Text, That I consumed them not in my jealousy: as if he had said, else my jealousy should have gone on, and that jealousy should have been confusion. It is yet but a plague, the Land is yet safe (wherein you may see the Lords great patience, and long-suffering;) but if something be not done, if this jealousy of his be suffered to go on, if nothing be done to prevent its further progress, his wrath will end in utter destruction; you know I need not tell you, how near we were to this destruction in Eighty eight, 
Two great deliverances we have had. Beware the third time.  the Gunpowder-treason we were brought much nearer; the Axe was then laid to the root: this was twice. I will say thus much unto you, take heed of the third time. The Lord says, well, let the Tree stand yet a while longer, let no more blows be yet given it, that I may see if it will bring forth any more fruit: but as I said (and remember it) take heed of the third time; the Lord hath appointed sin to destruction, and he expects your execution of it. I will put you in remembrance of the story of Ahab and Benhadad, It were good that you would read the whole story, 
The story of Ahab is considerable to this purpose.  1 Kings 20.26. you know what was Benhadads' behaviour to him; the LORD delivered him into his hand, he offered him what he would have, he entered into Covenant with him, spared him, and sent him away; but you shall see what message was sent afterwards, Because thou hast spared him that was appointed for destruction, therefore shall thy life go for his life. Sin is now in your hands, let it not escape execution; I do not speak particularly of punishment, that I leave to you, to do according to your wisdom, and according to justice, according to discretion and observance of all circumstances. Only I say this to you, be zealous, and remember, yea, let it remain with you as an irreversable truth, that this jealousy of GOD'S, if it goes on, will be destruction.  
Therefore, learn hence to fear; Security is like a Calm before an Earthquake: you know it is said of Laish, it was a secure people, and you know how they fared: They were so secure, that when an enemy came against them, it was like the shaking of a Figtree that hath ripe Figs on it, which being shaken, the Figs fall into their mouth: 
There is a double fear:  Be not secure, but fear, 
1 A fear that puts us upon indirect means.  which is both a sign, and a means of safety.  
It is true, there is a double fear: One kind of fear indeed brings evil on us, and that we shall find was the fear of jeroboam, who being afraid, that by occasion of the people's going to jerusalem, the Kingdom would return to the House of David; therefore he falls to indirect policy, and out of that fear, caused Golden-calves to be set up in Dan and Bethel. Indeed, a fear that sets us on wrong means is unlawful, as that very thing was the destruction of him, and of his House, for it lost them the Kingdom. So Saul had a fear, but that fear was his undoing, because it set him a work to use ill means, for when he was afraid, he went to the Witch of Endor, which was his ruin, 
2 A fear that sets us to work on good means.  whereas it may be, if he had sought to the LORD, he might have obtained help.  
But then there is the good fear that I commend to you, which is opposite to security, that is, such a fear as sets you on work to use good means: You see David, when Zigzag was burnt with fire; and his men were ready to stone him, what his fear set him on work to do, to pray, to encourage himself in the Lord, and this fear turned away the evil. Such a fear was jehosaphats', when he feared, he humbled himself before the LORD by fasting and prayer. Let this be your fear, and let it have such an effect among you, to use such means as shall turn away the Lords wrath.  
And, in a word, to conclude, and it shall be the last word I will speak to you, mark it well, and hearken to it as news from Heaven, as a message from God. 
2 Chro. 15.2.  When Asa came home with that great Victory, the Spirit of God came upon Azariah; And he met Asa, and said unto him: Oh Asa, and all judah and Benjamin hear me: If you be with the Lord, the Lord will be with you, but if you forsake the Lord, the Lord shall also forsake you. And this I say to you all; If you will be with the Lord, the Lord shall be with you, and if you forsake the Lord, he will reject you.  
But you will say, what great news is there in this? Mark it; We are apt to think, that to be with the LORD is not enough, but we must have other means, and props, and helps. No, saith he, it is enough for you to stick close to the Lord, and to take no other care, for the Lord will be with you, who is Almighty, and able to defend you.  
Again, we are apt to think, that though we forsake the Lord, yet he will not forsake us: else why are we so bold in sin? Why are not we more zealous against sin? Why mourn we not for the abominations that are amongst us? But the Prophet answers us for that; If you do forsake the Lord, the Lord will also forsake, and depart from you. Consider it, and the Lord give you understanding.  
FINIS.   

THE NEW CREATURE: Or A TRATISE OF SANCTIFICATION. Delivered in Nine Sermons, upon 2 Cor. 5.17. By the late faithful and worthy Minister of JESUS CHRIST, JOHN PRESTON, Doctor in Divinity, Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometime Preacher of Lincoln's INN.  ROMANS 12.2. Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. GALATH. 6.15. For in Christ jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 
LONDON, Printed by R. B. for NICOLAS BOURNE, and are to be sold at his shop at the Royal Exchange. 1633.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON THE NEW CREATURE.  2 COR. 5.17. 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.  
WE have propounded to ourselves this method.  
First, to show what we are out of Christ, and there our work was to humble men.  
Secondly, to show what we have by Christ, and how we are made partakers of him, and that is done by faith.  
The third is to show what we should do for Christ, and here begins the work of Sanctification: for (as I told you) these were the three parts of the Apostles Ambassage: To preach the Law first, that it might be a Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ: And then to preach justification by Christ: Thirdly, to preach Sanctification.  
Now we have chosen this Text as a ground for the last, having finished the two former.  
We will show you in a word how it depends upon what goes before, that you may see the scope of the Apostle in these words.  
In the thirteenth and fourteenth verses of this Chapter, the Apostle tells them that he was ill used by them; Some of you (saith he) think we are no better than out of our wits. It is no matter, whether we are in our wits, or out of our wits, yet we must go through the work of the Ministry, of the Gospel committed to us for Christ's sake, that is, we look not to you, It is the love of Christ that constraineth us, we can do no otherwise. When he had said this, he gives the reason, why the love of Christ carried him along to do his duty, whether he had wages or not, whether he had good report or not yet for the love of Christ he did it: For (saith he) we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead, that they that live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him that died for them: As if he had said, Is there not reason that we should thus neglect ourselves for Christ, seeing he died for this end, that we should no longer live to ourselves, but to him, that is, he hath bought us at a dear rate; therefore we should no longer make ourselves our end, but we must live to him, we must think what Christ would have us do, what work he will set us about.  
Now when he had said this, he insisteth in one particular, wherein he showed that he did not live to himself, but to Christ: Wherefore, henceforth we know no man after the flesh; no not Christ himself, that is, we do not regard any man for any outward respects, we do not magnify any man for any outward honour and excellency that he hath.  
Again, we do not vilify any man for the want of any outward excellencies, but we magnify every man as he excels in grace: yea, Christ himself, though he had outward excellencies, as other men, yet we love him now only in spiritual respects, as he is our Mediator; we behold now every thing according to the Spirit. Now, when he had gone thus far, he draws this conclusion.  
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.: As if he should say, this is a consequence that must needs follow. If this be true that Christ died, that every man that lives should live to him; then if any man will have part in Christ, if any man think he have any interest in him to be justified by him, he must be another man than he was before, he must be a new Creature, he must know no man nor thing after the flesh, he must live to the Lord, and not to himself, in all things. So that now he draws it from himself, and raiseth it to a more high and general conclusion: It is required, saith he, of every man living, that, if he be in Christ, he must be a new Creature, that is, he must put off himself altogether, he must be no more the same man he was, he must lay aside himself, and put on Christ jesus, he must be made like him.  
We will not stand longer to open the words, because we shall do that in the handling of the several points that shall be delivered to you out of them. And first we will take this plain point that the words afford us.  

Doct.  That Sanctification must needs follow justification. Or, 
justification, and Sanctification are inseparable.  if you will, take it in the words that are laid down in the Text, Whosoever is in Christ, that is, whosoever will be justified by Christ, must have a new Nature created in him by God, for that is the meaning of it, whosoever is in Christ, must be made a new man, he must have another Nature, which is created in him by GOD, that is, intimated by this word Creature.  
Now in the handling of this point, we will do these two things: 

First, we will show how Sanctification ariseth from justification, because that is the main scope for which we chose this Text.  
Secondly, we will show you the reasons why they are inseparable, why the one must needs follow the other, and then further open this doctrine to you, that whosoever is in Christ, must have a new Nature created in him by God.    
The first thing that we have to do is to show you how Sanctification ariseth from justification, 
1 How Sanctification ariseth from justification.  and it hath a double rise.  
The one is from the Spirit that is infused into us presently after we are justified, or at the same time, only there is a difference in the order of Nature.  
Secondly, it ariseth from some actions wrought in the mind, whereby a man comes to this conclusion; If Christ have accepted me for his, if he be mine, and will justify me, and free me from my sins, than I will serve him in all things.  
For the first, 
1 By the work of the Spirit.  as soon as any man hath taken Christ, and received that Righteousness of his by faith, there is an union between Christ and him, and upon this union the Spirit of Christ is shed into him, Gal. 4.6. Because you are sons, God hath set the Spirit of his Son into you; that is, as soon as you receive him, you have the same Spirit sent into your hearts that dwells in Christ: and so Gal. 5.2. Received you the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith preached; that is, by hearing the doctrine of faith: I say as soon as a man is justified, he receives the Spirit. So likewise, Rom. 8.9. You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, etc. and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his, that is, as soon as we are justified, God sends the Spirit of his Son into us, and if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is not yet justified. And the like you have Rom. 6.2. when some had made this objection, If grace abound, why do we not sin the more, that grace may more abound? The Apostle saith, It is impossible that those that are dead to sin, should live any longer therein; as if he should say, Set aside all your carnal reasonings, it is impossible for him that is dead to sin, to live yet therein; how can he? as if he should say, Whosoever is in Christ, the Spirit of Christ is sent into his heart, that mortifies sin so, that he cannot live any more in it, there is such a change wrought in him, he is a new Creature, if he be once in Christ; that is the first rise, as soon as we are justified the Spirit of Christ is sent into our hearts.  

Objects.  But is not the Spirit sent into our hearts before, when he works faith?  

Answ.  It is true, but the meaning is, when we are once in Christ, the Spirit of Sanctification is shed more plentifully, and in a greater degree than before, for there is a certain work of the Spirit that begetteth faith, and the same work of the Spirit, in its time, begetteth the degrees of Sanctification.  
But now, that this may not be in notion only, we will show you, how the Spirit works this, that you may not think these to be things carried in clouds, and to have place only in our understandings, but that you may know it in the experience, that every man finds in himself, that after he hath taken Christ, there is indeed such a Spirit shed into his heart that changeth him. For the understanding of this, know, that when we come to invite men to come into Christ (as it is all our business to invite men to the marriage) all the world stands out, and every man gives that answer that they did in the Gospel, they have bought farms, and married wives; every man is so set on these outward things that his carnal heart carrieth him to, that they will not hearken to us, so that we may preach in vain: you see to how many Christ himself preached in vain, and the Apostles had preached in vain, if there had been no more than their own preaching.  
So likewise, now the Spirit is sent into the hearts of men, that when we come and invite men to come into Christ, the Spirit also secretly compels them to come in. We are indeed bidden to compel men to come in, but unless there be another compeller, that is, except there be the Spirit within to do it, the work is not done, unless there be two compellers at the same time, the Holy Ghost within preaching to your hearts, when we preach to your ears; except there be two callers, that when we call men, the Lord send his Spirit to call you too, it is in vain: And that you may understand this, you must know that it is as hard a thing to move a man to leave his pleasures, and diverse lusts, and his vain conversation, as to turn the whole course of nature (which I call the instinct that God hath put into every creature, to move that way that it goeth, as the water to move downward, and the fire to go upward:) Think with yourselves now, whether there must not be an Almighty Power to turn the course of nature; because the heart of man naturally goes downward to sin, it descends downward with the same propensity, it hath the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as we call it, the same forwardness and proneness to evil that any natural thing hath to go the course, that is natural to it.  
Now unless there be an Almighty Power to turn this course of Nature, no man will ever come to Christ. As for example, That rectitude of God's Image, that is expressed in the Word, come to experience, and look upon every man's heart living, and see whether it be not quite contrary to it in all things, even as contrary as the motion of the stone is from ascending towards the heavens, but when the Spirit cometh he turneth this course of Nature. Now when we come to do this, do you think that any man in the world is able to work it in the hearts of men? It is true, a man may go thus far; It is possible for a King, or for a man in authority, to set preferments on the one side, and punishments on the other, to make a man to do much, or to suffer much, but all this while here is but a turning of the actions of men, but to turn the inclinations of man's heart, it is proper only to God, man is not able to do it in any particular: If a man's heart be set upon covetousness, Christ saith it is impossible all the men in the world can change his heart: But put the case a man could do it (as no man can) if he could turn a man's heart, it would be but in a particular or two, but to turn the whole frame of the heart, to make a general change, to make him another man, another Creature: It is impossible for any man in the world to do it.  
Or, put the case he could do so, it must be after long reasoning, but to do it upon the sudden, and at one Sermon, as the Spirit sometimes doth, to take one word, and by it to change the heart of man, it must needs be the work of an Almighty Power.  
Therefore in the 2 Cor. 3. Chap. and the last verse, when the Apostle speaks of this great change, he saith, when we read or hear the Word, we see there the Image of God, as one seeth his face in a glass, and are changed into it from glory to glory, that is, from one glorious degree to another: But how is this done? It is done, saith he, by the Spirit of the Lord. As if he should say, It is impossible for a man to be turned into the glorious Image of God, and not by the Spirit of God. A man may as well say, I will make a clod of earth a shining Star, as to say he can make the carnal and dead heart of man to be like the Image of God: It must be the Spirit of God himself that must do it, it is a work above Nature: It is therefore done by the Spirit, which doth so enlighten the understanding, and so bow the will, that whereas before there was in man such a strong appetite, such a strong propensity to ill, such a strong inclination that would over-weigh all the reasons that could be brought to the contrary, when the Spirit hath wrought this work, there is such a contrary inclination, such a propenseness to God, and to that which is good, that it overballanceth all the temptations that the world, the flesh, and the Devil can lay against it.  
Is not this a mighty Power that must do this, that whereas there was in a man before such a strong inclination to sin, there is a disposition so contrary now, such a desire wrought in him, such a strong impression that carries him to God, to Christ, and to holiness, that let all the reasons in the world be brought to the contrary, they cannot keep him off.  

Quest.  But, you will say these things that you speak are wonderful things, how shall we have this wrought in us?  

Answ.  By being in Christ this wonder is wrought in us, when a man is once engrafted into Christ, when he hath once received him, this great work is wrought in him in his heart, he is made a new Creature.  
But if you add to this the second way of raising this Sanctification from our justification, than you will understand it yet more fully and distinctly.  
There are certain actions wrought in our souls, by which this Sanctification follows justification, and those are these.  
First, 
2 By certain actions in the mind and heart, which are the effects of the Spirit in him.  when a man seeth great reason for it, for when a man is once convinced of a thing, that it is best for him to do it, and takes a resolution to him to perform it. Now when a man hath been humbled, and knoweth what sin is, 
1 Upon the understanding.  when he hath had his heart prepared, when he comes in once to take Christ, that is, when he seeth his own baseness, and Christ's excellency; what he was without Christ, and what he hath by Christ, that when he expected nothing but death, than the Gospel came and said, Thou shalt live: when he seeth that Christ deals with him after this manner, than he thinks surely, It is good reason that I should serve him, before indeed we think his service to be an hard service, and we do with him, as people that are under a tyrannous King, they refuse to obey such an one; so doth all the world with jesus Christ; they think his Law to be an hard Law written with blood, and they think him to be an hard Governor, such a King as they know not how to be subject unto: But when a man is once convinced by the Spirit, when he sees reason for it, when he is persuaded that Christ will govern him for his wealth, that Christ hath suffered for him, and freed him from the wrath of God, than he thinks thus; There is reason that I should suffer him to rule over me, and when a man seeth reason for it, he comes then willingly to submit himself to Christ. This is the work of the Spirit, whereby he persuades a man that there is reason for it, and it is attributed to the Spirit. john 16 The Spirit convinceth of Sin, of Righteousness, and of judgement; that is, it shows us that we are sinful, and that there is a Righteousness in Christ to heal that.  
And thirdly, it convinceth us that there is reason for it, why we should serve God in Sanctification and judgement. The meaning of the word, He shall convince, is that the Spirit shows us reason why we should embrace Sanctification, and serve the Lord in all things: Now when the heart of man is brought to this, to see reason and equity in this, than a man takes resolution to cleave to Christ, to serve him.  

2 Upon the affections.  Secondly, as he deals with the reason, so he doth likewise with the affections, for he begets love in us, which love sanctifieth us, it sets us on work, and turns the whole heart, as the Rudder turns the Ship, for it sits in the stern of a man's Soul, and the reason (that when we are justified we love Christ) is, because when as before a man magnified himself, setting himself at an high rate, like a virgin that is coy and curious, thinking no man good enough for her: now the Law coming and convincing him of the need he stands in of CHRIST, and showing him what he is in himself, he is hereupon content to marry with the Lord Christ: Nay further, the Spirit of God not only shows him the need that he stands in of an husband, he being not under covert, and deeply in debt, the whole weight of his debt lying on himself, but it goes further, and shows him the beauty of Christ, as joh. 14.21. To him that loves me I will manifest myself; that is, I will declare my beauty, and when the Spirit shows Christ to the Soul, it makes it in love with him.  
We may show him to you an hundred times over, and yet beget not this affection in you, but the Spirits showing is effectual to that end, and when you love him, you must needs please him in all things, it being the care of the married wife to please the husband.  
So that when the heart is prepared by humiliation, and takes Christ, love is wrought in the Soul, and love sanctifies; for Sanctification is nothing else but a setting ourselves apart from common uses, and keeping of the heart close to God, making it peculiar to him, and this love makes us to do: when the wife loves the husband, she will be his altogether, she will be only to him, she will be divorced from all Adulterers, and have nothing to do with them; and thus the Lord deals with the affections.  
Thirdly, there is wrought not only a love to the Lord, 
3 Self-love is sanctified.  but a persuasion that it is good for ourselves to serve him in holiness: Indeed many times, to satisfy our affections, we love a thing too much, though we do not think ourselves gainers thereby, but in this matter the Lord persuades us, that it is best for ourselves to sanctify him in all things, to draw near unto him, to sanctify his Name in our hearts; so that now not only love to Christ, but even self-love also is set on work to the making us New Creatures; for the ways of God are propounded as good and profitable, and pleasing things, and when the heart looks on them, it sees them as good for itself, so that the heart turns towards them (as it cannot but do to every thing that it apprehends to be good and profitable to it.  
So that when the Holy Ghost shall persuade a man that it is best for himself, that he shall best provide for himself every way, by taking Christ, he cannot choose but come in, when he shall see it is best for him to go to the City of refuge, that he cannot live else, and that if he comes there he shall have life, and not only life, but a kingdom too, and that the way that leads thereto is grace and holiness; he will go, and go fast enough. When a man is persuaded, Christ is the City of Refuge, to whom I must go, else I cannot be safe, and that the way to him is to be a new Creature; this makes him to go on, and willingly too, for it is out of self-love.  

4 Ingenuity is wrought.  Again, when a man is justified and hath taken Christ, there is bred in him an holy Ingenuity which makes him so thankful to Christ, that he is ashamed to join Christ with any sin: As Rom. 6.21. What profit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed; you are now ashamed to commit them any more.  
A man will think it now an unreasonable thing, that Christ should do so much for him, be crucified for him, and so give him life, being before dead men, that he should take flesh for the remission of his sins, and that he, in recompense of this kindness, should serve his lusts. Therefore he reasons, as joseph did with his Mistress; Shall I do this, and so sin against God, and my Master, he hath committed all to me; he hath done thus much for me, and shall I thus requite him? And as Nathan taught David to reason, Hath the Lord made thee King over Israel, and done thus and thus for thee, and wilt thou serve him thus? So that I say there is an holy Ingenuity bred in us, whereby out of thankfulness we will shun whatsoever may offend him.  
Besides this, 
5 Nobleness of Spirit.  we are taught that we sustain another person, and every man desires to maintain the dignity of the person he sustains. When a man is once in Christ, he thinks not the courses he lived in before, to be suitable to the condition he is now in. Therefore the Apostle reasons, 1 Pet. 1.14. Fashion yourselves no longer after the lusts of your former Ignorance, but be holy, as he is holy; that is, if you take yourselves to be in Christ, and that you be come unto God, admit not any more those lusts, which though they suited with your former (yet not with this condition) he reasons as Nehemiah did, Shall such a man as I do this?  

6 A strong inclination.  Lastly, which is the chiefest reason of all, As soon as a man hath taken Christ, and is justified, there is a strong impression made upon his Soul, by which he is caused to cleave unto him, and to long after him, as the Iron doth after the Loadstone, that cannot be at rest until it hath attained it. A man shall set himself in the ways of God, though it were but to give satisfaction to the desires of his Soul. And indeed, were it not for this, we should not serve the Lord; this makes us New Creatures: I say, there is a strong inclination in every man that is justified, that he can do no less than serve the LORD even to satisfy that.  
For example, when Eliah had called Elishah, he could not choose but follow him, all the reasons in the world could not keep him back: At the time when he cast his mantle on him, there was an impression made on him; as when Christ said to Levi, and Peter, and Andrew, and the rest, follow me, their profits, and nets, and fathers were nothing, they needed no more persuasion, for there was a secret impression made upon their hearts together with Christ's Word, and to satisfy that they must needs follow him. Such an impression as this, was made on the heart of Ruth to follow Naomi, you know how she put her to it, but Ruth would not go back for she loved her, and therefore nothing but death should separate them. And the same was in jacob to Rachel, seven years, and seven years' service, the length of time and hardness of labour could not keep him from his Uncle's house, nor drive him off, such a strong desire was planted in his heart towards her: and such a desire is planted in the heart of every Christian that is justified, a strong Instinct (as I may call it) a strong affection after jesus Christ, and he must needs go on in the ways of Sanctification, seeing there is no other way to satisfy himself.  
So that putting all this together, when a man shall see such reason for holiness, when he shall have affections of delight therein, of love thereto, when he shall see it best for him, and that it is impossible he should have the Lord jesus Christ (whom he so much desires) if he serve him not in the duties of Sanctification, he must needs come to a fixed resolution, I will be another man, and run another course, I will change my life altogether, I will serve him in holiness, and in the duties of new obedience. And after this manner doth Sanctification arise from justification? first from a work of the Spirit, and then by all these passages that go thorough the mind of a man, which though they be not marked distinctly, yet are truly in the heart. And so much for the first point. 
2 Sanctification and justification are inse●●   
Now we will come to the second, which is, That justification and Sanctification are inseparable, they cannot be disjoined.  
But you will say, this is a point that needs no proving, I would (my Brethren) it did not, I would that men were persuaded of the truth of it, but we may see by the lives of men that they are not persuaded of it, for their lives be loose, and they think, that if they can call on Christ in the day of death, and cry for pardon, it will be enough, and that without such strictness a man may be saved.  

Reason 1.  Therefore, to make it clear to you, you must remember this as a ground: No man can be saved by the second Adam, except he be borne of the second Adam: As no man could be condemned by the first Adam, that was not borne of the first Adam; for the reason why all men's natures are corrupted is, because all are borne of him. If a man were created and did not descend by generation from him, he should be free from Sin, and so could not be condemned, but coming out of his loins, puts us into a condition of condemnation: And so on the other side, except you be borne of the second Adam, you shall not be saved; What is that? You must be made New Creatures, joh. 1.12. As many as received him he made the sons of God: What is that a mere title? No, verse the thirteenth, They are borne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of the will of God. that is, they are borne of the second Adam: and joh. 3.5. Whosoever is not borne of the Spirit, shall not enter into the Kingdom of God.  
Now as our nature was corrupted in the first Adam, there being a compact and covenant between God and him, that if Adam stood, all his seed should stand with him; but if he fell, then that all that were borne of him should by virtue of that covenant, compact, or agreement have his sin imputed to them, and so should be corrupted, as he was, and die the death. So there was a second covenant between us and the second Adam, which is the new Testament spoken of in jer 31 and in Heb. 8. I will make a new Covenant, saith God: And what is that? I will put may Law in your mind, and write it in your inward parts: that is, by virtue of the compact and agreement, which is the new Testament following upon the former, all that shall be saved by Christ, shall be borne of him, they must be new men; whosoever shall be justified by him must be a new Creature.  
Secondly, 
Reason 2.  because it is the will of God; It is true, God might have saved us without it, if it had been his pleasure, it had been no more but calling men at the hour of death; but is otherwise, 1 Thess. 4.3▪ This is the will of God even your Sanctification. And if there were no other reason but Gods will, that those that be justified shall be sanctified, it is enough: God hath called you to holiness; he hath appointed it, he wills it, and his will is sufficient to enforce it.  
Again, consider when we are engrafted into Christ, 
Reason 3.  it it not simply an engrafting, but we are engrafted into the similitude of his death and resurrection, Rom. 8. that is, no man is engrafted into Christ, but sin is crucified in him, he is dead thereto, that is, he is a dead man in regard of the life of sin, and is alive to God, as Christ rose from the dead, so he is raised to newness of life. If it had been simple engrafting into Christ, there had needed no further Relation, but we are engrafted into the similitude of his Death and Resurrection.  

Reason 4.  Again, it was the end of the Lords coming; If he had come only to save men, there had been no need of being New Creatures, but he came also to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, and to destroy out of man the works of the Devil, and to purchase to himself an holy Generation, and Royal Priest hood. Now whatsoever the Lord's end is, he never fails of.  

Reason 5.  Again, you must consider, that to whomsoever Christ is a Priest, he is also to them a Prophet and a King, he is anointed to all these Offices: And therefore if you will be saved by him, by the virtue of his Priesthood, you must take him as a Prophet, that is, you must take his counsel in all things, and not only so, but he must also be your King; you must not only learn his way, but you must also be perfectly subject and obedient to him, to walk therein. Indeed as a Priest, he reconciles God unto us, but not us to God, except he come with his other two Offices, for man stands out and will not know the way; and therefore as a Prophet, He is to guide our feet into the way of peace: and that is not all, therefore because our hearts are stubborn, and will not come in, he exercises his Kingly Office, And brings into subjection every thought to the obedience of his will.  
Again, look to all the means, as first to Faith, the same Faith that justifieth, doth also purify the heart; Having their hearts purified by faith, Act. 15. And as many as are sanctified by faith that is in me, Act. 26.28.  
And likewise the blood of Christ not only covers, but also heals, Hebr. 9.14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through his eternal Spirit offered himself to purge your Consciences from dead works, etc. It hath not only virtue to take away the guilt of Sin, but it is effectual also to purge the conscience from the power of sin.  
Again, the Gospel we preach doth not only offer Christ, but likewise cleanseth, You are clean through my Word, joh. 15. And in the hundred and nineteenth Psalm, and the ninth verse, Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy Word.  
The Spirit as it is a Spirit of Adoption, so is it of Sanctification, making clean the room where it dwelleth, and making it a fit Temple for the Lord. Consider the Sacraments, Baptism doth not only wash from the guilt of sin▪ but from the filth of sin also, from the blot and deformity of sin. And so I have done with these two points, how Sanctification rises from justification, and that they cannot be separated.  
Before we proceed to other Observations, we will, by way of Use from the inseparability of justification and Sanctification, 
Use 1.  draw this consequent, that, 
Pray that seeing God hath justified us, he would also sanctify us.  if they be inseparable, we should go to God and beseech him, that having given us the first, that he would grant us the second also. If you have any assurance that your sins are forgiven you, 
Encouragements to pray for Sanctification.  let him not deny you this to make you new Creatures, they be inseparable, and therefore you have just cause to pray him not to separate them, 
1 God's promise in the Covenant.  therefore you may claim them both as your due, seeing you have his promise for both, and you must urge him on his promise; we desire Iustificatio●●or our own sake, but Sanctification that we may glorify God: and therefore, when you come to God with this request, Lord make me a new Creature, that I may bring glory to thy Name, that I may serve thee, and do good in the place wherein I live, he will not deny thee. Consider but this very Sacrament which we are now going to receive; 
2 The Covenant sealed in the Sacrament.  you must know that the Sacrament seals the whole Covenant of God, as 1 Cor. 11. 
1 Cor. 11.25. opened.  This is the New Testament in my blood, that is, this Cup is a sign and seal of the new Covenant which I have made with man, and which is confirmed with my blood. Now what is that Covenant? You shall see it it, Ezek. 36.26. and it contains three parts, all which are sealed by this Sacrament. First, he promiseth to wash them from their filthiness, that is, from the guilt of their sins, which is the first part. Secondly, A new heart will I give you, and a new Spirit I will put into you, that is, I will make you new Creatures, which is the second part of the Covenant. Thirdly, I will call for the Corn and will increase it, and will lay no famine upon you, etc. that is, he will give all outward comforts, you shall inherit he Earth, and be heirs of the world, and of ●ll in the world, for the world is yours; 1 Cor. 3. All, and all in it is yours.  
This is the whole Covenant of God, and this he seals to every one of you, when you come to receive the Sacrament, If you receive it worthily, for it is the New Testament in his blood.  
And therefore, seeing he seals it to you, that he will give you a new heart, and a new Spirit, and make you new Creatures, you should go to him and claim it of him, for you may sue him of his own bond written and sealed, and he cannot deny it; therefore beg it, and you cannot miss of it.  
This is a very comfortable doctrine, if it be well considered. For what is that that keeps a man from coming to Christ, but his discouragements? He thinks it so hard a thing to be a new Creature, that he cannot attain it, that he cannot leave such a course of life, and therefore he stands off, and though he will come in, yet he will not as yet, because it is a bondage intolerable.  
But you do not consider what it is to have a new Nature: If it were to have a new life and an old heart, it were otherwise; but the Lord will give a new heart, and if he will not deny you, but make you new Creatures, you may be encouraged to go to him: If there be any Rebellion in your heart, any untowardness in your nature; if you go to him for the removal of it, it is impossible he should deny you, having made you a sure promise, and confirmed it with a oath.  

3 The Covenant confirmed with an oath.  What the Lord swears to, he is sure to perform. In all the Book of God, you shall not find that he swore unto the first Covenant, but there is an oath put to both parts of the second, Heb. 6.13. Because he could not swear by a greater, he swore by himself, that we might have strong consolation and assurance of forgiveness of sins. And so the first part is confirmed.  
And for the second, Luke 1.73. The oath which he swore unto our Fathers that he would give us, that we being delivered from our Enemies, should walk before him in holiness all the days of our life. Why then will you not believe it? Why will not you urge the Lord with this, and by prayer desire the accomplishment of it? As indeed though he gives holiness of life, yet you must pray for it, as well as you must pray for the forgiveness of sins.  
It was Ananias his speech to Paul, Act. 22.13. Rise Paul and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the LORD; though his sins were forgiven, yet he could not have assurance of it, without calling upon the Name of the LROD.  
Christ promised to baptise us with the Holy Ghost and with fire, that is, to sanctify us in greater measure, yet we must call and call again: So Luke 11.5, 6, 7, 8. You must knock as at a man's door that is a sleep with his children and loath to rise, but if you knock long, and weary the Lord out, and not suffer him to rest, than he will give the Holy Ghost. Therefore, have you prayed, and yet find not yourselves New Creatures? You have your old hearts, and old lusts prevailing; yet you must at length wash away your sins by calling on the Name of the Lord.  
And hereto you may be stirred by the Sacrament, 
4 The end whereunto the Sacrament is appointed.  which is not only to give assurance that your sins are forgiven, but likewise to draw more virtue from Christ, to make up the breaches of our hearts, and to get more grace, and to be made New Creatures in a greater measure.  
So that when a man comes hither, he must consider wherein he is faulty, what breaches there are in his heart and life, what imperfection there is in grace, and then he must go to Christ to repair them.  
And as you bring more faith with you, so you shall carry more strength and comfort from the Sacrament.  
So that thus much I can assure you of, let any man come with a strong desire to receive Christ, and to be a New Creature, and let him bring faith in the promises of Sanctification, and it cannot be but he shall be filled: The LORD will send his Spirit into his heart, and make him a New Creature: Wheresoever God hath a mouth to speak, Faith hath an ear to hear, and an h●nd to take: Men forgot this, they think that Faith is only occupied about promises of pardon and forgiveness; but it is not so, you must set your faith on work, on the promises of Sanctification, and when you come to receive the Sacrament, you must know that you come to a table where you have fatlings, where you have new Wines.  
And thus you must feed on CHRIST, not only taking to yourselves the promises of pardon, but likewise of Sanctification, that you may be filled with the Spirit, which is as wine to quicken you, and to strengthen you in the Inner man, as well as the outward Elements of Bread and Wine strengthen thine outward man.  
So that thou mayest not think thou receivest the Sacrament as thou oughtest, when thou goest away as weak as when thou comest, when there is no strength, no vigour in the Inner man.  
And so in all thy daily services, when thou comest to Christ, thou must eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, as the Israelites did every day feed on the Mannah.  
You must remember his Covenant, not only to pardon, but to sanctify you, and then you shall live thereby, and every day grow stronger and stronger.  
The end of the first Sermon.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON THE NEW CREATURE.  2 COR. 5.17. 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.  
THE Woman of Canaan, though she had no countetenance from Christ, 
5 The success that others have had by Prayer.  though he seemed not to hear her a long time, though he gave her cross answers, yet he commends her faith in an extraordinary manner at the last. She had never had that commendations, if she had not been put to that difficulty a little: therefore, when you press God, when you do stand it out, and are not discouraged, in the end you shall have it in a greater measure, and it will be a greater commendations of your faith.  
And so it was with jacob, if he had not wrestled as he did, he had never had that great reward which he had; he never had a greater reward for any thing that ever he did in his life, than for his contending with God, when God refused (as it were) when he strove with him, when he would not do it, when he seemed to be of a contrary mind; yet when he held out, and did not give over till he had gotten it, he never got so much at God's hands.  
And so I say to every one of you; if you find it an hard task to get this change, to be made New Creatures, you pray and have sought, and yet you have not gotten it, yet be encouraged, do it still, never give over, you shall have a greater measure as your prayers are stronger: for this you must know, that when you make requests to God, according to Gods will, that then it is the voice of his Spirit; therefore when you desire to be made New Creatures, do you think it is possible for God to deny you? No, because this desire comes from his Spirit. Now it is true, a man may desire to be made a New Creature, he may desire grace, and yet do it in a carnal manner, that is, he may desire it, because he sees that he cannot be saved without it, he may desire it as a thing of necessity, that will make him safe and whole, as a thing, without which he shall perish: Nature may go thus far, but to desire to be made a New Creature, out of the beauty and taste of it, out of a desire to please God, and to glorify him, whose Name is called upon you, out of a desire to please the Spirit that dwells in you, this is proper to the Saints, it is the voice of the Spirit, and therefore go on boldly, God hath promised to hear you, he cannot deny you.  
See how Christ did when he was upon the earth, those that were lame and blind, when they came and cried after him, and would not give him over, he did not refuse to heal every one; there was not a man that was importunate with him, but, howsoever his Disciples slighted them, Christ respected them. Now do but think with yourselves; do you think he less pities the diseases of the Soul, than he did the diseases of the Body? Do you think that he hath less compassion now he is in Heaven, than he had when he was on Earth? Or do you think that His Arm is shortened, that he cannot do as much now to heal the running sores that are on thy soul, as he did on earth to heal bodily diseases? My Brethren, if you do but seek to him, if you can get but a word from him, if he say but to you, Be whole, if he do but rebuke thy sinful lusts, as he rebuked the Fever, it shall presently obey him: He that was able to calm the sea, and that hath the strong winds in his power, is he not able to dissolve a strong inordinate apprehension, a strong lust, a strong unruly affection, and so set them at liberty? certainly he is able.  
You know, the woman that had spent so many years, and all that she had upon Physicians, and could do herself no good by all, yet when she comes to Christ once, you see it was done in an instant. So, I say, a strong lust, an old lust, which is contrary to this New Creature, which, it may be, thou hast been contending with many years, and cannot get the victory over it; yet if thou canst come in this manner to him, and contend with him, and knock at the door, and never give over till thou hast awaked him, certainly he will give thee the holy Ghost, he will change and renew thy heart, he will set thee at full liberty.  
This he hath confirmed with an oath, and whatsoever God hath sworn, he will perform it without all reservation (where he is said to do a thing without an oath, there may be a reservation left, therefore we never find an oath to the old Covenant) but he hath sworn to perform the new Covenant, and you know this is a great part of the new Covenant, to give a new heart, to make a man a new Creature; therefore, where the new Covenant is made, there this is repeated in jer. 31. and Heb. 8. I will make a covenant with my people, and what is that? I will put my Law into their minds, and in their hearts will I write them (that is) I will make them New Creatures.  
Therefore, I say, this is a matter of much use to you, If you go to Christ, and labour to have this done. 
6 The great importance of it to us.  My Brethren, there is nothing left for us to be assured, nor any other experiment that we need have that there is another life, that jesus Christ hath done these great things for us, and that the Gospel is true, I say, there is nothing else left for us, no other experiment in comparison of this, that we see we are made New Creatures: This is all the miracles that we have; nay, I dare be bold to say more, It was the greatest miracle that they had in that time, when all the miracles were wrought.  
And therefore you shall find that Paul gives this as the main argument, among the rest, That they shall be raised again at the last day, that they were in Christ, that the Gospel is real and true. For, saith he, We have received the Spirit: we have had the Spirit, which is the earnest, the pledge, the anointing, you shall find it every where scattered in his Epistles, the receiving of the Spirit is the main ground that he builds on, as in the 2 Cor. 1.23. He hath established us together with you, and hath anointed us, and sealed us, by giving the Spirit as an earnest into our hearts: As if he should say, this is the Argument we have, that we shall be saved; not, for all the miracles so much as this, that we have received the Spirit; for that is the true anointing we feel it in ourselves, that sealeth and confirmeth us, we cannot doubt, having had experience of such a mighty work in us, that is, the earnest and the pledge we have; and therefore, Ephes. 1.19. He prays that they might see the exceeding greatness of his power working in those that believe; as if that would be a great confirmation to them, if once they should find an experiment of the greatness of his power: And so, Phil. 3.10. I care not for all the world, on this condition, that I might know him, and the virtue of his resurrection (that is) that I might know him by the power of his Spirit, changing my heart, killing my sins, raising me again, and, in a word, making me a New Creature, that I might know this experiment; I look upon all the world as dross and dung, as things not to be named. So, I say, seeing there is nothing else left in comparison of this, and when miracles were wrought, there was nothing like this, that we might have this experiment in ourselves, we should go to God, and not give him over, till the work be wrought in us, that we might be made New Creatures.  
That which keeps men off from religious courses, for the most part is discouragement, they think they shall not be able to go thorough it, when they hear they must be made new men in all things, that there must be nothing that is old left, but all the old leaven must be purged out, it discourageth men, because they think they shall never be able to reach it, whereas this is an assurance to thee, that if you go about it, you shall not fail of your purpose, but you shall certainly bring it to pass, because if you seek it at God's hands, he cannot deny you, only I told you, you must pray.  
It may be for this purpose God will not heal thee altogether, but suffer many lusts to grapple and to contend with thee, that thou mayest be taught to do this duty: and therefore we should learn to go to Christ, we should feed on him every day, and by that means we shall be renewed, we shall get new strength; otherwise what is the meaning of that, In this mount he will make a feast of fined wines, and of fatlings, of fat things full of marrow, of wines fined and purified? Esay 25.6. 
Esay 25.6. opened.  The meaning is this; when you come to Christ to renew your Communion and your Covenant with him, which is done through faith and prayer, you draw nearer to him, and that strengtheneth the soul, as Mannah strengthened them in the wilderness, that you live by it; for every day there grows new distances between Christ and us, we let go our hold, as it were, in some measure, and begin to fall off from him a little; therefore, every day we should renew this Covenant, especially when we come to the Sacrament: As jonathan and David, they renewed the Covenant of God again that was between them, as if there were a new Solemnity of marriage, if it were often to be renewed, to make the parties joined more united: make no question of it, we should renew our match with Christ, we should come nearer to him, that we may strengthen our souls, because we recover our Communion with him. For what is Sanctification, but a drawing near to the Lord? And then we draw near, when we renew our Communion, and our Covenant with him, when the match is renewed between us; and if we do so, we shall go from him every day, as men refreshed at a banquet, like men that have fed on fat things full of marrow, as men full of wine. Be you filled, not with wine, 
Ephes. 5.18. opened.  wherein is excess, but with the Spirit: What is the meaning of that Antithesis, but to show that the Spirit is like wine, it strengthens, and how receive we the Spirit? Is there not the same means of renewing of it from day to day, Is not the same means of renewing it, as there is of receiving of it at the first? Didst not thou get it first by going to Christ, and shall not thou still regain and repair thy strength by that means? I cannot stand to press this farther.  

Use 2.  Secondly, in that they are put together thus, justification and Sanctification, 
Set Sanctification as high in our esteem as justification.  hence we should be stirred up to prize it, to set it at the same rate as we do Remission of sins, because we see the Holy Ghost doth so. For seeing this thing is promised, seeing it is chosen out among the great benefits we have by CHRIST, that we shall be renewed, we should learn so to judge of it, to set it at an high rate, in our conceits, to conform our judgement to the judgement of the Scriptures.  
Every man would be content to be saved, but to be made a New Creature, men are so far from reckoning it a privilege, that they reckon it a bondage: you would fain be free from Hell, you would fain go to Heaven without such a necessity put upon you; this is the common fashion of men; but, mark, the Holy Ghost puts this among the great benefits we have by Christ. You know the coming of the Messias, how it was magnified by the jews, what great things they should have when Christ should come. What were those great things? One of the chief was, to make them New Creatures, to set them at liberty from their spiritual enemies, That they should be taught of God, that they should have his law written in their hearts, and have their hearts circumcised to love him, that they should have new hearts and new Spirits given them; this is that great benefit that hath been so much magnified so many years before the coming of Christ. It is that, which the Apostles, when they came to preach the Gospel, set out as so great a Privilege; learn we to prize it, for certainly there is nothing in the world so precious a grace, whereby we are made New Creatures. It is a true saying, because indeed there is no excellency that is like it, if you would rectify your judgements, and teach them to apprehend things as they are; therefore let us reason with you a little for that old man, 
The excellency of the New Creature.  those lusts that you prize so much, 
1 Above old Lusts.  that you will not part with, that you cherish and nourish in yourselves, and you are Enemies to those that are Enemies to them, I say, consider what you do, this old man, is it not the sickness of the soul? is it not the filth, and the foulness of the soul? is it not the slavery and bondage of the soul? And the new man, is it not the contrary? doth it not excel it? Therefore as much as health exceeds sickness, as much as cleanness exceeds impurity, foulness and filthiness, as much as liliberty exceeds slavery and bondage; so much and more doth the New man excel the Old man.  

2 Above all worldly excellencies.  Besides, if you look to other things, take all other things which the world hath, all the profits, all the pleasures, all the learning and knowledge whatsoever it is, that in the world is precious, yet to be made a New Creature goes beyond all, because, indeed, it puts you into the same condition that Adam had in innocence: you will say, to be made like Adam again, to be restored to that happiness, it is beyond all that the world can afford: Now to be made a New Creature, it puts you into that estate.  

Object.  But, you will say, that is not so, Adam was in Paradise, he had outward contentments in abundance, but to be made a New Creature is not so?  

Answ.  It is true, there were two Conditions that Adam had; 
Two conditions of Adam.  one was his outward Condition, being placed in Paradise; the other was his happiness, to be a New Creature: this was incomparably beyond the other, as we shall easily make that plain to you. Put case there were a man that had fair Palaces, and Gardens, and Orchards, and all things that his heart could desire to have, but all this while he hath not health; would he regard all this? On the other side; suppose he had health, put him into a Cottage, if he have strength, would he not bear it well enough? That is our case. When Adam had all that, yet when he had lost God's Image, when he had lost being a New Creature, he was like a man that was fallen into a great sickness, he was fallen into terror and horror of conscience, what good could all that do. A man that is out of Paradise, that lives as we do among men, that hath God's Image renewed on him (which he lost) that is, made a New Creature, he is happy, when Adam was miserable. Let us consider a little; What was it, think you, that made Adam happy in Paradise? Was it the being in a Garden full of pleasant things? No, it was not that, but his Communion with God that made him happy. Therefore you see wherein his misery consisted, it consisted not in the loss of Paradise, for there he was still, he had all that he had before for outward things, but he felt shame and horror of conscience, he felt inward trouble and anguish of spirit, when he heard the voice of God walking in the Garden: therefore it stands not in that, but to be made a New Creature, is to be put into the inward condition that Adam was in, and therefore you have reason to seek it. If any thing in the world be worth the seeking, it is this, to be made a New Creature. All other things are not: the proper excellency of a man, you know the Angels and the Saints want them, and the Beasts enjoy them, but the excellency of man is to be made according to the first Rule, to be squared according to the Image of God, after which he was first created, and he is never well till he come to that. As no Creature is well till it have that excellency belonging to the kind of it: this is an excellency peculiar to man, therefore seek happiness as long as you will in other things, you shall never find it, but in being made New Creatures, in having God's Image repaired, in being sanctified in Body, and Soul, and Spirit, this puts you into an happy condition.  

Object.  But, you will say, these are but Notions, imaginary Assertions, we feel not such things, give me that man that hath the sense of this, that feels more sweetness in this, than Adam did in all his outward Paradise which he had?  

Answ.  To this we answer:  
First, that there is a sense of it, though spiritual Grace be a thing that is not exposed to the senses, yet there is as true and as quick a sense, as there is of outward and corporal delights; because, when you are made New Creatures, you have a new life, and that hath new senses in it; It hath a taste, hunger and thirst, it hath as quick a sight, it hath every thing that the other hath; you know, the apprehension of all the comforts we have, is not that which stands in the outward senses, that is not worthy the name, but the apprehension that the will and understanding hath of things; it is every man's mind, that makes a man to live happy or miserable, that is, his apprehension of things, when thou livest a new life, and thy apprehension is altered and changed, thou hast as quick a sense of those spiritual privileges in Christ, of peace of Conscience, of joy in the Holy Ghost; of all the benefits that rise from his Passion, thou wilt have as quick a sense, as ever thou hadst of outward delights.  
Again, if thou wouldst have such a sense, let me say this to thee, the time is not yet come thou shalt have it, and have it in abundance, but as yet (as it is said) We are the sons of God, 
1 john 3.2.  but it appears not what we shall be: It is true on both sides, those worldly men that brag so much of their present sense that they have, and that others want, it appears not yet what either shall be, but you are mingled together, and there is one common condition to all, because this is the time of trial. Mark the wise General, he doth not like of a Soldier at the first, but when he hath tried him, and hath suffered both to run out their course, the valiant man, and those that are cowards; when their course is finished, and when the battle is done, that is the time of conferring of honours. The wise Master doth not reward his servants at the first, but he lets them alone, the good servant and the bad, till their time be out, till the time of their wages come, that is, the time when he makes the difference. So doth the Lord, for this time the Battle is not to the strong, that is, men have not their reward here for the present time. Even as it is upon a Stage, both are let alone till they have acted their part, there is no alteration, but when they come off from the Stage, that is the time, when the one is commended, and the other is discommended. So it is with the Sons of God, and the Sons of men, God lets you both alone for the time, till you be gone off the Stage, that is the time that you must look for the difference; therefore be not preposterous in your expectation, be not discouraged, because you have not such outward contentments, because you are not above, but below, for the present life, the time is not yet come; for God doth not yet rule the world, as he will do; he hath, as it were, left the world to be ruled by others, he hath left men to rule: now error comes from the face of the Ruler (as the Wiseman saith) that is, 
Eccles. 10.5.  there is that obliquity in the hearts of men, those that are in place of government generally, That Servants ride on Horseback, and Princes and Wisemen go as Servants on foot. The Reason is, because men rule the world; For error (saith Solomon) is from the face of the Ruler. But now when God shall take all the government into his own hands, when he shall be absolute King in the exercise of his dominion, than he will set all strait, and not before: then Servants shall go on foot, and Princes and Wisemen shall ride on Horseback; therefore expect not thou it yet, the time is not yet come that thou shouldest be on Horseback, thou must be content to go on foot yet. And therefore, though you have not the present sense, go on notwithstanding, hold out thy expectation a while, though it appear not yet what thou shalt be, yet it will come when thou shalt have the sense of it in abundance.  
Thirdly, and lastly, though thou have it not fully, though the time be deferred till the day of the declaration of the wrath of God on the one hand, and of his favour to the Saints on the other, yet by being New Creatures, you shall have outward comforts in great abundance, you shall not far the worse, but much the better for it; for the Promise is sure to those that fear the Lord: 
Prov. 22.4.  To humility and the fear of God, to them is promised Riches, and Honour, and Life: And God performs it in this life, though the full harvest be kept for afterwards: though you have but the first fruits of the reward, as well as you have but the first fruits of the Spirit; yet, in this life, as you walk more perfectly with him, so he will with you; and the less you walk with him, the less he will walk with you (that is) such an evenness you shall find in the ways of God to you, such a measure of judgement and mercy, as there is evenness or unevenness of your hearts, as there is so much new, or so much old. Let us labour to make our ways more perfect, and we shall be more perfect in our outward estate, we shall be better in our wealth, we shall be blessed better in our name, thou shalt be more cheerful in thy Spirit, thou shalt be blessed in thy wife, and in thy children, at thy going out, and at thy coming in, in every thing: so that the present wages that you shall have, set aside that which is deferred for the future, it is exceeding large to the New Creature; there is comfort enough in the thing, holiness is reward enough to itself, if you should have no more. If a man be in strength and in health, what if you put him into a Cottage, what if he be put into prison? he can bear it well enough: If there were no more but to be made a New Creature, it were enough to make your hearts to desire that condition; but besides that, it brings outward comforts in abundance; or, if you have not abundance, it will make a little instead to you of a great deal.  
So much for this, because I have other things to deliver.  

