UPon the occa­sion of these words was the illegality of some resorters to the Passeover at this Time, for this solemne Duty having beene long neglected, by occasion of the negligence of former Governors: Ezekiah sends his Messengers not onely [Page 3] into Iuda, but also into Israel, to assemble them, if it were possible, unto this great Solemnity, which was effected with various successe, for in some pla­ces they were entertain'd with scoffs; in others, with great readinesse, to submit themselues unto this Sa­cred ordinance; but the warning being short, and journey long, there were many wanted legal clean­sing; Hezekiah seeing the promptnesse of the peo­ple, and that in the sub­stance of the Duty they had not fayled, puts up this Prayer to Almighty God, in their behalfe.

In which prayer we have these three things to be [Page 4] considered, and under­stood.

1 The substance of it, which was that God would pardon or be mer­cifull.

2 The persons for whom he made it, and they are described two waies.

1 From the preparation of their Soules and in­ward man, they prepared their whole hearts.

2 From the imperfecti­ons of their outward and legall preparations, they were not cleansed accor­ding to the purification of the Sanctuary.

3 The successe and issue that it had, which was the healing of the people, that is, God blessed that ordi­nance [Page 5] of his for the remo­vall of that outward guilt, contracted by those cere­moniall neglects, or other­wise, and for the strength­ning of their Soules in grace and holinesse, and for the curing of their out­ward estate, which lay o­pen at this time to many pressures and calamities on every side. The points of Doctrine might be ma­ny that would hence a­rise, but we doe purpose onely to handle two.

1 That in all the parts Doct. 1 of publicke worship and performances, the Lord especially requires, and expects, the heart bee right; he would have no­thing wanting, but of all [Page 6] the rest hee would not have the heart imperfect, or defective, the good Lord, (saies this good King) be mercifull to eve­ry one that prepareth his whole heart, to seeke the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not clensed, that is, though he bee in other things imperfect & defective, so Solomon, this good Kings prede­cessor, Pro. 4. 23. Keepe thy heart with all diligence, thy foot is not to be neg­lected, Eccle. 5. 1. but to be kept, but not with so much care and circum­spection as the heart, that part must not be wanting what-ever other parts were, and therefore if a­ny [Page 7] were in this defective Hezechiah praies not for them.

1 Because the heart is Reas. 1. that which God himselfe doth most delight in, no duty can be well perfor­med where God himselfe doth not vouchsafe his his presence, & assistance. Heb. 13. 15. By him there­fore let us offer the Sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, by his assistance and gracious presence, but where there is not a heart to receive and entertaine God in, he never will, nor doth afford his presence. Esay. 66. 1, 2. Heaven is my throne and the earth my foot stoole, &c. But to this man will I looke, even to [Page 8] him that is poore, and of a contrite heart, according to that of the Psal. 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, &c.

Though to the eye of men it may seeme a de­spicable and meane a­bode, for such a glorious and excelling Majesty, yet sure it is not so by him accounted, when a great man is to be received into our houses, we are care­full that there be no brea­ches in them, but when the Great and glorious God, is to be received in­to our hearts, he will not stumble at the wounds and breaches.

The heart is that onely Reas. 2 [Page 9] part, whereby God esti­mates, and makes a judge­ment of the whole, hee takes measure of a man by his heart, if that bee sound and upright, he never curi­riously examines other parts; wee commonly are taken with the face and countenance, because wee are not able to looke dee­per; but God regards not that, as being able to de­scend into the secret clo­set of the heart, 1. Sam. 16. 6. 7: And hee looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lords anointed is before him: But the Lord said unto Samuel, Looke not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature, because I have refused him; for the [Page 10] Lord seeth not as man seeth; For man looketh on the out­ward appearance; but the Lord seeth the heart: And accordingly yee have the doome of almost all the Kings of Iudah, according to the goodnesse or bad­nesse of their hearts: 2. Chron. 25. 2. Hee did that which was right in the sight of God, but not with a per­fect heart: And the like is also testified of many other of them.

3. The heart is the har­dest peice to manage and Reason 3. manure; and therefore he that keepes that well in tune, is not likely to bee wanting in the other: if in a Violl, I finde the Treble string in tune; I make no [Page 11] question of the Base that goes not out so easily: Symon magus had compo­sed the other parts, Acts 8. 13. He did believe and was Baptized: but this string was out of tune, the A­postle findes this jarring, ver. 21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this businesse, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God; in his owne sight no question but hee thought it so, but it was not so in Gods sight: And in­deede, the heart is so de­ceitfull, that it will deceive the very owner and pos­sessor of it: like to your Juglers, that will doe a thing before your face, and yet you shall not see him do it, 2. King. Why weepeth [Page 12] my Lord? (saith Hazael) Why (saies the Prophet) for the great evill, that I know thou wilt doe unto the Chil­dren of Israel; their strong holds thou wilt set on fire, &c. And Hazael said, Is thy servant a dogge, that hee should doe this great thing: There were Characters of of cruelty ingraven on his heart, which himselfe had never read, nor beene ac­quainted yet withall, Who knoweth (saith the Apostle) 1. Cor. 2. 11. the things of a man, but the spirit of man that is within him: One would think a man should read his owne hand, yet some do write so bad, that they cannot reade it when they have done and so did [Page 13] Hazael, he had hatcht such cursed thoughts within him, that he could not see unto the utmost terminus and end of them; if a man hath a spot upon his face, hee is warned of it by every body else, be­cause its knowne hee can­not see it, but he may have a thousand spots upon his heart, and neither he, nor no man in the world be­side be able to discover it: he therefore, that hath wel prepared this part, will hardly bee defective in the rest.

4. The heart is the spring Reason 4. and first wheele of all that curious Clocke-worke of the soule; so that if that be but ordered and kept [Page 14] aright, it will direct and order all the rest, and this is the reason that the Holy Ghost is pleased for to give, Prov. 4. 23. Out of it are the issues of life: If a man had a Wel or Foun­taine in his Garden, out of which came all the liquors that he used, he had neede be very diligent to keepe that cleane; if that were poisoned, it would be hard for himselfe long to e­scape,. Now the heart is such a fountaine, Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man be­lieveth to righteousnes, And from within, even out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, &c. Mar. 7. 21. the Gentiles were accounted common & prophane before Christs [Page 15] time, but after their hearts were purified, even Peter himselfe, the Apostle of the Circumcision, durst venture on them, Act. 15. 9. For God put no difference betweene them & the Iewes, after that by faith he had purified their hearts: give me never so bad a man, make but his heart right, and I dare ven­ture to close with him, if ye take out the Serpents sting, hee may bee played with, or otherwise imploi­ed, without either danger, or other inconvenience.

Let us everyone be hence Use. encouraged to examine well, and looke unto our hearts; for if they be any way difordered and out of tune, our actions and per­formances [Page 16] will not be reli­shed: Remember what the Apostle saith Heb. 3. 12. Take heede brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeliefe, to depart from the living God; an unbeleeving and evill heart will evermore bee drawing backe from God, will not come at him by its good will, Mat. 15. 8, 9. They honour mee with their lips, but their hearts are remooved far from me: And what then became of all their worship? why surely it came to nothing, In vaine they worship mee: A hartlesse worship is a worship that God regards not; but if the heart bee framed and prepared as it [Page 17] should be, God lookes not at the many imperfections that may bee found in cir­cumstantiall matters.

But it will be heere de­manded, Question. how one may know when his heart is truely qualified and fitted for a duty?

When he is perswaded Answer 1. of a speciall, and peculiar eye of God upon him in the duty, that God in a speciall manner doth be­hold him, and observe him how hee doth it; he must beleive that God is at his Elbow, Heb. 11. 6. He that commeth to God, must beleive that God is; that is, must have his heart deli­vered from that blindnes, wherein by nature al mens [Page 18] hearts remaine. What was the reason that the Gen­tiles, even in their solemne worship of their Gods, were so abhominable of­tentimes, because their hearts were darke and blinde in spirituall and ce­lestiall matters, Rom. 1. 21. 22. 23. Their foolish hearts were darkned, and then they changed the truth of God in­to a lye, and worshipped the Creature in stead of the Cre­tor, &c. But when the heart is seriously convin­ced that God is present, records and registers all our deportments whatso­ever: it makes us circum­spect and carefull, even those that are otherwise regardlesse of their duties; [Page 19] yet when their masters eie is on them, will consider what they doe: and there­fore the Apostle requires of Christian Servants more, Ephes. 6. 6. Because the Heathen would doe thus much, the very Asse, when shee saw the Angel in the passage behaves her selfe accordingly, Numb. 22. 23: If a man would therefore know, whether his heart be fitted and pre­pared for any duty, let him seriously examine, whe­ther hee is thus perswaded of the speciall eye of God upon him in it.

2. The heart is then pre­pared for a duty and ser­vice unto God, when it is sequestred, and taken off [Page 20] from other things: when the drosse and staine of na­tural selfe-love, and earth­ly mindednesse is gotten out: as we see, men bring not filthy vessels, unwa­shed, and uncleansed to their Masters table. Yee may see, perhaps, an im­pure and filthy vessell in the Kitchin, but upon the Table it is not tollerable: These men that came unto the Passeover, although not washed according to the purification of the Sanctuary; yet were, no question, purged inward­ly: they had, no doubt, a Substantiall, though not a Ceremoniall cleansing, ac­cording to that of the A­postle, 2 Tim. 2. 21. If a [Page 21] man doe therefore purge himselfe from these, he shall be a vessell unto honour, san­ctified, and meete for the Masters use, and prepared unto every good worke. There's none of us would have our meate come up upon a dirty Dish, and much lesse God. When David asked for some ho­ly Shew-bread from the Priests, he tels him with­all, that the vessels of the young men, that were to carry it, were holy 1 Sam. 21. 5. So must our hearts be, when we adventure to draw neere to God: And though we cannot here at­taine a perfect purity, but that corruption will still be mingled with our best per­formances, [Page 22] yet that must be removed, and laid a­side, that kept us back from turning to the Lord: the rubbish of necessity must be removed, that stops the building from going on, 1 Pet. 1. 22, 23. Seeing yee have purified your soules to the obedience of the truth, unto unfeigned love of the brethren, &c. Being borne againe, &c. That is, seeing that original impurity, that blocked up the soule from turning unto God, is done away, the heapes of muck and rubbish, that stood where now the building is erected; for that's done alwayes at the first conver­sion of the soule to God, and never fully doth re­turne.

[Page 23] 3. When it is softned, and fitted to receave im­pressions: when the Cen­turion by much dejection and prostration of his soule to God in secret, had his heart so mollified, that any thing would make a char­racter or Print: Hee tels Peter, He was ready to heare whatsoever God should be pleased for to speake, Act. 10 33. It's not enough that the mettall be refined, and purged from the drosse, that before did cleave unto it: unlesse it likewise be so softned, as that it will ac­commodate it selfe unto the mold, or stampe it shall be cast into: and therefore it's powred into that while it is soft and liquid. So the [Page 24] Apostle Rom. 6. 17. argues They now were truely freed from the dominion and power of their former unregenerate estate, be­cause their Hearts did yeeld unto the stampe that was imprinted on them, [...]. As the mettall then is judged to bee sufficiently continued in the Furnace, when it wil­lingly receives the forme and figure of that which it is cast and poured into. Thus Paul was melted by that Sunne of Righteous­nesse, that shone into his soule when hee was going upon other errands, Acts. 9. 6. And he trembling and astonish'd, saying, Lord, what [Page 25] wilt thou have mee for to doe? as if hee should have said, This fire of thy love hath now so thawed and melted my obdurate, and kicking soule, that it is pre­pared for any mould, to re­ceive what print soever thou shalt bee pleased for to stamp upon it: put mee into whatsoever shape thou wilt, I am now ready for any mold; to be a prea­cher that have been a per­secutor; to suffer my selfe, that have beene the cause of so much suffering to o­thers formerly, and there­fore no marvaile, if the Lord professeth he would looke to such alone, I­saiah 66. 2. because onely such are fitted to bee [Page 26] wrought upon; whereas, unbroken and unmollified spirits submit to nothing, but the word is as water spilt upon the Rocke, that makes no manner of im­pression.

4 The heart is then pre­pared for a duty, when it makes the duty but a bridge to lead him unto God, when it rests not in the deed, but passeth by it, and through it to God: Yee have many very fre­quent in the outward acts of duty, will heare, and pray, and fast, and preach perhaps; yet raise their soules no higher then the outward act alone. Hos. 7. 14. And they have not cry­ed unto mee with their [Page 27] hearts, when they howled up­on their beds: Therefore not with their hearts, be­cause not unto me, or at least, with hearts well qua­lified, and fitted for that holy duty: There were some (it may bee) a­mong these people that came unto the Passeover to please the King, because the King was pleased for to have it so, and so they should, but if they rested there, and went no further, their service would no be accepted, neither were they included in Hezeki­ahs Prayer, for hee onely prayes for them that sought the Lord God of their fathers; not that sought the face of the Ru­ler, [Page 28] or the favour of this godly King, or any other bie and carnall end. So Esa. 55. 6. Seeke the Lord while he may be found. The duty is ordained to draw and to allure the soule to God, no more but an op­portunity that God and men may trade and have commerce with one ano­ther: As Solomon did there­fore build the glorious Temple to the Lord, that he might dwell with men. 2. Chron. 7. 12. But now if any rested in that Tem­ple, and went no higher, he had no interest in any promise that was made unto it, for the condition of the promise was that they should seeke his [Page 29] face. ver. 14. If my people which are called by my name, shall humble them selves and pray, and seeke my face, and turne from their wicked way: Then will I heare from heaven, & wil forgive their sin, and wil heale their Land, if they shall humble themselves, and pray, and seeke my face; but if they prayed never so much, and in their prai­ers had onely respect and aime unto themselves, hee would not heare them, It is a strange expression, of the Prophet, Amos 5. 25. 26. Have yee offered un­to me Sacrifice, and offe­rings in the wildernesse, by the space of forty yeares O ye house of Israel. Why, [Page 30] what did they with the Tabernacle, and all their furniture? but accomo­date their publicke service in the wildernesse; no saies God, Yee did it to your selves; your ends and aimes were carnall, sensu­all and earthly in it, and you had no profit by it, as neither have many now a daies; for want of dispo­sing and preparing of their hearts for God aright. And so wee have done with the first poynt obser­ved from the Text.

