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not for all, but for many: but when the Apostles preached to the Gentiles, then it's said indeed, and not before, That Christ died for all, Why? Because they held forth Christ to the Gentile, as well as to the Jew: And therefore if ye look into 1 Tim. 2. you shall find, That whereas the Apostle had said, verse 4. Who would have all men to be saved; and ver. 5.6. Fo • there is one Mediator who gave himself a ransom for all: He explains this, in regard of the Gentiles, verse 7. Whereunto I am ordained, a Preacher, and an Apostle; a Teacher of the Gentiles: and thus it is a reason why they should pray for all, even for the Heathen Magistrates, ver. 1. And to the same purpose doth the Apostle John speak, Epist. 1. Chap. 2. Ver, • . And he (speaking of Christ) is the Propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but for the whole world; not for the sins of the whole World, as o • r Translation gives it: But as the Greek, and the ancient Syriac renders it, for the whole world: but why, and how is Christ the Propitiation for the whole World? What, is Christ the Propitiation for every particular man in the World? No, but the whole World is opposed to the Jews, unto whom he wrote; for to the believing scattered Jews did he now write, as appears by the Title of this Epistle, called an Epistle General; which Title, only those Epistles of James, Jude, and Peter have; which were written to the scattered Jews, 1 Pet. 1. 1 James, 1.1. So that in this sense it is true, Christ died for all, that is, for the Jew and Gentile; but that he died for every particular man in the world, with intention to save him, is nowhere to be found in the Scripture.

As for the comfortableness of that Doctrine of Universal Redemption, whereas it's said, That it is Conducible to the comfort of such as are afflicted and troubled in Spirit. If this Doctrine of Universal Rede • ption, be indeed an Enemy to the comfort of a poor, doubting, afflicted soul, then you have no reason to be discouraged in regard of this Objection, or of your own Condition in this respect.

Now to clear that, take these Four or Five Arguments:

Arg. 1. That Doctrine which doth enervate, or make void the Satisfaction of Christ for actual sins, cannot be a friend, but a great enemy to the faith and comfort of a poor, doubting, and afflicted soul; for he is especially troubled for his actual sins; and the great comfort that he hath, lieth in this, That Christ hath satisfied for them. Now, what saith the Doctrine of Universal Redemption, to the Satisfaction of Christ for actual sins? It plainly tells us, that a man may be, and thousands are damned for those very sins which Christ hath satisfied for, and it must needs • ay so; for if Christ died for all the particular men in the world, then all the particular men in the world may be saved; and if they may be saved, then Christ did bear their actual sins on the Cross, or else a man's sins may be pardoned, which Christ did not bear on the Cross; and if Christ did bear the actual sins of all the Particular men in the world, then those that are damned, must be damned for those very sins which Christ did bear, and satisfy for, or else they are not damned for them: But men are not only damned for their final unbelief, but for sins against the Law; for the Law is made for the ungodly: and Rom. 2.12. As many as have sinned without Law, shall also perish without Law. And because of these things (saith the Apostle, speaking of actual sins against the Law) the wrath of God cometh upon the Children of disobedience. Now if men be damned for their actual sins against the Law, and Christ have born them on the Cross, and satisfied for them, then men are damned for those very sins which Christ hath satisfied for; and if so, then what is this but to enervate, and make void the satisfaction of Christ? If you pay a debt, and afterward be thrown into prison for the same debt, doth not the imprisonment make void the satisfaction of your payment. Yet thus now it is, according to the Principles of this Doctrine of Universal Redemption: surely therefore that Doctrine is no friend, but a great enemy to the faith and comfort of a poor, doubting, and afflicted foul.

[Arg. 2] The Intercession of Christ, in conjunction with the Death of Christ, is a great Pillar of our Christian Consolation, Rom. 8.33. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's Elect? Ver. 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us: Who shall separate us from the Love of God? &c. So that our comfort is not only laid on the Death of Christ, nor on the Intercession of Christ alone, but upon the connection of these two together: And indeed, what comfort would the Jews have in the bare Sacrifice, if the High Priest did not take the Blood thereof, and carry it into the Holy Place, sprinkling the Mercy-Seat for them, whom the Sacrifice was offered for? But according to this Doctrine of Universal Redemption, the Intercession of Christ is parted from his Death; for though it tell you that Christ died for all, yet it tells you, that he doth not intercede for all; and it must needs say so, for Christ said, Father, I thank thee that thou hearest me always; therefore if Christ should pray for the conversion of all the particular men in the world, then all the particular men in the world should be converted, and so saved; but all are not saved, or converted, therefore this Doctrine must needs divide between the Intercession, and the Death of Christ, and so pull down that great Pillar of our Christian Comfort, which stands in the Conjunction of Christ's Death, and Intercession.

[Arg. 3] That Doctrine which is contrary, or repugnant to the free Grace of God, cannot be a true friend to the comfort of a poor, doubting soul; for what is our great comfort on this side Heaven, but the Free Grace of God? Now, what is Free Grace? but the special Favor of God shewn to some, more than to others? And therefore if ye look into Romans, 9. ye shall find, that when the Apostle would set out the free Grace of God, saying, Whom he will, he shows mercy to; and who • he will, he hardens; he first shows that Jacob and Esau were alike, alike in regard of their Parentage, for both were of Isaac and Rebecca; alike in regard of their Work, For the Children being not yet born, and having done neither good or evil, &c. yet God did love the one, and hate the other, showing mercy to the one, and not to the other, Why? Because God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and will have compassion on whom he will have compassion, ver. 15. So that it is the work of Free Grace to show mercy to some, and not to others, who are alike unworthy. So again, Ephes. 2. the Apostle proving, that by Grace we are saved; first he shows, that the Ephesians by Nature, were as unworthy as any other, being all by Nature, the children of wrath, ver. 1.2. ye • those Ephesians did obtain mercy, and not others, Why? Because by Grace they were saved: So that Free Grace, is that distinguishing Mercy of God, whereby he doth show mercy to some, and not to others, who are alike miserable, and unworthy. But now this Doctrine of Universal Redemption, tells us, That as Christ died for all, so he doth give a sufficiency of Grace unto all, and therefore that which distinguisheth one man from another, must be the free Will of man, and not the free Grace of God; for, Commune quae tenus, commune non distinguit; That which is common, as common, cannot distinguish. As suppose now, that a Father doth bestow an equal Sum of Money upon two Children, to purchase House or Land with; one doth purchase, and the other not: the reason why the one purchases, and the other not, is, Because the one wills it, and the other not; indeed he that purchaseth, doth it by his Fathers help, assistance, and Money; but what reason is there why he doth make a Purchase, and the other not, but because he wills it, and the other not? So, if God give a sufficiency of Grace unto all; that one man doth believe, you will say, is by the Grace of God; but the reason why one believes, and the other not, is only the Will of Man, that this man wills it, and the other not. Now where Free Will hath the casting Vote, there the Free Grace of God doth not reign: but according to the Doctrine of Universal Redemption, Free Will is that which doth make the difference between man and man, it is that which hath the casting Voice; surely therefore, it is no friend, but a real enemy to the free Grace of God, and so an enemy to the comfort of a poor doubting soul.

[Arg. 4] That Doctrine which is opposite to the assurance of my Salvation, cannot be a friend to my Comfort in time of Temptation: For what comfort can I have in my soul, so long as I doubt of my Eternal well-fare? Now this Doctrine of Universal Redemption, doth destroy the Assurance of our Salvation; for, who doth not know, that according to that Doctrine, a man may fall from Grace as long as he lives? else (it will tell you) that he should not act freely, but be under a necessity, and necessity and freedom cannot stand together: But if a man may fall from Grace as long as he lives, then he can have no assurance of his Salvation til he be dead. And if a godly man cannot have assurance of his perseverance in Grace, then he cannot have assurance of his Salvation: But according to that Doctrine, a godly man cannot have assurance of his perseverance in Grace; for I can have no assurance of any Mercy, without God's Promise: but this Doctrine will tell you, That God hath nowhere promised to any man, that he shall certainly persevere in Grace: Surely therefore it is no friend to our assurance of Salvation, and therefore is a real Enemy to the Faith and Comfort of a poor, doubting soul.

[Arg. 5] The more any Doctrine doth hang the Mercy of God upon Conditions to be performed by us; the less comfortable it is, and the more it leaves a poor doubting soul in his fears. Now according to this Doctrine of Universal Redemption, the whole Mercy of God is made to depend, and hang upon performance of our Conditions, yea, upon the performance of the Condition of Nature: For say we, If Christ died for all particular men, and so God doth will the Salvation of all the particular men in the world, then he doth will this, either absolutely, or conditionally; if absolutely, then it must needs come to pass; conditionally therefore saith this Doctrine, God doth will the Salvation of all men, upon condition that they repent, believe, and obey; if so, say we, then either God doth will this Condition, viz. That all particular men should repent and believe, or not; if not, then God doth not will the Salvation of all; for he that doth not will the means, doth not will the end; Qui vult finem, vult media ad finem: If God do will this condition, viz. The Faith and Repentance of all the men in the World; then say we, he doth will this, either absolutely, or conditionally; if absolutely, then it must needs come to pass, that all men should repent and believe, which they do not: Conditionally therefore, say the maintainers of this Doctrine, and what condition is there precedent to Faith and Repentance, but Nature, and the work thereof? yea, what Grace or Mercy is there in the Gospel, but they do tie it up unto our conditions? Will ye instance in the Purchase and Benefits of the Death of Christ? these, say they, are to be given out upon condition. Will ye instance in the Grace of the new Covenant? all that, say they, is to be given out, and is promised upon condition: There is no absolute Promise of Grace, say they, in all the Scripture. Now look what that Doctrine is, which doth make all Grace conditional, that must needs be very obstructive to the hope, and comfort, of a poor, doubting soul. Such is this Doctrine of Universal Redemption; surely therefore it can be no true friend, but is a real enemy to the consolation of a poor, doubting, and afflicted soul.

[Object. 6] But if Christ did not die for all, and every particular man, how can I conclude, that he did die for me? Can I raise a Conclusion of Faith, unless the Proposition be universal?

[Answ.] Although I need not answer this Objection, because those that make it, do themselves answer it, from their own Principles, and Experience, saying, That Faith is an assent to the Truth of the Gospel; and that they were converted unto God, and did believe before they held this Doctrine of Universal Redemption: Yet for further Answer, you must know,

[ 1] There is a Faith of Relyance, and there is a Faith of Assurance. As the Faith of Assurance hath a Shall be of Mercy for its bottom; so a May be of Mercy, is a sufficient ground, and bottom, for the Faith of Relyance. Jonathan and his Armor-bearer, had but a may be of Mercy, when they went against their Enemies; It may be the Lord will work for us, 1 Sam. 14.6. yet they relied on God. Now, though Christ did not die for all particular men, yet if he died for sinners indefinitely, there is a may be of Mercy for me. But so it is, that Christ did die for sinners indefinitely, though not for sinners universally; and therefore there is a sufficient ground for me to believe, and rely on him.

[ 2] Ye know, or may know, That the Act of Relyance, is before the act of Assurance. I must indeed be assured, that Christ is able to save me, before I rely on him; but I must first rely on him, before I can be assured that he will save me: and by this Act of Relyance, we grow up into Assurance; I know that he will show mercy to me, by my coming to him, and relying on him; for he hath said, Whoever comes unto me, I will in no wise cast out. Now if my Assurance be raised from the Act of Relyance, then the first ground and bottom of the conclusion of my Faith, is not this General Proposition, Christ died for all; but this Indefinite Proposition, Christ died for sinners: And if the conclusion of Faith must arise from a General Proposition, then take it thus; Whoever comes to Christ, and relieth on him, shall be saved: or thus; Christ died for all those that do come to him, and rely on him: But I come to him, and rely on him, therefore Christ died for me, and I shall be saved by him. So that thus now, ye see the want of that General Proposition, Christ died for all men, is no hindrance to the Conclusion, or Assurance of our Faith; and therefore you have no reason to be discouraged in reference to this Objection.

[Object. 7] Yet there is one thing more that sticks with me, even that old Objection which I cannot be rid of: When I look into my Condition, the Condition of my Soul, or Body, I find my condition is such as never any ones condition was; I have conversed with many a godly man, and woman, but I do not find, that ever he, or she, was in such a condition as I am; and I have read the Scripture, but I do not find there, that ever any godly man was in such a condition as I am: could I be but persuaded, that ever any gracious man was in the like condition, I should have hope, and comfort; but I am persuaded, that never any godly soul was in such a condition as I am; therefore I am thus discouraged, have I not cause, and reason now?

[Answ. 1] No: For if it be usual with the Saints, and People of God to think thus; then you have no reason to be discouraged in this respect. Now I pray look what the Church saith in Lam. 1.1, 2. Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow; if there be any condition like unto my condition: and it seems, that such were the thoughts of God's People, whom Peter did write unto, in 1 Pet. 4.12. Beloved (saith he) think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: you will think that no bodies condition is like unto yours, some strange thing is happened unto you. And so in the 5. chap. and 9. verse, of that Epistle; Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world: you think that you meet with such afflictions, as never were in the World before; be not deceived (saith he.)

[Answ. 2] But suppose that your condition be, as never any bodies was; hath not the Lord said, Behold I work a new thing? Is not the Name of Christ wonderful? and are wonders wrought ordinarily? If your condition be as never any bodies condition was; then have you an opportunity of glorifying God more than ever any man or woman had; then you have an opportunity of glorifying God, either in doing, or in suffering, more than ever any man or woman had. And then, O! what Grace is here! what Mercy is here! what Love is here to overcome thy soul withal! that thou shouldest have such an opportunity, as never man or woman had before! And therefore, what I said unto you often, I must now conclude with: God's People have no reason for their Discouragements, whatever their condition be.

Thus I have now done with this Last Instance, and with all the Instances. Give me leave to speak something by way of Application, in reference to the whole, and so I will shut up this Exercise.

If all these things be so, if this be true, That the Children of God have no reason for their Discouragements, whatever their Condition be: Then, what a mighty necessity, is there upon us all, to look into our Conditions, and to consider whether we be in Christ, or no? whether we be Godly, yea, or nay? whether we have made our Peace with God, I, or not? and whether we have Faith, I, or no? All men have not Faith (saith the Apostle) Indeed all men say they have Faith; and should I go from Seat to Seat, and from Bosom to Bosom, and knock at every Breast in the Congregation, asking, Whether doth Faith dwell here or no? Unless it were some few troubled ones, afflicted in Conscience, everyone of you would say, I do believe, I praise God I do believe, I have Faith here within: But all men have not Faith, and few there be that do believe. Children, young men, and women, Faith is not a thing that is born with you; it is a harder thing to believe, than to keep the ten Commandments: when once you come to know what it is to believe, you will say, O! it is a harder thing to believe, than to do anything; I do not know anything in all the world, that is so hard as to believe: But if you do believe, be in Christ, are godly, and have made your Peace with God, blessed are you of the Lord, nothing shall offend you, nothing shall discourage you. But if not godly, if not in Christ, if not believing, everything shall offend thee, and discourage thee, and thou hast no reason to be encouraged, whatever thy condition be. Shall we not then, my beloved, all of us, as in the presence of the Lord, seriously look into our condition, and consider, whether we be in Christ, I, or not?

But suppose I be in Christ, or I be not in Christ; believe, or not believe; what then? If yet you do not believe, if yet you be not in Christ, if yet you be not Godly; this Doctrine doth here from the Lord hold forth an invitation to you, to come unto Jesus Christ: for if a man be in Christ, and be Godly, then he hath no reason to be discouraged, whatever his condition be. If a man be not Godly, he hath no reason to be encouraged, whatever his condition be. On the one hand, there lies all Encouragements: On the other hand, there lies all Discouragements. Now therefore, in the Name of the Lord, do I here this morning, lay before this Congregation, Life, and Death; Encouragement on the one hand, and Discouragement on the other hand; and if there be an Adulterer, a Swearer, a Lying Child, or a Stealing Servant; if there be ever a poor Wanton, a Sabbath-breaker, an Opposer of God here: I beseech you in the Lord, come unto Jesus Christ, by all these Encouragements that I have been speaking of, by all the Mercies of the new Covenant, and by the Salvation of thine own soul: man, or woman, I beseech you come unto Jesus Christ. O! that men, and women, would give no rest unto themselves, til they have made their Peace with God, and til they have gotten into Jesus Christ.

And in case that you be in Christ, and that you do believe, that you be godly, and have made your Peace with God. Then see that ye walk up unto all these Encouragements, see that you walk in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost. O! you that are Godly (if these things be as you have heard) Why hang you down your heads? why are you cast down, and disquieted? why do you not walk in the comforts of this Truth declared, and in the strength of these Encouragements? You see what a venture we have run to speak comfort to you that want comfort. You have heard in several Exercises, That a godly man hath no reason for his Discouragements, whatever his condition be: Not in regard of sin: Not in regard of Failings, and successlessness in Duties: Not in regard of want of Assurance: Not in regard of Temptation: Not in regard of Affliction: Not in regard of Desertion: And now, not in regard of his Condition, in itself considered. Now after all this, I appeal to you, you that are without comfort, Do you not think, that there are some wicked men in this Congregation, that have presumed, when they have heard these things preached, and have said, These things belong to me; and so have endangered their own souls by presumption, comforting themselves when they should not be comforted? I appeal to you, Whether you do not think, That there are some wicked men in the Congregation, that have thus endangered their souls by mis-application of these Consolations? And if so, that there hath been this hazard run, and all to comfort you; then, will you now refuse this comfort? O! you that have refused comfort all this while, receive it in the Lord; and you that were never comforted before, now comfort yourselves, and walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. And you that have gone up and down fearing, trembling, doubting, and much discouraged; yet now at the last say: Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God, wait on God, trust in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my Countenance, and my God. How you should so hope, and wait, and trust in God, as to bear up your hearts against all discouragements, I shall yet speak to, in the next Exercise.

THE CURE OF Discouragements, BY FAITH IN Jesus Christ.

Sermon XIII.

YOU have heard of the Saints Discouragements, and the unreasonableness of them: there is no just cause, or reason for their Discouragements. Would you now hear of some means against them? The Psalmist saith in these words, Hope thou in God, or trust thou in God, or wait thou on God. And so the Doctrine plainly, is this:

Hoping, Trusting, Waiting on God, is the special, if not the only means, appointed against all Discouragements. I had verily fainted, unless I had believed (saith David) to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living: I had fainted, unless I had believed. Faith bears up the heart against all Discouragements.

For your more clear understanding of this Truth, and our better proceeding, I shall labor,

[Answ.] I Answer: That to Hope in God, is to expect Help from God: To Trust in God, is to rely, or rest upon God for Help: And to wait on him, is to continue, and abide in this Expectation, or Relyance. Properly, according to Scripture Phrase, Trusting in God, is the Recumbency, or the Relyance of the soul upon God in Christ for some good thing that lies out of sight. I say first, it is the Recumbency, or Relyance of the soul upon God, the staying of the soul upon God; so you read in Isa. 26.3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee. So the Spouse in the Canticles, is found leaning upon her Beloved, and so we are commanded to trust; not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 only; but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , on him that raiseth Christ from the dead, which notes a siducial repose: so that Trusting in God, is to stay upon him. And then I say, it is the Relyance, or the stayance of the soul upon God in Christ; and so I take it to be meant here: for the word here translated [God] Hope, or Trust [in God] is in the plural number, Elohim; and so when the Prophet in Isa. 26. doth exhort unto Trusting in the Lord; he gives this reason, at verse 4. For in the Lord Jehovah, is everlasting strength; so you read it: but according to the Hebrew, thus; Trust in the Lord forever, for in Jehovah jah is everlasting strength. For in Jehovah jah: Jah, is an abridgment, or an abreviation of Jehovah, noting the Son of God; and so when Jesus Christ comes in the latter end of the world, to sit upon his glorious Throne, the converting Jew shall praise him under that name, singing (as you read in Revel. 19.) Hallelujah; praise the Jah: which if you compare with Psalm, 68. you shall find, is to be understood of Christ, at verse 4. Sing unto God, sing praises to his Name; extol him that rides upon the Heavens, by his Name Jah; rejoice before him, extol him that rideth upon the Heavens, by his Name Jah; and they shall sing Hallelujah. Now if you look into the 18. verse of that Psalm, you shall find the reason why this Jah, is to be praised: for saith the Psalm, Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led Captivity captive, thou hast received Gifts for men: Which words, Ephes. 4. are applied to Christ: But unto everyone of us, is given according to the measure of the Gift of Christ: verse 8. Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led Captivity captive, and gave Gifts unto men. So that when the Prophet doth exhort us to trust in Jehovah Jah, he exhorteth us to trust in the Lord, in Christ; and therefore I say, both according to the old, and New Testament, Faith is the repose, or recumbency of the soul upon God in Christ.

