OF GODS ALL-SVFFICIENCY.

BEcause, in the perfor­mance of all the Duties of Sanctification, Since­ritie is all in all, therefore I haue chosen this Text, that you may not be de­ceived. It is true; many things are very excellent, if they be right: There is no question but the Dia­mond is very precious, if it be a true Diamond, but if it be false, it is nothing worth; If you take a precious Balme, you make no question of the thing, and of the excellency of it in generall, all the question is, whether it be right or no, And so [Page 2] in the graces of Gods spirit, especially, seeing they concerne our salvation; It much concernes vs, to know whether they be right or counterfeit; and therefore you see the condition, that God re­quires here of Abraham, is, that he be vpright, and perfect, without hypocrisie; (so the word signifi­eth) walke before me without hypocrisie. Now we haue rather chosen this Text than another, be­cause sets forth the ground of all sinceritie, and perfect walking with God, which is, even this ap­prehension well setled in the heart, that God is All­sufficient: for this is the Lords precept, Walke be­fore me, and be thou perfect, or vpright, or sincere, let it not be in hypocrisie: and this is the motiue that he vs [...]th to perswade him to it, I am All-suffi­cient, as if he should say, if there were any defect in me, if thou didst neede or couldest desire any thing that were not to be had in me, and thou mightest haue it elsewhere, perhaps thy heart might be imperfect in walking towards me, thou mightest then step out from me to take in advan­tages elsewhere; but seeing I am All-sufficient, since I haue enough in me to fulfill all thy desires, since I am every way an adaequate obiect, that if thou lookest about, and considerest all that thy soule can wish for, thou maiest haue it in me, why then shouldest thou not consecrate thy selfe to me alone? Why then shouldest thou be vneven in thy wayes, serving me sometimes, by fits, and some­times the creature? for there is nothing in the creature, but thou maiest finde it in me, I am All­sufficient. I am All-sufficient, therefore walke be­fore me, and be perfect.

[Page 3]Yet these words containe somewhat more, which you may see by that which followes, I will make my Covenant betweene me and thee, and I will multiplie thee exceedingly. The ground of all our sinceritie is the Covenant, that is betweene God and vs. Now these words doe the most briefly, that I finde, of any in the Scriptures, expresse the Cove­nant betweene God and vs on both sides, for they are but the summe of the Covenant, which in other places of Scripture is explicated, and set forth more at large; so that the opening of the Covenant on both sides, is the ground of all the sinceritie, of all that obedience that we yeeld to God: And therefore, I say, you shall not onely haue occasion from this Text, to examine the graces of Gods spi­rit in you, and the actions that flow from them, whether they be sincere or perfect, but likewise we will shew you the ground of this sincerity whence it ariseth; and how it is wrought in every mans heart. And thus these words containe the Cove­nant, sayth the Lord to Abraham, I will be thy God. On the other side; thou shalt be mine. Now he shewes what a kinde of God he▪ will be to him, I will be All-sufficient to thee; which consists in two things, Gen. 15. 1. If you compare this with Gen. 15. 1. I will be thy Buckler to preserue thee from all evill: And againe, I will be thy exceeding great reward: that is, I will not onely be a shield, but I will be a Sunne to thee; I will both preserue thee from all evill, and I will fill thee with all good things, I will [...]omp [...]ss [...] thee about with mercy and loving kindnesse: so that thou shal [...] finde, that I will be an exceeding [Page 4] great reward. So God expresseth himselfe to A­braham. And this is the Covenant on Gods part. Now that which is required on Abrahams part, is, that he be the Lords, as the Lord is his, for so you see in the words following. The question onely is, in what manner Abraham shall be the Lords; how that shall be declared? Sayth he, It is not an emptie relation, but thou must shew that thou art mine by walking before me. And yet it must not be any kinde of walking before the Lord, but it must be a perfect walking before him; Walke before me, and be perfect, and therefore it is added, I will make my Covenant, that is, this is the Covenant, of which Circumcision was but a Signe, for it was instituted presently, as we see in the words following.

There are three especiall poynts that we will gather out of the words.

The first is from the connexion, and we will begin with that, because it is a preparation to the other two: In that the Lord vseth this as an argu­ment to Abraham, I am All-sufficient, therefore walke before me, and be thou perfect; We may ob­serue this; that ‘The cause of all departure from God, Doct. 1. of all vn­evennesse in our wayes towards God, Doubting of Gods All-suf­ficience, the cause of de­parture from God. is from hence, that we doe not thinke God to be All-suf­ficient.’

As on the other side, the cause of all our sinceri­tie and perfectnesse, ariseth hence, that we doe ap­prehend him to be All-sufficient. This you see e­vidently [Page 5] ariseth from the words; for thence is the force of the Argument, I am All-sufficient, there­fore walke before me, and be perfect. My Beloved, it is evident, that the cause of every mans keeping off from God, the cause of his vnevennesse after he is come in to him, is from hence, that men thinke not God, to be All-sufficient; for if a man had enough in the Lord, he would never goe out from him; but because he wants something, he desires something that is not in him, or he feares something, that he thinkes he cannot keepe off from him: hence it comes to passe that he steppes out from God, he goeth out of the wayes of his Cōmandements. And therefore I say, the cause of every mans departure from God, the cause of his keeping off from God, or of his vnevennesse in the wayes of God, is from hence, that he thinkes not God to be All-sufficient; and this you shall see in three sorts of men.

First, there is a generation of men, that liue as 1 without God in the world, and that looke not to­wards God at all, that make conscience of nothing; and what is the reason of that? but because they thinke, they haue sufficient of their owne, and therefore they walke in their owne wayes, and stand vpon their owne bottom, and they loue thern­selues, and serue themselues altogether; and apply not themselues to the Lord at all: and therefore whensoever any man is brought vnto God, the worke is, to take him off from his owne bottom, to shew him his owne insufficiency in himselfe, and the emptinesse of himselfe, and of every crea­ture, [Page 6] and the All-sufficiency that is in God, and vpon this ground, he comes in to him. As you know, Luke 15. the Prodigall Sonne, when he saw that he could not subsist longer, but he must perish, if he stayed where he was; and saw againe, if he went home to his Fathers house, there was meate enough: this was that that moved him to go home: this course the Lord takes with all whom he brings home to him; Act. 16. as we see in the Iaylor: and in those Act. 2. Act 2. They were pricked in their hearts; and in Paul, when the light shined about him, and he was stricken from his horse, Act. 9. Act. 9. It was all but to shew them their vanitie, to take them off from their owne bottoms, to shew them their owne insufficiency, and then he discovered that All-sufficiency that was in himselfe; for no man will change but for the better, he will not deny himselfe, and leaue what he hath, till some­thing that is better be propounded vnto him: So, I say, the cause why men come not in is, be­cause they haue an opinion of sufficiency in them­selues, and in the creature, and they apprehend not an All-sufficiency in God: that is, an All-suffi­ciency to be in him alone.

2 A second fort of men are such as doe come in, and performe many things, and bring forth some fruit, and become professors of the feare of God, and yet they doe it not throughly, But by halues; the cause of this is likewise from hence, that they doe not apprehend God to be All-sufficient; for it they did, they would be perfect with him; Math. 13. as we see the Second and Third Ground (for that [Page 7] Parable doth but shew you the kindes of Profes­sors) they were all such as professed the feare of the Lord, that are there spoken of, for we see, they brought forth fruit, They received the Word with Ioy. What was the reason the second Ground was not perfect with the Lord? Because they thought him not to be a Buckler strong enough to beare off all evills, to beare off all persecution. What was the reason the Third Ground did it not? Be­cause they thought there was something in ri­ches, in pleasures, in divers lusts, that they could not haue in the Lord, so they departed from him: Onely the Fourth Ground kept close, because they did apprehend all to be in the Lord that they desi­red, they did apprehend him to be strong enough to deliver them from all the things they feared. 3

The third sort of men are such as are regene­rate, which yet are subiect to many slips and falls, to many turnings aside: And the cause of all this is, that they apprehend not God to be All-suffi­cient. As, for example, what was the reason that Abraham when he went downe into Egypt (being driven thither by reason of Famine) saved him­selfe with a lye, saying that Sarah was his Sister, and not his wife, but because he thought God was not able to keepe him and defend him? If he had thought him to haue beene All-sufficient, he would not haue done it. What was the reason that Moses, when God sent him on a message in­to Egypt, was so backward to performe it; but because he thought that the Lord was not All-suf­ficient [...] For he hath two reasons why he would [Page 8] not goe; One was, he wanted speech, he wanted abilitie and gifts; He was of a stammering tongue; And the other was, those were aliue, that (he thought) sought his life: If he had thought that God was able to haue beene with his tongue, to haue stregthned him, and to haue improved his gifts, and to haue inabled him to that service: if he had thought, likewise, that he had beene able to haue defended him from those That sought his life, he would never haue disobeyed the Com­mandement of God, and beene backward to performe it as he was.

And so likewise Rebeccah; What was the reason shee vsed that wyle and shift, that inordinate meanes to bring a good thing to passe, to obtaine the blessing, when Iacob and shee joyned in ly­ing to Isaack, but because they thought God was not Sufficient to performe that Promise? for the blessing belonged to Iacob, and no doubt but he should haue had it in due time. And so it is in all the faults of the Saints; which are hence, be­cause they apprehend not God to be all-sufficient; even as it was in the first sinne of Adam, and the Angels; What was the reason that Adam fell from God at the first? It was because he desired some­thing that he thought he could not finde in the Lord, he desired to know good and evill, which he thought he should not haue in the Lord, he thought the Lord had kept it from him, and there­fore he stepped out from the Lord, to eate that Ap­ple, vsing that as a meanes to obtaine his desire. And this, indeed, was the cause of his falling a­way. [Page 9] So likewise the cause of the falling of the Angells. 1 Tim. 3. 6. 1 Tim. 3. 6. the Apostle saith there, that a Minister was not to be a young Sc [...]oller, least he be puffed vp, and fall into the condemnation of the Divell, that is, least he be puffed vp, and fall into the same sinne, for which the Divell was con­demned, that is, to be puffed vp, that is, to haue the desires inlarged beyond the boūds which God had set them, to desire more then they should haue, to be exalted aboue measure, that measure, that God had appointed them, that is, they desired more, they looked after more, they thought there was not an All-sufficiency in God for them: This was the sinne of the Angels that fell. And as it was the cause of their first fall, so it is the cause of all the sinnes that haue beene committed since. And the reasons of it in briefe are these:

First it ariseth from the desire of happines that 1 is implanted in every mans nature. From mans desire of hap­pines. Happines, you know, is a compound which consists of all good things, so that none must be wanting; there is no good thing but it must be an ingredient into it. Now the nature of man is made by God to desire happines, every man naturally desires happines, and may desire it, if there be any scantnes in this, if there be any evill that lies vpon him, that is not removed, or if there be any good that he desires and wants, that he doth not enioy; (I say) his heart cannot rest, for he desires happines; there­fore if he finde not an All-sufficiency in God, so that nothing be wanting, that his heart can desire or looke after, it is impossible he should cleaue close [Page 10] vnto him, but he will be readie to step out from him.

2 Secondly, this will appeare from the nature of sinne: From the na­ture of sinne. the definition that the Schoole-men giue of sinne, (which we may receiue) is this, that it is the conversion of a man from God to the Crea­ture, from the immutable God to the mutable crea­ture: In every sinne there is such a turning of the soule from God to the Creature. Now, it is cer­taine, if a man did finde an All-sufficiency in God, he would never turne from him, nor seeke to the Creature; even as the Bee, if it did finde honey e­nough in one flower, would not hasten to ano­ther, but because it doth not, it goes from flower to flower: And so is the nature of man (as Salomon expresseth it, saying, that) He hastened to out ward things; that is, when he fell vpon one, he found not enough in it, he made hast to another and to ano­ther; so the nature of man, if it did finde sweet­nesse, and comfort, and contentment enough in God, it would not turne from him to the creature; but because, in his sence, the obiect is too nar­row, there is some what he would haue more, he looks over the Pale, as it were, he seeth something that he desireth, and that causeth him to step out, whereas if he had enough at home, if he had e­nough in the Lord, he would not goe out from him, to turne inordinately to the Creature vpon any occasion.

3 Thirdly, this will appeare likewise from the na­ture of sinceritie, From the na­ture of since­ritic. and perfect walking with God, for to walke perfectly with God, is nothing but this, [Page 11] when a man chooseth God, so that he cleaues to him alone, whereas doublenes of minde stands in this, when a man is distracted betweene God and some other obiect; I say, betweene God and riches, betweene God and credit, betweene God and pleasure, and is sometime applying himselfe to one, and sometime to another, and so he goes a double way. So that when a man hath two prin­cipall objects, & two principall ends, vpon which his eye is set, when he hath two inward principles within, that are the cause of his motion, this way and that way, such a man is a double minded man; he is a single hearted man that chooseth God a­lone, and though he walke imperfectly with him, yet he chooseth him. Now if a man apprehend Gods All-sufficiency, he will choose him alone, if he doe not, it is impossible he should choose him alone, but he will joyne somewhat else with him; for if he thinke there is but a partiall sufficiency in God, and that there is some sufficiency in any crea­ture besides, it must needs be that he must haue an eve vpon both; and then his waies will be vneven, then his way is vnstable; and, therefore, I say, the cause of that instability, to which men are subiect, is, because they doe not apprehend God to be All-sufficient, for you must know this by the way, that there is a double instabilitie (that word is vsed in I am. 1. 8. Iam. 1. 8. A double minded man is vnstable in all his wayes) One is an instabilitie between two objects, which makes vp all the sufficiency that he desires, so that there is part of that sufficiency in one, and part of it in another. The second is an instabilitie [Page 12] in following one object that he hath chosen. Indeede, the second instabilitie all the Saints are subject vnto, all regenerate men are vnstable thus in all their wayes, they cannot sticke fast to God, and walke perfectly with him. But herein is their sinceritie, they choose him, they pitch vpon him. Now the ground of it is, they apprehend him to be All-sufficient; though this apprehension be not alwayes kept strong, it is not alway liuely, and actiue in their minds, their perswasion is not alway full and present, and therefore they are rea­die to step out. So the latter instabilitie befalles the Saints, the former befalles hypocrites, and both the one and the other instabilitie still pro­ceede from hence, that we apprehend not God to be All-sufficient. Holy men haue that apprehen­sion in the maine, but not in a constant tenour at all times; Hypocrites haue it not so much as in the maine.

4 Fourthly. This truth will likewise appeare from the nature of faith: From the na­ture offaith. that which makes a man righ­teous, that which sanctifies a man throughout is faith: That which is the cause of all vnrighteous­nesse in vs is vnbeliefe, for it causeth a man to de­part from the Lord: Heb. 3. 12. as Heb. 3. 12. Take heede least there be in any of you an evill heart of vnbeliefe to de­part from the living God. In this sence faith is sayd to be accounted for righteousnesse. Abraham belee­ved God. Gen. 15. Gen. 15. God indeed made the same proposition that he doth here, for substance, he tells him what he would doe for him, and, sayth the Text, Abraham beleeved God, and it was accoun­ted [Page 13] to him for righteousnesse. Now, It was accoun­ted to him for righteousnesse, chiefly, in this sence, as it is interpreted Rom. 4. Rom. 4. that his very taking of the promise, and his accepting of the Covenant, in that he did receiue that which God gaue, that put him within the Covenant, and therefore the Lord reckoned him a righteous man, even for that very acceptation, and beleeving. But that is not all: but likewise he accounted faith to him for righte­ousnesse, because faith doth sanctifie, and make a man righteous: and therefore Beloved (by the way) wonder not at this, that we put so much vpon faith; for let a man beleeue, that God is All-suffi­cient, which is the Covenant, for iustifying faith is but a beleeving of that part of the Covenant, and inabling a man to keepe the other part, which is required; and, I say, it makes a man righteous: for when a man beleeues that God is All-sufficient, it will cause a man to giue vp himself to the Lord. Againe, when he beleeues the Lord to be all in all things to him, it inableth him to be all in all things to the Lord againe, that is, to be holy to the Lord in all manner of conversation. It knits his heart vnto the Lord. It sanctifieth a man through­out, it makes him peculiar to the Lord, i [...] makes him wholly to him. This is the nature of faith. (Now marke it) faith could not thus sanctifie, if it did not beleeue Gods All-sufficiency. Againe, vnbe­liefe could not cause out falling or departing from God, if it were not hence, that we fayle in belee­ving some promise of his, or some threatnings, we thinke there is not an All-sufficiencie in God: [Page 14] you know his promises containe all good things, if we cleaue vnto him, and his threatnings all evill things, if we depart from him. If this were fully beleeved, our hearts would keepe neare to him: as farre as it is not beleeved, so farre we step out. Now I say hence faith purifieth the heart: It sanc­tifieth, is the cause of all righteous [...]esse that is wrought by vs: and vnbeliefe is the cause of all vnrighteousnesse that is wrought by vs. Hence we gather then, that the perswasion of Gods All-sufficiency keepes a mans heart perfect with God: and as farre as you come short of this perswa­sion, so farre you are ready to depart from him. And all the ground of it is, because that which drawes vs from the Lord, is either vaine feares, or vaine hopes. Those are the two eares as it were, by which Sathan takes euery man, whereby the drawes him away, out of the wayes of the Lords Commandements. Now if a man did be­leeue that God were All-sufficient, he would be subiect to none of these false feares, if he did ap­prehend him to be a Buckler, that could keepe him from all ill. Againe, on the other side, if the did beleeue God to be an exceeding great reward, that is, so great a reward that there can be no­thing wanting in him, that there is a length, and breadth, and depth, and height, in that reward; that his heart hath latitude enough to walke in, he can dosire nothing out of it: this would free a man from all vaine hopes, so that the apprehen­sion of it would keepe his heart perfect Contrati­wise, as farre as you faile in either, so farre you are [Page 15] subiect to those two, either false feares, or vaine and sinfull hopes: and that is the cause of our vn­even and vnaequall walking with God, that we are not vpright and perfect.

Hence you may see both the nature of sinne, Vse 1. and the cause of all sinne; for it is profitable for vs Beloved, (nothing more profitable than) to finde out the cause of sinne. It is a Rule that Physitians haue, that a disease, when it is throughly knowne, (that is, when the cause of it is fully knowne) it is halfe cured; so it is in the disease of the soule, to know the very roote and rise, from whence it pro­ceeds, or commeth, to know the principle from whonco it ariseth, it is a great helpe to vs to pre­vent it, to heale it. But, I say, this will both shew the nature of sinne, and the cause of sinne in vs.

First, it shewes the nature of sinne, how evill a thing it is, yea worse, than, for the most part, we apprehend it to be; for, if there be no sinne com­mitted, but it comes from hence, that you appre­hend not God to be All-sufficient, then there is I­doldtrie (in a manner) committed in every sinne, that is, you take from God and adde another God to him, if you thinke him not to be All-sufficient; whatsoever you seeke to, and youne with him, you make it God as well as he; If it be credite, if it be honour, if it be pleasures, if it be riches, yea what­soever it is, I say, there is a bitter roote of Idolatrie in the commission of every sinne, that makes it out of measure sinfull. This we may consider by the way, but this I purpose not to stand on; the thing that I would chiefly presse, is to finde out [Page 16] the cause of sinne, the cause of that hollownesse, and that imperfectnesse, and insinceritie that is in the hearts of men towards God, which, I say, ari­seth from hence, that they apprehend not God to be All-sufficient; for this (for the most part) is the case of men, if they did not apprehend some suf­ficiencie in him, they would not seeke him at all; againe, if they did apprehend him to be All-suf­ficient, they would serue him perfectly: but this middle apprehension in men, that they thinke there is a sufficiencie in the Lord, but not an All-sufficiencie; this is the cause why the hearts of men are hollow towards the Lord. Even as when a man lookes towards a great man, that is a man ofsome power, able to doe him hurt, and that hath some abilitie to doe him good: this makes him to feare, it makes him carefull to please him, and to abstaine from what may offend him: yet, because he thinkes he is not perfect with him, that his heart is but hollow towards him, he doth it not fully. So it is in our walking before God. Be­cause we apprehend him not to be All-sufficient, therefore it is that our hearts are not perfect with him. Instances. We shall best shew you this in instances; for example; What is the reason, that a man is discouraged in seeking to God, Seeking to God in dif­ficult cases. in praying to God, in depending vpon God in any great case of diffi­cultie, where there is more then ordinarie diffi­cultie, there is more to be suffred, there is more to be done, what is the reason of it? because we apprehend him not to be All-sufficient. You know the turning of men away from God, commonly it [Page 17] ariseth from this, they meete with some rub, some crosses, some barre, Some Lyon in the way, which they are not able to grapple with, it is too strong for them: and then they turne out of the way; the reason, I say, of all sinne and departure from the Lord, is, because we doe not apprehend him to be All-sufficient: for if we did, why should not a man in an easie case, turne from him as well as in the most difficult? As, for example; David fol­lowed the Lord long, yet when Saul grew excee­ding strong, and he very weake, then he stepped aside, and sayd in his heart, I shall perish one day, and so he goes out of Gods wayes, and flyeth to A­chis, to the Philistines: This was from hence, that he did not apprehend the Lord to be All-sufficient and Almightie, for the word signifieth both. And so likewise Moses, Num. 11. Numb. 11. what was the reason that he started aside, that he did not be­leeue as at other times? When God sayd to him, that he would giue them flesh for a moneth toge­ther; what sayth Moses againe? Shall six hundred thousand men be fed with flesh, shall all the Beeues and Sheepe be slaine, or shall all the fish in the Sea be gathered together? He could not beleeue the Lord: here was a difficultie, that Moses was not able to reach, that there should be so many fed with flesh, and that in the wildernes, and that for a moneth together: he thought it impossible to be done, that all the fish in the Sea should be gathered to­gether, and all little enough to serue such a turne. Now marke the Lords answer there, is the Lords hand shortened? You may know by the medicine, [Page 18] what the disease was. Moses (sayth he) thou thin­kest I am not able to doe it, thou thinkest my hand is shortened that I cannot doe it. And the like was when he came to draw water out of the rocke: you shall see, Moses there stucke: for the case was a case of difficulty. If it had beene out of the earth, where there had beene probabilitie, it had not beene so much: but Moses makes two arguments against it, (you know how great the sinne was for the which he lost going into the Land of Cana­an, I say, he makes these two arguments against it.)

First, sayth he, the people are rebels, and will the Lord giue them water, that haue carried them­selues in such a manner? that was one thing that caused his infidelitie at that time.

Another was; What? shall I give you water out of the rocke? As if he should say. That is a difficult thing. So that put these two together, out of the rocke, and vnto rebels, there his fayth fayled, for it was difficult: and whence came this? because he thought the Lord was not All-sufficient. And so, likewise, Martha, and Marie, when they came to Christ for Lazarus, when he was dead, they were out of hope: the reason was, because there was a difficultie now more than before; so that, I say, the cōmon cause of our turning aside from the Lord, is, because we meete with some difficulties which our faith is not able to grapple with, and it ariseth from hence, that we forget this, that the Lord saith to Abraham, I am God All-mightie, or All-suffici­ent. I am able to doe whatsoever I will.

[Page 19]Besides this: what is the cause that men seeke 2 after vaine-glory, Seeking praise with men. that they are subiect to enuie? (the spirit that is in vs is subiect to envie) for eve­ryman envieth another, because he desireth vaine­glory too much to himselfe: this ariseth from hence, that he reckoneth not God to be All-suffi­cient. That is. If we did reckon it enough to haue praise with God, if we thought that his knowledge of our vprightnesse were sufficient, though no man in the world knew it besides, we would be content with that honour that we haue, which he hath allotted to vs within our owne compasse, but, because we thinke him not to be All-sufficient, we would haue somthing, likewise, from the crea­ture, we would haue honour, loue, and respect from men; which sinne ariseth hence, that we ap­prehend not him to be All-sufficient; so doth that, likewise, which is contrary to it, (for sinnes of the same nature & they arise both frō the same groūd) when men are so sencible of shame, and reproach, and disgrace, and disparagement, doth it not a­rise hence, that we reckon mans day too much, and Gods day too little? We apprehend not God enough in his greatnesse; as the Apostle saith, I reckon not to be iudged by mans day. As if he should say. It is but a day, it is but a time that man hath to judge: there is another day, the Lords day, that great day. If a man did apprehend that which is in God, if he did see his All-sufficiency, he would not regard to be judged by mans day, as long as he were not judged by the Lord: he would not care what his fellow-prisoners thought of him, as [Page 20] long as the Iudge, and the Law cleared him.

3 And so likewise, what is the reason of the vn­even wayes of men, Indirect cour­ses taken to bring enter­prises to passc. which they take to bring their enterprises to passe? is it not hence, that they apprehend not God to be All-sufficient? Da­vid, when he was in a strait, when the Kingdome, you know, was promised him, and many oppor­tunities he had to haue gotten it, if he would haue vsed evill meanes, when sometimes the Lord put Saul into his hands, yet would not touch him, but committed it to the Lord, for he thought him to be almightie, able to bring it to passe, as also he did bring it to passe.

And so likewise, Daniell; there might haue beene meanes vsed for him to haue escaped; you know how he was in danger, when he refused to eate of the Kings meate, he was in danger againe, when they obtained of the King, that is any man did make any request to any God or man, but the King for 30. dayes, he should be put to death: yet he trusted in God, he thought him to be All-sufficient, able to keepe him, and therefore he stepped not out of his way. And so Paul, when he saw that Festus thought to haue had money give him, yet doubt­les, in those circumstances, he thought it not law­full to doe it, & therefore he trusted in God; though no doubt, he might haue made friends, to haue ga­thered the money: It is likely Festus thought there was a probailitie for it, because he hoped for it, but Paul would not doe it, because he thought the Lord was able to deliver him. But on the other side, Ieroboam when he had a businesse to doe, you [Page 21] know what course he tooke, he joynes them toge­ther, he addes to Religion, he corrupts it, that he might keepe his Kingdome. And so Saul. (But I need not giue you Instances) I say, the cause of all indirect waies we take to bring our enterprises to passe, it comes from hence, that we trust not in God, we thinke him not to be All-sufficient, not able to doe it, except we helpe him with wyles, and tricks, and devises of our owne: What is the reason of that lying and dissembling, that is vsed likwise, for the same purpose? Is it not from hence, that men apprehend not God to be All-suf­ficient? Peter, when he denied Christ, was it not from feare? And from whence was that feare, but because he reckoned not God, to be a Buckler strong enough, and sure enough? And so Sarah, when shee denied, that shee laughed, sayth the Text, for shee was afraid, and therefore shee sayd, no, I did not laugh, when shee did, and was char­ged for doing of it. I might giue you many o­ther Instances, but I shall not need. Goe through all varieties of sinnes, and you shall see they arise hence, that we reckon not God to be All-suffici­ent.

The satisfying of sinfull lusts, Satisfying of sinfull lusts. doth it not arise 4 from hence? He that is given to any pleasure, to any delight, of what kinde soever, if he did be­leeue those two things, that the Lord is able to ful­fill him with joy, and comfort sufficient, that the Lord is able to mortifie those lusts, and to heale thē in him, he would keepe close to him, & would not goe out from him: for he need not, the Lord [Page 22] is All-sufficient. That is. He is able to satisfie him, he is able to fill him with ioy and peace, through be­leeving, which should be enough to satisfie his heart with contentment; he is able, likewise, to mortifie that lust, so that, as he is forbidden the sa­tisfying of it, so, likewise, he should haue no such prevailing desire to it. And therefore ( Beloved) the way to keepe our hearts perfect with God (for that is the thing for which I presse all this, for which I bring all these instances) it is to come to this, to set downe this conclusion with our selues, that he is All-suffi-cient: No man is ever fit to serue him without this: except a man be content to haue God alone for his portion; if he will joyne any thing with him, if he will joyne God, and cre­dit together, God, and riches together, God, and pleasures together, he will never keepe close to him: for one time, or other there will fall out a se­paration between God, and these things, and who­soever doth not resolue thus with himselfe, I will be content with God alone, though he strip me of all things in the world, I say, he will never keepe close to the Lord, but his wayes will be vneven to­wards him.

5 The young man, in the Gospell, would never haue gone away sad, [...] if he had thought God had beene All-sufficient: but he thought, when his riches were taken away, that some what was taken from him, that belonged to his happpines, that he could not haue beene to well without it. Againe, Abra­ham, on the other side, would never haue beene willing to haue offred Isack, if he had not thought [Page 23] that God was All-sufficient: as we see Heb. 11. 19. Heb. 11. 19. It is sayd there, that, though I sack were the sonne of the promise, yet he willingly offred him; why? sor he thought God was able to raise him from the dead againe, from whence he also after a sort received him: As he received him from Sarahs dead wombe, so he thought, he might be raysed againe from the dead ashes. What was the reason that Paul ser­ved the Lord with a perfect heart? You see in 1 Tim. 4. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 10. that he trusted in God, and therefore (saith he) we labour, and suffer rebuke; those are the two parts of new obedience, (to doe, and to suffer) and therefore, saith he, we doe it, because we trust in the living God: that is. We trust in him for all things: I beleeue him to be Almightie, and All-sufficient, every way, both to defend me from all evill, and also to provide all good things for me, and therefore I serue him, and labour in his ser­vice, and suffer rebuke. What was the reason, on the other side, that Demas turned from the Lord? was it not, because he thought there was not e­nough in him? and therefore, saith the Text, he imbraced this present world: and therefore, ( Be­loved) the way to keepe our hearts perfect with God, is to consider well the great power of God, and the great goodnes of God, for in these two his All-sufficiencie to wards vs consists; consider his might [...] power, and say thus, with thy selfe, he is able to doe all things for me; consider, withall, the greatnesse of his goodnesse, and mercy, and say, he is my father, he is willing to doe all things for me Indeed, that conclusion we should set downe [Page 24] with our selues, (if any thing be not done, if we want any thing, if any crosse lie vpon vs at any time,) to be readie to say, this is not because the Lord cannot doe it; for he is Almightie. Againe, it is not because the Lord will not doe it; for he is as infinite in loue to me, as he is in power: What is the reason of it then? because it is not best for me. So should every man say, if there be any want, if there be any crosse, it is best for me. It is better for thee, it may be, to be in a low estate, than to be in a high: it is better for thee to be pinched with povertie, than to liue in abundance: it is better for thee to lie vnder temptation, (though it be a great vexation to thee for the present) then to be freed from it: it is better for thee, it may be, to haue meane gifts, than to haue high gifts: it is bet­ter for thee, to be in a low place, than to be in e­minent place: it is better for thee, to be crossed in thy name, in thy estate, it is better for thee to be sicke in bodie, it is better for thee to be troubled (sometime) in minde, than to be freed from it: Beloved, this we must come to, and yet we must thinke the Lord to be All-sufficient. For if it be so, thou oughtest to say thus with thy selfe, it is best for me to be so. You wil say, how shall we do to be perswaded of it? Digress. Beloved, there are many instan­ces, where in we are in such a condition, which we thinke worst for our selues, which many times is the best, nay, alwayes it is best for every man that is in covenant with God. For this rule must be kept, he is All-sufficient to his children, and they finde him so, he hath performed it, and made it [Page 25] good to their experience, and therefore, whenso­ever they finde any want, it is best for them to be so: It is not either defect in the power of God; or in the loue of God: for example; Abraham thought it a hard thing, a great crosse, that he was put to expell Ishmaell his sonne, whom he loved; Was it not better for Abraham? had he not ano­ther sonne that was fitter for him, borne of his owne Wife? And so Moses thought it a hard thing, to be barred from comming into the land of Canaan; but what lost he by it? was he not led into a better Canaan, into Paradise, into a more glorious condition? So likewise, when he went downe into Egypt, if he had had a tongue of elo­quence given him, to his will, that would haue satisfied him: but was it not better for Moses to haue a stammering tongue, and yet to haue the worke done as well, Aaron and he being joyned together? For by that meanes Moses was kept humble, and his loue likewise was increased. For that mutuall indigence knits men together, when they haue need one of another. In like man­ner, David had an exceeding great desire to build the Temple, when it was not the Lords will, that he should doe it; was he a looser by it? David was at that time not fit to haue done it, he was not able to haue done it, as circumstances were: but was he a looser by it? had not he a house built him, as well as if he had built the house of God? had not he as great a reward, as if he had performed it? So likewise in the losse of his childe, it was excee­ding grievous to him, yet, was it not better that [Page 25] that childe should be taken away, and that ano­ther ther should be given him, that was legitimate? Did not the Lord recompence it abundantly to him, when Salomon was given to him in his stead? And so Paul, he was exceeding desirous to be freed from that temptation, which, no doubt, was very grievous to him, that did gall, and vexe his minde continually, even as a pricking of the flesh doth: yet it was much better for Paul, it was not because God was not All-sufficient, either in pow­er, or in loue to him: but he was an exceeding great gainer by that meanes, he was emptied of himselfe: for that is the scope of God, in the wayes of his providence towards his children, even to magnifie himselfe towards them, which cannot be without emptying them of themselues, by disco­vering to them their owne insufficiencie: and that is done partly, by affliction, and partly by sinne, but chiesly by sinne, because that workes more immediately vpon man, it makes him to see how little excellencie, and how little worth, there is in him; it makes him againe to see the glorie, and the power, and the purenesse of God, to magnifie him, and to humble himselfe; this Paul got by it, and it was better for him, he was in a better con­dition by it. Therefore I say, this conclusion must be set downe, that the Lord is All-sufficient, and when we fall short of any thing that we desire, lay it not vpon God, that the Lord is short of his performance, of any promise, that he compasseth vs not about with mercie, on every side, as much as we need, that he delivers vs not from every evill: [Page 27] for he will make that good alway, that no good thing shall be wanting to them that lead a godly life: He is a Sunne and a shield to them. And whenso­ever it is otherwise, it is because it is not best for them: but this is a digression; the thing we haue to doe (for all this is but a preparation) is to per­swade you now that the Lord is All-sufficient: as we told you, we handle this poynt first, because it is a preparatiue to the rest: It shewes you of what moment it will be so to be perswaded, and of what evill consequence it is, not to be so per­swaded. Now I will adde a word of the second poynt; that ‘God is All-sufficient. Doct. 2. God is All-sufficient.’

To proue that he is so, I will propound to you but these two reasons;

First consider that all that is in the creature, Reas. 1. all the comforts, all the excellencie, all the beautie that is to be found in them, it is but borrowed, and derived: God is the primitiue, he is the origi­nall, he is the first, the vniversall cause, the gene­rall cause of all: hence we gather this, that there is an All-sufficiencie in him, and in him onely, he is All-sufficient exclusiuely: so that no creature hath any sufficiencie at all in it selfe: for ( Beloved) you must know, that the creature addes nothing at all to his sufficiencie, but all sufficiency is com­prehended in him; for if they be all derived and borrowed things, then they are in the creature, but as farre as it pleaseth him to communicate the [Page 28] same to them: now that it is so, see Ier. 2. 13. Ier. 2. 13. My people (sayth the Lord) haue committed two evils, they haue for saken me the fountaine of living waters, and (secondly) haue digged to themselues pits that hold no water: Where we may briefly obserue: First, that God is the spring, from whom all com­forts come originally, the pits, you know, haue the water, but borrowed and derived from the foun­taine; secondly, there is something in this, that he calleth them pits, that is, the comfort in the crea­ture is a mixed comfort, it is like water in a pit, it is muddie, and not pure and cleare, like the wa­ter in the fountaine: That is, the comfort that comes meerely from the creature (if you receiue any comfort in the creature, and Gods hand be not in it) it is alway mixed with some sorrow, with some evill, but if it come from the Lord, it is a pure comfort: he giues riches, and no sorrow with them, Thirdly, the comfort that is in the creature, it is but a dead comfort, cōpared to that which is in the Lord, and therefore he is sayd to be a fountaine of living water, that is, running wa­ter. The comfort that is in the creature, it is able to doe little, it is quickly spent, and when it is spent, there is no more in it: but the comfort that is in God, it is like water that commeth out of the spring, which is still renewed from day to day, and therefore it is called living water, there is no end of it, but still it flowes more and more. Last of all, they are broken pits that cannot hold the comfort that they haue, thought there be comfort, yet it is like liquor in a brittle glasse, that is not [Page 29] able to hold this comfort. In the creature, it is but borrowed comfort, and therefore we see 1 Tim. 6. 17. 1 Tim. 6. 17. (where an instance is given of riches) Charge those that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, that they trust not in vncertaine riches, but in the living God, that giveth all things abundantly to enjoy. Marke, you shall see there the difference, that they trust not in vncertaine riches, but in the living God, (that is) riches are but dead things, God is the living God: they are able to doe but some things for you; God giues you all things, and giues abundantly. And againe, if riches doe some­thing, yet the enjoying they are not able to giue; but the Lord giues vs all things abundantly to en­ioy. Now, when we consider, that whatsoever is in the creature, it is but a borrowed and derived comfort, then the sufficiency is wholly in the Lord, he is the God of all comfort; as the Sunne is the cause of all light, whatsoever the ayre hath, it is derived from the Sunne, so whatsoever is in the creature, it is derived from God: and therefore this is one ground, why wee should perswade our selues, that he is All-sufficient.

The second, Reas. 2. is this, he is All-sufficient, because he onely can be the author of good and evill: God onely the author of good & evill. that, you know, which can doe neither good nor evill, there is no sufficiency in it at all; Now that is the propertie of the Lord, as we see Ier. 10. 5. Ier. 10. 5. a place worthy our consideration; The Idols stand vp as a palme-tree, but they speake not; they are borne, be­cause they cannot goe; feare them not, because they can doe neither good nor evill: this is the argument, [Page 30] whereby the Lord proveth them to be Idols, be­cause they can doe neither evill not good: as if he should say, if they could doe either evill or good, they were Gods, and not Idols. The same we may apply to any creature, considered in it selfe, with­out the influence and concourse of God: If it were able to doe either good or evill, you might wor­ship it as God, for God onely can doe good and e­vill of himselfe. My Beloved, if we could bring our hearts to this perswasion, that it is the Lord onely, that can doe good and evill, we would then cleaue to him, it could not be, that we should de­part from him vpon any occasion, for that which is able to doe neither good nor evill, we con­temne: if your opinions were such of the creature, that it were, without God, neither able to do good nor evill, you would never turne from God to any creature, vpon any occasion: for certainely, he is able to doe both good and evill, he onely can make every manslife, comfortable, or vncomfor­table; it is his prerogatiue royall, it belongs to him alone. In Mat. 5. Math. 5. it is sayd, a man is not able to make one haire white, or blacke; so small a thing he is not able to doe: and in Luke 11. Luk. 11. it is sayd more plainely, if we be not able to doe the least thing, we be not able to doe the greatest. That place, you know, Amos 3. Amos. 3. shall there be evill in the Cit­tie, and the Lord hath not done it? The Scripture is plentifull in this; I should loosetime to vrge pla­ces; I say, there is no creature in heaven or earth, that is able to be the author of the least good, or the least hurt.

[Page 31]But you will say to me, Ob. we finde it otherwise in experience; we finde that they are able to doe vs good, and to doe vs hurt.

You haue an answer for that, Ioh. 19. 11. Answ. Ioh. 19. 11. when Pilate sayth to our Saviour, haue I not power to cru­cifie thee, or to loose thee? He answereth, no: thou hast none at all of thy selfe: Indeed, thou hast a power, but it is given thee from aboue, thou hast not a jot more then is distributed to thee: if you compare that with Act. 4. 28. Act. 4. 28. you shall see it was so; Pilate and Herod joyned together, to doe what­soever God had appointed before: they did not the least evill, but God had appointed it: And so it is with all the creatures, the principall creatures, that we haue to doe with, and that we see before vs, even men, they doe vs not (without his com­mission) the least good, not the least hurt. When shemei cursed David, you know, what expression he vsed; The Lord hath bid shemei curse, as if he should say, shemei, nor any man else in the world, could not moue his tongue, if God did not say to such a man, goe curse him, goe and reproach him. It is sayd of Pull and Tiglapellazer, Tiglath­Pileser. Kings of Assy­via, that the Lord stirred them vp, and they carry­ed his people away captiue: if God had not stirred vp their spirits, they had not done the least thing. You know, oft it is sayd, the King of Ashur the stasse in my hand; and so Cyrus is sayd to be his ser­vant, he stirred him vp, he was his Shepheard, to doe whatsoever he desired to his sheepe. Isa. 44. Isa. 44. Now if a man be able to doe nothing, but as farre as God sets him on worke, then much lesse can o­ther [Page 32] ther things, as riches, and the like, they can doe no more then men can doe: for what serue they for, but to set men a worke; so, honour, and credit, and estimation, which men so much esteeme, they can doe no more then men can doe; for they set men on worke to doe good, as reproach sets them on worke to doe hurt. Now if there be no man, nor no creature in heaven or earth, that can doe good or hurt, ( Beloved) why should we be servants to men? why should we be subiect to car­nall delights? to carnall feares? to carnall hopes, and the like? surely, it is hence, we over-value the creature, we thinke it is able to doe something, we thinke that there is some suffciency in that, and not All-sufficiency in God: certainely, all the Commandements of God, are grounded vpon cleare reason, if we were able to finde it out: But now when the Lord requires at our hands, that we worship him altogether; Thou shalt haue no o­ther Gods but me, thou shalt serue me onely, thou shalt bestow thy selfe wholly vpon me, thou shalt be perfect with me, as you see here: surely, it is vpon this ground, thou shalt haue all from me, and therefore thou shalt doe all to me. If any crea­ture were able to doe good or hurt, without the Lord, if they had any part or portion with him in being authors of our good, certainly, they should haue a portion of our service: for there is reason and equitie in it, that that which doth vs good, in such manner, we should seeke vnto it, we should serue it: and likewise, if it could doe vs hurt; but now in that the Lord challengeth all to himselfe, [Page 33] (I say) it is vpon this ground, I am All-sufficient: there is no creature is able to adde to me more or lesse: and therefore ( Beloved) consider the ground of it, and let the equitie of it establish your hearts to be perfect with God, that he onely is able to make your liues comfortable, or vncomfortable. Put the case, a man hath a great addition to his e­state: put the case, he hath much credit, and e­steeme among men: put the case, he haue the fa­vour of Princes, that are most able and powerfull among men: if the creature be able alone, to doe neither good nor hurt, they shall not make the least addition to his happines; and if it be so, why should we esteeme it so much? if on the con­trary side, it turne against vs, it shall not doe vs the least hurt. Should not this free vs, from fearefull perplexities, from vaine hopes, and vaine feares? should it not keepe our hearts perfect with God, if we were thus perswaded? for, what are all the creatures? are they not like servants in the great house of the world, and we as children? and the servants are all at the Maisters command, to doe whatsoever he hath appointed: if we want any thing, he can appoint them to provide for vs; there is not any creature in heaven or earth, that stirreth without a command, without a warrant from the maister of the house: if he doe command them, they goe: they are readie and nimble to doe vs any service: this is the nature of all the crea­tures we haue to doe with. Thinke with your selues then, it is no great matter for them; if the Maister of the house be our friend, they are all at [Page 34] his command; you know those meane creatures, the Caterpillers: are they not all the Lords host, that goe and come as he bids them, as Ioel 2.? Ioel. 2. So the meanest creatures, the fire, and the ayre, and whatsoever they are, they are all at the Lords com­mand: and therefore thinke not, that the creature is able to doe any thing for vs.

There are but two things, one is our everlasting happines, The creature cannot helpe to eternall happines. and there the creature by fruition of it selfe, is able to doe nothing; there it is wholly ex­cluded, for it is inferiour to vs. Besides, there is a curse vpon the creature, there is an emptinesse in it: besides, it is vnder the Sunne, and therefore it cannot helpe to the happines, that is aboue the Sunne. These arguments you shall finde in Eccle­siastes. Besides, it is temporall, whereas we must haue an eternall happines; for, our soules are e­ternall, and therefore, for eternall happines: for the chiefe good of man, the creature is nothing at all, it helpeth but in particulars. Take credit, it doth but helpe against ignominy and obscuritie: learning doth but helpe against ignorance: health is but a remedie against sicknesse, and distemper of bodie: riches are but an helpe against pover­tie: and so goe over all the creatures in the world. But the Lord is vniversally good, he giues vs all things, and therefore godlines is profitable for all things: he giues vs all things to enioy: that is, he fills the soule of man every way, not, Beloved, that simply an infinite object is necessary, as it is vsu­ally vnderstood, (I see no ground for that) I see it not necessary, that a finite facultie, should haue [Page 35] an infinite obiect, if that which is proportiona­ble be enough; but this I affirme withall, that vn­lesse God were infinite, he could not satisfie the soule of man, for this is the nature of the soule, if it finde a bottom in any particular, it passeth over that, and hasteth after more, and, therefore, in all particular creatures (you see) when we haue had once tryall of them, when we haue had the inioy­ing and possessing of them, we leaue them and seeke after that which we want. Now the Lord giues vs satisfaction, because the contentment, the happines, that we haue from him, is without a bottom, it is without limits, that, when we haue had never so much, still there is more to be found in him; and hence it is, in regard of the vniversa­litie, he hath all things in him, he is All-sufficient, and, in regard of the latitude, when we enioy ne­ver so much, still there is more behind in him, and therefore he onely hath to doe in that busi­nes, in making vs eternally happie, in giving vs that summum bonum.

For the helpe that the creature giues for the things that belong to this life: there, I confesse, the creature hath somewhat to doe, but it doth it all as an instrument, and if it doth all as an instru­ment, then the creature doth nothing, in a man­ner; we thanke not the hand, but the minde with­in that moues the hand to doe a good turne, much lesse dowe thanke a dead, inanimate instru­ment. Let vs looke vpon every creature, and eve­ry man as Gods instrument; when any man doth you a kindnesse, when any man doth you a fa­vour, [Page 36] or doth you good, say as the Scripture phrase is; The Lord hath given me favour in his sight; he stirred vp his spirit. And so, when he doth vs hurt, say such a man is but a meere viall, an in­strument, whereby the Lord hath powred out some part of his displeasure vpon me. This will cause your eye to be vpon the Lord altogether; you will over looke men, not regarding pre­ferment, or advancement by them; nor the contrary; for in all these things, they are but instru­ments. And so much for this time.

THE SECOND SERMON.

THe second doctrine that we have delivered out of these words, and are now to insist vpon, was, that ‘God is Allmightie, or All-sufficient.’

I put them both together; for, the word, in the originall, signifieth as much, Elshaddai, El signi­fieth the strong, the mightie God, and Shaddai, properly signifieth, All-sufficient; when one hath all in his owne compasse, that he needeth not goe out to fetch in, or borrow any commoditie, any comfort, or any advancement, or any excellen­cie from any other; and, therefore, that is the [...] translation, and most agreeable to the word, [Page 38] in the originall, All-sufficient, (though some tran­slations haue it, the All-mightie) and, this is a poynt that will well sute with the present occasi­on of the Sacrament; for, as I told you, these words containe the Covenant on both sides, sayth the Lord, this is the Covenant that I will make on my part, I will be thy God; and I will tell you what a God I will be vnto you, I will be a God all-sufficient. That is; you shall haue all things in me that your hearts can desire: The Covenant, againe, that I require on your part, is, that you be perfect with me, that you be vpright, that you be without hy­pocrisie; for so the word signifieth in the originall, that the heart be single, so that though a man be subiect to infirmities, yet, if he haue a single heart, an vpright heart, the Lord accepts it; and there­fore, when you are to take the seale of the Cove­nant, how can you be better exercised, and pre­pared for the worke, than by considering the Co­venant it selfe? that is the poynt then, that God is All-mightie, or All-sufficient, wherein two things are to be considered; Two things considerable.

First, that the Lord is so in himselfe.

Secondly, that he is so to every one of his chil­dren.

1 First, That God is All-sufficient in himselfe. I will shew that he is so in himselfe; for, except he haue an All-sufficiency in himselfe, he cannot communicate it to another. Thought this be a poynt that we all beleeve, Difference betweene the All-sufficiency in God, and that which is in the creature yet the opening of it will not be vnprofitable to you, and, therefore, you must know, that he is All-sufficient, not one­ly as the creature may be All-sufficient: for there [Page 39] is this difference betweene him and the crea­ture.

The Angels and blessed men, and other crea­tures, 1 they, in their kinde, Difference. may haue an All-suffi­encie, but it is such an All-sufficiency as belongs to them, in such a spheare, and such an order, and measure: as the creature, that hath all things be­longing to the life that it leads, it hath an All-suf­ficiencie sutable to it selfe: a beast, that hath all things belonging to the life of a beast, hath an All-sufficiencie fit for it, and so hath every creature els, when God will make it happie; but the All-suffici­encie that is in God, is different from it in this, that he hath a simple All-sufficiencie. That is. Take all things that you can possiblie take, take them all without comparison, take them without all li­mits, and so he is All-sufficient, that is one diffe­rence.

The second difference is this; that the creature, though it haue an All-sufficiencie within its owne 2 compasse, yet that which it hath it cannot com­municate to another. The Angels that are blessed themselues, they cannot make others so. A man that hath excellent gifts and graces himselfe, he cannot convey them to another, but that is the propertie of God, that is peculiar to him alone, that he can make another All-sufficient, he can cause another to partake of that All-sufficiencie that is in himselfe; this is the difference betweene God and the creature. Now, to make it evident to you that he is All-sufficient, you shall know it by this.

[Page 40]First, Reas. 1. in that he is most simple, without all mix­ture, as we say, that is, perfect: for perfection and All-sufficiencie are all one. Perfection is that, whereby a thing is made vp, so that there be no­thing wanting to it; first, therefore, he is perfect, in that he is without all mixture; we say, that is per­fect gold, that hath no mixture of drosse in it; that is perfect wine, that hath no mixture of any thing besides; and in that the Lord is simple and most pure of essence, it must needs be that he is All-sufficient, that he is most perfect, as it is 1 Iohn 1. He is light, and there is no darknesse in him. That is. There is no mixture of any thing in him.

Secondly. Reas. 2. As he is without mixture, so he is without composition; wheresoever there is com­position (as there is in every creature,) there is some imperfection: for, wherethere is compositi­on, there are parts, and wheresoever there are parts, there must needs be imperfection: for the part wants something of the whole; but in the Lord there are no parts, he is without compositi­on, and therefore he must needs be most perfect, and most absolute, and All-sufficient in him­selfe.

Thirdly. Reas. 3. As he is without composition, so he is without number: for all number, and all multi­plying, ariseth from imperfection: for if one would serue the turne, what needed more? And, therefore, he, being one, simplie one, must needs be All-sufficient, for there is no multiplying in him, and, therefore, there is no signe of imperfec­tion.

[Page 41]Fourthly. Reas. 4. As he is without number, so he is without any passive power. If he had any passiue power in him, (as every creature hath,) he were capable of receiving something that he hath not, but the Lord is not so much as capable of it; for, if there be no receptiue power, no passiue power in him, it is impossible that any more should be put, or infused into him, or imprinted, or stamped in him, then is in him alreadie. And, therefore, he is all in act. There is nothing in possibilitie in God.

Fiftly. He is [...], (I finde no word to ex­presse 5 it so well,) that is, whatsoever he is, he is it of himselfe, whatsoever the creature is, it is bor­rowed, all the excellencie that it hath is borrow­ed, and derived, and is a participated excellencie and therefore there is imperfection: for alway when one hath any thing from another, there is an indigence, in the thing, of it selfe, there is a want: if a man haue enough at home, he will not goe out to borrow▪ Now, the Lord whatsoever he hath, he hath it of himselfe, and, therefore, in Ier. 2. Ier. 2. he calls himselfe, a spring of living water, where [...] all the creatures in the world are as pits, and Ci­sterns. That is. Such as haue it borrowed, he hath it of himselfe, and therefore, he is All-sufficient, which no creature is.

Lastly. Reas. 6. He is without all causes, and is himselfe the cause of all things, Rom. 11. 3 6. Rom, 11. 36. And what hast thou that thou hast not received? This may besayd of every creature: and if God haue given to every creature all that is in it, that there is no excellen­cie, [Page 42] no happinesse, no gift, no comfort, no blessing that any creature hath, but it is from the Lord, then he himselfe must needs haue it in a greater measure. As the fire, that makes any thing hot, must needs be houer it selfe, and the Sunne that enlightens other things, must needs be more full of light it selfe; so is the Lord, when all that is in the creature, is taken from him, he himselfe must needs haue an All-sufficiencie, he must be full of all things; and this shall be enough to shew you that the Lord is in himselfe All-sufficient.

2 Now that he is so to vs. First, we will shew you wherein this All-sufficiencie consists to vs, That God is All-sufficient to vs. then we will make that good, that he is to every one of his children All-sufficient. His All-sufficiencie consists in there two things, Which con­sists in two things. as you shall see Gen. 15. Gen. 15. Feare not Abraham, I will be thy Buckler, and thy exceeding great reward.

1 First, in that he is a Buckler, to keepe vs from all evill, To keepe vs from evill. that is one part of his All-sufficience, which he communicates to vs, that he will suffer no e­vill to come neare vs, he is a Buckler that com­passeth vs round about: that speech is delivered vpon this occasion, when Abraham had gone out to warre against those Kings that came out a­gainst Sod [...]m, the Lord delivered him, and af­ter this deliverance he tells him, Abraham, sayth he, as I haue dealt with thee at this time, so feare not, when thou [...]allest into the like distreffe; for, I am the Buckler, I will defend thee from all evill, as I have done from this. Now, he is such a Buck­ler, that no creature can peirce though, he is such [Page 43] a Buckler as covers vs all over, he is a wall of Brasse, as it is expressed in Ier. 1. 18. Ier. 1. 18. not so onely; but he is said to be a wall of fire about his children. That is. He is not onely a wall that keepes them safe, but a wall of fire to consume all them that come against them: for a fire, you know, doth not one­ly defend those that are within the compasse of it, but it burnes those that come neare it Such a one is God to his children; And that is one thing wherein this all-sufficiency consists, that God com­municates to them.

The second is, Filling them with all good. in filling them with all comfort, 2 which is expressed in Psal. 84. Psal. 84. The Lord will be a Sunne, and a Shield; he will be a Shield to keepe off evill, and a Sunne to fill them with all comfort. I am (sayth he) the exceeding great reward. That is. As if he should say, Abraham, whatsoever is in me, all that I haue, all my attributes are thine, forthy vse, my power, my wisedome, my coun­sell, my goodnes, my riches, whatsoever is mine in the whole world, I will giue it for thy portion, I and all that I haue are thine. And might he not well say, he was an exceeding great reward? Who can vnder [...]tand the height, and breadth, and length, and depth of this reward, I am thy excee­ding great reward? That is. Thou shalt haue all kinde of comforts in me, and thou shalt haue them in the highest and greatest measure. And in these doth Gods All-sufficiencie consist, that God com­municates and deriues to vs from himselfe.

Now to shew that he is so, you must vnderstand not onely that the Lord is wholly All-sufficient to [Page 44] his children on the one side. That is. He brings all comforts with him, but this must also be vnder­stood, that in the creature, on the other side, there is no sufficiency at all. It was the poynt I began to touch vpon the last day; I will now open it vnto you more fully.

We will not dis-joyne them, but handle both together; (for it would be in vaine for me to proue the Lord is All-sufficient,) but the great de­ceit, which prevailes with the hearts of men, is this, that they thinke there is somthing to be had in the creature of it selfe. And, therefore we will spend those Arguments by which we will proue this chiefly, and convince you of it, that there is nothing in the creature, no stabilitie, no suffici­encie, it can doe you, of it selfe, neither good, nor hurt, as we told you the last day. All the good and hurt that the creature can be supposed to do, it stands in one of these two things, Either, in ma­king vs happie, or miserable; Or else, secondly, in affording vs subsidiarie helpes, such as we haue neede of, vpon occasion. In neither of them the creature of it selfe, The creature can doe no­thing, of it selfe, to make vs happie. Because is able to doe any thing. You must remember (that which we then delivered) that the creature is not able to doe any thing in the matter of our happinesse;

1 First. Because it is inferior to vs, It is inferiour to vs. and that which is inferior cannot adde to that which is aboue it.

[Page 45]Secondly. Because the creature is accursed; 2 there is a curse lyes vpon the creature, It is accursed. there is an emptines, and a vanitie in it, and that which is emptie in it selfe, can giue no fulnes to vs.

Thirdly. The creature is vnder the Sunne, and 3 therefore you haue that phrase so often repeated in Ecclesiastes, It is vnder the Sunne. All things vnder the Sunne, are va­nitie and vexation of spirit. Now the happines that we seeke for, is aboue the Sunne, which the creature is not able to reach.

Fourthly. The creature is corporall, the minde 4 is spirituall, It is corpo­rall. it is a spirit, and therefore it can re­ceiue no happines from it; therefore in Heb. 12. Heb. 12. 23. we are sayd to goe to the spirits of perfect men, as if that were a sutabl converse for a spirit.

Fiftly. It is temporary, It is tempo­rarie. whereas the soule is im­mortall, 5 it is not able to run the course with it to its journeyes end, but it leaues it in the middle way, and therefore it is not able to make it happy.

Besides. As I told you then, the creature is 6 finite, It is finite. and therefore is not able to fill the soule; God is infinite, and therefore is able to doe it. That no creature can doe it, we see in continuall experience. Take any comfort that you finde in the creature, and, when you haue enioyed it, still you want somewhat, and you would haue more: But when you come vnto the Lord, & enjoy him, when your hearts are filled, still there is somewhat beyond in him, there is no stop, there is no re­straint. And, therefore, he onely can make the soule happie. Now the ground of it, why he is one­ly able to doe it, is, because the soule is made for [Page 46] him, the soule is fitted for him, and therefore there is nothing els answerable, there is that con­stitution of the minde, that it will not be filled with any thing besides. The Lord might haue put the minde into such a frame, he might haue so constituted the soule of man, that the creature might haue filled it, and satisfied it, and haue bin an adaequate obiect to it, but he hath not done so: for he made it for himselfe, and therefore, it is not filled but with himselfe. So much for that, that the creature in the matter of happines is able to doe nothing.

But you will say to me, Quest. This is a thing of which we make no doubt; But what doe you say for or­dinary vses, and for the vicissitudes of this life, is not the creature, in these, able to doe good and hurt?

2 Beloved, Ans. as I sayd to you the last day, the crea­ture is not able, considered without the influence of the first moover, In doing vs good, or hurt. to doe you the least good, or hurt; as the words are Ier. 10. 5. Ier. 10. 5. speaking of Idols, they can doe neither good, nor hurt, and therefore feare them not. As if he should say. If they could doe you, either good, or hurt, you might feare them, and it is certaine, if any creature were able, in manner aforesaid, to doe you any good, or hurt, you might feare the creature: for, God alters no Law of nature, that which is in it selfe to be fea­red, we may feare, that which is to be observed and regarded, we may regard it. Now, if any crea­ture were able to doe good, or hurt, certainely it were to be feared in regard of the hurt it could [Page 47] doe, and to be regarded and observed in regard of the good it could doe. Then, againe, the Law of the Lord should be vnequall, if the Lord should require all worship, that the intent [...]ō of the mind be wholly taken vp about him, and that we should haue no eye to the creature, if the creature had any selfe-part with him in doing vs good or hurt; for, if the creature could doe vs hurt, we should not onely looke to God, that he should be a Buck­ler, but we should haue an eye vpon the creature. If a man should say, I will be a defence to you, I will keepe you safe; but I cannot doe it wholly, such a one stands by, that may reach you a blow, from which I cannot defend you; In nature and reason, a man will haue an eye to that man, and so we would to the creature, if it were able to hurt vs: And so, likewise, for good, the Lord restraines not that, nor sayth, you shall haue a partiall hap­pines, you shall haue no more then is in me, though there might be something besides in the creature; but he suffers our soules to be at full li­bertie, to seeke their happines to the vtmost, and, therefore, if the creature did adde the least drop of happines, or if the least beame of happines did spring from the creature, certainely, you might haue an eye vpon it, you might so farre worship it, and regard it; but it is wholly from the Lord: therefore, sayth he, let your hearts be onely fixed vpon me, let your eye be onely towards me, let your affections be taken vp about nothing but me, you shall spend all the strenght of your soules in obeying me, and keeping my Commande­ments: [Page 48] for, there is none in the world that is able to doe you good, or hurt, but my selfe. Now, to make this good to you, I will propound but these two things. First. That all the creatures are ab­solutely at his disposing. Secondly. That when he hath disposed of them, when he hath distribu­ted them to vs to afford vs comfort, yet they can­not actually comfort vs, without a speciall hand of his. Those two, being fully opened, will make this poynt good to you, that the creature thus is able to doe you neither good nor hurt.

1 First, I say, the creature is fully at his disposing, that is, Because the creature is fully at Gods disposing. all the creatures in this world (let a man cast his eye vpon the whole vniverse) they are all but as so many servants, which are in the Lords house, prepared to waite vpon his children, to convey such comforts to them, as he hath appoin­ted them, so that there is not one creature in hea­ven or earth, stirres it selfe to doe you the least good, but when the Lord commands it, and sayth, Goe, comfort such a man, goe, refresh him, doe him good; it stirres not without a warrant, and without a speciall command from him. The bread and meate, which you eate, nourish you not, ex­cept he say, goe, and nourish such a man; the fire warmes you not; and so of all the creatures else. Againe, Instance. when he doth command them, they doe 1 it, and they doe it fully.

So all the goodnesse that we participate of, In Man. 1 both by good and evill men, all is from the Lord; either it is from his mercy, Others. or from his provi­dence; therefore we should learne to sanctifie the [Page 49] Lord, both in our hearts, and in our speeches, not by saying I haue gotten me favour and friendship of such a man, but, the Scriptures expression is, the Lord hath given me favour in such a mans eyes. So, againe, not by saying I haue procured the ha­tred of such a man against me, but say, the Lord stirred vp such a mans spirit against me, and so not by saying, I haue gotten such and such things, but, as Iacob, the Lord of his goodnes hath given me all this, not Laban, not my owne labour; if, in any enterprise you haue successe, say not, I haue done it, but say, as Abrahams servant sayd, the Lord hath prospered my Iourney. That is. The Lord doth all in all, it is he that commands all, it is he that dispo­seth all; I say, that we should sanctifie the Lord in our speeches; this is the language of the Scrip­tures; But, chiefly we should sanctifie him in our hearts. That is. Thus we should conceiue of him, and thus we should thinke of every creature. Beloved, it will not be vnprofitable, if we draw this a little neerer into particulars. That all the crea­tures are so at his disposing, that they stirre not a iot, but at his command, you shall see in Eccles. 3. Eccles. 3. 14. the generall there set downe; I know that what soe­ver God shall doe, it shall be for euer, to it can no man adde, nor from it can no man diminish, for Cod hath done it, that men should feare before him. (Make) I know that what soever God shall doe, it shall be for ever. That is. The creature cannot alter any course that God hath set, neither at this time, nor at any other time, but it shall run in a constant course, like a strong streame that cannot be resisted, it [Page 50] shall be for ever, to it shall no man adde, and from it can no man diminish. That is. The creature cannot onely doe no substantiall action, but, when the Lord hath done any thing, the creature cannot adde the least thing to it, and as it cannot adde, so it cannot diminish, nor take away the least thing from any blessing that he bestoweth, nor a­ny evill that he will doe, the creature addes not a iot to that evill, to that crosse, to that affliction, nor the creature mitigates not the crosse in the least degree, though you thinke it doth: But that we shall answer afterward. But why is this? This (sayth he) the Lord hath done, that men should feare before him. As if he should say; they would not feare me, but they would feare the creature, and looke to the creature, if it were able to adde any thing, or to detract any thing, either to or from any blessing, or comfort, that we haue, or to or from any evill, or any crosse that lyes vpon vs. Now, that it is so, that the creature is thus guided and disposed by him, that it is able to doe nothing without him, we will not instance in the vnreaso­nable creatures, which you all beleeue well enough to be at his command, but we will instance in those that seeme to be at the greatest libertie: that is, the wills and vnderstandings of men; certain­ly, if there be any liberty in the creature it is there, the will of man is so free a thing, the devises of a mans heart, his turning of himselfe this way or that way, who can set any Rules to it? But in this the Lord guides all: take it in other mens hearts. Pro. 29. Prov. 29. 26. Every man seekes the face of the Ruler, but [Page 51] his Iudgement is from the Lord. That is. Men are de­ceived in this, if they thinke the Ruler, as of him­selfe, can doe any thing, though he seeme to haue much power, and abilitie, to doe some good, and hurt to men, if any else can; therefore, sayth he, men seeke his face, but, sayth he, you are deceived: he is not able to doe any thing, but what the Lord dictates to him, or permits him, what he pre­scribes to him to doe, what he sayth he shall doe, iust so farre he goes and no farther; for, the whole judgement that a man hath, it is from him, it is from the Lord. That is. All the good and evill that he doth, that minde of his, from whence it pro­ceedeth, is guided and fashioned by the Lord, vpon every particular occasion, whensoever he hath to doe with vs, or we with him: but that is for men that are without vs, for other men.

But, now, for a mans selfe: there is the same 2 reason, Our selues. indeed, of the one as there is of the other, but man thinkes he hath libertie, he thinkes he can goe to such a place, or not goe; he can doe such a thing, or not doe it; Beloved, it is very true, and therefore the All-mightie power of God is seene herein, which we are not able to comprehend, that when there is such a libertie in the soule, in the will of man, in the devices and thoughts of a mans heart, yet that they should be all so guided by him, that there is not the least stirring of them this way or that way, without his ordering and concurrence; even, as you see, Birds flying, they seeme to flie at libertie, yet that all should be gui­ded and ordered by an over-ruling hand; Such [Page 52] are the wils of men; and that you shall see in these particulars; when a man thinkes with himselfe, he consults with himselfe about a thing that lyes before him, that is his owne power to doe, or not to doe, in this, sayth the Text, Prov. 19. 21. Prou. 19. 21. Many devices are in a mans heart, but the counsells of the Lord shall stand. That is. Though there be such varietie of devices, that he is able to cast things this way, or that way, and to reason to and fro, and to thinke with himselfe, I can doe this, and I can doe the contrary, yet, sayth he, looke what the Lord, by his counsell, will haue that man to re­solue vpon, looke what issue he hath put to his de­liberations, that counsell shall stand, and all those devices shall be guided and ruled by it, and not goe one step out of it. Come now to the counsells of a mans heart, when a man hath thought this with himselfe, I will speake or vtter this, or act that, as he hath resolved to doe, you would thinke this man hath power to doe it; but in Prov. 16. Prov. 16. 1. a place that you know, There are preparations in a mans heart, but the answer of the mouth is from the Lord. That is. Even when it is so neere, that, you thinke, there is nothing that can come betweene that a man hath resolved with himselfe, and sayth this will I doe, or this will I speake, sayth the Lord, notwithstanding, this preparation, though you haue made all these readie, that now it is vpon the very poynt, on the act of execution, yet now, saith he, the answer shall be given, as I thinke meete: and, that which is sayd of answering, may be ap­plyed to all kindes of actions, when a man hath [Page 53] thought with himselfe, and hath made his heart ready, that all the wheeles of his soule are guided, and turned, and compassed to effect such a busi­nes, yet the Lord comes betweene the cup and the lip, betweene the preparation and the execution, and he doth but that which the Lord would haue done. My Beloved, thus it is in others, and this vse you may make of it, by the way; take a man that is full of good thoughts towards you, the Lord can turne it in an instant; take a man that is full of evill devices towards you, if the Lords coun­sell be otherwise, that shall stand; Put the case that the Lord suffer him to goe so farre as to resolue to say, I will doe some hurt, or I will doe some good to such a man, yet this preparation of the heart shall not stand, vnlesse it be the same that the Lord hath appointed; that shall be spoken, and that shall be acted; and therefore, you shall see what con­clusion is gathered vpon it, Prov. 20. 24. Pro. 20. 24. sayth the wise-man there; The steps of a man are ruled by the Lord, how can then a man vnderstand his owne way. That is. A man, in the morning, when he riseth, and thinkes with himselfe, this and this will I doe, sayth he, deceiue not thy selfe, thy steppes are ru­led by the Lord, thou takest not a steppe into any action, thou takest not a steppe into any good or evill to thy selfe, thou takest not a steppe into pro­speritie or adversitie, but it is ruled, and over-ru­led by the Lord, so that a man cannot vnderstand his owne way. That is. He cannot say this, and this will I doe, but like that in Dan. 5. 23. Dan. 5. 23. Him hast thou not feared, in whose hands is thy life, and all thy [Page 54] wayes. That is. Every thing that thou doest, every steppe that thou takest, every thing that befalls thee. So, my Beloved, this shall be enough to shew you, that man in his actions is at the disposing of the Lord.

As for other creatures, if you will haue a proofe for it, to make it evident to you, that no creature stirres without him, consider that in Esa. 40. spea­king there of the armies of the Lord; they are called the armies of the Lord, because every creature is like a Souldier that stands vnder his Generall, readie to goe, readie to doe, and to execnte whatsoever he commands. In the 26. Isa. 40. 26. Verse, Lift vp thine eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things; he brings out their Armies by number, and cals them all by their names, by the greatnesse of his power, and his mightie strenght nothing [...]ayles. This is the thing I would haue observed out of this place, that they are all Gods armies. Now an army consists of ma­ny particulars; take all the creatures vnder the cope of heaven, they are not single, you know, but there are multitudes of them, thore are many Dealls, many Fowles, many Fishes; sayth the Lord hore, I call them every one by their name. That is. He knowes every one of them, notwithstanding that infinite number of them, he knowes them every one: even as a Maister knows every servant in his house, and can call them by their names; So, sayth he, every particular creature he knowes by name. It is a comfortable consideration, when you consider that there is not one of these, but the Lord knowes them by name, and they are [...] In­struments [Page 55] to doe either good or hurt, as it plea­seth him; the sleepe that you take, the meate that you eate, the comforts that you haue, whatsoever is done by any creature, all comforts come from him: But this is enough for that. But, that where­in there seemes to be the greatest liberty, the grea­test varietie, the greatest changablenes, the minds of men, we see also is disposed by him. That is the first thing we are to shew, to make this good, that the creature can neither doe good nor evill; because though it doe both (for that there is such a thing experience shewes, that the creature doth good and hurt, and every creature sometimes comforts, and sometimes hurts and grieues, but that is at Gods disposing) and since it is an Instru­ment, and is in the hands of the Lord, as an Axe, or a Sword, or a Staffe, and is not vsed, except it be at his disposing; it appeares, that it is perfect­ly and absolutely subiect to the dominion of God.

But, now, for the second, which is more than this, when the Lord, I say, hath sent such a crea­ture to thee, aud thou hast it before thee (that is the second thing) that it is not able to comfort, nor hurt thee, without him. Put the case, the crea­ture be pregnant, full of comfort, yet it is not able to giue downe that milke of comfort that is in it, except the Lord educe and bring it forth, except the Lord apply it in particular to thee. And the same I may say of any hurtfull creature; be it never so pregnant with evill, be it never so full of it, yet, it is not able to exercise it, it is not able to act that hurt it hath, except the Lord [Page 56] bring it forth, except the Lord set it a worke, and vse it for such a purpose: as an Axe if it be never so sharpe, yet, if the Carpenter doe not vse it to cut such a Tree, to lop such a branch, it is not a­ble to doe it.

Now the ground of it, why the creature is not able to doe this, is from hence, that all the com­fort that ariseth from the creature, proceeds from that sutablenesse and that agreeablenesse which is betweene the mind and it. That is; when the bles­sing and the minde are fitted one to another, as the sword to the sheath, or as the meare to the pa­late, then the creature comforts; but, if there be an vnsutablenesse, a disagreement, a disproporti­on, betweene the creature and the minde, now thou receivest no comfort from it: for what is it to thee? for comfort lyes not simply in any thing; but that is comfortable that agreeth with the ap­petite, and the desire of a man. Whatsoever it is, let the desire be what it will, if that which thou hast, sute with that desire, it is comfortable; when a mans heart is sad, such actions as are sutable to the disposition, are pleasant; weeping is pleasant, and complaints are plealant; musique grieues, because that is not sutable to the present dispositi­on. And so in every thing else. It is no matter what thy condition is, but what sutablenesse and agreeablenesse is betweene thy minde and thy condition; if thou be in never so good condition, yet, except God make that and thy mind to agree, thou shalt receiue no comfort from it; if a man be in meane condition, if he be in prison, if he be [Page 57] in the lowest estate, if he be in bondage, if he be in exile, wheresoever he is, if the Lord make but that condition and his minde to agree, it will sute well enough. And therefore, hence comes the discom­fort that is in the creatures, when a man hath them, and enioyes them, it may be, those things which thou hast, are such as sute not with thee, somewhat there is that thou affectest, something that thou desirest, that thou hast not, and that thou canst not get. As, for instance, Haman had an e­state full of comfort, and of all kinde of blessings, yet there was not a sutablenes betweene his mind and that estate, one thing came betweene, Morde­cai sate in the Gate, and, therefore, this avay­led him nothing. Hester. 5. 13. Hest. 5. That is; Though there were all this together, yet since there was not a coniunction of the facultie and of the obiect, this avayled him nothing. Why? because it was not sutable to his desire, there was something that he would haue, that his affections and appe [...]ite were set on, that if he had he should be well. And there­fore, sayth he, all this avayles me nothing; that is his expression. So Amnon, he was the Kings son, and had all things that a Kings sonne might haue, yet all this was nothing, there was something els, that his heart was set on, that he had not. Many the like instances I might giue, but I neede not. Therefore, I say, when the Lord puts an vnsuita­blenesse betweene thy minde and the comforts that thou hast, and suf [...]ers thee to haue an in ordi­na [...]e appotite; as women that haue good meate to [...]ate, yet sometime doe long after ashes & coales, [Page 58] and such things; so when God giues a man an e­state, when he compasseth him about with mer­cies and blessings on all sides, yet if he suffer such an inordinate appetite to take hold of him, to de­sire some odde thing, some by-thing that posses­seth his soule, he may haue the blessing, and haue it present with him, and yet receiue no comfort from it at all. Now, my Beloved, all this tends to this purpose, that you may know, that it is the Lord that giues all good and evill, both in that the creature is at his disposing that doth it, and, not so onely, but, the efficacie of the creature (to ex­ercise such an act of good or evill to vs, that we should receiue actuall comfort of discomfort from it) it is from him, and all, I say, chiefly ari­seth from that dominion that the Lord hath over the spirits of men, it doth not lye so much in the creature, as in framing the apprehension of the minde, and therein is seene the truth of this poynt chiefly that we haue now delivered, that the Lord onely is the Author of good and hurt, and not the creature; because he guides the apprehension; for, The appre­hension of the mind, maketh happines mi­serable. if it be true, as it is most true, Animus cuius (que) &c. it is the mind and apprehension of every man that maketh his life pleasant, or it is the minde of man that maketh him happie, and not the thing, then the Lord that guides the minde, and that fa­shions the heart, he hath the onely hand in ma­king the life pleasant. When thou hast gotten all thou wouldst haue, yet what is that, except thy heart be fashioned to it? This you shall see in Psal. 33. Ps. 33. 13. 14. The Lord looked downe from his dwelling, and [Page 59] from his habitation, vpon the men that dwell vpon the earth, and fashions their hearts every one of them. (Make) he fashions their hearts. That is; A man hath such a frame of heart, such an apprehension of things, as it pleaseth God to giue him; So that, take any estate or condition that a man is in (as you know there is a great varietie of conditions, to be rich, and to be poore, to be in prison, and to be at libertie, to be in health, and to be sicke, to be in honour, and to be in disgrace) these are, as it were, the severall moulds, into which the Lord casts men. Now, if he will frame the spirit to that mould, like soft clay to the seale (for that is an ex­pression in Iob) I say, if he fashion the spirit to it, & make it pliable to the condition, to that mould, a man will beare and indure it well enough, he shall finde comfort in it, it is nothing to him. And therefore, the Saints, the Apostles, and Prophets, when God was with them to fashion their hearts to passe through the varietie of troubles, might say of themselues, Non patimur &c. They seemed to suffer, but in truth did not suffer. What was it to Paul, when he indured that state and condition that he did, when his heart was so fashioned to it as it was? Now, I say, in that the Lord hath this dominion over the spirits of men, hence it is that he makes a mans life comfortable. Put the case, thy hand hath gotten much, that thou hast gathe­red much wealth together, yet, you know, Eccles. 2. 24. Eccles. 2. 24. There is no profit to a man, but that he eate and drinke, and delight his soule with profit after his labour, I say this also, that it was of the hand of God. [Page 60] That is. All this is nothing, except a man delight in it, Quest. except a man enioy the comfort of it. Well, but is not that an easie thing, when the mind and the state are put together? No; Ans. (sayth the Wise­man) this is of the hand of the Lord. That is. Except the Lord doe it by a speciall hand vpon the crea­ture, it is not able to doe it, except he fit the mind to the state, except he sute them together, it can­not doe it: so I may say of all things else. A hony-Combe may be very bitter to a man, his sto­macke may be so disposed, as in a Feaver, you know, that which is sweete is bitter; againe, that which is bitter may be sweete to a man; so those that are the greatest comforts may be bitter, and those things that may be bitter to other men, may be sweet to him. It is sayd of evill men, they feare where no feare is. That is. When there is no cause of feare, yet the Lord can so fashion their hearts; and so frame their apprehension, that they shall feare where there is no cause of feare, when they are but laru [...] et spectra, shadowes of evils. A­gaine, another feares not when there is cause of feare. That is; Though things be pu [...] vpon him that are terrible, yet the Lord can take away that feare. And as we say of that affection, so I may say of any other, of joy, and gladnes, he fashions the heart. Deut. 28. 75. Deut. 28. 65. where the Lord threatneth many Cursles, and this is one amongst the rest, You shall goe into a strange Nation, and there you shall liue. A man might obiect thus; Though I liue in a strange Nation, yet I hope I may haue some rest and some comfort there. No, sayth the Lord, you [Page 61] must know this, that I haue dominion over the apprehension of your hearts and affections, when you come thither, I will giue you trembling hearts, and sorrow of minde. That is. Though there be comforts there, yet you shall not take comfort from them; and the reason is added, for thine eyes shall sayle. That is; When thou commest thither, I will put a restles vnquiet disposition into thee, that thou shalt not content thy selfe with the comfort thou findest, but shalt haue a longing de­sire to returne to thine owne home, and that thou shalt not be able to doe; so thou shalt haue a rest­les minde whilst thou art there▪ Thus I will follow thee with judgements I am sorry, I haue stayde so long in the doctrinall part, the life of this poynt is in the vse and application of it; I will adde a little, that I may not wholly dismisse you with­out it.

And first, Vse. this vse you may make of it. How to guide our comfort. If the Lord be All-sufficient; hence we should learne how to guide our comfort, how to guide our joy, how to guide our affections. That is. Labour to see that fulnesse that is in God, and that emptinesse that is in the creature; if the Lord be thus All-sufficient, my Beloved, then let your hearts be satisfied with him alone, let them be filled with him, let them be so bottomed vpon him, and so strengthned by him, that you neede not to goe out from him to fetch in any comfort from any creature whatsoe­ver; if the Lord fill the heart, it should strengthen you against all carnall joy. What neede you goe out to others, if you haue enough in him; it will [Page 62] strengthen you against that expence of spirit, and of your thoughts, which you bestow vpon vaine things; for, my Beloved, we haue but a short time to liue in this world, the strength of our minde is the most precious thing we haue, the thoughts and affectiōs that we haue, the busines, the actiue­nes of our mindes, we should be carefull to im­proue them, we should be carefull that none of this water runne besides the Mill. That is. That it be not bestowed vpon things that are vnworthy of it. If the Lord be All-sufficient, why should you not bestow it altogether vpon him? Why should you spend it vpon the creature? Why should your minde be occupied about it? Why should you be so intent vpon them? Why should you be so subiect to carnall griefes, and feares, and carnall desires? Surely, all these should be taken vp about the Lord: for he lookes for it at our hands, I am All-sufficient: therefore let all these be bestowed vpon me. And againe, as we should learne to see this fulnes in God, to haue our hearts bottomed and fixed vpon him, so we should labour to see the emptines of the creature. Quest. But, you will say, who doth not know that the creature is emptie? It is no new thing, Answ. my Beloved, it is certaine we doe not fully know it, if we did, what meane those complaints, and those griefes, that we take vp vp­on euery evill accident that falls out? for nothing is said to be emptie, but when you looke for a ful­nes in it; you say a Well is emptie of water, be­cause you looke for water there; you doe not say a Rocke is emptie, for you doe not expret it there: [Page 63] So we may say of the creature, if we thought, and did beleeue, that there were an emptines in it, we would never expect so much from it as we do. But, when we complaine and say, I thought to haue found such and such things, and I find them not, it is a signe that we looke for a fulnes there; and, therefore, let vs labour to correct that con­ceit, it will helpe vs against those griefes & com­plaints, to which we are so much subiect; let vs looke for no more in the creature then is in it. All griefe and stirring of affection, ariseth from this expectation, this over-weening, this high prizing of the creature: if you finde inconstancie in men; why doe you looke for constancie in them? they are creatures; if you looke for stabili­tie in your estate, and wonder why a change should come (I was heretofore rich, and now I am poore, I was honourable, and now I am in disgrace) why didst thou expect stabilitie in that which is subiect to vanitie? Things would not trouble vs, if we did not expect too much from them, if we knew there were an emptines in them; he that lookes not for much from the creature, can never be much deceived: he that lookes for much from God, shall be sure to haue his desire answored and satisfied; he shall never fall short of his expectation. And therefore, Beloved, labour to alter your conceits that way, that whensoever any thing falle out, you may not be troubled [...]it, you may not feare for that a coident, for it ariseth hence, because you looked for more in it, than was in it. It is [...] saying that we haue in morall [Page 64] Philosophie, that after a man is put into expecta­tion of any thing, then every affection is stirred more vehemently, whereas had he not had that expectation, he would haue beene more quiet. Therefore, if we were perswaded, and convinced of the vanitie of the creature, and the emptines in it, we would never expect much from it; and, if we did expect nothing, our hearts would be quie­ted within vs, for all varieties of accidents that fall out; for, I say, it ariseth hence, that we thinke there is some fulnes, some stabilitie in them, we are not fully perswa [...]ed of the vanitie of the crea­ture, we thinke it can doe good or hurt. You will say; Is not the creature able to doe good or hurt? Beloved, I will name but one place, besides that I named before, 1 Cor. 7. 30. 1 Cor. 7. 30. Let those that weepe be as those that weepe not, and those that reioyce as those that rei [...]yce not, and those that buy as th [...]se that pos­sessed not, and they that vse this w [...]rld as they that vse it not, for the fashion of this world goeth away. When the Lord giues such a precept as this, cer­tainely there is a ground for it (as that we haue of­ten told you, that) in all the Command [...]ments of God, if they were open to vs, if we did see the ground of them, we would see that there were so much reason for them, that if God did not com­mand them, you would see it best for you to prac­tise them, you would see reason for it. Now, when the Lora bids them that grieue, to do it as though they grieved not, and them that reioyce, to doe it as though they reioyced not, I gather this from it, that the creature can doe very little good or hurt; [Page 65] for, if the creature could doe much hurt, certain­ly, then we might grieue to some purpose; but, sayth he, let the evill be what it will, yet grieue as though you grieved not. That is; Let it be as good as nothing, that, as a man is said to heare as though he heard not, and to see as if he saw not, when he doth not intend the tale that is told, but yet he heares it▪ so, sayth he, if you haue some griefe, let it be so small, so little, as if you grieved not; And so likewise for Ioy; Put the case, you had all the preferments, all the comforts and bles­sings in this world heaped vpon you, yet reioyce in these so rmisly, as if you reioyced not. Now, it is certaine, if they could doe vs any speciall good, we might reioyce in a greater measure then so: but, when the Lord sayth, reioyce as if you reioy­ced not, it is certaine, they can doe vs very little good. That is; So little as if they did vs no good at all.