Use 3.  Thirdly, are they inseparable? Then take heed of challenging the one without the other; 
Take heed of challenging justification without Sanctification.  do not think that you are in Christ, if you find not that New Creature: And this Doctrine is of much moment, for this is that, that we shall all be tried by at the last day, and it is that peremptory Sentence that can never be revoked, because it is the Sentence of the Gospel, therefore you must know this, that all the judgements that are pronounced in the Gospel, they are without all reservation, there is no more revoking of them, therefore Paul saith, Rom. 2.16. He shall judge the secrets of men's hearts according to my Gospel: So that you must know that the Gospel hath a judgement, and a terrible judgement as well as the Law. (There is a judging by the Law, that is,) men that have lived without the knowing of Christ, they shall be judged by the Law, but when we come to Christ, to live under the Gospel, (as we all do) we shall be judged by the Gospel; What is that? those that receive not Christ shall be damned: that is one part of the Gospel you know; therefore you see that there is a judgement there; He that believes shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be damned. Well, as it is true concerning the point of justification, he that believes not and takes not Christ, shall be damned for it: So it is as true in the point of Sanctification, he that is not a New Creature, he that is not borne again, he shall not enter into the Kingdom of God, john 3.3. There is a peremptory judgement: therefore consider with thyself, when thou comest to die, what thou wilt say then, Satan will then come and lay thy sins to thy charge, thou must then think what thou hast to answer, thou hast nothing to say but I am in Christ: well, but how dost thou prove that, he will ask thee that question, Art thou a New Creature? If thou do find that thou art not a New Creature, thou art not in Christ, and thou needest not a new condemnation, but thou art condemned already. 
john 3.18.  For Christ found all the world in a state of condemnation, and if thou be not in him, thou art in the same estate: and therefore if you should but hear these words, if we should be silent, and should but read these words, Whosoever is in Christ, let him be a New Creature: it may make a man tremble, and look about him, and consider his state, and take heed of disjoining these things that the Lord hath joined together: if being in Christ, and being a New Creature be inseparable, think not that thou canst take Christ divided, that thou canst take him half, and leave the other part, that thou canst take him as a Saviour, and not take him as a Prophet, and a King; think not to have justification, and to want Sanctification: and therefore, you see, when the Gospel was preached, this was the main thing that was urged, Mark 6.13. when the seventy were sent out (saith the Text) this was their preaching, it sets down the sum, that men should amend their lives. When Christ himself was to preach, Matth. 4.17. this was the sum of his Doctrine, Amend your lives, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Paul, when he would tell them what was the sum of his preaching, Act. 20.21. saith he, We go about preaching, witnessing to jews and Grecians repentance towards God, and faith towards Christ. So that this Repentance that makes a man a New Creature, it was pressed as a thing of absolute necessity, as well as the taking of Christ. You know, when john Baptist came, what he called for, 
Matth. 3.8.  Fruits worthy of amendment of life. Deceive not yourselves, apply not the promises of the Gospel, except you find this Symptom of being in CHRIST, that you are made New Creatures.  
This distinguisheth between a Temporary Believer, and another; both go thus far, both have an insition into the Root, but the Temporary Believer partakes not of the fatness of the Root▪ he receives not life from the Root: It may be thou hast taken Christ in thy sense, but hast thou tasted of the fatness of the Root, hast thou drawn life from him, art thou made a New Creature, as a graft that is put into a new stock: when we are engrafted into Christ, there is an inversion of the order, there the stock changeth the graft; in the other, the graft changeth the stock into its Nature. Again, when thou takest Christ without this, it is as putting stones one upon another, when there is nothing to cement them, and to glue them together: whosoever is in Christ, is built upon him, as upon the cornerstone; now an Hypocrite may be built on him, as well as a true Professor; but here is the difference, they are living stones, their Nature is altered, they differ as much from themselves what they were before, as living things differ from dead stones; so, it may be, thou hast had an adhesion to the Body of Christ, thou hast stuck to it, as it were; but, if thou be a true member, than thou art knit to it by ligaments and sinews, thou hast communion with the head, there is an influence of blood and spirits into thee: therefore consider that with thyself; it may be, thou livest in the Church, and art such a member of it, as a glasse-eye is of the body: but hast thou communion with the head, art thou made a New Creature by being in Christ? Is thy heart changed and sanctified by being in him? If it be so; then conclude, thou art in Christ; For, if any be in Christ, he is a New Creature. Examine thyself in this, deceive not thyself, to whomsoever he is made Righteousness, he is made Sanctification. It is impossible they should be disjoined, (as I told you in the morning,) his blood hath not only a virtue to cleanse thee from the guilt of thy sins, but a power to purge thy conscience from dead works, to serve the living God, Hebr. 9.14.  
And wheresoever it is a plaster to cover thy sins, it doth likewise heal and cure them: therefore think not that thou art in Christ, except thou find this to be thy condition.  

Object.  Yea, but you will say, Is there such a condition in the world? who is it that finds himself such a New Creature? this I find that my old lusts return, the same Inclinations I had, I find them still, and this experiment of being all new, that all old things are passed away, I have not yet had; what shall we say to this?  
We will answer it very briefly:  
Though thou hast it not already, yet thou must not be discouraged, 
Answ.  thou must not say, there is nothing done, because all is not done: for motions are denominated from the terms they tend to, not from that they are already: when a thing is a little white, though it be not perfectly white, we say, it is white: when the Lord begins new qualities, if it be in sincerity, it is properly said to be a New Creature, for in time it will come to that, that will be the issue of it: therefore that which stands you in hand, is to consider, whether you be so or no; for indeed it is a difficult thing to discern, and needful for you to consider it: therefore I will briefly show you how you shall discern it.  
First, 
Signos of a new Creature.  you must know you shall have a present Sense of it, 
1 A Sense of it.  you shall feel it in yourselves, you shall know that such a change is wrought in you: for this is the difference between the Soul of a Man, and the soul of a Beast; a Beast cannot return upon his action, to know whether he have done such a thing or no, but the Soul of a Man is able to do it, it is capable of reflect Acts, as we say, it can recoil and return upon itself, and can consider what is done with it: therefore examine thyself by this, thou mayest know, whether such a change be wrought in thy heart or no. See it in other things, thou canst tell what thou delightest in, thou canst tell what thine inclination is; for a man's inclination is of a quick sense, it puts him forward, it carries him to that which he desires: therefore thou mayest see the scope of this, thou mayest deceive another, thou canst not deceive thine own heart, especially in judging this, whether thou be a New Creature. If thou judge strictly of thyself, if thou have a right rule to examine it by, the present sense of it may be an assurance that thou art made a New Creature: for to be a New Creature is nothing else, but to be turned upside down, when a man changeth his course (as it were, from East to West) when he sails to a quite contrary point of the Compass, when the Rudder of his life is turned: therefore Paul saith, he came to preach, 
●●ct. 26.18.  To turn men from darkness to light, from the power of Satan of God: Therefore there is a contrary course, it is a turning, it is true, if the New Creature were but a buckling, but a bowing of the course, it would be hardly discerned, but when it is from contrary to contrary, such a thing is easily found.  
I know such a thing as I hated, now I love it; I know such a duty that was tedious, now it is delightful; such a thing I could not do, now I can perform it; go thorough all the parts of thy life thou mayest have ● present sense.  
Wonder not at this Doctrine, for if it were not thus, no man could have assurance at the first conversion of his heart to God, if it were not that you might judge yourselves by a present sense you have, by that alteration, by that reflect act of the Soul; for when I say sense, I mean that inclination of thy Soul; If we could not judge ourselves by that, no man at his first coming to CHRIST could judge of himself, till he had stayed some time; and then at what time shall we set limits, shall we stay at a day, or a week, or at a month, or a year, or seven year: therefore a man may have assurance from the inclination of his Soul, that there is a change in him, or else we should never be able to comfort men in an exigent: For, except they had had trial, except they had a long time to live, except they might come to converse, and be put upon it by temptation and trial, no man could comfort himself: therefore that is one thing to try it, you shall find a change wrought, you shall find the inclination of the Soul turned another way: Go thorough all the particulars, look thorough the whole rectitude of the Image of God, expressed in all the graces of that whole line, and look to your heart what it was before, and thou shalt find in every thing an alteration, that is one thing to judge it by.  
Secondly, 
2 The Universality of it.  you shall judge something by the universality of it; Whosoever is in Christ is a New Creature: The meaning is not, that the substance of a man is changed, but the order and frame of his Soul is altered, there are the same strings, as it were, but there is a new tune put to them; there is the same Soul, the same faculties, but there is a new order there. Mark, as it is in all things that consist in order, there you must have the whole, or none at all, the harmony that hath not every string set right, in some measure, it is no harmony, but the harmony is dissolved. Beauty that consists in a conformity of all the parts, except there be a concurrence of all, the Beauty is dissolved, it is nothing; so in all things else: therefore consider with thyself, art thou made all new? for thou must know that God works not by halves; no man ever had an heart half new and old; in the work of Redemption and re-creating, and repairing of mankind, there is not a work of the Lord but it is perfect. It is true, it is not ripe yet, there is a time for the maturity of it, it shall grow to full ripeness; but yet the Lord looks on it, and it must be very good, that is, there must be all of it: therefore consider with thyself, Art thou all new? Is there not some exempted place in thy heart and life that is yet old, as old as it was? If there be, certainly thou art not yet made a New Creature.  
Take judas for example, you shall find this, he had old still, his covetousness yet remained in him that was not renewed: thence it was, that in the Passeover, there was such a straight charge, that all the leaven should be purged out; you see how it is repeated, not a jot of leaven shall be left. So, saith the Apostle, All must be new and unleavened, 
1 Cor. 5.7.  because Christ our Passeover is offered for us.  

Object.  But the natural man will say, this is impossible; for than we shall have no sin?  
My Brethren, that is not the meaning of it; the meaning is, 
Answ.  that thou must be purged from all the old leaven, that is, thou must allow none, thou must strive against all, thou must hate all, thou must do thy best to cleanse it out, and not suffer any to be there willingly, as to take possession in thy heart; it may be there as a thief, (as it were, as a Creeper in) but otherwise it is not to be there: therefore consider that, Let them look to this, that think stoppage is payment, that take liberty in some things, and think to recompense it by a more strict care in other things: for when a man comes to this, to supererrogate in some things, and to be negligent in others, It is an evil sign, it is a sign thou art not a New Creature, for then all would be new; I say, it is an ill sign, that there is no life there, it is a sign that all that thou dost otherwise is but counterfeit: therefore it is worth your observation, that when any man serves the Lord, when he doth it not with his whole heart, it is reckoned as counterfeit, if there be but one old place in the heart, if there be but one old lust living there, God takes all as feigned, jer. 3.10. You did not turn to me with your whole heart, but feignedly: As if he should say, If it be not done with the whole heart, it is feigned, it is a sign there is no life there, if a man abound in duties never so much; let him be excellent in prayer, excellent in almsdeeds, in doing justice, let him come to Church, let him do what he will, if there be any thing old, yet it is a sign he wants life, for where there is life, there is augmentation of parts; a man that is living increaseth in all. If thou find some part of thy soul, of thy life, to be augmented, and not the rest, thou art dead, a dead thing may be capable of it, you may increase one part of Wheat, or of Silver, or Gold, but the other part continues as it was, but all increase in living Creatures, it is a general increase, there is nothing stands at a stay; if thou find a reservation in some things wherein thou takest liberty, and standest at a stay, thou art not yet a New Creature.  

3 Looking upon every thing with a new eye.  Thirdly, thou shalt know, if thou be new by this, thou lookest upon every thing with a new eye, every thing is presented to thee in a new manner: this I take from this very Chapter, the Apostle saith, 
2 Cor. 5.16.  We know no man after the flesh, therefore whosoever is in Christ let him be a New Creature: As if he should say, I am a New Creature, or else I could not be in Christ; as I, so every man else must be▪ for that instance he gives of living to the Lord, of being a New Creature, he knew no man after the flesh. Look to thyself in this, dost thou look upon every thing in the world with a new eye, (that is) upon all the particulars; thou lookest upon sin in another fashion than thou didst before, thou seest more in it, than ever thou didst? Thou lookest upon spiritual Grace in another m●nner, thou seest more excellency in it than thou didst; thou look'st upon the world in another manner, than when thou didst magnify it, and the things of it, the dignity, the honour and the wealth; thou art now able to say as Paul, They are as dross, as a withering flower: thou lookest upon good and ill men after another manner, a vile person will be despised in thine eyes, let him have all outward excellencies, and he that fears the Lord, thou wilt honour him, let him be never so base: thou lookest on thyself after another manner, thou dost no more behold thyself as thou didst, to think thyself perfected, by adding to thy outward condition, to thy outward comforts and conveniences, though that be a thing that is not to be despised, yet a man's self lies not in that, but himself is the inward man, the Regenerate man; thou wilt not care to have thy outward man perish, thou wilt not care what loser thou be in any thing else, thou wilt reckon that thyself, therefore thou wilt deny those things, because thou reckonest not them thyself; for it is impossible that a man should deny that which is himself, but thy judgement is altered, thou lookest with another eye upon another self, than thou didst before, and therefore thou deniest that which before thou tookest for thyself, and nourished'st for thyself. Now a man looks upon God with another eye, now he sees his beauty, and his excellency, he sees there i● nothing in the world to be desired in compa●●son of him; before he was shy of him, and ran away from him, as Adam did. It is the state of every carnal man, he presents God terrible, he hath no delight in God, he looks upon him, as upon a judge, as one he serves of necessity; but I say then, you will know the Lord, jer. 31. when you are taught of me, than you shall know the Lord; when you are made New Creatures, than you shall know me, that is, yo● shall see me in another fashion than ever you did, you shall look on me with another eye, you shall know me then, as to love me, to desire me, to long after nothing so much as Communion with me. I might run thorough more instances, but the time calls me away. Thou wilt look upon every thing with another eye, they will be presented with another shape, for there will be a new Heaven, and a new Earth to thee, I say, all will be new to thee: for mark the newness of any sense, or of any faculty, when it is renewed by any infused quality, it is not so much discerned by itself, as by the object; as, if a man have a new taste, and a new savour, a new taste in health, How shall he know it? Give him meat, and drink, and what you will, in all the objects of the taste, you shall find a new relish.  
So if you would know of your heart, if it be new, go to the objects that thy heart is conversant about, see if thou lookest upon them in another fashion, if thou have a new taste, and a new relish in thee: for if there be a new heart in thee, thou mayest see it outwardly; thou wilt say as Paul said, I know no man, or any thing after the flesh, after the outward condition; this note will try it, if you apply it to yourselves, after once the change is wrought, that you are made New Creatures, there is nothing that is presented to you after the same manner as it was, every thing is changed with you, as if you were brought into a new world, you will see them to be other things than you did before; but I cannot stand to press this further.  
Again, 
4 New works.  if you would know whether this be in you or no, then consider, whether your works be altered: for we have a rule in Philosophy and a true one, and we will apply it here; As a thing is in being, so it is in working: If there be a new disposition in thee, if there be another Nature, there will be a new kind of work, for all things in the world work according to their being, and there is nothing that hath an essence and a being, but the operations and acts of it are suitable to it: therefore, if thou wouldst know, look to what thou dost; It is not therefore thy good purposes or thy good meanings, but thy doing: therefore examine thyself, Hast thou left any old courses? Hast thou given over thy drinking, thy gaming, thy sin of uncleanness, thy breaking of the Sabbath? Wilt thou say that thou hast a new heart, and yet keepest thy old company still? That thou hast a new heart, and yet usest thy old speeches still? That thou hast a new heart, and yet ploddest in the same old tract that thou didst? Look what thou wast wont to do, thou dost still; thou wast wont to spend the Sabbath thus and thus, and thou dost so still; thou wast wont to neglect prayer, to perform it in a remiss manner; thou wast wont to be a negligent hearer, without recalling it, and working it upon thine own heart, without growing in knowledge, and thou art so still; thou wast wont to have secret byways, that thy heart knows were not good, and thou holdest them still: wilt thou say thou art a New Creature? It is impossible. If we be New Creatures, there will be an alteration certainly in our lives: And therefore to you that say, I purpose to do better, and I intent it, my meaning is good, I say to you, 
2 Cor. 4.20.  the Kingdom of God stands not in word, and in purpose, and in meaning, but in power. Thou art made a New Creature, that is, the inward frame of thy heart is altered, and, if that be altered, there is an ability follows it, that enables thee to do the duties of new obedience, and to abstain from the contrary: therefore examine thyself by thy actions, and say not now, though I do not live strictly and precisely, for show, as others do, yet I do as much in substance; for if thou be a New Creature, thou wilt be as much in show too, the operation and action will follow, if the inside be clean, Mat. 23. the outside will be so, though it be true, we oft find the outside clean, when the inside is not.  
Therefore, it is no strange mark that I give, that examining yourselves by the outside should be a means to know if you be New Creatures; for, though we cannot say that because the outside is good, the inside is so too; yet we may conclude, if the outside be not good, certainly thou art not a New Creature yet.  
Therefore, let none say they have a good intention although their works be bad. For although this be not a good Affirmative Argument▪ if the outside be good, the inside will be so also; yet it is a good Negative Argument, if the outside be not clean, the inside cannot be clean: As in jer. 3.4, 5. Will you not from this time cry unto me, Thou art my Father, and the guide of my youth? etc. All this is well spoken. But behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldst. So that good professions will not serve the turn when we do evil; God judgeth not by our intentions, but according to our works.  
The end of the Second Sermon.   

CERTAIN SERMONS UPON THE NEW CREATURE.  2 COR. 5.17. 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.  
OUR business now shall be to show what a New Creature is, and to apply it as we go along, that you may know upon good grounds whether you be New Creatures or no, that so you may have comfort if you be, or else that you may seek it, if you be not. 
A New Creature, what.   
To be a New Creature is nothing else but to have a heart new moulded by the infusion of a new quality of grace, and by the destruction of the old. There are three things to be marked: 
Three things in it.  

First, the heart must be new moulded.  
Secondly, it must be done by the infusion of a new quality.  
And thirdly, there must be a mortification of the old man. Let us go thorough these three distinctly, and apply them as we go.    

1 The heart must be new moulded, or cast into a new frame.  First, the heart must be new moulded, or cast into a new frame. You may see this by comparing it with the old man, we shall know the one by the other: You shall find that when Adam's nature was corrupted, there was a disorder in all the faculties. As for example, in the Ruin of a Palace, there are the materials left still, only the order is taken away; so in the corruption of nature, there are the same natural operations, but all is disordered and turned up-side down; thus was the confusion of man after the fall. But the New Creature doth work the contrary, it sets up the house again, and restores us unto our first state in Adam. When a man is made a New Creature, his Soul is put in joint again, so that the face of every faculty looks towards God, whereas before it looked towards the World, Sin and Hell, the Soul is quite altered, as a man that turns his face from East to West, whereas a man before had his back, now he hath his face turned to heaven; therefore it is called Turning to the Lord. Observe here two things:  
First, when we say, you must be cast into a new frame, it is not enough to have the actions of the Soul changed, but the whole bent of the Soul.  
In a regenerate man, 
1 Principally, his inclination is changed.  the turning of the actions is nothing, for even when he doth that which is evil, the bent or positure of his Soul stands to God, although it be transported to do evil, and it is true on the other-side, although an evil man doth good actions, yet the bent of his Soul looks another way, for therein stands the alteration of the New Creature, even in the bent of the faculties, which is to turn us from Satan unto God.  
Aristotle hath an observation; It is one thing, saith he, to do an Act of Art, and another thing to do it like an Artist; It is one thing to do an Act of music, and another thing to do it Artist-like: If one doth a thing, and have no Art in the doing of it, he deserves no commendation; so there is a great difference between doing any Act of goodness, and having the actions of the Soul well habited; for when you only do the act without the bent of your Souls, that way, God regards it not at your hands, but when the inward frame of the heart is set right, whereas it was contrary before, it is a sign of a New Creature: Apply this to yourselves.  
But how shall we know whether the frame of our Souls be thus altered or no? 
Quest.   
You shall know it by this: 
Answ.  If there be such an alteration of the inward faculties, you shall find yourselves ready to every good work. When a man hath no natural inclination unto goodness, 
How this alteration of the inclination may be known.  without forcing himself, it doth undo the action, but when a man's heart is sanctified and made new, he presently falls upon good works, He is ready to every good work, for every good work, and stands ready for it; he doth what he doth readily, without much ado; for when the heart is changed in a man that is a New Creature, he is like a Conduit, do but turn the cock, and there needs no forcing of the water out; so when a man is become a New Creature, he is ready to every good work (like a good wife that is ready to bring forth fruits unto her husband) whereas before he brought forth fruit unto sin and death.  
Again, you shall find that you do good things with facility and delight, and that is a sign that thy heart is turned another way. It is the property of a good man to delight in the Lord his God; and what he delights in, he makes his own, what he doth, he doth with facility; The Commandments of God are not burdensome to him, the yoke of Christ is easy: therefore, if thou art new, thou art easy in thy obedience, whereas another man that hath no such change wrought in him, doth delight in nothing but to do evil, to do well he hath no pleasure, Gods Commandments are burdensome to him; therefore the Laws of God are too straight for him, that he cannot march in them, as David could not march in Saul's Armour, for it was too heavy for him. A man that is a New Creature doth things with facility and delight.  
But this is not all; If thy Soul be fashioned and cast into a new mould, thou wilt not only do good things readily, but well and handsomely (to use our common term) when as other men bungle at good works, and know not how to turn their hand unto them: They do them indeed, but as the Wiseman saith, Prov. 26.7. As the legs of the lame are not equal, so is a Parable in a fool's mouth: When they come to do any good Actions, it is like a Parable in a fool's mouth, the Parable is not fit for his mouth; as when a man hath one leg longer than another, he is lame▪ so a Parable in a fools mouth is not equal to his mouth, the action may be good, yet he do●h it but lamely, it is beyond his reach, he doth not do actions as he should, but an holy man doth them as a workman. I speak not of doing of them before men, but before God, who judgeth righteously, when he comes to perform an holy duty, he doth it as it is meet, he prays fervently, and consecrates himself unto the Lord with delight, He shows mercy with cheerfulness, and every grace hath his peculiar property, wherein the goodness of it consists, as Faith, Love, and Hope, are the concomitants of his actions, wherein their excellency consists, whereas other men do the same duties, but not with that affection that they should, and they do it but with a dead heart, they are works of virtue, and have the lineaments of true ones, but they are dead works, because life is not in them.  
Therefore consider how thou dost things; the matter is not so much what thou dost, as how thou dost them.  
Again, if thou be a New Creature, thou shalt know it, by thy doing of good constantly, as a man that doth it naturally. In Nature, you know, the habits and inclinations are close and near unto us, and growing in us; therefore, if thou do good in thy constant practice, it is a sign thy heart is changed. This is the first thing, there is a new frame, all the bend of the faculties are changed, and by this you may know it, if you do good readily with facility and delight, and constantly.  

2 This change is in his whole Conversation.  One thing more observe in this new Frame, there is not only a bending of the Soul to a contrary point (as it were) but moreover all must be changed; as for example, Cast any thing into a new mould, there is not only one part altered, but all; so, if you be New Creatures, you must find this in yourselves, that you do not make choice in the duties of godliness, but take all, and omit nothing; You must be holy in all manner of conversation; those words are added, in all manner of conversation, and they are much to be observed, that is, in all the turnings of a man's life: As, if he be a Magistrate, he must be exact in hearing of Causes, neither to fear any man's face, nor to be moved by any man's favour: if he be an husband, his speeches and actions must be holy, his speeches must be gracious: If thou be a Subject in reverence to the King, and respective to others, thou must be holy in all manner of conversation, otherwise the frame is not altered, this must be of necessity; for that which God requires of us, is the keeping of the whole Law, as james saith, jam. 2.20. where he speaks of keeping the Law Evangelically, For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet fail in one point, he is guilty of all.  
Go thorough the whole Latitude of our obedience; if in one part thou wilt favour thyself, thou art guilty of all. In the same Epistle, jam. 1.26. If any man among you seemeth to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, that man's Religion is in vain. That which is here said of the tongue, may be said of any thing else: Dost thou do thus and thus, dost thou sanctify the Sabbath, dost thou go to God in prayer, go to all particular duties, I know not what to name unto you, and yet in any of these dost fail; consider that the Apostle might as well have said unto thee, for that thy Religion is in vain (he speaks of keeping the Law in an Evangelicall manner) a man must set himself to keep every Commandment, and if he do but take liberty in any, he is guilty of the whole.  
Take this for a sure rule, what God requires of us in the Gospel, he gives us strength to perform, but if our hear●s were not altogether new moulded, the work would be more than our strength; therefore, of necessity, the heart must be altogether new moulded. Therefore the Apostle saith, (and what he saith is common to all the Saints) I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me. Every man that hath this new frame wrought in him may say so: If thou be in Christ, thou hast a new frame in thy heart, which makes thee able to do all things through Christ.  

Use.  Consider of this, and apply it to yourselves, for it is a matter of much moment, (as the Apostle saith) We are not ashamed to write unto you of these things again, and again: So it is a point we have touched before, (yet we will speak of it again and again.) Consider with thyself, whether there be such a general change in thee or no: for the goodness of a thing consists in the order, else the whole is dissolved; as in beauty there are two things wherein it consists, the frame and order of it, that we say is beautiful, when the frame is good, and no part is to be admired above the rest; so it is the frame and order of the Soul wherein its beauty consists, when the whole frame is right, and thou art enabled to do the whole duties of new obedience.  
Observe Gods dealing in this case; when Saul had failed in one thing, God cast him off.  
But, you will say, this was an heard judgement, did not David fail many times as well as he?  
It is true, but here is the difference, Saul had a natural heart to do evil, although his profession was good; 
Answ.  yet when he was put to the trial, whether he would take the fat sheep and the oxen, he did it; yet, you must know, it was not for that, 
〈…〉 new 〈◊〉 itie of godliness.  that God cast him off, but because the frame of his heart was not good; for he would have done it again and again, an hundred times over; I say, the disposition of his heart was evil. Balaams' eye unto the wages of iniquity marred all, though he kept himself aloft and carried the matter fairly, but like the Eagle he had his eye upon the prey; this secret eye mars all. Do not think that this is but a notion, do not say, who is it but doth sin? and we may go to heaven although we be not so exact, as the Preacher saith we should be. No, it is more than so, we may see good reason for it, if we observe it well: It is a good argument which we have in Philosophy, A cup or a dish that is boared thorough is no dish, yet there is but one hole in it, because it is now of no use, which makes it none, because it is as good as none. Take a dish boared thorough, power water into it, 
The new qua●●tie, what.  it will hold none: so take a man's heart, (for the reason will hold good in that) and let there be but some secret leak in it, or some secret evil disposition, although Saul doth well in every thing else, yet if he harbour any sin; or although Balaam doth well in all things else, yet if there be respect unto the wages of Iniquity, they are both but like a dish with an hole boared thorough, that take up any thing, there will be an issuing out.  
Therefore deceive not thyself, thou art no New Creature, except thy heart be perfect in all things: This which we deliver unto you, take it no otherwise than what with reason you shall find grounded upon a sure word in jer. 2. They sought me not with their whole heart, but feignedly: When a man seeks God, but not with his whole heart, God reckons it but a counterfeit seeking of him.  
Therefore, I beseech you, look unto yourselves, see, whether you be holy in all manner of conversation, I cannot go thorough particulars, but I must leave this to every man's breast, who must reflect upon his own heart. Consider with thyself, if sometimes thou givest liberty to thyself in ill, or in the duties of new obedience to perform them slightly, as good never a whit, as never the better: if thou dost any duty, which thou knowest to be a duty, and not truly, know it is not accepted: If you continue in sin, and will not know it to be a sin, as in your inordinate gaming, and the vanity of your speeches, although thou thinkest them small, yet they are able to kill thee; the biting of a Viper is as small a thing, yet it will bring death with it: so if any sin be allowed in thee, thou art not a New Creature, thou wantest this new moulding, thou art not yet cast into a new frame. So much for the First part.  
The second thing which we observed in this description of a New Creature, is that, A man must be cast into a new mould, by the infusion of a new quality of Grace.  
A man's heart is not put into a new frame by the transient Acts of the Holy Ghost (as in building of an house, 
2 It must be done by infusion of a new quality of godliness.  there is no more for a man to do, but with his hands to join one thing with another) but it is done by the infusion of a new quality.  
As in Adam there was not only a defect of weakness, but of wickedness, so there must be a new quality infused into thy heart, else thou art no New Creature. In all things in the world that have actions, there is a quality; as the fire moves upward, and there is a quality of heat in it; as our Saviour Christ saith of the tree, it must be good before it can bring forth good fruit, and as in the Heb. 12.28. Wherefore seeing we receive a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace whereby we may so serve God, that we may please him with reverence and fear; that is, there must be a new quality wrought in the heart, whereby we may be enabled to serve the Lord with reverence and fear.  
The question, 
The new quality, what.  you will ask me, will be, what is that new quality? Not to stand upon generals, for it is not that which profits, but to pitch upon it, I will show you what it is by two places of Scripture, Gal. 6.15. For in Christ jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing, nor Uncircumcision; but a New Creature: Compare this with Gal. 5.6. For in Christ jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing, nor Uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by love: Would you know what this new quality which is infused, is? It is faith and love, that is, when this is once wrought in thy heart, that thy heart is humble and broken, which makes thee to know what sin is, and what the wrath of God is for sin, and thou desirest Christ, and thou hast thy heart calmed again through believing; thou dost believe that God offers his Son unto thee, and thou art willing to take him, not as a Saviour only, but as a Lord also to obey him, not as a Priest only, but as a King to be subject to him, not as a friend only, but as an husband, if this be done, it is properly faith.  
Again, consider whether it be done out of love or out of fear, lest thy Creditors should come upon thee, and cast thee into that eternal prison, where thou shalt pay every farthing, this is not out of love.  
Again, dost thou take him for his kingdom and his wealth only? That is the disposition of an harlot, who takes her husband for his wealth, and not because she loves him, but thou must take him for love; The Virgins love thee, Cant. 1.2. The harlots do not so, but the Virgins love thy goodly person.  
Again, thou must not take him in a good mood, but till death do part you, thou must love him for ever: No man loves a man truly, but he is rooted and grounded in his love; when thou dost find thy heart so humbled, that thou dost reckon sin the greatest evil, and dost hunger after Christ, and dost keep him as thy life, when thou dost all this from a love unto him, thou art a New Creatures, when thou takest Christ with love, and such an one as is a working love, now be assured that thou art a New Creature, for this is that wherein it consists.  
I observe this by the way, for those that think they never have been humbled enough; the New Creature, consists not in that, but in faith and love: Hast thou faith and love? Then thou hast the thing itself, and if thou hast that, thou hast the preparation. That is the first expression. Another is in Ephes. 4.22, 23, 24. That ye cast off, concerning the conversation in times past, the old man which is corrupt through deceivable lusts, and be renewed in the Spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, which after God is created in Righteousness and holiness proceeding from truth.  
There you have the thing named, what it is to be a New Creature, and what it is to be the old man still.  
To be the old Creature, or the old man, is nothing else but to be guided by lust, which comes from error in judgement and understanding. But wherein consists the new man? The new man consists in holiness wrought in the will, which proceeds from truth revealed unto the understanding; so when the understanding and the judgement is rectified, thou art made a New Creature. Again, when the will is corrupt by lusts, proceeding from error in the understanding, thou art in state of an old Creature. The old man stands properly in lusts; therefore, saith Peter, 2 Pet. 1.4. Fly the corruption which is in the world through lust: All the corruption of mankind stands in these inordinate lusts. Others we may look on as the fruit, but this as the Root. What are those lusts? john shows them by three heads, 1 joh. 2.16. The lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life. The old man stands in these three. Take the first Lust, even the lust of the Eye. A man looks upon wealth to make him happy in this life, (I mean no otherwise) and looking upon this, he lusts after it: Do but rectify his judgement, and let wealth be presented to him (as it is in itself, and he will come to be affected with it, as Paul was, who accounted all but dross and dung, he will say then, why should I set my heart upon that which is nothing but vanity? I say, when the understanding is rectified, you will look upon wealth aright, and as you shall see it at the day of death; for than we are as a man awakened out of a dream, we will look on it then, as it is jam. 1.10. Let the Richman rejoice that he is made low, for as a flower of the grass so shall he vanish: The meaning of this is, when a man is made a New Creature, he is brought down in his conceit, whereas before he thought himself a great man, because of his wealth: Now Religion comes, and that makes him low, and let him be glad of it; Why? What reason hath a man to be glad of it? Indeed if wealth were a thing of moment, it were another matter, but he was deceived. Riches are but as the flower of grass. A wise man looks on Riches as flowers of the Garden with children, and the weakest do much magnify. Indeed, if they were of great moment, he lost by it, but, as james saith, They are but as flowers of the grass worth little?  
For the Lust of the flesh; that is, another thing whereby this old man is seen. A man looks on outward pleasures or delights, as able to give satisfaction, and as the greatest delights in the world, let his judgement be rectified, he looks upon them as Enemies that fight against the Soul, as the works of darkness which he abhors, and so he comes to Lot's disposition, Whose righteous Soul was vexed to see the filthiness of the Sodomites: When his judgement is right, he looks on them as base and vile things, as Enemies unto his Soul, that will be his destruction.  
For the Pride of life: Man looks on outward things as the only excellencies, which makes him admire them so, but when his judgement is once rectified, he looks upon them as the Apostle doth, who accounted them but empty things, as bubbles blown up by Boys.  
To conclude, when the judgement is rectified, in stead of Error and Deceit, which is the Root of the old man, whence comes these three great Lusts (which are the main, and from which all the rest will follow) than the lusts are dissolved, and the new man comes from truth, as the other is corrupted, and comes from deceit. So you see; what it is to have this new quality, to have the judgement rectified, and the lust dissolved.  
And not so only, but there must be new desires wrought in thee. A carnal man over-values carnal things, and in spiritual things he comes far too short, like a man that looks upon a banquet when his belly is full, he hath no appetite unto it: So a carnal man looks upon Sin and forgiveness. But when a man hath his judgement rectified, he comes to have many holy desires, and in this stands the New Creature.  
Again, it comes from knowledge of the Spirit.  

Object.  But, you will say, we have knowledge, and, if that would do it, than they that know most are best men?  

Answ.  But you must know what kind of knowledge this is; The new man must be renewed in knowledge: This is such a knowledge of holiness, as the Holy Ghost reveals unto us, and except this knowledge be revealed unto you, our revealing is nothing; We preach Wisdom, which the Princes of the world know not, neither can know.  
Take Aristotle or others which are the Princes of the world for wisdom; they know not these things, nay, if they were taught them, they could not learn them, for they are revealed by the Spirit; and if we preach unto you never so oft, if the Spirit do not reveal them unto you it is nothing: We see that by experiience, that a man that can reason against these and these sins, can speak of the vanity of these things, can give twenty better reasons against them than another man, yet he seeks after them as much as any: The wisemen and strongest wits which can say most against them, yet have not their lusts dissolved, when a poor man that is truly sanctified, although he cannot say the hundreth part against sin, as another man, yet he doth hunger after jesus Christ.  
Therefore it must be the work of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. ult. But, we all behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with open face, and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord: that is, when we look into the Word we see the Image of God, so may another man too, but he doth not see the glory of it, he doth not look on it as a desirable thing, as a thing he is in love withal. God shows Moses his glory; he never showed his glory but to the Saints: The greatest request that Moses desired, was to see the glory of the Lord; I will show thee my glory, saith God, that is, thou shalt see as much as shall be needful for thee to see in this life. God shows himself unto us in his Word, and when he will show a man his glory, he makes him to have a love to it, and then he is transformed into his Image. Another sees it, but he is not transformed into such a knowledge as convinceth the mind of sin: when we teach knowledge, it is as the Sparks in a dark room, or as the Stars in a dark night, the room is dark still; so it is with all knowledge, till the Holy Ghost doth teach it: we may beget a thousand sparks in you, but they will not turn the darkness into light. But when the Holy Ghost comes, it doth not only appear there, but it changeth us from darkness into light.  
You must know that when we preach only, it is as when the light shines, the windows being shut against it, there is none shines into the house; so when men think they understand most, yet they want this light to shine into the house, Luke 24.45. Then opened he their understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures. They had heard Christ before, but they understood not his Word; like those which sowed seed on ill ground, and therefore received not the fruit of it, but when the Holy Ghost comes into thy heart, that will convince thee of evil: it will expel darkness, and set right thy judgement: otherwise, though you heard Paul preach, yea, Christ himself, were your judgements never so good, yet it would not be done till the Holy Ghost teacheth you, you will never know him, never see him aright in his glory, never see him so, as to delight and long after him, so as to desire nothing in the world so much as communion with him.  
Thus it is when his Image is renewed in Knowledge and Truth, and where this Knowledge and Truth is, Holiness instantly follows.  
There are many that know and practice not; and there are many which neither know nor practice, but where this Image is, what ever they know they practice.  
Well, let us apply this unto ourselves briefly.  
If to be a New Creature, 
Use.  there is required of us this Faith and Love, Truth and Holiness, Knowledge and Righteousness; then let us learn not to be deceived, to regard nothing else in comparison of this. Do as the Apostle, Gal. 6.15. For in CHRIST JESUS neither Circumcision availeth any thing, nor Uncircumcision, but a New Creature: that is, it is no matter for any thing in a man, Circumcision is no better than Uncircumcision: Go thorough all the duties of Religion, you shall find them nothing till you be made a New Creature. I know many do many things, they come to Church, and give alms; well saith the Apostle, Circumcision and Uncircumcision is all one; so say I, Prayer and no Prayer is all one; doing justly and unjustly, it is all one, until a man be a New Creature: Therefore, saith Paul, 1 Cor. 13.3. Though I give all my goods to the poor (which is a glorious action; nay, though I could be content to be a Martyr) though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth nothing: So except you be New Creatures, your labour is lost, for Nature may do much with the knowledge of the Gospel. As the Earth brings forth grass of itself, and some flowers of the lowest sort, but to bring forth a crop, and flowers of the finest sort, it must be tilled, and there must be seed put in; Nature, I say, may do much, but this New Creature must come from an Immortal seed sown in the heart, by God himself.  
Therefore, look whether thou hast that wrought in thee or no. For this is all the comfort we have, when the body is decayed and waxen old; yet, let us not be discouraged, though this outward man decay and perish, there is a new youth springing up.  
This is all the comfort we have, that when the old house is going down, we have a new house setting up in stead of it. Every man is glad to see an old house pulled down, and a new set up in stead of it; but to see an old house going down, and no new one to be set up, the ruin of it is a most miserable Spectacle.  
Take an Husbandman, who hath taken great pains in ploughing and sowing his ground, when he sees his corn is rotten, he is glad of it, because he knows new will come up in stead of it; so when we see the body decaying, and our day drawing towards evening, when the Sun of life is ready to be set upon us, when we shall grow no more: this presents nothing but confusion, yet here is hope for us; There is light Sown unto the righteous: All the consolation and all the comfort we have in these days of our vanity, is, that we have a New Creature, that is not subject to vanity.  
The end of the Third Sermon.   

THE FOURTH SERMON UPON THE NEW CREATURE.  2 COR. 5.17. 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.  
NOw we come to the last thing to be observed in the New Creature; 
3 There must be a mortification of the old man  which is, that there is not only an infusion of a new Quality, but a weakening of the old: Therefore we put that into the description. A man is a New Creature when his heart is cast into another mould, by the infusion of a new quality of grace, and by a destroying of the old.  
And this is specially to be observed, because there be two parts of the New Creature, a mortification of sin, as well as a vivification. For, Common Nature is like a Bowl between two byasses, Corruption is the wrong bias, carrying us out of the way; and Grace the good bias, carrying us into the way: So you must knock off the old bias, as well as put on a new one, that is, Common Nature lies as an indifferent thing between Grace and Sin, the Flesh and the Spirit, Corruption and Holiness; so that as the body is between health and sickness, so is Common Nature between original sin, which is as the sickness or death of the Soul, and Holiness, which is the health of it. Now it is not only required that there be an infusion of the new Quality, but likewise a weakening of this old, both cannot stand together, so far as you strengthen one, the other is weakened, it is always so where is contrariety, where there is no contrariety two may stand together; but when things be opposite, the coming in of the one, is the weakening of the other, the coming of heat is a weakening of cold, this is of special use.  

Use.  And this use we are to make of it; that hence then you see this will follow, that, if you find much newness in yourselves (according to your own opinion) you find you can do many things, you could never do before; you are able to do these and these duties of new obedience: well, suppose it, yet except there be a mortification of the old lusts; if thou find that there be any lusts continue in thee, in strength, that, in that regard, thou art the same man still, whatsoever addition there be, it is no matter, it is certain thou art not yet a New Creature: for a New Creature consists not in superinduction of the new Quality, the old remaining; but in a weakening of the old too. It is not only a superaddition of the new, but the death of the old also: Therefore, if thou findest any corruptions continuing in the fullness of their first strength, not weakened at all; though thou hast all signs of grace, all parts of a New Creature, to thy seeming, yet thou art deceived; because if thou wert new, there would be a mortification of the old lusts.  
So again, it is true on the other side: Put case thou find a great change in thyself, such lusts as have been vigorous and lively, thou findest to be now dead, except it be by the ingress of this New Creature, thou hast little cause to comfort thyself; for those lusts are but covered and laid asleep for a time, and will wake and rise again: as Samson, when he was tied with cords, rose again, and was as strong as ever he was, when the opportunity came, And it was told him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson: So lusts are laid asleep, till the opportunity comes, when all the thread of good purposes breaks, and they rise again in their strength: therefore, if there be not a New Creature brought within thy soul, thy lusts are but laid asleep, they will rise again: Or put case they be dead, and rise no more; yet, except it be by the ingredience of this New Creature, they are but dead of themselves, and so long as they die of themselves, God regards not that death: for that which is required of us in Rom. 12.1. is, that we sacrifice ourselves: Now two things are required in the Sacrifice; one, that it be slain, that it die not of itself, for that is not a Sacrifice. Secondly, that it be offered to God, and not to any other god. Now this we oft find, that lusts die of themselves, change of age, experience, operation of circumstances, time, place, and many things may alter the desires: for, you must know, The world passeth away, and the lusts of it: that is, they are of a transitory Nature. A man doth not desire that, this year, which he did the last. Do we not see, many have been riotous and prodigal in youth, yet there is a great change in them, not for grace, but age, and use, and experience, and many things, make alteration: These are not slain to the Lord, but they die of themselves, so God would not accept them.  
Again, they may be slain, but not to the LORD, thou mayest offer them to thyself, which is the same, as if thou offeredst them to another god, that is, a man may find much evil and inconvenience, much bitterness in them, it may be, they have brought shame and misery on thee.  
Again, thou mayst fear God's judgements; and therefore mayest restrain thyself. In a word, If thyself be thy end, in abstaining from any sin what ever it be, there is a Sacrifice, thou hast slain it, but not offered it to the Lord, it is not done to him, It is not because thou lovest the Lord jesus: therefore it is not a fruit of the New Creature, for till then, every man makes himself his end in all he doth, but when he is made a New Creature, he makes the LORD his end.  
This therefore is the use of this: there must be two parts of this New Creature, Vivification, and Mortification, an infusion of the new Quality, and a weakening of the old. Because this is a point of much moment, I will press it a little further, and deliver this Rule, I say, this other Consectary may be gathered: If it be so, than thou must find in thyself these two things:  
Thou must find in thyself something more than Nature, 
2 Use or Consectary.  and again, thou must find in thyself something less than Nature: Thou must have less than what thy corrupt nature had in it, and more than common nature hath in it, or else thou wantest this third part of the New Creature, this third thing wherein it consists, the induction of a new Quality, and a weakening of the old: We will urge this a little.  

1 There must be something les●e than corrupt nature.  First, there must be a lessening and a weakening of that was there before: for, you must know every man hath some personal infirmities, some sins more peculiar to his Nature than others, something wherein he is weak, every man hath it, 
Where ●●od forgiveth, he healeth; where he pardoneth, he purifieth.  one of one sort, another of another sort; every man hath a more inclination to this or that sin, which is bred and borne with him. If thou findest that this continues with thee still, that thou hast the same running-sore on thee, that thou hadst, that thou findest no alteration in that, that there is no lessening, no weakening, no destroying and mortifying of that, than thou art not a New Creature, and consequently, thy sins are not forgiven, for justification and Sanctification are inseparable. It thy sins were pardoned, they would be healed, that is the thing you must consider. It is certain therefore, if you do not find them healed, you are not yet in Christ; for if thou wert in Christ truly, there would a virtue come out of him that would heal thy bloudy-issue; for the virtue of his death is never disjoined from the merit of his death, where ever he forgives sin, he cures sin: therefore if thou findest that he hath not cured any sin, know it is not forgiven. You may see it every where; Marry Magdalen, as much was forgiven her, so she had a great cure wrought in her, she was changed, she became another woman, you see how exceeding holy she was; when Christ said, Thy sins are forgiven, she went away with another heart: So it was with Paul, when once his sins were forgiven, when God sent word by Ananias that he was a chosen vessel, withal he was made a glorious Professor of a raging Persecutor, there was a healing of sin, as well as forgiving of it. So David, when his sin was forgiven, when God told him by Nathan so much, his sin was cured, he did not commit adultery again: therefore in the one and fiftieth Psalm, the cure stands on record, that all the world may know, that where God forgiveth, he healeth likewise. So Peter, when God had forgiven him that sin of denying his Master, he cured it too.  
To add a little more, 
Reason 1.  I say, Sin must be healed, if it be forgiven; for it cannot be otherwise, if God take any man to bear his Name, and his sins be not healed, his Name should be blasphemed, it would redound to his dishonour.  
Again, 
Reason 2.  if he should forgive and not heal us, we should have no comfort from him, nor he no service from us: we should have no comfort from him, because of the rage and vexation of ruling lusts.  
Again, 
Reason 3.  he should have no service from us; for how can we serve him when we are not healed? Can a sick man do any service? He must be healed, and restored to health first. Now do you think, God will put his children in a condition, that neither they shall have comfort from him, nor he service from them; therefore it is of necessity, wheresoever sin is forgiven, it is healed: Therefore in Hosea 14. When I take away your iniquities, I will heal your rebellions▪ So in Deut. 30.6. when he will have mercy upon them, saith he, I will also circumcise your hearts, and the hearts of your seed, that you shall love me with all your soul, and with all your strength: He never pardons, but he likewise circumciseth. So in jer. 24.7. I will set mine eye upon you for good: that is, I will pardon you, and receive you to mercy, and also will give you an heart to know me, so that you shall be my people, and I will be your God: For you shall turn to me with all your heart. In a word, they are never disjoined; take it for a sure rule, as Ezek. 26. I will wash thee from thy Idols, that is, from thy lusts and idolatry, and will give thee a new heart and a new Spirit, he never doth one without the other; therefore apply it. It may be there be many particular sins which thou thinkest are forgiven, Sabbath-breaking, Swearing, Uncleanness, go thorough any particular sin▪ if they be not healed, they be not forgiven, and so thou art in a miserable condition. Therefore, do not say, though I sin again and again, yet God is merciful, and, I hope, ready to forgive. It is very true; but thou must know, that he is never merciful to forgive, but he is as ready to heal and cure thy sins likewise; therefore deceive not yourselves in that.  

