Remains, Part 1 (2 of 3)
Thirdly, In regard of God himſelf; God is pleaſed to try his people, to Reaſ. 3 withdraw himſelf now and then from them, to leave them to themſelves, and the grace they have received; to let them alone with that; and when he doth thus, no wonder though they fall; for every man hath ſome vileneſs and rottenneſs in his heart; the wholeſt ſimpleſt heart in the world hath a deal of rottenneſs in it; I ſay, the Lord doth ſometimes leave his children to themſelves, as he did Hezekiah in the buſineſs of the Ambaſſadors, 2 Chro. 32.31. as the Church ſaith, Cant. 5.6. my beloved had withdrawn himſelf; the lovingeſt mothers may ſometimes let their little child go alone, though they know he will fall; they provide may be a rouler about his head, that whither they fall backward or forward, or any way, they may not break their skull, and do themſelves a miſchief, to undo themſelves; but when they have done thus, they will ſometimes leave them to themſelves to go, though they know they will fall; ſo the Lord doth put a rouler upon his people, that when they fall, they may not fall totally and finally, as the wicked men do; they ſhall never ſtrike into a wicked courſe, as the ungodly of the earth do; that he takes order for; but he doth many times leave them, not out of any ill will to them, but he leaves them to themſelves, though he knows they will fall; and that for divers reaſons.
Firſt, That they might be patterns to others of Gods people, that if they ſhould fall (as they may do) when they are down, they may have wherewithal to get up again; I ſay, the Lord leaves the eminenteſt of his people to themſelves, to fall into lamentable miſcarriages, that they may help inferiour people, and they may have ſomething to encourage them that God will recover them, and relieve them again, and that God will not caſt them off for ever; as Paul ſhews 1 Tim. 1.16. ſaith he, for this cauſe I obtained mercy, that in me firſt, Jeſus Chriſt might ſhew forth all long ſuffering, for a pattern to them who ſhall hereafter believe; as who ſhould ſay, there may be a perſecutor, a blaſphemer ſmitten, a vile wretch, a fighter againſt God and Jeſus Chriſt, ſuch a one may be ſmitten, and come to ſee his damned eſtate; a thouſand to one, but this man will be overwhelmed and drowned in deſpair; but ſaith he, The Lord, though I was one of his elect, yet he let me fall to this paſs, that I might be a pattern to them which ſhall afterwards believe; ſo we may ſay of Gods children after converſion; David may ſay, For this cauſe among the reſt the Lord left me to my ſelf; the Lord let me fall ſo fouly, and lifted me up again, that I might be a pattern to many poor people to the end of the world, that they may ſee the loving kindneſs of the Lord, and the infinite compaſſions, and bowels of mercy that is in the father of mercy towards them that truſt in his name; we ſhould never believe the mercy of God, the freeneſs of his grace, the goodneſs of his nature towards his beloved, towards thoſe whom he hath effectually called, were it not for ſuch examples.
Secondly, The Lord doth this for to puniſh the careleſſeneſs of his people, and their ſecurity many times; what ſin is there that is more apt to grow upon them then ſecurity? it is a ſtealing ſin, it is a ſecret and cunning ſin, that comes cloſely and ſlightly upon a man, before he is aware, if he look not to himſelf; now when a man grows to be ſecure, the Lord takes this courſe many times to eat it out, to puniſh the ſecurity of his people; Peter when he had gotten faith in Chriſt, and affection to Chriſt, when he felt that his bowels did yearn after Chriſt, and his heart was enlarged towards him,Mat. 26. he grew ſecure upon it; though all forſake thee, yet will not I; he was confident, but it was carnal confidence; for though the thing a man truſts in be the grace of God, yet as long as it is grace received, it is truſting in a mans ſelf; he therefore was carnally confident; now he would venture himſelf into the high Prieſts hall; thought he thus, affections will never be drowned; he might go any whither; well, he comes into the high Prieſts hall, and there comes into the very mouth of temptations and dangers; he doth not dream how eaſily his heart may be cauſed to deny Chriſt, he did not dream what a tickliſh heart he carried in his boſome, he grew to be bold and venturous; now the Lord to heal this ſecurity, let him fall in a deſperate manner;Mat. 26.74. he let him get a knock almoſt to beat out his brains, even to curſe and ban himſelf; not only to deny Chriſt, but with abjuration; the Lord ſeeth it is needful to do thus when people grow ſecure; we ought alwaies to carry a covenant about our eyes, to take heed where we look; and when we are in company, to have a bridle in our mouth, to take heed what we ſpeak; now if we grow careleſs and negligent, and this bridle is gone, and this covenant is gone, and our watch is taken away, no marvel though the Lord be provoked againſt us, to puniſh us, and that ſoundly, and let many of his people get a knock; and who knows how great a one? and how hard to heal again?
Thirdly, the Lord ſometimes leaves his people to themſelves, that ſo they may ſee they ſtand meerly by grace; I doe not mean by grace received, though they had all faith, though they had never ſo much knowledge, never ſo much experience and intereſt in God, never ſo much … ſenſe and feeling of him, never ſo much life, and zeal, and quickening, whatſoever it be, all the enlargements that ever any man had, I, doe not mean this▪ for a man never ſtands by this, but by the free favour of God, that is the grace a man ſtands by, the free good will and love that God doth beer unto him. Now when a childe of God ſhall have received a great d…l of grace, a great deal of knowledge and faith, &c, he is apt to be remi…ſe in ſeeking of God to direct him in that thing he knowes; he thinks he can direct himſelfe: we ſee, let a man have very good parts and knowledge, and be able to preach, how apt is he to be the leſſe in prayer to God to help him to Preach, and guide him to deliver the Word? So let another man have a great deal of knowledge, may be the man will be the leſs ſenſible of his own wretchedneſſe and ignorance, and aptneſs to miſtake and erre, and goe aſide, and ſo to be leſſe eager and earneſt with God for his continual aid, and teaching, and aſſiſting of him every moment: So let a …an have a great deal of zeal, and life, and quickening, he is apt to diſc…n the leſſe proneneſſe to coole again: And ſuppoſe a man hath mortified a luſt, nay, all his luſts, he can hardly feel he hath any deſire after ſuch a ſin; hardly any motions or ſtirrings in his heart: I tell you this man, if he takes not heed, will be a venturing; oh he thinks he is cock-ſure! he is ſo taken off from the luſts of the fleſh, that he can never catch hurt, and he may be ſometimes will admit of occaſions, and admit of drawing ſomething neer the pits brink; he is ſo mortified, he fears nothing. Now the Lord in his infinite goodneſſe to his people, leaves them to themſelves; are you ſo mortified? come, let us ſee how mortified you are, and ſo leave him to himſelfe, to ſee what the man can doe with all his knowledge, and zeal, and mortification; and now this man falls: Look how far God leaves a man, ſo far he falls; he will have his people ſee that they ſtand not by grace received, but by the free grace and favour of God: It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, Rom. 9.but in God that ſheweth mercy. No, though a man have never ſo many gracious endowments, and heavenly vertues, it is not in him that willeth, but in God that ſheweth mercy; it is in the fountain of mercy and loving kindneſſe in God. Let a man keep cloſe to God, let a man ſtill obſerve the pleaſing of God, that there may be a continual fountain open, running down upon him from day to day; for if he grow ſecure, and look not to himſelfe, he expoſeth himſelf to woful dangers.