Wee are now to come unto the latter part, and reason of this holy mans request, which was there not being cleansed accor­ding to the purification of [Page 31] the Sanctuary, which was a legal barre & lett to stop them from the Passeover, how upright and sincere soever they were: Where­fore he labours by earnest prayer to remoove this barre & great impediment, and the Lord expresseth here his willingnesse to be intreated, for the Lord heard his prayer, and hea­led the people, whence this will follow.

Where there is upright­nes Doct. 2. and sincerity of heart: Infirmities do not exclude from mercy, this is appa­rant in the Text, for hee prayes for mercy and hath it granted, although they were not qualified as God required, and may [Page 32] bee further proved.

From the wisedome Reason 1. of God, who knowes what we can doe, and will expect no more, as a wise parent will not looke for so much from a weake childe, as from a strong, nor from a sicke servant, as from a healthfull; it is his wisedome to consider what we are, and accor­dingly to deale with us; and therefore we may bee sure that he wil not cast us off for our infirmities, but as a Father beares with his Sonne that feares him, though hee spyes many faults in him: Like as a Fa­ther pittieth his children, so the Lord pittieth them that feare him. For hee [Page 33] knoweth our frame, here­membreth that wee are but dust. Psal. 103. 13. 14. So the Lord hath compassion on them that feare him: Why? because he knowes where­of we are made, he remem­breth that we are but dust: So wee see that when the Israelites had so provoked God, that he could scarce hold his hands off them; yet he staied his hand, even then when he was ready to strike. And many times saith the Text Psal. 78. 38. 39. But he being ful of com­passion, forgave their ini­quities, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time tur­ned he his anger away, and did not stirre up his wrath; For he remembred that they [Page 34] were but flesh, and that they were even a wind that pas­seth away, and commeth not againe. He called backe his anger, because he remem­bred they were but flesh. And herein God shewes his wisedome, and wee ours: A wise man lookes for no more of his servant then he is able to doe: but on the contrary, a foolish man expects asmuch from a weaker, as from a stron­ger, and fals presently up­on him if hee does not as much: So wee our selves shew our wisedome in o­ther things; as for exam­ple.

If there were a little Gold, and much drosse mingled together; A wise [Page 35] man will not for the drosse sake cast away the gold, but purifie and trye it: So if we have corne, although there be some cockle in it, yet a wise husband-man will not reject it, but win­nough it, and purge it.

So God being a wise God, doth not cast us off presently for our infirmi­ties, if there be any truth and sincerity in us: And as God is wise, so compassi­onate, and beares with our infirmities.

The Taske-masters wan­ted compassion, and there­fore expected more from the Israelites, then they were able to do: So whilst we were under the Law, there was a burthen laid [Page 36] upon us, which neither wee nor our our fathers could beare; but now if wee bee once undergrace, the Lord doth not lay such loads upon us: But if there bee truth in the heart, he accepts of our en­deavours, although ac­companied with many weaknesses.

A second reason is ta­ken Reas. 2. from the covenant, for so long as a man is in the covenant, his infir­mities cannot cut him off from Gods mercy. Now it is certaine, wee may have many infirmities, and the covenant remaine un­broken: for every sin doth not breake the covenant, but those that untye the [Page 37] marriage knot: As in mar­riage every offence doth not disanull the marriage; but onely the breach of the marriage vow: to wit, adultery: So onely heere those sinnes that breake the covenant, which untie the marriage knot, (as it were) and that is;

First when wee take a­ny 1. new master, and this wee doe when wee let a­ny sinne reigne in our hearts, if we set up any sinne, that commands and rules us; then the covenant is broken, for thou hast chosen a new Master.

Secondly, if we take ano­ther 2. husband, and this we [Page 38] doe, when we make a league with sinne, if wee be in league with any thing in the world, that doth draw our hearts from God, we breake our co­venant in choosing ano­ther husband. But other failings doe not breake the covenant, and whiles it remaines in force, wee have interest in Gods mer­cies, for hee cannot forget his covenant, which if hee should, yet Christ is the Mediator, and would put him in minde of it.

A third reason is drawne Reason 3. from the common con­dition of all the Saints: Take all the Saints that ever lived, and every one of them have had in­firmities: [Page 39] Now if God should be too extreame, to marke our iniquities, (Psal. 130. 3. 4.) who should stand: If God should cast off all that have infirmities, then none should be saved, and then wherfore hath Christ dyed? But saith the Psal­mist; Mercy is with thee, therefore thou art to be fea­red: That is, if God were so severe a master, that he would endure no fai­ling, then he should have no servants: But it is his mercy, that makes him to be feared. And thus we see, that infirmities doe not cut us off from Gods mercy, if wee be sound at the heart; but withall we must remember these two cautions.

[Page 40] First, though infirmities Caution. 1. do not utterly exclude us from the mercies of God; yet they may bring upon us many and sore afflicti­ons; and hinder us of many blessings, & here we must remēber these distinctiōs.

First, there is a voluntary infirmity, which proceeds 1. from our owne wils; & by how much the more, will is in an infirmity, by so much the more God is provoked to anger, and to punish and afflict us.

But there is another infir­mity which ariseth from some impediment which a man would faine remove, but he cannot. As for ex­ample: A man would faine remember all hee hea­reth, [Page 41] but he cannot, because his memory is fraile, and he cannot help it, he would convert many to God, but he cannot, because he hath weak parts. He would faine have such a lust removed, but God doth not please to set his Spirit at liberty, though he do his uttermost endeavour, for that must still be remembred, for if a man saies hee would pray fervently morning & eve­ning, & yet sits still, & doth not set upon the duty and strive to do it; this is the act of the sluggard: So also in other things.

Secondly, there is an in­firmity 2 that ariseth from want of groweth, for there are some Babes in Christ, [Page 42] some buds that are but tender, even as a tree hath some buds, and sprouts as well as branches: And these sucke sappe from the as well as the branches: Now, God beares much with those that are such, and will not presently pu­nish them for their fai­lings, hee will not in this case quench the smoa­king Flaxe; nor breake the bruised Reede: Hee will not put new Wine into old vessels; hee knowes there is much of the old man still in them, and ther­fore wil not enjoyne them to such great duties as they are not able to performe; hee will not put too much on them at the first: Hee [Page 43] mands us not to reject or despise those that are weake, Rom. 14. 13. Let us not therefore judge one ano­ther any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-blocke, or an oc­casion to fall in his brothers way. And sure then, him­selfe will practice that rule that he prescribes to us.

But now there are other infirmities that arise from sicknesse, in those that have beene strong. And through some distempers, are become sicke, and are fallen from their first love, as in the 2 of the Rev. 2. 4, 5. Neverthelesse I have somewhat against thee, be­cause thou hast left thy first love: remember therefore [Page 44] from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and doe thy first workes, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remoove thy Candlestick out of his place, except thou re­pent; Or that arise from some desertion them­selves being then causes of it, by reason of presumpti­on; as in Peter and Heze­kiah: Now in this case, God doth not beare with a man, butwil come against him quickly, and will not stay long, unlesse they re­pent, & do their first works

We must remember, that to some God hath appoin­ted 3. a lesser stature in grace, & to others greater. There are Christians of all sizes, as it were. Now those that [Page 45] are of the least size, they are the weakest, and these are generally weake, that is, they ate weake in their understandings, weake in affections, weake in all; & with these God beares much: As wee may see in the Church of Thyatira, Rev. 2. 24, 25. But unto you I say, & unto the rest of Thy­atira, as many as have not this doctrine, & which have not knowne the dephs of Sa­than, as they speake: I will put upon you none other burthen; but that which you have already, hold fast til I come. There were some that were expert, and o­thers that were weaker: Now for those saith God, that have not this lear­ning, [Page 46] neither have knowne the deepnesse of Satan, I doe not require so much of you, but onely, that you hold fast that which yee have.

Fourthly; but now there is another infirmity, which doth not runne in gene­rall over the whole man, but is some particular in­firmity, which is in a man that is strong, and hath at­tained a greater measure of grace: As a body may be strong, and have some particular weaknesse, and a wall may be strong, yet have some weake parts: so a Christian may have strong lusts: some parti­cular infirmities; as indul­gencies to his Children, [Page 47] or pride, or any other; so then this rule is true; that strong infirmities bring strong afflictions: as wee see it did in Elie, for his indulgency, and so in David, he had strong, and long afflictions, for his strong lusts.

Fifthly, we are to remem­ber, 5. that there is an infir­mity in a man that hee is sensible of, and strives a­gainst it with all his might, and yet cannot get victory over it: God may suffer a man to labour and tugge and yet profit nothing by his paines, but gives him grace which is sufficient for him; hee gives his pardoning grace, though not his prevailing grace, [Page 48] 2 Cor. 12. 9. In this case God will beare much, though he cannot get the victory, yet he may get pardon.

Sixthly, but there is ano­ther infirmity, that befals 6. us in peace and prosperity; that wee are not sensible of, but are as it were in a sleepe and forget our selves, and so let some in­firmity steale uppon us; and in this case, though it will not quite cut us off from Gods mercy, yet it will bring some great affli­ction upon us, whereby God doth waken us, and bring us unto our selves a­gaine: So he dealt with Hezekiah, no sooner was he settled in peace and prosperity, but presently [Page 49] he forgets himselfe, suffers pride to steal in upon him, for which we know how the Lord awaked him, So David Psal. 30. when he was in prosperity thought he should never be moved; but then God hides his face, and makes him looke about him, therefore wee must remember this cau­tion:

That though infirmities doe not cut us off from Gods mercies, yet if vo­luntary infirmities in w ^ch our will hath a hand, if such as are not from weak­nesse, and want of growth, but from sicknesse, if they be some particular weaknes in a strong chri­stian, if they steale upon [Page 50] us by our owne sloath, and we are not aware, nor sen­sible of them, then they will bring upon us some great crosse and affliction, and hinder us of some great blessings.

The second Caution is, Caution 2. that yee take heede, that yee doe not mistake those infirmities that proceede from the regenerate part, for those sinnes that pro­ceed from the ungenerate: For these latter are rebel­lions, not infirmities, they are wickednesses, not weaknesses, and therefore, we must beware, that we do not mistake the one for the other.

To this purpose, it will bee needfull to know [Page 51] what an infirmity is, and this we may doe by the contrary, if wee consi­der what strength is.

Now for this wee must know, that there is a two­fold strength.

First, a naturall strength. 1.

Secondly, a supernatu­rall. 2.

First, a naturall strength is that, by which we per­forme the worke of na­ture; this in it selfe, is nei­ther pleasing nor displea­sing to God; but as a Cy­pher, when it stands by it selfe is nothing, but a fi­gure being set before it, it encreaseth the summe: so this naturall strength nei­ther pleaseth God nor dis­pleaseth, but as it is in a [Page 52] regenerate man, or unre­generate man, so it helps, or hurts.

Secondly, there is a su­pernaturall 2. strength, by which wee are enabled to doe more than Nature could helpe us to, and this is either for evill, or good things. First, there is a supernaturall strength 1. that tends to evill, when as to the naturall, Sathan addes a supernaturall, to enable men to evill: such a strength have they who dyed for Tur­cisme, and the like; who kill Kings, &c. see how the Apostle sets out this, 2 Thes. 2. 9, 10.

Such a strength have they that write & dispute [Page 53] against the truth, they have the strength of mad men, which we say, are three men strong: So like­wise there is a super-natu­rall weaknes, when to na­turall imbecillity there is a superadded weaknesse, in the 8 of Luke. 12, there we see that the first groūd forgat the Word: why? through weaknesse only? No; but Satan he helps on: he comes, & takes away the word, &c. And so we read of a more than naturall un­aptnesse to receive the Go­spell, 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. The divel he puts to his hand, he blinds their eyes, that the light of the Gospell should not shine to them: He helps forward the naturall weakenesse.

