Spiritual Refining

SERMON LXXXV.

A T Verse 21. in this Chapter, God begins to open the treasures of his mercies. We may say, This latter part of the Chapter is like the Land of Canaan, a Land of Promise, flowing with spiritual milk and honey; for here is the promise of reduction from their miserable Captivity, Verse 24. But because outward mercies are nothing, without spiritual, therefore there is 1. The promise of the pardon of their sins: It was not enough to be delivered from the power and rage of their Enemies, unless also they were saved from the guilt of their sins; this is promised Verse 25. But if men have pardon of sin, and not saved from the power of it, they will every moment make themselves obnoxious to their former misery; therefore Verse 26. there is a promise of Conversion and Sanctification, with the consequent effects of it, in the 27. Verse: So that this Text, if opened, is like a Box of precious Ointment; or like the Tree in the Revelation, not only the fruit, but the very leafs, every particular word hath its efficacy. And for the better method, consider, 1. The Author and Efficient cause of the mercy promised, I will take away, I will give: See here God's Sovereignty, and immediate power over men's hearts. No King or Emperor in the world is able to say so, I will give men other hearts. 2. The mercy promised, and that is 1. By removing the obstruction or contrary, I will take away the stony heart. 2. By the position of the good vouchsafed, and that is set down, 1. In the root. in the habit or fountain, A heart of flesh. 2. In the fruit, stream or actual operations, I will cause them to walk in my statutes, &c. 3. There is observable, 1. The manner of God's vouchsafing this, it is by way of promise, I will do thus and thus; an absolute promise, not suspended upon man's merits or pre-requisites. 2. The manner of the working of this, its irresistibly, insuperably, omnipotently: So that the heart of a man is a subject merely patient to receive it; not a free Agent to co-operate with this mighty grace In all these particulars, we shall find what Sampson did in the Lions carcass, many honey combs of spiritual honey: And let us begin with the first, The sole efficient cause, who hath the dominion over men's hearts: I will take away the heart of stone; he that by his omnipotent word could say, Let there be light, and there was light; doth also here say, Let the stony heart become soft; let the hard heart become tender, and it presently yields, it doth not withstand God; as if God had said, I know your hearts are too hard for you, you cannot master them, you cannot change them, but I can do it: Whence observe.

That God hath an immediate dominion and power over men hearts.

This is the sole prerogative of God, he can raise what terror and horror he pleaseth there, and all the world cannot asswage it: He also can give peace and comfort, and all the Devils in hell cannot take it away: If they were so affected, as to cry out, What manner of person is this, whom the winds and seas obey? how much rather may we cry out, What is that God, how great and wonderful, who works in the hearts of men what he pleaseth? Thus Psalm 33. 15. an excellent Psalm against Atheism, wherein the Psalmist giveth several arguments to prove the providence of God, that things are not carried in this world, as men's lusts and counsels would have it, but as God orders it, either in mercy or justice: This, I say, the Psalmist would have men believe; for when we see things done in the world, contrary to that we judge righteousness, and yet no judgments immediately following, we are ready to be tempted about our faith. As Pompey, when he was overcome by Caesar, fled to Athens, and there disputed there was no providence, because he thought he was deserted in a just cause: But this is to be ignorant of God, and not to be able to plough with his heifer, to understand the Scripture, by which all those Divine Riddles may be opened. Now among other arguments, he brings one that confirms my Doctrine, He fashoneth their heart alike: The Argument is this, He that makes the heart knoweth everything in the heart, and can make it think, will and love, as he pleaseth. As the Artificer that makes a clock, he knoweth all things about the clock, and makes it strike when and where he pleaseth: And the words are Emphatical, He fashioneth; the same word is used of God's fashioning man's body out of the dust at first: So that God can as easily form and fashion the souls of men, as he can their bodies; he can as easily strike them with fear, as the body with diseases. Again, He fashioneth them alike; in the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Simul; that is, as some expound, all men's hearts, there is not one man's excepted; or else as others, totally and wholly, there is nothing can arise in the heart, not the least thought, or the least motion, but it comes by God's providence. Hence Prov. 21. 1. the Kings heart is said to be in the hand of the Lord: A Kings heart, the greatest of men, and whose counsels and purposes seem to be most hidden, and most potent to be effected; And its in the hand of the Lord: A notable expression, to show how easily he can govern and turn as he pleaseth; and then he useth an excellent similitude, He turneth it as the Rivers of waters: That as a stream of water running down the torrent, can easily by the husbandman be stopped and turned down another course, either to refresh his ground, or annoy it: Thus the Lord turneth the hearts of those that rule in the world, either for mercy or judgment, as he pleaseth. Now the better to clear this truth, we will amplify this Sovereign Dominion of God over men's hearts, in three particulars: 1. As in the way of his general Providence. 2. In the way of his Justice 3. In the way of his Grace: And in all these three particulars God is admirable.

In the way of his Providence, his power over hearts is manifested:

First, In a sudden changing and raising up of their hearts by his mighty work for such employments, that they were no ways able for before: That which all the men in the world could not give; That which all the Angels in heaven could not, that God doth immediately. Thus Saul, when he was appointed to be King over Israel, he was of the meanest Tribe, the meanest Family in the Tribe, an ordinary man; and yet it is said, God gave him another heart; and when he had that, with what courage and boldness did he take the Government upon him: That other spirit, was not a spirit of Grace and Godliness, as the Arminians would have it, but of Government, and Political Abilities; in token whereof, Samuel at the Sacrifice, gave him a shoulder of it; to show the Government upon his shoulders, and how he must bear the people: And as this was wonderful for God to make such a change in him, so on the people also to receive him for their King: All those followed him, whose hearts God had touched, saith the Text, 1 Sam. 10. 26. God did but touch their hearts, as the Musician doth the strings of his instrument, and they sound what he would have them: Such a spirit of Government, those seventy Elders had, that were to assist Moses; God took of Moses his spirit, and bestowed on them: Thus the Judges that God raised up in Israel, when they were in so many extremities, especially Joshua, whom some say, was the Heathens Hercules: These all felt the mighty work of God upon their hearts.

Secondly, God's power over men's hearts in a general way, is seen, In the abating and asswaging those fierce affections, and angry resolutions that men have one against another: God in a moment can command those waves and winds to be still. We have two famous examples for this; the former, in Esau and Jacob; what resolved malicious intentions were in Esau, after the mourning for his father was over to kill Jacob? and now there was a full opportunity put into his hand; Jacob had no power to withstand him, and of a sudden Esau's affections are wholly changed to him, Gen. 33. 20. How cometh this black cloud to blow away so immediately? was it not because God wrought, and moved upon his heart. The latter instance, is of Laban and Jacob, he goeth out also in a great fury against Jacob; but what saith God to him? See thou doest not speak any word to Jacob, Gen. 31. 24. and this presently softened his heart: We might add to this, the meltings of Saul's heart towards David sometimes, when otherways he was full of poison and venom: Thus also Joseph found favor in the eyes of Pharaoh: And a notable instance there is, 2 Chron. 18. 31. where the Army of the Syrians surprizing Jehoshaphat, and thinking to destroy him, he cried out, and God helped him; But how? the Text saith, God moved them to depart from him. So that we see, all our applications should be to God. Men have not their hearts in their own power; men cannot think hurt to thee, yea, they cannot but think and purpose good to thee, wherefore God moves the hearts of men thereto: Thus he saith to these waves, Hitherto thou shalt go, and no further; he binds up these clouds in the air.

Thirdly, God's Providential working on men's hear • s, is seen in the inclination and determination of them (when they are indifferent in themselves) to such ways, as whereby he will bring honor and glory to himself: In nothing under the heavens is God's Sovereignty so much seen, as here: For the hearts of men, are those great instruments, by which he produceth so many notable effects in the world: Nebuchadnezzar is remarkable herein; the Prophet describeth him as standing at two ways, Ezek. 21. 21, 22. either to fight against Israel, or another Nation: Now it was all one to him, which way he went, yet God so ordered, that he should go against them. Thus as God is said to ponder and weigh men's hearts in one sense; so in this sense also, he layeth men's hearts in a balance, and they easily incline this way or that way, and God he puts in something that inclineth their hearts rather this way then that way. Hence the great Monarchs of the world, the Babylouian and Persian, they are compared to Hatchets, to Hammers, to Bees, over which God hath a command. The whole world is his Host, and God is the Emperor or Commander; and he bids this go, and he goeth, that come, and he cometh; as the Centurion did his men under him: What a wonderful work was that upon Cyrus his heart, and his Successors, to let the Jews build their Temple unto God again; yea, what a strange passage was that of good to Mordechai, when the King could not sleep, that he should call for a Book to read, rather then for sports or pleasures; and that of all Books, the History or Chronicles of memorable things done in the Kingdom; and in that History, he should pitch on the good service Mordechai had done, and was not rewarded. Its remarkable also, that when God intended to punish Abimelech and the Shechemites, Judges 9. its said, God sent an evil spirit between them, and that was their ruin at last: Oh then how much is this God to be feared, to be obeyed, who doth in Heaven and Earth what he wills! Its not as Great men, as Mighty men, as Wise men will; but the counsel of the Lord that shall stand.

Lastly, God in the Old Testament had a notable way of bringing about the hearts of men for his great and mighty works by Dreams.

There are three kinds of Dreams, Natural, Diabolical, by way of delusion: or Supernatural, immediately raised in men by God. In such a way God formerly did inform men sometimes: Thus Jacob laying his head on a stone, had a dream; and Joseph a dream about his Superiority over his Brethren, Gen. 48. 12. yea, Pilate's wife had a dream, which she told Pilate, that he should have nothing to do with that just man, to shed his innocent blood, Mat. 27. 19. But that is disputed, whether the Devil did not put that dream into her, because he would not have Christ crucified, knowing that by Christ's death, his Kingdom would be dissolved; But how doth that agree with Satan's entering into Judas heart, tempting him to betray his Master. There were two great Kings, and Heathens, such as had no knowledge of God, and yet God did visit them by dreams, of things to come; as Pharaoh by seven years of barrenness, and seven of fruitfulness; Nebuchadnezzar of the change of his Kingdom, and the mighty alienation of it in time: But these did not understand them, till Joseph, and Daniel, revealed the mystery to them.

Secondly, In the next place, God's power over the hearts of men, in a way of Justice, is also admirable: And that in two respects:

First, In infatuating the counsels and thoughts of wise men: He strikes the great ones of the world, when he is angry, with the spirit of madness and giddiness, Isa. 24. 45. Thus David prayed, That God would turn Ahithophel's counsel into folly, only God could do it: And the Princes of Zoan and Egypt, that thought they were wise, and none like them, God stroke them with folly and giddiness: So true is that old observation, Quos Deus vult perdere, prius dormentat, When God intends to destroy and ruin man, he first beginneth with their understanding, inflicting giddiness upon that: The eyes of a man first die, theu say, and so men perish first in their counsels, thoughts and designs, afterwards in other things: Thus God is said To catch the crafty in their own wisdom, and he knoweth that the thoughts of the wise they are vain, 1 Cor. 3.

Secondly, God's Justice upon men's hearts is, in the spiritual blinding and hardening of them: Thus God is said to harden Pharaohs heart; and Elys sons would not heaken to good counsel, because it was of the Lord to destroy them: Whom he will, he hardens, saith the Apostle, Rom. 9. But this is a tender point, Divines are large about it; only know, that God doth not infuse hardness of heart, nor any evil disposition in men, for he cannot be the author of that of which he is the Avenger; but it is by withdrawing and denying his mollifying Grace: And then as the withdrawing of fire from the water, makes it presently cold, and return to its native temperament; so it is here, God forsaking the heart by denying his mollifying and softening oparations, it cannot but grow stiff and obdurate against God.

Thirdly, In the last place, Let us view the glorious power of God, over the hearts of men in a gracious way; and that is properly intended in the Text: I will give an heart of flesh. Now God's work on the heart, when he changeth it, in these particulars:

First, He convinceth and enlightens the mind with such a glorious light, that the person converted stands amazed at it: That we should show forth his praise who hath translated us out of darkness, into his marvelous light, 1 Pet. 2. 9 And you that were darkness, are now made light, Ephes. 4. This is the seeing eye that God vouchsafeth to some men: Now then, if to restore eyes to the blind, was so wonderful a work, how wonderful is it to give a man new light? God gives a man new abilities to see; he doth not only bring the object, and the medium, but the ability also; and till this be done, its impossible men should ever love or desire what is good: Oh look up then to this! you are apt to be wise in your own eyes, you are apt to say, as the Pharisees did, We see: But pray earnestly to God for this spirit of illumination; thou wilt then find as much difference in thyself, as one in a dark close dungeon; and another, that is come out into the open Sun-shine.

Secondly, God's work on the heart, is to raise up such affections as may make the yoke of Christ easy: That may make thee with delight and joy, to embrace what is good: for here is the great obstruction against conversion, men have carnal and earthly hearts, they delight in what is evil, they embrace the dunghill, they love the mire, like swine. hence all heavenly and spiritual objects are grievous and burdensome to them: Now then God he can turn this clod of earth, into a star in the sky; he can change this heavy lumpish temper, into a gracious spiritual disposition: And when he doth thus, then what was once tedious and grievous, now becomes pleasant and joyful.

Thirdly, He doth make the heart tender and melting: And this is the great mercy here promised: for naturally the heart is a stone in spiritual things; it hath • o apprehension, no joy, no sense; lay all the wrath of God before it, and you cannot move it, you cannot make it mourn and grieve; but when God puts forth this power, then a dry wilderness is turned into a pool of water; then the mountains melt like wax before him; then rocks are turned into streams of water: O then admire, and pray for this mighty work of God! doest thou complain thy heart is like the nether millstone? Oh it will not melt, it will not change, it will not yield to God! go to this heart maker, and he will be an heart breaker.

Fouthly, That which is the most admirable operation upon the heart, is the bowing and bending of it, so as to make it of unwilling willing: Thus this expression of the Text, I will give an heart of flesh, doth denote the efficacy and intimateness of his power; and so the Apostle saith, God worketh in us to will; and in this very point, upon this hinge hangs that great and special truth, which the Orthodox maintain against Arminians and Papists: They will grant an irresistable work of light upon the understanding, they will grant a potent work upon the affections, but this they will not yield, that God makes the will to will, that he so boweth and changeth the heart, that it readily embraceth, what once it abhorred; yet in all that are converted, this power so efficacious, must be needs put forth; for will not experience witness, that every man's will, before converting grace came, was as opposite to God, as averse to all holiness, as any natural man's in the world? did he not dispute, argue, refuse, and show all unwillingness, till God broke open the gate of the soul; he comes into the heart while the doors of it are shut: Thus he is said to open the heart of Lydia, Acts 16. and Paul, was he willing to receive Christ? did not he oppose, persecute and violently pursue the Church of God; and while he was in these furious outrages, did not God in a moment bow his heart, that he crieth out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do: But of this more in the manner of God's conversion.

Lastly, The sovereignty of God's power, is to be adored, that he can comfort the heart with heavenly joy, or wound it with sad and heavy temptations and desertions when he pleaseth! Our hearts are calm and tempestuous, even as he speaks the word, Job 34. 29. who can give trouble, if he speak quietness, whether to a person or a nation. God struck the heart of great Nebuchadnezzar, and made him like a beast; and he can strike the heart of a wicked man, and make him roar like one damned in hell: Thus we see David sometimes complaineth of the great terrors that he was even distracted with; and at another time, his heart over-floweth with joy: This ebbing and flowing is according to the presence or absence of God's favor.

This point is worthy of all practical improvement: And

First, It showeth what poor, weak and empty shadows all the great, wise, powerful and mighty men of the world are: They are not the masters of their own hearts, they cannot tell what they shall think, what they shall purpose, much less, do, the next day. Well doth the Psalmist say, They are lighter then dust orvanity: What a folly then is it to put confidence in such, to trust in any arm of flesh: You see a shadow is not able to move itself, but is this way or that way, as the body stirreth; so is all earthly and human power: God useth these Rods, these Axes, which way he pleaseth: Oh then say, nothing is great but God, hope in nothing, trust in nothing but in God. An hill or an high mountain may be something, if compared with the low valleys; but if with the heavens its but a pins point: So earthly power and greatness, may be a terrible thing to those that are weaker. Giants are tall things to Grashoppers, but compare them with God, and they are nothing, yea less then nothing.

Use 2, Is God thus powerful over the heart, then let the godly be comforted, who find their hearts too strong for them; O their proud heart, their hard heart, their unbelieving heart, their earthly heart, what shall they do? Its true, shouldst thou pray the Potentates of the world, yea the Angels of heaven, to give thee a better heart, they could do nothing: O but God he is gracions, ready, willing and able.

Lastly, Of terror to wicked men, how easily can he raise terrors and horrors in that jolly heart of thine: If Judas and Cain would have given all the world for a quiet heart, they could not have purchased it: Do not then presume too long; do not still venture to offend him; he can send thee home with a roaring, restless heart, he can make thee cry out, There is no help for me, O for a drop of ease.

SERMON LXXXVI.

THe second thing observed in this Magna Charta, or grand promise of conversion is, the good itself spoken of, which is described, 1. Negatively, or by removing the opposite. 2. Positively. Let us consider what is that grand obstruction which must be taken away, ere we can have an heart of flesh; and that is the heart of stone must be removed. The word stone when it is used Tropically in the Scripture, it is sometimes taken in a good sense, and sometimes in a bad sense: In a good sense, for that which is firm and enduring; thus Christ is called a foundation stone, Isa. 28. 16. and Believers living stones, 1 Pet. 2. 5. because of their solid and firm compacting and union with Christ. In which sense Bonaventure said the clean contrary to this promise, Nolo Domine cor carneum, da lapideum, O Lord, I will not have an heart of flesh, that is, flexible, and easily drawn any way; but a stony heart, that is firm and enduring in good against all opposition whatsoever. But in this place the word stone is used in an ill sense, for a senseless, stupid and rebellious heart against God's word. As the stone in the fire will sooner fly in the face of him that sits by, then melt. So the heart of every man by nature will sooner oppose, gainsay, and rage at those who reprove or instruct then melt, or yield obedience: Whereas, Ier. 23. God's word is said to be an hammer, beating the very rocks in pieces; here it will have no such operation, unless God make this promise effectual.

That every man naturally in respect of any divine or spiritual good, hath a very heart of stone.

The disease of the stone in the body is an exquisite and inexpressible torment, how much would men give to be eased of it. But this stone in the heart, whereby we are wholly senseless and stupid about heavenly things, moved neither with love or fear, or grief, is above all this torment, if men did rightly judge of it. It was the Poets fiction, that men were made of stones, Inde genus durum sumus: to be sure, there is this spiritual stone on the heart; whereby we are an hard, tough, rugged, and intractable people; insomuch that wheresoever God converts men by the Ministry, there he raiseth up children to Abraham out of stones, there he makes water to gush out of rocks, there he makes dry bones to gather together and live. To amplify this, let us consider how much wickedness this Epithet (stony) doth imply to be in every man naturally.

And first, It denoteth senselessness and stupidity; for so commonly we express that by a stone. We say of a senseless, irrational man, As good speak to a stone. Thus Nabal's heart is said to be dead within him, and become like a stone, he was astonished and amazed through the danger coming upon him, he was made stupid, and apprehended nothing. The Scripture delights by way of contempt to call the Heathen Idols, wood and stones, because they had eyes and saw not, feet and walked not: Just such stocks and stones are all men by nature; they have cors and hear not, they have hearts and understand not. That whereas the Prophet cried to that insensible Altar of stones, O Altar, Altar, 1 King. 13. 2. and presently it rent asunder, here the Ministers of God may cry aloud, and no man is sensible of his sin, or crieth out, What have I done? Oh then pray that God would remove that heavy stone, which lieth upon thy heart, that under all preaching and teaching makes thee still so insensible, that Ministry or no Ministry, judgments or no judgments are all one to thee. Do not then be any longer like the stones in the wall, who know nothing, understand nothing, though they are built in the walls of the Church where much preaching is. Some derive 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the people, from a stone, I know for other reasons, but we may say, because of the stony heart, and insensibleness that is in them.

Secondly, It implieth incapacity and indisposedness unto anything that is holy. As they are not sensible, so much less prepared and fitted for any spiritual duty. The building of the material Temple was a type of believers. Now as the stone could not polish and fit itself for the Temple, so neither have we any power in ourselves to take away the least enmity that is against God. Insomuch that this text doth triumph over all those corrupt doctrines that advance free-will, and power in man to spiritual things. What, can a stone make itself to live? Can Ezekiel's dry bones produce life of themselves? Could the bone taken out of Adams side, make itself a living woman? Its true, man hath reason, understanding and a will, and so in that sense he is not a stone; but he hath no reason to think what is good, no will to choose what is good, and so in that respect is like a stone. And hence it is. that we need not wonder, if men of great parts and wisdom are yet so foolish and void of all love and delight in what is good, for a man may be very quick and apprehensive in all matters of learning and human perfections, and yet be a very stone about what is godly. Nicodemus had great understanding in the law of God, yet how unfit for that doctrine about Regeneration!

