The saints qualification: or A treatise I. Of humiliation, in tenne sermons. II. Of sanctification, in nine sermons whereunto is added a treatise of communion with Christ in the sacrament, in three sermons. Preached, by the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometime preacher of Lincolnes Inne.

CERTAINE SERMONS VPON HVMILIATION. (Book 1)

ROMANS 1.18.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men, which with-hold the Truth in unrighte∣ousnesse.

IT is true, wee that are the Ministers of the Gospell are to make it our chiefe businesse to preach Christ; indeed that is all in all. But we may preach Christ long enough to men, telling them of Remission of sinnes, and Iustification, but they will not hearken

to us, because before they can come to Christ they must be humbled. It is true our end is Con∣solation, for that is indeed the end of the Scrip∣tures; I say, the end of the Scriptures is Consola∣tion, that through them you might have hope: and so is it the end of this doctrine of Humiliation, as, though a purge or lancing are troublesome to the body, yet the end of the Physitian using them is health, and helpe; and without this course there is no helpe. And for that cause wee have fallen on this Text, that it may teach us to know our selves, and the need we stand in of Christ. You shall finde these three to be the three great parts of the Apostolicall Ambassage: First, to humble men, to make them know what need they stand in of Christ. Secondly, to raise them againe, to preach Remission of sinnes. Thirdly, to teach the doctrine of Sanctification. These three, Humilia∣tion, Iustification, and Sanctification, are the three maine things wherein our condition to God consists. Therefore my Intent is to goe thorow these three. And we will do it briefly, beginning with this Text which wee have in hand. The oc∣casion whereof is this.

Paul tels the Romans that his intent was To come to them: But what should he doe there? He would preach the Gospell: yea, but it was an ig∣nominious thing to be a Christian, a thing that would expose him to much persecution and shame. It is no matter, saith he, I am not ashamed of the Gospell, for it is the power of God to salvation. But how doth hee prove that it is the power of

God to salvation? Wee see that in the Gospell the righteousnesse of God is revealed, that is, there is no way in the world for men to be justified, to be counted righteous before God, but to have a righteousnesse revealed from heaven, even ano∣ther kind of Righteousnesse than any man hath in himselfe; a righteousnesse of Christ, a righte∣ousnesse that is to be imputed to men; and this, saith he, is revealed in the Gospell: and therefore the Gospell only is the power of God to salvati∣on. But here comes the great question; Why is it needful that there should be a new kind of righ∣teousnesse revealed, a righteousnesse wrought by another, and made ours only but by Imputation, saith he: It must be so, else no flesh can be saved: every man must needs be condemned, for all men are unrighteous, every man is full of all impiety and wickednesse, which he delivers in this verse; thence concluding that it is needfull to have the Gospell revealed, for that is it that reveales the righteousnesse of Christ. A righteousnesse of Christ, which is onely wrought by Christ, and will onely stand out before the Iudgement-seat of God.

So that the end of the words is to convince men, to shew unto them that they have no righ∣teousnesse of their owne, to assure them, that if they stand in the condition, they are in by na∣ture, they remaine in condemnation, for he that beleeves not, is condemned already: there needs no new condemnation,* 1.1 if he have not the Sonne, the wrath of God abides on him.

* 1.2So that the maine thing in these words is this assertion,* 1.3 That mans nature is full of ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse. Two things are charged upon mans nature. First, a fulnesse of all kind of sins against God. Secondly, of all injustice and unrighteousnesse to men; one touching the first Table, the other the second. Now when hee saith, All ungodlinesse, and all unrighteousnesse of men. The meaning is, That in mans nature there is all kind of ungodlinesse, and unrigh∣teousnesse of all sorts. And againe, that is to be marked unrighteousnesse of men: he sets it down in generall, because he speakes it of all men, none excepted, so you must take both in; Every man (none excepted) is full of all unrighteousnesse, all impietie, all parts of impietie, all kinds of unrigh∣teousnesse are found in him.

But how will this be proved? He proves it by two Arguments. First, because the wrath of God is revealed against every man▪ and God being a just Iudge, his wrath would not be kindled against men, except there were just cause; and that is one Argument. But how shall we know that God is angry with men? saith hee, It is revealed from heaven. Whence three things may be noted. For thence you may see the evidence of his wrath, It is revealed.

And secondly, the surenesse of it, it comes from heaven, and God will be as good as his word. And thirdly, the Terriblenesse of it, it is revealed from heaven. For when God is said to sit in heaven, and to laugh them to scorne. And

2 Cor. 6. to sit in heaven, it argues he doth things powerfully.

But you will aske, how is the wrath of God revealed from heaven? It is revealed by the light of nature. Every man hath so much light in him, as to know that hee deserves wrath, and judge∣ment, and punishment.

And partly it is revealed by the Scripture, and partly by continuall experience, God is ever and anon executing his wrath and Iudge∣ment on sinners. And that is the first Argu∣ment.