[Page 54] Secondly, there is a su­pernaturall strength to doe good, as Christ bad his Disciples to stay at Jerusa­lem, till they were endued with strength from above, Luke. 24. 49. because they were to enter upon a great worke, above naturall strength: to wit, to preach the Gospel; therefore they had neede have strength a­bove nature, because they were to preach the Gos­pell. This supernaturall strength wee may know by this; it will enable us to doe more then nature can, it over-flies the reach of nature, or mortality our common grace: Nature can doe as much as lyes in her power, or as is her [Page 55] worke: but there are some things which Nature, though never so well re­fined, can never reach un­to. As Iron can doe as much as is in Iron, if it bee made bright and fit for those severall uses it serves unto; but if you would have this Iron to turne to the North it cannot doe it, till it bee touched with the Load-stone, and hath a higher quality ad­ded to it. So take the pu­rest water, and it can doe what is in the power of water; it can moisten, coole, descend, or the like: But if you would have wa­ter to heate, to ascend, it must be by a supernaturall power, and by a super­added [Page 56] vertue. And so take nature, and let it be refi­ned, with more vertues, and common graces, and it can doe as much as is in nature. But if you would have it love God, or some such higher worke, it cannot doe it; The wa­ter riseth no higher than the spring from whence it came: So naturall men can ascend no high­er then nature, and there­fore for workes of a high­er reach, there must be strength from above to performe them.

But what are those things Question. which nature cannot su­perficially enable a man to doe?

Take the best of the Answ. [Page 57] heathen, or the best natu­rall man, and meere na­ture cannot enable him to do these things following.

First, it cannot bring him 1. to this, to preferre God be­fore himselfe upon this perswasion, that his wel­being doth depend more on God, than on him­selfe.

Secondly, it cannot en­able 2. a man to see sinne, as the greatest evill in the world, and so to hate it; and to looke upon Christ as the greatest good in the world, and so to embrace him.

Thirdly, nature cannot 3. make a mā resolute, not to part with Christ upon any tearmes, but willing rather [Page 58] to beare the greatest perse­cutions on the one side, and to refuse the greatest offers on the other side, then to part with his Christ.

Fourthly, nature cannot 4. make a man to love God, for this is a distinguishing property of a godly man, and so are all the other affections; now a naturall man cannot hate sinne, can­not grieve for wickednes, as abhomination to God: Take this for a rule, that howsoever naturall men may know much, and doe much, yet they have no spirituall affection; they have no spirituall love, hatred, griefe, or joy.

A fifth thing which na­ture 5. [Page 59] cannot do, and which this supernaturall strength doth, is this, it overcomes and subdues the lustings of our owne spirits, and that, not by restraint; but putting in it a contrary lu­sting; the spirit lusts against the flesh; this supernatu­rall strength of the spi­rit, it hemmes us about, it comprehends and keepes us: Acts 20. 22. Behold, I goe bound in the Spirit (saith St. Paul) to Ierusa­lem: When a mans owne spirit would fall loose, this supernaturall strength staies and strengthens it; when God leaves any of the Saints to nakednesse & emptinesse of his owne spirit, hee becomes as [Page 60] another man, as it was said of Sampson, they become weake as water, as we see in Elias, David, and Pe­ter. But when this super­naturall strength is within us, it sits at the sterne, and guids us, and carries us through all. Now then if thou findest that thou hast any strength in thee more than natural, though it be but a little, all thy infirmities shall not ex­clude thee from the mer­cies of God in Christ.

Is it so? be not then dis­couraged for any thy infir­mities, Vse. but come boldly to the throne of grace: it is a great fault in christians, if because of such, or such an infirmity they be kept [Page 61] from the thron of grace, or weaken their assurance. It Iob. 27. 5. 6. was the commendation of Iob, who (notwithstanding all his infirmities) would not let go his righteousnes

Looke upon Asa, his in­firmities were many, as to imprisone the Prophet: to trust to the Phisitian, more then God, &c. Yet because there was an uprightnesse of heart, see what testi­mony the Lord gives of him in the 2. Chron. 14. 2. the like in Iehoshaphat. So David had many foule infirmities, yet be­cause sound at the heart, God calls him a man af­ter his owne heart. So Saraah notwithstanding her infirmities, is com­mended [Page 62] as a paterne to wives. 1. Pet. 3. 6. Rahab, her infirmities are pas­ed over, and she commen­ded for her faith and good workes: Iames 2. Heb. 11. and therefore (notwith­standing our infirmities) let us trust perfectly in the grace of Jesus Christ, and if wee see they doe a­bound, let us lay the more on Christ, as needing his helpe the more.

The second use, is, from the first Caution: seeing Use 2. infirmities, though they doe not cut us off from Gods mercy, yet they may bring upon us many troubles; therefore let us take heed of them; it is not a smal matter to be subject [Page 63] to infirmities: so it was but an infirmity in Rebeckah & Iakob to compasse the bles­sing by indirect meanes.

But consider what it cost him, a great deale of griefe and paine: And see how deare Davids infir­mities did cost him: So Moses, when he distrusted God, God would not suf­fer him to goe into the Land of Canaan; these were all great afflictions, which their infirmities brought upō them, though they did not cast them out of Gods favour, there­fore if wee would avoyde such troubles, let us be­ware of living under infir­mities.

The third use, is from Vse 3. [Page 64] the second Caut on, that we do not mistake rebelliō & wickednes for infirmities and weaknes. Now seeing we may easily bee decei­ved, let us try & examine our selves narrowly; for it is the use of men to shroud themselves under infirmi­ties, they say, their meaning is good, &c. But its their in­firmity. And on the other side many are upright in heart, & because they have infirmities, they think they have no grace, & therfore we had need to judge both with righteousjudgement.

Now to helpe you in your tryal, consider, first what an infirmity is: Se­condly the signes of it.

First, an infirmity is [Page 65] such a weaknesse, as when the heart is upright, yet by reason of some impe­diment it cannot doe that good it would: and doth the evill it wouldnot. So that there must, be first up­rightnesse of heart, else it is not an infirmity, but ini­quity, the heart must be perfect with God in all things, there must be a pur­pose to please God in all.

Secondly the reason, that 2. it cannot doe so, is from some impedimēt that hin­ders: and this ariseth from the rebellion of his flesh, which leads him captive, makes him omit the good that he would doe, & doe the evill he would not.

But now secondly to [Page 66] come to the notes and cha­racters: For a carnall man and a godly man, both bee guilty of one and the same infirmities, as to have their hearts wandring in prayer, in reading, and to idle­nesse in their calling, &c. Yet these may be wicked­nesse in the one, but weak­nes in the other, and ther­fore to know this, consi­der these signes.

First, if it be an infirmi­ty, Signe. it continues not, but as­saults thee by fits, and starts, and so away; and af­terwards thou wilt returne to thy former course: As a stone that is throwne up, it flyes as long as the force of the hand that threw it remaines; but after it takes [Page 67] its owne course againe: But if it continue upon thee, it is signe that it is naturall to thee: As a stone, it rests on the earth, because it is the naturall place of it: my meaning is not, but that an infirmity may as­sault a man all his life, for so some may, as we shall shew afterwards; But I say, it comes by fits, and so is gone. This we see in Da­vid, in Peter, and the rest of the Saints, that their in­firmities continued not so, but that afterwards they returned to their course a­gaine.

Secondly when a man 2 amends not upon admo­nition, it is a signe it is not an infirmity, if a man in­tends [Page 68] to goe to such a place, and one should meete him, and tell him, this is not the way, and direct him into the right way, he would thanke him, and returne into the right way, because that is the way hee inten­ded to goe. So if your faces be set towards Ieru salem, and one should tell you, here you went out of the way, he would bee glad of it, and re­turne.

So it was with David, when hee would have slaine Nabal in a passion, & Abigal met him, and stay­ed him: oh how thankfull he was to God, and her! it was a signe it was but an [Page 69] infirmity: and so in the case of Vriah, when Na­than told him, hee was in the wrong: Prov. 25. 12. He that reproveth the wise and obedient, it is as a gol­den eare ring, or as an orna­ment of gold, saith Salomon, that is, hee whose heart is upright, whose intent is to grow rich in grace, hee ac­counts of those that re­prove him, as of goldē or­naments: But if a man af­ter admonitiō & reproofe will take his owne course, it is a signe of his wicked­nesse, and not infirmity.

Againe thirdly, a sinne of infirmity is alwayes 3. with griefe and sorrow of heart for that weakenesse: now what is griefe, but the [Page 70] endeavour and strife of the will, when a man cannot attaine to that he would, or would shun something he cannot avoyd, then hee is grieved and pained: As it is in the body; all the griefe there, is, when a part or member cannot performe its office or fun­ction there: So in the soule when it would faine doe such a thing, when the de­sire of the minde is set on such, or such an object, and it cannot attaine it; then followes griefe: so here, when the heart is drawne up to please God in all things, and some­thing comes in the way that it cannot, & therefore it is grieved, and therefore [Page 71] in the 2. Cor. 10. 11. the Apostle makes this sor­row, a ground of their up­rightnesse, & it is certaine, where this griefe is not mingled, it is no infirmity.

Every sinne of infirmi­ty, 4. produceth a hearty complaint, and an earnest desire, and a serious endea­vour to have it cured, for every infirmity in a body, that is quickned, that hath some life in it, and so is sen­sible of it. As in a disease, that a man is sensible of, he tels his friends, or any o­ther, that hee is in compa­ny with, of it, to see if they can helpe him, if they can­not he complaines to the Physitian, and goes to him to have it cured: so in an [Page 72] infirmity or sicknesse of the soul; an upright heart, complains to his christian friends, I have such an in­firmity, what shall I doe to cure it? if they cannot help him, he runnes to him that hath the balme of Gilead, to Iesus Christ to have it cured, the 2. Cor. 12. 8. 9. this was so in St. Paul, he praied three times that it might be removed, he doth not onely complaine as in the 7th of the Rom. 24. and desire that it may be healed, as in the fore­named place, where he praies against it, but to this he addes, a serious endea­vour, 1. Cor. 26. 27. he beats downe his body, &c. that is, he used all good meanes [Page 73] for the overcomming of this infirmity: and where this complaint, desire, and endeavour is wanting, it is a signe it is not a mans in­firmity, but iniquity.

Fiftly, if thy sinne be a 5 Signe. sin of infirmity, thou shalt finde in thy selfe a conti­nuall reluctancy, and strife against it: for as there is in thee a body of sinne; so al­so a body of grace, which being contrary to the o­ther, will not suffer thee to be at quiet, the Spirit will be against the flesh, as well as the flesh against the spirit: and as the flesh will not suffer thee to doe a good duty without resi­sting, and interrupting thee; so neither will the [Page 74] spirit suffer thee to sinne without striving against, and opposing it.

But if thou canst sitt downe, and let it rest without striving against it, it is no infirmity, but rebel lion, therfore try thy selfe by these signes.

But others besides true Christians are able to doe Objection 1. this; for take an unregene­rate man, and he wil make the same plea for him­selfe, that it is but his in­firmity: Indeed hee is o­vertaken sometimes, but it continues not; and when hee is admonished or re­prooved, hee findes his heart yeel to it, and he grieves, and is sorry for it, hee complaines of it, [Page 75] and seekes to helpe it, and strives against it, and ther­fore these are not sure signes to distinguish him from another.

I answer, that there is Answ. something in an unrege­nerate man which is much like, and comes very neare to that in the regenerate man, he may doe much by that light he hath, but yet there is a broad difference betweene them: for the regenerate man hath ano­ther object about which he is conversant, he hath a new light put into his heart, he is renued in the spirit of his mind, and he hath the Law written in his heart, 2. Cor. 3. 3. Heb. 8. 10. That is, all the spiri­tuall [Page 76] duties that are writ­ten in the Law: and hee hath something in his heart that answers to what is in the Law, as tally an­swers to tally; or as that fashion in the lead, to that in the mold; or as in a seale character answers to cha racter, impression to im­pression, so that which is in the Seale, the same is in the waxe: So whatsoe­ver is in the Law of righ­teousness, if you could see that which is written in the heart by Iesus Christ, you should see character for character, print for print; and so, that if there were not a written Law, hee would be a law unto himselfe to obey God, [Page 77] performe duties accor­ding to the Law written in his heart: Now when it stands thus with a man, and something, some im­pediment comes in the way, that he cannot serve God as he would, the law of his members rebelling against the law of his minde, then this troubles and grieves him, this hee complaines of, and strives against, and labours to have it mended.

But now a naturall man, Difference. hath not the law thus written in his heart, he hath all things revealed to him within his sphaere, to wit of nature, he ascends no higher: and although he hath good purposes [Page 78] and meanings, and grieves and complaines, yet all this is for sinnes commit­ted against common light, against naturall consci­ence, against the secōd ta­ble. Now this is in a lower sphaere, they are sorry, but not godly sorrowful, they cannot grieve for omission of spirituall duties, requi­red in the first table, and so wee see they are not pitcht on the same objects which makes a greater difference. Now for the further and fuller clearing of this point, we will an­swere some questions or cases.

First, suppose I have striven long against such a Quest. 1 lust, and done what I can, [Page 79] and yet cannot prevaile against it, shall I say that this is an infirmity?

To this I answer, first, Ans. that we may be, and are often deceived in this, when we have striven long against it (yet wee grow worse) and that the in­firmity gets ground of us; for an infirmity may ap­peare to get strength, when as it looseth it. As when we cleanse a pond, it appeares more muddie then it was before, though in trueth it loseth mud more and more. Every contrary, the more it is re­sisted, the more it appears; as fire the more cold is a­bout it, the hotter it is: so an infirmity, the more it is [Page 80] resisted with the contrary grace, the more it appears to prevaile, though in trueth it loseth ground and strength.

