THE Occasion of these words was this: when as Christ had affirmed to the Iewes, That God was his Fa­ther, and the Iewes went a­bout to kill him for it: Hee proves what hee had said by this argument: He that is able to give life to the dead is God, or the Sonne of God; But I am able to give life to the dead; (The houre is comming and now is, when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, and those that heare it shall live;) Therefore I am the Sonne of God. In briefe, these words shew Christs Divinity by the effects of it, that hee can quicken the dead.

[Page 2]In these words we may consider these parts.

1 First, the subject on which Christ doth ex­ercise his Divinity, and that is, on dead men; 2 The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, and shall live. Secondly, the instrument by which he doth it, and that is, by his word; which is not meant onely the bare preaching and hea­ring of the word barely; but such an inward, commanding, powerfull, operative word, that makes men doe that which is commanded them: Such a word was spoken to Lazarus be­ing dead, Lazarus come forth; and hee did it. This word commands men, and makes them to obey it.

3 Thirdly, the time when hee will exercise his divinity; the howre is comming and now is, that is, the time shall come when as it shall be abun­dantly revealed, the fruite of the Gospel shall appeare more plentifully and fully hereafter, but yet it is now beginning to appeare; there 4 is now some small fruit of it. Lastly, it is af­firmed with an asseveration or oath; Verily, Ve­rily, I say unto you: And these are the parts of this Text.

Out of these words I purpose to shew you these three things.

1 First, what the estate of all men is out of Christ.

2 Secondly, what we gaine by Christ.

3 Thirdly, what we must doe for Christ.

1 First, we will shew you what your estate is [Page 3] out of Christ, for this will make you to prize him more. And the point for this is,

That every man out of Christ is in a state of death or a dead man; that is, Doct. 1. All men however they are borne living, yet they are still dead men: without the living Spirit the root is dead. Hence are these places of Scripture, Gen. 2.17. The day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death. Math. 8.22. Let the dead bury their dead. Ephes. 2.1. You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sinnes. Ephe. 5.14. Awake thou that sleepest, stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. The meaning is, that all men are spiritually dead. This will be of some moment, to shew you that you are dead without Christ. Yee account it a gastly sight to see many dead men lye together, it af­fects you much: but to see a multitude of dead men walke and stand before us, that affects us not. The naturall death is but a picture or sha­dow of death, but this spirituall death, is death indeed: As it is said spiritually of Christs flesh, Iohn 6.55. That it i [...] meate indeed. Now that you may know what this death is, I will shew you,

First, of all, what death is. 1

Secondly, how many kinds of death there 2 are.

Thirdly, the symptomes and signes of this 3 death.

Fourthly, the degrees of this death. 4

For the first; what this death is; it consists 1 [Page 4] in two things. First, in death there is a priva­tion of life: then a man is dead, when as the Soule is separated from the Body: so a man is spiritually dead, when as the soule is separa­ted from the quickning Spirit of Grace, and righteousnesse: This is all our cases, In us there dwels no good, there is no Spirit of life within us: the Soule is so out of order, that the spi­rit is weary of it and forsakes it. When the Body growes distempered and unfit for the Soule to use it, then the Soule leaves it. Even as when the instrument is quite out of tune, a man layes it aside; whiles it is in tune he playes on it: So a man dwels in a house as long as it is habitable and fit to dwell in, but when it be­comes unhabitable he departs: so, as long as the body is a fit organ for the soule, it keepes it; when it becomes unfit, it leaves it. Even so the holy Ghost lives in the Soule of man, as long as it is in good temper, but being dis­tempered by sinne, the holy Ghost removes. You may see it in Adam: as soone as hee eate of the forbidden fruite, the holy Ghost left him, and hee lost his Originall righteous­nesse.

Secondly, in this death as there is a privation, so there is also a positive evill quality in the soule, whereby it is not onely voyd of good­nesse, but made ill. In the naturall death when as a man dyes, there is another forme left in the body; so in this spirituall death, there is an evill [Page 5] habit, left in the soules of men: This you may see Heb. 9.14. where the workes you doe be­fore regeneration, are called, Dead workes: there would be a contradiction in calling them dead Workes, if there were not another posi­tive evill forme in man, beside the absence of the quickning Spirit, which forme is called Flesh in the Scriptures.

But it may be objected, Ob. that sinne is a meere privation of good, that it is a Non-ens; therefore flesh cannot be said to be an operative quali­ty and forme of sinne.

To this I answer, Answ. that though all sinne bee a meere privation, yet it is in an operative sub­ject, and thence it comes to passe that sinne is fruitfull in evill workes: as for example: take an horse and put out his eyes, as long as hee stands still there is no error: but if he begins to runne once, he runnes amisse, and the longer hee runnes, the further he is out of the way wherein he should goe, and all this because hee wants his eyes, which should direct him: So it is with sinne, though it in its selfe bee but a meere privation, yet it is seated in the soule, which is alwaies active: Anima nunquam otiosa; The goodnesse that should inlighten us is taken away, and there is a positive evill quality put into it, that leads us on to evill.

Consider farther whence this death proceeds; the originall of it, is the understanding & mind of man, which is primū vivēs, et ultimū moriens. [Page 6] That which lives first and dies first. The cause of life is the understanding inlightened to see the truth; when the affections are right, and the understanding is straight, then wee live; when it is darkned all goes out of order. Iohn 1.4. speaking of Christ, it is said, that in him was life, and the life was the light of men: he was life because he was light, he did inliven men, because he did inlighten them: therefore Ephe. 5.4. Awake thou that sleepest, stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light: because light is the beginning of spirituall life, Iames 1.18. Therefore it is said, Of his owne will begot he them, by the word of truth: that is, the word rectifies the understanding and opinion, which is the first thing in this spirituall birth. Ephe. 4.22.24. Put off the old man which is corrupt, ac­cording to the deceitfull lusts thereof; and put on the new man, which after God is created in holi­nesse, and perfect righteousnesse. The old man is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts: that which is heere called deceitfull lusts, &c. in the originall, signifies, lusts proceeding from er­ror, and holinesse proceeding from truth; lust proceeds from error, in mistaking things; for lust is nothing else but affection mispla­ced, proceeding from error. That holinesse in which God delighteth, in which his Image consists, comes from truth. When Adam was alive, he judged aright, then the wheele and affections of his soule were right: Being dead [Page 7] by reason of his fall, he lost his sight, he saw no beauty in the wayes of God; and this is the case of all unregenerate men: but when the Spi­rit rectifies the judgement, convinceth them of sinne and righteousnesse, then they begin to revive. To be dead is to have the understan­ding darkned, the judgement erronious: to be alive is to have the understanding inlightened, and the judgement rectified; And thus much for the first, what this death is.

We come now to the kindes of death, The kinds of Spirituall death. which are three.

First, there is a death of guiltinesse: one that 1 is guilty of any offence that is death by the Law, is said to be but a dead man. So every one by nature is a dead man, bound over to death though he be not executed.

Secondly, there is a death in sinne that is 2 opposite to the life of sanctification, Ephe. 2.1. you hath he quickned, who were dead in trespasses and sinnes: & there is a death for sinne that is contrary to the life of Glory.

Thirdly, there is a death that is opposite to 3 the life of joy: in hell there is a life, man is not quite extinguished, but yet men in hell are said to be dead, because they have no joy. This death consists in the separating of God from the soule; when God is separated from the soule, then man dyes this death of sorrow. God joynes himselfe to the soules of good and bad: to those who are not sanctified, he joynes [Page 8] himselfe in a common manner, and thence it is, they have common joy, common comfort, common civility; to the godly he joynes him­selfe in an extraordinary manner, by which they have extraordinary joy: now when God is separated from the soule, then comes a per­fect death; see it in the separation of God from Christs humanity. God withdrawing himselfe from him but for a time, he cryeth out, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me; As God withdrawes himselfe more or lesse, so is our joye, our sorrow more or lesse. Thus much for the kinds of this death.

We come now to the Symptomes or signes of this death, The Symp­tomes of true death. and they are foure.

1 The first is this; men are said to be dead when they understand nothing, when as there is no reason extant in them, when they see no more then dead men. The life is nought else but the soule acted: then a man is said to live when the understanding part is acted: man is spiritually dead when as his understanding is darkned, when as he sees or understands no­thing of Gods waies, because they are spirituall, and he carnall.

Ob.But it may bee objected: men doe under­stand things belonging to faith and repentance, carnall men not yet sanctified have some un­derstanding of these.

Answ.I answer, that they may understand the ma­terials belonging to Godlinesse as well as o­thers, [Page 9] but yet they relish them not, they see them not with a spirituall eye. Tit. 1.16. They are to every good worke reprobate; they cannot judge aright of any good workes, as to like, approve and love them, to see a beauty in them as they are good: Rom. 8.7. the wisedome of the flesh is enmity with God, for it is not subiect to the law of God, the Greeke word is [...], the meaning is not that they understand it nor, but they like it not, they relish it not, they tast it not; they thinke of Gods wayes, that they are but folly, 1 Cor. 2.14. They are at enmity with them, they count them drosse.

The second symptome of death is, want of 2 motion: where there is no motion, there is death. All men naturally want this motion, they cannot judge or doe any thing by nature: they may doe opus operatum, but they cannot doe it in a holy manner; their prayers, their hearing, receiving of the Sacrament, and the like, are dead workes, without faith the princi­pall of life; however they may be faire in other mens eyes.

The third signe of a naturall death is sence­lesnesse; 3 so men are spiritually dead, when they are not affected with Gods judgements, when they have hard hearts which cannot repent, Rom. 2.5. when they have hearts as hard as a stone, Ezek. 36.26. yet they may be affected with them, as naturall men apprehend evill, not from a quickning Spirit, but from a selfe love.

[Page 10]Lastly, in a naturall death, there is a losse of that vigor and beauty in the face and counte­nance which is in living men: So in men that are spiritually dead, there is no beauty, no vi­gor, they have death in their faces: they may have painted beauty, which may be like the li­ving, (as he said: pictum putavi esse verum, et verum putavi esse pictum:) they may bee much alike, yet they have not that livelinesse and beauty as living men have; Gods beauty (the beauty of holinesse) is not found in them.

Ob.But it may be objected, they have many ex­cellencies in them, they know much, they ex­cell in morall vertues.

Answ.I answer, they may have excellencies, as a dead man may have Iewels and Chaines about him, yet they are dead: they have them, but yet they are as Iewels of Gold in a Swines snoute; they are as Swine, their good things make them not men, they are beautifull yet they are but dead men; as the evill workes of good men make them not bad men: so the good workes of evill men, make them not good. Thus much for the signes of this Death.

We come now to the degrees of this death, The degrees of Spirituall death. in all these deaths there are degrees: First in 1 the death of guilt, if you have had more meanes, the guilt is greater, if you make no use of them. The Gentiles they shall onely be con­demned for breaking the Law of nature, because they knew no other Law; The Iewes they shall [Page 11] be condemned for sinning against the Law of na­ture, and the Law of Moyses, they had a double Law, and shall be condemned for the breach of it; Christians having a treble Law, the Gospel, the Law of nature, the morrall Law, shall be condemned for all three; and among all Christians, such as have had more meanes, and better education, the greater shall their pu­nishment be.

Secondly, in the death opposite to the life 2 of sanctification, there are degrees. Now yee must know that there are no degrees in the privative part of death, but they are onely in the positive. The lowest step in this second death is to have enmity to the waies of God, be­ing fighters against God; enemies to the Saints; this is the lowest step. The second degree is, when as men are not so active that way, but yet are dead in pleasures, Ambition, covetous­nesse, & the like. There is a generation of men which trouble not themselves to oppose God & the Saints, but give themselves to pleasures, and like those Widowes, 1 Tim. 5.6. are dead in pleasures, while they are alive. The last step in this death, is the death of Civility. Civill men come nearer the Saints of God than others, they come within a step or two of heaven, and yet are shut out; they are not farre from the king­dome of Heaven, as Christ said to the yong man; yet they misse of it as well as others.

Thirdly, for the death that is opposite to the 3 [Page 12] life of ioy, the degrees of it are more sensible: Some have legall terrors, the beginnings of e­ternall death; others have peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost, the beginning of eternall life. And thus much for the degrees of these deaths.

Object.Now hearing that all are dead in trespasses and sinnes, yee may obiect; If wee are dead, why doe you preach unto us? If we bee dead, we understand not, wee moove not, wee are not capable of what you say.

Answ. 1.To this I answer, First, there is a great dif­ference betweene this spirituall death, and na­turall death.

1 For first, those who are naturally dead, un­derstand nothing at all; but in those who are spiritually dead, there is a life of understan­ding, by which they themselves may know that they are dead; men who are naturally dead, cannot know they are dead.

2 Secondly, those who are spiritually dead, may understand the wayes of life: though they relish them not, yet they may heare and re­ceive them, which those who are naturally dead cannot doe.

3 Thirdly, those who are spiritually dead, may come to the meanes, to the poole in w ^c the Spi­rit breaths the breath of life; whereas naturally dead men cannot come to the meanes of life.

Answ. 2.Secondly I answer, that though ye are dead, yet hearing may breed life, the word can doe [Page 13] it. There was an end why Christ spake to Lazarus that was dead, Lazarus come forth, because his word wrought life; therefore though ye are dead, yet because the word can worke life in you, our preaching is not in vaine.

Lastly, this death is a voluntary death. Men 3 who are naturally dead cannot put life into themselves; no more can those who are spi­ritually dead when they have made themselves dead. Men dye this death in a free manner; I cannot better expresse it, than by this simili­tude. A man that is about to commit the act of murther or treason, his friends perswade him not to doe it, for if hee doth, he is but a dead man, yet notwithstanding he will doe it; we say of such a one that hee is a dead man willingly. So wee tell men, if they doe thus and thus, that they goe downe to the Cham­bers of death, yet they will doe it; Hence is that Ezek. 18.31. Why will yee dye, O yee house of Israel? implying that this spiritual death in sinne, is a voluntary death.

But yee will obiect, Ob. Men are not quite dead, there are some reliques of Gods Image still left in them; how are they then dead?

To this I answer, Ans. that there is a double Image of God; first a naturall, standing in the natural frame of the soule, as to be immor­tal; immateriall; So there is understanding, will and reason, and some sparks of life left in us, as [Page 14] the remainder of a stately building that is rui­nated: but yet there are no sparkes of the living Image left in us, the spirituall Image of God consisting in holinesse and true righteousnes, remaines not; The Papists indeed deny it, but how will they answer the rule of the Fathers: that Supernaturalia dona sunt penitus ablata, na­turalia quassata; that supernaturall gifts are utterly taken away, no sparkes of them re­maine.

Ob.But it will be objected, that though men by nature have nothing left, yet there is now an u­niversall ability and grace, an universall suffici­ency given unto them.

Ans.To this I answer, that that which they call 1 universall grace, is the same thing that nature is, but they put another tearme upon it; it is found in nature, and is common wherever it is, therefore it cannot bee grace. For in grace there is always someting that is peculiar.

2 Secondly, if there should be an universall grace, the Saints would be no more beholding to God, than other men; if God give all alike to all, it should not bee God, but themselves that put the difference.

3 Thirdly, if there were that generall suffici­ency, it would take away all election: there might then be prescience, but no election, no predestination to death or life.

4 Fourthly, if there were a generall grace, what is the reason that Paul made it such mat­ter [Page 15] of difficulty to answer that question of election, Rom. 9. If Aristotle and other hea­then, if every one have such a generall suf­ficiency, Paul would not have made such a scrupulous answer, and have cryed out of the depth.

Thirdly, there is not that universall ability, 5 because that which is borne of the flesh is flesh, and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit; wee are borne of the flesh and cannot therefore have this spirituall sufficiency.

But yet there are some spirituall gifts in men. Ob.

I answer, Answ. that we cannot have these spiritu­all gifts if we are not borne of the Spirit; that which is borne of the flesh is flesh. Not Bellarmine himselfe, nor no man else will say that all are borne of the Spirit, Iohn 15.2. Every branch in me not bearing fruite, he taketh away, and it is cast out, and withered; that is, as the branch not being in the root, bringeth forth no fruite, so men as long as they are not ingrafted into Christ, bring forth no buds, no fruite; they may heare the word, but they cannot make use of it, they cannot doe it without the Spirit, and that is free: it breatheth where it listeth; com­pare Iohn 3.8. the Spirit breatheth where it list­eth, with Iohn 6.44. No man can come unto mee unlesse the Father draw him; draw him, that is, not as a sheepe is lead with a bough; for Christ doth not say, no man will come, but, no [Page 16] man can come except the Father draw him; com­pell him as it were by force, not perswade him by intreaties: that is, unlesse he changeth, and taketh away his wolvish will.

Ob.But it will be objected, that God drawes every man.

Ans.I answer, that the context concludes against this. For Christ doth bring this in, to shew the reason, why many did not receive his Doctrine; and he concludes with this, that men therefore doe not receive it, because God doth not draw them: None can come un­to me except my Father draw them.

Ob.I will answer one objection more and so conclude: If wee are dead, to what end is the law given, why are wee commanded to doe thus and thus, if we be dead?

An.To this I answer, that the Law is given to this end, to shew us our weaknesse, and to leade us unto Christ: it is not given us to keepe exactly, for that is impossible: it was impossible to keepe it through the weaknesse of the flesh, Rom. 8.3. the Law was therefore given that wee might know our weaknesse, not that we should keepe it, but that Christs righteousnesse might be fulfilled in us by faith, Gal. 3.24. the Law is our school­master to bring us to Christ, that we might be Iu­stified through faith; That is, the end of the Law.

Ob.But it will be objected: that in as much as we are commanded to doe things impossible, [Page 17] mans nature is destroyed, for man is a free creature. Secondly, the command implies an absurdity, and impossibility, to bid a man doe that which he cannot doe; to bid a man that is in a deepe Well, bound hand and foote, to come out himselfe is foolish; yee may blame him for falling in, it is absurd to bid him come out.

To this I answer, Answ. that there is a difference betweene the externall binding, and the bonds wherewith a man is fettered by sinne; There is an externall impediment, which a man can­not remove when hee is fettered in the Well; but there is no externall impediment, when as men are bound in the chaines of sin. When wee command you to doe thus and thus, all the businesse is with the will, we rather say men will not, then they cannot come; There is liber­ty when as a man hath eligibile or non eligibile; when hee hath a thing in his owne choyse, when there is no impediment, when hee may argue both wayes: If a man out of the pervers­nesse of his nature doth it not, it is not com­pulsory, but free; a beasts action is free be­cause he cannot reason on both sides, but man when he considers arguments on both sides, when he can say, doe not doe such a thing, but doe such a thing; when he can conceive argu­ments, on both sides, he is free, there is no such externall impediment in him, as to bid one in darknesse, to doe a thing of the light, or one [Page 18] bound hand and foote in a pit, to come out; since the chiefe impediment here, is in the depraved wils of men, which God doth rectify and change by his grace & Spirit, through the use of meanes.