The second argument to prove their unrighte∣ousnesse, is, because they With-hold the truth in unrighteousnesse. And here is a secret objection answered. For it may be objected, There be ma∣ny excellent things in men, as your morall Phi∣losophers, had they not much light in their un∣derstandings? much rectitude in their lives? Did they not practice many morall vertues? That is all one, it will but encrease their condemnation. It was Gods worke to put so much light, so ma∣ny excellent things in them, which had they used as they should, and might, those Principles would have shed themselves into their whole soule and conversation, but they imprisoned them, shutting them up within the walls of their Conscience: men doe not use the light they have, nor improve it, they doe not bring it out in their lives and con∣versations, but With-hold it in unrighteousnesse. So that in the words there are three points laid downe, all which will helpe exceedingly to hum∣ble

us. First, That mans Nature is full of all im∣pietie and unrighteousnesse. The second is, The wrath of God will surely fall on men for this. If sinne went alone it would not so much amaze men, but when the wrath of God comes too, accompa∣nied with the fruits of his wrath, men out of selfe-love will be moved therewith. The third, That all the good in a man before his regeneration serves only to helpe forward his condemnation.

But before I come to the handling of these points; one point we must needs observe out of the method of the Apostle. This that hee saith here in few words, is amplified to the middle of the third Chapter. All which time he spends in expressing particularly how mans nature is full of impietie, and unrighteousnesse: and when he hath done that, he urges Iustification by Christ; and after that he comes to Sanctification.

Wherein the Apostles method is very obser∣vable: and therefore from his method (before we come to the maine) we will briefly deliver this point.* 1.4 That Humiliation must goe before Iusti∣fication: You may observe it from the method used. Men must first be convinced of their im∣pietie and unrighteousnesse, before they can be fit to receive the Gospell. As the Physitians have their method in curing, first to purge and cleanse the body, and then to give Cordials: so it is a rule in Divinitie, you must be humbled before you can be justified, or, Humiliation goes before Iustification. Which may be gathered not only from this, but likewise from many other places.

You shall finde it is the course God takes every where with men, and it is a very necessary thing to be knowne; for by reason of the ignorance of this method, men doe not take the right course, they goe not the right way to worke. This is the cause many continue in the gall of bitternesse, and in the bond of iniquity, they know not the right way to come out. I say, you shall finde this in other places. Observe, Deut. 8.2, 3. you shall find there how God deales with his people, hee carries them thorow the wildernesse, and to what end? to humble them; And how doth he humble them? Two wayes; First, by shewing them the sinfulnesse of their hearts, letting them know their rebellions and startings aside, when he led them along, saith he, I have carried thee these forty yeares in the wildernesse to humble thee, and prove thee: All thy sinne and corruption was there before, but thou knowest it not. But that is not enough, for if men saw never so much sinne in themselves, yet if they have a bottome to stand on, if they have health, and strength, they regard it not: therefore he addes further, I humbled thee, I made thee hungry, and then I fed thee with Mannah; that thou mightest see thou had'st nothing without me. And this I did, that when I bring thee into the good Land, ye may know it was not for your owne righteousnesse, but for the Covenant I made with your Fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob. This is nothing but a resemblance of the same God doth now. Carrying men thorow this world, he first humbles them, he lets them fall into sin,

that they may know themselves, and withall af∣flicts them, suffering them to fall into other ne∣cessities, that they may know what they are, that they may see their miserable condition, and that God brings them not to heaven for their righte∣ousnesse, but for his Covenants sake, with Abra¦ham and Isaac, that is, for his mercy sake in Christ. So Zechar. 12. and 13. Chap. You shall find first God powres on them the Spirit of compunction that they shall mourne for their sinnes, as a man mourneth for his only sonne; and when they are humbled, then (and not before) I will open a foun∣taine to Iudah and Ierusalem for sinne and for un∣cleannesse; that is, it is shut before they be hum∣bled, but when that is done, the fountaine is ope∣ned. So you shall see Paul when he had to doe with Felix (a place worth your marking) Act. 24.26. you shall finde that when Felix and his wife Drusilla, a Iewesse, called Paul before them, it is said, They heard him of the faith of Christ: But how began he? Hee began, saith the Text, with preaching of Temperance, Righteousnesse, and the Iudgement to come: He told Felix what Righte∣ousnesse, and what Temperance the Law of God required, and likewise the Iudgement to come; for those two things must bee in Humiliation. An Endictment to shew how farre short we be of the Righteousnesse and Temperance that the Law of God requires, and withall a pronoun∣cing of the Sentence, a declaration of the Iudge∣ment to come. And this course made Felix to tremble.

So Iohn the Baptist, that came to prepare the way of the Lord, to make way for Christ: How did he make way? He came as with the Spirit and power of Elias; so with much Terrour cal∣ling them a Generation of Vipers, told them of their miserable condition, as much as he could, to humble them. And that was the way to pre∣pare them.