But, Ob. you will say, it seemes it is a little good that they can doe vs, whereas it was sayd before, the creature can doe neither good nor hurt.

We will answer that briefly; Answ. The meaning is this, that the Lord giues vs leaue to grieue a little, and to reioyce a little, so that it be in a remis [...]e manner, so that it be kept within bounds, but the creature can doe vs no good, nor no hurt at all of it selfe, but as it is disposed by the Lord, and there­fore though it doe something, yet that is done by God, and not meerely by the creature. So the rule holds good, though the creature doe something, yet seeing it is not of it selfe, but as it is an Instru­ment, [Page 66] you may truely say, it is not the creature that hath done any thing, but the Lord hath done me good and hurt by the creature.

But, Quest. why then is it said, it is a little? for this takes all away.

I answer, Ans. the meaning is this, it can doe a little. That is; All the evill any creature can doe, it is but a little in regard of the eternall that God in­flicts on the soule, it is as good as nothing in com­parison of those eternall good things. As if he should say; The things that belong to God imme­diately, the things that belong to the Kingdome of God, and to a mans salvation, the things that are spirituall and eternall, these are good indeede, and evills indeed, if any of these befall you, you must grieue exceedingly: for you haue great cause: for that can doe you great hurt, and so grace can doe you much good, for it tends to eternitie, it tends to set things even, or odde betweene al-mightie God and you; and, therefore, in these things, let your reioyching be very great, and your griefe very great. But for any thing that belongs to this present life, it is exceeding small, it is as good as nothing.

So much for this time.

THE THIRD SERMON.

THe next Vse we are to make of this, Vse 2. that God is All-sufficient, Be content with God alone. is, to learne to be content with him alone for our portion. That is a Vse both to those that are strangers to the life of God, and likewise to those that are within the Covenant; 1 To those that are strangers, For those without the Covenant. to bring them in, for the Lord propounds that but vpon reasonable conditions. It is true, he requires of you absolute and perfect obedience, that you serue him altoge­ther, But then withall he propou [...]ds to you an ab­solute and full reward, I am All-sufficient, you shall neede nothing out of me. As he requires you to Ieaue all for his sake, so he promiseth that he will [Page 68] be to you in stead of all things; and therefore let men consider that in Heb. 11. 6. Heb. 11. 6. Whosoever comes to God, must beleeue that God is, and that he is a re­warder of them that serue him. That is; a man will never change, except it be for the better, except a man thinke his condition will be better with the Lord, than it was out of him, he will never come in, but, when he is once perswaded of that, he cannot keepe out; you know, that argument is vsed by the Prodigall sonne, Luke 25. sayth he, if I stay here, I shall perish, if I goe to my fathers house his servants haue bread enough; that double argument brought him home. So when a man considers, out of God there is no sufficiency at all, there is not any thing in the creature, as we shewed to you before at large: then if you come home to the Lord, there is All-sufficiencie in him. That is; All your desires shall be satisfied, there is nothing that you neede, nothing that you want, but it shall be supplyed. This, I say, is that that brings a man in to consider of Gods All-sufficiencie; but this we doe not meane to inlarge now, but rather proceede to the other.

Whether a man be come in or not, there will not be much difference in the application of this that we are now to deliver, to be content to haue God alone to be our portion; for that is the cause of all our vnevennesse, and of our imperfect wal­king with God, we would haue somewhat besides. And therefore the Lord taketh this course with his Disciples, he tells them the worst first; he tells them they must part with all, that they must deny themselues throughly & perfectly, and they must [Page 69] be cōtent with him alone; because the Lord knew, otherwise, they would never haue constantly fol­lowed him, and though they might haue gone farre with him, yet, when they had met with a rub, when that, which they would not part with, and the service of God should come in competition, surely, they would turne aside, and leaue him. Now, my Beloved, you must consider this, and worke your hearts vnto it, that, if you haue him alone, it is enough; for if men were perswaded, that he is enough, they would be content with him alone. When the Sunne shines to you, though there be never a Starre, is it not day? Doe you not call it so? Againe, when all the Starres shine, and the Sunne is set, is not that night? Is it not so when you haue the Lord alone? Suppose you haue nothing but him for your portion, shall not the Lord be sufficient to make you happie? Is he not a Sunne and a Shield, sayth the Psalmist? Is he not a Sunne. That is; All-sufficient, to fill you with comfort of all kindes? What then though you haue nothing but him alone? Againe, put case you had all those creatures, all those Starres to shine to you (for they haue an excellency in them, they haue a light, and a comfort, though it be a bor­rowed and a derived light, as we heard, such as they receiue from the Sunne) suppose you haue them, it is but night notwithstanding, you are but in a state of misery. And therefore, Beloved, why should you not be content to haue the Lord alone for your portion? Take all the creatures, and you finde, by experience, that when they are [Page 70] inioyed, you see an end of their perfection, you quickly finde a bottom in them; the heart hasteth after somewhat else, you quickly sucke out the [...]oney that is in every one of those flowers, and, when you haue done so, you goe to another flow­er, and to another, and no where doth the soule finde rest. God did purposely set forth Salomon, and gaue him all things that his heart could de­sire, so that no man had the like before him, nor any man since. And for what end doe you thinke did the Lord it? Surely, for this purpose, that he might be a perpetuall example (as things were written for our learning, so all these things that were done in those former times, which are the Rule of these latter, they were done for our lear­ning) he had all varietie of blessings, more then any man else can hope to attaine to, yet you know what verdict he giues of them; Eccles. 1. All is vanitie and vexation of spirit. That is. He found in them an emptines of that good he looked for, they were emptie Clouds, Wells without water. Againe, they were a vexation of spirit. That is. There was the presence of much evill in them tha [...] he looked not for, many stings, many troubles. And there­fore why should you not be content with God a­lone? Take all outward things; before you inioy them, they seeme to be great; when you haue in­ioyed them, and tryed them, you quickly finde a bottom in them; for there is but a false lustre that Sathan and your owne lusts put vpon them; they haue gilded outsides, but when they come to wea­ring, the guilt weares off, and you finde after a [Page 71] while, what they are. But come to spirituall things; the more you weare them, the more you finde the beautie and excellencie that is in them; for there is a dust and a rust that is cast vpon them, which likewise, the wearing takes off. And there­fore why should you not be content to take God alone? What is it that man so seekes after? is it not happines, and comfort? Alas; suppose that you had all these in the highest degree that you can looke for, when all is done, you shall finde that but labour lost, you shall finde no stabilitie in them. You know what Davsd sayth in Psal. 30. Psal. 30. 7. when he thought his mountaine was made strong and vnderpropped well on each side; What cau­sed now an alteration? He doth not say, there was a change in the thing, he doth not say, his moun­taine was pulled downe, or that there was an alte­ration in his estate, that this or that accident fell out, that the people rebelled against him now which did not before, or, that he had lost such and such friends that he had before. But, sayth he, thou turnedst away thy face, and then I was trou­bled. The meaning is this, that, if there was a change in his estate, the change in God was the cause, so then it was the Lord that comforted him, though he saw it not, it was not the mountaine that held him vp, it was not all those blessings that he enioyed in it that refreshed his heart, but it was the light that shined through them; and ther­fore he found, when this light was with drawne, though he inioyed them still, his comfort was gone. So, I say, if it were from the things, they [Page 72] might continue your comforts to you, but when there is a change in heavē, then comes the change vpon earth. And on the other side; if God conti­nue constant, if he remaine safe, you neede feare nothing, the creature followes him, it is he that shines through them. What if a man had the avre and no light in it? So, what if we had never so much, and no beames flowing form him though them, who onely is the God of all comfort, and the Father of all consolation?

But, my Beloved, to be briefe; Put the case a man were stript of all things, and suppose he were exiled out of his owne Country, suppose he were reduced to extreame povertie, or shut vp close Prisoner, suppose all imployments were taken from him, and he were laid aside like a broken vessell; now for a man to say, yet God is enough, and that he is content with him alone for his por­tion. This is the tryall, and this we ought to doe: and there is great reason why we should doe it; you shall see it was practised by the Saints. When Abraham was an exile from his Countrey, and had not a foote of land, was not the Lord All-suf­ficient to him? did he not provide for him abun­dantly? When Eliah fled, and had no meate, he had neither money, nor any body to provide any thing for him, did not the Lord provide for him? he set the creature a-worke to doe that, to feede him in an extraordinary way, when the ordinary fayled. When Paul was shut vp in Prison, yet the Lord filled him with joy and comfort; you know, Syl [...]s and he, their feete were fast in the Sto [...]kes, [Page 73] yet they sang with joy of heart, there was such a flush of joy, their hearts were so filled with it, that they could not containe. If a man be brought to povertie, it cannot be beyond that of Iobs; was it not enough for Iob to haue God for his portion? did he not soone turne it? did he not soone take away that, and turne the River another way, as it were, and fill him with abundance?

Oh; Ob. but you will say, if I were a spirit, and con­sisted onely of an immateriall soule, & no more, I should be content, (it may be) to haue the Lord for my portion, but, besides that, I haue a body, I haue a temporall life, and therefore I need tem­porall comforts, and therefore though I would haue the Lord, I would haue these things added; for, how should I be without them?

To this I answer. Ans. First; that, though thou be deprived of all these temporall blessings and com­forts, yet thou shalt finde them all in the Lord, I say, though [...]hey were all lost, and all scattered, though thou wert stript of them all, yet thou shalt finde them all in the Lord, if thou haue him alone. You will say, 2. Ob. Answ. how can that be? This you must know, that all that God hath wrought in the crea­ture, all the excellencie, all the beautie, and de­light, and comfort, he hath put into the creature, into meate, drinke, musicke, flowers, yea, into all creatures of all sorts; who is the cause of all this? Is not the Lord the cause? It is certaine then, that whatsoever is in the effect, is in the cause, and in the cause in a more excellent manner. There are some causes that produce but their like, as when [Page 74] fire begets fire, or, when a man begets a man, here there is an equalitie betweene the cause and the effect: but there are other causes that are vn­like their effects; as the Sunne produceth many effects, that haue a dissimilitude to it, it hardens, and softens, and heates, and dryes, and all these are in the Sunne, but they are in a more excellent manner, then you shall see them in the effect: that is but a poore similitude, to expresse that I would, but yet it is the best we haue. Looke now vpon whatsoever thou hast found in the creature, what­soever beautie thou hast [...]eene, whatsoever de­light thou hast ta [...]ted of, whatsoever excellencie thou hast discovered, and be perswaded of this, that all this is in the Lord in a more excellent manner, than it is in the creature.

Well, Quest. you will say, I grant this; but what fol­lowes on that? what is this to my comfort?

Beloved; Answ. It is this to thy comfort; If thou loose all, Mark. 10. 29. make vse of that in Mark. 10. If thou loose fa­ther, and mother, or brethren, or sisters, or lands, and houses, and all that you haue, you shall finde all these in him: for, if all these comforts be in him, if thou hast him alone, thou shalt finde all these comforts communicated to thee. That is; Thou shalt finde the comfort of them in a greater measure, in a more excellent manner, than thou shouldst in the things themselues: why else should he say, You shall haue an hundreth fold with persecution? And marke the instance; for you shall finde the promise repeated againe, and he names them every one; I say to you, there is no man that forsakes father, or [Page 75] mother, wife, and children, brother, or sister, or lands, and houses, for my sake, and the Gospells, but he shall receiue an hundreth fold in this world, and in the world to come eternall life. That is, you shall finde comfort in God alone; if thou be shut vp alone, and yet conversest with God, and hast communion with him, and seest no creature in the world be­sides him, thou shalt haue abundance of sweete comfort: take all those varieties of comforts that these giue; as, lands giue one kinde of comfort, and Parents another, and wiues another; thou shalt finde all these varieties of comforts in him, he will fill thy soule with all these, for they are in him alone. Marke that reason that the Lord vsed to Moses, when he complained of his tongue, that he was not able to speake; Send, sayth he, by whom thou shouldest send; (sayth the Lord) who made the tongue? who made the dumbe, and the deafe, and the hearing, Exod. 4. 11. and the seeing? Is it not I the Lord? As if he should say; Moses, sure I am the maker of all these, though I haue not the things in me (the Lord hath no tongue, he hath no eye) yet, sayth he, thou shalt finde them all in me. That is; His com­fort is this, I will be with thee; when Moses might haue made this obiection; Though thou be with me, yet I shall want a tongue to speake, what will that helpe? Sayth he, I, who made that, I haue a power in me, and if I be with thee, it shall be suffi­cient. I will finde out a way for thee, that shall be as good as if thou hadst the most eloquent tongue in the world. The same may I say of all other com­forts in the world; who made them? who made [Page 76] those fathers and mothers? who made those bro­thers and sisters, that thou art deprived of in exile, or vpon any such occasion, in povertie and dis­grace? Is it not he that made them? What if the Lord will be with thee? What if he will goe with thee into banishment, or into prison, as he did with Ioseph? What if he will be with thee in dis­grace? What if he will be with thee in povertie? Is there not enough in him, who is full of all comfort? He can fill thee with all varietie by that immediate communicating of himselfe. Beloved, what doe you thinke heaven is? When you are in heaven, doe you thinke your estate shall be worse? You see what varieties of comforts we now haue here. When we come to heavē, shall we haue lesse varieties? No; we shall haue more; how shall we haue it? for we shall haue none but God alone; we shall haue fellowship onely with him. If there were not that varietie in him that is in the crea­ture, certainely, we should be loosers, the soule should not be filled, nor satisfied: And therefore, sayth the Text; Rev. 21. 23. There shall neede no Sunne nor Moone; all the creatures that now giue vs comfort shall be taken away, why? for the Lord shall be Sun and Moone, he shall be every thing, he shall be all in all things. That is; Thou shalt finde them all collected in him; and doe you thinke, that the Lord shall be thus in heaven, and will he not be so to his servants vpon earth? It is certaine, where­soever he pleaseth to communicate himselfe to a­ny man, to reveale himselfe, and to take any man into fellowship with himselfe, if he please to come [Page 77] to the soule of a man, to dwell with him, to suppe with him, as he hath promised so to doe & doth, then when all other comforts fayle, at that time God delighteth to come, then thou shalt finde va­rietie of comfort enough. And therefore, why shouldst thou not be contented to haue God alone for thy portion? Thou shalt finde enough in him as in an adaequate obiect. This is the first thing I haue to shew you, that in your very communion with him, you shall finde enough, when the Lord hath done it, when thou art filled with the joy of the holy Ghost, what will all be to thee? what doe you thinke all the world was to them, if it should haue beene presented to the Apostles, if one should haue presented them with a Kingdome, with all that ever the sonnes of men could devise? Doe you thinke they would haue regarded them much? Surely, they would not, as they did no [...] regard the contrary. Imprisonment was nothing, & death was nothing to them; you see with what facilitie they passed through them. By the Rule of Contraries, outward happinesse had beene no­thing: for he that grieues much for any outward losse, he would much reioyce in the contrary con [...]ments: when the Apostles were thus filled with the joy of the holy Ghost, in regard of the one, certainely they would not haue regarded the other, if it had beene represented vnto them; what was now the joy in the holy Ghost? it was but the Lord communicating himselfe: they had but the Lord alone, they were but led into a neerer fellowship with him: there was but a little cr [...]vis [Page 78] opened, as it were, to see that excellency and ful­nesse, and that All-sufficiencie in God, and it filled them so, that they cared for nothing besides. But this, I say, we would worke our hearts to, if we did looke vpon God as an adaequate obiect.

But, Ob. you will say, though this be something to haue my soule filled with comfort thus; yet there are many necessities, many vses, that I haue of o­ther things.

Therefore, Answ. I will goe yet further. Doe thou con­sider the Lord, what he is; goe through all his at­tributes, consider his almightie power, consider his great wisedome, his counsell, and his vnder­standing, consider his great goodnesse, and his truth, and kindnesse, consider his patience, and his long suffering, &c. all these are thine. My Be­loved, God is not knowne in the world, we consi­der not aright what he sayth, when he sayth, I will be thy portion, I will be thy God; for so he sayth, I my selfe am my beloveds, Cant. 1. 6. and my welbeloved is mine. Now to haue the Lord himselfe, is more than if he should giue thee all the Kingdomes of the earth; consider this, the power of God is thine, to worke all thy workes for thee, to make passage for thee, when thou art in a straite, to bring thy enterprises to passe, to deliver thee out when thou art in any affliction, out of which the creature is not able to deliver thee. Thinke what it is to haue an interest in Gods almightie power, and thinke this is one part of thy portion: the Lord himselfe is thine, and all his power is thine. Consider, likewise, his wisedome, if thou neede counsell in any difficult [Page 79] case, if thou wouldst be instructed in things that be obscure, if thou wouldst be led into the myste­ries that are revealed in the word, to see the won­derful things contained in the Law; the wisedome of God is thine, thou hast interest in it, it is thy portion, thou shalt haue the vse of it as farre as he sees it meete for thee. And so the Iustice of God is thine, to deliver thee when thou art oppressed, to defend thee in thine innocency, and to vindi­cate thee from the iniuries of men. And so we may goe through the rest. Now consider, what a por­tion it is to haue the Lord alone: if thou hadst no­thing but him, Simile. thou hadst enough. When a wo­man marries with a Tradsman, or with an Artist, that is excellent but in some one Art, or with one that is excellent in learning and knowledge, shee is content, it may be, and thinkes it to be a great portion, as good as if shee had many thousands with him, for, sayth shee, this is as good, it will bring it in. Thinke then, if thou hast the Lord a­lone for thy portion, if thou hast nothing else, thou hast sufficient. Thinke of all these attributes, & say within thine owne heart, all these are mine. And therefore, why should I not be content to haue him alone? But yet this is not enough, I will goe yet further with thee, if thy heart be not satis­fied with this, yet consider all things in the world are thine: for whatsoever is the Lords, is thine. When a virgin marries with a man that is rich, shee lookes vpon all his possessions, and sees so many thousand sheepe, so many fayre houses, and so much land, he hath so much gold and silver; [Page 80] and, she sayth thus with herselfe; now he is my husband, all this is mine: I shall haue my interest in them, I shall haue that that is fit for me. So, looke now vpon the Lord, consider when thou hast chosen him to be thy portion: though thou shouldst be content to haue him alone, yet all this comes together with him, it cannot be separated from him, so that even then when thou art depri­ved of all, yet all is thine: he hath it readie for thee, to bestow on thee, as there is occasion.

You will say, Ob. these are notions, these are hard things to beleeue, to see these really is another thing.

My Beloved, Ans. will you beleeue your senses, I finde that the Scriptures take away arguments from those things, that are exposed to the view of men, looke on nature and see what the Lord doth there, doe but compare a house-keeper on earth with the Lord, and see what the difference is betweene them; Consider how many there are in this house of the Lord, of which he is Maister, how many there are at vprising and down-lying from day to day; Consider how he provides for them all in Psal. 104. Psal. 104. and in Iob. 38. Iob 38. you see the holy Ghost reasoning with the sonnes of men, even after this manner; Why, sayth he, doe you doubt him? why are you not content to consecrate your selues to him, to be to him alone? Doe but see how he deales with all creatures, in the morning they know not what to doe, but they looke vp vnto him; he instanceth in the Ravens, and other creatures, he openeth his hand and giveth them foode, Psal. 104. 28. 29. he shuts [Page 81] his hand and they perish. That is; He feeds them all. Consider the Treasures in Iob 38. Iob 38. 22. Doest thou (sayth the Lord) know the treasures of snow and hayle that I haue hid? When there is a snow all the Land over, thinke what a great treasure the Lord hath, from whence it comes: in the mightie hayles that be, sayth he to Iob, dost thou know the treasures of hayle? When you see a mightie raine, sayth he, who can open the bottles of heaven, Vers. 37. and who can shut them? That is; Consider well, looke on these outward things, and thinke who it is, that doth this, Vers 38. when the earth is hot, and the clods knit together, who can open the earth? These sensible things would leade vs to see the Lord in his great­nes; so sayth he, who is the father of the Rayne, Vers. 28. who hath begotten the drops of the dew? Againe, as in a great house, there must be water to furnish the roomes; so sayth he, Psal. 104. 10. from his chambers he sendeth springs throughout the world. My Beloved, if the wa­ter were all in one place, if it were all in one river, in one chamber, what would become of man­kinde? What would become of the Beasts? But, sayth David, he sendeth forth his springs to every mountaine, and every valley, that the Birds, and Beasts, and mankinde might haue water to refresh them: for otherwise (sayth he) they would pe­rish. Thus the Lord hath done. So againe, sayth he, who is it that enlightens the earth? Whence comes the light? and wh [...] drawes the Curtaines of the night? Againe, who is it that maintaines all the crea­tures? the Lyon when he runs out of his denne in the morning, Psal. 104. 21. he knowes not where to haue his [Page 82] prey: and not he onely, but all the creatures be­sides. Consider how he provides for all: the O­stridge (Iob 39). God hath taken vnderstanding, Iob 39 17. 20. sayth he, from her, and she leaues her young ones be­hinde her, and provides not for them; how comes it then that they grow vp, that the species is not extinguished, but continues? Sayth the Lord, I take care for them. And so the Hinde that is in the Wildernes, as shee calues shee bruseth her young, and casts them forth, and there she leaues them, who should provide for them? Is it not I sayth the Lord? And so along. But I will not en­large my selfe further in this; because I hast to that which remaines. Onely this Vse is to be made of it, that when you looke vpon the vni­verse: looke vpon all the parts of it; see the worke of God in every kinde; and see how he provides for the Ravens, Math. 6. 26. that haue neither barnes nor store­house; see how he clothes the earth, that spinnes not, that hath no garments made for it; see all that he doth in the worke of nature, and by this you may learne to know God: by this you may know, what he is, how you may well be content to haue him alone for your portion.

But this will be obiected; Ob. I but we finde it o­therwise, those that are his children, are they not poore? are they not forsaken many times?

Beloved, Answ. I answer in a word; It is true, while the children are vnder age, they enioy nothing in comparison of that inheritance, that is provided for them. The servant many times liues in a farre better condition, and escapes that correction, and [Page 83] that discipline and nurture, which the childe is subiect to; and he hath money in his purse many times, when the Sonne hath none: he hath many liberties, which the childe is deprived of. The reason is, because it is the time of his nurture; And so sayth the Lord to Israell, I could haue brought you into the land of Canaan at the first: it was no difficult thing to me, but I led you fortie yeares: to what purpose? Deut. 8. Deut. 8. 2. 5. that I might teach thee (sayth he) that I might nurture thee, that thou mightst learne to know me, and to know thy selfe: that I might humble you, that you might learne by that to see the vanitie and emptinesse of the crea­ture. So the Lord deales with his children; But yet, my Beloved, why should you not be content to haue him alone for your portion? he hath it for you, it is not for want of good will towards you, it is not for want of power, but because it is best for you: And therefore, likewise, that is answe­red, that the children of God want, and those that are his enemies haue abundance, but they are but land-flouds of comforts, that make a great shew, and haue some reality in them to comfort, for the present; but it is but a Pond, it is but a land-floud; the spring of comfort belongs onely to the Saints, it may be, they are but little, but yet they are springing, they are renewed to them from day to day, they are such springs as make glad the heart of all the houshold of God: And therefore, what if his enemies haue abundance? it is but as summer flowers; though they be set in gawdy places, yet they are but slippery places, though they flourish [Page 84] for a time, it is but the flourishing of a greene tree, that lasts not long. And therefore be not mistaken in that, that Gods children want, and o­thers haue it, his children haue it in a better man­ner. But I will not stand vpon this any longer.

If the Lord be All-sufficient, Vse 3. then learne hence, To looke onely to God in our wayes. to haue your eye onely vpon him, when you haue any enterprise to doe; if there be any crosse, that you would haue prevented, if there be any bles­sing, that you would obtaine, if there be any af­fliction, out of which you would haue delive­rance, let your eye be to him alone, rest on him a­lone: for he is All-sufficienet, he is able to bring it to passe; as he sayth here to Abraham, I am All-sufficient, so he will be to all that are within the Covenant, as well as to him. And therefore, I say, whatsoever thy case be, looke to him onely, and thou needest no other helpe, and be readie to say thus with thy selfe, the greatest meane, without his helpe, is not able to bring this enterprise to passe, it is not able to deliver me, it is not able to comfort me, it is not able to worke such a worke for me; and the weakest with him is able to doe it. You see Asa was able to say this in 2 Chron. 14. 2 Chro. 14. 11. Lord, sayth he, it is all one with thee to saue with many or with few. And the Lord made it good to him; for when he had but a few, and a great mul­titude came against him, you see he was saved with those few; and, afterwards, when Asa had a great multitude, he was not delivered, that he might learne to know the truth of that which then he heard; And therefore, sayth he, we rest vpon [Page 85] thee, Oh Lord, it is all one with thee to deliver with many or with [...]ew: I say, so it is in all things else. Therefore, Beloved, learne to conceiue thus in­deede of things: we doe not vsually doe so, if we did, what is the reason, that you provide much for your children, & all your care is to leaue them portions? I would aske you but this question; Whether can all that portion make them happy, or make your selues so, or any one else? It can­not make them happie, without Gods favour, with­out his blessing▪ Put the case, againe, they had his favour and blessing without this portion, Is not that enough? Is it not sufficient? We may run through many instances, but it is enough to touch vpon this. And therefore thou shouldst be readie to say thus with thy selfe; If I haue never so much, if I were in the greatest floate of prosperitie, what is this without him? If againe, I were in the low­est ebbe, is not he enough? And therefore in eve­ry busines say this with thy selfe; All my busines now is with God in heaven, and not with men, nor the creatures, and therefore, if I want comfort at any time, if I cannot haue it from men, nor from the creature, yet I know where to fetch it; if I want wisedome, counsell, and advice, if I want helpe, I know whether to goe; if the Cisterne fayle, I can goe to the fountaine, I can goe to him alone, that is able to be my helper in all my needs, to be my counfeller in all my doubts, and to comfort me in all my distresses. But, Beloved, the thing I would presse is this, to settle your eyes vpon God alone.

[Page 86]It may be, Ob. you will say, you haue an eye to God, but you would haue other helpes too.

No: Answ. All the tryall is in this, to trust in him a­lone: for if you did thinke him All-sufficient; why should you not doe so? If he had but a part of sufficiencie, and the creature had another part, you might joyne helpe with him; but since he is All-sufficient, you must be content with him a­lone. Put the case, he giue you no pawne, as he did not to Abraham, the Text sayth, he had not a foote of land in all his possession, and yet he be­leeved; for he thought God was sufficient: There­fore when thou hast any thing to doe, trust in him alone, and thou shalt then finde it the best done: for when we trust in him most, then we pray best, and when we pray best, we speede best: and there­fore we commonly finde, when things are in the lowest condition, then it hath best successe with vs: because, by that meanes we are taught to goe to him alone. To giue you an instance of this, consider David and Iacob; I will shew you but these two cases; you shall see it in David and Ia­cob.

1 David Instance. David. did not make hast when the Lord pro­mised him the Kingdome, and sent Samuell to an­noint him, (though at one time he did, when he fled into the land of the Philistines, yet in the ge­nerall he did not) if he had made hast, he would haue taken away Sauls life, when he was put into his hands, but, sayth he, I will stay the Lords lea­sure, I will not meddle with him, wickednesse shall come from the wicked. What was the issue of it? [Page 87] you see how the Lord brought it about without paine, and labour to him, (as you shall see in the wheeles of his providence, how he wheeled that about, to bring David to the Kingdome) you see first he takes away Saul by the hands of his ene­mies, Davids hand was not on him, he tooke him away in due season. When that was done, then there was Abner a mightie Captaine, you see, he was taken away, and that without any fault of Da­vids, vpon a quarrell betweene Ioab and him. When Abner was taken away, there was Isbosheth left behinde; you see, there were two set a-worke by his providence (for those things come to passe by his providence) to take away his head when he was asleepe; so that all the posteritie of Saul was gone. He tooke not onely Saul away in the battayle, but all the rest, and there were but two left, Mephibosheth, that was lame in his limmes, and not fit to mannage the Kingdome, who like­wise, afterwards, put himselfe into Davids hands, and Isbosheth, that was lame in his minde, as the other was in his limmes. And therefore, when Abner was gone, there was no strength in him; So the Lord brought it to passe without any acti­on of his: so it is when men learne to trust in God. Likewise, see it in Nabals case: he was making hast, he was stepping out to an inordinate way to helpe himselfe, but when he stayed himselfe, and did it not, how did the Lord bring it to passe with­out him? did not he himselfe take away Nabals life, and giue Nabals wife and goods, as he did Sauls goods, and his house, and his wiues to him? [Page 88] This the Lord did: for he trusted in him, he made not hast, but he stayed on him alone. I say, if we could learne this in all our enterprises, to trust in him, he would worke our workers for vs. On the other side; wheresoever you see a man that makes hast, and that joynes others with the Lord, and is not content with his All-sufficiencie; doth it not cost him much, when he will doe his owne works, and will not leaue it to the Lord to worke it for him?

2 Iacob, Iacob. you know, what it cost him, when he made hast to get the blessing by a wrong way, how ma­ny yeares exile, how much paine, and separation from his friends? And so Saul, it cost him the losse of his Kingdome, for making hast when he offered sacrifice, and did breake the Commande­ments of God, because the people were dispersed; And so of the rest. And therefore, Beloved, what if there be nothing besides (for that is the case I presse) suppose you were in such a straite, that there is no more but the Lord to rest on, yet, if you be content to trust in him alone, he will doe it, as he did for David; if you will needs indent, and bargaine with him, then, I say, it may be, you shall haue the thing you would haue, but you had better be without it; as we see in Math. 20. when the workemen would not be content with the All-sufficiencie of God (as we see in that Para­ble) but would make a bargaine with the Lord, we will not serue thee, say they, except thou wilt giue vs so much wages, if thou wilt, we will doe it; so he bargained with every man for a penny a day; [Page 89] Goe then, sayth he, and worke in my Vineyard, and thou shalt haue a Penny; Well, when he comes to pay them, he giues them their Penny: they thought that was not enough, but they murmured against him; Mat. 20. 13. sayth the Lord, did you not bargaine with me for a Penny? The meaning of it is this, it doth most concerne the labourers in Gods Vineyard, but it is appliable to all others. They will not worke for the Lord, they will not reckon him All-sufficient, but they will haue wages, they will bargaine with him to haue a Penny. That is; One to haue a Benefice to maintaine him; ano­ther will worke for him, if he may haue fame, and credit, and esteeme; Another will worke for him, if he may haue some great place. Sayth the Lord, I will giue thee that Penny, thou shalt worke in my Vineyard; I but when a man hath it, (marke it) he murmurs, why? for when the end of the day comes▪ he sees that preferment, that riches, that credit, are but emptie things, they are but small things when he is to go into another world, there is nothing left for him, he is naked and de­stitute, it is but a Penny, and therefore he mur­murs and complaines. That is; He sees now that it was but a poore bargaine that he made; But, sayth the Lord, thou wouldst needs bargaine with me for a Penny, and thou hast it. So, I say, to those that are not content with the Lords All-suf­ficiencie, but will haue present wages, they will bargaine with the Lord: He will giue thee this particular, thou shalt haue this, but remember this, that it is sayd in Math. 6. thou hast thy reward. Mat. 6. [Page 90] If thou wilt haue prayse of men, and wile doe it for that, thou shalt haue it, but that is all thou shalt haue. If a man will haue his portion, as that Sonne had of his Father, Luk. 15. 12. Luk. 15. 12. it may be, he will giue thee thy portion. The Sonne that stayed at home, had no portion given him, for sayth his Father, I and all that I haue is thine. But if a man will haue his portion, and will not be content with Gods All-sufficiencie, he shall find that it is not best for him. My Beloved, consider whether it be not better to trust in God alone, to rest in him alone. Ps [...]l. 146. 3. 4. 5. 6. Consider that, Psal. 146. 3. 4. 5. 6. Trust not in Princes, nor in the sonnes of men, for their breath is in their nostrils, and their thoughts perish, but happie is he that trusts in the God of Ia­cob. And he giues two reasons for it, For he made heaven, and earth, and the Sea; and secondly, He keepes Covenant and mercy for ever. There are two reasons in that place, why we should trust in God: One is, though the enterprise be never so great and difficult, though the blessing thou wouldst ob­taine, be never so hard to come by; yet consider, thou hast to doe with him, that made heaven and earth. As if he should say; Lay those two things together, dost thou thinke it an easier thing to make heaven and earth, then to bring that thing to passe? If he made heaven and earth, doest thou not thinke he is able to doe that? You will say, we doubt not of his abilitie. Beloved, wee doe: Wee shewed this at large before, we will adde that to it, in Rom. 4. 21. ^• in Rom. 4. You know Abrahams faith is every [...]where commended, and what was his faith? Sure­ly, [Page 91] he trusted in God, that he was able to doe it, he be­ing assured, and not weake in faith, but strong, He gaue glory to God, and beleeved that he that promised was able to doe it. Beloved, though we thinke it not, there is the stop that we make in beleeving the promises; that is one reason, he made heaven and earth. The second is, he keepes fidelitie for ever. And in another place, as it is interpreted, he keepes covenant and mercy for ever. Marke, sayth he, let Princes doe their best, alas, what can they doe, they are but weake men, their breath is in their nostrils, but God made heauen and earth. Se­condly, sayth he, their thoughts perish, but God keepes co [...]enant and mercy for ever, there is no change in him.

Oh, Ob. but you will say, there may be a change in vs, all my doubt is of that, of keeping covenant on my part▪ thus men are readie to say.

My Beloved, Ans. consider (for this I will be very bri [...]fe in) that thou needest not feare that thy dis­obedience, if thou be once within the Covenant (if thou be one whose heart is vpright with him) shal [...] the Lord to depart from thee, he will not be unfaithfull to thee, though thou be weake in thy carriage to him; for he keepes Covenant for ever. That is His▪ Covenant is to keepe thy heart in his fea [...]d, that thing we forget; if the Lord keepe Covenant with vs, he doth not suspend his pro­mise of helpe vpon our obedience, and leaue vs [...] but he promiseth to giue vs a heart and [...] he hath promised to circumcise [...], [Page 92] that we shall not depart from him: and therefore in Esay 40. the Lord expresseth it thus; You shall know me as Sheepe know their Shepheard, and I will make a Covenant with you, and thus and thus I will deale with you: And how is that? Why the Covenant is not thus onely; As long as you keepe within bounds, and keepe within the Fould, as long as you goe along the pathes of righteousnesse, and walke in them, but this is the Covenant, that I will make, I will driue you according to that you are able to beare; if any be great with young, I will driue them softly, if they be lame, that they are not able to goe (sayth he) I will take them vp in Isa. 40. 11. mine armes, and carry them in my bosome. If you compare this with Ezech. 34. Ezek. 34. 16. you shall finde there he puts downe all the slips that we are subiect vn­to; (speaking of the time of the Gospell, when Christ should be the Shepheard,) he shewes the Covenant that he will make with those that are his; sayth he, if any thing be lost, if a Sheepe loose it selfe, this is my covenant, I will finde it: if it be driven away by any violence of temptation, I will bring it baeke againe: if there be a breach made into their hearts, by any occasion through finne and lust, I will heale them and binde them vp. This the Lord will doe, this is the Covenant that he makes. Now consider these Reasons, I made heaven and earth, and, I keepe Covenant and mercy for e­ver.

But, Ob. you will say, though I must trust in the Lord, because he made heaven and earth, and be­cause he keepes covenant and mercy for ever, yet the [Page 93] Lord doth it by meanes, he doth it by friends, by some mediate instruments.

My Beloved, Answ. here is the great deceit of man­kinde, that we thinke, that the Lord dispenseth his comforts according to those means that we haue. A man thinkes, if he haue a great estate, his com­forts shall be more, if he haue many friends, he thinkes, he shall be safer; sayth the Lord (you know that place, Psal. 62.) if riches increase, Psal. 62. 10. set not your hearts vpon them: for, sayth he, they are a­ble to doe little good. Power, and kindnesse belongs to me. Ob. But then this obiection comes in, the Lord dispenseth comforts by such meanes? Answ. No, sayth the holy Ghost there, he rewards not men accor­ding to their riches, but he rewards every man ac­cording to his workes. And therefore thinke this with thy selfe, thou that hast abundance of out­ward comforts, if the Lord did reward thee accor­ding to them, thou hadst cause to reioice in them, but he will reward thee according to thy workes; and therefore, trust in him, learne to reckon him to be All-sufficient, learne to be to him alone.

But, Ob. may not a man that trusts not in God, but lookes a little too much to the creature, prosper? A man againe that withdrawes his heart from them, and trusts in the Lord, may not he wither?

Beloved, Answ. I will adde but that in briefe; seest thou a man that doth not reckon the Lord to be All-sufficient, that doth not rest on him alone, but makes flesh his arme, Ier. 17. 5. and trusts in any creature, that hath such thoughts as these, I haue the favour of high persons, and therefore I am safe, or I haue [Page 94] many friends to backe me, and to support me, and defend me, and therefore I am safe, I haue a great estate to helpe me against dangers, to provide for me against the time of difficultie, and therefore it shall goe well enough with me. I say, be it thine owne case, or seest thou any man doing so, be as­sured that such a man shall certainly wither: cur­sed shall that man be that doth this, that makes flesh his arme. Againe, on the other side, seest thou a man that is willing to depriue himselfe of all these things, when it is to keepe a good consci­ence, when he put to it; It is an evidence that he resteth on God, that he trusts in him alone; be as­sured, howsoever that man may be vnder a cloud, and, though it may be winter with him for a little while, yet he shall spring againe, his light shall breake forth, and he shall prosper, sayth the Text, Ier. 17. (That is the place I haue reference to) and his leafe shall be greene. The other man, sayth the Text there, though God doe come to him, and all about him, yet he shall not see good, he shall haue no part in it, but he shall surely wither soo­ner or later. On the other side; Though evill doe come vpō this man that trusts in God, yet he shall not see evill. Now, my Beloved, consider (that we may draw to a conclusion) whether you doe this or no, Ob. which you are here exhorted vnto. But it may be, a man will be readie to say, I hope I doe performe this. Ans. It is well, if you doe. But I will say but one word to you, if you doe thus looke vpon God as All-sufficient, if you reckon him your por­tion; doe you walke as one that sees him in his [Page 95] greatnesse, and in his almightie power? Remem­ber that in Pro. 30. Prov. 30. 2. 3. 4. when Agur lookes vpon God and himselfe together, sayth he, I am worse then a Beast, I haue not the vnder standing of a man in me. And why? sayth he, I haue not the knowledge of the holy one, he that ascends and he that descends, he that holds the winds in his fist, he that gathers the waters in his lap as into a garment, he that stretcheth forth the ends of the earth, and that settles it, who knowes him, sayth he, who can tell his name, or his sonnes name? The meaning of it is this; sayth he, when I consider what God is, and beginne to thinke how I haue walked with him, and how short I am of knowing him as I should; sayth he, I am as a Beast, I am confounded and amazed. Now, consider that, and make it your owne case; who walkes with God, my Beloved, and seeth him that ascends and descends; (which hath reference to that vision that appeared to Iacob; The Lord was on the toppe of the ladd [...]r, and the Angels descended and ascen­ded. That is; All the Creatures both in heaven and earth are like messengers that goe to and fro at his Commandement) who walkes with God as knowing this providence of his, that sets the Angels a-worke, all the hoasts, all the particulars of them in their kinde, to doe this busines and that busines? Who walkes with God, as seeing him sending a messenger to doe every thing that we see done in the world, sending a messenger to take away such a mans life, to giue another life and health, sending a messenger to remoue such a difficultie from one man, And againe stopping [Page 96] vp another mans passage. This you call accident, when you see a concurrence of two things toge­ther, the cause whereof you know not, but he knowes both, who walkes with the Lord, as seeing him do this or that, through the ends of the earth. Againe, he holds the windes in his fist; who sees him as such a God, that is able to hold the windes in his fist? Who lookes vpon him as such a God? The breath of a man, that is lesse then the winde, he holds it in his fist, as a man holds a thing in his hand, and that he keepes there at his pleasure. Who lookes vpon God, as thus great in power? And so againe, breathing the holy Ghost, who lookes vpon God, as one that dispenseth it, as it pleaseth him to giue it and withdraw it at his will? Who lookes vpon him, as one sending forth mo­tions, and iniecting them into the minde, stirring it this way, or that way, as the windes, and the stormes, and the Creatures? He hath them all in his hand, and holds them all in his fist: for by these workes of nature, we may learne to know the greatnesse of God, and to reflect vpon our selues, and see how farre we are short of him.

And so againe, who lookes vpon him as lap­ping vp the waters as in a garment? That is; When the Sea is outragious, yet he takes it as you would take a little water in your lap some­times, and he containes it, and gathers it vp, and sometimes he lets it loose againe. And so likewise, he is able, when the people are vnruly, even great Nations that sometimes are readie to over-spread his Church, and to run over it with [Page 97] proud waters, yet he is able to keepe them backe, he is able to restraine them, and to shut them vp with barres and doores, as he doth the waters. He that lappes the waters in a garment, is he not able to restraine men that are violent against vs in wrath? Who can stand before wrath, and envie, that is like a violent water, that overflowes all, and that carries all before it? Yet he that laps the wa­ters as a garment, he is able to restraine them wheresoever he findes them. And so againe, who walks with him, as knowing him that establisheth the ends of the earth. That is; (as the originall shewes more clearely) as one that hath founded the great and waightie earth vpon nothing? Sayth he, that God (when a mans spirit hath insta­bilitie, and inconstancy in it naturally,) he that e­stablisheth the earth vpon nothing, making a mightie building where there was no foundati­on, he can establish thy spirit too. Suppose there be nothing to support the Church, to suppo [...] a man when he is falling, or, that he hath no friend to prop him, nothing to vnderlay him, yet he (that hath set the earth vpon nothing, but vpon the thinne ayre, that, you know, is not able to support it, but he onely sayth to the earth stand there) is he not able to support a man in any case? See now the Lord in this greatnesse of his. But who walkes as seeing him thus in his greatnesse, and in his All-sufficiencie? For all these doe but expresse the All-sufficiencie of God. Beloved, if we did it, why are our hearts discouraged? Why doe wee hang downe our heads vpon every occasion, [Page 98] when troubles come? If we see the Lord in his All-sufficiencie, he is able to stay our hearts, if we trust in him alone. What though he suffer his Church to be over-runne with enemies for a time? What though he suffer men to prevayle against it, (as you see how the Adversaries prevayle against the Church of God by their strength) yet, if you did see him in his All-sufficiencie, your hearts would not fayle you a jot. You may either apply it to the Churches, or to your own particular cases. (And to giue you yet an instāce of these sensible things.) When the disease prevayled farre on Hezekiah; sayth the Lord, thou seest Hezekiah what I can do, I will make the shadow to goe backwards. Thinke with thy selfe; Though the disease be gone thus farre, yet I, that make the shadow to goe back­wards, am I not able to make thy disease to re­turne? And so we may say of any trouble, or af­fliction, of any temptation, or crosse that lyes on yo [...], that you thinke it so farre gone, that there is no recalling of it againe, yet he that made the shadow to goe backward, is he not able to reduce it? And so againe, when you see the Church in such a case as it is now in, we are readie to cast a­way all hope, and to say, What shall we doe? Beloved, consider that which was sayd to Gideon (as we are readie to say, when we say the Lord is All-sufficient, he hath enough, if he be with vs, we desire no more) we make the objection with Gideon thus; If the Lord be wish vs, why is it thus? Why is Israell oppressed? Sayth the Lord to Gide­on, thou shalt see what I am able to doe, when the [Page 99] Fleece is dry, all the ea [...]th shall be wet, and when the earth shall be dry, the Fleece shall be wet. That is; As if he had sayd; Though the Church now be over­flowne, yet I can dry it vp, and lay misery vpon them. As againe, that little Church, that little Fleece, when that was in peace, they were afflic­ted, as they were in peace when that was afflicted. Gen. 15. 10. 11 The like, you see, in Gen. 15. where there is ano­ther resemblance of the Church, when the Sacri­fices were cut in peeces, and he had divided the Rammes; sayth the Text, the Fowles come and would haue devoured them. There are two simili­tudes of the troubles of the Church, and Gods res­cuing them. When the Crowes came, Abraham droue them away. That was one. And the other was, when there was a very fearefull darkenesse, there came a Burning Fornace, and a Lampe. The mea­ning is this; The Church then was in Egypt, (for that he hath reference to) it was a dead Sheepe, exposed to Ravens, and you would thinke there was nothing there to helpe it, but it must needs be devoured. Why yet sayth the Lord, though it be thus neere, I will driue away the Ravens, and I will saue my Church. You know, what the strength of Pharaoh, and of Egypt was. Againe, sayth he, the Church was in fearefull darknesse, in the valley of the shadow of death. That is; They thought they should never be recovered, you know, what wayes Pharaoh tooke, and at how low an ebbe the Church was, when he would haue all the males destroyed. Who would haue said, that this Church should haue recovered? [Page 100] Yet, sayth he, as, after this fearefull darkenes, the Fornace came and gaue light, so, sayth he, I will scatter this darknes. Beloved, consider, if you be­leeue Gods All-sufficiencie, and consider, if thou dost thus know him in his greatnes, what though the motions be exceeding great and strong that come against the Church, yet in Esay 40. (it is to that purpose brought in) What are they to the Lord? they are but as the dust of the Ballance, or as the drop of a Bucket. The Bucket it selfe is no great thing, but the droppes that fall from the Bucket, when it ariseth out of the Well, they are excee­ding small; Sayth he, the Nations are no more to me, than the drop of a Bucket, or the dust of the Ballance, which doth not sway them either way; So, looke what I doe, the Nations are notable to sway me, be they never so strong, they are not a­ble to turne me, but according as I pitch things they shall stand.

Now my Beloved, consider whether you be a­ble to comfort your selues thus out of Gods All-sufficiencie. We doe, for the most part, as Hagar did, when the Bottle was spent, she falls a crying, shee was vndone, shee and her childe should dye, and there was no more hope, till the Lord opened her eyes to see a Fountaine neere her; the Foun­taine was neere her, but she saw it not; when she saw it, she was well enough. Is it not so with vs all? because the Bottle is dryed vp, because such a meanes is taken away, we thinke presently there is no more hope, when the Fountaine is neere, the Lord himselfe is the fountaine, and he is neere, [Page 101] if he did open your eyes to see. Consider whether you walke thus with God, as seeing him in his greatnesse. Beloved, if we did see him in his great­nesse, why should Torches and Candles haue so great a light before vs? That is; Why should we regard men so much? Put the case, many Nati­ons were against thee, thou wouldst looke vpon all those in comparison of God, as a drop of the Bucket, or as a little dust on the Ballance. Art thou able to doe so, to see and know him thus in his greatnesse? if thou be not, certainly, thou art excee­ding short of seeing God in his All-sufficiencie.

So much for this time.

THE FOVRTH SERMON.

ANother Vse, and deduction that we will draw from this poynt, Vse 4. that God is All-sufficient, is, to comfort vs in regard of our imperfect obedience. To comfort vs in our im­perfect obedi­ence. Wee ought not to thinke, because we are not exact in keeping all the Commande­ments of God because we haue much unevennesse in our wayes, because we are not able to keepe the Rule so strictly, as wee ought, that therefore God reiects vs: for he is All-sufficient in himselfe, he needs not our righteousnesse, and therefore he can well beare with the imperfections of our righteousnesse. You shall see this vse made of it, Act. 17. 24. 25. Act. 17. 24. 25 God that made all things, the world, and all that is therein, seeing he is Lord of heaven and [Page 103] earth, he dwels not in Temples made with hands, neither is he worshipped with mens hands, as if he needed any thing. (Marke) he giues to all life, and breath, and all things. Thus the Apostle makes his argument; if God, sayth he, made the world, and all things therein, if he giueth to all life, and breath, and all things; then, when you doe worship him, it is not because he hath any neede of your worship, or any need of your righ­teousnesse, or of all that you can doe, he hath e­nough, he doth it not as if he needed any thing: for he is All-sufficient. Psal. 50. 12. And so like wise in Psal. 50. sayth the Lord there, If I be hungry, I will not tell thee. That is; To shew how little neede he hath of Sacrifices, how little regard he had them, when they were brought in, and how little he was mo­ved when they fayled in it. For, sayth he, all are mine, the sheepe vpon a thousand mountaines are mine: If I be hungry, I will not tell thee. That is; I may satisfie my selfe, (I doe but apply it by way of allusion) if I would haue Sacrifice in abun­dance, might I not haue it? If I were hungry after them, who could keepe them from me? We may say the same of the obedience of his children: If he were hungry. That is; If he were desirous of perfect and absolute obedience, could he not haue it? Hath he not spirit enough? Hath he not grace enough to put into their hearts, that he might reape the full fruits of righteousnesse? And there­fore, I say, in regard of Gods All-sufficiencie, he needs it not; and if he need it not, he will be con­tent with a more imperfect measure of it, since he [Page 104] is no looser by it. This is to perswade our hearts more fully of that truth, which wee assent vnto with some difficultie: for we are something dis­couraged with the imperfections of our obedi­ence; whose faith is not weakned by it? who comes not more vnchearfully before God, because of it? Now, if that feare were taken away, we would draw neere more boldly. We see what Iob sayth in this case, Iob 35. 6. 7. Iob 35. 6. 7. If thou sinnest, what dost thou against him, yea, when thy sinnes are many, what dost thou to him? If thou be righteous, what gi­vest thou to him? or what receiues he at thy hands? Marke, you know, sinne and righteousnesse, are the two pathes that we walke in, those are all that trouble vs; the sinnes that we commit, and the defects of our righteousnesse. Sayth he, if thou sinne, what is that to him? It doth him no hurt. Againe, if thou fayle in thy righteousnesse, or in thy performances, it is all one that way: for it rea­cheth not to him: because he is blessed for ever, he hath all sufficiencie in himselfe: and therefore he pleaseth so to administer the world, and so to guide the hearts of his children, and to dispense to them but such a measure of grace, to leaue sin­full lusts in them in such a measure vnmortified; because himselfe is neither a gainer, nor a looser: therefore let not your faith be weakned at this his administration of things, let not carnall feares possesse your hearts, to keepe you off from com­ming with boldnesse to him, since he is All-suffi­cient, since he needs not your righteousnesse, he can be without it.

[Page 105]Moreover; Mans benefit, should encou­rage him to Gods service. This we may draw further from it; if God be thus All-sufficient, that what we doe comes not neere him, then all the Commande­ments that God giues to the sonnes of men, are for their good, and not for his profit. Marke that, that should breede in vs a great willingnesse to keepe his Cōmandements, and a great cheareful­nesse to performe them, when we vnderstand that it is for our owne good. When a servant knowes that all is for his owne good, that he doth, he will goe about all the businesse his Maister imployeth him in with more chearefulnesse, because he loues himselfe; this is a principle God hath put into na­ture.

Now, That Gods Commands are for mans good, declared by Instances. if God be All-sufficient, then he com­mands nothing for his owne benefit in any thing; no, not in that, in which he seemes most to doe it. The Sabbath, that he hath taken for himselfe, and hath called it his day, Some may aske, is not that 1 for his owne sake? In the Sab­bath. No: God sayth, the Sabbath is made for man. As if he should say; If it had beene made for mine owne sake, I would haue taken more then one day from you; But I haue given it for your sake, I made it for man: for man could not be without it, he could not be religious with­out it, his heart could not keepe neere to God with­out it, it would soone be estranged from him, it would be over-growne with weeds, if it were not looked to ever and anon, he would soone be de­fectiue in his knowledge, he would soone forget the purposes that he takes to himselfe: therefore the Sabbath is made for man. That is; O [...]e day [Page 106] wherein the Lord commands him to set aside all other busines, and to intend his service. And that which is said of the Sabbath, may be said of all o­ther Commandements: for he is All-sufficient.

2 He bids a man deny himselfe, In selfe-deni­als. and take vp his crosse. Is it for him? No, my Beloved, it is for our selues, and therefore when a man denies himselfe in his profit, in his credit, when he denies him­selfe in the satisfying of his lusts, all this is for his owne profit: as you haue it clearely set downe in Esay 48. 17. Isa. 48. 17. I am the Lord that teacheth thee to pro­fit; therefore hearken to my Commandements. As if he should say, It is for thy profit that I command thee, and not for my owne: therefore let that cause thee the more willingly to doe it. And so that is often repeated in Deut. the Commandements that I haue given thee for thy wealth, for thy good. Beloved, all the Commandements of Sathan are for our hurt, we doe him service, as bond-slaues serue their Maisters, not for their owne profit, but for their Maisters. But all the service we doe to God, is for our wealth; for he is All-sufficient.

Last of all. We giue no­thing to God in our obedi­ence. If God be All-sufficient, then, when you performe any thing, doe not thinke that you giue any thing to the Lord, and so looke for re­compence; (there is that secret Popery in every mans heart, that he thinkes when he hath done a­ny speciall service to be rewarded for it) Indeede, if thou wouldst do God a good turne, thou mights looke for somewhat againe at his hands, but it is done to him that is sufficient; and how can you doe him a good turne? how can you giue to him? [Page 107] Marke. It is the ground which the Apostle layeth Rom. 11. 34. Rom. 11. 34. Who hath given to him, and it shall be recompenced to him? He that is capable of no gift, there can be nothing done to him, to premerit a­ny thing; For he is All-sufficient, there can be no addition made to him, and, sayth he, dost thou looke for any recompence? What doest thou else but giue to him of his owne? Shall a man merit in giving to the Lord the fruits of his owne Vine­yard, the Apples of his owne Orchard? When as all the graces we haue, are but as streames spring­ing from that fountaine that he hath put into vs; therefore, when thou hast done thy best, say with­in thy selfe vnto thine owne heart; I am but an vn­profitable servant, I can looke for nothing for all this: for he is All-sufficient, and needs it not; I haue done him no good turne, I haue given him nothing, he is vncapable of my gift, and therefore I looke for no recompence, as by merit, from him.

Againe; Vse 5. If God be All-sufficient; let vs be ex­horted to make a Covenant with him; Gods All-suf­ficiēcie should perswade vs to enter into co­venant with him. for (as I told you before) these words doe but containe the Covenant betweene God and vs. Now, this is the Covenant, that God will make with you; if you will enter into Covenant with him, that he will be All-sufficient to you. Now, that which is expressed here generally, I finde in other places, divided in­to these three particulars, where in the All-suffici­encie of God consists, as if they were the three parts of this Covenant.

1 First, He is All-sufficient, to justifie, and to for­giue vs our sinnes.

[Page 108] 2 Secondly. He is All-sufficient, to sanctifie vs, and to heale our infirmities.

3 Thirdly. He is All-sufficient, to provide vs what­soever we neede; so that no good thing shall be wanting to vs.

These are the three parts of the Covenant, which we finde set downe in divers places; Ier. 31. 34. in Ier. 31. 34. Heb. 8. 9. 10. 16. Heb. 8. 9. 10. But most clearely are they set downe in Ezek. 36. Ezech. 36. Sayth the Lord there; I will powre cleane water vpon you, you shall be cleane, yea, from all your filthines, and from all your Idols will I clense you. There is one part of the Covenant, that he will clense vs from all our sinnes. That is; From the guilt, and the punishment of them. Secondly. A new heart will I giue you, also a new spirit will I put into you, and I will take away your stonie hearts out of your bodies, and I will giue you a heart of flesh. There is the second part of the Covenant, consis­ting of Sanctification. The third is; You shall dwell in the Land that I gaue to your Fathers, and I will call for Corne, and I will increase it, and I will lay no more famine vpon you, and I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that you beare no more the reproach of famine among the Heathen. Here are the particulars set downe; some are na­med for the rest; I will call for Corne and Wine, That is, For whatsoever you want. That is the third part of the Covenant. These are the three parts of the Covenant, which I shall spend this time in opening, and shewing you, that God is suf­ficient in all, and to answer those objections that mens hearts haue against his All-sufficiencie: for [Page 109] the heart is readie to object against these three, to haue sinnes forgiven, to be sanctified, and to haue abundance of all good things, belonging to this present life: in all these he is All-sufficient, to fulfill all the desires of mens hearts. Now, to be­gin with the first.

First, I say, He is All-sufficient, to take away all 1 our sinnes. Gods All-suf­ficiencie in forgiving our sinnes. My Beloved, it may be, when you heare this poynt, you will say, it is an easie thing to be­leeue it, there is no difficultie in this, the Lord is All-sufficient to forgiue sinnes. Surely, whatsoe­ver we say, or pretend, wee finde in experience it is exceeding hard. Who is able so fully to beleeue the forgiuenes of his sinnes, as he ought? Who is able to doe it when he is put to it? At the day of death, at the time of extremitie, at that time when the conscience stirres vp all his strength, and, op­poseth it selfe against him, when all his sinnes are presented vnto him in their colours, who is a­ble then to beleeue it? therefore we had neede to finde out the All-sufficiencie of God in this: for the greatnesse and exceeding largenesse of his power is shewed in it, in nothing more then in forgiving of sinnes. Hosea 11. 9. Hosea 11. 9. See there how the Lord ex­presseth it; Sayth he, I will not execute the fiercenes of my wrath, I will not returne to destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not man. Marke, my Beloved, when we haue committed sinne against God, we com­monly thinke thus with our selues, if my sinnes were but as other mens, if my sinnes wanted these and these circumstances, I would beleeue the for­giuenesse of them; but something, or other, a man [Page 108] [...] [Page 109] [...] [Page 110] hath still to object. Now, sayth the Lord, it is very true: If I were as man is, it could not be, but I should execute the fiercenesse of my wrath vpon Ephraim, who hath provoked me so exceedingly (for Ephraim was a part of Israell, and is put for all Israell; and the Prophet wrote this in the time of Ieroboam, the sonne of Ioash, when Israell aboun­ded in sinnes, and in Idolatry) but, sayth the Lord, though their sinnes be exceeding great, yet I am able to forgiue them: for I am God, and not man. As if he should say; Looke vpon weake man, and compare God and man together, and see how farre God exceeds man: see how much he is stronger then man, being infinite and almightie; so, sayth he, his mercy exceeds the mercy of man. As if he should say; If I were not God, it were impossible I should forgiue the sinnes of Ephraim, which they haue multiplied against me from time to time. So, Isa. 55. 7. likewise, in Esay. 55. 7. the Lord cals them in there, and vseth this as an argument: for, sayth he, I will forgiue, and multiplie my pardons; so the word signifieth in the originall; when a man makes this objection. But it is more then any man can beleeue, that my sinnes that I haue thus and thus repeated, that the Lord can so easily put them away, and multiply his pardons, as I haue multiplied my sinnes? Sayth he, my thoughts are not a [...] your thoughts, my wayes are not as your wayes, but as high as the heaven is aboue the earth, so are my thoughts aboue your thoughts, and my wayes aboue your wayes. That is; As a man lookes to heaven, and considers the great distance betweene the [Page 111] earth, and it, so farre, sayth he, doe my thoughts exceede your thoughts. That is; When you thinke with your selues, I cannot forgiue; because you measure me, and draw a scantling of me by your selues, when you haue gone to the vtmost of your thoughts, my thoughts exceede yours as much as heaven exceeds the earth. And therefore, sayth he, my wayes are not as your wayes. That is; When you would not forgiue, yet I am able to forgiue in so great a disproportion. We doe with this as we doe with all the Attributes of God, we are able to thinke him powerfull as a man, but to thinke him powerfull as God, there we come short. We are able to thinke him mercifull as a man, but to thinke him mercifull as God, there our thoughts are at an end; we can thinke and see no reason why he should pardon vs. Now, sayth the Lord, my thoughts goe beyond your thoughts as much as the distance is betweene heaven & earth. If you say to me, who doubts of this, that the Lord is able to forgiue? My Beloved, if we did not doubt of it; what is the reason, when great sinnes are committed, that you fall to questioning of Gods mercy, when you can more easily beleeue a smal­ler sinne to be forgiven? Therefore, certainly, men doubt of his power, whether he be able to for­giue: for, if the difference of sinne, doe cause in you vnbeliefe, it could not be that you should pitch vpon the power of God, and his readines to forgi [...]e. In doubting of forgiuenes, we question Gods power. Therefore it is certaine, that it is his pow­er that is called in question, and, therefore, the thing we haue to do, is, to make this good to you, [Page 112] that the Lord is able to forgiue. But you will say to me: It is true; If it were a matter of power, I make no question. Beloved, you shall finde it a matter of power: take a man; Is it not a matter of strength in him to forgiue, to passe by an infir­mitie? If it be strength in a man to be meeke, to forgiue, and to passe by iniuries, to be kinde to those that be vnkinde to him; Is it not also power in God to doe so? Besides, is it not a power to be rich? Riches giue a man a potencie, and the Lord is said to be rich in mercy. That is; As a man that is rich, though he giue much, yet he is not exhausted; So, when you haue made thus much vse of Gods mercy, yet still there is more behinde, still there is more and more mercy for you, there is a spring of mercy, there is no end of it. Besides, as there is a power in his wrath; Who knowes the power of his wrath? so likewise, there is a power in his mercy▪ as we see Rom. 9. 22. 23. Rom. 9. 22. 23 (it is a place worth the considering for this purpose) What if God, to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, will suffer with long patience, the vessels of wrath prepared for destructiō? (And the next verse is thus to be read, otherwise, you cannot make the sence perfect) and what if he would also, to shew the great­nesse of his power, declare the riches of his glory vpon the vessels of mercy, that he hath prepared to glory? (Marke) as God shewes the greatnes of his power in executing wrath vpon evill men; so he shewes the exceeding greatnesse of his power, and de­clares his glorious riches. That is; The riches of his mercy vpon the Saints. [Page 113] Now, as it is hard to finde out the depth of the one, so it is to finde out the depth of the other, to consider the height, the length, and bredth, and depth of his mercy. When a man considers his sinnes, and lookes vpon them in the height of them, in the bredth, and depth of them, when he sees a heape of sinne piled vp together, reaching vp to the heavens, and downe againe to the bot­tom of hell; now to beleeue, that the mercy of God is higher then these sinnes, and that the depth of his mercy is deeper then they, This is to compre­hend the length, and bredth, & depth of mercy in him. Ephes. 3. Ephes. 3. 10. This is exceeding hard and a great thing for vs to doe: but yet this the Lord is able to doe, his mercy is able to swallow them vp; and there­fore, you shall finde this expression in Iames 2. Iam. 2. 13. mer­cy reioyceth against Iudgement. As if he should say; There is a certaine contention betweene the sins that we commit, and the mercy of God; though our sinnes oppose his mercy, yet his mercy is greater, and, at length, it overcomes them, and reioyceth against them, as a man reioyceth a­gainst an adversary that he hath subdued. There­fore herein we must labour to see Gods All-suffici­encie, that although our sins be exceeding great, yet the largenes of his mercy is able to swallow them vp.

But, Ob. you will say to me, we could beleeue this, if we were qualified, but all the difficultie is to be­leeue it, when we want those qualifications: God requires softnesse of heart, godly sorrow, truth of repentance, &c.

[Page 114] Beloved, Ans▪ to this, I answer briefly, that wha [...]soe­ver thou seest, that discourageth thee, that thou seest in thine owne heart, when thou reflectest vp­on it, it is either sinne, or emptinesse. That is; A want of that righteousnes that should be in thee. If it be sinne, the greatnesse of his mercy is able to swallow it vp. Neither sinne nor emptines, should discou­rage vs from beleeving for­giuenesse. And if it be emptinesse, know this, that he is rich in mercy, and All-sufficient, able to bestow this riches, even vpon nothing: you know he did bestow all the glory of the creature on it when it was nothing. There was nothing, you know, when he made the world: when he made [...]he Angels, what was it he bestow [...]d his riches vpon? And is he not able to bestow it on thee, though there be an emptines in thine heart? Ther­fore, thinke with thy selfe, what is the exceeding [...] of his loue? It was a great loue that mo­ved him to give Christ to vs; but after we are in Christ, then you must consider this, [...]hat his loue hath increased to a full object, his loue is fully be­stowed on him, and is derived from Christ to vs.

[...] [Page 115] sinnes, yea, all the degrees of my sinnes, to over­come them, and [...]ubdue them, yet, if the fulnesse of his loue, that he loues Christ with, be derived on me, what neede I make question?

But you will say againe, Ob. What needs this per­swasion of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving? This is but to open a dore of liberty, to make men more loose?

Beloved, Answ. it is not so, it is the most profitable thing yo [...] can doe for your owne soules, to be­leeue his All-sufficiencie in forgiving sinnes, as well as his All-sufficiencie in any thing besides: therefore we see in Rom. 6. Rom. 6. 15. 16 concerning the aboun­ding of grace (for so the objection stands) where sinne hath abo [...]nded, there grace hath abounded much more. If mens sinnes be multiplied, grace and mer­cy shall be multiplied much more, and still out­goe, and swallow them vp. Shall we therefore sinne that grace may abound, or because grace hath a­bounded? No, sayth the Apostle, for the abun­dance of grace kils sinne (for so the consequence stands) how shall we that are dead to sinne, li [...]e any longer therein? Grace kils sinne, and not increa [...]eth it. So that his answer stands thus; Sayth he, the abundance of grace doth not cause men to sinne more: for it kils sinne. And there­fore, the more we beleeue this All-sufficiencie in God to forgiue sinne, the more sinne is killed in vs; it is not enlarged by it, life is not given to sinne by it, but we are made more dead to sinne by it.

You will say, Ob. how can that be?

Because the beleeving of Gods All-sufficiencie in forgiving our sinnes, [...]. increaseth our loue, and our [Page 116] Ioy. Beliefe of Gods All-sufficie [...]cie to [...], increaseth loue. It increaseth our loue; for, when there is no scruple in our hearts of Gods loue towards vs, it makes our loue more perfect towards him. It in­creaseth our joy also; because, when we haue a full assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes, that fils the heart with joy and peace in the holy Ghost. Now spirituall loue eates out of the heart all car­nall delights, all sinfull lusts, and all inordinate loue vnto the creature, And so likewise, spirituall joy takes away the vigor of all carnall joy, and sinfull delight: So, the more you see this All-sufficiencie of God towards you in loue, the more you are able to beleeue it, and the more it kils sinne in you, the more it sanctifies you, and the more it drawes you to God. Therefore this is to be considered, to helpe vs against this objection, that there is a dou­ble feare; A double feare. the one is that which keepes vs from comming to God: The other is a feare that keepes vs from going out from God. Wee are very apt to exceede in the first feare, And to come short in the second. 1. Keep [...] from comming in to God. Now, the feare that keepes vs from comming in to God, is a feare that he is a feare that he is not readie to forgiue, that he is not All-sufficient, that he hath not power enough of mercy to forgiue our sinnes, and to heale our infirmities; this makes a man tumorous and fearefull; as a man is fearefull to come neere a Iudge, to come neere one that is terrible: Now the more this feare is taken away, the neerer we come, the neerer we draw in assu­rance of faith to him.

On the other side; 2. Fr [...] going out from him. there is a feare that keepes vs off from going out from G [...]d, and that is, the more [Page 117] we beleeue this All-sufficiencie, the more we be­leeue that happinesse is in him; the more we be­leeue the riches of his mercy, and the abundance of his goodnesse, the more we feare to steppe out from him, to haue our hearts estranged from him, to haue our hearts sit loose. Now, the more we can beleeue this All-sufficiencie, the more it takes away the first feare, and increaseth the second, it takes away the feare that keepes vs from com­ming in to God, and it increaseth the feare that keepes vs from going out from God. So much shall serue for this first, the All-sufficiencie of God, in forgiuing sinne.

The second part of the Covenant, is his All-suf­ficiency 2 in healing our sinnes, Gods All-suf­ficiencie in sanctifying vs. or in sanctisying vs; as you haue it in Psal. 103. Psal. 103. 3. That forgiues all our sinnes, and heales all our infirmities. This belon­geth also to his All-sufficiencie. This, my Beloved, is a necessary poynt to beleeue; It serues likewise, to bring vs in to the Lord: for a man is readie to make this objection, when he lookes vpon Gods wayes, the wayes of righteousnesse, and then vp­on the strength of his lusts, he is ready to say with himselfe: how shall I be able to leade a holy life, as I ought to doe? This is the answer to it; God is All-sufficient. He that is able to bid the light shine out of darknesse, sayth the Apostle, he is able to kindle a light in thy darke heart, where there is not a jot of goodnesse; though thy heart be never so averse, he is able to change that heart of thine, and therefore say not, I shall never be able to doe it: for he is able to take away all that reluctancy.

[Page 118]For hence comes the difficultie: Ob. how shall the strength of my lusts, this crooked and perverse heart of mine, and the straight wayes of God stand together?

It is very true. Answ. Is thy heart continue in that tem­per, it is impossible; God changeth the nature of things. but the Lord, that is All-suf­ficient, is able to take away that reluctancie: for he doth in the worke of grace, as he doth in the worke of nature: he doth not as we doe, when we would haue an Arrow goe to the marke, when we throw a stone vpward, we are not able to change the nature of it, but we put it on by force: God carries all things to their end, by giving them a nature suitable to that end. An Archer makes an impression vpon an Arrow, but it is a violent im­pression; God carries every thing to that end, to which he hath appoynted it; but with this diffe­rence, he makes not a violent impression, but a naturall impression, & therefore he doth it not by an onely immediate hand of his owne, as we doe, but he causeth the Creature to goe on of it selfe, to this or to that purpose, to this or that end. And so he doth in the worke of grace; he doth not car­ry a man on to the wayes of righteousnesse, lea­ving him in the state of nature, taking him as he is, but he takes away that heart of his, and im­prints the habits of grace in it, and he changeth a mans heart, so that he is carried willingly to the wayes of God, as the creature is carried by a na­turall instinct to its owne place, or to the thing it desires. So that thou mayst thinke thus with thy selfe: It is true; if I haue my old heart, my old lusts [Page 119] still, there must needs be such a reluctancy, as I shall not be able to overcome; but, if the Lord change this heart of mine, and take away these lusts, if the Lord put another impr [...]ssion v [...]on on me, that is naturall to me, which is like that instinct he putteth into the creature, then it is easie for me to doe it. And this the Lord out of his All-suffi­ciencie is able to doe.

But you will be readie to object, Ob. if the Lord be thus All-sufficient, Why there are many imper­fections in vs, though God be All-suffici­ent to sanctifie vs. if he be able thus to kindle light in the darke heart, to change a mans crooked and perverse spirit, to implant and ingraft such natu­rall habits, and instincts into it, to carry it on with such facilitie and connaturalnesse to the wayes of his Commandements, why am I thus? why am I no more able to overcome my sinnes? why doe I fall backe so often to the same sinne? why doe I come short of the performance of such purposes and desires? why doe I finde so many things in my life contrary to the Rules of Sanctification, and so contrary to this All-sufficient power of God?

To this I answer. Answ. First; It may be it is from hence, that thou observest not those Rules by 1 which God communicates this All-sufficiency, We obserue not Gods Rules. and this power of his. What though the Lord be wil­ling to communicate it, yet there are some Rules to be observed, which himselfe hath given. That is; Thou must diligently attend vpon his ordinan­ces, thou must observe and keepe them, thou must be carefull to abstaine from the occasions he bids thee abstaine from: if thou sayle in either of these, [Page 120] he hath made thee no promise to helpe thee with his All-sufficiencie. Sampson, as long as the Lord was with him, you know, had great strength, you know, the Lord tels him so long as he nourished his hayre, so long he would be with him, which was but a symboll of Gods presence, but it was such a thing, as he would haue him to keepe exactly, and, if he did not keepe that, he would withdraw his presence, and would not be with him. So like­wise, the Nazarites were commanded to abstaine from drinking wine, if they dranke wine, the Lord would withdraw himselfe. And so it is in this case: the Lord hath appointed vs to keepe his or­dinances, and so long he will be with vs, as he was with Sampson, to be All-sufficient to vs, to giue vs strength to inable vs to doe the duties he com­mands vs, and to abstaine from the evils he would not haue vs to doe. But we must keepe his ordi­nances, and goe by his Rules, and if we fayle in ei­ther of them, that we neglect the meanes, or ad­venture vpon the occasions, now the Lord is dis­charged of his promise, as we may so say, the Lord now withdraws his power from vs, as he did from Sampson. If you will needs marry with such a people, sayth the Lord, they shall turne away your hearts: for now I will not keepe you. If you will needs touch that tree, if you will needs goe into such a company, if you will needs gaze vpon such ob­jects: or, if againe, you will neglect prayer, and hearing, and sanctifying the Sabbath, if you will neglect to obserue the Rules that he hath appoin­ted, in all these cases, the Lord withdrawes his [Page 121] All-sufficiencie. And therefore lay the fault where it is; That is; Vpon your selues. Doe not say with thy selfe, it is because the Lord is not All-suffici­ent, but rather thinke, that he hath power to goe through the worke he hath appointed me to doe, but it is because I haue not kept those Rules, I haue neglected the meanes, I haue ventured vpon such occasions.

Secondly. Answ. Consider with thy selfe, that the Lord doth this to humble thee. It may be, he is as wil­ling 2 to be bestow a greater measure of grace, To humble vs. but he dispenseth a lesser measure; it is that the heart may be kept humble: for humilitie is the nurse of graces, take away that and grace withers in the heart. And therefore when he is willing to be­stow a mercy, or a grace on vs, he doth as he did with Iacob, he leaves a lamenesse together with it, he will not so bestow it on vs, that he will make vs perfect, but he leaues some defects, some wants, that by that, humilitie may be preserved, and that may cause vs to cleaue to him, and depend vpon him, that he may keepe vs from an All-sufficiencie in our selues, and teach vs to waite on him: for without that he doth not communicate, and dis­pense vnto vs that sufficiencie that is in him­selfe.

Moreover; Answ. Consider with thy selfe, that the Lord many times suffereth vs to see changes in 3 our liues & conversations, That we may know God and our selues better. that by them we may learne to know him better, and our selues also; if we were able to doe it by our selues, the Lord would spare vs, but who is able to doe it? It is [Page 122] said in the Psalmes, that therefore the wicked feare not God, because they haue no changes, and truely, e­ven the godly men, if they had no changes, they would feare him lesse, so that every change in a mans state, and the falling into sinne, and the ri­sing againe, leades a man to some new knowledge of God, and of himselfe also, to a new experimen­tall knowledge, and that knowledge leades him to a new degree of feare: so that still by their sinnes they get advantage, that they shall finde in their spirituall estate: for, even as we see the Sun when it breakes out of a thicke Cloud of darknesse, it shines the brighter, so grace when it breakes out of a thicke cloud of sinnes, or of temptations, it shines the brighter, we are still gainers by those changes. I say, we learne to know God, and our selues also the better, and for these causes he leaues vs to those changes, that we may be gai­ners by them, and so we are. Therefore, say not with thy selfe, because I finde some defects, and some unevennesse in my sanctification, therefore the Lord is not sufficient: for it is for thy advan­tage, it is not for want of sufficiencie in the Lord, nor of willingnesse in him to communicate it to thee, but it is for thy advātage, that thou shouldst finde these changes, and this vnevennesse in thy wayes. Therefore, my Beloved, build vpon this that he is All-sufficient. It may be, when thou go­est about a worke thy selfe, thou findest it a diffi­cult thing to overcome such a lust, but that which is impossible with men, is easie with God. Those that rowed all night, and did no good, a word [Page 123] from his mouth brought them to shore presently. The spirit that is in vs lusteth after envie, Iames 4. 5. 6. Iames 4. but the Scriptures offer more grace. That is; Grace is able to heale these naturall hereditary diseases, there is an All-sufficiencie in him, he is able to doe it; He that can still the Sea, and command the windes, that at his word they are quiet, can he not still strong lusts? He is able to restraine them: therefore labour to see his All-sufficiencie in this, as well as in all things else. Thinke with thy selfe, he hath a soveraignty over all thy affections, over all thy lusts: for what is it that troubles vs, and in­terrupts vs in our way, but some temptations of the flesh, or the world? Is not the Lord the Master of them? As Paul sayth, 2 Cor. 12. though Sathan were the chiefe Buffetter, Lusts are at Gods com­mand. and the lusts of the flesh the messengers, yet the Lord sent that messenger, (marke it) therefore he goes not to Sathan, he wrangles not with the messenger, but he imme­diately sought the LORD, he beseeches him to recall it. So thinke with thy selfe, when thou art set on with a strong lust, with a temptati­on that seemes too hard for thee, say with thy selfe, this is a messenger from God, and I must goe to God, and beseech him to take it off, and rebuke it: for he is able to doe it, he is All-sufficient, they are all at his command, as the mastiue is at the Maisters command, he is able to rate him, but a stranger is not able to doe it, and when he hath done that which his master would haue him, he cals him in; Simile. so the Shepheard sets his dogge vpon his Sheepe to bring them in, but when they [Page 124] are brought in, he rates his dogge: And so doth the Lord with lusts, and sinne, and temptations, he sets them on his owne Sheepe, his owne Chil­dren, but for this end, to bring them in▪ it is not in their owne power to rate these temptations, and lusts, nor in the power of a stranger, but onely in the Lords, who is Maister of them, whose messengers they are, he is able to rebuke and re­call them, they are at his command, as it is sayd of the diseases of the bodie, they are like the Cen­turions servants, if he bid one goe he goeth, if he bid another come, he commeth: so it is true of the disea­ses of the soule; if he say to such a messenger as Paul had, to such a lust, to such a temptation, goe, and seaze vpon such a man, goe, and vexe him for a time, it shall goe; if againe, he call it backe, and restraine it, shall it not be restrained? Labour thus to see Gods All-sufficiencie.

My Beloved, We stand in Gods strength, as we may see if you looke vpon other men, or your selues, you shall see experience enough of 1 this. Looke vpon David, or Paul, vpon Salomon, Lot, In others. and Noah, and all the Saints, so long as God was with them, how strong were they? Their strength was like the strēgth of Sampson: but when the Lord withdrew himselfe, we see what base lusts they fell into; what lusts was David given vp vn­to? Also Salomon, and Peter, and Lot. All this the Lord hath done, even for this purpose, that they might learne to know that All-sufficiencie is in him, and not in them. Therefore, when thou loo­kest on any Saint of God that excels in grace, and goes beyond thee, thinke thus with thy selfe; it is [Page 125] not because this man is stronger then I, but be­cause the Lord hath done more for him, he hath bestowed more grace vpon him: he that hath done this to him, is he not able to doe it to thee? He that is so strong, if the Lord withdraw his hand, thou feest what he is. And therefore comfort thy selfe with this, that he is able to strengthen thee. Thinke againe with thy selfe, how thou hast found 2 him at other times. In our selues. My Beloved, there is great strength in this, even when thou art at the worst, to keepe life in the roote of grace; in the Winter time it is a mightie power of God, if we looke on the workes of nature, to keepe life in the Plants, when they seeme to be dead, that the hardnesse, and coldnesse of Winter take not away the life of them: So it is no lesse All-sufficiencie, and almigh­tie power of God, to keepe the life of grace in our greatest fals, and temptations, to keepe life in Da­vid, and Salomon, that it should spring againe when the spring time was come. Againe, who is it that restrained thy lusts before? who is it that hath given thee any abilitie to thinke those good thoughts, to doe those good things? thou hadst not power in thy selfe, all was from the Lord. Therefore, if he haue an All-sufficiencie in him, as he is All-sufficient to forgiue sinnes; so likewise, he is All-sufficient to sanctifie thee. Be not discou­raged then: Let not a man thinke with himselfe, oh, I shall never overcome it, I shall never be able to be so exact in the wayes of rightcousnesse, as I ought to be; Remember God is All-sufficient. Our endevour must be to make our harts perfect, [Page 126] to resolue to serue him with a perfect heart. But for the power, and performance of it, this belongs to God. Therefore, Beloved, hence comes all the difficultie, that our hearts are not so perfect: for when a man is readie to object, I, but I finde no experience of this almightie power? See that the cause be not in thy selfe; he hath made promise vnto those, whose hearts are perfect with him; it may be, thy heart is imperfect, it may be, there hath beene hypocrisie in thy heart, thou hast ne­ver beene willing to part with all, to serue him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde all thy dayes. But, when once thy heart is brought to sinceritie, doubt not that he will performe that thou lookest for on his part▪ for it belongs to his part to giue thee power, and strength to doe that which thou desirest to doe. So much likewise, for the secoud part of the Covenant.

3 The third part of the Covenant, is to provide all good things for vs, Gods All-suf­ficiencie in providing outward good things belonging to this present life: herein the Lo [...]d is All-sufficient to all those that are in Covenant with him. I neede not say much to make this good vnto you. All [...]hings are his, whatsoever a man needs; Riches are his, they are his Creatures in Pro. 23. they come, and goe at his command; Honour is his. I will honour those that honour me, he takes it to himselfe to bestow it as he pleaseth; Health and life is his; the issues of life and death belong to him; Friendship is his: for he puts our acquaintance farre from vs, and drawes them neere to vs. Goe through all the varietie of things that your hearts can desire, and they are all [Page 127] his, he is governour, and the disposer of them as he pleaseth▪ and therefore, certainly, he is All-sufficient, he is able to provide all things for thee that thy heart can desire, so that no good thing shall be wanting to thee. I will not stand to in­large this, but rather answer the objections: for here we are readie to object;

If the Lord be All-sufficient, Ob. why is it thus then with me? why doe I want so many things which I haue need of, and desire to haue? If God be All-sufficient; why are there so many defects in my e­state, in my health, this way and that way?