Vse 1.If then every man out of Christ bee in an estate of death, let every man examine him­selfe, and consider whether he be a dead man or no; this is the great quere or question in this mutability and incertainety of things. Let us make the life to come sure; our life is uncer­taine here; but have wee this spirituall life, are wee living men? then we are happy: but are we dead? then he that is not partaker of the first resurrection, shall not be partaker of the second. It is too late to begin to live, when we are dying; certainly naturall death is a time of spending, not of getting or inquiring after life: If yee deferre this search while yee are in health, when yee lye on your deaths bed, when you shall see heaven and hell immedi­ately presented unto you, this question will hold you solicitous, and then you shall see that this spirituall life, is the life indeed. The time of this naturall life, is not long; the Can­dle burnes not long if it burne out; yet it is oftner blowne out, than burnt out; men oft­ner fall downe than come downe from the tree of life: this Tabernacle is often throwne downe before it fals downe, therefore in this short life make your selves sure of eternall life.

[Page 19]Now there are two things which hinder this search and inquiry after spirituall life.

The first is a false opinion; men thinke themselves in the waies of life, being in the waies of death; they thinke there is a greater latitude in the Gospell than there is.

The second is▪ men are not at leysure; there are millions of businesses in their heads, so that they cannot hearken to the whisperings of conscience; they have no spare time to be wise unto salvation; It will be our wisedome therefore to consider our end, Deut. 32.29. To helpe you therefore in this Quere, whether you are dead or alive? Consider first, if ever you have 1 beene dead. Secondly, if ye have beene dead, 2 whether yee are made alive.

First I say, consider whether yee have bin 1 dead or no; I meane, whether sinne hath bin made alive in you, that you might dye. Rom. 7.9, 10. I was alive without the Law once, but when the Commandement came, sinne revived, and I dyed; that is, the Commandement awa­kens my sinnes, and they being alive I dyed; sinne when it affrights not a mans conscience, then hee is dead; when it wounds the con­science, then he is alive.

The Law being brought to the soule by the Spirit, yee see the rectitude of the Com­mandement, and your owne obliquity and crookednesse; sinne is alive and yee dye. Pe­ter preaching to the Iewes, Act. 2. recites to [Page 20] them their sinnes in crucifying the Lord of glory, which sinne was made alive, and pricked them at their hearts. Sinne was dead in David, till Nathan and the Law came unto him, afterward hee lived and was humbled; Luke 5. Peter seeing Christs divinity by the draught of Fishes, cries out, Depart from mee Lord, for I am a sinfull man; hee had sinnes in him before, but they were dead; then they were made alive. Paul, he had sinnes that were dead in him, but when the outward light which was but a tipe of his light within, did shine about him, then hee dies, and his sinnes were made alive: So Iosephs brethren had sins, but they were not made alive till they were put in prison, then their sinne in selling their brother Ioseph lived, and they dyed. Hath sinne ever bin alive in you by the commandement to slay you? that is, hath it bred such an apprehension in you, as of death; (not a sigh or two for a day (that is no slaying of you, but yee must ap­prehend sinne as death, as one that is to be ex­ecuted, forthwith apprehends death, so must you apprehend sinne) then it is a signe, that there is life within you.

2 Secondly, are yee made alive againe? Is there such a change in you as if yee were other creatures, as if yee lived an other life? Where this life is, it works an alteration and a change, gives us another being, makes us to bee no more the same men; whoever is in Christ is, a [Page 21] new creature, it workes a generall change from death to life; it makes all our actions to be rigorous, like the actions of living men, Old [...]hings passe away, all things become new, it makes men leade a new life: If old aquaintance [...]nd lustes would draw us away, we answer [...]hat we are dead, that we live no moe to these, [...]hat now we have not our owne wills: Christ [...]ives in us and workes in us, Gal. 2.20. It is not that live, but Christ lives in me. The same mind [...]ill be in us that was in Christ Iesus, Phil. 2.5. [...]ow if ye desire to know whether Christ live [...]n you or no, or whether you are in an estate [...]f death; you must see whether you have these [...]wo things which are in every one in whom [...]hrist liveth: first see whether you live to him: [...]e died that we should not live to our selves, but him alone. In morall things the end and prin­ [...]ple are all one. Before Christ lived in you, [...] you did was from your selves, ye were your [...]wne principle and end: but Christ living in [...]u, there is another end; ye eye Christ, ye [...]oke to him, all that ye doe is done in sinceri­ [...], it is done for him and from him.

But how can Christ bee the end of our cal­ [...]gs, eating drinking, and recreations? Quest.

I answer, Answ. that of every action Christ must be [...]e end, yee must doe as a man in a journey; [...]ough every [...] trea [...]es he thinkes not of [...] journeys end▪ yet the generall ayme of [...] must be for that [...]nd, and that cau­seth [Page 22] 1 every step: so in all yee doe, the genera [...] end must be Christ.

2 Secondly if Christ live in you, your hear [...] cleave to him, as to the Principle of life, the child to the dug, or the element to its nat [...] ­rall place. What ever our life is, wee cleave it. Some place their life in their credit, take [...] ­way it, and they dye: others in riches; take [...] ­way them, and they perish. What ever is yo­ [...] god, if it be taken away, you perish. Therfor [...] Iohn. 6.68. when Christ demaunds of the twel [...] whether they would likewise goe away; Pet [...] makes this answer, Lord, whither shall we g [...] thou hast the words of eternall life.

3 Thirdly, ye may know, what life ye live, the food that feeds it. Oyle feeds the Lamp fuell the fire: If your life be fed with the duti [...] of obedience, then ye live. If yee keepe [...] Commandements, yee shall live in them, sai [...] Christ: you shall live in them as in your pr [...] ­per element, as the Fish in the water; eve [...] motion out of it, is to death: There are tw [...] sorts of men to whom this triall doth b [...] ­long.

1 The first are those, who have a name they l [...] and yet are dead, like the Church of Sardis. R [...] 3.1.

2 The second to whom this belongeth, are th [...] who are dead indeed.

1 The first of these, are like the Angels t [...] take bodies, and doe actions; they are not t [...] [Page 23] living men, though they appeare to be. Now the signes that Characterise these dead men from those that are truly living, are five, taken from the signes of the fained life, in the Spirits that have true bodies but onely in appearing, whereby they are distinguished from bodies that truly live.

First, Angels that take Assumed bodies, The characters of those that are spiritually dead. eate and drinke, and are not nourished: as the Angels that came to Lot, and Abraham, and had created bodies: So these dead men doe all the 1 actions that living men doe; they heare, they pray, they read, but they turne it not into flesh and blood, because there is no life in them: they are not the stronger for hearing, or any thing they doe; they thrive not, as those that have the Boulimia, they eate and drinke not, because there is an Atrophy in their bodies. Wee preach to men, yet they are the same this yeare they were the last: they have a name to live and yet they live not, they turne not the meanes to flesh and nourishment; it is a signe of a living man that he growes. That which is said of a good will, that it makes use of every thing, may be said of grace; It turnes all the passages of Gods providence into nourish­ment; stormes as well as faire gales, helpe a living man to the haven; Affliction, prosperi­ty, all put him on and helpe him forwards. Take one not having this life, doe what yee will, hee thrives not; as an unthrift, put him [Page 24] to what trade yee will, he thrives not, hee is still on the losing hand; so these men, prospe­rity, adversity, helpe them not: put any thing to a dead man to doe, he doth it not; so these men, the Word and Sacrament helpes them not, because they are dead.

2 Secondly, the motions of the Spirits that take Assumed bodies, is not from any in­ward principall, not from the motion of life within: so the actions of men that are not alive, are not from the principles of life, they are not vitall motions, but as in other actions, the Wheeles goe as long as the spring is up that moves them, so the actions of men that are dead, as long as the springs are up & the influ­ence continues, they move. When they are sick and apprehend death, then they will doe many things; but these being gone their goodnesse is ended: whilst they deepely apprehend some accident, they will be good, that being gone and forgotten, their goodnesse ends: Many whiles they have good acquaintance, and are in good company, will be good, but when they are gone, their goodnesse ceaseth. These men have golden outsides, they seeme to have the Kings stamp upon their actions, yet they are but counterfaite; they pay God in counter­faite Coyne, not in currant mony; their actions have a forme of religion, but yet the power is wan­ting; all they doe is but a meere formality; their Prayers, their Sabath keeping are but in [Page 25] shew, those actions and duties that have most power and life in them, they doe least of all relish, they tast them not because they have no life in them. In generall, all the actions that men wanting life doe, they are but dead works, they may bee deceived with them for a time, but when death comes, they shall finde them to be but dead. Remigius a judge of Laurence tels this story, that the Divell in those parts did use to give money to Witches, which did appeare to bee good coyne, seemed to be cur­rant money at first; but being laid up a while, it then appeared to be nothing but dryed leaves: so the Divell deceives men now, hee makes them to do outward actions, which have a faire shew, but when they need them, they thē appeare as they are, to be nothing but dead leaves, becaus [...] the Principle of life is wan­ting.

A third property of Assumed bodies is this, 3 that they are taken up onely for a time, and then are laid downe againe, as the Spirits that take them listed; so in these men which seeme to live, there is an inconstancy and mu­tability in their lives, they lay downe their re­ligion as occasion serves. If that they did was done in respect to God, it would be al­waies the same, the company and occasions would not alter it; but because it is not done in respect to God, therefore as their compa­ny and occasions are mutable, so is their reli­gion. [Page 26] They are as inconstant as Clouds without raine, that are quickly scattered; like wandring Stars, or like the morning dew, that is soone dryed up. The Saints have an inequality in their lives, yet they never dye againe; they may be sickly, but these men are twice dead, Trees plucked up by the rootes, that never grow againe: The Saints may bee as sheepe soyled with a fall, but they can never become Wolves againe, but these men they turne Wolves againe, so did Pharoah and Saul. The Saints have their Turbida intervalla, their ebbing and flowing, their full and their waine; but yet all these cloudings doe but obscure their graces, not extinguish them: the darkenesse of the night extinguisheth not the light of the Stars, but covers it; so doe these cloudings but onely cover the graces of the Saints. All the good­nesse of other men that seeme to live, are but Lucida intervalla, they are good but by fits, when as those that live are bad but by fits, Nul­lum fictum est diuturnū, their goodnes is but counterfeit, therefore it lasts not, it holds not out.

4 Another distinguisher of those walking Ghosts from living, is this: the actions they do, they do them not as living men doe, they make apparitions onely and vanish. Those men that have nothing but civility, it quickly vanisheth, they are like the Church of Sardis, Reve. 3.1. that had a name shee lived, and yet [Page 27] wa [...] dead: Their workes are not perfect throughout, they were but linsey-wolsey, they were not thorow paced in the waies of God, but shuffel; they graspe at both, & comprehend neither; they doe many things, but not all. As the young man that came to Christ, Christ looked on him, and loved him; what distinguish­ed him? One thing was wanting, his workes were not perfect, his heart was set upon his wealth, he would doe any thing else, his heart was not weaned or divorced from it. Saul had a name to live, but yet his workes were not perfect, when Samuel came not, then hee was discovered, that was but his triall, hee would not rest in God. Herod did many things, yet he was not perfect, he would not leave his in­cest; so all that have but a forme of religion they are Wolves though they have a sheepish outside, they are not perfect, yee shall know them by their workes.

But what workes are those that we cannot see them doe? Quest.

I answer, Ans. they may be exact in the first, yet faile in the second Table, and those that prac­tise the duties of the 2 Table, faile in the du­ties of the first. If men be exact in the duties of both Tables, their religion is pure and unde­filed, Iam. 1.27. If they faile in the duties of one table, to make their religion pure, is to mend in the other. These civill men wrong no man, yet they content themselves with a [Page 28] bare formality; this is not pure religion: wee say this is a pure religion, if yee be fervent in prayer, and content not your selves with formality of Religion without the pow­er.

5 Lastly, these walking Ghosts, do but shew themselves to men, they company not with them; ye see them and heare no more of them. Ye shall know living men, by their compa­nying and loving of the Saints; as sheepe and Doves they are never out of company, and keepe no other company but their owne. Yee shall finde in others those diffe­rences.

1 First, eyther they delight not in all the Saints; Wee must love all the Saints, this particle all, is put in all Pauls Epistles; these love not all the Saints.

2 Secondly, if they love all the Saints, yet they love not the Saints onely, yee must love none but the Saints. If yee love the Saints because they are Saints, then those who are not Saints, yee doe not love; that is, yee love none, with the love of friendship, and intimate familiarity but the Saints; yet love them with a love of pitty, and we all faile in this love.

3 Thirdly, they doe not love those that excell in vertue. If your hearts be not right, yee dis­like all those that goe beyond you in holinesse, and practise.

4 Lastly, though they make a shew, they love [Page 29] them, yet they doe not shew the effects of their loves to them. And thus much for the helpes and discovery of the first sort of men, that have a name they live, and yet are dead.

The second sort of men to whom this use 2 is directed, are those who are quite dead; The markes and signes of those who are spiritually dead. yee shall know them by these markes or Symp­tomes.

First, yee shall finde coldnesse in them; in 1 death there is no heate: so their prayers and performances are cold, they are dead, wanting fervency.

But the Saints want heate as well as others, Object. they also are cold.

I answer, Answ. though sometimes they want it, yet they are quickly made hot againe, because there is life in them; as Charcole is quickly kindled, because it hath beene in the fire; so the Saints are soone kindled, because they had fire in them before. Others are as greene wood, or rather as matter that is not Combu­stible, as the Adamant, that will not be made hot with fire; living men, admonitions and the fire of good company will heate againe, so will it not the others.

Secondly, yee shall know them by their stif­nesse 2 and hardnesse. It is a signe of death to be inflectible: Wicked men are as hard as flint to Gods commandes, but as soft as waxe to that which humors them. Are yee tractable? [Page 30] doe you delight in your owne wayes, and yet continue the same men, keepe the same com­pany? Doe yee abide still in the same place, or go on in the same tract? then yee are dead: In many things you may be tractable, but the maine is, whether yee are flexible in those things that are connaturall unto you: these deale with us as Iohanan did with Ieremiah, Ier. 42. he said he would goe downe into Egypt, he would doe any thing, that God should bid him, whether it were good or bad; but when Iere­my had told them that they must not goe downe into Egypt, then they say that he spake false, God did not send him: If Gods will had suted with his, hee would have done what hee would have had him to doe: your triall is when you must offer up your Isaack, when you must part with those things that are most sweetest unto you.

3 Thirdly, dead men are sencelesse, like Idols that the Psalmist speakes of: they have eyes and see not, eares and heare not, mouthes and speake not, feet and walke not, they have sences to di­scerne, but there is yet an inward eye, they want; they see no beauty in the wayes of God; therefore they thinke there is no such matter, because they have eyes & see it not, they have mouthes and tast it not, they relish it not, they smell no sweet savour, from the graces of the Saints, when as the graces of the Saints have a sweet savour, like an oyntment powred out, Cant. [Page 31] 1.2. So for feeling, they feele not, they are not sencible of the judgements or threatnings; the Law nor the Gospell move them not, they have hard and insensible harts; the more in­sensible they are, it is a signe, they are ever dead: the more sensible we are of the threat­nings or promises, the more life is in us.

Lastly, dead men are speechlesse; there is 4 no breath in them. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. The dry and empty channell drives not the Mill, but a full streame sets it on worke. If the heart bee full of life, the tongue is full of good speeches. Prov. 10. The words of the righteous are as fined silver, be­cause there is a treasure within them; but the words of the wicked are nothing worth, because their hearts are evill. As it is said of evill men, that their tongues are set on fire of hell; so the tongues of the righteous are set on fire by heaven. Esay. 19.18. they speake the language of Canaan. In hypocrites there is loquacity as bla­sing meteors, and in Saints there is sometimes an indisposition by reason of some sinnes, which make them like to springs which are dammed up with stones and mudde. Yet judge not of them by such fits, but take them as they are in their ordinary course; the mouth speaketh out of the abundance of the heart. Every man is delighted in some genious operations, in things that are sutable to him; if there be aboundance of life, aboundance of [Page 32] grace within a man, he delights to speake of it: as all men are severally disposed, such are their speeches. Now all these are privative signes of death; I will adde one more that is positive.

Fiftly, looke what life a man lives, he drawes to him the things that nourish it, and ex­pelleth that which hinders it. If a man bee alive to sinne, he drawes that which is sinfull, but holinesse and the meanes of grace, hee ex­pels as contrary to him: What doth satisfy his lusts, that he doth; he may doe good for a time, but he is quickly sicke of it.

Objest.But I doe much good, I abstaine from much evill, may some say.

To this I answer, Answ. that if one member lives, it is a signe that the whole body lives; so if one mortall sinne live in you, it is a signe you are dead. Truth of grace cannot stand with one mortall sinne unrepented, unsubdued: one disease kils a man as well as an hundred; so one living lust kils you: Doth any lust live and reigne in them, it kils them.

But what is it to live and to reigne?

Object.I answer, Ans. when a man ceaseth to maintaine warre with his lust, and resists it not; when a man layes downe the weapons, when he seeth his lust is naturall to him, and therefore yeelds unto it, then sinne reignes in him. There is no man that lives the life of grace, but hee hath this property, that hee strives against all sinne to the utmost, not in shew, but in since­rity; [Page 33] he strives against the occasions of sinne though they foyle him; hee still maintaines warre against them, and so they live, and reigne not in him.

2 If every man out of Christ be in an estate of death, let us not deferre repentance, Vse 2. but doe it whilst wee may. Repentance makes a dead man to be a living man: What is it that makes you deferre repentance? yee thinke yee can change your courses, & sorrow when you list, therefore ye deferre it. If men be dead, and re­pentance puts as it were a new soule into thē, makes them to passe from death to life, then is it not so easy a thing. Suppose yee had Ezekiahs warning, is it in your power to make your selves live? no, it is beyond your power; God onely can doe it. Every man lyes before God, as that clod of earth, out of which Adam was made. God must breathe life into him, else hee continues dead. God doth not breathe life into all, He quickens whom he will. It is your wisedome therefore to waite on him in his Ordinances: if you have good mo­tions begun in you, presse them forwards, they are ofsprings of life. Thinke seriously, am I dead, or alive? If dead, why then say, its not in my power to quicken me, its onely in God to doe it, and he doth this, but in few, those whom he quickneth are but as Grapes after the Vintage, or as the Olives after the beating; how then shall I bee in the number? Give your [Page 34] selves no rest; know that it is God that brea­theth, and then depend on him. Make that use of the doctrine of election, with care and more solicitude to looke to your selves. Phil. 2. God workes both the will and the deed of his good pleasure, worke out therefore your salvation with feare and Trembling. If repentance be a passage from death to life, if it bee such a change, then labour for to get it. The Spirit doth not alwayes strive with men; yee are not alwayes the same, yee will sticke in the sand, grow worse and worse, if yee grow not better and better. No more power have you to change your selves, than the Blackamore hath to change his skinne, or the Leopard his spots; the time will come, when you shall say as Spira did: O how doe I desire faith, would God I had but one drop of it; and for ought we know he had it not.

