Willful Impenitency, Sermon · Part 5
The Third Ground.
A wicked man will not ſet himſelfe to uſe all the meanes that hee may.
HE is not onelyonly ſlothfull in the uſe of the ſame, nor onelyonly will he not do as much good as hee may, but alſo hee will not ſo much as uſe the meanes conſtantly in any faſhion. I cannot ſaith hee repent, nor be ſuch a new creature as you talke of; Why then wilt thou not uſe the meanes? This makes thee inexcuſable. All the whole World both godly and ungodly have a cannot; indeed the ungodly their cannot is larger and beginnes ſooner, but the godly their cannot is much leſſened, and beginnes further off. The Lord inables them to go further then all the wicked of the World; but beyond that there beginnes their cannot. I ſay all the whole World have their cannot; I call that the meanes of grace, which is between their Can and their cannot. As Prayers and hearing the Word, and ſtudying, and meditating, &c. The Lord ſeeing all men in their cannots, hath appointed ſuch meanes as they can, whereby they are to ſeeke unto God, to do that which they cannot. Now a child of God whoſe cannot is in ſome meaſure healed by grace, hee can pray in faith, and heare in faith,Liberum arbitrium liberatum. &c. And therefore Prayer in faith, hearing Gods Word in faith, &c. are his meanes to get more; hee cannot obey more, nor believe more, but he uſes theſe meanes that hee may. But a wicked man his cannot is larger, hee cannot pray in faith, and do theſe in faith, and therefore the faithfull doing of theſe duties are not his meanes. I cannot do ſo ſayes hee; No, but thou mayeſt ſet upon them all, and do them in as good manner as thou canſt; that is thy meanes. Though thou canſt not pray in faith, yet thou canſt ſet up conſtant Prayers in thy Family though,Col. 4.6. ſuch as they are; Thou canſt not conferre with grace, but thou canſt conferre about grace every day; thou canſt not repeat the Word to thy Houſhold in faith, but thou canſt repeate it, in as good a manner as thou art able, that is thy meanes. Now if thou wilt not uſe the meanes thou ſtickeſt at a will not; and when thou, doſt periſh thou muſt thanke thine owne will, thou ſtickſt at a will not. The firſt queſtion Chriſt askes thee is this, what canſt thou do? As when the ſonnes of Zebedee beg'd to ſit one on the right hand, and the other on the left, this they could not, except God did vouchſafe them a new gift. But what can yee do? ſayes Chriſt, are yee able to drinke of the Cup that I am to drinke off, and bee Baptized with the Baptiſme that I am Baptized with? Wee are able ſay they, Mat. 20.22, 23. Yee ſhall indeed drinke, &c. Marke, he puts them to do that which they can, and then bids them leave that which they cannot unto God. I ſay the the firſt queſtion Chriſt askes thee is, what canſt thou do? I cannot be a Saint, Lord help me to mercy, &c. Yea but what canſt thou do? Canſt thou not uſe theſe and theſe meanes, I appoint thee? If thou wilt not do them, neither will I helpe thee. This is the nature of meanes to be a meanes to that which one cannot; A child of God can pray in faith, but hee cannot maſter ſuch a luſt, and therefore hee prayeth in faith that he may. Hee can heare the word preached in faith, but hee cannot get his heart to it as hee would, and therefore hee heareth in faith that hee may. Doing theſe in faith are the meanes; now this is not the meanes of the wicked, for they cannot do any thing in faith, but their meanes is to ſet about them at leaſt that they may. I cannot pray in faith ſayſt thou, yea: but thou canſt ſet up conſtant Prayers in thy Family though, ſuch as they are; thou canſt not caſt off thy ſinnes in faith, thou mayſt caſt them of though; a godly man may do theſe things in faith, and therefore that is his meanes. But that which is his can is thy cannot, and that which is his meanes thou muſt uſe meanes unto. NoteThou muſt pray that thou may pray in faith, repeate the Word that thou mayſt repeate it in faith; reforme thy life that thou mayſt reforme it in faith: and ſeeke the Lord that thou mayſt ſeek him in faith. Now if thou wilt not ſet upon the meanes, thou ſtickſt at a will not; I confeſſe here is the difference,This confounds the Helena, of the Arminians. the godly have a promiſe upon their uſing of the meanes, they uſing them in faith; but thou haſt no promiſe, yet who knowes what God may do? As the King of Nineveh ſaid, lets cry mightily to God; lets caſt away theſe and theſe ſinnes, who knowes if God will turne and repent? Jon. 3.9. hee had no promiſe, hee could not tell whether God would forgive. He would ſet upon the means, hee would cry mightily; and it hit well; for God ſpared the City, if thou wilt not ſet upon the meanes, thou doſt wilfully periſh; and here I cleared two things▪ 1. That God appoints every man the meanes that hee may uſe, hee may uſe thoſe meanes that God commands him as meanes, 2. That if hee will not, hee does wilfully periſh.