Thirdly, The stoniness of the heart doth imply, not only indisposition, but active contrariety and resistency to what is holy. Thus the Jews are called a people of a stiff neck, that is the same with a stony heart, Act. 7. Ye have always resisted the holy Ghost, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , you fall like an heavy stone with violence upon the word of God, and all divine exhortations. The stone is not only indisposed for polishing, but as much as lieth in it, doth resist, and beat back again the hammer that falls upon it. Oh this active enmity and vigorous opposition which is in all men by nature, to that which is holy, is much to be lamented. The Apostle, Rom. 8. speaks of this enmity of the flesh, which doth so far prevail, that it makes a man not only not subject, but it cannot be subject to the law of God, for these two are contrary, the spiritual law and the carnal heart, and so as light and darkness, fire and water cannot accord, so neither can these. Marvel not then if ye see men, whose thoughts, purposes, affections, and all ineavours are against godliness: Their hearts to conceive mischief against it; their tongues to be always railing or deriding of it: For can the toad vent honey? can the serpent spit cordials? no more can these endure what is supernatural.

Fourthly, This describeth the hardness of the heart, and impenetrableness of it. Its a stone, and though the word be a two edged sword, yet is it any wonder, if a sword cannot pierce through an hard stone. The Scripture, Ephes. 4. 18. speaketh of a threefold hardness, natural, acquired, by voluntary sins against conscience, and judicial, inflicted as a just judgment by God upon those who have rebelled against the light; now this which we speak of is the natural hardness, that which is in every man and woman. Take the most civil and ingenuous man, who is so tractable in all things of morality, yet he hath an hard heart to that which is spiritual. The doctrine of repentance, mortification, and powerful walking with God, is that which can find no entrance in him. Oh therefore that this spiritual hardness were more apprehended; you can complain of hard times, of hard dealings in the world. Oh what hard dealing hath God from thee! His judgments have not broke thy heart, his mercies have not melted thy heart, Oh think if there were any softness, if any drops in thee, if any meltings in thee, thou hadst not to this day continued such a rebellious wretch against God. Illud est cor durum, quod non trepidat ad nomen cordis duri; If thy soul doth not break, and tremble, and melt at the very preaching about a stony heart, its because thou art over-whelmed by it. This hard heart is else where called an heart of adamant, which is as much as that, which cannot be turned: Oh this is thy case; nothing hath tamed thee, or humbled thee to this day.

Fifthly, This word holds out the pertinency and immovableness of the heart from the way of sin. A great heavy stone lieth many years in the same place; and thus it is with every man naturally, how self-willed, how immovable! you cannot stir him out of his former ways of impiety. Though he hear much, though he be entreated, reproved, and constantly warned over and over again, yet he is still the same man he was. Thus as the godly are commended for their immovable state in godliness and in happiness, they stand like Zion, which can never be moved; the same are they in a state of wickedness and impiety. Oh then, how doth experience daily witness this pertinency of men's hearts in adhering to wickedness. When they are so convinced, that they can say nothing for their sins, they must needs confess its their duty to be other men; they cannot say one word for self-justification, yet they will not move from their former course of impieties. What kind of hearts we have, was typically represented by Moses, when the law was commanded to be written in stones, for albeit one main reason was to preserve the laws perpetually; as Heathen lawgivers have commanded their laws to be engraven on brass, or cypresse trees, that will not putrefy: Yet the Apostle alludes to an Allegory, when he tells the Corinthians, they were his Epistle not written (2 Cor. 3. 3.) in tables of stone, but fleshy tables of the heart. So that to have hearts of stone, is to be pertinacious, willful; say what you can, bring the Scripture never so plainly, demonstrate and convince the haynousness of sin never so clearly, yet nothing shall make any alteration in them; they will be wicked, because they will be.

Sixthly, An heart of stone is an heart altogether cold, and destitute of any warmth or heat of grace. A stone is nothing but hardened earth, and as siccity and frigidity are the two properties of that element, so are they of a stone. Hence, it was a miracle to bring water out of the rock: Citius e pumice aquam, is a Proverb. Stones have these two qualities, as the earth out of which they are generated, Siccity or dryness, there is no moisture, there is no wateriness in them, and thus it is in every man's heart, a dry barren spirit, there is no juice, no sap of any grace. Therefore the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hardness, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , doth excellently express this cursed temper, for that is properly the dryness of any herb, when it is withered, its then good for nothing, all the juice is out of it. And thus men by nature have not the least dropping or melting of soul: And observe this, A man may have a very tender, juicy heart, as it were, about earthly things; Jet an husband, wife, or any earthly advantage be lost, and rivers of water can gush out of thine eyes: They may be of a pitiful and tender complexion, and yet as dry and barren as a very stone about the sins they have committed, and the iniquities they are guilty of. Indeed David speaks of a drought upon his soul, that it was like a parched wilderness. Psal. 42. 1. but that was in a gracious sense, because of the earnest pantings and longings he had for the enjoyment of God's favor. But this is in a very wicked and desperate sense, when men have not the least meltings, or thawings of soul upon any divine administrations. The other property is frigidity, or coldness, As cold as a stone, we say; and thus every man's heart is destitute of all that fire and heat which doth usually accompany the life of grace. Hence men are said to be dead in sins, Eph. 2. 4. death and coldness go together. The Spirit of God in its operations is compared to fire, because of the efficacy and fervency of it; now men destitute of this spirit, are wholly lifeless; and cold in anything that is good.

Seventhly, Seeing a stone is nothing but a product of the earth, it hath also the property of the earth, which is heaviness or gravity, an inclination to descend, to fall downwards. And this also is wonderfully seen in every man's disposition by nature: His affections are wholly set upon earthly things, though he hath a body straight up towards heaven, and so excelling other creatures, yet his soul is bowed down to the ground, so that in this sense, as well as others, we may say, he is a worm and no man. The bodily curse of the serpent, is spiritually fulfilled on him, To lick the dust of the earth, and to make that his food; this is the heavy portion of every man by nature, to swallow down iniquity like water, to center upon earthly objects, as naturally as the stone falls downward; Wonder not then, if you see men wholly plunged in earthly affairs, they mind not, they regard not, they understand not heavenly things; for (alas) how can the earth ascend upwards? how can a clod of clay move of itself towards the skies? here must be a change of our natural properties, before these things can be done.

Having thus described the properties of this stony heart, and how much the word may purport. Let us now consider • ome effects or signs, which do abundantly discover, that men by nature have such hearts of stones.

And first, What can be a greater evidence, then the security, quiet, and ease, which men naturally have, though thus obnoxious to guilt, and the wrath of God. Do but consider what the word of God saith of every man by nature, how it aggravates his sin and misery, makes him every moment ready to fall into eternal torments, that all within him and without him is hated of God all the day long: Consider all this and believe it. Now what a stone and stock is man, that for all this truth of God, thus informing, thus threatening, thus cursing, is no more troubled and affected about himself! Certainly were not men like Niobe, turned into very marbles and stones, they could never be thus stupid, yea they would run up and down crying out, What shall we do to be changed? How may this stone, this mountain be removed and thrown into a sea of tears and sorrow? Do ye then doubt, whether men be thus by nature so stupid and senseless about divine things? What need ye go any further, see how they can eat, drink, rejoice, and be secure, when yet so many woes are denounced against them: Oh then say, Lord give me a soft heart, give me a broken heart; yet Lord it is not broken, yet it is not broken. Oh let any judgment fall upon me rather then this hard heart. Oh let any affliction lie upon me rather then this heart of stone.

Secondly, This stony senseless heart is manifested, in that Though in the general they commend holiness and godliness, and so in the general detest and abhor vice, yet when it cometh to the particular, then they act and love that which they did in the general condemn. As now, Come to any profane man wallowing in any gross sin, and ask, Is it not an excellent, admirable thing, a life to be desired, to live with the fear of God, to obey his law, to take heed of impiety, to walk religiously, soberly and righteously? Oh without doubt they will say: and yet the same men live in direct opposite ways to this piety. Now if men were not stones and stocks; they could not but see their contradiction, they could not but see, how vainly they oppose their own selves; for if wickedness be to be abhorred, then thy wickedness, those lusts thou livest in are to be loathed.

Thirdly, That men have this heart of stone, appeareth, in that they consider not the extreme contrariety that is in their wicked lives to that holy profession they take upon them. Whosoever is baptized into the name of Christ, and owneth his law, doth thereby engage himself to live as Christ his Lord hath commanded. The Apostle James at large showeth the vanity and insufficiency of such a faith as doth not make a man give an universal obedience to what God commandeth: and the Apostle calls upon us, Phil. 1. 27. that our conversation should be as that which becometh the Gospel of Christ, to be sheep and not swine. Now if men were not mere idols, having eyes and see not, hearts and perceive not, it were impossible they should join an unholy life to an holy faith, an impure, profane life, to so satred and pure a profession. Canst thou see or observe anything, and doest thou not this? Why hath Christ called thee out of the world but to live in an unspotted manner?

Lastly, Herein we discover stony hearts, That neither the inexpressible wrath of God revealed in the Scripture, nor the love of Christ, and the joys of heaven promised, do work us ont of our sins. Oh what can be a greater argument of our stupidity then either of these neglected? The wrath of God manifested in the word, how unsupportable is it! Is not hell described by everything that is terrible, fire and brimstone, chains of darkness, despairing horror; a death without death, crying for death and it cannot be had? so that the damned in hell can neither kill themselves, nor others destroy them, and this torment to continue to all eternity, which is a perpetual woe, wherein there is no past or to come. That all this fury should be made known to a sinner, yet he to go on in his sins desperately venturing upon it, must you not cry out, Oh men, no men, but stones! And then on the contrary, To consider the love of God described in the Gospel, to see Christ, God and man, made poor, miserable, ignominious, lying under spiritual agonies, grappling with the infinite anger of God, and at last dying that cursed death for our sakes, would not this make the very stones melt? and yet our hearts are not softened by this love. The Temple clave asunder, the very sun was in a fainting eclipse, as historians say; and thy heart is not rent, nor doth thy spirit faint within thee. Besides the joys of heaven so full, pure and eternal, which are tendered to thee, if thou wilt forsake thy sin; might not they be like the hot sun beams that arise and melt the ice? but with man naturally all is in vain. Earthly comforts they are most loved and desired before the enjoyment of them, and when enjoyed they do not satisfy and so are less esteemed; but heavenly joys they are less desired and loved before enjoyment; but when partaken of, the desire will increase, and love shall then embrace more then faith could believe, or hope desire.

Use 1. Not to wonder if men after much preaching, yea after many judgments and mercies, remain obdurate and immovable in their wickedness. This text tells you the cause of all. They have hearts of stone, yea how many are worse then stones, for gutta cavat lapidem; continual dropping will make impression upon a very stone, and consume it at last. But the word of God hath often distilled like a soft rain upon thee, and behold thou art not at all softened, not one lust is yet washed away. And stones upon the change of weather will stand on a dew, as if they were sensible of the alteration, but how many changes and alterations doth God make by his just judgments on sinners, and thy heart is not affected? Oh then let this be thy daily prayer, Lord I find a load upon me, a mountain, an heavy stone upon me, I cannot pray for it, I cannot mourn for it: Lord whatsoever thou shalt deny me, deny not the removal of this.

SERMON LXXXVII.

WE come in the third place to consider the mercy, as it is positively set down, I will give an heart of flesh. If flesh were taken here properly for a massy part, then it could be no gracious promise, for every man's heart by nature is of flesh; but flesh is taken improperly or metaphorically; for when it is used in the Scripture improperly, it is either taken in a good sense, or a bad sense: In a bad sense, it either denoteth fragility, misery and vanity. Thus All flesh is grass; and thine horses are flesh, not spirit. Or else sinfulness and corruption: Thus, John 3. Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh. And In my flesh dwelleth no good thing, Rom. 7. It should greatly humble us, that the Scripture calls sin in us by such names, for it argueth sin to be innate, inbred in us, that we and sin are all one as it were: as if we were not so much sinners as sin itself; it cleaveth to us as the flesh to the bones. But secondly, this word [flee •• ] is used in a good sense, though not so frequently, signifying a tender, pliable and flexible heart to what is godly, and is by way of opposition to a stone. Thus, 2 Cor. 3. The hearts of the Corinthians which so readily received Paul's doctrine, are called fleshy tables; and here it is used in this sense in the text, I will give an heart of flesh: We may justly admire the mighty work of God in making waters to gush out of the rock, in touching mountains, so that they melt like wax; but above all, this mighty power of God, that makes hearts so story and impenetrable, to be ready and capable for all duties.

That God in conversion doth make a man's heart tender and flexible for every duty he requireth.

The example of all converts witnesseth this; when Matthew is converted, he leaveth his custom feat, though full of profit, and followeth Christ, which could not be without much self-denial and persecution. Is not here a stone made flesh? Zacchaeus the Publican, no sooner wrought upon by grace, but he makes restitution and satisfaction: even above the exact command of the law; but his heart is made so tender that he had rather be beyond, then come short of his duty. Mary Magdalene a notorious sinner, called the sinner by an emphasis, when wrought upon, this dry wilderness is made a fountain of water. The Jailer a cruel harsh man to the Apostles, when his heart is touched, in what amazements doth he fall, how tender and compassionate to the Apostles whom he had wronged; he that did cast them in prison, put chains and • etters upon them, in a moment is altered, and washeth their soars. And let Paul close all, what a stony heart had he! His heart was like the stones they stoned Stephen with, and although he stoned not Stephen with his own hands, yet he was consenting to it, and kept their garments, insomuch that Austin saith, Omnium lapidantium manibus lapidavit, he stoned him with the hands of all them that threw stones at him. He that compelled the disciples to blaspheme, and was mad against them, see how in a moment his stony heart is taken away, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Oh tender heart, now he is willing to do and suffer anything! Thus God wheresoever he vouchsafeth this converting grace, of an obdurate, averse stony heart, he makes tender and pliable.

To open this, let us consider first, What is implied in this heart of flesh; for that comprehends several gracious qualities: And

First, A tender melting heart is principally intended. The heart of stone will neither yield to threatenings, or be softened by mercies; but the fleshy heart, that is tender under both. Thus Josiah is commended for his tender, melting heart, while the threatenings of the law were read, 2 Chron. 34. 27. and certainly thousands of people discover, this promise was never effectual to them; for how obdurate and willful are they against the word of God! they rage and roar like bears and tigers with vexation, rather then tenderly be softened about the matters of religion. Oh then consider, how tender thy spirit is about God's commands, doth it presently thaw? is it immediately softened when God's word comes to thee? this is a good sign. I know the people of God do much complain their hearts are not so tender and softened as they desire: They complain they are very stocks and stones sometimes; as the Church, Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear, Isa. 63. 17. But yet because they feel this stoniness, and they can tenderly bewail this, therefore it's a plain argument the work of grace is in their souls, though it be imperfect, and so it is not to be expected that all stoniness should be removed out of the heart in this life. Contra vitia pugnamus non ut penitus vincamus, sed ne vincamur, Seneca.

Secondly, From this tender softness of heart floweth A quick sensibleness, and a lively apprehension of any spiritual thing that concerneth it. The tender skin doth presently feel the least offense, whereas that which is brawny and rugged is not so sensible. Thus it is in the true convert, he is very sensible, he is quick in understanding, as the Scripture expresseth it. And this sensibleness is discerned in several particulars; as first, he can discern between things that differ, Heb. 6. He hath senses exercised, to discern between good and evil. He is compared to an Eagle, his eye will quickly discern afar off. He is the spiritual man that judgeth all things; so that the true convert is not easily seduced by errors and false doctrines, for he hath a tender sensible heart: he is not easily enticed by Satan to sinful lusts, for he is presently sensible. So secondly, his tenderness appears, in that the least sins, the very motions, the very inclinations are an heavy burden unto him: Thus Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, 2 Chron. 32. 26. David when he numbered the people, though the act itself were lawful, yet because he did not keep God's order, he did it out of vain glory, and God's anger broke out because of it: See how tenderly be is affected, Let thy anger be upon me and my fathers house, What have these sheep done? When he cut off the lap of Saul's garment, his heart smote him. Paul, how sadly and miserably doth he cry out of the inward lusts of sin within him! Thus the fleshy heart is so tender, that it feels the very weight of a mote, as well as of a beam.

Thirdly, The sensibleness of it is discovered, in that When he repents of sin, he is much affected because of the unkindness that is in sin against God. Against thee, this only have I sinned, Psal. 51. These Israelites should loath and abhor themselves when God was pacified towards them, Ezek. 16. 63. This fleshy heart is so sensible of the ill requital that is in all sin, for God his favor and love to them, that this affects them abundantly.

Fourthly, This fleshy heart implies Tractablenesse and dociblenesse in the understanding, and flexibility in the will. Tractablenesse in the understanding, that whereas a man naturally shuts his eyes against the light, he will not hear or understand, but is froward, cavilling and always disputing against the things of his everlasting peace; now he hath obtained that religion which the Apostle calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , easily to be persuaded. This is one great corruption in man, that his understanding exalteth itself against the word, and he hath many carnal cavils and and prejudices against grace: now when God worketh on the heart, the understanding is captivated and brought into obedience, 2 Cor. 10. 5. The word of God destroyeth all those strong holds, and they are glad that this spiritual light should enter into their hearts. Oh there is little hopes of a proud, froward, cavilling person, that loveth to be arguing and contradicting those things that make for purity and godliness: When a man is taught of God, he is easily brought off to believe, to submit, A little child can lead them, as Isaiah prophesieth, Isa. 11. 6. As tractableness in the understanding, so flexibility in the will, is also implied in this heart of flesh. The will of man, that is the hardest part of the stone in a man, that is contumacious, willful, opposite; that is the King, the Lord, the governor; till that be mastered, till that stoop, nothing in man will turn to God: but this converting grace makes willing of unwilling, makes it to choose and embrace that which once it abhorred; as Paul, What wilt thou have me to do? Oh it's th • se wills of men, that are the great enemies to godliness. Hence God is said to work in us to will, as well as to do, Phil. 3. To will, this is admirable; oh pray importunately that God would give thee to will good, that God would give thee to choose and embrace it. It's wonderful to consider how this hard iron, when melted by grace, will be put into any frame or fashion.

Fifthly, This fleshy heart implieth, An obediential resignation of ourselves up into God's hands. That now we stand at nothing, we refuse nothing, we object nothing, we do not pick and choose in our obedience, This (O Lord) I could do, but excuse me in the other thing. No, a fleshy heart is that which is all over yielding and submitting: He doth not say, I will give them an heart partly of stone, and partly of flesh; for although stoniness be in the regenerate heart, yet because it is not there by constant prevalency and universality, therefore it is still an heart of flesh, so that nothing will discover this work upon thy soul, sooner then an obediential resignation to all duties. He that breaks one is guilty of all, in this sense, because he breaks vinculum obedientiae, the bond of obedience, which is the authority of the law-giver: For to be fleshy supposeth a capacity and easiness to receive any impression: wheresoever it finds a command, there it crieth out, Lo here am I to do thy will, O God: Thy law is written in my heart. We shall not enlarge this particular more, because the explication of a stony heart, doth by way of contrariety illustrate this fleshy heart. Let us therefore take notice of the several effects and consequents of a fleshy heart, and they are remarkable.

First, This heart of flesh is accompanied with an awful fear and trembling under the word of God, and his glorious Majesty. They have deep thoughts of fear and reverence when they come before God. Thus Josiah, whose heart was tender, and melting, did also tremble at the threatening in the word of God. If Abraham was so deeply debased in his spiritual approach to God, because he was but dust and ashes, how much rather because of sin! We may then quickly discover grace in the tenderness of it, if it be not profane, careless, and formal in religious duties. If thy heart be a melting heart, thy prayers are melting prayers, thy hearing is melting hearing, thou wouldst not be so senseless, careless in these duties as most men a • e. Oh then cry out of thyself, for the want of this gracious disposition. Thou findest thy heart like brass and Iron, not like flesh, when thou comest to him.

Secondly, A gracious fleshy heart doth readily bow and yield to God in all afflictions and chastisements for sin. The stubborn oak, that will sooner break then bow; but the tender withe, that will move every way, as it is desired: and thus it is here, Men of stony hearts, unbroken hearts, if any ways afflicted or chastised for sin, how full of rage, discontent, fury, and all manner of vexation, fretting even at God himself and all his instruments! but the tender fleshy heart that presently accepts of the punishment of its sin, as God calls upon, Levite. 26. 41. It saith with the Church, I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. It wholly studieth to clear and justify God, but to condemn and accuse itself: O then let the people of God in the midst of all the waves and tempests that rise in their soul, remember to allay all by this, that they are fleshy and not stone. That as God made it an argument to take off his afflicting hand, because it was frail weak flesh; Gen. 6. My spirit shall not always strive with man, because he is flesh: so he may also abate his anger, because thou art gracious and tender flesh. This is a precious symptom of grace, when thy soul afflicted, is like a box of precious ointment broken, or like sweet flowers pounced, many precious and fragrant graces discover themselves. As the fire doth discover the metals, whether good or bad; and tempests and winds, whether trees be well rooted or no; so do calamities, whether men be gracious or no; and in nothing doth thy grace more manifest itself then justifying God, and abhorring thyself. Have any frettings, any repinings made a commotion in thy heart? quiet all, and remember, the work of grace is to make a man yielding and readily submitting.

