The works of Thomas Goodwin

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BX 9315 .G66 1861 v. 10
Goodwin Thomas, 1600-1680
The works of Thomas Goodwin

NICHOL'S SERIES OF STANDARD DIVINES.

PDEITAN PERIOD.

THE

WORKS OF THOMAS GOODWIN, D.D.

VOL. X.

COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION.

W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational
Union, Edinburgh.

JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh.

THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University,
Edinburgh.

D. T. K. DRUMMOND, M.A., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Church,
Edinburgh.

WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and Church
History, Reformed Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh.

ANDREW THOMSON, D.D., Minister of Broughton Place United Presby-
terian Church, Edinburgh.

©fttfral ©Ditor.
REV. THOMAS SMITH, M.A., Edinbubgh.

THE WORKS

OP

THOMAS GOODWIN, D.D.

SOMETIME PRESIDENT OF MAGDALENE COLLEGE, OXFORD.

BY JOHN C. MILLER, D.D.,

LINCOLN COLLEGE ; IIONORART CANON OF WORCESTKR ; RECTOR OF ST MARTIN'S, BIRMINGHAM.

BY ROBERT HALLEY, D.D.

PRINCIPAL OF TUB INDEPENDENT NEW COLLEGE, LONDOX.

VOL. X.

CONTAINING :

AN UNEEGENERATE MAN'S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD,
IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT.

EDINBURGH : JAMES NICHOL.

LONDON : JAMES NISBET AND CO. DUBLIN : G. HERBERT.

M.DCCC.LXV.

kbinbiirgh:

i'kintkd bt john okeio and son,

old physic qakdkns.

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CONTENTS.

AN UXREGESERATE MAN'S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, k.

Page
BOOK I.

Of an nnregenerate man's guiltiness before God, from the impu-
tation of Adam's first transgression to every person of his
posterity. ...... 3

BOOK II.

An unregenerate man's guiltiness before God, in respect of that
corruption of nature with which all mankind is infected, and
the whole nature of every man is polluted and depraved. . 40

BOOK III.

The corruption of man's whole nature, and of all the faculties of
his soul by sin ; and first of the depravation of the under-
standing, which is full of darkness, and blinded, so that it
caimot apprehend spiritual things in a due spiritual manner. 125

BOOK IV.

Of that corruption which is in the practical judgments of unre-
generate men. . . . . . .179

BOOK V.

That reason in man being corrupted by sin, useth its strength and
force to advise and contrive the satisfaction of his lusts ;
whence it is that reason, which should have acted for God,
now acts for sin and lusts. .... 216

BOOK VI.

The vanity of thoughts, being an instance of the abounding sin-
fulness in one faculty of the soul, the cogitative ; whereby
the sinfulness of the rest may be estimated. . . 256

CONTENTS.

P&QB

BOOK VII.

The corruption and defilements of conscience. . . 257

BOOK VIII.

Of the inclinations and lusts which are in the will and affections,

after things fleshly and sinful. .... 278

BOOK IX.

Wisdom in the hidden part, or practical wisdom concerning
original sin, founded on David's example and practice, Ps.
li. 6. — That this sin is matter of repentance as well as onr
actual sins, and how we are to be humbled for it, and to
repent of it. . . . . . . 324

BOOK X.

That this state of guilt and natural coiTuption is the condition of
all men unregenerate, though they make an external profes-
sion of Christianity.' — A discovery of the several sorts of
such men, both the ignorant, the profane, and the civil and
the formal Christian. — And an answer to all those pleas by
which they excuse, justify, or flatter themselves. . . 377

BOOK XL

That an unregenerate man is highly guilty, by reason of the

numberless account of actual sins which he daily commits. 429

BOOK XII.

An unregenerate man's guiltiness by reason of the aggravations

of his sinfulness. ..... 489

BOOK XIII.

Of the punishment of sin in hell. — That the wi'ath of God is the

immediate cause of that punishment. . . . 490

AN UNREGENERATE MAN'S GUILTINESS
BEFORE GOD, &c.

VOL. X.

f '"'H

\

X h] f\ -r \

AN UNREGENERATE MAN'S GUILTINESS
BEFORE GOD,

IX EESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHxMENT.

BOOK I.

Of an %mreg€nerate maiis r/uiltiness before God, from the imputation of Adam's
first transgression to every person of his posterity.

CHAPTER I.

The yeneral design and division of the discourse.

We have seen the state of pure nature, as to the holiness and happiness
thereof, bj the law of God.* I come now unto man's fallen and lost con-
dition in a state of sin and wrath, which is the condition of all by nature,
and whilst in the state of nature.
My method shall be this :

I. To handle the sinfulness of all men by nature in respect of their birth-
sin (which from Augustine we have used to call original sin), both in the
guilt and corruption thereof.

II. To treat of it as it is a state, or an abiding condition, and therein to
discover the several sorts of men remaining unregenerate in the church, and
of a common profession of Christ : viz. 1, of ignorant persons; 2, profane;
3, civil and formal Christians ; and to detect the deceits and false pleas which
each of these have, why they think themselves happy if they should die
therein. That which I intend therein is a conviction of all these sorts of
persons (that are the generality of the church) that they are still in the state
of nature, and, without true regeneration, will eternally perish.

III. The third is the sinfulness of sin, and the aggravations of it, as in
sinning against mercies, against knowledge, &c. ; together with the fearful-
ness of that punishment which is due unto men for the least sin in that
estate.

* In the Discourse of the Creatures, anrl the Condition of their State by Creation
in Vol. n. of his Works. [Vol. VII. of this edition.— Ed.]

4 AN UNREGENEEATE man's GUILTINESS BEFJKK GOD, [BoOK T.

I. As to the first, my method is,

iFirst, To shew the first entrance of sin upon all men by Adam's first sin,
that is, the first imputation of that eoct to all men; and how far the guilt of
that act is charged on us, and how far it was personal and proper only to him.

Secondly, To lay open that corruption of nature which hath defiled all oui*
natures. Concerning which, 1, how it flows from the guilt of that first act;
2, that it is truly and properly a sin ; then, 3, the gi-eat abounding sinfulness
thereof; and, 4, the parts thereof in general, as that it is,

First, A total privation and emptiness of all that is truly good.

Secondly, Positive inclinations to all evils, which consist in two things :

1. In lusts, and therein of the nature of lusts, their inordinacj', their sin-
fulness and deceitfulness.

2. In an inbred enmity and opposition unto God, and whatever is holy and
good (which I make the third particular branch of original corruption).

This in general.

II. More particularly, I lay open this corruption, as itlsjn the whole man^
and in every faculty.

First, The understanding in blindness, unbelief, practical false reasonings
and deceits, &c.

Secondly, The thinking power, the vanity of thoughts.

Thirdly, The defilement in the conscience.

Fourthly, The subjection and bondage of the will and afifections unto lusts ;
then the varieties of these lusts, and of those master-lusts which are in the
hearts of several men.

CHAPTEE 11.

The text explained. — That all men are in a state of sin. — That it is worth our
inquiry to know how sin, which thus involves all men in it, came into the
v-orld. — That sin had its entrance by Adanis first transgression. — How
Adam, being created holy, ivas capable of sinning.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and
so death jjossed upon all men, in whom all have sinned : for until the law
sin teas in the world : but sin is not imjmted when there {■s no law. Never-
theless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned
after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was
[to] come. — Rom. V. 12-14.

You read the story of Adam's fall in the third of Genesis, and here you
have how it concerned his whole posterity, and that illustrated by the anti-
type of Adam, Jesus Christ, and his conveying righteousness unto his, of
which Christ God intended Adam to be the type. And in this these two
are parallel (as in other respects), that look as the story of Christ's birth,
circumcision, obedience, and sufi"erings, are but barely and nakedly related
in the three first evangelists, whereas the intent, efficacy, and benefit from
thence accruing to us, was reserved to be set forth by the apostles in their
epistles ; so it falls out in this. Moses tells the history of Adam's fall, and
Paul explains the mystery and consequence thereof.

That sin hath not only entered in upon the world of mankind, but hath
universally ovei-flown it for sin,* not a man excepted, is evident in that
speech, 'all have sinned,' upon which, he says, 'death followed;' yea, this
* Qu. ' ever since ' ? — Ed.

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 5

is that which the apostle hath been proving at large all this while in the
former part of the epistle, chaps, i.-iii. So then (as concluding he says)
we have proved that both Jew and Gentile (which two then shared the world
between them) are under sin, all and every one of them : ' Not one righteous,,
no, not one,' chap. iii. 10. And what need we say any more of it (says he),
it being such an irrefragable truth, as every mouth must be stopped, and
'become' (in his own acknowledgment) 'guilty before God,' ver. 19. And
it might be proved by induction of all men of all ages, and will be at the latter
day, when the story of all the world shall be ripped up. There is no man in
whom shineth but the light of nature, that either casts his eye into his own
bosom, or looks out upon the sons of men, but must acknowledge as much.

Neither is it any new thing lately befallen the world, but it is the ancient
brine it hath lain soaked in, steeped in, these six thousand years almost.
* The whole world lay in wickedness,' in John's time, 1 John v. 19. There
was not by nature ' any man righteous, no, not one,' in David's time, when
God looked down from heaven: Ps.. xiv. 2^ 3, * The Lord looked down from
heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did under-
stand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become
filthy; there is none that doth good, no, not one.' Solomon says,. Eccles.
vii. 27-29, ' Behold, this have I found (saith the preacher), counting one
by one, to find out the account ; which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not :
one man among a thousand have I found ; but a woman among all those
have I not found. Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man
upright; but they have sought out many inventions.' That he viewed men
and women one by one : ' And, lo, this I found,' says he, ' that they are all
corrupted.' And therefore at verse 20 he says, * For there is not a just man
upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.' So also his speech in his
prayer, 2 Chron. vi. 36, * If they sin against thee (for there is no man
which sinneth not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over
before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off
or near.' If you think the infant times (called the golden, innocent age of
the world) was free, see what an account the text gives you: ver. 13, * Sin
was in the world from Adam,' the first man, ' to Moses;' take the account
shorter, from Adam to the flood. God, whose all-seeing eye runs through
the whole earth, views every man, yea, every thought in man, brings in this
bill and account, having viewed them one by one: Gen. vi. 5, 12, 'All flesh
have corrupted their way upon earth.' Yea, and that so as from the first
imagination or act the mind puts forth, to the last, ' all and every figment of
the heart is corrupt.'

To give you one evidence, which the text suggests, of this universal guilt
and sinfulness of all men, ' death reigned from Adam to Moses' (or else that
which is equivalent to death, a change, as in Enoch). It speaks of a mighty
monarch here, death, the most universal and most lasting monarchy that ever
was. It reigns, says the text ; its sceptre hath subdued, and brought under,
all the sons of men: 'Death hath passed upon all men.' Other monarchs
never subdued all; some outlaws and nations were not overcome; here not a
man but falls under it. Other monarchies cease and determine; this hath
lasted in all ages, 'from Adam to Moses ;' so the text says, and experience
shews, ever since. Take the experience of the present age, not a man alive was
seven score or eight score years ago ; nay, it comes into your houses, tears
your children from your dugs, and kills them before your faces, and you
cannot resist it. Millions come into the world, and but salute their friends,
and then go weeping out again, so says the text ; that children who actually
never sinned as Adam did (for that is the meaning of ' not sinning after the

6 AN UNREGENERATE MANS GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

similitude of Adam's transgi-ession'), do die as well as others. Now, if you
ask death, as they asked Christ, Mat. xxi. 23, ' By what authority he doth
these things' — by what title he reigns over all, even over children — the
text shews his commission, and gives this as the ground of it (which we
are now a-demonstrating therefore by this effect), that ' all have sinned ;'
and tells us that * death entered into the world by sin,' being the ' wages' of
it, Rom. vL 23, and the ' child' of it: James i. 15, ' Then, when lust hath
conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth
death.' And to the elect it is ordained, through the grace of God, to be his
messenger to fetch sin out of the world, as sin was a means to bring it in.

2. Doubtless it is a matter worth the knowing, and oui* most diligent in-
quiry, how this deluge of sin and death entered in upon all the world, what
was the first gap, the fia'st breach made, that let it in ; this universal flood
that covers the face of the earth, which could never yet be drained and cast
out ; yea, and what should be the spring that should feed it all this while
continually in all the thoughts that is from every man's heart, so as it should
never be dry ?

The greatest scholars of the world have spent their wits often in the search
of the original of trifles ; whole volumes are written of the original of other
things ; but Solomon, the wisest man that ever was, thought this very point
(namely, how all men came thus universally corrupt) a point of deepest
wisdom, use, and profitableness : Eccles. vii. 25, ' I applied my heart,'
says he, 'to know, and to search, to seek out wisdom, and the reason of
things ;' and above all else, as appears in the next words, ' to know wicked-
ness and folly, and to find the cause of it,' for that, the former words shew,
is his meaning. For he says in the nest verses that he took a survey of all
the world of mankind — women first, with whom he was too much acquainted,
and then men also — and observed their dispositions: ver. 27, 'And this I
found,' says he, 'God made man (originally) righteous; but now they are
all corrupt, and have found out many inventions.'

And indeed it is our privilege and advantage, who enjoy God's word, to
know the original of this universal confusion in man's nature, and of the
misery all are exposed unto; which the wisest men among the heathen, who,
though they filled the world with complaLats about it, as Plato in the second
book of his Commonwealth complains that men by their natures are evil,
and cannot be brought to good ; and TuUy,* as he is cited by Augustine in
his fourth book against JuUan, ' that man is brought forth into the world,
in body and soul, exposed to all miseries, prone to evil, and in whom that
divine spark of goodness, of wit and morality, is oppressed and extinguished :'
yet they could never dive into the bottom of this universal disease and mis-
chief. They found that all men were poisoned ; but how it came there they
none of them did know or could imagine, or would ever have found out, but
run to false counsel, attributing it to destiny and fate, or some evil planet, its
having a malign influence into man's nature, or to an evil angel that attended
upon every man. All which, how short is it of the truth !

And together- with this secret now made common to us, the knowledge of
it is most profitable, yea, and necessary, for us, and is one of the main
principles, yea, the first, which is committed to the church to be known and

* Cicero, lib. iii., de Republica, cited by Aiigustiue, lib. iv., contra Julianum, cap.
xii. p. 226, in torn. vii. oper. ed. Paris, 1571 : — ' In libro tertio de Eepublica, idem
Tnllius hominem dicit non ut a matre, sed ut a noverca natura editum in vitam, eor-
pore et nudo, et fragili, et infirmo ; animo autem anxio ad molestias, humili ad
timores, molli ad labores, prono ad libidines ; in quo tamen inesset tanquani obrutus
quidam divinus ignis ingenii, et mentis. Quid ad lia?c dicis? Js'on hoc author iste
male viventium moribus dixit affectum, sed naturam potius accusavit.'

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. ' 7

believed ; and therefore was the first thing which, next to the creation of the
world and man, God manifested in the first book that ever he wrote.

The first query will be, How all men come generally, and universally, and
continually thus unrighteous, and thereupon exposed to death ?

The text resolves us, saying, that ' by one man sin did enter into the
world, and so death passed upon all.' If we had never heard of this same
one man before, we would all be inquisitive who he should bo. The four-
teenth verse tells us it was Adam. You have all heard of him who in
1 Cor. XV. 45 is called ' the first man, Adam,' the first man that ever was
in the world ; for how could sin by him enter upon all if he had not been
before all ? Some men otherwise would have been free, if any had been
before him. And the rest of the verses, from the 14th to the 20th, do
generally inform us that he committed *a transgression,' ver. 14; * an
offence,' ver. 15, 17, 18; that 'he sinned,' ver. 16; that 'he disobeyed,'
ver. 19; and by that transgression, offence, sin, disobedience (call it what
you will), it comes to pass that all other men are ' made sinners,' ver. 19;
and that ' the guilt' of that sin ' came upon all men to condemnation.'

If you ask, how it came to pass that this man should sin, God having
created him righteous ? As Solomon, Eccles. vii. 29, ' Lo, this only have
I found, that God hath made man upright ; but they have sought out many
inventions ;' and as you read of him in the first and second of Genesis, that
he was created in the image of God !

First, I confess I had rather, upon the experience of mine own frailty, fall
down before the gi'eat God, and acknowledge mine own slipperiness and
changeableness, as I am a creature, if left to mine own will, and that when
so left, I am obnoxious to sin, over and above and beyond what corruption
hath yet swayed me to, than dispute this point out with God or men ; for
though I came not into the world holy, and endowed with created inclina-
tions and dispositions contrary unto sin, as Adam did, yet in the course of
my life I have full often found mine own will hath of and from itself cast
the balance, and given forth a command for many a sinful act, not merely
out of that sinful bias and inclination it hath to commit sin, but over and
above out of that mere mutabihty and fickleness which is in my will to cast
itself to evil. And when inclinations and assistances unto the contrary have
been sufficient to preserve me from so sinning, yet mine own will hath deter-
mined itself to an outward act of evil, so as I could and might resolve the
act done into that uncertainty and aptness to change and fall, even (as I am
a creature) to fall into that, which is a step into that nothing we were first
created out of, namely sin ; so that beyond what the bias or poise which
corruption sways man unto, it appears that in many passages of a man's life
a vertibility of will hath been the cause of sin, which is then seen, when
strong motions and impressions have been to the contrary, as well as im-
pulses of sin and wickedness (so as the man could not but say he had power
not to have done it), from whence a man may discern what he himself was
like to have done, if he had been in Adam's state and case.

Secondly, That also of James, that it is God's prerogative alone (and no
person's else but he who is God withal, or one person with God), not to be
capable of being tempted to evil, so as to be prevailed with by it : James
i. 13, ' Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God : for God
cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.' To be ' without
variableness, or shadow of turning,' ver 17, proves my assertion. It is
further evidenced by this, that the greatest and holiest creature that could
be made by God, if but a mere creature, and having no other but that pro-
vidential assistance due by the law of the creation, was not only capable to

8 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

reel and fall, but was slippery, and might easily totter and fall, and so break
itself, as a glass without a bottom.

Neither could this be laid upon God, that he upheld him not ; because to
have been invincibly kept and preserved by God, was above the due that, as
creator, God was any way obliged unto, and must have proceeded from a
principle of an higher kind, namely, his free grace, and was inconsistent with
his covenant of works ; so as God, in letting him fall, did therein no more
but only not assist him by such a supernatural aid as was above the law of
creation, and unto which God therefore was no way bound ; and it was but
to leave the creature, to shew what as a creature it might will to do, and so
that it was mutable. Which pi-erogative of God's so to do, who shall deny
unto him, or put the contrary upon him, as meet to be expected from him,
when it was a pure act of supernatural grace to have done otherwise ? The
wisest of men, Solomon, having sought into the nature and original of
wickedness and madness, lays all at man's door : ' God made man righteous,
but they found or sought out many inventions,' Eccles. vii. 29.

Neither is it to be conceived that man's heart was exposed to Satan to in-
fuse sin, as a piece of fair paper lies exposed to an external hand to cast a
blot or stain of ink upon it at his pleasure ; no, it must be an act of a man's
own will, without the consent of which the devil cannot now in our corrupt
estate force any man to sinning, much less then, when he had no matter in
Adam to work upon.

The which mutability God (when Adam was at the best and prime of his
condition), gave him an extraordinary monitory and warning of; yea, and
that which was to be as a sacrament thereof unto him, God singled forth of
the garden he was placed in, two trees : ' the tree of life,' which was ordained
to seal his constant estate of life and happiness, if he would persist in
obedience ; * the tree of knowledge of good and evil,' to signify that he was
mutable from good to evil ; and of this last tree God forbade him to eat, and
that if he did, he died : Gen. ii. 17, ' But of the tree of knowledge of good
and evil, thou shalt not eat of it : for in the day thou eatest thereof thou
shalt surely die ; ' and that therefore he must look to himself, for this was
his covenant, and the essential terms of it, and therefore sealed up by these
two sacraments. Now the word disobedience here in the text points us to his
sin, as it is also charged upon him by God: Gen. iii. 17, ' Because thou hast
hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree whereof I com-
manded thee not to eat,' which shews wherein lay the very sin. Adam had
an express commandment from God, and the light of it, together with the
principles of the law written in his heart, was in his understanding and
judgment, ready to have guided him if he would use and ask counsel thereof,
and attend thereto upon all temptations to the contrary. Neither was it
possible that if he would have had recourse to those principles, and con-
sulted with them, that he should have erred, or that his will should have
inclined to such an act expressly contrary to God's law, if he had continued
fully to consider what was at hand ready to his view, for neither could error
befall his understanding, if he would use the light he had in that estate (fov
then his understanding must be said to have been created by God, not ablo
to judge of what was good in every action), neither could man's will then
but fixedly cleave to that which the understanding did think j.good ; only he
not being taken up into the seeing of God face to face, and so to have his
understanding possessed with such a sight of God and his will, so filled and
fixed with the possession of him thereby as he might not cast an eye to look
and consider whether there might not be some further good as to himself,
than he was yet possessed of in that condition ; and then this being sug-

Chap. III.]j in respect of sin and punishment, 9

gested to him by Satan that there was, he turned a sudden squint eye aside,
as Lot's wife did hers backwards ; and thus the Scripture expresseth his sin,
by a not hearkening or attending to the h'ght of the law, and the voice of it
in his judgment, but an * hearkening to the voice of his wife.' It was a not
consulting with the command, or not suffering it to speak, or not cleaving
fixedly to the advice thereof; but his will would have his understanding gad
and wander with a glance, to see if there might not be something in what
SatanI suggested. And this very rash incogitant squint was his first slip
from God, so as after it, when God's law came upon him, and was considered
by him, yet this sin having first entered, thereupon followed a doubting of
the truth of what God had said, a jealousy that God kept him from eating
of that tree out of envy, lest they should bo as God, and so hoping to mend
his condition another way than by obeying God, and to be free of the service
of God, which by God's law he was (if he would have happiness from God)
to be subject unto ; he rather chose to set up for himself, and seek his
fortune, as we say, and so to be absolutely free as God is. And thus
thinking he had found out a new trick to be happy, without and beyond
what that condition would afibrd which God had set him in, he fell into sin
and misery. And that this was the sin of his fall, is part of Solomon's mean-
ing, when he saith, ' they sought out new inventions ; ' and having once left
God, he doth now nothing else but seek a new way to be happy ; but be-
ing a beggar of himself, finds he cannot himself support himself, and there-
fore is forced for happiness and comfort to go to every creature to supply
him, and so is plunged into the worst of servitudes, ' whilst he promised
himself liberty,' even to be a servant to every creature. This for that one
man's sin.

CHAPTER III.

How sin is derived from Adam to all mankind. — What sin it is which is pro-
pagated by the first man to his posterity. — Whether original sin consists only
in a corruption of nature, or also in the guilt of Adam's first sin imputed to
us. — The inqnitation of that sin proved. — Adam, a public person represent-
ing us. — By ivhat law he came to be so. — The justice and equity of God's
imputing the first sin of Adam to us all.

Now there are but two ways to pass sin to another: the one is by way of
example, as Jeroboam is said to have caused Israel to sin, and as Eve
caused Adam; or else parlicipatione culpce, by partaking of the sin of another.
Now by the first way this sin is not derived, for besides that Adam being
dead 4600 years ago, the force of this example reacheth not to us, nor to
the multitudes of ages past ; that this was the way of deriving it, is not
intended in the text, for then not Adam the first man, but Eve and the
devil, should have been assigned as those by whose offence sin entered into
the world, in that they were the ' first in the transgression,' and also be-
cause then children (as the 14th verse of the 12th chapter of the Romans
affirms) should not be guilty, as yet that verse afiirms they are, in that they
die. Now God exerciseth no punishment where there is no fault ; also the
apostle intends a comparison of Adam with Christ, that sin comes by Adam,
as righteousness by Christ. Now Christ conveys not righteousness to all by
example, for many persons saved by him lived afore him, as all under the
Old Testament, as Hkewise infants. This indeed, as is likely, was the way by
which the most of the angels fell, whom Satan as a head drew into the

10 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

faction with him, and those whom his example prevailed not with did stand,
and do still, which no man doth, but ' all have sinned.'

Now concerning the second way how we should come to be partakers of
Adam's sin, the Scriptures elsewhere tell us it was by propagation natural
or generation, as David: Ps. H. 5, 'Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and
in sin did my mother conceive me.' I will not earnestly contend that this
way is directly expressed in this text, which yet Augustine pressed from the
word ' entering into the world,' as a lues or contagion, and so passing and
piercing through, or invading the whole world as it were by stealth ; but
this may justly be argued for it from the text, that even infant children are
affirmed here to die upon the account of that first sin's entrance, * who
sinned not after the similitude of Adam's transgression,' that is, personally;
which shews this to be the way of conveying this sin, for to them there can
be no other. And why else were such children circumcised and now baptized,
both being sacraments of remission of sin and sanctification ? Col. ii. 11-13,
* In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,
in putting oft' the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ ;
buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through
the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And
you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven you all ti'espasses.' And in-
deed this to be the way, other scriptures plainly affirm, not only that instance
of David (though enough, for what could David have done before his con-
ception that he should be conceived in sin ? and there is the same case of
all), but Christ plainly affirms it, John iii. 6, ' Whatsoever is born of the
flesh is flesh,' that is, what is^born of fleshly generation. The first birth (for
he opposeth it to the second birth) is flesh, that is, sinful ; for flesh he
opposeth to that grace which in the second birth the Spirit works, called
spirit there ; and so Paul, Ephes. ii. 3, ' We are all the children of wrath
by nature.' By nature, is there in part meant the natural course of pro-
pagating our nature, namely, generation, and conception, and propagation
natural ; and so Aristotle useth the word (pucig.

Now, if we be the ' children of wrath' by virtue of our natural birth, then,
first, children of sin thereby ; for God is not angry with us but for sin. And
hence it is that because natural conception, by that ordinary law of gene-
ration, is the way of conveying sin, that therefore all men, all and every one,
are corrupted ; for to be sure all are born as from him, he being the first man,
and having committed that sin ere he begat any. And why was it that
Christ, though the son of Adam, Luke iii. 38, as having the matter of his
body from him, yet was without sin, and born an holy one ? How came he
to be free and exempted, but because he was conceived not by natural propa-
gation from a man, but by the overshadowing of the Most High ? Luke
i. 35, ' And the angel answered and said unto her. The Holy Ghost shall
come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee : there-
fore also that holy thing, which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son
of God.' So that this remains the only means why men are sinful, that they
are propagated from Adam after the natural manner of all flesh ; the ground
whereof you have hereafter.

The third question and demand will be. What sin it is that is propagated
and entered upon the world, and of which all men, as soon as they are made
men by conception or birth, are guilty, by that one man's oftence ?

To make way for the answer of which we must know that all sins are re-
duced unto two branches : 1, that which consists in the guilt of some act of
sin done and perpetrated ; or, 2, an inherent corruption in the heart con-

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 11

tracted by that guilt. Now it is certain, that whether every man had had
this original sin or not, that yet ixpon any act of sinning committed by any
man, there doth and should have entered in that man a depravation of
nature ; for by sinning a man is made the servant * of iniquity unto iniquity.'
Kom. vi. 19, ' I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of
your flesh : for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncloanness,
and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members servants to
righteousness, unto holiness.' Which comes to pass not upon that mistaken
ground that an habit follows upon acts in a philosophical way ; for then it
must be that many reiterated acts produce such an inclination, and so not
any one act of sin ; but depravation followeth by way of curse and forfeit-
ure, even of the spirit of all inherent holiness, because man's having of it
did hold of a covenant of works, of which more hereafter. Now therefore
according unto this, Adam sinning, there were two things befell him : 1, an
everlasting guilt of that act committed, binding him over to death; 2, a for-
feiture of the Holy Ghost in him, and so of the image of God in holiness,
and so by consequence the contrary depravation of his nature. Now Adam
having contracted by his first sin both these to himself, if the question be,
which of these two, or whether not both of these are the sin that entered,
and is propagated by birth to all men ?

The answer is. Both of them.

First, The guilt of that very act of disobedience, which was lately spoken
of, so as we all are accounted guilty of it as he, and as truly as if we had
had a hand in it ; and that (besides what is to follow) appears plainly out of
Rom. V. 12. For, first, it is said, that ' all have sinned ; ' secondly, the
16th and 18th verses clear it, for they say, that ' by the offence of that man,
judgment (that is, the guilt of that offence, whereby they were judged guilty
as well as he) came on them all to condemn them.' Now God could not
condemn them for that act, unless he did in justice judge them guilty of it.
And whereas it is said here, they sinned, the very text viewed and compared
cleareth its own intendment. A person may be said to have sinned, or to
have done a thing two ways : 1, when one actually and personally doth it
himself; and so we did not sin that sin, but Adam only ; for in ver. 14, it
is said of infants that they * sinned not after the similitudeof his transgi-es-
sion,' that is, in their own persons ; yet, 2, one may be said to have sinned
in another. And look as the text gives that part of the distinction, that they
sinned, not personally as Adam did, so it appositely sets out this other
Ip' cL, ' in whom all have sinned,' speaking of Adam ; for that may be when
one actually himself doth it not ; as what a whole body doth, a member of
the same body may be said to do ; and so the word here, theij sinned, is to
be understood, that is, they are to be accounted sinners, as the word is in
1 Kings i. 21, ' That I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders'
{Heh., sinners), upon what ground you shall hear afterwards ; and besides, I
must speak presently to this very point again.

The second thing conveyed is," a corruption of nature, which is a sin that
is inherent, remaining and residing in us, and conveyed to us from him, as
a leprosy is from the parent to the child, so as it may be said to be in them.
Of this Jobspeaks, chap. xv. 14, ' What is man, that he should be clean ? and
he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous ? ' And in the 16th
verse of that chapter, he calls man ' filthy and abominable, drinking in sin
as water.' In which place you see, that, first, there is a want of righteous-
ness, which once he was made in; secondly, a contrary uncleanness or
proneness to sin, and therefore he calls him filthy or greedy of sinning ; and,
thirdly, this is conveyed by his natural propagation by man and woman ; for

12

AN UNREGENEKA.TE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

it is inserted, ' that is born of a woman.' So that now you are to conceive
thus of it : that Adam committing that act of disobedience, his nature was
thereby first in himself for ever defiled by it. We often see that one blow
or fall strikes a man's members out of joint, so as of themselves they ever
remain so, and so did that fall of his, though but one act of sin. If there-
fore we also be proved guilty of that act in him, then by the like reason also
must that nature we receive from him by natural propagation be tainted
with sin, as his was by virtue of that act ; so as it must first be supposed
that we are guilty of that act, as the ground and reason why our nature is
thus infected, that being a consequent thereof, and in part a punishment of
it, and so as indeed it could not have been infiicted on our natures as a sin,
unless we be first found guilty of that act of sin itself.

Now, because this is questioned by some divines, I shall corae next to speak
unto this great and main proposal, namely.

Whether original sin doth consist only in a corruption and defilement of
nature, and want of that first created righteousness ? Or, whether not also
in the guilt of that first act of sin and disobedience of Adam's, by way of
imputation derived down unto us, and that as the ground of that corruption
propagated ?

That the corruption conveyed is the whole of original sin, and not at all
the guilt of that first disobedience as imputed to us, is maintained by some,
but usually (if not generally) by such as withal deny the imputation of
Christ's righteousness also. And indeed the occasion why they have denied
the imputation of Adam's sin, hath been for the sake of their other opinion,
that we are not justified by Christ's righteousness as imputed, but only for
Christ's sake, and for his righteousness. For they see that if they should
hold the imputation of Adam's first actual disobedience, that then they might
as well assent unto the imputation of Christ's righteousness and obedience,
Adam being Christ's type.

The point therefore to be proved now is not, that the corruption is con-
veyed, but that the guilt of the act of his first sin is also derived down to us.
I shall endeavour it out of this scripture, in Rom. v. 12, 13, &c. (Of the
conveyance of the corruption itself I shall after speak.)

Now the proof of this is made up of these particulars laid together.

1. Let the general order of the apostle's discourse in this epistle about
about man's sinfulness be considered. In the two first chapters, he had
shewn how, in respect of actual sins and a state of wrath, first, the Gentiles,
chap, i., secondly, the Jews, chap ii., are all involved; and then, chap, iii.,
he speaks of both together, Jew and Gentile, laying open that inbred and
general corruption of nature, concluding that ' all are unrighteous, and fallen
short of the glory of God.' Now, then, in this fifth chapter, he proceeds to
shew the source and spring of this corruption, viz., Adam's first sin : ' By
one man sin entered into the world.' So then, having fully treated of the
corruption afore, he here orderly next treats of the consequence of the guilt
of the act, which is the ground of that corruption.

2. The sin of that one man which he treats of in this chapter was, the act
of sinning, and not so much the corruption of nature in him, which also
befell himself, for he termeth it a transgression, ver. 14 ; an ofi'ence, ver.
15-17 ; and says, that he sinned, ver. 16; and a disobedience, ver. 19; and
ver. 17, termeth it, that one ofience.

3. When he says, ' Sin entered into the world by that one man,' he by sin
means one and the same sin, which by him as the author was first brought
into the world, the guilt whereof accrued to himself as the perpetrator of it,
and to his posterity ; so as in that word, * sin entered into the world,' him-

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishiient. 13

self first is to be undorstood as one of, yea, the head of, this world of man-
kind which sin entered upon ; and he speaks of the first entrance of sin
therefore of that sin which was first begnn in himself, and that is evidently
the guilt of the act here spoken of, and therefore the same sin or guilt is to
bo understood, which is said that it goes on and is derived to the rest of
mankind. And if otherwise it be understood, then, whilst Adam's sin is
spoken of, and that as begun in him, one kind of sin, namely, the guilt of
the act, but when the sin of the rest of mankind, then another kind of sin,
viz., the corruption of nature, should be variously intended, which is not
uniform to the apostle's scope.

4. He thereupon says, that * death passed upon all,' this sin having first
entered upon all; that is, death as the effect and punishment of that act of sin
thus spoken of; and the connection of these two sayings is with an emphasis,
* and so death passed.' Every word is emphatical to this purpose : 1, passed,
as a sentence upon a crime foregoing ; and therefore, 2, he adds, xai ovrug,
and so, which words are causal, or assigning a reason why death and the
sentence of death passed upon all, even because sin, and that sin of Adam
had entered first upon all. And look as death seized on Adam for the act
which he did, so still likewise the same sentence on us all for the same act.
Now we find that unto that act of disobedience it was that death was threat-
ened : Gen, ii. 17, ' That day thou eatest thou shalt die.' And look as it
is one and the same death that seizeth on both Adam and us, so the guilt
of one and the same sin entered on both.

5. And to that end he might be understood both to hold forth that sin of
his to have been the cause of death, and also how sin, and what sin it was
he intended, in saying it entered upon the world by that man, he further
indigitates it and repeats it, in that (saith he) ' in whom all have sinned ; '
and this fully resolves us.

For, first, if no more had been said of all men, than that they sinned,
ii/Mas^Tov, it imports an act of sinning ; he says not, 7nade sinful, but have
sinned ; therefore his intention is to speak them guilty of that act of his
first sin, of which he manifestly speaks of afore and after. And further,
seeing that many of them whom death reigned over were infant children, as
well as others (for experience sheweth death reigneth over them also), and
they are part of this world, which sin is said to have entered into, and that
they are not guilty of any act of their own in themselves, therefore guilty they
must be supposed of that act (if of any at all), viz., the first sin and dis-
obedience of Adam (which he, you see, is discoursing of), nor of any other
can they be supposed guilty in common together with all men else ; so then
put but rt?^ and have s«n»ecZ together, it must be the guilt of his first sin that is
intended ; and then the manner of involving children in that guilt can be no
otherwise than by imputation, for of personal sin in themselves they are
not guilty-

6. Farther, to clear this, take the words that follow : ver. 14, ' Death
reigned,' saith he ' even over them that sinned not after the similitude of
Adam's transgression.'

1st, That reif/ning attributed unto death upon sin's entrance hath, as
Parous observeth upon the words, a respect to those violent prerogative
extraordinary judgments which were (long before Moses) executed, as the
flood on the old world, and on Sodom and Gomorrah, &c., in which children
and infants were involved as well as those of riper years.

And then, 2dly, those other words, * even over them that sinned not
after the similitude of Adam's transgression,' is a designing, by a peri-
phrasis, infant children, and their case and condition, as those that death

14 AX UN-REGENERATE MAK's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

reigneth over, as well as others, though they had never actually or person-
ally sinned, or in like manner as Adam had done. Now, besides other con-
siderations, if only inherent corruption were the sin that had been intended,
upon which it is that death had passed on all, and as that wherein infants,
as well as those of riper years, are in common and alike involved, then the
apostle had put no difference between Adam and them ; for concerning that
sin it might be said of infants that they have inherent corruption in their
persons, after the similitude that Adam had it in his person ; for it is ex-
pressly said of it. Gen. v. 3, that ' Adam begat a son in his own image or
likeness.' And those (with whom in this point I have now to do) all grant
that same comaption to have been the punishment of that first act of
Adam's, as well in Adam himself as in us, and so in all these respects
bearing the very simihtude of that sinful corruption that was in Adam ; but
it is not so in respect of the guilt of that first act ; we are not sinners in
respect thereof after the similitude of Adam's transgression therein. So
then, having first said that nil had sinned, and yet of some of that all,
namely infants, that they sinned not after the similitude of Adam's trans-
gression, it is an explication or correction that they are to be understood to
have sinned, not in their own persons, as Adam did, but that only by way
of imputation it is yet reckoned to them, which is the only way whereby it
can be imagined they should be said to have sinned therein.

And 7. After he had thus connected these two, the first man's sin and
death, as cause and effect, he plainly sends us to that first curse directed
against that very fact, ' That day thou eatest ' (which was the first sin) ' thou
shalt die the death.' And this the scope of his ensuing argumentation
clearly shews that bis meaning is, that death (then threatened) had, accord-
ing to the tenor of that threatening upon that man's first sin, seized on all
the world. His words that follow are these: ver. 13, 14, 'For until the
law sin was in the world : but sin is not imputed where there is no law.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had
not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of
him that was to come.' He lays his foundation of arguing thus : children
and all men die, and death is but for some sin, and all sin must have some
law it is committed against ; now, what law should that be, says he ? He
removes any kind of sins forbidden in Moses's law, or contained therein, to
have been the cause of that death of mankind, yea, of children ; and yet it
must be a sin against some law that was in the world, which must be the
cause of that death ; for ' sin is not imputed where there is no law.' Now
what law is it (that was no part of Moses's law, nor contained therein)
against which all, even children, should be supposed to have sinned, and by
vu-tue of which death should pass upon them and all, but that which was given
to Adam, over and above any other command that is in Moses's law, which
so expressly threateneth death in it ? That law which he first sinned
against, namely, in eating the forbidden fruit; and therefore it must be the
sin against that law which brought in death upon the world, in w^hich law or
command this curse was in terminis, and expressly annexed, ' that day thou
eatest thou shalt die.' It is certain, then, that it must be by virtue of this
law that children die, or by none, for they died when Moses's law was not
vet given ; so then, when you read that even children died afore Moses as
well as others, you know what cm'se and what law to attribute it unto, even
to the first law, and that first curse given to Adam, ' that day thou eatest,
thou shalt die.'*

* Faius, the Geneva preacher, together with Calvin, in his comment on these
■words, resolves the apostle's argument thus : — Si est transgressio in infantibus, est

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishbient. 15

8. If it prove that the words, ver. 12, are to be read thns, * In whom all
have sinned,' then the matter is plain that the guilt of that his first act is
the sin conveyed by imputation, and that we sinned in him. But those that
are opposite to this great truth catch hold of this, that the words should be
read, ' in that all have sinned,' and not * in whom ; ' and so our translators
were pleased to read, although in the margin they also vary it, and say ' in
whom,' as knowing that this latter might stand as well as the former.
Now yet,

1st, Kit be * in that all have sinned,' as taking 'i(p' £, *in that,' as a causal
particle, yet still it implies that all have sinned, and were guilty of an act of
sinning, as was argued.

2dly, Know that Pelagius was the first who brought up that other inter-
pretation, 'in that, or for that all have sinned.' But Augustine, and all the
fathers but Theodoret, say, ' in whom,' as meaning Adam, spoken of in the
words before.

8dly, The apostle's speech seems an hyperbaton ; for whereas the apostle
in the beginning of the verse had said, ' As by one man sin entered,' and then
should in the next sentence have repeated those words, * by one man,' and so
have gone on to have said, that thus or so death passed on all men by that
one man, he omits the insertion of it there because of making a repetition,
yet so as in this his close he emphatically brings it in, and with more advan-
tage, in adding this as the reason or ground thereof, ' in whom all have
sinned ;' and so that s'p' u. comes in fully referring to that one man, and to
that his sin, as by whom he had said sin entered into the world, and death
with it, as the reason of both.*

Then, 4thly, compare this sense given but with that speech, 1 Cor. xv. 22,
' in Adam all die,' this place, Kom. v. 12, ' in whom ail have sinned,' and
they are parallel ; for look, as he plainly there affirms, that in Adam, as a
common person, all did die, the same he affirms here of his sin, the cause of
death, in whom all sinned. If, therefore, in the one place we are said to
die in him as the consequent of that first sin (and actually in him we did not
die when he died, for we are alive long after him), then much more it may
be judged that the apostle intended to say here that we sinned in him then,
when with the same breath he is proving that death entered upon all men
upon the entrance of his first sin, so that the one place doth interpret the
other. And although this here is put last in order of sentences, ' in whom all
have sinned,' yet it is supposed first in order of causation, thus, in whom all
having sinned, death hath by that passed on all ; that is, all died in him,
because they all sinned in him ; for the law given him had said, ' That day
thou eatest thou shalt die.' For these words there, ' in Adam all die,' do
refer evidently to that curse in Gen. ii. 17, ' That day thou eatest thou
shalt die the death,' even that very same curse and law which in the
seventh consideration I shewed Paul pointed us unto. And if it were that
by that law it came to pass they then died in Adam, then they must be con-
sidered in Adam when that was spoken unto him ; and so this must have
been, by the apostle's application and interpretation of it, God's intention,
that when he said, ' thou shalt die,' that he included all mankind as con-
sidered in him when he spake it of and unto him.

To conclude this, consider but this further parallel of these two places,
1 Cor. XV., and this Eom. v.

legis alicujus transgressio ; non est transgressio legis actualia prohibentis, ergo est
transgressio legis alterius. Lex autem ilia niilla alia est prjeter earn quae violata est
ab Adamo, qua scilicet probibitus est Adamus Eden de fructu. — Faius in locum.
* See Cornelius a Lapide in loc.

16 AN UNEEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

1. Adam is in both held forth as Christ's type, as I have in another dis-
course proved;* so in the Romans expressly, ver. 14, 'Nevertheless death
reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the
similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to
come.' And as expressly, 1 Cor. xv. 45, ' And so it is written. The first man,
Adam, was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.'

And 2. Adam and Christ are held forth as public persons in both. First,
in that 1 Cor. xv. 45, where he is therefore called the first man, not in respect
of existence, but representation ; for in what respect is Christ there called the
second man, and Adam the fii'st man, but in the same sense that Christ is
termed the second ? For they are set together as type and antitype, other-
wise Cain was in order the first after Adam. So, then, it is spoken in respect
of his representing all mankind; and so it is of Adam here in this Rom. v.,
for all along the emphasis is put upon this one man: ver. 19, it is said, *by
the sin of one man,' not one sin; and ver. 12, ' by one man sin entered.' I
ask, seeing Eve sinned, and sinned first, was 'first in the transgression,' why
was it not her sin ? yea, and she was a root of propagation as well as Adam, why
by that one man, Adam, and not Eve ? No reason can be given but because
Adam was the public person that represented us, and not she ; so also why
are not other parents as well ? so why not Adam afterwards, but only in his
first sin committed ? Yet let me add this, that Christ and Adam are made
public persons in a differing respect in these two places : in 1 Cor. xv.
47, .48, in respect of qualifications, ' Such as is the fii'st man earthy, such
are they that are earthy of him.' But here in the Romans in respect of acts,
or what the one and the other did, and therefore the sin of this one man is
made the sin of all in him, as the obedience of the other is made the righteous-
ness of all in him ; as the one for ' justification of life,' so the other for ' con-
demnation of death,' in whom all have sinned, and in whom all died. And
indeed it is the law of all nations that the acts of a public person are accounted
theirs whom they personate ; the heads of the people of Israel sacrificed for
a murder in the name of the nation, the females were circumcised in the males.

Lastly, The scope of Paul in this chapter is to set Christ out by the illus-
tration of Adam his type, in respect of his conveying the righteousness of
justification; so ver. 16-18 expressly, 'And not as it was by one that
sinned, so is the gift; for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but
the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's
offence death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of
grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condem-
nation, even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men
unto justification of life.' And his conveying sanctification to us is made a
new and distinct business from this, which upon occasion of this he enters
upon, chap. vi. ver. 15 to 20, and this we argue against the papists. Now
therefore, if Adam's type in respect of conveying sin be brought to set out
Christ's justifying of us by his righteousness, then the imputation or charg-
ing of Adam's disobedience, and so the guilt of the act, mustibe intended, or
it had not served Paul's purpose ; for if Paul should have intended how
Adam conveyed the sin of corruption of nature to us, to set forth how Christ
conveys righteousness to justify us, it would have been foreign to his design,
for these are things heterogeneal and of difiering uatm-e, and no way parallel.
But the apostle's words in Rom. v. 19 are express, that in one and the
same parallel respect it is that we are made sinners in Adam and righteous

* See the Discourse of the Creatures, and the Couditiou of their State by Creation,
chaps, viii. and ix. in Vol. II. of his Works.

Chap, III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 17

in Christ, ' for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by
the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.' And the word xars-
ardOrjtrav and -/.iraffrad/ifsovrai, made righteous and made sinners, there used, is
a word noting an act of forensical or outward authority, applied therefore to
the constituting of elders : Acts vi. B, ' Wherefore, brethren, look you out
among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom,
whom ye may appoint over this business.' Karasryjsc^/jbsv, the word is. And
so Titus i. 3, ' But hath in due time manifested his word through preaching,
which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our
Saviour.'* Karaar/iaric is the word there too. And so the justification of us by
Christ's righteousness is an act of power, as when a king makes a man a noble-
man by patent, constituting him such ; and thus'it is that Adam's sin makes
us^by nature's letters patents sinful, even by deriving down the guilt of that
act, which, in Rom. v. 16, is thus expressed, ' The judgment was by one to
condemnation ;' that the judgment or sentence charging the crime, the guilt
of the fact upon us, redounds to our condemnation. And so much for this
great point.

The next query may be, How and by what law Adam came to be a public
person representing us? For it will be objected that there only it holds, that
the act of a public person is reckoned or imputed, when he is chosen by the
consent of those to whom it is imputed, which Adam was not by any of us.
To which I answer,

First, Adam being, as was said, Christ's type, I might ask. How came
Christ to be a public person ? and who chose him to be so ? To be sure,
he was not chosen by any of us believers ; and yet it is said, that sin is not im-
puted to us, because Christ was made sin for us. By God's choice, and his
own undertaking, 2 Cor. v. 21, Christ was appointed by God, and that by
virtue of a covenant made with him for all believers, that what he did should
be theirs : Isa. xhx. 1-8, ' Listen, 0 isles, unto me ; and hearken, ye people,
from far : The Lord hath called me from the womb ; from the bowels of my
mother hath he made mention of my name. And he hath made my mouth
like a sharp sword ; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made
me a polished shaft ; in his quiver hath he hid me ; and said unto me, Thou
art my servant, 0 Israel, in whom I will be glorified. Then I said, I have
laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain ; yet
surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. And
now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to
bring Jacob again to him. Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be
glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. And
he said. It is a light t'ning that thou shouldest be my servant, to raise up
the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel ; I will also give
thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the
end of the earth. Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his
Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth,
to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship,
because of the Lord, that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he
shall choose thee.' Why may it not satisfy us, then, that by the like reason
God should choose Adam, being the first that was created, as perfect as ever
any after could have been, as the first man, the chief? And so God made as
good a choice in it as men could have done for themselves. And further,
who being to be the father of all the rest, had the law of nature, as well as
that of love and conscience (which parents have generally towards their chii-

Qu. ' Titus i. 5, For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou sliouldcst ordain,'
&c.? — Ed. ^ /^

18 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

dren's good as to their own), to poise and oblige him unto faithfulness, to
whom God gave a law which did concern and bind his posterity in him as
well as himself, and this covenant was expressly told him and made with
him : — 1. That he should be able to multiply and fill the earth : Gen. i. 28,
' And God blessed them : and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply,
and replenish the earth, and subdue it ; and have dominion over the fish of
the sea, and over the fowls of the air, and over every living thing that moveth
upon the earth.' And, 2, that, standing obedient, he should convey the
same blessed estate to that his seed, and therefore that same which God
speaks, Gen. i. 26, ' Let us make man according to our image,' is expounded
by Solomon, Eccles. vii. 29, of all men in him, ' God made man righteous,
bat they,' &c. He speaks generally of all in the one and in the other. And
therefore also, Gen. i. 28, he bids him multiply, and have dominion over all ;
that is, his seed as well as he should have the same privilege. Yet so, 3,
as that if he disobeyed God, his seed should die as well as he; so that,
* That day thou eatest thou shalt die,' was understood by him, and spoken
to him, as representing all, for it is so opened as the primitive intent of it
in 1 Cor. xv. 22, 'For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be
made alive.' All are said there to die in him, which could not have been
unless they had first all lived in him.

But, secondJtj, to clear this the more, there are three ways by which it
may be conceived or understood, that he was made a public person.

1. By the absolute prerogative of God, resolving it wholly into his own
secret ordination and appointment of him so to be. Thus some. But this
cuts the knot indeed, but unties it not ; and I dare not wholly put it on that
account. The covenant with Adam, both for himself and us, was the cove-
nant of nature, as I have shewn : and it were hard to say, that in such a
covenant he should use his prerogative alone ; and in some respects this was
higher (if we suppose it such) than that with Christ, with whom he dealt
distinctly, fully making known to him all things that concerned that covenant,
which he also voluntarily undertook for to his Father, as in that place cited
in Isaiah, and also here appears.

2. A second way, therefore, is when it is by a covenant, and that so as
though God's will to have it so, that he should represent us, was the main
foundation it should be resolved into ; yet so as withal God should plainly
utter this, and declare it aforehand to him, as he did to Christ in that place
of Isaiah, ' I will give thee for a covenant to the Gentiles,' &c. Now, there
is no such record of this, more than what hath been mentioned in the for-
mer answer, now extant I know of, whereby God declared he would consti-
tute him such, or laid it explicitly upon him, otherwise than in those parti-
culars which yet I confess by just and like reason do infer it, so as I would
not wholly put it upon that account neither ; for we read not of God's say-
ing this to him in distinct words, nor of his accepting or undertaking so to
be, namely, a public person, that if he sinned his posterity should siu in
him. Therefore,

3. I should think it to be mixed of the two latter, both that God made
him and appointed him to be a public person, as 1 Cor. xv. 45 (see my
exposition on those words*), yet not so out of mere will, but that it also had
for its foundation so natural and so necessary a ground, as it was rather a
natural than a voluntary thing. And necessary it was he should be so
appointed, if the law of nature were attainted. And to assert this, I am
induced, among other grounds, by that which, in handling the state of Adam
in innocency, I thenf pursued. That his covenant was a natural covenant,

* In the Discourse of the Creatures, chaps, viii. ix , in vol. ii. of his works, f Ibid.

ClIAP. III.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 19

and such as according to the law of his creation was due and requisite, and
founded upon, and consonant to the principles of nature, and therefore I
judge this law concerning the propagation of man's nature to his posterity
to be such, and that God did not put forth his pi'erogativo in giving forth
this alone ; but that it being a part of his covenant by the law of nature, it
was therefore so well known to him, by the light and law of nature, that he
needed not have it given him by word of mouth ; though in those fore-men-
tioned charters, common to him and his posterity, of having dominion over
the creatures, and begetting in his likeness or kind, it was sufficiently held forth';
and so as that threatening was to be understood in the same manner by him,
'. That day thou eatest thou shalt die,' wherein all mankind are not only
meant, but expressed by the same law that they are in those words, ' sub-
due the earth :' Gen. i. 28, ' And God blessed them : and God said unto
them. Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it ; and
have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowls of the air, and
over every living thing that moveth upon the earth ; ' which are spoken to
Adam immediately, and yet meant of his posterity. And it is certain that, iu
respect of conveying all that which was good, he was a common person ; as
in that of conveying a lordship over the creatures, a covenant of life to them,
&c., and by the same reason he was a common person to convey sin too.
And truly those words, that we are said to be ' children of wrath by nature,'
I understand not only (though so too) by birth, but even to extend to this
sense, by the law of nature. See my exposition on those words.*

Now, the natural necessity upon which this designation of him to be a
public person was made is this : God had, as author of nature, made this
the law of nature, that man should beget in his own image or likeness. Look
what it should prove to be either through his standing or falling afore he
puts this nature out of his hands ; and this law is in their kind common to
beasts. So, then, in this first man the whole nature of man being reposited,
as a common receptacle or cistern of it, from whence it was to flow to others,
therefore what befalls this nature in him by any action of his, that nature is
so to be propagated from him, God's ordinance in the law of nature being,
that all should be made of one blood, which could not have been said of any
other man than of him (no, not of Noah, because of the mixture of mar-
riages afore with the posterity of Cain). And thus, also, man's condition
difiered from that of the angels, of whom each stood as single persons by
themselves, being all and each of them created by God, immediately, as
even Adam, the first man, himself was. But all men universally by the law
of nature were to receive their nature from him in his likeness ; that is, if he
stood and obeyed, then the image of holiness had been conveyed, as it was at
first created ; if he fell by sin, then seeing he should thereby corrupt that
nature, and that that corruption of nature was also to be his sin in relation
to, and as the consequent of, that act of sin that caused it, therefore, if the
law of nature were ever fulfilled so as to convey his own image as sinful
(suppose he should sin), so as it should be reckoned sin in his children, as
it was in himself, this could not take place, but they must be guilty of that
act that caused it, so far as it cast it, as well as himself. If indeed any way
could have been supposed how he might have been bereft of that holiness he
was created in, without a precedaneous act of sinning as the cause, then
indeed we might have said that privation of holiness should not have been
reckoned sin either to himself nor his posterity in that case. This corrup-
tion of nature, or want of original righteousness, in such case would not
have been, nor could not have been accounted a sin, (a punishment it might),

* In Comment, on Ephes., Part ii. [Vol. II. of this Edition of his Works.— Ed.]

20 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS B'".rORE GOD, [BoOK I.

but it comes only to be a sin as it referreth to, and is connected with, the
guilt of an act of sin that caused that corruption of nature. If, therefore,
that corruption became truly and properly a sin in them as well as in him
(and else it hath not ihe formale of his image), he must necessarily be con-
stituted a public person, representing them even in respect of that act of sin,
which should thus first infect and pollute their nature in him, or else the
law of nature will not in this respect have its due effect ; for that which
makes it a sin is not the want of it simply, but as relating to a forfeiture and
losing of it by some act those are first guilty of who lose it. Hence, there-
fore (I repeat the force of my reason again), if he will convey this image
acquired by his sin as sinful, there must be a guilt of that act of his sin
which was the cause of it, and therefore he must be a public person in that
first act of sin ; so as without this, as the case stood, the law of nature could
not have had its course. See more of this in my sermons on Ephes. ii. 3,
* Children of wrath by nature.'
Two objections clog this.

1. Assertion. Why should not, for the same reason, his actual righteous-
ness be conveyed ?

I answer, There is a differing reason : for his acts of righteousness they
were only means of preserving holiness in him, as causes without which he
should else lose it (for omission would have lost it as well as commission),
yet he had it not given him at first from acts of righteousness, but by crea-
tion and free donation. But this sinful image, considered as sinful, was to
come in wholly and merely from a sinful act, as the sole eflicient or merito-
rious cause of it ; and that was it alone could bereave him of it, and which
alone could make the want of that righteousness to be sin.

2. The second objection is, Why was not Adam, in others of his sins
(which also corrupted his nature), a public person, to convey the guilt of
them with that corruption, as well as this first, seeing the law of nature is
to beget iu his image ? Yea, why are not other parents public persons also,
seeing this law to beget in their likeness is theirs as well as Adam's ?

Ans. 1. It was the first act of sin in Adam that first cast his condition,
that is, himself and all his posterity, into that utter privation of all righteous-
ness, which was equally, for the substance of it (if I may use such an expres-
eion of sin), to be communicated to all mankind; and as in the being of man
it is in the integral substantial image, not the gradual, that the law of nature
seizeth on, as to beget an entire whole man, not of such a stature, &c., so
it is in corruption the integral body of sin, the integral substance of that
corruption, which is equally to be derived to all, was at first cast and caused
by that first act of his, and therefore upon that he ceaseth to be a public
person, for there was wrought in him thereby an utter privation of all right-
eousness- It was a privation total and integral, that had all sin it ; and,
therefore, though he by other acts might afterwards corrupt himself more by
degi'ees, j'ct the law of nature for begetting in his likeness extends not to
degrees in any kind, but integraJitas, a wholeness of parts ; as to beget a
whole man, a soul that hath all faculties, a body that hath all members ;
but the degrees of abilities or stature, that is not in the common law of
nature ; for else Seth should have been more corrupted than Cain, and the
latter children of a wicked man than the elder ; and that is a strong argu-
ment that it is not by mere propagation, but as conveying with it the guilt
of the first sin.

And, 2, for other parents ; though they are means to derive down this
image from him, yet they are not public persons ; nor was it necessary, for
the condition of all Adam's acts being cast by that first act, and a total

CUAP. III. J IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 21

entire privation of all righteousness, as the common standard of all men's
original sinfulness, being cast by Adam and his first act of sinning, there
needed not such constituting other parents as public persons, but only as
bare instruments by generation (which is but the channel of it) to convey it
down. For the full scope and extent of the law of nature to convey the
whole image of sin, for the substantial and integral parts of it, was by bis
sin enough attained ; and therefore himself ceased upon it to be a public
person, and other parents are never put iuto that office. And the scope of
the law of nature is not to convey more or less degrees of siuning, according
to the degrees of corruption in the parents that beget, as it is not to begat
children as great or wise as themselves.

The jiext thing to be spoken unto is the justice and equity of the imputa-
tion of this first act of sin unto us by God.

The difi'erence of this our first parent, and that of other parents, why he,
and not the}', were singled out to represent us, and stand for us, having
spoken to, even now in answer to an objection, and also afore ; and so
supposing the justness of that difference, I shall now come to the clearing
of the justness of this imputation of his first sin to us, and the corruption
of it.

Now for this general ground which the t-ext holds out, that he was that
one man, as hath been shewn, as no father else is said to be. There are
several ways by which a multitude are reckoned as one man, as included in
one other man that stands for them.

First, One that is head of many ; and Adam was the first head and father
of mankind. Now the elders and first heads of any tribe did still appear as
public persons in the stead of the rest, as our knights in parliament do for
a shire, and for kingdoms or nations, only they are chosen by the multitude
they represent ; but by the law of nature, the first had that privilege by
nature, and so all the rest of that tribe were looked at as one man, in that
man that represented them. And this holds good to this day in nations,
namely, that some one represents a multitude, and stands for a whole cor-
poration in matters of greatest moment : what such an one passeth, they are
said to enact. It is Aristotle's maxim. Quod J'acit i^rinceps civitatis, id tola
facit civitas. Now in this sense all mankind were (upon the principles we
have given) but as one man in this one man ; and therefore the Scripture
puts it upon this first man Adam, as from whom we receive the image which
was in him, and by him left in our nature : 1 Cor. xv. 47-49, ' The first
man is of the earth, earthy ; the second man is the Lord from heaven. As
is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy ; and as is the heavenly,
such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of
the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.' And he was
also thereto ordained and made by God in his first creation to represent us ;
and so what this the head did, is reckoned to us the parts and members of
him. His will was voluntas totius geueris humani ; his will was the will of
us all, as the will of the head or chief is of the whole corporation. The
Scripture declareth him the first man, to have all men in him ; why else is
Christ termed the last man ? and so all sinned in him, as in that one man.
And this justly derives the second.

Secondly, We were all as one man in him, tanquam in orifjine ; so the buds
or branches are one with the root, and receive their tincture or kind from it ;
and also may be reckoned to be in it long before they sprout forth. Rebekah
having two sons in her womb, is said to have two nations, which were to
spring out of each of them, as the respective roots of them : Gen. xxv. 2b,
' And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two man-

22 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

ner of people shall be separated from thy bowels.' This is spoken of them
long afore these nations came forth out from them. And Adam was the root
of all the world, and had the whole of man's nature in him, tnnquam in ori-
gine ; and was, as all other things, even as plants, to bring forth in their
kinds, so he in his kind. We were all made of one blood : Acts xvii. 26,
' And hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face
of the earth.' And if that blood were tainted in him, the law of nature and
nations justifies this attainder ; and if the apostle Paul makes use of a law
of nature, in the case of God's election by grace, to say, ' If the root be
holy, so are the branches,' Eom. xi. 16 (God having, in his ordinations of
grace, often taken in the rules and ordinary laws of nature, as I have else-
where shewn*), this maxim must needs justly hold much more here. If the
root be sinful and corrupted, so are the branches ; and therefore it is. Gen.
V. 3, remarkably said of Adam, when fallen, he ' begat his son in his own
likeness ;' and so, 1 Cor. xv. 47-49, he calls Adam the earthy man, of
whom are all earthy men ; and as he is (says he) such are they for qualities
as well as for substance ; and by that common law is that which the apostle
there adds, * We have borne the image of the earthy man ;' which, though
spoken in respect of the substance of flesh and blood, yet when fallen, it
holds good by the same common law to both substance of our nature and
qualities of our nature ; and because that generation is the means by which
we spring out of this root, therefore this is the means of propagation. And
therefore, though Adam's nature personally was afterwards sanctified, and
GO are many of his sons, that beget children, as Abraham, &c., yet all are
clill begotten in Adam's sinful image, because a man begets not his like in
person, but in the common nature ; and the common nature of man, whilst
betrusted as in common for us, in him and with him, having been in him
corrupted, therefore, though in his own person his nature was afterwards
sanctified again, and in others also ; yet men beget their like coiTuption of
nature, as a grain cast into the ground without chafi" comes up with chaft',
for that it is the common nature of it to do so ; and a man circumcised
begets a son with uncircumcision, because it is according to the common
nature of all to be born so ; so it is here.

I further add, thiidhj, Suppose that a king should raise up a man out of
nothing, to a gi'eat and noble condition, which he also gave him not for his
own person only, but for his seed for ever, might he not make this covenant
with him, that if he ever turned traitor, he should forfeit all for himself, and
his posterity likewise to be made slaves ? And would not this law justly
take hold of them, though they were rot born then ? Yes, God will justify
his proceedings by this course in the world generally in all kingdoms, which
shews it is the law of nature, and there is a justice in it, for the law makes
the blood of a nobleman a traitor, tainted till restored ; it is all the world
over, it was so in other ages also. Therefore also Esther, a godly woman,
made a request that not Haman only, who was advanced by the king, but that
his sons also, should be hanged, and they were so, Esther ix. 12-14.

Fourthli/, It is an equal rule, that by the same law, by virtue of which
one may come to receive good freely, he should upon the same terms
receive the contrary evil deservedly upon offending ; as Job said, * Shall we
receive good from God, and not evil ?' Job ii. 10 ; so say I. Shouldst thou
have received the fruit of Adam's obedience in having an holy image con-
veyed to thee, if thou hadstf stood ; and shouldst thou not have received
the contrary if he fell through the guilt of his sin ? If God had made the

* In the Discourse of Electiori, book v.. cap. vii., iu vol. ii. of his works. — [Vol. IX.
of this Edition.— Ed.] t Qu. ' he had ' '? — En.

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 23

law only to have received evil upon his offending, who could have found
fault ? JMuch less when he put him into an estate which would have proved
so happy for us if he had not offended ?

Again, fifthly, it was equal, for it was indeed the best way ; for else all
men should have stood on their own bottom, and after never so long stand-
ing have been subject to have fallen, and so by the poll every man might
have fallen off from God ; whereas this is put upon one man s obedience,
who was as good as any of them.

Sixthhi, If this course yet seem severity, then consider the goodness of
God making use of the same rule for the salvation of multitudes of mankind,
in ordaining Christ in our nature, a second Adam; in like manner sustain-
ing the persons of multitudes of mankind, undertaking to be a common
person, representing them to effect a * common salvation,' as Jude terms it,
for them, ver. 3, that whereas all of mankind, if they had their estate to
cast in their own hands, would certainly man by man have perished. God,
according to the same law, whereby man was thus even by the law of nature
cast and condemned, by the very same law and the equity of it saved us in
our Mediator, who was ' made sin, that knew no sin, that we might be made
the righteousness of God in him,' 2 Cor. v. 21, without which all mankind
would have perished, as Sodom and Gomorrah. But in this very way of
grace comes a mighty remnant of them (take them first and last) to be
saved by imputed righteousness, so as God hath turned justice into mercy.
* By grace we are saved ' this very way.

Add to these, seventhly, that if all the creatures then upon the earth, and
the earth itself was cursed for man's sake, as it is. Gen. iii. 17, ' Cm-sed is
the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat it all the days of thy life ; '
and Rom. viii. 20, ' For the creature was made subject to vanity, not will-
ingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope ; ' and if
these creatures were not willingly subject to vanity, and if not only the crea-
tures then alive, but ever after to this day, were thus accursed for man's sake,
then much more justly is this sin, and the guilt and heavy punishment of it,
derived to his posterity that came out of his loins, that have a nearer relation
to him than those creatures had.

And lastly, if, Heb. vii. 9, 10, Paul says he might truly say, that Levi
and all his posterity paid tithes in Abraham, for that he was yet in the loins
of his father, when Melchisedec met him, then may all Adam's posterity be
as truly said to have committed sin in Adam, for that yet they were in his
loins when he did eat the forbidden fruit.

CHAPTER IV.

How great every man's sinfulness is in having the guilt of Adam's first trans-
gression imputed to him. — How far ice are all guilty of his sin. — What the
aggravations of Adam's first sin were. — Whether they also, as well as the sin,
are cJiarged upon us.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners ; so by the obedience
of one shall many he made righteous. Moreover, the law entered, that the
o fence might abound: but ivhere sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
—Rom. V. 19, 20.

Before I come to what I mean to speak of out of these verses, I will
briefly recapitulate what I delivered out of ver. 12 concerning the derivation

24 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

of the guilt of Adam's first sin, and that corruption of nature following
thereupon.

1. I shewed you that the conduit-pipe, or means and way of conveying
both these, was only this, coming from him by natural generation ; for to
this condition the conveying of sin is limited; for otherwise Christ, who came
from Adam, was his sou, had his matter from him, should have sin pro-
pagated to him, as well as we. Yet,

2. Understanding this so as though it be the conduit-pipe, and means
and condition to caiTy to all from him, yet not sufficient ground or full reason
alone why it should ; for then, why should not other parents, from whom we
are thus naturally generated, as well as from him, convey their sin also,
which God hath said should not be ? Ezek. xviii. 20, ' The soul that
sinueth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father,
neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son : the righteousness of
the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be
upon him.'

Therefore, 3, there is some further ground of this, which holds peculiarly
in Adam, not in them, which is a covenant struck with him, he being the
first man, the common cistern, or rather spring of human nature ; such a
like covenant (in respect of being a common head and fountain of derivation)
as was made with Christ for those that should come of him by a second
birth, the fifteenth verse telling us Adam was therein a type of Christ. By
virtue of which covenant,

4. We were all one in him (as also Christ's members are in him), and
that two ways, which in other parents holds not.

(1.) lu'presentaLii-e. As the tribes in the heads of them, or as one bur-
gess in parliament repi'esents all the borough, so did Adam all men, as Christ
also all his members, therefore styled in 1 Cor. xv. 47, the one, ' the first ; '
the other, ' the second man ; ' God looking upon all as severally represented
in these two, as if there had been no more men in the world. As Christ
was the head of his body, and they one man in him, so were all as one man
in Adam, the type of Christ therein.

(2.) We were one in him, ianquain in prima origine et radice, in the same
sense that two whole nations are said to be in Jacob and Esau whilst in the
womb, Gen. xxv. 23. Even as the root and the branches make one tree,
so he the root, we the branches, one man ; as Christ also is, John xv. 1,
Eom. vi. 5.

By virtue of which union thus made by covenant, and that founded in
nature,

5. It comes to pass that most justly, and by the right of all kind of law
ordinarily in force with men, and the law of nature, both the guilt of his
sin, and the corruption of his nature, should be derived unto us.

(1.) The guilt of his disobedience, by virtue of the first ways of our being
one with him, is derived. For it is a law in force with us, and in all nations,
that what a person representing doth, the persons represented are likewise
said to do. It is also the law of nations and nature, that if the head doth
plot, or the tongue speak treason, the whole man is truly said to do it also.
And,

(2.) The corruption of his nature is derived by virtue of the latter way
of our being one with him, and that even by the general law of nature ;
for every root brings forth according to its kind, so Adam in his image,
Gen. V. 3.

Only, 6, this covenant comes to be examined, whether justly struck and
imposed or no? And for that I answered,

Chap, IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 25

(1.) That God out of his sovereignty might make it, and impose it with-
out iijjustice, especially man being innocent, whenas God imposed the like
in the case of sinful Achan upon the whole nation of the Jews, Achan's sin
becoming the sin of the whole camp : Joshua vii. 1, * Bat the children of
Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing : for Achan, the son of
Curmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the
accursed thing : and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children
of Israel.' And this was by virtue of a covenant made with every one for
them all : Joshua vi. 18, ' And you, in any wise keep yourselves from the
accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed when ye take of the accursed
thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.'

(2.) Yet here is a further equity ; for it is an equal condition, that if we
should have received good from him if he obeyed, we should receive evil also
if he disobeyed, especially when all the good itself was given by God him-
self, the maker of this covenant, and the obedience he required was due in
itself. If a king should raise a favourite out of nothing, give him all his
honours for himself upon condition of obedience, yet so as if he rebelled,
not only he, but his house should perish, he dealt not only equally in this,
but bountifully both with him and his.

And yet (3.) there was a farther conveniency in it, and a good provision
made ; for better it was that all our estates should be ventured into a
father's hands, the most perfect man that ever was to come, he himself
being a venturer also ; and so after a while of obedience (viz., after he had
put our nature once out of his hands, as is probable), then all to be con-
firmed in grace, than for every man to be left to himself, and after many
years' obedience left to a possibility of faUing away by the least error and
swerving.

7. And, lastly, if you think much that yourselves did not choose him that
should thus stand for you, I answer you, (1.) That God made as good a
choice as you could have done, took the best and perfectest of men. And
(2.) I ask. Who chose Jesus Christ to be a covenant for his people ? Why
might not God choose in the one as well as the other ? And if you yet
think it harsh that another's sin should thus be put upon you, I answer you,
God oflers the righteousness of another to be imputed to you, which you
never performed ; and lest all men should perish, hath ordained Christ to
be in like manner a common person for multitudes of mankind ; and Adam
was his type herein.

You see how Adam's sin becomes all ours. We cannot deny the debt we
inherit from him ; God hath a bond, a covenant to shew lor it at the latter
day.

It is fit now we search what the debt is, how much it comes to, how far
we are liable to pay it. Now the abounding greatness this sum swells to,
the apostle intimates in this 20th verse, and shews us the arithmetic we
must use to cast it up by, the law, which God taught man to this end, and
brought this new art into the world, that man might by the rules thereof see
the greatness and multitude of his sins : ' The law enters that the offence
might abound.' Now in that he says the offence (ro iiuod^zruixa, that
offence), though he means generally the sinfulness of man, yet especially, as
by the coherence seems evidently to me, he points at that first sin of Adam
which he had spoken so often of in the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19lh verses
under the same name. And having shewed how by that ofleuce, and by
that one only, which seems, and hath seemed to many, so small a matter,
that God should condemn all the world for eating of an apple, as one of the
popes blasphemously said ; — to prevent this, and to shew ihe end of the law

26 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

also, he brings iu these words in this sense, if we did but know what an
aboundingly heinous and evil sin, even the least, is, and in particular what
an abounding offence that was, we would not think so. Now that men
might see it, and acknowledge, and be humbled under it, therefore God sent
the law into the world, not to make sin to abound the more in itself, but to
discover the abounding sinfulness of it, and of that particular offence as well
as of others, as a glass that discovers spots and deformities in itself causeth
none.

I design to shew what an abounding sin that one offence of Adam was, where-
of we are all guilt3%

In the inquiry now into old Adam's debt, three questions are to be dis-
cussed.

1. Whether only that offence be imputed, and no more, and why ? For we
would be charged with as few as we can, the guilt of the least circumstance
in a sin being more than ever we shall be able to pay.

2. How far we are guilty of it, whether of all aggravations considerable
in it?

3. How great the guilt of it was, as it extends to us ? It ' abounds,' the
text says ; and this latter is the main thing iu the text, the former makes
but way for it.

1. For the first, we are guilty only of that first disobedience in eating of
the forbidden fruit, and not of his other sins afterwards committed, though
never so great or many. For still, in ver. 15, 16, &c., it is called ' the
offence,' ' the disobedience,' and in ver. 16, it is expressly said, that 'judg-
ment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences to
justification;' where by one he means not one man but one offence, as the
opposition, many offences, in the next words shew ; his scope being to shew
the abounding of the gift of grace through and above Adam's sin. He com-
pares not persons only, but things conveyed ; but ' one ofi'ence ' God lays
to our charge, no more ; but in Christ ' abundance of righteousness ' for
many sins. But the guilt of one sin is conveyed by Adam, but through
Christ there is a justification of us from multitude of offences. And so in
ver. 17 also, ' For if by one man's oflence death reigned by one ; much
more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteous-
ness, shall reign in hfe by one, Jesus Christ.' And there is this demon-
stration to confirm it, for he could convey sin for no longer time than he
stood a public person ; and when that ofiice and relation was laid down, then
he became a private person again, and then sinned for himself alone. Now
when the second covenant and promise of the second Adam was published,
which was presently after the fall, then it is evident he was put out of office,
for otherwise his faith in the promise must have been imputed also to his
seed ; now God says, Hab. ii. 4, ' The just shall live by faith.'

And withal, mark the reason why he remained no longer a public person
after the first sin accomplished ; for the end of his being appointed thus a
public person for us was but to cast our condition either into an estate of
sin or righteousness, for our estate was laid as it were at the stake in him,
and he was to cast the dice, as I may so say, either for the winning or losing
of all ; and though indeed, to have won all, many righteous throws were re-
quired, it may be, yet one bad throw lost the game as well as twenty, cast it
which way it should go ; and therefore God looked at no more, the covenant
then ended. And if men think that unequal, being to cast but one bad throw,
so to lose all, we must consider this too, that he had an inclination to what
was good, none to evil, only a possibility or potentia remota. And to give
another similitude : as he was made the fountain of natural life for us, 1 Cor.

Chap. IY.] ' in respect of sin and punishment. 27

XV. 45, &c., so also of our spiritual. Now for him to have conveyed natural
life to us, it was necessary he should not live one or two days, but perform
the continued actions of life, even till he should beget a seed, for had his
natural life been extinguished before by one death, we had all died in him,
one death would have been enough. So for the convoying our spiritual life,
and preserving and continuing the life of grace to us, it was necessary he
should go on in all the actions of righteousness and obedience ; but one sin-
ful deadly blow of sin was enough to extinguish all, and so cause us to be
born dead in sin, as we all are ; so that it is clear, that though he should
have stood longer as a public person if he had continued righteous, yet this
ceased upon the first sin.

2. To the second question, how far we are guilty of it ; I answer, that
though the guilt of the whole act be imputed to us, and we counted sinners
by it, as truly guilty of the whole act as he, yet not with so much guiltiness
as doth arise to him himself, and his share who was the actor. Something
there is that doth redound to Adam's person therein more than to us. For,

(1.) There is a personal guiltiness, in that he did the fact, which is more
than barely to have it imputed, and to be accounted to have done it; though
we be as truly guilty of the whole act, yet the manner lessens the blame.
There in ver. 14, speaking of children, who die only for the imputed guilt of
that sin, and corruption of nature inherent, he speaks as diminutively of
their guilt in comparison of his ; ' for,' says he, ' death reigned over those
who sinned not after the similitude of Adam's transgression,' though as truly
guilty as he ; for they died, yet not hke to him, which is a diminution and
a lessening, as it were ; as if he had said, though they actually and person-
ally did it not, or any other sin, sinned not like to him, yet they died. For
example, to clear this by the second Adam, of whom this was a type, though
we have his whole righteousness, active and passive, as truly accounted ours
as it is his, yet it is said to be his, with this peculiar prerogative, that it is
personally his, as light is the sun's, the stars but borrow it. So as in all
things he retains a pre-eminence : Col. i. 18, ' And he is the head of the
body, the church ; who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead ; that
in all things he might have the pre-eminence.'

(2.) There is this diflerence, as in the manner, which makes it, as hath
been said, a deeper guiltiness in him, so in this pecuHar aggravation, that
he may be said to be guilty of the overthrow of the whole world by it, and
this is peculiarly his ; for none of us, though we be truly guilty of the act,
yet not of this circumstance, can be said to be the overthrowers of the world,
as he might. This also may be cleared from the former instance of the
second Adam, for though a believer hath all Christ's righteousness com-
municated to him, and enjoys the fruits of it, yet this glory he gives to none,
that they should be saviours of the world, that is his alone.

That distinction in logic, concerning the genus communicating its whole
nature to the species, illustrates both these to scholars ; for it is truly said
that tola natura generis communicatur singulcB speciei, but not natura generica ;
it makes not the species a genus as itself.

3. Now the third thing follows, namely, what a great sin that first sin
was, as the guilt of it is extended to us, that so we may be humbled
under it.

In all great sins there are two things to be considered :

First, the substance ; secondly, the circumstance of the act.

First, for the substance of the act, it hath inwards and outwards, an inside

and an outside. There was an outward act committed, and inward acts as

the principles of it.

23 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

The outward act seems small ; as it hath usually been said, it was but the
eating of an apple, stealing of a little fruit. Yet consider,

(1.) The smallness of the matter or thing forbidden often aggravates the
offence. To dare to offend the great God in a small matter is not a small
disobedience. 1 may allude in this to the speech of Naaman's servant to
him : 2 Kings v. 13, ' And his servants came near and spake unto him, and
said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee to do some great thing, wouldest
thou not have done it ? how much rather then, when he saith to thee. Wash
and be clean?' So in this case. If God had forbidden doing some great
thing, should he be obeyed ? how much more when he forbids so small a
thing ? CoQita (says Augustine) quanta fait iniquitas in peccando, cum tanta
Jaciiilas noii peccaiidl. He gave them leave to eat of all the trees in the gar-
den, forbade them but that one, even by Eve's confession, Gen. iii. 2, 3, * And
the woman said unto the serpent. We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the
garden : but of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said. Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.' Thus
Nathan aggi-avated David's sin : 2 Sam. xii. 3, 4, ' But the poor man had
nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up :
and it grew up together with him, and with his children ; it did eat of his
own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto
him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he
spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the way-
faring man that was come unto him ; but took the poor man's lamb, and
dressed it for the man that was come to him.' He had many lambs of his
own flock, and yet took that one of another's. Adam had fruit enough, yet
these would not content him, but he must be tasting forbidden fruit.

(2.) Sin is to be measured by the law that is given ; for sin being in the
nature of it, transcjressio legis, the more urgent or greater the law is, the
greater the transgression. Now that some laws are greater than others,
Christ implies, when he saith. Mat. xxiii. 23, ' Woe unto you, scribes and
pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and
have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith :
these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.'

Now, of all laws this was the greatest given to Adam.

1st, It being given only as a trial and testimony of his obedience in all
the rest, called therefore symholicum ptrii^ceplum, as being a profession of
his subjection to God in all the rest ; such as is doing homage by a vassal
to the lord of the soil, which, though it consists in some petty small rite or
acknowledgment, the neglect of which (though the least of all to perform), or
denying to do it, is the loss of what they hold of him, as being the breach
and highest kind of more than other acts, and greater neglect in other things.

2dly, The more expressly the will of the lawgiver is manifested in a law,
the gi-eater the enforcement and obligation is to that law. Now, God's will
was more expressly manifest in that than any other written in his heart.

1. His will was more in it, in that there was no reason for it, but the will
of the lawgiver only ; stelit pro ratione voluntas. Other laws Adam might
see a reason for ; of this none but God's will trj'ing his obedience.

2. More expressly, for none else were delivered vied voce but this, as being
an especial charge above all the rest. Other instructions he had only writ-
ten in his heart, but this was given by mouth as an especial charge.

3. None else so expressly threatened with death but it ; yea, that other
law had its sanction in that threatening given to this. So God's will ap-
peared to be more in it, because backed with so severe a threatening, a sign
he was more earnest in it.

Chap. IV.] in rkspect of sin and punishment. 29

Secoudhj, Lot us look to the inside of Adam's sin. Now, though the laws
of men examine not the inwards of an action, as not in murder, not how
much or little malice or cruelty was in the fact, so it be proved by circum-
stances it was in any degree wilful murder ; but the law of God looks most
hereto. And so a sin, which for the outward act is small, may in regard of
the inwards of it be a great one. As that act of the man gathering slicks
on the Sabbath day, a small thing in appearance, to get a few sticks to make
a fire ; but he doing it in contempt of Moses, so as to put Moses into a
strait, since if for so small a thing he executed or inflicted any punishment,
he would have been thought a cruel governor by all the people ; but, on the
other side, if he should pass it by, he opened a way to have the Sabbath
broken ; so as it was done in high contempt both of God and Moses, and
this God took notice of especially. And it is in sins as in duties ; a man
then performs duties best when God is most sanctified in his heart. If you
would know when you pray best, it is then when you sanctify God in your
hearts most, with most sanctified apprehensions of him, his greatness, good-
ness, all-sufiiciency, working a sense of what it is to offend him. So a man
then sins most when he dishonours God most in his heart.

Now, then, for the inwards of this action, the sinful acts of his mind in
it, they were principally ill opinions of God, which were the principles of it,
which provoke most, and dishonour most. 1st, 111 opinions of a person
provoke most, for we see men then most provoked when they see they are
meanly or badly thought of: this incites, and inflames, and blows anger up
to its height ; and men are angry at ill words given them by other men, but
so far as they are expressions of their evil opinions of them in their hearts.
2dl3% And ill opinions of a person dishonour most, for all true honour lies
in opinion : so much greater is the honour as the opinion is greater. Honos
therefore is said to be in honorante ; and so on the contrary it is as to dis-
honour. And God is therefore then dishonoured most when we have dis-
honourable thoughts of him. Now, they were low and mean under-conceits
of God that first crept into Adam's heart, and are necessarily to be supposed
to have been the foundation of this sin in his heart.

1. He undervalued the Lord in his heart, ceasing to think him any longer
to be the chiefest good. He would never have done it had he not thought
he could better his condition without God, and better his condition by that
means, by the virtue of an apple, whereby he should come better to know
what was good and evil, than by keeping God's command, which is only true
wisdom ; and so he thought to be as gods therein. The text expressly
afiirms this was the main motive, and is set down therefore last, which the
woman had, Gen. iii. 6. She thought it 'to be desired to make one wise,'
which, but that the Scripture affirms, a man would scarcely have imagined,
much less believed, of our first parents, for no wise man now would think
an apple to have, or that it could have, any virtue in it, such as to make a
man wise. To better the temper of his body one might imagine it to have
a virtue, but it was extra splurram the capacity of such a creature to give
wisdom to the mind. Besides, they might easily think that if it had any
such virtue in it God had put it in, and then that all wisdom comes from
him alone, as James says, chap. i. 5, 17, 'If any of you lack wisdom, let
him ask of God,' &c. And, besides (which aggravates their sin), they had
already tasted of the goodness and excellency of God, having had some com-
munion with him. Now, then, to leave a certain infinite good now enjoyed, for
so uncertain, so unlikely an one, this aggravates his sin above what is in our
own sins now in our natural condition, for, alas, we never knew, or at least
never tasted better; therefore, no wonder if we go after the creatures : but

30 AN UNEEGEXERATE 3IAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

he knew and had tasted. And this aggravates in like manner a regenerate
man's sin, because he hath had communion with God ; and then to forsake
him, and go after the creature, how sinful is it !

2. Another ill opinion they had of God was, that God was not faithful and
true. God had said, ' Ye shall die the death;' the devil had said. No; and
to hear a creature affirm this confidently, and to be, and exist, and still to
reason the case, they thought there might be something in it, and this stag-
gered their faith. Now, to conceive thus of God of all other was the worst,
foulest, and most dishonourable conceit; for is God 'such an one that he
should lie' (saith Samuel, 1 Sam. xv. 29), ' or as a man, to repent ?' Nay,
even men, who are all themselves but a lie and deceitful, yet value their truth
and faithfulness as their greatest jewel ; and though they acknowledge want
of excellency other ways, yet they will say they are true, &c. Therefore to
call Gods truth into question, was worse than undervaluing his other excel-
lencies ; yea, men that are profane will wipe off the disgrace of a lie given
them with their dearest blood. And then add to this, their believing the
devil, contradicting the Lord merely by his own authority, so as his word
should sway more than God's. This was greater than the prophet's sin in
believing the old prophet (for which yet God slew him by a lion, 1 Kings
xiii.), for the old prophet pretended he had a contrary revelation himself,
having the reputation of a prophet as well as himself. He opposed not his
bare word and authority to God's, as the devil in this, but pretended a new
commission, bearing date since, from God himself.

3. There were jealousies engendered in their hearts, of unworthy designs
and ends, that God had in prohibiting them; for so the devil suggested,
' God knows that in the day ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened, and
you shall be as gods ;' as if he should have said, God knowing what virtue
there is in the apple, hath purposely forbidden it, because he would not have
vou be so happy ; which believed, must needs engender these thoughts, that
God loved them not so well as they imagined, for he prevented their prefer-
ment, and so far hated his creature, in not only not wishing it, but keeping
it from that good it was capable of; which must needs engender hatred
of God in their heai'ts again, or that perhaps they should imagine he envied
their happiness, which must argue that they thought that God feared to be
equalled or matched by them if they should know as much as he, and be as
God in the knowledge of good and evil. All which thoughts, or any one of
them to entertain of God, what more dishonourable ? "Whilst they seek to
be as gods, they would make God as base as the devil, for maUce and envy
are his two sins.

4. He sinned against the sovereignty of God, for what was the thing that
hooked him in ? It was to be as gods ; nothing else could have moved
them ; and so they thought to be independent of God, no longer under him;
and though they should sin against him, that they should yet be able to make
their party good with him. These to have been the thoughts that drew on
the sin, is argued from the temptation which suggested these things, and did
engender them, and in the issue prevailed.

CHAPTER V.

The practical improvements irhi'sh tee should make of these truths delivered. —
That we should charge ourselves ivith the guilt of Adam's first sin, and be
humbled in the sense of our guilt of it, as well as for the sim uhich ue
actually commit ourselves. — That since our first father failed in the trust

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 81

committed to him, we should not put confidence in any creature, thoutjh most
noble and excellent. — Froin Adam's example, tiho thus betrayed the trust
placed in him, v:e should be awakened to be more watchful and more fniUiful
to any trust reposed in \is for ourselves and posterity. — If the state from
which Adam fell teas a state of holiness, then no man should he ashamed of
beivff converted and reyenerated, since it is hut a returniny to that primitive
condition again. — Since Adam, obtained mercy after haviny so hiyhly and
heinously sinned, the greatest sinners should be encourayed to hope, and to
come to God for mercy.

The first use you ouglit to make of this is, to take upon you the guilt of
the first act, so far as you have heard it belonged unto you, that so you may
be humbled before God for your share of guilt in it. And indeed till the
guilt of Adam's sin be acknowledged as truly as any of your own, and your
hearts rest satisfied in it, you will not be humbled before God, but will have
something to plead ; for still it will be said. How came I thus ? who made
me thus ? And therefore the apostle, endeavouring to humble men, in this
epistle to the Romans, convinceth them, in -the first and second chapters,
of evil works ; then in the third chapter, of the evil of their natures ; then
of the first entrance of sin by Adam's sin, in the fifth chapter; the ignorance
of which made the Gentiles complain of nature, that is, the God of nature,
for bringing man into the world prone to evil, void of good. And this like-
wise makes many people think God made no creatures to destroy them, and
on that false principle hope to be saved ; both these being alike ignorant how
that this world of mankind was once righteous as it fell out of God's hands,
and that God looking on you now can say. They are not as I made them.
As therefore a potter breaks a vessel that hath poison put into it by another,
though it be his own vessel, so God justly destroys his own creature when
corrupted by the devil. Let him therefore be justified, and the creature
condemned, which cannot be but by the acknowledgment of this; for if we
go from works to nature, it will be asked. How came my nature thus ? I
answer, by the guilt of this sin. So David, in acknowledging his sin, Ps.
li. 4, 5, 'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy
sight; that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when
thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother
conceive me.' He hath recourse to this, and professedly to this end, that
God might be justified. It is the speech of a godly divine, that the first
step to the heavenly paradise is to see and acknowledge that which casts us
out of the earthly, and that striking one of the last strokes is humbling the
creature.

Now for this let me give you two directions.

1. If you cannot see reason for it, bring faith with you to believe it, for
by faith we believe the world was made of nothing, which yet we see, Heb.
xi. 3, ' By faith Abel oifered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,
by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his
gifts, and by it he being dead yet speaketh.' Why then we are to believe
by the same reason that God made man righteous, and that he fell, and we
ail in him, for faith is the evidence of things not seen. And as one said on
his deathbed, in acknowledging his sin. The oldest man alive, that we use
to bring to know landmarks, knows not of this ; so we may say of Adam's
sin, committed so many ages past. Now, to help your faith, resolve all into
the wisdom, holiness, and justice of God, who therefore must needs make
man holy, and justly impute his fall to all his posterity ; and if his wisdom
cannot clear it at the latter day, when this very thing shall be scanned the

32 AX UXREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

first of any thing ; if God cannot make his party good against all the world
in this, and stop all their mouths, so as you shall not he ahle to plead not
guilty, he must shut up his books, and go no further. Custom, indeed, will
not carry it, unless the entrance was just, though it doth so with tyrants, but
God is none. Aud as in the believing Christ's righteousness to be ours,
believers use to have recourse to inherent righteousness, which is the frait
of it, to help their faith, so have you to help in this, viz. as to that un-
righteousness of nature you found in you from the beginning, think some or
otber cast poison in at the beginning, and that you are guilty of some sin ov
other, whereof this is the fi'uit.

2. Let not the commonness hinder your sensible acknowledgment of it.
Men think because all are guilty it concerns them little ; indeed, if the debt
were so common as divided amongst you, then it might be slighted (if the
least part of the guilt of a sin might be), but the whole resides upon every
man, as if none else were guilty of it but he ; Adam communicating his sin
as ffemis communicat totani naturam aiilibet speciei, that is, as a general
nature communicates the whole of its nature to all the kinds which are
under it.

Use 2. Did Adam, who, as he was created and fell out of God's hands,
was the most completely accomplished man with all habihments of wisdom
and righteousness that ever was, insomuch as God chose him, and thought
him fully fit to be the sole burgess, head, and root of all mankind, yet did he
(I say) thus perfect, so foully miscarry and overthrow himself and us, and
that for so small a trifle, two toys, an apple and a woman ? Then heace
leani not to put confidence any more in men, or anything in man, be it
never so excellent. For my part, would I ever have chosen a man (go
through the bead-roll of them) since men were upon the face of the earth
(Christ onlv excepted, that was more than man), to whom I would betrust
my life, mv goods, my portion in eternity, and into whose hands I would
have put all the good I look for in this world or world to come, it should
have been none but Adam ; but by woful and lamentable experience we all
find it, that he, when he had the lives and riches of all mankind ventured in
him, yea, and himself, the greatest venturer of all the rest, a man judged
able to have performed what was committed to him, to have steered and
brought in safe this gi-eat cargo into the haven of life and happiness ; yet he,
even he, deceived us all, foully and foolishly split himself upon a rock he
might have avoided, and cast away himself and all. Hereafter trust not in
anv creature, much less in man ; but trust only in the Lord, who is ' Je-
hovah, and changeth not,' for all the good you look for to you and yours.
It is a meditation David hath, Ps. Ixii. 7-9, ' In God is my salvation and
mv glor\' ; the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God. Trust in him
at" all times, ve people ; pour out your heart before him ; God is a refuge
for us. Surelv men of low degi-ee are vanity, and men of high degree are a
lie; to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than canity.' At
ver. 9, he concludes that all men, high and low, are vain : ' men of low de-
gree,' which for their multitude and number might be relied on, are yet
vanitv ' men of hi^h degree,' who have the government of states committed
to their charge and trust for their wisdom and authority, yet they are a lie,
deceitful if leaned on. Remember Adam deceived you all ; lay then all men
in one balance, and vanity in the other ; they are overswayed even by trifles,
often moved this way and that way, as our first parents with an apple.
Therefore, saith David, ver. 7, ' In God is my salvation, the rock of my
strength and my refuge is in God.' Trust to none but to him, to him only,
ver. G • and ' trust in him at all times,' ver. 8. Whatsoever your princes

ClIAP. Y,j IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT, 33

be, your great men,' your parliaments,* all which, as Adam, arc betrusted
with your lives and liberties and the gospel, be they never so wise, never so
holy, leave them not to themselves with these, no more than you would let
out a brittle bark to sea that had all your lives and goods in her, and leave
her to herself, to be carried whither every billow and wind would toss her,
but go to God to be the pilot, pour out your hearts before him : * God is a
refuge for us,' ver. 8. Desire him to have an hand upon the stern, to guide
the hearts of princes ; say not thoy are wise, and venturers themselves ; re-
member Adam, so was he, yet how miscarried he when left to himself ! Oh
see what need there is to pray for public persons, or any to whom public
good is betrusted. As you are not to trust them, so not to trust to 3'our-
selves, your own graces, your hearts, go not in your own strength : Jer.
xvii. 5, ' Thus saith the Lord, Cursed be the man that trusteth in man,
and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.'
Tremble to put yourselves upon the occasions of evil. Are you stronger than
Adam, who had no inclination to evil, nothing but the contrary, and yet
miscarried, held not out the first brunt ? ' Thus Nehemiah argues in the
case of marrying strange wives, when he would dissuade the Jews from it, as
being occasions of evil, Neh. xiii. 26, ' Did not Solomon, king of Israel, sin
by these things ? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who
was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel ; neverthe-
less, even him did outlandish women cause to sin.' Did not Solomon, king
of Israel, sin by these things ? a man so wise, and one who was beloved of
his God, nevertheless ' even him did outlandish women cause to sin.' Are
you more holy than he ? I add more ; did not Adam transgress, whom
God made king over all the world, and thought him fit to betrust all j'ou
had with ? Yea he, even he, transgressed. See Eliphaz his collection : Job
XV. 15, ' Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints ; yea, the heavens are not
clean in his sight.' God puts no trust in his saints ; his angels W'hom he
created righteous deceived him ; so did man. How much less confidence is
there to be put in vain man, which drinketh iniquity like water: Job xv. 16,
' How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity
like water ! ' Trust your own hearts no more than you would do the veriest
thief or adulterer in the world.

Use 3. Did Adam, being betrusted with all our inheritances, thus foully
and fearfully by one sinful act overthrow the world ? Then learn we, when-
soever we are betrusted with anything which concerns the good of succession
and posterity (as Adam was), to be more faithful, more wary by this his ex-
ample. How doth all the world rue that one act of his ? Had God
lengthened his days through all generations, what curses think we would he
have had thrown at him by his ofispring, made miserable by him, still as he
rode through ! There is none here but will say. Were I to be in his case, I
would never undo myself and them as he did. Why, my brethren, let me
tell you, you that live in this kingdom have many things, yea, as great things
committed to your trust for the good of your posterity as he had for his. If
you ask me what ? I answer. Besides many outward hberties and privileges,
the glorious gospel ; this book, which is all the evidence you and yours have
to shew for that glorious inheritance in heaven, and the only means to attain
it, which is so rich a casket as it contains the revenues of Christ's blood.
This, as to the Jews of old, is committed unto you as yet : Kom. iii. 1, 2,
' What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumci-

* This was preached at St Andrew's in Cambridge, 1626, when a parliament was
called.

VOL. X. O

34 AN UNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

sion ? Much every way, chiefly because that unto them were committed the
oracles of God.' To them were committed the oracles of God, committed
as a matter of trust to be transmitted to posterity ; for whilst men walk in any
measure answerable unto the light of it, they are not only converted by it,
but they whet it on their own and their children's hearts : as Deut. xi. 18-21,
' Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul,
and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets
between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of
them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way,
when thou liest down, and when thou risest up ; that your days may be
multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware
unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.' And
as for God's part, see what a covenant he makes with them that truly turn
in Jacob : Isa. lix. 20, 'And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them
that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord.' As for me, for my
part, says he, this I will make good, if men turn in Jacob. The gospel, my
brethren, is as good as your freehold for you and yours, and God will not
take it from you till you basely sell it, and carry yourselves unworthy of it :
what else doth that place import, Prov. xxiii. 23, ' Buy the truth, and sell it
not' ? God takes it away from no people, or no man till he sell it, as Esau
did his birthright, or as Adam did his primitive condition for an apple, till
they lay it to pledge for base lusts. Why else doth he exhort them to buy
and sell it not ? See this in that example of the Jews, Acts xiii. 46, ' Then
Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said. It was necessary that the word of
God should first have been spoken to you ; but seeing ye put it from you,
and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting hfe, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.'
The Jews having been the pillar of the truth of God, that had kept it and
preserved it for many ages, when the gospel came to be preached, and more
grace and truth discovered, new mines digged up which never saw light
before, see what Paul and Barnabas say : Acts xiii. 46, ' It was necessary,*
(mark it) ' necessaiy the word of God should fii'st have been spoken to you '
— necessary that it should have been first spoken to them in regard of
covenant ; but, say they, ' seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves
unworthy of everlasting Hfe, lo, we turn to the Gentiles,' and so their seed
are left in darkness unto this day. God put them out of his will, and put
the Gentiles in, and hath given them all. God doth as a good chapman
doth with his old customers, they shall have the first offer of it ; but if they
refuse, and by their contempt of it shew themselves unworthy of it, he goes
to some other market that will give more than they. Consider also that one
place, Piom. xi. 20, 22, « Well, because of unbelief they were broken off", and
thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. Behold therefore
the goodness and severity of God : on them which fell, severity ; but toward
thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness : otherwise thou shalt be
cut off".' 'Because of unbelief they are broken off".' Mark, if thou con-
tinue. My brethren, let me speak freely to you. The truth hath been pur-
chased for you, and transmitted to you at a dear rate; it cost Christ his
blood at first, and it hath cost your forefethers something. In Queen Mary's
days they bought it with their dearest blood ; since it hath cost many a
preacher his best blood, spent, though not spilt for it; it cost many a prayer;
it cost many a converted soul amongst us all their sins ; it hath cost God
himself much patience, the riches of his forbearance (notwithstanding our
unworthiness), spent in great deliverances ; and thus you have it yet for you
and yours. Murderers, will you undo your children ; will you sell it away
from you by unbelief, by remaining still in your sins ; by corrupting the

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 85

doctrine of the church, bringing in this more corrupt tenet than that of
Popery and Arminianism ; sell it away as spendthrifts do their lands, now a
piece and then a piece ; run so far behind-hand by unworthy walking in it,
till it fall mortgaged, and then you and yours be undone ? Do, cut-throats,
do, and let your children's blood, that shall be starved for want of bread, lie
upon your heads !

Use 4. Was the state of man, as he fell out of God's hands, an estate of
holiness and righteousness ? Then to turn from sin and become a saint
again is not a thing men should be ashamed of, or mocked for, for it was your
primitive and first condition, that which you were all created in ; it is but a
returning to that which all once were in Adam, and which we ought to be in
still ; and men are damned because they are not found to be so. Remember,
holiness is older than sin : ' God made man righteous, but they sought out
many inventions,' Eccles. vii. 29. Sins are but new inventions and new
fashions, which though universally received, and so have obtained, yet grace
and holiness is the ancient fashion and apparel our forefather was arrayed
with, which till he lost he never met with shame, and though he was naked
he never knew what it was to be miserable. In Col. iii. 10 the apostle
useth this motive, and in a manner this resemblance, ' Put on the new man,
which is created in knowledge, after the image of him that created him.'
He calls it indeed a 7iew man to be put on, in comparison of this sinful habit,
and old rags of sin we are now apparelled with.

Use 5. Are all born into the world sinners and enemies to God ? You
see, then, that the devil's kingdom is aforehand provided for the maintain-
ing of it ; his faction is sure to be increased, his army to have fresh supplies
in every age. Every one born into the world is enrolled into his band, and
at first fight under his colours. But Christ hath none but who turn from
the world, and separate from it. You, then, that are for Christ, and the
advancement of his kingdom, had need bestir yourselves for the increasing
of his kingdom, seeing all must be won ofi" out of the companies which are
in the devil's empire. Suppose that, whereas there is in this kingdom a
strict law that Jesuits should not come into the land, there were a statute
that none else but such as are Jesuited should come over, were not this
church in danger ? Now, so is the case here. Every man that cometh into
this world is for the devil : how, then, should we endeavour to continue a
seed to God of his friends' children ? Otherwise the world will naturally be
overgrown with tares.

Use 6. You have heard what a fearful hideous sin this first sin was, on
our father Adam's and Eve's part, who were the personal actors of it, and
by which they overthrew all the world, which (as I then said) was a peeuUar
guilt residing in their persons. And if it was the aggravation of Jeroboam's
sin, and stuck by him as a brand, that he 'made all Israel to sin,' 1 Kings
xiv. 16, then must it much more hold in Adam's sin, and He heavy on them,
as those that made all the world to sin. We would all be ready to think
now, that for these two, of all men else, there should nothing remain but a
certain looking for of vengeance and fiery indignation to devour them ;
nothing but damnation could certainly be the end of them, so abounding
was their offence.

But yet, my brethren, behold and WMider, God offered these two mercy
and pardon ; yea, and when there was none to be a messenger and an am-
bassador to bring them the news of it, rather than they should want it, God
came himself to tell them the news of it, and to preach the gospel to them :
Gen. iii. 8, 9, ' And they heard the voice of the Lord God, walking in the
garden in the cool of the day : and Adam and his wife hid themselves from

36 AN UNREGENERATE JIAx's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

the presence of the Lord God, amongst the trees of the garden. And the
Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou ? ' He
calls them out when they ran away from him. He took the pains to examine
them punctually, and all the partakers in it; was content to put up an
afiront given him by Adam to his face, that the woman that he gave him had
ensnared him, for so far was he from asking mercy, as he obliquely, and afar
off, chargeth God with his fall. Yet when their conscience was, for all their
shifting, filled with terror for their sin, ver. 10, and he stood trembling by,
and could not but look every minute when God should fly upon them in
wrath, yet then God lets drop a word of promise of a second Adam, of whom
he was a type, that should destroy the kingdom of sin, and cursed works of
the devil.: ver 15, 'And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and
between thy seed and her seed : it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt
bruise his heel.' Yea, and undoubtedly they laid hold upon it by faith, and
were saved, not's\'ithstanding this sin, which hath abounded so in sinfulness.
Of the woman it is expressly said that God put enmity between her and the
devil, such as between wicked men, and Christ and his saints, and therefore
she (who yet was first in the ti'ansgression, and is put in the greatest blame,
1 Tim. ii. 14) was saved, and plucked out of the kingdom of Satan ; and
so likewise Adam ; for God preaching the gospel himself to them both, hav-
ing first prepared them for mercy by examining their sin, surely this his
first sermon was not in vain, himself being the preacher. And a church was
to be called from the beginning of the world, and God's worship set up, and
a kingdom erected in men's hearts through the preaching of man's fall, and
the promise of a Mediator, which none but these two knew, and of which,
therefore, it must be supposed that Adam, as a priest and prophet, instructed
his children in, as appears from Gen. iv. 3, 4. The first news we hear of.
his two children is theii- ofierings to God, and God's accepting Abel's : so
as they were instructed both in the knowledge of the true God, and of the
second covenant, and Christ revealed therein, of whom sacrifice was a figure.
And in that Cain, a wicked man, was brought to it as well as Abel, it argues
it was the force of his education, and his parents' authority and instruction
brought him to it; yea, and when Abel was dead, the punishment God
inflicted on Cain argues this, for it was an external excommunication and
casting him out of the church, which was a real sign to him of God's cast-
ing him from his favour and kingdom, which filled his heart with terror, as
it doth excommunicated persons often. I say, he was excommunicated
out of the church, which could be no other than Adam's family, for so the
16th verse of chap. iv. e^ddently implies, for it is said, ' Cain went out from
the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod.' And the opposi-
tion shews that he went from a communion wherein God manifested his
presence, to another place where he did not. And the face and presence of
God is taken in Scripture for the society of the church, where his ordinances
are received; Psa. xHi. 1, 2, 'As the hart panteth after the water brooks,
so panteth my soul after thee, 0 God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the
living God : when shall I come and appear before God ? ' Now, there was
no family in the world but Adam's, of which he was the head and guide.

Considering, then, with this the greatness of their sin, what use shall we
make of all that hath been spoken, but even to admire at the greatness and
goodness of God's grace, which is the next thing this scripture in Rom. v.
19, 20 suggests, ' Where sin hath abounded, grace did much more abound.'
From the beginning of the world to this hour, there is not the like instance
of the greatness and freeness of God's grace. For if you would go rifle the
heap of human offences committed from the first to the last, search God's

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 37

dobt-book wherein all men's sins are registered, you shall find none like to
this, the sin against the Holy Ghost excepted ; it being (besides other aggra-
vations) the mother-sin of all sins, as truly as Eve was the mother of all the
living, as Adam calls her : Gen. iii. 20, ' And Adam called his wife's name
Eve, because she was the mother of all living.' For, as lust conceived brings
forth sin, so this sin ihns conceived brought forth the mother of all lust :
causa causie est ccmsa causatl. And yet, behold mercy and pardon ofleredby
God to these two for this sin, and that unsought for by them. Kings use
to hang up the general ringleader in a rebellion, even when they offer pardon
to all the rest, as an example of their justice and terror to them all. No one
would have thought that though God might have after published his extent*
of saving others of mankind through Christ, to the rest of men his seed, as
being but brought in by Adam to the guilt of this rebellion, that yet neither
he nor Eve should ever have had the least hope of it; but behold, God,
instead of making them an example of his justice that way, hath made them
(as he did Paul) a pattern of the riches of his grace, to toll in the rest of the
rebels, be their sins never so great.

That which discoarageth many a poor soul from laying hold of mercy, and
to put off the promise of grace, as not made to them, is the guilt of some
great and hideous sin, which, if they themselves had never so and so com-
mitted, they would and do think that then they might have had mercy. It
was the case of Cain, the next man to Adam, who, notwithstanding this
instance of his father before him, yet when he had murdered his brother, he
thought. Gen. iv. 13, * his sin greater than could be forgiven,' for so inter-
preters! acknowledge it may be read ; and thus the Greek and Chaldee
paraphrase translate it. And yet compare but Cain's sin with theirs : Cain
murdered but one man, his brother, and but his body was murdered by him,
his soul he could not kill ; but Adam and Eve murdered all men, who were
their own children, and murdered not their bodies only, but their souls,
these being born dead in trespasses and sins from their guilt, and the children
of wrath by reason of that offence : Eph. ii. 1-3, ' And you hath he quick-
ened, who were dead in trespasses and sins ; wherein in time past ye walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of
the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience : among
whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our tlesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind ; and were by nature the
children of wrath, even as others.'

And tell me now, what can there be in any of thy sins, whosoever thou
art, that was not in this of our first parents, who yet found mercy at God's
hands ? If thou sayest thou hast not offended one of the little ones only
(commandments I mean), but against the great things of the law, Adam did
so in this, the law of the forbidden tree being the greatest commandment (as
I formerly shewed) that God gave to man ; yea, and his sin was more also,
as some divines shew, even against all the commandments. If thou repliest
again, that thou hast sinned against a great deal of light (which ingredient
aggravates sin the most of anything), our first parents had the light of the
law recollected wholly and fully, gathered together in them, as all light was
in the body of the sun. For Adam was the great and common taper God
set up for us to light our candles at. And the mind of man is thus called,
Prov. XX. 27. He had also strength enough to have withstood it, had he
used it, which we want often when we have light enough. And evident it is,
that Eve did distinctly consider the law given to the contrary; for before she
ate, she herself repeated the commandment, with the penalty annexed, to the
* Qu. ' intent "? — Ed. t Septuagiiit : Hu^m h uItik (/.ou nu a.(p'J^iMa'i f^i.

38 AN UNRE&ENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK I.

serpent, Gen. iii. 2, 3. She did it therefore wittingly, and not out of igno-
rance ; as Paul excuseth his great sins against the great things of the law,

1 Tim. i. 13, 'I was a persecutor, and a blasphemer, but I did it ignorantly ;'
so did not she. The weak light of nature, not joined with strength to do what
it enjoins, makes the Gentiles' sins so much more sinful, Rom. i. throughout.
And therefore so much more light, so much more sin ; then how doth their
light aggravate this of theirs, for disobedience against light is more than
witchcraft.

If thou say, thou hast fallen into thy sin, since thou hast tasted of the
good word of God, and hast been aftected with it, and the ways of God,
which is a higher aggravation of a sin than the former, as Peter makes it,

2 Pet. ii, 21, 'It had been better not to have known the way of righteous-
ness, than after they have known it, to turn fi'om the holy commandment
delivered unto them.' He speaks of a tasting and affecting knowledge there.
Consider, our first parents' was more ; for they had enjoyed certainly sweeter
communion and fellowship with God then, being created perfect in his image,
and more near and intimate, than thou hast done ; and, therefore, as David
takes it heinously, and much more heinously, an injury done him from a
famiUar friend — Ps, Iv. 12, ' Had he been my enemy, &c., but thou my
friend, that had took sweet counsel together,' — so might God much more
resent it of Adam, who had tasted of his goodness, knew what comfort and
happiness was to be had in him, and yet did forsake him. If thou thinkest
thou hast tui'ned the gi'ace of God into wantonness, he did much more.

If thou sayest, thou hast sinned against abundance of kindness and mercy
received from God, and yet that immediately after that some great favour
received, thou hast fallen into some gi'eat sin ; so did he, and much more,
for God had obliged him to him by all the highest ties of friendship. God
had made Adam his darling and especial favourite at his first creation ; had
raised him out of nothing but a little before, out of the same dust the rest of
the creatures (which sprang forth of the earth) were taken out of ; breathed
into him an immortal soul, reasonable, which they want; set him next him-
self, over them all in his throne : ' Have dominion,' says he, ' and subdue
them,' Gen. i. 28; so as God might say to him as he did to David, 2 Sam.
xii. 7, 8, ' Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over
Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul. And I gave thee thy
master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the
house of Israel, and of Judah ; and if that had been too little, I would more-
over have given unto thee such and such things.' So God might have said
to Adam : Did I not anoint thee king, gave thee a large dominion, and would
have done much more also ? Wherefore hast thou despised the command-
ment of the Lord, in doing evil in his sight ? If thou sayest, thou hast in
thy sin made others sin, and to fall with thee, and hast carried others into
the same rebellion, which is a great aggravation, as appears in Jeroboam's
case, the great aggravation of whose sin was, that he made others to sin,
1 Kings xiv. 16 ; why, the sin of Adam was much more, for he made men
to sin, not only by his example, but he derived sin down to them; and he
did what in him lay to condemn all the world ; and thousands are gone to hell
for his sin, which sinned not so much as after the similitude of his trans-
gression, Rom. V. 14.

Wilt thou say, lastly, thou didst sin willingly and wilfully ? which is a
great aggravation of sin also ; for as the more God's will is expressed against
a sin, the greater it is ; so the more our wills are expressed in it, and for it,
the greater the sin is too, insomuch as many make it essential to sin, that it
be voluntary, and therefore so much the more sin, by how much more

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 39

voluntary. Consider that this sin of Adam's was most free, most volun-
tary, for the devil and his wife were but external means, could not have
necessitated him to it ; and the devil could not have necessitated them unto
it ; and so much the more free it must needs be, by how much he had no
sin within to incline and sway his will to it, no principle for Satan to work
on, as we all now have ; so that as Paul, being a regenerate man, complains
to the lessening of his sin, Rom. vii. 17, it is ' not I, but sin that dwelleth
in me,' Adam, on the contrary, might truly say. It was not sin dwelling
in me moved me to it, but mine own will only.

And yet thou seest that, immediately after the commission of this great
sin, God offered him mercy ; and so he doth thee, if thou wilt lay hold on it,
and turn to God, as indeed he did. Learn this, and remember it, that as
you must not think you shall be received to mercy the sooner for the small-
ness of your sins, so neither be denied it the more for the greatness of them.
They are not simply your sins, though aggravated with all these circum-
stances, that keep you from mercy, but your impenitency, hardness of heart,
going on presumptuously, and saying in your hearts, as they in the begm-
ning of the next chapter, Rom. vi. 1, ' We may continue in sin, for grace
will abound.' And let me now turn my speech, and work upon your hearts,
since the mere guilt of your former sins shall not hinder you from believing,
and repenting even after Adam's example. Let me expostulate the matter
with your impenitence and unbeUef, and aggravate it by the consideration of
his example. You have gone on many years in hardness of heart, and a
course of rebellion, but so did not he. He immediately, after he had en-
tered into that rebellious course, upon a proclamation of pardon, relented
and came in, and laid his weapons down. You have had thousands of pre-
cious promises of mercy (he had but one) to win your hearts ; proclama-
tion of pardon after proclamation, that he that runs may read and understand
them, but so had not he. God let fall but one promise, and that an obscure
one too ; yet as Benhadad's servants, 1 Kings xx. 33, watched when any
word should fall from Ahab, that should give them intimation of the least
of his inclination to pardon, they greedily catched at it, even so did he.
Adam and Eve having but one promise, and hearing it but once, yet believed
and repented, though they had no other of mankind before them that gave
them example or hope that sinners should be received. Now great is the
force of examples, which, as they illustrate rules, so they confirm precepts ;
non mimis docent, qiiam pracepta. Therefore former examples help to draw
in the heart, as well as promises, as in Paul's conversion; but now you
have not only the example of your first parents' faith, but millions of
examples of as great sinners as yourselves, hung out by God, as patterns
and flags of mercy to toll ' you in. Neither need you go to fetch them from
former ages ; you have some walking in your streets who have been as great
sinners as you, who j^et have obtained mercy.

If you object and say, God himself preached to Adam, but so he doth not
to me ; I answer you, as Peter doth, 2 Pet. i. 19, speaking of the Scrip-
tures and salvation off"ered in them : though, says he at ver. 17, ye heard
not God's voice from heaven, which we heard, yet we have as sure a word
of prophecy ; you have his hand for it ; and you that will not believe when
Moses, the prophets, and apostles, and ministers, call you to repentance,
would not, if Christ should come down and preach to you.

What shall I say more to you ? If you wiU not lay hold on mercy thus
ofiered, notwithstanding your sins, and repent as Adam did, you shall be
damned, and so was not he ; yea, and with a greater condemnation than he
should have been condemned withal, because your means are greater.

40 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD. [BoOK it.

BOOK 11.

An unregeuerate mans guiltiness before God, in respect of that corruption of
nature with wJdch all mankind is infected, and the whole nature of every
man is 2>olluted and depraved.

That which is bom of the flesh is flesh. — John III. 6.

CHAPTER I.

The words of the text explained — An enumeration of the several errors concern-
ing original sin. — Pelagius denied that there was any such thing. — Pighius,
and some of the schoolmen, though they acknowledge some guilt to accrue to us
from Adam's flrst sin, yet deny any corrujjlion of nature to be derived from
it. — The p>apists make it wholly to consist in the want of original righteous-
ness, excluding concupiscence from being any part, and consequently deny
what they call the motus pvimi, to be sins. — Others say that this corruption
hath not infected all the facidties of the soul. — To refute these errors, several
propositions asserted and proved. — That to every man born into the world
there is more derived than the guilt of Adam's first sin. — That there is a
corruption inherent in his nature. — That this corruption is the predominant
2irinciple of all his actions. — That man's nature is thus totally corrujjted,
demonstrated.

My scope in choosing tliis text is to proceed in discovering the abounding
sinfulness of man by nature, whereof aheady I have shewn you out of Rom.
V. 12, the spring and source at which sin first entered upon all mankind,
' by one man,' and ' one ofience :' by Adam our first father, whose first sin-
fulness we, as his heirs, appointed by a just and necessary covenant, do
inherit, as we should have done his righteousness, the particulars of whose
debts, and the immense vastness of them, I have begun to search into, out
of the 20th verse of the same chapter, and shewing the abounding sinful-
ness of that sinful act and ofience, whereof I proved we were all guilty,
which was tbe spring and flood-gate at which sin entered.

The next thing which in order I am come to, is to sound that abound-
ing gulf, bottomless sea, and lake of that corruption and sinfulness of nature
within all our hearts (the miserable vessels and cisterns of it), this first act
of sin, as the original spring and source, through the channel and conduit-
pipe of natural generation, empties itself into and determines in.

For as I intimated before, and this scripture will more fully inform us,
we are arrested not only as guilty of that lirst cursed act which he person-
ally performed, and so in regard of it ai'e termed sinners, and exposed liable
to God's wi'ath, but also as guilty of an universal, total, sinful defilement,
spread over all faculties of soul and body, containing in it a privation or

Chap. L] in respect of sin and punishment. 41

want of all good, and an inclination to all evil (which our Saviour Christ
here, and the Scripture elsewhere, calls flesh), which is traduced unto us by
birth and fleshly generation, ' that which is born of the flesh is flesh,' and
which infects all mankind, even all that is said to be ' born of flesh,' all that
is in man : ' that which is born of the flesh is flesh.'

And that this is Christ's meaning here, appeareth by the coherence of the
words, for his scope is to convince Nicodemus of the necessity of regenera-
tion, whereby a man is to be made, and all in man, * spirit,' or ' a spiritual
man,' as the word spirit may be interpreted : 1 Cor. ii. 15, ' But he that is
spiritual judge th all things, yet he himself is judged of no man ;' and a man
is thus made spiritual by the work of the Holy Ghost. ' That which is born
of the Spirit is spirit;' and he convinceth him by this reason, because all
that is born in man by the first birth is nothing but flesh, that is, a thing
contrary (as the opposition to spirit shews) to that which the Holy Ghost
works. It is a mere lump and mass of sin inhering and sticking in man's
nature, as you shall hear afterwards when I come to open what this flesh is.

Before I do that, let me present to your view a link and chain of the con-
trary errors about original sin, with the doctrines and deductions I shall
make hence, which will evidently refute those errors, as being diametrically
opposed unto them.

All W'hich errors have not been so much in going too far, or in making too
great a matter of it, but diminishing and extenuating it rather, thereby to
make way for the extenuating withal, more or less, according as this is ex-
tenuated, even of the superabounding grace of Christ ; for as long as that
stands true that is said, Eom. v. 20, that the more man's sinfulness
abounds, the more God's grace superabouuds, grace being but the remedy
or medicine of sin, so long it will be charged on those that extenuate and
lessen man's natural sinfulness, that so far as they do extenuate it, they ex-
tenuate and make void, and take from the grace of Christ; for he that lessens
the disease disparageth the virtue of the medicine.

View but the errors in their several degrees of detracting from it, begin-
ning at the lowest step or stair.

First, Pelagius at one stroke dasheth out all the debt, and says that we
stand bound to God for nothing by reason of it. He denies any communi-
cation of the guilt of Adam's fact, or corruption of nature thence traduced,
and says that all the harm Adam did was to bring in a bad example, which
we all follow, and in no other sense did sin enter upon the world. Suitable
to which conceit of man's sinfulness is that of Socinus, concerning Christ's
righteousness and grace through him, that all that Christ did was to give a
good example, and to shew the way to heaven.

Secondly, Pighius and some few of the schoolmen they further acknow-
ledge guilt and binding over all to death by reason of being guilty of the first
sinful act indeed ; but corruption of nature thence traduced, they acknow-
ledge not. That look as the papists do acknowledge sanctification or in-
herent righteousness, but without Christ's righteousness imputed, and so
diminish from the abounding of grace, so, on the contrary, these aclmow-
ledge condemnation indeed for Adam's oflence, but without inherent
coiTuption conveyed, and so detract from man's corruption and sinfulness.

Thirdly, Some other more secret entrenchments upon the boundless limits
of God's grace, acknowledge indeed a true and real imputation of the guilt of
Adam's sin, yea, and also a want of original righteousness, a corruption also
and disease of nature inherently derived, which is here called flesh, yet they
circumcise the sinfulness of it, as you shall hear afterwards.

FourthUj, The papists, though they further acknowledge in this point more

42 AN UNEEGENEBATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

than those others, viz., that that corruption which is thus in us is a sin, yet
half the debt they strike out of the account; for making it only to consist in
the want of original righteousness, they cut off the grossest and greatest part
of it, denying concupiscence to be a part of it.

Fifthly, Both they and others do exclude some of the faculties of the soul
from being infected with it, making fewer debtors in man obliged to death
by reason of it than indeed there are : so to maintain their detraction from
tbe sanctifying grace of Christ in conversion in this, as in the former they
did from the justifying gi-ace of Christ.

Against all which, in my following discourse, I shall (God assisting)
oppose and make good these several propositions, diametrically opposite.

Against the fu-st, that which hath been delivered out of Rom. v. 12 may
suffice.

Against the other, out of this text, and other scriptures compared with it,
take these ensuing conclusions.

I. That there is something inherently derived to us by birth, called here
flesh, which is more than simply the guilt of Adam's sinful act committed
by him.

II. Which I will prove to be a corruption of our nature ; which, put to-
gether with the former, contradicteth Pighius his error.

III. That it is properly a sin ; which contradicts the third error.
And in shewing the great sinfulness of it, that it is,

IV. More than a want of righteousness, and also a positive inclination to
all evil ; which is against the fourth error.

V. That also it is seated in each particular faculty of soul and body :
' That which is born of the flesh is flesh,' there is not one thing in man but
is infected with it ; which is opposite to the last error.

I. The first is that, by birth, there is more derived than the guilt of
Adam's sin, something else that sticks in our natures ; for it is here said,
' that which is born of the flesh is flesh ; ' and for the meaning of the
words, when he says of flesh, he means, of man after a fleshly manner; but
by the latter, is flesh, he means not flesh and blood, the substance of man,
but inherent corruption. For as in the next words, ' that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit,' spirit, which is the thing begotten, and differs from
the Spirit which is the begetter, and notes out the new creature of holiness
wrought in the soul, and inherent there, and therefore is called ' the seed
of God remaining in him,' 1 John iii. 9, so likewise flesh notes out
inherent corruption, which is derived by generation, which also is evident
from Gal. v. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit
against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other.' Flesh and
spirit there are put as two inherent qualities, conveyed by these two several
births, and so are there opposed ; I say, inherent qualities, sticking in
man's nature ; for the flesh is said to have works or fruits, in Gal. v. 19 :
' Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these : adultery, for-
nication,' &c. Whence it appears that this flesh is a rooted thing in man's
nature, whence operations flow, as buds from a root, which though they be
transient, yet the root sticks in the earth ; and so it is as to this flesh in
man's heart.

Secondly, The scope of Christ shews it, for it is to shew what need, yea,
necessity, there is of regeneration, which is nothing else but a working of
new spiritual dispositions in the whole man, called here spirit, without which
no man shall enter into heaven ; for says Christ, ' that which is born of the
flesh is flesh,' whereby therefore he must needs mean the clean contrary to
the spirit of holiness, which is to be wrought in the soul. Now, then, if

Chap. I.] in respect of sin and punishment. 48

only a guilt from Adam was derived, and no corruption inherent in the soul,
we should need only justification, which is properly a doing away of the
guilt of sin ; but Christ says there is a work of regeneration also required,
which is a renewing the nature of man, making it of flesh, spirit, regenera-
tion being a work upon the soul ; therefore flesh notes out a corruption
sticking in the soul.

'Thirdly, The manner of the predication here used shews it ; for flesh is
predicated of man (as he is first born) in the abstract, which if it noted out
only the act of Adam's sin, could not be.

So tbat the first doctrine I propound in these terms, which I will severally
explain, is this,

That in every man's nature, that is born into the w'orld, there is a mass
of corruption that inheres or sticks in him, which is the principle of all his
actions, whence they proceed; yea, which is in some sense the nature of man,
as being the predominant quahty, which is in all, and guides all.

And this is directly contrary to the error of those that say Adam's sin is
only conveyed. This I will particularly explain.

1st, I say it is corruption; for so this, which is called here flesh, is called
in Eph. iv. 22, ' the old man, which is corrupt,' &c. Now, then, corrup-
tion must needs be of something which was good before ; and even so it is,
God made man righteous, now he is depraved and defiled, his nature is
corrupted; and instead of being a living body, he is now become as a dead
body, that hath in it nothing but corruption and putrefaction. I fu'st call
it corruption, because it is a distinct thing to prove it to be a sin, which I
will shew afterwards, against such as deny concupiscence to be a sin.

2dly, It is a corruption which I say sticks or cleaves to a man's nature,
for so it is said to do expressly, to ' dwell in a man,' Rom. vii. 17, 18.
* Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in vie. For I
know that in me (that is, in my flesh) divelleth no good thing : for to will is
present with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not.' So a
man hath not only acts of sin which are transient, which but come from him
and so away, but he hath a root and spring of sin dwelling and residing in
him, and not only adjacent to him, but inhabitant in him; it is not -n-a^a-
•KiilMivov, rra^d/iiirai , but i>, o/xoDua, a/xa^Tia, peccatum hahituns ; and not only
so, but encompassing about, and so to be resisted on all hands : Heb. xii. 1,
' Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great cloud of wit-
nesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset
us.' It is svjreoidTaTov afj:,aPT!av, peccaluni facile circumsta)is. Now all this
implies more than acts.

3dly, It is a corruption which is the principle, predominant of all his
actions, whence all his works proceed, as appears from Gal. v. 19, ' Now
the works of the flesh are manifiest, which are these: adultery, fornication,'
&c. The flesh is said to have works and fruits, as being a root in man's
nature, and so it is called: Deut. xxix. 18, * Lest there should be among you
a root that beareth gall and wormwood ;' Heb. xii. 15, ' Lest any root of
bitterness springing up, trouble you, and thereby may be defiled.' A root it is
which brings forth gall and wormwood, that is, bitter fruits of sin, and which
is therefore said to be an energetical thing, which works in our members,
and brings forth fruit to death : Rom. vii. 5, ' For when we were in the
flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members,
to bring forth fruit unto death.' Bitter fruits : Jer .ii. 19, ' Thine own wicked-
ness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee : know
therefore, and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken
the Lord thy God,' &c. Grapes of gall, and clusters that are bitter: Deut.

44 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

xxxii. 32, ' For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of
Gomorrah : their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter.'

4thly, I say, there is a bundle or mass of this corruption, and therefore
it is called a body that hath multitude of members : Col. ii. 11, 'In whom
also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting
ofi" tlie body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.' It is a
hody of the sins of the flesh, of abounding dimensions, a body that hath
inwards and outwards, gross and more sensible dispositions to fleshly lusts,
that war in the members, and also secret entrails of atheism, contempt of
God, distrust and hatred of God, not discernible to a man, till God's Spirit
doth cut this anatomy up. And so also Solomon says of it, that there is a

* bundle of folly in the heart of a child, till the rod fetch it out,' Prov. xxii. 15.
There is a pack or bundle wrapped up in his heart, a pack of rotten and^corrupt
wares which sticketh there; for the rod, through God's Spirit working, is said
to fetch it out; and this in the heart of a child, even before the pack be opened,
and all the wares be brought to light by actual sins ; for they are said to be
bound up there till then ; and therefore Augustine says, ImbectUitas mem-
hroriim in/antinm innocens est, non aninms iiifaiitimn. Yea, and this in the
very conception ; therefore David says, Ps. ii. 5, ' Behold, I was shapen in
iniquity ; and in sin did my mother conceive me. ' He means more than
barely a guilt of Adam's sin, for he says, he was conceived in sin, which
notes out more than Adam's one sin, spoken of in Rom. v. 18. And that
he means sin sticking to his inward parts, appears by the next words,

* Thou requirest truth in the inward parts ;' as if he had said, I have not
only committed this sinful act of adultery, but there is even in my inward
parts sin sticking from my very conception ; whereas * thou requirest, 0
Lord,' says he, * in the inward parts, truth;' and David's scope is to con-
fess the spring from whence that his great act of sin sj)rung, even from the
sin wherein he was conceived.

5thly, This corruption is, as it were, the very nature of man, and there-
fore is predicated in the abstract, and implies more than an ordinary quality,
even such an one as doth explain what the very nature and definition of man
is ; for it is not said to be fleshly, but flesh, as if it was a thing that doth
ingredi essentiam et deflnitionem, as if divinity had found out another and a
further definition of man, that philosophy falls short of. Philosophers define
man to be mdmal rationale, Christ defines him to be flesh, that is, sin and
corruption, contrary to grace, this being his very nature, as divinity con-
siders him now as fallen. And in that it is made the definition of man's
nature, as it were in the abstract, it argues it is a thing inherent in us.
But to enlarge a little on this notion.

1. Definitions are taken from things which are insita vaturd, bred in
nature ; none but essential properties are ingredients in definitions.

And 2. Definitions are taken from the most predominant qualities where
the essence is unknown; so flesh or sinful corruption being a more predomi-
nant principle in man's nature than reason itself, for it doth not only guide
all, and even reason itself (as reason doth all in a man by way of influence),
but which is more, it resides in all of a man, which reason doth not. It is,
as it were, another form in man's nature, tota in toio ; therefore, says he,
' that which is born of the flesh is flesh.' It cleaves to all the faculties as
the seat and sulyect of it, whereas reason hath a seat by itself in the soul,
distinct from other faculties, though it rules them.

Yea, and 3, which is more, this corruption it is so essential and predomi-
nant, and so universally diflused and seated in the whole man, that tbere is
a mutual predication, as it were, between man and it, aud both in the

Chap. I.] in respect of sin and punishment. 45

abstract. And as here you see man's nature, and all that is in it, is call<3d
Hesh, so, Eph. iv. 22, this corruption is called the man, ' put off the old man ; '
that is, not the substance of man's nature, because then Christ had not
assumed the same nature with us ; and besides, can a man run away from
himself, or put off himself as he doth his clothes ? No. Therefore by the
old man is meant the corruption that we have from Adam, called therefore
old, and the old man, because it is seated in, and guides, and is the nature
of the whole man, for so it follows, 'which is corrupt,' &c. It is also a
corruption you see this old man is which is born by the first birth, and there-
fore also a thing sticking in a man, else why is it said to be put off, as being
res adjacens, and hanging about him? Therefore also,! Cor. iii. 3, to be
carnal and to be a man is made the same thing, ' Are ye not carnal and
fleshly, and walk as men ? ' that is, according to your kind and nature, and
those carnal properties that stick in you ; not that this corruption is the
substance of man, for then Christ, being without sin, should be irgcovff/o; ; so
that this first deduction is every way clear out of the text.

Now, that man's nature is become thus corrupt, and turned flesh, and a
bundle of folly and corruption, and that it is their nature,

I will give you, first, some demonstrations of it ; secondly, reasons.

I. The first demonstration is taken,

1. From experience taken from all mankind.

First, All men sin from their youth. The first act that discovers reason in
a child hath sin also mingled with it. Take any child and observe him, and
watch him when the first springings forth and dawnings of reason begin to
appear, and they are corrupt ; they express reason only in sinning, as in
readiness to please themselves by doing harm to others, or excusing them-
selves by lying, and in pride of apparel ; and also their natural inclination
to revenge is seen, because they are often quieted by seeing the thing beaten
that hath offended them ; hence the poet of the child, Irani colUrjit, et ponit
temere.

And this the Scripture, upon God's general observation, tells, Gen. viii. 21,
that they are evil from their youth, from the first thought to the last, which
argues it is nature in them. If the tree be known by the fruit, much more
by the first fruits.

Secondly, All men sin continually ; not only their first actions are such,
but all are continually such, which shews it is nature, for quod convenit semper,
est natnrale ; and this God upon the like experience says. Gen. vi. 5, that
their ' thoughts were evil continually.'

Thirdly, It is thus not with a few, but with all men, not one excepted,
which argues it to be a nature also, for quod convenit omni, est naturale ; and
so. Gen. vi. 12, it is said that ' all flesh hath corrupted their ways.'

Fourthly, They do all this of their own accord, as the devil is said to sin
of his own ; they slide into these actions sine impulsore, without example or
precept ; therefore Solomon, the wise searcher into the cause of things,
found the original of all iniquity to be this, that they of their own accord
' sought out many inventions,' Eceles. vii. 29. So likewise in the Proverbs,
' A child left to himself puts his mother to shame,' Prov. xxix. 15. You
need not teach him to sin, but only leave him to himself, and he will soon
shame his mother. Now things that are not natural must have teachers and
practice before we can learn them ; as take a man that did never swim in his
life, and he must be taught to swim before he can do it. Though there is in
man some remote power to it by nature, yet use must be added; but take
a beast, or take a little whelp, and throw him into the water, and he will

46 AN UNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

swim presently, because nature hath taught him. Even so it is in the soul
to anything which is more than nature, it must have a teacher.

Fifthly, And not only thus left to themselves do they run into evil, but
the jMndus et impetus naturcB can hardly be restrained by the best means
that art or education can aflford. That which cannot be restrained is natural ;
Natiiram expellas furca, tamen usque recurrit:* if it be bred in the bone, it
will never be got out of the flesh. Since you see also that sin is natural, for
it cannot be expelled, all good means of education, admonition, &c., will not
keep your children from sinning. Though you should bray a fool in a
mortar, yet he would be a fool still. Indeed, Solomon saith, ' the rod of
correction will drive it out ; ' but it is not in the means themselves, but in
the blessing of God upon them, and sanctifying them to that end ; all which
shews that it is natural, even as the natural spring which is the fountain of
all these corrupt actions.

2. This is confirmed also by testimonies, that man' by nature is corrupt.

1st, By the testimonies of the Gentiles themselves, who knew this out of
observation and experience, and yet they wanted the light of the law and
gospel to tell them that ' whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh.'

So ^sop compared nature to a garden, that is, mater vitiis, virtiitibus
noverca ; and Plato, lib. ii. de Rep. homines naturd malos esse, et adduci non
posse, ut jiistitiam colant.

2dly, All the world do suppose so much, for there are several offices in
the world that imply so much by general appointment ; for to what end are
magistrates appointed in all kingdoms and in all ages, if there had not been
this corruption of nature to be bridled and restrained ?

Again, upon this supposition that nature is corrupt, all nations made their
laws, which were not only to restrain the corruptions then in act and raging,
but to be left as legacies to posterity, as remedies and medicines, which they
would not have done had they not conceived the nature that they propa-
gated unto them to be hereditarily corrupted. Medicina supponit mprbum,
physic was not found out before diseases ; multitudo legum et medicorum
cegrotam arguit rempublicam, et immensa ilia volumina legum, quid nisi
publicce corruptionis tabulm ?

If you should come into a town, and see many physicians there, you would
presently conclude that it were a diseased place, or else what should so many
physicians do there? So if you see so many laws and offices to suppress sin
and corruption, this argues, cegrotam esse rempublicam, that the government
is sicklj'. And in that they were made and appointed for after-times, it
must needs shew that they did presuppose it should be to the end of the
world.

Again, the calling of the ministry doth argue that men are corrupt, and
that they will be so to the end of the world, in that Christ hath ordained
ministers to the end of the world. Now the calling of the ministry is for
no other end but to watch over men's souls, to exhort them, &c., and by all
means to keep them from sin, and to beget men to God by the immortal
seed of the word, which argues^ that men are corrupt, for in heaven there
shall need no preaching.

3dly, The law of God given to us by God, sheweth us no less, for the
law is not given to a righteous man, 1 Tim. i. 9 ; for man being righteous
at first, was a law to himself; he had no law written, but only the law writ-
ten in his heart ; and therefore the laws given to us are tabulce nostra corrup-
tionis, tables and ensigns of our corruption ; and in that also the law is
given negatively, as that, ' Thou shalt have none other gods but me ;' ' Thou

* Horatius.

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 47

shnlt not make to thyself any graven image ;' * Thou shalt not take the name
of the Lord thy God in vain,' &c. : this shews that man's nature falls cross
with the law, and is opposite to it, for every negative is founded upon an
affirmative. Therefore, because man's nature is turned cross to God's law,
therefore the law is turned cross to it ; and the Lord saith. Thou shalt not
do this or that, which argues that man's nature is wholly corrupt, and so
apt to do contrary to that which the law commands.

4thly, The gospel also tells us as much ; for, 1, Christ was made like to
us in all infirmities but sin : Heb. iv. 15, ' For we have not an High Priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all
points tempted like as we are, yet without sin' (speaking of his human nature).
2. The gospel ofiers Christ to you, not only to justify, but also to sanctify
you; and therefore it is said, 1 Cor. i. 30, 'But of him are ye in Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sancti-
fication, and redemption.' From whence is plainly inferred, that all men
by nature are corrupt ; for if the gospel reveal Christ, not only to convey a
blessed righteousness, whereby we may appear holy and righteous before
the Lord, but also an inherent righteousness to sanctify our nature, then the
first Adam brought upon us, not only the guilt of his sin, but also the cor-
ruption of our nature, and. there is this reason for it, because as it is, Rom.
V. 13, the first Adam was a ' type of him that was to come,' so that, if the
second Adam brought righteousness imputed and inherent, then the first
Adam brought not only guilt, but the corruption of nature also.

Again, in that Christ is made unto us sanctification, it argues thus
much ; for if there were no corruption, what needed sanctification ? And
what need infants, that cannot commit actual sin, to be said to be sancti-
fied from the womb, as some are ? What need it, I say, if there had been
no defilement ?

Again, the remedy must be proportioned to the disease ; and if only
Adam's sin were conveyed to us, then our justification only were sufficient ;
but there must be sanctification also, and therefore there is a defilement of
nature also. And therefore the sacraments of circumcision and baptism
were ordained even for infants ; and baptism is called ' a washing away of
the filth of the flesh,' in respect of this natural corruption, 1 Pet. iii. 21.
All which argues that all men by nature are wholly corrupt.

Therefore we are hence to take notice, that we are all, as we came into
the world, corrupt, and our nature is defiled. What is grace, then ? It is
not only an imputation of the righteousness of Christ, but as you look to be
saved by Christ's righteousness, so you must look also to get inherent right-
eousness from Christ, for every remedy must be proportioned to the disease ;
and therefore if you look to be justified by Christ, you must be sanctified
also ; and thou that lookest to be saved by thy good works, I tell thee thou
must have grace within, a root within, which the stony ground wanted ; thou
must have oil in thy vessels with thy lamps, which the foolish virgins had
not. Therefore consider whether thou hast a new frame of heart within, and
art made a new creature.

CHAPTER IL

What are the reasons or causes of the corruption of man's nature. — That
Adam's nature icas presently depraved by the commission of his first sin. —
That if Adam's first act of sin had an influence to corrxipt his nature, it
hath tlie same influence to deprave ours, we being guilty of the first sin, as

48 AN UXREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

veil as Adam himself was. — How mans soul, which proceeds not from the
parents, but is created by God, comes to be corrupted by sin.

Now, to shew you the grounds why our natures are thus corrupted, and
not only the guilt of Adam's offence conveyed.

First, If Adam's nature was stained and corrupted with an inherent cor-
ruption by the act, then must ours also, if we be guilty of it as well as he,
by an equal and necessary covenant. The proof of this consequence I
will prove anon ; but Adam, by the commission and guilt of that first
actual sin, had, and that necessarily, his nature thus stained and cor-
rupted ; which proposition I will first prove, the truth of the other being
built upon it.

1. iJe facto, That his nature was thus thereby corrupted, and the image
of God extinguished, it appears by what is spoken of him, as the effect and.
immediate consequent following on it ; and this by a sensible alteration
which Adam found in himself, for he found himself naked, and that not only
in body, to cover which he sewed two fig-tree leaves, as Gen. iii. 7, ' And the
eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they
sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.' But he found
himself naked in soul also : ver. 10, ' And he said, I heard thy voice in the
garden ; and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.' For it
was such a nakedness as made him afraid of God's wrath, exposed him to it,
which his bodily nakedness did not ; ' I heard thy voice in the garden ; and
I was afraid, because I was naked.' Now nakedness is the want of some
garment which a man should be clothed with ; now if you would know what
garment it was he wanted, see Col. iii. 10, ' Put on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him.' He speaks
here expressly of the image of God, wherein man was fii'st created ; and
likens it to a gaiTnent, as the phrase putting on implieth. Now, in Gen.
i. 26, it is said indeed of Adam, that he was created in God's image, clothed
with it as with a garment ; and now you see he is stripped of it, he is be-
come naked, naked in soul, and therefore afraid of God ; and so nakedness
is used for the want of God's image we were at first created in : 2 Cor.
V. 2, 3, ' For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with
our house which is fi'om heaven : if so be that, being clothed, we shall not be
found naked.' We shall be clothed with glory, if we be found clothed, viz.
with grace, and not naked. Nakedness is taken for the want of the image
of God. Neither was Adam only naked, as stripped of this robe of God's
image ; but. Gen. v. 3, you shall find him clothed with an image, which in
opposition to God's (wherein at first he was created) is called his own
twice ; and in the same words, as in the other place. Gen. i. 26, says God
twice, ' Let us create man according to our own image, our likeness ;' there
in Gen. v. 3, it is said of Adam, as in opposition, that he begat Seth in his
image, his likeness ; which image of his, therefore, is differenced from
Christ's image : 1 Cor. xv. 47-49, ' The first man is of the earth, earthy ;
the second man is the Lord fi-om heaven. As is the earthy, such are they
that are earthy ; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are
heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also
bear the image of the heavenly.' Adam's image is here distinguished from
the image of Christ as a diflering thing, as much differing as earth and
heaven : whereas otherwise, the image which God created Adam in at
first, is the same which we have from Christ, as appears by Col. iii. 10,
for the new man is called the image which God created man in at first. This
you see, de facto, was the immediate consequent of the first sin in him.

Chap. II. J in respect of sin and punishment. 49

2. In reason it could not be otherwise, but that that first offence should
corrupt his nature thus, and deprive him of God's image ; for an act of sin,
or transgression of the law, though it be a transient thing, yet by whomso-
ever it be committed, it hath a permanent effect and consequent, and leaves
behind it a depravation of God's image, and an inherent defilement and cor-
ruption ; and though it comes out from the soul, yet it casts defilement into
it : Mat. xv. 18-20, ' But those things which proceed out of the mouth
come forth from the heart ; and they defile the man. For out of the heart
proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,
blasphemies : these are the things which defile a man ; but to cat with un-
washen hands defileth not a man.' Those evil thoughts which come from
the heart do defile the man, Christ says, do leave a stain, a corruption, a
defilement behind them. And this I take to be the evidant meaning of that
place, Rom. vi. 19, 20, ' As ye have yielded your members servants to un-
cleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members
servants to righteousness, unto holiness.' The apostle here brings a most
effectual motive why men should not serve sin, for, s:iys he, the more you
serve it, the more you are brought into bondage by it, for every act of service
you do to it makes your natiu'es more prone to it, fills them with all iniquity
(for that is the meaning, neither can there be any other, of ' serving iniquity
unto iniquity'), a new and further stain, and impression, and defilement
being left upon the soul by every act, as the fruit, consequent, and efl;ect
that every sinful act ends in ; whereas in serving righteousness, as the con-
trary, you do not only thereby do that whereof the end is eternal life, but
increase holiness still in your hearts, every act making the heart more holy,
and so every sin the heart more sinful : therefore, ver. 22, he says, the
'fruit is holiness,' besides, 'the end everlasting life.' So that Adam com-
mitting that act of iniquity, he did not barely commit that single act, and
there to be an end, but iniquity was the fruit of it, iniquity defiling, cor-
rupting his heart, and bringing the whole man in bondage into sin, by stain-
ing his nature with a proneness to all iniquity. So, 2 Peter ii. 19, ' While
they promise themselves liberty, they themselves are the servants of
corruption : for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in
bondage.' This is a rule which all victors observe, that if they overcome,
they bring in bondage, clap irons and bolts upon a man ; so, says he there,
doth sin and corruption. When a man's heart hath been overcome and
foiled by one act of it, it brings all into bondage, casts out that which ruled
before, and chains the heart to sinful practices for ever after by evil dis-
positions which it engenders in it. So that Adam's heart being overcom^
by that act, his nature was corrupted thereby, and chained to all manner of
lusts and pleasures.