Arguments to prove a wicked man may uſe the meanes that God appointeth as meanes.
I cannot heare the preaching of the Word ſayeſt thou, I am deafe, I cannot heare Sermons, then that is not thy meanes; reading which thou canſt, and meditating which thou canſt is thy meanes. Every man may uſe the meanes that God does appoint him as meanes.
1. Argu.Firſt, becauſe its the very nature of meanes to come betweene ones can and his cannot and therefore they are called media, Media.becauſe they come in in the midſt betweene a mans can and his cannot. By what meanes may I go up to London? flying in the Aire is not my meanes. No, that is a Birds meanes and not mine, for I cannot do it; but my meanes is going if I have legges: or riding, if they be not able; or carrying, if I cannot ride. Every mans mediums come in betweene that which hee can and that which hee cannot, and he is to uſe them, that, that which he cannot he may be inabled to do.
Secondly, becauſe God does not exhort men like a company of ſtockes and ſtones, 2. Argu.but as men that are edifyable by his words. If there were no meanes they could poſſibly uſe, they were like ſtockes and ſtones. If they had no eares as meanes to let it in, no underſtanding as meanes to conceive it; no power of willing at leaſt to ſet about it, then wee ſhould preach to a company of ſtockes. There muſt be ſome meanes propounded, that men are inabled to uſe (though by any power of their owne they cannot do it graciouſly) or elſe as good preach to a company of ſtockes. Now God proteſts hee drawes men as men may be drawne; I draw them with the cords of a man. Hoſ. 11 4. That is with ſuch cords as a man may be drawn with; not like a company of ſtockes and of ſtones; if yee have but the carnall reaſon of a man, theſe cords they would draw you. God drawes you like men, with the cords of a man; indeed in the quickning of the heart, and in point of repentance, a man is no more active then a ſtone. But when he drawes you to the meanes, hee drawes you like men, and therefore ye may come if ye will, and if ye be but men, theſe cords are cords to draw men.
