The Souls Vocation, Part 3 (5 of 6)

The Souls Vocation · Part 3 (5 of 6)

p. 489Queſt. 2 Now the ſecond queſtion is, why doth proſperity, and eaſe, and honour, take off the love of the truth, when troubles and perſecutions could not doe it?

Anſw. I anſwer, the reaſons are two; and there you ſhall ſee the ground of his falſeneſſe.

1Firſt, becauſe proſperity hath a great power to couſen and delude a mans judgement, it comes cunningly and ſlides into the ſoule, and ſo couſens him: as the wiſe man ſaith, bribes blinde the eyes of the wiſe, all his heart is upon the bribe; and though the cauſe be never ſo bad, yet it ſeemes good when ſo many peeces come to colour it over: even ſo here proſperity bribes the ſoules of poore creatures; the heart takes the bribe, and the underſtanding playes the lawyer, and pleads for it in this manner, and ſaith, now he is better informed, and he knowes more than hee did, and he is better adviſed The: Engliſh is thus much, he hath put on the ſpectacles of proſperity, and hee hath ſeene a good living, or a good wife, and theſe bribe him, hee ſaw not theſe before; and therefore theſe did not trouble him, but now hee hath ſeene them, certainly that muſt needs be good, that hath all theſe profits and pleaſures to plead for it: As the holy Ghoſt ſaith, p. 490Man in honour vnderstands not; as if hee had ſaid, honour and proſperity blinde the underſtanding and bribe the minde of a man. They that are now and then overtaken with drink, may eaſily be cheated, and it is no wonder though they be, for they are not themſelves: ſo a man may be drunke with the world, and with honours, and if hee be now and then couſened, you can looke for no other. This is the reaſon of all thoſe faire kinde of colours which men put over their courſes, they confeſſe their judgements were ſo indeed beforetimes, but now they have had learned counſell, that is, from their parts, and eaſe, and honours, &c. And ſhall I doe ſuch a thing? and ſhall I walke in ſuch a way? and they tell him there is great liberty, and it is good law: thus a man is tranſported and taken aſide moſt fearfully; nay here proſperity puts a pretence of a great deale of good that a man may doe in the Church; and a great deale of honour, he may bring to God; and hence they ſay, a man of ſuch parts, and ſuch iudgement and holineſſe, if hee were a man of place, what a world of ſervice might he doe to God, and to the Church, the world could not miſſe him; nay it is ten thouſand pities that a man of ſuch parts and gifts ſhould not bee in high place; the Church miſſeth much good by the ſhift, and God loſeth much honour. The meaning is, he loſeth much honour, this couſens a mans judgement, when that which is the argument within a man is profit, or eaſe, or the like, whereas perſecution doth no ſuch matter; for in the time of perſecution, p. 491then a good cauſe appeares more plainly, and a naughty cauſe appeares more vilde. A man in perſecution is not drunke, he is himſelfe, and therefore hee is able to paſſe ſentence as they doe deſerve: perſecution comes like an open enemy, and a man is aware of it, and therefore prepares for it; but proſperity comes like a traitour, and ſuddenly ſtabs us before wee are aware of it.

It is to be obſerved in nature, if the fiſhers goe and ſhew the bare hooke onelyonly, the fiſh will flie from it, but when it is baited, then the fiſh will runne to it: ſo the bait of proſperity deludes a man, and he is deceived therewith, and is taken aſide from the power and profeſſion of the truth: Iudges 4.17. Baracke purſued Siſera, but hee overcame him not; and the reaſon was this, hee was not at peace with Baracke, but hee was at peace with Iael, and therefore ſhe cunningly ſlew him: ſo here proſperity is a good bleſſing, and eaſe, and honour, and peace, theſe are all our friends, and wee are at peace with them: therefore theſe wound our hearts, and breake our neckes in concluſion.

Secondly, as our judgements come moſt of all to he couſened thereby, ſo it is that which deads our affections, and kils our diligences, and takes off the edge of our endevours, and makes us dead and ſluggiſh in a Chriſtian courſe, and hence it is that wee are deſperately overthrowne thereby: perſecution and trouble makes a man ſeeke more diligently, and crie and pray more earneſtly, and labour more exactly than before, and conſequently p. 492ſeeking to God for ſuccour, he receiveth more ſuccour from the Lord, againſt all theſe troubles and trials: David was never tempted to that baſe luſt in the wilderneſſe, when hee was purſued by Saul, becauſe then he ſought daily to the Lord, and had aid and ſuccour from him; but when he was at eaſe in his houſe, then he grew dead hearted and careleſſe, and was overcome in proſperity: men truſt to themſelves, and therefore they are foiled, but now perſecutions and troubles make a man ſee himſelfe helpleſſe in regard of himſelfe; and therefore he goes to the Lord, and ſo is ſupported and ſuccoured by the Almighty, Eſay 26.16. Lord in trouble have they viſited thee, they powred forth a prayer when thy chaſtening was upon them; God cannot be viſited in the time of proſperity, when we are full and aforehand, but in the time of adverſitie and perſecution, then they will powre forth their prayer, not drop out an idle lazie prayer, but pray with fervencie, and importunity, and ſo finde favour; ſo the Prophet Ieremie complaines, I have ſpoken to thee in thy youth, but thou haſt denied to heare mee; in our adverſity, then Gods merciemercy and truth may take ſome place in our hearts, but in the time of proſperitie, then we turne the deafe care upon him, and we thinke wee have enough of our ſelves, as it is with the trees, the winde ſhaketh them, and ſo the ſap comes more to the root, and it ſettles more firmly into the earth; but now if there comes a great drought, or an exceeding heat, that doth take away both ſap and root, and all: ſo when the ſoule p. 493is ſhaken and tottered with the winde of perſecution and temptation, the ſoule is ſettled more deeply upon the promiſe, for the guiding of himſelfe in a good way; but eaſe, and peace, and proſperitie, dry up a mans endevours, and all the ſap of grace and good which formerly a man ſeemed to have; then if it bee ſo that proſperitie bribes the judgement and couzens us, and if by proſperitie our care and diligence is deaded, no wonder then though honour and caſe prevaile ſo much againſt us, to hinder us more than perſecutions can doe: thus you ſee this mans falſeneſſe.

Now the evidences whereby he diſcovers his falſeneſſe, they are two: and it is pretty to obſerve, how his baſeneſſe within will diſcover it ſelfe without; the firſt is this:

1Firſt, you ſhall finde him to maintaine his corruption and his profeſſion too, the world carries him, he muſt have that, and yet his profeſſion muſt not bee caſt away, hee will have Chriſt and eaſe, Chriſt and honour, he holds both in hand, and he divides his forces, he will be a profeſſour, and yet be baſe in the world, and in his profits too, and you cannot take away either, he keepes a ſtall in both markets, Luke 8.14. it is ſaid there, that the thornie ground brought forth no fruit to perfection, it brought forth fruit, but the thornes did choake it, and ſo it brought forth nothing to any perfection; as it is in the thorny ground, the come haply hath a full eare with all the graine of it, and is as greene as a leeke, but it continues not greene ſtill, and comes not to ripeneſſe and perfection, p. 494becauſe the thornes choake it; ſo this man hath his full eare, and is as greene as a leeke: you will faſt and pray, ſo will he; you will profeſſe, ſo will he; you will conferre holily, ſo will he in the outward appearance, but he never comes to good, becauſe he beſtowes the ſtrength of his affections upon the world, or upon ſome baſe luſts; you cannot beat this man to lay downe his profeſſion, and to make him ſay, I confeſſe I am dead, and my heart is vilde, and my profeſſion is nothing but hypocriſie, no, hee will have his profeſſion and his corruption too: thus obſerve the chapman, when a Chriſtian comes into his ſhop, hee will tell him a fine religious diſcourſe, and ſo in the end couzen him; and if a vilde wretch comes in, he hath another tale for him, hee joynes with him, onelyonly that hee may put a crackt commodity into his hand, and he joynes with the good man, that hee may couzen him too: ſo the Inkeeper, when a Chriſtian comes to his houſe, hee tels him a fine religious tale; and if a drunkard comes it, he gives him his full meaſure; thus his thornes grow, and his corne too, hee holds his profeſſion, and his corruptions too.