But you will say, though indeed custom in sinning may thus change
Adam's heart, expel grace out, and defile it, as the prophet says, Jer. xiii. 23,
that being accustomed to do evil, makes the heart defiled as the blackmoor's
skin, spotted as the leopard's. But will one act do it ?

I answer, yes ; one act of sin expels all grace, and leaves a proneness or
bondage to all sin in the heart.

1. Because the punishment of the least sin is, that a man shall lose all
grace, and that his nature shall be brought into bondage by it, as Gen. ii. 17,
' That day thou eatest thou shalt die the death,' all manner of deaths ; not
death temporal only : that was not then fulfilled; nor of eternal in hell : for
that follows upon the temporal ; but death spiritual, whereby the soul is
deprived of spiritual life, and become dead in sin. As a man that commits

VOL. X. D

50 AN TINKEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

a murder, or an act of high treason against the king, hath his goods and
life taken from him, so Adam, for that one act of rebellion, wherein he
committed high treason against God, deserved to have all grace taken from
him, as indeed he had, Eom. iii. 23, ' For all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God.'

But, 2, this is not all ; for this one act of sinning did not only deserve to
have grace taken away, and to have nature coiTupted, and so taken away
as a punishment, but it did also by a physical energy expel it, not only by
a penal, political consequence, but by a physical, causal consequence, even
as a stab a man gives himself causally separates the soul and body, and
leaves the carcase a dead thing, or as cold in water expels heat in fire.

For (1.) it separates betwixt God and a man. Now, as the soul is the
life of the body, so was God the life of Adam's soul ; and grace in him was
but the light of God, as the sun shining in his heart, as the beams of the
sun do in the air, and as lumen est imar/o lucis, so grace in Adam's heart was
the image of God. Now, as whatsoever comes but between the sun and the
air, may be said truly to extinguish the light in the air, by cutting the beams
off from their head, out of which they>anish, so sin coming between God
and Adam, extinguished the light and life of grace in his heart, and left it
nothing but sin and a lump of darkness. *

(2.) It was not only the cause interposing, and so depriving him of God's
image, but expulsive, as one contrary expels another ; for contraria mutiw se
expeUunt. Now, every act of sin is contrary to holiness, and it is said to be
enmity against God and his law : Rom. viii. 7, ' Because the carnal mind is
enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can be.' If sin be contrary to God's law, so by consequence it is to his
image ; for the image of God was the lav/ written in Adam's heart. And to
the same intent it is said, Rom. vii. 23, * But I see another law in my mem-
bers warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to
the law of sin which is in my members.' It wars against the law of the
mind, that is, the image of the law in the mind; the least act of sin dot'.i
so, and the habit but by the acts ; and so Gal. v. 17, ' For the flesh lustet i
against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh : and these are coutriiry
the one to the other ; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would ;' the
one and the other, and their acts, ax'e said to be contraiy.

Ohj. But you will say. One contrary expels not another, unless it be
stronger ; as Christ says, ' The strong man yields not up the house, unless
a stronger than he comes.'

Ans. It is true ; but know, that one act of sin is stronger than all created
grace and holiness in itself, and therefore overcoming the heart, the will, in
which grace was, expels it. Take all other contrary acts, and they weaken
their contrary habits, but do not expel them , lut one act of sin not only
weakens grace, but expels it, for it is stronger. See the strength of the
power of sin above gi-ace in itself, \\\ the accusing power. Suppose Adam
had lived in the state of holiness thons'^nds of years, and served God per-
fectly all that while, one act of sin would have marred all his service, and
condemned him ; he had lost all as if it had never been. Now, upon the
same ground it hath as much power to expel grace, and therclore it is called
'the old leaven,' whereof a little leavens the whole: 1 Crr. v. 6, 7, 'Your
glorying is not good. Ivnow ye not that a little leave i leaveneth the whole
lump ? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye miy bo a new lump, as
ye are unleavened.' It is called the old leaven, because it was that which
leavened Adam's heai't, and ours from him, expelling grace out.

If you ask. Whence hath sin this power ?

Chap. II. | in respect of sin and punishment. 61

I answer, from the law: 1 Cor. xv. 55, *0 death, where is thy sting?
0 grave, where is thy victory ?' From which lav/ grace too in him had its
strength to justify ; and which law, whilst Adam kept in every part, he kept
grace in his heart ; hut if a man breaks it in one, he breaks it in all, and so
that original conformity to the law in a man's nature is expelled, and he
made prone to olieud in all : James ii. 10, ' For whosoever shall keep the
whole law, and yet oft'end in one point, ho is guilty of all ;' for as grace was
held by keeping it, grace must be lost therefore by the breach.

But, you will say, according to this, grace in a regenerate man's heart
would be extinguished by every act of sin, whenas it is called the seed that
remains: 1 John iii. 9. ' Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for
his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

I answer, there is not the same case of Adam's grace and a regenerate
man's, for the strength of Adam's grace was only the law and a legal cove-
nant, and one breach of it is stronger than all grace given and held by that
covenant ; but the strength of a regenerate man's grace is the gospel, a nesv
covenant, backed with the strength of Christ, the power of God : 2 Cor.
xii. 9, ' And he said unto me. My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength
is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.' Grace is there-
fore made sufficient and strong enough in time to overcome sin and all
thorns in the flesh, not because in itself it is stronger, but because God's
power joins with grace, which grace is there called weakness ; and this
power which joins with grace, sin cuts us not off from the derivation of it,
because it cuts not off a man from Christ, that is the spring and fountain of
grace: Rom. viii. 38, 39, ' For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, &c., shall be able to separate us from the Jove of God which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Nothing is able to separate us from the love of
God and Christ.

For that other proposition, that if Adam's nature was thu? corrupted by
that act, then must ours, we being guilty of it as well as he ; the conse-
quence stands upon a treble reason, the one of which is a degree to the
other, and either enough to prove it.

First, If it were no more than that Adam was the person representing
all mankind, what befell him by virtue of anything done 'by him wherein he
represented us, must befall all as well. Now in that act (as I formerly
shewed) he represented us all. To give you an instance of this : they say
that when the devil appears in any shape, representing the person of the
witch with whom the covenant is made, look what either mischief the devil
then doth, the witch is said to do it ; and look what hurt seems to befall the
shape he takes on him, cutting off a member, &c., the same mischief he hath
power to execute on the witch herself. This hath been related b}' the confes-
sions of witches, and this is done by a covenant. So now Adam being by a
just covenant the representative person of all mankind, look what he doth
they are said to do, and what hurt he sustains by any act he represents us
in, we sustain also ; as your burgesses in parliament house, if they will do
such acts whereby the privileges of subjects are infringed and lost, they lose
not their own rights only, but those of the countries they represent also. So
Adam being the representative of all mankind, had the privilege and great
charter by which we all hold our grace ; and he doing this act whereby he
lost his own, lost ours also. And this reason will hold : suppose we had
been all alive then, and never in his loins, but had been immediately created
with him, and had personally all severally had grace in our hearts, yet he
representing us thus, and having broke the great charter, the law, though but

52 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

in one thing, all had been void, all the rich endowments of grace we held by
it might and would have been taken from us.

But add to this, secondhj, that our nature was in him, that he had all
our stock cemmitted to him, and we to have it paid and derived to us at the
day of our births ; then since he by this act lost all grace, lost all at one bad
throw, suppose in that throw he had not represented us, yet his loss had
been our loss, as the spending of a prodigal father, or feoffee in trust for
some under age, is the loss of the children and young ones also, and they
are undone by it ; for nihil- dare potest, quod in se non habet, nothing can give
■what it hath not. We might have sued him, indeed, but recover nothing
we could, for as ex nihilo nihil fit in philosophy, out of nothing comes no-
thing, so where nothing is nothing can be had in law, but the king himself
loseth his right.

Add to this, thirdly, that vre -were to have our natures from him by
natural generation, concerning which God had given this especial law, that
everything shall bring forth according to its kind ; and God had given this
power to Adam before he fell, * increase and multipij^' in all which multipli-
cation of his the law of nature would have taken place, siniile generat simile,
like begets its like. As his nature before that act had God's image on it, so
we should have had it conveyed by virtue of that law, so now, on the coe-
trary, he having contracted a corrupt nature, deprived of grace and filled with
sin, we must have the same image by the law of nature, though we suppose
the other considerations cut off. John iii. 6, that which is born of the
flesh must be flesh ; and. Gen. v. 3, Adam ' begat Seth in his image and
likeness ;' not only the image of him for substance, but for qualities also,
therefore both added ; for res dicuntur similes vel dissimiles d qualitutihus, et
earum privationihus, things are called like or unlike from their qualities and
the privations of their qualities, and therefore, 1 Cor. xv. 48, such as was
the earthly man Adam, such are the earthly of him. He speaks there not
only of him as the conveyer of the guilt of the fact, but also of the likeness
of his nature in regard of the qualities of it, for he says such. Now that notes
out and imports a likeness of qualities. Things are denominated such or
such from their qualities : res tales dicuntur a qualitatibus. And to this the
Scripture refers us when it argues the case even from the law of nature : Job
xiv. 4, ' Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? Not one.' Every
root bearing fruit according to its kind ; he speaks it to this very purpose,
that because our nature is derived to us from our parents which are unclean,
therefore ours must be so also.

So that now join all these reasons in one, and it is a threefold cord to
pull on this consequence. If it were no more than that we are born of him,
it were enough, especially seeing he received that grace as a common stock ;
but most of all because in that act of sinning he represented us, for indeed
that is the main, principal, radical reason ; and therefore seeing that act
extinguished grace (as I have proved), we still being guilty of it, and wrapped
and involved in the guilt of that disobedience as soon as conceived, there-
fore that efiiect which it had in Adam it hath now in us.

And though indeed the Scripture ascribes it to natural generation often,
as here in John iii. 6, it is therefore flesh, because born of the flesh, yet
that is but the instrumental, accidental cause of it, quod arfit virtute princi-
palis arjcntis, which acts by the virtue of the principal cause, namely, Adam's
sin, which carries in it and convej'^s with it the power of that curse which
God gave against Adam, ' The day thou eatest thou diest ;' and on the day
we are born and become sons of Adam, that curse seizeth on us, and is
applied to us by natm-al generation, which makes us men. And therefore

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 63

you shall find that it is the guilt of that sin which is that which corrupts all
men's natures, and makes them sinful to the end of the world : Rom. v. 19,
* By one man's disobedience many were made sinful.' By natural genera-
tion you are made men indeed, as by the principal cause, for vis proli/ica
unites soul and body, yet it is the guilt of that one offence that makes men
sinful to the end of the world. For there he speaks not only of conveying of
it, for being ' made sinners ' signifies more, implies inherent corruption, and
by the context it appears, for ver. 12, 13 says, not only ' all had sinned,'
but ' sin was in the world,' that is, in all mankind, as in a subject. And
then at the end of that discourse comes in this general conclusion, Rom.
V. 19, ' For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by
the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.' So that it is Adam's
sin that hath an influence into all men's hearts at their births to make them
sinful, both to be sinners and sin to be in them.

Generation, indeed, I say, is a means to convey it, because Adam's sin
seizeth but upon us when we come to be men, for it is said to have ' passed
upon all men,' Rom. v. 12 ; and because generation makes men men (so
Eve, Gen. iv. 5, ' I have gotten a man from the Lord,') though God creates
the soul, and therefore the man begotten is said to be from the Lord in a
more especial manner than other creatures, yet so as the parents get the
man, homo rfenerat hominem ; for there is a power of uniting and joining soul
and body together in semine, which the parents transmit. Therefore the
depravation of our nature is ascribed to generation, because it presents a fit
subject for Adam's sin to work on, and to deprive of righteousness ; yet still
sj as that it was the first of sin extinguished it in Adam, so it is the guilt of
it deprives us of righteousness, and it is that makes sinful men.

But you will say. Though, indeed, thus it deprived Adam, because he
personally then committed it, and it passed actually from him, and so might
have such an effect, yet being long since past, how can it have the same
effect ? We may conceive how Cain and Ishmael might be poisoned by it,
being nigher the fountain.

I answer, by a similitude taken from the second Adam, whose righteous-
ness, though long since past, and his death past but once for all — as in
Heb. ix. 14, 26, ' How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God ;' ' But now once in the end of the
world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself — yet
the power and force of his blood and righteousness hath a real influence for
ever into men's hearts to sanctify and regenerate. So also Adam's sin, though
long since committed, hath an efficacy to make men sinful to the end of the
world.

But you will say. As to Christ's blood and righteousness, that hath such an
effect, because there is an applier of the power, the Spirit, which works in
men's hearts by virtue of Christ's death, purchasing a right for him to work,
which Spirit hath real power in him, and is existing to do it : ' That which
is born of the Spirit is spirit,' John iii. 6. But what then is the applier, is
the agent, that so works by virtue of Adam's sin ?

I answer, there need none but only the guilt of that sin imputed, for that
naturally cuts the man off from God, who is the fountain of grace, as the sun
is of light, and comes as a cloud between, so as grace cannot be derived as
otherwise it should ; it comes as an impediment to hinder the glorious in-
fluence of God's image. As I shewed the act did in Adam, so the guilt of
it doth the same thing in us ; therefore it is said, Rom. iii. 23, * All have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God.' By glory of God is meant in

54 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

general but that life of glory which sin cuts a man off from, so as he cannot
come to see the gloiy of God, sin separating. And also the image of God
is called the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. iii. ; which image God would make
to shine into the man as soon as he is born, but that this comes in, ' he hath
sinned,' and that as a bar keeps him short of it. This, then, is the reason
why we are not bom in God's image in holiness, ' All have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God;' so that, suppose the soul was created holy, and
then united, yet when it is united, this sin separates it from God, as it did
Adam, and so it falls short of his glory, as the air doth of light when a cloud
comes. Or, consider it created at the same instant when it is united, still,
though God produeeth the soul, yet the union making it guilty of sin, bars
that influence of the glory of God.

Neither is this depriving it of this glory a punishment, which God as an
agent inflicts, or hath any physical influence in working, but it is a coming
short, as the air doth of light when a cloud intercepts it; the sun causeth
not the darkness, it would give light, rather it causally doth that; so God
works not this privation of original righteousness, but Adam's sin stops the
passage of it, so as it works it as a cause, which though it exist not in the
act of it, yet in the guilt before God it ever remains, and therefore hath al-
ways this effect to bring us out of his favour, to separate us from him, and
upon their separation necessarily follows this want of righteousness, as death
follows on the separation of soul and body.

But you will say, Original corruption is not only the want of righteous-
ness, but a positive pravity, a vicious disposition.

I answer, it is true it is so, yet so as that positive pravity is a consequent
of that privation. Look as when the soul is separated from the body, then
death follows, which is a privation of life; and the corruption of the body
follows upon that, which sends forth noisome stiuks (which Christ's body,
though it tasted of death, doth not, for it saw no corruption, Ps. xvi. 10),
so in the death of the soul, this want of righteousness is necessarily accom-
panied with positive corrupt disposition, which put forth noisome, stinking
vapours, actual sins, yet so as the cori'uption is originally inherent there as
the cause, and as a part of original sin.

Lastly, You will object, If sin imputed thus extinguisheth righteousness,
how came it that Christ, that had Adam's sin, and all the sins of the world
laid on him, yet it had not this eflect ? Wherein lies the difl'erence '? And
yet it separated him, as appears from his crying out in that manner, Mat.
xxvii. 46, ' My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'

I answer,

1. You must distinguish between imputation voluntarily taken, and in obe-
dience to God (as Christ did, and therefore only underwent the punishment
of being made a curse, without sin, to satisfy for sin), and the guilt passing
necessarily as this doth, which therefore works this effect, Rom. v. 12, ' Sin
passed upon all.'

2. Though Christ was made by imputation sin, yet so as he could not be
said to have sinned in us; but we having sinned once, God laid on him the
iniquity of us all : Isa. liii. 6, ' All we like sheep have gone astray: we have
turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity
of us all.' But Adam's sin is therefore imputed, because we were considered
as those that sinned in him: Rom. v. 12, 'Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men,
for that all have sinned.' And therefore though this imputation of sin
wrought a separation of the light of God's countenance, the light indeed
from Christ, yet not the heat and influence of grace ; as metals under

Chap. III.] in bespect of sin and punishment. 65

ground, though they are separated from the light of the sun, yet not from
its influence.

CHAPTER III.

This corruption of nature is not onhj a misery aud a punishment, but a sin,
which renders us r/uiUy in the sight of God ; proved to he so by scriptures. —
As also because our corrupt nature is contrary to God's holiness and his law,
proved to be sin also from the effects of it.

I come now in the next place to shew further, that what is meant by flesh
in John iii. G is not only a corruption, but such a corruption as properly is
a sin, which God looks upon as sinful, and which makes him therefore to hate ^
and loathe us for it.

But you will say, What need there any such distinct question be made of
it ? Is it not a granted old truth, a principle every child learns, even acknow-
ledged by the papists, before baptism, that it is a sin ?

But indeed the truth is, there is a rotten generation of divines, sprung up
in this age, which do flatly deny original corruption to be a sin. Acknow-
ledge they do a guilt of Adam's sin, and a corruption thence derived ; but
that corruption, they say, is only to be considered as the punishment of the
first sin, but in itself not properly a sin; malum triste indeed, but not malum
culpa': our misery, but not our fault.

Now, we will prove that it is properly a sin, and so accounted by God.

First, The Scriptures call it not only a sin, but a whole body of sins of the
flesh: Col. ii. 11, * In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision
made without hands, in putting off" the body of the sins of the flesh, by the
circumcision of Christ.' He speaks there of corruption of nature, and he
calls it a body, that is, a lump, a real subsistent thing, consisting not of one,
but many sinful members, ' a body of sins ;' and he speaks of this flesh which
is spoken of in John iii. 6, for he adds, ' a body of sins of the flesh.'- And
of original corruption too he speaks, for it is that which was put off by cir-
cumcision and baptism : Col. ii. 11, 12, ' In whom also ye are circumcised
with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the boJy of the
sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ ; buried with him in baptism,
wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of
God, who hath raised him from the dead.' Now, both those sacraments
were administered to infants, in whom therefore this body of sins is.

Secondly, The confession of godly men guided by the Spirit of God, in a
sense of their own vileness, have acknowledged it to be so ; we may take
their confessions in this case for truth, for they were from the Spirit.

St Paul, in Rom. vii., doth not only cry out of this indwelling corruption
in him as a misery (though so he complains of it under that expression also,
as at the last verse), but also cries out upon it as a sin: Rom. vii. 17, 18,
* Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I
know, that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing : for to will
is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not.' And
he speaks of it as that which is the cause of all the evil actions he did : ' It
is not I,' says he, ' but sin that dwells in me ;' he means corruption of nature
inherent in him. For,

1. He makes it the root, whence actual sins do spring ; it is sin that does
it, says he. And the flesh is made such a root also : Gal. v. 19, ' Now the
works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: aduHery, fornication,

56 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoQK II.

uncleanness, lasciviousness ; ' for actual sins are there called works, ' works
of the flesh.'

2. Because he says, ' Sin dwelling in him.' Now an act is a transient
thing, corruption only is that which dwells in and cleaves to the heart.

Thirdhj, In the next words he calls it expressly //csA ; for giving the reason
of this, he says, ' In my flesh dwells no good thing ; ' so as that which he
calls sin direlling in the former verse, he calls y7<?67i here in this 18lh verse.

Fourthhj, He says, there was no good in him ; a privation therefore it is
of all good and grace, and therefore a sin ; for, ^j>7iYt//o est carentia entitatis.
dehitcc inesse, it is a want of something in the subject, which ought to be there.
If, therefore, this good ought to be there (else it is not a privation of it),
then it is a sin, for it ought to be there by the law of God.

Fifthly, Observe that St Paul speaks this confidently, not as a man, being
, so far out of conceit of himself, as he might speak worse of him&elf, than
was cause, but he knew what he said: ' I know,' says he ; he lets others
alone to dispute it, he knew it to be so, and this by woful experience.

Lasthj, He speaks it in a proper, not a metaphorical, sense, for he spake
in the bitterness of spirit, in bitterness of heart, by way of complaint, when
men use to speak plainly, therefore his meaning is, that [it] is properly a sin.

Ohj. Ay, but you will say, St Paul spake this of his nature, as now cor-
rupted, when he was now a grown man; but the question is of our nature,
as it comes from the womb.

Ans. Let us therefore see what David says in his confessions ; you use to
take men's confessions on the rack, as he was now on the rack, and there-
fore likely to speak plainly: Ps. li. 5, ' I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin
did my mother conceive me.' And speaks he this of the guilt of Adam's sin
only, or of corruption of nature also ? Sure of corruption of nature.

For, 1, it is argued from his scope and design; for he being to humble
himself the more for his murder and adultery, confesseth the cause to be sin,
the sea whence these streams came, to be original corruption.

2. The next words shew, by the opposition that he speaks of, inherent
corruption ; for he adds, ver. 6, ' Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward
parts ; and in the hidden part thou sbalt make me to know wisdom ; ' that
is, whereas thou requirest, that not only my action, but that my nature, my
inward parts, should be sincerely holy, I was conceived in sin ; and so my
inward parts were tainted with it from the womb. And by truth there he
means grace and sincerity, as opposite to a corrupt heart, as in 1 Cor. v. 7,
' Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are
unleavened : for even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us : ' where grace,
the new lump, is opposed to the ' old leaven of wickedness,' that is, original
corruption, which is the ancient leaven, which we have from the old man,
with which our natures are soured and leavened.

3. And, in the third place, not only confession of godly men, but the law
of God condemns it, which argues it to be a sin. Now, that which is con-
trary to what God requires, certainly is a sin, that none will deny; for God's
law is just, and therefore the unconformity to it is unrighteousness, but
original corruption is the contrary to what God requires ; for God you see
* requires truth in the inward parts ; ' but this corruption of nature is the want
of it, and therefore the contrary to what God requires should be in our nature,
and therefore a sin, and this is David's reason whereby he proves it to be
a sin.

Yea, 2dly, it is contrary to grace, and therefore a sin. For,
1st. One contrary is known by another, contraria contrariis cognoscuntur.
Now, that which is here called fiesh, is contrary to holiness, and therefore

Chap. HI. J in respect of sin and punishment. 57

truly and simply a sin : Gal. v. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the spirit, for
they are contrary.' By spirit is meant grace, and these are not so ej/icienter,
as producing contrary effects, hut furmaliter, in their very nature and being
so ; for, therefore, they lust one against another, says the apostle, because
contrary ; tit se res hahet in operari, it a in esse, as things are in acting, so
are they in their essence. And is not flesh a sin then ?

2dly, If it be contrary to holiness and grace, then it is contrary to the
law of God ; for what is holiness but the law of God written in the heart,
the real living law ? Kom. vii. 23, ' But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the
law of sin, which is in my members.' It is called the ' law of the mind,'
contrary unto which is that original corruption, called therefore the ' law of
the members, warring against it.' It doth not only put forth contrary acts,
but it is in itself a contrary law ; and therefore it is said, Rom. viii. 7,

* Because the carnal mind is enmity against God : for it is not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can be.' Here the flesh, or carnal mind, is
said to be a thing which is not subject to the law of God ; for why ? It is a
flat law warring against it, and yet the mind of man ought to be subject to
it, else the apostle would not challenge it, and blame it, for not being sub-
ject ; and this he speaks of in the nature of it, not only in the efl'ects of it,
for he ;says it cannot be subject, which implies an opposition in nature, a
contrariety there. Now, certainly, whatsoever is contrary to the law, and
is not subject to it, and yet ought to be, is sinful, for sin is only a trans-
gression of the law : 1 John iii. 4, * Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth
also the law ; for sin is the transgression of the law.' Sin is a not- subjec-
tion to the law ; yea, and whatsoever creature sets up a contrary law to the
law of God, is an enemy to God. Now this flesh is a contrary law, written
in the mind, which is more than simply an act of rebellion ; and therefore
the heart of man, in which this law is written, is an enemy to God, because
there is a kingdom of sin, and laws of sin, set up within a man against God
and his law, and therefore the apostle says in the same Rom. viii. 7, it is

* enmity to God ; ' and then God must needs be an enemy to it, and hate it.
Now God hates nothing but sin.

Obj. But you will say, A thing that ought to be subject to the law, and
is not, transgresseth the law indeed ; but how will you prove it ought to be
subject ?

A71S. 1. Why doth else the apostle blame it for not being subject ?

Ans. 2. Why else doth he call it enmity against God, but because it ought
to be subject, and is not ? That whereas there ought to be the law of God,
subduing the whole nature of man to God, there is a contrary law subjecting
it to sin. Now for one to set up contrary laws to those of his prince, and
so not to be subject, is greater enmity than simply to commit but an act of
rebellion.

Obj. But you will say, Doth the law of God require and command that my
nature should be holy ?

Ans. 1. Yes ; he expressly requires it, in Lev. xi. 44, 45, ' Be holy, for I
am holy,' says God ; now his nature is so, therefore ought ours to be so too.

Ans. 2. The law of God reacheth to all that is in man : Heb. iv. 12, ' For
the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart.' The law of God reacheth to soul, spirit, and understanding : so in
1 Thes. V. 23, 'And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly : and I pray
God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the

58 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.' God sanctify you wholly ; that is, he
■works grace in your whole man, and keeps your spirit, soul, and body,
blameless. Mark it, if nature ba not wholly sanctified, it is malum culpa;, a
thing blameworthy, and therefore it is a sin.

Obj. But you will say, Upon what ground doth God command our nature
to be holy ?

Ans. God having made our nature holy at first, commands it should be
preserved so ; and he might well do so, for grace was a talent given to keep
and to increase. Now, in Mat. xxv. 24, we find that God exacts his talents,
and requires them with advantage, much more the same again. Mat. xxv.
24-27, ' Then he which had received the one talent, came, and said, Lord,
I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown,
and gathering where thou hast not strawed : and I was afraid, and went and
hid thy talent in the earth : lo, there thou hast that is thine. His Lord
answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest
that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed : thou
oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers ; and then at my
coming I should have received mine own with usury.' So looking on the
grace he bestowed on thee, he may say, AVhere is the grace I bestowed, &c.
Adam cannot deny but that he lost it, through his own default, and therefore
that loss was a sin in him ; and then of us, who are acknowledged guilty of
his act ; for Adam, in eating the forbidden fruit, was as one that should
willingly eat a poisoned apple, forbidden him to eat, in which case he com-
mitted two distinct sins.

1. In eating an apple, forbidden him particularly, suppose not poisoned.
But,

2. In destroying himself also, knowing it would poison him.

Ohj. But they object, the loss of grace was inflicted only by God as a
punishment of his fault, and therefore not a sin ; as if a man for putting out
one eye himself hath another eye put out by the judge ; the loss of the
latter is not his fault that he is wholly blind.

Ans. 1. It is false that it is merely as a punishment inflicted by God as
by an external hand, as appears by the former grounds laid. I have shewed
you that sin doth expel grace after a natural manner, as one contrary expels
another ; so as this corruption was a natural consequent following the act,
as death doth upon a stab, or strangling a man's self; the sin itself did it,
not God merely inflicting it as a punishment.

Ans. 2. If it were a punishment, yet some punishments are both sins and
punishments.

(^hj. But they object that every sin is voluntary, but this corruption of
nature (though indeed he committed the act willingly) befell him not willing it.

So I answer, that it was volltum in causa, willed in its cause ; as he that
hates wisdom is said to love death, he loves it in the cause of it, Prov. viii.
86, for simply of itself no man loves it, no more did Adam will this corrup-
tion, or intended it in sinning, but yet he willed that sin which he knew
would bring this upon him.

Lastly, If Scripture, godly men, law, and all should not hold proof, the
etfects would argue it to be a sin.

See what the apostle says of it, Gal. v. 19, that ' the works of the flesh
are manifest;' that is, that the works of it are such notorious sins as none
can deny them but to be such ; and if the fruits of it be such, then reason will
tell us, though Christ had not told us, that 'the tree is known by the fruit :'
Mat. xii. 33-35, 'Either luakf^ the tree good, and his fruit good; or else
make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt : . for the tree is known by his

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punisument. 59

fruit. 0 generation of vipers, how can yc, being evil, speak good things '?
for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out
of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things : and an evil
man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.' This corruption is
called an evil treasure, out of which evil actions are produced ; and if they
be evil, then the tree is evil, and that eodem genere, in the same kind.

Obj. But they object that of James, 'Lust conceived brings forth sin,'
James i. 15 ; that is only called sin (say they)%vhich is brought forth by it,
but it is not so in itself.

Ans. 1. Thence I argue the contrary, that it is a sin, and ejusdem natiircE,
of the same nature with what is brought forth, for every thing begets in its
own likeness, and are ejusdem speciei, of the same kind ; simile general simile,
like produceth like. If, therefore, that which is begotten be a sin, then the
lust also.

Ans. 2. That lust is made to be a sin in ver. 14, in that it tempts men
to sin. Now, what tempts to sin is sinful ; therefore, ver 13, it is denied of
God, as abhorred of him, it being a sin to tempt to evil, and it is made all
one to tempt to evil and to be tempted to evil.

CHAPTER IV.

An inclination and pi-oneness to all sin is in evet-y mans nature. — What are the
causes which make every mans nature inclined to all -sins? — The impression
of Adam's sin on all equally. — The mind of man having lost the sight of its
true happiness, wanders, and seeks its happiness in a thousand false shapes.
— If all men have all lusts in them, ivhat is the reason that smne men are so
far from being inclined to some kinds of sin that they have some contrariety
in their temper to them f — And how it is that a man who hath all lusts in his
nature is inclined to one sin more than another?- — The reason why men equally
corrupt in their natures are not equally ivicked in their lives. — Why alt men
do not commit the sin against the Holy Ghost,

Sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concu-
piscence.— Rom. VII. 8.

The general parts of man's inherent corruption thus despatched, as a
coronis to the second part of this discoux'se, there is one thing to be added
more to make this complete. Every man is prone to all sin, and hath all
sins in him.

As a ground for this I have chosen this scripture, where you have an
instance, without exception, of one of the best unregenerate men that ever
was in the world, Paul, who saith of himself that he was, ' as touching the
righteousness of the law, blameless,' Phil. iii. 6, and in whom, when regene-
rate, the grace of God was more strongly than in any other, mortifying his
lusts and corruptions ; and yet he tells us here that he, by woful experience,
found that all concupiscence was wrought in him. So that, whether he
speaks of himself as regenerate or unregenerate, either is enough to convince
us that the best of both have all lusts in them. But in this verse he seems
to speak of his former estate, and time past of unregeneracy, these words
being an exposition of his meaning of those words, ver. 5, ' whilst in the
flesh;' that is, whilst unregenerate, as appears by Rom. viii. 9, 'But ye are
not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you ;'
where being in the flesh and in the Spint are opposed. And it is all one

60 AN UNEKGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

phrase with being in drink and in love ; that is, overcome of both. ' Whilst
in the flesh,' saith he in Rom. vii. 5, ' the motions of sins, which were by
the law,' &c., which is a marriage phrase, that is, evil lusts stirred up and
begotten by the law, as children by husband and wife, he comparing the
heart to a woman, and the law to an husband : Rom. vii. 2-4, ' For the
woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long
as he liveth ; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her
husband. So then if, whileWier husband liveth, she be married to another
man, she shall be called an adulteress : but if her husband be dead, she is
free from the law ; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to
another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law
by the body of Christ '; that ye should be married to another, even to him
who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.'
Which law begets motions to sin, which because it would seem very harsh
to lay such a bastard brood at the law's door, and so this objection would
arise, that then the law is the cause of sin, therefore he denies it, ver. 7,
' What shall we say then ? Is the law sin ? God forbid. Nay, I had not
known sin, but by the law : for I had not known lust, except the law bad
said. Thou shalt not covet.' Though he says, withal, that it did discover
sin to him, ' But,' saith he, ver. 8, 'sin, taking occasion by the command-
ment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin
was dead.' Which distinction is the same with that which we use in logic,
causa per se, et causa per accidens. Sin took occasion by the command-
ment, that is, the law was but the occasional accidental cause ; in the same
sense that the sun, shhiing upon a dunghill, elevates the vapours, might be
said to be the cause of all the stinking vapours in it. The sun is not the
cause, for the vapours were there before ; the sun doth only stir them up,
and itself remains pure. Or else, look as physic, that stirs the humours
which lay in the body, it puts in no new, for it is an antidote against them,
and would purge them out if nature were strong. And in this sense it is
that the law is said to work all concupiscence, which yet was in the heart
afore.

The point, then, which this text affords, being thus opened, is, that all
concupiscence is in every man's nature. Sin, he says here, that is, original
sin, wrought all concupiscence, and of that we are partakers all alike.

Even the very heathens, the most divine of them, the Stoics, had some
light into the truth. So Seneca out of them. Omnia in omnibus vitia sunt*
And, lib. 5, Et cuindi omnes, et ambitiosi et irnpii.f And they give this
reason, because, vitia sunt conjuncta, they are tied of a knot, and hang on a
string ; there is a concatenation of them. As in falsehood, iino absurdo
data, mille sequuntur, so in practice, one sin brings all with it : James
iii. 16, * For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil
work.' It is his rule, where envying and strife is (he instanceth but in
that one, yet) there is confusion, axaTaarao'ia, all out of order, and every evil
work, that is, his mind is apt to run into every evil work. And the reason
of that assertion is, because that which is the cause of one sin is the cause
of all, namely, self-love ; that having the highest room in the heart, is
advanced into the throne of God's glory in the heart, being the next heir,
when grace was deposed, and became lord paramount in the heart ; and that
putting thee upon one sin, puts thee upon another, as occasion is to satisfy
itself. First, sets afloat one lust, pride, and then another, envy, &c. : 2 Tim.
iii. 1-4, ' Men shall be lovers of themselves.' And what then ? It is the
general, and these that follow are its army : ' Covetous, boasters, proud,
* Seneca Benef. lib iv. p. 320. Ed. Lipsii, Antwerp, 1632. t Itid. lib. v. p. 388.

Chap. IV. J in rkspect of sin and punishment. 61

blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural
affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those
that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than
lovers of God ; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.'
No one sin can be, but where self-love is predominant ; and where it is, it
will put us upon any sin, break all bonds of nature, to parents, disobedient
to them, as it follows, and of friendship, unthankful; and of grace, too, unto
God, unholy, &c. And thus self-love, as gotten within the throne, is the
ground of all lusts ; as all affection is seated in love, so sin in self-love.

2. There are three demonstrations of the truth of it.

(1.) That which is universally contrary to every branch of the law of God,
is universally prone to all sin. Now whence is it that we oppose anything,
but because we are desirous of its contrary, and look upon that as an
hindrance to our desires ? But the sinfulness of man's nature is in all
things contrary to the law ; as the text shews, that the law wrought all con-
cupiscence. So as, tain late quam patet lex in prohibendo, conciipiacentia in
appetendo ; concupiscence is of as large extent in desiring as the law is in
forbidding. No duty commanded, but man's nature riseth against it; no
law forbidding sin, but our nature opposeth it, and will not be subject :
Rom. viii. 7, ' Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.' It would be subject to
nothing ; yea, the light of the law is withheld in unrighteousness, because
it opposeth man's unrighteousness : Rom. i. 18, ' For the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men,
who hold the truth in unrighteousness.'

(2.) That which is universally contrary to all grace, and the acts of it, is
prone to all sin. Now, Gal. v. 17, it is said, ' the flesh lusteth against the
spirit,' viz., in all the lustings of it; no good motions come, but our natures
damp it ; no good duty we perform, but our nature lames it and deads it,
and fights against the exercise of the heart in it. Enmity to grace is still
founded on proneness to sin : Acts xiii. 10, ' And said, 0 full of all subtilty
and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness,
•wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord ? ' Full of all
readiness to evil, and an enemy of all righteousness, are joined there ; and
so in Col. i. 21, ' And you, that were sometimes aHenated, and enemies in
your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.' Enemies, having
their minds set in evil works, so that enmity to grace proceeds from a prone-
ness to sin.

(3.) There is no sin, but one man or other hath been by nature inchned
to it : Rom. i. 29-32, ' Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication,
•wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness ; full of envy, murder, debate,
deceit, malignity ; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud,
boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without under-
standing, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerci-
ful : who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them
that do them.' He says, the Gentiles were ' filled with all unrighteousness ; '
filled, even as trees with fruit. If not every particular man, with every one
in some part or other of his life, yet there was no cursed fruit of unricrht-
eousness, but had appeared in some one or other man's life among them.
Now there can be no reason given why any man should be naturally prone to
any sin, but the same reason may be alleged why another man must be also ;
for we have all the same nature, we are all begotten in the same imaf^e.
Gen. V. 3. And therefore, Prov. xxvii. 19, ' As face answers to face in

f)2 AN UNREGENERA.TE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

water, so the heart of man to man ; ' that is, as a man looking in water
(which was the looking-glass of elder times), as the same lineaments and
parts of the face in water answer to the real face, so the heart of man to
man, there being the same image we are all begotten in. And therefore the
word of God, which speaks against all sin, is resembled to the common
looking-glass of mankind, James i. 23, that represents every man's face to
him. And as the parts of the face in every man are one and the same, so
here in this case too ; and therefore you shall find in Rom. viii. 9, where
the Scripture speaks of the general corruption of all men's nature, and says,
• all are under sin.' To prove it, he quotes places where particular corrup-
tions of particular men are but mentioned ; as of Doeg out of Ps. cxl. 3.
And what is spoken of the Jews, Isa. lix. 7, which the apostle brings as
instances to prove the common corruption ; and so manifestly implies, that
the same sins that are in one, are in the nature of all, Rom. vii. 9 to 18.

Let us next proceed to the grounds and causes of it ; for all truths are
more clearly represented, and more amiable, when we see them in their
causes, and growing on their own stalks.

1. Adam and Christ are the only common roots of all sin and grace :
Rom. V. 14-21, ' Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even
over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression,
who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also
is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead ; much
more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man,
Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that
sinned, so is the gift : for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but
the fi-ee gift is of many oifences unto justification. For if by one man's
ofiience death reigned by one ; much more they vrhich receive abundance of
grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to con-
demnation ; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all
men to justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were
made sinners, so by the obedience by one shall many be made righteous.
Moreover, the law entered, that the offence might abound : but where sin
abounded, -grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto
death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by
Jesus Christ our Lord.' And now in ver. 14 Adam the one is made the
type of the other. Therefore look as Jesns Christ is the fountain of all
grace, so is Adam the fountain of all sin ; for Adam is made a type of
Christ in that respect, Rom. v. 14, and in respect of conveying his image, as
Christ of his : 1 Cor. xv. 49, ' And as we have borne the image of the
earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.' Which maxim, as it
should have held of the pure state of Adam, so it doth of his corrupt state ;
and as Christ conveys all gi-ace to those that are begotten of him, then if
Adam be a type of Clu'ist, he must convey all sin to those that are of him.
Now Christ hath all fulness in him : John i. 16, ' And of his fulness have we
all received, and grace for grace.' And 2 Peter i. 3, ' According as his
divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godli-
ness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.'
Here Christ is said to give us all things belonging to life and holiness. Then
for Adam, we in like manner receive of him sin for sin. And Jesus Christ
needed not to convey all grace, except Adam had conveyed all sin ; for
grace is nothing but the remedy for sin ; and if there were not so many
sores, there needed not so many plasters ; for every particular grace
heals but a particular sin. The remedy needs be no larger than the

Chap. 1Y.] in respect of sin and punishment. 63

disease. And therefore it is that it is called a body of sin ; Adam's imago
is so named in Col. iii. 5 : ' Mortify therefore your members which are
upon the earth ; fornication, uncleanness,' &c. Horn. vi. 6, * Knowing this,
that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be
destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.' Why is it called a
body of sin ? Because it consists of many parts, which in that place of the
Colossians are called members ; and if any one member were wanting, it
could not be an image entire, but imperfect.

2. If we examine the reason Vfhj our nature is inclined to sin, all is and
must be resolved into this, that it is the impression of Adam's first sin that
made Judas's nature inclined to covetousness, the disciples to pre-eminence.
Now Adam's sin hath the same and like impression upon all men's hearts,
and therefore they are all prone to all these ; for the influence of it is not as
the influence of a voluntary, but a natural agent, which always works od
vltiimon potentia, and therefore conveys the same image to all that it doth
to any, because it works to the utmost of its power. And indeed there is
this difference between the first and second Adam, that Christ, though he
conveys all grace, yet not to all ahke for degrees, nor to all at a certain time,
because his Spirit works it as a voluntary agent, when and how far he will :
John iii. 8, ' The wind bloweth where it Hsteth, and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth : so is
every one that is born of the Spirit.' And it is communicated out of grace
as a gift : Rom. xv. 15, ' Because of the grace that is given to me of
God.' But with Adam it is otherwise, for it is said to enter upon the world,
Rom. V. 12, via necessitatis, in a way of necessity, as a thing which cannot
be kept out, and therefore hath equal and ahke impression upon all men's
hearts.

3. If we consider the state every man's soul is left in by nature, we shall
find that it must needs be prone, and apt, and ready for every sin. For,

1st, It hath lost its right way to happiness, and can never find it, and hath
lost also its true guide, and so now walks in darkness, and knows not whither
to go, and so is apt and exposed to be led any whither. Therefore conver-
sion is called turning a sinner from the error of his way : James v. 20, ' Let
him know, that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall
save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.' And unregene-
rate men are called darkness : Eph. v. 8, ' For ye were sometimes darkness,
but now are ye light in the Lord.' And of such it is said, John xii. 35, that
'he that walks in darkness knows not whither he goes.' And yet still the
soul is bound for happiness, and is inquiring the way : ' Who will shew us
any good ? ' Ps. iv. 6. Therefore, being thus wildered, any lust that pro-
miseth to conduct it to happiness (as all do, therefore called 'deceitful lusts,'
Eph. iv. 22), it is content to follow, willing to take any guide, being like a
wildered man in the dark, apt to follow any false fire, and to try every path,
if finding not true happiness in one, it tries another. Men by nature are
become children, as in regard of the doctrine of truth, so in regard of the
way to happiness ; and therefoi-e apt and ready to be carried away, and
tossed to and fro with every wind of temptation, as the apostle intimates
Eph. iv. 14. For this see also 2 Tim. iii. 6; speaking of * silly women,' he
says, they are ' led away with divers lusts ; ' that is, taking any lust to be
their guide. And because they find this or that lust leads not into the
right way, therefore they try another; and when they find that brings them
not to their journey's end, therefore they take another, and so are led by
divers lusts, and indeed by any. And so in Titus iii. 3, ' For we ourselves
also were sometimes foohsh, disobedient,' &c. You shall find this reason I

64 AN UNREGENEKATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

give now : men, saith he, are fools, avoriroi, injudicious, not able to discern
what is the way to happiness ; and if they do, yet are disobedient and will
not take it, and therefore are TrAavt/j/xsvo/, wanderers, and so therefore apt to
take any lust for guides, and so serve divers lusts and pleasures. Now man
having lost the right course God set him in, Eccles, vii. 29, seeks out many
inventions ; and every lust is a new projector ; the heart not knowing whither
to go, and being deceived by every one, is still fit for any new invention that
shall be suggested to it.

2dly, As the understanding hath lost its true guide, so men's lusts are
become boundless, being once turned out of their right channel, namely,
God, and the pleasures in him. When man's desires did all run into God,
then that channel was big enough to hold them ; but now they seek current
in other channels of sin, and the creatures, which are still too shallow, and
not able to bound them. The pleasure of no one sin can do it, nor all plea-
sure of sin can put bounds to our desires, but they will still overflow ; and
so they still are seeking new currents, and fare prone to any wickedness ;
as water you know is, which of all elements is hardliest kept in bounds. It
is Isaiah's comparison, chap. Ivii. 20, ' But the wicked are like the troubled
sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.' So as by
reason of the vastness of man's desires, he is still apt to new things, so that
the same reason that is given why materia prima appetit omnes formas, why
the first matter desires all forms, namely, because its appetite can be satisfied
with no one form, but there is a privation and emptiness still ; and there-
fore it still seeks new, till it meets with the form of the heavens, as our
philosophy doth inform us (and I make but an allusion of it), which fills and
satiates it. By the same reason is the soul of man apt for the pleasure of
any sin, because still none is able to fill it.

3dlv, Whereas men's desires are thus boundless, there is nothing but the
law, and conscience possessed of that law, left to keep them in compass, and
keep them from overflowing, as a mighty bank opposed against them. But
so it is that the knowledge and conscience of this law doth by accident make
these lusts swell higher, as a dam doth a river ; and men having broke one
part of the law down, they are apt to break down another. For as it is in
James ii. 10, 11, ' For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend
in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery,
said also. Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill,
thou art become a transgressor of the law.' He that breaks the law in one
point is guilty of all ; that is, by the same reason he will break all as one,
so as, but that God says, as to the sea. Stay thy proud waves, still wicked-
ness would in every man's heart and life overflow, and fill the earth with
violence.

But there are many difficulties and objections against this truth, that
Adam's sin should convey his image alike unto all, and that all should have
all concupiscence in them.

1. As that some sins some men are not inclined unto; as some not to
drunkenness, yea, they have an antipathy against it.

2. There are some sins contrary one to another, as prodigality and covet-
ousness ; and it is impossible a man should be inclined to contraries at once.

3. There is some one sin which every man is inclined unto more than to
others, and therefore not to all alike.

4. Some men are naturally more wicked than others.

5. Then all should be prone to commit the sin against the Holy Ghost.
For answer to these, though Adam's sin hath the same and alike influence

into all, yet it finds not the same subject to work upon. It lights not upon

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 65

alike constitutions either of body or mind, and therefore, accordingly, hath
not like effects ; for quicqnid recipitur, reoipitur ad modain recipienlk, what-
ever is received is received according to the qualification of the receiver.
For neither are the constitutions of men's bodies nor of their souls alike,
which two are the weapons or instruments of all sin : Rom. vi. 13, 'Neither
yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin : but
yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your
members as instruments of righteousness unto God.' And hence it comes
to pass that some men are naturally more wicked than others, and that
some are prone to some sins that others are not prone unto, or not so
much as others.

1. The constitution of sinners' bodies is not alike, which several constitu-
tions are the tinder and fuel for sins to work in : as choler for anger, melan-
choly for settled wrath and repinings, sanguine for uncleanness, excess,
and intemperance ; so some are strong to drink, others are not. But now,
though the soul must have instruments and organs, and a temperament of
the body to which it is confined to work by, yet because the first, and
original, and chief subject of all sin is the soul, therefore it is said ' the
soul of sinners shall die.' And for this cause therefore it is now apart in
hell punished for all sins, without the body, till the day of judgment, for till
then the body is not. It is the indweller in the house, that receives lust in
at the windows of the eyes, at the wickets of the ears, &c. Therefore every
man is radically still inclined to all these, be the constitution of his body
what it will, suppose never so indisposed to any of these sins; so as put
that soul into another body, it would be as notoriously inclined to them as
any other man is. As philosophers say of a man that is born blind, that
there is in him a jjotentia prima, a first power of seeing in his soul, as well
as of hearing, only the organ or instrument of sight is defective; there
wants potentia secwida, a second power. So the devil, who is father of all
sin : 1 John iii. 8, ' He that committeth sin is of the devil ; for the devil
sinneth from the beginning ; ' John viii. 44, ' Ye are of your father the
devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do : he was a murderer from the
beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and the
father of it.' Yet the devil, wanting a body, he is not inclined to intemper-
ance and uncleanness, as men are, and yet he delights in our commission of
them ; witness his incubi and succuhi. So old men, whose bodies are dry,
yet dehght in unclean fancies, and envy the pleasure of adulterers ; their
hearts go with them, and they delight in those who do such things : Rom.
i. 32, ' Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such
things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them
that do them ; ' which argues the mind is that way disposed when the body
is not.

Again, 2, the size of men's souls is not alike for the strength and large-
ness of their parts. Some men's understandings are greater, and their affec-
tions and stomachs larger, and hence they naturally come to be more
wicked, though original sin be alike in all. For the more wit there is with-
out grace, the more wickedness is there too, and accordingly one devil comes
to be worse than another, as they are said to be : Mat. xii. 45, ' Then goeth
he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself,
and they enter in and dwell there.' Put the same quantity of poison into
wine and into water, it will work more violently and poison more speedily in
the wine than the water ; though the poison be tie same, yet tne spuits tuat
set the poison a-work are more in the wine.

VOL. X. E

66 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK 11.

Men of lower understandings are given to lusts of body, but men of higher
understandings to civility and formality, and a desire of honour and applause ;
and still the more excellent the creature is, the finer food it desires. Chame-
leons live upon air, and some men's lusts live upon more sublimated objects,
out of their wisdom contemning base lusts, and seeking for excellencies in
other things of an higher nature. And hence comes that great diversity
that is in men's lives, though Adam's sin hath the same influence upon all
men's hearts.

3. Some men have their sins drawn out more than others. Thus there
are many lusts in children which do not shew themselves whilst they are
children, yet when they are elder they do. Some men's callings draw out
their sins more, and the objects that they are conversant about sets their
lusts on working, which is called a season of temptation : Luke viii. 13,
* And these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation
fall away,' which is when there comes a fit object to draw out their heart.
John xii. 4—0, ' Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son,
which should betray him. Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred
pence, and given to the poor ? This he said, not that he cared for the poor,
but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.'
The ointment sold for three hundred pence was a fit object to draw out
Judas his lust. So Josh. vii. 21, ' Achan said. When I saw among the
spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and
a wedge of gold of fifty shekels' weight, then I coveted them, and took them,
and behold the}' are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver
under it ;' and that drew out his lust. And it is for this reason holy Agur
prays so, Prov. xxx. 8, 9, * Remove far from me vanity and lies ; give me
neither poverty nor riches ; feed me with food convenient for me : lest I be
full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord ? Or lest I be poor, and
steal, and take the name of my God in vain.' So that several dispositions
are drawn out according to our several conditions. And hence it was that
John Baptist (Luke iii.) instanceth in this particular sins of their callings,
and he says to the soldiers, * Exact no more than your due.' And the people
that were covetous, to them he saith, ' He that hath two coats,' &c. The
pharisees were oppressors, and sought honour one of another. Now because
poor men have a shorter tether and compass than great men, therefore it
may be they have no occasion to have their lusts drawn out ; whereas
naturally they are as proud and as ambitious as other men, as covetous as
other men, though their lusts do not appear for want of opportunity, for, I
say, usually men's lusts are drawn out according to their callings.

4. God restrains men's lusts, either by wisdom, as is said of Haman, that
he restrained his, Esther v. 10. Yea, many times one lust restrains
another, Eccles. iv. 8. ' He restrains himself ' (speaking of a covetous man),
* and bereaves his soul of good.' One lust eats up another; yea, sometimes
and often God doth restrain by the immediate work of his own Spirit, by the
gift of continence ; for there is a spirit put into every man by nature of
moral virtues, by which the Lord restrains the corruptions of nature. And
though naturally men are filled with all unrighteousness, and every lust is as
a hole to let it out, yet God oftentimes stops and plugs up the holes as he
pleaseth, that they may not run out at every hole. God doth not broach
every lust in every man, yet so as in some man or other all corruption is
broached, some in one and some in another, and in all the barrel is no less
full. And though there be a sluice to keep in the water, though there be a
less stream, yet there is nevertheless water ; even so, though lusts be re-
strained, yet there is nevertheless corruption within ; so that God's restrain-

OhAP. IV.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 67

ing of men's lusts is no argument to prove that therefore they have not all
sin in them.

5. God broacheth sin in a methodical manner, making one sin the punish-
ment of another: 2 Thes. ii. 9-12, 'Even him, whose coming is after the
working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish ; because they received
not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause
God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie ; that
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness.' Rom. i. 21-24, 28-32, ' Because that, when they knew
God, they glorified him not as God, but became vain in their imaginations,
and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an
image made Hke to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts,
and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness,
through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between
themselves. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not
convenient : being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity,
whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors
of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-
breakers, without natural aftection, implacable, unmerciful : who knowing
the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of
death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.' And
sometimes when one lust is let out, and a man gives his heart full scope in
that, then it may be God lets out another to restrain that.

6. Corrupt nature is not in every man capable of committing the sin
against the Holy Ghost, unless there hath been some further qualification
added that makes him capable of it, as enlightening, &c., yet there is the
seed of it in every man's nature ; but a man never commits that sin without
having first had supernatural light, against which he hath sinned, which
light, therefore, except a man have, he is not capable of committing
that sin. For it is not bare knowledge required to it, but knowledge with
assent ; not yvuxsig, but s-Trlyvuaig : Heb. x. 26, * For if we sin wilfully after
that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins.' Therefore Christ says to the pharisees, John ix. 41, ' If
ye were blind, ye should have no sin ; but now ye say, We see ; therefore
your sin remaineth ;' that is, that great sin against the Holy Ghost, which
some of them did commit.

7. Whereas it is said that one lust is contrary to another, and therefore
men are not prone to all sin ; I answer, that though men are not inclined'
unto every sin at all times and on all occasions, yet at several times they
are drawn out to them. Oftentimes men that have been most prodigal in
their youth have proved most covetous in their old age ; and yet it may be
said of such that radically they are inclined to both at once. As now, take
a man that hath the disease of an ague upon him, or when his fit begins,
there is heat and cold rooted at the same time in the disease ; there is a
radical disposition to violent heat and violent cold, which is rooted in the
nature of the disease, but yet they cannot be let out both together, but suc-
cessively, first the cold fit, then the hot fit. So take a man inclined to
covetousness and prodigality, and they cannot both break out at once. So
a man that is ambitious, sometimes he bows to the basest of men. And it
is often seen that by fits these contrai'ies are let loose.

68 AN UNREGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [EcOK II

Lastly, "Whereas it is objected, in some men there is an antipathy against
some sins, as Saul hated witches, and Julian the apostate hated drunkards
and plays, &c., and therefore all are not inclined to all sins ; I answer, this
antipathy is not moral but physical, either because their bodies will not bear
it, or for some other incommodity they find in it ; for we see that Sauljwent
to witches in a strait, whereby it appears that he did not hate the sin as it
was a sin.

CHAPTER V.

That since there is so great a corruption in our natures, ire should be very earnest
to have it purrfed out. — What is the way and means by which we may be
purified. — If this corruption be not only a misery, but a sin, we must not
think it enonyh to make sad complaints of it, but we must in a more special
manner humble ourselves for it in the sight of God. — Since all kinds of sin
are in our nature, tee should watch and pray that we fall not into tempta-
tion.— All that are enlightened by the gospel, should take care that they do
not sin against the Holy Ghost.

If it be a corruption which is inherent, sticking in and cleaving unto our
natures, a defilement made connatural to us, as all things are we have by
birth ; —

Use 1. The use may be of exhortation,' to purge and cleanse ourselves,
and our natures daily from it ; and this concerns all, especially regenerate
men. I say, to purge yourselves, for if it were no more than that it is a
corruption and a defilement that is in you, this naturally calls upon you to
throw it out. What is there that belongs to thee that hath any filth in it,
but you purge and cleanse daily : your hands and outward parts, because
they contract dirt daily, you daily wash and cleanse them ; your clothes you
wear about 3'ou, that do but hang on you, you daily wash, brush, and rub
them ; your houses you live in, which are not so near you as your clothes,
you sweep and garnish daily; nay, your streets you walk in, and that you
tread upon, you yet cleanse weekly ; and all these because they contract a
filthiness and defilement. Let me say to you all, as our Saviour Christ
doth, Luke xi. 39, 40, ' Now do ye pharisees make clean the outside of the
cup and platter ; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make that which is
within also ?' Do you make clean the outside of your cups, &c., and suffer
your inward parts to remain full of filthiness and corruption ? The other
are external things, and contract but an external filthiness, which yet Christ
says defiles not a man, Mat. xv. 20. But this which is in thy nature is in-
trinsecal, and there by birth, and a rooted filthiness in thee, which con-
tinually casts out mire and dirt : Mat. xv. 18-20, ' But those things which
proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man.
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications,
thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies : these are the things which defile a
man ; but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.' So that these
pollutions light not on you by accident, and externally cast on you, as dirt
on your clothes, &c., but spring up in your hearts, and these defile the man
indeed ; as Christ says, these make thee a filthy, loathsome, and abominable
person ; these make your minds and consciences defiled, Titus i. 15 ; and
these lusts also make you abominable : Titus i. 16, * They profess that they
know God ; but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient,

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 69

and unto every good work reprobate.' Will you not, then, purge them ?
This, therefore, is a use proper to the first doctrine which I have handled,
and so the Scripture enforceth it, using that metaphor of purging, 1 Cor.
V. 7, as having relation to the working out of that inward corruption which
sticks in us by nature. So David, having acknowledged the filthiness of
his nature by birth, and the uncleanness of it : Ps. li. 5, ' Behold, I was
shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me ;' he cries out
upon it, ' Purge me with hyssop, and create a clean heart within me,' ver. 7.
And so Paul, in the place before cited : 1 Cor. v. 7, ' Purge out the old
leaven,' says he. Look, as leaven is a corrupt tainture and sourness in the
dough, so is there answerably a corruption in the soul, and this ab orifjlne,
from your birth, from the old Adam, which, because it is a corruption,
therefore purge ; for that is a metaphor hath still reference to corruption,
mingled or blended with something which is good in itself, but spoiled whilst
that is in it, because it is the old leaven that hath been there so long, and
therefore there is so much of it, and is now so deeply rooted. Therefore
go about speedily to cast it out ; it is high time to begin : Jer. iv. 14,
* Wash thy heart, 0 Jerusalem : how long shall thy vain thoughts be in
thee ?' "Thy filthiness hath been there long enough : an old sore that hath
festered, and was from thy nativity, and thou never didst dress it yet, never
purged or washed it yet ; and so after a long expectation, God says, Jer.
xiii. 27, * I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of
thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the field : Woe unto
thee, 0 Jerusalem, wilt thou not be made clean ? when shall it once be ?'
God thinks it long that you should all be filthy from the womb, and never
so much as once go about to cleanse you. And, therefore, methinks you
hearing this doctrine, that there is such a corruption and filthiness in your
natures, the next thought you should have about it should be, I am indeed
thus from my birth ; oh when shall I begin to purge myself ?

And it being a corruption of thy nature, a filthiness of flesh and spirit, as
it is called, 2 Cor. vii. 1, which sticks both in soul and body, seated princi-
pally in the heart, out of which all defiled things come, therefore, I say, be
sure the thing thou principally labourest to cleanse be thy heart and thy
natural disposition. It is a folly to purge the streams of thy Ufe, and ne-
glect the fountain whence all springs. Cleanse that which is within,' says
our Saviour Christ, ' and then that which is without will be clean also,' Mat.
xxiii. 26. ' Thou blind pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup
and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.' Take a sow and
cleanse her from her mire without, yet her swinish disposition remaining,
she cannot be said to be clean, but a filthy creature still, because it is her
nature again and again to wallow in the mire, 2 Pet. ii. 22. There are a gene-
ration of men purge themselves from the grosser filth of outward evils, and
think that is enough ; but let them consider that this corruption is inherent
in their natures, and though their outward mire be washed off, and they
leave gross sins, yet they may be filthy swine still ; and therefore Solomon
says, ' There are a generation that are pure in their own eyes, who are not
washed from their filthiness,' Prov. xxx. 12. Cleansed they were from
something others are defiled with, how else could they be clean in their
own eyes, as gross sinners are not ? but yet their original corruption and
filthy natures still remaining, from which they were not washed, they are
not clean.

But you will say. If it be my nature, how can I be purged of it ?

I answer, it is not the substance of thy nature, but a corrupt defilement
cleaves to it ; for in the phrase of purging there is impHed a separation of

70 AN UNBEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

some filthiness from something that is good, for that which is nothing but
naughtiness and filthiness cannot be said to be purged ; for as election is out
of a mass refused, so purging from a mass that is good ; and so all the things
which this phrase is drawn from and alludes unto implies thus much, as the
' purging out of leaven,' 1 Cor. v. 7. The leaven is one thing, and the sub-
stance of the dough another, which is good : so that allusion, Mai. iii. 3, 4,
' And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver : and he shall purify the sons
of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may off"er unto the
Lord an ofiering in righteousness. Then shall the offerings of Judah and
Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former
years.' There is something which is naught mingled with what is good,
dross with the substance of gold, and the purging is the severing of these
two ; and as the gold hath a faces mingled with it, which it hath from its
original as it comes out of the womb of the earth, so the nature and sub-
stance of man hath, since the fall, a dross and inherent defilement, which is
mingled and incorporated with the soul. I may say so without absurdity,
for it is a body of sin and death : Rom. vii. 24, ' 0 wretched man that I am !
who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' Now, therefore, this
purging is not the taking away of any of the substance, or what is created
by God in the soul, but only the defilement. The purges which physicians
give carry away something that is good with the bad humours, and the fire
that consumes the dross causeth some of the gold to perish, and therefore,
1 Peter i. 7, faith is said to be much more precious than gold which perish-
eth, when it is tried in the fire, for some of the gold perisheth, but not a
shred or grain of thy fixith ; and so this purging takes nothing away but only
the corruption, not a jot of the substance which God created perisheth : Isa.
xxvii. 9, ' By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged ; and this
is all the fruit to take away his sin ; when he maketh all the stones of the
altar as chalk-stones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall
not stand up.' The prophet speaks of this purging, which I now exhort to,
as it is wrought by affliction : ' by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged ;
and this is all the fruit to take away the sin,' that is, all it takes away im-
pairs not the substance of thy soul ; so that when I say it is a purging of thy
nature, my meaning is, it is a severing the corruption which now is in thee
by nature from the substance of thy soul, which God made. I exhort you
to purge out nothing else ; for, my brethren, you have a substance made by
God, endued with natural faculties, all which are good, and sin is the spoil
and corruption of them, as the dross is the spoil of the gold and silver, if it
be not severed from it, as ill humours are the spoil and corruption of the
body, if they be not severed from it and purged out. And therefore that
should be a motive to you, to purge yourselves from this filth, because it is
the spoil of that which is good in thee. God loseth a creature, a noble
creature, by reason of it, and this is an argument Christ useth, Luke xi. 39,
40, why they should wash their hearts as well as their cups, ' Did not God,
that made that which is without, make that which is within also?' namely,
their hearts. Their hearts were of God's making, and it is the corruption
which spoils the creature that God made, and destroys it. Now, therefore,
purge yourselves, and wash your hearts as well as your cups ; for why
shouldst thou suffer that which is naught to spoil that which is good in thee
for want of purging it out? Thou hast a good wit, it may be, which God
hath made ; a wisdom and a large understanding. Is it not pity it should
be spoiled ? Why, thou art born with a corruption cleaving to it, which, if
thou severest it not, will be the spoil of it that it shall be good for nothing,
but, as silver when the dross is in it, is fit to make nothing of, but crum-

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 71

bles and breaks.^ Titus i. 15, be baving said tbat men's minds and con-
sciences arc defiled, be adds, vcr. 10, tbat tbey are 'reprobate to every good
work' ; and tberelbre now (Jod sball be forced to reject tbeui, and to destroy
tbe creature tbat be batb made, if tbou wilt not purge out tby delileuient
from tbee. Jei*. vi. 30, wben be laboured to purge tbem and tbey would
not, it is said, ' Reprobate silver sball men call tbem, for tbe Lord batb
rejected tbem.' Tbougb tbere was a substance wbicb was good in tbem,
wbicb God migbt regard as bis creature, yet, tbeir dross remaining, be could
have no use of tbem ; tbey being reprobate in tbemselves to every good work,
God would reject tbem also : as a vessel wbicb a man cannot get tbe tilth
out of be dasbetb against tbe walls and breaks : 2 Tim. ii. 21, ' Tbere are
vessels of honour, and vessels of dishonour ; if a man purge himself, he
shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and
prepared to every good work.'

Observe, first, that tbere are vessels of several sorts, and the clay and
fashion is from God, the potter. Now, bow come some to be vessels of dis-
honour, tbat is, of damnation, and wrath, and confusion of face ; some of
honour and glory, namely, salvation ? for so honour is taken, Rom. ii. 10,
Why, sa3's tbe apostle, ' if a man purge himself, tben he shall become a vessel
of honour,' for all have a defilement in them by nature, none become vessels
of honour but those tbat purge tbemselves ; and why ? Because none else can
God emplo}' in tbat honourable employment of his service, for so a man be-
comes sanctified and meet for his master's use. God caunot use tbe other
about his business, no more than you can do with an unclean vessel to drink
in, and so he is fain to lay you aside as vessels wherein be bath no pleasure :
Hosea viii. 8, ' Israel is swallowed up: nov7 shall they be among tbe Gentiles
as a vessel wherein is no pleasure ; ' and not only so, but to break you in
pieces like a potter's vessel, Ps. ii. 9, so tbat unless you mean to lose all
that is good in you, aud lose God a creature, purge yourselves from all filthi-
ness of the flesh and spirit. Only be sure to make thorough work ; and
above all, endeavour to purge corruption out of thy heart aud nature, as well
as out of tby actions, for, take what pains thou wilt to purge thyself from
gross actions, thou sbalt still be reckoned a filthy person, as one that hath
no part in Christ: John xiii. 8, ' If I wash thee not, thou bast no part with
me.' Thou art but an outside, as civil men be who purge themselves from
adultery, &c., but within are full of uncleanness, &c. ' 0 Jerusalem,' says
God, Jer. iv. 14, ' wash tby heart. How long shall thy vain thoughts
lodge within thee ? ' Not tby hands only, and the outward converse, but tby
heart and the evil tboughts must be purged ; and therefore says David, Ps.
Ii. 7, 'Create a clean heart within me.' Apprehending his corruption, it
would not content him to be kept clean from wallowing any more in un-
cleanness, but he rests not till his heart be wasbed from the defilement he
left behind in it, and from those unclean fancies, the impression of that sin
renewed in him day by day. And therein lies the difference of hypocrites
and believers, the foolish and wise virgins, as they are called. Mat. xxv. 2.
Virgins tbey are both called, as keeping themselves undefiled from some cor-
ruptions and adulterous practices which others are given to. And so virgin
is used in opposition to the Romish whore : Rev. xiv. 4, ' These are they
which were not defiled with women ; for they are virgins. These are they
which follow the Lamb whitbersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from
among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.' Only the
wise virgins purify their hearts as well as their bands ; but the foolish, though
virgins in regard of being clear from common whorings aud adulteries of the
world, yet their hearts were unclean within, their folly lying in this, that

72 AN UNEEGENEBATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

they purged the streams and not the fountains, which is a vain and foolish
labour ; so therefore Christ calls pharisees fools : Luke xi. 40, ' Ye fools, did
not he that made that which is without make that which is within also ?'
And therefore you shall find that difference between true believers and tem-
poraries in 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and
precious promises : that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.' And
2 Peter ii. 20, ' For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse than the beginning.'
There is a riddance in both of defilement, but the one is said barely to
escape pollution, ra /xidcificcTa, the other corruption through lust ; the one
inward, the other outward, the mire external only, for so 2 Peter ii. 22 in-
terprets it, comparing them to swine ; but the other are cleared from internal
pollutions, for, on the contrary, they are to be partakers of a divine nature.

Ohj. But you will say, How shall I get this corruption out, seeing it is in
my nature ? Jer. xiii. 23, ' Can a blackmoor change his skin ?' This is my
skin, the natural dye which I brought with me into the world ; or, ' Can a
leopard change his spots ? ' Though they be but spots, yet how shall I be
able to get them out ?

Ans. I indeed confess there is nothing in nature can do it ; there is no
creature, that is simply a creature, can do it. A toad cannot empty itself of
poison, because it is incorporated into it, so neither canst thou empty thyself
of sin because it is incorporated into thee ; it is blended in thy nature, and
there is nothing but that which is contrary can expel a contrary. Now, there
is nothing contrary to sin in thee ; yea, there is no creature can do it for
thee : Jer. ii. 22, ' Though thou wash thyself with nitre, and take much
soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before thee,' &c. Take all the soap in
the world, such as you use to wash your clothes with, and it will not do it ;
yea, take all your legal sacrifices with which they did use to purge and ex-
piate sin, and it will not do it : Heb. x. 1—4, ' For the law having a shadow
of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with
those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers
thereunto perfect. For then would the}' not have ceased to be ofi'ered ? be-
cause that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience
of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins
every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should
take away sins.' There the apostle saith, sacrifices could not purchase sin,
for if they could (saith he) they would not have been offered every year, but
would have ceased, because they that were once purged should have no more
conscience of sin ; and therefore (he saith) ' it was impossible that the blood
of bulls and goats should take away sin,' yea, if all the world had been
offered for a sacrifice it could not have done it. Again, the law of God
could never do it (though this be a help to our nature), yet it could not
purge sin ; it might indeed break us all to pieces, it might bray thee as in a
mortar, and yet thou wouldst be a fool still, thy folly would not depart from
thee, Prov. xxvii. 22. Therefore, Rom. viii. 7, where, having spoken of this
corruption in the former chapter, he saith the law could not free a man from
it, in that it is weak through the flesh. All this will not fetch corruption out,
as if you should take wheat and beat it to pieces in a mortar, yet it would
continue to be wheat still though it were broken ; so, though the law might
break thee to pieces, yet thy corruption would still remain in thee.

What way, then, is there to purge it ? You shall see in the next words:
Rom. viii. 3, when ' the law could not do it, God sent his Son.' God sent

Chap. V.] in respect op sin and punishment. 73

one from heaven on purpose to come down to do this office here upon earth,
to be a refiner, to purge men from their sins, Mai. iii. 3. Jesus Christ hath
his work here upon earth ; and as men have their several employments, so
hath Christ his, to purge and purify men from sin. And there is not one
of this employment in heaven and earth but he, and those that he purifieth
are the sons of Levi, all Christians, who are by him ' made kings and
priests unto God the Father,' Rev. i. 6 ; and these he purgeth, and fetcheth
the dross away, that they may ofier to the Lord offerings of righteousness,
and acceptable sacrifices. Therefore, if you would be purged, and have your
dross fetched oflP, here is a refiner, and here is fuller's soap, Mai. iii. 2.
Bring hither therefore your filthy souls, he can purge them ; there is nothing
else can do it, for it is his proper business ; he was sent of purpose to do it.
As if you would have some great work done, that never a man in England
can do it, you would send for a tradesman beyond sea ; yea, even when
there was not one upon earth could do it, God sent to heaven for his Son
to come down to purge away sin.

Obj. But how doth he do it ?

Aus. He doth it, Jirst, by his blood ; there was nothing else could do it.
It is that which purges your consciences from dead works : as Heb. xi. 14,
' How much more shall' the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to
serve the Uving God ?' There is in every part of our nature a mass of cor-
ruption, a bundle of folly, Prov. xv. 22. But how shall that be got out ?
See 1 John iii. 8, it is said there, that Christ appeared ' to destroy,' to untie
' the works of the devil.' He is the fountain opened for a separation of sin
and uncleanness, Zech. xiii. 1, to purge and purify the sons of men, and it
is his blood that doth all this.

Again, secondhj, this power he communicated by his Spirit. When this
refiner, Mai. iii, 2, and the fuller's soap, that is, his Spirit, does join, then
such a man is purified indeed ; therefore the Holy Ghost is compared to tire,
which purgeth the heart from all the dross which we brought with us into
the world. He is this fuller's soap, and there is^none hke it in the world ;
and if the Spirit seize upon the heart once, he will purify it thoroughly.
Therefore do you as David did'; when he saw he could not do it of himself,
he went to God for the assistance of his Spirit : ' Purge me, 0 Lord,' saith
he, Ps. li. 7. So, 1 Peter i. 2, this work is attributed to the Spirit. In
1 Peter i. 22, ' Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through
the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another
with a pure heart fervently.'

Thirdly, The Spirit is conveyed to us in the word ; therefore the apostle,
1 Peter i. 22, they had ' purified their souls in obeying the truth.' If thou
wouldst be pure in heart, be frequent in the word ; therefore our Saviour
saith, ' You are clean through the word that I have spoken to you ; ' for the
Spirit goes with the word, and that washes and purifies the heart. But you
must be sure you obey it then ; therefore it is said, they purified their
hearts in obeying the truth. It is not enough to hear a sermon, but you
must eat it down, take in what it commands, and then it will purge your
heart. Ps. cxix. 9, ' Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his ways '? By
ruling himself according to thy word.' Take the word and digest it, squeeze
the juice of it into thy heart, and it will purge thee from all contrary cor-
ruption.

Fourthly, Of all parts in the word, the promises have the most virtue in
them, they do purge most of all : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given to us
exceeding great and precious promises : that by these ye might he partakers

^•l AN UNBEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world
through lust ;' 2 Cor. vii. 1, ' Having therefore these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all hlthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' Do but thoroughly di'ink down the
promises, and they will purge thy heart.

Fij'tkly, God giveth power to some graces to do it.

As, 1, faith is a special means to purge thy heart. Acts sv. 9, for it brings
home the promises so to thy heart, as it is purged by them ; as when a man
comes to consider of his privileges, that he is the son of God in Christ,
2 Cor. vi. 18, and also considering, that if he be the son of God, then he
must be like him. Now knowing that God is pure, this makes him labour
by all means to purge himself; so likewise when the soul considers, I have
a new husband, now I am married unto Christ, and therefore I must labour
to be pure. So likewise when the soul by faith considers, I am now the
temple of God, and he walks in it, and therefore I must not make it a den of
thieves : 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20, ' What ! know ye not that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye
are not your own ? For ye are bought with a price : therefore glorify God
in your body, and your spirit, which are God's.' And indeed, ' holiness
becomes his house for ever,' Ps. xciii. 5.

2. The Lord gives his power to hope: 1 John iii. 2, ' He that hath this
hope purities himself.' So that, hast thou a hope ever to come to heaven ?
Then thou wilt fall to washing and scouring of thy nature. By this you see
how you may be pure : go to Christ, bathe in his blood, pray for the Spirit,
obey the word, squeeze out the juice of the promises, and these will be
excellent helps to purge your hearts.

And there are certain times when this is to be done.

Especiall}', 1, young men they should do it : ' How shall a young man
cleanse his ways ?' Ps. cxix. 9 ; ' Remember thy Creator in the days of thy
youth,' Eccles. xii. 1. God speaks not to old men, there is not such a place
to them in all the Scripture where God salth so to them ; therefore set about
the work betimes, and take the best opportunity. It is good to purge the
body in the spring, it is good to purge the kingdom in the spring of a king's
reign, and it is good to purge the heart in the spring of thy youth, before
old age come upon thee.

2. Again, when God stirs thy heart at the hearing of the word, or with a
good motion of his Spirit, then it is good purging. They say it is good purg-
ing in a rainy day, because then the humours are stirring, and they will go
away the easier. Now there are times, Ezek. xxiv. 13, when God comes to
purge you. Oh then do you fall a cleansing of yourselves ; for God would
then purge you, would you but join with him. Yet it is the Spirit that
must indeed do it after all : 1 Peter i. 22, ' Seeing ye have purihed your
souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the
brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.'

Obj. But what is it to purge yourselves ?

Ans. It implies three things.

First, To loose thy heart from sin. As if you would purge a cloth, you
steep it in the water to loosen the defilement of it ; if you would purge
silver, you put it into the fire to loosen the dross from it ; if you would
purge the chaff from the wheat, you thresh it first, that you may loosen it ;
so if you would purge sin, you must labour to loosen it from the heart ;
therefore it is said, that Christ came for this purpose: Zech. xiii. 1, ' In that
day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.' Christ was to come

CUAP. V.j IN RESPKCT OF SI>. AND PUKISHMtNT. 75

to work a separation from sin and uncleanness ftLou wast bound up in the
band of iniquity, and Christ came forth to loose the band, and to untie thee
from it, when it was incorporated into thee : 1 John iii. 8, * He that com-
mitteth sin is of the devil ; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For
this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the
works of the devil.' He came to untie the band, and to destroy the works
of the devil.

Sc'co)ulhj, Purging implies a taking away of the dross ; for it is but a folly
to put the gold into fire, if you let the dross lie upon it and keil it again ; it
is but a folly to thresh the wheat, if you do not winnow and fan it, and
thoroughly purge the floor. Even so you must do in this ; you must purge
out the corruption, for this is ' all the fruit' of purifying, ' to take away the
sin : ' Isa. xxvii. 9, * By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged;
and this is all the fruit to take away his sin ; when he maketh all the stones
of the altar as chalk-stones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and the
image shall not stand up.' This is to purge yourselves from sin, to lay it
aside, as it is James i. 21, ' Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and super-
fluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which
is able to save your souls.' For it is but an excrement ; if naughtiness
could have an excrement, sin should be it. And there is this scum in you
which must be boiled out, Ezek. xxiv. 11, 12 ; you must not let it boil in
again, but you must fetch it out; even as merchants do in boiling and scum-
ming of new wines, so must you, when the scum of your corruptions rise,
you must purge it out.

Thirdly, You being purged, you must keep yourselves pure from the pol-
lutions of the world, and not so much as touch the unclean thing : 2 Cor.
vi. 17, ' Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith
the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you.' And
being once purged, you must walk carefully, even as a man walking in a
miry lane, that you do not spatter yourselves again. John xvii. 15, ' I
pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou
shouldst keep them from the evil.' 1 John v. 18, ' We know that whosoever is
born of God sinneth not ; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself,
and that wicked one toucheth him not.' Thou hast put on thy clothes, and
washed thy feet, and wilt thou wallow in the mire again ?

Obj. But how shall I get it loosened and purged, and what shall I do to
keep it clean ?

Ans. To get it loosened,

First, Get a dislike of sin. As if we would loosen two friends that are
knit together in a common bond of friendship, the only way is to get a dislike
of one another, and then they will soon part. So to loosen sin, get an ill
opinion of it ; which that you may, consider what the word speaks against
it, and think of sin as it speaks of it, and it is able to engender in thee
an ill opinion of sin ; therefore hear the word much, read it much, digest
it much.

Secondly, Humble thyself much for sin, get thy heart broken and melted;
for it is said of Joshua, that when he humbled himself, his heart melted at
the word. Now, when you put gold into the fire, when it is melted, you
may easily take the dros's from it. So you may deal with your corruptions:
James iv. 8, ' Draw nigh to God, and "he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse
your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.' But
how shall they so do ? Verse 9, ' Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep : let
your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.'

Again, that you may purge sin. The special means is, to labour to

76 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

strengthen the inward man ; for there is in every man vis ejectiva, an expul-
sive faculty, to expel and purge out corruptions. Now, vphat is the reason
that any man dies, but only because this power is not strong enough to cast
out the deadly humours ? Even so to purge out sin, thou must strengthen
the inward man, labour to get grace, as faith, joy, hope, to strengthen and
make the inward man more lively ; for sin is but an outward man, an excre-
ment which the inward man will soon shake off, and purge it out, even as
nature doth a scab ; for all grace purgeth the heart, and maketh it to cast
out corruption, therefore labour to purge it out.

Use 2. When thou hast purged out thy sins, keep thyself clean. I have
read a story of a fuller and a collier, and as fast as the fuller purged his
cloth the collier fouled it again, because they lived both in one house. Even
so is it with us, by reason of the nearness of the flesh, and the regenerate
part in us, and therefore it is the harder to keep ourselves clean. But that
thou mayest,

First, Keep thyself from evil thoughts, for they defile the man : Mat. xv.
18-20, ' But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from
the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
these are the things which defile a man : but to eat with unwashen hands
defileth not a man.' The more thou entertainest these thoughts, the more
thy heart will be corrupted.

Secondlij, Keep thyself from evil speeches, because * evil words corrupt
good manners,' 1 Cor. xv. 33. Thou canst not gargle them in thy mouth,
but some of them will go down.

Thirdly, Take heed of ill company, for that will defile the man. In the
time of the law, if a living man touched a dead man, he was unclean. Take
heed therefore of conversing with dead men, for it will defile thee; as when
thou hast prayed, and taken pains with thy heart, and brought it into some
good frame, when thou comest into ill company, they will cool thee again.

Fourthhj, Take heed of all occasions of evil abuse of things lawful, even
they also will make thee impure, because it is a means to draw out the im-
purity of thy heart; therefore if thou be defiled, as Titus i. 15, 'Unto the
pure all things are pure : but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is
nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.' Then all
those things that draw out the corruption of thy heart, though they be things
lawful, yet use them not, for often by lawful recreations men gather defile-
ment, even as a man by telling of money defileth his hands with it.

And also, to stir you up to this duty, consider these motives :

1. Unless thou purge thyself, thou hast no part in Christ: John xiii. 8,
* Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him.
If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.' If Christ have not washed
thy heart, thou hast no part in him. Christ was made fit to loose sin in us,
therefore if sin be not dissolved in thee, thou hast no part in him.

2. This purging distinguisheth a godly man from an hypocrite. An hypo-
crite washeth the outward man : Pi-ov. xxx. 12, ' Though they are pure in
their own eyes, yet they are not washed from their filthiness.' But now a
child of God washeth his heart; therefore if thou wilt have comfort by this
distinction, labour to purge thyself, and to get the core of sin out.

3. Without this thou shalt never see God : Ps. xxiv. 3, 4, ' Who shall
ascend into the hill of the Lord ? and who shall stand in his holy place ?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart ; who hath not lift up his soul
unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully;' only he that hath clean hands, and a
pure heart, shall be received into God's tabernacle. Now, thou art impure.

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 77

and dost thou think ever to come to God ? No ; God will have no such come
to him.

4. For outward blessings, till thou purge thyself, God will not many times
bestow them upon thee. It may be God hath a heart to do it, but thou
hast an impure heart, and therefore canst not receive them: Ps. Ixxiii. 1,
' God is good only to such as have clean hearts.' He knows if he should
give thee outward blessings they would defile thee. I will shut up all there-
fore with that exhortation, James iv. 8, ' Draw nigh to God, and he will draw
nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners ; and purify your hearts, ye
double-minded.' God will never draw nigh unto you unless you purge
yourselves. But how shall we do it ? He tells you in the next verse, ' Be
afflicted, and mourn.' Go to Christ, bring faith with you ; go to Christ, and
desire him to purge thee; labour to drink down the word deep into thy soul,
and this will be a means to purge thy heart; and for all this thou wilt not
be clean. Mark, with what God concludes all the Scriptures, ' He that is
filthy, let him be filthy still,' Rev. xxii. 11. As if he had said, Go and see
what will come of it, see who will have the worst of it ; but this know, that
when God comes to purge thee, and thou wilt not, he will never strive to
purge thee more: Jer. vi. 30, God would have purged them, and they would
not ; therefore ' reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath
rejected them;' and then thou wilt be found at last to be a vessel of wrath,
and so wilt be dashed in pieces. Therefore think this seriously with your-
selves : If I be found in my natural defilement, not purged, the Lord will
dash me to pieces, and I shall never be found a vessel of honour fit for my
Master's use. Therefore labour to be earnest to be in Christ, that purify-
ing virtue may go out from him, and thou mayest bring forth fruit in him:
John XV. 2, ' Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and
every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more
fruit.' And then God will purge thee ; and the more thou drawest to Christ,
the more purging thou shalt have, and the more God will cut off the old
branches of sin in thee.

Use 3. If this corruption be not only a misery befallen our nature, but
also truly and properly in itself a sin, then let me exhort you, in a true and
thorough sense of it, not only to cry out and complain of it (as men use to
do of miseries), but in an especial manner to humble yourselves for it, when
you come into God's presence.

1. I say, to be truly and thoroughly sensible of it ; for otherwise you can
neither truly complain of it as a misery, nor be humbled for it as a sin, of
which corruption and distemper of nature yet the most men have been and
are (like men in a mortal and deadly sickness) insensible. So far were some
of the Stoics and heathens of old, and atheists of these times, from thinking
it a misery, as consequenter natures vivere was with ihem fceUcltatisJinem attin-
gere, to live according to nature was to attain the end of happiness, like brute
beasts, following the swing of nature and corrupt reason, as the truest guide
to happiness; whence haply it was that some in the primitive times thought
fornication and uncleanness could be no sin (because it was an action so
agreeable to nature), no more than in beasts, w'hich do according to their
kind. And indeed where nothing but nature itself sat the judge upon itself,
we need not wonder at so favourable a sentence. But in those among us
Christians who have had the true glass of God's word to discover the de-
formity and depravation of their natures unto them, I do much more wonder
to hear them bolster themselves, and lay the foundation of their hopes for
heaven in the goodness and sweetness of their natures, smoothness and
ingenuousness of their dispositions ; yea, and that so far as to put it into

78 AN UNREGENEKATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

the balance against the exorbitancies and gross enormities of their lives,
thinking their actual sins will not damn them, their inclinations being so
good and towardly.

Others, if further convinced, so as not to justify themselves by the false
supposed goodness of it, yet so as at least to excuse themselves by the bad-
ness of it, which they are forced to acknowledge, laying all upon the devil
and their natures ; it is their natural inclination and disposition to do so,
and we are all flesh and blood, and what other can be expected of them ?
This is their talk ; so far are and were all these sorts of men from laying it
to heart and being truly sensible of it. Better shall it fare with those more
ingenuous heathens, who were not only sensible of this disease of nature, but
complained of it as a woful misery. So Tully, lib. ii. de Rep., as quoted by
Augustine, lib. iv. contra Julian.* laments the miserable condition of mankind.
Quern natiira noverca in lucem edidit, corpore undo, fragili, infirmo, animo ad
molestias anxio, ad. tiinores hitmili, ad labores dehili, ad libidines proclivi, in
quo divinus ignis sit obrutits, ingenium et mores. But yet all this acknow-
ledgment ended in a mere complaint, and that not in particular so much,
bewailing it in themselves (which only humbles), but in the general, as the
common condition ; neither, indeed, was it so much an humble complaint of
this misery, as a proud expostulation and upbraiding of nature, that is, the
God of nature, as a stepfather, for making them so as they thought ;
which acknowledgment, though it might humble them in regard of their car-
riage one towards another, as considering they were subject to the like
miseries other men were, yet it brought them not upon their knees for it
before God, but flushed them rather against him ; and therefore com-
plain they did (as Titus Vespasian f when dying), that the frame of nature
should so soon be dissolved by death (God's sergeant and executioner), not
considering that it was originally set wrong, not by God, but their own de-
fault, and so went continually wrong, insomuch that God was provoked to
break the workmanship that he had made, considering it would not be
mended.

Others among us Christians there are acknowledge it not only a misery, and
themselves miserable men in particular in regard of it, but also humbly
acknowledge it before God, as a misery that not he, but they in their first
fathers have brought upon themselves ; so as, indeed, their natures are
justly thus corrupted, and therefore humbly sue to him for pity and deHver-
ance, as beggars do to those that are able to help them, as maimed persons
do to a physician.

Use 4. But yet, my brethren, in the fourth place, that which I am to ex-
hort vou to is not only to be thus particularly sensible of it, and so to com-
plain of it, and that not only as a misery that is justly befallen you, as the
just debt of the first sin you are guilty of, but further than all this, to lay it
to heart as a sin, and accordingly to humble yourselves before it as low as
hell, with a heart broken, confounded, and a mouth put in the dust ; for it is
one thing so far to be humbled for it, as a man that hath brought himself
into miserj-, and so laments himself, and so sues out to God for help and
pity, or as a wounded patient doth to the physician, and another thing to be
humbled before God for it, as a traitor before his prince, or a guilty person
before his judge, so as to acknowledge that, though that cursed root of

* See the Citation afore in Book I.

t Deinde ad primara statim mansionem febrim nactns cum inde lectica transfer-
retur, suspexisse dicitur dimotis plagulis ccelum, multumque conqusestus, eripi sibi
vitam immerenti : neque enim extare ullum suum factum poenitendum excepto dun-
taxat uno. — Suetonius in Vita Titi Vesp. c. 10.

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 79

original corruption had never sprouted forth into actual sin, yet it, and him-
self for it, did deserve to be stubbed up, and to be cast into hell, merely
because it was naturally so poisoned and embittered, and envenomed with
such dispositions as are truly sinful and hateful in God's most holy and all-
seeing eye.

Now thus to humble a man's soul for it contains four things in it.

1. To be particularly sensible of the evil and misery of it, for no aflfection
stirs to anything, be it good or evil, till we apprehend it so ; as not love, so
not grief, and sensible we must be of it. This particularly, not barely as the
common condition of all mankind, for that keeps men rather off from
humbling themselves. We think ourselves to be the more excused, as from
thankfulness for mercies others have a share in, so from the guilt of sins
which are common to others. Therefore, I say, a man must be particularly
sensible of it, that though all the world complain not of these wounds and
festered sores we brought into the world with us, yet let us Iny them open
befoi-e the throne of God from day to day, as if no man else in the world
had the like bad nature to ours.

2. To be humbled requires such a sensible acknowledgment and laying
open of this misery as to have a man's mouth stopped, and nothing to say
for one's self by way of excuse how it befell us ; and therefore that to be
truly humbled is expressed by being confounded, and not able to open the
mouth any more : Ezek. xvi. 63, ' That thou mayest remember, and be con-
founded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when
I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.'
The heathens, therefore, though sensible of it, were not humbled for it, be-
cause they complained of nature for bringing them forth so ; and indeed, if
we apprehend we are fallen into misery, and not through our own default,
we think we deserve pity and help, and complain of those that afford it not.
But to be humbled is not simply to be sensible of and complain of a misery,
and to seek and cry out for help, but to complain of ourselves, through
whose default it is befallen us, and that justly. And then the creature be-
gins to be humbled before God, for then, though God be of a pitiful nature
and ready to help, yet our misery being befallen us by our own default, we
then apprehend him not bound by the laws of pity to succour us, but that
he may justly say, You may thank yourselves for it. Now, all must confess
their original depravation as a thing befallen them, wherein they have no-
thing to say by way of excuse ; and though, indeed, none can help it or avoid
it (for we are born so), yet it comes by our default, sinning in Adam ; and
therefore the apostle, Eom. iii. 19, speaking of the general depravation of the
natures and lives of all mankind, as there he expressly out of Ps. xiv. doth,
from ver. 10 to 19 ; says he, ver. 19, ' that every mouth may be stopped,'
have nothing to say. Why, I am thus unrighteous, and that there is no fear
of God before my eyes.

But yet, 3, this is not all ; for simply to acknowledge a misery which needs
pity, delivering us from it, suppose befallen us justly, doth not thoroughly
humble or bring the creature low enough before God, as now it ought to be.
But when the creature shall come in and acknowledge this corruption, not
only a misery but also a sin, and that therefore he needs not only pity, be-
cause this befell him through his own default, but that he deserves wrath
instead of mercy, as being his sin, that it is not only deservedly befallen
him by reason of the guilt of Adam's sin that he cannot rid himself out
of, but also that in itself it deserves a worse misery, eternal death. And
thus also should all mankind humble themselves before God for this corrup-
tion : Rom. iii. 19, * Now we know that what things soever the law saith,

80 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped,
and all the world may become guilty before God.' All the world, in regard
of a natural righteousness spoken of before, even children and all ; all the
world must become guilty, that is, in their own acknowledgment, before God,
not only have their mouths stopped (if it were a misery so they might be),
but also that they are guilty, that is, as signifies in the original, subject to
the wrath and judgment of God. Therefore, Eph. ii. 3, speaking of that
natural corruption brought by nature, he says, ' By nature we were the chil-
dren of wrath,' that is, by reason of the corruption of our natures, which he
there speaks of ; for, as Whitaker well observes, he brings it after he had
described the corruption in their lives in the former words, as the cause
whence that sprung. And having spoken of both in ver. 1 in general, in
these words, ' dead in trespasses,' that is, sins actual deserving death, and in
sins, namely, of natural corruption, 1, he shews particularly the trespasses of
the lives, ver. 2, 3 ; and, 2, adds the other part of their sinfulness, which
was the cause of the corruption of their natures. They were by nature the
children of wrath ; that is, not only deserving wrath in regard of their lives,
but also of their very natures ; for to be a child of wrath is to deserve wrath,
as Judas is called ' the child of perdition,' John xvii. 12.

4. But in that true and kind humiliation which I exhort you to, there is
a fourth thing required, not simply to judge and acknowledge a man's self
subject to wrath for the sin, but to look on a man's self with loathing and
detestation for it ; for you shall find humbling a man's self so expressed :
' They shall loathe themselves for their sins,' Ezek. xxxvi. 31. Were this
corruption simply a misery that had befallen them, though justly, yet if it
were no more, one would not loathe himself for it, no, no more than a man
doth his own fiesh, though full of boils and diseases. He hates not his
flesh, because he looks on those diseases as a misery only befallen it ;
neither to be humbled, for it is merely to apprehend that wrath due to it
as to a sin, for that may be, where no love of God is, out of self-love ; but to
humble thyself for it, is to look upon this disease, and even to hate thy
own self for it, to look upon it as God doth, not only as a thing that
deserves his wrath, but which he abominates, cannot endure to have any
communion with, as contrary to him and his law ; and so now to look on
thyself for it with the same eye, to account thyself not only a guilty person,
but a filthy, loathsome, abominable, vile person, contrary tq God as a crea-
ture, which, if God would not, thou couldst find in thy heart to destroy.
And thus Job humbled himself for the corruption of his nature, Job xlii. 6,
having seen, ver. 5, the holiness of God's nature : ' Now mine eye hath seen
thee,' says he ; and then reflecting his eye upon himself, his filthy nature,
he abhorred himself; for in regard of this corruption, a man is not only a
miserable person in God's eye, — Rom. vii. 24, ' Oh wretched man that I am !
who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' and so he is the object
of pity, — but man is a sinful creature, and so an object of wrath, Eph. ii. 8,
yea, an abominable person : Job xv. 16, ' How much more abominable and
filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water ? ' He is the object of
hatred and loathing ; he speaks there of man in regard of original native
corruption ; for, ver. 14, he saith, ' What is man, that he should be clean ;
and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous ? '

And now to press this on you, having shewn what it is to humble your-
selves for it. If you have cause thus to humble yourselves, loathe and
abhor yourselves for anything, then much more for the corruption of your
nature. Single out the grossest sin that ever thou hast committed, which
hath brought thee lowest on thy knees, and hath cost thee most sighs and

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 81

sobs, which thou hast drenched and watered with most tears, and compare
it but with the evil disposition of thy heart and nature, which was the root
that cursed fruit grew on; and whereas thou hast bestowed a thousand tears
on the one, thou hast cause to shed millions of tears for this, and to wish
indeed that thy head were a fountain of tears, Jer. ix. 1, to weep day and
night, because thy heart is a ' fountain of sin,' that casts out filth both day
and night, Jer. vi. 7.

Consider, 1, that actual sin was but a bud sprung from this root; that
the cause, this gross sin but the effect ; the grossest sin that ever thou
committedst, simply considered, is but the effect of thine inbred corruption.

But this is not all ; I may add, compare it with many, I dare not say all,
thy gross sins, simply considered, as fruits out of this root and stalk they
grew on, and thou hast as much cause to be humbled for the badness of thy
nature as for them : though indeed thou shouldst do well to put both
together, and humble thy soul for thy actual sins the more, because they
are the offspring of so cursed and hateful a mother ; and for the corruption
of thy nature, because it is the mother of so cursed a brood. And if thou
sayest. Why, but my actual sins are infinite in number, surpassing my
knowledge, more than the sands ; so is the wickedness of thy heart and
nature past thy knowledge : Jer. xvii. 9, ' The heart is deceitful, and despe-
rately wicked above all things : who can know it ? ' an abounding depth,
which thou canst never guage the bottom of.

And that thou mayest see this to be true, view it, 1st, in the general
nature of it ; and 2dly, in the particular parts of it.

First, In the general ; consider,

1. That it is the root, yea, the mother of all those thy actual sins, the
womb from whence they sprang, and where they were conceived. The
apostle rips up the womb of it when he says, ' "When lust hath conceived, it
brings forth sin,' James i. 15. Though temptation and occasion may be
the midwife to help to bring sin forth, yet this is the mother ; and therefore.
Gal. V. 19, 20, he says that adultery, fornication, &c., all that cursed cata-
logue he there musters up, he says they are the fruits of the flesh, that is,
of inherent, native corruption ; that is the root, these the fruits. So Christ
also calls it the evil treasure, out of which all sins are brought, the treasure
or mine whence they are all taken : Mat. xii. 35, ' And an evil man out of
the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.' Not that they are ready
minted, but in the ore or bullion, as it were ; yet so as no sin is brought
forth that hath not its materials there, for it is brought forth out of that
treasury. And if it be thus the mother-root and treasury of all sin, have
you not cause to be humbled for it as much, as simply for all other sins ?
Doth not Paul set out the foulness of the ' love of money,' by calling it 'the
root of all evil ' ? 1 Tim. vi. 10. Is not this much more odious, that it is
the root, as of all other, so of covetousness itself; that bitter root spoken of,
Heb. xii. 15, that bears all the gall and wormwood that grows up in our
lives ? Take any poisoned root, and you will find the least piece of it hath
as much strength of poison in it as all the leaves and branches. Of every
action, yea, of all actions, it may be said, thou bearest not the root, but this
root bears thee. The sea hath more waters in it than all the rivers that
come from it, and infinitely more dirt at the bottom of it than it casts forth.
Now unto this doth Isaiah compare original sin in comparison to actual :
Isa. Ivii. 20, « But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest,
whose waters cast up mire and dirt.'

And if it be the mother, then as the devil is therefore called ' that wicked

VOL. X. F

82 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

one,' xar' i^oyj,v, John viii. 34, because he is the father of sins, all sins
being called his works, 1 John iii. 8, there, in a higher demonstration, the
great blame will be cast upon the mother of all sin, by how much it is more
near and intimate (as to our hearts), the cause thereof, nourishing, breeding,
cherishing of them more than Satan doth. As Rome being the mother of
fornication, all nations being drunk with her cup, and therefore shall be
rewarded double : Rev. viii. 24, ' In her are found all the blood of the slain ; '
yea, and the souls of men ; so shall this sin be arraigned at the latter day
to have been the great whore and mother of fornication, in whom shall be
found all the sins that ever thou didst commit. Yea, as Christ to his glory
shall present himself, and say, ' Lo, here I am, and the children thou hast
given me,' so at that day, after that all thy sins have been set in order
before thee, as Ps. 1. 20, then shall this great beldame be brought in with all
her blood ; and then cursed shall be the womb that bare them, and those
lusts which as paps did give them suck.

A mother it is, that conceives and brings forth often, yea, without a father,
which other mothers cannot ; so as the devil shall not need, neither doth he
indeed tempt us to every sin we commit. This womb is never barren, but
fruitful of itself; neither is it the mother of all only by succession, or alone
hneal descent, as Adam is accounted the father of all mankind, and Eve the
mother of all living ; but every sin comes immediately out of the loins of this
mother. David lays his adultery and murder upon his being born in sin.
It is the great traitor, that hath a hand in every treason to the end of the
world ; though I confess it is much more increased, and the treasury is
enlarged by custom in sinning ; yet so, as Paul says, when any sin is com-
mitted, it is that sin that dwells within him that doth it, even this inherent
corruption : Rom. vii. 20, ' Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I
that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.' And though indeed God punisheth
often one sin with another (as Stapleton objects), yet so as still this is the
sin by which and for which we are so punished, the immediate cause of both;
and inclines us as well to that sin which is the punishment, as it had done
to that other sin for which this punishment is inflicted ; only God, in letting
out corrupt nature, observes a method, broacheth one after another, but this
sin inclines us alike immediately unto all.

But, 2, this is not all thou art to consider in it for the humbling of thee.
It hath not only been actually the cause of all the sins thou hast committed,
but virtually, and radically, and potentially, it is the seminal root of millions
more, even of all manner of sin, which thou never actedst, God restraining
thee, so as thou hast seen the least part of the villnny of it. And indeed it
is caiLsa xmiversalis mahntm, the universal canse of all evils, even as God is
of all good, not only because he is the cause of all the good that is, but
because he is potentially the cause of millions of worlds which lie in his
power to create ; so this potentially is the cause of new worlds of sins. So,
though it can act but one sin at a time, yet potentially it would and might
inchne thee to any other sin, and might hale to contrary lusts at once, so as
when we sin there is still more in nature than can be acted. Therefore,
Mat. xii. 34, a man that is wicked is said to speak out of the abundance of
the heart, which argues there is still more in the heart — an abundance there
which the mouth speaks not ; — so actual sin is brought out of that treasury,
ver. 35, and there is far more store in the treasury and warehouse than
brought out into the shop. Yea, I say, look not only on thine own sins, but
go out into the world and view all kinds of sins ever acted (as indeed the
lives of men have been a comment on this text), spoken of Rom. i. Wliat-
ever the word forbids they are all in thee virtually, for the sin of thy nature

Chap. V,] in bespect of sin and punishment. 88

would be the like cause of them all. For as when he wondered that Saul
prophesied, one that stood by said, 'Yea, but who is the father of them?'
1 Sam. X. 11, 12. His meaning was, wonder not at him, but consider that
it is God who is the fether of the prophets, who is able to make these stones
to prophesy. So do I say, when thou seest so many villanies that thou
never committedst, I ask, but who is the mother of them ? Even the same
m-iginal corruption that is in the sect.* So as multi Marii in urto Casare, so
nndti Judtc in uno peccato. As there are many Caius Mariuses in one Cassar,
so there are many Judases in one sin, that sin of thy nature. But a pair of
shears went betwixt thy nature and theirs. If the sins in the world be not
enough to inform thee, go down to hell ; this sin is the image of the devils,
they ai*e but wild ones, we are tame by God's restraint, yet both of the same
kind.

Use 5. If it be so, that every man, by the corruption of his nature, is in-
clined to all sin, then * watch and pray that you fall not into temptation,'
Mark xiv. 38. For if thou hadst but one lust, viz., love of money, then
shouldst thou, as the apostle speaks, have temptations enow, even many
foolish and hurtful lusts : 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10, ' But they that will be rich fall
into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which
drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root
of all evil : which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith,
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.' Now, it will be much
more so when thou art addicted to all lusts. My brethren, the world is full
of snares, and men walk upon them. To some men their table is a snare,
to others credit, lust, &c., and therefore no wonder if men fall into tempta-
tion and a snare. It is said sin compasseth men about, Heb. xii. 1, so
that, let a man go which way he will, sin will be sure to meet with him : yea,
whatsoever we put our hands to, recreation, meats, &c., they are all defiled
whilst the heart is defiled, and thy corruption runs out to every creature
thou usest. The heart dasheth against no object, but thy lusts, like sparks
of fire out of a torch struck against a post, do in multitudes fly out. There-
fore, trust not thine heart ; fear in all thy ways lest sin meet thee. There-
fore, watch in prayer, for thine heart hath a thousand chinks for flies to come
in at. Take heed in good company that thou be not presumptuous, and in
bad company that thou be not scandalous. In prosperity take heed lest thy
heart be full, and thou deny God, and in adversity lest thy heart run out
into unlawful courses. Vv^^hen thou art at a feast put thy knife to thy throat,
&c., Prov. xxiii. 2. If thou walk in the street, make a covenant with thine
eyes, lest lusts steal in. Job xxxi. 1, for lusts are apt to be drawn out in
every one of these things. In a word, watch in all things, as 2 Tim. iv. 5 ;
keep thy heart up as thou wouldst do a man given to company from his old
companions : if he get but out, he then flies out into all excess. So will thy
heart, there will be no stopping of it. Keep it up, and let it not slip the
collar, for thou wilt not easily get it in again. Pray also to the Lord not to
give thee up to temptation, for thou being filled with all unrighteousness, if
God do but take away his hand from the hole, there is no lust but will be
apt to leak out. Labour also to get all grace stamped upon your hearts, as
you have all sin there ; and arm yourselves with resolution against every sin,
as 1 Peter v. 9, for he that hath no rule over his spirit is like a city without
walls, any temptation may break in. And if a breach be made, mend up
the wall again as soon as you can, for it is as the breach of waters which is
not easily stopped. And if you would not fall into sin, be still in the exercise
of some grace, and then, saith the apostle, you shall never fall.

* Qu. 'thyself ?-Ed.

8-i AN UNREGENEKATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

Use 6. If it be so that there are the seeds of all sin in us, then you that
have light take heed that you do not sin against the Holy Ghost. The Gen-
tiles indeed are not capable of it ; but you that have the Spirit of God mov-
ing your hearts in the word, that have received the hnowledge of the truth,
take heed lest you sin wiUingly : Heb. x. 26, 27, ' For if we sin wilfully after
that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery in-
dignation, which shall devour the adversaries.' Which is the sin that David
prays against : Ps. xix. 13, ' Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous
sins : let them not have dominion over me.' He calls it the great offence,
a sin greater than presumptuous sins, for against them he had prayed in the
words afore. And doubtless where the gospel is much preached, and many
are converted to Christ, many fall into this sin, and more do than we think
of. Therefore, you that are of younger years, whom God deals with, and
convinceth you of his ways, of the truth of them, and of the sincerity of the
gospel, take heed how you resist these motions, for though this resisting be
not the sin against the Holy Ghost, yet it is a fearful step to it. And know
this, when God comes to thy bedside morning and evening, talks with thee,
persuades thee of the truth and goodness of the ways of grace, and thon
refusest, thou sinnest against the Holy Ghost, though thou dost not commit
that sin which we usually call the sin against the Holy Ghost ; but such sins
are a step to it.

Take heed also how thou speakest against the people of God, contrary to
thy own knowledge and conscience, for those dogs that will out of wanton-
ness fall upon sheep, when they have tasted their blood, will kill them in
earnest. So there is many a man that will begin to speak against the people
of God for some other end at first, but at last God may give them up to the
malice of their own hearts ; and so thou dost not only run into inevitable
danger, but there is the sorest punishment of all other belongs to thee : ' How
much sorer punishment,' &c., Heb. x. 29, and therefore it is said, Mat. xxi.
40, 44, ' The Lord will come and miserably destroy those wicked men ;' and
ver. 44, ' Whosoever shall fall on that stone shall be broken ;' that is, ordi-
nary sinners that rush against Christ shall be broken by him ; ' but on whom
this stone shall fall,' that is, he that shall out of malice sin against Christ (for
that sin is nothing else but revenge against God, that is the form of it), ' he
shall grind them to powder.' As if a glass fall upon a stone, it will be broken,
but if a rock fall upon it, it will grind it to powder. I speak not to discourage
any ; but as the apostle, fearing lest some would be discouraged at the de-
livery of this doctrine, said, Heb. vi. 9, so say I, ' We are persuaded better
things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.'

CHAPTER VI.

A (jcneral division of the corruption of man's nature into the several paHs of
it, a privation of all goodness, and an. inclination to all evil. — That there
is in man fallen, an emptiness of all that is good, proved ; and that all the
faculties vf his soul are void of that righteousness which ought to be in them.

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while ice ivere yet siymers,
Christ died for us. For if, when we irere enemies, we were reconciled to

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 85

God by the death of his Son: much more, being recgnciled, we shall be saved
by his life.— lio^.' V. G, 8, 10.

I have demonstrated the greatness of the sinfulness of the natural inhe-
rent defilement in man, which is here called flush, of which I have dis-
coursed more generally, and but comparatively only, both as compared with
our gross sins ; or, secondly, as compared with all a man's other sins.
Now we M ill consider it in the parts of it, more absolutely as it is in itself.
It is our present business to view and cut up and anatomize this body
of sin, which, viewed in the Inmp and gross only, seems not so ugly ;
which anatomy is either into the more general parts of it, which express
the nature of it, as it is in all the faculties ; or, secondly, into the particular
parts of it, as it hath diversely corrupted each faculty, as it is darkness in
the understanding, lust in the will and aflfections, &c. And so I shall cut
up every particular vein, and let you see what corrupt blood runs there ; in
each severally.

Now the more general parts of it, which express its general nature, are (as
they are usually dissected by divines) two.

First, A total and utter emptiness and privation of all that righteousness
and true holiness which God first created in man, and which the law of God
requires.

And, secondly, a positive sinful inclination to all that is contrary to grace,
namely, a proneness to all sin, of what kind soever, which any law of God
forbids ; which positive sinfulness is divided into two parts : 1, the inordi-
nate lustings of the faculties after things earthly, fleshly, sinful ; 2, an en-
mity unto God, and unto what is holy. Or, if you will, you may quarter
this our inherent sinfulness into four parts, and that according to the sec-
tion of the most curious anatomist, the apostle Paul, as it is to be seen
Rom. V. ver. 6 to 11, where, to set forth the greatness of the love and
grace of God in Christ, he aggravates the disease of our natures and condi-
tion, of which grace was the remedy ; for, as the greatness and desperate-
ness of the disease commends the remedy, so ' God commends his love'
(they are his words, ver. 8), ' in that whilst,' Jirst, ' without strength,'
secondly, ' ungodly,' ver. 6, thirdly, ' sinners,' ver. 8, yea, * enemies,' ver. 9,
' Christ died for us.'

"Which may seem to import out four degrees of the corruption of their
natures and lives, for whom Christ died, especially of their natures, as the
first of them, ivithout strength, implies; which gradation plainly compre-
hends the full distemper of man in the general nature of it. And these
degrees may come under our former division, wherein are distinguished the
corruption of nature into that, which is (1.) privative, which the apostle's
words, unyodly and ivithout strength, import ; (2.) the positive part of it,
which includes, 1st, the inclination and disposition of sinners to all evil ;
2dly, enmity to God, and all that is good ; but we will take them as the
apostle hath set them down, in so many several degrees of our sinfulness.

The first and lowest degree is weakness, dadivn'a, which implies want of
power and ability, as to help itself, and to come out of that condition, so
unfitly* to be used in the service of God ; for, 1 Cor. xv. 43, the same word
is used to express a dead carcase, that is buried and sown in weakness, so
as that dead trunk is unable to stir, and is unfit to be used any way, and is
fit for nothing but to be buried ; so are we as ' dead in sins and trespasses,'
Eph. ii. 1, so as we could stand God no way in stead, nor help ourselves,
but were fit for nothing but to be buried in hell, which is our own place.
* Qu. ' unfitness '?— Ed.

86 AN UNREGENEKATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

The second is ungodliness, as being wholly cut off and estranged from
God, and all the life of grace, which was the cause of our impotency ; and
as there is not one spark of grace left, so there is an awkwardness and un-
appliableness to what is good, yea, a renunciation, denying of what is good,
as well as a weakness and unfitness for it ; both which, as being primi-
tive,* I make the two parts of the first general head, viz., an emptiness of
all good.

The third degree is, that they are sinners. As they have nothing in them-
selves which leads them to God, or which can be employed for God, they
are thereby also become prone and inclined to sin, and nothing else ; for
sinners properly notes out one in whom the habitual disposition to sin
prevails.

The fourth degree, which is further than this, is, that they are enemies,
and that is in their natures too, ' enemies in their minds,' Col. i. 21, as
fighting against all the means that should deliver them out of this condition,
opposite to God and all godliness, in themselves irrecoverable. They are
not simply such as are ungodly, and so will do nothing for God, or without
strength, as unable only, but enemies to him and all his ways.

And both these last are positive acts, and so to be reduced as the parts
of the second general head.

The first branch of inherent corruption is an emptiness of whatever is
holy and good in the several degrees of it. Rom. vii. 18, that which is here
called flesh, is an emptiness of all good and grace ; and is not this a great
accusation laid to the charge of our natures, if it can be proved that there is
nothing good in them, not a spark or dram of the least godliness, or grace,
or power to do any good ? Hath not this cause to humble a man, and pull
down all the fly-blown conceits of ourselves, that by nature thou hast nothing
in thee which should make thee acceptable in the eyes of God, but that thou
art a lump of terra damnata, as the chemists call it, namely, that which is the
dross of their distillations, out of which they have distilled all that is good
or useful, or rather, to use the Scripture comparison, cursed earth ? Heb.
vi. 7, 8, ' For the earth, which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it,
and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth
blessing from God : but that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected,
and is nigh unto cursing ; whose end is to be burned.' Cursed earth, I
say, which hath not one good seed in it, able to bring forth nothing but
briars and thorns, not one good herb meet for the dresser's use ; this is
nigh to cursing, and the end of it is to be burned. Our natures are like the
basket of rotten figs, as God compares the Jews, Jer. xxiv. 2, 3, which were
bad, and very bad, as they could not be eaten, good for nothing but to be
seized on as bad wares, and openly burned ; for you use to preserve nothing
but that which hath some goodness in it ; neither would God destroy infants
and damn them for ever, if there was any goodness in them. As in Isa.
Ixv. 8, a vine that hath but one cluster of grapes on it, * one says. Destroy
it not, for there is a blessing in it,' some good and blessed thing which it is
a pity to have destroyed. And so likewise, in 1 Kings xiv. 13, because
Abijah, the son of Jeroboam, had ' some good thing in him towards the
Lord his God,' therefore God had a care of him to keep him from the evil
that was to come, and brought him to the grave in peace. Ay, but thou
hast no good thing towards the Lord thy God in thee, and therefore thou
hast cause to judge thyself not worthy to live, and mayest wonder that thou
wert not destroyed ere this ; and it may humble thee, for nothing lifts up
but an opinion of some goodness in one ; and, therefore, the contrary may
* Q,u. 'privative"? — Eu.

Chap. VI. J in respect of sin and punishment. 87

bring thee as low as nothing, to reckon every creature in their kind better
than thyself ; for they retain most of their native goodness which God put
into them, and are good for those ends they were at first appointed ; but thou
(to use Christ's comparison) art as salt whenas it hath lost all its savour,
and is fit for nothing but the dunghill, because, though it hath a being still,
yet it hath lost its goodness to that good end for which it was appointed.
And so thou, being at first seasoned with grace, whereby thou shouldst have
glorified God, which was the adequate end for which thou wert created,
having now lost that seasoning, art now good for nothing (though thou hast
a being in thee still), for, honum et finis convertuntur, nothing is good far-
ther than it tends to its end ; and so far as it is unfit for its end it is said
to grow naught. Now thou art by nature altogether unserviceable for God,
to glorify him ; and therefore all that is in thee is naught ; yea, and as thou
hast cause to humble thyself, and think ill of thyself for this, so also to hate
thyself; for we naturally love nothing but what is good.

Now to prove and make this good unto you.

First, Consider that one place, Rom. vii. 18, ' For I know that in me
(that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing : for to will is present with
me ; but how to perform that which is good I find not.' Says St Paul, ' In
me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing,' that is, no grace ; for the
goodness he there speaks of is a spiritual goodness, opposite to sin : ver. 17,
' Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.' And St
Paul speaks this of his unregenerate part, which he calls flesh, and though
he being regenerate, and having another / in him, as he says in the 17th verse,
which gave ground to that blessed distinction, ' In me (that is, in my flesh)
dwells no good thing,' as implying that there was something in him that was
not flesh, that had some good thing in it ; yet take a man as born into the
world, and not born again, and he is nothing but flesh : ' That which is born
of flesh is flesh,' that is, there is not that thing in him which is not flesh,
and therefore there is no good at all in him. And therefore. Job xi. 12, he
is called ' empty or hollow man,' as it is in the original, and in the margin
so noted; void and empty of all wisdom, much more of spiritual wisdom,
grace, and goodness; and this by birth, for it is said, that he is ' born as
empty of it as a wild ass's colt.' In the next words, he is a mere empty thing
in respect of any good. And answerably the apostle speaks, Rom. iii. 10-12,
* As it is written. There is none righteous, no, not one : there is none that
understandeth ; there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone
out of the way, they are together become unprofitable ; there is none that
doeth good, no, not one.' There is none righteous, none that hath the least
spark or part of righteousness or true wisdom; for, ver. 18, he says, ' The
fear of God is not before their eyes,' which yet you know is the 'beginning
and first step to wisdom, Prov. i. 7, that is, to grace and righteousness.
And if you will see reason for it,

1. Adam lost all grace and goodness by his fall, and therefore we too, and
so our natures must needs be brought forth stripped of all. Now if Adam
did not lose all grace at his first sinning, then it must have been with him
as with a regenerate man now in the state of grace when he sins, of whom
the apostle says, ' The seed of God remains in him,' 1 John iii. 9. And if
so, then Adam needed not to have been born again, and so nor we, if any
such seed remained, which was not wholly expelled ; for to be born again is
to have the immortal seed put into us, 1 Peter i. 23, and Christ says, there-
fore we ' must be born again,' that is, by a new work of the Holy Ghost.
We must have this seed sown anew in us, because we are nothing but flesh,
which flesh hath no good in it ; and therefore it is said, the new man must

88 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

be created again, Col. iii. 10, which is renewed in knowledge after the image
wherein God created him at first, as having now in his corrupt state wholly
put it off, as was the condition of Adam after his fall ; who says of himself,
Gen. iii. 10, that he was naked, as having lost every piece of that image, and
so had no goodness to cover him, as I proved afore.

2. If Adam, then we all by nature have not the Spirit of God dwelling in
us, and then we have no gi'ace, not the least spark dwelling in us ; and so
e contra, if we had the least grace, then also we must have the Spirit dwelling
in us ; for as the sun maintains light, so the Spirit, grace ; and as, take the
sun out of the world, and all the beams of light vanish, so take the Spirit
away, and you take all grace away also, for he is the * Father of lights,' and
* God of all grace.' Now what saith the apostle ? Rom, viii. 9, ' You are not
in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you.' And
so if the Spirit of God dwelt in us by nature, then (according to the apostle's
argument; by nature we were not in the flesh ; but so we are all in the flesh,
and in the gall of bitterness, as a fish in water, even flesh itself. For being
in the flesh is used to express our natural estate, as Rom. vii. 5, ' For when
we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work
in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death.' Whilst we were in the
flesh, that is, whilst we were unregenerate in our natural condition, and
therefore during that state the Spirit of God dwells not in us. And in Jude
19, speaking of carnal men, he says, they are ' sensual and have not the
Spirit,' that is, dwelling in them; and if so, then no good thing, no grace
dwells there.

And if this be true, have you not cause to humble yourselves for this
nature of yours, as above measure sinful '? For it is not a bare negation of
grace that is in you, but an emptiness and privation, which is carentia en-
titatis dehitcE inesse, the want of a goodness which you ought to have ; for
this grace which thou wantest ought to be in thee, and that not only by the
mere law of nature, as the power of seeing ought to be in that eye that is
born destitute of it, but it ought to be there by the law of God, which re-
quires that all grace should be in thee, and that you should be filled with
grace, and abound therein, enriched with every grace, and nothing wanting.
But now in thy nature there is not any one kind of grace, nor any one
degree, no, not the least ; and therefore thou art to humble thyself, as in this
respect guilty of as many sins as there are graces and degrees of graces
wanting, for the want thereof is a sin, be it but of the least. If that servant
was condemned that did not increase the talent given him, though he brought
his master his own again, Mat. xsv. 24, how much more thou who hast lost
it all ! especially seeing every grace is so precious a talent, which God gave
man at first, and no creature else. As faith is called * precious faith,'
2 Peter i. 1, so love may be called precious love, which also he gave him as
a token of his dearest love, as his image and picture to remember him by.

Yea, and further, look how many parts and branches of graces there were
at fii-st implanted, and they are innumerable, so many sins art thou guilty
of. Now there are innumerable graces : 2 Peter i. 3, ' According as his
divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godli-
ness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.*
There is a bundle of them, all things belonging to godliness ; he speaks of
them as of many, these many, several limbs of that glorious image. And
Christ tells us, that a good man hath a ' good treasure ' in his heart. A
treasure notes out variety and abundance ; yea, look how many several
branches there are of the law affirmative, look how many several duties God
requires, so many several graces there are, for grace is but the law written

Chap. VI.] m eespect of sin and punishment. 89

in the heart. So many sins art thou to humble thyself for, in that thou
wantest all these graces through the ungodliness of thy nature.

And now as for these particular parts of it before mentioned, wherein this
emptiness consists, first, a want of strength ; secondly, ungodliness ; I will
speak something of them, though not much.

First, You see it is a want of strength to anything that is good, uoknia,
which word being taken from a dead corpse, as the word is used, 1 Cor.
XV. 43, may well befit us, in regard of this emptiness of all that is good.

For, 1, it is not only the weakness of men in a consumption or sickness,
that have some life or strength, though joined with much feebleness, for this
is said of regenerate men, Heb. xii. 12, 'Wherefore lift up the hands that
hang down, and the feeble knees.' Strengthen the hands that hang down,
as unable to stir to what is good, and the feeble knees, which is spoken of
such as were regenerate men, that had some strength, yet feebleness joined
with it. That as a man that is weak, and yet hath some life, yet through
weakness is scarce able to stir, or when he comes to raise himself, falls down
again in a swoon ; such may be the case of regenerate men, that have some
lite, as being indeed more than flesh, as was the case of St Paul, Rom.
vii. 18, ' To will is present with me ; but how to perform I know not,' not
having strength wherewithal, for ' in my flesh dwells no good thing,' that is,
no strength to do any good.

Neither, 2, is it only as the weakness of a man out of joint, all his bones
being displaced, though this also is most true : for, Gal. vi. 1, when a man
ialls into sin, set him in joint again, says the apostle, xocra^-l^iTs, for that
fall breaks all, and so weakens a man for whatever is good.

But, 3, it is as the weakness of a dead man, for so the word aGkviia is
used, 1 Cor. xv. 43, and so we are said to be dead in sins, Eph. ii. 1, not
having the least principle of life to stir to what is good.*

Yea, 4, it is not only a want of an active principle to stir, but also a want
of a passive fitness, an unwieldiness and unfitness to be used or employed.
So it is with a dead man, and so with us ; therefore it is said of us, 2 Cor.
iii. 5, ' Not that we are sulficient, oux 'iTtavol sa/xiv, of ourselves to think any
thing as of ourselves ; but our sufiiciency is of God.' Ujjapt, unfit for to
think anything, it is not only a want of sufficiency, as if we had strength,
but only so weak as it were not sufficient ; but, further, it is inidonietas,
inaptitudo (as Beza reads it), an unwieldiness to it. Therefore we are said
not to be meet vessels till this corruption is purged out, for God's use, to
be employed for him : 2 Tim. ii. 21, ' If a man therefore purge himself from
these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's
use, and prepared unto every good work.' And in Ps. xiv. 3, and E,om.
iii. 12, we are said to become unprofitable, rty^^tt(J)&7i6a.v, unfit for use ; and
in the Hebrew of the psalm it is, spumce instar putruerunt, as Beza observes,
become even as putrefied froth. Froth in itself is unfit for anything, much
more putrefied froth, which until sweetened can be put to no use. Or, as
the prophet compares us, Ezek. xv. 3, 4, we are hke the wood of a vine
which you cannot make a pin of to hang anything on, so nor of our nature,
but we are ' reprobate to every good work : ' Titus i. 16, ' They profess
that they know God ; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.' And this the word
dadiviia plainly imports.

Secondly, A second and further degree of emptiness of good is, that our
natures are ungodly. As the other notes out an impotency and weakness to

* See bis exposition on Eph, ii. 1, in vol. i. of bis works, [Vol. II. of this
Edition — En.]

90 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

any good in general, agreeable to any part of the law, this more particularly
aa unability and averseness of mind to sanctify God (for whom and by
whom are all things), either in our hearts or lives; so that suppose we have
strength to do any good things, tending to the good of ourselves and others,
to be good subjects and good commonwealth's men ; suppose we had strength
and heart to all duties of righteousness to men and ourselves, and do them
as exactly as ever Adam should have done, and should give our bodies to be
burnt for the common good (as some of the heathen Romans sacrificed their
lives for the good of their country) ; yet, as St Paul says of wanting charity,
' it is nothing,' so may I say, we still being without godliness, may truly be
said to be empty of all good, and all this to be nothing. For as God him-
self is said by way of eminency to be only good, — ' There is none good but
God,' Mat, xix. 17, (for no creature is good olherwise than as it hath a derived
goodness from him), — so indeed nothing in man can be said to be good, un-
less it ariseth from a principle of godliness in us, which springs from God,
and tends to him again. Therefore is that distinction made, 1 Kings,
xiv. 13, ' And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him ; for he only of
Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good
thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.' Abijah is
said to have ' some good thing in him ; ' but how ? ' Towards the Lord his
God.' And oppositely it is expressed of Israel, Hosea x. 1, 'Israel is an
empty vine, he bringelh forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude
of his fruit he hath increased the altars ; according to the goodness of his
land they have made goodly images.' Israel is said to be an empty vine,
whenas yet in the next words it is said to have brought forth fruit to itself;
how then empty ? Because, though it was fruitful, yet it was not fruitful to
God, as those are who are united to Christ: Rom. vii. 4, 'Wherefore, my
brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ ; that
ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead,
that we should bring forth fruit unto God.' So let what goodness soever be
in thee, either of ingenuousness of nature, or parts of wisdom or moral
virtues, as Hosea vi. 4, hypocritical Ephraim is said to have goodness in
him, as empty ears of corn on the house-tops are called corn, yet if godli-
ness be wanting, which is as the kernel in the husk, a man is empty of
goodness still; and the reason is, because finis et bonum convertuntur, all
things that tend to any end receive goodness fi'om their end they tend to.
Now God was the immediate adequate end for which our nature was made,
viz. to sanctify him ; and therefore if that be wanting in thy nature which
should carry thee on to him as the end, then all thy nature ceaseth to be
good, notwithstanding that any other goodness, serving for other subordinate
ends, may seem to be in it.

Now I Will but in brief explain to you what this ungodliness is, which I
will do,

First of all, in the general.

Secondly, In the particulars.

I. In general. It is a want and emptiness of those dispositions and
abilities in our natures, whereby once we were enabled and inclined to
sanctify God as God.

1. I call it a want of that which once we had, for otherwise we could no
more be called ungodly, than the stones can be termed blind. And there-
fore at the first God planted in our natures such dispositions, whereby we
were inclined thus to sanctify him, which he planted in no creature else
except the angels. But as in the body, to the other members it is necessary
there should be an eye to behold things without itself ; so besides, among

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment.- 91

the rest of the creatures it was requisite that there should be some made,
that might behold God in all his works, aud sanctify him in all, which men
and angels were made to do. Therefore I express what this ungodliness is
a want of, namely, to sanctify God as God ; for so, Horn. i. 21, ♦ Because
that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful,' &c. It is expressed, ' they worshipped him not as God ;' for
as if we do not fear, reverence, and honour a king as a king, we dis-
honour him ; so if we do not so sanctify God as we ought to do, we do it
not at all. Now, then, God is sanctified as God when ho is known and
exalted above all, in all the faculties of soul and body : Ps. xlvi. 10, ' Be
still, and know that I am God : I will be exalted in the earth ; ' that is,
conceive aud apprehend of me as I am in myself, with such thoughts as are
lit to be had of my greatness, holiness, majesty, &c., and accordingly exalt
me above all, set me up above all things in your desires, fears, loves, and
rejoicings, and as a commander of all, as your chiefest good and chiefest
end. When you do so, then you sanctify him as God.

Now because the mind and heart of man is no way able, nay, utterly unwill-
ing to do this, therefore we are by nature ungodly persons, without religion,
and therefore also without God in this world : Eph. ii. 12, ' That at that
time ye were without Christ, being aUens from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without
God in the world.' As a blind man is said to be without the sun, because
he sees it not, or an evil servant without a master, when he is not disposed
to love, fear, or do anything in reverence to him ; so now are we so cut off
from God every way, and estranged from him, as Col. i. 20, that it is with
us as if there were no such God in the world, and it is thus with us as to
every faculty. So the apostle Paul, applying that place of the psalmist to
this corruption of man's nature, Rom. iii. 11, 18, 'There is none that under-
standeth, there is none that seeketh after God. There is no fear of God before
their eyes.' He says, there is none of them who either understands God,
or seeks after him, or fears him; neither, first, are their understandings
capable of such sanctified thoughts as are to be had of him ; neither,
secondly, are their wills capable of being moved to set the man a-work to
seek after him ; neither, thirdly, will his affections be stirred with sanctified
fear, or love, or joys in him ; for if any affection was apt to stir, it would
be fear. Now, he says, that the fear of him is not before their eyes ; so as
all faculties are empty of this ability to sanctify God at all as God, till God
by his exceeding precious promises iu Christ makes us again partakers of a
divine and God-like nature, 2 Peter i. 4, and by a new covenant makes us
new hearts to be able to know him, Jer. xxxi. 33, 34, and xxiv. 7, and puts
his fear into our hearts, Jer. xxxii. 40, for by nature there is none of these
there, but we are lumps of all ungodliness, and every faculty, we see, is
empty of all good.

II. And for particulars, it were infinite to go over all the ungodliness in
the nature of man.

1. For the speculative judgment and understanding is so far corrupted
and darkened as it would of itself, if left to itsell, think there is no God: Ps.
xiv. 1, ' The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.' Fools, not idiots,
but all unregenerate men (for he speaks there of the universal corruption of
man's nature), having sayings in their hearts, there is no God. And if
such thoughts be dispelled by light put into corrupt nature, as Rom.
i. 19, 20, by God himself manifested out of the creatures, his eternal power
and Godhead, yet by nature they are but as men groping in the dark. Acts
xvii. 27, and the wisest of them confessed but an unknown God, ver. 23 ;

92 AN UNBEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

and though men have this glimmering light, yet they became vain in their
imaginations, Rom. i. 21. If not thinking him, as the Gentiles did there.
Acts xvii. 29, like the creatures, yet their hearts are filled with under-con-
ceits of him, they know him not as God, limiting his power, as they did,
Ps. Ixxviii. 41, ' Yea, they turned back, and tempted God, and limited the
Holy One of Israel.' How did they limit God ? Why, by lessening his
power: ver. 19, ' Yea, they spake against God : they said, Can God furnish us
a table in the wilderness ? ' And though they saw he smote the rock, ver. 20,
yet ' can he give bread also ? ' thought they. Unregenerate men secretly deny
God's providence : Hosea ii. 8, ' For she did not know that I gave her corn,
and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold,' &c. Unregenerate
men are not able to see that it is God who is the great householder of the
world, that layeth in all the provision which the earth bears : or else they
deny his omniscience, saying, as they in Job xxii. 13, 14, • Thou sayest.
How can God know ? can he judge through the dark cloud ? He walks in
the circuit of the heavens,' &c.

And if these conceits be dispelled in the speculative part, as in us that
know the word, yet unregenerate men knowing God notionally, sanctify him
not in their thoughts, according to their knowledge, for they think not of
him daily : Ps. x. 4, ' God is not all in their thoughts.' Men spend the
dearest of their thoughts on honours, pleasures, riches, but God is not
found amongst all their thoughts ; and though they can I'emember and think
of everj' toy and trifle that belongs to them, — ' Can a woman forget her
ornaments,' as things she cannot be without ? ' but my people have forgot
me days without number,' Jer. ii. 32, — yea, and if the thoughts of God will
needs come in and thrust themselves upon them, yet the thoughts of him
are but, as Ahab spoke to Elijah, 1 Kings xxi. 20, ' Hast thou found me, 0
mine enemy ? ' So they wish they could forget God, because he damps
their mirth. Rom. i. 28, they like not to retain God in their knowledge ;
or they say (as it is in Job), ' Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge
of thy ways,' Job xxi. 14.

2. For their practical judgments, those whereby their lives are guided
and steered, it is most certain, that however they profess they know him,
yet they deny him, Titus i. 16. Deny him they do in their works, and there-
fore first in their practical judgments, which is the court where all acts are
first passed ere they come forth to action ; and so those that can discourse
of God and all his attributes, are yet utterly ignorant of him : Jer. ii. 8,
'They that handle the law' (open it and expound it, and God in it),
yet ' knew me not.' There are certain fixed principles which the whole man
is guided by, contrary to what else he knows of God ; and there are sayinga
in the heart, that there is no such God as the word describes him to be.
Thus in Ps. x., what is the reason that is there given whj'^ a wicked man
doth persecute the poor ? ver. 2 ; curseth and deceives, speaks lies, ver. 7 ;
and secretly lies in wait to murder the innocent, ver. 8, 9. Why, ver. 11,
' He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten, he will never see it.' And
would men else commit sins in secret, which they dare not do before men,
if they had not this principle as most certain in their hearts ? And so in
Ps. 1., the hypocrite who knew God well enough in his speculative under-
standing, ver. 16, yet, ver. 18-20, is full of theft, adultery, evil speaking
and slander ; and what is the reason ? ' Thou thoughtest I was a God like
thee,' that would approve of thy ways and courses, and as one who delights
in the same ways himself. They imagined God like themselves, and by
this principle they walk from day to day, and think their estates to be as
good as the best ; and this is the reason why men are secure and careless,

Chap. VI.] in rkspect of sin and punishment. 93

and settled upon the lees of all kind of sins, and grow old in them : Zeph.
i. 12, ' They are settled on lees ; and say in their hearts, God will neither
do good nor evil.' Though indeed men speak not this, nor profess this, yea,
know the contrary, yet this is the rule they go by, and therefore men grow
old in sin, secure and fearless.

And in their wills and aflections they are utterly taken off from him ;
seek him the}'^ will not, to inquire for him, Zeph. i. 6, much less draw nigh
to him, as unto their chiefest good : Zeph. iii. 2, ' She drew not near to
her God,' but can be content to live estranged from him from the womb,
Ps. Iviii. 3 ; and go a whoring from him, Ps. Ixxiii. 27 ; after their lovers,
and after them thej'' will go, Hosea ii. 5 ; loving of pleasures, even every
vanity, rather than God, 2 Tim. iii. 4 ; forsaking God, Jer. ii. ; though a
spring, and that of living waters, that offers itself as a spring, and is per-
petual ; and they are so averse from God, as they will rather dig for water,
for muddy water, and that in broken cisterns, than come to this spring,
contemning all the goodness that is in him, and having empty pleasures in
this life to live upon, as it is in Job xxi., spending their days in wealth. Sec,
ver. 13. They say to God, * Depart from us ' (we are well enough), ver. 14 ;
'We desire not the knowledge of thee or 'thy ways,' whereby we may
come to enjoy thee, ver. 14 ; for ' what is the Almighty,' what excellency or
goodness is there in him, ' that we should serve him ? ' that is, what worth
is there in God that might allure us to serve him, and what advantage would
it be to us if we should pray to him ? What good is got by our acquaintance
and fellowship with him ? And as they contemn his goodness, so also his
greatness and power ; and as they care not for his friendship, so neither for
his hatred and all he can do unto them. Therefore, Ps. x. 13, they are
said to contemn God; and Ps. xxxvi. 1, their daring to offend him shews
as much, proclaims to all the world, that ' there is no fear of God before
their eyes.' They say so in their heart, saith David, ' there is no fear of
God before their eyes;' and I cannot but judge so, saith he, for the thing
speaks it. When men dare swear and be drunk, lie, whore, and break Sab-
baths, contemn the saints, and do thus from day to day, it speaks in all un-
godly men's hearts that there is no fear of God before their eyes. They fear
not to offend him to his face, when their consciences tell them he looks on.
Thus they are said to sin to God's face. Gen. xiii. 13 ; they sinned before
Jehovah, as it were before the presence of a judge, yea, hardening them-
selves against his fear ; and if they may be brought to fear or seek him (as
out of self-love they may), yet it is not for himself: Hosea vii. 16, they
' return, but not to the Most High.' Fear his goodness they do not, and for
himself they do not seek him, as godly men are said to do; and if they do
draw nigh to him, yet it is out of flattery : Ps. Ixxviii. 34. ' When he slew
some of them, then they sought him,' ver. 36, but they did but flatter him.
They seek not his friendship for itself ; ver. 87, ' their hearts were not right
with him ; ' so as, though ' they draw nigh with their lips, yet their hearts
are far from him,' Isa. xxix. 13. It is not out of a delight in his goodness
and holiness, so as to take him to be their portion : Job xxvii. 10, ' Will
the hypocrite delight himself in the Almighty?' And though men may
seem to delight, as Isa. Iviii. 2, ' they take delight in approaching to God,'
out of a carnal sweetness they find in his mercy, &c., yet it is no such de-
light in God, as considered in his holiness and purity, and therefore they
continue not to do so long. ' Will he pray always ? ' saith Job. And why
not always ? Because he delights not in God, Job xxvii. 10. And for doing
him any service, first, they cannot if they would : Rom. vii. 8, ' They that
are in the flesh cannot please God.' Serve him they may with a form of

94 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

godliness, but not in the life and power of it : Josh. xxiv. 19, they thought
they could, but Joshua tells them they could not ; for he is a holy God,
whom nothing but holy and spiritual service, out of a pure heart and single
eye, will content. Jer. iv. 21, But these are wise to do evil, but to do
good know not how to go about it: if they could, yet they would not, for
they have no hearts for anything but for sin : Jer. xxii. 17, ' But thine eyes
and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent
blood, and for oppression, and for violence to do it.' And though in some
fit they take up resolutions to serve God, as in Deut. v. 29, yet even then
God doth complain they want hearts to set seriously to it, and therefore are
soon weary. Amos viii. 5, ' When will the Sabbath be gone,' or prayer be
over ? They will not always pray, Job xxvii. 10. And take them out of
their fits, and they desire not to hear of their duties, or to come nigh any
ordinance wherein God is manifested, as in Job xxi. 14, ' We desire not the
knowledge of thy ways.'

CHAPTER VII.

The ohjections ansicered icJdch are made agamst the doctrine : 1. That those
excellent qualities and endovmients of mind ivhich are in men unre{ienerate
evidence that their natures are not destitute of all good. 2. That there are
in the natural conscience of men principles of good directing theyn, and in
their ivills some inclining dispositions to what the law of God commands, and
therefore that man's nature is not utterly empty of all goodness^i — In answer
to the first, that though there is a natural goodness in such endowments,
yet heing seated in the corrupt nature of man, they are tainted and infected by
it, uhich spoils all that goodness which otheruise is in them. — In answer to the
second objection, that the light <f natural conscience hath not the same real
goodness as the laiv hath, hut is only a picture and sJiadoiv of it ; that those
principles of morality and honesty in the conscience do not result from nature,
hit are owing to a higher cause ; that God, for the preserving of order in the
tvorld, hath instilled them into man ; and that this is a common benefit of
his mediation.

We have seen how full of ungodliness the heart and nature of man is.
Now against this truth there is much objected, how that much good may be
found mingled with the natures of men unregenerate. I will ascend in the
objection by degrees.

Ohj. 1. Not only many excellent abilities and endowments of mind con-
cerning things natural and political (which I will not much insist on, yet
mention), such was the wisdom of Ahithopel, whose counsel in matters of
state was as the oracle of God, 2 Sam. xvi. 23. Such is still in manual
trades, whereof wicked men have been inventors, as Cain and Tubal-Cain,
the first inventors of tillage and working in brass, &c.. Gen. iv. 22. All
which being gifts from God, for he teacheth men direction to till the
ground, Isa. xxviii. 26, 28. They plough (as I may allude to it) with his
heifer, and his spirit fills men with wisdom to work on brass, which was
Tubal-Cain's invention ; and he gives wisdom to statesmen to rule mon-
archies and kingdoms, 1 Kings iii. from 9 to 13. All these, I say, being
gifts from him, must needs be granted to be good : ' Every good and per-
fect gift comes from above,' James i. 17. These, therefore, are good, and
yet they have place in wicked men's hearts.

(^HAP. "VTL] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 95

Ayia. But the answer to this is easy, and therefore I will not insist on it,
namely :

1. That indeed these are good thinf^s, and are therefore ornaments to corrupt
nature; but yet they are good only, but as every creature is said to be good,
1 Tim. iv. 4, with anatural created goodness, butwhichreacheth no higher. Now
many such good things we grant to be in men, though devils by nature, as the
substance and faculties of their souls ; and so these good endowments which
are superinducted and infused by the Spirit of God for the good of men,
whilst these live in societies together, without these several endowments the
world could not stand, nor a city be inhabited. But when it is said there is
no good in the nature of man, such a goodness is meant as, in Rom. vii. 12,
is attributed to the law, which is there said to be 'just, holy, and good ;' so
that a spiritual holy goodness is denied to be in man's nature, such as might
make us acceptable to God. We deny not but there is much natural
created goodness, such as is in other creatures, which yet God hath no pleasure
in, when they are not found in the way of righteousness, that is, joined with
holiness and righteousness. * He hath no pleasure in man's legs,' Ps.
cxlvii. 10, that is, by a synecdoche, in no outward enjoyment of body or
mind ; they are all but as gold rings in a swine's snout, as Solomon speaks of
the beanty of the body without grace, Prov. xi. 22. So these beauties of
the mind are but as pearls in a toad's head, and so lose their excellency, or
are but as flowers stuck on a dead corpse.

2. So as though in themselves these endowments have this natural good-
ness in abstracto, or abstractedly considered, as they are in their own nature,
yet take them in concrete, as they are seated in a corrupt mind, they are
unclean and abominable things in the sight of God. For why ? All these
gifts are poisoned and infected, yea, and make the source of sin the greater,
and to work the more strongly. As wine when it is poisoned, though the
wine be good, yea, and good against poison, yet when poison is in it, it adds
strength to the poison, and makes it work more violently and speedily ; so
all wisdom and good gifts that are in them make them the more wicked.
The wisdom of the flesh is ' enmity against God,' Rom. viii. 7. God there-
fore looks upon all these as things that make his enemies stronger against
him ; and therefore you that are scholars, and have good gifts, natural and
acquisite, yet you wanting grace, these make you so much more abominable
in God's eyes. God looks upon you as stronger enemies, and so you will
prove ; as Agur says of himself, having gifts in him, Prov. xxx. 2, that he
was by nature ' more brutish than any man,' than others that had not so
large parts. The finest, freshest tempers are aptest to take the plague or
small-pox, and be fullest of boils and sores when these diseases doth take
them, and the purest clothes take gi-eatest and deepest stains ; so the finest
and most acute wits are capable of the fullest* and greatest sins. Do not
then think that God will spare thee for them ; thou thinkest it pity so fine,
so green a wit, having such workmanship bestowed upon it, should be
burned ; nay, but thy green wit makes the fire the hotter.

Ohj. 2. But yet the objection which in this point presseth us most is,
that in man's nature there are not only such things as these which are natu-
rally good, but which seem to participate of a higher kind of goodness, even
a conformity in some measure to the law ; and such a kind of goodness is
found both in men's minds and wills.

Ans. 1. In the mind and conscience there are principles and seeds of
divine light and of the truth of the law sown, which have the same efl'ects
in them that the law hath : Rom. ii. 14, ' The Gentiles do by nature the
* Qu. ' foulest ' ?— Ed.

93 AN UNREGENEFvATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOBE GOD, [BoOK II.

things of the law, and shew the eifect (or work) of the law written in their
hearts.' For doth the law condemn sin ? So doth this light, and fights
against it. Doth the law take part with what is good ? So doth this also,
and cannot be bribed or hired to do otherwise ; so that eadem prastat officia,
this li,t(ht hath the same efiects in the heart which the law hath, as appears
from Rom. i. 18, ' For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteous-
ness.' It is called truth, and that such as OTp])Oseth. unrighteousness, and
therefore men imprison it ; and it is not a principle of natural truth only,
whereby we know the works of God, but such as whereby we know the
divine truth, and many parts of the will of God, and therefore it must needs
be good ; for verum et bonuni, truth and goodness, are twins. What is true is
good ; yea, and look what kind of truth anything hath in it, such a kind of
goodness. Now this being more than natural truth, must needs have more
than natural goodness in it ; having the truth of the law in it, it must needs
have the goodness of the law, and so be holy as the law is, and just and good.
2. There is in every man some part of this truth ; it is in all more or less,
both in good and bad ; for the wrath of God is said to be revealved against
all men for detaining this truth. The Gentiles had it written in their hearts,
Rom. ii. 14, and therefore some holy thing is in the nature of man. Yea, 3,
as it should seem by nature also ; for he says, ' the Gentiles do by nature
the things of the law,' &c. And Jude 10, speaking of ungodly men that sin
against their light grossly, he says, they ' corrupt themselves in things they
know naturally ; ' that is, commit such foul sins (for that is to corrupt them-
selves, Deut. xiv. 15, 25) as are against the natural knowledge of their
minds. And doth not nature teach you the contrary ? says Paul, 1 Cor.
xi. 14. Yea, 4, this abides there, dwells there, for it is written in their
heart; so as Augustine* saith, Non ipsa iniquitas delet, sin razeth it not out.