Fourthly, The Lord leaves his people ſometimes thus fearfully to themſelves, that he might teach us to be ſenſible towards our brethren; to be mild, and meek, and piteous, and full of bowels and compaſſion towards the weakeſt and meaneſt of all the Saints of God; if we ſee but any thing of God, nay, but any likelihood that a man is of God, to be tender, for fear we ſhould wrong a childe of God; the Lord doth this of purpoſe to breed bowels, and meekneſſe, and gentleneſſe towards his people: As God lets men fall horribly before converſion, that they may carry themſelves meekly towards thoſe that are unconverted, for fear any of them ſhould be of the Elect of God; ſo he lets them fall after converſion, that they may carry themſelves ſo towards them that are converted; I ſay the Lord lets his people fall horribly into woful evils, that though they ſee a man fall never ſo much, yet they may not omit any thing to doe him good, that they may not be taken off from their bowels and compaſſion; who knowes but this man may be of God? for I was as wretched as he once, as Paul would have the Cretians take notice of this, they were horrible ſinners before converſion, lyars, ſlow-bellies; now ſaith he, Tit. 3.2. Speak to them that they ſhew all meekneſſe to all men. Mark his reaſon, ver. 3. We our ſelves alſo were ſometimes fooliſh, diſobedient, &c. We our ſelves were thus, therefore let us ſhew meekneſſe to all whatſoever, and let us be kinde, and full of bowels and compaſſion towards them, ſtudying how to doe them good, and prevent all manner of evil, and labour to win them, if it be poſſible, with all meekneſſe and condiſcending; who knows but they may be of God? for we our ſelves have been malicious and ſpightful, ignorant, haters, and have ſerved divers luſts and pleaſures▪ ſo it is with people after converſion; the Lord lets them fall into horrible ſinnes, and diſtempers, that ſo they may be gentle, and that they may have the ſpirit of meekneſſe towards all men; a man is apt to be ſevere, and rude, and rigid towards others, if he hath gotten any thing himſelfe; if he hath gotten a little knowledge, a little zeal, a little faith, a little humility, a little ability to pleaſe God, he is apt to think it ſuch a deal, and he is apt to cry down every one that is not as he is, You are ſo proud▪ and ſo thus and thus: and to take off his heart from doing thoſe duties which he owes towards him; a man is apt to be very inſolent in the Church of God; many are thus, till God doth take them down; therefore the Lord by this means doth teach his people gentleneſſe and meekneſſe; indeed God teacheth people many wayes beſides this; if they will take warning by his Word, or ſome other courſe, they ſave him a labour; but if that will not doe, God takes this courſe with a man, to make him ſee his pride, and conceitedneſſe, and his want of mercy, and unlikeneſſe to Chriſt, in bowels, and pity, and compaſſion towards his brethren.
Fifthly, The Lord leaves his own children to themſelves ſometimes to fall ſo foulely, that he may humble them, and bring them down low, that he may make them ſee yet further into the corruptions of their own hearts, that ſo he may make them capable of more grace; for he gives grace to the humble. James 4.Now when he would give more grace to a man, may be he lets him fall into ſome horrible ſinne, that he may be the more humbled, and ſee the naughtineſſe of his own heart, that he may be driven to God, and may be deeper in mortification; may be he thought he could goe no furthrer; he did pleaſe himſelf in his prayers; as I have heard of one that ſaid, when he had prayed, he could hardly ſee any ſinne in his prayer. Now when the Lord is pleaſed to beſtow upon them more grace, he doth ſhew them the corruptions. You know how often God let his people fall in the Wilderneſſe, and that horribly, by murmuring, and repining, and infidelity; though they were his own choſen, yet he let them fall at the waters of ſtrife, and at the red Sea he let them fall; he let them fall concerning Manna: why was this? the text ſaith, The Lord thy God he proved thee, he led thee up and down in all this barren wilderneſſe, where were Scorpions and fiery Serpents, that he might humble thee, and doe thee good in thy latter end, Deut. 8.15, 16. Meaning, the Lord let them fall into thoſe horrible evils, that he might humble them, that they might ſee the wickedneſſe of their own hearts, and the infinite need they had of grace, and the fear of God, and ſtanding upon their guard; this did he to humble them, and do them good in the latter end.
The firſt Uſe may ſeem to condemn thoſe ſpeeches that commonly go up & down in Chriſtians mouths,Ʋſe. let me tell you they are wicked ſpeeches; O, ſay they, grace will not let a man have ſuch pride and vanity in him; grace will not let a man do thus and thus; I ſay theſe ſpeeches are not good; they favour of a world of ignorance of the grace of God: Indeed in three caſes theſe are admirable ſpeeches.
Firſt, Certainly grace will bring a man home to God that belongs to him; it will put him into Jeſus Chriſt; it will certainly make him a new creature, and bring him out of the eſtate of ſinne; he ſhall not live in the eſtate of ſin; grace will do that, and God in the covenant of grace doth ſet down that it is a fundamental promiſe, he will do this for every one; as the Apoſtle ſaith, Eph. 4.7. this grace will ſurely undertake that a man ſhall be a believer (if he belong to God) and he ſhall be juſtified and ſanctified in ſome meaſure, he ſhall hate ſin, and love goodneſs in ſome meaſure, and delight in Gods ordinances in ſome meaſure; he ſhall be in the eſtate of grace▪ and not in the eſtate of ſin; grace will do this; this we may boldly ſay, if a man have grace he, muſt do this, for God will teach him to do it.
Secondly, Grace will undertake that a man ſhall not fall finally away; that is certain, that we may boldly ſay, if a man be of God, grace will teach him that he ſhall not fall away finally, grace will uphold a man and maintain him; when we ſee a man fall away finally, we may conclude he had no true grace; Gods children ſhall never fall finally away, God will preſerve and keep them; whom he loves he loves, to the end; of all thoſe that my Ju…ti… …ath given me I have loſt none, ſaith Chriſt, Joh. 17. neither life, nor death, things preſent, nor things to come, Joh. 13.1.ſhall ever be able to ſeparate us from th… love of God in Chriſt Jeſus, ſaith Paul, Rom. 8. ult. that is moſt certain, bleſſed and happy is he that hath his part in the firſt reſurrection, for over ſuch the ſecond death hath no power, Rev. 2 26. that is, ſuch a man can never come to be damned, he can never fall finally away, or periſh everlaſtingly; there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt, that walk not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit, Rom. 8.1. & v. 30. whom God hath predeſtinated, them he hath alſo called, &c. there is an individual necture of all the links of the chain of predeſtination; in all the ſeveral buckles of it, there is an indiviſible connexion; if a man be called, he ſhall be juſtified, and if he be juſtified, he ſhall be ſanctified; and if he be ſanctified, he ſhall be glorified; ſo that grace will undertake this, that a man ſhall not fall finally away.