To this, Answ. I answer. Thou must consider with thy selfe, if those desires of thine be not unnaturall de­sires, whether they be not sinfull desires; the Lord hath promised to be All-sufficient to the naturall desires, to the right desires of the soule, but not to those that are unnaturall, A double de­sire in the soule. and inordinate. There is a double desire in the heart of man, as there is a double thirst: there is a naturall thirst, you know, 1 which is easily satisfied with a little; Naturall. there is an unnaturall thirst, as the thirst of a dropsie man, 2 who desires exceeding much, Vnnaturall. and the more you giue him, still the more he desires, and is never satisfied. So, it is with the soule; there is a natu­rall healthful desire, which desires so much credit, and so much wealth, as is needfull; there is, be­sides this, an vnnaturall desire of the soule, when a man doth long after abundance▪ now, Beloved, doe not looke that the Lord should satisfie this, nay, the best way, in this case, is not to satisfie, but to take from our desires▪ as we say of the [Page 128] Boulemeia, that disease wherein a man eates much, that is called Caninus appetitus, and likewise, in the dropsie, the one excessiuely eates, and the other excessiuely drinkes; and the Rule of Physitians is, Opus habent purgatione non impletione, such a man hath neede of purging and emptying, and not of filling; so I may say of all these, such men haue neede of purging and emptying, which is to be desired in this case: that wherein God shewes his All-sufficiencie now, is not in supplying thy de­fects, in adding that which thou desirest, but in purging the heart, and taking away those desires; that is the way to heale thee: Therefore consider seriovsly what that is that thou desirest, if it be an inordinate desire, if it be a worke of fancie, know, that thou canst not looke for this All-sufficiencie of God to satisfie this, but to heale it. You shall see Ecclesiast. 5. 10. Eccles. 5. 10. He that loueth silver shall not be sa­tisfied with silver, and he that loveth riches, shall be without the fruit thereof. You see what the Lord hath set downe concerning this case: now a man may seeke for a competency, but when he comes once to riches, that he seekes for them, the Lord sayth, such a man shall not be satisfied, or, if he be, it shall be in wrath: for it is in wrath given to such a man. It is the destruction of a dropsie man, to haue much drinke given him, or to giue a man much meate that is sicke of the disease, we spake of before. And therefore, sayth he, he shall not be satisfied, or, if he be, it shall be in Iudgement: Such are these desires, and therefore examine thy selfe, whether thy desires be not such as proceede [Page 129] from fancy, such as proceede not from the health, but the weaknesse of the soule. Therefore it is said in 1 Tim. 6. 1 Tim. 6 6. that godlinesse is great gaine with con­tentment. How doth godlines giue contentment? Beloved, after that manner that Physicke giues sa­tisfaction. A dropsie man after he is brought in­to health, Simile. you know, he is contented with lesse drinke, for now he is in health, God brings the soule to a good temper, he takes away the distem­per, the lustfull humors, that were there before, and brings him into a right temper, it giues him now the content that before he wanted.

Againe. Ob. Another objection is; If God be All-sufficient for these outward things, why am I thus crossed? why doe I suffer these afflictions? why are they not removed from me?

To this I answer briefly. Answ. Thou mayst be decei­ved in them, That is not alway good for vs, that we desire. that which thou makest account is so great an evill to thee, it may be for thy great good, as we see Ier. 42. Ier. 42. that whole Chapter, the Captaine there, and the rest of the people, they reckoned it an exceeding great misery, a very great affliction to continue in Ierusalem, they had a great desire to goe downe into Egypt, but the Lord tels them, they were very much deceived: for this misery shall be for your good, sayth he, but, if you will needs goe downe into Egypt, when you thinke to haue abundance of all things there, you shall meete with the Sword, and with Fa­mine, and with the Pestilence, and with vtter de­struction. So, I say, in this case, we are often times deceived, we thinke that to be good for vs which [Page 130] is not. Certainly, the Lord is All-sufficient, he will with-hold no good thing, but it is not alwayes good to haue such an afflictiō removed, perhaps, it were better for thee to beare it, it were better for thee to lye vnder it, then that it should be re­moved: we doe, in this case, many times with the Lord, as the children of the Prophets dealt with Elisha; they would needs goe to seeke the body of Eliah, Elisha forbad them, but still they were im­portunate, sayth he, if you will needs goe, goe, but they lost their labour, they had better to haue taken his counsell at the first: And so in this case, many times when the Lord would haue vs to doe such a thing, and to be content with the want of such a comfort, to be content to suffer such a de­fect in our estate, in our bodies, in our businesse, we are still importunate with him, sometimes he hearkens to vs, he suffers the thing to be done, but we were as good to want it. I would aske thee in this case, wouldst thou haue it without thy Fa­thers good will? If thou haue it, it will doe thee no good: The best way in this is to consider with thy selfe, that he is All-sufficient; though this affl [...]cti­on seeme to be exceeding bitter, yet it is a cup of thy Fathers providing, it is that which the Lord, that loues thee, hath ordained, it is that which the Lord, that wants nothing, who is able enough to take it from thee, and to supply it, it is that which he hath seene meete to dispence to thee: there­fore it is not for want of sufficiencie in him, but it is better for thee to suffer the want of this com­fort, or to lye vnder this crosse or affliction.

[Page 131]But lastly, Ob. some will say, if the Lord be All-suffi­cient, and I must be subiect to his will, why is it not his will to put me into a higher condition? why hath he given me but such a measure of gifts, but such a meane place, but such a quantitie of health, of wealth, of vnderstanding? a mans heart will goe further, if there be such riches in God, such an All-sufficiency in him, why is it not better with me? why am I not in a higher condition?

To this, Ans. I answer. First; That he that entereth into Covenant with God, he should be content 1 with the lowest place in all the family, A Christian should be content with a mean [...] place in Gods house. and be glad that he is within the dore, as we see the Pr [...]digall did, and so the Apostle Paul, I am the least of all the Saints, and he was contented to be the least. A man that hath beene truely humbled and brought home to God, that hath tasted and seene how gracious the Lord is, that hath had experi­ence of his owne sinne, and of Gods goodnesse, he will be content with the least measure, if he be put into the lowest place, if he be made the least of all Saints, he will not exalt himselfe aboue that measure, and that place that the Lord hath allot­ted him.

But besides this; Those that are meane in some things, may excell in others. Consider, secondly, further 2 with thy selfe, that, if thou haue a lower place, or condition in this, or that thing, yet, it may be, thou hast a higher condition in somewhat else, and know this, that God giues no man all things, but hath mingled his comforts, he hath dispensed them diversly, 1 Sam▪ 1. 2. as we see in 1 Sam. 1. in that case betweene Hannah, and Peninnah, Hannah had the [Page 132] loue of her husband, but the Lord had made her barren: On the other side; Peninnah had children, but she wanted the loue of her husband: it is pur­posely noted there, that you may see how the Lord dispenseth his comforts: And so it was with Leah and Rachell, the one, you know, had children, and wanted her husbands loue, the other had a greater abundance of loue, but shee was barren. As it was with these, so generally the Lord dispen­seth good and evill together. There is no man that hath all things. You see Moses, he wanted e­loquence, that Aaron had, as Moses againe had the wisedome, that Aaron wanted: so Paul, and Barnabas, they had different excellencies, the one had that the other wanted, and so it is generally. Therefore thinke with thy selfe, there is no man that hath all, and why should I desire it? there must be a mingling of some defects.

3 Againe. Thirdly; Consider with thy selfe, that the varieties of the sufficiencies that God giues to men, God can satis­fie the desires in a low con­dition. that he placeth some in a higher degree and some in a lower, to some he giues greater gifts, to some lesser, some he makes rich, and some poor, some honourable, and some base; this va­rietie in all the workes of God takes not away from the perfection of each one: every man in his place may haue a perfection, he may haue it within his spheare, so that there shall be no want at all: for the Lord, out of his almightie power, is able to doe it, that the desire may be satisfied as much, they may be filled in a lower condition as well as in a greater, thou shalt feele no more want, but [Page 133] haue as great a degree of happinesse as the other, you know, there are sundry expressiōs in that case. A little Bottle is as well filled as a greater. What can a man desire more but to be satisfied? And therein God is All-sufficient, there is in him an All-sufficiencie to fill every Creature in his owne spheare, and compasse, when he hath made ves­sels of glory, they are not all of one sort, but of di­vers sorts, some of one, some of another sort, but they are all vessels of glory, they haue all experi­ence of his riches, and of his mercies, so that none haue cause to complaine.

Last of all; Consider in that meannesse of place, 4 gifts, A Christians faithfulnesse is accepted in a meane con­dition. or condition, that thou art in; consider, thou mayst be as faithfull in a little, as another may be in much: Consider, that he that hath much, yet there is nothing his, but the sinceritie wherewith a man hath vsed that which he hath, werewith he performes all that he doth: he that hath the gifts that Eliah and Paul had, that excellency of gifts, it is not his, but the Churches, all that is his is but his faithfulnes in dispensing those gifts, they are not his owne, but they are bestowed vpon him; and he that hath the lesser measure of gifts, he that hath the lower part given him to act, while he is on the stage of this world, is accepted according to his faithfulnes, every man shall be rewarded according to his faithfulnes, every man shall be rewarded according to his faithfulnes and sinceritie: there­fore content thy selfe with a lower condition, say not that God is not All-sufficient, because thou hast not a higher degree [...] thou seest here is an All-sufficiencie in God, to p [...]eserue thee in all com­fort, [Page 134] and to defend thee from all evill. It may stand with a great difference of condition, though thou be not so high as another, though thou haue not so much grace, though thou haue not so high a Calling as another, yet even to thee also God is All-sufficient. So we haue run through all these three parts of the Covenant; He is All-suffici­ent in forgiving; He is All-sufficient in sanctifying vs; And he is All-suf­ficient, in providing for vs whatsoever we want.

So much for this time.

THE FIFTH SERMON.

YOu know, where we left; We pro­ceed to that which remaines, that wee may finish the poynt at this time. There remaine but these two Deductions from this, Two De­ductions. that God is All-sufficient.

First; This should leade vs to a further know­ledge 1 of the insufficiencie of the Creature. The insuffici­encie of the Creature proved. (That we will first doe, and after it we will adde but a try­all to all that we haue said, to see whether we be indeede perswaded of that All-sufficiencie, that is in God, and of that vanitie, and emptines that is in the Creature; And this will be our busines at this time.) If God be All-sufficient, and that exclusiue­ly, as I shewed before, then there is an emptines, [Page 136] a vanitie, and an indigence in the Creature, there is nothing in it: and to make this good to you, consider;

1 First; That the Creature is made by some thing else without it. It is made by another. It is certaine, no creature is able to make it selfe: for that which makes another, must be before another; if a creature could make it selfe, it must be before it selfe, and therefore all things are made by God; by this All-sufficient God. Now then, if that which makes the creature be something without it selfe, then the end of the creature, must be some thing also without it selfe: for it is the maker that is the efficient cause of all things, and in all things that propounds an end to it selfe, and the end of every [...]hing, you know, is the perfection of the thing; so that here we ga­ther, that all the perfection of the creature is without it selfe, for if the end be the perfection, and the end to which every creature is carried, is without it selfe, it must needs be, that, it hath no perfection, nor excellency within it selfe: hence it is, that every creature is bound to doe something for another, the inanimate, and vnreasonable crea­ture for man, and man for God: because all are made for a further end. The Almightie God him­selfe, the All-sufficient God, that hath no efficient cause, and, by consequent, no end without him­selfe, he may doe all for himselfe, and for his owne sake, and his owne glory; if he will dispense with the creature, and doe good or ill to the creature, and make himselfe the end of all that he doth. I say, he may well doe it: for he hath no higher end; [Page 137] But if any creature shall say, I will seeke no further end, but to haue an happines and perfection with­in mine owne compasse, it is all one, as if the herbe should say, I will not be beholding to the Sunne, but I will liue of my selfe, or I will not be beholding to the rayne, &c. this creature must needs perish, because his end and perfection is without himselfe altogether; It is as if the hand should say, I will seeke a perfection in my owne spheare, as I am such a part, as I am such a mem­ber, without looking to the soule, that giues life, or without looking to the rest of the body it sub­sists in, this is the way to destroy it: So it is with every creature; if it seeke a perfection within it selfe, it is the undoing of it selfe. On the other side; when it denies it selfe, when it emptieth it selfe, when it lookes for nothing within its owne com­passe, but goes out of it selfe, and out of every creature besides, to that Ocean of happines, from whence it must receiue all the perfection it hath, I say, therein consists the beatitude, and blessed­nesse of the Creature.

2 Secondly. As that is one argument, to shew the emptines of the creature, It is in conti­nuall motion. that the happines of it is without it selfe altogether, and therefore it must needs be emptie, so this is another Reason, which you shall finde in Eccles. 2. Eccles. 2. Every creature, naming divers of them, the Sunne and the waters, and the winde, the severall generations of the crea­tures, whereof one goeth, and another succeedeth; thus the Wiseman concludes, sayth he, all things are full of labor, man cannot vtter it. And he prou [...]s [Page 138] it by this, The Sunne riseth, and sets, and is never at quiet, the Clouds goe about by their circuits, and never remaine still in their places, the water is still ranning to and fro, some Rivers are running to the Sea, some running out of it, so that all things are full of labour. Now what is the end of all motion, and of all labour? Beloved, when any man, or any thing moues it selfe from one place to another, it is out of a desire, out of an appetite to be there rather then in the place where it is, there is no appetite or desire but of something that is wanting: for, if it had the thing, it would haue no desire to it, and therefore it is carried to something without it selfe: So that the motion of the creature is a signe of the imperfection of it. Besides, whatsoever moues, it moveth to get that which it hath not, yet it is in possibilitie to haue it, and it hath it not: for, if it had it, the creature would rest there, it would remaine in that terme, it would stand still vpon the Center; but, because it wants somthing it hath not, therefore it moues it selfe, and there­fore it labours. Now when you see this is the con­dition of every Creature vnder the Sunne, we see all things are full of labour, and sorrow, and man that is the Lord of them (you know what is sayd to him, that in labour he should eate his bread, and all his life should be full of labour) it is an argument of the imperfection, and of the vanitie & indigence of the creature, and that what it hath it must haue elsewhere.

3 Last of all; you shall know it by this, that what­soever the creature hath, It hath all by participation. it hath it but by partici­pation, [Page 139] it hath nothing of it selfe; as in things that are made hot, some things are more hot, & some things lesse hot, it is an argument they haue not hotnes in themselues, but there is something else that is perfectly hot: for that which hath but a part, it presupposeth that there is something else that is the whole, of which that is but the part: If you looke vpon all the goodnesse, excellency, and beautie in the Creatures, you see some crea­tures haue it more, and some lesse, which is an ar­gument that there is something else without the creature that hath a Sea of perfection, that is full of goodnesse, full of excellency, as the Sunne is full of light, and as the Sea is full of water, and this is not within, but without the Creature. Now the Creature being thus imperfect in it selfe, it hath somthing communicated to it from day to day: for if there be a continuall neede, there is a daily supply that it must haue, and it that fayle, or be not so good as it needs, the Creature languisheth. This is so in every kinde: if it be in matter of life, if meate, or drinke, or Physicke, or ayre be wanting, the creature dayes for it: for it hath not in it selfe, it is communicated from ano­ther. And so likewise, if it be contentment, if it be refreshing, if it be joy, without which no creature is able to liue; if that be wanting, if God withhold his hand, that there is not an influence into it, the Creature languisheth according to the proporti­on of that defect; if it be in matters that belong to eternall life; if the Lord withhold his hand, if he shut vp his hand, they perish eternally. And so [Page 140] we may say of all things else. So that this is the condition of every creature, it is exceeding emp­tie; Man himselfe is emptie, and so all other crea­tures besides are, there is no happines to be found in them, there is no satisfaction, there is no con­tentment to the soule of a man. If I should goe through the particulars, you should finde it so. If you aske, where this happinesse is to be found? whether in riches, or in matter of estate? Surely, it is not there: Riches of two sorts. for riches are but of two sorts, ei­ther they are naturall riches, such as meat, drinke, and clothes; or else they are artificiall riches, things that consist in exchange, that are invented by art, to be the measure of them for commutati­on; it cannot consist in the naturall; for what serue they to but to maintain the body? and what doth the body serue for but for the soule? and if this were all, what should become of the princi­pall part of man, that which is indeede the man himselfe? Besides, it cannot consist in credit, in estimation, in honour, surely, it cannot consist in that: for that is in the power of another, and is not in a mans owne power, and the happinesse and blessednesse of any thing, the contentment which consists in the power of another, and that in the power of the Creature, it cannot make a man happie, it can giue little contentment to him.

Besides; Honour of two sorts. As we said of riches, so we may say of honour, and glory, it is either emptie glory, as the Scripture often cals it; That is; glory that is gathered from vaine things, as apparrell, or [Page 141] houses, or learning, or knowledge: for there is nothing that brings true prayse, but grace onely, as nothing drawes shame after it properly but sinne, it is not in this, for this is a deceivable thing, it is a shadow that hath no substance to answer it, or else, it is true honour and credit, and if it be that, that is but the shadow that followes the substance. And therefore our blessednes, our contentednesse, and satisfaction, rests rather in the thing from whence this credit is gathered, then in the credit it selfe: for that is but a shadow that sometimes followes it, and somtimes it doth not, sometimes it is a larger shadow, and some­times a shorter, though the body be the same.

I might goe through many others, The Wiseman proveth the insufficiencie and emptines of the Crea­ture. but I will rather confirme all this to you, that I haue said of the emptines of the Creature, by that testimony that is without all exception, That is; By the te­stimony of God himselfe, even the testimony of 1 the Scriptures, By three Ar­guments. in Eccles. 1. 2. where the scope of the Wiseman is to set out this poynt, that we are now vpon; That is; The emptinesse of the Crea­ture.

First; 1. Argu. Sayth he, vanitie of vanities, all is va­nitie. That is; There is in the Creature an excesse of vanitie, as you know, that is the height of the Hebrew Superlatiue, vanitie of vaniti [...]s. Besides, it signifieth a heape of vanities, a nest of vanities, a wondrous exceeding great vanitie, such as he knew not how to expresse what that vanitie is that is in the Creature. Beloved, it is a vaine thing, we say, that cannot profit, and therefore we see in [Page 142] the 2. verse, What remaines to a man of all his tra­vels, or what avayles it, or what profits it, accor­ding to that in the Gospell, which is the best ex­pression of it? Sayth our Saviour, Put the case thou hadst all the good things in the world, that all the glory of the world, that all the riches in the world were in thy possession, yet, sayth he, when thou shalt loose thy soule, what is all this? It can­not helpe thee to saue thy soule, what wil it profit thee? That is; It is an unprofitable thing to make vs happie. Besides, in this the vanitie of the Crea­ture is seene, that it is of a mouldring, vanishing nature. Isa. 40. Rom. 8. those two places expresse it: Isa. 40. 8. Isa. 40. 6. All flesh is grasse, and all the glory of it as the flower of the grasse. That is; As it is expres­sed in the next Verse, as the grasse is of a fading nature, so is the Creature it selfe, and as the Flower of the grasse, sets out all the excellency, all the gifts, and beautie of the Creature that is found in it, The spirit of God blowes vpon it, and the grasse withers, and the flower fades away: so in Rom. 8. the Creature is subiect to vanitie. That is; It is of no abiding condition, it withers, and wasts, and hath nothing in it, to maintaine it. Besides, it is called vaine: because it is not able to bring any enterprise to passe. You would thinke the Creature were able to doe much, but you see what the Lord sayth; A man thinkes he is able to build a house, or he thinkes he is able to watch a Cittie. No; sayth the Lord, if I withdraw my selfe, thou shalt be able to doe nothing, nor any Creature whatsoever. What is said of that, [Page 143] may be said of any thing else. A man thinkes a Horse is a Creature that will stand him in much steade in the day of battayle, but a horse is but a vaine thing. And so it is of all other Creatures, they are not able to bring any enterprise to passe, herein is the vanitie of them.

But now this is but the simple expression of va­nitie; Let vs consider (for what can we doe bet­ter since we are vpon this argument) what argu­ments the holy Ghost vseth to perswade vs of this truth, that there is nothing but emptinesse in the Creature. My Beloved, I beseech you, harken to it: for all of vs thinke there is too much in the Creature, we should not seeke it as we doe, our thoughts and affections should not be so much stirred about it as they are, if wee did not thinke there were something in it. I say, consider the ar­guments which the holy Ghost vseth, I will but name the places in briefe to you, you may reade them in these two Chapters at your leasure, it will much helpe to bring them to your memory. First, sayth the holy Ghost, there is nothing but vani­tie: for, sayth the Wiseman, when I looke vpon the whole universe, vpon the whole frame of things, this I finde; first, a great instabilitie in them, one generation commeth, and another goeth, the Sunne riseth, and the Sunne setteth, there is no­thing constant vnder the Sunne. Now the happi­nesse of a man, that which will giue content to a man, it must be some stable thing: for a man cannot rest but vpon some Center, vpon some place, where his soule may finde some quiet, and [Page 144] therefore an vnstable thing, that is in continuall passage, is not able to giue it rest.

Secondly; 2. Argu. Sayth he, there is no new thing un­der the Sunne: (Marke it) for, sayth he, if you goe through the whole course of things, you shall finde nothing new, one generation comes, and another generation succeeds like it. And so for­ward, that as in the waues of the Sea, one followes another, till they be all broken vpon the shore; so it is in the succession of generations, and there is nothing in one generation but what was in an­other, because, sayth he, the Sunne riseth and sets, the winds goe to and fro, they goe about by their Cir­cuits. And so the waters in the springs, and in the Rivers, they goe and come, and there is no new thing vnder the Sunne. What shall wee gather from that? Why this, that there is no satisfaction to the soule of a man. And therefore, sayth he, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare with hearing. Those are the onely disciplinall senses we haue; you know, all the knowledge you haue, is gathered by the eye and the eare. Now if there be no new thing vnder the Sunne, but all things are the same; hence it is that the minde of man when it looks about it, can finde nothing to giue it satisfaction, for there must be some newnesse, some varietie, something, that we haue not here, that the soule seekes after. But, sayth he, you shall find nothing but the same, nothing but Identitie.

But, Ob. if it be objected, there is some thing now that was not before, and there were some things before that are not now;

[Page 145]The Wiseman answers thus, Ans. those things that were done then, they are forgotten, they are not had in remembrance; And so likewise the things that are now will be forgotten. And therefore there is no new thing. Indeede, in grace there is some thing new, there is a new Creature, there are all things new within and without, there is a new Iudgement, a new Conscience, new affections, every thing is new, all things are become new there. Let him that hath grace, looke about him, and there is some thing new, he comes into a new Company, he is brought into a new world, his eye sees things, his eare heares things that never entred into any mans heart. That is; into any naturall mans heart, which onely hath to doe with naturall things, let him looke into the word of God, there is a newnesse: for the more you reade it, the more you desire still to reade it, the more you heare it, still you finde some new thing discovered: Looke on the depth of those myste­ries, looke on the consolations of the spirit, still there is some thing new in all the wayes of God, that belong to the new Creature, still thou shalt haue a fresh renewed vigor in every thing, that satisfieth the soule of a man, and there the eye is satisfied with seeing, and the eare with hearing. In all the workes of Nature, there is some thing new.

The third and last reason that he vseth to shew the emptinesse of all things under the Sunne, 3. Argu. is, because that which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is defectiue, can none [Page 146] supply; That is; There are many things in the Creature, that are crosse to vs, that fall thwart vpon vs, there are many ils that we finde in our selues, and in all the things we haue to doe with. But, sayth he, if you looke vpon the Creature, there is nothing that is able to make straight that which is crooked: the daughter of Abraham that was crooked, all the Creatures both in heaven and earth, were not able to make her straight. A perverse and crooked minde, who can make straight? Crooked Children, who can make them straight? Crooked affections, inordinate feares, and inordinate griefes, who can rectifie them? And so, likewise, who can supply that which is wanting? When he lookes vpon all this, and sees it in the nature of the Creature, he concludes vp­on all this, that all is vanitie.

2 When he hath done all this, he goes further, and confirmes all this by experience of his own; By his experi­ence. and now there were two things wherein Salomon did excell, which all men would desire vpō earth. That is; Greatnesse of Wisedome; And, second­ly, 1 Greatnesse of estate; And, sayth he, first be­fore I come to the particulars, let me say this to you concerning my experience, and see whether the arguments that are taken from thence, be not strong arguments to expresse the vanitie of all things under the Sunne; Sayth he, I was a King in Ierusalem, a mightie man, and therefore able to haue experience of those things that other men had not, I had oportunities that other men 2 had not. Secondly; As I was a King, so I was [Page 147] such a King as exceeded in all kinde of wealth, and abundance of all things, as never any before, or any that came after; so he sayth of himselfe, and therefore he had more libertie, and more ex­perience, then any of the sonnes of men besides. Moreover, he had better meanes to finde out good and evill vnder the Sunne, because of the largenesse of his Wisedome.

Last of all, sayth he, I gaue my selfe to this, I se 3 my selfe to search and finde out, His experi­ence. what is good and e­vill to the soones of men. Now, if you would know what Salomon found, sayth he, there are but two things wherein this experience consists; That is; to know what is in wisedome and folly; Second­ly, to know what is in great estate.

First, for matter of wisedome, he concludes 1 thus, Of the vanitie of wisedome. he that increaseth in wisedome, increaseth griefe. That is; Let a man goe either way, sayth the Wiseman, (speaking of morall and civill wise­dome, not of sanctified wisedome, for that is a­nother thing.) Now the question is this, among the Creatures wherein vanitie is seene, sayth he, he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow: for when a man is a wise man, he findes many defects, he sees all the miseries a-farre off that are comming vpon him, he lookes to all the corners of his vnhappines, which are hid from another that is foolish. And therefore, sayth he, the more that a man seeth, the more misery he seeth, and the more misery he seeth, the more his griefe is increased and multiplied. Besides, he that increa­seth wisedome, increaseth griefe: for he sees many [Page 148] defects, he seeth many things out of order, many things in his owne soule, many things in his own family, many things in the Common-wealth, many things in the Church, many things in the course of nature, but all a mans wisedome will not remedie it; now when a man sees ill, and is vnable to helpe, in such a case, sayth he, he that increaseth wisedome, increaseth griefe. Besides, if the things themselues that are knowne, cannot giue any filling, any contentment to the soule of a man: certainly, the knowledge of them cannot doe it; for the knowledge cannot goe beyond the thing, there is more in the thing then in the knowledge of it. But there is a vanitie, and a curse lyes vpon all the Creatures, and therefore, he that increaseth wisedome, takes much paines, & hath little for his labour, it costs him much paines, much wearinesse in reading, and searching, and when he hath done all this, as there is a vanitie in the Creature, which is knowne; so there is in the knowledge it selfe.

But, Ob. you will say, on the other side, there is some thing then in folly▪ if a man be ignorant, if a man know not that which a wiseman seeth.

No; Answ. there is a madnesse in that, there is no 2 happines or contentment there: for such a man multiplies griefe, Of the vanitie of folly. but it is of another kinde; for evils come vpon him, and he cannot see how to prevent them, they lye vpon him, and vndoe him before he is a-ware, he is full of gray harres, and knowes it not, as it is sayd of Ephraim. These are the fruits of folly, he is precipitate, and runs into [Page 149] mischiefe, he fals into quick-sands, and hath not eyes to discerne it, So he that increaseth folly, on the other side, likewise, he increaseth griefe. This, sayth Salomon, I haue found out, therefore it is not in folly, nor in wisedome, I gaue my selfe to know wisedome, and madnesse, and foolishnesse, I know also, that this is vanitie and vexation of spirit. That is; both wisedome and folly. Folly, because it is madnesse, and Wisedome, because it increaseth griefe.

Now for the other, for the matter of his estate, 3 I will be very briefe in it, Of the vanitie of outward things. you shall finde there, that he proues a vanitie in that, by an induction, going through all the particulars almost that the sonnes of men enioy vnder the Sunne. And first 1 he beginnes with Laughter & Iollitie, Laughter. that which commonly every man seekes after, sayth he, I thought, I would indevour my selfe to see if there were any contentment to be found in that, but it is not there, sayth he, I sayd of Laughter thou art mad, and of Ioy, what is this that thou dost? These three things he sayth concerning Iollitie, concerning that carnall mirth, wherewith men refresh them­selues.

First; Sayth he, I finde it a madnesse: because it sets a man a-worke vpon trifles, when he hath greater things in hand, madnes, you know, is hu­morous, exulting and reioycing in vaine things, and intending of idle things, and letting goe things tending to our profit, as a mad man cares for nothing belonging to his health, or his wealth, but bestowes himselfe in picking of [Page 150] flowers, or in doing some idle things, sayth he, there is a madnes in this to consider, that in the middest of sinne, and of danger, and in the midst of so many great bvsinesses and imployments, in the midst of that labour that God hath given to the sonnes of men, for them to be full of mirth and jollitie, this is madnes. That is one of his censures of it.

The second is, it is Folly; Folly is a stupiditie, when stupiditie possesseth the soule of a man, that it is not able to judge of things that are pre­sented to him, that is folly, so, sayth he, I found this is jollitie and carnall mirth, it breeds stupor, and takes away all taste and relish from me, that as a man that tasts sweete things, is not able to finde the relish of his Beere or Meate; so, sayth he, when I had tasted of jollitie, and carnall mirth, it caused me to difrelish all things: for that is the disposition of folly, when it takes away the sense that we should haue of other things, when it stu­pifieth a man; stupiditie and folly we expresse one by another. Last of all; What doth it? That is, it passeth away like as musicke, there is nothing left, it goes and leaues nothing behinde it, yea, it leaues sadnes, if any thing, and sinne behinde it, the thing passeth away in a moment, but the sinne remaines, and continues, This is his censure of that part, namely, carnall mirth and jollitie.

2 Then he comes to the rest, which I will but name; Wine. Then, sayth he, I gaue my selfe to wine, to 3 see if it were in that. After this, I gaue my selfe to great workes, Great workes to make stately buildings, to shew [Page 151] my magnificence. After this, to get great store 4 of Servants, Store of Ser­vants. great possession of Sheepe, and Beeues, & to get a great retinue, to liue in much pompe. After this, I sought all pleasant things; I made 5 my selfe Paradises; Paradises, i. e. pleasant Or­chards. That is; Orchards, and Vine­yards, and Gardens. Likewise, I sought Singing men, and singing women. All these things, sayth 6 he, Singing men, &c. In those he found. I sought for. And this is the verdict he giues vpon all this, this I found.

First, that in doing this, I tooke hold of folly, 1 though my wisedome, Folly. in some measure, restrai­ned me, yet I tooke hold of folly; That is the na­ture of these things, when a man is conversant with them, they depriue him of wisedome, they leade him on to folly; That is; They draw a man on to sensible and outward things, to corporall things, they abstract and withdraw his minde from God, and from wisedome, and from spiritu­all things; this I found, sayth he, that the more I had to doe with them, the more my wisedome forsooke me, the more I tooke hold of folly, the more it grew vpon me, the worse I was by med­ling with them, and by being conversant with them.

Secondly; Sayth he, I found an emptinesse in 2 all; Emptinesse. I found them emptie Cisternes, I looked for contentment in them, but I found none.

Thirdly; not so onely, but I found a vexation 3 of spirit, Vexation. for that which is sayd of Riches, that they are Thornes, (they are such Thornes as doe not onely choke the good seede, but they pricke and gall vs) so it may be said of these, they haue [Page 152] Thornes in them, there is vexation of spirit in them.

4 But he addes further, fourthly, sayth he, I found they gaue me no rest neither day nor night; Restlesse care. That is; All the while I was conversant in them, I was full of care, and trouble, and thoughts; whereas those that are vacant from such things are at rest, they haue rest in the night, and in the day, but I haue none; As if he should say, he that will be occupied in all things of this nature, he shall finde a restlesnesse in his soule.

5 Fiftly; sayth he, I found that I had my labour for my travaile; Sore travaile. this fore travaile I had, and that was all that I had. As if he should say; I found no comfort to answer it, I found no fruit from them, I found certaine labour, but vncertaine refreshments from them: This I found, that they cost me much trouble, and paines, but when I came to enioy the fruit of them, to receiue com­fort from them, then they fayled me, then they deceived me. Moreover, sayth he, I sound no happinesse in them, no rest: for I was weary of my selfe, and of my life, and of all my labours, that I had wrought vnder the Sunne: for how could he finde that there, which was not there? for if God had ever sowne any happinesse in the Creature, he might haue reaped it from the crea­ture, but in all these things it was never sowne: the Creature may giue as much as is in it, but to giue more is impossible. And therefore, sayth he, I fought diligently to see, if there were such a thing there, but I found it not.

[Page 153]Againe; Sayth he, moreover, when I had got­ten 6 all this, No comfort. yet I found this, that I was not able to take comfort in it: for I saw that was the gift of God; That is; Further than he gaue me power to receiue any comfort from all the things that my hand had gotten, further I could not: for, sayth he, who hasted after outward things more then I? the meaning is this, I indevoured, to the vttermost of my power, to finde out content­ment in the Creature, who could doe it more, with more diligence, who could hast after out­ward things more, and with more attention seeke for all the contentments that are to be found in the Creature then I? And yet, sayth he, I found it was not in me, but God dispenseth that accor­ding to his owne pleasure.

The last thing of all, the last argument he hath 7 against it, We must leaue them. is, he must leaue all, I must leaue it.

But then comes an objection, 1. Ob. I, but I shall leaue it to my Sonne?

True, Answ. sayth he, there is also a vanitie in this, for, sayth he, first I tooke paines in equitie, and in wisedome, and honestie, but I shall leaue it to him that hath not taken paines for all this. As if he should say, I shall leaue them the estate that I haue gotten by wisedome, but I cannot leaue them my wisedome to guide the estate when they haue it. This, sayth he, I found in my sonne for the present, this I saw in Rehoboam.

But whereas it may be said, 2. Ob. who knowes what he may be?

Sayth he, Answ. this is a mi [...]ery, that I know not what [Page 154] he will proue; or, put case I could know what he would proue, who knowes what his sonne may proue? So that all this estate that I haue gotten, it shall not stay with them, it may be: for this is the nature of Gods blessings (marke it) that they abide not but vpon that Center where God hath set them; if they come to a man that is wicked in his sight, they are vpon a Center, they are in a place where they will not rest, they will not a­ [...]ide; fire, if be out of its place, water, if it be out of its place, it is still wrastling, (though for a time it may be kept there) till it returne to its owne place; So it is with all those outward blessings; It is true, evill men may haue them, and perhaps their heires may haue them, but, if they be not right in Gods sight, these things will roule from them, they will not be at rest, as it were, they will not be established there, but they will goe to their proper Center. This he expresseth in the last Verse, This is a vanitie (sayth he) that a man must gather, and heape vp, to giue vnto him that is good before God, this also is vanitie. So that, if he had knowne what a one his sonne would haue proved, yet he knew not what his other sonne would haue proved, and that all his estate should abide with him. Now, in all this, yet, sayth he, two things I haue observed. And, Beloved, what 2 shall I say more? What due is to be given and acknowledged to be in the Creature, de­clared in two things. What can I say more then Sa­lomon said in this poynt, to teach vs the vanitie, and the emptines of the Creature; yet wee must not take from the creature more then we should, we must giue its due to it, yet, sayth he, two [Page 155] things haue I found: One is, that wisedome is bet­ter 1 then folly; As if he should say; Looke vpon the whole vniverse, and see the varietie of the Crea­tures vnder the Sunne, with the Creatures and the workes of the Creatures, this I finde, that wisedome is best of all; though wisedome be a vanitie, though it be vaine, because it cannot helpe vs to true happines, it fals short there, yet, sayth he, it is the best thing vnder the Sunne, as the light is better then darknesse, and the sight better then blindnesse: for, sayth he, wisedome teacheth a man to direct his way, it guids a man, when another man knowes not how to goe to his journeyes end: wisedome teacheth a man how to avoyde mischiefe, when a man that is in the darke, stumbleth vpon it, and cannot see it; That is the reason he giues; And yet, sayth he, there is a vanitie in it, sayth he, if you looke vpon the wisest man, and the most foolish, the same e­vent befals them, the same sicknesse, the same troubles, and vexation, the same death, as dyes the one, so dyes the other; That is; for the out­ward appearance of their condition there is no difference; Againe, there is a forgetfulnesse of both, both are swept away, both passe, and are blowne over, and they are even alike, the wise­man as well as the foole; But, sayth he, there is this difference, Wisedome is the best of all vaine things vnder the Sunne.

The second thing, that he hath found, is, that 2 to enioy them, to take the comfort, the profit, the benefit, and refreshment, that may be had [Page 156] from all the blessings of God, that he hath given vnder the Sunne, it is a better way, and there is lesse vanitie in it, then to heape vp still, and not to enioy it. This I found, sayth he, that this is the best way for a man, to take the present benefit, this is the wisest way, so that this be remembred, that you enioy them with weaned affections, that you doe not so enioy them as to commit I­dolatry with them: for, if you doe so, indeed then there is a vanitie in them; for then the Lord lookes vpon you with a jealous eye, as that he will destroy both the things, and the man, as a jealous man will destroy the adulterer and adul­teresse. There is a vanitie in them then, but to enioy them with weaned affections, this, sayth he, I found to be the wisest thing vnder the Sun, rather then to heape vp, and increase possessions, and not to enioy them. This is that which Salo­mon sayth. If a man say now; But I finde con­tentment and satisfaction, though Salomon found none, I finde I haue a sweetnes in enioying plea­sure, and mirth, and a high estate: Why, consi­der, if thou doe, I will say but this to thee, it is an argument, that thou committest Idolatry with them, and therefore God hath made thee like to the very things themselues. You shall finde the Psalmist speaking of Idols, say; They haue eyes and see not, they haue hands and handle not; and he addes this, they that trust in them are like to them. That is; This is the curse of God vpon those that worship Idols, the Lord giues them vp to as much stupiditie, as is in the Idols, that, they haue eyes [Page 157] and see not, that they haue eares and heare not. So, I say, when a man will so enioy these things, that he can finde contentment in them, that he can terminate his comfort in them; let him know this, that is an argument, that he is made like to them, that the curse of God is come vpon him, or else, it may be, because thou hast not summed vp thy accounts, thou hast not looked backe vp­on them, as Salomon did, thou hast not yet runne through the course of them; if thou hast full ex­perience of them, and the end of them, as he had, thou wouldst finde them vanitie, and vexa­tion of spirit. So much for the first, the emptines and vanitie of the Creature.

I say this, 2. Deduction There is a ful­nesse in God, as there is an emptinesse in the Creature. if God be All-sufficient, it should lead vs vnto a further knowledge of the Creature, and so likewise it should leade vs to a further know­ledge of Almightie God. That is; To see a contra­ry fulnesse in him, I must runne briefly through this, Labour to see him in his greatnesse, labour to see him in all his Attributes, to see him in his vnchangeablenes, to see him in his eternitie, in his power, in his providence. You shall see in Psal. 102. 21. Psal. 102. 24. what vse the Psalmist there makes of the Attributes of God; I said O my God, take me not away in the midst of my dayes, thy yeares indure from generation to generation, thou hast before times laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the worke of thy hands, they shall perish, but thou shalt indure, even they all shall waxe olde as a Gar­ment. The meaning is this, when a man hath proceeded to this, that he sees the vanitie of the [Page 158] Creatures, he lookes vpon them all, as that they will all weare and waxe old as a Garment. A gar­ment that is new at the first, with long wearing, you know, will be spent, and will breake into holes, and at length be fit for nothing, but to be cast away. So, sayth he, shall the whole body of the Creatures be. Now, when we consider this, that it is a mans owne case, and every Creatures, let a man helpe himselfe with this, that God is e­ternall, and remaines for ever, and therefore, if a man can get to be ingraffed into him, to dwell with him, that will helpe him out of that weake­nesse, and mutabilitie, and changeablenesse that is in the Creature; and therefore in Psal. 90. sayth he, Psal. 90. Lord thou art our habitation from generation to generation. As if he should say; When a man dwels with God, he is a safe house, a Castle, that when generations come, and goe, & times over our heads, there is a change of all things, yet he is a Rocke, he is a Castle, he is a Habitation, there is no change in him; So that, when you finde these defects in the Creature, goe home to him, and labour to see his immutabilitie, and eterni­tie. And so, likewise, when thou seest thy inabili­tie to doe any thing, when thou seest that weake­nesse in the Creature, that it is not able to bring any enterprise to passe, Gods All-suf­ficiencie, pro­ved by his providence. then looke vpon his pro­vidence, and his almightie power, in that he doth all things that belong to him, he guides them.

My Beloved, the serious setting of our selues to consider the providence of God, and his almigh­tie power, will discover to vs his All-sufficiencie [Page 159] more then any thing besides. In briefe, consider this (to perswade you a little of the necessitie of it, that you may be fully convinced of it, that e­very particular, and every common thing, must needs be guided by him, Gods provi­dence, proved and directed by him; I would aske but this question) First, are not all 1 made by him? By the Crea­tion. you will grant that, that every Creature, even the smallest, are from him, there is no entitie but from him: Certainely, then there is an end of it: for he made nothing but for some end; and, if there be an end of it, he must guide it, and leade it to the end, otherwise, he should leaue the building imperfect, otherwise he should but begin a worke, and leaue it in the middle, o­therwise the Creature should be lost, and perish, and that through a default of his. But there can­not be said to be any default, any want of good­nesse in him, in the great builder of things, and therefore, it must needs be [...]hat he guides every Creature vnder the Sunne, even the smallest of the Creatures, he guides, and directs them to their ends. Providence is nothing else, but to guide, governe, & direct every Creature to their severall ends, and businesses, to which he hath appointed them. Besides, how is it that you see things sitted one to another as they are? Is it not the providence of God? When vousee the wheeles of a Watch fitted one to another, when you see the sheath fitted to the sword, you say this is some Art, this is not by accident; Even so it is in na­ture, you see a fitting of one thing to another, in the body, in the Creatures, in every thing in all [Page 160] the senses, in the Sunne with the ayre, in the eye with the light and the colours, with the transpa­rent medium.

2 The fitting of one thing to another, shewes that there is an Art that doth it, The constant course of things. the providence of God. Besides, the constancy of things; we see, they goe their course. Those things that come by accident, that come by chance, and not by providence, they fall out vncertainely, now one way, and then another, but, we see, all the workes of nature, goe in a certaine constant course.

3 And, lastly; Looke but vpon a house, or a fa­mily; The necessitie of one gouer­nour and dis­poser of things if there be not a providence, it will quick­ly be dissolved; there is not any family, but it will be so; and therefore, there is a neede of govern­ment also in the great family of the world: and if there be a government, it must needs be by him: for by man it cannot be governed: for the preservation of every thing is in the vnitie of it, and therefore, you see, any thing that is divided, that is the dissolution of it, as when the soule is divided from the body, and when the body is di­vided from it selfe; So, likewise, in a family, or in a Common-wealth, when it is divided, looke how farre it goes from vnitie, so neere it comes to perishing, and the more peace, and v­nitie, the more safetie. Now, if there were not one guider of all these, if there should be many guiders, there would be different streames, there would be divers well-heads, and if there were di­vers principles of things, that swerue this way, and that way, there would be a division in the [Page 161] nature of things, there would not be a vnitie, and by consequence, it would be the destruction of them. And therefore, of necessitie, first there must be a government, or else how could the fa­mily stand; and if there be a government, it must not be by man; and if it be not by man, it must be by one that is God.

Now the objections in briefe; Ob. we see many things are casuall, and you may strengthen the objection out of Eccles. 9. 11. Eccles. 9. 11. I see (sayth he) that the race is not to the swift, nor the battell to the strong, nor yet riches to a man of vnderstanding, but time, and chance befals every thing.

To this, Answ. I answer, in a word, that it is true, there are chances that fall out in all these things, that we call properly casuall, or accidentall, when some thing comes betweene a cause, and the ef­fect, and hinders it. As when a man is going a journey, and an Axe-head fall off, and either wounds him, or kils him, it comes betweene the effect, and the cause, betweene his doing, and that which he intended; if the fire be burning, and water cast vpon it, and hinders it, that is ca­suall, because it takes off the cause from its in­tention; So it is in this, wherein the Wiseman in­stanceth, when a man is strong, and some acci­dent comes betweene, and hinders him from ob­taining the battaile, when a man hath wisedome, and some accident comes betweene, and hinders him from obtaining favour; This is that which we properly call chance. Now it is true, there is such a chance in the nature of the thing, but yet, [Page 162] consider this, though this chance be contrary to the particular causes, yet it hath a cause, and it riseth from the vniversall cause; so that it is cal­led chance; because it thwarts, and comes be­tweene the intention of the particular cause, but it doth not differ from the intention of the vni­versall: for those accidentall things haue a cause, as well as the things that we intend, haue a cause: somewhat there is that is the author of all cau­ses, that is the first of all causes, and therefore it is impossible, that any thing should be totally by accident. And therefore, I say, whensoever you finde this, it is so farre from being casuall, if you looke into it exactly, that then the providence of God is most seene in it of al others, so far is it from comming by chance; because those things that are done by particular causes, according to their intention, we vsually ascribe it to them, but when there is an intercurrent action comes, that we call chance, that belongs to the vniversall cause, and is to be ascribed to him, and hence it is, that the Lord vsually in the dispensing and admini­string of contingent things, he turnes things ra­ther by accidentall causes, by casuall things, then by those causes that haue influence into their effects; because his owne hand is most seene in it, he gets the greatest glory by it, when he turnes greatest matters by a small accident, as we turne a great Ship by a little Rudder, therein his power and his glory is seene. And therefore, I say, when you see such a vanitie in the Creatures, labour to see the more fulnes in God; if there be such an [Page 163] emptines, such a mutabilitie, such an instabilitie in the Creature, looke vpon his immutabilitie, and his eternitie, and labour to be partakers of it. When you see such an inabilitie in the Creature, to bring its enterprises to passe, labour to see his almightie providence, and to be perswaded of it, to think with thy selfe, there is not the least thing without this, there is not the least Creature that makes a motion, this way, or that way, but as it is guided and directed by him.

I would willingly adde but this one word con­cerning the tryall, when we haue said so much of the All-sufficiencie of God, and of the emptines of the Creature, Examination, or Tryals of our beliefe of Gods All-suf­ficiencie. All the question is now how farre we practice this: Let every man examine his owne heart, and aske himselfe these questions.

First, if a man beleeue that All-sufficiencie that is in God, why doth he terminate his affections 1 in the Creature? If there be nothing in the Crea­ture, but emptines, why doe you loue the Crea­ture? why doe you feare the Creature? why doe you reioyce in the Creature immediately as you doe? Beloved, if there be nothing in that, but all be in him, we should see through the Creature, we should looke beyond it. It is that which is said of Shisack, 2 Chron. 12. he was but the viall, through which Gods wrath was powred vpon Is­raell; so it was true of Cyrus, he was but the viall, through which Gods goodnesse was powred vp­on Israell. If you did looke vpon every man, vp­on every friend, and every enemy, vpon every Creature, he is an instrument of good, or hurt to [Page 164] you, but as an emptie viall in it selfe, through which God powres either his goodnes, and mer­cy, or else his wrath, it would cause you not to sticke vpon the Creature, not to wrangle with men, not to hate men, or to be angry with them: for that is but the viall: It would cause you a­gaine not to be proud of the friendship of men, not to be secure in them, not to trust in them, not to thinke your selues safe in them: for they are but vials, through which God powres his mercy, and goodnesse towards you. Consider whether you be able to doe this. Looke on Da­vid, when Naball sent him a rough answer, an vntoward answer, he was exceedingly moved at it: When Shemei did the same, yea, and to his face, in a farre greater measure, he was not mo­ved, what was the reason of it, but, because when he looked to Naball, he forgat God, he saw not God setting Naball a-worke to giue such an an­swer, he looked not to Naball as a viall, but as if he had beene the principall in the action in hand, and therefore he was ready to fly vpon him with impatience (as you know how angry he was with him) but when Shemei did curse him, he had rea­son, he thought, to be quiet, and not in the other case: because he looked on Shemei as a viall: God (sayth he) hath bid him doe it, and therefore he goes to God, and not to Shemei.

Beloved, if you doe beleeue this All-sufficiency in God, and this emptines in the Creature, why are you not able to doe this, not to loue the crea­ture, not to terminate I say, your affections in [Page 165] them, but to vse this world as though you vsed it not. That is; All the things in the world, all the men in the world? for indeede you would vse them, as if you did not vse them, if you did see an emptines in them, and a fulnes and an All-sufficiencie in God.

Secondly; If we doe beleeue there is an All-sufficiencie 2 in God, why doe we goe out from him to take in present commodities, to avoyde pre­sent dangers? Why doe we not serue him with the losse of all these? For if he be All-sufficient, it is no matter what thou loosest, thou hast e­nough, if thou hast him. You may see it in Paul (to resemble it to you, to shew you what I would haue said) sayth he, we serue the living God, we take much paines in our Ministery, we suffer much, but haue nothing but imprisonment, no­thing but fastings, and whippings, and stonings; and why doe we it? for we trust in the living God, and we thinke him to be All-sufficient: when he sayth, we trust in him, that is implyed. I say, now looke to thy selfe, art thou able to serue him, without looking to present commoditie? Art thou able to doe as they did, when they were sent emptie, and yet were willing to doe the worke, and were content to haue no wages gi­ven them, because they trusted in God, & thought he was sufficient? you see, our Saviour put them vpon it; it is true, they lacked nothing, but yet that was the tryall. Moses, when he might haue had present commoditie, he left all, he left the Court of Pharaoh, he left Egypt, and went emptie [Page 166] away, he did not turne aside to these present Commodities, why? because he thought the Lord was All-sufficient. And so Abraham, he left his Fathers house, and came into a Land, where he had not a foote; because he thought God was All-sufficient; God speakes to him, vpon that oc­casion, feare not Abraham, thou art in a strange Countrey, where thou hast no body to provide for thee, yet I will be All-sufficient. Those that wandered vp and downe in sheepes-skinnes, and in Goats-skinnes; no question, they might haue had outward comforts aswell as others, if they would haue tooke that course that others did, but they were willing to leaue all present commodities: because they trusted in God, that he was All-suf­ficient. They suffered (sayth the Apostle Heb. 11.) the spoyling of their goods, they lost all, and wan­dered vp, and downe, and had nothing but dens to lye in, in stead of houses, and sheepe-skinnes, in stead of cloathes. This they did, because they thought him to be All-sufficient.

I say, Consider whether thou be able to doe this, to let goe present wages, present comforts, and commodities, & not to turne aside to them: for, if God be All-sufficient, what neede is there of them? If there be enough in him, why should you step out to them? Moreover, if God be All-sufficient, why doe we sticke so much vpon par­ticular meanes, to say, if such meanes be not vsed, I shall be vndone, if he be All-sufficient, it is no matter what the meanes be, he is able to bring it to passe. It is vsuall with men to say, if such a [Page 167] thing sayle me, I am vndone, and if such an evill be not removed. What are these but particulars? this sticking vpon particulars is a signe we thinke him not All-sufficient. Isa. 60. 10. See what an expression there is for matter of meanes, He that walkes in darkenesse, and sees no light, let him trust in the Lord God; he that walkes in darknesse, and hath no light, yet, if God be All-sufficient, put the case, there be no meanes at all, put the case there be vtter emptines, that there be not a sparke of light, but that thou walkest in darknesse and seest nothing to helpe thee, if he be All-sufficient, trust in him, let him that hath no light, but walkes in darkenesse, trust in the Lord: for he is then able to helpe him.

Againe, if we thinke him to be All-sufficient, when we loose any particular means, it is but the scattering of a beame, it is but the breaking of a Bucket, when the Sunne and the fountaine is the same. Why should we be troubled at it? If we did thinke him to be All-sufficient, when one meanes is broken, cannot he finde out another, if he be All-sufficient? When he said to Paul, that all the soules with him should be safe, you see, there were divers meanes, all were not able to swim to the shore, and the Ship was not able to bring them to shore, but yet, by broken boards, and by one meanes, and another, all got to the shore; So the Lord brings things to passe in a strange manner, sometimes one way, sometimes another, he breakes in peeces many times the Ship, that, we thinke, should bring vs to shore, [Page 168] but casts vs on such boards as we did not expect; so he doth in the meanes both good and evill, somewhat comes in, and brings vs helpe that we never thought of. An enemy comes in and doth vs hurt, that we never dreamed of, and those, that we had our eye fixed vpon, it may be, doe neither of them.

3 And so likewise, if God be All-sufficient, if he be thus exceeding great, consider, if thou see thine owne vilenesse, thy ignorance, thy empti­nesse, in comparison of him. When Agur looked vpon God, and saw his greatnes, Pro. 30. he cryes out, that he had not the vnderstanding of a man in him. When Iob saw him in his greatnes, he abhor­red himselfe in dust, and ashes, he had spoken once, and twice, but he would speake no more. And so A­braham, when God appeared to him, sayd, I am but dust, and ashes; whether art thou able to say thus when thou lookest vpon God in his greatnes? First, art thou able to say, I haue not the vnder­standing of a man in me; That is; Canst thou see the emptinesse, and vanitie of thy owne know­ledge? Canst thou learne not to murmur against God, in any of his wayes? Canst thou learne to captivate, and bring vnder thy thoughts to the wayes of Gods providence? Canst thou doe, as Iob did, saying, I haue heretofore taken excepti­ons, and murmured, and was discontented, and wondered at the wayes of God, and the workes of his hands, I haue done this once, or twice, but now I will doe so no more? Iob knew God as well as we know him, but when God spake out of the [Page 169] whirle-winde, and made knowne his greatnes to him, this was the fruit of it to Iob, though he had spoken once, or twice, that is, before that time, yet now he would doe it no more. Canst thou be content to see the Lord going all the wayes that he doth, setting vp evill men, and putting downe good men, causing the Churches to wi­ther, and the enemies to prosper? Canst thou see all this, and yet sanctifie him in thine heart. Art thou able to say, that he is holy in all his wayes, and in this to see the greatnesse of God, and thy owne folly and weakenes? Canst thou say, that thou art but dust, and ashes, and to say it in good earnest? Canst thou looke on thy selfe as on a vile Creature, as Peter did, saying, Goe from me: for I am a sinfull man? Then I will beleeue, that thou hast seene God in his greatnes, I will beleeue that thou hast seene him in his All-sufficiency, that he hath represented himselfe by his spirit into thy soule, in some measure, when thou seest these effects in thy soule, when thou seest thy igno­rance, and thy vilenes, when thou seest what an emptie Creature thou art, sure this is another thing, by which thou mayst judge, whether thou hast experience, whether thou hast practised this doctrine, that we haue delivered of the All-suffi­ciencie of God, and of the emptines of the Crea­ture.

Moreover, if God be All-sufficient, why are 4 we then so readie to knock at other mens dores? Why are we then so readie to goe to the Crea­ture, to seeke helpe, and comfort, and counsell [Page 170] from it, and to knocke so little at his doore by prayer, and seeking to him? for, if he be All-suf­ficient, thou shouldst be abundant in prayer, thou wouldst take little time to looke to others, thy chiefe busines would be to looke to him, not one­ly in praying to him, but in serving him, and pleasing him: We knocke at his doore as well by the duties of obedience, as by prayer, and seek­ing to him; if thou thinkest him to be All-suffi­cient, why dost thou not doe this?

5 Againe, if thou thinke him to be All-suffici­ent, why art thou not content to be at his imme­diate finding? Put the case, he deprive thee of all things else, and doe with thee, as Parents doe with their Children, who giue them not a pen­ny in their purse, but tell them they will provide for them, why art thou not content that God should doe so? What, if he strip thee of all thy wealth, of thy libertie, of thy friends, so that thou canst looke for nothing but immediately at his hands, to feede thee as he feeds the Ravens, and the Lyons; if he be All-sufficient, why dost thou not trust in him, in such a case, and rest vpon him?

6 Againe, lastly, if thou thinkest God to be All-sufficient, why dost thou not when thou hast any service, or dutie to doe, either belonging to God, or man, why dost thou not resolue vpon the do­ing of it, without looking to the consequence whatsoever it be? For, my Beloved, if he be All-sufficient, then all our care should be nothing but to doe our dutie, and to leaue the successe to him. [Page 171] A servant that thinkes his Maister is able, and willing to giue him wages, and provide for him sufficiently at the end of the day, or the yeare, or the end of his service, he will be carefull to doe his worke, without looking to his wages, without making provision for himselfe, and so, if thou beleeue God to be All-sufficient, thou wilt seeke no more but to finde out what thy dutie is, what rule thou oughtest to walke by, what service thou owest to man in such a case, how to keepe a good conscience in such a businesse, in such a straight, in such a difficultie, thou wilt set thy wits a-worke to finde out this, but when thy wit is over-running thy dutie, and thou lookest to the consequence (if I doe this and this, this will befall me) that is a signe thou thinkest not God to be All-sufficient, thou thinkest thy Maister can­not provide for thee, but thou thinkest I shall be poore, when I haue done his service, and there­fore I will provide for my selfe, I shall want com­forts, I shall haue enemies come in vpon me; if thy Maister be a Sunne, a Shield, and a Buckler, and an exceeding great reward, and thou beleevest him to be so, thou wouldst finde out onely thy dutie, and it is no matter what the consequence is; So you see the three men did, we haue resol­ved that we will not worship thine Image, and whereas you tell vs of casting vs into a burning fiery Fornace, that we care not for, God is able to deliver vs, they did see Gods All-sufficiencie, and therefore they did the dutie. Certainely, Belo­vid, in any difficult case, no man will doe his du­tie, [Page 172] except he be perswaded that God is All-suffi­cient; Those three men would never haue refused to worship the Idoll, except they could haue said, and thought in their hearts, God is able to de­liver vs out of thy hands, O King. This they sayd, and resolved to doe. And so Daniell resolved to doe his dutie, and not to goe a steppe out of the path, besides the Rule; Well; he shall be cast in­to the Lyons denne; yet he keepes his resolution firme; it was enough for him to doe his dutie, for the consequence of it, he left it to God: for he knew he was All-sufficient. You see, God watched over them, and delivered them all. And so like­wise, in refusing to eate of the Kings meate, Da­niell would not pollute himselfe, it was not law­full for him being a Iew, it might haue cost him life, for ought he knew, if he had looked on the his consequence, but he resolved to doe it: Sayth the Text, he resolved in his heart to doe it, & com­mitted it to God. And we see in all these three ca­ses, God shewed himselfe sufficient: So he doth, when we looke to our dutie sincerely, and faith­fully, when we doe it, and looke not to the con­sequence, he is then All-sufficient, and will shew himselfe to be so. And the like we see in the case of Mordecai, he thought it was a sinne to bow to Hamman, who was an Amalekite, he would not doe it; Well, but they shall all be destroyed, he, and all the Iewes; He tels Hester confidently, the Church should be delivered, but he knew not how, but, sayth he, if it be not by thy hands, thou shalt fare the worse for it, but certainly, sayth he, [Page 173] deliverance shall come to the Church, one way, or other, God is All-sufficient; Herevpon she re­solueth, saying in effect, whatsoever be the conse­quence, I will doe it, it is my dutie. And, you know, God shewed himselfe All-sufficient in de­livering her, and him, and all the people of the Iewes: So, I say, if thou wouldst finde out whe­ther thy heart beleeue all this, that is delivered, whether thou doe practise it, or no; Consider, if thou canst doe it now or no: Consider, what thy dutie is vpon every occasion, & never looke to the consequence, either to the losse of prefer­ments, of riches, or favour: for God is All-suffici­ent, he can bring it in. Be it againe, on the other side, such crosses, and losses are like to fol­low vpon it, yet he is All-sufficient, so that thou dost it more or lesse according to thy opinion of his All-sufficiencie.

So much for this time.

THE SIXTH SERMON.

WE haue alreadie finished the first part of these words, God is All-sufficient.

Which words containe the Covenant on Gods part, I will be All-sufficient, which here is expressed in the generall, but in other places more particularly, as I shewed you then when we hand­led the words:

The other part of the words containeth the Covenant, or condition required on our part; Walke before me, and be thou perfect. God will be All-sufficient vnto vs, that is his promise, and he re­quires of vs, that we should be perfect with him, he will be All-sufficient to them that depend vp­on [Page 175] him, he will be wholly theirs that will be whol­ly his.

So the maine point that we haue to handle, is that which God requires on our parts, without which we haue no interest in his Covenant, name­ly, that we be sincere and perfect, but before I come to handle this poynt, which is the maine, I will touch an observation or two by the way.

And first from the Connexion, I am God All-sufficient; therefore walke before me, and be thou per­fect (I will but touch it, because I handled the ne­gatiue part of it at large.)

This we may obserue, that ‘Every man is more or lesse perfect, Doct. as he is more or lesse perswaded of Gods All-sufficiencie. Men are more or lesse perfect, as they are perswaded of Gods All-suffi­ciencie.’

You see, that is made the ground of our perfect walking with God, that we beleeue him to be All-sufficient, and therefore, I say, as our perswasion of that is more or lesse, so every man more or lesse is perfect with God; That is; Looke how a mans faith in Gods promises, and in his providence, is more or lesse, looke how he hath found, by his ex­perience, God to be more sufficient to him, or lesse, so is every mans walking with God more or lesse perfect.

The reason of which is, Reas. 1. partly, because it is Gods argument: when God vseth any argument, It is Gods argument. looke how farre that takes place in the heart, looke how farre the vnderstanding is convinced of it, so farre it prevailes also with the will and affecti­ons, [Page 176] and so farre it prevailes with the practise, and conversation of a mans life: When God shall make this the ground of our perfectnes, so farre, I say, as a man is convinced of it, so farre as he is per­swaded of it, so farre it will prod [...]ce this effect, to make him perfect, and sincere in his walking with God.

Againe, Reas. 2. partly, the reason of it, is, because it heales that which is the cause of all our vnper­fectnesse, This perswa­sion heales selfe-loue. and vnevennesse, which is selfe-loue. The reason why men walke not constantly, and perfectly with God, is because they loue them­selues inordinately, they thinke to provide better for themselues: when a man is fully perswaded of Gods All-sufficiencie, it answers all those false rea­sonings, all those deceitfull arguments that selfe­loue is readie to bring to vs, vpon every occasion; there is no man departs from God, but he thinkes, at that time, it is better for him so to doe: when it shall be answered him, God is All-sufficient, it is better for thee to keepe in the straite way, if thou seeke thy selfe, by disobeying of him, it shall be worse for thee, let all the false reasonings of selfe­loue be answered, and the heart must needs be perfect.

The Vse of it, Vse. in briefe, is that we should labour to be perswaded of this truth, To labour for this perswasi­on. and apply it to make vse of it, vpon every occasion: when any command is presented vnto vs, when any thing is to be done, run to this principle, to be perswa­ded of Gods All-sufficiencie, that shall helpe thee to doe every dutie, that shall preserue thee from [Page 177] every sinne: for example, God hath commanded vs to deny our selues in our profit, in our credit, and our pleasures; and many times it comes that we are to performe this dutie in particular cases, consider seriously then of the strength of this prin­ciple, that God is All-sufficient; it will make thee able to doe the dutie throughly. What though thou be a looser in thy credit? if God be All-suffici­ent, he is able to make it vp. What though thou be a looser in thy profit, as Amaziah was? is not he able to giue thee fourescore talents, sayth the Prophet to him? What though thou be a looser in thy pleasures, that thou loose, or want the plea­sures of sinne for a season; is not he able to make it vp with peace of conscience, and ioy in the holy Ghost? And so againe; We are commanded to take vp our daily crosse, and not to take base & sinfull cour­ses to avoyd crosses, and troubles, and affl [...]ctions, when we meete with them in right and straight wayes, and surely, the way to performe this dutie is to be perswaded of Gods All-sufficiencie, let a man thinke that God is able to defend and carry him out, that he is able to keepe him in the time of those sufferings, that it is he that keepes the keyes of the prison doore, that opens, and shuts, when he pleaseth, it is he that makes whole, and makes sicke; the issues of life and death, belong to him: Every mans iudgement, though he seeke the face of the Ruler, yet it is from hi [...]: let men consi­der, that it is not the creature that inflicts any crosse, or affliction, or punishment vpon vs, but it is he that doth it by the creature, and that will [Page 178] inable a man to beare any crosse, to passe through all varietie of conditions, and not to divert from a straight way, but to goe through the storme when he meets with it.

And so we may say of every other dutie, to ex­ercise the duties of our particular callings, not for our owne good, but for the good of others: Belo­ved, this is a speciall thing, men loose their liues, they loose that blessed opportunitie they haue to grow rich in good workes, that when every day they might adde much to their treasure, to their rec­koning against the day of Iudgement, whilest they serue themselues, and seeke themselues altogether, it is but time lost. Now, I say, what is the reason that men in the exercise of their callings haue such an eye to their owne profit, and not to the profit of others, whom they deale with, that they haue such an eye to their owne credit, and advantage, and not to others good? it is because they thinke they must be carefull to provide for their owne e­sta [...]e, to looke to themselues▪ they haue no bodie else to doe it: let a man be perswaded that God takes care for him, that riches are as the shadow that followes the substance of a mans perfect ail­king with God, that it is he that giues them, it is he that dispenseth them, it is he that giues the re­ward, the wages belongs to him, the care of the worke onely belongs to vs; if a man would deny himselfe, and be a looser many times in his cal­ling, be content to doe many things for the pro­fit of others, to vse those talents that God that gi­ven him, not for his owne, but for his Maisters [Page 179] advantage▪ I say, if he would doe this, he should finde God All-sufficient, and the perswasion of his All-sufficiencie is that that strengthens a man, and makes him constant in the performance of it. I might giue you the like instances, but I will not run any further. But this you may take for a sure rule, there is never any dutie that shall cost a man any perill, that shall cost him any labour, any losse that a man will be willing to doe, without the per­swasion of Gods All-sufficiencie, he never doth it without this perswasion, he never fayles in it but as farre as he fayles in the beliefe of this. For ex­ample.

Abraham when he was put on the hardest taske, to leaue his Countrey, and his Fathres house, he was perswaded that God would be with him, & would blesse him: for God had made him a promise to doe it, it was easie then to performe it, but afterwards, when he began to shrinke, and to doubt of this, that God might fayle him, that he would not be God All-sufficient to him, as when he went downe into Egypt, he denied Sarah to be his wife, what was the cause of this sinne? but because he was a­fraid, the God could not defend him. And so Da­vid, how many hard taskes went he through, with all chearefulnesse, and constancie? but when he began to fayle of this perswasion, that God was able to deliver him from Saul, and to bring him into the Kingdome, then he beginnes to step out from that dutie, and way of obedience, that he should haue walked in, to flie to Achis, &c. There­fore the way, I say, to make our hearts perfect with [Page 180] God, is to increase this perswasion of Gods All-sufficiencie. Now this we should doe especially at these times, when we are to receiue the Sacra­ment: for what is the Sacrament, but the seale of the Covenant, on both parts? It is the seale of the Covenant, on Gods part, he promiseth to be All-sufficient, and the Sacrament seales this to you; when it is said to you, take, and eate, this is my bo­die, the meaning is this, Iesus Christ giues him­selfe, and God the Father giues him, and sayth, take him; That is; Take Christ, with all his: it is certaine, he is a husband, that is All-sufficient, he is a field that is full of treasure, and so you must thinke with your selues, when you come to re­ceiue the Sacrament, that Iesus Christ himselfe, is given to you; That is; Iesus Christ, with all his ri­ches, and treasure, with all his benefits, and privi­ledges. Now, when you haue taken Christ, as it is a free gift, then consider all those particular benefits, labour to dig that field, and to see all the varietie of treasures in it, you shall finde that there is nothing that you can desire, but you shall finde it in him, you shall finde an All-sufficiency in him, both for this life, and for the life to come.

Againe; As this is the Covenant, on Gods part, that is sealed to vs in the Sacrament, so you must remember, that you put to your seale likewise, to confirme the condition of the Covenant, on your part: for so you haue promised, there is a sti­pulation, an engagement, remember that you keepe Covenant, and Condition with him, (for it is reciprocall): for all Covenants must be [Page 181] mutuall, they must be betweene two parties, and remember, that thou put thy seale to it, that thou re­new with God the Covenant, that thou hast made to walke before him perfectly. Now, the end of the Sacrament, is to remember this, doe this, sayth Christ, in remembrance of me; as if he should say; you will be ever and anon readie to forget this Covenant.

Another point I desire to obserue, before I come to handle the maine, is from these words, walke before me, &c. it is a metaphor I finde very frequently vsed in Scriptures, and therefore we will not passe it over, walke before me, and be thou perfect. Whence we will therefore obserue, that ‘There is a great similitude betweene a Christians life, Doct. and walking from place to place. A Christian life like a walke.’

I finde not any metaphor in the Scriptures vsed more frequently, and therefore it should teach vs some thing: for a metaphor, you know, is but a similitude that is contracted to one word, it is a short similitude, folded vp in a word, and some­what is to be taught vs, some resemblance there is that we will labour to expresse, and make some short vse of it.

When the Lord saith to Abraham, I am All-sufficient; therefore walke perfectly before me, it is as if he had said, Abraham, I meane to be a good Maister to thee, I meane to giue thee sufficient wages, thou shalt want nothing thou needest; now be thou carefull to doe thy worke, be not i­dle, [Page 182] sit not still, but be working (for that is inti­mated by walking) to walke is still to be acting in some thing, still to be working, to be in employ­ment, and not sit still, so that this is intimated to vs, when he sayth, walke before me, that the whole course of this life is like a Iourney from one place to another. And againe, every particular action, is like so may steps taken to that Iourneys end, and (marke it, I say) looke what the rounds are in a Ladder, that goe from the bottom to the top, looke what the paces in a Iourney are, so many paces goe to make vp the Iourney, so doth every particular act go to make vp that Christian course that every man is to fulfill: so then, as every step a man takes, tends to some scope, or other, either East, or West, or North, or South, in generall and in particular, to some particular place, neare some Cittie, some Towne, or some Roome, so every action in a mans life, it either tends in generall to East, or West, that is; to good or evill, it tends to the service of God, or to the service of Sathan, and, likewise, in particular, it tends either to this good dutie, or to avoyde this particular sinne, to this or that particular service of God, of Sathan, or of our selues, every action we doe.

So that not onely the greater actions (marke it) but even the lesser, every one of them, it is like a pace in a Iourney, which that I may make plaine to you, you must know, that all the actions we do, either be actions that belong to our generall, or to our particular calling, or such as fit vs to them. Now take the lowest and the meanest action, [Page 183] your eating and drinking, your sleepe and recrea­tion, they all are steps that tend to this Iourney, that tend to this scope, they are steppes, every one of them is a step nearer to God, and to heaven, if they be rightly vsed; and from him, if they be not vsed as they ought. Whether you eate or drinke, or whatsoever you doe, doe it to the glory of God. Wha [...] ever you doe, marke that supreame scope, so that all actions tend to one or other of these; now you make no question, but even those cōmon actions are steppes that lead to the Iourney, even as you see, take a servant that is set to worke, or to goe a Iourney, that is to mowe, or to driue a Cart, even the whetting of the sithe, is a part of his worke, as well as his mowing of the grasse, the provendring of his horse, is a dispatching of his Iourney, a go­ing on in it, as well as when he rides, and so the oyling of the wheele, is a drawing on, as well as every steppe he takes: so, I say, it is in these com­mon actions, that we make lesse account of, our sleeping, our eating, our drinking, our recreation, every one of them, is a steppe in the Iourney. I speake it for this end, that we may not neglect any action, that we may not despise the least of our actions: for there is not one of them, but it is a pace, or a steppe: so that this you must make ac­count of; every day you finish a great part of your space: for you doe many actions, and looke what actions you doe, see what they be, examine them at night: for every actions is a step, and either you step towards God in it, or you step from him; either you step towards heaven, or towards hell: there­fore [Page 184] looke to every action. But this is in generall.

Now in particular (to bring this similitude a little nearer) you must consider in a walke from one place to another, when you goe in a Iourney, you haue these particulars.

First; There must be a place, a terme to which you walke, some whither, whither a man goes.

Againe; There must be a place, or terme from which a man comes.

Againe; There is a distance: for in a point, or a little space a man cannot walke.

Againe; There must be a ground to walke vp­on.

And there must be a path: for in particular Iourneys, as from Thebes to Athens, there is a straight path-way to walke to it, &c. These parti­culars we will expresse to you in this course of a Christian life.

1 First; I say, there must be a place to which a man goes, That which he goes to. terminus ad quem, as we call it, and that is to grace, we travaile to grace, we travaile to the ser­vice, and glory of God, and we travaile to salvati­on, these I finde in the Scripture to be the ends, and the aymes, and the scope, and marke, at which every man is to looke in his Iourney, in the course of his life: Labour to grow in grace, which ena­bleth vs to serue God, without which we can doe nothing: Labour also, when you haue it to come to the fruits, and operations, and effects of it; that is, to spend your time in doing some thing that may tend to Gods glory, and service. And last of all, looke at the reward, looke at salvation, [Page 185] which is the end of that Iourney, there is no que­stion of the two former, that the end is grace, and righteousnes; there is more question of the latter, whether a man may make salvation, and the re­compence of reward, an end, a marke, and scope, to which he travailes: but all these are our ends you shall see Act. 26. 18. Paul Act. 26. 18. is sent to preach to the people; and this is the scope of his preaching, he was sent to open their eyes, that they might turne from darknes to light, from the power of Sathan to God, that they might receiue the forgiuenes of sinnes, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in Christ. Marke it, that they may turne from darknes to light, there you see the scope is light; because, without light, a man cannot see his way, Grace helpes a man in his Iourney, as light doth: the next thing is, from the power of Sathan vnto God; That is; from living in bondage to Sathan, to serue God, to doe that which stands to his glo­rie, and advancement, and then lastly, that they may receiue forgiuenes, and inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith in me; there is the re­ward: for a mans ayme is likewise that he might receiue the inheritance, that he might be saved, and haue heaven in the end. So likewise you finde it expressed Philip. 3. 14. Paul, Phil. 3. 14. sayth he, pressed hard toward the marke, for what purpose? for the price of the high calling of God in Christ, there you see that the ayme that Paul had in following hard to the marke, you see there was a marke that he aymed at, and that he had expressed before to be found in the righteousnesse that is in Christ, and, [Page 186] sayth he, that I might obtaine the price of the high calling, the price (that is) the wages; as a man that runs a race, there is a price propounded to him, and when he hath finished the race, he ob­taines it, sayth he, this is one of my ends to ob­taine the price: Heb. 11. so it is said of Moses, Heb. 11. he had respect to the recompence of reward. So, my Be­loved, in the journey you must make this account, you travaile towards grace, that is the scope that you ayme at, againe, your end is to serue God, to seeke his glory, that all your actions may tend to it, and lastly, that you might be saved, that you might haue the inheritance with the Saints.

Now the terme from which we travaile is from 2 sinne, That he goes from. from the service of Sathan, a [...]d our selues, and likewise it is from damnation; so that you shall finde this difference in it, that all men, though they haue but one Iourneys end, yet there are different places, from which euery of them travai­leth, according to the different sinnes, to which they are inclined, some men had need to travaile from covetousnes, some men againe, from prodi­galitie, these seeme to goe contrary wayes, yet both ayme at the same Iourneys end, as two men that intend to come to London, one comes out of Kent, another comes out of the North, these men seeme to goe contrary, one goes North, and the o­ther South, yet both agree in their Iourneys end; so it is in this travaile, some men are subiect to be timorous, and discouraged, and cowardly in their actions, some men againe to be rash, and bold, these men haue contrary courses, yet they both [Page 187] travaile to the same mediocrity, to the same grace, to the same way of righteousnesse: so, I say, the termes from which we come are exceeding diffe­rent, though the Iourneys end be the same to e­very man. Looke what the severall inclinations of men are, even therein to part from himselfe, to deny himselfe, to resist his personall, and particular lusts, that is the terme, from which he is to goe: and so likewise it is to be considered, that we tra­vaile from damnation, that every steppe that a man takes in the way of righteousnesse, it is so many steppes from death to life, he is so much nee­rer his Iourneys end: for salvation is now neerer then when you beleeved, sayth the Apostle; that is, looke as you travaile faster in the way of righte­ousnesse, so your reward is neerer, your comfort is neerer, and so you are farther from judgement, farther from destruction.

Now, on the other side, it is to be considered, that as this is the ayme of the godly man, to looke to grace, and at the service of God, and at salvati­on, that is the way, tha [...] they travaile; So there is another way that other men travaile, that looke at sinne, at destruction. I doe but set one by ano­ther, that you may learne to know the difference: there is a scope that every man hath, whatsoever a man doth, though he consider it not, yet he takes every steppe by vertue of that vtmost end that he hath. There is a generation of men that ayme at destruction, that ayme at sinne, at those wayes that lead downe to the Chambers of death.

And, Ob. if you object, and say, I but no man pro­pounds [Page 188] pounds such an end to himselfe, there is no man intends the destruction of himselfe.

I answer; Ans. It is true, it is not the end of the man, but it is the end of the course, as we say, it is not finis operantis, but it is finis operis; as a theefe, that steales, his end is not that he should come to the gallowes, but his end is to get profit to himselfe, but yet it is the scope of the worke, though not of the workman; so I say in this case, a man that hath not this ayme to serue God, to walke toward him, though he obserue it not, his ayme is destruction, that is the end of his worke, that way he walkes in leads downe to the Chambers of death. So you see, First, there is an end, a terme to which every man goes; And, secondly, there is a terme from which every man comes.

3 Thirdly; in every Iourney there is a distance; That is; The distance in it. that dissimilitude betweene grace, and vs, and betweene God, and vs. Looke what distance, and difference there is betweene grace, and sinne, betweene righteousnesse, and wickednesse, that is the space that every man is to goe, that is the di­stance that he is to passe through; so that even as in a Iourney you cast some part of the way behind you, and another part you are to passe vnto; so you are to thinke in this Iourney: Looke how much victory thou gettest over any sin, so much of thy way thou hast passed. Againe; Looke in what measure any sinne remaines vnmortified, any lust is not fully overcome, so much of thy way thou art yet to goe: so likewise, it is in the defect of graces, that is the distance that thou hast [Page 189] to fulfill. So in every mans particular calling, that course that God hath fixed to every man, that he hath prescribed to every particular man, to some longer, to some shorter, this is the distance of a mans Iourney. Iohn Baptist had a shorter course, he fulfilled his course, he preached not aboue three or foure yeares. Paul fulfilled his course likewise, a longer race, but it was that which God had appointed him; so the dissimilitude betweene grace and sinne; and againe, the course that God hath appointed every man he must fulfill, and serue God in his time, this is the distance and the space of this Iourney.

Againe; the next to this is the ground: for a 3 man must haue some thing to hold him vp, The ground. when he walkes, the ground vpon which he walkes, is the time of this life in this world, the latitude of this life, that God hath afforded to every man, that is the field, as it were, that he walkes in: we see in the world great varietie of men, and varietie of courses, that is the ground, the space allotted to him, he may walke whither he will, he may walke which way he pleaseth.

But lastly (as there must be a terme to which, 4 another from which, The path. as there must be a distance, and a ground, so chiefly he, that walkes must haue a certaine path, a certaine way to walke in. In a wildernes, there is ground enough, but there is no path, but when you goe to a certaine place, there must be alwayes a certaine way, a certaine high way, a path that leades to it: now the path that we haue to walke in, you haue it diversly expres­sed [Page 190] in the Scriptures: Christ is said to be the way, we are said to walke in the spirit, if you be led by the [...]pirit, walke in the spirit, and the way of Gods Com­mandements; I will ranne the way of thy Comman­dements, saith David, when thou shalt inlarge my heart: and of Zachary, and Elizabeth, it is said, they walked in the way of Gods Commandements without reproofe. These are said to be the wayes, or the paths that we walke in, they all come to one: Christ is said to be the way: because as a man can­not come to a place, except he goe in the way that leads to it, so no man can come to God the Father without Christ; that is; without his intercession, without his guidance, and direction, except he lead you to the Father, that you come as sprink­led with his bloud, as clothed with his righteous­nesse, except you come as being made accepted by his intercession, you cannot be accepted, and besides, except you goe the way that he directs you: for he is the day-starre, springing from on high, that guides our feete in the way of peace, without him you cannot come to heaven, you cannot come to the throne of grace: so he is said to be the way: Againe, the spirit is said to be the way, walke in the spirit; That is; walke according to the guidance of the spirit, follow the direction of the spirit; and so the way of Gods Commande­ments, they are said to be the way; because they are the rules we ought to walke by: So that the way is, when, in the name of Christ, when, out of respect to him, we walke by the direction of the spirit, in the wayes of Gods Commandements, [Page 191] when we obserue the rule. This is the way, this is the path.

Now, Quest. if you aske how one should finde this way?

You must know, Answ. that though this be the way in generall, yet, in particular, that which must teach it thee, is to consider, first, there is a certaine tract that God hath made for vs to walke in, a cer­taine path that he hath chalked out, that which he hath described in his Word, that which all the Saints haue trodden before vs, both those that li­ved in former times, whose examples are related to vs, and those that liue among vs: First, there is a tract that God himselfe hath made, the way of his judgements are sine vestigijs &c. but the way of his Commandements are as a beaten tract, as a beaten roade; A way that himselfe hath made plaine, by many directions, by many way-markes that he hath set, that men might know them, and likewise by the course of all the Saints, which is like a beaten way that is trodden by many thou­sands, from generation to generation, that is one thing that you are to looke [...]o [...]see, if you be in that way, in the old way, in the way that the Law leads to; in the way that all the Saints haue go [...]e in.

Next to this the question will be, Quest. well but how shall I finde it? I may be readie to misse this tract.

I answer; Answ. there is a certaine [...]agacitie that God giues to a man, by which he findes out this way: for though the way be pl [...]ine in it se [...]fe, yet, my Beloved, it is not so [...] every man, it is hard to find out this [...] way. These steppes of Gods [Page 192] Commandements, I say, it is hard to finde them out, except there be a particular gift given him even as you see, there is a gift given to the dogge to finde out the hare, to follow her steppes, there is a certaine sagacitie given to that Creature, that another wants, by which it followes the steppes of the hare, which way soever she goes: (I may vse it for a similitude, a farre-off expression) So, I say, there is a sagacitie given to the Saints, a certaine new qualitie, that others want, by which they are able to finde out the steppes of Gods way; so that they are able to tract him: When they are at a losse, they will not run on vopon a false sent; but cast about, (as sometimes they loose God, some­times they know not which way they must follow him.) This gift we must labour to haue. There­fore David prayes so oft that God would teach him the [...]e wayes, that he would make his way plaine be­fore him, that he would direct him, &c. As ac­knowledging that he was not able of himselfe to finde it out, except God had guided him, and di­rected him to it.

2 One thing more is to be added, that there is this similitude in it, Similitude that as, when a man goes a 5 journey, it is a constant continued pace, it is not a little stepping to, & fro, A constant course. and walking for recrea­tion, a walking as a man doth in a Gallery, but it is a constant course, he walkes on; So likewise, the course of a Christian life, it is a constant con­tinued terme of action; when a man doth not good by a fit or two, but when he continues in well-doing, when it is the ordinary constant tract of his life.

[Page 193]Now we will briefly make some vse of it, and the vses shall be but these two, a [...]cording to this similitude, and the agreement of this walking with a Christian life.