Thirdly, The godly heart of flesh is so tender, that it doth not only avoid sin itself, but the occasions of it, the appearance of it. Abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Thes. 5. 22. David would not drink the water of Bethlehem, because it had the appearance of men's blood, and thus the godly are to provide all things honest in the sight of all men. Christ that would not wash his hands before meal, though otherwise a civil custom, in itself lawful, yet he refused, that he might not confirm the Jews in their superstitious conceit about it, did hereby instruct us that we should not only keep from the fire of sin, but also from the very flame. The first sin that proved so fatal to all mankind came by occasions and temptations; Eve saw the fruit that it was good, and desirable. God had not commanded her to forbear looking on it, but this became a temptation to her, and by those windows of her eyes death comes in. This made Paul keep down his body. This caused Job to make a covenant with his eyes; and David to set a watch before his mouth. Look then to this, wouldst thou know whether this gracious tender heart be in thee or no; art thou then afraid to come near the brink of sin, anything that hath the appearance of it, thou runnest away from it, as Moses did from his rod, when turned into a serpent. This you should especially observe who venture into the occasions of wickedness, haunt the places where the profane lusts of the flesh are daily committed: You do like the moth, that never leaveth buzzing and flying about the candle, till she hath burnt herself. The Hebrews that were to eat no unleavened bread in the Passover for seven days, were so careful, that they did diligently search the house, to see none was there, yea they would not so much as make mention of the word signifying bread, lest it should do hurt, and tempt any. And wilt not thou be afraid to come where the infection of the plague of any sin is? Dost thou fear the infection of the body, and not that of the soul? come not then near this mountain, least thou beest destroyed.

Fourthly, A godly heart of flesh is tender and apprehensive of all inward heart-sins, and secret sins, as well as public and notorious. Paul had a soft heart of flesh, when he could find those motes in his eyes, and complains of them as beams, Rom. 7. and indeed because the dishonor of God, and offending of him, is the great mountain and weight upon his soul, therefore whatsoever sin is done in secret, he is as sensible of it, as if it had been done in the eyes of the whole world. That is a known instance of the tender heart of Joseph, when in the temptation of secrecy in sinning, he cried out, How can I do this and sin against God! Oh then this discovers the many degrees thousands are off from the tender work of grace: For its a shame to speak of what is done by many in secret. Secret uncleanness, secret injustice and fraud, secret theeving, secret drunkenness, if it can be carried so that the world may not know it, that reproach may not brand them for it, they care not. Oh men of stony hearts! Did not God behold thee? Is not darkness and light, night and day all one to him? Never be encouraged to sin in hope of secrecy, for God will bring out those deeds of darkness, without repentance, one time or other, to thy great confusion. I know no such differential mark from an hypocrite and a true godly man, as this. An hypocrite may have as great abilities and enlargements, may have as external a strict conversation as a godly man: but then in this he always fails, he doth not humble himself for, or mortify inward motions and lusts of sins. He is not affected with heart-corruptions, because God looks into the heart, and beholds the heart. Oh then, that the word of God might powerfully work upon you in this respect. Its not an heart of flesh, as long as wicked, proud, earthly, unclean thoughts can lodge in thy soul, though they break not out into action.

Lastly, A tender heart of flesh is greatly afflicted with the dishonor that is done to God by other men's sins as well as his own. David must needs have a very soft heart, when rivers of water came from his eyes, because men kept not God's Law. Flesh is easily wounded, it is easily pierced, and thus is a godly man's heart, because God is not owned, is not magnified where he liveth. The Prophet Isaiah cried out, We is me because I dwell among men of unclean lips, Isa. 6. 5. How then do other men's impieties work upon thee? are they like a sword in thy bowels? Doth the tearing and rending of God's Name by blasphemous courses, even tear and rend thy heart? Doth the profane naming of the wounds and blood of Christ, even make wounds and blood in thy heart? then thou mayest praise God, that he hath not left thee without zeal for his glory. Is thy soul grieved and tormented with seeing and beholding the wickedness of men done in the world?

Use. 1. Of consolation and comfort to those to whom God hath vouchsafed this tender and soft heart. Its such a mercy thou couldst not help thyself to, nor all the world could vouchsafe it to thee. Say, Bless the Lord O my soul, and admire his grace, who hath thus melted thee. The time was when thou wast hardened and bold in sin, thou couldst swallow down great Camels, and it did not trouble thee; thou couldst commit such and such impieties, and thy heart would never smite thee for it. Oh but now if there be any distemper, any rebellion, any unkindness in thy life to God; it dissolves thee, it moveth thy bowels: go on blessing God for this mercy. Do not think it a loss to thee, nor a reproach to thee: Not a loss, for happily thou mayest say, If I had not such a tender heart, if I were not so afraid to sin against God, I might get such earthly advantages: If I were as bold and as large in my principles as others, then I could thus enrich myself; but this tender heart of mine hinders me. Do not judge this a loss but again; the later end of this will be a rich crop, though for the present thou hast but gleanings: God doth with thee as Boaz with Ruth; first he gave her but gleanings, and a little measure of Corn, but afterwards he gave her himself and all that he had. Thus God at last will give the enjoyment of himself and eternal glory, when hardened sinners shall vomit up their advantages, which will be like gravel in the mouth. Nor do not thou judge it a reproach; the world judgeth it pusillanimity, a tender heart, a foolish, scrupulous heart. But as it is said of God, He can do all things, only he cannot sin, for that is an impotency, Potentissime hoc non potest; so it is here, thou darest loose thy comforts, thy advantages; thou darest be hated, persecuted, only thou darest not sin, Magnanimiter hoc non audes! At the day of death, at the day of judgment, what boldness, what confidence wilt thou have? when the great bold men of the world shall tremble like leaves, and have fear round about them.

SERMON. LXXXVIII.

THe Doctrine about An heart of flesh, hath already been explained, and some practical use made of it: And the matter being so exceeding necessary; (for without this Heart of flesh, we preach in vain, you hear in vain, God's mercies, and God's chastisements are in vain;) I shall therefore add another Use, by way of Exhortation, Not to have any rest or quiet in your souls, till God vouchsafe this mercy to you: God here promiseth it, as the main mercy, to qualify and sanctify all their temporal mercies; as if returning from Captivity, enjoying their own Country, their Liberties, Houses and Comforts again, were nothing, if this Heart of flesh was not also bestowed upon them. And to speak to our condition; though God hath brought us together, that by the last wars were scattered one from another; though many of those fears and terrors that did then overwhelm, are in some measure abated; yet if God give not this Heart of flesh, a worm will quickly arise and consume this gourd: Be therefore as importunate with God, as the Widow was with the unjust Judge; for God loveth importunity, he loveth seeking, knocking, fervent praying; and if the unjust Judge was overcome by importunity, how much rather will the bowels of a gracious God move towards thee? How graciously did God reward that Petition of Solomon's, because he did not ask for riches, long life, the life of his enemies, but wisdom to discharge his trust: So will God say to thee, Because thou hast not asked temporal mercies, nor earthly greatness, but a tender soft heart, be it according to thy desire. As David therefore resolved, He would give no sleep to his eyes, or slumber to his eye-lids, till he had settled the Ark: So do thou resolve to have no rest in thy mind, or to let God alone, but importune him day and night, till he hath made that heart of stone flesh within thee: Oh! why are you solicitous about earthly things! what you shall eat, what you shall drink, what you shall put on? and not in a godly manner enquiring, How may I pray, hear, live, die, with this soft and tender heart? And if reason may be any motive to you, consider, how much may be spoke for this particular.

First, This heart of flesh will be a constant Antidote, and Preservative against sin: This bitter potion will kill all those worms of temptation, that may crawl in thy breast; the Devil can never come and find the room of thy heart swept and ready garnished for him; he is continually upon his Watch-Tower, that hath an heart of flesh. David's heart when it began to be stony and senseless, see how willfully he falls from one sin to another; whereas if his heart had been as tender as at other times, the very entrance and appearance of sin would have amazed him. As it is the nature of sin to harden, and to make obstinate, so of grace to mollify and soften: Now there is always in every condition, in every occurrence of providence, something that would stiffen the heart against God, were not grace a continual thawer of the heart by the heat thereof: If therefore thou wouldst be preserved from those sad falls, and wretched backslidings, which others have been tumbled into, Keep up this heart of flesh; Oh it could never be that thou wouldst entertain such monstrous Doctrines, or do such unjustifiable practices, if thy heart were of flesh: No, it is of steel and iron, of a rock, or adamant, and that makes thee bold to commit such sins, which tender godly persons have their hearts ache at, and their ears tingle to hear.

Secondly, As this tender heart of flesh preserveth from sin; So from the consequents, and the woeful effects of it; which are woes, wounds of conscience, horror of heart, darkness and gloominess of soul, sad tears, lest God hath forever forsaken them; the loss of all their former sweet peace and communion they had with God: Oh! God of a gracious father, is now become a frowning enemy; their hearts are made like an hell, wherein legions of sad unbelieving thoughts do constantly lodge: This is the portion of those godly men, who by negligence, carelessness and hardness of heart, come to fall off from their former measure of holiness: Oh but a tender heart of flesh, as it prevents the cause of these, so the effects likewise; it will keep thee from this roaring Lyon: So that as soon as ever thou findest this soft heart abating in thee, do thou then fear some grievous storm may be coming on thee, if God prevent not.

Thirdly, Without a tender heart of flesh, a man cannot perform any Religious duty, in an acceptable manner to God: Prayer without this heart of flesh, is like a dry unsavory herb; hearing of the word, if it come not from an heart thus softened, is but desperate boldness against God, and so an immediate provocation of his anger. Hence a broken heart is preferred above all sacrifices, Psal. 51. above all outward worship; they are the body, this is the soul; they must not be neglected, but this is the Benjamin, without whom, we must not see God's face: Oh then as thou darest not but pray, and hear, and come to Church, so also be as much afraid, lest those duties be done without an heart of flesh.

Fourthly, A tender heart of flesh is accompanied with patience, under the sorest afflictions, and thankfulness under the least mercies: What a sudden tempest and whirlwind of afflictions fell upon Job; and yet in all that he did not charge God foolishly, Job 1. ult. but reproved his impatient wife with this saying, Shall we receive good, and not evil from the Lord? And as for thankfulness under the least mercies, see how the Church in the Lamentations can taste a little honey in an ocean of gall; Its of the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, Lam. 3. 22. and so the woman of Canaan, acknowledgeth herself a dog, and is glad of the crumbs that fall from the table, Mat. 15. 27. Now what a lovely and comely sight is this; to see a Christian patient under the greatest trouble, and thankful under the least mercies! and there is nothing will bring the heart to this admirable temper, but the fulfilling of this promise.

Lastly, This tender heart of flesh, is the only fit soil, wherein the word of God sown, will grow up, and bring a plentiful crop: For as they say of the soul, Animae fabricat sibi domicilium, The soul fashioneth and prepareth the body, for itself to dwell in; as the Spider makes her own web, wherein she resides: Thus the word of God at first makes the heart of hard and stony, fleshy and soft, which when done, then is the heart ever afterwards a fit room to receive this spiritual guest: So that the word never thriveth or prospers, in respect of the progress and increase of godliness, but where it meeteth with a tender heart. Lydia 's heart is said to be opened to attend to the words of Paul, Acts 16. 14. Thus naturally men's spirits are bolted, the word finds a gate of brass upon it, till it be made tender, and after that its careful to lose nothing: Oh then that we could say of our hearers, what Paul of the Corinthians, The word is written in their fleshy tables of the heart, 2 Cor. 2. Now for the better clearing of these things, it may be demanded:

Whether all tenderness and softness of heart, be this work of grace here promised? may not the soul be deceived about tenderness of heart?

Yes, very easily; for there is a twofold soft heart of flesh, which yet is not the heart in the Text.

There is a natural softness or aptness to relent, and to be pitifully affected; such as Austin speaks of in himself, when he read the History of Dido, Lord (saith he) I could not but weep when I read that, and yet at the same time I could not weep for my sins. That tender heart of Joseph, whereby he dissolved into tears concerning his brethren, was not so much an act of grace, as of natural tenderness: And it should seem he was a tender father to all Egypt, as some expound that name they gave Joseph, when they blessed him, and called him Abrech, Tender Father.

Again, There is another tenderness or softness, whereby men are so melted under the consideration of sin, as they refuse, like Rachel, to be comforted: It seemeth Mary Magdalene was too tender, by that remedy our Savior applied, when he bid her Be of good comfort, her sins were forgiven, Luke 7. 48. To be sure the Incestuous person was too soft this way, insomuch that he was even swallowed up with sorrow, 2 Cor. 2. 7. For as the string of the instrument, if it be too wet, can make no melodious sound; so neither can an heart overwhelmed with sorrow, set forth the praise of God with faith and thankfulness.

It will be therefore worth the while, to discover this Counterfeit heart of flesh, from a gracious one: And let us examine the first, which if put to the Touch-stone, will be thus discovered:

First, Natural tenderness ariseth from the bodily constitution, or natural temperament of a man; whereas this gracious sofness is the work of God in a supernatural way: Thus in the Text, I will give the heart of flesh: God as the Author of grace makes this; so Zach. 12. I will pour upon them the spirit of prayer, and they shall mourn for their sin, Rom. 8. Those groans unutterable, which came from an heart of flesh, are wholly attributed to the spirit of God; so that the tender heart of the one, is like Egypt, that is not made fruitful by rain from heaven; whereas the other comes only from above: If then you go to the fountains from whence these streams flow, they are as far distant as heaven and earth; and if ye see them both melting and dissolving into tears, under the chastisements and judgments of God upon them; the one hath a spring from under the earth, the other from heaven above: Do not therefore presently conclude grace is there, when you see a tender, soft, yielding disposition, for this may come from nature, as well as grace; it may be a natural complexion, not a principle of Sanctification within.

Secondly, The instrument by which this softness and tenderness of heart is produced, is far different from the other: For the natural softness is wrought, by seeing the objects of pity and compassion; but this gracious softness is by hearing, and by the word preached: So that the instrument by which a man comes to be thus changed from his obstinacy, is wholly by the word of God; that received by faith, hath been the furnace or coals of fire to the iron, that doth make it flexible for every shape; whereas the former is only by a natural sympathy between the eye and the heart: The eye affects the heart, Lam. 3. 51. and hereupon tenderness is wrought; its not a work of faith, which as it purifieth the heart, so it makes the heart tender. By faith Noah was moved with fear, Heb. 11. and by faith we find the rockiness of our heart subdued, and we readily yielding unto God.

Thirdly, The motive, Which is the very same thing in Morals, that the specifical form is in naturals; in this there is a great gulf between one and another: For the only motive of this natural tenderness, is outward evil and misery, not sin, or the displeasure of God: There are hundreds of people, that for the loss of dear friends, or outward comforts, can weep till they are able to weep no more, but are as a rock, and as hard as a stone, in respect of any consideration about sin; yet sin is the greatest evil, and that which depriveth the soul of the most excellent good: Thou art therefore very prone to sigh, to be troubled, thy heart is like a fountain of water; But what is the reason? outward discontents, want of such mercies as thou doest propound to thyself: Alas, this is not an heart of flesh, in the sense of the Text; indeed it is too much an heart of flesh in another sense; for it is wholly carnal, and is carried out upon carnal considerations: If therefore thy tenderness and softness of heart, be in the want of God's favor, and the apprehension of his displeasure, as David's so often was; no doubt but thou hast then felt the power of this promise to thee.

Fourthly, A natural softness and tenderness, is flexible to any evil; it will receive any impression of sin: But this gracious softness, though it be flesh to what is good, it doth easily receive that; yet its a stone and an adamant to what is evil; and this is a remarkable difference: you have many soft and flexible hearts, and that is their fault, for none so ensnared as they; they are like wax, that receive the stamp of any seal upon them; they are like the reed that is shaken up and down with every wind; now this is a great sin. It was Reuben's curse, To be unstable like water: To be for good in good company, and for evil in evil company; to be such a Chamelion according to every company, is contrary to those many commands, To be steadfast and immovable in the work of the Lord, 1 Cor. 15. 58. And to confess Christ and his truth, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, Luke 12. 8. Their yea should be yea, and their nay, nay: Oh do not judge this the gracious heart of flesh; for he that hath this grace, though he be like a Lamb, and all sweetness of carriage be in him; yet he is also like a Lyon, in respect of courage and boldness for what is good: So then consider, that as the work of grace is in one sense making man tender; so in another sense it doth establish and settle upon a rock.

Lastly, This natural tenderness can, and often doth consist, without any trouble and grief for the dishonor of God, wrought by other men's sins. Now you have heard, that a gracious heart of flesh was easily wounded and torn asunder in pain, for the wickedness of others: You heard, David had rivers of waters running down his eyes, because men kept not the Law of God; but how many may ye see of tender soft spirits, that are very senseless stones of the blasphemies and impieties that others are guilty of! They have such in their families, they have such in their company, and in their delight; How can he be called a godly man, to whom a wicked ungodly man is not a torment and a burden: Horror hath taken hold on me, saith David, because of the wicked, Psal. 119. 53. Oh if thy heart were sensible of God's glory, horror and trembling would surprise thee, to see or hear others commit iniquity, even as if thou didst see them falling into the fire, or deep waters.

Secondly, In the next place, let us consider the other sinful tenderness, and that is, When the heart is indeed godly for the main, but there is a degeneration: This tenderness doth go beyond its bounds: God indeed by his grace doth wound the heart, but then it bleeds too much, and so groweth the weaker thereby: Now the sinfulness of this softness will appear thus:

First, When it hinders a man from those other gracious duties that God doth require: All grace is consonant, and one grace is to be added to another, and they are to cooperate one with another, even those that seem to be at the greatest distance; thus Joy and trembling, faith and fear, are to accompany one another: Now there are some graces, that it is very hard to have co operate with this heart of flesh; and therefore we must take heed that our gold become not dross, that we do not take even sin for grace: This is worse then to take John the Baptist for Christ, this is to take a false Christ for the true one: And this is done first, when they cast both their eyes upon their sins only, not at all eying Christ; as if the Israelite wounded by a Serpent, should always have cried out of his pain and roasting, but never look up to the exalted Serpent: This the incestuous person was blamed for, he was ready to be swallowed up with sorrow: When thy soul is so dejected, that it refuseth the comfort of the Gospel, will suffer no oil to be poured in its wounds, this is a sinful softness; this is as wetted paper, the moisture of it hinders any writing upon it; and so the softness of thy heart makes the glorious promise of the Gospel not to be writ on thy soul; for as God writes the Law of obedience in the hearts of the godly, so also the Gospel of comfort in their souls: And as hardness of heart hinders the former writing, so too much softness and moisture the latter: Know then, that all tenderness and softness, which keeps off from Christ, which rejects the promise of grace, is sinful, and is not of God.

Secondly, If thy tenderness and softness make thee more unable and unfit for any service unto God: If it weaken thee, that thou canst not pray, do or suffer for God, this is also sinful; when it makes thee have feeble hands and knees, as the children's bones and joints are so soft at first, that they cannot go, this is sinful. The trees that have not their sap and juice excocted out, are not able to bear up any building; and so the soul that is inordinately tender, and sinfully softened, it cannot go through with the work of the Lord: See therefore that thy tenderness makes thee not less serviceable.

Lastly, If this tenderness makes thee slavishly and ignorantly scrupulous, that thou canst not enjoy the Liberty of the Gospel, and the freedom of the spirit, which Christ hath purchased for thee: Though this may seem wonderful tenderness, yet it is not so indeed: Its true indeed, as we told you, the godly through their tenderness, abstain from all appearances of evil, and they fear sin may be, where it is not; yet they do not encourage a slavish, scrupulous disposition; but they labor for a sound mind, and a filial frame wrought by the spirit of adoption: So that although there are too too few in the world, that need the regulating or moderating of their tenderness; yet some there are, and this may be a word of season to them, Do not take that doubtful, fearful spirit of thine, for this heart of flesh; let not the water overflow the banks, for then it presently gets soil, and is turned into mud.

Let the conclusion be by way of Information, concerning the cursed and miserable estate of those, who have not this promised mercy of An heart of flesh. As Ezekiel's Scrol had woe and lamentation written within and without; so hath such a wicked man the inward and outward curses of God's word belonging to him: Oh thou rock and stone! that art neither by the instructions, exhortations or reproofs of the word, softened; nor yet by his mercies or judgments mollified: How could thy heart endure against all those ways God hath used to melt thee. Consider, that thy heart is naturally an heart of flesh, in respect of the frailty and weakness of it; Why then should it not be an heart of flesh in a gracious sense? Were thy heart of brass, and iron; were it immortal, and such as could not die; then thou mightest go on with boldness in thy sin, and say, Who shall contradict? but it being an heart of flesh, fainting, miserable, and always dying: Oh why should not this stir thee up to be partaker of this inestimable mercy! Oh cry out, and say, Lord, my weak frail flesh, crieth out for that tender heavenly flesh; and further, thy heart being naturally of flesh, how unable is it to combat with the wrath of God, who is an infinite spirit? Thy heart cannot keep off those sharp arrows, which he shall shoot into thy heart of flesh; Why then doest thou not take that counsel, to agree with thy adversary in the way; with God, who for the present is thy enemy, while thou art in the way, before death come, and then there be no ransom: Oh that you would meditate of the terror of God, how easily he can fill that heart of flesh with hellish horror; how speedily he can make the Devils take thee by the throat, and hale thee to damnation; and if so, there is no remedy, but to cry out, Lord make good this promise to me: Oh it is this I want, this would make me happy.