Thirdly, We may ſay that grace will not ſuffer any man that is of God to fall totally away; as not finally for ever, ſo not totally; he ſhall not be altogether without grace, from that moment he began to have it for ever and ever; he that drinketh of this water ſhall never thirſt, &c. Joh. 4.14. that is, he ſhall never thirſt with total indigency again, he ſhall never thirſt with total want; he ſhall ever have ſome grace, and ſome of the image of God, and ſome of the fear of God, and ſome of the love of his truth, and ſome deſire to his name, and ſome hatred of ſin, though in a poor degree, yet he ſhall have ſomething of God in him; there ſhall be the ſeed of God remaining in him at all times, 1 Joh. 3.9. my feet were almoſt gone (ſaith David) Pſal. 73.2. they were but almoſt gone, they were not quite gone; as it is ſaid of the Church of Philadelphia, ſhe had a little ſtrength; ſo let a child of God be at the loweſt ebbe, yet there ſhall be a little water of life,Rev. 3.8. it ſhall not be quite exhauſt; though he fall he ſhall not be utterly caſt down, for the Lord will uphold him, Pſal. 37.24. ſo that all this you may boldly ſay, for in theſe things it is not conditionally Gods covenant, but abſolutely for God will give thee ſtrength and power, and faith, and direction, and aſſiſtance; he will not only give thee the thing, but the condition alſo here, that a man ſhall be a believer, and a new creature; and if a man be once a new creature, he ſhall never be an old creature again altogether; the covenant of grace is ſo, which is an everlaſting covenant; God will forgive their ſins, and remember then no more: but now for particular paſſages; for a man to ſay that a man cannot be proud and diſtempred, but grace will heal him; a man cannot have an hard heart, but grace will ſoften it; theſe are ill ſpeeches, men know not what they ſay when they ſay thus; for in particular paſſages the children of God have no promiſe, but only upon condition that they ſtand upon their guard; but to be defended from particular evils, and to be ſaved from particular diſtempers, and horrible diſtempers, without ſtanding upon their guard, and taking heed, and cleaving unto God, without carefulneſs and watchfulneſs, and having a diligent eye to their wayes they have no promiſe for this; as the Prophet told Aſa; you know Aſa was a good man, it ſeems he was of this mind, grace will teach a man and ſo forth; but ſee what the Prophet told him, 2 C…ron. 15.2. the Lord is with you, while you are with him, &c. he doth not mean that the Lord would forſake Aſa and all his people in regard of eternal life, that they ſhould not have eternal life that forſake him, that they ſhould be altogether without grace, but he ſpeaks here of particular paſſages of this or that ſin, or this or that danger, this or that miſchief either in ſoul or body; ſaith he, the Lord is with you, as long as you are with him; and if you ſeek him, he will be found of you; but if you forſake him, he will forſake you: this is moſt certain: 'tis true, God doth not do thus alwayes but when he doth not do thus, it is more then we can expect; for if we be careleſs and negligent, we can look for nothing at Gods hand; we may look up to him that he would not undo us, and caſt us off for ever, but we cannot look that he ſhould free us from this ſin, or this diſtemper, from this dulneſs and untowardneſs in going on; we cannot look that God ſhould free us from theſe ſins, unleſs we draw neer to him, and cleave to him, and keep by him; if we forſake him, he will forſake us; as for inſtance, ſuppoſe the Sacrament of the Lords Supper were to be adminiſtred; now a true believer may comfortably look to have peace and comfort, to have the promiſe ſealed to his ſoul, and to have his faith ſtrengthned, and his ſpirit revived, and his graces enlarged by the Sacrament, for there be promiſes made to him for this purpoſe; but how are they made? not ſimply and abſolutely, that howſoever he comes it ſhall be ſo, but let him prepare himſelf for the Sacrament, let him examine himſelf, let him whet his heart, and be ſenſible of his wants and neceſſities, let him be earneſt with God to be with him in his ordinance; but if a man do neglect this, when he hath been at the Sacrament, he ſhall not have peace and comfort, nor the promiſe of God ſealed to him, but he ſhall be more doubting then he was before, and more with the wrath of God in his ſoul, and ſhall have more diſtempers and overwhelmings then he had formerly; ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 11.31. ſpeaking of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, we muſt judge our-ſelves, and then we ſhall not be judged of the Lord; the Lord will bleſs us, we ſhall eat and drink ſalvation to our ſelves, we ſhall eat and drink to our own peace and comfort, and glory, and to our increaſe in grace; but if we do not judge our ſelves, we ſhall be judged of the Lord; here is a condition; ſo for the preaching of the word, we have the miniſtry of the word among us up and down; we hear it day after day, line upon line, precept upon precept; this is very good, there is a promiſe for the children of God to grow up in knowledge, and that they ſhall thrive under theſe bleſſed ordinances, and be ſtrengthned by them, for temptations, miſeries, and woful times, they ſhall be well ſtored with a great deal of knowledge and experience; 'tis true, if you be careful while you have the word, and receive it with thankfulneſs and good affections, and ſtir up your ſelves to prize the word of God, and ſtir up in your ſelves an eager and earneſt hunger and thirſting after it, and will not ſuffer in your ſouls awkneſs, and untowardneſs, and formality to creep upon you; but if you hear Gods word, and do not apply it aright, God knows what woful miſeries you may fall into, if you look not to theſe things;Why Gods people are to ſtand upon their guard. in all theſe things the Lord looks his people ſhould ſtand upon their guard.
Reaſ. 1 The firſt reaſon is, becauſe grace looks for this; 'tis true, Gods covenant is everlaſting; but for particulars, grace muſt be ſtirred up; if thou haſt any faith, thou muſt provoke thy faith; if thou haſt any promiſe belonging to thee, thou muſt make uſe of that promiſe; if thou haſt any fear of God, thou muſt look to cheriſh it, and nouriſh it, and look that it doth not die and decay; for grace is of that nature, it muſt be ſtirred up, 2 Tim. 1.6. as it is with a bowle, though the bowle be made never ſo right, and fit to run this way, and that way, yet if a man doe bowle it on the ground overgrowne with graſſe, it will have an hundred rubs, and will not goe; ſo if thou let thy heart be overgrown with luſts and corruptions, grace will move dully; unleſſe you make way for it, and ſtir it up, it will gather ruſt, and a ruſty key will not readily open the door; a ruſty grace, a neglected grace will never work kindly: Take faith, or knowledge, or experience, or any other grace, if you neglect it, if you ſtir it not up, it works but poorly, not as though a mans ſtirring did the thing; no, it is grace that doth all.
Secondly, Another reaſon is, becauſe there is no promiſe in all the Bible Reaſon. 2 for the keeping of the children of God from this or that ſin abſolutely, but only upon condition; there is no hold that a ſoul can have upon God to bear him up, if he be careleſſe; 'tis certain that God in his infinite wiſedome hath not left the converſion of people, and their ſtanding in grace in this faſhion, that in caſe, they will be converted, ſo; if not, let them die and periſh; no, but he will convert them, and he will give them a will to yield; he will make them of unwilling to be willing, and will turn them home unto him; and when …hey are converted, he doth not ſay, this man I will bring to my Kingdome and Glory, if he ſtand upon his guard, and be carefull, if not, he ſhall periſh; no, God is abſolutely minded he ſhall be ſaved; and though he hath played the undutiful beaſt,2 Sam. 7… He will chaſten him with rods, but his loving kindneſs he will not take away for ever; nay,Jer. 32. he will give him an heart to cleave to him for ever, that he ſhall not goe quite away from him; and this is the infinite goodneſſe of God, that he doth not hang their eternal life upon their own wills; if he did, no fleſh would he ſaved; here is the goodneſſe of God: but now for particular paſſages, they have no ſuch hold of God▪ but they are turned to the uſe of the meanes; a man is turned to the uſe of the means in the other too; a man cannot think to ſtand in grace to hold out at all, but he muſt look to the uſe of the meanes; but in caſe men have neglected, God will not take his people upon the lurch; but here he may take them, and for ought we know, he will take them upon the lurch, if they grow careleſſe; when we meet with a temptation, we venture upon it, ſuppoſe it be to be earthly, and vain, and omit good duties, take heed; who knowes what God may doe? how he may break our hearts, and rend us, and teare in pieces; who knowes what may fall for dulneſſe, and deadneſſe, and untowardneſſe, and want of peace of conſcience, for irkſomeneſſe and awkneſſe, that a man hath an helliſh life from day to day; we may fall into this; the beſt of all Gods people, if they ſtand not upon their guard, nay, watchfulneſſe is the thing that is commended to us. God hath ſhewed us when we may have all grace, and be kept from all deadneſſe; and when we may have life, and comfort, and quickening, and when he will be found of us, namely, when we ſeek him with all our hearts; but let a man be careleſſe of ſeeking of God, he will be careleſſe of him; and if a man doe not ſtir up the grace of God, let him know he falls into the hands of a conſuming fire; he is not only ſo to the Reprobate, but even to his Saints and children, if they grow careleſſe; therefore when Paul was about to leave the world, he gives Timothy this charge, O Timothy, preach in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, &c. what followes? watch thou in all things; as who ſhould ſay, may be you ſhall meet with many temptations and diſcouragements, and therefore watch in all things, 2 Tim. 4, 5. as Chriſt ſaith, What I ſay to you, I ſay to all, Watch, Mark 13.37.
