Several Sermons, Sermon 1 · Section 3
SCTION III. Mans ſin was cauſed by himſelf.
ECCLES. 7. ult.
[But THEY have ſought out, &c.]
YOU hear how ſtrangely man is altered. We proceed to the cauſe of this his change. Who is in fault? not God; he made man upright: But man himſelf. They have ſought out, &c. The point is open.
That mans ſin is from mans ſelf. Doct. 3 Mans ſin is from mans ſelf.Man is the cauſe of his own naughtineſſe; the Author of his own ſin and undoing, although not of every particular in it. Salomon is poſitive, and makes a juſt diſtribution: Mans ſin is either from God, or from himſelf; not from the former, God: Therefore from the latter, himſelf; nay, himſelf is a free cauſe of his own change: it is an act of his own choyce. Whoſe? Mans, and that at large: not this, or that man, but man, all men ſought out ſin, all ſin,Cleared by his threefold eſtate. all inventions and wayes of ſinning. Summe up all, and the reſult will be, that all the ſins of man iſſue from mans ſelf. This will appear, if you conſider him in his threefold eſtate.
Firſt, look upon him at Firſt. God put no ill principle into him; no creature had any compulſive power over him; he had a true (though not Independent) Soveraignty over his own actions. He mought have ſtood, but he choſe otherwiſe. No man can ſpeak it more plainly then Salomon doth; which ſhall ſave us the labour of further proof, though further teſtimony of God, and conſcience might be added, atteſting this truth.
Secondly, look upon man in his ſinfull eſtate. And ſo ſin flowes from him as naturally as waters from a fountain,V. Prov. 10.3. Gen. 8. Jer. 6. 7. as ſparkles from a furnace, Job 5.7.
*Mar. 7.21.From within, Jude 13.out of the heart of men proceed evill thoughts, Mark 7.2.Jer. 7. And theſe evill thoughts bedded there, beget adulteries, Job 5.7.fornication, murders, &c. what not? he is a ſink, a very Sepulchre, an open Sepulchre, and what can you expect thence but ſtenches?Rom. 3.13. Rom. 3.13.
Thirdly,Rom. 7.24. Col. 3.5. in his repaired eſtate; Man hath ſtill a body of ſin, Rom. 7. conſiſting of many rotten members, Col. 3. From within he ſends forth evill,Jam. 1.14. and 4.1. ſo ſaith James more then once, cap. 1.14. cap. 4.1. So that as ſin is In him, ſo ſtill, you ſee, ſin is reſolved Into him; it iſſues from principles of his own; from his own darkned mind, defiled conſcience, poyſoned heart, and erroneous imagination.
And as Divinity doth find him guilty, Reaſ 1 and a Felo de ſe; ſo doth Reaſon too. For every free Agent is Lord of his own actions, and did he not work freely, he were not a voluntary workman. As things be in nature, ſo in operation. Did not man work freely, there were no place for choyce and option. Naturall agents are determined to One, as a ſtone deſcends onelyonly: But Voluntary, ſuch as man is, have a freedome of choyce.
Were not man maſter of his own actions he were not capable of a law. Reaſ 2 'Tis abſurd to lay lawes upon things which work by inſtinct; To reſtrain or command by law fire to heat, or not, is abſurd. Nay, more; He would be uncapable of good or bad; as a ſtone is; and conſequently uncapable of reward or puniſhment; nay, uncapable of Chriſt, and an Holy Ghoſt; which dwels not in ſtocks. In ſhort: Deny this, and you muſt deny man to be capable of law, of deliberation, of ſin, of puniſhment. A thouſand ſuch abſurdities would follow, if man ſhould not be the actor of morall things, yet objections are raiſed againſt all that is ſaid.
Firſt againſt Salomons diſtribution. Object. Datur tertium; videlicet, the Devill.