SERMON LXXXIX.

W E have a further Description in this Verse of the Grace here promised; for although it be the same thing, yet the different expressions represent different notions about it. That which in the Verse before is called an heart of Flesh, is here called, My Spirit: And in the Verse before, A new Spirit. For the opening of the words, let us consider, the mercy vouchsafed; and secondly, the subject receptive of it. The mercy God calls, My Spirit. The Subject is, Within you. Of which in its due order.

At this time let us take notice of the mercy, My Spirit. It will be very impertinent to give you a Theological, and Biblical use of the word Spirit, which is of a great latitude in its signification. In this place a three-fold sense may claim to be understood, which also may easily be composed and united, not opposed: For,

First, By God's Spirit, may be meant the third Person in the Trinity: so that they are promised here to be made partakers of it. Its a very grave and solid dispute in Divinity, whether the godly, besides the graces and fruit of the Spirit, are also made partakers of the Spirit itself: some affirm it, others deny it. But no doubt several places of Scripture do evidently demonstrate that we do receive not only the graces of the Spirit, but the Spirit itself; and therefore the Spirit is said to dwell in us, and we are the temples of the Holy Ghost: But yet this is in such a supernatural and mystical way, that though the plain Texts compel us to believe it, yet the manner how is very difficult to express: but this is not my work to do at this time.

A second sense may be by spirit, to understand the soul, or spirit of a man, as renewed and qualified by the graces of the Spirit; and therefore its called in the verse before, A new Spirit, which is the same with a new heart. So that Spirit is here put for the soul of a man, enlivened and quickened by the graces of God's Spirit: and this sense we conceive to be the most genuine and proper. Hence Ezek. 18. verse 31. where you have that commanded as a duty, which is here promised as a gift: Make ye a new heart, and a new spirit; which cannot be primarily understood of the Person of the Spirit, but the graces of the Spirit. The last ense that may here come in, is to take spirit, for heavenly activity, vigor, and holy impulses, and motions from God, which are as the wind to the sails, to carry it to its expected Haven. Now the first and this latter sense cannot wholly be excluded, yet the second is that, which I will pitch upon as most proper, bringing in the other by consequence.

Doct. That Conversion is the enlivening, or qualifying of a man with the graces of God's Spirit.

Thus John 3. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Hence the Godly are said to have the Spirit in them, and guided by it, led by it, and are said to walk after it. I need not multiply places for this. As Christ's body was by an extraordinary supernatural manner, the Holy Ghost over-shadowing the Virgin Mary; In such a miraculous way as to human power and strength, is this new, holy, and spiritual Creature bogotten. The Spirit of God moving upon the waters of the Ordinances, produceth this spiritual man: As at first God made the Fowls of the air out of water, which soar up to the heavens.

To improve this necessary point, let us consider, what is implied in this promise, I will put my spirit into you: And,

First, It supposeth every man naturally a mere dead lump, without life or motion of himself to anything that is holy. For as God at first breathed into Adam the breath of life, and he became a living soul; So God doth still infuse into us his graces, that make us live the life of the Spirit. Hence some Expositors make this promise to be Parabolically represented in the next Chapter, by the resurrection of dry bones, whereas the wind is called upon to come and breath upon the Bones and sinews and all parts to be united together, that they may live: So doth God in the Conversion of men. But that Parable is to represent the recovery of Israel out of their Captivity, and miserable estate; which as to the eye of sense, had no more possibility ever to return again then those dry bones to live. Yet by way of similitude, it may also represent their restitution unto a spiritual life of Grace, unto which they had more impossibility than to return unto their own Land. Oh then this very phrase, I will put my Spirit into you, should fall like thunder and lightning upon all those Doctrines and Opinions that maintain Free-will, or the power of nature in Conversion. Can man co-operate to the infusion of God's Spirit? The order of nature, and the order of Grace, differ as much as heaven and earth, and one cannot prepare for the other; so that this expression doth inform that we all are animal or sensual, destitute of the spirit. And as brute beasts cannot perform the Offices or acts of Reason; so neither can men naturally do the actions of grace; he cannot pray or hear spiritually, he cannot love God, or repent of a sin in a spiritual manner.

Secondly, This doth suppose an elevating or lifting up the heart of a man to those affections and actions, which otherwise are far above his power. For as the Spirit of God, when it came upon men in other extraordinary ways of assistance, they did those things they were never able to do before. Thus Sampson, the Spirit came upon him, and gave him such mighty strength; so Paul had another Spirit, in respect of Government: those gifts of God's Spirit in the Church that made them work miracles, speak with tongues, lifted them above human power; so this Spirit of God sanctifying, doth also raise a man to such holy, spiritual, and sublime duty, that in former times he was not acquainted with: neither did he understand. Hence to be a man, to walk as a man, 1 Cor. 3. 2. in the Scripture Phrase is a diminution, and a carnal imperfection, because we are to have the Spirit of God who enables us to spiritual actions in a divine manner. Thus to believe in God, to love God, to be heavenly minded, to be patient, even every exercise of grace, are acts transcendent the power of a man, and God must put his Spirit into us to enable us thereunto. And this is that which makes the world so mistake about godliness, that makes them grossly err about serving of God, and repenting of sin; They do these things as men, by custom, by the principles they were born in; so that till this Text be made good in you, I will put my spirit in you, our Congregations are but so many Golgothaes, places of dead men's skulls.

Thirdly, To have the Spirit of God put into us, denoteth, That we do all our duties upon those motives which are by Divine Revelation in the Word man • fested to us, For the Spirit of God works in his people two ways.

1. Effectually, By enlivening, and enabling of them to holy duties.

2. Directively. By his Word guiding and leading of them. Now in the Word of God we are directed to such Motives in our actions, which human light would never discern, as to do duties. First, Meerly because God commands, out of obedience to his Sovereignty, because it is the Law of such a Law-giver. Where is the man that doth not by custom, or because of the talk, and report of men, good things, rather then out of obedience to God? Therefore observe the order of the promise, I will put my spirit in you, and then I will cause you to walk in my Commandments, and do them. Thou then that prayest, hearest, abstainest from gross sins; why is it? Is it because thou hast respect to God's Commandment: God saith it, and therefore I do it. This is to have the spirit in us. But secondly, not merely because of God's command, but from an inward principle of love, and delight in God also, therefore we perform our duties: If ye love me keep my Commandments, John 14. 15. Love to God, that presently makes us do or suffer anything for him. Now love, that is reckoned in the front of the fruits of the Spirit, Ga • . 5. and the Spirit of God descended in tongues of fire. Of fire, to represent the Nature of the Spirit of God: Hence we are commanded not to quench the Spirit, 1 Thes. 5. 19. which is like burning fire in our hearts. Oh this performance of duties from love, is that which crowns them, is like the perfume and Frankincense at the Sacrifice. Thirdly, we are to perform holy duties, not only out of love, but for holiness sake, because God is holy, and the duty is holy. Hate evil, and cleave to that which is good, be gl • wed to it, and made one with it. Be ye holy, for I am holy, saith God, Lev. 11. 44, 45. Now as God loveth holiness for holiness sake, wills good for goods sake, (or rather good is good, because he wills it.) Thus ought we, to imitate him, there may be earthly motives, and human advantages, which may incite the heart to what is good: but goodness for the beauty and glory of it should make thee in love with it: Say then as Abraham to the King of Sodom, I will not take so much as a Shooe latchet from thee, lest thou shouldst say, Thou hast made Abraham rich: so do thou; I will not so much as entertain, or consult with shy earthly advantage, lest that should say, I have made thee pray, I have made thee profess the Name of Christ. Wicked men are carried out to evil for evils sake: but there is more fullness, goodness and excellency in God, then there can be appearance of these in sin: Therefore it is unsufferable, if when Draff shall move for the sweetness it hath to a distempered swinish appetite, that honey itself shall not affect a sound appetite. But I have somewhere else spoken of the nature of this spiritual life: I shall therefore in two things more only instance the property of God's Spirit dwelling in the godly, and then speak of the concomitant effects of God's Spirit in us.

Fourthly, To have the Spirit of God put into us, as in duties to be done it lifteth us up above human strength, or motives, So in matters of sufferings, herein the Spirit of God doth wonderfully demonstrate itself in the Converted. For hereby they are more then men: God is plainly in them, that they can deny their dearest comforts, endure the most exquisite torment, and that with joyfulness and alacrity. Look upon Paul and the Disciples of Christ in the New Testament, What reproaches, persecutions, spoiling of their goods, taking away their lives, were frequently executed upon them? and yet with what gladness of heart, with what patience, faith, courage did they endure all, rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer anything for the Name of Christ, Acts 5. 41. The History of the Martyrs doth abundantly declare the Spirit of God put into Believers; and therefore this should support the godly, they are afraid that in times of temptation and of great troubles they should never be faithful to God, they find their hearts so weak and feeble that they shall never be able to persevere. Why dost thou not consider, that the same Spirit of God which lifteth thee above nature for active obedience, will also for passive? To love God, to believe in God, to do any religious duty spiritually, flesh and blood can no more do it then Iron of itself can swim: but the spirit of God takes thee, and fixeth thy heart upon heavenly things. So flesh and blood cannot be persecuted, imprisoned, cannot die for the glory of Christ, but the spirit of God can and doth enable hereunto. Sampson could not do those extraordinary actions of strength as a man, but as having the Spirit of God mighty upon him so he did: neither canst thou do or suffer in a gracious manner as a man, without anymore power than thy own; but as spiritual, as having God's Spirit in thee so thou canst. What man's power can do in the hour of temptation, Peters presumptuous expression will teach us, Though all men forsake thee, yet I will not; and yet he forsook Christ more desperately then any else. Oh therefore do nothing that may grieve, or chase away the Spirit of God; for who knoweth what Conflicts, what trials God may reserve thee unto? and then without the mighty work of this Spirit of God, thou wilt prove an Apostate, and so a very Judas or Cain at last: for first a man is forsaken by the Spirit of God, as sanctifying, and then as comforting: Not that the Holy Ghost is totally and finally ever driven away from him that once had him graciously; but there are many looked upon as godly and forward in profession, who are judged so by others, and they themselves make account also they are godly; yet in the day of trial make a woeful Shipwrack of their Faith, and a good Conscience. Lastly, because the Spirit of God is thus put into them, they are therefore said to be the Temples of the holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 3. and if their bodies be, much more their souls are. O what a strong Obligation is this to all godliness, You are the Temples of the Spirit of God, No unclean thing might enter into the Temple! How did God complain, when they made his Temple a Den of thieves. How angry then must he needs be, if thou make this Temple a stye of Swine, or an hell of Devils? This evidently proclaims that most men never had this grace in the Text vouchsafed unto them: For what is there no unclean, no brutish and polluted thing that enters in thy soul? Is thy heart as the Temple, an house of prayer, an heart of prayer, thy soul a soul of prayer? Dost thou not defile this Temple every day by profane and filthy lusts? What hopes canst thou ever have that this is made good to thee? Do not hear these things, as if they did not at all belong to thee. Doth not thy own heart tell thee, that if the Spirit of God did dwell and work in thee, thou couldst not do as thou dost, nor commit such sins as thou daily committest? It was the Devil that was in the Swine, and hurried them violently into the Sea; but the Spirit of God appeared in a Dove: With what holiness then, and all godliness should you walk, who have this benefit vouchsafed to you? what manner of persons should ye be who are the Temple of the Lord, whose souls are made an heaven? Is it for you to be vain, earthly and immoderately affected unto any Creature? Have you not that within which may be instead of all comforts to you? Thy frail body is a Cabinet wherein excellent Jewels are.

Now that we may the better know whether the Spirit of God be in us, causing us to walk in his Commandments, consider whether the other effects attributed to the Spirit in the Scripture be also in thee: for as the Sun vouchsafeth heat as well as light, and is not with either of these alone: so the Spirit of God comes not alone, but hath divers and noble operations with it. Hence some expound that place from the seven spirits in the Revelations, Revel. 1. 4. of the holy Spirit in its manifold operations. As,

First, Its called the good Spirit, Psalm 143. Let thy good Spirit lead •• e, in opposition to the evil spirit. So that as the evil spirit or the Devil in wicked men is continually inclining and moving of them to all evil thoughts, affections and desires: They think evil, they conceive evil, they act evil: as the Spider doth only vent poison, so the good Spirit of God in good men doth incline and move them to good thoughts, good affections, good actions: Hence they are said to have a good Treasure in their hearts. And of what consequence it is to have this Spirit of God, appeareth, in that its named for all good things: For whereas one Evangelist saith; If ye being evil, know how to give good things, how much more will your heavenly Father bestow good gifts? Mat. 7. 11. Another saith, How much more will he bestow the Spirit? Luke 11. 13. So that the Spirit is instead of all good things. If then it cannot lie hid, it will be quickly discerned, whether this good spirit, or that evil wicked spirit abides and dwells in thee. The fruit will discover the tree: Its strange that people should no more consider what the Fountain is from whence all flows, whether it be bitter or sweet.

Secondly, Its a Spirit of Prayer, and Supplication, joined with a tender mourning heart, Zacharias 12. and Rom. 8. Groans unutterable are said to come from the spirit; yea in that place is excellently described the help, guide and support, which is afforded to the Godly in Prayer, by the Spirit: We know not what to pray, or how to pray: so that if thou hast this mercy in the Text, thou findest it mightily working in the duty of Prayer, enlightening thy mind, heating thy affections, softening thy heart, supporting thee against unbelief, fears and distrust. Indeed the spirit of God giveth a Gift of prayer, which many unregenerate and hypocrites have; yea they may be admirable in it: but there is the Grace of prayer, when the soul is poured out in a gracious manner, and this is only in the godly. A natural man cannot pray acceptably, and they trust in a broken Reed who put confidence in their good prayers, which yet they have by Rote or Custom, not through God's Spirit. Do not then scornfully pass over this touchstone.

Thirdly, Its called The Spirit of Wisdom, and Revelation, Isaiah 11. 2. which was first communicated to Christ the Head, without measure, and then like Aaron's Oil descends to the Members of Christ. This Spirit of Revelation, is to see and behold the Glory of those things Revealed in the Gospel, and the discerning of things in a spiritual manner, which the natural man cannot do; and the spirit of Wisdom is to make a man understand the matters of Religion in a Godly and practical manner, so to believe and know, as to refer all to Godliness. Now how destitute many are of the Spirit in this sense, the ignorance and dullness about holy things doth evidently Demonstrate; they know and understand nothing in the principles of Religion, so as to have their lives Transformed by the power of it.

Furthly, and lastly, Its called the Spirit of Adoption, Romans 8. 15. which puts a Filiall boldness into us, and makes us call God, Abba Father: Those slavish fears and suspicious doubts in thee, they come not from God's Spirit. These drive thee farther off from God, they fill thee with hard and discontented thoughts against God: No, its the Spirit of Adoption; and as of Adoption, so its a Comforter, and an Advocate, John 14. 16. As Christ is an intercessor in heaven for us; so the spirit is in our hearts pleading God's love, his readiness to forgive, his willingness to receive: as the godly are to pray for the Spirit of Sanctification, so also for the Spirit of Adoption; you are to pray for the Comforts of the Spirit, as well as the Graces; for these are wings to the soul.

Use of Instruction: How necessary this Grace is to all our Congregations. Oh that God would breath this spiritual breath into your souls. Oh that you knew experimentally what it is to have the Holy Ghost descend upon you. We speak not of an extraordinary Miraculous way, much less of fantastical Delusions and pretended Revelations by the Spirit of Darkness; but the gracious operations of the Spirit in a Sanctifying way. Oh where will you Blasphemers and wretched Mockers appear, who scoff at the Spirit, and make a jeer about it? This is not only to grieve the Spirit of God, which is a grievous sin, but to do despite to it. Now if the Spirit of God be vouchsafed to you, it will come with this twofold benefit.

First, Its a Spirit of Truth, its called so, and its promised to lead the Godly into all Truth. Therefore let men never so much talk, or boast of the Spirit; if they be Errors and Heresies which they broach, the good and holy Spirit is not in them; or if they be Opinions that carry to looseness and liberty; For its an holy Spirit.

The second benefit is to do duties no more in the oldness of the Letter, but the newness of the Spirit; this the Apostle calls for. Now to do a Duty in the oldness of the Letter, is customarily and formally to perform anything without Christ, and his Spirit enabling of us: This is a dead Religion, a dead Faith, and yet few, even very few, go any further.

SERMON XC.

THe grace promised in this Text hath been dispatched, viz. The putting of God's Spirit in the converted. The next thing considerable is, The subject recipient; The subject wherein this grace is put, and that is briefly but very emphatically expressed, Within you. And indeed the English doth not rise up to the efficacy of the Hebrew, which is, in the midst, or the inward deep parts of you. Hence it's translated in intimo vestri: So that there is a great deal of weight lieth upon this Hebrew phrase, for it supposeth the work of grace to go deep into a man. Its an hearty rooted work, it excludeth all superficial, formal or notional, and mere brain-work in godliness: And its good to observe, how in parallel places this promise doth still relate to that intimate deep working of grace upon the heart, Ezek. 11. 19. there is the same promise repeated, with this Emphasis; so that you may see the excellency of this promise for conversion to God, in the repetition of it, as if the Prophet delighted to mention nothing but this. The Prophet Jeremiah also doth twice or thrice declare this grace here promised in the Text; and Chap. 31. 33. with this Emphaticall description, I will put my law in their inward parts. Oh this is the main thing; All outward profession, all parts, all notions, all enlargements, if these be not accompanied with grace in the inward parts of a man, they are but a blaze: they are a tinkling cymbal. Such men's Religion is like David's great men in the world, compared to grass upon the house top, with which the mower filleth not his hand.

That the work of grace is a deep, powerful and inward affecting of the whole man.

The Spirit of God is put into their inwards; the law of God is written in their inwards; and therefore the spirit of man as sanctified and renewed, is called often the inward man, Rom. 7. 22. 2 Cor. 4. 16. Alas, we may say of many, It's the outward man of their godliness, not the inward; because it consists only in the tongue, and in expressions, and transient affections at farthest, but as for the deep, constant and solid working of grace, that is a mystery they understand not. Now that the work of grace is such an inward deep changing of a man; is also plain, in that its called so often, life. Now we know life is not the external motion, or speaking, or eating, or working; but the inward fountain of these. Life is the actus primus, the first act, or fountain, or rise of all other motions. The Painter he can give external lineaments, and outward representations; but he cannot give this actus primus, this life. And the hypocrite or unsound man, he can give many outward colors, and glorious representations of grace, so that he may be admirable in the eyes of others, and confident in his own goodness, but yet not at all acquainted with this grace in the inward parts. This point deserveth a powerful opening, to go to the inwards of it, as well as that must go to our inwards. And first, Let us show how far this grace may be either tendered or received, and yet not put into our inwards.

And first, it's easily granted by all, That as long as the word of God sounds only in the ear, and it pierceth no further, here is no descending of it into the bowels: and yet are not the greatest part of our auditors no further wrought upon, then as to the ear! They come and hear, they sit and hear, it may be; but still here is no work of the Spirit upon the heart. Our Savior in his parable compareth such to the high-way ground; the seed fell upon it, and presently the devil, like the birds of the air, fetcheth it away. Oh that men should judge it a great sin if they did not come and hear, and not also think it a greater sin to hear, and not inwardly to receive the power of the word. For the end of hearing is to let the word fall down into the very bottom of thy soul. Physic in the mouth, not received into the stomach, cannot do any good. R • in upon the surface of the ground, and not soaking to the root, will never make the plant grow; and thus it is here, Though thou hearest a thousand sermons, thou that neglectest not any Sabbath day; yet if thou hearest and hearest, and only hearest; the word doth not like Aaron's oil go from thy ear, thy head, but to thy heart, thy inferior deep parts of thy soul; thou goest home as ignorant, as profane, as obstinate as thou camest hither. Know then that the perfection and fullness of every action lieth in accomplishing its end, without which it is in vain. Eating without digestion doth not nourish, but breed diseases; so the end of hearing, is to have a potent and divine operation upon the very bowels of thy soul. As Saul when he was among the Prophets, the spirit came on him, and he also prophesied. Thus while the word of God, the instrument of the spirit, is displayed before thee, what a mighty change and deep alteration should come upon thee! Thou shouldst go home praying as others, repenting as others, fearing God as others: Do not then give the ear only, but the heart also; otherwise Christ only stands at the door and knocks, thou doest not let him in.