Becauſe we ſee this by experience in the Saints of God in all ages, that ſometimes God leaves his people; and when he doth leave them, they fall into grievous ſinnes; this cannot be denied; for experience proves it in every generation: You ſee Jacob himſelfe, how grievouſly he ſinned, he yielded to his Mother to tell a lye, thinking to get a bleſſing by an untruth, by ſaying he was Eſau, when he was not; and you ſee what miſery he brought upon himſelfe by it; even twenty years bondage that one ſinne did coſt that poor man; he thought to get the bleſſing; for it was Gods promiſe; but by his unlawful going about it, God kept him from it in a terrible manner, and brought him a wide way about; and ſo we might inſtance in many other Saints of God; for this is moſt certain, let a man be the deareſt of Gods ſervants, yet if ſinne be yielded unto, it will difuſe a man of Gods Ordinances, and make a man untoward to good duties; it will make a breach between God and the ſoul; it will drive him, and carry him into thickets and buſhes, as Adam; the Spirit of God will turn away the gale of his breath, and then how uncomfortable a man ſhall be in good duties, we may think with our ſelves, and reaſon the caſe in our own ſouls; it will be ſo, for God is an holy God; for though he love his people that rejoyce in his name, yet he hath ſaid, that all their wayes ſhould be with trembling, Pſal. 2.11.
Queſt.But you will ſay, Is grace indifferent in regard of particular paſſages? grace will work, a man ſhall be converted, and ſhall not fall totally and finally away; but in particular paſſages is grace indifferent, to let a man doe what he lift? God forbid; that man hath no grace that hath ſuch thoughts.
Anſw.For firſt grace when it comes into the ſoul, it ſets up an univerſal principle to ſerve God, not only in the main courſe of his life, but in every particular, to hate all ſinne, and in every particular, to love all good duties; and every particular, to be careful at home and abroad, and in his calling; in company and alone; in health and ſickneſſe; in all eſtates; whether he be rich or poor; whether he be perſecuted or not perſecuted; in all conditions of life to hate all ſin, and follow all goodneſſe; grace ſets up this principle whereſoever it is; but yet a man may fall into a thouſand ſinnes, if he be not watchful; but if there be not ſuch a principle in thy heart, thou art not a child of God, and a believer, Pſal. 119▪3. The people of God are deſcribed by this, They doe no iniquity, they walk in his wayes. He ſpeaks of this principle, not that they may not fall, but if they doe, it is meerly againſt the principle; if a man hath true grace, he hath a principle to love and fear God; not only for the main, but in every particular paſſage.
Secondly, It is plain that cannot be the meaning of it, that grace is indifferent, becauſe that if grace be truly in any man, it doth ſet up a watch in the ſoul to preſerve it, that the man ſhall be eager not to ſin in any particular, and deſirous in ſome meaſure, and careful in ſome degree, to doe all manner of good; if a man give way to the luſts of the fleſh, his care may be brought to a low ebb; but grace ſets up a watch in the ſoule, and breeds care, and deſire, and purpoſes, and reſolutions, and revenge upon his own luſts, and abundance of things, as you may ſee 2 Cor. 7.11. So that grace will not let a man be indifferent; therefore when we ſay for particulars, God doth not undertake this or that; the meaning is not as if grace would only convert a man, and keep him from falling totally and finally away; but for particulars it is indifferent; this is to blaſpheme the grace of God; but the meaning is, though a man be the childe of God and never ſo much mortified, if this man ſhould grow careleſſe, and remiſs, and ſecure, and give way to ſin, grace doth not undertake to keep a man from the fearfulleſt falls that can be, nor from the fearfulleſt diſtempers. Indeed when a man hath play'd the beaſt, God may preſerve him, but a man cannot look for this at the hands of God; who knows how God will deal with him, if he be unthankful to God for his grace and goodneſs, and mercy vouchſafed unto him?
The ſecond Uſe: Is is ſo that a child of God may be left to himſelfe to Ʋſe 2 fall fouly, then let every one that hopes he hath any grace, learn the words of Saint Paul, Work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2 12. Hath any man gotten quickening? goe on with fear and trembling; hath any got ſoftneſs of heart? in the fear of God goe on with a trembling heart, and conſider how brittle your hearts are; they are like glaſs, you had need goe charily and tenderly up and down; grace is a fine delicate thing; if it be cheriſhed and preſerved, and ſtirred up, what a deal of good may a man attain unto? if God hath been good to any of us, to give us any ſaving grace, we are very fooles if we look not to it; it is a dainty and delicate thing; it cannot enter indeed into a mans heart to conceive what a great mercy God hath vouchſafed unto him, if he hath beſtowed any grace upon him; therefore be chary of it, and remember Lots Wife; remember thoſe fearful examples▪ remember how David brake his bones; remember the miſerable, diſtreſſed, uncomfortable condition thou mayſt bring thy ſoul into▪ if thou doſt not take heed to thy ſelfe? and if thou beeſt in ſuch a condition, conſider what gracious promiſes there are to help thee up again, and what gracious examples, to make thee think with thy ſelfe, there is yet grace, and mercy, and quickening for me; and if I ſeek God, he will aſſuredly be found of me.
The third Uſe. Is it ſo, that a childe of God may fall ſo foulely? Then Ʋſe. 3 let not any man ſtumble at this Doctrine; let not any think a childe of God cannot fall to be ſo dead; I ſay, doe not ſtumble at it, but rather ſee if it be not thy caſe, if thou art not fallen down into this depth of miſery; for what have I ſaid? did not I ſay that a childe of God might loſe his zeal? Look abroad what zeal is up and down, what yearnings when the Church is in miſery; nay, what need we look abroad? who hath zeal againſt his own ſins and corruptions? Again, did I not ſay that a childe of God may loſe his affections? what affections are now a dayes? we heare Sermons, but what affections are ſtirred up, either in hearing, or ſpeaking the Word of God? So for prayer, what affections are there in prayer? So for ſin, what griefe is there for our ſins? There is no affection or ſorrow at all in us. Where is that ſame anguiſh of heart that ſhould be in us for our corruptions? they are even loſt; I ſpeak not of wicked men only, but even of good people, though they be ſenſible of their deadneſſe, and hardneſſe of heart, though they ſee it, yet they are not able to relent at it; Then for deſires, where are they? Did I ſay a childe of God may have hardly any deſire almoſt, not be able to wreſtle with God for grace, and tug for it; and is not this our caſe? What frozen prayers? what cold devotions are ſent up from day to day? So, did I ſay a childe of God may be ſenſeleſſe of ſin? How far hath this diſtemper grown upon us now a dayes? our hearts might even ake to be privy to that backwardneſſe, and untowardneſſe, and unfruitfulneſſe; I ſay, it might make us to be at our wits end, until we were delivered, and yet no man complaines; there is complaining in a dull manner, but no mans heart burſts almoſt. Again, did I ſay a childe of God may grow palpably vain, and proud, and worldly, that a man that hath but halfe an eye may ſee it, and take notice of it? is not it thus among us? how do we diſcover our ſhame whereſoever we come? thoſe that have but half an eye ſee how worldly we are, and how we have no mind to God, and the things of eternal life; is not this our converſation from day to day? nay, the very world ſees it, they ſee how heartleſs good people are grown.
Ʋſe 4 The laſt uſe may be to rap all mens fingers off, that think to comfort themſelves with this that hath been ſaid; there are theſe things will anſwer theſe conceits; firſt, all this is nothing to thee, unleſs thou we…t once a godly, holy, zealous man; for all theſe, examples are of men that were once zealous and forward for God and goodneſs; they were once changed from the eſtate of nature to the eſtate of grace: And again, when they were fallen, they gat up again, and were the more wary and watchful afterwards, but it is not ſo with thee.