If a Christian life be of this nature, Vse 1. that it is like a walke in a Iourney, that every act is a steppe, then, my Beloved, it should stirre vs vp to consider seriously, what busines we haue in hand, for what purpose wee came into the world, namely, to goe a Iourney, not to sit still, not to be idle, we are to travaile a part of this Iourney every day, and therefore the first thing we are to doe, is to choose a right way: you must know therefore, that there are many thousands (it is the common condition of men in the Church) that thinke they are in a right way, and so goe on in it without examinati­on, whereas you must know this, that every man by nature is set in a wrong way as soone as he comes into the world, wherein he travailes, as in a way that leads to destruction; so that, till a man begin to see his error, till he begin to come seri­riously to consider, this is not the way I should follow, and to choose a contrary, No man tra­vailes towards heaven, no man is in Cu [...]su, as we say, no man is in this Iourney till then. David sayth, he chose the way of Gods commandements; that is; there must be a choice: for this must be a speciall consideration, no man hath this without choice, and not onely so, that is not onely meant, to take it into consideration, that is naturall, but then a man is said to choose, when he pitcheth vp­on it, when his resolution is fixed, when he deter­mines [Page 194] vpon this way. Therefore, when you heare that there is such a walke, make that vse of it, choose the way of Gods Commandements. To choose; that is, willingly to take that way, to goe it resolutely, to sweare within himselfe, as David sayth, I haue sworne that I will serue thee, and walke in thy way. I say, this we should bring our heart to, and you shall know it by this, whether you doe so or no: A man, that chooseth a way, that resolues to goe that way, if he be out of it at any time, and be told, Sir you are out of the way, he is glad of the admonition, he is willing to goe in to it a­gaine: So that, I say, thou maist know, whether thou choosest the way of Gods commandements, what dost thou when any suggestion comes from the holy Ghost, that tels thee, this dutie ought to be done, this sinne ought to be abstained from, art thou obedient to it? When thou art admonished by thy friend, that tels thee, this is not the way, this is an error, this is an obliquitie, art thou ready to turne out of it? art thou glad of such an adver­tisement? When thou hearest rules given thee out of the Word, from day to day, from Sabbath to Sabbath, art thou willing to practice them, when thy error is discovered to thee? It is a signe thou choosest the way. Let a man resolue on the way to a Coast, to a Cittie, when it is discovered to him that [...]e is out of the way, certainely, if it be the way that he hath chosen, he will easily be readie, and willing to returne to it. Indeed, that is a signe a man hath often the way. David chose to serue the Lord, and therefore, wh [...] [...] him told him of [Page 195] his adulterie, and murther, he quickly returned a­gaine; So it is with all the Saints, it is not so with other men, when they are told of going out, they goe on still, because, in truth, they haue not cho­sen the way of Gods commandements.

Secondly; Vse 2. It is not enough to choose it in ge­nerall, but likewise, you must looke to every step you take, take heede to every steppe in this way. My Beloved, as you heard before, there is not an action, but it is a step, it is a pace in the way that leads, either on the one side, or on the other, ei­ther towards hell, or towards heaven, and there­fore it is not enough to looke that you walke in the way in generall, but likewise, you must ponder your steppes. You see that expression Pro. 4. sayth the Wise-man, Ponder thy wayes, and order thy steppes aright; ponder thy wayes; that is, a man is to consider every step he takes, is this right? Doth this tend towards such a Iourney or not? This pondering of our wayes, is exceeding neces­sary, it is that which David constantly practised Psal. 119. 36. I considered my wayes, that I might turn [...] my feete to thy testimonies. I considered my wayes; that is; Except a man looke narrowly to it, except he consider his steppes, from time to time, except he reflect vpon them, and looke which way they tend, he will not be able to keepe the wayes of Gods Commandements.

And if you object now; Ob. why, but is it necessary that a man must thinke vpon every action what his end is, when a man is busie in his studie, when he is busie in his trade, when he is busied in his par­ticular [Page 196] cal [...]ing, is it necessary that every particular action should be looked vpon, that he should haue this actuall thought, whither doth this step tend?

I answer; Ans. Beloved, it is not necessary, that it should be done vpon every action, but that it should be so farre done, as is necessarie, to keepe vs in the right way, even as, you see, it is in a iour­ney, when a man resolues to goe from one towne to another, he chinkes not every steppe he takes, I am going to such a towne: for, by vertue of his first intention he takes these steppes: so that the marke and the ayme that he hath, is the cause of every step, though he thinke not of it, every step he takes: So in the actions that we doe, I say, if the ayme be right, though we thinke not vpon e­very action we doe, yet it is done by vertue of it, and so God accepts of it. As, we see, an Arrow, when it flyes to the marke, or a Bowle, when it runs, there is not a new putting on, but by vertue of the first strength, by which it was throwne out, or by which it was shot, it passeth, and goes on to­wards the marke, so it is in a mans life: by vertue of the first ayme that a man hath, though he think not of it, vpon every particular occasion, his heart goes on, he travailes towards the marke: there­fore, I say, it is no necessary in every action. Not­withstanding, it is necessary that it be very fre­quently done: because we are so readie to goe out of the way. There is a straight way, that God hath chalked out to vs, and we are readie, ever and a­non, to turne out, we haue still some byas, or o­ther, vpon vs, that drawes vs out from that way. [Page 197] Either some false feares, or some vaine hopes, or some fancy, and inordinate appetite, some thing, or other drawes vs out, that except a man looke very narrowly to it, except he be ever and anon reflecting vpon his wayes, he will not keepe the way, therefore it is necessary, that we be still con­sidering, and pondering our wayes, and so much the rather, because, as the Apostle sayth, Know you not, that many run in a race; As if he should say, all the world travailes towards heaven, every man goes something that way: therefore, sayth he, take heede; there are but a few notwithstanding, that get the goale, that get the price, few that obtaine, few that overcome: therefore, saith he, take heede how you runne. So I say, there is much heede to be taken in this race, many goe out of Egypt, ma­ny that goe from sinne a certaine way, but they never come to Canaan, they walke a certaine way in the Wildernesse, but they come not home. Therefore, to direct you in it, you must know this, that there is a length in this way, there is a recti­tude, and a straightnes in this way; and thirdly, there is a certaine breadth in this way. There is a length in this way, and therefore you must goe hastily in it, you must run the way of Gods Comman­dements, as David sayth: for there is a length in it; that is; it will not be dispatched with an easie pace. God requires every man to make hast in it, he must quicken his pace in the way to heaven. My Beloved, the cause why men goe on slowly in this way, is from halting; because they halt in this way: In other paces, sometimes we grow slow by [Page 198] wearinesse, but in the wayes of Gods Commande­ments, still our slacknes comes from halting, and therefore you haue that vsed often in the Scrip­tures; men are said to halt betweene two opinions, that is one kinde of halting, betweene two Religi­ons, he goes slowly forward in either of them, that halts betweene two, he profits little, he goes slow­ly on. As there is a halting betweene two opini­ons, so there is a halting betweene two objects, God and the world. A man desires to serue God, and yet he desires to haue vaine glory, or desires to make vp an estate, &c. I say, these divers af­fections, these divers respects to divers objects, when a man hangs too much vpon the world, when he hath an eye too much vpon vaine-glory, when he is tooke vp too much with pleasures, and divers lusts, this causeth men to halt in the wayes of Gods Commandements: halting, you know, is either when one leg is sound, and another lanie, or when we goe with one leg in a higher way, and another in a lower way, it comes all to one; that is, when the heart doth not wholly looke vpon God, but lookes much to the world, therefore you see men much drēched in worldly businesses, that are over-come with them, that are drowned in them, they goe slowly on in the wayes of Gods Commandements, that goe with one leg in Gods wayes, and another out of them: And so likewise when one affection, and one desire shall be good, and another shall be lame, this causeth a halting in the wayes of God. And therefore, if you would run, you must haue both feete whole, and sound, [Page 199] without lamenes, and both feete must he in the way▪ When a man is thus disposed, he runs the wayes of Gods Commandements; that is; let him finde what is the cause of his halting, and of his slacknesse, if it be worldly mindednesse, the way to quicken him in his pace, is to weane his heart from the world; if this be the cause that makes thee slacke, and dull, and heavie, and indisposed to prayer, and to other holy duties, something thou doest, and thou goest in thy way, but slowly, and dully, that is the way to heale it: And so a­gaine, if it be some strong lust, be it what it will be, that causeth thee to halt, and to goe slowly on, heale that, and thou shalt be able to run the wayes of Gods Commandements. David cals it a straight­ning, when he could not run. Therefore, sayth he, I shall run the wayes of thy Commandements, when thou hast inlarged my heart. That is; Every lust is a straightning; the remooving of it giueth a libertie to the heart, every lust is as fetters, and shackles that straiten the spirit, that are a bondage to the spirit, that take away the libertie of the spirit: Therefore the remooving of the lust, whatsoever it is, that sets thee free, as it were, and when thou art free, and at libertie, when there is no impedi­ment, thou artable to run the wayes of Gods com­mandements.

The second is, Gods wayes straight. there is a straightnesse in this way, there is no way that leads to any place, but it is straight: for, if it were crooked, it would not lead to that place. So that every walke, every cer­taine walke is straight, so are the wayes of Gods [Page 200] Commandements, they are straight; now straight is a relatiue word; that is, it is betweene two ex­treames, as we say, it is straight, when a lyne runs betweene two points, and goes not out, from ei­ther of them, that we call straightnes, if there be any exorbitation of the lyne, now it is not straight but crooked, now the way is said to be straight in regard of these two termes. A man indeede goes from misery to happinesse, and the wayes of Gods Commandements, are the straight wayes that lead to that; if you walke crooked in the way, you step out to one of the two extreames; that is; you step out from the way that leads to happi­nesse, you step out to some trouble, to some mis­chiefe, to some evill, to some punishment, when you step out from the way of Gods Commande­ments. So that that is to be observed, that this is a straight way; And therefore, seeing this leads straight to happinesse, every declination is a step­ping out to misery. You haue reason to take it; for it is the shortest way, that is one condition: you haue two motiues to take this way.

One is, Gods wayes nearest. it is the shortest way; the other is, it is the plainest way. We haue a rule in the Mathema­ticks; Alwayes the straightest line is the shortest, looke how much bending, and crookednesse there is, so much the more length there is in it, the straightest way is the shortest: So, if thou wouldst goe the shortest way to happines, keepe the way of Gods Commandements, (if thou dost not know that, thou goest about, thou art a looser by it) that is the neerest way. For example; that I may [Page 201] a little expresse it to you, Iacob, when he would goe about, & not keepe the straight way, when he would make hast to get the blessing, it was a go­ing out from Gods wayes; was it not a going a­bout to his happinesse? You know how many yeares trouble it cost him. So David, when he would goe out of the way, in his adultery, and murther, did he not goe about towards his hap­pines? Was he not an exceeding great looser by it? You know how much it cost him, what great afflictions he had, the sword never departed from his house; what great trouble, being cast out of his Kingdome by Absalom? &c. that was a going a­bout to his happines. So this is a sure rule, let there be any crookednesse in a mans wayes towards God, it is a going about to happinesse. And so A­sa, his heart was perfect all his dayes. But when he was out of the wayes of God, when he stepped out of these wayes, and made to his feete crooked paths, did he not goe about for his owne happi­nes? The Prophet comes, and tels him, Asa, be­cause thou hast done this, from hence thou shalt haue warre: the case was this, Asa would needs seeke to the King of Assyria, and the King of Da­mascus for helpe, it was a sinfull pollicie in him, it was a going about, he shuld haue kept the straight way, and haue trusted God with it, when he would doe this, when he was crooked in his wayes, it was a leading about to his happines, the Prophet comes and tels him, the host of the King of Aram should escape out of his hands, and likewise he should haue warre all his time, and so he had [Page 202] much trouble at home, and warre abroad, and at length he was given vp to a sore disease that was his death. Thus he went about, and so doth eve­ry man when he finneth: for the other is the straight way.

Secondly; It is the plainest. As it is the nearest way, so likewise it is the plainest way. When a man will goe out of it, he meets with snares, there are vanities in those wayes, as it is said, he catcheth the craftie in his owne deceit, or in his owne actions, and enterpri­ses, 1 Cor. 3. he catcheth the craftie; that is, if a man will goe out of the way of Gods Commande­ments by any carnall pollicie and wisedome, it is not a plaine way, it is a way wherein he shall meet with one trouble or other, he shall meete with some snares there, he shall not goe safely in it. So that, my Beloved, you may take that for a sure rule, when a man goes out of Gods wayes, he is not safe, he is subiect to some snare, to some [...] ▪ where in he may be taken: therefore let vs keepe the straight way, it is the best, and it is the neerest. As it is said of Ahymaaz, he ran the way of the plaine, and so though Cushi went out before him, yet Ahsmaaz came to his journeys end much before Cus [...]; be­cause he went the way of the plaine: So he that goes through the plaine way, though he seeme to haue present disadvantage, and trouble, yet when all is summed vp, that will bring him soonest to his journeys end, he shall come soonest to hap­pinesse and quiet that way, he that takes the fairest course, by probabilitie in carnall wisedome, and pollicie, and steppes out of Gods wayes, though he [Page 203] thinke that the neerest way, yet he shall finde that he goes about. Let a man thinke with himselfe, by declining, I may escape such a trouble, such a straite, such a disadvantage, that will befall other men: perhaps thou maiest, but yet, I say, thou go­est about, thou art no gainer by this, it shall be paid thee home in arrerages, thou shalt loose it in the long race, thou shalt finde, that he that goes the plaine way, shal come before thee to thy journeys end, to the happines that we all ayme at; that is certaine still, he that keepes the right way, he takes the shortest way to happinesse, he that thinkes he takes a wiser course then God, and therefore will decline those troubles, by wynded wayes, that a­nother brings vpoā himselfe by keeping the plaine way, I say, he shall finde himselfe deceived, he goes about towards his happinesse.

The last is, A breadth in Gods wayes. as there is a length in this way, and a straightnesse in it, so there is a breadth in this way, there is a latitude, or breadth, a certaine pro­portionall breadth. The way to some man is broa­der then to others, and to the same man the way in some places is broader, in some narrower. The Iewes way was narrower, then ours, there is a Christian liberty that hath inlarged this way, and made it somewhat broader to walke in: for, as the Christian libertie is more so likewise is the way broader: We haue more libertie then the Iewes had in many things, we are freed from that yoke of bondage, that strict observation of Mosaicall Ce­remonies: And so againe, I say, one Christian hath a narrower way then another; that is; as a [Page 204] man is subiect to more temptations, to more oc­casions of sinne, so must he make his way narrow­er, he may not walke in so broad a path as another. Againe, the same man in some part of his way must choose a narrower way, in some he needs not; As, for example, a man that is subiect to run out in such a recreation, another man may walke in a broader path in the vse of that recreation, then he may: for to him it is an occasion, he is rea­die to be snared, and to be transported with it: one man is apt to be carried to drunkennesse, if he see but the Wine, if he come but neere it, he must not looke on the Wine in the Cup; one man is quickly set on fire with incentiues of lust with an object, he may not come so neere, nor be so bold with them as another man may, one man is apt, if he come to such a company, to receiue some hurt, to be intangled with them, he is apt to learne their wayes, to goe along with them, such a man may not be so bold to come neere that company, as another may, that is not subiect to that temp­tation, so that there is a breadth and a narrownes in these wayes.

Now our care must be, not to goe beyond this breadth: for it is a narrow way, there are few that finde it, Math. 7. Therefore, I say, we had more need looke to it, that we step not aside, that we loose not our way. Beloved, it concernes vs much to looke to it; because, when we goe out of Gods paths, we are still exposed to some hazard, and to some danger, we should looke to it, not onely for obedience to God, but for our owne sakes: let a [Page 205] man be found out of the breadth of this way; that is, let him take more libertie then he may (for it is profitable for vs to know both our libertie, and our restraint,) and he shall finde still some misery, or other shall come vpon him; take heede, there­fore, least God meete thee out of the way at any time; as he said to Eliah, What dost thou here? What makest thou here Eliah? indeed it was his fault, when God had beene with him so mightily, and had given him rayne at his desire, to worke such miracles: againe, to send fire from heaven to con­sume the sacrifices, and after to slay so many Pro­phets of Baal, for a word of Iezabell, that was but a weake Woman, to run from her so many miles, as farre as his feete could carry him, it proceeded from timorousnesse, and feare: God meetes with him, and saith, What dost thou here Eliah? What makest thou here? As if he should say; thou art out of the way. Though the Lord dealt mercifully with him, yet it was his fault, he was out of the way, as sometimes feare puts vs out of our way, and sometimes againe other passions, as Hagar went out of her way from he mistris (as we see in the Chapter before the text) Hagar Sarahs maid, whence commest thou? And whither goest thou? Gen. 16. 18. Gen. 16. 18. Where he puts her in minde of that dutie she did owe to Sarah, of that particular cal­ling she was in; As if he should say; Hagar dost thou remember what thou art? dost thou remem­ber what particular calling thou art in? Art thou not Sarahs maid? Thou shouldst be about Sarahs businesse, what dost thou here in the Wildernes, [Page 206] running from thy mistris? If thou be Sarahs maid, whence commest thou? And whither goest thou? As if he should say; thou art out of thy calling, thou art out of thy way.

So you must thinke with your selues, when any man goes out of his calling, when he goes out of his duties of either of his callings, if God should meete him, if an Angell should meete him, and should say, What dost thou here? thou that art a Minister, what dost thou doing the thing that be­longs not to such a one to doe? Thou that art a Tradesman, a Lawyer, a Student, whatsoever the calling, and busines be, that God hath set a man in, when he is stepping out to by-wayes, that are not suteable to such a calling, God may say to thee, and thou maist say to thy selfe, What dost thou here Hagar, Sarahs maid? He puts her in minde of her calling, so must we, and so much the rather, because we are never out of our way, but at that time we are from vnder Gods protection, we are from within the pale, we haue no promise of safe­tie, it makes vs exposed to some hazard, or other, and, therefore, Beloved, be carefull of this. As the Israelites, in the Wildernes went not a step, but as farre as they saw the Cloud going before them, so, I say, goe not a steppe, but as farre as you haue a warrant, as farre as you see God going before you, and this shall be for your comfort.

But you will say, Ob. it may be, God will lead me by these straite rules to prison, to losses, to crosses, to disgrace, to losse of preferment, to losse of friends?

[Page 207] Beloved, Answ. know this, that the Cloud, as it was a direction to them, so it was a protection likewise, they never followed the Cloud, but they were safe, the Cloud was a defence to them wheresoe­ver they went: As we see, Esay 45. The Lord will create vpon every place of Mount Sion, and vpon the assemblies thereof, a Cloud of smoke by day, and a shi­ning flame of fire by night: for vpon all the glory there shall be a defence. Before he had said he would lead them by the spirit, this leading of the spirit, he compares to the leading of Israell in the Wilder­nes; as they were led with the Cloud, so shall you, and if you follow the Cloud, it shall be a defence to you; so, I say, walke with God, and he will be a defence to you: it is no matter what the wayes are, he is able to beare you out: for safetie is a part of your wages; therefore that belongs to him, your businesse is nothing, but to finde out what your way is, and to walke in it, the care of the worke belongs to you, and the other is not your care: therefore (to shut vp this exhortation) learne to doe this, to pray, that God would shew you his wayes, that he will incline your hearts, that he will reach you, as he doth the Ants, and the Bees and not onely shew you the wayes you are to walke, but giue you a secret instigation, and inclination to them, and if you seeke him, and your hearts be vpright, and depend vpon him, he will shew you the path, that you are to walke in: he puts in that condition, that your hearts be sincere, and vpright. Againe, let vs depend vpon him, that we may seeke to him, and trust in him, and he will shew vs the way.

[Page 208] 2 And, as we are to seeke the way, so we must run it, Having found the way, wee must runne. and not be slow, and slacke in it, but runne the way of Gods Commandements, that is; goe a­pace. Now every mans pace is according to his meanes, and his abilitie, according to the might that God hath given him: for that may deceiue vs; A man may thinke he goes fast, when he goes but slowly; because it is not according to his ability. As, you know, a tall man when he doth but walke, he goes much faster then a childe when he runs, and yet he goes but slowly; because it is not ac­cording to his abilitie. Beloved, our walking is faster & slower, according to the severall meanes, and strength that God hath given to every one of vs: some man hath a larger vnderstanding, hath more grace, more experience, better education then another; he must runne faster, he must doe much more good in his owne person, he must be more frequent, and servent in holy duties, he must be more diligent in drawing others to God; ano­ther, that hath received lesse, though he goe a slower pace, yet it may be running to him, when the former doth but walke: So, in every parti­cular; A rich man that giues so much, it is but a slow pace to him, when another, that is poore, giues lesse, and that is a quicke pace to him. And so in like cases. Therefore, I say, let vs choose out the right way, let vs pray to God to direct vs, to shew it to vs, vpon every occasion, that we may not misse it. And let vs not onely walke slowly, but let vs walke apace, and run the way of Gods Commandements. So much for this first Vse.

THE SEVENTH SERMON.

WEE proceede to the second Vse which remaines; Vse 2. I told you the similitude lyes in these two things. No man to be iudged by some particu­lar actions.

First, in the manner of the Iourney, there is a Terme to which we goe, there is another from which, there is a distance, there is a path, &c.

The second Similitude was in the constancie, and continuednesse. Now our second Conse­quence, or Corollarie, we must draw from the second Similitude; betweene a Christian life, and a Iourney from place to place: I say, it agrees with it in this, that they are constant, there is a continued tenor of actions in a Christian mans course: from whence, I [...]ay, we draw this: If it be [Page 210] so, if there be this Similitude betweene them; why, then let no man Iudge of himselfe, or of o­thers, by a step, or two; let him not judge of him­selfe, I say, by a few actions, but let a man consi­der, what his walke is; Walke before me, and be per­fect: Let a man consider what the ordinary, and vsuall course of his life is: if you should doe other­wise, my Beloved, you shall finde it, it you judge a man by an action, or two, you shall see, the best of the Saints haue beene subject to divers fallings, you shall see, Noah drunke, and you shall see Lot committing incest, you shall see Moses speaking vnadvisedly with his lippes, you shall see David committing murther, and adulterie, and making Vriah drunke, many such faylings you shall see in all the Saints, you shall see Hezekiah boasting of his treasure, you shall see David numbring his people, &c. So that, if you judge of men by a few actions, and not by their constant course, you shall condemne the generation of the just.

Againe; It is as true on the other side, if you will judge a wicked man by a few steppes, and not by his ordinarie course, you shall be as readie to justifie the wicked; you shall finde Cain sacrificing, you shall finde Saul among the Prophets, you shall see Iudas among the Disciples, you shall see Herod entertaining Iohn Baptist, you shall see him heare him gladly, doing many things at his Prea­ching, and admonition, this you see frequent, and vsuall: Therefore, I say, were not to be judged by a few actions, and a few paces, but by the con­stant tenor of our life, by what we doe in ordina­rie, [Page 211] and vsuall course: for there is no man so good, but he may haue some swarvings, though he haue chosen the way of Gods Commandements, yet oft he may misse that way, oft he may be drawne out of that way, oft he may be transported with some strong temptation. Againe, on the other side, there is scarce any man so bad, but sometimes he may come into the way. You haue men that haue no constant place to travaile to, yet, for a fit, they may goe into the high way, as a theefe, or a rob­ber, you know. Therefore, let vs learne hence, not to judge our owne estate, or other mens, or censure either our selues, or others by a few acti­ons: for I haue this ground for it, that you may see the reason of the rule. A mans constant course proceeds from the inward roote, and frame of his disposition, from those principles, that are ingraf­ted in him, I say, his constant course proceeds from it. Those same by-scapings out, whether to good, or evill, they doe not proceede from the frame of the heart, but from the evill that is in the good, and from those good things that may be in the evill. You shall see it so in nature: Take a ri­ver, let it be dammed, and stopped vp, yet let the course of it be naturall, let the vent, and streame of it be to goe downeward, at the length, it will over-beare the damme, and will runne over it; or let water, that is sweete, be made brackish by the comming in of Salt water, yet, if naturally it be sweete, at the length, it will worke it our; so, I say, it is with every man, looke what the constant streame of his disposition is, looke what the frame [Page 212] of it is, that which is most naturall, and inward to a man, though it may be dammed vp, and stopped in such a course, for a time, yet it will breake through all impediments. Though there be some brackish, some evill, and sinfull dispositi­ons, that may breake in vpon them, yet they will weare them out; So it is as true, on the other side; let a wicked man step into a good course by some trouble, he is fallen into, or by some good famili­aritie, or good education, or some good Minister, yet long he will not hold in it, he will breake through that impediment: because his naturall disposition, the streame of his heart runs another way.

Besides; 2. Cause. As there is this ground of it, so there is another cause of it; Because the outward occa­sions both for good and evill, I say, they are both forcible, and yet transitory. Evill men, haue some outward things, some outward helpes, which put them on to a good course, they are so effectuall; and yet God suffers them not alwaies to haue them, but takes them away, they are but transitory, Therefore a man may walke in a good course, whose heart is not yet right, and yet long he shall not doe it: because those outward occasions shall be tooke from him: As, for example, Ioash wal­ked in the wayes of God, all the while that Iehoiada lived, here was the outward occasion, he was drawne with another mans synewes, he was hea­ted with another mans heate; and when that man was tooke away, you see, he fell to his owne course, and by as againe; the outward occasion [Page 213] was strong, but it was but for a time, and so he re­turned to his old course.

The like in the case of Vzziah, he was hemmed in for a time, with Zachariah the Prophet, but, sayth the text, after his dayes, his heart was lifted vp to destruction. And so Herod, he kept within compas [...]e, he was stirred vp to doe many things at the Preaching of Iohn Baptist, but he did not al­wayes continue: for God so disposeth it, in his providence, he will not suffer evill men alwayes to haue these outward occasions of good; As it is as true, on the other side, good men may haue strong temptations, that may transport them for a fit, but God will not suffer them alwayes to lye vpon the godly, he will not suffer a temptation of affliction, he will not suffer the rod of the wicked to lye alwayes vpon him, it may for a time, and he may for a fit, put out his hand to wickednes, he may, vp­on some exigent, vpon a sudden, when he is put to it, vpon some outward trouble, or cros [...]e, when his heart is shaken, and distempered, when he is not himselfe, but God so disposeth of it in his pro­vidence, that they shall not alway lye vpon him, but they shall be remooved in due season, as well as the helpes to good shall be taken from the wic­ked. So, you see, that may come to passe for a few steppes, for part of the Iourney, an evill man may goe right, and a good man may swarue from the straight way: Therefore, let vs neither judge our selues, nor others by it: for, if we should, we should justifie the wicked, and condemne the generation of the just. So much shall serue for this, and for that point.

[Page 214]The next, and maine point, that we intended, was this, ‘That whosoever hath interest in Gods All-sufficiencie, Doct. must be a perfect man.’

That is; He must be sincere, he must haue in­tegritie of heart; though he may be subject to many infirmities, yet God requires this of him. If I be All-sufficient, sayth he, to any (that is the scope of it) he must be perfect with me; I am All-sufficient, therefore be thou perfect; otherwise thou hast no interest in this All-sufficiencie of mine. The poynt is cleare, and it is a poynt well knowne to you, I shall not need to confirme it by any other places of Scripture, but rather spend the time in giving you the grounds of it: And second­ly, in shewing to you what this intirenesse, and perfection, and sinceritie of heart is.

First, I will shew the grounds why no man shall be saved, he shall never haue part in this All-sufficiencie of God, except he be perfect, except he haue integritie of heart.

First; Reas. 1. Because the new Adam should otherwise not be so effectuall as the old; the new Adam should not be so powerfull to communicate grace and life, as the old Adam is to instill corruption and sinne; for the finne, that hath beene convey­ed to vs by the first Adam, hath an integritie in it, it hath gone over the whole soule, there is a whole bodie of death, that hath possessed vs; Now should there not be in those redeeming actions by Christ a contrary integritie, and perfection, a through­out holines, as I may call it? The plaister then [Page 215] should be narrower then the sore, and the remedy should be inferior to the disease. Beloved, you know, a leprosie is gone all over, except the holi­nesse went all over too from top to toe, I say, there would not be an answerablenesse in the se­cond Adam, he should not be able to doe as much good, as the first was able to doe hurt.

Secondly; the worke of Redemption should 2 be done but by halues, if the Lord should dispense with imperfect holinesse. The workes of Creati­on, you know, were perfect, God looked vpon all his workes, and he saw that they were very good. Beloved, doe you thinke the workes of Redempti­on should come short of the workes of Creation? Are not they likewise perfect? when the Lord shall looke on that worke, shall he not say likewise, it is very good? If you doe marke the parts of it, hath not Christ redeemed vs from our vaine conversa­tion? The holy Ghost, doth not he mortifie every sinfull lust? The bloud of Christ, doth it not wash every sinne? The Word, and meanes of grace, doe they not strike at every rebellion? It is cer­taine, they doe, and therefore, there is an inte­gritie required in all: otherwise, I say, there should be an imperfection.

If you object, Ob. notwithstanding this, though Christ hath redeemed vs, yet, you see, there are many imperfections left in men; and therefore, how can you say the workes of Redemption are perfect?

I answer; Answ. They are not perfect in degrees: for they must haue a time of ripening; but that which [Page 216] wants any part of perfectiō, though it be ripened, when it wants the roote, and principle, when the frame, and first disposition is not right, let it grow vp never so fast, it will never be perfect: So this is true of the workes of Redemption, of the works of God in a mans heart, of destroying the workes of Sathan, and setting vp a new building, which is the worke of Iesus Christ, and the end, for which he came; I say, this is true of it, it is perfect, it wants onely growth: As, you may say, it is a per­fect seed, when it is ripe, it will be a perfect flow­er; or it is a perfect plant, when it growes vp, it will be a perfect tree, it is perfect in all respects. Such a perfection is in the workes of Redempti­on, and, if the heart of man be not entire, if the worke of grace be not throughout, if there be a de­fect in the principle, and constitution of it, there should be a defect in the workes of Redemption, that cannot be.

3 Thirdly; if there was not a perfectnesse of heart wrought in all those that should be saued, the com­mands of the Gospell should be commands of impossibilitie: for the Gospell requires at our hands, that we should haue respect to all the Com­mandements, that we should keepe the whole Law in an Evangelicall manner; that is; in a true inde­vour; the Gospell requires that we should loue the Lord our God with all our hearts, for the truth of it; It requires, in a word, that we should keepe the whole Law, in that sence, so as to square our liues to it; to keepe it all in truth, and sinceritie, though we cannot reach the highest top, and de­gree [Page 217] of it; Now if the heart were not perfectly ho­ly; that is; thoughout, there could be no propor­tion betweene the Commandement, and the fa­cultie, and abilitie vpon which the Commande­ment lyes: for it is certaine, except the heart were perfectly holy, it could not keepe the whole Law, there were an impossibilitie, we should not reach every Commandement. And therefore, there must be integritie and entyrenesse in the heart, that we may be able to keepe them, at the least in a Evangelicall sincere manner, though wee cannot perfectly keepe the whole Law of God.

Fourthly, it is required: because otherwise there 4 should not be a correspondencie, and agreement betweene the Covenant on Gods part, and on ours: God hath said, he will be All-sufficient, but he re­quires this againe, on our part, that we be altoge­ther his; My beloved is mine, and I am his; and Psal. 18. I will walke perfectly with them that walke perfectly with me; there are the termes of the Co­venant, the Lord will haue it thus farre vpon even termes, there shall be an integritie on both sides, and therefore, if a man be holy but by halues, that makes not the match, it makes not the agreement betweene the Lord and vs: for all, and halfe is not a match, but all, and all is that which makes the match, the agreement, and sutablenesse betweene God, and vs; and this is another reason why it is required.

Now last of all; this perfection, and integritie 5 is required: because otherwise, all that we doe is [Page 218] nothing, it is to no purpose: for, except you seeke the Lord, and serue the Lord with a perfect heart, you serue him not at all, you cannot serue him as God, you cannot serue him as a Maister, you can­not serue him as a Lord, as a soveraigne comman­der, except your hearts be perfect with him. This reason I take out of Math. 6. a place well knowne, No man can serue two Maisters. That is; It is true, a woman may loue many as friends, but shee can loue but one as a husband: A man may looke to many subordinate ends, but he can haue but one vltimate end: A man may haue respects, he may affect many things in a remisse manner, but to af­fect many things in the highest degree, it is im­possible, it can be bestowed but vpon one: There­fore, I say, to serue him as God, it cannot be, ex­cept the heart be wholly bestowed on him; if you will take in any thing with him, either credit, or profit, or pleasure, now you make God an Idoll, and you make that as God; so that whatsoever a man loues, and respects or obeyes; I would aske him but this question; Eyther it commands the same thing with God, when it commands vnder him, and so, in yeelding to that, you obey God himselfe, or else, it commands somewhat diffe­rent, and if you yeeld to that, and not to the Lord, you reject him, and take that for God. Therefore, I say, the heart must be perfect, or else the obedi­ence is nothing at all. So much shall serue to shew you the grounds of this, why such a perfection, and sinceritie, and integritie of heart, is required in all those that shall be saved.

[Page 219]But the chiefest businesse will be here, What sinceri­tie and vp­rightnes is. to shew you what this integritie is: the best way to finde it out, is to open to you all those expressions in the Scriptures, by which it is presented to vs, and you shall finde them to be these fiue: And in the ope­ning of them, we shall sufficiently shew you, what this sinceritie, or perfection of heart is.

First, you shall finde it often expressed by pu­ritie, 1 and soundnesse, Puritie. blessed are the pure in heart; and, God is good to Israell, even to them that are of a pure heart. Now what is it to be pure? That is pure which is full of it selfe, and hath no other Hetero­geneall thing mingled with it; So, that heart is pure, which hath no sinne in it, which is holy, which hath a renued qualitie of grace, which hath an inward regenerate man, that will mingle with no sinne, that is full of it selfe, and admits not the mixture of any sinne. My Beloved, I must be wari­ly vnderstood here, I say, it admits not the mix­ture of any sinne. It is true, sinne may cleaue, and adhere to a man, as drosse doth to the silver, but it mingles not with the regenerate part, that min­gles not with it; that is, it enters not into the frame, and constitution of a mans heart, it is not weaved into the texture of his heart; it is no in­gredient into the very frame, and fabricke of it, but though sinne be there, yet the heart still casts it out of it selfe, it resists it, and rejects it, and pu­rifieth, and clenseth it selfe from it, this properly is a pure heart: As in other things, you say, a thing is pure, when it is solid, and cleare, and vnmixed, though it may haue some drosse, and some mudd [Page 220] cleaving to it, you say, it is pure gold, when it is digged out of the minerall, though there be much drosse in it, and we say, it is pure ayre, though, for a time, there be many fogges, and mists, and adventitious vapours within it; So, we say, it is pure water, though there be many inundations of mud cast into it, or that come from the spring, or Channell, from which it runnes; So a man may be said to haue a pure heart; that is, a perfect heart, though there be an adhesion of much drosse, many evill thoughts, that cleaue to him, yet, I say, they mingle not with him; that is, Beloved, it is certaine, that the holiest men haue a fountaine of originall corruption in them, and from this foun­taine sinnes arise continually, as the scumme in the pot, but yet, if the liquor be pure, and good, if it be right wine, or right honey, whatsoever the liquor is, though the scumme arise, still it purifies it selfe, and casts it out; this is the propertie of a pure heart: with the impure, it is quite contrary, the scumme ariseth as in the other, but it is sod­den in, it is mingled, and confounded with it, there is not such a segregating, such a clensing dis­position in it but there is a mixing of them toge­ther: this similitude you shall finde Ezek. 24. 12. whence I take it, she wearied her selfe with lyes, &c. And her great scumme went not out of her. There is a similitude going before of a boyling pot, into which much flesh was put, to which he compares the Children of Israell of that time, but this is the Conclusion that God makes, her great scumme went not out of her; As if he should say, it is very true, [Page 221] the holiest men haue their scumme rising in their hearts, as well as the wickedest men, but, sayth the Prophet, here is the difference, her great scum went not out of her: That is; though it arose, and might haue beene cast out, it was not so, but was sodden in, and mingled together. And therefore, sayth he, her scum shall be consumed with fire. That is; God will deale with her, as we doe with pottage, when the scum is sodden into them, we cast them in the fire, and the reason is given in the words following; for I would haue purged thee, but thou wouldest not be purged, therefore thou shalt not be purged from thy silthines, till I haue caused my wrath to light vpon thee: That is; As if he should say, I put my Word to thee, which is as fire, I vsed such ordinances, & meanes, I withheld none of them, and with those I would haue purged thee; not, Beloved, by the inward purifying worke of the spirit: for that could not efficaciously be resisted, but I would haue purged thee; that is, my Word is as fire; It is a segregating thing, that differenceth, and puts a separation betweene the scum, and the liquor, as that indeede was the end of the Pro­phets, to separate the precious from the vile. Now, sayth the Lord, when these meanes were vsed, when thou haddest the Prophets that would haue separated the precious from the vile, in thy heart, as well as to doe it in the companies of men: See­ing this had no fruit, nor effect vpon thee, but still thy scum, and filthines continued in thee, & thou wast not purged: therefore, I will destroy thee, thou shalt never be purged, but my wrath shall [Page 222] light on thee: So, my Beloved, it is not the having impurities in the heart, that makes the heart im­perfect, (that is the Conclusion I grow to) but it is the suffering of them to be mingled, even with the inward frame of the heart.

Thus you shall finde, if you would know the true difference betweene a pure and perfect, and an impure and vnperfect heart, it stands onely in this; he that hath a pure heart, there is in him a clensing, and purifying, a segregating disposition, that casts out whatsoever evill comes, though it be continually rising, yet still hee casts it out, though he be still falling into some finne, yet still he is repenting, though many times he be myred, yet still he washeth himselfe againe, he cannot en­dure it, he doth not, as the swyne, delight in it; but he hath another, a contrary disposition, he still clenseth himselfe from it: That I take to be the meaning of that, Math. 15. where it is said, That, which comes from within the man, as adultery, forni­cation, &c. they defile the man. The meaning is this, when sinne riseth in a man from day to day, if he cherish sinne, and entertaine it, and suffer sinnes to dwell, and abide in his heart quietly, without disturbance, if he suffer them to be sodden in, as it were, now they defile the heart, But if sins arise in the heart, and he continually resist them, he continually cast them forth, he continually clen­seth, & purifieth himselfe from them, such a man is not defiled with them, not is his minde defiled, not his conscience defiled; but notwithstanding this continuall Ebullition of evils (that I may so [Page 223] call it) he is a man of a pure heart, and perfect with God, and that, I say, is one of the expressions of purenesse.

And so likewise soundnesse, Soundnesse. when a man is sound at heart, that is another expression of this perfect­nesse. Now a thing is said to be sound (as an Ap­ple, you know, is said to be sound, when it is not rotten at the core, though there be many specks in it; and a Ship is said to be sound, when there is no leake in it, though it may haue some other flawes, and defects; And a Vessell is said to be sound, when there is no clift in the bottom, though it may otherwise be brused, and battered, yet, you say, it is a sound vessell) I say, so it is in this case, when the bottom of the heart, and the inward frame of the heart is right and sound. Though a man be subject to many faylings, yet this is a perfect man, he hath a sound heart; whereas, on the other side, take a man, my Belo­ved, (that we may shew you what this rottennesse at heart is) take a man, I say, who doth admit a constant neglect of any duty, or an ordinary com­mission of any sinne, such a man may properly be said to haue a leake in the bottom of his heart, to be rotten hearted, to be vnfound at the bottom; But a man, that, though he be subject to infirmi­ties, yet had rather dye then omit a knowne duty, or to be in a knowne sinne, I say, this man, though he haue many infirmities, yet he hath a sound heart: And the reason of it is this, because, such a man although he haue some weaknesse, some sick­nesse, and infirmitie hanging vpon him, yet he [Page 224] will grow it out, as one that is sound in his bow­els will weare out his sicknesse, and distemper, as it is said, if the inside be cleane, the outside will fol­low: And that is as true, on the other side, let the inside be rotten, though there be a faire and a gol­den outside, as in an Apple oft times, that doth not continue long, but rottennesse will possesse the outside also; That we see often in experience, and you shall seldome see it otherwise; (I thinke there is scarce an example of it) but that an hypo­crite, a man of an vnsound heart, though he may carry a faire shew long, yet, in the end, even the outside shall be tooke away, that shall vanish also, and rottennesse shall seize vpon it: for that is the nature of things, that are vnsound, they stay not there, but they putrifie, and corrupt more and more; So that, you see throughout the Scriptures, still those that were of imperfect hearts; that is, that had vnfound hearts, they were discovered be­fore their death; as Amaziah was, he held out long, and so was Ioash, and divers others; It is a rule, I thinke, that seldome fayles: because God hath said, I will curse the name of the wicked, and it shall rot. Now except their hypocrisie should be discove­red in time, and that their outside were removed, and made as rotten as the inside, how should his name rot? So much shall serue for this first ex­pression, that it is expressed by purenesse and sound­nesse.

2 Secondly; you shall haue it expressed by sim­plicitie, and singlenes of heart; Simplicitie. he, whose heart is perfect before God, he is said Mat. 6. to haue a single [Page 225] eye; and Iam. 1. he, that is imperfect is sayd to be a double minded man, contrary to which is [...], a man that hath a simple heart, a heart without guile, a single heart. Now, if we can finde out what this singlenesse of heart is, this singlenesse of eye, and of heart, you will finde out this perfecti­on, that is here spoken of; Walke before mee, and be thou perfect. Now a single heart is called so from the singlenesse of the object, that is a single eye, that lookes but vpon one object, and that is a sin­gle heart, that lookes but vpon one thing: likewise that is a double eye, and a double heart, that lookes vpon two objects, and is divided betweene two, and knowes not which to choose; like a man that is in bivio, in a double way, he stands, and lookes on both, and knowes not which to take; so an im­perfect hearted man, an vnsound hearted man, he stands, and lookes vpon God, and vpon the world, and he knowes not well which to choose, some­times he is following the one, sometimes the o­ther, this is his condition, he is distracted be­tweene both; such a man hath a double eye, and therefore, sayth the text, a wicked eye: for so it is called, if the eye be single, all the body is light, but if the eye be wicked: (for so it must be interpreted) if the eye be double, which is a wicked eye; So, my Beloved, an vnsound harted man is not descri­bed to you by any thing so plainely, and perspicu­ously, as by this, that his heart is not pitched vp­on God alone; but he hath an eye vpon God, and an eye vpon credit, he hath an eye vpon God, and an eye vpon his walth, vpon his pleasures, or [Page 226] whatsoever it is, when there are two objects: for, in that regard a man is sayd to haue a heart and a heart, not as commonly it is taken to make a shew of one thing, and haue another within; But it is a heart and a heart, when there are two objects, vp­on which the heart is set, that the heart is divided betweene two, & so is cloven asunder, as it were: And so it is a double heart, by way of division, and not by having one thing in shew, and another within. Now then, if you will finde out what a perfect man is, I say, it is he that hath a fixed reso­lution to cleaue to God alone, that hath his eye vpon him, and vpon nothing besides. This is a single heart, when a man shall resolue (for instan­ces will best make it cleare to you) when a man shall say, as Ioshuah did, Well, sayth he, I see you are readie to take divers wayes, but I am resolved for my part, for me and my house, we will serue the Lord, that I am resolved on. So David, I haue chosen the way of his commandements, I haue sworne to keepe them, and that I will doe: When a man is once resolved throughly, when he is grounded, and hath a setled resolution, an vnchanged resolu­tion, that pitcheth him vpon one, he is no longer in doubt betweene two, this is a perfect hearted man, So Moses takes that resolution, I will suffer affliction with the people of God, as if he should say, I haue chosen it, whatsoever become of mee, though I be a banished man, though I liue a poore life, though I turne from Pharaohs sonne-in-Law to keepe sheepe in the Wildernes, yet this is my resolution, here I haue fixed my staffe, this will I [Page 227] doe. Herein the perfection, and integritie of his heart was seene; So the three men, Sidrach, Me­sech, and Abednego, This, say they, we are resolved vpon, whether we be delivered, or not delivered, whether we dye, or liue, whatsoever come vpon vs, we will serue the Lord, we will not worship thine Idoll. And so I [...]b, (the place you know) though he kill me, yet will I trust in him; That is, though he multiplie miseries vpō me, even to the very death; yet I am resolved to serue him, my heart is there pitched, his, will I be. This is, Beloved, to haue a single eye, and a single heart; When the heart is divided, it is imperfect, such a man is vnconstant in all his wayes, sayth Iames: Such a one was Saul, and such a one was Amaziah: that indeede is the case of all hypocrites. And to this, I adde that which is said Math. 8. the fourth ground is said to haue an honest heart, (I put them together, a single heart, that I would explaine to you, they come much to one,) an honest heart stands in this, that a man resolues to serue the Lord with patience, and with abstinence, that is the definition, that I will giue of it, he that hath an honest heart, he resolues to serue God in all things with patience, and absti­nence, one of them is exprest in the text, he brings forth fruit with patience, the other I adde, for a more full explication of it. The meaning is this, he hath an vpright, and honest heart, that so pit­cheth vpon God, that he will not be drawne aside for any thing: Now there are but two things that draw vs aside; that is, eyther persecution afflicti­on, and trouble. And for this the honest heart [Page 228] hath patience, he resolues to suffer them, whatso­ever they be, and therefore he is able to goe on; or, on the other side, pleasures, and divers lusts, that drew away the third ground, as persecution did the second; here he hath a resolved abstinence, he is content to part with them, and to be without them: therefore he brings forth fruit when ano­ther doth not; that is, another may haue a faire blade, but either persecution, or else pleasures, and divers lusts come betweene, and intercept his ma­turitie, that he never comes to any bearing of fruit, to any purpose; This expression I put toge­ther with singlenes of heart, a heart without guile, and without mixture, because there is a similitude betweene them. So much fo that expression like­wise.

3 A third Expression there is in the Scripture, which you shall finde in these words, Integritie. Ier. 3. 10. They did not turne to me with their whole heart, but faignedly. And very oft, Thou shalt serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart. So that the wholnes of the heart, the integritie of the heart, he that hath this is a perfect man, he, that wants it is an vn­sound hearted man. What it is. Now what is this Integritie, and wholnes of heart, In 3. things. you shall see in these three, the integritie of the subject, the integritie of the object, and the integritie of the meanes, whereby the subiect, and the object are joyned together.

1 The Integritie of the subject, that is the heart of a man, The integritie of the subject. that I call the subject; The Integritie of the object I call the Commandements, when he hath respect to all of them; The Integritie of the [Page 229] meanes I call that, which brings the heart, and the Commandement together; that is, the vse of all holy ordinances, and the abstinence from all occasions, that may draw vs another way. So now he is a perfect man with God that first hath a whole heart; that is, such a heart whereof every part, and facultie is sanctified; There is no part of it, but it is seasoned with grace, there is no wheele in all the soule, but it is turned the right way, according to that 1 Thes. 5. He is sanctified throughout, in body, soule, and spirit. I say, when a man shall finde every thing within him readie to prayse the Lord, and to looke toward the Lord, all that is within him. There is not any thing within him, of which he can say, the bent of it is another way. I say, such a man hath an integritie of heart: Another man, you shall finde it thus al­way with him, that, though in many things he wish well, and hath a good meaning, and good purposes, yet there is something, or other, hath stollen away something in his heart, something within him is not right, it may be in his feare, he cannot say he feares God, and nothing else: for there are many things that he feares more then God, so he cannot say of his loue to God, that that is right, it may be, it is misplaced, though many other things may be right in him, he loues riches, he loues credit, he loues reputation, he loues his ease, and conveniencie, his practise, and imploy­ment; So that, if God and these should come in competition, he would be readie to violate his conscience towards him, rather then to part with [Page 228] [...] [Page 229] [...] [Page 230] these: And so his griefe, that is not principally for sinne, there is somewhat, or other, that you shall finde him fayling in, there is not an integri­tie in the subject.

2 And secondly, there is as little in the object; he hath not an eye to all the commandements, Integritie in the object. where­as the perfect hearted man, there is no dutie but he giues vp his heart to it: And againe, there is nothing forbidden, no sinne, but his heart is a­verse from it, and he resists it to the vttermost. You shall see this expression, Iam. 3. He that can guide his tongue is a perfect man, in many things we sinne all, if any man sinne not in word, he is a perfect man: Iam. 3. 2. Compare this with Iam. 1. 26. If any man among you seeme to be religious, and refraineth not his tongue, but deceiues his owne heart, this mans religion is in vaire. I say, you may take but this one instance, that this is the judgement of the holy Ghost: Should a man haue an eye to e­very Commandement, and should he but fayle in this one thing, not bridling his tongue, but giue vp his tongue to evill speeches, to let it walke loose, vp and downe, whither it will, if he doe but neglect this one particular, yet, sayth the Text, all the rest of his Religion is but vaine; Why? because there is not an Integritie in the object, he hath not an eye to the whole Law, so that, if a man fayle in this, he is not a perfect man, if either it be in the subject, or in the ob­ject.

3 Or thirdly; if it be in the meanes, that knits these together; Integritie of the meanes. that is, take a man that will not [Page 231] vse all Gods Ordinances conscionably, and in their season; that he doth not pray, and receiue the Sacrament, and vse the Communion of Saints, and fasting, and every one in their season: I say, if he doe not vse all the meanes: And againe, if he doe not abstaine from all the occasions, but if he venture vpon evill occasions, and incentiues to lust, vpon such objects, as are readie to worke vpon him, I say, if there be a defect in these, he is an vnperfect, and vnsound hearted man; as you may say of a mans bodie, if you see those things that are essentially to a mans health, if he faile in any of them, he will not drinke, nor he will not eate, nor he doth not sleepe, he fayles in the meanes that should make him sound; or else, if he adventure vpon the occasions that may cor­rupt him, he venters vpon poysoning, and in­fecting dyet, infected, and pestilent ayre, &c. he cannot haue a sound bodie; no more can such a one haue a sound soule: So, I say, that the whol­nesse, and integritie of the heart, it lies in these three put together. First, the heart must be all sanctified: If you say, how shall wee know that? Thus: he hath respect to every Commandement, he fayles not in any thing, not in looking to his thoughts, not in looking to his speeches, he doth not neglect any affection that riseth in him, at a­ny time.

But how shall a man know that, whether he haue done this?

So they hang, one vpon another, that you may know the first by the second, and the second by [Page 232] the third, you may know whether a man haue an eye to every Commandement, if he vse all the meanes, and abstaine from all occasions of sinne: for if thou doe not this, pretend what thou wilt, thy heart is false; So much for this third.

4 The fourth Expression, that I finde in Scrip­ture, is vprightnes, Vprightnesse. or straightnesse of heart: the word, in the originall answers ( Rectitudo) and an vpright man, in the originall is as much as ( vir rectus) a straight man: Marke the way of the vp­right, and perfect man, his latter end is good, it is peace, Psal. 37. That is, of a straight man: So the straightnes of the heart, if we can finde what it is, we shall know what it is to haue a perfect heart with God. Now the straightnes of a man (for so I will rather expresse it) in the Concrete is seene in this, whether he hath straight & vpright ends: An vpright man you shall know by his aymes, he hath a right end; the ayme, and scope, and marke, that his eye is vpon, is Gods glory, and his owne saluation, to doe, and suffer the will of God, whatsoever it is; that is, to be faithfull, and dili­gent in his Calling, to be serviceable an profita­ble to others, these are the things that are in his heart, these are the right ends, and he is sayd to haue a right heart, whose ends are right, that pit­cheth vpon right, and straight ends, and likewise, he that goes by a straight rule: for a right end ne­ver hath a crooked rule leading to it. But, if a man would know whether he hath a right end; thou shalt know it by this, there needs not any oblique way to lead to such an end, but thou wilt goe by a [Page 233] straight rule; that is, the way of Gods Comman­dements is the rule that thou wilt walke by: Therefore if thou finde this in thy heart, that there are devices, and plottings, and windings, and turning wayes, that thou projectest to thy selfe to bring any end to passe, now thou goest not by a straight rule, but by a leaden Lesbian rule, by a bended rule: whereas a right man, his eye is still vpon the rule, he considers not this, and this I will bring to passe; but he considers with himselfe, what is the rule I ought to walke by; As indeede every man hath some certaine rule, and principle in his heart, and all the acti­ons that hee doth, proceede from those secret rules, though himselfe take no notice of them. Now this is planted in the heart of an vpright man, that still he goes by a straight rule, though he could desire many things might be brought to passe, yet if the rule will not hold, he will not seeke it. This you shall finde Gal. 6. Peace on the Israel [...] of God, as many as walke by this rule. They are the true Israell, that keepe the right rule; so I will commend this to describe to you a right, and straight man, when his end is right, and his rule is right: That is; when his heart is not a croo­ked heart: for it hangs all vpon a string, crooked ends, and crooked wayes, and a crooked heart. He that hath a right heart; that is, not a perverse, and froward heart; as we see Pro. 17. 18. A fro­ward heart (as the translation is, that is, a croo­ked heart) it findes no good. A man is then sayd to haue a crooked heart, when if you will lay to [Page 234] him any straight rule; that is, giue him any right precepts, tell him this you ought to doe, this is the iust course▪ this is the way you ought to hold, you shall never bring a crooked heart, and a straight lyne together, his heart will still be star­ting aside from it, it will not cleaue to it, it will not accommodate it selfe to that: for his heart is crooked. Therefore, Beloved, when wee giue straight Counsels to them that haue [...]rooked hearts, we doe but loose our labour. If it were a straight heart, straight Counsell, and it would soone agree: such an expression you see Psal. 125. He that seekes himselfe in crooked wayes, I will leade him forth with the workers of iniquitie. That is, when the inward bent of a mans heart is croo­ked, when it will not entertaine straight, or right Counsels, but i [...] is still jarring, and disagreeing with them, such a man God rejects▪ There [...]ore (sayth he) he will leade him forth with the wor­kers of Iniquitie; that is, he will reckon him as a worker of Iniquitie, and so will he deale with him.

5 The last Expression, Approoving a mans selfe to Gods sight▪ that I finde in Scripture, to set forth this perfection of heart, is, to doe e­very thing in Gods sight: When thou hast an eye vpon the Lord, as well as he hath an eye vpon thee. So you shall finde, 1 Cor. 2. As of sinceritie in the [...]ight o [...] God, where the second is an expli­cation o [...] the first, and so here, Walke before mee, and be perfect: That is, if a man walke before God, and approue himselfe to him, he is a perfect man, for that shewes the difference betweene perfecti­on [Page 235] and soundnesse of heart, [...] the one is truely such as will [...] tryall, such as will endure even the eye of God himselfe, when that which is [...] to the vrmost tryall; that is able to say [...]o God; Lord thou knowest mine Innocency, as Da­vid did, and Lord, I beseech thee, search m [...] reynes, and my heart; when one [...] say, as Hezekiah, Lord, thou knowest, that I haue walked with an vp­right heart.

Now, I say, when a man is so entire, that there is such truth in him, that bring him to what touch-stone you will, let him be brought to the light, he knowes his workes are right, he is not afraid, let God himselfe looke into his heart, that hath pure eyes, that can search every cra [...]nie of it, to whom every thing is naked, yet he shall finde him true; that is, he doth every thing, if God looke to the most inward retired thoughts, he doth all in Gods fight, he approues himselfe to him, such a one hath a perfect hea [...]t▪ So much shall serue now for the opening of this to you, what it is to be a perfect man; Beloved, I will ap­ply it very briefly.

If this be perfection▪ Vse 1. now you haue seene the ground why God requires it, To examine our selues. and that no man can [Page 236] be saved without it, let vs make this vse of it, to try our selues; let a man examine himselfe whe­ther he be a perfect man, or no: you will say, how shall we doe it? Indeede, my Beloved, I confesse it is a hard thing to doe: for men are children in vnderstanding; and, as children are apt to be de­ceived with guilded things, they see the outside to be fayre, they see a fayre peece of gold, but they are not able to finde out the base mettall, that is hid within; So it is our case, for the most part, we are not able to finde out this truth, whe­ther our hearts be imperfect, and vnsound, and rotten, or no: Therefore we had neede of helpe, I will name one or two.

And this is one rule (I take but such as I finde in Scripture) that is a rule that our Saviour giues, 1. Tryall. by which you may try your selues; sayth he to the young man, when he comes to professe to him, that he had done thus and thus from his youth, saith he, if thou wilt be perfect, goe sell all that thou hast: As if he should say; wouldest thou know now if thou be perfect (those are the words) that is, whether thou haue a sound heart, or no, goe sell all that thou hast: That is, thou shalt know it by this, that is the meaning of rhe Rule, Goe sell, &c. Let a man looke round about him; if there be any thing in the world, any evill, any calami­tie, that he is not willing to suffer; if againe, there be any blessing, any comfort, that he is not wil­ling to part with, I dare boldly affirme it, that such a man is an vnsound hearted man: for exam­ple; put the case that such a thing befall him, as [Page 237] imprisonment, that a man sayth thus with him­selfe, I will endure other things, but for that, I haue a crazie bodie, that will not beare it, I haue a wife, and children, that must be maintained, I haue debts to pay, &c. that is a thing that I can­not beare, and endure: let a man haue but such a resolution as this, I will not beare this, such a man will proue an vn [...]ound hearted man, if he be put to tryall. And whensoever the heart is not sound, God will bring one to it, at one time or other: or againe, put the case a man say thus, I will endure any thing else, but to be despised, but to be con­temned, to be disgraced, to loose my reputation with my neighbours, to be a singular man, [...]o be an Owle for every body to wonder at, this is a thing I can never endure, let this man be put vp­on it at any time, to doe any strange thing; that is, a thing that seemes strange to worldly men, that shall bring the censure of them vpon it, let him be put to passe through evill report, as some­times he must be, let him be put to walke in the wayes of righteousnesse, it sometimes seemes strange to them that you doe not thus and thus, such a man will deale vnsoundly, he will discover himselfe to be rotten hearted.

So againe, a man that saith thus with himselfe, I will not loose my practise, I will not loose my imployments, I will not loose my trade, I will not loose my dealing with my Customers; this is my Plowe, this is it, that maintaines both mee and mine, though I suffer many things, ye this is that I cannot beare, it would breake me asunder, [Page 238] &c. I say, let any man say thus in his heart (I doe but giue you Instances, that you may vnderstand what I would say) such a man will deale vnsound­ly, and imperfectly, when he is put to it, let it be any thing in the world, I will not stand to giue further instances. Let a man examine himselfe, and thinke what is neare, and deare vnto him, except he be inwardly willing to part with it, that he can say, if any of the wayes of God fall crosse with this; If I be any whit hazarded in the keeping of a good conscience, by keeping this, I will part with it: I say, except thou canst say this, it is certaine thou hast a rotten heart; And the like I may say for suffering; If a man say, such a great mans favour I will not loose, my making, or my marring depends vpon it, if there be any such case, be it what it will be, thou art an vn­sound hearted man; and that is the meaning of that; If any man will be my Disciple, he must denie himselfe, and take vp his daily Crosse: As if he should say, if a man will not deny himselfe, in e­very thing, if he will not take vp every Crosse (he may take vp to himselfe a profession to be a Disciple, he may make as many pretences, and shewes, as he will, to be my Disciple, but a true and a genuine Disciple he cannot be) he cannot be my Disciple, except he deny himselfe in every thing, and take vp every Crosse, and therefore let a man examine himselfe in that, whether he be thus prepared to part with every thing, if thou wilt be perfect, sayth the Lord (that is the place I [...]ake it from) then sell all that thou hast, that was [Page 239] the tryall, he was put to, and it is a tryall by which you shall judge of your selues.

So likewi [...]e, 2. Tryall. you shall finde another tryall of that, Math. 6. and the last; Be you therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. There is another way of finding out this perfectnesse of heart, whether it be in vs or no, you must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect: no lesse will serue the turne; if you be not so perfect, as he is perfect, you cannot be saved, you are vnsound hearted.

You will say to me, this is very hard, Ob. who is a­ble to be perfect, as his heavenly Father is per­fect?

Beloved; Answ. the meaning of this, is not that you should reach his perfection; for, who can ever doe it? but the meaning of it is this, there must be as great a length, as great a breadth, and lati­tude in your perfection as in his, your perfection must answer his. How shall we know that? Gods perfection is knowne by his Commandements▪ Looke how largely the perfection of God is set forth in the Scriptures, so large your obedience must be. If it come short in any thing, if it be not as long, and as broad, as it were, it is vnsound, and [...], and imperfect obedience, that shall be cast away as evill, and counterfeit: for you must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, sayth Christ, he giues this as a reason of all that he had delivered before, (you shall see in a word in par­ticular) sayth he, you haue thought it enough to loue your friends, but, sayth he, it is not enough, [Page 240] you must loue your enemies, you must blesse those that curse you, and speake well of those that speake evill of you. And when a man shall object▪ but this is a hard thing? that is the Conclusion, sayth he, you must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect; he doth thus, he causeth his Sunne to shine vpon the good, and the bad, he causeth his rayne to fall vpon them, and your perfection must be as large as his: And so againe, perhaps thou art one that wilt abstaine from swearing greater oaths, but that is not enough, thou must not sweare by thy haires, thou art not able to make one white, or blacke, much lesse, my Brethren, must we sweare by our truth, and by our faith, which is more worth then haires. So againe, perhaps thou art one that wilt not commit Adultery, but if thou cherish sinfull lusts, contemplati [...]e fornication, and vncleannes in thy heart, thou fallest short, in that thy per­fection is not so broad, as the Lords; that is, that his law requires, that sayth, thou shalt not lust: And so againe; perhaps thou sayest, he hath done me wrong, and I will doe him no iniustice, but an eye for an eye, thou requirest justice according to retaliation, and proportion: But that is not e­nough, but thou must forgiue perfectly: if hee haue done thee two or three or foure wrongs, thou must beare them, and leaue revenge perfect­ly to God: if you object, this is hard, who can doe it? He saith, be perfect, &c. so you see the mea­ning of it. If you would finde out now, whether your hearts be perfect or no, consider whether the latitude of them be such, whether it be thus [Page 241] broad, that is (that I may expresse it fully to you) whether you walke so exactly, that you haue not onely an eye to the maine poynts of every Com­mandements, but you obserue the least particle of every Commandement, the least Iota, the least pricke, and poynt, that you finde in every Com­mandement.

Except you doe this, I say, your hearts are not perfect: the scope of the Chapter is to require the exact keeping of every Commandement, to the least, and to the smallest things. And there are these three reasons put together, to confirme it.

One is; for, sayth he, every Iot of the Law, is of so much worth, though you thinke it a small thing, That it were better that heaven and earth should perish, then that it should. It is of greater price then the whole world. Therefore the Lord will not haue the least jot of the Law to pe­rish.

Againe; sayth he, the Pharisies would keepe the great Commandements, the principall poynt, and part of every Commandement; but the par­ticles of it, the nicer poynts of it, they would not keepe. And, sayth he, except your righteous­nesse goe beyond theirs, except you goe further then theirs, you shall never be saved.

Then the last is, that I named to you before, except you be perfect, &c. there must be such a la­titude, for the extension of your perfection, though not for the intention, and degrees of it, as is in your heavenly Father, you cannot be sa­ved [Page 242] else. Therefore, if you say, this is a hard con­dition; Beloved, you must know this, that Iesus Christ hath given to all those that shall be saved grace for grace, that looke as he requires perfection of obedience, in a latitude answerable to all the Commandements, to all the particles of them, even a perfection answerable to his owne per­fection; so he hath given vs grace for grace, that is, he hath given vs an inward abilitie of graces which answer every Commandement; he hath given vs grace for grace, as the Father giues lim for lim, part for part, there is not a little finger, not a toe, but the Father giues it the Sonne, and the Sonne hath given it to vs, Moses brought the Law, but grace comes by him; and when he would shew what grace it is, it is grace of such a lati­tude, that it enables you to be holy, as he is holy in all manner of conversation, there is another ex­pression like that to be perfect as &c. Therefore, my Beloved, if you would haue the testimony of sinceritie, and of perfection to your selues, take heed you neglect not the smallest things, I know how vsually it is found fault with, when men are so curious to looke to every m [...]ate (it is to be more nice then wise) it is too much straightnesse, and too much precisenesse, and exactnesse: I be­seech you, consider the ground, I will be hold to say this; that man that neglects the smallest thing, say it be vaine speech vpon the Sabbath day, say it be the neglect, or overly performance of prayer from day to day, though he will not omit the maine dutie; though it be [...] vaine speech; or [Page 243] vaine thoughts, though it be that which the best are continually subject vnto, yet, if it be so that he haue not a continuall eye to them, so that he neg­lect not the smallest of these things, or if you can name any lesser Commandement, I say, let any mans heart be of this constitution, that he neg­lects them, that he hath not a speciall eye to the observance of them, a speciall care to keepe them, he is vnsound, and rotten at the heart, he shall never be saved contin [...]ing such; for the confirma­tion of it, I will name but that one place, Pro. 19. 16. He that keepes the Commandements, keepes his owne soule, but he that despi [...]eth his wa [...], shall dye for it: That is, he that keepes the Commandements every way, that lookes to all the Commande­ments, and every particle of them, and sees how farre they reach, as they are particles of the Com­mandement.

The Commandement sayth, thou shalt not kill, to be angry with thy brother, to admit an inward distemper of malice and envie in thy hear [...] ▪ this small thing, though it be but a transient passion, yet thou must make a speciall conseience of it. And so, thou shalt not commit adultery; That is the maine of the Commandement, yet, if thou haue an adulterous eye, an adulterous tongue, or adul­terous thoughts in thee, these are the touches of vncleannesse, the tinctures of it, I say, except thou makest conscience of these, and keepe the com­mand thus farre in this extent, and thus exactly, thou dost not keepe thine owne soule, but he that thus keepes the Commandement▪ keeps his soule, [Page 244] for, sayth he, he that despiseth his way, that is the word I meane to vrge, he shall dye for it; that is, he that thinkes thus with himselfe; Alas, these are poore, and small things, they are things of lit­tle moment, and therefore he despiseth them; Well, sayth he, he that despiseth the least thing, he that despiseth any of his wayes; that is, the least particle of any Commandement, you see what he sayth, he doth not say, he shall be afflicted for it, but he shall dye for it. Therefore I pronounce this out of that place as well as the rest, that he that despiseth any of his wayes, any part of Gods Commandement, seeme the dutie to be of never so little moment, vnlesse he repent, and amend, he shall dye for it; for now thou despisest some of thy wayes: Beloved, a godly man, though he fayle much, yet this is an inseparable propertie of a perfect heart, still he hath an eye vpon eve­ry thing, he doth not despise the least of his wayes, the least steppe, the least particle, the least tincture of the Commandement, but he hath respect to all.

So much for this time.

THE EIGHTH SERMON.

WEe now proceed to the rest of the properties of this perfecti­on, that you may try your selues by them; And wee will hold the same course we did, in opening to you the nature of this perfection: that is; wee will open to you those places of Scripture, wherein the Scripture expresseth the proper effects of a perfect heart: And therefore, to that second we will adde this as a third that will keepe you from mis-vnder­standing it: 3. Property, He purifieth himselfe. that is; we must be perfect, as our heauenly Father is perfect; that property of per­fection you shall finde, 1 Ioh. 3. 3. 1 Ioh. 3. 3. He that hath this hope in him, purifieth himselfe, euen as hee is pure. 2 Cor. 7. 1. So likewise 2 Cor. 7. Since we [...] haue such [Page 2] promises, let vs cleanse our selues from all pollution of flesh and spirit. That is; those that haue these promises, and beleeue them, will be still clean­sing of themselues: Contrary to which is that generation spoken of Prou. 30. 12. Pro. 30. 12. There is a generation that are pure in their owne Eyes, but yet they cleanse not themselues from their filthinesse. So that, my beloued, to haue a purified disposition, to haue a heart and a spirit ready to cleanse it selfe, this is to haue a perfect heart: So that a Godly man, he may be many times defiled with sinne and vncleannesse, he may haue his heart many times muddy and imp [...]re, hee may haue it clouded and ouercast with passions and vnruly affections, but yet it cleeres vp againe, and hee comes out of them all with more brightnesse, and with more cleerenesse and purenesse of heart. The substance of it is this▪ wee deny not that a godly man may fall into many sinnes, in­to many impurities, into many defilements▪ but yet he riseth out of them againe by an assiduous and daily repentance, and still he growes vp day­ly to more and more perfection, as Dauid, and Hezekias, and the rest; whereas, on the other side, a man that hath an imperfect and vnsound heart, though hee bee recouered out of a sinne againe, and againe, yet hee returnes to it, as it is said, 2. Pet. 2. 14. [...] Pet. 2. 14. men that haue eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease to sinne: that which is said of that sinne there, they cannot cease to sinne, that is, though they make many Couenants with God to leaue their sinne of vncleannesse, yet they [Page 3] haue eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease to sinne, I say, it is true of any other sinne, to which an vnsound-hearted man is giuen vp, he cannot cease to sin, as Pro. 19. 19. A man of much anger shall suffer punishment, though he be deliuered, his anger shall come againe: that is, though hee bee often punished with his anger, for his distem­pered anger and passion, though he finde many euill effects of it, and so be deliuered from it by many purposes to returne to it no more, yet, saith he, his anger will come againe and againe; So that it is true which is said in the generall, Let the foole be beaten in a morter, yet he will re­turne aga [...]e to his folly & wickednes, it cannot be beaten out of him: it is the nature of an vn­sound hearted man, though he be often deliue­red, he will returne againe, and againe. Ierobo­am, though he were admonished, yet still hee will returne: the Israelites, though they were often quieted, and satisfied, yet being a stiffe-necked people, they still rebelled and murmur­ed against God; so did Phoroah: so that you may take this for a sure r [...]le, that, take a man whose heart is not sound, and all the miracles in the world, all the preaching, all the admoni­ [...]ions, all the mercies, all the afflictions, all the experience that he can gai [...]e by all the passages of Gods prouidence towards him, and about him, will no [...] keepe him from returning to his si [...]ne, but still he fals backe to it againe and a­gaine, it gets strength still; but with a man that ha [...]h a sound heart, that is perfect, it is not so, [Page 4] hee doth not easily returne againe, but though he doe fall for a time, (as I deny not but hee is many times ouertaken with the same infirmity) yet he still cleanseth himselfe,

But, 4. Obiect. you will obiect, take the holiest man, may he not relapse many times into sinne, may he not fall into the same sinne againe and a­gaine, yea, euen into grosse and great transgres­sions?

Beloued, Ans. I cannot deny but he may, (for we must not take away the right [...]ousnes from those that are perfect, whilest wee seeke to exclude those that are hypocrites and vnsound-hearted, and therefore I say) I deny not that there may be many relapses into the same sinne, though the heart be perfect and sincere; and therefore to shew you cleerely the difference, wee must spend a little time in this point. 4. Differences betweene the relapses of sound and vn­sound-hearted men. There are these foure differences between the turning againe of a man whose heart is vnsound, and betweene the relapses that are incident to a man whose heart is perfect with God.

First, 1. Difference. you shall finde this difference between them, that a man whose heart is perfect with God, though he doe relapse into sinne, yet still he gets ground of his sinne, euen by euery re­lapse; marke it; I say, he gets ground of sinne, and grace gathers strength by it; whereas, on the other side, an vnsound-hearted man, the oftner he fals, the more sinne gathers strength, and euen the goodnesse, he seemed to haue had, is lessened more and more, till, at length, it bee [Page 5] quite abolished. This is a point much to be ob­serued, and the ground of it is this; because any grace, where it is a proper grace, where it is a right grace, let it be wounded by any relapse, by any transgression, I say, it gathers [...]trength, euen by that relapse, it is the nature of true grace so to doe; It gathers strength euen from the contrary, as fire doth when it is compassed a­bout with coldnesse, by an Antiperistasis, so it is with grace: It is a common saying that you haue, and true, as you commonly vnderstand it, that Vertue growes stronger when a man fals into affliction: but more true, if thus taken, that grace gathers strength, when it selfe hath receiued a wound, when the grace it selfe is weakned, as thou thinkest, it gathers more strength: As for example, let a sound-hearted man, whose grace is true and right, and genuine, and not counterfeit, let him fall into any trans­gression that giues a wound to his graces, say he fall into an act of intemperance of anger and passion, he gathers more strength by it; euen these graces they grow brighter by it: It is not so with other men, the more they fall; the wea­ker they grow; Dauid, when once he had com­mitted the sinne of cutting off the lap of Sauls garment; none was more carefull then he was afterward, he would not offer him the least vio­lence: And so Peter, when that grace of Cou­rage and boldnesse for the Truth, had once re­ceiued a wound by his denying of Christ, you see what strength hee gathered by it, hee grew [Page 6] af [...]e [...]wards [...]he boldest of all the Apostles, as you see Acts 4. Acts 4. 12. So it is generally with all the Saints; euen those wo [...]ds, by which it is expres [...]sed in the Scripture, discouer as much vnto vs; Hezekiah, when hee was falne into the sinne of pride and boasting of his Treasure, saith the Text, hee humbled himselfe; you shall fi [...]de, 2. Chron. 32. 25. 2 Chro. 32. 25. the words there vsed, are, the Lord tryed Hezekiah, the Lord left him, that he might [...] him, and know all that was in his heart: The like phrase is vsed of Peters falling, Satan desires to winnow thee, but I haue prayed for thee, that thy faith doe not faile: And, now marke it, when they doe fall into any sinne, it is to them as a tryall to the Gold, and as a win­nowing to the Corne; euery sinne, euery temp­tation, euery fall, though Satan intend to burne out the good mettall, yet the issue still is this, they lose nothing by their fals, but their drosse, the chaffe is still winnowed out; euery sinne, they fall into, discouers that corruption that before they tooke no nocice of; as Hezehiah knew not the pride, before, that was in his heart, but that action discouered it to him, so it was thereby cleansed and emptied forth: So likewise Peters cowardlinesse and fearefulnesse was discouered by that act, hee knew it more, and therefore he was more watchfull against it, hee gathered more strength against it: so that this is the nature of the relapses of the Godly, that still they empty their hearts more and more of those sinnes that they fall into: againe; [Page 7] [...]he graces, to which they giue a wound, still gather more strength; but with others it is not so, still they are weakned by their relapses, the good things, they seemed to haue, are still les­sened, and suffer diminution, till at length they be quite abolished, that is one difference.

The second is; 2. Difference. though a godly man fall backe to sinne againe and againe, yet hee neuer fals backe to the allowance of any sinne: there is a great difference, my beloued, betweene these two, betweene returning to the act of a sinne, and the allowance of it: Another man doth not onely returne to the sinne, but hee returnes likewise to the continuance in it, he is ready, in the end, either to excuse the sinne, to finde out some deuice and excuse for it, or else hee is rea­dy to say, I see it is impossible for me to ouer­come it, I see there is no remedy, I must giue vp my selfe to it: This you shall see in the re­lapses of Saul; Saul tooke a resolution more [...]hen once, that he would pe [...]secute Dauid no more; and no doubt this resolution was ex­ceeding hearty for the time; but, you see, hee did not onely returne to the act, but to a conti­nuance in it, and an allowance of himselfe in it. So likewise did Pharoah, hee resolued many times that hee would let the People goe, and made that promise to Mos [...]s and to [...]he Lord, that he would let them goe; but, you see, hee returned againe, not onely to the sinne, but to such an allowance of it, that hee excused him­selfe in it, hee thought rather, hee had erred in [Page 8] his purpose of letting them goe, and so conti­nued still to retaine them. This you shall finde in all the falles of Hypocrites, in all their relap­ses, that in the end (howsoeuer for a time they may resume their purposes againe) they weare them out, and they step backe to a resolution to continue in that sinne; they thinke thus with themselues, I see it is a sinne that preuailes a­gainst me, I am not able to resist it, it is too strong for me, and therefore I will goe no more about it.

Thirdly; 3. Difference. as there is a difference in this; so there is a difference in their manner of ouer­comming, and in their manner of returning, when they arise out of a sinne, when they pre­serue themselues from it after a relapse, by which you may iudge likewise; for you may iudge the one by the other: A man whose heart is vnsound, may take to himselfe a strong and fixed resolution, by which hee may resist the sinne, and yet this banke may bee borne downe by the violence of Temptation: But, in a godly man the resistance is otherwise, and accordingly the relapse is of a different nature: for the resistance is after this manner, it is as when you see one streame resist another, as you see in Riuers that are subiect to ebbing and flowing, there runnes a contrary streame that ouer-beares it; so it is in those that are sound-hearted, there is a strong inclination, that car­ries them another way, such as that expressed, Gal. 5. 17. the spirit lusteth against the flesh: so [Page 9] that, if you marke the manner of their ouer­comming, the manner of their rising out of their relapses, you shall finde them to bee in this manner; put the case the flesh, for some brunt, for some fit, haue gotten the better, notwithstanding, saith he, the spirit lusts a­gainst it, and suffers not the flesh to doe what it would; that is, there is a contrary streame within him, which resists those desires of the flesh, that binds them againe, and leades them captiue, as, before, the spirit was led captiue: In others it is not so; there may be a certaine fixed resolution, which may resist a strong temptation, as a Banke or a Rocke resist a strong billow: but there is a great deale of difference betweene this and those risings out of relapses that are done by a contrary streame, by the lusting of the spirit: for they haue no such spirit in them, to lust against the flesh, and so to binde it, as it were, to ouercome it, that they returne no more to those sinnes to which before they were giuen vp.

Last of all, 4. Difference. there is this difference betweene them, that hee that hath a perfect heart, hee that is sound-hearted, while hee is himselfe, he neuer relapseth into any sinne; marke it, while hee is himselfe, which note I take out of Romanes 7. Rom. 7. 20. a place which you know: It is no longer I, but sinne that dwelleth in mee: that is, as if hee should say, I, while I am my selfe, neuer fall into any sinne; but when I am distempered, when I am ouercome, and ouer­ruled [Page 10] by sinne, that dwelleth in me, then I sinne and fall backe: But, otherwise, I say, a godly man, while he is himselfe, neuer relapseth into any sinne, he cannot sinne, because he is borne of God, he keepes himselfe that the euill one touch him not; the ground of which is, be­cause, while he is himselfe, Hee that is in him is stronger then all the world: 1 Ioh. 4. 4. 1 Ioh. 4. 4. He that is in you, is stronger, &c. that is, if hee bee vpon euen termes, still he gets the victory. But, my beloued, now let there be an inaequality, let him not be himselfe, let there be some violent trans­portation from the flesh, so that he is led Cap­ [...]iue b [...] it, now he is ouercome: for hee is not himselfe in s [...]ch a case; i [...] is, as Paul saith of [...]imselfe, the good I would doe, that doe I not; and the euill that I would not doe, that doe I: tha [...], as you see in a combate betweene two, suppose that one that were the stronger, were it vpon aequall termes, would carry the victory; not­withstanding, when his adue [...]sary gets the hill, and hath the wind on him, he ouercomes him, and leades him captiue: So it is in this case; [...]he Spiri [...], the regenerate part, though it might and would alway get the better, were it vpon aequall term [...]s with the [...]sh; yet, when the flesh shall get the hill, as it were, get vpon the hill of temptation, and shall haue wind to driue [...]he smoke vpon the eyes and face of the Com­batant, that is, to blinde him; in such a case, vpon such a disaduantage, he is ouercome, and fals into sinne: And therefore you see how the [Page 11] Apostle expresseth it, Rom. 7. 22. Rom. 7. 22. I delight (saith he) in the Law of God, according to the in­ward man: as if he should say, That is my con­stant course; might I doe what I would, That would I alwayes be doing; That is my inclina­tion, there is my delight; b [...]t ye [...] (saith he) I see a law of my members, rebelling against the law of my minde, leading me capti [...]e to the law of sinne; that is, there is a strong power within me, that sometimes distempers me, and puts me out of my selfe: that he cals a law; because it is commanding and powerfull like a law; and the law of my members, (whereas the other is called the law of my minde) because, though it be through the whole soule, yet principally the force and vigour of it is seene in the me [...]bers, that is, in the inferiour parts of the soule: saith the Apostle, when I am thus distempered and put besides my selfe, when there is such a law rebelling against the law of my minde, in such a case, I am ouercome, and led captiue; but, when I am my selfe, I sinne not, it is the sinne that dwels in me. So much shall serue, to haue shewed you the differences betweene those re­lapses which godly men are subiect to, and those turnings and fallings backe into a continuance in sinne, to which other men are subiect: For, my beloued, it must not seeme strange to vs; for both are alike subiect to infirmities, both are subiect to returne, as you see, a sheepe may fall into the myre as soone as a swine, for the com­mission of sin, and so likewise for the omission of [Page 12] duties: an Appletree may haue a fit of barrennes & vnfruitfulnes, as well as a Crabtree, or any o­ther; but the difference is great in the manner of them, as we shewed: But still the maine diffe­rence is to be remembred, that hee that hath a perfect heart, is still clensing and purifying him­selfe; the other doe not that, but so fall backe to sinne, that they wallow in it, as a Swine doth in the myre. So much shall serue for this.

A fourth property of a perfect heart you shall finde expressed Phil. 3. 4 Property, He pres [...]eth to the marke that is before him. if you take the words together, from the 12 Verse to the 15: (for, I say, the course we will hold, shall be, to open to you those places where the Scripture sets downe, Phil. 3. 12. 15. the Characters and properties of A per­f [...]ct heart) not as though I had already attained it, or were already perfect, but I follow after, if I may comprehend that, for which I am also comprehen­ded by Iesus Christ, &c. I presse hard to the ma [...]ke, for the price of the high Calling of God, in Christ Iesus; Let therefore as many as be per­fect, be thus minded; the meaning of it is this, saith the Apostle, this is my course: I am not yet attained to perfection, but, saith he, this I doe, I ayme at the vtmost, euen at the price of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ: I ayme at the vtmost, euen at the toppe of perfection, and againe, saith he, I follow hard to it: And, saith he, not onely I, but as many as are perfect, let them be thus minded, where, by the perfect, he meanes, you see, not one that hath already a perfect ho­linesse, but one that is sound hearted: for, hee [Page 13] had said before, not as if I were already perfect; and yet here he saith, Let vs, as many as bee per­fect, be thus minded: so you shall finde heere these two property of a perfect man, Which cōnsists of one whose heart is perfect with God.