Though the devill be a phyſical and working agent in his own ſphear: Sol.yet to man he can be no immediate phyſicall agent, but onelyonly morall: He works not immediately upon the underſtanding, nor ſo as God doth; but upon the paſsions of the body, and images of the phantaſie: All that he can do is, to perſwade, incite, ſuggeſt; He cannot, without man, have any Reall influence, unleſſe man concur, not onelyonly paſsively but actively too. True, he can bring poyſon, as a theef ſtollen goods, and leave it with you, if you will receive it: he cannot force you to take it: for none hath any Soveraignty over man but God and himſelf. The devill may co-work immediately and phyſically by the mediations of our paſſions and diſtempers: but not ſo, as to excuſe, or exempt us. Therefore Salomon diſtribution is ſufficient.
It is further objected againſt the threefold eſtate of man.Objections aiſed from mans firſt eſtate. Againſt the firſt thus.
1. It is inconceiveable how man ſhould ſin of himſelf; Either God left him ſo, as that he was neceſsitated to the fall; and then God is involved, man cleared: Or elſe which way ſhould ſin come in? The devill could not compell him, you ſay; neither had he any evill matter in himſelf: he could not deſire his own unhappineſſe, and undoing, nor his own error &c.
God did not ſo leave him but that it was poſsible for him to ſtand:Sol. God gave him power and intruſted him with it, but God was not bound to act that power for him; That privilege we have now in the ſecond Adam; where God works both the will and deed.
Secondly, Satan though he could not compell, yet might he further mans ſin and guilt by repreſenting objects.
Thirdly, for himſelf, though he had nothing actually ill in him, yet was he mutable, finite; and therefore muſt view things ſucceſſively: he mought ſuſpend his actions, as we ſaid before. The firſt ſinne imaginable is Independence upon God and ceſſation from goodneſſe; which was then in his power.
Object. But the Serpent beguiled them ſo, Object. that our firſt parents ſinned ignorantly.
Sol. He beguiled their expectations more then their judgement: Sol.there was error in their being beguiled, as in every ſin: but that error was a conſequent or ſadjunct, not the cauſe of the ſin; Alind eſt peccare ignoranter; & ex ignorantiâ. But the ſilencing anſwer muſt be, That Adam then ſaw his guilt, better then we can now. And the laſt day will clear it,Rom. 2.5. Rom. 2. Till then we muſt ſay as Salomon here, and ſtop the mouth of iniquity with this; God made man upright, but they have &c.
For the ſecond eſtate it is objected. Object. 2 Man is not now to be charged with ſin, for firſt, he is hold to do Satans will,From mans ſecond eſtate. 2 Tim. 2.
Sol. True, but willingly: he ſings in that cage.
Object. That dyſcraſie now in him is penall, 2 Tim. 2.26.and he is paſſive in it.Sol.
Sol. Not ſo onelyonly, it is not meerly penall, Object. but vitious and voluntary: and he is active: ſin is his food, his ſleep, his life,Pro. 15. v. 14. & 4.16. as Salomon ſpeaks. Object.
Object. He cannot but ſin,Rom. 8.7.2 Pet. 2.14. Rom. 8.7. and Peter ſpeaks of ſuch, who cannot but ſin, 2 Pet. 2.14.
Sol. This neceſſity comes not from any outward cauſe, Sol.but from an inward principle: 'tis voluntary, 'tis not impoſed, but contracted.
Againſt the third eſtate it is objected; Object. 3 That a ſanctified man cannot ſin, From mans third eſtate.1 John 3.9. He that is born of God ſinneth not.
Sol. That is not ſimply ſaid:Joh. 3.9. for the ſame Apoſtle aſſures us, cap. 1. v. 8. If we ſay we have no ſin, we deceive our ſelves, Sol.&c. There is both actuall and habituall ſin in all men:1 Joh. 1.8. but the words are to be reſtrained to matter and manner of ſinning; he cannot ſin ſome ſins: To death, in that degree. And he cannot ſin with the whole man. There is a ſeed and a principle in him that reſiſts, he cannot ſin, that is, live in a trade of ſin, as one inſlaved to it. Object.
Object. But Paul ſaith Rom. 7. Not I,Rom. 7.20. but ſin &c.
Sol. Paul ſpeaks not de principio Quod but Quo: Sol.not of the Perſon but Principle.