Vse 3.Thirdly, learne hence to judge of naturall men; for all the excellency they have, yet they are but dead men; If a man be dead, we doe not regard his beauty, all excellencies in naturall men, are but dead. It is a hinderance in the wayes of God, to over-valew outward excellencies, and to despise others that want these trappings: let us say for all these excel­lencies, yet he is but a dead man, we knowe none after the flesh any more, 2. Cor. 5.16. Againe for your delight in them, know that this death doth differ from naturall death; for these [Page 35] dead men are active, & ready to corrupt others, they have an influence, that doth dead those, who are conversant with them, sinne commu­nicates as well as grace. Nothing so great a quench-cole, as the company of bad men: there is an operative vertue in them to quench mens zeale, as the dropping of water will quench the fire, though they cannot wholly extinguish it being once kindled.

Fourthly, if all out of Christ are dead, Vse 4. learne to judge of the Ordinances of God, and the meanes of salvation, let us not un­dervalue nor overvalue them; the Ordinan­ces cannot bring life, not the Word, nor Sa­craments; If yee are sicke and send for the Minister, hee cannot quicken you; the Ordi­nance is but a creature, and cannot give life. If we speake to the eare, and Christ speake not to the heart, it is nothing: Let your eyes bee fixed on Christ, beseech him to put life into you, pray to God for a blessing: the Ordinan­ces are but dead Trunkes, as Pens without Inke, Conduit pipes without water. Learne then that God doth convay life by the Ordi­nances, that they themselves cannot give life, therefore doe not overvalew them. Yet know withall, that God doth worke but by his Or­dinances; the Spirit breathes not in Taverns nor Playhouses, but in the Church assemblies. Act. 10. whiles Peter was preaching to Cornelius, and his family, the Spirit fell upon them: so the [Page 36] Spirit fell on others by laying the Apostles hands on them, the Ordinances are the Vehiculum of the Spirit; give what is just to them, and no more; give them neither too little nor too much. Neglect not the Sacrament, ye know not what yee doe when yee neglect it; yee thinke that yee eate and drinke your owne damnation, if yee receive it unreverently; Absence from it is a sinne as well as the remisse and negligent receiving of it. Sickenesse and death yee feare, why then doe you neglect the Sacra­ment, why doe you receive it unworthily? Whence are those Epidemicall diseases a­mongst us? the cause of them is from hence, that yee neglect the Sacrament, that yee receive it unworthily. 1. Cor. 11.30. For this cause many are weake and sicke among you, and many sleepe: Consider the danger of neglecting the Sacrament, he that came not to the Passeover, must be cut off from the children of Israel; the same Equity remaines still in the Sacra­ment; the cause of that was, because he was to come up with the rest, to remember the death of the first borne of Egypt, and the re­demption from their bondage, hee being pas­sed over thereby: It is now the same sinne to neglect the Sacrament, the Equity still re­maines. Are yee to strong in faith as yee need it not? To bee absent from the word, yee thinke it a sinne: so is it to bee absent from the Sacrament; nothing can excuse you. If a [Page 37] master bid his servant doe a thing, and he goes and is drunken, so that he cannot doe it, will it excuse him? If you have made your selves unfit to receive the Sacrament by committing any grosse sinnes; the unfitnesse will not ex­cuse you. If a man hath occasion to ride a journey, if he misse one day, he will take the next: so ye if yee misse the Sacrament once, be sure to take it the next time: It is The Sacra­ment is admi­nistred twice every Terme, and sometimes thrice.devided here, that so if yee misse once, yee may receive it the next time; take heed therefore how yee neglect it. The end of the Sacrament is to worship God, to set forth Christs death, it is the cheifest part of Gods worship; therefore give it the cheifest respect. Now from hence see the necessity of this life of grace: how can yee come to the Sacrament, if yee are dead men? Labour therefore for this life of grace. And thus much for the first poynt, that all men out of Christ are in a state of death.

We come now to the second, and that is this,

That all in Christ, are in a state of life. Doct. 2. Our scope is, to shew you what you are out of Christ, and what benefits yee receive by being in Christ; we cannot goe throughout all par­ticulars, but wee will take the greatest, life and death; the one the greatest good, the other the greatest evill. All in Christ are living men; this is the great benefit, because death is the greatest evill: therefore by the rule of [Page 38] contraries, life must be the greatest good. Far­ther, men prize nothing so much as life; this experience sheweth, and Sathan himselfe could tell, that skinne for skinne, and all that a man hath, he will give for his life, Iob. 1. Beyond experience, God himselfe threatens death to Adam, as the greatest evill; The day that thou eatest of it, thou shalt dye the death, Gen. 3. Now all that live this life are living men, and have all things pertaining to life, 2. Pet. 1.2. they have all that pertaines to life and godlinesse, that is, all things necessary for the nourishment and che­rishing of them, life were else unhappy; take beasts and plants, they having all belonging to their life, are happy, and they are said to live: take any naturall life, when as a man hath food, and rayment, and recreation, hee is said to live. A man lives when he hath life, and all that appertaines unto it. I will divide this Doctrine into two parts, and I will shew you two things.

1 First, that there is such a life as this.

2 Secondly, what this life is.

1 First, that there is such a life, as this; It is needfull to shew you, that there is such a life, because it is a hidden life. God hides these spirituall things, as he hid Christ under a Car­penters sonne: so he hides the glorious myste­ries of the Sacrament, under the base elements of Bread and Wine; he hides the wisedome of God, under the foolishnesse of preaching, he hides [Page 39] those whom the world is not worthy of, under sheepes Skinnes, and Goates Skinnes, Heb. 11. Col. 3.3. Our lives are hid with Christ in God.

But from whom is this hidden? Quest.

I answer, Ans. that it is hidden from naturall men as Colours from a blind man; they are there, and he sees them not.

But with what is this hidden? Quest.

I answer, Answ. that it is hidden: First, with this naturall life, wee see it not because wee have this life; it is hid, as the Sap in the roote, or water in the spring.

Secondly, it is hidden with a base outside, 2 2. Cor. 6. The Saints are as poore, as despised, as having nothing; Christ had a base outside (there was no forme or beauty in him that wee should desire him: Esay 53.) and so have the Saints be­ing conformable to him; they are like other men for their outsides.

Thirdly, it is hidden with mis-reports; thus 3 Christ himselfe was hidden; he was counted a wine-bibber, a friend of Publicans and sinners; one casting out divels by Belzebub: and there­fore hee became a stumbling blocke unto many. The Saints are likewise misrepresented, they are evill spoken of, they are presented to mens understanding otherwise than they are. There are a generation of men, that pervert the strait waies of God, Act. 13.10. that is, they make them seeme crooked: though they are straight, notwithstanding, they pervert them, [Page 40] as a crooked, as a false glasse, doth pervert a face that is beautifull, representing it in ano­ther shape; or as a sticke that is halfe in the wa­ter, and halfe out, seemes to be crooked, yet it is straight in it selfe.

Quest.But in what is it hidden?

Answ.I answer, that it is hidden in Christ, as in the fountaine, as in the heart and soule, as in the subject wherein it dwels. Men what ever they professe, beleeve not this, because it is a hid­den life; what course then shall wee take to make you beleeve it? The Scriptures you will not deny, yet you will bee as hard to beleeve them, as you will be to beleeve there is such a life; We will therefore say something, with­out the Scriptures, to perswade you that there is such a life as this.

1 First, there is a life of the soule that it lives; as the Angels they move, act, and understand; though they eate not; there is therefore a life, besides this common life.

2 Secondly, consider the matter of the soule, then yee shall see, that the soule lives such a life, as Angels doe; The soules of good men, leade such a life as good Angels doe; the soules of bad men, such a life as bad Angels. The life of beasts depends on the compacture, and Temperature of the substance, as the Harmo­ny doth upon the true extent of every string. With the soule of man it is otherwise; the soule lives first, and then causeth the body to [Page 41] live; it is otherwise in beasts, their soules and bodies live together. Besides it is cer­taine, that the soule shall live, when as the body is laid aside; then it lives another life from the body: therefore it lives another life in the body. The higher faculties of the soule, the Vnderstanding and Will, are not placed and seated in the body, as other faculties are: the visive faculty must have an eye to see, the hearing faculty must have an eare to heare, and so the rest of the faculties must have their organs; but the Vnderstanding hath no such organ, it onely useth those things that are presented to it by the phansy. Our sight, feeling, and hearing, perish, when their organs perish; but the superior faculties of the soule, weare not away, but the elder the body is, the younger they are. The soule lives now in the object, now in the subject: it lives in the things it is occupied about; as the Angels are said to be, where they worke, because they have no bodies as we have, to make them be locally there: so the soule it also lives, where it is occupied; as if it be occupied about hea­venly things, then wee are said, to have our conversation in heaven. Take the understan­ding and faculties of reason, they sway not men, but the Ideaes, truthes and opinions that dwell in this understanding, sway men: There are three lives in man, there is the life of plants, of Beasts or sence, and the life of rea­son; [Page 42] I may adde a fourth, and that is this spi­rituall life, which is an higher life of the soule; Where there is an evill life, there is death, but where there is a good life, there is this spiri­tuall life: See it in the effects, for these are but speculations.

1 First, ye see by experience, that there is a gene­ration of men, that live not a common life, de­light not in vaine pleasures, sports and ho­nors, (there is no life without some delights:) their delights and life is not in outward things abroad; they have a retired and inward life at home.

2 Secondly, there are no Acts, but for some end, there are men who make not themselves their end; if they did, they might then take other courses, going with the streame. If then they make not themselves their end, then they make God their end, they live not to themselves, but to the Lord, 1. Thessalo. 3.8.

3 Thirdly, they care not what they lose to get advantage to God; they are content to be despised, contemned to suffer Torments, imprisonments and death; they are content to doe that which is the ruine of their lives, which they would not doe, had they not a more speciall life within them. 2 Cor. 4.11. Wee which live are alwayes given up to death for Iesus sake, that the life also of Iesus, might bee made manifest in our mortall flesh: That is, for this cause God suffered his Children, to be in [Page 43] danger, that men might know, that they live an other life, and have other comforts: this appeares by their readinesse to be exposed to death; all which shewes, that there are some that leade an other life.

But it will be objected, Object. that the superstiti­ous, and those of another religion, will suffer death as well as the Saints: and morrall phi­losophers are retired as well as the Saints: and those who have but common graces, live this life as well as the Saints: therefore these experiences prove not the poynt sufficient­ly.

I answer, Ans. that it is true, that superstition doth worke much like religion, morrall vertue doth many things, like true holinesse; and Common grace, doth much like true grace; yet it is no good Argument to say, that be­cause a dreaming man dreames that hee sees, therefore a living man that doth see, doth but as he. A picture is like a living man, yet it followes not that a living man is dead, because the picture is dead; it is no Argument to say, that because morrall vertue, doth many things like true holinesse, therefore true holinesse doth them not: They may bee like in many things, yet not in all things; the cause of all deceit is, because we cannot discerne of things alike, therefore I will shew you how these dif­fer.

First, superstition makes men suffer much, as 1 [Page 44] well as true religion, yet they doe it out of a false opinion, the other from faith: the one doe it being helped by the holy Ghost, the other have a supernaturall helpe from Sathan that extendeth nature beyond his speare; the one doth it from grace, the other from delu­sion: the outward acts are alike, but the in­ward principles differ.

2 Secondly, morrall vertue and Christian ho­linesse differ in working, the last is done of a suddaine. A man is made a living man sud­dainely; though there are some previous dispo­sitions, yet the soule is suddenly infused; after this manner the Saints passe from death to life. Others have their actions by frequent acts and education, they are moulded to it by little and little.

3 Thirdly, in morrall men the change is never generall, there is no new birth in them; but in the Saints, all things are new.

4 Fourthly, morallity doth never change na­ture, but grace doth: the most wilde man in a countrey, the unlikeliest man of all others, re­ligion makes him a Lambe of a Lyon, though it were unprobable.

5 Fiftly, what did morrall men? they went by divers wayes, to the same center; themselves were their end; Epicures thought one way the best, the Stoicks another; but the Saints seeke a happinesse, in denying themselves, which helpes to perfect them.

[Page 45]Lastly, common and true grace, have many 6 things alike, yet they differ in this; true grace doth things as a man doth naturall li­ving actions; as a man eates and drinkes with willingnesse and propensnesse, connaturally, and readily; so doth not the other. Those who have onely common grace, doe all from respects and by-ends, their holinesse is but by flashes and fits, it continues not; they are like violent motions, quicke in the beginning, and slower in the end; the higher they goe the weaker they are; But the motions and actions of the godly, are as a stone falling downwards, which moves faster, and faster, till it falles to the Center, where it would bee.

Now we have done all this, there is not yet sufficient said, to make it sufficiently appeare, that there is such a life of grace; these and an hundred other Arguments and reasons, will not make naturall men beleeve, that many men live other lives than they. But when they see the life of holinesse blase in their eyes, they say it is but guilded over, it is but hypocrisy. These reasons may prepare and confirme, but they cannot perswade; we must therefore be­leeve that there is such a life. Iohn 3. Christ treats of this, that there is such a life; he tels Nicodemus, that he must live it, and be borne againe; He wonders at it, how it can be; Christ therefore concludes in the 12. verse: If I have [Page 46] told you earthly things and yee beleeve not, how shall yee beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things? that is, it must bee beleeved, that there is such a life: sense beleeves it not, yet it is easier to beleeve it, because it is wrought on earth; other things are harder than this to beleeve, because they are wrought in heaven; though this be wrought on earth, yet it is hard to be­leeve, and must bee beleeved. And thus much for the first part of the doctrine; that there is such a life.

2 For the second, what this life is; yee may know one Contrary by another; wee have shewed already what death, that is contrary to it, is, by which yee may partly perceive, what this life is; yet we will give you some other signes how to know it. This life is a re­all life, as reall as the other; though this life doth not consist in eating and drinking, as the other doth; it is a life of faith, it is not seene, yet it is as reall as the common life, as it appeares by comparing it with the cōmon life.

First, in this common life of nature there 1 must be temper of body, disposition of instru­ments: so in this life of grace, there is a frame of heart, and a composition of soule, on which it doth depend; there are humors and ingredients of this life, and they are the things yee know: there is a reality in this life as well as in the naturall life.

Secondly, as the naturall life hath a temper of body, hath divers mixtures, so it abhorrs [Page 47] things that are hurtfull to it, and desires things 2 that cherish it: so in this life of grace, there is an appetite; those that live, they are carried to the things that helpe them, they doe hun­ger after the word, and that that builds them up; they abhorre sinne and lust that would de­stroy them.

Thirdly, as in the naturall life, so in this, there is a taste, and palate, that helps this appe­tite. Rom. 12.2. Bee yee changed by the renew­ing 3 of your minde, that yee may prove what is that good, and perfect, and acceptable will of God; that is, that yee may be able to discerne of it, as the touchstone discernes of Gold, or the taste and palate of meates.

Fourthly, as in the other life there is hun­ger and thirst, so is there in this; men are sen­sible of paines, and refreshings, they are sen­sible 4 of sinne, judgement and threatnings, which others are not, being hard and dead.

Fiftly, as the other life is fed with food, so is this: the food which a man eates is not present­ly turned into flesh and bloud that nourisheth; 5 but there is a nutritive faculty, that nourisheth and turnes all wee eate into nourishment: So the Saints, they turne all the passages of Gods providence into nourishment; they assimulate, and turne all things to a good use, there is a living and vitall faculty, in them that sets them forwards. Ephe 4.16. They being knit to Christ, according to the effectuall power, [Page 48] working in every part increase, and edifye them­selves in love.

Lastly, as this common life hath beside other things that maintaine it, some other indowments to helpe it out, as company, recre­ation, riches, and the like: so hath this spiritu­all life, it hath riches, and friends, it hath its heritage, company, habitation, ( God is our ha­bitation from everlasting) with the same reali­ty, though not with the same visibility, and so exposed to sence as the other. The cause of this life is the holy Ghost who is to the soule, as the soule is to the body; he is the cause of it: the end of all of it, is the Lord; all is done to God; No other life is so, this life is of God, through God, and for God: when you finde such a reality in your actions tending to God, when he is your ayme, then yee live this life. Vse.

If this bee the condition of all that are in Christ, to live and be quickned, see what is expected from you to whom this talent is cōmitted, every excellency is a talent, it must not lye dead, but be improved for our ma­sters use: the sinne is great if yee doe it not: the neglect being of a greater thing, the sinne is greater. God sets a proportionable account on his benefits, and expects a severe account from us, if wee use them not. Be exhorted then to live this life: some live much in a short time; Some never live this [Page 49] life; one man may live more in one day, than another man in a hundred: for to live is no­thing, but to be stirring and doing. 1 Tim. 5.6. those who live in pleasures are dead whilst they live; so he that is occupied about riches or honors, is dead: all that time that men are oc­cupied about riches, and their estates, about credit, honors, and the like, making them their end; that is, a time of death: yee have lived no longer than yee have acted duties of new obedience. If you sommon up your lives ac­cording to this computation, to how short a reckoning will they come? A wise man speakes more in a few words, than a foole doth in a multitude: one peece of Gold hath more worth than a hundred peeces of Brasse; as we say of an empty oration, that there is a flood of words, but a drop of water; so if you consider your lives, and see how long yee have lived in death bungling out the time, you will see that yee have lived but little in a long time, therefore now bee doing something; redeeme the time; be busy in doing or recei­ving good, be still devising to doe something for God, and to put it in execution: spend your fat and sweetnesse for God and man; weare out, not rust out; flame out, not smo­ther out; burne out, be not blowne out. So did Christ, so did Moses, so did Paul, making the Gospel to abound from Ierusalem to Illyricum: so did David, the text saith, that he served his [Page 50] time; he did not idle it out, that is, hee lived not as his owne master, but he did doe it all to God, as to a master: All the worthyes of the Church have lived thus: and not onely they, but poore Christians they are still doing, they serve God and men, they are usefull, these are the men that live. Those who spend their time in sports, in gaming, in businesse, in serving wealth and honour, those who spend their time in morrall discourses, in histories, in hearing and telling of newes, as the Athe­nians did: these are dead they doe not live: as we say of Trees, that if they bring not forth fruit, they are dead; whatever men doe if they bring not forth fruite they are dead, if they glorifie not God, they are dead. See what a price is in your hands, see what yee have done, and mend whiles yee may; be­stow not your price amisse. There are many Talents, yet none like this of life: take there­fore the exhortation, Gal. 6. while yee have time doe good: life is but an acting, yee then live when yee are doing good: see how many men fall from the Tree of life, as leaves in Au­tumne; the candle of the life is quickly blowne out: have therefore a better life in store, bee not alwayes beginning, alwaies building, ne­ver inhabiting, alwayes beginning, never fi­nishing; Stultitia semper incipit vivere: folly alwayes beginns to live, men are alwayes be­ginning, and never goe on. 1 Pet. 4.3. Thinke it [Page 51] sufficient that you have walked formerly, as yee have done; the time which remaines, let us reckon it precious, and bestow it to better pur­pose.