First, 1. In ayming at the highest degree of ho­linesse. he aymes at the highest degree of ho­linesse, he lookes at the very marke it selfe, hee lookes at the toppe, at the standard, at the vt­most exact line of holinesse, and hee labours to square himselfe to it, though hee cannot reach it, yet it is his endeuour, he propounds not to himselfe a shorter iournies end then hee should doe, but his ayme is euen at the very toppe of perfection, at a perfect conformity to the I­mage of Christ; for that is it the Apostle heere speakes of, that wee may be conformable to the Death and resurrection of Iesus Christ, this was his ayme: An vnsound heart aymes not at perfect holinesse. whereas, on the other side, another doth not so, but he sets a certaine compasse, a certaine limit to himselfe, there hee fixeth his staffe, hee doth not intend to goe any further, he doth not intend to grow vp to full holinesse, as it is expressed, 2 Cor. 7. 1. 2 Cor. 7. 1. hee doth not in­tend to be holy, as the Lord is holy, in all manner of conuersation, this is not his intent, this is not the thing he aymes at. So herein they differ; hee that hath a perfect heart, hee followes hard after the marke, hee aymes at the very toppe of perfection; and the ground of this diffe­rence is, partly, because a man that is vnsound-hearted, will not be at so much cost and paines for heauen, He will not be at the cost. as to ayme at the top of perfection; [Page 14] he thinkes th [...]s with himselfe, that to bee so strait laced, that he must be exact in euery thing; to obserue all his speeches, that hee may not speake freely; and to giue an account of all his time, and of all his actions, that hee may not walke in many things according to his owne phantasies, according to his owne delight and pleasure, he thinkes, if he must be tyed to this, that he may not, at any time, giue the bridle to his humour, and to his inordinate appetite, but still he must be so restrained and fe [...]tered, and pinioned, as it were, to walke by an exact r [...]le, that all his actions, and all his steps may bee pondered; he thinkes with himselfe, it is more then euer he shall be able to doe; hee doth not indeede prize Christ and Heauen at such a rate, [...]hat he will be thus exact and perfect; and ther­fore he aymes not at it, he neuer goes about it: And partly againe; 2. He aymes not at God. because God indeed is not his ayme, but his owne safety, his owne happi­nesse and security, his owne escaping of Hell and Iudgement: therefore hee doth not seeke simply to please GOD, and keepe his Com­mandements, but he seekes so much perfection as will ser [...]e his owne turne; and therefore he doth with it, euen as a lazie scholler doth, that intends not simply to excell in learning, but would haue as much learning as should passe through examination, and get a Degree; or as a man that labours not simply to get an excel­lencie in the Art of Arithmeticke, but would haue so much only as would keepe a Merchants [Page 15] booke; or as a Lawyer that would haue so much Law onely as will serue his turne, as will serue his practice: I say, when a man aymes at this, you doe not say knowledge is his ayme; for were it so, he would desire to know what­soeuer is knowable, hee would set no limits to himselfe, were knowledge his ayme simply: but we may truly say of such a man, it is not learning, but it is his trade, his degree, or some such particular thing, that is his ayme: So it is with a man whose heart is vnsound, and not perfect with God: God himselfe is not his ayme, and therefore he doth not desire to keepe his Commandements perfectly and exactly; for did he so, he would set no limits to himselfe; he would doe as Paul doth here, he would ayme at the vtmost degree of perfection; but such mens ayme is their owne profit, their owne aduan­tage, their security and deliuerance from Hell and from Iudgements: that is, they doe not care for holinesse simply considered, but so far as it may serue such a turne, as it may deliuer them from such a Iudgement, as it is a bridge to lead theem ouer to such a benefit to themselues.

And the last ground of this difference be­tweene them, 3. He wants light. that they ayme not at the vtmost degree, is, because an vnsound-hearted man ha [...]h not so much light in him, as to discouer to him, to shew to him the vtmost degree of per­fection. A man that hath but a morall light, a naturall, common light, is able to see g [...]osse Euils, and common duties that are contrary to [Page 16] [...]hem; but exactnesse of perfection that is re­quired, he sees not; or, if hee doe discerne it practised by others, yet in his iudgement hee disallowes it, hee thinkes it a thing more then needs: Whereas a man that is sound-hearted, one that is perfect, hee approues it, hee sees an excellency in it, hee admires it in others, and would faine imitate it himselfe: and hence is the difference, that they ayme not at perfection; it is not their scope, they desire not the vtmost, the highest degree of holinesse; whereas a man that hath a sound heart, still he labours to adde to that which is wanting, in his faith, in his loue, in his obedience: and this is one diffe­ [...]ence, that he [...]hat is perfect, saith hee, is thus minded.

The second is; 2. A perfect hea [...]t followes hard to the marke. hee followes hard, hee doth not onely make the marke his vtmost ayme, but hee followes after it hard; that is, it is the property of a man that is perfect, that hee doth not loyter in the way, but hee followes hard after the marke; though he be subiect to many decayes, to many sweruings and decli­nings, yet, still he makes them vp againe, still hee repaires those breaches in his heart; and, though many times he step out of the way, still he recouers himselfe againe; so that his con­stant and ordinary worke is, euery day to make his heart perf [...]ct; where he finds any crooked­n [...]sse, to set it streight againe; where he finds any defect, that he labours to supply; this is [...]is ordinarie and constant course: So, be­loued, [Page 17] you shall finde this difference betweene a man that is imperfect, and another that is sound hearted, that he still amends his heart, he still makes it vp, he still brings it to a good temper, that is his worke from day to day, that he sets it right and streight before God in all things: and you shall see, Ma [...]. 18. 1, 2, 3. Mat. 18. 1. such an expression; there the Disciples aske Christ this question; Master, (say they) who shall bee the greatest in the Kingdome of God? Our Sauio [...]r takes a little child, and sets him vp amongst them, and saith, except you bee conuerted as one of these little chil­dren, you shall not enter into the Kingdome of God. The meaning is this; I see there is pride arising in your hearts, you are looking after great things for your selues, that ariseth of a selfe-conceit you haue; I tell you, (saith hee) Ex­cept you conuert from this euill, except you turne your selues from it, except you become as this childe, and empty your selues of this pride, and become humble, as this childe, be­come little in your owne eyes, as this childe is, you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Hea­uen. So that the meaning of it is this; that a man who is sound-hearted, he is still following hard, he is still making his heart perfect from day to day, he is still turning to God againe and againe, as it is said, Lam. 3. 40. Lam. 3. 40. Let vs search and try our wayes, and turne againe to the Lord: that is, it is his constant worke: My beloued▪ this is the nature of a mans heart, still there is something or other rising amisse in it, as you [Page 18] see weeds in a field. Simile. As it is in a Corne field, except you weede it, and till it, a [...]d plow it, and manure it, and neuer giue it ouer, it will bee ouer-growne with weeds, and waxe fallow a­gaine, and not be fit to beare Corne with any constancy; so it is with our hearts; except wee still plow them, and weede them, and watch o­uer them, they will be ready to grow fallow, they will be ready to be ouer-growne: there­fore, I say, it is the property of a man that is perfect, he is still returning, and making vp the breaches, and defects; as we see, 2 Ioh. 8. 2, Ioh. 8. Let vs looke to our selues, that we lose not the things that we haue wrought, but that wee may receiue a full reward: Marke, let vs looke to our selues, that we lose not the things wee haue wrought; as if he should say, euen those that are perfect, that are sound-hearted, there is this property in them, (though he deliuer it by way of Exhor­tation, yet is a property that neuer is seperate from them) they still looke to themselues, that they lose not the things they haue wrought: and see, my beloued, there is great reason for it: for a man may lose all that he hath wrought, he may lose his reward altogether, as you see, Reu. 3. 11. Reu. 3. 11. Take heed, hold that thou hast, lest another take thy Crowne. You know; Ioash went farre, and so did Iehu, and so did those Israelites in the Wildernesse; and yet they lost their reward, for not looking to themselues: but this is for those that may fall quite away: But for the E­lect, that can neuer fall quite away, this dili­gence [Page 19] is required, and is proper to them; they still looke to themselues, lest they lose that which they haue wrought, lest they should not receiue a full reward: for, though they can­not lose their reward altogether, yet they may lose a part of their reward; as, you see, Dauid did, because he did not looke narrowly to him­selfe, he did not follow hard to the marke, (for in some things they may faile, though it bee their property to looke to themselues; that I expresse to you by the way: I say, part of their reward they may lose, for) the Sword departed not from his house: if, like those builders 2 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 3. 12. you build hay and stubble, then you shall bee saued, if your hearts be vpright, yet as by fire: that is, you shall be scorched by the fire, it shall haue some impression vpon you, something or other vpon your name, or some other iudge­ment; somewhat you shall haue; but this is their property, They looke to themselues, that they lose not the things they haue wrought, but that they may receiue a full reward: For still they are apt to fall backe from the degree they haue attai­ned: And, againe, the sinfull lusts they thought they had mortified are ready to returne: now he that is perfect, is thus minded, hee not onely aymes at the vtmost, but from day to day, hee makes vp the defects that he findes in his heart, and againe, labours to bring downe and to mortifie those lusts that are renewed, and be­gin to gather a new strength, and to bud forth againe; this is their property: so, I say, if thou [Page 20] wouldest k [...]ow it, marke what thy aime is, whe­ther thou ayme at the vtm [...]st degree of holines, or whether thou set li [...]its to they selfe; and likewise, whether thy constant course be, to make thy heart perfect with GOD, from day to day, and to walke exactly with him; whether thou be carefull to husband thy time, that thou mayest haue leasure to doe it: for, my beloued, a man cannot doe a thing exactly, except hee haue time to doe it in: And therfore. Ephes. 5. Eph. 5. 15. 16. Walke exactly, not as foolish, b [...]t as wise, redeeming the time: As if hee should say, if you would walke exactly, redeeme the time, it is your wis­dome; for else you lose all your labour: walke exactly, and not as fooles; for else you had as good doe nothing at all; be so farre wise, that you doe not lose the things you worke; and to doe this, redeeme the time, that you may haue leisure to doe it: I say, consider, whether yo [...] be willing so to husband time, to gaine so much leasure from your other calling and affaires, that you can spend time to search your hearts, in trying your wayes, in setting all things straight within you, that you may walke perfectly with GOD from day to day. So much for this pro­perty likewise; So many as are perfect, le [...] them be like minded.

The next property of this perfectnesse of heart, 5 Property, With a whole hea [...]t. you shall find in those two places compa­red together, Ier. 3. 10. Ier. 3. 10. They haue not returned to me with their whole heart, but feignedly; if you compare that with Hosea 7. 14. Hos. 7. 14. the Lord there [Page 21] complaines, though they did returne and sancti­fie a Fast, and did seeke him very deuoutly, saith he, you returned not to the most high, but a­gainst me haue you rebelled. The meaning of both places is this; they haue not sought me [...] with their whole heart, but feignedly; the word feignedly shewes, that by whole heart, hee meanes there, a true heart: So that, as you would iudge now of an vnsound-hearted friend; you say, he is not perfect, he is not sound, he is not true, when his actions carry a shew and ap­pearance of loue, and his heart doth not answer it; there is a dissonancy betweene the appea­rance he makes, and his heart: his heart is knowne by this, he loues not the person of his friend; he may obserue him, for some othe [...] respects, but his person he doth not inwardly respect: So, if a man would know whether his heart be perfect with God, let him consider whe­ther he do not as false-hearted men are wont to doe, that obserue other men out of respects, because they see those parties haue power to doe them good or hurt, therefore they are di­ligent to obserue them; as the Apostle saith, They haue the persons of men in admiration be­cause of aduantage: that is, they haue them in admiration, they are very obsequio [...]s to them, ready to doe them offices of friend­ship; but it is for their owne aduantage, not because they loue their friends, they are nor aff [...]cted to their persons. Contrary to this is singlenesse of heart; when wee loue not [Page 22] in word onely, in deed and in truth, when we loue with a pure loue, such a man, we say, comes to be perfect with his friend: and so it is in this case, when a man lookes on God, as one that hath power to doe him good and euill, as one that hath power to aduance him, or to cast him downe, and out of these respects he serues him, and obeyes him, and will doe many things for his sake; but yet he doth not serue him with a single heart; that is, he doth not inwardly loue the person of God, he doth not looke on him as he is seperate from all punishments and re­wards, as he is sequestred from all such respects, so as to be hearty to him. This was the fault of the Iewes; saith he▪ they returned againe; but to whom was it? to their corne, to their oyle, and not to the most high: they returned, and were very de [...]out to keepe the Fast, ready to heare, but against mee they rebelled. The mea­ning of it is this, the Iewes returned to the Lord, they were carefull to please him, but it was be­cause they desired freedome from the Famine, and Warre, and oth [...]r Calamities▪ and there­fore they serued the Lord, but they did not lay hold on God himselfe, vpon the graces and com­forts of the Spirit, vpon aeternall life, these were not the things they did inwardly respect; and therefore, God himselfe they loued not, to him they did not returne, (as you shall see, because I will vse that exppession of laying hold vpon God, and vpon aeternall life, 1 Tim. 6. 1 Tim. 6. 12.) when the Apostle Paul had spoken there of diuers [Page 23] men that were contentious, he puts these two properties together; they are exceeding con­tentious, and couetous, they reckon gaine godli­nesse; but thou, saith he, doe not so; but fight the good fight of faith: doe not contend with such a kind of contention, and in such a manner as they doe: and againe, saith he, when they lay hold on wealth and preferment, and such ad­uantages, doe thou lay hold vpon aeternall life. I say, this was the case of the Iewes, they laid hold of such benefits as a carnall man is capable of, such as indeed they conceiued to come from the Lords hand onely, and therefore they retur­ned vnto him; but they did not lay hold vp­on God himselfe, vpon aeternall life, vpon the spirituall priuiledges and promises of grace, and therefore they returned to him but feignedly; that is, they did not seeke the face of God, that which is required, 2 Chron. 7. 14. 2 Chron. 7. 14. If my People humble themselues, and seeke my face: that is, seeke my presence; this they did not: Now with those that haue sound hearts it is not so, but they seeke the Lord himselfe; they are thus minded, that if they may haue the Lord him­selfe, though they be stripped of all things else, they doe not much heed it; though they passe through euill report, though they lose their e­states, though they bee put in what condition they can be, yet they are content to haue the Lord aboue for their portion, for they looke on him as an exceeding great reward: as long as they may haue his loue, as long as they may [Page 24] haue him, though alone, they care for nothing else: thus they are affected when God puts them to it, as you see, Naomi put Ruth and her other daughter to it, saith shee, Wilt thou goe with mee? I haue nothing for thee, Gods hand is gone out against me, I haue no more sonnes in my wombe; or, if I had, thou wouldest neuer stay vntill they were of age: when they were put to it thus, one daughter forsooke her, name­ly Orphah, and returned backe to her people; but Ruth gaue her this answer; Bee it so; [...]yet whither thou goest, I will goe, I will dwell where thou dwellest, I will neuer forsake thee: So it is with the Saints, they choose the Lord, though alone, they cleaue to him alone, they reckon it reward enough, if the [...] may haue him, as you see Abraham did, as GOD said to him, I my selfe will be thy exceeding great reward; he would not so much as take any thing from the King of Sodome, Why? because, saith he, it shall neuer be said that hee hath made Abra­ham rich: GOD alone shall make me rich, hee is reward enough, he is alsufficient, I will not take any of these things in with him: So all the Saints are thus minded, they are contented with GOD alone, because they looke on him as an alsufficient reward, they haue a good opinion of him, and therefore they forsake him not; whereas others haue beene in admiration of him, but for aduantage; when they haue got­ten what they would haue, and are deliuered from what they feare, they start aside as a [Page 25] broken Bow, Hosea 7. 16. Hosea 7. the place before named, as you see Rehoboam, 2 Chro. 12. 1. 2 Chron. 12. 1. Saith the Text, the Lord helped him till hee was strong, and when he was strong, hee and all Israel departed from following the Lord. 2 Chron. 26. 7. 15. And so Vzziah, 2 Chro. 26. It is said, the Lord helped him vntill hee was mighty, and what then? when hee had gotten what he would haue, his heart was listed vp to his destruction: that is, he serued GOD, as it were, a slippery tricke; then he departed from him, when hee had gotten what hee desired, which was a signe hee did not returne to the Lord, or that he did serue him with his whole heart, but feignedly; he did not seeke the Lord himselfe, he did not seeke his face and presence. And the ground of all this is, because they haue no constant fixed good opinion of GOD, but they thinke well of God for fits, and for times, as we see the Is [...]aelites did; they would [...]ollow GOD for such a time in the Wildernesse, after hee had refreshed them, and deliuered them; but as soone as new trouble came, when they wanted bread, and water, and flesh, presently they murmured againe, and grew discontented. And so Ioram, King of Israel, when he was pres­sed with famine, saith he, I will waite no longer vpon the Lord, but he would needes take away Elisha's head, the man of GOD, that exho [...]ted him to wai [...]e on GOD. Thus it is with men, they haue no constant good opinion of GOD; but it is not so with the Saints; they haue knowne the LORD himselfe, hee hath shewed [Page 26] his owne selfe to them, that good opinion they haue of him, is fixed and established; it is the Lord himselfe that hath taught it [...]em; and that which they haue beene confirmed in by long experience, and therefore they will neuer forsake him, no [...] part from him; it is hee him­selfe whom they haue chosen. And this is the next difference betweene an vnsound-hearted man, and he that hath a perfect heart, that hee seekes the Lord himselfe, his heart is perfect with him, when another returnes not to the most high, but returnes to serue him for other ends, and for other respects▪ but against the Lord himselfe, when he hath serued his turne, he is ready to rebell.

The next property you shall find, 6 Property, He accounteth the Gospell wisdome. 1 Cor. 2. 6. 1 Cor. 2. 6. Howbeit we speake wisdome to those that are perfect, not the wisdome of this world, or of the Princes of this world, but the wisdome of God in a mysterie, euen the hidden wisdome that GOD hath ordained before the World to our gl [...]rie: Heere is another property the Holy Ghost sets downe of a perfect-hearted man; the Apostle, when he had said, I come not among you with the excellency of wisdome, or the words of man, but my ayme is, my desire is, as to know Christ crucified alone, so to teach nothing else to you, and to preach to you in the plaine eui­dence of the Spirit, and of power; whereas it might bee obiected, I but Paul, euery man thinkes not so, many men thinke you would doe better, if you would preach as other men [Page 27] doe, and bee curious and quaint of Oratory: saith hee, these things, as I deliuer them, what­soeuer they may seeme to other men, yet to those that are perfect they seeme wisdome; though others may despise it, and reckon it foolishnesse, yet to the perfect it is wisdome. So that, I gather hence, A perfect man in this is distinguished from another that is not sound-hearted, that he hath eyes to see the wisdome of the Holy Ghost, he knowes wisdome. Now a perfect man is there so called, in opposition to him that is meerely animalis, that hath onely a reasonable soule, and no more; for that is the word, the same word that is vsed in another place of this Chapter, the naturall man, it is translated, but the word in the Originall signi­fies a man that hath onely naturall abilities and endowments, and naturall perfections, such a man is reckoned an imperfect man, a man that is not sound: But, saith the Apostle, to a man that is perfect, that is, to a man that hath, be­sides the strength of naturall gifts, the sanctify­ing Spirit that enlightneth him, that the Spirit of God possesseth and informes his soule, it ioynes with his soule, it is dwelling in him; such a one is a perfect man, saith hee, and you shall know him by this, hee discernes the wisdome of GOD, he iudgeth aright of it: so that, my beloued, the meaning of it is this, there is a cer­taine wisdome of God, there are certaine things, that no naturall man in the world reaches or re­lishes: take the hypocrite, that goes the furthest [Page 28] in the profession of holinesse, euen as farre as the second or third ground, euen as far as those Heb. 6. Heb. 6 [...] 5. that were much enlightned, and had tasted of the power of the world to come, yet this wisdome that he speakes of here (we speake the wisdome of GOD) consists of such things as they neuer knew; certaine things that the most knowing man that liues in the Church of God, that is not regenerate, can neuer know them, as he saith, Verse 9. such as eye neuer saw, & [...]. signifying thus m [...]ch, the eye and the eare haue the sences by which knowledge is gathe­red; yet mans eye a [...]d his eare neuer saw, &c. and his heart, that is more actiue then eyther of [...]hem, neuer vnderstood them. You will say, what are these things? They are expressed by di [...]ers names in this Chapter; they are called the wisdome of God, they are called the wis­dome of GOD hid in a mysterie, the deepe things of God, the things of the Spirit of God, the things that are giuen vs of God for our glo­ry: Beloued, these are things that no vnsound-hearted man did euer sound; and therefore I will bee bold to say to you, if euer you knew th [...]se things, if euer you reckoned these things wisdome, certainely your hearts are perfect, you are not meere naturall men, but you haue receiued the Spirit of [...]od, that is, the sanctify­ing and enlighning Spirit of God.

But you will say, Q [...]st. How can it be, that a natu­rall man should neuer know these things?

B [...]loued, A [...]s. I say, it may be very well: for they [Page 29] are things that no Minister in the world can teach you; we may propound them to you, and you may heare them seuen yeeres and se­uen; you may reade the very same things in the Scriptures, and in other Bookes, a thousand times ouer, and yet, for all this, not vnderstand them: It is the wisdome of God in a mystery, and they are the deepe things of God: As a man may looke on a Trade, and neuer see the mystery of it, he may looke on artificiall things, pictures, or any thing else, and yet not see the Art by which they are made; as a man may looke on a Letter, and yet not vnderstand the sense, something there is that he sees, and some­thing that he sees not, not it enters not into his heart; (and therefore it is said, seeing they see not; which argueth that there is something that they see.) Thus there are some things, there is a wisdome of GOD, that an vnsound-hearted man can neuer know, it can neuer en­ter into his heart: which wisdome therefore if thou hast, certainely thou art a perfect man.

You will say, 2. Quest. How shall a man know whe­ther he know this wisdome or no, whether hee thus iudge of the wayes of God?

I answer; Ans. You shall know whether the w [...]s­dome you haue bee such as belongs to perfect men, Foure Markes whereby to know this wisdome. or no, by these foure things, which I will deliuer distinctly vnto you.

First, 1. It humbleth him. you shall finde this, that, when this knowledge is discouered [...]o a man, it exceeding­ly humbles him, all other knowledge doth not [Page 30] so, it rather puffes him vp: But this brings a man exceedingly out of conceit with himselfe, it makes him to stand amazed at himselfe; that is the property of this wisdome, which shewes it selfe to the perfect: and the reason is, because it is a sanctified discouering wisdome; a wis­dome, which that Spirit that giues it, enables him to make this vse of, that hee vseth it as a Lanthorue to his feet, as a light to discouer the crookednesse of his wayes, to finde out the de­fects, to which he is subiect, both in his heart and in his conuersation; therefore this wis­dome discouers him, and opens him to him­selfe; wheras all the knowledge of any naturall man, or that any hypocrite hath in `the World besides, opens him not to himselfe properly, but rather lifts him vp, he vseth it to reproue o­thers, he vseth it for other purposes, he holds it as a light to other mens feet, he makes not this vse of it, to search the inside of his owne heart, he searcheth not euery defect and crannie of his soule with it, and he findes not out himselfe what he is. Therefore, you see, assoone as they haue been enlightned with this wisdome, ( Paul and others) how they were confounded in themselues, how vnworthily they thought of themselues: that is the property of this wis­dome, first to humble.

Another property is, 2. He knowes things as he ought▪ He that hath that wis­dom reuealed to him, that is proper only to the perfect, those things that he knowes, he knowes them as he ought to know them; whereas an­other [Page 31] man, though hee know exceeding much, yet hee knowes nothing as hee ought to know, as we see, 1 Cor. 8. 2. 1 Cor. 8. 2. He that thinkes he knowes any thing, knowes nothing yet as he ought to know it, saith the Apostle; he knowes not sinne as he ought to know it, he knowes not the promi­ses of grace, hee knowes not aeternall life, hee knowes not these as he ought to know them: for, did hee; he would bee wrought vpon by them; if he did know GOD as hee ought, hee would feare GOD with all his heart, and with all his soule, and with all his strength; so, if he did know sinne as he ought, he would make it his chiefest sorrow, he would abhorre it, hee would not come neere it, hee would cleanse himselfe from it, he would flye from it, as from a Serpent, vpon all occasions: So, did he know remission of sinnes; hee would not esteeme so lightly of it as he doth, but hee would seeke it earnestly, euen as a condemned man doth his Pardon: So that is the difference; they know not these things as they ought to know them; for, beloued, this is to bee obserued, when any man is conuerted to God by the reuelation of this wisdome, he doth not alwaies know n [...]w things, hee hath not new things reuealed vnto him, more then he knew before, but the same things he knowes now as hee ought to know; whereas before, though hee knew them, hee knew them not as he ought to know them; he neuer knew sinne what it was, he ne [...]er knew what grace was, all those promises and threat­nings, [Page 32] all that wisdome of God, reuealed in the Booke of GOD, in the holy Scriptures, he neuer knew it as he ought, therefore, it is not profita­ble to him, to bring him home, and worke a change: that is the second difference.

Thirdly; 3. He discerns things that differ. Wisdome to the perfect, is such a wisdome, as enables him to distinguish of things that differ, he is able to discerne between good and evill, as you shall see an expression of it, Heb. [...]. but strong meate belongs to those that are perfect; (for so it ought to bee translated, and so it is in the Originall) the old Translation, by reason of custome, and the new, by reason of vse, but neither is so full as the Originall, by rea­son of habit, in respect that they ha [...]e their sences exercised to dis [...]erne both good and euill: that is, hee that hath this true wisdome, he hath such a distinguishing faculty, that, as the taste dis­cernes of meate, or as a man that is accusto­med to taste Wine, can easily discerne between good and bad, so, (not by meere custome, as other men haue it, but) by a certaine wis­dome that is infused into you, you are able to discerne betweene good and euill, euen as the sences doe; (for that is the scope of the place;) [...] As the sences discerne betweene colour and colour, betweene taste and taste, so there is an ability in those that are perfest, to discerne betweene good and euill: so that, take such a man to whom this wisdome is reuealed, you shall finde such an aptnesse in him to discerne betweene good and euill, that is, hee knowes [Page 33] the voyce of the shepheard, hee knowes and discernes betweene that which is good, and be­tweene that which is counterfeit; hee knowes morall goods and euils, what is to bee chosen, and what to be refused; this he knowes, such a distinguishing faculty he hath, this is proper to those that are perfect; the like you shall haue expressed, Rom. 12. 2. Rom. 12. be renewed in the Spirit of your minde, that you may discerne the good will of God: that is, that you may distinguish between the good will that is truly perfect, and that which is not his will: This property will fol­low a minde that is renewed, he will be able to discerne what another cannot.

Lastly; 4. His iudge­ment is chan­ged that I may conclude; He, to whom this wisdome is reuealed, he that is perfect, there is a wondrous change in his iudgement; that which before seemed foolishnesse to him, now he reckons it to be the true wisdome; and that which before was the greatest wisdome, now it appeares to be follishnesse; as a Child, when hee is growne to yeeres, and is perfect, the things that before he magnified, now he disre­gards them; and the things that before he made no account of, now they are prized and estee­med; such a difference there is, such a change in the iudgement, when once this wisdome is reuealed. So it is in other things: take a yong beginner in any thing, a young Scholler, hee indgeth otherwise of the exercise of what hee learnes, then when he is growne to maturity; as we see, a man that is vnacquainted with [Page 34] Musicke, that hath no skill in it, the common tunes like him best; but when hee growes a skilfull Musician, he cares not for them; those that haue more perfect Musicke in them, those he regards, when he hath a more skilfull eare: so, it is the meaning of the Apostle, we speake wisdome to those that are perfect, as if hee should say, they are able to discerne things, their iudge­ment is another kinde of iudgement then yours is, or then their owne was before; that which they could finde no relish in, no taste, when they are perfect once, they finde a more excel­lent vse in it then others: So that this change of iudgement, iudging otherwise both of the persons and of the things, argues they are per­fect. And this is the last signe, that I will now name to you, of this property heere spoken of, We speake wisdome to those that are per­fect: that is, it is the property of those that are perfect, to reckon that wisdome to be wisdome indeed.

So much shall serue for this time.

THE NINTH SERMON.

BEfore; we deliuered to you cer­taine properties or adjuncts, which are not disjoyned from this sincerity and integrity of heart: That which wee haue now to doe, is to shew you the effects of it, Effects of sin­cerity. what operation it hath in the heart.

First, 1. It exalteth God. you shall finde this, to be one proper effect of it, that it teacheth a man to exalt God in all his waies, to lift vp GOD in all his waies, aboue himselfe, aboue his owne ends, aboue any thing that tends to his owne happinesse: for indeed heerein is sincerity of heart seene, when a man prefers God before himselfe in all things: for hollownesse and vnsoundnesse of [Page 36] heart is in this, when one prefers himselfe be­fore God: it is a sure rule, and it is practised by all the Saints, Psal. 148. 13. which you haue Psal. 148. 13, Thy Name, O Lord, (saith the Propher there) is onely to be exalted. The meaning is this, when a man hath any businesse to doe, when he hath any designe or proiect in his thoughts, he is not to thinke how hee shall aduance himselfe, or any end of his owne, but, (saith he) O LORD, thy Name onely, thy Name onely is to be ex­alted. Such an expression you shall finde, Prou. 4. 8. speaking of wisdome, Prou, 4. 8. and describing the sincerity of their hearts that sought it; it is ex­pressed by this phrase, exalt her, and shee shall exalt thee: that is, looke not to thy selfe, to the way that thine owne heart shall suggest to thee, but what way wisdome and godlinesse shall propound, exalt and prefer those waies before thine owne, and let wisdome alone for exalting of thee, take thou no care for that, exalt her: And it is a phrase frequently vsed in the Scrip­tures, that God is to be exalted, 1. In matter of honour. to bee lift vp; the meaning of it is this, as when a man takes another and sets him vpon his shoulders, that he onely might be preheminent, that he onely might appeare and bee exposed to view, and himselfe stand in the croude, and not be seene; so when a man exalts God in all his wayes, that he may haue aduancement, and honour, and preheminence, though himselfe appeare to bee no body; this is to exalt God, and this is the proper effect of sincerity and integrity of heart: [Page 37] another man, whose heart is not sound, how­soeuer he may exalt God in many things, hee may exalt him in many Commandements, hee may seeme to seeke him, and to seeke him dili­gently, yet he doth all in such a manner that he may exalt himselfe, and his owne ends aboue the Lord: you shall best see it in particulars; the Pharises did many good workes, but (saith the Text) they did them to bee seene of men: that is, they had an eye to themselues, that them­selues might be exalted in what they did, that they might be heard, that they might be seene: and so Iehu; though he were employed in an honourable seruice, and hee did it diligently, which was to avenge the quarell of God against the House of Achab, and so did it, that he went through with his worke, yet he had an eye vp­on himselfe all the while: Come and see (saith he) my Zeale for the Lord of Hosts, &c. as if hee should say, indeed, I doe all this for God; but he secretly intimates in the speech, before hee was aware, that it was the appearance and pre­heminence of himselfe, that he might haue the praise of the zeale and diligence that he shewed in the worke, he exalted himselfe. Looke vpon the Saints now, and you shall see a quite con­trary disposition. Iohn Baptist takes this resolu­tion to himselfe, saith he, let me euen decrease, that is my condition, I am content to doe so, and let Iesus Christ increase; so he bee exalted and honoured, I am content to decrease, I am content to wither in my honour and reputation [Page 38] which I haue had, so the Lord may receiue ad­uantage by it: So likewise Pauls is an excellent example, 2 Cor. 4. 5. 2 Cor. 4. 5. saith he, I doe not preach my selfe, but the Lord Iesus, and my selfe your ser­uant for his sake. I doe not preach my selfe; the meaning is this; saith he, in my preaching, my ayme is not that I might set forth my selfe, that men might looke on mee, on my wi [...], on my learning, on my eloquence; no, saith hee, I desire that I might be concealed, as it were, that I might be obscured and hidden in the World, and that Iesus christ might onely appeare, that he might be seene, that those that heare mee, may haue their thoughts and affections carried to him alone; I am but a spokesman, but the friend of the Bridegroome, I would haue your affections bestowed on him, therefore I set out him altogether; for his sake I am your ser­vant, and I carry my selfe as a seruant, that still my Master may haue honour. This Paul did, and thus he exalted the Lord. And so Moses, when the Spirit of God was poured vpon many of the people, that they grew vp to some ripe­nesse of gifts, and so seemed to be more equall with him, Moses seemed to bee obscured by this meanes, in the opinion of Iosuah, who comes and tels him, Dost thou not see what these men doe? Moses answered againe, hee was very well contented, so God might haue honour, that himselfe should be somewhat ob­scured and lessened; Dost thou enuie for my sake? And this is the disposition of all the [Page 39] Saints, that looke what Ioab did in the case of Rabbah the City, when hee besieged it, and was ready to take it, hee sent to Dauid, saying, come thou and besiege it, lest the victory bee attributed to me; the same the Saints are ex­ceeding carefull of, that God might still haue the preheminence, that still, whatsoeuer victo­ry they haue, whatsoeuer worke they doe, it might be attributed to God, and not to them­selues, this is their constant disposition to exalt him: Therefore you see how iealous the A­postles were of it, Act. 3. 12. when the people were ready to exalt them for that Miracle they had wrought, say they, in much indignation, Why looke you on vs, Act. 3. 12. as if we by our godlinesse had done the worke, to make this man whole? No, say they, the Lord hath done it, that hee might exalt his Sonne. They were carefull to preferre, and to exalt him: and herein indeed our sincerity consists. This is an instance for matter of ho­nour, that, in any matter of credit, it is the dis­position of those whose hearts are vpright, who walke before God perfectly, to exalt the Lord, and to set him aboue themselues.

So likewise it is in all matters of aduantage, 2. In matter of profit. and profit: the heart of an vpright man saith thus; so God and the Church may bee gainers, it is no matter though I be a loser; so God may haue honour, and his people be saued, and the worke goe on, and the Gospell may haue free passage, it is no matter what becomes of mee. You see, this disposition was in Moses and in [Page 40] Paul: saith Moses, Let my name be blotted out of the Booke of life, let me lose all my reward and recompence, so the Church of GOD may bee safe: and so Paul, though I bee separate from christ, yet, so the Church of the Iewes may be safe, so christ may be honoured in their wor­shipping of him, and cleauing fast to him, it is no matter; there is that scope in it. So likewise Acts 20. 24. there is an excellent expression, Act. 20. 24. saith the Apostle, I passe not, my life is not deare to me, so the ministration be fulfilled, that I haue receiued, to testifie the grace of GOD: that is, though I bee a loser euery way; though my life be in danger and in hazard, though many other afflictions may befall me, of diuers kinds, I passe not for them, so the Ministration may be fulfilled, so the Lord may be exalted, so the grace of GOD may be testified, I passe not, I heed it not, I regard it not: When another man, beloued, whose heart is not sound and vp­right with God, saith thus within himselfe, It is no matter though such a Church, though such a People, though such a Kingdome, or such a Nation perish, so I may be safe, so I may enioy my comforts, my ease, my profit, my liberty, this in the heart of euery naturall man: But a man whose heart is perfect with God, still exalts him, both in matters of credit, and likewise in matter of profit and aduantage.

Last of all; 3. In matter of pleasure. in any matter of pleasure: He finds his heart disposed after the same manner; hee saith thus with himselfe; I care not though [Page 41] my owne desire of pleasure and ease be crossed, so men may be pleased in that which is good for edification; as we see that disposition in Paul, 1 Cor. 10. 33. 1 Cor. 10. 33. Saith he, I please all men in all things. Saith hee, I haue liberty to eate flesh, and I desire to vse that liberty, it is as acceptable to me as to any other, notwithstanding, I will euen depriue my selfe of that liberty, to please men; not in this onely, but in all things else; and why? for, saith hee, I seeke not my selfe, and my owne profit, but the profit of many, that they might be saued; and that is the reason of it: And why did he seeke the profit of many? We see in the 31. Verse hee giues this rule, Whether you eate or drinke, &c. doe all to the glory of God: for this cause, saith hee, I doe not please my selfe, but others; I please other men in all things, because I would glorifie GOD: that is, in pleasing them, God is aduanced, he is prefer­red and exalted: therefore, saith he, I please not my selfe, but I please others in all things. So, I say, that is one effect, and the first that I name to you; That it is the property of since­rity and integrity of heart, to set a man aworke to exalt God, to preferre GOD before himselfe, in all occasions.

A second effect arising from sincerity of heart, 2. effect, Nothing moues a man, but Gods com­mand. from this perfectnesse of heart, is this; he whose heart is perfect with GOD, you shall finde in him this disposition, that he is not mo­ued to his maine actions ordinarily, but by vertue of some command from GOD; if hee [Page 42] haue not some such motiue, he stands still, and stirres not. The ground of this is, because while a man seekes himselfe, while a man is vnsound­hearted, while he is full of himselfe, (as euery man is till he be regenrate, till his heart bee changed) come and tell such a man, informe him, and say to him, Sir, this will make for your profit, or this is for your credit, this will be for your aduantage, it presently moues him, and sets him aworke: for his end is to seeke himselfe,: but let his heart bee changed, and be perfect with GOD, to seeke him, now mo­tiues drawne from these respects, doe not so much worke vpon him; but let a commande­ment come from GOD, let this bee presented to him, this is the will of God, this is for GODS glorie, this hee will haue performed by thee; these are the motiues that worke vpon him in the generall fashion and course of his life: o­ther respects, that were most preualent with him before, they moue him not now; but, when they are suggested, as in former time, hee stands still, as it were, as a Ship that is becal­med, that hath no wind to moue it: but when a Commandement comes from God, that Com­mand fils the Sailes, it fils the faculties of the soule, that moues it to and fro, that indeed is the ground, that sets this man aworke, in all the Actions, and in all the courses of his life. you shall see that metaphor vsed Col. 4. 12. col. 4. 12. (it is Epaphras prayer for the people, that Paul here expresseth) Epaphras a se [...]ant of christ, one of [Page 43] you, saluteth you, and alway striues for you in pray­er, that you may stand perfect, and filled with all the will of the Lord. Marke, this is the thing he prayes for, that they might stand perfect: Why? how should it be knowne they were perfect? Saith he, this is the effect it will produce, you shall be filed in all the will of the Lord: that is, as the word signifieth in the Originall, when a man is filled with the Commandement, euen as the sayle of a Ship is filled with wind, so when a man findes this disposition in himselfe, that the principall motiue, that which sets him a­worke vpon all occasions, is some Commande­ment from God, and not selfe-respects, it is an argument that he is perfect, that he is filled with the will of the Lord: otherwise, he would stand still as a Ship, when the Sayles haue no wind to driue them: this is an argument of perfect­nesse and integrity of heart. Psal▪ 119. 6. The like expressi­on you shall finde Psal. 119. 6. then I shall not be confounded, saith David, when I haue respect (marke the phrase; for it is the phrase that hee chooseth to [...]xpresse his sincerity by) when I haue respect to thy Commandements. That is, saith he, the time was, and it is so with other men, that when a Commandement of GOD comes, they little heede it, they little regard it: if other motiues come, which propound honour, credit, and ad [...]ancement, and profit to themselues, those things they respect; but, saith he, heerein is my sincerity seene, and vpon that ground I desire I may not be confounded, that [Page 44] I haue now respect to thy Commandements: euen as you see, a man that hath some princip all friend, that he regards aboue all the world be­sides, it may be, when many others come and speake to him, and make suite to him to haue something done, he regards them not; but, if such a friend speakes, hee hath respect to him: or, as a seruant, if another man bid him goe, and bid him doe, he stands still; but, if his Masters command come once, he goes about it present­ly: for he hath respect vnto him: this is Da­uids meaning: for, saith he, LORD, I haue re­spect to thy Commandements; other things moue me not so much; but, if any Comman­dement come from thee, I haue respect vnto it, and I presently goe and execute it: and in this regard he is said to be a man after Gods owne heart, Act. 13. 22. as we see in Act. 13. 22. I haue found, saith the Lord, a man after mine owne heart: that is, a man of a sincere, of an vpright heart, a man in whose heart is integrity and sincerity, a man without guile, and he proues it by this, saith he, He will doe whatsoeuer I will: that is, if my will be known to him, that will he do, that is the mo­tiue that leades him, that is the thing that stirres him vpon all occasions: for that is the effect by which he is described to be a man after Gods owne heart, hee will doe whatsoeuer I will. Now, beloued, you may examine your selues by this, whether you haue those effects that arise from sincerity and integrity of heart; consider what mooues you to euery action. [Page 45] Certainely there is no man that goes about any businesse, but there is some motiue that sets him aworke: Is it by vertue of the Commande­ment that thou goest about all thy occasions? Is it that that moues thee? Hast thou that re­spect to Gods Commandements, that when o­ther commandements come, thou regardest them little, but thou hast still an eye to that? as Dauid saith, as that is another expression of his sincerity, Psal▪ 123. 2. saith he, Mine eyes waite on thee, as the eyes of the handmaid waite on her Mistris; that is, I am still looking to thee, to thy Word, to thy Commandement, any becke or nod from thee moues me, as the Maide waits vpon her Mistris, to see what her will is. I say, this is the disposi­tion of all the Saints; and therefore take heed of being deceiued in this; beloued, it fals out ofttimes, that you shall finde them both impli­cated and inuolued together, (and therein com­monly we are deceiued;) a Commandement comes from God, and respects of our own con­curre; (marke it well, that I may take away this deceipt) as, for example; perhaps there is a seruice which the Lord himselfe commands; a man may bee very diligent in this worke; but it may bee, there is not onely a Com­mandement of GOD to mooue him, but there is much applause, there is a certaine lustre and splendour that followes diligence, in a good action, in some great businesse. He [...]re now is a double motiue; here is a Commande­ment from God, and withall, there is credit [Page 46] and esteeme from men. As I say of doing, so likewise of suffering; it may be a man is to suf­fer, and it is GODS will to haue him suffer, and he suffers for the keeping of a good conscience; but withall there is somewhat more mingled with it, there is esteeme from men: and so for other actions; diligence in a mans calling, it is true, is the Commandement of GOD, and the worke is the LORDS, he doth it for him, hee ought to be diligent; but withall, there is pro­fit and reputation followes it, there is aduan­tage comes to himselfe; here, you see, there are more respects then one; here is the Com­mandement of GOD, and other respects like­wise: and so for hearing the Word; it is true, it is GODS Commandement to heare, and a man comes, it may be, out of some respect to that Commandement; but withall, there may be other respects mingled; a man may come to feede his vnderstanding with new notions, with nouelty, he may come to see wit and lear­ning, or to know the humour and the spirit of the Preacher, other respects may be mingled.

Now, Quest. you will say, how then shall a man know whether it bee the Commandement that moues him, if that be the proper effect of sin­cerity?

Beloued, Ans. it is easie to know it by this; take a man whose heart is not sound, whose heart is impure, who is hollow toward the LORD, and take out the other respects, and leaue the naked Commandement alone, and he will stand still, [Page 47] hee moues not; let other respects be tooke a­way, let the worke want that outward glory, and he stands still, he goes not about it so dili­gently: let the suffering bee sequestred from the praise of men, which accompanies it, let there be nothing but a bare Command, yea sup­pose sometimes they incurre discredit with men, as sometimes they doe, in suffering, there is onely a naked Commandement to encourage them to it, I say, if the heart bee vnsound, it stands still, and moues not: but when the heart is vpright, take away the Commandement, and leaue the other respects, and it stands still on the other side; by which you may know, that it is not respect to mens commandements that moues a man, because when that is tooke out, when there is not the will of God signified in it, when he thinkes with himselfe, this is not for GODS glory, I haue no warrant from GOD to doe it, though there be other respects to my owne credit and profit, the heart stands still, as a Mill doth, when it hath no water nor no wind to driue it. This is an argument of since­rity, when still the Commandement moues it.

But this obiection may be made, Quest. May not a man be moued with other respects, may he not be moued with regard to credit and aduance­ment that may follow vpon the performance of good duties?

I answer, Ans. he may in the second place, he may not primarily be moued with it, it is the Com­mandement [Page 48] that must set him on worke; but when he is vpon the way, these respects may carry him on with more facility and alacrity: as a seruant, that is commanded to goe a iour­ney, if there be concurrence of other things, if he haue a good way, and good weather, and good company, and money in his purse, it is his aduantage, he doth it the more willingly and cheerefully; but if there be none of these, it is enough that it is his Masters businesse, that is enough to set him aworke. You know Paul had many hard taskes, when he went to Mace­donia, and vpon other occasions, you know what his entertainement was, and yet it was his Masters worke, it was his Commandement: for it is a sure rule, that as wee ought to vse all Gods Ordinances, so also may wee vse all Gods Arguments. It is an Argument that himselfe vseth, that we may haue respect to the recom­pence, The reward of the feare of God, and humi­lity, is riches, and honour, and life, &c.

If you aske, Quest. But how shall a man know when he doth it thus in the first place, when he is mo­ued with the Commandement?

I answer; Ans. you shall know it by this: A ser­uant that seekes his masters profit altogether, with the neglect of his owne, it is an argument that he serues him not out of selfe-respects, but that which he is primarily moued with, is re­gard to his Master. Indeed, heere is the diffe­rence: A seruant that trusts not his Master, so mannageth his businesse, as a Factor that still [Page 49] hath an eye vpon himselfe: [...]or hee trusts not his Master: Another, that trusts him, that thinkes thus with himselfe, my Master is wise to obserue, and he is willing and able to recom­pence mee▪ that seruant lookes not to himselfe and his owne ends, but he doth his Masters bu­sinesse faithfully, and he cares not so it may be for his Masters aduantage: for hee loues his Master, and he thinkes his owne good and pro­sperity consists more in his Masters then in his owne; this is that that moues him, and there­fore without respect to himselfe, he serues him he doth his businesse faithfully, he lookes what may be for his aduantage, and not for his owne. So much for this second effect.

A third effect that ariseth from this sincerity or integrity of heart, 3. Effect, He serueth GOD with all h [...]s might. is to serue the Lord, to doe his will with all a mans might, to doe it excee­ding diligently, not onely to haue respect to his Commandement, but to doe it with all a mans might and strength: when a man doth it remissely, it is a signe he doth it feynedly; when he doth it diligently, it is a signe he doth it with a perfect heart. A seruant, when he slubbers o­uer his worke, and doth but eye-seruice, it is an argument that hee doth it not with his whole heart, but feynedly: for when he doth it hear [...]tily, he doth it painefully, he doth it throughly, and exactly, and with all his strength. The ground of it is this, because, when a man doth any thing truly, and in good earnest, when he doth it for it selfe, he doth it alway exceeding [Page 50] diligently, they are neuer disjoyned. When a man doth a thing for a respect, he doth it so far as that respect requires, so much diligence hee vseth, and no more: you may see it in other things; if a man haue money but for his vse, he will seeke so much as will serue such a turne, and no more; but if he doth it for money it selfe, if he loue riches, hee will doe it with all his might, hee sets himselfe to it with all his strength. You haue an excellent place for the expression of this, 1 Pet. 1. 22. in 1 Pet. 1. 22. saith the A postle, Seeing your hearts are purified to loue one another, without feyning, see that you loue one ano­ther with a pure heart, feruently. The meaning is this, Let a mans loue be sincere, without fey­ning; let it be with a pure heart, without re­spects, without dissimulation, and this property it will haue, you will loue one another feruent­ly. Beloued, these cannot be disjoyned, when one serues the Lord with a perfect heart, when his eye is vpon him, when he doth trust to him, without any other by-respects, he will doe it exceeding diligently. Therefore that expressi­on you finde so oft in the Scriptures, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God, with all thy soule, with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, it is not an expression of the degrees of loue; that is not the sole scope of that place, but it is an expres­sion of the sincerity of a mans loue; as if hee should say, herein is the sincerity of a mans loue, this is an argument that a man loues God truly, and not for respects, when he loues him [Page 51] with all his heart, and with all his might: it is so in all things; when you doe any thing for it selfe, you will doe it with all your might.

Besides, The intention is deuided, when things are done re­ [...]iss [...]ly. there is this further ground of it; you shall finde this, that all remissenesse, when a man doth a thing remissely, and ouerly, and perfunctorily, itargues alway a diuided inten­tion, it is an argument that the whole minde is not set on it, but that the intention is distracted, and bestowed on other things: whence that common saying is, He that will be excellent in euery thing, is so in nothing: because his in­tentions are diuided. So, beloued, you know, this is the property of sincerity, to haue a sin­gle eye, to haue the heart set vpon one obiect, to looke to GOD alone; If a man doe so, the heart is sincere, and he that lookes vpon GOD alone, he must needs doe it with all diligence: whensoeuer a man mindes one thing, hee will doe it with all his might, because all the facul­ties, the intention, the thoughts, and affections of the soule, they are then concenterate, and v­nited, and drawne together into one point, they are still running in one channell: and therefore a man that hath a sincere heart, that chooseth GOD alone, that saith thus with himselfe, I haue but one Master to serue, I haue but one to feare, I haue GOD alone to looke to, my businesse is with him in heauen, I thinke him to be alsuffi­cient, and an exceeding great reward: I say, this will alway accompany such a heart, such a reso­lution, that he serues him with all diligence; if [Page 52] there be any worke of his to be done, hee will doe it with all his might: for that is the dispo­sition of a mans mind, when once he is able to say as Da [...]id saith, Psal. 27. 4. Psal. 27. 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord, and that will I seeke, to see the beauty of the Lord, to liue in his Temple, &c. Why one thing I haue desired, and that will I seeke with all diligence? when a man desires but one thing, his minde will be exceeding in­tent vpon it; and therefore if you would finde out now what is a proper effect of sincerity, you shall finde this alway to be in those, whose hearts are vpright with God, that they giue themselues vp to his seruice; I say, they giue themselues vp to do it with all diligence: there­fore for a man that saith this, I hope my heart is vpright with God, and yet you see him excee­ding busie with other things, the worke of God he doth ouerly, he slubbers it ouer, he, doth it negligently, as a seruant that doth eye-seruice; but for businesses of his owne, he is exceeding intent vpon them, hee is ouerwhelmed with them, in following pleasures, and diuers lusts, his minde is exceeding much taken vp in things of that kinde; I say, hee doth but dissemble, when he saith he hath prepared his whole heart to seeke the Lord, that hee walkes before him perfectly, it cannot bee: a man whose heart is vpright, hath this disposition in him, that his speeches, his thoughts and his actions, are still busied about things that belong to the King­dome of God, holinesse is the element hee liues [Page 53] in, he would still be doing something [...] [...]ends that way, by his good will he would be doing nothing else: I say, thus he serues the LORD with all his might, and that is an argument hee hath a sincere and vpright heart. You haue a common saying, when a man doth a thing ex­ceeding diligently, he doth it for his life: now a man whose heart is vpright, his opinion is changed of his owne happinesse, of his life and safety; whereas, before, hee conceiued it t [...] consist in other things▪ now he knowes it whol [...]ly consists in the fauour of God, in pleasing him, and in enioying of him; and therefore when he reckons that his life consists therein, he doth exceeding diligently whatsoeuer worke tends to him, and to his glory. This is the third ef­fect that arriseth from sincerity, and perfection of heart.

A fourth effect is this; 4. Effect, Euery grace hath its per­fect worke. a heart that is entire, and vpright, and perfect with GOD, you shall finde thus disposed, hee s [...]ffers euery grace to haue his perfect worke: that is a signe the heart is sound, and entire, and perfect, when the gra­ces of God are not restrained, when they are not dammed, and barred vp, but are suff [...]red to haue their perfect worke; as it is said of pati­ence, you shall see that expression, Iam. 1. 2, 3, 4. Iam. 1. Let patience haue her perfect worke. Re [...]oyce (saith the Apostle there) when you fall into t [...]oubles of diu [...]r [...] sorts, reioyce, knowing that the [...] of your faith brings forth patience, and let patience haue her perfect worke, that you may be perfect and entire, [Page 54] wanting nothing. Where you see, that this is put downe, as an effect that ariseth from per­fectnesse, and integrity of heart, when we suffer the graces of God, as patience in particular, to haue their perfect worke. Now, patience is said to haue its perfect worke, when it endures all kinde of tryals: for that is the scope of the Apostle. Reioyce (saith the Apostle) when you fall into tryals of diners sorts: that is, tryals that concerne you in soule, in body, in name, and in state, tryals of euery sort, and euery kinde: if patience be perfect, (and it will be perfect, if it be in a heart that is perfect, and entire, it will haue a perfect worke) it will make vs stay no where: So that, beloued, patience hath then its perfect worke, when it will suffer any thing, be it death, be it disgrace, bee it imprisonment, or pouerty, be it losse of friends, be it what it will be, afflictions of any kinde; name all sorts of trouble that you can deuise, if patience haue a perfect worke, it will beare all of them. When the heart is sound, beloued, then this grace, or any other, hath a perfect worke: therefore you see, men whose hearts are not sound, nature will stand some where; a man perhaps will beare many things for Religion, but if it come to death, there he shrinkes; a man will endure much, but if it come to disgrace, to discredit, to losse of reputation, there his patience hath not a perfect worke; and therefore he giues ouer. As patience must haue a perfect worke, which is seene in suffering, so likewise it is seene in [Page 55] doing. So you see that expression, Heb. 17. 1. Heb. 17. 1. Seeing we haue such a cloud of witnesses, saith the Apostle, let vs runne the race with patience that is set before vs. The meaning of it is this: saith he, if patience haue a perfect worke, it will car­ry you through the whole race to the iournies end; but if otherwise, a man will runne so far, or so farre; but when he meetes with such a rubbe, with such a barre, by the way, there hee will make a stand, when he comes to thick way, or to thornie way, or to rough way, there hee will not runne; and why? because patience hath not a perfect worke. Therefore, saith he, runne with patience the race that is set before you. So, beloued, a mans heart is then entire, when euery grace (I instance now in this) hath his perfect worke.

If you obiect; Obiect. But you see sometimes pati­ence, euen in the best of the Saints, hath not a perfect worke, but is sometimes interrup­ted?

I answer, Ans. it is true, you see it was so in Iob; though he were a man of an vpright heart, ( God beares that witnesse to him, hee was a iust man, one that feared God) and likewise this grace was perfect in him, (as that witnesse is giuen him, Iam. 5. 11. Iam. 5. 11. You know the patience of Iob,) yet, notwithstanding this, it seemed to be interrup­ted, it seemed not to haue its perfect worke. Be­loued, to this I answer; that it did not rise from the hollownesse of his heart, or the imperfection of the grace, but it ariseth many times from [Page 56] some other impediment, some other accident, from some distemper that may arise in the soule, that sometime or other may hinder euen a perfect grace, from hauing a perfect worke; as you see in the workes of nature, there may be a perfect Spring, and yet sometimes it may be hindered from running, by some outward impediment, it may some way or other be dam­med vp: so, it may be a perfect Drug, fit and apt enough to worke, and yet some impedi­ment there may bee that may hinder it, and choake it, and dead the vertue of it for a time, but it is but for a fit; ordinarily, and in ordina­ry course, euery grace will haue its perfect worke; and as I say of patience, so likewise, you see, in all other graces, (to giue you ano­ther instance, the same the Apostle giues there of faith) faith, when it ariseth, when it dwels in a heart that is entire, that is perfect, it hath a perfect worke: when it is otherwise, it workes but imperfectly, and but by halues. I will giue you an experiment of it; you shall see two no­table examples of it, one in Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25. 2 Chron. 25. 7, 8, 9. you shall finde there what worke faith had in him; you see, in the 8, 9, 10. Verses, Ama­ziah was to goe to warre against the Edomites, he hyred 100000. of Israel, that was halfe his Armie, to goe and assist him in the battell: there comes a Prophet from the LORD▪ and tels him, Amaziah, know this, the Lord is not with Is­rael, and therefore seperate these men, and send them home; if thou doe not, thou shalt fall [Page 57] before the enemy: for in the Lord there is po­wer to helpe, Men may doe much, and yet want sauing grace. or to cast downe; Amaziah beleeued the Prophet: so that, you see, faith had a great worke in him; but saith hee, I am not able to hyre any more. That is no matter, (said the Prophet) goe with those thou hast; and hee was content to doe so, hee went on to the Battell; and in the next verse, hee was encouraged to goe on: it was a great worke of faith, to send backe halfe his Armie, and to goe on so much encouraged notwithstanding; yet after, in the same Chapter you shall finde, though faith went thus farre in him, and car­ried him through so difficult a case, yet it had not its perfect worke: for immediately after hee had ouercome the Edomites, hee set vp their Gods, and a Prophet comes and tels him, Amaziah, art thou so foolish, to set vp the Gods of the Edomites, that were not able to deliuer their owne people? Saith the Text, Vers. 16. hee would not hearken to the Prophet, but bade him cease, and the Prophet ceased. So you see, faith had a worke in him, and a great worke; but heerein he had an vnsound heart, as it is said, Verse 2. hee walked before the LORD, in the way of his Fathers, but not with a perfect heart. And you shall finde this very Storie, that I haue now named, brought in as an euidence that his heart was not sound, that his faith had not a per­fect worke: so farre his faith went, thus far he did by vertue of that faith that he had, [Page 58] but a perfect worke his faith had not. Another example is in Rehoboam, 2 Chro, 11. 2, 3, 4. 2 Chron. 11. When the Kingdome was diuided, and giuen to Iero­boam, and the tenne Tribes had made that de­fection from Rehoboam, hee gathered together ninescore thousand fighting men to goe vp a­gainst Israel: but, saith the Text, the Word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, a man of God, saying, Speake to Rehoboam, the sonne of salomon, King of Iudah, and to all Israel, and Iudah, and Benia­min, saying, Thus saith the Lord, You shall not goe vp to fight against your brethren, returne euery man to his house: for this thing is done by mee. They obeyed therefore the Word of the Lord, and returned from going against Ieroboam. You see heere a very great worke of faith, that caused him to giue ouer, to sit downe, to be content to lose so great a part of his Kingdome, and to looke no more after it; that, when hee had an Armie ready of valiant men, yet hee was con­teut to sit downe; though he were a man that was not sound-hearted, yet faith had thus farre a worke in him; and not onely for this time, but for three yeeres after, hee cleaued to the Lord, and serued him in all things: and yet, for all this, it had not its perfect worke, it carri­ed him not through: for afterwards he depar­ted from the Lord. Beloued, this is a signe of an vnsound heart, when faith shall goe so farre, when it shall inable a man to doe many things, and yet for all this, it hath not its perfect work. Wee see the contrary in Abraham, Rom. 4. 19. Rom. 4. 19. [Page 59] when he was put to it, when God had made him a promise, that he should be the Father of ma­ny Nations, saith the Text, he was not weake in the faith. The meaning is, he was not vnsound, but was perfect in the faith. What did he doe? How did that appeare? Saith hee, hee went through, when the Lord came with such a pro­mise, hee considered not his owne body, that was dead: for hee was a hundred yeeres old; nor he considered not the deadnesse of Sarahs wombe: but (saith he) he belee [...]ned that he was able that had promised. This is giuen as an euidence of the truth of his faith; he made not a stand in such a difficult case: for he was not vnsound, but hee was perfect in the faith. So likewise, when he came to offer his sonne; here in the perfection of his faith was seene. And beloued, by this you may know whether your hearts be right; if you suffer euery grace to haue its perfect worke, when your faith doth not picke and choose, and take heere a promise, and leaue there ano­ther; here to beleeue a threatning, another not to beleeue; here to take hold on a Comman­dement, to beleeue that this is the will of GOD, in another case not to beleeue: for so doing is a signe of an vnsound heart.

If you obiect, Obiect. But faith many times hath not a perfect worke in the Saints, as Moses, at the waters of strife, saith the Text, hee fayled through vnbeli [...]fe: and againe, Dauid, when hee fled from Saul, to Achis, we see his faith there had not its perfect worke: so likewise, Peter, when [Page 60] the waues beganne to arise, to swell, and hee beganne to sinke, his faith had not a perfect worke.

To this I answer, Ans. that faith may haue a per­fect worke, that is, there may be an aptnesse in it, that ordinarily it goes through the worke, [...]hough, by some accident, it may be hindred: for (marke the faith of those) wee see Dauid, though he fayled at this time, yet at other times he did not; no more did Moses, nor Peter, which is an argument that it rose not from vn­soundnesse, from hollownesse of the grace, or of their hearts: True grace may be inter­rupted. but from some interueniall im­pediment, some passion; as it was a passion in Moses, he was distempered; and so it was a feare, a mist that was cast before the eyes of Peter at that time. Now you know a man may bee said to haue a perfect eye, and yet, for all that, in a mist he may not be able to see as at other times; and a man may be said to haue a perfect hand, and yet a fit of a Palsie may make it shake, and make it v [...]fit for any thing: so a man may haue a perfect taste, able to distinguish one thing from another, yet when hee is in an Ague, in such a fit he takes things amisse; things that are wholsome, seeme bitter to him: so in the gra­ces of the Spirit, there may be sometimes much imp [...]rfection admitted, when a man is in the mist, when he is in the fit, when some distemper, some passion or affection, hath ouercast and o­uerclouded the soule, as it were, and possessed he pallate; these may be defects, and yet the [Page 61] grace may be perfect. But you shall know it by this; ordinarily it is not so, it is but by acci­dent; and therefore it comes to passe but now and then. And as we say of the grace of faith, so (to giue you another instance) truth, or the knowledge of truth: this great grace, if the heart be sound, will haue a perfect worke; it will goe through, it will not make a stand heere and there, as it doth in those that are vnsound, as you see, Rom. 1. 18. Rom. 1. 18. it is giuen there as a signe of an vnrighteous man, when they withold the truth in vnrighteousnes; that is, when the truth is not suffered to haue a perfect worke; when there is truth, and they suffer it perhaps to in­forme their vnderstandings, but they suffer it to goe no further; when they suffer it not to walke abroad into all the corners of the soule, into all the inward roomes of it; or, if they doe that, yet they suffer it not to come into the out­ward Courts of their conuersation, it is a signe that this grace hath not a perfect worke, but is restrained: and such an expression you shall finde, 2 Pet. 3. 5. 2 Pet. 3. 5. This they willingly know not, (marke) that the heaue [...]s were of old, &c. Hee speakes there of certaine Atheists, that were mockers, and despisers, that were ready to say, Where is the promise of his comming? doe not all things continue alike, since the time of the Fathers? The Apostle answers them thus; saith he, they haue truth in them, there is light enough, GOD hath borne witnesse to himselfe in their owne consciences; there are many things that they [Page 62] might obiect against these temptations of A­theisme: but, saith he, they willingly will not know them; that is, they will not take them into consideration; as if hee should say, their will, because they will not be troubled, because they will liue loosely, it suffers them not to vn­derstand, and to enquire into these things, that they might know them; these things they willingly know not. So, beloued, it is an argu­ment that the knowledge of God, and the know­ledge of the truth hath not a perfect worke, when there is something that a man willingly will not know, when a man shall winke with his eyes, as it is said, Mat. 13. 15. Mat. 13. 15. They winke with their eyes, that they might not vnderstand with their hearts, and bee conuerted, that I should heale them. They winke with their eyes; that is, when the light shines to them, they will not see it; when the conscience suggests something, when there is somewhat intimated, and whis­pered to the hearts of men, their will runnes a loose course; therefore they will not suffer their vnderstandings to be informed, they will not see all the light: whereas a man whose heart is perfect, if the light beginne to appeare, if he see it thorow a creuice, he opens the win­dowes of his soule, and lets it in, euen into e­uery corner of it; and the ground is, because his heart is sound, he desires to make his heart perfect, he is not willing to spare it in any thing, hee desires not there should bee any exempt place in his heart, or in his life, or any of his [Page 63] courses; for he sees, Ioh. 3. 21. Ioh. 3. 21. Hee that deth euill, comes not to the light: but hee that loues the truth, hee whose heart is sound, that is not an hypocrite, he comes to the light, he comes to be enlightned in what he doth, hee comes to the light, that his deeds might be made manifest; that is, that it might be euident that his workes are according to Gods will; he desires not that the light should bee kept off. This is another in­stance. Patience will haue her perfect worke, and the knowledge of the truth will haue its perfect worke: so I may say of all other graces. Temperance will haue its perfect worke, if the heart be sincere and sound; that is, it will re­straine euery inordinate appetite, it will cause a man to for beare euery inordinate delight, euery inordinate pleasure; it will make him with­draw himselfe from excesse in euery thing, in dyet, in sports, in ease, &c. So likewise cha­stity, holinesse, and purenesse, it cleanseth the heart from all kinde of vncleannesse, if it haue its perfect worke; it suffers none of that leauen to remaine in soule, or body eyther; neither in the eye, not in the thought. This is another ef­fect of an vpright heart, of one that is perfect with GOD, that euery grace hath its perfect worke: and by this thou maist know, whether thy heart be sound, or no.

I will adde but one more exceeding briefely, 5. Property, or effect, The Sp [...]it is qui­eted, and so conclude. This is a fi [...]th effect, that ari­seth from integrity, and sincerity of heart; It breeds in vs [...], and a quietnesse [Page 64] of spirit, as you may see, Iam. 3. Iam. 3. 17. vlt. But the wisdome that is from aboue, is first pure, and then peaceable, gentle, easie to be intreated, full of mer­cie full of good fruits. That wisdome is first pure, and then peaceable: As if hee should say, The purity of wisdome, the perfectnesse, the entire­nesse, the sincerity which holy wisdome brings forth, it is seene in this eff [...]ct, it will make the heart peaceable; it is first pure, and then peaceable. His meaning is, that peaceablenesse is an effect of the purenesse and entyrenesse of the heart: so that, when any mans heart is perfect with GOD, you shall finde this effect rising from it, that his heart is quiet, and humble, and gentle, and peaceable towards men; full of loue, and of mercy, and of good fruits, and of good actions, and workes: but when the heart is impure, and vnfound, and hollow, it is awkward, and fro­ward, and contentious, and implacable towards men; they are not full of mercy, but full of wrath; they are not full of good fruites, and good workes and actions, but they are like the [...]aging Sea, that casts vp myre and dirt vpon those with whom they haue to doe. So that this is the effect of a pure heart, it breeds a qui­etnesse, a peaceablenesse of spirit; whereas the other bring forth tumult, and a turbulent dispo­sition: they are easie to be intreated, to be hand­led, saith the Text; whereas the other, whose heart is vnsound, they are, as Dauid saith of the wicked, they are as thornes, that they cannot [...]asily bee handled, a man cannot easily deale [Page 65] with them, they are not easily intreated. So, my beloued, this frowardnesse, this waspishnesse of spirit, this implacablenesse, is a signe of an vnsound heart, of an impure heart, of a heart that is not perfect with the Lord: as you see, the Deuils are the most impure Spirits of any other, the most full of malice, and of enuy, and reuenge, of all other. Iesus Christ, on the other side, as he had the most pure heart, so hee was the most gentle of all others: he returned not rebuke for rebuke, but he was as a sheepe before the shearers, &c. Vse a Wolfe or a Tyger neuer so kindely, they will bee still implacable and greedy; vse Sheepe neuer so roughly, they will still be meeke and gentle: so it is with the Saints, because their hearts are pure: I say, the ground of it is this, because an vnsound heart breeds in it continually strong lusts, and eager desires; and eager desires are vnyeelding, and vnruly, and that is the cause of contention, and implacablenesse with men: whereas when the heart is cleansed, when it is pure, and perfect, it is emptyed of these strong and domineering lusts, it growes to a quietnesse of spirit; to be quiet within, and when it is quiet within, i [...] will bee peaceable towards others without. When it is quiet thus, the spirit is ready to see GOD, and to yeeld to GOD in his pro­uidence, in all vnkindnesses, and in all the euill dealings of men; they are neither ready to murmur against GOD, nor to fret against men: for quietnesse followes a pure heart, as [Page 66] vnquietnesse and awkwardnesse and froward­nesse followes impurity and imperfection of heart. So much shall serue for this.

THE TENTH SERMON.

I Will not repeate what hath beene deliuered, but come to that which remaines, and so proceede to the se­cond Verse. Last effect of sincerite, To see God. The last ef­fect therefore of this sin­cerity, or integritie of heart, is that which wee finde expressed, Mat. 5. 8. Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. That is, this ari­seth alway as an inseparable effect of purenesse of heart, that it is able to see God; to see him heere, and it shall see him face to face hereafter. When the heart is yet vnsound and impure, it [Page 68] is not able to see him; but when a mans spirit is cleansed from that drosse, from that corrupti­on, a man is growne pure, and entire, and faith­full, he is able then to see God, that before hee could not doe; that is, he is able to see God in his attributes, 1. In his attri­butes. as Moses saw him that was inuisi­ble; that is, he saw in him more then he could see in Pharoah, he saw him in his power to re­compence him; he saw him in his wrath, and fearefulnesse, if he had disobeyed him; he saw him in his goodnesse and mercy, and therefore hee chose him rather then Pharoah, or his fa­uour.

Againe, 2. In his works of prouidence. they are able to see him in his works, as Iacob did; it is said of him, hee was a plaine man, and he was able to see the LORD, he was able to see him in the workes of his prouidence, he was able to see him when he got the goods of Laban; saith hee, God hath tooke the goods from your Father, and hath giuen them to me; it is his speech to his wiues: hee did see him, when he met with Esau, (saith the Text) he saw the face of God, when hee saw the face of Esau; he saw him in his cattell, and in his children that he had gotten: these are the cattell, and these are the wiues, and the children, and the bands, that God of his goodnesse hath giuen mee: hee was able to see God in all these; hee saw him in all his workes of prouidence and goodnesse: so likewise in all his chastisements. Dauid saw God in the cursing of Shimei; It is the LORD that hath bid him doe it: And so Iob, hee saw [Page 69] God, it is he that hath giuen, and he that hath ta­ken away, he ouerlooked those that were the im [...]mediate instruments.

Thirdly, 3. In his gui­dance and di­rection. they see him in his guidance and direction, they are able to see the fiery cloudy Piller, which way they are led by him; they are able to see which way he would haue them goe, vpon all occasions, when others walke in darknesse, and they see not the way that God would leade them.

Lastly, 4. In his Ordi­nances. they see him in his ordinances, they see God in the preaching of the Word, they re­ceiue it not as the word of man, but, as it is indeed, the word of God: they see him in the Sacra­ments, for they are able to discerne the Lords body, that is, they able to see Christ crucisied, to esteeme him, and to set that price vpon him as they ought, and so they come prepared; this they are able to doe, because they are pure: but when the heart is yet vnsound and impure, they are not able to see God cleerely; a sight and a knowledge they haue, but it is another kinde of knowledge. So much shall serue for that point.

These words containe a further and a greater fauour expressed to Abraham, then the former words doe: it was a great merc [...] to him, to ex­presse thus much to him, I am al-sufficient, I am able to helpe thee, I am thy exceeding great re­ward, I am able to be a Sunne▪ and a Shield vnto [Page 70] thee, to fill thee with all comfort, and to deli­uer thee from all euill: but yet this which is heere added, is a mercy of a much higher na­ture, (saith the Lord) I will make my Couenant betweene mee and thee; that is, I will not onely tell thee what I am able to doe, I will not onely expresse to thee in generall, that I will deale well with thee, that I haue a willingnesse and ability to recompence thee, if thou walke be­fore me, and serue mee, and bee perfect; but I am willing to enter into Couenant with thee, that is, I will binde my selfe, I will ingage my selfe, I will enter into bond, as it were, I will not be at li [...]erty any more, but I am willing euen to make a Couenant, a compact and agree­ment with thee. Gen. 17. 7. I will make my▪ Couenant be­tweene mee and thee: that is the generall. You shall finde it expressed more at large, Vers. 7. Moreouer I will establish my Couenant betweene mee and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their gene­rations, for an euerlasting Couenant, to be a GOD to thee, and to thy seed after thee: that is, as if hee should say, First, I am not onely willing, to make it with thee, but with thy seed.

Secondly, I will not make a temporary Co­uenant, but an euerlasting Couenant, there shall be a mutuall ingagement betweene vs, and it shall continue for euer, both to thy selfe and to thy posterity: in particular, it is added I will multiply thee exceedingly, that is but a branch of the Couenant, I will make thee a Father of ma­ny Nations, thou shalt haue a Sonne, and his [Page 71] children shall grow in number as the starres of heauen, and as the dust of the earth; that is but a particular: whence, this is the point that wee haue to obserue, that ‘God enters into Couenant with all those that are faithfull. Doct.’

For it was not with Abra [...]am, as he was A­braham, but as hee was a faithfull man; and therfore all the faithfull are reckoned to be the seede of Abraham. For the opening of this to you, which is one of the maine points in Diui­nity, I will shew you these fiue things:

First, what this Couenant is.

Secondly, with whom it is made.

Thirdly, how we shall know whether we bee in the Couenant or no.

Fourthly, what the breach of this Couenant is.

Lastly, the reasons why God is willing to make a Couenant with men.

1. What this Couenant is. Twofold Co­uenant, 1. of workes, 2. of grace. You must know 1 that there is a double Couenant, there is a Coue­nant of workes, and a Couenant of grace: The Couenant of workes runnes in these termes, Doe this, and thou shalt liue, and I will be thy GOD. This is the Couenant that was made with Adam, and the Couenant that is expressed by Moses in the Morall Law, Doe this, and line. The second is the Couenant of Grace, and tha [...] [...]unnes in these termes▪ Thou shalt b [...]leeue, [Page 72] thou shalt take my Sonne for thy Lord, and thy Sauioar, and [...]hou shalt likewise receiue the gift of righteousnesse, which was wrought by him, for an absolution of thy sinues, for a reconci. liation with me, and thereupon thou shalt grow vp into loue, and obedience towards me, then I will be thy God, and thou shalt be my people. This is the Couenant of grace, Thou shalt be­leeue, and take my Sonne, and accept of the gift of righteousnes, A threesold difference be­tween them. and I will be thy God. The difference between them you shall find, 2 Cor. 3. where you shall see 3. differences, to reduce them to those heads, I will not trouble you with particular places, lest I stay too long vpon them.

The first Couenant was a Ministration of the Letter; 1. Difference. that is, in the first Couenant, there was no more heard nor seene, but the naked Com­mandement, it was written in Tables of stone, and presented to them, there went; with it no aptnesse, no disposition to keepe it; they heard what the Law was, they saw what God requi­red, but there was no more and those that were decla [...]ers of it, were but the Ministeri of the letter, and not of the Spirit.

Secondly, 2. Difference. this Couenant, it brings onely a seruile feare, and an enmitie; for when a man lookes vpon the Author of this Couenant, & he heares no more but the Law, and what it re­quires; he lookes vpon God as a hard Master, as an enemy; againe, he lookes vpon his Law as a hard and cruell Law, as a heauy yoke, as an vnsupportable bondage, and therefore he hates [Page 73] i [...], and wishes there were no such law; he runs from it, as a Bond-slaue runnes from his master, as far as it is in his power. This is that which is said Gal. 4. Gal. 4. 24. Hagar gendreth to bondage: that is, the Couenant of workes it begets bond-men and slaues, and not sonnes, and freemen: and like­wise that, Heb. 12. 18. Heb. 12. 18. saith the Apostle, You are not come to Mount Sinai, to the burning of fire, to clouds, to darknesse, and tempest, to the sound of a Trumpet, so that Moses himselfe did quake and tremble. That is, when a man lookes vpon this Couenant of workes, it causeth in him a feare, and an enmitie: that is the 2. difference.

The third is, 3. Difference. That it is a ministration of death, as it is called, 2 Cor. 3. a ministration of death, that is, it propounds a curse to all those that doe not keepe it, and it shewes no meanes to auoyd it; and therefore a man is affected to it, and to God the Author of it, as one is to an enemy that seekes his destruction; and therefore the mini­stratiō of it is said to be the ministratiō of death. The reason of all this is, not because there is any ill in the Law, it is a ministration of the letter, it begets feare & emity, it is a ministratiō of death; I say this ariseth not frō hence, that the Law of God is a cruell deadly Law: for the Law is good, but it ariseth from the weaknes and the infirmity of the flesh: As for example, if you would take a Pot [...]ers vessell, and dash it against a firme wall; the reason why the wall is the destruction of the vessell, is not any infirmity or weaknesse in the wall, for it is the excellencie and vertue of the [Page 74] wall to bee hard, it should bee so; but it is the weaknesse, and fragility, and brit [...]lenesse of the Vessell, and thence comes it to bee broken asu [...]der: and so in this case, the reason why this Law, or Couenant of workes (is a ministration of death, and of enmity, is not because there is any imperfection in the Law, it ariseth rather from the perfection of it, but) is from the weak­nesse of the flesh, that is not able to keepe the Law; it is the excellencie of the Law, that it is so perfect, that a man is not able to keepe it; and so it ariseth from the weaknesse and in [...]irmi­ty of the flesh, that is not able to obserue this Law.

Now, on the other side, as this is the Coue­nant of workes, so you shall finde that the Coue­nant of grace,

First, is a ministration of the Spirit, and not of the letter.

Secondly, a ministration of loue, not of enmi­ty; of freedome, not of bondage; it is a mini­stration of righteousnesse, as it is there called the ministration of righteousnesse; for if the ministration of condemnation were glorious, much more shall the ministration of righteonsnesse exceed in glory.

Thirdly, a ministration of life and iustificati­on, and not a ministration of death and con­demnation. The ground of this, and how it is thus, we shall shew shew you, by expressing to you, he order how these depend, and follow one vpon the other: when a man hath looked vpon [Page 75] the Couenant of workes, and sees death in it, sees a strict Law that hee is not able to keepe; then come [...] the Couenant of grace, and shewes to him a righteousnesse to satisfie this Law, that himselfe neuer wrought, shewes him a way of obtaining pardon and remission for the sinnes that hee hath committed against this Law, by the death and satisfaction of another; when he sees this, hee sees withall the goodnesse and mercie of GOD, giuing this to him, for his sal­uation, out of his free grace and mercie; when he sees this, the opinion of a sinner is changed: marke; I say, his opinion, his disposition and affection is altered, he lookes not vpon God now as vpon a hard and cruell Master, but he lookes vpon him now as a God exceeding full of mercy and compassion; whence this followes, that his heart melts towards the Lord, it relents, it comes to be a soft heart, that is easie and tracta­ble, it is not haled now to the Commande­ment, but out of an ingenuity and willingnesse, he comes and serues the LORD with alac [...]ity and cheerefuln [...]sse: this disposition is wrought vpon him, because now hee sees another way, his apprehension is altered, euen as a seruant, when it is reuealed to him that he is a sonne, and that those hard taskes that are laid on him, are the best way to leade him to happinesse, they are but rules of direction, for his owne wealth, and for his owne aduantage, he doth them now with all willingnesse, the case is altered, hee lookes not now vpon the Law of GOD as an [Page 76] enemy, or as a hard bondage, but he lookes vp­on all the Law of God, as a wholsome and pro­fitable rule of direction, that hee is willing to keepe for his owne comfort: now when the heart is thus softned, then the Spirit of God is sent into his heart, and writes th [...] Law of GOD in his inward parts, as you shall see, if you com­pare these two places together, Heb. 8. 8, 9, 10. Heb. 8. 8, 9, 10. Behold, saith the Lord, I will make a new Coue­nant, and this is the Testament that I will make with the House of Israel: After those dayes, saith the Lord, I will put my Lawes into their mindes, and in their hearts will I write them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: If you com­pare it with that 2 Cor. 3. 2, 3. You are our E­pistle written in our hearts, which is vnderstood and read of all men, in that you are manifest to bee the Epistle of Christ, manifested by vs, and written, not with inke, but with the Spirit of the liuing God, not in Tables of stone, but in the fleshy Tables of the heart. The meaning of it is this, when the heart is once softned, The Metaphor of writing the Law in mans heart, explai­ned 3. wayes. God sends his Spirit to write his Lawes in the heart: which Me [...]a­phor will bee expressed to you in these three things:

1 First, the meaning of it is this, looke what there is in the outward Law, as it is written and laid before you, there shall be a disposition put into their heart, that shall answer it in all things, there shall be a writing within, answerable to the writing without, that, euen as you see in a seale, when you haue put the seale vpon the [Page 77] wax, and take it away againe, you finde in the wax the same impression that was vpon the seale; you shall see in it, stampe answering to stampe, character to character, print to print; so it is in the hearts of the faithfull, after they are once thus sof [...]ned, the Spirit of God writes the Law in their hearts, so that there is a Law within, answerable to the Law without, that is, an inward aptnesse, answering euery particular of the Law, an inward disposition, whereby a man is inclined to keepe the Law in all points; which Law within, is called the law of the mind: therefore, if you adde to this, that Rom. 7. I see a law in my members, rebelling against the law of my minde, so there is a Law in the mind within, answerable to the Law of GOD without; it an­swers it, as Lead answers the mould, after it is cast into it; it answers it, as Tallie answers to Tallie, as Indenture answers to Indenture, so it agrees with it in all things; that is, there is an aptnesse put into the minde, that it is able, and willing, and disposed in some measure to keepe euery Commandement, that answereth to all the particular Commandements of the Law of GOD; this is to haue the Law of GOD written in the minde: and this is that which is first meant by it, there is a Law within, answe­rable to the Law without in all things.

The 2. thing meant by it is, that it is not on­ly 2 put into the mind, as acquisite habits are, but it is so ingrasted as any naturall disposition is, it is so rooted in the heart, it is so riuetted in, [Page 78] as when letters are ingraued in Marble, you know, they continue there, they are not easi­ly worne out, and that is meant by it, I will plant my Law in thy heart, it shall neuer out a­gaine, there I will write it, there it shall conti­nue: so that is the second thing that is meant by it, it shall bee naturall to you; for that is meant by this, when it is said, it shall bee prin­ted, it shall be grauen and written in the heart; and likewise it shall be perpetuall, it shall neuer weare out againe, as things that are written in the dust, but it shall be written so as it shall ne­uer againe be obliterated.

3 The third thing to be expressed, is the man­ner of the writing of it; the Apostle here com­pares himselfe and all other Ministers to the pen, but it is Christ that writes the Epistle, the Epistle is his, for these workes he doth in it, it is he that takes the pen, it is he that handles it, and vseth it, it is he that puts inke into the pen, it is he that applyes it; so that though the Minister be the immediate writer of these Lawes in the heart, yet the inke is the Holy Ghost, and it comes originally from Christ; and besides, they are not left to themselues, but the LORD must concurre with them immediately; we are but coeworkers with him, he holds our hands, as it were, when we write the Epistle in any mans heart, it is hee that guides the penne, it is hee that puts inke into it, it comes originally from him, and therefore the Epistle is his. Besides, this is further to bee considered in this Meta­phor, [Page 79] that God will write his Lawes in our hearts, that we may see these Lawes, wee may reade them, and vnderstand them: for when a thing is written, God may see it, and man may see it; a man himselfe may see it, and others also may reade it: God sees it himselfe, for he hath written it: man sees it, for hee is able to see the Law in his minde, he is able to see that habituall disposition that is infused into him: and others are able to see it; for, saith he, you are our Epistle, euident to all men; that is, they see the fruits and effects of it, as you may see letters grauen in stone, so they see this Law written in your hearts. So, beloued, you see now what this Couenant of Grace is, and how it differs from the Couenant of Workes; it is the ministration, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, because it doth not onely present the o [...]tward letter of the Commandement, but there is a Law written within, and that is done by vertue of the Spirit. So that the order is this; first, it reueales righteousnesse; secondly, it softens the heart, it is the ministration of the Spirit; and thirdly, it is a ministration of loue, it is a mini­stration of freedome, and not of bondage and enmity: for when the Law is thus written, a man is not haled to it, he comes not to it as a bond-slaue, to doe his worke, but hee comes willingly, he finds he hath some ability to doe it, he findes a delight in it, as Paul saith, I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man. So you [...]ee the difference betweene the Coue­nant [Page 80] of Grace, and the Couenant of Workes. Now this Couenant of Grace is two [...]old, Couenant of Grace twofold it is eyther the Old Testament or the New: they both agree in substance, they differ onely in the manner of the administration; that, which is called the New Testament, Heb. 7. 8▪ 9. which is opposed to the Old Testament, for substance, is the same Couenant, they are both the Coue­nant of Grace, onely they differ in the manner; and you shall finde these 6. Six differences between them. differences between them.