…uſes of …dneſs. …. Gener.Now we come in the next place to ſhew what are the cauſes of this deadneſs of mens hearts, in theſe times wherein God hath revealed himſelf more fully and clearly; the general reaſon of this is the giving way to ſin, and not looking to themſelves to abſtain from ſin, and have a care of the commandments of God, and walking before him as they ought to do, which thing is an horrible deader of the heart; as Solomon ſpeaks concerning the adulterer,P…ov. 9.18. he knows not that the dead are there; when a man gives way to ſin, to worldlineſs, or paſſ…on, or any other corruption, he doth even go where the dead are, and there where the gueſts of hell are; if a man gives way to pleaſure, to be carried away with ſinful delights, this will dead a mans heart; as the Apoſtle ſheweth of the Widows that lived in pleaſure, 1 Tim. 5.6. they were dead while they were alive; as ſoon as ever David gave way to his ſinful corruptions, his heart was deaded preſently upon it, as may appear by the prayer he had afterwards, when he came to himſelf, and to look out for quickning, uphold me with thy free ſpirit, Pſal. 51.12. as who ſhould ſay, I feel a baſe dull ſlaviſh ſpirit come upon me, that former livelineſs that was in me it is wofully decayed; ſin had made a mighty breach in his ſoul, it had knockt off his wheels and made him dull, and therefore he is fain to pray that God would give him a free ſpirit again; ſo it was with Peter, as ſoon as ever he had given way to his curioſity, and ſecurity, and preſumption, he would needs go and ſee ſights, he would go into the high Prieſts hall, and ſee how the buſineſs went; he did not ſee the proneneſs of his heart to be carried into ſin; now you may ſee how wofully it deaded his heart in a moment, as ſoon as the damſel ſpake, thou alſo wert with Jeſus of Galilee; a man would wonder how no life at all almoſt appeared in that mans heart; if he had had any life, would he have carried himſelf in that faſhion? his life was ſo gone, that he curſed and ſware that he never knew the man;Mat. 26.47. if he had any life in him, he would rather have ſaid, what if I were with Jeſus of Galilee? I was with him, and I am with him, and I will be with him, I am ready to dye with him, I profeſs my ſelf to be his Diſciple; he had no heart in the world to ſtand for Jeſus Chriſt; he had no heart to appear in pleading for him, and expoſe himſelf to danger for him; he was now called to it, but he had no heart at all; ſin it is even like aſhes caſt upon the fire, the fire cannot then ſend forth its heat; ſo ſin doth even caſt aſhes upon the ſoul, that it cannot expreſs ſuch life as otherwiſe it would.
The firſt reaſon is, becauſe ſin is a ſoul killing thing; it is like▪ Mare Mortuum, the fiſhes dye as ſoon as ever they come there; ſo when the Divel hooks a man into ſin, he hooks him into the dead ſea; as the Apoſtle ſaith of the Epheſians, you were dead in ſins; if the Divel can but hook a man into ſin,…h. 2. he is preſently in the dead ſea; Hoſ. 13.12. it is ſaid of Ephraim, when he offended in Baal he died, &c. before, when their affections were up, and they trembled before God, they were lively; but when they gave way to ſin and iniquity, the Church preſently died, they withered away more and more till they came to nothing; therefore the Apoſtle calls the Law of ſin, the Law of death; the Law of the ſpirit of Chriſt hath freed us from the Law of ſin, and of death, Rom. 8.2. ſin doth even bring a man to deaths door; it doth weaken all the powers and faculties of the ſoul, that a man cannot ſtir to any duty; it makes a man like a ſnake that is frozen with the cold, it cannot ſtir; ſo it is with a man when he gives way to ſin and iniquity, it freezeth all the powers that are in him, and leſſeneth all the powers of Gods ſpirit; it is even like a weight, as the Apoſtle calls it, Heb. 12.1. If a man ſhould have a great weight upon his back, fetters upon his legs, how can that man go? he muſt needs go very dully; ſo it is with ſin and iniquity; when a man gives way to it, it is like plumets of lead, like great weights and burthens that clog a mans heart and affections, it makes them dull and lumpiſh and heavy to any thing that is good; as Chriſt ſpeaks of the cares of this life, if a man give way to them, they will overcharge the heart; they will lie heavy that the heart cannot ſtir, Luke 21.34. ſin poyſons all the ſoul, it poyſons the mind that a man cannot look upon things as he did; it poyſons a mans heart, though his heart were deeply affected towards God; it is ſtrange, if a man give way to ſin, how it will take off the affections from God, it ſeparates between God and the ſoul, and comes between God the fountain of life and the ſoul, and therefore muſt needs be a killing and deading thing.
Secondly, Sin is a deading thing, becauſe it doth grieve the holy ſpirit of God that dwels in a man; you know all the quickning of a Chriſtian conſiſts in the gracious aſſiſtance of Gods ſpirit; as long as Gods ſpirit is pleaſed to go along with us, and work our works for us, then we can pray and deny our ſelves, then we are fitted to every good word and work; but if the ſpirit of God retire, if it withdraw and ſuſpend his actions, and forbear his operations, what can a man do? a man is even a block without the ſpirit of God; now though the ſpirit of God delight never ſo much in doing good to the Saints, and delight in accompanying of them, and a…i…ting of them▪ and enlarging of them in all their wayes; yet if they give way to ſin directly, he will be grieved, and ſent ſad back again to heaven, as it were; and when the ſpirit of God is grieved, all muſt needs go ſad and heavy with the child of God; ſuppoſe a child of God give way to vain talk and diſcourſe; you ſhall ſee what the Apoſtle ſaith, this will grieve the ſpirit of God; grieve not the ſpirit of God, whereby ye are ſealed to the day of redemption, Eph. 4.13. he ſpeaks of that very ſin, if a man give way to it, the ſpirit of God will be grieved; though formerly he was pleaſed mightily to help, yet now he will withdraw: and then how dully ſhall a man go on? ſo if we ſhould give way to the ſuffering of our hearts not to be affected with God and his truth, not to ſee God in all his wayes, in all his goodneſs, and dealings, that we ſhould not be thankful, this will quench the ſpirit of God, it will quench its motions; as if a man ſhould pour pail-fuls of water upon the fire, ſo this will quench the ſpirit of God, 1 Theſ. 5.18, 19. there is a manifeſt dependence between all thoſe exhortations; and this is certain, let a man once not be affected with God, let him not ſee Gods goodneſs in all his wayes, let him not be affected with Gods mercy and loving kindneſs, it will quench the ſpirit of God; and then conſider what a lamentable caſe a man ſhall be in.