And therefore second­ly I give this rule, that 2. though you have striven, yet you must not leave off, but continue your striving still, and yet be content with Gods hand in suffe­ring such an infirmity in you: for there is a double contentment; first, that which is opposed to mur­muring against Gods hand, and impatiency, and so we must be content to suffer an infirmity on us: we must not repine at Gods proceedings.

Secondly, such a con­tentment, [Page 81] as is opposed to striving against the infir­mity, and so we must not be content to suffer it on us, but must strive con­stantly against it: As in a naturall disease wee are to labour to have it cured: but if God will have it lie upon us, we must be con­tent: So here wee should continually strive against our infirmities; but if God see good to let it rest upon us, wee must be content with his hand: for God doth it that wee might have something to hum­ble us, and Humility is the Nurse of grace, without which all grace would wither and decay.

And againe, the power [Page 82] of God rests and dwells in an upright heart, and that must have an empty place; and humility makes roome for this, when the power of God dwels in us, when it beginnes to settle in a mans heart: if he now begin to grow up in conceit of himselfe, this expells the power of God, and crouds it out: And therefore God would have something to be in us, to keepe us in an hum­ble condition. It is with us as with Paul, when hee looked on his infirmity; at the first he was impati­ent, would have no deni­all at Gods hand, but have it removed; hee prayed thrice, that is, often, to [Page 83] this purpose. But when he saw it was a medicine, which he thought a poy­son, that it served to hum­ble him, & by that meanes the power of God dwelt in him, then he was con­tent, and so should we.

Againe thirdly, I an­swere, 3 Ans. suppose you doe not get victorie over your infirmity, and you be no better then you were be­fore, nay lose ground of it, yet strive still, for this strife makes you hold head against it, which o­therwise you would not do: for if when you strive, you doe but keepe your ground, or lose somewhat, then what would become of you, if you did not strive [Page 84] at all, should you not goe quite downe the streame, and lose all? yes certainely.

As a man that rowes against the streame, so long as he rowes, he doe some good, loseth some ground, and getteth some; but if he leaves rowing, he goes quite downe the streame. And as a man may keepe the field a­gainst his enemie, though he doe not conquer him, yea though he loseth ground; yet it is one thing to keepe the field, and another thing to bee beaten out, and over­come; now this conti­nuall striving, makes a man to keepe the field, [Page 85] against his infirmity, and not to be overcome, and therefore its worth the while to continue stri­ving.

Lastly, I say, that 4. Ans. though a man is sure of victory, and that his cause is never so good, and that he goes on a good ground, yet GOD may in his wisedome so dispose of the matter, that hee may lose the victorie for a time, as wee see the Israelites, in a good cause were foiled twice by the Ben­iamites; and so the Dis­ciples of CHRIST that were sent on his businesse to fish, they fished all night in vaine. And so [Page 86] Moses though he went on Gods errand, yet he pre­vailed not a good while, but the people were op­pressed more than before, Exod. 5.

And so Paul though he was called to goe to Macedonia, yet see in the storie what a many letts he had, yet af­terwards he planted a Church there; so when wee strive against any sinnefull lust, our cause is good, and wee have a certaine promise, that wee shall overcome, e­ven as certaine a pro­mise as Iosuah had, that he should drive out the Canaanites, and overcome them, when the Lord en­couraged [Page 87] him, saying, I will not faile thee nor forsake thee. So sure a promise have wee, in the 1. Luke 74. wee shall be delivered from all our enemies, that so wee might serve God in holines: & therfore be not discou­raged, though thy infir­mitie hang long upon thee, but strive against it, and in the end thou shalt get the victory.

A second question is, Quest. 2. whether an infirmitie may hang on a man all his life, or no; for some men may say, I have had a sinne which haunted mee all my life hitherto, and may doe till my dy­ing day for ought as I [Page 88] doe know, and shall I then say this is an infirmity?

In this case wee must Ans. distinguish of infirmities, for infirmities are either occasionall, which are occasioned by some other accident, or habituall, w ^ch stay longer by a man, and these are either naturall to us, and so proceed either from our parents, and so are hereditarie to us, even as some diseases are; and so wee are subject to the very same infirmi­ties, that our parents are: else they are such, as a­rise from the temper of our owne bodies.

Such as proceed from our naturall complexion, [...] [Page 89] or else such as proceed from custome, which is a­nother nature, now I say that occasionall infirmi­ties such as arise from without, as such as come from Sathan, these conti­nue but for a fit, and doe not last all a mans life, God doth usually set Sa­than a limited time, hee may give him liberty to tempt a man, but hee sets him his bounds, thus long he must doe it, and no longer, usually I say God doth thus; For he may suffer him to doe it longer, but seldome all a mans life. But now for our naturall heredita­rie infirmities these may and doe oftentimes conti­nue [Page 90] for tearme of life: for they have a roote in us. Now though you doe loppe off the bran­ches, yet the roote will send forth more againe: I doe not say, that they so prevaile, as that they reigne in a man; for Grace will continually get ground against it: but it may remaine in a man so long as hee lives, and GOD hath a good end in it; for he would glorifie his Sonne in us, not onely at our first conversion, but all our life after, he would make us depend on CHRIST alwayes, as well for Sanctification as for Justi­fication: he would make [Page 91] us see what neede wee have of a dayly Medi­atour, and therefore leaves dayly infirmities in our nature to exercise us with, and to cause us to looke up to Christ, as the Brazen Serpent was lift up amongst the Israe­lites.

Another case may be Quest. 3. this, whether a sin against knowledge, and with de­liberation may be said to be a sin of infirmity, or no?

To this I answer, that Answ. a sinne committed simply with deliberation, cannot be an infirmity: that is, let a man be ever himselfe, without let or impedi­ment, let him be his owne man, let the eye of his [Page 92] understanding be as when the Sunne shines, and dis­pell the mists, so that it may see all before it, and let his will and affections walke at liberty: and in this case a good man can­not sinne deliberately. See the ground of this, Romans the seventh, and the seventeenth vers. If I commit sinne, it is no more I, but sinne that dwelleth in me: That is, when I am my selfe, my owne man, not bound up with any lust, I thus doe not sinne, it is not I: But in this case, which is the usu­all and indeed all the case of Christians, namely, when any passion orinor­dinate affection, or strong [Page 93] distemper doth either blind the eye of reason, or tye up his affection, so that hee is not at liberty, then I may commit a sin, having long deliberated on it. There may be such distemper of affection as may continue long, and though it doe not wholly blind Reason, yet it blinds most of it. And this was the case of Da­vid in numbring the people, he deliberated on it: Ioab tells him the truth, and reasoned the case with him, and yet hee did it: and so we know in mur­dering Vriah, it was con­sulted on, and a deliberate actiō, but there was much passion mingled with it: [Page 94] David was not himselfe, there was some strong af­fection that did binde and tie up the use of the re­generate part, as in drun­kennesse, that excesse bindes up for a time the use of reason, so that hee could not walke in the li­berty of his spirit, and therefore it was his infir­mity: wee may see that passion overcame David for the time, by his com ming out of these sinnes: For when after hee came to himselfe, and saw the greatnesse of it; as usual­ly when a sinne is com­mitted, (and not before) then we see the grievous­nesse of it; so then David confessed hee had sinned, [Page 95] and done very foolishly.

So a Christian may fall into a course of world­ly mindednesse, or the like, and this lust may hang upon a man, and yet be a sinne of infirmity, [...] when a man is himselfe hee sees it, and repents it.

Secondly, I answer, that in this deliberation, Answ. 2. which is mingled with passion, there is a double error; namely, when a man erres either about the ultimate and last end, or when hee erres onely in the meanes. Now a regenerate man hath set up God for his last end, whom he must never for­sake, nor part with for all [Page 96] the world, but in some particular thing hee may erre: As when he thinkes he may doe such a thing, and yet keepe his God still, or else hee may get pardon of sinne quickly, or else minceth his sinne with distinctions, &c. and so may commit a sin deli­berately: For this is a true rule, that any sin is a sinne of infirmity, so long as we doe not erre about the last end, though in some particular wee are out, concerning the means and way to it.

But now an unregene­rate man, hee deliberates after this manner; I would have God for my God; I would not bee without [Page 97] God in the world, but there is such a pleasure, such a profit, which I must needs have, and rather than hee will lose it, hee will part with God, thus hee makes pleasure his ut­termost end. A man loves his life, and loves the use of his members; as of his hand, his arme, or his legge, &c. But he had ra­ther lose his hand or any of his members, than his life. So a wicked man covers his pleasure more than his life, hee cannot live if he have it not; and God hee esteemes but as one of his members, which hee would not wil­lingly want: But a Chri­stian hath God for his [Page 98] chiefe end, and never sins with deliberation, about this end, he wil not forget God upon any termes, but may erre in the way, thin­king hee may fulfill such a lust, and keepe God too.

Another question is, whether a Regenerate Question 4. man may not fall into some presumptuous sins, and so commit a sinne that is not of infirmity?

For answer to this, wee Answ. 1. must know, that a pre­sumptuous sin is of two sorts: First a sinne that is simply presumptuous, when wee know such a thing to be sinfull, and yet presuming on Gods mer­cy, we will doe it; I say [Page 99] thus a godly man cannot sin presumptuously.

But there is a sin that is 2. comparatively presump­tuous; to wit, in compari­son of our other sinnes, which wee commit with more reluctancy, with more tendernesse of con­science: but some others we commit more against knowledge, and are more our selves when wee doe them; these are compara­tively presumptuous sins, and a godly man may sometime commit them: As we see it was Davids case in the matter of Vri­ah, when hee plotted his death.

I HAVE made choice of these words for the Affinity they have with that Text, whereof we have so late­ly spoken in this place, that out of this Text wee might prosecute the point already entred upon by occasion of the prayer of that good King in the for­mer [Page 103] Text: for Christ is heere brought in shewing Judgment to the Gentiles, and doing it in a meeke and tender manner, as ver. 18. 19. which manner is heere illustrated by the consideration of the per­sons, to whom this Judge­ment was declared or shewed, who are here ex­pressed under the simili­tudes of a bruised reed and smoaking flaxe.

A reed the weakest plant, that is, not a strong tree; yet this a broken one, none of the stron­gest: So Flaxe, that takes the fire a great deale soo­ner than a Reed will, espe­cially if it be dry, and have hung neere the fire, but [Page 104] most of all, if it be alrea­dy smoaking, the least sparke will doe that, yet Christ will not quench that little sparke.

Then he shews the issue of this teaching, till he bring forth iudgement in­to victory: that is, untill that little sparke have got the mastery, or that hee may &c. and so it is a rea­son of his tender dealing; because otherwise, is roughly dealt withall, it never would prevaile As a little coale, if it bee hard blowne, is soone extin­guished, but if nourished, and gently dealt with, in­creaseth to a mighty flame: So the least grace, though as weake as a brui­sed [Page 105] crushed reed, or as small as aspark of fire, that onely makes the flaxe to smoake, yet if cherished by Christ, it will increase, & come at last to victory; so that in these verses yee have foure things.

First, the Office of our Saviour Iesus Christ, which is, to teach men Judge­ment.

Secondly, the manner how he doth it, namely, with tendernesse and meekenesse.

Thirdly, the persons, namely, such as are very weake in grace and holi­nesse.

Fourthly, the issue, namely, that He will bring forth Iudgmēt into victory. [Page 106] For the first and second of these.

The office (I say) of Doct. 1 Christ, is to teach men judgement, and this he doth with much tender­nesse, compassion, and gentlenes: for the former part, that Christs office, is to shew men judgement.

First, to teach men the just and righteous 1 waies of God, so the word is taken in the old testa­ment. to enlighten men to judge of the waies of God. There be two ends why Christ came; first, to justify, and secondly, sanc­tifie us, to give us forgive­nesse of sinnes, 3. Act. last, 5. Act. 31. therefore Christ is often compared [Page 107] to a shepherd, in the 10 ^th of St. Iohn, (and many other places) that feeds his flocke, and he is also called Iobn 1. 9. the true light, which lighteneth the world, & every man that co­meth into the world (that is) if Christ had not come into the world, there would not have been one sparke of GODS image left in man, neither Adam, nor his posterity should have knowne any thing, but a cloud of darkenesse should have seized on mens minds. But now by Christs comming every one, even the wicked have this benefit, that they have seen common light: Christ lightens eve­ry [Page 108] one that commeth into the world, in some sort teacheth them so much as shal make thē inexcusable

It is his office to teach 2 men, and he doth it in the next place, with much gentlenes and tendernes: this we will easily grant, if we consider who it is that teacheth, and who we are that are taught, a rude peo­ple so hard to conceive, so ready to forget, therefore he had neede have much gētlenes. We say whē one quickly conceives a thing, and then goes to teach it, to another that cannot ap­prel end it, it will weary him, if hee bee not very meeke. An angry man when he findes any impe­diment, [Page 109] he flies on the face of it presently, and a proud man, he will not beare so much, nor waite so long. But now Christ is meeke, and thinks not much to waite from day to day, to drop in heere a line and there a line, here a little and there a little: he teacheth with much meeknesse; the reason is in the verse before, Christ deales with us according to his nature and dispositi­on. Now as it is said be­fore, he shall not strive nor cry; when the Phari­sees would have killed him, rather than he would strive with them, he de­parted, yeelding to them, went his wayes from [Page 110] them. And againe it is said, neither shall his voice be heard in the streets, al­luding to an action of his, when he had wrought a great work, he bad them not utter the matter: he came not with Pomp, and majesty, as great men, that cannot come into a place, but the towne must ring of them; hee deterres no man by his greatnes, from comming unto him, but was of an humble and meeke disposition. And according as his na­ture was, so dealt he with us, teaching us with much tendernesse, and meek­nesse: then there is no rea­son, why wee should bee discouraged for any of [Page 111] our infirmities, for Christ will beare with them. If he were not God, and man, that is, if he were not patient in an infinite manner, he could not beare with us: but he is in­finitely patient, therefore be not discouraged, in E­zekiel 34. 16. ver. he com­pares himselfe to a shep­herd, and (saith he) I will seeke that which was lost, & bring againe that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was bro­ken, and will strengthen the weak: where we see, there be foure causes of weak­nesse. Causes. 4

First, men are apt to strag­gle 1 out of the way through vanity and weaknesse of [Page 112] their owne spirits. Now when a man doth so wea­ken and lose himselfe through his owne folly; then Christ seeks him, and will not suffer him to be utterly lost.