Caution.  Only before I pass from this point, mistake me not, my meaning is not, that it is so healed, that there is not the least vigour left in it, that it is so dead and buried, that thou shalt never hear of it again, that the Spring of original corruption is dried up, that none of it is left; but the meaning is, it is healed, that is, Sin is pulled down from his Regency, it may assault thee, as a Rebel, but it comes no more as a Lord, as a King; 
Note.  it is put out of possession, it may creep in as a Thief, but it comes no more as the owner of the house; for that is resigned up to grace and the New Creature. Sin creeps in, as it were, but there is another Master of the house, so that now thou mayest say, I do it not, but sin that dwelleth in me, that is, that creeps in; thy denomination is from that, that bears rule in thy heart; for that is all that is done in Regeneration; Sin is put out of possession, and Grace is now the Ruler, the Lord of the heart; therefore we may say, it is healed, that is, it is so shut out, that thou hast dominion over it, it may assault thee now and then, it may overcome thee now and then, but it dwells not in thee, thou never entertainest as a guest, thou never biddest it welcome, thou never makest peace with it, thou hast perpetual war with it, as there was with the Amalekites.  
Again, 
2 As there must be less than corrupt Nature; so there must be more than mere Nature.  corrupt nature must be lessened, weakened, and mortified; so there must be more than nature in thee; that is, thou must be able to do more than any natural man in the world can do, or then thou wast ever able to do before this change was wrought in thee; for, you must know, Grace doth not only mortify and heal Sin, but it goes beyond the power of Nature; as we say, Physic helps where Nature fails, and Art helps where Nature falls short: Such a thing is Grace where Nature fails, there is use of Grace, indeed else what were the efficacy of the Word, and the virtue of the Spirit, and the power of Christ? If they did not enable a man to do more than Nature doth. Grace comes from an higher Wellhead than Nature, therefore it raiseth a man to an higher pitch than Nature can ascend to. Therefore consider, if thou hast that which goes beyond Nature; Samson had a strength beyond Nature, he could do what a common man could not do, but God being with him, he had more than the strength of Nature. How do we know that? He was able to carry away the gates of the City, etc. which none else could do; therefore there was in him strength above Nature: Now examine, canst thou do that which no man else can do that is a mere natural man? Thou must have a strength put into thee, which none can reach to, that hath nothing but Nature in him, that is, canst thou love the Lord jesus and the Saints? An Hypocrite can counterfeit many things, but not love. Again, canst thou delight in the Law of God, in the Inner man, I ask not if thou canst approve of it, but canst thou delight in it, counting it as meat and drink to do the will of thy Father? This is a thing which cannot be counterfeit. So, canst thou deny thyself? I ask not, if thou canst deny this or that particular sin, but the whole body of sin, if thou favourest the things of the Spirit, if thou canst mortify the deeds of the Body, and walk according to that Spirit. In a word, whatsoever it is, if thou art a New Creature, thou must find thyself able to do that which no natural man can do, and which thyself couldst never do before; for, otherwise what wilt thou have to answer for thyself, when the Destroying Angel shall come, if he find not in thee more than Nature, the Destruction shall pass on thee, as it was in the Passeover, except there was found blood on the door-posts, they died for it: Now the blood that this Destroying Angel must see; when he shall pass over the world, is that which is, more than Nature. You must know the blood of Christ leaves an impression, Their garments were made white in the blood of the Lamb; that is, not only the guilt of sin is taken away, but a new virtue is put on them, a new efficacy is put into them, and if thou hast not the virtue of the blood of Christ, as well to purge thy conscience from dead works, as to take away the guilt of sin; all is nothing, you must know all the old world shall be destroyed, and the works of it, and whatsoever is in it, whatsoever is old shall be destroyed; the Lord will spare nothing but what is new, he makes a new Heaven, and a new Earth; and what is new shall be spared, when he comes to take an examination of men, and finds nothing but old in thee, thou art sure to be destroyed; if thou be new he will spare thee, there is a blessing there, this is the mark in the forehead, this is that new Name, this is that certain watchword, which, if a man know not, he is counted as an enemy: you have a fashion sometimes to give marks, if they have that mark, that token in their hand, they are known to be of them that are allowed. So there is a certain sealing of men to life, God gives a new name, a white st●ne with a new name written on it, which none can read but God and thyself: I say, except thou art a New Creature (for that is the new name) the Destroying Angel shall not spare thee, but thy sins shall be cast on thy conscience, as usually he doth when thou are on thy deathbed; he never binds the burden till then, you have it before, but you never feel it till then, but when God shall charge it on thy conscience, what wilt thou say? if thou findest not these two things, a weakening of this old nature, an healing of sin, and something morethan Nature, thou canst not apply the comfort of justification, thou art not in Christ, for thou art not a New Creature,, which consists of these two parts, Vivification and Mortification. So much for this point; So we have done with this, that justification and Sanctification are inseparable: all this is drawn from the conjunction, Whosoever is in Christ is a New Creature,] they are not disjoined, if you have one, you have the other.  

Observ. 2.  Now this is further to be observed, If he must be a New Creature, than he must have a new Nature; He must have another Nature, for he is made another man, that is, he is so altered, as if he were another man, as if another Soul came to dwell in that body; therefore, there must be another Nature.  
Again, 
Observ. 3.  it must be a New Creatures: therefore we must observe something from that word New.  
And fourthly, 
Observ. 4.  we will observe something from this, that it is a Creature, and so is created by God, no man is able to do it.  
And last of all, 
Observ. 5.  the order; first in Christ, and then a New Creature. These be the four things we have to do.  
First, 
Observ. 1.  there must be in thee another Nature, that is, 
Those that are in Christ have another Nature.  it is not enough to be altered in this and that particular, but thou must have another Nature; for you shall find, that when any man is in Christ, the whole nature is changed, Lions be turned into Lambs, that is, the very Nature is altered. A Lion doth not carry himself like a Lamb, and remains a Lion still; nor a Serpent like a Dove, and remain a Serpent still; but the Lion is turned into a Lamb, that is, there is another Nature given; 2 Pet. 1.4. We are made partakers of the Divine Nature: there is the very word used, that is, we have another nature given like the Nature of God, and it hath in it all the properties of Nature. As how will you know when a thing is natural? You may know it by this that is natural, 
When a thing is said to be Natural.  not which is begotten by precedent action, but when the faculty is infused, and then we exercise the operations of it. So it is in all the faculties of Nature, you have first a sense of seeing given you before you see: In the things that are not natural, there the actions go before the thing, before the faculty or habit; as, when a man learns any thing, that is not natural, as to play on a Lute, or any other Art, he doth many actions, and then he hath got the habit; and when he hath got it, he doth it easily, for what is natural is planted in a man; so is this, it is planted in the heart, as the senses are, it is infused into the Soul, and then we exercise the operations of it; so that it is another nature, it is just as the thing that is natural.  
Again, Nature is that which we receive from our Parents, and whereby we are made like to our Parents. As the Son is taken from the Father, and is made like him; so this New Creature is wrought by God, and by it, we are made like him. Therefore, Christ is said to be form in us; I travel in birth till Christ be form in you: that is, till the Holy Ghost do change the whole Soul into another Creature; so as it is made like Christ in every thing, as the Son is like the Father; only the difference is in the degrees, 
Caution.  as the Son differeth from the Father in degrees, yet he hath all the lineaments of the Father, so you are borne of Christ, and are like him; Borne, not of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of the will of God, if you be New Creatures.  
Again, that is Nature, which is common to the whole Species, to the whole kind; what is not natural, one man hath, and another man wants, and this we find in the New Creature, the whole kind, that is, all the Saints that are living in all places, they have the same Nature in them, that is, they have the same Spirit in them, though they be a thousand miles asunder, though they never saw one another, yet they may know one another's minds, for one mind dwells in them, when one mind dwells in diverse, they be of the same disposition, so this Nature is common to them all.  
Again, what is Nature it cannot be altered again, for that is the property of Nature, it still sticks by us, and will not be changed, but, as Aristotle observes, throw a stone up a thousand times, it will return again, because it is the nature of it to return; so what is the nature of a man, put him from it an hundred times and an hundred times again over, yet he returns to it again, because it is natural to him: So it is with this New Creature, when the heart is once framed aright, though the Saints are sometimes transported, though sometimes they are not like themselves, though sometimes strong lusts lead them captives, yet they return again, though it were an hundred times done; for Nature will not be put off, you cannot lay it aside again.  
Last of all, Nature is a thing that cannot be taught, no more can this New Creature, no man can teach you to be New Creatures. Arts may be taught, and things not natural may be taught, but this no man can teach you. We may show what it is to be a New Creature, we may declare it to you, but God must do it. Indeed he calls it Teaching, but it is such a teaching (as I told you) he teacheth Bees and Ants to do after their kind, he teacheth the Stork and other creatures to do thus and thus, that is, he puts into them an instinct to do so: In this sense he teacheth thee to be a New Creature, he puts an instinct into thee. All these properties are in Nature; therefore we may conclude, whosoever is in Christ must have another Nature. We will now make use of it.  

Use 1.  There be many things profitable arising from this, 
Not to defer coming to God.  that there must be another Nature.  
First, then learn hence, not to defer coming to God, because if Repentance were nothing else, but an abstinence from the acts of sin, a resolution to change your courses, and a seconding of it with some suitable endeavours, you might go far, and it may be, come in hereafter, when you will yourselves: But if it be another Nature that is required, take heed of refusing, when God will come and make an offer to thee, because another nature is required. What wilt thou do? Put case thou hadst never so much warning before thou diest, if thou hadst Ezekiahs' warning, if thou hadst fifteen years given thee, art thou able to change thy nature? why then art thou bold on? why dost thou defer to turn to God? When ever God calls for thee, there must be beauty in thee, thou must have (as I may say) a countenance well favoured in some degree; now if thy face be but besmeared with dirt, thou mayest wash it off, but if it be the changing of a Blackmoors skin, how wilt thou do that? Can the Blackamoor change his skin. Therefore, seeing it is a change of Nature, be not too secure: Think not thus (for it is the only thing that keeps men from coming to God) I will come in, but it shall be hereafter, I will go yet a little further; this is a very dangerous case, because it is a changing of Nature that is required, and no Creature in Heaven and Earth is able to do this. Therefore, when thou comest to die, or when any cross comes, thou mayest be willing to change, and thou mayest take purposes to thyself; but do we not see, by experience, in such cases, the Nature is not altered, do not all return to their bias, there is not one of a thousand but doth it, because it is a forced action. Now a stone forced upward returns again, so there be many forced actions in times of Temptation, and the hour of death, but still the nature is the same, therefore men return again. Therefore know this very heart of thine, the very nature of it must be altered, it must be changed into a light airy vapour, that may ascend, else it will not hold out, and thou shalt have no comfort from it, and when it is turned into an airy vapour, it must be done by a light and heat that comes from heaven: So must thy heart, it is the Holy Ghost that must do it, it is only the Author of Nature that can change Nature, he that made it can renew it. And as only fire begets fire, so only the Spirit begets the qualities called the Spirit; the Holy Ghost must breathe this breath of life in thee. This is a thing not considered, therefore you are bold to put it off, if the Holy Ghost, were at thy command, if he would breathe when thou listest, it were another case, but he breathes when and where he listeth, nothing is so free as the will of the Spirit, he breathes where he lists: That it is no more in thee to alter him than the winds, when they blow to the East, canst thou cause it to blow to the West, no more canst thou alter the will of the Spirit: Therefore take heed of refusing the offer, when the Lord will offer, it is a dangerous thing to refuse.  
What the Lord bade them in the Gospel to do, he is ready to do himself; When you come into a City, offer peace, if they will receive it, so it 〈◊〉, let it come on them, but if they will not, stay not there, let them go, shake off the dust off your feet against them; such a people shall perish. Consider that, and see if the Lord be not ready to do it himself. If he make an offer, as he did, when he gave his Disciples this command; take heed that he go not away in anger, he knocks at thy heart again and again, take heed that he go not away in wrath. It is the Lords manner, no man knows the time of his offer, sometimes at the third, sometimes at the fifth, and sometimes at the last hour; the time is not in thy hand, but whensoever he offers take heed off refusing, for if he grows angry, he returns no more, When he shall swear in his wrath, etc. Psal. 95. ult. that is a place worth considering.  
The Apostle persuades them not to defer Repentance, but to come while it is to day, put it not off; and he gives them two reasons, Lest you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, that is, you will not be able to come in, sin will harden you again, lest the Lord swear in his wrath, as he did to the Israelites. Now, you must mark, they offended him, once, twice, and thrice, still the Lord bore with them, they were rebellious at the Red-sea, and presently after, yet this the Lord bore with, but there was a time, when the Lord will bear with them no longer, yet they lived many years after, than he swore in his wrath, and then they were destroyed. It is true, the Lord is not so angry for every refusing and sin, which thou committest, but when he comes to swear, there is no retracting of it then, wheresoever you find an oath in the Scripture, there is no reservation, when he swore, he never returned again. Therefore take heed of angering the Lord jesus, though he be the Saviour of the world, yet kiss the Son lest he be angry. Take heed of deferring, for a change of Nature is required, which is a thing that thou canst not do, but the LORD must do it.  
Again, 
Use 2.  if it be a change of Nature, 
Content not yourselves with any thing if this be wanting.  I will but urge this a little.  
Then we may learn hence to know, that all the desires that come from Nature are nothing, for that is not to have another Nature: they are Flowers, 
All the desires that come from Nature are nothing.  that have a beauty in them, but they are the Flowers of the grass, subject to corruption, as well as the stalk on which they grow, therefore GOD accepts them not.  

2 Moral Virtues.  Again, it is not Moral Virtues, for that is not changing of Nature, for they may be got and lost again.  

3 Transient acts of Holiness.  Again, it is not the Transient acts of Holiness which the Holy Ghost works in the heart, when he comes as a Passenger for a night, or as a Sojourner for a month or two, but he must come to be an Inhabitant, and so as the Soul is in the body, to make the Nature another Nature.  

4 Good Intentions and Purposes.  Last of all, it is not any good Intentions, any good Desires, any good Purposes, but another Nature.  
Therefore, take heed that you do not deceive yourselves, and that is a thing we are exceeding apt to be deceived in, because we have other purposes we think all is well: this we must look to, for there be many times when men are very prodigal of good purposes, as when they come to receive the Sacrament, or in time of apprehension of death, or it may be you will purpose to leave sin, when you have smarted for some sin you have committed; you then mean to alter all, and you think you are well, because you have other desires and purposes in you, but it is not so, there must be another Nature, that is, these purposes God regards as nothing, for indeed they are worth nothing, when there are new purposes, and the old Nature continues still, they come to the birth, and when they have done so, There is no strength to bring forth, that is, when the purposes are new, and the nature old, they are not able to dwell there, but it is like a new piece in an old garment, that is, old nature is not able to suit with new purposes, but the piece breaks forth, and the rent is greater than it was. So usually it is, when we have the old nature, and take new purposes, there is not a suitableness, and the rent is made greater than it was. A man returns again to sin and is worse than he was; but when there is another Nature, as well as other purposes, than the purposes live there, as Creatures live in their own Element, and as branches live and grow on their own roots, but when purposes are holy and good, and the nature bad, they are as Plants planted in a soil not proper to them, where they will not grow nor prosper, because the soil is not suitable to them: therefore let us not content ourselves with these good Purposes and Transient Acts, there must be another Nature. For these good purposes, what are they but as blossoms nipped with untimely frosts? they may make a fair show, and come to nothing, as a tree that promiseth largely, hath blossoms very fair, but you shall find no fruit on it; so it is when Nature is not good: There is so much in Nature, that is in a man not sanctified, that he hath thief two things: 

First, he may approve of the Law of GOD.  
And secondly, have a desire to be saved.    
Put these two together, Approbation of the Law of GOD, and Desire to be saved; they will bring forth a purpose of change of life, they are able to do that, but now the heart is not changed: As in deuteronomy the fifth chapter, and the nine and twentieth verse, you shall find an expression of it there, when Moses told the people, that GOD would speak to them by a man like themselves; they made a fair promise that they would do all that the LORD commanded them; Moses answered them, You have said well; But, O that there were an heart in this people to keep GOD'S Commandments, and to do them, that it may go well with them and their children. As if he had said, I know you speak no more than you think, I know that you are resolved to do what the LORD will appoint, but you have your old hearts still: O that there were an heart there.  
So they that take new Purposes to themselves, it is well: but we may say, Oh that there were in them an heart! For it fares with men in this case, as with them spoken of in Scripture; One said, he would go into the Vineyard, and did not.  
It is a frequent case, when men say, they will go into GOD'S Vineyard, they do not, because they are not able, till they have another Nature: It is an intent above their strength; therefore content not yourselves with Purposes.  
The end of the Fourth Sermon.   

THE FIFTH SERMON UPON THE NEW CREATURE.  2 COR. 5.17. 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.  
THirdly, 
Use 3.  if this be required of every man, 
Look that good performances be natural to you.  that he have another Nature, than we must lead you a step further than we did before, you must not only, not content yourselves with good purposes and desires, bu● more than that with good and holy act●ons: It is not enough that you do the actions that are holy and good, that your lives be holy and good in great measure, or for a fit, but the Nature must be altered, that is, it is not enough that thou exercisest meekness and temperance, gentleness and humility, but thou must be an humble man, and a meek man, a man lowly in spirit, of a sober and temperate disposition, thy very nature must be turned into this; that is, these Graces must be so incorporated into thee, as if they were connaturall to thee: therefore it is said of David, not only that he did what was good, and Gods will, but he had an heart after God's heart: so it must be true of all the Saints, for God delights not but in the heart: Therefore in Psal. 51.6. Thou lovest truth in the inner parts, therefore hast thou taught me wisdom in the secret of my heart: that is, though the outward performances be good in themselves, yet thou delightest not in them, that which thou delightest in, is to have another Nature, to have truth in the inward parts; that is, when the inward frame of the heart is altered, when that is set right, therefore thou hast taught me wisdom in my hidden parts, in my heart, thou hast not only given me wisdom to behave myself well abroad in my actions and carriage, but thou hast made me wise in the secret of my heart.  
It is said of joshua, he had another Spirit, else he had not come into that Land: therefore see if thou hast such a change in thy heart, that thou dost not only do good things, but that thou dost them in that manner, that thou dost natural actions, that is, in such a manner, that thou canst not but do them, as 1 john 3.9. They cannot sin, for they are borne of God. They have another Nature, what follows on that? therefore they cannot sin, as a man cannot do against Nature; they cannot do any thing against the truth.  
Again, on the other side, they cannot choose but do good, as a man cannot choose but do that which is natural to him.  
Do not say, This Rule is strict, who can hear it?  
Do we make it straiter than the Holy Ghost doth? What else is the meaning of it, Whosoever is in Christ is a New Creature? that is, hath another Nature; all we do, must come from another Principle, which is the same to thee now, which Nature was before, all must be altered; as we say of Creatures, that which is dogs-meat, is a sheep's poison; so it is true of men, when the Nature is changed, there is not only an alteration of acts, but what was his meat before, is now his poison; and what was poison to him before, is now his delight, it is that he feeds on.  
But, 
Quest.  you will say, How shall I know when my Nature is altered? It is a matter of great moment, no man can be saved without it, and it is nothing to have holy purposes, desires, and actions, but, the Nature must be altered; therefore it stands us in hand to know it.  
You shall know it briefly by this: First, what you do naturally, you do it constantly, you do it ordinarily: 
Answ.  for Nature is a constant thing. In things not natural, there may be much inequality, they may continue for a time, and be laid aside again, as a piece gilded over, long wearing will wear off the gilt; but what if the lead or silver be turned into gold? then it will be still the same: so it is with the man, whose nature is changed, he will be constant, the same nature will hold out and continue. A Wolf that puts on a Sheep's clothing, may be like a Sheep, but is not turned into a Sheep: we are turned into Sheep, as Christ turned Lions into Lambs, Serpents into doves, that is, he altars the very Nature, when that is done, than a man is always like himself, indeed he doth it by degrees, as you shall hear hereafter, but he is still the same. Therefore, consider what constancy, what evenness, what equality is in your Nature; for if there be another Nature given you, if you be other men, you do not act another person, for than you may be ready to put it off, and lay it aside, but your Nature is altered, and so your carriage will be constant.  
Again, what is natural to thee, is pleasant, because indeed all pleasure is nothing else, but a suitableness to our Nature. Let the nature be what it will be; any thing suitable to, it will be pleasant: Therefore it is a conclusion the Philosophers had, that, that light which is Convenientissima Naturae, is the pleasantest light. Now if thou have another nature, all the ways of God will be pleasant to thee, It will be meat and drink to thee to do his will.  
Again, if it be natural, thou wilt not be subject to weariness. Another man is still going up the hill, when he is about holy duties, and grows weary and sits down, and is not able to continue; but what we do naturally, we are not weary of; The eye is not weary with seeing, nor the ear with hearing, because it is natural: The assiduity of holy duties, wearieth out any man that hath another nature; but let the Nature be altered, and he holds out, they be so far from wearying him, that they abilitate him, they make him more able, the burden grows lighter, and the way more easy, when to another man it is hard, and he casts it off.  
Again, if it be natural, it will outgrow the contrary, it will weary it out; for Nature is nearer to us, than that which is adventitious. Sin is put out of possession, a man's self is altered, sin doth not dwell there, but it comes in there. Now there is another Nature which wears it out, 
Simile,  as a Spring doth mud, let mud fall into a Spring, it will work it out, for it is a living water, still working. So if a man's nature be changed, if a man fall to sin, yet there is a Spring, and that Nature will return again and again, and work it out, if not to day, it will to morrow, because there is a Spring there. Again, where there is not a New Creature, it will never leave settling till it have corrupted the whole.  
But an Objection will come in, I cannot find this change of Nature, I find that the sins I delighted in before, 
Object.  I delight in still, those evil inclinations which I had before, I have them still, I find not such an inward alteration, I find that I can suppress them, and restrain them, but the change of Nature I find not.  
This is a great Objection, and needs answering.  

Answ.  To this therefore I answer, two things thou shalt find in thyself, if thy nature be changed, if thou have another nature in thee, hough there be something in thee, that doth like the objects of thine own lusts, yet there is something in thee that abhors them, though there be an inclination that carries thee towards them, yet there is a contrary inclination that resists them, so there is something still that contradicts and opposeth them.  
And that is not all, there is, besides this, a weakening of the vigour which before they had, there is not that strength in them that was before. So that there are two things in every man that hath a new Nature: First, though there be much of the old there, yet it is exceedingly weakened and mortified. And secondly, there is much new that was not there before. In every faculty there is something new, that puts a good tincture, a beauty, and gloss on every action thou dost; so as though thou do much of the old, yet not so much as thou didst before, and thou dost much that thou couldst not do before. Therefore be not discouraged, though there be some Inclinations left still, yet the stream is weakened, the vigour is abated: and again, there is a contrary stream that opposeth, resisteth, and overcommeth it. It may be at the first, thou mayest find it more difficult, but in continuance thou shalt find it more evident. I cannot better resemble it to you, than by a man newly recovered out of sickness; 
Simile.  take a man that is newly recovered, as soon as his disease begins to lose his strength, and health begins to enter, the health is exceeding little at the first, but you shall find this in such a man, that health is in every part, and you shall find it will grow still and get ground. And again, although a man be exceeding weak, not able to go out of his chamber; not able, it may be, to go out of his bed, yet the sickness is gone and subdued, and health hath got the victory; so the sickness grows weaker and weaker, and health stronger and stronger: so Sincerity is the least of all Graces at the first, and grows to be the greatest at the end: therefore, though there be the same Inclinations in thee still, yet it is like a sickness when a man is upon point of recovery, when the health begins to enter in, there is a great weakness remains, but the health overballanceth it.  
Therefore, be not discouraged for that, only, be sure that thou find those Inclinations die in thee more and more, and that health grows more and more; for lusts are said to be mortified, not because they are actually dead already, but because they are dying, a wound is given them, and they will be dead. And a man is said to have a new life, because he is growing towards it; so a man is a New Creature, not because he i● perfectly new, but that is the end he looks to.  

Use 4.  Fourthly, if we must have another Nature, then surely, 
To abhor the old nature, and to ●●●ke to have it chan●ed.  the Nature we had before the old Nature, must needs be very bad, for nothing is to be changed, but you change it for the contrary. Now if this be required as good, the other must be abhorred as evil: therefore learn▪ not to excuse your own Nature, or your sin from it, but abhor it; this is a point of great use, and directly flowing from the words: If another Nature be required, the old nature is bad, and must be hated, abhorred, and emptied forth: now because men are exceeding apt to excuse themselves from their nature; they think their sin is so much less, because they have a strong inclination to it. They are deceived in this, for the sin is so much the greater; if the Spark be so much, what is the furnace within? If the Branches be so bitter, what is the Root? Therefore make this use of the actual sins which you commit, they should be as Rivers to lead you to the Sea of corruption within you? You shall see, the Saints made this use of thei● inward corruptions. 
Rom. ●▪  Paul, seeing the rebellion of his flesh, it led him to the body of sin, ama●zed him, he complained before, but when he came to that, he grew to an extremity of complaint, as if that were worse than all the Branches. So David, considering his murder, etc. made him to know what it was to be conceived in sin, for at that time he comes to that complaint in the one and fiftieth Psalm, I was conceived in sin, and in iniquity hath my mother brought me forth: I say, these particular sins should lead us to know our Nature. So did job when he saw what his failings had been, he looks to himself and abhors himself. It may be, this hath been taught you, you are to be humbled for your sins, and for the evil actions that you have done; and this you ought to do, but we must lead you further, you must be humbled for your Nature, and indeed this humbles a man, a man is never humble till then; for a man may think his actions bad and confess them, yet he may think his Nature is not bad; but when he sees that his Nature is bad, he abhors himself; now, humiliation is like that: when a man comes to abhor himself, it is a greater degree, than for a man to abhor his actions; as it is said of job, he abhorred himself; so thou must learn to abhor thyself, to abhor that nature that is in thee. We are very backward in this, every man is ready to excuse himself, though I did this and that, it is my nature, but thou must know that the corruption within, is more than the sin without.  
Now this humiliation must not rest merely in this, to abhor thyself, but it must lead thee further, to have it renewed, as thou wilt never seek to have another Nature till thou be humble; when thou comest to abhor thyself, thou wilt labour for another self, and not before, thou wilt then be content, yea desirous that that old heart of thine may be broken in pieces, and that thou be made new.  

Quest.  But, you will say, What shall I do to have this old Nature made new?  

Answ.  Go to Christ, the same actions he used when he raised Lazarus, the same actions he doth, when he raiseth any to life; therefore the same course must be taken, that was taken to raise Lazarus from the dead: What was that? To believe in him. You have in john 11. it is said, This is befallen him, that the glory of the Son of man may be seen: that is, that Christ may be glorified. So the blind man was said to be blind for the glory of God: So it may be said of the old Nature in man, of the death that hath gone over all mankind; therefore it is that God may be glorified, that is, may show his power in renewing it: Therefore, as Christ said to Mary, Did not I say to thee believe? Believe only, and thou shalt see the power and glory of God: So say I to every one of you; only believe, that is, go to God, beseech him, and give not over, and believe that he is able and willing to do it, and he will not deny thee, he will raise thee from the dead, h●e will change that old nature of thine, and know it is no small matter to believe, he can do it; Lord, saith he, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. It was a great matter to say so: Examine thyself, and see if it be so with thee, canst thou say to Christ, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst heal this nature and disposition of mine? Men are discouraged when they see sin hath got ground of them, they have had a long combat with it, and cannot overcome it. It is an hard thing to go to Christ and say, Lord, thou canst make me whole; but thou must believe, for he can do it, and doth it daily, therefore go to him, beg earnestly of him, and he will change this nature of thine, and make thee a New Creature.  
Again, 
Use 5. Fear not falling away.  fifthly, if we have another nature, then do not fear falling away, for when a man is made a New Creature once, he hath another nature, if Grace were nothing but a thing infused, an adventitious quality, that did only adhere to us, we might lose it again, but having another nature, never fear that thou canst be changed to the contrary, for thou hast another Nature. Indeed you may go thus far, you may lose Florem (as we say) but not Radicem● actum, but not Potentiam, you may lose the Flower, the Branches may be cut down, but life remains in the Root; you may lose the Act, but not the power, you may lose the degrees; you may lose it Gradualiter, not Totaliter. And lastly, you may lose the sense, you may have Gratiam sine sensu gratiae, you may lose the sense of it, but not the thing; you may lose the use, the Roo● and substance you cannot; you may lose the degree, not the whole: that is, when you are once a member of Christ, there may be a benumbing, that may hinder the influence of blood and spirits, but so as it shall never be gangred, it shall never die again; there may be a cloud on you, but the Sun shall never set on you.  

Object.  But, you will object, Grace of itself is of a mutable nature; for that which is subject to decay in part, is subject to decay in the whole. Again, it is a Creature, and every Creature is subject to perish. Again, we see that the Angels and Adam in Paradise had grace as true as we, yet they fell from it?  

Answ.  I answer, It is true; Grace of itself may perish, it is possible, it may die, for it is a Creature, and may perish as well as any other, considered in itself, but if we consider it as united and joined to CHRIST JESUS, so it cannot fail you; for, you must know, Grace in every man's heart, is like light in the air, and like water in the Cistern: Now it is true, if the Sun set, the light will vanish, and if the Spring should dry up the water, the River would dry up too: but seeing the Sun never sets, that is, Christ never departs from you, when he hath taken you to himself, and seeing the Spring never dries up, though Grace of itself be of a mutable nature, yet by reason of that conjunction with him, it can never be altered, and thence it is that you cannot fall off. It is true, if we were cut off from Christ, Grace should wither, as the Branch being cut off from the Root, but being knit to him, the Sap must be in the Branches, because it is in the Root, and life will be in the members, because it is in the Head: therefore, we say, no man can fall from Grace, because he cannot be cut off, once on, and never off, once his, and never separated again, as Rom. 8. The Apostle goes through variety of things, that may seem to be able to separate us, but nothing can, and seeing nothing can separate you, you shall have always Sap, that is, Grace, it shall never be taken from you, when once you have it. So that, if a member may be cut off from Christ's body, it might perish and die, but as Christ dies no more, so every one in Christ dies no more; Rom. 6.9. Christ dies no more, so every one in him dies no more: that is, he lives as Christ lives: Therefore, if there can be no disjunction from Christ, thou mayest comfort thyself, thou shalt have grace for ever. Therefore comfort yourselves, my Brethren, with these words, Do you regard an Inheritance above a Lease, because an Inheritance is a constant thing? Do you regard Pearls above Flowers, because they will not wither? Why then do you not get Grace, which is so constant a thing. Be not discouraged, give not over your fight; for, seeing Grace shall never have an end in you, you shall be sure to overcome, you may have many an hard bickering, but you are sure to hold out. Discouragement is a great means to make a man sit still; I shall never get victory over my sins, and then I shall be cut off. No, it is impossible, when it is once planted, it shall grow, thou shalt have the victory.  

Use 6.  Sixthly, if coming to Christ, we shall have another nature, 
Be not discouraged with the difficulty of any duty.  then be not discouraged to set upon so holy a work. Indeed, if this necessity were laid on thee, to serve God in newness of life with an old heart, it were an hard task, and very intolerable, thou hadst reason to sit down and never attempt it. But this is for comfort, Thou shalt have another nature. All difficulty ariseth from disproportion, between the faculty and the object, or the thing to be done. As for a man of a shallow understanding, to be put to study an hard thing, the difficulty is, there is no proportion between his understanding and the burden of the thing: lay a great burden on a child, and he cannot bear it, but were he as strong as the burden, it were nothing. If God should impose on thee newness of life, and suffer thee to keep thy old nature, it were an hard task, and thou wilt never perform it, thou wilt find that difficulty in it by reason of the disproportion between thy nature and the duty; but seeing thou shalt have another nature, be not discouraged, go on with comfort, and remember that the best nature in the world, if God change it not, will not serve the turn. And the worse nature, if thou thinkest thou hast a worse nature than others, if he will change it, he is able to do it, with readiness and facility, therefore be not discouraged  
Again, if thy nature be changed, thou must be comforted: Comfort yourselves in this, that you have another nature (and so we will end this point) for it is a very great comfort, 
Use 7.  
A change of nature is a ground of comfort.  a comfort beyond that which perhaps you imagine, for the Saints are too slow, too backward to consider their consolations, their privileges, the glorious condition they are in: therefore glory in that, comfort thyself in that, that thou hast another nature given thee.  
But, 
Quest.  you will say, what benefit have I by that?  
I will not stand on it, 
Answ.  but name one place, james 1.18. He hath begot us again with the Word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures: that is, he hath given us another Nature: And what do we get by that? By this means you are made Primitiae, the first fruits of his Creatures.  
There are two things in that, when we are said to be first fruits, we are the cream and the prime of all his Creatures, as the first fruits were the cream of all the field, the top of all the Creatures of God; and is not that a glorious condition that Nature puts us into, that be changed, that it will make you the highest in that kind, this is a great privilege: there is a wonderful difference between Angels and Devils, one is the top, and the other is the bottom, all the difference is only this, New Nature: therefore, when thou hast a New Nature, thou art put into an high and glorious condition, and this is the first sense, that we are New Creatures.  
Then there is another, by being the first fruits, you sanctify the whole field; all the world fares the better for you; for the first fruits are, not only the best, but they sanctify all the rest, that is, all mankind receives good from you.  
When Lot was out of Sodom, it was set on fire, when the Israelites were once out of the Red-sea, the waters returned and drowned Pharaoh: So God's children sanctify the whole lump: therefore you have a great privilege by being New Creatures: So much for this, that you must have another Nature.  

Observ. 3.  Now the next point is, there must be a Newness, Whosoever is in Christ, 
It must be a new Creature. Consectaries thence.  let him be a New Creature: From thence many things are to be gathered; As first, if we must be New Creatures, then are we redeemed from old customs, 
1 That we are redeemed from old Customs.  there is a lingering in our nature after that we have been long accustomed to do, old haunts are very prevalent. Custom is as an Iron chain, to tie us to the things that are evil. Now thou must be a New Creature, Old Customs are such as Christ died to redeem thee from, Even from the vain conversation you have received from your Fathers. Therefore, you that are held in any byways, remember that you are bound to be New Creatures, and take heed that custom prevail not with you; for it is exceeding prevalent, because it is pleasant, as what a man is long accustomed to, is very pleasant, for custom breeds another nature, and what is so suitable to us, as things connatural with us, and what are so, are very pleasant?  
A man will be loath to come out of a thing which he hath much been accustomed to; 
Custom hath many advantages against us.  First, it wins off our judgements, 
1 It gains upon our judgements.  off our opinions, and that is the reason why young men are not able to judge, and other men that are accustomed to evil courses have judged already, and will not judge again; and by this means custom prevails exceedingly, for it is not only pleasant, but it wins off our judgement.  
Again, 
2 It is troublesome to alter it.  it is exceeding troublesome to change, when a man is accustomed in a thing, it is easy to continue in that course, but to go out is troublesome.  
And again, 
3 We plead for it.  we think it a disparagement, what have we lived thus long, thus many years together in this tract, and shall I now change it?  
And which is worse than all the rest: 
4 It breeds Senselessness.  Custom breeds a senselessness; Take heed that you be not hardened through the deceitfulness of sin: that Custom takes not away all sense; Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati; It is not an easy thing to leave an old custom; but remember, that if you be in Christ, you must be New Creatures: He shed his blood to redeem you from sin, that is, he hath paid a dear price to redeem you from the bondage of customs, from your old Conversation; therefore do not say you have long done it, and will do it still, Ant●qua consuetudo, is nothing else but vetustas erroris: Men do excuse their evil actions from their custom in them, but know it is no good excuse, to excuse second errors with a former.  
Dost thou think it a good excuse to say, I have done it thus long, and therefore will do it still? Yield not to it, but know, thou oughtest to be changed, have this still in thy mind, thou must have a new Nature, thou art redeemed from thy old customs: And this I speak not only to the old, but to the young. I call it old, not because men have long continued in it, but because it is suitable to the old nature. You should therefore rather make a contrary use of it, and be ready to say, seeing I have continued in such a course so long, it is time for me to alter; it is enough and too much that I have spent so much time amiss, I have suffered Christ to want, and knock till his head be wet with the dew, he shall wait no longer, I will now open to him; for therefore are we New Creatures, that we may be redeemed and freed from these old customs.  

Consect. 2.  Secondly, if thou must be New, then let it not seem strange to thee, 
Wonder not that the world wonders at thee.  that the world wonders at thee; for any thing that is new, we are apt to wonder at, as at new Stars that have not appeared before, and at new fashions. This is the condition of all Saints to be wondered at, I and the children whom thou hast given me, are as signs and wonders in Israel. If it were among Turks it were another matter, but it is so in Israel.  
Be not discouraged for this, make account of it, the world will wonder at New Creatures, and let it not seem strange; for when thou knowest that all the world lies in wickedness, as in the 1 joh. 5.19. And knowest that thou art a New Creature, why wilt thou be discouraged? Let the Mathematitian be working according to his Art, he draws lines according to his Rule, if a Countryman laugh at him, will he give over, and be discouraged? He will not do so, for he knows it is the man's ignorance: so if thou approvest thyself to God, if thou keepest a good conscience in all things, towards God, and towards men, the world will wonder at it, yet thou goest by Rule, it is their ignorance, it seems strange to them, and therefore they speak evil; It is the multitude that doth it, and the multitude doth always cast shame on that, which shames them: know it is the fashion of the world to do so, the life of the Saints is a secret censure, now there is no way for the world to help themselves, but to blemish that which shames them, to cast shame on that, to blemish that as much as can be.  
Therefore the old world doth put away all, that may discover them: As the Painter when he had pictured a Cock very ill, commands his Boy to drive away all true Cocks from the picture; for, saith he, if they come near it, all men will see what a bungler I am, but if no true Cocks come near, it may pass well enough: After this manner doth the world, As long as no New Creature comes near, their oldness is not seen, it is not taken notice of, they do well enough, but if there be one in a Country or Town, or one of a Society, whose course is of another fashion, that hath another life, that is, a New Creature, when he stands by, the old will appear, and they will have it driven away: I would the times were not such as that I need press this.  
Indeed it is a great weakness to be discouraged in the ways of God, and to be ashamed of that which should be our glory. It hath always been the manner of the world, and that may comfort thee; for the world is as the Sea that casts out Pearls, but this is thy comfort, some will gather them up, some know them to be Pearls, and prise them so, though the world casts them out as mud, yet the Lord knows what thou art, The world loves her own, but what is not like themselves, the world cannot love; as the Aethiopians picture Angels black and Devils white; so doth the old world, what is black like themselves, they reckon beautiful, but they that have the true beauty they honour not, because they are not like them.  
Therefore, if thou findest ill entertainment in the world, thou must know, every New Creature shall have it: And let me say this of the old world, that are ready to cast shame on the New Creatures, you say you do it not to the New Creatures, not to them that are religious, but you do it to Hypocrites: Let me say thus much to you before I pass this point. Those men whom of all others you may think not to be New Creatures, may be the best men; as a Philosopher answered, and it was a wise answer, when an ignorant man asked him, who was an happy man, whereas men reckon Kings and Princes happy men? He answered, He that of all others, thou thinkest most happy, may be most unhappy; and he whom thou thinkest most unhappy, may be most happy: So those that be disliked for the most part, are these New Creatures, and those men spoke well of, are of another stock, like themselves.  
Thirdly, 
Consect. 3.  if we must be New Creatures, then pull down all that is old; 
Pull down all that is old.  for whatsoever is old must be rejected, a man must in every thing be another man than he was: So as thou mayest say, I had such a lust, such a disposition, my delight was in such things, such men, such company; now I am changed, all is made new. So that thy business is to pull down now, and to build up, that is the business of every man to be still plucking down the old building, whatsoever is old, whatsoever is in thyself, in thy old self, thou must be emptied off, and thou must be new, that is, Thou must purge out the old leaven, 1 Cor. 5.7. Purge out the old leaven, for Christ your Passeover is offered: If that was to be done for the shadow, must it not be done for the substance. The Apostle presseth it so, Purge out all the old leaven, all must be purged, all old things must be taken away; there was a straight charge that they must search their houses, yea, every corner of their cupboard, not any place should be left unsearched, and it was to be done exactly, that in the least corner there should be no leaven left: So thou must search all the corners of thy heart, all the turnings of thy conversation, the old leaven must be purged out of all, out of thy understanding, out of thy tongue, there must be no more thy old speech and language, out of thine eyes, there must be no more wantonness; out of thine ears, every part of the old man, of the old leaven, must be purged out of the whole Soul, there is no question of that, and of thy body too; all the manner of conversation must be holy; all old leaven must be purged out, because it is old leaven; and you must keep the Passeover with that which is new, with new dough, with the New Creature.  
For Sin is like old leaven, now leaven when it is old is the worst, as every thing gets strength from their age, and it is of that nature, that if they do not purge it out, it will leaven the whole lump: If there be any jot of leaven left, it shall sour all thy heart. Sin is like a fretting leprosy that will run over all; So leaven is strong, it sours quickly and speedily.  

Object.  But, you will say, How shall I do that, than I shall be free from all sin?  

Answ.  The meaning is, thou must dislike all, Sin must be put out of possession, it must be emptied forth, thou must be in war with it all, that is, thou must resist all, if any be not purged out, that thou sufferest it to lie quietly without resisting, it will leaven the whole, therefore purge all out.  
But must all the old building be pulled down; 
Quest.  Is there nothing to be left there? what shall we do with our natural dispositions?  
You must know, 
Answ.  that only the oldness is to be taken away, but the nature itself is to continue, there is much use of nature, only you must know, grace takes away the obliquity, the oldness, the sourness of it, and puts a sweetness into it. As a ship under sail, the wind is profitable to drive the ship, else it will not go, all the matter is in the Rudder, that it be turned the right way. So Nature, the strength of nature, affections, or whatsoever they be, are like the wind to drive the ship, thou mayst retain them, only godliness must sit at the Stern, the obliquity must be taken away, the nature must be left, thou must so pull down the old building, that the same materials may be used again, the natural affections may continue in thee still, but there must be another Auriga, another to drive them, and that is this Newness.  
For example, a man is naturally sad, he may continue this, the oldness of that is, that it spends itself in earthly sorrow and worldly discontent, when grace comes, when the new man comes, it pours itself forth in Prayer, Is any man sad? Let him pray.  
So it may be thou art naturally merry, grace takes not away this disposition, but whereas before it was spent in vanity; now he that is merry sings Psalms; Let him that is merry sing Psalms; that is, a man's merriness is turned to an holy cheerfulness, the dissoluteness is taken away, but the disposition continues still: Religio est laeta; though not, dissoluta. So it may be thou art of a facile nature, before it was to evil, thou wast ready to be drawn away by evil, when grace comes, thou must be facile to good. It may be thou hast a sturdy disposition, full of metal, and courage, whereas before it was to attempt evil things with much violence, now it is set on good erterprises with as much zeal, so there is nothing to be pulled down, only the oldness must be taken away▪  
The end of the Fifth Sermon.   

THE six SERMON UPON THE NEW CREATURE.  2 COR. 5.17. 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.  
Again, 
Consect 4.  if we must be New Creatures, 
Wonder not at the unevenn●sse which is found in the lives of the b●st men.  if that must be the condition of every man to have another new man begun in him; then wonder not at the unevenness which is found in the lives of the best of the Saints. For, if there be something new, and something old, (as there is) there must needs be an unevenness, as where there be two contrary Principles, moving two contrary ways, the body must needs be moved with some unevenness, and unequality: therefore be not discouraged, for that you are not perfect in all things, you have something new in you, and something old; only take heed you be not mistaken in it. For there is a great difference between the unevenness befalling the Saints, which are New Creatures, and the unevenness in the ways of the wicked, there is a great difference between the failings that they are subject to, who are upright hearted, and between the failings of them that are rotten and not sound at heart.  

Object.  You will ask, how I shall know the difference?  

Answ.  This is the difference:  

Difference between unevenness in the Saints, and in the wicked.  There be some men whom Saint james complains of in his first Chapter, that are unstable in all their ways, and in the sixth Chapter of Saint Matthew, that have not a single eye: If the eye be single, all the body is light; but if the eye be double, all the body is full of darkness: That is, there are causes why men walk unevenly, one is because they are as in bivio, hay know not which way to choose, they are yet in doubt what to pitch on; as a man standing between two objects, and not knowing which way to choose, but sometimes will be with one, sometimes with the other, according as his different temper guides him, he will not pitch resolutely on either: So it is a double eye, because of the objects; it looks on two objects, now on one, and now on another; now it is carried this way, now that way. This is a thing every where condemned in the Scripture; but there is difference between this and a single eye, that hath one object, that hath chosen God for his God, but follows him with much weakness, with much imperfectness; this man hath a single eye, and hath pitched on God; another hath two things in his eye, One thing I do desire, saith David, and one thing will I seek for, etc. And I have chosen to run the way of thy Commandments. So all the Saints, one thing they desire which they pitch on, they have resolved to serve God with a perfect heart; another man is unresolved and knows not which to choose, therefore is to and fro, off and on, now very forward, and then backward, religious in a good mood, and then off again. This you must take heed of, for here you ought to be discouraged, this is not our meaning when we say you must not be discouraged for your unevenness.  
But how shall I know it, 
Object.  a little further?  
By this, 
Answ.  if your eye be single, that you have chosen that one way, that you have pitched on it, that you be more than in Aequilibrio, where the balances hang even, you shall know it by this, the fa●lings of the Saints are never in that degree that theirs are, that have not sound hearts, that is, such a man though he serve God for a fit, yet when he is off again, he is like a man in a mask, he is no more the same man he was, but there is a broad alteration between what he was before, and what he is now. The Saints in their worst state have a tincture of holiness, a thread of scarlet runs thorough their whole lives, after they are once changed, they never fall in that degree, they have a seed in them that will never let them go so far.  

Object.  But, you will say, this is a notion, how shall we see it by experience?  

Answ.  Thus they never lie so long when they fall into a sin, they are not well, and they show it by resisting again, they cannot continue in it: for there is a certain reluctance against it, that raises them again, they fall sometimes into ill company, sometimes into ways of wickedness, sometimes into deadness of spirit; but they are not content with this, they are like men out of their own element. Another man for the fits of his religion is out of his element, and is never well till he be settled in his own Centre again: you see it by Saul, Saul had very good fits when he persecuted David, surely he was in good earnest when he said, he would do it no more, and David was more righteous than he, he wept, and his heart melted, but he was sick of it, he was out of his element. The Saints have certain fits, but they are sick of sin, the other are sick of the goodness and godliness which they have, and are never well, till they be set at liberty again, that they may walk again in their old ways, so there is great difference in their degrees.  
Again, such a man, saith Saint james, is unstable in all his ways, that is, a man whose heart is upright, there is some inequability to be found in his life, some unevenness, yet it is but now and then, and by accident as it were, because the graces he hath be true, and good, and though sometimes he falls, it is but by accident. Take a true drug, and a false and counterfeit drug; when ever you will put a false drug to trial, it will not work. Take a drug that the Apothecary gives you, it may have the colour and smell of a true one, it may be you cannot tell how to find it out, but in working you may, if it be false it works not: So take a Bow that is rotten, draw an arrow to the head, and it is sure to break; this similitude the Scripture useth, They started aside like a broken Bow, that is, when I put you to trial, you fly back, for you are rotten: So those that are not sound, it is not their stability that makes them go on in the ways of God for a time, but want of temptation to put them to it. Put judas to it, put Saul to it, and you shall quickly find them: But take a true drug, ordinarily it works well, but by accident it may not work: A good Bow may be broken, by accident; so a grace that is true and right, may sometimes fail of working. I cannot better express it, than by this similitude: Take a ship bound to a certain Haven, it pitches there, the Compass is set the right way, but it may be carried away by cross winds, yet there is a certain Haven which it tends to: So there is a certain Haven, which all the Saints of God go to, howsoever they are transported by temptations and lusts, yet the Compass stands the right way: Another is carried aside by uncertain winds, (for that is a Scripture similitude) that is, there is the wind of a good mood carrying them towards God, let them be turned, they go another way, they are not bound to a certain Haven, they are not pitched, the others are carried aside by accident, sometimes they mistake the way, sometimes they fall, and slip in the way, but that is their journey they travel to heaven.  
Last of all, those that are uneven; out of falseness of heart, and not weakness of grace, they never bring forth fruit. I find that to be the Scriptures Rule in the eight Chapter of Saint Luke, in the Parable of the Seed, you shall see, it is said of the three grounds, which went furthest of the three, that it brought not forth fruit; for the thorns grew up, that is, the world and the pleasures of diverse lusts, and choked it; so these men bring not forth fruit.  