2The ſecond evidence of this mans falſneſſe is this, he is weather-wiſe, that is, he obſerves how the ſtate of things ſtand, and hee gives a ſhrewd gueſſe which way the winde and tide will goe, and he will be ſure to goe that way, and to be on that ſide, he ſees the winde begin to riſe, and the ſtormes to bluſter, therefore he will provide and ſhift for one, and doe any thing, provided that p. 495his honour and eaſe may not be loſt, he will be of that ſide, that the thornes of profit and pleaſure may not be plowed up, and therefore it is obſervable, that thoſe things which may hazzard his liberty, he will not by his good will queſtion them, but he carries out the matter bravely before him: ſo long as a man may have the ſubſtance, ſaith he, that is, Chriſt and religion, hee would not have men to trouble themſelves about leſſer matters; but the Lord Chriſt ſaith, hee that is unfaithfull in the leaſt, is unfaithfull in much, and hee that makes not conſcience of the ſmaller circumſtances, will not make conſcience of the ſubſtance, and if hee bee compeld to enquire, and to make queſtion of his courſe, he will be ſatisfied by thoſe ſhewes, and that argument ſhall content him, which may content his honour, and maintaine his eaſe, and honour, and liberty, and hee goes away well apaid and fully quieted, and when this man is put to it, and the dent of the truth daſheth all thoſe probable truths of his, then his laſt hold is this, he doth not beleeve it, and he cannot thinke it, but if you cannot beleeve and entertaine that which you cannot anſwer, then it is a ſigne that thy heart is naught; and if a man follow him further, and ſay, if a man ſet himſelfe, and lift up himſelfe, and his conceits againſt the truth of God, that mans heart is naught, then ſaith he, all the Miniſters under heaven ſhall not make me beleeve it, but when hee can ſay nothing againſt the truth, he will keepe his hold ſtill, and he will not beleeve it; thus you ſee this man at his full p. 496breadth and height: as it is with a plow, that goes to plow up a thorny tree, they tug, and pull, and make the traces flye, and breake the plow, but the tree ſtands ſtill, it will not yeeld; ſo it is with this wretched hypocrite, all the reaſons in the world, and all the truths cannot prevaile with him, he is reſolved to ſtand to it, and not to beleeve it: wilt thou not now beleeve it? well, thou ſhalt beleeve it when thou art in hell, paſt hope, paſt helpe, thou wilt beleeve it then, thus the thornes choake the word, that is, ſtrangle the truth, and ſtop the breath of the truth, ſo hee ſaith, I paſſe not, I beleeve it not, this ſtifles all reaſons, and the power of all Scriptures, that all prevailes not with him, nor takes no place in him, to make him know what it is to be a grower in the truth: by this time I preſume you may eaſily gueſſe at him what his faſhion is, and what hee can ſay for himſelfe, and wherein his falſeneſſe lyes, and whereſoever you finde theſe, that both the corne and the thornes grow together, and that hee doth thus as in the former two, then this man is one of the ſturdy hypocrites.

Now I come to the third thing, namely, to ſhew wherein this man fals ſhort of ſaving faith, that a man that ſeeth it, may amend when he comes after him, and that he may not faile as the former have done: the failing of this man appeares in two particulars:

Firſt, hee failes in the point of humiliation, hee was not rightly humbled, as in that place of the parable, hee had horrour of heart enough for the p. 497meaſure of it, but not enough for the uprightneſſe and ſincerity of it, hee plowed deep enough, but he left ſome thornes ſtanding, and hee had ſome luſts that his heart was more affected with, hee would not be thus, but there were ſome baſe, inordinate, earthly affections, which were cloſely faſtened to his heart, and his heart glued to them, hee would not plow them up, and this was ill husbandry, if he had done right, he would have plowed up every thorne as well as ſome: all the paſſages of Scripture run this way, as Luke 3.5. Every valley ſhall be filled, and every hill and mountaine ſhall bee brought low, and every crooked thing ſhall bee made ſtrait; hee doth not ſay, this or that mountaine, but every mountaine; not one ſinne, but every ſinne; not the heart to bee looſened from one particular ſinne, but from every ſinne whatſoever; if ever you bee humbled, and that you make worke of it, you muſt blow up all, as Matth. 13.44. the wiſe merchant man went and ſold all to buy the field; not ſold ſome, but all; ſo this ſturdy hypocrite ſhould have ſold all his luſts and corruptions, and every curſed haunt of heart, and every ſinfull withdrawing of ſoule: you know the privie prankes of your hearts, if there be but one ſinfull luſt maintained and continued in, it will condemne you as well as an hundred thouſand: there is no bargaine to be made with Chriſt, if you dally with him and ſtand dodging, he will not yeeld to you, no, no, you muſt ſell all, this man had his heart humbled in the conſideration of ſome ſinne, and it was either for the feare of the puniſhment p. 498of his ſinne in generall, or elſe for feare of plague, and of hell, and of Gods wrath, or elſe becauſe of the ſhame and diſgrace that would come thereby, but if he had beene truly troubled for ſinne, becauſe it is the breach of Gods commandments, then every ſinne would have ſtrucke upon his heart, and troubled him; thus it is with the heart rightly torne up by the law, but if it have onelyonly here a bauke and there a bauke, then it is baſe dealing, and you will never have harveſt nor hope of merciemercy upon this ground, but if a man play the good husband, he muſt plow up all, from one corner of his conſcience to the other, and from the beginning of his heart to the ending, there muſt be no corruption ſetled, but hate ſinne as ſinne, and therefore every ſinne, this is the temper of the ſoule that the Lord will doe good unto, and here is the failing of moſt unſound hearts, many religious men and profeſſours too, what they bee the Lord knowes, they will dally with this ſinne and that ſinne, but a true broken heart ſhakes at the leaſt ſinne more than at all puniſhments, and had rather endure the torments of hell, than that the leaſt ſinne ſhould be committed by him; this is a good heart which makes good worke of it, and herein this hypocrite failes, ſo that though he had legall terrour enough, for the meaſure of it, yet it was not right for the manner of it, for it could not bee any ſaving worke of grace, therefore it muſt needs bee a terror for ſinne, and yet the heart never truly humbled, nor never plowed in peeces by the law, and by the worke p. 499of Gods grace, thereby fitting the heart for himſelfe.

2Secondly and laſtly, he failes in making choice of Chriſt, he did not chuſe whole Chriſt, it is one part of faith, and that which is included in reſting, the ſoule that truly embraceth Chriſt, he takes the good of Chriſt, and the death, and perſecution, and the death of Chriſt, and whatſoever comes with him; now here in the ſturdy hypocrite failes, and this is the maine wound of him: the ſoule that makes choice of Chriſt aright, is reſolved to match with Chriſt, and that nothing ſhould hinder him from it; now this hypocrite would not match with Chriſt, but onelyonly trade with him, ſo much as may mediate for him, and bee a meanes that he may enjoy his beloved honours, and ſo much profeſſion, and ſo much of Chriſt he would have, whereas the faithfull ſoule matcheth with Chriſt, and trades with the world; if honours will advance Chriſt, and if riches will make for Chriſt, and if his libertie will worke in him a free heart to ſerve God, then the faithfull ſoule will trade with them, but this wretch will onelyonly trade with Chriſt, and Chriſt muſt ſtand at the doore, this is the cauſe why, when he profeſſeth the truth of the Lord Jeſus, if a better match comes in the way, he takes it, and leaves Chriſt: only thus much briefly; this thornie wretch takes Chriſt to diſpoſ… of Chriſt, but a faithfull ſoule takes Chriſt, that Chriſt may diſpoſe of him, and of all that hee hath, for his owne glorie: it is the faſhion of ſome ma… part, ſa…ie, domin…ting women, that they p. 500will marry men, not to make them their husbands, but their ſervants, and they could be content to have comfort and ſervice from them, but not to be under the rule and authority of them as their husbands: ſo this ſturdy hypocrite, and this malapert heart, would have Chriſt to be at his becke, that Chriſt may provide honours, and eaſe, and pleaſures for him, but that Chriſt may order him, and his, and all that he hath, to dwell at his command, to be where he will, and be at his becke, that he will not doe by no meanes. Thus much of the ſturdy hypocrite.

The laſt ſort of counterfeits, which is the chiefe and the upſhot of all, is him, whom I call the ſhifting ſtately hypocrite, he is a man that doth carry a marvellous high ſtraine, and goes with a great ſaile in the profeſſion of the truth, as the maſter cut-purſe in his outſide ſeemes to be a man of no ſmall account nor meane place, in regard of his attendants, apparell, and he will ruffle it out in his ſilkes and velvets, as if hee were ſome great Gentleman of the country, and yet he is a baſe vilde wretch; ſo it is with this baſe ſhifting hypocrite: there are two paſſages in his life, and I uſe to call him by theſe two names, Shifting, and ſtately, he had all that the ſturdy hypocrite had, and he alſo goes beyond him in the ſeverall paſſages of his courſe and practice, he is a fine ſpun hypocrite, and hath not only an ordinary colour of profeſſion, but he layes on a ſeven-fold gilt upon his courſe and profeſſion, ſo that as it is with p. 501ſome counterfeit gold, if a man bee not a good Goldſmith indeed, he will ſay, it is good gold: ſo if he be not a marvellous judicious wiſe man, and able to finde him out, he will ſay, that this man is a ſound Chriſtian indeed: Now that wee may know this man, I will as in the handling of the other, doe three things.

1Firſt, I will ſhew wherein hee exceeds the former Hypocrites.

2Secondly, wherein his falſeneſſe doth appeare.

3Thirdly, wherein hee falls ſhort of ſaving faith.