So when Christ went about to convert any, this was his Method, as in Ioh. 4. when he had that discourse with the woman of Samaria, meeting her by Accident; first hee tels her of her sinne; The man whom thou hast is not thy hus∣band, thou hast committed adultery: whereby hee amazed her, and made her looke into her selfe; and then he tells her he was the Messiah, and, that in him there was hope. So he deales with Nichodemus, he tells him he was flesh, that all that was in him was nought, and not any thing good; and then he preaches the Gospell, tel∣ling him, he must be borne againe. But of all pla∣ces you shall find the clearest to be that in Ioh. 16. where Christ promises that he would send His Spirit into the world, and three great workes the Spirit should doe (which were wrought by the ministery of the Apostles) he should Con∣vince the world of Sinne, and of Righteousnesse, and of Iudgement. First, he saith of Sinne, Because they have not beleeved in mee; marke that, there were many other sinnes that the Holy Ghost convinced them of, but the contempt of the Gospell, the not taking of Christ offered, that

is the maine sinne. And the Holy Ghost shall convince men of this sinne. All the men of the world cannot doe it. Wee may tell you long enough of particular sinnes, you have done these and these sinnes, sworne such oaths, defi∣led your selves with such abominations, and yet all will come to nothing; but when the Spirit sets in, and makes a man sensible of sin, that workes to purpose. Then it followes in the Method, He shall convince the world of righte∣ousnesse, because I am risen againe and gone to the Father: he should teach that there is another Righteousnesse, in me, by which you must be justified, when you see no righteousnesse in your selves, then the Holy Ghost shall shew you the righteousnesse that I have wrought. But how will this appeare? In that I am dead and risen again, and gone to my Father, where∣by it is declared that i am righteous, that I have overcome death, & satisfied my Fathers justice. And then when that is done, he shal convince the world of Iudgement, that is, of holinesse, for so the word is there used, that is, then the Prince of this world shall be judged. Satan reignes in the hearts of men, in the children of disobedi∣ence, till they bee justified and engrafted into Christ; but when they be once justified, then Christ shall cast him out; you shall see him fall like lightning out of the hearts of men and this is that which was before prophesied, Hee shall bring forth Iudgement unto victory; that is, hee shall overcome the Prince of the world, take

away sinne, and enable men to serve him in ho∣linesse. And this is the method you must ob∣serve in turning to God, labour to be convinced of Sinne, then of Righteousnesse, and then of Iudge∣ment.

And to shew the necessitie of this, take that one place, Gal. 3.24. a place you all know, The Law must be a Schoole-master to bring us to Christ. No man living can come to Christ, till the Law be his Schoole-master. Now how is the Law a Schoole-master? It gives lessons that we cannot goe through with, thereby is such a Rectitude required, as we are not able to reach, like the Schoole-masters taske to the scholler, which he is not able to performe, and is there∣fore faine to goe to another to doe his exercise for him. So the Lord tells men, you must be exactly holy, perfect righteousnesse must runne through the whole course of your life: when we see we cannot doe it, it makes us runne to Christ, to have his righteousnesse imputed to us; such a necessitie is there that men be hum∣bled.

Now that you may a little better understand this point,* 1.5 * 1.6 you must know that there are but two things that keepe men off from comming to Christ. One is unbeleefe, when they do not beleeve that he is the Messiah, or that they are to be saved by him.1 1.7 This was the great hinde∣rance in the Apostles time, and that is the rea∣son that you have faith in the Messiah pressed so much, to beleeve that that was he. But that

is not the thing to be pressed so much in these Times. But, as you see in the Old Testament, when the Prophets spake to a Church to con∣firme it in the truth, they do not presse so much to beleeve there is a God, and that hee is One God, and that a God of Truth, but to trust in God, and to make use of their knowledge. So must we doe. There is therefore another thing that hinders from Christ,2 1.8 and that is, Negli∣gence: Men care not for Christ, they are not affected with him; and this is two-fold, To∣tall, or Partiall:1 1.9 Totall is that which they were guiltie of that were bidden to the Feast, and ex∣cused themselves, and had bought a yoke of oxen, another had married a wife, another had taken a farme, and therefore they could not come. They were perswaded there was a Feast of fatlings provided, but they minded other things, for they were not hungry, and there∣fore cared not for it. And in this kind the grea∣test part of men, of your common Protestants, neglect the Gospell: Tell them of Remission of sinnes and Iustification, they minde it not. Secondly,2 1.10 there is a Partiall neglect: And so many professe Christ, do many things for him, but regard him not. And in this the second and third Ground failed: the second did much, but not so far regarded him, as to endure per∣secution. The third did respect him more, but not so as to forgoe their lusts for him, this is a partiall neglect. And that that helpeth this double neglect is Humiliation.