Secondly, it is not he, becauſe the ſin doth not Redundare in perſonam, ingage that, God not imputing it: elſe he denyes not ſin to be in him, and ſin to flow from that body of ſin in him; onelyonly it is not his in regard of his affection, and Gods interpretation. The point then ſtands good; Man is the Author of his own ſin.
Be informed, that is, Ʋſe 1 Charge thy ſelf with ſin, not others.get a judgement rightly ſanctified, and informed touching this truth; man unſanctified, is all ſelf: ſin admits of no ſearch or reflexion: the proper effect of it, is either ſenſleſneſs, hypocriſie, or impudency: The ſinner yeelds not the fact, till found upon him, yea even then he will not yeeld himſelf (with Saul) to be in fault,1. Sam. 15. he looks to earth, to hell, to heaven, and will charge all ſooner then himſelf.
Firſt, for Earth; that is neareſt hand. Chide men for defects, it is long of wife, miniſter, the word is hard, &c. Charge them with actuall ſin, it is long of others, they would anger a Saint, make ſtones fall out, fleſh and blood cannot bear it; as times and men be, none can do otherwiſe. Thus ſin pleads: but what ſaith truth?Prov. 25.26. Prov. 25.26. The righteous before the wicked is a troubled ſpring: Though he be a ſpring, yet when trouble,Jam. 4.1. it is from his own mud: Whence are brawles, ſaith James, 1 Sam, 24.13.but from your own luſts? Surely wickedneſſe proceeds 06 from the wicked: The Saints of old lived in as bad times, and had as bad neighbours; yet never brake out into our paſsions: Chriſt, Paul, others were as badly entertained; yet never ſwore, raged, &c.
Again, for naturall corruption. How do men ſhift it off? It is long of Adam. What can they help it? Thus hypocriſie ſpeaks: but what is the truth? Adam is every man: the whole ſpecies mankind was in that pair; and their act ſpecificall: ſo Salomon here: They ſought &c. How can this be? naturally they and we are one; legally we had one covenant, in the propagation there is a priority, in the contraction of corruption none. So then: other men muſt not own our faults: they may tempt, help forward ſin: but till we concur, we are but objects, not ſubjects.
So ſay for Satan: As he is the great Accuſer, ſo moſt accuſed.
The devill owed me a ſhame, Object. and now he hath paid me.
Anſ. It is a ſin to belye the devill;Sol. indeed he is ſtark naught in himſelf, and towards all: but his ſin, temptations, ſuggeſtions, cannot hurt thee without thy ſelf. Joh. 14.Unleſſe thou be tinder, he cannot ſtrike fire in thee: thy ſin is not the leſſe for his: therefore David though moved by Satan to number the people, takes it upon himſelf. Rebellion is thy witchcraft; in witchcraft there is a confederacy; in this contract, the witch is not excuſed in conſenting; though Satan be ſubtle, and malicious in propounding: ſo here, the truth is, if there were neither man on earth, nor devill in hell, thou wouldſt be poyſonfull and naught now: Therefore know thy ſelf, Satan may hurt himſelf by tempting, thee he cannot, without thee.
And if the devill muſt not own our faults, muſt God? here mans ſin is truly deviliſh, when it flyes upon God. I am as God made me, and I do my kind, it is my nature, I am ordained to it &c. O blaſphemy I can any evill come out of heaven? darkneſſe from the Sunne? death from life? God is neither morall, nor phyſicall cauſe of the evill of ſin: Not the former: he perſwades, commands, allows none: but contrarily diffwades, forbids, diſclaimes it. Not the latter, he infuſeth none: things work as they be: a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit.
Object. Blaſphemy objects. God is a phyſicall cauſe of ſin, Object. as appears by his acts of Counſell: of Creation: and Providence.
Firſt, for acts of Counſell. God decrees all, and that's infallibly.
Sol. What then? firſt, decrees do not neceſsitate: Sol.they have no violent operation;1 King. 12.15.24. there is a decree upon things contingent, and moſt there.