1For the firſt, wherein this man doth exceed the former, that you may ſee the full proportion of him, hee doth profeſly ſtand in compariſon with the former, and exceeds them too; and therefore he will trie the buſineſſe with him, and view with him; and what the other could ſay, hee ſaith the ſame and more too: the ſturdy Hypocrite had his conſcience awakened, ſo hee had his heart awakened with a witneſſe, and the Lord not only called and rapt, but knockt hard at the doore: and for Chriſt, he hath ſeene ſo much beauty and excellency in Chriſt, that hee will lay downe his blood for him, thus farre the ſturdy Hypocrite went: but now this ſtately Hypocrite outgoes the former in three particular ſteps or degrees,

Firſt, he hath not onelyonly ſo much ſtrength that he is able to beare perſecutions, and not to bee daunted, as the former had; but hee hath that wiſedome and ſtrength of underſtanding, that he p. 502is able to paſſe by, and to caſheere the honours, and riches, and preferments of the world, and all the renowne of all the high places in the world, ſo that proſperity, I meane all the honours and preferments of the world, are not able to prevaile with him. Oh, ſaith hee, the ſturdy Hypocrite was a foole, and was caught with the bait; but I ſee the bait in all theſe profits and commodities, and I am able to judge of the baſeneſſe of all worldly things, and therefore I am not overtaken with them: I know better than is in all theſe, if you goe no further than liberty, profit, eaſe, and worldly preferment; this Hypocrite hath ſomething better than all theſe, as namely the excellency and beauty of the common graces which God hath wrought in him, and whereby God hath made him able to doe ſome duties, in theſe he puts a greater excellency and confidence, than in Chriſt: this is marvellous eaſie and apparant, even amongſt the Heathens themſelves. Many of the Heathens themſelves have beene ſo farre taken up with the admiration at, and affecting of morall vertues, one man with patience, and another with temperance, they have been ſo taken up in meditation, and in the admiration of theſe, that they have trampled upon crownes, and have harſely eſteemed of all the honours of the world: many ſpeeches of the Heathen wee have to this purpoſe, as that, when one ſaid, honours, riches, &c. cannot properly be ſaid to be good, for then they would make him good which hath them: as wee ſee wiſedome makes a man wiſe that hath it; but p. 503they that have riches and honours, for the moſt part are moſt wicked and vilde wretches; therefore onelyonly the wiſe man is the happy man, and an ignorant man is a miſerable man; therefore hee ſeeing the excellency of, and putting a high price upon theſe morall vertues, this hath made them put a high price on the one, and trample on the other.

Now if Heathen men may be ſo farre taken up with theſe morall vertues, which have onelyonly the light of nature to guide them, and never had the knowledge of Chriſt to drive them beyond themſelves, that yet they will doe all this; then a Hypocrite may come to ſee a greater beauty than is in all theſe, when they come from the Spirit of grace; for the Heathens had but the very ſhell and outſide of theſe, but the Hypocrite knowes the vertue and benefit of theſe, and the eternall good that will come by theſe, this hee is able to diſcerne, and therefore hee is able to put a high price upon theſe, and it is no wonder; when the people came to make Saul King, hee hid himſelfe amongst the ſtuffe, 1 Sam. 10.22. as if hee were unworthy of the kingdome: ſo that a man may for by-ends caſt off preferment, and eaſe, and honour.

2Secondly, whereas the ſturdy hypocrite tooke up a fine cold temper, and an ordinary path in a Chriſtian courſe, this hypocrite ſcornes that, and he is a profeſt enemy to lukewarmneſſe, and to a lazy carnall diſcretion in a Chriſtian courſe. This is the zeale and forwardneſſe of this man; but p. 504miſtake me not, for I doe not ſpeake this to diſhearten a good cauſe, or the zeale and forwardneſſe of any good man, no, God forbid; nay, let that tongue faulter, and curſed be the head that contrives, or the mouth that ſpeakes any thing againſt the zeale and forwardneſſe of any man in any good cauſe: the way is warrantable and lawfull, and muſt be done; for though meere morall vertues will not ſave a Chriſtian, yet without them no man ſhall ever come to Heaven: but I ſpeake all this to ſhew that all this may bee done, and yet all be ſtarke naught. I doe not ſpeake this to diſcourage any man, for you ſee I commend of this man, hee is not ſwept downe from the firmament of his profeſſion, as the ſturdy hypocrite was, by the taile of the Dragon; but he maintains his profeſſion with credit, and is zealous in it, he goes for a marvellous broken hearted Chriſtian, he ſcornes to be a linſey-woolſey-man, halfe one and halfe of another, hee ſtands in the open defence of the truth, and dares ſide with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and ſaith as Iehu, who is on my ſide, who? 2 Kings 10.16. Come ſee my zeale which I have for the Lord of Hosts; thus it was with Paul; Gal. 1. 14. He profited above many of his brethren in the Iewiſh religion, being more exceeding zealous of the traditions of the Fathers: and Phil. 3.6, 7. he was a Phariſee, and concerning zeale, he perſecuted the Church; touching the righteouſneſſe of the Law, he was blameleſſe; and theſe he counted gaine: This was all the gaine that Paul had, namely, that hee had ſuch parts, and gifts, and abilities to doe duties; this was all p. 505his gaine: and becauſe hee had all theſe, hee thought he muſt needs goe to Heaven: nay, nay, it is harder to goe to Heaven than you thinke, for it is another manner of worke than ſo: the greateſt hindrance that ever Paul had in his converſion, was the carnall confidence which hee had in himſelfe, there he ſtucke.

Now wherein doth the falſeneſſe of this man appeare? I anſwer, Amongſt many others it diſcovers it ſelfe moſt groſly and notoriouſly in theſe particulars:

Firſt, you ſhall finde that as for leſſer ſinnes, the reformation of which might ſpoile him in the venting of his commodities, and marring his market, that he cannot ſet himſelfe, his parts and commodities at ſale; he will ſlight thoſe ſinnes, and make no account of them, and ſwallow them downe without any chewing; becauſe ſuch as theſe bee, would hinder him in his trading, that hee could not vent and ſhew himſelfe; and hee makes no great matter of them: this is for his outward practice.

But if a mans exactneſſe in a Chriſtian courſe be ſincere, then he will be exact in all things; but if his exactneſſe may give way to ſome ſinne, then it is but hypocriſie, it is but a cloake and no ſoundneſſe at all: why doſt thou heare, and pray, and take up duties, though theſe muſt bee done, if thy duties bee ſincere, and if thou loveſt duties abroad, thou wilt love them at home too: 1 Iohn 2.3. Hereby we know that wee know him, if we keepe his Commandements; if a man keepe all the p. 506Commandements of God, then he ſhall ſavingly know God; and hereby hee ſhall know that he knowes God: this is a ſigne that ſaving faith is there, becauſe it makes a man keepe all the Commandements of God; but curſed bee that prayer which ſeems to ſet it ſelfe againſt ſinne, and yet gives allowance unto ſinne. That prayer and performance which maintaines ſinne, is accurſed, and God will never accept of it: this is for his out ſide.

2Secondly, though this hypocrite be very exact, and expreſſe much power of religion in the world, yet follow this wretch home, and dog him to his owne heart and cloſet, and there you ſhall finde him not onelyonly living in, but maintaining ſome ſinne, either in his practice, or elſe in others: as when hee was abroad, hee would ſwallow downe ſuch ſmaller ſinnes as would hinder him in the venting of himſelfe: ſo at home hee maintaines ſome diſtemper either in his family, or in himſelfe. A man out of the ſtrength of parts, and the excellency of his judgement, and the ability that God hath beſtowed upon him, may doe this, that whereſoever he comes, he will comfort and quicken, and exhort and pray with others: theſe are good duties, I doe not diſcommend them: but he returnes home, and is churliſh, and dogged, and cruell to his ſervants, and takes up a pang of paſſion, and will bee upon the houſe top for every trifle, and this is conſtant too, this is the bane of religion and profeſſion. Of this ſtraine are thoſe that for their parts and gifts are marvellous large, and they will goe from this houſe to that houſe p. 507to pray, and yet never pray in their owne families, nor never humble themſelves before God; as if the performance of a ſervice publikely, could abate all the reſt in ſecret: It was not for his ſtate to pray privately in his cloſet, but onelyonly amongſt others; ſome of theſe we have heard of, and we make no queſtion but there are more of this feather; if you know any ſuch, either make them revoke theſe things, or elſe caſheere them; the ſervant haply is religious, and therefore he is reſolved, he will not dwell but where he may have liberty to heare, and he will indent with his maſter and miſtres, that he will have the fellowſhip and communion of ſuch and ſuch; this is all very good, and I love ſuch a heart: but marke now when they returne home they are idle, and unfaithfull, and ſturdy, and they are maſters and miſtreſſes, and will not bee governed, and their plea is this; My maſter is a carnall man, my miſtres is a carnall woman; but if they are carnall, the Commandement is ſpirituall, and the duties injoyned are holy: and therefore thoſe prayers of thine which maintaine thy ſinne, will one day be an accuſation againſt thee, but will never comfort thy conſcience: this is not true religion; all your ſetting your ſelves to ſale, and all your outſide ſhewes and reformations, it is not all worth a ruſh, unleſſe there bee the diſcharge of all thoſe duties that God requires: If there were ſaving faith, and if ever thy ſoule reſted upon Jeſus Chriſt, hee would inable thee to all duties, as well as one, and cauſe thee to make conſcience in p. 508all, as well as in one; faith would make thee ſhew forth the power of godlineſſe, guiding thee, faith would make thee pray in private as well as in publike; For as faith doth crucifie the fleſh, Gal. 5.24. ſo alſo it makes a man a new creature: 2 Cor. 5.17. It makes a new husband, a new wife, as well as a new Christian: therefore let them profeſſe what they will, follow them home to their houſes and cloſets, and you ſhall finde them to bee errand theeves and robbers, and rob God of his glory, the Lord of Heaven will finde out ſuch, and condemne them continuing ſo.

3Thirdly, this is that which cuts the finewes, and ſinkes the heart of this hypocrite, this will put him to the triall, more than ever any thing did; this is that which will goe to the quicke, and make him appeare what hee is, and either finde him ſound, or elſe flie off altogether. If there come another Chriſtian of the ſame ranke and place, that exceeds him in parts and abilities, ſo that this man is not eſteemed, and his commodity is not regarded, this touches his freehold; if it were in the matter of honours or riches, he would not care: but now when he ſees his light to grow dimme and darke, and no man hath an eye to him, and his commodity growes naught, then this mans heart is quaſhed, hee is weary of the name and preſence of that man, and loth to bee in his company, and loth to doe any thing while hee is there, and hee wiſheth ſecretly that ſuch a man had never come to the towne: whats the reaſon of it? becauſe before this man came, his commodity p. 509went off eaſily, and hee was reſpected for his parts and gifts: And marke what followes, either God will humble him, and bring him upon his knees, or elſe he will fall off from his profeſſion, and all, and will rather be content to be a baſe varlet, than to have no credit: If the Lord breake his heart and humble him, bleſſed bee his Name for it; but if God doe not humble him, but that he falls off, then he commonly proves an enemy to Religion, and God, and Goſpell, and all goodneſſe.