Now to give a Reason or two of this point, and so we will make use of it, and come to the other which is the maine, and that I most in∣tend. God will have it thus, for these two Rea∣sons:

First,* 1.11 with reference to our Iustification; he will justifie none till hee hath brought him to acknowledge both his Iustice and his Mercy,* 1.12 he will have men know what he doth to them,* 1.13 before he justifies them, and receives them to favour: I say, he will have a man acknowledge his Iustice, that is, confesse himselfe to be a sin∣ner, to be ashamed of his sins, to acknowledge himselfe worthy to be destroyed. As in Ezek. 36. there you shall find how God justifies men, and washes them with cleane water from their sinnes. Then when I doe this, whensoever I shall justi∣fie any man, then you shall remember your deeds that were not good, and shall acknow∣ledge your selves worthy to bee destroyed. God will have this honour given him, he will have men know that it is not done for any thing in themselves, he will have the glory of his Iustice and Righteousnesse; and that is the summe of the fourth verse of the one and fif∣tieth Psalme, Against thee only have I sinned, &c. that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be cleare when thou judgest: that glory may bee given to God, and shame taken to himselfe. This God will have done. As in the worke of Redemption, his Iustice and Mercy are both satisfied; so in the application of it, in taking

hold of this Redemption, God will have a worke wrought, wherein his Iustice shall bee acknowledged. Secondly, hee will have his Mercy acknowledged; as Princes, when they will make a condemned man bee sensible of their mercy, they will bring him to the utter∣most, they will bring his necke to the blocke, then he will know that he was saved, he shall have more sense of his pardon. And so God in the worke of Humiliation, humbles a man exceedingly; and when that is done, then Hee is seene in the Mount. He is not seene till men be in extremitie, that is, he will have them on their knees, and so be sensible of that mercy of his, which otherwise they would not prize. The end of all is Christ, he will have Christ estee∣med and knowne; and this men will never doe till they be throughly humbled.

* 1.14Secondly, God will have it so with refe∣rence to Sanctification,* 1.15 that is the second Rea∣son, and that for these Causes.

[ 1] First, because otherwise mens thoughts would never bee drawne inward, men would never withdraw themselves from Covetous∣nesse, and from regarding vanity; but lusts of youth in them that be young, and businesse and correspondencie in matters of State, and one thing or other would take up the mindes of them that be old, and would so occupie their thoughts, that we might speake long enough, but mens mindes would goe after an hundred severall vanities; as the Psalmist saith, God is

not in all the thoughts of a wicked man, before hee be humbled, that is, God is not there to any purpose,, nor the things belonging to the king∣dome of God, but vanity is in their thoughts, and that raises such a Tumult and noise within, that they attend not to what we say, but locke up the doores of their heart, that what we say can have no entrance. We shall see it in 2 Chro. 33. when Manasses had corrupted himselfe with monstrous abominations there set down, the Lord spake to him, but hee regarded it not, till hee was humbled, but when being led into captivitie and bound in fetters, he was humbled, then hee besought God, who was intreated of him. In the fifteenth of Luke you shall find this phrase, The Prodigall sonne came to himselfe; It is Para∣ble shewing every mans naturall condition, he was not himselfe before, hee was a drunken man, or a mad man; and that is the case of every man before hee be humbled, hee is as a drunken man; now come and speake to a drun∣ken man, as long as you will, so long as he is in his drunkennesse and madnesse he heares not: it is only this Humiliation that brings a man to himselfe. In 2 Chron. 6.37. you shall finde this phrase, If they shall turne with all their hearts in their captivitie, and repent for their transgressions, then doe thou heare in heaven, &c. I name it for the phrase, if they shall turne with their heart, which they will not doe till they be humbled, till then they be busied about pleasures, or pro∣fits, or something else, but they looke not in∣to

their hearts. The phrase imports so much: suppose a man be instant in some sport and re∣creation, and one come and tell him in the midst of his sport, there is an officer without ready to take you and carry you to prison; such a message will turne to his heart, and make him consider what he hath done, and what a miserable condition he is in: so when the Law comes it humbles a man, making him to draw in his Thoughts, and to see his misery; and when he is wounded with the sense of his sins, and with the wrath of God, then, and not till then, the feet of them that bring glad Tidings of salvation are beautifull.

[ 2] Likewise Humiliation is necessary for this cause, because except men be throughly hum∣bled, they will never take the Kingdome of hea∣ven by violence; and they must take it so, else they shall never have it: now by the Kingdom of heaven is meant the Gospell; you know it is called the Gospell of the Kingdome, that is, righ∣teousnesse and grace therein revealed and offe∣red. In Matth. 11. and Luke 16.16. you shall find that from the time of Iohn the Baptist, The kingdome of heaven suffered violence, and the vio∣lence take it by force: The meaning is this, saith Christ to them, we preach the Gospell, so did Iohn, with him it began to be preached; but deceive not your selves, many thinke they take the kingdome of heaven, but you must know there be two kinds of taking; some are content to be saved, and to doe many things as Herod