2. Answerable to these sparks of truth in the mind, there are also inclina-
tions, dispositions, stamps, and impressions upon the will to some good,
conformable to the law, that same h(pvla, bona indoles, the philosophers
observe and'speak so much of, those good dispositions, of ingenuity, modesty,
love to those that love them, as Christ says of the Gentiles, Luke vi. 32, the
characters of which appearing in the young man, made Christ love him,
Mark x. 21 ; and these are indeed not transient, but habitual dispositions,
as was of justice in Cato, of whom it is said, Cum recte fecerit, aliter facere
non j)otuit ; and therefore continency, as a common thing to good and evil
men, is called a gift, 1 Cor. vii. 7.

This seems to be a great difficulty, for much of this is true which hath
been spoken ; it requires therefore a large digression to give answer there-
unto, for which we will consider and inquire into these four things concern-
ing this light of conscience and moral virtues.

I. What kind of goodness is in their true and proper nature, abstractly
considered.

II. Their original and spring, whence they came to be in man's nature,
whether as the endowments of nature, so as they may justly be called ours.

III. Their manner of inhering in man's nature, how entertained therein ;
for qnicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modiun recipientis.

IV. Tlieir manner of working therein, whether their acts be properly and
truly good.

All which will clear the point, that there is no such good dwelling there
as seems to be objected.

I. Take this light at its best, abstractedly considered in its own true,
* Lib. ii. Confess.

Chap. VII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 97

naked, real, abstracted nature and essence ; and though I acknowledge it a
creature of God's, and therefore good with a natural kind of goodness, yet I
deny it to be good with that kind of goodness which the law hath in it, Bom.
vii. 12, whatsoever hath been said to the contrary notwithstanding.

To examine which, let us have recourse to the places alleged. We shall
find, and it is observable to this purpose, that the apostle calls not this
light, Rom. ii. 15, ' the law written in the heart,' but only ro t^yov toD v6/moj
y^azrov, ' the written work of the law ; ' that is, something which produceth
many effects, which the law also hath, but yet it is not of the same nature
•with the law, for it is proper only to the works of regeneration to have the
law written in the heart ; that is, such a Hght and disposition which hath
the same holy and spiritual nature that the law hath, as grace in a godly
man's heart is said to have ; therefore, Jer. xxxi. 33, ' But this shall be the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel : After those days, eaith
the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their
hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.' Thus to 'write
the law in the heart,' is said to be from the new covenant, &c. To illustrate
this by a similitude (which, though it doth not omnibus quad rare, as none
do, yet will explain the thing), we see that in some beasts that are sagaciores,
of quicker fancies, there are some things more than sense, which are umbrce
rationis, as we use to call them, as in elephants, &c. Yea, also, quondam
umbra of some virtues, as of chastity, &c., both which are so called, be-
cause by virtue of these they do many works of reason and above sense ;
that is, the same things which reason in men produceth ; yet these shew not
a true principle of reason written there, but only rd sf/a, the works of rea-
son ; that is, some effects answering to it. So in men's unregenerate minds
there is extant also umbra legis, a shining and glimmering of the law, a light
that is the image of it, as lumen est litcis, as splendour is of light, or which
rather we may call the picture of it (the true real light of which is only
written in the regenerate), whereby they do rd rou vofMv, things of the law,
that is, some things about the law, or which the law commands, the out-
wards of it ; or as Beza hath it, eadem officia prcestat, qua legis sunt facit :
as it forbids sin, so doth this light ; as it condemneth for sin, so also doth
this light condemn them for sinning.

Now, to prove that this light that is thus in them is but as it were a
shadow or picture of the law, and therefore not of the same nature with the
law, that word used, Rom. ii, 20, is observable : ' An instructor of the
foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the
truth in the law.' Speaking of the light of the law in a learned Jew, being
unregenerate, he says he hath ,w6p<pojsiv, a form of knowledge, and of the
truth of the law, which, as it signifies the system of the law in his brain, or
the object of his knowledge, so also doth withal intimate the slightness of
his knowledge for the kind of it, that it is but a form, a picture, an idea of
it, and this he speaks of in comparison to the real thing itself and power of
it ; for so in 2 Tim. iii. 5. the word f/^o^ipajsig is used, and this so in respect
of those answerable tinctures and impressions of piety and virtue which in
the objection are said to be in the will. * Having a form of godliness,' says
the apostle, ' but denying the power of it,' that is, the thing itself, and the
powerful effects of it. As that goodness which is in their wills is there said
to be but a form and picture of true godliness, so in this place of Rom. ii.
20 the light in their understanding is said to be but ' a form of knowledge.'
The word is the same. Now if the light that is engendered and lighted, as
it were, immediately from the law itself, be but /iop^wrr;;, a picture of the
truth, then much more is the weak divine light of nature, that is but a weak

VOL. X. G

98 AN UNREGENEKATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

resemblance or shadow of the law. And that it is no more, and not of the
same real nature with the law, appears by the weak effects of it, for in ver.
21, 22, 23 all this knowledge did not enable them to keep the law, but they
broke it notwithstanding. But though it should be granted to do the same
things which the law doth, yet the powerful energy of it is wanting, which is
to sanctify the heart, which, when the real Ught of the law itself, the truth
itself, comes into the heart, it doth sanctify : John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them
thi'ough the truth : thy word is truth.' But here the very conscience itself
it is seated in remains (as I shall shew more fuUy afterwards) still impure :
Titus i. 15, ' Their consciences are defiled.' And this is not said of it in
part only (as if in part only it remained defiled), for it is spoken in opposi-
tion to a regenerate man, whose conscience remains defiled but in part, but
this wholly ; whereas, had it a real contrariety to sin, as grace and true
holiness hath, — Gal. v. 17, 'These are contrary,' — it could not come to
reside in man's nature till sin were in part mortified, and the conscience
purified by grace, which in an unregenerate man it is not, for both this light
and those moral dispositions are symbolical with our natural defilement, and
are compatible with it in the conscience not yet emptied of sin.

Obj. If it be objected that this light fights against sin as an enemy,
and likewise men's unrighteous natures against it, and therefore they are
contrary,

I ansuer, that it being but the picture of the law, it is contrary to sin,
representative, representatively, not essentialiter, essentially. It hath a verbal
testimonial contrariety in speaking against it, but not a real natural con-
trariety to work against it, as one contrary doth against another, so as to
expel and overcome sin, for it is but the form of truth, it wants the power
of it. And no wonder that though it be not the real law men yet hate it,
for as grace makes a man hate the appearance of sin, so sin hates this
shadow and appearance of truth and goodness ; as it is said of the panther,
that it hates a man so deadly that it seizeth and preys not only upon a man
but the picture of him. This ground thus laid, the answer to the former
objection is clear ; for whereas, Rom. i. 18, it is called truth, I expound it
by this Rom. ii. 20, that is, but as it were a form of the truth, the picture
of the truth which was in the heart of our fii-st parents. And if you ask why
hath it the same name, I answer, because that pictures used to have the
same name given them that the persons they represent have. You say, that
is the king, that the queen, speaking of their pictures, and therefore I ac-
knowledge in the same sense it is said to be truth, wherein also it is
called goodness, but being but the form of truth it is also but the form of
goodness. And so, Hos. vi. 4, the hght tinctures of good that were wrought
in Ephraim, which yet soon vanished, are called goodness : ' Thy goodness
is but as the morning cloud,' &c., yet is really but the umbra of it thus
expressed ; not but that these moral dispositions and hght of conscience are
a real thing created by God, but that, being compared with the light of a
regenerate man's mind, they are but the picture of it, as aurichaJchum is a
real metal, yet but the resemblance of gold, and so called false gold.

And whereas it was objected that it is more than simply natural truth, and
therefore hath more than a natural goodness as other creatures have ; —

I ansuer, confessing it hath, but yet still falling short of the truth and
goodness that is in the law, and pure light of conscience in a godly man ;
for as in a picture there is a double truth and goodness, the one natural in
the colours which are laid on, when they are true and good, and the other
artificial as it is a picture, which is by so much the more said to be true and
good by how much it is more like him it was made for, but yet it cannot

Chap. YII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 99

be said to have the goodness which is in the man himself, so this form of
truth hath not only a natural goodness which is in all creatures, but also a
further goodness which you may call moral, or what you please, so you do
not attribute the goodness of holiness to it, which is attributed to the law,
whereof this is but the picture. And consider withal, what things of the
law they are the resemblance of. As pictures represent but the outward
lineaments, so this but the letter of the law ; not the law itself comprehen-
sively taken, but rd tou v(iimj\j, some things about the law, outward acts, and
such light reacheth no farther. Therefore that Jew Paul speaks of he says
was partaker of the ' letter ' of the law, Rom. ii. 27, as the Gentiles only of
TO. Tov vo/xou, that is, the outward rind of the precepts of it, in what is to be
done for the matter, the corpse of it, as I may so speak, for, 2 Cor. iii. 6,
the law is said to have been to them only the ministration of the letter, and
therefore St Paul says of himself, that when he was a pharisee, Rom. vii. 6,
that he ' served God according to the oldness of the letter, not in newness
of the spirit.' Now, the letter of the law, severed from the spirit of it, can-
not be said to be holy or good in that sense the law is (tor, ver. 12, ' the
law,' says he, ' is holy, spiritual, and good '), no more than the body of a
man can be said to be living when the soul is gone, for when the perform-
ance of any duty is severed from the right end, and from right motives, to
God, it is but ' bodily exercise, not ' godliness,' 1 Tim. iv. 8, and therefore
this light not directing unto, nor expressing the spirit of the law, and not
exciting a man upon right motives, nor raising up all in man to God, it is not
so much as the picture of the holiness of the law, but only of the letter, which,
severed from the spirit is not holy, for the law is not totum homogeneum, but
heterogenenm, consisting of letter and spirit, body and soul, and therefore quic-
quid dicitur de toto, iion dicitur de quallbet 'parte, what is said of the whole to-
gether is not said apart of every part. And suppose it did express the
inwards of the law, yet still it is but the picture comparatively with the light
in a godly man, which Christ calls ''the light of life,' John viii. 12, that is,
the living real spiritual law, whereas the other is but dead and lifeless, and
can be said no more to be holy than the letters wherewith the holy and
spiritual law was wi'itten in upon the stones can have that name, which
comparison the scripture seems to allude to : Jer. xxxi. 32, 33, ' I will take
away the heart of stone ' (alluding to the stone the law was written in), * I
will write the law in your hearts, and make them hearts of flesh,' sanctified,
altered, and made spiritual and holy as the law is.

Or, suppose it be the real law, as it may seem in troubled consciences it is
by the real effects of it ; Rom. vii. 9, ' For I was alive without the law once ;
but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.' When it kills
and condemns, yet this is only the literal effects of it ; so as still these effects
may be called but literal effects, and occasional effects of it, for it is the
letter that kills ; the holy spiritual effects of it are to raise the heart up to
God, to sanctify the heart, and these this light wants, 2 Cor. iii. 6.

Therefore, to conclude, this light of conscience and those moral disposi-
tions are no more acceptable to God, or good in his sight, than a Jew in
the letter was to him, Rom. ii. 29. When the spirit in him was wanting,
his praise is of men, not of God, and therefore, as the exposition shews, was
not approved of by God. Nay, further, these appearing good dispositions,,
in regard of the persons they are in, may be said to be abominable : Prov.
xxi. 27, ' The sacrifice of the wicked ' (because a wicked man) ' is abomin-
able,' much more * when he brings it with an evil heart.'

Use. These truths, though they seem but notions, yet they much serve
and tend to practice ; for do not these acts of enlightened and natural con-

100 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

science deceive many therefore to think they have grace ? Many, because
they have been troubled for sin, therefore conceive their estate good, or
because conscience checks and fights against sin, so as the light which God
sets up as a candle to ' search the chambers of the belly,' Prov. xx. 27, to
find out their sinfulness, occasionally deceives them ; but let them consider
that this argues no holiness or sanctification, for you see it falls short of it.

But especially men do think their estates good, if they follow their con-
science in anything that is right ; but consider that we may do so, and yet
not be holy men ; for the sampler cannot be better than the copy; no man's
actions are better than his light which is the rule of them ; they may be,
and are, worse. The light itself you see is not holy, suppose your actions
were framed exactly to it, as some think St Paul's were, by that speech.
Acts sxiii., yet as he did sin in all he did, for all he kept to the rules of his
conscience, yea, he says, he was the greatest of sinners ; so may you be.
Therefore content not yourselves with that light, and practice answerable,
as civil men do, but get the light of life, the law written in the heart, and to
be transformed in your minds, to prove what is the acceptable will of God ;
get the newness of the spirit, that you may serve God, who is a Spirit, in
spirit and truth.

And for those shows of moral virtues, consider, you may be garnished
with them, and swept by the light of conscience from gross sins, and yet
remain empty of grace ; as it is said in the parable, Mat. xii. 44. And
therefore many that trusted in them are in the end given up to gross sins,
and then all these washy, slight virtues, not being rooted in the heart by the
the Spirit of sanctification, are washed off; for, Luke viii. 18, it is said,
* From him shall be taken away that which he seemed to have.'

II. Having discovered that this light of natural conscience falls short of
true holiness in the nature and kind of it, let us, in the second place, inquire
into the tenor of its conveyance to us, whether as a legacy bequeathed by
nature, or as a mere endowment bestowed from some other good hand,
pitying our poverty and nakedness. And herein that the mind, and the
faculty in which this light is received, is a natural faculty, and an appurte-
nance of nature, must not be denied ; but yet whether this light itself be in
man as an appurtenance that goes by the tenor of nature, with our natures,
as the faculty of the soul, and corruption or flesh now doth, is questioned
by some ; yea, and they are denied to be so much as the ruins of the former
image left unextinguished by Adam's sin, so to be derived to us by birth,
and the right thereof, and it may be some more than probable demonstra-
tion of it.

First, That the experience both of the partiality of this light in all, and
the unequal division and distribution of it to Adam's posterity, may seem
to give in some evidence to this, that it is not of nature's inheritance, but
moveable, and so lost, and restored again by a new gift.

For if it was left as relics of the former image to be derived to us, as unex-
tinguished by Adam's sin,

1, What reason can be given why there should be left a light to see some
kind of sins to be sins, rather than to discern others, which are as gross ?
Jude 10, it is said of evil men, that ' they speak evil of things they know not ;'
and ' in what they know naturally, they corrupt themselves,' which implies
they know but some things naturally, and others not. Now there can be no
reason given why Adam's sin extinguished light concerning some sins, but
the same reason may as strongly be urged, that it is of itself a ruined and
razed out light concerning all sins, if, de novo, it was not some way repaired.

2. Why are these sparks of light so unequally shared and parted if they

Chap. YII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 101

had been left in Adam's soul to have been derived to us ? Some of the
heathens had more, as Socrates, some less ; some are in a manner as brute
beasts, others have more noble and elevated minds. Other gifts of know-
ledge and understanding in the mind, being personal, may therefore come
to be unequally distributed ; but this light, if it was natural, and left as the
ruins of the former image, it would surely be much more alike in all than
we see it is ; for Adam begat in his own image, that is, of what was left in
him, Gen. v. 3.

Second! I/, The Scriptures may further incline us thus to think, as that place

(1.) In the 3d of John, ' That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; ' that is,
all that is derived to man by virtue of his birth is possessed and filled with
nothing but flesh and corruption, both substance and faculties ; so that if
those sparks of literal light (as I choose with the Scriptures to call it) be
more than flesh, as is objected, and will easily be granted, then I atfirm that
they are not derived, as raked up in the ashes of our nature, and so by birth,
but struck in by some external hand, which fetches this fire from heaven, as
of old the poets feigned, which discovers the nakedness of our grandmother
Eve's nature, and grandfather Adam's, to the full and utmost ; so that now
take the faculties of the soul, with their bare birthright-dowry only, and
there is not only no good thing that is holy, but not so much as these
shadows of what is good derived to us as native indwellers ; but as nature
brings us forth naked in our bodies, and covered all over with menstruous
blood, so (as the allusion is in Ezek. xvi. 5) also in our souls it would not have
left so much as those fig-tree leaves, either of literal light or moral virtues, to
cover us withal : ' That which is born of the flesh is flesh.'

(2.) That phrase, Rom. ii. 14, proves the same thing, where this light is
said to be written in men's hearts, for writing is opus artijicis, non naturce, a
work of art, not of nature. These characters are written, not bom with us ;
we by nature have but ahrasas tabulas, tables in which everything is razed
out ; it is the new work of some second hand hath took the pains to write
them there ; and therefore the Syriac calleth conscience tira, from a word
that signifies fonnavit, plmvit, hath formed or drawn anything in picture,
because it is the table on which these principles are written.

And if the question be. By what means this light should come to be de
novo derived unto us ?

(3.) For a third ground, let us consider that place, John i. 9, where he
says, that Christ ' enlighteneth every man that comes into the world.' To
understand which place, let us view the frame of the chapter, from ver.
1 to 15.

First, He shews what Christ is in himself and in his person.

Secondly, What he is and hath been in his dispensation towards the world.

1st, Before the fall, what he was both to all creatures, they were made by
him, ver. 3 ; especially to man, that life and light of grace which was in man
in innocency was from him, ver. 4.

2dly, What he is to men since the fall.

First, When that light in man and the image of God was extinguished and
turned into darkness, he is become the hght of the world, and shines into
that darkness which else would want all light : ver. 5, ' And the Kght shineth
in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not ; ' so as all light is now
from him, renewed and dispensed by him, which he shews more particularly,
going over all the degrees of light which now shines to men.

(1.) That common light in all mankind: ver. 9, 'He is the true light,
that lighteth every man that comes into the world.'

(2.) That especial light of the knowledge of the law and gospel, which he

102 AN UNKEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

had dispensed to his own kinsmen and countrymen the Jews, ver. 10, who
yet received him not. But then,

(3.) In those that did believe he comes with a further light than both
these : ver. 1^5-17, ' But as many as received him, to them gave he power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name : which were
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld
his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and
truth. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the
law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ ; ' yet so
as even that natural light (which I may so call in comparison of the other)
* which lighteth every man that comes into the world,' ver. 9, is also from
Christ, the second Adam, as a fruit of his mediation ; here we light all our
lights, which otherwise would be caca hmiina, but blind lights.

Now, that that speech is spoken of that common light vouchsafed to all
mankind appears,

1. That he says not only in general, that it is a light that ' enhghteneth
every man,' which is general enough, but further adds, ' which cometh into
the world ; ' that is, every man that is born into the world ; and this is in
opposition to that saving light, which only those that are bom of God receive,
ver. 13.

Then also the series of those three degrees of light afore mentioned, argues
this to be meant of common light vouchsafed to Jews and Gentiles.

2. He speaks of this light as restored by him since the fall in man's nature
corrupted ; therefore,

First, When he speaks of the light given man in innocency, he says in the
time past, ' He was the light of men;' but now of this light he speaks in the
present tense, which shines and enlighteneth.

Secondly, That in verse 5 he says this light shines in darkness, not com-
prehending or embracing it. It is evident he speaks of man's nature now as
corrupted, and not as created at first, nor as I'egenerated by grace, there being
nothing but darkness covering the deep heart of man, as once that deep. Gen.
i. 2, till Christ says, ' Let there be light,' by a new work, and as a common
print* of his mediation.

Thirdly, That this is spoken especially of that light whereby we understand
bonum et malum, good and evil, and not of that only whereby we understand
verum etfalsum, truth and falsehood (though I think it true of that also),
appears in that it is such a light as the darkness of man's sinful nature com-
prehends or receives not, but labours to avoid, as discovering their darkness
unto them (which it doth), not the knowledge of natural truths.

Fourthly, This light must either be understood of light in natural truths,
or moral, or both. If of that in natural, then I argue, If light of under-
standing to discern of other things be from Christ, then much more to descry
those which are moral ; and hence now it comes so unequally to be divided
and dispensed to men that ' come into the world,' as all common benefits of
his death are ; and yet the Scripture for all this calls it natural, as in Rom.
ii. 14. St Paul expresseth it in opposition to that other light which is vouch-
safed from the preaching of the word, which is not a privilege vouchsafed to
all, as this is to every man that comes into the world ; and therefore that
term of natural light is distinguished from the other, as being in men want-
ing the light of the word, left to mere nature, and as being the common
privilege to men, and ' every man that comes into the world.'

And of this light, brought thus de novo into the dark lanthorn of man's
* Qu. ' fruit ' •?— Ed.

Chap. VII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 103

mind, may that place be understood, Prov. xx. 27, where Solomon says, that
* the spirit that is in man is the candle of the Lord, searching the chambers
of the belly,' or the heart, — so it is in the original, — which is not meant of the
natural faculty of reason in common, for it is described by a peculiar office
of looking and searching into a man's own heart ; and therefore surely it
peculiarly means this light of conscience, whereby a man reflects upon him-
self. And the meaning seems to me to be, that whereas a man hath many
rooms or chambers in his soul, several faculties, upper and higher rooms,
understanding, will, and aflections, and all filled and taken up with some-
thing or other ; all which rooms now are in the state of corruption, Adam
having left them in the dark, and as bare walls ungarnished; so also with-
out light, though not in regard of seeing what is done within them, in ordlm
natura, that is, materially, what thoughts and desires are there (for so a
man differs from a beast, 1 Cor. ii. 12), but in regard of what is good or
evil in those thoughts and desires in ordlne moris. And thus though a man
had a reflecting faculty left, as in order to the first, yet in regard of discern-
ing the good or evil of what was done or acted in these chambers, a man
should be still in darkness, if God did not set up a candle of a seminal light,
a spirit or disposition inspirited, therefore called spirit ; as Job xxxii. 8,
' There is a spirit in man, and this is the inspiration of the Almighty which
gives understanding,' that is, quickness and abihty, which is as a candle of
the Lord's, not innate, but brought in anew, as such lights that are by a new
inspiration from the Almighty.

Fourthly, To evince that these are not the appurtenances of nature derived
by birth, let us consider the end for which this light is appointed, and brought
thus in by Christ ; and thus it may seem to be (as also moral virtues are) a
means to curb and restrain, control and rebuke, corrupt nature, and the
swelling forms of it. It is not there as a native inhabitant, but as a garrison
planted in a rebellious town by the great Governor of the world, to keep the
rebellion of the natives within compass, who else would break forth into pre-
sent confusion. In the 14th Psalm, David, speaking of the corruption of
man by nature, vers. 1-3, after this question, Whether there be not some
knowledge to discover their evil doings to them ? yes, says he, ' have they
no knowledge,' ver. 4, 'which eat up my people as bread?' Yes; and
therefore, ver. 5, ' they are often in fear,' God having placed this there to
overcome them with fear, and by that to restrain them from many outrages
against God's people, whom in their desires, and sometimes practice, they
eat up as bread. Therefore this knowledge is put in as a bridle to corrupt
nature, as a hook was put into Sennacherib's nostrils, Isa. xxxyii. 29, to rule
and tame men, and overcome them with fear. That as it is said of the horse
and the mule, Ps. xxxii. 9, David there compares our nature, for the out-
rageous fury of it, if left to itself, without this understanding as the bridle of
it: 'Be not as the horse, and mule, that have no understanding; whose
mouth,' says he, ' must be held in by bit and bridle, lest they come near
thee ;' that is, kick and fling, and hurt thee. So would man's nature, there
would be no Ho with them, no man could come near another. If they had
no knowledge, they would eat up one another, and the church, as bread :
but there is their fear, says he, that is, thence it comes to pass they are kept
in awe. God puts in knowledge and conscience as a bridle ; which, as a
bridle that curbeth a horse, is no part of the nature of it, it being to break
its nature ; so also this infused light ; only by nature we have a tender part
or faculty of mind, as a horse hath a mouth which is sensible of the guides
of this bit or light when God holds the reins hard, as sometimes he doth.

104 AN UNREGENEBATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

First, You have seen how this light of conscience, suppose it had been de-
rived by nature, yet it is not holy.

But, secondly, that it is not only not holy, but that it is not there from
nature.

III. Now, consider what inherency this light hath in the mind, or what
entertainment it hath, and you will see it cannot be said to dwell there. It
never becomes naturalised, as I may speak, in man's nature, into a subject
suitable to it; but as it is a stranger by birth, it hath a stranger's entertain-
ment, and is not admitted or incorporated into the society of man's heart ;
not enfranchised, or as a naturalised free denizen, only it crowds in there by
force of arms, and so holds residence ; for it comes thus to judge and reprove
only, and men entertain it, as the Sodomites did Lot, saying. Gen. xix. 9,
* Tliis fellow comes in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge.' Nay, the
heart of man deals more unrighteously, imprisoning it in unrighteousness,
yMTiyJi), Rom. i. 18, aflbrding it not a dwelling-house, but a prison, to be
in ; so as it dwells not there, but is imprisoned rather. The Scripture tells
us that the darkness in man receives it [not], John i. 5 ; nay, puts it away, not
willing to entertain it: 1 Tim. i. 19, ' Holding faith, and a good conscience;
which some having put away, concerning faith have made shipwreck.'
'Ac7W(Ta/i.3vo/, putting away a good conscience, so as it cannot properly be
called theirs, it being neither from nature, nor owned by or received as a
nature in their hearts ; whereas true grace and light in a godly man, though
it be not in him by nature, is made a new nature in him ; therefore he being
partaker of it, is said to be ' partaker of a divine nature,' 1 Peter i. 4,
there being such a connection between him and grace and the light of it, as
is between natural dispositions and the subject they are in. But it is not
so in an unregenerate mind, as to the light that is in it, and therefore for
all this light the conscience still remains defiled ; for as it takes away no in-
herent sinfulness, but restrains it only and curbs it, so it cannot be said to
dwell there.

IV. Suppose this light had such an admittance, and was naturalised, yet
by that inherence or admittance it hath in the subject of natural conscience
it would be defiled, for, Titus i. 15, 'Unto the impure all things are
impure, because their minds and consciences are impure.' Mark it, he
instanceth in the best part of them, their conscience, which defiles all that
come near it, as well as any faculty else, and worse, for, as in the old law,
if an unclean thing did but touch a thing, otherwise in itself clean, yet it
was defiled by it, Hag. ii. 14. So (says God) are this people, and therefore
all that belongs to them ; so now in the present case, if this light but comes
into their consciences and becomes theirs, it is polluted. And indeed nature
in other things shews as much, for, qiiicquid recipitur, recijiitur ad viodum
reciplentis. What is more pure than the hght of the sun, which shines on a
dunghill and is not defiled, because it admits of it not at all ? But if it shines
on a thing that can receive it, as on a red glass, it presently is dyed red,
the shine of it hath the tincture of the glass; so this light, either it is beaten
back by the darkness which receives it not, and then it is not theirs, or if
it be received, yet their conscience being impure, it becomes impure ; there-
fore. Mat. vi. 22, the eye of man, that is, which is in man, which gives light
to the whole and is his guide, is called evil, and darkness, that is sinful,
though mixed with some light : Mat. vi. 23, ' But if thine eye be evil, thy
whole body shall be full of darkness.'

Use 1. See then the mercy and goodness of God and Christ now to the
darkened condition of man ; consider, he lights a candle, and holds it there
in your hearts for you to see to work by, without which a man would be as

Chap. VII. ] in respect of sin and punishment. 105

a horse and mule, yea, as a wild ass, Job xi. 12, so man is bom ; which, as
it is the most stupid of creatures, empty of those shadows of reason other
creatures have, so are we of those shadows of goodness, and therefore of
ourselves we would be wild and ravenous, eating up one another, but that
God hath put a bit into our tender part, our consciences. All fierce crea-
tures have still some tender part left, without which they could not be ruled,
as a horse a mouth to put in a bit, a bear a snout to put in a ring, else none
might come near them ; so hath man a conscience. And that which shews
God aimed at the good of mankind in it appears by this, that the light of
those principles which tend most to the preservation of mankind are most
deeply impressed and set on, as against murder, for which, of all sins else,
their consciences use most to trouble them, &c., insomuch as Dionysius
Halicarnasseus says that within the walls of Rome, for 020 years, none were
found killed by a private hand ; and therefore this sin and the guilt of it
alh'ights the conscience most, because it is most against the good of mankind.

And consider, if God had not put this viceroy into the heart, what villanies
would the world be filled with ! Our case would be as the case of Israel when
they had no king — ' Everyman did what was good in his own eyes,' Judges
xvii. 6. — So, if there was not this king and viceroy, this garrison in man,
whose voice is vox Dei, every man would do what is good in his own eyes ;
but God hath put it in to tame men, and hereby cuts short even the spirit
of princes, takes ofi' their edge and fury, Ps. Isxvi. 11, by terrifying their
consciences. Hereby Herod's malice against John was restrained, for he
feared him being holy, Mark vi. 20 ; hereby God kept Abimelech from de-
filing Sarah, Gen. xx.

tlse 2. See the corruption of man's nature, that admits not, but as it were
by constraint, so much as of the light of conscience, though it be but a pic-
ture. As it is one of the utmost expressions of holiness, to * avoid the
appearance of evil,' so it is a sign of the sinfulness of man's nature to hate
the appearance of God. As the hatred of the panther is argued to be
greater because it seizeth not on a man only, which other beasts do, but it
will seize also on the image of a man, which no other beast will ; so it argues
the wildness of man's nature, that it hates not the law and grace only, which
is the image of God, but even this truth, which is but the picture of this
image.

Use 3. Is the light of conscience a work of Christ ? Then take heed how
you deal with it. It was put into you if possible to keep you from hell,
or that you might be kept from sins, and so have the less punishment ; but
it occasions the aggravation of all your sins by men abusing it. But con-
sider, that to imprison this truth in unrighteousness, what a sin it is, Rom.
i. 18, which men do when they will not sufier it to break forth into practice.
Of all Herod's sins this is made the greatest, that he put John in prison,
who preached to him to instruct him, Luke iii. 20. And so this is that
which God took so heinously at the Gentiles' hands, and for which his wrath
is therefore to be revealed against them, that they imprisoned the light of
their consciences, Rom. i. 18. And if to resist the power of a magistrate
is to resist the power of God, then to resist the conviction of conscience,
which is placed as a viceroy for the good of them that do well, and to be a
terror to the wicked, is to resist God, for the judgment of conscience is the
Lord's. And this also is to change the truth of God into a lie, for a man's
actions being the interpreter of his mind, when that truth which is within is
not discovered in our actions, we tell a lie ; and though things done errone-
ously are sins, and therefore errors and ignorances were sacrificed for in the
old law, yet if against light it is much more sin ; and yet how do men sin

106 AN UNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK II.

even against light till they be past feeling, as those in Eph. iv. 18, 19, who
lived in unnatural uncleanness, oppression, contrary to the common light of
nature, which, therefore, is made the aggravation of their sinfulness, Jude
10, to ' corrupt themselves in what they know naturally.' Therefore God
gave them up to reprobate minds, not discerning good and evil, Rom. i. 28,
and in the end they do act as brute beasts (as in that place of Jude), so that
there is not a principle to work upon by the word, and their light is taken
from them, and they are left in the dark and carried hoodwinked to hell by
the devil, as he that is in the dark knows not whither he goes. And you
that have been troubled in conscience, and know the bitterness of sin, and
yet fall to sin again, though your consciences have broke forth again upon
you as much as ever, take heed how you go on. Though at present your
consciences may be drunk and asleep, and the light imprisoned, yet know
that this light will one day break prison and rage, and as a madman that
when he is awake is more mad than when he lay down, so will your roused
conscience be more terrifying than ever.

CHAPTER VIII.

The second part of original corruption, enmity unto God, and to all that is
good. — We became enemies to God, violating all obligations which were
upon us to love and serve him. — This enmity is in our natures and hearts,
and shewn also in outward acts of hostility.

'And you, that were sometime alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked
works, yet now hath he reconciled^' — Col. I. 21.

We have seen how our natures by sin are deprived of all good. We are
now to consider the positive part of original corruption, which hath two
especial branches.

1. An averseness, contrariety, or enmity unto God, which follows upon
our aversion from him. We are not only turned from God, but turned
enemies against him.

2. An inordinate conversion from God to the creatures, and the pleasures
of sin as their chiefest good and their utmost end, which is in Scripture
expressed unto us by lusts.

So the apostle reduceth the whole to these four degrees, Rom. v., that we
are dead men, without strength, ungodly, sinners, enemies. The privative
part being despatched, this, therefore, now remains to be as the conclusion
more amply treated of, to make this first general part of this discourse entire,
and the total sum of our iniquity full.

Now, first, for explication of this enmity in man's heart and nature against
God, there is a twofold enmity found amongst men, one against another,
the like proportion unto which holds here, one directly and setly intended,
the other indirect and by way of resultancy.

1. Direct and intended, when a man's aim is to ruin or to oppose and
vex such a man. Or,

2. Indirect, when a man doth that which provoketh, or tends to diminish
from another, when yet a man hath no such direct aim against bis person, &c.,
in his thoughts that do carry him on to it. Which double kind of enmity
is exempltied by men's ofiences against states or princes set over them.

Thus, 1, those are enemies that maliciously and setly plot and contrive
treason, ruin, &c., in an hostile way.

Chap. VIII. J in respect of sin and punishment. 107

And, 2, those are enemies, too, that do contrary to the laws, to the de-
clared will of a prince or state. So with us, a felon that stealeth for his lust,
yet is to be arraigned as one that acted contrary to the king's crown and
dignity, though he should plead he never aimed at the king, or intended to
diminish aught from him, yet doing what is contrary to his law, on which
his sovereignty is stamped, he is arraigned and condemned as an enemy to
the king.

Now of that first kind of direct and set opposition against God, none are
found to be guilty but the devil, who is called the enemy, the adversary ; or
men that sin against the Holy Ghost, whose sin is direct revenge against
God, and who do despite to the Spirit of grace. But that indirect and implied
enmity is common to the nature of man, and is the subject of this discourse.
Let no man, therefore, think to shift, and say, I am an enemy to God !
God forbid ; I never in sinning aimed at hurt or injury to him, I had him
not in my thoughts ; but if there be an indirect enmity, it is charge enough
to justify the accusation. Men are executed and put to death by a state,
as well for acts against law, which do involve the honour of the prince, as
for acts of open or secret hostility. So as men are children or servants of
the devil, either, 1, directly, that give up their souls to him, as witches ; or,
2, that do his work, though their aim is not to serve him as their father ;
and yet because they do his lusts, Christ termed them such : John viii. 44,
' Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.'

Now I lay this for a fundamental maxim all along this discourse, that all
that are not for God, or are against that which his law and will is for, &c.,
are enemies, and justly so accounted. God is so great, so sovereign, that
if thou pleasest him not, he accounts thee an enemy ; if thou beest not sub-
ject to him, thou art a rebel. As kings, yea, favourites, thinking theni-
selves so great, that if any be not wholly theirs, if any way not for them, if
any man veils not, stoops not, their spirits rise against them as enemies, as
Haman's did against Mordecai, Esther iii. 6 ; and so, in like manner, ' Art
thou not king ?' says Jezebel to Ahab, 1 Kings xxvii. 7, and therefore
judged it an affront to him to be denied anything. In like manner. Am I
not God ? says the Lord. K there be any averseness of spirit shewn to
kings, it is interpreted enmity, because their greatness expects all should
serve and be subject to them. Now the greatness of God is such, as it ne-
cessarily and justly draws this on with it. Hence the carnal mind is said
to be enmity against God : Rom. viii. 7, 8, * Because the carnal mind is
enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.' So that
not to please God, not to be subject to his law, to be any way strange or
averse to him, nay, not to be for him, is enmity ; yea, and enmity against
him. Thus Christ says, ' He that is not with me is against me.' And,
Rom. i., those that ' glorified God not as God,' ver. 21, are termed ' haters
of God,' ver. 25.

This being premised, I come to [open the particulars of this enmity of
ours to God.

First, In the degrees of it. I shall need to seek no further than the
words of this text in the Epistle to the Colossians, (it being fuller to this
purpose than any other scripture I meet withal), as noting out unto us three
degrees and grounds of this enmity, wherein it consists ; in that, 1 ,
estranged ; 2, enemies in minds ; 3, in evil works. For whereas there are
three, and but three, grounds of all friendship among men ; when, 1, there
are certain mutual ties and bonds of relations, by which two are obliged and
tied together in friendship, as husband and wife, father and child, &c. ; or,

108 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

2, there is likeness of mind, which is indeed the soul and life of all true
friendship, for all friendship is grounded on likeness {simile (jaudet simili).
S. The third ground of friendship is mutual expressions and manifestations of
that good will and agreement of minds, by kind offices of friendship, without
which no friendship can long endure, but dies and goes out, as fire without
fuel to feed it. Now all these three, when they meet together, must needs
make up the entirest friendship that can be, even a threefold cord twisted,
which cannot easily be broken.

But now (if you observe it) you shall find in the text three grounds of
this enmity, directly answering to these three of friendship (for friendship
and enmity being contraries, they have answerably contrary grounds, contra-
riorum contraria est ratio). For, first of all, in the word alienated, dmrjXXo-
T^iuiji,svoi, or estranged, there is implied, that we are obliged to God by some
bonds of friendship, and that yet we are fallen off from him, and entered
into league and friendship with some other, so as he is thereby provoked ;
for the apostle makes it the first degree of this enmity. Secondly, instead
of agreement in mind and good will, there is an eiunitij, a contrariety in the
mind. Thirdly, instead of kind offices of friendship, which should be tokens
of that good will, as love, &c., there is nothing but evil works arising from
the mind, every one of which contains in it enmity and contrariety against
God ; and therefore all these meeting in one, as they do here, must needs
likewise argue the enmity full.

And, Jirst, we are therefore enemies, because by nature estranged ; for
notwithstanding God hath bound all men to himself at their first creation in
Adam, but especially all us that live in the visible church, by all the nearest
and strongest bonds of friendship that are to be found on earth ; yet we
have forsaken him, and live estranged, and have sought out other friends
contrary unto him. And if this is enough to provoke men to enmity, much
more God ; yea, and by how much nearer the bonds are, the greater enmity
ariseth upon the breach. None are greater enemies, when fallen out, than
those that have been most obliged and nearest friends ; and this is the first
degree, which I will further explain.

1. Mankind should, by that estate they were created in, have enjoyed a
most holy and blessed communion, familiarity, and intercourse of acquaint-
ance with the great God of heaven and earth, as may appear by some pas-
sages betwixt God and Adam, Gen. ii. 19, 22, 23. Sure I am, that to all
us that live in the visible church, God offers acquaintance daily, notwith-
standing that our first breach in Adam, who, when he heard God's voice,
walking in the garden, Gen. iii. 8, 9, hid himself, as one who would not
have been spoken withal. God would yet be acquainted with us all ; for to
that end serve his ordinances ; his word, wherein he speaks unto and woos
us ; prayer, wherein he would have us draw nigh to him. But we, besides
that estrangement of our forefather, are estranged even from the womb : Ps.
Iviii. 3, ' The wicked are estranged from the womb ; they go astray as soon
as they be born, speaking lies.' And at last we come in our hearts to say
with those in Job, ' Depart from us, we will not have the knowledge of thee
or thy ways,' Job xxii. 17. Acquaintance in this kind refused, provokes
men that are but equals, much more God, the infinite God. Yea, my breth-
ren, every sin committed is made the deeper act of enmity by reason of
this bond broken by it. See how David takes a wrong from one that had
been of his acquaintance, more heinously by far than if he had ever been a
professed enemy : Ps. Iv. 12-14, ' For it was not an enemy that reproached
me, then I could have borne it ; neither was it he that hated me, that did
magnifj- himself against me, then I would have hid myself from him. But

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 109

it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We
took sweet .counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.'
Had it been mine enemy, I could have borne it, says he ; but it was thou,
my familiar friend, my equal ; we took sweet counsel once together. A
wrong from such a person David could not brook. Had we indeed been
created enemies at first, God would not have regarded our estrangement, nor
our wronging him, for no other could have been looked for ; but you have
heard it was otherwise ; and yet he and we are not equals, there is an infi-
nite disproportion ; and yet this is not all. For,

2. God being the great King of heaven and earth, obliged us to him as
his especial favourites, at our first creation, above all the inferior creatures,
raising us up out of nothing, and out of the same dust they were taken out
of; he breathed into us an immortal reasonable soul, which yet they want,
and set us next himself in his throne over them all. Yet Adam, his favom-ite,
and we in him, disobeyed him, in that which was God's especial charge to
the contrary, in eating the forbidden fruit. How infinitely more are kings
incensed if their favourites prove traitors than if inferior subjects are so ?
And is not God provoked so too the more by these many favours abused by
us ? Yes, certainly. See how heinously he took David's adultery at his
hands, more than he would at the hands of an inferior subject, because he
was his especial favourite: 2 Sam. xii. 7-9, 'And Nathan said to David,
Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king
over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul ; and I gave thee
thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee
the house of Israel and of Judah ; and if that had been too little, I would
moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou
despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast
killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy
wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.' Did
not I anoint thee king ? says God ; gave thee the house of Israel and Judah ?
and would have done much more for thee. Wherefore hast thou despised
the commandment of the Lord in doing evil in his sight ? Was not this
now just our case in Adam in eating the forbidden fruit ? and in our own
particular too whilst unregenerate, breaking and despising all those holy and
righteous laws which God hath given ?

And 3. By creation we were all the sons of God, as Adam is called, Luke
iii. 34. For God stamped his own image on us ; therefore we were his sons
when others but his creatures. Yet Adam, our forefather, fought like a
rebellious Absalom to disthronise God ; that he should be as God was his
temptation to sin, Gen. iii. 5. We set up other gods, making our bellies,
that is, every earthly vanity, as a god, Philip, iii. 18, 19. And this rebellion
of ours, as children against God our Father, the breach of this bond pro-
vokes to deeper enmity than the violation of any of the former : 2 Sam.
xvi. 12, when Shimei cursed David, Oh, says he, ' if my son seek my life,
how much more may this Benjamite ? ' And God takes it so too at our hands
very heinously : Isa. i. 2, ' Hear, 0 heavens ; and hearken, 0 earth : I have
brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.' This was res
inaudita, a thing unheard of; and therefore he complains to these senseless
creatures of it.

4. We w re by the law of creation espoused unto God in some respect :
Jer. xxxi. 31, 32. ' Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make
a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah ; not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I
took them by the hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my

110 AN UNREGENEKATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord,'
God speaking of the old covenant, the covenant of works ; and so Adam's
covenant is involved, he sa^^s, ' though I am an husband to them.' He
therein shews, by what he was to the Jews, what he was to Adam then.
But as Adam's heart at first ran a-whoring after an apple, so ours, whilst
unregenerate, after every vanity. We are lovers of pleasures, riches, credit,
&c., more than of God ; and therefore doth the Sci-ipture challenge us as
adulterers and adulteresses, as James iv. 4, ' Ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God ? whosoever
therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.' We are called
adulterers, as those that had forsaken our first husband (as God is called,
Hosea ii. 7, by the church), and had entered into league with the world, and
other strange lovers, as it follows in both those places. Adultery, we all
know, is the breach of the marriage knot, which being the nighest tie upon
earth (as both the first and the second Adam's speech doth testify : ' For
this cause shall a man forsake father and mother,' &c.), therefore the breach
of this knot causeth the deepest enmity; so it is with men : ' Jealousy,' saith
Solomon, Prov. vi. 35, 'is the rage of a man.' Jealousy, as you all know,
is that enmity which ariseth from the breach of the marriage knot, as it also
is taken there, as'appears by the former verses. And this jealousy is rage ;
the deepest that can be, more than anger, fury, or wrath. It notes out
unpacifiedness ; for it follows, ' He will not spare in the day of vengeance ;
thouch thou givest him many gifts, yet he will not rest contented.' And God
is ' a jealous God ; ' so he styles himself, and takes this breach of our mar-
riage bond as heinously, and more, as he hath reason, than men: Jer.
iii. 1-3, ' They say. If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and
become another man's, shall he return unto her again ? shall not that land
be greatly polluted ? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers ; yet
return again to me, saith the Lord. Lift up thine eyes unto the high places,
and see where thou hast not been lien with : in the ways hast thou sat for
them, as the Ai-abian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with
thy whoredoms, and with thy wickedness. Therefore the showers have been
withholden, and there hath been no latter rain ; and thou hadst a whore's
forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.' You, says he, if you put away a
wife, and she becomes another man's, will not own her again ; ' but thou
hast played the whore,' &c. As if God had said. Judge betwixt me and you.

1st, Consider that God did not put us off, but we forsook him first, freely
and causelessly. God offered no wrong, no unkindness.

2dly, Nay, there could not be any jealousies or suspicions (which often
arise among friends) ; for God is not subject to the least shadow or appear-
ance of turning. God shall clear it at the latter day, as he doth Jer. ii. 5,
'What iniquity have you,' or your forefather Adam, 'found in me ?' Did I
forsake you first ? or could it be conceived that I was glad to be rid of you ?
No ; it was on your part free, on my part causeless ; and your enmity to me
is so continued. Nay,

3dly, This was at first, and is continued still at the persuasion of God's
utter enemy, and ours, the devil. One word, nay, a lie of his, prevailed more
than all these cords of love.

And so much for the first degree, noted out in the word alienated, namely,
that we have broken all the bonds of friendship whereby we were obliged ;
both of acquaintance, the nearest bond of friendship civil ; of favourites to a
prince, the highest bond in friendship political ; of children to a father, the
nearest in friendship natural ; of a wife unto her husband, than which there
is no greater obligations.

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 1 VI

All relations of friendship may be reduced to one of these four; and these
instances are, suinma in quolihet genere, et refjulce reliquorum, the hij^hest in
each of these four, and the measures of the rest. Neither were these bonds
bare resemblances, but real, and which God useth to express the nearest
obligation between us, and which yet cannot express it. God looks upon us
as obliged to him by all these bonds ; as those that should be to him as his
spouse, children should carry themselves as his especial favourites, friends ;
and therefore in every act of sinning, he will charge the breach of all these bonds
upon all our consciences : Rom. vii. 2, 3, * For the woman which hath an
husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth : but if the
husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if,
while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called
an adulteress : but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that
she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.' The apostle
expressly says, that a woman once married is bound to her husband as lono
as he and she live, and if she become another man's she should be in every
act called an adulteress. Now not only in this tie of marriage, but in all the
rest of their bonds betwixt God and us, it is true that time can never wear
them out. God [never dies, nor we, but are immortal ; therefore these
relations hold, and whilst we sin, are daily broken, and we do therefore con-
tinually provoke him to enmity.

Secondly, But yet, in the second place, there is a further ground and degree
of a far deeper enmity betwixt God and us, for there is an internal contra-
riety and enmity in our minds, which is deeper than the former. For as in
friendship outward relations, ties and bonds are but the body of it, it is
inward good will that is the soul and life, and that must join hearts together.
Therefore a friend is called, Deut. xiii. 6, * a man's own soul,' and reckoned
as sometimes nearer to men than all relations. The other externals of
friendship are but as solder or lead that joins glasses together that is
quickly melted ; and so it would be with these if this inward good will doth
not animate them. And therefore, also, by the rules of contraries, it is so
in causing enmity ; though the breach of outward relations doth deeply pro-
voke, yet we see it true amongst men, that when notwithstanding them,
they perceive a secret good will continued to them in the party offending,
they are ready to pass by, and so pardon such wrongs ; yea, and so doth
God, for notwithstanding his children who are regenerated, are more deeply
obliged and engaged to him than all creatures, men, and angels besides ; yet
because even when they offend, they bear inward and secret good will to God
for all that, doing what they hate, what they approve not, and grieving they
should offend God whom they love above all, God therefore passeth by, and
putteth up abundance of injuries, as he did in David, accounting him a man
according to his own heart, that is, a faithful friend to him, notwithstanding
many outward breaches of the nearest bonds that could be. But now in
men unregenerate, there being not only an external breach of such near
bonds of friendship, but also an inward enmity, contrariety, that fills the
mind, it must needs most deeply provoke, for it is full enmity indeed.

I will open this as a second and further degree. God created us at the first
in his own image or likeness, both in mind and will ; which image consisted
in an agreement of mind, liking and approving that holiness he did, and
also choosing it in our wills, embracing it in our affections ; whence good
will did arise betwixt God and us. And when two minds agree thus in
virtue, Aristotle says, it makes up perfect friendship, he making 6/xov6ia. and
hvoicx^ meeting in virtue, to be the strongest ground of friendship, and to be
the essence of it. And so this being an argument between God and us about

112 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK 11.

holiness (for the image of God in us is created after God in holiness and
righteousness, Eph. iv. 24), it must needs be so too. But now, on the con-
trary, there is an enmity in the mind, we neither in mind or judgment
approving that holiness, nor in our w-ills choosing it ; but we in both liking
and following the clean contrary, namely, every sin and evil work, for to
that purpose is the phrase used in the text emphatically, ' enemies in the
mind, in evil works,' therefore enemies in our miads, because our minds are
in evil works ; which phrase implies that the mind is wholly set upon and
inclined and disposed unto evil. As when a man is said to be in love, that
is wholly taken up with it, given to it. Like phrase unto which also is that,
aninuis est in patinis, his mind is in his dishes ; even so that phrase used
here, the mind in evil works (as it is in the original), for every evil work, as
you shall hear anon, contains direct enmity against God in it ; therefore
now, I say, this must make perfect enmity. And further to confirm it, that
there is this enmity in the mind, in men unregenerate, in Acts xiii. 10, it is
said of Elymas (and what is true of one wicked man in regard of his nature,
ot which we now speak, is true of all), that he was an enemy to all right-
eousness, and full of all readiness unto evil, as the word padiov^ylag signifies,
an enemy in his mind to all righteousness, because his mind was prone,
ready and set to all evil ; so that the same reason is given for that his
enmity, which is here in Col. i. 21. And Simon Magus also (after the same
manner of phrase used in the text) is said to be in the gall of bitterness :
Acts viii. 23, ' For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in
the bond of iniquity.' Which phrase implies that his whole heart, and the
frame of it, is steeped deeply, and seasoned in works which are as gall to us,
viz. enmity against God, for he is rather said to be in this gall, than it in
him, to shew that bis nature is only full of it, and abounded, and was over-
come by it ; as a man is said to be in the water, when he is drowned in it,
or in drink, when he is overcome with it.

I might be large in running over all the faculties, and shewing how this
enmity resides in them all.

As first of all in the judgment, the reasoning and understanding part of
the mind, of which principally the text speaks, h biavoia, which implies that
all the thoughts, reasonings, and devisings which are within the mind of man,
are against God and his ways, and altogether for sin and evil works which
are enmity against him. And is not that argaed to be deadly enmity, whea
there is nothing but plotting, devising, and using one's wits against another?
Yet each is this here ; yea, in these reasonings lies the strength of the
enemy, by reason of which the inferior faculties are encouraged, backed, and
maintained in their opposition. And therefore, 2 Cor. x. 5, he compares
these reasonings in the mind of man unto high forts, bulwarks, or towers,
strongholds which are cast up to maintain and hold siege against the know-
ledge and obedience of Christ.

Neither, 2, is the will free of this enmity ; for though indeed the will is
not mentioned directly and expressly in the text, but only the reasoning part,
yet it is not because the will is free, but rather because that, of all other
faculties, the understanding might be least suspected ; seeing wicked men in
their reasonings, in the speculative understanding, are for the truth often,
and against evil works, though again in the practical (which the apostle
means here) it is clean contrary with them. All enmity lies principally in
the will, and even common people when they express enmity, they call it
ill-uill. And so in John viii. 44, lusts of enmity and malice against God
and Christ (of which Christ there speaks), and which he calleth the devil's
lusts, are made acts of the will, both because they are called (as in the devils

ClIAP. "VIIL] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 113

they are found) lusts. Now, in the devil, lusts are inclinations and acts
principally of the will, as also because Christ saith there of the phariseos,
* You are of your father the devil, and his lusts ye will do.' The word in the
original is %Xsti ironiv ; and answerably wicked men are said to be haters of
God, Rom. i. 30, Exod. xx. 5.

Yea, 3, it is seated in the whole man, and whatsoever is in man, as may
appear by comparing these two scriptures : John iii. 6, ' That which is
born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.'
Rom. viii. 7, ' Because the carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is
not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.' In the first, Christ
says, * what is born of the flesh is flesh.' In saying that which is born, &c.,
he shews that there is not that thing in man which comes of fleshly genera-
tion, but it is wholly tainted with flesh, sin, and corruption, even the will
and all parts. And in Rom. viii. 7, you may see what the nature of this
flesh or corruption is, and what it brings with it to every faculty. It is said
to be enmity against God, pgov)),a.a aa^nhg. Some translate it the wisdom
of the flesh, because that indeed is principally meant ; but the word doth in
the signification generally extend itself to the several acts of each faculty
tending towards this object, as I could shew by other scriptures. So that the
meaning of the Holy Ghost is to shew how that every act of every faculty,
understanding, will, and afiections, all which are tainted with flesh, are
enmity against God. It is said so in the- abstract, because it is in the very
nature of the flesh, in each faculty, to be so ; even as it is the nature of a
wolf to be at enmity with a lamb.

And so much likewise of the second ground and degree of enmity ; it is
inherent in the mind, and in every faculty thereof.

Thirdly, Now did this enmity lie and rest there only, and break forth no
farther, nor manifest itself in acts of enmity, it were less full. But as Aris-
totle makes it a condition of true friendship, iit sit manifesta nee otiosa, that
it be manifested by expressions of love, or else it is idle, worthless friendship ;
so likewise to make up the measure of this enmity full, it remains that I
shew the manifestation of this enmity in the mind in regard of evil works
mentioned in the text, and which the mind, as you have heard it, is set on
and wholly given unto. The mind of man unregenerate doth bring forth
nothing else continually but evil works, which do contain in them direct and
express enmity against God ; every sinful act contains in ifc enmity against
God. That forenamed place, Rom. viii. 7, is express for both, where it is
said that (p^ovri/xa aa^xog, that is (as I said before), the least stirring, desire, or
act of any faculty, even the wisdom of a man, the best and purest act the
mind brings forth, the wisest thought an unregenerate mind thinks, is enmity
against God. And so, Isa. iii. 8, their doings are said to be ' against the
Lord,' and to * provoke the eyes of his glory,' for (besides that every sin is
aggravated by being the breach of all bonds) it contains a further and directer
enmit}'- in it, as both these places do imply ; for it is denominated to be
enmity in the abstract, which doth imply that it is in the nature of it, and is
said to provoke the eyes of his glory, as being against him. Now let us exa-
mine the reason given there in the following words, and it will appear so,
for therefore the apostle says, it is enmity against God, because it is directly
against God's law, and will not be subject. And because some men may say.
What is this to God ? he is one thing, and his law another ; it touches not
him. Yes, verily, -and that exceeding nearly, in a double respect.

1. Because upon every moral law of God his sovereignty, his prerogative
royal, is enstamped and engaged in it. His being God and sovereign Lord lies
at the stake ; for the law is enforced upon that ground, ' I am the Lord thy

VOL. X. H

114 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK 11.

God.' So the commandments begin, he commanding us, as he is God, and by
his divine authority, to submit to those laws : the main end and intent of all
those laws being, that men should acknowledge God's sovereignty over them.
Now, therefore, in this case the breach and thwarting of the least of these
with full consent of mind and will, is flat rebellion, a gainsaying his sove-
reignty, a direct and immediate opposing his prerogative royal, denying him
to be God. And therefore, Titus i. 16, they are said in works to deny him.
Now we all know whatsoever is done thus against the sovereignty of a king
is an act of high treason ; whatsoever doth flatly deny the king to be king is
open rebellion. And therefore every evil work may well be said to be against
God, and to provoke the eyes of his glory, for it debaseth, tendeth to impair
and entrench upon his prerogative royal, his glory, and sovereignty. But
this is not all ; it is flat enmity, hath some contrariety in the nature, form,
and essence of it, to God's most holy and pure nature. Because,

2. God hath enstamped his own image on his laws. For God's laws,
especially his first command, is but the copy and extract of God's most holy,
righteous, and blessed will, and many of the commands are the copy of his
most holy nature, as that of his first command, as such which he in his
nature is inclined to will and command ; and therefore his law is called holy
as he is holy, and being written in the heart doth renew us in his image.
"WTiatsoevev act, therefore, is done against this law, and hath a contrariety
thereunto, hath in the nature of it a contrariety unto the nature of God ;
which, my brethren, being so, and the mind of man unregenerate continually
producing such acts, needs must this enmity be deep in this regard. But,

3. This indirect enmity (as I may so call it) which is terminated in the
breach of the law, proceedeth in the end to more immediate and direct acts
of enmity against God himself, and breaketh forth into such at last, as occa-
sion is given from collateral enmity ; it launcheth out unto direct enmity
against God, and all that would bring us to him. For although man's nature
at first in sinning aims but at pleasure, and not to injure God (only it is
against him, as being his Sovereign, who hath commanded the contrary), yet if
God come to discover his offence taken at these their sins, then corrupt nature
is apt to shew itself in a direct enmity. So that as by reason of every evil
work there is an enmity taken up by God against us, so also further, when
God goes about to reclaim us herefrom, to discover his sovereignty and dis-
pleasure against us, then there ariseth further active enmity in us against
him. If light comes from him that these our works are evil, then presently
we hate the light : John iii. 19, ' And this is the condemnation, that light is
come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their
deeds are evil.' If God makes himself known to us to be our Lord and King,
we like not the knowledge of him : Rom. i. 28, ' And even as they did not
like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
mind, to do those things which are not convenient.' If he discovers himself
to be our judge that threateneth us for these courses, then we hate him :
Prov. viii. 36, ' But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul ; all
they that hate me love death.' Wisdom, that is, Christ, that would reclaim
men from sinning, says. If they refuse him they hate him, and love death.
It is spoken consecutively, for in sinning they love that which causeth death,
and so in sinning too they do that which will produce hatred of God, and end
in it when he comes to reckon with them. We either slight him or hate
him ; either we contemn his judgments, or wish he were not. If he punish
us, our hearts rise against him as against an enemy, and murmur as Cain's
did, and accordingly we quarrel with all such means as might reduce us into
subjection to him.

Chap. IX. ] in respect of sin and punishment. 11 {

CHAPTER IX.

Some considerations propounded wliich do more evidence how great the enmity
of man's nature is against God. — 2'hat it is uninterruptedly continued. —
That it is implacable. — That it is an universal hatred against God, and all
that hath any relation to him. — We should try our state, by examining our-
selces whether ice continue enemies to God or not. — What are the signs by
ivhich it may be known /

Unto all this we may add three considerations more concerning the mani-
festation of this enmity in the mind, and you shall see the depth, length, and
breadth thereof, abounding in all three dimensions, even above measure.

First of all, it is continued without interruption even from the very begin-
ning of a man's days, whenas the mind of man begins to put forth any acts
at all : Jer. xxxii. 30, ' For the children of Israel and the children of Judah
have only done evil before me from their youth ; for the children of Israel
have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the
Lord.' They have only provoked me to anger from their youth by the
work of their hands ; they had done nothing else from the very beginning.
And as it is said of Jerusalem in the following verses, that that city had been
a provocation to him from the very first day that it was built, so it is true of
every man unregenerate, that from the very day wherein he was born he hath
been a provocation unto God by the works of his hands. And I pray you
consider it, the deadliest enemy that ever was, was not always plotting, act-
ing, and practising hostility ; there is a truce sometimes, a laying down of
weapons, by reason of other employments. Ay, but this enmity never
hath a cessation of arms, and hereby appears the length and continuation
of it.

Again, secondly, it is so deep an enmity that is thus seated in the mind,
as no time, no means that can be used, no persuasions or threatenings, can
of themselves reconcile them, or wear this enmity out, until God doth extend
his mighty power and slay this enmity, &c. And why ? Because it is seated
in the mind, in nature, as in Rom. viii. 7 it is called enmity itself, which is
not, nor cannot be, made subject. It is in the nature of the corrupt mind to
be an enemy to God, as it is in the nature of a wolf to be an enemy to a
lamb ; and therefore nature so remaining, it will never yield unless it be
changed. Men may be enemies to one another and yet reconciled, because
it is not seated in their natures, but only occasioned (it may be) by some
outward occasional difference and variance, as appears in suits of law be-
twixt man and man, which therefore composition will end ; and the cause
being taken away, they prove as good friends as ever. Ay, but this enmity
will never be at an end unless God changeth the mind ; no composition, no
parley or treaty of peace can end it. Nay, a man cannot endure to hear of
ending it, but falls out with all the means, the word. Spirit, and light of
his own conscience that persuades him to it; shunning, hating, resisting all
means of ending it ; hating to be reformed, Ps. 1. 17 ; hating even recon-
ciliation itself; casting all God's laws behind their backs, as it is there
expressed ; that is, dealing with all the persuasions and messengers that come
from God to treat about the peace, even as Jehu did with those which came
from Jehoram, saying, ' What have I to do with peace ?' And all this with
a deep inbred pride and stubbornness in the mind and will, scorning to yield
or stoop, Ps. X. 4. Insomuch as God is said, James iv. 6, to resist, to
withstand, avrirdaeirai, or jostle him, even to throw him down to hell.

IIG AN UNREGENEKATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

Lastly, It is an universal hatred in regard of the manifestation of it, mani-
festing enmity against God, and all his friends that stand in any relation of
nearness to him continually, as it meets with any of them, or as occasion is
offered.

1. An enmity to God, there being ever and anon reasonings in the dis-
coursive part that there is no God ; denying, or despising, or abusing all
that the mind knows of God ; his grace, turning it into wantonness, Jude 5 ;
despising the riches of his goodness and long-suffering, Rom. ii. 4 ; mocking at
his omniscience in such thoughts or words as these : ' Tush, God sees it not ' ;
Ps. X. 11, 'He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten : he hideth his face,
he will never see it.' And if the understanding be convinced, yet desires
arise in the will. Would there were no God ! And is not that deadly enmity,
thus to reason against God's being ? or knowing that he is, to abuse him ?
or wishing the destruction of God ? Rom. i. 30. The Gentiles are therefore
called haters of God, because ' when they knew God, they glorified him not
as God' in their heart, ver. 21, 25.

2. Again, it is an enmity to all the friends of God. Let him send
prophets, and after them his own Son crucified ; let him dispense to them
the preaching of tbe gospel, and that as the only means to reconcile them ;
yet they hearing this, out of the hardness of their hearts, turn ' enemies to
the cross of Christ,' as it is expressly said, Philip, iii. 18, 19. Let the Lord
deal with them by his Spirit, and that about their own eternal good ; as if
he came as an enemy, they resist him evermore, and all his good motions :
Acts vii. 51, 'Ye stiff-necked and uneircumcised in heart and ears, ye do
always resist the Holy Ghost : as your fathers did, so do ye.' By the light
of their consciences the truth they detain, and that unrighteously, like an
enemy in prison : Rom. i. 18, ' For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness.' If God speaks to them by his faithful ministers, ' 0 mine
enemy,' say they, ' hast thou found me?' as Ahab said to Elijah, 1 Kings
xxi. 20. And as he said also to another prophet, ' I hate him, for he never
prophesies good to me,' 1 Kings xxii. 8, so do they say of God. Doth he
send his children among them ? There is an ancient enmity sown betwixt
these and them : Gen. iii. 15, ' And I will put enmity between thee and the
woman, and between thy seed and her seed.' And this enmity manifests
itself in all indignities and injuries.

Use. Because the apostle makes this as one especial character and brand
of an unregenerate estate, to be enemies unto God, the use shall be of trial
and examination of our estates hereby. Now, it is certain that we all, even
that profess ourselves Christians, are born enemies as well as Gentiles, for
we came all from Adam, from whom descends this enmity, as you have heard
before. And howsoever men may think and carry the matter outwardly in
their profession, yet the Scripture tells us, and the latter day will find it so,
that God hath but few friends in the world, and whole swarms of enemies
that lie and lurk even in the visible church, u-zivavTiou:, underhand adver-
saries, Heb. X. 27, whom nothing but the word applied and their own con-
sciences can accuse and find out ; yea, and the worst enemies are those of
God's own household. And this one consideration added to the former,
namely, that we are born enemies in our minds, and that it is sealed in our
natures, may make even the best of us to look about us, and to suspect our
estates, for hereupon it will necessarily follow that it is not all the privileges
'outward which we Christians have above Gentiles that can alter our estates,
for we are born such, even such enemies to God as a wolf is to a lamb,
enemies in our minds. As, therefore, take a wolf when it falls first from the

Chap. IX.] in respkct or sin and punishment. ' 117

dam, put it into a lamb's skin, keep it up in the fold with the sheep, let it,
if it be possible, feed off the same food with the sheep, tame it, do all what
you will, it remains a wolf still, and therefore an enemy unto a lamb ; neither
will ever a lamb and it be reconciled till either that wolf becomes a lamb, or
the lamb a wolf. Just so, take one of us when we are new dropped from
the womb, give us a Christian ear-mark (baptism) ; bring us up in the same
visible church with others ; put us into a Christian coat, the profession of
Christianity ; let us feed and partake of the same word and sacraments with
others ; nay, let us by all these means seem outwardly never so much tamed,
civilised, outwardly and formally conformable to good duties ; yet still we
may remain, as Christ saj's, ' inwardly ravening wolves :' Mat. vii. 15, ' Beware
of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they
are ravening wolves.' We are still where we were, unless there be a further
work to change the nature ; and not only such an one as proceeds from good
motions and moral persuasions of the word and Spirit, for what can these
barely work, when we are of ourselves such irreconcileable enemies in our
minds as hath been delivered ? A treaty of peace argues not reconciliation,
nor will in this case ever effect it. But it must be such a work as the all-
powerful arm of God hath a hand in, slaying this enmity, and changing the
bent and frame of the mind, naturally set on evil works, unto the contrary
good, by putting in new principles, friendlike dispositions unto God and all
his ways. And, my brethren, if this be wanting, we remain still in the gall
and bitterness of our natures, as Peter told Simon Magus, Acts viii. 23, for
all that it is said he was baptised, believed, wondered at what he saw the
apostles do, was conformable to Christian duties, for he was a helper with
Philip, as it is in the 13th verse ; and all this while he was an undiscovered
enemy. And, as I said before, that until the nature of a wolf be changed,
and it be made a lamb, or a lamb a wolf, they can never be reconciled ; so
neither God nor we enter into a covenant of reconciliation till either God
become such an one as we, which is impossible, or we become partakers of
the divine nature, and be thus inwardly changed in some measure into his
image. ' Can two walk together,' saith the prophet, ' and not agree ?' Amos
iii. 3. Surely no. And whereas many will further plead, and say, that
they could never perceive any such matter ; that either they were enemies
to God in mind, they never meant him hurt, but they have loved him,
feared him ever since they can remember ; neither can they perceive that
God is an enemy to them, but loves them, clothes them, feeds them. They
taste of his kindness daily, and therefore they have good cause to think that
there is mutual love between them. But for answer to this I would have
men further consider, as for this dealing of God towards you, that God is
exceeding kind to his enemies, as our Saviour saith, Mat. v. 45, making the
sun to rise on the good and bad, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust ;
and therefore also he bids us be kind to our enemies. And also, as it is in
Job xxxi. throughout, God forbears with, yea, and heaps abundance of bless-
ings on one that is his utter enemy; yet it is but as the king reprieving a
condemned traitor, letting him enjoy his lands and livings, but reserving
him still, as it is at the 30th verse, to the day of wrath. Therefore, all
these are no arguments of a man's reconciliation through Christ.

If any are discovered here to be such, let them not stand out still shifting,
and pleading Not guilty, but deal plainly with their own souls, and lay it to
heart, that they may seek out for peace betimes. And let this one considera-
tion move them, that it must and shall be confessed one day, at the day of
death, or in hell ; and then they will confess it, with this addition, that they
were enemies to themselves in that they confessed it no sooner, whilst recou-

118 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

ciliation was offered. It were better for a traitor to confess at the bar, when
he hears of a pardon, than at the gallows.

The first sign cf being enemies and unreconciled to God, is strangeness to
him, and unto the life of God. Strangers to God are yet enemies ; for ye
see that being estranged is made a degree of enmity in the text, and in Job
xxii. 21, 'Acquaint thyself with him' (says one of Job's friends to him),
* and be at peace ;' implying that whosoever is at peace with God must be
acquainted with him. Strangeness indeed between two that never were
familiar friends breeds not enmity, it is not a sign of it ; but if you see two
that once were familiar and acquainted now to walk aloof one fi-om another,
and though they have occasion to meet often, yet to can-y themselves strange
one to another. Surely (you say) they are fallen out. And so if you see man
and wife live asunder, never come at, speak of, or seem much to care for one
another : There is a breach certainly, that is your next thought. Why, so
it is here, for God and we once were acquainted. Let me apply this now.

1. Is God a stranger to your thoughts ? That whereas every trifle,
learning, credit, riches, pleasures, and cares of the world, thoughts of these
things, plotting for them, are very familiar with you, the first that call you
up in a morning, take up your minds, converse with you all day, and lie
down in your bosom at night ; but as for God, thoughts of him, or contriv-
ings how to please or to glorify him, are little or ' not in all your thoughts,'
as it is spoken of a wicked man, Ps. x. 4 ; or if the thoughts of him chance
to come in, yet it is not welcome as the thought or sight of a friend is, but
as of a judge, or as of a master that comes in on the sudden upon a negligent
servant, and you wish he was further off'; then are you strangers to God.

2. Or are you strangers to those more special duties in which communion
is to be enjoyed with him ? Why is it you are so strange ? The truth of
it is, you are enemies. Can you go whole weeks, months, and never speak
to him by secret and intimate prayer, so as to take him alone, as you would
do a friend, into a corner, and there pour out your heart before him, and tell
him all your secrets ? Or if you do ' draw nigh to him with your lips,' yet
are not * your hearts far from him' ? There are millions that could never
yet say that God and their hearts were brought together in a sweet close,
nor do know what it means to talk with God as a friend, as Moses did. Such
are strangers.

3. Ai'e you strangers to and from the life of God ? as it is made the note
of a wicked man, Eph. iv. 18. There is a blessed, holy, and spiritual life
which God and Christ are the fountain of, which they live ; as it is said of
Christ, Rom. vi. 10, ' For in that he died, he died unto sin once ; but in
that he liveth, he liveth unto God.' A life which all the saints and angels
live in heaven, not depending on what is here in this world ; and it is begun
in a Christian here : 1 John v. 12, ' He that hath the Son hath life ; and
he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." Now, try and search thy-
self what objects are thy affections most quickened and kept up in life with :
omnis vita gustu ducitur. What dost thou savour and relish ? Are you
utter strangers to such a spiritual life ? It may be a life natural, of eating
and drinking, maiTying and giving in marriage, &c. ; or it may be a life of
reason, fitting you to converse with men ; or further, a formal life, in regard
of religious duties, in the letter of them ; as Rom. vii. 6, ' But now we are
delivered from the law, that being dend wherein we were held ; that we
should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.' But
have you an inward life of gi'ace, influences and comings-in, from recourses
to and communions with Christ (as Paul says he had, Gal. ii. 20), quick-
ening you in all these, and above all these, as that which you reckon your

Chap. IX.] in respect of sin and punishment. 119

life, more than all these ? If you want it, you are strangers to the life of
God.

4. Lastly, you are enemies to God if you be strangers to the things of
God, his graces, converses with a soul in secret, which God gives his friends
and children as love-tokens : 1 Cor. ii. 12, ' Now we have received, not the
spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God ; that we might know the
things that are freely given to us of God.' God hath many secrets which
he makes known to them that are his friends, John xv. 15; and Ps. xxv. 14,
' The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him ; and he will shew them
his covenant.' But now when we hear experimental discoursings of such
near and intimate dealings of God, as how he draws the heart to believe ;
when we hear of change of heart, of regeneration, of the new birth, &c.,
and of the signs of these made plain to us out of the word, do we hear and
entertain them as strange, or as known things to us ? Or do not our hearts
think the same that the Athenians said of Paul's doctrine ? Acts xvii. 20,
* For thou briugest certain strange things to our ears : we would know
therefore what these things mean.' So do not our hearts think secretly of
such sermons. What mean these things? these being strange things to our
ears : * I have written to him the excellent things of my law, but they were
counted as a strange thing,' as God in the prophet complains, Hosea. viii. 12.
All this argues we are yet strangers, and therefore unreconciled.

A second note of enmity to God, is not only this strangeness mentioned,
but too much inward entire affection to or friendship with the world. The
Scripture makes this enmity with God, though men think not so : James
iv. 4, ' Know ye not,' says James there, ' ye adulterers and adulteresses, that
friendship with the world is enmity with God ? ' By icorld there he means
not only the corruptions of the world, or the sins of it (as Peter calls them),
but the things of the world, such as are in themselves the good blessings of
God, as honour, riches, credit, learning, &c., as appears by the foregoing
verses ; for he speaks of such things as men ask, and use to receive at the
hands of God. And whereas men might say. These are the good blessings of
God ; and to love them and rejoice in them, will God take this so heinously?
Yes, if it be inordinate. He tells them it is adultery spiritual, for of that he
speaks : ' ye adulterers and adulteresses.' Is it not adultery in a wife to
cleave in her heart unto, to delight in, and converse with, as with a husband,
not only one that is an absolute enemy of her husband's, but one whom her
husband otherwise respects and loves ? Potiphar loved Joseph well, for he
gave him charge over all things in his house ; yet whenas Potiphar's wife
enticed him to adultery, Joseph tells her that though his master had com-
mitted all things else to him, and kept nothing back but her, whom he
reserved to himself; and therefore see how incensed Potiphar was, but upon
the opinion that he would have defiled her. Adultery breeds the greatest
enmity. It is not the having these, or the using these things, that is a sign
of enmity ; it is the very phrase by which the apostle expresseth himself,
allowing us the use of the world: 1 Cor. vii. 31, 'And they that use this
world, as not abusing it ; for the fashion of this world passeth away.' Upon
occasion of this was founded that ancient distinction of tUi and //•««, tising
the creature, but enjoyimj God. Not the lordship of the world, but the
friendship of the world, breeds the quarrel, and is the enmity. You may
use these things as servants, not as friends, reserving and keeping your
hearts to God alone as to your husband. Aristotle says that -joXu^iXla,
cannot stand with true friendship, that is, a man cannot have many friends
in an entire and true amity ; but friendship is always but between two. As
you cannot serve, so nor be friends unto God and Mammon too. If a master

120 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

will not bear it, a friend much less. It is a sad speech which concerns us
all to look to, that in 1 John ii. 15, ' Love not the world, neither the things
that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is
not in him.' He professeth to speak not of gross sins only, but any vanity
in the world, the things of the world ; and he is peremptorily conclusive in
it, to pronounce the love of the Father not to be in that heart which affects
and delights therein more than in God, or in whose heart love to God pre-
vails not over love to them. Now, if an husband observes his wife to take
all her care for another man, and that she is always speaking of him, and
glad to hear from him, and jolly in this other's company, but in his own
little, or coy to himself, or glad when she is out of his company ; but in-
ordinately delighting in the other's, conversing whorishly with him ; this
breeds jealousy and enmity. Let us look to our hearts, and judge betwixt
God and them.

A third note whereby they may be discovered to be enemies, is not being
subject to the law of God. So Rom. viii. 7, a'carnal miud is therefore there
said to be ' enmity against God; because it is not subject to the law of God.'
In Luke xix. 27, Christ calls those his enemies, that would not have him reign
over them, that is, that would not be subject unto his laws. And the reason
is, because God's sovereignty lies at the stake, and is despised, God giving
every command as he is God and sovereign Lord. And again, he that lives
not by his laws, lives by the laws of sin, as they are called, Rom. vii. 21.
He is subject to the devil, God's enemy, lives a subject to his kingdom, and
this is open and manifest enmity to God. Now in the first verse carnal men
are said to be married to the law of God, Rom. vii. 1, 2. At the first
creation the law and man's heart were as wife and husband, and the knot
still holds ; but there is a hellish life now between them, for his heart, as the
lawful wife, ought to be subject, but his heart will not. The law commands
something that is clean contrary to his heart's lusts, and it will not submit
if it were to die for it. The law urgeth upon his heart the Sabbath, strictly
to be kept in thoughts, words, and actions ; it is death to his heart to be
kept thus in, it will out and find its own pleasures that day. I might in-
stance in a great deal more. I refer myself to men's consciences ; doth not
the law by the light of your consciences urge some duty upon you, be it
private prayer, &c., which you will no way be subject to, cannot endure to
hear of it, wishing that commandment scraped out, or that you had never
had the knowledge of it ? crying as they in Job xxi. 14, ' Depart from us, we
will not the knowledge of thy laws.' And though the heart be convinced, yet
it will not yield, but secretly says, as they in the prophet, * What the will
of the Lord is, we will not do.' So as the law in some particular finds not
a tractable, loving, obedient wife of their heart, as grieving for ofiending in
the least particular (as it doth find a regenerate man's heart to be), or as
standing out in nothing ; and therefore the law begets not on their hearts
unfeigned and constant desires to obey in all things, strong purposes, daily
strivings, mournings, which at last should bring forth obedient perform-
ances, as it doth in a regenerate man's heart. But it begets stubbornness,
rebellion, hating to be reformed, the more eagerness of lust to the contrary
of what the law commands. So it is in the 5th verse, the motions of sin
which were by the law brought forth fruit unto death. It is a marriage
phrase, implying that the law begat stronger desires to sin, and that which
the law forbade ; these were the children which were begotten by the law on
his heart, as a woman is said to have children by her husband.

A fourth note of a state of enmity is daily and willingly harbouring,
nourishing, fostering, and maintaining of one of God's enemies in practice or

Chap. IX.] in respect of sin and punishment, 121

fancy, openly or secretly. Not only he that commits high treason is a
traitor by our state constitution, but also he that wittingly or willingly (for
otherwise unwittingly a good subject may) houseth or harbouretli a traitor,
and continueth to do it, let proclamation say what it will to the contrary,
and gives loving welcome and entertainment to such an one that is an enemy,
as if he were a friend. In John xix. 12, the Jews accusing Christ under the
notion of a rebel and an enemy to Caesar, when they saw Pilate but willing
to release him, they terrify Pilate with this state axiom, ' If thou lettest
this man go, thou art none of Caesar's friend ; ' nay, we know that if one be
but a suspected person, if in this case a man harbour him, he shews himself
no good well-wilier to a state. Let us now judge betwixt God and our own
souls. Every sin is a proclaimed enemy to God by his word, yea, and to be
our enemy also, as Peter says, which fights against our souls, 1 Peter ii. 11,
* Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from
fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.' Is there now any such sin which
we know to be a sin (for that condition must be added, as I said before, a
true subject may harbour a traitor unwittingly), be it covetousness, pride, or
any inordinate pleasure ; and do we house it, make it our sweetest com-
panion in our daily thoughts, and that which lies next our hearts, in whose
converse and enjoying of which we spend many an hour with sweetest con-
tentment ? He that doth this is an open and convicted enemy. Nay, I go
farther, is he but a suspected person ? Are they suspected by thee to be
sins ? and yet dost thou, without examining of them, thoroughly entertain
them friendly, and receive them into thy heart and life ? It is no good sign.
Nay more, do we stand with them all in terms of enmity, at daggers' drawing
as we use to say ? And if you come within me, I will kill you ; and if they
do get in (as sin dwells in the best), yet do we complain of them, bring them
forth before God as we would a traitor or enemy, arraign them, accuse them,
and say, Lord, here is an enemy both of mine and thine, a cursed Achaii
that troubleth all in me, that would shroud itself under my roof, and thinks
there to have entertainment ? But stone it. Lord, and let Israel stone it,
let eveiy sermon fling a stone at it, let every prayer knock it down. Do we
deal thus with our known sins daily, or as oft as we are assaulted ? Or, on
the contrary, do we hide them, as the woman did the spies in the bottom of
the well, covering them with strawy pretences ? If we let these enemies of
God's go thus, we are argued to be none of his friends.

The last note of enmity to God, is enmity to the children and ways of
God. And what surer note or sign can there be of direct enmity and fight-
ing against God, as it is termed, Acts v. 39, than an enmity thus born in
heart, or manifested in word or actions against anything that seems to be of
God's side, or to take his part, or that stand in any relation of friendship or
Hkeness with God, be they either his ways, his children, or his ministers ?
These men bear the devil's colours, stand in the forefront, and therefore are
more easily discovered, this being one of the farthest degrees and most
apparent sign of enmity that can be ; for many, though fallen out with
another, yet still love well enough his servants, his wife, his children, his
friends. But as love is argued to be the stronger, the more it is difi"used
{propter quern alia dilvjlmus, ipse magis amaticr : he for whose sake we love
other things besides him, is more beloved of us), so is it in hatred. It is
argued that he is greatly and deeply hated, against whose person we do not
bear only direct hatred, but collateral also, it falling upon and extending it-
self to all that are any way near him for his sake. As they say of the
panther, that therefore it is the deadliest enemy to mankind of any other
creature, because it will prey even upon the very image and likeness of a

122 AN UNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

man, which other beasts will not do, though there are many will seize on
man himself.

Men have indeed the name of holiness in their mouths with a seeming
reverence ; but yet still the reality of it, the power of it, the thing itself, can-
not be endured by them. So long as it is wrapped up in a bundle, viewed in
the general, men profess they love it ; but break it up, come to the par-
ticular duties of it, and then they cannot away with it ; or, in the abstract
they love it, but in the concrete, as it resides in any particular subject or
person, they hate it. Set the picture of a lamb to a company of wolves, and
they will never stir at it ; but let a living lamb come, they tear it presently.
So let a living saint come among these haters of godliness, a holy man 'in
the concrete, their hearts rise presently, then they rage, storm, and speak
all manner of evil of him, as it is in Mat. v. 10, 11. And is it not for the
same reason they do so, which Christ gives there, viz. ' for righteousness'
sake ' ?

I know there are few or none so wicked to persecute any, as knowing
them to be Christ's, and under that notion (that is peculiar to those that
sin against the Holy Ghost), yet it is that which is from Christ which men
do persecute ; for it is he who lives, prays, speaks in holy men, that ap-
pears in all that is good in them ; and therefore Christ will say to them, as
to those at the latter day, that were ignorant of it, ' Inasmuch as you did
it to one of these, you did it to me.' Men see not Christ now ; but did
they know him, they would not oppose such as are any way like him. • But
when he shall appear, and men shall know what strain he was of, men will
confess that they hated and persecuted him, in persecuting his saints.

There are yet a third sort of men that lie in the enmity of their natures,
and in an unreconciled estate, living in the visible church, who are not only
much restrained, and bite their enmity in, but who, by means of an inferior
work of the word and Spirit of God upon their hearts, are brought to seek
unto God for friendship, yea, and do much for him in outward actions,
side and take part with his friends ; and yet their hearts being unchanged,
the cursed enmity of their nature remaining unkilled and not taken away,
they lie still in the gall of bitterness. For instance, look to those in Ps.
Ixxviii. 31-37, ' When he slew them, then they sought him ; and they re-
turned, and inquired early after God. And they remembered that God was
their rock, and the high God their Redeemer. Nevertheless, they did flat-
ter him with their mouth, and lied unto him with their tongues. For their
heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.'
It is said that they sought the Lord early as their Redeemer, whilst he
was a-slaying of them ; yet they did but flatter him with their mouths, &c.
A flatterer, you know, difi'ers from a friend, in that he pretendeth much
kindness, yet wants inward good will, doing it for his own ends. And so do
many seek God, that yet he accounts as enemies ; for they seek him whilst
they see themselves in his lurch.

Now it is harder to discover these than the former, because they pretend
much friendship, and externally (it may be) do as many outward kindnesses
as the true friends ; as flatterers will abound in outward kindnesses as much
as true friends, nay, often exceed them, because they may not be discovered.
Now if none of the former signs reach to them, nor touch them, then there
is no better way left than to search into the grounds of all they do, and to
examine whether it proceeds from true, inward, pure, and constant good-
will, yea or no, or self-respects? As now when we see an ape do many
things that a man doth, how do we therefore distinguish those actions in
the one and in the other ? Why, by the inward principles from whence they

Chap. IX. j in respect of sin and punishment. 123

spring, by saying, that they proceed from reason in the one, but not so in
the other. If, therefore, it can be evinced, that all that any man seems to
do for God, comes not from good-will to him, it is enough to convince
them to be persons unreconciled ; for whenas all outward kindnesses and
expressions of friendship proceed not from friendlike dispositions and pure
good will, but altogether from self-respects, it is but feigned flattery, even
among men ; and when discovered once, it breeds double hatred. And
there is much more reason it should do so with God, because he being a
God that knows the heart, to flatter him it is the greater mockery ; for that
is it which chiefly provoketh men to hate such as dissemble friendship, be-
cause there is mockery joined with it. Now that God accounteth every one
that doth not turn to him out of pure good will a flatterer, is plain by these
words, in Ps. Ixxviii. 36, 37, ' Notwithstanding, they did but flatter him,
and dealt falsely in his covenant ;' yea, and Christ saith, Mat. xii. 30, that
' he that is not with him is against him.' If men's hearts be not inwardly
for God, and with him, as a friend would be to a friend, in their actions,
he esteems them against him. ' Thy heart,' says Peter to Simon Magus,
' is not right before the Lord,' Acts viii. 22, and therefore he tells him, he
was ' still in the gall of bitterness.'

But thinkest thou, 0 man, that art guilty of these things, that thou shalt
escape ? to use the apostle's own words, Pi.om. ii. 3, ' And thinkest thou this,
0 man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou
shalt escape the judgment of God ?' No ; God, that is a righteous God, and
judgeth every man according to his deeds, shall render to the contentious, roig
i^ s^idsiag, that is, those that have contentiously dealt with him, and carried
themselves as enemies in opposing him and his, according to their deeds
(they shall have enough of it) ; he ' will render indignation and wrath, tribu-
lation and anguish,' to every such soul. Are men strange to God, and care
not for him, will not be acquainted with him now ? The day will come he
will carry himself as strange to them ; and when a good look from him
would be worth a world, he shall angrily say, ' Depart from me, ye workers
of iniquity, I know you not,' Mat. vii. 23. Will men stand out, and will
not submit to his most holy, just, and righteous laws, but will live hke rebels
and lawless persons, and not be subject to him ? Upon their own perils be
it. Let them hear their dooms pronounced by Christ's own mouth : Luke
xix. 27, ' These mine enemies, that would not I should reign over them,
bring them hither, and slay them before my face.' He will see execution
done himself.

Are men friends of pleasure also more than of God, as the apostle speaks
of the world, or any thing in the world, as James speaks, adulterers and
adulteresses ? Then, as it is said, Prov. vi. 34, ' Jealousy is the rage of a
man ;' and it is the rage of God more than anger, it notes out unpacified-
ness ; ' Will he spare in the day of his vengeance '?' Is it not said, Ps.
Ixxiii. 27, ' Thou hast destroyed, 0 Lord, all those that go a-whoring from
thee.' He speaks of it as of a thing already done, because God would
assuredly do it, and therefore it was as good as done.

Are men nourishers and maintainors of any sin, that they know is a pro-
claimed enemy of God in his word ; sparing, cherishing that that God hates,
and which he hath in his word appointed to destruction ? Let them but
hear what the prophet says to Ahab in the like case, for the letting go of
Benhadad, and apply it to this purpose : 1 Kings xx. 42, ' And he said unto
him. Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man
whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life,

124 AN UNEEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK II.

and thy people for his people.' Because thou hast let one go, that the
Lord had appointed to destruction, therefore thy life shall go for its life.

To conclude : Are men enemies to the children of God ? You touch the
apple of his eye. You had better have a millstone hanged about your
necks, and thrown into the midst of the sea, than to have offended one of
these little ones. Every scoff, wry look, rising in thy heart, when God
shall charge it on thy conscience, will sink thee down, down into the bot-
tom of hell. In Zech. xii. 2, 7, he compares the church unto a burden-
some stone ; all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces,
though all the earth should be gathered together against it ; and unto an
hearth of fire ; and wicked men that oppose them, unto wood, and a sheaf,
thinking to quench that fire ; but that fire shall devour all the people round
about.

Or, do men oppose the word of God ? Let them know that it is an ar-
moury and storehouse of weapons, that God hath in readiness to revenge
all disobedience : 2 Cor. x. 4-6, ' For the weapons of our warfare are not
carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; cast-
ing down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against
the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obe-
dience of Christ ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience,
when your obedience is fulfilled.' It hath enough of its own to revenge
its own quarrel.

Chap. I.] in respect of sin and punishment. 12{

BOOK III.

The corruption of marl's whole nature, and of all the faculties of his soul In/
sin ; and first of the depravation of the understanding, which is full of dark-
ness and blinded, so that it cannot apprehend spiritual things in a due
spiritual manner.

And the very God ofj)eace sanctify you wholly : and I pray God your whole
spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ. — 1 Thes. V. 23.

CHAPTER I.

The ivords of the text explained. — That all the faculties of the soul, even the
mind, are ivholly corrupted, proved from the expressions concerning it in
Scripture, and from the equal extent both of sin and grace.

These words have no coherence or dependence with the foregoing, for the
conclusion of the epistle doth begin with them. They are a prayer for the
working and perfecting that sanctification in them unto which he had ex-
horted, and which God had begun to work. Concerning which yoa have
these things.

1. The author of this sanctification, God, to whom Paul prays to work
and perfect it. And in prayer believers use to suit their invocation to God,
according to the nature of the blessing they seek for. James i. 5, * If any
of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,' ver. 17, ' the Father of lights.' So
if we pray for mercy and comfort, then we are to call upon God, as the Father
of mercies and God of all consolation, as Paul doth, 2 Cor. i. 3, ' Blessed be
God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and
the God of all comfort.' Yet still we are to use such expressions, both as
motives to move God out of his fulness to bestow what we ask, and as a
strengthening to our own faith. And accordingly here in the text, when
Paul asks sanctification at God's hands, he looks up to him as ' the God of
peace.' Sin is nothing else but a disorder and confusion of all the powers of
our souls, whereby they are turned rebels, and will not be subject to God :
Rom. viii. 7, ' Because the carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.' And these powers of our
souls are also turned enemies one to another. Hence there is in our souls a
confusion, an axaraffT-atr/a, James iii. 16, so that lusts war in our members.
James iv. 1, ' From whence come wars and fightings among yo.u ? Come
they not hence, even of your lusts, that war in your members ? ' Whereas
now sanctification puts all into their right order again, and so causeth peace ;
and that kingdom where it comes, and is set up, is peace and righteousness :
Rom. xiv. 17, ' For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but right-
eousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.' As the end of other king-
doms is by laws to put subjects in order, and to bring them to and to keep

126 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

them in peace, so it is the end of grace and righteousness also ; therefore he
desires God to shew himself such a God, a God of peace, in sanctifying them
throughout more and more, by putting all the powers of the soul into their
right fi-ame and order. For so,

2. You have expressed the subject of this sanctification in its full extent,
not themselves only, but everything in them ; expressed first in general,
not simply to sanctify you, but throughout, o/.otO.uc., which is more than
6>.o;, for it seems to signify not only totus homo, the whole man, but totum
hominis, the whole of man, all in man ; also it signifies sanctifying them to
the end o'/.og Ti/.og. Then, secondly, he expresseth the subject of this sancti-
fication, particularly by an enumeration of the particular and chief parts of
which man's nature consists, ' spirit, soul, and body ;' for as the whole man
is usually divided into soul and body, which division, to be true, death proves,
so he divides that -which we call the soul into soul and spirit, which division,
to be right, the word of God makes good : Heb. iv. 12, ' For the word of
God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' Piercing to the
dividing of soul and spirit. By soul he means those inferior faculties and
powers of the mind, the internal senses and afi'ections, fancy, anger, desire,
&c., which, being the more gross part, common to beasts ; and the other,
beino more sublime, viz. the judgment, conscience, &c., these he terms
spirit. Even as those more sublime, active, nimble parts of the body which
run in our bloods and cause all the motion in us, we call spirits, in compari-
son of the rest of the body, though they are parts of it ; so this more sublime
part of the soul, wherein we partake with angels, is called, in comparison of
the other, the spirit of the mind : Eph. iv. 23, * And be renewed in the
spirit of your mind.' Where it is put for a part of the mind, and not for
anything superadded, as, I confess, sometimes spirit is taken for those sparks
of moral light and \nrtues in the conscience and will. But here spirit signi-
fies that natural power of the mind which is the strength and quintessence of
it. Neither, thirdly, doth he content himself with reckoning thus up all the
parts in a threefold division, but because every one of these contain many
particulars in them, as the spirit hath in it the understanding, memory,
judgment, conscience, &c., the body many members ; therefore to shew that
all m every one of these are to be sanctified, he adds another word, ' that
TOur whole spirit,' 6/.oxX7;5ov, tola sors, every portion of it, as it signifies,
which words are as full as can be imagined to express that the whole man,
bodv, soul, and all, and everything in man, is to be sanctified and restored ;
the'want of which integrity that ought to be in them all, he says, is a sin,
and blameworthy, therefore he adds ' that they may be kept blameless.' So
that there are two doctrines which naturally and principally arise out of
these words.

Obs. 1. That every part and faculty of soul and' body in a man un-
sanctified are wholly and throughout corrupted and defiled, for else they
needed not sanctification.

Ohs. 2. That true sanctification is also universal.

And these two doctrines may be proved by the same reasons. But I shall
(as my method leads me) speak only to the first.

Now, as I have shewed before, that this corruption is universal in regard
of all sin, or that all sin is in every man's nature, so now I am to prove that
this con-uption is in all parts of our nature ; for this is a difiering conside-
ration from the other, as it is one thing to have all diseases, and another
thincT to have all parts diseased, which may be so by but one disease.

Chap. I.J in eespect of sin and punisument. 127

1. We have a clear proof for this from the testimony even of the pharisees
themselves, who though they were much corrupted in judgment, in regard of
discerning into' man's corruption, thinking and teaching lust to be no sin,
rot it may seem there was in them a relic and glimpse of the total coiTup-
tion of every man's nature, by a speech which they cast out concerning the
man born blind : John ix. 34, ' They answered and said unto him. Thou
wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us ?' Thou wert alto-
gether, oXoc, bom in sin. This indeed they seem only to apply unto such,
whom in their birth God had branded with some defect, as he had this man with
blindness, yet we may justly take it from those extenuators of corruption, as
a remainder of that truth which from their forefathers had been derived to
them, but which they had corrupted, and limited only to such, as unto whom
some mishap had befallen in their birth. Now I cite this to prove, not that
men are born in sin, but that the whole man, oXog, is so.

2. We have plain scriptures which evidence it.

1st, It is called ' the old man.' Why ? Because it overspreads every
part in man ; it is not called the old understanding only, or old will, but the
old man, because all the powers and parts that go to make a man are tainted
with it, and therefore all things do become new, when a man is regenerated :
2 Cor. V. 17, * Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature : old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new;' that is, all
in a man's nature. All things were old, corrupted, and naught, and there-
fore all becomes new. And to this purpose it is observable (which is
observed by some) that the Scripture, speaking of the subject of this corrup-
tion, speaks not as of the person of men only, but of the faculties in man,
as implying not totus homo, the whole man only, but totum. Jwmims, all that
is in man : Gal. iii. 22, ' But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin,
.that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that be-
lieve.' The Scripture (says he) hath shut up all, rd -Trdvra, all things under
sin ; so that the word implies not only all men, "Travrsg, but all things in man.
So likewise Christ expresses it, John iii. 6, ' That which is born of the flesh
is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.' He doth not only
say, that he that is bom of the flesh is flesh, but that which is bom of the
flesh is flesh, to ysysvrifievov, there being not that thing in man, who is bom
of flesh by fleshly generation, but is corrupted. And therefore,

2dly, We find all parts in man termed flesh. So the mind of the most acute
knowers (for of such he there speaks) is termed, Col. ii. 18, ' Intruding into
those things which he hath not seen, vainly pufied up by his fleshly mind.'
It is a mind of flesh. And answerably that wisdom, whereby in our walk-
ing we are guided, is termed wisdom of the flesh : 2 Cor. i. 12, ' For our
rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and
godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have
had our conversation in the world.' Nay, the conscience, which seems least
to be corrupted, is yet said to be defiled : Titus i. 15, ' But unto them that
are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure ; but even their mind and con-
science is defiled.' And now these are the noble parts of the spirit ;
and as these, so the will is of the flesh also: Eph. ii. 3, * Among whom also
we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind.' It is m ^sXri/MaTa 7r,g cdoxo;, xai
ruv hiawiujv, the wills of the flesh and of the mind. And in another scrip-
ture the will of the Gentiles is flatly opposed to the will of God : 1 Peter iv.
2, 3, ' That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the
lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our lives may
suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasci-

128 AN UNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

viousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banqueting, and abominable
idolatries.' Where the apostle persuades them to live no longer 'to the
lusts of men,' which, ver. 3, is interpreted ' working the will of the Gentiles,'
but to the will of God. And our afifections also are called the lusts and
passions of the flesh : Gal. v. 24, ' And they that are Christ's have crucified
the flesh, with the afi'ections and lusts.' And 1 Peter ii. 11, ' Dearly beloved,
I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which
war against the soul.' And these make up that which in my text is called
soul. And last of all, the flesh or body is said to be corrupted and filthy,
as well as the spirit or soul ; so 2 Cor. vii. 1, ' Having therefore these pro-
mises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.' And sin is said to reign
in the body : Eom. vi. 12, ' Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,
that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof ; ' which is taken as distinct from
the soul, for it is added mortal, which the soul is not. And if we look on
all the members of the body, they shew their corruption, they being fit
weapons for unrighteousness, even all the members of the body. The eyes
are full of adultery : 2 Peter ii. 14, ' Having eyes full of adultery, and
that cannot cease from sin : beguiling unstable souls : an heart they have
exercised with covetous practices ; cursed children.' The tongue is a
world of evil : James iii. 6, ' And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity ;
so is the tongue amongst our members, that it defileth the whole body,
and setteth on fire the course of nature ; and it is set on fire of hell.'
The feet are swift to shed blood, and the throat an open sepulchre :
Eom. iii. 13-15, ' Their throat is an open sepulchre : with their tongues
they have used deceit : the poison of asps is under their lips ; whose mouth
is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood.' To
conclude, they are said to be full of all unrighteousness, full of all readiness
to evil : Acts xiii. 10, ' 0 full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of
the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the
right ways of the Lord ? ' He doth not speak of the fulness of actual sin,
as a tree is said to be full of fruit, as the phrase is used, Eom. i. 29, ' Being
filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, mali-
ciousness ; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers.'
But here in Acts xiii. 10, the fulness is understood, tanqnam plenitudo vmis,
as a vessel is full of liquor. Elymas his soul and body was full of readi-
ness to evil, which denotes inward dispositions thereunto. Neither doth he
(as there he speaks of it) call it a fulness in regard of all the parts of un-
righteousness only, for that is after added besides, ' full of all unrighteous-
ness ;' not only all readiness to evil, but full of all. And therefore in this
regard onr depraved nature is compared to a corrupt tree, whereof we know
both root, and branch, and bark, and all to be poisoned if the tree is so :
Mat. vii. 17, 18, ' Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit ; but
a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth
evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.' And so is
every sprig and faculty in man that brings forth any act or motion, as fruit,
be it the understanding, will, &c. ; all is corrupt, bark and body, and all.
And this sin in our nature is called a^a^r/a hvi^lsrarog, that which begirts
all our faculties : Heb. xii. 1, * "Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed
about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and
the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race
that is set before us.' Now for the reasons and demonstrations of this truth,
that every part in man is corrupted and infected by sin, and so ought to be
sanctified.

CuAP. I.] IN RESPKCT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 129

First, In general. The dominion and extent of power, both of grace and
sin, are commensurate; and their dominions are of equal compass; and whore
they come they give laws to every member and subject that which is within
their dominions, for both are said to reign, and both are of a spreading
nature over all. Grace is compared to leaven, because it leavens the whole
lump : Mat. xiii. 33, ' The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a
woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.'
And sin and corruption of nature is compared to leaven also : Gal. v. 7-9,
' Ye did rnn well ; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth ?
This persuasion cometh not of him that called you. A little leaven leaveneth
the whole lump.' 1 Cor. v. G, 8, ' Your glorying is not good. Know ye not
that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump ? Therefore let us keep the
feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness ;
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.' Grace, where it
comes, comes in as life, and as the soul doth into the body, and informs all
in that body it comes into, and accordingly we see all parts to live in a living
man; and, on the contrai-y, this corruption of our nature is as death, which
is as general also as life, for it is the privation of it. And habitus et pri-
vatio vcrsantur circa idem, the habit and privation belong to the same sub-
ject. But,

Secondhi, More particularly to demonstrate this. If habitual grace and
sanctification was seated in every part of the first Adam, and of the human
nature of Christ, and begins to be in every faculty of a regenerate man, then
is every faculty by nature corrupted. The consequence is strong, not only
for the reason before given in general, that grace and sin are of a hke extent,
but more particularly it may be demonstrated from them severally.

1. If grace begun reacheth to every part of a regenerate man, then did sin
before corrupt all ; for that sanctification is but the restoring of every part
to its health and integrity again. Now, if any part were whole, it would not
need the physician nor cure.

2. That sin is thus seated in every part, may be proved by experiment,
drawn from the state of a regenerate man. We feel that there is a combat
against the work of grace in every part ; darkness and unbelief in the under-
standing fights against light and faith : ' Lord, I beHeve, help my unbelief,'
says that poor man in the Gospel, Mark ix. 24. Grace in the will fights
against sin in the will ; the flesh in the will lusteth against the spirit in the
will : Gal. v. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit
against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other ; so that ye
cannot do the things that ye would.' I say, in the will ; for the apostle
infers from what he had said, that thence it was that they could not do the
things which they would. It is not a fight of one faculty against another,
but of the same faculties against themselves, and this through the whole man.

3. The consequence is also strong, that if the grace which was in Adam,
when innocent, did reach to every part of his nature, then that sin, after he
had fallen, hath the same extent; for the corruption of our natures is but
the privation of that grace which was in him, and therefore is in every part
wherein that grace was. Privatio eat in eodem sahjecto in quo habitus : pri-
vation is in the same subject wherein the habit was before.

4. The consequence is strong too, that if in the nature of Christ grace was
in every part of it, then sin is so in our natures ; for the end of Christ's
assuming and sanctifying our natures was to condemn sin in the flesh : Rom.
viii. 3, ' For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,
God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned

VOL. X. I

130 AN UN'EEGEXERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

sin in the flesh ;' that is, by sanctifying onr nature in his person, and by
the righteousness of that his nature he takes away the sin of ours, and there
was no part of that his nature which he sanctified to any other end : John
xvii. 19, * And for their salies I sanctify myself, that they also might be
sanctified through the truth.' And in this Romans viii. says the apostle at
verse 2, ' The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death.' He had complained in chapter vii. of a law
of sin in his members, which would be there to his dying day ; now, says he,
my comfort is that a contrary law of grace and life was in Christ to take away
the guilt of it. So that every part in Christ being sanctified with a law of
life, was to take away the law of sin in eveiy part of us. Now, it remains
to be proved that every part of human nature in Adam and in Christ was
sanctified, and also that every part of it in a regenerate man begins to be
made holy. This I demonstrate two ways.

First, You shall see how the one follows from the other, so as if it be true
of any it is true of all.

Secondly, I will give the general reasons for it.

1. I say, the one follows necessarily upon the other : for,

1st, If every part in a regenerate man be sanctified, then every part of
human nature was sanctified in Adam, and e contra; for it is the same image
that is restored and created anew which was created at fii'st, only with this
difi'erence (as one observes), Adam was oXug, sanctified, but not oXonXug ;
but we, though not oXuic, that is, wholly and perfectly, j-et &/.o-£Xi?, that is,
to the end. Now, that every part in a regenerate man is sanctified, appears
by that common experiment, which yet is peculiar to regenerate men, that
there is a combat in every part between flesh and spirit, seated in all the
faculties, as I proved before.

2dly, If every part of human nature was sanctified in Christ, then it is so
in us, and e contra ; for he took flesh to sanctify ns: John xvii. 19, ' For
their sakes I sanctify myself;' and Heb. ii. 11, 14, 17, ' For both he that
sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one : for which cause he is
not ashamed to call them brethren. Forasmuch then as the children are
partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same ;
that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that
is, the devil. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto
his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.' It is
said of Christ and us there, that he who sanctifieth and we that are sancti-
fied are of one, that is, of one nature in every part ; for, ver. 17, we are said
to be like in all things. He took our nature, and every part of it, to sanctiy
it, that we might be made partakers of his sanctification, and so might be
of one, agree and be alike to him ; and that there might want no part in his
sanctification, he wanted no part of our nature. And even in this sense we
may understand that scripture in Eph. i. 23, of Christ's fiUing all in all ;
he fills all in all his children from his own fulness. Now he is full of grace
and truth : John i. 10, ' He was in the world, and the world was made by
him, and the world knew him not.' And he took our natures to sanctify
them, and therefore all he took was sanctified ; therefore he is called that
holy thing : Luke i. 85, ' The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee : therefore also that holy thing,
which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.'

2. Now, I shall assign the reasons which may evince that grace was and
is seated in Christ and Adam, in and through every part of them, and so
ought to be in us.

CUAP. I.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 131

1st, Because God hath made all in man to glorify himself, not as other
creatures only, hut by shewing forth those virtues and graces which he
stamped on man above all other works of his hands : 1 Cor. vi. 20, ' Glorify
God in yonr body, and spirit too ;' Ps. ciii. 1, ' Bless the Lord, 0 my soul;
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.' God therefore gave abili-
ties at first to man thus to glorify God in his whole soul ; for as we cannot
love him till he love us, so neither can we glorify him unless he implant in
every faculty holiness and grace lirst, whereby we have abilities to do so.

2dly, The whole nature of man, and every part of it, in its pure and right
constitution, was made subject to the law of God, and therefore was entirely
holy. And therefore thus was the entire nature of Adam and of Christ con-
stituted, for indeed if anything had been in Adam and Christ not subjected
to the law, it had been enmity to God ; for that is the reason which the
apostle gives of the carnal mind's being enmity against God : Rom. viii. 7,
' Because the carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can be.' But now there being nothing of
this enmity neither in Adam, while innocent, nor in Christ, no part in them
was lawless. And this is evident too from the word of God's judging every^
creature in man : Heb. iv. 12, 13, * For the word of God is quick and
powerful, and sharper than any two-eged sword, piercing even to the dividing
asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discemer
of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that
is not manifest in his sight : but all things are naked and opened unto the
eyes of him with whom we have to do.' And everything in man which is
thus tried and judged by the word, ought to be agreeable and subject to it
in its first original frame. And it is yet more clearly proved if we consider
that when Christ declares the sum of the law, he reckons up all in man :
Mark xii. 29, 30, ' And Jesus answered him. The first of all the command-
ments is. Hear, 0 Israel ; The Lord our God is one Lord : and thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment.' Lest
anything should be left out, Christ adds, icith all thy strength. If this, then,
be the law, as Christ says it is, then this law was originally written in the
whole soul, and every part of it, in Adam, and so in Christ too, of whom it
is said, that the law was in his heart, Ps. xl. 8. And w4iat is indeed the
sanctification of the understanding and will but the writing of the law there,
which God promises to do under the new covenant? Jer. xxxi. 33, ' But this
shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel : After those
days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in
their hearts ; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.' Now, to
write the law in the heart, is to put such dispositions in whereby a man may
live according to it. And thus the law was written on all in man in his pri-
mitive condition ; and now, alas ! since his fall, the contrary law of sin is
written upon all in his heart.

3dly, God hath made and ordained spiritual objects and acts for every
faculty of soul and body, and therefore he gave to Adam at first answerable
spiritual dispositions in all his faculties, for between every faculty and its
object there must be a suitableness ; and as the natural man receives not
the things of the Spirit, for, says the apostle, they are spiritually discerned,
1 Cor ii. 14, so neither can any faculty, if not sanctified, be in a spiritual
manner carried to or be conversant about spiritual things. Therefore if God
did provide spiritual objects /or all in man, then surely he put spiritual dis-
positions into all those powers of his soul. Now, that God did provide
spiritual objects for every faculty, is easy to be demonstrated by all the par-

132 AN UNREGKNERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [EoOK III.

ticulars. For the understanding, there are things of the Spirit; for the will,
spiritual good things; for conscience, spiritual motives, &c.

4thly, God made all in man capable of glory, therefore he made everything
in man holy; for since God would glorify all that is in man, so that even so
much as our bodies shall be ' made like his glorious body,' Philip, iii. 21,
all in man must therefore be sanctified ; for indeed no vessel is capable of
glory till it be prepared, Rom. ix, 23, and made meet, Col. i. 13. And
therefore since the understanding, will, memory, and all shall be glorified,
all these powers of the soul must be first sanctified. And therefore now
grace and holiness being introduced into every faculty of the soul, shews
that all in man is infected with sin, since the disease and the remedy are of
equal extent.

CHAPTER II.

Arrfuments to prove that not only the inferior powers of the soul, but the supreme,
the understandinci and mind, are corrupted. — TJuit tlie mind itself is called
flesh as well as the other. — Arguments from reason further to evince it.

It is not only the inferior powers of the soul which this plague of sin hath
seized, but the contagion hath ascended into the higher region of the soul.
It is this supreme, sublime, and noble part (which is not to be found in
beasts), the understanding, judgment, and conscience, which the apostle in
this 1 Thes. v. 23 means by spirit, as needing renovation and sanctification,
as much as the lower faculties in man. And in this sense spiiit is also taken :
1 Cor. ii. 11, ' Fur what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit
of man which is in him ?' Where sinrit of man signifies the knowing and
discerning part in man ; and in the same meaning it is to be understood
when it is distinguished from soul, as here in this 1 Thes. v. 23, and in
other places.

Since I design to shew how all the several faculties of our souls are by sin
depraved, that which I am to begin with is the highest and noblest of them
all — the spirit of man. And this, then, is the first proposition I will prove.

Prop. That the most supreme, most spiritual facult}- in man's mind, the
understanding power of man, is corrupted, and needs renewing.

This is a doctrine had need be proved, because to a carnal understanding,
not enlightened by the word, this hath always been, and is, the greatest
paradox. So it was to the heathen philosophers, and to many of the school-
men also, though called Christians ; who, though indeed they did acknow-
ledge dregs to lie at the bottom of the aftections in the lower part of the soul,
which sometimes, when stirred and joggled by outward temptations, do mud
and corrupt the mind ; yet that sublime and noble faculty, according to their
opinion of it, was in itself most pure, and the clearest of all the rest. And
therefore they say, Reason did still direct, advise, and persuade us to the
best things, and was in itself a pure \-irgin. And thus the pharisee also
judged: Rom. ii. 17-19, 'Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the
law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the
things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law ; and art
confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them
which are in darkness.' They boasted they knew God's will, and were confi-
dent because they were guides to the blind, a light of them in darkness ;
therefore, of all things else, they thought least that their understandings were
Corrupt and blinded : John ix. 40, ' And some of the pharisees which were

Chap. II ] in respect of sin and punishment. 133

with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also ?' When
they heard Christ speaking of blindness even in them that see, said these
men, ' Are we blind also ?' Of all the imputations else they wondered at
this the most ; and indeed when blind reason, which thinks it sees, is judge,
it is not strange that this corruption of the understanding should be a won-
der to it. For reason being the supreme faculty of all the rest, which
judgeth all else, and is judged of none but itself, by reason of its nearness
to itself it least discerns itself. As a man's eye, which though it may see
the deformity of another member, yet not the bloodshot that is in itself, but it
must have a glass by which to discern it. And so, though even corrupt
nature discerns the rebellions of the affections and sensual part of man by its
own light, as the heathens did, and complained thereof, yet it cannot discern
the infection and defilement that is in the spirit itself, but the glass of the
word is the first that discovereth it ; and when that glass is also brought,
there had need be an inward light of gi'ace, which is opposite to this cor-
ruption, to discover it. And therefore the Holy Ghost doth most of all
inculcate this depravation of the mind, and express it with the greatest em-
phasis. When he would shew how impure unbelievers are, who yet profess
that they know God, says he, 'Even their mind and conscience is defiled,'
Titus i. 16. They least of all suspected these parts (which are not flesh)
to be tainted, because they know God and have some light in them. There-
fore now, in opposition to this their conceit, he mentions only the mind
and conscience as being impure, and that with an emphasis, vmA \hZ'., %ai
(!vi/:!d/]aig, ' even their mind and conscience is defiled.' And there is almost
no place where he speaks setly of the corruption of nature, but vcv; or
didvoia comes in, and is sometimes alone mentioned and put for all the rest:
so Eph. ii. 3, 'Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.' _ Eph.
iv. 17, 18, 'lliat ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the
vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated
from "the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the
blindness of their heart.' Col. i. 21, ' And you, that were sometime alien-
ated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he hath reconciled.'
Enemies, h tyj havola, in the mind ; and so, when he speaks of renewing,
he exhorts them to be renewed in the spirit of their mind,' Eph. iv. 23.
He instances in that for all the rest.

Now for the proof of the spirit of the mind being depraved in man, besides
those places that speak of the particular corruptions of it, which I reserve
till I come to treat of them, I will name but one or two places more which
speak of the corruption of the mind in general.

1. We find that flesh is attributed to this as well as to any other faculty.
The understanding, the natural understanding of man, is called flesh and
blood : Mat. xvi. 17, ' Flesh and blood hath not revealed this,' says Christ.
You may know what faculty he speaks of by the act which he ascribes, or
rather denies to it, revealinq, which is proper unto the light of the mind.
And now this light and acumen he calls flesh, that is, corruption, as well a?
any other. And heresy also, which is seated in the understandmg, is yet
said to be a fruit of the flesh. Gal. v. 20. This evil fruit grows upon that
branch or faculty, which is indeed the top branch of all the rest, and yet it
is not so high but flesh or corruption, as ill sap, ascends and comes to it ;
and therefore all the wisdom of it is called fleshly, 2 Cor. i. 12 ; and itself
is termed mind of the flesh: Col. ii. 18, 'Vainly puffed up by his fleshly
mind.' • • i

Nor is it privatively corrupted only with ignorance, but positively also
with corrupt diseases, habitual evil dispositions: 1 Tim. vi. 4, 5, ' He is

134 AN UXREGENERATE MAX's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

proud, knowing nothing, but doating about questions and strifes of words,
whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of
men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth,' &c. He doth not only say
their minds are destitute of the truth, so as they assent not to wholesome
doctrine, but he says their minds are corrupt, sick, and diseased, vo/ruiv, sick
about vain questions, longing for them as a diseased stomach doth for any
trash. And this distemper of the mind the apostle in another place calls
an itch after fables : 2 Tim. iv. 3, 4, ' But after their own lusts shall they
heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears ; and they shall turn away
then- ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.' And 2 Tim. ii.
25, 26, ' la meekness instructing those that oppose themselves ; if God per-
adventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth ; and
that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the de^dl, who are taken
captive by him at his will.' The apostle there speaking of the repentance
of those who opposed the gospel, he calls that their repentance, dvarri-^uaig,
a recover}^ out of not an ordinary sickness, but perfect frenzy, unto health
and sobriety, which shews that the mind was diseased and frantic before,
and that this was the cause of its opposing the truth.

2. As I have proved this infection of the mind by sin from Scripture, so
now I will demonstrate it by reasons.

1st, If the spirit, and judgment, and higher faculties of the soul, were not
corrupted, but only the inferior ; if not the spirit, as well as the soul of man,
was depraved, then the image of the devil in the proper lineaments of it
would not appear in wicked men ; then his chief and main sins would not
be found in them, which yet they are. If we consider this great evil one,
Satan, he is a spirit, and hath no sensual or bodily lusts, either of unclean-
ness, drunkenness or gluttony in him, but his wickedness is 'spiritual
wickedness,' for which reason the hellish powers of darkness have that pecu-
liar name given them : Ephes. vi. 12, ' For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.' And
why is the wickedness of the devil called spiritual, but because it is rooted
in a spirit, and all his sins are seated in his understanding and will ? What
is the devil's great sin but pride, the womb whereof is chiefly the under-
standing ? And this sin of pride was the devil's condemnation and ruin :
1 Tim. iii. 6, * Lest, being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation
of the devil.' It was this pride which fumed up into the devil's head and
made him reel out of heaven. Of such sins as these men are also guilty,
and prone to them as well as the devils. Our proud contentious wisdom is
called devilish : James iii. 15, ' This wisdom descendeth not from above, but
is earthly, sensual, devilish.' And all that envy, malice, lying, and dissem-
bling, which though in the will, yet are rooted in the understanding, are in
this scripture mentioned by the apostle as bearing the same devilish resem-
blance. And these, and such like lusts which are in wicked men, Christ
calls the lusts of their father the devil : John viii. 44, • Ye are of your father
the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. When he speaketh a he,
he speaketh of his own : for he is a liar, and the father of it.' When the
devil tells a lie, he speaks it of his own, as being an act of the mind against
'!tself. And so blasphemy, and all blasphemous thoughts and expressions
concerning God, are said, as well as all other vain thoughts, to proceed out
of our hearts: Mat. xv. 19, 'For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.' These
blasphemies, as they are acts of the mind, are more agreeable to the devil's
sins than murders, fornications, &c.

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 135

2dly, lu the first sin of our first parents (whereby onr natures became
tainted) the judgment and uuderstanding had a great, if not the first and
main stroke ; and, thei'efore, if by that act sin entered on our natures, the
understanding, which was so deeply guilty, deserved to be punished and
wounded us deeply as any other. Now examiuc what was the main object
which drew on that sin, and which was aimed at in it ; it was an apprehended
excellency in the understanding ' to know good and evil,' that they might, as
the}"^ conceived, be like unto God ; and the original of their being deceived, was
in listening and assenting to the devil rather than God ; for twice when the
apostle speaks of that sin, he expresseth it as an error in judgment, as their
being deceived : 2 Cor. xi. 3, ' He beguiled Eve through subtlety ;' that is,
his wit deceived her. Their sin, therefore, consisted primarily in error : 1 Tim.
ii. 14, ' And Adam was not deceived ; but the woman being deceived, was in
the transgression.' iSo that the woman's being deceived, may seem to have
been the first wicket which let sin in ; or, if it be not so, yet, however, it is
mentioned as the main cause and subject of that first sin ; and from this
deceit it was, that corrupt opinions of God were engendered in their minds,
to imagine foolishly that he envied them a happier estate, as I have before
shewed. Now, then, if the understanding was (as it appears to have been) one
of the chief, if not the chief party in this sin, then certainly that act of the
understanding was the cause of that corruption which is in us ; and there-
fore this faculty must needs be much, if not most corrupted ; this faculty
must receive one of the greatest wounds, and be punished with one of the
greatest losses. For if God said, ' The soul that sins shall die,' then that
faculty in the soul, which you see sinned mainly, must die, that is, must
lose the life of holiness which was in it before. The schoolmen's reason why
the body is most corrupted, was, because that sin is conveyed by bodily gene-
ration, not considering that this was only the conduit-pipe ; but Adam's first
sin was the spring and cause ; and therefore the corruption of the faculties
is to be measured by the stroke which the parts and faculties of his soul had
in it. Her eye, indeed, and taste, helped forward the act ; for she saw the
apple to be good and desirable : Gen. iii. 6, ' And when the woman saw
that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a
tree to be desired to make one wise ; she took of the fruit thereof, and did
eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.' But now the
lust of the understanding, and the deceit therein, had first poisoned all, or
a mere apple could never have so enticed them, but it was conceived to have
virtue in it to give the knowledge of good and evil ; the devil candying it over
with such a specious appearance ; and hence it was that the apple became so
alluring. Therefore if it be the influence and punishment of Adam's sinful
act which causeth that corruption of nature which is in us, as I«have proved,
then, in a just and meet punishment, those faculties must needs be mainly
corrupted in Adam, and so in us (though indeed his sin corrupted all in
him, and in us too), that had the greatest stroke in his sinning, which I
have proved his understanding to have had.

3dly, If we consider the nature of grace, and of sin, and how they are
expressed to us in Scripture, as being both of them of a spiritual nature, it
is evident that therefore they must have the most spiritual subject. They
are not as dregs and lees that go down to the bottom, but as light and dark-
ness which swim above, and are in the finer and sublimer parts of the soul,
and mostly possess and lodge in its higher regions ; for, indeed, as it is reason
that renders us capable of sin, and of grace, which brutes are not, rea-
son, therefore, is the chief seat of them both. We find also, that grace is com-
pared to hght, as corruption (which is the privation of it) to darkness. Thus

136 AN UNREGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

even the state of grace is called light, and the state of nature, darkness :
Eph. V. 8, ' For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the
Lord.' As he calls grace light, so them he calls the children of light, that
being the principal and prevailing principle in them. And the strength and
power of sin also is said to lie in darkness, which is opposite to this light :
Col. i. 13, ' Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and trans-
lated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.' That from which we are deli-
vered is called the power of darkness ; and the kingdom of Christ, into which
we are translated, is called light : ver. 12, ' which hath made us meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.' And that the power of
sin lies in darkness, is clear from this, that the strength of a man lies in
wisdom and reason, and grace animating that reason : Prov. xxiv. 5, ' A
wise man is strong ; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.' So now
corrupted reason, which is darkness, is the strength of sin ; and the cause
why the devil rules so in men, is from the darkness of their minds : Eph.
vi. 12, ' For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principa-
lities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places.' And when the apostle would express
how opposers of the truth are recovered out of the devil's snare, he puts it
upon their having repentance to acknowledge the truth : 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26,
' In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if God peradven-
ture will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, and that
they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken
captive by him at his will.' When they have lu-dvoiav, a changed mind to
acknowledge the truth ; when they have found the way out of those thick
mists of darkness with which they were covered, and in which the devil kept
them ; when they a\,av7:-^o)6iv, are recovered out of that disease, lethargy,
and indeed frenzy of the mind, and, like the prodigal, are come to them-
selves again ; then the devil's snare is broke, who before, through their igno-
rance, blindness, and madness, did what he would with them. Now if grace
be light, and sin be darkness (and, indeed, what is the life of grace and
glory both, but light ? and sin and hell, but darkness ?), then they have
their principal seat in that faculty to which light properly belongs, as to
the understanding it doth ; from which higher part of the soul, as from a
sun above, it might difluse its influence and heat to all the lower faculties.
And if the understanding power of man be the subject of the light of grace,
it is also of the darkness of sin, since both light and darkness belong to the
same faculty, according to what our Saviour says. Mat. vi. 22, 23, ' The
light of the body is the eye : if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole
body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be
full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how
great is that darkness ?' Which proves my assertion, that not only the
lower, but the nobler faculties in man, the understanding and mind, are
depraved with sin.

4thly, If we consider that the production and increase of grace is said to
be a work wrought and transacted in the understanding, and first beginning
there, then certainly it follows that this faculty is mainly, if not principally,
corrupted. But now the work of grace is expressed to us : Acts xxvi. 17,
18, to be the ' opening the ej^es, and turning men from darkness to light ;'
and so when men are raised (whether by a new life, from the death of sin, or
by an awakening out of a sinful backsliding, I will not now dispute), what is
the life which comes into them? Ephes. v. 14, 'Wherefore he saith. Awake
thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.'
And indeed the life of grace is originally nothing but light ; John viii. 12,

CUAP. II.] nc RESPECT OP SIN AND PUNISllMKNT. 137

'Then spake Jesus again unto them, sayincr, 'I am the light of the world :
he that Ibllowcth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life'
As grace there is called the light of life, so answerably in those words : John
i. 4, 'In him was life, and the life was the light of men.' Light is inter-
preted to mean that grace which we had in innoccney ; that whereas Christ
is said in ver. 3 to have given all things being, so to man he gave that life
and image which he had in himself as second person. ' In him was life, and
the life was the light of men,' so that the life of grace is principally light ;
and if so, the understanding is one of the chief vitals, the priinwn vlccns,
that which first lives, as the heart is in man ; and therefore the death of sin
is also mainly seated in the understanding ; as this is the first faculty which
is quickened by grace, so it was the first that died by sin. And this is one
of the first faculties which is enlivened, and by means of it the rest have life
produced in them ; and therefore when the apostle Paul exhorts to put off
the old man still more, and to put on the new — that is, to get the whole man
changed — he puts this in between both, as the means of both, ' Be renewed
in the spirit of your minds :' Ephes. iv. 22-24, ' That ye put off concerning
the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the de-
ceitful lasts ; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind ; and that ye put
on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holi-
ness.' And when he exhorts us to be transformed, which meaus that the
frame of our whole man should be changed, he directs how it is done, viz.,
by the renewing of the mind, that so we may prove (or in true judgment
allow of) the will of God : Rom. xii. 2, ' And be not conformed to this
w-orld : but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God ;' which ex-
presseth thus much, that when the mind is once wrought upon and renewed,
there is a conformity to God wrought in the whole soul, as, ' If the eje be
single, the whole body is full of light,' Mat. vi. 22. Not that barely the
light doth the work by filUng all our powers, but the Holy Ghost by that
light changeth the whole man. As the heavens by their light convey their
heat and influences, so heat and life, and quickening in the will and affec-
tions, are conveyed into them by the light of the mind. If, then, the reno-
vation must thus necessarily be begun in the understanding, then certainly
that faculty of all other is primarily and most deeply depraved.

Sthly, This will also appear, if we add to all the former this consideration,
that the main and proper end of one of the offices of Jesus Christ, for which
it was appointed, is to cure the defects of the understanding. He hath but
three offices, king, priest, and prophet ; and as a prophet his office is to
work on the understandings of men, and to heal the defects in them. As a
prophet he removes our ignorance, and therefore is called a teacher : Mat.
xxiii. 8, 10, ' But be not ye called rabbi : for one is your Master, even
Christ ; and all ye are brethren. Neither be ye called masters : for one is
your Master, even Christ.' The word is 6 xa^jj/Tj^'/^;, doctoror teacher.
And as Christ is a teacher to instruct our blind and ignorant minds, in him
are therefore * hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge,' Col. ii. 3, that
he might dispense them to us. And the same apostle in another scripture,
reckoning up the main benefits which we have by Christ, puts in wisdom as
one and the first : 1 Cor. i. 30, ' But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of
God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption.' Well, and if we consider too all the instructions, reproofs,
and doctrines in the word, what are they but as so many plasters which
Christ lays to our heads to cure our diseased judgments, and by healing them
to heal all the other faculties ? All those wholesome words are principally

138 AN UxXEEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

applied to the understanding, as to that part in us which is as sick or most
sick of any, and by that they work on the other.

6thly, It is the defect and pravity of the mind which is the original and
root of all sin in the other powers of our souls ; nay, a corrupt understanding
IS the immediate cause and first mover in most sins, and the prime subject
of many, and those the greatest sins, and therefore certainly it is deeply
corrupted.

1. The darkness of the 'understanding is the author of that rebellion
which is in the will and aftections, for therefore doth the will and sensual
appetite seek out so inordinately the pleasures of sin, because the mind is
ignorant of God, knows him not, and so is a stranger to him, and can have
no fellowship 'odth him ; for it is ignorance of God estrangeth us from him,
since all fellowship and friendship is grounded upon knowledge, and all
friendly intercom-se is chiefly transacted by the help of it, and therefore rea-
sonable creatures are only capable of friendship, which beasts are not. That
we may then have communion with God, the knowledge of him is necessary ;
and accordingly the first and main thing which God doth, when he enters us
into the covenant of grace, is to teach us to know him : Jer. xxxi. 33, 34,
' But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel ;
After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts ; and I will be their God, and they shall be my
people. And they shall teach no more everj' man his neighbour, and every
man his brother, sa3-ing, Know the Lord : for they shall all know me, fr'om
the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord : for I will for-
give their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.' It is ignorance
therefore which keeps men from fellowship with God, and want of that fel-
lowship makes every faculty in man shift for itself, hunt and seek about in
other things, in the pleasure of sin and variety of lusts, to find that happi-
ness and delight which the blinded soul cannot see or discern to be in God.
Men are therefore estranged from God, because they know him not, and then
they are abandoned to all manner of sins: Eph. iv. 17-19, 'This I say
therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gen-
tiles walk, in the vanity of their mind ; having the understanding darkened,
being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them,
because of the blindness of their heart : who, being past feeling, have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.'
Mark, it is said that they are ' alienated from God through iguorance, be-
cause of the blindness of their hearts,' and thence it follows that 'they gave
themselves over to lasciviousness.'

2. The darkness of the mind is not only thus negatively (as depriving the
soul of the knowledge of God) the root of all sin, but it is positively the
immediate cause of most con-uptions in men's lives. Thus Paul mentions
fleshly wisdom as tlie cori'upt principle by which men lead their lives, and
as the main opposite principle unto grace : 2 Cor. i. 12, ' For our rejoicing
is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity,
not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conver-
sation in the world, and more abundantly to you-wards.' There is a fleshly
practical wisdom which enables men to do much mischief, and therefore
wicked men are said to be wise to do evil : Jer. iv. 22, ' For my people is
foolish, they have not known me ; they are sottish children, and they have
none understanding : they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no
knowledge.' And indeed this carnal wisdom is the cause of the greatest
part of wickedness in the world : Isa. xlvii. 10, ' For thou hast trusted in
thy wickedness : thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy

Chap. II,] in respect of sin and punishment. 139

knowledge, it hath perverted thee ; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am,
and none else besides me.' What practices do corrupt opinions put men
upon ? How do they hold them in the snare of the devil ? How do cor-
rupt principles in the practical understanding secretly steer men, and do all
covertly, and with underhand dealing, when yet the contrary principles keep
a noise in the conscience and speculative part ? Corrupt reasonings and
false judgments of things are the chief movers and actors in all our sinnings :
Eph. ii. 3, ' Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past,
in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind ;
and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.' They are said
to fulfil the wills of rujv diaiioiojv, of the miud, of the reasonings, as well as of
the flesh, the sensual part. And really thus it is with men, that though
they are convinced in their speculative understandings that there is a God,
and that it is best to serve and worship him, &c., yet there is a corrupt
principle in their practical judgments which will deny and renounce all this,
and act contrary to it ; and men will still walk in the vanity of their minds,
Eph. iv. 17 ; that is, vain principles are their guide.

3. The understanding itself is the subject of many sins, and the chief
transactor of them, and though usually they affect the will also, yet they are
seated there principally. As pride hath its chief place in the mind, and there-
fore the apostle Paul describes it by a being putted up with a fleshly mind :
Col. ii. 18, ' Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility,
and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not
seen, vainly putted up by his fleshly mind.' So idolatry, heresy, blasphemy,
hypocrisy, infidelity, evil surmisings, seeking after credit, and praise, and
glory, which is an aerial thing, a sublimated object of the understanding ; in
fine, all inordinacies after any excellencies, of which the understanding only
judgeth, all these sins are principally seated in it ; and all the evil thoughts,
wicked devisings, sinister and hypocritical ends, which set unregenerate men
on work in all their ways, these are all seated in the understanding. And
these sins are both the great swaying sins in men's lives, of longest con-
tinuance, of mightiest strength and of highest guilt ; which I add, to shew
the deep corruption of the understanding, and as motives to mortify them,
having them in our eye, searching them out, and also humbling ourselves
for them.

1st, These sins in the understanding are the most swaying of all other ;
they are of a larger extent and compass, and a man hath more occasions to
please them than others, and therefore they command most, and bear the
greatest sway in a man's life. As to instance in one of them, credit and
glory of a name, a man seeks to uphold it, and is mindful of it continually ;
yea, for the sake of it a man will abstain from many a gross sin, and some
attections and lusts are starved to feed and nourish this, and it keeps other
sins under ; and, in short, acts a part in every thing, whenas other lusts do
but occasionally, and at some times exert themselves.

2dly, These sins in the understanding are the strongest of all other. The
strongholds which exalt themselves are sins seated in the mind, and there-
fore called reasonings, which exalt themselves against God : 2 Cor. x. 4, 5,
' For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strong holds ; casting down imaginations, and every high
thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.' And, therefore, these
sius are the strongest holds, because they are founded in the reason, which
argues for them, defends and justifies them, when other lusts have no shew
or colour of reason, and have little or nothing to say and plead for them-

140 AN UXRKGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

selves. When Christ was here on earth, what was the strongest lust which
kept men from coming to him and believing ? It was pride and vain glory.
What was it they stuck at most ? Disgrace, and renouncing the credit of
their learning, and foregoing hopes of preferment and wealth, and abandon-
ing the correspondency of their friends by losing their esteem. Here it was
they stuck most, and all these are sins of the understanding.

3dly, These sins are of most continuance. When the body decays and
the temper alters, other lusts wither, but not these in the mind and spirit,
which are as green and fresh in old age as in youth ; ay, and as men grow
in years, Ihese sins grow more strong and lively in them.

4thly, These sins are of the deepest guilt, for, corruptio optimi est pessima,
the best things corrupted became the worst of all, as a stain is worse on a
fine cloth than a coarse. And, therefore, as the understanding is the most
excellent part: in man, and the very spirit of the soul, and the image of God
is chiefly wrought there, so the corruption of it is worse than that of the
other faculties : ' If the eye be dark, how great is that darkness,' Mat. vi. 23.
And besides all this, it is in these sins of the mind that we resemble the
devil, whenas in other sins we are only like unto the beasts.

CHAPTER III.

Tlie difference betiveen the natural defects in men's minds, caused bij the fall and
sin, and those which are spiritual defects. — That men's natnrai imperfections
in understanding and reason would hare been much greater if they were not
healed by the common goodness of God to men. — Y^et, notwithstanding, how
deficient men are in the knowledge of ciril and natural things ; and therefore
they must be much more so as to such which are spiritual.

Having proved in the general that even the spirit of man, or his more
sublime part, the understanding, is defiled, I now come to shew, in the par-
ticular, instances wherein this corruption of the mind doth consist. To make
the way clear to my discourse, I premise these two propositions.

Prop. 1. There is a diff'erence between the wounds and natural defects
which the fall of Adam hath given the mind, and the sinful defilements
which it hath contracted from his fall.

For as in the body there are many defects which in themselves are miseries
indeed, but not defilements, and which may humble a man as punishments
but not as sins ; such are lameness, blindness, &c. ; so in the faculties of
the soul, and in this of the understanding especially, besides the defilements
of it, there are many wants, imperfections, and weaknesses, which simply in
themselves considered may rather be thought miseries than sins, as weak-
ness of memory, ignorance in human sciences, &c., the principles whereof
Adam had, who gave names to beasts according to their natures ; and we
should have inherited them from him. That you may understand this fur-
ther, consider that Adam's mind (as the best of men's minds also now are)
was enriched with two several endowments: 1, the sanctifying light of the
law viritten in the heart, whereby he knew God, and how he ought to serve
him; and, 2, much other additional knowledge and wisdom, which should
seem as handmaids unto this former, and attend upon it, as knowledge in
the nature of the creatures, which God gave also to Solomon, an heart as
large as the sea, and as many notions in it as sands on the sea-shore, all
which, though sanctified, as being guided and ordered by the other, yet was
not (as simply in itself considered) sanctifying knowledge. Now therefore

Chap. III.] in ukspect of sin and punishment. 141

the understanding of man since the fall hath answerablj received two wounds.
It is not only stripped of that sanctifying light utterly and wholly, but those
rich hangings and adorning attendants are gone too ; and therefore they are
repaired since the fall by two several remedies, viz. gifts, and the grace of
spiritual knowledge ; gifts of knowledge and wisdom you shall find where
grace is not. Thus the heathens had the imperfections of the mind repaired
in natural and civil knowledge as much as we. And unregenerate men also
have spiritual gifts : Eph. iv. 8, ' He led captivity captive, and gave gifts
unto men ; ' Ps. Ixviii. 18, * Thou hast received gifts for men ; yea, for the
rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.' But these
gifts are not grace, for they heal not the mind nor rectify the crooked and
perverse dispositions of men ; as Solomon says, Eccles. i. 15, ' That which
is crooked cannot be made straight.' And there is grace and sanctifying
light where these gifts are wanting, and therefore the absence of them is not
a sin, for many of those whom God chooseth and sanctifieth want these rich
endowments of the mind, which are as the handmaids to the great mistress
of all — grace ; and where that is not, they all signify nothing to the real
purpose of our salvation : 1 Cnr. xiii. 1,2,' Though I speak with the
tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sound-
ing brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all mysteries and all knowledge ; and though I have all faith,
so that I could remove mountains, and have no charity, I am nothing.'

My intent is not to run over the defects in naturals which are in the mind,
so much as the defilements of it in regard of spirituals ; and we shall follow
herein the example of Scripture, which takes notice of the defilement of the
conscience, and mind, and memory, but not of the natural weakness of them :
Titus i. 15, ' But even their mind and conscience is defiled.' Now it is
these wants that are healed by sanctification, into which we are to enquire,
and for the healing of which the apostle prays in this, 1 Thes. v. 23, and
the healing of which are essentially necessary to salvation.

The use of this proposition laid down may be to ease the complaints of
many poor souls, who have the defilements of their spirits more healed than
the defects and imperfections of them ; who have weak memories, shallow
understandings and capacities, and meaner gifts than other men ; and who
yet have more of that knowledge wherein the image of God consists. Col.
iii. 10, than those other men have who excel them in wisdom and gifts.
Though they be fools in worldly wisdom, yet they err not in the way of holi-
ness : Isa. XXXV. 8, ' And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall
be called the way of holiness ; the unclean shall not pass over it, but it
shall be for those : the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.'
And, indeed, if we look to the purpose of God's election, he hath not chosen
the wise, but the foolish things of this world : 1 Cor. i. 26, 27, ' For ye see
your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble, are called ; but God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise ; and God hath chosen the weak
things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.' And if so,
what though thou hast natural defects in thy mind, why shouldst thou be
cast down ? Thou mayest have a weak memory, perhaps, yet if it can and
doth remember good things as well or better than other, then it is a sanctified
memory, and the defilement is healed, though the imperfection of it is not ;
and though thou art to be humbled for it as a misery, yet not to be dis-
couraged, for God doth not hate thee for it, but pities thee ; and the like
holds good, and may be said as to the want of other gifts.

As a godly man who hath grace may be defective as to these gifts, so

142 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III,

■wicked men may have the imperfections of their understandings more healed
by gifts than a godly man, and yet the defilements of them, which are opposed
to sanctification, may still remain utterly untaken away ; and thus unre-
generate men may exceed those who are sanctified, as to such gifts : Luke
XV. 8, ' For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the
children of light.' They are said to be wiser in their generation than the
children of light ; that is, than those who have a sanctified light in their
minds. Yet consider the distinction there put, which is, that they are but
■wiser in their generation ; that is, in their kind and sphere ; and this is no
more than what is common and usual ; for every creature in its own kind
may have a farther insight into a thing than another, which is yet more
noble, hath. Thus many beasts, in sight, and smell, and taste, and fancy,
put down and exceed a man ; as an eagle excels us in sight, an ape in taste,
and dogs in smelling; yet a man hath reason, which recompenseth and over-
balanceth all. And thus, wicked men in their kind, that is, so far as their
generation reacheth, which is common to both, and in such gifts which both
partake of, may exceed the godly ; but yet these are children of light in the
Lord, though not in the world ; and the other are children of light in the
world, but darkness in the Lord : Eph. v. 7, 8, ' Be not ye therefore partakers
■with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord':
walk as children of light.' Such ungodly men, who have such gifts and eminent
parts, are as the crocodiles, which, according to the report of them, are
quick-sighted on land, but dull-sighted in the water ; so tliese are quick and
sharp-witted in all things hut what belong to their peace.

Projj. 2. These wounds and defects of the mind in natural and civil
things, if searched to the bottom, and considered what they would be, if not
healed in most men, more or less, by especial gifts from God, will appear to
be very great.

Most of that light which men have in them is a borrowed light from God,
and more than nature, now fallen, hath bequeathed and left us. And, indeed,
that portion which, as sons of Adam, we may claim as derived to us by
virtue of that first law still in force, increase and multiply, whereby we are
men, would be found exceeding small, did not God, pitying us out of his
abundance, add to our stock de novo, and help us to trade with it. If there-
fore we reflect how little of natural light at tho most we have, and how much
of that little is helped by superadded gifts from God, we shall find our loss
as to these natural abilities to be great, and our remaining stock to be very
little and inconsiderable. It is true, indeed, we have, and must have, under-
standing and reason ; for this being the difference between us and beasts,
without it we could not be men : Ps. xxxii. 9, ' Be ye not as the horse, or
as the mule, which have no understanding ; whose mouth must be held in
with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.' Without understanding
we could neither be capable of sin, not obnoxious to punishment for it, nor
sensible of any guilt ; and therefore sin doth not deprive us of all under-
standing, since (as Prosper* assigns it as a reason) that faculty concurs to
the commission of it.

It is also true, that as to other creatures, according as they have objects
proportioned for them, God hath given answerably an instinct to know and
discern what is good for them in their kind ; so to men also God hath given
to know the things of a man, in order to the upholding their natural and
civil being in this world ; and therefore a wisdom in their generation is pro-
per to men as such. And how far these common fundamental principles of
reason should reach, and be improved, it is hard to determine.
* Prosper, lib. iii. de vocat. Gentium.

Chap. III.] in respkct of sin and punishment. 143

That Adam's sin hath not tho same influence into all men's understand-
ings, which it hath into theirs who are born fools, it is not as if these idiots
were more guilty of Adam's sin, and more obnoxious to the curse and mis-
chiefs of it than others, but that in those who have the remainders of a
natural light, and use of reason, the works of God might appear, in fitting
them at least for civil business and employments of the world ; and thus
our Lord Jesus Christ speaks and argues in the case of the man born blind :
John ix. 2, 3, ' And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin,
this man, or his parents, that he was born blind ? Jesus answered, Neither
hath this man sinned, nor his parents : but that the works of God should
be made manifest in him.'

But, however, let us view the understandings of the wisest men in natural
or civil things, which belong to the present life; let us sound and fathom them
to the bottom, and we shall find that all is exceeding shallow, and that they
are but clung bladders, not blown to the wideness for which they were made
to stretch. If we consider the knowledge of nature, how short-sighted are
the wisest of men in it? Solomon, who excelled all others in wisdom, who was
the great dictator in natural philosophy, who discoursed from the hyssop
on the wall to the trees of the forest, 1 Kings iv. 33, yet when he comes to
sum up the reckoning, he puts this at the foot of the account, that what is
wanting cannot be numbered : Eccles. i. 15, ' That which is crooked cannot
be made straight ; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.' He
who was so wise, saw that the defects of his knowledge overpassed all
arithmetic, and yet he had notions as many as the sands of the sea,
1 Kings iv. 20.

If we consider the knowledge of those things which are necessary to the
maintenance and support of man's life, or to the upholding of civil govern-
ment, which are good for man's body, either in physic or diet, or which are
for the increase of his estate and credit, or which are necessary for the com-
munities of mankind to settle order and government among men, how
ignorant are the wisest of men in all these ? Solomon says thus in the
general : Eccles. vi. 12, ' For who knoweth what is good for man in this
life, all the days . of his vain life, which he spendeth as a shadow ? for who
can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun ?' What is good fur
man (says he) in this life ? He doth not speak of the world to come, but
the present. And common experience proves Solomon's assertion, for those
who have most extended their wits to the preservation of their healths, have
destroyed them by errors and mistakes. Those ways which the wisest of
men have pitched on, as the nearest and shortest cuts to riches and honours,
have proved the loss of both : Eccles. ii. 13, 14, ' Then I saw that wisdom
excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. The wise man's eyes are
in his head ; bnt the fool walketh in darkness : and I myself perceived also
that one event happeneth to them all.' Though indeed wisdom exceeds folly,
as much as light doth darkness, yet one event happens to all, and the wise
are poor and disgraced as well as fools ; and to what end and purpose then
is the wisdom of the greatest and bravest men ?

And after all, the most of that knowledge unto which men attain in these
things fore-mentioned is from a new gift of God. They cannot understand
and manage so much as husbandry without his instruction, but it is God who
teacheth them discretion, how to order their corn in sowing and threshing
it : Isa. xxviii. 24-26, * Doth the ploughman plough all day to sow ? Doth
he open and break the clods of his ground ? When he hath made plain the
face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin,
and cast in the principal wheat, and the appointed barley, and the rye in

14i AX UNREGENEPvATE man's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

their place ? For his God dolh instruct him to discretion, and doth teach
him.' Tims the knowledge of the nature of things, and of the application
and use of them in profitable inventions for human life, is the gift of God,
which the old world did acknowledge when anything which is now common
among us was first invented ; for they honoured them as gods who found
out ploughing, &c., sowing, music, &c. And this gave occasion to the
idolatry of those times, who worshipped the authors of such inventions, as
thinkintr them more than men, and that it was some especial divine assistance
enlightened them in it.