Object.  But, you will say, they do bring forth fruit, do they not do many actions in good moods? may not an hypocrite go far? may he not have many blossoms?  

Answ.  Yes, but they are but blossoms, there is something green, but they are but blades, the corn never comes to ear-ring, that is, they are never ripe: now a thing must be ripe before it can be called good fruit, they never bring forth ripe fruit, that is, fruit indeed; they bring forth sour grapes, Esay 5. I did thus and thus to my Vineyard, and it brought forth wild grapes; it may be, to men's seeming they be as good as any, they may look as well as the best, but taste them and they are sourest, there is not any fruit, that is only the property of the last ground, to bring forth fruit with patience. Now it is true of all the Saints, though they be weak, yet they bring forth fruit, and true, and ripe, and pleasant fruit, such as God delights to eat of; Come let us walk in the Garden, and gather some fruit, as in Cant. The other bring not forth fruit. Take the best action they do, being rightly examined, it is not good, there is something there that mars it; and God sees this, they may be very fair in the eye of man, but they are abominable in God's sight. Therefore, if thou have a New nature, be not discouraged for thy unevenness, which the best of the Saints are liable to.  
Again, 
Consect. 5.  this is another Consectary from this point, 
Expect a combat.  and we may put these two together, because they are two Branches coming from the same Root: If there be another new Nature put into us, then expect a combat; for certainly new and old will not agree together; you cannot put two contraries together, but there must needs be a fight, there must be a contention: therefore expect that, and know you are not right; there is no new Nature there, except you find such a controversy within.  
But, you will say, this is not so sure a sign, for before this I found many a combat; 
Object.  and do not Heathen men express what reluctance they have had? Have not civil men, carnal men, and men ignorant of the ways of God, a great conflict many times, between the conscience checking them within, and the actions they do?  

Answ.  I answer, It is true, but there is a great difference between the Combat, 
Differences between the combat in the New Creature, and that fight that seems to be in natural men.  that is, between the New Nature, and the remainders of the old, and between the natural conscience, those glimmerings, those sparks, those good desires which even they may have that are not sanctified, for you shall find all these differences.  
First, in them that are sound, there is alia sedes belli, there is another seat of the war: for where before it was in the conscience, it is now throughout the whole soul, there is a difference in the Subject, every faculty is set against itself; because before, the light was shut up within the walls of conscience, but it was not shed into the whole soul, it lay glowing as a Spark there, but it was imprisoned, you imprisoned the truth, and would let it go no further; but now it sheeds into the soul, what the understanding knows, is infused into the will, and all the affections; so there is a general change, and when the change is general, the combat must needs be general; the combat must now be in every part, whereas before it was but in one.  
Again, there is a difference in success, for in the contention between the conscience and the rest of the soul, the conscience still loses, and the other gets the victory: But in the other, always the new man prevails; The House of David prevails against the House of Saul: There must needs be wars between two contraries, but the House of David grows stronger: So, by which our Divines use to resembe this, jacob got the better in the end: So there is a different success, the new man out-wrestles the flesh. Sometimes a man is foiled, but we do not say a man hath lost the battle because he hath a wound, or a foil, or hath been beaten back a little, he hath got the victory that wins it in the end, and that is the case of all the Saints.  
Thirdly, there is difference in the object about which the controversy is. The common nature hath but a common light, therefore sees but gross sins, as our eyes see only stars of a greater magnitude, when a man hath a glimmering light, things that be great and conspicuous he discerns, that is all he doth. A natural man's contention is about sins of a great nature, because light goes no further; but in them that be sanctified, a clear light come into the house, and shines as thorough a glass in a clear day, where you do not only see the great heaps of dirt and dust, but the smallest mote; the others do not see the moths, because they have not that peculiar light, therefore they are never troubled about motes: So the contention differs in the object; the Saints contention is about small things, about the very manner of doing holy duties, about the inward turnings of the affections, about the sanctifiednesse of them about ill thoughts, they have a peculiar light; this doth not put out common light, but makes you see more than you did before; there be many hundred sins now, which you never saw to be sins before. Had not Paul a new light? Before, he had not considered that lust was sin, but afterwards he knew it: In the Saints, the affections wherewith they perform holy duties, yea, their affection to their ill affections, the controversy is about that.  
Last of all, there is difference in the continuance; this contention of the natural conscience lasts, but for a time, but it being between the old Nature, and new, it continues to the end, it is never given over, others may be in controversy for a fit, but hold not out, because the cause of controversy continues not, it is worn out and overcome, but in a new Nature, when it begins it lasts for ever, there is no end: So you see there is difference. If then you have new Natures, expect a combat; yea, so as if you have it not, 
Consect. 6. Think it not strange that you find some aukednesse in the ways of God at first.  be sure there is no new Nature there.  
The sixth Consectary, that I will deliver to you, is, that if you must be New, then let it not seem strange to you, though you find a little aukednesse in the ways of godliness at the first; for new things are a little troublesome, sudden changes are so, when the thing is New. Be not discouraged, it is that you must expect, and remember that custom will make it pleasant, when you are used to it a little. Therefore complain not, lay not aside the Armour of God, because it is a little heavy and ungainsome at the first; as David, who would not go in Saul's armour, because he was not accustomed to it; lay it not aside when thou art accustomed to it, thou wilt bear it well enough. Custom makes the worst things, even grievous things pleasant, how much more, when one falls on that which is good indeed? Therefore you must know, this is the nature of the burden of Christ's Commandments which he calls a burden, the more you bear it, the lighter it is, and there is good reason for it, because indeed it is not a burden to the new man, but a delight, though to the flesh it is a burden, the longer you bear it, the better it is: If you reckon it a burden, as it seems to be at the beginning; yet remember it is, as Physic is, a burden to a sick man; you know a sick man reckons it a burden to take physic, and eat wholesome meats, but it is that that takes away the disease: So is godliness, it is a burden as Physic is, and as wholesome diet is, but it partly heals, and partly strengthens: therefore the longer you go in his ways, the less burdensome they will be, the disease will be taken away: As the more physic and wholesome meat, the more the disease is weakened, and the man strengthened. This deceives us (and take heed of being deceived) we think we must be tied from drink, and have the dropsy still, and have our fever still, we think, we must eat wholesome meats, and be sick still, it is impossible it should be so, you must know therefore, that the dropsy is healed, and then what if abstinence be commanded? you must know that sickness is cured, and health is come in the room; then what matter is it, if you are bound to these duties? they are burdensome before, they will not be now. Therefore be not discouraged, the insolence, the uncouthness, the unaccustomednesse of a thing makes it usually burdensome. It is not so with the ways of wickedness, they are pleasant in the beginning, but bitterness in the latter end: but the ways of godliness, though they are a little auke and hard at the first, yet they are pleasant in the end, and you must be content to endure a little pains (as we say) Qui fugit molam, fugit farinam: If you will not take pains at the mill, you shall not have any meal; if you will not take a little pains at the beginning, you shall want the fruit of it: therefore be content with it, that you may have the fruit. A man doth not say, because a new suit, or a new pair of shoes is hard at first putting on; therefore I will go in rags, but he saith, the new is better than the old, and after I have worn it a while, it will be more easy. So be sure the ways of God will be as easy as pleasing, yea, more pleasing than any thing, for they are jucunda per se, pleasing in their own nature, others are pleasing to this or that humour, to this or that case: now this is a true rule, whatsoever is so, per se, is always so. So thou shalt find this new man more easy and pleasant, for thou shalt find it to be so at all times, it is a continual feast pleasing in all conditions. Take all other things that please thy nature, it is but when thou hast such a lust, such an humour in such a time, it is not so at all times, it is not a continual feast.  
But, 
Object.  you will say, I find it not so, I find that since I began this new course, I have more trouble and perplexity of mind than I had before, I was quiet before, and all at rest?  
I answer, 
Answ.  it may be so, but stay a while till the Son of Grace hath got higher, till it hath got more strength, and thou shalt find it able to disperse those vapours, and to scatter all those clouds. It is true at the beginning, there is but strength enough to move them, to raise them a little; but when it hath more strength, they are scattered and dispersed: therefore though there be a little hardness at the first, yet go on, and thou shalt find it pleasant. The Heathen man could say, Elige vitam optimam, & consuetudo faciet jucundam: Choose the good way, and though it be hard at the first, afterwards it will be the more easy. If we appointed you a new work without a new heart, it were another case, but you must know what we said before, you shall have a new Nature, and being so, it will be pleasant, because the ways of God will be suitable to it. So much likewise for this.  

Consect. 7. Give God the praise of chanting thy Nature.  Last of all, if we must be made New Creatures, then give God the praise of that great work, of changing old men into new men; I say, give him the praise of it, for he looks for that at your hands. Will you magnify him for healing a lame man, a blind man (for they were true maladies, and he was worthy of praise for them) and is he not worthy to be magnified for changing the whole Nature, for altering the whole frame of it? Are the cures of the soul less than the cures of the body? What if Christ should now make the lame to walk, the blind to see, to take away the blindness of the mind, to heal the sickness of the soul, to make a man a New Creature: Is not this a work of an higher Nature? When the Centurion saw the Veil of the Temple rend, he said, Surely this was the Son of God: So when thou shalt see the Course of Nature turned, that old Nature of thine rent to pieces, be ready to say, Surely this was the Son of God: Shall we say Christ was God for turning water into w●ne, and shall we not give him the praise of his power, when we see him turn one Creature into another? making Lion's Lambs, making you New Creatures? This is a turning of the course of Nature, is not your Nature carried as violently to sin, as the Sun in his course? And to turn it, is as much as to stay the Sun in his course; It is no less to make you New Creatures: No man considers it, therefore let me put you in mind what it is, for this is a thing you should mark.  
Therefore john Baptist gives this sign of Christ, by which he might be distinguished from himself, and all men, I baptise you with water, but when he comes, he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire, that is, when that is done, be assured that the Son of God is come in the flesh. This is the great miracle that john will have them attend unto; and is not this daily done? Doth not Christ baptise us with fire and with the Holy Ghost? Therefore you shall see what answer he gives to john Bapt. when he would know, Art thou he, or look we for another? Go and tell john the blind see, the lame walk, and the poor receive the Gospel, that is, I have made them New Creatures: This is put with the other miracles of healing the blind and lame. It is true we that live, see not this done, the blind to see, or the lame to go, yet we see men receive the Gospel, that is, are regenerate by the Gospel, are made New Creatures: This is a thing we should hearken to; as it was a great sin in them in Christ's time, to neglect the miracles he did; so it is with us when we neglect this. Therefore Christ takes up Nichodemus, when he tells him that men must be made New Creatures; he wondering at it, saith, what dost thou mean by that? Christ saith, what wilt thou do, when I tell thee of things in heaven, if thou wilt not believe, when I tell thee of earthly things: The meaning is this, Regeneration is a thing done on earth (that is the meaning of the place) this you see before your eyes, this you have experience of, if you will not believe this, how will you believe things that are remote from your eyes? that are shut up from you, which you have no experience of, but only that I tell you, and therefore you ought to believe me? Therefore, when you see New Creatures, argue thus with yourselves, Certainly there is a renewing God, and a renewing Spirit, that is, there is a Redeemer; for as by the common creatures, which you see, you know there is a Creator (as, opus monstrat efficientem) if you see a creature, than you know there is a Creator, then why should not that renewing of Christ, his exercising that act of renewing among the sons of men, put you in mind of glorifying Go● and of giving you the praise of it? When C●●●t wrought miracles, you shall find what different success they had, saith the Text in more places than one, (therefore I need not quote it) some of the people glorified God, when they saw such a thing done, others envied, some glorified God, others went and told the pharisees. You shall see when Lazarus was raised from the dead, some believed and glorified God, others went to the pharisees: Now, I say, when you see this done, (for this is the greatest miracle, and all the miracles that is now left) that men are made New Creatures, and it is done before your eyes, if you will see it; (as Christ said) He that hath ears, let him hear. Take heed how you look on it, consider with what eye, God never makes a New Creature, but when men look on it, there is a different judgement; some there are that magnify it, and desire to be made so likewise, that make this use of it, and so you ought to do, surely there is virtue in the Spirit, a virtue in Grace, an efficacy in the Word; surely these be the ministers and servants of the most high God. This you ought to do; but on the other side, how many hundreds and thousands are there that do as they did, when they saw the miracles, they envied? Yea, as they did with Lazarus, When the jews saw that, for Lazarus sake, many went away, and believed on him, they consulted how to put Lazarus to death: That is the fashion of the world, when they see New Creatures, men regenerate, that holiness and purity of godliness shines forth in their lives, and when that causes others to go away, and that, for that they will believe on Christ, they will do as they did with Lazarus, they will have him put to death, that is, they will have him removed out of the way, they will have him taken, ex rerum natura. Take heed of this.  
But, 
Object.  you will say, If we knew they were New Creatures, we would not do so?  
It is very true, 
Answ.  but do you think, when they would have killed jesus and Lazarus, they knew them to be so? They did not know Christ to be the Lord of life, the Scripture saith so. Again, they thought Lazarus to be an Impostor, it is likely they did, but it is taken for a persecution of Christ. The jews that killed the Prophets, do you think, they thought them to be Prophets when they slew them? Take heed of that, you know the danger of it, when JESUS CHRIST wrought miracles by the power of the Holy Ghost: No, say they, he doth it by Belzebub: Christ tells them, in this they blasphemed the Holy Ghost. When thou shalt see a man made a New Creature, when thou shalt see a man Regenerate, take heed of saying, this is guile, and cunning, and imposture, for it is done by the Spirit; take heed of blaspheming the Holy Ghost. It is a dangerous case: I say, when such things be done, we should praise God, and glorify GOD for it, labouring to come in ourselves, and not look on it with an eye of envy, and hatred, and distaste. The different effects Christ's miracles had, such hath this: Our scope is, that you may glorify God, and give him the praise of it, that when he hath done such a work, you may say, this is the power of Grace, and the virtue of the Spirit. So much for this point, that you must be New Creatures, and so we have gone thorough three things, which were observed out of the words: 

First, the inseparability between justification and Sanctification.  
Secondly, the having of another Nature.  
Thirdly, it must be New.    

Observ. 4.  Now the fourth is, it is a Creature wrought by God, for that Word is not in vain, Whosoever is in Christ, let him be a New Creature: 
The New Creature is God's work. ] The meaning is this; we are New Creatures, that is, it is God that worketh it in us, for Creation is proper to him, no Angel nor Creature under the Sun can knit those things together, which have an infinite distance, as something, and nothing; therefore it is proper to him, it is he that maketh us New Creatures, not that himself is the beginner, and something else perfects it, as some say, but Deus est causa totius entis, He is the beginner and ender, he makes us New.  
And there is much reason, 
This is proved by four Arguments  for it cannot be otherwise, for if it were in our power, of ourselves to come in:  
First, 
Arg. 1.  it will follow that the Saints in heaven should be no more beholding to God, than those that are condemned in hell: For, if God did give every man sufficient means of salvation, and I have taken it, and another refused it, whom may I thank when I am in heaven, and another in hell, not God (for he gave the means equally) but myself, I took it, and another did not and so the love God shows, it should be as much to the damned, as to the Saints, if he hath done on his part equally to both.  
Again, 
Arg. 2.  it should not be God that makes the difference, but man, and so you may stand up and contradict what Paul saith, Who art thou that boastest, who hath put the difference? If man hath free will to take Grace, or refuse it, and if God hath given to all sufficient means, then, thou hast made the difference, God hath not.  
Again, if this were so, we must take away all Election and Reprobation; 
Arg. 3.  for what is Election? Election is nothing else but this, God hath taken some to life, and makes them holy, as godliness is an effect of his Election, and the wickedness of men is a fruit of their rejection: But now here would be no Election, but a mere prejudication of a reward to the thing done only; but therefore God is said to have chosen us, because he makes us good; now by this you take that quite away.  

Object.  But, you will object, Why should there be those different kinds of working? We see in all other things, if there be an end propounded and sufficient motives, it is enough: and why should God give different objects? therefore they say, it is but as propounding of the bough to the sheep, and the sheep will follow: If God propounds congruous objects to the faculties of the soul of man, he will come in.  

Answ.  But I answer it briefly, if he will come in for this congruity of objects, because a bough is propounded to him:  
First, he must be a sheep, before he will follow the bough: Now thou art a Wolf by nature, first, therefore he must turn thy nature, God must turn thy voluntatem Lupinam into Agninam; therefore thou must have another nature before thou canst follow the bough.  
Again, thou must have an eye to see that bough, but we are blind by nature, and till God opens our eyes and enlightens us, we cannot see the excellencies of the ways of God, and therefore we shall not follow it.  
Again, there must be strength to follow, but except God give thee strength, though thou shouldest see it, and see beauty in it too, thou wilt never follow it, to purpose, thou will never follow it to the end. Saul looked on it for a time, but not to the end, there must be a power of God to carry a man through all objects, all impediments to the end; therefore, No man can come to me (saith Christ) except my Father draw him: Not some men, but no man, though he have great means; he doth not say, will come, but can come; he doth not say, except my Father allure him with congruous objects, but except my Father change his Nature; for drawing signifies a reluctance, and backwardness in us. 
Arg. 4.   
Go to experience, you shall find it so; when we speak to men, it is true, we say, they be dead in sins and trespasses: Do not men hear us as dead men? No man stirs up himself, they go away as they came, and till God put life into them, they will not hearken to us.  
Again, how perverse are judgements of men? they see no excellencies in the ways of God; therefore are apt to quarrel and speak against them.  
Again, do we not find our desires so pitched on present things, and our lusts so set upon them, that without an Almighty Power they cannot be loosed? Therefore Christ saith, It is impossible for a rich man, that is, one that sets his heart on riches, to enter into the kingdom of heaven. That place is as strong as any place in all the Book of God, to show that there is no freedom of will; It is impossible for a rich man; for a man that hath this one lust, (he might have said of any other lust) whose heart is set on gaming, on any other sin, it is as impossible as for a Cable-rope to go thorough the eye of a needle: But then (saith Peter) No man shall be saved: and indeed no man shall be saved, if there be no more than his own strength, but God will put to his Almighty Power, to change his nature, to mortify these lusts. Therefore, this we find by experience, it is not a notion that men are not able to come in.  

Object. 1.  But, you will say, this is a discouraging doctrine, if God must do all, what shall we do? it teacheth every man to sit still?  

Answ. 1.  I answer, No, it will not teach men to sit still, because there is no man ever went about it, that ever found any impediment: Therefore he must know, 
Impediments of two sorts.  what is an Impediment. Impediments (when a man cannot do a thing) are of two sorts: One is, when I see such a thing as I desire, but there is a door locked on me, and I cannot come at it, or I am fettered, and cannot go to it, or it is in another man's hand, and I cannot get it out of his hand; here a man may complain. The second Impediment is, when the thing lies before thee, thou mayest have it, if thou wilt; every thing lies ready, and simply it is because thou wilt not. Here now no man can complain, saying, Why is there such an Impediment? Why may not I come in? Was there ever any man resolved with himself, I will live a godly life, if I can? No, it is not that, all the extrinsical impediments are taken away, and all the matter is in thy will, thou refusest to come in, and wilt not walk in that way. Here lieth the Impediment.  
Again, 
Answ. 2.  it is not a doctrine of discouragement; for, you must know, though God doth it by his Almighty Power, yet he works in us, In modo intelligentium, He uses us in the work, and he useth us after the manner of men; for every man doth Actus agere; he works in us by propounding reasons, and arguments to move with all; thou understandest them, and knowest them: therefore it is as much as thou canst do in the beginning to think, what reasons there are to move thee to go in, to betake thyself to a godly course, and to change the old haunts thou hast lived in before.  
Again, 
Answ. 3.  thou must keep from the Impediments, thou must keep out of ill company, that destroys this. Thou hast many good sparks in thee, thou must blow them up, thou must lay thyself by the people, till the Angel comes, and moves the waters; there be many things thou must do, and though the candle cannot light itself, yet, when it is lighted, it is but putting oil to it, and we may maintain the flame: though thou canst not begin thy life, though thou canst not make thyself a living man, when thou art dead, yet, when there is life, thou mayest stir, and move thyself, thou mayst eat and drink in strength of that life; when the fire is kindled we may maintain it.  
I say, we preach freewill to the Regenerate; for certainly, so much grace as they have, so much freewill they have, for freewill follows Grace, as the Shadow doth the Body; so far as we are restored to Adam's condition, so far we have Adam's freewill.  
Therefore we maintain freewill in the Regenerate, and as far as thou art Regenerate, thou hast freewill, thou mayest do more than thou dost.  
Therefore do not sit down and say, I cannot do it, for thou mayest do it; and if thou hast but a little strength, thou mayest improve and husband it, as well as any other talon, and it shall increase and grow in thee.  

Object. 2.  Last of all, you will say, But what use is there of this doctrine, 
To what use serveth this doctrine?  to tell us that we are New Creatures, and God must make us New Creatures, and he must beget us by the Word of Truth? 
Answ.   

To four uses.  What use is there of it?  

Use 1. To let us see that our condition in Christ is better than in Adam.  Very great use. One great use of it is this, if we do not thus hold with God, that we are dependant upon him, and know that it is he that wrought that work, we should be but in the state of Adam. Now this is the great advantage we have by the Gospel, we have not a stock in our own hands, but are kept by the power of God to salvation. Otherwise, if it were true that we take Grace, and refuse it, according to liberty of will; you must know, this will consequently follow on it; if thou canst take it out of liberty of will, thou mayest let it go again: never any man holds one, but he holds the other also; I say, thou may'st fall from it again. Now, if thou mayest take it, and fall from it again, thou art as Adam was; how miserable then is thy condition? But by this doctrine that we are in Christ, that Christ hath made us New Creatures, that the work hath been begun by him, and we are now committed to his keeping, we are in another condition than we had in Adam.  
Again, 
Use 2. That it may appear that God setteth us now about a work, which he doth not enable us to perform.  there is this end of this doctrine: if this doctrine were not preached, thou wouldst go about a work, which thou wouldst never be able to perform; for, if thou hast this opinion, I may do it out of liberty of will, thou wilt go about a work without strength, thou wilt go about to leap over a great ditch with a short staff. Now when a man will not seek to God, the work lies undone: he that will not be strong by God's strength, shall not be strong: when thou art taught, it is God that doth it, it will teach thee to go to God and Christ, and pray them to do it, and so the work will be done to thine hand, which before could never have been done.  
Again, if thou couldst take Christ, and come in, thou wouldst be less beholding to Christ, 
Use 3. To make us love Christ the better, seeing how much we are beholding to him.  and so love thyself and be less humble. On the other side, when thou seest thou hast nothing, thou wilt do as wives, who, seeing they have nothing, no beauty, they love their husbands better all the days of their life: Why doth Christ press it so, I have loved you, and you have not loved me, I have taken you, and you have not taken me? It is a great matter when the wife saith, I have taken you, I have chosen you, I loved you: we cannot argue thus with CHRIST, for CHRIST'S Memento is ever and anon, I have loved you, and not you me.  

Use 4. To make us take heed of putting off the work when Christ calls.  Last of all, this use you may make of it, learn to depend on Christ with much fear, to take heed of putting off the work, when he calls, take heed of denying him, if the other doctrine were true, you might be bold to put off your Repentance, but take heed of that, when it is God that works in you, when God must do it, and he doth when he lists, when it is the Spirit that doth it, and it breathes when and where it lists; this may make you fear and tremble. 
Use 1. See what the business of Preachers is, and with whom you have to do, when you hear the Word.  So you may see there is an end of this doctrine: now we will make a little use of it, and so end.  
First, if it be Christ's work, if it be he that must begin it, (for it is a creature) than you see what business we have in hand, that are Preachers of the Gospel, our business is to make men other Creatures, which is a transcendent work, it is the work of God, and not of man: this is the errand we are sent about, and the work we are taught to do every Sabbath; and every Sermon which we preach to you, to turn Lions into Lambs, to transform the heart of man, and to make you New Creatures. This I speak of, not for our sakes, but for yours, that you may make use of it: you must learn to know, when you hear the Word, what action you have in hand, and whom you have to do with, that is, with the Almighty God, and not with man; for, alas, my Brethren, what are we able to do? Ephes. 2.10. You are God's workmanship in jesus Christ, created to good works, that you should walk in them: It is true, we are the Instruments, but ye are God's workmanship. Take the best Instrument wherewith we make any artificial thing, an Axe or a Chisell, or whatsoever it is, you know, if there be not an influence from the Artificer, it will make no artificial thing, it will strike when you use it, but it will not make any artificial thing, if there be not an influence from the Artificer: So we are Instruments, and the Word is an Instrument, but if there be not an influence from God, the work will not be done, you will never be made New Creatures. Therefore you are God's workmanship created to good works; he doth it, and remember you have to do with him: You have an elegant expression of it in 2 Cor. 3.2. You are Christ's Epistle administered by us, and written not with Ink, but with the Spirit of the living God: That is, the Law of God is written in your hearts. You know, Regeneration is in many other places of Scripture, A writing the Law of God in their hearts; then there is a writing, and in this sense the Saints are called an Epistle, but they are Christ's Epistle, we are the pen, and he is the Writer, he handles the pen, and what shall the pen do, when there is paper and no Ink? will there be any Epistle written? Now what is that, you are Christ's Epistle not written with Ink, but by the Spirit of God? We do but apply the pen to the paper; but if God put not Ink into the pen, that is, the Spirit of the living God, nothing will be written in your hearts. Therefore, remember what you have to do, and with whom; not with us, for we are able to do nothing: not Paul or Apollo mighty in Scriptures, We are the Ministers by whom you believe. It is God that doth it, we are but those by whom you believe: Peter, if that ever any man was able so to do it, he was, that had his tongue set on fire by the Holy Ghost, yet he was not able to do it, Galath. 2.8. He that was mighty by Peter over the Circumcision, God was mighty by Peter: but the work was none of his; we are the Rams horns, but who throws down the walls of jericho? Are we able to do it? No, my Brethren, no more than Peter was able to open the Iron-gates. It is true, when Peter came to them, they opened, and not before, but it was the Angel that did it. So when we preach the Gospel, there be everlasting doors; can we open the Iron-gates? No more than any man can open Iron-doores. Therefore Lidia's heart was opened, else Paul might have preached long enough in vain; in Luke the last Chapter, He opened their understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures. If he had not opened their understandings, as he was God, he had done them no good, when he preached to them as man: Therefore it is God that doth it.  
But, 
Learn hence.  you will say, 
1 To come to hear the Word with reverence and fear.  of what use is this to us, that God doth it?  
It is of much use: therefore, when you come to this place every Sabbath day to hear the Word, when you see you have to do with the mighty God (we are the Pen, it is God that doth it) learn to come with reverence and fear; learn to say of this place, as jacob did, when he saw God, when he saw the Ladder, and Angels ascending, and descending, Surely this is a fearful place, and no other than the gate of Heaven, and the House of God; it may be, you thought of it before: You come to hear Sermons, as Lectures and Declamations, to have your understanding bettered, but you do not remember that it is the gate of Heaven, and the House of God: you see not God standing over us, you should overlook us, it is the gate of Heaven, that is, you shall never come to Heaven ordinarily, if you go not thorough this gate, it is the House of God: And indeed when you come hither, your eye must be upon him more than upon us; expect and wait what God will do on you hearts, in such a time, if you come and hear; and God hath done nothing, observe that, and say, it is because God hath withheld his hand, therefore my heart is not quickened at this Sermon; if any thing hath been done, know, it is a Sparkle kindled from Heaven, therefore cherish it, look well to it, for it is a spark kindled from heaven: therefore, do as they did in the Law, see what David did on the Altar which he built on Mount Moriah, when the Altar was built, they laid the wood and Sacrifice, and looked to God, when he would send fire from heaven: So we are the wood, look to God for fire, if you can get a Spark, be sure to maintain it; for that was the manner of the Priests, when they had a little fire from heaven, they always gave fuel, they never let it go out again. Look to it diligently, if you have got a spark from heaven, let it not go out again, (as it is the case of many thousands to do) there may be sparks, and you may heat yourselves by them, and it may be but fire from earht: When a Sacrifice was kindled by common fire, God accepted it not, though it burnt as other fire, yet it was no sacrifice to God. Moral reason and natural wisdom may kindle a fire, that may be very like true fire, but it is not from heaven: Therefore come with much fear to this place, like men that have your eyes on GOD, seek him not for fashion, and know it is to no purpose, if God send not his Spirit from heaven.  
Again, you will say, what use is there of this, that it is God that doth it and not man.  
I say therefore, 
2 To give the praise of any good you receive by the preaching of the Word, to God only.  give the praise and glory of it to God, give it not to us, but to him, this is not a light notion, but of great moment, for it will make thee love the Lord jesus: Saint Paul puts this among the greatest mercies; He hath been merciful to me with faith and love: 
1 Tim. 1.  that amazed him, that he could never be thankful enough for it, that is, he hath wrought in me faith and love, therefore gives him the praise. It is God that doth it, we are but the instruments; we praise not the Trumpet, but the Trumpeter, we praise not the Pencil, but the Painter. It is God that doth the work, give him therefore the whole praise of it, this is a matter of much use to you. For when there is a Minister of God, that hath been an instrument of bringing you to heaven, you will love this man, prise him, and magnify him in your thoughts, and you do well; but remember, that you take nothing from Christ; alas! what is the Pen to him that writes the Epistle? What are we, my Brethren? give not to us what belongs unto him; nothing unto us, saith Paul, we have done thus and thus, but it is nothing, it is Christ that hath done all, and let him have all: as the servants of Christ, we must be wary, that we rob not our Master of men's affections, for we are but spokesmen to present you to Christ: therefore be exceeding wary, give your affections to the Lord, to whom they belong: If ever you receive any good by any Sermon, if you be ever quickened, if ever a little enlivened by the powerful preaching of the Word, give glory to Christ, and say he hath done it, let him have the praise of it, love him so much the more, for of all graces, nothing is like that to work grace in your hearts.  
Again, if you will say, what use is there of it? That it is not the Minister, but GOD that doth it.  

3 expect not that the Minister should come with excellency of wisdom, or of words.  Then do not expect from us, that we should come with excellency of wisdom, or of words, that we should come with wit, and eloquence, and learning. Will this make a New Creature? No, it will not do it; for it is God, that makes men New Creatures, and, if it be so, he will do it by his own Instruments, that is, by his own Word: Thus Paul reasons, 1 Cor. 2. We preach the Gospel, not with excellency of words; for then the death of Christ would be of no effect; that is, no man will be a New Creature, and Christ would die in vain: therefore we preach the Gospel in the evidence of the Spirit and Power, these go together, evidence of Spirit and power. What then is this preaching in evidence of the Spirit? Certainly, it is never evident that the Spirit speaks, but when you know the Word speak: therefore, when any man knows, that this is the Word we preach, there is an evidence, it is a speech of the Spirit, and when the Spiri● speaks to the heart, there is Power, and that was the reason that Christ did so much good? He taught with authority, and not as the Scribes. What is that to come with authority? As when a Constable comes in the name of the King, he shows his evidence, he hath that which makes evident to him, with whom he hath to deal, that he comes from the King: We preach with authority, then only when we speak from God to the consciences of men; this consisteth not in excellency of words, but so much as there is of God, so much authority. Therefore come not with affectation of excellency of words and wisdom: If we had all the wit in the world to set Word of God in it, it is better than that in which it is set; as the Diamond is better than the Gold in which it is set. If you were to choose a Minister, choose not such an one, desire it not, expect it not, the foolishness of preaching is wiser than men, it will do more than all the wisdom of man, though it is but foolishness to some; We speak wisdom to them that are perfect, saith Paul, they, that be perfect, will recount it wisdom, it is foolishness to them that are children and unable to discern.  
Again, though it be but foolishness on the outside, yet there be treasures within, and God hath hid these treasures under base outsides, that men may stumble at them, as men that hide treasure under straw, the foolishness of preaching saves the souls of men; therefore seeing it is God that doth it, he will use his own Instruments, God works by it. Can words, can all moral wit make a New Creature? No, it is God; then why do we make a question? The more the Word is discovered and brought home, the better it is; because, indeed, when we preach any thing else, you do but see a Creature, and you think you have to do with a Creature; for you can answer wit with wit, and learning with learning; and when you see you have to do with men, though never so excellent, yet they are men: But when Christ speaks to the conscience, now the heart is brought down, when it seeth it hath to do with God, that only hath to do with the consciences of men; therefore expect not the contrary, and remember that God is the doer of it, it is he that writes the Epistle, though we be the Ministers. It is therefore not without use that we preach this doctrine to you.  

Observ. 4. What works you find upon your own hearts, in the preaching of the Word.  And to all that I have said add this one more: Therefore if you find there hath not been a mighty work of God wrought in your hearts at any time, when you have heard the Word, know you have heard in vain, for the labour is lost, if there be no more than the work of a man. Therefore you must know there be two Preachers at the same time, one that speaks to the heart powerfully, that makes you New Creatures, that baptizeth you with the Holy Ghost and with fire, and then there is a preaching to the ears: And there are two hear, one is when you can repeat, and recall the Word to memory, but there is another saving hearing, that is, when is it engrafted? And when it is engrafted? even then when it maketh you New Creatures, as a graft is then grafted, when it changes all the Stock. Therefore consider whether you do so hear, or no, that it hath bred such a change in you, and know, otherwise you have heard it in vain. For what do we do when we preach the Word? we do as Gehezi did, he came running with Elisha's staff to raise the child, but he could not do it, for though he had Elisha's staff, he had not Elisha's spirit: So we come with the staff, but not with the Spirit; therefore thou art not raised to life, for there is the staff without the Spirit: therefore do not think thou hast heard to any purpose, if the Stock be not turned, if thou findest not the Spirit there. What do we, when we dress up a Sermon never so well? it is but the rigging of the sails, and what will all this do without wind? Is not the Spirit the wind? What are Organs without breath? there is no music made: And what is all our preaching, when the Spirit is absent? That is all in all, indeed it is the sword of the Spirit, but what is it without the Almighty hand of God? It is said of one, who hearing that Scanderbegs sword had done such and such strange works, would needs see it, and sent for the sword; when he saw the sword, he said, he saw no such matter in it; Is this the sword that hath done all this? Scanderbag sent him word again, I have sent the sword, but not the Arm that handled it. So the Word we preach to you, is but the Sword of God, God lends you the Sword many times, when he keeps the Arm to himself: It may be you have not seen so great things done by it as we tell you of, That it is the Power of God to salvation, that it is that Word of Truth that begets men again; the reason is, because God reserves the Arm to himself: Therefore, when you come to hear, as you have the Sword, pray earnestly that the Arm may go together with the Sword, that God will make it lively and mighty in operation, to cut down your lusts, to pierce as a two-edged sword, dividing between the bones and the marrow, the joints and the spirit; that is, that you may know yourselves better than you did before: And all this use you may make of this, that you are Creatures, and no man can make you New Creatures: It is God must do it.  
The end of the Sixth Sermon.   

THE SEVENTH SERMON UPON THE NEW CREATURE.  2 Cor. 5.17. 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.  
But, 
Object.  you will object, GOD works in us the deed, even every deed, so that a man hath not freewill after he is Regenerate. 
Answ.  
In what sense he would be understood, when he affirmeth the wil● of Regenerate persons to be free.   
To this we answer, that so far as his grace, and the strength he hath, goes, so far he is able to keep the Commandments of God, by virtue of a general concourse: It is not denied that a man cannot move his hand, nor do any action without the general concourse of God; but that God never denies, but as he gives the Creature ability, so he vouchsafes a general concourse to it. As it is true in that, so in all actions of grace, a man cannot do any thing without a concourse: But when a man hath grace, there be two things wherein a man hath need of special supervenient help from God: First, when he is called to do a work, which is above the strength he hath received; here must be more strength, there must be a new addition, for the work goes beyond the strength: As a child may go on plain ground, but if you will have him go up a pair of stairs, you must lend him your help: So a Christian may do actions proportionable to the grace he hath received; yet being called to somewhat above that pitch, he must have a new help from God. Secondly, when a man is assaulted by a temptation, beyond the strength he hath received, here needs strength beyond his own to hold him up: A child may stand alone, but if one thrusts him, you must hold him up, else he falls; so the Lord must put under his hand, and we must have help above that we have received, but otherwise the position is true, so far as we are regenerate, so far we have freewill, which follows grace: So much life as we have, so far we may move and stir ourselves. And in these cases it is true, that we need more help from God beyond the grace we have received.  
The fifth thing to be observed is the order, first in Christ, 
Observ. 5. The order; first in Christ, and then New Creatures.  and then a New Creature; out of which we are briefly to observe this.  
Let no man look for Sanctification, before he is justified, 
Hence learn.  that is, Let no man be discouraged from coming to Christ, 
1 Not to be discouraged from going to Christ for any defect, or imperfection that is in us.  because he finds not in himself that godly sorrow for sin, that ability to repent, that disposition of heart, which he desires to have: for a New Creature follows it; we must first be in Christ before we can be New Creatures. And this is a common fault among us, we will fain have something before we come, we think Gods pardons are not free, but we must bring something in our hand: You know the Proclamation runs thus, Buy without money, that is, come without any excellency at all, because we are commanded to come and take the water of life freely: Therefore, do not say, I have a sinful disposition, and an hard heart, and cannot mourn for sin as I should, therefore I will stay till that be done; it is all one as if thou shouldst say, I must go to the Physician, but I will have my wounds well, and my disease healed first; and when that is done, I will go to the Physician. What is thy end of going to him, but to have thy dis●●se healed? Dost thou think to have thy disease healed before? I say it is the same folly: The end of going to Christ is, that this very hardness of thy heart may be taken away, that this very deadness of spirit may be removed, that thou mayest be enlivened, and quickened, and healed, that thou mayest hate sin; for he is thy Physician, look not for it beforehand, thou must first be in Christ, before thou canst be a New Creature.  

Reason 2. From your union with Christ, to persuade you to good works.  Again, if we must first be in Christ, before we can be New Creatures, if that be the order, if that be the motive and the thing that carries us on, then let us be content to use the motive that God useth. The Papists propound other motives to good works; they tell them, they shall have heaven and escape damnation for them. Is this a good reason to move men to good works? But the course of Scripture is otherwise: Thou art in Christ, he is thine, therefore be a New Creature, consider what he hath done for thee; therefore labour to turn to him again. Consider what thou hadst been without him, what thou hast by him, and, by that, stir up thyself to do for him, what he requires. Therefore the Apostle coming to answer that question, If grace abound, why doth not sin abound? why doth not a man sin more? He doth not say, you shall have these and these motives to draw you from sin, but he tells them, whosoever is in Christ, is dead to sin, and if you be dead to it, how shall you live therein? If you be in Christ, you will be New Creatures, there needs no other motive to make you so. And so much for this, because we will hasten to the point, we intent to handle at this time.  
If any man be in Christ, let him be a New Creature.]  
The last point we are to observe in this Text, is:  
That to be in Christ is the ground of all Salva●tion: 
Doctr.  That is, 
To be in Christ, is the ground of all Salvation.  of all the privileges we have, and of all the graces we have (for in those two things doth the Kingdom of God consist) it is the ground of all the privileges we have; we have them therefore, because we be in Christ; It is the ground of all the graces we have, because we are in Christ, therefore we are New Creatures; therefore we have the Image of God repaired in us, which is nothing but the bundle of all graces, as the old man is the bundle and heap of all corruption and sin.  
Now we will show what it is to be in Christ, 
1 What it is to be in Christ.  and of what moment it is; then we will make use of it: The two first are so near conjoined, that we will handle them together, what it is to be in Christ, and of what moment it is to be in Christ, that is, to be united to Christ. A man than is said to be united to him, when he may truly say that which is in the Canticles, My Beloved is mine, and I am his: When a man can say Christ is mine, and I am Christ's, than we are in Christ, for than we are his. Now that this may be done, there must be a mutual act of giving and receiving, that is, it is God that gives his Son, and Christ that gives himself, as the Apostle speaks, He loved me, and gave himself for me. When this is done on God's part, and we have taken him, that makes Christ ours; So there must be a giving and taking to unite us unto Christ; there must be a giving, that is, the Father must give Christ: 
What giving is.  now giving is nothing else but Quod meum est, efficere tuum, nullo jure cogente. This definition the Civil Lawyers give of it, and it is a true one: So the Lord gives Christ to us, he makes him ours, nothing compels him to it, for if it were by law, it were not by gift, but by debt: I say, he gives Christ, and freely, and to give him, is nothing else, but to make him ours. But to give him is nothing, it is not enough except we take him likewise, for giving and taking are Relatives, remove one, and the other is taken away. Though God give his Son freely, yet except we take him, that gift is no gift; therefore there must be a taking on our part, and when these two are done, when God hath given Christ, and we have taken him, than we are united to Christ, and we are in Christ, and he in us; as in marriage, the husband gives himself to the wife, and she takes him; again, the wife gives herself to the husband, and he takes her; and when this is once done, and done really, they are united together. And such a match is made between Christ and us, there is a mutual giving and taking on both sides; and when this match is made, Christ is said properly to be in us, and we in him: Yea, to go a little further, Marriage is a near union, yet but a Relative union; but there is something more in this, Christ hath taken our Nature, He is bone of our bone, and flesh of our f●esh: And again, he hath given us his Spirit, that the very same Spirit dwells in us, as doth in him, that we may be said to be spirit of his Spirit. This is more than is in marriage, this is a nearer union; therefore the Scripture useth a nearer expression, we are as members of the same Body, he the Head, we the members, we have the same Spirit that he hath, we are flesh of the same flesh, and bone of the same bone, so near an union there is between us. So then, there is more than a Relation, in our being in Christ, he indeed comes in to us, as the Sun is said to come into the house: You know, the Sun is in the heaven, but when the light comes in, we say the Sun comes into the house; for there comes a real light, which is an effect of the Sun: So the Son of God JESUS CHRIST, though he be in heaven, yet he comes into the heart, by his Spirit, as the Sun doth, by the light which revives us, and quickens us, and works a change in us. Again, we grow into Christ, as the branches grow into the Vine, into the Root, into the Stock, so that we are one in another, and we grow one in another, as the branches grow in the Vine, and the Vine groweth in the branches: Such a mutual union there is between us.  
And thence comes all the benefits, 
1 Of what moment this union is.  (which is the second thing I will show you, that is, of what moment it is;) I say, hence come all the benefits we have by him, in that we are united to him after this manner, that we are in him▪ as the branches in the Vine; thence it is, that we are made New Creatures, that is, there is a new Sap shed into the branches, which wears out the old Sap, the old man, original sin which was there before, and changeth it by the ingredience of the new Sap. So doth Christ: Therefore we are said to be engrafted into the similitude of his Death and Resurrection, that is, the old nature in us is worn out by the coming in of the new: now as Christ did die, but revived again; so we put on another nature, so we have this benefit by this union, we are made New Creatures. Besides this, we have an hundred others, when we are in Christ we are under covert, he hath interest in all our debts, and we have interest in all his riches, as the husband is bound to pay all the debts of the wife, when he hath married her, she is under covert, she hath interest in all her husband's riches; So we have interest in all the wealth of Christ, and that is a very large wealth, as you have it expressed in 1 Cor. the last Chapter, Paul and Apollo, etc. and the world is yours, it is a wealth beyond all that men can give you. The world is yours, no man in the world can go so far, Princes may reach thorough their own Kingdoms, but the World is yours, that is, Christ who hath the command of it, causeth every thing there to serve your turn, even every Creature that man cannot command; the wind and the seas obey him for your good; for you have interest in all his riches, there is nothing in the world but is yours, Things present and things to come, are ours. If men can help you to things present, yet things to come, are beyond their reach. If the things of this life be theirs, yet death is not theirs; but herein Christ likewise furnisheth you. In a word, you have interest in all his wealth, look how far he can go beyond a man, so far are you advantaged by him, and have interest in all his riches, he hath interest in all your debts, you are under covert, and nothing can hurt you, the gates of Hell, Men, Devils, Sin, and all the Creatures in heaven and earth are not able to hurt you, because you are in him, you are as Coneys in their Burrowes, he covers you, he keeps you safe. If our eyes were opened to see this, as the Apostle Paul's were, we should magnify it, and stand amazed at it, when he comes to express what we have by Christ, he knows not how to express it; In him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and they are ours; he hath a Kingdom that is ours: He is a Son, so are we; he is an Heir, so are we, nothing can hurt us, but it hurts him. Therefore make use of this, when any thing is objected that is terrible and grievous, answer it with this, I am in Christ? When thou wantest any thing, know thou canst not be denied, for thou art in CHRIST. Set all your thought on work, to look to all the things man's nature is capable of, that you desire to make you happy, we have them all in him. O the length, and height, and depth of his mercy! Indeed it is such a depth that we cannot fathom, and a height we cannot reach, and a length we cannot measure; all this we have by Christ: If we had but Paul's spirit to apprehend it, and a little crevise of light opened to us, as there was to him, that we might see into this unsearchable riches of Christ, we would stand amazed. I cannot stand to enlarge it any further, you see what it is to be united to Christ, and of what moment. Now we will come to make some use of it.  
If it be so glorious a condition to be united to Christ, it should inflame us then with a desire to be in him, with a desire to be in this condition; for, if you have the Son, you have life, 1 john 5.12. He that hath the Son, hath life, and all things else pertaining to life, godliness, and happiness; He that hath not the Son, hath not life; that is, he is yet in death and condemnation; have Christ, and have all things; therefore it is an happy and glorious condition.  

Use 1. Exhortation twofold.  Therefore let those, that have it, desire to enlarge it more and more, and those that want it, let them seek to get it.  

1 Those that have this union with Christ let them seek to enlarge it more.  First, I say, those that have it, let them labour to enlarge it.  
You will say, If a man be in Christ, how can he be more? If he be united, if he be married to him, how can he be more? justification admits of no degrees: Therefore this is a point worth your consideration, That you may be more in Christ.  
It is true; justification, in this sense, admits of no degrees, 
In what sense this is to be understood.  but it is indivisible, either you are married, or not married; either you are in him, or not in him; so far, indeed, it admits of no degrees: But now when a Spouse takes an Husband, she hath so much will as to resolve to make such an one her husband, yet there may be degrees of willingness, she may will it more, there may be more desire of it, there may be a greater approbation of it; so, though it be true, that every man that is justified in Christ, is within the Covenant, within the door; yet he may go in further, or less far when he is within: So I say, you may be within the Covenant, but this taking of Christ, this being in Christ, this receiving of him, admits of degrees, because, though one be married to an husband, that there is so much will, as to resolve to take him, rather than refuse him, yet this very will of taking may be stronger, as her affections to him are more, the reasons are stronger and larger that invite her to take him: So the union with Christ may be nearer, yet, the knot may be yet straiter, and, as that increaseth, so all the effects, and consequences of it increase: Therefore the thing we would exhort you to, is to be more in Christ, to get yet nearer to him.  
You will say, 
Object.  How shall that be done?  
Consider what it was that drawed you to him, 
Answ.  
How it may be done.  and to labour to intend all that, that when you have taken him, you may yet make the union nearer and better than it was.  
And these five things will do it:  
First, consider your misery without him, you did consider it before, 
Five helps to do it.  which caused you to take him for your Husband, 
1 Consider your misery without him.  when you saw you could not live without him, but when you find that misery to be yet more, your resolutions will be stronger, you will more approve your action of taking him, you will prise him more: Therefore, if you will be yet nearer Christ, reflect often on yourselves, on your own condition, and see what you are without him. Consider what your sins are, how you should have perished, if you had not taken him; how miserable you are still, how unable to help yourselves; and the more humble you are, the poorer in spirit, and the more greedily you will receive him, the more degrees will be added to the taking of the Lord jesus. For that is one great means, to teach us to prize Christ, even to know our misery. The Prodigal son was taught to prise his being in his father's house by the extremity of want he was in, the more he felt the want of it, the more he prized it. Labour therefore to know what you are, out of Christ, to feel the want of it, to know that you cannot subsist, you cannot be without him.  