Secondly. A second outward and insufficient work is, When the word is received with understanding, and the grace of God doth indeed open his eyes so far, that his mind is enlightened, that he doth both know and believe the truths of Religion, but it goeth no further. Although this work be inward, being upon the mind of man; yet I call it outward, as in respect of the inward parts, mentioned in the Text, for that speaks of more then a mind to know, or an understanding to understand the things of Religion. Although enlightening be sometimes put for the whole conversion, and light for grace, yet at other times it's made a distinct work from it, and such even as reprobates have, and apostates, as Heb. 6. where enlightening, though it be a good, yea and a great gift of God; yet the Apostle hopes for better things of them, and things that accompany salvation: So that knowledge, parts, understanding in Religion doth not necessarily accompany salvation; and we hope better things of men, then to be able to repeat or remember Sermons, or with some understanding to give an account of the principles of Religion; and many times knowing of God's will, and doing it, are put as two separable things; how far then are they from the fruit of this promise, who remain in gross ignorance, who have blind eyes, know nothing about their corruption and misery by sin, or about Christ, and faith in him! To whom all our Sermons have been as a book sealed up; unto whom, though in English, yet we have preached unknown matter: A people likely to die, and to be damned in ignorance; for it understanding, knowing men, who receive the word with attention and knowledge; yet if they find it not changing their inward man, come short of grace, where must the ignorant man appear?

Thirdly, The retaining of the word of God in the memory, that is not this grace in the inward parts: That indeed is very laudable; and a forgetful hearer is blamed by the Scripture, James 1. 25. David's resolution is, To hide the word in his heart: And this is a great cause to make it work so deeply; for a man cannot carry coals of fire long in his bosom, but they will set all on a flame; yet the mere retaining it there, doth not attain to the inward parts in the Text.

Fourthly, The transient and sudden working upon the affections and heart, are not also the putting of his spirit within us, or the writing of the Law in their inward parts: This comes nearest, but they want root and continuance, and so at last wither. John's hearers did for a season rejoye in his light; the temporary Believer doth receive the word with joy, and yet he hath no root: This is a two edged sword, this truth makes divisions between the secret and hidden things of the heart: Oh how nice a point is that, wherein the temporary and the true convert differ! both pray with sorrow, both hear with joy, both perform duties with some enlargements and sweetness: Simili fere sensu afficiuntur, said Calvin: Yet as two high hills may seem very near together at the top, when their bottoms are far distant one from another; so these enlargements, affections, may seem very near, when the bottom and root do much differ. Oh the Minister of God should never be upon this point, but even horror should take hold on the hearer, and he be like one that looketh down an high pinnacle, & trembleth to see how easily, and yet dangerously he may fall; and yet looking upon the battlements he holds upon, the grace of God, and the promise of God, which his soul hath had experience of, have hope; so put faith and trembling together!

Lastly, The mere external cleansing of a man's life, from former lusts and gross impieties, is not this putting the spirit within us? As the Angels, when they took human bodies, they did but seem to eat, and seem to do vital actions of life; they could not indeed, because they were not personally united to the assumed body: so all men who have their lives cleansed, and they set up a form of Religion, they do not these things as vital actions of grace; they move, as the wheel of the mill is moved, by the force of the water, not by an inward principle of life: These are compared to Swine washed in the water, but returning afterwards to the mire: Though the Swine be made as white as the sheep, yet because not inwardly made a sheep, therefore she turneth at last to her former impurity; but I hint only these things, because treated on before.

Let us in the next place come to consider positively, what this inward deep work of grace is, wherein it doth consist: And

First, It is then fulfilled in us, when the things of Christ, his Glory, Will and Command lie closest, and nearest to the heart: For that is indeed within a man, and intimate, which is next to his heart, as we say; and this our Savior requireth in every Disciple, He that loveth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me, Mat. 18. 37. We know the love of father and mother is a most natural thing, it comes not by teaching, by custom, its inbred in us as soon as we are born; and yet the love of Christ, his Glory, and his Commandments should be more intimate then this. Hence the Apostle, to express this innate and inward life, saith, I no longer live, but Christ in me, the life that I live is by faith in Christ, Gal. 2. 20. What an emphatical expression is this, I do not live, but Christ; I live not the life of sense, I eat not, I drink not, I breathe not bodily breath; that is, comparatively to the life of faith: So that you see our very natural life, which is the most inward and deep thing in a man that is, is said not to be lived, in respect of this life of grace, which is more inward then these: Oh then examine, how close and dearly heavenly things lie to thy heart: Is there anything more prized then God, then Grace, then Godliness? then know, God hath not put his spirit in thee, but the Devil, or the world, and sin have put their lusts in thee: Now this is a sure discovery of the woeful and sinful estate of most people, God is not in all their thoughts, Christ is not in their affections, they choose other things rather then him. Furthermore, as God and Christ is the beloved of their heart; so that which is most hated and abhorred from the heart, is sin and all evil; its more loathed then any other thing, more feared, more avoided; so that they choose affliction and all misery rather then sin, their heart is most sensible and apprehensive of this: Oh what then can they think of themselves, who harbor and nourish sin? they no longer live, but sin in them; this is their meat and drink, to do the works of the Devil: Oh then that at last men secure and bold in sin, would be awakened: How cometh that to be embraced in thy bosom, and practiced in thy life, which thou should 〈◊〉 avoid as hell itself?

Secondly, This inward work of grace is seen, when the work of humiliation is laid low enough: We read of the Parable of him that built an house, and when the tempests and storms arose, all fell to the ground immediately; and why? because this was not diged deep enough: Now our repentance and humiliation is then deep enough, when its for sin as sin, when its for sin because its an offense to God, and displeases him; when they loath themselves, and count themselves abominable in this respect. To be humbled for sin, as Ahab and the Israelites were often times, because of the temporal judgments following sin, was not to go deep enough: Oh! herein people come too short, they cry out of their sins, in the fear of death, in the extremity of pain: Alas, this is not to go to the bottom; there is a worse thing in sin, then all the temporal calamities it brings with it; and that is, to offend God, to separate between his favor and thy soul: Its therefore very meet, that thy humiliation should be for that which is the worst evil in sin. Again, in humiliation men go deep enough, when they do not only stay upon actual sins, but go to the very original and fountain of all: Thus David, Psal. 51. he went deep, when beyond his actual sins of Murder and Adultery he also bewailed the native corruption of his soul: Oh! the grace of God must indeed have a close and inward work in that man, who discovers the root of sin, as well as the branches; the fountain, as well as the stream. God in the universal destruction of the world, did not only look to the actual impieties then committed, but to the imagination of the thoughts of a man's heart, which were only evil, and that continually, Gen. 6. and thus he that will make a sure and good issue of his humiliation, must still dig deeper and deeper; and see more and more abominations, till he go to the foul and bitter root of all.

Thirdly, Then the word of God is put in our inward parts, when we do truly, sincerely and unfeignedly, perform all the duties God requireth: This is to do it with the whole heart; and if we had anything better then our hearts, they should be offered up to God: Thus David, Psal. 51. Thou delightest in the truth in the inward parts: Oh this a man should have in all the service he doth for God! So that all those, who by Religion accomplish their self-interests; all those who seek themselves, have carnal movtives in the profession of Religion; these are but pictures, not living creatures in the way of grace: Great is the number of hypocrites, even among those that profess the name of Christ: Its damnable blasphemy to charge it upon all, as wicked men do; this is to condemn the generation of the godly, to blaspheme Christ and the Gospel; yet it cannot be but that through the hypocrisies of many, grievous offenses and scandals will fall out: None of those who follow Christ because of the loaves, or who tread out the corn merely because they may feed on it, set up in seeming manner the ways of Christ, that they may get outward advantages, can by experience witness this promise made good to them: They pray, they hear, they perform holy duties, but still they want something within, still the soul of all is wanting; but its not the appearance of Good, not the name or profession of it, will bring thee any true or sound comfort: The time is coming, when all things without will fail thee, and leave thee; it must be something within that may support thee.

In the next place let us observe, What are the signs, or the effects of this inward deep work of grace in a man; and they are excellent:

First, He doth not rest in the external outward performance of any holy duty; if all within him be not moved and excited thereunto: He hath no comfort, no content, in praying, hearing, or any Religious duty, if all the inwards of his soul, and the depths of his heart, have not also been moved therein: Thus David, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all within thee praise his holy name. Psal. 104. 1. All within thee, observe that: Thus the godly, as the Cock stirreth up himself before he crows, do prepare and stir up themselves to every duty: Hear the word of God, O my soul, and let all within thee give ear thereunto; so that the dull, sleepy, and formal performances of holy duties, discover a man void of grace, as well as gross impieties: Not only profaneness and ungodliness abroad, but dull, lazy, and formal duties, and that in a constant manner, discover a man devoid of this work of Grace: Oh if this were in the depth of thee, in the • midst of thee, it would break out more vigorously then it doth.

Secondly, Where this deep work of grace is, there a man's inward thoughts and meditations are often about holy things: The tree that is deeply rooted, hath several strings, as it were, whereby its fastened to the earth; as the young infant in the womb is to the mother: So that thou art to observe, what thy inward thoughts, thy inward meditations do most run about: If grace be deep within, thy soul will be like an heaven, such holy thoughts, holy meditations, holy affections do lodge in thee: Thus the godly is described, By meditating in the Law of God day and night, Psal. 1. 2. As the Psalmist describes the wicked man, by his thoughts, God is not in his thoughts; and his inward thought is to leave himself a greet name. Thoughts are the first born of the soul, they most discover what a man is, they come nearest to the fountain. As the liquor tastes and smells of the vessel, so thoughts have either filthiness or godliness in them, as they come immediately from the heart; Oh then consider, what thy inward thoughts for the most part are, for such art thou as they are.

Lastly, A man that hath this deep grace, he is will rooted and established; he is upon the rock Christ, and so he can abide all temptations: If there come the temptations of persecution, he can show his patience; if of error and heresies, his godly wisdom and soundness of mind: When men want a bottom, or are not built upon a rock, they are like children tossed up and down with every wind of Doctrine.

Use of Examination: This Doctrine should even amaze you, and put you into a godly fear; for do not most men content themselves with the externals in Religion? is not all the whole worship and godliness of many in the mere form? others place it in disputes, in opinions; but to have grace in the inward man is rare: Oh consider that place, Every man's way is good in his own eyes, but God pondereth the heart, Prov. 21. 22. And God is often described by this, He trieth and searcheth the hearts of men: Not that these outward duties of Religion and Worship are to be neglected; but we are not to judge of godliness in ourselves by these; the soul and excellency of them lieth in the inward man: Oh remember, that if there be not a good treasure within, thou wilt roar and tremble one day, when all things else will fail. Hezekiah comforted himself in this, That he had walked in truth and uprightness of heart: Then something within, will be a joy to thy soul, even then, when all outward things will leave thee.

SERMON XCI.

THe precious and great mercy of conversion promised in this Text under several Titles and Notions, hath been fully considered of and improved. There remain several other particulars, which are not without their great weight and moment. As in the first place, The Order and Method of the promise is to be taken notice of; for he worketh in the same method as he promiseth: the Method is this: First, He promiseth to give the inward root, then the fruit; first the fountain, then the streams: He first promiseth the inward principles, and habit of grace, a new heart, a new spirit, and then he will cause them to walk in his commandments. God is both the Author of Nature, and the Author of grace; now as the Author of Nature, he first worketh the principles of life, he giveth the principles of Motions, and all vital Actions, and afterwards the exercise. So it is here, God doth in the way of grace bestow a supernatural principle upon men, and then being First made good Trees, then they bring forth good fruit. The Observation.

That God doth first work the foundations and principles of holiness, and from them men walk and live holily. Thus the Apostle saith, We are his workmanship, created to every good work, Eph 2. 10. We do not first do good works, and so become God's workmanship; but we are first his workmanship, and then we exercise ourselves in good and holy works.

This Doctrine hath its great use, both in matter of information, and exhortation; and there is more consequence in it, then an ordinary apprehension will at first conceive. Therefore to clear this, we will first illustrate this Truth, by the opposite of it, or contrary opinions.

And first, Grace doth not come at first into the heart, as sin came into the world; for Adam was not made a bad tree, and so brought forth bad fruit; his person was not made wicked, and his nature, and then that infected his Actions; but God made him after his own image, in righteousness and true holiness: So that his soul being furnished with all graces, as the heavens are adorned with several stars, he might have continued in all holy actions suitable to his original perfection. Adams sinful disobedience, did not as outs, flow from a polluted unclean nature, but from the mere liberty of his will: and when he had thus actually transgressed, then that actual sin infected, and poisoned his whole nature. Thus you see the actions of sin were before the habits, and principles of sin: there was a branch before a root; there was a sweet fountain, and yet a bitter stream • but God in converting and changing of us, doth take the contrary course; he first sanctifieth our Natures, all the faculties of the soul; layeth a spiritual life as a foundation, and then being thus inwardly enlivened and established, we are carried out to all holy actions: So that all the glorious outward actions of religion, that are visible to the eyes of the world; if they be built without this inward foundation they will prove but a Babel: They are but like Sodom's apples, glorious for show, but indeed dust and Ashes. It is good to observe, How that God in the Creation of the world, both in vegetative, and sensitive creatures, still created the principles first, and that in perfection, Seminative, able to beget and propagate others; and thus it is also in conversion, he worketh these holy and excellent principles, which afterwards are operative and vigorous.

Secondly, God working thus a new Nature, and thereby enabling to new actions, takes a far other course to make holy, then Moral Philosophy teacheth: For if we read all the Moral Philosophers, persuading us to be temperate, just, or prudent, if you ask them, How shall we come to have the habits of these things? They will tell you, by frequent actions, justa agendo sumus justi, by doing many righteous actions frequently, so we come to have habits. Thus they know no other way, and there is no better Divinity in most people; for they think by doing godly actions, they are made godly: and so they think by walking in God's commandments, to get a new spirit, which is the clear inverted order to the Text; for God first giveth this New spirit, and then causeth to walk in his Law; we indeed are commanded to be diligent in the use of the means; we must attend to the Ordinances of grace; but till this spiritual life be infused, there is not one good action done by us in a good manner: All that thou dost till this new principle be put in thee, hath but the body of a good action, not the soul of it. Nothing thou dost is pleasing to God, Heb. 11. 6. God is angry with thee all the day long, All things are become polluted, and unclean to thee, Ti • . 1. 15. Oh were not men hardened in their sins, and led captive by the D • vel according to his pleasure: they could never eat, or drink, or take any rest till they got out of that damnable estate, wherein all the day long they were treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath. Belshazzar saw but one hand-writing in the wall against him, and he knew not what it was; yet it struck him with terror and trembling: But now thou hast many hand-writings, and Ordinances against thee, even the whole word of God; and thou canst not but know what they are, yet thou art not affected with fear. What was written of Belshazzar, Thou art weighed, and found too light; The same God's word saith of all thy Duties, performances, and seeming religion, It is weighed, and it is found too light: And the reason is, because all thy religious duties are like leaves fallen from the tree dried, and without s • p or moisture.

Thirdly, This work of grace is in a far other manner then Pelagians of old, or Papists, and Arminians of late, do confidently aver, for they attend not to this Order in the Text. But they say, that man by the power of Free-will, doth join with the grace of God, and co-operate with that; and so partly from free-will, partly from God's grace, comes this new spirit, this new grace. But this doth directly contradict many places of Scripture, which makes Regeneration and a New-birth necessarily to go before all holy actions; and if a man cannot make himself a man, much less like God, as grace doth: But say they, Ezek. 18. 31. there the Scripture saith, Make ye a new heart, a new spirit; Therefore we by our working obtain a new heart; But this is answered thus, That the same thing may be both our Duty and God's Gift: when the Scripture saith, Make ye • a new spirit, there it declareth our Duty, what we ought to do: but when God saith, I will give it you, that shows our Impotency, we are not able to make new hearts; and therefore God graciously worketh it for us. Augustine did admirably and orthodoxly defend this truth, That we were not made holy by doing holy Actions, through Grace and Free-will; but God first made us holy; as saith Augustine, The Wheel runs round, not to make itself round, but because it is round, therefore it runneth round. Indeed our Savior saith, Make the Tree good (Matth. 12. 33.) and then the fruit will be good; but he doth not there describe our power, but that excellent order all should look unto in Religion; the Pharisees, like most people in our days, they looked to the outward Actions, did not dare to omit them, They washed the outside of the Cup; but saith our Savior, not the outside but the inside must be first cleansed: The Tree must be first made good ere the fruit can. Oh there is no Doctrine more necessary then this. Who looketh to good insides! Many dare not neglect the outward Obedience unto God's Commandments, but who minds the new heart, the new spirit within; and hence they set most preposterously upon the work of Conversion; they think by good Deeds, by outward Duties to obtain a new spirit from God, not considering this is to build the top of an House before a Foundation be laid, Non per opera venitur ad fidem, sed per fidem ad opera; We do not come to Faith by Works, but to Works by Faith; Oh then be affected with this excellent Order and Method that God takes in our Conversion, begin where God beginneth. What the Apostle said about his Preaching, As a wise Builder (1 Cor. 3. 10.) I lay a good Foundation: So do thou as a wise Builder for Heaven lay a good Foundation; Tempests and Stormes will arise; God will have his winds and waves to assault you, so that unless you be built on a Rock, you cannot continue immovable.

These things premised, let us consider the Reasons why God takes this order, first giving a new heart and spirit, then causing us to walk in his ways, and

First, Otherwise our Duties would be dead Duties, there would be no Life in them. If a Ball or Wheel move, this Motion is not a vital Action, because its not from a Principle within, it comes wholly from without; so all thy Obedience to God's Commandments is but a dead Obedience, a dead Work, if this new Heart be not first in thee. God in the Old Testament accepted of dead Sacrifices to be offered to him, but now we must give up ourselves, as living Sacrifices, Rom. 12. 1. The Scripture delights to call the Work of Grace, a Life, and the Graces of God's Spirit are compared to living Waters. And thus indeed it is, Every Prayer must be a living Prayer, thy Obedience living, or lively Obedience, but this cannot be till God begin in the inward man first. As therefore thou canst not delight in a dead Wife, dead Children; so neither doth God in thy dead Religion. We Ministers while preaching of these things, may say our Hearts are inditing of good things, and our Mouths drop like the Honey-comb; for how glad shouldst thou be to hear of a way that may put life into all thy dead Duties. If those that lived in Christ's time, did so exceedingly rejoice to receive their Friends from the dead; what joy should it be to have all thy Duties arise as it were from the dead? How necessary is this for such who live in a mere formal customary way of Duties! We read of the Egyptian Plague, that the first-born in every Family was dead; and thereupon in the Morning there were great out-cries in every Family for a dead son. Oh how should this truth make many Families mourn for their dead Duties, their dead Religion! There is no life in anything thou dost, till God begin within and so cure thee outwardly.

Secondly, As there is no life in thy Duties, so there is no worth, no excellency, up solidity in them, if first God's Law be not written in our inward parts. We read in the Canticles of large commendations that Christ gives the Church, viz. every godly soul, and how her graces are commended for the loveliness, sweetness and fragrancy in them; whereas if she had only paintings, a mere outside without the inward substance of Grace, there might have been some glittering but no true worth. What worth is there in an Image of clay and dirt, though covered over with gold? Godliness is aurea not deaurata; the Churches Glory was within: What worth is there in straws or flowers, when their juice and moisture is dried up? The hypocrite is compared in his fastings to a Bulrush, and such a Bulrush is every man's Godliness without this inward foundation; its empty and light. Therefore weigh your Duties in the balance of the Sanctuary, do not judge that godliness and holiness which the Scripture rejects as refuse. As the Prophet speaks of the Israelites, Reprobate Silver shall men call them, Jer. 6. 10. So reprobate Duties, a reprobate Godliness, shall both men and God call these. As God by the Prophet complains of his defective and deformed Sacrifices, Go and offer such to your Governors and Rulers; so we may say in this case, Go to men and serve them without an inward heart, without inward affections, and will they thank you or reward such service?

Thirdly, As there is no worth, so there is no suitableness in such Duties to God; for God is a Spirit, and he searcheth and trieth the hearts of men, our Savior from this consideration inferred, that those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth, John 4. Now then if God have not begun this foundation in thee of a new heart, a new spirit; here is no congruity between God and thy worship. Oh how remote are these things from the common understanding of most men, who know no further in Religion then a bodily praying, or a bodily hearing! Sursum corda, was the ancient acclamation at the administration of the Sacrament, to take them off from the Elements of Bread and Wine; and this should be a daily Memento, Lift up your hearts on high in every Duty you go about. But men that would be thus elevated in their hearts, and fasten upon God himself, must go out of all their low and bodily apprehensions. As God bad Abraham come out of his Tabernacle, and then to look up to Heaven to number the Stars if he could; thou must be drawn out of the Tabernacle of thy bodily affections, before thou canst set thy heart upon God himself. Oh then consider that as long as this new spirit is not in thee, there is no more proportion between God and thy soul for any holy Duty, which is nothing but a familiar communion with God, then is between Earth and Heaven.