But yet, that is not all: A man that doth repose upon God in Christ, trusting in him, doth trust unto him for some good thing that lies out of sight; and therefore the Apostle saith, That Faith is the Evidence of things not seen, Heb. 11. where he gives divers Instances of Abraham, Sarah, Moses, and others, who all did repose upon God for somewhat that lay out of view; and this indeed is only worthy of the name of Faith. I will trust a man that is most unworthy, I will trust a Thief, I will trust a Liar, so far as I can see him. But as Parisiensis saith well, this is Fides Deo digna, Faith worthy of God, to repose on God for somewhat that lies out of sight, and out of view: and when a man doth thus stay himself upon God in Christ, for somewhat that lies out of sight, then he is said to trust in God; and when a man doth continue thus, then he is said for to wait on God. This is the First. But then,

[Answ.] You know how it was with Hannah, when she had received a word from God, She went away (saith the Text) and looked no more sorrowful, her heart was quieted; Why? she had a word from God; and though before she was a woman of a sorrowful Spirit, yet having received a word from God, and believing that word, her heart was quiet. Prov. 16.3. Commit thy Works unto the Lord, there is Faith; and thy thoughts shall be established, there is Quietude. And if you look again into Isa. 26. you shall find that the Scripture is most express • for this, verse 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is staid on thee, because he trusteth in thee: Mark the words. First, The Lord doth here engage himself to give peace unto those that do stay upon him, that have this Faith of Relyance, though they have not yet attained to the Faith of Assurance, to be able to say, I know my sin is pardoned, and that Christ is mine, yet, if they can but stay themselves upon God, the Lord doth hereby engage himself to give peace unto them: yea, he doth no • only engage himself to give peace unto such a soul as stays himself upon God, but double Peace: you read it in your English, perfect Peace; thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace: but in the Hebrew it is, Peace, Peace; thou wilt keep him in double Peace, he shall have Peace, and Peace; not Peace, and Doubting; not Peace, and no Peace: but if he stay himself upon the Lord, he shall have Peace, Peace; he shall have double Peace. Yea, the Lord doth not only engage to give Peace unto such a soul, but to keep him in Peace; Thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace, or in Peace, Peace; and all upon this account, Because he trusteth in thee; not because he prayed, not because he humbled hi • self (though that is his Duty, and he doth thereby placere Deo, though not placare Deum ) but because he trusteth in thee, because he stayeth himself upon thee. And ye know, that if ye have a business depending at Law, though for the present you be much troubled about it; yet, if you have a Friend, a Lawyer that is able, faithful, and willing to look to it; if you can but leave your business with him, it doth very much quiet your heart; the very leaving your business with him, doth quiet your mind. So here. If a man can but leave his business, and his Cause, and his Things with God; then he is at rest, and he may say, Return unto thy rest, O my soul, as David did; which is done by Faith. And to clear this a little, Three or Four things there are that do ordinarily cause disquietude, or discouragement. First, The darkness that is in the Understanding; for when a man is in the dark, especially if he be alone, he is very apt to be skared, and to be disquieted. Secondly, Inordinate, and unruly Affections, and Passions, especially that of Fear, whereby the soul is benighted. Thirdly, Guilt of Conscience: Though there be much water that doth beat upon the Ship at Sea, yet it sinketh not; but when there is a leak, a hole in the Ship, then the Ship sinketh, and the water doth become its grave: So, though there be many troubles that beat upon a man, yet his heart doth not sink; but when there is a leak in his Conscience, when there is a hole there, when a man hath a guilty Conscience, then he sinketh, and his heart fails him. And Fourthly, The apprehension of God's Greatness, with our distance from him. Now Faith cures all this; for in opposition to the first, of Darkness, Faith brings Light into the soul, and shows a man his Way, and his Warrant for what he doth. Secondly, It doth pare, and take off those inordinate, and unruly affections, and passions that are in the soul; and therefore in Psalm 37. at ver. 1. and 7. you shall find that fretting and trusting are set in opposition: Fret not thyself because of the evil Doer, verse 3. but trust in the Lord. And again verse 7. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way. Thirdly, It doth heal the Conscience, and purify that, therefore saith the Apostle, Let us draw near with assurance of Faith, having our Consciences sprinkled, &c. Heb. 10. Fourthly, It doth also bring the soul near to God; the great work of faith is to bring God and the soul together. So you have it in Eph. 3.12. In whom we have boldness, and access with confidence, by the faith of him: Faith gives a man access unto God, and brings him near unto God. But a man may come near unto God, & yet he may fear, and tremble, as the Jews d • d at Mount Sinai; true, but saith the Apostle, By this Faith we have boldness, and access. The word is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a freedom of speech; a man by Faith may come into the presence of God with open mouth, and speak all his mind unto God. Yea, Faith doth not only thus bring a man into the pre • ence of God with open mouth, freedom of speech, and boldness; but it brings him into the presence of God with open face, and uncovered: We all with open face (saith the Apostle, speaking to Believers in the times of the Gospel) We all with open face behold, as in a Glass, the Mirror of the Lord: with open, and uncovered face. There are Three Vails, or Coverings that we read of in the Old Testament, that were thrown upon faces. 1. There is the Vail of Obscurity, and that was upon the face of Moses. 2. The Vail, and the Covering of Guilt, and so Haman • face was covered, a cloth thrown over his face, and his face was covered. 3. And there is the Vail of Abashment, or shame; and so it i • said of the Angels, that they cover their faces in the presence of God. Now to show with what boldness a Christian, and a Believer, comes into the presence of God by Christ through Faith, as if all Vails were taken off; saith the Apostle, We come with open face; and we all with open face behold, as in a Glass, the Mirror of the Lord. And upon this account, a Believer may now come with more boldness into the presence of God, than Adam in the state of Innocency: for though Adam in the state of Innocency had no Vail, or Covering of Guilt thrown over his face; yet there was a great distance between God and him. But now, since the Fall, since Christ's time, God is come into our Nature, manifested in the Flesh; and so God is come near to us, and by Faith we do draw near to God: no wonder therefore, that the Apostle saith, That by Faith we have boldness, and access with Confidence. Faith tells a man, that God is come near to him, and he is come near to God; and therefore Faith certainly, is the great Remedy, and means against all discouragements that can arise.

[Answ.] You know what David said; At what time I am afraid, I trust in thee: And the Scripture is most express for this, Isa. 50.10. Who is amongst you, that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his Servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. First, It is possible for one that is the Servant of God to be in darkness, and in such a dark condition, where no light, nor no comfort is. Secondly, When he is in this dark Condition, and discouragements do arise (the Commandment is most express) then he is to trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. So also our Savior Christ commands his Disciples, John, 14.1. Let not your hearts be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me. There was a great Cloud arising upon Christ's Disciples, Christ to be taken from them by Death; the Shepherd to be stricken, and the Sheep scattered: Now the only means against trouble that Christ prescribes, is this; Ye believe in God, believe also in me; and he gives many Arguments to press thereunto, in this 14. Chapter. This time, was the time of Christ's own trouble; Christ was now to die, and to bear the sin of many, and to lie under the sense of his Fathers wrath, and displeasure; whereupon he saith, that his heart was heavy unto death; but though it was the time of his own trouble, yet he addresseth himself to comfort his Disciples against their trouble; and the only means and remedy that he doth prescribe, is this; Ye believe in God, believe also in me? So that I say, when Discouragements do arise, it is the Duty of all Christ's Disciples, then, and then especially, for to trust in God by Christ: for I pray, what is Faith made for? but for such a time as this is? every Grace is to be exercised in its season. If a man have sinned, then he is to repent, that is the season for his Repentance: If a man have received any mercy from God, then he is to be thankful; that is the season of Thankfulness: If another poor Christian be in want, then he is to exercise his Charity; that is the season of that Grace of Charity: If God's Face do shine upon a man, then he is to rejoice; that is the season of Spiritual Joy: If a man be given to wantonness, and have a beautiful Object laid before him, then he is to exercise Chastity; and that is a season for it: So, when Discouragements do arise, then he is to exercise Faith; and that is the season, the proper time and season for it: For it is not only our Duty to bring forth Fruit, but we must bring forth Fruit in its season: Now this is the proper season for Faith to work in, when all a man's Comforts are out of sight: and therefore when Discouragements do arise, then, and then especially, the Saints, and the People of God, are to exercise their Faith.

[Answ. 1] First: Faith doth give a man the true prospect of things, past, present, and to come, and of things as they are. Whence are all our Fears, and Discouragements? but from hence, That men do not see things as they are: If Evil be stirring, they think it is greater than it is: If Good be stirring, they think it is lesser than it is. If a man be in Temptation, then he loseth the sight of his former Experiences, and so he is much discouraged. If a man be under a Desertion, he loseth the sight of what is present, what God is to him, and what he is to God; and so he is discouraged. If a man be under an Affliction, he loseth the sight of what is to come; the end, and the issue of the Affliction, and so he is disquieted. But now when Faith comes, it opens a man's Eyes to see things that are invisible; it is the Evidence of things not seen: By Faith, Moses saw him that was invisible. And therefore when the Apostle Peter doth direct his People for to see things past, present, and to come, he exhorts them to a work of Faith, Epist. 1. ver. 9. He that l • cks these things, is blind; one of those things is Faith, as you read in verse 5. Give all diligence, • ad to your Faith, &c. then, He that lacketh these things, is blind, at verse 9. But suppose a man do want Faith; wherein is he blind? Why, saith the Apostle, He cannot see things afar off, he cannot see into the other world, he cannot see unto the end of a Temptation, or Affliction, or to the end of a Desertion. Well, but though he cannot see things that are to come, yet he may see things that are past: Nay, saith he, if a man wants the Assurance of God's Love (and that is an Act of Faith) he ha • h forgotten that he was purged from his old sins: Wherefore the rather (saith he at ver • e 10.) Brethren, give all diligence to make your Calling and Ele • tion sure. If you would see things past, present, and to come, then grow in Faith, and Assurance of God's Love, and so saith he, shall you be able to see things that are afar off. Cou • d a man but see what would be the end, and issue of his Affliction, he would be quiet under it. It is in regard of our Affliction, as it is in regard of your Salt, or Sea Water: Take the Water as it is in the Sea, and so it is salt, and brackish; but drawn up by the Sun into the Clouds, it becomes sweet, and falls down into sweet Rain. So, take an Affl • ction in itself, and it is salt, and brackish; but drawn up by Divine Love, then it is sweet; and if a soul can but taste the Love of God in it, and see what a loving end the Lord will make; he will then find it is very sweet, and say, I could not have been without this Affliction; I do not know how any one twig of this rod could have been spared. Now, it's only Faith that shows a man the end, and the issue of all his troubles. It stands upon the high Tower of the Threatening, and Promise, seeing over all Mountains, and Difficulties; it seeth into the other World; it sees through Death, and beyond Death; it sees through Affliction, and beyond Affliction; it seeth through Temptation, and beyond Temptation; it seeth through Desertion, and beyond Desertion; it seeth through God's Anger, and beyond his Anger: I say, it seeth things past, present, and to come. Now, if a man had such a power as he were able to fetch in all his former experiences, to see things present as they are; and to see all the events, and issues of things to come, would he not be quiet, notwithstanding all that might arise for the present? Thus Faith is able to show a man things past, present, and to come; and to show him greater matter of comfort, than the matter of his troubles is; and in so doing it must needs quiet the soul.

[Answ. 2] Secondly: Faith, true saving Faith, doth see that in God, and in Christ, which answers unto all our fears, wants, and miseries: For Faith closeth with the Name of God; Let him stay himself upon the Name of God, Isa. 50. Now there is that in God's Name that doth Answer unto all our Fears and wants. For Example, Exod. 34. the Lord descended in the Clouds, at verse 5. and stood with Moses there, and proclaimed the Name of the Lord, ver. 6. The Lord, the Lord: Jehovah, Jehovah: that is, one that gives a being unto things that are not. Will you say, O! that it were thus, or thus with me? but as Rachel mourned for her Children, and could not be comforted, because they were not: so do I mourn after Prayers, because they are not; and after Duties; because they are not; and af • er Humiliations, because they are not. Well, saith the Lord, be of good comfort, for my Name is Jehovah, who do give a Being to things that are not; and this he repeateth, The Lord, the Lord; or Jehovah, Jehovah. Well, but though the Lord do give a Being to things that are not, this doth not comfort me; for though, I praise the Lord, I can say, my Prayers are, and my Duties are; yet the Lord knows they are very weak, and my Temptations are very strong, and my Lusts mighty, and therefore I am thus discouraged. Yet be of good comfort; for saith the Lord, my Name is EL; that is, the strong, or the mighty God: and therefore though thou beest never so weak, and thy Duties weak, yet I will carry on the work of my Grace in thee; and though thy Temptations be never so strong, and thy Lusts strong, yet I am stronger, for my Name is EL, th • mighty God. O! but though God be strong, and able to help me; yet I fear that God is not willing to help me; I know God is able, and that God is strong enough, but I fear the Lord is not willing, and therefore I am thus discouraged: yet be of good comfort, saith the Lord, for my Name is Merciful, (that is the next word) The Lord, the Lord; the Mighty God: and as my Name is the Mighty God, and therefore am able to help thee; so my Name is Merciful, and therefore am willing to help thee. But though the Lord be willing to help me, yet I am a poor, unworthy Creature, and I have nothing at all to move God to help me▪ Yet be of good comfort; for saith the Lord then, my Name is Gracious; I do not show Mercy because you are good, but because I am good; nor do I stand upon your desert, but I show mercy out of free Love; my Name is Gracious. O! but I have been sinning, I have been sinning a long time, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty years: had I come in at s •••• , I might have had mercy; but I have been sinning long, and therefore I fear there is no mercy for me. Yet saith the Lord, be 〈◊〉 good comfort, for my Name is Long-suffering (that is the no •• ) Gracious, and Long-suffering; slow to Anger, or Long-suffering. O! but I have sinned exceedingly, I have sinned abundantly; so many Sins as I am never able to reckon up, and to humble myself for; I have broken all my Promises with God, and all the Vows that I have made unto him; and therefore I am thus discouraged. Yet saith he, be of good Comfort, for I am abundant in Goodness, and Truth: Art thou abundant in sin? I am abundant in Goodness: And hast thou broken Faith with me? yet I am abundant in Goodness, and in Truth also. O! but though the Lord be thus unto his own chosen Ones, such as David, Abraham, or Moses, yet I fear the Lord will not be so to me. Yes, saith the Lord, at verse 7. Keeping mercy for thousands: I have not spent all my mercy upon David, or upon Abraham, or upon Paul, or upon Peter; but I keep mercy for thousands. O! but yet my sins do recoyl, I am the greatest Sinner in the world, for I have sinned all kinds of sin, I have sinned all sorts of sins, and therefore I fear there 〈◊〉 no hope for me. Yet saith the Lord, be not discouraged, for I keep mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; even all sorts and all kinds of sins; the Sin of Nature, and the Sin of Life; the Sin of Weakness, and the Sin of Presumption; the Sin of Ignorance, and the Sin against Knowledge: these saith the Lord I forgive, even all sorts, and all kinds of Sins, and this is my Name forever. O! but I am afraid to lay hold upon this Promise, for I think this is a Doctrine of Liberty. Say not so, saith the Lord, at the next verse, I will by no means clear the guilty: But if there be ever a poor, drooping, fearing, trembling soul, that desires to know my Name, Lo, saith the Lord, here is my Name, whereby I will be known forever: The Lord, Jehovah, that gives a Being to things that are not; The Mighty God; The Merciful God; The Gracious God; Abundant in Goodness, and in Truth; Reserving Mercy for thousands; Forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; and this is my Name forever. Now Faith comes, and closeth with this Name of God, leading the Soul into this rich Wardrop, and so doth quiet the heart against all Discouragements.

[Answ. 3] Thirdly: Faith doth put the Soul under God's Commandment, and leaveth God to Answer unto all such Objections, and Inconveniences, as may come thereby; which if a man can do, he may be very quiet. Now true saving Faith will enable him to do this: for ye know how it was with the three Children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; they put themselves under God's Commandment: The Lord commanded, and said, Thou shalt not make to thyself, any graven Image: Well, but the King commands them to fall down before his Image: No, say they, we will not stir, we will not bow: but saith the King, I will make you bow, or I will heat the Furnace seven times hotter for you: Well, be it so, say they; as for that, we are not solicitous, we will do the work that God hath set us to do; we will put ourselves under God's Command; we know that our God is able to deliver us; and whether he will deliver us, or no, we will leave that to him, let him answer to the inconveniencies, and mischiefs that follow upon his Work; for saith the Text, They trusted in the Lord. And so you know it was with Noah; Noah was commanded to build an Ark, for saith the Lord, yet an hundred & twenty years, and the whole world shall be destroyed, and therefore Noah, build thou an Ark for thyself, and thy family; which Noah did, and put himself under this Command. But now the world, the old world might speak thus (as certainly the language of their Conversation was) Noah, Dost thou think that thou art the only man in all the world that God loves? Dost thou think Noah, that God loves thee, one man, more than all the men or the world? and thy one Family, more than all the Families in the world beside? And if thou dost believe what thou preachest, That the World shall be destroyed by Water, in an hundred and twenty years, why dost thou marry, and bege • Ch • ldren, as thou hast done since thou hast preached this Doctrine? And Noah, if thou dost make an Ark, or a Ship, who shall be the Pilate? who shall be the M •• riner, the S •• ler? As for thyself, thou hast been a Preacher, and dost thou think that thou, and thy few Sons, are able to guide, and g • vern so great a Vessel? If it be as thou preach • t, That the • easts, the wild Beasts of the Field shall come unto this Ark; the Lyon, and the Bear, and the Tiger, will they not tear thee to pieces? And if all the Beasts of the field, two by two, shall come into the Ark, Noah, will there not be such a stench in the Ark with their dung, as will poison thee? shalt thou be ever able to live, thinkest thou? Well, for all this, Noah goes on, and he built the Ark, and leaves God that • et him on work, to answer to all these Objections, and to all those Inconveniences that might come by the doing the thing which God commands: And so doth Faith always; Faith puts a man under the Commandment of God, and leaves God to answer to those O • jections, and inconveniences that may come thereby. Now when a man can do thus, must he not needs be quiet?

[ 1] It is (to speak more briefly) the proper w • rk of Faith to resign, and give up our wills unto God; for by the resignation of the will unto God, we do trust God with ourselves, and Conditions.

[ 2] It is the proper work of Faith to fall with a suitable Promise, and to apply the same: if that Plaister of the Promise be no • laid on the Soul with a warm hand, it will not stick. And what is the reason that the Promise sticks not upon many souls, but because it is laid on with the cold and chil hand of Unbelief? Now the hand of Faith, is a warm hand.

[ 3] It's the proper work of Faith, to trade with the Call of God; for true saving Faith is a venturing Grace; but without a Call it will not venture.

[ 4] It is the proper work of Faith to see the hand of God in every Dispensation; The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, saith Faith: I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, for thou Lord hast done it, saith Faith.

[ 5] It's the proper work of Fai • h to look on both sides of God's Dispensation, and of our own Condition: there is a dark side of a Dispensation, and there is a light side thereof: Sence and Reason looks on the dark side alone, Faith seeth both sides. Come my beloved Brethren (said La • imer to his fellow Prisoners, when he went to the Stake) though we pass through he fire today, yet we shall light such a Candle in England, as shall never be put out again. He saw both sides of the Dispensation, why? but because he believed.

[ 6] It is the proper work of Faith to see one Contrary in another; for it speaks and concludes as the Word of Faith doth. Now the word o • Faith speaketh on this wise, I will give you a door of Hope in the Valley of Achor. And the Lord shall judge his People, and repent towards his Servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and none shut up, or left. Deut. 32.36.

[ 7] It is the proper work of Faith to engage God to succor, Psal. 37.40. For the Lord shall save them, because they trust in him: So Isaiah. 26.3. Thou will keep them in perfect peace, because they trust in thee. Now when a man can do all these things, will he not be quiet, and free from Discouragements? Surely he will. Faith can, and will do these, and all these things: certainly therefore, Faith, and Faith alone, is that Grace which will bear up the heart against all Discouragements.

Now if Faith be such an help against all discouragements; Then in case that Discouragements do arise, you see what to do: Exercise your Faith; Trust in the Lord, trust in the Lord forever; for in Jehovah Jah, is everlasting strength; he is the Rock of Ages, trust in him. O! ye People of the Lord, trust in the Lord forever, pour out your hearts before him; W •• t, Hope, Trust in the Lord.

[Quest.] But will every Faith, quiet a man's heart against Discouragements? suppress, and allay our Discouragements?

[Answ.] No: There is a Feigned, and there is an Unfeigned Faith: There is an Effectual, and there is an Ineffectual Faith: There is an Operative, working Faith, and there is a Workless Faith. Saith the Apostle, Thou sayest thou hast Faith, show me thy Faith by thy Works. The more precious a thing is, the more Counterfeits there are of it. And what is more precious than Faith? therefore there is a counterfeit Faith, and a counterfeit Faith will • not quiet ones heart, suppress, and allay ones fears: yea, true saving Faith will not do it neither in the habit; it is only that Faith can do it which God rewardeth: God doth not reward the habit of Grace, but the act of Grace; he rewardeth men according to their works, and not according to their habits. Yea, strong and grown Faith will not do it always. A man may have assurance of God's Love, and yet he may be discouraged. You say indeed, if I had but the assurance of God's Love in Christ, and did know that God were mine, and that I had an interest in Jesus Chr •• t, I would never be discouraged. But be not deceived, when David spake the words of the Text, he had assurance, for he saith, I shall ye • praise him, who is the health of my Countenance, and my God, and yet he was discouraged; for he saith, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? So then it is not every Faith, nor always true Faith, nor always grown Faith, can do it.

[Quest.] But how then should a man so exercise his Faith, as he may bear up his heart against all Discouragements, in case that Discouragements do arise?

[Answ. 1] First: You must be humbled for your Unbelief. A man can never believe as he should, that is not humbled for his Unbelief, and he is not far from Faith, and the workings thereof, that is humbled for Unbelief, and the workings thereof. You shall see therefore in Lament. 3. that as soon as the Church had reproved herself for her Unbelief, how presently the gathereth Hope; saith she at verse 17. Thou hast removed my soul far from peace, I forgot prosperity, and I did, my strength, and my hope is perished from the Lord. Now she hu • bless herself for it: Remembering mine affliction, and my misery; the wormwood, and the g • l; my soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me: this I recall to min • , thereforh have I hope: I humbled myself for my former Unbelief, and despairing thoughts, and words; and therefore have I hope. Some think they do well to doubt: O! says one, if I should not thus fear and doubt, I should grow secure: But a man may be tutus, though he be not Securus: Safety speaks opposition to Danger, Security to Watchfulness; yea, there is an holy Security which we are to labor alter, and the more we are freed from these doubting fears, the more we attain unto that Security. Would you therefore, so exercise your Faith, as that you may not labor under sad Discouragements? take heed that you do not please yourself in your doubting, but be humbled for your Unbelief.

[Answ. 2] S • condly: Be sure that you do not go to God immediately without Christ, but with Christ in your Arms; Ye believe in God, believe also in me, saith our Savior: God out of Christ, is a consuming fire, and there's no coming at him; so he is a dreadful God, and we tremble at his presence, not rely on him. Now we are very apt to go unto him alone, and to trust in a naked God; for there is much of old Adam in us still: the Vessel keeps that savor long, wherewith it was first seasoned. And at the first, Adam went unto God immediately, and trusted unto him immediately. But now says Luther, give me a God clothed with Flesh, God manifested in the Flesh, is the Object of our Faith. Take heed of a Natural Faith, for that will end in Discouragement.