2 Labour more to know the Virtues and excellencies of Christ.  Again, secondly, labour more to know the virtues and the excellencies of your husband; for as they are more explicated and discovered to you, so you will love him more. As one that is married, the more she sees in her husband, the more she desires him, the more glad she is that the match is made, there is the greater degree of will to take her husband. Labour to see this beauty in Christ, to see what he hath done for you; Was he not crucified for you? He loved me, saith Paul, and gave himself for me, he died for me: Consider all that he hath done, consider the great dowry, the riches he brings with him, all the benefits and privileges he brings with him, and you have by him, look well upon him, consider the number of them, and the weight of them; think of all the advantages you get by him, the more you see this, the more those virtues and excellencies of Christ are explicated, and unfolded, and made manifest unto you, the more you will love him, and the nearer is the union between you.  
Thirdly, 
3 Be persuaded of his love to you.  be persuaded of his love to you, the more you are persuaded of your husband's love, the nearer your hearts grow to him. Think what it was that made Paul love the Lord jesus so much, it was the strength of his faith, he knew the Lord loved him, and that Christ had received him. If we could but once get into Paul's condition, that we could see the unsearchable riches of Christ, the beauties of our husband, the advantages we have by him, if we had Paul's faith to believe his love, we should be able to do as he did, to reckon all as dross and dung, we should prise nothing but CHRIST, and we should draw nearer to him: Therefore, labour to strengthen your faith. So did Moses, it was the strength of his faith that made him cleave so fast to GOD, as he did.  
Fourthly, get experience of him; for it was Paul's experience that united him nearer to Christ, 
4 Get experience of him.  the experience that he had of Christ in the mortification of his lusts, in all the courses of his ministry, in all the distresses and troubles that he passed thorough, he still had experience of him, and the more experience you have of the Lord jesus, the nearer you come to converse with him, and the more you will love him, and join to him: Strangeness disjoins affections, we say there is strangeness when men salute not, when there is not a near conversing: Strangeness doth disjoin the heart. Again, nearness of conversing and walking with him from day to day, draws us nearer to him, and intends the will of desiring him to be our Husband.  

5 Pray that the Holy Ghost may draw thee to Christ.  Last of all, there is a certain impression made in the spirit of man by the Holy Ghost, which causeth him to draw near to Christ, that makes him prise him more. As there is in the Iron a certain natural quality to follow the Loadstone; so there is in the Saints towards Christ: And if we seek a reason why Paul and the rest of the Saints that excelled so, were able to prize Christ above all things, and to count all things loss in respect of him, the true reason is, it was the impression made upon their spirits by the Holy Ghost; there is a certain attractive virtue put into them, enabling them to prize Christ above all, and to draw near to him; therefore you must know, it is the gift of the Holy Ghost to enable us to prise him. Therefore to all the rest add that, seek to the Lord that he would work it in your hearts, that you may learn to magnify him. Thus you must seek to increase the union, to add degrees to the will, by which you are content and resolve to match with Christ, and to be made one with him: And this is the thing that you are to be exhorted to, not only to know this, but to exercise it: when Paul had once tasted the sweetness in Christ, he could relish nothing else, he counts all other things as dross: So should we, if we had once experience of it.  
Therefore we should learn to renew this union from day to day, and, as I said before, We should eat his flesh, and drink his blood every day: that is, every time we renew the covenant with God, we renew the match, as it were, between us, we eat Christ's flesh, and drink his blood, He is that Bread that came down from heaven; they ate Mannah in the wilderness and died, but he that feedeth on me, shall have life everlasting: Therefore eat my flesh and drink my blood, that is, take me, come to me, for eating of his flesh is nothing but to come to him, to take him, to receive him: Now, saith he, the very act of taking me is your duty, as you renew that every day, so you take me anew, as it were, and so there will come new strength to you, as from bread or Manna, when you eat it, or from flesh and wine, when you eat and drink it, so doth there from from me, when you renew your eating of my flesh, and drinking of my blood, that is, when you renew your act of taking and receiving me, there comes new strength to you, that is, you shall have new comforts and consolations, you shall be encouraged the more, herein you draw nearer to me than before: For, as your union with Christ at the first, doth make way for the Spirit, and causeth it to be shed in your hearts, so the more this union is increased, the more you are filled with the Holy Ghost: So you get new strength from day to day, as this union is more confirmed: It is like a new eating and drinking, your Peace is more abundant, and your strength is more enlarged, you are more full of joy in the Holy Ghost; every grace is more increased and strengthened in you, therefore exercise this union, eat his flesh, and drink his blood every day.  

Object.  But, you will say, what needs that, when we have once done, is it not enough?  

Answ.  No, it is not enough; for there grows a distance between Christ and you from day to day, a little neglect, the very omission of duties, yea, though it were no sinful omission may cause it. As the body is subject to waste, and needs eating and drinking that it may be repaired; So doth the soul and inner man, there is a continual wasting of strength, and you must eat his flesh and drink his blood every day to repair it, that is, you must renew the union, that grace may be strengthened and renewed in your hearts, that those spirits may be repaired, that you spend every day, that your very strength may be renewed; you shall find this true by experience, the more you do this, more near you get to Christ, the more you renew that match and make a new marriage with him, you shall and new strength coming to you, you shall find your hearts draw nearer to him, and further from sin, you shall find yourselves made more spiritual, more heavenly minded, you shall find yourselves more strengthened, you will be ashamed to sin, when you stand in such near terms with him, there will be a secret influence of the Spirit in your hearts.  
Therefore exercise this union, and, as you must exercise it from day to day, so know the comfort of it, and improve and husband it well. If I have Christ for my husband, shall he be my husband in vain? Shall I have him, and not make use of him? No, you must learn to make use of him, learn to use him, as he is a Prophet, a Priest, and a King: If you would be more enlightened, go to him as a Prophet, beseech him to enlighten thee, to give thee wisdom, to give thee the Spirit of Revelation, and he cannot deny thee. If thou hast committed a sin, use him as a Mediator, as a Priest; for he is thy Husband, thou hast him for that purpose, forget not that Christ is a Mediator: We fall into sin from day to day; but, if we knew really what it is to have Christ an Intercessor, to have him our Priest, to make an atonement for our sins every day, we should learn to prise him more, we should be full of comfort, we should do in another manner than we do: If there be any strong lust which thou canst not subdue, know that it must be done by him, as a King, he must bring it into subjection, he must circumcise thy heart: Therefore, know what is in Christ, for all that is in him is thine, and he is full of treasure: When thou hast the field, what shouldest thou do but dig the treasure, to know what is there; when thou knowest thou hast such a treasure in him, that he is full of all grace; Wilt thou go poor, and miserable, and naked, and in rags? having such a full wardrobe there, why dost not thou go and suit thyself from top to toe? Why dost not thou get grace of all sorts to adorn and beautify thyself withal? For all treasures are in him. Why dost thou go starved, hungry and thirsty, drooping all the day? If thou hast him, he hath fatlings, and fined wines, he bids thee to a Feast, that is, there is abundance of comfort in him, there be Privileges there, if you consider of them, if you will feed on them, as a man doth on meat, you shall be comforted with them, as a man refreshed with wine. Consider what is in Christ, and make use of it, and know there is not only plenty in him, but bounty too; in him is all fullness, and why is it in him? not for his sake, but for ours, he hath filled himself for us, and he is not only full, but bountiful, he hath an even hand to dispense that goodness; therefore make use of it.  
Now the second part of this exhortation, I told you, belongs to them that yet are not in him, 
2 Those that want this Union, let them seek to get it.  that they would be content to take the Lord jesus for their husband; for, if the being in him be the ground of all salvation, it is motive enough to bring you in: Now you must know that the Lord offers him to you, he is exposed to you, if you will but take him.  
You will say, 
In what this taking consists. In two Acts.  in what consists this taking?  
It consists in these two Acts; one is a persuasion, that the Lord is willing to come to thee to be thy Husband, to be thine: The second is a resolution, on thy part, to be his, if thou canst be content to give thyself up to him, to serve him, to love him, to live no more to thyself, but to him altogether. Now, when we exhort men to come into Christ, it may be, for the first Act, you will be content to be persuaded of it, that he is willing to take you; though there be a difficulty in that, yet, it may be, you will go so far; but when you come to the second, to resolve to give up yourselves to him, to be his for ever, and to serve him in newness of life: here every man is at a stand, here men deal with God, as they, that were invited to the Marriage, they made light of it, and went their way, one to his Farm, another to his Oxen, etc. So is it here with us, for the most part, they make light when we offer Christ, they go about their business, one about this vanity, another about that, they will not come in, and take him; and what shall we say to persuade men, to come into Christ? Indeed it is a dangerous thing to refuse to come in. You are the men that are invited, and we are messengers sent to invite you; every man must apply this to himself, he must think, I am the man invited; therefore I must consider what answer to give; for you shall find, of them that were invited and did not come, not a man of them shall taste of the Supper, not a man of them that was invited must come. There were many thousands that were never bidden, yea, many hundreds that live in the Church were never bidden to the Feast; that is, Christ was never clearly offered to them; but when Christ is propounded to you, (as you know he hath oft been) this is the very bidding of you to the Supper. Take you heed of refusing; It may be, many others there are that were never bidden, but when you have been bidden, take heed; not a man of them that have been bidden and refused, shall ●aste of the Supper. Now, you know, we are bid while we are in this life, this is the time of grace, but yet when a man refuseth this bidding at this time, or at any other time, take heed lest he bid you no more; he sent no more to them that refused, Let them alone, and they shall be slain before me: But howsoever, our business is to compel you to come in, that is, by strong arguments, by reasoning with you, by persuading you effectual to come in. 
Motives.   

Mot. 1. You shall find rest.  Therefore, consider these Motives:  
First, you shall find rest to your souls, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and you shall find rest, Matth. 11.28, 29. Rest is that which every man would have: For Sin is a weariness to the Soul, it wearies you with the guilt of it, with the taint and corruption of it, You shall find rest unto your souls, that is, if you were in me once, you should have your sins forgiven you. Which David magnified in Psal. 32.1. Blessed is he whose sin is covered.  
But you will say, 
Object.  this is a small mercy, you shall have your sins forgiven, will this move men to come in? who cares for forgiveness of sins; if we should come and make offer to men, that they should be free from crosses and troubles, that they shall have present benefit, and honours, and riches, that were a motive indeed to bring men to Christ?  
Thou fool, 
Answ.  if thy sins be forgiven thee, shall not all misery be taken away? 
Forgiveness of sin makes a man blessed four ways.  Is not sin the first link of the chain? the first wheel that draws on all thy miseries; If thy sins be forgiven, all thy miseries shall be scattered, 
1 In taking away that which is the cause of all miseries.  all those clouds shall be dispersed: Therefore the Scripture compares Sin to a Cloud: What hinders good things from thee but sin? When a man's sins be forgiven him, he shall have them in abundance; Be of good comfort, saith he, Thy sins be forgiven thee: Till then, a man's heart is never filled with comfort; but, as I said, it is clouded with many discomforts, sorrows and perplexities; therefore they are compared to clouds, because they shall be dispersed as clouds: when thy sins are forgiven thee, all thy life after is as a Sunshine day, when all the clouds are scattered: Therefore, Be of good comfort.  

2 In giving boldness.  Again, thou hast boldness by it; The Innocent is bold as a Lion: thou art bold with God, For thou comest with boldness unto the Throne of Grace: and thou hast boldness, when thou hast to do with men, when trouble and persecution comes, than art thou as bold as a Lion, when thy sins are forgiven thee.  

3 In taking the sting out of affliction.  Again, when thou comest to bear any affliction, it is nothing when sin is forgiven; for sin is the sting of affliction, and what is the Serpent when the sting is gone? Affliction is nothing, death is nothing; you see what they were to Saint Paul, imprisonment and death were nothing to him, because the sting was taken away. In a word, thou art a blessed man, if thy sins be once taken away: David saith, Blessed is he whose sins are forgiven. When David looked round about, and considered who was blessed, he pitched on this, Blessed is the man whose sin is forgiven. If some other had looked about him, he would have said, Blessed is a rich man, a man in honour and dignity, in credit, and that hath health, he is a blessed man.  
No, saith David, but he is a blessed man whose sins are forgiven, whose iniquities are covered, because such a man GOD sets himself to make blessed; for blessedness is the heap of all good things. Now, who can give that but God, who hath the command of all things? Can any but he cause all things work together for thy good? And if any thing be wanting, thou art not blessed.  
Again, 
4 In making God ours.  when thy sins be forgiven thee, God is made thine, he is reconciled to thee, for thy sin is taken away; and when GOD is thine, thou art a blessed man; for he brings all good things, and he is the Buckler that keeps off all evil, he is the Master of the Creatures. Now, you know, the Master is he, who can rate the dog when he falls on a Guest or a stranger, and it is only the Master that can do it. It is he that can rate any evil and suppress it, thou hast him; therefore thou art a blessed man, and thou hast him by having thy sins forgiven thee; that is the great promise, that he should save his People from their sins, he needs say no more; 
Matth. 1.21.  when he saith, He shall save his People from their sins; for than he saves them from all trouble and misery in the world. Therefore, this may be a great motive, it was CHRIST'S own motive, when he would invite men to come to him, he saith, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you: That is, thy sins, that are as an heavy burden, shall be taken off of thee.  
But, 
Object.  you will say, I feel no burden of it?  
No, 
Answ.  but thou shalt find it a burden, when GOD shall set every man to bear his burden, when GOD shall charge it on thy conscience, and it is thy wisdom to have it taken off, 
Sin is a burden in two respects.  though thou find it not a burden. I say, guilt is a great burden, which will bind thee over to damnation. 
1 As it brings a man under guilt.  It is a great burden when conscience is awaked.  

2 As it is a sickness or disease of the soul.  Again, Corruption is a great burden, for it wearies a man. Sickness is a weariness to the body; and Sin is the same to the Soul, that Sickness is to the body. A sick man is weary of every thing, weary of his bed, of his chamber, of his diet, he is weary of sitting, of standing, for he is sick. So it is with every man that hath not his sins forgiven him, he is weary not only of the guilt, but he is weary of every thing. Put him in the best condition, he finds no rest, and in that he is weary of every thing. That which they say of Folly, it may be more truly said of every wicked man, that every condition is miserable to him, he is weary of himself, he is weary of every thing, he hath no rest.  
Further, when thou art in CHRIST, he will give rest to thy soul, that is, he will take away the power, as well as the guilt of sin, he will heal thy sickness, and then the worst condition will be pleasant to thee, thou wilt find rest in a Prison, thou wilt find rest in sickness, thou wilt find rest in death, every condition, yea, the worst, will be sweet unto thee; before, in the best thou foundest none, for there was a restlessness within, but when thy sins be forgiven thee, thou shalt find rest to thy soul.  
The end of the Seventh Sermon.   

THE EIGHTH SERMON UPON THE NEW CREATURE.  2 COR. 5.17. 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.  
GOD hath planted in every man self-love, 
Mot. 2. If you be united with him, you shall be free from all evil, and enjoy all good.  every man seeks his own happiness.  
Two things every man would have, they would be freed from all evil, and enjoy all good things; if they could find these in Christ, men would be persuaded to come in. Now we can assure you that both these you shall find in Christ, you shall by him be freed from all evil, and be compassed about with mercy on every side: First, I say, you shall be freed from all evil, for what Christ saith to all his Disciples, Luke 10. You shall tread on Serpents and Scorpions, and all the power of the Enemy, and nothing shall hurt you, may be applied to all the Saints, though there be many hurtful things in the world, yet nothing shall hurt them. It is true indeed, they may have to do with Serpents and Scorpions, that is, evil things may fall upon them, as well as upon others; you see the same condition falls to all, yet it shall not hurt them; according to that in Luke 1.74. That we being delivered from our enemies, is that, we may serve him without fear: Mark that, you shall be delivered from all your enemies, if you will come in, that is, there shall not an enemy in the world be able to do you hurt, and you shall live without fear, that is, the great advantage you shall have, as if he should say, other men fear a thousand things, they fear death, they fear sickness, they fear loss of friends and good name; but when a man is one in Christ, he shall be delivered from all his Enemies, he shall serve the Lord without fear, because nothing is able to hurt him; for what could hurt him? Either it must be the Devil or men, or some other Creature, but none of these can hurt him. Is not God the Governor of the house; Is he not the Master, Is not he able to rate the Mastiffs from flying in the face of any of his friends that come to him, yea, he is able to do it, and none but the Master of the house is able to do it: None can keep the Creatures from hurting of you, but he that hath the command of all the Creatures, therefore if you will come in, nothing shall hurt you, he is a Buckler and a Shield to compass you round about: He will be your strong fortress, into which no Creature shall be able to shoot an arrow.  
But besides this, you shall have all things else that you can desire, The Lord himself shall be your habitation, from generation to generation, Psal. 90.1. That is, you shall dwell in the Lord, and you shall not dwell in him for a fit, as we do in our houses of clay, but for ever, and look what an house doth, that doth he, he will keep you safe, and defend you from evil, he is an house that it shall not rain thorough, and such an house he is, as will go with you whithersoever you go, he is our habitation from generation to generation; yea, an house as will not only defend you, but refresh you with all manner of comforts, for houses are made for delight, as well as for defence. Whatsoever you want, he will help you to; If you be sick, he is able to heal you; if you be weak, he is able to strengthen you; if hungry, to satisfy you; whatsoever condition you are in, he is able to furnish you; if you need any service from any Creature in heaven or earth, he will give command to all the Creatures to wait on you: In a word, every man that comes to Christ shall be like a Spouse, whom her husband hath placed in a● house well stored with abundance of all things that her heart can wish, and all this you shall have if you will come in.  
But because Generals move not so much, we will come a little to Particulars, 
In particular, consider.  and will insist upon these two, as the only things that can move us to come in.  

1 Man's misery out of Christ.  First, the miseries, hurts, and inconveniences you are exposed to, out of him.  

2 Man's happiness by being in Christ.  And secondly, the happiness you shall have by being engrafted in him, and married to him. If you were to persuade a woman to marry such a man, you know these are the two Arguments which must win her. If you marry no● you will be undone, you know you are in debt, and the debts be debts which you are not able to pay; and, if you cannot pay them, you are sure to be cast into Prison, and to lie in that Prison till you have paid the utmost farthing, this is your condition if you will refuse. Again, on the other side if you will take him, you shall have a husband that shall make you rich, that will pay all your debts for you, and make you honourable, you shall want nothing. If you will take an husband whom you may love, take Christ, for whatsoever is amiable is in him. These two serious considerations will make her come in, and be willing to marry and to take him for her husband. And so it is with us, if we consider what we are out of Christ, and what we shall have by him, it will move us to take him. You know, it moved the Prodigal son, he saw that if he lived out from his Father's house, he must needs perish, he could not get husks to live by. Again, if he would go home, there was bread enough, his father's servants living there in plenty, and these two moved him to resolve to come home.  
You will say, 
Object.  what are those evils in particulars that we must needs fall into, if we come not in to Christ, and what good shall we get by him?  
To this end, 
Answ.  I will name such arguments as are used in Scripture for this purpose, for you know that the business of Christ himself, and his Apostles was only to bring men unto him, and therefore we will open such arguments as we find there, as briefly as we can.  
And first, 
If you believe, you shall be saved; if not, you shall be damned.  you have this for one main motive to bring men in, Mark 16 16. If you will believe and be baptised, you shall be saved, if you will not believe, you shall be damned: Go, saith Christ, into all the world, preach the Gospel to every Creature. What shall we say when thou hast given us commission? saith he, no more but this, Go to all the world, Tell them if they will come in and be united to me, if they will take me for their husband Lore, they shall be saved, use that for a motive on the one side, and on the other side tell them, if they will not come in, they shall be damned: And this you shall find was practised, Matth. 3. john tells them, If you will come in and repent, you shall have the Kingdom: That is, if you will leave your sins, if you will be married to the Lord, if you will be divorced from all other husbands, and turn from all your evil ways, you shall have a kingdom, that is, you shall be saved; but if you will not, what then? The Axe is laid to the root of the tree, and you shall be cut down. So, we see, when the Apostle Paul came to do this business with Felix, to have brought him to Christ, if he could, what course takes he? he tells him of his miseries out of Christ, Reasoning of Temperance, Righteousness, and judgement to come; he told him what Sobriety, and Righteousness, and Temperance was, in another manner than ever any moralist had done: Now the Endictment being not enough without the Sentence, he adds the judgement to come. And it is, as if he had said; Thou seest how short thou art of that Temperance and Righteousness, that even natural conscience requires of every man, and thou must know, there is a judgement to come, though thou perhaps feelest it not for the present, yet there is a damnation and wrath reserved for thee; thereby showing the misery he was in, if he came not home to Christ; and that is partly set down, and is probable, the other was not omitted, though it be not expressed there. And so Peter dealt with them, Act. 2. He showed them their misery; and so the Lord dealt with the Gaoler, he teacheth him to see what case he was in, and upon the sight of tha● to inquire after salvation. As indeed the thing that brings men into Christ, is to make them sensible of salvation and damnation, and when the Gaoler came to this, to think of salvation, Sirs, what shall I do to be saved? That was it that made him willing to do any thing, whatsoever Paul appointed him to do; for now he had a sense of the wrath of God, a sense of those terrors, he began to see the Almighty Power of God, he began to have his heart smitten with the apprehension of judgement, and when he was smitten with that he began to inquire after salvation, and his heart thus prepared with these two motives, the fear of salvation and damnation, he was fit to come in, then saith the Apostle, Believe and thou shalt be saved: So I say, that is one motive, if you will not come in, you shall be damned, if you will, you shall be saved.  
But now we have another business to make men regard these. One would think that men should not need much persuasion to tell them of damnation, that great evil, and of salvation, to be a thing that much concerns them, but there is that deadness in the heart of man, that it regards neither. Therefore, let me say a word or two, to show that these two be matters of great moment: 
Salvation and Damnation, are matters of great moment.  First, this Salvation and Damnation chiefly concerns you all, other things are but trifles in comparison thereof, because Salvation and Damnation belong to the Soul. 
1 They belong to the soul.  It is the Soul that is to be saved, or to be damned. Now the Soul of man is a man's own self; other things are but the outside, as it were, and that is the reason that Christ saith, What matters, it if you win the whole world, and lose your own soul: As if he should have said, Thy Soul is thyself; therefore to win other things and to lose that, it is great folly; what is it to save the ship, and lose the fraught? To save the shoe, and lose the foot, to save the clothes, and to have the body destroyed? So, what is it to thee, to have thy body, thy estate, and name, and all outward conveniences right, and such as thou wouldst have them to be, and thy Soul that dwells within, thy Soul which is thyself, for those do but clothe the Soul and wait on it, when this is lost, what are all these? Therefore, if there be any wisdom in the world, it is wisdom certainly to regard that, and if there be any folly in the world, it is to neglect that, because that is all in all to a man. If news come to a man, your friends are lost, your goods are lost, you are wronged in your name; Suppose he had as many messengers of ill tidings, as job had, yet when a man considers seriously, this is but a rending of the clothes, but the tearing of the sheath, but the breaking down of the house, as it were, but the man is whole and safe, as long as the soul is safe, as long as salvation is sure, as long as a man is free from damnation, all is nothing: Therefore to a wiseman, that will consider things seriously, there is no motive to this, if you will not come into Christ, you shall be damned, if you will, you shall be saved.  
But let me add this more, Salvation and Damnation continues for ever: Take all other things, 
2 They continue for ever.  even the best, and worst things in the world, they are soon blown over, and, as you know, of no continuance; but Salvation is a thing that abides for ever. And this is a thing you regard much in smaller matters; take any good thing, if it will last but a day or two, you regard it not, but as things are of more durance, so you set a greater price on them. Why will you not mind this then? If you come in to Christ, you shall be saved, you shall have eternal life. But, now comes in the other, If you will not, you shall be damned, and that remains for ever: Remember, saith the Wiseman, the days of darkness, for they are many, that is, infinite; and this should work on a man that damnation shall be perpetual. Take a man now, when he is fallen into any misery, and see what it is that comforts him, you shall find nothing comforts a man in misery but hope; for, if there be no hope (as we say) the heart would break: But, now come to this, of damnation there will be no end, there is no hope there; when a man is in misery, he looks about him, and begins to think, Is there any evasion? If he find there is none, he begins then to think, yea, but is there any comfort to mingle with it? No. But what kind of misery is it? It may be by one misery I shall be freed from another, this doth moderate it, but if all kind of miseries come, that a man hath no way in the world to evade them, not any thing to mitigate them; this is that, that swallows up the Soul, and this overwhelms it with grief; and this is the condition of a man subject to damnation. Now, I say, this brief argument we are to use; If you will not come in, you shall be damned, if you will come in, you shall be saved. Well, perhaps all this will not work upon you, than we have this to say to you, Our commission extends no further; if this will not move you, you are not to be wrought on by us, but we must leave you to yourselves, and to your own ways, to go on and perish, and receive your Portion with those that are hardened through unbelief, whose end is damnation, and your blood shall be upon your own heads, for that is all our Commission to propound these two to you. It must be God's work to make your hearts sensible of these things, we can but propound Objects: And so much for the first, He that comes in shall be saved, he that doth not shall be damned.  

Mot. 3. Your thirst shall be satisfied and healed.  The third Motive, I take from john 4.10. when the Lord had that converse with the woman of Samaria, what saith he to cause her to come in? Woman, if thou hadst asked of me, I would have given thee the water of life: He that drinks of this water shall thirst again, but he that drinks of the water that I shall give him, shall thirst no more, but it shall be in him a Well springing up to everlasting life: So that is the Argument, if you will come in to Christ, you shall thirst no more, but you shall have your thirst satisfied, and you shall have water given you, which will be water of life.  
What is that? 
Quest.   
That is, 
Answ.  If you will come in to Christ, two things you shall have by it: First, your thirst that you had before, that disease of thirst, that every man living is subject to, until he be in Christ, that shall be healed; that is, every man hath many things he thirsts after; as take every natural man, he thirsts after credit, and wealth, and honour, and life, after a thousand things, which the nature of man is sensible of: Well, saith Christ, this thirst shall be healed in you, if you come in to me.  
How shall it be healed? 
Quest.   
By breeding in you a right thirst, 
Answ.  by bringing the soul into health, as it were; It is, as if he had said, I will reveal things to you, which you shall prise above all these, when you shall see their preciousness, and the need you stand in of them: for these two things make thirst, than the other, Christ heals it in you: As, take every man that is regenerate, to whom God hath revealed better things, Even such as the eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of any natural man. I say, the heart sets so by these things, it so magnifies them, that they take up his heart altogether, that he no more thirsts after other things, but his desires grow remiss in them, though they were all taken away, he could be content, he hath better things, there is a true thirst come in, which hath cured the false thirst, as the true Serpents devoured the false.  

Object.  But, you will say, we find not this experience, do not regenerate men thirst after these things as well as others.  

Answ.  I cannot deny it, they thirst after them too much, but yet this thirst is healed, for now they do not thirst after them, as things wherein their happiness consists, their hear●s are in a good measure taken off them, they look on them with a right eye, and so their thirst is said to be a healed, not because the work is perfect, but because it is in the way to be healed, and will be perfected. And so we must supply all the rest. Lust's are said to be mortified, not because they are fully dead, but because they are in the way of death, and will die perfectly; therefore we apply the name of mortification to them: So it is in other things, we say water is hot, though it have but little heat, and a thing is white, though it do but begin to be white; and so we say a thing is healed, though it be but begun, and be not perfectly healed: Even so, in this case, every man that comes to Christ, his thirst is healed, he thirsts no more, because his soul is put into health: As if you should say to a dropsy man (for when his thirst is healed, his disease is cured) you shall have the thirst of an healthful man, but this diseased thirst you shall have no more. So if you will come in to Christ, this may invite you, you shall thirst no more, you shall be put into that happy condition, that your strong lusts that were your thirst before, shall be healed in you.  
And beside, another thing is, you shall not die; It is water of life that Christ gives, as if he had said, you may drink this Wellwater and thirst again, and drink again, and thirst again, and then you die; this water will not give life; therefore he adds that word, Water of life; This water that I give you, shall make you live for ever, it shall give you eternal life. I am the living Bread that came down from heaven, 
john 6.  he that eats of me shall not hunger, and he that believes in me shall not thirst, but shall live for ever. But this I pressed in the other, and therefore I will not stand longer on it.  
We will name a fourth Motive, 
Mot. 4. If you be united with Christ, all things shall work together for your good, if not, for your hurt.  that you find ordinarily in Scripture. If you come not in to Christ, all things shall work together for your hurt, and if you take him, All shall work together for your good: I say, if you do not, all things shall work together for your hurt. This is the misery of every man out of Christ, let him be in what condition he will, every thing owes him an ill turn, and will do it one time or other: Prosperity is bad for him, that stays him, and his afflictions come for hurt to him, they are like the lopping of a tree out of season, which tends to the destruction of the tree; but it is quite otherwise with the godly, they have afflictions, but they are in season, which makes the Tree grow better. Take the best things in the world, the very Word that is preached, the enlightenings and good motions they have from the Spirit, they all tend to the hurt of the wicked, for they increase their comdemnation, every thing works together for their hurt whatsoever they enjoy: On the other side, if you will come in, all things shall work together for your good, that is, they shall join together for your advantage, one thing shall be ready to help another, and nothing shall befall you, but it shall work for your good, because when all is summed up, as whatsoever befalls the wicked, puts them further from God: Again, whatsoever befalls a good man, it drives him nearer to God, and that is a sure rule, nothing doth good, but that which draws us nearer to the fountain of all good, and nothing doth hurt but that which drives us from God. Now, whatsoever befalls a good man, it draws him nearer to God: Sin, which of all other seemeth to do him most hurt, yet it drives him nearer to God, because it makes him to empty himself, of himself more, it makes him see his own misery more, and to prize JESUS CHRIST more, though they be in themselves poison, yet God turns them into medicines, every thing works for his good, 
1 Cor. 3.18.  that is the meaning of that, All things are yours, Paul and Cephas, that is, every thing in the world (do but serve God) life and death are for your advantage, that is, whatsoever is in life, life and all that belongs to it, is for your advantage, that you may grow rich in good works, the longer you live the better: Again, when death comes, with all the harbingers of it, it is for your good; Sicknesses, which are degrees thereof, they being but the stairs by which we descend down to the chambers of death, death and all the precedents of death, even all these petty deaths are for your advantage, yea, whatsoever is in the world is for your good; Things present, and things to come, are yours: Even as in the field, we say, every thing is for the Wheat, the stalk, the ear, the chaff, the sowing, the ploughing, the threshing, the winnowing, the barn and granary, every thing is for the wheat: So the Wheat that grows in this great field of the World, are only the Saints, and every thing in the World is for their advantage, Summer and Winter, Frost and Snow, wet and dry, that is, weal and woe, good and evil, affliction and prosperity, all is for the advantage of the Saints, their winnowings and temptations, all their threshing work together for their good. And this you shall have by Christ, if you will come in to him, every thing shall owe you a good turn, you shall look on nothing, but it is for you; All men, yea, the best of them, Paul and Apollo, and Cephas, are for your service, whatsoever gifts they have, they are all given for your use. Let this move you to come in; if you will not, how ever you may live in this world, and enjoy some sweetness with them, that have their Portion in this life, yet they shall do you hurt, and in the latter end so you shall find it.  
The end of the Eighth Sermon.   

THE NINTH SERMON UPON THE NEW CREATURE.  2 Cor. 5.17. 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.  
THere is one motive that remains, 
Mot. 5. If you be out of Christ, you are poor, and naked, and miserable.  and that is this, which you shall find, Revel. 3.17. For thou sayest, I am rich and increased in goods, and hast need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Because we are moved much with sensible things, it pleaseth the Holy Ghost to express our spiritual misery, by that misery, which we are sensible of, which is outward; If you be out of Christ, you are poor, and naked, and miserable; If you come in to him, you shall have the contrary; we will pitch therefore upon these three particulars:  

1 Poor.  First, if you be out of Christ, you are poor.  

What that poverty is.  What is that poverty?  
It is the want of whatsoever may make the soul rich; for, you know, there is a double riches; Charge those that are rich in this world. where there is an intimation, that there are men that are rich in another world: And so Luke 12. So is he that is rich in this world, and is not rich towards God. And Revel. 2. I know thy poverty, but thou art rich: that is, thou art rich in grace, and in good works, though thou art poor otherwise, and therefore there is a poverty that concerns the soul, a spiritual poverty which is found in every man out of Christ. Poverty, you know, it is a thing that every man shuns, he would not be poor, and you shall find, that look what reasons there are, why a man should not be poor in his outward estate, here is the same reason, why they should not be poor in their spiritual estate. For to what end serve riches? Riches serve but for this purpose, to procure things needful for us, if we want bread, or wine, or houses, or any thing riches will procure them, and therefore we prise riches: And so likewise there are spiritual riches, that will procure things needful for our souls, and, if we want them, we shall want that, that is profitable for us, we shall want that, that is necessary for our salvation. For riches do but set men a work, to do us service; riches can do no more, than men can do: but these spiritual riches set God a work, to do us good; they are beyond the other, as much as the help of God goes beyond the help of man, when you need any thing. If you be rich in Christ, if you be rich in grace, if you be rich in good works, it is but putting up your request, and you shall have it at the hand of God, if you want them, you shall have whatsoever he is able to do for you: Now if you be out of Christ, saith the Text, you are poor, (that is) you want these spiritual riches, you have no ground to go, and to make your suit to go for any thing.  
Again, riches stand us in stead in the time of need; for, why do men lay up treasures? that when dearth comes, when there comes a time of need, the riches that they have laid up, may serve their turn, they may have those ready for their use, when other men want them. Are not these riches for the same purpose? Will there not come a day of need, will there not come a time of spending, when there will be no leisure to gather at the day of death? Then all the seed sown to the spirit, all the good works that we have laid up, will be as a treasure, and at that time will do us good: And that is the difference between the death of a godly man, and another: when a wicked man comes to the time of need, he hath nothing to sustain him, he hath no oil left in his lamp, he hath nothing to help him up; but the godly man hath a treasure, that he hath gathered, all his life was to lay up a treasure: And this, my Brethren, you shall find to be a great comfort at that time, that when you come to die, all the faithful prayers that you have made, all the good works that you have done, all the sincerity that you have showed in denying yourselves, in passing by the things that worldly men catch at, in doing things, that it may be, hath brought trouble, and slander, and disgrace, and persecution on you, you shall then find it a treasure. Take two men, when they come to that day, the one rich in this world, another rich in good works, and consider which of these two conditions you would choose; and therefore it is not a small matter to be rich: Now when you are in Christ, you are rich; out of him, you are poor, and have nothing to stand you in stead in the time of need.  
Again, this a man hath by riches, that he is independent, he needs not to serve others, and therefore you know the proverb is, that a rich man, he can live by others, and without others, and that is it, they boast of: So it is with all the Saints, they may say to all the world, they can live without it, because they have God to be theirs, they have all his treasures open to them, they have enough in him, for he is all-sufficient, though they have but him alone for their portion, yet he is enough, as he saith to Abraham, I am all-sufficient; and why? there are but two things that a man can desire, to be free from evil, and to enjoy good, saith he, I am thy Buckler, to keep thee from evil, and thy exceeding great reward to give good to thee: that is, thou shalt have enough, if thou enjoy me. Now, if you be out of Christ, you shall be poor, that is, you shall want these riches, you want the riches of grace, and of good works, that should stand you in stead in the time of need, which will fetch any thing in for you, when you want it, which will make you more independent, and stand upon your own bottoms, which is that that every man desires.  
Again, 
2 Naked. Nakedness, what.  if you be out of Christ, you are naked. Nakedness is a want of that which should adorn us, which should beautify us, and that is the case of every man out of Christ, there is no beauty in him. It is the Lord only that clothes us with beauty. As it is said of Saul, Weep for Saul, ye Daughters of jerusalem, for he clothed you with Scarlet, and did hang ornaments of gold upon your apparel. It may be truly said of Christ, that he clothes us with scarlet, and hangs ornaments of gold on our apparel, that is, it is he that makes us Priests to his Father: Now the Priests in the old Law, were but a type of us, we are the true Priests indeed; you know, they had jewels, and embroidered garments; and so all the Saints have the shining graces of the Spirit, which adorn and beautify them: when a man becomes so beautified, than his sight is comely, his voice is pleasant, and his prayers are acceptable. This benefit we have by being in Christ, that it makes us comely in the sight of the Lord, we shall be made beautiful; Indeed Solomon in all his Royalty was not so beautiful as one of the Saints. It is said, the Lilies are much better clothed than he: And why? Because that was a clothing of Gods own work; this is the clothing of Nature; but the clothing of Grace goes beyond the clothing of Nature; If the clothing of Nature, be beyond that of Solomon, (as indeed it is for natural excellency) surely the clothing of Grace goes beyond that, this you shall have by Christ: when you come to him, you come to a rich Wardrobe, where you may suit yourselves from top to tooe, that you need want nothing; and by the way, that use you may make of it, when you come to him, where there are garments of all sorts, where there is change of raiment, why should you suffer your souls to be naked in any part, I know you reckon it undecent for a man to be unevenly clothed, to have some garments rich and precious, and to have some v●le and base; and why will you suffer your souls then to go so unequally clad? It may be, you have graces in one kind, but you want others, if you come in to him, it is he that clothes you, you are naked without him, this benefit you shall have by him, you shall be clothed and be made beautiful, you shall have that glorious attire, that will make you glorious within, which will make you comely in the sight of God, if not, you shall be naked, and therefore you shall be rejected, you shall want that beauty which God only accepts.  
Again, 
3 Hungry.  if you be out of Christ, you shall be hungry, you shall be wretched and miserable, for I pitch on that general one, because that is one of the outward miseries, when a man is hungry, when he is starved, when he wants that which should strengthen him, and refresh him, and maintain his life. This is the case of every man out of Christ, he wants that which should feed him, that which should strengthen him, for you must know, that the soul hath a meat as well as the body; otherwise, why doth Christ say, I have a meat to eat that you know not of? They wondered to see him neglect his dinner, when he stood talking with the woman of Samaria, john 4. Why, saith he, I have another meat to eat. And why doth David say, Thy Law is sweeter to me than the honey, if there were not somewhat that his soul did feed on? And so, why is it said that Manna was Angels food? You know Manna was a material thing, such as a spiritual substance cannot feed on, but because by that Manna Christ was represented? You know he is said to be the true Manna, The true Bread that came down from heaven; the Angels they feed on this, and in that respect, it is called Angels food, they feed on the same spiritual meat, 1 Cor. 10. Your Fathers did eat that spiritual meat, that is, the corporal meat did typify the spiritual meat, which is Angel's food; therefore there is a food, th●t the soul feeds on, out of Christ, there is none of this, but your souls are starved, are miserable and wretched. For what is it that food doth? It maintains life in a man, take away food, and you die for it. Now it is Christ that gives that, His flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed: that is, Whosoever believes not in him, whosoever partakes not of him, he dies for ever.  
Again, meat strengtheneth, and so doth the Lord when we come to him, he gives spiritual strength, Without him we are able to do nothing: As you have it, joh. 15. Without me you are able to bring forth no fruit: But as the Apostle speaks, Phil. 4. Through Christ I am able to do every thing: It is the Lord that giveth strength: If you will come in, you shall have strength given you, which is the property of meat.  
Again, meat refresheth and revives the spirits, so doth the Lord by his graces, by the joy of the Holy Ghost, by peace of conscience, by those things that he puts into the heart of every believer, I say, they refresh the soul, more than flagons of wine, and there is as evident refreshing: and therefore you know that metaphor is used often in Esay 26. I will make a feast of fined wines, and of fat things: And in Mat. 22. he calls them to come in, for his fatlings were prepared, and all things were ready.  
What is the reason that the Lord resembleth spiritual things by a Feast, because they do the same things as a Feast doth; a Feast is a refreshing to a man, a continual feast is a continual comfort, and this you shall have; if you will come in to the Lord: if you will not come in, you shall be starved, you shall be wretched and miserable. This you shall have by the Lord jesus. Let this move you to come in.  
But now a man will be ready to object, 
Object. 1.  you tell us of these things, and indeed these are goodly things, if they were present, if they were real, if they were not Imaginary things only, that consisted in notion, and in speculation; if they were things that were sensible, but they are not so; these things are future things, they are remote things, they are things but in Imagination, they are things that we have no feeling of, they are things that if we look after them, we shall lose other things in this life?  
This objection all the world makes against such motives as these; 
Answ.  and therefore I will answer these briefly, and proceed:  
First, whereas men say, they are things that are far off, (and indeed such things move not much:) I say, they are already present, they are a great part present, we have the first fruits present, though the harvest be deferred, and we may boldly say to you, that those very glean, for the present, are beyond the vintage that the children of this world enjoy, the peace of conscience, the joy of the Spirit, boldness in death, security and freedom from all deaths, and dangers, familiarity and acquaintance with God, to enjoy his favour with all that he can do, the grace the prevent us, the blessing that follows us in all our actions, the comforts of the Saints, whose hearts are made glad with the light of God's countenance; these things, I say, are beyond the wine and oil, beyond the dainties and honours which they have, who have their portion in this life; therefore you have something for the present: indeed the outside of these things are but base, but the inside is precious. This is the difference between heavenly things and earthly; in heavenly the worst is first, the best is last: In outward things it is true, the beginning is sweet, but the latter end is bitterest: but let that be one answer to it, that you have much of it for the present.  
And besides this, remember though you have it not present, yet you shall have it after; and what great matter is it to want a little, to enjoy more for the future? Are we not content to buy great reversions with the loss of a little money for the present, for we say it will come in? Are we not content to endure an Apprenticeship of seven or eight years, for our greater advantage? Do not men willingly serve a Master, or a Mistress, a long time, for hopes hereafter? Now what folly, yea, what Atheism, and unbelief is it for a man in things that concern salvation, not to be content to want a little for the present, to enjoy happiness for ever? If a man should be put to his choice, whether he would have five shillings to day, or many thousands to morrow, a man, no question would have it to morrow. You know, this life is not so much to eternity, as to day is to the next day; why should we not be content to want a little, that we may have the more afterwards.  
And beside, if you consider what men are, men are reasonable, and to what end is reason given you, but to look on things past and future? That is the part of a Beast only to look on present things, you should do more than the Beasts do, you should look to things that are future, and should order your lives according to that; And what have you faith for? For faith is that which distinguisheth a Christian from another man, as reason distinguisheth a man from a beast, surely this should teach you to go beyond reason, reason teacheth you to go beyond that which is present, and faith carries you beyond that, and therefore you should have an eye to things future, to things to come, and not be occupied in things present; and therefore, though you have not those things for the present, you shall have them, and you should be content to want a little, that you may enjoy the more for the future, you should consider things future and not present, if reason teacheth you to do so, much more will faith.  
But it will be objected again, 
Object. 2.  It is true; but these things that you tell us of, they are not real things, they are things that consist but in notion and speculation?  
It is not so, 
Answ.  you must know that these spiritual Privileges are real; All that are in Christ, are as truly Kings and Priests, they are as truly Sons and Heirs apparent, and have all the promises of God entailed upon them and theirs, (as any Princes in this world) and there is no regenerate man that knows this, that will change that glory that is reserved for him in heaven, for any earthly kingdom.  

Object. 3.  But we have no feeling of these things?  

Answ.  We answer again, that there is a sense of them, as quick a sense and apprehension of them, as there is of any other; for what is it that makes men sensible of these outward riches, and kingdoms, and honours? nothing but this, because the understanding magnifieth such things, and the affection loves and desires such things, when you enjoy them, than you are refreshed with them; for pleasure is nothing else, but the suiting of a man's desires whatsoever they be: No man would take pleasure in any outward things, but because, first he desire; them, and the satisfying of that, is that that breeds a pleasure: now when you come home to Christ, you must know that you shall have other desires, as you have it in this Text, You shall be made New Creatures, you shall have other affections than you had before, and when these are satisfied, you shall have as true Pleasure and rejoicing, as ever you had in the other; for, if that be a true definition of Peasure and rejoicing, 
Pleasure, what.  that it is a satisfying of the desire, a satisfying of the appetite, whatsoever it is, when that is changed; Why should you doubt, that you shall not have as much sense, and as quick an apprehension, yea, why may we not say, you shall have more? For this I will be bold to affirm, that the object is greater, and the faculty is more capacious and apprehensive.  
The object is greater, for it is durable riches, it is durable honour, a durable kingdom, greater than any kingdom upon the earth. Look on all things that God propounds to the sons of men, and they are far beyond the things that are here below: To be the son of God is more than to be the son of any King, to be an heir of heaven, to be an heir of all things, is more than to be an heir apparent to a Crown; whatsoever is propounded, I say it is beyond it, therefore the object is greater. Then come to the faculties, they are more capacious, they have a more quick and lively sense and apprehension, as the rational faculties, the understanding, and the will, their apprehensions are deeper than those of fancy, of sense, or sensual appetite; and therefore you see the grief of the reasonable part is more than that of the senses, and hence it is, that the misery of those that are in hell, goes beyond the miseries of any in this life; and so the joys of those that are in heaven, is beyond the joy of any in this life: Man, as he is more happy, so he is more miserable than the Beast, and why so? because the faculty is larger, and therefore a man that is heavenly minded, a man that lives by faith, that is, in Christ, he hath greater things to enjoy, than a worldly man hath, or can have.  
Again, the thoughts, the faculties that are taken up about them, they are of a larger apprehension, and have a more deep and quick sense than the others have; and therefore in matter of sense, we cannot yield that these things are not sensible, For it is Peace of Conscience that passeth all understanding, it is joy unspeakable and glorious. It is said so of no outward thing, and therefore these are far beyond them; that shall serve to answer that objection.  
And so we have gone thorough three of them, that they are things absent, that they are things that are not real, that consist in notion and speculation, that they are things not sensible.  

Object. 4.  Now there is a fourth objection, but I must lose present things for them; if we might have him and enjoy our pleasures, if we could have him, and enjoy riches and honour, we would be content, but we must be at a loss?  

Answ.  But to this we answer, that you shall be no losers, no not for this life, you shall but make an exchange, and change for the better; What is it that Christ requires of you? it is but to do some thing for his sake, and to suffer something; if you do, it is but seed sown to the Spirit, and as in other seeds, every seed bringeth forth more abundantly, it riseth with a greater plenty; so every good work you do, it will do you good at one time or other, you shall be sure to have present wages for it, and for that you suffer, Mark. 10. You shall have an hundred fold in this life, and set aside eternal life, for every thing that you lose for Christ's sake, you shall have an hundred fold: Many particulars there he reckons up, if you lose friends or goods, whatsoever you lose, you shall have an hundred fold in this life with persecution; for there is the objection.  
O but we see they are persecuted, they are beneath and not above, they are trampled on, they are miserable.  
Why though they be, yet with persecution you shall have an hundred fold, that is, you shall have an hundred fold more comfort: As, I will give you but this instance.  
Take Paul, he was persecuted and afflicted, had not he an hundred fold? Take a man that lives in abundance, and in plenty of all things, compare his condition with that Apostles, and see whether he have not more joy of heart, more comfort in those afflictions, when he went from Prison to Prison, from affliction to affliction, than Nero had in his Palace, or that men have that enjoy outward things in abundance, for they are not outward things that will comfort us, them a man may have in plenty, and yet want the comfort of them, as many thousands have had. So much shall serve for the answering of these objections. Therefore, since there are so many motives to move you to come into Christ, the impediments which you find in the way, the objections of the flesh, and the objections that come from Satan are but delusions. Why should you not come in? He is the ground of all comfort; have him, and have all; want him, and want all things: 1 john 5. He that hath the Son hath life, he that hath not the Son, the wrath of God abides upon him: That is, he that hath the Son, hath life, and all things that pertain to life; that is it that makes a man happy, as you know every thing is said then to be happy, when it hath that which is agreeable to that being, agreeable to that life that it leads. A man that leads the life of nature, is happy for this world, according to his condition, when he hath every thing that belongs to this life, when he hath wealth, when he hath houses, when he hath all conveniences. Now, when a man hath the Son, he hath spiritual life, and all things pertaining to it, there is nothing wanting to make him happy; when he hath not that, The wrath of God abides on him; that is, the Lord is his Enemy, that is the Governor of the world, and he is not his enemy for a fit, but the wrath of God abides on him for ever. And therefore, since the Lord is the cause of all our comfort he is the ground of all Salvation, both of all the graces, and of all the Privileges that follow upon it, this should move us to come in, and to take him; those two arguments, I say, the misery that you are in out of him, and the happiness you shall have by him, but I will urge this no further, so much shall serve for this Text.  
FINIS.   