Fourthly, Therefore God begins here before the outward man be sanctified, because the greatest power and strength of corruption lieth in the inward parts. As the Law of God is in the inward parts of the godly; so the Law of sin, as the Apostle calleth it, is reigning in the members of every wicked man; so that the godly have a good Law in their inward parts, and the wicked, the Law of sin. If therefore God should only enable us to outward Obedience without this new spirit, his greatest work of Grace would be left undone; for its not the body so much as the soul that the Devil possesseth, and taketh for his own. The greatest part of wickedness lieth there, where most men do neither perceive or feel it. Though sickness when it come to the heart be presently felt, yet sin when it cometh to the heart, and lieth at the heart, is not felt as a burden till God's Spirit convince a man; seeing therefore that this converting Grace is vouchsafed as an healing, and a medicinal cure, it is necessary that the greatest operation of it should be upon the vital parts within. So that as in unregenerate men, the imaginations of the thoughts of their hearts are only evil, and that continually; so the imagination of their thoughts should be godly and heavenly. As the wicked swallow down iniquity like water, so rivers of living water should flow out of their bowels. As in the wicked no man can bring the clean out of an unclean, so it should be hard to bring an unclean from a clean. In these things lieth the marrow and quintessence of Religion, men are but in the porch, and never enter into the Holy of Holies till they be experimentally acquainted with these things: O that all our Congregations were understanding of these things. If Ministers preach against outward gross impieties, such as the light of nature condemneth, with that you can go along; but concerning this new spirit and new heart, or the old heart and old man; which the Scripture so much speaks of, you know nothing of it.

In the next place let us consider, What are the Signs that may discover when we perform holy Duties from this new Spirit within, and not rather as most do from Education, Custom or carnal Respects to the good or ill will of man. For this is certain, All men perform holy Duties, either from inward principles of Grace, or outward principles of human respects; now how shall we know when a man doth them from this inward new Spirit?

First, He that doth them from an inward principle; is constant, and uniform, and immovable in them, for this is made a divine Nature in him. Now as all natural principles in the creatures do carry them on in a constant settled way; The fire doth always ascend upwards, the stone descend downwards; so the wicked man he is constant to his principles of sin, you shall never find him checking or stopping himself, but by some extraordinary power; Thus the godly man, his heart and soul doth carry him on to the things of Godliness, and if he be at any time stopped in it, or hindered, it is, as they say the disease is to the body, Praeter Naturam, besides the nature and inclination of a godly man. Hence Paul makes such a miserable complaint of those lusts that did stir, and move in him, as those that had led him away Captive against his will, Rom. 7. Look to this then you who are inconstant, and are for holy Duties in some fits, in some sad moods. So that it is accidental, and wholly inexpected, if thou set upon any religious Duty, we may by way of wonder cry out, is they did, Is Saul also among the Prophets? What makes thee pray, come to Church? What putteth thee in this fit? What good Disposition art thou in so suddenly?

Secondly, Men that perform outward Obedience from inward principles, they do it with delight and joy. There is nothing so pleasing and connatural to them. All principles have a kind of delight in their connatural actions and objects. Thus the voluptuous principle is for the pleasures of the flesh, the ambitious principle for honors and earthly greatness, and the godly principle is for holiness and godliness. David how often doth he profess his delights, and even ravishments in the Ordinances of God, and the enjoying of him! Christ called it His meat and drink to do the will of his Father; and why? because the Law of God was written within his heart. Indeed the godly sometimes find dullness, listlesness, and even a wearisomeness upon them in the ways of God. But yet their main and chief delight of soul is in God and the Ordinances that lead to him, rather then in anything else; Thou hast put more gladness into my heart, then they have had, when their wine and oil increaseth, Psal. 4.

Thirdly, Where inward Principles are, they will carry to the Obedience of God's Commands, though there be no outward Encouragements to allure and draw on. The Father and Mother love their Children, though they have no outward advantages by them, because it is a natural principle. You do not hire and entreat an hungry man to eat his meat, or a wearied man to take his rest. Natural appetite calls for these things. Thus he that hath the new heart and spirit within him, he is godly, and liveth holily, though there be no favor, no encouragement, no honor to such men.

Yea fourthly, Where inward Principles of Grace are, They grow the more powfuller and active, by how much the more they are opposed. Thus the water that is stopped doth swell the higher. The colder the weather is, the hotter the fire burnneth by an opposition; And so the people of God have been most holy in times of Troubles, and Oppositions: They have born the best fruit, and looked most green in the Winter time: whereas when men have not inward principles of grace, then they presently wither as soon as the Sun riseth; because they have no root. The godly are Stars, that shine most in the night, in dark times.

Use of Exhortation, Still and still to look from whence all thy external Obedience comes. Whence is thy Hearing, thy Praying, thy Family Duties? Yea, what advantage is it to set up Dagon? he will fall down again and again; as long as he hath no inward life in him, and it will be no profit to thee, or Comfort at thy Death, or at the day of Judgment, to say, I have prayed, I have heard, I have been diligent to come to Church; if first this new Spirit have not been put in thee. But Oh! How long shall those things be dark Parables, and hidden Mysteries to most men? Who will give you understanding in these things? Remember your inwards of Nature decay every day, and your outward body; lay up then some enduring Treasure.

SERMON XCII.

WE desire not to lose one jot or tittle in this gracious promise, a drop of this cordial is of great prize. The Order and Method which God useth both in promising and working, hath afforded us one Observation already; but its so fruitful as to bear a second Crop. We may in the second place observe a Practical Doctrine; which is,

That wheresoever God works the principles of Grace within, there they cannot but show themselves in the outward life and conversation.

For thus God promiseth, he will first put his Spirit within them, and then cause them to walk in his Statutes. There is a necessary Connection between these two, God hath put them together, and so neither man or Devil must put them asunder. Thus our Savior showeth, that the heart within is either the good Treasury, or the bad, out of which flow either good thoughts and actions, or bad, Mat. 12. 34, 35. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, the mind thinketh, the hand worketh.

To open this Doctrine; consider

First, That there are many in the world, who flatter and bless themselves with the goodness of their heart, when yet their lives are full of noisome lusts. You would wonder men should be so bewitched; and yet how often is it? Take the profane man, and the most ungodly wretch that is, yet he will say, He hath as good an heart as the best of men; not considering how impossible it is to devide a good heart, and a good life one from another. As men do not gather Grapes of Thorns, nor Figs of Thistles: so neither can Thorns be gathered from Grapes, or Thistles from Figs. As we cannot expect a clean thing from an unclean; so neither an unclean thing from a clean: so that the lives and constant wicked actions of most men, do declare it to their faces, that there is no new heart or spirit within them: and as there are such kind of Self-Deceivers: so there are another sort of Persons, called Nicodemites, such who thought they might lawfully communicate in any raise or Idolatricall Worship, or might deny the outward profession of the truth of Christ, if so be that they kept their Conscience clear to God. This grievous error did much prevail when the outward profession of Christ and his Truth was accompanied with great and imminent dangers: they thought they might give up their bodies to any outward pollution: so that they kept their souls for God; but God will be glorified in soul and in body also, 1 Cor. 6. 20. And as we must with the heart believe, so we must with the mouth make Confession to salvation. Rom. 10. 10.

Secondly, Even in the godly, the heart many times may be desirous of that good which yet through the power of corruption they are not always able to perform. So that although a new heart be within them, yet much corruption, and many • railties may be in their life Rom. 7. Paul exceedingly groaned under this misery, That the good he would do, he could not do; and although out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, yet the mouth cannot speak all the abundance of the heart: There is more strength of Grace in the heart then possibly can be expressed outwardly. As no child can express how much it loveth its father; so neither can any soul manifest how much it loveth God. Howsoever therefore a new heart is in the godly, yet because it is not perfectly and absolutely new, it faileth in many outward performances; some outward or inward temptations make it come short of the grace it desireth. Thus the Apostle, The Spirit and the flesh lusteth one against another, so that ye cannot do the things ye would, Gal. 5. 17. A godly man then must judge wisely concerning himself; they are ready to think, Oh if Grace were in my heart, if the spirit of God did dwell in me, how could I be overtaken with passions, with dullness and sluggishness; they must remember, that though the spirit be willing the flesh is often weak; yea many times both spirit and flesh also may be weak: But why do we speak of this as a strange thing? That where the Principles of Grace are men may fail in outward duties; for sometimes we see where they have been, yet foul and gross sins have been committed, yea and for some season continued in. David had the Spirit of God within; yet in his Murder and Adultery he did not walk in the Lord's Statutes; and so of divers others! So that we must not absolutely condemn those as hypocrites, and without any true principles of grace, who living after a godly manner, yet sometimes fall in the mire, and tumble in blood: for although such a condition is very terrible, and greatly scandalous; yet the seeds and inward principles of grace are not quite extinct; and therefore when we say, A godly heart, and a godly life are necessarily conjoined together, that is to be understood for the most part, and according to the nature of things, though accidentally, through sudden temptations, the clean contrary may appear.

Thirdly, There may be inward principles of Grace, and yet no outward fruits of righteousness: When either the subjects are not capable of actions, or they have not time and opportunity to produce them; No doubt but in Infants that are elected, the inward principles of grace are infused, and therefore they are made Members of Christ: yet as they have a soul, but that soul cannot put forth any actions of reason; so they have the principles of grace, but they bud not forth into fruit. The Thief also that was Converted at the last hour, there was a new spirit in him, yet he had not time to bring forth the fruits of righteousness: so that it is one thing not to bring forth the fruits of righteousness, because there is no inward root within; and another thing, because there wants an opportunity, or the objects about which such graces are exercised are not present. Paul speaking of the Saints care and love to him, excuseth them, because though they were ready to do good to him, yet they wanted an opportunity, Phil, 4. 10. A godly man is indeed a tree that is planted by the waters side, and brings forth its fruit, but it is in due season. Though Christ cursed the Fig-tree, that had no fruit on it, although it was not the season; yet hereby (haply) he would admonish the Jews, of how much sorer curse they have cause to be afraid, who had the season of grace, but neglected it.

A Godly man therefore ought not to be dejected, if he do not abound in such plentiful exercises of graces as others do, if his mind be willing: Only he hath not such opportunities, nor such Instruments, whereby to make his light shine before others, as many of the Children of God have.

Lastly, consider this, Although a constant practice of ungodliness be a sure demonstration of a graceless heart, yet a constant abstinence from gross sins, is not presently a sure evidence of a good heart. Understand this, that thou do not deceive thy soul; for many think, if they indeed should wallow in the Mire and Filth of sin, it were sure they were beastly Swine; but because they keep themselves clean from the gross Transgressions of the wicked, therefore they conclude this new heart is within them: but you have heard that men may be restrained from sin, by the providence of God and other ways, who yet have not this spiritual life infused in them. For this Spirit of God doth not only cause a man to forbear from sin, but in such a manner also, and upon such grounds, that the most painted Sepulcher, the most exact Formalist can never reach unto. These things laid as a foundation, it is good to consider, why a man cannot carry this coal of fire, this principle of grace in his bosom, but it will break out into a flame. And,

First, The reason is evident from the nature of Grace, or this new heart within men, its of an operative, and spiritual vigor, it will not let a man alone, he can have no rest, or quiet within himself, if he should not outwardly practice that godliness, the root whereof is in his heart. Hence the principles of grace are compared to active and vigorous things, to seed sown, which though little in quantity, yet is great in efficacy: Thus John saith, A man born of God, doth not, nor cannot sin, because immortal seed abideth in him, 1 John 3. 9. And so the Word of God received by faith in the heart, is compared to seed sown, that brings forth much fruit. Thus Jeremiah and David, when they were withheld sometimes from good, they felt a fire kindled in their breasts that burnt and scorched them, and could not but speak: So the Apostle, We believe, therefore we speak, 2 Cor. 4. 13. And grace is compared to a Fountain of living waters, always springing out of the belly of the Godly, John 7. 38. The love of Christ constraineth us, saith the Apostle. This is the new Wine that the Spirit of God puts into the Converted, whereby they are heartened, and cheered within. O then be afraid of thy negligence, carelessness, and neglect of an holy life! If grace were like seed, like fire within, it would set thy whole conversation on a flame. Now grace in the heart must needs be a sharp Arrow to wound sin, seeing that it is in the hand of Christ, and the spirit of God; so that it cannot but conquer sin in the life, seeing Christ and his spirit dwells in those that are his. Greater is he that is with you, then he that is against you, saith the Apostle, 1 John. 4. 4. And though Satan be the strong man, that keeps all things in quiet, before conversion, yet Christ is stronger. No wonder then, if grace in the heart rest not, till it reformeth the life, and subdueth the most strong corruptions in a man; for Christ and his Spirit sets these on working: and therefore the Apostle saith, If they be led by the Spirit, they shall not fulfill the deeds of the flesh, Gal. 5. And sin shall not have dominion over them, because they are under grace, Rom. 6. 14. So that as the house of Saul did wax daily weaker and weaker, and the house of David stronger and stronger, because God had forsaken the one, and was with the other; Thus it must needs be, that a new heart will make a new life, because the new heart hath God on its side, Christ and his spirit is with it. We may see the Combat of sin and grace excellently represented in the Israelites fighting with the Canaanites, how wonderfully did they subdue all their enemies! no adversaries, though they were of the most terrible Giants, were able to stand before them: so its here in Conversion: No sin, though never so pleasant, so sweet, so powerful, is able to stand before the spirit of God, Crucifying the deeds of the flesh; and therefore let none excuse themselves, saying: Such a sin, or such distempers I cannot overcome, I am not able to master such infirmities: Why sayest thou so? for grace inlivened by God's Spirit, is able to destroy all thy stoutest corruptions; Though they be too strong for thee, yet not for him.

Secondly, A new heart within, must needs have an outward godly life, because that is the end and the perfection of it. In Moral Philosophy, acts are accounted the perfection and end of their Habits; and they use to say, That power is in vain, which is never reduced into act: and thus it holds in Religion: God gives us the principles and inward abilities of grace; that they may be in action and exercise. Hence God requires actions principally, and the inward principles by consequence. Thus God requires the act of Faith, and the act of Love: Thou shalt love the Lord, viz. actually: So that all inward principles of grace being for this end, to be in outward action and exercise, it cannot be that they should be frust rated of this; yea in the Scripture to have a Talent, and actually to improve it, is all one; and they are said to receive the grace of God in vain, who do not put it forth in exercise; so that every godly man, who is not diligent in the daily exercise of grace should consider, Why God hath given him the principles of grace, why a power to believe, a power to be heavenly-minded, when this is not demonstrated in his life: and all those who live in gross: impieties, yet boast of a good heart, may conclude they have a good heart in vain; for a good heart is to have a good life, especially the people of God, who have indeed the principles of grace, yet walk dully and negligently they should startle at this saying, Have I received all my grace in vain? hath God wrought all these great works in me in vain? How severe was that servants Master to him, who took his Talent, and hid it in a Napkin! Even as they buried their dead, tying them in Napkins, Cast that unprofitable Servant (saith he) into utter darkness, Mat. 25. 30. Not profuse, deceitful, thievish, but unprofitable servant. Mayest thou not fear this doom, thou who happily host enjoyed the principles of grace within thee, but thy outward life is like a barren wilderness. Stir up thyself therefore and say, All principles of Grace are to act with, are to be daily exercised and improved.

Thirdly, therefore principles of Grace within will demonstrate themselves in a godly life, Because God at the day of judgment will make our actions and works the measure of his judgment. The judicial process will not be according to what is within, but what is without. Thus Paul, We must all appear before the judgmentseat of Christ, to receive according to what we have done in the flesh, 2 Cor. 5. 10. whether good or evil, Why then hast thou any hope, who livest in all manner of ungodliness? Think not the cry of thy prayers, nor the groans of thy heart will be above thy crying sins: At that great day God will not only inquire what thy thoughts, or thy desires have been, but what thy actions have been. If therefore any grain of wisdom be in thee, thou wilt be sure to look to that against which the Judge will most surely manifest himself, and that is thy actions. It will be then no plea to say, Lord I had a good heart, a good meaning, I desired to do otherwile; if thou hast not indeed done otherwise.

Fourthly, The Scripture doth expressly declare such to be Hypocrites, who having a profession of Christ, and of faith and love of him, do yet roll themselves in all impieties: Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity, 2 Tim, 2. 19. And the wicked man's Sacrifice, the wicked man's prayer is an abomination unto the Lord: the Apostle James doth at large vehemently press this, That Faith without the good Fruits and works of Righteousness is altogether dead, and he calls that man a vain man, who reasons otherwise. Thou then who are so apt to brand those who endeavor to walk strictly, and in an unsported manner from the world, with hypocrisy; see thyself the most notorious hypocrite of all; for thou sayest, Thou believest in Christ, thou sayest thou lovest God, and yet thy life is full of profaneness, and enmity to his holy will: Sincerity is the sweet accord and harmony of the heart, and actions together; and it is hypocrisy to pretend heart and affections for God, when with thy works thou dost deny him. As the Prophets of old complained of such, who would come into God's Temple, call upon his Name, yet curse, swear, steal, and commit Adultery, Ier. 7. With no less zeal may the Ministers of the Gospel complain, That men will be Christians, will come to Church, will hear, and yet their lives are full of such noisome sins.

Fifthly, Therefore Grace in the heart will break out into action, because the godly are to endeavor the conversion of others. They are to be examples of holiness, to win others thereunto: now this can never be without holiness in the life: For men cannot try, or discern the hearts of men, they judge of the tree by the fruits; so that if ever we would be instruments to reclaim others from a wicked life, we ourselves must be exemplary in our own: Thus the believing wife is exhorted to walk in such an holy manner, that her unbelieving husband may be brought to the faith thereby, 1 Cor. 7. 16. Our Savior exhorts his Disciples, That their light should so shine before men, that they beholding their good works, may glorify God in the day of their visitation, Mar. 5. 16. Oh what a sad thing is it for thee by thy wicked and ungodly life to harden others in impiety! They see that, a rich man, a great man, a wise man, scoffing and opposing the way of godliness, and this confirmeth them the more in their impieties.

Sixthly, Therefore the Spirit of God within, will cause us to walk in all holiness, Because the daily exercise of Grace affords a great deal of sweetness, comfort, and a good assurance of our interest in Christ. Though good works and and a godly life are not a cause of our justification or sanctification, yet by these we come to have comfortable evidences of God's love to us, and ours to him. As Leah said, Her husband would love her, because she was fruitful in children; and thus it is here, Our Election is made sure to us, by adding one grace to another, one godly action to another: Barrenness in the knowledge of God is reckoned a great curse by the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 1. 8. and hence it is, that the more God's own children fail in a daily and diligent practice of Godliness, the less comfort and assurance they have in their own Consciences.

Lastly, principles of grace, will have the acts of grace, that so they may stop the mouths of all those who would reproach and blaspheme the holy profession of his Gospel. David by his wicked action of murder, had opened the mouths of God's enemies to blaspheme him: And the Apostle complaineth, Rom. 2. That by their ungodliness, the Name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles. Oh then, if nothing else, yet let this make thy heart and life accord in the power of Godliness, that the name of God may not be blasphemed, that his pure honor may not be wounded.

Use 1. Of Instruction: How vainly all those do comfort themselves, who plead duties or opinions, or any high thing in Religion, whose lives are not cleansed: Its a vain thing to plead the spirit of God in thee, if that cause thee not to walk in God's statutes, and to do his judgments; yet this hath been, and is a great deceit; men think duties, and external acts of Religion are enough to save them, though their lives be full of noisome filthiness.

Use 2. What a wonder it is, That that there should be any in Christian societies, that have their lives stained with any gross sin; for who is there that doth not think and hope that he hath this new heart, the Spirit of God within him, when yet his life speaks nothing but open rebellion and enmity against God? Its not what thou art here in the Church, with the appearance of piety and devotion upon thee, but what thou art with thy Companions in the temptations of sin. Oh who would think that thou wouldst ever go from the Word preached, from God's presence, to commit any lewdness more? yet nothing is more ordinary: Oh how wilt thou endure the trial at the day of judgment? thy works, thy ways, what thou hast done, they will be examined.

SERMON XCIII.

THe method that the Spirit of God useth in promising these great mercies, hath afforded us profitable observations.

In the next place you may remember, that in the general division of this Text, there was the grace of God vouchsafed in the root, and in the fruit; in the principles or habits, and in the actual exercise of grace. We have already dispatched grace in the root, in the principles, which is called A new heart, and, God's spirit put into us: Let us now admire the goodness of God in the fruit; for the Text beareth both an holy root, and holy fruit; and this is expressed in this promise, I will cause them to walk in my statutes: This is a further d •• finct mercy of God; it is the first and principal mercy indeed, To put his Spirit in us; and its the second, and no less necessary mercy, when this is done, To cause us to walk in his statutes: So that the former part of the promise, is for the principles of grace; this latter part, for the acts and exercise of grace. We read in Scripture, that David, Peter, and others, who had the inward principles of grace, yet for want of the actual exercise of them, did grievously wound their own souls, and sadly dishonor the name of God: So that here we have a special remarkable point afforded us, viz.

That God doth not only at first infuse the principles of grace in his children, but its necessary he should also enable them to act and improve those principles.