[Answ. 3] Thirdly: If you would to exercise your Faith, as that you may not be discouraged whatever your Condition be; Then trust in the Lord himself, and not in your own Duties, your own Enlargements, Humiliation, or Holiness. I know men say, that they do not trust in any of these things, but in God alone. But suppose now, that a man should come to borrow a Sum of Money of you, it may be an hundred pounds, and you will not lend him this Sum of Money, unless he gives you a Pawn, or unless such and such men be bound with him; will you say that you trust this man alone? surely no. So, when a poor soul will not trust the Lord, unless he have a Pawn from God; unless this, or that Duty, or Enlargement, shall become bound for God; do you trust God alone? David saith in the 62. Psalm, at the 5th verse, My soul, wait thou ONLY upon God, for my expectation is from him: and then see what the issue is, at verse 6. He ONLY is my Rock, and my Salvation, he is my Defense, I shall not be moved: He had said at verse 2. thus; He only is my Rock, and my Salvation; he is my Defense, I shall not be [greatly] moved: But when he had digested this matter a little further, and more fully, he leaves out the word [greatly] and saith, I shall not be moved. Wherefore, would you • o trust in the Lord as you may not be moved? trust in the Lord Alone; although you have nothing to be bound with, or for the Lord.

[Answ. 4] Fourthly: If you would trust in the Lord so as you may not be discouraged: Then trust in the Lord before you do act, or move, or work, in your busine • s. Some there are that will trust in God when they can go no further; they will act, and work, and do what they can; and when they can go no further, then they say, I will trust in the Lord for the rest. But saith the Psalmist, Psal. 37.3. Trust in the Lord, and do good; he doth not say, do good, and go as far as you can, and when you can no further, then trust in the Lord: No, but saith he, Trust in the Lord, and do good. But if you think to do good, and to go as far as you can, and then to trust; such a trust as this, will end in discouragement; and therefore I say, trust in the Lord first, before you do work at all.

[Answ. 5] Fifthly: If you would trust in the Lord, so as you may not be discouraged what ever your Condition be: Then trust in the Lord Jesus Christ in the first place, before you trust in the Promise. Christ's Blood, is the great, and first Object of our Faith. In times of the Old Testament, they came to Christ by the Promise, because Christ was not then come, but promised: now Christ is come, we come to the Promises by Christ. Yet mistake not; there is a Promise of Christ, and a soul must come to Christ in that Promise. But I speak of particular words, and Promises: Some will not trust in Christ, unless they have this or that particular word set upon their hearts and spirits; and so indeed, do rather rest on the bare letter of the Word, or the sense and impression that is made upon the soul by the setting on of the Promise. But all the Promises are Yea, and Amen in Christ: Christ therefore is first, and if a man doth trust in the Promise first, and so go unto Christ afterward; then when he wants a particular Word, or a Promise, he will not trust in Christ, but be quite discouraged. But when a man doth trust in the Lord Christ first, and in particular Promises afterwards; then, though a particular Promise doth not shine forth, yet his Faith lives, and he is not di • couraged; wherefore, venture upon Jesus Christ first, and then upon the Promise, as given unto thee by the hand of Christ.

[Answ. 6] Sixthly: if you would so trust in the Lord, as you may not be discouraged, wha ••• er your Condition be: Then, if ever it pleaseth the Lord to give our a Promise to you, never let it go, but hold it fast, although you see nothing but the contrary unto the thing promised. This was Abraham's case; the Lord gave Abraham a Promise, but Abraham saw the contrary to the thing promised; yet Abraham did not dispute the Promise, he did not stagger at the Promise, and say, Surely the Lord hath not given me this Promise, it •• s but a delusion, and I was deceived: No, but Abraham still be •• s up to the Promise, and doth not dispute, or stagger at the same. So must you do likewise; if ever the Lord give out a Promise to you, hold it, keep it, never let it go, although you do see the contrary.

[Object.] O! but this is hard work indeed; and if I should do so, I fear that I should presume, and that I should tempt the Lord; What! trust in the Lord when there is no means in view! yea, when I see the contrary unto the thing promised? I would do it, but I fear I should presume, and tempt the Lord.

[Answ.] Tempt the Lord say ye? Dost thou know what it is for to tempt the Lord? It is said o • the Children of Israel, That they tempted the Lord, and said, Is God amongst us? And when thou sayest after all the experience of God's pre • ence with thee, Is God with me? Is hot this rather for to tempt the Lord? It is said of the Children of Israel, That they tempted the Lord, and limited the Holy One of Israel: and when you limit God, and say, I shall never receive this Mercy, for now I do see the contrary; Is not this rather for to tempt the Lord? Properly, and according to Scripture Phrase, to tempt the Lord, is to put God upon a trial for the satisfying of ones lust; and therefore if you look into Psal. 78. you shall find that these two go together, at verse 18. They tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their Lust: To put God upon a work for the satisfying of ones Lust, is indeed to tempt the Lord: Every putting God upon a trial, is not a tempting God; but to put God upon a trial for the satisfying of ones lust, this is to tempt the Lord: And therefore it is said, the wicked Jews came to our Savior Christ, tempting him, and saying, Shew us a sign. Gideon desired a sign, and yet he did not tempt the Lord, Why? Because he did not desire a sign to satisfy his Lust, but to strengthen his Faith. But now these Jews came, and desired a sign to satisfy their Lust; and therefore saith our Savior Christ unto them; Ye wicked, and Adulterous Generation: How comes the word [Adulterous] in there? Why look as it is with a woman that is n • ught, filthy, and unworthy; her Husband sending a Message to her, and warning her to take heed of such Company; when the Messenger comes, I doubt saith she, whether you come from my Husband, or no; and what sign have you, that you come from my Husband? she knows that he comes from her Husband, but because she may go on in her sin, she asketh a sign; How may I know that you come from my Husband? So it was with these wicked Jews, they asked a sign that so they might go on in their sins; whereupon our Savior saith, Ye wicked, and Adulterous Generation. But now, when a poor, doub • ing, fearing, trembling soul, shall desire to believe, and would fain have some token from the Lord to strengthen his Faith, he is not Adulterous then, nor doth he tempt the Lord, nor presume: for is it presumption for a man to keep the Sabbath day? No, Why? Because it is commanded. Is it presumption for a Child to obey his Parents? No; Why? Because it is commanded. So it is commanded for a soul to believe, when all comforts are out of sight, and when he sees nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised. Presumption properly, is the taking of a thing before it's given, or offered. But in this case, the Promise is given, and therefore no presumption for to hold it fast. There is a Two-fold Pre • umption which you read of in Scripture: One whereby men do rest upon their own Work • for Salvation without Christ: So the Jews did, and therein they presumed of mercy before it was given unto them. Another, whereby men do as they think, or in their way, rest on Christ for Salvation, and yet live without Works, and Ob • dience: and therein they pre •• me also, because they take mercy • hen it's not given them. E •• if I r •• l on the Promise, or on Chr • st, that I may be made the more holy, doing what I can to be fruitful in every good work, yet resting upon Christ for all; this is no presumption; Why? Because I do not take mercy before it is offered: and though I hold the Promise fast, when I see nothing, but what is contrary to the thing promised, yet this is no presumption; Why? Because I do what's commanded: For says the Apostle, Let them that suffer according to the Will of God, comm •• the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a Faithful Creator. Now Creation-Work, is out of nothing, it is light out of darkness. Yet thus are we commanded to commit our souls unto God; and therefore though all fail, and we see nothing of the Mercy promised, it's no presumption then, to hold and keep fast the Promise.

[Quest.] But suppose the Lord hath given me a Promise, and now after the Promise given, I see nothing of the mercy promised, and that all my Comforts are out of sight; how shall I be able to bear up my heart against all Discouragements, notwithstanding I see nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised, and to the mercy desired?

[Answ.] Either thou hast assurance of God's Love, or else thou hast not. If thou hast assurance of the Love of God, then put thyself often to this disjunction. O my soul, either it is thy Duty to believe, or it is not: If it be not thy Duty to believe, why dost thou believe at all? If it be not thy Duty to believe, and rest on Christ, why dost thou rest upon Christ at all? And if it be thy Duty to rest on Christ, and believe, why then should st thou not believe at all times, and trust perfectly unto the Lord? And if you have Assurance, then actuate your Assurance, mind yourself of your Privileges, and your Interest in Christ; then you will say unto yourself, what though I have nothing but bad tidings from this world, yet notwithstanding, I have nothing but good tidings from the other world, and from my Father above: and if Christ be mine, then all is mine, Life is mine, and Death is mine; and what though all my Comforts be dead, and are gone, and are all out of sight, yet Christ is a living Christ, Christ is a living Savior; and therefore be of good Comfort, O my soul.

[ 1] But if you do want assurance of the Love of God, then yet you must, and may look on Christ, who is the Brazen Serpent, the only Brazen Serpent, and your very looking upon him in the time of your Discouragement, shall go for Faith: Look unto me ( • aith he) from all the ends of the Earth, and be saved.

[ 2] Again: If you want Assurance, you may, and must turn your eye, and your thoughts, from those Objections that do invade your Faith. 'It is said of Abraham, That he considered not the weakness of his own Body: and this was imputed unto him for believing, that he considered not what might invade his Faith: And so this shall be imputed unto you for Faith, if when these Obj • ctions shall come in upon you, you turn your Eye from them (unto Jesus Christ) and do not consider them.

[ 3] And if you do want Assurance, then set yourselves to believe, that you do believe. Faith is the Evidence of th • n • s not seen; and therefore if your Faith be not seen, you must believe that you do believe; thou • ust believe sometimes that thou hast Faith. As there is a feeling in Prayer, so Faith ha • h it's feeling too; and therefore i • you cannot see your Faith, you must believe, that you do believe. And whether you have Assurance, or have not Assurance, consider these few things as some Helps to your Faith in this case.

[ 1] First: That God doth never lead his People unto any great Mercy, but first he doth put the Sentence of D • ath upon all the means that do rend unto it, Thus it was with Abraham, so with Joseph, so with David, and many others.

[ 2] Secondly: That it i • a great sin to li •• t • ods Mercy, as well as to limit his Power: You say it is a great sin to limit the Power of God; the Children of •• rael are conde •• ed for this; they limited the Holy One of I • rael; they tempted the Lord, and limited the Holy One of Israel. Now, d •• h not a man limit God, when he limits his Mercy, as well as when he limits his Power? And when you say, you shall never have such a mercy granted, because I now see the contrary; is not this to limit his Mercy?

[ 3] Thirdly: That when the Lord hath given out a Promise to his People, he doth then sometimes try whether they will trust to his naked Word, or no. Christ hath his times to try men; and when he gives out a Promise, and bringeth the soul into a quite contrary condition, this is his trying time: And therefore hath the Lord now given out a Promise unto you? and do you see nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised? Say unto thine own soul, O my soul, it may be Christ is now trying of me, it may be this is my trying time, and therefore now will I wait on God.

[ 4] Fourthly: That God doth oftentimes fulfil one Promise by denying another. Hath the Lord therefore given thee a Promise, and doest thou see nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised? Now know, and remember, That we have by not having; God doth give by denying, and fulfils some Promises by not fulfilling others.

[ 5] Fifthly: That when we see nothing but what is contrary unto our help, then is Christ's time to help. I read (as I remember) but twice in the New Testament, that mention is made of Christ's Hour: once in John, 13. And he knowing that his hour was coming, and that was the hour of darkness: Once in John 2.4. when his Mother came unto him for Wine, he said, Woman, my hour is not yet come: But afterwards, when their own Wine was done, and their pots were filled with Water; then he turns their Water into Wine, then Christ's hour was come. So now, when all our Bottles are dry, when there is no Wine of Comfort in our own Bottles, then is Christ's hour; and when the hour of darkness is upon our Condition, then is Christ's hour: And if thou wouldest but say so unto thine own soul; Soul, Christ's time and hour, is an hour of darkness; Christ's time, is a time when there is no Wine in our own Bottles. Now thus it is with me; I have no Wine left in my own Bottles, my Bottles are all dry, and empty, and there is an hour of darkness upon my Condition, therefore this time is the time for Christ to help me. This would cause you to wait on God, and exercise Faith in the lowest Condition, even when you see nothing but the contrary unto your desires, and the Lord's Promises.

[ 6] Sixthly: That either you are under an extraordinary Affliction, or an ordinary: Either you are under an ordinary Temptation, or an extraordinary: Either you are under an extraordinary Desertion, or an ordinary: Either thy streit, or stress, and trouble is ordinary; or else it is extraordinary: If it be an ordinary trouble, why then are you troubled more th • n ordinary? why are you discouraged extraordinarily? If your Affliction, or Misery, be extraordinary, then either God hath brought you into this condition, and hath led you heretofore in a way of extraordinary deliverance, or of ordinary deliverance: if God have led you heretofore in a way of ordinary deliverance, what means those wonderful incomes of Love, and supporting Grace that you have had, when your soul have been ready to sink, and to die within you? And if the Lord hath heretofore led you in a way of extraordinary deliverance, and hath now brought you into this extraordinary condition; then know from the Lord, that it is as great a sin for you now, not to trust in God for extraordinary mercy, as it would have been for you, not to have trusted in the Lord for ordinary deliverance in an ordinary case. You know how it was with the Children of Israel, they sinned greatly in the Wilderness, so much that the Lord kept them out of the Land of Canaan, and many of their Carkasses fell in the Wilderness; what was the reason? the Text tells us, they did not believe. Wherein was their Unbelief? They did not trust God for meat in the Wilderness: why, but that had been a miracle to have Meat in the Wilderness; true, yet this was their Unbelief, That they did not trust God for Meat in the Wilderness. Again, they sinned, and did not trust God for Water: why, but it was a miracle for them to have Water in that place, where no Water was naturally; true, yet because the Lord had led them in a way of miracles before, they sinned now in that they did not trust God for miracles; and it was as great a sin that they did not trust God for Miracles, being led in a way of Miracles, as that they did not trust God for ordinary mercies, when the Lord led them in ways of ordinary mercies. So I say to you; If God lead you in a way of ordinaries, then must you trust God for ordinaries; but if ordinary means cannot be had, and God have led you in a way of extraordinaries, it is then a sin in you to tie God to ordinaries. Are you therefore in an extraordinary case and streit? know that it is no sin now, to trust God for extraordinary mercy, help, and relief.

[ 7] Seventhly: And if after all these things, your hearts fail you, and you would so trust in God, as that you may not be discouraged whatever your condition be; then ask thine own soul these Questions First: Whether there be any gain by doubting? whether there is any Spiritual gain to be made by doubting? Faith purifies the heart, but doth doubting purify the heart? Secondly: Whether there is anything in all the World more pleasing to God, than to trust the Lord, in and by Jesus Christ, when all Comforts are out of view, and when you see nothing but what is contrary to the thing promised? Thirdly: Whether you must not venture upon Christ at the last? and if you must venture upon Christ at the last, why not now, as well as at the last? When a man comes to go over a River, though he ride once, and again into the Water, and comes out, saying, I fear it is too deep for me; yet considering that there is no other way for him, he resolves to venture; for saith he, the longer I stay, the higher the Waters will rise, and there is no other way for me, and I must through at the last, as good at the first, as at the last; and so he doth venture through, and is safe. Thus it is here. You must venture upon Christ at the last, there is no other way but venturing upon Jesus Christ, thou must do it at the last; and were it not as good for you to do it at the first, as at the last? Surely, the longer you stay, the harder you will find it to venture, and the more difficulties will arise upon the work of Believing. You say now, O! but my heart is not humbled; O! but I am a great sinner, and should I venture upon Jesus Christ? But will thy heart be more humbled by keeping from Christ? and shalt thou be a less sinner by keeping from him? No certainly; but the longer you stay from Christ, the harder work it will be to venture upon Christ at the last. Wherefore, if there be ever a poor, drooping, doubting, fearing, trembling heart in all this Congregation, know, That I do here in the Name of the Lord, call out to you, and say, O soul, man or woman, Venture, venture, venture upon Christ now; for you must come to this venturing Work at the last, and if ever, it is true here, better at the first, than at the last. Must you not venture upon Christ at the last? and if at last, why not now? Thus ply, and follow your own souls with these three Questions. And

[ 8] Eighthly: If you would so trust in God, as that you may not be discouraged whatever your condition be; Then consider frequently, and seriously, what a blessed thing it is for to wait on God, and for God: yea, what a reasonable thing it is, that you should wait for him, and on him. For,

[ 1] He hath waited on you, and for your Repentance; He waited in the days of Noah, for the Repentance of the old World, and he waited long, 1 Pet. 3.20. a long while also hath he waited for your repentance; & if he had not waited long, what had become of you? Yea, and he hath not only waited, but he doth still, and will wait to show Mercy, Isaiah. 30.18. he waiteth to show mercy on them that wait for his Mercy. Now shall God wait for us, and for our Repentance? and shall not we wait for him, and his Grace?

[ 2] Ye have waited on others, and do still wait on others; who is there in all the World that you deal with, but you do wait upon? Will ye instance in great men? must you not wait long to speak with them? yea, though it be for their own good? It's recorded of Henry the Emperor of Germany, That when he came to speak with the Pope, the Pope made him, and his Wife, and eldest Son, stand waiting three days in the cold Winter season, at his Palace Gates, before he would speak with the Emperor. Will ye instance in your Inferiors, and such as are beneath you? must you not wait even for them that do wait on you? your Servants, if you bid them do a thing, you must wait til it be done; and if you bid them come, you must wait til they come. Or will ye instance in other Creatures? Do you not wait on the Sun for Light? on the Water for Coolness? on the Fire for heat? Now if we wait on the Creatures, all the Creatures, is it not reasonable that we wait on the Creator? Yet further, Do ye not sometimes wait on the Lusts of men? yea, ye have sometimes waited on your own Lusts, The Adulterer waiteth for the twy-light, saith Job. And h • w often have you waited for an opportunity of sinning? Now will ye wait on Men, your Inferiors, other Creatures, yea, on the Wills and Lusts of Men? and will you not wait on the Grace of God?

[ 3] Look when you give over waiting, then may deliverance come; and if it come then, how will you be filled with shame and confusion? 2 King • , 6. last. the King said, It is a vain thing to wait on God any longer: And if ye look into the next Chapter, at verse 1. ye shall find that deliverance came in the next words: No sooner had the King said, It's a vain thing to wait on God any longer, but the Prophet in the next words saith, To morrow about this time, shall a measure of sine flower be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel in the Gates of Samaria, Chap. 7. verse 1. So that deliverance doth sometimes come when men give over waiting: And if deliverance do thus come to you, what shame and grief will this be to you? how will you befool yourself, and say, O! what a fool was I that I could not wait a little longer? I have given over waiting, and lo, now deliverance is come, and I have no comfort in it.

[ 4] When you give over waiting, then you lose all your former labors: though you have performed many Duties, yet if you do not wait upon God therein, you do lose all your prayers. It's said of Saul, 1 Sam. 28.6. That he inquired of the Lord, who answered him not; and so he sought unto a woman that had a Familiar Spirit, ver. 7. yet 1 Chron. 10.14. it's said, That he inquired not of the Lord: He inquired, and he inquired not; how doth this agree? Well, for though he did inquire of the Lord, yet because he did not wait upon God therein, but gave over waiting, his enquiring in Scripture Phrase is said to be no e • quiring; Prayer without wai • ing, in Scripture Phrase, is no Prayer. Look when a man doth give over waiting, then d th he lo e all his labor; his former Prayer is no • hing, his former Duty no • hing: it shall not once be remembered, or imputed to him.

[ 5] On the other side: If you wait on God, he will not always forget your work of Faith; though he may seem to forget you, yet the patient abiding of the meek, shall not be forgotten forever, Psal. 9.18. God will come and visit you in due time, He that doth come, will come, and will not tarry: yea, and your very waiting (that I may speak with reverence) will make him come the sooner. 'It is not so with men; if you expect a friend, you do go forth to meet him; but 'tis not your expecting, waiting, that will make him come. But so it is with God; your very expecting of him, and waiting for him, will make him come; and therefore the holy men in Scripture, use this Argument with God for mercy: Let me not be ashamed, for I have waited on thee; yea, and if God do come, he will come with a recompense, and pay you all your forbearance-Money, Es. 35. yea, and when he doth come, you shall be able to triumph in his appearing, and say, Lo this is our God, we have waited for him: if you have not waited, you cannot triumph in his appearance; but if you wait, you shall say when he comes, Lo this is my God, and I have waited for him; yea, the Lord will not only c • me, bu • he will come with a blessing, for Blessed are all those that wait on him; yea, he will not only bless you upon your waiting, but he will strengthen you therein, Isaiah. 40. Those that wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength. O! what a blessed thing is it then for to wait on God, who would not hope, trust, wait on the Lord? Is there anything to be gotten by your sad Discouragements, O ye of little Faith? Are you able to alter one hair of your Condition by all your thoughtfulness? Is it not much better now, for to wait on God? Why then do you not call your own heart aside, and say, Come O my soul, Why hast thou limited the Holy One of Israel thus long? Why hast thou dishonored Christ thus long by thy vain fears? Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope, trust, wait on God; for he is the health of my Countenance, and my God.

And thus now I have done with this great Argument: ye have had the Patience to hear it, the Lord give you Grace to practice it. I conclude all with the words of my Commission: Ye that are of a fearful spirit, be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come, even God with a recompense, he will come and save you.

OF THE SIN Against the HOLY GHOST.

HERE are two great Arguments laid before you in these words.

First, The largeness of God's heart, in forgiving sins unto the Children of men, Every sin: All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men.

Secondly: You have here the unpardonableness of the Sin against the Holy Ghost: But the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven unto men.

I would rather choose to speak unto the former Argument; but if I should do so at the first, possibly some poor soul would say, Though God's heart be very large in forgiving sins, yet there is one sin that shall never be forgiven, the Sin against the Holy Ghost; and I fear I have committed that.

That I may therefore take away this Obstruction, and make your way plain and easy to the forgiving mercy of the Lord, I shall at this tim • • eak unto the last of these two Arguments; But the blasphe ••• •• ainst the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven. Whosoever spea ••• against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

For the opening of which words, two Questions must be answered.

[Answ.] Some think, No. But I rather conceive, That these Pharisees did sin this Sin against the Holy Ghost; for if you look into the 3d Chapter of Mark, ye shall find that our Lord and Savior spake this, because of some words that they had spoken against him: he had cast out Devils, and they said, He • ast out Devils by the Prince of Devils, verse 22. Whereupon our Savior reasoned with them, and at last he saith, 〈◊〉 verse • 8. Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the Sons of men, and blasphemies. Verse 29. But he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost, shall never be forgiven: And the reason of this speech is given at verse 30. Because they said he hath an unclean Spirit. And indeed, if these men did not sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost, our Lord and Savior Christ should tell us that there is an unpardonable Sin, and not tell us what it is; for unless it be in this Scripture, you shall not find, either in the Gospel, or in the Epistles, That the Sin against the Holy Ghost, is anywhere mentioned in express words. Now our Lord and Savior would not tell us that there is an unpardonable Sin, and not tell us what it is: but he saith expressly, That whoever doth blaspheme, or speak against the holy Ghost, shall never be forgiven: And he chargeth those Jews, that they blasphemed, and spake against the Spirit of God, or that work which was done by the Spirit; and therefore without doubt, they did then sin the unpardonable Sin, the Sin against the Holy Ghost.