If every one in Christ, Vse 2. be in an happy estate of life; then let men from hence know their state and condition, often reflect on their pri­viledges, behaving themselves as men prising them, bestowing their time as well as may be; let as few riuulets runne out of this streame as you can. Wee pray, that we may doe Gods will on earth, as perfect as the Angels doe it in heaven; we should therefore practise this as we pray for: their life is without interruption, they are in communion with God; let us then b [...] doing, having our thoughts above, let us still be doing, let not cares and businesse call us off; but let us comfort our selves in God, acting that which is for his glory: prize this life, esteeme it much, know what yee have by Christ, and consider the excellency of this life. That yee may know the excellency of this life, consider it comparatively with this other life, that we live: It hath three properties wherein it differs from, and excells this common life which we all live.

First, it is an eternall life, Ioh 6. Your fathers 1 did eate manna and dyed, but he that eateth of this bread, shall dye no more, but he shall live for ever: that is, this is the advantage that yee have, by the life that I shall give you: those [Page 52] that did eate Manna, the food of Angels, died, and Iohn 4. those that drinke of this water shall thirst againe; that is, those that live another life than this, shall dye and thirst; but those that live this life, never dye. To live this life is when the soule lives in the object; there is a living in the subject, yet this spirituall life is when the soule lives in the object, when as it is set on God. Take men that live other lives, yee shall see that their lives are short; A man living in honour, that being the thing he minds and intends, it is in potestate hono­rantis, there is no constancy in it, it is brickle. If a man lives in wealth, sets his mind on it: Why riches take their wings and fly away, Pro. 23. and then their life is ended. So if a man lives in pleasures and musicke, they passe away, and then he is dead; those who live in these things suffer many sicknesses and many deaths, as his heart is more intent upon them. Quest. But may we may not minde them? Answer. Yes, as if we minded them not, as a man may heare a tale, and have his minde elsewhere, or as a man that baits at an Inne, his mind is somewhere else; If yee minde them, yee dye in them; hee that minds the best things, there is no change in them. God is alwayes the same; so his favour and love is constant; see therefore that yee prize them. As a long time that is infinitely long, exceeds one that is a span long in quantity, so doth this life exceed the naturall life, in [Page 53] perpetuity, and excelles all other lives in excel­lencie.

Secondly, this life is a life indeed; as that 2 that feeds it is meate indeed; the other is not so: see all the comforts of this life, they are not so indeed; take wealth, pleasures, honours and the like; wealth is but a false treasure: Luk. 16.11. it is called the unrighteous mammon, the false treasure: (Falsus Hector non est Hector:) in comparison of the true treasure it is no­thing. Therefore Salomon, Pro. 23.5. speaking of riches saith; Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? these riches are nothing: So for honours, all praise among men is no­thing, it is but vaine glory, and vaine because it is empty and hath nothing in it: so the plea­sures of this life are but sad pleasures, the heart is sad at the bottome: the comforts of this life, and onely these are comforts indeed: the actions of this life, are actions indeed. In eating and drinking there is sweetnesse, but when we feed on the promises by faith, then we tast sweetnesse indeed in them. One that is weary, being refreshed with sleepe finds sweet­nesse and ease; but it is another refreshing, that these finde who have bin weary and hea­vy laden with sinne, and are now refreshed, this brings comfort to the soule. So to thinke of houses, wife, children, and lands; to consider all the actions that wee have done under the Sunne, and all that we have passed thorow, is [Page 54] pleasant: but to thinke of the priviledges wee have in Christ, that we are heires of Heaven, Sonnes of God, this is comfort indeed: especi­ally to thinke of the good workes wee have done; what good prayers wee have made, what good duties wee have performed, these are actions indeed, and bring comfort indeed. All the actions of this life are actions indeed, this life is a life indeed; in death you shall finde it so, that Christs body and blood are meate and drinke indeed; that remission of sinnes, peace of conscience, are comforts in­deed, peace indeed; they are such though now yee thinke not so; yee shall then know, that this life is a life indeed.

3 Thirdly, this life of grace is a prevailing life, swallowing up the other, 2 Cor. 4.4. the Apo­stle desired death: not to be uncloathed, but to be cloathed upon, that mortality might be swal­lowed up of life; that is, desiring death, I doe not desire to be deprived of the comforts of this life; then I were unwise: I would not put off my cloathes, but to be cloathed with a better suite; I desire a life to swallow up this life; not as a Gulfe swallowes that which is cast into it, or as fire swallowes up the wood, by consuming it, but a life that swallowes it up, as perfection swallowes up imperfection, as the perfecting of a picture swallowes up the rude draught, as perfect skill swallowes up bung­ling, or as a manhood swallowes up childhood, [Page 55] not extinguishing it, but drowning it that it is not seene. The life of grace being perfect, swallowes up imperfection; he that lives this life of grace, hath the imperfections of this life swallowed up: For example; before wee live this life, wee magnifie riches honours, and Gugaes; but the life of grace comming, wee have other kinds of comforts then: as a man that is to bee made a Prince, contemnes the things hee before admired. The weakenesses we are subject to, are swallowed up in this life: all sicknesse and trouble are swallowed up in this: so are weaknesses, and imperfecti­ons. This should teach us to set a high prize upon this life of grace; that wee dye no more if wee live it; that it is a life indeed, that it swallowes up this other life, compare it with other lives, it farre excels them.

Secondly, this life of grace must needs bee 2 more excellent than the common life, because it makes a man a better man, much better than he was, this puts man into a better condition: elevates him, puts him into a condition equall to the Angels, and beyond in some respects. That yee may understand this, yee must know that every thing is made better, by mingling it with things that are better then it selfe, as Silver mixed with Gold, Water with Wine, are made better: There are two things requi­red to make a thing better. First, that that thing with which it is mixed, be of a better nature [Page 56] than the thing it selfe. Secondly, that there be a good union. Nothing puts so high a degree of excellency into us as this, that wee are uni­ted unto God; this unity to God is the chee­fest good. Secondly, this union betwixt God and us is a perfect union. There are many uni­ons; as first there is a relative union, such as is betweene man & wife. Secondly there are arti­ficiall & naturall unions, as when two peeces of bords are put together, so that one touch the other: so when graine, and graine of another sort are mixed together; there is a nearer uni­on than this, when as water and water are mixed together: nearer than this, is the union that is betweene the soule and the body. Such a union as this, is there betweene us and Christ: we are in him, as the branches in the vine, wee are knit to him, this puts us into an higher de­gree of excellencie: silver mixed with gold is better; yet if we could take the spirits out of gold, & make silver take the nature and quali­ty of it; it would be much better. Wee put on the spirit and quality of Christ, when as wee live this life. Lusts which are most contrary to this life, puts us below men, makes us worse than Beasts; this life puts us beyond men, and makes us equall with Angels. All men desire some excellency which is done by adding something to them; some desire wealth, some learning, some honour. Consi­der then if yee live this life yee goe beyond all [Page 57] others: nothing beyond Gods Image; nothing better to be united to than God: let this set the life of grace at a high rate in your affections; men do it not, & therefore they despise religi­on in its selfe, & in those in whom it appeares.

Thirdly, yee have this advantage in this 3 life of grace, it addes liberty to you, it makes you to doe those things that otherwise yee could not doe: it makes yee to pray, to repent, to beleeve, and to doe those things without which there is no salvation: Looke on Christ, there are but few that can doe this: there are few that can delight in God, relish the word in its purity, take pleasure in the company of the Saints: comfort themselves in the Lord their God; this life gives liberty, which is an addition of some perfection: it makes us to do things, that we could not doe before, and to doe them in another manner. A man having gotten an Art, hath liberty to doe those things which before he could not: as one that hath gotten the Art of logicke or geometry can doe that which before he could not doe: as one in health hath liberty to doe that which he could not doe being sicke: water being hot, hath liberty to heate, which it could not be­fore: There is no liberty to doe holy actions, but this liberty of the life of grace: the Spi­rit of life addes liberty to doe the actions of life. 2 Cor. 3.17. where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty, to doe things which before we could [Page 58] not doe; as one having an Art can doe things that he could not doe before: This, though you prise it not, while your mountaine is strong, yet the time will come when yee will need liberty to pray, repent, and trust in God; and then yee will finde the pretiousnesse of it: this then sets a price upon this life of Grace, and should make you to desire it.

Thirdly, if it be a happy condition, and that bee the priviledge of those who are in Christ, Vse 3. that there is such a life for them; let this teach men to seeke it, to live this life of grace, to get it if they have it not: to confirme it if they have it; to abstaine from lust, the sicknesse of the soule, and the meanes to quench this life: take heed of estranging your selves from God, who is the principle of this life: take heed of dejections of mind, the cloudings that damp this life. This life is to be active, to act much in the wayes of God; when a man is cheerefull and vigorous hee lives a life of nature; so in this life of grace, he that hath a quicke and nimble sence, and is for­ward and busy in good workes, lives most; hath most life: he that rejoyceth most in God, hath most comforts, hath most life; Take heed of the contraries. Idlenesse, sencelesnesse, and barrennesse are contrary to life, take heed of them: take heed of sadnesse that rusts the wheeles of the soule, whereas joy doth oyle them. Doe all to further this life: avoyd all [Page 59] that hinders it. Labour now to be translated from death to life: that which hinders us, is, that we thinke we are in a state of life, when we are not. Now yee may know whether yee are alive or no, by seeing whether yee are dead or no: But because yee may be certaine whether yee are alive or not; I will give you some positive signes of life to know it.

First, yee are translated from death to life, yee are living men if ye love the Brethren, 1 1 Ioh. 3.14. If a man be a living man, Signes of spi­rituall life. he lives in ano­ther element then he did before; Every living man converseth with those of the same kind, as every creature doth; Sheepe with Sheepe, Lyons with Lyons, Doves with Doves; so living men will converse with living men. Not loving the brethren, wee are in a state of death: every creature must have an element to live in; a new life must have a new ele­ment: evill men out of their companies, are as Fish out of the water: every life hath a tast & appetite, a new life hath a new tast and judge­ment, Pro. 29.27. an unjust man is an abominati­on. to the just: & he that is upright in the way, is an abomination to the wicked: that is, one hates the things that the other loves: he that is alive, the things which before he loved, he now hates: he abhors the things, that evill men delight in. That which is a dogs meate, is a sheepes poyson, as the proverb it: so that which wick­ed men delight in, is as odious as poyson to the [Page 60] just. To judge this life by; see what your company and delights are, nothing can bee lesse dissembled than company. In his com­pany man doth speake out of the abundance of the heart, he then bewrayes himselfe what he is: there is no dead man, nor living man but hee is inward with the like: no signe so much poynted at in the Scripture, as this, yee are translated from death to life, if yee love the brethren, 1 Ioh. 3.14. and Ioh. 13.35. By this shall all men know that yee are my disciples, if yee love one another: this rule will not deceive you.

2 Secondly, yee may know whether yee live this life, if yee contend for it: that life which a man lives, for it he will contend; he will let any thing goe rather than it. If yee live this life of grace, yee will maintaine it: and yee can doe no otherwise. 1 Iohn 3.9. Hee that is borne of God cannot sinne: to be borne of God, is to leade a new life; he that lives a new life, admits not the things which tend to the de­struction of it: Compare this with the 1. Pet. 2.11. abstaine from fleshly lusts, which fight a­gainst the soule: hee that is borne of God sinnes not; that is, hee yeelds not to sinne with his good will, but struggles against it; as one in health strives against sickenesse; re­sistes the disease, and maintaines a warre against it.

Object.But yet the best are foyled.

[Page 61]Tis true, yet they strive, they never yeeld; Answ. they maintaine a warre: and this they doe not onely by discourse, but there is a naturall instinct that puts them forwards: they may be cast backe, yet they returne againe: they may have a sicknesse, that takes away sence▪ they may swound and be astonished for a time, yet after they contend for life: every evill man contends for his life: he leads his life in some lust, from which if he be drawne hee re­turnes againe: as a thing that is lifted from the earth, will fall downe to it againe: hee reckons the wayes of God hard, and oppo­site to him: the wisedome of the Spirit is enmity to the flesh: neyther can it be subject to the Law of God, Rom. 8. it cannot but resists it. Eve­ry creature labours to maintaine its being: so evill men continuing in sinne, strive naturally against all that would bring them out of this life of sinne: so the Saints they live a life of grace, and labour to maintaine it. Iohn 6.68. Christ asking his Disciples whether they also would goe away? Peter made this answer, Lord whither shall we goe, thou hast the words of eter­nall life; that is, whiles we conceive thee to be the principle and fountaine of this life, wee cannot depart from thee. The Saints wil let go friends and life, and all for this life. Count therefore of others and judge of your selves, by contesting for this life: strive to maintaine it, let all goe rather than it.

[Page 62]Thirdly, yee may know whether yee have this life in you or not, by the fruits of it, as the tree is knowne by its fruites. If the word turne the stocke into its owne nature, ye know it by the fruites. Gal. 5.25. If yee live in the Spirit yee will also walke in the Spirit; that is, if yee professe your selves holy men, shew it by walking in the Spirit: holy men will bee doing that which is good. This is the surest triall, our workes will not deceive us: other things which consist in imagination may. 1 Ioh. 3.10. In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Divill: who doth not righteous­nesse is not of God, he that is of God doth not unrighteousnesse. Consider then what your walke and your actions are, and by them yee shall know this life.

Object.But how shall wee know whether we walke in the Spirit or no?

Answ.I answer first, that there are many by-walkes, and if yee walke but in one of them, yee walke in the flesh, and not in the Spirit. Iam. 1.26. If any man seeme to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his owne heart, this mans religion is vaine: that is, hee that makes this sinne his trade, and walkes ordinarily in it, his religion is vaine. Secondly, yee may know it by the guides yee follow. Evill men they follow three guides. Ephe. 2.3. they follow first the world, secondly, the Di­vill, thirdly, the flesh. Holy men have three [Page 63] contrary guides, first, the renewed part with­in; secondly, the holy Ghost; thirdly, the course of the Saints. Go yee the broad way? oportet Sanctos vadere per diverticula, the Saints doe not so: follow yee the streame? fulfill yee the will of the flesh, or of the Spirit, what are your actions? Ephe. 4.17. I charge you that you hence forth walke not as the Gentiles do in the vanity of their minds: that is, holy men may have vanity in their minds, yet they walke not in it as others doe: evill men may have holy thoughts; yet they walke in the vanity of their minds; and albeit that evill men walke not in all the wayes of sin, yet they are dead: there is but one way to hit the marke, but there are a thousand by-wayes: a holy man may stumble in the wayes of God, and have some foyles, but he leads not his life in sinne, he strives against it: hee that leades his life in any knowne sinne, not resisting it, and will doe it, and not crosse himselfe in it, is dead; his religion is vaine.

But what actions are there, Object. that holy men doe, but that wicked men and others doe them?

I answer, Answ. that there is no good actions wee doe but they may bee dead workes: as men may pray, keepe the Sabbaths, and yet they may bee but dead workes: they may doe them for a shew, yet they are dead. A shaddow hath all the liniaments of a body, yet it wants life; [Page 64] so the workes of hypocrites, they want life, consider therefore, whether your workes are living workes; you may know it by these three signes.

First, if they proceed from the fountaine of life, they are not dead workes: compare Gal. 5.6. In Christ neither circumcision avai­leth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love, with Gal. 6.15. In Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availes any thing, nei­ther uncircumcision, but a new creature: all not proceeding from a new heart, and from faith which worketh by love, is nothing: this is the roote of all, when all our actions come from faith, which workes by love: else, though they are never so pretious, they are but dead works. It is no matter whether yee pray or not, whe­ther yee recive the Sacrament, keepe the Sabbaths or not, they helpe not a jot unlesse they come from the principle of life, a new creature.

Secondly, consider the manner of their working: they will bee done with quicknesse and vivacity: Men do them as living actions, with all propensnesse and readinesse; with much connaturalnesse, with much fervency and zeale; when they are done in a perfuncto­ry manner, they are dead workes.

3 Thirdly, yee may know them by their end; looke yee to Christ? doe yee all in sincerity to him or no, or to your selves? if yee doe, [Page 65] then they are gracious workes, and proceed from grace; they are living actions, and not dead: they issue from a right principle ayming at God, and not at your selves. Hosea. 10.1. Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruite to himselfe. If you bring forth [...]ruits to your selves and not to God, yee are but empty Vines, God accepts you not.

Fourthly, this life is discovered by your 4 behaviour to the meanes of life, when they are brought unto you: when there is no sound or no voyce, there is no distinction twixt a deafe, and a hearing man: so where there is no light, there is no difference twixt a seeing man, & a blind: but the light differs them. So when as the light of the Gospel shines, then men are tryed: In times of ignorance, God regards not men so much, but now in time of the Gospel, see if it be powerfull, and whe­ther you set your selves about holy duties. Matth. 3.10. Now is the Axe laid to the roote of the tree: that is, since Iohns comming there is a distinguishment twixt living and dead trees: A tree is not discovered to bee dead, till it wither; no man will cut downe a tree in win­ter, because he knowes not then whether it be dead or no; the Spring distinguisheth the dead and living trees, in the winter they are all alike. The Spring is the powerfull preach­ing of the word; if men spring not then, if they come not in, they are dead. Those whose edu­cation [Page 66] hath beene good; those who live un­der a powerfull Ministry, now is the Axe laid to the roote of the tree with them; it is a signe they are dead, if they profit not by it.