He doth not only give us power to holy actions, but he works also the holy actions themselves: So that not only the principles of Believing, Repentance, &c. are the gift of God, but the very acts also of these graces: Thus the Apostle saith, That God worketh in us, not only to will, but to do, Phil. 2. 13. not only the power, but the action itself. This point in the explication of it, will much manifest and exalt the grace of God as all in all; and then it will set forth the exact duty of Christianity, whose glory lieth in the daily exercise of grace, not in the principles or root of it: And

First, We will open the sense of the Dostrine, and then prove it by several Arguments; for Pelagians, Arminians, and several Papists, are against this excellent and glorious truth, attributing indeed the sufficiency and power of doing a good action, to God's grace, but the actual efficacy of it to a man's will.

In the first place therefore, consider, that there is a twofold grace of God, as to our matter in hand; There is grace Regenerating, or Converting; whereby of men dead in sin, and wholly senseless, we come to have a life of Grace, and a Divine Nature we are made partakers of.

Secondly, There is after this a quicking, preventing or exciting grace; whereby that former principle of grace is stirred up, and provoked to action. I shall not strictly attend to the School distinctions of grace, Prevenient, Concomitant, and Subsequent, of grace operant, and co-operant: I shall use the Scripture phrase, Quickening Grace; which is not only at first of men dead in sin, and giving life unto them, in which sense Paul useth it, Ephes. 2. but also for the exciting and stirring up those principles of grace in us, both to act, and also to increase; as David, Psal. 119. prayeth many times, especially verse 88. Quicken me after thy loving kindness, so shall I keep thy testimonies: This is a blessed temper, and happy are those who do not by negligence, or any other sin, provoke God to withdraw this exciting grace; for although a godly man loose not his principles of grace, yet if he loose this quickening, this acting of grace, he is for the present like a barren wilderness: So then you see, God hath a twofold grace, Initial and Converting, Exciting and Quickening, which we need every hour, every moment, and must pray for more earnestly, then we would for our daily bread.

Secondly, You must know, that there is a great difference in man, while he receiveth the one, and while God enableth him to the other: These are not speculative notional points, that tend not to edification, but are exceeding profitable; for if we consider man as the subject of that first converting grace, so he is merely passive, he doth not at all co-operate or work with the grace of God; for you heard, he had A stony heart, and he is dead in sin; and grace converting, is compared to the Resurrection: So that as Lazarus, when he was raised to life, did not contribute any help thereunto of himself, but was wholly passive; so it is in every man that is at first converted to God, he doth not further this great work, he doth not desire, he doth not set it on; yea, he useth all the power and resistance he can against it, till God conquer the heart by his Omnipotent power; but it is otherwise in this exciting and quickening grace, for there being the supernatural principles of grace before, when he is stirred up, he is not merely passive; but being first acted by the grace of God, we then act & move also; so that we are voluntary and free in those exercises of grace; though grace moves, yet we also move: This is excellently expressed by the Church, Draw us, and we will run after thee, Cant. 1. 4. The Church was listless, unprepared; therefore she desireth the grace of God to draw her, and then she would run after him. Draw a dead man, and for all that he cannot run; but the Church had the life of grace in her, only she wanted this quickening, exciting grace.

Thirdly, When we say, That God doth not only work the principles, but also the acts of grace, that is to be understood as an efficient, not as a subject: So that although we say, God worketh in us our Faith, our Repentance, yet we cannot say God believeth, and God repenteth; for they came from him as an efficient merely, but from us as subjects in a vital formal manner, Deus non potest supplere vicem formalis aut materialis causae: So that we are the formal causes, as well as the efficient. Even as God in the order of nature, worketh all natural actions for us, In him he we live and move, saith the Apostle; yet we cannot say, God liveth, or God moveth, or God eateth or God walketh; because he is the efficient cause of these only, not the formal.

Thus you have the sense of the Doctrine; let us observe the grounds: And

First, Its clear, that God doth not only give a new heart, but cause us also to walk in the ways of holiness, because these are two distinct mercies, and are very separable one from the other: It may be, and experience tells us, it doth too often fall out, that where the former mercy is of God's spirit, and a new heart in his people, yet the latter may not be. David you heard, even while he committed those foul and gross sins, yet had not the principle and seeds of Grace quite dead within him; no more then the tree in winter, that is stripped of all its ornaments, is dead at the root; yet he was far from this latter mercy in the Text, To walk in the statutes of God: And so at any time, when the children of God fall into sins of lusts, or carelessness and negligence, they are not fallen from the Root Christ; but yet this exciting and quicking grace they have lost for the present. Seeing therefore, that this latter is separate from the former, and you may see even one of Christ's sheep for the time, wallowing like the Swine in filthy mire, it is necessary that God should not only do the one, but the other also for us: Therefore the people of God are to consider this: please not yourselves that you have had the experience of conversion upon your souls; you can tell, that God hath made a wonderful change in you; for how doth God accompany you with this exciting, acting grace? Are ye not all over rusty, as it were, are you not very often unfit for holy duties, unprepared to hear, to pray? Are not your hearts like a barren mountain, yea, like a noisome dunghill sometimes? Do you not refuse to open the door, that Christ may come in, who hath stood all night knocking at the door, while his locks are full of dew? Is it not thus, and far worse with you many times, who yet hope of your conversion to God? And whence is all this? you have not this acting, this exciting grace, and so thou art like one in a deep sleep.

Secondly, The people of God have earnestly begged for this acting grace, as not thinking the principles of grace enough: Thus David often, Quicken my heart, incline my heart (saith he) to keep thy testimonies: That man prayed, That Christ would increase his faith; yea, all the prayers that you read any godly men have made for the acts of grace, that they might repent, believe, walk holily, all these do plainly convince, that God doth not only give the life of grace, but the constant motions of that life afterward: So that if God did not work these exercises of grace for us also, it would be a vain thing to importune God in prayer for them.

Thirdly, God doth this latter, as well as the former, Because he encourageth the godly to set upon the exercise of grace, because he will enable them, and assist them therein: Thus the Apostle, Work out your salvation with fear and trembling: Why? because its God that worketh in you to will and to do: This argument may seem very strange, Work, because God worketh in you; but its the greatest reason and comfort that can be: Do thou set thyself upon the works of Faith, Repentance, Mortification of the dearest and strongest corruption, though thou art apt to be discouraged, and savest, It cannot be, yet God is ready to help with his hand. Paul speaking of those high expressions of grace, To know how to abound, and how to want, he addeth, I can do all things, through Christ that strengthens me, Phil. 4. 13. A godly man hath a kind of Omnipotency; he can do what God can do, because he hath the help of God enabling him thereunto: A Christian then should not dishearten himself with such thoughts as these, What shall I do when death comes? What if such sudden calamities should overwhelm me? for he must remember, that God useth to put forth his hand at that time; and then Peter is emboldened to go upon the waters to Christ.

Fourthly, There must be such acting and enlivening grace, as well as the principles, Because otherwise God would lose great part of his glory, in bringing a man to heaven: For not only Justification, but Salvation is attributed unto Grace; and Rom. 9. Its not of him that willeth, or runneth, but of him that calleth and electeth: Now grace could not have the glory of all from the beginning to the end, if God should not constantly enable and help in the progress of godliness, as well as at the beginning: So that if God did only give principles of grace, and not daily assist and enable; we might indeed be thankful unto him for what once he did for us, but we might thank our own power, and sacrifice to our own will for what is done afterwards: But what hast thou, saith the Scripture, that thou hast not received? 1 Cor. 4. 7. Its a general assertion, Every good and perfect gift comes from the father of lights, James 1. and we cannot think a good thought, much less have any good affections or desires, though already converted, of ourselves, if grace were not always ready at hand: So that this truth should put the soul into daily and constant thankfulness, because it hath daily and constant supply from the throne of grace.

Fifthly, If so be that in natural things, where God hath given natural principles of actions, yet they cannot act, without daily concourse of God, how much more must this hold in supernaturals: Take the fire, that is a natural Agent, and so determined to one action; viz. To burn, yet if God doth suspend his influence, his actual motion, as in the example of the three Worthies, then it cannot burn; and this is much more seen in natural creatures: In him we live, and move, and have our being, saith the Apostle; we do not only live by him, but we are not able to move or stir without him. Now if it be not enough for a man to have God give him life once, but he must daily enable him to move and stir, will not this follow much more in supernatural things? Cannot we stir the hand or the foot without him? and can we stir the heart or affections to God without him? So that as God, though he did rest from the works of Creation, yet he doth not from them of Conservation: But hitherto, saith Christ, I and my father work: So neither in the spiritual new creature doth God cease from daily conservation, and constant help in all its actions.

Sixthly, The Dominicans arguing against the Jesuits in this point, reason thus, Every thing that is potential, must be reduced into act, by something that is itself in act: Now, say they, God he is Actus primus, & purus, he is the first and pure act. The principles and habits of grace are potential, and therefore they must be determinated and actuated by God, who is always in act: This Argument hath much strength in it, but it is too metaphysical: I come to a more popular one; And

Seventhly, God doth not only bestow principles of grace, but also excites and quickens, as is plainly evidenced, In that two godly men, living under the same means of grace, yet one doth not profit, but groweth colder and colder; the other groweth and thriveth more and more: How comes this difference to be? but that one hath the grace of God assisting and enabling of him, the other hath not; not that he who falls into sin may blame God; for his slothfulness, negligence and carelessness, makes God to withdraw his helping hand in that need: So that although the cause of one man's fall, is his own sin: Yet the cause of the other man's standing, is God's grace vouchsafed unto him, yea, the same godly man: as David, finds a great change in his own heart: sometimes he is able to trust in God, to overcome temptations; at other times he is cast down, and hath no strength within him; Whence is all this? but from the ebbings and flowings of exciting grace: And this is a clear experimental demonstration of this truth, At sometimes the least temptation, the least snare, is ready to make a godly man fall; at another time, though strong winds and tempests blow upon him, yet he is able to stand like Mount Zion, that cannot be removed. Now this difference comes not from within a man, but from without, as this assisting and exciting grace is ready, or afar off.

In the next place, let us consider, how blessed and happy a thing it is, to have not only the principles of grace, but the actings and causations of it: And

First, Hereby the soul will be kept from negligence, dullness, and all abatements or falls in our love to God: All the while grace is thus causing thee to walk, causing thee to be always doing, no dullness or stupidity will enter upon thee; all the while a man is in exercise and motion, he doth not take cold; all the while the streams run, they cannot grow muddy: Now a godly man is said To have Rivers of living water flowing from his belly; he is not a fountain sealed up, they are daily flowing, and then they cannot grow noisome; the iron that lieth still groweth rusty, and is not fit for use: Now what a comfortable condition is this to the godly, to have thy heart never lie still, but always hungering, thirsting, or moving after God and good things one way or other! As the heart itself, you see, never lieth still, but is always in motion; so grace in the heart, when stirred up by God, it is always working, putting on, drawing out the soul: What makes the godly so grieved, so dejected many times? its the decay, the fall they find within themselves, but this causing grace makes all things flourish.

Secondly, This causing grace, as it preserveth from decays in the degree of grace, so much more from gross and foul sins: Oh David and Peter wanted this help in the midst of their temptations, and therefore they were so dangerously overcome: This is the only Preservative and Antidote against sin; not the principles of grace, but the actings of grace: This is called by the Apostle, Grace to help in time of need, Heb. 4. 16. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Oh this is admirable, when grace comes in the very need thou wert in! thou wert even falling into such a sin, thou wert even drowning, and this comes and lifts up thy head.

Thirdly, This actuating grace will make a man in a prepared frame for every duty; and to resist every kind of temptation; And what can be more desired then this? Ask this of God, and you beg the whole Kingdom of grace: He that is prepared to do every duty, and to resist every temptation, though he should drink any deadly thing of sin, though a Viper of lust should fasten on him, yet it would not hurt him: Thus the Scripture speaks often of being prepared, and ready for every good work: When God commands Faith, Patience, Zeal, to say, My heart is prepared or fixed, I come to do thy will, O God: The heart of itself is no ways fitted for any good action; and though the principles of grace be within, yet a man may be very indisposed to what is holy: Now this causing grace is the file to take off the rust, its the whetting of the edge, its the stirring up or blowing of the coals into a flame; and the excellncy of this grace, is no less seen in the confirming and corroborating of the heart against temptations: We are taught to pray constantly, That God would not lead us into temptations. Temptations have discovered the rottenness, guile and falsehood of men's hearts: It was a temptation discovered the second kind of ground to have no root; who knoweth his heart in temptations? Peter in a temptation, differed much from himself when without it. Now there is nothing doth so fortify and make the heart in flexible, as this grace, to help in time of need.

Fourthly, This actuating grace will make a man fruitful and profitable in his place: This is the trading and merchandizing grace, this makes a man redeem the time, take the present seasons of grace, observe all opportunities, that he may serve God in his generation; so that no good thing will be wanting to that man, who hath this daily influence; whereas men lie like lumps of earth, or stand like dead and dry trees in the garden of God, if this grace doth not always water them.

Fifthly, This causing, exciting grace, puts a man in a comfortable posture; insomuch, that whensoever our Lord and Master shall come, he will be pronounced faithful and blessed: Thus our Savior, Blessed is he, whom his master when he cometh, shall find so doing, Luke 12. 43. He must be doing, he must be in his masters work: This will make a man have oil enough; Oh therefore that the people of God would hunger and thirst more after this working, living and quickening grace: How many opportunities doest thou neglect? how many prises are put into thy hand, and thou like a fool doest neglect them? how often is thy heart sluggish, dead, and very much indisposed, if Christ should come at this or that hour? All is from want of this grace, which puts thy heart in tune, but this would wind up thy soul, so that thou wouldst be ready for the work of the Lord.

Use of Conviction, unto the greatest part in our Congregations, that they are such who never felt the power of this Text upon their souls: Where God renews, there he causeth men to walk in his statutes, he will overpower their hearts, he will subdue their contumacy, he will remove their unwillingness: But alas, woe, and again woe for thee! thou findest the Devil, that unclean Spirit ruling in thy heart, he causeth thee to walk in all the lusts of sin, be moves thee to serve this corruption, and thou doest it; that sin, and thou doest not refuse it; what is more plain and evident, then that yet this mercy is not vouchsafed to thee? and yet how confident, how secure art thou? what, art thou not afraid of God's word? doest thou not believe? doest thou think to mock God, and to find his word false? Oh miserable and wretched men! the more to be pitied, because they pity not themselves, neither consider how near they are to eternal woe.

Use 2. Of Admonition to the children of God: you have the principles of grace, know, that is not enough, but the sweetness and comfort of these, lieth in the exercise of them. In all good things of this life, thou doest judge the use and improvement of them all in all; why not then in the principles of grace? Be always ready to say, My heart is prepared, O Lord, I can do and suffer thy will; especially take heed of all those sins that may drive or chase away this exciting grace; take heed thou doest not provoke God to withdraw this assistance and strength from thee, for that is easily done; and know, nothing doth sooner bereave you of this assisting grace, then neglect of the Ordinances, or the careless and sluggish performance of them; for in and by the use of these, God doth discover his power: He bids us wait for this strength, and expect it in these.

SERMON XCIV.

THis latter part of the promise contained (as you have heard) grace in the fruit, and the exercise of it, I will cause you to walk, in my Statutes. To subdivide this Promise of actuating grace, consider the action promised, and the object about which it is conversant. The action promised, is, To walk. The object, My statutes. I shall speak only of the action vouchsafed, To walk. Its so known a thing, that I need not spend time, to enumerate places, that to walk doth denote the constant course, endeavor, and practice of a man's life, and that whether in good or evil. Many examples of Scripture might be produced, to evidence this, even as the word Way also in Scripture doth signify that Form of Doctrine, Worship, or manners a man accustometh himself to. And this expression of Walking is excellently transferred from the body to the soul; for by faith, love, and other graces, the soul walketh as well as the body, by fe • t, and doth signify not sudden fits, and transitory a • ffections about Godliness, but a daily settled, steadfast, and immovable way in godliness: so that the Doctrine is:

That a Man Converted makes Godliness his constant, ordinary practice.

Its a walking, yea the Scripture calls it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Ephes. 2. 10. To walk round and round in the whole circle of good works. All Christians are of the Peripatetic Sect in this sense, Gal. ul • . The word to walk is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (who walk after this Rule) and that denoteth an exact methodical walking, as in a word a man doth carefully put one letter after another to make sense; but the opening of particulars will give life to this matter: Let us therefore, first consider, what is implied in this expression or Metaphor, to walk in God's Statutes. And,

First, It signifieth, that we make Religion and Godliness our business, our 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , our main work, our Joseph, our Benjamin; whatsoever is neglected that is not: Thus our Savior, Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven, and other things shall be added, Matth. 6 33. Grace is the principal; things of this life are but accessory. Hence 1 Cor. 7. We must buy as if we bought not, we must marry as if we married not, and do all earthly things, as if we did them not; that so we may serve the Lord without distraction: Christ gave us a good example in doing God's will, when he did so attend on it, that sometimes he refused natural refreshments, to promote God's glory, giving this remarkable assertion, Its my meat and drink to do my Fathers will, John 4. 34. And David describeth the godly man by meditating in the Law of God day and night. That phrase doth not imply, we should give over our Callings, and read norhing else but the Bible, it only showeth that we make it our chief business and employment to attend to that rule. Therefore, the Rabbin took it too literally, when being asked, whether a man may read Greek Authors, or any human books but the Bible? He swered, If there were any time, that was not part of day, or night; he might an take that time and spend it in reading such Books: but this was too strict; it commands us to give the Principality, to give the fat, as it were, to the matters of God. Oh, but who then is converted, if this be so? Where is the man that makes Godliness his main work and business? Who riseth up early, and goeth to bed late to get this bread of life? Look into Persons, into Families, are not the matters of the world preferred before the matters of godliness? Do not earthly things make you pray, as if you prayed not, serve the Lord, as if you served him not? You that are godly think of this truth, and mourn; it is a two-edged sword: Doth not thy own heart tell thee often, that thou dost not make godliness thy main business; The cares, the snares, and the temptations of the world makes thee many times seek the things of the earth in the first place.

Secondly, It implieth voluntariness, delight, and pleasure in the ways of Godliness. Its not only our employment, and labor, (for we may be hailed to that) but it is our delight, our joy, our greatest pleasure we have in this life. To walk is a voluntary action, and frequently used for the expression of a man's delight. He is gone to walk, or He walketh in his Garden. Thus God to express his protection, and delight he hath in us, he promiseth to walk with us, or amongst us, & set his Tabernacle amongst us, 2 Cor. 6. 16. So that those who are converted, find it more than honey, riches, or all advantages, to be doing the will of their Father. Hence Psal. 110. they are called a willing people, or willingnesses. David doth many times express that great delight and pleasure he takes in the Commandments of God: And Paul, Rom. 7. I delight in the Law of God, in the inward man. If therefore Grace and Godliness be thy walk, how great will the joy and gladness of thy heart be in all approaches near to him? Everie duty will be like the Mount of Transfiguration, of which thou wilt say, Its good to be here. As our Savior said, He that drinks of the old Wine, would not care for the new. And thus the godly man that hath tasted of the goodness of God, and the sweetness of grace, will forget his earthly pleasures. This Manna will make a man despise Egyptian Garlic: This fatted Calf will make a man regard no more any Husks: So that you who look upon all godly duties constantly as a wearisomeness, a burden, how can you say God hath wrought this new heart in you? Indeed the dullness, sluggishness, and partial wearisomeness that surpriseth even the godly many times, doth argue Conversion is but in part, and imperfect: and therefore they should be in an holy manner grieved, and shamed in soul to hear and think of these things, saying. These holy truths have too much luster and dazzling in them, more then my weak infirm eyes are able to behold. Oh then hunger and thirst more after this sweetness and pleasure, which is to be had in holiness. This will be On to the wheels; yea like the spirit in Ezekiel's wheels to make the soul move swiftly.

Thirdly, To walk denoteth diligence, frequency and Customariness. There is a great difference between setting a man's foot accidentally or occasionally in a path, and walking in it: Ahab occasionally humbled himself, but it was not his way. Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous; but did he ever do so before? He did not walk in the way of righteousness. To walk is a constant, frequent, customary exercise of a man, and doth not signify what a man in some fits, or some occasions may do, but what he is accustomed to: Even as the godly man, he sometimes turns aside out of the path of righteousness into ways of wickedness: David and Peter did so: yet we do not say, they did walk in wickedness; wickedness was not their constant customary practice: so it is with the wicked man, they sometimes, especially under calamities and fears, step into the ways of Godliness, they do some godly and righteous things: but this is not their way, its not their custom: So that its not the bare doing holy and righteous actions: but are these thy way? dost thou walk in these? Is it not by mere accident, some sudden occasion; as a contrary wind sometimes driveth in the passenger to another Port then he expected or desired.