THE CUP OF BLESSING: DELIVERED IN three Sermons, upon 1 COR. 10.16. By the late faithful and worthy Minister of JESUS CHRIST, JOHN PRESTON, D. in Divinity, Chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher of Lincoln's INN.  
LONDON, Printed by R. B. for NICHOLAS BOURNE, and are to be sold at his shop at the Royal Exchange. 1633.   

draw nearest to him, as we do in this holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper. And therefore, nothing concerns us more than that we do not receive it unworthily, because the Lord will be sanctified in those that draw nearest unto him, that is, either in the holiness of their hearts, or in executing his just judgement upon them: And therefore that at this time, and others also, you may not come unprepared to the holy Sacrament, we have purposely pitched on these words: The Cup of blessing that we bless] etc.  
In which ye shall find these three parts: 

First, that in this Sacrament there is a true communicating of the body and blood of Christ.  
Secondly, the means whereby this communication is made to us, it is the breaking of the bread, and by pouring out the wine: Is not the bread that we break the Communion of the body of Christ? etc.  
And thirdly, the setting apart, or the blessing, or sanctifying of these elements to such a purpose; The Cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ?    
Now for the first of these, I say, in the Sacrament there is a communication of the very body and blood of Christ: The Papists affirm the same; but all the question is, in what manner there is this communicating of his body and blood, they say, corporally that there is. Transubstantiation there; we say the thing is really done, but it is done spiritually, it is done mystically, it is done sacramentally.  
The reason of our difference, is, because of these words of our Saviour, This is my body. And the Popish indeed is so strange an opinion that I would not waste time in confuting of it, but that I know there are diverse amongst ourselves that do willingly leave the Papists in other points, yet they are held with some scruple with this, they know not how to contradict such plain words, This is my body, and therefore they cannot be persuaded but that there is somewhat in it more than our Divines affirm; and therefore it shall not be needless to spend a little time in showing you the falseness of this opinion:  
First, I would ask this question, whether there be necessity or no, that there should be such a Transubstantiation; for surely, if there be not necessity, if that be but an arbitrary thing, we may as well deny it, as they affirm it.  
Again, such a monstrous conceit as this, compounded of so many ingrediences, of so many strange miracles, the least of which goes beyond the highest in all the Scriptures, I say, is not to be put upon us without necessity; themselves grant, that, unless there be a necessity, we have no reason to receive it at their hands: And therefore we will inquire first, and see what necessity there is.  
First, I say, there is no such necessity that there should be any such Transubstantiation, any such corporal presence of Christ in the Sacrament, neither in regard of the thing, nor in regard of the words, This is my body.  
I say, it is not necessary in regard of the thing, look to all the ends of the Sacrament, you shall find that you may have all without such a Transubstantiation.  
First, if the end of the Sacrament be to bring Christ to our remembrance, as himself saith, that it was his end, Do this, (saith he) as often as you do it, in remembrance of me: certainly, it is not necessary that there should be a change of bread into his body for that purpose, because the Sacrament itself with those words instituted are enough for his remembrance: And besides this, the very word, Remember, shows that he is rather absent than present, for we remember not things present, but remembrance is of things absent: Besides, the other Sacrament represents Christ, and calls him to remembrance, where there is no such Transubstantiation: and therefore it is not for remembrance that it is needful that Christ should be corporally present.  
Or secondly, is it needful for this, the showing forth the Lords death till he come? Surely, for this it is not needful neither, for in preaching we show forth the Lords death, as the Apostle saith to the Galathians, Christ was so plainly preached, that he was as good as crucified amongst them: And therefore it is not needful for the showing forth of the Lords death till he come: Besides, there is a particle put in there, that may help us a little, till he come, which presupposeth that he is not yet here, and therefore it is not necessary for that end.  
But again, is it necessary for our union with Christ, for that is another end of the Sacrament, that we may be united to him; surely if the union were corporal, then indeed there might seem some necessity of it, if we were so united to Christ, as when two boards are clapped together, where one toucheth another: but you know there is no such corporal union, it is spiritual, and not corporal, it is by faith, and not by sense? What is the union between Christ and us? Partly relative, as the union between the husband and the wife, and you know if the husband and the wife be a thousand miles asunder there might be such an union: And partly it is real, a true real unity, when Christ's Spirit dwells in us, which may be done without the corporal presence of Christ: And therefore certainly it is not needful for the uniting of us to Christ, because this union is spiritual, it is done by faith, by communicating the Spirit of Christ in us; and therefore in this regard it is not necessary that there should be a corporal presence in the Sacrament.  
Last of all, is it necessary to increase our faith, for that likewise is one end of the Sacrament that our faith may be strengthened: Why surely, it is not needful for this purpose, no, I say, it cannot strengthen faith, because the means, you know, is subordinate to the end, it is less than the end, whereas the faith that is required to believe Transubstantiation, is far beyond the highest pitch of faith expressed in all Scripture: I say, it cannot be that, that should be made a means to help faith, that is beyond the thing that is to be believed (mark it) consider what it is we are to believe, we are to believe that Christ took man's nature on him for us, that his sufferings and crucifying belong unto us, etc. Is it not much easier to believe this, than to believe that a piece of bread is turned into the body of CHRIST? Though you see nothing, though you taste nothing but bread, I say, it is much easier: Now, as we say, we must not blow a spark too much for putting it out, now to have such means as these to help faith, that cherisheth not the spark of faith, but blows it out, it doth not help faith, but overwhelms faith, when the means used to strengthen are such as are beyond the thing to be strengthened: Therefore in regard of the thing there is no necessity, that there should be any corporal presence of Christ in the Sacrament. But let us consider whether there be any necessity in regard of the words, This is my body: Surely, there is not any necessity here, for the words may have another meaning, This is my body, that is, this is the figure of my body, or this is the Sacrament of my body, and therefore it is not necessary, specially seeing it is so frequent with Scripture to use metaphors in this kind, I need not name them to you, you know Christ is called a Rock, he is said to be a Lamb, to be a Lion, and in another case judas is said to be a Devil, the Seed is said to be the Word, nothing more frequent, Christ is said to be a Vine: I need not give you more instances: Herod, Christ calls him Fox: The meaning of all this is, that they are types and signs, like such and such things. But yet it is the manner of the Scriptures speech, and therefore it is not of necessity that those words should be so taken, for words are like clothes that may fit more backs than the owners; the words may agree to somewhat else, there is not a word here, but it may agree to diverse things: Body, it signifies diverse bodies: the word, This, signifies as many things as you point to: and therefore there is no necessity that they should signify a corporal presence of Christ.  
But you will object, I, but in a matter of this moment, as the Sacrament, the Lord speaks distinctly and expressly, there he useth no metaphor, though in other cases he do.  
To this I answer briefly, it is so far from being true, that he useth them not in the Sacrament, that there are none of all the Sacraments, but it is used. In the Sacrament of Circumcision, This the Covenant, etc. In the Sacrament of the Passeover (which were the Sacraments of the old Law) the Lamb is the Passeover, in this very Sacrament: To go no further for instances, take but the second part of it, This is the Cup of the new Testament in my blood, where you shall find two types and figures, this Cup, taken for this Wine; This is the Cup of the new Testament, that is, the Sacrament of the new Testament: And therefore we see, there is no necessity in regard of the words: And there is no necessity since with a little buckling and swarving, This is my body, that is, this is the figure of my body, we may have a convenient sense, why should we feign such a monstrous thing that bread is turned into the very body of Christ, and the wine into the very blood? What needs such a monstrous fetch as this, to help the words to a meaning? What need or necessity is there that they should be so interpreted? And therefore we see in the first place that there is no necessity, and if there be no necessity, it is not to be put upon us, for if that be an arbitrary thing, we may aswell deny it.  
Secondly, as there is not necessity, so there is not possibility, (though it were possible) they would not get much, for there are many things that are possible that are not done: But it is not possible, if it were possible, than it must stand with the power of God: But the power of God is not used, but where the glory and wisdom of God go before, for it is the harbinger of his glory and wisdom. The power of God is not used, but if it be for his honour, therefore it is said, God cannot lie, because it is not for his honour, and he cannot deny himself, because it is not for his wisdom and his glory: Now I say since this is not for the glory of God (for it is against his glory that there should be such a conversion of the bread into the body of Christ, and it is against his wisdom: And if it be against these, then certainly, the power of God must not be called to it: Now, I say, it is against his glory, because whensoever the Lord appeared, he appeared always in glory, though sometimes he appeared as a man, yet there was such a majesty that caused them to tremble that beheld him: Shall we see God and live? You see when he appeared to Elias, what majesty he came in? what harbingers he sent before him, the Wind that rend the Rocks, and a Fire, etc.  
But, you will say Christ humbled himself to death as a man, therefore he doth not always appear in glory.  
It is true, and that was the lowest degree of Humiliation; and yet when he appeared as man, there was some spark of his Divinity appeared there: But that Christ should appear in the likeness of a piece of bread that thou mayest put in thine own mouth, surely this is a monstrous thing, it is against the glory of God. Do you think, if Christ should come down upon the earth, after his Ascension, and exhibit himself to be worshipped amongst us, that he would present himself in the form of a piece of bread? It is impossible, it is not for his glory, and if it be not for his glory, then certainly the power of God must not be brought down for the working of it. And as it is against his glory, so it is against his wisdom, for the Lord doth nothing to no purpose, he doth nothing in vain, he never wrought miracles when they might be spared, where the thing might be done without a miracle. Since this might be done without a miracle, all that we have by Christ, all that is represented in the Sacrament, what necessity is there? and if there be no necessity, it beseems not the wisdom of God to do it: Again, would not the smallest miracle, really and visibly exposed to sense, help more than such a miracle as this: Besides all this, I say, it is not possible (make your own senses judges) you see nothing but bread; now this is a sure rule, that of all demonstrations of reason that we have to prove things, nothing is so firm as that which is taken from sense: to prove the fire is hot, we feel it hot, or honey to be sweet, when we taste it to be sweet: There is no reason in the world makes it so firm as sense: As it is true in these cases, so it is an undoubted truth in Divinity, that in all matters of sense, sense is a competent judge: Indeed, if it be a matter of reason, there sense is not able to judge, the eye is able to judge of his own sense, of sounds it cannot judge; but, I say, objects proper to sense, peculiar to sense, in these sense is a competent judge: And therefore Christ himself, in this very business, when he would prove that he had a true body, he sends them to their senses, A spirit hath not flesh and blood as you see me have: And Thomas he bids, Put thy hand into my side and feel, etc. He sends them to their senses: Look thorough the Scriptures, and see if there be one miracle there, if sense be not a competent judge according to that part of the miracle that concerns the sense; would you not think it strange, if Christ should have come to the master of the feast, when he wrought the miracle, and have said, Sir, you must believe that this is wine, though you see nothing, though you taste nothing but water, yet you must believe that it is turned into wine; And if GOD should have said unto Moses, Though you see nothing but a Rod, thou must believe it is turned into a Serpent: If there had been no change indeed, and such as sense might see, we would think it a ridiculous thing, and next door to an Imposture: And therefore certainly in matters of sense, sense is a competent judge; and therefore when all the senses tell us that it is bread when we taste, when the eye and the touch, when every thing makes it evident that it is bread, why should we say there is any thing else but bread.  
Besides, if we will add to sense, reason; it is against reason, as well as against sense: It is against reason that Christ should be in heaven, and yet have ten thousand bodies on earth, and yet Christ hath but one body, and a body can be but in one place: And again, this body must be without all circumscription and qualities and properties of a body: And again, that the bread that we see should be no bread, say they, there is the whiteness of bread, there is the taste of bread, there is the quantity of bread, and that is all: I would but ask them one thing, when this bread is eaten, since there is nothing there, but these accidents, there is nothing but the mere quantity, and the like: I would ask whether it nourish the body or no; they must needs answer no, if they follow their principles, because the body of Christ is not there, they say it is removed as soon as the bread is destroyed, when it begins to turn into flesh, it loseth these accidents; well, the bread returns not again, there is nothing but accidents of the bread, and yet certainly it doth nourish; for it is reported by credible Authors, that some have been so holy, that they would feed upon nothing else but the Eucharist, for a Priest may consecrate a Cellar of wine, and as much bread as he will, and may feed upon this, and with these he may be nourished, and yet there is nothing but accidents of bread: In a word, the Schools that traverse this so accutely, are not satisfied at all in this, but they leave it as a wonder, as a thing that cannot be explained: So it is against reason, as it is against sense.  
But, you will say, faith is beyond sense and reason, it is true, it is beyond both, but it is not contrary to both; faith teacheth nothing contrary to reason, for sense and reason are God's works as well as grace, now one work of God doth not destroy another, if they should, there must be an imperfection in the workman, and therefore grace and faith contrary not sense and reason; indeed it elevateth reason, and makes it higher, it makes it see further than reason could, it is contrary indeed to corrupt reason, but to reason that is right reason, it is not contrary, only it raiseth it higher: And therefore faith teacheth nothing contrary to sense and reason.  
But besides these, if we show them Scripture too, what will they have then to say? when we say it is against sense and reason, say they, the Scriptures affirm it, if it do we will yield. Let us examine the words if the Scripture affirm it: Yes, say they, the Scripture saith, This is my body, they are Christ's words; but if the Scriptures say so, yet the Scripture saith no where, that that bread is turned into the body, that no where saith, that there is such a Transubstantiation, only those words used, which, as you heard, may have a metaphorical, tropical, figurative sense: But besides this, what if the Scripture say the contrary; you shall find this in the next Chapter five times called Bread, and after it is consecrated too, as the Apostle saith, The Cup of Blessing that we bless, and the bread that we break: After he had blessed the bread, than he took it, and after he had taken it, than he broke it, he thus took that which is called Bread.  
Again, they say the body of Christ is not broken, but that is broken, which is always after the words of Consecration, but it is the bread that we break.  
Again, if it could be understood otherwise, you see what a Tautology would be in the words, The Bread that we break, it is the Communion of the body of Christ; if the meaning was, that it is the body, here the words must be thus rendered; The body that we break, is it not the communion of the body? But, I say, five times you shall find it in this next Chapter, that it is Bread after the words of Consecration; and you know it is said to be Wine: Christ saith, he will not drink of the fruit of the Vine; by which he means the very wine which was before in the Sacrament: and therefore certainly they find nothing that affirms it.  
Besides, if it were the meaning of Christ, This is my body, what is the reason the Disciples never asked any question about it? What is the reason the Fathers, that followed in the first times, spoke not of such a thing: I need not trouble you with that. Now you shall find all along from the first, that the Fathers make no such mention of that; but not to stand to press this further, because I see the time passeth, and this thing I intent not to stand on: You see therefore the falseness of this opinion, that this Communion of the blood of Christ, and of the body of Christ, should be through any real corporal Transubstantiation. But what is it then? We are to distinguish between the inward and the outward action, there need no more but that with the outward action, with the mouth of the body, we take the bread and wine; and with the inward action, that is, by faith we take the very body and blood of Christ; these we distinguish, these they confound: But, I say, we agree in the thing, we say Christ is communicated to us in the Sacrament, as truly and really as they, only there is difference in the manner, we say it is spiritually, they say it is corporally.  
For what is the Sacrament? (to open it to you) and so I will come to make some use to you.  
This Sacrament is nothing else, but the Seal of the Gospel of the new Covenant; and it is indeed nothing else, but a visible Gospel; for what is the Gospel? the Gospel is but an offer of Christ, to all that will take him, for remission of sins; now the same thing which the Gospel preacheth to the ear, the same the Sacrament preacheth to the eye, that is, in the Sacrament there is an offer of Christ to us, Take and eat, that is, take Christ, whose body was broken, and whose blood was shed for you, take him for remission of sins: I say the same is done, only the Gospel presents it to us under audible words, and the Sacrament presents it to us under visible signs: this is all the difference: If we would know what the Sacrament is, consider what the Gospel is, and the Covenant, and you shall know what this is, for it is but a Scale, but a memorial of the Gospel; now what is this Gospel? It is nothing but this, when God looked on mankind, as fallen in Adam, he took a resolution in himself to recover them again, by giving his Son to them: Now this must be manifested to men, therefore he sends his messengers to declare to the sons of men, to let them know their estate by nature, and to tell them that he hath given them his Son to save them from their ●innes, and to reconcile them to himself, to give them title to the kingdom, from the hope of which they were fallen: this is one part of the Gospel, this promise which he hath made, which, I say, is nothing else but a mere office of Christ.  
But there is another part which is the condition required on our part, when Christ is thus given, you must serve him, and love him, and obey him, and turn from all your evil ways, you must be his, as he is yours: now when this covenant and agreement is made between us, he puts his Seal to it, this Sacrament of the Lords Supper: As jacob and Laban, when they had made an agreement one with another, that they should not hurt one another, they pitched stones upon an heap, This shall be a witness between us, that is, if either of us break the bargain, let this heap witness that there was such a covenant made: And as God himself did, when he made a covenant with Noah, that the waters should no more overflow the earth, he set his bow in the clouds, and that was a witness, that when I see the Bow in the cloud, if I go about to drown the earth again with water, let this witness against me: So in the Passeover, when he made a promise that the destroying Angel should spare them, he commands them that they should sprinkle the doore-cheekes with blood, that when he sees the blood, that witness might secure them, that the Lord would remember what he had promised when he had seen that: And as among men, when a man conveys either lands or money, to another man, they use to confirm the bargain with seals or with some sign or memorial, that when they forget the bargain, or deny it, or go about to break it, it may be said to them, This is your hand and seal, the thing is done, you have passed it, it cannot be recalled; if you do, this will witness against you: So the Lord here, when he hath made his Covenant with us, I will give you my Son: And you again shall give yourselves up to him, he puts his hand and seal to it, as it were, he adds this Sacrament that will be a witness against him, if he should go about to break his covenant, as it is a witness against us, if we break the Covenant of faith and repentance, that is required on our part: You see therefore what the Sacrament is, it is nothing but the Seal of the Gospel, presenting that to the eye, which the Gospel presents to the ear, for it presents God, as it were, he comes with Christ in his hand, saying this to us, This is my Son, his body is broken for you, and his blood shed for you, take Him, let Him be yours, only remember that you serve him, that you love him, that you obey him again, and let this Sacrament be a sign and a witness between us: so that as the Gospel hath two parts, one is a relation of all that Christ hath done; and another is the giving and offering Christ to us, so in this Sacrament there is a representing of Christ, he was crucified, his body was broken, his blood was shed, and a deed of gift is delivered of Christ to us, Take and eat: And therefore know that it is not a bare sign, but it is a sign of the Covenant; and there is a difference between those two, to say the Sacrament is a sign of Christ, and a sign of the Covenant, even as there is a great difference between the wax that only bears the impression of an image stamped upon it, and between that which is a seal to a Deed; that is a sign of the covenant, or bargain, and agreement, for that gives interest into the thing, that gives Title to the thing, that conveys the thing to us, that binds the owner perpetually to the performance of the thing; so the Sacrament is not a naked sign, representing this act of Christ, but it gives us interest, not only into some benefits, no, he saith not, you shall have remission of sins, or you shall have adoption, but he saith, Take, this is my body: By body is meant whole Christ, by a Synecdoche, we have Christ and all things else.  
What use are we to make of this? Surely it is of great use many ways: First, we must make this use of it, which is the main end of the Sacrament, to confirm our faith in the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins, as likewise to renew our Covenant, and the Condition required on our part, when God hath said he is willing to pardon our sins, if he had but barely said it, it had been enough, God cannot lie: But lest it should not be enough, he hath not only said it, but he hath sworn it, Hebr. 6. He hath sworn by himself, that by two immutable things we might have strong consolation: Being willing, saith the Apostle, to show to the heirs of Promise the stableness of his Council, he bound himself with an oath, but yet lest that should not be enough, he hath added seals to it, he hath given the inward seal of the Spirit, and the outward seal of the Sacrament; as if he should say, I have promised to forgive you your sins, let the Sacrament witness against me, if I perform it not: Here by the way observe, how difficult a thing it is for us to believe, you may think it an easy thing when you are in health, when you are well; but when death comes, when temptation comes, when trouble of conscience comes, I say, you shall find it a difficult thing, you shall find a need of all these helps; for certainly God swears not in vain, he would not have bound himself with an oath, to be ready to forgive sins, if there were not exceeding need of such helps to confirm us; and therefore you have need to set yourselves more diligently about it, make this use of the Sacrament, labour to confirm yourselves in this assurance: So that as the Apostle saith, You may have strong consolation, that is, when the temptations of Satan shall assault you with objections to the contrary, you may be strong, and not shaken: And why should you be doubtful (if we should a little reason with you) that you may receive the fruit of this, for why should you fear it? For first, the Lord professeth, I would not the death of a sinner as I live: And why will you die, oh you house of Israel: What is the meaning of this? but to show that the Lord hath an exceeding great desire, earnestly longs to save the souls of men. Indeed he saith not that he will give every one grace to come in, but if he do, As I live, saith the Lord, I will not his death, that is, I am ready to forgive him: Besides this, consider what a man is ready to do, consider how tenderhearted fathers and mothers are to their children; if we find so much mercy there, consider how much there is in God; that mercy that is in us, is but a drop to the Ocean, it is but a beam, to the fullness that is in him: If you that are evil can give good things to your children, 
Luke▪  how much more shall your heavenly Father do it? Again, consider if the Lord were not ready to show mercy to you, that Christ should not be of none effect, that is, the blood of Christ should be shed in vain. And do you think the Lord would send his Son to suffer death, and to suffer it in vain? and that should be in vain, if he should not be ready to receive men to mercy, when they come to seek it at his hands; beside, if the Lord should not do this, no flesh should be saved: Psal. 130.1. saith the Psalmist there, If thou Lord shouldest mark all that is done amiss, who could stand? The meaning is this, if the Lord should not be ready to do this, which he hath given to the Sacrament to confirm, namely to forgive sins, if he should not be ready to do it, if he should mark straight what is done amiss, who could stand, that is, who should be saved? Now certainly the Lord hath made man for that purpose, many shall be saved, none were made for damnation: Besides, there is another argument, There is mercy with thee, that thou mightest be feared: Fear is taken for the worship of God, that is, if the Lord should not receive men, none would worship him, none would serve him; when there is no hope, take away all hope, take away all endeavour. If this will not persuade you, consider what the Lord hath done for others; how many thousands of others have had their sins forgiven, and then think, had he mercy for such and such, and hath he not mercy enough for me? Hath not Christ taken thy nature as well as theirs? If all this will not persuade you, consider how merciful Christ was in the days of his flesh, he was exceeding gentle, easy to be entreated, you shall never find that there was any that asked at his hands, but he granted it: And think you that he is less pitiful now to men's souls, than he was to their bodies? Do you think that now he is in heaven, he hath laid aside his merciful disposition? No, Hebr. 4. We have a merciful high Priest that is touched with our infirmities, that is ready to forgive: Oh, but my sins are exceeding great, what though they be, is not the Lords mercy exceeding, is it not like the mighty Sea, that drowns mountains aswell as molehills: My sins are of diverse sorts, what if they be, in the Lord there is multitudes of mercies, as many as thou hast sins: I, but they have oft been repeated, I have oft fallen into them again and again: What if thou hast? Is not his mercies renewed every morning: And, Zachary 15.1. There is a fountain opened for the house of judah and jerusalem to wash in: Not a cistern, but a fountain, that is, as there is a spring of sin in us, so there is a spring of mercy in God, there is no end of his mercy, therefore doubt not in regard of that.  
But again, I am unfit, if I were fit and ready for this, I might receive fruit from the Sacrament, but I am unfit? Why? If thou thought's thyself fit, thou shouldest not have it; even therefore, because thou feelest thyself unfit, the rather thou shalt be received to mercy: the Lord looks for this a● thy hands, that we find and feel such ●●fi●resse in ourselves, the more we are humbled, the less we find in ourselves, the more ready the Lord is to receive us to mercy: Besides, this very unfitness, I would ask thee, but what i● is; Is it not sin? If all sins be forgiven, if the pardon be general, than it is contained among the rest, and shall not be any impediment: And therefore make this use when you come to the Sacrament, think not that God is backward to forgive, that he will not be as good as his word, certainly he will; and know this, that what he hath said, and sworn, he will perform, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but his Word shall not pass. This indeed is our chiefest consolation, that our saith is not built upon persuasions and imaginations of our own; that our sins shall be forgiven, but it is built upon the sure Word of God: And as Saint Paul saith, Gal. 1. If any Angel from heaven should preach any other Gospel, you should not receive it from him. So when you have this sure Word that God hath given you a general pardon, Come unto me all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, etc. You may build upon this sure Word: Now when you put all these together, that the Lord hath said it, and put his seal to it, if he should not do it, the death of Christ should be of none effect, no flesh should be saved, no man would worship God. Again, there is nothing can be an impediment to us, not of greatness, and multitude of our sins, nor our relapse into sin, not our unfitness; Why should we doubt? But now this is the Condition on God's part.  
Then see the Condition required on our part; What is that?  
First, it is required that we take the Lord jesus Christ, for though the Lord give him in the Sacrament, though he offer him in the Gospel, except we take him he is not ours. If we believe that one will give us a thousand pound, that makes not a man rich, if he be ready to give it, it is the taking that makes us rich: If we believe that there is such a sovereign Electuary that is able to heal, that believing doth not heal, it is the taking of it, if it be not taken, it heals not: And therefore, there is required a taking of Christ; So many as received him, joh. 1. he gave power to be, etc. So many as received him. If a Virgin believe that such a Suitor is willing to take her for his wife, except she take him for her husband it is no match. And so to believe that Christ is ready to forgive and pardon our sins, to believe that God the Father will give Christ to you as he hath; To us a Son is given, Esay 9.6. To believe this, except we take him, doth not profit, he is not ours till then: This taking is that which the Scripture calls Faith, this is a believing in him: If you would know what this taking is, it is nothing else but the very accepting of Christ for our King, for our Lord and Husband: So that look what it is among men, if you would ask what it is for a spouse to take such an one for her husband, for a servant to take such an one for his master, for a subject to take such an one for his King, it is no more, but this, the very act of the will, whereby they consent, and accept such an one for their Husband, for their Master or King; it is the taking of him, and this is the taking of jesus Christ; I say, when we shall accept him, when we see God hath given him to us, and that he hath given himself, when we take him for our Lord and Master, that is the very act of the will, whereby we resolve to make him ours, and resolve to give up ourselves to him, as he is given to us: That is the first condition that is required, we must take him; and this the Scripture calls faith. Is this all? No, there is somewhat else required, you must take him in deed, aswell as in will, that is, you must so take him, as to serve him, and only him, to turn from all evil ways, and therefore the pardon runs so, though it be a general pardon; as there is a general proclamation; whatsoever your rebellions be, it is no matter, for all kind of rebellions, there is neither any sin, nor any person excepted, but then this condition runs along with it, you must take him for your King: Is that all? No, you must lay down your arms of rebellion, you must renounce the Colours and Tents of the Enemy, and come in and be subject to him, you must live by his Laws: And therefore, besides taking of him, there is required that we be ready to obey Christ in deed, and not to take Christ only as a Saviour: Every man is ready to take him as a Priest to save them from their sins, but to take him as a King and a Lord, so as to be subject unto him, here all the world is at a stand; as the young man when he came to Christ, and he tells him what he must do, Go sell all, etc. He would not take him with this condition; here every man is ready to refuse him: We are willing to follow Christ thorough fair way, but not thorough foul and rough way; we are willing to take him with a Crown of glory, but not with a Crown of thorns; we are willing to take the sweet, but not the sour: But we must know, if we will take Christ, we must likewise obey him, and take him as an Husband, our will must be subject to his will; we must take him as a Lord, we must be subject to him in all things, we must keep his Commandments; and therefore he hath so expressed it, If you will suffer with him, you shall reign with him, not else; If you will obey me, and keep my Commandments, than you shall be my Disciples, if you will follow me, and deny yourselves, and take up your cross, etc. Take up my cross daily.  
Therefore a second Condition is this, which the Scripture calls sometimes repentance and conversion to God, sometime obedience.  
But is this all? No, there is one more required that we do all this out of love, for when a man is in extremity, when he is driven to an exigent, now to take Christ, and to keep his Commandments; perhaps he will be willing to do, to expedite himself out of such a straight: but will the Lord regard this? Surely no▪ except it be from love; therefore, Gal. 5.5. you shall find them all three put together, Neither Circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith that worketh by love: there you have the first Condition, which is faith. The second which worketh, it is not an idle faith, but it is a faith that sets you a work; and than you have the third, they are works that come from love. A man will be ready to do any thing to save his life; you know a Merchant when he is on the sea, casts away his goods, when he is in extreme danger, not because he and his goods are fallen out, but to save his life he will do it; Take a covetous man, let him be on the rack, he will be ready to do any thing, but yet the man is the same: And so for a man to do much for Christ, to do as we are ready to do in the time of extremity, when death comes, when sickness comes, when we are under some great cross that is upon us, when conscience is troubled, I say, in these cases to do it, the Lord regards it not: This therefore is the Condition that is required to be done out of love; it is a rule in the civil-law, Contractus qui fit per minas, nullus est; The contracts that are gotten by threatenings, are no contracts at all; but if a Virgin consent, when she is free, when it is done without compulsion, that makes the match: So it is between Christ and us, for us to take him and keep his Commandments, and to do it out of fear and other respects, this Christ regards not, it is love that makes the match: If we take him out of love, if all we do, be done out of love, then there is a match between us, otherwise not. And there is good reason for that, because fear is of a fleeting nature, it soon passes and vanishes away, but when it is rooted and grounded in love, when that which we do, comes from this principle, than we hold out and cleave to Christ, without separating again; when that proceeds from fear, we do it not with delight, we do it not with propenseness, with proclivity of mind, with an inward willingness. Now the Lord so loves a cheerful giver, a cheerful servant, and a cheerful performer, that he loves no other: And therefore that Condition is required, to Delight in the Law, in the inward man, that we do not only keep his Commandments, but that they be not grievous to us, that what we do, be done out of love; and therefore it is required, when we do this, that we love the Lord jesus Christ; I will be bold to say, a man may pray day and night as earnestly as Hannah did, he may keep the Commandments of God without reproof, as Zachary and Elizabeth did for the outward act, he may abound in the work of the Lord, but whatsoever he doth, if he do it not out of love, God looks upon such works, as upon a dead carcase; so they are called, Hebr. 9 Dead works, that is, works that are good for substance, and for circumstance too, but yet they are dead, because they come not from love, there is no life in them: Therefore, in 1 Cor. 16.22. Whosoever loves not the Lord jesus, saith the Apostle, let him be accursed. Whosoever loves not the Lord jesus, that is, whatsoever a man doth beside, let him profess what he will, and perform what he will, if he love not the Lord jesus, he is accursed: And that I speak not this without ground, look 1 Cor. 13. Take the most glorious actions that a man can perform, if a man give his body to be burnt, that is, to be a Martyr, if he gives his goods to the poor, which is an high action for a man to part with all he hath; if he do that which Christ required of the young man, to deny himself: If a man were able to preach the Gospel, if he had gifts as an Angel, as the Apostle speaks, If he were able to speak with the tongue of men and Angels, and if it were without love, God regards it not: Love is a distinguishing Character, an Hypocrite may go very far, but love he cannot; it is love therefore that sets an high price upon all that we do: And therefore you shall find from the beginning of Genesis, to the end of the Revelation, the Promise is made still to the Affection, and it is the Affection that makes a man a good man; he that fears the Lord, and he that loves the Lord, and he that delights in the Commandments of God, etc. And therefore it is not enough that we take Christ, and that we believe in him, that we do the works that he commands us, but that we do them out of love: And this is the Condition that is required on our part. So you see now what the Gospel is, what the sum of it is, that is sealed in the holy Sacrament, it is this Covenant on God's part, that he is ready to forgive us; wherein you must strengthen your faith, when you draw near to him. And again, this condition on your part, Faith and obedience out of love, as you have heard: This is the first use that you are to make. I should proceed.  
The end of the First Sermon.   

THE CUP OF BLESSING: DELIVERED IN THREE Sermons, upon 1 Cor. 10.16. The Second SERMON.  1 CORINTH. 10.16. 
The Cup of blessing, that we bless, is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ? etc.  
SEEING we have the same occasion for which I took this Text, being to receive the Sacrament again the next Sabbath, and so along; I thought it better to continue it, than to divert to another: When we handled it the last time, we told you there were these three parts in the words: 

First, there is a true Communion of the body and blood of Christ.  
Secondly, the means by which it is conveyed to us, the bread and wine, the outward elements which God hath Sanctified to that purpose.  
The third is the adopting or fitting these elements for such an end; and that is by sanctifying them, by blessing them by setting them apart; The Cup of Blessing which we bless, etc.    
The point we delivered was this, ●hat in the Sacrament there is a real and true Communion of the body and blood of Christ to every Receiver.  
We told you the difference between the Papists and us, we both agree that Christ is really in the Sacrament, they say it is corporally, we say it is only done by faith. But to use an expression of Augustine, which he hath upon the very Text, saith he, john Baptist said he was not Elias, and yet Christ saith, john was Elias; Why, saith he, how shall we reconcile these two? they are thus reconciled; john speaks properly, and Christ spoke figuratively, and therefore they cross not one another (he gives this very instance) so saith he, when Christ saith, This is my body, and we say it is not his body, but bread, they are Augustine's own words) saith he, the meaning is this, It is the body, if we take it figuratively, and it is not his body, if we speak properly; so that as it was with the Temple of his body, when he spoke of it, I will destroy this Temple, and build it in three days; they understood it of the material Temple: and, saith the Text, They were reckoned as false witnesses against Christ: So when Christ speaks thus of his body, This is my body, when they understood it materially and corporally, when it is a thing so frequent and usual with him to speak Metaphorically, I say, they shall be found false witnesses against him, in applying this to his material and corporal body, that he understands of his mystical body, which is received by faith. I will not stand to repeat more of that I delivered then, lest the time prevent us in that which remains.  
Only one thing which I then omitted, and that is a great objection of the Papists, out of the sixth Chapter of Saint john, where Christ speaks so much of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood, which, say they, must needs be understood of a corporal manducation, of eating his body and drinking his blood in the Sacrament; we will speak one word of this.  
First, that this cannot be the meaning of that clause, is evident, because the Supper of the Lord was not then instituted; and therefore it could not be he should have relation to that, because Christ spoke to those that might understand him, the words were intelligible at the least: Now it was impossible that those that heard him, should understand him of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, because it was a thing that was not; and if they say that was their dulness: I answer, it is not dulness not to conceive that which simply could not be known: This that had no being, could not be known; and therefore this is certain he had not relation to that.  
Besides that, if you mark the course of the words, you shall find he saith there, that rather the flesh is turned into bread, than the bread to flesh, saith he, I am the true bread that came down from heaven, he repeats that often in the Chapter, vers. 51. I am the living bread, and my flesh is bread, and I give life to the world: So that you shall find more reason, if you read that Chapter, why the flesh should be turned to bread, than the bread into flesh.  
But besides that, the eating of Christ's flesh, and the drinking of his blood, is always taken in a good sense, and it is always peculiar to the Saints: And therefore, verse 53, 54. you shall find both expressed: Except a man eat his flesh, and drink his blood, he hath no life in him: Again, Whosoever, (without exception) eats his flesh and drinks his blood, he hath eternal life, and Christ will raise him up at the last day: So if you take the words generally as Christ expresseth them, and so they must needs be understood. Then it is impossible that his flesh should be eaten in the Sacrament, and his blood drunk, because many that should eat his flesh there, in a corporal manner shall not be saved, which you know themselves grant. Besides, there are many that never eat his flesh, nor drink his blood in the Sacrament, that are saved, and have life in them, as you know the Thief on the Cross, went immediately to Paradise, though he never eat the flesh of Christ in the Sacrament, nor drank his blood: All the patriarchs before Christ, Did not they drink the same spiritual drink, did they not eat the same spiritual meat, as we do? but they never eat it in the Sacrament: Marry Magdalene, when she had never tasted of the Sacrament, saith CHRIST, Go thy way, thy sins are forgiven thee: What need I give you instances of children that die; It is the opinion of the Council of Trent, they set it down in plain terms, That children, that are baptised, though they eat not the Sacrament, and drink of the blood of Christ, and eat his flesh, are saved: And therefore Christ's own words must be meant in this sense, and cannot be understood of a corporal eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood. But because those words, Unless ye eat my flesh, and drink my blood, ye cannot have life; are a place which the Papists do much urge, as if it were impossible to be answered, and appeal herein to the Fathers. We will show you briefly, that it was so interpreted by the Fathers that lived near the Apostles times, as by us now, before there were any Popish Doctors to corrupt the Gloss, as Origen (that was very ancient) upon the fifth of Matthew, saith this, That if it could be that he that remains an ill man, could eat the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood, than it could never be said, john 6. Whosoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. Again, also, Augustine in his 26. Tract, upon the Gospel of Saint john, saith this, Whosoever is not a member of Christ, he eats not his flesh, he drinks not his blood, though visibly and corporally he crush with his teeth the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. Mark the words, The Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ: But it is vain for me to insist upon the particular saying of Augustine, because those that are acquainted with his sayings, if they deal ingenuously, they know they are every where scattered, that he is very clear and evident: But I will name one that is exceeding perspicuous, in his third book, De Doctrina Christiana, cap. 13. he gives us this rule for the interpreting of Scripture; If we find that commanded that is flagitious, and hurtful, and evil, we must not interpret Scripture so, that such a thing is to be done: As for example, he gives this instance, john 6. Christ speaks of eating his flesh and drinking his blood, saith he, this is a flagitious, an evil, and an heinous thing, that a man abhors when he thinks of it; and therefore the words are not so to be understood, but you must understand them spiritually, and figuratively; you must, when you hear those words, remember that Christ's flesh was crucified for you, and that his blood was shed; and so the words are to be interpreted. Ambrose upon the 118. Psal. having occasion to speak of the Sacrament, hath reference to this, joh. 6. saith he, Christ is the bread of life, he that eats life cannot die, for how shall he (saith he) die, Christ is the bread of life, he that eats him, therefore, cannot die, therefore (saith he) none are said to each the flesh of Christ, and drink his blood, but they must needs live for ever, for he eats that which is life. Athanasius hath speeches as plain as these, It is not, (saith he) corporal, but it is spiritual, that which Christ speaks concerning eating of his flesh, and drinking of his blood, (saith he) that small body of his, could that feed so many, saith he is reckoned the meat of the whole world: And therefore, saith he, in the latter end of that Chapter, john 6. When Christ had finished his speech of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood, he speaks of his Ascension into heaven, that he might draw us from carnal conceits, to raise our mind to understand the thing spiritually to ascend to him by faith, and to know the spiritual nourishment of the soul, and not corporal of the body. Besides him, Tertullian in his book, De resurrectione carnis; Eusebius contra Marcellium, not to name other particulars, they all interpret the place thus: And therefore let not our Adversaries say▪ it is a new interpretation; it is fastened on the words by Calvin and Beza, as they do; it is the interpretation of the Fathers, nay, I will go further, it is the interpretation not of the Father's only, but of some of their own Writers Cajetan upon the third part of Thomas, the 80. Question, saith plainly, To eat the flesh of Christ, is to believe in Christ. And Biel in the Canon of his Mass, and Canisius upon the Corinthians▪ and others of their own Writers, which is enough to make it clear to them, that this is the meaning of the words, that we have said before. So much shall serve for the answering of that Objection.  
We showed the last day in what manner Christ is in the Sacrament (I will not stand to repeat it) we came to draw some consectaries from the point, that there is a real Communion of the body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament: The first was for the strengthening of our faith: If God had said it only, it had been enough, God that cannot lie: But I told you, he had not only said it, but sworn it, and not only sworn it, but hath put to his Seal: And therefore we have reason to believe him; only I told you what was required, if we will partake of Christ: First, we must take him by faith: Secondly, that is not all, we must take him in deed, aswell as in word, that is, we must obey him, and live by his Laws; we must lay down the arms of rebellion, and come in, if we will have pardon: Thirdly, it is not enough to do this, but we must do all out of love. Now when a man hears of this, that all this is required in taking of Christ; here, I told you, all the world is at a stand, there is no body will be content to take him, when they hear these conditions, that they must deny themselves in every thing, in their profit, in their pleasures, in their credit, and must take up every cross; and when they meet a cross, they must not balk the way, but they must go thorough, when they hear they must follow him and serve him: I say, when men hear this, they refuse Christ, they will not come in to God: Now what is our business, but to invite men to come in to God, and to compel them, as he saith, That my house may be full; we are the Messengers of the Lord, sent, that we may invite men to this Banquet, I mean not to this Sacrament, but to the thing: And therefore we will make it the second Consectary, and so proceed.  
If there be here a real Communion of the body and of the blood of Christ, then here is the gift or offer of his body and blood: Consider therefore the greatness of Christ's love, that he should regard us so much, as to take our Nature, to clothe himself with our flesh and blood, that he might be crucified, in that, I say, this is an extraordinary love: Compare but our condition with the Angels that were fallen, and we shall see the greatness of this love: The Angels that were fallen (and we were sunk in the same mire) when God looked down from heaven, and saw the miserable condition of both, (saith the Author to the Hebrews) he had compassion on us, but on the Angels he had not compassion: Which difference shows his liberty, and magnifieth his mercy toward us, as you shall find in Malachy▪ the Lord reasoning with Israel, Thus have ●●oved you, and yet you say, Wherein hast thou loved us? saith he, Was not Esau Jacob's Brother, and yet jacob have I loved, and Esau have I hated. So, I say, the Lord hath loved us, in doing this for us, in giving this body of his to be broken, and his blood to be shed, he hath loved us, and hated them? And why hath he put this difference, but because he loved us? And therefore Paul, as he is excellent, when he comes to set forth this point, Ephes. 2. he saith, When we were children of wrath, when we were dead in trespasses and sins, when we were enemies, he that is rich in mercy, according to the greatness of his love, hath quickened us, and set us together with Christ in heavenly places, (mark it) when we were in this condition, dead, it was he that was rich in mercy, according to the greatness of his love, etc. You shall find that the Apostle, whensoever he comes to this matter, knows not how to express himself, but as a man that stood amazed at the greatness of God's love, he had his thoughts swallowed up with it, Ephes. 3. That you may know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that you may comprehend the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of the love of Christ, etc. which cannot be measured: that is, the love of Christ was exceeding great: And this is that you are to do now when you come to the Sacrament, and not only then, but at all times: For it is profitable for us to do this, Do that (saith Christ) in remembrance of me; what is that we should remember? His love: And why his love? to gaze upon it, only to know it? No, but to be moved with it, to love him again, to take him, to fear him, to serve him, to obey him, for that end, you should remember it.  
When Paul was going to Damascus, you know the Lo●● met him by the way, and when he had met hi●▪ Paul (saith he) I am JESUS whom thou persecutest, I am JESUS that was crucified for thee, I am JESUS that gave my body for thee, and as many as receive me: You know when Paul heard this, it melted, it softened his heart, and draws from him that holy, and good, and humble expression; Lord, what wilt thou that I do? As if he should say, I will do whatsoever thou wilt have me. I say, it was this love, I am JESUS whom thou persecutest, that melted the heart of Paul: So I may to every one that hears me at this time: If there be any among you, that live in any sin, whatsoever it is, be it swearing, be it drinking, be it fornication, be it Sabbath-breaking, be it what it will, I may say to him, as if a voice should come from heaven, as it did to Paul, It is jesus whom thou provokest, it is he, whom thou offendest, whom thou wrongest, whom thou dishonourest, it is jesus that was crucified for thee, that jesus, that gives his body and blood for thee, shall not this melt thee? shall not this affright thee somewhat? shall it not bring you on your knees, and make you say, I am a sinful wretch, not worthy to be received into the number of the Saints; Lord, what wilt thou that I do, I will do it, I will continue to do this no more: Surely this is a strong motive; Paul thought so: I beseech you by the mercies of God that you would come in: Take it in the Prodigal son, when he comes home, and expects little (as he had reason to expect little from his father, when he had carried himself so rebelliously) when his father used him in that manner, when he provided a feast for him, and put the robes upon him, and rings upon his fingers, how thankful was he? how was he affected? how would a man be affected in such a case? So, I say, that is our condition, we have cause to look for nothing but death thereupon comes the Gospel, that comes and offers life, that overcomes with kindness, as it were: the Lord comes and tells us▪ Well, notwithstanding all this, you shall be received to mercy; go, Take, this is my body which is given for you: I say, this would move an ingenious disposition: You know Mary Magdalen was moved with this, when she was such a sinner, and saw that God had received her in that manner, that melted her heart; so that she watered his feet with her tears: So should we be affected, if we did seriously consider the greatness of CHRIST'S love, I will give you my body and my blood, this is a great thing, if we were able to consider it aright, that the Lord should give us his body and his blood. There is no love like this, He hath loved me (saith Paul) and hath given himself for me: And this is that indeed which should be the most effectual motive of all others, that there is a pardon that Christ still makes offer of to you indeed; there is nothing else brings us into Christ but this, other things may prepare us, but nothing brings us in but this: You know, a Pirate, as long as a proclamation of rebellion is out against him, will not come in, but a pardon being promised, and advancement annexed to it, that, if any thing, will bring him in: The thief runs away, as long as he is pursued with Hue and Cry, but the promise of pardon makes him return back: So, I say, it is not the Law that brings you in, that may prepare you, but it is this Gospel; for, as I told you, the Sacrament preacheth the Gospel to the eye, as we do to the ear; and when mercy is promised, when a pardon is promised, a general pardon, without exception of persons, or sins; my thinks this should affect you, and bring you in: As it is said, jer. 3. Saith the Lord, If one of you have put away his wife, will he return to her again? No, but you have played the harlot in many places, and many times, and yet return to me saith the Lord: And so I may say to every man that hears me, though thy sins be never so great, like that sin of Idolatry, like that sin of playing the Harlot, though that were frequently committed, though it were done oft, many times; yet return saith the Lord, if thou wilt come in, thou shalt be pardoned, and not so only, but whosoever receiveth me, saith Christ, shall be made the son of God.  
Consider this, be affected with it, let it not be in vain unto you when you hear those pathetical speeches, 1 john, He came to his own, and his own received him not: And again, Oh jerusalem, jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered thee, etc. I say, when you hear these things, it may be you think with yourselves, these were rebellious people to use Christ thus, you think if it had been the case, if you had been there among them you would not have done it: Well, I say, it is the case of every man that continues in any known sin, Christ offers himself, we make offer of him, when we preach the Gospel, in the Sacrament he is offered, he is made like a common dole, all may come that will, and certainly all that hunger do come; but when thou goest on still in thy sins, thou art one of them to whom Christ is come, and thou wilt not receive him; thou art one of them, whom he would gather, and thou wilt not: No, but thou wilt go on, thou takest the Grace of GOD in vain, thou tramplest the blood of CHRIST JESUS underfoot, as a common thing, thou dost what thou canst, that the death of CHRIST should be of no effect, thou recompencest to the Lord evil for good, dost thou think that the LORD will bear this at thy hands? No surely, he will be revenged on such a man, on such a people as this: But you will say, it is an hard thing to do this that you exhort us to: And therefore, that I may not only show you what the duty is without affording you some help to do it, we will add some things, that may invite you to come in: And take Christ thus offered in the Sacrament, and which is continually offered by and in the Gospel.  
And what is it that should invite you? But two things (to go no further) one is the misery out of Christ; the second is the happiness you shall have by him: And that is the business we have principally to do, at this time, that we might invite you to take the body and blood of Christ, that is, to take the Lord himself, who is offered effectually and freely to you? He makes proclamation to all that will come and take of the waters of life freely. Now if we consider what should invite the sons of men to come in, these two things will do it, their misery out of Christ, and their happiness by him: As the Prodigal, what did invite him to come home? The misery he was in, he saw he could not live, he could not get husks to sustain him: On the otherside, in his father's house there was bread enough; those two together wrought on him, and brought him home: So we, when we invite men to the marriage of ●he King's Son, that is, to marry the Son himself; What should we say to invite them? We bring them to consider on the one side, I cannot live without Christ; I am undone, I perish if I do: Again, on the otherside, by matching with him, I shall have all by Grace that he hath by Nature: I shall be a son of God, a King, and heir of all things, I shall have all that Christ hath: I say, these two should invite us to come in; and therefore we will do these two.  
First, show you the misery you are in out of Christ, john 3.18. saith the Evangelist there, He that believes not in Christ is condemned already: (Mark) he needs not a new condemnation, but he that believes not in Christ is condemned already; He that hath not the Son, hath not life: Is not this misery enough to be in a state of condemnation? john 5. He that obeys not the Son, the wrath of God abides on him: And what is that wrath of God? If the wrath of a King be a messenger of Death, what think you of the wrath of God? Who knows the power of his wrath: Rom. 9 What if he will to show his wrath, and to make his power known, suffer with patience the vessels of wrath, appointed to destruction, that is, when the Lord shall come to execute his wrath on evil men, he will use all the power he hath to execute the fierceness of his wrath on them: And therefore it is a terrible thing to be subject to the wrath of God: But because that moves not so much, being general, you will ask wherein this wrath of GOD is seen, and wherein more particularly is this misery in being out of Christ; I will name but these three particulars.  
First, you shall be subject to Death, subject to Him that hath the power of Death: You will say this is no such misery, for are not holy men subject to death, as well as evil men? ay, but there is great difference; the evil shall be subject to death, as an enemy, the last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death, which shows that Death is an enemy; I say, they are subject to Death as an enemy; Death may come to two men, and be a friend to the one, and an enemy to the other, that which he saith, Death is the rich man's enemy, and the poor man's friend, we may better apply it, to the godly man, and to the evil man: And surely it is true, Death is the Godly man's friend, and the wicked man's enemy; the same Death, as you know, the same messenger comes to call Pharaohs Butler and his Baker, he came as an enemy to the one, and as a friend to the other, he came to call the one to promotion, and the other to execution, so doth Death: Now Death, when that comes as an enemy, is terrible, when that comes with a sting, Death indeed without a sting is nothing; but Death, when it comes with a sting, and the sting of Death is sin; this we consider not, that Death hath a sting, it is a Serpent, that often stings without hissing, without warning, it comes suddenly, it comes certainly, we see continually how men fall from the tree of life, as leaves in Autumn, we consider not this: but this is among the miseries, that we are subject to death, and this is a great misery. Those that can look upon other miseries and dangers, and outface them, without being daunted, when Death comes, that appalls them, that loses the joints, that makes them tremble, that makes their knees knock together: You know it is said of Saul, David professeth that he was valiant as a Lion, in his Songs of him, when the news of Death comes, he falls to the ground, there was no strength in him: All are petty miseries to this, this is the great Giant that makes the stoutest heart to tremble at his approach. But is this all, that we are subject to death, when we are out of Christ? No, we are subject to the fear of death likewise, which is an hundred times worse that death itself, Heb. 2.14. He hath delivered us from him that had the power of death, he hath delivered us, that for fear of death were all our lives subject to bondage: I say, the fear of death, is worse than death itself, because death continues but a moment, it is soon gone, but the fear of death continues always, a long time, like the hand-writing which kept Belshazzer in fear; so this fear of death keeps us in a continual trembling, this is that that imbitters all our comforts, that sours all our joy, this fear of death, they were all their life-time subject to bondage through the fear of death: Therefore it is not said that death is bitter to him that lives in pleasure, but the remembrance of death; all the joys and comforts that we have in this life, what are they when they are accompanied with this, I say, there is nothing terrible, but so far as it is mingled with this fear: All evil and dangers are so far terrible, as they are harbingers of death, as they are cracks to give warning of the fall of the whole house that shall never be repaired again: Whatsoever pleasure we enjoy, this is the gall that takes away the sweetness of all, though the pottage were otherwise good when the Coloquintida was in them, there is death in the pot; so I may say, when death is joined, what sweetness is in them? That is the condition of every man living out of Christ, he is not only subject to death, but to the fear of death continually.  
But is this all? No, there is yet more, there is Hell, Death hath a Page that comes behind him, that is ten times worse than himself, Rev. 6.7, 8. I looked & saw a pale horse, and the name of him that road on him was Death, and behind him followed Hell: That is, Hell is the hook that is hid in Death, when we are once taken with that hook, we are kept there for ever: If Death should come without Hell, it were another matter, Death is but the lightning, it is Hell that is the crack of thunder: and shall we like children be afraid of the lightning, and not be afraid of the bolt? It is hell that is the gate that keeps us for ever, Death is but the arrest, that carries us thither. Therefore consider what it is to be subject to Hell; as our Saviour saith, What will that avail a man to win the whole world, and lose his soul: Consider well of that speech, What will that avail you to save all things else, if you lose your souls, as if a man should save the paring of his nails, and lose his finger, as if he should save his shoe, and lose his foot, as if he should save the ship, and lose the fraught, as if he should save the house, and destroy the man that dwells in it; so it is to save other things, and to lose the soul: No, it is the terrible thing, Hell, that follows Death: In all other miseries, yet this is our comfort, that Death will come in the end, and put a full point and period to them; but this second death, Hell, is such a death, as hath no other death to end it: Therefore, as we say, But for hope the heart would break; surely there is no hope, and therefore there is a breaking of the soul, aswell as torment of the body: Therefore consider what Hell is, what eternity is, this is the misery we are in out of Christ, you are subject to the fear of death, you are subject to Death, and to Hell too: Death is but the Stalking-horse, it is Hell that is the Fowler, that hath the piece and the shot to destroy us utterly. And therefore consider what case you are in out of Christ, what misery you are in out of him, that when Hell and Death come; as she said, Up Samson, for the Philistines are on thee; so, when we shall say, Hell and Death is on you, and your hairs are cut off, that is, Christ is gone from you (for the cutting off his locks, was but an emblem that God was departed from him) I say, when they are on us: If Christ be away, what a case are we in? Shall they not take us and carry us to that prison, there to lie for ever: Therefore consider this, it is certain the destroying Angel will come, and commonly he comes in the night; Death cometh when thou least lookest for him, as a thief: I say, the destroying Angel will come; What will their condition be then, when there is no sprinkling of the blood on the doore-posts of thy soul? It is the case of every man out of Christ; What are we out of him? when the avengers of blood, when the pursuers shall set on us, and pursue us, from whom we cannot fly. And when we shall be shut out from the horns of the Altar, when we cannot come to Christ, the City of Refuge, it is a terrible thing, if we consider it seriously. It is said that Aaron, when he caused the people to commit that sin, or was an instrument rather, it is said that he left the people naked, why? because he deprived them of the presence of the Lord: Now when Christ shall be taken from us, when we are without him, when we are deprived of him, are we not naked? is not the hedge broken down? there is nothing left to shelter us; what are we without him? but as the Conneyes out of the rocks, that have nothing to shelter us from the devouring Lion: Now Moses was but a type, it is Christ that holds the hands of God that he cannot destroy us, it is he that stands in the breach, and keeps out the inundation of evils, that we be not overwhelmed with them; he is the Ark of God, that causeth the house of Obed-Edom to be blessed; and we have more cause to take to heart the want of him, a thousand times, than they had to lament the loss of the Ark, when it was among the Philistines, for the Ark was but a type of Christ: This is the case of every man living out of Christ.  