David wandred as well as Saul, but God sought David againe, and would not lose him: therefore wee see, that David de­lights to use this Meta­phor in Psal. 119. 176.

Againe a temptation may come on a man which is too strong for him, and drive him out of the way, as sheepe when theeves come, are driven out of the fold, whither else they would not have gone: these Christ promi­seth [Page 113] to bring back againe: as David recovered the sheepe, out of the paw of the Lion and Beare, so Christ will recover his children that were carried away with such strong temptations.

Againe, suppose there be some wound made in the soule, by some actuall sinne, if there bee some breach made into the conscience, Christ pro­miseth in the next place to make up this breach, that he will binde up that which was broken: a man may complaine that hee is weake and ready to straggle, as before: there­fore Christ promiseth to strengthen that which is [Page 114] weake, that is, he wil lead them on to a greater mea­sure of strength dayly, whereby they shall bee able to get victory over such infirmities: Isaiah 40. 11. Hee shall feede his flocke like a shepheard, hee shall gather the Lambes with his arme, and shall carry them in his bosome, and shal guide them with young: Here wee see, that in the fold of Christ there is this difference of sheepe.

Some are strong that can goe apace, some are weaker, that cannot keepe pace with the other, and they are compared to the Ewes with yong, that can goe but a slow pace: Some are so weake, that they [Page 115] must be carried, else they cannot goe. Now those that are so weake that they cannot comprehend Christ, hee is ready to comprehend them: when men are weake, and have not that use of their faith which others have to lay hold on Christ; Christ will take hold on them, and carry them in his bo­some, and those that are weake and cannot keepe pace with others, hee wil guide them, and drive them on, according to their pace, and hee will drive on the strong accor­ding to their strength, and though hee beare with the weake, hee expects more from the strong: [Page 116] See how Iacob ordered his flocke in that manner that he would not out-drive them, and shall not God doe so also, who hath taught the husbandman this discretion, Isaiah 28. use it himselfe? surely he will: in the 1. of St. Iam. ver. 5. If any man lacke wisedome, let him aske it of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth none, and it shall bee given unto him: that is, you shall finde this difference betweene God and man.

If one be foolish, and goes to man; man is ready to despise him, and laugh at him: but if hee aske wisedome at Gods hands, he gives it to him liberal­ly, [Page 117] and twits him not with his folly; upbraides him not with his weaknesse: looke how a tender mo­ther deals with her child, the more its weaknesse is, the more tender she is of it; so doth Christ guide us according to our weak­nesse, and tender us the more, because wee are meeke and humble: and therefore wee have no cause to bee discouraged, for that weaknesse which we finde in our selves. Wee are indeede excee­ding backward to beleeve this, and therefore see whats added: Ezek. 34. 16. He saith he will feede them with judgement: That is, with wisdome and discre­tion: [Page 118] for hee is wise, and knows how to feed thē, according to their weak capacities, and so his Wisedome may bee a ground that he will tender us.

Againe, his power may shew that he will doe this with us, because hee is able to make crooked things streight: If a man meete with a crooked piece of wood, which he would streighten for his use, and cannot; hee throwes it away, because he cannot make it streight. Men if they are to deale with a Scholler that is hard to learne, they give him over, because hee is uncapable; they cannot [Page 119] make him conceive instru­ctions. But Christ is able to make crooked wayes streight, to quicken those that are dull, to put new natures into us; and there­fore hee will not deale so harshly with us.

Againe, if there be any grace in us, it is his owne worke, and therefore it is for his credit to perfect it. 1 Thess. 5. 24 vers. Phil. 1. 6. hee should not be faith­full else, if he should not doe it; but he will doe it: as a worke-man loves his owne workes, and will not leave them unperfect, so neither will Christ. A­gaine, it is his Fathers will, that those who are weake should be cherished, his [Page 120] delight is still in leading them from one degree of strength to another; for his power is more seene in them and he hath more thankes from them, as he had from Mary Magdalen.

But some will say, oh Obiect. but my heart is so unto­ward, that I feare I ne­ver shall overcome?

Consider well that place Answ. the 42 of Esay, 5, 6 vers. Thus saith the Lord, Hee created the Heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which commeth out of it; hee that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walke therein: I the Lord have called thee, &c. Consider [Page 121] who it is that created the Heavens, the Earth, and the buds thereof; that gi­veth breath, &c. is it not God? now then suppose he findeth nothing in the nature of man, but an emptines of grace and ho­lines, is it not he that made the heavens when there was none before, and then is not he able to create grace in a mans heart?

Againe looke on the earth in the winter, it is very hard, a man would think it should never bring forth flowers, yet in the spring it puts forth many kind of fruites & flowers; so though thy heart bee as hearbs in the winter, yet God is able to make grace [Page 122] sprout forth there, as flo­wers in the spring; besides it is he that giveth breath unto the people, that is, if you looke upon all the creatures in the world, yet none was able to put life in them, but GOD. So though your soules be like unto a clod of earth, he is able to put life into them, the breath of life, as he did at the first, he is able to enlighten and enlarge them further, and there­fore be not discouraged for thy weaknesse.

Is it thus? that Christ tea­cheth 1. Vse. in judgement, and that with much compassi­on, and rendernesse? then this should incourage men to come unto Christ, to [Page 123] learne of him, to take his yoke on them: this use we finde to be made of this Doctrine in the 11th of S. Mat. 28, 29, and 30. verses, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you: take my yoke on you, and learne of mee, and you shall finde rest to your soules: for my yoke is easie, & my burden is light: that is, let a man look up­on Christ and his waies, and usually they are dis­couraged with the strict­nesse of religion, they thinke they shall bee too straight laced, and bound with fetters, that are too straight for them. No (saith Christ) feare not, for I am meeke and low­ly, [Page 124] and such shall you find my dealings to be towards you.

There be two things in the Text to moove us to come in to Christ, and to bee subject to his yoke.

First, the nature of the 1. thing it selfe, it is an easie yoke: Before you come to me, you are like men in prison, but when you come to me I losen you, and set you at liberty: before you were as in darknesse, but when you come to mee I enlighten you: before you were as men in sicknes, but when you come to mee, I strengthen and heale you.

[Page 125] A second thing, is from 2. the person you have to deale with, that is, Christ: Come unto me, for I am ex­ceeding gentle, and meeke, and such shall you finde mee: Iohn Baptist and Mo­ses came roughly; but Christ is come in tender­nesse; if you be subject to infirmities, hee is ready to passe them by; if you bee overcome with them, hee is ready to recover you: and therefore now come in to Christ; submit your selves to his yoke, to his teaching and discipline, to his rule and government, which is so easie. But if you wil not, he will rule you with a rod of Iron, and breake you in peeces [Page 126] like a Potters vessell; if you stand out with him, then none is so rough as he, and therefore observe him.

If a King should say at his Coronation, he would open all the prison doors: would not offenders take that opportunity? or if a Creditor should say to his debtors, come to me at such a time, and I will forgive you and your debts, and give you in your bonds: would the debtor over-slippe that time?

So let us, when Christ offers himselfe to teach us with such tendernesse, goe to him, take that time especially; considering, [Page 127] that these are such times as are in Gods owne power; those things that are in our owne power, we may doe what we will with, and take our owne time: but these times are not in our hands, but in Gods: and therefore take heede of over-slipping that time, when Christ carries himselfe as a nurse unto us: there is a time for every purpose, and that lasts but for a season Eccles. 3. 11, 12. There is a certaine season which God hath appointed for every purpose, there is a time when the business may be well done, and if that be let slippe, it will not succeede, but he [Page 128] will be snared in an evill time, because hee know­eth not the good time.

Therefore when it is past, his misery is great. So cheifly there is a time of receiving grace, but this time a man knowes not, yet he is undone if he passe it; therefore take heed of overslipping any offer of grace: procrastina­tion in all things is dange­rous, but here especially. Now that which deceives us, is the deferring: but we must not deferre one day, and say, then wee shall doe it another, no, for then we shall let the time be past: as in a chariot, the wheeles runne neere one another, but they never [Page 129] overtake one another. And as in a clocke the minutes are but little di­stant one from another, yet none of them are to­gether, So the devill by his cunning thinkes to make you doe it now, and by and by, till he have made you passe your houre: therfore take heed of deferring, and come in, whilest Christ doth ex­presse himselfe thus unto you in these tearmes, whiles he deales thus ten­derly and gentlie with you. It is a very dange­rous thing to lose the op­portunity of receiving Christ when he offers himselfe, when he deales gently, which wee gather [Page 130] from that place, thus; if there bee a time for every purpose, then certainely there is a time for the greatest businesse that a man hath to doe on the earth, that is, to come in to Christ, and receive him; and if the miserie of man be great upon him, if hee let slip other seasons, much more if he neglect this; but now there is a time for every purpose, as these places testifie. And to instance in some few Gehezi tooke a gift of Naaman, 2. Kings 5. saith Elisha to him, is this a time to take gifts? there was a time when thou mightest have done it, at another time, of another [Page 131] person thou mightest, but this was not a time: for Naaman was a stranger, and did not know the cu­stomes, and Elisha would give him his health free­ly, and therefore it was not the time, and there­fore we see the misery was great, the leprosie clave to him and his posterity, because he knew not the time; so Saul because hee sacrificed before Samuel came, the thing he did was good, but he tooke not the right time, he was too hasty, he knew not his time; and so his miserie was great upon him; God tooke the kingdome from him, and gave it to his neighbour, 1. Sam. 13. 13. [Page 132] 14. so Iacob when he sought the blessing, he thought he did a good thing, but he did not stay the time, so the misery was great upon him: see what a long peregrinati­on, what a hard service did he undergoe under his uncle Laban, and all because he knew not the right time: so the Israelites when they sought a King, if they had staied their due time, God would in his due time have revea­led unto them, that David should be their King, for he had so appointed it: and therfore because they missed of the time, their misery was great on them, so likewise for other pur­poses, [Page 133] so for this; there is a time for a man to come in, and take the offer that Christ makes, a time when he is kind and gentle, and ready to receive us; if wee know not this time, and so overslip it, our miserie will be great upon us. Now then it is very requi­site to know, and finde out this time, because if wee choose Gods time, God will joyne with us in the worke, and so it will bee done with ease, Eccles. 3. 9. 10. A time to love, &c. what profit hath he that worketh, in that wherein he laboureth? I have seene the travell which God hath gi­ven to the sonnes of men, to be exercised in it. (that [Page 134] is) men take much travell and paines to bring their purposes & ends to passe; when they doe not take Gods time, and what profit have they by it?

Now if you will open when Christ knocks at the doore, harken to the motions of the spirit, and blow them, and nourish them, and it will bee done with much ease; but if you misse this time, your misery is great; you may desire, and crye, and pray, and never the better, Eccles. 9. 12. For a man al­so knoweth not his time, as the fish is, that is taken in an evill net, and as the birds that are caught in a snare, so are the sonne of [Page 135] men snared in an evill time, when it falleth sud­denly upon them: There is a double time, as wee may gather out of these words; a good and acceptable time, so called because God is then rea­dy to accept and receive us, if wee come in that time, and if wee doe not make use and embrace that good and acceptable time, then the evill time shall fall upon us, we shall bee caught in an evill net and snare: there may bee a good net come on us, as affliction, sicknesse, and the like may come upon us, so as to doe us good, as we catch at some things to preserve them alive for [Page 136] a better condition then they were in: but now if we over-slippe the good time, then the evill net shall fall upon us, sick­nesse, death, and destru­ction shal come on us sud­denly as a snare: that wee may see the ground of this, see what Christ saies, Luke 19. 42. 43. I thou hadst knowne, even thou, at least in this thy day; the things which belong to thy peace: but now they are hidden from thine eyes: He speakes it to the Iewes, who yet enjoyed the mi­nistry of Christ, and hee tels them that the time of their visitation was past.