3. Argu.Thirdly, becauſe Gods anger is very reaſonable; when a Maſter is angry with a ſervant, that may do a thing and yet will not, wee call his anger a very reaſonable anger. I know Gods anger is very reaſonable, for things which thou canſt not; becauſe once hee gave thee power; but when hee commendeth the meanes, now his anger is very reaſonable. Wee our owne ſelves count this anger very reaſonable in the like caſe; what will hee not do it? No not uſe the meanes for to do it? Would not this anger any body? Say wee ſo for theſe things ſake comes the wrath of God upon the children of diſobedience, Eph. 5.6. That is for adultery, for fornication, for vaine words, and vaine hopes to be ſaved, for theſe things comes the wrath of God upon the children of diſobedience. Hee does not ſay for not being renewed, for not being converted, but for theſe things comes the wrath of God forth. He's angry for that, but his wrath comes generally forth upon men for theſe things, becauſe they will not uſe the meanes; They will not give over thoſe ſinnes which are the hinderances to converſion. This is very reaſonable; if a man were not able to do it, there would be ſome ſhew at leaſt of unreaſonableneſſe in Gods anger; but there is not any ſhew of unreaſonableneſſe in his anger, when men will not buckle to the meanes which they may. When God commanded the Egyptians to ſubmit and be humbled, they would not; he commanded them at leaſt to uſe the meanes, to let his people go, and they would not. You ſhall ſee how the Text ſayes his anger now was very reaſonable; there is a ſweet phraſe, Pſal. 78.50. Hee made a way to his anger; in the Hebrew 'tis hee weighed a path to his anger. Hee weigted it in a ballance; marke how reaſonably and proportionably God is angry. Hee puts his anger and mens ſinnes in a ballance, and weighs out the right meaſure of anger. When a ſervant forceth a Maſter to be angry whether he will or no, hee cannot complaine his Maſters anger is unreaſonable; hee may go of his errands and he will not, he may do this buſines and hee will not; if hee cannot do the buſineſſe it ſelfe, yet he may uſe the meanes, and he will not. Now his Maſters anger is very reaſonable, becauſe hee forceth him to be angry; as the churning of Milke bringeth forth butter, ſo the forcing of wrath bringeth forth ſtrife. Prov. 30.33. Hee does even charme his Maſters paſſions, and hee forces the ſame, as a charmer forcing the Milke to become Butter, ſo hee forces ones kindneſſe to become anger; and therefore the anger is very reaſonable. So God is very reaſonable in his anger; wilt thou not uſe the meanes to be quickned? Suppoſe thou canſt not quicken thy ſelfe, but wilt thou not ſee about the meanes? This churneth the Lords anger, and his anger is very reaſonable.
Fourthly,4 Argu. Gods offer of his Kingdome to the wicked is ſerious; if they were ſenceleſſe and quite dead, and could do nothing, his offer were not ſerious; ſhould a man offer a hundred pound to a dead carcaſſe, here is a hundred pound for you, if youle take it, i'le give it you. This offer were not ſerious, becauſe the dead carkaſſe is not able to ſtirre, but is ſenceleſſe. True, in matter of converſion it ſelfe, a man is as dead as a carkaſſe. Nevertheleſſe hee is not abſolutely a dead carkaſſe to all uſe of the meanes; hee hath the life of nature, and reaſon, and of ſence, and therefore when God offers his kingdome in the meanes, this offer is ſerious. Turne you at my reproofe, behold I will poore out my ſpirit unto you, Prov. 1.23. Hee ſpeakes there even of reprobates and all, and hee ſeriouſly offers them his ſpirit, and therefore they might have gone about the meanes, but they would not; vocatio dei eſt ſeria, as our Divines do all ſay, and therefore the meanes hee appointeth may be uſed.
5. Argu.Fifthly, becauſe Gods reproofes are very equall; ſhould a man reprove a criple for not running, this reproofe were not equall, becauſe hee is not able to do it. I grant when God reproves the wicked for being ſinfull, ſuch reproofes are all equall:Note. though they be not able to be without ſinne; but then equality is grounded upon ſomething before, namely upon their voluntary apoſtacy and inability in Adam. But when God reproves them for not ſetting about the meanes, his reprofes then are very equall, and the equality is grounded upon their wilfulneſſe preſent; will yee not feare mee? ſayes God; I do this and this; marke his reproofe is very equall. God reproves Iſrael for not obſerving his Statutes, ſaying the Statutes of Omri are kept. Mic. 6.16. You can obſerve his ſtatutes, why cannot you ſet about mine? hee ſets up a Temple, you can go conſtantly to it, why cannot you go conſtantly to mine? The reproofe was very equall. If thou wilt not ſet upon the meanes, thou art moſt equally condemned. I cannot preach ſo often as ſome do, nor be ſo much reſident as ſome are. No? Why wilt thou not give over one of thy two livings then? Thou art able to do that; if thou'lt not ſet upon the meanes, thy condemnation is equall. Thus I have confirmed this firſt point, namely that the wicked may uſe thoſe meanes that the Lord commands them as meanes.
In the ſecond place I ſhewed that this being thus, thy condemnation muſt be wilfull if thou wilt not uſe all the meanes.