Thirdly, Sin muſt needs dead a mans heart, becauſe it doth put a moſt woful bitter hard task upon the ſoul to go through; for you know hard tasks ſtir up reluctancy againſt them; when a man hath an hard task to go through, the very thought of it dulls him; it is like a ſtone upon his heart; now let a man ſin againſt grace and the goodneſs of God, and Gods gracious dealing, let a man ſin againſt theſe, it doth put a man to a moſt hard task to go through, to go and humble himſelf before Almighty God; and the ſoul ſhall find a world of conflicts, that he is loth to come to it, loth to deal about this bitter buſineſs, to go about to renew his repentance with bitter remorſe for his ſins; it is like a deſperate debtor that hath run himſelf over head and ears in debt; the very thought of coming to a reckoning is death to him, he cannot abide to think of it; it is like a boy that hath made falſe Latine; if his Maſter ſhould call him to conſtrue and pearſe it, and give a rule for every word, he knows it is not according to rule, he hath not looked after rule, and every thing is falſe; now he cannot abide to come to conſtrue and pearſe it; ſo when a man hath provoked God by his ſins, and hath broken his covenant, and ſlighted his ordinances, when God calls him to conſtrue and pearſe, what do you make of ſuch an action, and ſuch a word, and ſuch a thought? the heart is even afraid of theſe things, as a dog is of a whip; it is an hard task to be brought to this; as David, when he had yielded to his ſecurity, and idleneſs, and unwatchfulneſs, and ſo had given way to Satan, you may ſee what an hard task he brought upon his ſoul, and how his ſoul was ever afraid to go about humiliation; how many frowning looks doth a man caſt upon the pykes he muſt go through, if he mean to obtain mercy; it even deads him as a dagger at his heart; David was loth to come to this, to come to a reckoning, to come to be humbled; when Bathſheba ſent him word that ſhe was with child, then God called him to a reckoning to be humbled; God told him to his face it is high time to be humbled, and aſhamed; God hath been laying rods in brine for thee, and to bring thee upon the ſtage, and to make thee odious and vile in the ſight of the world; yet he was loth to come to a reckoning, he ſhun'd it, and ſhut his eyes from ſeeing it, he deviſed tricks to ſend Ʋriah home to his Wife; and when this would not be, but Ʋriah carried himſelf conſtantly, with feeling of the caſe of the Church that then lay in the field againſt their enemies; this could not but call for humbling, yet he ſhunned it ſtill, and inſtead of humbling himſelf, he went further into the briars, and made Ʋriah drunk, thinking then he would go home; it is impoſſible but he ſhould ſee the hand of God in all this, that he gave him a warning to down on his knees; but he ſhunned it again, and inſtead of humbling himſelf, he deviſed the death of Ʋriah, and when news came Ʋriah is dead, which one would think ſhould have been as an hammer to have knockt him down, he puts this off, the ſword kills one as well as another; and till the Lord was pleaſed to ſet it on, he could not be brought to humble himſelf; thus it is, ſin puts an hard task upon a man; a man may eaſily ſlip into ſin, it is a merry way unto it; but when a man is once in, he cannot get out again, without tearing and rending, and abaſing, and caſting himſelf down before God; this is an hard task, and the ſoul ſhall find abundance of reluctancies, and the very thought of it deads the ſoul, unleſs the Lord be the more merciful.
A fourth reaſon why ſin deads a man, is, becauſe ſin defiles the conſcience, for ſin is a dead work, and it goes into the conſcience and defiles it, until it be purged by the blood of Chriſt, Heb. 9.14. ſin is a dead work, and the winding ſheet of it is the conſcience; preſently as ſoon as a man doth iniquity, this dead work runs into the conſcience; and catcheth hold, and this defiles the conſcience, and puts guilt into it; and nothing in the world more deads a man then a guilt▪conſcience; why becauſe it knocks a mans fingers off from that which ſhould enliven and quicken him, it makes him ſee that he doth defile Gods promiſes if he medle with them, Iſa. 38.16. the promiſes of God are the things by which men live; now when the conſcience is guilty, it doth even knock a mans fingers off from the promiſes, it tells him this guilt muſt out firſt, before he can apply the promiſes, nay, the very hearing of the promiſes deads his heart, and this is the reaſon why good people, as long as they have not clear conſciences, rather call for Sermons of judgement then of mercy; and their conſciences ſay the promiſes doe not belong to me; I know God is an holy God, and his promiſes holy, and it is no meddling with them without holineſſe; therefore when a man gives way to ſin, he muſt needs dead his heart, becauſe he defiles his own conſcience; and therefore no wonder that there is ſo much deadneſſe up and downe, when there is hardly a clear conſcience in the Country; nay, good people, how ſlightly doe they deal in this caſe, and hinder their own life and quickning, becauſe they have not a care to come before God with a cleare conſcience!
The fifth Reaſon is, Becauſe ſin doth either utterly deſtroy, or mightily weaken all aſſurance of welcome with God; and therefore no marvel if it dead the heart; for if a man cannot look for comfort and entertainment with God when he goeth to him, it takes man off from that willingneſs to come into Gods preſence, it makes a man ſhie of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt, and his Ordinances; it makes a man that he hath no deſire to pray almoſt, nay, ſometimes he hath no heart at all; nay, ſometimes he totally omits the duty, he is ſo afraid, he cannot goe to God without carnal feares and miſ-givings, and horrours; and this takes the heart quite off for a time, that he cannot pray at all; it is like a childe when he hath committed ſome villany that he knows his father knowes, he is ſhy of coming into his fathers preſence, he is afraid to come where his father is, he knowes be ſhall be chid, and hear of his doings; ſo it is in this caſe; it is not thus with wicked and ungodly men; for they can look God in the face; but Gods own people, when they ſin againſt God; it muſt needs take off that cheerful willingneſs to goe before God, that delight to be in his preſence, that comfort in prayer; ſinne makes it an irkſome thing; ſinne makes a man to have little heart to deal with God; for the heart doth not love to be caught by God in Satans company, or of any luſt; as a ſervant cannot abide that his Maſter ſhould take him in any villany or unfaithfulneſſe, if he hath been unfaithful, it would kill his heart that his Maſter ſhould take him in it; ſo it is with Gods children, let them ſinne againſt God; it doth dull and dead their hearts, in regard of the throne of grace, it makes them have ſmall heart to come before it: See it in Jonah;Jonah 1. when he had fled away from God, and had put off Gods charge, and was gone downe to Jo…p…, and was ſhipped into the Sea, ſee whether he had any minde to pray, or call upon God or no; he had none in the earth; nay, he was afraid of God, and ſhy of his preſence, he knew he ſhould be upbraided; indeed when God laid it upon his conſcience, then Jonah prayed; but he did not pray before that, if he did, it was as good as nothing: So it is noted of David, when he had committed his ſins, he confeſſeth he roared to God, but we can hear of no prayer; but when God ſent Nathan, then he could pray; it is the title of the 51. Pſalm, A Pſalm of David when Nathan came to him; then he could pray; but all the while ſinne lay upon his ſoul, he could not pray▪ or if he did, he did but roar, he came before God with horror, and unbelief, and diſmay, and had no comfort; Now when a man is privy to ſin, what man that hath the knowledge of God▪ how ill God likes theſe courſes, how ill he likes a mans pride and ſecurity, and neglect of worſhip and ſervice; how can it chuſe but the thought of theſe things ſhould gall his heart? And thus we ſee for the general, that it is ſinne that deads mens hearts, when they give way to it.