5 Fiftly, yee may know whether yee have this life by the food it is fed with; severall lives are fed with severall foode. Now the food of this new life of grace is double, first, 1 the word, secondly, good workes. First, the word, 1 Pet. 2.25. As new borne babes, desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby, if so bee that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious: that is, if yee are alive as you professe your selves to bee, you shall know it by your behaviour to that which doth nourish your life. First yee will long after the word, as the child doth after the Teate. If the child be hungry, neyther apples, nor rattles, nor any thing else can quiet him but the Teate: So nothing can quiet these but the word. Others may have excuses; they will have none; Eyther they will live where the word is, or they will bring it home to them; they 2 will bring themselves to it, or it to them. Se­condly, they desire the sincere milke of the word; many things may be mingled with the word, that doe please the wit, yet those who live the life of grace, desire the sincere word, the 3 pure word, without any mixture. Thirdly, they desire it, that they may grow thereby: many [Page 67] desire it to know it onely: if ye desire it as new borne babes, it will make you better & better; many heare, but as men having an Atrophy in their bodies, they grow not, no fruite comes thereby. Fourthly, they taste a sweetnesse in 4 the word above others: the second ground re­ceived the word with joy; and Herod heard Iohn Baptist with gladnesse; but where there is true grace, they goe farther: they delight in the word, it is sweeter to them than the hony: few can say so in good earnest, that the pure word is sweeter to them than Hony or the Hony Combe. Iob hee esteemed the word more than his appointed food, Iob. 23.12. The second food 2 of this life is good workes. Ioh. 4.32.33.34. is the place out of which I collect this, where Christ being asked of his Disciples to eate: said that hee had other meate that they knew not of; then said they, hath any man brought him ought to eate? Hee saith unto them, My meate is to doe the will of him that sent me, and to finish his worke. Doe you good workes with such a desire as men eate and drinke? doe you hun­ger and thirst after them, desiring for to doe them? Then yee are alive. Hypocrites may doe much, but it is not their meate and drinke to doe it; examine therefore your selves by these signes, whether you are alive or dead. This is the preaching of the law, to shew you the narrow differences of life and death. The first step to life is to know, that yee are in a [Page 68] state of death: the Law must goe before the Gospel, Iohn Baptest before Christ: yee must bee brought to their case in the 2 Act. 37. who were pricked at the hearts, yee must bee brought unto the case of the Iaylor, and of Paul: to the case of the Prodigall, that you may know your estate: then yee come home. Our end is to preach life and comfort to you, not dam­nation. Rom. 15.4. All Scripture is written for our comfort: now there are many things in the Scripture that tend to discomfort and terrors, yet their end is comfort: as Physicke is sharpe for the time, yet the end is health. Wee de­sire not to exclude any, but to bring you in whilst you have time: the market is then hard to make, when yee lye on your death beds, labour to know it in time: your death is a time of spending not of getting; it was too late for the foolish Virgins to buy oyle, when they were to attend the bride-groome. We desire not to affright you with false feares, but to admo­nish you, that you be not deceived. I finde this sentence, Be not deceived, prefixed before many places of Scripture, where Gods judge­ment are denounced, as 1 Cor. 6.9. Be not de­ceived, neither fornicators, Idolaters, Adulterers, &c. shall inherit the kingdome of God; and Eph. 5.6. Be not deceived with vaine words, for be­cause of these things commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience; to shew, that men are apt to deceive themselves, in such [Page 69] cases as these, thinking themselves to bee in better estate then they are. Consider your sinnes and apply them. Consider your par­ticular sinnes, actio est singularium. Consider your particular sinnes, your particular acti­ons, these will worke upon you. This course Peter tooke with the Iewes, Act. 2. yee have crucified the Lord of life; so Christ told Paul, that he was a persecutor, Act. 9. so Iohn 4. he told the woman of Samaria her particular sinnes: he that shee now lived with, was not her husband; so God told Adam, thou hast eaten of the forbid­den fruit, Gen. 3. If yee have committed any grosse sinnes, as drunkennesse, covetousnesse pride, ambition, and the like, consider them. Consider your other sinnes, minoris infamiae, not minoris culpae; as neglecting of holy du­ties, mispending the time, gaming, overly performing of holy duties, unprofitable hea­ring, keeping of bad company, profaning of the Sabbath, and the like. Consider then the terrors of God and hell, know with what a God you have to deale, and what a burthen sin is, if God charge those on the consciences yee cannot beare them. I desire not by this to burthen you, but to unburthen you of your corruptions. Now seeing this life is so excellent, I will adde certaine motives to make you to desire it.

First, it is a happy life; and it must needs be so, because it is the life of God and Angels: [Page 70] it is that life which wee shall live hereafter; yee may live this naturall life, and want happi­nesse. This life of grace and the life of glory differ onely in degrees, they differ not in kind; the competent judges of this are the Saints, who have tryed both. Heb. 11.15.16. If they had beene mindfull of that countrey from which they came, they had liberty to have returned, but now they desire a better countrey, that is, an hea­venly. In a Heard of Swine, if some stray a­way from the rest, and returne not againe, it is a signe they have found a better pasture: so when men leave their companions, and re­turne no more, it is a signe, they have found some better things. Conceive not then of this life as many doe; to be onely a privation, or a melancholy thing, nothing but a meere mortification; this is a life, it hath its com­forts, eating, recreations, and delights; yee loose not your pleasures if yee live it, but change them for advantage: hee that leads this life, dies as the corne doth; from a seede it growes up into many stalkes, hee gaines by this bargaine. Christ doth make an hard bar­gaine with none, hee that deales with him, gaines a hundred fold. If yee part with wealth, yee have spirituall treasures for it: if you part with your pleasures, yee have joy in the holy Ghost: have yee crosses, yee are sanctified in that which is better; loose yee this life, yee have eternall life.

[Page 71]Secondly, this life of grace hath that which 2 every man seekes, it hath much pleasure. Prov. 3.17. All her wayes are wayes of pleasure ▪ Those that walke in the waies of God are full of pleasure; this life brings a double pleasure, first, the reward of it, second, the comfort in performing the actions of it. Every good worke as the Hebrew proverbe is, hath meate in its mouth; the living of this life, hath a re­ward sufficient in its selfe, as appeares by this. All pleasures follow some actions, and there­fore men desire life, because it is a continu­ance of action: so men delight in new things because as long as they are new, the intenti­on remaines. The actions of this life are full of change; those actions that are perfect, there is pleasure following them, as beauty followes a good constitution, or as flame the fire. The actions of this life are perfect actions, the per­fectest actions have the most perfect delight: the actions of this life are most perfect actions, therefore they have most perfect delight, be­cause they are the actions of the best facultie, about the best object. All actions have the denomination of their perfection from their objects: these are actions of the soule, they are occupied about God, therefore they are the best and highest actions. He that lives a­bout the best object, greatest content doth fol­low: he that lives this life, lives about the best object; therefore all the waies of it, are waies [Page 72] of pleasure. There is more comfort and more Assiduity of consolation in this life, then in any other life. In other lives, every one ac­cording to his humour hath his delights, but yet they are not permanent, because hee de­lighteth in transitory things; but hee that lives the life of grace, delights in things that are truly delightfull at all times: other delights are but delights at some times, in some places, they are not alwaies so: but hee that lives the life of grace, pitcheth on those that are al­wayes so. Prov. 14.15. A good conscience is a continuall feast. Other comforts may faile; a man may fall into affliction; riches and plea­sures may be taken away, then the dayes are evill; but a good conscience is a continuall feast, that is, be his case what it will, his com­fort is never interrupted. All other comforts are about sence, or things of this life, which are subject to alteration; but this life and the comforts of it, admit no change. A man be­ing sicke, he cannot do actions of health, they are restrained: so one in prison is not at liberty to doe what he would; but the actions of this life are assiduous, they cannot be interrupted: yee may pray continually, rejoyce evermore, 3 yee may alwayes have communion with God.

Thirdly, this life is a life that is least indi­gent of all others: it needeth least. Take a man that leades any other life, hee needs many [Page 73] things Luk, 10.41.42. this is shadowed in that of Martha, and Mary: Martha busies herselfe about many things, she wanted many; but Ma­ry had one thing that was profitable for all things, removes all evils, brings all happinesse, and that is Godlinesse which is profitable for all things, 1 Tim. 4.8.

Fourthly, the comforts of this life are pure 4 comforts, Psal. 18.26. I walke purely with those that walke purely. This is not onely to be under­stood of the consolations of grace, but also of common blessings, being the fruits of this life: there is no sorrow with them, there is a pure comfort without any mixture of sor­row. God giving these blessings in mercy, they are free from mixture of discomfort; but being not the fruits of this life of grace, be­ing reached by sinne and sinfull meanes, or God giving them in his providence, not in his mercy, there is sorrow in them: yee may have riches, honours, friends, and all outward things, and yet they are not pure blessings, because Gods blessings is not mingled with them.

Lastly, it is a life most capacious of com­forts: 5 yee may give all the faculties of the soule comfort. Every creature according as his life is, feeles more or lesse comfort. Plants as they feele no hurt, so they feele no sweet­nesse: beasts that have a sensible soule, feele more evill and good: a man that lives a natu­rall [Page 74] life, not knowing the life of grace, is sen­sible of more good and evill, than sensible beasts; hee apprehends Heaven and Hell: but a man that lives the life of grace, is more capacious of comfort: here you may suffer your faculties to runne out to the utmost. If yee desire wealth or pleasures, your affections must not runne out, yee must hold them in; else they drawne you into perdition, & pierce you thorow with many sorrowes. If yee affect hea­venly Treasures, if yee affect praise with God, yee may be as covetous of them as you will.

3 Thirdly, let this move you to seeke this life of grace, because it is the most excellent thing of all others. All other things are subordi­nate to it; the utmost end is still most excel­lent: the end of warre is for peace, therefore peace is better than it; yee plow for harvest, therefore harvest is best: the end of all actions is for this life of grace. Why labour yee for foode, but to maintaine life? why live ye but to serve your soules? Prudence is a steward to this holy life: as the steward provides for the family, that the master bee not troubled with those meaner things; so prudence is a steward, that the soule may be occupied about things that are agreeable to it; that it may have its conversation in heaven, and with God. Pervert this order, it destroyes the creature. Beasts living the life of sence, it doth perfect [Page 75] them, for that is their utmost end: man having reason, living as a beast, destroyes himselfe, because that is not his end; hee that perfects himselfe as a beast, destroyes himselfe as a man: perfectio mentis est perfectio hōinis. Let this stirre us up, to live this life: it is the utmost end of all. To be Lawyers, Physitions, and other callings, helpe us in the living of this life, yet they are subordinate to it: drowne not your selves in subordinate things; if yee doe it, it is your destruction: therefore pitch on the principall.

Fourthly, that which is best in the end, (I 4 take end now in an other sence) is to be chosen above all things else: that is well which ends well. In this life of grace, yee have this ad­vantage which yee have no where else. Eccles. 7.4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, that is, this life disposeth us to thinke of death the end of all, which to doe is wisedome. Deut. 32.29. O that they were wise, then would they consider their latter end. In other things the beginning is good, the end is bitter; but the actions of the life of grace are sweet, yee fare the better for them, the very remembrance of them is sweet, and the reward of them comes not long after: All o­ther things are called perishing meates, Iohn 6.27. there is a parable in it: that is, they are as perishing meats, that are sweet in the palate, yet they passe away; but this indures unto [Page 76] eternall life, it continues. The worst thing in this life yee never repent of: as it is said of sor­row for sinnes; that it is sorrow never to be re­pented of: but the best things that yee doe in the other life, yee repent of. All other things that yee doe they may bee sweet for the pre­sent; yet as it is said of drunkennesse, Prov. 23.32. so may it bee said of them, that they bite like a Serpent, and sting like an Adder, though they seeme sweet. The strange wo­man is sweet: yet Prov. 5.4. her end is bitter as wormewood, sharpe as a two-edged sword; goods evill gotten are sweet for the present, yet their mouthes shall be filled with gravell, that got them. But on the other side, the end of all the actions of this life is good: as it is said of Iob, that his latter end was more than his begin­ning, Iob 42.12. Psal. 37.37. Marke the perfect man and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. If a man being to dye, and having ended his daies, should put all his honours, wealth, and pleasures into one ballance, and all his good workes, all his faithfull prayers, all the actions of the life of grace into another, he would find them to be best. The bad man doth as the Silkeworme doth, winding up himselfe into his ill workes, he perisheth; the other winding up himselfe in his gracious acti­ons, enters into salvation.

5 Fiftly, choose this life before all others, be­cause God is pleased with it, it being like [Page 77] himselfe; as the creature is pleased with that which is like it. God is a Spirit, and will bee worshipped in Spirit and truth; hee is a living God, and doth delight in a living man: wee our selves delight not in dead men, no more doth God: therefore Rom. 12.1. we are exhorted to give up our soules and bodies a li­ving sacrifice to God. God regards not dead bodies; bee yee living sacrifices, which is the act of your will, acting the duties of this life. This is called walking with God; which is to bee in his presence, to goe his way, and to maintaine communion with him: this is when as men doe, audire et reddere voces: when there is naturall delight: when as they are in presence one with another; and therefore walking with God, and pleasing of God, are used promiscuously for one and the same thing: For, Heb. 11.5. it is said of Enoch, that he walked with God, and Gen. 5.22. It is said, that he pleased God.

But you will say, what benefit is this? Object.

I answer, Answ. that it is great. God disposeth of all things in the world; is it not wisedome then to have him your friend? Gen. 28.9. Iacob being to take his journey, Isaack said unto him, God all-sufficient be with thee. God is all-suffici­ent; if yee have him, yee have all: In the creature there is no such thing, there is no­thing but vanity in them, they are but as can­dles, as Starres to the Sunne. God is all-suf­ficient: [Page 78] all the happinesse of the creature, makes not men happy: All men seeke happi­nesse, yet they never finde it, without ha­ving God: All happinesse is in Gods favour; In outward happinesse you must have other compounded things: Christ rebuked thē that counted her happy in the creatures, saying; Blessed is the wombe that bare thee, and the Paps that gave thee sucke; No saith Christ, these will not make a man happy; but blessed are they which heare the word of God, and keepe it; having God yee have all things, God dispo­seth all things, and giveth the comfortable fruition of them. Yee may have all outward things and yet want comfort, Gods curse makes all miserable, though yee have all that the creature affords; therefore give your selves no rest, till yee have got this life, with­out which he delights not in you.

Adam losing Gods Image was not happy, because God was gone from him; yet hee had all the creatures which he had before. This life of grace brings us to that state, that Adam was in at first; this restors us to it; seeke not then your happinesse where it is not to be found. We all doe as the Prodigall did, we get our portion into our owne hands, Luke 15.13. to 20. and goe from our Fathers house, and seeke for our happi­nesse elsewhere; but yee shall find at last, that all else is but huskes: thus the Saints have found it. This life of grace gives rest to the [Page 79] soule, all else in the creature is but vanity and vexation of spirit. Vanity is nothing else, but an insufficiency in the creature to give that content that wee looked for in it: as when we looke for water in an empty well, seeke for that in the creature that is not in it; wee see its vanity in the absence of the good wee looked for, and presence of the evill we loo­ked not for. In God yee finde rest and tran­quility, such a tranquility as in the Sea, when it is without waves; as is in the upper region of the ayre, where no tempests are. Looke on the lives of men, who are taken up with tri­fles when they are young, when they come to a riper age, greater things move them, when men are wiser, they feele the apprehension of higher things; when yee lift up your selves and keepe them on the wing, yee are freed from troubles and cares. Paul had a greater measure of this life than other men, his Epi­stles doe transcribere animam, transcribe as it were his soule, declare it, hee was full of constancy and comfort: the more constantly wee live this life, the greater gainers wee are.

Lastly, till yee live this life, yee have no 6 assurance that yee are in the number of the elect. Repentance puts a new life into men; till yee finde this in you, yee know not whe­ther God is yours, and yee know not whether God will worke it in you; This should make [Page 80] us tremble and feare, and never to leave till wee had it. This life is a fruite of election; we know not whether wee are in Iacobs or Esau his case, till we know we have it: make haste therefore to get it. It lies not in your power; Iohn 3.7.8. The Spirit breatheth when and where it listeth; you may feare that God will not give it you, if you spend your life in vanity. Take one that neglects you all the time that hee is able to doe you service; if hee seekes unto you in his extremity for his owne ends, what answer doe you give him, but this: Seeing he hath neglected you when he was able to doe you service, you may justly refuse him now, he is able to doe you none? So if yee neglect God whilst yee are able for to serve him, and seeke to him in your extremity, take heed that yee receive not that answer from him, as the Israelites did in their extremity, Goe to your Idols, and let them helpe you: nay, he forbids Ieremiah to pray for them. Consider this, and make haste to live this life of grace; yee can­not get it of your selves, God must put it into you.

Now if these motives move you to seeke this life, The meanes to get this spi­rituall life. and after examination of your selves, yee find it not to be in you, then use these meanes to get it.

1 The first meanes to get and maintaine this life, which is all one, (for that which begets it doth likewise nourish it) is knowledge: abound [Page 81] in knowledge, get much light; this life con­sists in light, when a man judgeth aright. The understanding enlightened is the primū vivens, the first living part: and therefore yee shall finde, that life and light are put one for the o­ther, Ephese. 4.14. Stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give you light: and Ioh. 1.4. Christ was that light, and that light was the life of men, this life stands in inlightning the mind: adde to this light, yee adde to life. The reason why men are dead, is, because there is a darknesse in their soules, they see not the wayes of God: therefore they act not, they step not forwards, because they are in the darke: All shining is from light, as yee increase light, so ye increase life. Ephe. 4.18. it is said of the Gentiles, that they were strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them. The knowlege of God, brings men nearer to the life of God. Ephe. 4.24. holinesse is said to proceede from truth, the words are; put on the new man, which af­ter God is created in righteousnesse and holinesse, which proceeds from truth.

But you will object, Object. that there are many who abound in knowledge, who have l [...]fe little enough: that ignorant men live this life most: that none live it lesse, than those that know most.

To this I answer, Answ. that there is a double knowledge: First, there is a meere inlighte­ning and informing knowledge: Secondly, [Page 82] there is an operative knowledge: yee may have enough of the first, and be never the neere: but it is the lest that helpes and gets this life: and this knowledge is the gift of the sanctifying Spirit, this is the operation of God: wee doe but informe and teach men, we cannot make them doe any thing: wee cannot make them practise. Gods teaching makes this know­ledge operative; perswades every way, works every way. Secondly, there is a knowledge in the habit, and a knowledge in the act, which produceth actions: these are set downe ob­scurely. In the 2 Pet. 1.12.13▪ the Apostle there saith, that hee would not bee negligent to put them alwaies in remembrance of those things, though they knew them, and were established in the present truth: yea I thinke it meete as long as I am in this Tabernacle, to stirre you up by putting you in remembrance: Peter did not write unto them that they might know those things habitually; for so they knew them be­fore; but that they might know them actively, and might presently act them: for that end he wrote. The first knowledge is as sparkes raked up in ashes, the other as sparkes blowne up: the first is as the sap in the roote; the la­ter like the sap that fills the branches with leaves and fruit: the first is a generall know­ledge gotten by contemplation; the last is a practicall and active knowledge, a knowledge to practise. The Scripture exhorts to do things y ^t intend this knowledge. Deut. 4.1. & Deu. 6 the [Page 83] Israelites were exhorted to heare and know the sta­tutes of the Lord, that they might doe them; to speake of Gods word and workes, which actes their knowledge, puts them in remembrance of Gods mercies, and stirres up their minds. Iosh. 1.8. he is commanded to reade the Law, and me­ditate in it day and night; not to know it, for at that time, there was little written; but hee was to reade it, that hee might doe it.

But if wee doe this so much, Object. it will hinder and interrupt our businesses, so that we shall faile of our enterprises.