Arguments to prove it.
Firſt,1. Argu. The Lord will not helpe that man by a miracle to go that hath legges to go and will not; Thou ſayſt thou wouldſt faine go to Heaven; tell mee what legges hath God given thee? What meanes hath hee lent thee? If thou wilt not uſe them, the Lord will never helpe thee without. Had the Iſraelites had any meanes to have gotten over Jordan, as Ships or Barkes, Boates, or Bridges, or Fords, and they would not, hee would never have helpt them over without. You know the Lord parted the waters, Joſh. 3.13. but if they had refuſed the meanes, hee would not have kept them on this manner without: if they had food ſufficient in the Wilderneſſe to eate, and they would not, hee would not have rained food downe upon them; had they had Shoomakers and Drapers, and cloath ſufficient to come by, and they would not, he would never have miraculouſly have helpt the garments from wearing. Its a tempting of God, when thou haſt the meanes and wilt not be diligent in them, to deſire God to help thee without; thou wouldſt have thy children Gods children, thy family Chriſts family; then uſe the meanes. Set up the conſtant invocation of Gods Name, Morning and Evening among them; ſet up Reading, ſet up Catechiſing, and every good thing: or thou canſt never expect it. Wouldſt thou be holy, and heavenly? then uſe the meanes; Talk of Heaven in thy meetings, reaſon about grace, inquire of good ſoules And how may I come by an humble heart?Note: How may I get faith, and be lead by the ſpirit? If thou wilt not be conſtant in the uſe of the meanes, all thy prayers to God are nothing but temptings. Thou art troubled with by thoughts, thou ſayſt thou wouldſt faine be delivered therefrom; then uſe the meanes, be not ſo long without God every houre, pray every day oftner, ſtrive in the duty the harder; if thou wilt not uſe the meanes, God will never helpe thee without. Thou art full of thy doubtings, thou ſayſt thou heartily deſireſt to be freed; then uſe the meanes, or thou lieſt: give over thy broad walking▪ thy broad acquaintance; thoſe that have no more holineſſe in them then the ſtock are thy boſomeſt friends; if thou wilt not uſe the meanes, God will never aſſure thee without, nor convert thee without; if Dives his five brethren will not heare Moſes and the Prophets, they ſhall have no miracle from the dead, Luke 16.18. if God lend thee the meanes, hee will not ſave thee without.
Secondly,2. Argu. God will not bate a farthing of the price hee ſets thee at; when a Tradeſman hath once ſet his loweſt price, hee will not goe lower. Now the uſe of the meanes, are Gods loweſt price, the Lord will not bate a farthing of that; wherefore is a price put into the hand of a foole, Pro. 17.16. the meanes of grace are this price, and the price is in thy hands, when the Lord vouchſafes thee the meanes, heele not bate thee a farthing of this price. He ſets this price on his mercies and graces, thou muſt uſe all the meanes; not as though grace might be valued; no it exceedeth all prices, or as though grace were not free. Yea, its free and without price: its fit though that this price ſhould be ſet upon the almes, that the proud beggar ſhould chooſe to receive it; if thou wilt not give the price that God hath put into thy hand, thou art worthy to miſſe it; I will give ſo much, and labour ſo much, and pray ſo much, and reforme ſo much. No, no; that will not do, Chriſt will have tother odde penny too; thy filthy ſpeaking muſt off, and thy baſe paſſions and old curſes muſt off, heele have thee ſtoope to all his holy meanes; wouldſt thou have it cheaper? Mine owne children and Saints never had it cheaper. Not Abraham, Iſaac, nor Jacob, nor Paul; they were faine to uſe all holy meanes, to abandon every luſt, to ſet up every duty, invocation in their families meditation in their hearts, examination in their conſciences, holy communication in mouthes, none of my Saints had it cheaper. And thou makeſt a mock of them for praying ſo much, and profeſſing ſo much, ſo much hearing, and ſo much gadding after Sermons, &c. Well, well, i'le not bate thee one duty, nor one luſt, nor one carnall deſire, i'le have thee ſet about all or thou ſhall never have mercy. Yea, but I cannot finde in my heart to put up this, nor to be abridged of this, and ſhall Chriſt and thou part for one ſingle farthing? Periſh then, and go and thanke thine will for it in Hell. God is reſolved upon this price, and this is the loweſt.