3Laſtly, this hypocrite fals ſhort of ſaving faith, as in all the former things before mentioned of the ſturdy hypocrite, as namely, that he was never truly humbled, hee was never effectually perſwaded by the Spirit of the Father to reſt upon his free grace in Chriſt, and hee did not make a right choyce of Chriſt: for if hee had ſeene an abſolute need of Chriſt, then hee would have prized Chriſt more than all parts and gifts, becauſe hee had gotten Chriſt which was better than all his abilities; but he hath made a match with his ſervices and abilities, and hath only traded with Chriſt; he faild in all theſe, but the maine wound of this hypocrite lies here, hee reſts not upon the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but upon his owne bottomes, and his owne abilities and performances, which God inables him to diſcharge, and ſo he fals ſhort of a Saviour.

All this will not doe the deed, brethren, it is not rowing but landing which will doe the deed; it was the guiſe of thoſe wretched Hypocrites in p. 510Eſay 56.3. they plead with God, and begin to wrangle, becauſe he heard them not, and ſaid, Why have we faſted, and thou regardeſt it not? as if they had ſaid, Thou muſt needs doe it, what ſhall I weep ſo much, and knocke my breſt ſo hard, and crie out, and turne to the Lord, and will not all this doe the deed? no, for if thou couldſt howle till thy mouth failed, and goe mourning all thy dayes, and goe howling downe to the grave, if thou haſt not Chriſt in all theſe, it will never doe thee any good: what availes it a man to ſaile up and downe in the ſhip, and can never get to land? he muſt certainly periſh if he have no comfort: ſo doe not delude your owne hearts, you may row up and downe in holy duties, and goe from ſinne to dutie, and from duty to ſinne, and never come to Chriſt, faith reſts upon Chriſt, and not upon duties; we muſt not neglect duties, but we muſt not reſt in them. Thus you ſee where this man fals ſhort of ſaving faith: now to ſet it home a little, you ſee there are but few that have ſaving faith, if the ignorant man went out at one doore, and the carnall Goſpeller at the other, and the meere civill man at the other, and all the hypocrites were put into a corner, where would there be any faith found upon the face of the earth? how few have faith? and how difficult is it to get faith? the Lord convince your judgements of it; you ſee how farre men goe, and yet never have one graine of ſaving faith: what remaines then? there are two things evident from hence:

Firſt, you that are gracious, and are the Saints p. 511of God, and ſee the baſeneſſe of the hearts of wicked men, goe your wayes home and fall to praying; Oh that wee could leave preaching and hearing a little, and all of us fall to praying, and to examination; brethren, let us leave preaching and hearing, and all of us fall to mourning, that there are ſo few beleevers: you maſters, goe your wayes home and mourne, that ſo many live in your families, and yet ſo few have gotten good by the ordinances of God; you that travell up and downe, mourne in ſecret, and ſay, Here is every man buſie in the world, one makes haſte this way, another that way; ſo many chapmen and clothiers going up and downe every weeke, and yet how few goe home to Chriſt by faith, and receive mercy from him? in truth I condemne my owne ſoule, becauſe I have not a heart to mourne for them; we reprove their ſinnes, and condemne them for their ſinne, and wee muſt doe ſo; but where are the heart bloud petitions that wee put up for them? and where are the teares that wee make for the ſlaine of our people? if they will needs goe to hell, let us bury them with bitter lamentations, and not only ſhould we doe this, but alſo you tender hearted mothers, and you that live one with another; you tender hearted wives, you have husbands, and you prize them, and love them, and ſome good you have from them, conſider this when you ſee your husbands take lewd courſes, let your hearts breake over them, and ſay, Oh woe is mee for that poore husband of mine, Iohn 3.18. He that beleeveth not, is condemned p. 512already; hee is caſt in heaven and in earth, both by law and Goſpell, there is no releefe for him: can you ſit by a condemned husband, and eat and drinke, and lye by a condemned husband, and never mourne for him? haply you follow him from one taphouſe to another, and ſtill a condemned man: doe you love your husbands? if they were poore, you would mourne for them, if they were dead, you would mourne for them, and ſay, alas, I am left a poore widow! but he is a condemned husband, and hath not a dram of faith, and yet you cannot mourne for him: mee thinkes the ſight of this ſhould make you ſinke againe, but alas our hearts are flinty, and we cannot mourne: and the like I may ſay of you mothers, there are many of you, whom God hath given children, beautifull, obedient, and wiſe, Oh mourne for them that ſo many come into the world, and ſo few come home to Chriſt by faith, the Lord be mercifull to us in this laſt age of the world, wee meerly ſcramble for our owne comfort, and regard not our ſalvation, therefore get you home and mourne for them, and ſay, Oh theſe poore children which I have brought up, and had much comfort from, they are poore condemned children! this were enough to ſinke us.

2Secondly, it ſhould bee a ground to make us ſearch into our ſelves, and thinke that the ſtaffe ſtands at our doore, imagine the hand-writing comes upon every man, then let every man take his portion, and ſay, No faith, no Chriſt, and ſo conſequently no ſalvation by Chriſt; looke to p. 513thy owne ſoule, and ſay, Have I found faith in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? if there be not, then I can tell my owne doome, the ſentence is paſt already, ſhall we thinke of theſe, and yet live quietly? lay this under your pillow, and ſay, How can I ſleep? a condemned man and ſleep? what if God ſhould take away my life ere morning? hell is prepared, and I fall into it: let every man take account of his owne heart, and ſay, Have I any faith? huſband, wife, childe, haſt thou any faith? It may be, ſaith one, I have it as well as another, but how doe you prove it? and how will you doe if you have it not? no ignorant perſon, no carnall Goſpeller, none of all theſe hath faith; what ſo many men that have ſo much knowledge, and yet fall ſhort of faith and ſalvation? Lord, what ſhall become of mee? is there any faith here? make it good then, or elſe yeeld the day, and confeſſe, that there is no faith, and then there is ſome hope, ſay, I am a thouſand miles off from faith, I never knew what it was to be thus inlightened, and to bee wounded for ſinne, I can commit ſinne, and play with ſinne, but I never knew what it was to be wounded for ſinne, I never knew what it was to be zealous in a good courſe, there are many ſtrict truths that I have not a heart to receive, I confeſſe, I have no faith; now if you yeeld this, then there is ſome hope that you may get out; therefore take this advice, goe to ſome faithfull, humble, experienced Chriſtian, and to ſome faithfull Miniſter, and intreat them to adviſe you how to get faith, but doe not goe to a faithleſſe heart, p. 514duplicate page p. 515duplicate page p. 514that hath no ſavour of grace, nor godneſſe in him, how can he tell that which he never had experience of? make privie ſearch, whether ever you had grace or no, and if not, then labour to know the way how to come to it; if a mans ſtate did lye at hazzard, he would have every mans opinion, and hee would inquire of this man and that man, whether his evidences were ſound, and his title good, and he would ſpare for no paines not coſt; much more ſhould we doe it for the title of eternall life: there is much conterfeit faith in the world, and thouſands periſh upon this ground, like motes in the ſunne, and never know where they are, till they are in hell; therefore goe to the Lord by prayer, aske the counſell of ſome faithfull Miniſter, and never reſt till thy heart is perſwaded of it.

Vſe laſt. It is of exhortation: you that ſee the way, walke in it, you that know the way, I ſhould ſet an edge on your deſires and endevours, labour, I ſay, hard for this bleſſed grace; as for you that have beene labourers, you are to be encouraged, continue your prayers, and quicken thoſe endevours every day more and more: you that never did yet, you are to be provoked to the performance of the dutie, and give no ſleep unto your eyes, nor reſt unto your ſelfe, untill you have this: and here are two things to be done:

Firſt, you muſt labour to get it.