And if thus in natural and civil things men's minds were so defective as
to need God to help their wit and invention, much more great must be the
deficiencv of man's understanding in things moral and divine and the aids
from God more apparent which supply those defects. If we reflect on the
heathens, what was the light which the wisest of them had ? It was mostly
in duties of the second table of God's law; and they had but little prints of
knowledge concerning the duties of the first table, and those soon blotted or
worn out: Rom. i. 21, 28, 'Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful ; but became vain in their
imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. And even as they did
not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate
mind, to do those things which are not convenient.' And of those prints
which they had of this first table of God's law, if you ask how they came to
be set upon their minds, the apostle tells us they were written: Rom. ii. 15,
* Which shew the work of the law written in iheir hearts, their conscience
also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else ex-
cusing one another.' And how were they written, but by God's own finger,
as he writ the law on the tables of stone ? The knowledge of God which
they had it was manifest in them : Rom. i. 19, * Because that which may be
known of God is manifest in them : for God hath shewed it unto them.'
And how was it manifest ? Why, God had shewed it to them, and that not
only materially, by creating the world, though that be the means instanced
in, but also by teaching them to read in this great volume of the creation,
and learning them to spell his eternal power and Godhead out of that book ;
as the printer, who barely prints a book, doth not manifest to all men what
is in it; but it is what the master, who teacheth to read and understand it,
doth. And so God in this case doth the like ; and therefore the wisdom
which the wisest of the heathens had, is called the wisdom of God : 1 Cor.
i. 21, 'For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew
not God, it pleased God by the fooHshness of preaching to save them that
believe,'

But now if you bring the sharpest understandings to read and apprehend
the things written and revealed in God's other book, his word, they cannot
do it without a supernatural light and assistance. And there is want of this
light to teach men to know these truths, even in a speculative and notional
manner, such as unregenerate men may have. For was not the mere narra-
tion, the bare story of them, foolishness to the heathen, because they had
not this light to enable them to do so much, as mere reading amounted to ?
as 1 Cor. i. and ii. Was it not matter of derision to the Athenians ? Acts
xvii. 32, ' And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some
mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.' And
why ? Because though they heard these things, yet their quick wits, not
enli'Thtened by the Spirit, could not apprehend them. And therefore the
Scripture is said not to be of private interpretation : 2 Peter i. 20, ' Know-
inf^ this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpreta-

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 145

tion;' i.e. no private understanding, nor the sharpest wit, if not assisted by
the Holy Ghost, can understand them, for their meaning cannot be explained
without help of the public secretary of heaven who wrote them at first :
2 Peter i. 21, ' For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man ;
but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' And
when Christ himself was the preacher, he opened their understandings that
they might understand the Scriptures, for without this his preaching was not
enough: Luke xxiv, 45, 'Then opened ho their understanding, that they
might understand the scriptures.' Though we attain to knowledge of the
letter of the word, and of the meaning of holy writ, as unregenerate men
do attain other knowledge ; yet we could not gain this but by gifts dispensed
upon Christ's ascension, which qualify men, not to be apostles only, but
teachers and interpreters of the word : Eph. iv. 8, 11, ' Wherefore he saith,
When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto
men. And he gave some, apostles ; and some, prophets ; and some, evan-
gelists ; and some, pastors and teachers.' And if it be said. May not men
understand the historical matters of fact laid down in the word, as well as
they understand other histories, by the strength of their natural wit and
reason ? I answer, yes, they may, but yet not so as to apprehend the design
of the sacred story, or the holy use for which it was wrote, to instruct men
in it, which is the chief mind and intent of the Holy Ghost. This they
cannot understand without supernatural assistance ; or if they could com-
pass in their thoughts, the meaning of the history of the Bible, and those
discourses which, by way of illustration, run in the golden veins of the Scrip-
tures concerning natural things and political, wherein much of Job and of
the Proverbs is spent, yet they can never penetrate the spiritual mysteries
of the gospel. These are the things of God, which he hath peculiarly given
to his children, and they are above the reach or capacity of the minds of
other men : 1 Cor. ii. 9-12, ' But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God
hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto
us by his Spirit : for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of
God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man
which is in him ? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit
of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
which is of God ; that we might know the things which are freely given to
us of God.' The inward work of the Spirit, and the mysteries of free grace,
are such things which the wisest of men cannot understand so much as in
the letter of them. Thus Nicodemus could not imagine what the new birth
should mean : John iii. 3, 4, * Jesus answered and said unto him. Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the king-
dom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he
is old ? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?'
No ; the vision of all these things is become as the woixls of a book that is
sealed : Isa. xxix. 11, 12, ' And the vision of all is become unto you as the
words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned,
saying, Read this, I pray thee : and he saith, I cannot ; for it is sealed :
and the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying. Read this, I
pray thee : and he saith, I am not learned.' What though you deliver it to
one who is learned, and ask him to read it, yet he cannot, and why ? Because
it is sealed, and no one in heaven or earth is worthy to open the seals of
these hidden and closed treasures of grace, but Christ alone, and without his
key no man can come to know them. Or if an unregenerate mind could be

VOL. X. K.

146 AN UNKEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

supposed to arrive so far as to know them and understand their meaning,
yet they can never assent to them without a work of the Holy Ghost on the
soul : 1 Cor. xii. 3, * And that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but
by the Holy Ghost.' He speaks it of common gifts : ver. 1, ' Now concern-
ing spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.' He shews that
the very changing of their opinions, that they should think the gods whom
they before worshipped to be no gods, and assent to this, that Jesus was the
Lord, that even this was from the power of the Holy Ghost, without whom
they could not have attained to so much. And yet farther, if the under-
standings of men were filled with all this light, and needed not any new
assistance to the attainment of all knowledge, not only natural, civil, and
moral, but divine and spiritual also in the letter, yet still the defilement, the
corruption of the mind might remain, yes, and doth continue in men who
are enlightened in all these. So that suppose in none of these the mind had
received any wound or darkness, so as to need no new light, or suppose that
a man hath received all this knowledge from the Holy Ghost, yet there is a
farther knowledge required than all this, which till it be wrought, the under-
standing may truly be said still to be defiled and blind, and to know nothing
as it ought to know.

CHAPTER IV.

What are the sinritual wants and defilements in men's understandings, which
can be healed only by true regeneration. — They cannot have a spiritual dis-
cerning of spiritual things. — This proved from Scripture, which expresseth,
not only that such things are hid from them, that they have something over
their eyes which hinders the sight, but that there is darkness in the eye of
the mind itself.

Having discoursed of those natural wounds which the understanding hath
received by the fall, I now come to treat of the spiritual wants and defile-
ments, which are healed by true sanctification, saving and spiritual know-
ledge.

1. The first spiritual defect in man's understanding, is that blindness and
inability to know and discern spiritual things spiritually, as a regenerate man
doth : 1 Cor. ii. 14, * But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.' You know what spiritual things are,
viz., the things which God hath revealed by his Spirit for your peace, those
things which are necessary for you to know, if you be saved : Luke xix. 42,
' If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which
belong unto thy peace ; but now they are hid from thine eyes !' There they
are called the things belonging to our peace. Now to know them spiritually,
is, in brief (to express it to vulgar capacities), so to know them, as to know
the true way of making our peace with God by them. Thou mayest know
them so as expressed to others, and be afiected with them also, and yet make
no application of them to thine own use, good, and benefit, and then thou
dost not spiritually understand them ; for so to understand them is to know
them, as they are in themselves, and in that true and full manner, and to
that end they are revealed by the Holy Ghost in the word ; and therefore
we do not spiritually discern the nature of these things, if we do not see the
true, right, particular way wherein we may come to salvation by them ; be-
cause that was the mind of Christ and of the Holy Spirit in revealing them.

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 147

Now, then, to see sin and a man's own sinfulness, so as to be thoroughly
humbled for it, and to have the heart broken off from all sin, and from put-
ting any trust in himself ; as Job and Paul had a sight of it, with such an
effect of it upon them : llom. vii. 13, 14, ' Was then that which is good
made death unto me ? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin,
working death in me by that which is good ; that sin, by the commandment
might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual :
but I am carnal, sold under sin.' This is to see it in a spiritual manner,
and to behold the excellence of Christ, and the necessity of his righteousness
with such an eye as he doth, who accounts all but dross and dung in com-
parison, and seeks to be found in him, not having his own righteousness, as
Paul did : Philip, iii. 8, 9, ' Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord : for whom I
have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may
win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which
is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteous-
ness which is of God by faith.' This is a spiritual knowledge of Christ. To
know the promises of free grace and mercy, so as to see the way fully open,
for himself or any such poor sinner to have a share in it ; this is spiritually
to discern the infinite riches of free grace ; to see the strictness of that holi-
ness which God requires ; to approve that good perfect and acceptable will'
of God ; to know how we are to serve him in all duties, in such a manner
as God, who is a Spirit, and who is infinitely holy, commands ; to see good
and full reason for an absolute necessity of doing this ; to see beauty, excel-
lence, and happiness in performing it. This is to know the law as the saints
know it : Rom. vii. 12, 14, ' Wherefore the law is holy, and the command-
ment holy, just, and good. For we know that the law is spiritual : but L
am carnal, sold under sin.' Now such thoughts and apprehensions as the-
saints have of these things unregenerate men cannot have, their under-
standings being so blind, as they do not and cannot enter into them. This
blindness and utter inability to discern spiritual things is the first subject of
my discourse, which I am to explain, and prove to you, and you will the bet-
ter apprehend what it is, if first I lay open the several degrees of it,, accord-
ing as the Scripture sets it forth to us.

(1.) The Scripture tells us that spiritual things are hidden from the eyes-
of men who are in their natural condition : Luke xix. 42., ' If thou hadst
known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy
peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes.' Mat. xi. 25, ' At that time^
Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth,,
because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast re-
vealed them unto babes.' They are hid, i. e. they are as far from our finding
out as things are which are on purpose laid aside in places where our eyes
can never come to spy them or find them out ; so as, suppose a man had a
mind to find them, and know them, yet he might search to eternity and
never light on them, unless God revealed them. Thus speaks Christ to
Peter, Mat. xvi. 17, * Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona ; for flesh and blood
hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.' There-
fore they are called the wisdom of God, and not only so, but in mystery too :
1 Cor. ii. 7, ' But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hid-
den wisdom, which God had ordained before the world unto our glory.' They
are such a mystery, which is as far from our ability to find out, as the thoughts
of the most deep-hearted men are ; which instance the apostle useth to illus-
trate it in ver. 9-12, ' But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God

148 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto
us by his Spirit : for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things
of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man
which is in him ? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit
of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
iwhich is of God ; that we might know the things that are freely given to us
d)f God.' Ay, these deep things of God's heart are farther from a natural
jnan's search and scrutiny than the deepest thoughts of the wisest man on
■earth are : for, what says Solomon, who best knew wisdom, and the utmost
extent of it ? That though the heart of a man be deep, yet a man of under-
"Standing may fathom it : Prov. xx. 5, ' Counsel in the heart of man is hke
deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.' He instanceth
there in the thoughts of a man, because of all things in the world they are
'most unsearchable. But though these may be searched into, yet what man
can penetrate the counsels of God's heart? Eom. xi. 34, ' For who hath
known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor ?' And upon
this he breaks forth into that great exclamation : ver. 33, ' Oh the depth of
•the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable are
his judgments, and his ways past finding out !' But though this is a great
•degree of spiritual blindness, that men are unable to make the fu'st disco-
•very of 'the things of God, and it may be easily granted that they are so ;
yet you will say. When these spiritual things are once published, and made
known and common, and laid before men's eyes, as in the Scriptures they
;are, then a man is able to discern them. Therefore,

(2.) Consider what farther the Sciipture says in this matter. It not only says
'that men sit in darkness, bu± (to leave all under expressions) it tells us that
we are darkness itself: Eph. v. 8, 'For ye were sometimes darkness,' &c.
^ow, a man who is in the dai'k, especially if he carry darkness about with him
■too, though the thing he looks for be laid just before him, not concealed, but
brought out, yet he is unable to see it. For that which makes all things
manifest is light, says the apostle : 1 Cor. iii. 13, 'Every man's work shall
be made manifest : for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed
by fire ; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.' And
hinien est actus perspicid, saith philosophy. But now he doth not say, we are
in the dark, but darkness. There are some creatures which, though they be
in the dark, have an innate light by which they can see things, as cats have;
but we are not only in the dark, but darkness itself. God hath put into the
mind of man wherewith to see .other things, a light which philosophers call
inteUectus ac/ens, which doth irradiate those images that are received from the
senses, so as a man carries a candle in his head, and not only an eye able to
see, which they call intelleetus jMssibiUs. But as to spiritual things we want
this, and instead of a. light we cany darkness in our heads, which must be
dispelled by nev/ light, brought in over and above the propounding and pub-
lishing of the object: Acts xiii. 41, 'Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and
perish : for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall in no
wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.' Paul having plainly and
openly preached to them Christ, and the gospel, and forgiveness of sins in
the former verses, thus concludes his sermon with this caution, that they
should h.eware lest that came upom them which was spoken by the prophet, that
though they should have eternal life and salvation set before them in a clear
light, yet they should perish because they did not believe it. Therefore it
is not bare declaring or propounding the things of the gospel that will serve
the turn, for these men heard it preached and published with the clearest
evidence. The gospel, though preached never so plainly, may be still hid to

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin ani> punishment. 149

them which are lost : 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4, ' But if onr gospel be hid, it is hid to them
that are lost : in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the gloriou's gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, should shine unto them.' And, indeed, as to see with bodily
eyes, it is not only necessary that an object be before us, but that we have
light also shining into the room where we are, so it is not enough that wo
have the truths of the gospel rationally proposed, but it is also needful that
a light shines into our minds to illuminate them. Who hath not experience
that a spiritual reason and argument which convinceth a man to-day, yet
shall not have the same effect upon him on the morrow, though as strongly
urged ? And why ? But because a new light is required to set it on. Thus
a man looks comfortably upon his graces and evidences for heaven to-daj',
but the next day, or perhaps but an hour after, he sees nothing but darkness
and discomfort; and though he doth recal his former thoughts, jei he can-
not see things as he did before. What is the reason ? Because that light
which before made his graces and evidences visibly apparent is now with-
drawn, though the eye of his mind be the same, and the object where it was.

(3.) Consider that if the object is propounded, and light shine round a man,
yet if his eyes be shut or closed up he is not able to see anything. There-
fore the Scripture, to shew a further degree of our inability to discern spiri-
tual things, says that men have veils, scales, and films before their eyes.
The dirt and muck of this world doth not only, by being daubed over them,
hinder the sight, but the god of this world hath blinded them lest the light
should shine into them : 2 Cor. iv. 4, ' In whom the god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.' And veils
are over their hearts too, that as we say of the eye that it is blood-shot, so
we may of the heart that it is sin-shot. This veil was over the Jews' hearts
when Moses was read : 2 Cor. iii. 14, 15, ' But their minds were blinded :
for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away, in the reading of
the Old Testament : which veil is done away in Christ. But even unto this
day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.' Though at the great
turning of that people unto Christ this veil shall be taken away, ver. 16,
* Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.'
The falling of the scales from Paul's eyes at his conversion was a type of
opening the eyes of his mind, for upon them there was an hard film too.
There is upon the minds of men a 'jrui^uaic, or callousness : Eph. iv. 18,
' Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God
through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their
heart.' The world is 'rruoMoig, and there is this foreskin of flesh upon the
eye to be cut away.

(4.) Consider that the Scripture seems not to rest here, but expresseth the
weakness and incapacity of the mind to know spiritual things to be yet greater.
One (as you know) who hath a veil and scales before his eyes, to be restored
to his sight, needs no more than to have them removed, as Paul saw well
enough when his scales were fallen off. And why ? Because he had an
eye under those scales which still retained the faculty of seeing. But, indeed,
and in truth, there wants a power, an ability, and faculty in the minds of
unregenerate men to see and discern spiritual things, which power must
therefore be created anew. Our understandings must not only have the
scales of sin removed, but a new eye must, as it were, be put into them.
Now, though art may remove the scales, yet it can never make a new eye
when it is once put out ; and we are not as one that hath contracted blind-
ness by a film or skin over the eye, but we are born blind, and so are in-

150 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

curable by all the arts of reason. We have our blindness from the womb,
and to heal such an one is a miracle indeed, John ix. 32. It was never
heard of from the beginning of the world that one born blind received sight,
because the organ of sight is wanting, and there must be a new creation of
an eye in such a man, which is a work that none but God can do. We are
not yet to think that this defect of sight is the same in a man as in a stone,
&c., for a man hath an understanding, which, without renovation, may have
some apprehension of spiritual things ; but to know them spiritually, to see
them as they ought to be seen, and are to be seen, the best mind unrenewed
is incapable. And therefore there must be a new disposition put in, which
is to the understanding as the organ of the eye is to the faculty of seeing,
which elevates and enableth it to see that which of itself it hath not a power
to discern. The Scriptures accordingly call conversion not only a turning
from darkness to light, and opening the eyes : as Acts xxvi. 18, ' To open
their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins,' &c. But
conversion is also expressed as giving us eyes to see : Deut. xxix. 4, ' Yet
the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears
to hear, unto this day.' And in another place it is styled giving us an
understanding : 1 John v. 20, ' And we know that the Son of God is come,
and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true.'
He hath given us an understanding that we may know him, ha ytvuiaytwixiv.
1. It is not natural, for it is a gift, and that proper only to some, as it is declared
to us by Christ himself: Mat. xiii. 11, 'He answered and said unto them.
Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
but to them it is not given.' So in 1 Cor. ii. 12, ' Now we have received,
not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God, that we might
know the things that are freely given to us of God.' 2. That which is given
is not barely light, but btdvoia, an understanding to know, which imports not
an act only, but a power and ability to produce acts of knowledge, for other-
wise those words, /ra ytvm%oiiJ.iv, 'that we may know him,' would not have
been added ; for if by the former hawia he had not meant the faculty of
knowing, but only the act, then his sense would be, he hath given us to
know that we may know, which would be a tautology.

So that now this want and defect in the mind is not of light external only,
or a denial of revealing the objects themselves, but it is the want of an in-
ward ability ; and the deficiency is in the understanding itself, as is plain
from what Paul says : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness unto him : neither can
he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' The natural man
(saith he), that is, one that hath but natural abilities and is not regenerate,
and made a spiritual man, as they are opposed one to the other ; this natural
man doth not receive the things of God. Now, since the understanding is
made as a window to let in all that comes into the soul, all the beams of
knowledge, whence is it that spiritual things have not admission ? "Why,
because there is a stop, and that stop is in a deficiency of the understanding,
that it cannot receive them.

The defilement, then, of men's understandings is an utter blindness, and
want of the true spiritual knowledge of spiritual things. You must only
remember, and take this along with you, that this blindness is only in regard
to spiritual things, and such spiritual things as are peculiarly possessed and
enjoyed by the saints, and freely given them of God ; for these things, and
the spiritual disceVning of them, are appropriated by the apostle to them in
1 Cor. ii. 12, 14, 'Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 151

the Spirit which is of God ; that we might know the things which are freely
given to us of God. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.' He says, the natural man receives
them not. What things are they which he doth not receive ? Such as are
spiritual, and peculiar to believers, such as God's free grace and love in
Christ, such as Christ and his righteousness, such as all those blessings of
the covenant of grace which Christ hath purchased, and which accompany
an interest in him, such as the work of grace and regeneration, and how we
may serve God acceptably in that state ; these are the objects which we
mean, and in respect to which we say, the understandings of unregenerate
men are utterly blind as to the spiritual knowledge of them.

But if spiritual things be more largely extended to comprehend all things
whatever which are revealed in the Scriptures by the Spirit, as the wrath of
Gcd against sin and sinners, the outward acts of sin forbidden by the law,
the many discourses, moral or natural, which are laid down in the word of
God, and run in the veins of it, and which fall under the common sense and
light of conscience ; of all these an unregenerate man, without any new
creation in his mind and judgment, may have a knowledge by the assistance
of the common light of the Spirit, who wrote the Scriptures, and hid these
treasures in those mines. There is yet this difference, that an unregenerate
man hath only the notion of these things, without the warmth or life, or
knowing how to make use of them ; but a believer hath both.

CHAPTER V.

The reasons why an unregenerate man cannot spiritually discern spiritual things^
because there is so great a disproportion between the object and the faculty ;
because an ability to know such things was part of the image of God in
Adam., which being lost utterly by sin, cannot be restored but by a renewing
of tlie mind itself in regeneration.

I have explained how defective the mind is in the apprehension of things
which are spiritual. I shall now assign the reasons why things of such a
nature cannot be conceived nor discerned by a man in his unregenerate
condition.

1. The first reason may be drawn from the vast distance and difference
that there is between the object and the faculty. The things ai'e spiritual,
and so above the reach of mere nature, and the man without grace is purely
natural, and if so, he hath then but natural abilities ; and therefore there
must be an addition of an higher power, to raise the understanding to con-
ceive of them in that manner as they ought to be apprehended. For, 7iihil
agit idtra suam spheram, nothing acts beyond the sphere of its activity ; and
therefore what is natural cannot mount up to spiritual things, they being so
much above it. And besides, it is an axiom which holds good even in
nature, that between the object and the faculty there must be a proportion ;
and it is for this reason that bodily eyes cannot see and discern a spirit in its
own spiritual nature, unless it be clothed with some bodily shape, because
there is no proportion between a body and spirit. Though indeed a bodily
eye may be elevated, and helped to see that which is afar off and out of
sight, as by optic-glasses we do, and Stephen's eyes, by extraordinary optics,
saw Christ in heaven. Acts vii. 53, yet still it must be a body which is so
seen ; but that bodily eyes should see a spirit, unless presented in some

152 AN UNREGENEKATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK III.

bodily shape, this cannot be. No more can a man's understanding, being
but natural, see spiritual things, there being not only a vast distance between
them (as Solomon says of wisdom, that it is above the reach of a fool : Prov.
xxiv. 7, ' Wisdom is too high for a fool ; he openeth not his mouth in the
gate ;') for this might be helped ; but there is a disproportion in the very
nature of the things themselves, because those which are spiritual are of a
higher sphere and order of beings, and therefore there must be higher prin-
ciples than what are purely natural to understand them spiritually, i. e. in
their native life, and colour, and lively representation, as spiritual. Clothed
they may be under similitudes, and pictured out, and by this help a natural
man may view them. And Christ, expressing the mysteries of grace by such
sensible metaphors, says that he spake earthly things to them, as conde-
scending in his way and form of speech to their earthly minds and appre-
hensions: John iii. 12, ' If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe
not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things ?' The things
themselves were spiritual and heavenly, for he had been discoursing of re-
generation ; but he calls them earthly, because he expressed them by such
similitudes as here in this chapter he represents to Nicodemus that change
of nature which the Spirit of God works under the notion of a new birth :
— John iii. 3, ' Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God,' — which Christ did to assist the understanding of Nicodemus in this
matter. And the apprehensions of godly men are helped by such representa-
tions; but they farther penetrate the deep and mysterious nature of the
spiritual things themselves, whilst others look no further than the picture,
the outward shape and colour which is laid over them ; but the things them-
selves in their heavenly nature they never see, nor can see. If I speak
earthly things (says Christ) you hardly understand them, as Nicodemus did
not, much less will it then be possible to understand those which are
heavenly (as Christ argues there), i.e., in an heavenly manner, or spiritually.
And really in that Paul, 1 Cor. ii. 14, puts in so carefully this distinction
between natural and spiritual, this argues evidently a new power to be re-
quired in the natural man that may be suitable to spiritual things. Nay, he
doth not only name a different object materially, i. e., spiritual things, but a
different act about such objects, and the formal manner in which they are to
be apprehended, which is spiritually : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' But the natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto
him : neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.'
This gi'eat difference, then, not only in the objects but in the acts, infers a
difference between the faculties or powers, for potenticB distinguuntur per actus
et ohjecta, powers are distinguished by their objects and acts; and as a
natural faculty exerts natural actions about natural objects, it is a spiritual
faculty which is conversant in a spiritual manner about spiritual things.

2. That a man remaining in his state of nature cannot duly understand
spiritual things, is also evident from this reason, because such an understand-
ing is part of that image which was lost in Adam, and utterly lost, and there-
fore cannot be in any man till it be restored, and he be renewed in his mind.
As Adam could not have had it at first, if God had not created it, so now,
being lost, it cannot be in any man till it be anew created in his mind : Col,
iii. 10, ' And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after
the image of him that created him.' The new man is said to be created after
God's image, 'iig hmyvuaiv, in knowledge, or unto knowledge, so that there
must be a new creation of an understanding power, that we may know God
and spiritual objects. Now if those sparks of knowledge which are left in
human nature, and are struck into it before any renovation, were of the samg

Chap. V.J in respect of sin and punishment. 153

kind, and gave an ability to know God, and the things of God, as we ought,
then there would need no more but adding new fuel to these sparks by
bringing new objects, and throwing them in to enkindle them, and make
them blaze. But the apostle says plainly, that there is need of a new
creation, and therefore that knowledge or power of knowing which regenerate
men have is not of the same kind with those little sparks which glimmer in
unregenerate men. Yea, and therefore Christ, when he would assign a
reason of Nicodemus his ignorance, and withal shew an absolute need of
the new birth, he plainly asserts an impossibility of ever seeing God without
it : John iii. 3-7, ' Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old ? can he
enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born ? Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is
born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee. Ye must be born again.' Christ affirms a
man not regenerate, to be so far from entering into the kingdom of God,
that unless new dispositions be conveyed into his mind, he is incapable of
seeing it. For, says he, that which is born of the flesh is but flesh ; and
what is spirit must be born of the Spirit. Now by spirit is meant a new
radical power in the soul, from which actions proceed, and on which fruits
do grow : Gal. v. 17-22, ' For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the
spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other ; so
that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led by the spirit,
ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which
are these : adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witch-
craft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envy-
ings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like : of the which I tell
you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the spirit is
love, joy, peace, long-sufiering, gentleness, goodness, faith.' Flesh and
spirit are there opposed as two opposite principles, producing contrary
efiects, and bring forth such difi"erent fruits as those there mentioned. _ Now
flesh is a principle rooted in a natural man, and therefore so must spirit he
too in one who is spiritual. And being such inward radicated principles,
they clog and obstruct one another's actions, as contrary habits use to do,
that you cannot do what you would. And that this spirit is new powers
put into the soul, is evident also from this, that acts are ascribed to this
spirit, and there are fruits of the spirit enumerated, as well as of the flesh.
Now in the soul there is nothing but either acts, or habits, or dispositions.
A new act is not that spirit which is new born in a man, for all acts come
from the Spirit, and therefore presuppose it ; and therefore it must be a new
principle and root, and power put in.

Now, therefore, for a man to be born again in his understanding, is to
have such a spirit, that is, a new principle of spiritual knowledge wrought
in his soul, which if he want, he cannot see God's kingdom, or the things
which belong unto it, for they are spiritual and heavenly, and require an
heavenly spiritual eye. Yea, and this may be added, that if that which is
called spirit be wrought by regeneration in any faculty, it is in the under-
standing, for that is part of the reason of its name ; why it is called spirit ?
that it is seated in the spirit of the mind, and that this is renewed : Eph.
iv. 23, ' And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.'

154 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

CHAPTER VI.

An ohjection propounded, If unregenerate men know nothing of spiritual things,
how is it then that the Scripture speaks of their knowing them, and sinning
against the light of them? — The answer to it. That they know nothing as
they ought to know it. — That it is but a false knowledge. — That it may be
said. That seeing tliey do not see ; and understanding, they do not understand;
they are yet ignorant, in comparison of that clear knowledge which the re-
generate have.

I intend further to proceed in clearing and explaining the blindness and
ignorance which is in the mind of unregenerate men, and will shew what
kind of knowledge of spiritual things it is, which a natural understanding
wants, that I may prove wherein the true sanctification of the soul consists.
And this I intend to do by framing an answer to an objection which is ready
to stick in men's minds, and is commonly brought, and so is obvious, and
lies in our way. And the answering it will be a second way and course of
demonstrating this truth.

Obj. The objection is this : ' Have all the workers of iniquity no know-
ledge ? ' as the Psalmist says, Ps. xiv. 4, ' Have all the workers of iniquity
no knowledge ? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon
the Lord,' And are they ignorant not only of those things revealed, which
are contained in the law, but also of the truth of things revealed in the
gospel ? How is it then that the apostle speaks of those who sin wilfully
after they have received the knowledge of the truth ? Heb. x. 26, 27, ' For
if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for
of judgment and :fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.'
Which there is meant of the gospel revealing the blood of Christ, and the
fruits and benefits of it, as appears by their sin against it : ver. 29, ' Of how
much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who bath
trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the cove-
nant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite
unto the Spirit of grace ? ' Doth not Peter also speak of those who have
known the way of righteousness, who yet turn from that holy commandment ?
2 Peter ii. 20-22, * For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the
beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy com-
mandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according
to the true proverb. The dog is turned to his own vomit again ; and the sow
that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.' Are there not those who pro-
fess they know God as much as those who are sanctified, and yet deny him in
works ? Titus i. 16, ' They profess that they know God ; but in M^orks they
deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work
reprobate.' They profess all the truths, ways, practices, that godly men do,
and yet have their minds defiled, and are called unbelievers. Are we blind
also ? say the Pharisees with wonderment : John ix. 40, 41, ' And some of
the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him,
Are we blind also ? Jesus said unto them. If ye were blind, ye should have
no sin : but now ye say, We see : therefore your sin remaineth.' They
thought they were able to see into the highest or deepest mysteries as far

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 165

as any other men. Yea, doth not Paul make a supposition of a separation
between understanding all mysteries, and having all knowledge, and yet
wanting grace, and having no charity ? And doth not experience evince
thus much ? 2 Cor. xiii. 1-3, ' This is the third time I am coming to you.
In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. I
told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present the second time ; and
being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all
others, that, if I come again, I will not spare : since ye seek a proof of
Christ speaking in me, which to you- ward is not weak, but is mighty in
you." ;

Ans. The answer unto this objection will farther clear and evidence this
great truth of which we are discoursing, viz. the inability of an unregenerate
man's understanding to apprehend spiritual things.

1. Therefore in the general, let us but consider, as a foundation of what
follows, that the Scripture acknowledgeth indeed as much as hath been ob-
jected, and yet withal tells us, that seeing, they do not see, and hearing,
they do not hear ; speaking of understanding these mysteries of the kingdom
of heaven, which are the spiritual things that we speak of: Mat. xiii. 13—16,
* Therefore speak I to them in parables : because they seeing, see not ; and
hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is ful-
filled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and
shall not understand ; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For
this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and
their eyes they have closed ; lest at any time they should see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should
be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they
see : and your ears, for they hear.' In which words our Saviour makes
both these, viz. seeing spiritual things, and yet an utter blindness as to the
true discerning of them, to be consistent in the same persons, and to stand
very well together. We have to the same purpose another Scripture in
Isa. xiii. 18-20, ' Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see. Who
is blind, but my servant ? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent ? who is
blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant ? Seeing many
things, but thou observest not ; opening the ears, but he heareth not.' Who
is so blind as my servant ? says God, and he who is perfect, having all
knowledge at his finger's ends, and so is able and ready to express it unto
others, and can by outward instruction be an instrument to open their ears
to hear what he himself hears not ? And seeing many things, says God, yet
thou observest them not, i. e. thou indeed seest them not to any good pur-
pose. So that none are more blind than they who have the most knowledge.
But you will say, This is a riddle ; how can these things be ? Why, truly,
in no way can these things be reconciled, unless it be acknowledged that
there is a knowledge of spiritual things which unregenerate men may, and
do attain to, and yet that there is a knowledge of the same things, which,
without a change of their minds, they can never acquire : which knowledge,
because they want, therefore they are said to be blind. As it is said of the
Samaritans, that they feared God, and yet it is spoken of the same men, that
they feared not the Lord : 2 Kings xvii. 32-34, ' So they feared the Lord,
and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places,
which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places. They feared the
Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they
carried away from thence. Unto this day they do after the former manners :
they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their
ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commandeth

156 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel.' Now what is the reason,
that what is in appearance contradictory, is thus asserted of them, but be-
cause that fear of God, which was truly so, was utterly wanting in them ; and
that fear indeed which they ought to have had, they were absolutely destitute
of? So also it is as to the knowledge of spiritual things, which in some sort
an unregenerate man may have, and yet know nothing of them, as they
ought to be known by him, to a saving purpose and effect.

That you may see this more fully in the general notion of it, consider what
the Scripture says in this point, as it makes that knowledge which unregene-
rate men have to be no knowledge, in comparison of that which they want:
llom. iii. 10-12, ' As it is written. There is none righteous, no, not one :
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable ;
there is none that doeth good, no, not one.' The apostle there speaking of
the general corruption of mankind, doth as truly say, there is none that
understandeth, as that there is none who seeketh after God, and as that
there is none who is righteous ; so as you may as well say, an unregenerate
man is capable of true righteousness, as of a true understanding of spiritual
things. The apostle James answerably distinguisheth between a dead and
living faith : chap. ii. 17, 18, ' Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead,
being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works : shewme
thy faith without th}' works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.' An
unactive faith is dead, and it is a working faith that is alive ; so there is a
knowledge, which, in comparison of working knowledge, that influenceth the
heart and life of a man by its convincing clearness and evidence, is as a dead
eye compared to a living one, which is only equivocally called an eye, but
is not really and naturally so. The eye of an unregenerate mind is a dead
eye, which, though it may have the semblance of inward light in it, yet it
is really dull and dead; and it is only the living eye of an understanding
spiritually enlightened, which hath in it the light of life of which Christ
speaks : John viii. 12, ' Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am
the light of the world : he that followeth me, shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life.' And now, upon all these accounts, it is no wonder
if the dead knowledge of the unregenerate is reckoned as none, in comparison of
the other living knowledge. This knowledge of the holy man is emphatically
called so, as if the other was none at all ; this getting away deservedly the
name : Prov. ix. 10, ' The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom : and
the knowledge of the holy is understanding.' It is spoken there with an
emphasis : the knowledge of the holy is understanding, as if that of other
men was to be reckoned as none. And, indeed, since all their knowledge
doth not arrive to the right end, but they miss of that salvation and happi-
ness which the spiritually enlightened attain, it may be said to be nothing but
blindness, wandering, and error. Thus God says of those who entered not
into his rest, that they err in their hearts, and have not known his ways :
Ps. xcv. 10, 11, 'Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and
said, It is a people that do err in their hearts, and they have not known my
ways : Unto whom I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my
rest.' Well, but more particularly.

(1.) This first the Scripture tells us expressly, that though unregenerate
men know never so much, yet they know nothing as they ought to know it :
1 Cor. viii. 1-3, ' Now as touching things ofi'ered unto idols, we know that
■we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And
if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he
ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.' If

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 157

a man bavo all knowledge, and it makes him proud, he knows nothing as ho
ought to know it. The reason why he is not humbled by his knowledge, is
because his knowledge is faulty, it is not such as it should be ; for if it
were such it would humble his heart. Now, because there is w-anting iu
such a man the knowledge which ought to be, therefore the Scripture and
God reckons it as if it were not at all.

(2.) The Scripture calls that which an unregenerate man hath, a false
knowledge, in comparison of that which he ought to have : 1 John ii. 3, 4,
' And hereby we do Imow that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him.' He that saith, I know him, and keeps not his
commandments, is a liar, i. e. if he says he knows God, and is not wrought
into the obedience of what he knows, that man lies. Now, he could not be
challenged with a lie if his knowledge was true ; for therefore he lies, because
he says he knows God, when in deed and in truth he doth not. Therefore
James calls that faith which consists only in such a knowledge as this, a dead
faith : chap. ii. 17, ' Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.'
It is not therefore dead, because it works not, but therefore it works not, be-
cause it is dead. And why is it dead, but because the spirit, the life, the
animating form of knowledge is wanting ? As a dead eye is said to be an
eye, yet equivocally and improperly in comparison of a living eye ; so hath
this false dead knowledge that name given to it very improperly, for true
knowdedge hath eternal life joined with it : John xvii. 3, ' And this is life
eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ
whom thou hast sent ;' Ps. cxix. 144, * The righteousness of thy testimonies
is everlasting : give me understanding, and I shall live.' Give me under-
standing, says he, i.e. such as is in deed and in truth such, and I shall live.
The true effects of knowledge are wanting therefore in that which unregenerate
men have, and this is sufficient to argue it to be false. If one should bring
you a stone, and tell you it is a loadstone, and yet it wants the essential
property of the true to draw iron after it, you would reject it as a counterfeit
one, not but that it is true stone, yet it is not a true loadstone. Or if one
should bring a drug to you, and you find it works not, nor stirs in you when
you have taken it, you would say that it was not true and right. Thus in
knowledge, that is a true knowledge of things spiritual, which draws the heart
after it, and works in and upon that heart. And, therefore, so immediate
is the connection between true knowing and doing, that the one is put for the
other : Jer. xxii. 15, 16, ' Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in
cedar ? did not thy father eat and di-ink, and do judgment and justice, and
then it was well with him ? He judged the cause of the poor and needy;
then it was well with him.' Speaking of the obedience of good Josiah, * He
reheved the oppressed,' &c. Was not this, says God, to know me ? Thus
he puts knowing for doing. And so there is a hearing and a learning which
draws the heart to come unto Christ : John vi. 44, 45, ' No man can come
to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him : and I will raise
him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets. And they shall be
taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath 1 earned of
the Father, cometh unto me.' Every one that hath heard and learned of the
Father, cometh unto me ; and this hearing and learning is the Father's draw-
ing. Such is the effect of true spiritual knowledge, which the knowledge of
the unregenerate wants, and therefore is defective in the essential property
of uue knowledge.

158 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

CHAPTER VII.

The difference between the knowledge that an unregenerate man hath of spiritual
things, and the knowledge of one regenerate. — That it doth not consist only
in degrees, or in the addition of a greater measure of knowledge to one than
to the other, nor in that the knowledge of the one is speculative, but of the
other practical. — Though this is some part, yet it is not the whole of the dif-
ference.— Reasons assigned for it.

Now, then, from all that hath been discoursed in the preceding chapter,
it is apparent that there is a difference, and a great one too, between that
knowledge which is in an unregenerate man, whose understanding and judg-
ment hath not received any light from heaven, and that knowledge which is
in a man whose whole spirit is sanctified ; yea, and so great and vast a
difference, as the one is said to be no knowledge in comparison of the other.
That therefore which remains for me to do, is to shew you this their differ-
ence, and wherein it lies ; and this not only in the effects of them, which are
more apparent, but in the causes, principles, and nature of them, which
make them to differ, and from which you shall see how those differing effects
flow. Let us a little inquire into them.

1. Some say that the difference between sanctifying knowledge, and that
in the minds of men unregenerate, lies only in degrees of knowledge, and
not at all in kind, i. e. that both are of the same nature, and have the same
acts and objects, but the one is a greater knowledge, and the other less ; as
heat in water is the same kind of heat that heat in fire is, but hath not the
same degree ; for fire is more intensively hot. As therefore heat in water
may be boiled up to so high a degree as to expel the form of water, and bring
in the form of fire, so may, and is (say they) the knowledge in an unregene-
rate man, when converted, actuated so far, and made so intense, as it expels
sin and darkness ; and thus having attained to a certain degi-ee, that proves
sanctifying now, which was not so before. And so even in this sense, unre-
generate men may be said to be blind, because they want that degree of
knowledge which a man sanctified hath ; as a man that can see, yet not very
well, is called purbfind, though not stone-bliud. And thus the apostle calls
him blind, who is ^u-uwra^wi', that neither doth nor can see afar off: 2 Peter
i. 9, ' But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and
hath forgotten that he was purged from all sins.' Now, indeed, this differ-
ence between them is true, but it is not all. It is true, indeed, because
a regenerate man, when converted, knows all he did before, and, moreover,
hath a farther degree of knowledge added ; a more full, strong, intense degree
of knowledge than he had before when unconverted ; he hath now a more
complete conviction ofjthings, whereof himself was not, and no other man is,
so fully persuaded. But yet this is not all ; for if the difference lay only in
adding more degrees of knowledge, then why is a man that hath many
reasons in his mind to convince him of such a truth or practice, yet uncon-
vinced and unconvei-ted ? Why is not his heart wrought on effectually,
whenas one that hath perhaps one motive or consideration impressed on
him, yet is wrought on powerfully by it ? As is the case of many a poor
Christian, who hath not so many notions of the truths of the gospel, nor can
discourse so readily of them, nor say so much for himself as the other mere
speculative Christian, and yet his will is more moved by what he knows, and
his heart affected more. Therefore certainly it is not simply an addition of
more degrees that doth the business, as if it were the same case ; as in

CbAP. VII.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. lo9

physic, that though the taking of twenty grains of such a drug may not work,
yet if one or two more be added, it will. There is a faith (Christ tells us),
and so consequently a knowledge, that the least grain of it, even as small as
a gi-ain of mustard seed, is powerful to save : Mat. xiii. 31, 32, * The king-
dom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and
sowed in his field : which indeed is the least of all seeds ; but when it is
grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the
birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.' Such is the nature
of grace, and so of sanctifying knowledge too ; and therefore the difference
between that and common gi-ace and knowledge consists not only in degrees ;
there is the smoking flax, which though it breaks not forth into fire, yet is
true grace, and shall get the victory : Mat. xii. 20, ' A bruised reed shall
he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judg-
ment unto victory.' And there is a knowledge, which though it hath more
light, yet it hath not heat answerable to cause a smoke, which the other hath,
which argues a farther difference than what is merely gradual, and that dif-
ference to be in the nature of the knowledge itself.

2. A second difference assigned is taken from the several and differing
seats and parts of the understanding, in which the knowledge of the one and
the other is said to reside, and take possession of ; so as the nature of their
subjects being diverse, they are said in this respect also to be different. It
is in short thus : the knowledge which unregenerate men have, though it be
a habit in the mind, yet it is fixed only in the outwardmost and upper part
of the understanding, into which all things knowable do come, and may
come, vphose oflice is barely to take a view of things, and contemplate them,
and there is an end, and it hath no more to do. This we call the specula-
tive understanding, or barely knowing knowledge. But, then, besides this,
there is another room or part of our understanding, whose office it is to
judge of the goodness of all things, which you know so as to move your
wills and affections to the things which you apprehend and esteem best for
you, and to guide you in your actions. This is called the practical under-
standing, or working and affecting knowledge. Now, they say, that into this
part of the understanding in unregenerate men, the knowledge of spiritual
things never enters, and it receives them not, but they are shut up only in
the other. But now in a regenerate man the knowledge of spiritual things
is chiefly seated in the practical understanding, whose office, privilege, pre-
rogative, and place it is to guide and steer all. And this is the reason why
the one barely knows these things, and the other knows them not so* as to
be affected with them ; for though an unregenerate man's speculative eye be
opened, yet his practical eye is shut ; and so seeing, he sees them not ; but
in a regenerate man God opens both eyes, that he sees them fully to all
purposes. To clear this farther, I thus express it : in your judgments there
are two several courts kept, and two judges in those courts. The office of
the one, viz. that which sits in the speculative court, is barely to inquire
into the truth of things, and their goodness, only in the general, and to
examine this merely in comparing truth with truth, by notional principles of
reason, and so to go no further. As an angel hath an understanding power
to judge intemperance and uncleanness to be evil and sinful, as well as men
do, or as they themselves do know pride to be so, but yet they barely know
this, for they are uncapable of inclinations or affections to such vices ; so
a gentleman hath an understanding capable of knowing the mystery of a
trade, as well as he who lives upon it ; but yet this doth not direct him to
work on it, or to live by it. Now, besides this general court which takes all
* Qu. ' knows them so ' '? — Ed.

160 AN UXP.EGEXERATE MAn's GUILTIXESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

things knowable into consideration, there is anotlier court kept by another
judge, the practical understanding, whose office it is to inquire, what of all
the things a man knows is best for him, on which to spend his chief inten-
tion and aflections.

And that by which this judge measures things, and the rules by which he
goes in examining them, is what is most profitable, or pleasant, or fittest for
me upon all occasions and actions, and accordingly passeth sentence; which
sentence all the rest which is in a man stands unto, and puts in execution.
Now, then, to apply this to the thing in hand : take an unregenerate man,
and in him the judge of the first court, viz. his speculative understanding,
or knowing knowledge, which inquires but into the truth of things, may be
enlit'htened with much knowledge of those which are spiritual, and be in-
formed of those notional rules of tnith whereby to judge aright of the ways
both of sin and grace, and to pass this sentence also, that the ways of grace
are best, and that this is a certain truth, and that the ways of sin are worst;
and that to swear and be profane, to steal or to be drunk, to lie or cheat, do
deserve death, and bring damnation. But then when any particular practice
of a sin, and a bill about it, comes to be read in the second court, where the
practical understanding sits judge, whose office is to examine what is best
for him to be done, whether to commit such a sin, or to practise such a
duty; this judge being judge for the man (as the other was for the truth),
and examining all by principles of pleasure, &c., self-love being the pleader
and swayer of this judge, rev?rseth the sentence of the former court, and
passeth one quite contrary. We have an instance of the judgment and sen-
tence which the first judge and court pronounceth in Rom. i. 32, ' Who,
knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are
worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do
them.' We have an instance of the sentence of the other court in Rom.
ii. 1, ' Therefore thou art inexcusable, 0 man, whosoever thou art that
judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for
thou that judgest dost the same things.' He that passed the former judg-
ment and sentence against such wicked practices, yet doth the same things.
Now, before he acts thus, there must first be a sentence passed, for the un-
derstanding must assent to every action of a man ; and therefore now the
other judge, or part of the understanding, being corrupt, gives a verdict
clean contrary to the first, viz., that he may do those things which by his
first speculative judgment he had condemned, and thinks he shall escape :
Rom. ii. 3, ' And thinkest thou this, 0 man, that judgest them which do
such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of
God ■? ' So that by reason of these two several judges in a man he con-
demns himself in what he formerly allowed : Rom. xiv. 22, ' Hast thou
faith •? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not
himself in that thing which he alloweth.' But now in a regenerate man
here is the difiereuce, that both these judges are enlightened and informed,
and ao one and the same way in their sentence, and an act passeth against
every act of sin, and for the performance of every known duty in both courts;
and so this man is aftected and stirred, and hath the knowledge in the active
and working, which the other hath not. Though often in an unregenerate
man the judge of the practical-, court may pass a sentence to forbear a sin,
or to do a ^ood duty, yet it is extorted by the clamour and importunity of
the conscience, which is the judge of the other court ; as the unjust_ judge
did the poor widow right in her cause, and pronounced sentence in her
favour, beinc moved by her importunity, though otherwise he cared not for
Tioht or wronc : Luke xviii. 4, o, ' And he would not for a while : but after-

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. IGl

ward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man ; yet,
because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lost by her continual
coming she weary me.'

But though there be much use of this distinction, yet this is not all the
difference between one and the other. There are indeed two such distinct
acts and offices of man's understanding, though it is all but one faculty, in-
somuch as many who know things speculatively know them not practically
at all ; as many scholars. They are like physicians, who know by the rules
of physic that such meat is ill and unwholesome, and yet will follow the rule
of pleasure, and eat it, if delicious, though hurtful to the health. So that
indeed to have the mind and understanding practically enlightened, is a
new and distinct work of the Holy Ghost, which all have not, who yet have
much knowledge. But yet this is not all the difference between the know-
ledge of a regenerate and unregenerate man.

1. Because even flnregenerate men have their understandings practically
wrought on by spiritual things, i. e. they have a working light, an affecting
knowledge set up in them, to cause them to do much, as well as to know
much : 2 Peter ii. 20, * For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the
world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they
are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with
them than the beginning ;' and Heb. vi. 4-6, ' For it is impossible for those
who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were
made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God,
and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them
again unto repentance ; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God
afresh, and put him to an open shame.' They are said to be enlightened,
and to taste, i.e. with such a knowledge as lets in a taste of the powers of the
world to come, though this be a distinct and further work than barely to teach
men to know them.

2. Because if herein lay all the difference, then at least one part of the un-
derstanding might be said as fully to be sanctified in an unregenerate as a
regenerate man, seeing the speculative understanding in both the states hath
but the same light, the difference being only in the practical ; whereas the
apostle prays here, in 1 Thes. v. 3, that the whole spirit be sanctified.

CHAPTER VIII.

That there is a vast difference between the knoivledge of a man unregenerate, and
that which a holy soul hath of spiritual things. — It is demomtrated, and the
causes of it assigned.

We must search out some greater and more distinguishing difference be-
tween the knowledge which unregenerate men have of spiritual things and
that of the regenerate, than any before mentioned. We must find out such
a difference as may make it appear, that though an unregenerate man know
never so much, whether speculatively or practically, yet there is a knowledge
of both these sorts in one sanctifyingly enlightened, which he utterly wants.
We must inquire out that there is a difference even in their speculation of
spiritual things, as well as in the working or practical knowledge, and that a
new habit and principle of regeneration must be infused into our understand-
ings to produce true knowledge in both kinds.

1. As to the speculative knowledge, that there is a difference, I demonstrate

VOL. X. Ii

1G2 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

thus, and withal assign the causes of it. Where there is a different represen-
tation of the thing to be known, there is a different knowledge of that thing.
For example, if a man be represented to us but in his picture, though never
so lively, or if we have a description of his good conditions but by hearsay
only, it is a faint, dead knowledge, and vastly different from what we have
when we behold and are acquainted with the man himself, as we all see by
experience. And there is a plain reason of it, for the cause by which we come
to have the knowledge of things is this, that there is a likeness, a similitude,
a resemblance, and image of the thing which we know brought to our minds,
and imprinted there; as it is thus in seeing things, so in knowing too. Now,
therefore, as those resemblances, species, and shapes of things formed and
drawn in our minds do differ, so must our knowledge also. But the image
or resemblance of the man, which my mind takes of him when I see himself
and am acquainted with him, is of another kind from that which my mind
took of him when I saw but his picture, or heard him described by another,
the one being called s^wcies propria, his own proper representation, the other
species alicnn, a foreign and borrowed one. To apply this, then, to the pur-
pose in hand ; such and so great a difference is there between a regenerate
man's knowing and viewing spiritual things, and an unregenerate man's
knowing thera, though he be never so much enlightened, for the images, the
likenesses, the resemblances, the representations of them do differ in this
manner before said. For the ideas or images, which in a regenerate man's
understanding be formed and fashioned, are taken, and begotten from the pre-
sence, real representation, and sense of the things themselves as really, truly
in their native proper being, and spiritual hue, and shape presented to them,
as things bodily are to the eyes of your bodies ; which they are not to any
unregenerate man in the world ; but the most enlightened among them have
them only by hearsay, or by some exact picture drawn of them. So God in
his holiness and purity was at first known to Job only by what he had
heard of it, but afterward by his own sight : Job xlii. 5, 'I have heard of
thee by the hearing of the ear ; but now mine eye seeth thee.' It was not
a knowledge engendered barely by hearsay, but by God's revealing his face,
and the beauty of his holicess to him, which humbled him. God also, in
his fatherly love and kindness in Christ, is only thus known : John vi. 45,
46, ' It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God.
Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh
unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God,
he hath seen the Father.' No man hath seen the Father but he who is of
God, i.e. who is regenerate, and taught by him. And such a real represen-
tation of those deep thoughts of God in pardoning as a Father, those bowels
of mercy hanging out in him, a natural man never saw as the regenerate do.
Thus also Jesus Christ and his righteousness, which is his glory, are repre-
sented in a real true manner to a believer : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' But we all with
open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into
the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.' It
is beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, not in a representation taken
from a bare picture, but a real image of the person as that in a glass is, and
which represents his glory in that manner as no picture can describe it. So
that he is said to reveal himself to a man : John xiv. 21, 'He that hath my
commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that
loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will mani-
fest myself to him.' And he is also said to dwell in our hearts by faith :
Eph. iii. 17-19, ' That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye
being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints

Chap. YIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 1G3

what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love
of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might he filled with all the ful-
ness of God.' By this means we are truly acquainted with him, and have
real communion with him, as a man hath with his friend. And as to the
work of grace, a regenerate man knows it not only by hearsay, as you see the
picture of an herb in some herbal, but he beholds grace growing in the gar-
den of his own heart. Thus Christ, speaking of grace and regeneration in
John iii., expresseth himself: ver. 11, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
we speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not
our witness.' We testify (says he) what we know, and have seen, whenas
temporaries see but the counterfeit of these things in their hearts. They
have but a ' form of godhness,' not ' the power,' 2 Tim. iii. 5, and therefore
know not what the real thing means ; and therefore their apprehensions of it
must needs be differing from those of a believer, who sees and feels it in
himself. Now, if you would know the reason of this difference in the pro-
ductive causes :

1. A regenerate man hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him, which a
man unregenerate hath not ; that Spirit to whom all things are continuallj
present, though absent from us ; and, therefore, he dwelling in the man, can
set those things before him. He who calls things that are not, as if they
were, can also present to us things absent, and represent them as they are..
Nor can he only do this, but also open our eyes and put a principle into us
to behold those things which he placeth bare and naked to our sight. This,
is an art peculiar to himself, which no angel nor creature can imitate. The
devil, indeed, shewed Christ the glory of the world, and fancy in men asleep
paints out things to them, but still they represent not the things themselves,.
but only the pictures of them ; but now the Spirit of God reveals the glory
of Christ as in a glass : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' Beholding as in a glass,' says he,,
• the glory of the Lord.' And it is by the Spirit of the Lord this is done,,
for it follows ' As by the Spirit of the Lord.' And so God is said to reveal
these things by his Spirit : 1 Cor. ii. 9-12, ' But, as it is written. Eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath
revealed them unto us by his Spirit : for the Spirit seareheth all things, yea,,
the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save
the spirit of man which is in him ? even so the things of God knoweth no man,,
but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the worlds
but the Spirit which is of God ; that we might know the things that are
freely given to us of God.' The things God hath prepared, — ^justification,
adoption, sanctification, glory, — all these are prepared from everlasting,
which things eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have they entered into
the heart of a man, that is, a natural man, for he opposeth him to us icho love
him. Now, his meaning then is, that there is such a revelation, such a
species, form, and image of these things in their minds (who love God, and
have them revealed by his Spirit), as their eyes never saw, nor ever came
into their minds who are natural men. That is, the species propria:, the true
proper images of the things they never received, however they may have
them from other men's reports. Their eyes may see them, as so described,
and their ears hear them, as so reported, and they may see them too by the
pictures drawn by the Holy Ghost, and represented by him in the Word of
God; for the Holy Ghost in so doing (as in enlightening of temporaries) deceives
them not, as a painter doth not who draws the true picture of a man ; yet
still the spiritual, living, and real manner of presenting these things to the
mind the Holy Ghost vouchsafes to none but unto those who love God, and

161 AN UXREGENEKATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

€0 are regenerate ; it is to them and them only this favour is conferred. These
things, as to this manner of discovering them, are hid from the wise and
prudent of the world, and revealed only to babes, for to them only it pleaseth
the Spirit of God to manifest them : Mat. xi. 25, 26, ' At that time Jesus
answered and said, I thank thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, be-
cause thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed
them unto babes. Even so. Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.'

•2. A regenerate man hath a new principle of faith infused into him, which
one unregenerate wants ; and by this faith he hath a sight of spiritual things
which the other hath not. It is the light of this faith which, as it gives sub-
sistence to things hoped for, Heb. xi. 1, so it elevates and helps out our
sight to see things which are otherwise invisible, which principle the unre-
generate wanting fall short in the sight of them. They, wanting this new
eye, cannot receive the real representation of them, as a sore eye cannot bear
to behold the sun in its glory. It is therefore made a difference between
l)elievers and others, that they are able to behold with open face the glory of
the Lord, which others cannot, 2 Cor. iii. 18. And to the same purpose
Christ speaks, when he says that the world cannot receive the Spirit : John
xiv. 17, ' Even the Spirit of truth ; whom the world cannot receive, because
it seeth him not, neither knoweth him : but ye know him, for he dwelleth
with 3'ou, and shall be in you.' He means as to the business of knowledge ;
' The world ' (says he) ' cannot receive him, for it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him,' nor these his effects, nor real representations of spiritual
things.

From what hath been discoursed we may make these deductions or in-
;ferences.

1. Then unregenerate men may truly be said to want the real knowledge
of spiritual things, and to want even that true speculative or knowing know-
ledge, which is to be had of them. For knowledge of a thing by hearsay, or
by the picture of it, beside that it is often subject to error and misconceit,
since the likeness which our minds frame to themselves from such represen-
tations proves other than the thing itself is indeed and in truth, when we
iCome to see it ; and hence there are such misconceits and mistakings of the
work of grace in unregenerate men's minds. But I say, besides this, if we
could suppose the conceptions and thoughts answerable to the description
given, or the picture drawn, yet this knowledge, compared with that which a
man hath when he seeth the thing itself, may be said to be no knowledge.
In ordinary speech no man saith he knows a man when he hath but heard
of him, and hath not seen him, nor is acquainted with him ; so, nor can they
be said to know spiritual things who have seen but the pictures or descrip-
tions of them. For they do not know them spiritually (as the apostle says,
1 Cor. ii. 14), that is, in a manner answerable to their natures, and as they
are to be known ; that is, in their native colour, and hue, and proper like-
ness, so as to form such conceits in our minds of them as are homogeneal,
and proportioned to the things.

2. Hence it also appears, that there is something known by a godly man
concerning spiritual things, w'hich is not, nor can be known by any other,
nor yet can be expressed by himself to another. And the reason of it is evi-
dent ; for let a man see the liveliest picture that is, and the best description,
and afterward see the man so pictured or described, he then seeth some-
thing which he saw not before, and something, too, which could not be pic-
tured nor expressed ; so that there is a difierence, for something remains
unknown in the thing which cannot be drawn in the picture ; as something
there is in fire which cannot be painted, viz., the heat ; something in the

Chap. VIII,] in respect of sin and punishment. 1C5

snn which cannot be delmeated, viz. the light and glory of it, which no
cjlours are bright enough to resemble ; something there is in man which
can be represented iu no picture, viz. his soul and Hfe ; nay, something in
his countenance cannot be drawn, viz. some peculiar lively features ; so
that still there is something wanting in the picture which is supplied by the
sight of the thing. Now, then, answerably there is something in God, and
Christ, and in the work of gi-ace, which all the expressions of the tongues of
men and angels, all openings of Scriptures do not, and cannot make known,
unless the Spirit strike in with his art, and use all these as glasses to repre-
sent the things to you, as he doth to the saints. The native glory of them
goes beyond expressions, which all fall short of the life; and yet a man,
who hath seen the things, can but use the hke expressions, if he would go
about to describe them (which expressions, one who hath not seen the
things, may use as well as he), but yet he knows more than he can express.
Now, therefore, if it be asked (as often it is). Is there so great a difference
between one knowledge and the other ? why ! then express it to us, let
us hear distinctly what it is ; what is it you see, which we do not ?
what have you apprehensions of, which we are not able to conceive, as well
as you ? To this what answer can a regenerate man make, for he seeth
what cannot be painted or described, and therefore to make it known to the
other man, he must lend him his eyes, for nothing else will be able to make
him see it ; as, for example, there are two talking about a country, whereof
the one hath seen a map of it, knows its situation, fashion of things, cus-
toms, &c., or hath heard all these described as fully as can be expressed ;
the other hath travelled through the country, and seen all its cities, cus-
toms, and fashions with his own eyes. If he that never travelled should
say, what is it you know which I know not ? the traveller is able to express
nothing to him which he hath not heard, and is able to relate ; but yet that
traveller is very well assured that there is a great deal of difference between
his knowledge and what the other hath, and that he knows something which
the other doth not, nor can know, unless he went into the country as he
hath done. Thus also a man hath heard a lesson in music, which he may
prick out to another, with all the grounds of it, but yet unless he hath heard
the tune sung, which another man hath, there is something of which he is
ignorant about the music of it, which that other man knows, which yet he
cannot express to him. Thus, likewise in spiritual matters, there is a new
name given which none knows but he who receives it, Eev. ii. 18 ; that is,
there is something in it which he cannot express to another, for if he could,
then that other might know as well as he. And thus, too, when the apostle,
1 Cor. ii. 14, 15, speaks of this differing knowledge, * the spiritual man,'
says he, ' discerneth all things, and is discerned of none ;' that is, what he
knows none can enter into the secret of. He knows all that others can, but
what he knows further, they cannot, nor can he express.

3. Hence it comes to pass, that the knowledge which a godly man hath
of spiritual things is an evident, infallible, satisfying knowledge, but it is not
so in others.

(1.) It is evident, because he sees the things themselves, which leaves a
true living likeness of themselves in the mind. Faith, therefore, being the
subsistence of things hoped for, is also the evidence of things not seen, Heb.
xi. 1. The sight, then, of a real true thing leaves an evidence behind it
that it is true. Christ having a real true body appeals to the judgment of the
senses to testify that it was so. What though a man's eye may be deceived
by apparitions, and in dreams things are so lively painted out in our fancies,
that men think they see, and hear, and eat ? yet this prejudiceth not, but

166 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

that a man who eats true meat knows infallibly he is not deceived. Sure I
am, says the man born blind (when his eyes were opened), John ix. 25,
that ' whereas I was blind, now I see.' Other men may think spiritual
things to be true, because of their fine and exact coherence, and the whole
system of them is so fair a story ; but a godly man knows them to be true,
and gives a certain infallible assent to the story, whereof he is an eye-wit-
ness, for he sees the things done and acted in his own heart : 1 John v. 20,
* And we know the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understand-
ing, that we may know him that is true : and we are in him that is true, even
in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life ;' 1 John
ii. 3, 4, ' And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his com-
mandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his command-
ments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him ;' and you have (says the
apostle) ' Christ crucified before your eyes,' Gal. iii. 1.

(2.) It is a satisfying knowledge. When a man sees but pictures of
things, or but by hearsay, the mind is not satisfied, but desires to see fur-
ther, as the queen of Sheba did, when she heard of Solomon's wisdom,
1 Kings X. 1, 6, 7 ; one who hath seen but the pictures of anatomy is not
contented till he sees a real body cut up ; one who sees a country described,
is not satisfied in his knowledge till he hath travelled through it. When a
man sees the things, then, and not till then, doth his mind rest satisfied.
Though he may desire indeed to see more about them, yet he is satisfied
that this is the true thing itself which he sees and knows, he is assured that
grace can be no other thing than what he sees and feels it to be. And
though he may come to have greater degrees of knowledge, and to see more
into it, yet still he shall find it to be no other thing than what at present he
apprehends it to be. So then he seeth into the farthest end and meaning
of the word of truth, which another doth not : 2 Cor. iii. 13, ' And not as
Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not
stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.'

CHAPTER IX.

The uses of the doctrine. We by this see hotv malignant an evil sin is, which
infects the whole man, and how great a work regeneration is, which cures and
restores a soxd so totally depraved, — That it deeply concerns us to search into
our hearts, that we may know the evil which is in us.

We have seen that the whole nature of man is depraved by sin, and that
the direful contagion hath not only fallen on the lower animal faculties, but
hath ascended to the higher, the mind, and understanding. Now the uses,
and practical improvement we may make, are these.

Use 1. Is all and every part in man corrupted ? This gives us a sad dis-
covery how great an evil sin is. You account that a very malignant disease
which reacheth but to one member, if it spoils it, or makes it useless ; if it
lames but a joint, or takes away an eye. How much greater, and more dan-
gerous is this spiritual disease, which extends itself to all that is in man, and
vitiates his whole nature ! It is therefore compared to such bodily diseases,
which spread over all the parts, to a leprosy (for by that it was typified in
the ceremonial law) that goes over all the body. You account that a poi-
sonous creature, and loathe it, which hath poison but in one part, as ser-
pents have it only in their stings, and vipers in their teeth, so as when they
are taken out, the rest is not poisonous. But this poison of sin hath soaked

Chap. IX.] in respect of sin and punishment. 167

all, and pierced through every part of us. It is in our souls, as the soul is
in the body, as it were tola in toto, et tola in qualihet parte, the whole of sin
is in the whole soul, and in every part too. If we look but to one part, the
tongue, James says of it, there is a world of evil in that little member : James
iii. 5, C, ' Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.
Behold how great a matter a httle fire kindleth ! And the tongue is a tire,
a world of iniquity : so is the tongue amongst our members, that it detileth
the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature ; and it is set on fire
of hell.' How many worlds hast thou then in thy whole man, which, though
in itself is but a little world, yet contains in it many worlds of sin ! If thy
tongue hath in it so much evil, what hath thy will, thy understanding, thy
desires ? These are more active than that little part of thine, though it be
so moveable. They never lie still, but are always working. They have
more distempers in them than are in all the parts of thy body, which, ac-
cording to physicians' reckoning, amount to so vast a number. If there are
(as they say) three hundred several diseases incident to the eye, there are
more in the eye of thy soul. Look inward, then, and sagaciously search out
all those noisome distempers, which are in all thy faculties, and loathe thyself
at the sight of them.

Use 2. If the whole soul be infected with such a desperate disease, what a
great and difficult work is it to regenerate, to restore men again to spiritual
life and vigour, when every part of them is seized by such a mortal dis-
temper ! How great a cure doth the Spirit of God effect in restoring a soul
by sanctifying it ! To heal but the lungs or the liver, if corrupted, is
counted a great cure, though performed but upon one part of thee ; but all
thy inward parts are very rottenness : Ps. v. 9, ' For there is no faithfulness
in their mouth, their inward part is very wickedness ; their throat is an open
sepulchre, they flatter with their tongue.' How great a cure is it then to
heal thee ! Such as is only in the skill and power of God to do. And the
universal medicine he makes use of is the gospel, by which all the diseases
of the soul are healed : the blind, the lame, the deaf, and all other are re-
stored by receiving the gospel : Mat. xi. 5, ' The blind receive their sight,
and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are
raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.'

Use 3. Be you all exhorted to search into your own hearts, and make it
your most inquisitive study to know the variety of corruptions which are
in them.

This is an use as proper to this doctrine as any other, and this I premise
to all that is to follow in the discovery of the corruption of our nature, that
in all the rest of the particulars, you may have this use in your eye. And,
indeed, that you may know what is in man, and so have an exact knowledge
of yourselves, is the principal design for which I fixed on this subject ; and
therefore, in all that I shall say in the prosecuting it, I desire you to keep
this use in your sight, and to search still in your hearts, as any particular
corruption is discovered, to find whether it be in you, or not. I thought
best to premise ere I go any farther, and the rather do I set you on work thus
beforehand, with some general directions how to inquire into your hearts,
that having first tried what work you can make of it yourselves, you may be
better able to understand the discoveries of particular defilements, which
hereafter I shall make, you having first taken a view of such particulars in
your own hearts, which will make them good, and evidence the truth of
them to yon. And here it may be truly said, that of all discourses, and dis-
coveries," they are the most difficult, which are concerning the inward work-
ings of grace and sin. As no study is more hard than anatomy, which

168 AN UNEEGENEBATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

disconrseth of the parts of man's body, unless a man hath seen first some
body cut up, and then none is more easy, certain, and evident ; so also it is
in an anatomy lecture of the soul, and heart ; and therefore the figures I shall
draw and cut of the understanding, will, and afiections in the following dis-
course, will be difficult to understand, unless you withal, as T shall go along,
look inward to see in your own hearts those several parts of coiTuption, which
the pictures, though never so well drawn, will otherwise but darkly represent.
To do thus, will perhaps be a work very difficult to some, who never yet were
acquainted with themselves, who have had their eyes turned outwards all their
lives, and never turned them inward to look into their hearts. I remember
Julius Scaliger hath a saying, that there be two things in philosophy, which
do conceal, and hide themselves from man's understanding. Ens primum, et
Materia prima. The first being, or God, and the first matter of all things,
or that chaos, and confused heap. Gen i. 1, out of which all things were
made. The one is incomprehensible, /)ro/)?er summam suam p)erJectionem, by
reason of his infinite perfection ; the other is unperceptible, propter summam
suam imperfectionem, because of its greatest imperfection. This is true in
divinity also, and as to our present purpose, that God and a man's heart
are things most unsearchable : God, because of the infinite purity that is in
him : Rom. xi. 33, '0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and know-
ledge of God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past find-
ing out !' How Httle a portion is heard of him ? says Job : Job xxvi. 14,
' Lo, these are parts of his ways, but how little a portion is heard of him ?
but the thunder of his power who can understand ?' And the heart is un-
searchable, because it is a vast deep chaos of all confusion, and disorder, and
hath bundles, Prov. xxii. 15, yea, worlds of folly in it ; Jer, xvii. 9, ' The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know
it ?' None but God that made it, who is greater than our hearts, and yet
he hath appointed means, whereby we may be helped to know, and search
them, which I shall now enumerate.

1. God hath put a Ught of conscience within you, which, though it is in
every man by nature, yet it is a candle set up, and Hghted at the sun, which
' enlightens every man that comes into the world :' John i. 9, compared with
Prov. XX. 27, ' The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the
inward parts of the belly.' The chambers of the belly some read it. So
that, as in a man's body, when cut up, you find several rooms prepared for
the various animal offices, vital, natural, &c., as in anatomy we see, and these
distinguished by several partitions, as the midrifi", the diaphragm, &c.,
thus is it also in the soul of man, where there are spirit, soul, understand-
ing, will, afiections, &c., as so many difi"erent chambers. Now that light of
conscience God hath placed in these dark rooms, to manifest all that is in
them ; and though he hath framed your bodies so, as there is not a case-
ment made to see through it what entrails and inward parts a man hath, yet
he hath made one for the soul : 1 Cor. ii. 11, ' For what man knoweth the
things of a man, save the spirit of man, which is in him ?'

2. Because this light of natural conscience is very dim, and by it you can
discern bat very little of what is in your hearts, therefore God also hath
given you his word, which is a quicker discemer of the thoughts and intents
of the heart : Heb. iv. 12, ' For the word of God is quick, and powerful,
and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discemer of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.' It divides between soul and spirit, and
cuts the heart open, so as to make a nice and accurate dissection, and shews
everjthing that is in it, and all that is done there. It is the most sharp

Chap. IX.] in eespect of sin and punishment. 1G9

anatomising knifo which can be used, as it is compared in Heb. iv. 12.
It hath the key of knowledge, as Christ calls it, rriv xXiiha. r^; yi/wffsw;, and
the lock for which it is made is man's heart, of which the several faculties
are the wards. And as it opened Lydia's heart, it opens all ours, and
discovers what is within ; as the apostle speaks of prophesying, that it hath
such an effect : 1 Cor xiv. 24, 25, ' But if all prophesy, and there come in
one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged
of all : And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest ; and so falling
down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a
truth.'

3. Because natural conscience, enlightened by the word, is not enough,
therefore God farther renews in his children the spirit of their minds, Eph.
iv. 23, as to put off, so to discern the corruptions of the old man, which are
in him through lusts. The spiritual corruptions whereof, which are essen-
tially contrary to the spiritual workings of grace, are not, nor can be dis-
cerned, by any other eye than one so renewed. It is the spiritual man which
discerneth all things, 1 Cor. ii. 15. Conscience, indeed, discerns the gross
defilements of the soul ; but itself being defiled, Titus i. 16, and muddied
like muddy water, you cannot see your face distinctly in it, so as to descry
the less perceivable blemishes.

4. Because this renewed spirit also is but imperfect, and therefore dim-
sighted, and indeed the light of conscience, and of the word, and of the
sanctified soul too, all put together, of themselves can do little or nothing
without the light of God's Spirit, therefore God hath appointed his own
Spirit to be in us, to search our hearts : Jer. xvii. 10, ' I the Lord search
the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and
according to the fruit of his doings.' And for this reason David, when he
had done all that he could, calls upon God to try and search him. And
when the light of this spirit enters in but at a cranny of the soul, it mani-
fests those defilements in it which were before unseen ; as the sunbeams
shining into a dark room, shew those little dusts or motes in the air which
were undiscerned ; nay, the chairs and stools in it could hardly be seen
before.

Now, having all these helps, set upon the search of your hearts and spirits.
Though they be desperately wicked, and every part corrupted, even the spirit
itself, which should discern and pass judgment on things, yet you have
superior aids whereby you may be sufliciently assisted. Keep your hearts
and consciences pure from gross defilements, else it will be impossible to
find out spiritual corruptions of the spirit and judgment, into which yet we
are first and chiefly to inquire. If a looking-glass be dirty, little can be seen
in it, but if it be rubbed clean, and kept clear, we may discern the least
spots. Make further use of the Hght of the word to discover what is in you.
The apostle Paul, though he could not but discern grosser lusts, sensual
lusts ha him by the light of nature, yet by that help alone he could not
perceive those which were spiritual, till the spiritual light of the law came
and manifested them, and he saw not how all concupiscence was in him till
then : Rom. vii. 7-9, * What shall we say then ? Is the law sin ? God
forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law : for I had not known
lust, except the law had said. Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occa-
sion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence.
For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once :
but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.' Grow in grace,
and increase in the light of it, and be sure to keep that quick-sighted. If
you do not grow in grace, you will not be able to see perfectly and clearly,

170 AN UNKEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK III.

2 Peter i. 5-9. But a man increasing in grace, and walking in the Spirit,
will be able to see the least mote of sin that flies up and down in his heart,
which another man, though regenerate, yet if he arrive not to such a growth
and spiritual walking, will not see. Pray for the Spirit of God also to help
you. Because Laodicea was deceived in the knowledge of her heart and
state, she is counselled to take eye salve, and to anoint her eyes with it :
Eev. iii. 17, 18, ' Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods,
and have need of nothing ; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me
gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and white raiment, that
thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;
and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.' When Job
was sensible that he knew not all of himself which he ought, he goes to God
to instruct him : Job xxxiv. 32, ' That which I see not, teach thou me ; if
I have done iniquity, I will do no more.' And last of all, be diligent and
constant in this exercise of searching your hearts ; the more you exercise your
eyes, the quicker they will be in seeing. Use light, and have light. Exer-
cising of the spiritual senses produceth an habit of discerning good and evil :
Heb, V. 14, * But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even
those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good
and evil.'

But further to instruct you in this duty and art, I will shew what it is to
search the heart, and teach the skill of cutting it open, and rightly anato-
mising it, and what in every faculty is especially to be searched for. The
true searching of the heart I thus define : It is a reflex act of the mind and
conscience renewed, whereby a man, assisted by the light of the word and
Spirit, doth discern, and judge of the spiritual good and evil that is in his
heart, and in every faculty of it, both severally and jointly together.

1. It is a reflex act. of the mind, wherein the mind looks inward and comes
home to itself. For in the direct acts of the mind, a man is carried out to
things without himself ; but this calls in his thoughts to view his own soul.
And this is one of the chiefest excellencies of the reasonable creature, wherein
it doth so much transcend beasts, that it is able to turn its eyes inward,
and judge of its own thoughts and desires, what they are, and to what they
tend. This, 1 say, is proper only to man and angels : 1 Cor. ii. 11, ' Who
knows the things of a man ?' the spirit of a man doth this, but not that
which is in beasts. This, of all acts, is also the noblest, and in the exercise
of it consists man's honour and wisdom. As in mathematics, a circular
figure is better and stronger than any other, because it returns into itself, so
that every part bears up another, so reflex thoughts, returning in upon our-
selves, are wiser, stronger, and safer. In this too the image of God much
consists, I mean that image which is in the natural faculties of the soul, that
as God doth know himself, we also are able to know ourselves.

2. I add, of the mind renewed and assisted. For though every man hath
this reflecting power in him since the fall, yet it is dimmed and weakened
more than other direct acts, which are yet dim enough ; and therefore we
know all other things better than ourselves, and of all else we know least what
is done in our own bosoms. The heathens, therefore, could say that y\/o}9i
ciauTov, was of all other the hardest lesson. Man, by sin, becoming like the
beast which perisheth, has lost this ability, whereby he was chiefly distin-
guished from the brutes, more than any other. When man had God's image
of holiness, he understood God and himself best of any other, but now, alas,
it is the least part of his knowledge ! You shall see a poor soul, mean in
abilities of wit, or accomplishments of learning, who is ignorant in all things

Chap. IX. j in respect of sin and punishment. 171

else, who knows not how the world goes, nor upon what wheels states turn ;
who yet, being renewed and assisted by the Spirit of God, knows more clearly
and experimentally his own heart, than all learned men in the world do
theirs, and knows more of grace and sin in it. And though the other may
better discourse philosophically of the acts of the soul, and the dependence
of them one on another, yet this poor man sees more into the corruptions of
it than they all.

3. I add, ivherebij a man knows the spiritual good or evil in the heart, for
that is the object to be searched into. It is not only what his thoughts and
purposes are for the matter of them ; for ask any man, and he can tell you
what he thinks at any time ; but there is a further thing to be looked into :
the good, or evil, the frame, the temper, the inclination of all either to sin
or to godliness. We are to feel the pulse of the heart, and to discern by
its beating whether it be sound or diseased, and with what particular dis-
temper it is most aifected. And herein lies the great and difficult work.
Any man's pulse tells him that his heart beats, and he may feel whether the
motion be orderly or irregular, but it is a physician's skill to guess at the
disease, and know the temper of the blood by it ; and it is a Christian's skill
to know and judge the like of his soul and spirit. Now the word, when it
searcheth the heart, reads not a philosophy lecture upon it, but shews the
evils whicn are in it. It is not the nature of the heart simply, and the
dependence of one faculty on another, but the wickedness and deceitfulness
which God there points out to be known, Jer. xvii. 9, 10.

4. I add, in every facultij, for then thou seest thy sins in their causes,
when thou seest from whence every sin hath its rise in thee, from whence
its first motion is, wherein its strength lies, and how sin carries things within
thee. How it runs through thy understanding in devising, projecting, and
approving of it, through thy will in consenting to it, through thy affections
which are inflamed with it, till at last it works in the members to execution.
Then thou knowest how sinful thy heart is, when thou seest how all the
several wheels in it turn still to evil, and how one wheel moves another, so
that thou sinnest with a joint concurrence of them all to the wicked action.
And in all this it especially concerns thee to search out the pollution of thy
spirit, of thy understanding, judgment, and will ; how far they are guilty in
the commission of the sin, which will serve to aggravate or lessen the sin so
much the more as they are found to have a greater or lesser hand in it.
For as the sins of princes are greater than those of other men, because they
are their rulers, so are the sins of these superior faculties of a higher guilt,
because it is their duty, and they are placed, to guide the rest. And it
concerns thee the more to be strictly inquisitive into these sins, because of
all other they most conceal themselves, and as their operations are more
strong, so with less noise, as poison works more strongly in the head than
the stomach, though it be perceived more there than in the head. Inquire
thou into the sins of these ringleaders in thee ; and as in case of treason,
the state, the government inquires most after the plotters and contrivers of
it, so look thou not so much to the members of the body, and the lusts which
war in them, as unto that corrupted judgment and will in thee that devised
the means to satisfy those lusts, which fed them with thoughts and fancies,
which were privy to the first contrivance of the treason, and gave way, and
consented to it. The lusts which war in the members are but weapons,
instruments, Rom. vi. 19. You must therefore look to the higher powers
of sin in the soul, to the throne of unrighteousness there, whose agents
those lusts are.

If a man would rightly understand a state or a commonwealth, it is not

172 AN TJNBEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

euough to know and view what proclamations come out, what decrees, and
orders are made, what factions are in it, what transactions of alfairs, what
armies raised, &c., for this all in a kingdom know; but he who would be an
exact statesman must also know what passeth at council board, what the
consults and deliberations are, what was the design of such acts and procla- '
mations, and to what end they were made, what ends such or such a potent
faction hath, with what colours they hide their secret intentions, and into
what principles of state all may be resolved. This is so to understand a
state, as few do, and for want of this knowledge how amiss do vulgar capa-
cities judge of public actions. Thus also if you would understand the state
of your souls, you must diligently and especially mark what passeth at
council board in the understanding, the sight of which is enough to amaze
us, if we saw but by what devilish principles and atheistical consultations all
is guided and swayed, and into which our actions may be resolved, what most
base, and filthy ends rule us, and what petty, slight, foolish motives we have,
what ungodly reasonings and deliberations pass through us, and how con-
trary to the rules of conscience, which notes all, as God's sworn secretary,
and how all is overruled by our corrupt reasonings, let conscience say what it
will in opposition ; I say, if we saw all this, it would amaze any of us ; and
this is that which I mainly intend to shew in the following discourse, when
I shall come to particulars. This is indeed to search a man's heart, and
to know it, for the wickedness of it lies especially in deceitfulness, and that
deceitfulness consists in the juggling tricks of the mind, which are least dis-
cerned by us.

5. I add, in each of these faculties apart. For when the apostle speaks of
the word's powerful searching the heart, how doth he express it ? As
' dividing between the soul and spirit : ' Heb. iv. 12, ' For the word of God
is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even
to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' The meaning of
which phrase I understand thus, that the soul and spirit is divided, when we
consider them apart, and severally, when we remark what evil is in the spirit
apart, and in the soul apart; that is, in the judgment and affections. They
join in the action, and the influences which they have are intricately involved
and twisted in every act which comes from us ; but this is the way to untwist
them, viz, to dissever, and to view apart what a man's thoughts, reasonings,
motives, and devisings are in such a business, which thoughts, reasonings,
&c., the apostle there calls the marrow of the action. Then after this view,
what the desires, or fears, or inflammations of passions are by which thou
•wert acted in the doing it, which are but the bones of it, and are indeed but
guided and acted by those ends, reasonings, and conclusions, which the heart
made. And, accordingly (as you see), the apostle instanceth only in the
intents and thoughts, which are acts of the understanding and will. And
so at the day of judgment, what is it God will bring to light ? Not passions
so much, and actions (though these also shall be manifested), as the counsels
of the heart : 1 Cor. iv. 5, ' Therefore judge nothing before the time, until
the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness,
and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts ; and then shall every man
have praise of God.' Passions are but the veins and arteries, in which our
intentions and ends, as the blood and spirits, do move, when the mind,
which is as the heart itself, hath by reasoning and agitating things in itself,
hatched, and forged those designs and ends, as the real heart doth spirits
by motion. Take an affection which you have stirred, and examine it, and
you will find a reason of it, a meaning of it, and that there is some end acts

Chap. X.] in respect of sin and punishment. 173

it, and stirs in it. And it is the end also which makes an action good or
bad ; and as God is said to look to the meaning of the spirit in us, Rom.
viii. 27 ; that is, to every sigh, groan, and desire, so also to the meaning of
flesh in us, what our carnal ends and motives are ; therefore we should look
most especially to them.

Now, as you are to divide thus between soul and spirit, thoughts, intents,
and passions, and to view them apart, so you must also view them jointly and
together in every action, and consider not only what aflfections you have, which
may deceive, but consider withal what thoughts, considerations, motives
ever stirred them up, and moved in them ; then you know the heart aright.
Do not simply look to your thoughts, but see what motives prevail with the
heart, and stir the will, and afiections, and what motives or suggestions put
in by conscience, or the word, lie as dead drugs, and work not. This is to
search the heart. So if thou mournest for sin, search the spring of thy
sorrow, and look what consideration moved it in thee, and do so likewise in
other thy actions.

I do speak this before you all, that all deceit lies in this, either men view
their hearts undivided in the gi'oss, and do not divide between soul and spirit,
or else they view them only apart, and not in that dependence, or at least
concurrence the one hath with the other. They look upon good affections
as on Ezekiel's wheels, and because they turn outwardly to good, they rest in
them, not seeing, nor so much as inquiring, what spirit moves within those
wheels, what motives, intents, considerations, act and inform them. The
truth is, the heart is a maze or labyrinth, and if you would find the way
into all its windings, you must be guided by a clue or thread drawn through
them all. And when you view any action, you must go through understand-
ing, will, and affections, and not only see that they concur to it, but the
manner of their concurrence ; search the chambers of the heart, not only
one room to see what is done there, and what thoughts and fancies are in
the outward room (which is a room that all come into, both good and bad),
but from thence go into the privy chamber, and hear what principles, say-
ings, dictates, reasonings you are guided by, what resolutions you fix on,
what aims you have. Then go down to the affections, and view how they,
as agents, act their parts, and see all this time how conscience is imprisoned
as in a dungeon, Rom. i. 18, being withheld in unrighteousness, while they
act all in the dark : 1 Cor. iv. 5, ' Therefore judge nothing before the time,
until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of dark-
ness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts ; and then shall
every man have praise of God.' He calls the counsels of the heart the
hidden works of darkness, and whilst conscience is thus imprisoned, it may
call, and cry till it be hoarse, but it shall not be heard.

CHAPTER X.

That the error of the pa]nsts is by this doctrine evinced, who place sin only in
the lower faculties of the soul. — That we should be sensible of the defects
of our minds, and if ice have any natural endowments of soul, we must
praise and thank God alone for them. — We who have the discoveries of the
gospel, and a sjnritual light to discern the things of it, should much more
bless God.

As we have not only proved this corruption to have overspread the whole
soul, but in particular have demonstrated that the superior faculties are

174 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

in a high degree infected, and have also shewn wherein the depravation of
the understanding consists, let us now farther consider what practical infer-
ences and uses this doctrine will afford us.

Use 1. We see, then, how great an error it is of the papists, and some
others, who assert that the higher parts of the soul are not touched nor
tainted with sin, but they thrust it all down to the inferior, and to the sen-
sual appetite ; and they answerably interpret the combat between the flesh
and spirit, which is spoken of in Rom. vii. 23 and Gal. v. 17, to be but the
rebellion of the senses, and animal appetite against reason, the one of which
(they say) is meant by flesh, the other by spirit ; and as thus they make the
conflict to be between soul and body, they answerably place the whole or
greatest part of religion in bodily worship. All their acts of mortification
are to keep under the body, whilst the soul lies neglected, as not needing
any remedy or help. But we have not so learned Christ, nor so little know
ourselves ; and therefore as we feel our superior faculties depraved by sin, we
most of all are humbled for, and strive against the spiritual corruptions of
our minds, such as ignorance, unbelief, atheism, pride, darkness of appre-
hension, and dulness of heart and aflections in the ways and worship of
God, and hypocrisy, and base selfish ends, by which we find ourselves apt
to be swayed and biassed in our best actions ; we find not only sensual lusts
warring in our members, but atheism against the knowledge of God, dark-
ness against divine light, and unbelief against faith. It is true, indeed, sins
of the understanding are least discernible, for the law in our members is
more clamorous and impetuous, and sensual things do more sensibly affect
us ; but yet the other sins of the mind, though more stilly, and with less
noise, yet do more constantly assault us and prevail. It is true also of the
combat between flesh and spirit, that it is less sensible in the superior facul-
ties of the soul than in the inferior ; because, not only grace, but the light of
nature and conscience make resistance against the lusts of our senses and
fleshly appetites, but natural conscience doth not oppose the spiritual lust-
ings of the mind. It doth not check pride, unbelief, selfishness, &c., as it
doth drunkenness, adultery, and other lusts of the flesh ; but yet it is in the
combat between sin and grace in the mind, and understanding, and will, that
a godly man's courage and resolution against sin most shines, and his vic-
tory over it shews most illustrious ; and it is also for those spiritual wicked-
nesses in the mind that a godly man is most humbled. And as he also
professeth that it is not bodily worship which can take away the guilt of sin,
so neither can the keeping under and torturing the body only, cast out the
powers of sin. You may pray, and cry your eyes out, but sin will not flow
out with your tears ; you may fast down all your spirits and flesh, and yet,
though bodily lusts may hereby be lean, yet pride and hypocrisy may grow
the fatter. The papists shew also their corruption in this, that it is all their
care and business to keep people in ignorance and darkness, and such a prac-
tice is suitable to their corrupt principles and errors, which by this means
they may maintain undiscovered, as darkness hides all things. But we who
love and teach the truth, are also for light ; and so far are we from thinking
ignorance to be the mother of devotion, that we reckon it among the daugh-
ters of sin, and account grace to be spiritual light in the mind, as well as
holiness in the heart and affections. We open to the people the treasures
of divine knowledge, and we exhort men to seek it, since without it the
heart cannot be good, as Solomon speaks: Prov. xix 2, 'Also, that the
soul be without knowledge, it is not good ; and he that hasteth with his feet,
sinneth.'

Lhe 2. Let us be sensible of all those before-mentioned defects and im-

Chap. X.] in respect of sin and punishment. 175

perfections of our understandings. Hast thou parts, and learning, and know-
ledge in natural or civil affairs, or hast thou spiritual gifts ? know whom
to thank for them. They grew not out of thy corrupt nature, which is too
vile and base a soil to produce any thing that is good, but it is God who,
out of his bounty and riches of goodness, hath endowed thee with them ;
and he holds the candle to thee whilst thou readest and understandest, for
so the mind of man is called : Prov. xx. 27, ' The spirit of man is the candle
of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly.' What doth Agur
acknowledge with much humility, though he was a teacher of others ? Prov.
XXX. 2, ' Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the under-
standing of a man.' * I am brutish since I was a man' (as some read it),
' and have not the understanding of a man by nature.' It is God who in-
spires a nobler, quicker spirit into some, and from thence ariseth the differ-
ence of men's understandings : Job xxxii. 8, ' But there is a spirit in man ;
and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.' Wisdom
goes neither by greatness of birth, nor the advantages of education, for great
persons may have wise men about them, to inform them, who yet are not
able to instil into them wisdom, nor can make them wise : Job xi. 12, ' For
vain men would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt ;' and
a wild ass's colt is the most indocible creature of all other. Neither doth
wisdom come merely by age and experience : Job xxxii. 9. ' Great men are
not always wise : neither do the aged understand judgment. There is a
spirit in man, and an inspiration of the Almighty, which giveth him under-
standing.' View but your own pictures in fools, and tell me what hath put
the difference between you and them. If you say a various temper of body,
it is true, indeed, it hath a hand in it, but yet what fogged the oil in them,
which should have afforded fuel to the light of mind, so that the candle
burns blue in them ? What was it produced that cloudy temper in them ?
Was it not Adam's sin ? Why might it not have had the like effect on thee ?
It was God only that gave thee finer blood and spirits, that the light of thy
mind might burn more clear and bright. And if you think temper is the
only cause of this difference, do but look on Nebuchadnezzar, a great and
wise king, and yet how soon is his heart changed from a man's to a beast's !
Dan. iv. 16, ' Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart
be given unto him, and let seven times pass over him.' And so he was
driven from men, as not having reason enough to converse with them. And
what was his case might be thine, for that which befalls one man for sin,
might befall all by reason of the first sin. But God was graciously pleased
not to deal thus with men, though he might justly have done so ; and as
though he might annihilate men for sin, and take their beings away, yet he
doth not, no not in hell. So neither doth he take away their understand-
ings, no, not from the devils ; for how, then, should they be punished with
the sense of his wrath ? And yet that punishment, which is inflicted, is a
destruction of their well-being, and therefore is called destruction, though
their being still remains. So in this life God deprives not men of their under-
standings, for how then should they be men ? Yet because they want the
goodness of understanding, the holiness of it, therefore they are often in
Scripture said to have no understanding : Isa. xxvii. 11, ' When the boughs
thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: the women come, and set
them on fire ; for it is a people of no understanding : therefore he that made
them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them
no favour ;' Rom. iii. 11, ' There is none that understandeth, there is none
that seeketh after God.'

In the mean time, it is a great obligation that lies on those who have parts

176 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

to employ them for God, who preserves them when sin might have taken
them utterly away, And this may humble men too, who are most proud of
knowledge, and are pulied up, whenas it is not their own, but borrowed from
God. Much of man's wit now depends upon the right tempering of the
dust, with which he is clothed, and so is but a flower of the grass, which
each man lays down in the grave ; for the compass of understanding with
which men shall arise into the other world is from another account. And
this should also teach men to depend on God for their knowledge and
learning, and the increase of them, for alas, they cannot secure to themselves
all their wit or learning. The parts of their mind are as subject to decay
as the beauties of the face, and may be wasted and lost as well as them or
their estates ; and indeed men who presume on them, or who use them not
for God, we see ordinarily bereft of them, and prove fools and sots in the
end, or at least they die despised and forgotten.

Use 3. Raise your hearts unto thankfulness to God by all these steps
which follow.

1. Bless God, that he hath brought thee to those times and places where
the gospel is preached, and the great truths of it are laid open and made
plain to thee. This is one mercy, and a great one, for without such a dis-
covery thou couldst never have found them out. God made trial of the
utmost men's wits could do for some thousands of years among the Gentiles,
but they bewildered themselves in their inventions : 1 Cor. i. 21, ' For after
that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased
God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe.' They had
quite lost themselves in all their vain inquiries, and therefore (says the
apostle) after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God,
he set out the gospel to be preached, to reveal, what they could not search
out. They had, indeed, some knowledge of God, but yet even that was not
their own, but a borrowed wisdom received from God. God indeed aflbrded
them some light to grope after him : Acts xvii. 27, ' That they should seek
the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not
far from every one of us.' But they were so far from knowing God by all
this wisdom, that by their abuse of it they were put further ofl", and became
vain in their imaginations, and did not glorify God as God ; and so with all
their wit they were but fools : Rom. i. 20-22, * For the invisible things of
him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead ; so that they are
without excuse : Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not
as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and
their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they be-
came fools.' This would have been thy case, and thus it would have been
also with thee, if God had not made the light of his gospel to shine for thy
better direction. It is then great goodness that God hath revealed himself
so clearly and fully to men in his word, and 'tis a great mercy to thee that
thou shouldst ever come where these great truths, and of such high concern-
ment to thy soul, are spoken of, and preached. God hath not dealt thus
with every man, nay, not with every nation, as be hath with thee ; but when
he leaves kincrdoms, whole multitudes of people together, to sit in sad dark-
ness, thou standest in his light.

2. Bless God, if he hath farther given thee an insight into these truths
by enlightening thy understanding, which (as hath been discoursed) was na-
turally "dark, and blind, and had no spiritual discerning. If thou beginnest
to conceive of things spiritual better thnn others, or than thyself did some
time ac'o, it is God^who hath put a new light into thy mind, and it is a gvtat

CUAP. X.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNI3UMENT. 177

merc}', which thou shouldst, with the hij^hest praises, acknowledge. For
remember that in thyself thou art but darkness, as all other men are whom
God hath not enlightened, as he hath thee ; and, therefore, many, who, though
wiser than thee in the world, and attentive hearers also, yet understand not
60 much as thou. The first ground in the parable which received the seed
of the word : Mat. xiii. 4, ' And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way-
side : and the fowls came and devoured them up ;' what was it but such
hearers, who do not understand ? ver. 19, ' When any one heareth the word
of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then conieth the wicked one, and
catcheth away that which was sown in his heart : This is he which received
seed by the way-side.' And the most hearers are such, who do not so much
as conceive in the general notions, the truth of spiritual things. They can-
not conceive that there is such a thing as regeneration, much less what it
is, as was the case with Nieodemus. There are those who walk in darkness,
though the light shines round about them, who are ignorant under all the
means of knowledge, because of the blindness of their heart, and therefore
they walk in darkness, and know not whither they go : John xii. 35, ' Then
Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you : walk while ye
have the light, lest darkness come upon you : for he that walketh in dark-
ness, knoweth not whither he goeth.' If thou seest light in the Lord, bless
him for those eyes which he hath given thee, whilst he hath denied them
to others.

3. But now if God hath proceeded farther in mercy toward thee, and not
only hath revealed these truths to thee, and not to others in other places,
and times, and hath given thee a new light w^hereby thou seest those things,
which thyself saw not before, though thou wert an auditor, and heardest
them before ; but if God hath gone farther, and renewed thy mind also, and
put in a new principle to see things aright, to see thy misery, so as to be
truly humbled for it, to see Christ, so as to prize him above all the world,
to see what the truth is in Jesus ; i. e. what that truth of grace, and regene-
ration is which Jesus requires of thee, and to see this in thy own heart too ;
for this thou hast farther cause to be thankful. Thou canst now say, I
know God and Christ, and am not deceived, for he hath given me an under-
sta'ding on purpose to know him, so as no wicked man knows him : 1 John
V. 20, ' And we know the Son of God is come, and hath given us an under-
standing, that we ma}' know him that is true : and we are in him that is
true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.'
This is a higher mercy, and favour bestowed on thee, and therefore greatly
bless God for it. For though thou mightest have had a new light, whereby
thou mightest have come to see things which thou never sawest before, yet
thou mightest not have had a new' understanding. They of whom the apostle
speaks in Heb. vi. 4, were enlightened anew indeed, but yet they were not
renewed in the spirit of their minds, for that is proper only to the godly,
who never fall away ; it is peculiar to them alone, as to have a new light,
and new objects, so to have a new eye.

Use 4. See and admire the great and wonderful work which God effects
in regenerating our natures. How great and difficult is the work of grace,
wherein Christ must not only be at the trouble, and cost of purchasing, by
his blood, truths to be revealed, but he must send his Spirit to reveal and
bring them to light, and then he must be at the cost to set up a candle by
which to read them, and when all is done, he must find yqu eyes with which
to read. And then he must also take the pains to teach you himself; he
cannot set under-ushers to do this office, but when you have eyes given, you
must be all taught by himself too.

VOL. X. M

178 AN UNEEGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK III.

If the knowledge thus of spiritual truths be not in any manner in us, no
not so much as a power to receive these things savingly into our minds, then
certainly the work is God's, and wholly his. Men think, indeed, that to
subdue their affections and to curb their lusts, a great and mighty power is
necessary, but as for knowledge they think that they have at command
enough of it, and more than they can tell what to do with, and that it is
sufficiently easy. But consider that to make thee able to know spiritual
things savingly costeth God as much as any other work that passeth on thy
soul, and therefore Paul in every epistle prays for it. Thus he prays for the
Ephesians, chap. i. 16-18, ' Cease not to give thanks for you, making men-
tion of you in my prayers ; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him : the eyes of your understanding being enlightened ; that
ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the
glory of his inheritance in the saints.' Thus he prays for the PhiHppians,
chap. i. 9, ' And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more
in knowledge and in all judgment.' Thus he prays for the Colossians, chap.
i. 9, ' For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray
for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.' And therefore, whenever thou
goest to God in prayer hereafter, forget not to ask this eye-salve of him :
Rev. iii. 18, 'I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou
mayest be rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that
the shame of thy nakedness do not appear ; and anoint thy eyes with eye-
salve, that thou may see.' What is that but his Spirit to anoint thine eyes,
that thou mayest see things aright, and judge of things that differ '? Re-
member that Christ is a prophet for thee as well as a king and priest, and
that when all his benefits are reduced but to four heads, wisdom is put in as
one, and one of the chief also : 1 Cor. i. 80, 31, 'But of him are ye in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption : that, according as it is written, He that
glorieth let him glory in the Lord.'

Ch.VP. T.l IN RKSPECT OP SIM AND PUNISHMENT. 179

BOOK IV.

Of that corruption which is in the practical judgments of unrciianerale men.

CHAPTER I.

The nature of practical knowledge explained. — The different jadrfments tohich
men nuregenerate and regenerate have of spiritual things.

I HAVE proved that the mind and understanding is corrupt ; that it is dark
as to any apprehensions of the things of God ; I have explained -wherein
this blindness consists, and what are the causes of it ; I have described the
difference there is between the speculative knowledge of a godly man and
of one nuregenerate ; it now remains that I should plainly draw the lines
of difference that is between the practical judgments, or working knowledge
of one and the other concerning spiritual things. This is necessary to be
done, because men whose minds are not renewed by the Spirit of God have
some kind of judgment or practical knowledge about divine ti'uths, which yet
doth not arise to that knowledge which the regenerate have, and also because
that the chief end of these truths, if known aright, is to operate on our hearts
and to set them a-work.

Now herein, that I may carry things clearly before me, it is necessary that
I lay open to you,

First, In general the nature of that kind of knowledge which we call prac-
tical, that is, which works in and upon a man's will and affections by what
we know; and then,

Secondly, Come particularly to shew the difference which is between this
kind of knowledge in one who is savingly enlightened, and another who is
not.

First, In the general, to explain what practical knowledge is. It is said
to be so in two respects.

1. Then knowledge is practical, when it affects, moves, and stirs the will
and affections to the thing which it knows. I put in this, to the thing which
it knows, to set one difference between it and barely knowing knowledge. For
in speculative knowledge our minds are wholly taken up and delighted with
the bare knowledge and speculation of the thing ; and though the knowledge
may and doth affect us, for it produceth such a pleasure, yet not the things
which we know. But when we know things in that manner as that our wills
and affections are moved and stirred to the things themselves, as well as to
the desire of or delight in the knowledge of them, it is called practical know-
ledge. Or,

2. It is called practical when it is such a knowledge as is able to guide,
manage, and direct our wills and affections, and other faculties in us, in the
practice and exercise of such actions, whereby we may come to enjoy the
thing which we desire. To give an instance by which this may the more
fully be cleared to you ; —

180 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

A man may liavo learned the art of music, and know how songs are made,
and all the rules of harmony by which they arc composed, and he may be
much delighted with this knowledge, and yet not have a mind to have a
lesson played, nor be much affected if he hear one, but he rests satisfied
barely in the knowledge of the art itself. This now is a bare knowing
knowledge.

Another man, who knows not so well the art of music, yet when he hears
a lesson he understands the harmony, and is pleased and much affected with
it. This now is a practical knowledge, an affecting knowledge, because by
it his affections are carried to the thing itself perceived.

But yet, thirdly, it is a new business to teach this man, thus affected to
music, the art of playing upon an instrument, and to instil into him such a
knowledge and fancy as may guide his fingers aright to play a lesson which
he understands, the art of which consists more in knowledge than in nimble-
ness of fingers. This also is a farther degree of practical knowledge.

Now, to apply this to things spiritual,

A man may have the whole frame of divinity and of spiritual truths in his
head, and yet they may have no influence on his heart. He may have a
form of knowledge and yet feel no power of it : Rom. ii. 20, ' An instructor
of the foohsh, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge, and of
the truth in the law.' lie may have a pattern of wholesome words, 2 Tim.
i. 13, and yet have no experience of the things signified by them. Nay, he
may be much delighted with such knowledge, and not have his heart affected
with the things themselves which he knows in divinity. Though he knows
what the true nature of love to God is, and of hatred of sin, yet his heart is
not excited to love God or to hate sin. Though he knows Christ and grace,
yet he doth not love, nor desire them, nor dehght in them. Now this is a
mere knowing knowledge.

But when he hath such a knowledge, as both works upon his mind and
will, and stirs them and inflames them to those things which he knows, and
makes him earnestly desirous of the attainment of God's favour and love,
and of Christ's righteousness, &c. ; and also sets him a-work, and guides him
in those practices, ways, and means which God hath appointed for the
attaining of them, sach as faith and repentance, so as he knows how to
do them, and how to frame himself and all in him as instruments in the
practice of them ; both these kinds of knowledge are called practical
knowledge, and the one of them you may call affecting knowledge, and the
other guiding knowledge. And you shall find in Scripture such a knowledge
spoken of as causeth you to love the things you know according to the worth
of them. Thus, there is a knowledge to love the things which are excellent :
Phil. i. 9, 10, ' And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and
more in knowledge, and in all judgment ; that ye may approve things that
are excellent ; that ye may be sincere, and without offence till the day of
Christ.' And there is a knowledge, too, which guides you in doing such
duties, whereby you may attain those things which are excellent, as is plainly
supposed in Jer. iv. 22, ' For my people is foolish ; they have not known
me, they are sottish children, and they have none understanding : they are
wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.' There is a know-
ledge implied in this text to do good.

Now, unregenerate men may and do come to have such a knowledge of
spiritual things as affects them with the things which they know, as thoso
hearers which are represented by the stony ground in the parable, received
the word with joy : Mat. xiii. 4, 5, 20, 21, ' And when he sowed, some seeds
fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up : some lell

Chap. I.] in rkspect of sin Aii.) punishment. 181

upon stony pkces, where they had not much earth ; and forthwith they
sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth. But he that received
the seed into stony places, tlie same is he that heareth the word, and anon
with joy receiveth it : yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a
while ; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by
and by he is offended.' And they have also such a knowledge which directs
and acts them in many holy practices, as Herod, enlightened by the preach-
ing of John the Baptist, did many things : Mark vi. 20, ' For Herod feared
John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him ; and
when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.' It is then
needful to inquire into the difference of this knowledge, as it is in a person
regenerate and one who is not so.

1. I will begin to examine the difference in that knowledge which affects
them with the things that they know. And,

First, In general, I will assign the reasons and causes how and why we
come to be affected with the things which we know, by our knowledge of
them. There are two things concur to this.

1. We are tlien ntlected with the things which we know, when we look
upon them and consider them not only as good, but as things of which we
are persuaded that they are good for us, and that they concern ourselves,
and make for our own ends, purposes, and desires. Observe it in your own
hearts when you will, and you shall find that you pass by many things, which,
though you know to be good, yet you regard them not ; but when your mind
lights on anything which it apprehends suitable to your present purposes
and desires, then you are affected with it, and presently seize on it. As
it is not every stone, though a good one, that will move, and draw the iron
after it, but the loadstone only, because it hath a particular affinity, likeness,
and sympathy unto iron in nature, and that stirs the iron presently ; so is it
as to the objects of the mind. It is not what is good, but what hath a suit-
ableness to our thoughts and desires, and what we apprehend to be best for
ns, which stirs us. The devils know the blood and death of Christ to be the
only remedy against sin and its guilt, and the only means to purchase the
greatest good ; but because this is represented to them no way in relation
to them, nor as concerning them at all, therefore they are not moved at the
news of it ; so that practical knowledge is such as convinceth and persuadeth
the mind that a thing is good and best for us. But,

2. If besides this conviction by reason, there accompany this persuasion
a real taste, relish, and sense of the sweetness, goodness, and worth of the
thing which we apprehend good for us, let in at our understandings, so as we
really find, taste, and perceive it to be so, then we are stirred and affected
indeed with it. And where this is wanting, though there be a large convic-
tion that the things are good for us, yet since this is but from bare and naked
apprehensions taken up from others, without our own tasting them to be so,
this conviction, though it may breed some lazy desires and faint wishes in
ns, yet none of them so strong as to be lasting. And therefore we shall find
by experience that if two things, whereof one hath less goodness, be presented
to us, yet if we have a real taste and sense of the goodness of it let into the
soul, it moves us more than the naked relation or consideration of that thing
which is of greater worth, whereof we have not a taste; as the sight or taste
of a piece of the meanest bread stirs an hungry man's appetite more than
the empty narrations of the greatest feast. And therefore still you will find
that all the reasons and motives which sway with you, and effectually move
you, may be resolved into some principle or conclusion whereof you have had
a real sense and taste, and all the reasonings built thereon move in the force

1P2 AN UNEEGENEEATE MAIs's GUILTINESS EEFOEE GOD, | BoOK lY.

and power of it. And the reason of this is, because indeed nothing moves us
but reahties, for our wills and affections are real things, and full of weight ;
and therefore it must be a real taste of the goodness of things -which moves
them, and not mere notions, and pictures, and empty descriptions of things
by words. Such as is the cause, such will be the effect ; and therefore a
mere notional knowledge will not work really upon us, but notionally only.

That knowledge, then, which works upon us, hath a taste and real sense of
the things known joined with it. And indeed God hath placed wisdom and
understanding in men to supply that office to the will and affections whicli
the tongue doth to the appetite and stomach, to take a taste of things, and
to relish their sweetness, and to discern what goodness is in them, and so
to admit and receive them. To be wise, therefore, and to taste, are signified
by the same word in the Latin tongue, viz. sapere, and so in the Greek too
some have translated <p^on7v, to savour or taste; in Rom. viii. 5, ' For they
that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh ; but they that are
after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.' Some interpret the ^Aord (p^o-joZoi,
do taste, savour, or relish the things of the flesh. And Elihu, speaking of
knowing things, says that the ear tries words as the mouth tastes meats :
Job xxxiv. 3-4, ' Hear my words, 0 ye wise men ; and give ear unto me, ye
that have knowledge : for the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.
Let us choose to us judgment ; let us know among ourselves what is good.'
And so taste and knowledge are joined together in Psalm xxxiv. 8, ' 0 taste
and see that the Lord is good : blessed is the man that trusteth in him.'
And tasting, and being enlightened, are also put together : Heb. vi. 4, 5,
' For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted
of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have
tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come ;' that is,
who are so enlightened as also to take in a relish of the goodness and sweet-
ness of the things. This only is to be added, that there are some things
whose goodness our understandings taste immediately, as the pleasures of
the body, which yet, because the soul (where judgment hath its seat) receiveth
them in, therefore the soul by the understanding judgeth them good, and so
may be said to taste them, and this is scievtia gustus, a knowledge of taste.
There are other things ^^hich the judgment itself immediately tasteth, as
honour, credit, revenge, &c., and finds a sweetness in these, as our senses
do in other objects. And the reason why God hath given the mind this
power of tasting things is, because otherwise it could not come to know the
sweetness of things as they are in themselves ; as a man cannot be said to
know truly the sweetness of meat unless he hath tasted it, because till then
be knows it not with that sense which is made to receive the sweetness of
it, and discern it, and make report of it to the rest. So a blind man is not
said to know colours, unless he apprehend them as they are to be apprehended
by their proper sense, which is sight; and so the understanding tastes its
objects as well as the senses do.

Now, then, to apply all this unto spiritual knowledge, as there is a good-
ness and sweetness in spiritual things, even the greatest, so this is no way
to be tasted but by means of the understanding, neither is the soul ever to
purpose eflected with them till it tastes their goodness and sweetness :
1 Peter ii, 2, 3, 'As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that fhe Lord is gracious.'
We are there said to desire, if so be that we have tasted how good the Lord
is, or otherwise our desires are not stirred. And so the apostle Paul prays
for the Philippians, that love may abound in them, so as to approve the
things which are excellent, and with affectation to discern things that differ ;

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 188

and how was this to be ? In spiritual knowledge and sense, for the word is
doxifjbdl^iiv : Philip, i. 9, 10, ' And this I pray, that your love may abound
yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment ; that yc may approve
things that are excellent ; that ye may be sincere, and without oflence, till
the day of Christ.' ' In all judgment,' i.e. in all sense ; that is, as truly and
really to perceive the goodness of things spiritual by a true and proper sense
and taste, as senses have perception of their objects. And therefore also
that knowledge which a regenerate man hath of good and evil is called exer-
cising of his senses : Heb. v. 14, ' But strong meat belongeth to them that
are of full age, even to those who by reason of use have their senses exercised
to discern both good and evil.' The word is didx^itsig ; and so the sight of
God is joined with a taste of his goodness in Psalm xxxiv. 8, ' 0 taste and
see that the Lord is good : blessed is the man that trusteth in him.' It is
of this kind of knowledge too that Christ speaks to the woman of Samaria :
John iv. 10, ' Jesus answered and said unto her. If thou knewest the gift of
God, and who it is that saith to thee. Give me to drink; thou wouldst have
asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.' ' If thou knew-
est,' saith he, 'the gift of God,' i.e. the water of life, which is known as
water useth to be by the taste and sweetness of it, ' thou wouldst have
asked it.' To this purpose also Solomon speaks in Prov. xxiv. 13, 14,
' My son, eat thou honey, because it is good ; and the honey-comb, which
is sweet to thy taste. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul :
when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation
shall not be cut off.' The knowledge of wisdom is both a sweetness at the
present, which revi-ards it, and hath an expectation of a future good, of which
it shall not be disappointed. Thus likewise in Isaiah the prophet, speaking
of that excellent spirit of wisdom wdiich is in Christ, expresseth of him that
he shall be of a quick scent or smell in the fear of the Lord : Isa. xi. 3, 'And
shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord : and he shall
not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his
ears,' as it is in the Hebrew. And the apostle, speaking of spiritual things,
expresseth that they have a savour which goes along with them : 2 Cor. ii. 14,
' Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and
maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.'

CHAPTER IL

How far m.en unregenerate apprehend and judge the goodness of sjnritual things.
— How far it all comes short of the knowledge and judgment vjhich a holy
soul hath of them.

These things in general being premised, I now come more particularly by
the application of these generals, to inquire out the true difference of this
affecting knowledge as to spiritual things in the regenerate and unregenerate,
so as to discern wherein true sanctifying knowledge, as it affects the heart in
a different manner from any other, consists.

1. Let us examine how far unregenerate men apprehend and judge spiri-
tual things to be good.

2. How far they judge them good for them.

8. How far they taste them and their goodness.

1. How far do unregenerate men apprehend and judge spiritual things to
be good ? It cannot be denied but that they may in the general apprehend
spiritual things to be good, and the best things too. This much is implied

184 AN UXREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

in that heathen speech of Medea in the poet, That she saw and judged other
things to be better than what she practised.* And Balaam's magnifying the
blessed state of the righteous, evidently argues the same thing : Num. xxiii.
10, ' Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part
of Israel ? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be
like his.' Now, the apprehension of that good which manifests itself in
persons truly godly, and how happy they are and shall be, may aflfect wicked
men with such thoughts and wishes as Balaam had, to envy and desire their
condition. And so, on the contrary, they may judge and esteem the ways
of sin the worse ways of the two, when in the general they are compared
one with the other, and yet choose and practise them for all that ; knowing
the judgment of God, and that what they do deserves death, and therefore
that the things are evil, yet they will do them : Rom. i. 32, ' Who knowing
the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of
death, not only do the same things, but have pleasure in them that do them.'

Yet this, for difierence sake, is to be added even concerning their appre-
hension of the goodness of these things in the general, that it is one thing
to assent unto that goodness, which is said to be in and is spoken of things,
whilst it is no otherwise represented than in a bare general proposition, and
another thing it is to assent to their goodness when the things themselves
come to be presented in real performances and enjoyment. An unregene-
rate man may, and oftentimes doth strongly assent to all the goodness which
is, or can be said of spiritual things, whilst it is but represented in a mere
notion, and in expression of words propounded in the abstract, but when
thS things come to be acted or enjoyed, he is unable to apprehend them as
good. It is thus too in other instances, for take the veriest coward in
the world, and commend, and set out true valour to him, and tell him what
noble and heroic actions the great commanders of the world have done, and
what a glorious thing it is to imitate them ; he assents to all that is thus
said, or can be said of them, and as truly joins in magnifying all as the
noblest spirit doth, yea, and his spirit is much raised with this fair idea of
heroic virtue, wishing that he were like them, and might have the honour of
such achievements. His mind is elevated and stirred by the representation
as well as the noblest spirit ; but let him be brought into the wars, and let
the least of the like brunts and encounters in which those heroes were en-
gaged look him really in the face, his apprehensions, and esteem of the
excellence of valour, and of the glory of a conqueror, sinks and falls, and
vanisheth into base thoughts of saving his skin whole, though it be with
shame. Such difference is there between our apprehension of the goodness
of things conceived in the abstract notion and mere idea, and our thoughts
of the same things when they come to be acted. As the man in the fable
who wished for death, but when death came to him, really appearing, he
wished him gone again.

To apply this now to our present purpose. Take an unregenerate man, and
he will acknowledge the holy duties of the law to be good. To sanctify
the Sabbath in the strictness of it, to have our speeches savoury, to pray
with our families, to contemn the world, to deny ourselves, to be patient in
afflictions ; such dispositions and actions as these, whilst viewed and con-
ceived in mere abstract propositions, and in the notion, as you hear of them
in sermons, are accounted most amiable, excellent, and worthy ; and so they
are acknowledged, and you resolve to do them ; as wholesome and good laws,
when propounded in parliaments, and viewed only as they are yet in black

* Meas aliud suadet, virleo meliora proboque,
Deteriora sequor.— Ovid. Metamorph. lib. vii.

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 165

and white, are assented to and applauded. But when any of these holy
practices come really and particularly to be done hy you, or when they
appear in the lives of others in the concrete, any of you who are unregene-
rate want light to see, judge, or acknowledge them to be good and excellent
indeed and in truth; and though to the notional abstract goodness of them,
as barely in the thesis, your consciences may and do still assent, yet to the
real goodness of them they do not, but they hate it, and fly in the face of
it, or account it folly and madness, and accordingly despise and vilify it.
Thus, also, when the blessed condition of the saints, and heaven, and the
glory of it is painted lively, and set out to men in a quick representation,
and so they apprehend in the notion and idea all those glorious things which
are spoken of that city of our God, who desires not, as Balaam did, to
die the death of the righteous, if they might but go thither ? But were it
possible that an unregenerate man should be admitted into heaven, admitted,
if I may so speak, but upon trial and liking, as some monasteries admit
their novices ; yet, when once those pure and undefiled beams of light, which
kindle joy that passeth understanding in the spirits of just men made pure
and perfect ; when once, I say, those beams should come to be darted upon
the eyes of his understanding, and by those windows be let in upon the rest
of his soul, he would not be able to behold them, he could not endure them,
but would seek to shun them, more than the night owl doth the day.

2. But if they could assent to their real goodness, as well as they did to
it when appearing in the notion only, yet unless they be able to apprehend
it thus to be truly good /or them, that knowledge works not to any purpose.
Though a sore eye may have sight enough to judge the light in itself to be
good and amiable, and that it is a pleasant thing, yet it cannot judge it so
lor itself, for it vexeth it ; so suppose an unregenerate man could assent
that indeed spiritual things, when really represented, were the best, yet he
could not judge that they were the best for hira. Though upon considera-
tion he may think, that to draw near to God, and to live upon communion
with him affords the truest pleasure, yet his heart being carnal, and so not
having any gust of this spiritual pleasure, he cannot judge it to be the best
for him. Bat David's heart and sense being spiritual, he could say really :
Ps. Ixxiii. 28, ' But it is good for me to draw near to God : I have put my
trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.' It is as if he
should have said, I account it my present happiness, and what is best for
me now to do, and I can wish no other happiness than to live in the pre-
sence and enjoyment of God day and night. But no unregenerate men have
such thoughts and judgment, of which we have an instance in Balaam, whose
heart being carnal, and his wisdom sensual, though he judged the state of
the righteous better in itself than his own, yet for the present, while he could
in this world enjoy the pleasures of sin, he desired it not, because indeed
he knew not how he could find at present more comfort in that condition of
the righteous, than in the pleasures of sin and wages of unrighteousness :
2 Pet. ii. 13-15, 'And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they
that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime : spots they are and blemishes,
sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you ;
having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin ; beguiling un-
stable souls : an heart they have exercised with covetous practices ; cursed
children : which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following
the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteous-
ness.' When Balaam indeed should die, and must then part with all these
things in this world which he loved and admired, which are but for a season,
and must then receive death, the wages of all ; it is then he desires the death

186 AN UNTvEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

of the righteous and to possess their happiness : Num. xxiii. 10, * Who can
count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel ? Let
me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.'

Now the reason of all this is, because a man judgeth those things best for
him which are most suitable those dispositions with which his spirit is
seasoned, and which most answer his present desires, purposes, and aims.
For that happiness which we find in things ariseth from their suitableness
to us, and not merel_y out of the goodness of the things themselves. There-
fore, though we may apprehend the things in themselves best of all ; yet, if
we do not perceive them suitable to us, we cannot judge them good for us,
as the cock in the fable, who preferred a barley-corn before a diamond, be-
cause that he could eat, but the other could not feed him. Thus a man who
is sick, though he knows that solid meat is sweeter and better to a man in
health, yet he cannot judge it to be so for him, as long as his palate remains
vitiated, and his stomach distempered. Now the Scripture tells us that the
wisdom of all unregenerate men is thus depraved: James iii. 15, ' This wis-
dom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devihsh ;' that all
their perception and judgment is seasoned with nothing but flesh, and so
vitiated: Rom. viii. 7, ' Because the carnal mind is enmity against God : for
it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.' And now then
it is no wonder if they judge the things of the flesh to be better for them,
because more agreeable to their corrupt senses and appetites.

Obj. If now it be further asked, and the case put, and query made, That
though indeed a man unregenerate cannot apprehend spiritual things as good
for him in the condition wherein he is, yet knowing, that to one whose soul
is restored to health and grace, spiritual things are better than the pleasures
of sin, he maj therefore judge that so they would be to him, if he was once
renewed in his mind; and from this judgment of the thing, he may come to
be set on work to seek, and desire it. As a man that is sick, though he
cannot now judge meat to be best for him while he is so, j-et he may judge
that in health it may be so, and so desire to have it, -when he shall be re-
stored to that condition.

Ans. To this I answer, It is true that such a notional apprehension and
conviction he may have which may thus work, yet it is not strong enough
so to afiect him as to overcome the difficulties, and to sweeten the use of
the means, by which they ma}' obtain that good, as in a regenerate man it
doth. For, though in the general and abstract notion, they apprehend all
which is mentioned in the objection, yet really and truly they do not affect
the thing itself, for when the means of gi'ace come to be used, which should,
as physic, restore them to that health, their judgments disapprove, and dis-
like even them, and they do not, nor cannot judge it best to use them con-
stantly, and diligently. That phj'sic which should expel the noxious humour,
and recover them, they cannot get do^vn, though they should die for it, be-
cause their palates and their stomachs are both against it. In a word, though
they conceive spiritual things to be tru3, and good, and some desires of pos-
sessing them ma}' be stirred, yet when come to the point, and must use
means to obtain them, then upon the trial, it appears that all their appre-
hension, and judgment, doth not, nor cannot really affect them to purpose ;
for their minds disallow, disapprove, distaste, and fight against all the means
of their own recovery, or of the acquisition of these desired good things, and
both their palates and stomachs, their judgments and wills, rise against the
means and workings of grace in them, and cannot but do so. They cannot
be brought to get the healing physic down, or to keep and retain it, though
they know that otherwise they must die. The wisdom of their flesh is

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 1S7

enmity against Goil, and his law, and bis grace, and all the means of it,
Rom. viii. 7; and therefore, this wisdom is death, because it thus resists the
means of life. Thus, they cannot judge the use of the means to be good for
them, when really they come to use them ; nay, the very light and workings
of the Spirit of God in their reasonings, their reasonings oppose : 2 Cor. x.
4, 5, ' For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strong holds ; casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring-
ing into captivity every thought to the obedience to Christ :' And what is
the cause why they do thus ? Because nothing can judge, and judging,
desire the destruction of itself, and therefore abhors any mixture of its con-
trary ; and therefore flesh, and corrupt nature, which possesseth the judg-
ments of men unregenerate, cannot pass such a sentence, as to judge the
state of grace better for it, so as to set him efi'ectually on work to seek it,
and to admit of it, for that would be to the ruin of itself. As though water
be a baser element than fire, yet when fire comes to change it into itself, the
form of water will hold its own, and make the utmost resistance, and cannot
but do it ; so it is in this case too.

A stronger instance of what I have said cannot be given than is to be found
even in a man regenerate, who, though he hath grace begun in him, and
knows, not notionally only, but tastingly and really, the pleasm-es of that
state to be greater and better than those of sin, yet still so far as he is un-
renewed in his judgment, and the spirit of his mind, so far doth that fleshly
mind approve the ways of sin as best, and the ways of grace as of less worth,
and the renewed part in his mind fights against the means of grace in a man's
own heart, and disallows of them as if they were not best for him. How
much more then must his mind, and judgment, who is nothing but flesh, and
who never tasted that the other state is better, and who never came in that
full manner to assent unto this indeed, that the estate of grace is best for
him, how much more, I say, must his judgment and heart fight against
these things.

3. Last of all, though notionally an unregenerate man may be convinced
that the other state of grace would be better for him, yet because he wants
a judgment of taste of the betterness of it, he cannot strongly be aftected to
it, so as to leave those things of which he hath always had so sweet a taste,
in exchange. To prove this we need go no farther than the' instance of the
young man in Mat. xix. 16-22, ' And, behold, one came and said unto him.
Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life ? And
he said unto him. Why callest thou me good ? there is none good but one,
that is God : but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He
saith unto him. Which ? Jesus said. Thou shalt do no murder. Thou shalt
not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal, Thou ^halt not bear false witness.
Honour thy father and thy mother : and. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself. The young man saith unto him. All these things have I kept fi-om my
youth up : what lack I yet ? Jesus said unto him. If thou wilt be perfect,
go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have trea-
sure in heaven ; and come and follow me. But when the young man heard
that saying, he went away sorrowful ; for he had great possessions.' He
had a great conviction of the goodness and excellence of salvation, and he
notionally knew it better than all the world, and not in itself only, but for
him if he could attain it, and therefore he comes earnestly to make the ques-
tion. What shall I do to be saved ? and he comes with a seeming resolution
to do anything which Christ should enjoin ; but yet, when it came to the trial,
he would not buy his eternal life so dear, as at the price of all that he had

183

AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

ia the world, because he had not such a real taste of the pleasure and sweet-
ness of that life as might prevail on him so to do. He had not (I say) such
a lively sense of it, as should be sufficient to sweeten the means (which yet
he inquired for) that were necessary to obtain it ; but he knew, and relished
really the goodness of his worldly enjoyments, and possessions, which was
the reason that he could not find in his heart to forego them, and that he
preferred them above that salvation, whose delights he had never yet really
experienced. From this cause it was, that all the apprehensions and desires
which he had of eternal [hfe], though they wrought on him a little, yet in the
issue came to nothing : ' he went away exceedingly sorrowful, for he had great
possessions,' which he loved better, and judged better for him than salvation
itself. For it is not bare conceits, and notional apprehensions of things
absent not yet attained, which can sway more, or affect us more, than the
real tasting of present pleasures which are to be foregone. Our wills and
affections being realities, and things full of weight, it must be a real appre-
hension and sense that can move and stir them.

Object. But it will be further objected that it is said of those who fall away,
:ind therefore were never regenerated, that they are not only enlightened, but
that they taste the world to come : Heb. vi. 4, 5, ' For it is impossible for
those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and
were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of
God, and the powers of the world to come.' They have tasted the good
word of God, i. e. the goodness of those things which the word reveals.

Am. To this I answer, that there is a twofold goodness of the things
represented in the word, which is revealed to us therein. The one is the
good which comes by the things, the other is the goodness of the things
themselves. For as other things, so those which are spiritual too, have an
intrinsecal, essential, proper goodness and excellency in their own nature,
severed from all the outward conveniences which proceed from them and
accompany them. Thus, iu friendship, there are the personal good qualities
and conditions of the man, and there are besides some outward benefits
which may haply be gotten by his friendship, as promotion to some desired
and expected honour and dignity, or freedom from some feared evils, or some
other ends and use which a man may have of his friend, wherein he may
stand him in stead. Thus also in marriage there are the personal excellen-
cies of the wife,* her beauty, and the goodness and amiableness of her nature
and carriage, and also her virtues and graces which are inherent in her per-
son ; and there is also her portion and dowry, and the advantageous alli-
ances which come with her. And so now to speak to the present instance,
as there is the sweetness of the meat itself, and the sweetness of the sauce
which it is served up in, so in the word spiritual things are with a double
goodness propounded and revealed to us. There are the good things which
come by Christ through believing, as freedom from hell, pardon of sin, peace
with God, and a happy condition spoken of and promised with it, and we
are told that we cannot have one without the other ; but besides this, there
is also the internal excellence, the personal worth, the glory of the things
themselves, the proper goodness of them conceived in their spiritual nature.
Now, since the word sets out both these kinds of goodness to us, an unre-
generate man may taste of the one but not of the other. They may relish
the sweetness of the sauce with which they are dished up, but not of the
meat itself. In sin, there is the bitterness of the sauce, that is, the direful
effects and concomitants of it : horror of conscience, shame, fear of punish-
ment, and the threatenings and the miseries with which God hath dished
sin up to all those who shall eat the fruit of their doings ; and this bitter-

Chap. II.] in ukspkct of sin and ruNisnMiiXT. ISO

noss of sin wicked meu may and do taste : Jer. ii. 19, ' Thine own wicked-
ness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall rejjrove thee : know there-
fore and see that it i? an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the
Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.'
But wicked meu never see nor taste the evil that is in sin itself", nor are they
sensible of it nor moved with it. They see not nor abhor that evil in sin
which God and holy men do, which puts their mouths out of relish with it
for ever. For when that bitter sauce is not tasted by the unregenerate,
when they have not the sense of those bitter efiects in sin, but the same siu
of which they were afraid and shy before is presented in the pleasure of it,
without its former tasted bitterness, they fall to it as eagerly and as much as
ever. In spiritual duties, likewise, there is peace of conscience which ac-
companies the performance of them, and hence the thoughts of men mav
excuse and pacify guilty fears upon the doing of a duty, as well as accuse
upon a neglect of it, or the commission of a sin : Rom. ii. 15, * Which shew
the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing
witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one
another.' Now, this sauce of good duties which satisfies the gnawing worm
of conscience, an unregenerate man may rehsh, but to the meat itself, the
goodness of the holy exercise, he hath no mind nor stomach. But Christ, on
the contrary, delighted in the holy work itself, and found a sweetness in it :
John iv. 32-34, ' But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know
not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought
him ought to eat ? Jesus saith unto them. My meat is to do the will of him
that sent me, and to finish his work.' Nay, farther, those who are not true
and real believers on Christ, though they find a sweetness in his benefits,
yet they see not his own proper excellencies, nor delight in his personal
goodness. God sets out to us in the word, in and with Christ, freedom
from hell, discharge from the guilt of sin, and the pardon of sin, which is as
the sauce to the bread of life and heavenly manna, Christ himself. Now,
those who never arrive to true faith and holiness, having their mouths em-
bittered wdth the nauseous sauce of sin, may find sweetness in Christ as to
these good efiects mentioned, and yet have no pleasing sense of his excellent
person, of the joys of communion with him, that relish of his love, which
the church, in Cant. i. 2, says is better than wine ; of that taste of the goou-
ness of God in himself, of which David so much speaks of: Ps. xxxiv. 8,
' 0 taste and see that the Lord is good : blessed is the man that trusteth in
him ;' and Paul intimates, when he says that we do not only rejoice in hope
of the glory of God, but in God himself: Rom. v. 2, 11, ' By whom also we
have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of
the glory of God. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.'

Now, in a word, to shew you the reason of this difi'erence, I need only
present to you this consideration, that there is in an unregenerate man a
principle of self-love, which seasons his palate, and his judgment, and there
is nothing more in him ; but in a person regenerate theie is more, there is
a new divine spiritual power of discerning spiritual things put in, and super-
added both to his judgment, and to the self-love in his heart. Now% then,
that principle of self-love makes men unregenerate capable of tasting the
goodness and sweetness of the sauce ; that is, those motives and arguments
which in the word are drawn from the good or evil which we all get by
spiritual things ; but there being a farther goodness and sweetness in the
things themselves, which is of a more transcendent nature (for they are
good not only because they bring us such benefits v/ith them, but they are

190 AM UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

first SO in themselves, and as they tend to glorify God) to relish this aright,
a principle beyond all that is natural in men, a principle that is congenial to
God, and his things, and so suited to them, is requisite. Though this is to
be added, that a regenerate man having self-love, yet rightly tempered, tastes
of both these kinds of sweetness, which spiritual things aiford, for both meat
and sauce were made for him.

From hence also it will now appear by way of inference or deduction,

1. That even the affecting knowledge of an unregenerate man, which may
a Uttle stir and warm his heart, is not that true knowledge of spiritual things
which he ought to have, because he knows not that true, internal, proper
goodness which is in them, which is indeed to know the thing as it is to be
known, which also is the apostle's meaning when he says that they are
spiritually discerned : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can
he know them, because they are spiritually discerned,' i. e. in that spiritual
goodness and worth which is in the things themselves. For as it is in
affections, so it is in knowledge, that they are not said to be true unless
they be suitable to the nature of those things which we affect ; thus to love
a man only for some advantage I may have from him, to love a wife for her
portion, or to satisfy lust, is not love, it is not said to be true love, because
it is not agreeable to that which in all these ought principally to be beloved,
viz. their personal goodness and qualities. Thus neither is our knowledge
true, unless we know that in the things, which is principally to be known of
them, for till then the thing is not known as it is. As therefore we shewed
that unbelievers in their speculative knowledge of spiritual things could not
be said truly to know them, because they know but the pictures, not the
things themselves ; so, practically, they know them nof, when they know
affectionately only the accidental goodness which comes by the things, and
not the true proper goodness of the things themselves.

2. It may be inferred, that because they do not taste the proper goodness
of spiritual things, or because they have [not] a tasting knowledge of that
<70odness, therefore in this respect also they cannot be said to have true
knowledge. For here again, unless a thing is known by that knowledge
which is proper to it, it is not known tnily. A man cannot be said to know
the sweetness of meat who wants the power of tasting it, because he is not
able to know it with that sense which God hath appointed to receive it, and
to make report of it to the rest. A man cannot be said to know music, and
its charming harmony, who knows only the composure, but never heard a
tune, because the hearing is the sense which God hath made the judge of it.
And so though you may know there is a farther goodness in spiritual things
than what only comes by them, yet if you taste not of that goodness also,
you may be said not yet to know it, because you want the inward spiritual
sense, which is homogeneal to them, which is proper to know, and judge of
them, and which God hath appointed for that office.

CHAPTER III.

That men nnreqenerate are utterly destitute of that wisdom, and holy skill to do
qood, which men reyenerate have. — Wherein this wisdom or holy art consists.
— Proved that ungodly men want it.

Having thus discoursed of the first part of practical knowledge, which
influenceth men with affections to spiritual things, and haviog assigned th^

CnAP. III.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 191

difference of this knowledge in those who arc nnregenerate, from that which
a sanctified mind hath, let us now consider the other part, which guides
men in the practice of holy duties, which is called wisdom to do good as
well as to love what is good : Jcr. iv. 22, ' For my people is foolish, they
have not knowTi me ; they are sottish children, and they have none under-
standing: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.'
That we may the better understand this, we must in the general consider
that to new and holy obodience two things are required.

1. That our wills, and affections, and the other powers in us, which are
as instruments and tools to be employed in it, be made fit for such a busi-
ness and work ; that they be made fit to pray, and to hear, and to sanctify
the Sabbath, and God's name also in the worship of him, &c. : Eom.
vi. 13, ' Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin : but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are ahve from the
dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.' Their
being instruments supposeth a fit disposition in them for such an use, and
this fitness, readiness, and preparedness to be used in such services is their
proper sanctification.

2. Besides this fitness in them, there is required in the mind or judg-
ment, wisdom, and skill to manage, turn, and wield these weapons right in
the practice of holy duties, which is called wisdom to do good, and is neces-
sary to direct us in the doing it. And by it we walk exactly, not as fools,
but as wise: Eph. v. 14-17, ' Wherefore he saith. Awake thou that sleepest,
and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.' ' See then that ye
walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because
the days are evil.' ' Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the
will of the Lord is.' There is a light which we are to receive from Christ,
needful to instruct us how to take our steps in due order ; there is a wisdom
required to know how to guide our feet, and to walk : Eph. v. 8, ' For ye
were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord : walk as child-
ren of light.' And this is called practical knowledge. I will make the
thing more clear by some easy example : if a man would fence aright, he
must not only have fit weapons which are not too heavy for him, and which
are of a fit fashion to be used, but he must have skill also to know how to
be able to M'ield them, wherein lies the main of that art. If a man should
go to play on an instrument, it is not necessary only that he should have a
hand which is nimble, and quick, and apt to move fast, and to fall readily
on such stops, which readiness is gained by use and exercise, and to this
answers the sanctification of the will and affections ; but he must have the
art and skill also imprinted on his fancy and understanding, which may still
upon all occasions guide those fingers aright, else he can never play well.
And the excellency too which men attain in their several trades comes from
the excellency of their fancies. Thus, in sanctification there is a holy art,
and skill implanted in the mind to direct the will and affections in all the
acts of obedience ; and this we call practical knowledge.

Now to this skill two things concur.

1. To know all the rules, and fashion, and manner of doing things aright.
As when a man takes an apprentice he gives him rules, and shews him how
he should handle those instruments with which he is to work, but yet this
is not knowledge enough; for a scholar who skills not a stroke of the mecha-
nical work, and knows not how to turn his hand in it, may learn presently
all the rules, and yet be as far off the knowledge of the trades as any other.
Therefore,

2. There is required a practical skill, a sleight, and cunning in the fancy,

192 AN UNREGSNERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

and in the exercise of the hands, which use makes perfect. There is neces-
sary such a practised art to know the ditference of wares at first sight, or to
know how to guide the hand in such or such businesses, and to use tools
proper for the work.

That we may make application of all this to the purpose in hand. The
difierence between the practical knowledge which is in a regenerate man, and
one who is not so, lies in this,

1. That an unregenerate man wants the skill and holy art to perform reli-
gious duties, though they may know all the rules of practice as fully as the
other : James iv. 17, ' Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doth
it not, to him it is siu.' 2 Peter ii. 20, 21, ' For if after they have escaped
the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, they arc again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end
is worse with him than the beginning. For it had been better for them not
to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to
turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.' Rom. ii. 20, ' An
instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of know-
ledge and of the truth in the law.' Isa. Iviii. 2, ' Yet they seek me daily,
and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and for-
sook not the ordinance of their God : they ask of me the ordinances of jus-
tice : they take delight in approaching to God.' But a godly man, besides
the knowledge of the rules and ways of righteousness, knows how to walk in
them ; he hath a particular skill and art of holiness (which an unregenerate
man wants), as a farther art infused into him to guide his heart in all the
parts of a godly behaviour, and in the several passages of duties. He hath
a skill to discern the difference of good and evil, as he finds or meets with
either of them in his heart and life : Heb. v. 14, ' But strong meat belong-
eth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their
senses exercised to discern both good and evil.' He can distinguish true
and good wares from those which are false, real genuine holiness from what
is seemingly so, but counterfeit. Indeed, men as to all human faculties or
arts, get by use a skill in them, besides the rules which they have learned ;
but this art of holiness is not acquired by custom or exercise, but God puts
it into a godly man's heart, as part of his stock, the first day that he con-
verts him, though he may, and doth gain more of it afterward by exercise ;
so that, though he learns not more rules of holy living than he knew
before ; yet his skill in praying, or in the performance of any other duty, in-
creaseth, and this proves it to be a distinct thing from the mere knowledge
of the rules themselves. As for prayer, let a man have never so many rules
in his head, yet all these canuut help him to make an acceptable prayer ; but
there is a farther skill required, called a spirit of prayer, which God only can
infuse : Zech. xii. 10, ' And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon
the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplications, and they
shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him
as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one
that is in bitterness for his first-born.' Rom. viii. 26, ' Likewise the Spirit
helpeth our infirmities ; for we know not what we should pi'ay for as we
ought : but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered.' We know not how to pray as we ought ; we cannot
make a prayer, nor so much as frame one petition ; but it is the Spirit who
teacheth antl helps us, by giving us this skill, and he alone. And so for the
love of God too, though we may all know the rules about it, yet we are ig-
norant of the skill how to produce such an act of love, and turn the will in
it, and guide it aright, till it be taught us by God : 1 Thes. iv. 9, ' But as

Chap. III.] in kkspect of sin and punishment. 193

touching brotherly love, yc need not that I write unto you ; for ye yourselves
are taught of God to love one another.' And if we cannot love one another
without being thus instructed, much less can wo love God himself; and
therefore read through the Psalms, and you shall still find that David hath
recourse to God for this particular practical skill, though he knew rules
enough already ; and he asks of God to bestow this art upon him, as being
the peculiar prerogative of God's people : Ps. xxv. 4, 5, ' Shew me thy ways,
0 Lord ; teach me thy paths. Load mo in thy truth, and teach me ; for
thou art the God of my salvation : on thee do I wait all the day,' He prays
for instruction : ' Shew me thy ways,' says he. Now, what teaching means
he ? To have the rules of godly walking only revealed to him ? No ; but
to have a skill to walk, and to order his steps in his particular actions.
' Lead me in thy trath' (says he), in the way that I should choose, as thou
teachest thy saints, and them only, to do : ver. 12, ' The meek will he guide
in judgment ; and the meek will he teach his way. What man is he that
feareth the Lord ? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.'
They only have this secret, and all others are ignorant of it : ver. 14, ' The
secret of the Lord is with them that fear him ; and he will shew them his
covenant.' And their light is such as guides them in all their walking : Luke
i. 78, 79, ' Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the day-spring
from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness, and
in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.' God doth
imprint this skill in every servant and apprentice which he takes, and he
doth not so to any other. It is in our indentures that he should do so, for
he hath bound himself by covenant : Jer. xxxi. 33, ' But this shall be the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, After those days, saith
the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts,
and will be their God, and they shall be my people.' And it is a skill which
all the ministers can never teach you. Our preaching may read lectures to
you, and fill your heads with rules, which you may be able to teach others
too ; but the right art of doing duties according to those rules, none can
teach you but God. This particular skill, or wisdom to do (for as all practices
of trades lie in a skill of the mind, so doth this also), all unregenerate men
want : Jer. iv. 22, ' For my people is foolish, they have not known me, they
are sottish children, and they have none understanding : they are wise to do
evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.' They are wise to do evil ;
they have working heads that way, and are perfect masters of that sleight
and cunning, but to do good they have no practical knowledge at all ; and
that I take to be the meaning of the phrase, Titus i. 16, ' They profess
that they know God ; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.' They profess to know
God, and so how to fear him, but are to every good work aoax//a,o/ ; that is,
* void of judgment,' for so the word signifies, and in that meaning it is taken :
Ptom. i. 28, ' And even as they did not like to retain God in their know-
ledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which
are not convenient.' 'Eig db6-/.ifiov vovv, or to a mind void of judgment, were
they abandoned. The apostle, in Titus i. 16, shews the variousness or dif-
ference of their knowledge, from what is in a man godly, that though it be
of practical things, yet it is not a practical knowledge, which is able to guide
them. And it is the meaning of the Holy Ghost, in Eom. xii. 2, ' And be
not conformed to this world ; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what is thn,t good, and acceptable, and perfect will
of God.' Our minds must be renewed, he to ho-/j[j,dtiiv, to prove and to make

VOL. X. N

194 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

trial of the will of God, and to try how well we can do it. And that a man
may know the thing, and all that belongs to its nature and use, and yet be
ignorant to do it, we have a common instance ; for a man may have all direc-
tions how to temper such a potion, and what drugs should go into it, but
to discern what drugs are good, and to have the skill to temper them
rightly together, is quite another thing, and there is more required to it, for
a physician, who can do the one, is unable to do the other, and therefore an
apothecary's business and work is very different from his. Thus now,
though you may know all the parts of a prayer, and what is to be put into
your petitions, or thanksgivings, to render them acceptable, yet to know how
to temper j'our prayers right, to discern true spiritual desires, which may be
put in, and to distinguish them from such as are carnal and unlawful in
your hearts, which, if mingled with the prayer, would spoil it, this is a dis-
tinct art, and is a true Christian's skill. A man who never was at sea, nor
saw a ship in his life, may know all the art of mariners, and rules of navi-
gation, which may carry a man on any voyage, for he may learn them at
home by his own chimney, and yet he would want that skill to guide a ship
which a poor sailor hath, who knows not so many rules as he. Thus a man
may be learned in divinity, and know all the rules of a Christian's duty
and practice, in all conditions of life, and yet when he comes to put these
rules into action, he may be at a loss how to steer his course aright in any
one of them.

Ohj. But you will say, Do not nnregenerate men know how to pray, &c. ?
Whence is it, then, that they can pray with apparent fervency, and can so
freely speak their minds in prayer? Why, they put me down quite (will
many a poor soul say) in zeal, and readiness of expression, and therefore
they know how to make prayers, as well as to give rules.