So that a man may have [Page 137] the liberty to liveūder the ministery, long after that God hath rejected him: Christ came then and vi­sited the Iewes, and al pro­fited nothing; then they were like the Figge-tree that Christ cursed after their day was passed: and this day may be long be­fore a mans death, he may live long rejected: and therefore let us take heed we doe not stand out our time. In outward things we are wont to anticipate and prevent time: so Ia­cob got the blessing be­fore the time: and the Is­raelites sought for a King before the time: and so men would be hastily rich; and so for pleasures, [Page 138] if wee would stay Gods time, to take it after la­bour, we should doe well, but wee prevent our time here; but in spirituall things wee are too slow, let slip our time, to come after: But this is dange­rous; take heede of it: It's a good note which the Stoiks have; some things are in our owne power, and in them wee may use our owne liberty, but other things are in the power of others; and then we must take the op­portunity while it's offred, wee must saile when the winde blowes. Now of this latter kinde are spiri­tuall things, and therefore wee must take the time [Page 139] that's offred: Indeede if the time were in our owne power, or if we knew the time, then wee might de­lay: Acts 1. 11. It is not for us to know the times which the Father hath kept for his owne power, and no man knoweth what shall bee, neither can any tell it him, and therefore take heede of letting slippe the time: Sathan deceives us in this, just as the Lapwing doth when a manis neere her nest, she flyeth a little before a man, and then lighteth, and flyeth a little further, till it hath led us quite out of the way.

So Sathan makes us [Page 140] deferre a little longer, and a little longer, till our time bee past; and therefore deferre now no longer, but come in unto Christ whiles hee offers himselfe in a lo­ving and tender manner. And so much for the of­fice of Christ, which is to teach, and his manner of teaching, with much meeknesse and gentle­nesse.

Now followes the third thing to be considered, & that is the persons that Christ hath to deale with, such as are very meeke; compared here to a brui­sed reed, and smoaking flaxe. A reed is of it selfe very weake, and shaken [Page 141] with every wind, and not onely so, but broken with the least force. So a Chri­stian may be subject to much unevennesse, and inconstancy in his wayes, shaken with every temp­tation; but when this shall be a broken reed, this is a further degree of weak­nesse: and so for smoaking flaxe, it must be an excee­ding little sparke, which will not cause flaxe to smoake, and yet with such weake ones hath Christ to deale: he will not breake the bruised reed, nor quench the smoaking flaxe.

Now from the persons that Christ teacheth, that is, weak ones, observe this point.

[Page 142] That there may be excee­ding great weaknesse, in true Christians; wee see in the text they are compa­red to the weakest things, a bruised reed, and smoa­king flaxe: the first reason of it is this.

Because it pleaseth Rea. 1. Christ in working grace, to doe it by degrees, hee might have perfected the worke of grace altoge­ther as he did in the work of creation in an instant, but he dealeth with us now according to the course of generation, as a plant is first sowne, then riseth by degrees: So we in the beginning of grace are exceeding small, hee heales us as he did the [Page 143] blinde man, not altoge­ther, but by little and by little.

First we see more dark­ly 1 and confusedly, and then more clearely, and he heales our lamenesse, not altogether by setting us on our feet at the first, but he gives us strength by degrees, first, to goe on crouches, as it were, or to creepe or steppe forward, and afterwards to goe more strongly: and hence it is that there are many weak, because grace is but weakly wrought in them. Now the reason why Christ doth thus lead us on by degrees; is first to hum­ble us, and to let us see that the worke is not of [Page 144] our selves, it is God that workes in us according to his good pleasure for when wee are brought on by degrees, thus it makes it evident unto us, that we receive strength from a­nother. Secondly, hee doth it for his owne glo­ry, that wee might know the righteousnes of Christ: in the 8 of Deut. 2. 17. there is set downe these 2. ends, why the Lord led them through the wilder­nesse, & not the nearest way.

First, Gods end in it was 1 to humble them.

Secondly, to let them know that hee did it for for his owne sake. So he doth here to humble [Page 145] them, and for his own glo­ry, God doth not perfect grace at the first, but by degrees, and likewise that they may know his po­wer, that it is his strength in which they walke, that if a Christian should bee left to himselfe, he would quickely finde that it is Christs power that hee must walke in, that must goe along with him to guide him, and to deliver him from his enemies.

Now for the use of this Vse. it may serve to comfort weake Christians; what though thou art not at that growth as other Christi­ans are? yet bee of good comfort: a reed hath life in it as well as the strong­est [Page 146] oake, what though thou canst not see the flame of an holy conver­sation, but only the fume? yet you may know there is fire: men that are in the covenant, are like men that are gonein at a doore, or into a Church or the like. Some are further in then others, but yet all are in; So though the weake be not so forward as a­nother, yet hee may bee in, though not so farre in: for a budd drawes sappe from the roote, aswell as the fruite, why so thou must be a budd, and have grace in some measure, though not in so great a measure, yet thou maiest bee a true Christian, [Page 147] though a weake Christi­an.

But you will say that it Objection. is a hard thing to be per­swaded, that God will accept of such a weakling as I am.

Therefore consider the Answ. nature of Christ, for wee are deceived in that as in other things, in 2. of the Heb. verse 17. Wee see that it behoved Christ in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might bee a mercifull and faith­full high Preist, &c. Christ is our high-Priest, now there are 3 offices of our high Priest:

First he was to receive Three offices of Christ. every sacrifice.

Secondly to offer sacri­fice [Page 148] daily.

Thirdly, to lay the wood together, and pre­serve 3. the fire.

Now then it belongs to Christ to receive every sinner that comes to him, as it did to Aaron to re­ceive the sacrifice; and if Christ should not doe all that belongs to his office, he should be an unfaithful High Priest: But he is cal­led a faithful High Priest: If then a sinner come to Christ, and saith; Lord I know that God is a consu­ming fire, and I dare not come to him in my selfe, but in the merit of that Sacrifice which thou of­fredst: Christ cannot re­ject him; but saies hee to [Page 149] him: Come unto me, and I will receive you: If they doe but come, hee cannot but receive them, else hee should bee unfaithfull in his office, and in his pro­mise: But he is faithfull in both, and not only so, but he is a mercifull High Priest, and so will pitty them that come unto him: and if you have many sins daily renewed, many in­firmities and imperfecti­ons; why, it is Christs office to renew the sacri­fice daily, hee offers up a daily sacrifice for us, even his owne righteousnesse; and as he doth this for ju­stification, so for sanctifi­cation also. When Sacri­fice was laid on the Altar, [Page 150] the Priests could not bring fire from Heaven to consume it; but God sent it, and so shewed that it was accepted: wee may lay the wood together, but cannot bring fire from heaven: But Christ is a Priest of an higher order than was Aaron; hee will kindle this fire of Sancti­fication, and encrease it, and keepe it still burning, it's his office so to doe; and therefore doubt not but Christ will receive you.

Oh, but this were some comfort, if I had assurance Obiection. that I had but one sparke of true grace in me: there­fore how shall I know that?

[Page 151] I answere, there bee 5 Answer 5. Signes. signes laid downe in the Text, whereby a man may come to know this.

First, in these words, He will bring forth judge­ment 1. into victory: That is, the first thing that Christ doth, even to set up a right Judgement in thee: When the Apostle prayes for the Philippians, hee prayes, That they may a­bound in knowledge and judgment.

Secondly, there is life in a bruised Reede, as 2. in the strongest Oake.

Thirdly, there is fire, though never so 3. small, as in the strongest Oake.

Fourthly, there is 4. [Page 152] a Combate.

Fifthly, there is vi­ctory. 5.

Now for the first of 1. these, consider whe­ther Christ hath set up his judgement in thee: when the Apostle praies that the Philippians may abound in knowledge and in all judgement: That is, that they may dis­cerne of things that dif­fer, and hee takes it for granted that it was right, else hee would not pray for the encrease of it.

So that when a man can discerne of things that differ, when hee can put a difference betweene the waies of God and [Page 153] sin, between spirituall pri­viledges, and outward va­nities, between trueth and falshood; then there is a light come into a man, and this makes them pure and blamelesse, fills them with the fruites of righte­ousnesse: now then if thou hast this in any degree, thou hast the spirit of Christ: As it was in Christ, Esay 11. 2. 3. Hee had the spirit of wisedome and understanding, the spi­rit of might, the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord. So is it in all his members; they have the same spirit, and doe not judge according to the sight of the eye, or the hearing of the eare, [Page 154] but judge righteously, for there is a two fold judge­ing, first, when our eye or eare judge, and wee judge according to that; when wee send out our spirits and heare what they re­port, and this is ready to bring in a false report, to say that sinne is sweet and pleasant, and it will repre­sent grace as vile, because it judgeth according to outward appearance, and the outside of Christianity is base, in regard of misre­ports, that are brought up of it; As the tenne mes­sengers brought an evill report upon the land of Canaan, and in regard of the outside of it in those that professe it, who are [Page 155] many times poore & con­tēptible men, & in regard of the infirmities and fai­lings of the Saints; Now if a man judge by the eye, that sees nothing but the outside, he will esteeme of religion as base. But it is otherwise when a man hath the spirit of judge­ment, he will looke fur­ther into things, he pries into the inside, and then he will not judge of the wayes of God, and of sin as the world doth; But will see a basenesse in sin, and an excellency in reli­gion, because he is ena­bled to judge aright.

For Christ, as he makes his Princes and Priests, so he makes them Prophets [Page 156] likewise, to judge and dis­cerne of things aright, and this he doth by opening the eyes, Act. 26, 18. that is, good things in themselves are very ex­cellent, and desireable, but wee see them not till our eies are opened, there is a vaile drawne over our eies till Christ removes it, and opens them.

What is that? Question Answer.

Why, Christ he elevates and raiseth up that light which wee have, unto an higher degree, and that is by putting a new light into their soules Iohn 1. 9. that is, the true light, which lightneth every one that commeth into the world.

Before the Creation [Page 157] was compleate there was some light; the first day after the Sunne was crea­ted, and after the fall he enlightned every one that came into the world: (that is) all men have some light or other by Jesus Christ; before there was no sparke of light in us, but all that wee have is by Christ: that glimme­ring light which is in na­turall men, is but a sparke of the new Image, which Christ hath put on us: But in this, Christ raiseth up the light higher and higher; and when this new light is put in us, then a mans eyes are said to be opened, when hee can see round about him, [Page 158] and discerne that excel­lency in grace, and that basenesse in sinne, which were in them before, but they could not see it. As the Chariots and horse­men were with Gehezi, but his eyes were not ope­ned to see them: And so the Well was neere Ha­gar, but shee saw it not till God had opened her eyes, and shewed it unto her.

So death and destructi­on may be very neere an unregenerate man, and he not see it till God opens his eyes: so also a Chri­stian may have ground of comfort, and he not know it, till God sheweth it unto him. Now where a mans [Page 159] eyes are opened, that hee can see thus round about him, then hath Christ set up this judgement in a man.

But here now all the businesse will bee to dis­cerne between the com­mon judgement of a man, and this right judgement which Christ sets up in him, which difference is seene by these particu­lars.

First, they differ in the 1. authors of them: another mans judgement is borne and bred with him; but this comes from above from God: it is a new judgement, yea, a renew­ed judgement Ephes. 4. 23. Be yee renewed in your spi­rits [Page 160] & minds: When thou hast such a judgement of sin and godlinesse, which thou hadst not before, this is a new judgement.

Secondly, they differ in regard of the subject: this new light is alwaies in a pure heart; the other, not: so long as the heart is o­verwhelmed with lusts, so long the eye of the soule is dimme, as in a mist, that wee cannot see before us; but Christ takes away this mist: Titus 2. 11, 12, 13, 14. When the Grace of God hath appeared, &c. Then wee see cleerely: wher­as the unregenerate man never judgeth aright of an holy way; because his heart is full of lusts, which [Page 161] are as mists, that they can­not see.

Thirdly, they differ in 3. the measure. Common light wil perswade you of common truth, or of truths in generall, that such and such things are commen­dable; but if you come to a particular action, and practice that, you must do this, and this, here it failes him: But this right judge­ment helpes a man to doe particular actions; it in­lightens him in every par­ticular, takes away all ob­jections, and guides you in the right way 2. Tim. 2. 7 Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee under­standing in al things, (that is) I have told thee these [Page 162] things in generall, but when you come to parti­cular, the Lord must di­rect you.

Fourthly, they differ in the growth: this right 4. iudgement growes more and more, it is as the light that shines clearer & clea­rer, till it be perfect day: Esay 42. 3. 4. Hee shall bring forth judgement unto trueth: when this iudge­ment is put into a man, e­very thing adds somthing to it: A good heart makes use of every thing, but a­nother man that hath but a common sight hee doth not grow, but is apt to be offended, and at length that light that he hath turnes into injudiciousnes [Page 163] of minde, you shall find it decrease more and more, 2. Tim. 3. 13. evill men waxe worse and worse, for that light of theirs is but like a flower, which when it is at the best, fades and decayes; and the reason of it is because God giveth a man leave to use that common wisedome that he hath for a time, but when they doe not im­prove that knowledge that they have, then God takes it away from them, and turnes it into foolish­nesse, as wee may see Rom. 1. 25. Because they changed the trueth of God into a lye, therefore they were given up to vile af­fections: 1. Cor. 1, 19. God [Page 164] will destroy the wisdome of the wise, & bring to nought the understanding of the prudent.

Fiftly, they differ in the effects w ^ch they produce, 5. for first this right iudge­ment brings forth pover­ty of spirit, when as be­fore a man thought he had some good things in him; now he sees hee is nothing. Saving wisedome makes him see himselfe empty of all that was good, makes him see that before he knew nothing, as he ought to know; but now common iudgement breeds pride, it puffes a man up, 1 Cor. 8. 1, 2. and makes him preferre him­selfe before his brethren.