1 First, the New Testament, or the New Co­uenant, is larger then the Old, it extends to the Gentiles, whereas the first was confined onely [...]o the Iewes, it was only kept within the walles of that people, and extended no further.

2 Secondly, the Old was expressed in types, and shaddowes, and figures; as for example, they had the blood of Bulls and Goats, they had the washings of the body in cleane water, they had offering of Incense, &c. by which things other things are meant, as, namely, the d [...]a [...]h of Christ, and that satisfaction he gaue to his Father by his death, and likewise the inward sanctificatiō of the Spirit, signified by the wash­ing of water, and also the workes and the pray­ers of the Saints, that are sweet as Incense: now (saith the Text, Gal. 4.) Gal. 4. these were clements, and rudiments that God vsed to them as chil­dren; that is, as children haue their A, B, C, [...]heir first elements, so GOD did shew to the [...]ew [...]s [...]hese spirituall mysteries, not in them­selues, [Page 81] but in these types and shaddowes they were able to see thē from day to day: for ther­in was their weaknesse, they were not so able as to conceiue spirituall things without a mediate view; they saw the blood shed, and againe, they saw the washings, and the rites, these were in their eye; whereas now in the time of the Gospell, these things are taught to vs, these we comprehend in our minds, wee serue the Lord in spirit and in truth, but there is not that visible sight, that was a helpe to their weaknesse; so that these differ, as the Image, and the substance it selfe, euen as you see things in prospectiue shewes, and in painting, that are different from the things themselues, when you come to see Countries, and Cities, and Mountaines, and Woods, it is another thing. And this is the se­cond difference betweene the Testaments, the one was expressed but in types and shaddowes, the other hath the substance it selfe.

Thirdly they differ in this; the Old Testa­ment 3 in it selfe is but weake and vnprofitable, (as you shall see likewise in the same place, Heb. 8. 18.) Heb. 8. 18. for the Commandement that went be­fore was dissanulled because of the weaknesse and vnprofitablenesse thereof: for the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope makes perfect, by which wee draw neere to GOD; that is, this was able of it selfe to doe nothing, further then as it did leade to that which was effectuall, therefore it waxed old, and vanished away; so he puts them toge­ther; [Page 82] it was weake and vnprofitable, and ther­fore it co [...]tinued no [...], it had an end, as you know, the second proued eff [...]ct [...]all to take a way sinne, and to sanctifi [...] vs, and therefore it is an euerlasting Couenant, the Testament that con­tinues for euer.

4 Fourthly, they differ in the confirmation; this second Testament, the New Testament, was confirmed by an Oath, and confirmed by the blood of the Testator, by the blood of Christ, whereas the other was confirmed by the blood of Goats, Ex. 2 [...]. as we see, Exod. 24. it is called the bloud of the Couenant▪ wherewith the Booke of the Couenant was sprinkled, that is, the shedding of the blood of beasts confirmed the Couenant; but this is confirmed by the death of Christ himselfe, and accordingly, it hath new seales put to it, Baptisme and the Lords Supper, when the Old Testament had other seales, Circumcision, and the Passeouer.

5 Fiftly, they differ in this; in the New Te­stament there is a more cleere perspicuo [...]s knowledge of things, there are better promi­ses, a larger effusion of the Spirit, there is more cleerenesse, as we see, Heb. 8. 10. Heb. 8. 10. After those dayes, saith the Lord, I will put my Lawes into their mindes, &c. And they shall not teach e­uery man his neighbour, and euery man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest of them. That is, they shall know much more, and that which they doe know, they shall know in another manner: [Page 83] they shall know it more distinctly, more parti­cularly. Moreouer, as the knowldege is grea­ter, so the promises are better promises, Heb. 8. 6. Heb. 8. 6. 6 But now our high Priest hath obtained a more excellent office, in as much as he is the Mediator of a better Testament, established vpon better promi­ses. The meaning of it is this, the promises which were made in the Old Testament, (though the promise of saluation was not ex­cluded, yet) the maine of them, the most ap­pearing and insisted on, were, they should haue the Land of Canaan, & they should haue an out­ward prosperity, you see the old Testamēt much insists vpon that; the New Testament meddles little with them, but with promises of saluation, remission of sinnes, sanctification by the Spirit: therefore, saith the Apostle here, it is establi­shed vpon better promises. And againe, there is a larger effusion of the Spirit, the Spirit is now powred on vs in a greater measure, then it was distilled by drops, now the Lord hath dispensed it in a greater abundance to the sons of men, in the time of the Gospell, there is grea­ter measure of grace, and it followes vpon the other, Grace & truth come by Iesus Christ; that is, because there was more truth, and more know­ledge, there went likewise more grace with it; as there is a greater reu [...]lation, so likewise there goes more grace: that is a sure rule, that al know­ledge, when it is increased, when it is sauing knowledge taught by GOD, it carries grace pro­portionably with it. This is the fift difference.

[Page 84] 6 The last difference was in the Mediator; Mo­ses was the Mediator of the Old Testament, that is, it was hee that declared it, it was hee againe that was the executioner of it; but wee haue a high Priest, that hath obtained a more excellent office, in as much as he is the Mediator of a better Testament; that is, now Christ is the Mediator of the Couenant, it is he that declares the Couenant; and, secondly, it is hee, that by the interuenti­on of a certaine Compact, of certaine Articles of agreement, hath reconciled the disagreeing parties, he hath gone between them, as it were, and hath vndertaken for both sides; hee hath vndertaken on Gods part, these and these things shall be done, all his promises are Yea, and Amen, in him: and againe he hath vndertaken on our part, to giue satisfaction by his death, and like­wise to make vs obedient to his Father: This hee doth, this is to be a Mediator of the Coue­nant. I will not stand longer on this; I come briefly to make some vse of it, and leaue the o­ther 4 things (that is, With whō this Couenant is made; How a man shall know whether he be within the Couenant; When this Couenant is broken; and The reason why God will make this Couenant with men) to another occasion.

Now this vse we will make of it: Vse 1. First, we may consider hence the great goodnes of GOD, that he is willing to enter into Couenant with mortall men. My beloued, it is a thing that is not sufficiently considered of vs, how great a mercy it is, that the glorious GOD of Heauen [Page 85] and Earth should be willing to enter into Coue­nant, that he should be willing to indent with vs, as it were, that he should be willing to make himselfe a debtor to vs. If we consider it, it is an exceeding great mercy, when wee think [...] thus with our selues, hee is in heaue [...], and wee are on earth; hee the glorious GOD, w [...]e dust and ashes; hee the Creator, and wee but crea­tures; and yet he is willing to enter into Co­uenant, which implyes kinde of equality▪ be­tweene vs; as when Ionathan and Dauid made a Couenant, though there was a difference, the one was a Kings sonne, yet, notwithstanding▪ when the Couenant of friendship was made, there did arise a kind of eq [...]ality between them; so it is betweene the LORD and vs, when hee is once willing to enter into Couenant with vs. Beloued, this should teach vs to magnifie the mercie of God, and to be ready to say, as Dauid did, What am I, or what is my Fathers House, that I should be raysed hitherto, that I should enter into Couenant with the great GOD, that hee should come to a Campact and agreement with mee, that he should tye himselfe, and bind himselfe to become [...] You know, [...] [Page 86] small thing to enter into Couenant with GOD, to be in Couenant with the King of Kings: we commonly reckon it a great adua [...]age to haue allyance▪ to bee in confederation with strong Princes. You see what a Couenant there was betweene Iehoshaphat and Acha [...], see how Ieho­shaphat expresseth himselfe, Truly, saith hee▪ there is a League betweene vs, (What then?) therefore my horses are thy horses, and my peo­ple are thy people; and so it is betwe [...]ne God and vs▪ when there is a Couenant betweene vs, then his strength is our strength, and his Armies are our Armies, we haue interest, in all; there is an offensiue and a defensine League; and when we seeke to him, and put him in mind of it, he can not deny vs. The people of Rome had other parts and Nations, that were allyes with them, and if they were to fight, at any time, the Romans were bound in honour to de­fend them, and to assist them, and they did it, with as much diligence, as they defended their owne City of Rome. If we doe implore GOD [...] ayde, doe you thinke that God will breake his Couenant? Will he not [...] vp himselfe, to scatter his and our [...] Certainely hee will. This great benefit you haue; therefore you haue cause to magnifie your [...]elues in this Condition; and to blesse the Lord, to magnifie him for his great goodnesse, that he would e [...] ­ter into Couenant with you; this was the grea­test fauour that euer hee shewed to Abraham, and it is the very scope of this place; Abraham, [Page 87] I am willing to enter into Couenant, to tye my selfe, to enter into bond; and therefore, since the LORD is not ashamed to make vs his people, let vs not bee ashamed to call him our God, to professe it, and make it good vpon all occasions. This is the first vse.

Secondly, Vse 2. from this difference of the Coue­nants, you haue these two things to obse [...]ue: First, in that the Couenant of Grace onely, is the ministration of the Spirit, when the other is but the ministration of the letter, it should teach vs thus much, to labour to grow to assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes. If a man would de [...]ire to change his course, to haue his heart renued, to be made a new creature, to be trans­lated from death to life; beloued, the way is not to consider presently the Commandement, for a man to thinke with himselfe, this I ought to doe, and I will set about it, I haue made a Couenant, I haue resolued with my selfe to doe it, but the way is, to labour to get assurance of forgiuenesse, to labour to apprehend the Co­uenant of Grace: for by that meanes thy heart shall be softned, there shall be an infusion of the Spirit, that shall write the Law of God in thy in­ward parts: all those places of Scripture make this good, wherein it is said, faith purifieth the heart, and by the promises we are made partakers of the godly nature, as 2. Pet. 1. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 4. and likewise, Heb. 9. 14. Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, which, through the eternall Spirit, offered himselfe without fault to God, purge your conscience [Page 88] from dead workes, to serue the liuing GOD. The meaning is this, if a man would haue his con­science purged from dead workes, let him la­bour for faith, whereby hee may bee iustified, let him labour to be sprinkled with the blood of Christ, to haue assurance of the forgiuenesse and pardon of his sinnes, through that blood, then he shall haue that Spirit put into his heart, that eternall Spirit, that shall purge and cleanse his conscience from dead workes. So likewise, Gal. 3. Gal. 3. Did you receiue the Spirit by the workes of the Law? Did you not rather receiue it by the hearing of [...]aith preached? And so, Gal. 5. Gal. 5. Faith that workes by loue; that is, it is faith that brings forth loue, and loue sets vs on worke. All these shew thus much vnto vs, that the best way to heale any strong lust, the best way to change our hearts, to get victory ouer any sin, that it may not haue dominion ouer vs, to haue our conscience cleansed from dead workes, to he made partakers of the diuine nature, is to grow vp in the▪ assurance of the loue of God to vs in Christ, to get assurance of pardon and for­giuenesse: for, beloued, know this, if the heart doe no more but looke to the Comman­dement, if you heare onely that there are such duties to be done, and consider them, and you compare your owne heart and the Comman­dement together, there growes a quarell be­tweene the heart and the Commandement, an ex [...]l [...]eration betweene them, and an enmi [...]y, they looke one vpon another as enemies; but [Page 89] when the heart is softned, and reconciled to God, it closeth with the Commandement, as the soft clay doth with the mould, and is ready to receiue any impression; but, till then, it rebels against the Commandement, and stands out as a hard stone, that receiues no impression; and therfore the way is not [...]o go about to reforme our liues as morall men, to thinke with thy selfe, there are these duties, I must take a course to keepe them, and enter into vowes in particular courses with my selfe to doe them: no, my be­loued, the way is to get assurance of forgiuenes, to labour to bee partaker of the Couenant of Grace: your hearts will then be softned, when you haue receiued the Spirit, that hath wrought in your hearts a disposition answerable to the Law without, when the Law is put into your minds. And this is the first difference.

The 2. 2. Difference. is, in regard of the difference of the two Testaments, the second Testament being stablished vpon better promises. Quest. What is the reason that the New Testament is said to bee stablished vpon better promises? Beloued, Ans. you shall finde this to be the condition of the New Testament, you shall finde in it very little ex­pression of the promises of this life; looke in all the Epi [...]tles of paul, and the other Epistles, looke to all the Doctrine of the Gospell, and you shall see the things that are i [...]erated still they are these; You shall bee saued, you shall haue your sinnes forgiuen, you shall bee iustifi­ed, you shall bee sanctified, you shall receiue [Page 90] the adoption of sonnes, you shall receiue the high price of your calling, &c. These are the things that Paul euery where magnifies, as the condition that exceeds, and goes beyond the conditions in our forefathers times: Now this great Mystery is reuealed, now these great riches are opened, that before were hid. Whence you may gather this much, that grace and spirituall things, spiritual priuiledges, things belonging to the Kingdome of God, and of [...]e­sus Christ, exceed much all outward and tempo­rall happinesse: Quest. Why are they otherwise called better promises? Ans. There are many other pla­ces, I know, to shew the vanity of outward things, and to preferre spirituall things before them; but let this be added to the rest; this Couenant is established on better promises; la­bour then to worke your hearts fully to that perswasion, namely, to thinke with your selues, it is better to be rich in grace, better to haue the priuiledges of Iesus Christ, then to bee rich in this world, Reu. 2. Re [...]. 2. I know thy pouerty, but thou art rich. You must thinke with your selues, this is the great riches; and therefore the Apo­stle exhorts rich men, that they-change these other riches they enioy, to spirituall riches. Now a man will neuer be exhorted to change, except it bee for the better. Charge those that are rich in the world, that they bee rich in good workes: let them so vse their riches, so dispense them, so mannage them, that they may turne to other riches. When a man is rich in know­ledge, [Page 91] as it is said of the Corinthians, that they were rich in all knowledge, and in euery grace, These are the better promises, this is the better and more glorious condition. So that, if there should be a Census of men, as one may so say, if there should be an estimation of men, as there was wont to bee amongst the Romanes, they were put into seuerall conditions, and one was worth thus much, and another so much. Indeed, If God should make such a Census; as euery man is richer in grace, as hee excels in these better priuiledges, as he hath had these better promi­ses fulfilled more or lesse to him, so hee should bee reckoned a more excellent man, and so should euery man esteeme both of himselfe and others: and there is very great reason for it; because when a man is rich in grace, rich in spi­rituall blessings, when hee hath the spirituall promises, he hath Go [...] Image renued in him, he hath God to be his friend, who is the Gouernour of the world, and hee is rich (as I said) whom God fauours; he hath grace that heales his soule, which is that that makes his happinesse: It is that, which is the inward fashioning of euery mans appreh [...]sion▪ that makes him happy, that brings comfort to him. Now they are these better promises, they are the graces, the conso­lations of the Spirit, the worke of the Holy Ghost, the vertue of regeneration; I say, it is that that fashions the heart, and the inward ap­prehension; it is tha [...] that heales the soule, and adornes it; it is that tha [...] puts it into another, a [Page 92] fitter condition, and it farre goes beyond all o­ther [...]emporall felicity; that reacheth not to the inward man, it makes [...] is the Gouernour of the world to be his friend; other friends he may haue, tha [...] may make him po­tent vpon the earth, but God, in whose hand is his life, and all his wayes, it mak [...]s not [...] him his friend. Beloued, learne thus to iudge of the condition of the Church. You thinke the Church is in a miserable▪ estate, when you see it a little vnder hatches, when you see in downe, when you see it harrowed, and plowed by the enemies; the condition of the Church in the New Testament is to be so; they haue a poore ou [...]side, yet [...]; they haue a sor­rowfull ou [...]side, though alway reioycing▪ as [...] himselfe, and all the Apostles wer [...] herein ex­emplary for after Ages of the Church, yet wee must not thinke, because the Church is downe a littl [...] because i [...] wants that outward prosperi­ty that before it enioyed, that therefore it is the worse, It is a true obseruation of one, when there were but woodden Chalices, then there w [...]r [...] golden Priests; and in after time▪ when there w [...]re golden Chali [...]es▪ they had woodden Priests: so it is, when the Church is in a lower condition, commonly it prospers best; and in­deed, properly the prosperity of the Church consists in these better promises, the▪ outward peace is not so proper and so peculiar to it. A [...]d, as of the Church, so I may say of euery particu­lar man: Thinke not, beloued, with your [Page 93] selues, when your outward condition is base and low, that it is more miserable; your hap­pinesse stands in better promises: when a man hath Gai [...]s prosperity, that is, when his soule prospers, that is his best condition; and com­monly his soule prospers best, when his outward estate fares the worst: the winter of his outward condition is vsually the spring time of his soule; we should learne to iudge thus. You know, it is an obseruable thing, that the promises of out­ward prosperity were made to the Church of God, whiles it was yet in its infancie, while it was weake; so that this you may obserue from it, that it is a signe of childishnesse, and weak­nesse, and infirmity, that a man is not growne perfect, that he is not growne to maturity, to thinke outward prosperity to be the better con­dition. The Iewes had these promises, but in regard of their infancy, and when the Church grew vp to a greater height, when it grew to manbood (as it were) we haue little mention of any such promises as these; the promises are quite of another nature; and therefore when you are able to outgrow those opinions, when you are able to looke on things with another eye, when you thinke this outward prosperity to be but a trifle, in comparison of the better promises, it is a signe you are growne vp to more strenght. You see, Salomon, when hee came to himselfe, when his wisdome returned to him, (as I may so say) you see how he looked on all outward things, how he goes through all [Page 94] the particulars, they are vanity and vexation of spirit. Salomon, when he was old, when he had the wisdome of experience ioyned together with that infused wisdome that hee had from the Holy Ghost, made this the summe of all, that outward prosperity is meere vanity, an ex­treme vanity, a vanity that hee could not e­nough expresse, and only he magnifies these better promises; this hee magnifies as the better condition, to feare God and keepe his Commande­ments, &c.

THE ELEVENTH SERMON.

THe third Vse (which we did but touch vpon the last day, 3. Vse. and meane at this time som­what to enlarge) is, To mortifie sinne, by ap­plying the promise of free pardon. that if the Couenant of the Law, and likewise the Old Testa­ment, as it consists in types and shaddowes, be but a ministration of the let­ter, a ministration of bondage, and a ministrati­on of enmity: But this new Couenant, this Couenant of Grace, is the ministration of the Spirit, the ministration of loue, the ministrati­on of freedome, the ministration of righteous­nesse, [Page 96] and the ministration of life: then, belo­ues, we may gather this from it, that if a man will obtaine the Spirit, and thereby mortifie the deeds of the body, if hee would bee deliuered from the bondage of sinne and of death; then let him make vse of, and apply to himselfe the Couenant of Grace, the free promises of the pardon and remission of sinnes, let him apply them, that is the way to get the Spirit, that is the way to mortifie the deeds of the flesh, that is the way to get his heart changed, that is the way to be made a new creature. For the better vnderstanding of which, this is to he obserued, that which keepes euery man off, that which keepes men in a condition of strangenesse from the life of God, is, because they see such diffi­culties in the commandements of GOD, as they are not able to keepe, when they looke vpon the Cōmandement, and on the stubbornnesse of their owne hearts, and the indisposition that is in them to yeeld obedience, they thinke there is no hope, and therefore they neuer goe about it: for they see the Commandement, and they finde in their owne heart no disposition to keep it, but an aptnesse to rise in rebellion against it; I say, this keepes men off from the life of God: But, on the other side, when a man lookes vpon the promises, he begins to see the Couenant that his sinnes shall be put a way, he beginnes to see the goodnesse, and the mercy, and the tender compassion of God towards him; hee begins to see a possibility of fulfilling the Law, in such a [Page 97] manner as GOD now requires; then his heart melteth, hee becomes not onely applyable to the Commandement, but is ready to delight in it; this a man gets by applying his heart to the Couenant of grace, or by applying the Coue­nant of Grace to himselfe; that very applying of the promises of forgiuenesse, I say, it begets a disposition in the heart, which the Scriptures call a new life; that euen as you see the Sunne, when it applies its beames to a fitly disposed matter, and stayes vpon it, when it pitcheth its beames vpon it with any continuance, it begins to beget life and motion in it, and makes it a li­uing creature: so doth the Couenant of Grace, when it is applyed to the heart of a man, it be­gins to beget life in him, and to make him a new creature, it makes him another man: there is that power in the Couenant of Grace, in the promises of the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins, that it begets another life in a man, it makes him a new creature, it makes him a liuing creature to GOD, which before he was not; the ground of which you shall see, 2 Cor. 3. 6. 2 Cor. 3. 6. Hee hath made vs able Ministers of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for the letter kills, but the Spirit giues life. Marke it, the mea­ning of it is this, when the Couenant of works is deliuered to you, that is, when you heare the Law, the Commands, the duty you cannot performe, there is no more deliuered to you but the bare letter, that is, you know the duty, and no more. And what doth this duty doe? what [Page 98] doe these Commandements and precepts doe, when they are applyed to the heart of man? Saith hee, they kill. Now that which kills, fights before it kills, and that which fights must needs be an enemy: so then the Commande­ment is an Enemy, that is, euery man esteemes it as an enemie to himselfe, and therefore hath an enemy-like affection to it againe; that is, he hates it, he would be rid of it, he wisheth there were no such Law or Commandement, hee desires it should be dealt with as he would haue an enemy dealt with, he would haue it vtterly taken away; when they grow in enmity one with another, as indeed they doe, the naked Commandement and the heart are at enmity: for the Commandement would haue one thing, and the heart would haue another; there are contrary wils, and there is a striuing be­tweene them, the one striuing this way, the o­ther that way, the one resisting the other, and in the end, the Law and the Commandement gets the victory; because the sting of the Law is sinne: now the Law is the cause of sinne, as a straight Rule is the cause of crookednesse; for without the Law there should be no sin: now it causeth sinne; for if there were no Law, you know there could bee no feare, no trans­gression; because there could bee nothing a­gainst which the transgression should come, this sinne is the death of a man, so now the letter kils: But come now to the Couenant of Grace, saith the Text, it is the ministration of the Spirit, [Page 99] and the Spirit giues life; that is, when a man lookes on the Couenant of Grace, he lookes not on it now as an enemy, as hee did before vpon the Commandement, but he sees in it much loue, and much friendship to wards him; he sees God intends not any hurt, any euill to him, as he apprehended before; he sees God exceeding kinde, and mercifull, and willing to put away all his sinnes, and willing to accept the sincerity of his obedience, though there be not a perfe­ction of obedience; now he begins to change his opinion, both of God and of all his Lawes, and precepts; when he sees Gods kindnesse to­wards him, and his compassion and readinesse to forgiue him, then his heart begins to relent towards the Lord againe, he begins to magnifie Gods goodnesse, and to condemne himselfe, he beleeues those promises, and thence he growes vp in loue toward GOD; I say, hee growes vp in faith, and loue, and in this act of faith is the Spirit infused into his heart; this Spirit being thus infused, writes the Law in his inward pa [...]ts, that is it that breeds in him a holy dispo­sition, that inables him in some measure to keepe the Law, it prints in him all those graces that giue him strength to obserue the Com­mandements that God hath given him: so, my beloued, if a man will goe about this great worke, to change his heart, and to change his life, let him not goe about it as a morall man; that is, let him not onely consider what Com­mandements there are, what the rectitude is [Page 100] that the LORD requires, and how to bring his heart to it; but let him goe about it as a Chri­stian, that is, let him beleeue the promises of pardon in the blood of Christ, and the very be­leeuing of those promises, will be able to clense and purge the heart from dead works: (in that place▪ we then named, and we could doe no more but name it) you shall finde it, Heb. 9. 14. Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, which by the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God, purge your consciences from dead workes, to serue the liuing God. The meaning of it is this, when a man hath once applyed the blood of Christ for his iustification, this effect will follow vpon it, there will accompany it a certaine vi­gour, a certaine vertue, a certaine power and strength, which will also purge his conscience from dead workes; that is, there shall goe a power of the Holy Ghost together with this blood, that shall not onely forbid him, and shew him that hee ought not to doe such and such euill things, but it shall clense his consci­ence from those rootes of dead workes, those corrupt lusts, and sinfull affections, that are in him, that dispose him to that euill; he shall find this power growing vpon him, if hee doe but apply the blood, that is, if he apply the promise of pardon and forgiuenesse through the blood of Iesus Christ. The like you shall see, Gal. 3. 5. Gal. 3. [...]. He that ministreth to you the Spirit, and workes miracles amongst you, doth he doe it through the workes of the Law, or through the hearing of faith [Page 101] preached? That is, saith the Apostle, if I should onely deliuer to you the Commandements, and the Precepts, and the Rules, by which you ought to walke, I might preach long enough to you, but you should neuer haue ability to keep any of these; saith he, you may obserue those that preach the Law to you, did you receiue the Spirit then? no, but when I preached to you the promises of pardon and forgiuenesse, then you receiued the Spirit, it was conueyed into your hearts.

Now, A double infu­sion of the Spirit. I take it, there is a double meaning of this infusion of the Spirit here: in the time of the Apostles, there was a miraculous infusion and giuing of the Holy Ghost, that when they preached to them, as Peter to Cornelius, and Paul to others, and laid their hands on them, the Holy Ghost fell on them; that is, they were fil­led presently with an immediate infusion of knowledge; they had, some the gift of tongues, some extraordinary manifestation of the Spirit; saith the Apostle, when this was done, was it done by the preaching of the Law? was it not done by the preaching of Christ, and by offe­ring to you the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins through him? Therefore you see how hee ex­presseth it; Hee therefore that minist [...]eth the Spirit to you, and workes miracles among you, how doth hee worke these miracles? hee doth them not by the workes of the Law, but by the hearing of faith preached; that is, by our prea­ching of it, and your hearing it: So, my belo­ued, [Page 102] looke how the S [...]i [...]it was then conueighed to men, after the same manner it must now bee conueyed to vs: so that beleeuing the promi­ses is the way to get the heart healed; when a man hath any strong lust to conflict wi [...]hall, hee must not thinke, that setting himselfe with strong vowes and resolu [...]ions to resist it, is the way to beginne with: no, the way is to get assurance of pardon, to get ass [...]rance of Gods loue to himselfe, in Christ, to labour to get communion betweene Christ and himselfe, to labour to delight in God, as he will when there once are [...]ermes of reconciliation betweene them, and when this is done, his heart will grow to an application of the Commandement, it will cloze with the Commandement: Where­as before it resisted it, and rebelled against it, it will cleaue to it, and loue it, and delight in it, and will receiue an impression from it: this I take likewise to be the meaning of that 2. Pet. 1. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Hereby (saith he) we haue most gracious promi­ses, and are thereby made partakers of the Diuine nature: that by them we shall be partakers of the godly nature; that is, by beleeuing the promises of pardon, we are thereby made par­ [...]akers of the godly nature; there is a renuing, there is a change of the nature, a man is made another nature, euen while hee is looking vpon the promise of pardon and remission, the promi­ses of the New Couenant, that offer Iesus Christ, and the gift of righteousnesse through him, e­uen by beleeuing those promises it is wrought.

[Page 103]That it is so, you may compare this with that Rom. 6. where this obiection is made, If there be a promise of pardon, and of grace, through Christ, then belike we may liue as we list? No, saith the Apostle, doe you but beleeue those promises of grace, and the care is easie for the rest, in 1, 2, 3. Rom. 6. 1, 2, 3. Verses, What shall wee say then? shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound? God forbid: Shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein? Know you not, that as ma [...]y as are baptized into Iesus Christ, are baptized into his death? The meaning is this, if once you re­ceiue Iesus Christ, and the pardon and remission of sinnes through him, you cannot be so bapti­zed into him, but you must be baptized into his death; that is, of necessity, sinne must bee cru­cified in you, you must be dead to sinne, as hee was dead; you cannot be baptized into him for iustification, but you must be baptized likewise for morti [...]ication of the flesh, and for resur­rection to newnesse of life; Know you not, that all that are baptized into Iesus Christ, that is, that are baptized into him for reconciliation with God, of necessity they must also be baptized into his death? Therefore, saith he, you are dead to sinne, by being thus baptized with Christ, it is impossible you should liue in in it. So, I say, beloued, hee that hath the strongest faith, he that beleeues in the greatest degree the pro­mi [...]es of pardon and remission, I dare boldly say, he hath the holiest heart, and the holiest life: for that is the roote of it, it ariseth from [Page 104] that roote, sanctification ariseth from iustificati­on, the blood of Christ hath in it a power, not onely to wash vs from the guil [...] of sinne, but to cleanse, and to purge vs likewise from the po­wer, and staine of sinne: And therefore, I say, the best way to get a great degree of sanctifica­tion, and of mortification of sinfull lusts▪ the best way to get a greater measure of the graces of the Spirit, to grow vp to greater holinesse of conuersation, is to labour to grow in faith, in the beliefe of those promises of the Gospell: for there is no other reason in the world, why in the New Testament there is an infusion of the Spirit that giues life, but because now there are more euident promises of pardon, and for­giuenesse, and reconciliation with GOD, which by the Couenant of workes could not be. And so much shall serue for this.

The fourth, Vse. 4. and maine Vse, that wee are to make of this, from this description of the Co­uenant, is to learne to know the ground vpon which we expect saluation, and the fulfilling of all the promises; the ground of all is this Co­uenant. My beloued, it is the greatest point that euer we had yet opportunity to deliuer to you, yea, it is the maine point that the Mini­sters of the Gospell can deliuer at any time, neither can they deliuer a point of greater mo­ment, nor can you heare any, then the descrip­tion of this Couenant of Grace: this is that you must lay vp for the foundation of all your comforts, it hath beene the corner stone vpon [Page 105] which the Saints haue beene built, from the be­ginning of the world, vnto this day: there is no ground you haue to beleeue you shall be sa­ued, there is no ground to beleeue that any pro­mise of God shall be made good to you, to be­leeue that you shall haue the price of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ, and those glori­ous Riches of the inheritance prepared for vs in him; I say, there is no other ground at all, but vpon this Couenant; all that wee teach you from day to day, are but conclusions drawne from this Couenant, they are all built vpon this: therefore, if euer you had cause to attend any thing, you haue reason to attend to this; I say, this Couenant betweene GOD and vs. And therefore we will labour to open to you now more cleerely, and distinctly, this Coue­nant; though a difficult thing it is, to deliuer to you cleerely what it is, and those that belong to it; yet you must know it, for it is the ground of all you hope for, it is that that euery man is built vpon, you haue no other ground but this, GOD hath made a Couenant with you, and you are in Couenant with him: therefore, that I may shew it to you, we will proceed from the very first preaching of the Couenant to Adam. When the Serpent had ouercome the Woman, and supplanted her and the Man, and had throwne them from their happinesse, God him­selfe first preached the Gospell to them, and that in these termes, after he had charged them with their sinne, and had humbled them, (for [Page 106] that method he vseth) he sheweth Eue what she had done, and saith to Adam, Hast thou ea­ten of the tree, of which I said thou shalt not eate? he shewes them their sinne, and after that the curse; then he begins to tell them hee will not leaue them without hope; it is true, saith hee, the Serpent is your enemy, and hath ouercome you; but, saith hee, you shall not bee slaues to him, and captiued to him for euer; but you shall resist him, and be an enemy to him, I will put enmity betweene the Serpent and the Wo­man, and you shall fight together, there shall be a warre betweene you, and this shall bee the issue of the warre, the Serpent shall afflict you, and hurt you something, but thou shalt ouer­come him, and bruise his head, thou shalt bee the death of him, thou shalt haue the victory ouer him. The Woman might aske, But how can this bee? Alas, I am weake, I finde my selfe too weake already in the Battell, he is too strong for mee? Saith hee, I will giue thee a certaine seede, one that shall bee borne of thee, and he shall be an enemy to the Serpent and his seede; that is, to all euill men, that are called his seede, because they are like him: there shall bee enmity betweene them two, and hee shall fight the Battrell for thee; and in that Battell betweene him and the Serpent, this shall be the issue, the Serpent shall bruise his heele, that is, he shall preuaile so farre as to cause men to crucifie him, which is but as the bruising of the heele; but, saith he, he shall breake his head, he [Page 107] shall vtterly destroy him, and ouercome him for thee: so thou shalt preuaile againe, and be set in the place, and enioy all the promises. The Church continued in the vertue of this promise, this preaching of the Gospell, vntill Abrahams time, and then GOD beginnes to manifest his Couenant againe; hee calls forth Abraham and tells him he meanes to make a Couenant with him, he tells him that hee will blesse him, and that all the Nations of the world should bee blessed in him: one while it is said thus; another while, all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in thy seede. Beloued, there are many difficulties in this, how the pro­mise should be made to the seede? how againe it should be made to Abraham himselfe? (for it is said to be made to both) how all Nations are blessed in Abraham, and yet it is said, they shall be blessed in thy seed?

Againe, the condition of the Couenant, which he requires of Abraham, is the same thing that God makes a part likewise of his own Couenant.

Besides, GODS Couenant seemes not to bee the giuing of the M [...]siah, but the giuing of the promised Land, giuing him a sonne, and making him a great Nation; many difficulties there are in this: Therefore, that you may vnderstand them distinctly, I will deliuer it thus to you; not in the method wherein it is set downe, but so as I shall make it much clearer and perspicuous to you, and best [Page 108] to bee vnderstoost by you: therefore you shall obserue in GODS preaching the Gospell to Abraham;

First, the Couenant.

Secondly, the conditions of it.

Thirdly, the confirma [...]ion of it.

Fourthly, the parts of the Couenant.

Fiftly, the obiections the Iewes might bee ready to make against it. And shewing those fiue, we shall open it fully vnto you.

First, The Couenant 1. The Coue­nant. that GOD made with A­braham, was after this manner: Abraham, saith the LORD, I will giue thee a seede, and in that seede, both thou thy selfe, and all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed; and the question is, how this shall be done? Saith the Lord, hee shall blesse thee, he shall haue power in his hands to blesse thee; for I will make him a Prophet, a Priest, and a King. All the bles­sings that the people euer had, they were con­ueyed to them by these three, by their Priests, by their Prophets, and by their Kings: saith he, this promise I haue made to that seede, that be shall be a Prophet, a Priest, and a King; yea, saith he, that seede of mine that I shall send, that shall bee borne of thee, hee shall bee my Sonne, and my Heire, and in him likewise thou shalt be made an heyre, and a sonne; an heyre of all the World, as he is a Sonne, as hee is en­dowed with all spirituall priuiledges belonging to him; yea, thou shalt not onely haue this, but, saith he, thou shalt euen haue the Spirit of [Page 109] the Sonne, and be made like to him, thou shalt be made a Prophet, as he is a Prophet, he shall [...]each thee so, by infusing of the same Spirit that dwels in himselfe, hee shall [...]each thee such knowledge, that thou shal [...] be a Prophet, as he: Yea, he shall make thee a Priest, as himselfe; thine owne person shall bee accepted aswell as what thou dost: yea, hee shall make thee a King, as he is a King; that is, thou shalt haue the spirit of a King, to rule ouer all thy sinfull lusts and dispositions, thou shalt haue the peace of a King, the ioy, the comfort, the riches of a King, and the victory of a King, I will deliuer thee from all thine enemies: and for a Type of this, (for the Couenant was made after Mel­chizedeck came to him, as we may see, Chap. 14.) thou shalt see a r [...]semblance of it, in that Melchizedeck hath done to thee, hee came to thee, and blessed thee, and hee was a King, a a Priest, and a Prophet; hee was the King of peace, and the Priest of the most high God; and what was the blessing that Melchizedeck brought to Abraham? Saith hee, The LORD blesse thee; he blessed him, that is, hee bade him goe on, and prosper, hee wished that all blessings might come vpon him, that he might ouercome his enemies, &c. that hee might haue blessings of all sorts, they are not set down particularly; and in a word, hee made him heyre of all things: for, saith he, I am the Priest of the most high God, possessor of Heauen and Earth, and heere I haue brought thee Bread [Page 110] and Wine, that is, an earnest, a little for the whole, to shew this to thee, that GOD hath made thee heyre of all things: And thereupon, when the King of Sodom [...] presently offered him the riches that he had taken, when he came backe from the Victory, No, saith Abraham, I will not take them; for it is the LORD that blesseth mee, it is hee that shall make me rich, it is he that is my exceeding great reward, it is he that hath entred into Couenant with mee; and therefore, saith he, it shall neuer be said that the King of Sodome hath made Abraham rich▪ I haue receiued all from him, and I will restore all to him: therefore, you see, hee paid Tythes to Melchizedeck, he gaue him the tenth of all that he had: So is it now, saith God, that Mesiah, that promised [...]eed, is a Priest after the order of Melchizedeck; he is a King, he shall come and blesse thee, after that manner he shall make thee heyre of all things, onely thou shalt doe him homage, saith hee, as thou didst to Melchize­deck; What was that homage? That thou shalt giue him the tenth of all thou hast, that is, by that thou shalt shew thine homage, thou shalt shew that thou art bound to yeeld him o­bedience, thou shalt shew vpon what tenure thou holdest all that thou hast; thou giuest him that as a rent, acknowledging him to bee the Lord, of whom thou hast receiued all things, and to whom thou owest all things: therefore Abraham would take nothing of any else, hee would take nothing of the King of Sodome, nor [Page 111] he would doe nothing for the King of Sodome, that is, not to him, nor any man, but as from God, as a meanes vnder him. Beloued, this is the great Couenant that the Lord made with Abra­ham: So you see how the promise is made to the seed: for the promise was made thus to the seed, God had promised that hee should bee a King, a Priest, and a Prophet, I haue sworne, saith he, thou art a Priest for euer, after the order of Melchizedeck: againe, I will giue vnto him the Kingdome of Dauid. Thus the promises come after in the Old Testament: So the pro­mise is made to the seed, and againe it is the seede that blesseth him. This is the pro­mise.

Now for the Condition that God required of Abraham, 2. The Condi­tion of the Co­uenant, which is faith. it was this, Thou shalt beleeue this, thou shalt beleeue that such a Mesiah shall be sent into the World: Art thou able to be­leeue this, Abraham? He answers, Yes. Well, saith the Lord, I will put thee to the tryall, I will see whether thou canst beleeue this, or no; and, withall, I will giue thee a signe or euidence that I am able to performe it: saith he, I will giue thee a Sonne: It is true, thou art as a dead man, thou art almost a hundred yeeres old, and the wombe of Sarah is dead: I will promise thee a Sonne, art thou able to beleeue it? A­gaine, thou seest the Land of Canaan, thou hast not one foot in it, I will giue this land from the length and breadth of it, for thy possession: Art thou able to beleeue this? saith the Text, [Page 112] Abraham did beleeue, and God accounted that faith of his for righteousnesse; that is, hee accep­ted him for it: for that faith he reckoned him a man fit to make a Couenant with all, hee accoun­ted him a righteous person; that is, hee was willing to enter into Couenant with him, because he beleeued him. Beloued, this was not di­rectly the beleeuing of the Mesiah, (he did not intend the Mesiah) but it was the beleeuing that he should haue a sonne. You see, the Text is plaine, Gen. 15. when God had said to Abraham, that hee would bee his exceeding great reward, saith Abraham, I goe childlesse, and the Steward of my house will be my heyre. Saith the LORD to him, Verse 4. This man shall not be thine heyre, but one that shall come out of thine own bowels shall be thine heyre. Goe looke vpon the Starres, if thou be able to number them, then thou shalt number the seed that thou▪ shalt haue. Saith the Text, Verse 6. Abraham beleeued, and hee ac­counted that to him for righteousnesse So likewise he addes, in the Verses following, againe hee said, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees, to giue thee this Land to inhe­rit it. So, my beloued, this was the promise. Now, when Abraham had beleeued this, saith the Lord to him, This faith of thine, that is, not this particular act by which thou beleeuest that thou shalt haue a sonne, that shall be thine im­mediate heyre, but that habit, that grace of faith, that b [...]leeuing disposition in thee, where­by thou art able to beleeue this promise, saith [Page 113] he, with the same faith thou also belieuest the promise of the Messiah, that a certaine seed [...] shall be giuen thee, in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed. Saith he, this faith of thi [...]e I take for the condition of the Couenant on thy part, I will for this reckon thee as righ­teous, I will account thee as a man fit to be en­tred into Couenant withall. Againe, the Lord tryes him afterward, when Isaac was growne, Verse 22. Goe, saith hee, and kill thy sonne: Abraham was able to keepe it, hee went, and meant to haue done it in good earnest; so there was the same ground for beleeuing now, that there was before: So, saith hee, GOD could haue raised him from the dead when I had kil­led him, aswell as make mee, when I was dead, and Sarahs wombe, when that was dead, to bring forth a sonne: God can aswell raise him from the dead, as he could giue him mee from a dead wombe at first. Wee see, that God vpon this renewes the Couenant againe, and renewes it with an Oath; sure, saith he, I will performe my Couenant, since I see that thou beleeuest, and fearest mee, and preferrest me before thine on­ly sonne: these are but the concomitants of his faith. So, my beloued, it was this act of Abraham, by which hee did beleeue the pro­mise of God, that made him partaker of the Co­uenant. And if you aske now what is the con­dition that makes euery man partaker of this Covenant of grace? It is nothing but onely faith, ability to beleeue it, that GOD would [Page 114] send such a Messiah, before the Law, and that hee hath exhibited, and sent him since: for you must know this, that all the promises, the very giuing of Isaac, the giuing of the pro­mised Land, all these were but shaddowes, as it were, of the great promise, of the maine Coue­nant in Christ. So likewise, that act of A­brahams faith, whereby hee beleeued that he should haue a sonne, and beleeued that GOD would giue his children possession of that Land where he had not a foot, was but likewise a branch, and a shaddow, and a pledge, as it were, of the maine act of faith, whereby he be­leeued the promised seed should be giuen him, in whom himselfe, and all the Nations of the Earth should bee blessed. So then wee haue found out this, what the Condition is that God requires of euery man to bee made partaker of his Couenant; it is nothing but to beleeue in God; that is, God saith, I will giue my Sonne to you; to vs a Sonne is giuen, &c. that shall be the promised seede, and I will make him a King, a Priest, and a Prophet, to blesse you; hee shall giue you remission of sinnes, &c. he shall teach you, and instruct you to mortifie your lusts, and shall make you partakers of his Kingdome; he shall make you heyres, and sonnes; this is a very great promise, can you beleeue this? If a man will but beleeue GOD now, I say, it makes him partaker of the Co­uenant, this puts him within the Couenant: you will say, this is very strange; how can it [Page 115] be, that so small a condition as this, that to bel [...]eue, should make a man partaker of the Couenant? that vpon which all the promises hang initially, is nothing but beleeuing. You see Abraham did no more but beleeue GOD, when hee told him hee should haue a sonne, you see how much GOD made of that: So it is with vs, if we doe but beleeue this, God will make as much of it, he will make good all the promises of the Couenant to vs: But, I say, this hath need of a reason why it is suspended onely vpon faith, and beliefe; the reason is this, marke it well, Reasons why faith is the Condition. it is a point of exceeding great moment.

First, though there were nothing but faith, 1 yet that beleeuing brings with it, and workes sanctification, and holinesse of life: for where­as you might object, May a man beleeue this promise, and yet walke according to the lusts of his owne ignorance, and so to be made par­taker of the Couenant? Let him, if he can beleeue truly, and doe this, but it is impossible, let him beleeue, and the other will follow. Behold Abraham himselfe, (to giue you an instance of it) he beleeued GOD, and it was accoun­ted to him for righteousnesse; I say, it was e­nough for him to beleeue GOD: For that drawes after it inherent righteousnesse of sancti­fication, and holinesse of life: for, saith the Text, Rom. 4. Abraham is said to beleeue GOD, when hee said he should haue a sonne, he gaue him glory, that is the ground, which [Page 116] drawes with it all other graces, after this man­ner; he that beleeues GOD, hath a good o­pinion of him, hee loues him; hee that loues him, must needs be full of good workes. Be­sides, he that beleeues him, when GOD shall say to him, I am thy exceeding great reward, see that thou keepe close to mee, thou shalt haue an eye vpon mee, and walke with mee from day to day. Let a man beleeue that GOD is alsufficient, that he will be a Sunne and a Shield to him, and his exceeding great reward, hee will be ready to doe it. Abraham did so, when God called him from his Fathers house, and from his kindred, hee was ready to doe so; when GOD would haue him to offer vp his onely sonne, he was ready to doe it: for he belee­ued GOD, hee beleeued his promise, and his ability, and willingnesse to helpe him; hee be­leeued his Almighty power, and therefore whatsoeuer GOD bid him doe, he would doe it; hee preferred GOD before his own ease, before his owne profit, before his onely sonne whom hee loued: Let any man beleeue as A­braham did, and of necessity it will produce good workes; let a man beleeue truely, and truth of beliefe will bring forth truth of holi­nesse: and therefore wee heare what S. Iames saith, Iam. 2. saith he▪ Abraham was iustified by faith; it is true: but, saith hee, Abrahams faith had workes ioyned with it: for it was not a dead, a counterfeit faith, but a true faith, and being a true faith, you see, Abraham had [Page 117] workes aswell as faith: for when GOD bade him offer his sonne, he did it: Was not that an exceeding great worke? saith the Apostle there: So say I, no wonder that it is by faith, that the LORD requires no more but to be­leeue: for when a man beleeues, workes will follow, it will breed holinesse of life; let him beleeue GOD to bee an exceeding great re­ward, that hee is a Sunne and a Shield, he will follow GOD wheresoeuer hee leades him; let him beleeue the promise of GOD, when he describes himselfe, hee must needes haue a good opinion of him, and loue him, and bee exceeding fruitfull in good workes, and obe­dience to him; therefore that is one reason for it.

A second reason of it is, 2. Reason. because it could not bee done by obedience to the Law; it was impossible to haue made the sonnes of men par­takers of the Couenant, that way: for if it could haue beene done by the Law, and by the Commandement, it should haue beene; but the LORD tryed that in Adam, hee gaue Adam a Commandement, and ability to keepe it, (so hee made him perfectly in­nocent,) yet Adam did not keepe it. Put the case that GOD should haue tryed him the second time, and haue giuen him a Com­mandement againe, and not haue required the Condition of faith, but of obedience, hee would haue broken it, as hee did before; and therefore it could not bee by the Law: There­fore [Page 118] it must needes bee by faith, and the pro­mises, otherwise it could neuer haue beene sure. Adam brake it; surely, if hee brake it, we should haue broken it, if it had beene any other way but by faith: and therefore wee see what the Apostle saith, Galat. 3. 21. Is the Law then against the promise of GOD? Gal. 3. 21. GOD forbid: for if there had beene a Lawe giuen that could haue giuen life, surely rig [...]teous­nesse had beene by the Law: If Adam had stood and had kept the Law, and if men could haue entred into Couenant, and haue kept it, Christ had beene spared, the Couenant of Grace had beene spared; if righteousnesse had beene by the Law, there had needed no Messiah, there had needed no Couenant of Grace; and therefore, through the infirmity of the flesh, (Adams flesh, that would not keepe the Law, and ours, that is not able to keepe it) there was no other way to make mankind partaker of the Couenant of Grace, but onely by faith, by beleeuing GOD, and by taking the pro­mise, and the gift of Righteousnesse, through Iesus Christ: for it could neuer else in likeli­hood haue beene sure to the seede. This is the way to make it sure, when there is no more but an ac [...]eptation required, and not exact o­bedience to the Commandement.

Thirdly, 3. Reason. it is by faith: because nothing else can answer the Couenant, but faith: you see, the Couenant is not a Commandement, Doe this, and liue, but the Couenant is a pro­mise, [Page 119] I will giue thee, It runnes all vpon pro­mises, I will giue thee a seed, and in that seede thou shalt bee blessed. I will giue thee this good Land, &c. so that the Couenant of Grace stands on GODS part all in promises: Now you know that it is faith that answers the pro­mise: for the promise is to beleeued; if the Couenant had stood in precepts, and Comman­dements, and rules of the Law, then it must haue beene answered by workes, and obedi­ence, and therefore it could not be by obedi­ence: for that holds not proportion, there is not agreement betweene them; but since the Couenant consists of promises, that must needes bee by beleeuing, and not by workes.

Fourthly, 4. Reason. and lastly, it is by faith, because the Lord would haue it by free grace, and not of debt: for, saith hee, If I should giue a Law, and rules to men, and promise them life vpon it, when they had performed the worke, they would challenge it of debt: no, saith the LORD, it is an inheritance, I doe not vse to deale with my children, as men doe with their seruants, that I should giue them worke to doe, and when they haue done it, I should giue them wages, then they would come and challenge it a my hands by way of debt: no, saith the Lord, this is an inheritance, and you are my sonnes, and you shall haue it giuen you freely, and giuen you as it becomes a Father to giue it, so you shall take it; therefore, that [Page 120] it might bee of free grace, and not of debt, therefore it is by faith, and not by workes. And that is added, likewise, if it had beene by workes, men would haue beene ready to boast▪ and haue said, I haue done this, I am a­ble to keepe the Law, therefore the promise of eternall life shall bee made good to mee, I shall receiue it as wages, men would boast in them­selues: No, saith the LORD, no creature shall boast in it selfe: for that puts euery man further from the LORD, the more a man reioyceth in himselfe, the more he stands vpon his owne bottome, the more he is diuorsed from GOD, and separated from him: but, saith he, he that reioyceth, let him reioyce in the LORD: for that fits a man for the LORD, and therefore I will haue it by faith, it shall not bee by workes. So, beloued, you see now what is the Condi­tion. Surely, looke how Abraham was made partaker of the Couenant, so euery one of vs must bee; Abraham was made partaker of it by saith, so shall euery man be made partaker of it by faith, and no otherwise. Abraham be­leeued God, when hee had a promise, and be­cause he beleeued him, (not that particular act of faith but) that grace of faith, whereby he be­leeued this, and the other promises of the Mes­siah, was counted to him for righteousnesse: and so for this cause, because wee beleeue the pro­mises, and the Couenant of Grace, therefore the LORD accepts vs, and accounts vs righte­ous; and because this seemes strange to the [Page 121] sonnes of men, therefore we see with how much adoe Paul labours to make it good, what strong obiections were against it in all times. I haue shewed the reason. Now when you reade Rom. 3. & 4. and Gal. 3. & 4. you may know the better the meaning of those places. Well, so you see the Couenant; secondly, you see the Condition; now you heare that there is such a Couenant as this.

The third thing is the confirmation of the Couenant; 3. The confir­mation of the Couenant. when a man heares that GOD will vouchsafe so much fauour vnto mankinde, a man is ready to say as Gedion did, alas my fami­ly is poore in Manasses, I am the least in all my Fathers house, And who am I, that I should be raised vp hitherto? that such a promise as this should be made to mee, that I should goe, and saue Israel? &c. I say, after the same man­ner a man might bee ready to obiect, Alas, what are wee the sonnes of men, that the great GOD of Heauen and Earth should enter into such a Couenant with vs, that he should make vs such promises as these, that he should make vs heyres of the World, that hee should blesse vs in that manner, to make vs sonnes, to make vs Kings and Priests? Saith the LORD, I con­fesse it is a Couenant that needes confirmation: therefore the LORD hath confirmed it all these wayes; the LORD hath confirmed it, first, by his promise; saith he, you haue my sure word for it; if that bee not enough, I will confirme it by an Oath, and because he had no greater to [Page 122] sweare by, he saith, by my selfe haue I sworne, that I will make it good: this is not enough, but he confirmes it by the blood of Christ him­selfe; the Mediator shall come, and confirme this Testament, and when the Testament is confirmed by the death of the Testator, there is no more altering of that; Gal. 3. 15. saith hee, Gal. 3. A mans Testament no man changeth, after once it is confirmed: and when the Testator is dead, Heb. 9. then the Testament is confirmed: so it is confirmed by the blood, by the death of the Testator. This is not enough, but hee hath added seales vnto it, hee hath confirmed it likewise by them; saith hee, I will adde the seale of Circumcision, and of the Passeouer. For Circumcision, saith the LORD, Goe, and circumcise your selues, and when I see the Circumcision, I will remember my Couenant, and make it good to you; that, as hee said of the Bow, he set the Bow in the Cloud, saith hee, I will make my Couenant, that I will neuer destroy the Earth againe with raine, this Bow shall be the witnesse of the Couenant, and when I looke vpon it, I will remember my Couenant; after this manner are the signes and seales of the Couenant; saith he, Circumcise your selues, and when I see that, I will remem­ber my Couenant, and will spare you, and I will make good to you all the promises of it: So likewise the Passeouer, saith hee, See that [...]ou keepe it, take the Lambe, and sprinkle the blood, &c. Saith he, when I see it, I will re­member [Page 123] my Couenant. Where, beloued, this is to be obserued, that these signes or seales of the Couenant, not onely confirme the promi­ses on our part, but they signifie that faith, that condition which is required on our part: for when the LORD comes, and lookes into his Church, and sees a great company in it, sees his House full, and he comes, and askes, What doe you in my House? What doe a number of those that professe themselues to be within the compasse of the Couenant there? Their an­swer is, LORD, we beleeue, wee are among those that keepe the Condition. If you be­leeue, where is your Circumcision? It may be you haue that outward Circumcision in the flesh, but where is the Circumcision of the heart? for, if you did beleeue indeede, it would worke a change in the heart, as faith, I told you, that is indeede a liuely faith, workes a cha [...]ge, it c [...]ts off sinfull lusts, it makes a man deny himselfe, and cleaue to God, and serue him with a perfect heart. So againe, after that manner doth the second signe of the Couenant, which is the Passeouer, when the LORD shall aske, Doe you beleeue? Yes, heere is the sprinkling of the blood of the Lambe. But where is the true sprinkling vpon the heart and conscience? heere is the outward Passeouer, the outward profession, you come and take the signe and the seale, but where is the inward sprinkling? Therefore you see what was re­quired in the Passeouer; saith hee, when you [Page 124] eate the Lambe, &c. haue you tasted of the sweet of the Lambe, haue you euer tasted of the sweetnesse that is in Iesus Christ, so that you can loue him, and delight in him? are you clad like those that went out of Egypt, with their staues in their hands, and their feet shod; that is, are you ready to goe out of Egypt; that is, from sinne and wickednesse; from the state of vnregeneracie, wherein you were be­fore? Againe, hath your soule tasted of the sowre hearbs, of that bondage, that now you are weary of all the bondage of sinne and Sa­tan, that you desire exceedingly to goe from it, that you reckon the contrary condition a condi­tion of freedome, wherein you are willing and desirous to continue? saith the LORD, when I looke vpon these signes, I will remember my Couenant; onely see that your Circumision be not in the letter, as we see, Rom. 2. but see that you be circumcised in your hearts; that there be not only a Passeouer, but see that you keepe the Passeouer with sincerity, see that all leauen bee cleansed out of your hearts, that is, that your hearts be empty of the dominion of euery sinne; see that you haue tasted of the sowre­nesse of that bondage, that you bee willing to be rid of it, see that you bee willing to trauell out of Egypt, to another, to a further Country; see that this be reall, not in profession and shew, but in deede; and, saith the LORD, I will re­member my Couenant; and these are the con­firmations of the Couenant, saith the Lord, you [Page 125] shall not neede to doubt it, I haue sworne, it is repeated, Heb. 6. besides, it is confirmed with blood, with the death of the Testator, and there is none that alters the Will of the dead, when he is dead, they adde nothing to it, nor taks nothing from it: besides, I haue confir­med it with seales, and therefore it stands vnalterable. These three things we haue obserued now in this Couenant.

THE TVVELFTH SERMON.

YOV haue heard what the Coue­nant is in the generall.

The fourth thing is, What the particular branches, and parts, or gifts, and priuiledges of this Couenant are; and those we will reduce vnto three heads.

Now the three parts of the Couenant are an­swerable to the three Offices of Christ: for, we told you, it is Christ▪ himselfe, to whom the promises are immediately made; he is a Priest, a King, and a Prophet; it is hee that makes [Page 128] good all the parts of the Couenant, and he doth [...]t according to all his three Offices; remission of sinnes, he giues as a Priest: The other Priests were but a shaddow of this Priesthood of Christ, he is the great High Priest, that is holy, and harmlesse, and vndefiled, that is higher then the heauens; the great High Priest, that is en­ [...]red (saith the Text) into the very heauens them­selues; hee that sits at the right hand of God, and is now present with him; he that is not entred in by the blood of Bulls, and of Goats, but by his owne blood. This is such a High Priest, as is able indeed to giue remission of sinnes; and there­fore, saith the Apostle, Heb. 10. 22. Seeing wee haue such an high Priest, doub [...] not, but now come with full assurance of faith, when you see such an High Priest as this: if they were able to be­leeue, that had but a weake man to bee their Priest, before the comming of Christ, that offe­red for his owne sinnes, as well as for the sinnes of others, that often repeated his Sacrifice, that that had but the blood of Bulls and Goats, that did but enter into the Tabernacle; saith hee, when you see Iesus Christ himselfe come, that hath no Si [...]ne of his owne, that offered one perfect Sacrifice, that he needes not to repeate, that entred not into the Tabernacle, but into the Heauen it selfe, that did this with his owne blood, and not with the blood of beasts, saith hee, draw neere now [...]with assurance of faith: [...]hat is, Why should you make question now? you haue great ground of assuring your selues, [Page 129] that your sinnes shall bee forgiuen; now you may trust perfectly to the grace reueiled through him. This is the first.

The second is, I will teach you knowledge, and that he doth as a Prophet; you shall no more teach euery man his brother, but all shall bee taught of mee. Beloued, it is another kinde of teaching, when the LORD teacheth vs know­ledge, then that is that wee can haue from the hands of men; Christ is another kinde of Pro­phet, you come not to heare him speake, to heare him teaching as a man heares other Le­ctures, where his vnderstanding is informed, but hee is such a Prophet, as enlightens euery man within, that comes into the world; that is, euery man that is enlightned, is enlightned by him, he is such a Prophet, as baptizeth you with the Holy Ghost, he is such a Prophet that makes mens hearts to burne within them when he speakes to them; such a Prophet as saith to Matthew and Leuy, Follow me, and they doe it; such a Prophet as saith to his Ministers, G [...]e teach all Nations, and I will bee with you, and I will make you able Ministers, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; there is no man in the world can say this, but this great Prophet; and this is the Prophet that the Lord hath raised vp, the Prophet that he promised hee would raise ano­ther like Moses, that great Prophet that should teach men after another fashion, then all the Prophets before were euer able to doe. And that is the second part of the Couenant.

[Page 130]Beloued, we may know many things, but it is a hard thing to know as we ought to know. It is said of an vnregenerate man, 2 Cor. 8. Hee knowes nothing as hee ought to know. For exam­ple, thou mayst know sinne, and know it most exactly, but if this doe not worke vpon thy heart, if the sinne lye not exceeding heauy vpon thee, if it breed not in thee godly sorrow, for it, if it doth not amaze thee, as it were, with the filthinesse and vilenesse of it, it is, because thou dost not yet know it, as thou oughtest to know it: And how shall a man doe then? Goe to CHRIST, hee is the Prophet, that is, hee teach­eth a man to see things so, that his heart, his will and affections shall likewise be moued with it: You are to consider the Couenant when you goe to the LORD; and therefore that man that saith, I can looke vpon my sinne with dry eyes, I can looke vpon it, and neuer be affected with it, this is because he is taught but with the teaching of men; hee must remember that this is a part of the Couenant, and God hath bound himselfe by an Oath to performe it. Iesus Christ, as he is a Prophet, God hath sent him to teach thee all things belonging to saluation, and so to teach thee, that thou shalt be in a right manner affected with it. And so likewise put the case thou know God, thou seest him in his attributes, thou hearest him often described, and art able to describe him to others, but for all this, thou findest not thy heart affectioned towards him, thou seest not that excellency [Page 131] and beauty that is in him, so that thy heart is not enamoured with him, thou canst not say thou louest him with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy strength, What wilt thou doe in this case? Goe to Christ the Prophet, and beseech him that hee would teach thee to know the LORD, this is his promise; if thou pray to him, and he doe not doe it, vrge him with this, it is a part of his Couenant, that hee hath confirmed by Oath, and must doe it, and, beloued, be assured of this, if wee seeke, and be earnest with him, he will teach vs to know the Lord, and to know him so, that wee shall loue him with all our soule, and with all our strength. The like may I say of any thing else; put the case afflictions come vpon thee, and thou bee not able to bee patient vnder such afflictions, suppose that it be a matter of disgrace and dis­credit, that so wounds thee, that thy heart can­not be at rest, what is the reason of this? thou callest to minde, it may bee, all the rules of pa­tience, that should teach thee to beare afflicti­ons; well, and yet thou art not able to doe it: the cause is, because thou dost not yet know these outward temptations, these outward e­uils, as thou oughtest to know them, if thou diddest, they would seeme small to thine eyes, sinne would be an exceeding great griefe, but these would be but trifles and flea-bitings, in comparison of the other: goe to Christ now, and beseech him to shew thee what is the na­ture of these outward crosses and losses, that [Page 132] thou mayst be taught of him once: hee is the great Prophet, that teacheth a man so, hee so presents things in their owne colours to the vn­derstanding, that the will and affections fol­low and apprehend them aright; goe to him, and beseech him that thou mayst know them as thou oughtest, and thou shalt finde, that thou shalt be able to bea [...]e the greatest crosse with patience, it shall bee nothing then to thee, it will appeare to be a small matter, when he hath taught thee to iudge aright, thou shalt not be deceiued in it.

So likewise, for pleasure, when a man finds his heart so wedded to any sinfull lust, to any e­uill haunt, wher [...]in his heart is held inordinate­ly, that it cannot diuorse it selfe from it, goe to Christ, hee is the great Prophet. Thus we may doe, beloued, with the rest. This is the second part of the Couenant.

The third part of the Couenant is, that which he will performe to vs, as he is King, and it con­sists in these 3. things.

You know the Office of a King is to guide and rule; now, if thou finde thy heart vnruly, if thou finde thy selfe subiect to vnruly affecti­ons, to sinfull inordinate lusts, which thou canst not master, it is a part of his Kingdome, now to set vp his owne gouernment in thy heart, to put his Law into thy minde, and to write it in thy in­ward parts, that so thou mayst bee indeed sub­iect to the Kingdome of Christ in a willing manner. When a man sees nothing (as wee [Page 133] said before) but the outward letter of the Law, he will neuer be subiect, he will neuer yeeld o­bedience, but Christ comes as a King now, and puts an inward disposition into the minde, that shall answer the letter without, and so he makes a man subiect to his gouernment. Beloued, that Phrase is to be marked, Heb. 2. 10. Saith the Lord, I will put my Law into their mind [...]; there are Lawes out of mens minds, Lawes without, that euery man may see; but it is another thing to haue the Law put into a mans minde: for example, this is the Law without, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy strength. To answer which, you shall see, Deut. 30. 6. I will circum­cise thy heart, and then thou shalt be able to loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy strength. That is, I will put this affection, or this grace of loue with­in thy heart, it shal not be without onely, but I will put it within, that there shall bee a grace within, a habit of loue within, answerable to the Commandement without; this is to put the Law into the minde: and so likewise, Ier. 32. 40. you know, this is the Commandement of the LORD, You shall feare the LORD, and keepe his Ordinances, and his Statutes, and his Commandements to doe them. Well, saith the Lord there, I will make a Couenant with you: and what will I doe? I will put my feare into your hearts. I will not onely giue you this precept, that thou shalt looke on without, Thou shalt [Page 134] feare mee, and keepe my Commandements, but I will put the affections of feare into thy heart, there it shall bee, and then thou shalt easi­ly feare mee, and keepe my Commandements; thou shalt feare to disobey me, thou shalt feare and tremble at my Word, and take heed how thou doe any thing contrary to my mind: and beloued, when this is done, hee makes indeed Kings, as hee makes vs Priests and Prophets: for when a man is thus taught, he is a Prophet, other men need not to teach him, for hee is a spirituall man then, and is able to iudge of all things; I say, when this gouernment is set vp, and the Law is put into his minde, when it is put into his inward parts; I say, when this is done, then he makes vs Kings: for when men haue so much strength within themselues, that they can guide and rule themselues▪ and walke in the way of righteousnesse, now they are made Kings, and such Kings the Lord makes all those that come to him. This is the first part of this Kingdome.

The second part is, to giue vs abundance of all things, to giue vs peace: for the Office of a King, you know, is to keepe his people in peace, as it is said of Saul, hee cloathed them with scarlet▪ that is, he made his people to a­bound with wealth, and peace, and quietnesse: this the Lord doth likewise, and this is a part of his spirituall Kingdome. Now his Kingdome is spirituall; therefore the maine worke of it is to giue vs inward peace and ioy; you may [Page 135] haue troubles in the world, but my Kingdome is not of this world, and therefore wee are not so much to expect an outward worldly peace, though we haue likewise a promise of that, but in mee you shall haue inward peace, saith hee, the Kingdome of God is in righteousnesse, that is the first part, when God workes righteousnes, as I haue named before, the second is peace, and ioy, so that that is a part of the Couenant, GOD, promised inward peace and ioy; beloued, when you want it, know it is a part of the Coue­nant, you may goe to GOD, and beseech him to fill your hearts with this peace that passeth vn­vnderstanding, and with this ioy which is vn­speakable, and glorious; goe, and beseech him to enrich your hearts with those spiritual riches that belong to saluation, this is a part of his Kingdome, and that which hee hath promised to vs: now this is not all, but likewise an out­ward peace he promiseth, hee hath promised we shall be heyres of all things, all things are yours, he hath promised outward riches, we are heyres of all the world; so that it is like­wise a part of his Couenant, when a man wants any outward comfort, any outward helpe, any blessings, or deliuerance, he may goe to Christ, that is the King of all Kings, as hee is Lord of all things, as he himselfe is heyre of all things, and beseech him to grant it vnto him: for it is a part of his Couenant.

And the third and last is, that we shall ouer­come our enemies, that is the third branch of [Page 136] this Kingdome; And that which was promi­sed to Abraham, thou shalt possesse the gates of thine Enemes▪ when hee renewed his Couenant, vpon the offering of his sonne, and you shall finde it, Luke 1. 74. repeated againe, this is the great promise that God hath made, that being deliuered from the hands of all our enemies, wee might serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of our life. Now as his Kingdome is spirituall, so the chiefe part of this Kingdome stands in ouercoming our spirituall enemies; and therefore you may challenge this Couenant at his hands, when you are to wrastle with Sa­tan, or any temptation and lust, LORD, hast thou not said that thou wilt deliuer me out of the hands of all mine enemies? Is it not a part of thy Couenant? But, beloued, that is not all neither, there is a promise, and that is a part of the Couenant likewise, that wee shall ouer­come our outward enemies, thou shalt possesse the gate of thine enemies, so farre as it is good for vs, as farre as God sees it meet, he dispenseth these in a different manner, but yet it is a part of the Couenant, and therefore a man may goe and challenge this at Gods hands; LORD, if it be good, if it be fit, and meet for me to haue it, thou hast promised it, I shall haue victory ouer them also. So now you see what the Couenant is: But now there is one maine generall, that likewise is a branch of this Couenant, that is ge­nerall to all the three, that is the giuing of the Spirit, it is a branch of the Couenant, as wee see, [Page 137] Ioel 2. which is repeated, Act. 2. I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh in those dayes, and your yong men shall see visions, &c. Beloued, know that this was a part of the Couenant that was made with Abraham, It was expressed to A­braham in generall, I will blesse thee, afterwards there were seuerall branches of it; now one thing was expressed, as part of the Couenant, and then another; among the branches, this was one, I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh, which is that which you haue likewise, Esay 44. 3. I will powre out my Spirit as water vpon the dry ground, and you shall grow as the grasse, and as the Willow by the Riuers of water. Where­of that this is the meaning, Peter makes it good, Acts 2. and so likewise our Sauiour Christ, the great promise that he made to them was, I will bapize you with the Holy Ghost, this promise was made before hee departed in the flesh, but it was fulfilled after, when hee powred forth his Spirit. Beloued, this is that great part of the Couenant, that which comprehends the life of all the other three, that which inabled vs to doe all the rest, that which makes vs Kings, and Priests, and Prophets, this powring out of the Spirit vpon vs, euen as Christ himselfe was an­oynted with the Spirit without measure, that he might be able to teach vs, that he might bee a Prophet, a King, and a Priest, that which en­abled him to performe all those Offices, was the effusion of the spirit vpon him without mea­sure: Beloued, that which makes vs able to be [Page 138] partakers of those three parts of the Couenant, is likewise the same Spirit, wherewith wee are anoyn [...]ed according to our measure. So much shall serue for this, namely what the particular branch [...]s, and parts, and priuiledges of the Co­uenant are.

The fift and last is, 5. Obiections against it. the obiections that are made against this Couenant. There were two great obiections that Paul euery where met with, (for our scope is, that when wee put all this together, that we haue deliuered about this Couenant, you may reade at leasure Rom. 3. 4. and Gal. 3. 4. and all the promises made to A­braham, and when you haue this before you, will be able then to vnderstand i [...]) I say, there are two great obiections that Paul euery where met with.

The one is from the Law, 1. Obiect. Is it not said euery where, Those that obey the Commandement shall liue, and euery promise is made still to them that feare the LORD, and keepe his Com­mandements? and therefore it is by the Law.

Nay, Ans. saith the Apostle, Gal. 3. it is impossi­ble that it should be by the Law: for the Law was giuen 430. yeeres after the promise, and Couenant was established with Abraham long before it; it cannot bee now, that that which comes after can dissannull that which went be­fore: but besides there is another great reason, and that is this, saith the Apostle, you were neuer able to keepe the Law, you could neuer [Page 139] be saued, if you would haue it by the Law, to what end is the Law giuen then? By reason of transgression, that you might learne to know how impossible it is for you to come to God, to be partaker of the Couenant any other way, then by faith; saith he, you might remember that Adam, when he was in innocency and perfection, was much stronger then you, yet did not keepe the Law; but, because that was easie for people to forget, the Law was giuen againe by Moses, vpon Mount Sinai, that the LORD by that meanes might reminde you of the Commandement, and of your sinnes, and of the curse belonging to you; and therefore, saith hee, when the Law was deliuered, it was so terrible, that Moses himselfe did tremble; and therefore, said the People, Lord, doe not thou speake to vs any more, deliuer not the Law to vs any more, but let Moses come, and bee as a Mediator betweene vs, let him speake; for we are not able to see these fires, these burnings, wee are not able to see this and liue. The mea­ning of it is this, the Law, if any man looke on it, it is so terrible, when GOD comes to speake to a man in his Law, and in his Commande­ments, that there is nothing to be expected but death: that same fearefulnesse at Mount Sinai, was but onely an expression of that feare which the Law of God puts vpon euery mans consci­ence; and therefore, when the people then desired a Mediator, that might speake, and that GOD might speake no more, another thing [Page 140] was signified by it, that no man is able to come to God by yeelding obedience to the Law, but he must needs haue a Mediator to goe between GOD and him.

The other obiection is from the Ceremo­nies of the Law; 2. Obiect. they were ready to say, We haue a Priest, we haue Sacrifices, we haue di­uers washings and Rites, &c, wee were wont to bee saued by them, why may we not so still?

The answer to it is, Ans. That these were but the oldnesse of the letter; for indeed all these did but cloathe the Couenant of Grace; the Coue­nant of Grace was deliuered to the Iewes, the Ceremonies did indeede but set it out, they were but types and shaddowes, by which it was expressed to the Iewes: the Iewes, by rea­son of their ignorance, were not able to see the body for the clothes, they were not able to see the signification of the Spirit for the letter, they were not able to see the sword for the sheath, the kernell for the shell; that is, they could not see Christ himselfe, the inward promises, but stucke in the outward barke, and rinde of Cere­monies, in the shell of them, and so they be­came vnprofitable; but indeed those Rites did nothing, but cloathe the Couenant of Grace, and set it forth to them. So much shall serue for the dispatching of those fiue things.

Now hence you see how those difficulties may bee answered, that I mentioned before. For example, it is said, the promise is made to the [Page 141] seede, yet the promise is made to vs, Obiect. and yet a­gaine the Couenant is made with Abraham, How can all these stand together? Ans. The pro­mises that are made to the seede, that is to Christ himselfe, those are these promises: Thou shalt bee a Priest for euer, and I will giue thee the King­dome of Dauid, thou shalt sit in that Throne, thou shalt be a Prince of peace, and the gouern­ment shall be vpon thy shoulder; likewise thou shalt bee a Prophet to my people, thou shalt open the prison to the Capti [...]e, thou shalt be anoynted, &c. and then shalt goe and preach to them: These are the promises that are made vnto the seede.

The promises that are made to vs, though they bee of the same Couenant, yet they differ in this, the actiue part is committed to the Mes­siah, to the seede it selfe; but the passiue part, those are the promises that belong to vs, You shall bee taught, you shall bee made Prophets, likewise, you shall haue your sinnes forgiuen, you shall haue the effect of his Priesthood made good vnto you, you shall be subiect to his go­uernment, by an inherent righteousnes that he shall worke in you; for you shall bee made Kings; So the promise is made to vs. How is the promise made to Abraham? for it is said, In thee all the Nations of the Earth shall bee bles­sed.

The meaning of this is, they are deriuatiue promises, the primitiue and Originall was made to Iesus Christ; but why is it said then, [Page 142] that in Abraham all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed? the meaning of it is this, there was none that was euer partaker of these promi­ses, but the children of Abraham, and there­fore they were deriued from Abraham to all the men in the world besides, that euer haue beene since. Now what is it to be a childe of Abraham? not to be borne of Abraham accor­ding to the flesh, but to be like Abraham; you are the children of the Deuill, Why? You are like him. So that all that haue faith, are the children of Abraham: but more is meant then that; I say, all that doe partake of this promi­sed Messiah, are deriued from Abraham, either deriued from him, or grafted into him, one of these two; all that were saued before the com­ming of Christ, were either such as descended from him, or were ingrafted into the same Na­tion. But what doe you say of the Gentiles, that are now come in? How doe they receiue from Abraham? How can it be said, in Abra­ham shall all the Nations of the world bee blessed? Beloued, Rom. 11. 17. you know it is said, Rom. 11. that the naturall branches were broken off, and the wilde Oliue is ingrafted in: that is the reason likewise why the Law comes from Sion, the Lord will haue the Gentiles to bee ingrafted into the stocke, as it were, he will haue the Law to pro­ceede from Ierusalem, he will haue them put in­to that Famely as the proselytes, and so were all Nations: for they receiued it from Ierusa­lem: for they had the Oracles of God commit­ted [Page 143] to them, all the Nations in the world recei­ued them from them, they drew that sap of knowledge from them, so that they were graf­ted in: thus all the Nations in the world were blessed in Abraham, and Abraham was blessed in the seede it selfe. But yet one obiection is behinde, that is, how comes this to passe, Obiect. that to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and to walke in the wayes of the LORD, in the way of regeneration, should be a part of the Couenant on our part, you shall repent and beleeue, and be renewed, and then you shall be forgiuen, &c. you shall haue the Kingdome, and yet, for all this, you see it is a pa [...]t of the Couenant on Gods part, saith the LORD, I will giue you a new heart, and a new spirit, Ezek. 36. 26. I will giue you, &c. there is an expression of the Coue­nant, and yet it is a condition that is required on our part?

Beloued, to this I answer briefly, Ans. the con­dition that is required of vs, as part of the Co­uenant, is the doing of this, the action, the per­formance of these things, it is to repent, to serue the LORD in newnesse of life, but the a­bility by which we are able to performe these, is a part of the Couenant on the LORDS pa [...]t, to haue new hea [...]t [...] and new spirits, whereby we are able to repe [...]t, and to bring forth fruite worthy of amendment of life; I say, the inward abil [...]ty, the change of the heart, the renewing of vs in th [...] spir [...]t of our mindes, the wr [...]ting of the Law in the inward pa [...]ts, that is a branch [Page 144] of Gods Couenant, but the doing of this, the bringing forth the fruite of these inward abili­ties, of these inward habits and graces, that are planted in vs by the power of Christ, that thing is required in vs. As, for example, the very ha­bit of faith, the very grace and power of belee­uing, that God hath promised to giue, it belongs to him, but to beleeue, to take the promises, to accept of Iesus Christ, and to receiue him, and the gift of righteousnesse by him, this is requi­red as a condition on our part. And so much shall serue for the opening of this, and for this point.

The next question wee had to propound to you, Quest. was this, How a man should know whe­ther he be within the Couenant, or no? Ans. You shall know it by this, How did Abraham know whether he was in the Couenant, or how will you know whether Abraham, or any other were? saith the Text, Abraham beleeued God, and therefore God reckoned him as a man that was righteous, and accepted him to bee a partaker of the Couenant: and so, if thou be­leeue, it is certaine then, thou art within the Couenant; but how shall a man know that? Gal. 5. 5. Neither Circumcision auaileth any thing, nor vncircumcision, but faith which worketh by loue. If thou canst finde this now, that thou art able to take Iesus Christ, to take him as a LORD and Sauio [...]r, thou art able to beleeue all the Couenant of Grace, thou art by that put into the Couenant.

[Page 145]But how shall a man know whether this faith be right or no? for, you know, there is a false, dead, and counterfeit faith: if it be right, thou shalt finde it to be of a working and liuely na­ture, but many times we may bee deceiued in that. A woman many times thinkes she is with childe, but if she finde no motion nor stirring, it is an argument she was deceiued: So, when a man thinkes that hee hath faith in his heart, but yet he finds no life, no motion, no stirring, there is no worke proceeding from his faith▪ it is an argument he was mistaken, hee was de­ceiued in it: for, if it be a right faith, it will worke, there will be life and motion in it. As Abrahams faith, you see, it enabled him to doe whatsoeuer GOD appointed him, to offer his sonne, to excommunicate Ismael, when GOD bid him cast him out, though hee loued Ismael exceeding dearely, yet he did it, and did it rea­dily; so, whatsoeuer God bade him doe; here was a working faith.

But yet a little further, a man may be yet de­ceiued in this, a mans faith may worke, and an Hypocrite may doe many workes, if it bee but bare working, a man may bee decei­ued, and therefore this is added further, it workes by loue. Beloued, a man may doe excee­ding many duties, as you know, hee may suffer Martyrdome, he may giue all to the poore, hee may be a very diligent Preacher of the Gospell: for Paul saith, I may speake with the tongue of men and Angels, I may giue my goods to the poore, [Page 146] I may giue my body to be burned▪ and yet if these great workes be done, without loue, they are no­thing. But, on the other side, if you finde this, that you doe but the least worke, if it be but to giue a cup of cold water, and doe it out of loue, if you abstaine from one sinne, if you ouercome any one lust whatsoeuer, that is deare and neare to you, because you loue Iesus Christ, if you set your selues vpon any worke, vpon any imploy­ment and endeauour, and thy heart witnesseth this to thee, it is because I loue the LORD, and desire exceedingly to please him, he is one that I would faine haue communion with, my de­light is in him, therefore I doe these workes: for it is my meate and drinke to doe his will; now thou art on a sure ground, now thou maist know thou art within the Couenant: for thou beleeuest as Abraham did, and therefore thou art within the Couenant, as hee was; thou maist know it, because thy faith workes, and then thou maist know that it workes right, because it is done by loue. Well, yet there is another way to know this, that is in thy seede (saith the Text) shall all the Nations of the world bee blessed, if a man be then ingrafted into this seede, into the Messiah once, then he shall bee blessed, if once he belong to him. Well, how shall a man know that.

If thou haue receiued the Spirit of the Son: for whosoeuer is in Christ, hath receiued the Spirit of Christ, if he haue not receiued the Spi­rit of Christ, he is not in him. Consider whe­ther [Page 147] you haue receiued the Spirit of the Sonne, the Spirit of the promised seede, that is, thou art made like Christ by the Spirit: for the Spi­rit will assimulate thee, and renew this Image in thee, he makes thee such another in some de­gree, as he is; yea, he will not onely doe this, but he will witnesse to thee, that he is thy God, and that thou art of those that are partakers of the Couenant, and therefore that is the way to finde it out, that is the thing I intend to insist vpon, to finde out whether you haue this Spi­rit, you shall finde it, this is the great marke that the Apostle Paul insists vpon, still in all his E­pistles, by which a man may know whether he be within the Couenant, or no, still it is this, we haue receiued the Spirit, and the Spirit seales vs to the day of redemption, we are established and sealed by the Spirit of promise, and wee haue re­ceiued the Spirit, which is an earnest, &c. Now to know whether you haue the Spirit, I will commend these two places of Scripture to you to consider: one is, Rom. 8. 15. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage, to feare againe, but the spirit of Adoption, whereby you cry Abba Father; the same spirit beares witnesse with our spirits, that wee are the sonnes of GOD. The other you shall finde, 1 Iohn 5. 8. And there are three that beare record in Earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood, and these three agree in one. If you would finde out whether you haue the spirit of the Sonne, or no, you shall know it by these three: [Page 148] In the Antecedents, the Concomitants, and the Consequents.

The Antecedent is the Spirit of bondage; be­loued, that of necessity must goe before, so that if thou neuer hadst the spirit of bondage, cer­tainely thou hast not yet receiued the spirit of the Sonne: for the Apostle speakes of it heere, as the common condition to all Christians, they doe not receiue the spirit of bondage againe; you had it once, but now you haue the spirit of Adoption: I say, euery man must haue this spi­rit of bondage, and the ground of it is this, be­cause no man can come to Christ, except the Law be a Schoolemaster to bring him to Christ; now the Law is not a Schoolemaster, it teach­eth no man, except the spirit of bondage worke feare, except the spirit of bondage put an edge vpon the Law, put a Sword into the hand of the Law, to pricke the heart, to wound the heart, Act. 2. as it is said, Acts 2. this is the spirit of bondage, Beloued, you may heare the Law, and the threatnings and curses, applyed to you 10000. times ouer, and yet no feare be bred in you, except the spirit of bondage ioyne with it, that makes it effectuall. Now in the Law are included iudgements and afflictions, which are but the execution of the Law, sometimes it goes with the Law it selfe, somtimes with the iudge­ment and afflictions, it is the spirits of bondage that must goe with both; as for example, when it thundred & rained in Wheat-haruest, 1 Sam. 12, 1 Sam. 12. 18. the people feared exceegingly; and Ezra 10. Ezra. 10. 9. [Page 149] when there was an exceeding great raine, the people did exceedingly tremble, and, you know, in that Earthquake, though all were safe, Act. 16. Act. 16. and there was no cause why he should be so vnquiet, yet we see how the Goaler was ama­zed, his heart was wounded, this was not for these particular Iudgements, there might bee a great raine, there might be a great Earthquake, and thunder in Wheat-haruest, and yet mens hearts little moued, but there went a spirit of bondage, that bred a feare in them, this is that, I say, no man can come to Christ without the Law, either in it selfe, or in afflictions, which are but the executioners of it, and these are not effectuall without the spirit of bondage: and there is a very great reason for it; because, o­therwise wee should neuer know the loue of Christ, he that hath not knowne what the mea­ning of this spirit of bondage is, what these feares are, what these terrours of conscience are in some measure, knowes not what Christ hath suffered for him, or what deliuerance hee hath had by him; besides, he will not be applyable to Christ: But I will not stand more vpon this. Hast thou not had the spirit of bondage? I say, surely, if thou hast not t [...]sted of this, Christ, hath not sowne the seed of grace in thy heart: doth any man sow before he hath plowed? doth any man make a new impression before there bee an obl [...]t [...]ration of the old? Beloued, before the hea [...]t be me [...]ted w [...]th [...] the spirit of bondage, there is no sence of a new spirit, to make a new [Page 150] impression vpon it; I confesse it is different, it is sometimes more, sometimes lesse, but all haue it, more or lesse; sometimes the Medi­cine goes so close with the reuealing of sinne, and of Iudgement, that it is not so much dis­cerned; sometimes againe, God meanes to bestow vpon some men a great measure of grace, and therfore he giues them a greater measure of the spirit of bondage, because God meanes to teach them more to prize Christ, he meanes more to baptize them with the baptisme of the Holy Ghost, and therefore hee baptizeth them with a greater measure of the spirit of bondage, they shall drinke deeper of that spirit, because his in­tention is, that they shall drinke deeper of the spirit of Adoption: and therefore Christ takes it for an argument concerning the Woman, when he saw she loued exceeding much, surely she had a great measure of the spirit of bondage, she was much wounded for her sinnes, there had beene exceeding much forgiuen her, in her apprehension; and so was Paul exceedingly wounded, you know. This must goe before.