[Answ.] Chrysostom saith, As men are punished in this world, and in the world to come; so they are pardoned in this world, and in the world to come: Pardoned in this world, when any temporal Affliction for sin is removed. So I also understand that Parable in Matth. 18. at the latter end; and pardoned in this life, when a man is justified, Rom. 4. pardoned and forgiven in the world to come: So saith the Apostle in Acts, 3.19. That your sins may be blotted out in the day of refreshing: Which day of refreshing, compared with the Speech which you have in Heb. 2. speaking of the World to come, shows that the day of Refreshing is the time of the World to come; but it is an usual phrase with Scripture, noting the eternity of misery: and therefore if you look again into Mark 3. you shall find, That whereas here in Matthew, the words run thus; Shall not be forgiven, either in this World, or in the World to come; Mark hath it thus, He shall never be forgiven; that Never being the Explication of this, not in this World, nor in the World to come.

The Words being thus far opened, the Doctrine then, will presently be this:

For the opening of this great Truth, which I shall the rather desire you to hearken unto, because as it lies out of the ordinary Road, so it makes your way clear to the laying hold of the former words of God's Mercy. I say, for the opening of this Truth, we must inquire into two Things.

First: If you ask, What this Sin is?

I Answer both Negatively, and Affirmatively.

[ 1] First, Negatively. It is not that sin whereby men do barely deny the Personality, or the Deity of the Holy Ghost: possibly a man may deny the Personality, or the Deity of the Holy Ghost, and yet not sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost. For as Chrysostom observes, in his time there were divers Heretics that did deny the Personality, and the Deity of the Holy Ghost, and yet afterwards repented, and were received into the bosom of the Church. And ye do not find that these Pharisees (who are here charged with this sin) did either deny the Personality; or the Deity of the Holy Ghost. So that plainly then, the Sin against the Holy Ghost, doth not consist in this, The mere, and bare denying of the Personality, or the Deity of the Holy Ghost.

[ 2] Secondly; As it doth not consist therein, so neith • r doth it consist in every opposition, or in a bare opposition unto the work of the Holy Ghost, as distinct from the Father and the Son: Unto God the Father belongs Power; unto the Son, Wisdom; unto the Spirit, Holiness. The Work of the Father, is to Create; the Work of the Son, to Redeem; the Work of the Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, to Sanctify. A • d hereupon some hav • thought, That opposition unto Holiness, is the Sin against the Holy Ghost: But you find here it is a blasphemy, therefore not every opposition. And if you look into Acts, 7. you find that Stephen speaking of the Jews, saith at verse 51. Ye stiff necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ear, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; yet they did not sin this Sin against the Holy Ghost, Why? for Stephen prays for them, at the last verse; Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. But now saith the Apostle John, in 1 John, 5.16. There is a sin unto Death, I do not say that ye shall pray for it. Had they in Stephens account, sinned this Sin unto Death, he would not have prayed for them; but he did pray for them. So that this Sin against the Holy Ghost, doth not consist in every opposition unto the Work of the Holy Ghost, as it is distinct from the Father and the Son.

[ 3] Thirdly: As it doth not consist therein, so it is not necessary that every man that sins the Sin against the Holy Ghost, should be an Universal Apostate, backsliding from the Profession of the Gospel, and the Power thereof: I know it is ordinarily thought so, but I say, it is not necessary that whosoever doth sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost, should be a Gospel Apostate, backsliding from the Gospel, and the Power thereof, once professed: for these Pharisees who sinned against the Holy Ghost, never professed the Gospel, neither do we read of any backsliding in them, from the Power of the Gospel once professed; and yet they sinned against the Holy Ghost. Surely therefore, such a Gospel-Apostasy, is not of the essence of the Sin against the Holy Ghost. Only here I must distinguish concerning the word Apostasy: A man may be said to be an Apostate two ways: either because he doth decline, and fall away from the Profession of the Truth, and Power of Godliness once professed; or else because he doth rebel against Truth revealed, and the Will of God manifested, and will go no further. I will express it thus: Five or six men go a great Journey, suppose to Wales, or into the North, to Scotland; when they come about the middle of the way, two or three of them say, these ways are dirty, and longer than we intended, and therefore we will go no further; but say the other, Let the way be as dirty, and as long as it may be, we will go on, and on they go: Which of these men do depart one from the other? do those that go on depart from them that stay? No; those that will go no further depart, they are the forsakers. So in the way to Heaven, Professors let out together, and some find the way long, further than they thought of, we will go no further say they, and we will have no more Light; but say the other, God willing we will on, and on they go: Which of these two sorts are the Apostates? Those that will go no further: they think not so, but the Lord knows the truth, that those that will go no further, are they that leave and forsake the other. I will give you one Scripture for it, it is in Numbers, 14. there were certain Spies went into the Land of Canaan, and they brought an il report upon the good Land, And the Children of Israel murmured against Moses, verse 2. whereupon Moses speaks unto them, and saith at verse 9. Only rebel not against the Lord: the words in the Septuagint (which Greek the New Testament follows) are, Only be not Apostates against the Lord. So that in Septuagintal Language, those that rebel against Light revealed, and will go no further, are called Apostates. Now indeed this kind of Apostasy, always goes with the Sin against the Holy Ghost, but not the former always; for we do not find that the Pharisees were guilty of the former, for they did not profess the Gospel: So that the Essence of this sin, doth not consist in Apostatizing, or backsliding from the Profession of the Gospel, and the Power thereof.

[ 4] Fourthly: Some think that this Sin doth consist in final Unbelief, and impenitency: But final Impenitency and Unbelief, is not the Sin against the Holy Ghost; for by final Unbelief, and Impenitency, they either understand, that Impenitency and Unbelief which a man lives and dies in, or that which he purposeth to continue in to the last. The latter cannot be the Sin against the Holy Ghost; for many have purposed to continue in their Unbelief to their death, and yet have been converted and pardoned. And the first cannot be the Sin against the Holy Ghost; For, 1. The Jews (whom Christ spake unto) did then commit this Sin, and yet they had not continued in it to their death. 2. Final Unbelief is rather a Sin against the Son: but the Sin against the Holy Ghost is distinguished from that. 3. Our Savior saith, Those that commit this sin, shall not be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come: Not in this world. If therefore, final Unbelief, or Impenitency, be this sin, then Christ should threaten, that he that dies in his sin, shall not be forgiven whilst he lives. 4. If a man sin against the Father, or Son, and die impenitently in that sin, he shall not be forgiven, either in this Life, or in the Life to come: but herein the Sin against the Holy Ghost, is worser than the Sins against the Father, or the Son, and therefore it cannot consist therein. 5. The Apostle saith, There is a sin unto death, I say not that you pray for it: Doth he say, that we must not pray for a man, and for the forgiveness of his sin, when he is dead? 6. It is that sin for which there lies no remission, but a man may sin such a sin whilst he lives: for if any man sin willfully, there remaineth no sacrifice for sin; and willfully a man may sin before his Death. 7. It is such a sin as a man may know anoth • r man is guilty of whilst he lives; for saith the Apostle, There is a sin unto death, I say not that you pray for it: but final Unbelief, and Impenitency, is not known til death. 8. Our Savior saith, He that speaketh a word against the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven: but a word may be spoken against the Spirit, long before a man dies, and therefore surely this sin against the Holy Ghost, doth not consist in final impenitency, and unbelief; final unbelief, and • mpenitency, is not this Sin against the Holy Ghost. 9. For then all wicked men living under the Gospel, and dying impenitently, should sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost, which is false.

You will say then, What is this Sin against the Holy Ghost, and wherein doth it consist?

Secondly: Affirmatively. It is that willful sinning against God, whereby a man doth maliciously oppose and bla • pheme the proper, and peculiar work of the Holy Ghost, and that after he hath been convinced thereof by the Holy Ghost.

1. I say, It is a willful sinning against God; and so the Apostle speaks, saying, If any man sin willfully, after he hath received the knowledge of the Truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sin, Heb. 10.26. So that the sin for which there is no sacrifice, and of which there is no remission, is a willful Sin. Now a man is said to sin Wittingly, Willingly, and Wilfully; Wittingly, in opposition to Ignorance; Willingly, in opposition to Force, and Constraint; Wilfully, in opposition to Light, Knowledge, and Reason, and so he that sins against the Holy Ghost, doth sin; for says the Apostle, If any man sin willfully after he hath received the knowledge of the Truth, or after the acknowledgment, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c.

2. He that commits this Sin, doth also oppose, and blaspheme the proper and peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost; for it's called here, a blasphemy, and a blaspheming of the Spirit, as distinct from the Father and the Son: Now the Work of the Father, is to Create, the Work of the Son to Redeem, the Work of the Holy Ghost to Sanctify; and therefore he that sins this Sin, doth oppose and blaspheme Holiness, and Goodness; and so these Jews did: for when our Savior Christ did cast out the Devil, that unclean Spirit, they said, he did it by the power of the Devil, calling the work done, a work of the Devil, and did oppose him therein. Yet this is not all, For,

3. It is that Sin, whereby a man doth maliciously oppose, and blaspheme; and so the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Heb. 10.26. is used by the Septuagint, Exod. 21.13, 14. And thus did those Pharisees • in, for the Evangelist tells us, That when Christ saw their thoughts, verse 25. He said unto them, &c. So that it was not a bare opposing, or blaspheming; but a malicious opposing and blaspheming this great Work of the Holy Ghost, which made them so deeply guilty.

Quest. But how can a man sin, ex malitia, or maliciously, seeing that, voluntas semper fertur in bonum, & omnis peccans est ignorans. Now if the Will be always carried out upon what is good, and every man that sins, doth sin ignorantly, how can any man be said to sin maliciously, or ex malitia?

Answ. Yes very well: for although the Will be always carried out upon that which is good; yet that good, is either morally Good, called, Bonum honestum, honest Good; or Naturally Good, called, Bonum utile, or Jucundum, profitable, or delightful Good. Now the Will is not always carried out upon that which is honestly good in appearance; for Voluntas est Appetitus universalis, the Will is an universal Appetite: And if the Will should be always carried out upon that which is honestly good in appearance, then (as Suarez reasons well) every Thief and Adulterer, should be an Heretic, which no man will say. And if the Will may be carried out sometimes upon that which is pleasantly, or delightfully, or Naturally good; then it may hate that which is Morally, and Spiritually, and Honestly Good; for, Amor Odii causa, Love is the cause of Hatred; the Will doth naturally hate that which • s contrary to the thing loved; and if the Will may hate that which is honestly, and spiritually good, then it may oppose, and blaspheme the same, and that out of hatred and malice; for every man speaks evil of, and opposes what he hates.

[ 2] If this be a Reason why a man cannot sin maliciously, or ex malitia, Because the Will is always carried out upon what is good; then the Devils, and damned in Hell, do not sin maliciously, or ex malitia; for they have Wills in Hell, as well as men on Earth; but I presume it will not be said that the Devils, and damned in Hell, do not sin maliciously; for then if they sin upon some mistake, and ex ignorantia, they should have some excuse for their Sin.

3. Though every man that sins, doth sin ignorantly, yet he doth not sin ex ignorantia, out of ignorance; Ignorance is sometimes the cause of the Sin, and so the man sins out of Ignorance: sometimes Ignorance is the Companion, and Consequent of the Sin, and then he sins ignorantly. Now it's granted, That every man that sins, doth sin ignorantly, there is always a darkness, and obscuration of the mind, which goeth along with every sin; but every man that sins, doth not sin ex ignorantia, out of ignorance: I say, it is not true, that every Sin doth arise from some precedent error, or ignorance in the Understanding, as the cause thereof: For then,

1. Why should the Holy-Ghost make so great, and vast a difference between him that sins ignorantly, and him that sins presumptuously? Numb. 15. If any sinned through ignorance, there was a Sacrifice for him, ver. 27, 28. but if any man sinned presumptuously, there was no Sacrifice for him, ver. 30, 31. Now if every Sin do arise ex ignorantia, from some precedent error, and ignorance in the Understanding, as the cause thereof; then presumptuous sins also should arise from this cause, and so there would be no such distinction between them, as the Holy Ghost makes.

2. If every Sin in the Will, should arise from some error, or ignorance in the Understanding; then the Will should be always carried out upon Bonum Honestum, Honest Good, at least in appearance; but the Will is an universal Appetite, and the wills of the Devils, and damned in Hell, are not carried out upon that which is apparently honest.

3. If every Sin should suppose such a precedent error, and ignorance in the Understanding, then the will cannot fall off from, or resilire from the ultimate dictate of the understanding, but must necessarily, and continually follow the same; and so the liberty will be formally (and not radicately) in the Understanding, and not in the Will; then the Will cannot move, and apply the Understanding to consider a thing, nor be the cause of Ignorance in the Understanding; yea, then there shall be no sin in the Will, because it follows the Understanding, as God hath set a Law upon it to do; but where Grace is, there is Sin also.

4. If the Will doth always presuppose such an error, and ignorance in the Understanding, and doth necessarily follow such an act of the Understanding, presenting some Truth, or honest Good, either real, or apparent, then the created, and defiled Will of Man, cannot tend unto any Object upon any reason, upon which the Divine Will of God cannot tend unto its Object; for the Divine Will can tend, and be carried out upon any good, being abstracted from all deformity: and although the created Will be carried out, & tend unto that which is apparently good, and the Divine Will is always carried out upon that which is really good, yet the reason why the created Will is carried out upon that which is apparently good, is because it appears to be real, and so the Divine Will, shall be carried out upon its Object, upon no other reason than the created Will of man, yea, than the wills of Devils, and the damned in Hel, which I suppose none will affirm.

5. It is confessed by all, That there is a Sin of Malice, and a Sin of Ignorance. Now if there be a Sin of Malice (as Ocham reasons) then he that sins out of malice, hath either an universal, or particular knowledge, or both; if both, then as he saith, habetur propositum, viz. every Sin doth not presuppose an error, or ignorance in the Understanding. If he that sins out of malice, hath an universal knowledge only, then he that sins ignorantly shall have equal knowledge with him that doth sin maliciously; for he that sins ignorantly hath an universal knowledge, that every just thing is to be done, and that every good thing that pleaseth God is to be done; but he that sins out of ignorance, hath not equal knowledge with him that sins out of malice; and therefore he that sins out of malice, must have both an universal, and particular knowledge; and if so, then every Sin doth not presuppose an error, and ignorance in the Understanding, as the Cause thereof. But,

4. Suppose that some ignorance in the Understanding, be the remote cause of the Sin, yet malice may be the next, and chief cause. As for example: Suppose that a man hath taken up some prejudice against another, through a mistake and error; yet now he hates him, and out of hatred kills him; shall not this murderer be said to kill him out of malice, because the malice was founded upon a mistake, or error? Yes surely: But why is he said to kill him out of malice? Because malice was the next cause of this murder. So that though ignorance be the remote cause of a Sin, yet malice may be the next cause thereof; and being so, he shall be said truly to sin ex malitia, though with some precedent ignorance, as the remote cause thereof.

5. Yet if you ask, how it can be, that the Will should be always carried out upon what is good, and yet a man sin maliciously? Plainly thus: From what hath been said, the Will of Man is an universal Appetite, willing that which is Naturally good, as well as •• e which is Honestly good: If it be carried out upon that which i • naturally good, it will hate all that spiritual g o • which is con •• to the obtainment of it, and the man will oppose, and blaspheme what the will hates. Now because the hatred and malice of the will, is the cause of that blasphemy and oppo • ition, the man is truly said to oppose and blaspheme out of malice, though the will be carried ou • upon that which is naturally good at the same time; which was the case of these Pharisees: For they sought their own Honor and Greatness; Christ and the Truth opposing, they did hate him, and the Truth; and because they hated him, the Truth, and that Light which reproved their Sins, they did oppose and blaspheme, and that out of malice, and so the Sin against the Holy Ghost, is a malicious Sin, or that Sin whereby a man doth oppose and blaspheme the proper and peculiar Work of the Spirit out of malice. Yet this is not all. But,

6. It is that Sin against God, whereby a man doth maliciously oppose and blaspheme the peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost, after he hath been convinced thereof by the Holy Ghost; for possibly a man may oppose and blaspheme, even maliciously, the Work of the Holy Ghost, and yet not be convinced of it by the Holy Ghost, but otherwise; but those that sin this Sin, are such as are enlightened, and made partakers of the Holy Ghost in the Gifts and common Graces of it, Heb. 6. And so these Pharisees were convinced, by the Spirit which did work that great Work before them; and yet after such a convincement wrought by the Spirit, they did maliciously oppose and blaspheme this Work of the Spirit. So that I say, the Sin against the Holy Ghost, is that willful sinning against God, whereby a man doth maliciously oppose and blaspheme the proper and peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost, and that after he hath been convinced there of by the Holy Ghost. Or if you will, thus: It is that deliberate sinning against God, whereby men do oppose the Work of God, which their own Conscience and Conviction tells them, is wrought by the Spirit and Finger of God, in order to man's Salvation, yet out of malice do blaspheme the same.

[Answ.] Not in regard of Difficulty only, or because it is hardly pardoned, as some would; for many Sins are hardly pardoned, and yet are not the Sins against the Holy Ghost; for ( Zanchi doth well observe) if this Sin were only impardon, because it is hardly pardoned, then a m • n might pray for though •• • at in this Sin: but the Apostle saith, There is a Sin unto 〈◊〉 , I do not say that ye shall pray for it, 1 John, 5.16. The •• ore the impardonableness of it, doth not lie here.

2. Neither is it impardonable only in regard of event, Because in event it shall never be pardoned; for th • re are many Sins which in event shall never be pardoned, which yet are not the Sins against the Holy Ghost. There is many a wicked man that goes to Hel, whose Sins in event are not pardoned, and yet he did never sin against the Holy Ghost: So that this Sin is not impardonable only in regard of event.

3. Neither is it impardonable, because it is so great as doth exceed the Power and Mercy of God; for God's Mercy and Power, in forgiving sins, is like himself, Infinite. If that be a good Argument that David useth, Forgive my sin, for it is wondrous great; then the greatness of the Sin, cannot be the only reason of the impardonableness of it: There is nothing greater than that which is infinite, but God's Mercy is Infinite.

4. Neither is it impardonable, because it is against the means of Pardon; for then the Sin against the free Love of the Father, and the Sin against the Son, should be impardonable.

5. Neither is it impardonable, because a man doth not repent thereof; for then all Sins unrepented of, should be Sins against the Holy Ghost: It is true, That those who commit this Sin, cannot repent, as the Apostle speaks, It is impossible that they should be renewed to repentance, Heb. 6. because God doth give them up to impenitency: but we do not find in Scripture, that their not repenting is made the reason of the impardonableness of this Sin.

But the Sin is impardonable, because there is no Sacrifice laid out by God's Appointment for it; If any man sin willfully, there remaineth no more Sacrifice, Heb. 10. and without blood and Sacrifice, there is no remission: He that sinned ignorantly, Numb. 15. was pardoned; Why? Because there was a Sacrifice laid out for him; but if any man sinned 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with an high hand, he was to bear his own sin; Why? Because there was no Sacrifice laid out for him: But why was there no Sacrifice for that Sin? Not because the man did not repent after it; but because that in the committing of that Sin, he did despise the Commandment of God. So now, God hath declared, That every Sin, and Blasphemy against the Father and Son, may be forgiven; but if men come to that height of Sin, as maliciously to oppose, and blaspheme that very way and work of God's Spirit, which they have been convinced of by the Spirit, then there shall be no Sacrifice for that, and so no remission, and pardon.

And thus now ye have seen, what the Sin against the Holy Ghost is; in what respects it is not, and in what respects it is unpardonable; and so the Doctrine cleared and proved, That the Sin against the Holy Ghost, is the impardonable Sin, which shall never be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.

The Application follows:

[Applic. 1] If the Sin against the Holy Ghost, be the Impardonable Sin, Then surely the Holy Ghost is God, very God, true God, as the Father is: For can it be a greater evil, or more dangerous, to sin against a Creature, than against God the Father? It is God that is sinned against, now the Holy Ghost is sinned against; yea, the Impardonable Sin is against the Holy Ghost. The Socianians say, That if he be a Person, he must needs be God, true God: but ye see by this Scripture, that he is joined with the other Person, of the Son; so also he is joined with the Father, and the Son; in Matth. 28. In whose Name we are to baptize; he who hath a Name, and in whose Name, something is to be done, must needs be a Person: And I pray you, what is proper and peculiar to a Person? is not Understanding, Willing, and Speaking? these are all given to the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2.11. 1 Cor. 12.11. and Rom. 8.26.27. Acts, 13.2. Acts, 20.23. But I need go no further than this Text: here the Spirit is joined with the Son, and the Sin against the Holy Spirit, is made the impardonable Sin: surely therefore he is verily and truly God, as the Father is.

[Applic. 2] If this Doctrine be true, then what a necessity is there upon us all to know, and understand, what this Sin against the Holy Ghost is; for if a man have sinned this Sin, we are to forbear praying for him, 1 John, 5.16, therefore we may know what this Sin is, and we, may know that another hath committed the same; for how can we forbear prayer for him, if we do not know and understand what this Sin is; the not knowing what this Sin is, makes many men fall into it, before they are aware. When the Laws of a Nation are written in an unknown Tongue, the People break them before they are aware, because they do not know them. So the not knowing what this Sin is, makes many a poor soul to fall into it; yea, the not knowing what this Sin is, breeds many scruples, doubts, and fears, in new Converts; O! saith one, I have sinned that great Sin against the Holy Ghost; and I, saith another, have sinned the impardonable Sin; and why, but because the man doth not know what this Sin is? O! what a necessity therefore is thereupon us all, to know, and understand what this Sin is, and wherein it doth consist.

[Applic. 3] If the Sin against the Holy Ghost, be the unpardonable Sin, what Mercy, and what Grace is it, that the Lord hath kept us from this great Sin? that though ye have fallen into great and heinous sins, and the Lord hath suffered you to fall into such sins that you may be humbled; yet that the Lord should keep you from this Sin, this unpardonable Sin, for which there is no Sacrifice, nor no remission, O! what Mercy, and what Grace is this!