To this I answer; Answ. that this will not hinder them, but they shall bee done the better, as oyling of the wheeles makes them goe the better. Psal. 1.2. hee is said to bee blessed, that doth meditate in the Law of God day and night: Your knowledge being brought to action helpes you much; often hearing of the word, which puts you in remembrance, addes to your life, though it hinders you in other things. Those who have not the word to heare, live not under preaching Ministers, who will not be at the cost to get them, or live where they are not, are much to blame, and live not this life. Simon Magus sinned, in thinking that the holy Ghost might be bought with mony; doe not they also sinne, who doe lesse than hee? that will not give mony for to have the Gospel brought unto them. There is the like fault, [Page 84] when as men may have the word, and come not to it. If they come to it, though it addeth not to their knowledge, yet it helpeth their acting and life. Those who neglect the con­stant reading of the word, who are not con­stant in private prayer, those who neglect the speaking and talking of good things, they neg­lect this life. That Arabian proverbe, Shut up the five windowes, that the house may be full of light; will be of good use here: that is, the five senses being shut up, the fuller of light shall wee bee: the not stopping up of them, makes men ignorant, cares and busines­ses possessing mens minds, there is no roome left for better things. Let your minds be still plodding on that which may further you in grace and truth. It is ignorance that makes men, strangers from the life of God, Ephe. 4.18. and this is not an ignorance that pro­ceedeth from want of knowledge, but from the badnesse of your hearts; hard hearts makes men ignorant: why doe men heare and yet are ignorant, but because their hearts are hardned? they regard not the word, and so they grow not in knowledge.

2 The second meanes to get this life is to bee much in doing: be much in doing, in acting the duties of new obedience; the more yee are occupied the more yee live: else deadnesse doth possesse you: be still praying and medi­tating, those revive you: those are the coales [Page 85] that keepe the heart warme; this life like water is apt to grow cold.

But I must be full of life ere I can doe acti­ons. Object.

I answer that one begets the other: Answ. action begets life, and life begets action; as health produceth exercise, and exercise procureth health.

But I am indisposed and unfit for such acti­ons. Object. 3.

I answer, Answ. that if yee are indisposed, the more need you had to be doing, else you are more unexcusable; the way to get heate is to bee acting: as motion doth bring life to a benum­med member, so doth it to the soule: be awa­ked, be stirring, this will revive you againe, Christians hearts are awaked when as they them­selves sleepe; if they stirre them up, there will be more life in them, Rom. 2.13. They be­ginning to languish, their medicine is to rise up and be doing. Gal. 5.16. Walke in the spirit; those who have the Spirit stand not still, as one that cannot stirre: this acting helpes the Spirit; first by inlarging and intending life. Secondly, by preventing that which increaseth death: the more wee walke in the wayes of life, the more we prevent the way that leades to the Chambers of death: Be doing, if not one thing yet another. In the steppings out of your callings, be doing, reading and pray­ing; Conferring and talking of good things. [Page 86] the neglect of this is the cause why there are so many dwarfes in grace. Men content them­selves with morning and evening duties, and it is well if they doe them; but doe you the actions of life more constantly and abundant­ly. It is the corruption of our nature that wee are not doing: life is maintained by the acti­ons of life; habits are maintained by actions that are sutable to them; We live in the com­mandements by well doing, as the creature doth by food: Good actions maintaine life, it receives strength from well-doing: set your selves to pray, doe holy duties, still pray, doe more and more; the more yee doe, the more life increaseth.

3 The third meanes to get this life is to get faith. Faith helpes this life; it is a life of faith, and it makes us to live this life by three wayes,

1 First, it gives a reality to the priviledges of life: makes you see they are so indeed: there­fore yee act, yee beleeve that God is such a God, that yee have such priviledges, that yee are heires of all things. If yee thinke that God is such a one as he is, in wisedome, power, and mercy, yee intend them and live the life of grace: If yee doubt and question with Atheists, if these bee dreames, then yee intend them not. He that beleeves saith, let me have God sure: the other saith, let me have that I touch and feele; but the imaginary things re­sting [Page 87] in faith and hope I care not for: the more yee beleeve these things, the more yee are oc­cupied about them.

Secondly, faith drawes you on to action: 2 this life is the acting of the duties of new obe­dience. Faith and a perswasion further other things: as if one be perswaded that such a thing will hurt him, it produceth an action of the will, abstinence: if a man bee perswaded that he shall dye without the Physition, hee sends for him. So in all other actions, perswasion is that which sets a man on worke. So in spi­rituall actions, if we are perswaded that such a sinne committed will not make our bodies sicke but our soules, wee will not doe it; if wee are perswaded our soules shall fare the better if we doe such a thing, this makes us to doe it: being perswaded we shall have a recompence of reward, it produceth action, and the more action the more life.

Thirdly, faith doth it by fitting us for Christ, 3 from whom our life comes: 1 Ioh. 5.12. he that hath the Sonne hath life. First, the Sonne of God infuseth life into him to whom hee is conjoyned; the conjunction betwixt Christ and us is but relative: and betweene the king and the subject; when the subjects resolve to take such an one for their king, they are con­joyned to him; so when a woman resolves to take such a man for her husband, shee is con­joyned to him. The action of taking Christ, [Page 88] is to take him as a Lord, to serve him, as a Saviour, to have all comfort by him: hee that hath the Son in the relative union, shall have him in the reall union: the Sonne will quic­ken you, as the soule doth the body. A Chri­an hath the life of the Sonne of God. Gal. 2.21. I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me: all that I doe, Christ doth it in me: all that the body doth, the soule doth it: the body lives not, but the soule lives in it. After that manner Christ lives in us: not a good thought or affection, not any resolution or motion of the soule, but comes for Christ: being united to Christ by faith he lives in us. Ioh. 6.33. he that eates my flesh, and drinkes my blood shall live. As flesh gives life to the body, so the Sonne gives it to the soule: To eate the flesh of Christ, is to prize him, to desire and long af­ter him, which is after the spirit of bondage, to eate him, is to take him, to come to him, to have him your God: In these stands the ea­ting of Christ. First, in prising of him ex­ceedingly; to part with any thing for him; to take his Crosse with all losses. Secondly, to eate him is to beleve him, to be yours and you his: this eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ, expresseth our relative union with him, and then followes our reall union: the Spirit immediately gives this: he that doth the first, shall have the second.

Object.But how shall we doe to beleeve this?

[Page 89]I answer, yee see the old Adam communica­ted corruption to all his posterity, because they were borne of him; so these who are borne of the new Adam, that is, these who take him and beleeve in him, have grace communicated to them by him: 1 Cor. 15, 45. to 50. this new birth makes you as ca­pable of Christ, as the other doth of the first Adam: why then shall not the second Adam communicate grace as well as the other doth corruption? The philosophers were all de­ceived in this poynt, from whence corrup­tion should come, but wee know that it came from Adam; and so doth grace come from Christ. Ioh. 1.16.17. To get this life, let us seeke it in him, let us be­leeve more, let us be humbled more, repent more, and take Christ more: take him on any condition, prize him, set him at the highest rate, hold him fast. As in the actions of mari­age, those who are to marry will not part upon any condition; they take one another for ri­cher, for poorer, for better for worse: after this manner must wee take Christ, the more yee take Christ thus, the more yee have the Sonne, and so yee live more the life of grace. All grant that this life comes by the Spirit; and there is no way to get the Spirit but by the Sonne. Yee must first eate ere yee can be nourished; yee must fixe your eyes on his passion, as the wife doth fixe her eyes on her husband: yee must seeke this life from the Spirit ultimately, but yee must first have the [Page 90] Sonne, and then yee have life: He must have the Sonne that will have this life; hee must be ingraffed into Christ as the branches are into the roote: Iohn 15.1, 2, 3, 4. get Christ, and then this life shall a­bound in you.

4 The fourth meanes to get and increase this life, is communion of Saints. The mouth of the righteous is a well spring of life, Prov. 10.20. they put life into those that have it not, and in­crease it in those in whom it is, Ephe. 4.24. their speeches minister grace to the hearers; they edifie them: hearing of the word of life, and talking of the fountaine of life, puts life into men. The health of the body doth not com­municate it selfe to others; it is otherwise in the life of the soule; the life of it makes o­thers to live more: as Iron sharpens Iron, so one holy man doth another. See it by the con­trary. In evill men who are dead there is an aptnesse to dead others, their words are as continuall droppings to put out this life; their tongues are set on fire of hell, Iame. 2.6. The tongue of good men is a cole fetched from the Altar, they have fire within thē. When two lie together they keepe one another warme; there is action and redaction; this is powerfull meanes to get and increase this life. The tongue of the righteous if full of life, it is powerfull to make men live. Gal. 2.14. Paul speaking to Peter, saith, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live after the manner of the Iewes? [Page 91] he used not outward compulsion, his exam­ple and life was a compulsion. The company which wee keepe, compell us to doe as they doe: evill company they are the Divels snares, they doe as brambles keepe us in, and fetter us: the sutablenesse of evill companions drawes out our secret corruption: He that re­solves to live this life, must resolve to with­draw himselfe from evill company, who are a strong temptation unto evill.

There is a difference betweene leading our selves into temptation, and being led into it: when you leade your selves into temptation, (as you do when as you rush into evill compa­ny) you are out of the pale of Gods protecti­on: If yee touch pitch yee cannot but bee defiled with it, wherefore make your company good: this is an effectuall and powerfull meanes to beget this life in you, 1 Sam. 10.10, 11, 12. Saul being among the Pro­phets, changeth his spirit, and became a Prophet: one that goeth fast, makes those that goe with him to mend their pace. Act. 11.23.33. it is said of Barnabas, being a good man and full of the holy Ghost, and of faith, that hee added much people unto the Lord. Which manner of spea­king shewes that the speeches of those who are full of faith, helpe to breed faith: that if men be full of the Spirit, they quicken the Spirit. Evill company deads men: they are the trunkes through which the Divell speakes: and this deading is done in an insensible man­ner, [Page 92] and then most of all where it is least per­ceived. Evill company poysons men; a man turning his opinion which company can doe, is most of all poysoned, when as hee thinks that he hath least hurt.

5 The last meanes to get and increase this life, is that which is mentioned in the text; and that is, the hearing of the voyce of the Sonne of God: this will beget and increase this life: that is, if when wee speake to your eares, he speake to your hearts, then yee live. Yee have two teachers, the one is he that speakes to you, the other is Christ. Heb. 8.11. They shall no more teach one another, for they shall all be taught of God. There are two sheapheards, the one is hee that feeds you, Heb. 13.20. the other is the great sheap­heard of the sheepe: there are two great voyces, the one speaking outwardly to the eare, the other when as Christ speakes effectually to the heart.

When Christ speakes inwardly to the heart, then men live and not before. This is such a speech as Christ spake to Lazarus, La­zarus come forth, Ioh 11.43.44. and he came: his speaking puts life into us. Now what is this inward speaking of life to the heart? It is nothing else but to perswade fully, and every way to convince us, that it is best to take Christ, to set to an holy course, to leade a new life. There is a speaking that comes neare this life, and is not it: that is, when as men heare and un­derstand [Page 93] the way, and apprehend the things of God, but practise them not. Here is a prox­imity to this life, yet it is not this life. Let a man come so neare as that he thinkes he acts it, yet he is dead if he act it not: when he acts it, then he is made a living man; and then hee thinkes and beleeves, that the wayes of sinne are evill, and that they are evill to him. When God doth convince us that such a thing is evill, and that it is evill to us, then wee live and not before. A man having a businesse to doe, if all bee done but one thing, this one thing crosseth all the rest; but that being done our businesse is brought to passe: so in this life, a man having many offers of grace which doe not fully perswade him, this is not enough, if Gods helpe bee absent: but when once hee speakes, he doth fully convince and perswade us, and makes us to continew. As Sathan ha­having leave, never gives over vexing man; so the Spirit keepes us in good things; where there is this life, there the Spirit dwels.

But after what manner is this effectuall per­swasion done? Quest.

I answer, Answ. when as God gives an eare, and speakes a voyce for it to heare: he that hath an eare to heare saith Christ, let him heare. Matth. 11.15. Wee then heare, when as there is a disposition wrought within us: when as we preach, there are many that have hard hearts and nothing [Page 94] for to soften them; therefore the words falls from them as raine from a stone: but if there be a man that God will chuse, he fits his heart, and so hee is perswaded. This is called the opening of the understanding, Luke. 24.45. hee opened their understanding, that they might un­derstand the Scriptures: when wee speake to men, we sow as it were upon fallow ground which will beare no Corne unlesse God plow it. Those that saw the miracles of the Loaves, esteemed them not, because their hearts were hardned. Ephe. 4.18. They are alienated from the life of God, thorow the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindnesse of their hearts, that is, they are not sensible of sinne, and death, the word or the threatnings: when God takes away this hardnesse they are fit to harken; then comes light the beginning of life, which is the informing of the understanding, to judge righteous judgement. Those who have the life of Christ, if hee speakes, it quickens them. It is the inward voyce that quickens: seeke therefore to God earnestly, that Christ would speake to your hearts: yee heare and are not quickned, because he speakes not. And thus much for this second point: that all in Christ are in a state of life.

We come now to the third point, that may bee noted out of these words, and it is this.

Doct. 3. That the voyce of the Sonne of God, is the onely [Page 95] meanes to translate men from death to life. Men before are dead; Christ by his voyce makes them living men. This voyce is the onely meanes, there is no voyce but this that is able for to do it: that's the scope of this Text. This proposition may bee resolved into two parts. First, nothing else is able. Secondly, this is able for to doe it. As it is said of faith, that it justifies, and nothing else but it can justify: so may it be said of this voyce, that nothing else can translate men from death to life, and this can doe it. To translate from death to life is nothing else but effectually to perswade and change the heart: now nothing else can thus perswade and alter the heart, but this voyce of the Sonne of God. God himselfe frames the heart; it is as a curious framed locke; none can picke it, but hee that knowes the turning of it. God onely fits the perswa­sions and turnings: mens perswasions are as one that will unlocke a locke with a wrong key. Gen. 9.27. God onely can perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem, I cannot doe it. Esay 57.19. I create the fruite of the lippes; that is, I make them to bring comfort. I create the fruite of the lippes for peace by my power. That this is so you may see by divers reasons.

First, that it is so, see it by this; Reasons of the point. we speaking to y ^e quickest, often times they beleeve not, but the 1 others do: the same sometimes beleeve, some­times not. If man were the sole cause, the word [Page 96] would have the same effect at all times.

2 Secondly, this is life, and God onely gives life: it is as the breathing of life into a clod of earth. It requires an almighty power to worke this in those that beleeve, Eph. 1.19.20. The same power that raised up Christ from the dead, raysed us up: it is an almighty action to give this life.

3 Thirdly, if it were not proper to Christ and his voyce to translate men from death to life, hee should lose his chiefest soveraignty: hee quickens whom hee will: he hath compassion on whom hee will have compassion ▪ Ioh. 5.21. Rom. 9.15. If men could translate men from death to life, then it would not be proper to God to doe it.

Lastly, as nothing else can doe it, so the voyce of the Sonne of God is able for to doe it. At the first creation all was made by the voyce of God; Gen. 1.3. hee saith, Let there be light, and there was light: let him say to any man follow mee, and he doth it. Matth. 9.9. hee saith to the Publican sitting at the receipt of Custome, follow me; and hee left all, and rose up and followed him. Christ speaking to his eare and heart, made him to follow him; his speech was like the speech of Elias to Elisha, 1 King. 19:19.20. hee followed him and could not chuse but doe it: Christ speaking wee cannot but follow him.

Quest.But what is this voyce of the Sonne of God that translateth men from death to life?

I answer, Ans. it is nothing else but an inward [Page 97] worke of the Spirit, by which hee perswades men effectually to turne from darknesse to light, and from the power of Sathan to God. It must be understood of the effectuall wor­king of the Spirit, because who ever doth heare it lives: this voyce reneweth and chan­geth men, translating them from death to life. Now this effectuall speaking consists in two things. First, in propounding the object, the truth to the heart. Secondly, in the perswasi­on of the truth.

First, the Gospel must be laid open to the 1 heart, all things necessary to salvation must be manifested to it▪ then there must be light in the heart to apprehend these reasons which are propounded. The Scripture propounds things by authority: Then the holy Ghost doth kindle light, to apprehend them which another doth not. Marke how Moyses begin­ning his booke saith, Gen. 1.1. that in the beginning it was thus, and thus God did; he doth not perswade them by arguments to beleeve it: so Iohn be­gins his Gospel without perswasions, In the beginning was the word, Ioh. 1.1. &c. so the Apostles commission was, Goe and preach that Christ is Come; he that beleeved shall be saved, Mark. 16.15.16. he that beleeves not, shall be damned: The word of it selfe is sufficient authority: when the Gospel it selfe is thus propounded, then the holy Ghost kindles light. And therefore this life begins when as the Gospel is propounded, [Page 98] and light kindled; then this life is wrought. Now there are three degrees of working this light by the Spirit.

1 First, there is a stirring up of men, to attend to the voyce of Christ: many there are that heare, yet attend not. Act. 16.14. The holy Ghost opened the heart of Lydia, to attend unto Pauls preaching. We sow on fallow ground till the Spirit opens the heart to attend to the things that are spoken.

2 The second worke of the Spirit is to con­vince and perswade effectually and fully. Ioh. 16.8. The Spirit shall convince the world of sinne: that it, it shall convince and perswade tho­rowly: none can doe this but the Spirit. It doth also farther perswade men, that it is good for them to bee convinced, and this is when the knowledge is full; when as all the corners of the heart are answered, and the minde resolves to practice: Hypocrites and civill men are perswaded, yet not fully; there­fore they never practise; if that one objecti­on of the heart bee unanswered, yee never came to practise.

3 The last worke of the Spirit is to keepe this voyce on the heart, that it vanish not. Iames 1.21. The ingrafted word is that which is made able to save our soules, and none else. Men may attend for a flash, but the Spirit must ingraft the Word into the heart; which as a sprig ingrafted, growes bigger and bigger, [Page 99] and hath fruit from the sap: other men having truthes not fastned on them, they grow weaker and weaker.

To understand fully what this voyce of the Sonne of God is; yee must know that there is a double voyce. First, an outward voyce of the word which all heare. Secondly, an in­ward voyce of the Spirit. This I collect out of Esay 6.9. Goe to that people and tell them, heare yee indeed but not understand; see yee in­deed, but not perceive, that is, they shall have an outward hearing, an outward knowledge, but not an inward. There is a common know­ledge which all these have, who live in the Church: and there is a knowledge that is one­ly proper to the Saints which saves them. The differences twixt these two knowledges; that of hypocrites, of them in sixth of the He­brewes; twixt common knowledge, and ef­fectuall knowledge that is wrought in the hearts of the elect, are these.