The things which goe together with it, are these three, the testimony of the blood, of the water, and of our owne spirits.

First, beloued, there is the testimony of the blood▪ there are three that beare record in the Earth, the spirit, the water, and the blood, though the spirit be set first, as it is vsuall amongst the Hebrewes, and in the Scriptures, to put the last first, if a man would know now, whether hee [Page 151] be in Christ, whether he hath receiued the pro­mised seede, or no, let him consider first, whe­ther hee hath beleeued in the blood, that is, there is a word of promise, that saith thus to vs, there is a Sacrifice that is offered, there is the blood of the Lambeshed from the begin­ning of the world, and this blood shall wash thee from all thy sinnes, when a man stands to consider this promise, beloued, this promise bath two things in it, there is the truth of it, and the goodnesse of it; a man doth, with Abraham, beleeue the truth of it, he beleeues God, and saith, it is true, I beleeue it, but with­all, there is a goodnesse in it, and therefore, as the vnderstanding saith, it is true, so the will saith, it is good, and therefore he takes it, and embraceth it, and is exceeding greedy of it: for when the spirit of bondage makes a man feare, it empties a man of all righteousnesse, as a man empties a Caske, that there is nothing left in it, when it puls away all other props and stayes from it, it leaues a man in this case, that he sees nothing in the world to saue him, but the blood of Christ; when a man sees this, hee takes fast hold of that, he will not let it goe for any thing; and though it be told him, you shall haue many troubles and crosses, you must part with all you haue, you shall haue somewhat hereafter, but you shall haue little for the pre­sent; he cares not though it costs him his life, so he may ha [...]e this blood to wash away his sins, it is enough, this he layes fast hold vpon.

[Page 152]Beloued, when a man doth this, at that very houre he is entred into Couenant, he is translated from death to life, he hath now receiued the pro­mised seede, and he shall be blessed, for God hath said it, and sworne it, and it cannot be otherwise; and this is the testimony of the blood, when a man can say, I know I haue taken and applyed the blood of Christ, I rest vpon it, I beleeue that my sinnes are forgiuen, I graspe it, I receiue it, this is the testimony of the blood.

Now, when a man hath tooke the blood, What? shall he continue in filthinesse now, and walke after the lusts, of his former ignorance? No, the Lord comes not by blood onely, but by water also, that is, by sanctification, that is, he sends the Spirit of sanctification, that clean­seth and washeth his seruants, that washeth a­way not onely the outward filthinesse, but the euill nature, the swinish nature, that they desire no more to wallow in the myre, as before: for the Lord will not haue a sluttish Church, and therefore, Eph. 5. Eph. 5. he washeth his Church, and clenseth it; he washeth euery man in the Church from top to toe; there is not one place in the soule, not one place in the conuersation, but it is rensed in this water; and then, when a man comes to finde this, that he hath not onely found the blood of Christ applyed to him by faith, but hath found that he hath been able to purifie himselfe, and by the worke of Christs Spirit ioyning with him, when he goes about to purge himselfe, that helpes to cleanse his [Page 153] conscience from dead workes. There is the second testimony.

Now follows the testimony of our own spi­rits, that gathers conclusions from both these, and saith thus, Since I haue receiued the blood, and seeing I am able to purifie my selfe, I con­clude, I am in a good estate, I am a partaker of the Couenant: if a man could say this truely, it is said, whosoeuer beleeues, shall be saued, but I be­leeue, this is the testimony of the blood onely; but when a man can say, I doe labour to purifie my selfe, I desire nothing in the world so much, I doe it in good earnest, this is the testimony of the water to this signe, and testimony of the blood, which shewes that it is true, it is a linely hope: for he that hath a liuely hope, hee purifies himselfe, 1 Ioh. 3. But some man may say, 1 Ioh. 3. 3. This testimony of a mans owne spirit may deceiue him. I answer, it cannot, because though it be called the testimony of our owne spirit, yet it is a spirit enlightned, it is a spirit sanctified with the Spirit of Christ, and then that Rule is true, 1 Ioh▪ 3. If our owne heart condemne not; 1 Ioh. 3. that is, if the heart of a man enlightned, if the heart of a man with which the Holy Ghost ioynes, if the heart of a man sanctified doe not con­demne him, if hee haue the testimony of this Spirit, he shall be saued, he needs not doubt it, he hath boldnesse towards GOD, then againe hee must consider this worke, the testimony of the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree in one; it is not the testimony of the [Page 154] Spirit alone, but it is the testimony of the wa­ter ioyned with it; if it were but the testimo­ny of one, indeed the ground were not good, but they all agree in one; and therefore if thou haue one sure to thee, it is enough. These are the things which goe before, and accompany it.

Now followes the testimony of Gods spirit; which we shall see described, besides the places I named to you, Eph. 1. 13. Eph. 1. Wherein after you belee­ued, you were sealed with the spirit of promise. My beloued, when a man hath beleeued, and tooke lesus Christ; secondly, when hee hath washed and purified himselfe, that is, hee hath gone a­bout this worke, and so his owne spirit gathers a testimony hence, that he is in a good estate; after he hath thus beleeued, then, saith he, comes the Holy Ghost, and seales the same things vnto you; that is, the LORD leaues a man alone a while, as it were, to champ vpon the bridle, as I may say, he lets a man alone to some doubts and feares, that so hee may purge himselfe the more carefully; but after a time, when a man hath put to his seale that God is true, then the LORD seales him againe with the spirit of pro­mise, that is, the LORD sends the spirit into his heart, and that spirit giues witnesse to him, and when he hath put to his seale, that GOD is true, then the LORD puts to his seale, and as­sures him that hee hath receiued him to mercy. You will say, What is this seale, or witnesse of the Spirit? My beloued, it is a thing that wee cannot expresse, it is a certaine diuine impres­sion [Page 155] of light, a certaine vnexpressible assurance that we are the sonnes of God, a certaine secret manifestation, that God hath receiued vs, and put away our sinnes; I say, it is such a thing, that no man knowes, but they that haue it; you shall finde it expressed by all these places of Scripture, R [...]u. 3. 20. Reu. 3. If any man will open to mee, I will come in and sup with him; that is, when the Lord enters into a kinde of familiarity with a man, when he vouchsafes him so much fauour, as to come and suppe and dine with him, as it were, Reu. 2. 17. and to dwell with him▪ and so, Re [...]. 2. 17. To him that ouercommeth will I giue of the hidden Mannah; I will giue a white stone with a new name written in it, t [...]at no man knowes but he that hath it; that is, there shall bee a secret priuy token, as it were, of my loue giuen him, a secret marke of it, that there is no man in the world knowes besides: Io [...]. 14. 21. So, Ioh. 14. 21. If any man loue mee, and keepe my Commandements, I will shew my selfe to him; that is, hee shall haue an extraordinary manifestation of my selfe, hee shall haue such an expression of loue and peace, that shall fill his heart with peace and ioy, such a thing that no man knowes but himselfe. Be­loued, this is the testimony of the Spirit. I con­fesse, it is a wondrous thing, and if there were not some Christians that did feele it, and know it, you might beleeue there were no such thing, that it were but a fancie or enthusiasme; but, beloued, it is certaine, there are a generation of men, that know what this seale of the Lord is; [Page 156] indeed you must remember this, to distinguish it from all fancies and delusions, this Spirit comes after you haue the water and the blood, after you are beleeuers, after you haue purged your selues; and therefore if any man haue such flashes of light and ioy, that witnesse that hee hath receiued the promise, and that he is in the Couenant, and for all this he haue not the things that goe before it, now thou maist take it for a delusion; I will come and sup with him; but with whom? with him that first openeth to me. If thou open thy heart to the Lord, whensoeuer hee knocks, and comes to thee. And so, To him that ouercomes, I will giue of the hidden Mannah. If thou be one that art able to ouercome tempta­tions, and vnruly affections, & sinfull lusts, thou maist conclude, it is a true testimony that thou ar [...] not deceiued; but if thou be one that art o­uercome with euery base lust, with euery temp­tation, thou art deceiued, if thou art perswaded thou art in a good estate, this is not the witnesse of the Spirit; for it is to him that ouercomes. So againe, to him that loues me, and keepes my Com­mandemēts, &c. Now if thou be one that breaks the Cōmandements of God, that find'st not that holy fire in thy brest, that find'st not thy heart affectioned to him, and yet thou hast t [...]ese great flashes of assurance, and t [...]inkst thy state good, beloued, you deceiue your selues, whose case so­euer it is, the Lord hath not shewed himselfe to thee, b [...]t it is a delusion, a fancy, and therefore, I say, consider it; and this is the consequent of it, [Page 157] that he that hath it is able to pray. So I will con­clude all, he is able to cry Abba Father. If thou haue such an assurance of a good estate, and yet art not able to pray, thou art deceiued likewise: for that is the property of the Spirit, it makes a man cry to God, and call him Father. You will say, Is this such a matter? euery man can pray. Beloued, it is another thing then the world i [...]agines it to be▪ he that hath this spirit, is mighty in prayer, he is able to wrestle with God, as Iacob did, by the spirit of Adoption, hee had power with God, as it is said there, and he is able to preuaile with the Lord, and why? because he can speake to him, as to a Father, he can con­tinue in prayer, and watch ther eunt [...] with all per­seuerance; he can speake to him, as one that he is well acquainted with; he can not only speake remiss [...]ly, but he can cry Abba Father, that shewes feruency in his prayer; there is no man in the world that is able to doe it besides. We see a description of other men, Esay 33. 14. when they are troubled, they are not able to pray in­deed, they may haue formes of prayer, that they may vse in times of peace, but, beloued let any great trouble come vpon them, let them be put to it, and then you shall finde they are not able to doe it, but they runne away from God as fast as they can, at that time, they are not able to come and say, Thou art my Father, I beseech thee heare me, I beseech thee pitty me, and for­giue me: no, but they tremble at Gods presence, as the Thiefe doth at the presence of the Iudge; [Page 158] the sinners in Sion are afraid in that day when God comes, at the day of visitation, the sinners in Sion are afraid, &c. for who shall dwell with de­u [...]ouring fire? That is, they tremble at such a day, when the day of death comes, when God begins to shew himselfe to them, in the fiercenesse of his wrath, when he begins to come neere them in the day of visitation, then they fly from him, as one would fly from deuouring fire, they fly not to him, as one would fly to a mercifull Fa­ther, that is ready to heare them, and helpe them, but they fly from him as fast as they can, as one would fly from euerlasting burni [...]g. The like place you haue, Iob 27. 8, 9, 10. Iob 27. 8, 9, 10. For what hope hath the Hypocrite when hee hath heaped vp riches, when God shall come and pull away his soule? Will God heare his prayer when he cryes, &c.? Will he call vpon God at all times? A wicked man may make some shew of prayer to God in time of health, and in time of peace, but at that time, saith he, when he hath spent his time in gathe­ring vp riches, in heaping vp them, and GOD comes vpon him suddenly, and shall pull away his soule, he teares and rends it from him, (for so the word signifies in the Originall) that is, he is not willing to resigne it into Gods hāds, as the righteous man doth, but he is busie about his wealth, and God surprizeth him, and rends his soule from him. What will he doe in this case? What? will he pray? saith Iob, No, hee giues two reasons. He hath [...]o delight in the Lord, he neuerloued the Lord, there is no such loue be­tweene [Page 159] the Lord and him, as there is betweene the Father and the Childe, betweene the H [...]s­band and the Wife, he neuer had the spirit of a son, he cannot pray, for he delights not in God.

But he doth pray sometimes? Obiect.

Yea, for some fit, Ans. he may be in some extremi­ty, he may cry as a Thiefe at the Barre may cry to the Iudge, as he doth sometimes exceeding hard, not because he loues the Iudge, but it is a cry that comes from extremity, and it is but in extremity, and by that the falsenesse and hypo­crisie of them is known: So an Hypocrite may cry in the time of extremity, but it is a cry, it is not a prayer, and it is but in the time of extre­mity, it is not at all times that he doth it, hee is not able to doe it; for the Lord is a stranger to hi [...], he lookes vpon the Lord, as vpon a terrible Iudge; and therefore if you would know whe­ther you haue the spirit of the Sonne; As first thou shalt know it by that which went before; and as, secondly, thou shalt know it by that which goes together with it, the testimony of the blood, the testimony of the water, and of thine owne spirit,

So thou maist know it thirdly by this, by the Consequents, it makes thee able to pray, and in the time of extremity it makes thee able to goe to God as to a Father, when another flyes away from him, as from euerlasting burnings.

So much shall serue for this time.

THE THIRTEENTH SERMON.

THE point which we were in handling, Wayes to know whether we are in the Couenant, or no. was this, How a man may know whether he be in the Couenant or no? I told you, there are 3. waies to know it. Let a man con­sider how Abraham came into the Couenant; Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse. If thou beleeue, then thou art within the Couenant; but it must be a faith that workes by loue; if it bee a faith which workes not, it is but a dead faith, [Page 162] and if it doe worke, yet if it worke not by loue, the Lord regard [...]th it not▪ it is true, it is faith that layes hold vpon the Couenant, but it works by loue; faith is the point of the Compasse, that fastens vpon the Couenant, but loue is the other part, that goes about, that doth all the businesse, it is that which keepes the Comman­dements, it is that which quickens vs to euery good worke.

2 The second way to know whether wee be in the Couenant, or no, is, to consider whether we haue taken the promised seede; for in him shall all the nations of the world be blessed. How shall wee know that? If we haue the Spirit of the Sonne, that is knowne by the Spirit it selfe, the Spirit beares witnesse; the witnesse of the Spirit, as I told you, it is knowne by that which goes before it, by that which accompanies it, and that which followes after. This is the point, that we were in handling, and wee were broken off in the middest of it; wee will recall it a little, and deliuer it somewhat more di­stinctly to you, than wee could doe then for haste.

First, I say, whosoeuer hath the Spirit of the Sonne, he must haue, before it, Rom. 8. 15. the spirit of bon­dage: Rom. 8. 15. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare, but you haue re­ceiued the spirit of Adoption. As if hee should say, there are none, but first they receiue the spi­rit of bondage: for there is no man can come to Christ, except the Law be his Schoolema­ster, [Page 163] and the Law is not effectuall without the spirit of bondage, neither the Law, in the threat­nings, nor the iudgements, which are the exe­cutioners of those threatnings: you may heare the Law opened vnto you a hundred and a hun­dred times; that is, the particular sinnes, of which a man is guilty, described; yea, the par­ticular iudgements; yea, the LORD may fol­low you with afflictions and crosses, yet except there be a spirit of bondage to worke together with these, it will neuer molifie an obdurate heart.

And therefore, my belo [...]ed, you must make this account, if you haue neuer been affrighted with the terrour of God, if you haue neuer bin put into any feare by this spirit of bondage, be assuted that you haue not yet the spirit of A­doption. If men would haue looked to the brazen Serpent, without being stung of the fiery Serpents, God would haue spared the spirit of bondage; but, beloued, who doth it? who is able to doe it? Wee bee all in a dead sleepe, and, except we be wakned with the terrours of the Almighty, there is no man would seeke af­ter Iesus Christ; wee may preach the Gospell long enough, and men, for the most part, turne the deafe eare to vs, till the LORD open their eares by afflictions, and especially by the spirit of bondage: it cannot bee, but there must be some precedent worke, wee will not come home to the Lord without it. Wee doe all as the Woman that had the bloody issue, as long [Page 164] as she had mony in her purse, or that there were Physicians to goe to, that shee had ability to haue them, shee would not come to Christ, but when she had spent all, when she saw there was no more hope, then shee comes to Christ, and was healed of her bloody issue: so doe we, so long as we can liue in sinne, wee consider not the greatnesse, nor the dearenesse of the dis­ease; but if we can but subsist with them, wee goe on, we come not to Christ, but when wee are spoiled of all by the spirit of bondage, when wee are put in feare of death, that is it that brings vs home to Iesus Christ, and therefore we must make an account of it as a generall rule, there must be such a spirit of bondage to bring vs home: we doe in this case as Ioab did with Absolon, when hee liued in the Cour [...], in ease and pleasure, hee would not come to Ab­solon, hee might send againe, and againe, but hee would not come at him, till his Corne was set on fire, and that brought him: belo­ued, except there be some such crosse as may make an impression vpon vs, such a crosse as hath the spirit of bondage ioyned with it, to cause it to wound our spirits, (as it is said, they were pricked in their hearts when they heard Peter) I say, wee would not come home vnto the LORD, wee must haue such an aven­ger of blood, to pursue vs, before wee seeke to the Citie of refuge. And therefore consi­der, whether thou hast tasted of this spirit; and therefore you may obserue this by the [Page 165] way, that when God doth write bitter things against a man, it is not a iust cause of deiection: for this is a signe that God is beginning a good worke in thee, seeke not to put it off, and to thinke, it is a miserable thing to bee vnder such a bondage as this: no, but make this vse of it, let it bring thee home to Iesus Christ. And heere, by the way, that men may not bee de­ceiued in this, and say, Obiect. Alas, I haue not had this spirit of bondage, and feare, and therefore I feare I am not right.

My beloued, Ans. you must know for what end the Lord sends it: hee sends it for these two ends, and by that you shall know whether you haue it or no: for if thou hast the end once, if the effect be wrought, no doubt but thou hast had the cause that produceth that effect.

One end is to bring vs home to Christ; if thou finde thou hast tooke Iesus Christ, it is certaine, there hath beene a worke of the spirit of bondage vpon thy heart, if thou finde thou art willing to take him vpon any conditions, thou art willing to deny thy selfe, thou art willing to serue him, to loue him, and to obey him.

And a second end is, GOD sends this Spirit of bondage, that thou mightest know the bit­ternesse of sinne, and learne to abstaine from it▪ that thou mayest learne to tremble at his Word, for the time to come, I looke to him that is of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my Word: that euen so [Page 166] as parents doe with their children, they would neuer afflict and correct their children for that which is past, but their end is for the time to come, that they may not commit the same fault againe; otherwise the parent would not lay any affliction vpon the childe; and, beloued, know that the Lord hath this very end in sen­ding the spirit of bondage, thou must not thinke it is for thy sinnes past, that there may be a kinde of satisfaction made for them, that is not the end, but the end is, that thou mightst know the bitternesse of sinne for the time to come, that thou being scorched once with it, thou mightst not easily meddle with it againe; and therefore if thou findest this to be thy case, thou hast so farre tasted of the terrours of the Almighty, that thou darest not aduenture vpon sinne, thou standest in awe of the LORD, that thou darest not bee so bold with sinne as thou hast beene, that thou darest not meddle with the occasions of it, that thou darest not come neere it; I say, if thou finde such a tendernesse of conscience in thy selfe, if thou finde that that sinne is made terrible to thee, that thou did­dest despise before, (for it is the property of a carnall man to despise his waies) I say, if this be wrought in thee, defer not, make not dainty of applying the promises, because thou hast not receiued the spirit of bondage: for thou hast, thou hast the effect, therefore thou needest not doubt, but that thou hast the thing. This is it that goes before: that which goes together [Page 167] with it, I shewed you; then is the witnesse of the blood, and of the water, and of our owne spirit; there bee three that beare witnesse in Earth, 1 Io [...]. 4. the spirit, and the water, and the blood; by spirit there, is meant our owne spi­rit enlightned; by blood is meant Iustification; by water is meant sanctification; so that that goes together with the witnesse of the spirit.

The first is the witnesse of the blood; that is, when a man is humbled, when a man is broken with the spirit of bondage, then hee beginnes to make out for a pardon: when he sees hee is arrested, as it were, when he is shut vp, as that phrase is vsed, Gal. 3. Gal. 3. and sees what a debt is re­quired of him, and he is not able to pay the least farthing, now he beginnes to looke out for a surety, now he beginnes to hunger and thirst exceedingly after Christ, now he is not content onely to watch with him, to serue him, and to obey him, but hee is willing to part with his life, and all that he hath, vpon that condition. Now when a man is in this case, then the Lord beginnes to shew him the blood of his Sonne, he begins to open a little crevis of light, and to shew him the New Testament in his blood that is, the New Testament confirmed in his blood, shed for many, for the remission of sinnes. I say, he begins then to looke vpon the promises, to con­sider such promises as these, Come to mee, all yee that are weary, &c. and, If any man sinne, we haue an Aduocate; and, Let whosoeuer will, come, and take of the waters of life freely; and, Goe [Page 168] and preach to euery creature vnder heauen, and t [...]ll them, if they will beleeue, and take my So [...]ne, they shall be saued. I say, these are all promises made in the blood of Iesus Christ. now he begins to consider these promises, and he begins first to thinke, What? are these pro­mises true? Yes, surely they are most true, they are confirmed wit [...] an oath, they are con­firmed with the blood, with the death of the Testator: a mans Couenant, after it is once made, and the Testator is dead, Gal. 3. no man addes to it, or takes from it. Now when a man considers this, Are these the promises of the LORD? hath hee confirmed them with an Oath? are they confirmed with the blood of the Testator? Certainely, they are most true, I cannot doubt of them: but then he begins to consider, As they are true, how fit are they for mee? what is the goodnes of them? They are also exceeding good, there is nothing in the world so excellent, so precious, so sweet, and so comfortable, as these promises bee: I say, when he hath done these two, when the vnder­standing sayes they are true, and beleeues them, and when the will saith they are good, and em­braceth them, at that very instant, saluation is come to thy house, and to thy hea [...]t; I say, Christ Iesus is come to thee, at that very instant, hee hath made a Couenant with thee, though perhaps thou see him not at that time, (as Mary could not see him, but [...]ooke him for the Gard­ner) but, I say, at that time thou art t [...]ans­lated [Page 169] from the Couenant of Workes, to the Couenant of Grace.

But you will say, Quest. How comes this blood to be a witnesse?

Beloued, Ans. it is a witnesse in this manner; when a mans spi [...]it shall consider the promises, and ponder them well, and shall say this with himselfe, Well, I haue applyed these promi­ses, b [...]t vpon what warrant? vpon what ground haue I done it? euery body will be ready to apply the promises of mercy and for­giuenesse, but what warrant haue I to apply them? To know that, vpon good ground, I lay hold of these promises? then a man con­siders with himselfe the promises, they are sure, they are cleerely and distinctly set downe in the Word; hee considers to whom these promises are offered, to those that are vnrig [...] t [...] ­ous; the LORD iustifieth the vnrighteous, euen to Publicans and Harlots, to sinners; such they were that came to CHRIST, to such the promises were offered. Well, I know I am an vnrighteous man, and th [...]r [...]fore the want of sor [...]ow and con [...]rition, and the want of holinesse, and the want of tendernesse of heart in the beginning shall not exclude me: for they are promises that are made to the vn­righteous, to the vncleane and polluted, to the hard-hearted, such they are at the first to whom the promises are made; but what doth the Lord require of those? That they thi [...]st: all that thirst, come, I finde an ext [...]me thirst, [Page 170] I would dye that I might haue Christ, and his righteousnesse: Is this all? No, it is required further, that when thou art come in, thou take this resolution, now I will serue him, now I will loue him, now I will obey him, I will bee content to take Iesus Christ, for better for worse, I will be content to deny my selfe, to take vp my Crosse, to follow him, in all his wayes. When a mans spirit hath pondred this well, when he hath looked on the blood of IESVS CHRIST, and the promises, and sees himselfe qualified, vpon this, he sayes, surely these pro­mises belong to mee; this is the witnesse of the blood: then followes the witnesse of the water; for the blood hath a double vertue in it, it hath not onely the vertue to deliuer vs from the guilt of sinne, to cause the LORD to passe ouer vs, when he sees the sprinkling of the blood vpon our hearts, and vpon our persons, but there is this more, it hath a clensing vertue in it, cleanseth the conscience from dead workes; and so hath faith, it hath not onely a vertue in it, to receiue, and to digest and to take the promises, but it hath an ability to worke; as the hand, you know, hath two offices, it hath an office to receiue, and to take, and likewise it hath ability to worke: Beloued, these are neuer disioyned, the blood neuer washeth from sinne, but likewise it cleanseth the conscience from dead workes; faith neuer receiues the promise, but it workes likewise; indeed for the [...]eceiuing part, wee receiue all alike precious [Page 171] faith; but for the working part, there is much difference: you know, a weake hand is able to receiue, as well as a stronger, but a stronger can doe more worke: therefore, as faith growes more, so it workes more. Some man hath a more working faith then others, though, as it is a receiuing faith he hath it alike: therefore thou maist consider this with thy selfe, if I haue the testimony of the blood, I haue also the te­stimony of the water, that is a sanctification ioyned with iustification; Christ came not by blood onely, but by water also: if the spirit of a man looke on this now, and can say, I see, I am renewed in the spirit of my minde, I see I am washed from my filthinesse, I see my consci­ence is in some measure cleansed from dead workes, then he may conclude with himselfe, surely I am in the state of grace, I am in the Co­uenant. And this, beloued, is the witnesse of our owne spirits, and the witnesse of the water, and of the blood. But when this is done, it may be the LORD continues, yet, at some fits, to write bitter things against thee, he seemes to cast thee off, hee seemes to wound thee some­times, with the wounds of an enemy. This the LORD many times doth, that he may put vsto it; hee turnes the deafe eare, that hee may try what we will doe: when the spirit of a man hath now these testimonies, and yet hath not rest, though it haue them on good ground, (for I meane not the naked spirit of a man, but his spirit enlightned and sanctified [Page 172] by the Holy Ghost) yet when hee hat [...] good ground, and saith thus with himselfe, Yet for all this, I will trust in him, I haue his sure Word for it, I haue his promise, I know that heauen and earth shall passe, rather then any promise of his shall passe: now when the Lord seeth a man beleeuing thus, and trusting him vpon his bate word, then the Lord goes a step fur­ther with him, & seales the same things to him, with the spirit of promise, that is, (as I shewed before out of Eph. 1. 13. In whom after you be­l [...]ued, you were sealed with the spirit of promise) when you put to your seale that God is true, God then comes and puts to his seale, he giues you the spirit of promise, and assures you that it is so; that is, he doth by his owne Spir [...]t say to a mans soule, that he is his saluation. My beloued, this is a certaine expression of the Holy Ghost to the soule of a man, that we know not how to expresse to you: therefore it is called the hid­den Manna [...]: it is called a white stone, with a new name written in it, that no man knowes but he that hath it, a certaine manifestation of Christ to the soule, a certaine diuine light, a certaine secret token of his loue, whereby Christ manifests himselfe to the soule of a man, that which the Scriptures call supping with him; I will come and sup with him; Rev. 3. & Iob. 14. 21. I and my Father will come to him, and I will manisest my owne selfe vnto him; this is the witnesse of the Spirit, that when the witnesse of our owne spirit is somewhat obscure, we may then say, [Page 173] Lord, thou now speakest plainely, now there is no question. My beloued, this is the wit­nesse of the Spirit; that thou be not mistaken in it, still remember this, that it is giuen to those that ouercome; if thou be ouercome of euery thing▪ of euery small temptation, if thou bee ouercome with a blast of praise, with a little pelfe, and wealth, dost thou thinke now thou hast got the white stone tha [...] Christ giues as the witnesse of his Spirit? No, my beloued, it is to those that ouercome, and so it is to those that open: if thou bee a stubborne seruant, that Christ may come againe and againe, a [...]d knocke at the doore, and tell thee of such a sinne, that thou lyest in, and of such a duty that thou neg­lectest, and yet thou carriest thy selfe like a stub­borne seruant, that will not heare him, or if thou doe, thou wilt not goe about thy wo [...]ke, that he hath appointed thee; dost thou thinke hee will come in, and sup with thee, when thou wilt not open to him? No, my beloued, it is not Christ that sups with thee▪ but it is a delusion of Satan▪ but how shall we know this? These are the things that accompany the Spirit; Six conse­quents of the Spirit. but now for the Consequents of it, they are [...] First there followes a spirit of prayer, 1. A spirit of prayer▪ that goes together with it, prayer in the perfection of it is not a lip labour; no, it is not a putting vp of petitions, be they neuer so exceellent; it is not a crying to the Lord: for other men may doe so, but it is when a man can come to God with considence, because he knowes him [Page 174] to bee his Father, because hee hath beene ac­quainted with him, because hee hath receiued the Spirit of the Sonne, that tels him in plaine termes, he is his Father: when a ma [...] can come with holy affections to the Lord, this is the spi­rit of prayer; a wicked man, as we shewed out of Iob 27. when God comes to him, and rends, and teares his soule from him; that is, he parts with his soule vnwillingly, when God puls on the one side, and he on the other, when GOD puls away his soule, saith he, will the LORD heare him, when hee cries to the Almigh­ty? No: for hee doth not pray, it is in­deed a cry, a man in extremity may cry hard, as a thiefe at the Barre, he cryes hard, not be­cause he loues the Iudge, or hath any confidence in him, if it were not fot that extremity, hee would not doe it at all, saith he, he prayeth not, he doth not delight in the Almighty, hee goes not to him as to a father, and it appeares hence, that were there not such an extremity, hee would not pray, for hee will not pray at all times.

Secondly, 2. Loue. it breeds loue; wheresoeuer the witnesse of the Spirit is, alwayes there followes it loue, towards God, and Iesus Christ: for it cannot bee otherwise, all loue comes from knowledge; now when a man hath seene Iesus Christ indeed, that is, when the Lord hath shew­ed him his owne selfe to him, when hee hath drawne neere to a man in the witnesse of his Spirit, when he hath manifested himselfe, it [Page 175] cannot be but a man must loue him. What is the reason that wee shall loue him perfectly in heauen, but because we shall know him fully? any man that knowes him in part heere, loues him in part; and therefore, if you haue euer knowne the LORD, that hee hath thus shewed himselfe, it cannot be but thou shalt loue him. Besides, loue comes from kindnesse, and good­nesse of one that hath shewed loue to vs; loue begets loue, as fire begets fire. Now when this was thy case, when thou wast a man expe­cting nothing but death, and hell, and the wrath of God, and the Lord hath come, and spoke kindly vnto thee, as it were, the LORD hath come and spoken to thee, when thou wast to die, and hath said, thou shalt liue, when he hath ouercome thee with kindnesse, as it were, it can­not be now but that thy heart should be affecti­oned towards him, as Dauid saith Psal 18. Lord I loue thee dearely; for, when I was in distresse thou didst heare mee; so when a man hath felt the terrours of the Almighty, when hee hath lyen vnder the spirit of bondage, for a time, when he expected nothing but death, and con­demnation, and the Lord hath shewed mercy and louing kindnesse vnto him, loue will fol­low.

Thirdly, 3. Cl [...]nsing a mans selfe. thou shalt finde this follow vpon it, likewise; if thou haue the spirit of Adopti­on, it will set thee a worke, to clense thy selfe, as, 2. Cor. 7. 1. see a notable place for this pur­pose; saith hee, if you haue such promises, that [Page 176] is, the promises of grace, and of forgiuenesse, and of the pardon of sinne, if you haue applyed them indeed by the spirit of Adoption, then you will clense your selues from all pollution of fl [...]sh and spirit. So, beloued, by this thou maist know whether thou hast the spirit of adoption, whether thou hast applyed the Couenant of Grace, and the promises of it, indeed, and in good earn [...]st; this will certainely follow, thou wilt clense thy selfe: but if thou finde now, that thou wallowest in thy lusts, in thy filthi­nesse, that thou art not yet washed from thy sinnes, and from thy swinish nature, be assured thou hast not yet applyed the promises, thou hast not yet the spirit of Adoption, be assured, if thou hast any hope, it is not a true and liuely hope, it is but a false and dead hope: for, if it were a true and a liuely hope, 1 Ioh. 3. it would set thee aworke to purge thy selfe, and therefore Heb. 10. 22. you see the difference there, be­tweene the assurance of faith, and of presumpti­on, Draw neere in assurance of faith: What then? hauing your hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience, and your bodies washed in pure water. If it be assurance of faith, it hath alwaies this fol­lowing with it, the heart is sprinkled from an euill conscience; but if it bee a presumptuous, a false assurance, vpon false grounds, there fol­lowes no such clensing, no such watchfulnesse. Beloued, this is a sure rule that will not deceiue you you, those that haue but false flashes of comfort, they grow secure after them, these [Page 177] breed carelesnesse, they are more bold to com­mit sinne, they walke loosely, and are apt and [...]eady to say, I doubt not but it shall bee well enough with mee; but those that haue assu­rance indeed, it makes them much more dili­gent, and sollicitous, and carefull to please the L [...]d in all things; for it is as a feast to them, when Christ leads them into his Sellar, as it were, and makes a mans heart glad with Flag­gons of Wine, that is, with the consolations of the Spirit; I say, it quickens him, and makes him zealous, and ready to euery good worke, when he hath once tasted of this Wine, his case is like Elihuds, he cannot hold in, but hee must breake forth into good workes, into holi­nesse of life. A man walkes in the strength of such a testimony of the Spirit for many dayes, for so many yeeres, so farre it is from making a man remisse in the wayes of God.

Fourthly, 4. Peace. that which accompanies it, is peace, and Ioy, Rom. 15. 13. the Apostle prayes that they may be filled with peace and i [...]y, through be­lee [...]i [...]g; as if he should say, if you beleeue once indeed, ioy will follow; and therefore you know it is called the ioy of the Holy Ghost, that is, when once a man receiues this witnesse of the Spirit, there followes a wondrous quiet, and peaceablenesse, and calmenesse in the heart. Beloued, it is with euery sonne of Adam, as it was with Adam; when he had lost the I­mage of GOD, there followed troub [...]e and horrour in his conscience, till that Image was [Page 178] recouered, his heart was neuer fully at peace, but as soone as that was recouered, the heart recouers the former ioy that Adam had, that former quiet, and peace, and comfort, that A­dam had in that innocency, hee hath it in a measure: So, when the LORD returnes a­gaine to a mans spirit; that it is his returning, and no delusion, I say, there ariseth a certaine peace in the soule, and a ioy that no worldly man euer tasted of▪ that they neuer vnderstood, nor knew the meaning of; a certaine peace, and ioy that goes beyond all worldly ioy whatsoeuer, that which Da [...]id called the s [...]i­ning of Gods countenance, Psal. 4. and, beloued, one good looke of God, is worth more then all the wealth in the world, yea, then the very corporall presence of I [...]SVS CHRIST; and therefore CHRIST tels his Disciples▪ that they should be great gainers by losing of him: for, saith hee, you shall get this by it, I will send the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, and hee shall fill you with peace, and ioy, and this shall bee much better for you, then if I should bee with you still; it is better, beloued, that Christ should dwell in our hearts then in our houses; it is bet­ter the LORD should be with vs, with his spiri­tuall comforts, then with his corporall pre­sence; and this comfort, I say, euery man re­ceiues, as soone as hee receiues the Spirit, hee receiues peace that pass [...]th all vnderstanding. But now in the fift place, when a [...] hath re­ceiued this ioy, and this peace, whe [...] h [...] i [...] lift [Page 179] vp into the third heauen, as it were, What fol­lowes vpon this? Will he be lift vp, and puf­fed vp with all this? Oh no, it is impossible: and therefore in the fift place, this accompanies it, there followes an exceeding great humility, 5. Humility. a man is neuer so humble, as after hee hath re­ceiued the spirit of promise; beloued, it is ve­ry exceeding certaine, that no men in the world are so vile in their owne eyes, as those to whom the Holy Ghost hath borne this witnesse: there is a place for it, that puts this out of all doubt, Ezek. 36. 31. when the Lord saith, he will powre out his Spirit on them, and giue them a new heart, and a new spirit; then, saith he, then at that time, when you haue receiued the spirit of Adoption, and I haue made my Co [...]e [...]ant with you, then you shall consider your owne deedes that were not good, and you shall acknowledge your selues worthy to be destroyed for your iniq [...]ities and tra [...]sgressi­ons; the new Translation is, [...] shall loath y [...]r sel [...]es, that is, a man shall bee exceeding vile in his owne eyes. Beloued, presumption alwayes puffes vp a man, it brings him into better con­ceipt with himselfe; but this puts him quite out of conceipt with himselfe; the neerer the LO [...]D drawes to any man, the more rottennesse he findes in his bones, as, wee see, when the Lord came neere vnto Io [...], then he abhorred him­selfe in dust and ashes: because the Lord comes alwayes with a bright light, as the Sunne doth, that shewes to a man the corr [...]ptions that be in him, that he neuer saw before, that he wonders [Page 180] at himselfe, that hee hath liued so long with himselfe, and yet knowes himselfe no better: this is the ca [...]e of e [...]ery man, when the LORD comes home to him, it humbl [...]th him excee­dingly; and therefore consider whether thou bee thus vile in thine owne eyes, whether the spirit of humility haue gone together with it.

And last of all, 6. Not to re­ceiue the spirit [...]f bondag [...] againe. to end this point, this will follow vpon it, though it bee a negatiue, those that haue the spirit of Adoption, they neuer re­ceiue the spirit of bondage againe, Rom. 8. 16. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare: as if he sh [...]uld say, this is the conditi­on of all the Saints, you haue tas [...]d of it, that is the common condition, and tha [...] you must looke for; and saith hee, this testimony you haue, (for it is the Apostles scope to giue them a testimony of their good estate, that they were within the Co [...]nant, that they were vnder grace, saith he) by this you shall know it, you haue not receiued the spirit of bondage ag [...]ine, as if he should say, should you euer receiue the spirit of bondage againe▪ you were not vnder grace: for it is impossible. So likewise, you see an excellent place for this, Gal. 3. 25. Wherefore the Law is a Schoolemaster to bring vs to Christ, that wee might bee made righteous by faith: But after faith co [...]es, we are no longer vnder a Schoole­master. There is no man comes to Christ, but the spirit of bondage is first a Schoolemaster to bring him, that is, the Law must set him hard taskes, that hee is not able to perfor [...]e, and [Page 181] then he sues to Christ, as a weake Scholler doth to a Schoolemaster, and desires him to per­forme it for him, this brings him to Christ; but, saith hee, when you are once come to Christ, when faith comes, wee are no more vnder a Schoolemaster, a man neuer comes vnder the Law againe. But you will obiect, Was it not Iobs case? did not the Lord write bitter things against him, and he was a iust man, and one that feared God? Was it not Dauids case? was not his bones broken, as hee complaines, after the committing of the sinne of adultery? Doe not many finde by experience, that GOD hath wounded them sometimes with the wounds of an enemie, and hath seemed to cast them off, euen after they haue receiued the spirit of A­doption? Beloued, to this I answer, it is very true, there are some awakings that a man may haue, a man may be put into a great feare after he hath receiued the spirit of Adoption, he may tremble exceedingly at the wrath of God; I say, all this he may doe, yet hee neuer receiues the spirit of bondage againe, that is, hee neuer comes to this, to be to God, as a seruant is to a hard Master, but alway this perswasion is in him, that God is his Father, and still hee hath the affection of a sonne, and still he hath that o­pinion, that God is his Father, that aff [...]ction ne­uer weares out of him, he neuer comes againe to looke on God, as the Thiefe lookes on the Iudge, hee neuer comes to be such a stranger to the Lord, so as to flye from him: for the spirit [Page 182] of bondage is nothing but this, when it makes a man to feare the Lord, and to tremble at him exceedingly, as a man doth at the wrath of a Iudge, that thinkes hee will condemne him; though he may in his extremity say, Lord, why hast thou forsaken mee? yet there goes a secret spirit of Adoption, that neuer leaues him alto­gether, although there be some mixture with this, to awaken him, and to quicken him, and to cause him to come home to Christ: for that is the end. Still as a man is brought home by the spirit of bondage at the first; so, my belo­ued, when a man steps out from Christ, and be­ginnes to grow wanton, when hee will r [...]nne out from the LORD IESVS, and will not keepe close, the Lord sends the same Spirit a­gaine to bring him in; the Spirit doth its worke againe; but as hee was neuer wholly out, so he neuer hath the full worke of the spi­rit of bondage. So, you see, this is the 2. meanes to know whether we bee in the Couenant.

Now followes the third meanes of knowing whether we be in the Couenant, and t [...]t is this, you see this is a part of the Couenant, Heb. 8. You shall know me from the greatest to the least, and I will teach you, you shall no more teach one another his neighbo [...]r, Third way of knowing wh [...] ­ther we be in the Couenant, is by our k [...]owledge, which hath [...] properties. and it shall bee such a knowledge, that withall, you shall haue my Law written in your hearts: and in another place, I will circum­cise your hearts. Beloued, then this is the third way, and the last, by which we may know, that wee are within the Couenant, Is there such a [Page 183] knowledge of GOD wrought in you? Hath Christ so taught you? Marke it well, that from that knowledge these two things follow; one, that your heart is circumcised, that the lusts of your former ignorance, that raigned in you be­fore, bee dissolued: Secondly, it is such a knowledge, as breedes in you a forwardnesse and willingnesse to serue the Lord in all things? Is the Law of God thus written in your hearts? Haue you had experience of this? Then cer­tainely you are within the Couenant. There is a double knowledge, there is a knowledge that men haue, that know much, but are not affected according to the things they know, no [...] doe they practise according to the things they know; this a knowledge that the Minister may teach them, but it is not the knowledge that Iesus Christ teacheth.

But there is a second knowledge, that which Christ teacheth as hee is a Prophet, when hee teacheth a man so to know sinne, 1. It circum­seth the heart. id est, subdueth Iusts. and euery thing else, that withall, the lust, the dominion of sinne is dissolued by that knowledge; that this knowledge circumciseth the heart, it cuts off those lusts that did cleaue to vs before. If thou finde this effect of thy knowledge, now Iesus Christ hath taught thee this knowledge. You know, The old man is corrupt, Ephes. 4. 22. through lusts, that come from errour, and the new man is renewed through holinesse, that comes from truth. There are certaine lusts in the old man, that proceede from errour: now those [Page 184] lusts we see what they are, Iob. 2. all lusts are referred to those three heads, the lusts of the eye, the lusts of the flesh, and the pride of life. Now if thou wouldest know whether Christ hath taught thee or no, whether thou hast this eui­dence of being in the Coue [...]ant with him, consi­der whether the truth be so farre taught thee, that these lusts are dissolued by it; for Iesus Christ came into the world to dissolue lusts; as the lusts arise from errour, so they are dissolued by truth: Beloued, the roote from which euery lust growes, is some errour, some mistake; well, take away the foundation of it, and the lust dyes. Now, when Christ [...]eaches the [...]ight knowledge, when hee reueales his truth to vs, as a Prophet▪ hee takes away the roote, the bottome and foundation of a lust, and when the foundation is taken away, the worke of the Diuell is dissolued in vs, it fals to the ground.

As for example, to giue you an instance of it, in those three lusts to which all the l [...]sts in the world are referred: the lust of the eyes, 1 Lust of the eyes. that is when a man lookes vpon wealth, and and riches, and whatsoeuer a man lookes vp­on▪ it is but the sight of the eye, Ecclesiast. 5. What is the reason that men loue riches? that they seeke them, and heape them vp aboue measure? It is because a man is deceiued, he thinkes there is such a worth in riches, and that they will stand him in such a stead, hee hath a high opinion of them, and thence [Page 185] comes a man to desire them so much; from hence ariseth this lust of the eye: Now, when Christ teacheth a man that there is no such thing in riches, hee is but deceiued, hee tea­cheth him to looke on them as Paul did. hee thinkes they are but drosse and dung, but empty wi [...]hering Flowers, Iam. 1. As the Flowers, so doth the rich man fade in all his waies; [...]iches are no better; hee teacheth a man that they are nothing; Why wilt thou set thy heart vpon that which is nothing? Pro. 23. All the men in the world are not able to teach this, till Christ Iesus hath taught it to a man, but when hee hath taught it him, I say, the lust is dissolued, there is an end of it, hee doth no more seeke wealth in that manner as hee did, he sets no more that price vpon it as hee did, hee thinkes how he may doe good with it, how h [...]e may make good vse of it, how hee may [...]edeeme time now from worldly things to better things: for now hee heedes them not, as Paul, What doe you tell mee of money? I heede it not, but to further your reckoning; I reioyce that I may [...]urther your reckoning against the Day of Iudgement.

And so for pride of life, that is honour, 2 Pride of life. and dignity, and esteeme, and place of prefer­men [...], and applause of men, all things of that nature; What is the reason that this lust rules and captiuates a man? Beloued, it is because hee thinkes that there is an excellency in these things, but when CHRIST hath taught him, [Page 186] when hee hath written the New Couenant within him, when hee hath written his Law in his heart, when hee hath taught him with his owne teaching, hee beginnes to see a vani­ty in all these things, as the Apostle saith; the praise of men is empty glory, the applause of men, that pleased him before, he lookes now vpon it, as a bubble blowne with the breath of men, an empty thing; hee esteemes it a thing that quickly liues and dyes, and vanisheth hee seekes no more after it. And so for the lusts of the flesh; when a man before thought it the on­ly life for a man to satisfie the flesh, and the de­sires of it, now hee beginnes to looke on it af­ter another manner, he begins to see the filthi­nesse and the bit [...]ernesse of those sinnes, he be­ginnes to see, that fleshly lusts fight against the soule, as enemies, hee lookes vpon them as things more bit [...]er then death, more sharpe then a two-edged Sword. Now when GOD hath enlightned a man thus, and hath writ­ten his Lawe in his heart, and hath taught him that hee iudgeth so of his sinnes, and lusts, now his sinnes and lusts are dissolued in him, his heart is circumcised. now they are cut off, now the building of Satan is pulled downe; and yet beloued, this is but one part of this Co­uenant.

There is not onely this, but likewise there followes this, further, when Christ hath writ­ten his Law in the heart, that man hath not onely his heart weaned from all the finfull [Page 187] lusts that before he delighted in, but there fol­lowes a wondrous forwardnesse and propens­nesse to the Law of God, to keepe it; there is a wondrous desire to grow in grace, to doe the duties of new obedience, that by his good will hee would liue in another Element. But in doing the duties, and vsing the meanes, by which he may receiue strength to doe them; beloued, when that Law is out of the heart, when wee looke vpon the letter of the Law, there is no such matter; but when it is put into the heart, when it is written within, there is an inward disposition and pro [...]enesse put into the heart. If you looke vpon the Law with­out, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God, and shalt feare him, &c. it is a hard Law, who can keepe it? but when thou hast it put into thy heart, that is the grace of loue, (for that is to put the Law into the heart, when there is such a habit planted in the heart, a habit of feare, and of euery good grace) then there is a great pronenesse and aptnesse in a man, and willing­nesse to keepe the Law; and therefore in that place, 1. Tim. 1. 9. The Law is not giuen to the righteous, they are a Law to them selues. Beloued, if thou fi [...]dest this to bee thy case, that thou needest not the Law to set thee on with ter­rours, and the threatnings of it, but thou art now a Law to to thy selfe; that is, thou fin­dest in thy selfe such an inward aptenesse and propensnesse to keepe the Law of God, that, if thou were put to thy choise, if there were no [Page 188] necessity laid vpon thee, if there were no threatning, no Hell, yet thou delightest in God, and desirest exceedingly to haue com­munion with him, there is nothing seemes to be so beautifull as Grace, as the Image of God renewed in thy soule; I say, this will bee thy disposition, and this is for a man to be a Law to himselfe: for you know this common na­ture is betweene the Image of the old Adam, and the Image of the new, betweene the flesh and the spirit, betweene those lusts that re­maine in thee, when thou art vnder the Coue­nant of Workes, and betweene this Couenant of Grace, and feruency in well doing; I say, com­mon nature is betweene these two, Simile. as a Bowle betweene two byasses: Now the LORD, when he comes to write his Law in the heart, he doth not only knocke off the old by as of sinfull lusts, that carried him out, but he sets a new by as vp­on thy soule, that bowes and bends thee to the waies of God, that still there is a strong inclina­tion that carries thee on that way, besides the Commandement; that thou dost not euery thing as of necessity a man before this time, it may be, prayed, it may be he was constant in prayer, he would not let a morning or an eue­ning goe without it, it may be he would doe e­uery other duty, but hee did it as a taske, as a man that dares not omit it, there is a naturall conscience in him, that will be vpon him if hee doe; he feares God will become his enemy, hee shall taste of fearefull Iudgements if hee [Page 189] neglect it, all this while he doth it out of feare: but one that hath the Law written in his heart, that is a Law to himselfe, that hath a new byas put vpon his heart; I say, it still bends and in­clines him to it, he cannot doe otherwise, hee longs after it exceedingly, he is exceeding for­ward to it, the inward inclination of his minde stands to i [...]. This is the third way, whereby you may know whether you be in the Co [...]enant, or no, if you finde that Christ hath thus taught you, and hath written his Law in your hearts, if you bee thus enlightned with knowledge, that both the lusts of the former ignorance are dissolued, and likewise there comes in the roome of them, a wondrous pronenesse and propensenesse to well donig, when there is a certaine connaturalnesse betweene good duties and thy heart, when thou canst say indeed, as P [...]ul, I delight in the Law of God, in the inward man, and, if I might haue my desire, if GOD would giue me my wish, as hee did to Salomon, that which I would desire aboue all things in the world, is, that I may haue a greater mea­sure of the Spirit, that my sinfull lusts may bee more and more mortified, that I may excell more in grace and holinesse, that his Image may be more renewed in mee, and that it may shine more bright in all the parts of it: I say, when [...]hou findest this, be assured thou art in the Co­ [...]enant. So much, beloued, for that point.

I will adde a second, which is this, from this 2 difference; whereas this is one of the diffe­rences [Page 190] betweene the old Co [...]enant and the new, the Old Testament was made with the Iewes onely, it was shut vp within the compasse of that Nation; the New Co [...]enant is enlarged to the Gentiles, there is now an open doore for them to come in, there are now better promi­ses, more knowledge, a larger effusion of the Spirit, both for intention, and for the extent of it, it is to many more; and, beloued, were it not for this Co [...]enant, all you now that heare this Couenant of Grace preached vnto you, and haue heard it often, you had neuer heard it, but this benefit you haue by the New Testa­ment, that now this good newes is come to your eares; Beloued, this God brings home to the Gentiles, and they haue their seuerall times, and this is the season that GOD hath brought it home to you, euen when you heare these promises of Grace made. And what vse should you make of it? surely this.

Take heede of refusing the acceptable time, Take the pre­sent oppor­tunity. take heed of not comming in when the doore of Grace is open; take heede of doing as the foolish Virgins did, they would come, and came, but they stayed still the doore was shut vpon them: Beloued, there is a certaine ac­ceptable time, as we say to you, when God of­fers grace, and after he offers it no more, as wee told you, the time of this life is the time that we can propound, we know no other; but there are certaine secret times, that God reserues to himselfe, that none knowes, but himselfe, and [Page 191] when that time is past ouer, hee offers it no more. You know, those in the Wildernesse, they liued many yeeres after, and therefore it was not the time of this life to them, after God had sworne in his wrath: therefore, I say, take heede of deferring; it is an exceeding dange­rous thing; beloued, delay in all things is dan­gerous, but procrastination in taking the offer of Grace, is the most dangerous thing in the world: beloued, we know not what we doe when we doe it. I beseech you, consider it seri­ously, it is that that deceiues all the world, they thinke to doe it to morrow, to morrow, though they be not come in, yet they will doe it, and doe it speedily: take heed you bee not decei­ued in this, I will doe it now, and now, Modò, & modò, &c. The Charriot wheeles, when they runne, the second runnes neere the first all the day long, but neuer ouertakes it; as in a Clocke, the second minute followes the first, but it neuer ouertakes it; so it is with vs, this doing of it, now, and now, and to morrow, and to morrow, these little distances deceiue vs and delude vs: we thinke to doe it in a short time, and by reason of the neerenesse and vici­nity of the time, that we shall doe it easily, that we can take hold of that time; but it is not so, we are deceiued and deluded with it: as Grasse-hoppers and Butter flies deceiue children, when they thinke to lay their hand vpon them, they hoppe a little further, and a little further, that in the conclusion, they take them not at all; so [Page 192] it is with vs, we coozen our selues in that man­ner, we lose our life, wee lose our opportunity of taking grace, because wee thinke it to bee so neere, we thinke we can take it the next weeke, or the next moneth, and out of this we are con­fident it is in our power, we may take it. No, my beloued, for the most part wee are decei­ued, when we thinke it so neere, it may flye away, so that thou shalt neuer haue part in it. you see how God dealt with men in the first Co­uenant, I meane in the time of the Old Testa­ment, you see, when they would not take the offer, how God sware in his wrath, that they should not enter into his rest; and I am f [...]lly perswaded, that in this New Testament, in these dayes of Grace, the Lord is much more quicke and per­emptory in reiecting men, and casting them off, the time is shorter, he will not wait so long as hee was wont to doe in those times, hee will sooner sweare in his wrath now that you shall not enter in to his rest; that I speake vpon this ground, saith hee, if the Lord would doe this for the Law of Moses, how much more, if wee neglect so great saluation, as was preached by the Sonne himselfe? as the mercy is much greater now in the new Couenant, then it was then, so the wrath and danger is greater in refusing: therefore when we consider what a hazard it is, my beloued, me thinkes, the doubt, and the brittlenesse of this life, the vnsearchablenes, and certainety of Gods seasons, and times, that hee hath put into his owne power, the liberty of [Page 193] the Spirit, that breatheth where and when it listeth, the exceeding danger that we precipitate our selues into, when we lose the opportunity once, me thinkes these should moue vs to come in, and to take heed of refusing the offer at any time; those expressions you shall finde so often in the Scripture, that God stands and knocks; that he waites, and stretcheth forth his hands; that hee will gather vs, as a henne gathereth her chickens; signifie these two things to vs: First, how ex­ceeding ready God is to receiue vs, if we come in, while the acceptable time lasteth.

Againe, withall, how dangerous it is to refuse it: for who knowes how long the LORD will waite? who knows when he will cease waiting, and shut vp the doore of grace to vs? and then when the day of peace is gone, it is no more to be recouered, when the acceptable time is past. I beseech you therefore, consider and apply it, take heed of refusing, when you heare yet this Couenant of Grace is offered, your doores are now open, you may come in, if you will; take heed of staying till the acceptable time is past, lest the Lord sweare in his wrath (at a time when you thinke not) that thou shalt neuer enter into his rest. So much shall serue for this. Beloued, that which I intended most was this, the reason why this Couenant is made, the reason why God makes a Couenant with man; which was chiefe­ly, that we might haue strong consolations, that we might know his good will towards vs, that he might not onely doe vs good, but that hee [Page 194] make it manifest to vs. Of this likewise wee should haue made some vse, which is the laying hold of the Couenant, the promises of free Iusti­fication, the promises of Sanctification, and the promises of such blessings as belong to this pre­sent life, those are the three parts of the Coue­nant: we should haue shewed how wee should lay hold of them, that when the Lord hath pro­mised once, when faith hath a promise to cloze with, when it hath such a ground to set footing vpon, then to apply them, and if the Lord defer to performe them, then to put him to it, for the fulfilling of them; and so wee should doe for the promise of Iustification, the promise of for­giuenesse of sinnes, that you haue cause to make vse of this time when you receiue the Sacra­ment: For what doe you? You come to renew your Couenant with God, that wee haue now spoken of: for it is the seale of the Couenant; there is a Couenant that God makes with you, and a Couenant that you make with him: when you consider this, you should strengthen your faith, goe to him, and say, Lord, thou hast pro­mised to forgiue me my sinnes, and to remem­ber them no more; Lord, it is a part of thy Co­uenant; Lord, it is thy Couenant that thou hast put thy seale to; (for the seale is put to it for that very purpose, that when you see the Bread and Wine, you might thinke of these seales, as signes of the Couenant) you haue Gods owne Word, besides, as you haue his Word, that the raine shall no more drowne the Earth, God hath set [Page 195] his Bow in the Cloud, that when he lookes, he may remember the Couenant: so likewise, you shall sprinckle the doore posts with the blood of the Lambe, that when the destroying Angell shall come and see the blood, hee may passe you ouer: beloued, after the same manner, for the same end, God hath appointed the Sacra­ment, now when you receiue those elements of Bread and Wine, Take, eate, this is my body; and drinke, this is my blood, which was shed for you, and for many: you may goe to God vpon the same ground, and say to him, Lord, thou hast made a Couenant with me, to forgiue me, to receiue me to thy mercy; Lord, these are the seales of thy Couenant, that if thou forget them, thou hast said, that if we doe but shew thee those signes, (for it is the seale that God himselfe hath put to it) thou wilt remember thy Couenant, & make it good: therefore is is an exceeding great con­firming to you, when you looke vpon them, when you may say to the Lord, Lord, here is thy seale, that thy selfe hath put, I beseech thee, look vpon it, and remember thy Couenant that thou hast made. And as wee should doe thus for the promises of Iustification, so for the promises of Sanctification: suppose there be a strong lust hang vpon thee, an hereditary disease, a lust that is naturall to thee, that thou thinkest thou shalt neuer be able to ouercome, yet God hath pro­mised to breake the dominion of euery sinne, that he will crucifie the flesh, with the affections of it, that he will sanctifie thee throughout. Be­loued, [Page 296] you must beleeue those promises of Sanctification, as well as of Iustification: for certainely, where the Scripture hath a mouth to speake, faith hath an eare to heare, and a hand to receiue: therefore when you grapple with a strong lust, goe to the Lord, and say to him, I am not able to keepe this Commandement, I feele this temptation is too strong for me, I find such strong naturall inclinations, that I am not able to out-wrestle; Lord, it is a part of thy Co [...]enant, thou hast said thou wilt circumcise my heart, thou hast said, thou wilt put thy Law into my inward parts, thou hast said, thou wilt dissolue these lusts, I beseech thee to doe it; Lord, thou art able to doe it, as Christ was able to heale he­reditary diseases, so the Spirit is able to heale the hereditary diseases of the soule, those that are most naturall to vs, those that are bred and borne with vs, and therefore trust him. And so likewise for any other blessing, go to him what­soeuer blessing thou needest, it is a part of Gods Co [...]enant, he saith to Abraham, I will blesse thee, and I will be thy God; that is, let a man looke round about, and see what blessings he needeth, what euill he would be deliuered from, and let him goe to the Lord, and say, Lord, it is a part of thy Couenant, to giue me such a blessing, to guide me, to deliuer me from such a crosse and calamity; vrge the Lord, and tell him, it is his Couenant. For example, if a man bee in some great trouble, that hee hath some sore disease, some sore affliction, as imprisonment, or euill [Page 197] [...]eport, feare of death, or whatsoeuer; goe to the Lord, and say, Lord, thou hast said that the rod of the wicked shall not rest vpon the lot of the righteous, thou wilt aff [...]ict but in measu [...]e, thou wil [...] not breake my bones, as a Father, though hee cha [...]ten his childe, [...]ee will not breake the bones of his childe; the [...]od of the wicked to some men, is the breaking of the bones, they know not what to doe, thou hast said thou wilt chastise vs according to our strength, and thou wilt chastise vs for our good; when it is too much, thou wilt s [...]ay thy hand. As for euill re­port, a man may goe to the LORD, and say, LORD, thou hast said thou wilt blesse the name of the righteous, thou wilt honour them that ho­nour thee. And so for euery other particular case, be it what it will be, lay hold on the pro­mise, and comfort thy selfe with it: it is a great mat [...]er, beloued, when you consider this, that God is entred into Couenant with you, when you haue promises once; therefore, if thou finde a promise from GOD, beloued, build vpon this ground, be assured that thou art one within the Couenant: secondly, if thou finde a pr [...]mise in Scripture, neuer let thy hold goe, but the assured of this, that the Lord will surely doe it, though he defer long, yet he will doe it, it cannot bee but hee will performe it, &c. So much shall serue for this time.

THE FOVRTEENTH SERMON.

YOV remember how farre wee are proceeded in this point▪ for my purpose is not to re­peate any thing of that which hath beene deliuered: onely this wee must call to remem­bran [...]e, that the maine difference which is be­tweene the Old Testament and the New, it stands in this, that the Old Testament was hi [...] with shaddowes, and types; in the New T [...]stament, there is a more cle [...]re [...] of all things; The things that were [...]id, ( [...]) [Page 200] Paul) from the beginning of the world, are [...]ow reuealed vnto vs; that is, the great difference betweene them, it lyes in this, that there is a greater abundance of knowledge discouered to the sonnes of men, now, in the time of the Gospell, then there was in the time of the Old Testament, and from hence it is, that now God makes a Couenant with vs, and wee doe not breake it; Heb. 8. but, saith he, Heb. 8. I made a Coue­nant with your Fathers, when I tooke them by the hand, and led them out of the Land of Egypt; but they broke my Couenant; And what was the rea­son? Because their knowledge was exceeding slender, and therefore their grace and strength were exceeding little, and therefore they were not able to keepe the Couenant, there is no other reason and ground, why the Couenant is better now, as it is said to be a better Couenant, Heb. 8. 6. stablished vpon better promises; I say, there is no other ground for it, but this, the difference of knowledge between the two Ce [...]enants; for, for substance they are the same, onely in the ad­ministration of them, the glorious Mysteries of the Gospell are more openly and more cleerely reuealed to vs in the New Testament, then in the Old.

Whence wee will onely make this vse, Vse. that, if we would haue the benefit of the New Coue­nant, To labour for knowledge. wee must labour to get the knowledge of it; otherwise it is no aduantage to you at all, that you are borne in the time of the New Co­uenant, in the time of the Gospell, except know­ledge [Page 201] abound, except you take the benefit of it, except you labour to vnderstand the vn­searchable riches of Christ, that are vnfoulded to vs in the Couenant of Grace. What is the reason why the Apostle, Gal. 4. 9. Gal. 4. cals the Old Testament, those teachings that the people had then, impotent and beggerly rudiments? The reason is, because their knowledge was excee­ding little, therefore it brought little profit to them, they were beggerly, they had little riches in them, and they were impotent, they could communicate little power, and strength, and efficacy to the inward man: On the other side now, the New Couenant is strong, and rich, and liuely, and effectuall; and the reason is, be­cause there is more knowledge in it, wee are taught to know GOD better, and to know the whole mysterie of the Gospell better.

Therefore, Growing in kdowledge in­creaseth grace I say, if you would bee strength­ned in grace, if we would be enabled to keepe the Couenant more then they were, labour to grow in knowledge, let it not be vnusefull vnto you, whatsoeuer is deliuered, but make benefit of it. You see what riches of knowledge are deliuered to vs in Pauls Epistles, let none of this be lost, it is thy benefit, that this is now discouered to thee, that was hid from all the world aforetimes. It is that benefit that the A­postle Paul so exceedingly magnifies, that to vs, this mystery is reuealed, that wee haue this grace to make knowne to principalities and powers, the manifest wisdome of God, the vnsearchable rich [...]s [Page 202] Christ: make this vse of it, grow in know­ [...]edge, and thou shalt grow in grace, by that [...], the strength thou gettest in grace, it is [...]om [...]he abundance of knowledge: beloued, this is an exceeding vsefull point. Those are [...]he complaints ordinary amongst men, they would faine doe otherwise, they would abstaine from such sinnes, and they would obserue such [...]uties, they intend it, and desire it, and purpose it, but they are not able to performe it. What is the reason of that? Because they want grace and strength, that is the immediate cause. But what is the cause they want grace? Because they [...]ake not paines to grow in knowledge. Beloued, that place, 2. Pet. 3. 17. 2 Pet. 3. see how they are put toge­ther; Take heede you bee not plucked away with the errour of the wicked, but grow in grace. How shall we doe that? Grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. I deny not but a man may haue much knowledge, and want Grace: but, on the other side, looke how much grace a man hath, so much knowledge he must haue of necessity. Though there may be much wood that is not kindled, yet looke how much fire there is, so much fuell there must needs be. Knowledge is the Oyle, wherein the flame of [...]he Spirit liues, and you cannot haue more G [...]ace then you haue knowledge, though you [...]ay haue abundance of empty and vnprofita­ [...]le knowledge, without grace. Therefore, if [...] would haue the fruite of this Couenant, la­ [...]our to grow in knowledge. Ioh. 1. 17. that [Page 203] place is excellent for this purpose; The Lawe continued till Iohn Baptist, the Law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. Marke it, grace and truth. What was the reason there was more grace dispersed by Iesus Christ than by Moses? The reason is, because there was more truth reucaled to the sonnes of men by CHRIST, then there was by Moses; truth was hid in Moses time vnder vailes, and shaddowes, but was manifest in the time of Iesus Christ. Now because truth was more reuealed by him, hence it was, that there was a greater communi­cation of grace, a larger effusion of the Spirit, because there is more truth: but that place comes as neere to this purpose, that you shall finde, 2 Cor. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 3. you shall see there an expressi­on of the difference betweene the two Coue­nants: Neuerthelesse when their hearts shall bee turned to the Lord, the vaile shall bee taken from before their eyes. Hee said before, To this day when Moses is read, there is a vaile laid ouer their hearts, but when their hearts shall be turned to the Lord, the vaile shall bee taken away: And what then? They shall behold as in a glasse the glory of God, with open face, and be transformed and chan­ged into the same Image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. The meaning is this; saith he, in the time of the Old Testament there was a vaile, that couered their hearts, and their eyes, that they were not able to see the truth cleerely; but now, saith he, that vaile is tooke away, and we see the truth with open face, euen [Page 204] as you see an Image in [...] Glasse. But what is the benefit of this knowl [...]d [...]e? Now the vaile is ta­ken away, we know much more, saith hee, by seeing with open face, we are transformed into the same Image, that is, by the knowing of it, by looking vpon it, by renewing those truths that are deliuered in the Gospell, by seeing the wayes of GOD, and the Image of GOD there described, and set forth to vs; by this know­ledge we are transformed and changed into the same Image, from glory to glory; that is, from one glorious degree of that Image to another; not that the very knowledge shall doe it, but it pleaseth the LORD to accompany that know­ledge by the Spirit; this is done, saith hee, as by the Spirit of the LORD. So, my beloued, the way to grow in grace, and in strength, to receiue that immediate benefit of the Couenant, is to grow in knowledge, Ioh. 17. 17. Ioh. 17. it is a part of Christs prayer, vers. 17. Sancti [...]ie them with thy truth, thy Word is truth. The meaning is this▪ as if he should haue said, Oh Lord, I know, that the way to sanctifie them, the way to increase grace and holinesse in their hearts, is to reueale more truth to them; now, Lord, I beseech thee, reueale thy Word to them; for thy Word is that truth, teach them to know thy Word, ac­quaint them with it more and more; for by that meanes they shall get grace and sanctifica­tion. So then, if you would receiue the strength of the Couenant, you must labour to grow in knowldge, labour to vnderstand it more and [Page 205] more: for, beloued, this is a very sure rule, there is not a new notion that a man gets, there is not a beame of truth, of new truth, there is not a further enlargement of knowledge, and illumination, but it brings some riches of grace with it, it comes not empty, but it comes loa­ded with something, it hath some power, and strength, and it giues a new vigour to the in­ward man; and therefore if thou wouldest a­bound in grace, study the Scriptures, much at­tend to them, much meditate in them day and night, labour still to get some new sparke of knowledge, some new light out of them, and thou shalt finde this, that grace will follow, as it is the Apostles exhortation to Timothie, saith he Giue attendance to reading, and to learning, so thou shalt saue thy selfe, and shalt be able also to saue others. The meaning is, the way to get that grace that will saue a man, is to giue much at­tendance to reading and to learning: for, be­loued, whatsoeuer it is that begets a man, the increase of that likewise edifies and builds him vp further. First, we are begotten by the word of truth, it is the reuelation of the truth of GOD to a man at the first, that renewes him in the spirit of his minde, it changeth his iudgement, it makes him thinke all things in a cleane other fashion then he was wont to doe: thus he is begotten to God, and he is made a new man, a new crea­ture: now the increasing of the same truth, that is it that builds vs vp further: for whatso­euer begets, the increase of that also edifies; and [Page 206] hence it is that Salomon so exceedingly magni­fies wisdome and knowledge: aboue all getting, saith he, get that. There are many things that are precious in the world, Pearle, Gold, and Siluer, but this is beyond them all. Why doe you thinke the Wiseman would magnifie wis­dome so much? Because this wisdome brings grace with it; and therefore when Christ is said to be the light of the world, he is said likewise to be the life: the light he was, 1 Ioh. 4. and, Ioh. 8. he is the true light, that lightens euery man. And what is that light? Why, it is that light that brings life together with it, Therefore, Eph. 5. 14. Eph. 5. 14. Arise thou that sleepest, &c. and Christ shall giue thee light. Now, you know, life is contrary to death, but the Apostle expresseth it thus, CHRIST shall giue thee light; because when a man hath much light, hee shall withall haue much life and grace: and therefore this I will commend to you, as one of the principall meanes of all other to grow strong in grace, and in the inward man, to grow much in know­ledge. Beloued, it is another thing then wee are aware of: if we were fully perswaded that it were a thing so excellent, that it would bring so much grace with it, certainely wee would study it more then we doe: 2 Pet. 2. 20. 2 Pet. 2. 20. saith hee, You haue escaped the filthinesse of the world, through the knowledge of Christ. That is, that that deliuers you from the bondage of sinne, that which enables you to escape the filthinesse that is in the world, when other men are yet [Page 207] tangled with it, it is because you know that, that other men are ignorant of, it is through the knowledge of Christ, if you haue escaped; and, 2 Pet. 1. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 2. Grace be multiplyed through the know­ledge of God, and of his Sonne Iesus Christ. Grace be multiplyed through that knowledge, as if he should say, multiply you that knowledge, & this is that meanes whereby Grace shall bee multiplyed to you.

That you may see the ground of all this, there is no grace that any man hath, but it passeth in through the vnderstanding: For example, What is the reason that any man loues GOD more then another, but because God is presen­ted to his vnderstanding in another maner then he is to another? hee knowes God better then others; and so for other graces. Why is one man patient, when another is not, but because his vnderstanding is enlightned to iudge other­wise of the euill he suffers, than another doth? hee reckons them not so great and intolerable euils, he sees another hand of prouidence, hee sees another end in it. And so, What is the rea­son one is temperate, and sober, and meeke, when another is not, but because he hath ano­ther iudgement of pleasures and delights? he lookes vpon them, as on things that are ene­mies to his soule, he sees a vanity and an empti­nesse in them, that another doth not; I say, all the grace that a man hath, it passeth through the vnderstanding; and therefore if a man would be strong in grace, let him labour to get [Page 208] much light, to get much truth, much know­ledge in his minde: for certainely all the diffe­rence betweene Christians, the difference of stature betweene men in Christianity, the diffe­rence of degrees, as one man hath a higher de­gree of faith, and another a lower degree, it followes from hence, that one is more enlight­ned, he hath more knowledge, hee hath more truth reuealed to him, which truth carries grace with it.

What is the reason that Paul exceeded other men in grace?

Because there was more truth reuealed to him then to other men: but still remember that I deny not, but that there may be much know­ledge without grace; but this is a sure rule, there cannot bee much grace without knowledge. the reason why any man is strong in grace, and able to doe that which another is not able to doe, that he is able to goe through those trou­bles, and those crosses that another shrinkes at, hee is able to ouercome those lusts that ano­ther is not able to grapple with, it is still the strength of his knowledge, that hee hath more vnderstanding of things, that hee is better and more enlightned: Ioh. 16. when the Apostles were to come into the world, and CHRIST tels them what entertainement they should haue, they beginne to bee exceeding fearefull, alas, what shall we doe in the world, when wee haue such things to doe? wee haue men to wrastle with, that shall thinke they shall doe [Page 209] God seruice when they put vs in prison; [...]aith he, feare not, I will send my Spirit along with you, and he shall helpe you to worke, he shall co [...]ince the world of [...]inne, of righteousnesse, and of Iudgement. The meaning is this, it is true, when you come into the world, you shall finde mens opinions exceeding false, you shall finde Satan building vp strong holds, in their deceipts and errours, and their euill imaginations that they haue of things; and, saith he, if you should goe alone without my Spirit, truly you might besiege the City, you might vse your spirituall Armour, but you should doe no good; but I will send my Spirit that shall conuince, (the word in the Originall signifies the refuting of an opinion that men had before drunke in, and were possessed of) the end of the Spirit is to sanctifie men; now what is that way that the Spirit vseth to sanctifie men? It is to weare out those old opinions, to confute them, to let men know they were exceedingly deceiued. Alas, they did not know that they were so excee­dingly sinfull as they bee, but when the Spirit comes, he shewes them what natures they haue, and what liues they haue liued, they know they are other creatures then they imagined them­selues to be: for the Holy Ghost refutes that o­pinion, and conuinceth them of sinne, and of iudge­ment▪ that is, the Spirit shall shew men the beauty and the glory of sanctification, of spiri­tuall priuiledges, and shall make them in loue with it: so iudgement is to bee taken, as you [Page 210] haue it taken in t [...]at place, where it is said of Christ, he shall not breake the bruised Reede, nor quench the smoking Fl [...]x, till hee bring forth Iudgement to victory▪ for it shall not cease till he haue brought forth Iudgement to victory: that is▪ by Iudgement is meant holinesse, and beginning of grace or sanctification, he cals the first part, that doth but begin to smoke, Iudge­ment: saith he, the Lord shall not put it out, but shall blow that sparke, he shall put new fuell to that sparke till it ouercome, till hee haue brought forth this beginning of Iudgement, or integrity, or sanctification, to victory; that is, to get the victory ouer sinfull lusts: now this is done by conuincing, by dealing with the vnderstanding, it is the worke of the Holy Ghost, with the minds of men. Now, beloued, the vse you may make of it is this▪ If this bee the way by which the Holy Ghost sanctifies, and in­fuseth, and communicates to the hearts of men, the graces of his new Couenant, if it bee by the altering of the opinions of mens vnderstan­ding, the way then that thou must take to grow excellent, to grow strong in grace, is to grow much in knowledge, to study the Scriptures much, and therefore let not this exhortation be in vaine to you, make this vse of it, still to meditate in the Law of God day and night, still to doe somewhat therein, to be trading therein, to be busied in speaking, or reading, or in thin­king on it.

Beloued, if you doe but take any piece of [Page 211] this word, and stay vpon it, as the Bee doth vpon the Flower, and will not off till you haue got somewhat out of it; if you be still digging in this Mine, here is enough, it is a large, it is a deepe Mine, this would make you rich in knowledge, and if you be rich in knowledge, it will make you rich in grace likewise: it is the expression that is vsed, 1 Cor. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 1. Therefore be assured of this, we haue many businesses to doe in this world, and euery man bestowes himselfe on something, he spends his time, and placeth his intentions some where: now there is no­thing in the world that you can bestowe it so profitably on, as to get n [...]w light daily; get new truths: if a man gather knowledge of other things, they are but trifles; and yet that is a thousand times beyond the gathering of wealth, but yet that is nothing to the other knowledge, it is beggerly, and impotent, and poore, as the Apostle saith: for the things themselues are poore. Is there any thing in the world can helpe a man to happinesse to any purpose? if the things cannot doe it, the knowledge cannot bee better then the thing. I say, the best naturall thing you can doe is to gather wisdome, that will serue for this pre­sent life, but to get that wisdome that will build you vp in grace, that will make you strong in CHRIST, that is farre more to bee chosen; remember that which Salomon saith, that it is aboue Pearles, and that is not enough to expresse it; but, saith hee, goe through all [Page 212] the precious things in the world, it goes be­yond them; Why? because it exceedingly in­creaseth grace; And what is the profit of it? It makes God to set a high esteeme of you, it makes the mighty God, who is able onely to doe thee good, to delight in thee, it makes him ready to doe thee much good; which I gather out of that Heb. 8. saith the LORD there, When I tooke your Fathers by the hand, and led them out of Egypt, saith hee they broke my Coue­nant, and I regarded them not, saith the LORD; marke it, but I will make another kinde of Coue­nant with you. Now, by the rule of contraries, these men had little knowledge, and by that meanes, they had no strength, and therefore they broke the Couenant of the LORD, and therefore the Lord regarded them not, but cast them away, as you refuse things: on the other side now, there is much knowledge, that brings men much grace, that makes them keepe the Couenant of God in a greater measure; if hee re­garded not them that brake the Couenant, cer­tainely now he will regard them that keepe the Couenant, those that are his peculiar people, the men of his delight, the men whom he loues, vpon whom hee meanes to bestowe all his fa­uours, they are fauourites to the Court of hea­uen; this you shall haue, if you excell in grace, there are many other benefits, but still, I say, remember this; if thou wouldest haue much grace, reade the Scriptures exceeding much, make it thy chiefest study from day to [Page 213] day enquire into them, if thou canst liue vnder a good Minister, that is liuely, and powerfull, and enlightning, set a higher price vpon him then thou hast done; if thou hast an estate, spare nothing for thy soules good: for if wis­dome be better then Gold, and Siluer, why should you not part with them for it? and so by conference be doing something. Wee see, Psal. 1. [...] what they are that are pronounced bles­sed, that meditate in the Law of God day and night; it is vpon this ground, when a man meditates, that is, when he delights in it, (he will not me­ditate in it else) grace will follow: for there is no man bleffed, except he hath grace, and the proposition should not bee sure, except a man doe settle himselfe to meditate day and night, it brings ability to keepe the Law; and therefore, Ios. [...]. 8. you shall finde it so expressed, saith the Lord to Iosuah, Let not the Law depart out of thy mouth, but meditate in it day and night, that thou maist obserue and doe it, that so thou maist make thy wayes to prosper, then thou shalt haue good suc­cesse. Marke, if a man be still taken vp in doing something, in the things that belong to the Kingdome of God, that hee make that the ele­ment that hee liues in, as it were, that hee make it his chiefe and principall study, that he busie himselfe about it from time to time, as much as possibly hee can get leasure, that hee preferre it before all things else, doing it both day and night, by this hee shall bee more abl [...] to keepe the Law, he shall be more able to [Page 214] obserue it, and when that is obserued, it makes way for prosperity, then God will blesse thee, and giue thee good successe. So much shall serue for this.

The next thing to be considered, which wee propounded, is, When the Couenant is dis­solued.

You must know, When the Co­uenant [...] bro­ken. that the Couenant is then dissolued, when that is dissolued that did make the Couenant. Looke what it is that puts a man into the Couenant of Grace at the first, when that is taken away, then the Couenant is disannulled betweene God and vs, but till then the Couenant remaines sure. Now, what is it that makes the Couenant? Marke it, This is that that makes the Couenant, when Iesus Christ offers himselfe to vs, and makes knowne his consent, he is the promised seede, in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed; when wee againe come, and take this promised seede, and giue our con­sent, and make him our LORD, and we be sub­iect to him to be his; when we say to the pro­mised seede, he shall be my God and my Go­uernour, and I will be among his people, and be subiect to him; I say, when the heart giues a full consent to this, when the heart hath thus tooke the promised seede, and receiued him, and lookes for all from him, now the Coue­nant and Contract is made betweene them. Now, beloued, as long as this vnion continues betweene CHRIST and vs, the Couenant is not disannulled; so that, in a word, the Coue­nant [Page 215] is neuer nullified, vntill thou hast chosen to thy selfe another husband, till thou hast ta­ken to thy selfe another Lord. In a marriage, there may be many failings of a Wife towards her Husband, many neglects, many disobedien­ces, many fits of passion, many offences shee may giue him, but till she commit adultery, the bond cōtinues sure, there is no diuorse between them; the Couenant of God still remaines be­tweene them, there is no dissolution of the Co­uenant: Beloued, so it is here, thou commit­test many transgressions, thou offendest God oft, thou failest much in thy seruice thou owest him, but till thou shalt commit spirituall adul­tery, till thou leaue him, as it were, and shalt select and choose to thy selfe another Ma­ster, another Lord, another Husband, the Co­uenant remaines sure betweene you, there is no dissolution of the Couenant. Beloued, this is a point exceeding full of comfort: thou must not thinke, that vpon euery sinne the Coue­nant is ouerthrowne betweene GOD and thee: no, the Couenant remaines sure, the bond is not vntyed as yet, though thou faile exceeding much, though thou fall into many actuall re­bellions against him, yet the Couenant is not dissolued.

But you will say to me, Obiect. If this bee to breake the Couenan [...], to chuse another Husband, I hope there are none of vs that are breakers of the Couenant then, wee haue not chosen ano­ther GOD, we are willing enough to serue the [Page 216] Lord? Ans. Beloued, the rule is exceeding true, if thou deceiue not thy selfe in applying it: ther­fore I say this to thee, take heed▪ thou deceiue not thy selfe: it is certaine the Couenant re­maines sure, notwithstanding all infirmities, as long as thy heart cleaues to thine Husband, as long as thou takest not another in his stead: therefore if thou wilt not be deceiued, Two rules to know whether we haue bro­ken the Coue­nant. as many doe deceiue themselues, I will giue thee but these two rules to know it by.

The first is an immediate examination of thine owne heart, 1 Rule. [...]ooke to thy heart. looke narrowly to this, if there bee any creature in the world, any plea­sure, any profit, any matter of credit, or honour, or whatsoeuer the thing be, any delight, or sport, or inclination, or lust, wherewith thy heart commits adultery, certainely thou hast chosen another Husband, whatsoeuer thou pretendest: If there bee any sinne that thou art in league with, wherewith thou art entred into Couenant, as I may so say, thou hast broken the Couenant with thy first Husband, as you shall see an expression thereof, Iam. 4. Iam. 4. Yee adulterers and adulteresses, if you loue the world, you loue not GOD. That is, if there bee any thing in the world that you loue in that manner, it is enmity to GOD, the Couenant is broken. Now, you will say, How shall wee know this? You shall know it by this, if it di­ [...]ert, and put out, and quench the loue to your Husband. You shall see a wife oft times, her heart is stolne from her husband, she comes to [Page 217] be in his presence from day to day [...] to doe all seruice to him, she performes, it may be, euery duty, as carefully, and as diligently as the best wife in the world, and yet for all this her heart is gone, here is but a shaddow of performance, she doth them, but not with loue, and delight, she doth them not with cheerefulnesse and wil­lingnesse, she would be free: if thou finde this thy case, that thou art so in loue, that thy heart is stolne away with any thing in the world, with matter of estate, pleasures, or whatsoeuer it is, any outward excellency that thy heart is set vpon, any haunt, any delight, any lust that hath dominion in thy soule, that thou hast made a league with it, so that thou commest indeede to performe holy duties from day to day, but they haue no taste, no relish, thou dost them not with liuelinesse and quicknesse, thou dost them as one that must doe them of necessity and pre­force; but thou delightest not in thy Hus­band; thou comest before him, but thou de­lightest not in his company, thou d [...]lightest not in his presence, but the loue of other things, worldly mindednesse, quencheth that delight, it is certaine thou hast commited adultery, thou hast chosen another husband.