did, and as the second, and third ground did, but this is a false taking, and deceive not your selves thereby. There is another kinde of taking, when a man takes this kingdome violently, and in∣deed none shall have it, but after this manner. Now, what is it to take it violently? When a man takes a thing violently, he doth it with all his might, he puts all his strength to it, he doth it not coldly, and slightly, and overly, but with all his might. So the meaning is this; The king∣dom of heaven is as if one were to come within a narrow doore, which cannot be without diffi∣culty, when hee puts to all his violence and strength to doe it. According to the phrase in Luke, Since the time of Iohn the Baptist, they presse into the kingdome of heaven, that is, with violence, as if God seemes to hold the kingdome of hea∣ven in his hand, that unlesse you pull it, and ex∣tort it from him, as it were, you shall never have it: Now will any man doe thus till he be humbled? It is impossible he should. When a man is brought into feare of his life, and is like to die, the feare of losse of naturall life wil make him worke any thing with violence, much more then when a man sees eternall death, that he shal die for ever, will he take the kingdome of hea∣ven with violence, that is, he will not performe duties in a slight manner, as if God were behol∣den to him, not with that laxity in his judge∣ment of the truth, as he conceives, nor with that coldnesse in the duty. Those that will be saved, must take Salvation by force, which a man will

never doe till he be humbled. There is much profession, and many kinds of taking Christ in the world, but the right taking is, when a man wil be at this cost, to part with all, to deny him∣selfe perfectly, and every way, and take up his crosse, and every crosse, when his lusts are throughly mortified, and this cannot be till hee be humbled: For marke, nothing mortifies but joy and love, that doth properly and immedi∣ately mortifie; for no man will part with his lusts, till he finde Christ sweeter than they, till then he will never part with them in good ear∣nest; now Christ will never be sweet, till we have found the bitternesse of sin, till God hath so prest it on their consciences, that they feele the weight and burden of it. And so much for the reasons of it.

* 1.16Now the vse of this is double: First, is this so necessary? Then labour to see your selfe humbled, if ever you looke to be saved and ju∣stified; for though God offers Salvation to all (as it is true none is excepted) yet he lookes to none with a gracious eye to save him indeed, but him that is poore and contrite in heart, and trembles at his Word. And good reason, for none else will looke after him; the poore receive the Gospell and none else: When we preach the Gospell, it is like Cyrus his Proclamation, it was a generall proclamation, that all that would might go out of captivity and build the Tem∣ple, but saith the Text, onely they went, whose heart the Lord stirred up to goe; other would no••

goe: So when we preach, we offer Salvation to all men, that is our Commission, Marke 16. Goe and preach to all Nations, that is, offer Grace and Salvation to all men; but when it comes to the point that men must goe out of their capti∣vitie, and build a Temple to God, they will not doe it, they will rather live in captivity still, be∣cause they be not humble. To goe out of their sins wherein they have been captivated, a great while, and to build a Temple to Christ, that is, to make their hearts fit Temples for Christ, to purge themselves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit, to labour to walke in his feare, to leave all, even the beloved sinnes, and to delight in the Lord, in the Inner man, they will not, what is the reason? they are not yet humbled, and therefore they cannot be saved. The Iubile among the Iewes may be a very fit resemblance hereof, and for ought I know, may be so inten∣ded, to resemble the glorious Liberty in the times of the Gospell. Now the Iubile was this, All servants should then goe free, but if any would not, (as of them there were many) then he was to be bored in the eare, and to be a perpetuall servant. So when we preach the Gospell, this is the great Iubile, every man may be free, the Son comes to that end, and it is the end of the Truth to make men free: The Son comes to deliver eve∣ry man out of the Gaole, if he will, but men will not be at liberty, they will be servants still, because they were never humbled, they never felt the heavinesse of Satans yoke, they were

never wearied with sinne; for if they were so, this would be acceptable newes, but it is not so. Now marke this by the way, if a servant would not go free, he should not afterwards be at liber∣tie to goe, and stay when hee list, but his eare shall be bored, and he should be a perpetual ser∣vant. So if you deferre this, when you heare the Gospell preached, and thinke I will not alway live in this condition, I will repent and come out of it, know, that is not enough, God will not wait thy leasure, if thou wilt not come out, take heed lest God bore thee in the eare, that is, ne∣ver give thee an heart to come out. Doe not say, If it be so necessary, I will doe it hereafter: take heed that thy opportunities be not wholly taken from thee, and know that Christ came in∣to the world not only to take away sinne, for that was but a part of it: But what was his busi∣nesse? he came like wise to purifie to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes.* 1.17 If men might runne out their age in sinne, and Christ forgive them in the end, when they please to give over sinning, then he might have one of his ends made good, which is to take away thy sinnes, but thou couldst not be a people zealous of good workes, neither could he have any ser∣vice of thee. But thou must know Christ hath hired thee for the whole day, that is, all the Time of thy life. When he went out in the morning to call in labourers into his Vineyard, they did not make answer. Well, we will come at noone, but when his pleasure is to call, whe∣ther

at one or two a clocke, that is his call, but if he call thee in the morning, that is, if thou have the Word preached, if he knocke at the doore of thy heart, and by his Spirit suggest many good motions in thee to come home, if his will be revealed to thee, it may bee thou mayest not have such an opportunity againe; that is his call: take heed that thou defer it not, lest so his wrath should be kindled against thee; and woe unto thee if his wrath be kindled but a little; this is a thing not considered. In Ezek. 24.13. Thou remainest in thy wickednesse; And why is that? He gives this reason for it, I would have purged thee, and thou wouldst not be purged, therefore thou shalt never be purged till my wrath light on thee. That is, when God makes an of∣fer, when the powerfull Word sounds in our eares; when he cals, and wee cannot deny his knocking at our doores, and yet wee will not come in; because then, and there at that time, thou wouldest not be purged, therefore thou shalt never be purged, till Gods wrath light on thee; therefore deferre it not.