Now for particulars,2 Partic. What are thoſe ſins that cauſe this deadneſſe up and down? Firſt, the niggardlineſs of people in Gods ſervice, they will do no more for him then they muſt needs doe, whereas a quickened heart that loves quickning, will rather overdoe then underdoe, and will rather ſuper-abound, then be wanting; there are many duties in Religion that we have no expreſs text of Scripture for, for ſuch a quantity, or ſuch a meaſure, or ſuch a time, or how often; as how often we ſhould pray in ſecret every day, how often we ſhould meditate, and how long at a time, how much we ſhould give out of almes, how much we ſhould doe thus and thus; the duty is commanded, but the quantity for time or frequency is not expreſſed in Scripture; there be a thouſand things of this nature. Now a man that loves his own quickning, will rather overdoe in this caſe then underdoe; as it was vvith Philemon, Phil. 21. Paul you knovv was to entreat him to doe an act of kindneſs to receive Oneſimus; now, ſaith he, I know thou wilt doe more then I ask of thee, &c. He would rather overdoe then underdoe: So it was with the Iſraelites, when God would have them offer to the building of the Tabernacle; he did not tell them how much, but they would rather overdoe then underdoe, Exod. 36.5. They brought ſo much, that the Lord was fain to ſay there was enough, and too much: So it was with the Macedonians, 2 Cor. 8.3. Paul asked a little, they gave more: So it is with a man that loves quickning; if God bid him pray twice a day, rather then fail he will pray thrice a day; if God hath required ſome time in his ſervice, he will rather give him more time then afford him ſmaller time, as Chriſt ſaith, If a man will have thy coat, let him have thy cloak alſo; as who ſhould ſay, rather overdo then underdoe, if thou beeſt called to doe any thing for the glory of God, and the good of thine own ſoul, or the good of others; we ſhould imitate God in this; God gives his people above that which they ask; ſo we ſhould doe more then is asked. I doe not mean as if we could do more then God bids us; for God requires all the heart, and all the minde, and all the ſtrength;Matth. 22. but I ſpeak of a frank and free heart; when he doth not know what meaſure God ſets down in his Word, he will rather doe more then leſſe; he will rather be with the forwardeſt then with the backwardeſt, if he love his own quickning; but when a man growes niggardly in Gods ſervice, and will doe no more then needs muſt, and takes advantage that he may doe as little as may be, this deads the heart; becauſe there is no expreſſe place in Scripture for prayer in this kinde, he will take any advantage in the world, for his own ſecurity, and worldlineſs, and littleneſs in Gods ſervice, he lieth at catch; in this caſe this man ſets open his heart to all deadneſs; therefore no marvel he hath no life; where is a man in town or country, that is like to Philemon, that a Miniſter may ſay, I know thou wilt doe more then I ſay? It were well if we could ſay, thou wilt do as much as I ſay; nay, it is come to this paſs, we may ſay, I know you will doe nothing at all; I may bid thee doe this and that, but thou wilt do nothing at all; people will hardly regard the Communion of Saints at all, they will hardly regard ſecret prayer at all, they will heartily regard any of thoſe duties upon which life and quickning ſo much depends; and this is one cauſe of the horrible deadneſs that is everywhere.
Secondly, Another cauſe is unwatchfulneſs; people doe not watch over their ſoules, and over their wayes, they doe not ponder their paths, they have not an eye to their wayes; this is a great cauſe of deadneſs of heart; therefore here when Chriſt chargeth the Church of Sardis with deadneſs, I know thou haſt a name to live, but art dead: In the next words he gives a remedy, Be watchful therfore; as who ſhould ſay, here is the cauſe of thy deadneſs, thou haſt not been watchful; if thou hadſt been watchful, thou hadſt eſcaped all this deadneſs; if thou hadſt ſtoop upon thy guard, and looked well to thy wayes, this had never been; if a man be quickened at any time, the Devil lieth at catch; and if he doe not vvatch, he vvill be deaded again, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Pet. 5.8. A man had need be vvatchful, elſe he can never preſerve himſelfe from the temptations of Satan; when a City is beleaguered with the enemy, there are ever ſome Watchers and Scouts that lie in wait, that ſo if any danger be towards, they may give warning, leſt it be ſurprized on the ſudden; ſo when God doth good to our hearts, how ſhould we keep watch over our ſoules; for we are beleaguered on every ſide, ſometimes with preſumption, and ſometimes with deſpair; we are every way in danger, therefore we had need to watch; no ſooner had Eve gone apart from her husband, and looked here and there, but the Devil took her preſently; no ſooner had Noah begun to taſte the liquor of the grape he had planted, and delighted in it, but preſently the Devil hooked him in, which he might have prevented if he had been watchful; the Devil is that Nimrod, that greedy hunter, that goeth up and down, and makes pits, and layes ſnares to catch ſouls, and if we doe not watch, we fall into them, 1 Cor. 2.13. Paul ſaith, I was among you with much feare; he knew what danger he was in, therefore he was in much fear; if we did love our own quickning, and the cheriſhing of whatſoever grace we have received, we would watch over our ſelves; but where is this? generally all the world is faſt aſleep, even good men and all; the Devil may ſow what tares he will, there is no watching in prayer and in hearing of the Word, and doing good duties; no watching in obſerving the Sabbath; no watching in company; no watching alone; what may not the Devil doe, when we are all as ſleepy dogs, and love to ſnoar? and dulneſſe, and deadneſſe, and blockiſhneſſe, and worldlineſſe, and unſetledneſſe grows upon us to the utmoſt; there is no body watching againſt temptations, they may come flowing in like violent waters, there is no withſtanding of them; people are like to Saul, that was marvellous finely quickned at one time, he would not goe on in his envy againſt David, he ſhould not die by any meanes; no, his heart was ſo enlarged, that he bound his ſoul by a covenant, that he would be as good as his word, As the Lord lives he ſhall not die. Jonathan had uſed many arguments, and they ſo wrought upon him, that he could give the right hand to David, and all his malice was out, and David was a great man at Court again, 1 Sam. 19.6, 7, 8. But for want of watchfulneſſe, within a little while the evil ſpirit came into him, and he would have murthered him again; ſo Jonah, when he had run from God, and God had humbled him, now he would never follow lying vanities any more; now he would goe to Niniveh and preach, let what danger would come; but by and by, not looking to himſelfe, he is as much out of tune again as ever he was, as if he had never had theſe ſhinings, he was overgrown with paſſions, I doe well to be angry, Jonah. 4.even to the death; I cannot tell which was the fouler diſtemper.
A third Cauſe of our general deadneſs, is the lowneſs of Religion, which men generally content themſelves withal; a low kinde of Religion, that will never reach half way to Heaven, that will never attain to any quickning; Religion, it is a very high thing, Prov. 15.24. it is a thing alone, a man muſt raiſe himſelf aloft, when he means to come into the way of eternal life; it is an high calling, Phil. 3.14. It is ſaid of Jehoſaphat, that his heart was lifted up in the wayes of God; Jeruſalem, that is above;2 Chron. 17. all godly ſouls that have true Religion indeed, are men above: Now people generally content themſelves with a low kinde of ſerving of God, that doth not come out of the ſuburbs of Hell and condemnation;Gal. 4. the ſuburbs of hell reach a great way, a man may goe even to heaven-gates, and yet be in the ſuburbs of hell; but to get into heaven, and eſcape hell beneath, is an high pitch; but men ſeek out a low way by the valleys, they think to come to heaven this way, it would choak moſt people to ſay, that their converſation is in heaven, as the Apoſtles was; that they are ſtrangers upon earth, Phil. 3.as the Patriarchs were, that they hate every ſinne, as all godly men doe, that they go mourning all the day long under their corruptions and failings, and that it is the greateſt grief of their hearts that they walk not according to Gods goodneſs, and that they uſe all means to get rid of their ſins; that they delight in every ordinance, that they delight in Gods Sabbaths, and hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs; it is the greateſt deſire of their ſouls and hearts to do thus; it would choak them to ſay thus, no they never attain it; this is the way of life that is above, but it is too high for fooles; therefore no wonder that men never come to quickning,Pro. 15. for they are not in the way of life, for the way of life is above, and they grope after the things below, and have not their converſation above; now how can we look for quickning, when we do not go in the way of life which is above?
Fourthly, Another reaſon is the vanity of mens minds; this is the cauſe of horrible deadneſs, Pſal. 119.37. vanity when a man gives way to it, it doth horribly dead the heart; vain thoughts, vain ſpeeches, vain expences of time, vain meetings together without benefit, theſe are deaders, they lock up mens hearts, and exhauſts all the good, and all the ſap of any goodneſs in them; 'tis true, the children of God may talk how things go in a far country in the Church of God and other places, and they may talk of their buſineſs in the world, and this may be like bottle-beer; when it is firſt poured out into the cup it ſeems to be all froth, but by and by it turns to good liquor again; ſo though theſe diſcourſes about worldly affairs, and how things go are froth, if they go no further; yet if they turn to good ſubſtance, and are ſanctified, and brought home to the heart, to edifie and awaken, and bring a man nearer to God, now they are good where there is a good uſe made of them; but otherwiſe they are horrible inſtruments of death, and ſoul-murther among men.