First, common knowledge is confused and generall; this is distinct, inward and particu­lar: 1 that is, the voyce of the Sonne of God, speaking in the Ministry to all, may breed a knowledge of truths in men; yet they apply them not to their hearts, and the turnings of them, Heb. 4.11. The Word is sharper than a two edged Sword, discerning the thoughts and inten­tions of the heart, piercing even to the deviding asunder the soule and spirit, and of joynts and mar­row: [Page 100] that is, that word of God that is lively indeed; that voyce of God that is effectuall to salvation, it is sharpe, it strikes not in gene­rall, but enters the inward parts. A staffe can­not enter the flesh, it may bruise it; but the voyce of Christ enters like a two edged Sword, discerneth twixt morrall vertues, and supernaturall things wrought by the Spirit; it distinguisheth exactly twixt the rectitude and obliquity of mens hearts: this is proper onely to the saving knowledge of the Word. As nothing is hid from God, but it is naked to his sight; so it is to his word: See if the word be distinct to you, else you know nothing. A man never knowes any thing, till he knowes the Elements, parts and grounds of it: the voyce of the Sonne of God onely makes you know things thus particularly. So in other things yee know not till you know particu­lars. Aristotle saith, a man is not a Physition, that knowes things in generall, in the grosse, but hee that knowes them in particular. This is not to be a Physition, to know that such dry meates are good for a moyst stomacke, unlesse he also know dry meates and the Symptomes of a moyst stomacke: so it is in the knowledge of the Word. To know what regeneration is, is not enough, except yee know the parts, the kinds and signes of it. To know that none are translated from death to life, that love not the brethren, is not enough, except yee know the [Page 101] brethren and love them. To know, that hee that is in Christ hath crucified the flesh, Gen. 5.24. with the affections and lusts of it, is nothing, except yee know that yee your selves have crucified it. This particular knowledge is it that makes manifest to a man the secrets of his owne heart, 1 Cor. 14.25. that is, the voyce of the Sonne of God, discerneth the secrets of the heart, to know things particularly that are in it. Ioh. 10. [...] The sheepe distinguish the voyce of the sheap­heard, from the voyce of a stranger: when men come to heare, they heare the voyce and di­stinguish not the sound, because they want this particular knowledge.

Secondly, this hearing of the voyce of the 2 Sonne of God workes a quicke sence, in the hearts of those that heare it, that the outward voyce doth not: and this followes the for­mer. Let knowledge be particular, it workes quicke sence. Heb. 4.11. it is called lively in operation: now life consists in quicknesse, and motion; the voyce of Christ speaking effectu­ally breeds quicknesse. Sola individua agunt et sentiunt, A knife in generall cuts nothing, the particular knife cuts. To know in gene­rall you are sinners, have corrupt natures, offend in many things, workes nothing; it is the re­flection on the particular lives that workes, this makes men tremble. Act. 2. Peter having told the Iewes that they had crucified Christ, that pricked them at the heart. As of sinnes▪ so is it [Page 102] of comforts, particular comforts worke. If one can say, I am thus and thus, then com­fort followes: so particular threatnings make men sensible. Gen. 3. When God said to Adam, Hast thou not eaten of the tree whereof I said thou shoul­dest not eate? this made him feare. The word doth breed a quicke sence: they who have not this true voyce sounding to them, Esay 6.9. in hearing they doe not heare, and seeing they doe not see; their hearts are fat, their eares heavy, and their eyes shut. Rom. 11.8. God hath given them the spirit of slumber; that is, when as men heare this voyce in a common manner, they are as a man in a slumber: it stirres them not: their hearts are fat; that is, they are sencelesse: for fat is without sence. The pro­perty of them that heare in an ineffectuall manner is this; they have a spirit of slumber, they are as one hearing a tale, when as his mind is other where. If the things propoun­ded were naturall, they would heare them well enough; but they are spirituall, therefore they are dull of hearing them.

3 Thirdly, which followeth the second, those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, have experimentall knowledge, the other is but speculative. 1. Cor. 2.6.9. Wee preach wise­dome to those that are perfect: such wisedome, as eye hath not seene, eare hath not heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man; but God re­veileth it to us by his Spirit: that is, the cheefest [Page 103] in knowledge, have not seene with their eyes, or heard with their eares; but those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, have an ex­perimental knowledge which others have not. This experimentall & saving knowledge hath triall 1 Ioh. 2.13. I write unto you fathers, because you have knowne him that was from the begin­ning: expound this with the 33. of Ezekiell, 33. When this commeth to passe, then shall yee know that a Prophet hath beene amongst you: that is, when I shall doe this, they shall know expe­rimentally that there was a Prophet amongst them. 1 Ioh. 5.49. wee know that we are of God; that is, wee know it experimentally; they can say of this, as it is said in the 1 of Ioh. 1.1. That which we have heard, that which we have seene with our eyes, that which wee have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the words of life, declare we unto you. David takes it as peculiar to himselfe, Psal. 9.10. They that know thy name will trust in thee, for thou Lord hast not for­saken them that seeke thee: that is, they that ex­perimentally know thee will trust in thee, for thou never faylest them that trust thee: they know it by experience. 1 Pet. 2.3. Desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow there­by, if yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious. We find in the Saints a longing after God; they desire him, which others doe not: thus did David: moreover they have assurance of sal­vation, which others have not; and this assu­rance [Page 104] comes from hence: optima demonstratio est a sensibus; the best demonstration is from sence; as he that feeles the fire hot knowes it best; tasting breeds longing; assurance from experience breeds certainty.

4 Fourthly, effectuall knowledge that is bred by the voyce of the Sonne of God, makes men approve and justifie the wayes of God, makes them to relish them: this followes the other; when men have tryed them they approve them, Ioh. 6.63. The Spirit quickens, the word profiteth nothing; the words then that I speake, they are Spirit and life. Christ having spoken, that his body was meate indeed; many were of­fended at it: then hee said, The Spirit doth quic­ken, that is, yee accept not my words, be­cause yee have not the Spirit, yee have but flesh, that is a common knowledge; my words are spirituall, and you are carnall, therefore they doe not relish you. These words are otherwise interpreted by some: that is, these materials profit nothing without the Spirit; but the other is undoubtedly the meaning, for so it is through the Scripture: the Spirit profits, that is, saving knowledge wrought by the Spirit: men not having it, doe not ap­prove it. It cannot be otherwise; where the voyce of Christ doth sound effectually, there they justifie this: Wisedome is justified of her children, Luk. 7.35. Rom. 10.15. How beauti­full are the feete of them that preach the Gospel of [Page 105] peace? that is, they see such beauty in the wayes of God, that they are beautifull to them, they are vile to others. The Scripture often toucheth this, that when as there is but a common knowledge, men relish not the word, Rom. 8. they tast not the word: the spi­rituall part of the word crossing them, is bitter to them. 2 Cor. 2.15. The word is compared to a sweet savour; to many it is not so, to some it is the savour of death to death: it is a savour dif­fused through the house, they abhorre it, and being guilty of death it leades them to death: In others it is the savour of life; that is, they smell a sweetnesse in it, it brings them to life, to heaven; the word being powerfully taught, there comes a savour: some smell sweetnesse in it, others otherwise. Luk. 2.35. When Christ shall come, the hearts of many shall be opened, to ap­prove or disapprove him: therefore he is the fall and rising of many: so when he came, some said he was a good man, others that he was a divell: some said that the Apostles were good, some that they were bad: See how yee approve the word in its selfe, and as it is expressed in mens lives.

Fiftly, if it bee a right knowledge, it 5 breeds holy affections; the other doth not: this followes the other. If men justifie the Word, then they affect it. Its a generall rule, that all full perswasions draw on affections: let it bee but a perswasion in habit, it stirres as [Page 106] the habit is. 1 Thes. 1.6. My word was to you not in word but in power, because it did worke in you joy in the holy Ghost. Ier. 23.29. comparing the word of true and false Prophets together; My word is as fire, saith God, and as the hammer that breaketh the stone: it is the powerfull word of it stirres your affections. Luke the last, Christ speaking to the Disciples that went with him to Emmaus, their hearts burned within them: they were full of holy affections. Consider if yee have those holy affections. Holy affections in the Scripture are ascribed to this knowledge: every where, where men heare, they know a­right, Psal. 112.1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his comman­dements, Psal. 1.2. Blessed are they that delight in the Law of the Lord: See whether there be holy affections in you: Felix did tremble at the Word; so the second ground received the Word with joy, but not with holy joy.

Object.But how shall we distinguish them?

Answ.I answer, that if your joy bee holy joy, afflictions will not put it out: if your joy bee carnall joy, persecution puts it out: but joy in the holy Ghost is not put out by the contrary.

6 Sixtly, that knowledge which is lively brings forth action; it is powerfull in mens actions, it is active and mighty in operation. Heb. 4. It workes in mens hearts and lives mightily, to overcome all contraries, Esa. 6.10. Make the heart of this people fat, make their [Page 107] eares heavy, and shut their eyes, least they see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and under­stand with their hearts, and convert, and bee hea­led; that is, Let them have such a common knowledge as civill men and hypocrites have, and no more; least seeing aright, they under­stand with their hearts and be converted, and they bee healed. Seeing with their eyes, is meant seeing with this knowledge, which if they see with, their hearts will bee wrought on: their hearts being wrought on, they are converted, then they are healed. This fol­lowes on the other. Let the affections be stir­red, they are the immediate principles of action; what one aff [...]cts hee doth; these are tyed all on one string: flashy affections, flashy actions. Ioh. 6.45. They shall all bee taught of God,; every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father, commeth to mee: that is, every one that heareth this true voyce of the Sonne of God, comes to mee, that is, they breed actions whereby they come to me. See if your knowledge bee operative. Iam. 1.22. distinguishing of hearers, he saith, Be not hea­rers but doers; if yee finde not this change, Christ hath not spoken to you.

But in the Saints are many defects in their actions, Object. ergo actions follow not hearing and knowledge.

To this I answer, Answ. that as their actions are weake and faint, so their knowledge is weake [Page 108] Heb. 12.5. they often forget and must bee put in mind. 2 Pet. 1.13 they must be stirred up by put­ting them in remembrance of those things which they have forgotten. Secondly, this faile is from some doubt within, from some shaking: when as you see a defect in actions, or affections, it is because you want this convincing know­ledge. The way to stirre up affection and acti­on, is the Word, which increaseth this ope­rative knowledge.

If it be so, that the voyce of the Sonne of God is the onely meanes to translate men from death to life, Vse 1. let us examine our selves, whether wee have heard the voyce of the Sonne of God, or no? If we have not, then let us know our cases, and be humbled: they that have not heard it are dead. Consider it is your distinct knowledge, not a knowledge in grosse or generall, that inlivens you. Know ye the passages and working of regeneration and repentance? find yee the Word as fire, and as a hammer? the Word is in its nature, and will be found so of them that receive it aright. Have yee an experimentall knowledge? ap­prove yee Gods Image, his waies in the Word, or in the lives of the Saints? doe yee justifie wisedome? are your hearts opened At the hearing of the Word? doe yee like it? At Christs comming many hearts were ope­ned, because then his Word came, and it opened many mens hearts, shewed them what [Page 109] they were. How doe yee affect the Word, and Image of God in the lives of the Saints? how doe yee finde holy affections in them? blessednesse goeth alwayes with them. Af­fections are alwayes a signe of this, have yee received the Word with them? have yee sorrowed for your sinnes? doe you delight in God? this will beget holy affections which will last; afflictions put them not out, holy joy is not damped with afflictions, carnall joy is. What are your lives and actions? If yee seeing others holy, ye cannot doe as they doe, this voyce hath not spoken to you. All that heare Christs voyce will come and be doing. Iam. 1.22, if doing, be joyned with hearing, if yee are doers as well as hearers, this voyce hath spoken to you; if your practise bee not joyned, yee are deceived. If yee finde upon examination that yee have not done it: re­member that Christs sheepe heare his voyce; Iohn 10.3.4. yee may therefore feare yee be lost sheepe if yee heare it not. Hee that hath an eare heares the Gospel; If it be hidden, 2 Cor. 4.3.4. it is hidden to those that perish: where men live in ignorance and heare not, God regards not it so much: Act. 17.30. thats not the time of triall: have ye the Word as wheate with chaffe, it trieth not; but the Word comming with authority, and not as the Scribes; when Christs voyce sounds in the Word, see how yee are affected: if yee heare not ye are dead. Cant. 2. Christs comming is compared to a Spring [Page 110] time, wherein the flowers appeare on the earth, and the birds begin to sing, and the trees put out their greene fruite: that is, when Christ makes himselfe knowne, it is Spring time: doe you spring when the Word comes, when the messages of salvation are made knowne unto you? if not, yee are dead. Our end in speaking this is not to trouble you, but to bring you to salvation. I will therefore shew you what keepes men off from hearing Christs voyce, that knowing the impediments yee may remove them. The impediments are seven.

1 The first, is selfe-wisedome; this is a great impediment from hearing the voyce of the Sonne of God: selfe-conceitednesse hinders men much, because it breeds a despising of the wayes of God. 1 Cor. 2.4. The naturall man re­ceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishnesse with him: therefore 1 Cor. 3.18. if any man seeme to be wise in the world, let him become a foole that he may be wise: that is, let him lay aside that wisedome which be­getteth pride in our hearts. Michals disposi­tion is in every one of us more or lesse, shee de­spised David: so men chalke out a way to them­selves, in which they will goe, they will seeke their owne wayes, and will not be sub­iect to the Law of God. Rom. 8.7. The carnall mind is enmity with God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neyther indeed can it be. 2 Cor. [Page 111] 10.5. speaking of imaginations, saith, that men with them build up themselves against God, and will not alter their courses.The greatest opposi­tion is in mens minds: take a man that hath a true opinion, it is easy to remove his lusts, but false iudgements are as bulwarkes against Gods wisedome. Men will doe thus and thus because they thinke their state is good. The Scribes and Pharisees came not to Christ, Luk. 15.1. but Publicans and sinners came: so it is with men now, doe wee lay open their sinnes unto them, yet they will not be perswaded: men will bee righteous of themselves, and will not bee perswaded that Christ must bee made unto them righteousnesse, and redemption, and wisedome. This opinion of our selves is a great impediment, this contemnes the way of God, and fashions out our owne wayes; this contenting of our selves with our present estate makes men erre: therefore Psal. 119.21. Cursed are the proud that are alwayes erring from thy Law: Sel [...]e conceite makes men erre,

The second impediment is custome: men 2 have beene used to such wayes, and will not alter them. Ioh 4.12. the woman of Samaria was much held off with this argument. Christ comming to teach her the doctrine of salva­tion; Art thou greater, said shee, than our father Iacob that gave us this Well? This opinion that our fathers have gone this way, and it is trans­mitted [Page 112] to us, hinders men much; men cannot indure newnesse. Lot is taxed for this by the Sodomites, Gen. 19.9. This fellow came in to so­jorne here, and will he now be a Iudge? so Act. 17. Paul preaching at Athens, the Athenians asked, What new doctrine is this that thou preachest? men being accustomed to a way, it winns their opinion; men having once judged, are loth to iudge againe: custome winns their affecti­on. Change is troublesome: men having gone long in a course they will still plod on in the same tract. Custome of our fathers, or country or place where wee are, our owne custome makes us loath to forsake it.

3 Thirdly, Similitude is a great hinderance. Exod. 7.22. Pharaohs heart was hardned because the Magicians did the same miracles, that Moyses and Aaron did; So similitude hinders men from imbracing the wayes of Christ, and God. Men seeing Papists austerity like our mortification, their sufferings like true mar­tyrdome, they are perswaded of their wayes, as we are of ours: so for civility, when as men see it so like religion, as a sparke is like the fire, they imbrace it: All deceit is from simi­litude, false wares having the same dye that true hath, deceive the buiers: so falling starres are like other starres. When wee see some men that professe religion to be false hearted, we thinke all are so: wherefore Phil. 1.10. The Apostles prayes, that they might abound in all [Page 113] knowledge and judgement to discerne of things that differ: this proximity makes us deceived.

Fourthly, false experiments hinder us much; 4 some experiments of the workes of God, that should draw us nearer to him, if wee make false use of them, make us farther from him; As if God afflict and restore againe, or keepe us from affliction, our hearts are hardened. Exod. 8.15. when as the Froggs were removed, Pharoah his heart was hardned: rest made him harden his heart: so many times it makes men slight the word, and afflictions which God layes on them. We may see this in Souldi­ers and Mariners; none more ready to con­temne dangers than they, because they have often escaped; they delude the workes of God that should draw them to salvation. Rootes will make the weeds grow againe, not being taken heed of: The long suffering of God should draw us to repentance, but it doth not so: 2 Pet. 3.3. In the last time shall come mockers, walking after their owne lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his comming? for all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation; that is, men shall feele nothing, apprehend nothing; judgements being beleeved they se­cond the Word, being eluded, they hinder us and it.

The fift impediment is ignorance; men 5 know not the wayes of God, therefore they doe not imbrace them. Ioh. 4.10. If thou hadst [Page 114] knowne the gift of God, and who it is that speaketh to thee, thou wouldest have asked of him. There is enough in religion to make men love it, if they knew it: there is vertue in it, there is beauty and profit in it. Esa. 57. There is a peace in it; all the wayes of it are wayes of pleasantnesse: there is honour in it; old age is honourable with righteousnesse. But mens hearts are full of darkenesse; they see not, neyther doe they un­derstand it. 2 Pet. 2.12. They speake evill of the things they know not; Its true they know the things, [...], they know them not experi­mentally and really, and that deceives them, 1 Cor. 8.2. If any man thinke hee knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. One may know all things, and yet know no­thing, as he should: Ignorance deceives many, it makes them to measure religion by a false rule, and common opinion. Acts 24.14. it is called heresy; when yee iudge of it by externall shewes, all basenesse is outwardly in religi­on, it is like a costly thing covered with straw: Christ was hid under a Carpenters Sonne; prea­ching under the name of foolishnesse: so our ig­norance in attributing things to false causes keepes us off. If the Gospel be hid, it is hidden to those that perish; there is a double ignorance; privative, and positive; that is it, by which the God of this world blinds men, breeding a false perswasion of good, and a good perswasion of evill.

[Page 115]The sixt impediment is in-consideration: men doe not consider the things they might know: if men would deduce one thing from another, and doe that they know, they might be brought to God. Deut. 29.2.3. yee have seene, saith Moyses, all that the Lord did before your eyes, in the Land of Egypt, upon Pharoah and his servants; yee have seene those great signes and miracles which he did, yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and eares to heare untill this day: that is, yee have not profited because yee have not con­sidered. We thinke if that we had lived then, wee had beleeved, yet we see how few of them did beleeve: we beleeve the Scriptures, yet what inconsequency is there in mens lives, because wee doe not consider things. Consideration helpes to perfect mens actions; it is a circular line; one part helpes the other. If we looke backe and examine our actions, it helpes; want of it hinders. What is repen­tance, but consideration? Ier. 8.6. No man repented him of his wickednesse, saying, what have I done? want of this keepes men from salvation. 2 Chron. 6.37. If they bethinke themselves in the Land whither they are carried away, and turne and pray unto me, in their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amisse, and dealt wick­edly; then I will heare. So Ier. 8.6. God hark­ned whether any would say, What have I done? men goe on and consider not. Hosea 4.11. [Page 116] Whoredome, and new wine, steale away their hearts; that is, it makes them not to consider. Mark. 6.52. They considered not the loaves, therefore their hearts were hardned: they were fearefull in the ship, because they considered not the miracle of the loaves.