Ans. I answer, there are two things in every duty : the inward work and
outwork, the inside and outside of it, bodily exercise, as the apostle calls
it, and godliness, which is the carnage of the heart in the duty. The first is
but little available, it is the second that hath the force and virtue in it :
1 Tim. iv. 8, ' For bodily exercise profiteth little ; but godliness is profitable
unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is
to come.' There is in a duty, as in the law which commands it, the letter
and the spirit. There is in the law the outward part of it, and the inward
spirit, and life, and form of it : Eom. vii. 6, ' But now we are delivered from
the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in new-
ness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.' And there is in a duty
the external performance, which is the oldness of the letter, and the life and
warmth of the heart, which is the newness of spirit. Now to have gifts
and skill to perform the outwork, is nothing in comparison ; but the great
and difficult art is to guide the heart aright in prayer in a spiritual manner,
so as God, who is a Spirit, may accept it. This skill all nnregenerate men
in the world want, for they have but a form of godliness, which is no more the
thing itself, than a picture is a man. Therefore the apostle says in Rom.
xii. 2, that we must be renewed to know that good, acceptable will of God ;
TO ayaShv, that good, to know it, i. e. to be able to make such an experiment,
and trial in performance as to produce a prayer that shall be acceptable to
God, which no unregenerate man can do. They may put in materials, as
drugs, M'hich are good, but they spoil all in the tempering, minghng no
spirits with them. Or, as a painter may have skill to draw the picture of a
man, but still it is but the outside ; the inward veins and nerves are not visible
in his piece; or though he may figure them, yet he cannot paint the spirits,
much less the motions, turnings, and affections, the various postures and

Chap. IV.J in eespect of sin and punishment. 195

carriage of the soul in any action, for he wants that divine skill, that plas-
tic or formative art, whereby God framed us in the womb, and drew and
limned all these. Thus an unregenerate man may shadow out all the externally
appearing parts of a prayer, but the inward vital parts he cannot form ; the
life, and the heat, and the several motions of the soul praying in faith, he
cannot draw, for he wants the art of the Spirit of God, who doth all this in
a godly man's heart, when he prays. And therefore, to be able to produce
such an acceptable piece of work is ascribed to knowledge and light in the
soul, which is made peculiar to believers, as being the work of the Spirit ini
them : Eph. v. 8, ' For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light
in the Lord : walk as children of light ;' Heb. xii. 28, ' Wherefore we re-
ceiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we'
may serve God acceptablj', with reverence and godly fear.' The word
acceptabhj still is used, and this acceptable service chiefly lies in aholy skill
to manage the mind and heart of a man in the performance of every duty ;
and this skill is a peculiar light which unregenerate men . have not, and
therefore know not how to produce the spiritual secret motions of good
duties, or the carriages of a man's spirit in them.

It is not enough neither to play the holy lesson, and to strike all the
strokes with all the graces nimbly and quickly ; but it is requisite to have
skill to choose out good and true strings, suitable holy affections, and to have
an ear to discern when they jar or are flat, being not wound up high enough
(which God's ear regards and takes notice of), and accordingly to tune the
heart aright. This art is- proper only to . a holy soul, and one unregenerate
is entirely defective in it.

CHAPTER IV.

Tl vat wicked men, wanting this true uiadom, are fools. — This demonstrated hy'
considering the nature of wisdom, of all the parts of which ungodly men are
f roved to he destitute.

Unto you, 0 men, I call ; and my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple,,
understand wisdom; and, ye fools, he ye of an understanding heart. Hear, for
I will speak of excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall he right
things.— Vbo\. VIII. 4-6.

Here are some called fools, and a proclamation is made to them, and it is
a word so disgraceful as I make no question, that there are many here, who,
thinking; as they in Jer. viii. 9, ' Are not we wise ?' will be desirous to know
who are meant. Unto all of us in our state of nature, wisdom proclaims
this, for her voice is to the sons of men, ver. 4. Because men regard and
matter it not to be called fool by one who is not wise himself, therefore,
that they maybe obhged to regard what is declared of them, wisdom itself is
brought in as making this declaration: ver. 1, * Doth not wisdom cry, and
understanding put forth her voice ?' Wisdom, with her own voice, proclaims
us all to be fools.

Ohs. The words, then, of the text afford us this observation, both of our-
selves and other men, that all by nature, or in the state of nature, are fools.
This is the next thing of which I am to discourse, in discovering how de-
praved men's judgments are by sin, that their minds are emptied of all true,
solid wisdom, and are filled with nothing but folly. This is here asserted
of all men in general ; and it is easy to prove, by induction of particulars,

196 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

that those, who, of all others, think they have reason to be excepted out of
this catalogue, are yet included in it.

1. Learned men, and those who are the most skilled in human know-
ledge, and so are accounted the wisest, as they make wisdom their profession,
yet they are termed fools ; and it is asserted of them also, that in the end
they prove themselves no otherwise : Rom. i. 21—23, ' Because that when
they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but
became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory
of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and
to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.'

2. If we consider the most politic and wisest statesmen, who can rule
and overturn kingdoms by their wits, yet all their deep wisdom is but folly,
and comes to nothing : 1 Cor. ii. 6, ' Howbeit we speak wisdom among them
that are perfect ; yet not the wisdom of this world, or of the princes of this
world, that come to nought.'

3. If we look on the most civil sober-carriaged men, who live free from
the grossest sins, and profess religion, and who are virgins, free from common
pollutions, and can pray and preach, yet these wanting grace are termed
foolish virgins, Mat. xxv. 3.

But again you will ask, What wisdom doth he speak of, and mean, and
imply that we want, when he thus calls us all fools, for there is much
wisdom acknowledged in many other places of Scripture to be in unregene-
rate men ?

1. They are wise enough in their generation : Luke xvi. 8, ' And the
Lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely : for the
children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light ;'
that is, they are wiser in their kind of wisdom, but it is not the best wis-
dom. As the crocodile is quick-sighted on the land, but dim-sighted in the
water, so they in earthly things are wise enough, but this their worldly wis-
dom is foolishness in God's account : 1 Cor. iii. 19, ' For the wisdom of
this world is foolishness with God : for it is written, He taketh the wise in
their own craftiness.' God speaks this upon his own knowledge, for he
knows their thoughts are vain ; they think godly men to be fools : 1 Cor. ii.
14, ' But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for
they are foolishness unto him; neither can be know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.' But God and his saints know them to be so. Now,
all wisdom is to be measured by God's wisdom, for prmnim in quolibet genere
est mensura reliquorwn, the first in every kind is the measure of all the rest,
and God is primarily and originally wise : 1 Tim. i. 17, ' Now, unto the King
eternal, immortal, invisible, the only vise God, be honour and glory for ever
and ever. Amen.' Therefore what he esteems foolishness is certainly so.

2. They are wise enough to do evil, Jer. iv. 22, but ' to do good they
have no understanding.' A man who can speak well to men, or hath a
notable cunning head to contrive and bring about any villany, because his
wit lies that way, is yet very dull in any matter of religion, and is utterly
ignorant how to pray, or to do God any service which is required of him :
Ilom. vi. 19, ' I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of
vour flesh:: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness,
and to iniquity unto iniquity ; even so now yield your members servants to
righteousness unto holiness.'

3. They may be so wise as to know much in matters of salvation, when
yet they are not wise to salvation, which is the true wisdom recommended
to us by one who very well knew what it was: 2 Tim. iii. 15, 'And that

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 197

from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make
thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.'

And now, again, you will ask. How came we thus to be all fools ? The
answer is easy and ready, we were all born so : Job xi. 12, ' For vain man
would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt ;' which of all
creatures is the most dull and stupid. But, what ! were we all made thus ?
No, certainly. We are not fools of God's making, for he created us in his
image, which especially consists in knowledge and true wisdom : Col. iii. 10,
* And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the
image of him that created him.' How, then, hath man, who at first was
wise, become a fool ? Why, truly, Adam, our great-grandfather, played the
fool by sinning, which is the greatest folly in the world : Prov. v. 22, 23,
' His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holdea
with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction ; and in the
greatness of his folly he shall go astray.' And so Adam befooled himself
and all his posterity. Ay, but you will say, many, though they play the fool
once, yet they become wiser by it. It is true they do so, if they have any
wit left ; but Adam by sinning quite lost all that he had, and that justly, for
his sin was in coveting to get more knowledge than was meet for him. He
would have been as a God, and so he was justly punished with the loss of
what he had, and aiming at the shadow he lost the substance. But you will
say, Foolish fathers beget wise children, and therefore, though he was a fool,
it will not follow of course that we should be so, I answer, yes, it will,
because that wisdom was given him as a stock and treasure, to be kept for
us all, and so losing it we of consequence lost it also.

But that we may farther and more particularly demonstrate unto you the
folly which is in wicked men, let us consider what true wisdom is.

1. Wisdom is more than knowledge, and then folly is more than ignorance,
and many are witty who yet are not wise. The apostle makes this distinc-
tion between wisdom and knowledge : 1 Cor. xii. 8, ' For to one is given
by the Spirit the word of wisdom ; to another the word of knowledge by the
same Spirit ;' where by word is meant utterance, and by knowledge a man's
being conversant about the truths, or falseness of things, but wisdom is con-
cerned about their goodness or profitableness. That is wisdom's property
to inquire into, and discern what is best and most advantageous ; and that
not in the general, but what is so to a man's self. It is the part of a pru-
dent man (saith Aristotle) rightly to consult about those things which are
good and profitable to himself. So that as knowledge enlargeth itself to all
truths, and to whatever may be known to be good in the general, wisdom
contents itself with those things which are profitable and useful ; so Job
speaks of wisdom as that which will make a man profitable to himself: Job
XX. 2, ' Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be pro-
fitable to himself?' As also Solomon advises a man to be wise for himself:
Prov. ix. 12, 'If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou
scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.' That is, if thou have grace and true
wisdom, it will guide thee, as all true wisdom doth, to such things only as
tend to thine own good and benefit, and thou wilt be wise to thyself. Now,
though unregenerate men have never so much knowledge, yet because it
enlightens not to discern what is good and profitable for them, but their
lusts carry them to what is hurtful and pernicious, or which profits not in
the latter end, therefore they are called fools : 1 Tim. vi. 9, 'But they that
will be rich fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and
hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.' There we see
foolish and hurtful lusts are joined together, as being one and the same.

198 AN UNREGENERATE MANS GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

2. It is not things less profitable, or good for some particular ends only,
that true wisdom seeks out for and inquires after, but that which is the
chiefest good, the general universal good, which contains in it all true hap-
piness, and will stand a man in stead at all times, and upon all occasions.
This is true wisdom, to search out and pursue such a good as this. Thus
(Ai'istotle says) he is absolutely a prudent man who reasons and acts about
a common or general end or good, but he who only exercises himself about
a particular one, is only prudent in some sort or certain kind. A man may
be a wise soldier, able to lead an army, but that being but a particular end
and good, he may be a fool in other things. A man may be wise to get
riches, or to screw himself up into preferments, which are things profitable
for a man's self, but yet these serving only for a particular end, and whilst
a man is in this world, for they avail not at the day of death, therefore even
such a man proves himself a fool in the end, that he made no better nor
more lasting provisions for his happiness: Jer. xvii. 11, 'As the partridge
sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not ; so he that getteth riches, and not
by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be
a fool.' But now grace and godliness are profitable for all things, and that
also at all times : 1 Tinu iv. 8, ' For bodily exercise profiteth little : but
godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is,
and of that which is to come.' Whether we die or live, whatever condition
we are or may be in, grace will render us happy. This, therefore, is the true
wisdom, to seek grace, and the love and favour of God above all things ;
this is true wisdom, and therefore called wisdom unto salvation, 2 Tim. iii.
15. Take, therefore, the poorest Christian, the most ignorant and simple
man, one who is a mere fool in all manner of worldly business, yet if his
mind be exercised in seeking after the chiefest good, and busied about that
one thing necessary, the saving of his soul (which one necessary thing Christ
calls the better part : Luke x. 42, ' But one thing is needful : and Mary
hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.') He
is become truly wise, though otherwise a fool. Though he is a fool, he shall
not err in respect of holiness, when God teacheth him : Isa. xxxv. 8, ' And
an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of
holiness ; the unclean shall not pass over it ; but it shall be for those : the
wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.' Solomon, on the con-
trary, was a wise man, and used his wisdom to find out what was that good
for the sons of men, and he went over all pleasures here below ; but, however,
he was befooled in it, and he laid hold on folly in doing so : Eccles. ii. 3,
* I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine (yet acquainting mine
heart with wisdom), and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that
good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the
days of their life.' The philosophers also spent all their brains in seeking out
the chiefest happiness for man, but because they missed it, placing it some
in riches, some in pleasures, some in honours, &c., therefore herein they
are proclaimed fools : Rom. i. 22, ' Professing themselves to be wise, they
became fools.'

3. True wisdom, as it finds the true and most general good, so it directs
to the best means for the attainment of this end ; therefore Solomom says
that wisdom is profitable to direct : Eccles. x. 10, ' If the iron be blunt,
and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength : but wis-
dom is profitable to direct.' Now, what are those means? To believe in
Christ in the first place, and to love and fear God, and to live in holy obe-
dience, and to serve him sincerely. And to make use of these means was
the conclusion to which Solomon's wisdom in the end came : Eccles. xii. 13,

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 199

* Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter : Fear God, and keep his
commandoieuts : for this is the whole duty of man.' And accordingly, God
himself tells us that this is wisdom and understanding, to keep the statutes
which he hath given to us: Deut. iv. 5, 6, 'Behold, I have taught you
statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that je
should do so in the laud whither you go to possess it. Keep therefore and
do them ; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the
nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation
is a wise and understanding people.' And so in Eph, v. 17, ' Wherefore be
ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.' Prov.
xxviii. 7, ' Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son : but he that is a companion
of riotous men shameth his father.' He who knows the ways of wisdom,
then, is convinced of the necessity of Christ, of regeneration, of faith in
Christ, and to be strictly holy, and such an one is wise. But he who is
ignorant of these, and would search out other means of his happiness, is
a fool. When Solomon would find out the true causes of folly, and wherein
it consists, for that is the matter of his search, in Eccles. vii. 25, * I applied
mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason
of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and mad-
ness :' when I say he would find out the original and nature of folly, he
says, ver. 29, * Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright;
but they have sought out many inventions.' That is to say, Man hath been
80 foolish as to seek other means to be happy than what are appointed by
God, and so are only true, and right, and ett'ectual.

4. That wherein especially wisdom consists, is when a man is enabled to
choose that best end and good, and the fittest and most successful means
to obtain it. The chiefest part of prudence lies in a due application to work,
not only to consult, for this wicked men can do, but to judge what is best
to be done, and to set about the doing it in the properest manner. Thus
Solomon says, Prov. xiii. 10, ' Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge :
but a fool layeth open his folly.' A wise man worketh or dealeth with
knowledge, that is, orders all his actions and works by it, and keeps- himself
to this as his rule : Prov. xv. 2, ' The tongue of the wise useth knowledge
aright : but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.' And so we are
commanded to walk exactly according to rule : Eph. v. 15, ' See then that
ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.' The word is d-AoifSuig, ex-
quisitely, exactly, so as not to swerve a tittle from the rule. A wise man
is enabled with skill to walk according to his pattern, but a fool now cannot
keep himself to any pattern. Now, then, because all wicked men walk not
according to the rule of the word, but reject God's commandments, therefore
they are said to be utterly destitute of all true wisdom : Jer. viii. 9, ' The
wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken : lo, they have rejected
the word of the Lord ; and what wisdom is in them ?' And therefore wis-
dom cries to men as being fools, and reproves them for not choosing the
fear of the Lord : Prov. i. 20, 22, 29, ' Wisdom crieth without, she uttereth
her voice in the streets. How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?
and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge ? For
that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.'

200 AN UNKEGENERA.TE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

CHAPTER V.

In xoliat particulars the foJhj of unregenerate men consists. — That they are un-
capable of considering of things.

Having thus described to you, only in the general, wherein true wisdom
consists, I will come to some particulars wherein this folly of wicked men,
or their want of wisdom, consists and discovers itself.

1. It consists in an unability to consider of things.

(1.) In an unability to reflect and consider on their own ways and estate.
Fools cannot turn the eyes of their minds inward, but as Solomon says, they
run through the ends of the earth : Prov. xvii. 24, ' Wisdom is before him
that hath understanding ; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.'
As beasts and madmen, children, they make no inward remarks on them-
selves, but pass over their times without reflecting upon the griefs or joya
which they have had. Their thoughts being dispersed and scattered cannot
be called in and home to themselves, to consider their condition, and to be
intent on it. For still as wisdom is wanting, the reflecting power is wanting
also. It is made one particular of folly not to consider what it doth: Eccles.
V. 1, ' Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more
ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools ; for they consider not that
they do evil.' And truly, such folly is there in the hearts of the unregene-
rate, their eyes look outward only to things abroad in the world, but they
call them not in to view their own actions and estates, and seldom or never
enter into any serious consideration of them : Jer. viii. 6, * I hearkened and
heard, but they spake not aright : no man repented him of his wickedness,
saying. What have I done ? every one turned to his course, as the horse
rusheth into the battle.' They are madmen, and when they turn to the
wisdom of the just, then, and not till then, they come to themselves, as the
prodigal did. And indeed the chiefest part of wisdom lies in knowing a
man's self; and he would be a fool, who minded all business which passed in
the world, whilst he neglected his own.

(2.) A fool is uncapable of considering the issues and consequences of
things, and what will come of such ways and courses which he takes, and
what will be the end of them. Providence and foresight is the chiefest part
of wisdom : Prov. xxii. 3, ' A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth
himself: but the simple pass on and are punished.' A wise man knows
the paths of drunkards, whither they lead, and that he who lays hold on a
whorish woman takes hold on hell, and that in choosing sin he chooseth
death : Prov. viii. 36, ' But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul ;
all they that hate me love death.' And he knows that to walk in the high
ways of wisdom, is to depart from hell beneath ; but a fool, he knows not,
nor considers this : Deut. xxxii. 28, 29, * For they are a nation void of coun-
sel, neither is there any understanding in them. Oh that they were wise, that
they understood this, that they would consider their latter end !' Foolish
man will not consider his latter end, and what condition he will be in at the
day of death and judgment. An adulterer who is led away, like a fool, by
his lust, never thinks what will be the sad consequences and bitter fruits :
Prov. vii. 21-28, ' With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with
the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an
ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks ; till a dart
strike through his liver ; or as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not
that it is for his life.' But a wise, godly man sees things in the causes, and

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 201

foresees tho effects ; he sees the punishment in tho sin, whilst a foolish,
wicked people never consider it, and know not the judgment of the Lord :
Jer. viii. G— 9, ' I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man
repented him of his wickedness, sayincj, What have I done ? every one turned
to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. Yea, the stork in the heaven
knoweth her appointed times ; and the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow,
observe the time of their coming ; but my people know not the judgment of
the Lord. How do you say. We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with
us ? Lo, certainly in vain made he it ; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken : lo, they have re-
jected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them ?'

(8.) A fool is unable to consider fit times, and seasons, and opportunities
wherein things fall out to him, or are to be done by him. Indeed, to con-
sider circumstances is the chiefest thing in which wisdom consisteth, as it is
said of the wise men, that they knew the times : Esther i. 13, ' Then the king
said to the wise men, who knew the times, for so was the king's manner
towards all that knew law and judgment.' Ungodly men then are fools, who
know not the times of their visitation, who do not apprehend when it is the
day of grace, and when a time of salvation comes : Jer. viii. 7, 8, ' Yea, the
stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times ; and the turtle, and the
crane, and the swallow, observe the time of their coming ; but my people
know not the judgment of the Lord. How do ye say, We are wise, and the
law of the Lord is with us ? Lo, certainly in vain made he it ; the pen of
the scribes is in vain.' The judgment of the Lord ; that is, the season of
faith, repentance, and conversion, the season of averting God's wrath and
vengeance from them ; this they know not ; but when God calls to fasting,
weeping, and mourning, they run out into all excess of riot, and this is their
great misery: Eccles. viii. 6, 7, ' Because to every purpose there is time and
judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth
not that which shall be : for who can tell him when it shall be ? ' But he
who is wise shall know time, and judgment, and so be safe. There are
times wherein heaven is offered to them, as there was a time M'hen the king-
dom might have been settled on Saul ; but they regard them not, as he did
not consider and discern his opportunity, and so lost it: 1 Sam. xiii. 13, 14,
* And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly : thou hast not kept
the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee ; for
now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
But now thy kingdom shall not continue : the Lord hath sought him a man
after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over
his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded
thee.' It was his folly made him not discern it. But be who sees his time,
and opportunity, and strikes in with it : Prov. x. 5, ' He that gathereth in
summer is a wise son : but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth
shame.' And therefore an ant is reckoned a wise creature, but the unre-
generate are fools in neglecting their season of grace. Thus also they know
not the proper season of duties, when to pray, and when to hear, &c. They
know not that in the first place they should seek the kingdom of God, and
then next in order mind their worldly affairs, and follow their callings : Mat.
vi. 33, * But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and
all those things shall be added unto you.' They therefore act all things
rashly, and confusedly ; and this is made the property of a fool ; when he enters
into the temple, and should hear, then to fall a-reading, or praying, this is
the sacrifice of a fool, because out of season.

(4.) A fool is unable to make use of a rule in any particular case. Give

202 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

rules to them, and see what ahsurdities they will commit. Bum vitant vitia,
in contraria cnrrunt. While they avoid one error, they run into others of
the contrary extreme. You cannot by any direction teach a fool to make a
cross. Thus let an unregenerate man have never so much knowledge and
instruction, yet he is not directed by it in his particular course, to bring forth
actions pleasing and acceptable to God ; as though you give a fool the exactest
relations of a way, yet when he comes to make use of them, and to take his
journey, in every turning or by-lane he mistakes and bewilders himself:
Eccles. X. 3, ' Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wis-
dom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.' A fool when
he walks in the way, all his instructions fail him ; he may tell the way, and
give it to others, but how to take it himself he knows not. Thus an ungodly
man, though he is instructed by the word, what the way is wherein he should
go, yet he will miss it, for he wants the Spirit of God to say to him on all
occasions, This is the way, walk in it, which is promised to those whom God
loves, and takes care of: Isa. xxx. 21, 'And thine ears shall hear a word
behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to
the right hand, and when ye turn to the left ; ' and as Solomon says, the
■wisdom of the prudent is to know his way : Prov. xiv. 8, ' The wisdom of
the prudent is to understand his way : but the folly of fools is deceit,' not
the way in general only, but his way, wherein he should steer his course.
And answerably the apostle exhorts us to walk exactly, Eph. v. 15, dx^ilSuig,
according to a rule. It is not wisdom to understand the will of the Lord
only, but to be able to walk by that rule ; for a man may get rules, and yet
not know how to turn his heart or hand to them.

(5.) A fool is stupid, and insensible, and lays not anything to heart.
Fools cannot have strong or serious thoughts, for they cannot be intent on
anything, and therefore they are always merry, and will laugh even at the
wagging of a straw : Eccles. vii. 4-6, ' The heart of the wise is in the house
of mourning : but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better
to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool.
This also is vanity.' The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, to
sorrow upon every great and just occasion ; but if a fool lays anything to
heart, they are trifles, the loss of a bauble, or a foolish word spoken ; but
tell them such a friend is dead, or that the Spaniards are on the coast, and
they art not all moved. Denounce threateniugs to an adulterer or drunkard,
and they will soon shake them off, and the most terrible things spoken in the
word of God sink not at all into them, but they pass on till they are punished
at last: Prov. xxii. 3, 'A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself:
but the simple pass on, and are punished.' They will lay the loss of trifles
to heart, but not the loss of God's favour. They will be troubled for petty
matters, whilst they are not concerned at God's anger, nor the suflerings of
his people, nor the miseries and ruins of the churches of Christ abroad.
They do not weigh, nor ponder in their minds, but forget the afflictions of
Joseph, drinking wine in bowls : Amos vi. 6, ' That drink wine in bowls, and
anoint themselves with the chief ointments : but they are not grieved for the
affliction of Joseph.' When God comes with armies into their country, or
wastes it with fire, or a plague, still they are careless, as those in Isa. xhi.
24, 25, ' Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Isi-ael to the robbers ? did not
the Lord, he against whom we have sinned ? for they would not walk in
his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. Therefore he hath
poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle : and it
hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not ; and it burned him, yet

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 203

he laid it not to heart.' And indeed it is no wonder that they lay not God's
judgments to heart, who make light of sin, that deserves, and brings them :
Prov. xiv. 9, ' Fools make a mock at sin : but among the righteous there is
favour.'

CHAPTER VI.

That another particular wherein their follij is manifest is in their false jud/j-
ments. — They deceive themselves in the estimate they make of thinys and
actions.

2. The second main thing wherein the folly of unregenerate men consists
is their false judgments. In judging and esteeming of what is good and
profitable for themselves, they are deceived by many false rules. And folly
or false judging of things is called in the general by Christ, and Paul, judging
according to the appearance, xar' o-^iv ; that is, according to what things
outwardly seem to be : John vii. 24, ' Judge not according to the appearance,
but judge righteous judgment.' And by the apostle it is styled judging, Kara,
'jtooGU'Trov, according to the first show and semblance of things, the first blush and
view of them : 2 Cor. x. 7, ' Do ye look on things after the outward appear-
ance ? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself
think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.' And again
it is called by Christ judging, -/.ara edexa, according to the flesh : John
viii. 15, 'Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man after the flesh ; ' that
is, according to the outward bark and rind, not piercing into the marrow,
nor searching the soul of the thing within, the inward virtues and qualities.
Christ speaks upon occasion of their judging of him by his outside, because
they saw him clothed with flesh, and hidden under the poor appearance of
a carpenter's son, encompassed with the same infirmities that men are,
overcast with disgraces, and soiled with poverty, therefore thought of him
but as of an ordinary man, and were otieuded at him and his followers.
And Paul also, in that 1 Cor. x. 7, speaks to the Corinthians upon occasion
of their false judging of preaching, which they estimated by flaunting and
outward eloquence ; and because Paul's preaching was rude, and not hand-
somely dressed up, though full of the depths of wisdom, they contemned
him. Thus an unregenerate man foolishly judges according to the outward
face of things, and so is deceived ; as a countryman, who sees the sun, and
thinketh it to be no bigger than a platter, whenas it exceeds the earth in
magnitude; he judgeth according to appearance, and not by rules of art, and
so is mistaken. Now the false rules by which men are guided in thus judg-
ing are many.

(1.) They judge those things best for them which are present before them,
and may presently be enjoyed, though but a while, and are so inconsiderate
as to prefer them to those that are afar off, and out of sight, and but in
hopes, though infinitely better, and of eternal duration. They are so foolish
as to prefer the devil's and the world's present pay above all God's promises,
and his recompence of reward. They act thus merely out of folly, for wisdom
only enableth a man to see and apprehend the goodness of things afar oti' and
out of sight ; but fools, and children, and beasts look only to what is before
them, and present in their view. Take a child, and look what he hath in
his hand he will hardly be brought to part with it for all your promises, and
hopes given him of something better, unless you present it before him to ex-
change with him, for he wants wisdom to judge of the goodness of what he

204 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

sees not. Hence also it is always one fruit of folly and weakness to be im-
patient, and that it cannot stay for a thing, wisdom being wanting to content
and quiet the mind till the thing for which it longs is come ; hence you see
children and fools, whom nothing but present things will satisfy, cry till they
see and enjoy what they would have. So this same 7iow, the present time,
sways all unregenerate men, as it swayed and prevailed with Esau : Gen.
XXV. 30-32, ' And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that
same red pottage : for I am faint : therefore was his name called Edom.
And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold,

1 am at the point to die ; and what profit shall this birthright do to me ? ' He
had a sense of nothing but what might satisfy his present needs and desires,
and as for his birthright, he thought he should have no use of it till his
father's death ; it was a thing to come, and a type of heaven, and so he sells
it. Thus do wicked men sell heaven, and purchase to themselves eternal
destruction to enjoy present pleasures, or to avoid present sulFerings : 2 Tim.
iv. 10, * For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and
is departed into Thessalonica ; Crescens to Galatia, Titus into Dalmatia.'
There lay the motive and inducement : he had present offers and oppor-
tunities of riches and preferments, though with the shipwreck of a good
conscience. Whereas grace enableth a man to bear present inconveniences,
and to forbear present pleasures, looking to things to come ; so says Paul,

2 Cor. iv. 16-18, ' For which cause we faint not; but though our outward
man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are tem-
poral ; but the things which are not seen are eternal.' For this cause (says
he) we faint not ; though our outward man perish, though our credit decays,
our estate consumes, and our strength wastes, yet it is well enough with us
as long as the inward man is renewed. He judged not according to the
appearance and outside of things, and therefore though he suffered afflictions
at present, yet he saw a glory beyond them attending him, and that these
light afflictions wrought for him that far more weighty glory, while he looked
not at the things which are seen ; thus he judged. There is the reason of
all ; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which
are not seen (says he), thus we judge of our afflictions, and of the glory
which is to come. And after this rate he speaks also in another place :
Rom. viii. 18, ' For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.'

(2.) Fools are misled to judge of things by the easiness or difficulty of
attaining them, and they prefer things easy before those which are hard and
difficult. Fools are presently discouraged if you tell them of bugbears in
the way, and so are idle and sluggish, and will not stir: Prov. xxvi. 13-15,

* The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way ; a lion is in the streets.
As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed.
The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom ; it grieveth him to bring it again
to his mouth.' A slothful man is loath to bring his hand to his mouth, and
every slothful man is a fool: ver. 16, ' The sluggard is wiser in his own
conceit than seven men that can render a reason.' But wise men, knowing
wisdom to be their strength, are not discouraged with difficulties, but dare
attempt and venture on great things : Eccles. vii. 19, * Wisdom strengtheneth
the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city ;' Prov. xxi. 22,

* A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength
of the confidence thereof.' Now, to apply this to the purpose, unregenerate

Chap. VI. J in respect of sin and punishment. 205

men, because the way to bell is easy, tbey go with the stream of their own
hearts, and the rest of the world, and they sail thither with a fair wind, and
need not row much against the stream, and therefore tbey choose this as the
easier way ; but the way to heaven being difficult, and disgraces, scotl's, the
enmity and rage of the world, calamities and sufi'erings, being in that way,
they say a lion is there, and danger, and they will not stir a foot thither,
Prov. xxvi. 13. They therefore decline those ways all that ever they can.
They say the cities are all walled which lie between them and heaven, and
that there are great and armed enemies to stop them in their passage.
Thug they will say to themselves for discouragement, speaking as the spies
did to discourage the Jews from going into Canaan : Num. xiii. 28, ' Never-
theless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled,
and very great : and, moreover, we saw the children of Anak there.' There
are such great lusts to be overcome (says the man to himself), which will
require much battering, and much prayer and fasting must be used to cast
some devils out ; and some lusts are so sweet that there can be no such thing
as parting with them, some are so strong that there is no throwing them ;
this is impossible to be done, and it is hard to require it; as the disciple said
to Christ, when he told them that they must deny themselves all things for
his sake, ' These are hard sayings.' They will therefore content themselves
with a common care of serving God, so much as they can perform with ease,
and as will stand with their lusts. And as for strictness of sanctifying the
Sabbath, praying privately, and constant keeping down every lust, and fight-
ing against it, and watching over the heart at all places and times, these are
hard sayings to them, which they cannot bear, and so they are diverted and
put ofi' from such holy ways, and condemn such strictness as impossible to
flesh and blood. This is their folly ; for wisdom is too high for a fool, and
so he lets it alone as a thing out of his reach, Prov. xxiv. 7.

(3.) Fools judge of things by their outward adornings, and as they are set
out to show, those to be the best men who have the gayest clothes. As
children fancy such books to be best which have the most gays in them, and
those the best horses which have the most bells and trappings, so do unre-
generate men judge of themselves and others. Thus they judge of other
men ; let a man be never so holy, yet if poor, or disgraced in the world, or
if he hath not great parts, they despise him : Eccles. ix. 15, ' Now there
was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city ;
yet no man remembered that poor man.' If the Messiah, if Christ himself,
come among them, yet if clothed as a carpenter's son, and meanly attended
but by fishermen, though he speaks as never man spake, and act as never
man did, yet they are ofiended at him. Our Saviour, speaking to this false
opinion had of him and his kingdom, says, The kingdom of God comes not
with pomp, so it is in the original, fj^ira cragar^jfl/^o'swj, but it is within you :
Luke xvii. 20, ' And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the king-
dom of God sh6uld come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God
cometh not with observation.' So they think, too, them the happiest men
who are most rich : Ps. x. 3, ' For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire,
and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.' They judge them
most happy who have an afliuence of earthly good, who have fair wives, who
have preferment or applause in the world, &c. Thus they will judge of
sermons by the floridness of the words, thus they will judge of the preacher
by his voice and way of delivery, and that he who makes most noise hath
most eloquence, and that a discourse is best which hath most flashing,
flaunting wit, as the Corinthians judged of their teachers, 2 Cor. x. 7.
They judged according to appearance ; and because Paul was weak and rude

206 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

in utterance, because lie had not a majestic presence and lofty way of speak-
ing, they regarded him not : 2 Cor. x. 10, * For his letters (say they) are
weight}^ and powerful ; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech con-
temptible.' They prefer a tinkling cymbal, him who makes a fine noise
before him. How far is such a vain spirit from the wisdom of a man godly,
who as one who comes to a feast regards not the music but the meat, so he
comes to a sermon not to please his fancy but to feed his soul ! And in all
other things unregenerate men glory in vanity, and an empty show, as fools
do in a new gay coat or in a rattle, or anything which makes a noise. They
rejoice in the applause of the world, in a good bargain, a fair house, more
than in a good ministry ; in the glory of their town and the state of their
magistrates more than in the holiness, grace, and gifts of their ministers.
Thus they have the property of a fool, which is made to consist in glorying
in outward things: 2 Cor. xi. 16, ' I say again, Let no man think me a fool:
if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.'

(4.) Fools judge of things by the quantity, and not the quality and worth
of them. Thus they use to do both as to magnitude and multitude, gi'eat-
ness and number of things. If you ofler a fool, or a child, a small piece of
gold, and a bigger one of silver, or two or three pieces of silver, he will
choose that which is biggest, or most, not what is most valuable. Thus do
unregenerate men judge by greatness ; look which way the great ones, the
rulers do go, look what opinions they hold, what judgment they are of, or
what courses they take, the same they therefore approve. And as they
judge of men thus, so also of their own performances. They think for the
length, and breadth, and bulk of their duties to have them accepted : Isa.
i. 11, ' To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me ? saith
the Lord : I am full of the burnt-ofierings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts ;
and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.'
When they imagined by reason of the number of their sacrifices to be
favourably received, to what purpose (says God) is your multitude of
sacrifices ?

(5.) Things that are in appearance and show like each other, though in
worth and virtue difi"ering, a fool cannot distinguish. Brass and gold, be-
cause both glister, and look of the same colour, both are alike to him. And
thus is it with unregenerate men, who taking common grace for saving
grace, because there is a likeness, civility and good nature for the holy
divine nature, checks of conscience for the combat of flesh and spirit, judge
that they are well enough as long as they find these things in themselves.

CHAPTER VIL

Their foil y also appears in the ill choice ivhich they viake of things.'

We are next to consider men's folly as discovering itself in the choice of
thin<^s. They are very earnest and eager in the pursuit of what is of little
or no importance, but neglect that which is the main and greatest concern.

1. They choose to do unnecessary things in the first place, and neglect
those which are most necessary, and put them off to the last. Is not this
the part of a fool ? If a man should go to London to get a pardon, or about
some great suit at law, and should in the first place spend the most or
chiefest of all his time in seeing the lions at the Tower, the tombs in West-
minster Abbey, or the streets and buildings of the city, or in visiting friends,
and put the other off to the last, would he not be a fool ? Christ, who was

Chap. VII.] in REsrECT of sin and punishment. 207

wisdom itself, judged it folly in Martha to be busy about many things, and
to neglect the main, that one thing necessary. It is not necessary to bo
rich, or learned, or great, though we have cause to bless God if we obtain
them ; but God's favour, and Christ, and grace are absolutely necessary ;
therefore, says Christ, * first seek the kingdom of God :' Mat. vi. 33, ' But
seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness ; and all these
things shall be added unto you.' So he, as Wisdom, directs us.

2. He is a fool who chooseth to commit his happiness to uncertainties,
rather than the greatest certainty which he might have. How foolish is that
man, who makes a bankrupt a feoffee in trust for all his estate, who can
give him no security, but is likely to break and run away, when he might
have good security for all ? Thus do all unregenerate men, who trust in
uncertain riches, in their credit and preferments here, as their happiness :
1 Tim. vi. 17, ' Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not
high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth
us richly all things to enjoy.' What is the counsel which the apostle kindly
gives us, that we should not trust in uncertain riches, which have wings,
and are like to fly away to-morrow, but in the living God, who gives us all
things richly to enjoy ? There is a double opposition, riches are not all-
sufficient, but God is he who gives all things, and that richly. Or if they
were sufficient, yet they are uncertain ; but God is the living God, This
accordingly is a motive made of establishing a sure covenant : Isa. Iv. 3,
' Incline your ear, and come unto me : hear, and your soul shall live ; and
I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of
David.' I will (says God) make an everlasting covenant with thee, even the
sure mercies of David, which will never fail thee, as all other things will,
which have wings, and will leave thee in the lurch.

3. He who provides not for all conditions, and all times which he is to
run through, will be found to be a fool in the end, and he to be the only
wise man who doth so. Therefore Christ called the rich man/oo/, because
he thought indeed whilst he lived he should do well enough, having goods
for many years ; but suppose thou, diest this night (says Christ) what a mis-
taken, disappointed fool wilt thou be ? Then he is proved a fool indeed :
Luke xii. 19, 20, * And I will say to my soul. Soul, thou hast much goods
laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But
God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee :
then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided ? ' And so to
the same purpose is Jer. xvii. 9, 10, ' The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately wicked : who can know it ? I the Lord search the heart,
I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and accord-
ing to the fruit of his doings.' However a deceitful heart may flatter him,
and make him presume that he is happy in a present prosperous state of
things, yet when God comes to try him, and to make a change in his con-
dition, he will prove him to be a poor deluded fool. But he is called a wise
man, who makes provisions against all events. Thus, that steward is said
to have done wisely, who made himself friends, that when his master should
turn him out of doors, might receive him : Luke xvi. 8, ' And the Lord
commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely : for the chil-
dren of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.'
He did wisely (says Christ) in his generation. And I say to you, make you
friends here of God, and Christ, and the saints; spend thy strength, money,
credit, and all for them ; that when you fail they may receive you, that you
may be welcome to heaven when you are turned out here : ver. 9, ' And I
say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrichteous-

208 AX UXREGENERATE MAN's GUILTrSESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

ness ; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.'
That when you are turned out of house, and home, you may have still a
refuge, come what will, and can come ; that when the tower of your earthly
greatness, and the magazine of your riches is taken, you may have God as
a strong tower to run to, and be safe : Prov. xviii. 10, ' The name of the
Lord is a strong tower : the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.' Thus
a regenerate, man is truly wise, who provides a refuge, which will serve him
at all times, and in all estates, and so he can never be miserable. Though
all things be overturned, he will still fall on his feet, whenas another man
ventures his all in a false and deceitful bottom.

4. He who hath not the wit to choose a small present inconvenience to
avoid a greater for time to come, is a fool ; and he who can suffer a small
one, thereby to prevent a greater, is a wise man : 2 Tim. ii. 3, 7, ' Thou
therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Consider what
I say ; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.' Endure hard-
ship here a while (says he), labour a while, and sow, expecting reward after-
ward; and because wisdom only enableth to do this, therefore he adds. The
Lord gire tJcee understandinf/. This course Moses took, who chose to suffer
rather than sin : Heb. xi. 24-2G, ' By faith Moses, when he was come to
years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter ; choosing rather
to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin
for a season ; esteeming the reproach of Christ gi-eater riches than the
treasures in Egypt : for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.'
But wicked men who love sin, who regard iniquity in their hearts, choose
iniquity rather than affliction : Job xxxvi. 21, ' Take heed, regard not ini-
quity : for this bast thou chosen rather than affliction.' He shrinks at a
scoff' rather than at being damned, and can be content, and suffer himself
to be jeered out of heaven, and hissed out of paradise.

5. He who in his bargains exchangeth away precious things for trifles is
a fool, and indeed you use to call such fools' bargains, and a fool and a child
are easily cheated. Well, thus do men sell their time, which is their money
given them to purchase eternity, and they sell it for things unsatisfying,
they sell themselves for nought : Isa. lii. 3, * For thus saith the Lord, Ye
have sold yourselves for nought, and ye shall be redeemed without money.'
They sell their right in heaven for a mess of pottage, as Esau did : Heb.
xii. 16, ' Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for
one morsel of meat sold his birthright.' And they sell themselves, as Ahab,
to work wickedness. The pleasures of sin are their wages, and they are
content to sell their souls, and all to enjoy this world. '\Miereas he who
made over all he had to buy the truths of salvation, that inestimable pearl,
is called a wise merchant-man : Mat. xiii. 45, 46, * Again, the kingdom of
heaven is like unto a merchant-man seeking goodly pearls : who when he
had found one pearl of gi-eat price, he went and sold all that he had, and
bought it.' But a fool (saith Solomon) hath a price in his hand, and no
heart to it : Prov. xvii. 16, ' Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool
to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it ?' He hath a good bargain
offered him, and as it were pinned to his back, and yet passeth it by. Fools
are easily cheated, and so is a man who hath no grace, by the devil. If he
hath heard a sermon, and comes home with his heart fuU-fi-aught with rich
pearls and treasure, and full of the precious motions of God's Spirit, the
devil comes and pats worldly cares in his head, and steals the world away,
and so cheats him : Mark iv. 15, 19, ' And these are they by the way-side,
where the word is sown ; but when they have heard, Satan cometh imme-
diately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts : and the

Chap, VIII.j in respect of sin and punishment. 209

cares of this world, and the dcceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other
things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.'

CHAPTER VIII.
Their folly is also evident from the event and issue of all their actions.

The folly of wicked men is not only manifest in their false judgment and
inconsiderate choice of things, but it is clearly apparent in the event and
issue of all their actions, which proves them to be fools in the end : Jer.
xvii. 11, 'As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not, so he
that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his
days, and at his end shall be a fool.'

1. He who doth all things in vain, and so that he will certainly lose all
his labour, is a fool. It is for this reason the apostle gives the Galatians
that title, because they went about to invalidate and frustrate all their labour
in receiving and understanding the truths of the gospel, and all their pains
in suflfering for the sake of them : Gal. iii, 1-4, ' 0 foolish Galatians, who
hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes
Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you ? this only
would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by
the hearing of faith ? Are ye so foolish ? having begun in the Spirit, are
ye now made perfect by the flesh ? Have ye suffered so many things in
vain, if it be yet in vain ?' And thus do all unregenerate men, not profane
ones only, who take pleasure in sin, and bring forth fruit whereof they have
reason to be ashamed, — Rom. vi. 21, ' What fruit had ye then in those
things whereof ye are now ashamed ? for the end of those things is death ; '
— but the best of them, who profess religion, and do many duties and
suffer much for Christ, and have lamps, and seem to watch for the coming
of our Lord, yet they lose the end of all their labour, and all proves vain for
want of doing a little more or going on a little further. They fall away at
last, wanting grace in the heart, and therefore those virgins who had not oil
in their lamps. Mat. xxv., are called foolish, because though they waited the
bridegroom's coming, yet they had not grace nor principles in their hearts.
So to those, too, who tell Christ that they did many things in his name, yet
all is in vain, because they did it not to him. In vain are all your new
moons and observances, says God to those in Isa. i. 13, '14, * Bring no more
vain oblations ; incense is an abomination unto me ; the new moons and
sabbaths, the calling of assemblies I cannot away with ; it is iniquity, even
the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul
hateth : they are a trouble unto me ; I am weary to bear them.' And
themselves complain that they were diligent in their religious performances,
fasted, &c., to no purpose : Isa. Iviii. 3, ' Wherefore have we fasted, say
they, and thou seest not ? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou
takest no knowledge ? Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure,
and exact all your labours.' What was it rendered all their duties unavail-
ing ? Why, they retained their old sins, which spoiled all. Such a fool
was Herod, who, upon John Baptist's preaching, did many things gladly, but
lost all for an Herodias. Such a fool was Jehu, who, though he had a zeal,
yet spoiled all his work for want of doing a little more. Such a fool was Joash,
who walked in all God's ways many years, and yet made shipwreck in the haven ;
and a small matter it was which turned him from following the ways of God,

VOL. X. o

210 AN UNREGENEBATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, |BoOK IV.

in which he had made so good a beginning; he was moved only by the flat-
teries, bowings, and cringing of his wicked courtiers to him : 2 Chron. xxiv.
17, 18, ' Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah and made
obeisance to the king : then the king hearkened unto them. And they left
the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols :
and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.' Such
fools are they too who run in a race, and yet, for want of dieting themselves
or horses, or taking a little more pains, lose it ; but the fipostle Paul is so
wise as to take care to do his business effectually : 1 Cor. ix. 24-27, ' Know
ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize ?
So run that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery
is temperate in all things : now, they do it to obtain a corruptible crown,
but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly : so fight I,
not as one that beateth the air : but I keep under my body, and bring it
into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I
myself should be a castaway.' He also who begins to build, and is not able
to finish, is called a foolish builder, for all his work and charge is but in
vain. Thus those who set out fair in a profession of religion, and do many
things, but go not on to perfection, of all fools they are the worst. For
others, though in the issue they are wretched, mistaken fools, yet whilst
they live here they enjoy the pleasures of sin, and are beloved of the world.
But these forbear the most sins, and endure much at men's hands, and are
hated for their profession of religion, which yet doth them no good, but
proves vain in the end. They are like those who have bestowed much cost
in a sickness, and yet die at last for want of expending a little more, which
would save their lives ; or they resemble those, who, after having been at
great charges and trouble to commence and carry on a suit at law, yet starve
their cause and lose it, because they will not be at the expense of a little
more money in it.

2. He is a fool in the event, whose supposed happiness proves his misery.
Thus is it with the wicked ; and God, who delights to confound the pride and
glory of men, makes them wise and happy the backward way, as men say of
gains : Isa. xliv. 25, ' That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh
diviners mad ; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge
foolish.' God makes all their boasted knowledge foolishness ; and when they
use all wits and counsels to make themselves happy, misery and sorrow is
the efiect. God makes their own counsels and ways to be their ruin : Prov.
V. 22, ' His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be
holden with the cords of his sins.' Prov. i. 32, ' For the turning away of
the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.'
Those courses whereby they thought in their great wisdom to advance them-
selves are turned against them. Thus, when Jeroboam thought to secure
his usurped kingdom, by setting up golden calves at Bethel, they proved his
ruin : 1 Kings xii. 26-30, 'And Jeroboam said in his heart. Now shall the
kingdom return to the house of David : if this people go up to do sacrifice
in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people
turn again unto their lord, even unto Eehoboam king of Judah, and they
shall kill me, and go again to Eehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the
king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them. It is
too much for you to go up to Jerusalem : behold thy gods, 0 Israel, which
brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Beth-el,
and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin : for the people
went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.' Thus Ahaz, when he
thought that he did right in sacrificing to the gods of Syria, acted to his de-

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 211

straction, as well as of all Israel : 2 Chron. xxviii. 23, ' For ho sacrificed
unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him : aud he said. Because the
gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they
may help me : but they were the rain of him and of all Israel.' Men by
lying aud unjust dealing bring themselves into greater straits, and do but
steal a card whereby to lose the whole game. They by their own subtle
wicked tricks oftentimes so besiege themselves that they cannot escape : Hos.
vii. 2, ' And they consider not in their hearts, that I remember all their
wickedness : now their own doings have beset them about, they are before
my face.' You who plot against God's ministers shall be taken in your own
nets, aud God will confound you, as he did all your forefathers, and your
great-grandsire Satan, in all their plots. He thought by crucifying Christ
to have been quiet, and that very thing proved his undoing. Thus, whilst
you dig to undermine the godly, the earth falls on your own heads. The
Egyptians thought themselves wise in following the Israelites through the
Red Sea, for they were on foot and themselves had chariots, and so they
thought that God must destroy the Israelites also if he brought the sea in.
But wherein they dealt proudly and presumptuously, God was above them.

3. He who is led with vain promises is a fool that feeds himself with what
is not. Now, even in matters of the world, wicked men are apt to do so.
They hearken to everything but God's word, and believe anything which will
pretend to shew and direct them unto a happiness here : Ps. xlix. 11-13,
' Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their
dweUing-places to all generations ; they call their lands after their own names.
Nevertheless, man being in honour abileth not : he is like the beasts that
perish. This their way is their folly : yet their posterity approve their say-
ings. Selah.' And yet thus in other things, too, they believe their own
vain hearts in all that they tell them : Prov. xiv. 15, ' The simple believeth
every word : but the prudent man looketh well to his going.' They will
believe every word which makes for them, nay they will promise themselves
safety, though they go on in those sins which lead apparently to ruin : Deut.
xxix. 19, 20, ' And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse,
that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk
in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst : the Lord
will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall
smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book
shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven.'
They will speak peace to themselves when kingdoms are a-destroying : Jer.
vi. 14, ' They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people shghtly,
saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.' They promise themselves
riches and honours, and that they will go to such a city and get wealth,
when combustions are in the world, and God is bringing judgments on the
earth. They promise themselves the continuance of their pleasures : Isa.
Ivi. 12, ' Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with
strong drink ; and to mon-ow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.'
And for all this they will trust their own word ; and then they will take any
slight evidence for heaven, and believe that every good word, and any work
of civiUty and moral good deed, give them a sufficient title to the place.

We are next to consider what efi'ects this folly produceth in the hearts of
unregenerate men, which indeed are innumerable.

1. They are ashamed of nothing. Though you expose the unreasonable-
ness of their doings, and shew how senseless they are in all their actions,
yet they care not ; though you make it appear that in the whole conduct of
their hves they are void of true wisdom, though you expose them dressed up

212 AX UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, TBOOK IV.

in their fools' coats, yet they have not the wit to discern it. They boast of
that with which they are deservedly reproached, and make their shame their
glory. Thus men will triumph in their sins, and glory in having been drunk
themselves, or in having made others so. They will boast of their deceiv-
ing and going beyond others. They will glory in their oaths as a genteel
accomplishment, and swear, and say they will swear. Thus they declare
their sins as Sodom : Isa. iii. 9, ' The show of their countenance doth wit-
ness against them ; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not.
Woe unto their soul ! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.' And
what is their shame they publish as their glory, so far are they from being
ashamed of those things which should cover them with blushes : Jer. vi. 15,
* Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination ? nay, they
were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush : therefore they shall fall
among them that fall : at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down,
saith the Lord.'

2. They are self-willed. Reason being down in them, wilfulness and ob-
stinacy ariseth in its room. They are resolved in their lewd courses, and
will be wicked only because they will : John viii. 44, ' Ye are of your father
the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do : he was a murderer from
the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth Tin] him.
When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own : fur he is a liar, and the
father of it.' Prov. ii. 13-15, 'Who leave the paths of uprightness, to
walk in the ways of darkness ; who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the
frowardness of the wicked. Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in
their paths.'

3. They are inconstant in all their actions, and, as fools, are driven some-
times this way, sometimes the other, as every wind turns, or a various
humour prevails : Eccles. v. 4, ' When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer
not to pay it ; for he hath no pleasure in fools : pay that which thou hast
vowed.' What in a good mood they purposed, in another humour they
resolve against, and will not do it ; and as it is folly to do thus, God hath
no pleasure in such fools. When they have taken up purposes, they after-
wards meet with some reason or other, of which they never thought, to make
them alter them. They in one moment purpose to repent, to turn to God,
and lead another course of life, which the next moment they forget, or mind
it not. Thus as fools, semper incipiimt vivere, are always beginning to live
well, but never do it, but are unstable in their ways : James i. 8, ' A double-
minded man is unstable in all his ways.'

4. Unteachableness is another property of fools. They are always un-
teachable ; therefore it is said, Prov. v. 23, ' He shall die without instnic-
tion, and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.' Not that instruc-
tion is not given him, he dies not without it in that sense, but because he
will never take it ; and it is the greatness of his folly makes him do so.

It is one degree of wisdom to take good counsel, though it be a farther
degree to be able to give it ; therefore, Prov. xii. 15, ' He that hearkeneth
to counsel is wise. But a wicked man will not hearken to counsel ;' not to
what God says, and the word says, nor what the rod of affliction says. He
knows not the meaning of blows neither (as fools and beasts do not), and
therefore he is incorrigible : Prov. xvii. 10. ' A reproof entereth more into a
wise man, than an hundred stripes into a fool.' He also is as little sensible
of mercies : Deut. xxxii. 6, ' Do ye thus requite the Lord, 0 foolish people,
and unwise ? Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee ? Hath he not
made thee, and established thee ?' Nothing will reclaim a fool ; bray him
in a mortar, his folly will not depart from him.

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 218

5. Confidence in his own way is the mark of a fool. He thinks not only
God's way folly, 1 Cor. ii. 14, as seeing no reason of people's desiring spi-
ritual sermons, and the sincere milk of the word, nor of all the spiritual
practices godly men live in, but accounts their lives madness. But they are
also confident in their own way, thinking it good : Prov. xiv. 16, ' A wise
man fearelh, and departeth from evil ; but the fool rageth and is confident.'
A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil ; that is, seeing what will be
the issue of such courses, being told of it he forbears, as David did, when
Abigail met him ; but a fool rageth and is confident ; that is, is distempered
in his passion, and resolute in what he will do, and goes on ; for it is said
at the twelfth verse, * There is a way which seemeth right unto a man ; but
the end thereof are the ways of death.' Persecuting Paul is therefore said
to be mad against the church, i. e. confident as mad men are ; and madness
is but the excess of folly.

6. Fools still follow their own minds as their guides in all they do ; for
wisdom being wanting, which should be the guide, they must needs follow
the next principle in them, which is their lusts and desires ; and look what
they have a mind to do, that they will do, and will please themselves in all,
and are unable to deny themselves, for they want reason to put into the
balance something that might overrule their passion. Therefore, all the
delight of a fool is to discover his heart ; he poureth it out, for he follows
his own heart in all his actions : Prov. xv. 2, ' The tongue of the wise useth
knowledge aright ; but the mouth of fools poureth out foohshness.' Prov.
xviii. 2, ' A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may
discover itself.' He hath no delight in understanding but to discover his
heart ; that is, to follow his own human inventions. Therefore fools are
always self-willed, and so are wicked men also. They follow their lusts in
all, and are unable to deny themselves of petty foolish desires ; in matters
of greatest consequence for the church or place he lives in, he will not deny
himself a petty desire and end ; that is, a foolish one, and which he himself
is ashamed to manifest to others, shall sway him more than a thousand per-
suasions and reasons. They will rather hazard kingdoms, their estates and
families, than not have their will and lusts, as their malice on a man they
hate, &c. That foolish king would rather lose his kingdom, life and all,
than submit to the king of Babel ; because, forsooth, the Jews would mock
him ; and how many hazard their souls upon the same ground ? So Herod
values it not to cut John Baptist's head off, and what was his reason ? A
foolish one ; his oath's sake, and for their sakes about him. Fools are also
self-willed, for, reason being down, will is up ; so 1 Tim. vi. 9, ' But they
that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and
hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.' They will be
rich, and so commit many foolish lusts ; run into base ways of saving or
getting money,'"ridiculous to all that know them.. The lusts of their father
they will do : John viii. 44, ' Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts
of your father ye will do : he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode
not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a
lie, he speaketh of his own ; for he is a liar, and the father of it.' Did they
but follow 'reason as their guide, their wills might be wrought off; but they
follow their lusts, and so are obstinate in their ways.

214 AX UNBEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IV.

CHAPTER IX.

The uses of the preceding doctrine: That all men should examine themselves,
whether the signs of this folly are not in them, and consider the misery and
danger of such a condition. — How we are to become wise.

Use 1. The first use is to all men in the estate of nature, that they would
try and examine themselves by all that hath been spoken, whether they do
not find in themselves hitherto all want of this true wisdom, and hitherto
to have been fools. Let this be the beginning of wisdom in you, and the first
fruit of it, to consider your estates, which fools do not ; and you that never
yet knew yourselves to be unregenerate, but your ways are right in your own
eyes, of all fools you are the worst. There is more hope of a fool than of
such, as Solomon says, Prov. xxvi. 12, ' Seest thou a man wise in his own
conceit ? there is more hope of a fool than of him.'

1. Consider the misery of that condition ; for whilst thou art in it, God
can take no pleasure in thee ; he delights not in thee : Eccles. v. 4, ' When
thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it ; for he hath no pleasure
in fools : pay that which thou hast vowed.' God hath no pleasure in fools,
and therefore will not communicate himself nor his secrets, nor give his
Son in marriage to them, unless they become wiser; for who that is wise
would keep company with a fool, or marry a fool, or tell his mind to a
fool?

2. Consider the danger of being in that estate, and of dying a fool. Know
that M'hilst thou art such thou canst never enter into heaven, and hast no
portion in that inheritance there ; for fools inherit not, neither by God's
laws nor man's ; and though you hope to go to heaven as well as the best,
yet this conceit of yours puts you but into a fool's paradise, for heaven is a
paradise was never made for fools. Honour is not seemly for a fool, says
Solomon : Prov. xxvi. 1, ' As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest : so
honour is not seemly for a fool,' much less is heaven, and to be a king,
seemly for him. That is not all ; but if thou art a fool, hell and destruction
is a-preparing for thee, and thou art fit for nothing else : Prov. xxvi. 3, ' A
whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.' That
is fitter for him than honour ; hell than heaven ; nay, God will, instead of
delighting in thee, rejoice and laugh at thy destruction : Prov. i. 22-26,
' How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity ? and the scorners de-
light in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge ? Turn you at my reproof:
behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you, I will make known my words
unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused ; I have stretched out my
hand, and no man regarded ; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and
would none of my reproof : I also will laugh at your calamity ; I will mock
when your fear cometh ;' as thou didst make sin a sport, God will make thy
torment a sport to him.

Use 2. Of direction how thou art to become wise.

1. Apprehend and acknowledge that thou art a fool, 1 Cor. iii. 18 ; that
is the first lesson wisdom teacheth a man, that so he may be wise. Appre-
hend thy condition ; go not on as a fool, gaping and being careless, and
thinking thy ways right when they are not. What says Agur, a wise man,
when converted ? Prov. xxx. 2, * Surely I am more brutish than any man,
and have not the understanding of a man.' And so Paul, for all his wit and
learning, confesseth that he was foolish in all his ways ; that all his ways
were folly : Titus iii. 3, ' For we ourselves also were sometimes foohsh, dis-

CUAP. IX.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 215

obedient, decoivcd, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and
envy, hateful, and hating one another.'

2. Go to God to give thee wisdom to turn thy heart : if any man lack wis-
dom, let him go to God for it : James i. 5, ' If any of you lack wisdom, let
him ask of God, that givcth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it
shall be given him.'

3. Go to God in Christ, and for Christ, who is made wisdom to us as well
as all other things : 1 Cor. i. 30, ' Bat of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of
God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and re-
demption' : therefore, Isa. ix. 6, he is called ' the mighty Counsellor.' As
we became fools in Adam, so we must recover our wits by Christ, and by
being born of him ; and it is of all cures the greatest to cure one who is born
a fool ; therefore go to Christ, for none else can do it.

4. Turn to the wisdom of the just. Luke i. 17, it is said, that John
turned men to the wisdom of the just : ' And he shall go before him in the
spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people pre-
pared for the Lord.' Do thou turn to the wisdom of the just, /. e. frame
thy opinions according to the word, and the opinion of holy men ; lean not
to thy own wisdom and carnal understanding, thereby to judge of the ways
of God, or trust not to the opinions of carnal man ; but come in, and sub-
mit thy judgment to the wisdom of God, and of good men. He that is a
fool begins then to be wise, when he, apprehending himself to be a fool, will
listen to what wisdom speaks. Frame, then, thy judgment of the work of
grace, and of holiness, and of the worth of grace ; and what the way to
heaven is, by what God says, and what thou seest wise, and holy men pro-
fess and practice. What says God ? Isa. viii. 19, 20, ' And when they shall
say unto you. Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards
that peep and that mutter : should not a people seek unto their God ? for
the living to the dead ? To the law and to the testimony : if they speak
not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.' Do thou
go to the law and to the testimony, and lean to the commandment ; think
upon all occasions, and in all straits. My wisdom is to stick close to it,
and if I go astray, it is the greatness of my folly. Those ways carnal rea-
son sees no reason for, yet do thou take God's judgments for them, and
bring every thought into the obedience of Christ. Know that the Scrip-
tures are only able to make thee wise unto salvation ; take, then, their coun-
sel, as David did : Ps. cxix. 24, ' Thy testimonies also are my delight and
my counsellors.' Take God's judgment in what is best for thee ; if he will
have thee poor, be content : lean not to thy own wisdom, as Solomon says,
Prov. iii. 5, ' Trust in the Lord with all thine heart : and lean not unto
thine own understanding.' Take also the judgment of holy men as to spi-
ritual things, for they have had experience of them, and therefore ought to
be believed in their own art : Prov. ix. 10, ' The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom : and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.'
Isa. XXXV. 8, * And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be
called the way of holiness ; the unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall
be for those : the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.'
And do thou justify wisdom too, and stand up in defence of its ways. Mat.
xi. 19.

216 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, TBoOK V.

BOOK V.

That reason in man being corrupted by sin, useth its strength and force to advise
and contrive the satisfaction of his lusts; ivhence it is that reason, which should
have acted for God, now acts for sin and lusts.

CHAPTER I.

Lf}, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright ; but they have
sought out maiiy inventions. — Eccles. VII. 29.

Now I am next to speak of the corruptions of reason itself, and to discover
to you what great assistance, and manifold and several concurrences and
orders, it gives to the power and kingdom of sin within us.

And indeed, however we may think that reason in us fights against and
opposeth our lusts, yet the truth is, that but for carnal reason sin would
not know how to do ; for as reason of state doth all in kingdoms, so fleshly
reason in us. No man sins, no man goes to hell, without reason.

Now the assistance reason gives to sin is double. First, As a counsellor,
to advise to, and plot for the acting of it and satisfying its desire, which out
of this text we shall speak to.

Secondly, As a protector and defender of the power and kingdom of sin,
against all the assaults and invasions that the word and knowledge of God
might make against it. This corrupt reason doth, by gathering to itself
many carnal pleas for men's bad courses and estates, as also by gathering up
together all the discouragements and objections against the ways of grace
that ever it can, as out of the 2 Cor. x. 4 we shall have occasion more
largely to insist on, he there comparing reasonings, Aoy/ff/x&is, to the strong-
holds that are in a kingdom to defend it, where all the weapons and armoury
lies ; and so indeed in reason doth the utmost strength of sin consist.

Now,_/7rsf, concerning that counselling and plotting assistance which reason
affords. This text mentions it, and indeed lays the fault and the blame of
the wickedness that is in man's heart to the reasonings and inventions that
are therein, and thereby chooseth to express their corruptions and the causes
of them.

The word translated here inventions, which indeed are acts of reason, is
the same with that in ver. 25, which they have translated reason, and the
Septuagint translate it '/.oyi<sij.b-ji, and most Latin interpreters ratiocinia,
reasonings. The word in the Hebrew is jniJ3U?r7, which signifies a cun-
nicg artificial invention, as the same word is used 2 Chron. xxvi. 15, and
his scope you may see to be to give the reason and cause of those many
villanies in men's lives, and to see the depth of them ; I saw all men cor-
rupted, and I searched out the reason and cause of that folly and wickedness,
and depth of villany discovered to be in them, and it all lies in invention, in

Chap. I.j in respect of sin and punishment. 217

wily, cunning wickedness ; and (says he) this I found, that though God made
man upright in the image of God at first, yet now being fallen, and deprived
of that image, and so of that blessedness in communion with God, like
sharks cast oflf by their friends, and cut short of that inheritance they were
ordained for, they live by their wits, and that reason which they have left
they use in manifold and several sinful practices. It loads them into many
crooked ways and by-paths, * they have sought out many inventions.'

Now for the proof of this I will give you but these arguments.

1. Man, you all know, is a reasonable creature; and as he himself was
principally ordained for action, so to help him therein reason was principally
given him to guide and steer him. So that as God works all things accord-
ing to counsel, — Eph. i. 11, * In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things
after the counsel of his own will,' — so as he hath a reason for everything he
doth, though he manifest it not,— Job xxxiii. 13, ' Why dost thou strive
against him ? for he giveth not account of any of his matters ; ' — so also man
being created in the image of God, doth work all things according to counsel
also, and useth reason in all, such as it is, for that is part of that image of
God which is a likeness to his essence which is not razed out.

And therefore, 2, now man is corrupted, reason still remains and is used
in all. For sin hath not made man a beast, he useth reason in all his sin-
ful actions, otherwise they would not be sins ; and therefore, in man now
fallen, the estate of nature is called a kingdom, though of sin, as truly as
the other is a kingdom of grace. And every king must have his privy
councillors to advise, and plot, and manage his affairs ; and such is reason
now unto sin, as well as once it was to grace. For sin, as it enters upon the
same territories and possessions which grace in Adam once had, so it keeps
up the same form of government for substance, and turns out no officers, but
all keep their former places. Our affections and members are as the com-
mon soldiers and people: so Rom. vi. 19, ' I speak after the manner of men,
because of the infirmity of your flesh : for as ye have yielded your members
servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield
your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.' Our lusts are as
laws, and axioms of state ; and reason, who was sole privy councillor afore,
and master of all the ports and strongholds, keeps his place still. Only as
sin hath gained the rest to be for it, all our lusts to be laws of sin, all our
members to be weapons of unrighteousness, so reason also to be a counsellor
and plotter for sin, and which is as true and faithful to that wicked purpose
as ever it was before to God. And therefore, Ps. Ixxxi. 12, to give a man
up to his heart's lusts is all one as to give him up to his own counsels : Ps.
Ixxxi. 12, ' So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust : and they walked
in their own counsels;' and the lusts of sin are therefore called the lusts, r^g
diam'ag. Eph. ii. 2, ' Wherein in time past ye walked according to the
course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the
spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience,' even of reason and
that discoursing faculty within us.

And in the 1 Cor. iv. 5, the counsels of the heart are there mentioned as
those things which shall especially be discovered and judged at the latter
day : ' Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who
both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make mani-
fest the counsels of the heart ; and then shall every man have praise of God.'

Now reason is gained to be for sin.

1. By reason of that blindness I have discovered to be in it, to discern,
and taste of the goodness of things spiritual, so to know them as to make

218 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

deeper impression of their goodness, than the pleasures sin propounds ; and
thus knowing no better, it must be for them.

And, 2, by reason also of that unbelief even of those first principles of grace
and godliness, which it should have recourse unto in all our actions, and
should reason from them.

Now, the fii'st office of reason is to advise and counsel upon all occasions
what is best to be done. With it a man's heart always adviseth, and unto it
are brought all deliberate actions to have reason's approbation, and broad
seal to them, ere they pass to execution ; and though indeed it hath lost the
power of sole propounding, which in the estate of grace it had, no aflfection
stirring without it, yet all motions still must have their grant from it, ere
they get act into execution.

But self-love being the viceroy, lord paramount in this kingdom of sin
(for when God was deposed from being our utmost end, ourselves succeeded
as next heirs), therefore now the main and chief principle, that practical
reason which guides us in our actions (for of that we speak), is self-love, and
all the power and force that reason hath is turned and bent to advance and
set it up, to maintain and uphold its prerogative. And now, then, that
self-love is made a man's utmost end, and is the lord paramount and chief
governor in this new erected kingdom of sin, therefore reason now must
needs be guided by it on all occasions. Therefore that reason which now
we consult with and employ when we crave to do anything, that practical
reason (for of that I speak ; not of that reason whereby we dispute, but of
that reason only which is to and for a man's self), all the force, counsel,
and strength reason hath in us, bends itself that way. And this brings me
to the third head.

That, 3, self-love being now become man's sole and utmost end in all he
doth, God being deposed, and ourselves having succeeded as next heirs,
and so are become ourselves lord paramount, and king in this kingdom,
therefore it must needs gain for itself all that reason that is in us which is
called practical, whereby we are guided in our actions, whereof we now speak.
For the definition of practical reason that guides us is that which reasons
for some end ; for as we work always for an end, so the reason which guides
us in working must reason to and for that end.* Therefore self-love being
made our utmost end, all the reason we have in us (whereby we do any-
thing) is wholly turned for it, and hath its eye on it, as the mariner on the
compass, whereby to steer, it reasons wholly for it, and to it, and from it.
For that which is a man's end is thit which always sways a man's reason
when he comes to do anything, so as by this means sin hath gained all the
reason which is in men

CHAPTEPw 11.

Hon' reason affords all assistance to the encouragement of sin. — By what prin-
ciples it is herein acted, and what motives it uselh.

These grounds being laid, you shall see the corrupt dealings of reason in
us, how it affords all its assistance for sin ; and first we will see what prin-
ciples reason is most effectually guided by. Now the first office of reason
is to advise and counsel upon all occasion what is best to be done, for with
it the heart adviseth upon all occasions, and unto it are all deliberate actions

* Idem est ultimus finis ad rationem practicam, quod prima principia ad rationem
speculativam. — Aquinas, 1, 2, qu. 90, art. 3.

Chap. II.j in respect of sin and punishment. 219

brought, to have reason's approbation and broad seal set to them. Now,
therefore, when we come seriously to advise with reason what is best to be
done, whether we should do this or that, refuse this or choose this; to what
principles hath reason recourse in the advice it gives ; doth it go to the prin-
ciples of the word, and make them its counsellors, as David did, Ps. cxix.
lOi, 105, to see whatit judgeth of such an action or cause, or do the rules,
the motives, the persuasions thereof prevail with reason ? No ; because
God is not a man's end, nor do we believe the principles of his word ; but
reason now, as corrupted, looks and adviseth with a man's own heart, a;jd
considers what ends, what present desires or occasions a man hath ; look
how things do suit with our present occasions, or conduce to our own ends,
and seem to please our present desires, those corrupt reason, and fleshly
■wisdom jutlgeth best. And these principles are the new inventions which
men have sought out. So that as the holy wisdom of God, whereby he doth
all he doth, looks into himself for the reason of all his actions, and to nothing
out of himself; and therefore he is said to work all according to the counsel
of his own will, his holy ends being the principles his wisdom is wholly
swayed by in all, so as his will is the rule of all reason ; so reason now
having set up a man's self for its end, it looks for the reason of everything
in itself, and judgeth not those things to be best which are best in them-
selves, but which are best for himself and his corrupt desires, and the pre-
sent constitution of his heart and condition.

As therefore whilst God was a man's end, as in the state of innocency, or
when he becomes a man's end, as in the estate of grace, then all the parti-
cular directions God espresseth his will in become laws and principles to
consult with in all a man's actions, which he is sure never to swerve from ;
and then all the motives w^hich are drawn from God, which the word lays
down to persuade us, become efiectual reasons to move us to anything, for
they had all reference and relation to that first principle reason looks to, God
being his utmost end. Now, on the clean contrary, a man's self being become
his utmost end, look how many corrupt desires he hath to be satisfied and
pleased, look how many by-ends he hath whose turns are to be served, too
many principles he hath which corrupt reason, fleshly wisdom, hath an eye
unto, according to which it guides you, and counsels you in all your actions.
If the things you are to do be suitable to them, it adviseth you to put them
in execution, to set upon them, and also all motives drawn from pleasing
your lusts and ends become strong reasons, efi"ectual arguments to persuade
you to do anything. So that now, I having told you that all true principles
of godliness are extinguished, you see the principles and reasons which a
man in his actions is guided by, are lusts, and by-ends, and motives drawn
from them. These are the principles you go by ; with these reason consults,
from these reason argues upon all occasions, when anything is to be done
by us. And therefore, in Ps. Ixxxi. 12, to be given up to their lusts, and
their own hearts' counsels, are all one, because reason in all consults
with lusts.

To make this clear to you by instances out of the word.

1. If riches be a man's end, what principle is that his reason in all his
actions consults with ? Paul tells you it : 1 Tim. vi. 5, * Perverse disput-
ings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain
is godliness : from such withdraw thyself.' They suppose that gain is godli-
ness ; that is, they lay that for a rule, a principle, that they advise with,
and have recourse to, and frame their actions by ; however men do not
profess so much, yet this they lay for a ground, this they truly think and
believe ; whereas, says the apostle, there is another principle we are guided

220 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

by in all estates and conditions, that godliness is great gain. Now this
principle being laid in the heart, when in a matter of unjust gain a man
comes to advise with his reason whether it be better to obey God than get
money, whether it be better to increase godliness or his estate, to forsake or
leave otf some practice of godliness or lose his estate, his heart supposing
gain better than godliness, because it suits with his desires and disposition
of his heart more, this being his principle, he lets godliness go, as the
young man in the Gospel and Demas did. Now there is the like reason of
honour, pleasure, &c.

So also if a man be to profess godliness, and sees he must take up some
religion, what principles doth reason consult with, how far be shall shew
himself in the cause ? Why he consults with his own ends : Eccles. vii. 16,
' Be not righteous over much ; neither make thyself over wise : why
shouldst thou destroy thyself? ' In the loth verse he had named a shrewd
temptation that stumbles many in the world : ver. 15, 'All things have I
seen in the days of my vanity : there is a just man that perisheth in his
righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his
wickedness.' They see a righteous man perish in bis righteousness,
trodden down and oppressed, and a wicked man that prolongs his days in
his wickedness, and it is a means to save him. Two conclusions are drawn
thence, the one by corrupt reason, the other by the Spirit. What principle
doth carnal reason then gather from it ? It is this : take heed, be not righteous
over much, nor over nice, nor wiser than the rest of the world, says flesh ;
why the principle which reason guides him by is to preserve himself whole
by taking a moderate course, destroy not thyself; he thinks that too much
religion would destroy his credit, &c. The other opposite conclusion the
Spirit draws : ver. 17, ' Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish :
why shouldest thou die before thy time ? ' So that the principles men advise
with are themselves and their own ends.

So when a man hath his enemy in his power to hurt him, the principle
carnal reason consults with is quite different from what godly reason is
guided by.

When David had Saul in his power, what was David's principle his rea-
son consulted with ? 1 Sam. xxiv. 6, ' And he said unto his men, The Lord
forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to
stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.'
The Lord forbid that I should do this thing; how shall I do it, and sin
against God ? for God was his end. But what was Saul's principle, which
he would have consulted with in the like advantage ? If the question had
been asked whether it had been best in such a case to kill David, what
would Saul have thought ? ' If a man find his enemy, will he let him go well
away ?' Saul thought in his reason he were a fool that would do it. This
was a principle in his heart he should have gone by.

So for pleasing men when they command one thing and God another.
This was the principle the apostles in their hearts stuck to and reasoned
fi-om : it is better to obey God than man, Acts v. 29 ; but when the Jews
were to move Pilate to crucify Christ, when he knew him to be a righteous
man, what principle do they work upon, and /rom what do they draw their
reason to move him ? John xix. 12, ' And from thenceforth Pilate sought to
release him : but the Jews cried out, saying. If thou let this man go, thou
jirt not Caesar's friend : whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against
Cfesar.' If thou lettest this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend ; they knew
that was an argument to carnal reason which would prevail.

And therefore, now, if you are to move a carnal man in any business,

Chap. II. ] in respect of sin and punishment. 221

would you speak reason to him so as to prevail, you must speak to save lust,
to save the end that he hath in his aim and purpose ; for they are the prin-
ciples in his heart, and what is drawn from thence is effectual to move, else
not. Thus when Balak would persuade Balaam to curse the people of God,
what reason doth he use ? Numb. xii. IG, 17, ' I will promote thee to very
great honour ; ' and ver. 37, ' And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not ear-
nestly send unto thee to call thee ? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am
I not able indeed to promote thee to honour ? ' Am I not able to promote
thee to honour ? He speaks reason to him that suited and was agreeable.

So when the Jews consulted among themselves what they should do with
Christ, what was the prevailing reason and argument to put him to death ?

1. Say they, ' The inheritance shall be ours,' Luke xx. 14.

2. Say they. All will believe in him, and the Piomans shall come and take
away our place and nation, and so we must lose all : John xi. 48, ' If we let
him thus alone, all men will believe on him ; and the Romans shall come and
take away both our place and nation; ' and so in John vii. 4. Christ's carnal
friends there urge a carnal rule they went by of credit to move him to preach,
John vii. 3, 4"; and thus, too, when any man turns to God, what reason and
arguments doth he find his heart stick at most, what principles doth his
reason argue from ? I shall be cast out of the synagogue, says one ; that is
the reason moved some not to profess faith in Christ : John xii. 42, ' Never-
theless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him ; but because of the
Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the syna-
gogue.' I shall lose my friends, says another; my preferment, says a third;
and these are reasons with them why they should not turn to God. And on

. the contrary, we see by experience that the motives out of the word, and
which are reasons drawn from the principles thereof, move not, because we
believe not those principles ; but reason hath other it looks unto and con-
sults with, viz., its own corrupt ends, and those motives having no connec-
tion with such ends, therefore they move not, are no arguments to them, nay,
they are foolishness : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can
he know them, because they are spiritually discerned ; ' that is, he sees no
reason in them, because the principles they are drawn from are not believed,
for reason is that which sees the dependence and connection of one thing
with and from another.

But, 2, this is not all that reason doth, but when a man hath pitched upon
an end to be acquired, reason is farther employed to invent and to look out
for such fit means whereby those ends may be accomplished. Sin could do
little if it were not for the help of reason ; for as the speculative understand-
ing, when a thing is propounded to be proved, invents and starts up mediums
and notions to prove it, so the practical is set on work to find out ways and
means, and to consider what will best conduce to such an end. And this
ofiice of corrupted reason is especially meant here in this place the devices
and arts of the heart, to bring sinful enterprises to pass ; fur he here means
nets and snares to catch men ; and these inventions are many, they are
infinite, not to be numbered. Insomuch as the way of a serpent is on a
stone, so is the way of a man with a maid, full of infinite plots, Prov. xxx. 19 ;
and herein corrupt reason is exceeding witty, ' wiser in their generation than
the children of light.' How ready was the wit of a woman, Jezebel, when
Ahab himself knew not what to do, how rational to take away, to get in
Naboth's vineyard, to plot his death ; but that would not be enough, for had
he been simply killed, his son would inherit, but if he should die as a traitor,
then his goods should be forfeited. See how she plots it: 1 Kings xxi. 9, 10,

222 AN UNKEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

' And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on
high among the people ; and set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear
witness against him, saving. Thou didst blaspheme God and the king : and
then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.'

How witty was Joseph's mistress, and sudden to invent a way to be re-
Yen<7ed on Joseph, when he left his coat with her, to turn the enticing to
adultery upon him !

How subtle were Daniel's enemies to plot against him when he stood in
their way ! They knew they could charge him in nothing but in the matter
of his God, and they knew him constant in prayer ; therefore got this con-
fii-med by the king, that whosoever put up any petition to any but the king
should be put to death.

What an invention was it that Simeon and Levi had to accomplish their
revenge upon the men of Shechem for the rape of Dinah, to have them all
circumcised first, that so when they were sore they might fall upon them !
Many and infinite are the inventions of corrupt reason to do mischief.

3. Our lusts use wit and reason to make compositions of pleasures for
them, to mingle a spiced cup of many sweet ingi-edients, artificially com-
posed, to improve creatures to the uttermost ; so Solomon used not only his
power, but his wit also, to make inventions to please himself: Eccles. ii.
4-9, ' I made me great works ; I builded me houses ; I planted me vine-
yards ; I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all
kind of fruits ; I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that
brin^eth forth trees ; I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born
in my house ; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above
all that were in Jerusalem before me ; I gathered me also silver and gold,
and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces ; I gat me men-
singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical
insh-uments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than
all that were before me in Jerusalem : also my wisdom remained with me.'

4. Reason serves our lusts in discerning the fittest opportunity of accom-
plishing our lusts and ends ; so Herodias did, who had watched how to do
John a' mischief, Mark xvi. 19, but finding Herod in a good mood, and so
large in promising to give whatever was asked, she takes the opportunity of
craving John Baptist's head ; and it was suddenly thought of, for straight-
way the maid came in again, ver. 25. So, Prov. vii., the adulteress takes
the opportunity of her husband's being abroad; so, Mat. xxvi. 16, Judas
sought opportunity to betray Christ.

■•5. Men have inventions to conceal their sins. So had Joseph's brethren
by his coat, to conceal their selling their brother, and inventing a cunning
lie with it ; so had David in making Uriah drunk, to conceal his adultery.
As men have arts to cover the deformities of their bodies, so also of their
souls. Therefore their wicked ends in sinning they strive most to conceal.

CHAPTER III.

That mans reason, which should direct him in his actions, is depraved, and
therefore misguides him.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt; they have
done abominable ivorks ; there is none that doth good. — Psalm XIV. 1.

I have discovered unto you the folly which is in men's hearts. The next

Chap. III.J in respect of sin and punishment. 223

which both these words and my scope (which is to go on to lay open the
corruption of man's heart by nature) pi-esonts to be spoke of, is the vain
reasonings which accompany that folly.

Now, when I speak of the vain reasonings of man's mind, understand me
not to intend the reasonings or discussing and arguing of things in their
speculations, which in their speeches, and discourses, and writings they dis-
cover; for these are often right and true, though yet therein there are and
may be infinite errors, which the mind of man is subject to. Witness all
the errors which the most of the world are divided and carried away with,
which are infinite to reckon up. Only let this in the general be said and
acknowledged, that look what errors and vain reasonings any man's mind
engenders, or is taken with, the same every man's mind would be if left to
itself, there being no more privilege to exempt or free it from being prone
to any error, or false reasoning in judgment, than to any sin or error in
practice.

But I will limit myself to those false reasonings which men are led aside
by, and misguided in their practice, and in their ways and courses; for in
these it is certain that every man is guided by some reasoning or other,
though a false one ; and the cause of all errors in the life is some error in
the heart : Ps. xcv. 10, ' Forty years long was I grieved with this generation,
and said. It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known
my ways.' It is a people do err in their hearts, for the practical understand-
ing hath its reasonings as well as the speculative.

Now, all reasonings and discourses of the mind are made up of two things:
1, some general principles or general axioms which the mind takes for granted,
and into which all its opinions, and apprehensions, and reasonings of things
may be resolved; 2, conclusions and consequences derived and drawn out of
them, and founded on them.

Answerably are those vain reasonings (whereby he is misled in his course,
of which only I speak) made up, and consist of vain and erroneous principles,
and unbelief of the true ones, which are the foundations of a godly course ;
which principles, contrary to the true, are the grounds of all theii* evil courses
and ways.

Secondly, They are made up of false arguments, collections, and deduc-
tions, which their minds gather to themselves to strengthen them in their
evil courses and estates.

Now, as a foundation to speak of the first, I have chosen these words, as
wherein you have the axle-tree whereon all wickedness is founded and turns :
a fundamental error in the first principle of all piety, which is to believe
there is a God, and what manner of God he is, which the fool here spoken
of doth not only not believe, but there is a positive principle and grounded
apprehension of the contrary, a saying in the heart there is no God.

And by the fool here spoken of is not meant some particular man only,
but the psalmist's scope is to describe the general corruption in all mankind,
for so he goes on : Ps. xiv. 1-3, ' The fool hath said in his heart. There is
no God. They are corrupt ; they have done abominable works ; there is
none that doth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children
of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They
are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy ; there is none that doth
good, no, not one ;' and so it is quoted by the apostle, Rom. iii. 10. And
he places unbelief and error in this main principle, as the foundation of all
that corruption that follows, and therefore puts it in the fore-front ; and
though it be but one of those corrupt principles his mind by nature is
poisoned with, yet it is a most principal and fundamental one ; for as God

221 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

is the foundation, and prop, and shorer up of all being in the world, so
that there is a God is the main pillar whereon, in the heart, all religion sub-
sists. And therefore these words will fitly serve as a bottom to a general
discourse of that unbelief of all the first principles of godliness, and contrary
false principles which are in the minds of all men, whence all errors in their
life proceed.

To this purpose the doctrine I raise is :

Obs. That there is in the hearts of all men a secret unbelief of the very
first principles of true godliness ; and not only so, but contrary sayings and
dictates of the heart, which are the foundation of all corruption in their lives.

I will both explain and prove it. I will premise but these two considera-
tions to make way.

1. That as in all matters of knowledge there are always some common
and general truths, which are as a few seeds of light, which, when sown and
received into the mind of them that begin to learn, do multiply in such
becfinners' understandings, and increase into many other notions. Thus
scholars find it in all sciences and arts they learn, that they meet with some
general truths, which virtually contain all particulars; and so also the apostle
tells you it is in the doctrines of religion, and you find it so, that there are
certain principles of the doctrine of Christ: Heb. vi. 1, ' Therefore, leaving
the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection ; not
laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
towards God.' Now, as it is so in the matter of the knowledge of religion
and the form thereof, so also in the matter of the practice and power of it.
There are some general principles which, if they have true and sound root-
in" in the heart and practical understanding, they do mould and frame anew,
and have influence into all their actions, one of which the apostle clearly to
this purpose intimates : Heb. xi. G, ' But without faith it is impossible to
please him : for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he
is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.' ' He that will come to God ;'
that is, part with sin, and all the world, and all things in it, and join him-
self in covenant to obey him alone in all things, there are two principles, says
he, must be riveted into his heart first, viz. 1, that God is ; 2, that he is a
rewarder of them that seek him.

This you may also see in popery and the mystery of iniquity.

There are certain principles both of the doctrine and practice of it, cer-
tain principles of the doctrine of antichrist and of the oracles of Satan (I call
them so in opposition to those of Christ), which if admitted and acknow-
ledged, you thereby at once acknowledge all particulars in popery to be
true. Those principles are two : that the church cannot err, and that theirs
is the true church ; for then all that church teacheth must be assented unto
as true.

So also in the practice of their religion, entertain but into your heart an
opinion of merit, and justification by works, &c., and it will set all in a man,
if thoroughly believed, to abound in all the practices which their religion
dictates, such power and influence hath one small principle in men's hearts
upon all their actions. But now, on the contrary, Luther, seeing the heinous-
ness of sin, and thereupon the inability of all in him to justify him, this
principle being laid and once admitted, he altered all his opinions and prac-
tices : such power hath one principle laid in speculative or practical under-
standing to alter a man's judgment and course. And thus now auswerably
is it. In the power and practice of sinning in men's hearts and lives, for
which, though there is little reason can be brought, yet the practical under-
standing wanting faith in some principles, and being poisoned secretly with

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 225

the contrary, henco come all, and proceed all, the aberrations of men's hearts
and lives, and into those they may be resolved. And as all kingdoms have
fundamental laws, which are as the bases, and props, and pillars on which
all other laws do rest and spring, as we see ours hath, and as all states have
certain common axioms of state they guide all their counsels by, and frame
and cut out all their projects unto, and which they never cross or swerve
from ; so hath the kingdom of sin also fundamental principles, whence all
wickedness flows, and on which the laws of sin are founded, which, when
they are once overthrown, the kingdom of sin is dissolved, so that as the
foundation of all coming to God is a belief that God is, and that he is a
rewarder of those that seek him, so, on the contrary, the foundation of all
departing from God is unbelief of this and such like principles. So says the
apostle : Heb. iii. 12, ' Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an
evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.'

And, secondly, this is farther to be added, that those first and common
principles of piety and godUness come not to have interest and power in the
heart till they be believed, for that is the only right and true way of appre-
hending them ; for they are all things not seen. For who hath seen God at
any time ? So as to be convinced fully there is a God, it must be done by
faith, so says the apostle in that place in the Hebrews, you must believe, as
that God is, so that he will reward those that seek him. You must have
faith to rivet this thoroughly in your minds, for it is a thing not seen, it is
to come ; and so that there is a judgment for wicked men is a thing not seen,
but to be believed by faith.

So, then, those which are thus the first and common principles of all true
piety, are no way apprehended truly but by faith, which is, as the apostle
says, the evidence or conviction of things not seen ; and though they may be
and are known without faith, yet the heart is not persuaded of them till faith
comes in ; for as the principles of arts and sciences are not to be proved by
reason, but are such as the mind at first propounding assents unto, for else
reason would have no bottom to rest on, so these first practical active prin-
ciples of piety are not apprehended by reason, neither are they evident to
the mind at the first blush, for they are things not seen, and therefore if the
heart do truly assent to them, faith must be wrought, which as an optic
glass may represent them and make them visible. For who hath seen God
at any time ? And that he will reward those that seek him, and with how
great a reward, is a thing to come, not yet seen. That he will render ven-
geance to all that do evil, who sees it, nay, who sees not the contrary ? For
all happens alike to all, Eccles. ix. 3, and therefore the heart of man is full
of evil. Now, therefore, though there is some knowledge of these things
which may be wrought in the minds of men, yet if these principles become
active, and guide them in their lives, they must have faith to rivet and
• fasten these common known truths in them : Heb. xi. 6, he must believe
that God is, &c. He must have faith to assent to that, if ever it draws his
heart to him.

CHAPTER IV.

That the reason, ivhereof man so much boasts, is so cormpt and false, that the
first principles of religion are not really believed by him. — The demonstra-
tions of it.

Now, that which I am to demonstrate is this, that these common first

VOL. X. P

226 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

principles are not believed by men ; but the heart is more thoroughly per-
suaded of the contrary, that men say in their hearts there is no God. Though
the text instanceth only in that, yet it affords bottom to discourse of all other
the like principles, for this is the chief of all the rest, and the other depend
on this.

So that the unbelief of the heart, and the false principles of it, is that I
mean to treat of ; and I will first prove that there is in the hearts of all men
by nature this unbelief, and then 1 will explain what it is. First, I will give
you demonstrations, then reasons of it. And fii'st, demonstrations drawn
from experience.

1. We find that when a godly man, or any other, hath any new, serious,
strong, convincing demonstration come into his mind, that shews him more
fully and clearly there is a God and a day of judgment, he shall find some-
thing in the heart that entertains such a new thought as a strange thing, as
we use to do such things we were in suspense of afore. That, as the Athe-
nians said, when Paul preached God and Christ to them, ' Thou bringest
strange things to our ears,' so you may, if you search your hearts diligently,
hear them thus "whispering, when in secret your hearts are confirmed in a
real manner in any of those common truths. This may seem to be the
meaning of Ps. Iviii. 10, 11, ' The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the
vengeance : he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a
man shall say. Verily there is a reward for the righteous : verily he is a
God that judgeth in the earth,' when there shall be, says the psalmist in the
10th verse, an evident demonstration of God's vengeance on the wicked,
and the deliverance of the godly by some hand upon them. This new de-
monstration shall have this efi"ect. So that a man even carnal, and others
shall say, Veril}' there is a reward for the righteous, and doubtless there is a
God that judgeth the earth. They are two common principles, and com-
monly received in the notion, yet when there comes to be a real demonstra-
tion of them indeed, men begin to believe it as if they had not believed it
afore ; for so it comes in as a resolution to a doubt, a determination of a con-
troversy, doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth.

2. When any man is converted to God, and comes to God upon these
common principles, yet these common principles, which all take for granted,
he learns over anew, as if he had never believed them, as if he had learned
nothing j'et, or at least not as he should do, he is fain to begin at Christ's
cross-row again, to learn his catechism, that old former persuasion that there
is a God, and a Christ, and a day of judgment, he finds not to be a founda-
tion sure enough of a godly life, but he lays every stone anew. He estab-
lisheth his heart in these truths afresh in another manner, for though he
knew the same things afore, and had some persuasion of them afore, and
never doubted perhaps, or called them into question, because they were
generally received by others, yet now, when these shall be made the gi'eat
beams in the building, and bear the weight of all a godly life, when a man
builds all his hopes, ways, and concerns on them, he sees the former per-
suasions before to be too weak and rotten, which afore he saw not, because
they were not put to any stress. Set pins in a wall, and let them hang
never so loosely, yet if you hang no weight on them, they will seem to stand
as firm as any, whenas yet the least jog would shake and throw down. So
these principles were barely believed in the notion, and then they seemed as
firm in their hearts as in the godliest man's heart ; but when a man comes to
part with all his pleasures upon the hopes of pleasures in heaven, to give up
all his riches for treasures there, when this weight comes to be hung upon
his persuasions and belief of these truths, he sees he must get them riveted

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 227

in, and fastened in by a new principle of faith, and so he believes all these
over anew. Though the things believed are the same, yet the ratio credendl,
the ground of believing (which is the form of faith), the reason and medium
of apprehending the truth, is new. But now, when ho is converted to God,
the ratio credeiuli is a light from the Holy Ghost presenting them really to
him, and as from God, which faith only apprehends, and which in certainty
exceeds all the other. The other are but a sandy foundation, this Hght only
is the rock, and therefore though in Rom. i. 19, 20, the apostle affirms that
the invisible things of God are clearly seen from the creation, — Rom. i. 19,
20, ' Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them ; for
God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the
creation of the world arc clearly seen, being understood by the things that
are made, even his eternal power and Godhead ; so that they are without
excuse,' — ^}'et in Heb. xii. 5, G, he says that all these are further and anew
apprehended by faith when a man comes to God : Heb. xii. 5,6, 'By faith'
Enoch was translated that he should not see death ; and was not found, because
God had translated him : for before his translation he had this testimony, .
that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him : for
he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of'
them that diligently seek him'.' By it a man must apprehend anew that the'
worlds were made, and that God is, and is a rewarder of them that seek him ;:
for the other knowledge would not be enough to persuade the soul etfectu--
ally to come unto God, and to livo to him.

3. When God leaves any man to the doubtings of his own ■ heart, and;
darlmess of it, he finds he calls all these former principles of truth intO'
question, and cannot by all arguments find his heart established in them.
How many men, when converted, are exercised with doubtings whether there
be a God, or a Christ, or a world to come ? For when a man begins to-
believe in earnest, and to make these principles the grounds of a^ godly life,
then the darkness of the heart discovers itself, and not before ; and the devil
stirs it up, knowing that hereby he undermines the foundation, llbw., I say,
these doubts were there always ; only now they are discovered, and' if' these-
discover themselves in a man after he begins to believe, as usually they do,
then much more did they lurk and reign in the heart afore ; and how much
more are they in those that have no faith to establish their hearts at all ?
When the shadow of the persuasion of these things was in the heart,
unbelief fought not with, it ; but when the true substance of things hoped
for comes in,, then unbelief is up in arms, and a man finds all those sha-
dows vanish.

Now there would not be room, nor place, nor entertainment for such
objections, and though thrown in by Satan, yet they would not stick, unless;
there was much unbelief, much matter to work upon.

4. Though such doubts in the mind do not actually appear above ground,
nor muster themselves in the field, yet the stronger any man grows in faith,
the more he complains of unbelief: Mark ix. 24, 'And straightway the
father of the child cried out, and said with tears. Lord, I believe ; help thou
mine unbelief.' For a man finds these doubtings hke pioneers under ground
at work, when all is fair above. Atheism and unbelief are of all corruptions
the most secret, and discovered only by the true apprehension, and thorough
belief of the contrary ; and therefore the strongest Christians, and as men
grow in grace, they discern these most. Therefore, surely these are the
fundamental bottom corruptions of all in a man's heart. As it is the clearest
light of the truth which discovers the foundation of an error, and the lines
where error and truth part, so it is the clearest faith that discovers unbelief;

228 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

and if faith thus discovers it, then surely it is in all men's hearts, though
they see it not. It is for want of faith that the generality of men think they
have so little unbelief ; whereas if men would build upon nothing but sure
earth and firm faith, they would find all the earth above ground to be but
made earth, that would crack and sink presently.

And as the strongest Christians complain of it, so did Christ still of all
else complain of this concerning his disciples. 0 you of little faith, says
he : Luke xii. 28, ' If then God so clothe the grass, which is to-day in the
field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven : how much more will he clothe
you, 0 ye of httle faith ?' and if ye had but as much faith as a grain of mus-
tard seed, says he : Mat. xvii. 20, * And Jesus said unto them, Because of
your unbelief : for verily I sa}' unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mus-
tard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain. Remove hence to yonder place,
and it shall remove ; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.' He speaks
it often in case of doubting the power of God, and not of justifying faith
only ; and so to Mary he says, if thou wouldst believe but the power of God :
John xi. 40, ' Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldst
believe, thou shouldst see the glory of God ?' Thus God also complains of
his people : Num. xiv. 11, ' And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will
this people provoke me ? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all
the signs which I have shewed among them ?' God speaks it in case of doubt-
ing his power to subdue their enemies. Now, then, that which God, and
Christ, and strongest Christians complain of, is certainly in men's hearts.

5. If all these speak it not, yet look upon men's lives and actions, and
the carriages of their hearts in time of trial and temptation, when their be-
lief in these principles is put to the stress.

Look upon men's actions, which are the most true interpreters and com-
ments of their hearts, as David says: Ps. xxxvi. 1, 'The transgression of
the wicked saith in my heart, there is no fear of God before his eyes ;' that
is, it evidently argues it. However they profess they fear God, and think
they do, yet their wickedness argues there is no fear of God. So I say,
men's actions argue there is no faith of the first principles, either of pro-
mises or threatenings, which is the meaning of that place, Titus i. 16, ' They
profess that they know God.; but in works they deny him, being abominable,
and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.' Thej^ profess they
know God, and believe him, but in works they deny him ; that is, to be that
God they seem to believe he is, and in works they do it, because their works
argue they do so ; and those works proceed from something within which
denies it ; for a man is most serious in his constant action, quicquid opera-
tiir, operatur ut est, as it is in being, so is it in working ; therefore, if
there was not a real principle within them which denied God, their works
would not be the works of atheists ; for upon the belief and granting of
such and such principles, such and such conclusions necessarily follow.
They do so in other things, as God argues : Mai. i. 6, 'A son honoureth his
father, and a servant his master : if then I be a father, where is mine
honour ? and if I be a master, where is my fear ? saith the Lord of hosts
unto you, O priests, that despise my name : and ye say. Wherein have we
despised thy name ?' If I be a Father, where is my honour ? that is, if
you believed this heartily, as you profess you do, and as other children
believe these and these men to be their parents, you would demean your-
selves to me accordingly ; you would ask my blessing every day, and call
me Father morning and evening ; you would have recourse to me as to a
father, trust me in straits and difficulties as a father. So if you believe I am a
master, then where is my fear ? How dare you daily do contrary to what I

CUAP. IV.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 229

command, and that when conscience tells you that you do so ? If a master
says, Go, his servant goeth; if Come, he cometh ; but you leave undone what I
command, and slight me in all. Certainly you do not believe that I am your
master, for then obedience of consequence would follow ; for to other mas-
ters, whom you seriously make account to be so, service and observance doth
follow ; a servant doth fear his master, says God there. In a like manner God
speaks : Jer. v. 21-2-1, ' Hear now this, 0 foolish people, and without under-
standing, which have eyes and see not, which have ears and hear not ; fear
ye not me, saith the Lord ? Will ye not tremble at my presence, which have
placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree that it can-
not pass it ; and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not
prevail ; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it. But this people
liath a revolting and a rebellious heart : they are revolted and gone. Nei-
ther say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth
rain, both the former and the latter in his season : he reserveth unto us the
appointed weeks of the harvest.' Fear you not me ? Will you not tremble
every time you think of me ? who have placed the sand for the bound of the
sea, &c. ; you say you all believe this ; why, then, says God, will you not
fear me ? And so, says he, when you consider that I am he that feeds you,
and clothes you, and give you rain, and provide for you ; that could when I
would restrain the rain ; will you not love and serve me ? But, says God,
you have rebellious hearts ; neither say you. Let us fear the Lord who gives
us rain. To fear him is indeed a natural conseqaence upon it, and they
would do so if they believed it indeed, and in earnest, that they depended
on him for all ; for others, you see, who do so depend upon you, do fear and
regard you, and therefore if you apprehended it indeed, you would fear me.
But he tells them they were a people without the understanding and belief
of this, ver. 21 ; and that, seeing they did not see, that though they had
some light into these principles, yet indeed they did not believe them, and
see them by faith, as Moses saw God, and the saints see him, for therefore
they believe not, says Christ, because they see not with their eyes : John
xii. 39, 40, ' Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again.
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart ; that they should not
see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and
I should heal them.'

6. So also, that in times of distress, when the anchor should stay the ship
as in a storm, that then men's hearts fail them, though confident afore, this
is a demonstration of a natural unbelief in them. When troubles approach,
or great ones threaten, then men are afraid, and their hearts an-e moved as
the leaves of trees. Thus was it with the disciples : Mark iv. 40, ' And he
said unto them, Why are ye so fearful ? How is it that you have no faith ?'
It was want of faith. Why are you so fearful ? How is it you have no faith ?
Did not the Messiah go with you ? It was because they believed it not, that
they were so afraid, that their hearts fainted, as Jacob's did for the same
reason : Gen. xlv. 26, ' And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is
governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he be-
lieved them not.' Thus Mary, who could believe that Lazarus should rise
at the latter day, and all men else, yet that her brother should rise now pre-
sently, she knew not how to believe it ; he might not have died, indeed, she
thought ; but he was now four days dead, and stunk : John xi. 23, 24, 32,
39, ' Jesus saith unto her. Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto
him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Then
when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his
feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not

230

AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

died. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that
was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh ; for he hath been
dead four days.' Her faith now failed in this time of extremity ; so also
men can in their health believe the salvation of their souls, and can trust
God for salvation, it being a thing they are not presently to enjoy ; but let
them be in a small worldly strait, they distrust God in itj and let them come
to be sick, then when their trusting God for salvation comes to be present,
they are as doubtful of that as anything else.
Now the reasons of it are,

1. Man's nature will believe nothing but what if sees ; so Mark xv. 32 :
' Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and
believe. And they that were crucified with him, reviled him.' John vi. 30,
' They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may
see, and believe thee ? What dost thou work ?' Now the first principles
are not seen, as no principles of arts and sciences are to be proved, for then
reason would have no bottom to rest on. And so now these first practical
principles of piety not being apprehended by reason, nor sight, therefore
faith must be wrought, which is the evidence of things not seen. God is out
of our sight ; who hath seen him at any time ? his judgments are out of sight :
Ps. X. 5, ' His ways are always grievous ; thy judgments are far above out of
his sight : as for all his enemies, he pufleth at them.' Hell and heaven men
see not. But you will say, that the apostle expresseth that his Godhead is
clearly seen : Rom. i. 20, ' For the invisible things of him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead ; so that they are without excuse ;' and
wrath revealed from heaven : ver. 18, ' For the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold
the truth in unrighteousness.' I answer, that all those glimmerings are not
of force enough to overcome the contrary darkness ; no, nor can the word of
God itself do it, till faith comes with its optic glass, and makes them real,
and evident, and puts them out of question, so as if ever they become
active to guide our lives, they must be apprehended by a new principle.
Therefore it is written, Heb. xi'. 6, he that comes to God, must have faith
to believe even that God [isj, which yet is clearly seen so far, as to leave men
inexcusable.

2. These being such transcendent things above our thoughts, there is a
dulness in man to believe them, and we cannot raise our thoughts so high.
It is called a slowness of heart in us : Luke xxiv. 25, ' Then he said unto
them, 0 fools, and slow of heart to beheve all that the prophets have spoken !'
Insomuch as Christ says, John v. 43, ' I am come in my Father's name, and
ye receive me not : if another shall come in his own name, him ye will re-
ceive ;' if another come in his own name, him you will receive, any but me
you would accept. Wisdom is too high, too far above, so out of reason's
reach, to believe it as it is to be believed, so that though the folly that is in
us makes us believe every vain promise else of our hearts, every fable, —
Prov. xix. 15, ' The simple believeth every word, but the prudent man
looketh well to his going,' — we will not believe fiii-m and solid truths.
Wisdom is too high for a fool, and men are loath to extend their eyesight to
see so far off"; it wearies and dulls them, and therefore though we see, we
can scarce believe, though signs be wrought : John xii. 37, ' But though he
had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him.'

3. These spiritual truths are contrary to a man's heart, and ways, and
course. Now self-love being in the mind and understanding, it keeps it off
from assenting to what it apprehends evil to itself. Now to beheve there is

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 231

a God, and a bell, &c., are contrary to it. For he is a judge, and therefore
men like not to receive the knowledge of him, and believe him not : Rom.
i. 28, ' And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God
gave them over to a i*eprobate mind, to do those things which are not con-
venient.' So 2 Thes. ii. 12, this reason is given why they believed not,
because they had pleasure in unrighteousness ; 2 Thes. ii. 12, ' That they
all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in un-
righteousness.' As love makes us credulous, 1 Cor. xiii. 7, ' beareth all
things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things,' we
beheve good of those we love, so self-love renders us incredulous ; there-
fore Christ says. Though I tell you, you will not believe : Luke xxii. 67,
* Saying, Art thou Christ ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you,
you will not believe.'

4. Unbelief was the chief of man's first sin. Their first miscarrying was
not believing God's word, and therefore they especially wounded our nature
with unbelief ; and faith being extinguished, the contrary principles have
come to possess the mind : 2 Cor. iv. 4, ' In whom the god of this world
hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glori-
ous gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.'
Satan hath power to blind their minds with contrary principles.

CHAPTER V.
What are the principles of godliness which a wicked man believes not.

Now the main principles of a godly life which the heart of man believes
not, and the contrary principles to them, which do sway and prevail with
the heart, are sundry and diverse.

1. We naturally believe not that there is a God, but the contrary. For
this I produce not this place only, but the tenth psalm, where we have the
same truth laid down, yea, and that as the spring and source of all those
villanies and oppressions which there are reckoned up. He speaks in that
psalm of great and potent oppressors and politicians, who see none on
earth greater than themselves, none higher than they, and think therefore
they may impnne prey upon the smaller, as beasts use to do ; and in the
fourth verse this is made the root and ground of all, that God is not in all
his thoughts : Ps. x. 4, ' The wicked through the pride of his countenance
will not seek after God : God is not in all his thoughts ;' the words are
diversely read, and all make for this sense. Some read it, ' No God in all
his crafty presumptuous purposes;' others, 'AH his thoughts are, there is
no God.' The meaning whereof is not only that among the swarm and
crowd of thoughts that fill his mind, the thought of God is seldom to be
found, and comes not in among the rest, which yet is enough for the pur-
pose in hand ; but farther, that in all his projects and plots, and consulta-
tions of his heart (the first reading of the words intends), whereby he
contrives and lays the plot, form, and draught of all his actions, he never
takes God or his will into consideration or consultation, to square and frame
all accordingly, but proceeds and goes on in all, and carries on all, as if
there were no God to be consulted with. He takes not him along with
him, no more than if he were no God ; the thoughts ol him and his will
sways him not. As you use to say, when a combination of men leave out
some one they should advise with, tlaat such an one is not of their counsel,

232

AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

is not in the plot, so nor is God in their purposes and advisings, they do all
without him. But this is not all the meaning, bi;t farther, all their thought
is, that there is no God. This is there made the bottom, the foundation,
the groundwork and reason of all their wicked plots and injurious projects,
and deceitful carriages and proceedings, that seeing there is no God or
power above them to take notice of it, to regard or requite them, therefore
they may be bold to go on. That whereas Solomon says in tbat very case
there is a higher than the highest regardeth it : Eccles. v. 8, ' If thou seest
the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice
in a province, marvel not at the matter ; for he that is higher than the high-
est regardeth, and there be higher than they.' They think not so, ver. 11
of that 10th Psalm, ' He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten ; he
hideth his face, he will never see it.'

Enemies on earth he sees none can do him any hurt ; all his distressers
he puffs at them, and then vainly imagining that there is no God^ he thinks
that he may go on presumptuously, for, says he, I shall never be removed ;
and tell him of God's judgments, why, if there be no God, what need he fear
any ? he is far enough out of their gun-shot to reach him, they are far out
of his sight : ver. 5, ' His ways are always grievous ; thy judgments are far
above out of his sight : as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.' That is,
he sees them not, as we do not things that are high and far above us, and
he, wanting faith, which is the optic-glass of things not seen, he believes
them not ; and that he believes this great fundamental error that there is no
God, you may see by all his thoughts and ways, they declare that he thinks
there is no God ; that this is the sum verdict they give in, they speak and
declare so much. And if this principle be laid in men's hearts (as you see it
is), then no wonder that they are so wicked, for if there be no God, there is
not, nor can be, any sin, and then no judgment, and then men may do what
they will. Q^iod lihet, licet his. As when there was no king in Israel, every
man did what was good in his own eyes ; so when men think there is no
God, their own lusts are their laws, and riches and preferments their gods,
and gain in all these is all their godliness.

Or, 2, if men be sensible there is a God, and so come to have some re-
spect to him in their actions, yet all those glorious attributes wherein he
hath represented himself to us, as principles of our obedience to him, they
believe not, in deed and in truth ; and this is the ground also of all their
impiety.

(1.) They believe not really that he is a God omniscient, and sees and
regards us in all. Though men profess this, yet when they come to commit
secret sins their hearts think not so, for contrary thoughts are the ground of
their impiety. And this very thing God, who searcheth the hearts, hath
revealed to us ; the ancients of Israel, the rulers in Israel, — Ezek. viii.
9, 10, 12, ' And he said unto me. Go in, and behold the wicked abomina-
tions that they do here. So I went in, and saw : and, behold, every form of
creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of
Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. Then said he unto me, Son
of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the
dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery ? for they say. The Lord
seeth us not ; the Lord hath forsaken the earth,' — who know God and all his
attributes, they sacrificed in secret to idols, whilst they professed the true
God openly. And what is the cause of this ? God gives this as a reason,
* For they say. The Lord seeth us not.' That thou shouldst commit un-
cleanness in secret thou wouldst not do afore a child, or tell that He thon
wouldst not have discovered or known, is it not from this principle embolden-

Chap. V.j in respect of sin and punishment. 233

ing thee, God sees me not ? Would Gebazi have told that lie which he did,
if he had believed the spirit of his master went with him ? Would men in
secret lay plots to overturn churches, and states, and societies, to oppress
God's people, to advance themselves, if they believed God to be wiser than
themselves, or that he did see them, and delighted to shew his wit in con-
founding them ? Isa. xxix. 13-3 6, 'Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch
as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their hps do honour
me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is
taught by the precepts of men : therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a
marvellous work amongst this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder ;
for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of the
prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their
counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say. Who
seeth us ? and who knoweth us ? Surely your turning of things upside
down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay : for shall the work say of him
that made it. He made me not ? or shall the thing framed say of him that
framed it. He had no understanding ?' God speaks there of those that did
profess him and call upon him, ver. 13 ; wise men whom God would con-
found in their plots, ver. 14 ; the wisdom of the wise shall perish, for, ver.
15, they digged deep to hide counsel from the Lord ; their gunpowder
plots and underminings are in the dark, and they look round about them,
and they discern none that sees them, and therefore they say. Who sees us
and who knows us ? Ps. x. 11, ' He hath said in his heart, God hath for-
gotten : he hideth his face, he will never see it.' Ps. xciv. 7, ' Yet they say,
The Lord shall not see : neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.'

(2.) If men believed the greatness and sovereignty of God, and power of
his wrath, would they fear the fury of the oppressor daily, as God complains,
Isa. li. 12, 13, them that can kill but the body, yea, that cannot do that
neither long or often, for he is one that shall die, and then have no longer
powder to hurt, and he before may have his horns cut short, may be blasted
and wither as the grass, and his spirit cut short, so as where now is the fury
of the oppressors ? wilt thou fear him, says God there, and doest thou forget
the Lord thy Maker, who hath power to kill body and soul, who dies not ?
fearest thou not to fall into the hands of the Hving God ? Isa. li. 12, 13, ' I,
even I, am he that comforteth you : who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid
of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass ;
and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens,
and laid the foundations of the earth : and hast feared continually every day,
because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy ? and
where.is the fury of the oppressor ?' If thou didst believe his greatness, thou
wouldst fear him, for what dost Ihou fear the oppressor ? If thou hadst but
as strong and deep apprehensions of his power over thee, as thou hast of a
powerful enemy, thou wouldst not fear a poor weak man more than God.
But that thou forgettest thy Maker, thou wouldst not do it ; for if one greater
than thy oppressor comes, that is able to oppress both him and thee, thou
would slight even him, whom but now thou fearedst, and sUght him as much
as thou didst God before.

(3.) Men do not beHeve he is so great and terrible a God as they profess
him to be. For would they then come with loose, irreverent, scattered, and
careless thoughts into his presence, and offer the sacrifice of fools, if they
believed he were in heaven and they on earth? That is, that there were such
a distance and infinite disproportion between God and them, would they
offer the blind, the lame, such prayers as neither their understandings are
intent upon nor their affections ? If they believed he were so great a king.

234 AN UNKEGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

and his name so dreadful, they would not come into his presence so negli-
gently; you would not do thus to your governors, says God : Malachi i. 8,
* And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil ? and if ye offer the
lame and sick, is it not evil ? offer it now unto thy governor ; will he be
pleased with thee, or accept thy person ? saith the Lord of hosts.' That is,
if you believed my greatness, as you believe their power and sovereignty over
you, you would bring other hearts and sacrifices into my presence.

And in Ezek. v. 3, God puts them in mind of his greatness, to rectify this
their slighting of him, implying therefore necessarily thereby, that the want
of the belief of this was the cause of their careless and irreverent worship :
Ezek. V. 3, ' Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them
in thy skirts.'

So also in Isa. li, 13 (as I shewed under the last head), the reason why
men fear the fury of great men, when they oppress them, or command one
thing, and God another, is because they forget his greatness and believe it
not. ^ Who art thou, says God there, who fearest the fury of the oppressor,
who is yet but a man, who can therefore but kill the body ? and a mortal
man too, that must die as well as thou, and it may be before thee, or who
however hath no longer power after his death to hurt, and whose power may
be blasted ere he dies ; or if not, yet his fury may cease towards thee, and
his spirit be cut short ; for says God there, ' Where is the fury of the oppres-
sor ?' that is, thou seest it comes to nothing often, and that all their threats
vanish ; why is it then, says God, thou forgettest me thy Maker, who there-
fore am able to destroy all that is in thee, both body and soul, for I made
both, who am the great God who hath stretched forth the heavens, &c. '?
When I tell thee I am he that comforteth thee, and will back thee, and bid
thee not fear, ver. 12, how comes it thou fearest them more than me ?
Is it because thou forgettest me and my greatness ? for therefore he puts
them in mind of it ; and that it is so it is evident. For if one whom thou
apprehendest greater than thy oppressor, who is able to overrule and oppress
both him and thee, should but say as much as God doth, thou wouldst
dread thy former oppressor no longer ; and therefore this shews that thy fear-
ing him is because thou behevest not God's greatness.

(4.) If they beheve that God doth see and is able to punish, yet men
think him a God slack, and careless, and regardless of then- ways, and not
so certain, and sure, and just ^an avenger as they profess he is ; that is
another principle in their hearts, which is a ground of their impiety : 2 Peter
iii. 4, 9, ' And saying, Where is the promise of his coming ? for since the
fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of
the creation. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men
count slackness ; but is long-suflering to us-ward, not wiUing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance.' God deferring his coming
to punishment, Peter says that God herein is not slack, as men count slack-
ness, implying that men indeed think so, and they interpret his long-sufler-
ing slackness ; and they say in their heart, God will neither do good nor evil,
as if he regarded nothing : Zeph. i. 12, ' And it shall come to pass at that
time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that
are settled on their lees ; that say in their heart. The Lord will not do good,
neither will he do evil.' Hence they think that they may do what they will
for all him, for as they look for little good from him, but only in the
creatures, so they look for little hurt from him ; he will do neither, say they.
And hence now their hearts come to be set upon evil : Eccles. viii. 11,
' Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore
the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.' This principle

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 235

is not only the ground why they venture upon many evil acts again and
again, but of a bent and resolute and fixed purpose in mind still to go on in
evil courses, so in Ps. x., when the sinner had often sinned, and had heard
nothing of it, he thought God regardless ; He hath forgotten it, saith he,
Ps. X. 11, and as he hath done so he will do, and he will never requite it,
he minds not these things.

(5.) Men tbink in their hearts that God is like to them, that if he be such
a God of judgment as it is said he is, certainly it is to those that are difl'er-
ent from him ; but certainly he is a God of the same mind and judgment
with us ; and look what pitch of obedience and religion pleaseth us, pleaseth
him also. He is not so strict as men make him : so Malachi ii. 17, they
reasoned and put this dilemma on him, which strengthened them in their
courses : Mai. ii. 17, * Ye have wearied the Lord with your words : yet ye
say, Wherein have we wearied him ? When ye say, Every one that doeth
evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them ; or, Where is
the God of judgment ? ' They say, every one that doeth evil is good in the sight
of the Lord, that is, though a man doth evil, i.e. is given to some ill course,
be a worldling, or a drunkard, or a swearer now and then, yet God is not so
strict a God as you make him, he may be in his favour for his good meaning,
for God looks to the heart. Or if not so (for it is a dilemma), Where is the
God of judgment? that is, either he is a God thus favourable, or else not
such a God of judgment, so holy, and so severe as you prophets make him.
For we see not, nor find him to be so ; where is the God of judgment ?
The truth is, you have wearied him, says the prophet, that is, tired out his
long- sulfe ring which he hath been exercising all this while ; so inPs. 1. The
very ground and spring of that profaneness and lewdness in the hypocrite's
heart and life (who thought though he was an adulterer and a slanderer, yet
he pleased God by his sacrifices), was this thought (says God), that I was like
to thee : Ps. 1. 21, ' These things hast thou done, and I kept silence : thou
thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself : but I will reprove
thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.' That is, thou thoughtest
me a God, who, if he were to live and converse on earth, would suit himself
with thee, justify thy courses, and approve all well.

(6.) Men naturally believe not the word of God, neither the promises nor
threatenings of it. It was the ground of the first sin that ever was com-
mitted. Hath God said you shall die ? Gen. iii. 1, he made a question of it
to her, and she began to stagger, because [she sawj a creature subsist, and
yet call God's word into question, and therefore she thought she might eat
and live also. And as it was the ground of the first sin, so of all ever since ;
for if men believed the word, and writs we serve upon their consciences here
out of the word (when they know themselves), as they do the writs that come
out of courts, and attachments from the king or others, it would make them
fear, and tremble, and put a stop to their courses. Would the swearer be
so loud if in earnest he believed God will not hold him guiltless that takes
his name in vain ? Would men be covetous, be fornicators, drunkards, &c.,
if they believed that the wrath of God comes upon such ?

The rich man in hell, Luke xvi., whose brethren lived in the bosom of
the church, and heard Moses read and preached, and all the promises and
threatenings which in Deut. xxviii. and elsewhere are made, yet he feared
they would come to hell. Why, says Abraham, they have Moses and the
prophets to tell them, and testify to them aforehand, a cloud of witnesses
more likely to persuade than if one should come from the dead. But they
would not be persuaded, the rich man thought, by them, for he had woful
experience of it in himself; for when Abraham says, ' Let them hear them,'

236 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

nay, says he, ' but if one come from the dead they would repent.' Nay,
says Abraham again, * if they believe not Moses and the prophets, neither
will they be persuaded by one rising from the dead.' The reason men
repent not is because they are not persuaded. Luke xvi. 31, ' And he said
unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be
persuaded though one rose from the dead.' The word is 'KnodriGov-ai. That
same word is used to express the persuasion of faith whereby we believe
things are : Heb. xi. 13, ' These all died in faith, not having received the
promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and
embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the
earth.' Having seen the promises afar off, they were first persuaded, that
is, of the truth and reality of them, and then applied and embraced them.
Now, then, his brethren would not so much as be persuaded of the truth of
the threatenings, and Moses and the prophets would not sink into them.
Thus Christ also tells the Jews : John v. 40, 47, ' For had ye believed
Moses, ye would have believed me : for he wrote of me. But if ye believe
not his writings, how shall ye believe my words ?' Ye believe not Moses
his writings (says he), not in earnest, so as to be guided by them. The
cause of all the murmuring in the people of Israel so often, and that they
hearkened not to his voice, and despised the promised land, was, they
believed not God's word, nor the truth and faithfulness of it : Ps. cvi. 24, 25,
' Yea, they despised the pleasant land ; they believed not his word ; but
murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord,' and
they in Heb. iv. are made a type of all unregenerate men, who believe not
the promises of heaven, for still you shall find their unbelief there mentioned ;
and they failed not only in the application to themselves that they should
not enter, but of the truth itself, the seriousness of God's meaning in it, as
appeared by the story. You know who it was, even wicked Ahaz, who
refused a promise and a sign when it was offered him, Isa. vii. 10-13. The
reason was, he was loath to take that course of trusting and depending upon
a promise to go that way to work; he not only distrusted, but refused God's
bond, would not take it, though God offered a sign and seal to it. And as
for promises, so for threatenings, how do men slight them ? Jer. xvii. 15,
' Where is the word of the Lord? let it come now;' as also in Isa. v. 19,
' That say. Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it :
and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we
may know it.' A parallel place to it, let him make haste that we may see
it, they speak it in a daring, desperate, unbelieving manner; he hath threat-
ened long, let him come, we would fain see it once ! Thus that oppressor,
too, in Ps. X. 5, behaves himself; as for God's judgments, of all else, he
fears them least, they are far out of sight, so as he cannot see them ; and if
he doth, they seem small as stars do, he cannot believe they are so great.

(7.) Men believe not that there is a world to come, wherein evil men shall
be punished and godly men rewarded, nor a day of judgment, nor a resur-
rection. You think you believe all these things well enough, they are in
your creed. Martha, she professed she knew her brother should rise in the
resurrection of the last day : John xi. 24, ' Martha saith unto him, I know
that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day,' but yet Christ
saw her faith staggering in the truth of this in deed and in truth, else he
would never have after that profession posed her so in her creed, and cate-
chised her again in this general article. Whosoever liveth and believeth in
me shall never die ; believest thou this ? ver. 25, 26, * Jesus said unto her,
I am the resurrection, and the life : he that believeth on me, though he were
dead, yet shall he live : and whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall

Chap. V.j in respect of sin and punishment. 237

never die. Believest thou this ? ' She had said it even now, and yet Christ
asks her again if she believed it, though, had she believed it, she would not
have thought her brother could not be raised now, because he stank. Christ
tells her that she did not believe it, as he had said and intimated to her,
ver. 40; yet she had some faith. How much more is this true in wicked
men, whose not believing the world to come is the cause they take out
their fill here ! That speech of the Jews, Isa. xxii. 13, ' Let us eat and
drink, for to-morrow we shall die,' is interpreted and applied by the Holy
Ghost to the resurrection : 1 Cor. xv. 32, ' If after the manner of men i have
fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me if the dead rise not ?
let us eat and drink ; for to-morrow we die.' Because they denied that in
their hearts, and any life hereafter, therefore they thought it was best to take it
out here, and that it was folly to do otherwise. Thus also the rich man
did, who is put in mind of this his atheism in hell : Luke xvi. 25, 'But
Abraham said. Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good
things, and likewise Lazarus evil things : but now he is comforted, and thou
art tormented.' Remember thou receivedst thy good things in thy lifetime;
that is, all the good things thou didst look for or expect. And he acknow-
ledgeth as much, in that he would have Lazarus go, and testify to his brethren
that there was another world, and a place of torment. He knew the want
of belief of this brought him thither, and therefore prescribes it as a remedy
to prevent their coming ; and this in like manner in Mai. iii. 14 is made the
cause of their neglect of holy duties and seeking God : ' You say it is in vain
to serve God, and what profit is there in keeping his ordinance ? ' There is
no reward for the righteous, nothing to be got by it ; they could see none
here, and much less did they look for any hereafter, what good will it then
do us ? say they, and now therefore we call the proud happy, say they, and
the presumptuous they carry the world afore them, and for whom the world
was made, seeing happiness is only to be had here, and that wicked men
are advanced, ver. 15 ; and they seeing this, they said in their hearts there
is no reward, and thought there was none to come neither. And yet they
scarce discerned their unbelief of this future state (as many speeches are to
be interpreted), for they said, wherein had they spoke against God: ver. 13,
' Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord : yet ye say, What
have we spoken so much against thee ? '

And that this is a principle in men's hearts that guides them thus, and
that also upon the same ground, is evident by that of Solomon in Eccles. ix.
He had shewn in chap. viii. how that the wicked are rewarded with the work
of the righteous, that the righteous are unprosperous, and e contra, and in
ver. 2 of chap. ix. ; how here one event was to all: Eccles. ix. 2, 'AH things
come alike to all : there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to
the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean ; to him that sacrificeth, and
to him that sacrificeth not : as is the good, so is the sinner ; and he that
sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.' And he says there was no greater
evil than this, for the event and issue of this God's dealing was, that thereby
the hearts of the sons of men was full of evil and madness whilst they live,
and it is the occasion they go so many of them to hell when they die ; and
why ? Because God's dealing thus engenders such thoughts as these, that
whilst a man lives there is hope indeed of some good and happiness, but in
the world to come there is no recompence to godly courses^ which they ex-
press by this proverb, that a living dog is better than a dead lion: ver. 4,
' For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope : for a living dog is
better than a dead lion ; ' that is, the meanest condition of men here is better
than the best hereafter, so as they had rather be a rustic clown now than

238 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

a king in heaven ; they have no knowledge of hereafter, and knowing they
shall die, think it is best taking it out here. They believe there is no reward
hereafter, unless it may be to be spoken well of for a while ; they saw that, but
no other, and that is soon forgotten, and therefore they are set upon evil here,
and here they prepare only for this world, and this though they know they
shall die; not young men only, who may hope to live long, but old men also,
when they know they cannot live long, and have a foot in the grave, yet they
are most worldly. Whence is it ? Is it not from this principle, that they
think not of any reward beyond this world, which God's dealings confirm
them in ? I have known those persons who have had this distinct thought
in their minds, that let them but have their pleasure here, and let God keep
heaven to himself, so he would not damn them ! Thus that cardinal said thai
he would not lose his portion in Paris for that in paradise !

Did we believe but these first principles, as we do other things of like
nature in this world, we would be other men ; did we believe there were
another world after this, in which we must live for ever, as all profess they
do, men would not take up their rest here, they would not lay out all their
money, that is, their endeavours, time, and care, upon the settling and assur-
ing a happy condition here, and spend no thoughts or time to provide all
necessai'ies and friends in the world to come. We see that men who believe
they shall shortly go into another land, send their goods thither, and care
not how things go at home, as you do not when you know you are to remove
into another house, and your landlord hath given you warning. And yet
now God gives you warning by sickness to dislodge from this world, why do
you not then look out for another house and better habitation ; why are your
thoughts and care still employed to repair the decayed house which you are
leaving ? But the truth is, men believe it not ; so Solomon tells us, Eccles.
iii. 21, * Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit
of the beast that goeth downward to the earth ? ' which is not the speech of
an atheist, but of Solomon complaining that none believe it or know it, but
think all befalls a man and a beast alike. Men's works shew that they do
not heartily beheve death and judgment ; for if men did believe the short-
ness of their time to get grace in when they are old, as men believe the
shortness of the time when the sun grows low, they would not defer to make
their calling sure. Did men believe that all the seed they sow to the Spirit,
all the prayers they make, and good they do, will come up again in a full
crop of reward at the great harvest of the world, and that as they sow they
shall reap, as husbandmen do believe when they cast their corn into the
ground, thsy would sow fewer sins, and more good duties, and more good
speeches ; but men think all cast away because it comes not up presently :
Mai. iii. 14, ' Ye have said. It is vain to serve God ; and what profit is it
that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before
the Lord of hosts ? ' If men believed that in parting with credit, wealth,
&c., they should have an hundred-fold; as they believe if they put their
money out, and venture it with such a company, they shall gain half in half ;
if men believed this as the other, they would certainly venture all for heaven ;
if men believed evil times were coming, and that these times would cause
judgments (as you beUeve winter will come when summer is gone, and so
lay up provision, and provide winter suits)^ you would provide for such a
great and terrible day.

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 239

CHAPTER VI.

Some objections answered. — In ivhat sense it may he affirmed that all wicked
men are atheists. — That wicked men are wanting in giving a heart-assent to
the first principles and fundamental truths of religion, as well as they are
defective in the application of them to themselves.

There are some objections which may be urged against the truth of the
doctrine which I have deUvered, which I now come to answer.

Obj. If these sayings were in men's hearts, then all men should be heretics
and atheists ; and besides, do not all profess the contrary principles, yea,
and not only so, but assent to and contend for all those particular truths
which are deduced out of them, and zealously defend all those branches of
our religion which spring from them ?

To all which I briefly answer :

First, Whereas you say all should be heretics, I answer, that there is a
twofold atheism and heresy, one direct and professed, conceived and ex-
pressed in so many words contrary to these principles, and there are few
such : but then there is an atheism is indirect, and manifested but by way
of consequence, when that is yielded to by the heart, which overthrows what
a man hath owned and assented to in his mind ; and so many deny God in
their works : 2 Peter ii. 1, * But there were false prophets also among the
people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall
bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and
bi'ing upon themselves swift destruction.' So as what in words they yielded
unto, they in deed and in truth deny again. We may say in this case as
divines do of papists, who, though in words they do profess Christ and
assent to all the articles of the creed, yet withal they admit and hold such
opinions to uphold their cursed practices as do deny him to be come in the
flesh : 1 John iv. 3, ' And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is not of God : and this is that spirit of antichrist,
whereof you have heard that it should come ; and even now already is it in
the world.' And therefore their assenting to this truth, that Christ is come
in the flesh, doth not free them from being antichrists, and to be justly called
so, yea, and as justly as the Jews are, for they do strip him of all the ends
he came into the world for. Thus, though men assent to this truth in direct
terms propounded, that there is a God and a world to come, yet seeing they
yield to such courses as cannot stand with a true assent thereto, therefore
they may be termed atheists and heretics in that sense, as the papists are
called antichrist, who are they that in Rev. xi. 1 are to tread down the holy
city forty months, and possess the outward court of the people, that is, the
profession of the church. They are notwithstanding called Gentiles : Rev.
xi. 2, ' But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it
not ; for it is given unto the Gentiles : and the holy city shall they tread
under foot forty and two months.'

And whereas, second, it is said men profess these principles, I answer,
there is such an assent given to these truths as shall cause a man to profess
them ; for that you do, being carried away with the common cry of all those
you live amongst ; as they believed for the saying of the woman, John iv. 39,
so you take them for granted, and never question, being brought up in them,
and taught to say so, and because they are universally received ; just such
an assent it is as the Turks have to their Alcoran, and therefore as they, so
we profess these things as true. And look, as the stream riseth no higher

240 AN UNKEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

than the fountain, so doth this assent, as it is engendered by common
opinion in men's minds, so it ariseth to common confession. But now when
a man shall be put upon all those practices, which are the necessary conse-
quences of those principles, to alter all a man's course and life upon these
grounds'that there is a God, and that he is a rewarder of those that seek
him, herein men fall short, for these principles have not interest enough in
the heart to prevail so far.

And therefore, tJdrdhj, as from common opinion and general consent men
receive these principles, they do in like manner assent to all the branches of
religion which spring from them, to all the consequences of speculation and
doctrine which are thence deduced, and think them true for their concatena-
tion, and linking together, and harmony, and correspondency one with
another, and so out of those principles contend for them, and accord to them,
reason for them, and say if these be true, then are these likewise. As many
mathematicians do for Copernicus's demonstrations, which were framed and
reared upon this, that the earth moves and the heavens stand still, wherein
yet he makes all the phenomena of sun, moon, and stars good upon that
supposition, and yet the first principle itself, not being fully believed nor
proved and evidenced to a man's mind, but the contrary, a man would not
venture or hazard much upon the truth of them all ; no more will men for
the truth they profess they believe, because they stagger in their belief of the
principles themselves, which are to be apprehended by faith, and then all
that are built on them are so too. But otherwise men will not die for them,
and hold them fast as their lives, and part with all for them ; nor do they
frame their lives to them, so as though they yield to all the consequences of
them, of speculation and doctrine, yet not of practice, which those put them
upon.

Ohj. 2. But you will, in the second place, further object, that men will
say, they have laid their ears to their hearts, but yet they never heard them
say so, they never had such distinct contrary thoughts come into their minds.
Surely, if there were such principles and sayings, which do thus guide all
their lives, they should know them ; but, on the contrary, thoughts that there
is a God &c., do often fill their minds, and are frequent with them, and come
in when they are about to sin.

I answer, that men may verily think they believe these things, and per-
ceive no contrary thoughts, and yet indeed do not believe them ; nay, the
contrary sayings shall yet be the chief engines that do turn their hearts about,
and all the wheels of them.

For, first, there is a clear instance of it in John v. 45-47, ' Do not think
that I will accuse you to the Father : there is one that accuseth you, even
Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have be-
lieved me : for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall
ve believe my words ?' The Jews they thought they beUeved Moses well
enough, for Christ says they trusted in him, and thought his writings the
word of God, so as they put confidence in them ; yet, says Christ, it is evi-
dent you do not believe his writings, for you would then believe me also, but
because that cannot stand with your lusts and greatness you will not do it :
verse 44, ' How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and
seek not the honour that cometh from God only ?' The consequences, there-
fore, of believing Moses' writings they yield not unto, as indeed wanting true
belief of them and of their truth.

And, secondly, you must know that these principles of atheism discover
not themselves in direct opposite thoughts much, which you may take notice
of, for they say little to the contrary of the great truths of religion, but work

Chap. YL] in respect of sin and punishment. 241

underhand to the contrary. You hear them not disputing against the truth
in the schools of your speculative understandings ; no, there the word of
God is heard, and they arc silent there, but at the court of the heart thoro
they plot and act, and procure all acts that pass, all a man's deeds to be
clean contrary. These possess the ears of the will and afiections, and so slily
guide all and carry all afore them. And herein lies the very depth of the
heart's deceitfulness, which, Jer. xvii., the prophet says no man can know.
They say in their hearts there is no God, — it is added, in the heart, to note
out the secrecy of it. Why, but you will say, if they be so prevalent we
should know and discover them. I answer, the heart is deceitful, who can
know it ?

For, thirdly, yet further to clear this to you, you must know that the first
principles whereby our minds are guided in judging of things, are seldom or
never drawn out into actual thoughts by themselves, so as you may view
them alone. And if in anything the heart's deceitfulness is discovered it is
in this, that all things should be thus carried in the heart, and yet the chief
agents and principles never appear.

For, first, those first principles wherewith our minds being fully possessed
are guided by them, are seldom or never drawn forth, and formed into ex-
phcit, distinct, actual thoughts, so as to consider them apart by themselves ;
and yet implicitly they have a hand in all a man's actions, so as a man
hence comes seldom to take notice of them. For example now, this is a
common principle, even children are guided by it, that the whole is greater
than one part ; therefore, bring half an apple to a child and a whole one to
choose, and he takes the whole and refuseth the half, his mind being guided
by that principle ; and yet he hath not that thought drawn out by itself, that
the whole is bigger than the half, therefore I will choose it ; yet that is in
his mind that doth it. So now this is a principle that all the world in
sinning is guided by, that there is no God ; but the meaning is not that
when men sin, they have such an actual, explicit, distinct thought by itself;
no, and yet but for such an one in the heart men would never sin. Even,
also, as men that speak Latin, the rules they make it by they seldom think
of them, and yet one that heard them would say, surely their minds are guided
by such rules in all. So when men produce such deformed actions of sin
and wickedness, though they have not this thought still in their eye and
view, there is no God, &c., yet he that sees their actions would say that all
these actions argue such principles to be in their hearts; they are inbred
there, and by them men are guided in all, so as if you would resolve all your
actions into their first principles, you would say it were so. So when in
Ps. X. 4 it is said, as some read it, that ' all his thoughts are, there is no
God,' the meaning is not that he actually thinks explicitly of nothing else,
but virtually all his thoughts are so. So as these principles are as a spring
in a watch, which moves least itself, yet the force of it doth all. Movet,
quum ipsmn sit immobile.

And, secondly, as first principles move thus unseen, so the acts of unbelief
also ; for as the acts of faith are most secret, and yet most strong and power-
ful, so are the acts of unbelief. Faith being the bottom and foundation of
all graces, it lies like an anchor under water, or as a foundation under ground ;
as it is of things not seen, so also itself is a thing least seen and discerned,
and is mostly seen but in the effects, and so therefore it is distinguished and
discovered to us in the word. How many do believe, and yet we discern
no faith in them ? How do we walk by it, live by it, pray, preach, work in
our callings by it, so as all good works are the fruits of it, and yet we have
not distinct, immediate thoughts of justifying faith in all thest. Nothing so

VOL. X. Q

242 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTKs'ESS BEFORE GOD, lBoOK V.

secret as the acts of faith. What ado is there among godly men what should
be that act that justifies, and what should be the ground of it, &c., and yet
all have it, and yet it is not discerned. Now as it is in the bottom grace of
all the rest, so it is in the bottom corruption of all the rest, unbelief; it is
the root of all, and therefore it is under ground. It doth all, hath an influ-
ence into every action, hud yet we discern it not ; but we see such a thing
is in our hearts rather by the effe(;ts than otherwise, as we do faith also.
And the bottom of corruption is much less discernible than the foundation
of gi-ace, for grace is light and discovers itself, but corruption is darkness ;
and if the heart be deceitful, who can know it ? Then, certainly, what lies
at the bottom of all is least discernible, and so unbelief doth.

Why, but you will say, We have many distinct thoughts to the contrary,
viz., that there is a God; many considerations which aim to curb us, be-
cause there is a God and a hell.

I answer, 1. That, as in a believer, there often come in a thousand ob-
jections against his faith, and his heart is filled with doubting thoughts, and
to his thinking with nothing else, when yet secretly faith works in all its
actions against them, and the acts thereof, which are not discerned, do pre-
vail with his heart still to go on to obey God, and cleave to him, and to fear
him, more than all those doubts that keep a noise can prevail to the contrary.

I have told you of an estate of men, who walk in darkness and have no
light, yea, souls that will complain that they call all into question, whether
there be a God, or the Scriptures be true, or themselves in God's favour ;
and they have no thought in view but such as causes them to doubt of all
these, and yet even they walk more closely with God in such an hour than
when they are freed from all these, and thereby they shew that they believe
these truths, even when they seem to deny them, which they could not do,
but that faith and the principles of it work the most strongly in them. When
faith says least it often doth most.

So, on the contrary, in men whose hearts are filled with many convictions
from the light of nature and the world that there is a God, and a hell, and
such thoughts glare in their eyes, yet secretly the unbelief of all these pre-
vail, and have a greater hand in their hearts, and they by reason of the other
more glaring light discern it not.

But you will say. How can these two stand together in the heart ? I
answer 3'ou out of this psalm : this you may see in this very psalm, the
psalmist confidently afiirms, that wicked men say there is no God, you see
in the first verse. Now, because men would object and say. How can that
be ? Have not men knowledge that there is a God, and many serious thoughts
about him ? Yes, says he, ver. 4, 5. He makes there the objection him-
self, and says they have, and that such knowledge as awes them and terrifies
them often ; there is their fear, for God was in the generation of the just.
So even the Gentiles knew God, when yet they glorified him not as God,
and therefore the apostle adds, that the fruit of all this was only to leave
them without excuse. So that though there be such light and sparkling
thoughts in the mind, yet it is not so powerful as the contrary darkness and
unbelief, which doth not onh' stand together with it in the same heart, but
prevails more than it; and still they are corrupt for all that, the one, viz.
the knowledge of the principles of the truth, only so prevails, and wins but
so much ground as to give warning of the contrary detestable falsehood, so
as they shall be without excuse, and therefore it speaks loudest, for it can
do nothing else but speak, but the other doth all, and gives laws to the man.

But you will ask, May two such contradistinct principles be in the mind
at once ?

Chap. YI.j in kespect of sin and punishmknt. 243

I answer, yc3 ; j'ca, and the psalmist himself affirms so much in this four-
teenth Psalm ; for whcnas ho had said in the first verse, that the fool says
in his heart there is no God, ho notwithstanding, by way of prevention of
this \QYy objection, grants that they have knowledge, and many sad and
serious thoughts and apprehensions of God and his wrath; so verses 4, 5,
' Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge ? who eat up my people as
they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord. There were they in great fear:
for God is in the generation of the righteous.' Have they no knowledge ?
There is the objection. Yes, says he, there is their fear, for God is in the
generation of the just ; that is, God discovei's himself to their consciences,
not in his works only, but in his people, whom they oppress, and in his
ordinances, which in their congregations they are conversant about, and that
fears and awes their consciences often ; yet so as still this knowledge doth
not exclude, but that in their hearts the contrary principles remain still, and
sway them, whence all their corrupt actions spring. For according as these
two contrary principles have place in their hearts, accordingly have they con-
trary effects in their hearts also ; for these principles of atheism, having the
chiefest interest, and being deeplier rooted, do still guide and sway all in
the heart ; but the other have not that firm rooting in the heart, so as to
sway all in it, yet prevail so far as to make them without excuse, Rom. i. 20,
and to awe them in their evil courses, to which end they are placed there.
And because these contrary serious apprehensions of the Godhead cannot
prevail, therefore they are more clamorous than the other, and seem to be
more busy, and make most noise, being opposers of the other, and con-
testing against them, and yet are oppressed by the darkness in the heart,
and therefore do seem to cry loudest.

If, then, there be in the heart such unbelief of these first principles, then
when any man is converted to God, a man must have a new work of faith
wrought in him, a new peculiar light from God whereby to apprehend and
to assent to these first principles anew, as if he had never yet believed them.
You that live in the bosom of the church, you take all these things for
granted, and think you need learn them no more, you having learned them
at first ; but I tell you, when faith once comes into your hearts, these
ordinary common things you knew before are all new to you, and you give
a new assent to them. So says the apostle : Heb. xi. 6, ' He that cometh
to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those that
seek him.' And what kind of faith doth he speak of there, wherewith he
that Cometh to God must believe those generals ? He speaks of that faith
which is peculiar to God's elect, whereby the just do live, to work which is
a work of power as great as to create the world. This I prove to you by
the coherence and scope of the apostle. In the 10th chapter he had said,
at the 38^h and 39th verses, that the just do live by faith, and that they
that want it do draw back. But we are not such ; for, says he, we are of
them that believe to the saving of the soul ; and then after a general de-
finition of it, he shews what acts this faith puts forth, he tells you that by
this saving faith we do not only believe in Christ for salvation, but by it we
also believe the world was made, ver. 3 ; by it we believe that God is too,
ver. 6.

But you will further object, that it is not unbelief of the generals and first
principles that wicked men fail in or want, which is the cause of the corrup-
tion in their lives ; for James says of him that hath no works, that he believes
there is a God, and so do the devils : James ii. 17-19, ' Even so faith, if it
hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say. Thou hast faith,
and I have works : shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew

214 AX UNREGEXERATE MAN's GUILTIXESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God ; thou
doest -well : the devils also believe, and tremble.' But they fail in not ap-
plying by faith these generals, to believe and rest on God as their God.
They uelieve there is a hell, but they fail in not believing and applying the
threatenings to themselves that they shall go thither ; as in Kom. i. 32,
' Who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things
are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that
do them ;' Piom ii. 1, * Therefore thou art inexcusable, 0 man, whosoever
thou art that judgest : for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest
thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.' He knew in general
the judgment of God, but thought he should escape it.

For answer, many things are to be considered and laid together.

1. That indeed it is most true, that besides a bare, naked belief of the
generals, special faith and application is to be made, and therein lies the very
life of faith, whereby I believe not only that there is a God, but I believe in
God. It is the papists' error to think otherwise, and therefore there are
three things required to faith : (1.) to understand the promise ; but that is
not enough, that they know them; but (2.) it is necessary to assent to the
truth and goodness of them ; and (3.) then to embrace them or apply them
to themselves : Heb. xi. 13, ' These all died in faith, not having received
the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them,
and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on
the earth.' For as ere any conclusion can be drawn in reasoning, there
must be a major and a minor proposition, so to make up the act of faith, and
to bring forth those holy fruits which are the consequences and conclusions
of it in men's lives, that faith may be a working faith, it is necessary there
be an application of generals to themselves.