But you will say (and that is a thing that keepes men off) I have done it already,* 1.18 and what need you to presse this? I hope I am not now to practise these principles and rudiments, I hope I have done this dutie of Humiliation long agoe.

It is well if thou hast,* 1.19 but take heed thou de∣ceive not thy selfe in this case, than which there is not a greater evill in the world, even to thinke

thou hast done it, when thou hast not. I will give thee one note of it: Is it such an humiliati∣on as hath brought thee to Christ? To count him the chiefest good, to over-goe any thing rather than him, to stand out against all perse∣cutions, rather than to forsake him; canst thou forsake all Syrens, all lusts and pleasures which allure thee? Art thou thus brought home to Christ, to esteeme him above all things, that come what will come, hadst thou an hundred lives to part with for him, all were nothing? Art thou thus brought home with Humiliation, that thou wilt not let Christ goe for any thing, neither losses, nor pleasures, for Temptations on the right and left hand, then thou art come home indeed; otherwise thou hast not taken him truely, neither art humble, for thou must know there is much counterfeit Humiliation, there be many light wounds that may trouble thee, but not bring thee to the Physitian. God awakens sinners, but what kinde of awakening is it? With such awakning that they fall asleepe againe. God may send many messengers of wrath to knocke at the doore of their hearts, which perhaps disquiets and troubles them a little, but they returne to their rest againe. And this God may not only doe outwardly, but he may cast many sparkes of his displeasure into their hearts, which may there lye glowing for a time, but they last not, they goe out in the end. And this is the condition of most men, therefore they make many profers, as if they

would be saved, and come to Christ; and this they take for Humiliation. But this is not the Humiliation that is required. When God means to save a man, hee will goe thorow with the worke, and never give over till he hath brought him home, causing sorrow to abide on his heart. As it is Christs office to give repentance to men, and remission of sinnes; so it is his office, Luke 1.79. To guide mens feet into the way of Peace; Now when he will save a man, he will set it on so, that his heart shall never bee quiet till his feet be guided into the way of peace. Others may have much Humiliation at time of a Sa∣crament, or under some great sicknesse or crosse, or in a good mood, or for apprehension of some Iudgement and wrath to come, but it is like a flash of lightning that quickly vanishes; but when Christ will humble a man, he sets a Pillar of fire before him, that leads him along from time to time, till he be brought home to Christ. A small thing, when God hath the setting of it on, shall worke, and never give over working, till our hearts be qualified aright, till we be∣leeve in Christ, and embrace the Gospell. And such an Humiliation you must have, else it is no∣thing: If it be a right Humiliation, I say, it will bring you home; for you must know this is the condition of every man, they cannot abide the net, no man will come in if he can chuse. Now the Gospell is a Net that catches men, and as in the taking of fishes, if they will take the Fish, they beat the sides of the River, and will not

suffer them to rest in any corner, for if they can finde any place to rest in, they will not come in∣to the Net: So man hath many starting holes, and faine would be quiet; God humbles him a little, but hee gets in a nooke, and there hides himselfe, that if God beat not the River tho∣row-out, that is, if God doe not pursue a man, he will not be brought in. As it was with them that fled to the Citie of refuge; you know if one man killed another at unawares, if he could get into the City of Refuge he were safe; but were not he pursued by the Avenger of bloud, he would not fly thither: if God ever give over pursuing a man till he be just at the City, he wil step aside and not regard it; but when God shal charge sin upon the conscience, and pursue him, never giving him rest, this brings him to the Ci∣ty of Refuge. This is exemplified in the Pro∣digall sonne, so long as he had any thing to re∣straine him, while his goods lasted hee never thought of going home to his Father: When he had spent his goods, so long as he could get worke, or had any thing to doe, though he hi∣red himselfe in a very meane condition to keepe the Swine, yet he was well content; but in the end, when he came to have Huskes, his utmost shift, (and yet if he could have had huskes, he would not have come home) when he had no sustenance, but must needs perish, then he goes home. And indeed a man will never goe home till he have no bottome to stand on, nothing to hold by, to sustaine him; when a man is nothing,