[Page 165] Secondly, this right 2. judgment, it causeth a man to know every thing, as they ought to know it, when hee knowes a right use of it: As for example, a man that knowes his ground which hee owes, when hee knowes what graine it will best beare, what tillage and manure is best for it, then a man knowes his toole as hee ought, when hee knowes how to use it as hee ought.

So a man that knowes sinne as he ought, when he lookes upon it so as to lose it and loath it, then knows he the promises as he ought, when he makes that use of them, as hee [Page 166] should make; when as o­ther men minde them no more than their old shoos: and then we know for­givenesse of sinnes as wee ought, when we thinke it the most precious thing in the world: and so if wee knew earthly vanities as wee ought, wee would weane our selves from them; yea, from all world ly things: as the lusts of the flesh, and pleasure, the lust of the eye, and riches, honour, and pride of life, or any other excellency in the world, bee it what it can be, wee will not then endure it.

Now when a mans eyes are opened, and he is sa­vingly enlightned, and [Page 167] knowes these things as he ought, then hee lookes on carnall pleasures, and sees they will bring bitternes in the end: when he looks upon riches, hee sees that to be true which is said of them: Why wilt thou set thy heart upon them, which are as nothing? hee sees they are uncertain, in­sufficient, and not able to satisfie his soule: And for the pride of life, or any excellency which before he greatly prized, now he accounts it vile and con­temptible, this the spirit of right judgement ena­bles a man to doe.

Thirdly, the singlenesse 3. of the eye is another ef­fect of this, it teacheth [Page 168] a man to looke on things with a single eye: Math. 6. 22, 23. There is menti­on made of a single eye, and of an evill eye: if a man hath a single eye, hee will not looke on God and on the world, but on God alone, cleave to him, and serve him alone; the other is called a wicked eye, because there be ma­ny lusts on which it looks. But this right judgement makes us looke on God singly, abstracted from all other things.

A fourth effect which this right Iudgment pronoun­ceth, 4. is, Conversion of the whole man unto God: if thine eye be single, thy whole body is full of light, [Page 169] (that is,) shall be set straight; and when this is not done, it hinders our conversion unto God, as we may see in the 13 of Math. 15. wee cannot looke on other things, and turne our eyes upon God at the same time.

Fiftly, this right Iudge­ment it sets up, and makes 5. a man willing to be gui­ded by the word of God, by the ministers, or any servant of God, a Child may leade him, the weak­est Christian may leade him, if they bring Spiritu­all reason, as naturall men are led by reason, so these by the word of God.

Sixtly, it makes a man 6. able to practise that hee [Page 170] knowes, whereas another man knowes much, practi­seth little, but this Iudge­mēt brings forth practice, this knowledge will leade us into action, and so much for the first signe, 1. whereby wee may know whether Christ hath wrought any sparke of grace in us, namely, if he have set up his Iudge­ment in our hearts.

Now for the second; this is such a Iudgement 2. as begets life: a Reed hath Life aswell as an Oake now if you would know if this life be right or noe, you shall know it by the heare, there is fire: so if we would know if this bee right, see it by the cōbate; [Page 171] if you would know if that be right, try it by the victory: well then, now we have to speake of the second signe; Consider 2. though you bee weake, whether you are not as a bruised reed yea or noe, which hath some life, some strength in it. A brui­sed reed will he not breake, here we will consider 3 things.

First that there must be some strength and life in 1. the weakest.

Secondly, this strength is subiect unto bruisings, 2. A bruised reed, &c.

Thirdly, that Christ 3. wil heale al these bruises, he will not breake the bruised reed, but will [Page 172] bring forth Iudgement into victory.

For the first of these, there must be a reed w ^ch hath some life in it: Now life is such a faculty wher­by creatures move them­selves in their owne pla­ces, so say Philosophers: other things that have not life, may move them­selves when they are out of their owne places: as a stone when it is out of its owne place, moves down­wards, and fire here be­low, being out of its place moves upwards; but no­thing can move it selfe in its place, but that which hath life in it; To apply this to our purpose, who­soever moves himselfe in [Page 173] the wayes of God, hath life in him; There bee many things may move us towards God, as good education, a powerfull ministry, good company, and the like, as Ioash and Amaziah, were good while their good friends lived, but all this doth not argue life in us, because they are but extrinsecall causes, as a hand may make a stone move up­wards, the stone hath not life therefore; but when a man is so farre inlightned, so fashioned and formed by Iesus Christ, that hee judgeth aright of the waies of God, and being thus formed, he moves himselfe to doe good, [Page 174] then he is said to be alive, when Christ shall set up Iudgement in the heart of man, to see the evil of the waies of sinne, and the good that is in the waies of God, even then, hee moves towards those wayes naturally & wil­lingly, such a one hath life in him: Let some consider this, that live in the Church, under good Tu­tors, or Masters, or Pa­rents, that are carried on in a crowde of good com­pany, they may do much, and yet have no life, be­cause it may proceede from an outward cause; not froman inward per­swasion of the heart, of the goodnesse of the waies [Page 175] wherein they walke.

There is a two-fold per­swasion: one is, that the wayes of God are good; a bare perswasion onely, and yet this stirres not men up to walke in these wayes; but it lyes dead in the heart.

But there is another per­swasion 2. which is ingrafted in the heart, that moves a man to new obedience: 1 Iames 21. 22. So wee shall finde there a double ex­pression of light: one, which barely shewes men all evill and good: But there is another light; with life, Iohn 8. 12. He that followeth me, shal have the light of life: It is an Hebraisme, hee shall have [Page 176] the light of life that is, the lively light: Ephes. 5. 14. Awake from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

The first difference be­tweene them, is, the one 1. reveales the wayes of God, but so, that the af­fections are not mooved, the hands are not set on worke.

But the other is, when 2. that the wayes of God are so revealed, that wee see an amability, an ex­cellency in them; and so, that we lift up our hearts unto the waies of the Lord, as before we did unto va­nity, (that is) wee desire earnestly to walke in them.

[Page 177] Consider how you sit­ted up your hearts to riches, pleasures, and o­ther earthly vanities; if now you so lift up your hearts to walke in his waies; then here is that inward perswasion; that lively light wrought in you; that life whereof wee speake: This life is nothing else but that which the Scripture cal­leth faith.

Now there is a dead faith spoken of: and how shall wee know it to bee dead? Thus, when it stirs us not up to good works: And howshall wee know it is living? when it moves us willingly and readily to duties of obedience, [Page 178] Christ dwels in the heart by faith, so saith St. Paul, The life I now live, is by faith in the sonne of God, Gal. 2. 20. (that is) there are two men that looke on Christ; one lookes on him, beleeves all the pro­mises, all threatnings, all his word, opens his heart, & lets Christ come in, and rule, and doe there what he list.

Another saith (if you aske him) that he beleeves all this, but we shall know it by this: because it doth not make him moove for­wards unto new obedi­ence: now according to our life that is in us, so is our strength, the lesse life, the lesse strength, Revela­tions [Page 179] 3. 8. The Church of Philadelphia is said to have a little strength: now if you would know whe­ther you have true strength or no: you must distinguish betweene life and strength, to wit, the least degree of strength will first enable a man to do all things in some mea­sure; though not in that measure you should: it wil enable you to love God, to beleeve, to pray, &c. you can doe something of every thing. Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things through Christ that strengthneth mee.

Secondly, though it do 2. not reach the highest de­gree, yet it aimes at it, and [Page 180] hath a desire to come to it; After he had said, he had not yet attaind to perfecti­on, Phil. 3. 14. 15. but aimed at it, made forward toward it: he ads, let as many as be perfect, be thus minded: the least spark of fire wil endevour to rise above the Aire, as well as the greatest, and where true strength is, it wilendeavour to be stron­ger.

Thirdly, this is not an empty leveling at it, but it grows up to it; so doth not 3. other common strength; there is a strength in iron to resist violent stroakes, and in a rocke to resist the force of the waves, but this is not a vital strength; so in other men there may [Page 181] be strength of resolution, but it is not a selfe moving strength, & therfore it cō ­tinues as it was, & growes not; but in vitall strength, there is a period to which it growes, & never rests til it comes up to it, as we see in plants, and other living creatures, and men, they grow up to their full strength so Christiās have their period which they grow up to, & this period is perfect holines, w ^ch they cannot attaine to in this life: and therfore they are stil growing so lōg as they live. Now then see if you have such a strength; & if you can find that you have, then there is life in you: and that is the first [Page 182] that we propounded to shew, that there must bee some life, some strength.

The second thing was; 2. that this strength is subject to much bruising; A brui­sed reed will he not breake: A wea Christian, though he have not the strength of a man, yet he hath the strength of a child; though not of a tree, yet of a plant; and such strength is subject to bruisings, and the lesse strength, the more subject it is tobrui­sings, as we see in plants.

Now bruisings are of two sorts, and both arising from sinne.

The first arise from sin as it is unpardoned, (that is) as you apprehend sin to 1. [Page 183] be unpardoned, the more ready you are to be brui­sed.

The second sort ariseth from sinne as it is unmor­tified, 2. when a man sees still that sinne growes up, which he had thought he had cut down, he is ready to bee bruised. The for­mer sort is contrary to the grace of justification, the latter to that of sanctifica­tion, now Christ hath pro­mised to heale these brui­ses, w ^ch is the third thing 3. to be considered, let those therefore that are thus weak, cōsider this promise here, that Christ will heale all these bruisings, and so all other, the pro­mise for this purpose that [Page 184] he will heale these brui­sings, which arise from our doubting of justifica­tion, Esay 61, 1, 2, 3, 4, ver. this is the bruising for which Christ came into the world, to preach glad tidings to the weak, and to binde up the broken hearted, to proclaime li­berty to the captives. Therefore if a poore soule would goe to Christ, and say thus, Lord I am bound with a chaine of my sins, and thou camest to set such at liberty, Christ hee would doe it; for he was anointed for that very purpose.

And so for the bruisings that arise from sinne un­mortified, 2. why Christ [Page 185] hath promised not to leave thee, to thy self, nor forsake thee, but wil de stroy all the works of the devill in thee; therefore goe to Christ, and put him in minde of this promise, and say, Lord. I am one of them to whom this pro­mise is made, I am as a bruised reed, and as smoa­king flaxe; and thou hast promised, not to breake a bruised reed, nor quench the smoaking flaxe: put Christ thus in minde of his promise, and he wil heare, and help, & heal thee. But now here are sōe cases of Cases of conscience. conscience to be resolved

First, some will be rea­dy Quest. 1 to say, that they have none of these bruises, that [Page 186] they are not thus weary and heavy laden, because they cannot greive for sin, so much as for other things.

To w ^ch I answer, there 1 Answer. may be some violent and sudden griefe, which may exceed griefe for sinne, as Davids griefe for Absa­lom; But here is the diffe­rence, the griefe for sinne is constant and perpetuall, but the griefe for some losse or the like, is but for the present. Now a spring that runnes and is never dry, yeelds more water then a land flood, which for the present seemes greater, but is soone dryed up: so greife for sin, is like water that runnes [Page 187] from a spring, which con­tinues; and griefe for o­ther things, is like a land flood which lasts not long.

Againe they differ in re­gard of the termes of this sorrow: when a man hath lost a friend, he lookes on it as a total & irrepair­able losse, and so greives the more; and so in like manner, if we should look on the favour of God, as a thing irrevocably lost, his griefe for this would exceed the other. But because he alwaies con­ceives some glimpse of Gods favour, in the mid'st of this mourning, therfore this greife seems the lesse, though in regard [Page 188] of continuance it be grea­ter.

Oh! but I have not at­tained 2 Case. to a just measure of bruisednesse.

If there bee such a mea­sure of bruisednesse in Answer. thee as brings thee home to Christ, thou hast attai­ned a sufficient measure, to bring thee to heaven. But this distinction must bee remembred, that there is a double bringing of a man home to Christ.

One is, when a man is brought so far towards 1. Christ, as to bee willing to take the crowne, and partake of the priviledges onely, but this is not suffi­cient; but when thy sor­row shall so bring thee [Page 189] home to Christ, that thou art willing to take Christs yoke on thee, to subiect thy selfe to Christ in all things, so much sor­row and bruisednesse as this, is sufficient to bring thee home.

Oh, but though I am 3 Case. thus farre bruised, that I am willing to beare Christs yoake, and to doe that hee shall command me; yet I doe not finde that this promise is per­formed to me; God hides his face from mee, and I cannot finde him, whom my soule loves, and that I cannot finde that my sins are pardoned: and so for bruises belonging to san­ctification: I have striven [Page 190] long against such a lust, and cannot see it mortifi­ed any whit.

To this I answer, that Christ in with-holding Answ. the Comfort, and suffe­ring thee to bee more la­ded, doth ever fulfill this promise here made, Math. 11. 28. Come unto mee, &c.

But the Objection might be made: We have Object. 1. come unto thee, and yet finde no rest: Christ ther­fore addes: Take my yoke on you, and learn of me, &c. The yoke of Christ is the government of Christ, the taking of this yoke upon us, is the subjecting our selves to this governmēt.

Now the govern­ment of Christ, consists 2. Things. [Page 191] in two things,

First, it commands us to 1. doe many things.