2. It is also true that wicked men do more commonly and more easily give
some kind of assent to the generals, as that all such and such threatenings
are true, when they cannot endure application, no, not the thoughts of it,
but self-love comes between, and shelters the blow with self- flattery, and
some forced shift or other, to exclude itself out of the general ; and therefore
James expresseth their faith rather by the general than otherwise, to believe
there is a God, &c. ; for without application such generals work not, yet
wicked men do fail in the belief of the general. For,

8. Though that applying act of faith is necessarily required, and is a far-
ther thing, yet it is the truth and strength of our assent to the general that
hath the great influence into our lives, to draw forth such conclusions of
practice. My meaning is, it is the belief of the general which hath the chief
stroke in setting men a- work. For as in reasoning the chief weight of the
conclusion depends on the major, and the truth of it, though a minor is re-
quired, so also here in the working of faith, though application of generals
is necessary, yet the main thing that stirs the heart is the particular appli-
cation. But yet though that applying special act of faith is required neces-
sarily, and is to be added to the general, yet still it is the strength and truth
of my belief of the general, that hath the main and great influence and stroke
in the heart to set it on work, and which draws out the application ; even as
the conclusion, though it depends upon the minor proposition, yet especially
on the major as the foundation of it. Yea, and the strength of my appre-
hension of the truth and goodness of God, and his promises in the general,
is partly, nay, mainly, the cause of the particular act of application, and
much helps to draw the heart to seek God, and to trust him ; yea, and the
cause why men come not truly in to seek and serve God, is because they
fall short in believing his goodness, mercv, and wrath, such as indeed they

Chap. VII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 245

are in the general notion of them, Hob. xi. 6. Therefore what says the
psalmist ? Ps. ix. 10, ' And they that know thy name will put their trust
in thee : for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.' Those
that know thy name — that is, truly apprehend and believe what a gracious,
just, merciful, powerful, all-sufficient God thou art, and able to make them
happy — they will trust in thee. And the reason men do not is, the}' fail in
the general knowledge and faith of this ; therefore the name of God, /. e.
the mercy that is in him, is the main ground of faith, because mercy and
redemption is with him : Ps. cxxx. -1,7,* But there is forgiveness with thee,
that thou mayest be feared. Let Israel hope in the Lord : for with the
liOrd there is mercy, aad with him is plenteous redemption.' Did men
believe it strongly enough, as they did who said, ' We have heard that the
kings of Israel are merciful kings,' they would put ropes about their necks,
and submit themselves.

CHAPTER VIL

That the truth of faith assentiiiff unto the first fjeneral principles of reHgion,
ivhich wicked men irant, hath a great infiicence on practical godliness, where
theg are sincerely and heartily believed.

That the truth of faith believing things in the' general hath the main
influence, may many ways be evidenced.

1. There is something in that which the papists urge, namely, that the
Scriptures usually express saving faith by that act of it whereby we believe
but the generals ; though they make use of it to a wrong end, namely, to shew
that to believe things in the general, without application, is enough to salva-
tion, which is most false. But yet thus much may be thence gathered, that
general faith hath a great influence in believing, and the workings of the
heart ; so Peter's faith is expressed by a belief in the general that Jesus was
the Son of God, and Christ tells him that was the rock he would build his
church upon: Mat. xvi. 16, 17, ' And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou
art Christ the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto
him. Blessed art thou, Simon Barjonas : for flesh and blood hath not revealed
it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.' So in Acts viii. 37, ' And
Philip said. If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he
answered and said, I beheve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' So
Christ catechiseth Mary in the belief of the generals : John xi. 26, ' And
whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die. Believest thou
this ? ' and she expresseth her faith again in this : ver. 27, ' She saith unto
him, Yea, Lord : I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which
should come into the world.' For their firm, and strong, and full assent to
these generals was a great cause of coming and cleaving to him, and follow-
ing of him ; as our best divines interpret these speeches.

2. We find by experience that when men come to make use of their faith
in any particular business, weakness of assent to the general, and doubting
of the greatness of God's power and mercy in the general, is secretly the
thing as much stuck at as anything else. So David called the promise itself
into "question, 'AH men are liars,' Samuel and all. Thus when they were
put to it for victuals, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness ? say they,
Ps. Ixxviii. 19, * Yea, they spake against God : they said. Can God furnish
a table in-the wilderness ?' So also when that man did not believe that there
should be such plenty of corn, why, says he, if God should make windows

2i6 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS liKFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

in heaven it could not be : 2 Kings vii, 2, ' Then a lord, on whose hand the
king leaned, answered the man of God, and said. Behold, if the Lord would
make windows in heaven, might this thing be ? And he said, Behold, thou
shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.'

And, on the contrary, we find that in difficulties, that which chiefly bore
the stress, hath been belief in general, though not excluding the other. So
in Abraham's faith, after he beheved God's willingness to make good the
promise of Isaac and of Christ in him, he considered God able to do it :
Rom. iv. 17-21, ' As it^is written, I have made thee a father of many nations ;
before him whom he believed, even God who quickeneth the dead, and calleth
those things which be not, as though they were : who against hope believed
in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that
which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he
considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years
old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb : he staggered not at the
promise of God through unbelief, but wa=; strong in faith, giving glory to
God ; and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able to
perform.' A God that quickeneth the dead, that is especially noted. There-
fore Christ also asketh the blind men, whether they believed his ability to
heal them : Mat. ix. 28, ' And when he was come into the house, the bhnd
men came to him : and Jesus saith unto them. Believe ye that I am able to
do this ? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.' He put that question, because
he knew it stuck most there, yea, and when men are afflicted with the greatness
of their sins, that mercy which whilst they saw not the heinousness of sin
they presumed so much on, now they stick at, as thinking their sins greater.
So Cain did : Gen. iv. 13, 11, IG, ' And Cain said unto the Lord, My
punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out
this day from the face of the earth ; and from thy face shall I be hid ; and
I shall be a fugitive and vagabond in the earth : and it shall come to pass,
that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And Cain went out from the
presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.'
We find that still as new convictions of things in the general come in, that
still as they are enlarged, and a man hath farther insight into them, accord-
ingly a man's heart is affected and set on work. When a man comes to have
large apprehensions of the greatness of God (as Job had when God revealed
himself), of the day of judgment, of eternity, these mightily carry on the
heart, thou^'h I confess never without ap]Dlication, for I do not exclude it.
When Moses saw God, and when Job saw him, and when Isaiah saw his
glory, this sight made great impressions, and as those apprehensions were
enlarged, so were their hearts also. Thus also the more convictions of
God's mercy in pardoning a man hath, the more is special faith strengthened.
So as I say belief in the general hath that great and strong influence upon
our hearts and actions.

4. Hence it is certain that unregenerate men fail in their assent to the
general, whereby they believe the greatness of God's mercy and all-suffi-
ciency, and of his wrath, and not only in applying these things to them-
selves. Though therein I confess they mainly fail also, for self-love steps
in and flatters them they shall escape, and with shifts of distinctions wards the
blow.

For, 1, if they believed there were a hell and another world, and the vast-
ness of eternity, and greatness of God's wrath, and of God himself, as they
seem to do at least, they would not trust to such slender grounds why they
think they shall escape ; it would make them willing to have their estates
searched to the bottom, it would make them wary, and fearful upon what

Chap. VII. ] in respect of sin and punishment. 247

bridge they ventured to pass over that dreadful lake, whereinto if they fall,
they are plunged all over for eternity, and they would not venture on the
rotten grounds of civility and formal performances, which breaks and cracks
in the midst in the end under those that trust to them.

If they believed a world to come, which within few years they must enter
into, as Noah believed that within an hundred and twenty years the flood
should come, it would make them fearful, as it did him, and move them to
prepare an ark, as he did, though so long before : Heb. xi. 7, ' By faith
Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, pre-
pared an ark to the saving of his house ; by the which he condemned the
world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.' But as they
believed not the flood, so nor do men now another world ; or if they believed
there was a heaven (which if they so seriously thought they were not
ordained for hell, they do withal believe was prepared for them), if, I say,
they did know and believe in the general but the least part of what they
profess they know of it, what manner of men would they be in all holiness ?
Which argues their belief fails in the general ; yet had they but the devil's faith,
they would behave themselves otherwise, for they tremble when they think
of God, but these do not.

The second demonstration that they fail not in the application only, but the
general, is, that when the application is made as clear to them as the general,
yea and more, yet they are not moved, but deny the conclusion. Come to
drunkards or adulterers that live in their sins, ask them if they believe,
that no such shall inherit the kingdom of God till they be washed and
sanctified, — 1 Cor. vi. 9-11, ' Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not
inherit the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived : neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor efieminate, nor abusers of themselves with
mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extor-
tioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you :
but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God,' — and ask them if such be
not some of them, and you are not yet washed, but wallow in these sins as
the sow in the mire, and this application is so evident as it cannot be
denied. Now the conclusion must necessarily follow, unless there be a
failing in the assent of the mind to one of those propositions. Now, the
application that they are so is undeniable, therefore the most fault and fail-
ing is in not believing the general, viz. that all such shall go to hell, till
they be washed ; neither do they assent to the greatness of the misery of
men there in hell.

But you will object, that James, describing the faith of the unregenerate,
says they believe in the general. Thou believest that God is ; so do the
devils, and tremble : James ii. 19, ' Thou believest there is one God ; thou
doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.' I answer, (1.) It is true
that men do ordinarily more easily give some kind of assent to the generals,
than make application to them, for that is a further and a harder work to flesh
and blood, as appears in all the threatenings, to which till they be applied
they seem to assent, and therefore James chooseth to express to us the
common faith of men, by general belief without application. Yet, (2.) That
general faith is not true, and such as it ought, for he tells them, it is a dead
faith when it works not. Were it a living, true, assent to the general, it
would not lie in the brain, and not stir at all, but it would work some way.
For even the faith of devils works trembUng, which thine doth not : so ver.
20, know, says he, thy faith is a dead faith, it works not : ver. 20, ' But wilt
thou know, 0 vain man, that faith without works is dead ? ' The fault is

248 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

not only that it is a general faith, but that it is but a dead faith. And
therefore, (3.) You must know, that those acts of belief in a regenerate man,
whereby he believes there is a God, that the promises and threatenings are
true, though but in the general do spring from a new work of faith, from the
same work and habit that justifying faith doth spring from, because that root
that the other belief springs from is dead, therefore it brings forth no fruits,
no works ; but in a godly man there is a living root and faith, therefore in the
Heb, xi. 6, when he says, he that comes to God must believe that he is, what
faith speaks he of but that faith which is peculiar to God's elect, whereby the
just do live ? Which I prove by the coherence and scope of the apostle, from
the 38th, 39th verses of the 10th chapter, where he had said the just do live
by faith, which faith those that draw back have not, and wanting do draw back,
but we are of those that believe to the saving of the soul. He speaks then
of living, saving faith, and then, after a general definition, wherein he shews
you that all things to be believed are the object of it, he instances : (1.) Iii
believing that the world was made, ver. 3 ; (2.) that God is, ver. 6. So
that the eye of faith stands us not in stead only to see Jesus Christ, and to
apply him and the promises of salvation, but even also to help us to believe
as we ought the very general principles laid down in the word, to believe that
there is a Jesus Christ, and a God, and such promises, for it is faith where-
by we live, and so whereby we perform all the acts of spiritual Hfe.

And as it is an act of life to see and discern our meat, and to discern the
goodness of it as well as to eat and digest it, so it is an act of spiritual life
to beheve in general that God is, and that his promises are true, as well as
to apply them : Heb. xi. 13, ' These all died in faith, not having received the
promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and
embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the
earth.' By faith they are said (1.) to have seen the promises ; and that is an
act of faith ; (2.) to have been persuaded of the truth of them, and both
these are but general acts, whereby they believed that there were such pro-
mises, and that they were true ; and then, (3.) they embraced them, that
is, laid hold of them for themselves, joined their souls to them, which is
that special act of faith, yet so as the other two were branches of the same
root, acts of the same faith, and where 'the first two are in truth, they are
also.

But you may object against this truth, that there are common notions in
the hearts of all men, apprehensions enough that there is a God, so as to
assent to it, as by the hearing of the word, so by seeing his works, wherein
the characters of his eternal godhead are clearly seen and evidently appear :
Kom. i. 20, ' For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even bis
eternal power and Godhead ; so that they are without excuse.' What need
is there then of a new work of faith to convince men of it ? or how can it be
the object of faith, seeing faith is of things not seen ?

For answer. Even the schoolmen* themselves do acknowledge, that though
it may by reason be proved there is a God, and though it is clearly seen,
yet that these must be apprehended by faith also.

1. Because those common notions implanted in man's minds, though these
sparks be much increased by addition of many reasons and arguments out of
God's works and word, and made a great blaze, yet they are not of force to
expel the contrary darkness that is in the heart, and atheistical principles of
unbelief, which are engendered there. Now that they cannot expel it, is
evident, for unbelief is a corruption in nature, and therefore is rooted out by
* Aquinas seciuida secundre. — Qii. ii., Art. 4.

Chap. VII. J in respect of sin and punishment. 249

nothing but by its contrary faith ; till therefore that peculiar work and light
of faith comes, the other prevails not. The other is but of force to make
men inexcusable, as it did the Romans, Rom. i. 20, but to take away the
evil heart of unbelief, which causeth us to depart from God, this light of
nature, though never so advanced, cannot. But he that comes to God, and
is drawn to him, must believe that he is, by a new act of Aiith.

2. Though Adam saw God in his works and extraordinary revelations
more fully than all mankind, by those common notions and all the helps
added to it, can do, yet for all that he principally saw God by a spiritual light,
if not of faith, yet such as was over and besides the other. So as suppose
there had been no creature made but himself, no vestigium or footstep of
God to be seen in anything, yet by faith immediately he would have known
and apprehended him, so as though Adam could have proved by reason
that the world was made by God, j'et he first believed it above and beyond
reason. For God intended faith to be, though not the sole, yet the great
and principal hght and means to apprehend these things by, and only added
the other as helps, to add some more weight to the balance, when faith
had first cast it ; that faith might give a reason of things, he appointed the
other as starlight, to accompany the greater light of faith. Now then, though
there be in the heart common notions put in by God, whereby to see and
argue out of his work and words that there is a God, yet the main light is
wanting; and till that light Adam lost arise in the heart again (as it doth, we
being no less complete, in the second, as in the first Adam), the natural
dai-kness of the heart is not expelled, but men stray and depart from God,
an d know not whither they go ; and all the light that is or can be added to
the common notions in a man's natural estate, all the arguments that are
brought into the mind out of God's word and works, are but as so many
stars in a dark night. Though there be many of them, yet they dispel not
the darkness till the light of faith come.

An evident instance of this we have in ecclesiastical story, where a whole
council of bishops laboured with a philosopher to convince him of the first
principles of religion, and they could not by arguing convince him of them ;
but a poor man standing by, after all rehearsing them in a bare narration,
God giving him a new principle of faith, he assented immediately.

And whereas it was in the second place objected, that faith is the evidence
of things not seen ; and therefore if the Godhead be clearly seen by the light
of nature in his works, it is not the object of faith : I answer, 1, that God
is of himself invisible, and what the world was made of, the apostle tells
you, is not seen: Heb. xi. 3, * Through faith we understand that the worlds
were framed by the word of God, so that ^things which are seen were not
made of things which do appear,' only God hath made himself visible two
ways.

1. The one more mediately in his works, and to the light of nature,
which is more dim, and weak, and brokenly, and but by way of arguing by
consequence. So as there is yet a necessity of seeing him farther and more
clearly by faith, and immediately, as revealed in his word, whereby we see-
ing him who is invisible (as it is said of Moses : Heb. xi. 27, ' By faith he
forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king : for he endured, as seeing
him who is invisible '), we see by a farther light that there is a God, and
how great and glorious, and thereby have that insight into him which
the light of nature, coming both to his word and works, could never have
attained.

2. I answer, that though the same God is evidenced by these common
principles, and further the word to them, yet the ratio form alis credcndi, which

250 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

is the form and essence of faith, is not the same, i. e. the ground of believ-
ing it and manner of representing it is not the same in the one and other.
As those that never saw the king, but have read his proclamations and seen
his palace and attendants, believe there is a king, but yet not after that
manner that courtiers do who stand before him, and see his face every day,
such diflference is there between the assent of the natural man out of the
word and works, and of a believer, that there is a God. Believing Moses by
faith saw God who is invisible.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Uses. — We should employ nil our wit and reason for God. — What need
we have that Christ should he made wisdom to iis. — How useful rational
gifts are in the church. — We should not wonder at the springing up of here-
sies.— We shoidd not harbour nor give them entertainment.

Use 1. If carnal reason in us is thus gained to take sin's part, to be for
it, and helpful to it, let us consider, then, what a great engagement it is on
any of us who have wit and parts, and abilities of mind, to turn to God,
that they may not be used against him. If men of wit and learning are not
good, they will have more sinful inventions than other men. Thus a traitor,
if he be witty and politic, proves the most dangerous. Reason, as it makes
you capable of sinning (for beasts, by the want of it, are limited to a few
objects), so it enlargeth affections to sin, and assists to find out means for
the accomplishment. Thou who art a cunning, witty sinner, wilt in hell
curse thy brain, as well as thy heart, for ruining thee. It was Solomon's
wit which undid him ; and knowledge perverteth many men : Isa. xlvii. 10,
' For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness : thou hast said. None seeth me.
Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee : and thou hast said
in thine heart, I am, and none else besides me.'

Use 2. By this corruption of reason thus perverting men's minds, and
turning their best wisdom into folly, we see how much need we have that
Christ should be made wisdom to us, that we may be truly wise to purpose,
to all the ends of our salvation. We are naturally fools ; and it is that rea-
son to which we trust, of which we so much boast, and in which we pride
ourselves, which befools us. Would we be cured of this our folly, we
must go 'to Christ for instruction, for his being wisdom to us is the only
remedy which can help us against the] vain and foolish reasonings of our
own hearts.

Use 3. Is reason in men so much depraved, and all its acts turned to a
wrong way and use ? We see, then, how useful in the church of Christ such
gifts are that are rational, and which may encounter with the carnal reason-
ings of wicked men ; which reasonings, because they are the strongholds
wherein they fortify themselves, there are but two ways of opening the gates
upon them, either to break them open, or to pick the locks, and make a new
key to the wards. Now answerably there are two gifts in the church.
There are some sons of thunder, who come with a mighty wind, and carry
all before them, and break open the doors of men's hearts ; others they go
about to pick the wards, by convincing them, and beating them from their
strongholds. If you would catch rabbits, you find it necessary not only to
• lay nets, but to get them out of their holes ; if you would catch fish, you
do not only lay nets, but beat with poles, to drive them out of their lurking
places in the banks. Thus to catch men's souls also (aa Christ says he

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 251

would make his disciples fishers of men), it -s needful not only to use mo-
tives and exhortations, but by strength of arguments to drive them out of
those carnal reasonings wherein they conceal and strengthen themselves.

Use 4. We see what need ministers have of the almighty assistance of
God in their preaching ; considering that they are to encounter with, and
overthrow, so mighty and potent an enemy as carnal reason is. Christ
told his disciples that thoy were to bear witness of him when he was absent :
John XV. 27, * And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with
me from the beginning.' They upon it began to be full of sorrow : John
xvi. G, 7, ' But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled
your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth ; it is expedient for you that I go
away : for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you ; but if I de-
part, I will send him unto you.' For they thought it an impossible task for
them, poor, ignorant, fishermen, to overturn the world, and to persuade men
that their estates were naught, and to believe in a crucified man absent whom
they saw not. This v/as a story which the Athenians hooted at as ridiculous ;
but for their comfort he tells them that his Spirit should accompany them,
to convince the world of sin, &c. ; to convince, that is, to overcome their car-
nal reason, and gainsaying, for so the word signifies ; and this as he brought
it in for the comfort of the apostles, so of all ministers to the end of the
world. It had been folly and madness else for any man to have attempted
to be a minister. But such extraordinary help had the apostles from Christ,
that it is said men could not resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he
spake : Acts vi. 10, ' And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the
Spirit by which he spake.' As he had wisdom to convince them, so if he
had not had the Spirit to have gone with it, they had resisted ; for while we
bring reason only Reason can oppose it. Let us weave our nets never so
close, a cunning iJifeked man will find holes to get out at ; except the Holy
Ghost comes down and stops all. We have need of much wisdom to know
men's starting holes, as Saul said concerning David : 1 Sam. xxiii. 22, 23,
' Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt
is, and who "hath seen him there : for it is told me that he dealeth very
subtilely. See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where
he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will
go with you : and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will
search him throughout all the thousands of Judah.' Thus, too, the hearts
of men are very deceitful and cunning, and ministers have need of a great
deal of wisdom to search out all their windings and turnings ; and this they
can never do, unless the wisdom of the Spirit of God assists them.

Use 5. We may hence derive a demonstration for the truth of our reli-
gion and profession thereof. There is no truth of the gospel, but all the
reason in a man is against it ; and yet we see carnal men are forced to stoop
to it. It is contrary to their wills, and contrary to their reasons; and it is
a question which is strongest in them, and yet they yield. Jt is. an argu-
ment whereby Paul proves his apostleship, that the weapons of our warfare,
says he, are not carnal, but mighty through God : 2 Cor. x. 4, 5, * For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pull-
ing doMTi of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing
that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing .into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ.' We do not war after the flesh,
that is, we do not take in the help of carnal reason, and what may please the
flesh, and draw it in as a party to join with us, as all other false religions do,
as Mahometism, which accommodates itself to the dispositions of all sorts,
and so allures them ; and as popery also doth, which strokes and pleaseth

2'j2 an unregenerate man's guiltiness before god, [Book V.

corrupt nature ; but the gospel goes clean contrary, and crosseth it, and yet
prevails and conquers where it comes, which is a sign God is with it. There-
fore, says Paul, our weapons are mighty through God, which appears in this,
that they cast down strongholds ; and so when you shall see a man that is
wise, strong, and hath much to plead and say for his carnal natural estate,
that could vie learning and civil righteousness and outward privileges with
the proudest ; when you shall see such an one come and have all his books
(that I may so allude) in the market-place, and make open profession that
he was deceived and misled, and that he yields to the power of religion,
which the wise of the world account foolishness, it is a mighty demonstra-
tion of the truth of the gospel. When a man who had wit and parts, and an
opportunity of rising by them, renounceth them all for Christ, it is a great
evidence of the truth and power of religion ; why else doth Paul so often tell
the story of his conversion, how strong he was in the other way, and could
have said as much for pharisaism and the Jews' religion as the best of them ?
He was not a fool in that sect, for be profited in it more than any, and he
was strong in his way, for he thought verily he ought to persecute the gos-
pel of Christ, and yet God turned him. And this amazed them all ; they
knew not what to say to it, that so strong a town as this should yield, and
be forced to do so. It half persuaded Agrippa to come in and yield up his
keys also, and Festus had no put-off but this, ' Too much learning hath made
thee mad,' says he to Paul. And it was on this account that Paul so
triumphs, where are the disputers of this world with all their reasons ?
1 Cor. i, 20, ' Where is the wise ? where is the scribe ? where is the dis-
puter of this world ? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world ?'
And thus did Luther triumph, when he said that that pen should strike off
the pope's triple crown from his head. ^

U^e 6. Let us not be offended if heresies arise, and o^ositions against
the truth, and those backed strangely too, seeing there are such mighty rea-
sonings in their hearts. Some opinions in popery a poor believer would
think so gross, that surely nothing could be said for them, as worshipping
of images, justification by our own righteousness, and merit of good works ;
who that hath a clear eye of faith, and hath seen his estate, could imagine
any thing could be found out to colour such gross errors as these ? But
yet read Bellarmine, read the Jesuits, and what fair tales do they tell for
themselves ; that as the Scripture foretold, they have not only delusions,
but strong delusions : 2 Thes. ii. 11, ' And for this cause God shall send
them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie ;' such delusions as
catch not fools and silly women, but the great and the wise of the world ; that
it is foretold by Christ that, if possible, the elect should be deceived : Mat.
xxiv. 24, ' For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall
shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that (if it were possible) they shall
deceive the very elect,' should probabilities be brought. And so likewise semi-
Pelagianism, how strongly is it backed ; popery being but childishness to it !
What armies of places of Scripture cunningly perverted, what reasons, what
harmony is there in the plot of it, what depths, though depths of Satan ? as
the apostle says : Rev. ii. 24, ' Bat unto you I say, and unto the rest in
Thyatira, As many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known
the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will put upon you none other burden.'

Use 7. We may from hence see the mighty wisdom of Jesus Christ, who
knows all these reasonings, and will fully silence and confute them all at last,
which all the learning, all the wit this world hath, could never do ; still it is
said of Christ that he knew their reasonings: John vi. 61, 'When Jesus
knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth

Chap. VIII.] in bespect of sin and punishment. 253

this offend you ?' Luke v. 22, ' But when Jesus perceived their thoughts,
he answering said unto them. What reason ye in your hearts ?' How did
he nonplus the pharisees when he was here on earth, that thoy would ask
him no more questions ! The enemies of the gospel think to outface up,
and to outreason us, and think they have the victory, hut at the latter day
he will come on purpose to convince all the^ world, Jude 14, 15. He will
then at once cut asunder all controversies, and easily decide them, and dis-
cover the secret intents and reasonings of the heart. Then he will answer
all men's cavils and objections against his ways and his children, whose lives
they thought to be madness and folly. Then he will convince them that
their estates were naught, that they are justly damned, which now they will
not acknowledge, and he will then send them to hell convinced, and will so
silence them that they shall not have a word to say ; and though they now
cavil at the word, yet then they shall have nothing to reply against him, but
shall be struck perfectly dumb: Mat. xxii. 12, 'And he saith unto him,
Friend, how earnest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment ? And
he was speechless.' And then Christ will deal by reason with them, and
not with power only, and therefore their judgment is called but rendering a
reason : 1 Peter iv. 5, ' Who shall give account to him that is ready to
judge the quick and the dead.' It is in the original. Wicked men now think
strange at the saints, as seeing no reason for what they do, and are strength-
ened in their own ways, thinking reason to be on their side, therefore they
shall have a reason at last sufficient to answer all theirs : Isa. xli. 21,
* Produce your cause, saith the Lord ; bring forth your strong reasons, saith
the king of Jacob.' Job xxxviii. 3, ' Gird up now thy loins like a man ; for
I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.'

Use 8. Is to search into your hearts, to find out this unbelief, which is the
ground and bottom of all corruption in you. When you look on your lives,
you see gross sins committed ; when you look into your hearts, you find
strong lusts up and warring in your members ; and it is well you see them,
and find any contesting against them. But how durst these lusts be so bold,
unless they were secretly backed and encouraged by the supreme power, viz.
the atheistical principles in the heart, which are the abettors of them.
Therefore dig, and search still into your hearts, and resolve all into their
first principles, and you will find it true that atheism and unbelief are at the
bottom. And this know, the more you see this experimentally true, the
more you gi'ow in grace. To see that lusts are sins is not ordinary, but to
see these springs and abettors of all lusts is a degree further. And also
take notice of the deceitfulness of your hearts, which lies in this, that there
should be so much seemingly in it for these principles, and yet the contrary
do all. So now every stud in this building must become new; these main
foundations must be laid new, viz. to believe that God is, that he is merci-
ful, that he is all-sufficient, that his promises are true, all things must be-
come new. Nature brings not one stud that is able to bear the weight of a
godly life ; none of the old will serve, and he only is converted to God who
experimentally hath learnt over the articles of our Christian profession.

Use 9. Let us be humbled for this atheism and unbelief which by nature
is in all of our hearts. Of all corruptions what can be greater? Therefore it
is called the evil heart of unbelief: Heb. iii. 12, ' Take heed, brethren, lest
there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living
God. Of all traitors we account Jesuits the worst, because they deny the
king's supremacy, and indeed the very opinion is treason, and therefore the
law is against them for their very profession. Now, Titus i. 16, ' They pro-
fess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and

251 AN IJNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK V.

disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.' Such is unbelief that
denies God, so that unbelief in effect says there is no God, or, at least,
denies his just and royal titles. Now, indeed, although you profess not so
much with your mouth, but come to church and profess all we would have
you, 3'et this in your hearts do shew, as there are church papists and
Jesuits, so there are church atheists. I find that for the atheism in men's
hearts, God expresseth himself most provoked and weary of the sons of men.
So, Mai. ii. 17, 'Ye have wearied the Lord with your words ; yet ye say.
Wherein have we wearied him ? When ye say. Ever}' one that doth evil
is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or. Where is
the God of judgment?' You have wearied me, saith the Lord, and yo say.
Wherein have we wearied him? Why, says he, search your hearts and you
shall find, for you say. Where is the God of judgment ? So your words
have been stout against me ; you say, It is in vain to serve the Lord ; that
is, you believe not that there is a God who is the rewarder of him that seeks
him. So also Isa. vii., when Ahaz would not trust God, and take a sign and
promise of him, what says the prophet ? vor. 1 3, ' It is a small thing for you
to weary men, but will you weary my God also ?' It tires out his patience
exceedingly. It is called speaking against him : Ps. Ixxviii. 19, ' Yea, they
spake against God : they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness ? '

Use 10. You may hereby see how little nature brings to the great work of
grace, and what a distance is between the one estate and the other, for if we
believe not the first prhiciples as we should, but must have a new principle
to apprehend them with ere we come to God, then there is an infinite inca-
pacity of the work of grace ; for if you go to teach men any science, if they
deny the first principles, there is no hope, contra ncgantem prlncipia non
est dhputandum. Now we deal with hearts that secretly do deny the principles
on which all our motives and persuasions to hoHness are grounded, and
so rooted by denying them, that, till by a new work of faith they appre-
hend them, we shall never work upon them.

There are two principles in the heart at once, that there is a God, and
that there is none ; and accordingly there are differing conclusions and
efi'ects, and that according to that interest and place they have in the heart :
the one is rooted in corrupt nature, namely, that there is no God, and there-
fore you see all actions swayed by it ; the other, viz. that there is a God, is
put in to give warning as a prophet, and to make them without excuse, and
is weak, and hath no power, stroke, nor authority in the heart, which listens
not to it, it endeavours to extingaish it. So as if a man come to be con-
verted, a new principle of faith must bo wrought to apprehend these things
strongly and powerfully, so as to prevail against and overcome the contrary,
or else the heart is never changed.

Use 11. Are there any here troubled with thoughts of atheism, with
objections against the truth of Scripture, and of our religion ? Wonder not
at it : think not therefore your case desperate, or such as no man's is, for I
tell you all men by nature are atheists, and that doth but discover itself in
thy haste which lies hid in all men's hearts. For every sin a man commits
ariseth from such a principle, and they discover it in their works, but in
thee it discovers itself in thy thoughts. To thee this devil of atheism takes
a shape and appears to afi'right thee, but in other men this devil rules and
reigns in their hearts and lives. He only appears not to them, that is all
the difference.

Others profess there is a God, and find no doubts in them, but shew they
believe it not in their lives. Thou professest thou canst not believe there is
a God in thy thoughts, yet look to thy course, and thou shewest that thou

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 255

believest there is one (for usually the devil troubles none with those thoughts
but such as have true faith wrought), for dost thou not walk fearful of sin,
or of omitting of any duty ? Art thou not careful to come to every ordi-
nance ? Why, if thj' heart did not secretly believe there were a God, and
strongly too, these considerations would not come from thee ; and therefore
let such look to their lives and practices, and not to the inward exercises of
their spirits.

Use 12, If the heart be. thus possessed with atheism and unbelief, take
heed of admitting doubts, and sufl'ering them to lie unanswered in the heart,
for they secretly weaken faith, and back and strengthen the other party.
Men's hearts are apt to gather doubts from the dispensation of things in the
world, that all falls alike to all, that the wicked prosper. David had well
nigh his faith struck up with this objection : Ps. Ixxiii. 2, 3, ' But as for me,
my feet were almost gone : my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was
envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.' But make
known such doubts, and get answers to them, for in suffering them to har-
bour in the heart you conceal Jesuits that deny the king's supremacy.

Use 13. We may see what need there is of coming often where God is
known, into the assembly of the saints, where he is spoken of, worshipped,
and served, for God appears in the generation of the just, in their lives,
speeches, and in his ordinances, so that if an unbeliever comes in he is con-
vinced God is among them : 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25, ' But if all prophesy, and
there come in one that believe th not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of
all, he is judged of all : and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest ;
and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God
is in you of a truth.' Let us pray often, and meditate often, and renew
acquaintance with God, for all these leave deep impressions of a God upon
the mind behind them. Let us observe his providence in the world, and
see, and study his wisdom, power, &c. For all these are means to strengthen
in us the principles which are contrary to atheism and unbelief.

Use 14. If any of you be free from such thoughts, bless God ; for such are
in thy heart God might hold thee to thy catechism, to thy ABC, all thy
days, that when thou shouldst be taken up with thinking how to serve and
please him, and how to make it sure that he is thine, that so thou mayest
be going on to perfection, God might exercise thee and suffer thee to be
posed and nonplussed, and to stumble at the principles, whether there be a
God or no ; so he doth deal in many a soul ; and believe it, there is matter
enough in thee for this.

Use 15. Wonder not if men in time of trial forsake the truth, and that
they are such children, tossed to and fro with every wind of error, willing
to embrace every opinion, and assent not to wholesome words. Consider
they assent not in deed and in truth to the first principles ; and if they be
not riveted into them, how should they stick to the truth, whenas all truth
hangs on them ?

25G AN UXREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, ^BoOK VI.

BOOK VT.

The vanity of thoughts, being an instance of the abounding sinfulness in one
facuUij of the soul, the cogitative; ivherehj the sinfulness of the rest may be
estimated.

[This Book, with a few verbal alterations, was published by the author as a
separate treatise, under the title, ' The Yanity of Thoughts.' In that
form it is given in the present edition. Vol. III. p. 507, and is therefore
omitted here. — Ed.1

CUAP. I.J IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 257

BOOK VII.

Tlie corruption and defilements of conscience.

Unto tJoe pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and un-
believing is nothing pure ; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. —
Titus L 15.

CHAPTER I.

The conscience is false in tlte performance of its office. — -It indulgeth some sins
though it be severe against others. — It tells a man but part of his duty. — It
is very scrupulous of observing its own traditions, while it neglects the insti-
tutions of God. — It urgeth only carnal motives. — It invents arguments to
jitstify a sin.

If there be anything good in man it is his conscience, which yet the apostle
pronounceth defiled. How: the light of natural conscience hath no true
goodness in it I have before shewn,* and how all the acts of it fall short of
grace, I have in another treatise, of the differences between natural con-
science and true grace, demonstrated, t Now here only I shall shew the
positive defilements of conscience in some particulars, and shall frame the
demonstration from the false and corrupt carriage of it in its office, and
abuse of its power committed to it, which power, though it be from God (as
the authority of all magistrates is), yet being seated in and committed to a
corrupt and defiled faculty, as conscience is here in the text said to be, it
proves false to God, and though it be from God, and is his ofiicer, yet it is
not for him, nor true to him, as it ought, and as true grace is, which is
God's image.

1. Conscience is exceeding partial in its office, in winking attand indulg-
ing some sins, which are favourites of the heart, and great with, it, when it
will be exceeding strict and severe against those of the lower sort and rank,
and by a show of justice and severity against them, colour its countenancing
of those other. Thus we find Saul's conscience exceeding strict in a matter
of the ceremonial law : 1 Sam. xiv. 34, ' And Saul said, Disperse yourselves
among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox,
and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat ; and sin not against
the Lord in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man
his ox with him that night, and slew them there.' But his conscience never
scruples to eat God's people as bread (as David speaks, Ps. xiv. 4), to kill
fourscore and five of God's priests, to seek the blood of David, an innocent
man ; his conscience, though so squeamish in other things, yet never strains
at all this, though he is rebuked for it by his own son again and again. The

* Book II. chap. vii. of this Discourse.

t Which belongs to the Discourse of Eegeneration and the New Creatuje in MS.

VOL. X. R

258 AH UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VII.

Pharisees, they also mightily pretended conscience : Mat. xxvii. 6, 'And the
chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them
into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.' And yet it was the same
money which these hypocrites gave unto Judas to betray that blood. Thus
conscience, which is God's vicegerent, and betrusted with the execution of
his laws, as to some of them will be very severe, in others lax. It ought
to be as God's mouth, and speak truly and faithfully ; but on the contrary,
it is like those priests of whom God complains : Mai. ii. 7-9. ' For the
priest's lips should speak knowledge, and they should seek the law at his
mouth ; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But ye are departed
out of the way ; ye have caused many to stumble at the law ; ye have cor-
rupted the covenant of Levi, saith tbe Lord of hosts : therefore have I also
made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have
not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.' It is partial in the
law, and will become a judge of the law, not a judge according to law. It
will urge the statute against some sins, and turn them out of their places,
but it will not look on the statutes which are in force against other sins, but
wink at them, and suffer them to hold their places still. Thus a mere
natural conscience will be partial in its actings, when grace and a sanctified
conscience will not do thus, but urgeth the law indifferently, and judgeth
impartially, and will let no sin escape. We trust, says Paul, that we have
a good conscience, for we desire to live well in all things : Heb. xiii. 18,
' Pray for us : for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing
to live honestly.'

Now the reason why a natural conscience is thus unequal is, because of its
defilement ; it is out of order, and humorous, as a stomach which is longing
and craving for some kind of meat, and loathes other, though wholesome.
And why doth it so, but because it is foul, or custom makes conscience to
be thus unequal ? When a sin hath never been committed by a man before,
conscience will fly in the face of a man for it ; but a sin which a man prac-
tises every day, and with which conscience is made familiar, it will let alone,
and never trouble the man for it. And on the contrary, a duty which a
man hath customarily performed, if he neglect it, conscience will much
trouble him for it ; but as to one which hath been long neglected, it will be
quiet. Many such reasons may be given of these false and partial dealings
of conscience, and God acting men's consciences by a common providence,
gives them more scope for one sin than another, as he sees cause, and
therefore some men make no conscience of swearing, talking lewdly. Sabbath-
breaking, &c., when yet they will startle at murder, stealing, adultery, and
perjury. But now in the government which God exercises over a godly
man's conscience, his vicegerent is punctual to exercise the whole of its
commission, and will check the man for every sin ; God's design being to
save him from all sin, and to have an uniform obedience from him.

2. The corrupted conscience is partial in telling a man what is his duty,
and herein it is unjust to God as well as in the former instance. For it will
be content, and let a man alone quietly, though he neglects the greatest part
of that obedience and service which he owes unto God. It will wink and
take no notice, nay, is well enough satisfied, though God hath but half his
due. It is like that steward who was so unjust to his master, that when an
hundred pound was owing to him, bid the creditor set down fifty, and crossed
the debt when but half of it was paid. Thus conscience will excuse a man
of half the debt due to God, and accept the payment of a part for the whole.
If the man prays, and performs the ceremony of that service, conscience will
be contented, though he do it never so lazily, and in a most careless and

Chap. I.] in respect of sin and punishment. 259

perfunctory manner. It will be content with the mere bodily service, though
the soul hath little or no part in it ; and therefore though God's name is not
sanctified in the performance, yet it will excuse and give an acquittance for
the payment of the duty. If the man hath but prayed to-day, it is no great
matter how he did it, and his conscience gives him a discharge of having
done the work. Thus they in Malachi offered the lame and the blind, and
yet their consciences were never troubled for being so defective : Mai. i. 8, 9,
' And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil ? and if ye offer the
lame and sick, is it not evil ? offer it now unto thy governor ; will he be
pleased with thee, or accept thy person ? saith the Lord of hosts. And
now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us : this hath
been by your means : will he regard your persons ? saith the Lord of hosts.'
Nay, they wondered that they should be charged with despising of God, or
any neglect of him : vers. 6, 7, ' A son honoureth his father, and a servant
his master : if then I be a father, where is mine honour ? and if I be a
master, where is my fear ? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, 0 priests, that
despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name ? Ye
offer polluted bread upon mine altar ; and ye say. Wherein have we polluted
thee ? In that ye say. The table of the Lord is contemptible.' Now God
reckons this a great corruption in conscience, and therefore he calls them
deceivers and cheaters who dealt thus with him: ver. 14, 'But cursed be
the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth
unto the Lord a corrupt thing : for I am a great King, saith the Lord of
hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.' This kind of con-
science Saul had, who destroyed only the lean kine, and yet pleads that in
doing so he had done the will of the Lord,, and thought he deserved a dis-
charge : 1 Sam. xv. 9, ' But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best
of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the failings, and the lambs, and all
that was good, and would not utterly destroy them : but everything that was
vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.' Now what is the reason that
conscience acts thus deficiently in its duty ? Why, truly, it is because its
light falls short of God's glory and holiness, and therefore thinks anything
good enough for him, and that a small matter will serve him. It was upon
this principle that the Israelites thought they could serve God sufliciently
well ; for they imagined they could perform the outward service, and thought
anything would please. No, says Joshua ; he is a holy God, too holy for
you to please with such your services : Joshua xxiv. 19, 21, 'And Joshua
said unto the people. Ye cannot serve the Loi'd : for he is an holy God ; he
is a jealous God ; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. And
the people said unto Joshua, Nay ; but we will serve the Lord.'

But now a good conscience is faithful to God, and will refuse such broken
and cracked pieces for payment, and calls for whole money, for a whole
sacrifice, entire services, and spiritual lively prayers. It knows that the law
is spiritual, and the light of a good conscience is spiritual too, and therefore
calls for spiritual sacrifices ; and though it may give allowance for failings,
as God himself doth, yet it will have good and current money, and God
must be worshipped in spirit and in truth, or else it accounts not the duty
done.

3. A corrupted conscience will be often exceedingly scrupulous of its own
traditions and the traditions of men, when it is lame and negligent in things
which the word enjoins. It will be exact to keep a man to its own private
edicts and orders, when it lets the public statutes be broken. Thus the
pharisees were very nicely wary of eating with unwashen hands, when they
laid aside the commandments of God, as Christ tells them : Mark vii. 6-9,

260 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VII.

' He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you
hypocrites, as it is written. This people honoureth me with their lips, but
their heart is far from me. Howbeit, in vain do they worship me, teaching
for doctrines the commandments of men. For, laying aside the command-
ment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups :
and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them. Full well
ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.'
And thus persons popishly aflected, prefer holidays before the Sabbath, and
account to eat flesh on a Friday a greater sin than uncleanness. Thus hy-
pocritically scrupulous were the Jews, who would not at the time of the
passover's approaching enter into Pilate's hall lest they should be defiled :
John xviii. 28, ' Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judg-
ment : and it was early ; and they themselves went not into the judgment
hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the passover.' Yet
this was a thing which was never forbidden even by the ceremonial law,
which doth not make the coming into any heathen house a defilement ;
and yet when they scrupled this, which was never prohibited, neither by the
moral nor ceremonial law, they made no conscience of shedding the innocent
blood of Christ. And thus you shall see men now to be very scrupulous
about the observance of any old order or human custom, or anything which
they have vowed to perform, or in the practice of which they have been edu-
cated, whilst they will not be much careful about the neglect of the great
things of the law ; and thus they will act out of a principle of conscience also.
They will take more care not to eat before the sacrament than to prepare
for the receiving of it. Thus conscience is exceedingly corrupt, in taking
exactly its own taxes and impositions, whilst it suffers God's customs to be
stolen.

4. A corrupt conscience will make use of arguments drawn from self-
interest and its lusts, and urge carnal motives to persuade the man to do a
good action. It useth not right, but fleshly means, to make the duties of
religion pass freely, and to get them currently down. Whereas, it is the
ofiice of a good conscience not only to perform the holy action, but to stir a
man to do it upon holy grounds and reasons ; not only to propound duties
as God's commands, but to offer motives from God to persuade us to dis-
charge them. But now a corrupt conscience, though it proposeth a right
thing to be done, yet presseth the doing it from wrong principles and argu-
ments ; and though the matter is good, yet it gets the enemies' voices to bear
and carry it out. That God may have his due, it gathers his rents, but yet
forceth the payment of them by violent courses ; it frightens the man to
give in his arrears by threatening to sue* him out to an arrest ; it drives
him on to his duty only by terror, and representing God as cruel or a tyrant,
which wrongs God as much as if the dues were not paid. For even in com-
mon converse among men, when the thing moved for a man migjit be a kind-
ness to him, yet the motioning of it for him may be in such a manner as to
do him a real injury. It may be moved upon considerations so prejudicial
as to make him wish that it had never been propounded, and to move him
to choose rather that he had not objected than to get it so. The motives
may prove disadvantageous^ when the thing to be done would be a kindness.
It is in this manner that a corrupt conscience wrongs God, by urging us to
do our duty to him by carnal arguments, by such reasons only as stir and
prevail with corrupt nature, by urging us with fear and trouble of mind, with
the shame and miseiy which will unavoidably follow, if such a sin be com
mitted, or such a duty is not done. It will make use of or strike in with
such reasons as these only, to keep us from a sin, or to put us upon the

Chap. I.] in respect of sin and punishment. 261

duty ; or if it propounds other arguments, as the glory of God, and consider-
ations drawn from his love, yet it offers them but for fashion's sake. For
it being its office to propound what is suggested to it, it may and doth some-
times lay such reasons as these before the man, yet for show rather than so
as to prevail. Look as a pci-son interested, who promiseth to propound and
recommend many to a place of office or trust ; some he offers to the choice
but faintly, and as knowing beforehand that they will not please the com-
pany, and as such, too, that he is not hearty for ; but when he comes to
others, he not only propounds them, but presseth earnestly and zealously for
them. Thus conscience will put in holy and spiritual motives among the
rest, but the stress and emphasis is put upon those which are carnal, which
will work with flesh in the man. Spiritual motives are like wooden ordnance,
brought out for show only ; but those which are charged and let off are such
as are suited to corruption, and whose bullets will pierce, and strike, and
sink into self-love, and the heart is not moved till their force eomes. And
the reason is, because conscience being corrupt itself, these arguments are
most suitable to it. These arguments of the law it understands well enough,
and therefore as men use such reasons as are suitable to their brains, and
which they naturally invent, and of which they are apprehensive ; so natural
conscience will not employ spiritual arguments or motives, because it natu-
rally doth not engender them, and not suiting its mould, they seldom come
in ; but the carnal motives and arguments do, and these weapons it can wield
when the other are too strong and heavy for it. And it finds also, that
having to do with flesh, nothing but such agreeable motives will take with it,
and therefore directing its speech to the heart that it may prevail, it speaks
in the flesh's language of reward or punishment. In a word, a eorrupt con-
science always deals by way of bribery or flattery, or threatening, and there-
fore is corrupt, though the duties which it propounds be good.

5. As conscience useth motives drawn from some lusts or other in the
heart to enforce its injunctions, and to make them to be obeyed, so to gratify
these lusts again, conscience will join with them to colour and countenance
such actions, which are done chiefly out of lusts and ill ends. Some con-
sideration of conscience or other will be found out to help them, and make
them out to be acts of conscience. So when Herod was about to commit
that great sin of killing John the Baptist, which he did chiefly to please
Herodias and those who were with him, and that against his conscience too,
yet conscience itself strikes in to help the action forward, and seeing his sin-
ful will would have it done, suggests his oath to him as a thing to be made
conscience of. And therefore it is said that he did it for his oath's sake :
Mark vi. 26, 'And the king was exceeding sorry, yet for his oath's sake, and
for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.' He made con-
science of his promise and oath, forsooth, in it I Thus conscience joined
with his lusts to help forward a wicked act against conscience. Thus also
Saul's conscience told him that he ought not to sacrifice till Samuel came,
and yet to please the people he did it, because they began to be scattered
from him: 1 Sam. xiii. 11, 'And Samuel said. What hast thou done? And
Saul said. Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that
thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered
themselves together to Michmash.' But yet conscience would come in with
some consideration which might warrant it, and he would pretend at least
that he could not find in his heart to go to war before he had prayed : ver.
12, ' Therefore, said I, the Philistines will come down upon me to Gilgal,
and I have not made supplication unto the Lord : I forced myself therefore,
and off'ered a burnt offering.' So that now, if conscience can but find out

2G2 AN UNREGENEBATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VII.

some little consideration to humour and please it, it will be satisfied with
the act, and gives its warrant for it, though it be gross, and though sinful
lusts are the actors and managers of the whole affair, so to combine and join
in acts of higher treason against God.

6. Corrupt conscience will be bribed to find out arguments, and to plead
(which is yet more) in justification of actions utterly unlawful. And is not
that a corrupt judge which justifies the wicked ? This is conscience, which
not only like a corrupt lawyer may be feed and hired to plead an ill cause, and
find out some law or other for it — as they who crucified Christ would not
do it without a colour of law : John xix. 7, ' The Jews answered him, We
have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the
Son of God' — but it is an ill judge which is bribed to give sentence for a
wicked cause to justify it. Thus all true judgment is ruined, when it is
swayed and carried wholly by affection : peril otime judicium,, cum res transit
in affectum ; and hence men call evil good, and good evil : Isa. v. 20, ' Woe
unto them that call evil good, and good evil ; that put darkness for light,
and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.' And
we see in many instances that conscience, by reason of the defilement which
is in it, is ready to prove the lawfulness of a sinful action by false argu-
ments, when the heart is once inclined to the sin. Thus a man newly
come out from heathenism, and having his heart yet touched and warped
toward his former idols and idolatrous practices, and bearing some reverence
to the rites of his old superstition, would comply with the Gentiles in a part
of their worship (as eating in the idol's temple), though not in the whole of
it. And though eating things sacrificed to idols in the very temple was as
flat idolatry as could be, and proved to be so by the apostle Paul, 1 Cor.
X. 14, 15, yet some, to hold a fair correspondency with the heathen, or to
avoid persecution, would find out some shuffling reason or other to maintain
their doing so. What arguments did their consciences find out, that an
idol was nothing in the world, and that therefore whatever they did about it
was but frivolous and insignificant : 1 Cor. viii. 4, ' As concerning there-
fore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we
know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God
but one.' But some did stumble at the practice, as having a conscience of
the idols, and so being convinced that what they did in respect to it touched
upon idolatry, 1 Cor. viii. 7. And yet, as for those persons, their consciences
were apt to be confirmed in such a practice by the example of others, and
they were ready to join with any argument that might give them confidence
to do it. This the apostle refers to, 1 Cor. viii. 10, ' For if any man see thee
which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the con-
science of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are
offered to idols ? ' And if, when conscience is only weak, it may be thus
defiled and perverted, much more when it is wholly corrupt, as in wicked
men, much more will they take encouragement from any invented reasons of
their own, or example of others, to practise that to which they are inclined,
and will strive to fashion their opinions to their lusts, and mould them
answerably ; and therefore a corrupt conscience is afraid to have more light
admitted into it for its better information, whereas a godly soul gives itself
up to God to be instructed by him.

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 263

CHAPTER 11.

That conscience is cornipt in respect of that false peace which it speaks to a
man when there is indeed no peace to him. It soothes a man always with
thoughts of peace, without first f/ivinfi him any trouble of mind. — It speaks
peace, not from. Christ's blood, and riglUeousness, but from its own righteous-
ness and good works.

Another eflfect which natural conscience hath in unregenerate men about
what is good, and which bears a resemblance to what is in the regenerate, is
peace of mind, and excusing themselves. We will now examine what the
actings are of unregenerate men's conscience in this respect, and make it
appear to be greatly corrupt in doing this its office.

1. It speaks peace to the man when there is no reason or ground for it,
and when there is no solid peace in the soul, as God says there is not in
any wicked man : Isa. Ivii. 21, ' There is no peace, saith my God, to the
wicked.' And therefore though the depraved conscience may calm, and lay
asleep the disquiets and tumults of the mind, yet this peace of natural con-
science is rather a not being troubled than true peace, ease rather than
peace. Thus a man in debt thinks all is well if he hears of no suit entered
against him, no sergeant to attack him, no writ out for him ; but all this is
only quietness from being troubled, not peace with his adversary. But a
godly man's conscience is not only at peace, but it hath peace with God
through faith : Rom. v. 1, ' Therefore, being justified by faith, we have
peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.' A godly man's conscience
receives an acquittance (which it hath to shew) from Christ's satisfaction,
and God's receiving the atonement : Rom. v. 1, 11, compared, ' By faith we
have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. And not only so,
but we also joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have
now received the atonement.' But an unregenerate conscience never received
this, nor can the ungodly produce such an acquittance, and indeed they never
seek after it.

2. It is not a peace that comes after a war, after an apprehension of their
being enemies unto God, and then reconciled to him through Christ. No ;
but they usually have always been at peace, and know not what spiritual
trouble of mind is. Thus Paul, when in the highest malice and persecution
against the church, was undisturbedly at rest in his own mind, having never
apprehended what it was to sin against God, nor the greatness of his wrath :
Rom. vii. 9, 10, ' For I was alive without the law once ; but when the com-
mandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which
was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.' All their peace is but a
stupid security, such as they had in Hosea vii. 2, ' And they consider not
in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness : now their own doings
have beset them about, they are before my face.'

3. As it is quietness rather than peace, so the eflfects of it answerably are
rather negative than affirmative ; and though they are not troubled at the
thoughts of God, nor with the sad apprehensions of his justice and wrath,
yet all this doth not cause them to rejoice in God. Their false peace of
conscience doth not bring in their greatest comforts, as true peace in a godly
man doth : Rom. v. 11, ' Having peace with God,' says he, ' we joy in God.'
And 2 Cor. i. 12, ' For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience,
that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the
grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abun-

264; AN UNREGENEKATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VII.

dantly to you- wards.' A godly man's peace in the thoughts of God's favour
brings him in abundance of joy. I use to say, natural conscience is a killing
witch, not an healing one ; though it can give real troubles and wounds, yet
it can never afford inward healing joys. The letter kills, says the apostle ;
the power of it that way is real, and greater than to make alive : 2 Cor. iii. 6,
' Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament ; not of the
letter, but of the spirit ; for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.'
It bath more power given it to destruction than to edification. It gives
such torments when it accuseth, as all the good or evil things in this world
cannot counterpoise. But the comfort which it gives in excusing is weak,
and faint, and negative only. It keeps the heart quiet, that it may enjoy
outward comforts of life without disturbance, and that is all the comfort
which it affords.

4. The peace wliich natural conscience pronounceth is not from the true
foundation, from reconciliation with God by Christ's blood, and justification
by his righteousness, but it derives its peace and quiet from doing, from
good works, from some duties performed. It builds it-s peace upon these,
because it is satisfied, and pleased with doing what is required. It gives
you a quietus est, upon the plea of your own righteousness, and having done
what the law demands. This was the peace and satisfaction of mind which
the young man had, who pronounced peace to himself from what he had
done : Mat. xix. 16-20, ' And, behold, one came and said unto him. Good
Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life ? And he
said unto him. Why callest thou me good ? there is none good but one, that
is, God : but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith
unto him, Which? Jesus said. Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not
commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Honour thy father and thy mother : and. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself. And the young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept
from my youth up : what lack I yet ? ' Thus a natural man will not fetch
his sentence of discharge from the court of faith, but of works; but a regene-
rate man derives his comfort and joy from believing : Rom. xv. 13, ' Now
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that j-e may
abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.' And faith, having
first sprinkled the blood of Christ on the conscience, purgeth it from
the guilt of sin : Heb, ix. 14, • How much more shall the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge
your conscience from dead works to serve the living God,' Heb. xii. 24,
• And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprink-
ling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.' It is the voice of that
blood in the conscience which speaks those good things to a man, and
sprinkieth the conscience itself, and purgeth it from dead works, even those
which the man trusted in before, ere the conscience can speak true peace.
But natural conscience speaks peace out of its own court as a judge, whereas
it should pronounce it but as a witness, which having received the sentence
out of the court of faith, may then set its hand to it, and confirm it. It
may indeed out of its own court excuse a man in regard of such a particular
fact, as Abimelech's conscience did : Gen. xx, 4, 5, ' But Abimelech had
not come near her: and he said. Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous
nation ? Said he not unto me, She is my sister ? and she, even she herself
said. He is my brother. In the integrity of my heart, and innocency of my
hands, have I done this.' But it cannot justify the man, as Paul says,
that though his conscience knew nothing of evil by him, but judged him
to be as touching the law blameless, yet he professeth that he was not

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 2G5

hereby justified, but he waited for that sentence out of another court
of free grace, and to be pronounced on the account of Christ's satisfac-
tion, and of his rii^hteousness, and God's imputation of it, and faith's
receiving, and applying it : Philip, iii. 4-9, ' Though I might also have
confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof
he might trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock
of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews ; as touching
Ihe law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the
righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to
me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord : for
whom I have sufiered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung,
that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own right-
eousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith.'

CHAPTER III.

That a natural mans conscience is very corrupt, and plays false in the resist-
ance which it makes against sin. — What conflicts between the light of con-
science and lusts nnregenerate men may have. — The difference of this from
the conflict in a godly man's heart against sin, set out as to the causes of the
combat, the quarrel itself, and the issue of the fight.

I come now to those other effects of a natural conscience which have ex-
ceeding much affinity with the most inward workings and efiicacy of grace
itself in the heart of the regenerate.

1. A natural conscience causeth an inward conviction, combat, and strife
ia the heart against sin ; it fights against it, and raiseth a reluctancy and
displicency of it. Thus Darius was displeased with himself for his ill and
unjust act in condemning Daniel to be cast into the lions' den : Dan. vi. 14,
' Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with him-
self, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him ; and he laboured till the
going down of the sun to deliver him.' Thus Herod too was troubled for
his rash oath, and found a reluctancy in his conscience to the murder of
John the Baptist : Mat. xiv. 7-9, ' Whereupon he promised with an oath
to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of
her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. And the
king was sorry : nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with
him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.' Now, unregenerate men
finding in themselves such an opposition against greater and more enormous
crimes, they vainly imagine that this is the true conflict between flesh and
spirit in them, and take it for that renowned battle (and it is indeed the
most renowned battle in the world that ever was fought), which is said to
be only in a regenerate man; and we find it recorded, Rom. vii. 21-23, ' I
find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For
I delight in the law of God after the inward man : but I see another law in
my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into
captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.' Gal. v. 17, ' For the
flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh ; and these
are contrary the one to the other : so that ye cannot do the things that ye
would.' And so like are the impressions of these two contrary principles,
that unregenerate men reading these two chapters are presently ready to
fancy that they find the very same within them. And yet a sensible differ-

2G6 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VII.

ence there is, wliich the experience of all saints finds, especially they who
before conversion have had active, busy consciences, which have striven
with them, and fought many a stout battle in their hearts. And yet when
that new principle of grace hath come into the field, they have found the
course, and order, and array of the fight clean altered from the former.
Like unto Hebekah, who found two children sensibly fighting in her womb,
they cry out in a surprisal of astonishment, ' Why am I thus?' as she did.
Gen. XXV. 22, ' And the children struggled together within her : and she
said. If it be so, why am I thus ? And she went to inquire of the Lord.'
She wondered at it, and was amazed what it should mean, as never having
heard that any other women bearing children were so affected, who, though
they might feel children stir in their womb, yet not two together so as they
did. Thus when godly men come to have experience of two contrary wills,
two contrary lustings about the same object, such a division in the heart as
cannot be matched or paralleled by any instance else, they wonder at it, and
inquire into the meaning of it, as she did. And this they often perceive even
in their first quickening, when grace begins to spring within them. Such an
instance Austin gives us in the story of his own conversion,* where, speak-
ing of what he felt in his heart when he was first turned to God, and of the
differing and divided pulse of his heart towards sin, which he found in the
first symptoms of his conversion, his words are memorable to this purpose :
I found (says he) two wills : the one the old will, which I had before to sin,
the other a new will ; the one carnal, and the other spiritual, which fought
within me one against another, and by their discord divided my soul ; and
so (says he) I understood by my own experience that which I had read
before, viz. the manner how the flesh lusteth against the spirit. He had
such a new experiment of the manner of it as he never had before.

And how to set out these two battles, and the differences of them, would
require a large field of discourse. To shew you the difference in respect,

1. Of the causes,

2. Of the quarrel,

3. Of the combatants,

4. Of the issue and event of the contest,

5. Of the continuance of it ; — would make a large story, and you have
it from others.

1. As that first, that in the conflicts of conscience in unregenerate men,
conscience, which is but one faculty, fights against all the other faculties,
which are wholly for sin. But in the fighting of spirit against flesh in a
godly man, the seat of the war and battle is in every faculty of the soul, and
all faculties are divided between themselves as it were into several armies.
Thus light in the mind fights against darkness there, and grace in the will
against the remainders of sin in it.

2. The natural conscience in men unregenerate fights but against the out-
ward wings of the army of sin, against gross sins; but grace fights against
the whole army, and all the battalions of it, against the whole body of sin,
and against all sins of what kind soever ; it fights not only against some great
reigning lusts, hot against both small and great, against all inward corrup-
tions, and against spiritual lusts as well as grosser defilements. Though this

* Voluntas aiitera nova, quse mihi esse coeperat, ut te gratis colerem, fruique te
vellem, Deus, sola carta jocunditas, nondum erat idonea ad superandam priorem
vetustate reboratain. Ita duse voluntates meae ; alia vetus, alia nova; ilia carnulis,
ilia spiritualis, confligebant inter se, atque discordando dissipabant animam meam ;
sic intelligebam meo ipso experiraento id quod legeram, quomodo caro concupisccret
adversus spiritum, et spiritus adversus carnem. — August. Confess, lib. viii. cap. v.

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 2G7

indeed is to be added concerning this diflference, that the combat is most dis-
cernible (even in regenerate men) in regard of conflicting with grosser evils
and lusts, though it be as strong and as real in regard of spiritual lusts.
Thus poison, and the blood and spirits fight as strongly in the head and
brain, though the contrariety of them is more discerned in the stomach,
where it makes a man more sensible and sick. And therefore Paul, when
he would represent this combat to the sense and experience of a Christian,
and so as he might most clearly discern it in himselF, he points him to view
it in the law of his members lighting against the law of the mind ; which he
calls so, because, though that tight is as to all lusts, yet especially those of
the members, bodily lusts.

3. Divines make these two combats, viz. that in an unregenerate man's
conscience, and that in a sanctified heart, to differ in the event. In this
combat grace ordinarily gets the victory whenever any set battle is fought ;
but in that fight between natural conscience and a corrupt heart, the weapons
of conscience are in the end blunted, and beaten back to its own head, and
the victory goes on sin's side, which is all the difference Arminius seems to
acknowledge.

4. These two combats difi"er as to the continuance of them. This of grace
against sin lasts all a man's life, and grows stronger and stronger on grace's
part, as the house of David waxed stronger and stronger, but Saul's house
weaker; but the combat of conscience ceaseth in the end, and as God's
Spirit leaves off striving with men, so doth conscience also. Thus con-
science is like a person who lives in a bad society, where the government
sways the worse way ; and who, though a long time he contested, yet being
but one man, and overborne by numbers, he is wearied at last, and sees he
can do no good, and so is quiet. Thus conscience in unregenerate man is
at last overpowered, by all the other corrupt faculties and affections which
are against it, and so it is beaten clear out of the field, and men in the end
are all given up to a reprobate or injudicious mind ; for so the word aSoxz/xo;
signifies : Rom. i. 28, * And even as they did not like to retain God in their
knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which
are not convenient.'

5. When the act of sin comes to be done, then the reluctance which natu-
ral conscience causeth doth cease, and the will is not only overcome to do
it, but overcome by it. Though, whilst the sinful act was in consultation,
and the object afar off, there might be oppositions raised, yet when the lust
and the object come to embrace each other, then the will is wholly drawn
out and allured, and sets itself to work out all the pleasure which it can out
of the sin. All the impressions of unwillingness which conscience makes are
before the act comes to be done, and are seen in the sad reflections after the
commission; but when the thing is to be done, the will comes wholly oft" to
it. As a man who is to do a kindness for another, though perhaps at first
he somewhat sticks and deliberates, yet when he doth it, he doth it heartily,
without any reluctance ; his heart is wholly in it, and he doth it as a kind-
ness ; so doth the will to gratify a lust come oft" entirel_y and fully to it. And
therefore in regard of the act itself, and the instant time wherein it is com-
mitted, unregenerate men are said to sin with full consent. And therefore
they are said to be overcome by their corruptions : 2 Peter ii. 20, ' For ii
after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge
of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and
overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.' For
though they strive a while, yet in the issue, when the sin is to be acted, they
perfectly consent, and are so overcome, and their hearts subdued to the lust,

268 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VII.

and they therefore may be said to fall totally into the sin. But in a godly
man, the inward strife continues even in the very act of sinning, and there
is an inward man in the heart and will which is never overcome ; and there-
fore the apostle Paul, in the description of this combat in Kom. vii., useth
the present tense when he speaks of the opposition of both combatants : ver.
15-17, ' For that which I do I allow not : for what I would, that I do not ;
but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent
unto the law that it is good. Now then, it is no more I that do it, but sin
that dwelleth in me.' It is not I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me ;
i. e. at that present time when I do it ; shewing that in the very act, when
it is doing, and comes to execution, there is a will resists, and a reluctancy
iu his renewed nature. There is an / which can say that it had no hand
in it.

6. The opposition which conscience makes, though it restrains the act,
3'et it weakeneth not the inward power of the lust by a contrary lusting. A
man standing with a cudgel in his hand over a dog who hath meat set before
him, though he may keep every member of him in awe from stirring towards
it, yet he cannot abate his hunger, nor lessen his desire to it ; and so it is
here in this case. And the reason is, because the government of conscience
is extrinsecal, forced, and tyrannical. Though it be a principle within a
man, yet it is extrinsecal in its working on the will and afiections, for it
stamps not on them any inward natural inclinations to what it dictates.
Therefore the power of its government is seen in restraining outward acts,
and gainsaying inward lusts, and speaking against them, but never raising
up au army of contrary desii'es against them ; but so grace doth, being an
intrinsecal natural principle in the desires themselves. The combat is there-
fore especially expressed by contrary lustings : Gal. v. 17, ' For the flesh
lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh : and these are
contrary the one to the other : so that ye cannot do the things that ye
would,' And so the desires of the flesh are weakened by contrary desires
in a godly man. Conscience, indeed, by terrors damps the desires of sin,
and also by checks, it may divert desires which rise, and keep them from
parleying with their objects ; as parents may restrain, lovers from speaking
together, but their loves they cannot abate or quell, or put contrary desires
or antipathy into them. Thus conscience, though for a time it may keep
the will and the lust from holding a correspondence, yet it cannot produce
in the will an hatred of it, or averse inclinations to it.

7. In the combat where grace is, this opposition in desires, and this
weakening of desires to sin, may be discerned in and from the very first
rising and setting forth of the desire ; but in the other, the lust springeth up
in its full strength, only conscience meets it in its march, and diverts it or
drives it in again. But where grace is ever at the first rising of a lust, the
will breaks itself into a contrary and opposite desire, that watches the desires
of sin, and benumbs them, and fore-slows them in their proceedings. To
clear this difterence further by a similitude or two.

(1.) When you throw a bowl out of your hand that hath no bias in it,
though it runs never so directly to the mark, yet a contrary bowl may meet
with it and beat it back again. Or rather a bowl that wants a bias to order
its motion, may be diverted, or stopped, or fore-slowed by an impediment
which it meets with after it is thrown out of a man's hand ; and so may a
natural man's desires and lusts after they arise, and are cast out by the will
with its full force, meet with considerations of conscience, which it, being
watchful, opposeth against them, and so those desires may be diverted or
taken ofi". But in a regenerate man's will, there is an inward and innate

Chap. III.] in rkspect of sin and punishment. 2G9

bias, by which the desire put forth is hindered at its first setting out, that it
cannot move so fully as else it would. The desire carries with it a contrary
bias attending upon it, that corrects and slackens it at its first setting out,
all the way throughout. Thus hath the renewed will a contrary bias, which
puts forth a contrary act to retardate the desires of sin, ere checks of con-
science meet with them.

(2.) Or secondly, more plainly, a man throws a round hoop out of his
hand fairly, and directly, and with all his strength, which yet running from
him may, by some rub it meets with, be stopped, or fall, or come back again,
when it was thrown out of his hand with his full strength. But if at the
same time that a man casts it from him, if, as it is going out of his hand, he
gives it a contrary jerk, and impresseth a contrary impetus upon it towards
him, there being two contrary motions impressed upon it by the hand which
casts it forth ; as it will go forth of itself some small distance, so it will come
back again of itself; for the hand, as it threw it out, pulled it in again. So
when the will of a regenerate man puts forth a desire to sin, yet at the same
instant the same will retracts it, and puts forth a contrary desire, so as the
other is lamed and corrected in its first rising, and therefore often comes
back again by reason of the contrary desire which it carries with it. The
inward bias brings it back again. It hath ever a contrary impression stamped
upon that desire to the sin which weakens it. And this is • one affection
which Paul expresseth that he found to be in his heart in this combat : Kom.
vii. 21, that when he would do good, evil was present with him. As his
will sent forth desires to good, so the same will as readily and as instantly
sent forth desires to evil which hindered that good ; therefore he says it is
then present when I would do good, and so on the other side when his will
exerted desires' to sin, it had contrary desires to good, which hindered him
from sinning with a full will. The same will thus breaks itself into contrary
motions, contradictory each to other.

And the reason how this comes to pass is, because grace and sin, as they
dwell in the same will, and not in several rooms, but the same, and are con-
trary, and never mix, so they are alike active, and never rest. And there-
fore, no sooner can a lust creep out of its hole, but a contrary act of grace
is put forth with it. It is up in arms as soon as sin, and as soon comes
forth into the field. It is present with the man then at the same time, and
sets forth with it, and from its first setting out opposeth it. And hence
lusts are often called back again, not so much by the opposition which con-
science makes, meeting with them, as by the contrary desires sent out after
them, and with them, by the will.

8. Lust may be most furious, and commit most outrages, when the natu-
ral conscience is strongest, and most up in arms, and makes the stoutest
opposition, as in those who sin against the light of conscience, and against
the Holy Ghost. When conscience is most loud and clamorous, their lusts
yet rage most and go against it. Conscience and lust may be both up
together in an unregenerate man ; but now, on the contrary, in one regene-
rate, so much as grace is up, so much lust must needs be down ; as in two
scales, by how much the one is up the other is depressed. And therefore,
when grace is kept up, and a man walks in the Spirit, he fulfils not the lusts
of the flesh, that is, falls not into outward acts of sin : Gal. v. 16, ' This I
say then. Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.'
And the reason which the apostle gives is this, because grace and corruption
are opposite as two contraries : ver. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the
spirit, and the spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the
other ; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.' They lust one

270 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VII.

against another. And therefore when grace is in its heat and courage, and
the army of it kept in its array, those impressions which it makes prevail,
and must needs do so.

CHAPTEK IV.

What is come both to the strivings of natural conscience against sin, and the
conflict of grace against it in a regenerate man. — To fl.nd out the true differ-
ence between them, we must consider the cause and ground of the quarrel, and
the weapons with ivliich it is managed.

Though all these things, and many more, be true, yet that we may come
more narrowly to search out the immediate and fundamental difference be-
tween the combat of grace against sin, and that which only natural conscience
maintains against it, I will first shew what is common to both.

1. This must be yielded and granted as common to both, that not grace
only, but natural conscience also, when the pulse thereof beats strongly, may
and doth cause a commotion and a combustion against an act of sin in the
whole man. The whole man may be disquieted, disturbed, and moved
against it. For a passion of fear, a passion of horror (which kind of storms
conscience can raise about sin), we find in other things do move and make
impression upon the whole man, and cause a quelling, a recoiling, and a
faltering to be in the whole heart, when a man is about to do a thing. And
such a disturbance may conscience raise in the whole man, when a man is
about to commit some kind of sin, as in the case of murder, and the like,
when horror seizeth upon the whole man.

2. And natural conscience may create this disturbance in the will as well
as in other faculties. It may cause a great unwillingness to commit a sin ;
not only a remissness, but a displicence and reluctancy, and heart-rising
against it, so as the man shall not sin with a full consent of will. Thus
Darius was displeased with himself for the injustice and wrong which he did
to Daniel : Dan. vi. 14, ' Then the king, when he heard these words, was
sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him ;
and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.' Thus Herod
was exceeding sorrowful, and grieved that he should put so holy a man as
John the Baptist to death : Mat. xiv. 9, ' And the king was sorry : neverthe-
less for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded
it to be given her.' And grief hath always a renisus vohmtatis, a resistance
of the will to accompany it. For when the understanding is strong against
a thing, it doth cause some stand in the will, and a bearing of it back more
or less, that a man cannot be so fully willing as else he would. There is no
sin which any man commits, but some inconveniences present themselves,
and they will take somewhat off from the will's eagerness.

3. This commotion which conscience makes shall be intense and great ;
it will strike up the drum, especially when conscience is awakened, and cause
as great an alarm, as great an uproar, clamour, and noise, and hurley burley,
as grace shall do.

4. Conscience will not only alarm the man before, but also in some
measure in the very act itself, and while it is doing, so as the impression
which is made upon the whole man, and on the will, shall not be worn out,
but continue in the commission of the act. So as all the will is not over-
come by the sin and the pleasure of it, but bears off, and is grieved, and
abates something of that full delight which would otherwise be in it, and

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 271

which, if his will was wholly and altogether in the sin, he might find. Thus
it was in Herod, who when he gave command for the above-mentioned murder,
was exceeding sorrowful. So as these are not to be assigned as the exact
diflerences of this combat, for that there may be a conviction in the whole
man against sin both in an unrcgenerato and a holy soul.
In what then shall be put the true difl'erence '?

1. The ground of the quarrel against sin is to be considered. As it is not
dying which makes a martyr, but the cause, so not every resistance against
sin argues grace, but the ground and cause of it. Now what is the cause of
this war in a gracious heart, you shall know best if you search into the
thoughts and consultations of the leaders, for they set the armies on fighting.
Observe diligently, therefore, what thoughts run through thy understanding,
and what apprehensions they are which thou hast about sin that cause this
ado in thy heart. Observe whether thy first thoughts be of the evil of sin
in itself, the foolishness, the heinousness, the contrariety of it to God's
holiness and his law ; the unkindness which is in it to God and Christ, the
injury and wrong that is in it to God, who is so good, both in himself and
to thee. Observe whether thy quarrel against sin begins principally upon
such thoughts as these ; or is the original of thy being angry with sin, the
inconveniences which attend upon it in this world or in that which is to
come ? Do the threatenings annexed to the law and the wrath of God as
oifended, only occasion this commotion ? Then though this opposition to
sin be in the whole man, yet it is not the combat of grace.

2. As the ground of the quarrel is thus narrowly to be searched into, so
the weapons also with which they fight, i The motives and arguments which
are used by the leaders to stir up the heart against sin are to be considered.
Motives drawn from self, and proportioned to self, are the weapons which
strike and pierce through the whole man ; and though the whole man be
moved against sin, yet when it fights but with such weapons, I may say the
weapons of its warfare are carnal, which awakens and rouses self in a man,
and then that stirs and moves the whole army.

3. This commotion in unregenerate men is maintained wholly by logical
disputes, and arguments, and motives to work the heart against sin, and
while the pleading lasts, the heart is exasperated a little, but no longer ; it
is only while the combatants are in the field. But the heart-rising, and
opposition of a godly man, though it be whetted and sharpened by such
arguments, yet it hath a farther principle, and that is, a natural inbred an-
ticipation, an innate, habitual contrariety and enmity, which M'orks in the
man at the first view of a sin ; as a commotion is wrought in a lamb at the
sight of a wolf, or in a lion at the crowing of a cock, and is natural and
real. And therefore it is quick and up when a man is taken on the sudden,
and before he musters up thoughts or arguments, his heart riseth at the first
view of the sin. Yea, and therefore sometimes when motives drawn from
heaven and hell, and many such considerations, would not have been efi'ectual
to keep a man from a sin, yet then this inward antipathy withholds him,
Christ backing it in the heart ; so that a man can say, I cannot do it, not
so much because of such and such considerations, but because I cannot, for
my renewed nature will not let me. As a man loves out of sympathy beyond
what reason suggests, so he hates out of antipathy too. There is a seed
within which cannot sin, a seed from Christ which hath an enmity to sin,
the seed of the serpent : 1 John iii. 9, * Whosoever is born of God doth not
commit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him : and he cannot sin, because he
is born of God.' Gal. v. 17, * For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and
the spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other : so

272 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VII.

that ye cannot do the things that ye would.' And we have an instance in
Joseph, who, by reason of grace in his heart, could not do that sin to which
he was tempted : Gen. xxxix. 9, ' There is none greater in this house than
I ; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art
his wife : how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ? '
There is a seed within that cannot sin. And thus Paul asserts of himself
and others regenerate : 2 Cor. xiii. 8, ' For we can do nothing against the
truth, but for the truth.' / cannot do such a hohj duty, is the voice of nature,
but I cannot sin is the voice of a divine nature in a man ; I must not sin for
these or these reasons, is the voice of reason and conscience ; I viust not si)t.
works in the heart of a natural man ; but the holy nature's / cannot sin, acts
in one regenerate. It is the voice of the new nature in him, like to what
was in Esther, when she said to Ahasuerus, Esther viii. 6, * For how can I
endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people ? or how can I endure
to see the destruction of my kindred ? ' A GTo^yri, an innate pious affection
wrought in her this cannot, a not being able to bear it. A man may have
many reasons not to murder his enemy, because he must not do it ; but a
man cannot kill his child, he cannot find in his heart to do it, for a father's
nature withholds him. And it is said of the regenerate part, that it cannot
sin, as of the sun, yet it cannot mingle with darkness, as of the fire, that it
cannot but resist water, as God cannot lie ; so his image remaining, such
cannot sin,

4. In an unregenerate man terrors of conscience, and impressions of
wrath, and the smart of sin felt in the conscience, or the inconveniences by
which a man hath been hurt, or with which he is threatened in his thoughts,
those fight against the pleasures of sin in him. But in a godly man delight
in the law, and in God, and communion with him, and the impression of
the sweetness which he hath tasted therein, fights against and countervails
the pleasures of sin. And therefore Paul, speaking of this combat, puts it
upon delighting in the law : Rom. vii. 21, 22, ' I find then a law, that, when
I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God,
after the inward man.' And so Solomon says that knowledge, when it is
pleasant to a man, keeps him from evil : Prov. ii. 10, 11, ' When wisdom
entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul, discre-
tion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.' When the holy
man is tempted to sin, his having recourse to thoughts of God, and of his
love, and his own duty, and what communion he hath had with God, bring
a fresh present delight, which fights against the delights of sin, and so puts
the heart out of taste that it cannot relish it.

5. Conscience works this commotion in unregenerate men by the way of
fear, but grace works it by the way of hatred against sin. Accordingly Paul
says of himself, Rom. vii. 15, ' For that which I do, I allow not : for what
I would that do I not ; but what I hate that do I.' And there is a real and
sensible difference between fear of sin and hatred of it. And you will dis-
cern it if you have recourse to the temptation in which you have been when
fear seized on you, and to that temptation when hatred of sin rose in you ;
you will find that both fear and hatred stir the whole man, but differently.
If a man hath on a sudden a sword drawn with the point bent toward him,
this stirs up fear, and that causeth a commotion in the whole man to avoid
it ; but bring the same man to a place where so many toads are, and this
causeth a commotion in the whole man to eschew them ; but the commotion
is difterent from the other, for it is out of an inward loathing and abhorrency
which he hath of them. Now, thus differently affected are natural men and
godly men about sin when presented to them. Men whose consciences ai'e

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 273

not enlightened, or have not been scared, they can handle the sword when
in the velvet scabbard, but when conscience presents death in the point of
it, and draws it out of the scabbard, this causeth fear, and that fear raiseth
an inward perturbation in the whole man. But now such a fear is not all
the cause of that reluctancy which a godly man finds in his heart against sin,
but there is an inward dislike and loathing, and irreconcileable hatred. He
hates sin, and would always do so, and carefully avoid it, though the conse-
quent misery, and torment, and hurt which it doth, could be separated from
it. As though a man thinks and knows that the toad cannot sting him to
death, nay, that it cannot any way hurt him, if the poison could possibly
be taken out, yet he would hate it out of an antipathy. The lion is moved
at the crowing of a cock, and yet the cock cannot hurt him ; yet he is moved
and shudders at it, because he hates the noise. Or, to express it by another
similitude, a child sees a fired coal, there is a commotion of fear when his
little finger shall but come near it ; but if it be brought to a toad, there is a
commotion of hatred. Thus, whilst conscience views fire in the coal, the
flames of hell in the sin, when any strong temptation carries on the heart to
it, there is a commotion of fear in and near the acting of the sin, but this is
difi'ering from the commotion of loathing and hatred which a godly man hath.
For fear is but a passion, and soon over, and the conviction of sin raised by it
is as transitory, and the combat against sin, therefore, ceases as soon as the
fear is blown over. But hatred is constant, and though it works more stilly
and calmly, yet more strongly, and is more lasting ; and such is the convic-
tion of regenerate men. Hatred works against all or any having to do with
sin, against all dealings with it of what kind soever, so as not to touch it,
nor so much as to see it, as a man cannot endure, not only to handle, but not
to look on a toad. But a man who is but afraid of a coal can endure to see
it, though he cannot bear to carry it in his hands ; and thus unregenerate
men can roll sin in their thoughts, view it with pleasure in their unclean
fancies, and act it in imagination, though their conscience works against the
outward acting of it. And when the fire is gone out of it, then they can
bear to touch it. When the sense and smart of sin is out of their consciences,
then they can freely and boldly defile themselves with it. As familiarity
with the most savage wild beasts, as bears and tigers, will take away the
fear of them, though at first a man was afraid, so a man by degrees, wear-
ing ofi" the fears and horrors of his conscience, grows bold with those sins at
which he first trembled ; after a while he is familiar with them, but where
there is a hatred of sin in the heart this familiarity increaseth hatred, and
therefore a man's spirit in the end riseth most against those sins into which
he oftenest falls.

6. And hence, sixthly (which will afford another difference, or at least
help us to discern the former), natural conscience will cause a conviction in
the heart against sins which a man's own self is to commit, and the guilt
whereof will redound to his person, because self-love stirs up fear, and that
stirs the man. But grace will work as great an heart-rising and commotion
against the sins of others, the guilt whereof will not redound to him. For
sense of guilt is from conscience of a man's own, not of another's sin, though
indeed conscience, out of pride, or because of the reflection which it makes,
that the sin becomes his, if he doth not tell the man of it, may make a man
reprove another for sin. But grace riseth against sin in others, and is afraid
lest another should offend, swear, blaspheme, &c. He is afraid of oaths in
others as well as of blasphemous thoughts in himself, and he loathes them as
much. He is one who fears an oath : Eccles. ix. 2, ' All things come alike

VOL. X. s

274 AN XJNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIL

to all : there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked ; to the good, and to
the clean, and to the unclean ; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacri-
ficeth not : as is the good, so is the sinner ; and he that sweareth, as he that
feareth an oath.' An oath startles him as if a piece of ordnance were let off
behind him. Thus Job feared the sin of his sons as well as his own : Job i. 5,
' And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job
sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered
burnt-offerings according to the number of them all : for Job said, It may
be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did
Job continually.' Thus Lot's righteous soul was vexed at the abominable
sins of Sodom : 2 Peter ii. 7, 8, * And delivered just Lot, vexed with the
filthy conversation of the wicked : for that righteous man dwelling among
them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with
their unlawful deeds.' And the reason why a regenerate man is afraid of
the sins of others as well as of his own, is because his fear of sin, arising
from the hatred which he bears to it, which is general to sin as sin, and not
as his sin only, he is therefore afraid of the sins of all men as well as of his
own.

CHAPTEE V.

What great difference there is between that regret to sin which unregenerate men
have under convictions of natural conscience, and tJiat unv-illingness to sin
which is in a godhj man.

That I may farther clear the difference between the strife which is in a
regenerate man's heart against sins, and opposition which only natural con-
science makes, I come now to consider what is that unwillingness to sin,
which men unregenerate may express to have, and how much it is different
from that inward aversion which a godly man hath to sin.

The will is the especial centre and seat of this war, and, therefore, it is
expressed by lusting : Gal. v. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the spirit,
and the spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other ;
so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.' And the more the will is in
a sin, the greater is the aggravation. This, therefore, is made the aggrava-
tion of Ephraim's sin in the matter of Jeroboam's calves, which he com-
manded them to worship, that they went willingly after this wicked command-
ment : Hosea v. 11, 12, ' Ephraim is oppressed, and broken in judgment :
because he willingly walked after the commandment. Therefore will I be
unto Ephraim as a moth ; and to the house of Judah as rottenness.' And
it is urged against the pharisees by Christ, that they would sin : John
viji.. 44, * Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye
will do;: h,e W9.s a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth,
because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of
his own : for he is a liar, and the father of it.' And so as a heightening
of their guilt who apostatize, it is said, that they sin wilfully after the
knowledge of the truth received .: Heb, x. 26, ' For if we sin wilfully after
that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins.'

Now in regenerate* men there may be some strife in their wills against
sin, so as their wills may bear off, and they have some remissness and reluc-
tancy, as in Herod and Darius ; so as it may be truly said there is some
* Qu. ' unregenerate ' ? — Ed.

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 275

unwillingness, by reason of conscience, in many sing. When, indeed, con-
science is past feeling, then wicked men sin with greediness, and their will
are wholly let out in the sin, and yet not before : Eph. iv. 19, ' Who being
past feeling, have given themselves owr unto lasciviousness, to work all un-
cloanness with greediness.' But to clear this farther to you,

1. Consider that there is a double unwillingness, or aversenoss, in the will
to things presented to it, as also a double willingness, for the distinction is
applicable to both, and' therefore we will use one part of the distinction of
the one, and the other part of the other.

(1.) There is a willingness perse, i.e. a direct, innate, full inclination,
and going out of the will to a thing suitable to it, when the will is of itself
carried to an object for itself.

(2.) There is an unwillingness per accUens, an accidental unwillingness,
indirect, and by the by, when there is som« inconvenience annexed to the
thing which we desire, which the mind apprehending is made less willing
than otherwise it would be. Thus it was with the young man in the history
of the Gospel, whose will of itself was fully set upon the world, and the plea-
sures of it, as things which were suitable to him ; and yet when Christ told
him that he could not enjoy heaven and them both together, this caused
some sorrow and unwillingness in him, and took off his mind somewhat from
them-, yet so as in the issue he followed the innate swing of his will and
heart, though with some mixture of unwillingness ; but it was only an acci-
dental unwillingness : Mat. xix. 21, 22, ' Jesus said unto him. If thou wilt
be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt
have treasure in heaven ; and come and follow me. But when the young
man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful : for he had great posses-
sions.' And thus a wicked man's heart is of itself fully for sin, wholly for
sin, and the pleasures of sin, as suitable to his desires. Well, but there are
inconveniences which attend upon sin, and which conscience represents as
inseparable from it, the fearful consequences which follow upon it, such as
shame, misery, hell, and damnation. This takes off the edge of the will
somewhat,, that it cannot be so keen towards sin, and it makes a stand in the
diverse motions of the will, which otherwise were going out to sin, with a full
propension, and without any reluctancy. And so in wicked men there may
be also some willingness to good, but it is so only accidentally, not for good-
ness' sake, hut f r some pleasing con=:equences which follow upon it, which
may candy and SM'eeten it, when for itself it is not hked.

Now such a mixture of a direct willingness for sin, joined with some acci-
dental unwillingness to it, makes not the combat of flesh and spirit, forthen
the most of men would have it in them ; for there is no action which a man's
heart is ever so fully for, but some inconveniences make him less willing ;
and, indeed, all this may rather be said to make a man less willing than
otherwise he should be, but not indeed, and really unwilling. Thus water,
whose direct course and stream is to run one way, may have (as in mills)
some bar, that stops,, and hinders, and takes off some of the stream ; but it
turns it not the contrary way.

And that this part of an unregenerate man's will, which is unwilling, is
not against sin, appears by this, that he wisheth those inconveniences and
impediments removed, that his will might fully and wholly pour out itself
to the sin. He is vexed rather at the impediments than at the sin, and,
thinks he, if there were no conscience, nor no hell, I might then sin freely.

But now the combat in a godly man is occasioned between two direct
wills, that which is of itself for sin, and that which is of itself, and directly
against sin. He is like a needle between two loadstones, and there is an

27G AN UNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VII.

inward incliiiation whieb carries him both ways, and therefore it is said the
law of the members fights against the law of the mind, i. e. one inclination
in him against another inclination : Rom. vii. 23, * But I see another law
in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into
captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members.' But unregenerate
men, in all their loathness to sin, are but as iron, which is but by some
external accident detained, and fore- slowed in its motion towards the load-
stone ; and, therefore, notwithstanding this accidental unwillingness, they
are still said to sin with a full consent, because they wish those inconve-
niences removed, which make them unwilling. When the iron is detained,
the hand which holds it shall find the inward drawing power, and the incli-
nation as strong as if it were let go. Thus, though an unregenerate man is
kept from sin, yet his inward bent is to it, and if the feared inconveniences
were removed, the will of itself would be wholly for it.

2. That the difference of these two wills, so directly contrary, may be
more fully understood, we will compare these contrary motions of the will
with all other diverse kinds of motions of it whatsoever which may be thought
of, or which man is capable of.

(1.) There may be in the same man two direct desires to contrary things,
but then they are not seated in the same appetite, neither are they indeed
contrary, but subordinate each to other ; as, for example, the natural appe-
tite may crave meat when a man is hungry, when 3^et the reasonable appe-
tite, or his will guided by reason, may be bent upon some business to be
done, which shall put off his eating ; yet these are not seated in the same
will, neither are they contrary, unless this natural appetite rebel, and make
impressions upon the reasonable will, so as to hinder it in its desires ; for
otherwise they are subordinate, as in Christ, when he was an hungry, and
yet he refrained eating, because it was sweeter meat and drink to him to
convert a soul: John iv. 31-34, ' In the mean while his disciples prayed him,
saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat thai _ye
know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another. Hath any man
brought him aught to eat ? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the
will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.' There were two desires
in him, but yet subordinate, and not in the same appetite ; and so it was in
Christ too, when nature abhorred death and shrunk at it, and yet he sub-
mitted his will to God, eveia unto death.

(2.) A man may have a mixed will to the same thing, i. e. he may be
willing, and some unwilHngness be mixed with it, but then the one is only
accidental. A man wills the saving of his goods directly, but a storm comes,
and he throws them overboard to save his life ; this willingness to lose his
goods is only accidental. Water running with a full stream in its natural
coarse may be inteiTupted by windings, as in rivers, or stopped part of it,
as in mills, so as the current is not so full and strong as else it would be.

(3.) Or, thirdly, a man may have a divided will, and both directed to
contrary objects. Thus Paul was divided between two, and was in a strait,
and knew not what to choose. He had a desire to depart, and to be with
Christ, and a desire to stay here on earth, and to glorifj' Christ : Philip.
i. 21-24, ' For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the
flesh, this is the fruit of my labour : yet what I shall choose I wot not. For
I am in a sti'ait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with
Christ ; which is far better : neverthelesss to abide in the flesh is more
needful for you.' Yet these desires in him, though carried contrary ways,
did not fight one against another, and therefore they were not truly contrary,
but agreed in the same love of Christ being the ground of both ; so that he

Chap. V.] in bespect of sin and punishment. 277

did not in that manner desire to live with Christ, as withal that desire should
rise up against the other, so as to wish it expelled, and not to be at all ;
because, though the streams went ditforent ways, yet they had but one
spring, viz. love to Christ, which was shewn different ways. The objects
were incompatible, but the desires not contrary. It is like a stream dividing
into two channels, and yet meeting in one at first. Thus also a wicked
man's will is of itself carried to prodigality, and also to covetousness, that
he is in a strait, and knows not which to choose, yet so as self-love is the
ground and spring of both ; so that, to put all together, the same will may
be carried to contrary objects with contrary acts, and to the same object
with contrary acts. But now the two wills in a regenerate man are every-
where directly contrary, so that he cannot do the things which he would,
Gal. V. 17.

[1.] There is not only a mixture of an accidental unwillingness, as in
a man in a storm, who casts out his goods, but there is a direct unwilling-
ness to sin.

[2.] And this unwillingness is in the same will ; not in two appetites sub-
ordinate, but in the same will contrary to itself; and there are two parties in
it, which fight one against the other, as the law of the flesh and the law of
the mind are said to do : Rom. vii. 23', ' But I see another law in my mem-
bers warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to
the law of sin, which is in my members.'

[3. J And these ai-e not contrary only in regard of two several objects, as
a man may love covetousness and prodigality at the same time, but hate
neither ; but they are two contrary acts one to the other, seeking to destroy
each other. They lust one against another, says the apostle,^ and the one
would destroy the other. A godly man hates not only the pleasures of sin,
but hates his love of it, and abhors himself for loving it in any degree.

[4.] Which is more, there are contrary wills directly thus contrary to-
wards the same objects ; and then, says Aquinas, wills are contrary, when
in eodem et circa idem, when in the same and about the same thing. To
love the pleasures of sin for themselves, and yet to hate them at the same
time, and to hate his very loving them, these are contrary acts about the
same object. Here is not only a divided stream meeting in one channel,
but a contrary stream running in the same channel, having two contrary
springs, which would be a miracle in nature, a paradox which Aristotle
would have hissed out of the schools, and it is a riddle indeed to all but godly
men. Adam in paradise had experience of no such contrary acts, nor Christ,
nor have the fallen devils, nor the angels in heaven, nor wicked men, though
never so much enlightened, but only a godly man ; and therefore wonder
not, if you understand it not, though it be told you, for there is no instance
like it by which to make it plain. And the reason is because in no other
case a man hath, as it were, two men, and two wills in him. Toward all
other objects he hath but one self, but here he hath two, a new man and
an old man, which have contrary wills. Bring two men to the same thing,
and the one may hate it, and the other love it, for the same thing which
each see in it, because they are two men ; and now a godly man hath as it
were two men in him, and therefore hath such contrary motion in the same
will toward the same thing ; and of such contrary motions no instance can
be given in the will of any reasonable creature towards any kind of objects,
but only in this will of a regenerate man, and in his will only toward sin
and grace.

278 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

EOOK VIII.

Of the incUnations and lusts which are in the irill and affections, after things

fiesldy and sinful.

That ^011 put off the old man, ivhich is corrupt in deceitful lusts. — Eph. IV. 22.

CHAPTER I.

The words of the text explained. — That, to complete the description of our
natural sinfulness, the positive part, which consists in lusts, is to be con-
sidered, as well as the privative, ivhich is the want of all that is good.

Having despatched the first part of the positive original sinfulness of man's
nature, which is the depravation of the mind in all the powers of it, under-
standing, and thoughts, judgment, conscience, and reason, I come now to
discourse of the corruptions of the will and affections, which are lusts, which
that they are another part of the sinfulness of our nature, will appear from
the words, and the coherence of them.

For, first, the main thing here spoken of by the name of 'the old man,'
is no other than the subject we have in hand, viz. that sinful nature of the
old man contracted from his birth.

And, first, that the sinfulness of our nature is principally and directly
meant in that phrase, is evident out of this place.

1. Because he opposeth it to ' the new man.' Now, by new man, as the
apostle doth in ver. 24 explain himself, is meant that integrity, righteous-
ness, and holiness of nature which is called God's image, like that created
by God at first, and which renews not the outward life only, but the most
inward room of the mind : ver. 23, 24, ' And be renewed in the spirit of
your mind ; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness.' Therefore that old man that is exhorted
to be put off, by law of opposition, is meant that opposite corruption of
nature that came in the room of it ; which must therefore be put ofi" (as he
exhorts), that this may be put on ; which whilst it resides in the nature of
man, it hinders his renewing, and the image of God from coming in. These
two therefore are two contrary things, which are conversant about the same
subject, to wit, man's nature.

2. It appears from the scope of the words and their coherence, in ver. 21,
* If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the
truth is in Jesus.' He exhorts not to an outward reformation of their con-
verse only, but to that truth and sincerity of sanctification, which the
doctrine and power of grace in Christ teacheth, and worketh in all true
Christians : ' If so be,' saith he, 'ye have learned the truth as it is in
Jesus.' Which doth not, as other doctrines of philosophers, &c., teach you
to put off the evils of your outward converse only, and to put on a new con-

Chap. I.] in respkct of sin and punisument. 279

versalioa over an oM nature, as a sheep's skin over a wolfish nature ; he
that doth no more falls short of that truth of grace which Christ requires ;
but it tcachoth principally to put off the old man, as the cause of all the
evils in the outward converse ; and that is his meaning, when he saith, ' As
concerning the outward converse, put off the old man,' without which it is
impossible to reform the converse. Now if by the old man had been meant
the outward converse only (as some would), his exhortation had fallen short
of that truth of sanctihcation, to which he urgeth them ; therefore by old man
corruption of nature must needs be meant, as a distinct thing from the former
converse, and differenced from it, as the cause from the effect. And so,

3. Where the same exhortation is used by the same apostle, it is evidently
expressed, as in Col. iii. 9, 10, ' Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have
put off the old man with his deeds ; and have put on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.' And there-
fore it is so to be understood here ; for the one is an explication of the
other,

Secondh/, In the second place, that that sinfulness of our nature, con-
tracted from our birth, is principally meant in that phrase, the reason of the
name old man, as given hj divines, doth evidence. For sin is called the
old man, because it is the image of, and contracted from, the first, and there-
fore old Adam, as he is called in comparison of Christ, whose image the new
man is : 1 Cor. xv. 45, 49, ' And so it is written, The first man Adam was
made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. And as
we have borne the image of the earthj^ we shall also bear the image of the
heavenly.' It is the old man, because we have had it so long, even from our
births, though also all the further corruption which it hath been a-growing to,
and hath been added by actual sin, is also meant here, as the word (pSu^o/Mvov
(as Piscator notes) implies ; for it is not said (pdd^rov, cormptum, but con-
tinually corrupting, though all the parts of corruption it hath at first, and
that in the whole man.

Thirdly, For therefore it is called the old man, because it is seated in the
whole man, it is spread over all the faculties and powers of man.

Now, that whereby the apostle describes this old man to us is that part of
its corruption which we have in hand, namely, inclinations to what is evil ;
for if you ask, what manner of thing the old man is ? he tells you it is
nothing but corruption ; and if you ask wherein this corruption doth con-
sist ? he answers you. By this which is the most sensible part of it, which
divines call positive, viz. inclinations to sin ; for that is his meaning, when
he saith, ' It is corrupt in lusts deceitful.'

The text thus opened doth discover to us that the corruption of man's
nature is not merely privatively to be expressed, but also positively; that is,
that man's natural sinfulness lies not only in that there is no inclination to
what is good, but further, that all our inclinations are set wrong, and going
out of the way which is good to what is evil, which is a further thing, and a
distinct part, and that is all we mean by that we call the positive part. Now,
that which I intend to do about this subject, is to prove and demonstrate
these things concerning it.

I. That to the full description of our nature's sinfulness, there are required
to be considered these two distinct parts of it, a privative and a positive.

II. That this positive part is nothing but lusts set wrong, inclinations
aberring and inclining us out of the way, which I will shew to be truly and
properly sins, and wherein their sinfulness consists.

III. Then I will shew the exceeding great sinfulness of man's nature in
regard of them ; —

280 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOJi YIII.

1. In regard of their extension, both in regard of subject and object, in
that all the inclinations that are in all faculties are out of the way, and car-
ried on to evil, and also that there is no evil which in man's nature there is
not an inclination unto.

2. In regard of their parts, which is an averseness in inclination to what
is good, and enmity against it, as well as inclination to evil.

3. In regard of its degrees : their inclination is not only a fitness to evil,
but a readiness ; not only a readiness, but a greediness, &c.

I. To begin with the first, which is the foundation of the rest, viz. that,
to make up the full description, there are required to be considered two
parts, a privative and positive ; that is, though indeed, take it metaphorically
and abstractly in its own nature, it is but a bare privation, as all sin is ; and
so to define it, it were enough to say, that it is a want of what is good; yet
morally considered, and as in our natures and inclinations, which are a posi-
tive subject, so there are two distinct evils to be considered in it, to make
up the full description of it, that is, God looking on our natures and inclina-
tion as corrupted, and reckons two distinct parts of sin against us there : the
one is merely privative, viz. that our inclinations are not carried on to what
is good, and that they are taken ofi" from him; the other as importing some-
thing positive, which is the bent of these inclinations to what is evil. As,
for example, he that labours to express all the moral evil that is in pride,
and says no more of it but that it is a want of humility, would not express
all, though indeed physically, or in genere entiuni, it is but a mere privation ;
but this must be added, to shew the full evil of it in fjenere moraUam, that
it is an inordinate desire of exalting himself, and affecting some excellency
above his measure, which notes out a positive part, or rather an affirmative
part, as being in a positive subject to a positive object. And therefore all
the privations to which sin is compared, they are not mere privations, but
privations evilly disposing the subject they are in. As when it is compared
to leaven, the old leaven : 1 Cor. v, 6, 7, ' Know ye not that a little leaven
leaveneth the whole lump ? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may
be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.' Leaven is not only the want of that
right savour which should be in bread, and is naturally in it, but also a
positive sourness, which affects it, and makes it unsavoury. And as that is
physically thus, so is original sin morally ; for you shall find the Scripture
(which is the best herald to quarter out the coat of the old man, which is to
be put off) displaying the evil of it into these two several quarters and parts.
So if we look on those places which in general speak of it, Rom. iii. 9, 10
— he speaking of that common sinfulness that is in all, as those words
imply, * all under sin,' and this both in their natures, as infants in their
natures ; and lives, if living to years of discretion — he describes it,

1. Privatively. (1.) In their natures: that 'there is none righteous,'
ver. 10. (2.) In their lives : ' there is none that understands,' &c., ' none
that doth good ;' but are unprofitable, unserviceable, ver. 11, 12.

2. And then positively also, ver. 13-15. In their natural inclinations,
' open sepulchres,' full of rotten bones when opened ; their ' mouths full of
bitterness,' and ' poison is under their lips.' As also James saith, chap,
iii. 6, 8, that they are full of nothing but inclinations to ill (speaking then
within them, when they do not speak outwardly), and active inclinations
which are called a fire that man's nature is inflamed with, and which sets it
a-work. And so ' their feet are swift to shed blood,' ver. 15, which notes
out the natural readiness and aptness to run that way ; and therefore in
their lives there is much positive error committed, which he also describes,
' With their tongues they have used deceit.' And by the way, let me note

ClIAP. I.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT, 281

this unto yon, that the places the apostle here cites and applies to prove the
common sinfulness of man's nature, and this even by birth (for he speaks
of all), are yet, in the places where they are cited, some of them spoken but
of particular men, now as corrupted by actual sin, Ps. cxl. 3. That of
' poison is under their lips,' is spoken upon occasion of Doeg, and but of
persecutors only; that out of Isaiah lix. 7, 8, of 'feet swift to shed blood,'
is spoken but of the oppressors among the Jews ; which here I note only to
this purpose (though afterwards I shall use it to another), to stop that cavil
which some papists have raised against our divines, that many of those
places they bring to shew the corruption of our natures are spoken only of
men corrupted by actual sins. You see the apostle doth so argue, and well
may we ; for all that wickedness which is acted by particular men, is but
the expression of that sinfulness that is in all men. Col. i. 21. They are
not only said to be estranged as from the womb, from the life of God, as in
Eph. iv. 18, it is explained, but that their minds are become vain and set
on evil works. They are said to be in evil works, to note out their inclina-
tions to them, as a man is said to be in law.*

And as thus in general, so the corruption of particular faculties is both
privatively and positively expressed. (1.) Their wisdom : Jer. iv. 22, * For
my people is foolish, they have not known me ; they are sottish children,
and they have none understanding : they are wise to do evil, but to do good
they have no knowledge.' To do good they have no understanding; but
that is not all, they are wise to do evil. (2.) The inclination of the will and
aifections : Jex\ xxii. 17, ' But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy
covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for
violence, to do it.' Thy heart and eyes are not but for covetousness and op-
pression ; that is, the inclination and disposition is privately taken off from
all things that are good ; but for covetousness, to that it is inclined strongly
enough.

For reasons and grounds of this truth :

First, Consider that sin in general (consider it which way you will) hath
two such distinct evils in it, and so wheresoever it is to be found, both an
evil privative and positive, is to be found to make up the definition.

1. Consider it as it is a wrong to God, as he is the cbiefest good. Or,

2. As he is the supreme judge, and governor, and lawgiver; for sin wrongs
both ways, and so answerably hath two definitions of it, and both definitions
include these two evils in it.

1. As it is a wrong to God as the chiefest good: Jer. ii. 13, 'For my
people have committed two evils : they have forsaken me the fountain of
living waters, and have hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can
hold no water.' He defines it by two distinct evils in it: 1, a forsaking of
God the fountain, &c., which is merely privative; and, 2, a digging of pits,
&c. So the schoolmen also define it, that it is an aversion a summo bono,
et conversio indehita ad minus boniim. And these are two twins, that in
what womb soever the one is begotten the other is also. Though the one
is a consequent of the other, and takes the other by the heel, yet they are
never severed : no aversion from God, but joined with conversion to the crea-
ture ; no conversion thus to the creatui-e, but is accompanied with aversion
from God.

2. Take it as a wrong to God as lawgiver. So it is called and defined,
1 John iii. 4, dvo/xla, a transgression of laws. Now, every commandment
of God hath two parts inseparably conjoined : an affirmative, this you shall
do ; a negative, this you shall not do ; a precept and a prohibition. And as

* Qu. 'love'?— Ed.

282

AN UNREUENERATE MAn's GUILTIxNESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK YIII.

these always are conjoined in law, so in sinning, -which is the transgression
of the law. There is no failing in a precept, but is joined with jarring
against some prohibition ; for sin bidding contrary to law, hath two parts
also in it as that hath, only the breach of the negative part of the law makes
a positive part of sin ; the faihng in the affirmative part of the law makes
the privative part of sin, as two men standing opposite, the one's right hand
is against the other's left. Now, then, if sin, both ways considered, hath
two parts, and there so conjoined, as where one is the other is also ; then
original sin must have these two parts, since it is proved to be both a sin
and a law. A holy law was written once in our natures, and now sin is
written there : Jer. xvii. 1, ' The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron,
and with the point of a diamond ; it is graven upon the table of their heart,
and upon the horns of your altars.' And as the law had two parts when
written there, so sin hath now ; therefore the law of the members is called
contrary to the law of the mind, i. e. the law written in the mind : Rom. vii.
23, ' But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my
mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my
members.'

Seco)idhj, If we consider the subject of all sin, it is either our actions or
our inchnations. Now, in our actions these two parts are distinctly to be
considered, whence the distinction of omission and commission ariseth :
James iv. 17, ' Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not,
to him it is sin.' Mat. xxv. 42, ' For I was an hungered, and ye gave me
no meat ; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink.' There omission of
what they ought to have done is a sin. John viii. 34, ' Whosoever com-
mitteth sin is the servant of sin.' Ps. 1. 21, ' These things hast thou done,
and I kept silence : thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as
thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.'
Their doing what they ought not to have done is a sin. Now, if these two
parts are found in actions, then also in our inclinations or natures, which
consequence is proved by a double reason.

1. Because action is the child of inchnation : James i. 15, 'Then when
lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin ; and sin, when it is finished,
bringeth forth death.' Sin is said to be conceived, and to bring forth. An
act hath no sinfulness which it sucks not from within ; for what is in the
effect is in the cause, especially if it is begot as a child then it must be in
the same image.

2. Because the first sin of Adam, which was a sin of omission and com-
mission both, was the parent of original sin, as I have proved, and so begut
it in its likeness. As it was an aversion from God, it left us turned from
him ; as it was a conversion to the creature, it left us inclined to all acts of
commission : for John viii. 34, ' He that commits sin is the servant of it.'
It binds over his nature to its service by positive inclinations as indentures.

Use. If there be two parts in sin, then consider that true sanctification
must have two parts also, for sanctification is opposite to sinfulness. There-
fore, if you have learned Christ, as the truth is in Jesus, you have learned
first to put off the old man, and then to put on the new. And as in your
natures, so also in your lives, it is not enough to cease to do evil, but we
must learn to do well ; so in your hearts, it is not enough for a man to have
good motions, but he must also have his lusts mortified. There is now a
kind of half religion, a negative and dough-baked religion in the world, as
the prophet calls it, which hath not two parts in it as sin hath ; as civil
men cease to do any man hurt, but they set not themselves to do good duties.
Many men when they have their consciences terrified, they have their lusts

Chap. II.] in kespect of sin and punishment. 283

deadecl for a while, but yet they have not their hearts quickened to tliat
which is good. But such must know that if sin hath two parts, then sancti-
tication must have two parts also, both in your natures and lives. You
must not only cease to add sin to sin, but you must add grace to grace :
2 Peter i. 5, 'And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue,'
&c. And you must also have a justitiuatiou that hath two parts, for if the
disease hath two parts, then so must the remedy have also, or else it will do
you no good ; as if a physician should bring you a potion, and you drink but
half, it would do you no good. Now, God hath appointed for a remedy the
righteousness of Christ, not only his death to take away sin, but also you
must have his active righteousness imputed for the cleansing of your corrupt
nature. You must take down the whole potion, and a whole Christ, not
only whereby he takes away sin, but also that we may be made righteous by
him ; and if your sanctihcation and justification here hath not two parts,
then in the world to come punishment will have two parts : as 2 Thes. i. 7-9,
' When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels,
in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey
not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ; who shall be punished with ever-
lasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his
power.' There is a separation from the presence; of God ; there is the pri-
vative part. You shall be kept in close prison, and have not so much as a
drop of water or a beam of light ; and you shall be positively punished also
by the wrath of God for ever. Therefore, get the whole remedy, be not con-
tent only with this, to abstain from evil, but also to have your hearts carried
on and inclined to God and his ways. There are many men have good
motions in them, but yet the thorns grow up and choke them. There is
vivification without mortification, and so they are in everything partial.

CHAPTER II.

This positive part of the sinfulness of nature is not the very substance of the
soul, as Flaccus lUijricus asserted, but the corrupt lust of it. — These lusts or
desires in man in his original frame were right. — Wherein consisted (heir
rectitude. — That we should examine ourselves whether this be restored in vs
or not.

II. Having shewn by Scripture and reason that sin, in what subject soever,
hath these two parts, privative and positive, distinctly to be considered, now
it remains I should, in the second place, explain both what is to be under-
stood by that which divines call the positive part of original sin, which con-
sists in lusts, and to shew wherein lies their sinfulness, and to prove them
to be sins. For the thing itself, what should be meant by the positive part.
Some expound it to be the very substantial nature of man, turned or trans-
formed substantially into the image of the devil ;* that as Christ is the substan-
tial image of his Father, so our nature is the substantial image of the devil,t
misalleging this text to their purpose, because it is called the old man, so as
original sin is, according to you, the man himself. But this expression is most
gross and absurd, for then it could not be said of Christ, as it is Heb. ii.
15, 16, that he took not on him the nature of angels, but the seed of
Abraham, and in all things was made like us, sin only excepted, as else-
where it is expressed : Heb. iv. 15, ' For we have not an high priest, which
cannot be touched with the feeling of infirmities ; but was in all points tempted
* Flaccus lllyricus; Demonstrat essent. imag. Dei et diaboli, p C7.
f Idem de peccato originali.

284 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

like as we are, yet without sin.' Christ had been eripouffiog with us, not of
the same nature, if the substance of our nature was sin, for he had none of
that ; and whereas sin is called the old man, it notes out only that it is seated
in the whole man, and covers it as a garment, and informs it. As that part
of the stocking that covers the foot is called the foot, that which covers the
leg is called the leg, so this, covering a man as a garment to be pat off, is
called the man.

But that which you see the apostle doth express this positive corruption
by is iTidvfMiai t-Jjs acrarjjj, therefore it is not the substance of man's nature,
but the lusts of it ; and those also not taken simply in their nature, but as
having an dffar/j, or abberration in them, do make up that corruption of the
old man, which makes the positive part of our sinfuluess.

And whereas some have thought this but a part of that corruption, sig-
nifying only the corruption of the will and affection as the proper seat of
lust ; and also fit rather to express the actual motions thereof, which are
usually termed lusts, than the radical inclination, and so think this to be too
scant a word to express the positive part of sin ; I will therefore, first, shew
that the word Inst is largely taken, and so to be understood here for the
habitual inclinations, and that of all the faculties, understanding also ; and so
therefore inadequately to express the positive corruption of the whole man.

1. I say, by lusts here the apostle would have us understand the habi-
tual inclinations and dispositions of the mind ; for though indeed ordinarily
the word he used is taken for those first actual movings and desires of the
heart towards some object it is inclined unto, yet here the apostle speaks
not of the actual corruption of the old man only, so much as of habitual
corruption, which is the root and spring of ail, as I shewed afore; and, there-
fore, by these lusts here, in regard of which the old man is said to be thus
habitually corrupted, must needs be understood the habitual inclinations and
dispositions of the mind, which are the cause of all the actual stirrings and
lustings of the heart, and the principle of them, as the poise or weights are
of the movings of the wheels in a clock ; so that as all the faculties of the
soul were made continually to move and stir, so there are several inclina-
tions annexed to each of them, which are as weights continually to act them ;
and their inclinations are here called lusts, as well as the first motions them-
selves ; and so the word s'^nh/xia, in the general acceptation of it, is that
whereby ^vftog (p's^srat siri is carried, or is apt to be carried or moved, to-
wards something : James i. 14, ' But every man is tempted, when he is
drawn away of his owm lust, and enticed.' There lust is made the principal
of all the motions of the soul ; he calls it, being drawn or moved by his own
lust, as a clock by its weights ; so that there is no act in any faculty, but
some inclination or lust is the cause of it, for we can stir to nothing to which
we have not an inclination. And so of all sins that bring forth death,
ver. 15, as also of all the corruption that is in the world, 2 Pet. i. 4, lust is
the womb and root ; so also all that is in the world is said to be lust :
1 John ii. 16, ' For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the
lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world.'

2. By lusts here, he intends to signify and import all the positive incli-
nations of what kind soever, which any faculty hath in it, to move or stir to
whatsoever act it doth put forth ; for here he speaks of the whole man, as
I shewed before ; and therefore lusts, as here taken, are the inclinations of
every faculty in man, and therefore are not to be limited here to the inferior
faculties — affections and will — but to the superior also — the understanding,
memory, judgment ; which to be his meaning is evident, because, in ver. 23,

Chap. II.] in rkspect of sin and punishment. 285

speaking of renewing, and so putting off these corrupt lusts, he instances
only in spirit of the mind, as implying that this is the seat of these corrupt
lusts, as well as will and affections ; and, indeed, the Scripture is clear for
this, for, Eph. ii. 3, where, first speaking in general of the corrupt inclina-
tions and lustings of man's nature, in those words, ' Having our conversa-
tion in lusts of the flesh,' that is, corrupt nature, he subdivides these lusts in
regard of their subjects unto the wills, ^iX7i/j,ara, of the flesh, that is, the
inferior part of the soul, the affections ; and tuv diocvoiuv, of the discoursing,
reasoning, and thinking power ; for reason tells us that the understanding,
memory, &c., have their inclinations or lusts to move, rather to this than
that object, or against this towards that ; rather to think of some things,
and entertain parley, and admit them to it, than other things. Whence
comes this, but that the understanding hath its inclinations or lusts as well
as will, &c. ? So Paul saith, 1 Cor. ii. 2, ' For I determined not to know any
thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.' And if the under-
standing hath sins come from it, then also lusts ; for, James i. 14, 15, lust
is the cause of all sin ; and so in Gal. v. 17, &c., heresies, sins of under-
standing, are reckoned amongst the lusts of the flesh.

3. Because all these positive inclinations which are in the soul to move,
are in themselves, barely considered, good, created by God, as well as the
faculties themselves ; for power of motion is a creature, and, therefore, so
cannot be said to be a part of original corruption. Therefore, to shew you
how they came to be a part of original corruption, and of the old man,
he tells you, that now since the fall there is an aberration in all those incli-
nations ; for he calls tiiem lusts, r^; aTruTrj:, that is, that they incline and
set us out of our way, viz. that right way they at first were set in by God ;
for, Eccles. vii. 29, God made them right, put a virtue into them to move us
to him, as iron doth to a loadstone ; now these inclinations or lusts have lost
their virtue, and so, though still they move us, yet i/c TYjg vdrri;, out of the
way : and so, James i. 14, a man is said to be i^iX-/.6n,iw:, by his lust,
drawn from what is right, God and all goodness ; and by the poise of these
inclinations thus wanting, viz, that first virtue to guide them right, we are
carried to all evil ; for sin is but an aberration, James v. 20, and in this
regard they are said to be corrupt ; and so now these positive inclinations
having this aberration in them, are said to be a part of the old man.

Now follows the chiefest thing : and indeed the difficultest we have to do
in the opening of this point, is truly to explain and represent unto us a
description of those lusts of man, as set wrong, as they fully thus express
all that positive sinfulness that is in man's nature. Three things are to be
done in it.

And, 1st, because sTidv/z^ia, lust, in a general and common acceptation, is
used to express the desires and inclinations of man's mind in innocency, and
as now renewed by grace, as well as the corrupt desires of the old man ; for
it is spoken of Christ, Luke xxii. 15, ' And he said unto them, With desire
I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer,' sTidv/xia. Its^u-
/ATjffa. And, Gal. v. 17, the spirit is said to lust against the flesh ; and,
therefore, for distinction's sake. Col. iii. 5, it is called an inordinate affection,
and evil concupiscence, implying that there are good lusts as well as evil ;
and so here it is sTr/^u/i/a/ a.'jra.rrig, implying there are lusts set right as well
as wrong ; therefore it is necessary to shew you the nature of lusts in com-
mon, as they are natural in a man's mind, considered as neither holy nor
sinful, and the grounds of them.

And, 2dly, having understood the common nature of them, because rec-
turn est index ohliqui, we will inquire what was the rectitude of the lusts of

286 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

man's nature at first creation, in the state of innocency, and wherein it con-
sisted, and what was the ground of it.

And then, Sdly, the way will be clearly laid to shew the crookedness, obli-
quity, and warring of these lusts, spoken of here, when called rr^s aTrdrrig,
and also the grounds of it.

1. Lust in the common acceptation, as the genm of good and bad, rege-
nerate and unregenerate desires, signify nothing but the inclination, power,
or readiness of the mind, or any faculty of it, to move to some good thing
ac^reeable to it ; so the word ^u/zog It/, a mind to a thing, doth import.
For the mind of man, and all the faculties of it, being a most active thing,
and ordained never to lie still, but to be conversant about something or
other, as the heavens and spheres thereof in the great world ; so the soul
(whereof the heavens are an emblem), and the several spheres thereof, do
always move, and the mind, more nimbly than they, coursing from one end
of heaven to another in an instant. Now the mind of man being thus active,
must needs be full of inclinations or proneness thns to act ; for that which
provokes it, and puts it on in any motion to any object, is a proneness and
an inclination it hath to it ; for as the reason why a stone moves down-
ward, is because it hath a propenseness and inclination downward, so in
like reason that any faculty moves thus about any object, is from an inward
proneness and inclination to such a motion ; for that which in beasts and
dead things we call an inclination or instinct, in man, being a reasonable
creature, we call lust ; so the proneness that is in the mind of man to muse
and think upon truth, as agreeing with it, is lust, sTi^u/zia ; the inclination
in the will to choose what is good, is i-^ridv/Mia. And the ground of this ac-
tiveness, and, consequently, of those many inclinations in man's mind, is
because man's mind was ordained to receive its happiness, comfort, and
well-being from things out of itself : Ps. iv. 6, ' Who will shew us any good ?'
Which that, therefore, it might attain, and continually preserve, it must act
continually, and move towards some object or other agreeable to it, for its
life and happiness was to come in by it ; and, consequently, it having all its
well-being from conjunction with other things by action or motion, in itself,
then, it must needs be nothing but lusts, inclination, and longing after some
thing agi'eeable to it, which might still whet it on to action ; as the sto-
mach having its nourishment and sustenance from what is agreeable to
itself, you see in itself it is nothing but appetite, and so are all faculties,
empty" beggars dependent ; God being only duTdo^Tii, both spring and cis-
tern of his own happiness : and so you have what lusts are, and the grounds
of them.

The second thing to be explained is, wherein consists that rectitude or
riiditness of these inclinations of mankind, wherein it was fu-st created,
Eccles. vii. 29, and whereof this acraDj, wickedness, of the lusts of corrupt
nature is the privation, and that is explained by three things.

1. God being the chiefest good, in whom true and right happiness is only
fi)und, and man's mind being created for God, then one part of that rec-
titude of his lusts or inclinations was, that they were carried with the joint
stream of them to him as their chiefest good and most agreeable to them.
For he being indeed the chiefest good, in all equity and right he only was
worthy to have all man's desires carried to him ; therefore the law, which
is a rule that rectitude was a conformity unto, says, Luke x. 27, ' Love the
Lord with all thy heart ;' and Mark xii. 33, sk rrig truvsasug, ' with all thy
mind ;' and so with the joint stream of all, else they swerve from the rule
which is most right and equal. And this may be added, seeing that even the
law itself, and the inclinations we have, are from God, good reason they

Chap. II.j in respect of sin and punishment. 287

should be carried to God. So the apostle reasons, 1 John iv. 7, why our
love should be bestowed on our neighbour, because love is of God ; and he
commands it to bo thus placed above all upon himself. Yet this is not all,
but further also,

2. God being the chiefest good, must needs also be the chiefest end, for
bonum et finis convertuntur. And man being a creature whose inclinations
were to be swayed by some end propounded, therefore to this rectitude fur-
ther there was required that they should be carried to him, not chiefly for
the happiness that was to be had by him, but to glorify him as God, other-
wise they had warped from that rectitude which was requisite in them, for
the law saith simply, * Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, but thy
neighbour as thyself;' of loving God there is no ref/ula, or rule. And also
had it been for pleasure as the chiefest end, it had respected a creature above
God, and that is unequal ; for all things are by him, therefore for him : Col.
i. 16, 'All things were created by him, and for him;' iii. 23, 'And what-
soever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men,'

3. Whereas he was inclined towards other things besides God, yet his great
and chief inclination was to God; for as God had made him under himself,
as therefore he was capable of the goodness which was in God, so above all
worldly creatures else he was lord of all, God making all for him as a sub-
ordinate end, and therefore made him the last ; and therefore he endued him
with such a nature as was so suited and disposed as it might receive and taste
of all the goodness which God, as the stamps of his own goodness, had dis-
persed over all the world ; yet still so as man was principally to regard God
as his chiefest good, and also chiefest end. And therefore a third thing to
be considered in that rectitude is a consequent of the other, that though his
inclinations carried him to other things, yet in subordination to God, as his
only chief good and utmost end, who made both them and him, and both
for himself, he was so to desire other things as they are ordained for him.
Now, they were ordained for him, but as to a subordinate end, and for him
to receive but a subordinate good from them ; and therefore that first recti-
tude must needs also lie in this, that he desired them in subordination to
God, which subordination lies in three things.

First, That his inclinations were carried to none of these with equal prone-
ness or affection as unto his God, nothing being so good as he, and therefore
rothing so suitable to him ; and therefore he inclined to nothing so much as
unto God. And if his rectitude lay in making God the chiefest good, then
he could desire nothing in comparison of him ; as David, Ps. Ixxiii. 25,
' Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I
desire besides thee.'

Secondly, His inclinations were carried to nothing contrary to God, or
unto anything he would or did forbid, to no unlawful pleasure. Man in no-
thing thwarted his law or command, which follows upon the other, viz. that
he made God his chiefest end ; he inclined to nothing therefore that should
thwart God's glory and sovereignty over him.

And lastly, all his inclinations were carried to other things, only as helps
and means to make him partake further of God, as all the goodness in the
creatures were, that therein he might read and behold the goodness of God
the more clearly and fully.

1. For example, the speculative understanding of Adam in innocency (to
instance in that which seems to have nothing of lust in it) was inclined to
know God, and to think and muse of him as the prime and chiefest, fairest
and only satisfying, object thereof.

2. And this not so much for the pleasure of contemplation (which of all

288 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

other is the sweetest), but chiefly to exalt, admire, and fall down before him,
and adore him in every thought of him as his chiefest end.

3. And whereas he understood, and was to think and study and view every
creature, yet in subordination to him ; as,

(1.) To think of nothing with that dearness, welcoming the contemplation of
none of them so as of his God, as being the only fair object that ever his eye
beheld ; though as God, so he, did see that all things were exceeding good.
Gen. i. 31, yet as not worthy to be looked on the same day with God himself.

(2.) Much less to entertain or hold interview in any liking with the thought
that tended to his dishonour.

(3.) And though other things allowed him to exercise his thoughts about
them, yet to this end only, as means to let him see and know, and knowing,
to love his God the more, to see him in all things, as in every creature then
he did ; and to admire still his wisdom, power, &c., in all.

The ground of this rec^Jtude. What was it carried his inclinations, and
guided them thus right ? It was, 1st, the image of God stamped upon them,
wherein at first he was created. Gen. i. 27 ; Col. iii. 10, ' And have put on
the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him.' This active principle of motion, his inclination I mean, was
touched with a magnetical virtue, or a divine nature, which bended thus
unto God, as the virtue of the loadstone doth the needle unto the north, and
so it is called a divine nature, 2 Peter i. 4. Now, this being the image or
likeness to God, must needs carry all to him, as most agreeable to him; for
shuile convenit, appetit, (laudet sbnili, every like delights and rejoices in what
is like to itself.

2dly, It being the image of God's holiness ; as Col. iii. 10, ' And have put
on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him ;' Eph. iv. 24, ' And that ye put on the new man, which after
God is created in righteousness and true holiness.' It being thus the image
of God in holiness, must needs carry all to him as the chiefest end, and for
his glory principally. For what is God's holiness but this, that he makes
himself his end ? And if this did not advance our inclinations also to this
end, it were not holiness, nor could be called his image. And,

3dly, It must carry the man to all other things in subordination to God ;
for if this drew him out to God as his chiefest good, then it kept all in
compass, from being drawn out to anything else equally as to him, and then
averted all from what was contrary to his glory, which was man's utmost
end ; and then turned him unto all things which subserved this end, thereby
to glorify him the more.

Use. Try then whether this rectitude be begun again in any of your hearts,
yea or no : it being the same image renewed in a regenerate man in part,
which was in Adam at first.

1. If it be renewed in you, then all your inclinations and proneness of the
soul will carry all to God as your chiefest good, and to fellowship with him
as your chiefest happiness ; as David says, ' Whom have I in heaven but
thee, and in earth, in comparison of thee ?' Ps. Ixxiii. 25. No thoughts will
be so welcome as those about God, no hours pass with more contentment,
than those wherein you enjoy fellowship with God. All your soul will be
knit to him, as David's was : Ps. Ixxxvi. 11, ' Teach me thy way, 0 Lord, I
will walk in thy truth ; unite my heart to fear thy name.' But it will be
out of joint, and so distempered ; it will be out of the centre of its rest, and
so will gravitate, and be heavy and sad, as all things are that have a prone-
ness downward ; or it will be as the needle in a compass, which, though
joggled wrong, yet would still stand due north.

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 289

2. If this rectitude of your inclinations be restored, then all within will
act for God as the chiefest end. As you will desire to know nothing in com-
parison of him, as St Paul says, 1 Cor. ii. 3, Philip, iii. 8, 9, so chiefly to set
him up thereby ; the want of which was the Gentiles' sin, Rom. i. 21, and
so it will elevate all your inclinations ; as, supposing that ho might have more
glory by your separation from him, as the chiefest good, and so you lose
that comfoi'table fellowship with him, yet this rectitude would sway all
your desires to God's glory, as Paul's were : E.om. ix. 3, ' For I could wish that
myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according
to the flesh.'

Lastly, Though your inclinations carry you to act other things whilst in
this life, in callings and recreations, &c., yet so will grace and the power there-
of sway all within in some measure, as when anything is propounded, though
never so pleasant, that is contrary unto God, it will stir up such a kind of
inclination or lusting against it, as you by sin have to it : Gal. v. 17, ' For
the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh : and these
are contrary the one to the other ; so that ye cannot do the things that ye
would.' The spirit lusteth against the flesh : conscience will not only for-
bid, and stir up fear against it, but grace will stir up inclinations, and those
of hatred and dislike against it ; and though all be carried towards other
things lawful, yet to this end, to advance God in all. In eating and drink-
ing, and in all inchnations, we shall look that way ; for this end it will season,
guide, moderate, and elevate them all to glorify God in all, as Paul says, 1 Cor.
X. 36 ' Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to
the glory of God.'

CHAPTEE III.

How our inclinations and desires lost that rectitude with which at first they
were created. — WJierein the sinfulness of our lusts consists. — That all our in-
clinations and desires are not onhj averted from God, hut turned to all things
besides him, and carried out after them, as our chiefest good. — That we make
ourselves, and pleasing ourselves, our utmost end. — 27uit loe delight in things
contrary to (Jod, in things that are evil. — That we should take notice of the
vileness and baseness of our natures in all this.

If you ask me how our inclinations, pointed or touched with this rectitude,
come to lose it ? this continued similitude may help to convey it to your
minds, though not fully answering in all, as none do. God launched man
into this world, as one of his navy-royal, though empty of itself of happi-
ness, yet bound to that right haven where it was to be had, viz., God him-
self : furnished to that end with an understanding as a factor, to deal for
God even in seeking its own good ; with a will as a rudder, to be guided by
the understanding, and so steer aright ; with an active principle to move
itself without either wind or tide, if steered aright, to that port. To direct
all in which voyage, God furnished him also with a needle and compass, his
image or divine nature, informing all, still looking God-ward, as a mariner's
compass doth northward, which had he steered by, he had certainly come to
the true haven, and there rested for ever. But this merchant, apprehend-
ing a possibility of making a better voyage at another port than this needle
directed and pointed him unto, he jogs and moves the rudder of his will
wrong, by reason that though that inclination at first had set it right,

VOL. X. T

290 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFOBE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

yet go as it was moveable, and free to turn the other way, and so he did.
As a punishment of which error, that needle lost its virtue, was deprived of
God's image, and that rectitude wherein at tirst it was created, and now turns
every way, as man's inclinations do, but only the right : and he now sailing
by this which now whirls every way, arrives sometimes at the port of honour,
sometimes of riches, as the needle turns, and his lusts, now set wrong, do
guide him ; and though freedom of will still remains, so as he may turn the
rudder this way or that way, yet so as never more unto the right ; and as
such a needle and compass may be called deceitful, or r^c a^ar;;? ; so also
are man's inclinations now in the same sense. But this is but a similitude.

Now to shew you wherein this a^^rar?;, or aberration lies ; as I said before,
it is easily discovered, if you review but wherein the rectitude lay. For con-
ceive but the clean contrary to be now in them to that their first rectitude,
and you have the main essentials wherein this aberration lies ; I say the
essentials, because the aggravations of their sinfulness and aberration is after-
wards to be added in the second place. I will first give you the entire
description of the irrectitude of them, with all the severals of it set together ;
which, secondly, I will take in pieces, and handle by themselves.

First, For the entire description of it, it hes in this, that now all the in-
clinations and lustings of man's mind are not only taken ofi', and clean averted
from God, as their chiefest good and utmost end, but also are prone to be
carried to anything besides God, as more agreeable to them, and as their
chiefest good, yea, and to all things most contrary unto God, merely to please
themselves, as their utmost end ; and which is more also, they^re prone to
carry and move all in man's mind against God, and all that tend to reduce
and bring them right to God again. This is the description of it in the
gross. Let us view the parts of it, which are three, expressed in three words,
aversa, conversa, adversa : aversion from God ; conversion to all things else,
yea, to what is contrary to him ; and adverseness to all that might turn us
to God again ; whereof one hangs and depends upon, and is a consequent of
the other, as you will see afterwards.

1st. All our inclinations now are turned away from God; and in this
regard they are called ungodly lusts: Jude 18, ' How that they told you,
there shall be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own
ungodly lusts,' rojv da^iixv. So as now, when any inclination or lust stirs
in us, it doth draw us away, as James says, chap. i. 14, or as in the original,
B^iAKo/jAvog, draw out of its natural place appointed for it. Now, the natural
centre of our souls, both when our greatest rest and dehght of mind was in
God, as in our chiefest good, and the utmost end of all our actions and
motions, was God, whom David calls his rest ; Ps. cxvi. 7, ' Return, 0 my
soul, unto thy rest ;' out of which now our inclinations or lusts draw and
hale us, and cause us to depart from the living God,' Heb. iii. 12 ; to ' draw
back from him,' Heb. x. 38. And then follows the other, which is OEXsa^o-
/Mivo;, to carry us to some bait of pleasure elsewhere, as in James i. 14.
And as the rectitude of our inclinations had two main pai'ts, to cany us to,
and rest in God as our chiefest good and chiefest end, so these lusts turn
us away fi'om God in both regards.

1. From him as the chiefest good to be delighted in; so that place in Jer.
ii. 13 is principally to be understood, forsaking God as the fountain of
living waters ; for he is so called, as being the fresh continual spring of
happiness and comfort. So that now a man cannot delight in him, nor in the
thoughts of him, or communion with him, or anything that relisheth of his
holiness, because now he wants that image of his that made us like him ;
and so, gaudere simili, to rejoice in what is like. So that it may be said of

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 201

all men what is said in Job xxvii. 10, ' Will he delight himself in the Al-
mighty ? Will he always call upon God ?'

2. They are turned from making him their chiefcst end. So doth that
speech of men corrupted in Job argue, chap. xxi. 15, 'What is the Almighty,
that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray untO'
him '? ' Now, to serve him, is to make him our end in all our actions,,
and to do all for his advantage and profit. Now they acknowledge no such
service due to him in deed and in truth, though in words they may, Titus i. IG.
For they have made profit and advantage to themselves their end, and there-
fore serve God but to that end ; for it follows in Job xxi. 15, ' If we pray,
what profit shall we have ?'

2d. But this is indeed but the privative part of their aberration, and I shewed
it when I handled the ungodliness of our natures. And we have now to do
only with their positive aberration, which is the consequent of this, and
which lies in two main parts, whereof the one is the consequent of the other.

(1.) An inordinate conversion to other things, joined

(2.) With a positive averseness or lusting against God ; for that is to be
added as an appendix and consequent of the former. So that as the priva-
tive part of our sinfulness had two parts, as I shewed out of Rom. v. 6, so
also hath the positive sinfulness of our inclinations, in that we are called
sinners, ver. 8; and also enemies, ver. 10 ; namely, as we have an inclina-
tion to sin, so against what is good, which is th« second thing we have now
in hand.

First, then, to speak of the aberration of our lusts, not only as averted
from God, but converted to other things inordinately, which is the fii'st part
positive. That they were prone to be carried to anything besides God as
more agreeable to them, and a chief good, yea, and to all things most con-
trary to God, merely to please themselves as their utmost end. So that
whereas, as I told you- before, man's inclinations, whilst right, are inclined
to other good things besides God, created for man's comfort, yet so as,

First, To nothing equally to him, making him still the chiefest good..
Now, many inclinations are carried to all those things rather than to him>.
so as to make them their chiefest good.

Secondly, Whereas before, though they were carried out to other things,
they still made God the utmost end in all ; now they are carried out to all
other things agreeable to them, to please themselves, as their utmost end.

Thirdhj, And whereas they were carried out whilst right, only to good
things, and in this subordinate manner also ; now they are carried out thus
inordinately to things simply evil, such as God never created, but foi'bids
and hates, viz. all manner of sins whatever.

To demonstrate these three particulars to you.

First, Man's inclinations are carried to anything but God as his chiefest
good, and finds more pleasure in anything than in God ; why else is it said,
2 Tim. iii. 2, ' For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy ;' that is, of
pleasures which are to be had out of him, more than those which are to be
had in him, as the opposition shews ? Why else is it said, Eccles. vii. 29,
' Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright ; but they
have sought out many inventions,' i. e. man having lost that rectitude which
he was created in, he seeks out many inventions? which carries this meaning
with it, that the soul being put ofl:' of God to delight in, is now fain to seek to
go up and down all the world for pleasure ; yea, and so hard it is to come by,
so unsatisfactory all vain things here below are ; and therefore are men so
often put to shifts that they are fain to use their wits, as men tlat live a

292 AN UNREGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

sharking life by their wits, to find out new inventions, to get pleasure from
that which God never created; from envy, murder, &c., which he never
ordained, nor came into his heart to ordain ; as he says of that invention of
sacrificing their children to Moloch, Jer. vii. 30; and content they are to
seek, and go all the world over, as the Israelites, for straw and stubble, for
fuel for their pleasures, and will bring new strange inventions into the
world rather than go to God, to the land of Canaan flowing with milk and
honey. They are willing to dig for water all the earth over, as it is said,
Jer. ii. 13, to look for comfort in the creature, where they are not sure to
find it, rather than go to the spring and fountain where it is to be had. So
long as they can have but an husk, though empty of the kernel of true
happiness, yet, as the prodigal would have been contented with them, and
not have gone home to his father, where was bread enough, Luke xv. IG,
so also they will be satisfied with anything rather than go to God ; all which
shews they are carried to anything rather than to God. Neither is there
any comfort so poor, mean, and contemptible, which a man's soul will not
stoop to, and inclinations prey upon it, rather than return to God. They
will transgress for pieces of bread, Ezek. xiii. 19 ; they will leap like dogs
at a crust ; they will sin even for old shoes : Amos ii. 6, ' Thus saith the
Lord, For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away
the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the
poor for a pair of shoes ;' that is, they will do wickedly for trifling pleasures,
things of no worth in comparison, so the Scripture speaks of them ; which
shews that anything^ though never so mean, they prefer before God and
happiness in him.

And which is to be added as an appendix of the irrectitude to discover
it, they are carried to these things as their chiefest good. So the rich man
is brought in, saying to his soul, ' Go, take thine ease in thy goods laid up
for many years.' As if he should have said, Here is all the comfort thou
art lik-e to enjoy, and as many years as these last thou shalt do well enough.
So also are the*^ epicures : 1 Cor. xv. 32, ' Eat and drink, for to-morrow we
shall die.' As if they had reasoned thus, Take it out, whilst you may, as
much as y-ou can, for you are not like to stay long by it; therefore these
worldly enjoyments are called wicked men's dainties, Ps. cxli. 4, as being
the sweetest bit they desire ; their treasure, Mat. vi. 19, as the choicest of
things they care for ; their god, Philip, iii. 19, which they set up in that
room, which God once had in them, to be the fountain of their happiness ;
and therefore they are called, as idolaters. Col. iii. 5, Eph. v. 5, so adulterers,
James iv. 4, as placing that aflection on the world, and things of it, that they
should fix upon God as their husband chiefly to be dehghted in ; and they
use that that is their chiefest good, which they ought to use as a servant
only: 1 Cor. vii. 30, 31, ' And they that weep, as though they wept not ;
and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and they that buy, as
though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it:
for the fashion of this world passeth away.' This is the first part of that
irrectitude in our lusts, which is, as Augustine* says, vtmdis velle fmi, to
seek to enjoy chief happiness in those things we should but use.

The second thing wherein the inordinate aberration of our lusts, in regard
of their conversion to other things besides God, lies, is that as they are
carried thus to them, as their chiefest good, so also merely for pleasure or
self-love's sake as the utmost end ; which is an aberration from that mark
they were first aimed at, and ordained to carry their actions to. For where-
as God, the author of all, had made the soul for action, and ordained all its
* August, de Trinit. lib, x. cap. 10.

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 293

actions to his glory, as their end and pleasure (which accompanies their
motions, when conversant about things agreeable to them), only as the oil to
the wheel to further action, to make it move the more nimblj' and cheerfully
about, without retardation and trouble ; and as sauce to ntir up appetite, and
whet on a little our inclinations ; so as pleasure was but a subordinate thing
to our actions and inclinations, as they also to God's glory. Now for
pleasure to be made the ultimate end of all, what a confusion is this ! such
an error as Solomon saw in states, Eccles. x. 6, 7, to exalt the servant to be
above his master. Now, that our lusts are thus inordinate in regard of their
end, also appears by that in James iv. 3, ' Ye ask, and receive not, because
ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.' He challenge th
them of an irrectitude in their lusts, not only in making the things of the
world in the place of a husband, or the chief good, ver. 4, but in the end
of seeking them. Ye seek amiss, that is, to a wrong end, to spend it on
your pleasures; so the word in the original, sv raTc r,bova7g, and so it is in
the margin varied, as noting out the final cause, as Beza notes, for s/c rdg
r,hovag ; and Titus iii. 3, they are said to serve lusts and pleasures, pleasure
being the business the lust aims at, and useth actions as the^bawd to bring
them together ; and therefore the great aberration which God at the latter
days shall punish (James v. 3, 5 compared) is, that they had lived in
pleasure, aimed at nothing else in their lives but to please themselves, and
to nourish their own hearts, and feed them fat ; and therefore the rule God
goes by in punishing is this, so much pleasure, so much torment : Rev.
xviii. 7, ' How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciouslv, so much
torment and sorrow given her : for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and
am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.' And why doth God go by this rule,
but because pleasure is the utmost end which caused men in all actions to
err? Now when I say, pleasure is made their utmost end, it is all one as
if I should say, Thej^ make themselves their utmost end ; that is, all man's
inclinations carrj' him to move, or to act nothing which doth not please him-
self, advance and profit himself some way ; yea, and otherwise he hath no
inclination to stir one jot, to bring any glorj' to God, or to do any man the
greatest good in the world, otherwise than it some way reflects on himself,
and for to advance himself; otherwise he cares not if all the world, God and
Christ, heaven and earth, should perish, as Judas did not, and the devil doth
not, whose lusts we have in us, John viii. 44 ; I say, it is self-love, and
pleasing ourselves is that which guides all ; and indeed these two are all one.
And 2 Tim. iii. 2, reckoning up a bead-roll of evils should abound in men's
lives in the last days, that which he brings in as the captain of this army,
in the beginning or forefront, that rules them all, and they stir not with-
out his command, is self-love, ' men shall be lovers of themselves;' and that
which he brings in as the captain's lieutenant at the end, is the ' loving of
pleasures ;' so as you see they are all one, and have the same rule in the
heart. And so predominant shall that end be in them to please themselves,
that they shall break all bands of friendship, society, nature, grace, and do
any mischief but to please themselves. As now, whereas men are tied in
dearest bonds to parents, and to please them all they may, to whom they
owe their lives, yet to please themselves they care not to become disobedient
to them, ver. 2. And whereas nature ties us strongly to our children, to
love them, and do them all the good we can, if so that at any time their
good reflects not on ourselves some way, it makes us without natural afiec-
tion, ver. 3. If we have bound ourselves never so strongly in covenant to
others, yet if we shall receive such a damage by it, as is not helped some
other way, in credit, &c., we prove truce breakers ; if tied in civil society,

294 AN UNKEGENERA.TE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOBE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

and common bond of superiors, for good of the whole, we prove traitors
■when it is for our advantage, so as no right or ties of obligation can hold us;
and if we deal thus with men, we care not to blaspheme God, ver. 2, and
live ungodlj, and despise those that are good, &c., for every man seeks his
own things, Philip, ii. 21. And as true love of God seeks not its own,
1 Cor. xiii. 5, so self-love only their own: Isa Ivi. 11, 12, 'They all look
to their own way, every one to his gain.' And with this principle are our
lusts now wholly guided and inspired, being indeed but branches of that
great vena cava, and therefore are called our own ungodly lusts, Jude 18, as
making God no longer, but ourselves, our chief end ; and therefore on the other
side too, denying of ourselves, and mortifying our lusts, is the same thing.