is cut off the Tree he grew on before, and sees that he must now perish eternally; this is true Humiliation. You that are to receive the Sa∣crament, what doe we therein, but offer Christ to you? we preach Christ in the Sacrament, he is therein indeed offered more sensibly: Now what have you to doe with Christ, if you are not humble? Consider if this be not wrought in you; and remember this, that whosoever comes to the Sacrament without this Humilia∣tion, that wants this brokennesse of heart, re∣ceives it unworthily, and provokes God to wrath. The Passe-over was to be eaten with sowre herbes, and the maine businesse therein was to remember the condition they were set at liberty from, to remember their bondage in Ae∣gypt, and their miseries endured there; for by that, they saw the greatnesse of Gods mercies. So one of the maine businesses you have to doe, is to consider your sinnes, and be humbled, to consider your miserable condition, and to think it not a light matter that you may omit it. Con∣sider but that one place, Levit. 23.29 you shall finde there that in the day of Expiation, in the day of Atonement, when they came to offer sa∣crifice, he that on that day did not afflict his soule, he was to be cut off from his people. You have it two or three times repeated, It is an ordi∣nance, and this is still put in, Hee that comes to make an Atonement, to be reconciled, and offer a Sacrifice, remember this ordinance for ever, He shall afflict his soule, and hee that doth it not,

shall be cut off from his people: Therefore you have occasion to make use of it that are to re∣ceive, and not you only, for the Doctrine is ge∣nerall, Whosoever doth not afflict his soule, he shall never bee reconciled, but shall bee cut off from his people.

* 1.20But, you will say, I should be willing to doe this, but how shall I be able to doe it? If God would humble me, and set it on, and convince me by his Spirit, it might be done, but how shal I doe it my selfe?

* 1.21I answer; Thou art to goe about it thy selfe▪ It is not for nothing that those words are used in Ioel 2.13.* 1.22 Rend your hearts and not your gar∣ments: He sayes, rend your hearts. And Ier. 6.4. Plow up the fallow grounds of your hearts; that is, you shall afflict your soules: And Iames 4.9. Be afflicted, that is, suffer your selves to be aff••icted for your selves, sorrow and weepe, that is the way to cleanse you. Therefore a man should goe about the worke himselfe, that is, take this resolution, Well, I see I must be humbled, else I cannot on good grounds take Christ, for I shal not prise him, therefore I will not give over la∣bouring of my heart till it be humbled. Suffer thy selfe to be afflicted, as if he should say, Men are not willing to suffer it; if they doe hang their heads for a day, they are quickly weary, outward businesse comes, or pleasure com∣mands, and the worke growes tedious. There∣fore is that in Ioel 2. Sanctifie a Fast, that yee may rend your hearts; that is, sequester your selves

from all other businesses, from all other occa∣sions, sanctifie a Fast, that ye may have leasure to doe it; if one Fast will not doe it, take ano∣ther: Let a man goe alone and resolve never to give over till it be done, till he hath brought his heart to doe it.

When I have done this,* 1.23 what shal I then do?

Consider your sinnes,* 1.24 looke backe and consi∣der how many oathes you have sworne, how oft you have broken the Sabbath, whether you have defiled your selves with sinnes of unclean∣nesse, how often you have broken the Com∣mandements; looke on your idlenesse, your omissions, your sinfull silence, your neglect of prayer and other duties. Goe over all particu∣lar sinnes, and their multitude will amaze you: Remember the sinnes you have committed twenty yeares agoe, and take this rule withall, that these sinnes are the same now that they were, though not in thy apprehension, that is, the weaknesse of our nature; as it is the weak∣nesse of our eye, we cannot discerne a thing that is a great distance from it, it is its weaknesse that it cannot see things as they are, but that will seeme little or nothing which in it selfe is big. So it is with the sinnes that we have committed many yeares agoe, we thinke them little, and past, but know that they are the same in them∣selves, and, in Gods esteem, as they were before, for he sees them as they are: Therefore, I say consider them, lay them together, and see the multitude, and that will helpe to amaze thee.

And not that onely, but consider them with their circumstances: some, it may be, have been committed against light of conscience, and that aggravates sinne, it makes a small sinne out of measure sinfull: When it is committed against knowledge, it is not the same with the sinne against the Holy Ghost, but it is neare to it.

Againe, consider the hardnesse of thy heart, in sinning, the very sinne doth not hurt so much as that, when a man slights it, hee knowes hee hath sinned, yet goes about his businesse, and neglects it, and this God lookes at. When a man is injured, the injury is not so much to him, as it is to see the other to neglect it, he cares not for angering me. So you looke backe on your sins in a cold, regardlesse, and negligent manner.

Againe, consider your relapses and fals into the same sins, againe, and againe, though you have beene often admonished of it, yea, and have made a covenant and vow to God never to fall into it. And know this, that relapses and fallings into sin, often stand for so many sins as in numbers the second figure is in proportion to the first, which is ten times as much as the first, and the third an hundred times as much: So the addition of sins, by falling into them again and againe, and that carelesly too, that makes the sin a great deale more; consider this.

* 1.25And if you goe about to excuse our selves, It is true if God should marke all that is done amisse, who can stand, but I hope I shall be par∣doned, my nature is violently carried, I am flesh

and bloud, and I hope God will pity mee.