Object.  I but, you will say, Christ is merciful, he is very ready to forgive, I hope I am not out of him, but he is ready to receive me?  

Answ.  It is very true, he is merciful, but to whom? surely not to the wicked, he holds not the wicked innocent; so speak plainly to you, Whosoever continues in any known sin, be it never so small, to such a man Christ will not be merciful: No sin shall have dominion over you, Rom. 6. for you are not under the Law, but under Grace: As if he should say, there are none whom Christ takes to himself, and puts into the condition of Grace, but he frees them from the dominion of every sin, there is not one ruling lust there: You know there are many paths that lead to hell, the way that leads the right way is but one, error is manifold; there are a thousand paths that lead the wrong way, and will not one path lead to hell as well as a thousand? He that is in Christ hath crucified the flesh, and all the affections, there is not one reigning lust there; so that as Antichrist had his mark, and they received the mark of the Beast: So Christ hath his mark too; as you have it, Ezek. 9 The Writer marked all that mourned, God set a mark upon them, and he sets a mark upon all those that he is merciful to.  
You will say, what is this mark of the Lord? You shall find, 2 Cor. 5.17. Whosoever is in Christ, he is a New Creature, that is the mark of the LORD JESUS: And therefore, if thou wouldst know whether Christ will be merciful to thee, consider if thou find that mark there, Art thou a New Creature? that is, art thou made all New, as if thou hadst another soul dwelling in thy body, for thou must not be new by halves, thy whole spirit must be New.  
Again, if you will come more properly to this mark, you shall find, Ephes. 1. 2 Cor. 1. what it is, The Seal and mark that Christ sets, is his Spirit: Whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his: You know Merchants set seals upon their goods, to know them, that when they meet with their seal they may say, This is my parcel of goods: So it is in the multitudes of men: All that Christ will be merciful unto, he sets his seal on them, and where he finds his seal and his mark, those he knows to be his; That Seal is his sanctifying Spirit that he hath given us, it is as a Seal or earnest, 2 Cor. 1. and Ephes. 1. He hath sealed us with the Spirit of Promise: that is, with the Spirit that he hath promised to us. So consider if thou have that Spirit then, to sanctify and to change thy heart, to make thee another man than thou art by nature, to enable thee to do more than thou canst do by nature; If thou have not this seal of God, thou art yet none of his: But you will say, I have the Seal, I hope I have the Spirit: Well, it is well, if thou hast; but know this, that Christ never gives that privy Seal and Signet of his, that inward Seal that none knows, save those that have it; but there is a Broad-seale likewise that follows, that Seal spoken of, 2 Tim. 2. This foundation of the Lord remaineth sure, and hath this Seal, The Lord knoweth who are his, and let them depart from iniquity that call upon the name of the Lord; he adds to that other, a parting from iniquity, from all kind of iniquity, there must be none exempt place in thine heart, nor in thy life, wherein thou wilt have a privilege, thou continuest not in the least sin, but departest from all iniquity, than thou hast this Seal aswell as the other: If thou want these two Seals, if thou be not a New Creature, if any sin have dominion over thee, if there be one living lust in thee that is not mortified, that is not healed, I assure thee thou never hadst yet any part in Christ: and if thou be out of Christ, thou seest what thou art subject to, to the wrath of God, and you see the particulars, you are subject to death, you are subject to the fear of death and to hell; and this is the case of every man out of Christ, and me thinks this should somewhat move us to come in, and to take him. But this is not all, that which we have by Christ may invite us a great deal more forcibly: If we could but open the Casket, and show you the jewels, or if we could but unlock the treasures that are hid in Christ, it would bring a man in love with him, it would make men do as Paul, Account all dross and dung, that they might have him. Well, though we cannot do it fully, yet we will endeavour to do it a little: You will say, What shall we have by Christ? First, you shall have life by him, john 6. the place spoken of in the beginning, He that believes in me, shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day: When he comes to speak of water to the woman of Samaria, john 4. when he would commend to us a motive to stir us up to come and take him, and to drink, etc. he saith, He that drinks this water shall thirst no more: That is, he shall live for ever; it is water that shall keep life in him for all eternity; when she heard this, she harkens to hear of water that could keep life for ever. When you read the story in Genesis, that the Angel was set with a sword shaken, to keep man from coming to taste of the tree of life; you should think with yourselves, if the Angels were removed now, or there were a man so happy, that the Angel would give way to him, that he might come and eat of the tree, and when he had eaten to live for ever, you think that man in an happy condition. Now the Lord doth say, Revel. 2. He that overcomes I will give to eat of the tree in the midst of the Paradise of God: That is, he shall eat of me, and live for ever; this is the great happiness we have.  
When Christ would use a compelling argument to move, Revel. 2.11. He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death: Why, is it so great a matter? Oh that is all, not to be hurt of the second death: The first death is nothing; the first death is but the door, it is but the gate that leads to the passing thorough; the first death is but a going over the threshold, the breadth of it is but a step, and the length of it is but a moment of time or two: But the second death, there are the chambers of death, as Solomon speaks, where you shall be led from one misery to another, and where you shall dwell for ever: And therefore consider this, if you take Christ, you shall not be hurt of the second death: I beseech you consider seriosuly, reckon nothing so sweet; if this life be sweet, that is but a span long, is not abundance of life much sweeter: It is natural to every man to desire immortility, if you could but have this life continued, let every man ask his own breast what he would give, that his life might be continued, that he might be immortal? If there were such a thing as the Alchemists speak of, I could draw out the thread of this life to keep it firm and even as they dream of; what would you give to obtain? And will you not regard this that will do that indeed? Will you not take Christ, which is life indeed, which will give you another life of immortality, for you must know that it is not immortality simply that man desires. The Naturalists were deceived in that, for a man had rather not to be than to be in misery: And the soul in hell are immortal; and therefore it is not immortality that we desire simply, for death is not the extinguishing of life, but the misery of life: And therefore, where the Scripture speaks of the loss of the soul, it is to be meant thus; a man's finger or his joint is lost, when it is seized on by any incurable sore: So when eternal misery is on the soul, than the soul is lost, and yet you have the joint still, you have the soul still, you have life still: and therefore it is not immortality simply that we desire, if we consider what it is, but it is happiness, it is such a life as is not only immortal, but happy withal: this life Christ hath promise, we shall live, and an happy life, such as S. Paul expresseth, 2 Cor. 5. saith he, We desire not to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon, that immortality might be swallowed up of life: As if he should say, consider with yourselves, you that love this life so well, that you neglect that which is to come, saith he, we love our lives as well as you, we are not weary of them, no more than you are, we desire not to be unclothed, no, but we desire that immortality may be swallowed up of life, how swallowed up? as we see a rude draught in a picture, swallowed up with the picture when it is perfected, as childhood is swallowed up of manhood, as the glimmering light is swallowed up of the perfect light; so their immortality is swallowed up of life, that is, if there be a small poor glimpse of comfort here, saith Paul, we would not be rid of these, we would be content to have these as well as you, only we would have them swallowed up of perfect life, we would have imperfection swallowed up of perfection: And therefore job saith, I will wait till my change shall come; he saith not till my destruction come, till my perishing come, or till my death come, but I will wait till my change come: and he that changeth doth it for the better: If you will take Christ, you shall have this immortality and life, perhaps you will say, but I could be content to have this temporal life continued: And haply, my brethren, if the Lord would make that promise, that he would proclaim to men that they should have immortal life here, it may be he shall have more follows than now he hath, when he promiseth immortal life in heaven: but to take away that in a word; I say, it is a foolish choice, if you might have it: For what have you here? Here the body is tormented with diseases, the spirit is wearied with vexation, and the state is assualted with losses and crosses; evil things wound us with sorrow, and the good things we here, do but infect our affections, and weary us still, and yet they whet our tired appetites with a new edge. In a word, every condition here is pestered and troubled with business; one invites and draws on another: we are hampered with succeeding fetters, and makes this short life more short than it would be with careful grief, with bitter fears, and with corrupt joys; and at last, all cut off and end, as many men many times spread their branches and flourish; their estate over-swallowes their wishes, their suceesse excceds their desires: now on a sudden, this pomp is no where to be found, their desires vanish, the flood of their wealth is dried up, the owners and their goods perish together; they will not see this by experience. What is it in this life you would have, if there were immortality? But I say, it cannot be so, that is not so; you cannot have immortality in this life, but as evidently as you see the heavens roll about every day, so plainly we may see, if we will take it into consideration, mankind hurried along with an unwearied motion to the West of his days; their posterity posting after them by an unrepealeable law of succession: our fathers you know are gone before, and we are passing, and our children shall follow us at our heels: that as you see the billows of the Sea, one tomb on the neck of another, and in the end, all are dashed upon the shore; so all generations and ages in the end, are split on banks of death, and this is the condition of every man? Is it not our wisdom then to provide for another life? Certainly, if there be any wisdom in the world, it is wisdom to remember our latter end. The wisest among the Heathen were wont to say, There should be nothing but a meditation of death: that is, a wise man though the course of his life, should be still fitting and preparing himself for death; and shall Christians ●me behind them? It was a wise speech of Peter to our Saviour, Lord whether shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life: as if he should say, there is no motive to that, surely we will not leave thee: therefore, I say, consider, here we are but Tenants at will, we may be turned out of doors to morrow, therefore let this be a motive to win to Christ, you shall have life. But you will say, I hope death is far off, yet I have time enough: well, take heed thou be not deceived in that, for there is a collusion there: as the Painter by collusion of colours, makes a thing seem far off, when it is near at hand: so we by our folly and vanity, our fancy mis-apprehending of things, we look on death as far off, when it may be it is at our heels, at the next door; thou knowest not how soon thou mayst meet with it, therefore say not, it is far off; but think with thyself, go sit alone, but a little time together, and then think with thyself I must die; it is appointed to me as to all men once to dye: Consider, if a man might dye twice or thrice, perhaps he would be ready, he would be prepared; but consider thou must dye but once, if thou be not prepared, there is not a second opportunity: and then consider thy soul is immortal in another place, it must live for ever. And then remember Christ saith, thou shalt have life, if thou take him, thou shalt live for ever: then thou wilt find it an exceeding blessing worth the having, it is that that may woo you and win you to come in and take Christ, to love him, and to serve him, and to obey him; certainly if you will not now be moved with it, yet when death shall come, than you shall find that beyond all the treasure, to have that white-stone with a new name in it: that stone was a sign of absolution that a man was quitted, that his sins are forgiven, that he hath interest in Christ and eternity, that eternal life is for him in heaven; this is the first motive to win you to Christ.  
Secondly, if you will come into him, you shall have all your debts paid, you shall be under cover, that is, you shall have all your sins forgiven, that when the creditors come with an arrest, with a judgement and execution, you may be able to say; no, they are none of my debts, go to my husband, he must pay them and not I: I say, when you have Christ when Satan shall come, and when sin shall come, you may put them over to Christ; for now you are his and he is yours, he hath taken our debts on him: is this a small thing? Psal. 32.1. saith David, Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven, and whose iniquities are covered: mark, Blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven. Perhaps if one of us should seek a happy man, we would say, that he is a happy man that lives in health and in wealth, in credit and abundance of all things: he that hath the favour of Princes, he that hath some notable excellency to make him famous among men, some such thing we take for happiness: But when David comes to look through the world, and all the felicity in it: oh saith David, He is a happy man that his sins are forgiven! And there is good reason for it, because when our sin is forgiven, we are reconciled to God, and God only can make man happy. For wherein doth happiness consist, but in a freedom from all evil, and in enjoying of all good, you know this is happiness: Now sin, is it not the first link in the chain of ills? As the under-wheeles in a Clock or Watch depends upon the first, so all miseries depend upon sin, as the Master-ill of all; take away that and all the wheels stand still, they move not a jot to do us the least hurt: take away sin, take away all; this ill in sin is a bar, and stops from us all good things; take away sin, and you shall enjoy all that in abundance that your hearts can desire: If you have not your sins forgiven, what will it avail? If you come to a Prisoner and tell him, you shall have the best Lodging, you shall have a Palace, you shall have Orchards, and Gardens to walk in, you shall have Gold and Silver, as much as you will desire, you shall have honour put upon you: would not he answer? Alas, what would all this avail without a pardon? So I say to men, that magnify the things of this world so much, and remission of sins they think not of; I say, what is all this, will it avail without a pardon? No, therefore this is a great motive to bring us into Christ, that our sins may be forgiven. Therefore that great promise went of the Messiah, that when he should come into the world, he should save his people from their sins: and this is a mercy, which though you may slight now in health and strength, yet when the times come that God shall charge sin upon your consciences, that they feel the weight and burden of it, you shall find no mercy like to this, that you may come to have your sins forgiven; then he that bringeth the glad tidings of peace, his feet will be beautiful: the thing is the same if we had hearts to consider of it: if we were poor in spirit, if we knew what sin were, if we had ever felt the bitterness of Satan's yoke, that we were weary of it, we would come in and reckon it a great matter, to have our sins forgiven: this is the second: I shall prosecute the rest at some other time.  
The end of the Second Sermon.   

THE CUP OF BLESSING: DELIVERED IN THREE Sermons, upon 1 Cor. 10.6. The Third SERMON.  1 CORINTH. 10.16. 
The Cup of blessing, that we bless, is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not the Communion of the body of Christ?  
THE point you know we have delivered out of these words, is this, That in the Sacrament, there is a true real Communication, or giving, or offering of jesus Chri●t; of his body, and of his blood, to all worthy receivers: We have showed you the difference, between the Papists and us in this point.  
They will have here, a real corporal presence of Christ.  
We say, it is true; but it is Spiritual, but it is Mystical, but it is Sacramental.  
We have showed you the reasons, by which we refelde that opinion of theirs; That there is no necessity, neither in regard of the thing, nor in regard of the words; and if there be no necessity we may not grant it: other reasons we showed the last day; but not to stand to repeat them.  
The last day, (because they stand so much on Fathers) in this point, we showed you the opinion of diverse of them: Of Origen, or Athanatius, Ambrose, Tertullian, Augustine, and the rest. To that we will add but this, to clear that point concerning the opinions of the Fathers. You shall find that Ireneus that lived within seventy years after the death of Saint john, 
The time when some Fathers lived.  is clear in this point; That the Bread and Wine, are but Sacraments and Figures of the body and blood of Christ: after him thirty years, lived Clemens Alexandrinus, Tertullian and Origen, for they lived much about a time.  

Why the Fathers are not so distinct in the doctrine of Transubst.  Origen was the Scholar of Clemens Alexandrinus; these do as evidently explain it, as any of our Divines, though not so distinctly, because the controversy was not then moved: and therefore you must not expect so full and so clear and distinct expressions, as you have in these times, when we have more occasion to do it. I will not trouble you with Citation, lest I spend time too much: but you shall find it so in them. After their time, Augustine expresseth it so fully, as that Calvin, or Beza, hath not done it more clearly, as I showed by some Allegations out of him the last day. From his time I do not find, that this opinion of theirs had any footing in the Church, till the time of Damascens, that lived in the year, seven hundred thirty. He was the first that began in the Eastern Churches: this opinion of transubstantiation, Chrysostome hath sore hard speeches, but such as may well be interpreted; if you look on him in the tract of his writings, you shall see evidently, that he never dreamt of any such real presence as the Papists affirm. But I say, 
Damascene set transubstantiation a broach in Grecia, 730. years after Christ.  Damascene was the first that set this false opinion abroach in the Eastern Churches, in the Greek Churches about a hundred years after. In the Western Churches, in Italy, and those parts, it began a little to be set on foot, in the time of Carolus Calvus Emperor; who being troubled with that controversy set Bertram a work, a Presbyter, a learned man, one of the most learned of those times; and desired him to express his opinion in that point: He writ a learned book of it, and so the controversy continued in good state and condition, till two hundred years after, or less, between one, and two hundred. And the first man that began to infuse this poison into the Church, was one Lanfranke, Archbishop of Canterbury in England: a man learned, but very pernicious to the Church. After his time, 
Lan●ranke Bishop of Canturbury, 1030 years after Christ brought transubstantiation into England.  the opinion began to be somewhat hot: and then Beringarius writ against it; who upon his condemnation retracted it, but before his death repented the retraction; and upon writing his retractation, it began to be put upon men by necessity, by the Pope: which was done in the time of Bernard, 
B●ringerius lived four hundred years since.  four hundred years since. I have done this, that those may be satisfied, that are not satisfied with the Scriptures, and with the reasons that were brought, but would know the opinion of the Fathers. To stand to cite all the particulars were a vain work: So much for that.  
After we showed the falseness of their opinion; we showed in what manner Christ is communicated to us in the Sacrament: Not to stand to repeat it. We are now to come to those other particular blessings or comforts which we have in Christ, 
The benefits by Christ.  which should invite us to come in and take him.  
The next therefore is this, you have it in Matth. 11.30. Come to me, saith he, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you; you shall find rest to your souls: that you shall have to invite you, if you will come in and take Christ, you shall find rest to your souls: that is, look what the haven is to a Seafaring weatherbeaten man; look what a cool refreshing shade is, to a man that is scorched with the heat of the Sun; look what a cover is to a man that is beaten with the storm to the shore, such is Christ to those that come in and take him: And therefore that we may know what this rest is, which you shall find if you come into Christ. Let us find out what this weariness is.  
Now in sin you shall find this weariness.  
First, 
What the weariness of sin is.  there is a weariness in the service of sin, 
1 In the service of sin.  there is no bondage to the bondage of tyrannous lusts, they are hard masters, they set you to hard tasks; if they say go, you must go; if they say come, you must come.  
Christ sets you at liberty from this bondage, by mortifying of sin, and killing it, as Moses did the Egyptian, that strove with the Hebrew, which is a deliverance far exceeding that out of the bondage of Egypt, which was so much magnified, as much as the substance exceeds the shadow.  
This is one kind of rest you shall have by Christ; 
1 Rest by Christ.  you shall be delivered from the bondage of sin.  
Again, 
2 Weariness in the guilt of sin.  there is a weariness in the guilt of sin committed, which haunts us like furies, and ever and anon gives secret whips, secret twinges to the soul; from this Christ delivers us, For being justified by faith, we have peace with God, Rom. 5.1. That is, the conscience is calmed, it is quiet, which before was full of horror and vexation. 
3 Weariness in the fruit of sin.   
Again, there is a weariness in the fruits of sin, the losses, the crosses, the sickness, the imprisonment, disgrace; all which are but the fruits of sin: There is a weariness in these, and from all these Christ delivers us, partly in freeing us from many of these, that otherwise we should have felt; and partly in taking away the venom and sting from those we do feel: For that which is said of Death, Oh death where is thy victory, etc. The sting of death is sin, it may be said of every calamity. The sting of imprisonment, the sting of sickness, the sting of disgrace, the sting of all misery is sin.  

Afflictions without sin, as the Adder without a sting.  What is the Adder when the sting is away; So what are all these, when sin is removed.  
You know what they were to Paul, what he endured, how many prisons he went thorough, how oft he was whipped, how oft he was stoned, how many things he suffered; you have a catalogue of them, ten or eleven, and yet all was nothing to him; he was happier in these than Nero was in his Palace: But what, should I give you an instance,  
Take Adam in Paradise, when he was in Paradise, yet when he had but the sting of conscience, you know he was filled with horror.  
Paul again, when he was sore whipped in the day, and his feet were fast in the stocks, and the sting of sin was taken away, and he enjoyed a good conscience; Silas and he sung that the Prison rung of them: I say, this condition you shall have in Christ, you shall be delivered from sin, from the sting of sin, from the fruit of sin; but besides this, as there is a weariness in the service of sin, and a weariness in the guilt of sin, and in the fruit of sin. So yet there is more weariness.  
There is a weariness in the habit of sin, 
4 Weariness in the habit of sin.  (for sin is to the soul, as sickness is to the body.)  
Now a man that is sick is weary of every thing, 
Sin to the soul, as sickness to the body.  he is weary of sitting, he is weary of lyving; so the soul while sin abounds in it, is weary of every thing; a man is weary of himself, he is weary of his own company.  
Now when Christ comes, he takes away this weariness, and gives grace, which is to the soul as health is to the body, that cures all the distempers and give ●●st unto it, but yet there is more than this.  
There is a weariness in all that sin toucheth, 
5 In all that sin touches.  in all the conditions of this life there is a weariness.  
A man is weary of solitariness, and he is weary of company, he is weary of business, he is weary of idleness, he is weary of high condition, for that is subject to Envy, as the wind is most boisterous upon the top of hills. And he is weary again of low condition, for the valleys are over-low, there a man is still subject to injuries, and to be trampled on; that place us where you will, by reason of sin it makes every condition weary to us.  
But Christ comes to take away this weariness, likewise by teaching us how to accommodate ourselves to all conditions, by teaching us how to want, how to abound, how to be well, how to be sick, how to live, how to dye, and this he doth by giving wisdom; for folly will quarrel, at the best condition: wisdom makes the worst condition comfortable. 

Folly quarrels at the best condition.  
Wisdom makes the worst condition comfortable.   This the Lord doth: thus he delivers you from the weariness of sin: this rest you shall have if you will take him, because when he comes into the soul, he casts out sin, the cause of all these Tempests.  
As jonas when he was cast out, you know then there was a calm: I say, such rest you shall have in Christ; out of him, there is nothing but trouble, and disquiet, and restlessness: and this is the third benefit, that 〈◊〉 invite you to come in and take him. Come unto me you that are weary, and you shall find ease, and rest to your souls. And now, what would you have beside? There is nothing that your hearts can desire, but you shall have it in him. And because we are so much moved with sensible things; the Scriptures sets forth the good things we have by Christ, under notions of such things as are sensible, as we feel the sweetness of them, as we can taste in this world: that is a kingdom, riches, peace, godly apparel, etc.  

4 Benefit by Christ.  First, therefore if you will come into Christ, you shall have a Kingdom: the Kingdom, that is the Epitome of our happiness, and the journeys end to all our desires.  
You know when the Messias was to come, what expectation the jews had of a kingdom that should be restored to them: how frequent are the Prophets in setting forth the glorious lustre of that kingdom; When the Messias came it was fulfilled, for saith he, Matth. 3. Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand: and, Fear not little flock, it is your Father's will to give you a Kingdom: and Rev. 1. He hath made us Kings and Priests.  
You will say, wherein is this Kingdom; wherein doth this kingdom consist? Look to all the properties of a Kingdom, and you shall find all in this:  
First, 
King's have  one thing wherein the freeness of Kings consists, 
1 Liberty.  is, that they have their liberty; others are Subjects.  
Now, what is liberty?  
Liberty is nothing else, but a power to live as you will. 
Liberty what,  This you have by Christ; because, he gives his spirit as soon as you take him; he sends his Spirit into your hearts, that rectifies your will, that sets all right and straight within us  
Now when your will is rectified, 
Christians live as they list, because they list not but to do that which is good.  you will that which you ought; when you have this, you live as you list, because you list not to do but that which is good: and so you have liberty in john 8. The Son shall make you free; that is, you shall be subject to nothing: as Paul saith, we will be brought into subjection to nothing; we will not be subject to lust, we will not be subject to any thing, you shall serve nothing, as he saith. We are bought with a price, we are not the servants of men; we need fear nothing. Luke 1.74, That being delivered from the hands of all our enemies, we might serve him without fear; because when you fear him, you need fear nothing beside. As the true Serpent ate up the false; so the true fear eats up the false. When you are in him, you are at liberty, you are delivered from all your enemies. Take any other man, still he fears something, he fears death, he fears sickness, he fears loss of friends, he fears loss of the favour of the Prince, he fears the loss of something or other. But when a man is in Christ, he is delivered out of the hands of all his enemies; he need fear nothing; for what should hurt him? It must be some of the creatures: but all they are like Mastiffs rated by the master's command, as it is only the master that can do it, and he doth rate them that they shall not fly in the face of his friend, though they may assault his enemies: and do but think with yourselves, what a happy condition it is, what safety you have in Christ, that nothing can hurt you, and therefore we are bidden be in nothing careful. If any thing could hurt you, we might be careful in something, No, saith he, Be careful in nothing, Christ takes care for you: nothing shall hurt you, and so, All things shall work for your good. And if so be then nothing can hurt you, this is that you shall have by Christ, one thing, you shall have liberty.  

2 Plenty.  But another thing wherein a Kingdom consists, is Plenty: that is, you shall have abundance of all things. What was Salomon's Kingdom? And what were other kingdoms of the world but plenty of all things?  
What shall we have then, 
Quest.  you will say? Shall we have Meat and Drink, 
Answ.  Houses and Vines?  
No, those are too base things for the Kingdom of God to consist in, Rom. 14.17. The Kingdom of God consists in righteousness, holiness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost: that is, there shall be a rectitude in all your souls, that it shall be free from disorder, from distemper, from obliquity.  
Besides, 
3 Peace.  you shall have peace, that is a companion of a Kingdom; you shall have peace, that is, your souls shall be quiet, there shall be a serenity there, as the Sea is when it is without wind or storm.  
Again, you shall have joy, your hearts shall be filled with the consolations of the Spirit, these things you shall have if you will come in to Christ, which goes far beyond the pomp and plenty and abundance of any other Kingdom.  
But besides this, That you shall have the liberty, the plenty, and abundance of Kings; you shall likewise have the power of Kings: as the Apostle saith, The Kingdom of God, is not in word, but in power; that is, you shall not only say, I wish I could live a holy life as others do; I wish I could mortify such and such lusts; I wish I could abstain from such sins, and do such duties, but you shall have power and ability to do them. I am able to do all things, saith Paul, through Christ that strengthens me.  
Again, besides this, you shall have the victory of Kings, you shall be overcome of nothing, to be in disgrace, 
To overcome, what.  to be in Prison, is not to be overcome.  
But to be diverted from a man's way, to be put besides his intention, to fall from a man's steadfastness, this is to be overcome: Thus saith the Apostle, We are in poverty, but not overcome: Such Kings were all the Apostles, they marched as Kings in the world, they triumphed over all the oppositions they found, they tread under foot Satan, and the power of the Enemy.  

3 Glory.  Again, besides all this, you shall have the glory of Kings: For what are you, when you come to Christ, but sons of God, heirs apparent, in Psal. 45. Princes in all Lands, others are but Princes in their own dominion, but he will make you Princes in all Lands.  

Object.  But you will say, we see no such things.  

Answ.  No, but Eccles. 10. You are Princes, though you walk on foot as servants; and they are but servants, although they ride on horseback like Princes. Therefore, 1 joh. 3. You are the sons of God, but it appears not yet what you shall be: When we have acted our part, and are gone off the stage, when the part that we have sustained shall be taken from us and them; then they shall appear that they are servants, and that those that are come into Christ are Princes.  

Object.  You will say, This were a goodly thing, if it were a real Kingdom; but these are imaginary things.  
I answer, it is not so, the kingdom of Christ is as real as these outward external kingdoms are, 
Answ.  and why should it be worse esteemed, because it consists not in outward things; for what is the body but the sheath, the satchel, the shell of the soul, it is the soul that is the man, the perfecting of the soul, is perfecting of the man. Therefore, the kingdom that is spiritual, must needs be beyond that which is outward and corporal, especially such a kingdom as this, that consists not in the titles of authority, but is such a kingdom, as the wise Philosopher speaks of, saith he, Some, nature hath made Kings, as the Eagle the king of birds, the Lion the king of beasts; there is an excellency in some, and those Nature hath made Kings.  
I say, such Kings Christ will make you; for when the Kingdom of Grace comes into the heart, it puts a Royal disposition into you, it makes you excel other men, as much as Eagles excel other birds, as much as Lions excel other beasts, as much as Lilies exceed other flowers, such a Kingdom you shall have, if you will come into Christ, you shall have the liberty of Kings, the abundance and plenty of Kings, the power of Kings, the victory of Kings, and the glory of Kings: And this is the fourth thing you shall have by him, if you will come in and take him.  
But is this all you shall have by him. 
Object.   
No, 
Answ.  You shall not have an empty kingdom; but you shall have riches with it; Christ will make you rich, and Riches you know is that which all the world seeks after. In Revel. 3. I counsel thee, come and buy gold tried by the fire, that thou mayest be rich: And Revel. 2. to the Church of Smerna; I know thy poverty, but thou art rich. Luke 12. Such are those that are rich in the world, and not rich towards God: So that there is another kind of Riches, the Riches that Christ gives:  
And what are those?  
Riches are but a Metaphor, that is, you shall have abundance of good things; for if we have much, if it be dross it is not Riches; if we have gold, if we have little, it is not riches; but when there is that which is precious, and abundance of it, than it is said to be Riches: I say, you shall have abundance of good things by Christ.  

Object.  But you will say, what are those?  

Answ.  First, you shall be made rich in all graces, in faith, in love, in patience, in temperance, in meekness, these are riches, these graces you shall have from him, that shall make you ready to every good work, as you have it, 2 Tim. 2. You shall be vessels of honour prepared for every good work: It is a Metaphor taken from vessels, that as you would take any vessel, as a Salt, or a Spoon, or a Cup, they are fit and ready for your service that they are applied to: So if you would know what you shall have by these Graces, when we tell, you shall have Grace; they shall fashion and fit your hearts, as vessels are fitted for the doing of all the duties of new obedience: this you shall have by grace, and without these graces you are able to do nothing: as without the faculty of hearing, without the faculty of seeing, without the faculty of memory, you are not able to do any of these, but with them you are able to do them; with facility, without weariness.  
A man that hath the faculty of seeing, sees easily: the eye is not weary of seeing, nor the ear of hearing. This benefit you shall have; you shall be made rich in these graces, that shall make you ready to every good work, it shall fill your lives with the fruits of righteousness. As when a tree is full of sap, it will soon be filled with blossoms, and with fruit. So will you when you are rich in grace; therefore the Saints are said to be rich in all speech. Why? For they were rich in knowledge first, and every grace; that is the way to make you rich, to be rich in grace.  
But is this all?  
No, you shall likewise be rich in good works; as Christ saith, john 15. Without me you can do nothing, but by me, you shall be able to do all things.  
But you will say, what are these riches worth, to be rich in grace, and to be rich in good works?  
They are much worth every manner of way: for first, why do you prise riches, but because they can procure any thing that you need? If you need Wine, if you need Bread, if you need apparel, if you need convenient houses, riches you know will procure them of the hands of those that have them, when you want them: So these riches will procure at the hands of God, what you need.  
If you need counsel in difficult cases, if you need success in doubtful business, if you need health when you are sick, these riches will fetch them in for you; as they did to Hezekias when he was sick, Lord thou knowest that I have served thee with a perfect heart.  
And what then?  
Therefore give me health, and he prevailed: it will bring you friendship when you need it from your enemies, that can hurt you, and are ready to do you hurt: as jacob, you know what a fear he was in of Esau, but when he went to God he prevailed with him. When you are in the jaws of death and would have life, this will procure it at God's hands; as it oft did to David, Psal. 116. When the snares of death had compassed me about, I sought unto thee and thou deliveredst me; I say, this you shall have by these riches, whatsoever you want it will fetch in to you. For as it is said, sin lies at the door to do you hurt at one time or another. So you may say of grace, of the good works you have done, they will do you good one time or another: for as it was with Cornelius, his prayer and his good works came into remembrance before the Lord, when it may be himself had forgotten them: So I say, God will remember all these; and as ye therefore reckon riches precious, because they will set men a work, to do you service, to do you kindnesses: and Riches can do no more than men can do, and they are precious because they set men a work: these set God a work, and they will do as much for you as God can do.  
Now these are riches indeed, as far exceeding the others, as the help and power of God, doth exceed the help and power of man; because they set God a work, they will fetch from the Lord whatsoever you have need of.  
But besides this I say, they can do much for you every manner of way.  
Another property of riches is, to make a man undependant, to make him stand on his bottom; as rich men say, I can live by you, and without you: So those that are rich in grace and good works, they may say to the world, and to the shop of vanity in it, as Paul saith, They are dross, I have better things provided; I can live by you, and without you; this you shall have by Christ, and there is no way to have independence but this: but beside, this is our comfort beyond all, that these riches will stand you instead in the day of dearth. For why do men gather treasure, but for a day of dearth, for a time of poverty, for a time of necessity; for he saith, than my treasure will stand me in stead. I say, such treasure is this that you have by Christ, when death comes which is a time of spending, and not of gathering, than this treasure shall stand by you to sustain you, to comfort you, to uphold you; all this you shall have by these riches that Christ gives you, and this is a small thing?  
Take two men when death comes, when the time of need comes; take one that is rich to the world, and another that is rich to God and rich in good works; (now by good works by the way) know that I mean not almsdeeds only, for that is the error of Papists: but by good works I mean also, the laying up of many faithful prayers, the keeping of simplicity and sincerity in all our conversation, the keeping of a clear conscience to God and men, the serving of God with a perfect heart, these are the riches I say.  
Take two men, the one rich in these kind of riches, another that is rich to the world; when these two die, which of the two riches would you choose? I say, this is a thing that may win you to come in to Christ; he will make you rich, you shall have treasures laid up, you shall be rich in grace, and in all good works.  
But is this all?  
No, you shall be rich in all kinds of blessings, in all kinds of comforts, in all kinds of privileges, it may be this will win you more. In 1 Cor. 3.23. Paul is yours, and Apollo's is yours, the world, life, death, things present, and things to come, they are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is Gods. Mark; there is nothing but a Catalogue, an Inventory of a Christians riches, saith he, Paul and Apollo's. What are these, all the gifts and learning that they have it is for your sakes; they are your servants, they are but men that watch over you for your salvation; all the excellent gifts that God hath given to the sons of men, they are but your riches.  
But is this all?  
No, 
Object.  the world is yours and all in it.  
You will say, we find not this, for who hath the world at will? Who amongst the Saints?  
Though you have not, 
Answ.  yet the misery that you find in the world, the want of wealth as well as the enjoying of it is yours, that is, it tends to your advantage, all is but for you. As in the field of wheat we may sow, all is for the wheats sake; the soil is for the wheat, the Husbandman is for the wheat, the stalk, the ear, the dew, the barn, the threshing, all is to serve the wheat; so we may say of a Christian in this world.  
The world itself that is the field, is but for the wheat, for Christians: the Husbandmen, Paul and Apollo's and Cephas are but for you.  
And if you object; but alas, we have many bitter ●●ormes and afflictions, 
Object.  for all you make these promises unto us.  
It is very true, but all these are for the wheat; as you know the wheat must have a summer and a winter, 
Answ.  it must have frost and snow it must have wet and dry, or else it will not ripen: no more will you, you must have weal and woe, you must have affliction as well as prosperity; but this is for your comfort, all is for you: the world is yours.  
Is this all?  
No: life is yours, death is yours; that is, this life is nothing but a fitting, a preparing, a squaring of you for a better life, for eternity.  
Why? But death is terrible.  

Object.  No, it is your advantage, for you shall dye just then, 
Answ.  when it is best for you; death shall serve but as a servant for your advantage. That as a man would have a tree that should grow, he lops it just in the time and season; but trees that he would have destroyed, he cuts them at any time. All the Saints have this comfort, that death comes for their advantage; God cuts them not down, he lops them not, he puts not in the sickle till they be just ripe: for death is theirs, and lest this should not be enough, he saith, things present and things to come are yours.  

Object.  Men will say, you promise for eternity indeed, but what do ye for the present?  

Answ.  Why, godliness hath the promise of the present life.  

Object.  Yea, but if it be well with us for the present, yet we know not what may befall us.  

Answ.  Things present therefore, and things to come, saith he, all this is yours: and if all this will not content you, I will add one thing more, the Lord himself is yours; so that take God and look on him in his greatness, in his mighty power; God that is Lord of Heaven and Earth, I say, he is yours, all that he hath is yours, all that he can do is yours. And therefore when he speaks to Abraham, Abraham, saith he, I will be thine, if thou wilt be mine, I will be to thee an exceeding great reward: you shall have God himself for your portion.  
You will say, how can God be your portion?  
Yes, he himself is yours, for you must know that finding Me are the best riches: 
Object.  Loving favour, Prov. 22. is better than life; 
Answ.  he that is rich in friends, is better than he that is rich in money; and among friends, who is like to God?  
It was the speech of the heathen, when he was asked where his treasure was, saith he, Where Cyrus my friend is, that is, I reckon my friend my chief treasure. I say, God is your friend as he was the friend of Abraham; so he is the friend of all the Saints, you have him and all that he can do, for that we may truly say, there is no end of a Christians riches.  
Paul when he considered this, Eph. 3. saith, This is a glorious privilege, that I should preach among the Gentiles. The unsercheable riches of Christ, the unsercheable riches of Christ, he could find no bottom, he knew not the measure the length, the breadth, the height, of these riches, and unsercheable riches of Christ. We give you but a little glimpse; if God open a crevise of light to you to see these riches, you will be content to do as the Merchant, to fell all for the pearl, for it is worth all that you can sell for it: I say, if you could see what it were, if you could discern and judge of it with righteous judgement, you would regard nothing in th● world beside; but you would then say, I will go and take Christ, for there is riches indeed and he is a happy man of whom God saith, as he saith of that Church, I know thy poverty, but thou art rich: So you see you shall have a kingdom by Christ, and you shall have riches.  
But is this all?  
No: for I tell you, the Scriptures present them to us under sensible things, things that we can feel, because that we are lead with senses in this life; 
6 Benefit a feast.  he saith, if you will come into Christ he will make you a feast; Esay saith, 25.16. In the Mount of the Lord, he will provide a Feast, of fined Wines, of fat Wines fined and purified, of fatlings full of marrow: and frequently it is repeated in Scripture, that Christ will make you a feast, They were sent to come unto the feast of the King, Mat. 22 His Wine was drawn, his Fatlings was prepared; that is, any thing you shall have by Christ: you shall have a Feast.  

Object.  What is this?  