Secondly, Infallibility and Compulſion are two things: There is an infallible decree paſſeth upon all we do: yet we do a thouſand things freely.
Thirdly, decrees do not over-bear or exclude the will: but conclude it. If we ſee it not, let us ſay, I am blind, not God is bad.
Ob. Yea, Object. but I am as God made me.
Anſw. No ſaith our text,Sol. God made man upright, &c.
Object. But he could have prevented ſin. Object.
Anſw. But he was not bound to it. Sol.Was it ſutable to our natures? A Prince can bind ſubjects hand and foot, and keep them from riſing. Are theſe fit cords for reaſonable creatures? the Queſtion is not, whether God could have made man better, but whether he did make him bad: Salomon anſwereth, no.
Ob. Yea, but God preſents objects, Object. and occaſions of ſin; yea he hardens the heart,Exo. 9.14. and blindes the mind, gives up to luſts; and in our doctrine, ſmites ſin with ſin.
Anſw. True,Sol. and in Pauls doctrine too: we fear not to ſay, what God reports of himſelf. But how doth God all this? not by putting in badneſſe, Subtrahendo, diſponendo, at moſt, not evocando.but by withholding goodneſſe undue, by leaving man to himſelf, who would be left. Darkneſſe follows upon the Sunnes abſence; but 'tis from Sublunaries, not the Sunne: God is ſo far from bearing all mans blame, that he hath no finger in it; Indeed omne malum eſt in bono; there is a mixture; and what good is, is Gods: what bad, ours. And what ever malice may ſay touching our Atheiſme, making God worſe then the Devill; I know that we mean as well in this as any, and ſpeak as modeſtly, as any that quarrell us, touching this point. God then is no phyſicall cauſe of ſin: he muſt therefore be either a morall cauſe or none: but that he is not.
Ob. He commanded the prophet to be ſmitten: Object. Abraham to ſacrifice Iſaac.1 King. 20. Gen. 22.
Sol. Hence it appears that God cannot ſin becauſe the formale of ſin ceaſeth upon his command:Sol. The prophet owed him his bloud; Iſaac his life: if he call for what he gave, it is no injuſtice, in Arminius his School.
Ob. But theſe things were againſt the law of nature. Object.
Sol. Particular nature muſt yeeld to univerſall.Sol. It is not againſt nature to cut off an hand, when the whole requireth it.
Secondly, God is above all law: therefore it is no fault in him to command.
Thirdly, Gods will, and ſupreme prerogative is above our nature, and the leſſe law muſt yeeld to the greater. Suppoſe a Juſtice ſends a warrant for me, and at the ſame inſtant the King ſends a Purſevant: It is no diſobedience to the inferiour magiſtrate, to prefer the ſuperiour, &c. Let God then be juſtified, and every man a lyar. 'Tis an horrible ſin to father baſtards upon the innocent: 'tis the higheſt blaſphemy to charge God with the leaſt ſin: and therefore find out the right father.
Next when we are once humbled for what is paſt, Ʋſe 2 let us now look forward, and ſee what is to be done; Surely if men will have ſin prevented, and all well, they muſt begin where the diſorder began, at Themſelves: ſtudy themſelves, and all is learned; keep themſelves, and all is kept; conquer themſelves, and all is won; blame themſelves, and all is right. This concerns men in both eſtates: but till God convince men of ſin, there is no dealing with unregenerate men: all that we can ſay to them, is this.
Firſt, that they will awake, ſuffer themſelves to be ſtartled by the Law and Goſpell, out of their dreames;Inſtruction tpage missing unregenerate. and to have its perfect work upon them. Till when, they will not fall out with themſelves, or own their own luſts.
Secondly, that they will ſtand up from the dead, ſave themſelves from a dead Generation; beginning with themſelves,Eph. 5.4. as he ſaid, Lord deliver me from that wicked man, my ſelf.
Thirdly, that they will ſuffer themſelves to be brought bed and all, to Chriſt, to the pool of Betheſda, till God ſhall enliven the means, and heale the ſpring, and ſo give life: this is all I can ſtay to ſpeak to theſe.