[Object. 1] But I am afraid I have sinned this Sin, and the truth is, I have often feared it; and my reason was, and is, Because my sins are so great, so exceeding great.

[Answ.] Great, say ye; How great, man? I have sinned against my Light, I have sinned against my Knowledge, I have sinned against my Conviction; and therefore I fear I have sinned the unpardonable Sin. But I pray (for Answer) did not Adam sin against Light, when he eat the forbidden Fruit? Did he not sin against his Knowledge, & against Conscience; yet he sinned not against the Holy Ghost (though he brought all the World under Condemnation by his Sin) for the Lord himself came and preached mercy to him, The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head. And I pray did not Jonah (when he run away from God) sin against his Light? and did he not sin against his Conviction? and against his Knowledge? yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost: for the Lord pardoned him, and wonderfully delivered him. Possibly this therefore may be, and yet not a Sin against the Holy Ghost. It is true indeed, that those who sin against the Holy Ghost, do sin against their Light, Knowledge, and Conscience; but whoever sins against Light and Knowledge (though he sins greatly) doth not sin against the Holy Ghost.

[Object. 2] O! But I fear that I have sinned this Sin, for I have fallen foully into gross sins.

[Answ.] That is ill. But I pray did not David sin so? were they not great, & gross, and foul sins that David fell into, such as one of your civil, moral men would abhor? yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost; for the Lord pardoned him, and Nathan said from the Lord, The Lord hath forgiven thee.

[Object. 3] O! But yet I fear that I have sinned this great Sin; for I am much declined, I have lost my former acquaintance, and communion with God; I have lost my former heat and affections to good, and in Duty; and I fear upon this account that I have sinned this great Sin.

[Answ.] Be it so: yet did not the Church of Ephesus lose her first Love? yet this Church of Ephesus, did not sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost; Why? For the Lord saith unto her, Repent, and do thy first Works: she could not have repented thus, if she had sinned this Sin.

[Object. 4] O! but yet I fear that I have sinned this great Sin, because that I have sinned directly against the Spirit; I have quenched, I have grieved, I have resisted the Spirit; the Spirit of the Lord hath come and fallen upon my heart in preaching, and I resisted, and grieved it; the Spirit of the Lord hath fallen upon my heart in Prayer, and I have grieved that; therefore I fear I have sinned this great Sin, that shall never be pardoned.

[Answ.] This is ill too: But those that you read of in Acts, 7. resisted the Holy Ghost; yet they did not sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost; for then Stephen would not have prayed for them. And indeed Beloved, if every resisting of the breathings of the Spirit, and grieving of the Holy Ghost, were the unpardonable Sin, what godly man would be free? A godly man is more properly said to grieve the Spirit, than a wicked man. If an Enemy strike you, you are angry; if your Friend strike you, ye are grieved: If a wicked man strike at God, he is angry with him; if a godly man strike at God, God is angry, and his Spirit is grieved, because he is a Friend. Grieve not the Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption: So that thus far, possibly a man may go, and yet not sin this Unpardonable Sin.

[Object. 5] But I am afraid that I have sinned this great Sin, the Sin against the Holy Ghost, because I have not owned, but denied the Truth: the Work of the Spirit, is to enlighten, and to lead into Truth, and I have not owned, but denied the Truth rather; therefore I fear that I have sinned this great Sin against the Holy Ghost.

[Answ.] This is evil, very evil. I remember a Speech of Godteschalchus, worthy to be written in Letters of Gold: I am afraid (said he) to deny the Truth, lest I should be forever denied by the Truth, that is Christ. But I pray, did not Peter deny the Truth when he denied Christ? and did he not do it again, and again? and did he not do it openly with Scandal? and did he not do it after Admonition? and did he not do it with Cursing, and Swearing? and yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost; for the Lord pardoned, and took him into his bosom, and made him a blessed Instrument in the Church. Thus far yet a man may go possibly, and yet not sin this Sin.

[Object. 6] O! But I am afraid yet, that I have sinned it; for I have been an Opposer of Goodness, I have been an Opposer of the People of God, and I have been a blasphemer; therefore I fear I have sinned this Sin.

[Answ.] This is ill indeed: But I pray tell me. Was not Paul an Opposer, and Blasphemer of the Saints, and Waies of God? and yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost; for I did it ignorantly, saith he; I was a Blasphemer, and a Persecutor; but I obtained mercy, for I did it ignorantly.

[Object. 7] O! But I have sinned, and I have done it maliciously; and therefore I fear I have sinned this same dreadful Sin.

[Answ.] This is yet worser: But what mean you by that word, Maliciously? A man may be said to sin ex malitia, or maliciously, three ways, saith Aureolus: Either because he sins from some evil habit, and so all wicked men sin; yet they do not all sin against the Holy Ghost: Or, because a man sins out of anger, passion, or evil will against another; so Paul sinned when he persecuted the Church of God, he was carried out with a malicious spirit against the Saints and People of God; yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost. Or else because a man is moved to sin, not out of any evil habit, passion, or ignorance; but merely from the liberty of his own will, because it pleaseth him, and because he doth hate that which his own Conviction tells him is right and good. Now have you sinned thus? Surely no; for then you would not be troubled about it, but be well pleased with it.

Obj. 8. O! But yet I fear I have sinned this great Sin, for I have forsaken God, and God hath forsaken me; God is gone, Christ is gone, and Mercy is gone: O! what freedom once I had; but now God is departed from me, God hath forsaken me; and I fear it is upon this account, Because I have sinned this great Sin.

Ans. But doth not David say, How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me, forsake me? And our Savior himself saith, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? There is a gradual forsaking, and there is a total. As with a man that goes from his house; possibly he go • s a Voyage, or is from home a quarter, half a year, or a year; but he doth not leave his House, for his Wi • e, his Children, and Goods are there still: But another man goes awe • y from his House, the House is let, and he carries away all his Goods: this is a total departure, the other gradual. So now it is with the Lord; he doth sometimes forsake his own Childr • n for a time; but he doth not pul down his Hangings, or carry away his Goods; he doth not go away, but returns again; this is gradual. But there is a total forsaking of a man, and then he give • s him up to his Sin. Now this is not the burden that you lie under; for if God had thus forsaken you, you would be given up to your Sins, and you would give up yourselves unto • l Uncleanness.

[Object. 9] O! But I am afraid yet, that I am under the worst forsaking, and that therefore I have sinned this great Sin; for I do lie despairing, saying, God is gone, and Mercy gone, I am in the dark, O! I despair, I despair, and upon this account I fear I have sinned this great Sin, the Sin against the Holy Ghost.

[Answ.] For Answer: You know what Heman said, I remember God, and am troubled; O Lord (saith he) all thy waves are gone over my head; the waves of thy wrath are gone over my head, and yet a Penman of Scripture. Aretius tells us of a certain man in his time; It is no feigned story, saith he, but I saw the man with my own Eyes, one that had been a most vile, and desperate Sinner, a Drunkard, a Swearer, a Wanton, a Gamester, and so he continued to his gray hairs; but at the last, it pleased God to set his Sins in order before him, and the man was so troubled in Conscience, that he threw himself down upon the ground, calling unto Satan to take him away, provoking Satan to take him away; Devil, take thy own, I am thy own, take thy own: whereupon (saith Aretius ) prayer was made for him; Christians prayed, they fasted, and prayed, they prayed night and day; and it pleased God at last, this poor man revived, converted to God, lived a godly life, and died comfortably: So that it is not an easy thing (saith he) to pronounce what the Sin against the Holy Ghost is. But now, whosoever you are, that have labored under this fear (as indeed this fear I know hath oppressed many) give me leave to ask you four or five short Questions.

The First is: Whether canst thou not find in thy heart, to forgive men that do trespass against thee? Do not you find a disposition in your own heart to forgive others? Yes, I praise the Lord that I do. Now if you can find in your heart to forgive others, I am sure God can find in his heart to forgive you; and therefore you have not sinned this great sin, which is unpardonable.

Secondly: Whether, I or no, have you ever opposed the ways of God, the People of God, and that out of malice? No: I confess I have opposed them, but the Lord knows I did it ignorantly, it was not out of malice; then remember the description of this Sin.

Thirdly: Whether I or no, do not you desire to be humbled for every Sin, though it be never so small? Yes, for though I know, that my greatest Humiliation cannot, placare Deum, make an atonement for my Sin; yet I know that the least Humiliation in truth doth, placere Deo, please God, and it is my Duty to be humbled for every sin; for the least sin is a great evil; and he that commands Humiliation for the one, commands it for the other also; and through Grace I desire to be humbled for every sin: why, then you cannot have sinned against the Holy Ghost; for it is impossible that they that sin this Sin, should be renewed to Repentance.

Fourthly: Whether, I, or no, do not you desire above all things, the breathings of the Spirit of God upon your heart? Yes: O! that God would come and breath upon my poor soul in Duty. But those that sin against the Holy Ghost, do despite to the Spirit of Grace, Hebrews, 10.

Fifthly: Where do you find in all the Bible, That those that sin this Sin against the Holy Ghost, are afraid that they have sinned it? those that sin against the Holy Ghost, are never afraid that they have sinned against the Holy Ghost. This alone satisfied Mistress Drake, a Woman much troubled in Conscience, she was afraid she had sinned against the Holy Ghost; Mr. Dod, of blessed Memory, came to her, and told her, That therefore she had not sinned the Sin against the Holy Ghost, Because she feared she had sinned it; for those that sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost, are never afraid that they have sinned it; and she acknowledged, it did satisfy her, and she was thereupon comforted. Now therefore, where is the man or woman that hath labored under such a fear as this? O! I have sinned this unpardonable Sin! Art thou one that fearest thou hast sinned it? I tell thee from the Lord, thou art free from it; and thou mayest go home, and say thus: Though I have sinned much, for which the Lord humble me, yet I bless God I am kept from this great Sin: And O! my beloved, what a mercy is it, That among all the sins that we have committed, That yet we should be kept from this great Sin? The greater the evil is, the greater is the mercy to be kept from it. Now I pray, What is the misery of this Sin? Is it not a great misery to be past Prayer, to be thrown out of the Prayers of the Saints? For such a one pray not, saith the Apostle. Is it not a great misery for a man to be beyond the line of Mercy? a man that hath sinned this Sin against the Holy Ghost, is worser Spiritually, than a man that is sick of the Plague outwardly; for if a man be sick of the Plague, ye pray for him, and say, Lord, have mercy upon him; but if a man have sinned this Sin, he is past Prayer, and past Pardon, he is past Sacrifice; the truth is, this man is in the Devils case: The Devil, you know, is reserved in Chains unto the great Day, and he cannot get out: So, if a man hath sinned this Sin, though he live ten years, twenty years, or thirty years, he is reserved in Chains, and he shall never be pardoned, he is upon the Devils ground. O! what a misery is it to commit this Sin! O! what a mercy is it then to be kept from it! Now here is Hope for the greatest Sinner in the Congregation upon this account: saith our Savior, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, except the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Hast thou therefore been a great Sinner? Hast thou been a Drunkard? Hast thou been a Wanton? Hast thou been a Swearer? Hast thou been an Opposer of the People of the Lord? and hath the Lord kept thee from this great transgression? Man or Woman, here is Hope yet. Who would not then turn to God? Come Drunkard, Swearer, Wanton, here is yet hope for thy soul; who would not come in to Christ?

And O! What Comfort is here for Believers that are in Christ? If thou beest in Christ, and a Believer, thou canst not sin this Sin: that look as it is with a man that hath sinned this Sin, he cannot be pardoned; so if a man be the Child of God, a Believer in Christ, he cannot sin this Sin; for he that is born of God sinneth not, neither can he, for the Seed of God abides in him. O! you that are Believers, comfort yourselves with this Truth. Here is Comfort for all the People of the Lord, from this Doctrine.

[Applic. 4] But in the fourth place: If the Sin against the Holy Ghost, be indeed the unpardonable Sin, what cause have we all to look to our steps, to our words, to our actions? Beloved! this Sin against the Holy Ghost, is the Professors Sin; a man less than a Professor cannot sin this Sin against the holy Ghost; this Sin against the holy Ghost, is the knowing man's sin, a man less than a knowing man cannot sin the Sin against the holy Ghost: And as I said before, a man may possibly go very far in sin, and yet not commit this great unpardonable Sin: So now on the other side I say, Possibly a man may go very far in Religion, and yet he may sin this Sin: These Pharisees that committed it, had the Key of Knowledge: knowing they were, and very knowing in the Scriptures; as for Zeal, they travelled Sea and Land to make a Proselyte; for their Practice, they fasted twice a week, exceeding strict in observing the Sabbath day, the Lights of the Church, and the Eyes of all the People were upon them for their Guides; and yet these men sinned this Sin against the Holy Ghost. O! what care should there be in all our souls! how had we all need to look to our ways? The more Truth revealed, the more danger of sinning this Sin, the more great Works of God are done by the very Spirit, and Finger of God; if men do oppose and blaspheme, the more danger of sinning this great Sin. Now I will appeal to you, When was there ever more Light revealed than in these days of ours? yet when more opposing, and blaspheming of it? When were there ever such great Works done by the very Spirit and Finger of God? and yet when more opposing, and blaspheming? Are there not some that have been convinced, that the Spirit of God breathed upon their hearts in such and such Ordinances, and such and such Waies, and yet now oppose and blaspheme those very ways of God, wherein they said heretofore they had the Spirit of God? Are there not some that are convinced, that in these Times, great things are done by the very Finger, by the Power and Arm of God among us, and that in order to our salvation? and yet how do men speak against them, and blaspheme? I will not say that these men do it out of malice, and therefore I do not charge this Sin against the Holy Ghost upon them; But beloved in the Lord, this is certain, That in knowing Times, Times when God is doing great things by his own Finger, then is this Sin stirring most. The Times of Christ, and of the Apostles, were Times of great Light, when God wrought by his own Finger, then was this Sin committed. Now in these Times, there is much breaking forth of Light, and great things done by the very Finger of God; therefore I say, there is great danger if men do now blaspheme; wherefore I say again, take heed to your souls, you that are Professors, look to your steps in these days of ours.

[Quest.] But you will say, We grant indeed that this Sin against the Holy Ghost, is the unpardonable Sin, and woe be to them that do fall into it, and it cannot be committed but by a knowing man; but what shall we do that we may be kept from this great Transgression? that whatsoever sin we do fall into, yet we may be kept from this great Evil, and this unpardonable Sin?

[Answ.] I would that you would mind and consider the Description which you have heard, and think of it. [ 1] But I will tell you what David did; saith David, O Lord, keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins, so shall I be free from the great transgression: It seems then, that presumptuous sinning, makes way to this great Transgression. When is a man said to sin presumptuously? When a man sins upon this score, That God will show mercy to him, saying, I know, indeed, it is not good for me to go to such a wicked Company, it is a sin so to do; but I will venture, and repent afterwards, for God will show mercy. To venture upon a sin, presuming that God will show mercy, and that a man shall repent afterwards, is presumption, and presumptuous sinning, makes way to this great Transgression; therefore would you be kept from this great Transgression? go to God with David, and say, O Lord, keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins, so shall I be free from the great transgression.

[ 2] Again: Be always humbled for lesser sins: He shall never fall into the greatest, that is always humbled for the least; he shall never fall into the worst, that is always humbled for the smallest.

[ 3] Besides: Fear is the Keeper of Innocency; Timor innocentiae custos, Fear is the Guard of Innocency: If you always fear to commit it, you shall never commit the same.

[ 4] In case that you do at any time fall into sin, say, Well, but through the Grace of God, though I commit what is evil, I will never oppose what is good; by the Grace of God, I will carry this Rule along with me, Though I commit what is evil, I will never oppose what is good.

[ 5] In case any great Work be done before you, that lies beyond your reach, and beyond your fatham, say, Though I do not understand this Work, I will admire; and though I cannot reach it, yet I will not blaspheme, and • peak against it.

[ 6] And if heretofore, Christian, thou hast found God breathing upon thy heart, in any Ordinance, public, or private, or in any Way of God, take heed (as for thy life) that thou dost never speak evil, or blaspheme that way of God, wherein thou hast sound the Spirit of God breathing: This Sin is always accompanied with invidentia fratrum, with the envy of the Saints, and therefore some have thought the Sin against the Holy Ghost did consist in it, in the envying of the Saints; but though that be not it, yet that accompanies it. Canst thou not find thy own heart rise to those heights of Graces that others do, take heed you never envy the Saints, lest you fall from envying those that are good, to oppose Goodness itself, which is the proper Work of the Holy Ghost.

[ 7] And if indeed, you would be kept from this great Transgression, then take heed of all declinings, and the steps thereof. There are three steps, as in our Conversion to God, so in our Apostasy, declining, and going out from God. Three steps in our coming in to God: First a man's Affection is taken with that which is good; Then his Judgment is convinced; And then his Wilstrikes in, and he resolves with all his heart and soul to cleave to the Lord forever. So in a man's Declining, and going out from God: First a man's Affection declines; Then his Judgment alters, I thought so and so indeed before, but now I am of another mind; And then it comes to his Will, and he will go on, and let Parents say, and Ministers say, and Friends say what they will, yet he will go on, and that because he will. Now saith the Apostle, If any man sin willfully after he hath received the knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin; therefore as you desire to be kept from this great Transgression, doth your Affections decline? take heed your Judgment do not alter: Doth your Judgment alter? take heed that your Will be not perverse; O! take heed of all Declinings, and the step • thereof.

[ 8] But finally: Forsake not the Assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some have been; but as heretofore provoke one another to Love and good Works; and so much the more as you see the day approaching, and what I say to you, I say to all, and to mine own soul, Let us breath after the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, For there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. O! let us pray to God for his keeping Grace, it is he alone that keeps us; and the Lord keep all our souls from this great Transgression.

OF THE SIN OF INFIRMITY.

IN the Verses next precedent, and consequent, you may see the difference between the true, and the false Disciple; both sinned, but they differ in their sin, and in the issue of it. The true Disciple sleeps, when he should have prayed; and he slept again, and again, that was his sin; for our Savior commanded them to watch and pray: but Christ wakened them, and would not leave them sleeping; he came to them with his wakening mercy, and they were awakened, that was the issue of their sin. But the false Disciple Judas, was awake, and he watched unto what was evil: the good Disciple slept unto what was good, and the false Disciple watched unto what was evil; that was his sin: For while Christ yet spake (ver. 17.) Lo Judas, one of the Twelve, came, and with him a great multitude, with Swords and Staves, from the chief Priests and Elders of the People. Now he that betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he, hold him fast: and forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail Master, and kissed him: This was his Sin, wherein our Savior leaves him, and doth not awaken him, but suffered him to go on, leading him forth with the Workers of iniquity: That was the issue of his Sin.

In this 43. verse, you have the true Disciples Sin, and his Lord's Grace; his dealing by Christ, and Christ's dealing by him.

[ 1] First: He slept when he should have been at Prayer; which Sin is described by the Cause thereof, and by the Repetition of it:

[ 1] The Cause of it in these words; For their Eyes were heavy▪ this sin therefore was a Sin of Infirmity, a Sin of Weakness; and so our Savior calls it, verse 41. for saith he, The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

[ 2] The Repetition of this Sin, you have in these words; He found them asleep again: Christ had wakened them before, and commanded them to pray; but they slept again, and again: thus did they deal by Christ.

[ 2] Secondly: But how did Christ deal by them? he did not leave them in their Sin, not cast them off as he did deal by Judas; but he came to them again, and as they slept again, so Christ came again; his waking Grace and Mercy, was as high as their slumbering Sin; they sin again, and he comes again: So that the Doctrine from the whole verse is this:

For the opening, and clearing whereof, Three things will fall under our Consideration.

• 1. That a man may possibly fall into the same sin again, and again, yet be a true Disciple.
• 2. That this Sin, may be but a Sin of Infirmity.
• 3. That being so, Christ will not leave him in it, but will come again, and not cast him off.

I confess it is an Evil thing so to do, and a great Evil: In some respects it may be worser to fall into the same sin, than to fall into others; for this may more wast ones Peace, and destroy the Assurance of God's Love, sins against Light, do the most darken. Now when we have repented, and then fall into that very sin which they repented of, they do sin against Light; yea, it is a kind of repenting of ones Repentance; for as when a man hath gone on i • a sinful way, and doth return unto God, he doth then repent of his sin; so when a man hath gone on in a good way, and doth return to his sin, then he doth as it were repent of his Repentance: when God pardoneth a man, he saith, Go, and sin no more: do I therefore return unto the same sin? then am I most unthankful, dis-ingenuous, and disobedient; yea, it is exceedingly displeasing unto the Lord, for a man to fall into the same sin again, and again; ye shall observe therefore, That although the Lord pardoned the Children of Israel that great sin of Idolatry in the matter of the Golden Calf, yet in reference to the Land of Promise, he did not pardon their Unbelief and murmuring; for they entered not into Canaan; Why? Because of their Unbelief, saith the Apostle. Now if you look into Numb. 14.19. you shall find that Moses prayed, Pardon I beseech thee, O Lord, the iniquity of this People, according to the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this People from Egypt, even till now: And the Lord said, I have pardoned, according to thy word; But as truly as I live, all the Earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord. At ver. 22. Because all these men which have seen my Glory, and my Miracles which I did in Egypt, and in the Wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice, surely they shall not see the Land, which I sware to give unto their Fathers. Though I pardon them, saith God, they shall never come into Canaan, the Land of Rest that I have promised; Why? Because they have sinned these ten times, murmuring again, and again, and again; so that it is exceedingly displeasing unto the Lord, for a man to fall into the same sin again, and again. But yet I say, it is possible that a good man, and true Disciple of Christ, may fall into the same sin, again, and again: It was a sin for them thus to sleep, when our Savior had commanded them to watch and pray; but they slept again, and again. Look I pray you it to Job 19. and see what Job saith concerning his friends; These ten times (saith b • at verse 3.) have ye reproached me, yet are ye not ashamed. It is an evil thing to reproach a man, it is worser to reproach a godly man, it is yet worser to reproach a godly man under Affliction, and to afflict the afflicted; but to reproach a man ten times, this is evil indeed: yet saith Job, These ten times have ye reproached me; and yet Job 's Friends were godly. Possibly then, a good man may fall into the same sin again, and again, ten times, that is very often. And you know how it was with Abraham, the Father of the Faithful; you read in Genesis, 12. that when he was driven by reason of Famine, into Egypt, he desired his Wife Sarah to say, that she was his Sister; which indeed was no lie, but his sin of Unbelief, and very evil; for thereby he put his Wife upon a great Temptation; he was reproved for it, as you read in the Chapter: yet if you look into the 20. Chapter, you shall find, that he was at the same work again, And Abraham journeyed towards the South Country; and Abraham said (at ver. 2.) of Sarah his Wife, she is my Sister. And so also if you look into 2. Chron. 19. you shall find it was thus with that good King Jehoshaphat, complying too much with the King of Israel, for which he is reproved, at verse 2. And Jehu went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord: yet if you look into the 20. Chapter, you shall find, that he falls into the same sin again: And Eliazar prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, (at the last verse) Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works; and the Ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish. Jehoshaphat a good man, yet he falls into the same sin again: So that I shall not need to spend longer time in this, it is too apparent, Possibly a good man, a true Disciple of Christ, may fall into the same Sin again, and again. That is the First.