3. Argu.Thirdly, God will never be brought out of his walke, thou canst never looke that God ſhould come out of his walke to ſhew thee any mercy, or give thee any grace. Now the way wherein God walkes is the meanes of grace and of ſalvation; There thou muſt looke for God, or thou canſt have no hope for to finde him. Suppoſe a poore Petitioner ſhould come with his petition to the King; he can never looke to have the King come downe hither to Rochford to to grant it him; No, hee muſt go up to the King. The King is at Court at White-Hall, and there he may have him; if he will not go thither, he is wilfull, and if his petition be not granted he may thanke his owne will. So thou canſt not looke to fetch God out of his owne walke, the meanes of grace and ſalvation, endeavour to obey him,Note. prayings cryings, ſeekings, &c. Theſe and the other meanes of ſalvation are his walke, theſe are the wayes wherein they muſt wait to finde God, if they would have him; in the way of thy judgements have we waited for thee. Iſa. 26.8. There the godly wait for the Lord, in the way where his walke is; hee will not bee ſpoken with, but onelyonly there in his walke. If thou wilt not ſeeke him there, thou mayſt thanke thine own will, if thou miſſeſt him; yee that are negligent to hold out in Gods wayes, yee can never looke to finde mercy while yee live. Pray for mercy, and cry for mercy, and grone for mercy, yee muſt looke to periſh without it, if yee will not ſeek it in his wayes; youle ſeeke him in ſome, but you will not ſeeke him in all; aſſure your ſelves then you ſhall miſse of him, do you thinke the King will come to you, to grant your petitions? you muſt go up to him, and take him where hee is to be ſpoken with. God will not be ſpoken with but onelyonly in his wayes; the Jewes received Sacraments enough, every meales meat is as a new Sacrament in the Wilderneſſe, afterwards they prayed prayers enough, but I will not heare you ſayes God; neere tell mee of your ſeeking for mercy, waſh you, make you cleane, put away from you the evill of your doings, learne to do well; come now and lets reaſon together; if your ſinnes be a red as Scarlet, I'le whiten them. Now heele be ſpoken with,Iſa. 1.18. if you wilt come hither; What not erect his feare up in his family? not give over thy baſe carnall conſorts? keepe ſuch diſorders under thy roofe? and in thy life ſweare ſtill? and give place to the Devill still? curſed paſſions ſtill? mock at my children ſtill? Doſt thou walke in theſe wayes and hope to finde good? No; as good cut off a doggs neck as give him ſacrifice of prayers, as long as you walke in your own wayes. Eſay 66.3. you muſt ſeeke him in the wayes that hee walkes in, and not chuſe your owne wayes, heele never come out of his way for any of you all; what ſhall I do Lord? ſayes Saul; he would faine have ſpoken with God there. No, no; go to Ananias, &c. if thou wilt not ſeek him in his way, thou art well ſerved if thou miſſeſt him.
I beſeech you conſider this point, you can never looke to be ſaved, except youle ſet your ſelves to do what you may, and uſe all thoſe meanes that you may; for though the uſe of the meanes does not ſave you, yet they are the way; though not cauſa regnandi, yet via regni; and if you wil not conſtantly uſe them, you can never have his Kingdome.
Reaſons of it.
Firſt, becauſe Heaven is an end, and an end can never be gotten without meanes; the end is eternall life. Rom. 6.22. eternall life is an end, and therefore except the means be all uſed, you can never attaine it.