But for others,Inſtruction to the Saints. we have more to ſay. Are things amiſſe with thee? Phyſitian heale thy ſelf, and ſee thou be a true Phyſitian to thy ſelf. Begin where he doth. The Phyſitian runs to the cauſe of ſickneſſe. Firſt, is it from an Inward cauſe? or Outward: in the nonaturalia? aire? dyet? &c. Next if Inward, is it Ʋniverſall? or Locall? Again: is it from the head, or liver, or whence? is it a Plethora? or quite contrary, an Atrophia? And when he hath found the grounds, then he works. Firſt, Purgeth, and there begins with Catholicks, before Topicals; then applies to the moſt affected parts; after ſtrengthens nature, &c. ſo here. Sick we be: what is the cauſe? Outward? as place, times, men, Satan? theſe indeed may forward the diſeaſe: but the core and root is within:page missing. 7.21. from within, ſaith Chriſt, Mar. 7.21. True, Satan injects? Nay, ſaith Chriſt, from within; from mans heart and ſpirit, proceed evill thoughts &c. So then: have we any bad thoughts? have we unclean luſts? have we any riſing revengefull, any in jurious, any malicious crafty projects? any envious, proud, fooliſh, idle, unſetled, nay, helliſh, blaſphemous thoughts? Theſe, all theſe come; from whom? not from one man, but men. So then, there being ſuch a plethora, and redundancy, and ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe in the heart, here we muſt begin; purge the heart, waſh the heart, the whole ſoul, (for poyſon is in every part) with Catholick medicines; go to the ſap,page missingſal. 51. as Pſal. 51. David obſerves his naturall Corruption as well as particular diſtempers of murder, and uncleanneſſe: This firſt done, then as any one part is more weakned, and affected, ſo accordingly applications muſt be made of Topicals. But firſt, the main frame and conſtitution muſt be amended before we meddle with Symptomaticals; this the firſt. For 'tis not the ſtrength of Outwards that ſpoyles us, but our own weakneſſe: therefore the Saints begin here, Job indents with himſelf; Agur prayes, that vanity and lies may be removed from him, not from the things: men bring the vanity to the creatures,Rom. 8.20. Rom. 8. and put lies upon them; They tell none. The world hath no power, but from us: the corruption is in our luſts,page missing Pet. 1.4. as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Pet. 1.4. We make them tempting, and Satan ſtrong; whoſe ſtrength is from our darkneſſe.Eph. 6.12. Col. 1. Outward infection, muſt cloſe with inward corruption, before it can diſtemper us: Therefore purge well, and that done fortifie grace, as Chriſt ſaith, Hold poſſeſſion of your ſoules by patience, by grace. Thus David dealt with himſelf, and kept in his paſſions, and kept up his hope.Eph. 3.16. Thus muſt we ſtrengthen the inward man, Eph. 3. Victuall well before a Fight, as the ſouldier doth: We have alſo our warface, and muſt get our weapons, and armour ready: The world hath ſtrong allurements and ſtratagems; but they are laid in our luſts: ſtrong diſcouragements, perſecutions, and ſuch like; but their ſtrength is from our baſeneſſe. Why do you fear, (ſaith our Saviour) Oh ye of little faith? The fear is not from the greatneſſe of the danger, but from the ſmalneſſe of our faith. Were faith ſtrengthned, it would overcome the world, and be victorious. Think the ſame of the Prince of the world, Satan himſelf. 'Tis true; he is mighty, but mighty through us: were we ſtrong in Chriſt, we were ſtronger then that ſtrong one. It cannot be denyed, but that the skirmiſh is for the time ſharp, nay, ſometimes there is a long ſiege, and we beleaguered: then we muſt do as ſouldiers do; repair breaches, and ſecure all paſſages, and ſtand upon our guard, more then at other times. If within there be any combuſtible matter, away with it, out with it; if any falſe, or ſuſpected party, out with him; and that done, victuall, fortifie, barracado, make our ſelves as impregnable as we can: for that is moſt certain, which before was hinted, viz. It is our weakneſſe, not the enemies ſtrength and power, that ſpoyles us. We might proſecute the compariſon further, and call upon you to make ſure the gates, and outworkes, to keep ſentinell: but the main of all is, Take in Chriſt the Captain of the Lords Hoſts; fight with his weapons, fight in his ſtrength, ſwear fidelity to him, and ingage him in the fight, and victory is ever on his ſide. To ſpeak all in few; ſee whence all our miſery came; namely, from our ſelves. Had we been true, hell it ſelf could not have ſcal'd us; and there the cure muſt begin: Purge ſelf, fear ſelf, guard ſelf, fortifie ſelf, gage ſelf. For the truth is; we are though not all, yet the worſt tempters and devils to our ſelves. Ingage we our ſelves to Chriſt, and Chriſt to us, and there lies our ſafety; unleſſe this be done, were we in Paradiſe with Adam, or in heaven with Satan, there were no more ſafety to us, then there was to them.