Now then, the third thing wherein the aberration of our lusts are turned
to other things, lies in this, that they are carried out thus inordinately, even
to take pleasure in things contrary unto God, which are simply evil, whereas,
when right, they were carried out only to good things of this life, still in
subordination ; but now there is an inclination not to make riches, honours,
&c., our chiefest good, but that which.is truly and simply wickedness : 1 Cor.
X. 6, ' Lusting after evil things ; ' 2 Thes. ii. 12, ' Pleasure in unrighteous-
ness,' as envy, lying, murder, blasphemy, &c. So you read, James iv., that
men's lusts carry them out, not only to good things of the world, as chiefest
good, vers. 2-4, but ' lusteth,' ver. 5, ' after envy,' &c., that is, to repine at
the good of another, as Christ describes it. Mat. xx. 15, our eye being evil,
because God is good to another. So Rachel envied Leah, she being barren,
Gen. XXX. 3, so that she would have her husband defile his maid, that Leah
might not have all the children, though she still should have none. And as
men repine at the good of another, so rejoice at the hurt also ; so Edom,
Obadiah 12, rejoiced over Jerusalem in the day of their destruction; and
Ezek. XXV. 6, stamped with the feet, clapped the hands, shews all signs of
joy, and rejoiced in soul, and manifested all despite against the land of
Israel. And a man comforts himself in revenging himself upon another in
the gi-eatest discomforts ; so Esau, Gen. xxvii. 42, when disconsolate for the
loss of his birthright, yet comforted himself that he would be revenged on
Jacob, yea, and bears this long in mind ; as Edom, Ezek. xxv. 15, to
destroy it for old or perpetual hatred ; 3'ea, and this also, when there is no
real cause given : Ps. xxxv. 19, ' Let not mine enemies wrongfully rejoice
over me, that hate me without a cause,' and would wink with their eyes if
any evil befel him. In a word, the devil's lusts, as called so, John viii. 44,
murder, malice to God and men, and that when when they do them no hurt,
are in us ; ' His lusts ye will do,' they are called his lusts, because he onW
takes pleasure in such things, and having no creatures to delight in as we,
and having before had nothing but God, now turned from God, he hath
nothing but simply mischief to delight in, which also men delight in : Ps.
lii. 1, ' Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man ? the goodness
of God endureth continually.' Wanting charity, 1 Cor. xiii. 6, and true
love to God, they do rejoice in iniquity, and make it a sport to do mischief:
Prov. X. 23, ' It is a sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of under-
standing hath wisdom.' They love swearing and lying more than true and
holy speeches : Ps. lii. 3, 4, ' 0 deceitful tongue, that lovest evil more than
good, and lying rather than to speak righteousness, and love all-devouring
words,' ver. 4. Yea, and which is the highest that can be, men have dis-
positions in them, would carry them to delight in sin as sin, because it
ofiends God, not only because some pleasure or other cannot be had but by
sinning, but svb hac notioiie, under this notion, because it provokes and
angers the Lord. So they that sin against the Holy Ghost, they despite-

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 295

fully sin, and cast a contumely on the Spirit : Heb. x. 29, ' Of how much
sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden
under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,
wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto
the Spirit of grace ? ' This is called blasphemy against the Holy Ghost,
Mat. xii. 31, 32, 'Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blas-
phemy shall be forgiven unto men : but the blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word
against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him : but whosoever speaketh
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world,
neither in the world to come.' And it is an endeavouring to put Christ to
open shame, as in Heb. vi. 6, * If they shall fall away, to renew them again
unto repentance ; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
and put him to an open shame.' Now to this sin we are all prone, else
David would not have prayed to be kept fi'om it, as he seems to do : Ps.
xix. 13, ' Keep me from presumptuous sins, so shall I be free from the great
offence,' in the singular number, as noting out that sin which is above the
sin of presumption, to which yet that is a step.

Use. Take notice of the vileness and baseness of our natures, as thus
guided by lusts, that we may become vile in our own eyes, and truly out of
conceit with ourselves. We judge basely of those creatures that feed and
delight only in excrements and filth ; of a swine, because it will rather eat
dung than any food else ; of a dog, because he licks up his vomit ; of a ser-
pent, because it eats the dust of the earth. Men that lived upon juniper
roots, Job XXX. 4, he calls base and vile men, ver. 8 ; so, when we may go
to the spring and fountain of living waters, to drink rather puddle- water, to
eat dogs' meat, as the apostle calls all things in comparison of God, Philip,
iii. 8, (!Kul3aXa, to eat dust, as earth-worms and covetous men do, and husks,
rather than go to God, with whom there are rivers of pleasure and bi-ead
enough, it argues a base nature. So for one that hath a fair husband, to run
away with every varlet, and prostitute her body to all comers rather, shews
her a base quean. But especially adding to this the self-love that is in us,
that we should admire, and doat upon, and value our cursed selves above
God, Christ, and all the world besides ; that we who were the other day
mere nothing, and but lately admitted into the world, deserving to be kicked
out and expelled the first day, should yet begin to prog only for ourselves
the first hour ; regard none in it but ourselves ; take upon us, as if all the
world, that had been made so long before we were, and shall stand when we
gone, were only made for us ; and like ants or caterpillars in an orchard,
caring not to spoil all the fruits, to lay up for and maintain a little mite of
being, which is scarce crept into the world. And whereas we were admitted
into the world, to be profitable to God and men, to use all our wisdom, &c.,
for this end, we have, and do employ it only to be profitable to ourselves, as
Job xxii. 2, to seek our own things ; Philip, ii. 4, make ourselves the centre
of all actions ; that whereas we should take but the set fee allowed us by
God, and be content with our wages, and do service freely, and still think it
is more than our work ; for us not to be willing to stir or do a jot of service
for God or any other creature, but we must have a feeling,* an underhand
bribe out of it ; not grind a whit unless we may have toll ; and being appointed
but pubhc stewards in all the talents we enjoy, which in 1 John iii. 17 are
there called ' this world's good,' not ours ; for us to employ it all only for
our own advantage, and are sorry that any water should go by our mills,
that any should share in the honours or pleasures of the world, otherwise

* Qu. ' feeing ' ?— £o.

296 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

than they might hold of us, or as some way they may prop up our estates
and credits, or be shadows to add lustre to us ; yea, so as not to care to pull
down others' credits and estates, to build up our own a little ; hence all the
defaming, and oppression, and detracting from others that are in the world
(as Nero, they say, did burn all Rome to make himself a large palace, and
that he might have the credit of building it up again ; and he that set Diana's
temple on fire, to get himself a name), not caring what inconvenience we put
others to, to advantage ourselves never so little ; not to care though we set
another's house on fire to roast but our own eggs ; or so we may have safe
and sure, and easy standing to see, and to be seen in the world (like men in
a crowd), we care not how sore we lean upon the shoulders of, and oppress
those that are under us, and throw down those that overtop us, not willing
to put ourselves to any inconvenience for another's good. If any public good
be to be done, or any public evil hindered, which will endamage our parti-
cular, contrary to Caiaphas's principle, we are too apt to say in our hearts,
Better a whole people perish than that I should be prejudiced ; yea, if any
good be to be done, wherein we have not an hand, or wherein we are not the
chief, how sorry are we, and ready to hinder it, and speak against it, and will
not draw unless we be the fore-horse, and have all the feathers and the trap-
pings : yea, as Judas cared not to hazard the salvation of all the world, in
the death of Christ (which, as I think, he then knew not to be the means
of saving them), so he might gain but thirty pieces ; so also if we are poor,
we wish all the world were so ; if we be despised, yea, if we perish, as one
said on his deathbed, let wife, children, and all the world perish also.
These and many more are the natural dispositions of self-love in us, which
are most base and accursed ; and he that sees not his inclinations towards
these, it is because he knows not his heart, but self-love hath blinded his
eyes, and made him think too highly of himself, as Hazael said to the pro-
phet, 'Am I a dog, that I should do this?' 2 Kings viii. 13. No, my
brethren, grace only makes you profitable men, content to spend and to be
spent, to let go your own sweetness and fatness for the good of others. Cha-
rity seeks not her own, rejoiceth not in evil, is not envious: 1 Cor. xiii. 4-6,
' Charity sufiereth long, and is kind ; charity envieth not ; charity vaunteth
not itself, is not pufied up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her
own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil ; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but
rejoiceth in the truth.' Therefore learn to esteem grace and good men
highly, and regard corrupt nature and wicked men as vile and base, and rest
not till you have a principle in you to deny yourselves, &c.

3d. The third essential part, which goes to make up the arrdrri of lust, is
averseness, enmity, opposition against God, and what might reduce us to
communion with him again. We are not only thus turned to the creature,
and what is contrary to God, but it is accompanied with an enmity to God :
Job xxi. 12-14, ' They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound
of the organ. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down
to the grave. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us ; for we desire
not the knowledge of thy ways.' They do not only spend their days in wealth,
delight in timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the soimd of the organ ; but,
ver. 14, they say to God, Depart from us. If God at any time present and
offer himself, and the communion of himself to them, they put him away,
they say. Depart, as one they care not for, as one they care not to have to
do withal ; nay, cannot endure the knowledge of him ; we desire not the
knowledge or sight of him, and that not of him only, but also not of his
ways, or of anything that leads to him. And so, Rom. i. 28, ' And even
as they did not Uke to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over

Chap. IV.] in respkct of sin and punishment. 297

to n reprobate mind, to do those things which <are not convenient.' They
liked not, or thought it not good for them, ovx, sdo-/cifj,aaav, visum non fuit
Us : they did not judge it good for them to return and receive God in their
knowledge. And if this be thought not to argue averseness and opposition
to him, thus not to endure the sight of him, ver. 80, it is expressly added,
ver. 30, they hated God : there is not only an eHlnuujemcnt from God, cc'DjX-
Xor^iojsvoi, Col. i. 21, but also enemies, and that not by outward unkind-
ness, but in minds ; and not to God only, but to all righteousness. Acts
xiii. 10, and not enemies only, but enmity, Rom. viii. 7, the wisdom of the
flesh is enmity against God and his laws ; and, therefore, in a man's own
heart they fight together: Gal. v. 17, * The flesh lusteth against the spirit,'
for they are contrary ; so as all the lusts of the flesh are contrary against
the spirit, as they are called : Rom. vii. 23, ' But I see another law in my
members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity
to the law of sin, which is in my members ;' i. e. a law, avrtari^aTimiMvov, fight-
ing against ; neither is this enmity in our nature only, but our nature and
all inclinations are said to be in it : Acts viii. 23, ' Thou art in the gall of
bitterness ;' that is^ a bitter spirit against God and goodness. As a man is
said to be in Ivvevf'iih that which he loves most, and is wholly taken up with ;
so in the gall of bitterness, to that which he hates most of all things else.

CHAPTER IV.

What are the ar/gravations of our sinful lusts. — They make us Jit and ready for
any sin. — T/iey are eager, greedy, and insatiate.

Having explained the essential parts of this aberration of our inclinations
and desires, it remains that I shew the aggravations of inordinacy in these
several parts, which are necessarily to be added to them, to make the d-Trdrr],
and aberration more fully appear. The aggravations of their sinfulness, in
regard of the fii'st part, aversion from God, being treated of before, when I
discovered that contrariety and enmity which is in ox;r natures to God, I
will omit it here, and come to those which are proper to the second, viz.
conversion to other things, and what is evil, which indeed is the first of the
positive part of our sinfulness by nature.

Now, the aggravation of the inordinacy of our inclinations, in regard of
their conversion to what is evil, is expressed in these degrees of it.

First, The first and lowest, and indeed least positive, evil that lust adds to
our nature is, that in all the faculties and powers of the soul and body, there
is a fitness to be instrumental, and employed about what is evil, rather than
what is good, and therefore are they called members of the body of sin :
Col. iii. 5, * Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; for-
nication, uncleanness,' &c. And they are also called weapons or instruments
of unrighteousness to obey lusts : Rom. vi. 12, 13, ' Let not sin therefore
reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof:
neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin.'
Now, that which difierenceth one member from another, is a fitness or
disposition to be employed about something that another is not, as the eye,
that it is a fit organ for the soul to see with ; the hand, which is o^yavov
ogydvMv, to apprehend and lay hold with ; which several fitness ariseth from a
several fashion that is in them. And so also one weapon differs from another
weapon or instrument, by reason it hath some peculiar fitness to be used in
some employment, because of the fashion given, which another wanting is

298 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

unfit for such an use, as a sword to fight with, a shield to defend with.
And therefore Aristotle said, that an instrument is eV tsos h, it hath a
peculiar fitness for some one thing. Now, then, when the apostle calls the
faculties of soul and bod}', members of the body of sin, and weapons of
unrighteousness, it implies that there is a peculiar fitness in them to be used
in any unrighteous practice, and that if they be but drawn out and wielded,
they are fit instruments for sin, and for nothing else ; that as grace moulds
and casts our souls and faculties into such a fashion, that all are fit weapons
for righteousness, sin doth so mould them, that they are fit instruments only
for what is evil : Kom. vi. 17, ' But God be thanked, that ye were the
servants of sin ; but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine
which was delivered you.' He calls it rv'^og hihayjig, vg ov -n-aPsoodi^TS, ' into
which ye were delivered ;' so in the original, and in the margin. It was as a
mould they were cast into, as vessels are, and so received such a fashion, as
they were fit instruments for righteousness, ver. 13, and 2 Tim. ii. 21, made
vessels meet for the Master's use, and prepared for every good work. So
now our nature having been cast in old Adam's mould into his image,
1 Cor. XV. 49, we are shaped and formed in iniquity, as our translation reads
that in Ps. 11. 5, and so made fit for all iniquity, and reprobate, and unfit for
every good work. That as a spade hath a fitness in it to dig in the earth,
but is unfit to cut meat with, or the like honourable employment; so are all
our inclinations and dispositions earthly members. Col. iii. 5, as being fit to
be used in earthly and sinful employments, but unfit for heavenly. As there-
fore David compares his tongue to the pen of a ready writer, in regard of
fitness and preparedness to indite holy and good things, Ps. xlv. 1, to run
nimbly and fairly as a well-made pen, so a wicked man's tongue he
compares (for the fitness of it for mischief, to wound others in their good
name) to a sharp and keen razor : Ps. Iii. 2, ' Thy tongue deviseth mis-
chiefs ; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.' So he speaks of Doeg's
tongue, in regard of the fitness of it to abuse men, by detracting from, and
cutting oft' what is an ornament to a man, as hair is, Ezek. xiv. 7. Now,
that which is said of the tongue is true of the rest of the members.

iSecoiidhj, The second degree of the heinousness of these lusts is, that in
them all there is an active readiness to what is evil, which is a farther degree,
and more than simply an instrumental fitness to be used and acted ; for
superadded to this there is a lively principle, a quicksilver activeness and
readiness to what is evil. Acts xiii, 10, ' And said, 0 full of all subtilty and
all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt
thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord ? ' It is said of Eiymas,
that he was full of all readiness to work evil ; so it is expressly in the
original, ecfdwvpylag, and in the fore-named place, Rom. vi. 18, they are not
only called weapons of unrighteousness, but servants also, ready to act what
is enjoined them upon all occasions, that always stand readily appointed to
stir upon the least watchword given. Yea, and St Paul says, Rom. vii. 18,
' For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing : for
to will is present with me ; but how to perform that which is good I find
not.' Evil was present with him, even at his elbow, still oftering its service;
so evil our inclinations are, still pushing themselves forward, when any evil
is to be done, like unto that spirit, 1 Kings xxii. 21, when Ahab was to be
tempted, one comes and says, ' I will persuade him,' And so, Rom. iii. 15,
our feet are said to be * swift to shed blood,' ready to run, and that swiftly
too, upon oppression's errand, or murder's errand; but when any good is to
be done, we are ' slow of heart,' Luke xxiv. 25, and need goads to prick us
on to it. When we are exhorted to any good, our ears ai*e dull of hearing :

Chap. IV.] in bespkct of sin and punisumknt. 299

Heb. V. 11, ' Of whom wo have many things to say, and hard to be uttered,
seeing ye are dull of hearing.' Mat. xiii. 15, ' For this people's heart is
waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing,' &c. The word is fw^eo/, i.e.
which are heavy, and so they are opposed to such as are swill of hearing,
James i. 19.

Thirdly, A third aggravation* of their aberration is, that there is in them
not only an active readiness to sin, but a powerful prevailing injunction to
do a wicked action. Lusts do not only make all the faculties fit and ready,
but with power and authority carry a man on to sin ; therefore sin is com-
pared to a tyrant reigning in us, whereof the laws, in which the power of
this tyrant hes, he calls lusts : Rom. vi. 12, ' Let not sin therefore reign in
your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.' Let it not
reign. If you ask by what? he tells you, that you obey it in the lusts thereof,
which therefore in Rom. vii. 23 are called expressly a * law of the members'
carrying captive unto sin. For what is more powerful than a longing lust,
coming with a strong mandamus into the heart, and with a spring-tide that
bears all before it ? And therefore, 2 Peter ii. 14, they are said to have
eyes full of adultery, it coming in like a full sea filling all the banks, flowing
into the eyes, and overflowing there, so as the man cannot cease from sin ;
neither is it compared to a strong tide only, but to a strong wind also.
Wicked men are as clouds carried about with a whirlwind, and as empty
clouds with a tempest, Jude 12, which are carried by reason of their light-
ness irresistibly.

Fourthly, A fourth degree of their inordinacy is an untainted greediness
of sinning, which is in our lusts also : Eph. iv. 19, ' Who being past feel-
ing, have given themselves unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness
with greediness.' They give themselves to work uncleanness, all unclean-
ness (that is, sin in general), with a rrXiovs^ia, as desiring to have their fill,
to be stufled with it, as the word '^rXzovi^nv implies, come with full mouth to
every act of sinning, as a thirsty man doth to di-ink ; so is the comparison,
Deut. xxix. 19, desiring to swallow down all the pleasure that is to be had in
sin at one gulp, if it be possible. And therefore it is also said of wicked
men, Jude 11, that they go greedily after the wages of Balaam, they (^t'/Jj-
6^mv, that is, effundunt corda, they pour out all, which is very emphatical.
Ajid whereas the desires of grace are pure and peaceable, James iii. 18 ;
lusts do war in our members, chap. iv. 1, ' From whence come wars and
fightings among you ? come they not hence, even of your lusts, that war in
your members?' The soul is up in arms for anything it desires; when it
would have anything, it musters up all its forces, carries out an army to con-
quer the Helena or Golden Fleece of our desires.

This appears,

1. In that they carry us clean against reason. Rachel's desire of chil-
dren was so violent, and so transported her, as against all sense she comes
to her husband and says passionately, ' Give me children, or else I die,'
Gen. XXX. 1, whenas, poor man (as he truly answered her), it was not in his
power : ' Am I in God's stead ?' ver. 2. And so, 2 Tim. vi. 9, he that will
be rich is led into many foolish lusts, to do things which even reason is
against. So, how foolishly was Herod transported to promise a woman,
merely for a dance, to give her the half of his kingdom 1 Mark vi. 9.

2. Their greediness appears, that if one lust^be not satisfied, nothing else
can please us as long as that fit lasts. Rachel, when she could not have her
longing, she would in pet die in all haste, — ' Give me children, or else I die,'
— though she had an husband was worth ten children to her. And so was
it with Haman, Esther v. 11-13 ; all the honour and riches which he pos-

SOO AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK YIII.

sessed would not content him, so long as he was not revenged on a poor
porter that would not rise to him. So Ahah, though a king, had his stomach
took away to all other delights, because that he wanted one bit, Naboth's
vineyard, which he coveted, 1 Kings xxi. 4.

8. It appears in the unseasonableness of them. Men cannot stay, but
must have them satisfied immediately. Hence men make haste to be rich,
Prov. xxviii. 22, so greedy are they that they would presently be at the jour-
nej'-'s end of their desires. And therefore the intemperancy of princes is
noted out, Eccles. x. 16, 17, that they drink not in season, but in the morn-
ing, so impatient and unseasonable are their desires, like eagles that haste
to the prey, as Hab. i. 8 compares them, it being a greedy bird. Whereas
the desires of grace are seasonable and patient : ' He that believes makes
not haste.' And in Ps. i. 3, a godly man is compared to a tree which brings
forth fruit in season.

4. It appears in that the greater the difficulty is to attain to them, the
more eager we are, so as the difficulty whets our desires for it, sets a greater
price upon the thing desired. Amnon fell sick, and thought it hard to do
anything to his sister, 2 Sam. xiii. 2 ; and this is noted to shew how his
desire was the more whetted, by how much he thought it harder to compass,
though with some hope. Let a thing seem to be concealed from us, and we
long the more earnestly to know it ; as the pulling away of the bait makes
fish greedier.

5. It appears in that nothing can tame a Inst. Therefore, James iii. 7, 8,
the tongue is called ' an unruly evil, which none can tame,' and so more
fierce than any beastj for there is no beast but hath been tamed by the art
of man; but no reason can tame this. Solomon, speaking of the vanity of all
human knowledge, Eccles. i. 15, brings this in for one, that it cannot rectify
the crookedness of a man's desires; nothing but grace can do it: James
iv. 5, 6, ' Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain. The spirit that
dwelleth in us lusteth to envy ? But he giveth more grace : wherefore he
saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.'

6. Yea, the greediness is increased by all the means we use to quell it,
till God give more grace ; the more we are forbidden a thing, the more we
long after it, luliinur in vetitum. The law, which was as water to cool the
heat of ill desires, forbidding them, stirred them up in Paul's heart the more :
Rom. vii. 13, ' Was then that which is good made death unto me ? God
forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that
which is good ; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sin-
ful.' The law prohibiting, makes our lusts more violent, as water cast by
smiths on their forge makes the fire burn faster, or as the wind that blows
out the fire one would think, doth but spread the flame, and stir it up the
more. John told Herod it was unlawful to have his brother Philip's wife,
and the more he loved her ; and therefore stolen bread and waters are
sweeter than others, Prov. ix. 17, because we gain it in opposition to the
command.

Fijthli/, The last aggravation of the inordinacy of our lusts is unsatisfied-
ness, which I make a further degree than greediness. For the lions and
eagles, though greedy after their prey. Job ix. 25, 1 Peter v. 8, 9, where
the devil is compared to a roaring lion drinking up all at a draught, yet they
are soon satisfied, and lay not up what they leave, Mat. vi. 26. But we, as
we are strong of appetite, which notes our greediness, so we can never have
enough, know not to be satisfied: Isa. Ivi. 11, 12, 'Yea, they are greedy
dogs which _ can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot
understand : they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from

Chap. V.J in respect of sin and punishment. 801

his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves
with strong drink, and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more
abundant.' That whereas the desires of grace are content with little, 1 Tim.
vi. 8, with meat and clothes, with but convenient food, or a stinted portion,
as the word signifies, Prov, xxx. 8, so it is in the margin, an allowance
such as soldiers have, or birds by them that feed them, and they crave no
more. Mat. vi. 26; the birds lay not up, only we enlarge our desires, as hell
that cannot be satisfied, Hab. ii. 5. The ambitious man heaps up in vast
fancies and desires, all nations ; and at ver. 0, the covetous man loads him-
self with thick clay, takes not only what he needs, but loads himself.

CHAPTER V.
An inquiry into the grounds and causes of this heinous inordinacy in our lusts.

Having thus largely shewn wherein the inordinacy or irrectltude of man's
lusts does lie, both for parts and aggi'avations, now it remains that, as in
the rest I have done, I should shew what are the true adequate grounds of
all these several parts and degrees of their inordinacy or sinfulness specified,
which I will manifest to you in their several order, by a few propositions
linked together, as links in a chain, that so you may see how one thing
follows upon another.

Prop. 1. That all men have sinned, and are in their own consciences
guilty of a wrong done unto God, and thereby obnoxious to his wrath and
judgment. This now all the world yields to, and I have before proved it
from Rom. iii. 19, every mouth is stopped at it, and becomes subject to judg-
ment, as the word is ; and this all consciences apprehend, and look at God
as an enemy, till reconciliation is apprehended by Christ ; if they know but
God, they must needs do so, and then they can never make him their chiefest
good, for what they make their chiefest good they must delight in above all.
Now him whom they apprehend as an enemy, and are guilty of an injury
done to him, they can never truly delight in; so as the gailt of sin will, if
there was no more, take them off from God as their chiefest good, and if so,
then also as their chiefest end ; for Jinis et honwn, the end and the good, can
never be severed- And besides, if they apprehend God an enemy, whilst
they do so, they cannot make him their utmost end, for none can make one
that loves him not, the utmost end of all his actions. This is enough, if no
more, to prove it ; but we will add,

Prop. 2. As by the guilt of sin, man's nature is deprived of ability to
make God the chiefest good ; so also of holiness, to make him the chiefest
end. Rom. iii. 23, ' All have sinned, and so are fallen short of the glory of
God ;' vaneovvrai, they come lag, reach not so high, as men that come short
of a goal for want of strength. Of the glory of God, either fall short of seek-
ing or attaining glory or happiness in him as the chiefest good, or desiring
to bring glory to him as their chiefest end. Now, nihil ayit ultra suam
sphccram, nothing acts beyond the sphere of its activity. Therefore being
deprived of that power, they fall short, yea, even their judgments want a
power to discern and know him aright to be the chiefest good ; as 1 Cor.
ii. 14, they cannot know the things of God, they think them foolishness,
they have thoughts that fall short in the judging of their chief good, and
then, suppose no other defect, yet their inclinations cannot be carried unto
him ; for iynoti nulla cnpido, there is no desire of what is unknown. Eph.
iv. 18, ' Being estranged from God through ignorance.' Or if they could

302 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

truly discern him to be the chiefest good, yet the guilt and consciousness
which they have of his being an enemy, hinders him from being so to them,
or yet they want a suitable principle ; but last of all they want a power to
judge him so.

Prop. 3. Though the soul is thus deprived of the glory of God, and so of
ability to make God its chiefest good and utmost end ; yet (as you may re-
member I told you before) the soul is an active thing, and so remains still
for all this. It is as full of quicksilver as ever, for still it desires happiness
and good: Ps. iv. 6, 'Who w'ill shew us any good?' Omnia bonum appetunt,
says the philosopher. It is as full of active inclinations as the sea is of
waves which cannot rest, as you have the comparison in Isa. Ivii. 20, but
must roll to some shore or other. And this now discovers the ground why it
is carried on to other things as its chiefest good, so continually and so inces-
santlv ; for seeing these inclinations cannot find delight in God, it must needs
go seek satisfaction somewhere else. So in the fore-alleged place, Eph. iv. 8,
' Being estranged from the life of God through ignorance,' so as not to see
this eternal good in him, what follows from it ? They give themselves over
to sin with greediness ; every man would have his belly full, and of pleasure
they must have a rrXiovi^ia. And estranged from God they are, and there-
fore they cannot have it in him ; and so they go out to any unclean practice
that will afford it, and therefore also ignorance is made the ground of lusts:
1 Peter i. 14, ' As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to
the former lusts in your ignorance.' The reason they lusted after vain things
so was their ignorance of God, and inabihty to make him their delight ; as
children that make counters and rattles their chiefest dehght, being ignorant
of better things ; and the soul too must have something to play with as well
as they.

Prop. 4. As the soul, being deprived of ability to make God its chiefest
good, still retains inclinations to some other by reason of its activeness and
the inclinations that are in it, so also being deprived of ability to make God
its chiefest end, the soul must still have some general end in the guiding of
all these its inclinations, because it still remains a reasonable creature, which
worketh always to and for an end. Now, what other can that prove to be
but self-love, seeing it was the next subordinate end to God in man by
nature, and is not extinguished by sin and the deprivation of grace ; but,
on the contrary, when that former end, who is God, is took away and put
down from its sovereignty, this must of necessity succeed, inherit, and
possess all its rights, privileges, and prerogatives ; even as in a kingdom,
when the first heir or elder is removed, the next brother or so succeedeth,
who before was but a subject, though the next and first, unto the king.
And therefore all that a man doth or can do now, the utmost end which
guideth all, and to which all was directed before, when he was in his upright
state, must needs be for the sake of self-love or pleasure, which is all one.

Prop. 5. Self-love having got into our hearts, into that throne, and seat,
and regality that God's glory once there had, which is now deposed ; and so
having the' same absolute prerogative, and enjoying all the privileges that
were annexed to God's crown and sovereignty over man's soul; it also comes
to exercise the same jurisdiction in us which God's glory once likewise did
and should, as being now the lord-paramount end of all the rest, and so
plays all these sinful pranks in us that appear in our hearts and lives, and
so "comes to be the sole, true, adequate ground of any sins which can be in-
stanced in. For, as before, we making God our utmost end, as God makes
himself his end, and so as he admires himself, his thoughts and actions,
brings his -will to pass, and his counsel must stand ; so we also should have

Chap. V.j in respect of sin and punishment. 303

done, our wills being in tune to his ; so now by the same reason we come to
admire and doat upon ourselves, seek to advance our own wills, and to make
all stoop to us ; and so here you may see the ground of all the pride that is
in us. Again, as then wo should have been zealous and tender of his glory,
lest any creature should in the least measure derogate from him, or enjoy
any good to itself which God's glory had not custom out of (for thus zealous
is God of his glory), so now self is looking to have the same privilege,
grieves that any should have any excellency we have not, or which may not
add lustre to ours, or which may in the least measure cast a shadow on ours.
Hence all the envy that is in us at the good of others, all grudgings, repin-
iugs, distractions, rejoicing at the hurt of others, whereby that is removed
that should stand in our light. As God making himself his utmost end
destroys all his enemies out of the infinite love of himself, brings them into
subjection, that he may be all in all, 1 Cor. xv. 24-28, so we likewise desire
and endeavour to do to all our enemies, and to get the victory, and to keep
ourselves uppermost ; and hence all the revenge that is in us. And all these
you see proceed from self thus advanced, as the adequate ground of them ;
and so it may be said of all sin else contrary to the law, only I instance in
these, because in lusts we seek pleasure out of good things created, and it
is more apparent we do so from these instances. And in 1 Cor. xiii. 4, true
love is made the ground of long-suffering, kindness to others, &c. ; therefore
the opposite sins to all these come from self-love, which is opposite to the
love of God. And so you see that other ground of that branch of our lusts,
inordinacy, that they are not carried only to other things besides God as the
chiefest good, but also to things contrary to God and the good of others.

Prop. 6. Now self-love having got into the saddle, and having usurped
all the power into its own hands, and establishing its own prerogative, and
seeking its chiefest happiness in the creatures, and not being able to delight
in God, it comes also to hate and lust against anything that would rob it of
its happiness, and that labours to make it subject again, and to dethrone and
depose it ; it hates it as an enemy to its prerogative and sovereignty, which
is its utmost end. And therefore as a man by reason of this self-love loves
all things that advance it, be they never so contrary to the law, so it hates
what would any way hinder it ; and hence is its enmity against God, his
law, his children, because all these would bring it down : 2 Cor. x. 4, 5,
' For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strong holds ; casting down imaginations, and every high
thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into
captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.' They would bring all
into subjection again, and into captivity to Jesus Christ. As tyrants use to
hate the lawful heirs to the throne, so we do God, and cannot endure to hear
of him, as Saul could not of David ; therefore, Rom. viii. 7, the flesh is said
to be enmity against God. And therefore if grace in our own bowels seek
to set God up again, we fight against it, and set ourselves against it, as Saul
did hate his sou Jonathan for taking part with David. And hence is the
lusting of the flesh against the spirit. Gal. v. 17 ; and the motions of the
flesh are as so many spears thrown to kill all motions of the Spirit in us.
And if the law of God comes as a herald to proclaim God lord and king, and
to threaten us if we will not be subject to him ; yet self-love, which is thus
highly exalted, is of so great a spirit as it will never yield. The wisdom of
the flesh is enmity against the law, and cannot be subject, Rom. viii. 7.
And the same ground of quarrel is there in wicked men against godly
men's lives, who being of God's party, the light wherewith they shine, con-
demns them for traitors and usurpers, and tells them their works are evil ;

304 AN UNREGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

and therefore they hate the hght, for their deeds are evil : John iii. 19,
* Aud this is the condemnation, that hght is come into the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were enl.' Yea, when
conscience comes to apprehend God to be an invincible enemy, who will cer-
tainly destroy us, — as it doth in those that sin against the Holy Ghost, who,
Heb. X. 27, are said to receive and expect judgment, — then self-love thus
advanced desires to be revenged on God all it can, and as an utter enemy,
delights in what angers and provokes him, for the sin against the Holy
Ghost is but revenge against God and his saints ; as the devil, when he was
cast out of heaven, made war with the woman and her seed. Rev. xii. 13.

Hence you may see grounds for all the several aggravations of this inor-
dinacy of our lusts.

1. That readiness to sin, for the soul remains still in itself active and
nimble.

2. Our lusts must needs have much power and force in us to cany us on
to him, because they are the laws of this lord-paramount, self-love, which
reigns as our utmost end, and gives all our desires their commission, and
they all there fawn upon it, who having such power therefore, puts forth all
the power the soul ha'oh in all its desires, so as quicquid viilt, valde vuU.

3. The unsatisfiedness ariseth from the emptiness of those objects which
lusts carry us out unto (such are the pleasures of sin aud the creatures) as
their chiefest good ; aud withal the vast wideness of the soul, being made at
first of such a size, as God only, not the creature, should be able to fill it,
and widened also by Adam gaping to swallow a godship at once ; so all these
pleasures satisfy you no more than a drop can fill a cistern.

4. This greediness ariseth from the unsatisfiedness, for appetitus Jinis est
irifinitus ; for the soul having so large a stomach, because it hath a large life
of comfort to maintain, and these pleasures affording so little at once, the
soul is as a man ready to perish with thirst, and hath only a sucking-bottle
given him, whence he can suck but drops at once, which can scarce keep
soul and body together ; and therefore it is so greedy and impatient, and
would have all at once.

CHAPTER vi.

That there is no necessity of assertin/j orifiinal sin to be a positive quality in our
souls, since the privation of righteousness is enough to infect the soul with all
that is evil.

These being declared to be the true adequate grounds of all the sinfulness
that is boiled up to its greatest height in man's nature, then there is no
necessity to sappose, as some have done, original sin to be in its own
essence, and, as considered by the understanding, as apart from the soul
which it is in, to be a positive quality come in the room of original righteous-
ness, as heat into water when cold is expelled, to inflame and provoke it unto
evil ; for if the bare deprivement of original righteousness from the soul, still
supposed to continue active and desirous of happiness, and having still a
principle of self-love left unextinguished in it, if this may be a full and ade-
quate cause of all the sinfulness that is in man's desires, what need we feign
and excogitate any positive quality superadded over and above, and besides
all these, to whet and inflame the soul to evil ? There is no necessity of
doing so, because, frustraflt per plura, quod fieri potest per pauciora, it is
frivolous to do that by many things which may be done by one; et entia non

Chap, VI.] in kespect of sin and punishment. 305

sunt multiplicanda sine necessitate, beings are not unnecessarily to be mul-
tiplied. And this deprivation of righteousness, you see, is sufficient, but
especially because that supposition draws on this inevitable and unanswer-
able absurdity, that it must have in itself a true, real being and entity ;
and if so, then it should have some goodness in it, for, ens et boniun con-
vertitntur, every being is good, and must either be from God, and so he be
made the author of it, who doth not so much as tempt to sin, and so sin
should not be sin, for every crcatiu-e is good, 1 Tim. iv. 4 ; or else, in
the second place, there might be some entity which held not of God in capite,
whose name is I AM, and who is the fountain of all beings, John i. 3.
Neither doth the affirmation of the contrary, as thus explained, put us upon
the like absurdity, or enforce us from dissenting from any received truth
among our divines.

For, first, whereas it may be objected, that this is to deny what formerly
I have assumed and proved, namely, that there is a positive as well as a
privative part of man's sinfulness by nature, and therefore if sin be in its
own nature but a privation, this is a contradiction, to make two such parts
of it.

I answer, That though sin in itself be but a bare privation or want of
righteousness, yet as it is in our natures full of inclinations, which inclina-
tions wanting righteousness become sinful, so it may be said to have two
parts; for in the same sense that sin in our actions is said to have two parts,
in the same sense it may be said to have in our natures. Now, in our
actions it hath two parts, whereof the first is purely and merely privative,
because it is negalio actus dehlti, the denial of an act which ought to have
been done ; and, secondly, of commission also, which supposeth a positive
act done, but implies and connotates withal a want of righteousness, which
ought to have been in it, so that the sinfulness of both them is but a bare
privation or want of rightecusness ; yet because it is in positivo, therefore
the latter is called a sin committed or done, and so distinguished from the
former.

Now, to give the reasons to prove that sin in our natures hath two parts,
though in itself it be but a want of righteousness.

1. By reason of the want of righteousness, it may be said there are incli-
nations in man, but not to good, which good because it ought to be in them,
therefore those inclinations are sin.

2. It may further be said, that those inclinations that are there are not
good, for that they want that righteousness which should be in them, and
therefore are called lusts rni uTarng, which is a further thing than the
former, and which, because it notes out a positive subject, is called the posi-
tive part.

I will illustrate this answer by a similitude grounded on a Scripture
expression, which calls our lusts, thus wanting righteousness, and making
up this positive part, the body of sin : Rom. vi. 6, ' That the body of sin
might be destroyed,' &c. And it is called members of it : Col. iii. 5,
' Mortify therefore your members,' &c. This alludes to a natural body; that
as a body is a part of a living man, so these lusts are a part of original sin,
and so called flesh. Now, to speak properly, all life is formally and origi-
nally in the soul only, as the fountain and source of it ; yet this soul being in
a body, and informing it, the body is truly called a living part, which yet in
itself alone considered is but a dead thing. So in like manner and originally
the whole essence or nature of sin is expressed in a want of what is good ;
but this privation being seated in positive inclinations, these inclinations, as

VOL. X. U

306 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

thus wanting righteousness, make a distinct part of that sinfulness, and so
ansM'erably is called a body of sin, which inclinations also, as simply con-
sidered in themselves, are good, and so far as positive ; but wanting right-
eousness, are called sins ; and the like is said of habits superadded to them.
And hence these positive inclinations, as thus wanting true righteousness,
having all their power and force turned to sin, and against what is good,
they may truly be called a law of the members fighting against the law of the
mind, and so not to be privatively only contrary to grace, but positively
also : Gal. v. 17, * For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit
against the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other.' And so
they are called flesh, and the acts lusts of flesh ; and hence also, because
self-love exalteth all the power and force that is in us against what is good,
and carries it on to evil, therefore the dethroning and deposing of self-love,
and reducing it to its first order to make it subject to grace, is called morti-
fication, and denying a man's self, as that new principle of grace put in, that
is made king, is called vivification ; neither doth this make man in jnois
naturalibus, for that is a notion that, in descending from the state of grace
into a state of sin, cannot be imagined, seeing God created man upright, but
he fell from that righteous state.

And as for the increase of the same sinful habits, there is the like reason ;
for so far as the act is good, there is increased an aptness to fall the same
way again ; but that it should be more sinfully than ever is from a further
elongation from God, and so from a further privation in that inclination, and
from a consideration of the former pleasures of sin, which the man reflects
on, and is more strongly allured therefore to do the same again. Neither have
the papists any advantage by this, seeing their end and meaning in denying a
positive part is but to affirm lusts to be no sin ; and our divines' meaning,
when they contend for a positive part, is but to shew that lusts are sins, which
is as well established by this doctrine as by any other, which therefore thus
explained no way dissents from them, or gives way to the papists.

CHAPTER VII.

He who ivould tnily know the corruption of his nature must search into the
lusts of his heart — How great a curse it is for any man to he given v.p to his
lusts. — We should he very careful that ve are not in any degree indulgent to
our lusts. — Arguments to move us, drawn from the inordinacy, heinous sin-
fulness, and deceitfidncss of all our lusts.

Use 1. That the apostle here, when he would express the corruption of
the old man, says,. it consists in lusts; and when he would exhort to put off
the old conversation, he exhorts to put ofi" the lusts thereof; hence learn,
that he who would know the corruption of the old man and an unregenerate
estate, must above all, and most of all, search into his lusts. It is indeed
and will be some help unto you to take a survey of your actions, but you
can never come to see how deeply and how abominably corrupted and
depraved creatures you are, till God open your eyes to see your lusts, for
the old man is corrupt through lusts ; and though the outwards of most men
be exceedingly corrupt, much rottenness in men's speeches, their throats
being open sepulchres, and full of bitterness and cursing, yet their inward parts
are most corrupted, their inward parts are very wickedness : Ps. v. 9, ' For
there is no faithfulness in their mouth ; their inward part is very wickedness ;
their throat is an open sepulchre ; they flatter with their tongue.' It is in

Chap. VII.] in respect op sin and punishment. 807

the original, min, very wickednesaes ; that is, most wicked of all other. The
ignorance of this sinfulness of inward lusts hath been the original of all
errors and deceits that men have about their estates ; they were ignorant
of their lasts, the}' knew not the inordinacy of them. Paul, who whilst he
looked to his actions, and not to his lusts, thought himself blameless : Philip,
iii. 6, ' Concerning zeal, persecuting the church ; touching the righteousness,
which is in the law, blameless.' But when it was discovered unto him thai)
lusts were sins, and that all concupiscence had been stirring in him : Rom.
vii. 7- 10, ' What shall we say then ? Is the law sin ? God forbid. Nay,
I had not known sin but by the law : for I had not known lust,, except the
law had said. Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the com-
mandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the
law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once ; but when the
commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment,
which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.' When this was dis-
covered to him, then he was proved to be the chief of sinners, and his sin to.
be above measure sinful, as himself confesses ; such an alteration did the
discovery of the corruption of his lusts work in his conceit and opinion of
himself. And the main reason why the papists say lusts are no sins, is to.
nurture men up in the opinion of perfection possible to be attained unto >
because indeed it is possible to frame a man's actions so (at the least for
some while) as outwardly not to. transgress the law in. appearance to them-
selves and others ; but now if this was granted and, discovered, that lusts
are so corrupt and abominable, they would find themselves to be paaatedi
sepulchres, who inwardly are full- of dead men's bones, as Christ says of the
Pharisees of old for the same reason : Mat. xxiii. 27, 2&, ' Woe unto you,
scribes and pharisees,, hypocrites ! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres,,
which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's,
bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous
unto men, but within ye are full of hj'pocrisy and iniquity.' Could civil men,
who are the world's saints, maintain a serious and good opinion of their
estates so long together, if the devil did not keep them from taking any
great notice of the corruption and inordinacy of their lusts ?' No ; it is im-
possible they should. But men look only to their actions, and compare
themselves with others' outsides, as the young man in the Gospel did : Mat.
xix. 17-2Q, ' But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He
saith unto him. Which ? Jesus said. Thou shalt do no, murder, Thou shalt
not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Honour thy father and thy mother ; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from
my youth up : what lack I yet ?' ' I am not as other men,' said the
pharisee also, in Luke xviii. 11, 12. He looked no further than his actions,
as those words imply, whereas the old man in us is especially corrupt through
lusts. To convince men of this, which is indeed necessary for us all to take
notice of, viz. that we must judge of our corruptions and estates by what our
lusts are chiefly, and not only by our actions, though there be enough in
them to discover ofttimes to men, that there is no fear of God before their
eyes, Ps. xxxvi. 1. When God would convince the world of the greatness
of their wickedness and corruption. Gen. vi. 5, what evidence doth he bring
of it ? ' God saw that the wickedness of the earth was great.' One would
look now to have miu'ders, idolatries, blasphemies, and such gi'ievous crimes
reckoned up to make good this indictment ; but mark what follows : ' Every
imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil continually.' Their
inward lusts and corruptions are brought in, as making up that great heap

308 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK YIII.

of mischief for wliich God repented he had made man. And to convince thee
yet more that this is the most certain and only sure way to know the sinful-
ness of thy person and estate by, consider,

1. If men look to their outward actions, they can plead they are not
wholly and in all respects evil ; for even the heathen did m roD I'fi.u.ov : Rom.
ii. 14, ' For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the
things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto them-
selves.' The worst of men are in some things agreeable to the law ; nay,
some men might plead as the young man did, ' AH these have I kept from
my youth ;' his actions, he thought, were all entirely good, if he should look
no further ; but now turn thy eyes inward, and thou shalt find eveiT^ thought
or imagination, desire or lust, which brought forth these actions, to be evil,
and continually so, doing nothing for God, and out of a pure heart, but
merely from self-love^ which is the great lust of all other ; and this now
would have convinced my young man. And if a man come to see once that
all the lusts, stirrings, and agitations of his inwards are only evil, then he
will see, and not till then, that all his actions are so ; for every action is the
child of some lust or other, and whatsoever lust brings forth is sin. There-
fore, if you would know the corruption of the old man, look to your lusts
within you.

2. Consider that if a man's actions were sins only, and not his inward
lusts, then the man would not be always evil; for if unregenerate men commit
things directly contrary to the law, yet their actions are not continually such ;
for there is much cessation of their outward actions when they are asleep,
and at other times when alone; but now the lusts of their hearts are con-
tinual; for, as I said at first, our souls are always active ; and Gen. vi. 5
says, that all their thoughts are only evil, and that continually.

3. If all our actions were only and continually evil, yet there are and
might be many sins which never appear in our actions : one man is no mur-
derer ; another is no thief ; but now look into the inward corruption of the
old man, and then thou shalt find, as Paul -confessed of himself, Rom.
vii. 8, that all concupiscence hath been stirring in thee. And, as a godly
divine said, there was never a day went over his head, but he felt inclina-
tions against all the commandments stirring in him ; so haply might all of
us say too ; but this would not appear in our actions. Therefore, still I say,
if you would know the corruption of the old man, look to lusts ; for as
there are more blossoms than fruit by ten times, so there are more lusts
than actions.

4. Consider that the strength of corruption lies especially in lusts ; so
that suppose the multitude of our sins might as w^U be discovered in our
actions, yet not the strength of them ; and, therefore, they are called the
law of sin in the members : Rom. vii. 23, ' But I see another law in my
members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into cap-
tivity to the law of sin, which is in my members.' These are they which do
maintain the war, and bring into captivity^ they are sins, Janizaries, or
Pretorian bands, in which its force lies ; they have the strength of an army ;
yea, they have not the force of an army, but of a law ; and a king may do
more with one law than an army can with all its force ; and the power of a
king lies in his laws, and by them he reacheth to the utmost of his domi-
nions. Now he compares sin to a king : Rom. vi. 12, ' Let not sin therefore
reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof;' let it
not reign to obey it. In what ? In the lusts thereof, as the laws of sin their
king. ' Neither give your members,' says he, ver. 13, * as weapons of
unrighteousness.' If we commit a sin in our actions, the outward member

Chap. VII.] in bespect of sin and punishment. 809

is but a weapon, and the outward action is but the blow ; but the strength
whence the blow came, and which wielded the weapon, was the lust within,
which fights against the soul : 1 Pet. ii. 11, ' Pearly beloved, I beseech you,
as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from Heshly lusts, which war against the
Boul.' It is these lusts which maintain the war.

6. Consider as a man shall not otherwise know the strength, so, nor the
heinousness of his sin, but by knowing his lusts. This appears,

(1.) If we draw an argument from the former metaphor, in that it is called
a law. Now one bad law in a commonwealth doth more mischief, provokes
God more, than an hundred bad examples for outward acts. To frame mischief
by a law, David brings in as the height of impiety, Ps. xciv. 20, ' Shall
the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by
a law ?' And so, on the contrary, when good laws are made in a state against
swearing, Sabbath-breaking, &c., they are a great fence to a land, though the
people be very wicked ; therefore, pray that good laws may be made in par-
liament, and rejoice when they are made. A lust with a law is ten times
more mischievous than many evil actions.

(2.) A sinful action jars directly but against the law given, which saith,
' Thou shalt not commit adultery,' and is therefore said to be done against
God, because against his righteous law ; but the lust whence this action
proceeds, directly and primarily, offers an injury to the person of God imme-
diately; for the inordinacy of lusts lie in this,, as I have shewn, that a man's
desires turn from God to the creature as the chiefest good, and so contemns
the goodness and all- sufficiency that is in God, and pleasure in the creature
comes into competition with God, in our lusts more immediately than in our
actions ; in them we have usually but the law in our eye, but in our lusts
we refuse God, and cleave to another; we choose riches, and forsake God.
Now for a man to undervalue the person of a king, provokes him more than
to despise his law, because he is nearer to himself than his law ; and to con-
temn him as a man, provokes more than to contemn him in the relation of a
king put upon him ; for kings are more sensible of contempts reflecting on
their persons than their power. How provoking, then, is it to God, that he
should be despised in his all-sufficiency and in all his perfections, in his
essence ? And in a man's lusts choosing other things for his happiness, God
is thus despised. God being conscious of his excellency, how highly must
this provoke him !

6. Consider that sinful actions are committed by us, but for our lusts'
sake, to satisfy them ; and therefore they are called, Eph. ii. 2, ' fulfilling
the lusts of the flesh,' or ' doing the will of the flesh ;' so as the lust is the
master, the action but the servant ; the lust is the whore, the action is but
the bawd to bring the object and the lust together : Deut. xxix. 19, it is
called ' adding drunkenness to thirst.' Men drink to satisfy their thirsty
lusts : so that if the action be thus, as it were, ordained for the lust, then the
lust is more sinful ; and therefore all corruption in the world is said to be
in lusts, as the efiicient and final causes of them : 2 Peter i. 4, * Having
escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.'

7. Consider, a man cannot know the corruption of his person and estate,
and his bondage to sin, but by his lusts, because many of the most heinous
lusts that unregenerate men serve, and which keep them under the power of
Satan, have no outward actions to vent themselves ; or if they are vented in
any actions, those actions in themselves are lawful, such as emulation, &c.,
which vent themselves in men of understanding, and that not in vain
fashions of apparel or speeches, proud and boasting or high looks, but in
seeking outward excellencies, commendable and profitable to the church and

310 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, |'BoOK VIII.

commonwealth. And you know that Christ himself was preached out of
envy ; and the pharisees received honour one of another, and therefore be-
lieved not, John v. 44. Now that which causeth one to honour another is
praiseworthy ; yea, and other lusts, of loving and seeking riches and bodily
pleasures, though they vent in unlawful actions, in many men, as in oppres-
sion, uncleanness, &c., yet most especially now under the times of the gos-
pel, the devil is cast out of many, in respect of such gross sins, and the
enormous crimes of the Gentiles vanish ; as the hobgoblins which were fami-
liar with men in the time of popery, now when the light is come, no longer
appear. Therefore now the lusts of men vent themselves in things lawful,
by an inordinate aflection to them, as in the young man in Mat. xix. 22,
who was in bondage to covetousness, and yet he had not got his goods un-
justly, they came to him by inheritance, he having them so young ; neither
did he, as is likely, put out his money to use, or oppress others, for Christ
bade him sell, not restore, his possessions ; yet he doated too much on them
to obey him. So eating and drinking, and giving in marriage, things na-
tural and commendable, were yet, through men's inordinacy in them, the
sins for which God brought judgment on the old world, because of the defile-
ment of the heart in all these.

Use 2. In that he calls them here lusts of deceit or error, and carrying
men wrong, and in that they are so inordinate, as I have described ; then
see what a curse and judgment it is to be given up to your lusts, to be led
by them, as the phrase is, 2 Tim. iii. 6, and to walk after them, as Jude 18.
Miserable and cursed guides, that lead men out of the way, Deut. xxvii. 18,
and the more you follow them, the further you are from God and happiness!
As a bark at sea without chart or compass, cable or anchor, tossed up and
down by the merciless winds and waves, such is a man guided by his lusts,
which Jude compares to winds, Jude 12 ; and James compares men to
waves tossed hither and thither, James i. 6, and a man is liable to drown-
ing and destruction at every gale, by hurtful lusts which drown a man in
perdition and destruction: 1 Tim. vi. 9, 'But they that will be lich, fall
into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which
drown men in destruction and perdition.' Exposed a man is to temptation,
and so to all evil (as we pray against it in the Lord's Prayer), for lust is the
great tempter of all the world, greater than the devil, who yet is called the
tempter. When a man is tempted, he is drawn away by his lust : James i. 14,
' But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and
enticed.' Men fall into temptation; how? By hurtful lusts, 1 Tim. vi. 9.
Thus exposed a man is to his utter enemies, for lusts fight against the soul,
1 Peter ii. 11. Men think it their happiness to have their desires, as men
in burning fevers desire to have drink when they will, which proves their
death and destruction ; and therefore one whom God intend to destroy, he
leaves to his lusts, as Hophni and Phinehas : 1 Sam. ii. 25, ' If one man
sin against another, the judge shall judge him : but if a man sin against the
Lord, who shall entreat for him ? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto
the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.' Ps. Ixxviii.
29, 30, ' So they did eat, and were well filled : for he gave them their own
desire ; they were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was
yet in their mouths ' (he gave them their desire, but it was their bane, for
the wrath of God came upon them), ver. 31, ' The wrath of God came upon
them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of
Israel.' So Ps. Ixxiii. 7, * Their eyes stand out with fatness : they have
more than heart could wish.' To those God meant to destroy, he gave them
more than heart could wish. So Ps. Ixxxi. 12, ' So I gave them up unto

Chap. VII.] in bespect of sin and punishment. 811

their own hearts' hists : and they walked in their own counsels.' When
God otlered them happiness in himself, — ver. 10, ' Open thy mouth as largo
as thou wilt, and I will till it,' says God, — and they hearkened not, what was
their punishment? Ver. 12, '1 give them up to their hearts' lusts,' says
God. And let all this then warn us : 1 Cor. x. 6, * Now these things were
our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they
also lusted.' But now if God hath a mind to save thee, he will break thee
oti'from all thy sinful desires, for thou shouldest certainly go to hell else:
Isa. Ivii. 17, ' For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote
him : I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his
heart.' God was wroth for his covetousness, or indeed concupiscence, and
smote him ; and when they yet went on, he meaning to save them, resolved to
heal them : ver. 18, ' I have seen his ways, and will heal him : I will lead
him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.' God there-
fore often hedges up a man's ways : Hosea ii. 0, 7, ' Therefore, behold, I
will hedge up thy way with thorns, and m.ake a wall, that she shall not find
her paths. And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake
them ; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them : then shall she say,
I will go and return to my first husband ; for then was it better with me
than now.' God often denies them the desires of their hearts, keeps them
low and bare, to starve their lusts ; and though they ask, they shall not have
what they would spend upon their lusts : James iv. 2, 3, 'Ye lust, and have
not : ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain : ye fight and war, yet
ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask
amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.'

Use 3. If the corruption of the old man doth principally consist in lusts,
and these lusts be so inordinate and deceitful, then take we heed how we be
indulgent to them, or any one of them; as a man then is, when either
he admits conference and parley with the object of his lust, brings it and his
heart often together, is loath to part with the interview of it, but could fix
his eye still upon it, glanceth again and again ; or when he obeys it and
satisfies it, and the importunity of it, or doth venture to try experiments,
and to prove what pleasure is to be had in such a sin, as Solomon did in
mirth : Eccles. ii. 1, 2, ' I said in mine heart. Go to now, I will prove thee
with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure : and, behold, this also is vanity. I
said of laughter, It is mad : and of mirth, What doeth it ? ' He gave his
heart leave to play, as it were : ' Go to now,' says he, ' I will prove thee with
mirth, and therefore enjoy pleasure ;' or which is worse, when a man takes
thought to lay up provision for it, as that man in the parable : Luke xii. 19,
* And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many
years ; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.' When a man slips the
collar of the heart, that is, takes off checks of conscience and good motions,
letting his heart pursue a desired lust, with full mouth, as the hound doth
the hare ; the pleasure the man will have, whether in beauty, riches, pre-
ferment, or any of the pleasures of sin, carnal mirth, good fellowship,
chambering, wantonness, unlawful recreations, and spending precious time
away in them ; I say, take heed of them, for they are deceitful lusts, labour
to get thy heart quit and rid of them. Put them ofi", says the apostle ;
though the pleasures of them stick as close to thee as thy skin doth to thy
flesh, yet get thy heart and them loosened, get them flayed ofi"; though they
lie in thy bosom, yet give a bill of divorce to them. If any worldly excel-
lency of learning and applause draw out thy heart, and as bird-lime and pitch,
when it is touched, makes all within thee roap after it, as that which thou
shouldest esteem thy excellency, get it loosened, get that fuller's soap spoken

312 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK YIII.

of, MalacLi iii. 2, to wash it off. Job would not let his hands cleave to any-
thing : Job xxxi. 7, * If mv step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart
walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands.' When
thou art to deal with anything in the world, spit on thy fingers that they
may not stick to it, that thou mayest use it as if thou usedest it not. Dost
thou feel thy soul roaming and stretching itself above its compass, to great
things, as David says, Ps. cxxxi. 1, 2, ' too high for thee,' and projecting
ease, and a quiet life, in such and such a condition ? Cease not till thou
hast got thy heart into Da\-id's temper : Ps. cxxxi. 1, 2, « Lord, my heart is
not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty : neither do I exercise myself in gi-eat
matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted
myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother : my soul is even as a weaned
child.' Bring thyself to this temper, to be as a weaned child, that hath no
great thoughts, you know, there is no great commotion in their heads ; yea,
as a weaned child, that much regards not the dug it once so cried for. A
soul that is quiet and still, cries not discontentedly if it hath not this and
that toy presently ; and such a soul projects no great matters aforehand, as
children do not, but hopes in and depends upon the Lord, as children on
their parents : Ps. cxxxi. 3, ' Let Israel hope in the Lord, from henceforth
and for ever.' If beauty entice thee, or pleasure of uncleanness soak into
thy inwards, as oil into the bones, and draws and tolls out thy heart, cease
not confessing, cursing, bewailing it, till that base liquorish disposition of
thy heart be worn out, and the inward neighings of it tamed and subdued.
Dost thou feel thy heart shooting the sprigs of it into the earth, rooting itself
in riches ? Oh get the earth loosened from it, and thy heart stubbed up ;
take heed there be not a root of bitterness, Heb. xii. 15 ; get thy heart new
planted, and shot into Christ, rooted there : Rom. vi. 5, ' For if we have
been planted together in the hkeuess of his death, we shall be also in the
likeness of his resurrection.' Col. ii. 7, ' Rooted and builded up in him,
and estabHshed in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with
thanksgiving.' You that are more profane, and draw cart-loads of sin
after you, of drunkenness, swearing, oppression, and other gross sins, with
cords of vanity, as Isaiah speaks, — chap. v. 18, 'Woe unto them that draw
iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope ;' i.e. with
strong affections and long drawn out, fastened and chained to such base
courses, — get those cart ropes cut, those affections dissolved from such cursed
works of the devil, for thou earnest but loads of fuel for hell to burn thee
with. To conclude ; when I exhort you to put off your lusts, my meaning
is, you should get fatherless, motherless, wifeless, richesless, learningless,
honourless, pleasureless hearts, and to keep them so ; to be to all things as
strangers and pilgrims here, as Peter exhorts: 1 Peter ii. 11, ' Dearly be-
loved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts,
which war against the soul.' That whereas sinful dispositions and inordi-
nate desires would be daily and continually putting themselves forth in us,
and moving us inordinately to pleasures of this life, we should abstain, that
is, keep ourselves from the occasions, means of increasing or satisfying of
them; and use all the pleasures and comforts of this life, only as baits in
our journey, not so as to detain us any whit in our way. And this I will
enforce at this time on you, from the inordinate sinfulness and deceitfulness
of all these lusts, which is the argument here used by the apostle in my text.
First, Every lust that is thus inordinate in the heart, it is in regard of
God flat and plain idolatry ; so as so many lusts as thou nourishest, so
many idolaters dost thou give toleration unto in the dominion of thy heart :
Col. iii. 7, ' Mortify your earthly members,' &c. ; ' covetousness, which is

Chap. VII. J in respect of sin and punishment. 813

idolatry.' Now, by the reason that covetousness is idolatry, by the same
reason is every other lust, which is a desiring pleasure in some creature, or
act of sinning, rather than in God, as I defined it. And indeed so that
place of Ezekiel is and may most properly be understood : Ezek. xiv. 4,
' Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them. Thus saith the Lord God,
Every man of the house of Israel that settcth up his idols in his heart, and
putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to
the prophet, I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the mul-
titude of his idols.' Setting up idols in the heart, that is, so many lusts.
Yea, and the idols of men's hearts are in many things Avorse than the idols
of their hands ; for,

1. This idolatry in the heart is a punishment often of the other idolatry,
therefore it is worse : Rom. i. 22-24, ' Professing themselves to be wise,
they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an
image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts,
and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness,
through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between
themselves.' Because they did worship idols, therefore they were given up
to lusts, ver. 24.

2. Because these idol-lusts in the heart stand surer, and more fastly fixed.
Good governors have pulled down other idols ; but these they cannot, nor
never could.

3. Men are more inflamed with these idol-lusts, and mad upon them,
which is made an aggravation of idolatry : Isa. Ivii. 4, 5, ' Against whom do
ye sport yourselves ? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the
tongue ? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, inflaming
yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the
valleys, under the clifts of the rocks ? ' In Acts xix. 24, and so on, you may
observe Demetrius respected his gain, which was the idol of his heart, more
than Diana his great goddess. His speech bewrays it : ver. 25, ' We have
had much wealth by her,' says he ; and this he spoke to them of the said
occupation, that made shrines for her, as knowing they would be therefore
zealous, and make the loudest noise, in crying, ' Great is Diana of the
Ephesians.' The other is but dead, painted idolatry, this real and lively,
and hath men's hearts more. In the other external idolatry, men did usually
bend but their outward man ; it had but their caps and knees, and this often
for fashion's sake, and customarily. But lusts have the first-born of men's
thoughts, their morning sacrifices, they are their dearest and darling delights ;
and 'the fruit of their souls, not of their bodies only, is dedicated to their
service. To these men send up, as ejaculations, many a hearty glance day
by day all the day long ; to these men vow their happiest opportunities, their
most precious times ; and vowing, are strict in performance too. ^

Secondly, As lusts are thus inordinate in regard of God, and injurious to
him, so they are also wrongful to the creatures they are occupied about, for
men's lusts abuse them and subject them to vanity : Rom. viii. 20-22, ' For
the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him
who hath subjected the same in hope ; because the creature itself also shall
be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the
children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and tra-
vaileth in pain together until now.' Now, then, a thing is said to be vain,
when it is not used to the right end for which it was ordained ; and the
being used to men's lusts, makes every creature an abomination of desola-
tion, setting it up in the place it should not, namely, in the room of God,
and so makes it to lose its proper excellency. So that God who looked and

314 AN UNKEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

saw every creature good, now looking on it again, sees they are all vanity ;
yea, and the better any creature is, so much the more vanity, because it is
the more apt to be doated upon and abused, to be made the more common
whore to men's lusts, insomuch as the creature is said to groan (as if they
were sensible indeed they would), that they should be pressed, not willingly,
Rom. viii. 20, by the tyranny of men's lusts, to serve in war against their
Maker, that they should thus by force be made idols. Were they sensible,
how heinously would they take it 1 as Paul and Barnabas rent their clothes.
Acts xiv. 14, when the people would have worshipped them. And men's
lusts commit a rape upon the creature, for it is subjected to vanity unwill-
ingly, forced to be the heart's whore, and thereby is defiled : Titus i. IG,
* They profess that they know God ; but in works they deny him, being
abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.'

Thinlhj, If we regard the soul itself which fosters them, these lusts are
most injurious towards it. Not only,

1. In defiling of it, for it is spiritual adultery, James iv. 4; and as that sin
is said to be a sin against a man's own body, making it one with a harlot, so
every lust by the same reason is a sin against the soul, by making it one with
the creature it lusteth after, be it never so base.

Nor, 2, only in debasing the soul, by transforming and putting it either
into the condition of a beast or a devil, as all lusts do. Those of the body
make us as beasts, delighting but in those things they do ; therefore the pro-
digal is said to have served swine, Luke xv. 16 ; and so in the poets, Circe
is said to have transformed men into the shapes of brutes. Or men are
turned into devils in the lusts of the mind, as being common to them also,
and therefore are called lusts of the devil: John viii. 44, * Ye are of your
father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do,'

Nor, 3, are these lusts injurious to the soul, only in that they rob a man
of his own soul, and give it away to the creature that it lusteth after; there-
fore, Hosea iv. 11, wine is said to ' take away the heart,' so as when a man
comes to have an ofi'er of grace made him and of heaven, he hath no heart
to bestow, as Solomon says : Prov. xvii. 16, * Wherefore is there a price in
the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it ? ' For it is
gone after covetousness, Ezek. xxxiii. 31 ; this creature, or that lust, lays
claim to it ; but when a man turns to God, he then gets and recovers his
heart again.

But to let these notions pass, that which I mean principally to insist on is
the deceit and cheat which lust puts upon the heart, which, as the word is
translated, is the motive in the text why we should put them ofi', because
they are ' deceitful lusts.' The chief and only reason that can be alleged
why men are indulgent to lusts, is the pleasure that comes in by them; that
which leads men out of the way in their desires is, that they love pleasures
more than God. Now, if men's lusts therefore shall cheat and deceive them
herein, in that wherein they are so much betrusted, and in that which is only
hoped and expected from them, then they may be truly called deceitful, for
they say none are deceitful but those that are betrusted, and on whom our
hopes depend. To scan therefore for the present no other inconvenience by
them, we will only consider and reason this point a little ; and in the first
place, let us consider.

First, As I told you in the definition of them, they take the heart clean
off from God as their chiefest good, for whom, and to be filled with whom,
the soial was first made, to live with him as the fish in the water; at whose
right hand and in whose presence is fulness of joy and rivers of pleasure,
and this for ever, for the soul to have drunk of: Ps. xvi. 11 and Ps. xxxvi.

Chap. VII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 315

8 compared, ' Thou wilt shew me the path of life : in thy presence is fulness
of joy ; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. They shall be
abundantly satistiud with the fatness of thy house ; and thou shalt make
tliem drink of the river of thy pleasures.' In God, the soul was to have had
fulness to satisfaction ; ' they shall be abundantly satisfied.' In God, the
soul should have drunk rivers as without satiety, running always fresh and
for ever, as never emptied, no, nor ebbing, but in full flowing tide always.
And in these rivers did the soul once swim, till lust hooked the soul out with
a bait of pleasure elsewhere to be had. Lust hath drawn the soul out of its
proper element, as James says, chap. i. 14 ; yea, and it hath so took oli' the
heart that it cannot live or find comfort in God, but would die if put into
God again, unless lust be destroyed. And out of him thy soul must needs
die also, as a fish out of the water, though it Hves a while, drinking in ini-
quity, as Job speaks, yet that pickle will not keep thee long. Yet,

Secondly, It enticeth a man with great promises, large hopes, as those
seducers, 2 Peter ii. 18, speak great swelling words, whilst they are all
vanity. Lusts swell and blow up a man's fancy and expectation, both to
give full satisfaction, as Prov. vii. 8, 'Let us take our fill of love.' A ful-
ness is promised, as also continuance, ' To-morrow shall be as to-day ;' yea,
and they will increase in the enjoying, 'much more abundant' : Isa. Ivi. 12,
' Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong
drink, and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.' Now,
as you use to say, men have no greater enemies than expectation, so neither
than pleasures, for if they prove not as we expected, they vex so much the
more. If hope be deferred, it makes the soul sick, Prov. xiii. 12, much more
hope frustrated. Now, lusts do strappado a man's expectations, hoist them
up a huge height, and let them fall on the sudden ; for when a man comes to
enjoy them, they are the poorest, emptiest things, that the soul, as cheated,
begins to think,"What, is this all ? and so is vexed. Solomon, who saw men
doat so much upon pleasure here, thought there might be something in it,
and surely his expectation was raised high ; he thought he would try con-
clusions : Eccles. ii. 3, ' I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine,
yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom ; and to lay hold on folly, till I
might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they.should do
under the heaven all the days of their life.' Well, see what was the conclu-
sion : ver. 17, ' I hated life ; because the work that is wrought under the sun
is grievous unto me : for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.' That all should
prove so empty, this vexed him. And which is strange, though every time a
man's lust is satisfied he finds he is deceived ; yet (which argues the greatest
cheat and collusion in the world) a man's lust varnisheth the same worn,
empty delights over again, sets a new gloss on them, that a man's expecta-
tion is blown up again as high as ever ; and by either the change of the
object, or addition of some new circumstance, a man is fooled to think
that now he shall have something he never had yet, as Balak thought the
change of the place would do such feats. Thus do our lusts gull us, and are
still as empty, and still we are as much vexed that our expectation is frus-
trated. But consider further,

Thirdly, The thing which lust pitcheth us upon is but at the best too little
for the soul, a drop to a cistern, that which is not bread : Isa. Iv. 2, ' "Where-
fore do ye spend money for that which is not bread ? and your labour for
that which satisfieth not ?' And which argues lust still to be a worse cheater,
lust makes the creature more empty to us than it would be, for it is that
blasts them all, and the guilt of it. It is that hath made them all vanity to
us : Rom. viii. 20, ' For the creature was made subject to vanity, not will-

316 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

ingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.' God
filled the creature with comfort, but he, namely, man, by his sin and abuse
of it, hath subjected it to vanity. It is the lust of man which steals God's
blessing, yea, God himself out of it, who otherwise in the use of it would fill
the soul with good things, but now they are mere husks, Luke xv. 16 ; the
kernel is gone, and that husk too, the sin that covers it about, fills it with
bitterness and cursings, adds some cross to it or other, so that all now is but
a mere fashion and gaudy show: 1 Cor. ^ii. 31, 'And they that use this
world, as not abusing it : for the fashion of this world passeth away.' As
if the world was gone, and the case and show of it only left : Hosea iv. 10,
Micah vi. 14, Hag. iv. 6. Prov. xxiii. 5, ' Wilt thou set thine eyes upon
that which is not ? for riches certainly make themselves wings ; they flee
away as an eagle toward heaven.' They are there called things which are not,
and therefore wilt thou set thine eyes on them ? They are said not to be, in
respect of that deceitful appearance or gloss which our fancies cast on them.
Their goodness lies in conceit, which conceit comes from lusts ; and though
lust makes them really less than else they would be, yet in opinion it makes
them more, and so all proves deceit. It is common opinion hath raised tbe
price of gold and silver, and for a while hath turned it up trump, and so it
answers all things, as Solomon says, Eccles. x. 19. So look upon the mart
of learning, it is common opinion in several ages that raiseth and cries down
sometimes one strain, sometimes another ; and, accordingly, men have ap-
plied theii" studies even against their natural genius and disposition to that
learning, not which is in itself most useful and excellent, but which bears the
bell away in the esteem of men. Therefore, that which in one place is in
fashion is not in another ; strong lines in one, quotations in another. Yea,
hence there is such variety in the same men, they leave the pursuit of old
vanities and start up new. What once they pursued with greediness, now
they regard not, because opinion is the clerk of the market. What is one
man's paradise is another man's hell ; what one adores, another tramples
upon and scorns, because of variety of opinions ; which argues that opinion
and fancy is that which puts the gloss on things : 1 Peter i. 24, ' For all
flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass : the grass
withereth,. and the flower thereof falleth away.' Here worldly things are
compared to gi'ass ; and two things are said, here is the flower of grass, the
gloss and beauty of it, and the grass itself; so there is the things of the
world and the glory'of them, that is, the goodness substantial which is in the
things, and the gloss that man's lusts put on them as varnish. Now, as the
flower falls away and decays before the grass, so doth this varnish, and fall
off before the things perish. And when we enjoy the things, and thus find
them not to answer our esteem of them, then we are vexed. And,

Fourthly, This fashion of the world is passing away, 1 Cor. vii. 31, whereas
continuance is also by our lusts promised, yet the time is but short, which
will divers ways appear.

For, first, suppose the things and our lusts should continue a like time
together, and be of like life and continuance, yet the time appointed at the
utmost is but short, viz., the time of tbis Hfe. A man can enjoy the objects
of his lusts no longer than in his mortal body, which is a motive the apostle
useth why they should not therefore be served : Kom. vi. 12, ' Let not sin
therefore reign in your mortal body, that ve should obey it in the lusts thereof.'
The reign and dominion of sin is limited ; yea, and lusts have made the body
thus mortal, hath crazed it and made it moulder : Rom. v. 14, ' Death reigns
by reason of sin,' and hath no other title to its crown but what sin gives it.

Yea, secondly, this short time is cut often so much the more short, by how

ClIAP. VIL] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 317

much a man follows and obeys his lusts : Eccles. vii. 17, * Be not over much
wicked, for why shouldst thou die before thy time ?' for wicked men live not
out half their days. And lusts shorten our days, not only meritoriously
provokinf;; God to do it, to put out the candle before it is half burnt, as Job
says, — chap. xxi. 17, ' How oft is the candle of the wicked put out ? and how
oft Cometh their destruction upon them ? God distributeth sorrows in his
anger,' — but also lusts do this efficiently, the abundance of fuel to feed the
flame of lusts choking and putting out the candle. Intemperancy, the very
name itself, signifies distempering the body, and dissolving its constitution,
and so implies destroying a man's self. And indeed the throat hath killed
more than the sword.

Thirdly, The objects are taken away, and do often fail us before we be
taken from them, and this also by the treachery of our lusts. And this many
ways will appear, for,

1st, God withholdeth many things from men which he would give them,
but for their greediness ; therefore James brings in this as a reason why they
obtained not, because they were too violent in desiring, James iv. 2, and
would consume all on their lusts; so God always deals with his children, and
often with wicked men, whom he crosseth in their desires : Jer. v. 24, 25,
' Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that
giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season ; he reserveth unto
us the appointed weeks of the harvest. Your iniquities have turned away
these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.' God
thinks much that his good creatures should be so basely employed, should
feed such filthy lusts, and that more should be consumed and devoured by
them than would serve twenty of his other poor creatures. Compare these
two scriptures together : Haggai i. 6, 9, ' Ye have sown much, and bring in
little ; ye eat, but ye have not enough ; ye drink, but ye are not filled with
drink ; ye clothe you, but there is none warm ; and he that earneth wages,
earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Ye looked for much, and,
lo, it came to little ; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it.
Why ? saith the Lord of hosts: because of mine house that is waste, and ye
run every man unto his own house.' Mai. iii. 9, 10, ' Ye are cursed with a
curse : for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring je all the
tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house ; and prove
me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of
heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to
receive it.' You shall find whilst they, out of greediness and sparing, and
fear of want, would not pay their tithes, and build the temple, that therefore
God withheld a blessing : ' Ye looked for much,' says God, ' and it came to
little ;' as if he had said, Ye were too greedy, and therefore I did blow upon
upon it ; their only way, God tells them, is to bring in their tithes, and see,
saith he, if I pour not out a blessing.

2dly, If men have good things, yet they sacrificing them to their lusts,
God is provoked to take them away ; your lusts make you forfeit your lease,
and provokes God to re-enter : Hosea ii. 9, ' I will take away my corn and
my wine,' because they were prepared for idols, ver. 8. God thinks much
the creatures should be made co-rivals with him, and adored and loved in
his stead ; and therefore, as he threateneth idols often, so men's pleasant
things too, as being alike images of jealousy, as Ezek. xxiv. 25, which he
represented to them, ver. 16, in taking away Ezekiel's wife : ' Behold, with
a stroke I will take away from thee the desire of thine eye;' and if they ask
thee what these things mean, ver. 25, say to them, 'I will take away the
desire of their eyes, the joy of their glory, and that whereupon they set their

318 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

minds ; ' God dealing therein as Benhadad threatened to do to Ahab : 1 Kings
XX. 6, ' Yet I will send my servants unto thee to-morrow about this time,
and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants ; and it
shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their
hand, and take it away.' If thou hast anything better than other, to part
with which would even kill thee, take heed ; God loves to take that away
with a stroke. If anything bring the adversaries in, lusts will do it : Lam.
i. 10, ' The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things :
for she hath seen the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst
command that they should not enter into thy congi-egation.' Yea, the crea-
tures themselves, as wronged and abused, will in the end cast you out: Lev.
xviii. 26-28, ' Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and
shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation,
nor any stranger that sojourneth among yon (for all these abominations have
the men of the land done which were before you, and the land is defiled) ;
that the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the
nations that were before you.' They will spue you out with loathing and
indignation ; that is, provoke God with their groans, mentioned Rom.
viii. 22, to do it to revenge their quarrel ; as subjects when they are wronged
cast out the tyrant, and unhorse him, because he rides them too hard.

3dly, They do not only provoke God to do it, but even the very lusts
themselves ; and the eager pursuit of them proves the instrumental cause of
the loss of the objects they pursue. How many a man ^had come to his
journey's end if he had not ridden too fast, and his lusts had not spurred
him, and he laid the reins on their necks ? So in the pursuit of riches :
Prov. xxi. 5, ' He that hasteth to be rich, cometh to want ; ' and so Prov.
xxviii. 22, for either he entangleth himself in too much, and by labouring to
grasp too much loseth all, or by too much dearness and falseness turns
away his customers, which by moderate gains he might hold and increase, —
light gains make the purse heavy — or runs into some unjust prohibited course,
and so forfeits all to the law ; as Solomon says, Prov. xxviii. 20, ' He that
makes haste to be rich shall not be innocent,' nor unpunished ; and whilst
he flies greedily to his prey as a bird, he gets a bullet that kills him, viz.,
that same flying roll spoken of, Zech. v. 1-3, God's curse that fli^s into the
thieves' and oppressor's house ; or else he is the rather made a prey to the
hunters and Nimrods of the world, as those beasts are the soonest that have
the costliest skins and furs on their backs : Prov. xiii. 8, ' The riches of a
man are the ransom of his life ; ' being taken in a fault, he is condemned
the rather to die, that his goods may be begged* or forfeited. That to be
the meaning the next words shew, '^the poor hears not the rebuke' ; that is,
a meaner man shall escape. So in the pursuit of learning ; if some scholars
had been wormed of that greedy humour of vain learning, they might have
proved scholars ; but they, through too much reading of variety of books,
have ravelled and fazzled their notions, that they cannot bring out a right
end of them, or know not where to begin or end, besides the making their
spirits and bodies more inapt, and to be as tired jades, dulled, and not able
to hold out. So the ambitious pursuit of worldly greatness and glory has
been their ruin. Many have fallen in the climbing for venturing higher than
the boughs will bear them, as Absalom did ; or have been pressed to death
by others in crowding, and have lost their ambitious aim in the seeking it :
Prov. XXV. 27, ' It is not good to eat much honey ; so for men to search
their own glory is not glory.' The desire of glory is baseness, and casts a
spoil upon it when discovered. As proffered ware loseth its esteem, so

* Qu. 'bagged'?— Ed.

Chap. VII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 319

credit affected, like a shadow, it runs away from those that follow it ; fall
down if you will catch it ; he that humbleth himself shall be exalted : Luke
xiv. 11, ' For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased ; and he that
humbleth himself shall be exalted.' Or else if some men do attain to some
height, yet it proves unseemly for them, and their parts are not able to
manage it, and so it proves their shame : as Prov. iii. 35, ' The wise shall
inherit glory, but shame shall be the promotion of fools.' So also the greedy
and eager devouring of pleasures is often the means, in the issue and event,
to deprive men of the things they should have pleasure in : Prov. xxi. 17,
' He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man.' Prodigal men having much
by them lay all on the fire's back at once, and so come to a morsel of bread.
So idleness also doth, and at last the slothful man is fain to work for his
living, as the prodigal son did, and to be glad of husks. Last of all, God
often useth the lust a man hath been most indulgent unto to be his ruin, his
hangman and executioner ; so Absalom's hair was to him, and Dehlah was
so to Samson.

Fourthly, If the objects and we should remain, yet the lust itself gives us
the slip before the thing is gone : 1 John ii. 17, ' The world passeth away,
and the lusts of it.' Often when the thing remains, and when the lust or
stomach is gone, the sweetness is gone ; for nihil interest num non habeas aut
non concupiscas ; for it is all one as if we had not the thing if we do not
desire it ; the stomach is the same to meat, without which the best meat is
fulsome.

For (1.) Often a man's mind changeth ; for fancy and opinion being the
ground of lust, as a sick man's mind alters, so doth a wicked man's. His
lust, which is his caterer and his keeper, with much cost, and care, and
pains, hath procured and dressed such a dish, which he longingly called
for, and ere it comes he hath no mind to it, but something else. A man's
lust sends him as a lacquey to purvey such a pleasure, &c., and when that is
obtained, or ere he is at his journey's end, it sends him upon some other
fool's errand as oft ; yea, and the more curious a man is to please his lusts,
the more froward, wayward, and delicate do they grow, and the harder to
please; like cockered children, or men in consumption, when they have
spent much *time in projecting and building some stately house, or have
contrived some dish on which they might feed, before it is half finished, their
delight in it is gone ; as soon as the dish comes on the table their appetite
is palled. Solomon's great orchards and buildings, Eccles. ii., were in
the end no more to him than woods and cottages are to others, Eccles.
ii. 4, 5, 11.

(2.) A little sickness, or old age, or a cross, make our lusts to vanish,
though the objects remain, health being the salt to all blessings. In old
age, Eccles. xii. 1, men come to say, ' I have no pleasure in them ; ' yea, a
little affliction deadeneth a man's lusts, as the toothache vexeth more than
the health of all the members doth delight. The affliction of an hour makes
a man forget all pleasure, takes a man's heart from all, that all avails him
nothing, as it did Haman, Esther v. 11-13. Nay, if one wayward lust be
crossed (as his was), one ounce of sorrow spoils a sea of pleasure ; for, sefjnius
bona qnam mala sentimus, we have a slower and duller sense of good than
evil.

Fifthly, In the end, when all objects shall be taken away, then the lust
remains to a man's torment, as it will prove so in hell : Rev. xviii. 14, 'And
the fruits that thy soul lusteth after are departed from thee, and all things
which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find
them no more at all.' All goodly things are departed ; they should seek

820 AN UNBKGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOKE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

them, and find them no more at all. Then oh for a drop of water ! what
would the wretched man give for it ? But a man shall he kept close prisoner,
and starved to death, and a worse death (if hell were no more) could not be
invented.

Sixthly, Now, in the sixth place, let us inquire into the pleasure itself
which men have in satisfying their lusts, and we shall find that men are
infinitely cheated and deceived in it, which will many ways evidently appear.

For, 1, lust pitcheth us upon taking pleasure in things the soul was never
made for, in things which are unnatural to it ; not only in unnatural unclean-
ness, spoken of Rom. i. 26, 27, but in revenge, in the hurt of others, in
disgracing, oppressing others, and building ourselves up on other men's
ruins ; wherein the pleasure therefore cannot be great, because these are
objects not made for it, and is as if a man should find sweetness in his own
dung, eat man's flesh, or (as in some diseases) eat ashes and clay, &c. For
all pleasure ariseth from suitableness, and suitableness ariseth from God's
fitting things at the first ; those naturally and most fully delight the soul, as
that meat the palate, which natiu-ally was made for it. Now the pleasures
of unrighteousness, the soul was not made for, therefore they are against the
original genius of it, they are nothing but a wresting, and a forcing, and
wringing it the wrong way ; and all distorted motions have more pain than
pleasure to accompany them ; and therefore when a man sins his soul is
put out of joint : Gal. vi. 1, ' Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye
which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness ; consider-
ing thyself, lest thou also be tempted.' Kara^r/^srs, the word is, set him
right again.

But, 2, suppose it carries us on to take pleasure in those things that were
made to perfect the soul, as learning, knowledge, and which refresh the body,
as the lawful comforts of this life, yet lust hath made these less pleasant to
us ; for original sin and lust is a disease, a sickness and a distemper in the
soul, as may seem to be the meaning of Solomon, where, giving a reason of
that sorrow and vexation of men in enjoying outward things, says he, Eccles.
V. 17, ' He eats in darkness all his days, and hath much sorrow with his
sickness.' Men are not bodily sick all their days, but their minds are, and
so they have much sorrow in the use of all, by reason of the .sickness and
distemper of their afiiections, for indeed, rivere est agrotare, to live in our
sinful state is to be always sick ; and therefore Christ must come with heal-
ing in his wings, Mai. iv. 2, when grace is renewed, which is the health of
the soul. And that it is a sickness is evident from the burning distemper,
and violent aguish-fits of longing we are cast into, as Rachel was, when she
impatiently said. Gen. xxx. 1, ' Give me children, or else I die.' It is
evident from that thirstiness and calling continually for drink, as Deut.
xxix. 19 ; that tossing from one side of the bed to another, that is, changing
our stations, and conditions, and objects, and so thinking to ease ourselves,
but not to cure ourselves. Now if it be so, then the pleasure is fulsome and
unnatural also, by reason of our vitiated palate, a sick sweetness; and there-
fore we think all beer bitter to us, that is, no creature can long please us ;
whereas, were our souls in health, all comforts would be sweet and comfort-
able, and if a man had experience of a month's health, he would find them
so. But being led by lusts, falling into a fever, and also because the disease
is fed, not the man, who consumes more and more, is weakened and eftemi-
nated, for his restless endeavours to gratify his lusts, molUtiem et debilitatem
inducunt, suck out the vigour of that spirit which should sustain infirmities.
So that we are unapt to bear crosses, are more unuseful to others, and weak
to help ourselves.

Chap. VII. J in respect of sin and punishment. y:il

8. If we examine the conception, the birth, and bringing up of all our
pleasures in sinning, we shall find that they are begotten, brought forth,
trained up in sorrow; and that this is much more than the pleasure.

(1.) Because, unless there be some difficulty in attaining that we desire,
we little care for a thing ; the more we are restrained by blocks in our way,
by checks of conscience before (all which are painful to overcome), the more
eager are we ; and therefore stolen meat is sweet, Prov. ix. 17, Quod licet
ingratum est, quod non licet cpgrins urit : what is allowed us is ingrateful,
what is prohibited more violently inflames us ; and the difficulty sets a price
upon the sin.

(2.) Sorrow is the womb in, and the matter of, which all our pleasures in
sin are begotten. Pain is the sulphur of this blaze, the sauce to this sweet ;
for the very desire, till satisfied, is a restless torture, it is but as the throb-
bing of a boil, or the pain of the itch, which all men account a misery ; and
satisfying is but the breaking of the boil, it is rather ease than pleasure. So
the Stoics defined it to be indolence, and that that was the utmost happiness man
could attain to ; it is only putting the arm out of bed to cool a little. And
that this desire is a torture, is evident by Amnon, who was lean from day to
day from the desire he had to Tamar, 2 Sam xiii. 2, 3 ; and by Ahab, who
was sick for Naboth's vineyard, 1 Kings xxi. 4. And therefore yielding to
a lust, is x-ather the quitting ourselves of the torment of such a desire which
is^^importunate, than any sweetness of enjoyment ; as the unjust judge yielded
to the widow, to discharge himself of an importunate suitor. And without
strong desire no pleasure is found, for this is in proportion according to the
desire. To whom is meat sweet, but to him that is pained with hunger ?
else it is loathsome ; so as all satisfaction of lust is but a remedy for pain, a
privative pleasure rather than positive. And therefore our lusts put us to a
great deal of pains to please them, not suffering men to sleep unless they
have done mischief: Hab. ii, 13, ' Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that
the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary them-
selves for very vanity ? ' Men weary themselves for vanity, and take pains
to do wickedly, whether in gathering riches, eating the bread of carefulness,
&c., or in aspiring after glory and a name. Magnus labor magntR custodia
famce, it is a great labour to preserve a great reputation. Credit is a costly
building, which costs much the rearing, and much the keeping in repair. Or
in pleasures, men tire themselves: the adulterer watcheth for the twilight ;
men sit up late at cards and dice. Thus men are set to gather straw, as
the Israelites by the Egj-ptians, with much care, as fuel and provision for
their lusts.

(3.) The pleasure in enjoying them is but the increasing'the desire, which
you saw before was a torture ; and so as a man satisfying them makes him-
self more pain, more work, his going of one errand to please a lust occasion-
eth his being sent again, and still he is but the more weary. As drinking
in a dropsy, though it seem to ease, yet it makes the thirst more; and so
the man's vexation is more by the gratification of his sinful desires : he adds
but fuel to the fire, and all his pleasures are baits, not meat, that do not
feed the man, but the desires ; and the yielding to them encourageth them to
be more boldly importunate.

And yet, 4, these pleasures are but momentary, and die between our teeth,
or slip like shadows from between our hands whilst we endeavour to grasp
them; they are but a blaze of straw, crackling of thorns, Eccles, vii, 6; none
of them are so long as one fit of an ague. If any of them are quick and lively,
yet they perish in the very using : yea, and so small are they, as that the

VOL. X. X

322 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK VIII.

painful desire was more contentment to the man than the fruition, the wooing
time more delightful than the enjoying ; for then the heart was fed with
pleasing hopes of possessing some great good.

And, 5, they leave the heart full of sorrows, like sweet-singing birds, which
men endeavouring to catch, thrusting in their hands on a sudden, are left in
the midst of thorns, and the bird is flown and gone. Biches have wings, so
have pleasures : Prov. xiv. 13, ' Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and
the end is heaviness.' Extrema gaudii luctus occupat, mourning still suc-
ceeds joy, and that appears many ways.

1st, Because the soul is left empty by them. The lust is satisfied, and the
soul gets nothing, is not bettered by it, but is consumed and weakened
rather. The disease is fed, and not the man; as no sick man is nourished by
all the meat he takes; the soul is starved, the lust is only nourished. In
the parable of the prodigal, the swine (that is, his lusts) eat up all the husks,
he could not get so much as them. Thus they say the devil eats all the
witches' food when he feasts them. In a word, all the satisfaction is but
taking down wind into the body, Hosea xii. 1. Ephraim feeds on the wind,
and Israel is a wild ass that snuffs up the wind, the desire of her heart, Jer.
ii. 24. And this emptiness vexeth : Eccles. v. 16, 'And this also is a sore
evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go : and what profit hath he
that laboureth for the wind ?' This is a sore thing, to labour for the wind;
and therefore the soul goes still bleating up and down, lowing for fodder, as
starved as ever, like Pharaoh's lean kine.

2dly, Because the lust itself and the soul find a burthensomeness and a
loathsomeness in the end. It is not emptiness only, but fulsomeness ; for
though a man is not nourished by them and so satisfied, yet he is cloyed
and dulled with them, and then loathing comes, which is joined with sorrow,
Prov. xxvii. 7. A full stomach loathes the honeycomb ; and so Amnon did
loathe Tamar when enjoyed : prase7itium tcedio laboramus, the object when
present becomes a burden, and oppresseth nature, for lust carries us to ex-
cess, and excess is loathsome.',

3dly, Because a man can never satisfy "one lust, but he must displease
another. Prodigality and luxury bring forth shame and poverty with it, at
the same time that it brings forth pleasure, or at least so as to take it by
the heel. As in ministering physic to cool the liver, they spoil the stomach,
&c., so a man in laying up for one lust starves another; in heaping up
riches, he defrauds his soul of pleasures : Eccles. iv. 8, ' Yet is there no end
of all his labour ; neither is his eye satisfied with riches ; neither saith he.
For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good ? This is also vanity,
yea, it is a sore travail.' This is a sore evil, to go with an empty belly to
fill their chests ; as a man displeaseth one dear friend to pleasure another,
and if he sits down he displeaseth both ; for every object a man is con-
versant about, every lust comes about it, like so many swine to the trough, and
all put their mouths in, and as some are pleased, so some are displeased ;
so as, James iv. 1-3, they are said to war in our members one against
another, to interrupt the free enjoying one of another, and all fighting against
the soul, that stands in the midst, and receives all the blows, 1 Peter ii. 11,
and is pierced through with many sorrows, 1 Tim. vi. 9.

4thly, There is much sorrow mingled with them, because what we affect
and desire, and do enjoy, we take care to keep, have perplexing fear of
losing them, and grieve answerably if we do lose them ; so as riches, honours,
pleasures increase, sorrows increase, for all these affections have pain joined
to them : Eccles. v. 11, 'When goods increase, they are increased that eat
them : and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding

Chap. VII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 323

of them with their eyes ? ' When riches increase, they will not suffer a man
to sleep, as many clothes will not. Nabal's heart died for fear of losing what
he so loved ; when the storm of David's anger was over, and the danger past,
and when Nabal was got safe over the dangerous bridge, yet the conceit
killed him. When the heart is rooted in anything it delights in, the loss of
it tears out a piece of the heart ; therefore, Job xx. 15, God is said to tear
and rake riches out of a covetous man's belly. David would have died
rather than have lost his Absalom, so inordinate was his grief, because
his love was so. Thus in regard of the things we desire and lust for, we
are like children that are fond of a man, and cry if he but seem to stir; and
then when that is gone we are most atl'ected with, we are vexed more than
ever we were pleased by the possession of it, and cry. We are undone !
Stultus quod perdidit amat; we are as a fool, who then begins to prize a
thing when he hath lost it.

5thly, Because there is a sting left behind, the sting of conscience ; there-
fore the gratification of our lusts hath more pain than pleasure in it, it bites
as a cockatrice: Prov. xxiii. 31, 32, ' Look not thou upon the wine when
it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright :
at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.' It is a dart
that strikes through the liver, that wounds the soul, and though the wound
is not felt in hot blood, whilst the man is in eager pursuit of his lust, yet at
night when he is cooled, then these wounds will ache and throb, and make
him subject to the fear of death all his lifetime ; the sin will beat him at
night, notwithstanding all his pains to commit it, as the taskmasters did the
Israelites. Though men kindle blazes of pleasures, which yet are but sparks,
and walk in the comfort of them a while, yet they lie down in sorrow, Isa.
1. 11. And in hell, so much torment there will be, in proportion to the
pleasures which men have had in sin: James v. 1, ' Go to now, ye rich men,
weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.' Rev. xviii. 7, 8,
' How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment
and sorrow give her : for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no
widow, and shall see no son-ow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one
day, death, and mourning, and famine ; and she shall be utterly burnt with
fire : for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.' Hear, and seriously
consider this, you who have lived in pleasure, and nourished yourselves
deUciously with sinful delights ; yea, and those things which have been the
instruments of your lusts shall most be punished ; as Dives his tongue,
which was the conduit-pipe of his pleasure, was now the vessel of his pain.

32i AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUIMINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

BOOK IX.

Wisdojn in the hidden part, or practical ivi.sdom concerning original sin,
founded on David's example and practice, Ps. li. 6. — That this sin is matter
of rcpoitance as well as our actual sins, and how we are to he humbled/or it,
and to repent of it.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts ; and in the hidden part thou
shalt make me to know wisdom. — Psalm LI. 6.

CHAPTER I.

The errors of the papists, denyirvj original sin to he the object of repentance. —
The opinions of Bonaventure, Estius, Suarez, and Bellarmine proposed and
refuted.

Every truth in our religion hath an lnTga^/g, an usefuhiess in it. The
doctrine of original sin in both parts of it (the guilt of Adam's fact, and the
corruption inherent) is an eminent truth, which our Christianity cannot want,
and therefore ought to have, and is fitted to have an i^yaala, an operation
upon the heart of every Christian, answerable to the weight and moment of
the truth, and therefore is not to lie by us as if it were a mere speculation.
And whatever dispositions of heart others may have handled, as required of
Christians towards God about it, I shall single out this of humiliation, con-
trition, or brokenness of heart for it. For if it be sin, and our sin (proprium
peccatum, though not propriir fiperationis), though not of our own committing
or operation, and whereof yet the guilt ariseth unto us, we may be sure that
a serious humiliation and submission of soul is requisite for it ; for humilia-
tion and sin are relatives in their kind, even as faith and Christ are, and so
far as it is sin, and our sin, it is meet we be humbled for it.

To evince all which you have here David's practice and example set afore
you in this treatise ; and ere I come to the clearing thereof, I do by way of
preface give the reader a brief scheme of those practical errors (and not so
much about the doctrine of original sin itself), which men, professing them-
selves divines, have uttered about the exercise of repentance for it, and if
any, what it should be. Among many it hath been made a set and solemn
question. Whether any repentance and humiliation at all is required of Chris-
tians for original sin (whether it be the guilt of Adam's first act of sin, or the
corruption) ; and at best, the most allow so slight a displacency for it (for
so they mince it), as truly it is scarce worth the owning by God. I shall
spread their opinions before you ; for it is no small advantage towards the
understanding the truth, to have a view of the errors about it, or faUings
short of the truth, and that in their several sizes and proportions lesser and
greater ; it makes us both value the truth the more, and better discern it,
when we perceive where truth and errors part.

First, Not to insist on the Socinians' doctrine and practice, who wholly

Chap, l.j in respect of sin anl» vunishmknt. ;'325

ami utterly deny this sin in us in any part of it, and therefore no wonder if
thoy put it not into their confessions, and teach men not to do so.

Secondly, As for the Arminians, they (the old ones, I am sure, did) acknow-
ledge the imputation of Adam's act to be our sin, but the corruption inherent
to be only a punishment of that sin, and so not a sin distinctly considered ;
but withal they teach that all that accrues to us, as sin in it, is so taken
away by Christ the second Adam, and so universally, even to^the heathens,
as well as those that are baptized among Christians, as that they arc all
quitted of that sin (when of no other without repentance) ; but this they
say, whether men repent or not, it shall never be laid unto men's charge,
so as we need not trouble ourselves more about it.

Thirdly, As for the papists, they grant the imputation of Adam's act as of
a sin, and also original corruption inherent to have been a sin afore bap-
tism, and so to all unbaptized ; but aftirm withal, that baptism is appointed
to take away all the sinfulness or guilt that may redound from either act or
corruption ; and what is left of inherent corruption, after baptism, is not a
sin in them, or to them, but a wealmess, a physical corruption ; as a disease
or any other infirmity in nature, but not a moral evil. And then for actual
sins after baptism,' they have set up that invention of penance (as they call
it), or repentance, to be a sacrament for the forgiveness of actual sins ; the
mystery whereof is to necessitate all men to a confession unto, and absolu-
tion by, a priest for such sins, as baptism is a sacrament for the taking away
original sin. So that this of penance, &c., is God's ordinance (they say) for
taking away the guilt of actual sins only of a man's own committing; and so
by this doctrine they do quit those that are baptized, and their consciences
wholly of original sin (as a sin). And thus they think themselves complete
Chi-istians, and to have a full provision made for both, as to the forgiveness
both of original and actual sin ; what between the one remedy of baptism
and the other of repentance. And they are so intent upon magnifying this, their
sacramental repentance for men's own actual sins, that they load not men's
consciences at all with repentance or humiliation for original sin, as having
been sufficiently removed by baptism ; they put over this sin wholly unto
that ; so as that comes not within the compass of any confession that is to
be made either to a priest for absolution, nor of a repentance before God ;
and this is a great mystery of their religion.

Bonaventure,* the best of all the ancient schoolmen, yet speaks leanly and
flaccidly as to this point ; his determinations are,

1 . That all men grown up are not bound to a detestation and repentance
fur this corruption ; because, says he, all men do not know they have such
corruption in them, and so are not obliged to any act, no, not of detestation ;
so he speaks about it. A good church it is in the meantime, that so crieth
up the efficacy of baptism, to take it so generally away, as it judgeth that
the priest needs not instruct their penitents grown up of the evil of this sin.

2. For them that are grown up and know it,t he says (1.) It is meet, in-
deed, and fit that this sin should displease them, that they should have a.
displacency, not a contrition or brokenness of heart for it ; for afterwards it
follows, that he is not bound to afflict himself for it ; and (2.) that displa-
cency neither is but only congruous, not necessary ; (3.) that it be done but
in the general (as it is common with all others of mankind, or in the lump

=1= Lib iv. Cent, distinct, xvi. p. 2. Specialiter quantum ad adultos, qui se habere
nesciunt, et quantum ad hos non oportet quod aliquis actus detestationis adveniat.

t Qiiantnni ad tales qui sciunt, congrnum est quod displiceat non in speciali sed in
general!, sed non est necessarlum. And, after that, Quod non tenetur sc affligere.—
Bonavent. ibid.

326 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS I'.KFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

and gross with all other sins), but not in special, as his own particular con-
dition.

Only I confess Estius corrects him,* for it is so small allowance out of
Aquinas, as being too short, and says, debet haheri, that a man ought to have
it ; and yet how he corrects himself in this afterwards, I shall shew.

And for Aquinas himself,f he restrains repentance propria et principali-
ter, properly and principally, unto mortal sin committed by a man's self,
as the object of it ; but as to original sin his words are. Repentance is
neither principally appointed for it, because the sacrament of penance is not
ordained for it, but baptism rather ; nor proj)erbj, because it was not com-
mitted by our own wills, &c. And yet take repentance largely (says he) for
any kind of detestation of a thing past, so it may be termed repentance for
original sin. Thus he limits it unto an act of detestation only, and that but
such as amounts to any kind of detestation of a thing past, which is amiss ;
which is as little as may be, and at best but as much as nothing for it, and
that for the present, unless humiliation [for] inherent corruption dwelling
in us be performed also by us.

SuarezJ, one of our acutest new schoolmen, says, 1, Kon videtur esse apta
materia virtutis jpcenitenticc, that original sin seems not fit matter or object for
the ^-irtue of repentance. So that it is not for that grace so much as to be
conversant or'exercised about it, but as for their sacrament of penance or
repentance. This sin, iiidlo modo pertinet ad materiam illius sacramenti, it
doth no way belong to the matter of that sacrament ; and therefore contri-
tion for it is not required at all of these penitents afore their absolution.

And the most I can get of him is, 2, that if w-e consider this virtue of
repentance, as it is a mere simple affection, and a piece of justice which we
owe to God, as original sin is a state of injustice to God; and so considered,
we may have such a kind of repentance for it. And so far he bountifully
grants ; hoc modo non est iiiconveniens ohjectum ejus ampliari etiam ad orirfi-
nale. So taken, it is not inconvenient (forsooth) to extend it to original sin
as its object !

And again, 3, Posswmis dolere eu quod hnmanum genus in prima parente
Deum offenderit, we may be grieved that mankind did offend God in their
first parent, which is all one with Bonaveuture's in generali, that in general
we may exercise a displacency about it, but not in special, that is, particu-
larly for our own persons, which yet we are to do, and lay it to heart, as if
none else had been guilty of it with us.

And, 4, in his close he adds of that also, that this may be done by con-
sidering it speculatively, so as thereby to express an affection to God.

But, 5, afterwards he professedly says, there is no commandment given ns
either to mourn for it, or be displeased thus at it (for of those two acts he
had spoken afore). Nay, he adds, ncc dari oportuit, nor ought any such
command to have been given.

And, 0, he gives this professed reason, Because as that sin was commit-
ted but by the will of that one man Adam, so it was satisfied for by the will
(or willing obedience) of Christ alone ; and as by generation natural it is
contracted by us, so also by regeneration in Christ (which with them is done
once for all in baptism, unto all baptized) it is blotted out ;§ and so (as we

* iEstius. lib. iv. Sent, distinct. 16, § 6.

t Tho. Aquinas, ter. par. qucest. 84, art. 2, ad tertium.

J In tertiam, par. iv., disp. ii., sect. 1, de objecto materiali, torn. xiv. Oper.

§ Negat esse neccssarium, ac merito, quia nullum datum est de eo prajceptum, nee
dari oportuit, quia sicut unius Ada; voluntate commissum est, ita unius Christi volun-
tate pro illo satisfactum est : ct sicut generatione naturali contrahitur, ita ctiam per
regenerationem in Christo deletur. — Siiarez, ibid. Originale pecctitum etiamsi (rem

Chap. I.j in respkct of sin and punishment. 327

nse to say) it lightly comes, and it as lightly goes. And thus they pass it over
and wrap it up.

Nay, 7. He concludes, Nihilominus* &c., that notwithstanding all those
liberal gi-ants he had made about it, of displacency, &c. (which you have now
heard), yet it is not a necessary matter or ground of any such acts ; nor, to
speak practically (says he), is it an zise/ul matter (of repentance) to correct
men's manners, which are the proper ends of repentance. Thus he. So
as, in fine, they plainly lay aside all kind of repentance about it, as of no
nse at all, in the exercises thereof.

As for Estius, for all his debet hahcri, he, not\?i'ithstanding, in his close
about it, comes ofl' thus,f — in answer to an objection made out of Austin,
that that damnable original sin is to be laid to heart, amended and corrected
in a man, — Not (says Estius) either because every man did it for himself,
nor because he ivas born in it, or that he hath it (in him), nor unless the case
happen to be that a man sinfully delays the grace of regeneration, and wil-
fully remains in corruption, and will not be freed from it by regeneration.
And so to do, is the sin of a man's own will, which is severely to be re-
pented of. So that, indeed, Estius puts all upon this : in case a man delays
repentance, and will not be freed by it from that state of corruption, so indeed
he is to repent, and for so doing, for that is always a sin of his own will ;
but still so as take original corruption simply, and as inherent in him, he
flatly affirms he is not bound to repent or be afflicted for it, either because
he was born in it, or because he hath it, that is, that it is in him.

Oh how slightly, slenderly, leanly, and dilutely do these men speak of, and
pass over, one of the greatest matters, and of the greatest concernment to
mankind that ever was in the world ! Brethren, love and value your reli-
gion. Let us take part rather with Paul, who in the conclusion of his dis-
course about that corruption (which they after baptism deny to be a sin), we
find to have been so infinitely pressed at the sense of it, that he cries out,
' 0 miserable man that I am ! who shall deliver me ? ' &c. And the misery
he there intends and complains of, is the above-mentioned sinful sin, as that
•which all along from verse 14 in that chapter he had so bitterly complained
of ; and yet Paul had been baptized many years afore he writ this epistle.
And if any say, he speaks in the person of an unregenerate man, we know
that multitudes remain such after their being baptized. Fall down likewise
let us here with David, who long after his circumcision (which our baptism
succeeds) thus bewailed the corruption of his nature, and bitterly lament and
humble ourselves for this sin, as we shall see that here he did, with an ecce,
a behold, upon it : ' Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my
mother conceive me.'

And truly the greatest grounds I can find in Suarez or Bellarmine, or any
of them, is, first, that the object of repentance properly is actus proprius, an
act done by a man's self; and that in rigour repentance is only retractatio
facti prateriti, the recalling with sorrow and grief a fact that is past, which
must be supposed a man's own : pcenitet et facto torqneor ipse meo. Whereas
(say they) neither of these two parts of original sin are committed or con-
speculative considerando) possit esse materia seu objectum alicujns odii pertinentis ad
pcenitentiam, &c.

* Nihilominus non esse materiam necessariam, neque praetice loquendo moraliter
utilcm ad corrigendos et emendandos mores, qui sunt proprii fines virtutis Pcenitentiffl-
Suarez ibidem.

t Augustinus docet corripiendam esse in homine originem damnabileai ; non quia
earn quisque sibi fecit, neque quia in ea uatus est, aut eana habet, nisi forte culpabi-
liter gratiam regenerationis distulerit, &c, — Estius ibid. lib. iv., Sent, distinct, vi. 16,
§ 6, ad finem.

32S AN UXKEGENERATE MANS GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

tracted by a man's own will, and so come not under the case of repentance.
And, secondly, that there is not, nor can be, any inorsus conscientlm, sting or
sense of conscience for this sin, such as for our own actual sins. One of
these so expresseth himself, Nemo in se reperit morsurn conscienticR j^ropter hoc
peccatum : No man finds in himself any sting of conscience for this sin. Ego
nunquam semi, I never felt any, says he, &c.

As for refutation of these opinions, I shall say little. David's practice,
and what follows in the treatise itself, will be sufficient for this ; yet I shall
premise here some few things thereto.

First, I would bring both papists and those others unto Acts ii. 37, 38,
' Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto
Peter, and to the rest of the apostles. Men and brethren, what shall we do ?
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost.' Here we find those Christian converts newly stricken
with the sense of sin, and as yet unbaptized ; and to the end they might be
baptized by the apostles, are exhorted to repent of their sins : ' Repent, and
be baptized for the remission of sins.' Now, I would demand whether or no
they were not herein exhorted to repent of every sort of sin that was to be
forgiven them, and the forgiveness whereof was to be sealed up by baptism?
And so, whether they were not here commanded to repent in common of their
original sin as well as of their actual, in order to that sealing up of forgive-
ness of one as well as of the other ?

And from thence my argument lies thus :

That all those sins, the forgiveness of which baptism upon repentance was
the seal, of all those sins (that is, indefinitely, of any sort or particular of
them) they were to repent in order to that forgiveness. But these original
sins (if sins either of them) were sins, whereof baptism upon repentance was
the seal of their forgiveness, as well as of their own actual. Ergo,

The proof hereof lies upon this, that these things are made of like extent
by the apostle: 1, sins to be repented of in order to forgiveness, &c. ; 2, for-
giveness of those sins upon repentance ; 8, baptism sealing up that forgive-
ness on repentance. There is no sort of sin that was to be forgiven but is
alike indefinitely exhorted to be repented of, and baptism to be administered
to seal up the forgiveness thereof ; for this exhortation is general, or at least
indefinite, and reacheth to all sorts of sins that are to be forgiven. And who
shall make the exception or difierence, that some sins need not be repented
of in order to forgiveness, but others must, since the apostle makes none ?
In like manner when Christ, preaching the gospel, exhorted to repent and
believe, surely his intendment was, that our repentance for sins should be
as extensive as our faith for the forgiveness of them. If, therefore, we are
to exercise acts of faith for the forgiveness of all dr any, then acts of repent-
ance also. Who shall distinguish where God and Christ do not ?

If any say. It is not requisite that every sin that is to be forgiven should
particularly be repented of, the answer is, True, if it be understood upon this
ground, or with this caution, that a penitent cannot de facto know or recall
every particular sin of his through weakness ; yet so as j'et the duty lies
upon all, or any, indefinitely, one as well as another, especially any one sort
of sin as well as another (about which the question is), and so as still every
one sin is capable of a true repentance as well as another ; so as it must not
be said of any that he needs not repent of such or such, that yet are acknow-
ledged sins, and for which forgiveness is necessary.

And this argument from Acts ii. comes the more home unto the papists ;
for, according to their doctrine, baptism is principally intended and ordained

Chap. I.J in respect of sin and punishment. iJ29

for the forgiveness of original sin, and the taking of it away as a sin. So say
they. And therefore say I, the apostle, according to the rule of adequation,
must be supposed to exhort these men, now grown up to riper years, to the
repentance of this sin, in order to their being baptized, above any other.

Nor will the instance of infants, that they are not bound to repent of this
sin in order to forgiveness at baptism, and yet have it forgiven, obstruct this;
for these converts were aduUi, men grown up and come to knowledge. And
this rule in Acts ii. was given principally for what concerned them, and such
as they, viz. men of riper years when baptized ; and so such were and are
obliged to repent of it.

If it be farther said, that however their original sin being upon baptism
forgiven them, and that forgiveness sealed up thereby once for all, that there-
fore these men were not obliged any more to repent of that sin, being so sealed
up and forgiven ; and therefore not we, seeing it was done away once for all
when we were baptized infants ; —

The reply is, that their actual sins committed afore their repentance and
baptism were then forgiven as well as their original, and the forgiveness of
them sealed up as well as this of original ; and surely they will not affirm
that these converts were not obliged nor needed any more at all to repent of
their actual sins after that forgiveness at baptism ; especially if they look a
verse or two back, and consider that crucifying of Christ was one of the sins
they are there exhorted to repent of, and were pricked in their hearts in order
unto forgiveness. And will they say they needed not to repent of that sin,
because forgiven at baptism, whenas St Paul, that had that sin forgiven at
his baptism, yet cries out bitterly, ' I was a persecutor and injurious,' long
after his baptism.

Secondly, A second answer is, that both others, and the papists, do in
these assertions bring up the highest antinomianism, and proclaim themselves
as much such as any are in the world ; for these assertions are founded upon
this supposition, that if a sin be once forgiven by God, we need no more
repent of it or lay it to heart. The papists' doctrine holds all men in sus-
pense about the forgiveness of actual sins, but peremptorily teacheth that this
original sin is forgiven for ever, and pretend to have the assurance thereof,
when not of the forgiveness of the other, and from hence exact not a repent-
ance for this in persons baptized ; so that look wherein they judge an abso-
lute forgiveness to be, therein they are as perfect antinomians as any. And
what reason of difference can be given why original sin, once forgiven, should
never more be humbled for, but actual sins must ; and why the absolution
of a priest in their penance should not absolve them from actual sins (pen-
ance being to them God's ordinance) as effectually as the other ordinance,
baptism, doth from original ?

Besides, is not this unkind and disingenuous, whether in papists or whom-
soever, that this sin forgiven by God, and remembered by him no more,
should therefore be forgotten by us ? Shall a man run away with the for-
giveness, and pass it over thus, so as not to concern himself about the sin
forgiven any more ? Shall not this sin (if it be a sin, as they confess) abound
in our sense and apprehensions, to the end that the grace of forgiveness may
abound much more? Rom. vi. Which grace (if this sin, according to the
proportion of sin in it, be not laid to heart) is utterly lost, deeming it but,
as we do, a common pardon of coui-se, of which there would be forgiveness
whether we repent or no. However, it should have a due regard from us
when we repent of other sins, though pardoned, to humble ourselves for that
also, it being proper unto us, that is, every one of us who are personally
guilty of it, as if none other had been guilty of it with us. Assurance of

330 AN UNREGENEBATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

forgiveness quits us not, nor dischargeth us of confessing and humbling our-
selves. We are to humble ourselves the more because pardoned : so Ezek.
xvi. 63, * That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open
thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee
for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.' And though here the pro-
phet mentions only what we have done, yet there is the same reason of what
we are or have been, or of what may be counted sin, and for which God is
pacified towards us too, as well as any other sin ; there is every way the
same reason for both. We are to put our mouths in the dust for ever for all
sins for which God is pacified, especially when we feel the venom of a sin (as
in this case it is), like a cup of poison drunk by us, still working in our
bowels, and continuing so to do until death, which it brought into the world,
fetcheth us out. 3

These things I have cast rather into a preface, than to insert them into the
body of the discourse itself (though there they might have had a fit place),
because I aim at the benefit of the common sort of Christians, whom such
a narrative of others' opinions do often deter and divert from reading any
farther.

I should likewise here answer those fore-mentioned grounds why they deny
original sin to be a fit matter of repentance, which Bellarmine also mani-
festly atfii'ms, namely, 1, because repentance is properly only of an act done
by a man's self; and, 2, because there is not, nor can be any morsus con-
scientue, sting or biting of conscience for this sin, especially for Adam's fact
imputed (so say they). But because the answers to these are more proper
ingredients into the very practice and exercise of our souls about it, I have
remanded them to a due place in the discourse itself.

CHAPTER II.

The exjwsition of the text proved, that David expresseth humiliation and repent-
ance for his orif/inal sin, and that he humbles himself in the sense of his
guilt by the imputation of Adanis Jirst sin, and the sinfulness of his own
nature.

Behold, I was broucfht forth in iniquity ; and in sin did my mother conceive
me. Behold, thou desirest tndh in the inward parts ; and in the hidden part
thou hast made me to know wisdom. — Ps. LI. 6, 6.

My intended subject is the demeanour and exercise of an humbled penitent
soul in point of original sin towards God. It is not the doctrine of original
sin (of which I have already discoursed), but what humiliation and repentance
the soul, convinced of it, is to put forth about it. And truly it is an useful
point of practice as any other, and conducing greatly to glorify God, which
yet is much out of use, I fear, in the private intercourses of Christians between
God and their own souls, which therefore I shall endeavour to revive in your
spirits.

My ground and warrant for this is David's frame and exercise of spirit
here in these two verses, this being the most proper scope of them, and this
the eminent penitential psalm of all the other seven, in the common repute
of antiquity; and wherein David as a penitent, upon occasion of this murder
and adultery, and other gi-oss actual sins, humbles himself deeply for this
his original sin as the cause and spring of all ; and therefore I do found the
treating hereof upon this his practice. And that I may with more advan-

Chap. II. j in respect of sin and punishmknt. 831

tage urge and direct you in and to this exercise of spirit and soul about it,
and lay a sure and proper foundation for my whole discourse concerning this
the practical part (as I style it), I shall in the first place open the ^Yords, and
David's heart as it lies enclosed in them, the sum of which I reduce unto two
principal heads, to which I add a third.

I. David's confession of this sin, or David's brokenness of heart for it; by
opening which I shall clear that the scope and intention of his soul was
deeply to humble himself for this sin, &c.

II. David's own reflection upon God's working this in him, and having
discovered and set upon his soul this sin, he blessing God highly for this in
the close of that his confession in those words : ver. G, ' And in the hidden
part thou hast made me to know wisdom.'

III. There is a third head serving to open the words, which is, that whereas
there are two parts or branches of original sin ; 1, Adam's first transgres-
sion imputed; 2, inherent corruption thence flowing; I shall give some
account that each of these are included distinctly in the words, according to
the opinion of some interpreters, which will make the exposition of these
words complete, and will also aflbrd a foundation for two parts concerning
each of these, which I have propounded to myself to handle in this discourse,
as in the sequel will appear.

I. First, For the clearing of the first of these heads. Some would elude
this place by saying, it is his mother's sin, supposed to have been in her in
the act of generation, which he confesseth here, and not at all any that was
his own, in which by her he should have been conceived. Whereas, on the
contrary,

1. All his acknowledgments in that psalm run upon his own iniquity; his
heart was filled and possessed with his personal sins. So all along hitherto,
* mtj transgressions,' ver, 1; *»«?/ iniquity,' and ' 7ny sin,' ver. 2; 'I ac-
knowledge my transgressions, my sin is ever before me,' ver. 3 ; ' Against
thee, thee only have / sinned,' ver. 4. And shall we think that here he
diverts to the sin of his mother, when he was in the full heat and career of
confessing his own ?

2. His grief for his own sins was so intense, both afore these words and
after, as must needs leave little heart for him to run out upon his mother's
sin, and leave off the pursuance of his own. He is not in Jeremiah's or
Job's frame, to curse the day of his birth, and his mother that brought him
forth. No ; we find him too deeply broken to do so. And to what purpose
should it be for him to say, My mother sinned in conceiving me, whilst he
lays so deeply to heart his murder and lying with another man's wife ? What
had his mother's sin in conceiving him to do with his having committed the
murder of Uriah, and defiling his wife Bathsheba ?

3. Nor did his mother sin in that act of conceiving him more than in other
actions the godly do, and as indeed in all actions we all do. He might have
said that in eating and drinking, whereby she nourished him in the womb,
she had sinned, as well as in this of conceiving him. His mother was a
godly woman, as that speech shews : Ps. cxvi. 16, ' 0 Lord, truly I am thy
servant ; I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid ;' and he the
issue of lawful marriage, whereof the bed was undefiled, Heb. xiii. 4, yea,
sanctified, 1 Cor. vii. 14. And shall David, then, upon occasion of defiling
another man's wife, and begetting a bastard, or a child unclean, reflect upon
his parent's lawful act, yea, an act sanctified by God ? No. Besides, David
was now at the bottom of hell, acknowledging his sins, ver. 3, and it is
utterly contrary to the genius of such a soul to mention the sins of others in
such a case.

332 AN UNREGENEHATE MANS GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

Secondly, If it was his own sin he so cries out of, then certainly his having
himself been conceived in sin, and so his own conception-sin and birth-sin
(which we call original sin) was it which he so much bewails, and it could be
no other ; and take our doctrine about it, which teacheth it is derived by
conception, &c., and there could not be more manifest words to signify it.

And that this should be his very heart and meaning is every way so con-
gruous. For,

] . It holds some order and equipage with foimer confessions in other
psalms. He had confessed the sins of his youth in Ps. xxv., and here the
grosser acts of his more elder years. He had said, Ps. Iviii. 2, that ' the
wicked go astray from the womb ; ' and here himself goes farther, and de-
scends to the source of all : ' JJehoId, I was brought forth in sin,' yea, and
* conceived in it,' &c.

And, 2, that upon occasion of these so foul miscarriages, he takes a new
survey of the sins of his whole life, and examining himself to the bottom,
should arrive at this ; even as in going along by a river, we come at last to
the well-head, the fountain of all those streams, so here. And this is natu-
ral and coherent, and there was a full rise for this ; and it is no other but
perfectly correspondent with what the apostle long after instructs us in. Col.
iii. 9, even to join inherent corruption and its deeds together, as cause and
effects. Ajid David speaks apparently to the like puqDose; here this I have
done (in the former words), for thus I was conceived in sin, and behold,
these deeds are the cursed issue of that sin. He j'okes, you see, the old
man and his pranks together ; yea, upon this examination of the^niatter, he
found this the cause of these, and of all sins whatever. And therefore,

3. He sets, you may observe, the behold upon the matter of this confes-
sion above all the former. He sets not the behold upon those actual sins,
or his this have I done ; yea, he translates the wonder from off his having
committed these, although so foul sins, and puts it over the head of this his
conception-sin, as that which bears the account of all ; and so it is as if he
had said. No wonder if I have thus foully transgressed, having the principles
of these and all sins in me ; the wonder rather lies in this, that I have not
formerly so sinned, and filled my life with such defilements.

Thirdly, The issue and close, in his inserting and intermingling the con-
fession of this sin with that of those grosser sins, was every way suitable and
becoming a broken soul, which I shall farther draw out in these four parti-
culars, which will both help us to take up what David's heart was in, and
also discover this, wherein the very practice or exercise of a penitent soul
consists as touching this sin.

1. It was thereby to humble himself gi*eatly, and therebj' the more for
those actual sins, by joining this and those his deeds together. His scope
was not to extenuate the matter in those actual sins, which the next verse
clears, as Calvin hath observed, but to aggravate and aggrandise them ; and
it is as if he had said to God (for unto God it is he utters this and all the
rest), I have been guilty of this evil which I have done in th}' sight, this my
murder and adultery, as likewise of infinite other transgressions in the course
of my life, but above all, I humble myself for this my conception-sin. For
I that have committed these grosser evils, am further in my nature a mass
and lump of all sin, altogether corrupt, and would of myself have committed
those, and all sins else, as other men do, and am ready (if left to myself) to
commit a thousand more such like. And if we do further attentively con-
sider the great import of his behold, affixed upon this sin's head, and not
upon those other of his grossest sins, it will promptly and pregnantly give
us to understand how deeply sensible his soul was, and how greatly humbled

Chap. II. ^ ix respect of sin and pumshmlnt. 833

for this sin above the other. We may observe how he forbore to set it over
his confession of those his actual sins, though the grossest, hut reserves his
behold for this. He said not, ' Behold, this evil have I done,' ver. 5, but,
' Behold, I was conceived in sin,' &c. He says not, ' Behold, /, David,' a
king, that have received such and such mercies from God, who would have
given me more (as God told him), who had that entire communion with him,
and graces from him, I, even I, have done this evil. No ; he keeps it in till
he came to this, and then his heart could hold no longer : * Oh, behold, I
was conceived in sin.' His debasement was at its auf/e here. And to whom
is it he utters this behold / What, to man ? No; his meaning is not to call
on men, q. d. Oh, all ye sons of men, behold ! That is but liis secondary
aim, arising out of his having penned it, and delivered it unto the church ;
but when he uttered it, it was to God, or rather afore God, and yet not as
calling on God to behold, for that needed not. David had elsewhere said,
' God looked down,' &c., ' and beheld the sons of men,' when speaking of
this very corruption. He therefore knew God beheld it sufficiently; but he
utters it afore God, or, as spoken of himself between God and himself, thereby
to express his own astonishment and amazement at the sight and conviction
of this corruption, and at the sight of what a monster he saw himself to be
in the sight of God in respect of this sin. It was a behold of astonishment
at himself, as before the great and holy God ; and therefore it was he
seconds and follows it with another behold made unto God : ' Behold, thou
requirest truth in the inward parts.' And it is as if he had said in both, Oh,
how am I every way overwhelmed, whilst with one eye cast on myself I see
how infinitely corrupt I am in the very constitution of my nature ; and with
the other eye I behold and consider what an infinite holy God thou art in
thy nature and being, and what an holiness it is which thou requirest. I
am utterly overwhelmed in the intuition of both these, and am able to behold
no more, nor to look up unto thee, 0 holy God !
This is the first particular, humbling himself.

2. His scope is to clear God. So in the coherence with verses 4 and 5,
* Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that
thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou
judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity ; and in sin did my mother
conceive me.' I have done this evil ; I who have such a nature, conveyed
together with my very being, which, 0 Lord, will utterly clear thee, that
when thou comest to judge, thou mayest be justified, who art an holy God,
temptest no man to evil, and hadst nothing to do with these sins of mine ;
but it was I myself alone, out of the proneness of my nature and birth-sin,
who have done these evils, it was my own lust that tempted me. And this
the scope of ver. 6 doth farther shew : Behold, thou requirest the contrary,
truth, that is, holiness in truth, in the inward parts.

3. In the third place, he being upon the fresh guilt of these actual sins
upon his knees suing forth a pardon, he confesseth this conception-sin with
them, to the end to obtain his pardon for his actual sins, and this also alto-
gether. He who is suing out of a pardon of special grace from a prince, and
hath the liberty to draw it up himself, will be sure to put into it all and
every one of his crimes, one as well as another. And prisoners at the
bar do desire to have all indictments brought in, to the end they may be
thoroughly discharged. And in the like manner David here confesseth this
his birth-sin upon occasion of these his other sins ; and not only in respect
of the influence and causation specified, which that first sin had into these
acts, but that it being a great sin, a sin still remaining in him, comprehen-
sively takes it in to have it pardoned with the rest. That as the apostle in

331 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

a doctrinal way, Col. ii. 13, first specifying the sin of the uncircumcision of
their flesh, which they were born in, together with all other actual sins,
comprehensively concludes of all, that God had forgiven them all their tres-
passes : ' And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all tres-
passes ' ; so doth David here in a practical way, in his suing out a pardon
for sin ; and it is as if he had said. Lord, take in and forgive altogether,
both the old man and his deeds together, the whole of my sinfulness, root
and branch. And this comprehensive intention of his, all those vehement
loud cries for mercy, both before these words and after, in the following, do
manifest. (1.) Before, 'have mercy,' &c., saith he, ver. 1; 'Wash me
throughly,' ver. 2 ; that is, both inside and outside, the guilt and stain,
the acts of sin and the inward corruption. (2.) The word after, ' Purge me
with hyssop, wash me, make me clean ; ' and he is principally therein in-
tent upon the sin in his inwards ; for, ver. 6, he sets another behold upon
this, ' thou requirest truth in the inward parts,' which is spoken in a perfect
relation to the matter of this his confession, in ver. 5, ' Behold, I was
brought forth in iniquity.'

4. His scope is to provoke and to whet his soul on to seek true inward
sanctification, or a new frame of spirit, such as is seated in the heart, and
not in acts only : ver. 10, ' Create in me a clean heart ; for thou requirest
truth in the inward parts,' and I am wholly corrupted there, which new
creation, without the sight of original sin, a man will never do, nor come to
understand the necessity of. Compare with this Col. iii. 6-10, ' For which
things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. la
the which ye also walked sometime, when ye lived in them. But now ye
also put off all these ; anger, wi'ath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communica-
tion out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off
the old man with his deeds ; and have put on the new man, which is renewed
in knowledge after the image of him that created him.'

II. The second head I propounded for the opening this text, was David's
own reflection thereupon in the close, in these words, ' And in the hidden
part thou hast made,' or ' makest me to know wisdom.'

Which in plainer words is, his blessing of God, who had upon this occa-
sion of his murder and adultery discovered this first sin unto him, had set
it upon his heart, and had humbled him for it more than ever ; and also it
is a recommending the knowledge of this, and the demission of our souls
for it (according to this his own experience and example), as of a great and
deep ' wisdom in the hidden,' and shews the high valuation and price
David puts upon this discoveiy of God's to him, and setting on of this sin
upon him.

Our translators read it in the future tense, ' Thou shalt make me know' ;
but multitudes of other translators * in the time past or present, ' Thou
hast made,' or, ' Thou makest,' &c. For it is a known rule, verbs of the
future tense are in Hebrew often put to import the preterperfect or present
tense.

Now, of those interpreters that read it in the time past, ' Thou hast made
me,' &c., the most of them do carry the drift unto this, that David should
still proceed on to heighten those his gross sins, and that it is a new aggra-
vation of them as to this sense. That I whom thou hadst instructed in the
most secret wisdom of matters of godliness, and made me wiser than my
teachers, should yet thus sin against such and so much light !

* So Calvin, Hildersham, Vatablus, Pagnin, Tremelllas, Hammond.

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 835

But Piscator, in his annotations on this psalm, puts this sense upon it,*
that David should bless God for having made him to know this special wis-
dom in this hidden thing or matter, and had brought the knowledge thereof
home, as a point of saving wisdom, to the hidden man of his heart, so as to
see fully and clearly this native corruption as the cause of all sin, and on
that account to cause him lay it to heart ; and that God had made this dis-
covery, and this his deep humiliation for it, to be the issue of those foul sins,
in such a manner as he had never been sensible of it before ; and so, that
withal his scope should be to commend the wisdom herein to all men else.

And truly, to me this gloss and interpretation of it seems very fair and
genuine, both because that other of aggravating his sin comes in after an
interruption, and so remotely, whereas this latter comes in in immediate
coherence with, and upon his confession of original sin, and indeed is the
close of that part, and so seems rather to belong thereto, as this interpreta-
tion doth make it to do.

And upon many other accounts it seems very apt and congruous.

For, 1, this is in itself a great point of wisdom ; for ' The heart of man is
deceitful, who can know it?' says the prophet, Jer, xvii. 9. And, therefore,
to have a divine light in the hidden man of the heart from God, who alone
must and doth give this, experimentally to see into and guage this gnlf,
must needs be an eminent part of wisdom. And indeed it is to dive into
and arrive at the bottom of true humiliation, and fathom the utmost depth
of sin ; it is also in itself an hidden thing. There are two hidden wisdoms :
the one of that in God's heart towards us in Christ ; the other, which is
next to it, as Christ said of the second table, is to know what is in our hearts,
and to have a thorough and bottom light into the sins thereof, into the inward
rooted spiritual contrarieties therein unto grace and holiness, and that truth
in the inward parts which God requireth.

And, 2, it is, when made operative, a practical wisdom in us, and then it
is that knowledge that doth become a wisdom, whereby a man's soul is
broken and made contrite, and all a man's affections stirred at the sight of
it ; and it proves also as true a sign of grace, and piece of the wisdom of the
just, as the Baptist calls it, as any other ; yea, and David seems to esteem
it so ; for having had this insight and illumination about this sin, as the
issue of those his sins, he took it as a pawn and a good handsel that God
would do him good, and vouchsafe all those other mercies, which in the
following verses he pursues after, namely, of God's washing, purging, re-
storing him, creating in him a clean heart and a right spirit, &c. ; in that
God had begun so good a work in him as this was, that therefore he would
perfect it.

3. It were easy to shew how this wisdom lays the foundation in the soul
for its seeking justification through faith by Christ alone ; and that the soul
that is deeply convinced and instructed in this, will never be quiet in any
other thing but Christ's righteousness. How also it directs and points the
soul unto that which is the true spiritual sanctification, and worshipping of
God in spirit and truth, and not to rest in any outward, moral, formal, yea,

* Per sapientiam in occulto intelligit agnitionem vitiositatis naturae, unde nascitor
animi demissio coram Deo — Piscator in locum.

Alting also in his preface to his discourse about this sin in his Theologia Elenchtica,
loco vii. Psaltes ille Regius, Ps. li. v. 8, prsedicat ut rarum ac singulare Dei beneficium
quod occultam illam sapientiam ipsi revelare fuisset dignatus. Sapientiam vocat ag-
nitionem naturas corruptae ejusque vitiositatis, quffiinde a primo conceptu atque origine
inhaeret. Occultam dicit, quia licet per omnes partes diffusa, et variis motlbus et actioni-
bus sese prodat, vix tamen, aut ne vix quidem, observetur ac deploretur. — Alting,
Theol. Elenct. loc. vii.

33G AN UNKEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOO, [BoOK IX.

or imperfect work on the heart ; for such a soul sees by its contrary what
truth in the inward parts God requireth. And look how deep the sense of
this is, so high will our aims and desires rise, both after what, and what
manner of grace it is wherein true sanctification lieth. The conviction of this
also being grown into a wisdom, perfectly lays the creature at God's feet, as
is David here, and causeth it to justify and clear God and condemn itself;
it cuts ofif also all opinion of what a man is apt to think he is of himself,
and in his own ability, for any good as of himself.

Lastly, It is no wonder that David should thus highly value it ; for, bo-
sides the former consideration, it is also a wisdom rare, especially in the
Old Testament ; and perhaps himself had not so intensively and thoroughly
considered this sin before now ; few in comparison had arrived at this, or
were sensible of it. And as David the father, so Solomon the son expresseth
a like value for it, as a singular point of wisdom : Eccles. vii. 29, ' Lo, this
only have I found, that God hath made man upright ; but they have sought
out many inventions.'^

I beseech you therefore carry this home with you, that to see into, and
to be sensible of, and humble one's self deeply for this conception-sin, even
to a Behold, is an eminent point of wisdom. It is not the knowledge of the
doctrine about this sin; you may have that and perish, and not be humbled;
but it is the wisdom of it in * the hidden man of the heart,' as some understand
it, or in this ' hidden thing,' as others, practically seated in the inward man,
so as to be aifected and acted accordingly. This is the wisdom I mean, and
do exhort unto. I have therefore set this as the title over this discourse,
which urgeth and directs unto this : ivisdom in the hidden. This for the
second head in the exposition.

Obj. It hath been said by some, that David confessed this for himself in
particular ; and what is this to the rest of mankind to argue, that therefore
they all are so conceived in sin ? &c.

Ans. 1. Because, as th^ apostle saith of himself and all the Jews, ' W
were by nature children of wrath as well as others;' that is, all others of
mankind. The argument therefore holds good from David, Paul, and the
Jews, to all others.

2. Because the Holy Ghost, by the same apostle, hath since pronounced
the very same of all, ' in whom all have sinned,' Rom. v. 12 ; yea, having
first quoted words out of our psalmist for the universal overspreading of this
corruption over all mankind, not one excepted, Rom. iii., from the 10th
verse to the 18th, he concludes, ver. 19, ' Now we know that what things
soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law ; that every
mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.'
And ver. 23, ' All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ' they
were created in.

3. How otherwise can it be supposed David's case should be a singular
case ? Yea, or how should himself come to know that this had been his
peculiar condition at his conception, if he had not measured himself at that
common standard and rule of all mankind else, as in the word of God he
found the condition of all mankind to be set out in the conviction, of which he
applieth and speaks of it himself ? I may say, as they to our Saviour, though
to a different sense, What special sin, before his conception, had he more than
any others committed ; or his parents, in begetting and conceiving him, that
he should be born in sin, not others ?

III. The third head I propounded to complete the exposition, and as in-
troductory to the two following parts of the discourse, is, that whereas there
are two parts of original sin,

Chap. II. j in bespecx of siiN and punishment. 'd'dl

1. The first act of disobedience imputed to us ;

2. Inherent corruption thence flowinjT.

That truly I could not pass over in silence, what, in searching into David's
meaning in these words, I found in Piscator's Annotations, viz. that David
should have had each of these two distinctly in his eye in this his confession,
ver.5, which I read thus, * Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin
did my mother conceive me.'

That here are two distinct sentences, wherein he makes confession of this
his original sin, and diflfering in the words of them, that is manifest.

For, 1, there are two words used to express the sin hereof, by p")^ and
hilDn ; ^^^^ there are likewise two different verbs, '<rhb')'nt translated m the
first sentence shapen, and ^jriDH' translated conceived.

2. In the first sentence, the verb ^'pn <ioth signify, and is by divers*
rendered brought forth or born, which word sometimes denoteth simply the
first bringing forth of any creature into being or existence ; for it is used of
God's forming the earth in the beginning, Ps. xc. 2, and also to express the
beginning of a man's being : Job xv. 7, * Wast thou made before the hills ?'
And again, sometimes the bringing forth by the dam with pains, as Job xxix.
2-4, Ps. xxix. 9, and of a child by its mother, Isa. xlv. 10.

And being thus understood in this comprehensive meaning, it imports
both (1.) That David, from the very beginning of his being, or having been
brought forth into being, even the first moment wherein he existed a man or
son of man, that it was together with iniquity or in sin. (2.) That from
the birth, or when I was brought forth with pain by my mother, it was with
the guilt of iniquity together with it. Now Piscator, f though indeed he
takes the latter sensejof that word, yet understands this first sentence, ' I was
born or brought forth in iniquity,' to be especially intended of (the first part
of original sin) the guilt of Adam's fact, Quam admisl in lumbis ejus. And
then the second sentence, ' I was conceived in sin,' he takes to intend in-
herent corruption ; and if so, then in the first saying David doth confess,
that as soon as he was made a man, or son of Adam, by union of soul and
body together, that he was also made a sinner ; as Rom. v. 19, speaking of
Adam's fact in that chapter, the apostle doth in terminis affirm of all men.
And that then further, David should likewise point to the time of his birth
into the world, when he was visibly brought forth a man, and owned to be a
man, from which time, therefore, all men do generally date their being men.
And thus accordingly David enters his name into the canon -register of
mankind, as if he had said, born into this world David a sinner, when his
mother brought him forth with pain, which was a manifest token of her bringing
forth a sinner, ' born to sorrow, as the sons of fire that fly upward' ; those sor-
rows also having been laid as a curse on her for her share in tempting Adam,
the first man, unto that first act of iniquity, which brought sin and misery
upon all her and his posterity. This as to the first part of original sin, out
of the interpretation of the first clause or sentence, ver 5.

Then that second sentence which follows, ' And in sin did my mother con-
ceive me,' or ' warm me,' may and doth as fitly, and in as special a manner,
refer unto that inherent corruption or vitiosity of nature, which the apostle
terms the sin that dwells in us, Rom vii. 17, contracted from our guilt of that
first act of sinning, which seizing on us at the beginning of being man (as was
said) defiles our nature, as the guilt of that act did Adam's ; X and so that
word, ' my mother warmed me,' expresseth both (1.) his mother's first con-

* See Hildersham on the words. ♦ See Piscator, ibidem.

t See Piscator's Scholia on Ps. li. 5.

VOL. X. Y

338 AN UNREGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK IX.

ception of him, by wliich he was made a son of Adam ; and also (2.) her
nourishing him all that while in the womb, in which signification the word
is used, Gen. xxx. 38, 39, 41 ; and thus taken, it doth most properly and
more especially respect that part of original sin, corruption of nature in-
herent (as that which was the sin he was conceived in, and thus warmed),
which word imports not only how, at the first moment of conception, that
small tare or seed, that had the reasonable soul shot then into it, became the
seat of corruption from that instant; but, as Calvin* indigitates it, was
nourished and fostered whilst we lay in the womb ; that is, that corruption
was still extended, and did go on to leaven and ferment that mass or bulk
still as the child did grow bigger and bigger in the womb. And look as the
soul diffuseth itself more and more, as the bulk of the members do increase,
so withal original corruption. And this interpretation brings forth this notion
with it, that look as the body and soul, by conception united together, grow
more ripe and mature, and the members, organs, and faculties of the soul
more fitted to bring forth actual sin, so together with that gi'owth (though
the growth itself is natural) this inherent corruption was, whilst in the womb,
diffused and enlarged, and grew up with it towards a ripeness and ability
for actual sin, against the time of the buddings and springings forth thereof.
And the words being understood in this latitude of sense, do comprehend
the whole that may be spoken of this original sin ; as,

1st, The parts of it :

(1.) Guilt of Adam's fact ; and,

(2.) Inbred corruption.

2dly, For the time when he was made, or else declared guilty of these :

1. When he was made a man, or brought forth into being, or being man ;
which,

2. Was at his first conception, that then he became guilty of both these ;
yea, and,

3. Continued guilty of the act, and the inherent corruption did withal
grow greater all along the time he was warmed in the womb ; and then,

4. When at birth with pains he was openly and visibly to men found to
be a man, and owned as such ; and thus the whole of time, and the progress
of it from first to last, is intended and involved.

And this for the third head of exposition.

So, then, from the words thus fully opened and interpreted, do arise two
main assertions to be prosecuted, the last whereof is the main I aim at.
The first merely doctrinal, viz. that there are two parts of original sin :

1. A guilt of the act in Adam and Eve's loins ;

2. The inherent corruption thence contracted and growing up to a vigour,
as the body and soul do increase, &c.

The second is wholly practical, or the use of the doctrine of these two,
viz. that a penitent soul, in humbling itself for sins and confessing of them,
should take in his sinfulness of original sin in both these parts, as matter of
humiliation to him ; for David, we see, with a Behold, &c., hath an eye to each
of these in his confession here, according to interpretation given.

For the first of these assertions, my scope is not to prosecute it largely, it
being merely matter of doctrine ; nor yet should I have founded the two
following parts of this treatise, viz. for a distinct humbling ourselves for each
of these apart, merely and alone upon this text, or the latter head of expo-
sition now given (although I think it most genuine), did not other scriptures
in the New Testament more expressly and clearly set forth both these as

* Mihi videtur propheta significare velle foveri nos et calefieri in peccato quamdiu
in visceribus matrum latemus. — Calvin on Ps. li. 5, upon that word.

Chap. II. J in respect of sin and punishment. 339

distinct parts of that our sinfalnoss ; and that being so clearly in a doctrinal
way done, I have proposed this interpretation coraprehending both (being not
alone in it), and this text as a ground for these two parts of our humiliation,
the fii-st for the guilt of the one, the second for the existency of the other in
us, after David's example here, the interpretation being suitable to the ana-
logy of faith, and our common doctrine about original sin. And yet it -will
be necessary for me briefly to add some further evidence of these two out of
those other scriptures.

1. We all have the guilt of the act of Adam from him : Rom v. 12, ' In
whom all have sinned,' or, ' In that all have sinned,' for in whom should
they have sinned but in him, that one man specified in the forepart of the
verse ? Infants and all, who in themselves he denies to have sinned, ver.
14, ' after the similitude of Adam's transgression;' that is, by actual sin,
yet had sinned in him. And in what act of his, but that one offence of his,
which ver. 15, 17, 18 indigitate, rl 'Tra^oLiTruiiJjcc, that total ruin of his in that
fall, or sin in eating the forbidden fruit : from which one offence, when it
was consummated or finished, both sin and guilt, or judgment, as ver. 12,
16, entered and came upon all the world of mankind unto condemnation,
and thereby they were made or constituted sinners, ver. 19. Nor speaks he
these things in that place of inherent corruption derived, but of our being
made sinners, whence condemnation and judgment came upon us, as justifi-
cation doth from Christ's obedience, as the parallel is, ver. 16, 18. And look
as he treats of our sanctification by Christ in the sixth chapter, apart from
this of justification by Christ's obedience, which he doth in this fifth chap-
ter apart ; so in the like method he speaks of the inherent corruption, or
sin that dwelleth in us, that follows upon the guilt of this disobedience, apart
likewise in chap. vii. 17, and so on. And the word he useth to express our
being made sinners by that one offence, ver. 19, as also made righteous by
Christ's obedience, is not a word serving any way to express the impressing
any qualification inward, whether of corruption or sanctification, but to con-
stitute (as the word used there) which notes out the act of an external power
or authority whereby a man is made such or such, and so comports with a
forensical constituting us sinners or being justified, or pronouncing us guilty,
and this alone ; so as the derivation of the guilt of that act is the sole scope
of what the apostle speaks of there, and of this of David also in the first
sentence here, Ps. li. 5.

2. But there is a second thing from Adam also conveyed with, and by
reason of the guilt of his fact imputed to us, and that is his sinful image, or
mass of corruption inbred and sticking in our nature, which is styled Adam's
image, Gen. v. 3, in perfect opposition unto that image of God consisting in
holiness (as Eph. iv. 24), which God created man in, as in Gen. i. 26, 27.
And bring unto all these places that speak of both, Col. iii. 9, 10, and the
apostle's own interpretation gives light to all ; whereby we may easily see
that what in Gen. v. Moses termeth ' Adam his image,' that the apostle in
Col. iii. styleth the * old man,' as being derived from the old man Adam,
though to an infant but new born. And, on the contrary, God's image he
created man in, which Moses speaks of. Gen. i., the apostle terms * the new
man,' in these words, ' After the image of him that created him,' namely, at
first, in Gen. i. 27. Which places thus together compared, evidence not
only an inherent corruption (called therefore the man) overspreading our
whole man, called therefore the man, to be in us, but also that we have it
from Adam, called therefore the old man, as that which is that his image,
Gen. v., which he begat in us, contrary to God's image he was created in.
And in these places he speaks not of the act of Adam's sin, as in Rom. v. he

310 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

does, and not of this corruption there at all ; and so these are the two dis-
tinct parts of our original sin.

As iu the last head of the foregone exposition we found two distinct parts
of original sin confessed by David, ver. 5, which we have briefly confirmed
from other scriptures, so answerably thereunto I shall divide this practical
discourse about this sin into two parts.

First, The first discussing what humiliation or repentance is due from us
for our guiltiness of the act of Adam's sin imputed.

Secondly, The second, what humiliation or acts of repentance we are ob-
liged unto for that inbred sinful corruption which is derived therefrom to us,
and dwelleth in us.

CHAPTER III.

A discussion premised, By what principles m a converted man's heart he comes
to be convicted of the ffuilt of Adam's fact, and how far the conscience may
be and is made sensible of it in true converts.

As for the act of Adam's sin made our own by imputation : ere I come to
set out the particular acts of humiliation or repentance about the guilt of
this, first, it is necessary for me to clear and remove those grounds of objec-
tion specified in the first chapter, whereupon the schoolmen and others (who
do elevate and diminish repentance for this guilt) do chiefly build, which I
there mentioned to be chiefly these two.

1. That repentance properly is only actus inopirii, of and for an act of sin
done by a man's own self.

Paenitet et facto torqueor ipse ineo.

Whereas this sin was perpetrated by Adam, and not by ourselves personally.

2. The second is, that there is not, nor can be, any sting or regret in the
conscience of any man for this sin, nomorsus conscientice, 2iS for a man's own
actual sin there is.

The removal of these, as also the clearing the truth hereabout, is best per-
formed by a discussion. By what principles in a convert's heart his soul takes
in and comes to be convicted of this guilt ; and it is necessarily introductory
unto those acts of humihation which are to follow such a conviction, that we
treat this point fii'st, how and by what man is convicted thereof.