Secondly, you muſt labour to uſe it when you have it.

p. 5151Firſt, you muſt labour to get faith, we ought to make it our daily taske and ſtudy, the aime of a mans deſire, the maine white and marke that we ſhould ſhoot at in all our labours: I would not have men account this as a matter of courſe, a dutie reſerved for a rainy day, as ſometime I have obſerved here in the countrie, they will delay their baſe ſervices, their leſſer neceſſities for a rainy day, when they can do nothing elſe but O let us count it the moſt neceſſary duty, and not to reſerve faith for a ſick bed, an old age, a crazy body, only to get faith to goe unto Chriſt, when weare going out of the world; no, this is unſeaſonable, this is unreaſonable, and therefore take this home to you, and make it the maine buſineſſe of thy life, to get faith: I would have a Chriſtian count all the endevours that he did, beſides his duties and performances, to count them all loſſe, wherein he hath not made ſome ſtep in this glorious grace: why? alas! your hearing, your ſacrifices, will never profit you, unleſſe you have a heart to beleeve; nay, thy proſperitie, thy bleſſings are curſed, unleſſe thou haſt this grace of faith: faith will make thee honourable in thy honour; faith will make thee bleſſed in proſperitie: Iohn 6.28. O how ſhall we worke the workes of faith? marke how hee anſwereth, Why? this is the worke of God, that you beleeve; why, would you doe that which God might take contentment in? O this pleaſeth the Lord admirably, and contenteth him wonderfully, when he ſeeth the ſoule leaves honour, and leaves proſperitie, and leaves the world, and commeth to p. 516Chriſt, and lieth at his footſtoole, and will never leave him nor forſake him, this pleaſeth the Lord admirably: it is true, all duties are good with this grace, but none of them will pleaſe God without this; thou maiſt pray untill thy eyes are weary, untill thy heart ſinketh, and thy Spirit fainteth, yet without faith the Lord careth not for thy beſt performances: if a poore Chriſtian, whoſe parts are not ſo ſtrong, whoſe prayers are not ſo powerfull, can but ſob and ſigh out a prayer in faith, this is more pleaſing to the Lord: Eccleſ. 7. a man will doe any thing, that he may live; all a mans labour, it is that he might live; what wilt thou labour for clothes to cover thee, and meat to nouriſh thee, and wares for thy ſhop, and not for Chriſt and faith to ſave thy ſoule? therefore when your carnall friends would withdraw your endevours, and ſay, what needeth all theſe prayers? and what needeth all theſe endevours? anſwer, what, would you not have me live? obſerve the ſcope of all motions, and the end of all labour is reſt; the poore ſea-faring man, his eye is upon the ſhoare, when his hand is tugging at the oare; the traveller his body is in the way, and his heart is at home; the ſouldier fighteth, that he might have a peaceable victorie; the people in the wilderneſſe were travelling, and at laſt they had reſt; Heb. 4.3. wee are thus wildering, wee are thus travellers, and wee are thus poore ſea-faring men, that are toſſed up and downe the waters of the world, and in ſeas of ſorrow, and the truth is, we are ſo in wrath, and vengeance, … p. 517horrour of conſcience, and would not you have reſt? Heb. 4.4. He that doth beleeve, doth enter into that reſt, he hath entred into that reſt: Brethren, the truth is we are toſſed, we are thus troubled; miſeries without, horrour within. Would you not now be at reſt? there is no more horrour to trouble you, no more vengeance to plague thee, no more wrath to haunt thee; let thy eye be upon the ſhoare; pray to beleeve, and heare to beleeve, and labour to beleeve, labour for that reſt.

For the further clearing of the point, I will here diſcover three particulars:

1 I will ſhew you the hindrances of faith.

2 I will ſhew you the means to get faith.

3 I will ſhew you the motives to perſwade you to labour for it.

1 What theſe be that hinder a man from getting faith, and here in the generall know thus much; they are very many, and very dangerous: it is therefore a point of wiſedome to bee carefull to foreſee theſe hindrances, and to be watchfull to prevent theſe: Satan above all doth labour to hinder a poore ſoule this way, hee would not have a man chaſte, hee would not have a man regenerate, he would not have a man meeke and humble, but above all, hee would not have him beleeve, for then he knowes he is gone: If he bee ſo violent to caſt hindrances in our way, wee ſhould bee as watchfull and carefull to avoid theſe hindrances. It is that wee ſhall obſerve concerning Peter; Satan, ſaith our Saviour, p. 518deſires to winnow thee: Now that Chriſt aimed at, was that he would winnow his faith, and Chriſt laboured to fortifie that, for ſaith he, I have prayed that thy faith faile not; as if he had ſaid, if faith holds, all holds: the Devill ſights neither againſt ſmall nor great, but onelyonly againſt faith; he deales with faith, as one enemy doth with another in the field in fight one againſt another; if the enemy perceive that there is ſome caſtle, or ſome trench, to which the contrary ſide have reſort upon all occaſions, all their aiming is to cut off their paſſage & the bridge, that they may not come to the ſhelter, and then they can conquer them, and prevaile againſt them as they liſt. This is an ordinary care that one enemy hath againſt another: So Satan deales with the ſoule, hee eaſily perceives that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and his promiſes, are the caſtle of a diſtreſſed ſoule; they are the trenches wherein the ſoule may refreſh it ſelfe, and finde ſuccour upon all occaſions. Now Satan labours to cut off the paſſage of confidence, and take away the bridge of beleefe, when hee hinders a man from reſting and beleeving in Chriſt, he cuts him from comming to his ſhelter and caſtle, therefore he can prevaile againſt him as hee pleaſe. Therefore let the ſoule bee ſo much the more wary to prevent theſe hindrances, becauſe Satan is ſo carefull and watchfull to lay hindrances in the way, and to fortifie all ſides that we may not beleeve in Chriſt; this is the greateſt labour of Satan, to hinder us, let it bee our greateſt endevour to attaine it.

p. 519Now to deale more plainly, the hindrances that Satan caſts in our way to keep us from beleeving, are of two ſorts. The firſt are thoſe hindrances that doe diſinable a man from comming to Chriſt, as having no title to him, no intereſt in his mercy: ſome hindrances doe really withhold a man, that he cannot rely upon, and repaire unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Other there bee againe, that doe not take away our intereſt in the promiſes; they doe not hinder our title we have to Chriſt, but wee hinder our ſelves from comming to Chriſt, becauſe wee are not wiſe to prevent theſe hindrances as wee ſhould, and avoid them as we ought.

Firſt, wee will beginne with the former, and the queſtion is, what are thoſe reall hindrances that keepe the ſoule that it cannot beleeve in the Lord Ieſus, that it never ſhall beleeve in the Lord Ieſus, upon theſe termes in that eſtate and condition, thoſe hindrances are eſpecially foure: The firſt is this: A blinded careleſſe and ſenſeleſſe ſecurity and preſumption, which commonly takes poſſeſſion of the hearts of men, whereby they content themſelves with their condition, becauſe they know not the miſery of their condition: Marke what I ſay, this ſame ſluggiſh ſenſeleſſe, this ſame careleſſe preſumption of a mans welfare, when there is no ſuch matter, he is only blinded and deluded. When men cry peace, peace, to their ſoules, when they conclude their eſtates are good, they deſire to be no better, becauſe they ſee no other, becauſe they ſee not the p. 520miſery of it. Theſe cannot ſee the excellency of faith, therefore cannot make a ſtep to goe to Chriſt by faith; ſuch a ſoule is rivetted and ſcrued to his baſe wretched condition: therefore there is no trading with him in matters of faith, till his conſcience be a wakened, and his ſinnes diſcovered. The text ſaith, The whole need not the Phyſitian, and therefore will not ſeeke him; nay, he will not receive him when he comes, he cares not for him; while we thinke our ſelves whole, and ſafe, and ſound, and ſeared, and ſpeake peace to our ſoules in our naturall condition; wee looke not after Chriſt, neither will wee receive Chriſt, if hee come to our doores. It is a fine paſſage of Saint Paul, and it is the ground hee makes of the unbeleefe of the Iewes: Rom. 11.25. the text ſaith, Hardneſſe is come upon the Iewes, till the fulneſſe of the Gentiles is come in: the word in the originall is prettie.

There is a kinde of ſleepy, ſluggiſh, ſtupid, benummed ſenſeleſneſſe in the Jew, till the Gentiles came in; the one are hindred from comming to Chriſt, and beleeving in him, becauſe they are rocked aſleepe: therefore the word in the originall ſignifies a ſtilneſſe: for when a man hath got a ſtupid benummed heart, he is all ſtilled, all quiet and at reſt; he ſeeth nothing, he lookes after nothing, he cares for nothing, but reſts in the condition he is in: and in this the Jewes ſhall dwell, till the Lord awakes him out of this ſecuritie. This is the cauſe men complaine, they cannot endure ſharp preaching, and to have their ſinnes p. 521diſcovered, and their conſciences awakened. I wonder Miniſters ſhould make this adoe, cannot men goe to Heaven without ſuch a ſtirre? they ſee no neede therefore they deſire no trouble: this is that the Lord obſerves of the Church of Laodicea: Revel. 3. which was an argument of the baſe eſtate ſhe was in. Thou ſaiſt thou art rich and needeſt nothing, and knowest not that thou art poore, and blinde, and miſerable, and naked, becauſe ſhe knew not her miſerie, ſhee never laboured to goe to Chriſt, to be freed from her miſery; and it is obſerved Zephany 3.12. when the Lord would diſcover a people that ſhould beleeve, hee ſaith, I will leave an afflicted and a poore people, a poo…e ſoule that trembles at Gods Word, and ſeeth his miſery; hee is like to looke out for ſuccour from the Lord Ieſus: nay famous is that place, Iohn 12.39. marke a paſſage or two, they are very obſervable and uſefull for the point in hand.

There our Saviour ſpeaking of the Jewes, ſaith, they could not beleeve; hee addes the reaſon, for I ſay ſaith, The heart of this people is waxen fat, hee hath blinded their eyes, and hardned their hearts, leſt they ſhould ſee with their eyes, and beleeve with their hearts, and ſhould bee converted, and I ſhould heale them: There are two paſſages obſervable, one by the by, that beleeving and converting are all one in Scripture, hee ſaith, they could not beleeve, that they might not he converted; but here was the ground why they could not beleeve: Their eyes were blinded, and their hearts were hardned. They were in a ſenſeleſſe benummed ſecure curſed p. 522courſe, they hope to be ſaved, and all is well, and they never ſee what condition they are in, till they are in Hell; therefore they never ſeeke out for mercy: Therefore Chriſt ſaith to the Jewes, Yee will not come to me to be ſaved, for how can yee beleeve, when yee ſeeke the honour one of another, and ſeeke not the honour that comes from God. It is impoſſible for a man to bee in Hell and in Heaven both at once, for light and darkneſſe to bee together in one place, for a man to reſt upon ſinne, and upon the feee grace of Chriſt, as long as thou art ſetled, as long as thou reſteſt in thy baſe courſe, as long as thou liveſt in a naturall ſleepy condition. Tell it to your children, you that are Parents; tell it to your husbands, you that are wives; husband, how can you beleeve? childe, how can you beleeve? when thou ſeekeſt not the honour of God, but ſetleſt thy ſelfe upon thy baſe rebellions, and reſteſt upon thy corruptions: Thus wee ſee the hindrance, it is a ſleepy ſecure careleſneſſe of condition.