For the opening, and clearing of this, we must consider what a Sin of Infirmity is, and what is the true notion of it: which being cleared, the Truth proposed will Naturally fall into your bosom. Properly therefore, a Sin of Infirmity, is that sin, which doth rather arise from want of strength to resist, than from will to commit; else it should be wickedness, and not weakness.

[ 1] But in Scripture Phrase, it is called a weakness; as here in this Chapter, The Spirit is willing, but the Flesh is weak and Rom. 6.19. I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity, or weakness of your flesh. And therefore,

[ 2] It must be in one that hath Spiritual Life: You do not say that a stone is infirm, or weak; Why? Because a stone hath no life in it: infirmity is a defect in one that hath life.

[ 3] And I say, it doth arise, not from willfulness, but want of strength to resist. Now this want of strength to resist, doth either arise from some Natural cause, which one cannot avoid; of which Paul speaks, in Rom. 7.19. The good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do: and why so? he gives the reason at verse 21. I find then a Law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me; and verse 23. I find a Law in my Members, fighting against the Law of my Mind, and leading me captive, &c. Or else it doth arise from some present distemper, and that either in the Mind and Judgment, and then it is called an Error, Who knoweth the Errors of his Life? Or else this distemper doth arise from some present passion, fear, or the like, whereby a man is hurried into evil, and then he is said to be overtaken, Gal. 6.1. So that when a man is alive unto God, and doth commit a Sin for want of strength to resist, then he is said to sin out of infirmity.

First: Therefore if you ask, Whether every Sin that a godly man doth commit, be a Sin of infirmity? I answer, No. Because there are some Sins that a godly man doth commit, which he hath strength to avoid. Somtimes the word Infirmity is taken largely, for all Sin: which Jesus Christ our High Priest, doth sympathize with us in. So Heb, 4. We have not such an High Priest who cannot be touched with our infirmities: And thus all the Sins of the Godly, may be, and are Sins of Infirmity. But properly and strictly, an Infirmity is that Sin which a man is taken captive by, against his will, Rom. 7. that is, against the general bent, and frame of his heart, which he hath not present strength to resist. So Rom. 15.1. Ye which are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of those that are weak. And thus every Sin that a Godly man commits, is not a Sin of Infirmity.

Secondly: If you ask, Whether any Sin that a wicked man doth commit, be a Sin of Infirmity? I answer, No: Because he hath no spiritual Life, and infirmity is in one that hath life; and therefore a wicked man being dead, his Sin that he commits, cannot be called a Sin of Infirmity.

Thirdly? If you ask, Whether any great, gross, foul, s •• ndalous Sin, be, or can be a Sin of Infirmity? I answer, No: Because it is a sickness (as Austin well observes) and not a weakness, for, saith he, there is a great deal of difference between Aegrotus, and Infirmus: If a man have some distemper and ailment in his Body, and yet he bea • s up to his meat, and to his work, he is not sick, but he hath an infirmity, this is weakness: but if a man have a distemper and illness in his Body, whereby he is driven both from meat, and work, and doth lie by it, then it is not an infirmity, but a sickness. So Spiritually, If a man have a failing, and yet through the Grace of God he bears up to meat and work, it is an infirmity; but if he sin, and thereby be driven both from meat and work, through the commission of some gross sin, this is a sickness, this is no weakness or infirmity. So then properly, the Sin of Infirmity, is that Sin which is committed by one that is spiritually alive unto God, and which doth arise from want of strength to resist, and not from will to commit. And thus you see briefly, what the Nature of this Sin of Infirmity is.

[Quest.] But yet this doth not come near enough: When may a man he said to sin a Sin of Infirmity? and how shall I know whether any sin be of that Rate of sins, or no? For if the Lord will not cast a man off for a sin of infirmity, it concerns me to consider what kind of sins my sins are: There are some sins that God doth reject men for; as in the case of Saul, God rejected him for his sin; when may a man therefore be said to sin out of infirmity?

[Answ.] For Answer unto this, First, I shall speak unto some Mistakes. Secondly: I will speak something unto it Negatively, and something Affirmatively.

[ 1] First, for Mistakes: There are Mistakes on both hands: Some think that the Sins which they commit, are not Sins of Infirmity, when indeed they are: And some think that their sins are Sins of Infirmity, when indeed they are not. Both on the right hand, and on the left hand, men are mistaken about this matter.

On the left hand, Men think that their Sins are Infirmities, when indeed they are not, and that upon a four-sold accompt, B • cause their Sin is but small in bulk; or because that they are tempted, and drawn into their Sin by others; and because they do strive against their sin; and because they are troubled after it.

1. I think, will some say, that my sin is a Sin of Infirmity, because it is but small. But if you look into 1 Sam. 15. you may read, that Saul's Sin for which the Lord rejected him, was of no great outward bulk; for he spared the Fatlings that he might sacrifice thereby; and though he spared the King Agag, it was neither murder that he committed, nor adultery, nor drunkenness; yet saith the Lord unto him, Thy sin is as the sin of Witchraft: A great many small sins, may make as great a bulk as one gross sin; yea, possibly there may be much sinfulness and evil in committing of a small sin; for as amongst men, it is the greatest incivility to break with another for a small matter; so with God, to break with God for a small thing, is a great unworthiness, and ingratitude. Thus did Adam in eating the forbidden fruit; the smallness of the thing to be done, aggravated his sin; and the smaller the thing is, the more unworthiness it is to break with God in so little; a small leak neglected may sink the Ship, as well as the most boisterous, and greatest wave; and much skil may be seen in a small work; a little watch &c. So your skil in sinning, may be seen in a small sin; his sin is never small, that thinks it small: And if this be true, That there is no sin that a wicked man commits, which is a Sin of Infirmity, because he is dead; then a man may commit a sin that is but small in the bulk, and yet no Sin of Infirmity.

2. But I think my sin is a Sin of Infirmity, because I am tempted to it, and because I am drawn on by others. But I pray, was not Adam tempted unto the eating of the forbidden Fruit by Eve? And was not was Eve tempted by Satan? And will you cal that a Sin of Infirmity that condemned all the World, as Adams Sin did? And I pray you, was not Aaron put upon making of the Golden Calf by the People? and will you cal that Sin of Idolatry, a Sin of Infirmity? Possibly a man may be tempted, drawn unto Sin by others, and put upon it by others, and yet the Sin may be no Sin of Infirmity.

3. But I think my Sin is a Sin of Infirmity, because I do strive against it. And I pray, did not Pilate strive against the crucifying of Christ? he would have delivered him from the Jews, calls for a bason of Water, and washed his hands, saying, I am free from the blood of this man, used means, and did strive against it, and yet the Sin of Pilate no Sin of Infirmity: Possibly therefore a man may strive against his Sin, and yet the Sin be no Sin of Infirmity.

4. But my Sin is a Sin of Infirmity, because I am troubled after it. And was not Esau troubled after he had sold his Birthright for a mess of pottage? did he not seek it with tears? And when Judas had betrayed his Master, and our Savior, it is said that he repented of what he had done, and was troubled. Surely then, though the Sin that I commit, may be lesser in bulk than another's Sin, and small comparatively, and though I be drawn into it by others, and though I do strive against it, and though I am troubled after it, yet it may be no Sin of Infirmity. Yet, good Lord, how many poor souls are there that deceive themselves, and think that their sins are but Sins of Infirmity; and thus are mistaken on the left hand.

[ 2] But Secondly: As some are mistaken on the left hand, thinking that their Sins are Sins of Infirmity, when indeed they are not: so others on the right hand are mistaken, and think that their Sins are not Sins of Infirmity, but of a worser Nature, when indeed they are: And that upon a Three-fold accompt.

First: Because they Sin knowingly.

Secondly: Because they fall into the same Sin again, and again, and do lie therein.

Thirdly: Because they fall into the Sin after Admonition.

[Object. 1] O! (saith one) I fear my Sin is no Sin of Infirmity, for I sin knowingly, and with deliberation; I sin against my knowledge, and against my Conscience, and therefore my Sin, can be no Sin of Infirmity.

But for Answer hereunto, you must know, it is one thing for a man to sin knowingly, and another thing for a man to sin out of knowledge, or against his knowledge. As in case the of Ignorance; it is one thing for a man to sin ignoranter, and another thing to sin ex ignorantia. A man sins ignorantly when ignorance is the companion of his Sin only: A man sins out of ignorance, when ignorance is the only cause of his Sin, and not the companion only. As for example: Suppose a man be in fight, in a great Battle, and he kill another; he kills him because he did not know him, if he had known him in the Battle, he would not have killed him; here his ignorance is not the companion only, but the cause of it: So that it is one thing to sin ignorantly, and another thing to sin out of ignorance. A man sins ignorantly, when ignorance is the companion of his fact: A man sins out of ignorance, when ignorance is the cause of it. So a man sins knowingly, when knowledge is the companion of his fact: but a man sins out of knowledge, or he sins against knowledge, when knowledge is the cause thereof; as when a man doth use his knowledge to make distinctions and shifts for his sin, whereby he is emboldened to it, and continues in it: Knowledge is sometimes only a companion of sin; as when a man knows that the first risings of Sin are evil; this knowledge is no cause of them, but merely a companion: Somtimes knowledge is the cause of Sin; as when a man doth know that his way is naught, and he doth deliberately consult and devise excuses and lies to hide the same; here his knowledge is the cause of those Sinful excuses, and the man doth not only Sin knowingly, and with knowledge, but out of knowledge, and against his knowledge; and this cannot stand with infirmity, but the former may: for the Disciple knew that it was evil for them to sleep; yet their Sin was a Sin of Infirmity.

[Object. 2] O! but I fear that my Sin is no Sin of Infirmity, because I fall into it again, and again, and do lie in it.

[Answ.] But do ye know what it is to lie in Sin? There is much mistake about lying in Sin: Possibly a man may lie in a Sin, yet never fall into the gross Acts thereof; he may he in the breach of the seventh Commandment, and yet never commit the gross Act of Adultery; he may he in the Sin of Covetousness, yet never be any great Oppressor So on the other side, a man may possibly fall divers times into the same Sin, and yet not lie therein; for properly a man is said to lie in Sin, when he doth continue in it, and not purge it out: so he that is born of God, Sinneth not, because his heart is as a Fountain, or Spring, that purifies itself from that dirt and filth of Sin which doth fall into it: but as the Apostle speaks, The whole world lies in wickedness; Why? Because a wicked man's heart is as a Lake, or standing Pool, which keeps all that dirt which is thrown into it. Now if you do thus keep, and lie in your Sin, why do you so complain? this your complaining argues that there is some purging out, and therefore you do not lie in Sin.

[Object. 3] O! but I fear my Sin cannot be a Sin of Infirmity, because I fall into it, after I have been admonished of the evil of it.

[Answ.] To that I say no more, but desire you to consider the Instance that is here before you: The Disciples slept, our Lord and Savior Christ comes and wakens them; yea, and he chides them too; what, saith he, cannot ye watch with me one hour, watch and pray, and yet they slept again; and he comes and wakens them again, and admonish • h them again, and yet they slept again. Possibly therefore, a man may fall into the same Sin again, and again, yea, even after Admonition, and yet it may be a Sin of Infirmity: Yet how many poor souls are there, that are mistaken here on the right hand, and do think that their Sins are no Sins of Infirmity, when indeed they are.

[Quest.] But if there be such mistakes, how shall we then know, whether our Sins be Sins of Infirmity?

[Answ. 1] First, Negatively: That is no Sin of Infirmity which is a gross, foul, scandalous Sin, committed with deliberation, and consultation: It is said of David, that he turned not aside to the right hand, or to the left, save only in the matter of Uriah: It seems then, that in this matter he did turn aside; but why is it said that he turned aside here, and not in other things? did he not Sin at other times? Yes, very often: but there is a difference between missing ones way, and turning aside out of ones way; a man may ignorantly miss his way, or unadvisedly; but he that turns aside out of his way, doth it voluntarily, and deliberately: and so did David here in this case, and not in others; this act was a foul fact, which he was able, and had strength to avoid, committed with much deliberation, and therefore it was no Sin of Infirmity. So that if a man's Sin committed, be a gross, foul, scandalous Sin, committed with deliberation, and consultation, this is no Sin of Infirmity.

[Answ. 2] Secondly: If the Sin be a Ring-leader unto other foul Sins, it is no Sin of Infirmity; the Ring-leading Sin, is the most heinous Sin; you shall observe therefore, that when Samuel was raised up (whether it was true Samuel, or false, I will not now debate) when he was raised up by the Witch of Endor, in 1 Sam. 28. the only Sin that Samuel lays to the charge of Saul, is this (at verse 18.) That he obeyed not the Voice of the Lord, in executing his fierce wrath upon Amalek; Because thou obeyed'st not the voice of the Lord, nor executed'st his fierce wrath upon Amalek (saith Samuel) therefore hath the Lord done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover, the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines. If you read this story, you shall find, that this only Sin, Samuel doth instance in; Saul had committed other Sins, Saul had persecuted David, and out of malice, and had committed great Sins, why doth Samuel instance in this Sin above all other Sins? but because this Sin was the Ring-leading Sin unto all the Sins that Saul did commit; and therefore this is charged upon him especially, as a great and a heinous Sin. And you see how it is amongst men; if there be a rebellion, or insurrection, they take the Ring-leader, and hang up him; for say they, this is the great Transgressor, for he is the Ring-leader. So amongst Sins, the great Sin, is the Ring-leader; and therefore if your Sin be a Ring-leader unto other soul Sins, it is not a Sin of Infirmity. That's the Second.

[Answ. 3] Thirdly: A Sin of Presumption is not a Sin of Infirmity: Sins of Presumption, and Sins of Infirmity, are set in opposition one to the other, in Numbers, 15. and Psalm, 19. Now I pray, when doth a man sin out of Presumption, but when he sinneth because God is merciful? when he sinneth, because his Sin can, and may stand with Grace? when he sinneth, because the Sin is but an infirmity? when he sinneth, because he shall repent afterwards? Now this is ordinary. I have read of a certain young man, who being admonished of the evil of his way and course, and pressed to leave his wickedness, by the consideration of Judgment, Eternity, and Death a coming, that he said, Why tell ye me of these things? I will do well enough; for when Death comes, I will speak but three words, and will help all; and so he went on in the way of his Sin: but in the end, coming to a Bridge on Hors-back, to go over a deep Water, the Horse stumbling, and he laboring to recover his Horse, could not, but at last he let go the Bridle, and gave up himself, and Horse to the Waters, and was heard to say these three words; Devil take all. Here was three words indeed, and an Example for all men who think to repent with a three-word Repentance at last (viz. Lord have mercy ) to take heed by. Such is the end of Presumption; and when a man doth therefore sin the rather, because God is merciful, or because the Sin is but a Sin of Infirmity, or because he hopes to repent afterward, or because his Sin may, and can stand with Grace, this is a Sin of Presumption, and is no Sin of Infirmity: Sins of Presumption, are no Sins of Infirmity.

[Answ. 4] Fourthly: If the Sin be a reigning Sin, then it is no Sin of Infirmity; for when Sin reigns, Grace doth not: therefore saith the Apostle, Rom. 6. Let not Sin have dominion over you; for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace; and when Sin reigns, it is in its full strength. Now a Sin of Infirmity, is not therefore called infirmity, because (as the School-men would) it doth make a man infirm, by impeding, and hindering the vital operations of the Soul; for then all Sins, and especially the greatest, should be Sins of Infirmity: But it is said to be a Sin of Infirmity, because it doth arise from weakness, the strength thereof being taken out, and mortified; and therefore a reigning Sin can be no Sin of Infirmity. Now Sin reigneth in a man,

1. When it hath the command of his Duties, his Spiritual Duties. When a Master commands a Servant from his Meat, it argues that he rules over him; and if you see a man rise from his Meat at the command of another, you say, surely this man is the others Servant, for he was at Dinner, or Supper, and the other did but speak, or come by him, and he took his Hat, and Cloak, and left all his Meat, and followed him. So, when a man shall sit down to Duty, and he shall ordinarily he commanded from his Duty by his Sin, what doth this argue, but that his Sin is his Master, and doth rule, and reign over him.

2. When Men do yield the Members of their Bodies, as weapons of unrighteousness unto Sin, then Sin reigns in them; Let not sin reign in your mortal Body (saith the Apostle) that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof, neither yield ye your members as weapons of unrighteousness unto sin, Rom. 6.12, 13.

3. Sin reigns, when it usually riseth by opposition: 'It is with Sin, as with Grace; when Grace is in power, it riseth by opposition, I will yet be more vile, saith David; and when the believing blind man, was commanded to hold his peace, he cried so much the more, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me: herein the Power of Godliness, is distinguished from the Form. Godliness in Power, rises by opposition, but the Form doth not; but the Power of Faith doth, the Power of Love doth, and the Power of Repentance doth: even as a little fire, is quenched with water; but if the fire be strong, it flames and burns out the more by that dish of water which ye do cast upon it. So in regard of Sin; where it is in power, it will not be quenched by opposition, but it flames out the more: witness that powerful malice of the Jews against Christ, who when they were but a little checked by Pilate, they cried out so much the more, Crucify him, Crucify him. Doth thy Sin therefore ordinarily rise by opposition? this argues that it is Sin in power, that it reigns in thee, that it is no Sin of Infirmity; for a reigning, full breathed Sin, is no Sin of Infirmity. Thus Negatively.

[Quest.] But how shall we know then Affirmatively, whether our Sin be a Sin of Infirmity?

[Answ. 1] Thus: If it do merely proceed from want of Age in Christianity, then it is without doubt, a Sin of Infirmity: There are several ranks and forms of Christians in the School of Christ: The Apostle John doth allude unto three Ages; I write unto you Fathers (saith he) I write unto you young men, and I write unto you Babes. There are the grown Children of God, and there are Babes; Babes are weak, and full of weaknesses: and if your Sin be such as doth arise merely from want of Age and time in Grace; then it must needs be a Sin of a Babe, and so a Sin of Infirmity.

[Answ. 2] If it be no other Sin than what is incident unto all the Saints, then it is a Sin of Infirmity; for that Sin which is committed by all the Saints, is no reigning Sin, but a Sin mortified, enervated, and weakened; there is no reigning Sin in the Child of God: Sin reigning, and being under Grace, are opposed, Rom. 6. Let not sin have dominion over you, for ye are under Grace: Those that are under Grace, have their Sin at an under: and if the Sin be committed by all the Saints, then it doth rather arise from want of strength to resist, than from will to commit: Is thy sin therefore no other than what is incident unto all God's People? then surely it is no other than a Sin of Infirmity.

[Answ. 3] If it be such a Sin as you cannot avoid, which breaks in upon you before you are aware, even before you can cal in for help from your Reason, and Consideration, and which the general bent and frame of your heart and soul is against, then it is a Sin of Infirmity; for then it doth arise from want of strength to resist, and not from will to commit: This was the case of Paul, Rom. 7. when evil was present with him, being against the general bent and frame of his soul; for saith he, I delight in the Law of God after the inward man, and yet the thing that I would not do, that do I: Can you therefore say with Paul, It is no more I that do it? &c. for my delight is otherwise, and the general bent and frame of my heart is otherwise; then may you also say, this is mine Infirmity.

[Answ. 4] If your Sin be your burden, because it is the burden of your Grace, then is your Sin, your infirmity: I speak not of gross, foul, and scandalous Sins. But the Apostle tells us, Gal 6. that this Sin of Infirmity is our burden; for having said in verse 1. If any one be overtaken, you that are spiritual restore him, &c. he then gives the reason of it at ver. 6. Bear ye one another's burden: it seems then, that this Sin of Infirmity, is a burden unto him that commits it. Now a man may be burdened with Sin upon a twofold accompt: Either because he is, or shall be burdened with it, in regard of pain, and punishment: or because it is the luggage and burden of his Grace and Duty. In the first sense, All men may be burdened with Sin, even the most wicked man: Cain was so burdened, when he cried out, and said, My sin, or burden, is greater than I can bear. In the second sense, Only those are burdened with Sin, that are Godly. Doest thou therefore groan under the burden of this evil, though it be no gross and scandalous Sin, and that because it is a burden to your Grace and Duties, surely it is no other than a Sin of Infirmity.

[Answ. 5] An Infirmity will hardly acknowledge itself to be a Sin of Infirmity; but the person in whom it is, fears lest it should be worse. 'It is in this case, as in the matter of Temptation; Though a wicked man's sins be his own, the brat of his own conception, and corruption, yet he will hardly acknowledge them to be his own corruption; no, but saith he, these are the Temptations of Satan, and not mine own corruption: A good man on the contrary saith, Nay, but these are mine own corruptions, not the Devils Temptations; O! these are worse than Temptations, they are all mine own: witness David, 1 Chron. 21.8. And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing, I have done very foolishly; yet the Devil provoked him to it, and it was originally his Temptation: for verse 1. it's said, And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number the People. David doth not lay the fault upon the Devil, but upon himself; he did not say, I was thus and thus tempted by Satan; No, but I, even I have sinned, and done foolishly: Temptation will hardly acknowledge itself to be a Temptation; and so Infirmity will hardly acknowledge itself to be Infirmity; but the person in whom it is, doth fear worse, saying, this my sin is great, and I fear it is no infirmity: Wicked men excuse their sin by infirmity, because it is no infirmity; but a good man fears it's worse than infirmity. And therefore is thy sin, no gross, and foul sin, and yet art thou afraid, that it is worse than infirmity? this doth rather argue, that it is no other than a sin of Infirmity.