You must know this, beloued, that a godly man that is once entred into the Couenant, though he faile exceedingly in many things, yet his delight is still in the LORD, hee de­sires exceedingly to please him, hee had ra­ther be in his company, hee had rather haue [Page 218] communion with him, then with any other in the world besides; hee had rather bee doing seruice to him then to any other; he had rather be employed in any thing that [...]ends to him; so that if it could be, (I make that supposition) if there were such a proposition as there was in the old Law, euery seuenth yeere, those that had serued an Apprentiship, that were bond­slaues, they might goe free, yet we see some so loued their Masters, that they would not goe free, but would be their seruants for euer, and they were bored thorow the [...]are, and were their seruants: for, saith the Text, they loued their Masters, and would stay with them. Be­loued, so it is in this case, take a man that com­mits adultery with any thing in the world, let him haue such a Proclamation, that hee might goe free, he would, were it not for the losse of heauen, and for going to hell, (but suppose it were free to him) hee would goe free with all his heart, he would choose another Master, and would be free from that bondage, (for so hee accounts it;) but he that loues the LORD, will not goe free if he might: for hee reckons that seruice the greatest freedome, and delight, hee had rather liue in His Family, then in any ser­uice in the world; it is not a seruice, but a friend­ship; it is a marriage, he liues as a sonne in the Family, and therfore he is willing to continue: for, beloued, as soone as a man is gotten into the Co [...]enant once, (this is the ground of it) there is such a disposition put into his heart, there is [Page 219] such a disposition grafted in him and rooted in his inward parts, that he longs after the LORD, as looke what disposition and inclination there is in the Loadstone, in lingering after the Iron, if you pull it from it a thousand times, still it lookes after it, and it cannot choose, it is the disposition of the Iron: so, such a disposition there is in the seruants of the Lord, to chuse him for their Lord, and Husband; and it is not an empty choice, that c [...]sists onely in affection, or in the naked resolution of the mind, but it is such a choice as hath strong affections running together with it, a strong inclination carrying the soule to him, so that though he be hindered many times, and often in his life, vnruly lusts come, and make a separation betweene the LORD and him, yet he cannot abide to bee long from him; it is the Lord that hee loues, he cannot for his heart choose another Master, hee cannot choose another Husband, another Lord, another friend, but it is hee with whom he will dwell, liue, and dye: if this be thy case, know, that thy continuall failings make not a breach of the Couenant: for thou knowest that thy heart hath not chosen another Husband: for though thou be forced sometimes, through the violence of temptation to serue another, yet thy heart cleaues to thy right Master, it cleaues to him, it inclines to him, it bends that way: this is one way to finde it, looke to thy heart immediately.

If thou canst not doe it by this, if this be too [Page 220] obscure a rule for thee, (I will adde but this for the making of it plain) Looke to the effects. 2. Rule. Looke to the effects. Thou pretendest, I haue not chosen another husband, I haue chosen the Lord for my God, and him will I serue. It is very well, it is a good profession, but take heede you bee on a sure ground. Now, saith our Sauiour, Ioh. 8. You pretend that you are the children of Abraham, that you haue him for your Father, and not the Deuill, but I say vnto you, hee that committeth sinne, is the seruant of sinne: and so likewise, Know you not, that to whomsoeuer you obey, his ser­ [...]ants you are, to whom you obey? Rom. 6. And againe, 2 Pet. 2. Of whomsoeuer a man is ouer­come, to that he is in bondage. Looke to it now, art thou ouercome with sinne? dost thou obey sinne, when it comes with a command vpon thee? dost thou commit sinne? Certainely thou hast chosen another husband, thou dost but deceiue t [...]y selfe.

Alas▪ you will say, Obiect. is it euery committing of sinne?

No, Ans. beloued, that is not the meaning of it, but take heed of this, when a sinne is drawne out as a thread in the course of thy life, now in­truth thou obeyest it, now thou art ouercome of it, now it hath dominion whensoeuer it com­mands thee; when there is, I say, a tract of sinne, when a man is still giuen to such a way, to such an infirmity, (I cannot properly call it an infirmity) that you may say it is such a mans trade, he walkes in it, now a man obeyes sinne, [Page 221] he is ouercome of it, it hath gotten the victorie ouer him; as we vse to say of men, he is a world­ly-minded man, goe to him when you will, you shall finde him so disposed, you shall finde him in all his carriage to shew himselfe to bee such a man, this sinne it runnes as a thread through his whole life, still he mindes earthly things, he is taken vp about them, he disrelish­eth the Word, he doth not minde it, hee doth not delight to reade it, or to heare it, hee doth not loue the company of the Saints, and the like; and so for any other sinne. If this will not serue the turne, thou maist iudge it by one sinne, but that is somewhat more difficult: I will giue you 3. examples, you shall see Adam, and Balaam, and Saul, you shall see euery one of them in one sinne breake the Couenant, and if you can finde yours the same case, you shall know whether you haue broken it by one mis­carriage. Take Saul first, he was commanded to goe and kill the Amalekits, and God would haue him destroy them vtterly; Saul goes about his Commandement, he seemes to keepe it excee­ding well, and where he failed in it, he seemed to haue a faire excuse, saith he, I did but saue the King, the whole body of the people was destroi­ed: again, he saued but a few of the fattest of the cattell, and for what purpose? not for his owne profit, to make him rich, but to offer sacrifice to the Lord, and he hoped there was no fayling in this. Well, saith Samuel, thou hast cast away the Lord, thou hast chosen another God. Samuel [Page 222] charged him with no lesse; for, saith hee, thy sinne is as witchcraft, it is as Idolatry, that is, thou hast now cast God quite away, thou hast chosen to thy selfe another Lord, another Husband to obey, How shall this be made good? The meaning is this, when a man receiues a Com­mandement from God, (marke it) when a man knowes it is the Lords will, that I should walke thus, and thus before him, that I should abstaine from such and such sinnes, I cannot deny but this is his Commandement; well, when a man comes to the keeping of it, & his heart finds out excuses, and saith in such and such a case, I hope I may be somewhat excused from a strict per­formance of it; I say, when the heart at any time deliberates, and yet that word is not suffi­cient to expresse it, but when the heart workes according to its owne proper inclination, and then disobeyes the Lord in any Commande­ment, certainely then it casts God away. Belo­ued, it is not such disobedience, as when a man is transported with a strong affection, a strong temptation, when he is not himselfe for a time, and his sinne be discouered, he easily returnes, and will be the same man he was; but, I say, when a man deliberately commits sinne, when a man considers himselfe well, and hee is not transported with the strength of temptation, but his heart workes at liberty, so that hee acts himselfe, in this case he doth as Saul did, hee casts God away, and God sent him word that he had cast him away.

[Page 223]The like was the case of Balaam, hee carried it exceeding fairely, I will not, if Balaac will giue me his house full of gold, curse the people: I cannot doe that which God hath not said to me, yet Ba­laam desired much to doe it, hee thought hee would make tryall, he would goe as farre as he could, God saw it, and found it out, and you see what iudgement was giuen vpon him, and this was presently discouered, he gaue aduice to Ba­laac to put a stumbling blocke before the children of Isra [...]l, that is, by offering with the Moabites, and committing fornication with their women; and so, saith he, I shall be able to curse them, when they haue committed sinne once, then I may curse them to purpose. I say, there was the na­turall, the proper inclination of Balaams heart, it was not a thing that he was drawne to; but when his heart was left to it selfe, to goe which way it would, that way it went: it is not so with a man that is in the Couenant: for grace, it still preuailes, and hath power ouer him, it is that which hath dominion and possession, it is that which is the Lord of the house, and when­soeuer he is lest simply to himselfe, that his heart workes which way it would, certainely then he pleaseth God, he cannot, he doth not sin against him. I cannot stay to presse this further, but ra­ther come to make some vse of it; but this re­member, so long as a man doth not chuse ano­ther Husband, so long the Couenant is not bro­ken▪ though the failings be exceeding many.

The vse wee are to make of it is this, Vse. If there [Page 224] be this comfort, that though a mandoe commit many sinnes, yet, so long as he hath the Lord for his husband, as long as he is not willing to chuse another Master, still the Couenant is sure; Belo­ued, then comfort your selues with these words, and make vse of the Couenant, and apply the promises of the Couenant, say this with thy selfe, it is very true, I am sinfull, I prouoke God from day to day, yet, for all this, I am not out of the Couenant, and therefore the promises of the Co­uenant belong to me, and therefore, notwith­standing my sinnes, I will go boldly to the Throne of Grace, and I will lay claime to the promises, and to all the parts of the Couenant, for they be­long to me. Beloued, this vse you should make of it, whē you heare the Couenant is not broken.

Now the promises of the Couenant are of 3. sorts; the promises of iustification, the promises of sanctification, and the promises of blessings of all sorts, that belong to this life, and to the life to come. This threefold vse then thou shouldst make of it, First, put the case there lies vpon thy heart the conscience of any sinne that thou hast committed, that troubles thee, thou art afraid that this sinne should make a s [...]paration betweene God and thee, thou hast yet no assurance of the forgiuenes of it, but the conscience of the sinne lyes vpon thee, as that expression you haue Heb. 10. Heb. 10. what wilt thou doe in such a case? Goe to the Lord, and say to him, Lord, notwithstan­ding this, I know I am in Couenant with thee, and Lord, this is one part of thy Couenant, that [Page 225] thou wilt remember our sinnes no more, but, when they are sought they shall not be found. My belo­ued, as you haue heard before, they are the very words of the Couenant. I say, if thou come to the Lord thus, and bring Christ in thine armes, (for that is the nature of [...]aith, faith first seizeth vpon the dead body, as the Vul [...]ures and as the Eagles doe first seize vpon the body; so faith first seizeth vpon Christ) I say, if thou canst go to him, and say, Lord, I haue thy Sonne, he hath offered himselfe to me, he is freely offered, and I haue tooke him, and all thy promises in him are Yea and Amen, and this is one of thy promi­ses, that thou wilt forgiue me: if one plead the Couenant hard with God, and tell him it is a part of his Couenant, and he must be iust, hee cannot be a Couenant-breaker; doe you thinke that God will breake his Couenant with thee, or any man? he cannot deny thee, he will put away thy sins: strengthen thy selfe with this: for this Coue­nant is continuall, the Mediator of this Coue­nant is Iesus Christ, who is such an High Priest that is able perfectly to saue those that come vnto him, when a man hath commit [...]ed the greatest sinne, and sees but the blood of Buls and Goates, he might thinke thus with himselfe, alas, what can this poore and beggerly Ceremony doe, to deliuer me from the conscience of my sinne? Well, saith the Apostle, we haue another kind of Sacrifice, and another kinde of Priest, Heb. 7. Heb. 7. We haue such an High Priest, as is able perfectly to saue those that come to him: And why? For, saith [Page 226] he, he is gone, not into the Tabernacle, as the other Priests, but he is entred into the very heauens. Be­sides, saith he, he goes not once a yeere, as they did, but he liues for euer to make intercession for vs, hee is not gone with the blood of Buls and Goates, but with his owne blood, he is a High Priest, holy, harm­lesse, vndefiled, separated from sinners, higher then the heauens, and therefore doubt not but hee is a­ble perfectly to saue those that come vnto him.

Beloued, consider this, it is the very Vse that the Apostle makes, Heb. 10. 22. Heb. 10. 28. saith he, seeing these things are so, since we haue such an High Priest as we haue described, since it is the very Sacrifice of his blood it selfe, let vs draw neere in the assurance of faith; that is, if the conscience of any sinne lye vpon vs, let vs not goe to God with a quarter wind, or w [...]th a halfe wind, but with a full assurance of faith, let vs make no question, but trust perfectly to the grace that is re­uealed. You must thinke so of Iesus Christ, hee would haue you thinke so, and conceiue of him, that he is now in heauen, that he is able perfect­ly to sau [...] you, that there is nothing you haue committed, that can doe you hurt; he is like a friend in the Court; if a man were sure that hee had one that were neuer from the King, that hath his eare continually, that is alway in his presence, that is such a Fauourite, of such po­wer with him, that certainely he can deny him nothing, a man would be secure: put the case there were some whispering fellows that would be ready to informe against him, yet, saith hee, [Page 227] I haue one there, that will be ready to take care for me. My beloued, this is thy very case. Christ Iesus is gone to Heauen, it is a thousand times better for thee, that he should be there, then that he should be here in this world still, there he is thy Attorney, as it were, he takes care of thee, hee sees all the accusations that are brought a­gainst thee, and he is ready to answer for thee, saith the Text, he makes intercession, if there come any thing that tends to make a breach be­tween God and thee, he is the Mediator for thee, he dwels there for that end, if there be any of­fence, any breach comes, that he may make it vp betweene God and thee; consider this, and when thou hast committed a sin, go to this high Priest, that is able to saue thee perfectly, and re­member that it is a part of his Couenant, and so labour to grow vp in full assurance of faith, that no conscience of sinne may lye vpon thee, to make a separation betweene God and thee: for, beloued, you ought to trust perfectly to the grace that is reuealed through him.

And as I say for sinne, so in the second place you are to make vse of the Couenant, as put the case there bee some strong lust, some violent temptation, that thou art not able to outwrestle, it is too strong for thee, thou wouldest faine be rid of it, but thou art not able, why what shalt thou doe in this case? remember that it is a part of the Lords Couenant, that he will deliuer thee from all thine enemies, that thou maist serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of thy [Page 228] life. It is a part of his Couenant to remember it, he hath sworne to remember it, he hath said he will write his Law in thy heart, and that can neuer be, without he obliterate all old writing, he hath said he will giue the Holy Ghost, he hath promi­sed to giue thee a new heart, and a new spirit▪ now consider this, it is a part of his Couenant, goe to the Lord, and beseech him to make good his Couenant, this is the way for thee to ouercome it; if thou go about it any other way, thou shalt neuer be able to out-wrestle it. Beloued, for a man to thinke thus with himselfe, to say, I haue receiued grace, I hope I haue some strength, therefore I will be bold to venture vpon such a temptation; or, at least, I hope by my promises, by my vowes, & prayers, and reading, one way one way or other to master it, and ouercome it, this is not the way; thou must goe to GOD, and make vse of this Couenant, and beseech him to giue thee strength: for, marke it, GOD would not take this vpon him, to giue vs new hearts, and new spirits, to sanctifie vs, to make vs new creatures, to crucifie the flesh, to weaken the do­minion of sinne, hee would not take this vpon him, and make a promise, if wee were able to doe it: but hee knowes it is in his owne po­wer, and he must doe it for vs; and therefore in such a case we must goe to him, and beseech him to doe it: for know this, when a man is in CHRIST once, when he is in the Couenant, he liues by a principle without himselfe, and not by one within himselfe, as Paul saith, I liue by Iesus [Page 229] Christ, that is, he is without me, and it is he still that giues me strength, therfore goe to him.

If you aske the reason, why will the LORD haue it so? why may not a man haue a sufficient habituall strength in himselfe, by which he may be able to out-wrestle lusts, and to ouercome temptations? The reason is, because no flesh shall reioyce in it selfe; and therefore Christ is made sanctification; that is, you deriue it from him, from day to day, from time to time, that you might not reioyce in your selues, but in him: therfore let no man goe about such a bu­sinesse in his own strength: for a man to thinke, beloued, by vertue of that habituall grace hee hath receiued, to be able to ouercome sinne, and to worke righteousnes, it is all one as if a man should say thus with himselfe, I see my house is full of light, now I will shut vp my doores and windowes, I hope to haue light e­nough; when he hath done so, you know, the light perisheth presently, because the Sun is shut out, that which giues light: I say, so it is, when a man thinks, now I am some body, I haue now gotten some strength, now, I hope, I may walke with some confidence more then before; this is to shut vp the windowes, as it were. No, thou must haue continuall dependence vpon Christ, otherwise, if thou goe to ouercome any sin, and thinke to doe it with thy owne strength, it shall be too strong for thee: for you wrestle with spi­rituall things, and without a strength from one without thee, they will be too strong for thee: [Page 230] goe to the Lord, and say, Lord, I confesse, I am able to doe nothing of my selfe, but I bring my heart to thee, as an empty Caske, beseeching thee to fill it with grace; Lord, I want much grace, Iesus Christ is full of grace, and hath filled himselfe for that purpose, that he might com­municate it to vs: I say, in such a case, now, if thou goe to the Lord, and beseech him to make good his Couenant, tell him thou restest vpon his strength, thou goest against sinne, as Iosuah went against the Ca [...]ites, not because he was able to ouercome them: for they were Giants, and had cities walled vp to heauen; but hee went in the Lords strength; I say, if a man goe in this manner, bee assured that the Lord will not faile thee, he will giue thee ability to ouercome.

The third case is, when any outward trouble lyes vpon a man, let him goe and remember it is a part of Gods Couenant to blesse him, To blesse him with what? Withall kind of blessings, and to be a Buckler to him; there is no euill in the world, but God hath promised to bee a Buckler to shield him, and to defend him from it: put the case thou lye vnder any pressure, any cala­mity, any crosse, any disease, any affliction of minde, or of body, or estate, or of name, why goe to God now, and tell him it is a part of his Couenant to deliuer thee, and labour to find out, if thou canst, beside the generall Couenant, some particular. The Lord hath said, if thou bee in trouble, call vpon mee, and I will deliuer thee; if thou be in a strait, in extremity, the Lord hath [Page 231] said he will worke thy workes for thee, and so yo [...] may goe to him in particulars. But when fait [...] hath once gotten a promise, be sure that thou keepe thy hold, pleade hard with the Lord, and tell him it is a part of his Couenant, and it is im­possible that he should deny thee; doe as the woman of Canaan, when thou art on a sure ground, take no denyall, though the Lord may deferre long, yet he will doe it, he cannot chuse; for it is a part of his Couenant. Beloued, there­fore in this case, doe, as you see two Metaphors vsed in Scripture, they are excellent for this purpose, Esay 66. 11. there is a Commandement of the Lord for the children of Israel, that they should sucke, and be satisfied with the brests of con­solation, &c. the words are obscure, as they are read to you, but the Originall makes them ex­ceeding cleere; there are two Metaphors vsed, one is to milke consolation out of the promises, the meaning is this, that the promises are full of comfort, as a dugge is full of milke; now, if thou be ready to faint, goe and milke out con­solation out of the promises, that will relieue thee, that will stay thy heart; goe, saith he, and sucke, draw out consolation from the dugges, from the promises, (for that is the meaning) which he cals the brests of consolation (for hee repeates the promise presently after,) thus saith the Lord, behold, I will extend peace ouer her like a Flood, &c. The other Metaphor is to extor [...], to oppresse the promises, that, as a rich man op­presseth a poore man, and gets out of him all [Page 232] that he is worth, he leaues him worth nothing, he playes the extortioner with him; after that manner deale thou with the promises, for they are rich, there is a price in them, be thou as an extortioner to them, take out whatsoeuer thou needest, or wring it out of the promises, as it were. Now when a man is poore and needy, let him goe to the rich promises, and bee as an oppressor to them, that is, consider the promises to the vtmost, see the vtmost riches that is con­tained in them, and they will make thee rich a­gaine; draw out the vtmost of that milke that is in them, and it will exceedingly reuiue & com­fort thee: for example, (that I may a little open it to you) Iacob, when Esau met him, and his heart began to faint, (for, saith the Text, he fea­red exceedingly) his heart began to faile him now, and what did he? he did goe and sucke conso­lation out of the promises: for thus he reasons with the Lord, Lord, thou hast said thou wilt doe me good; now hee stayes himsel [...]e vp with this, and hee got so much strength with this milke, that hee was able to wrestle with the Lord all night, and would not let him go without a bles­sing; this promise sustained him, from whence he sucked consolation and strength for thou hast said thou wilt doe me good, therfore I am resolued, I am sure I am vpon good ground▪ I will not let thee go without a blessing. And so Abraham, when he was to offer his onely sonne, what should he doe now? here he was dessolate, poore, and nee­dy, certainely his heart could not but be ready [Page 233] to faile, & what should sustaine him in this case? there was a promise, you see, Heb. 11. Heb. 11. he was sure God had made a promise, and hae said vnto him, this is Isaac, and this Isaac I will multiply, and with him I will establish my Couenant, and his seede shall be as the Stars of heauen; saith Abra­ham, God promised it, and though I should kill him, God can put a new life into him; he went, you know how farre from his house where hee dwelt▪ surely he sustained himselfe by the pro­mise, he rested vpon this promise, he drew con­solation from it, and he drew it to the full, there was much milke in that promise, and that sustai­ned and comforted him. I might giue you ma­ny instances. So Dauid, when hee comforted himselfe at Ziglag, what was it that he comfor­ted himselfe in? Surely Dauid remembred this, the Lord hath annoynted me King ouer Israel, he hath said that I shall be King, and shall sit in the Throne of Saul; it is true, I haue lost all that I haue, and the Souldiers that should bee my strength, are now at this instant ready to stone me; yet he remembred this promise, and comforted himselfe in the Lord, that is, in the promise that the Lord had made to him, where­of this was the maine that he had to comfort himselfe with.

Beloued, learne to doe this when you are in any strait, if there be any thing that you need, remember this, if thou can but get a promise, if faith can but get this footing, the LORD hath made it a part of his Couenant, and there is [Page 234] his hand and seale to it, the Sacrament that thou receiuest from time to time, is but a seale of that Couenant, and if he seeme to forget it for a time, [...]e will remember it, hee cannot forget it long, be assured he will performe it, it is impossible but he should, let not your hearts faile, if thou haue a promise, he will doe it in due season, al­though not in thy season, yet he will doe it in the best manner, though not in that manner and fashion that thou imaginest.

Beloued, one thing more we should haue ad­ded, that is, to exhort men to enter into Coue­nant; this I should haue pressed to you, the mi­serable condition of a man that is without it, and the happines of the man that is within it, with this we [...]should haue concluded the point. Beloued, consider this, in what a miserable con­dition men are without the Couenant; it is e­nough that is said, Eph. 2. Eph. 2. without God in the world, and without the Couenant, they are put to­gether, they are aliens and strangers from the Co­uenant, without the Couenant, without God in the world: is it a small thing to be without God, and without the Couenant? when thou con [...]iderest this Booke, and the many precious promises in it, that we spake of before, and thou hast not right to one of these promises, if thou be with­out the Couenant; when thou art in a straite, if thou be a stranger to God if thou be out of the Couenant with him, what wilt thou do? whither wilt thou goe? we are subiect to 1000. straits; you know what a weake creature man is, what [Page 235] neede hee hath of assistance; What wilt thou doe in the time of extremity? thou canst not goe to GOD, thou art not in the Couenant with him, but thy case is as that of Zedekiahs, Micai­ah tels him, thou shalt goe from chamber to cham­ber; so thou shalt goe from place to place, GOD will not receiue thee: for thou art not in Coue­nant with him. But is that all, that thou shalt want the comfort of God? No, know, if thou be not in Couenant with GOD, he is thine enemy: if thou come neere to him for refuge and com­fort, he will be to thee as a deuouring fire, and when thou commest to him, thou shalt bee as soft wax to the scorching flame, as stubble to the fire; and not only so, but thou shalt come to euerlasting burnings, such fire as shall neuer goe out; such the Lord shall be to thee, if thou be not in the Couenant with him. You will say to me, this is to come, if it may be well for the present, I shall beare it the better, I will goe one step further therfore. If thou be out of Couenant with GOD, all the creatures are at enmity with thee, there is neuer a creature in heauē or earth, but it hath liberty to do thee hurt: for if thou be out of League with GOD, thou art out of the protection of the Law, if any creature doe thee mischiefe, it shall neuer be required at his hands, but there is a liberty giuen them, Satan may hurt thee, men may hurt thee, beasts may hurt thee, all the insensible creatures may hurt thee; for there is no prohibition. Besides, thou hast no Shield, nor Buckler to defend thee from [Page 236] them: for thou art not in Couenant with GOD, he is no Buckler to thee: all this is the case of e­uery man that is out of the Couenant; and this is not a small thing, to be out of the pales of Gods protection, to haue euery creat [...]re ready to do a man a shewd turne, and he to haue no immuni­ty, nothing to deliuer him; it is not so with the Saints, all the creatures are at peace with them.

To draw this a little neerer, if there bee any thing in the body, or out of the body, that trou­bles vs, if there be imaginations in the minde, that be to the soule, as the Gout is to the body, if thou be in Couenant with God, all these are at peace with thee: for all these are at Gods com­mand, it is a part of his Couenant; when thou art in Couenant and League with him, thou art in League with them, and therefore they shall neuer doe thee hurt. Bee assured of that, when thou art within the Couenant, there is no crea­ture in heauen or earth can doe thee hurt: for thou art at peace with it, it is not an enemy, and that which is not an enemy, it neuer doth hurt; but if thou be not in Couenant with God, now these haue a power to hurt thee, there is no pro­hibition vpon them, there is no restraint, but they may doe thee hurt, they are enemies to thee, both those things, and whatsoeuer else is in heauen or Earth; Satan, and euery creature hath power to doe thee hurt: when thou wal­kest in the way, when thou sittest in thy house, wheresoeuer thou art, thou walkest in thee mid­dest of 1000. dangers, because thou art not in [Page 237] Couenant with God, therefore thou art exposed to the enmity of all the creatures.

But this obiection will be made, Obiect. Yea, but ma­ny or those that are within the Couenant, re­ceiue hu [...]t from the creatures, & many of those that are out of the Couenant, liue peaceable and quiet liues?

I will answer it in a word; Ans. It is very true, they may be exercised, though all the host of heauen and earth be at peace with them, and there is not any creature can doe them the least hurt; no, they neither will, nor can goe about it, to lift vp their hand against them; yet they may be exercised with many afflictions, but there is a very great difference betweene these two, the same disease, the same griefe, the same appre­hension, lyes on the heart, and wounds the spi­rits of the one man, but to the other that is in Couenant, it is a rod in the hand of a father, en­abling him to keepe his Couenant the better, it is as a Medicine in the hand of a Physician, to heale him, to comfort him, to doe him good; that very disease to another is as a sword in the hand of an enemy, as poyson in the hand of the destroyer to hurt him. As, for example, the Deuill had power to vexe Saul, and to vexe Iob, here was the same instrument, the Deuill had power ouer both, but there was a great deale of difference, you know, he had power ouer Saul as an enemy, he had power ouer Iob as a friend: and so likewise Iudas had a messenger of Satan, to fill his h [...]art, and Paul had a messenger of Sa­tan [Page 238] too, to sollicite him, and to trouble him, and to ioine with his lusts, to make them as pricks in his sides, but there is much difference; to the one he had a restraint, the Lord saith to the De­ [...]ill, What hast thou to doe with Iob? thou shalt [...]oe thus far, and no further, thou shalt not hurt [...]ob To Paul there was a restraint too, thou shalt goe th [...]s far, for what purpose▪ as there was a restraint, so there was another end likewise, so far it shall goe, as till it hath humbled him; Iob and Paul were humbled by it, a iot further it cannot goe: for the deuill in truth, though hee be hostile to them in affection, yet cannot hurt them in action, because God only vseth him to doe them good, and to humble them; Iob was the better, and Paul was an exceeding gainer by it, but Saul and Iudas were great Iosets; so there is a great difference betweene these two. The Shepheard sets his Dog vpon the Sheep to bring them in, another man sets his Mastiffe on another creature to worry it, and to destroy it; the Lord sets the creature vpon his own seruants, but as the Shepheard sends out his Dogge, to bring them in; as soone as they are brought in, he rates the Dog, and will not suffer him to doe them the least hurt. A man will not haue his seruants, nor children, nor his friends hurt, but he will rate the Dog when he fals vpon them; so the Lord doth with euery creature whatsoe­uer, when it comes to hurt them, he rebuker it, as he did the stormes and winds: on the other side, when a man is out of Co [...]enant with GOD, [Page 239] then God vnlooseth the coller of the creature, as it were, and sets him vpon such a man, and saith vnto him, go & worry such a man, wound him, be an enemy to him, hurt him. This obiection is so to be answered, that those that are within the Couenant, they are often molested and troubled, the creatures seeme to hurt them, though they be in League and at peace with them, and can doe them no hurt.

Secondly it is obiected, Obiect. that others that are out of the Couenant, they liue in peace?

Beloued, Ans. I beseech you, consider this, and it is profitable to cōsider, that he that belongs not to the Couenant, he may liue in his fathers house, he may sit at Table with the children, he may haue the same maintenance, the same clothing, the same vsage, the same liberty, the same priui­ledges of the family as the children haue, and yet for all this, this is one that belongs not to the Couenant, but one whom God intends to cast out. Ismael, you know, liued in the family, as well as Isaac, and was as well vsed as Isaac, till the time came that God would cast him out; and therefore deceiue not thy selfe with out ward peace, to say, God and the creature are at peace with me; for I haue prosperity in all that I doe. No, it may be, the time of casting out is not yet come, but in due time, when the right season shal come, then Ismael shall bee cast out, and euery one with whom the Couenant indeed is not esta­blished. Caine remained for a time, but he was cast out, and made a Vagabond vpon the earth. [Page 240] Saul remained for a time in the house, but in due season God cast him off: so, I say, God may nourish, and cherish, and defend thee, as if thou wert one of his owne children, but he will cast thee off in the end. We haue a notable exam­ple for it, in his dealing with the children of Is­rael, they were such as belonged not to the Co­uenant, a great part of them, and yet see how he vsed those very men; Deut. 32. Deut. 32. it is said, hee carried them on Eagles wings; that is the expressi­on, that is, the Lord carried them so safely as the Eagle carries her yong on the top of her wings, that no Fowle can reach them, but she is aboue all Fowles, and stronger then all Fowles, and flyes higher, and so they were safe as on Eagles wings, nothing could reach them; After that manner I carried you out of Egypt, I kept you so safe: besides, I did not onely defend you, but fed you with the finest Wheat, with the pu­rest Oyle, with the liquor of the Grape; and yet notwithstanding all this, these men were such as God hated, such as were not in League, as be­longed not to the Couenant: deceiue not thy selfe, God may doe all this, and yet cast thee out; he may feed the with riches in abundance, and yet if thou be not a sonne, if the Couenant be not established with thee, thou shalt be cast out; the sonne abides for euer, but hee with whom the Couenant is not made, though he may continue in the Family for a while, hee shall not abide long, but shall be cast forth.

FOVRE SERMONS, WHEREIN CERTAINE Objections against the poynt of GODS ALL-SVFFICIENCIE, (handled in the fiue first Sermons of the former Treatise) are Answered.

WEE haue purposely chosen this text, that we might answer some objectiōs, which might be made against the All-sufficiency of God, which we spake of lately to you; for this might be objected; If God be All-sufficient, Ob. what is the reason of this [Page 2] dispensation of things that we see in the world, that there be righteous men, to whom it is according to the worke of the wicked, and there be wicked men againe, to whom it is according to the worke of the righteous?

Here you haue this answer made, Answ. That for a time all things come alike to all, there is the same condition to the one, as to the other: the reason of which you shall see when we come to the hand­ling of the words. But in briefe, to open them to you: you shall [...]inde, that this was the occasion of them. In the 16. verse of the former Chapter, sayth the Wiseman, Eccles. 8. 16. I haue applyed my heart vnto wised [...]me, and to behold the busines that is done vpon the earth, in which I had no rest, either day or night, I was so intent vpon them. Well; what is the conclusion? Sayth he, I found this, I was not able to finde out the reason of Gods workes; I beheld the workes of God, that man cannot finde out the workes that are wrought vnder the Sunne, yea though a wise man thinke to know it, he cannot finde it: That is, when I see how God dispenseth things, I am not able to finde out the reason, and not I onely, but no man is able to finde it, no, saith he, though he be a wise man; no, although he search never so diligently, he cannot find out the reason of Gods wayes, the reason of his providence, of his dispensing of prosperitie to the wicked, and ad­versitie to the godly; yet these two Conclusions notwithstanding he found, which he expres [...]eth in the first verse.

1 First, that the iust, and the wise, and their workes, [Page 3] are in the hand of the Lord: That is, although I see not the reason why God doth it, yet this I finde, it is the Lord that disposeth all things, both to men, and all their workes; All the events that fall out, both good, and euill, I finde this, that they are in the hand of God.

The second thing he found is, That all things 2 come alike to all: There is the same condition to the good, and to the evill, to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not. These be the two things, that the wiseman professeth he found out, & from hence he gathereth two Consectaries.

One is, Consectarie. That there is no man able to know loue, or 1 hatred, by all that is before him: That is, by all that he seeth done to himselfe, or by all that he seeth God doe to other men; he is not able to judge by that, who it is that God loues, or who it is he hates.

A second Consectarie from it, Consectarie. is expressed in 2 the third verse; Eccles. 9. 3. sayth he, This is an evill I haue seene vnder the Sunne, that there is one condition to all: That is, the sonnes of men when they haue seene this carriage of things, this administration, and dispensation of good and evill, thus premis­cuously, to men of all sorts; therefore, sayth he, The hearts of men are full of evill, and madnesse is in their hearts while they liue: That is, therefore they seeke not God, but the creature, therefore they doe not depend vpon him, but seeke to secondaric meanes; What is the issue of it? therefore they goe downe to the dead: That is, they perish for ever. So much briefly for the meaning of the words. [Page 4] Now before he comes to deliver these two con­clusions, he makes this Preamble; I haue given my heart, sayth he, to all this, or I bend my selfe with all my might to this, even to declare these two things; that all things are in the hand of God, &c. whence we will gather this (in that Salomon sayth, that he bent himselfe, with all his might, to de­clare both to himselfe, & to others, that all things are in the hands of God;) that ‘It is a very hard thing, Doct. to be perswaded of Gods All-sufficiencie. It is a hard thing to be pers [...]aded of Gods All-sufficiencie.’

It is a very hard thing to be perswaded, that all things are in the hands of God, it is a hard thing to perswade our selues, it is a hard thing to perswade others, that is, I shall not deliver the poynt fully to you, except God himselfe teach you, except God himselfe declare it; it is so hard for a man to see all things in the hands of G [...]d, to know that he is able to doe all, that, except God teach it to a man, he is not able to know it, that is, he is not able to know it to purpose, he is not able to know it so, as to haue the vse of it, he is not able to know it in a practicall manner, except the Lord teach it him.

The ground of which is: because, The holy Ghost must perswade it belongs to the holy Ghost to perswade, it belongs to God to per­swade, not onely to perswade this truth to the hearts of men, but also to perswade all saving truths of what nature soever; And therefore wee see when Christ sends out his Disciples, his Apo­stles, he bids them, Goe, preach the Word to the Iewes, and Gentiles; and whereas they might ob­ject in that case; Ob. How shall we be able to perswade [Page 5] men, that bring a strange doctrine, and strange newes to them, a strange thing that was never heard of?

Christ answers them thus, Answ. I will send my spirit with you, Iohn 16. and he shall convince the world of sinne, of righteous [...]esse, and of ludgement; As if he should say, I confesle you are not able to doe it, that is a worke that onely belongs to the holy Ghost, and he shall convince men of their miserable estate out of Christ, he shall convince them of that righte­ousnesse that they are to haue by Christ, he shall also convince them of holinesse, and sanctificati­on, vnder Christs government. Thus, sayth he, the holy Ghost shall doe; you are not able to per­forme it. And so when the Lord makes the pro­mise, that the people should serue him, and feare him: The question is, how they should be able to doe it; shall the Prophets be able to perswade them? shall the Apostles in their times be able to perswade them? No; sayth he, They shall all be taught of God; As if he should say, without his tea­ching it will be all in vaine; but if the Lord teach them once, they shall be perswaded effectually, they shall not onely know what their dutie is, but they shall be readie to performe it.

The reason of which is;

First, Reas. 1. because God onely is the generall, God onely wise, and ther­fore able to perswade. and vni­versall worker, he onely is vniversally wise, he one­ly knowes all things, and therefore he onely is a­ble to teach all things; men know but in part, and therefore they are able to teach but in part, (now he that is perswaded of a thing but in part, though [Page 6] he may acknowledge the thing to be good, yet his heart is not wrought to practice it; for there is something yet behinde, some objections, that are not yet answered.) It is onely God that hath an v­niversall light, that is a generall worker, and there­fore he is said to be onely wise; for a man is not sayd to be wise, except he know all things that be­longs to such a busines; If there be any part, or corner of it hid from him, he is not wise, that is, he is not able to proceede aright, he is subject to er­rour: but God, who hath abundance of light, God, that knowes all things, is onely wise, and therefore his is onely able to perswade. Hence it is that men are able to perswade, that such graces are good, that such wayes are excellent in themselues, that it is good to take such courses, but yet to answer all the secret objections of the heart, to perswade ful­ly, to turne all the wheeles of the soule, this is that, that a man is not able to doe, to enlighten all the corners of the heart, he is not able to convince fully.

Secondly, Reas. 2. God is onely able to doe it; because he onely knowes all the windings and turnings of the heart of man. God onely knowes the severall tur­nings of the heart. It is sayd in Ier. 17. 9. that the heart of man is exceeding deceit full, who can know it? That is, no man in the world can know his owne heart, Ier. 17. 9. much lesse can any man else know it, there are so many windings, so many turnings in it, there is such a labyrinth in the heart, such a depth in it, that no man is able to search his owne heart, to finde out the bottom of it: oh but who is able to doe it? Sayth he, in the next words, it is God [Page 7] that searcheth the heart and tryeth the reynes: That is, he onely knowes the severall inclinations of the will, and therefore he onely is able to perswade.

You know, Simile. if a man make a key to vndoe such a locke, he must know all the wardes of it, or else he may make a key that will not vndoe it, he may endevour, and not be able to turne the locke; So the Lord that onely knowes all the wardes, all the secret passages; all the windings, and turnings of the heart of man; he onely is able to sute it, and to [...]it it with such arguments, as shall be effectuall to perswade. You see when he would perswade Mo­ses to goe downe into Egypt, there was a secret ob­jection that Moses had in his heart, if he went thi­ther that he should loose his life; God that knew Moses heart, knew where that objection lay, where it stucke with him, he was able to bring arguments to perswade him, goe thy way (said the Lord;) for they are dead that sought thy life.

Last of all, Reas. 3. God is onely able to doe it, because he is able to mend the heart where it is amisse: God onely can amend the heart. A man perhaps may be able to shew an object, and to bring it to light: but what if the eye be a­misse? the man is not able to see and to discerne for all that; If a man [...] oye be blind, if there be any west in it, he is not able to remoue it; So a man may propound arguments, but to make the heart capable of those arguments, he may propound reasons and perswasions, but to make the heart apprehensiue of them, it is aboue the power of the Creature: and therefore it is God onely that re­ [...] vs in the spirit of our mindes: he that hath [Page 8] made the eye, and so he that made the will, and the vnderstanding, he only can heale the breaches of them, he onely can elevate them, and put a su­pernaturall light into them, and make them fit to apprehend those spirituall reasons, of any kinde, that he objects and propounds to the hearts of men: So that God onely is able to perswade, as of all other truths, so of this, that all things are in his hands; that he is All-sufficient.

We may make this vse of it: Vse. we see the reason, why one man is able to see and to trust to this All-sufficiencie of God, Why one man trusteth God, and not ano­ther. and another is not. The reason is, because Christ hath revealed it to one man and not to another: God hath taught it to one man and not to another. We see it in common experience; A wise, learned, wittie, and able man, that can dis­cerne more then many others of the vanity of out­ward things, of the All-sufficiencie, and fulnesse that is in God, yet when he comes to the practice of it, he is able to doe nothing: On the other side, wee shall finde in experience, that many poore Christians, that are able to say little, yet when they come to practice, they are able to part with their libertie, with their credit, with their goods, and with their liues, that they may cleau [...]o God, and keepe a cleare Conscience: what is the reason of it? because they be taught of God, they are per­swaded by him, & therefore they are able to prac­tice it; As for the others they are taught by men, they are taught by themselues, and therefore they are not taught it indeed [...], they are not fully con­vinced of it, and therfore though they know such [Page 9] things, though they be floating in their mindes, yet they haue not the vse & the practice of them. Wherein you shall obserue this difference, That a man may know a truth, and yet not be led into that truth, Iohn 16. 13. as you see Ioh. 16. 13. when he shall come which is the spirit of truth, he shall leade you into all truth. (Marke it) he shall leade you into all truth. It is one thing to preach the truth, and another thing to be led into the truth. The holy Ghost shall lead you into all truth, as a man is led by the hand into a place: for we are not onely blind, but lame too; wee are not onely vnable to see spirituall truthes, but when we see them, we are not able to follow the guidance of the holy Ghost; Therefore sayth he, the spirit shall not onely shew you such and such things, but shall leade you into those truthes, he shall leade you into the practice of them. Many men they know what temperance, what sobrietie, and patience are, who are not a­ble to practice them, that are not led into the truth of these poynts: because that is proper to the holy Ghost, it is he onely that leades vs into them; it is he onely that enableth vs so to see them, as to be fully convinced, so, as to resolue vpon the practice of them; and therefore you shall finde the Apostle S. Paul, Ephes. 1. when he revealeth there those spirituall blessings, that we haue in Christ, when he had declared many of those glorious priviled­ges, in the 18. verse he prayes, Ephes 1. 18. that the eyes of their vnderstandings might be opened, to see the hope of their Calling, and the riches of this glorious inheri­tance prepared for the Saints, & the exceeding great­nesse [Page 10] of his power towardes them that beleeue. The meaning of it is this; when Paul had discovered all this, sayth he, this labour of mine will be but in vaine, except the Lord open the eyes of your vn­derstanding. So it is when we preach to you, of the All-sufficiencie of God, when wee discover to you those glorious priviledges, that we haue by Christ, except the Lord open mens eyes, except he send the spirit of revelation into mens hearts to discerne those things, except he preach to the heart, as well as we doe to the eare, it is but lost la­bour; sayth the Apostle, if he would open your eyes to see the hope of your Calling, to see those great hopes that you haue by reason of your Calling, to see the riches of that glorious inheritance pre­pared for the Saints, it is not onely rich, but abun­dant riches. Againe, (sayth he,) to see the ex­ceeding greatnesse of his power: A man is able to see some thing, that God is able to doe this, and to doe that; but to see the exceeding greatnesse of his power, how farre it reacheth, this none is able to doe, vnlesse he haue the spirit of revelation, to open his eyes to see it; That, even as Elisha sayd to Gehasi [...], there are more with vs them against vs. But how came Gehasie to know that? Elisba prayes the Lord to open his eyes, and when his eyes were opened, he saw it visibly: after this manner, the Lord deales with his children; when such truths as these are propounded to them, that God is All-suf­ficient, yet all this is nothing, except God will open their eyes, except he will be with them; as he was with Iob, all that his friends said to him would not [Page 11] perswade him, till God himselfe spake to him out of the whirlewinde. When God himselfe will say to a man as he did to Abraham, I am All-suffici­ent, then he perswades him, and not before. And this, Beloved, is the office of the holy Ghost; it is he that shewes the Father, and the Sonne, to the sonnes of men, it is he that glorifies the Father, and the Sonne. And in this sence he is said to fill them with Ioy vpon all occasions: for the cause why a man rejoyceth is, because he is informed of some good newes, something he is perswaded of, and when he heareth of it, there followes sudden Ioy; So when the Apostles were in distres [...]e, in prison, when they were in danger, the holy Ghost brought good newes to them, he revealed to them such and such things; vpon this revelation, vpon this good newes that was brought to them, it is oft said they were filled with Ioy; which is therefore called the Ioy of the holy Ghost, which the holy Ghost workes in men by perswasion, by revealing to them the hope of their Calling, and the riches of their glorious inheritance, and the exceeding greatnesse of his power, working in those that beleeue. And there­fore this you must cōsider, that though we preach to you, and you heare all these truths of Gods All-sufficiencie, yet you are able to practice nothing, till Christ reveale it to you. If he come to a man when he is in a strait, and say to him, as he did to Paul vpon severall occasions, feare not Paul, I will be with thee. I say, if he himselfe would come thus and speake to the heart of a man, that is, if he would reveale it by his spirit, wee should be able [Page 12] to practice it, we should be able to stay our selues vpon him, wee should be able to trust him in his All-sufficiencie, and would venture vpon any thing, we should be able to doe our dutie, wee should be able to suffer persecution, as the Apo­ [...]le speakes, because we trust in the living God. It is a certaine and true rule, no man is able to guide his life aright, his riches, his credit, his libertie a­right, except he be able to neglect them; and no man is able to neglect them, except he haue some thing that is better in stead of them; except he see these two things.

An emptinesse in them.

And a fulnesse some where els.

But now who is able to perswade men of this? Surely he that perswaded Salomon that all was va­nitie; it is he that must perswade vs; without him it cannot be done. What was the reason else that Peter, Andrew, Iohn, and the rest of the Apostles, were able to forsake all things, when others were not? Doubtlesle, because they were per [...]waded they should finde it againe in Christ, when others were not so perswaded; flesh and bloud did not teach them, but the holy Ghost revealed it to them, that though they had lost all, yet they should find all, yea, they should finde an hundred fold more. What was the Reason that Demas, and others, when they met with persecution, and temporall preferments in the world, were not able to keepe on their course, but turned aside, when Paul who had the same temtations did not? The reason was, because it was not revealed to Demas, but it [Page 13] was to Paul; A window was opened to him in heaven, as it were, to looke into Gods All-suffici­encie, to see the treasures there, to see Gods power, and eternitie, and blessednes; and when he walked in a continuall sight of this All-sufficiencie, Paul cared not whither he went, nor what became of him; it was nothing then for him ot passe from prison to prison, from affliction to affliction. So, as long as a man walkes in a continuall sight of Gods All-sufficiencie, as long as he sees him that is invisible, so long he is full of comfort, so long he is able to doe any thing; but when once his sight is taken from him, when once he is left in darke­nesse, that Torches and Candles begin to appeare great lights vnto him, (as you know it is in the darke night,) that is a signe that a man is in darke­nesse, when the feare of men, and the favour of men, seeme great vnto him: So it will be when God doth but leaue vs a little, when he doth but cloud vs, when he withdrawes from vs that light of his All-sufficiencie, then we are readie to sinke, and to fayle in our dutie, and to turne aside, to balke the wayes of righteousnesse. And therefore if you would haue the vse of this All-sufficiencie, if you would be perswaded that all things are in Gods hands, beseech him to teach you to depend vpon him.

Beloved, it is certaine, that the holiest man that is, hath as much loue of himselfe as others, they desire their safetie, as well as others, they desire to haue libertie, and life, as well as others: but here is all the difference, they are perswaded that God [Page 14] is All-sufficient, to restore all these to them, when they loose them for his sake, when other men are not so perswaded: they haue a new judgement of things, they haue another judgement of heavenly things, and of earthly, they see another vanitie in the Creatures, and another All-sufficiencie in God, then other men see, or then they themselues ever saw before; And this is the reason they are able to doe that which other men are not able to doe; and therefore, the way to haue the vse of all this knowledge, is to seeke to God, to beseech him to enlighten you, that he would declare this to you, that he would leade you into this truth; and when he hath taught you, you shall be able to know all this, and to know it to purpose. So much for this first poynt.

As we told you, there are here these two Con­clusions:

First; That the iust, and the wise, and their workes are in the hands of God.

And secondly; That all things come alike to all: we will take the first as it lyes, and deliver to you the same poynt, which is this;

That all things, all men, all their wayes, all the Creatures, with the severall workes of them, are in the hands of God: for it is thus methodically set downe; The wise are in the hands of God, and their workes, and so are the wicked, and their workes, and so are all the Creatures in his hands, with all the effects that proceede from them.

This then is the poynt; Doct. 3. ‘That all things are in Gods hands. All things are in Gods hands.’

[Page 15]Now how all things are in Gods hands in gene­rall, we haue declared to you before: but we will now deliver it a little more distinctly, that I may adde some thing to that, which I haue formerly taught. They are all in the hands of God, that is, o­riginally in the hands of the Father, and in the hands of all the persons of the Trinitie, as they joyne in the deitie, as they are God: but yet, if you compare this place with some other, you shall see more distinctly in what manner they are in the hands of God: They are, I say, originally in the hands of the Father; but yet they are more im­mediatly put into the hands of the Sonne, as he is Mediator. Therefore compare this place with Math. 11. 27. Math. 11. 27. All things (sayth he) are given me of my Father, and none knowes the Sonne, but the Fa­ther: and so likewise with Ioh. 3. 35. Ioh. 3. 35. The Father loues the Sonne, and hath given all things into his hands: 1 Cor. 15. 24. and with that 1 Cor. 15. 24. you shall see there this expression; sayth the Apostle, there shall be an end, when Christ shall giue vp the King dome into the hands of the Father. The meaning of it is this, that though all things be in the hands of God, yet they are all put into the hands of Christ, as he is Mediator; Psal. 2. 8. and therefore Psal. 2. it is sayd, Aske of me, and I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inhe­ritance, and the vtmost parts of the earth for thy pos­session: That is, he will giue them into his hands to doe with them what he pleaseth; So that (to adde this to that which we haue before delivered) it will be a profitable poynt for vs to consider, that though God be All-sufficient, and hath all things [Page 16] in his hands, yet he hath put all this into the hands of his Sonne.

You willsay, Quest. what comfort is there in that? or to what end is it vsefull for vs to know, that they are in the hands of the sonne, more then that they are in the hands of the Father?

It is to this purpose; Ans. That you may be more confident in comming to God, to aske any thing at his hands: for therefore hath the Lord done it, that you may come with the more boldnesse: for Christ hath taken our nature, our flesh; he is nee­rer to vs, then God the Father, who dwels in light inaccessible, he is one whom wee haue knowne, he dwelt among vs, he is of the same kindred, as it were, we are flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone. Now when we shall heare, that all things are put into his hands, as he is Mediator, as he is the Angell of the Covenant, we may goe with the more boldnes, we may haue the more confidence, that, as wee haue neede and vse of any thing, it shall not be denied vs: for we know all is in the hands of him, whom we loue, whom wee feare.

When one heareth that his Prince hath put all that hee hath into the handes of a friend, with whom hee is well acquainted, it must needes glad his heart, and fill him with hope of obtaining any thing that is fitting for him; As it was with Iacob, when Ioseph sayd to him, all this I haue in mine handes, &c. It was a great comfort to Iacob, that one whom he knew so well, that was flesh of his flesh, had all things in his hands: Now this is the comfort wee haue by [Page 17] it, That the Father hath put all things into the hands of the Sonne, into the hands of Christ, as he is Mediator: and this he hath done for these rea­sons.

First; Reas. 1. That men might glorifie the Sonne, that men might honour the Sonne, as they honour the Father, for therefore was it that he would not keepe all in his owne hands, but gaue them vp in­to the hands of the Sonne.

Secondly; Reas. 2. He hath done it, that he might dis­pence that All-sufficiencie, that is in himselfe in a way beseeming himselfe, with that indulgence, and that mercie, that is sutable to himselfe, and su­table likewise to our frailtie. Exod 33. 3. And therefore Exo­dus 33. 3. The Lord said, I will not goe vp with thee, for thou art a stiffe-necked people, therefore I will not goe vp with thee, least I consume thee; but I will send before thee, the Angell of my presence, and he shall goe vp with thee: As if he should say, I haue pure eyes, I am not able to see that which I shall see in thee, but I shall be readie to consume thee; but he is more indulgent, he is more merciful, he is more able to beare, because he is made the Mediator, therefore (sayth he) he shall goe along with thee, even the Angell of my presence: Whereby you may see, that the Lord hath put all power into the hands of the Mediator, that he might dispence it the bet­ter to the sonnes of men.

Thirdly; Reas. 3. He hath done it, that it might be sure to vs: for if the Lord had made an immediate Co­venant with the sonnes of men, there had be [...]ne little hope for vs: Wee should haue broken it, as [Page 18] Adam did, when the Covenant was made with him; but he hath put it into the hands of a Media­tor, whom he hath made the Angell, or the Mes­senger of his Covenant, that it might be sure to vs, that is, that the Lord might performe all his pro­mises to vs, and that we might keepe likewise the Condition on our part: for therefore Christ is said to be the Messenger of the Covenant, to dispence to vs that which God hath put into his hands, part­ly, because he is able to reconcile the Father to vs, (and therefore he is the Priest, that is entred into the holy of holies, that is, into the very heavens, to make intercession for vs,) partly also, because he is able to bring vs in, as a Prophet to enlighten vs in the knowledge of him, and as a King, to subd [...]e the stubbornnesse of our hearts, and enable vs to obey him; So that the Covenant is immediately made with him, and not with vs; therefore, all things be­ing put into his hands, he being the Messenger of the Covenant, it is made sure to vs, that other­wise had not beene.

Last of all; The Father hath done it, Reas. 4. that no flesh might reioyce in it selfe; so sayth the Apostle, he hath made the Sonne to vs wisedome, righteous­nesse, sanctification, and redemption, that he that re­ioyceth might reioyce in the Sonne. And therefore we see Deut. 8. 18. Deut. 8. 18. how carefull he was to teach the Israelites this, shewing them, that they were not brought into that good land for their owne righteousnesse, but for his Covenants sake, that is, for the Covenant he made both with them and vs in Christ, when was manifested to Abraham and Iacob, but was in the Sonne.

[Page 19]The vse that we are briefly to make of it is this, Vse. that we should take heede of comming to God for any part of his All-sufficiencie, except it be in the name of his Sonne. When you heare that God is All-sufficient, you must not thinke now to goe to God immediately, to say Lord be [...]ow on me such and such things, as I want: for in doing so, what doe we else but draw neere to God, as the stubble, or the waxe should draw neere to the fire? who is able to dwell with euer lasting burnings? He is a consuming fire to the so [...]nes of men, if they come to him immediately. But if you come to him in the name of the Sonne, into whose hands he hath put all things, he is readie to accept you, & to grant you whatsoever you aske in his name, Lev. 17. 5. Levit. 17. 5. it was death for a man, though his sa­crifice was never so good, to offer it without a Priest; and it is no lesse then death to any man to come to God without Christ, that is, the Lord doth not giue life to that man, he doth not raise him from nature, which is death enough. When we come to God with out the Sonne, what doe we els in so doing, but dishonour the Sonne? We giue him not that honor which his Father would haue him to haue. What doe we else but robbe him of that which he hath purchased at a deare rate for even for this very cause did he suffer▪ Therefore (sayth he,) he hath given him a name aboue all names. What doe we else but reioyce in our selues, and forget to giue all the glory to Christ? There­fore whensoever you come to God, still take heede, that you forget not Christ, but that you come in his name.

[Page 20]Secondly; Vse 2. As we must not come without him, so we must come with confidence, & much bold­nesse, if we come in his name; and that especiall vse is to be made of it in the second place, to come with boldnes to partake of his All-sufficiencie, for it is in the hands of the Son, it is in the hands of a Mediator.

The reason why great things are not done for vs, notwithstanding God is All-sufficient, is, be­cause we come not with great faith; If we were able to beleeue much, it would be to vs according to our faith. And what is the reason that we come not with great faith, but because we come not in the name of Christ? Wee are discouraged in the sight of our owne weaknesse, or imperfections and frailties; but if we did looke on Christ, and behold him, and come in his name, we would come with a strong faith, and if we did so, it would be accor­ding to our faith. When we come timorously and fearefully to God, when we come doubting whe­ther we shall receiue it or no, it is a signe we come in our owne name; When we come boldly and confidently, and make no question, but the thing we aske shall be granted, it is a signe that we come in the name of Christ; and if we doe so, doe you thinke he will deny vs? My Beloved, to what end hath the Father given him all things into his hands? Why is he made rich with all treasures? Is it that he might keepe it, and hoard it vp? No, but it is to bestowe on those that his Father hath given him amongst men; when a man hath riches it is a vanitie vnder the Sunne, sayth Salomon, to [Page 21] keepe them, and hoard them vp; he were as good not to haue them, as not to vse them; and doe you thinke that Christ will haue all things given into his hands for nothing? Is it not to bestow on vs? Doe you thinke, that he will purchase a thing at so deare a rate, and when he hath done, make no vse of it? It is said Phil. 2. 8. 9. Phil. 2. 8. 9. That, because he tooke vpon him the forme of a servant, and was o­bedient to the death of the Crosse, therefore his Father gaue him a name aboue all names, and therefore he did thus and thus vnto him, hath he purchased this for himselfe, for his owne sake? Certainely, it was not for himselfe, for he had no neede of it, but he bought it for vs; and will he not make vse of it, when he hath done? therefore doubt not when you come in his name, you shall receiue, and that abundantly too; when wee come in the name of his Sonne, he is able to deny vs nothing, onely remember this, that thou come with bold­nesse. It is said, Ephes. 3. 12. Ephes. 3. 12. that we haue this bene­fit by Christ, we come with boldnesse and confidence through faith in him.

If a man through the apprehension and sight of his owne righteousnesse, of his owne sanctificati on, that measure of it, that hee hath obtained, thinke thus with himselfe, I haue thus walked with God, I haue beene thus perfect, I haue thus farre kept the way, I haue thus farre denied my selfe, and therefore I shall be heard. If he goe this way to worke, he shall finde many objections, much falsenesse in his heart, much vnevennesse in his wayes, that will discourage him; therefore so, a [Page 22] man cannot come with boldnesse. But, sayth he, you shall come boldly; through whom? through [...]aith in Christ, that is, if you come in Christ, con­sider that you are in Covenant with him, that you come in his name, that it is he you present to the Father, when you aske any thing at his hands, and thus you may come with boldnesse, what ob­jection soever there can be made, they will be all easily answered in Christ.

Then last of all, Thankfulnes. if it be in Christ, if it be put in­to his hands immediately, then whensoever you receiue any thing, let him haue the sacrifice of prayse, let it adde some new loue, and some new ingagement, and thankefulnesse to the Sonne. The Father hath done it for that purpose, that the Sonne might be honoured, that the Sonne might be magnified, that wee might learne to loue the Sonne, to serue the Sonne, as we doe the Father; and therefore whensoever we obtaine any thing at his hands, let vs be thankfull to the Sonne; La­bour to see his grace abounding towards vs, and our hearts abounding to him in thankfulnesse, and in all the fruits of obedience. So much like­wise shall serue for this poynt.

Now we come to the next Conclusion, All things come alike to all; The same condition is to the iust, as to the wicked, and to the good and pure, and to the polluted, to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not; such as the good is, so is the sinner, he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. Hence I gather thus much (before I come to speake of the application of these events to the sonnes of men,)

[Page 23]That All men are divided into these two rankes, Doct. 3. either they are good or bad, All men divi­ded into two Rankes. either they are polluted or cleane, either they are such as sacrifice, or such as sa­crifice not: There is no middle sort of men in the world; all are either sheepe, or goates, all are ei­ther within the Covenant, or without the Cove­nant, all are either elect, or reprobates; God hath divided all the world into these two, either they are the Lords portion, or the Devils portion.

There are some Reasons of it.

One is; Reas. 1. That God hath made all men to be ves­sels of honour, or of dishonour, there is no vessell of an indi [...]erent or middle vse.

Againe; Reas. 2. Who are they that divide the world? God and Sathan: Either you belong to God, and are his portion (as Deut. 32. 9. Deut. 32. 9. His people are his portion,) or you are the Devils portion.

And so likewise may we reason from the two principles, Reas. 3. either a man is borne of the flesh, or of the spirit; if he be borne of the spirit, he is spirituall, and if he be borne of the flesh, he is fleshly. And therefore in one of these two conditions hee must needes be; which I obserue for this purpose.

First, Vse 1. you see hence then, that there are but two places hereafter for men, as there are but two rankes of men; there is no middle place, as the Papists affirme, there is no Purgatorie, or Limbus, either for the Fathers before Christ, or for Chil­dren now; As they are all in one of these two rankes, in one of these two conditions, so there are but two places into which all men are divided, some to the one, and some to the other.

[Page 24]But secondly; Vse 2. The chiefest vse that wee are to make of it is this; If it be so, if a mans condition must be one of these two, that either he is within the dore in the Kingdome of God, or without, that though some are come neere the Kingdome of God, some are farther off among those that are without. And againe, among those that are with­in the doore, some are farther in, some are not so farre, some haue proceeded farther into the Tem­ple, some a lesse way, yet there are none in a mid­dle way, but all are either within, or without, let vs then learne to consider, what our condition is, let not our perswasion and opinion of our selues, hang betweene both, but let vs come to this con­clusion, to this disiunctiue proposition, Either I am in the number of those that are good, or that are bad; either I am within the Covenant or with­out; and so consider in which of these two condi­tions we are: Men are exceeding apt in this case to deceiue themselues; and therefore when the A­postle hath occasion to speake of this, he premi­seth that still, Be not deceived, such and such shall not inherit the Kingdome of God: Ephes. 5. 6. and so in Ephes. 5. 6. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words; for, for such things comes the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience: That is, men are exceeding apt to deceiue themselues; to be pure in their owne eyes, when they are not yet clensed from their filthi­nesse, to thinke their estate good, when it is not; and therefore, beware, take heede that it be not so with you. What a miserable condition is it, that when a man hath beene at the paines to set vp a [Page 25] large building, he should then loose all his labour for want of a good foundation? that a man should do as the foolish Virgins, get oyle in their Lamps, and make a great blaze for a time, and when they come to the very poynt, to the dore, to the gate, then to be excluded: Nay, what a folly is it for a man to deceiue himselfe in this. It may be, a man out of the corruption of his nature, may be wil­ling to deceiue another; but for a man to deceiue himselfe, it is exceeding great folly. And truely, as it is said of flattery, none can be flattered by a­nother, till first he flatter himselfe; So no man can be deceived by another, till first he be willing to deceiue himselfe. Therefore take heede of decei­ving your selues.

Beloved, there is a great backwardnesse in vs to come to the tryall; as a crazie bodie will not in­dure the tryall of the weather; as a weake eye will not indure the light, for it is offensiue to it; So when the heart is not sound, this tryall, this sear­ching, this examining of the heart, it is tedious, grieuous, and burthensome; but yet, Beloved, it is profitable, it is that which makes vs sound in the faith, we must come to it sooner or latter, and it is best for vs to come to it, while we haue time to helpe it, if we finde things amisse. To haue a great fraight, and to make shipwracke in the Haven, were a greatfolly; and therefore we should looke to the Barke, and see whether it be sound or no. To see in what estate we are, in which of these conditions we are.

You will say to me, Quest. how shall we know?

[Page 26]I will name you but these foure wayes of tryall, Answ. that are named here: the Wiseman makes this diffe­rence of men, Fouretryals. some are good, and some are evill, some are cleane, and some are polluted, some sa­crifice, others sacrifice not, some are carelesse of an oath, others feare an oath. Wouldest thou know then in which of these two [...]ankes of men thou art? Consider then whether thou be a good man or an evill man, that is one distinction. Goodnesse consists in these foure things.

1 First; Goodnesse which con­sists in foure things. The tree must be good, as you haue it in Math. 7. 16. 17. that is, a man then is said to be a good man, when there is a good sap in him, when there is some thing in him that is good, when there are some supernaturall graces wrought in him, Mat. 7. 16. 17. he that is not emptie of these, he is a good 1 man: as it is said of Barnabas, he was a good man; and how was that proved? he was full of faith, and the holy Ghost. See then whether thou hast an emp­tie heart or no. You say a thing is good for no­thing, when it is emptie of that excellencie, that should be in it; when Wine hath not that in it, that belongs to wine, you say it is naught; and so we say of all things else; When a man there­fore hath not that in him that belongs to a man, that is, to a man, as he was created in innocency, he is wicked and naught, a sonne of Beliall: but when he hath a blessing in him, as grapes haue wine in them, when he hath supernaturall grace wrought in his heart, when he hath the new Adam putting into his heart, the sap of grace & life, then he is good. Therefore see whether there be some­what [Page 27] put into thee, more then is in thee by na­ture, see whether thou finde the new Adam effec­tually to cōmunicate new sap to thee, new grace, and new light to thee, as the old Adam hath com­municated corruption; See whether thou be made a good tree or no: for it is the tree, that makes the fruit good, and not the fruit, that makes the tree good; So it is the man, that justifieth his worke, and not the worke, that justifieth the man: and therefore thou must first see, whether thou be in the Covenant, whether thou hast this seale, that thou seest some thing put into thee, which thou hast not by nature. Every man by nature is emp­tie: when grace is put into him, then he is said to be good. As it is good wine, when it is full of spi­rit, when it hath that in it, that belongs to wine; So he is a good man, that hath that in him, which belongs to him in his regenerate estate.

Secondly; Consider whether thou bring forth 2 good fruit, that is, not onely whether thou doest good actions, but whether they flow from thee, whether they grow in thine heart as naturally, as fruit growes on the tree, that flowes from the sap within. When a man not onely doth good works, but when he is zealous of them, it is his meate and drinke to doe them, when they flow from him, as water from the fountaine, then he is a good man: for if the tree be good, that is, if the heart be good, a man will be as readie, and will as naturally bring forth good fruit, as the tree, the Vine, or the Fig­tree bring forth their fruit.

The third thing you shall see in the 2 Tim. 2. 2. Tim. 2. 21. 3 [Page 28] vessels are said to be good, to be vessels of honour; when they are prepared to every good worke; So when a man is good, and brings forth good fruit, and not onely brings it forth, but if there be any occasions to put forth the goodnesse, that is in him, he is parepared for it, as a vessell is prepared for such a turne, for such a service. The word in the originall signifieth, when a man is fashioned, as a vessell is fashioned: and the meaning of the holy Ghost is therefore to shew, that then a man is good, when his heart is fitted to good workes, when he knowes how to goe about them, where­as another bungles at them, and knowes not how to doe them, he is prepared for them; and there­fore there needs no more, but to put him and the good worke together, and he is readie to per­forme it.

4 The last is; Act. 10. 38. When there is not onely a readines, but practice vpon all occasions, when a man doth good, as it is sayd, that Iesus Christ went about doing good. And therefore he is a good man that is a vse­full man, such a man that every one fares the bet­ter for, such a man as is serviceable to God & pro­fitable to men. Before regeneration when a man is a stranger to this goodnesse, he onely serues himselfe, he is full of selfe-loue, all his ends are to looke to himselfe, that he may be kept safe; he cares not what becomes of any thing els, so it be well with him; but when once goodnesse comes into his heart, it hath this fruit, he goes about do­ing good; because grace brings that principle in­to the heart, that never grew there before, that it [Page 29] the loue of God and man; whereas before there was nothing but selfe-loue in him, which plant growes naturally in the garden of nature, when grace comes, it brings loue with it, and that loue makes vs vsefull, and serviceable both to God and man, So that whatsoever a man hath, what gifts, what knowledge, what authoritie he hath, he is readie to vse it for the good of others. As the A­postle saith of One simus in the Epistle to Phile­mon; Now he is profitable to thee and mee, whereas before he was vnprofitable: So it may be said of all Saints; when once this goodnesse is put into them, now they are profitable to God and man; they doe serue God and man with their fatnesse, and with their sweetnesse, before they were vnprofitable to others, but now they are profitable both to them­selues and others.

This is the first note, by which you may know your selues: Art thou a good and vsefull man, dost thou goe about doing good, doe those fare the better for thee, with whom thou hast to doe, dost thou spend the fatnesse, and the sweetnesse, that God hath given thee, to serue God and man with it, then conclude thou art in the ranke of those that are the Lords portion, other­wise thou art yet without the Cove­nant, thou art yet in the gall of bitternes. The other three I must deferre till the afternoone.

So much for this time.

THE SECOND SERMON.

WEE will now proceede to the se­cond difference which remai­neth; and that is this;

Consider whether thou bee cleane and pure in heart, or pol­luted; There is the same condition to the pure, and to the polluted.

2 Now what it is to be cleane, Difference. 1 Cor. 6. 11. or to be washed, you shall see 1 Cor. 6. 11. And such were some of you: That is, you were polluted with those sins, there named, but now (sayth he) you are washed. And wherein stands this washing? He tels vs it stands in these two things: Now you are iustified; now you are sanctified. You are iustified through the name of Christ; and sanctified through the spirit of our God. [Page 31] So then, he is a pure man, or a cleane man, that is first washed from the guilt of his sinnes, that is, that hath no sinne lying vpon his Conscience, that hath not a polluted Conscience, which is a phrase vsed Titus 1. Titus 1. whose mindes and consciences are defiled. Now defilement, or pollution is in the Conscience, as Divines say, as a thing that is knowne is in the facultie, or vnderstanding that knowes it; and therefore the man that hath com­mitted any sinne, which yet continues vpon his owne score, which his Conscience is yet guiltie of, & for which he hath not yet gotten an acquit­tance from Almightie God, he is an impure man, he is yet vncleane; for he is not yet washed from his filthinesse.

A man againe that hath gotten any assurance of forgiuenesse, so that all his sinnes are put vpon the reckoning of Iesus Christ, and there are none that lye vpon his owne score, a man who hath made all his reckonings even with God, and hath some assurance therof such a man is washed from his filthinesse. Such a phrase you haue likewise in Ezech. 36. 25. Ezek. 36. 25. I will cleanse you (or wash you) from all your Idols: That is, from all your Idolatrie, from all the sinnes that you haue cōmitted, I will wash you, that is, with imputation, or sprinkling of the bloud of Christ.

The second cleannesse, is, when a man is not 2 onely washed with the imputation of the bloud of Christ, and the assurance of pardon, but also when he is washed from the staine of sinne, when he is sanctified through the spirit, when sinne is [Page 32] mortified in him, when it is as well healed, as for­given. And therefore if thou wouldest know whe­ther thou art a cleane man or polluted, consider also this, whether thou hast a cleane heart or no, that is, whether thou hast such an habituall dis­position of puritie and cleannesse, that thou canst not indure to looke vpon any sinne, no more then a man, that is of a neate and cleane disposition, can indure to see filthines, whether thou hast such a disposition, as that although thou be sprinkled with sinne from day to day, though thou be fow­led and spotted with it, yet thou sufferest it not to abide in thy heart; thy heart workes it out, as we sayd to you before.

So that this you are to obserue, to finde out the cleannesse of a mans disposition, whether he can looke vpon sinne, as an vncleane thing, as a thing from which his soule hath an aversion, as a thing that he abhorres, that is, although there be some thing in him, that loues it, that delights in it, that likes it, yet the prevailing part of the soule ab­horres it. Both the cleane and polluted may for­sake sinne, and may turne away from sinne, and therfore in that the difference is not seene, but the difference is in this, that thou art able to hate and abhorre sinne, to looke on it as a thing that is fil­thy and vncleane. Simile. A Marchant, you know, will cast out his goods, when he is in danger of his life, but he hates not his goods; So a man may cast a­way sinne, when it puts him in danger of [...]inking into hell, or of the judgements of men. It is one thing to part with sinne, and another thing to hate sinne.

[Page 33]A man may withdraw himselfe from sinne, It is not lea­ving but ha­ting of sinne that sheweth puritie. he may giue it over, he may seeme to be divorced from it, and yet he may haue a monthes mind af­ter it, he may doe with it still, as the husband of Michall, when shee was taken from him, yet, sayth the Text, he came weeping after her a far off, he longed after her still, and loved her still; So a man may part with his sinne after such a manner, that still he goes weeping after it, he would haue it againe, he would faine inioy it, if it were not for some greater danger, or some greater trouble that he exposeth himselfe vnto; as you see in Phal­tiel, it was not for want of loue to his wife, that he parted with her, but it was out of a desire he had to saue himselfe, to escape the danger of the Kings wrath, imprisonment, and death, that would haue followed vpon it. Therefore consider what hatred you haue of sinne, and by that you must judge whether you haue a cleane disposition or no. You must not thinke any man is perfectly cleane, and pure, but he is a cleane man, that suffers not any impuritie to take quiet possession of his heart, although he haue vncleane thoughts and vncleane affections (as all sinfull thoughts and affections are) though sinne may passe through his heart, as they passed through the Temple, yet he suffereth it not to set vp Tables in the Temple, to set vp an Idoll in his heart, he suffereth it not to make any breach of Covenant with God, to be adulterous a­gainst him; though there may be many glances, some adulterous and vncleane actions, that is not the thing that breakes the Covenant, when [Page 34] the heart is still wedded to God, and chooseth God, and no other. And therefore, I say, in that it is not seene, but consider what thy disposition is, whe­ther thou hate that sinne all the while. A man that is of an impure spirit, of an impure heart, when he is with impure company, when he delights him­selfe with impure thoughts, then he is where he would be, he is then in his owne element, and when he is otherwise, he is where he would not be▪ On the other side, he that hath an habituall dispo­sition of purenesse and cleannesse, though he may be transported to those acts of sinne and polluti­on, yet his heart hates it, he is not where he would be all the while, he is not vpon his owne center, his heart still fights against it, and resists it; there­fore consider with thy selfe, what thy heart is in this case, whether thou haue a heart that hates vn­cleannesse, or whether thou hast yet a swinish dis­position, that thou lyest in the mud, and deligh­test to lye in it.

A man may fall into the mud, but he delighteth not to be there; no more will a cleane disposition delight in sinne. And you may know it by this effect, where the disposition is vncleane, there sinne abides, till it staine the heart, till it make a man spotted of the world, that is, it causeth him to keepe a tract in sinne, that a man may say, this is the path he walketh in, it causeth him to weare the livery of sinne, that he may be knowne by it from day to day, it causeth the spot so to sinke into the soule, that a man may see he is such a man. This is to haue an vncleane disposition, when vnclean­nesse [Page 35] so cleaues to his soule, that they agree toge­ther: whereas in a man that hath a pure dispositi­on, it is not so; as, 1 Ioh [...]. 1 Ioh. 3. 3. he that hath this hope purifieth himselfe: The meaning is this, there is a double hope; there is the hope of the hypocrite, that is a dead hope, that doth not set a man on worke to cleanse himselfe from fil [...]hinesse. There is againe, 1 Pet. 1. 3. a liuely hope, spoken of in 1 Pet. 1. 3. that sets a man on worke to clense himselfe; that is, when a man hath a true hope, a reall hope to haue that vndefiled inheritance, he considers this with himselfe, that an impure heart, and an vndefiled inheritance will not stand together, and because he hopes for it in good earnest, (it is not a false hope, it is not a dead hope) therefore he sets him­selfe on worke indeede to purifie himselfe; he that hath that hope purifieth himselfe, he cleanseth him­selfe. Who ever therefore doth not purifie him­selfe, it is an argumēt that his hope is dead which he hath of being saved, it is but the hope of an hy­pocrite; a hope that will stand him in no steede; for it brings forth no endevour: that is the second thing. I must be briefe in this, because this is not the poynt I intend, but that which followes.

The third expression here vsed, Difference. is, he that sacri­ficeth, 3 and he that sacrificeth not. This is but a Sy­necdoche, where one particular is put for all other kindes of holy duties; But the meaning is this; you shall know a man by this, in which of the two conditions he is, he whose heart is vpright with God, he dares not omit any holy ordinance, he dares not omit any sacrifice, he dares not per­forme [Page 36] forme them in a slight and negligent manner. He againe whose heart is false, sacrificeth not, that is, either he omits the dutie, or else he omits the substance and life of the dutie. You know in Iam. 2. 10. Iam. 2. 10. he sayth there, he that abideth in all, that keepes all the Commandements, and yet fayles in one, he is guiltie of all▪ and so you may say of the ordi­nances, he that keepes them, he that observeth them, but yet fayles in one, it is argumēt enough, that he makes not Conscience of any. You shall finde this true, that whosoever he is, that sacrifi­ceth not, that is, he that prayes not constantly, he that heares not, he that reades not the Scrip­tures, he that sanctifieth not Gods Sabbaths, he that partaketh not of the Sacraments, &c. he that v­seth not holy Conference, and fasting, and pray­er in its season, such a man is in an evill conditi­on; It is given here as a note of an evill man, he sacrificeth not.

But you will say to me▪ Ob. may not a man, whose heart is vnsound, keepe a constant course in sacri­ficing to the Lord, that is, in praying to the Lord? May he not keepe those ordinances constantly?

Beloved, Answ. I answer; He may keepe them con­stantly, that is, he may doe the outside of the du­tie, he may performe the dutie in a formall man­ner; and many times men are deceived with this, it is an vsuall case, (nothing more vsuall in the Church of God,) for a man to content himselfe with a perfunctory, ordinary performance, a cu­stomary performance of good duties▪ But herein Sathan deceiues men, as we deceiue children, [Page 37] when we take from them gold and silver, that is truely precious, and giue them Counters, things that haue no worth in them; onely they haue a good glosse vpon them, which quiets them, be­cause they be children, because they cannot put a difference betweene things of show, and things of true worth; for even thus Sathan vsually quiets the Consciences of men, with these bare formes of pietie, because they are not able to discerne, not able to distinguish betweene the precious du­ties, and the right performance of them, and be­tweene the formall and emptie performance, which hath an outward splendour and glittering shew of performance; but in truth he cozens and deceiues men with it; therefore, I say, a man may doe these duties, he may be constant in prayer from day to day, he may be constant in hearing, and performing all the ordinances of God, in sacri­ficing (as the Wiseman speakes here,) yet for all this, not be one of these good men, according to this note, because he doth not performe them in a holy and spirituall manner.

You will say to me, Quest. how shall I know that?

You shall know it thus; Ans. when the ordinances of God are spiritually performed, when holy duties are performed in a holy manner, How to know when we per­forme Gods Ordinances aright. you shall finde these effects in them:

First; Ier▪ 23. 29. They are a fire to heate the heart; as in 1 Iere. 23. my word is as fire.

Againe, They quicken the heart, when it is 2 dead, heavie, and dull, and indisposed to any good dutie, they raise and quicken it.

[Page 18] 3 Againe; They build vs vp; we are g [...]iners by them, wee grow more rich both in grace and knowledge: Iud [...] 20. Iude. 20. verse, Edifie your selues in your most holy faith, praying in the holy Ghost; As if he should say, that will edifie you: and you know what Christ sayes, Mar. 4. 24. take heede how you heare, for to him that hath, more shall be given; that is, he that heares as he ought to heare, every time that he heares he growes something more rich, he gaines some more saving knowledge, some grea­ter degree of saving grace.

4 Againe; The ordinances of God heale the soule; They heale the distempers of it, they compose it and put it into a good frame of grace: Iob. 15. 3. 4. as in Iob 15. 3. 4. sayth Eliphas there to Iob, dost thou dispute with words not comely, &c. with talke that is not profitable, surely, sayth he, thou restrainest prayer from the Almightie; As if he should say, Iob, if thou diddest pray, thou wouldest not fall into these di­stempered speeches, as thou dost; thy heart would not be so disordered, thou wouldest not be so pas­sionate and froward, as thou art; therefore surely thou restrainest prayer. Whence I gather, that duties performed as they should be, compose the heart, and heale those d [...]stempers.

5 Againe; They make the heart fruitfull; and therefore they are compared to raine, that fals vpon the earth, and comes not in vaine.

6 Againe; They teach vs to disti [...]guish betweene good and evill, to divide the flesh and the spirit; still a man sees somwhat more then he did in his owne heart, he sees the good, that is in it, and the cor­ruption, that is in it.

[Page 19]Lastly; They cleanse the heart, yea the heart of 7 a young man, where lusts are strong, where the staine is deepe, and will not out without Fullers sope, Psal. 119. 9. David Psal. 119. 9. sayth, that the Word clen­seth the heart, &c. Wherewith shall a young man clense his heart, &c.

Now then examine thy selfe, whether thou so performest these ordinances, and holy duties, that God commands thee, that thou finde these effects of them; If thou dost, then thou art one that sacrificeth, if otherwise, then thou art one that sa­crificeth not; and therefore consider whether thy heart be warmed by them; If they be to thee as painted fire, such as hath no heate, thou dost not sacrifice, it is but an outward forme; consider if they quicken thy heart, or if it be as dead, and as backward, and as indisposed to good duties, and as prone to things that are evill, after thou hast performed them as before, if so, though thou seeme to sacrifice, yet thou art of the number of those that sacrifice not: dost thou finde it doth not divide the flesh, and the spirit, that it is as a [...]word without an edge, that it is as salt, that biteth not, which doth not clense the heart? it is an argument thou dost not performe them, as thou shouldest; for there is a sharpnesse in holy ordinances, that makes vs sound in the faith, because it discovers to vs the secret corruptions of the heart. Dost thou finde thy lusts as strong, as they were? are they not clensed out? it is a signe thou dost not vse the scowring as thou shouldest; and so we may say of all the rest. Dost thou finde the word to fall vpon [Page 40] thy heart, as the raine fals vpon the earth, or as vpon a stone, that sinkes not into it, that makes it not more fruitfull? Dost thou finde that thou dost heare from day to day, and yet art not richer in grace, and in knowledge; That it cannot be sayd to thee, that thou hast so much more, as thou hast heard more? Dost thou finde that prayer builds thee not vp, that thou gettest not some strength, some strong resolution, that thou confirmest not thy Covenant with God, thy purpose of abstaining from sinne, and the like, that there is not some­what added to that spirituall building? thou art in the number of those that sacrifice not, though thou keepe a constant course in performing reli­gious duties. So much likewise shall serue for this.

4 The last expression is, He that sweareth, and he that feareth an oath. That which is said of this sinne, Difference. may be applyed likwise to all others, and so here is a fourth difference betwixt the good and bad. A man who is within the Covenant, hath this propertie, that he feares sinne, and dares not med­dle with it, that is, he will not neglect looking to his heart, he will not be negligent in keeping a Watch over his heart, and over his wayes, but hath a continuall eye vpon sinne, as we say Timor [...]igens oculos, &c. what a man feares, he will be sure to haue a continuall eye vnto it.

If a man be about a busines, and there be any thing that he feares, he will neglect his worke to haue an eye vpon that, whatsoever it be. If a man feare sinne, he will be very diligent in watching [Page 41] himselfe, in taking heede that sinne come not vp­on him by the by, with some by-blow, that he looked not for; such a man hath a continuall eye vpon sinne, he is exceeding diligent in looking to his heart and wayes; when another man neglects it, and therefore easily slips into sinne, now into an oath, now into Sabbath-breaking, sometimes to the omission of prayer, sometimes to the lust of vncleann [...]sse, sometimes to lying and dissem­bling, sometimes to one sinne, sometimes to ano­ther; and the reason is, because he is negligent. The foolish goes on and is carelesse, that is, he feares not sinne, and therefore he neglects, having an eye to sinne.