Secondly, he will have 2. us to suffer many things: and if wee take Christs yoke upon us, we must do both. Now, a man is wil­ling to doe many things that Christ commands, but stoppes at some things; there is some thing, some duty, which he wil not do; as prayer, giving of almes, or some other: And so al­so for suffering, he is wil­ling to endure some things for Christ, but there is somthing againe which he cannot endure: Repro­ches, Scoffes, and the like. If therefore God hold off comfort for any long sea­son, [Page 192] let a man looke well to his spirit, and see if hee be perfectly willing to take Christs yoke upon him, if he were, the pro­mise is certaine, and shall be made good, hee shall finde rest to his soule: and if hee doe not, there is some fault in himselfe. In the tenth of Iudges ver. 10, to the end of the Chap­ter, there the people were burdened, and cryed unto the Lord, and yet found no rest: but God deferres comfort, and tells them, he would deliver them no more; thē the people sub­mitted themselves unto God, saying, Doe with us what pleaseth thee, and put away their strange Gods, [Page 193] ver. 16. and served God. Now when the children of Israel were brought to this, to cast away the re­liques of Idolatry, and to serve the Lord perfectly; then it is said: The Lords spirit was grieved for the misery of Israel. So if a man would have peace, and have sought it long, and cannot find it, let him see whether there bee not some relique of corrupti­on which God would have cast out of thy heart: and when it's done, and thou art willing to serve god perfectly, then thou shalt finde rest unto thy soule. And so much for the second signe of true grace wrought in a man, [Page 194] to wit, if there be any life & strength in him, though it be mingled with much weaknesse.

The third wee named, that where true grace was 3. there was heat. Smoak­ing flaxe wil he not quench; where there is smoake, there is fire, and where fire is, there is heate, be it never so small; and this added to the former of life; Life is nothing else but a sublimary heat, and where there is life, there is heate, all life is joyned with heate: but not on the contrary, where there is heate, there is life. For cold things may be war­med from without, by the Sunne; but where there [Page 195] is heate from an inward principle, there is life. The Spirit is compared to fire and heat; Quench not the spirit: He shall bap­tise you with the holy Ghost and with fire: or which is as fire, Therefore where this spirit is in a man, there the holy Ghost hath bin. Now this heat is nothing else, but a solicitous and earnest desire to please God in all things, to get and encrease communion with Christ, and to be built up in grace. I say, it is, first, a solicitous and earnest desire, a desire ac­companied with careful­nesse how hee may doe to please God in al things, whereas in other men, [Page 196] there is a lukewarmnesse, a remisnesse in all things, they care not whether they doe it or no: but this is an earnest carefull de­sire, and that in the second place to please God: an hypocrite may have strong desires, let him bee brought to have an appre­hension of Gods wrath, and hell fire, & he would have an earnest desire to bee delivered from it: But all this is not to please God, but himselfe, & not God in all this: But our desire must bee to please God: See how the affections 1 Cor. 7, 11. were stirred; and what fruits it wrought, they were moved by motives taken from God, and with [Page 197] desire tending to him, and so must wee be.

Againe this righteous 3. fire hath in it this proper­ty, that it purifieth the heart from drosse and filth, and it puts it selfe forth in holy actions, makes a man ready to pray, to speak profitably, and the like; as fire makes men active and fit for action.

Lastly, it is alway gui­ded 4. by the spirit of judgement, when you minde that most, which the Scripture presseth most, where the heart is upright, a man despiseth none of the waies of God, not the meanest trueth, but would know them all: [Page 198] but that which the Scrip­ture most of all urgeth, that hee most earnestly presseth after, and labours to bring his heart unto them, as the Scripture is most love and the like, so hee taketh most paines with his heart about this: now therfore try by these properties, whether you have heate in you, or no.

Oh! but I cannot finde Object. this heate in me, I cannot finde these holy affections in my heart.

I answer, consider if Answer. thou findest any affections that are holy in thee, though not many; yea, if thou findest none, consi­der if thou hast not this smoake, for sometimes a [Page 199] man may finde the fire it selfe, somtimes onely this smoake, what is it? I an­swer, when you finde not the affections so moving as you see some others doe, yet you finde in your selfe a carefulnesse, and watchfulnesse over your wayes, that thou wilt'st not runne into sin, though thou canst not doe what good thou would'st: why, here is the smoake, and some fire, though but small; David was not able to doe as he was wont to doe, to pray as hee was Psal. 5. 1. 12 wont, and therefore hee praies God to restore him his spirit, and the joyes he was wont to have; but yet he was carefull over his [Page 200] wayes afterwards: And if thou findst but this smoak, this care over thy wayes, this resolution to commit no knowne sinne, though thou findst not the flame of this holy affection, yet be not discouraged, thou hast that which is of the same nature within thee: Smoake is of the same na­ture with flame, for flame is nothing but smoake set on fire; and therefore take comfort, & continue con­stant still, till God inflames thee, and that is the 3 signe.

Where there is true grace wrought, there is 4. combate and strife in the working: and afterwards till hee bring forth judge­ment into victory. Before [Page 201] victory there goes a com­bate: this then is implied, Math. 18. 1. there must be a strife. The Disciples strove amongst themselves who should bee the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. This is a pro­perty of all his servants: as Christs kingdome is not of this world: so are they not apt to contend for any thing in this world. But you may know if you be Christs servants, or no, if you contend for spirituall things. Strive to enter in at Luke 13, 24. the streight gate, for many shall seeke to enter in there­at, but shall not be able. We see there are two disposi­tions of men, that some seeke, & are willing to goe to Heaven, but take no [Page 202] paines for it; these seeke saith Christ, to enter, but shall not be able to get in: but others strive and con­tend with all their power, & such must be our strife, if we will get into Heavē. The difference betweene the wise Virgins and the Math. 25. foolish lay in this, that the wise were more diligent than the other. Formall professors may contend, but it is but for a fitt; they are soone weary of this contention: they leave off rowing, & suffer the boate to goe down the streame: but wee must strive untill we get the victory, and run with St. Paul untill we get the prize. And what made 1 Cor. 9. 24, 25. him to doe so? why, hee [Page 203] considered 2 things first, he look't on the Crowne, an incorruptible Crowne. Secondly, he was loath to run in vaine, & lose all his labour so the reason why we doe not contend, is be­cause we doe not consider these 2 things, namely, the prize & crowne of reward, and that else wee shall but lose our labour; and ther­fore we must strive: if we be remisse, it is an argumēt that wee have a name to live, but are dead.

And therefore consider it, there must be a strife & a combate; and there will be that, by reason of that original corruption that is in us: We have continuall worke with our owne [Page 204] hearts; the flesh is ready to have the first hand in e­very businesse, if wee doe not resist it; wee shall ex­ceedingly goe downe the winde, if we do not strive, and that hard: For when there is an infused habit as grace is, and a corrupt nature contrary to it, na­ture is ready to take part with it, which was bred & borne with it. Whē I would Rom. 7. 21. doe good, evill is still present with me: there is some­thing lay at the fountaine­head, as it were, and stopt him, when hee would doe any good. It is our case al­so; in wel-doing we see how backward we are to begin, and when we haue begun, how ready we are [Page 205] to leave off. But if it be a businesse that concernes our selves, we are ready to doe, yea, to over-doe it: How ready we are to idle words, how backward we are to profitable confe­rence; how ready to spend on our lusts, how backe­ward to true liberality; & so I might instance in di­vers others. And therfore seeing wee have this flesh about us, we had neede to strive; it is that which a Christian should make ac­count of, to do that which he hath not a mind to doe, and not to doe that which he hath a minde to doe; and so still to doe the con­trary, and strive against the lusts of the flesh, and so [Page 206] to restraine his nature from what he would doe.

But how should we doe 1 Obiect. to contend thus?

To give you some di­rections, Answ. Fight the good fight of faith: The acting 1. Tim. 6. 12. of our faith, and setting it on worke when any thing comes to hinder us, will helpe us to overcome in this combate. Let a man beleeve the promises and threatnings of God, and he shall be able to resist the flesh: but let faith bee a­sleepe, and it will quickly prevaile against us: Take the shield of faith: Now, Ephe. 6. 16. what a shield is for the de­fence of the body, that faith is for the defence of the soule. Whē any temp­tations [Page 207] are suggested unto us, faith is it that repells them; never is a man o­vercome but through de­fect of faith, or when the habit lies hid asleepe in us. Heb. 11. When they set their faith on worke, what marvellous things did they! what made Ieroboam so weake, but onely want of faith: What was it that overcame Eve? but onely that shee did not beleeve stedfastly the word of God. On the cōtrary, what was it that strengthned Daniel, the three Children, and in­finite others? it was their faith. The Saints when they have the use of their faith, are very strong: but when they have not the [Page 208] use of their faith are very weake, as other men; as Abraham, how weake was hee, when hee expo­sed his wives chastity, for want of faith? and David when hee dissembled, and Peter when hee denied his Master; but when hee was strengthned through faith, how bold was hee before the councell? it was his faith that enabled him to fight the good fight, because he kept the faith, in the profession of it, and in the practice of it, and in teaching of it: and therefore if we would be strengthened to resist our spirituall enemies, we must labour to set our faith on worke, that is the [Page 209] first meanes.

The second meanes, St. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Peter sets downe: Dearely beloved I beseech you as strangers and Pilgrims ab­staine from fleshly lusts w ^ch war against the soule. First consider that you are but strangers and Pil­grimes: for if you take the pleasures in the world, you cannot sit by them, why? you are but stran­gers, therefore abstaine from them.

Againe consider that these lusts they fight a­gainst the soule. No man in the world, that did con­sider that such a man now knocked at the doore, whom if he did let in, would cut his throat, but [Page 210] that he would use all meanes to barre him out: why this now is our case; they seeke our lives, nay our soules, they fight, there is their force, they seek to prevaile by maine force if they can; if they cannot, then they seeke to proceed by fraud & cun­ning: they are ready to perswade us, that they are friends, and not ene­mies, and that you may go to heaven though you yeeld to them, and that you may quickely over­come them, that if you sa­tisfy them for the present, they will be gone, and trouble you no more, and a thousand such like: but take heed, fight against [Page 211] them, keepe them out, not onely for the present, for they renew the battell, as an enemy if hee bee too weake at one time, in one place hee increaseth his forces, takes more advan­tages, and renews his bat­taile againe: so doe these, they will set upon us a­gaine and againe with a fresh force, & if they can­not prevaile one way, they wil try another way, and if they cannot doe good by one, they will use all wayes.

And then consider the end of this fight, it is to kil and destroy, as we know the end of a fight is: Now these lusts they fight a­gainst your soule, and no­thing [Page 212] will satisfie them but your life. Every time they set upon you, it is a buffetting; every time you yeeld to thē, it is a woun­ding, and if you do not re­sist & strive against them, they wil procure your ut­ter perdition. And there­fore I beseech you as strā ­gers & Pilgrims, abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against your soules.

Yes, I could be content to strive if there were any Obiect. 1. hope of doing any good: but I am affraid I shall be overcome, and therefore as good yeeld at the first, as at the last.

I answer, there is great hope, yea, assurance of vi­ctory, Answ. wheresoever true [Page 213] grace is, though it may be held downe long, and saf­fer many oppositions: yet in the end he shall be sure of victory, till hee bring forth iudgmēt into victory.

A fift signe to know if 5. there be saving grace, yea, or no; if there be, it shall at last have the upper hand; but all through Christ, He that hath begun that good Phil. 1. 6. 1 Thes. 5. 24. worke, will perfit it: For he will do it, for he is faithful, and in him wee are rich: 2 Cor. 8. 9. through him wee shall be more than conquerers, not through our selves; we are apt to bee discouraged, when wee sit downe and consider what corruptions wee have arising from our natures, which wee thinke [Page 214] wee shall never master. True, we cannot doe it in our owne strength, but Christ hath undertaken to doe it for us, hee shall sub­due our iniquities.

There are 2 things in the kingdome of Grace, which when we looke on, are apt to make us discouraged.

First, when a man looks 1. on his owne strength, and sees how little he can doe of himselfe.

Secondly, when hee lookes on the Kingdome 2. of Grace abroad, and sees how it goes downe the wind, and how the wicked prevaile, & the godly are weake, and goe to the wall: But Christ hee will affoord us his strength a­gainst [Page 215] our lusts to subdue them, and for the enemies of the Gospell, hee will crample thē all under his feet; it is his promise, He will bring forth Iudgement into victory. Now Christ doth this 2 wayes: first, by watering the buds, the seeds of grace, and maketh Esay 44. 4. them to spring up as Wil­lowes by the water cour­ses: his branches shal spread, & his beauty shall be as the Hosea 14. 7. Olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon: they shal revive as the Corne, and grow as the Olive, &c.

Secondly, by removing 2. all these impediments, which hinder the growth of grace any way. And therefore now let us not [Page 216] be discouraged, but make use of these promises of Sanctification, which wee are so apt to forget: And though we be as weake as a bruised Reed, or as the smoaking Flaxe, yet let us not faint, nor give over, but bee encouraged to strive, and contend with­out reasoning, seeing wee are sure the day shall bee ours: for so is his promise, A bruised reed shall hee not breake, and smoaking flaxe shall he not quench, till hee bring forth Iudgement in­to victory.