[Answ. 6] If your Sin do arise chiefly from some outward cause, it is a sin of Infirmity; for then it is not so much from will to commit, as from want of strength to resist. The sin which the Apostle speaks of, Gal. 6.1. is a sin of infirmity, and the man that commits it, is said to be over-taken. Now when a man is upon his journey travelling, and is over-taken by another person, his inward inclination and disposition was not to meet the other: So when a man is over-taken by Sin, it argues that his sin doth proceed from some outward cause; and when it doth proceed from some outward cause, then he is truly said to be over-taken with it. 'It is true, the worst of men say they are over-taken, when they sin: O! saith the Drunkard, I confess I was drunk at such a time, and in such a place, but I was drawn into it; my inward disposition was otherwise, but I was so and so over-taken. But if men were only over-taken, and surprised by their Sin, then why are they angry with those who keep them from their sin? why are they in their own Element, and never more at home than in the way of their sin? and why do they so heartily will that which is the cause of their sin? It may be they do not will the Effect, namely, Drunkenness; but do they not will that which is the cause thereof? He that is over-taken with a sin, is unexpectedly surprised with the cause thereof; and therefore if it be not a gross, and scandalous sin, it is a Sin of Infirmity.

[Answ. 7] Infirmity loves Admonition, I mean the person that sins out of infirmity, loves to be admonished, takes Admonition kindly, and doth bless God for it. Possibly the Admonition may be given scalding hot, and so he may refuse to take it down; but ordinarily, he will take the Admonition kindly. Ye know how it was with David, when he was going against the House of Nabal in a great Passion; Abigail came forth to meet him, and having admonished him of his Duty, he did not only forbear the evil intended, but he blessed God for her, and her words, who kept him that day from shedding innocent blood. Tel an honest man that he is out of his way, and direct him into it, and he will thank you for it: Tell a Thief that he is out of his way, and he will laugh at you. So, tell a wicked man that he is out of his way, and he will despise you for it: Tel a good man that he is out of his way, and he will bless God for it, and for you; Why? Because he hath but missed his way. Canst thou therefore, take an Admonition kindly when thou art out of thy way? This argues that thy Sin is one of those Infirmities, which Christ, our great High Priest will forgive, Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he also was compassed with infirmities, Heb. 5.2.

[Answ. 8] An Infirmity discovers good, though it be in itself evil; it's an ill Sin, but a good Sign. The Thistle is an il weed, yet it discovers a fat, and a good Soyl: Smoak is ill, but it discovers fire. So do the Saints Infirmities; though they be in themselves weaknesses, yet they discover life. Moses was angry, but his anger did discover his Zeal: Job was somewhat impatient, but his impatience did discover his Innocency, and his great goodness: Abraham failed in saying, Sarah was his Sister; but there was a Faith which this Unbelief grew upon: The Woman that came behind Christ, touching the hem of his Garment, came fearing and trembling, discovering her Unbelief; yet she discovered her Faith therewithal: The Disciples failed, when they said, Lord, save us, carest thou not that we perish? yet they discovered their Faith too. Infirmity sometimes is an Excrescence which doth grow out of Duty, and upon Duty. Doest thou therefore fail in thy Duty, or exercise of thy Grace? and doth thy Duty go on, and thy Grace go on? Though thy Failing may be thy burden, yet it being but an Excrescence, and Discoverer of thy Grace, it is no other than a Sin of Infirmity.

[Answ. 9] Sins of Infirmities, are servants, and drawers of water unto your Graces: Though in themselves evil, yet through the over-ruling hand of God's Grace, they will make you more gracious another way. Ye know how it is with a young Trades-man, who hath but a small Stock; he keeps his Shop diligently, and will not spend as others do: if you ask him the reason, saying, such and such men are of your Trade, and they will spend their shilling with us, and their time with us; why will not you do as they? He answers presently, True, they do so, and they may do so, their Estate will bear it; but as for me, my Stock is small, very little, therefore I may not do as they do; but I must be diligent, and a good Husband; I am but a young Beginner, and have little skil in the Trade, therefore it behooves me to be diligent: his very weakness is the cause of his diligence. So here: the more infirmities that a gracious soul labors under, the more diligent he will be; and if you ask him, Why do you take so much pains in following the means, and the like? He answers, Alas! I am a poor, weak Creature; such and such an one there is, that hath an excellent memory, all that ever he reads, or hears, is his own; but my memory is naught, my head and heart is naught, and therefore by the Grace of God, I will take the more pains in following after Christ: Thus his very infirmity is a provocation unto all his diligence. The Gibeonites served the Israelites, and were hewers of wood, and drawers of water for them; Why? but because the Gibeonites were at an under? So now, if your very sins be drawers of water, servants, and hand-maids to your Graces, it argues that your sins are at an under; and being so, they are weak, and but sins of infirmity, if they be not gross, foul, and scandalous Sins.

[Answ. 10] Infirmity doth constantly keep a man's heart low, down, and humble: If one have an infirmity in his speech, he will not be so forward to speak as others are; but being conscious of his own infirmity, he is always low, and afraid to speak: So spiritually. There are two sorts of sins that men do commit; some are foul, gross, and scandalous sins; other are weaknesses, and infirmities: those that fall into great, and gross sins, will be much troubled, much trouble and sorrow they do meet with presently, in case they repent: but those that l • e under a constant infirmity, are constantly kept low and humble thereby. Do you therefore complain of your sin? and would you know of what sort of sins it is? Why, if it be not a gross, and scandalous sin, and thy heart be kept constantly low thereby, then without doubt, it is no other than this sin of infirmity: For though God could have wholly delivered his People from the filth of Sin, as well as from the guilt of it, and as well from lesser sins, as from great and scandalous; yet he hath left these infirmities and weaknesses in the hearts and lives of his People, that they may be constantly humbled in themselves, and prize Christ the more. And if this be the manner of an infirmity, then surely a good man, a true Disciple of Christ, may possibly fall into the same Sin again and again, and yet the sin be but a sin of Infirmity. Which was the Second thing proposed, to be cleared by us.

[Quest.] But suppose that my sin be no other than a Sin of Infirmity, what then?

[Answ.] The Third Particular answers you. Then (your sin being but an infirmity) Christ will never leave you for it, nor cast you off for it; but if you sleep, he will waken you; and if you sleep again, he will waken you again; and if you yet sleep again, he will come again with his wakening mercy, and will never cast you off for it: O! what sweet Grace is this!

[Quest.] Is there no evil then in this Sin of Infirmity?

[Answ.] Yes, much, very much: For though it be a drawer of water to your Grace, yet it is a Gibeonite, a Native, a Canaanite, that will upon all occasions be ready to betray you, and to open the door unto greater Thieves, and will always be a thorn and good in your sides; and though it do not put out your light, yet it is a thief in your Candle, which may smare out much of your Comfort, and blemish your Duty. Ye know how it is with a good writing Pen; if there be a small hair in it, though the hair be never so little a thing, yet if it be not pulled out, it will blot and blemish the whole writing sometimes. So may this Sin of Infirmity do; your whole Duty may be blotted and blemished by this small hair, and although God can, and doth make use of your infirmities for to keep your Graces, yet they are but your Lees and Dregs, whereas your Graces should be all refined: the Word of God is as Gold refined seven times; your Ordinances are refined Ordinances, refifined by the hand of Reformation; your Comforts, and Mercies, and Privileges, are refined Mercies, Privileges, and Comforts; surely therefore your Graces should be refined Graces, and your Duties, refined Duties: When Christ shall sit as a Refiner, and Purifier of Silver, he shall purify the Sons of Levi as Gold and Silver, and then shall the Offerings of Judah, and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, Malachi. 3.3.4. O! what an evil thing therefore is it, for a man to be unrefined: Is it not an evil thing to be burdensome unto others? By your sin, though it be but an infirmity, you may be a burden to others; for the Apostle speaking of Infirmities, saith, Bear ye one another's burden; And ye that are strong, ought to bear the Infirmities of the weak, Rom. 14.1. And although Christ will not cast you off for a Sin of Infirmity, yet you may provoke him thereby, to chide you, and to be angry with you: the unbelief of the Disciples, was but their infirmity, yet Christ did upbraid them because of their unbelief: The Remisness, and loss of first Love in the Church of Ephesus, is by Christ, called, a Somwhat; Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee: and yet Christ threatens her, that he will for this somewhat, come against her quickly, and remove her Candle-stick, if she did not repent; and Revel. 2.16. the Lord Christ threatens the Church of Smyrna, that unless she repented, he would come unto her quickly: yet he saith not to her, I have many things, but a few things against thee; or if you will (for the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) I have some small or little things against thee: So that although your sin be not of so great a bulk as others, yet you may provoke Christ thereby, and he may be angry, and chide you for it: Thus here he did chide the Disciples, yet their sin was but a Sin of Infirmity. Surely therefore there is evil, and much evil in the Sin, though it be but a Sin of Infirmity.

[ 1] It is an honor to a man to pass by infirmities (saith Solomon ) much more is it for the honor of Christ to pass by the infirmities of his People.

[ 2] The Saints and People of God, are in Covenant with God by Jesus Christ, and that Covenant is a Conjugal Covenant; but what Husband will put away his Wife, for her infirmities? That Covenant is a Paternal Covenant, and what Father will thrust his Child out of doors for his infirmities? A Child, though deformed, is more pleasing to the Father, because the Child is his own, than another beautiful Child that is not his own: Yea, that Covenant, is a Covenant of Grace; now in the Covenant of Works, the least sin breaks the Covenant, but in the Covenant of Grace, the greatest sin doth not break the Covenant between God and the soul; in the Covenant of Works, the least sin provokes God to hatred; in the Covenant of Grace, the greatest sin provokes, and moves God to pity. If a Master should turn away his Servant for every failing and weakness, who would serve him? But God hath many Servants in the world, who do serve him with cheerfulness; surely therefore he doth not, and he will not cast men off for their Infirmities.

[ 3] The Saints, and People of God, are the Body of Christ; and everyone a Memb • r of that mystical Body, whereof our Lord Christ is the Head. Now (saith Luther ) What man will cut off his Nose, because there is filth in it? yea, though the Nose be the sink of the Brain, yet because it is a Member, a man will not cut it off. And will Christ cut off one of his Members, because there is filth in him, or some weakness and infirmity in him? No surely. What Woman will cast away the Morter, because it favors of the Onions, or Garlic which hath be • n beaten in i • ? What Father will knock his Child on the Head, b • cau • e a Wart grows on his Forehead. These Infirmiti • s in the Saints and People of God, are their Wa • ts, which grow in the Face of their Conversation: the blessed Martyrs themselves had these Warts: Jerome of Prague had a great Wart upon him, Cranmer another, Jewel another; yea (if ye look into that little Book of Chronicles, I mean the 11. Chapter of the Hebrews ) what Saint is there mentioned upon Record, but had one Wart or another? Had not Abraham his Wart, in saying, that Sarah was his Sister? Had not Sarah hers, in laughing? Had not Jacob, Isaac, and Joseph theirs? Moses, Rahab, Sampson, Jepthah, and David theirs? Luther had his, and our Reformers theirs; yet God owned, used, and honored them. Surely therefore, though there be much evil in a Sin of Infirmity, especially if a man fall into it again and again; yet Christ will not leave a man, or cast him off for it.

[Object.] But Solomon tells us, that the back-slider in heart shall be satisfied with his own ways.

[Answ.] True: But there is much difference between the backsliding of an Hypocrite, and the Relapses of God's own Children into their Infirmities: a back-slider loseth that power which once he had; but a good man relapsing into his Infirmities, doth still keep that power of Godliness which he had before: a back-sliders Judgment and Principles crack and alter, in so much, as he doth bless himself in his Apostasy; but the good man relapsing into his Infirmities, still doth retain his Judgment, keep his Principles, and doth groan under his Relapses. Possibly a man may fall into the same sin again and again, yet he may be no back-slider, nor called a back-slider in Scripture Language.

[ 2] But in the Second place: A man may be said to be satisfied with his own ways, either because he is given up to his sins, so as to be glutted with them, finding all delight and contentment in them; or he is said to be satisfied with his own ways, in regard of that sorrow and affliction which he doth reap by them: in this sense a good man may have enough of his sin, and be said to be satisfied with his own ways. Thus it was with Jacob; he deceived his Brother Esau, and he deceived his Father Isaac; afte • wards he was deceived by Laban, and by his Children; as he d • ceived his own Father, so was he deceived by his Father in Law; and as he deceived his Brother, so was he deceived by his Children, in the reports of Joseph 's death: here was he satisfied in a way of sorrow with his own ways; he deceived others, and was deceived by others; he had enough of it. But though a good man may be thus satisfied with his own ways, yet he is never satisfied with them, so as to be given up to them. Possibly he may fall into them again and again, yet saith the Lord, Isaiah. 57.17. For the iniquity of his covetousness, was I wroth, and smote him; I hid my face, and was wroth: What then? And he went on frowardly, turning aside again, (so the Hebrew) in the way of his heart. But saith the Lord, I have seen his ways, and will heal him, and will lead him also, and restore comforts to him, and his mourners: So that though a good man may have enough of his sin, in regard of sorrow that may come thereby: yet he shall never be satisfied with his own ways, or sins, so as to be given up to them: Christ will not cast him off; if he sleep, Christ will waken him; and if he sleep again, Christ will wake him again; Christ will not leave him in it, nor cast him off for it.

If these things be true, then what necessity is upon us, and what great cause have we to examine ourselves, and to consider seriously, what sort of sins, those sins are, which we labor under. We do all sin, that is most cert • in; but there is a great difference between sin and sin: There is a sin unto death, and there is a sin, not unto death: there is a sin which may stand with Grace, and there is a sin which cannot stand with Grace: there is the spot of the Godly, and there is the spot of the Wicked: there is a gross sin, a reigning sin; and there is a sin of infirmity: there is a sin, for which God will leave, and cast off the sinner, witness Judas 's sin, the sin of the false Disciple: and there is a sin for which God will not cast one off; witness the sin of these true Disciples: O! then what cause have we to make it out to our own souls, whether our sins be sins of infirmity, or not!

[Quest.] But it seems that all the sins of the Godly, are not sins of Infirmity, and God will not cast off a Godly man for any sin: What advantage therefore, hath this sin of Infirmity, above other sins? or what disadvantage do the other sins of the Godly labor under, which this sin of infirmity doth not?

[Answ. 1] Much, very much: For though my sin be great; yet if it be a sin of Infirmity, it shall not hinder the present acceptance of my Duty. Hezekiah, and the People, were not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary, that was his, and their weakness; but he prayed, and the Lord heard his prayer: So David said in his hast, I am cast out of thy sight; this was his infirmity, yet he prayed withal; and saith he, N • vertheless thou heard'st the voice of my supplication. But if a man, a good man, do fall into a foul, gross, and scandalous sin, though the Lord pardon it to him afterward, yet it will suspend his present communion with God.

[Answ. 2] Although my sin be great, yet if it be but an Infirmity, it shall not hinder the sense of my Justification. A foul, and scandalous breach upon our Sanctification, will make a breach upon the sense of our Justification: but though the sin be great, yet if it be but an Infirmity, it shall not make a breach upon the sense of our Justification.

[Answ. 3] Though my sin be great, yet if it be but an Infirmity, there is a pardon that lies in course for it; and though it be good to repent of every sin, with a distinct, and particular Repentance, yet it is not necessary that there should be a particular Repentance for every sin of Infirmity. If a man, though a good man, do commit a gros • , foul, and scandalous sin, there must be a particular Repentance for it; and without that, there will be no peace, no true peace in his soul: but if the sin be only a sin of infirmity, a general Repentance may, and will serve for that; Who knows the errors of his Life? saith David: Lord, cleanse thou me from my secret faults.

[Answ. 4] Though a man's sin be great, yet if it be but an Infirmity, it shall never bring a scourge upon his Family. It is a great misery to a good Parent, to see his Family scourged for his sin. Possibly the sins of a Godly man may bring a rod on his Family: Because of this (saith the Lord to David) the Sword shall never depart from thine house. But now if the sin be only a sin of Infirmity, my Family shall never be scourged for that.

[Answ. 5] And though my sin be great, yet if it be but a sin of Infirmity, it shall never spoil my Gifts, nor make them unprofitable: If a man have great Gifts, praying, exercising Gifts, and his Life be scandalous, what saith the World? I, this man hath exceeding good Gifts indeed, but do ye see how he lives? A scandalous Life soils and spoils his Gifts, and doth make them unuseful. But now if my sin be only a Sin of infirmity, it shall never soil my Gifts, so as to make them unuseful, and unprofitable unto others. Surely then, there is a great, and a vast difference between this Sin of Infirmity, and another Sin; and therefore why should we not labor to make it out with cleerness to our own souls, what kind of sins our sins are? Every man almost, thinks that his Sin is a Sin of Infirmity: Come to the Drunkard, Swearer, Adulterer, Opposer, and these will tell you, that their Sins, are but Sins of Infirmity; they will rail at, and oppose the People of God, and yet their sins are but Sins of Infirmity; Swear, and swear daily, yet their sins are but Sins of Infirmity; go to the Tap-house, Play-house, Whore-house, and yet their Sins but Sins of Infirmity: the vilest of men think their Sins are only Infirmities. But is there such a great difference between Sins and Sins? this, and the other Sins? Then why should we not look wishly into our condition? consider our ways, and labor to make it out with cleerness to our own souls, whether our Sins, be Sins of Infirmity, or not?

[Quest.] But suppose that upon due search and examination, I find that my Sin is no other than a sin of Infirmity, which will not cast me off, although through my weakness, I do fall into it again, and again, what then?

[Answ.] Then several Duties follow, and accordingly you are to take up these, and the like gracious Resolutions.

[ 1] If my Sin be a Sin of Infirmity, and no other, then through Grace, will I observe what God's design is, in suffering and leaving such Infirmities in me, and will labor what I can and may, to promote and advance that design: God could have freed me from all Sin, these Infirmities as well as the greater; but God hath some great designs in leaving of these Infirmities, as that I may be always humbled, that I may be always upon the work of mortification, that Jesus Christ may be the more sweet and precious to me, that I may live in continual dependence on him, that I may not gather up the assurance of my Salvation only from my Sanctification, but from the free Grace of God, and his absolute Promise, that I may be weary of my present state, and groan after Heaven, where no imperfections are; and that I may learn to pity others, and therefore through Grace, I will do what I can to help on these Designs.

[ 2] If my Sin be but a Sin of Infirmity, and God will not cast me off for it; then through the Grace of God, will I never believe these false reports of Christ, and those misrepresentations of him, which Satan would put upon him, whereby he would persuade me and others, that our Lord Christ, is an hard Master; as Satan doth labor to present himself to me, as an Angel of Light; so he would represent Christ as an Angel of Darkness. But is this true, That the Lord will not cast me off for my sins of Infirmity, then will I never believe that my dear Savior is an hard Master.

[ 3] If the Lord Christ will not cast me off for my Sins of Infirmity; then through the Grace of God, I will not question my Spiritual Estate and Condition for every Sin; I will grieve for every Sin of Infirmity, because it is a Sin; but I will not question my Condition because it is but a Sin of Infirmity.

[ 4] Then will not I cast off myself and others for the Sins of Infirmities; Shall Christ's Eye be good, and shall my Eye be bad? Will not Christ cast me off for mine Infirmities, and shall I cast off others for their Infirmities? God forbid.

[ 5] Then will not I cast off the things of Christ, because of any infirmity that may adhere to them, or the Dispensation of them. When Christ took our Nature on him, his Deity was veiled under our Humanity; his Excellency under our Infirmity. So now, his Grace, and his Dispensations, are veiled under the Infirmity of our Administrations: As for Example: Preaching is an Ordinance of Christ, yet the Sermon may be so delivered, with so much weakness of the Speaker, that the Ordinance of Christ may be veiled under much Infirmity. So the Admonition of a fallen Brother, is an Ordinance of Christ; yet it may be so administered with so much passion in the Speaker, that this Ordinance may be veiled under much Infirmity: Scarcely any Ordinance, but is veiled under some Infirmity in regard of its Administration. But is this true, That the Lord will not cast me away, because of mine Infirmities? Surely then, I will never cast away the Ordinances, or things of Christ, because of those Infirmities which may adhere, or cleave unto them.

[ 6] And if the Lord will not cast me off for my Infirmities; then through Grace, I will n • ver be discouraged from the performance of any Duty: I will pray as I can, and hear as I can; and though I be not able to pray as I would, I will pray as I am able; and though I am not able to examine mine own heart as I would, yet I will do what I am able; for the Lord will not cast me off for Infirmities, and therefore I will not cast off my Duties because of them.

[ 7] And lastly: If the Lord Jesus Christ will not cast me off for mine Infirmities, then will I never sin because the sin is but a Sin of infirmity: Will the Lord pardon my Sin, because it is but an Infirmity, and shall I commit Sin upon that ground, because it is but an infirmity? then shall I walk contrary to God, then shall I turn the Grace of God into wantonness. Surely therefore, I will never Sin upon that account, because it is but a Sin of infirmity. Thus ye see what we are to do, and what gracious Resolutions we are to take up from the consideration of this great Truth.

[Quest.] But though the Lord will not cast us off for our Sins of Infirmity; yet there is much evil in this sin, especially if we fall into it again and again; What shall we therefore do that we may not fall into this same Sin so often?

[Answ. 1] Be sure that you do not forget your former Sins; the slumber of Grace, is a preparation to Sin; and the forgetfulness of a former S • n, is a preparation unto future Sin: When we forget our old Sins, then God leaves us to fall into new Sins: as long as the sense of old Sins abide upon your heart, so long you will be kept from new Sins; and as the sense of old Sins doth wear off, so the lust after new Sins will come on. Would you not therefore fall into the same Sin again and again? then take heed that you do not forget your old Sins, or lose the sense thereof.

[Answ. 2] If you would be kept from Relapses into your infirmities, or other Sins; then take your Sin, and quench it in the blood of Christ by a fresh act of Faith, over and beyond all your Resolutions, and acts of Humiliation. You know how it is with a Candle; if it be blown out only, it is easily lighted again; but if you quench it in Water, it is not so easily lighted again. So in regard of Sin; if a man blow it out with a Resolution, it will be soon recovered; but if besides a man's Resolutions, and Humiliations, he takes his Sin, and by an act of Faith doth quench it in the blood of Christ, it will not be lighted again with that ease and facility.