See here the infinite mercy of heaven towards us; Ʋſe 3 Gods mercy be admired. Jer. 3.1.God in Chriſt is that husband that will receive a wilfull wife, Jer. 3.1. That ſhepheard, who gathers the ſtraying ſheep; not onelyonly, when ſhe is driven away, but runs away from him, Ezek. 34.Ezek. 34.11.1. That|father, who when his prodigall runs from him, runs to meet him with a pardon. Loe! we gave up God in the plain field, preferr'd his enemy, gave him more credit then God; we choſe ſin, death, miſery; it was matter of choyce; yea, our ſeeking; yea, we could not ſatisfie our ſelves with variety of wandrings. And when we had done God all the diſhonour we could, we ſhewed not the leaſt ſorrow: rather flew out more againſt him, and all his; taking no courſe to do him right. In ſhort; we could do nothing, we would do nothing, for Gods glory, and our own ſoules. Now what did God the while for us? he look'd after us, he pityed us, he took our parts againſt the enemy, he cenſured all that had any hand in our hurt whether principall or acceſſary; and bought us again with deareſt bloud, and hath now given us a better eſtate, then ever we had, put us into a better Adam, ſet over us a better Guardian, given us better promiſes, better covenant, better ſecurity then before. Oh that we had hearts to ſee the height and depth of this love, the freeneſſe and fulneſſe of this gift I how ſhall we do to love God enough? to prize Chriſt enough? where be our capacities? our expreſſions? All that you can do is this.
Firſt, Give your ſelves to God, ſith you have nothing better.
And ſecondly, Do ſomewhat for his friends, for Chriſts members, ſince you can reach no higher: do not ſay, when they need thy help, They may thank themſelves; They threw themſelves into wants, and could not tell when they were well; let them for me drink as they have brewed. Oh! Remember that thou hadſt a better anſwer from God, follow his ſteps. Labour to humble them, and then ſhew them that mercy, which thy ſelf haſt received. Thou undidſt thy ſelf, and wouldſt not take thy fathers counſell: yet God pityed thee. Oh: but theſe will never have done, they will be ever needy, ever craving, 'tis in vain to help, they cannot keep ought. Think the caſe thine own, prevent them as God hath thee: Give them by the week, lay it out thy ſelf, be thou their purſe-bearer, as Chriſt is thine. As for the reſt, who ſee their folly, and are now willing to work, to ſubmit, to amend; let the ſame bowels be in thee, which were in Chriſt, and ſo clear thine intereſt in him: And then,
Laſtly, here is a word of comfort. Be it that my own folly, ſin, pride, unbelief, hath caſt me into ſtraights:Comfort in the midſt of our great folly. yet in that caſe, God helps Fooles, as David ſpeakes, Pſal. 107. and therefore I will to him with David, Pſal. 107.17.and acknowledge my folly and brutiſhneſſe,Pſal. 3. ult. and give unto him the glory of his Goodneſſe. Salvation is of him; We have deſtroyed our ſelves, Hoſ 13.9ſaith Hoſea; but who ſaves? God in Chriſt; Death is ours,Hoſ 13.9. life is his: make him our All, and anſwer all with Him; mine is ſhame, and confuſion of face, but all righteouſneſſe belongs to him; Own thine own, and let God have his own; Thine own is ſin and miſery, own that: And yet here own but thine own; nothing is ours, but what is from us, OF accepted by us; Satan may lay his brats at our doores, but we need not open the doores for them; he may inject, and caſt in ſin: but if we reject it, 'tis his, not ours. Conſent may make anothers ſin mine, diſſent may make mine, none of mine. And