Now the cure of it is this, namely, labour to inforce thy ſelfe, touching thine owne eſtate, and pinch thine owne heart, awaken and ſtirre up thy ſoule, and pinch thine owne heart in the apprehenſion of that miſery, and wofulneſſe of that condition thou art in, and you ſhall helpe one another. A man that is aſleepe cannot awaken himſelfe, but another man that is but new awake, that ſcarce hath his ſenſes about him, can ſtirre another better than himſelfe: bee you ſo wiſe: Every poore ſinner is aſleepe and ſecure in ſinne, p. 523when will his eyes be open? he will never ſee, he can never awaken himſelfe; and jog him, and pinch him, awaken him you muſt, beleeve the word, you are in a fearfull condition, in a miſerable eſtate.

A naturall man, is an accurſed man; thus deale one with another, and reſolve of this in two or three paſſages. Let every man ſay the Word is true, and reaſon undeniable, unleſſe I be altered in my condition, I ſhall bee confounded in my condition; unleſſe I be another man, I am an accurſed man; unleſſe I bee borne againe by the Word, it had beene better for mee I had never beene borne into the world. I muſt not thinke that Chriſt will carry my ſoule and my ſinnes to Heaven together: I muſt not perſwade my heart that fleſh and blood can enter into the Kingdome of Heaven: no heart, it will not be, you are ſleepy and ſluggiſh, and you thinke Chriſt will ſave you; no, no, tis true Chriſt came to ſave ſinners, and tis as true Chriſt came to humble ſinners, and to ſanctifie ſinners, and to convert ſinners: Chriſt came to ſave his ſervants from ſinne, as well as from Hell: Tell thou thy owne heart thus, and never be quiet till thou affect thy ſoule with the apprehenſion of Chriſt; I am a miſerable man, and ſhall bee ſo for ever, if I continue in this condition.

Secondly, againe, imagine that the heart is now awakened a little, that the ſinner beginnes to ſee that hee muſt change; hee lookes about, and conceives God is angry, and his ſinnes are hainous, p. 524and hell is gaping for him; and the Lord tels him, there is your portion, thither you will goe one day, either you muſt be another man, or elſe an accurſed man: When the ſoule begins to thinke of this, that he muſt bee altered and changed; the other hindrance of faith is this, that a ſinner thinkes hee can change himſelfe: this is another maine hindrance, and it is one of the greateſt hindrances under Heaven. Firſt, the ſoule thinkes it needs no change, what ſaith the ſoule? doe you tell mee of Hell, and ſtagger my conſcience, I thinke my ſelfe well enough, but that Miniſters will not let me alone. But now he ſeeth he muſt change, and thinkes with himſelfe, either I muſt have my ſoule humbled, and my life reformed, or elſe goe downe to Hell; and then hee ſhuffles for himſelfe, and ſharkes for his owne comfort, and hopes to change himſelfe, and help himſelfe out of miſery, hee conceives it is in his power, to procure his ſafety, and to ſatisfie all the wrong done to God, he now becomes a Saviour of himſelfe.

Where is Chriſt now? he keeps the ſtaffe in his owne hand now, and hee will ſtill have it in his owne power to procure his owne happineſſe: This is that every man is naturally given to, ſince he muſt alter, he will have it in his owne power to alter himſelfe, and ſave himſelfe.

This ſeemes to me to bee the meaning of the young mans ſpeech, Matthew 19. when he came to trade for life and happineſſe: What ſhall I doe, ſaith he, to gaine eternall life? Chriſt ſaith, goe thy p. 525way, and keepe the Commandements: Thou ſhalt not commit adultery, thou ſhalt not ſteale, &c. I have kept all theſe from my youth, ſaith hee, what want I yet? as who ſhould ſay, if thou have not enough, thou ſhalt have enough before I goe; I will pay thee upon the naile, I will be aforehand with thee, I will not owe thee a farthing token: What want I yet? as though hee would not bee onelyonly even hand, but afore hand with God; as who ſhould ſay, he could not miſſe Heaven, if he could doe as he thought he was able to doe. To have all a mans good in another, to receive all ſpiritual good from another, this is that nature is hardly brought unto, and yet this muſt be done, if ever we beleeve.

To make the matter plaine otu of Scripture, this was the maine hindrance that kept the Jewes from imbracing Jeſus Chriſt: men thinke they are the braveſt Chriſtians in the world, becauſe they have this, and can doe that, becauſe they injoy theſe abilities, nay performe theſe ſervices; not that a man ſhould now not doe theſe, but the reſting here, and to thinke to helpe a mans ſelfe by this meanes, and the taking up a mans reſt in theſe meanes, and the opinion of merit, this is the bane of religion, Rom. … 2. For I beare them record, ſaith the text, that they have zeale for God, but not according to knowledge: the Iewes had a zeale for God, they loved religion, and they were Chriſtians, and circumciſed, and doe not theſe attaine to life and ſalvation? no, for ſaith the text, they being ignorant of Gods righteouſneſſe, and going about to establiſh their owne p. 526righteouſneſſe, have not ſubmitted themſelves to the righteouſneſſe of God in Chriſt: what is the reaſon of this? becauſe they went about to eſtabliſh their owne righteouſneſſe.

Three things there be in the third verſe for our purpoſe:

Firſt, that a man cannot be ſaved by his owne righteouſneſſe, but by the righteouſneſſe of God, in and through Chriſt.

Secondly, that it is a point of ſubmiſſion and ſubjection, (Oh marke this) and it is a great point, it is a point of humilitie and ſubmiſſion to take and receive righteouſneſſe from another. It is a great point of ſubmiſſion, to have all from Chriſt, and nothing in our ſelves to have grace from Chriſt, and comfort from Chriſt, this is admirable.

Now what hinders this ſubmiſſion? why? thirdly, the text ſaith, They went about to eſtabliſh their owne righteouſneſſe of their owne workes, as if that could doe the deed, or nothing: thou muſt count them dung in reſpect of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt; that is the firſt, the whole nation of the Jewes fell ſhort of Chriſt in this point: the ſecond place, is Rom. 9.31, 32. marke how he reaſons the… What ſhall we ſay then? as who ſhould ſay, you will thinke we ſpeake ſtrange things, and it is a ſtrange thing, but it is a true thing, that the Gentiles which followed not after righteouſneſſe, have attained unto righteouſneſſe, even the righteouſneſſe which is of faith; but Iſrael which followed the law of righteouſneſſe, have not attained the law of righteouſneſſe; why? becauſe they ſought it not by faith, but p. 527by the workes of the law. Three things againe here in the text conſider:

Firſt, what ſhall we ſay? is it poſſible? what, a Gentile ſaved, and a Jew condemned? what, a Gentile that knew not God, attaine merciemercy, and the Jewes and people of God, caſt off from merciemercy? what ſhall wee ſay then? why? marke the text, a Gentile that never truſted to his owne righteouſneſſe, that is, a miſerable ſinfull creature he ſeeth himſelfe nothing, haply a curſed drunkard, or an adulterer, the Lord opens his eyes, diſcovers his ſinnes, and makes him ſee he is a loſt man, and makes him ſee, that a Chriſt muſt ſave him from the ſinnes of his prayers, and a Chriſt muſt ſave him from the ſinnes of his performances, or elſe he is an undone man for ever: Another man now, the Jew he ſought after the law, that is, they were ſtrict in the performance of the law, they had their circumciſion, their waſhing, and all ſervices, upon all occaſions curiouſly; how comes this to paſſe now, that the one is ſaved, and the other damned? becauſe the one will be beholding to Chriſt, the other will not, therefore the one hath merciemercy, the other hath not.

Now we will explaine the point, and the practice of it: will you ſee how men procure their owne ruine in this kinde? take a poore ſinner that is fallen into a baſe courſe, what is the courſe hee takes to ſave himſelfe? hee is informed what to doe, and his conſcience is awakened, therefore he goeth aſide, and forceth himſelfe, and labours to force his heart to a melting for, and hatred p. 526duplicate page p. 527duplicate page p. 528againſt his corruptions, whereby God hath beene diſpleaſed, now haply God breakes his heart, and teares flow abundantly, and the man riſeth off his knees, and here takes up his ſtand, and thinkes all is well, and in concluſion thus he lives, and is as bad as ever he was before; and the next temptation that is offered to him, he is taken aſide with the ſame ſinne againe, the reaſon is, he went away, and thought, my heart hath beene enlarged, I have confeſſed my ſinnes, and God hath humbled my ſoule, and therefore I ſhall be ſaved, and reſts upon his humiliation, and not upon Chriſt; upon his confeſſion, and not upon Chriſt; ſo that his humiliation and confeſſion is his Saviour, he hath made proviſion at home, therefore will not goe to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: another man, God opens his eyes, and makes him ſee his ignorance, (the Miniſter tels him, he muſt humble his ſoule, and pray in his family) now hee findes himſelfe marvellous blinde, and unable to doe it, now he bewailes his ignorance and careleſneſſe, and waits upon God in his ordinances, and gets abilitie to performe thoſe duties, ſo that now he performes holy duties after an excellent manner, and there he ſtayeth, and in concluſion returnes to his old faſhion againe: what is the reaſon? he eſtabliſheth his owne righteouſneſſe, (he ſettled upon dutie alone, and there was an end) he fell ſhort of Chriſt, and reſted upon doing of duties, and ſo went no further at all: well then, wee have the hindrances.