7 The seventh impediment, is a certaine stif­nesse and obfirmation of minde, whereby a man is setled to continue in such a course that is pleasant to him, and all that crosse him in it are enemies to him. Rom. 8. the flesh is not sub­ject to the Spirit, it crosseth it: one reckons not a man his enemy unlesse hee crosse him. It must be so; every creature as long as it hath a being, opposeth that which is contrary to it: so every man that delights himselfe in such or such a lust, will not be circumcised, cleansed and washed from it, he will not have Christ reigne over him; he will have his elbow roome. Those men that are not translated from death to life, they count the wayes of God eyther vanity or folly, and will not submit unto them, nor yet heare Christ voyce.

Now the meanes, The means how to heare profitablie. the helpes, and wayes to breake through these impediments, and to re­ceive the Word with profit, are these.

First, to heare profitably, that the voyce of the Sonne of God be not a common voyce, but peculiar, take that rule which is set downe, Luk. 8.18. Take heed how you heare. Christ gave that admonition to his hearers, and I [Page 117] give it to you: looke to your selves, take heed how yee come to heare the Word; doe it diligently: the reason of this is added in the same verse: for unto him that hath shall be gi­ven, & from him that hath not, shall be taken away even that which he seemed to have: that is, if yee heare and get a little knowledge, yee shall have more: he that yeeldeth some fruits, shall bring forth more: hee that doth some things, shall doe more, God will blesse you. But from him that hath not, shall bee taken even that which he seemed to have: that is, your hearts shall be hardned, and that common knowledge which you have shall be taken away. Ioh. 15.2. Every branch that beareth not fruite God cuts downe. God lookes into a Con­gregation to see who doth make conscience of hearing; those that doe, he purgeth; but those that profit not, he curseth: he takes not away their lives, but their graces, makes them wi­ther in the inward man, and so he comes to death. Luk. 19. he that had ten Talents, he that had most, had more given him: To practise a little is the way to get more. The Talent is ta­ken from him, who did not use it, and given to him, that had most Talents. There are two rewards for him that useth the Talent well. First, hee shall have more. Secondly, he shall be ruler over ten Cities; he shall have comfort here, and hereafter: he shall have more comfort and grace. See how he dealt with Nathaniel, [Page 118] Iohn 1.50. Because he confessed Christ to be the Sonne of God, and beleeved because Christ saw him under the Fig-tree, which was but a small thing; Christ tels him that he shall see greater things than these. Ioh. 7.17. If any man will doe his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God: that is, if yee practise according to your knowledge, you shall know more, it shall be confirmed to you. Let men know and not practice, then Rom. 1.21.21. Because when they knew God, they glorifie him not as God, neyther are thankfull, therefore God gives them up to un­cleannesse, thorow the lusts of their owne hearts, to dishonour their owne bodies betweene them­selves, and to worship Idols; as he dealt with the Gentiles. So in the 2 Thessa. 2.9. Because they received not the love of the truth; because they heard much, and did not imbrace it, God gave them up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes. See it by experience: when as men play with their knowledge, God gives them up to heresies. The Spirit of God will not strive long with them. God hath commanded us, not to cast Pearles before Swine; and will hee himselfe doe it? Consider what yee doe in every doctrine of salvation, that is preached to you; yee eyther relish it, or not; yee obey it, or disobey it; yee taste it, or disrelish it: If yee taste it not, it is a savour of death unto death; that is, it brings death and leads to hell: if yee savour it aright, it brings to heaven. There is no true doctrine, [Page 119] but the not obeying of it bringeth something to your damnation. When the savour of Christs knowledge is made manifest, nor receiving it, yee reject it, and it brings a curse. Heb. 6.7.8. The earth which drinketh in the raine which commeth oft upon it, and brings forth hearbes meete for him by whom it is dressed, receiveth a blesssing of God; but that which bring­eth forth thornes and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned: that is, the word is as raine, it makes hearbs and weeds to grow: if hearbs grow, God doth pro­sper it more: if it fals upon rockes it withers more and more; God doth curse it. It is not in the knowledge of divinity as in other scien­ces: in them yee may neglect a yeare or two, and get it againe; but it is not so in this; yee will not be able to returne againe, yee are neare a curse, yee cannot redeeme it. See what followes in the neglecting of the Word, in the 2 Chron. 36.15.16. God sent his messengers rising up early, &c. because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his Word, and misused his Prophets, untill the wrath of the Lord rose up against his people, till there was no remedy. Grace may stand with infirmities before they are revealed, but being reveiled the light discerneth them. If men refuse, God in­dures it not. Act. 17.30. The times of that igno­rance God regarded not, but now take heed, the [Page 120] Gospel being reveiled; God will beare no lon­ger. Before Iohn Baptist came, the Axe was not laid to the roote of the tree; but as soone as he came, it was; because then the Gospel was made knowne; he revealed the truth. When the truth is once revealed, if men doe not then receive it, God indures it not. Heb. 3.13. To day if yee will heare my voyce, harden not your hearts. God will not stay longer than this day. There is a day, (when it is we cannot prescribe) after which God will not offer grace: but commonly we see that men being of the age of discretion, & having the way shew­ed, if they neglect it then, they cōmonly perish. God hath a secret time, The Iewes had their day; but because they accounted themselves un­worthy of everlasting life, Paul did turne from them to the Gentiles, Act. 13.46. Saul had his day, hee had common gifts and profited not, therefore God forsooke him. So Israel had their day, but when they neglected it, God bids Ieremiah not to pray for them. Con­sider what you have heard of the Sacrament, that yee may not absent your selves from it, in the places wherein you are, without weigh­ty affaires, which will excuse you before God: so for the Sabbath; you know it should bee kept; because it is holy; and if it be holy I would aske you this question; whether it bee holy in whole, or in part? If all of it be holy, it is not arbitrary, it must be sequestred from [Page 121] common uses. The vessels of the Sanctuary are said to be holy, because they were not used but about holy things: so the Temple is holy, because it is a place set apart for Gods service: so time is holy, when it is bestowed on holy things, holy thoughts, holy duties; con­sider that it is holy, and that every part there­of is holy; and then deny if you can, that it is not to be sanctified. Some men spend their time in idlenesse and gaming; most in drun­kennesse and disorder, and not as they should. Yee have heard of mortification; yee have heard the doctrine of changing from death to life; apply them, and take heed how you heare; yee that heard it negligently shall grow worse and worse.

The second meanes to heare profitably, is 2 that which is set downe in the 1 Thess. 2.13. that is, to receive the Word, not as the word of man; but as the Word of God. This makes the word of Christ effectuall, to heare it as the Word of God: that is, consider whose word it is. Consider the ground of it, that it pro­ceeds from God who is present, God is there and we speake in his stead: God spake to the Is­raelits in Mount Sinay, and would have con­tinued for any thing we know, yet the people desired that Moyses should speake unto them. Wee beseech you in the stead of Christ, to be reconciled unto God. This is of much moment, to heare it as Gods Word: morrall truths may build [Page 122] you up in morrall vertues, and may be profi­table to that purpose; but they will not breed spirituall life; that the Word onely doth, being received as the Word of God. Iohn 6.65. when as Christ demanded of the twelve, whether they also would goe away? Peter made this answer; Lord, whither shall we goe? thou hast the words of eternall life. A man is not a living man, but by conjunction betwixt God and the soule: God is to the soule, as the soule is to the body, he puts life into it, and is con­joyned to it by his word when it is thus recei­ved.

The Word comming as from God, wee doe that which is commanded us, because God will have us doe it: and then wee doe it simply and sincerely, so that God accepts it; Wee receive it as the word of God, it breeds life within us: when we receive it with faith, with full Assurance, then it comes from God, then it comes in power and in the holy Ghost, and makes us become followers of Christ, 1 Thess. 1.5. when we receive the Word of God, it workes effectually in us. 1 Thess. 2.13. when we receive it as from God with full assu­rance, it begetteth life in us. To live is to have sence and motion, to be acting: the receiving of the word with full assurance, makes us ac­tive; the beleeving of it sets men on worke 2 Chron. 25.5.6. 10. When as Amasiah beleeved that God would not be with him unlesse hee sent [Page 123] away the Israelites, then he sent them away and not before. Caleb and Iosuah did beleeve, there­fore they followed God constantly. Abraham offe­red up his sonne Isaack, because he beleeved God, that he could give him another sonne, or raise him out of ashes againe. Let a man be perswaded that such a thing will hurt him, or that such a thing will doe him good, he doth the one and leaves the other. Receive therefore the Word with full assurance, consider what is delivered, if it be the Word or no; consi­der that it which yee heare, is eyther the Word or not the Word, it belongs to me or not. Men take things overly, and are not rooted and grounded in faith, and that makes them heare unprofitably. See then if your particu­lar actions agree with the Word, so yee shall be rooted in faith; this makes the Word a Word of life.

The third rule and meanes to heare with 3 profit, is that which is set downe of the fourth ground, in the parable of the seed in the eight of Luke, the 15. verse, that is, to receive the Word with honest and good hearts; having heard the Word to keepe it, and to bring forth fruite with patience. Heare the Word with honest hearts; this is done when as a man is resolved to practise whatsoever God will reveale; when he hath no reservations or exceptions to himselfe; when hee is resolved to practise what he heares with an humble heart: being [Page 124] humbled wee will doe this, and not before. The fourth ground was humbled; men will not heare this because they are proud: now pride is an evill disposition in the creature, whereby it exalts its selfe above its measure: There is this fault in men, they will picke and chuse in the wayes of God. The last ground will onely part with all for Christ. Act. 9. When as Paul was humbled, hee then cried out, Lord what wilt thou have me to doe? I will doe or suffer any thing for thee, and he was as good as his word. So Act. 2.32. the Iewes being humbled cried out, Men and brethren what shall wee doe? wee will doe any thing to bee saved. So Act. 16.30. The jaylor being humbled, demanded of Paul what he should doe to be saved; when as a man is thus disposed, God will teach him, Psal. 25. God teacheth the humble his wayes: man himselfe will doe so; if he see one willing to learne, he will teach him: The secrets of the Lord are revealed to those that feare fear [...] him; to those that stand in awe of him, and dare doe nothing against him: hee reveales his peculiar truths in a pecu­liar manner to men, those things that are effectuall to their salvation: bring therefore humble hearts, ready to obey.

Object.But you will say; we doe obey and practise what we doe heare.

I answer, Answ. that yee may be deceived as they in the fift of Deut. they said they would obey, [Page 125] but God saw that there was another heart in them than what they said: therefore God said; O that there were such an heart in them, that they would feare me, and keepe my comman­dements alwayes, that it might goe well with them and their children for ever. So Iohanan and the other Captaines, Ier. 42.20. desires Iere­mia, to goe to God, to know his will, and they would doe whatsoever he should say, whether it were good or evill. But Ieremiah tels them that they did but dissemble in their hearts; he knew they would not do it. Looke to this in the acts and the effects: what have you done when the Word crosseth you in your aymes, estates, names, friends? if you have disobeyed it, then Eze. 14.4. the word is made a stumbling blocke, and your iniquities before your face, and the Lord will answer you according to the multitude of your Idols. God will answer such men according to their comming, as they come with false hearts, they shall be dealt withall according­ly. Come then with hearts resolved to practise whatsoever is spoken, and desire God to make it effectuall to savation.

The fourth meanes to heare the Word, and 4 the voyce of Christ profitably, is to lay up what you heare: let it abide with you and continew with you. This rule is prescribed by Christ himselfe. Ioh. 15.7. If yee abide in me, and my words abide in you, yee shall aske what yee will, and it shall be done unto you: When yee at­tend [Page 126] to the Word, if yee are affected with it but for the time, it is nothing; except it continue with you it will not profit you; you must doe as Mary did; shee layed up all the say­ings that shee heard of Christ, and pondered them in her heart, Luke 2.51. The Disciples often questioned of Christ, which proves, that they pondered his words in their hearts: So the nobles of Berea, they searched the Scripture: so Iacob he noted the saying of Ioseph and laid it up: yee doe not heare thus if you doe but lend your eares for the time, if yee worke it not up­on your affections, yee profit not. The reason why there is so much preaching, and so little profit, is for want of this. There are two kinds of ill hearers: the first are such as heare as Swine, and trample all they heare under feete; the second, such as heare as Dogs, snarling at the doctrine: if yee offend in eyther of these, yee heare amisse. Of all the foure grounds that was worst which received not the Word. When men heare the Word there is more than a naturall forgetfulnesse in them, the Di­vell helpes it. Iam. 1.23.29. He that heares the Word, and recals it not, or practiseth it not, is like one that beholdeth his face in a glasse, for hee beholdeth himselfe and goeth away, and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was: yee must recall it before yee can practise it, else yee will be like to those that behold their face in a glasse, and wipe not away their spots.

[Page 127]Be not therefore forgetfull hearers: and for this, first recall and repeate what yee have heard when yee are gone: Secondly, practise it afterwards; there is a blessing promised to mindfull hearers, there is a curse denounced against those that are forgetfull. Ioh. 13.15. If yee know these things, happy are yee if you doe them: but there is a curse for you if you doe not profit; God will make you to heare and will not give you his Spirit. Regard to prize the word if yee will not be forgetfull. Rom. 1.28. those that did not like to reteine God in their knowledge, those that did heare the Word and not regard it, God gave them up to a reprobate sence, to an Injudiciousnesse, to doe those things that were not convenient, not being able to pro­fit by it. The ancient Fathers much professed the repetition of Sermons, and one of them used this similitude: A man that comes into a pleasant garden, he will not content himselfe with the present sent onely, but he will carry some of the flowers home with him; So in a cold day, a man will not be content to heate himselfe at another mans fire, but he will carry some fire home with him to keepe him hot at home. So doe yee when yee come to heare the Word; carry home some flow­ers of it with you, carry some fire home with you, to heate and warme your hearts. God regards not flashes and moods, and such neg­ligence in performing of holy duties as will [Page 128] not warme their hearts. Men are like a Sive in the water: it is full whiles it is in the water, but being taken out of it, it hath nothing; it is not the hearing of the Word of God, or the doing of it negligently that will profit, if yee heare it onely pro forma, and negligently: it doth then no good, but it brings Gods curse upon you. Gods curse is on many, they grow not in knowledge or grace for want of dili­gence; wherefore in the 2 Pet. 3.17. the Apo­stle bids us beware least being led away with the error of the wicked, we fall from our owne sted­fastnesse: to prevent this, grow in grace, and for this purpose grow in knowledge, for then yee grow in grace.

5 The fift meanes to heare profitably, is to prize the Word and the voyce of Christ spea­king to the heart: pray earnestly for it that yee may seeke it earnestly at Gods hands, beseech him to speake to your hearts: your hearing is nothing without this: it is the great sheapheard of the flocke that must feede you. It is his Spi­rit that must teach you. Therefore when as you come to heare, pray earnestly to God to speake unto you by his Spirit. It is the Spirit that quickneth, Ioh. 6.63. the Word is spirituall, and wee are carnall; therefore wee must pray for the Spirit to helpe us for to heare: the Spi­rit is not bestowed without prayer. Actes 1.14.15. God promised to give his Spirit to his Apostles, yet they continued long in prayers ere [Page 129] he gave it them. Luk. 11.13. God gives not his Spirit but to such as aske it, to such as conti­nue praying, asking and knocking. David prayes to God, to open his eyes that he might see the wonders of his Law: Men may heare the Word, yet God opens not their eyes without seeking to him. God speakes unto you by his Ministers. Paul and Apollos are yours; wee are the Ministers of God for your sakes▪ for your service: if God open the dore of utterance, it is not for our sakes but yours, that you might seeke the W [...]ord at our mouthes and beleeve. Acts 14.1. a [...] company of Iewes and Gen­tiles beleeved by h [...]ing the Word preached, and receiving of it. The world receives not the Spirit, because they seeke it not, Iohn 14.17. We in preaching, can doe nothing; it is the Spirit that must doe it. 2 Cor. 3.18. wee can shew you the Image of God, but it is nothing to you if yee be not transformed into the same image from glory to glory: and it is the Spirit that must thus transforme you. Conclude therefore with God in prayer, let not him deny you; one word from him is more then a thousand from us. God fastning his Word upon your hearts it changeth you; without him we preach in vayne.

The sixt meanes to heare profitably, is to 6 come with vacuity of minde, free from all things that hinder; else we sow but amongst thornes, Ier. 4.4. we speak to men prepossessed: [Page 130] the seed fals on fallow ground; we speake to men, whose hearts are full of lust, they have a noyse of businesse within them; and so they heare us not, because their hearts are fore pos­sessed. The arrowes head being in the wound, it is in vaine to lay plaisters upon it: therefore Iam. 1.24. when as wee came to heare the Word, we are commanded, to lay aside all superfluity of naughtinesse, and to receive with meeknesse, the ingrafted word which is able to save our soules. Doe in hearing the Word as men doe in grafting; cut off all superfluous branches; come with empty minds; attend to the matters of grace. Men who have full stomacks God feeds not; He feeds the hungry, others are sent empty away, they are alwayes hearing but never profiting. I should speake now to Ministers and people: to Ministers, that they speake in the voyce of Christ, that, they speake as he did; not in wisedome of words, but in the evidence of the Spirit; To the people; that they must heare them by whom Christ speakes: those who have livings to bestow, ought to bestow them on such as speake the words of Christ; they that want his voyce ought to procure such. Now if ye will not be at cost for a good Minister, it is a signe you lo [...]e your profit above Christ. Those that dwell where Christs voyce is not, let them remove for they sit in darkenesse and in the shad­dow of death, Esay 9.2. If your dwelling be plea­sant, [Page 131] if you have bitter waters or no waters at all, you will remove: Have not your dwel­lings then where the water of life is not. If the voyce of Christ be the onely meanes to beget life, let men come to it. It is a great fault, men come not to this voyce: hee tha [...] came not to the Sacrament, must be cut off: What shall be done to him that comes not to the Word? Want of the Word preached is a great misery; therefore David complai­neth much of his case, when he was not able to come to the Word. O that I am constrained to dwel in Mesech, and to have my habitation a­mongst the tents of Keder. The daily sacrifice being taken away, it was the greatest desolation that could be; and can men live there with comfort where the Word is wanting? Is it a duty to come to heare the Word, or it is Ar­bitrary, to come or not to come? if it be arbi­trary, then yee performe but a will-worship, when yee heare it; if a duty, then yee must heare it constantly, and enquire where it is to be had.

But you have excuses. Ob.

To this I answer, A [...]s. see how yee can excuse your selves to God: How angry was Christ with those that came not to the marriage? that is principally meant of comming to heare the Gospell. It is a despysing of God and his or­dinances not to come; it is a contempt which brings sorth a curse, which brings a judgement [Page 132] that is like the sinne. Those that despise you, de­spise me, saith Christ; the word is the power of God to salvation: there is no salvation with­out faith, and there is no faith but by hearing. Faith comes by hearing: He that heares not you, heares not me, saith Christ. Therefore if you heare not this voyce of the Sonne of God, take heed lest he heare not you at last.