Answ.  Look what meat doth: meat is called a feast, because it maintains life; and so doth this, it breeds and maintains life, yea immortal life; as the food is of an immortal nature, it is the bread of life.  
Again, meat breeds strength; so this strengthens you in the inward man to do holy and spiritual duties, as the corporal meat strengthens the outward man to labour and exercise.  
Again, a Feast breeds joy and cheerfulness; So doth this. As the corporal feast cheers the heart and refreshes the spirit; so if you would know what this feast is, it is that which breeds and maintains spiritual life and strength and cheerfulness.  
You will say what is that?  
By induction of particulars what it is not, you shall find what it is.  
First, it is not that which continues you in a being, for that stones have, and yet are far from having this life.  
Again, it is not that which gives you vegetation and motion and sense, for that Beasts have, and that have not this life.  
Again, it is not the exercise of reason, and understanding; for that reprobates and devils may have, yet die the second death.  
What is it then?  
It is that which breeds and maintains, that holy and regenerate men live hear, and with the Angels live in Heaven for all eternity; that which breeds that life: for you must know that the soul that is within us, hath its food to feed on, as well as the body. The soul hath its food, that is, whersoever there is the hidden man, where there is the new man the hidden man of the heart, as Peter calls it, it must be fed as well as the outward man; it must have dinners, and suppers, and breakfasts; if there be life, there it must have all this: otherwise, what is Christ's saying when he said, joh. 4. I have other meat that you know not of: and what is David's meaning when he saith? Thy word is sweeter to me than the honey or the honey comb. If it be not that the soul, the regenerate man within, is fed with a kind of food. And what is jobs meaning, when he said? He found it better than his appointed meals; that is, he would let his body starve; it should want at least, rather than his soul should be deprived of the ordinary meat it should have. In this sense, Manna is said to be the food of Angels: why could Manna be the food of Angels? If these material and substantial souls and the Angels had not somewhat else to feed on: Manna was Angels food; Angels have not mouths to eat Manna, therefore it is not the corporal Manna, that is said to be Angels food.  
What then?  
It was Christ that was typified by Manna, as he saith, john 6. I am the true Manna, the true bread that came down from heaven: The Fathe●s eat the same spiritual meat; so it was then the spirituatll Manna that was Angels food; and if Angel's food, than the food of our souls, for our souls and Angels feed alike.  
You will say, yet clear unto us further, what this is.  
If we come to eat Angel's food, you shall find in john 6. Seek not for the meat that perisheth, but for the meat that endures for ever, saith Christ, which the son of man shall give you, 
1 Property of spiritual food it endures for ever.  for him hath God the Father sealed. Mark, Seek the meat that endures for ever; so then there is another feast, another meat: and if you would know what it is this is one property, it is meat that endures for ever: That is, other men when they eat, the sweetness is gone as soon as they have eaten; but the sweetness of this continues: that is, what profit you have had from hearing the word, what comfort you have had from praying to God, from serving God with a perfect heart; these comforts continue for ever. As twenty years after a man may feel the sweetness of a good Sermon, of a faithful prayer, of a good work, of serving God with a perfect heart and a willing mind; I say, many years after he may find the sweetness. So that here the Glutton hath his wish; you know the Glutton wished that he had a long neck, that he might be long in tasting of the sweetness of his meat, I say, here you may be long in tasting the sweetness of it; for the sweetness of the meat continues here, and not the sweetness only, but the strength of it continues for ever. The strength of other meat vanisheth in a day, as the sweetness is gone in a moment, but the strength of this endures for ever, and will make you live for ever; that is one property of this meat; seek this meat for it endures for ever.  
Another you shall find in Esay 55. This meat satisfieth; 
2 Satisfieth.  why do you lay out silver and not for bread, and why do you labour and are not satisfied; come buy of me Wine and Milk, that you may be satisfied.  
Take other meat in the world, it doth not satisfy, I mean, perishing meat; outward things they do not satisfy: and therefore this is called a feast, because in a feast there are all sorts of dishes, there is variety of dainties, there is nothing wanting: and so saith he, if you come home to Christ; the soul shall have whatsoever it can desire, remission of sins, reconciliation with God, joy, peace, freedom from the second death, provision, all things.  
In a word, as in a Banquet, in a great Feast, there is all sorts of things; you have sweet odours you have music, and all variety of dishes, all sorts of wine: So saith he, if you will come home to Christ, you shall have all things that your heart can wish and desire.  
Now, there is nothing in the world that can give satisfaction to the soul, you shall never have all things else; but as Christ saith, If you drink of other water, you shall thirst again; this is that which satisfieth, because all other things are but particular.  
Health, you know, will serve but against sickness. Wealth and profit will serve but against poverty. Credit and honour will but serve against disgrace.  
The soul now is of a greater latitude; it is only God, the universal good, that can make a great Feast to satisfy it, he only can fill all the corners of the soul; none can make a Feast to satisfy the soul but only the Lord, because he is the universal good, he fills the soul every way.  
Other things do but weary, they satisfy not; when a man hath all he can have, something more he would have, though he know not what: I say, there is nothing can satisfy but the Lord only, it is he that makes the Feast; and thence is that speech, Why do you lay forth money, and not for bread? Why do you labour without being satisfied?  
But yet there is one property more, by which you shall know what this Feast is: it is a continual Feast, that is, it is not only a Feast: but as I said before there is a continual tract, a continual stream of comfort without interruption or intermission; A good conscience is a continual feast; that which is said of a good conscience, may be said of this Feast that Christ shall make you. Other feasts be not continual, the sweetness of one bit is gone, before another comes; and when you eat well and are satisfied, you desire no more, you are glutted with it, and there is an end: but it is not so here with this meat in this Feast, because here both the appetite and the meat continue; therefore I say it is a continual Feast, because both the stomach and the Feast continue, they last and endure: the stomach and the Feast, the desire and the object; that is, your drinking shall not take away your thirst, and your thirst again shall not want drink: and that is the meaning of that, Eph. 5. saith he, Be not filled with Wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. Mark, the meaning of that is this, saith he, if you taste Wine and the sweetness of it, in time you are subject to excess; when you drink a little your thirst is gone, go further and there is excess.  
But now come to spiritual things, your desire continues; still there is thirst, and still there is drink; you shall still have a strong appetite, and you shall still have meat, one takes not away another, there is a continual feast, and therefore be not filled with Wine wherein is excess: that is, the pleasure of it is soon gone; but be filled with the Spirit that shall refresh you, more than any cups of Sack, than any Flagons of Wine. I say, this comfort you shall have, that this feast shall continue with you.  
When sickness comes, what will other things do us good? Take all the comforts in the world, they admit interruption. If a man live in abundance of all things, yet many cases there are, many troubles, wherein he shall have no comfort from these, but this feast shall continue with you, it shall lie down with you; it will go with your sick beds to you, and there a good conscience will be a continual Feast; it will go to prison with you, and there it will refresh you; it will pass with you through ill and good report, and there it will comfort you; it leaves you not in death, but there and in all the changes of this life, it shall be with you to refresh you, and to cheer your spirits more than any Cordial: this you shall have by Christ if you will take him, such a Feast he will make you.  
But you will say, 
Quest.  we find no such thing, we find no such sweetness in Christ.  

Answ.  It is because you are not hungry. Come and tell such an one as Paul was, of such a banquet; oh, how acceptable would it be! Come and tell a dying man that hath felt the bitterness of sin, the fierceness of God's wrath, such a man would come as an hungry man to it, to such a man it would be meat and drink indeed; and so it would be to you if you were hungry.  
Where there is a great Dole made, the poor come, those that are hungry come: so the poor receive the Gospel, those that are hungry will come, and to those it is a Feast. And therefore as Christ concludes his Sermon, when he had spoken of things belonging to the Spirit, things belonging to eternal life, saith he there, He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear: as if he should say, We propound to you these things, but if there be not an heart within, if there be not an ear to hear, all our labour is lost: So I say, except you have that taste, that you taste how bountiful the Lord is, and what a Feast Christ hath prepared for you; all our labour is to no purpose.  
But is this all we shall have by Christ?  
Sure here is much; you shall have a kingdom, you shall have riches, you shall have a feast, I will add but one.  
You shall have gorgeous apparel; 
7 Benefit, apparel.  a thing that we prise to be somewhat, out of the weakness of our flesh so trifling as that: yet because we prise it, it pleaseth God to set out the glorious condition we have by Christ under this notion. In the second of the Revelation, I will clothe you with white raiment; and Rev. 3.2. To him that overcommeth will I give the morningstar: Buy of me white garments to cover your nakedness: So I say, if you will come into Christ, you shall have gorgeous apparel; now every man naturally seeks some excellency in one kind or other.  
Now what is so excellent as this? To have the image of God renewed in us: that excels all others, as the beauty of the morningstar excels others. This you shall have by Christ, you shall have your souls clothed with beauty, you shall have them adorned with Rubies and Saphires, that is, with all the shining graces of the Spirit; you shall be justified, that is, you shall be washed, you shall be sanctified; so shall all the Saints be clad, so shall all the Saints be clothed, that will come home to Christ.  
But you will say, tell us in plainer terms, what this clothing is.  
This white array, partly is a sign of the dignity which you have by Christ; as Kings in ancient time were wont to be clothed with white apparel on solemn times, which was a sign that they were Kings.  
Again, as Tertullian reports; Servants were wont to wear white array when they were set at liberty, in token of manu-mission; so it is a token of the freedom you have by Christ.  
Again, Christians, as Tertullian reports, were wont to wear white array all Easter week, in token of the sincerity that Paul bids us keep the Passover with, 1 Cor. 5. So when he saith you shall be clothed with white array; the meaning is you shall have the dignity of Kings, the freedom of Servants that are set at liberty; you shall have sincerity given you; you shall have in a word whatsoever may adorn the soul. I will not hold you long.  
This clothing of the soul stands in two things.  
In justification;  
And Sanctification.  
There is a clothing of justification, that you shall have if you will come into Christ.  
First, we are said to put on the Lord jesus, that is, you shall come clothed with him; and when you come clothed with Christ, come and welcome; as you know jacob got the blessing when he came in his brother's clothes. In Rev. 12. there is mention of a woman clothed with the Sun: what is that, every man by nature is vile and base and miserable; but when he is clothed with Christ, he is like one clothed with the Sun.  
Now you know the Sun is a most glorious creature; of all the creatures that God hath made, that when he would choose a creature, that was the most glorious that our eyes have seen, he pitcheth on that: and such are we when we are clothed with Christ; that is, God looks on us, as on men that are as glorious as the Sun in his brightness; and this you shall have by Christ.  
But is this all?  
No: although it were all it were much, because by this, you may be admitted to the presence of the Lord: without it you cannot. But this is not all; you shall be clothed likewise with the graces of sanctification; that is, when you come to Christ that shall be purified; which David saith of Saul; Oh you daughters of jerusalem weep for Saul, he clotheth you with Scarlet, and hung ornaments of gold on your apparel: I say, Christ clothes the soul with Scarlet. Psal. 45. The soul goeth clothed in embroidered gold, in garments of needlework; that is, when the Lord comes to a soul, he comes as a King of glory; other Kings bring their glory with them, and when they go they take it with them; but when Christ comes to the soul, he makes it a glorious house for himself to dwell there: the material Temple that was so stately and so glorious; the Temple of the jews, you know it was but a type of the Temple of the Holy Ghost; that is, of the soul of a Christian; for indeed, those are the Temples wherein the Lord delights to dwell: it is certain, that Solomon in all his royalty was not clothed like one of these: for shall Christ's power be less in grace than it was in nature: He that clothes the Lilies, shall he not clothe his servants with beauty: and consider this, that this is not a small matter to be thus clothed.  
The great God of heaven and earth, and not God only, but holy and wise. Men that are able to see through these trappings, regard not what clothing the body hath, but they look how men's souls go apparelled. I say, Christ will thus apparel the souls of all that come in to him: that as Aaron had all variety of precious Pearls, of gorgeous apparel; such Priests will Christ make every one to God his Father: and therefore if you will come in to Christ; this we can promise you; you shall put on the Lord jesus, you shall put on the Sun.  
Again, you shall be clothed with Diamonds, that is, with all the shining graces of the Spirit.  
And now what will you do when you come to a rich Wardrobe, for such is Christ's to us, there you may suit yourselves from top to toe.  
You reckon it undecent, for a man to wear some part of his apparel rich and precious, when other parts are base, and old, and ragged: why, do you not do this with your souls? Why do you suffer your souls to go ragged as it were, to be so unequally, so unreverently clad? It may be thou hast the grace of bounty, but not of chastity; it may be thou hast the grace of governing thy hands, but not of governing thy tongue; it may be thou hast the grace to speak well, but not to pray fervently: there is some unevenness in the clothing of thy soul.  
What wilt thou do then?  
Go to Christ; there is change of raiment, that is, there is garments of all sorts to cover thy nakedness and to adorn thy soul: all these things you shall have by Christ; you shall have a Kingdom, you shall have Riches, you shall have a Feast, you shall be clothed with white array.  
So you have seen now, the second consectary that riseth from this Doctrine, wherein we are exhorted to take Christ, to invite us to it: we have showed you your misery out of him, and the happiness you shall have by him.  
Now there remains no more, but that you be content to come in and take him and serve him for the future; so you may have him: therefore what should hinder you, why do you not come in and take Christ.  
Only you must know this, that you must take him for your Master, so as to serve no other Master; you must take him for your husband, so as to be divorced from all other lovers: for this know, that Christ and good fellowship, that Christ and fornication, Christ and swearing, Christ and ambition, Christ and serving yourselves and the times will not stand together, you must be divorced from all these: If you will have Christ you must take him as a husband, to be to him a love, to love him, to have your wills subject to his will, you must take him for better for worse; you must take him with all variety of conditions, denying yourselves and taking up your cross and following him; if you take him thus you shall have him, and when you shall have him, you shall have all things with him.  
As Christ saith to his father, We are one, thou in me and I in thee; and then all mine are thine, and thine are mine. So we may say, every one that takes Christ, is made one with him; all Christ's is yours and yours is his; that is, he takes your names, he takes your debts and you bear his name, and have interest in all that is his; what he hath by nature, you have by grace; and when you have him once, than you may be bold to come and take these Elements of Bread and Wine; but if you have not him, then know that you are but intruders upon the Lord's Table; for his Table is provided for his friends, and if his enemies and strangers come in, and intrude on it, he will not take it at your hands, but command you to be bound hand and foot and to be cast out: I say, consider therefore, the offers of Christ are large; you that are to receive the Sacrament at this time, or at any other time, I say, consider it; if you have Christ himself than you may boldly come; if you have not the Lord you have nothing to do with these. And know if it was such a fearful thing to touch the Ark, which was but a type of Christ, and had but a legal holiness in it, that God struck Vzziah with death, because he was so bold as to do it. If it were so dangerous a thing to meddle with common fire, as we see in Nabab and Abihu, that was but a type of this; what will it be, when we shall dare to take the body of the Lord jesus, not being worthily prepared. He is the substance, there is the holiness of which that was but a type; therefore take heed of meddling with them, except you have taken him indeed, except you have changed your hearts; except you be new Creatures, except you have the Lord himself you may not meddle with the Bread and Wine, the Sacrament of his body and blood; and so I end.  
FINIS.   

THE TABLE.  

A  

Ability.  MEN excuse their sin from want of Ability: 
Part 1, Page 223  Ability of Christ to sanctify us: 
2, 31   

Accusing.  Conscience corrupt in the office of Accusing: 
1, 56   

Actions.  Corruption in our Actions: 
1, 73  Actions of carnal men: 
1, 153  Actions of natural men defective in two things: 
1, 159  Intention of Action in zeal: 
1, 285   

Activeness.  Activeness of conscience corrupted: 
1, 56   

Adam.  God just in requiring of us according to that he gave to Adam: 
1, 38  adam's sin charged on us: 
ibid.  Two conditions of Adam: 
2, 38  Our condition in Christ better than it was in Adam: 
2, 154  See Borne. 
  

Affections.  Affections corrupted: 
1, 63  Affections must be wrought upon in the performance of duties: 
1, 251  God esteems us according to our Affections: 
1, 67  What should draw our Affections to God: 
1, 265  Zeal a stirring up of the Affections: 
1, 285  Want of Affections to God argues want of zeal: 
1, 289  Work of the Spirit upon the Affections: 
2, 12   

Afflictions.  Forgiveness of sins takes the sting out of Afflictions: 
2, 188   

Altered.  Nature cannot be Altered: 
2, 97  Custom hardly Altered: 
2, 123   

Alike.  All sins not Alike: 
1, 275   

All.  Carnal men do many duties, but not All: 
1, 159   

Anger.  Difference between hatred and Anger: 
1, 290  Zeal for the Church acceptable to God, when he is Angry with it: 
1, 293   

Apparel.  Apparel, one benefit by Christ: 
3, 93  What that Apparel is: 
3, 94  How to make use of this Apparel: 
3, 97   

Apprehesion.  The Apprehension makes happy or miserable: 
1, 241   

Assurance.  Assurance increased by humiliation: 
1, 31   

Authority.  To preach with Authority, what: 
2, 163    

B  

Baptism.  Baptism tends to sanctification: 
2, 21   

Believer, Believing.  Difference between temporary and true Believers: 
2, 47  Believing difficult: 
3, 19   

Blindness.  Blindness of man's understanding: 
1, 44  Why man's understanding is Blind: 
ibid.   

Boldness.  Excess of Boldness, how prevedted: 
1, 291  Forgiveness of sin causeth Boldness: 
2, 188   

Bondage.  Spirit of Bondage, an help against sinful excuses: 
1, 108  Spirit of Bondage, how it works: 
1, 109   

Borne.  Those that are saved by the second Adam are Borne of him: 
2, 18   

Burden.  Sin, in what respect a Burden: 
2, 190   

Business.  Too much Business a great impediment: 
1, 207    

C  

Causes.  GOd works by second Causes: 
1, 263   

Change.  How to know we are Changed: 
2, 109  To give God the praise of our Change: 
2, 144   

Christ.  What keeps men from Christ: 
1, 11.2, 23  What makes us prise Christ: 
1, 81  End of our engraffing into Christ: 
2, 19  Sanctification by the blood of Christ: 
2, 21  How to take Christ: 
2, 73  What should move us to love Christ: 
2, 156  Before we are new Creatures, we are in Christ: 
2, 169  To be in Christ, what: 
2, 171  Privileges of being in Christ: 
2, 174  See Righteous. 
  

Church.  Pillars of the Church: 
1, 286  Want of zeal for the Church: 
1, 292  Danger of wronging the Church: 
1, 293  Directions what we must do for the Church. 
1, 294   

Circumstance.  Consideration of Circumstances, help Humiliation: 
1, 28  Circumstances aggravating sin: 
1, 89   

Civil.  Difference between profane and Civil men: 
1, 127   

Clearness.  Clearness of conscience corrupted: 
1, 55   

Cloud.  Sin like a stormy Cloud: 
1, 174   

Coldness.  Coldness provokes God as much as sin: 
1, 284   

Combat.  Combat to be expected of Christians: 
2, 137  Difference of the Combat in Christians and others: 
2, 138   

Comfort.  Comfort the end of the Scriptures: 
1, 2  Sanctification for our Comfort: 
2, 89  Comfort from the change of Nature: 
2, 121   

Coming.  The end of Christ's Coming: 
1.20.2, 20   

Compel.  The Spirit Compels men to come in: 
2, 7   

Communion.  Communion of Saints sets the truth at liberty: 
1, 174   

Communication.  Communication of the body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament: 
3, 2  See Truth. 
  

Condemnation.  Imprisoning Truth, brings great Condemnation: 
1, 136  God just in the Condemnation of men: 
1, 234   

Conflict.  Conflict in carnal men: 
1, 153  Conflict in wicked men failing in four things: 
1, 60   

Content.  He that trusts in God, is Content with him only: 
1, 258   

Conscience.  Conscience corrupted by nature: 
1, 45  Wherein Conscience is corrupted: 
1, 55.56  Sign of a good Conscience: 
1, 57  Conscience in natural men may do many things: 
1, 152  Conscience good in two respects: 
1, 156   

Contrary, Contrariety.  Contrariety of the will to God: 
1, 49  Nature works out what is Contrary to it: 
2, 111   

Conversation.  Conversation, the change in it: 
2, 66   

Constant.  Hatred Constant. 
1, 290  What is natural, is Constant: 
2, 110  Constant feast by Christ: 
3, 91   

Conviction.  Convictions of unbelief: 
1, 255  Conviction wrought by the Spirit: 
1, 10   

Corrupt.  We must have less in us than nature Corrupt: 
2, 87  See Nature. 
  

Covenant.  Covenant sealed in the Sacrament: 
2, 22  Covenant on God's part: 
3, 16  Covenant on our part: 
3, 24   

Creature.  Creature cannot do good or evil: 
1, 261  Creature▪ how to be used: 
2, 268  See God. 
  

Custom.  Custom in sin suppresseth the Truth: 
1, 205  Custom, the advantages it hath against us: 
2, 123    

D  

Damned.  HE that believeth not shall be Damned: 
2, 197   

Day  Sabbath God's Day: 
1, 256   

Debt.  Our Debt paid by Christ: 
3, 61   

Defect.  Not to be discouraged for Defects: 
2, 169   

Delay.  Delay, when God calls, dangerous: 
1, 20  Coming to God not to be Delayed: 
2, 98  Not to Delay when Christ calls: 
2, 156   

Delight.  Delight corrupted: 
1, 66   

Denial.  Denial of God in sin: 
1, 90  Denial, one excuse of sin: 
1, 229   

Death.  Why God punisheth sin with eternal Death: 
1, 187  Christ's Death showed forth in the Sacrament: 
3, 4  Death of Christ, how made void: 
3, 20  Out of Christ we are subject to Death: 
3, 47  Death, how it is ours: 
3, 84   

Despised.  God Despised in the commission of sin: 
1, 92   

Destruction.  Hatred seeks the Destruction of a thing: 
1, 192  jealousy of God brings Destruction: 
1, 301   

Desires.  Desires from corrupt nature, nothing: 
2, 102   

Disgrace.  Disgrace of good men from the world: 
2, 125   

Disease.  Sin the Disease of the soul: 
2, 190   

Difference.  Difference between men, made by God: 
2, 149   

Difficulty.  Difficulty in duties should not discourage us: 
1, 120   

Discouragements.  Discouragements hinder from Religion: 
2, 34   

Disobedience.  Disobedience of man's will: 
1, 51  Disobedience in small things, great: 
ibid.  Disobedience against God in the least sin: 
1, 280   

Disposition.  Disposition in man double: 
1, 79   

Divinity.  See Persuade. 
  

Dogs.  Dogs to be kept out of Christ's flock: 
1, 299   

Doubting.  Reasons against Doubting of forgiveness: 
3, 20   

Duty.  Performance of Duty double: 
1, 251    

E  

Earth.  THe mercy of Christ when he was on Earth: 
3, 22   

Effect.  To see sin in the Effects of it: 
1, 275   

Election.  See Reprobation. 
  

Enemy.  Enemies of the faith, what to learn of them: 
1, 296   

Enmity.  Enmity of the understanding: 
1, 46   

Envy.  Most men Envy the new Creatture. 
2, 147   

End.  End of God, by whom it is crossed: 
1, 146   

Evil.  See Good. 
  

Ever.  Salvation and damnation continue for Ever: 
2, 201  Spiritual food endureth for Ever: 
3, 88   

Experience.  Experience shows God to be the Author of grace; 
2, 151  Experience of Christ helps to unite us to him: 
2, 180   

Excellency.  Grace preferred before all other Excellencies: 
2, 38  Grace the proper Excellency of a man: 
2, 40  Knowledge of Christ's Excellency unites us to him? 
2, 178   

Exigent.  Trial of trust in God, is in an Exigent, 
1, 258   

Expend.  God's wrath in time is Expended: 
1, 273   

Excuse.  Conscience corrupt in the office of Excusing: 
1, 56  Excuses of sin: 
1, 101.221  Means to arm us against these Excuses: 
1, 108   

Eye.  The New Creature looks on things with a new Eye: 
2, 54  Eye double and single: 
2, 133    

F  

Faculties.  FAculties in man corrupted: 
1, 43   

Faith.  Faith to be contended for: 
1, 296  Faith sanctified. 
2, 21  Faith works on the promises: 
2, 26  Faith increased by the Sacrament: 
3, 5  Transubstantiation against faith: 
3, 12   

Fast.  Fast, no arbitrary duty: 
1, 248  Fast defined: 
ibid.   

Falling away.  Falling away, why, not to be feared: 
2, 117   

Fault.  Men excuse sin by slighting the Fault: 
1, 230   

Fear.  Fear corrupted: 
1, 66  Fear to be placed on God only: 
1, 258  Gods jealousy should make us Fear: 
1, 302  Fear double: 
1, 303  The Word to be heard with Fear: 
2, 159  Gods children freed from Fear: 
2, 194  Fear put for the worship of God: 
3, 21  Fear of a flitting nature: 
3, 28  Out of Christ we are subject to the Fear of death: 
3, 48   

Feast.  Spiritual things resembled to a Feast, why: 
2, 217  Feast, promised by Christ: 
3, 86   

Feeding.  Necessity of daily Feeding on Christ: 
2, 181   

Fit.  What Fits us for mercy: 
3, 22   

First-fruits.  Two things in First-fruits: 
2, 136  Spiritual things we have in the First-fruits: 
2, 217   

Fire.  Fire from heaven to be cherished: 
2, 160   

Flesh.  To eat Christ's Flesh, what: 
2, 181   

Food.  Properties of spiritual Food: 
3, 87   

Forget.  Memory corrupt in that we ought to Forget: 
1, 53  Men choke the Truth when they labour to Forget it: 
1, 204   

Forgiveness.  Forgiveness of sins, how it makes blessed: 
2, 187  Confirmation in the assurance of Forgiveness: 
3, 19   

Formality.  Formality argues want of zeal: 
1, 288   

Free.  The work of the Spirit Free: 
2, 100   

Fruit.  Hypocrites bring not forth Fruit: 
2, 126  Weariness in the Fruit of sin: 
3, 69   

Fullness.  Fullness reserved for heaven: 
2, 218   

Future.  Helps to mind Future things: 
2, 219    

G  

Gifts.  COmmon Gifts in natural men: 
1, 152   

Giving.  Giving, what: 
2, 172   

Glory.  Transubstantiation against God's Glory: 
3, 9  Glory appeared in Christ's humiliation: 
ibid.  Glory, one benefit by Christ: 
3, 76   

God.  The law of man's judgement mamanifested by God: 
1, 180.183  None can do good and evil but God: 
1, 261  If the Creature could do it, it were God: 
1, 262  In all things to look to God: 
1, 269  Every sin sets up another God: 
1, 281  Conversion of the heart proper to God: 
2, 9  New Creature the work of God: 
2, 149  The praise of all good to be given to God: 
2, 161  God, how he is made ours: 
2, 189  Sin drives the Saints nearer to God: 
2, 206  See Portion. 
  

Good.  Men excuse the ill in them by the Good: 
1, 105  Good things in ill men do them no Good: 
1, 144  God only doth evil and Good: 
1, 253  Those that are Christ's, all works for their Good: 
2, 205   

Gospel.  Gospel shows man's nature to be corrupted: 
1, 76  Sins against the Gospel, the greatness of them: 
1, 77  Sin excused by living under the Gospel: 
1, 104  Gospel tends to sanctification, 
2, 21  judgement of the Gospel: 
2, 45  Gospel, what, 
3, 16  Gospel, two parts of it: 
3, 18   

Grace.  Grace desired by carnal men: 
2, 30  Christians rich in Grace: 
3, 78   

Greatness.  We should labour to see God in his Greatness: 
1, 265   

Gild.  Sin a burden as it brings under Gild: 
2, 190  Weariness in the Gild of sin: 
3, 69    

H  

Habit.  Weariness in the Habit of sin: 
3, 71   

Happiness.  Happiness, a motive to come to Christ: 
2, 193  Man's Happiness by Christ: 
2, 196  Happiness, what: 
2, 224   

Hardness.  Hardness of heart in sinning: 
1, 28   

Hatred.  Hatred the properties of it: 
1, 65  Hatred of God: 
1, 89  Hatred of the Truth: 
1, 133  Hatred and anger differenced: 
1, 290   

Healeth.  Where God forgiveth he Healeth: 
2, 88   

Health.  Grace the Health of the soul: 
2, 39   

Help.  Supervenient Help needful in two things: 
2, 160   

Heart.  The Heart must be new framed: 
2, 62  Our Hearts should melt at Christ's love: 
3, 41  See God. 
  

Hell.  Out of Christ we are subject to Hel●: 
3, 49  Aggravations of the misery of Hell: 
3, 50   

Hid.  The state of God's children Hid: 
2, 41   

Honour.  Sanctification stands with God's Honour: 
2, 89   

House.  What kind of House God is: 
2, 195   

Humbled. Humiliation.  Humiliation must go before justification: 
1, 6  Israelites, how God Humbled them: 
1, 7  Humiliation, two things in it: 
1, 8  Humiliation to be laboured for: 
1, 18  Trial of true Humiliation: 
1, 22  Helps to Humiliation: 
1, 26  Good men should desire Humiliation: 
1, 30  Humiliation a remedy against God's wrath: 
1, 278   

Hundred-fold.  Hundred-fold with persecution: 
2, 223   

Hunger.  Hunger out of Christ: 
2, 215    

I  

jealousy.  Jealousy of God provoked by want of zeal: 
1, 299   

Idolatry.  Idolatry to attribute that to the Creature, that belongs to God: 
1, 265  Idolatry, a sin of Israel, 
1, 295   

Impediment.  Impediments not removed, suppress the Truth: 
1, 206  Impediments of two sorts: 
2, 152   

Impossible.  That which GOD requires of Christians not Impossible: 
2, 255  Transubstantiation a doctrine Impossible: 
3, 8   

Imprison.  See Truth. 
  

Inclination.  Inclination wrought by the Spirit: 
2, 16  Inclination changed: 
2, 63  Inclination changed, how to be Known: 
2, 64   

Independent.  Independent riches make men independent: 
2, 212   

Inconsideration.  Inconsideration keeps men in their old state: 
1, 240   

Infirmity.  Men excuse sin from their Infirmity: 
1, 232   

Incredulity.  Incredulity of man's understanding: 
1, 45   

Instigate.  Conscience corrupted cannot Instigate to good: 
1, 55   

Enlightened.  Carnal men may be Enlightened: 
1, 152   

Inconstancy.  Inconstancy of man's will: 
1, 50   

Instrument.  Ministers and ordinances Instruments: 
2, 158   

Insensible.  Ill sign to be Insensible of God's wrath: 
1, 272   

Inexcusable.  So much revealed as makes man Inexcusable: 
1, 219   

joy..  joy mortifieth Lusts: 
1, 18   

Israelites.  See Humbled. 
  

jubilee.  jubilee, a resemblance of liberty in the Gospel: 
1, 19   

justify. justification.  Why we are justified by another's righteousness: 
1, 3  justification and sanctification inseparable: 
2, 4  justification, how it admits degrees: 
2, 177  The clothing of the soul in justification: 
3, 95  See Humiliation and Sanctification. 
  

judge.  How to judge of things: 
1, 270   

judgement.  Sin in time brings forth judgement: 
1, 272  Execution of judgement commended: 
1, 295   

justice..  What makes men acknowledge God's justice: 
1, 13  justice of God, on whom it appears most: 
1, 147  Want of justice, a cause of judgement: 
1, 295    

K  

Kind.  NAture common to the whole Kind: 
2, 96   

Kingdom.  Kingdom we have by Christ: 
3, 72   

Knowledge.  Knowledge an aggravation of sin: 
1, 92  Knowledge in natural men without relish: 
1, 155  Knowledge sinned against, imprisoneth Truth: 
1, 195  A sin of Knowledge, what: 
1, 197  Sin excused for want of Knowledge: 
1, 221  It is a sin not to increase Knowledge: 
1, 198  Men might have more Knowledge: 
1, 222  Knowledge of our estate at the first conversion: 
2, 51  What kind of Knowledge makes new Creatures: 
2, 76    

L  

Law.  THe Law shows man's nature to be corrupted: 
1, 34  Law, how to be understood: 
1, 35  Law, the least breach of it punished: 
1, 36  Law compared to Egyptian Tasks-masters: 
1, 37  Law against which men sin is exact: 
1, 282  Law of God approved by natural men: 
2, 104  See Schoolmaster. 
  

Leaven.  Sin likened to Leaven: 
2, 128   

Liberty.  Benefits of setting the Truth at Liberty: 
1, 171  Means to set Truth at Liberty: 
1, 172  Liberty by Christ: 
3, 73  Liberty, what: 
ibid.  See jubilee. 
  

Life.  Life promised to the taking of Christ: 
3, 55  Life spiritual, the excellency of it: 
3, 56  Exhortation to partake of this Life▪ 
3, 57  Life, how it is a Christians: 
3, 83   

Light.  Light imprisoned four ways: 
1, 134  Aggravations of sins against Light: 
1, 146  Natural men defective in Light: 
1, 154  The burden of Christ in bearing grows Light: 
2, 141   

Long-suffering.  We should give God the glory of his Long-suffering: 
1, 237   

Lord.  Zeal for the Lord 
1, 285  Sacrifice offered to the Lord: 
2, 86   

Love.  Love mortifieth Lusts: 
1, 13  Men sin out of Love to evil: 
1, 163  Love of Christ, the greatness of it: 
2, 39  Love cannot be counterfeit: 
2, 92.3, 29  Perwasion of Christ's Love unites to him: 
2, 179  To serve Christ in Love, a part of the Covenant: 
3, 26  Love constant: 
3, 28   

Lusts.  Lusts detained, keep men in their old state: 
1, 241  Lusts, why God suffers them in his children: 
2, 35  Excellency of the new Creature above Lusts: 
2, 37  Old Lusts must be mortified: 
2, 84    

M  

Mannah.  MAnnah, how it is Angel's food: 
2, 215   

Manifest.  The Law of Man's judgement Manifest four ways: 
1, 181   

Mark.  Mark of Christ, what: 
3, 53   

Means.  Means enjoyed aggravate sin: 
1, 99  Sin excused from want of Means: 
1, 228  Difference of fear in respect of Means: 
1, 303  Means of Grace tend to Sanctification: 
2, 21   

Meaning.  Sin excused from good meaning: 
1, 101   

Mediator.  Why God hath appointed us such a Mediator as Christ: 
1, 187   

Memory.  Memory, the corruption of it in two things: 
1, 53   

Mercy.  Mercy of God, the greatness of it: 
3, 22  Mercy, to whom it is showed: 
3, 52   

Metaphor.  Metaphors used in the Sacraments of the old Law: 
3, 7   

Ministry.  Ministry to be advanced: 
1, 298   

Misery.  Our Misery out of Christ: 
2, 178  Forgiveness of sins takes away the cause of Misery: 
2, 18  See Apprehension. 
  

Moral virtues.  Moral virtues nothing without change of nature: 
2, 102    

N  

Naked.  Out of Christ we are Naked: 
2, 209  To be Naked, what: 
2, 213   

Nature.  Man's Nature full of ungodliness: 
1, 4▪ 33  All in man's Nature corrupt: 
1, 41  Badness of Nature aggravates sin: 
1, 101  Men by Nature, how far they may go: 
1, 151  How far men by Nature fall short: 
1, 153  God made manifest by the light of Nature: 
1, 181  Sin excused from corruption of Nature: 
1, 226  What keeps men in the state of Nature: 
1, 240  Conversion of men are turning the course of Nature: 
2, 8  More than Nature required in the New Creature: 
2, 91  Those that are in Christ have another Nature: 
2, 95  Not to be content without a new Nature: 
2, 101  Two things in a new Nature: 
2, 112   

Natural.  When a thing is said to be Natural: 
2, 95  Good duties must be Natural to us: 
2, 107   

Necessity.  No Necessity of Transubstantiation: 
3, 3   

Need.  Riches help in time of Need: 
2, 211   

Neglect.  Neglect keeps men from Christ: 
1, 12  Neglect in serving of God: 
1, 257   

Net.  Gospel a Net: 
1, 23   

New Creature.  New Creature, the excellency of it: 
2, 37  New Creature, signs of it: 
2, 49  New Creature, what: 
2, 61  New Creature, the parts of it: 
2, 84  New Creature required: 
2, 122   

Nobleness.  The Spirit works Nobleness of spirit: 
2, 15   

Number.  Consideration of the Number of former sins helps humiliation: 
1, 27    

O  

Oath.  THE Covenant confirmed with an Oath: 
2, 24   

Object.  Faculties known by their Object: 
2, 56   

Objection.  Objection of Papists out of john 6. concerning eating Christ's flesh answered: 
3, 33   

Offices.  Offices of Christ go together: 
2, 20  Offices of Christ to be improved: 
2, 183   

Old.  Old man, what: 
2, 73  Old man must be mortified: 
2, 83  Old nature to be abhorred: 
2, 114  Old custom we are redeemed from: 
2, 122  All that is Old must be pulled down: 
2, 127  Grace takes not away Nature, but the Oldness of it. 
2, 129   

Omission.  Sins of Omission: 
1, 73  Omission of acts: 
ibid.  Omission of graces: 
1, 75  Omission of occasions: 
ibid.   

Opinion.  Opinion advanceth the Creature in our thoughts: 
1, 266   

Original sin.  Original sin: 
1, 40  Original sin, how it is one sin and many: 1, 42. How it is privative and positive: 
ibid.  Actual sin leads us to Original: 
1, 103   

Others.  Sin excused from the badness of Others: 
1, 106  Success of Others with God, should encourage us: 
2, 29.3, 21   

Outward.  Men fare not the worse in Outward things for holiness: 
2, 43   

Overcome.  To Overcome, what: 
3, 76    

P  

Parents.  NAture received from Parents: 
2, 96   

Passeover.  Passeover, why eaten with sour herbs: 
1, 25   

Peace.  Peace one benefit by Christ: 
3, 75   

Pearl.  Zealous men Pearls: 
1, 287   

Personal.  Men condemned for their Personal sins: 
1, 39   

Persuade.  Hard to Persuade men in Divinity: 
1, 45   

Perfect.  Of Perfect walking with God: 
1, 260   

Pleasant.  That which is natural, is pleasant: 
2, 110   

Plenty.  Plenty one privilege by Christ: 
3, 74   

Portion.  God is a Christians Portion: 
3, 85   

Poor.  Out of Christ we are Poor: 
2, 209  To be Poor, What: 
2, 210   

Power.  Power of God's wrath: 
1, 115   

Practice.  Practice sets the Truth at liberty: 
1, 173  Want of Practice of known truths a great sin: 
1, 200   

Prayer.  prayer sets the Truth at liberty: 
1, 172  Prayer stops God's wrath: 
1, 301  Prayer unites us more to Christ: 
2, 180   

Preaching.  The Minister's business in preaching. 
2, 156  To see how the Word works in the Preaching of it 
2, 164   

Pride.  Pride of the will of man 
1, 50   

Prize.  New Creature how to be Prized: 
2, 79  See Christ. 
  

Privileges.  Privileges of a Christian, real: 
2, 219   

Profane.  Difference between civil men and Profane: 
1, 127   

Profess.  Truth not Professed, is unrighteously detained: 
1, 211   

Proneness.  Proneness to sin, no excuse of it: 
1, 29   

Promise.  Promise of God should encourage us to pray: 
2, 22   

Punishment.  Punishment of withholding the Truth in unrighteousness: 
1, 138   

Purpose.  Good Purposes in extremity seldom true: 
2, 99  Good Purposes nothing without change of nature: 
2, 102    

Q  

Quality.  NEw Quality infused in sanctification: 
2, 71  New Quality, what: 
ibid.    

R  

Reason.  TRansubstantiation against Reason: 
3, 11   

Record.  Sins committed remain on Record: 
1, 277   

Recreation.  Recreation too much used, is an impediment: 
1, 208   

Reformation.  Reformation must be joined with fasting: 
1, 250  Reformation a remedy against God's wrath: 
1, 280   

Relapse.  Relapse into sin: 
1, 28   

Relish.  See Knowledge. 
  

Religion.  Religion impaired by the neglect of the Sabbath: 
1, 256   

Reluctancy.  Reluctancy in the Saints when they sin: 
2, 134   

Remain.  Sins Remain in God's people: 
2, 90   

Remember. Remembrance.  Memory corrupt in that we ought to Remember: 
1, 53  Conscience corrupt as it is a Remembrancer: 
1, 55  End of the Sacrament to bring Christ to Remembrance: 
3, 4   

Renewed.  How to get our nature's Renewed: 
2, 116   

Reprobation.  Election and Reprobation, how frustrate: 
2, 150   

Rest.  Men prone to Rest in duties: 
1, 249  Rest, a motive to take Christ: 
2.186.3, 68   

Restrain.  Conscience corrupted in its Restraining power: 
1, 56   

Riches.  Riches, for what end they serve: 
2, 210  Riches of a Christian is Christ: 
3, 77  Riches by Christ, what: 
3, 78  Riches, the property of them: 
3, 80   

Righteousness.  Righteousness of Christ imputed: 
1, 39  See justify. 
   

S  

Sabbath.  SAbbath ought to be sanctified: 
1, 255  Antiquity of keeping the Sabbath: 
1, 256  usefulness of keeping the Sabbath: 
ibid.   

Sacrament.  Sacrament a seal of the Covenant: 
2, 22.3, 15  Sacrament, the end of it: 
2, 25.3, 4   

Sacrifice.  Two things in Sacrifice: 
2, 86   

Salvation.  Being in Christ the ground of all Salvation: 
2, 171  He that believeth hath Salvation: 
2, 197  Damnation and Salvation of great moment: 
2, 199  God desires man's Salvation: 
3, 20   

Sanctification.  justification and Sanctification inseparable: 
2, 4.17  Sanctification, how it riseth from justification: 
2, 5  Sanctification, what: 
2, 13  Encouragements to pray for Sanctification: 
2, 22  Sanctification, the necessity of it: 
2, 33  Sanctification, how to prize it: 
2, 36  Not to challenge justification without Sanctification: 
2, 44  Clothing of the soul in Sanctification: 
3, 95   

Satisfy.  Spiritual food Satisfieth: 
3, 89   

Seals.  Two Seals: 
3, 19.54   

Schoolmaster.  The Law a Schoolmaster, how: 
1, 11   

Scripture.  God's truth manifested in the Scripture: 
1, 182  Transubstantiation against Scripture: 
3, 13   

Secrets.  Secrets of God not known by carnal men: 
1, 154   

Self-love.  Self-love sanctified: 
2, 13   

Sense.  The new life hath new Senses: 
2, 40  Present Sense a sign of the New Creature: 
2, 49  Transubstantiation against Sense: 
3, 10   

Sensible.  Sensibleness of conscience lost: 
1, 56  Spiritual things Sensible: 
2, 220   

Sensitive appetite.  Sensitive appetite corrupted: 
1, 58   

Selves.  Men must be humbled to know them- Selves: 
1, 14   

Serve.  One part of the covenant to Serve Christ: 
3, 25  Weariness in Serving sin: 
3, 69   

Short.  See Natural. 
  

Sinne.  Sin's thought to be less than they be: 
1, 27  Sin aggravated by circumstances: 
1, 89  Difference in Sins: 
1, 96  Sin, we should labour to see what it is: 
1, 118  Frequency of Sin, argues want of faith: 
1, 255  Difference of men in regard of Sins: 
1, 281  Zeal against Sin: 
1, 290  Striving against Sin: 
2, 53  Turning from Sin, a part of the Covenant: 
3, 25  See Personal and Wrath. 
  

Sincerity.  Sincerity wanting in carnal men's actions: 
1, 159  Sincerity, little at the first: 
2, 113   

Sickness.  Sin the Sickness of the soul: 
3, 71   

Sleep.  Sin seems dead when it is a Sleep: 
2, 85   

Small.  Men excuse sins by thinking Them Small: 
1, 230  No sin Small, and why: 
1, 282   

Species.  Hatred sets against the whole Species: 
1, 290   

Spirit.  Good things in evil men wrought by the Spirit: 
1, 144  Moral virtues, the gifts of the Spirit: 
1, 158  Work of the Spirit in sanctification: 
2, 5  Spirit works holiness: 
2, 21   

Sorrow.  Sorrow corrupted: 
1, 67  Sin excused by pretended Sorrow: 
1, 233   

Soul.  Matters of the Soul of great moment: 
2, 199  Soul to be regarded especially: 
2, 200    

T  

Taking.  TAking of Christ, what: 
2, 185.3, 24  No loss by Taking of Christ: 
2, 222  Two things should invite us to Take Christ: 
3, 45   

Taught.  Nature cannot be Taught: 
2, 97   

Temptation.  The less Temptation, the greater the sin: 
1, 95  Sin excused from Temptation: 
1, 227  Evil men do good for want of Temptation: 
2, 135   

Thank.  See Truth. 
  

Thoughts.  Thoughts corrupted: 
1, 68  Thoughts, the importance of them: 
1, 69  Thoughts of two sorts: 
1, 91   

Thirst.  Thirst satisfied in Christ, 
2, 202  What Thirst healed in the Saints: 
2, 204   

Transubstantiation.  Arguments against Transubstantiation: 
3, 3  Fathers not distinct against Transubstantiation: 
3, 66  Transubstantiation set abroach by Damascene: 
3, 67  Transubstantiation brought into England: 
3, 68   

Treasure.  God's wrath a Treasure: 
1, 273   

Trust.  Trust in God, the nature of it: 
1, 258   

Truth.  Truth withheld in unrighteousness: 
1, 126.179  Truth, what: 
1, 127.180  Truth, the subject of it: 
1, 128  Truth, the Author of it: 
1, 130  Truth, the extent of it: 
ibid.  Truth, how it is withheld: 
1, 131  Truth, why men imprison it: 
1, 133  Truth imprisoned, a great sin: 
1, 136  Truth, how withheld: 
1, 165  Truth should rule: 
1, 169  Truth, the danger of restraining it: 
1, 170  Truth, the benefit of giving it liberty: 
1, 171  Truth manifested four ways: 
1, 181  Truth, the heinousness of sins against it: 
1, 184  Truth, to be thankful for it: 
1, 192  Truth, to do nothing against it: 
1, 193  Seven cases of detaining the Truth: 
1, 195  Truth should be communicated to other: 
1, 209  Happiness and misery attend neglect or observing the Truth: 
1, 215  Want of courage for the Truth, shows want of zeal: 
1, 291    

V  

Vain.  GOds Name taken in Vain, how: 
1, 186   

Vanity.  Vanity of man's understanding: 
1, 43   

Violence.  Humbled men take Heaven by Violence: 
1, 16  To take heaven by Violence, what: 
1, 17   

Vnevennesse.  Vnevennesse in the best men: 
2, 131  Vnevennesse in Saints, and others, different: 
2, 132   

Unbelief.  Unbelief keeps from Christ: 
1, 11   

Ungodliness.  See Nature. 
  

Universality.  Universality of the new Creature: 
2, 51   

Union.  Union with Christ, the nearness of it: 
2, 172  Union with Christ, of what moment: 
2, 173  Union with Christ to be increased: 
2, 176  Union with Christ, how increased: 
2, 177  Union with Christ to be sought after: 
2, 185  Union with Christ, the end of the Sacrament: 
3, 5   

Unwearied.  That which is natural is Unwearied: 
2, 111   

Understanding.  Understanding in man corrupted: 
1▪ 43  Understanding, the vanity of it: 
ibid.  Understanding blind: 
1, 44  Understanding unteachable: 
1, 45  Understanding, the incredulity of it: 
ibid.  Understanding the enmity of it: 
1, 46  Understanding wrought on by the Spirit: 
2, 11   

V●teachable.  Understanding of man Vnteachable: 
1, 45   

Unrighteousness.  Wrath revealed against men's Unrighteousness: 
1, 111  See Truth. 
  

Vows.  Vows broken aggravate sin: 
1, 98    

W  

Want.  RIches supply what we Want: 
2, 210   

Weariness.  Weariness in sin, what: 
3, 69   

Whoredom.  Whoredom to be punished: 
1, 295   

Will.  Will, the depravedness of it: 
1, 48  Will, the contrariety of it, to God: 
1, 49  Will, the pride of it: 
1, 50  Will, the inconstancy of it: 
ibid.  Will, the disobedience of it: 
1, 51  Will of God our sanctification: 
2, 19  Will free in men regenerate: 
2, 154  Will of regenerate men, how free: 
2, 167   

Willing.  Willingness to be humbled for sin: 
1, 26  Christ willing to sanctify us: 
2, 31   

Wisdom.  Wisdom of words not to be expected from Ministers: 
2, 162  Transubstantiation against God's Wisdom: 
3, 10   

Wonder.  The world Wonders at the Saints: 
2, 124   

Word.  Words corrupted: 
1, 70  Importance of Words: 
1, 71  Word of God a help against excuses of sin: 
1, 108   

Works.  God's truth manifests his Works: 
1, 182  New works discover a new Creature: 
2, 57  Motives to good Works: 
2, 170  A Christian rich in good Works: 
3, 79   

World.  World is a Christians, how: 
3, 83  See Disgrace. 
  

Wrath.  Wrath of God, how revealed: 
1, 5  Wrath revealed against unrighteousness: 
1, 111  Two things in God's Wrath: 
1, 112  Wrath of God, what: 
1, 114  Wrath of God, the certainty of it: 
1, 112  Wrath of God, the power of it: 
1, 115  Wrath, the suddenness of it: 
1, 116  Wrath, we should be sensible of it: 
1, 119  Wrath provoked by imprisoning the Truth: 
1, 137  Wrath caused by sin: 
1, 271  Wrath increased by our sins: 
1, 273  Wrath, why it is not felt: 
1, 277  Wrath, remedies against it: 
1, 278.283.300    

Z  

Zeal.  ZEale turns away wrath: 
1, 283  Zeal, what: 
1, 285  Zealous men not to be discouraged: 
1, 286  Convictions of want of Zeal: 
1, 288.    
FINIS.   

Errata.  

Part 1.  
PAge 12. line 14. Read one. p. 34. l. 18. r. aside from that. p. 66. l. 17. r. not. p. 74. l. 18. r. and a thing. p. 98. in the margin, r. what. p. 110. l. 20. r. me be cursed. p. 113. l. 29. r. contemn. p. 120. l. 17. r. Saul. p. 131. l. 31. r. john 1.5. p. 231. l. 15. r. condemned. p. 296. l. 23. r. jude.   

Part 2.  
PAge 5. l. 24. r. sent. p. 19 l. 23. r but it is. p. 21. l. 13. blot out to. p. 24. l. 10. r. another. p. 26. l. 8. r. forget. p. 37. l. 24. r. as a grace. p. 68 l. 30. r. hard. p. 75. l. 5. r. which p. 91. l. 18. r. it as. p. 95. l. 3. r. creature. p. 121. l. 25. r. this new nature. p. 124. l. 20. r. wait. p. 136. l. 20. r. third ground. p. 139. l. ult. r. moats. p. 143. l. 17. r. Sun. p. 155. in the margin, r: not. p. 163. l. 14. r. to set the word. p 174. l. 22. r. 1 Cor. 3. ult. p. 195. l. 21. r. such an house. p. 197. l. 27. r. and Lord. p. 205. l. 24. r. slays. p. 211. l. 10. r. God.   

Part 3.  
PAge 41. l. 20. r. may say. p. 44. l. 12. r. your case. p. 72. l. 25. r. goodly. p. 87. l. 15. r. which.