let this ſtay us; There may be uſe, I confeſſe, in ſome caſes of diſtinguiſhing betwixt Inbred corruption, and forein ſuggeſtions: but ordinarity it is ſufficient to mark how ſin is entertained, rather then whence it ariſeth. Thou wilt ſay happily, that Satan makes a very through-fair of thy heart, and will not be hedged out; but be thou ſtill repairing the mounds, and call in Chriſt, to be thy ſurety; and he that prevented thee with mercy at the firſt unſought to, unthought of on thy part, will keep thee to the laſt and crown his own graces, in his own time, with victory. Mean while never ſtick with Chriſt for any thing, to whom thou oweſt all, but ſin and folly, which thou muſt call thine own onelyonly.
Quantum mutatus ab ille!Conclude with a Caveat for humble walking with God continually. Sith the caſe is altered with us to our loſſe, let us bear our ſelves accordingly: 'tis hard to fall, and to bring down the heart to the eſtate: a man of noble birth can hardly forget his beginnings, and ſit lower, but he muſt, he muſt cut his coat according to his cloth, and conform: ſomuſt we.
It is with us as with Samſon: now (ſaid he) I'le ſhake my ſelf as in former times: but poor Samſon is not now the man, his wings are clipt, his hair cut, his ſtrength loſt, till God rerepair him;1 Sam. 2.3. he muſt be now a captive, a bondſlave. Oh talk not preſumptuouſly, as he ſaid: leave that to others, to dream of their innate principles, of their ſemina and igniculi virtutis, of the rectitude of their reaſon, virginity and freedome of their will, of their native good, of their hearts and meanings, of I know not what power, more then a paſſive capacity of good: let us know the caſe is altered with us: not preſume as ſome, who will not be old, but think to do now as they could in youth;Milo Croton. but rather, with the Heathens Samſon, have a fear of our ſelves and ſay, At hi lacerti jam mortui ſunt, and keep a ſtraighter watch: ſay, I have not the underſtanding that once I had, Prov. 30. and therefore muſt beg eye-ſalve, and be content with teaching: I have not the memory that I had, and therefore muſt be content with line upon line: and my conſcience is not as it was, and therefore I muſt not build onelyonly upon my ſelf: mine eyes be not as they were, I muſt ſet a guard; my ſtrength as it was, I muſt not hazzard my ſelf to temptation. Once ('tis true) I could have gone along with God, done all commanded, beleeved all propounded, performed duty without wearineſſe, reſiſted temptation, &c. And therefore as an aged weakened body concludes, I muſt not go as I did, nor fare as I did, nor look upon my ſelf as a young man, but be more ſober and watchfull then heretofore; ſo here. I know now there dwels no good in me, neither can I do as I could have done: and therefore my rule and wiſdome is; Firſt, to humble and abaſe my ſelf before God, and to bewaile my loſſes. Secondly, to deny my ſelf, and fear my ſelf, in all. Thirdly, to make out for a repair: here is ſome difference, An old decayed body can have no hope of a recovery here, his hope is in the reſurrection, but yet there's hope for us, this hope: Firſt, go to our Father, and deſire him to diſanull our covenants with death. Secondly, to our Advocate to plead our cauſe, nay our Surety, nay our God, who was ſent to repair us, to diſſolve Satans workes, and by him we may be reſtored in bloud, renewed in part now, at preſent have a ſurer title and tenure then in Adam, and hereafter a more glorious eſtate then Adams was, and ſhall finde our unhappy fall to prove our higheſt preferment.