Secondly, God hath annexed it to the means; all Heaven and Earth can never ſeparate them; either uſe all the meanes that God hath appointed, or elſe hee hath decreed it, yee ſhall never be ſaved. When he hath once appointed theſe and theſe ſhall be your meanes, theſe ſhall you uſe for't, yee ſhall never be ſaved without them. When God hath appointed their abiding in the ſhip a meanes of their eſcape, you ſhall ſee what Paul ſayes, except theſe abide in the ſhip, yee cannot be ſaved. Act. 27. So tis for Heaven, except ye abide in the meanes, ye cannot be ſaved.
Thirdly, Every ſoule muſt give an account before God▪ how hee hath uſed the meaners, Whether hee hath uſed them all yea or no. And according as the account is hee can give, ſo ſhall his judgement be. God hath ſworne this, as I live ſaith the Lord; God hath pawned his owne life upon this, that thus it ſhall be. As J live ſaith the Lord, every knee ſhall bow to mee, and every tongue ſhall confeſse to God, every one of us all ſhall give an accompt unto God, Rom 14.11.12. every one of us, God will exempt none, wee muſt all be brought to an accompt for theſe things; will not thy heart bow to it? As I live ſayth the Lord; I'le make every knee bow to it; I'le make you bow or I'le breake you for ever; as good do it as not, for ye ſhall give an accompt whether ye have done it or no.
Fourthly, beloved, God will not ſet up another dore into Heaven for any man in the World; either come in at this or you ſhall never come in. Heele never make another Bible; either be ruled by this or by none; Heele never chalke out another way, either go this way or chuſe and periſh in thy wilfulneſſe. The drunkards way ſhall never be his way; the worldings way ſhall never be his, nor the lazy Goſpellers his, nor the careleſſe profeſſors his, hee'le never change wayes, nor are my wayes your wayes, Eſay▪ 55.8. you muſt amend your wayes. Jer. 7.3. and come into his way, or yee ſhall never eſcape the evill to come; can there be any reaſonabler way then this?
Proofes.
Firſt, Some of the meanes that God hath appointed you may do them without labour, you may do them with eaſe; do but ſay I will, and it is done. What labour is it to ſay, company-keepers ſhall not ſit drinking in my houſe? There is nere an Alehouſe in your Towne, but if they will, may root out diſorders from their houſes, their owne wills do deſtroy them; Its no labour in the World to do this, and will ye not do it? periſh then and thank your own wils.
Secondly, Some of the meanes that God hath appointed, are eaſier then them; onelyonly that you would give way to another to do them; may be the wife would have prayers in the family if the husband would give way. The Miniſter would teach you if you would give way; The Lord Jeſus might worke many things in you, if you would give way; this a leſſe then to will. You that have good Wives, who would reforme ſundry things if you would give way, &c. I beſeech you apply it particularly to yourſelves, your ruin is wilfull if ye yeild not, and will not give way.
Thirdly, Some of the meanes are yet eaſier, for ſome of the meanes of grace are better for you, even in your worldly and carnall reſpects. You'l ſay, that's the eaſieſt of all for a man to favour himſelfe, and his fleſh. As for example the reforming of your gaming, dicing, carding in your Innes, your drunkenneſſe and bezeling o're the pot, your pride and your geigawes, and the like; would not this favour your purſes, and be more agreeable to your very carnall reſpects? And therefore you that do not reforme theſe, you pluck wilfull perdition on your heads.
Fourthly, ſome of the meanes of grace, its harder to omit them then to uſe them. Many of you meet with more hardſhips in the omiſſion then you could light upon in the practice of them; I need not inſtance, the particulars are very familiar.
Fifthly, Some of the meanes of grace, be they hard, yet they are but hard; they are not impoſſible for you to uſe; They will aske no more then a litlle labour and diligence, and therefore omitted only by reaſon of will-nots.
I hope by this time you ſee clearely the truth of this ground. If yee will not ſet your ſelves to uſe the meanes of grace and ſalvation, when yee die, you muſt needs lay the blame on your wills; And why will yee ſo? Why will yee die O houſe of Iſrael?
But notwithſtanding the evidence of this truth; The wiſdome of the fleſh which is enmity againſt God, fills carnall mindes with many objections againſt it; from all which I ſhall endeavour to vindicate it, by anſwering them all in order.