But this should humble you the more, that you are readie to fall into sin againe,* 1.26 and again, if it be thus in your actions, it is much more abundant in the heart. For put case there be a necessity, hast not thou caused it thy selfe? A∣gaine, you must know actuall sins intend origi∣nall corruption, and there is no man that is guil∣ty of any prevalent lust, but he was the cause of it, for if he had not by committing it often, carelessely and negligently given so much strength to it, it had not so prevailed. Addition of sin in every act of sin varnishes over originall sin, it makes it more active, more efficacious in his life. A mans weight in the ballance weighes downe the scales, but if he put to his strength too, that is as much more as his weight. So if you have any strong sins, you have cause to be humbled for it, but when you put your strength to it, it intends that originall habit of sin: So that the necessity that lyes on thee, by reason of thy nature, it aggravates thy sinne. Ier. 13.23. The Prophet aggravates their sinne from their custome in it, they could choose not to sinne no more than the Black-moore could change his skin: The Prophet, I say, brings it in for this purpose to aggravate sin. See it in our owne case, when a man comes to be accused before a Iudge, if he plead he is accustomed to such a sin, to swearing or drinking, doth it not encrease his condemna∣tion? So that though you say, I d••d slip through frailty, yet, I say, you have cause to be humbled for it.

I will but name the second use (for I have respect to the Time and Weather). Secondly, not only evill men,* 1.27 but good men within the Covenant should make this use of it, to humble themselves, for they have need of it. A man must know this, when he is once humbled and come into state of Grace, he hath not then done with Humiliation, it is to be practised still. For there is this difference between a wicked man and an∣other. Many are like a land-floud, none more ready to be religious than they, (as your great land-flouds swell, though they have no spring to feed them) but with a godly man it is other∣wise, Humiliation is in him as a Spring, he hath not done with it at his Conversion, but practi∣seth it still.

And not only so, but he must labour to adde to the measure of it, and that will adde to his love, and to his faith, and drawes him nearer to Christ, the more his sin is discovered. It is said of the woman, she loved much, because much was forgiven her: Others had as much mercy as she, but shee had more sense of it, because shee was more humbled, the more you see and are sensi∣ble of your sins, the more it addes to your love, it makes you to prise him, when you see you are so much beholden to him. Againe, it will adde to faith, I meane not only the act of beleeving, but the act of taking Christ. The more a man sees the need he stands in of Christ, the more he is convinced of sin, the more he takes Christ; for there be degrees of taking him. When a woman

takes an husband, there be degrees in her will, there may be additions to her will, shee may be morefully contented in him, and more prise him. And so in taking of Christ for our Lord, and Husband, and Saviour. It is true, if we will take him in earnest, any measure of true faith will save us, but we may doe it more abundant∣ly, for the more sense we have of sin, the more greedy shall we be of him. Againe, the more empty the soule is, the more a man is humbled, the more he sees into himselfe (as faith comes with an empty hand) the faster hold is laid on Christ. Therefore, adde still to Humiliation, let it be your exercise, the worser you be perswa∣ded of your selves, and the better you conceit of God, it is the more for your advantage; the more you can hate and abhorre your selves, the more you are improved thereby, for the flesh in you must be abhorred, and it is our fault we doe it not enough; and againe, the more you appre∣hend Christ, the nearer you draw to him. And take this withall, Humiliation doth not weaken assurance, but workes the contrary: Indeed, the lesse sincerity, and the lesse mourning for sin, and the lesse Humiliation, the lesse assurance. But reckoning up, and thinking on thy sinnes encrea∣seth it. If I have so many sins, how can I be sa∣ved? Yes, so much the rather, the more thou canst see and be humbled for them, the more thou addest to thy assurance, and so to thy love and faith. Therefore a man should make a daily practise of Humiliation, for it is to a mans great

advantage, it is a thing too much omitted, we should take time for it. And thinke it your ad∣vantage to be able to see what we have in our nature, how much guilt we have contra∣cted by sinne, and how our sins may bee aggravated; for this will teach us to prise Christ. And so much for this point.

The end of the First Sermon.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iohn 3. ult.
• * 1.2

  Doct. 1.
• * 1.3

  Mans nature is full of ungod∣linesse and un∣righteous∣nesse.
• * 1.4

  Doct.
• * 1.5

  Doct. 2.
• * 1.6

  Two things keepe men from com∣ming to Christ.
• 1 1.7

  Vnbeleefe.
• 2 1.8

  Negligence, which is two-fold.
• 1 1.9

  Totall.
• 2 1.10

  Partiall.
• * 1.11

  Two Reasons of it.
• * 1.12

  Reason 1.
• * 1.13

  In reference to Iustification.
• * 1.14

  Reason 2.
• * 1.15

  In reference to Sanctification.
• * 1.16

  Vse 1.
• * 1.17

  Titus 2.14.
• * 1.18

  Object.
• * 1.19

  Answ.
• * 1.20

  Object.
• * 1.21

  Answ.
• * 1.22

  Helps to hum∣ble and afflict the soule for sinne.
• * 1.23

  Object. 2.
• * 1.24

  Answ.
• * 1.25

  Object.
• * 1.26

  Answ.
• * 1.27

  Vse 2.