Then for the cure remember two paſſages:

p. 529Firſt, be fearfull and jealous of thy ſelfe, when through Gods aſſiſtance and helpe thou art able to get ſome power in the performance of ſervice, to get ſome meaſure of ſufficiencie, when thou haſt abilities about thee, bee moſt fearfull and jealous, becauſe then thy eſtate lieth in moſt hazard: doe in this caſe as ſea-faring men doe, they hoiſe up ſaile, and goe amaine, where there is no hazard, and where there is ſea roome enough, but if they goe in a ſtraight or in a ſand, where many have ſuffered ſhip-wrack, and there is a remembrance of it, ſuch a man periſhed here, and ſuch a man ſuffered ſhipwrack here: how carefull are they then to ſterne aright, and obſerve all curiouſly and exactly, leſt they fall where others fell before them, and ſuffer ſhipwrack where others were overthrowne: or looke as it is with men that travell, if they come to ſome ſuſpicious or theeviſh places, though they were careleſſe before, yet when they come there, leſt they be ſurpriſed on the ſudden, and to fortifie themſelves, one rides with his ſword drawne, and another with his hand upon his ſword, and they make what ſpeed they can, becauſe they ſuſpect an aſſault: ſo it is here, Saul hath ſlaine his thouſands, and David his ten thouſands: I tell you, carnall ſecuritie hath kild many, but carnall confidence hath ſunke downe ten hundred thouſands into hell: when you come then to this ſtand, when God hath enlightned your mindes, and given you ſome parts, and beſtowed ſome abilities upon you, and now you clap and applaud your ſelves, p. 530and ſay, this is ſomewhat, this it is to be a Chriſtian, poore novices muſt come and live upon my crums, and deſire my information, the Lord hath enlightned my eyes, and wrought upon my heart, thou art now upon a ſand, for the Lord Jeſus ſake, take heed to thy ſelfe; here Saint Paul had like to have ſuffered ſhipwracke, and here thoſe hypocrites in Iſay 28. ſuffered ſhipwracke; here is the skull of one man, and the hand of another man, and the ſoule of another man; I meane, thouſands have ſuffered ſhipwrack here: now looke to heaven, and ſuſpect thine owne ſoule, and thinke, if the Lord keepe mee now, I ſhall eſcape the worſt, but here is the moſt hazard, therefore I muſt be moſt carefull hereof: it is pretty to obſerve in experience, poore Chriſtians that are lowly and humble, how tenderly doe they walke, how fearfull are they of their hearts, of their pride, and peeviſhneſſe, and idleneſſe, and careleſneſſe; when you ſhall ſee a bold brazen fac'd, preſumptuous, carnall wretch, becauſe hee can pray, and read, and heare, he will follow riotous faſhions, and continue in baſe courſes, and carrie all away with his abilities.

The ſecond thing I would have you conſider, is this, grow every day up in the obſervance of thine owne baſeneſſe, and in the acquaintance of thine owne weakneſſe in the beſt of thy duties; this is a ſweet pitch of a Chriſtian, the more God beſtowes, and the more grace God vouchſafes; he goeth away, and hangs downe his head, and wonders at Gods goodneſſe, that ever the Lord p. 531ſhould help a poore creature, ſo to call upon his Name, and ſayes, Lord it is thy grace, it came from the aſſiſtance of thy Spirit; but that ever a wretch ſhould ſay to his ſervices and duties, yee are my gods; abhorre this in thy ſoule, and keep a marvellous diſlike of thy ſelfe, and a low eſteem of thy duties, and bee wondering at Gods grace, and admiring at Gods mercy, and returne to God, that hee hath given thee power to performe any ſervice, and lie thou in the duſt, and trample upon thine owne performances; doe therefore as Paul did, Phil. 3.7. he ſaith, Now theſe things I counted gaine, I count loſſe for Chriſt: Oh, my zeale for the Law, and the exact ſtrictneſſe of the Phariſees; I thought that would have carried mee to Heaven, but they are dung, I will tread them underfeet; nay doubtleſſe, I count all things, not only the ſervices I did before, and the prayers before God called me, but even ſince the beſt prayers and performances I ever did, dung in the compariſon of Chriſt. What availes it for a man to faile fai…e on the Sea, and ſuffer ſhipwracke in the haven? he had been as good have periſhed at Sea: thou ſaileſt faire in the world, in thy duties, and thou ſuffereſt ſhipwrack in the haven, and reſteſt in thy duties, and goeſt downe to hell, thou, and thy duties, and all: therefore labour to ſee a need of a Chriſt, even to heale and to pardon thy beſt performances, that ever thou madeſt, and never leave thy ſoule and thy ſervice, till thou grow to … apprehenſion of the baſeneſſe therein, and ſo … to Chriſt.

p. 532The third hindrance is this, the ſinner by this time is driven from theſe two holds, and driven two ſtaires higher to Chriſt; the ſinner ſeeth he muſt change, and that he cannot helpe himſelfe, his prayers and performances are good things, good meanes, but the Phyſitian is in another place, a mans legs may carry him to the Phyſitian, but they cannot cure him; ſo a mans ſervices are good things, but he cannot helpe himſelfe, he muſt goe to another for helpe. Another hindrance is this, when the ſinner ſees hee cannot helpe himſelfe, yet he thinkes he is able to goe to another for helpe; it is a thing incident to our nature, and it is uſuall, that we thinke, that it is in our power to beleeve, and that the matter of reſting upon Chriſt, is not a matter of that difficultie, and that hardneſſe, as ſome Miniſters pretend, and the Word ſeemes to expreſſe unto us, and this is that keepes a man utterly from going out; I beſeech you obſerve it, though a man cannot helpe himſelfe in nature, yet a man will ſay, hee can call to another for helpe, though a man cannot ſuccour himſelfe in his want and neceſſitie, yet to take ſupply from another, that is an eaſie matter: ſo when we cannot doe what duties we ſhould, when wee cannot ſatisfie Gods juſtice as he requires, and anſwer the law, we thinke though we our ſelves cannot helpe our ſelves, yet wee can goe to Chriſt, and intreat him, and beſeech him to help us, and wee can receive ſuccour and help from him, this is not ſo hard a matter, this is our nature, take notice of it in experience, looke into p. 533the courſe of mens carriages and lives, wee ſhall obſerve, that every man will acknowledge his infirmities in other things, but now his inabilities in this, there is not one man confeſſeth: one complaines, his abilities are poore, hee cannot pray as he ſhould; another, his parts are meane, he cannot conferre as he ought; another, his paſſions are unruly and heady, and he cannot maſter them as God requires and commands: thus every one will confeſſe his infirmities in other things, but goe to every mans doore, and aske, doe you not beleeve? why? all the ſwearers, and drunkards, and ſots in the towne, they can beleeve, they can doe this, though they can doe nothing elſe; they cannot pray, they cannot underſtand, they cannot remember, they cannot ſubdue their corruptions, but they ſhall be taken away with company, and fall into that ſinne, but they can beleeve in Chriſt with all their hearts: thus we ſee that every man thinkes it in his power, and within the compaſſe of his abilitie naturally to reſt upon Chriſt. Now marke what followeth, why ſhould a man deſire that hee hath? why ſhould he ſeeke for that he hath attained? why ſhould he labour to be poſſeſſed of that which is in his owne power, and he is poſſeſſed of already? if I can beleeve naturally, if it be in my power to goe to Chriſt when I liſt, why ſhall I uſe all meanes, and receive abilitie to doe that which I can doe by my owne power? and this I take to be one maine ground, why the endevours of men are taken off from attending, and why the labours p. 534of Chriſtians are taken off from ſeeking often this bleſſed precious grace of faith: there are many grounds why men are driven to this kinde of conceit, there are many reaſons that make way for this conceit:

As firſt, to beleeve, is a ſpirituall thing betweene God and thy owne ſoule, to pray and reforme, belongs to the outward practice, but to beleeve, is a cloſure of the heart, with an entertaining of the Lord and his truth, and the giving way of our ſoules thereunto: now becauſe men cannot ſee their faith, therefore no man will yeeld, but he doth beleeve.

Secondly, men conceive, that it is an eaſie matter to take of merciemercy from Chriſt, and ſay they, is there any man that will not have merciemercy? is it ſuch a hard matter to receive favour offered, or to take a gift when it is tendered unto us?