[Answ. 3] And if you would not fall into the same Sin again and again, then watch and pray. Our Savior Christ here, saw that his Disciples were like to sleep again and again: and I pray you, what direction doth he give them? Only this; Watch and pray: as if watching with prayer, an • prayer with watchfulness, were the only, or chief means to keep us from falling i • to the same Sin again and again. And indeed, it is not all our habitual strength that can keep us from falling; for then Adam in the state of Innocency, would have been kept from falling; nor is it want of Temptation that can secure us from falling, for then the Angels in Heaven should not have fallen, for they had no Temptation there; but we are kept by continual dependence upon God in Christ: 'tis not therefore enough to watch, but we must watch in Prayer; neither is it enough to pray, but we must pray with watchfulness. What I say therefore to one, I say to you all, and to mine own soul, Let us watch and pray, and pray and watch, that we enter not into this Temptation.

THE False Apostle, TRYED. AND DISCOVERED.

IT is not only the Opinion of Mr. Brightman, but of very ancient Writers, That these Seven Epistles, written to the Seven Churches of Asia, do contain the State and Condition of the whole Church of God, unto the coming of Christ. This First Epistle is written to languishing Ephesus, holding forth the State of the Church, presently after Christ, and his Apostles, and is a good Looking-glass for all those which begin now to languish, and to lose their first Love. Somthing our Savior doth commend in this Church; and something he reproves them for: He commends them for what was good; and rebukes them for what was evil. Some will commend what is good in their Friends, but will not take notice of what is evil: Some will take notice of what is evil in others, but will not commend what is good. This is not according unto Christ's proceeding; the commendation of Good, is a good Introduction to the reprehension of what is evil.

Now our Sa • ior Christ, doth commend this Church (both Officers, and People) for many things. 1. For their Labor. 2. For their Patience. 3. For their Zeal: I know thy Works (saith he) and thy Labor, and thy Patience. Labor, and Patience go together: Those that will l • bo • in the Work of God, must be patient, they shall surely meet with opposition; and therefore Patience must accompany our Labors. Yet this Patience donit exclude Zeal; but saith Christ here, I know thy Labor, and thy Patience, and thy Zeal: thou canst not bear them that are evil. Possibly then, a man may be patient, and yet cannot bear, or endure those that are evil. Now this Zeal, and severe dealing with those that were evil • is de • cribed two ways: First, By the Per • ons which they did deal withal: those were false Teachers, ver. 2. and 6. Secondly, By the exercise of their Zeal, and Severity; which did consist in two things: The discovery of those false Teachers; and the hatred of their Deeds. The hatred of their Deeds, ye have at ver. 6. This thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans. The discovery of these false Teachers, ye have in these words; And thou hast tried them, &c.

[Doct.] It's strange that there should be false Apostles in those days, whilst some of the true Apostles were alive to confute and discover them. But it seems that the discovery of these false Apostles, was not a work, only belonging to the true Apostles; for this Church of Ephesus found them out, and are commended for it by our Savior Christ. And so the Doctrine from this part of the Verse, is,

Christ doth not only commend this Church for their Zeal herein, but hath left their Commendation upon Scriptural Record, as a good Example for all the Churches of Christ. And therefore I say, the discovery of false Teachers, and false Apostles, is still a matter of great Commendation in the eyes of Christ.

It is that which we are all commanded to do, 1 John, 4.1. Believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, whether they are of God; because many false Prophets are gone into the world.

But for the clearing of this Truth; it will appear, if you consider,

[Arg. 1] First: What a dangerous, and mischievous People, false Teachers, and false Apostles are. They do deceive men in the matter of their Souls; they are called Deceivers, and Seducers, John, 2.7. Many Deceivers are entered into the world, &c. 2 Tim. 3.13. But evil men, and Seducers, shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived: And deceitful Workers, 2. Cor. 11.13.6. For such are false Apostles, deceitful Workers. Now a man loves not to be deceived in anything, no not in a small matter: If I had spent, or given away much more, it would never have grieved me, you say; but I cannot endure to be cheated, and deceived. And if a man cannot endure to be deceived in lesser things, what an evil thing is it then, to be deceived in the matters of his Soul? Such are the things, that these false Teachers do deceive men in; yea, they will, and do subvert men's Faith, and spoil them of the very Fundamentals of their Religion. Therefore saith the Apostle, Col. 2.8. Beware lest any man spoil, or make a prey of you. Is it not a sad thing for a man to lose his Faith for a Fable? First they will take away your Faith, and then they will lay a Fable in the room of the Faith; For their highest Speculations and Notions, are but Fables. Ye may observe therefore, that when the Apostle Paul doth dehort from their Doctrine, he saith still, Take heed, and beware of Fables. Those are many, and of divers sorts: First there are old Wives Stories and Fables; such are the Doctrines, and Speculations of false Teachers: therefore 1 Tim. 4.1. the Apostle having said, That in the latter times some should depart from the Faith, giving heed to seducing Spirits, and speaking of the Doctrines of those Seducers in the following Verses, he saith, ver. 7. But refuse thou profane, and old wives fables: for such in the Eyes of God, are the Doctrines of these Seducers. Secondly, There are Jewish Fables also, whereof the Talmud is now full; and such are all those Doctrines, & Commandments of men, which are beside the Scripture, the Doctrines of false Teachers: and therefore saith the Apostle, 1 Tit. 14. (having spoken of Seducers in the former verses, whose mouths must be stopped) Not giving heed to Jewish Fables, and Commandments of men. Thirdly, There are also the Fables of Heathen Poets, the Figments & Devices of men's own Brains: and such are the Doctrines and Speculations of all false Teachers; and therefore says the Apostle, 2. Pet. 1.16. We have not followed cunning and devised Fables; but we have a more sure word of Prophesy, at verse 19. So that look what even Doctrine is not according to the Scripture, is but a Fable in the Eyes of God. Now is it not an evil thing to lose my Faith for a Fable? Such Fables do these false Teachers bring; they steal away your Faith, and lay a Fable in the room thereof; yea, they will, and do beguile men of their Reward; • hey beguile them of their Faith; they beguile them of their Souls, and they beguile them of their Reward: therefore saith the Apostle Paul, Let no man beguile you of your Reward, Col. 2.18. Yea, they will not only beguile you of your Reward, but they will bring you into pernicious ways; which if you follow, the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of, 2 Pet. 2.1, 2. in which Scripture, the Apostle Peter tells us, That as false Prophets did arise in the times of the Old Testament, so false Teachers should arise in the times of the New Testament. 2. He tells us, That the ways of these false Teachers, are pernicious ways. 3. That they shall infect many; for he saith, Many shall follow them. 4. That by reason of them, the ways of Truth shall be evil spoken of. Surely then, this sort of People, are a very dangerous and mischievous People, and therefore a commendable thing in the eyes of Christ to make discovery of them. But,

Arg. 2. Secondly: Though they be a dangerous, and mischievous People, yet it is an hard thing to discover them: For they walk in the dark, and transform themselves into Ministers of Light; they creep, and they privily creep into Houses, saith the Apostle; and they will come to you, saith our Savior, in Sheeps clothing, Matth. 7. That is, Look whatever Garb the true Prophet was, or is found in, that will they be found in also. Did the true Prophets of the Old Testament go in a plain, or rough Garment, or a Garment of Hair, 2 Kings, 1.8. Matth. 3.4. So did the false Prophets also, Zech. 13.4. wear a rough Garment, or a Garment of Hair (as the Hebrew) to deceive. Did the true Prophets sometimes quake, shake, and tremble; so did the wicked Diviners also. And so now in the times of the New Testament: Do the true Teachers of the Gospel, press, or make use of Scripture? so do false Teachers also. Did the true Apostles preach Christ? so did the false Apostles also; Some preach Christ out of envy, Phil. 1.15, 16. Did the true Apostles and Prophets declare the deep things of God? 1 Cor. 2.10. so did the false Prophets also, Revel. 2.24. The depths of Satan as they speak. Look what that is, which the true Preachers do, that will fall •• T •• chers in appearance do. On a time, says Austin in his Confessions, the House where I lived, was broken up in the night by Thieves; and the men of the House perceiving that the House was beset with Thieves, and making a noise, the Thieves run away, and left their Crows of Iron, and Instruments whereby they did break up the House: then my Friend Alipius, coming to the House, and •• ding those Instruments, and Tools lying on the ground, he took the Crow of Iron • nto his hand; and when the men of the H • use came out, and • awe the Crow of Iron 〈◊〉 hi • hand; they took hold of him, and thought that he was the Thief. So says another, the Heretics of the Times will take the same Instruments to destroy the House of God, as we do to build the same: The same Crow of Iron, the same Scripture that is in the hand of Alipius, a Friend, is made use of by a Heretic, one that is a Thief, who comes to make a prey of your Faith: He that comes not in by the door, is fur et latro, a Thief, and a Robber; not apertus hostis, an open or professed Enemy; but a secret Thief, and a Robber, whose coming is unknown, and of whom you can less be aware: and you know, the more crafty and subtle they are in their Practices, the more hardly they will be discerned. Now false Teachers, who come in Sheeps clothing, are a subtle, and crafty Generation; for as Satan at the first, beguiled Adam by beginning with Eve, the weaker Vessel; so do these People also, creep into Houses, leading silly women captive, laden with divers Lusts; there they begin, even with the weaker Vessel, as Satan at the first did; and as Satan beguiled Eve, by telling her that she should be like unto God himself, and so drew her from the appointment of God: so do false Teachers now tell poor souls, That if they will follow their Doctrines, they shall be like to God, yea, be God, and Christ, and so draw them from the Appointments of Christ; and therefore saith the Apostle; I fear, lest by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve, through his subtlety; so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, 2 Cor. 11.3. Now if • t be so hard a thing to discover these False Teachers, and they be 〈◊〉 dangerous, and mischievous a People; then surely it is a matter of great commendation to make discovery of them.

[Arg. 3] It is an excellent thing also to make discovery of them; Christ doth commend what is excellent, spiritually excellent; and the more excellent the thing, the more it doth fall under the commendation of Christ. Now by discovering of these false Teachers, you put a stop and check unto their folly and madness; their madness or folly, saith the Apostle, shall proceed no further: How so? It shall be made known to all, 2 Tim. 3.9. But they shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be made manifest to all men. Thereby also, ye shall preserve those who are not declined; and thereby you shall be serviceable unto Christ in the great Work which he hath to do, and is doing in these latter Times. One part of his Work, is to discover those that are unsound, Revel. 2. Then shall all the Churches know that I am he that searcheth the heart and reins, ver. 24. But did not the Churches know that before? Yea, but then (that is, in the latter times) they shall have experience of it; for then I will discover Jezebel, and all her false Prophets; so that this discovery of fall • e Teachers, is part of Christ's own Work in the latter days, and the more you labor therein, the more serviceable you are unto Christ: Surely therefore, it is a matter of great Commendation in the Eyes of Christ, to try, find out, and discover false Teachers, and false Apostles.

[Object.] If it be so commendable in the eyes of Christ, to discover these persons; then it's lawful for us, though weak, to go to the Meetings of these false Teachers, or to receive them into our Houses, and to speak with them; else how shall I try and discover them?

[Answ.] Nay, but this follows not, no more than that you must go to Rome, to try, and find out the Deceits of the Papists; or that you must go into Turkey, to try, and find out the false Doctrine of the Turks: you may try, and discover Papists, and Turks; yet it doth not follow, that you must read over their Books, and Alcaron. The Apostle saith, Mark those which cause division, and avoid them: False Teachers shall arise in the last days (saith he) and from such turn away. And the Apostle John saith, If any come to you not with this Doctrine, receive him not into your House, nor bid him God speed, lest you be partaker of their evil Deeds. Look whatever mischief they shall do abroad by their False Doctrines, all that shall you partake in, if you receive them into your Houses, or countenance them by bidding them God speed. He that receiveth a true Prophet in the Name of a Prophet, shall receive that Prophets Reward; he shall profit by that Prophet, and shall have a share in all the good which he doth: So he that receiveth a false Prophet, shall receive a false Prophets Reward; he shall be poisoned by him, and shall partake in his evil Deeds.

[Quest.] But how then shall I try all things?

[Answ.] Mark this Scripture well. Those words are spoken to the Church of the Thessalonians, Epist. 1.5.20.21. Despise not prophesyings, prove all things; that is, try those things which ye hear in the Church by way of Prophesy, but he doth not say, That you must run out to every meeting of suspected Persons, to try all things there; but keep your place in the Church, and try all things; otherwise it being a Commandment, all men should be bound to read Popish Books, Socinian Books, and the Turkish Alcaron: And if you should go to these Meetings, do you think that is the way to try all things? Do ye not know, that it is the ordinary way of all false Teachers to hold out Truth at the first? will they not preach an hundred Truths first, that they may make way to one Error? and if so, how can you try them by going to a Meeting or two? But keep your station in the Church of God, despise not, turn not your back on prophesyings, and so try all things. If you be convinced of the Truth and Way of God by the Scripture, you will easily find out a false Doctrine; for Rectum est index sui et obliqui; Truth known, will discover Error. But where do you find in Scripture, That Trying is the end of Hearing? that we are to hear, that we may try? I must therefore go to hear, that I may learn and profit by my hearing; and if you go to these Meetings, that you may learn and profit, are you not in a fair way to be deceived by them? The Members of the Church of Ephesus here, did not run from the Church for this discovery; for says the Apostle, Acts, 20.30. And of your own selves, shall men arise, speaking perverse things: which when it came to pass, the Ephesians did discover them, saith our Text, for which they were thus highly commended of Christ.

Now if this be so commendable in the eyes of Christ, then why should we not all take some pains herein, and be found doing this Work of our Generation? Do ye think that there are no False Teachers, and False Apostles, and False Prophets, in these days of ours? Read what is said in Zechar. 13.2, 3, 4, 5, 6. First, the Prophet tells us, that in the days immediately before the Calling of the Jews, there shall be unclean Spirits in the Land, verse 2. and False Prophets, verse 3. Secondly, He tells us, That when the Jews shall be called, in that day, verse 1. there shall be so great a Zeal amongst them, against these False Prophets, that their Parents, and such as are near to them, shall be the first that shall punish them, verse 3. His Father and Mother that begat them, shall say, Thou shalt not live, for thou speakest lies; and yet these are high Gospel Times. Thirdly, He tells us here, That this Correction shall be a means to reduce them; for upon that it is said, verse 4. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Prophet shall be ashamed, &c. But the thing that I bring this Scripture for, is to show you, that there shall be such People as these, immediately before the Call of the Jews, and that is in these days of ours. Only observe how the Prophet doth here describe them: 1. He tells you that they shall be such as were originally Husbandmen; for upon their Reducement, he shall say, I am no Prophet, I am an Husbandman. 2. He tells you here, That they shall be such as shall wear a rough, hair, or plain Garment to deceive, ver. 4. 3. He tells you, That they shall come in the Name of the Lord, and say, they are not sent by men, but by God immediately, verse 3. 4. That yet these men shall be acted by the very Spirit of the Devil; for says the Lord, I will cause the false Prophet, and the unclean Spirit, to pass out of the Land; that is, such as do work and act by the inspiration of the Devil, having the fierce and unclean Spirit of the Devil: These are the men that shall arise in these days of ours. Do you think then, that we are free from false Teachers now? or do you think that it is not incumbent upon all? only upon Officers, to try and discover them? Here the whole Church are commended for it. Or do you think that it is nothing to be commended by Christ? Those that he commends now, he will commend before the Father, and all the Angels, and Saints another day; his commendation shall never make you proud, as the applause of man may do. O! what an excellent thing then is it, to make discovery of these False Apostles, and false Teachers: Why should we not all, more or less, according to our Places, l • bor to be found in this Work, in these days of ours?

[Quest.] How shall we find out, and discover them? for if we may not go to their Me • tings, and they be such a crafty, deceiving people, what shall we do, and how shall we try, a True Teacher, from a False Teacher? or a True Apostle, from a False Apostle?

Answ. All Teachers are to be tried Three ways. By

• Their Call.
• Their Doctrine.
• Their Fruits, or Liv •• .

[ I] First: As for a man's Call to Preach: Whoever is called to preach, is either called ad opus, to a particular Work: or he is called ad Munus, to an Office. If he be called to a Work only, then his preaching is called Prophesy: And so some are called to Preach; for else how should we know whether men be sit for Office, if they may not preach before they be in Office? Now if men be so called to preach, then they must, 1. Preach according to the proportion, and Analogy of Faith, Rom. 12.6. 2. If they be so called to preach, they must have a gift to profit others publicly; for all Prophesy is for Exhortation, Edification, and Comfort, 1 Cor. 14.3. 3. And if they be so called to preach, they must submit what they speak to the Judgment of others: The Officer speaks with Authority; but another speaks with Submission, and let the rest judge, 1 Cor. 14.29. So that, if any man will take upon him to preach and teach as a gifted man, if he have not a Gift to profit others in public; a Gift be • ond a Family Gift; and if he do not speak according to the proportion of Faith, and do not submit what he speaketh to the Judgment of others, he is a False Prophet, and no true Teacher in this kind.

Secondly: But if a man be called to Office; then his Office, is either Extraordinary, or Ordinary.

[ 1] If Extraordinary, then he is either a Proph • t, who doth foretell things to come, and they do come to pass; or he is an Evangelist, whose Office was to accompany, and minister unto the Apostles: When the Apostles • herefore ceased, then the Evangelists ceased; for sublato subjecto tollitur adjunctum. Or he is an Apostle who hath seen the Lord, and is immediately sent by him, whose Commission extendeth unto all the World, who is infallible in regard of Doctrine delivered, having the Gifts of Tongues given him; not by Industry, but by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and doth work Miracles. And therefore if any man say, that he is an Apostle, and yet hath not seen the Lord Christ, nor hath these Gifts of Tongues, nor can work Miracles; then he is a false Apostle, and a false Teacher in that kind.

[ 2] But if a man be called to an Ordinary Office, then, 1. He must be apparently Godly; not only free from Vice, and Scandal; but Holy, and blameless, shining with positive Virtues, as well as free from Scandalous sins, 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 2. He must be qualified, and gifted for the work of preaching, being apt to teach, anointed with the Unction of the Holy One; not that he must necessarily have the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost: for when the Apostle Paul sets down the due qualifications of a Minister, 1 Tim. 3. there is not one word of that. 3. Being gifted, and duly qualified, he must be chosen, or desired by the Church, Acts, 14.23. 4. Then having consented, he must be separated to the Work of the Ministry. And therefore if any man say, that he is a Teacher in Office, ordinarily called, and yet be profane, scandalous, or vicious, or ignorant, being not fitly qualified; or is not desired, or chosen by the Church, and separated to the Work of the Ministry, he is a false Teacher in this kind.

But whether a man's Cal be Ordinary, or Extraordinary; whether he be called, ad Opus, to a Work, or ad Munus, to an Office, he must make out his Cal to others; 'tis not enough to say, I am sent of God, I tell thee I am sent of God: The Apostles themselves made out their Cal to others: Do ye require a proof of my Ministry, or Apostleship? says the Apostle Paul; then thus and thus. So that though a man do pretend that he is sent of God, and that he hath seen the Lord; yet if he be not able to give an account thereof unto others, he is surely a False Apostle, and a False Teacher. Thus may you try, and discover men by their Cal.

[ II] Secondly: As for Doctrine. Teachers may, and must be tried by their Doctrine. Particular Doctrines whereby men may be tried, are many: I will name some briefly, because I intend this Work no further than to this one Exercise. First, therefore,

[ 1] The true Apostles never did decry the Scriptures, but under God and Christ, did exalt the Scriptures. They called them the Word of God, Rom. 9.6. 2 Cor. 4.2. They told us that the Scriptures are a sufficient Rule, and able to make us wise unto Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.14.16, 17. That they are the only Rule and Judge of all Doctrines, whereby we are to try the same, according to that of the Prophet Isaiah. To the Law, and to the Testimony; if any one walk not according to this Rule, there is no Light in him, Chap. 8. That these Scriptures may be expounded, 2 Pet. 1.20. The Apostles never did deny the Original, saying, I deny the Hebrew, or I deny the Greek; but of • en cited the Original Hebrew; yea, the Septuagintal Greek, This was the true Apostles Doctrine in regard of the Scripture.

[ 2] As for Christ: The true Apostles never did deny the Deity of Christ, whilst he lived here on Earth; nor the Humanity of Christ in Heaven. But for his Deity, the Apostle tell us, that he is very God, and the only wise God, 1 John, 5.20.

And for the Body of Christ: The true Apostles tell us, That he did not only rise from the dead, but his Body ascended, and that he is man still, 2 Tim. 2.5. There is one Mediator, the man Jesus Christ.

[ 3] As for the Ordinances: The Apostles never did deny the Ordinances; but have told us that the Ministration of the Gospel, is more glorious than that of Moses, because this was to continue, 2 Cor. 3. they did not destroy, but erect these Ordinances, by Commission from Christ, As I have ordained in all the Churches, saith Paul. And more particularly, 1. They did not deny the Ministry, not the Being of a settled Ministry, Rom. 12.7. though by the hand of Man, Tit. 1. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest ordain Elders in every City: nor the maintenance; the settled maintenance of Ministers, 1 Cor. 9.14. Even so hath the Lord ordained, that those that preach the Gospel, should live on the Gospel. 2. As they did not deny the Ministry, so they did not deny Water Baptism: but they rather called for Water Baptism, because Cornelius had received the Spirit, Acts, 10.47. They did not lay a necessity upon the Disciples, to be plunged into the River, or Water; for the Jailor, and Cornelius, were baptized in their Houses: Nor did they ever forbid Infant Baptism, but tell us that Children of Believers, are Holy, 2 Cor. 7. 3. As the true Apostles did not deny Water Baptism, so they did not cry down the Lord's Supper, but tell us plainly, That thereby we hold forth the Lord's Death til he come. 4. As they did contend for the Supper, so they commanded singing: First, That the whole Church should sing; for the whole Church of Ephesus, and the whole Church of Colossae, are commanded to sing, Ephes. 5. 18. Collos. 3.16. Secondly, That the whole Church should sing the Psalms of David; for by those Titles, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, the P • alms of David are distinguished. Thirdly, That this singing should be performed with an audible voice, and not in the heart only; for faith the Apostle in the same Scriptures, Speaking and singing with Grace in your hearts. Fourthly, That these Psalms, or Hymns, or Spiritual Songs, should be sung by many together; not by one alone, but by the whole Church; for the Evangelist tells us, that Christ, and his Disciples, sung an Hymn, and so went out after Supper: If only one sang, and the rest consented, then that one was Christ, or someone of the Disciples; Christ it was not, for if he had sung an Hymn, it would have been said, that he sung, and the Hymn would have been set down; as it's said, he prayed, and his Prayer recorded,