Fifthly, Mutual example; we do even dead one another; for people are apt to look upon one another; Miniſters upon people, and people upon Miniſters, and Miniſters one upon another, and if we be not much caſt behind one another, we hope all is well with us; this is that which deads peoples hearts; whereas people ſhould follow Gods light, Gods dealing with them, and not look upon others; and if we look upon others, we ſhould look upon thoſe that are quickned, Luke 7.44. ſeeſt thou this woman, &c. there was a woman was quickned indeed, her bowels melted, her eyes were fountains of tears, her very ſoul was affected, ſhe was quickned indeed; ſeeſt thou this woman? ſo if we will look upon others, upon the Saints of God, ſeeſt thou this woman? look upon thoſe that are moſt quickned; but when we look upon others, and ſay, ſuch a one doth ſo and ſo, and why may not I? I may do as well as he; when we do thus, this is apt to dead our hearts.
The ſixth cauſe of deadneſs, is covetouſneſs and worldlineſs; Chriſtians that have been weaned from the world, ſo long as they keep their minds off from the world, and ſet them upon better things, they are full of life and quickning, and are able to pray and confer ſweetly; but when as once they come to let in the world again, this doth mightily dead and damp their hearts, this doth wonderfully lay bolts and fetters upon their ſoul, that it cannot go on as formerly, as the Apoſtle ſhews, 1 Tim. 6.10. as ſoon as ever a man gives way to look after the world, preſently, if he had any faith he erres from it, if he had any quickning before, he is now deaded; this deaded Demas his heart; for a time he was ſo full of life, that he was able to hold company with St. Paul, but when this came once to take poſſeſſion of him,2 Tim. 4. Demas hath forſaken me, he was gone, he was able to hold company with Paul no longer; worldlineſs will quickly take off all the affections, and all the quickning that was in the ſoul, it will preſently fail, and die, and decay; therefore you ſhall ſee when the Lord would ſet down how dull Ezekiels hearers were, and how heartleſs, he ſets down this as a reaſon of it, their heart is gone after their covetouſneſs, Ezek. 33. no marvel then they went not after Ezekiels Sermons; for their hearts could not go after both at once; ſo long as their hearts were after the world and profits, they muſt needs be dead and untoward to the word of God; therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, Eph. 5.3. let not covetouſneſs be named among you, as becometh Saints; as who ſhould ſay, it will utterly dead and kill all your Saint-qualities and diſpoſitions that are in you, if you ſuffer your hearts to grow earthly; the damps of the earth as one ſaith, doth not more quench a candle and put it out, then the love of the world doth damp grace, and put it out preſently; and this is the cauſe of that deadneſs that is grown among us; we are grown worldly, and the world carries us away; we are all for the world, ſo that all our words, thoughts, affections, carriages, they are all little elſe but worldly; moſt people have many buſineſſes abroad in the world, riding abroad into the world; but who takes that ſhort journey into his own heart? people can tend buſineſſe with every body elſe but themſelves; they know what is done beyond ſea, and the countries round about, and yet hardly any one marks how things go in his own ſoul, whither he goes backward, or forward; whither he gets, or loſeth; every body can ask how others do, but no man looks how his own ſoul doth; people are grown at great diſtance from themſelves; I ſpeak not of drunkards or prophane perſons, ſuch as are abſolutely dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, but I ſpeak of Chriſtians in whom we ſhould look for life; we are grown ſtrangers to our ſelves, we are out of our own reach, we are grown to a mighty diſtance from looking to our own eſtates and conditions as we ought to do; our minds are ſcattered up and down about other things; therefore no marvel we are ſo heartleſſe towards God.
Seventhly, The next cauſe is idleneſs and ſpiritual ſloth, when men let their minds go as a boat without a guide; the boat goeth uncertainly when it hath no body to guide and ſteer it; ſo people let their thoughts, and hearts, and minds run at all adventures; people do not take pains with their own hearts▪ and hold them to that which is good; we let our hearts be like the field of the ſluggard, any thing may grow in them for all us; we do not look to our hearts, that we may have good things grow in them, and that we may fence our hearts from thoſe things which may make us untoward in the wayes of God; if we have any ſtirrings at any time, we are like idle huſwives; when the liquor hath done working they forget to ſtop up the bunghole; ſo when men have any ſtirrings, then they are in motion and action; but when they are gone, they let their hearts get a vent and they are deaded again, as if they had nothing at all; as Solomon ſhews, Prov. 19.15. though a man hath enough for the preſent, yet if he grow idle, when that is ſpent he will famiſh and ſtarve, and die; the idle ſoul ſhall ſuffer hunger; may be he hath ſomething now, but if he be idle and ſluggiſh, that may be all ſpent, and then for want of ſupply he may famiſh; ſo it is with the ſoul; though it hath ſomething for the preſent, yet if it be idle, and ſluggiſh, and ſlothful, and take not pains from day to day, it muſt needs go to wrack; when God gives us knowledge of ſin, we ſhould improve that knowledge to root out ſin; when God gives us inſight into graces, we ſhould employ it, that we may get thoſe graces; if God give us his ordinances, if he give us a Sermon at any time, we ſhould preſently work with it. As it is with a graft that a man cuts off to plant and ſet, if he lets it lie till it be dead, it will never grow, but if he preſently plant it, it will take in the ground and proſper; ſo if a man would preſently take a good motion when it comes, if he would preſently take hold of a reproof or counſel given him out of the word of God, while it hath life in it, and works upon his heart, the heart might receive much benefit; but when people are blockiſh and dull, they are not willing to take any pains, no wonder though they go down as they do, Eccleſ. 10▪18. by much ſlothfulneſs the building decayeth, &c. it is ſo in the ſpiritual building; if people be ſlothful, all gracious things muſt needs vaniſh away, and go out more and more; and this is a moſt grievous thing, it is generally among all people, nay, among the better ſort; for wicked men that live palpably in ſin, they are ſtruck dead in ſin, and never had any colour of life; but I ſpeak of thoſe that have had ſome kind of quickning, yet notwithſtanding ſuffer themſelves to be deaded through idleneſs; when we go to prayer, we do not put forth our ſelves in prayer, our prayers are dead; when we go to the word… we do not put forth our minds, and therefore our hearing is dead; our hearts are like to a ſieve; when it is in the water it is full, but when it is once taken out again, not a jot remains; ſo it is while people are at a Sermon, may be they ſeem to drink in ſomething, and their hearts are affected (yet theſe people are rare too) but when they are gone, all is gone, all leaks out again for want of ſtopping, for want of obſerving the things they have heard; this is the reaſon there is no more life among Chriſtians, becauſe they are ſo idle and ſluggiſh;Matth. 25. thou evil and ſlothful… ſervant ſaith Chriſt; when a man is a ſlothful ſervant, he muſt needs be an evil ſervant; Chriſtians will confer may be now and then of grace, but with ſuch looſe thoughts that there is no edification or quickning; nay, their hearts grow dull and ſleepy under the ſame; how is it poſſible a man ſhould get any quickning, or keep it without labour and pains?2 Pet. 1. men muſt labour for it, as the Apoſtle ſaith, give all diligence to make this ſure;;Phil. 3. it is ſaid of Paul, that he followed hard after the mark; there is nothing can be done in this thing without labour; as it is with our outward callings if a man will have a living in the world, he muſt labour for it; the earth will bring forth no fruit unleſs he till it, and take pains about it; ſo it is here much more; a mans heart by reaſon of ſin, is curſed as the earth is, and it will bring forth nothing but weeds, vanities, fooleries, and vile paſſions, and inordinate affections, unleſs a man be ſtill husbanding of it; therefore unleſs a man be diligent in this work, he can never be quickned.