Fourthly, To walk, implieth progress and increase in godliness. To walk is a progressive motion, and every step a man takes he gaineth more ground, and is nearer to his journeys end; and thus it is in godliness. The Converted man he gaineth, he groweth, he is nearer the top of the hill than he was. Thus Paul you may see him not only walking, but even running 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I press hard after, I forget the things that are behind. Oh this is a necessary point: for who attends to growth in Grace? To get more of this treasure, though the Scripture doth so often press it. The old rule is, Non progredi, est regredi; Not to go forward, is to go backward. Yet how many are at a stand, yea decay and abate in former graces! Is this to walk in the ways of God? like Hezekiah's Sun, thou art gone so many degrees backward. Into what a Consumption art thou fallen? who would take thee to be the same thou wert once? Every duty and grace is so withered, that as David said of his body, Thy bones stand out through leanness. It may be indeed even a Converted man's condition, not to walk on forward, but to fall backward, and be many degrees short of what others are, who set out at the same time with him, but then they recover again to their great advantage. As Children after a disease hath pulled them down, when they recover, they shoot out higher. As stombling makes a man get more ground, so that even in their very sins, though they be extra semitam, yet not extra viam; for the grace of God recovering them will make this very letting a whetting to them, and be more zealous and active, by how much they have been negligent. Howsoever therefore there may be accidental obstructions, and checks to grace in its walk: yet the Nature and inclination of Godliness is to be always carrying us on to further perfection. This walking is still nearer and nearer to our journeys end: Faith is increased, Love and heavenly-mindedness are more promoted. Remember therefore, thou art a Traveler, thy godliness is a walking; sit not down, and say, Soul take thy ease, for thou hast grace enough, godliness enough: This is an Argument thou hast none at all. When Laodicea said, She was full, and rich, and wanted nothing, then she was poor and miserable, and wanted all things, Rev. 3. Apelles when he had drawn his line, would write faciebat, in the imperfect Tense, and not fecit; to show that still he did intend to perfect, to complete it; still something is wanting; and this may be written upon all our graces, Credebat, not credidit, amabat, not amavit, There is some imperfection, yea many defects which are constantly to be amended. I earnestly desire this truth might be fastened upon the godly. They are not in growing postures: they come not and say, Lord this Talent of five hath gained ten; they say not, This mustard-seed is grown up into a great tree; they speak as a child in grace, and not as perfect men.

Fifthly, As to walk implieth Progress, so it supposeth that in this life we can never attain to a period, to a full rest; all is walking here in this life, in heaven there is rest, then we are set in our Thrones after victory and conquest over our lusts, and the world. As God in the Old Testament first had his Tabernacle, which was not fixed, but ambulatorie, removed from place to place; and afterwards his Temple, a place of rest, where his people were to sit down and enjoy God: so it is with his Children in the New Testament, they are in a Tabernacle here, their Temple is in heaven: This should comfort the people of God, as the former might provoke and inflame them; they have not such mastery over their hearts as they desire, they are in continual combat and conflict, they are exceeding short of those excellent graces propounded to them; let not this dismay them, they do but walk as yet in the way of godliness, they are not come to their journeys end, they are not yet to sit down. The godly would havean have an here upon earth, whereas God hath made this life, and that to come in two distinct dispensations.

Sixthly, This walking in the way of Godliness doth suppose a guide, a light to direct and inform them, that they may not stumble and fall. There are Land marks and Sea-marks for Passengers; and so the Word of God that is the guide, that is the light to walk by. As many as walk according to this rule, saith the Apostle. There are many walk in a disorderly, loose, and lawless manner. They have no Law but their lusts, no guide but their blind passions, and affections: but the walking of the godly is in an exact, orderly and godly manner. Now only the Word of God can direct and guide herein. Hence David doth so often commend it for a Lanthorn to his feet, and a Lamp to his paths. No man can tell how to live, or how to believe, or how to worship God, without his Word: We cannot tell how to pray, how to hear, how to live godly, and righteously without this rule: so that thousands of people discover they have none of this mercy in the Text vouchsafed to them; for, do they not live like brute beasts? Are not their lusts, their fancies the rule they live by? Give me the man that lives by the Scripture, that walks by the Scripture, that thinketh, that speaketh, that doeth by Scripture directions. There could not be such walking in darkness, and stumbling therein, if men did attend to this light. Oh that this truth might enter into you; My life is a walk, and I must have some Rule to guide me; and what is that but God's Word? How then can I lie, curse, blaspheme by that information? Where doth the word allow, or command me such things? Be no longer like the Horse and Mule that have no understanding, but remember you are men, and so must have a rule of reason and piety to live by, and that is God's Word. Men are convinced that they must have no other faith or Religion then what the word commands: but they do not consider this is as true also for their lives: They must live no other lives, do no other actions, then this word requireth.

Seventhly, As God's Word is the rule they walk by, so God himself is the companion that they ought to walk with. You are not alone in this walk, but God is with you. The Scripture hath a three-fold phrase: There is walking with God, walking before God, and walking, or following after God, and they all have their peculiar Emphasis. To walk with God; Thus Enoch is said to do, Gen. 4. 22, and that implieth an heavenly, holy, and humble, yet familiar enjoyment of God in our way. Can two walk together except they be agreed? And therefore no wicked man can walk in these paths of godliness, because not agreed with God: God is an adversary and an enemy to them: but the godly in this their journey to heaven have sweet communion with, and enjoyment of God: As God spake to Moses as one friend to another, by way of apparition; so doth God in a spiritual way to the godly; God is graciously present with him, he supports him, comforts him: And if he said, Come • jucundus pro vehiculo est, A pleasant Companion is instead of a Coach in the journey; How much more admirable is it to have God our Companion in the way. Then there is to walk before God, Gen. 17. 1. Thus Abraham is commanded, and that is so to walk in the ways of Godliness, as to eye God, to have a respect to please him, to take heed of the most secret sins, knowing God hath an omniscient eye, and therefore that is the ground of sincerity, which the Scripture calls Perfection; Walk before me and be perfect. Lastly, the Scripture hath the expression of walking after God, in opposition to that phrase, of walking after their Idols, or other gods, or the imagination of their own hearts, Jer. 18. 12. And that is, when men follow the directions and guidance God vouchsafeth, especially in matter of worship: God goeth before us, as it were, with the light of his Word in his hand, and we are to follow after. This truth hath been too spiritual, even for all the ages of the Church almost, who have not followed God in their worship; but the Customs and superstitious Inventions of men. Now among other qualifications in walking that the Scripture may speak of, there are four observable.

First, To walk uprightly. He that walketh uprightly, Prov. 10. 9. walketh boldly. Contrary to this is halting in the way of Godliness. The Apostle, Heb. 12. 13. exhorts them to make straight paths for their feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of ike way. Its not enough to be in the way of Godliness; All Hypocrites are so: but we must take heed we halt not between God and Baal, as the Scripture speaks. Judas was in Christ's way, but he halted between Christ and the affections of the world. As the Heifers taken from their young ones, they went straight on with the Ark, but they bellowed and moaned for their young ones: so it may be thou art driven on in the external ways of holiness, but thou moanest, and thy heart runs after sin, or the world.

Secondly, To walk by faith, and not by sense; so the Apostle, We walk by faith, 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 . 7. And this is such a walking that the world doth not understand, To walk by faith is to be above all principles of sense, carnal reasonings, worldly fears, or delights, eying the Promise, beholding God's favor in Christ. This is a comfortable, peaceable, and secure walking.

Thirdly, To walk, requireth that our feet be sh • d with the preparation of the Gospel, Ephes. 6. 15. That was part of their Armor in former times, to have a defense or munition for their feet; & this the Apostle makes the preparation made by the Gospel of peace. We have many doubts, fears, and other discouragements in the way to heaven; Not sluggishness, but truth itself may say, There is a Lion, yea, many Lions, and such as go roaring to devour in the way: and the guilt of Sin may make every man a Cain to go up and down trembling. Now the Gospel makes a sure and good preparation against this.

Lastly, Its required that we should walk circumspectly. So the Apostle, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Not as fools, but as wise, Ephes. 5. 15. And were this the main intent of the Text, it would have been profitable to show the grounds of this circumspect walking; we may hint them to you. The way you walk in is a strait narrow way, its easy stepping out of it into the pit. Godliness is bounded with limits, but sin is a broad way. Now how difficult is it, so to order our steps as to step aright continually? Tertullian calls Christians, Funambuli, Rope-walkers, Those that step in the least manner awry are in danger of killing themselves. How apt are we to take that for faith, patience, and zeal, which is not so. Secondly, walk circumspectly, because we have a great journey to go, and a little time; our walk is a very long one, and night is suddenly coming on us; if he said, Ars longa, vita brevis, we may say, Pietas est longa, lata & prefunda. Thirdly, there are many enemies, thieves, and Robbers in the way, spiritual and invisible adversaries in heavenly places; and these watch to intercept thee in the journey: They do not lie in wait, as those spies to kill Paul, but damn the soul. Thy Grace is a precious treasure, and they strive to • ob thee of it.

Use of Examination, Try thyself by this Touchstone, what is thy walk, thy way, thy employment. Is it not to make provision for the lusts of the flesh: The Scripture saith, Some men's hearts walk after their own imaginations, others after covetousness; some men's tongues are said to walk through the earth. Oh do not think, if thou walk in such ways, that heaven will be the journeys end. Neither mayest thou take Sanctuary under thy Duties, thy Devotions on some solemn occasions; for these are not thy walk, thy way; and so they will not be owned for the paths of godliness: we that walk and pass away as shadows, how should we lay up for an enduring treasure?

Use of Exhortation to the godly: Make Godliness your chief employment, your business, and your great delight. Oh take heed of everything that shall steal away thy heart. Though grace indeed be such a Treasure, that Thieves and, Robbers cannot by violence steal it away, yet there are spiritual thieves, that are sweet and sugared enemies, either temptations within or without; and these may deprive thee of thy choice Jewels, if thou watch not. Oh say, I am not myself, I am not as I would be, all the while I am hindered or opposed in the work of godliness. Is thy heart at any time overcharged, and even drunk with the comforts of this life? Reprove and chide thyself. Count every day and hour lost that doth not make for Heaven one way or other.

SERMON XCV.

WE subdivided the Grace here promised in the later part of the Chapter, wherein was considerable, The Action, I will cause you to walk. 2. The Object of the Action, In my Statutes; and this we are to treat upon at this time.

Now although there are three words in the Scripture, which often are used for the same thing, Commandments, Statutes and Judgments, yet there is also in many places a difference between these.

Commandments being properly those perpetual rules of the moral Law, which enjoin the same Duties in all ages of the Church.

Judgments are strictly used for, those Duties of the Judaical Law, which concern Justice and equity one to another.

Statutes are all those Rites, and that manner of worship which God had commanded; and howbeit we may in this Text make Statutes and Judgments. all one, yet its better to distinguish them, because the holy Ghost doth here seem as it were to branch out the whole practice and life of a converted person, which lieth in two things, His Duty to God, and that is, To walk in God's Statutes; His Duty to man, and that is, To walk in his Judgments to do them. And although in the New Testament, we have not the same Statutes of worship as they had, nor the same judicial Law for justice and equity between man and man, yet the meaning is, that God will cause his people to walk in all that worship and equity which God at any time shall command: And it is very usual in the Old Testament to express the Worship of God, which shall be used in the times of the Gospel, under these names, which were proper to the legal Administration. This then is the sense, That when God hath put this new heart and new spirit into his children, he will make them diligent in all that worship which he hath commanded, they will be careful to worship him in that pure and holy manner, which is appointed: All their Worship will be Statute-worship, there is the Statute-Law of the Scripture for it. They dare not take up any form or manner of workship concerning of which God may say to them, Who hath required these things at your hands? From whence observe,

That converted Persons are very careful and tender in the worship of God, observing all that, and only that which he hath commanded.

You may discover the work of Grace in a man, as much about h • s principles and practice in the worship of God, as about moral principles and actions. Idolatrical and superstitious worship grossly practiced, is no more consistent with grace, then profane and ungodly ways. I grant indeed that even godly men may for want of light and better information live in some rel • ques of superstitious worship. As in some good Kings Reigos, the high-places were not taken away; and Johns Disciples, yea and Christ's Disciples they were but old bottles, they were not able suddenly to receive such pure and spiritual worship, as Christ intended for them: Nay in the Infancy of the Church how much were Believers led aside with their love of, and doting upon the ceremonial Worship! they would be circumcised still, they would observe meats and days still, yea the worship of Angels was brought in under pretence of humility.

To open this point consider,

First, That Divines make a twofold Worship, Internal and External, Internal are all those spiritual graces of the soul, which are immediately terminated upon God himself. Thus faith in God, and love of God, to give him the preeminency and chief room in the heart, is the worship of God: This is spiritual and inward, and this Worship is commanded in the first Commandment. But the external Worship of God consists in all those visible parts and means of worship which God hath appointed, as in the Old Testament praying, reading the Word, offering of Sacrifices, and many bodily adorations; and these are commanded in the second Commandment: for when God forbids the worshipping of him by Images, he doth thereby forbid the making to a man's self, without the Commandment of God, any part or means of Divine Worship. In the New Testament God's external Worship lieth in prayer, reading and hearing the Word, administration of the Sacraments, sanctifying of his Sabbaths, and singing of Psalms; so then he who is truly godly, he will be careful to perform all those Duties of Religious Worship, which are commanded in the New Testament. He doth not take up the vain customs of men, neither doth he follow the traditional worship of his Fathers, but he worshippeth as it is written, he knoweth God is most jealous of his Worship; God is very sensible of any abuse of his Worship, any corruption or mixture of it by human presumption.

Secondly, Although God hath commanded this Statute-worship, yet that golden Rule of our Savior's must always be remembered, John 4. where Christ taking off the woman of Samaria from her old traditional worship, thinking that such a Mountain was better to worship God on, then other places, God (saith he) is a Spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and truth, and my Father seeketh such: By this we are admirably instructed, that all external worship of God must yet be spiritual: It is not the bowing of the body, nor the external humiliation that God looks after, God is a Spirit, and so doth chiefly require Spirit-worship: This Text would have been like the flaming fiery sword to have kept off that intolerable burden of false worship which afterwards crept into the Paradise of God. It is a sin that we are very prone unto, to rest upon an external worship, not lifting up our hearts unto God, and that made the Apostle speak so contemptibly even of the ceremonial Worship, and all those Jewish Ordinances though appointed by God, calling them carnal and beggarly elements. The superstitious Jews made them Elements, even the first principles and foundation of Religion, but he calls them beggarly, because they were without Christ; so that all thy outward service and worship of God is but an empty, beggarly Religion, unless it be spiritually performed, and that is mainly by resting on Christ in those Ordinances. But I do not intend an exact treating upon the religious and divine Worship of God; I shall therefore in the next place instance in two or three of the New Testament Statutes which God hath commanded to be religiously observed, and then show the grounds of this pious and religious disposition in converted persons.

And first one of Christ's main Statute-worships is Prayer. Not in the Socinian sense who make Pryera new instituted worship by God, and that it was not a Duty commanded before; Not so, only Christ continueth and confirmeth this Duty, revealing the manner of it more clearly. Thus you have many Precepts and Examples for prayer, yea and this is to be done fervently, humbly, incessantly; and it is recorded as a sign of Paul's Conversion, Behold he prayeth, Act 9. 11. and Zach. 12. The Spirit of Prayer and Supplication, with mourning and hearty grief is promised under the Gospel: Insomuch that you cannot have a surer sign of a graceless man then one who is not diligent in this Duty and worship of God, Prayer. For although our own manifold necessities of all sorts might provoke us to this Duty, God hath also so diligently enjoined it, that there might be an opportunity to open the fountain of his mercy to us. Oh then how few are there that partake of this benefit? Where is he of whom we may say, Behold he prayeth, constantly, fervently, effectually? nay instead of Prayer there is cursing, swearing and blaspheming; if they do pray, they have some short prayers of rote, which they utter as Parrats understanding nothing of it, and so irreligiously discharging of it: Now Prayer is three-fold, Private, personal Prayer, of which David speaks much, and Christ went many times apart to prayer. Tell me then, Dost thou take Christ's command, Enter into thy closet, and shut thy door after thee, Matth. 5. Doth God see thy secret groans, thy secret tears, thy private debasements? if grace be in thee, thou wilt be diligent in this course. Then there is public prayer, of which the Prophet Jeremiah speaks, and Christ alledgeth it, That his house shall be called an house of Prayer; and our Savior speaks of two or three, any company gathered together, Matth. 18. 20. to ask anything of the Father in Christ's Name. Now this public Prayer is also much observed by the new heart, for therein is an united strength and force to lay hold upon God, and God is in the midst of his people so gathered together, to open his hand plentifully to bestow on them his mercies.

Lastly, There is Family-prayer, so Joshua, I and my house will serve the Lord, Josh. 24. 15. And God takes special notice of Abraham, He knew Abraham would make his Family to serve the Lord, Gen. 18. 19. Jeremiah prayeth, That God would pour his wrath upon those families that call not on his name, Jer. 10. 25. You may read of the Churches in some Christians houses, because of the spiritual worship of God therein. If then God had ever wrought this new heart in thee, how diligent wouldst thou be to walk in all the statutes of Prayer, Private, Public, Family-prayer; Thou darest not for a world so sinfully neglect this worship of God, as thou doest; Think not that any civil and honest conversation in the world is enough without this worship. Oh but what unclean dens, yea noisome hells are some men's families! Is prayer there? Is there constant religious calling upon God? No, instead of these, dissoluteness and profaneness; Oh the pillars of the house, and the walls thereof will one day witness against such.

The second Statute for religious duties, I shall only instance in, is of The Lord's day, and the strict holy Observation of that: Where godliness is, there they will call the Sabbaths a delight, Isa. 58. 13. and not speak their own words, or think their own thoughts; that is a promise to be fulfilled in the times of the Gospel. That the observation of a seventh day is not Jewish, is plain, because it was instituted for Adam in innocence; so that although Adam was made so pure and holy, that in all his works of his calling, viz. To till the garden, &c. he could not but have an heavenly heart, yet God would have him to have one day, which God blessed and sanctified, for the wholly applying of himself to the immediate worship of God; and for the continuation of a seventh day, though the Jewish day be altered, you have upon Christ's Resurrection plain examples of the altering of it to the first day of the week, so that we read of their Church-assemblies on that day; and John calls it, The Lord's day, Rev. 1. All which conjoined make it appear, That there is a moral and perpetual obligation lying upon us to the diligent observing of it. So then, Where God puts his new Spirit, there he makes a willingness, a tender conscience and delight to sanctify it; Oh then take heed of those licentious Doctrines that cry down the Lord's-day, for by the holy sanctisying of it, thou wilt come to delight in the Lord more, thy graces will increase and flourish; As some from corrupt principles neglect it, so others from vicious and profane affections, or from worldly covetous desires. Thus they in the Prophet asked, When will the Sabbaths be over, that they might buy and sell and get gain? Amos 8. 5. Thy tender conscience therefore about the holy sanctisying of the Sabbath, will much demonstrate the savoury work of grace upon thee. This may suffice for two examples of the Statute-worship of God in the New Testament.

Now let us see, why the godly are so careful and tender about God's worship.

And first it is, Because God himself is so tender about it. There is no sin about which God's jealousy is so much said to he provoked, as in matter of false worship: Read the Prophets, you shall see the great controversy God had with his people, was for the corrupting of his worship; This in every Chapter is almost complained of; therefore the common word the Scripture useth for Idolatry and false worship is Abomination: And Christ using that expression, What is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination unto God, speaketh it chiefly to that pharisaical instituted worship, wherein they did place all their righteousness; now this, that was so highly advanced as the only religion and serving of God, was abomination unto him: Seeing therefore that God's worship is the apple of his eye; the main thing he is so jealous about, and his judgments have been so terrible upon men, who have in any manner violated his order about religious things; as his punishing Nadab and Abihu for offering with strange fire, and striking Uzzah dead for not keeping merely to order, makes a godly man very careful about the worship of God, to see he giveth nothing but that and all that which God requireth.

Secondly, He therefore is diligent in this, because the word of God is the only Rule of worship, and so everyone must be able to give a reason from Scripture, because of such and such religious Duties. Those that have a new heart are made light in the Lord; They take the Scripture for the way to walk in; and whatsoever is not Scripture-worship, what Religion is not Scripture-religion, they dare not own it. Tell a godly man of the Antiquity of such worship, of the universality of it, of the excellent fitness it hath to keep humble and devout, all these are but fig-leaves. Is it commanded worship? Is there the Statute Law of the Scripture for it? Alas, let thy Fathers and Grand-fathers, yea let all the world admire such and such worship; if it be not God's command, it is a vain thing: How clear is our Savior, In vain do they worship me, teaching for Doctrines the traditions of men. Our Savior told the woman of Samaria, She worshipped she knew not what, because she had not the Scripture, Joh. 4. Oh then, how might this put to silence all the cavils and foolish pleas many people have, for superstitious false ways of worship, bring thy Scripture for it, show God's word for it: Thy doting and raging for these things, where God's word is no light to thee, is as great an argument of a carnal heart devoid of grace, as well as profaneness, and they for the most part go together; Those that are for such superstitious worship are commonly profane, and ungodly in their lives.

Thirdly, Therefore the people of God are careful of worship, and that only which God hath commanded, because they are a spiritual heavenly people, endowed with knowledge and wisdom out of God's word, and so able to discern of things that differ. The Apostle Col. 4. useth this argument against observation of superstitious worship, which he had spoken against in the Chapter before,