Thirdly, theſe doe apprehend, that the aſſenting to the Goſpell of Chriſt, wherein is revealed the riches of Gods merciemercy, is all that is required in faith, when the Lord ſaith, He hath ſent his Sonne into the world, that he hath prepared ſalvation in him, and wrougt redemption through him: they acknowledge and aſſent to the truth, and conceive, this is whole to beleeve; upon this ground, poore creatures thinke it is in their power to beleeve, and take grace and helpe from Chriſt, though they cannot helpe themſelves; therefore they labour not to get grace from God to doe this worke, becauſe they thinke they can performe this worke by their owne abilitie and power.

p. 535The cure of this hindrance is this, and it lieth ſpecially in theſe three meditations:

Firſt, ſee thy ſelfe, and convince thy owne heart, how thou art cozened, and thy conſcience how thou art deceived in common ſenſe, when ſuch thoughts creepe into thy minde, and reaſon thus; were it in my power alone to beleeve, or in any mans power elſe, would any man goe to hell for want of beleeving? if it were in my power, or any mans power elſe to get faith, would any man periſh for want of faith? Take a little experience from thoſe that lie on their death beds: A riotous wretch that hath run headlong againſt the Lord and his truth, a man that hath lived ſtubbornly and ſtoutly under the means of grace, and hath taken up armes againſt God and his grace, he lieth gaſping, and then hee lookes to Heaven, and conſiders what ſhall become of him: The Miniſter ſaith he muſt renounce himſelfe, and apply Chriſt and his promiſes to his ſoule: Oh, ſaith he, I cannot beleeve the Lord will ſave mee, and pardon me, and comfort me, I cannot reſt upon the promiſes of God: What, I ſuch a ſinner, and ſaved? what, I ſuch a ſinner and comforted? I cannot beleeve it, if all the Angels in Heaven tell it me; is it in this mans power to beleeve now when he ſees Hell open before him, and the devils ready to receive him? doe you thinke hee would ruſh into Hell, if hee could beleeve and eſcape it?

Secondly, looke into the depth of thine owne heart, and weigh ſeriouſly thine owne weakneſſe p. 536by the ballance of the Sanctuary, and thine owne infirmities by the bleſſed Word of the Lord, and ſee that thou muſt not onelyonly have a gift from God to take it; God muſt not onelyonly give a man a gift, but power to receive it: Ioh. 3.27. No man can receive any thing, unleſſe it be given him from above; therefore judge your owne abilities, not according to your owne conceits, and overweening imaginations, but judge by the Word, and judge righteous judgement, that a man can receive no good thing, unleſſe God give him power. The gift muſt come from above, and the power muſt come from above, whereby hee muſt receive it.

Thirdly, conſider and ſettle thine owne heart in this ſame determination and reſolution, that there muſt be a ſupernaturall power put forth to make thee beleeve, or elſe all the power under Heaven cannot furniſh thee with ſufficiency thereunto; a man is able to doe the condition of the firſt covenant, as to obſerve the condition of the ſecond covenant: he is as well able to keepe the Law, as to beleeve the Goſpell, unleſſe there be a power to inable him: Iames 1.18. Her hath begotten us according to his owne will, by the Word of truth; a childe cannot beget himſelfe: So it is here ſpiritually, as there naturally, the Lord doth beget us according to his owne will, it is not in our owne will to beget our ſelves, as the Pelagians dreamed, it is not in our will to diſpoſe of our hearts, to take Chriſt when we will, to let him ſtand at doore ſo long as we ſee fit, and take p. 537him in when we ſee fit: but it is the Will of the Lord that muſt beget us, and not our will, that can beget our ſelves: Therefore that faith that groweth upon the ground of thy owne naturall abilitie, it is a fancy, it is no ſound faith. God muſt come down from heaven to thy ſoule, before thou canſt goe up to heaven againe; faith muſt be firſt wrought in thy ſoule, before thou canſt be carried to God by faith; there muſt bee a power in all means, above all means; there muſt be a ſpirit in all endevours above all endevours, to helpe us to beleeve, or elſe wee ſhall never beleeve while the world ſtandeth: therefore avoid thoſe proud imaginations of heart, when men thinke they may refuſe grace, & take grace when they liſt, ſhut Chriſt out of doores over night, and take him in the morning, it is againſt ſenſe, and there is nothing more croſſe and contrary to the power of grace: No, goe ſecretly betweene God and thine owne ſoule, and confute it; what, I Lord, and my parts Lord; what, in my will Lord to beleeve, and in my power, and ſo forth: no, if all men and Angels ſhould conſpire together, and all the Miniſters under Heaven joyne together to work faith in my ſoule, it will never bee, the power of Angell, Men or Word, will never worke it, but it muſt bee the power of the Lord that muſt worke it; as we may ſee, Epheſ. 1.18. The ſame power that brought Chriſt out of the grave, muſt bring the ſoule to Chriſt, or elſe it will never come while the world ſtands: be perſwaded of theſe things, they are true, chuſe whether you will beleeve them; p. 538but the Lord make you beleeve them, that you may receive comfort to your ſoules.

We come now in the ſecond place, to thoſe ſecond kinde of hinderances which doe not deprive a man of the title to Chriſt, but through our own folly and weakneſſe they ſtop us from comming ſo readily to Chriſt; wee have intereſt in a promiſe, but through our owne ignorance, and Satans ſubtilty, wee goe not ſo readily to a promiſe wee have title to. The ground of all theſe hinderances is one, and that is this; namely when men out of carnall reaſon contrive another way to come to Chriſt than ever God ordained, than ever the Word revealed; when wee ſet up a ſtandard by Gods ſtandard, when out of the heady haughty imaginations of our mindes, wee make other termes and conditions of beleeving, than ever God made, then ever Chriſt required; we lay bars in the way, and lay boults upon our feet, and manacles upon our hands, and then wee complaine wee cannot goe; the fault is your owne, and the impediments are many, becauſe carnall reaſon is fruitfull to deviſe, and Satan followes, and fires, theſe imaginations. I will onelyonly mention three hinderances which are mainly obſervable, by which many a gracious heart is wonderfully damped from comming to, and receiving benefit from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Hinderance 1 The firſt hinderance, is a deſperate kinde of deſpaire and diſcouragement which ſometimes oppreſſeth the ſoule of a diſtreſſed ſinner; the diſtreſſed ſoule lookes upon his owne corruption…, p. 539and worthineſſe, and ſinfullneſſe, and then hee dares not come to Chriſt: hee viewes the number of his ſinnes ſo many, the nature of his abominations ſo hainous, the continuance of them ſo long, the ſoule of a diſtreſſed man ſends his thoughts affarre off, and viewes all, both the abominations of his life, and the diſtempers of his ſoule, and ſeeth his iniquities muſtering up themſelves, and Satan helps him forward; for this is his policy; Firſt, hee will keepe a ſinner if hee can, that hee ſhall not ſee ſinne, and then all will be whole; and the ſinner thinkes there is mercy enough in a Saviour, and why ſhould I trouble my ſelfe? but when hee ſees the ſinner will pore upon his ſinnes, then hee ſhall ſee nothing elſe but ſinne, ſo that he dares not goe to God for mercy: this is that I deſire to trade in, and follow Satan as far as I can. Now the ſinner that is in this caſe, tell him that mercy is in Chriſt, and redemption offered in a Saviour, hee dares not heare of it, hee dares not thinke of it: what ſaith he, ſhall I once imagine or thinke that there is any mercy for me? that I have any title to, or intereſt in Chriſt? that were ſtrange, and the ſoule is here foyled and faſtned upon his owne miſery, and never goeth to the Phyſitian; he ſtares in the wound and never goes to a Saviour; for a man is as well kept from going to Chriſt, by poring continually upon his diſtempers by deſpaire, as by reſting upon his owne ſufficiency by preſumption; hee that ſeeth not his ſinnes, he thinkes he hath ſufficiency, and therefore will not goe to Chriſt, and p. 540when a ſinner ſeeth and feeleth the burden of his iniquities, he dares not goe to a Saviour; this is the courſe of Satan, and here in hee is marvellous cunning: but this ſhould not be any diſcouragement to our hearts from comming to the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: for I beſeech you obſerve it, for whom did Chriſt come into the world? for whom did Chriſt die? when he came, it was not for the righteous, that needed him not; but for the ſinners, that had condemned themſelves; and hee came to ſave thoſe that could not ſave themſelves: 1 Tim. 1.15. It is a faihfull ſaying, Chriſt came to ſave ſinners, whereof I am the chiefe: Zachary 13.1. There is a Fountaine ſet open for all people to waſh in, all ſorts of ſinnes, and all ſorts of ſinners; there is a fountaine ſet open for them, bee they what they will be, be they what they can be; their ſins never ſo great, the time never ſo long, and the hainouſneſſe never ſo vilde, come they that will come, come and welcome. There was a fiery Serpent in the wilderneſſe, and there was a braſen Serpent to cure them that were ſtung; ſo if thou beeſt ſtung with the fiery Serpent of ſinne, Chriſt is the braſen Serpent that will heale thee. Eſay 43.24. When the Iewes had tyred God with their wickedneſſe, and wearied him with their distempers, yet the Lord for his owne Name ſake pardoned all their iniquities, and remembred their ſins no more: I ſay this, though our ſinnes bee never ſo hainous, never ſo vile and abominable in themſelves: if the ſoule can ſee theſe, and be burthened with theſe, they doe not hinder the worke of faith, and the worke of p. 541mercy. I would faine have you thinke of that which I now ſay; it is not our ſinfulneſſe properly, I meane our unworthineſſe, but our haughtineſſe that hinders us from comming to a Saviour; it is not a mans baſeneſſe and ſinne that hinders him, but his owne haughtineſſe that lets him from comming to a Saviour; we would have ſomewhat in our ſelves, and not all from Chriſt; therefore when we have nothing in our ſelves, we are loth to goe to Chriſt: were your ſinnes leſſer, and your holineſſe greater, then you would goe; then marke what followeth; thou goeſt to Chriſt, not becauſe of the freeneſſe of his grace, but becauſe thou haſt ſomething in thy ſelfe to incourage thee to goe to Chriſt; thou wilt have ſomething before thou wilt goe to Chriſt, and therefore wilt not have all from Chriſt: therefore it is not thy baſeneſſe, and thy ſinnes that hinder thee from Chriſt, but it is thy haughtineſſe and pride.