And the discussion hereof is not now by us to be managed by handling
and proving the doctrinal truth of the imputation of this sin to us (this my
discourse supposeth that here, as they also do, though something I have
spoken to it in the last third head of exposition), but I being upon the clear-
ing the practical part, &c., my business is to find out the practic principles
in a convert's heart by which the Holy Ghost (working upon a man's soul)
makes him apprehensive and sensible of this guilt, and in what sense, or how
far, even conscience is or may be struck with it.

And first, I here grant that there is no sting or morsus of conscience for
the act of Adam's sin imputed ; that is, the soul can never be tormented
with this thought, 1 have done this act myself. This is granted ; and the
apostle affirms it, when setly speaking of our guilt of this sin, and that in-
fants who die sinned in him, yet ' not after the similitude of Adam's trans-
gression,' Rom. V. 14, 80 as there is not neither a worm begotten in con-
science after the similitude of Adam's torture about it, whose conscience had
this to say to him, which ours do not. This I myself have done, and have

Chap, lil.j i;> itbsi'Eci of sin and punibumknt. cill

destroyed all others by it ; all which I speak a3 of the guilt of 'the act of
Adam's sin.

Yet, secondly, the soul is capable of a conviction of judgment that that
sin of his is our sin as truly as any other ; that it is pwprium peccatum,
though not proprice operatlonis ; it is our own proper sin, though not of our
own proper acting and operation, and of this the soul is capable to be con-
vinced. And that which is proper for me to beat out in this practical
handling of it, is what manner of conviction this is, and how, or by what
principle in man, it is effected. And my return is, that partly by faith in
the word, and partly from the equity and justice of its being reckoned unto
us, by virtue of the law of nature.

1. By faith on the word of God, which hath revealed it, and affirms it;
which faith and word may and do bring it home even to our consciences ; I
say to our consciences ; for if faith brings home and applies Christ's blood
to our consciences, and purifies our conscience from the guilt of all sins, if
the blood shed by another (Christ) purifieth and dischargeth the conscience
from the sins perpetrated by a man's self, insomuch as that conscience re-
ceives a quietus est from another's fact sprinkled upon it, as we have it ex-
press, Heb. ix. 14 ; then why should not conscience also take upon it the
sin of another, when the word of God so plainly chargeth us, and the just
and righteous God pronounceth and says that every man is guilty of it, and
lays it at our doors, as well as any other sin never so much our own '? And
thereupon, why should not conscience own it as well as any other sin, and
admit this word of condemnation from the mouth of God, as well as it joy-
fully receives and takes into itself the word of justification : as Rom. x. 6, 8,
* But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise. Say not in
thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? that is, to bring Christ down
from above. — But what saith it ? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth,
and in thy heart ; that is, the word of faith which we preach.' It is the
same God our lawgiver, who ' hath power to save and to condemn ' (as the
apostle speaks), whose word it is in both, and both spoken from him unto
that principle in our consciences which is the seat or receptacle of all the
guilt of sin, as it is of the pardon thereof. And if conscience be that faculty
which is absolved from all sin that is any way our own, then also it is that
faculty that takes in its discharge from this ; for the Scripture mentions that
faculty, at least principally, to be the receiver of acquittances from the guilt
of all sorts of sins for the whole man. If, therefore, conscience be capable
to apprehend an absolution from this sin when that it is pardoned, then
surely it is and was first capacitated to take in conviction of a man's being
guilty thereof, yea, and of trouble for it ; only as the word of God chargeth
it, so conscience receives it ; and though the word of God chargeth it not as
a sin of a man's own committing, and therefore answerably conscience hath
not this sting, to say, I myself committed it, yet the word applying it as a
man's own sin, conscience may and ought so to apprehend it, and be pos-
sessed of its guilt accordingly ; for conscience is that principle in man which
answers to the holy law of God in respect of sin chargeable upon us ; and
what the law says it says to conscience, which is its subject, and ' under
the law.'

2. Especially when the sentence of the word is seconded and confirmed by
the equity and justice of the law of nature ; whereby I mean, not that law
which the Jews would have accused God of, that every child should bear the
sin of his father, which, by two prophets, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, God doth
renounce ; but that which the prophet Isaiah had before in a special manner
declared of our first father : Isa. Ixiii. 27, * Thy first father hath sinned, and

842 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

thy teachers have transgressed against me.' He being created the head and
source of the nature of all mankind, and by the law of nature, or the law of
his and our creation, and that made and enacted before he had sinned ; and
by which law it was that he had by creation the image of God's holiness to
convey to us ; if he had stood till he had put forth our nature by propagation
out from him, and set it running in its course, he, by the equity of the same
law (which indeed was the common law, as I may term it, to beasts and
herbs, to bring forth in their kind. Gen. i. 11, 24), must beget in his own
image of sin, if he fell and did sin ; and therefore he was naturally and ne-
cessarily constituted the representative of them all, in respect of the first act
of sin he should perpetrate ; and the guilt thereof must naturally, in the sense
given, be devolved to them, or else that part of the law of nature and crea-
tion, viz., to convey his own sinful image as sinful, had not had the same
fulness of equity in its fulfilling, as that other part of conveying the image of
God as an holy image should by the law of creation have attained. For it is
evident, that nothing but the guilt of an act of sin could cause that image of
sin to be sin ; and as not in Adam himself had that privation of holiness been
a sin to him, had it not been he had been guilty of an act of sin first that
caused that privation, so neither in us had that inherent privation of holi-
ness become a sin, had we not first been made sinners in th*e imputation of
that first sinful act of his. But of these things I have treated more largely
before.

As there are two things concur in a godly man, unto our knowledge and
conviction, that this world was made by God : fij-st, that we know this by
faith, as Heb. xi. 2 ; then, secondly, by the light of reason, viewing the work-
manship of God therein, as in which the attributes of his Godhead are clearly
seen, &c., Rom. i. 21, which doth confirm a godly man's faith therein, and
may alone serve as a conviction, even to a heathen that hath no knowledge
of the word, which is the apostle's scope there ; so is it here, only with this
difference, that the light of mere nature perhaps would never have attained
to the knowledge of the imputation of our first father's act of sinning, if the
word had not first revealed it, according to that of Solomon : Eccles. vii, 29,
* This only have I found' (namely, in the word of God by Moses) ' that God
made man upright, but they,' &c. ; yet so as being once revealed by the word,
there may be discerned an equity in it, according to the very primitive law
of our creation, recorded in that Gen. i. And by this means may conscience
itself be possessed of it, as of that which is a man's own sin, and accordingly
lay it to heart, though not with this sting, that I in my own person did it, it
can never rise to a facto torqueor ipse meo. Yet take conscience in this large
sense, that it is a knowledge together with God, so as to know that God
knows and judgeth we are guilty so and so ; and thus may our consciences,
through the conviction of those means mentioned, be made conscious, or to
know with God this our guilt, and answerably lay it to heart. I still urge,
if Christ's blood shed for us, and not by us, may speak (in our consciences
as well as before God) better things, &c., as the apostle affirms, Heb. xii. 24,
then why may not Adam's sin, committed by him, and not by us, when
brought hence and charged upon our souls by God, cry and speak bitter
things in our consciences, according as the guilt thereof deserveth, as well as
of any other sin, though still that voice, I myself did it, can never be heard
in it ? For consider how that the parallel in that place is made between the
sin of Cain, which was acted by himself ; and on the other hand, of what
Christ did for us, and on our behalf : both which are in this common, that
the one cries, and in the conscience too, as well as the other. Both speak,
only the things they cry are opposite. Abel's blood cried terror and ven-

Chap. IV.J in bespect of sin and punishment. 343

geance in Cain's conscience, and Christ's blood speaks peace, but both in
conscience ; and therefore the echo of it is termed the answer or plea of a
conscience made good by Christ's death and resurrection : 1 Peter iii. 21,
* The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the
putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience to-
wards God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.' And it is observable, that
in that same chapter it may be found, that a good conscience is termed both
that kind of testimony in conscience, which ariseth from the consciousness
of a man's own well-doing ; — so in ver. 16, ' Having a good conscience ; that
whereas they speak evil of you, as of evil doers,' &c. ; — and then again, in ver.
21, of a conscience purified and pacified by Christ's death and resurrection
(compare Rom. iv. 25), is termed a good conscience also, as that which hath
within itself, strengthened by Christ's resurrection, to appear before, and
plead before God for its justification. And acts of conscience, and voices in
conscience, these both are, yea, and towards God.

I have insisted the more upon this argument, both because it assoils the
greatest difiiculty and most specious objection that the schoolmen and others
go upon, why it is not, nor can be (say they) matter of our repentance for it,
because it pertains not, as they say, unto the conscience, as also because this
hitherto said lays a foundation for our demonstrating, —

What kind of acts of repentance, according unto Scripture acceptation of
repentance, we may and ought to put forth, and exert upon this conviction ;
which is the main subject of this discourse.

CHAPTER IV.

What are the acts of repentance which loe are to exercise concerning our guilt
of Adam s first sin. — We are to judge oiirselves guilty, and to condemn
ourselves for it.- — We should also bewail the misery of that condition into
which it hath brought us. — And toe must also acknowledge our own share in
the guilt of it, with the greatest sorrow and grief.

These things having been premised as introductory ; and we now taking
it for supposed, that a soul is convicted thereof by the operation of the Holy
Ghost ; I proceed on to set forth those penitential acts which do and are
to follow upon this conviction.

And hereunto I must yet go farther, and premise this short aviso also in
the general, that I take and understand repentance, not in the vulgar accepta-
tion that heathens and commonly mankind take it only in, which we know
is properly of what a man's conscience hath an inward remorse for, as having
been perpetrated by a man's self; but we are to inquire into such acts of
repentance as, according to the Scripture's acceptation of repentance, we find
set forth to us therein, that may be applicable to the thing before us,_ or
which the soul may and ought to put forth upon the conviction of this sin;
and thus even Bellarmine * himself acknowledgeth, that repentance (in this
argument) is to be understood by us.

Repentance in the Scripture sense hath two principal parts.

1. Looking backward to an act of guilt as gone and past :

2. Looking forward to time to come, in turning unto God for the future,
upon the consideration of such a guilt that is past.

Let us now inquire what acts of repentance of either sort, which are truly
penitential, are applicable to our guilt of Adam's fact that is past.

* Non tam sequenda est etymologia in nomine pcenitenticB, quod usu3 Scripturap in
vera significatione verborum assequenda. — Bellarmine de Pcenitentid, lib. ii. cap. vii.

3i4 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

A soul convicted of this guilt as its own sin, thongh not of its own com-
mitting, by the operation of the Holy Ghost, may and ought,

First, To judge itself for this sin, or pronounce a sentence of condemna-
tion upon itself for it ; and we find repentance is expressed in Scripture to
us, to be an act of judging ourselves, that we be not judged with the world :
1 Cor. xi. 31, 32, ' For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not
be condemned with the world ;' as also 1 Peter iv. 6. And the reason why we
are thus to judge ourselves for this act is, what God judgeth us for, we are
to judge ourselves for also before him, for in so doing we do but take part
with God, and conform our minds unto his judgment and will, and thereby
also prevent God's judging of us, as in the place last cited. And that God
judgeth us for this sin, there is this express scripture, Rom. v. 16, 'The
judgment is by one unto condemnation' ; and ver. 18, 'As by the ofi'ence
of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation ; even so by the right-
eousness of one [the gift of righteousness*] came upon all men unto justifica-
tion of life.' Where (1) by CMe came judgment, ver. 16, he means, that
one first ofi'ence of Adam, ver. 14, whom he calls ' him that sinned,' as in
the words afore : for that One is opposed unto ' Many ofiences ' that are
pardoned, in the following words of that verse. (2) By those words, 'judg-
ment came upon all men to condemnation,' he manifestly means, that upon
Adam's so sinning, there issued forth from God, the judge of all the world,
ii judgment, pronouncing all men criminally guilty of sin, which ended and
determined in a sentence of condemnation unto death, as the demerit of
that guilt in them.f And that this judgment unto condemnation (xg//ia s/g
Kardz^ifia) is to be understood, appears ; for,

1st, Judgment is mentioned as the cause, and condemnation as the efiiect,
even as one's being judged guilty or crimical first, is the only cause of a
sentence of condemnation unto death ; and it is guilt of a sin that only is
the cause of condemnation.

2dly, By its opposite, these are paralleled in the words following, ver. 18.
Wherein, 1, the righteousness of one, namely, Christ's righteousness acted
in and by himself, is opposed unto that one ofi'ence of Adam that personally
sinned. 2, Judgment, or xg/^a, on us by that one sin is opposed to justifica-
tion, or God's accounting us righteous, and so imports God pronouncing us
guilty or sinners by that one ofi'ence. 3. Condemnation, or xarax^z/xa, is
opposed unto justification of life, and so a condemnation unto death is there-
by intended, and that death such as is opposite unto that life, which follows
upon justification, and therefore eternal death, as the other is eternal life.
Now what guilt God as a judge pronounceth on us, in and by virtue of that
one ofi'ence, and sentenceth death thereupon, that we as poor guilty creatures
ought to take upon ourselves, and judge of ourselves (as in ourselves) there-
by. And,

Secondly, We are to judge ourselves so far, as that an act of fear and
trembling before our holy God should arise in our souls that profess to fear
this God (one of whose characters it is, to tremble at God's word, Isa.
Ixvi. 2), for it, as for any other sin, especially in souls in their first conver-

♦ Compare for this insertion ver. 16.

t Et non inquit sicut per iinum hominem pcccantem, ita est et donum. Nam judi-
cium quidem ex uno in condemnationem, gratia autem ex multis delictis in justifica-
tionein. Ex uno ergo quid, nisi delicto ? Quia sequitur gratia, autem ex multis
delictis. Dicant isti quomodo ex uno delicto in condemnationem, nisi quia sufficit ad
condemnationem etiam unum originale peccatum, quod in omnes homines pertransiit.
— AiKjustine ad Valcrium, lib. ii. c. xxvii. page 184; torn. vii. ; Op. Ed. Far. 1571 ;
and epistle Ixxxix. page 83. torn, ii, Oper.

Chap. IV. j in respect of sin and PUNISHMEiNT. iiii)

sioDS. So far as the hammer of the law may break the heart with threaten-
ings for any other sin, so far for this also, at least so far as Christ gave
command : Mat. x. 28, * I say to you, my friends, fear him that can
destroy body and soul in hell.' For the Scripture hath not said in vain,
Eph. ii. 3, that we are ' children of wrath by nature,' that is, by reason of
the guilt of this birth-sin, God is not in jest but in earnest with us whilst
he speaks it. And as it is said of the magistrate, Rom. xiii. 8, ' Be afraid *
(for having done evil), * for he bears not the sword in vain,' so God is not
wrathful for this sin in vain. For whatever sin we are obnoxious to wrath
for, we are to fear before God in that respect, as having deserved it at his
hands; and therefore we are to humble ourselves before that God, and
humbly to seek pardon for the averting or turning away of that wrath for this
sin as well as for any other sin. Yea, and the conscience of the best is capable
of chastisements of wrath, or withdrawings by God for this sin, though but
imputed. For if Christ having our sins made his, but by his voluntary
assumption and God's imputation, yet was made to cry out, Mat. xxvii. 4G,
'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me'?' surely for the guilt of
this act so justly imputed, we might fear that God might deservedly separate
us from himself for ever.

Thirdly, We may lament and bewail ourselves for it, and the woful con-
dition that ourselves and all men are under by reason of it, and for the
consequents thereof that come upon us and them. It is eminently observable
that there was a solemn bewailment hereof, as in a common concernment to
mankind, traduced and delivered down to the very heathens that were of
Japhet's posterity, for three thousand years after and upwards. Thus the
Grecians in Oryiis Bacchi, bruising serpents, and carrying them on their
heads, used to cry, EVA ! EVA ! which pointed clearly at that mischief
the serpent and Eve did us, in his first tempting to, and her eating the for-
bidden fruit ; the serpent beguiled her, and his head was to be bruised. And
for the proof of this old heathen custom, we have several testimonies, as of
Demosthenes, Virgil,* Propertius, and Catullus. And besides, Clemens
Alexandrinus,t that lived in heathenish times a while, gives this account of it :
They set out, being crowTied with serpents, and howling out the name of
Evah; and adds this interpretation of it, that Eve, by whom sin'or error,
and all kinds of evils flowing thence, have followed in the world, is hereby
lamented by them. And so Plutarch | in the life of Alexander the Great,

* . . . . Evantes orgia circum
Ducebat Phrygias. — Virgil, JEneid, lib. vi. v. 517.
And so Propertius —

Egit ut evantes Dux Ariadna chores. —

Lib. xi. page 172, Ed. Jos Scalig. Par. 1577.
And Catullus, page 50 —

Evoe bacchantes Evoe capita inflectentes.
And a little after —

Pars sese tortis serpentibus incingebant.

f A/ovuiroy fiaiyoXr,i o^yiaZ,ov<ri Bax^", af^otfayia rri> hoofiaviay ayovTE;, Ka) rtXiirxavfi rat
x^itavDftlas Tut ipovuv aviffTtfiftivm this oip'.ffn I'T oXo\vZ,ovris 'Ei/av, Ewav iKi'ivnv, iihf V ■xXa.yn
TizonxoXiuSnin, xai ffn/jtilov o^y'iuv Baxxixu* ofi$s iffTi ririXia-fiivos. ^^ Avrixa yovn *«''* '"'"
ax^ifin ruv E/3^a/<uv ^<uv>i» -o ovo^a mZ Evia ^a(rvvo/iiyoy i^f/.tiyiCiTai o^/; *l 6riX'.'a. — Clemens
Alexandiimis Admonit. ad Gentes, poge 9, ed. Paris, 1629.

: Plutarch in Vita Alcxandri, page 1221, Ed. H. S. And in the same manner the
ceremony is described byNonnus; Dionj^s. lib. ix. page 25G. — Ed. Lubini ; Hanov.
1605:—

U^urn x^i^yriiyTit xara Xi"'' V^^i if^ayra,
IvftTXoKDy tiXlxoti; S« i^axuy Tt^i iJvXaxa fiiTf>r,y,

346 AN UNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

reports how Olympias, Alexander's mother, performing these Bacchanalian
rites, of si; n,iy(xKov; ^noorjdsig efilXziro roT; ^idsoig, that is, she did wind great
tamed serpents ahout the Thiasi or mystical fans of Bacchus. And these
things though they did blindly, the first impress of the true intent of it being
worn out, yet in that the practice was thus continued in these so ancient
mysteries of worship, argues, that in times nearer the fall (as in Japhet's
time, the father of these, when the memory of this was fresher), it was in-
tended for a bewailing that first sia and fall, and the miseries and evils
which the sin of Eve by the serpent's malice brought on all mankind. Yea,
and fm-ther, the Right Reverend Archbishop of Armagh is bold to cast in this
conjecture, as touching that great fast of the Jews, so called by way of
eminency, celebrated among them but once a year, which was the day
wherein the high priest (the type of Christ, our second Adam, his entering
into heaven for us) went into the holy of holies with the propitiatory blood
and incense ; which day he conjectures to be the very day anniversarUy
that the first Adam fell and sinned in, and whereon he was driven out of
paradise. His words in the second page of his Chronolog}' I shall give you :
— ' It is very probable that Adam was turned out of paradise upon the 10th
day of the world, answering to our first of November (according to the
supposition of the Julian period), upon which day also, in remembrance of
so remarkable a thing (as in all reason, says he, it should seem), was
appointed the solemnity of expiation or atonement, and the yearly fast
spoken of. Acts xxvii, 9, termed more especially by the name, the fast ;
wherein as well strangers as home-born people were commanded to afilict
theii- souls with a most severe intennination (or threatening) that every
soul which should not afilict itself, should be destroyed from amongst bis
people. Lev. xvi. 29, and xxiii. 29.'* Thus he carries it, that that fast had
a special and eminent aim, reflection, and eye at Adam's fii'st sin, and his be-
ing turned out of paradise ; when this sin was expiated by Christ's blood, and
the other Adam's fall repaired and made up by our high priest's entering into
paradise, heaven itself (which illustrates the parallel of the two Adams).
And so, according to his notion, the duty of that day took into it, not the
sins of all the year past only (as Heb. x.), but this great sin especially, as the
flood-gate that fii-st let in all other sins ; and therefore their souls were to be
humbled for it, as well as any other sins whatsoever. And these notions
and interpretations about the pi'actices both of Jew and Gentiles in their
sacred mysteries, do serve to that which is my proposal, that as a bewail-
ment of this sin and fact was held up thereby both among Jews and Gen-
tiles (and both laid together, do somewhat conduce to confirm this conjec-
ture about either) ; and even in that very Levitical law, all strangers were
commanded to afflict their souls, as well as they of their own country, as the
word is, Levit. xvi. 29, as both therein concerned ; that, therefore, it is our
duty to lament it, and to be humbled for it.

Fourthly, The fourth act is, to make a confession of our guilt in this sin,
and to humble ourselves with spiritual mourning, and godly sorrow for our
share in it, which is yet a farther thing than to bewail ourselves for the

* Por the foundation of his conjecture, why the first day of the creation began
October 23, and so that this fast being appointed the 10th day after, and so on the
4th day anniversary after man's own creation ; for this I refer the reader unto his
Chronology, the first two pages of it, and his epistle prefixed to the Chronology. But
then the Sabbath (upon which day that both men ami angels stood, the argument is
strong from Exod. xxxi. 17), and if so, there were but two days more between that and
the fall, supposing it on Nov. 1. These falling so near together, and all things so
suiting in the three, makes it -very probable that day to have been the day of man's
fall, and of the Jewish fast.

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 847

miseries it hath brought upon us. The heathens did bewail the miseries
that flowed from it, but they knew not the cause, nor the imputation of the
guilt thereof; but we that are enlightened by the word, and convicted hereof
by the Spirit, ai*e in this manner to mourn for it, as well as any sins of our
own. Let Suarez and other papists excuse themselves by a speculative affec-
tion expressed to God, or grieving that mankind offended God in their first
parent (as in the preface I cited him), that is, in the general condole one an-
other for it, as we say, as a common condition ; and yet he speaks that but
with a possumus dolere, we may thus grieve, that is, if we list, or have a
mind to it, as if it were a matter but left at our liberty, which we also may
let alone.* But we have not learned old Adam thus. I say, practically we
ought to do it, and with application to ourselves in particular, as if no other
in the world were guilty of it but ourselves ; for this maxim doth and will
follow us throughout all these acts to be exercised, that it is prnprium jjcccatiim,
our own sin, though not proprur opemtionis, of our own proper committing ;
yea, this is also our first sin. And it will everlastingly follow from thence, that
then we are to lay it to heart in particular as our own, and to mourn prac-
tically, particularly, and truly, and properly, for our guilt of it. David, we
see, when he was in his month (as I may with the prophet so speak, of
the juncture of time wherein he penned that 51st Psalm), puts his mouth in
the dust before God : Behold, I was brought forth in this sin, and I was con-
ceived. He mentions not all mankind ; he loads himself with it, / and /, and
puts the confession of it among the rest of his own actual sins, and seeks a per-
sonal pardon for it afresh together with the rest ; yea, and the load thereof,
together with the rest of his own actual sins, did contribute to work that
brokenness of heart in him, which, as a sacrifice, he presents unto God,
ver. 17, for all the sins he had before confessed, one as well as another (of
which more specially afterwards). And certainly if the Jews were to afflict
their souls on that their fast-day for their sins, and that that day was chosen
by God for it, the day whereon Adam committed this sin, the significanc-y of it
was, that they should afflict their souls for this sin, in relation to the com-
mission whereof that day was singled out. And the condition requisite in
that fast was, that every man should afflict his own soul in particular for his
own sins, and therefore for this sin, as well as any other sins of his in parti-
cular, yea, for this specially as the foundation- sin of all the rest, which the
intent of the day minded them of. However, to be sure this afflicting their
souls was to be done for all the sins which Christ (who was typified out by
the high priest) should procure the pardon of by his sacrifice and interces-
sion in heaven ; both which acts of high-priesthood were performed by the
the high priest, as in a shadow of Christ, whilst the people without were
afflicting their souls for all or any of those sins, which by that sacrifice were
expiated or interceded for that day. And if the common Jew, out of igno-
rance, omitted to do it for this sin, yet, however, it teacheth us (of whom, in
their worship and significancies hereof, they and these were types, and upon
whom the ends of the world are come), it teacheth, I say, us, that know
and are enlightened, to take upon us the guilt of this foundation-sin, and
which we expect to be, and to have been expiated and forgiven by the blood
of Jesus, carried into the holy of holies by him, and his there interceding
for us. It becomes us, I say, and it is our duty (whilst we stand on earth
without) to afflict ourselves for this sin, if we look for pardon for it, as of
any other.

* Speculative considerando et possumus dolere, quod humanum genus in primo
parente Deum offeuderit. — Suarez in loco supra citato.

iilS AN UNREGKNKEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

Now what was it, or is it, to afflict our souls for any sin, but a particular
laying it to heart, as being our own, to mourn and to be in bitterness for it?
Thus, James iv. 9, * Be afflicted, mourn, and weep,' are there joined to-
gether. And this is not to be done by us only before God, but with sorrow
according to God : as in 2 Cor. vii. 9, ' Now I rejoice, not that ye were
made sorrow, but that ye sorrowed to repentance : for ye were made sorry
after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.' He
speaks of what kind of mourning is to be for all sin, according to God (so in
the original) ; that is, according to God's concernments that are found to be
in a sin, and reflections upon him in that sin, which have cast dishonour and
a shadow upon the glory and honour of God any way. And upon search
we may find many high and great ones of such reflections upon God to have
been in the substance of that first act of Adam's sinning, that did touch
nighly upon God (whereof I have summed many before''), as that it was a de-
posing God, a jealousy that God envied and kept them from happiness in for-
bidding that fruit, &c. There are infinite many of such in that first sin that had
a malign aspect unto God ; and for these we ought to mourn, if we will mourn
at all. And truly, if we consider how in this place to the Corinthians (ere
wc go off from it) that it was but the sin of one man among them, and so
originally (as I may so speak) but another's sin, which yet had occasioned
and broached that godly sorrow in them, upon the apostle's having reproved
them for, not having done it, 1 Cor. v. This sin, though the sin of another,
committed by one of their society, yet they, as being one body together with
him, ought to have laid it to heart, and to have mourned for it as committed
amongst them ; yea, and that they should have done also, under the con
sideration of God's concernment therein, according to God, which respect
had unto that man's sin as their own, that passage in ver. 10 doth clearly
point at, ' you have approved yourselves ' (by that their mourning) ' clear in
this matter,' viz., about that man's sin committed amongst you ; although
also this his sin had likewise become their own sin by their having omitted
to mourn for it, as their duty was to have done, as in the former epistle he
had told them: 1 Cor. v. 2, • Ye are pufied up, and have not rather mom-ned,'
&c : by defect of which they had involved themselves in the guilt of that
man's sin, which otherwise had singly remained his own, though now in that
7th chapter of the second epistle they had, by a godly sorrow for it, approved
themselves clear and sincere in that matter.

Now, to bring this somewhat farther home to the point in hand, I urge it
thus :

If the sin of one man, committed in a body and society of men in church
relation, was to be the object of confessing it, and mourning by the whole of
that body, and each person of it, both publicly and privately, which if they
had not omitted to have done had not become their sin (the like in many
cases holds about the sins of a nation), then much more this first sin ought
to be the object of our mourning, this fii-st sin committed by our first father
and head of mankind, to which we all had that near relation (which our
dinnes out of the Scriptures use to urge), and which sin becomes ours, not
by a mere omission of mourning for it as having been the sin of an ordinary
parent, but even by our being involved in the very acting and perpetration
of it by our first father, and so as the fact itself becomes our own sin. This
was not the Corinthians' case ; the Corinthians did not sin in the incestuous
person's sinning, as we all are said to have done in that one man Adam.t If,
therefore, these Corinthians found that relation of theirs in that fact, and
that concernment of God's dishonour in it, and his interest, such as they
* Book I. chap. iv. -f Rom. v, 12.

Chap. lY.J ix respect of sin and puNiSiiMENr. yiy

moarned according to God for it, and ought so to have done, then certahilv
thou being convinced that this act of Adam's is thy sin (on the account fore-
specified), and then coming before God to afflict thy soul for other suis of
thine ; and being to deal with God about sin, and all sin, and this being thy
sin, which thou art sensible that (as in thyself) thou standest guilty before
this holy God for, then surely thou art to mourn for it. For how are we to
deal with God about any sin which occurs to our thoughts, and which we
are found guilty of before him ? Or how to manage ourselves in his pre-
sence under the apprehension of our guiltiness thereof, but by falling down
before him, and to put our mouths in the dust, with a true and bitter humi-
liation for it '? And therein (if it be our sin) to search out the aggravations
of it, and what the concernments of God are in it (and in this sin we may
find many), as matter of this humbling, and to move us to mourn according
to God, and all this to the end to return an honour to God by our debase-
ment of ourselves, and in confessing the aggravation of it, deeply breaking
our hearts, and causing them to mourn. And in this case, it is not only as
the mourning of a traitor's sou for his father's having committed such or so
high a treason against his prince and country, as hath brought ruin upon
both, but as of one who is enwrapped in the very act of his father. Thus
here it is reckoned thy treason as well as thy father's, by thy being in Adam's
loins, as the first father and head of mankind. The like reason whereto
holds not of any other father and child, as not of any national or church-
relation since.

I add this further, to set this duty home upon our hearts, of mourning for
this sin, drawn from the Corinthians' instance ; that it being our own sin
already, whether we mourn for it or not, by our neglecting to mourn for it
■when we ought, we incur the guilt of it anew, and so draw a double guilt
thereof upon ourselves, as the Corinthians also did. And I can conclude
with this, that as we are and do receive Christ's righteousness, when im-
puted through fixith, with joy, Rom. v. 1, 2 and Rom xv. 13, and are filled
with joy and peace upon our reception and laying hold of that his right-
eousness as ours ; so surely may we by conviction apprehend ourselves
guilty of this sin imputed, entertain the apprehension of it with like godly
sorrow.

Fifthly, A fifth act is contrition or brokenness of heart, which is indeed
the top and highest disposition and act in repentance ; and therefore David,
of all other, specifies and presents that to God, 'A broken and a contrite
heart, 0 God, thou wilt not despise,' in this 51st Psalm, ver. 17, and he
speaks it at, yea, and as the very close and winding up of all his confessions
and mournings (for the rest of the psalm is a prayer for the church) ; and
certainly coming in thus, as that which he breathed forth as his last sigh,
ultinms singultus, and as a deposition left with God at his farewell, and his
breaking ofi" all his confessions (unto which brokenness of heart hath an
immediate relation), it must needs include all and every of those sins he
had been confessing afore in the psalm, as those for which and at the men-
tion of every of which his heart had been a-breaking and a-melting all along;
and having now his full load, his heart so broken as he could go no farther
on in that strain, he therefore makes a stop there, and diverts to another
key. And what then, shall we leave out of the comprehension of this his
brokenness, that sin which he had confessed, ver. 5, ' I was brought forth
in iniquity ' ? &c. Certainly no ; nay, his heart breaks to an Elah, to a
BeJiold in that, to a jSo^dsia, a crying out (as Heb. iv. 16 the word is) when
he came to that sin ; and if any would go about to exclude and except this
as having no part or share in breaking his heart, he must give a reason of

350 AN UNREGENEKATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

difference (and it had used be a great one) why, he having confessed this
among those other sins, it yet must be understood that his broken heart
only was for and had an eje to those other sins, not this. David's heart (I
beUeve) felt not nor found any such distinction. I pray, therefore, take this
in with the rest, both this of his birth-sin, as those of his own committing,
for he had equally confessed both, yea, that original sin with a Behold
above the rest ; take it, I say, into your thoughts, and be convinced that the
f uilt of the act of Adam's sin is as just and full a gi'ound and matter of true
brokenness of heart, truly and rightly understood, and according to the
Scripture notion, as any other guilt.

True contrition and brokenness brings the creature unto nothing in itself,
in its own humblings of itself, it causeth it to descend, as to the dust of death
and hell, so even to nothing. In Isaiah, chaps. Ivii. and kvi., a broken and
a contrite heart is set in full aspect to the infinite highness, sovereignty and
greatness of God. So chap. Ivii. 15, ' Thus saith the high and lofty One
that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy
place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,' &c. And the
humble and contrite heart there, imports an heart made in the deepest
manner apprehensive and sensible of its infinite distance from God as God,
and of its own being emptiness and nothing, both as a creature at its best,
and as a sinner at its worst. This heart (in Isaiah) is made low and
humble in both respects, as well before God as the high and lofty one, as
before God as the holy one ; and a soul when brought low in both these
respects is the fittest match or companion to choose for God to fill and dwell
in ; and both these (besides whatever else) doth that poverty of spirit cause
which Christ made the fii'st promise of blessedness unto, Mat. v. 3. For
what is that poverty, but a mere and perfect emptiness in a man's own view,
and depression of spirit '?

Now, the conviction and sense of a man's being guilty of this first sin,
brings a man's soul to this nothingness in some respects more than any other,
sin in regard of both these.

1. That it doth this in respect of his being made a sinner by it, the heinous-
ness of this sin (set forth by many enhancing circumstances) above any other
will shew ; which I here insist not on.

2. That the recognition hereof should humble and bring the soul to a
nothingness, as we are creatures, before this high and lofty one, is manifest
upon such considerations as are more proper to the guilt of this sin than to
any other sins of our own committing, since we have been first made sinners
by this first sin. For he that will to the full humble himself for this sin,
must first put himself, in his faith and the supposition of his mind, into a
state of perfect holiness and righteousness, by considering himself to have
been such once in Adam. He must first understand himself to have been
exactly and completely holy and righteous, and also to have stood and con-
tinued such, as Adam was, and did unto the very moment of his sinning ;
and then may the soul say, Oh, but yet I fell and sinned in him. Look as
when we come to be justified by God, we are to look upon ourselves as un-
godly persons, as, the apostle says, our father Abraham did long after his
conversion, Rom. iv. 5, even after his having been made godly thereby ;
which tendeth to the deepest emptiness of ourselves, that God should for
ever justify [usj as such, that is, as ungodly ; and this we are to do, because of
ourselves we are such, having been such once, though now we are and have
been upon a new grace truly sanctified. Just thus when thou comest to
humble thyself for this sin (that thou mayest thoroughly do it, and to the
bottom) look (on the contrary) first upon thyself, as once to have been so

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 351

and so perfectly upright and holy, by and from thy creation. And then
thereupon thy considering how thou didst fall from that condition, •will more
effectually read to thy soul those humbling lectures and admonitions, to
annihilate thee, or bring thee to nothing as a creature, than any other of thy
sins since.

1st, It will humble thee not only for the sinfulness of that act, but also
for the mutability, vanity, fickleness, and unstability of thee in falling from
such a perfect state, the most perfect that man by creation was any way
capable of.

2dly, It will instruct thee, that if thou thyself had been in Adam's stead
when he was thus in perfect holiness (as he was in thine and all the world's
stead), that thou wouldst have served him and us all so, even as he served
us (or rather God), and have fallen as foully and as ruinously as he did.
Thou wilt easily therefrom conclude it with thyself, by taking the measure
from that standard, that if the holiest man that ever was (but the second man
Christ, personally united to the Son of God), chosen out by God on purpose
as the perfection of his creation, eldest born of the sons of men for strength
and ability to stand, betrusted with his own and aU mankind's interests and
future happiness, &c., if he thus failed, that even so should I have done, wilt
thou think. God, I see, might truly say, as in Job, I can put no trust in any
of my creatures standing on their bottom. Nor could I (mayest thou say)
have any confidence in myself by which to have undertaken to stand, if I
had been set down in Adam's cii'cum stances, and with his apprehensions
about me, more than he did. And this will instruct a man whoUy to give
up his creature estate to God. And this is a great lesson ; yea,

3dly, The consideration of this will teach and instruct thee, as never to
put confidence in any free-will grace, that is, grace committed to the conduct
and menage of man's free will ; so nor in renewed grace, that is, if God should
now set us up again upon a new stock, make us as holy as we were at first,
and then leave us to a creature-like management of ourselves (such as at first
we had), we should fall with all that our new repair and stock of holiness, it
would not keep us a moment ; and in this emptiness and nothingness of our-
selves, the guilt of the first act of sin perpetrated by a pure creature (as Adam
was) instructs us in such a manner as no other sin of our own, now when
we are corrupted, would or could have taught us ; for that was acted out of
pure freedom, or rather arbitrariness of man's will, as not then biassed or
inclined unto evil, but furnished with the contrary ; whereas now our wills
are spoiled and corrupted by that sin, and have a weight depressing them,
and a bribe in their right hand ; so that we now sin, tempted by our own
lust (as the apostle says, James i. 14), as well as out of a freedom of will.

CHAPTER V.

AU these acts of repentance are mingled with faith in Christ, and have a ten-
dency to excite and increase it. — That the sense of this sin hath, more than
any other, an influence to move vs to Christ, since hereby tve are convinced
of our weakness, and mutability, as creatures, as ivell as of our guilt as sinners,
that so ice may seek a remedy in Christ for both.

All these fore-mentioned acts, especially the latter, of spiritual mourning and
contrition, are mixed in the heart of a soul truly penitent, with strains and
veins of faith upon free grace, and Christ, for pardon and justification from
this guilt, as well as any. Nor indeed is that saving repentance for any sin

352 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOO, [BoOK IX.

that flows not from, or at least is not accompanied with, the hopes of, and
seeking of pardon and forgiveness for that sin a man repents of. We see
therefore how this exercise of spirit is here intermingled in this psalm with
these confessions, ' Wash me, purge me with hyssop,' which had Christ's
blood in it, according to the Levitical type, to sprinkle the conscience withal.
Hyssop was used as the instrument of sprinkling both water and blood on
them that were any way unclean, whereof we read, Exod. xxiv. 7, 8, with
the blood of calves ; and Lev. xiv. 6, 8, with the blood of birds, in case of
the leper; and Num. xix. 6, 18, with the ashes of an heifer. The mystery
of all which the apostle hath led us into, Heb. ix. 19, ' Moses took the blood
of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled
all the people' ; and, ver. 13, 14, he interprets it thus : * If the blood of
bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sancti-
fieth to the purifying of the flesh ; how much more shall the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit ofiered himself without spot to God, purge
your conscience from dead works?' &c., thereby signifying our justification.
Now, the sprinkling of the blood and water, by hyssop, &c., dipped therein,
in case of the leper, Lev. xiv., was more specially intended of cleansing us
from our original sin, both by Christ's blood in the way of justification, and
by water, in the way of sanctification ; for that sin needeth both, sanctifica-
tion to cleanse us from the filth or blot inherent, and justification from the
guilt. And the leprosy more properly pointed unto that birth-sin, since that
noisome disease often was conveyed by birth, and always noted out that in-
herent corruption, which as a sin and a leprosy is in us, contracted first by
Adam's fact, and by birth derived as a native disease. Now, David therefore
confessing himself unclean in respect of his birth-sin, and having Christ's blood
in his eye, as well as those other sins, pertinently therefore cries out, 'Wash me
thoroughly,' ver. 2 (for that sprinkling on the leper was done seven times,
Lev. xiv. 7, a number of perfection), and ' purge me with hyssop,' &c.,
ver. 7, ' and I shall be whiter than snow ;' for the leper was cleansed by
the sprinkling of blood, from scarlet wool dipped in it, as well as hyssop.
Lev. xiv. G, 7, whereby the crimson guilt of this and other sins was done
away ; and, as the prophet speaks, ' Though they were as scarlet, they shall
be as white as snow; though they be red hke crimson, they shall be as wool.'
So, then, together with confession and repentance, we must remember to
mingle acts of faith, as David did. And truly those fore-mentioned acts,
specially of contrition, &c., for the guilt of this act, do both prepare forfurther
acts of faith, and are to be accompanied therewith.

First, Such a brokenness prepares for going out unto Christ, perhaps in
some respect more than any other sin. For,

1st, It letting us to see our mutability and nothingness as creatures, &c.,
(as was noted), this disposeth the soul both to value, and go out of itself
unto Christ.

1. As an head of union, by whom we are fixed and made stable as crea-
tures, and shall one day in heaven become immutable through our relation
to him as to an head. And,

2. To have recourse unto Christ as a redeemer, to cleanse us from the
guilt and power of sin, both which do so distinctly make up the faith we
ought to act on Christ in regard of this our original sin.

2dly, It serves (by the parallel of the two Adams) to help souls more
clearly to understand the right way of our justification, and how it is distinct
from being sanctified, namely, by the righteousness of another, Jesus Christ
the second Adam, imputed to us, over and above our having sanctification
inherently wrought in us by him. This we shall come more distinctly to

Chap, V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 353

understand, when the soul hath been once made thoroughly sensible that the
sin of the first Adam comes upon it for condemnation, over and besides
inhei-ent corruption of nature therewith contracted. The one serves to give
light to the other, although in the conveyance they infinitely differ, the one
being received by faith and regeneration from Christ, the other comes upon
men traduced by natural propagation. I have known some souls, who
having been, in the work of humiliation upon them, first powerfully con-
vinced of both these sinfulnesses from Adam, and particularly of the just
imputation of Adam's fact by God to them, who yet in seeking how to be
saved (as they in Acts ii.), did not at first so clearly understand the way of
faith on Christ's righteousness as distinct from sanctificution (on which
sanctification they had too much rested, as if that were to be their justifica-
tion in the sight of God), have, after they came to listen to the doctrine of
justification by Christ's righteousness imputed by God, and through faith
alone laid hold on and received, and had it more fully opened to them, they
have been wonderfully helped to apprehend and take this in from their fore-
gone conviction of the imputed guilt of Adam's sin, yea, and have had their
hearts the more encom^aged to go out of themselves to God and Christ for
this righteousness of justification, by the parallel which that afforded to this
other, as in Rom. v. 19 the apostle hath set them together, ' As by one
man's disobedience, many were made sinners ; so by the obedience of one,
shall many be made righteous.' For if the things themselves compared do
illustrate each other, as by the apostle's so having done appears, then also
in the apprehension and understanding of any soul that considers them ;
for, uti res sunt in esse, ita in cognosci. For a soul to think, I will go to
that God, who, as by a just act he hath accounted me and us all sinners in
Adam, in whom all have sinned ; so he may and will, out of free grace
through Christ his righteousness, justify the ungodly, and make us the
righteousness of God in him ; and why not me ?

And other sins which a man in his own person hath committed, though
they may and do let a man see a more need of Christ, and so press forward
his soul to go unto him, and may serve to the schoolmaster's part to whip
us to Christ, in respect of sight of need ; yet they no way conduce to instruct
us in the way of faith, or going to Christ for justification in that manner, as
the conviction of this of Adam's sin doth, as hath now been specified ; nay,
the voice of those sins in the conscience cries aloud to the contrary, * The
soul that sins shall die,' and bear its own sin itself. Thus much as to what
our sense and sorrow for original sin makes way for and helps forward faith
in Christ for justification.

Secondly, As to free grace, or the mercy of God justifying of us freely
through Christ's blood, which is also the object of faith, we ought, upon the
conviction of and humiliation for this sin, to lay ourselves at the footstool of
God's throne of grace, seeking pardon to take away the guilt of it, as David
doth in this Psalm li. verses 1, 2, together with his other sins. Men are apt
to think with themselves that God in justice, accounting Adam's sin unto
them, should, as it were, oblige him (being a God so merciful) to pardon it;
and to that purpose some in their writings have not spared to express them-
selves. But if it be a sin, and our sin, we must be beholden to grace to
forgive it ; and God in justice might condemn us for it, though we had no
other sin. And this is an essential and inseparable property or character of
grace, to be free, and so to justify freely; as Rom. iii. 24, ' Being justified
freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.' And
therefore in the apostle's following discourse, about our guilt of this very

VOL. X. Z

354 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

act of sin, in chapter v. he subjoins, verse 1, that it is by an abundance of
grace, and of the gift of grace, whereby this sin, together with the many
other of our own, came to be pardoned, and we justified ; and therefore the
same grace that must exert itself to pardon other sins, must be freely ex-
tended and put forth by God for the forgiveness of this also.

But of this part I shall have occasion again to speak in the conclusion of
this part of this discourse.

CHAPTEE VI.

That act of repentance, which is a turning from sin unto God, is to be exercised
about this our original sin, and in what manner.

There is a second, and the main part of repentance, which looketh forward
unto time to come, and is a turning to God from sin, being thereto provoked
by sorrow for sin past or present. Thus, 2 Cor. vii. 10, 11, ' For godly
sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of : but the
sorrow of the world worketh death. For, behold, this self-same thing, that
ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what
clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what
vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge ! In all things ye have
approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.' Godly sorrow maketh
repentance, which respects time to come.

It is then next to be considered, what conviction of this act, with sorrow,
may be provocative to a soul apprehensive of it unto a turning unto God, as
well as sorrow for any other sin.

To this I give a general assertion or two.

1. That the main of repentance lies in a turning to God out of a state of
sin. This the Scriptures do most insist on. Acts xxvi. 18, 'To turn men
from the power of Satan' (who in their state of sinning is said to have power
over them all their life long ; that is, whilst they continue in that estate,
Heb. ii. 15) ' unto God,' as the termimts ad quern. And it is certain, that
initial repentance is not merely from an act, but from a state of sinning.
Now, if it be duly considered, it is that guilt of the sinful act of our first
parents that brought us into, and had conjunct with it a state of sin. And
as by faith we enter, or have our first ' access into the grace wherein we
stand,' Rom. v. 2; that is, the state of grace; so oppositely, ver. 12 and 18,
it is said, ' sin entered,' which entrance was by that first sin, and the guilt
of it, and together with that its entrance it was that we entered into a state
of sin, and we were first made sinners by it, ver. 18, and so made sinners,
as to be under a state or dominion of sin and death : ' Sin reigns unto
death,' ver 21. Yea, and it was this sin that shot that first bolt upon you,
whereby you were and are irrecoverably shut up under sin, without any
possibility of recovery. Other actual sins, yea, inherent corruption, do but
keep you in that estate ; but it was this sin first brought you into it. If
therefore the great conversion of a soul at first be from out of a state of sin
unto God, then surely it is a turning from this sin, not only as conjunct
with this state, but as the original hereof.

2. In general. That a man may be provoked, by the conviction, &c., of
his guilt of this sin, to turn unto God, as well as by any act of his own
committing. To this purpose let it be considered, that this sin is our own
as well as any other. And if so, then if a man's soul be once possessed of
it, that this sin of Adam's is also his own sin, and withal of the heinousness

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 855

of it ; then why should not this man, out of the sense of his guilt hereof,
turn unto God, and against all sin whatever, as well [as] upon the sense of
any sin or sins of his own committing ? for both are sins, and both are his
own sins, though upon a diflerent account.

To illustrate this yet the more, I will but make this supposition (which
for illustration's sake I may), that any son of Adam come to understanding,,
could be supposed guilty of no other act of sinning, but this imputed on&
from Adam ; or, it' this should not be admitted, I will make another, which
will be as serviceable to my purpose : suppose that any such convert's mind
Avas wholly take i up with the conviction of, and poi'ing upon his guilt of
that one sin, so as at that present he had not in his actual thoughts and
meditations any other actual sin of his own (and this is really supposable,
and may be a convert's case), and so he were at that present wholly upon
such penitential acts for that sin alone as have been set out, viz. of judging
himself, sorrowing according to God, &c. I would in this, case but demand,
whether this conviction and sorrow, detestation of himself for this sin, as
sin, and as his own sin, and a most heinous, horrid sin, joined with seeking
after, or a sense of the pardon of it, might not, ought not, would not work
and stir up in him a spiritual turning unto God against all sin whatsoever ?
Certainly, yes; yea, and I shall shew, it may naturally work all those effects
of repentance which the apostle says that godly sorrow had wrought in those
Corinthians, 2 Cor. vii. 11 (of which by and by); for still where there is the
same ground of like repentance, there may follow and arise from thence the
same effects.

You will say, There is this difference in the case (over and besides that
consideration, that a man committed it not himself), that in ease of other
sins, a man is provoked to repentance, because he is capable to commit that
sort of sin again, and so says with himself, and specially resolves against
that particular sin, to commit that no more of all his abominations, as the
prophet's words are. But thus no man can say of this sin of Adam's eat-
ing the forbidden fruit ; it was done but once, and put to the trial but once,
yea, the command forbidding it ceased, and was upon the fact at an end.
For answer,

1. Adam himself, or Eve, if they were alive, were not capable of such a
special repentance for that sin, who yet were the persons themselves who had
committed it (whom yet all will acknowledge to have repented in the con-
sideration thereof, and perhaps more than of any other sin else committed
by them, because turned godly, and made penitents by God himself). For
why ? The commandment was instantly void ; yea, and if this reason which
is objected hold, we must say, that whilst they were alive, they in this sort
never did repent of it as to time to come (which is that part of repentance
we were now a-speaking of), nor never could. What, then, was their
repentance for it as for the time to come ? Even to say and resolve with
themselves. We will through grace sin no more against any command of God
whatever, that either God hath or shall give us, especially not against any
such command that is made a trial and symbol of obedience in so signal a
manner as this was. And unto such a repentance for time to come may the
soul of every son* of Adam, bowed down under his guilt of this sin, and deep
sense of God's displeasure, taken at it, and manifested against it, find all
sorts and provocations. Thus in general.

But, further, 2, suppose there be some particular sin which bears the
appearance or likeness to that first act, which a man's soul hath formerly
fallen into, and that this be his case (and like sins unto that, for the sub-
stance of the act, there are many), by occasion of which his soul hath been

356 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

forews-rned in a signal manner to take heed above all other of sinning with
such a person or in such a thing, which are as the forbidden fruit unto that
man ; and the commands of God against it have been in a singular manner
set home upon his soul, and so have become as syml)olical commands to
him as that was to them (and some such singular commands and special
acts of sinning, every penitent hath or may have before him in his eye), may
not I say such a soul, upon the intuition of his guilt in that act of Adam's
eating that so forbidden fruit, is positively and really moved and provoked
to turn unto God, in resolving with a true and efficacious repentance, both
in general against breaking any of God's laws for the future, but above all
against any such like transgressions, or breaking any such trying commands
of special obedience set him, even because in Adam he did otiend in the like?
May not such a soul, in the depth of his depressments, and lying in the dust,
efficaciously reason himself (as the apostle's word upon another occasion is,
Rom. vi.) unto such a repentance as hath been specified? and the more, by
how much he may consider how heinously God took that sin, cursed the
earth for it, whereby also himself and every man is polluted and accursed
that comes into the world, by considering with himself, I was involved and
concerned in all this, and thereupon to say, Surely if I were guilty of no
more actual sin but this alone, it should be a sufficient motive against all
sin, which, by God's manifested distaste at this sin, I see he infinitely
abhors ; and wliilst his thoughts are thus seriously working in himself, let
any particular sin come into his thoughts, and he will, in this fresh sense of
this first sin, abominate it. But these are but generals, though perhaps
sufficient to set our meditations and exercises of our souls a-work this way^
and lead us the way into more particular acts of repentance from hence.

CHAPTER VII.

The sorrow and repentance which we should have for original sin, more ampli-
fied from the effects which godly sorrow ivroitght in the Corinthians.

For godly sorrow worheth repentance to salvation not to he repented of : but
the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold, this selfsame thing,
that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, xvhat carefulness it wronglit in you, yea,
what clearing of tjour selves, yea, wliat indignation, yea, what fear ^ yea, what
vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what leveuge! In all things ye have
approved yourselves to he clear in this matter. — 2 Cor. VII. 10, 11.

I shall endeavour to make a farther essay upon all those particular acts of
repentance, which are set out to have been the efiects and consequents of
godly sorrow in those Corinthians, if we understand that passage of what
repentance was wrought in them, for that part of the guilt which themselves,
as a church, had contracted, and for which he had reproved them in the 6th
chapter of his former epistie, as those which had not mourned; which occa-
sioned this their repentance here, -as ver. 6 informs, and therefore that
personal repentance for themselves must be taken in as there intended, and
hath also been before animadverted. And so understood, I shall attempt to
go over all those particular effects there specified, and demonstrate that they
all may as naturally flow from a true godly conviction and sorrow for our
share in the guilt of Adam's sin, as upon the guilt of any personal sin of our
own committing. The apostle's words are these : ' Godly sorrow worketh
repentance,' ver. 10 ; and the effects thereof do follow : ver. 11, ' For this

Chap. VII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 857

self-same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort,' or ' for God,' 1, ' What
carefuluess wrought it in you ;' yea, 2, • what apology,' 'Ac&Xoy/av, or plead-
ing for yourselves ; 3, ' what indignation ;' 4, ' what fear ;' 5, ' what vehe-
ment desire;' 6, 'what zeal;' 7, 'what revenge.' These are spiritually
natural effects of godly sorrow for any grievous sin, and acts of repentance
relating unto time to come ; for as Bellarmine well says, There cannot be a
true sorrow of heart for a sin that is past, but presently there doth arise a
purpose not to sin for the f\itare.

In going over these, I shall couple those of them that are more symbolical
and congenial one with another, and so shortly speak of them in the force of
what hath been hitherto said.

The first couple shall be care and fear, both which respect avoiding sin
for time to come, that we fall not into the like.

1. Care. Let any soul but view the transactions of Satan with Eve, and
hers with Adam, and how easily that their feet slipped, and they turned thither
(as the psalmist's phrase is, Ps. Ixxiii. 2), and were eternally lost and gone,
and let that soul withal but interest himself in that act of Adam's first sin,
and he may find it gives him as great a monition of watchfulness as any of
his own sins are like to do against all temptations of Satan, not so much as
to listen to them, or to any other motions of sin.

2. What fear. Fear imports a earefulness arising from the sense of a
danger, against security or confidence in ourselves. There is no instance
•will prompt more heedfully for ever to stand npoa our guard than this of
Adam's sinning ; for if thou hast put thyself into Ad im's case and condition,
&c., thou wilt consider how, though thou hadst in him a fulness of perfect
holiness, and nothing vi'ithin to tempt thee, that yet thou then didst fall in
him, and he that was so completely armed then fell, and thou in him ; how
much more then now, when thou hast so little of grace to preserve thee, and
so much of corruption to tempt thee, may it cause thee to work out thy sal-
vation with fear and trembling ? ' Let him that standeth take heed lest he
fall,' is a natural lesson from hence; and ' Put on the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to stand,' &c. And this is holy fear and jealousy of our-
selves. This for the first couple.

A second pair or couple are indir/natiori and rerenrje.

The first speaks a throwing away of sin in a chafe : ' What have I to do
any more with idols ?' as Ephraim, Hosea xiv. 9. Or such an indignation
as Asaph had at himself : Ps. Ixxiii. 22, ' So foolish was I, and as a beast
before thee.' And if ever any sin (take the consequents of it) would raise
up indignation in the heart of one supposed guilty of it, this will, to think
how triflingly the whole world was lost and cast away, myself and all man-
kind, at one throw, for less than a mess of pottage. Oh this shews what we
are at best, even but creatures ; and this is our creation grace, on which a
man would not venture the smallest piece of a soul, much less the blessed-
ness of all mankind. We are apt Qnough, indeed, to have our spirits fume,
at Adam and Eve (as no question, they repenting, did against themselves)
for so great an unworthiness, that man in honour should so easily become
a beast that perisheth, yea, a devil. But the indignation I call upon thee
for is of another kind, to which purpose put thyself into Adam's case, and
first think with thyself, If I had been in his stead, I with my creature free-
will grace should, vice versa, have served Adam so, and lost all for myself
and him, even as he did. And then again, think also that this act of his
sin is thy sin, and this will both turn thy indignation against thyself, and set
thy heart to be more resolved against all sin for time to come, for any sin
as well as that of eating the forbidden fruit, if it had been committed by

358 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

them, would have done it. I will never trust creature grace or free-will grace
more, for this foul failure of it in him. ' 0 what indignation !'

The second is revenrje. There is a question among the schoolmen,*
whether repentance be only an act of love to God, or withal an act of justice,
or doing a justice unto God again, by way of recompence for sin, as it is a
wrong and an injury to him, by endeavouring what in us lies to destroy the
injury done to God, and restore unto God his right ? Thus they. This
notion they would put upon repentance's revenge, with an intention thereon
to found a compensation, a satisfaction made unto God by repentance (such
as the creatures can make), and withal thereby to make up a reconciliation
with God again, injuriam resarciendo, by making God amends. Thus they
philosophise. Yet sever this notion of theirs from this blasphemous affront
given unto the satisfaction of Christ alone made for us, instead of which they
would set up their satisfactions in penances, &c., and understand this ana-
logically or similitudinarily, and there is a revenge a penitent soul takes of
itself for sin, or rather upon sin ; and there is an endeavour to make God
an amends, that by how much a man hath the more sinned, by so much the
more he would be obedient, and do contrary unto what formerly he hath
done ; which you see to have been in Paul, who had been so violent in per-
secuting the church; in the woman of Nain, &c., Luke vii. 87 ; and in the
Christians at Ephesus, that burnt their books of curious arts, &c.. Acts xix.
19. And such a revenge is not simply intended as against ourselves (we
leave that to the papists), but against our sins ; and those not simply as
having done ourselves such mischief, but as against God ; for as it is sorrow
to God, or for God's interest, from whence this revenge here ariseth, so as
there is a revenge done on sin for God's sake, wherein the penitent soul can
rest satisfied with nothing but the utter destruction of it, for that revenge
doth always import. Jealousy is the rage or revenge of a man : Prov. vi.
34, ' For jealousy is the rage of a man ; therefore he will not spare in the
day of vengeance.'

Now, as to this of revenge against sin thus understood, how it should be
stirred up in us, by the consideration of our guilt of that act of Adam's sin,
or upon what thing or sin this revenge should wreak or vent itself? That is
the query. Upon that act of sin past ? That cannot be ; and to revenge
ourselves upon some lawful liberty that holds an appearance to that of their
eating the forbidden fruit, in the contemplation of this sin, is easily imagin-
able.

I shall only say as to this point these two things :

1. If a man would have hatred stirred up to purpose against sin (which is
the ground and provocative of revenge), let him view but sin in that glass of
Adam's fall, and consider but how heinously God took it, and how highly he
was displeased at it, and hath shown it in the miserable consequents of it,
so as never the like, it being the spoil of all his workmanship, which in the
end of the sixth and seventh day he was .so refreshed withal, and a turning
the whole wheel and way of the old creation (of man especially) into a con-
trariety unto him for ever.

There are two great glasses to view the deformity of sin in : the first in
this of Adam's fact in paradise ; the second in that of Christ's sufiering
for sin upon the cross. God laid upon him the iniquities of us all, revenge
being thus stirred up.

2. Wouldst thou be revenged for this mischief done to God and thee, &c.,
and know where and how, in a proper way, to point and direct the sword's
point of thy revenge against it ? Then look as David when he would study

* See Bellarm. 1. ii. de Poenit. c. 7, and Suarcz in 3, Tom. iv. disp. 2, sec 3.

Chap. VII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 859

how to shew a kindness unto Jonathan who was dead, and so out of a
capacity, or the reach of a kindness himself (as the act of this sin also is to
ours), yet as David inquired, • Is there any left of the house of Saul, that I
may shew kindness to him for Jonathan's sake ?' 2 Sam. ix. 1. And they
told him he had a son Mephibosheth, ver. 3, &c. Thus say I, wouldst thou
be revenged for the loss, not of thy two eyes only (as Samson, Judges xvi.
28), but for the loss of the whole image of God, &c., which was ' created in
knowledge,' &c., as the apostle speaks ? I say, wouldst thou be avenged for
this and other mischiefs on this sin ? Look first if there be any of its brood
left behind it, whom thou mayest fairly wreak thy vengeance on. And for
that thou needest to go no farther than thine own heart ; behold a whole
body of sins, all sorts of lusts therein, that are the brood it hath left behind
it, that sin was the father of, besides all the actual sins which are begotten
by it, the grandchildren of that grand sin ; and if these be not large enough
to satiate thy vengeance, thou hast the sins of all the sons of men thou cou-
versest with, that come within thy cognisance, to endeavour to extirpate
these in them by all ways and means wherein thy duty lies. These are all
of the same stock and lineage, and descended from this root, and cousin-
germans to thine own sin. But if thou thinkest these too remote and too
far ofl;' in kindred, look upon thine own children who came out of thine own
loins, and all the sins in them, which are all nearer akin unto that corruption
in thyself, and next unto thine own. In all these thou hast field enough before
thee for revenge to forage in. Only first begin this thy revenge at home ;
thou hast enough to satiate thy hatred upon there. Slash and cut, arid,
spare not ; hew and cut down, and lay the axe to the root of the tree. ' Oh
what revenge !' But on a revenge hereon I shall enlarge when I come to
the acts of repentance for inherent corruption.

There is a third pair or couple, what desire ! what zeal ! Those latter
fruits of repentance do, to be sure, spring from pure love to God. What
desires to be rid of sin and to be holy, which are the best fruits of thy grace
in this life ? And then thy sense of the guilt of this act of sinning will put
thee upon hungering and thirsting after righteousness, especially that right-
eousness of that other Adam, Christ, of which by and by ; and it will stir
desires also after the favour of God, for this was the first sin that separated
betwixt God and thee. And zeal is but love and desire, and other affections
intended.* Desire is smoke, and zeal is flame. And for a man to consider,
I am guilty of the first sin that ever was committed in the world, and one of
the greatest that ever was or will be, this may well provoke him to desire,
and to say, That was the alj^ha of my sins ; would to God that which I com-
mitted last might be the omega. Again, did I bring sins enough into the
world, even of the guilt of that sin, if I had added no more, to have found
me work to repent of as long as I have been or am to be in the world ; yea,
to find me work enough of that kind, if I did nothing else ? And shall I sin
any one sin more ? Oh, if it were possible, not so much as one ! Oh what
desire, what zeal should this provoke us to ?

There is one thing more in that text, 2 Cor. vii., a single seventh, which
will not so well yoke with any of the other, a clearing ourselves, or apology
in defence of ourselves ; and what may that be supposed to have to do with
our sense of the guilt of this act ? We will be ready to say, that of all sins
else we can the best apologise for this, and clear ourselves, and wash our
hands of that, and plead in defence of ourselves. It was the sin of another,
and not our own ; qiice nonfecimus ipsi, vix ea nostra voco. That which I did
not can hardly be styled mine. This was Adam's fault indeed, in seeking
* That is, stretched or intensified. — Ed.

360 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

to excuse himself, by laying his sin on his wife, yea, at God's door. Gen. iii.
which Job alludes to, chap. xxxi. 33. But as to the Corinthians clearing
themselves for that personal share of theirs in that sin (which the apostle
had reproved in these Corinthians, 2 Cor. v. 3), that true godly sorrow which
their hearts were yet bedewed with, and had brought forth, this apology
here was joined with a putting their mouths in the dust, and a taking shame
and guilt to themselves, to the utmost grain of weight it will bear. The
word here used is an apology, or pleading for pardon and forgiveness, hav-
ing first taken a sin upon us ;* for, as I observed before, true faith is always
intermingled with repentance which is evangehcal, yea, and causeth it ; and
the more it is made sensible of its sin through its working, the more it puts
the soul upon further exercises of faith, and to seek after the attainment of
fresh assurance of forgiveness. This apology the apostle terms elsewhere,
the ' answer' or speakings ' of a good conscience,' when through faith the soul
is enabled to plead Christ's resurrection for the justification of itself, 1 Pet.
iii, 21, which is done, whilst a penitent soul approacheth with fresh and
louder cries the throne of grace for God's absolution and forgiveness, and
clearing of them to their own sense, for a sin repented of and sorrowed for ;
as we saw in David, who, though God had, by the prophet's outward message
sent him, declared he had forgiven his sin, 2 Sam. xii. 13, yet David's soul
must hear God himself speak that word over anew to his own soul ; and
therefore you heard of his pleadings and apologies for mercy and pardon,
out of Ps. li. 7.

I shewed before, out of Kom. v. 25, that it is and must be the free grace in
God, that only must quit and discharge us of the guilt of this sin, as well as
from any other sins ; yea, and an ' abundant grace' it is to forgive that sin,
as well as the many of our other ofiences, ver. 15, 16. Unto which, as to
that other of David's, I add, as I then said, two more scriptures to confirm
this. And it is very observable, that in so many places, take them all, where
this srn is spoken of, God's free grace in pardoning and saving is eminently
spoken of also, as to the forgiveness of them.

The first is Isa. xliii. 27, ' Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers
have transgressed against me.' There you have this disobedience of Adam
laid to their charge to humble them, as generally, says Calvin, interpreters
expound it, and not their forefathers, as to their birth, because he speaks of
some one father singly and eminently, which that v/ox^ first father indigitates,
and who was the primo prbniis, the first- first, whose sin also was so famed
and notorious, and the cause of all sin, as Adam is the common father of all;
but withal free grace to pardon that and all other their sins, is not far off,
yea, had been aforehand set down in ver. 25, * I, even I, am he that blotteth
out thy transgressions for my own sake, and will remember them no more :'
a scripture which speaks mere free grace as amply and as loudly as any
place whatever, and speaks it not under the language of that redemption from
captivity (though including it), but of blotting out transgressions, and re-
membering them no more, which is made the proper language of the cove-
nant of grace unto the elect out of mankind. And so he speaks to the godly
of that nation personally, and he instanceth in such sins, as they might other-
wise think thej' least needed pardon for, not their own personally committed
by themselves, but first that guilt common with them to all mankind, com-
mitted in Adam ; and then their public guilt, in respect of the relation of
their priests, who were the intercessors for them to God, and yet had styled
these thy sins in ver. 25, which you are to be humbled for, as for your own,
every one of you. And lo, says he, I am he that blots out these and all
* See Dyke on Repent, chap. xiv.

Chap. VIII.] in bespect of sin and punishment. 3G1

other thy transgressions * for my own name sake,' that if, freely; and it must
be my grace which must forgive these thy sins, as well as any other of thine
own, and therefore look up unto me, 'I, even I, am he' that pardoneth them.
Neither canst thou find out, saith God, or enter on any plea or apology (as
the word is here) for pardon, but this alone of my name, which I have so
long ago proclaimed unto thee, ' The Lord gracious,' &c. Thus in ver. 20,
' Put me in remembrance ; let us plead together ; declare thou that thou mayest
be justified :' justified for those guilts, whicla are thine but by imputation, as
the first sin of thy fore-father, or national relation, as the sin of thy teachers.

The second scripture added is Eph. ii. 1, 5, 'Ye were dead in sins and
trespasses, and by nature children of wrath :' and they were by nature, or
born dead, as well in respect of the guilt of their first father Adam's dis-
obedience, being condemned in him, Kom. v. 18 as of inherent corruption.
But what then is it he points them unto alone, whereby they had obtained,
or were to obtain, pardon and salvation from ? Ver. 4, 5, ' God, who is
rich in mercy, &c. when ye were dead in sins, hath quickened us together
with Christ, by grace ye are saved.'

And thus much for 'the first part of this discourse, the humbling ourselves
for our guilt of the act of Adam's disobedience.

CHAPTER VIII.

What sorrotv and repentance we should have for the other part of onr/inal sin,
viz., the corruption which is inherent in our natures. — We must consider it
as the cause of the greatest and most heinous sins which we commit, and
which give us the highest occasion of mourning. — That every act of sin is of
so much the deeper guilt, as the corruption of our nature doth more vent itself
in it. — That the corruption of nature doth set us farther off from. God than
any actual sin whatever. — That this is more near and intimate to thy soul
than all thy actual transgressions.

I now come to the second part of the discourse, touching inherent corrup-
tion, and what exercise of repentance, mourning, or whatever acts else we
are to put forth about it ; which corruption is the fruit of that sinful act of
Adam, and is inherent in our nature, which is called, Rom. vii. 20, ' the sin
that dwelleth in us.' And this we may take for a certain rule, whatever
acts may any way become genuine, to humble ourselves for the guilt of that
first sin of eating the forbidden fruit, they will prove more direct and proper
to be put forth as concerning the inherent corruption in us. For this is our
sin, not by imputation, but by indwelling in us ; even as leprosy derived
from the parents (no matter how they came by it) is as properly the son's
leprosy as it is the father's. And there needs no dispute about it, whether
a man's leprosy be by derivation from his parents, or by a man's self con-
tracted ; however, it is his own leprosy. And accordingly, as to the convic-
tion of this to be our own indwelling sin, we are but to look into our owti
bowels (though we need spiritual light to discover it with unto the bottom,
yet), there is enough of its corruption boiling up every day as doth or may
testify this to our consciences.

I propound for my method in this these two things, which you may call
parts or heads of this ensuing discourse.

I. The great sinfulness of this sin of inherent corruption dwelUng in us.

II. The acts of repentance which we are to exercise about it.

I. I begin with the first, the sinfuhiess of this inherent corruption. It is

362 AN UNREGENKRATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

not of sin in general, which I have elsewhere set forth,* but the sinfulness
that is in this inherent corruption of nature we brought into the world with
us, and which is increased in us, and remaining to this day in every one of
our souls.

I shall take two courses to manifest the sinfulness of this unto you.

First, In a comparative way.

Secondh/, Consider it singly and 'simply in itself.

First, The comparative way is double.

1st, Single out the grossest actual sin thou hast been guilty of in thy life,
take any one particular gross sin that thou thinkest lies heaviest upon thy
conscience (as such are most apt to do), yet that corruption thou broughtest
into the world with thee, that mass and body of sin thou hast in thy nature,
gives thee more cause in many respects to be humbled for that than for any
one gross sin, be it what it will.

2dly, Compare it with all actual sins whatsoever, and take them and
abstract them from this root of inherent corruption, and it may prove a
question whether of the two we should be most humbled for.

First, Single out the grossest act that ever thou committedst, or perhaps
hast heard of to have been committed by any (the special poison of the sin
against the Holy Ghost excepted), and that inherent corruption of thy nature
in many respects doth exceed it. To this purpose,

1. Consider that if it were no more than that it was the cause of that
actual sin, this is sufficient to render it more heinous ; and the virtue whereby
anything is produced is stronger in the cause than in the effect. Now that
gross sin, whatever it be, was but the bud of that as the root ; and take but
a little of a poisoned root, and extract the spirit of it, and it hath more
poison in it than any of the branches. The notion of this I shall after-
wards carry down to the other, the second head, of comparing it with all
actual sin.

2. Consider that the evil of any gross sin, or the greatest part of the sin-
fulness of it, will be found to lie in this, according as the evil disposition
and venom and poison of thy nature did vent itself in that action more or
less, and fills that action, the wickeder it is. According as the tide flowing
from that sea fills the channel more or less, so doth the sinfulness of that sin rise
up more or less, and so it is that corruption, wherein specially the guilt lies
in every such action. And thence it is that actions, gross and great for bulk,
are often less sinful in the eyes of God than smaller actions, because less
filled with the evil disposition of the heart. And this the philosophers them-
selves acknowledged that an evil notionf done, ex pravd dispositioiie, an act
proceeding from a rooted habitual disposition, was worse, and more to be
punished than another, though outwardly as bad, if but done out of some
sudden passion, as they call it. Witness that sentence of the Athenian
judges, who condemned a boy to death but for tearing out, in a cruel manner,
the eyes of a few crows and partridges, as being (though for the act but small)
the evidence and indicium, of an habitual cruel nature. And God himself
judgeth of men's ways according to the dispositions of their hearts let out in
their ways ; for which read that speech in Solomon's prayer, 1 Kings viii. 39,
' Render to every one according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest ; '
which, though intended principally of God's acceptation of the contrary good
actions of holy men, yet as a general, holds of evil actions also, and much
more, because there is a demerit in them which is not in the other. We
see he says not simply ' according to their ways,' but as growing on this

* Discourse of the Aggravations of Sin. [Vol. IV. of this edition of his Works .
—Ed.] t Qu. ' action '?— Ed.

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 863

stock, their hearts, from whence their actions sack or draw up more or less
poison. And we find elsewhere God himself joining his testimony to this
maxim in Solomon's prayer, and confirming it, and answering to it : Jer.
xvii. 10, * I the Lord search the heart, to render to every man according to
his ways.' He joins the heart and the ways together ; he compares how
much the action savours of the must of the vessel, and doth taste of it, that
he may know how to measure forth a portion of punishment to their out-
ward ways and actions, according as he sees and judges how far, more or
less, the action was steeped in the sour liquor of their original corruption.

8. A third thing is, that the evil disposition of thy nature doth farther sever
and set thee off from God, than simply an actual sin doth. And that is the
me isure of more or less sinfulness, by how much the sin doth more or less
separate from God : Isa. lix. 7, * Your sins have separated between me and
you,' therefore the more they separate the more is the sinfulness. Now this
corruption of nature makes a greater elongation of thee from God than an
actual sin doth, be it the grossest. The leprosy was the type of it in the
old law ; it was that only that separated a man from God and from the con-
gregation all his life ; and it signified not an act of sinning so much as in-
herent corruption, which is a disease in the soul, as that is in the body.
You have it. Numb. v. 2, 3, and if he were a king, yet he was to be sepa-
rated if a leper, 2 Chron. xxvi. 21. Now that inherent corruption doth
more separate than an actual sin doth, the reason of it is, because a con-
trariety in nature breeds always greater distance, yea, enmity, than simply
an act of hostility, or mere outward acts of injury. You see this in the
creatures that have contrary qualities, which we call antipathies, in their
dispositions ; and merely out of a contrariety of nature, they are greater ene-
mies than others that do one another actually more harm. Let a swine or
a mastiff tear and rend us, as Christ says, yet we can endure the sight of
them, the presence, yea, we can afterwards stroke him ; but let a serpent
appear, where there is a contrariety in nature, or a spider appear, you see
how mightily it works in the spirit of one that hath an antipathy to these
(as man hath) at the first view or sight of them. Now inherent corruption
is such a contrariety in thy nature unto God, it is a contrariety in the way
of an antipathy. Transient acts of sinnings are indeed said to be against
the Lord, but the inward disposition of their nature hath and is a contrariety
in nature itself, and so is deeper and stronger ; so this flesh is said to be
enmity to God in the abstract, Rom. viii. 7. It is contrar}' to holiness, as
it is in God's nature : whatever God hates, it loves ; and whatever God
loves, it hates.

4. Consider, thou hast more cause to be humbled for the sinful dispositions
in thy nature than any of thy actual sins, because there is a nearer union
between sin and thy soul, in respect of this inherent corruption, than by
thy action singly considered. An act of sin hath not so near a kindred or
alliance to the soul as inherent corruption hath. You read in Micah vi. 7,
that the measure of sinfulness lies in the relation it hath to the soul of a
man : ' Wilt thou give the fruit of thy body for the sin of thy soul ? ' there-
fore the more it may be said to be the soul's sin, the more sinfulness is in
it. And further, there is this in reason for it, that the nearer union we have
with sin, or our hearts have with it, the farther we are separated from God.
Now, that this union is nearer, I manifest by one or two things.

(1.) This is the relation of subject and inherent quahty. Thy soul is the
subject, and the sin an inherent quality in thy soul. It dwells in us, as the
apostle says ; it is not an act passant from us, that bears but the relation of
an outward effect unto its cause.

3G4 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

(2.) The union that is between sin in thy nature and thy soul, is such as
between the matter and form. The soul is as the matter unto this sin as the
form, as the body is the matter which the soul informs; for we account that
to be the form which acts, inspires, moves, informs, and guides the matter.
Hence this corruption is called a man's self; thou and that corruption that
is in thee are called by one name, flesh, in Scripture : John iii. 6, ' That
which is born of the flesh is flesh,' and all the actions of the whole man are
attributed to it. But now the union between thee and thy action hath but
the relation of the tree and the fruit, the parent and the child : Rom. vii. 5,
* For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law,
did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death ;' James i. 14, 15,
' But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and
enticed. Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin,
when it is finished, bringeth forth death.'

5. Consider that in a sinful action but a work of thine own is spoiled and
marred, which thou shouldst have produced in a shape more agreeable to the
law, the pattern for that action; but by the sinfulness that is in thy nature,
God's workmanship is spoiled, his image defaced, a frame and principle of
working which he produced and ' formed for his glory,' as the prophet, Isa.
xliii. 21 ; or * created at first to good works,' as the apostle speaks, Eph.
ii. 10.

Again, 6, consider that particular gross sin thou hast committed is but a
particular transient breach and transgression of some one commandment.
Now, look on an act of cruelty and injustice, in what kind soever, suppose
the greatest that can be perpetrated by a state, or the supreme power, and
it is far less heinous than if there were a standing law enacted by them to
authorise such an act. And now take the grossest sin that ever thy soul
committed, and there is a standing law in thy nature that hath force in thy
members to bring forth a thousand thousand such acts ; and by virtue of it
they may be brought into act until that law be recalled, that is, thy nature
changed. So that still suppose the grossest act that may be, if in thy nature
there be as wicked a law to authorise it, and to bring it into execution, and
that also a standing law, it is an invincible proof that thy nature, in respect
of being such a law, is more wicked than any grievous act of sinning, even
the most grievous whatsoever. And this consideration far exceeds the first ;
for thy corruption was not only the cause of such an act, but the cause as a
law is, which is extant still, to be the cause of ten thousand more, as occa-
sion and temptation is.

Yea, 7, consider that action was but one transient breach of some one
particular command, but the corruption that is in thy nature hath not only
a particular law to enforce that kind of particular sin again, over and over,
but it is a contrariety to the whole law in every tittle of it. And look how
many laws God hath in his word, so many contrary laws sin hath in thy
heart. Rom. vii. 22, 23 compared — ' I delight in the law of God after the
inward man : but I see another law in my members warring against the law
of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my
members' — doth confirm both of these two last assertions. There in thy
heart the devil's commandments are written, contrary to God's written in
the two tables, explained by Moses and the prophets. Now, the Holy Spirit
by David hath said, Ps. cxix. 96, * I have seen an end of all perfection, but
thy law is exceeding broad ;' as much as to say, the particulars thereof are
infinite, there is no end of it, as the same David speaks of God's know-
ledge. If therefore thou hast as many laws of sin in thee as there be laws
of God, how above measure must thy nature be sinful!

CUAP. IX.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 3G5

Again, 8, consider that that gross sin was committed haply but by some
one member, used as a weapon and instrument of unrighteousness; but this
sin of thy nature is spread through all, and thereby all parts and members
are made weapons ready formed, fashioned, and sealed to be employed in
the service of sin. This, as concerning acts of sin, you have in Rom. vi.,
the other in multitudes of scriptures ; as when this sin is styled ' the man,'
' the old man,' a whole entire man, ' a body of sin,' ' from the crown of the
head to the sole of the feet,' the sin that ' encompasseth us round,' Heb.
xii. 9. And if one member, the tongue, be arraigned to be the seat of ' a
world of iniquity,' what is the whole and every member and faculty of soul
and body? And thus much for the first branch of this comparative way,
viz. comparing the sinfulness of corrupt nature with any one particular act
of ginning, the grossest.

CHAPTER IX.

That there is more guilt in the sin of our nature, than in all our actual
transgressions put together.

I now come to the second head, the comparing of our inward corruption
with all our actual sins put together. Truly some have affirmed it in their
writings. Dr Sibbes, in that which he hath printed himself,* that it is worse
than all our actual sins. So, then, at least it may prove a question, whether
of the two hath the greater sinfulness ; and so which of the two (take actual
sins abstractly considered from this root) thy soul ought to be humbled for
most. And I alone have not started this query unto the discussion, though
I confess I had, long before I saw that of his, enlarged upon this head in ser-
mons upon original sin.

I shall proceed in this point :

I. By way of explication or stating of it.

II. By the demonstration of it.

I. For explication. When I say the question is. For whether of these two
as apart considered we should be humbled most, or whether has the greater
sinfulness ?

1. I grant we must allow a far greater enlargement unto the confessing of
actual sins, and a far larger humiliation for actual sins ; we must insist on
them more, which the apostle's pattern instructs us to, by viewing the first
and third of the Romans. In the first he speaks of actual sins, and spends
a whole chapter thereupon, and that as in the Gentiles, as in the second
chapter he insists upon the sin of the Jews ; and in the third speaks of this
corruption, and there he narrows his discourse about it, he doth that briefly.
And the reason why we should do so is plain : actual sin is original sin,
drawn out in words at length (as I may so say) ; but original sin by itself is
our sins but in figures, yea, but as in semine, though it summarily contains
all. Our humiliation therefore should extensively be super- exceedingly more
for actual sins, but intensively our souls should be as deeply humbled and
stricken for this of our natures as for those others.

2. Our humiliation and confession of the sin of our natures, should be
commixed with that other of actual sins. Original sin should be either laid
first for a foundation, or actually carried along with us in the confession of
actual; or at least virtually supposed, though not always expressed, as that

* Soul's Conflict, V. 2, 6. "We shoiild look upon it worse than any, nay, than all,
the impure issues of our lives together.

366 AN UNREGENEBATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

which is conjunct with every one of our sins ; it is to be, as it is, the burden
of every sin.

3. Every actual sin, to be sure, in a man unre^enerate, increaseth the
corruption of nature (there is, or may, perhaps, a question be raised, whether
in a man regenerate or no, because grace is an ' incorruptible seed,' and
therefore habitual sin is not in the totality of it augmented in such an one
by an act of sin, the seed of God keeping an habitual possession of what
room in the soul it hath gained, though the operation is obstructed and
weakened for the present) ; but in an unregenerate man, every actual sin in-
creaseth a farther corruption of nature unto some degree. It is a root, and
roots grow under ground, as much as the branches do in bulk above ground ;
and corruption in the heart increases, as actual sins increase ; Kom. vi. 13,
19, ' Yield not your members servants of iniquity, unto iniquity ;' but on
the contrary, ' have jouv fruit unto holiness.' The fruit of doing things
holily, is to be made more holy ; and the fruit of doing a gross act of sin
(of which he there speaks, or of such that have dominion), is to be made more
sinful, and to enlarge corruption unto a greater degree of it. Hence a wicked
man's sinfulness, and corruption of nature, is improved to a wonderful in-
crease, in comparison of what it was simply by nature. When, therefore, I
in this comparative set it with all actual sins, there must a few abatements
or considerations be made.

The first, that I do not restrain it purely and only to what corruption of
nature you had at first, but withal as it is increased, and so complexly cor-
ruption of nature as it now is grown up in us ; for the indwelling sin, in
Paul's sense, is the whole stock of it, new or old.

The second is, that we take corruption of nature, as distinct from actual
sin, to consider that apart with all its cursed augmentation. Original sin
is the first stock, the old stock ; but all the increase put to that first stock
makes up the present whole stock, as merchants speak in companies.

Yet, thirdly, so as though the first stock be less in degree, yet still in kind
it is one and the same.

Fourthly, It must be allowed, or considered also, in a man truly regene-
rate, that the power and dominion of both original sin at first, as also of
what has been added, is abated unto what it was whilst a man was unre-
generate. Now it is the whole of thy wickedness, first and last, that is
found dwelling in thee, and that for which I now exhort you to be humbled.
4. There are many respects wherein actual sin hath the greater guilt, as
being the fruit and product of our wills, which original sin is not, and there-
fore the Scripture insists more upon them. Yet this I must say, that this
of corruption of nature hath its respects also wherein it exceeds, and we
are to give due weight unto everything in either. But this I shall after speak
unto in answering objections.

II. I come next to the demonstration of it, which consists in this, that
take that inherent indwelling corruption, both original at first, and the incrense
of it (and unto the first original stock, all the increase is to be attributed and
put upon the account thereof). Take that, I say, apart from all actual sins,
and there are many respects that do aggravate the fulness of it above that of
actual sins. As,

1. Original and indwelling sin is the universal cause of all sin, of every
one as well as any, and in that respect hath more sinfulness in it than all
the acts of sin. put together. I say, in that respect it is a cause, and an
universal cause. This is a true rule, the virtue of things is stronger in their
causes than effects. A little of a venomous root, if boiled, is found to have
more poison in it, and to infuse more thereof into the liquor, than many

Chap. IX.j in respect of sin and punishment. 3G7

bunches, or fruits, or leaves of that root. But when a thing is an universal
cause, this rule holds much more. The sun, you know, is an universal
cause of warmth, and life of plants, and cheering the earth, &c. ; it hath the
virtue of all plants in it, and much more. And why ? Because it is an
universal cause. You have heard of other similitudes, perhaps, to express
this thing by.

As, first, this hath been one similitude, that the fountain hath more of
water in it (take it as it runs, first and last, and all the water that feeds it
and maintains it) than the streams. I add this scripture : ' Jer. vi. 7, ' As
a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness.' Yet
you see in a fountain but a little water bubbling up, when the fountain hath
all the water in the sea to maintain it and its streams ; and so hath more
water as in the cause than all the streams.

If that be not enough, take the similitude of the sea itself ; that to be sure
hath more water in it than all the rivers that come from it at first. Now
look, Isa. Ivii. 20, ' The wicked are like the troubled sea ;' they have a sea
of wickedness in them, which doth continually cast up mire and dirt of actual
sinnings. The sea is the universal cause of all waters that are above ground,
or under the earth, or of the vapours that fall from the heavens above. In
like manner it hath been said, there is more of fire in fire itself, than in
sparks. Now I will but give a scripture for that too : Hosea vii. 6, 7, * They
have made ready their heart Hke an oven : their baker sleepeth all the night ;
in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.' He compares them unto a
fiery oven, in respect of their inward lusts (not only in respect of that burn-
ing lust of adultery, but of other lusts also, as when the tongue is said to be
on fire of hell, James iii. 6), and so the heart is as an oven set on fire with
hellish fire that first came from hell. And there is a thousand times more
fire in the oven than in the sparks that fly out of it.

Now then, that inherent corruption in thy nature is the universal cause of
all sin, I will give you some scriptures for that. Mark vii. 20, 21, I think
an express place for it ; others pitch on that in Matthew, I on that in Mark :
* He said (namely Christ), That which cometh out of the man defiles the
man ; for from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adul-
teries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lascivi-
ousness, an evil eye (that is, an envious eye), blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
All these evil things come from v^dthin, and defile the man.'

Wherein observe, 1. The heart within, out of which all proceeds, is
evidently corruption of nature within, inherent there ; and the reason is
plain, for he speaks of that principle within, out of which the very first-born
of actual sins do arise ; for he speaks expressly of evil thoughts, which are
the first-born, and it must be the inherent habitual corruption from whence
they come. These are the mohts privio primi, the very first motions, as we
call them. Therefore corruption of nature is meant by the heart within as
the cause of them ; and under this general of evil thoughts, the most inward
purposes, ends, and counsels are comprehended.

2. You may observe it is spoken of all sin, and not only of evil thoughts,
or inward sins, the smallest ; but his instances shew that all sins, outward
acts which are the greatest, as adulteries, fornications, murders, blasphemies,
&c. Now if all evil thoughts and gross sins do arise from that heart within,
then that is the cause of all. Christ's instances hold clearly forth that
division which takes in all, even the all of evils that defile the man.

The second scripture is Rom. vii. 13, * Was then that which is good
made death unto me ? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin,
working death in me by that which is good, that sin by the commandment

368 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

miglit become exceeding sinful.' He styles it aiiaDTuXhc aixaoTia, sinful sin ; it
is a good interpretation given here by some to call it sinning sin, as an epithet
given it, and you cannot call it by a worse name than its own, idem picedicatur
de seipso. But further, I judge it hath a more special respect to its being the
cause of sins, or as it is a working or worker of sin ; and that he speaks it of
original sin and inherent corruption, plainly and eminently, as it is distinct
from acts of sinning, which he there arraigns as the cause'of all sin, appears,

(1.) That it is called the working sin, the pragmatical operative sin ; so
in the words before, ver. 8, * Sin wrought in me all concupiscence,' and so
is made contradistinct unto sins wrought, which are actual sins (and sins of
concupiscence are the inward sins, and the first-born of original corruption,
James i. 15) ; and he plainly says it was the cause of all that concupiscence ;
and he doth not mention outward acts, for as in respect of them he had been
according to the law, or outward acts of it, blameless, and yet all the outward
acts which concupiscence brings forth, this sinning sin is the cause of ; of
which afterwards.

And then (2.) afterwards, ver. 20, he manifestly (as interpreting what this
sinful sin was), putting all sin upon the indwelling sin in our nature : 'It
is not I, but sin that dwelleth in me.' His inward man, with the inherent
grace that was in it, could say, It is not I, but sin ; the contrary sin that
dwells in me.

And this was it that was the great humiliation to our apostle at his
conversion. This sinning sin, above all else, humbled him. This was it
was in his eye, xa^' 'jTrsptoXriv, above measure sinful ; and this, because it
was the cause of all sin.

This is argued also from the comparisons the Scripture sets forth in.
It is compared both to a root and to a mother ; and what improvement
we may make of that to humble us we shall see by and by.

First, It is compared to a root. There is no fruit, no, not on the top
branch, never so far oif the root, but it partakes of the root ; and the
root is the cause of all that fruit that grows upon the tree, as well as the
branches that brings them forth. This nature and experience shews there
is no fruit but doth grow from its proper root; and it holds true in all
fruit, both good and bad : they all have their root in their kind, without
which nothing can be brought forth. Our Saviour Christ, having com-
pared himself to a root, and then to branches, John xv. 1, 2, says upon it,
' Without me ye can do nothing,' ver. 5 ; and Hosea xiv. 8, ' From me is
thy fruit found.' And thus may original sin say of our hearts, and of all
our sinful fruits, Without me you bring forth nothing. And that the Scrip-
ture compares this inherent sin to a root, look Gal. v. 19, ' The works of
the flesh are manifest, which are these,' &c. Flesh, you know, is inherent
corruption, which fights against the spirit, and adultery, fornication, un-
cleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, &c., these are the fruits there specified;
but the fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, &c. These are two roots
(says he) contrary in their nature one to the other ; and this the metaphor
of fruit on the one part shews : ' The fruits of the spirit are,' &c. As all
gracious acts are fruits of the spirit of regeneration in us, so, on the contrary,
all the villanies in the world are fruits of the flesh, as the root. I might
shew the same from Heb. xii. 15, ' Looking diligently lest any man fail of
the grace of God ; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and
thereby may be defiled.' That root of bitterness is an unregenerate person,
in whose heart corrupt nature or inherent corruption remains in its full
strength and vigour unmortified, and bringeth forth gall and wormwood, as
the phrase in Deut. xxix. 18 ^whence this speech is taken by the apostle) ;

Chap. X.] in respect op sin and punishment. 869

and both being compared with that other apostle's expression, confirms it,
whereby he sets forth Simon Magus his remaining still in the power and
state of original corruption : Acts viii. 23, * I perceive,' says Peter to him,
* that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity ; ' that is,
thou continuest in thy native corruption, and in the bond of iniquity, which
hath thee under servitude and dominion ; which is that which brings forth
the gall and wormwood that is in all men's lives, and is the root of it ; as
before.

CHAPTER X.

We are to he humbled for this sin, as the original of all our sins, as that which
tempts us and draws us to sin, more than the devil doth. — [t produceth such
sins in us, unto which the enticements of sense and Satan s temjUations could
not extend any influence. — Tins sin of our nature is always fruitful, to bring
forth evil incessantly. — To humble ourselves for it, ice are to consider that our
evil nature might have produced more evil than it hath done, and that it hath
that sinfulness in it, which will be productive of all our sins to come.

Let us now improve the consideration hereof, to humble ourselves as to
this sin. If but one lust, or but one branch of original corruption, when it
becomes a root of evil, is so cried out upon by the apostle, — 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10,
' The love of money is the root of all evil ; which while some coveted after,
they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows ;' — if he brands one lust with this, as the height of its aggravation, that
it is the root of all evil ; as the apostle James in like manner doth strife and
contention, — ' Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil
work,' — then have you not cause to be humbled for that root, which is an
universal root of all sins whatsoever, of any kind thou didst ever commit ?
It may be said of this universal corruption, as to all other sins whatsoever,
that they bear not the root, but the root them, Rom. xi. 18.

Secondly, It is compared to a womb, and mother of all (and we shall see
how that may be improved to our humiliation also). The place is James
i. 14, 15 : ' Every man is tempted,' says he, ' when he is drawn away of his
own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth
sin ; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.' To open this now,
is my pm'pose in hand.

1. By lust here, that conceiveth and bringeth forth, inherent corruption
and original sin is meant, because it is that which is the conceiver. Con-
ception, you know, is the first production of a living creature into being.
Now the very fu'st conceptions of sin, that are productive of outward acts,
are attributed to this sin of lust ; and the first drawings on, or enticing
motions and suggestions (which are the first acts of our actual sin), are all
attributed to this lust, so as that which is the conceiver is not actual sin, but
inherent sin, that sin in the womb, whereof all other sins are conceived.
And that it is compared to a mother, that is clear ; for he speaks both of con-
ception, and of bringing forth. Temptation, and occasion, and the devil, and
wicked companions, may be as the midwife to help to bring forth, but this
is the mother.

Then again, in the second place, it is the immediate mother of every such
sin ; neither is it the mother only by descent, as in a succession afar off, as
Eve is the mother of all living, as gi-eat great grandmothers are of children
that never lay in their own wombs, only they beget these that bring forth
others ; but this is the immediate womb itself in which all lay. Stapleton

VOL. X. A a

370 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

objects, that it is not the cause of all sin, because one sin is punished
with another ; yet so as still this is the immediate cause of both, the sin by
which and for which we are so punished ; and this is that which inclines us
as well to the sin the punishment, as it did unto the sin which is the meri-
torious cause of that punishment ; only God is pleased to give up or let forth
that inherent inclination, actually to bring forth that whereby another sin is
punished in way of a curse, and which else he would not have given the heart
unto. Only in letting out corrupt nature, God observeth a method, and lets
out one lust after another, as the curse of a former, yet so as inherent cor-
ruption is the cause of both the one and the other.

3. It is the principal cause or tempter. Although there be other causes
of our sinnings also, yet this is the chief; and therefore that alone is men-
tioned, so as though the world tempts, and the devil tempts, yet they tempt
but as tempters that are without us, and propound but the objects. But
this is a pondiis natura;, it is the poise and swing of nature ; and all things
move as from a natural weight or poise weight within them. In Heb. xii. 1,
he speaks of this sin in saying, ' Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin
which doth so easily beset us.' Amor mens pondi(s meum, says Austin, what
my love is, that is my weight that sways me. Stones move downward, air
upward, as their poise is.

The demonstration of this its causation of sinning may be amplified by
these farther particulars, whereby we may discern that no sin is to be ex-
empted from its efficiency.

1. That many times it begins to be the mother of sins, and draws us away
ere ever the devil or the world do tempt us, or the actual knowledge of the
law provokes us to it (of whose provocation of corrupt nature to sin you
read, Horn, vii.), as it is seen in infants, who begin to sin before the devil or
world can tempt them, in envy, frowardness, &c, ; they go astray from the
womb, being drawn aside only by the natural pondus of their own corruption :
Gen. vi. 5, ' God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart
was only evil continually from his youth up.' In which place original sin
is compared to a mould, which casts and shapes within itself all and the very
/igmenta or conceptions of the heart, into such or such a sinful fashion ; and
it is from their youth, yea, infancy. Children bring forth sin before they
bring forth teeth or hair, and then when they are incapable of Satan's sug-
gestions, or of outward temptations from the world.

2. In that it is the cause of such sins, as neither the world nor devil can
reach to tempt us to, no, not after we are grown up to reason. My brethren,
you that are spiritual Christians find such sins and contrarieties in you unto
what is good, such secret reluctancies, damps, heartlessness unto what is
holy, as arise from the mere enmity, deadness that is in your natures unto
what is good : ' I find a law,' an inward disposition, ' that when I would do
good, evil is present with me.' You find mere spiritual oppositions present,
that oppose spiritual motions and inclinations to good, from their first rising,
and are up in their warrings against you as soon as the good motions are.
These last rise as do the other ; they are purely pure spiritual motions, as
ingenuities unto God, strains of love towards him ; these rise, and the con-
trary motions to check and resist them are up in arms as soon. And as
the heart grows more spiritual, so corrupt nature will be sending forth its
contrarieties against the holiest actings of grace in the heart towards God,
and not damping them only, but contradicting them, and as a weight pulling
them down to the earth when they offer to arise, and, besides, will be mixing
self-interest with the good. Now these contrarieties are neither from Satan
nor from the world ; the devil hath not power to know such, because they

C;iAP. X.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 871

secretly and closely work, and are transacted in the spirit of the mind ; and
beside, the devil could not be so quick in contrary suggestions, for these
oppositions rise in the same instant with the good ; the law of the flesh is
still contrary to the law of the mind, and sends out its acts and dictates even
as soon as the other. This Paul was sensible of in Horn. vii. 21 : ' When I
would do good, evil,' saj's he, ' is present with me.' He complains there of
the corruptions of his heart. And not in these cases only, but take all or
any kind of sin whatever, and it is a mother that could conceive alone of
itself, within itself. The mother earth (as we call it) must have seed cast
into it for many kinds of fruit : all animal creatures have their male and
female that must concur to their procreation ; but actual sin needs not to
have a male to be a father. This female womb is sufficient to bring forth all
conception, though now, when fallen, there was no devil to tempt ; it is
seed, and womb, and prolific virtue, and all. At first, indeed. Eve had not
fallen if the devil had not tempted her ; nor could Adam have eaten the for-
bidden fruit, but that both the devil indiscernibly and Eve both did tempt
him. But now we should easily fall into sin though the devil were absent ;
although he also is by God's curse let loose upon us as the tempter, and is
in many respects termed the father of lies ; hut this mother could and would
conceive without a father. Nay,

3. It is so pregnant of wickedness that even the good and holy law made
known to it provokes it to conceive the sin that is contrary to it, and there-
fore the law is compared to an husband : Rom. vii. 5, ' The motions,' or
passions, ' of sin, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring
forth fruit unto death.' But in so doing the law is but a mere occasional
cause-mover unto sin, as it is in the following eighth verse of that chapter :
this inherent ' sin taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all
concupiscence.' It was this sin was the sole worker directly, the command-
ment but indirectly ; that when the commandment, by the light and motion
of it, would still beget good upon the heart, this sinful wicked womb, enraged
thereby, doth, uteiino furore, bring forth the clean contrary.

4. It is a womb that is never barren. By a continual ploughing and sow-
ing of the earth, jou may get the heart of it out, and then it must lie fallow
a while before it will bi'ing forth again. Other mothers of animal creatures
bring forth children to such or such an age, but then cease childing, yea,
and live a long while after and have no children ; they have when old done
teeming. But this, the longer it lives and continues, and the more sin it
brings forth, the more it may,, unless the Lord takes away the dominion of
it by grace : Job xiv. 7, 8, says he, ' There is hope of a tree, if it be cut
down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not
cease. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof
die in the ground ; yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth
boughs like a plant.' I know he applies this similitude otherwise, but I
apply it to this, take sin when it is old, it will bring forth ; if a scent of water
come near it, if temptation come, it presently sprouts again.

5. Some females and mothers go long with their brood before they bring
forth, and carry it long in their womb to ripen it ere it comes to the birth,
as a woman goes nine months, an elephant three years ; and the stronger
the creatures are the longer they go, and the weaker they are the sooner they
bring forth, as mice, &c. But this sin brings forth presently ; Hosea vii. 6,
' They have made ready their heart like an oven, &c., their baker sleepeth
all the night, in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.' You go quietly
to bed, and in all appearance free of such or such a lust and sinful disposi-
tion stirring ; but you wake in the morning with some base lust or other

B72 AN TJNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD., [BoOK IX.

that hath overgrown the heart in the night. Like Jonah's gourd, it grows
up in a night, nay, in a moment, upon occasion of temptation.

6. This womb brings forth continually. It was the excellency of the tree
of life of the new Jerusalem, Bev. xxii., that it brings forth fruit every month ;
but this is a conceiving and hatching of evil every moment, and never hath
any interruption of conceiving one sin or another : Gen. vi. 5, ' God saw that
the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that everj' imagination of
the thoughts of the heart was evil continually.' It cannot cease from sin.
How oft is this spoken of wicked men in the Scriptures !

And shall not these things deeply humble us for this sinning sin that is
such a mother, and the mother of all sin, and which hath a far nearer and
more intimate causation, and deeper hand in all sinniugs than the devil has ?
that is, as to us, and as in us sin is \vrought. It is true, the devil hath the
denomination of being that evil one, xar' sfop^r/i', and the tempter, and the
father of lies, John viii. 44, and so of all other sins ; and all sins of ours are
by descent from him. And in 1 John iii. 8, all sins are called his works,
' He that committeth sin is of the devil ; for the devil sinneth from the be-
ginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might
destroy the works of the devil.' The devil is thus called the first father of
sin, both because he was the first that brought up that cur-sed invention of
sinning, the firtt founder and original of sin ; and in that respectcalled the father
of gin, as the first inventors of music and working in brass are termed the
fathers of them that do follow them in those trades. Gen. iv. 20, 21. As
also, further, for that influence and hand he hath upon us, in causing us to
sin by continual tempting of us. And it is true that the guilt which redounds
on him personally is far deeper for his tempting us, than what falls to our
share, who are the tempted, for acting what he tempts us to. But the sin
of 'him therein is proper to himself, and he shall answer for it all at the last
day ; when the angels shall be judged, he must bear the load of it. And it
is moreover true that there is a guilt lies on us, both on the father's side
and on the mother's side, and we are to humble ourselves for both ; on the
Other's side for our entertaining his temptations, and thereby espousing his
interest (as sin is his more than ours), and thereby making ourselves chil-
dren of the devil, as Christ speaks; and again, John viii. 44, 'You are of
your father the devil, and his lusts you will do,' though we httle discern it,
and mind it not.

But yet there is this difference between what guilt descends upon us on
the mother's side from what on the father's. That this mother is the inward,
immediate, natural cause of all sia in us ; Satan is to us but the outward
cause and mediate, and cannot tempt us, and persuade our wills but by and
from the native corruption that is indwelling ; and the descent of sin from
him to us is accordingly but outward, not as from a natural father; his father-
hood is but political, and by a metonymy, and we, as it were, but his adopted
children only, not natural. Yea, that guilt of our yielding unto him in his
temptations must be laid upon that very indwelling sin that is in us. That
mother inwardly falls in love, and closeth with the outward temptation of
this cursed father, so as the great blame of all will lie upon this mother,
without whose being allured and enticed this father would not allure or per-
suade us. It is the mother, the mother, our corrupt wills that betray us,
and yield us to this father ; and therefore Christ lays the blame on us and our
lusts, that we are of our father the devil. And the apostle devolves our
guilt in being tempted upon our own lusts : * "When ye are tempted, ye are
tempted of your own lust,' James i. 14 ; that is the tempter far greater than
the devil. This sin of your mother is naturally yours, and all the cursed

Chap. X.] in respect of sin and punishment. 873

children she brings forth in you are her natural children, and she is your
very nature and intrinsic constitution. And when you sin by her tempta-
tions, you may be said to sin of your own, as well as the devil doth of his
own malicious propension, as Christ speaks of him. It is in and by the
womb of this mother that sin is conceived within you ; in that womb it is
fostei-ed, and by the strength of it it is brought forth ; and the sinfulness
therefore hereof is properly yours, in that the mother of it is in you, even as
the devil's guilt in your sins is properly his. Oh, therefore, above all humble
yourselves for this, that you carry such a mother or womb of sin within
yourselves. You read of Rome (whose guilt is next the devil's), what a
heavy punishment in Rev. xviii. lies threatened against her when she is to
be destroyed : ver. 5, ' Her sins have reached up to heaven, and God hath
remembered her iniquities : reward her double according to her works.'
And what is the reason of all this ? What is it puts God upon this ? Look
chap. xvii. 5, you see the title of her accusation to be ' Babylon the great,
the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth.' The mother of all :
they came from her by genealogy and descent, and are maintained by her to
this day. All nations were made drunk with her cup, and in her are found
the souls of men, as there : and chap, xviii. 2-1, ' In her was found the blood
of the prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.'
And for this her being the mother of all, the mother of abominations, you
see what a doom she is adjudged unto. If we should remain in our natural
condition, and be found therein, then shall a bill and indictment of all the
actual sins be read. Yea, but where is the mother of them all ? and what
sin will God judge and reward most ? Even your original indwelling sin.
This, this is the mother of abominations, the great beldame, the great witch
and whore, in whom will be found all the sins that ever thou hast done.

And that you may enlarge, and make the meditation hereof more pungent
and impressive by another parallel contemplation, though utterly contrary,
look, as Christ at the latter day, when he comes to judge, what will be his
glory then ? Even this, he shall present himself, and all saints about him,
and say to his Father, ' Lo, here am I, and the children which thou hast
given me.' And then again, ' All their fruit is found in me,' and all their
graces, and all their righteousness. So, if thou be found unregenerate, then
to thy everlasting confusion shall all thy sins be set in order before God and
thine own conscience, as inPs. 1. 20, and this great beldame shall be brought
forth with all her brood. Lo, here are all the children which this great
mother and my cm'sed will have brought forth together, and they will judge
this great whore as she stands in relation to her children ; and it shall be
said, Cursed be the womb that bare you, and the paps that gave you suck ;
and because God will pass this judgment as concerning us then, let us there-
fore, accordingly, judge ourselves in this manner beforehand, that we be not
condemned with the world !

There be other weighty considerations might be added and enlarged upon
to exaggerate the sinfulness of this sin, in the like way of comparison as
hitherto hath been used.

As, first, that thou art not only to make the comparison with all thy sins
actually past and done hitherto, and to make that the sole measure of thy
humiliation for the iniquity of it, but further, both from what actual sins this
thy corrupt nature might have brought forth, but hath not, as also from what
itself (if left to itself) may and would bring forth for the future. This hath
two branches,

1. What it might have brought forth, but hath not.

2. What it may, and would of itself, for the future.

374 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

These, althougli they admit distinct considerations, yet they have this com-
mon to both, that God measures not the sinfulness of this sin only by the
acts it hath produced, but by the potentiality of it, or the power it hath to
produce, if left to itself. Will you take but an instance from God ? We
don't measure God's power by what he hath done, or will do, but by all he
can do; we consider entia possibilia, things possible to be done by him; w'e
say, though God doth not will, or do all things, yet he is omnipotent, and
accordingly do adore him for it. And here divines rightly say that there is
scientia simpUcis intelUgentiai in God, a knowledge whereby he views thou-
sands and thousands of millions of worlds and creatures he never did nor
will bring forth ; and that there is scientia visionis, a foreknowledge of what
he pui'poses to do ; ' Known to God are all his works from the beginning,'
Acts XV. 18. Thus also there are a world of sins thy heart did never bring
forth, which yet it might and would have done if left to itself. In this sin
they are as in the seed ; and God knowing this, reckons accordingly, as the
instance of the men of Keilah shews, 1 Sam. xxiii. 11, 12, where God, upon
David's inquiry, telleth him what the men of Keilah would have done, even
delivered him into Saul's hands, though they never did.

This premised, I come to the two branches mentioned.

1. Thou art to measure the iniquity of this sin by what thou mightest
have committed, if thou hadst been left to the swing of thy sinful nature and
inclinations. And for a right estimate of this, cast thine eye upon all the
sorts and kinds of sins committed in the world by any other of the sons of
men, and not only upon what thyself hath hitherto acted. In Rom. i. you
have a black catalogue of sins, which read over, it is but a comment on this
text, the sin in thine own heart. And why? All sin in the world is through
lust: 2 Pet. i. 4, 'Having escaped the corruptions which are in the world
through lust.' All the corruptions in the world are through this original and
inherent lust, and thou hast the same that are in the hearts of any in the
world, and therefore wouldst perpetrate the same. There went but a pair of
shears between thy nature and others; thy heart is made of the same stuff:
it wrought all concupiscence in Paul ; indeed not outward acts, for in those
respects he professeth a blamelessness ; but by the same reason it brought
forth concupiscence towards any acting, it would have brought forth the out-
ward act itself in him. It is a great thing to be considered that the stoics
should discern this, and that Seneca* should thus utter it, Omnia in omnibus
insunt vitia, all vices are in all ; Sed omnia in omnibus non extant, but all are
not extant in all ; Et cupidi omnes, et maligni omnes, et ambitiosi omnes, et
vitiosi, we are all covetous, ambitious, malicious, vicious, &c.

Again, consider, that though thou canst act but one sin at once, sensu
diviso, yet in the nature of this corruption there is an aptness to act a multi-
tude of sins sensu composito ; nay, contrary sins would thy heart, thy root,
carry thee to, and any other sin as well as what thou didst commit. Consider,
moreover, what it hath been that kept thee, and that it is from God's re-
straining of thee that thou hast not committed infinitely greater and more
grievous sins : as the case of Abimelech shews. Gen, xx. 7, 9, and the last
verses compared. God acknowledgeth a kind of integrity, in that he did
not know Sarah was another man's wife ; yet adds, ' For I kept thee,' or
' restrained thee,' and in that God punished him for what he had done, ver.
18, it argues that God's meaning was, Had I not restrained thee, thou
wouldst have done it, although thou hadst known her to have been another
man's wife. Besides, take any act of sin that ever thou didst commit, yet
still there is more evil in that sin in thy nature, than ever thou didst draw
* Lib. iv. de Benef., page 320.

Chap. X.] in respect of sin and punishment. 875

forth into act : ' Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,' Mat.
xii. 34. There is more in the heart than the mouth utters : also, ver. 35,
it is styled ' the treasure of the heart.' Now, there is far more treasure in
the warehouse than is vended in the shop ; and so no man ever pours forth
all his sin.

2. The second branch respects sins for time to come. Thou art at pre-
sent to humble thyself for this sin, as which hath that sinfulness in it, as
will be the productive concurrent cause, with thine own will, of all the sins
thou shalt yet commit ; yea, and take this sin, in the prepense inclinations
of it, to be such as would produce far greater and more grievous sins than
as yet thou hast committed.

My brethren, there is to be this difference between our humiliation for
actual sins, barely considered as such, and for this indwelling sin as it relates
to our actual, that we are not obliged to humble ourselves for any supposed
actual sins, considered abstractly as actual, until they have been actually
committed by us ; and so in that respect a man is only to view what sins
are already past ; for as simply considered actual, they are not in themselves
actually hitherto existent, and so are as if they were not. Nor do I know
but God may out of restraining grace keep me from committing such or such
sins ; but that is God's doing and merciful prevention, and not mine. But
the case will prove otherwise, if I will look upon this root sin within me, as
it stands in my heart, in a readiness to commit any sin in this respect. I
may say of it, that an infinity of sins to come are potentially existent in it
as in the root ; as we say of flowers in winter time, that although there be
not a rosebud growing on the rose tree, yet we say that in the root there
are many rosebuds that will come into existence in summer. And thus, as
God in his heart, through the infinite foreknowledge which is therein, sees
thoughts afar off, and so views what that root will produce, thus we may
see, in the principles of our own sinful hearts, though not what individual
sins they shall be which our wills will commit, yet that an infinity of sins
will one way or another sprout forth from out of our hearts, if not cut off by
death, or otherwise restrained and prevented. And as they are there at
present, as in their root, so we are to humble ourselves at present for the
sinfulness of that root, as that which will bear them and bring them forth.
I say, at present we are to do thus, for it is that indwelling corruption at
present remaining in thee, which will be the cause of them ; and therefore
humble thyself at present in the forethought of this. And God that sees our
thoughts afar ofi", and things to come as if they were, he says of thee at pre-
sent, The root of all these is there in thee at the present, and he loathes thee
for it ; and therefore do thou at present humble thyself before that God who
thus sees and judges. And like as we adore God's power, not only for what
creatures he hath actually produced, or works of providence we see he hath
brought forth, but for his power that can bring into being infinite worlds
which he never means to make ; and we measure and esteem him omnipo-
tent, in respect unto those that possibly he could produce, as well as for
what actually he hath made or doth make ; in like manner are we to humble
ourselves, not only for the potentiality of this sin in sinning, in respect unto
what sins we have already acted, but what we shall, yea, even for new worlds
of sinnings our nature would put forth and exert. Nor art thou to measure
the sinfulness hereof by what in probability, according to the course hitherto
held, thou art likely or art subject to commit, but by sins thou didst never
BO much as dream of, or imagine thou wouldst commit. It would be a de-
ceiving rule to go by, if thou judge of this only by what hitherto this sin
hath brought forth. No; this womb breeds monsters, and extraordinary

376 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK IX.

births of sinnings, which thou thoughtest impossible to have been in thy
nature to produce. Did Hazael think his nature would turn so barbarous,
so cruel as it did ? ' Am I a dog to do this,' said he unto the prophet, so
inhuman ? Little thought Peter, that that heart of his, so resolved to stand
by Christ, as he judged it to be, when he said, ' If all forsake thee, I will
not;' he could not have imagined that ever it would have been so profanely
vile and unchristian as to deny his endeared Lord and Saviour thrice, and
at one of those times with such horrid oaths and execrations, whilst his
Lord was in the room, and present, and overheard him, as he was man.
Did David ever think he should perpetrate adultery, and add murder
thereunto ; that that heart that was once in such an holy frame, and so
magnified God for his covenant and promise made, 2 Sam. vii., should hatch
and contrive within itself such abominations ?

I might here yet further add, that thou art not to judge of the potentiality
of this sin, and what for the future it might produce, by what thou wouldst
or mightst in this life only commit, but by what unto eternitj^ thou wouldst
commit, if we could suppose thy life extended thereunto. This womb would
never cease teeming, but gi'ow still more and more wicked unto everlasting
ages without end.

If all these be not perspectives clear enough to discover to thee this ex-
panse or extensive sinfulness of this sin in the propense inclinations of it, as
either by what thine own individual sins have been, or in the several sorts
or species and kinds of sins that have been found in their varieties in the
hearts and lives of mankind from the beginning of the world to this day,
then go down to hell and compare thine own nature with what is the genius
of the devils themselves. Thy nature is but the image of theirs in a smaller
letter. All the difference, and that but in this life, is, that we are tame
devils through God's mere restraint, but they wild outrageous devils, wild-
fire and gunpowder, left to the full swing and the utmost career which the
violence of their lusts do carry them to. Now, it is certain we have the
seeds and capacities of sinning all the sins they headlong run into. This in
respect of our souls. And we are, besides, inclined to many more sorts of
sins than they are addicted to, as all the lusts of the flesh, seated in the
body and outward man, which in the body the soul is subjected unto, besides
those other proper to the soul itself, together with those spirits. Satan hath
in his nature no lust of uncleanness, adultery, drunkenness, &c., so as thy
nature hath all manner of sins the devils have, and a multitude of other sins
besides, to outvie them on that account.

And all this heavy charge I have laid unto this sin, the mother of sins, is
not to be understood as spoken of a matter or thing distinct from yourselves,
which is the case of all actual sins ; yourselves are one thing, and your actions
another. Yea, but this sin I have aggravated all this while, is no other
than your veiy selves ; and so all that hath been said of it is all one as to
say that yourselves are thus sinful, and are in verity this very sin. Indeed,
the substance of you diflers from this sin inherent as subject and adjunct ;
and thus logically you may (if you please) distinguish yourself from this sin ;
but know that theologically, or (which is more) in God's holy sight and
esteem, this sin is thyself, as I said at the first entrance. It is in Scripture
language (which is God's) the very definition of a man's nature : ' That
which is born of the flesh is flesh.' It is a regenerate man only is able to
say, ' It is not I, but sin that dwells in me,' and so distinguish himself from
it, for he hath a divine nature which is himself. An unregenerate man must
take it wholly upon him, that it is, he himself, and say of it, It is I, as the
seventh of the Romans hath distinguished them. ,

CUAP. I.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT.

BOOK X.

Tliat this state of gicilt and natural corruption is the condition of all men
unreyenerate, though they make an external profession of Christianity. — A
discovery of the several sorts of such men, both the ignorant, the profane,
and the civil and the formal Christian. — And an answer to all those pleas
by which they excuse, justify, or flatter themselves.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strong holds ; casting down imaginations, and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing
into captivity every thotight to the obedience of Christ. — 2 Cor. X. 4, 5.

CHAPTER I.

As the strength of a kingdom consists in having places of defence, or forts built
to keep) out an enemy from conquering it, so the strength of the kingdom of
sin in unregcnerate men consists in those arguments ivith lohich they defend
their minds and hearts against all the forces ivhick are brought out of the
word to convince them of the misery of their condition.

Having thus discovered how great the sinfulness of man is, both on the
account of Adam's first sin imputed, and of the corruption of nature, and
how both these are matter of humiliation and repentance, that which next
lies in order before me is to prove that this guilt and sinfulness abides upon
men, and that it is a sad wretched condition in which all the unregenerate
(as long as they are such) continue. And to prove this, it will be sutficient
to shew how vain and frivolous are all those pretences and pleas by which mea
would endeavour to shift off this condemnation from themselves, and to make
out (if they could) their case to be good and safe, though it is extremely
miserable and dangerous.

For this end I have chosen this text, and, indeed, if we can but cast down
those strong holds wherein men fortify and defend themselves against all con-
victions of their sin and danger, they will then easily be conquered, for the
strength of the kingdom of sin consists mainly in that assistance which the
corrupt reason of man draws up for its defence. The strength of all king-
doms lies in two things,

1. In a wise and able council, to advise, direct, and project its affairs.

2. In strong and potent preparations for war, and defence against all
foreign enemies, without which no kingdom can subsist.

The kingdom of sin answerably hath both its council, as hath been shewn ;*
and also it hath within itself great strength, and many forces for war, botli
offensive and defensive. The strength of other kingdoms for war lies in two
things :

* Book VII.

378 AN UNKEGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

1. In moveable armies, which are led out into the field, whereby they
make excursions on their enemy's dominions, carry the peopb away captive,
waste and spoil their territories by open force and violence. And answer-
ably such kind of forces hath also the kingdom of sin against the kingdom of
grace, viz., lusts, which do war in the members ; inordinate afiections, which
do carry us captive to sin, and which do make inroads upon that grace that
is in us, using our members as weapons of unrighteousness, and winning
ground upon the spirit ; and these the apostle speaks of in the sixth and
seventh chapters of his epistle to the Romans.

2. The strength of other kingdoms lies also in places of defence, as forti-
fications and castles, &c. And such also hath this kingdom of sin, strong-
holds, and forts, and castles built and cast up, and fortified with much
ammunition, and that of a double use. They are both as places of refuge
for their fleets and field armies to retire to, and find shelter in, and also for
defence against a foreign invasion, so that if an army comes in they are able
to hold out a siege. Till all these be taken, a kingdom is not overcome, and
they stand and hold out last.

Now of these this text, you see, speaks, and tells us that the kingdom of
sin in us hath great and strong holds, which are indeed carnal reasonings and
proud high thoughts. The word is 7Jiyi(j[ioi, ratiocinia, reasonings ; and so
it is in the margin of your Bibles, which reasonings he also tells you are
built on purpose for defence in a time of war, to be used against the weapons
of our warfare, who are ministers of the gospel ; and in these reasonings and
high thoughts the strength of sin, and of all sinful courses and practices, in
themselves weak and indefensible, do especially lie. As rabbits, though a
weak generation of animals, yet are strong in their holes which they make
in the rocks. These strongholds of sin, I say, are reasonings in the under-
standing, for they especially oppose the knowledge of God, and therefore the
ammunition within these holds must needs be reasonings and acts of know-
ledge. These adversaries are matched and fitted with the same kind of
weapons as those w^ho come against them are provided with, for as the
weapons of our warfare are spiritual, spiritual wisdom out of the word of
God and the knowledge of God, so the inhabiters and possessors of these
strongholds are reasonings of carnal wisdom, and knowledge opposite there-
unto.

These holds have high towers also of pride, for self-love, being king in un-
regenerate hearts, will not yield or bend in the least, and therefore it is not
strength of reason only makes them hold out, but a proud spirit also.

If you please, we will give another exemplification to clear this to you. As
the kingdom of popery and the doctrine of it, which is the devil's gospel, by
which to advance antichrist, and to bring all into subjection to him (as ours
is God's gospel, the wisdom of God in a mystery to set forth Christ, and to
bring all in obedience to him) ; I say, as in this system of popery there is an
exact model of all the carnal reason which sin and the devil hath, and con-
tains the quintessence of it, so there doth appear a double use and specimen
of carnal reason in it.

1. In that all the opinions of that kingdom of darkness, and all the parts
of the man of sin are so contrived as they all serve as maintainers of wicked
ends and lusts, and to the advancement and profit of the pope and his clergy,
there being no one point wherein they difier from us, but is some way ser-
viceable to such ends, so as carnal reason hath first shewed its depth in
inventing, framing, and raising such a frame of religion, and therefore it is
called a mystery of iniquity : 2 Thes. ii. 7, ' For the mystery of iniquity
doth already work.' But,

Chap. II. j in respect of sin and punishment. 379

2. Carnal reason hath not shewed its strength only i n the inventing and
finding out such an image of religion, but it hath as fully played its part in
inventing shows of reason to uphold all these opinions, whereby this king-
dom is fortified with strong arguments out of Scripture wrested, and philo-
sophy abused, and is defended with strong pleas of universality, antiquity,
and the hko, so as a man rooted in the truth would wonder so much could
be said for such gross opinions ; j-ea, and they do deceive many strong under-
standings amongst them, so as to believe that great lie, 2 Thes. ii. 11.

Thus likewise is it in the mystery of iniquity in man's heart, which ad-
vanceth sin and lusts against God, as popery doth the pope and his clergy
against Christ. There is a like double demonstration and discovery of the
strength of carnal reason in this matter.

1. In advising for, and plotting so many ways to attain our corrupt ends
and desires, so as there is no consultation, no desire of the heart, but what
tends to this end.

2. That wherein it shews itself most witty, and draws out its depths, is
in finding out strong reasons to itself and others, to defend these sinful
courses and ways ; in inventing carnal pleas to justify its state, excuses to
extenuate sins, and those seemingly strong too, and specious exceptions and
calumnies against the ways and the people of God, so as a man would wonder.
These reasonings are the strongholds that the text mentions, with which we
are to encounter.

CHAPTER II.

The great hindrance of the vmrlc of conversion is the pleas wherehj men justify
themselves in an unreyenerate state. — How quick-witted men are to invent
such carnal reasonings. — Whence it is that they are so. — Hoio olstinately
they adhere to such sinful pleadings for themselves, and the causes of being
so. — That these reasonings are various in men, according to their different
understanding, temper, or state. — That they are in some strong, in othem
more weak.

The first set of men in whom we are to beat down these strongholds are
the ignorant and profane ; and if we come to such to convince them of the
danger of their natural condition, we shall find them to set on work all the
wit and reason which they have, to evade or resist the conviction. If we
deal with them about their ways and states, and examine what hopes they
have for heaven, we shall still find they will have something to say for them-
selves, with which to put us ofi", and to salve the sad and deplorable circum-
stances of their own condition, notwithstanding all that we can say to the
contrary. Shoot the word at them, and they will have some ammunition
with which they will shoot again against what is said, and the lowest and
poorest men will have something to oppose herein. The meanest cottage
hath some of these strongholds as well as walled towns, ignorant and profane
men as well as men of knowledge and civil behaviour. They will tell us,
though they know little or nothing of religion, that yet they have a good
meaning, that there are none but sin as well as they, that their hearts are
good, and they hope well. Thus publicans and the most profligate sinners
will have something to say for themselves, as well as proud pharisees. _

And if we consider the difficulty of the work of conversion, what is the
great hindrance of it but these false deluding pleas in men's hearts ?
Whereat doth conversion stick most, that notwithstanding all the motives^

380 AN UNKEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

exhortations, or threatenings which we use, yet the wills of men are not
turned ; and for all our trying such variety of keys, yet the bolts of their
wills shoot not ? Why, there are false reasonings in their hearts, which, as
wrong wards, hinder the key from turning ; and though the key be fitted
to many of the wards in them, and we bring answers to many objections, yet
if the key stick at some one that we light not on, the man is not converted.
Ask any man that is converted to God what it was hindered him a long
while from seeing his miserable condition, and from being humbled and
parting with his sins, and he will tell you that either he had some carnal
objection stuck in his mind against the ways of God and the people of God,
which were long a-beating down, or else he thought his estate to be good
enough, or not so bad as it was represented to him : that his sins were not
so great in his eyes as they were magnified to him by ministers, and that
he imagined his evidences for a better life and heaven to be fair enough ;
and that he still had pleas and excuses to avoid the force of all that could
be said against him ; and if as to some instances he was convinced, yet the
conviction was not thorough, but his heart had still some stronghold which
made him stand it out ; or that, ere be yielded, his flesh debated things
fully, and brought many objections, many pleas for itself; and that he
thought not that sin had had such strength on its side as he found it had
when the forts were yielded up. What is the reason also why civil men,
who are in themselves in a nearer proximity to the kingdom of heaven than
those who are openly profane (as Christ said to him in Mark xii. 34, ' Thou
art not far from the kingdom of God'), yet are hardliest of all convinced, con-
verted, and brought home to God ? What is the reason of this ? It is be-
cause carnal reason hath more strength in them than in others ; the strong-
holds are better fortified in them than in profane men, and they have stronger
and more specious arguments to plead why their state is good and safe.

If we consider the forces which the word of God prepares, they are fitted
to invalidate such pleas and pretences of carnal men. It doth not speak
daggers and swords only, it doth not only shoot off cannon and discharge
volleys of threatenings against sin and sinners, to conquer the kingdom of
sin by mere downright blows, but it hath weapons suited to repel and beat
down carnal reasonings, pleas, and excuses. And a great part of the
ammunition of the sanctuary consists of such weapons wherewith to con-
vince wicked men, to confute their pleas, to reason it out with them; engines
to countermine their secretest deceits, and to batter down their strongest
objections. Now if the word hath so much preparation of this kind, as it
hath, then surely much of the opposition in men's hearts against conversion
to God lies in such reasonings, pleas, or excuses ; for otherwise, these wea-
pons of the word would be altogether needless. If you saw a king prepar-
ing not swords, but engines of battery, and instruments for mining, you
would say, Surely he means to sit down before some fort or fenced town,
for his preparations are not for a field battle, but for a siege. So here in
this case it is likewise.

Now the true grounds and reasons how and why the heart of man comes
to engender and hai'bour, to cleave and stick unto such carnal pleas and
reasons, are,

1. From the vastness and largeness of reason, which is so large a faculty
as it is able to invent some fair gloss and cover for the foulest and most gross
enormities, and to make good appear to be evil, and evil good. We see this
by experience ; for let a man have never so bad and unjust a cause, yet some
colours and pleas will be invented for it, and something the man will find in
which to wrap it up cleanly ; as Micah speaks, Micah vii. 3, ' That they may

CUAP. II.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 881

do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh
for a reward ; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire : so they
wrap it up.' The most foul and gross opinions, dissonant to the light of
nature, as killing of kings, breaking faith with heretics, equivocation, &c.,
are defended, and reason is able to invent much for them, and whole books
have been written to make them good. Though the actions of kings and great
men are never so enormous, yet their flatterers and abettors have tongues to
iile and smooth them, as the prophet's comparison is, Isa. xxx. 10. As press-
ing h'ons can smooth the greatest wrinkles in cloth, so can their tongues do
as to the most deformed actions. And therefore it is hard if the profanest
liver, who is in the worst estate before God, cannot find something to speak
in his defence ; it is hard if his reason, quickened in his own cause by self-
love, and whetted and sharpened so much the more, cannot find something
to plead for himself. If a corrupt lawyer's reason can find out shifts and
quirks for another's cause when naught, much more will he do it if the cause
is his own ; for here in this case self-love will be active to sharpen invention,
and to make the power of mason more intense.

2. If the heart is thus able to invent specious arguments to justify or
excuse itself, it is as apt to adhere and cleave to such pleas which it frames,
and to take them for good reasons, and to hold to them rather than unto
what the word brings to convince on the contrary ; for such self-love and
self-flattery will incline the mind, and sway and bend it that way. For the
stream of the heart being, in the current of it, for evil courses only, unto
them it would run whether it had anything to plead for them or no ; and
therefore when it shall hear or think of anything that may be said to justify
snch courses, or to extenuate sin, or to free them from obligation to strict
holiness, the heart willingly assents to such specious shows of argument, as
if they were real and solid truths, because they all make for it, and for its
great design of continuing in sin. Accordingly, the reason which is given
why so many under popery embraced that doctrine as truth is this, that they
had ' pleasure in unrighteousness,' and therefore embraced such opinions
which suited to their lusts, and easily assented to such doctrine : 2 Thess.
ii. 9-] 2, ' Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all
power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of un-
righteousness in them that perish ; because they received not the love of the
truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie ; that they all might be
damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.'

3. For any man to think that his estate is naught and damnable, and
that his courses are such as cannot stand with a state of grace, is the harsh-
est opinion that any man can entertain of himself; and as a man would
preserve a good opinion of himself with others, so with himself also, and
would also keep up a hope of the future happiness of his condition ; for
otherwise the thought and opinion of the contrary would not only hinder his
comfort, but sink him into discomfort, which is the death of the soul ; and
therefore the apostle Paul, when he speaks of his being convinced of his
sinful wretched state, he says that he died; Rom. vii. 9-11, 'For I was
alive without the law once ; but when the commandment came, sin revived,
and I died. And the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to
be unto death. For sin taking occasion by the commandment, deceived
me, and by it slew me.' Now, as dying men catch hold on anything to
help them, or as a man sinking snatcheth at anything that may keep him
up above water, so do carnal men, whose souls would otherwise sink into
and under a desperate opinion of themselves, and therefore they are glad

382 AN tJNEEGENEKATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

of any the slightest reasons or pleas that can but speak peace to them.
And,

4. Upon this motive the corrupt heart keeps reason off from examining
into these shallow and empty grounds of its hopes, and wicked men hate the
lifht which would discover things to them : John iii. 19, 20, ' And this is
the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness
rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth
evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved.' And, on the contrary, they are glad of any show, pretence, or
plea, which may make for them.

5. There is a pride of heart which resolves not to yield or to be subject
unto the word, but is obstinate to maintain its cause, be it right or wrong,
and to hold out the siege to the last ; and, accordingly, tbe man sets all his
wits on work, to find out reasons to maintain itself with, and to fetch the
suit about again and again, and to put in new answers and new replies. The
man resolves never to be nonplussed, or to lay down his cause, whilst any
thing may be pleaded.

Now, concerning these reasonings, I would have two things to be con-
sidered in the general.

First, That they are in several men many and diverse, eo as it is an end-
less work to speak of, and unto them all. The heart of one man engenders
still upon occasion, and finds out millions of them; and we see that there is
no end of multiplying them, as there is not of writing books. Corrupt
reason will still find something to say; and when one hold is battered down,
it seeks for and builds new ones. As rabbits, if let alone and not catched,
dig new buiTOWs when their old ones are stopped, so do carnal men also in
this case, if God's Spirit doth not catch them, and subdue and convert them.
Now, if one man's heart will find out many of these shifts and devices, what
variety must needs be hatched, hammered, and sought out in the hearts of
divers men ! As reason itself is a vast faculty in every man, so it is of a
different mould and fashion in several men, and that is a reason to one man
which is not to another, and that shall be a plea and a shift which one man
will stick to, for the putting off the conviction of his sinfulness and miserable
state, that another sees nothing in, and will not make use of it. If men's
fancies and lusts are diverse, then their reasonings are so too. And besides,
as the condition of their states, as their opinions which they have drunk in
are diverse, accordingly are their carnal pleas various. The pharisees in
their times had excuses which are not now current in the light of the gospel,
no, not among carnal men. Profane men have pleas which civil men slight,
and civil men have pleas which temporary believers build not on, and igno-
rant men have i^leas which men of light and understanding see through.

Secondly, It is to be considered that the carnal pleas and reasonings in
some are more slight and easily refuted, but in others they are stronger.
The pleas which some have, which by reason of their ignorance and willing-
ness to be deceived they yet stick unto as most true, are exceeding weak and
silly, and scarce worth the naming, much less the pains to confute them.
For instance, the Jews therefore thought God their father, because they
were lawfully begotten, and not of fornication, John viii. 41 ; but in others
these wicked arguings are stronger. For,

1. As reason itself is stronger in some men than others, so corrupt
reason also is abler to invent stronger reasons and pleas for itself; and
strong delusions are in stronger understandings, and much stronger holds
are built by able men than by others who are rude and unlearned. And,

2. As the light of the word wins ground upon a man's reason, and batters

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 383

down slight works, and makes a man desert them, so much the stronger
tbrtitications will the man's heart be still building up against the word ; for
to a man of much light weak pleas will not serve any longer. Therefore the
strongest carnal reasonings, though the sweetest, are in those who are en-
lightened and have knowledge. For as in a kingdom they use not to build
forts at all, till they hear of some enemy which may invade them ; and the
more ground the enemy wins, the more they will be sure to fortify the forts
which are left, and to build them up stronger, as the more weak ones are
taken from them ; so it is here in this case, for the heart begins not to
build up any fort till the word or some light comes to make an invasion.
Therefore the Gentiles who wanted the light of the word, had but weak ex-
cuses and pleas, and none, or very little fortification was in them, though
some such excuses were found among them, as some light they had : Rom.
ii. 15, ' Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their con-
science also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or
else excusing one another.' They made some apologies for themselves, as
the word aToXoyou/iJi-wv implies. But now till the v/ord comes to urge ob-
jections against a man's state, he hath no need to make an apology for him-
self; but as light increaseth, the more need there is of strongholds, whereby
the heart may stand out against it, and accordingly the heart builds them,
and therefore the more men are enlightened, with the stronger delusions will
they strive to deceive themselves.

3. The more common graces men have, wanting true grace, the stronger
carnal reasons will they have to justify their states ; and accordingly the
holds of a civil and moral man are better fortified than those of one that is
profane. And therefore the apostle in Rom. i., dealing with the Gentiles,
mentions none of their carnal pleas; but when he comes to the Jews in chap,
ii., he spends it in taking away their cavillings. And further, one who hath
a common work of the Spirit on his heart, by the preaching of the gospel
(as the second and third ground in the parable of the sower. Mat. xiii., had),
hath stronger pleas, reasonings, and deceits in him, than a civil man. A
civil man hath had the pleas, excuses, and grounds of the deceit of a pro-
fane man discovered to him to be weak ; and one enlightened by the gospel,
and who hath good motions in him, discerns the civil man's reasonings for
himself to be weak, and sees how he is deceived, and therefore he will in-
vent stronger wherewith to defend himself. So as it is harder to convince a
man who is in a civil condition, than one who is profane, for he hath more
ammunition with which to make resistance, than the other hath ; and for the
same reason it is harder to convince a temporary believer than a civil man,
because their pleas are stronger, which the common work of the Spirit oc-
casioneth in them.

CHAPTER III.

What are the general heads of arguments frormvhich men draw reasons for the
safety and tvelfare of their state, though they continue in their natural con-
dition.— The pleas which the ignorant and profane make for themselves
considered and answered.

Since the pleas and apologies which unregenerate men make either to
excuse or justify themselves, are so man}^ and various, and some are more
weak, and others stronger, and it would be too large a work to treat of all
the particulars, I will therefore reduce them to some general heads, and

884 AN UNREGENEKATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

instance but in some of tlie strongest of them, as a test of the rest, and
which are common among us, to whom the word is preached so clearly.
And first, I will shew you in general, the topics or heads of argument from
whence false reason argues, aud whence it fetcheth its strength. I will lay
open the several shops and forges where it sharpens its weapons.

1. The first head or topic whence men fetch pleas to justify their ways
and estates, &c., is common proverbial speeches, which having been minted
out of the evil treasure of men's hearts, and stamped with common authority,
pass for current among men, and which they use in defence of themselves on
all occasions. Thus men will defend their covetousness, or excuse their
deserting of a public good cause, when it is difficult or dangerous ; they
will justify themselves in doing so with this ordinary saying. Every man
for himself, and God for us all ! So they will vindicate their carelessness
or licentiousness in the conduct of their lives, with that other known
common saying. If I be predestinated, I shall be saved ; if not, do what
I can, I shall be damned. And so they will ciy too. Thoughts are free,
that the}' may freely indulge themselves in vain thoughts, or unclean
fancies. Or when the case is such that they must either sin or sufier,
or if they perform their duty, they shall run the hazard of some evil or
loss, they will very readily have it in their mouths. Of two evils choose
the least. Many such sayings as these of the devil's minting pass
among men, and strengthen them in evil. As the papists have their
traditions besides Scripture, on which they ground their corrupt tenets and
practices, so hath the world such wicked maxims as these with which to de-
fend itself. The danger of such common sajdugs and instances of them, we
have out of Scripture, 1 Cor. xv. 32. The apostle there brings in an ordi-
nary atheistical speech which was used among the Jews : Isa. xxii. 13, 'Let
us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die,' by this to encourage them-
selves to take out their fill of pleasure here. The apostle brings it in, 1 Cor.
XV., as a proverbial speech. If there be no resurrection, then, says he,
according to the common saying of wicked men, ' let us even eat and drink
indeed, for to-morrow we die.' But to shew the danger of such naughty
speeches, when once made common and so authentical, he adds, ' Be not de-
ceived,' i. e. with such speeches, as many are, for ' evil words corrupt good
manners,' i.e. such evil common proverbial speeches as these do much hurt,
and have much influence to corrupt our lives, and are often used as means
by men to strengthen and defend themselves in ill, he using a contrary pro-
verbial speech then used to countercheck the other with. The Jews also
had got an accursed proverb, whereby they did put ofi" all from themselves
to their father's sins as the cause of their punishment, and so were not
humbled, nor got any good by it : Ezek. xviii. 2, ' What mean ye, that ye
use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying. The fathers have
eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?' thereby
laying the blame on God and their fathers. This proverb carnal reason
got by the end, and they used it upon all occasions, aud by it put off all the
prophet's sermon, whereby he convinced them that it was for theii- own sins
that they were led into captivity. And because this was a stronghold which
carnal reason had recourse to, he therefore spends a whole chapter to refute
it, with many reasons and answers to it. So they had another common say-
ing too whereby their hearts were secured and strengthened to do evil :
Ezek. xii. 22, 23, ' Son of Man, what is that proverb that ye have in the
land of Israel, saying. The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? Tell
them, therefore. Thus saith the Lord, I will make this proverb to cease, and
they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel : but say unto them, The

Chap. HI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 385

days are at hand, and the eflfect of every vision.' Because threatenings were
not speedily executed, and they had heard many and seen nothing done,
therefore they slighted all ; this did prevail, and was commonly used, and
did much hurt. That in Job also, which Satan brings in, was a common
proverb by which men were guided, viz. that a man would do anything ti)
save his life : Job ii. 5, G, * And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin
for skin; yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life,' ilc. The do.il
thought that Job would have acted herein like other men, and therefore
'touch but his life' (says Satan to God), ' and he will curse thee.' And
thus men will excuse a sinful action, by saying, that life is sweet, and that
it was done to save that, or their estate ; and who would not have done it
besides me ? Thus Job's wife argues with him too from a common saying
which wicked men had among them, * Curse God and die.' As if she should
have said. Seeing God deals thus with thee, after all thy perfect walking, and
this is the reward of all, let it now go and leave it. She used it as, it
seems, the sense of a carnal proverb then in use, and proportioned to carnal
reason, that since blessing God will do no good, thou hadst as good curse
him ; for die thou must, however, and it connot be worse with thee. And
therefore Job adds, ' Thou speakest as one of the foolish women ;' as if he
had said. Dost thou speak as Job's wife, and one brought up in the know-
ledge of God ? No ; this is the speech of an unregenerate woman, an
heathenish speech, fit for none but the profane to use. And he confutes it
by a suitable answer and reason : Job ii. 10, ' But he said unto her. Thou
speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What ! shall we receive
good at the hand of God, and shall we'not receive evil ?' Now all such kind
of common speeches which are or have been used, carnal reason is glad of,
and employs them to strengthen itself with them upon occasion, as inartificial
arguments drawn from common testimony,

2. Unregenerate men will argue and justify themselves and their practices
from the common opinions which the world hath of things. As tradition,
so universality is another head or topic which not papists only, but all
wicked men, use to defend ill doctrines or actions. As faith looks to what
the word of God judgeth of things, so carnal reason to what the world thinks,
and from that draws reasons to justify itself, and is glad to entertain all such
opinions as make for its wicked ways and courses. And therefore the apostle
bids us not to be conformed to the world in this : Rom. xii. 2, ' And be not
conformed to this world ; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will
of God.' He means especially that we should not be conformed to the world
in our opinions of things ; for so the opposition implies, ' be transformed by
the renewing of your minds, to prove what is the good will of God.' If the
world commonly thinks such a practice lawful, accordingly the most praise it,
and carnal reason will have arguments to persuade to it, and to defend the
practice. I do as the most do (will an unregenerate man say), and am but
in the same condition with the generality of mankind ; ' do any of the rulers
believe ? ' or are they so precisely godly as you preach ? Thus if common
custom, which passeth for a law, seems to countenance any practice, it is
warrant enough for it ; nay, if but a book hath been writ for a vile opinion,
and to defend a wicked action (as what sin is there almost which hath not
had some abettors ?), men will thereby be encouraged, and make a defence
for themselves ; and wicked men, who are not so knowing, will embrace the
errors of those who are learned, with which to bear themselves out ; and
their minds being corrupt, are presently apt to think such erroneous opinions,

VOL. X. B b

886 AN UNKEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

and in appearance so well defended, to be the truth. If the morality of the
Sabbath, and the strictness of its observation, be questioned and disputed,
profane men have enough wherewith to justify either their neglects of attend-
ance on the worship of God, or then- unlawful recreations on that day ; and
they are presently of the same opinion with those who use their wits to dis-
annul the fourth command. So look what pitch or height in religion the
most of the world applaud (as men generally judge civility, and moral
honesty, and a formal way of serving God, to be religion enough ; and those
who do so are the world's saints), such a pitch in religion is the standard
by which they will measure themselves, and think it sufficient ; and what
religion and piety above this, and more than this, is pressed on them (since
it is by the world generally spoken against and condemned), shall by the
carnal reason of man be scorned and neglected : Acts xxviii. 22, ' But we
desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest : for as concerning this sect, we
know that everywhere it is spoken against.' So that as the papists use uni-
versality as an argument (which is on their side. Rev. xiii. 3) wherewith to
defend themselves, so men unregenerate urge it, for their estates, that they
are in the same condition with the most of other men ; and for their prac-
tices, that they do but lire according to the common judgment and custom
of the world.

3. Profane men, who mind little or nothing of religion, will draw argu-
ments to justify themselves from the observations of God's outward dealings,
and of the dispensations of his common providence among men, which shines
on the unjust as well as the just. As faith looks to what God says in his
■word, so carnal reason interprets his mind by what is done in his works.
Thus the papists plead prosperity as an argument for the truth of their
church, and pass the judgment from the outward carriage of divine pro-
vidence toward them. In the same manner those in the prophet argued for
idolatry, and worshipping the queen of heaven, and justified themselves :
Jer. xliv. 17, ' But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of
our own mouth, to bum incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out
drink-offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings,
and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem : for
then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.' When we
burned incense to the queen of heaven (say they), we had plenty of all things,
and our fathers and our kings did so. There are two reasons couched in it:
1. The universality and antiquity of this their idolatrous worship. Will you
condemn (say they) the practice of all our fathers and kings ? And, 2, their
prosperity and success in such a wicked course. We have had plenty (say
they) ever since, and we find this way of religion blessed, whereas we had
scarcity when we served the Lord God. But Jeremiah in answer tells them
that the ground of their scarcity then was their former idolatry, God thus
afterwards punishing it. So some among us have argued for the popish
religion. We then had plenty, and all things well, &c. So the hearts of
carnal men will reason about their actions too. Look what actions are
successful, them they will judge to be good ; but if they are unprosperous,
though they have never so sure a waiTant out of the word for them, yet
they will be apt to suspect them. Thus did that king argue for idolatry:
2 Chron. xxviii. 23, ' For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which
smote him ; and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them,
therefore will I sacrifice unto them, that they may help me.' He sacrificed
to the gods of Damascus for this very reason, that because the gods of Syria
helped them, therefore he hoped they would help him also, if adored by
him. And after the same rate profone men will reason against pure godli-

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 387

ness, and for a careless worship and religion : Look (say tlicy), those who
are strictest have most crosses and troubles, and since they began to be so
religious, and to follow sermons, they have not thriven as they did before ;
but those who live as we do, God useth most kindly, and therefore surely
they are most happy. Thus they bless those whom the Lord abhors.
These are the ungodly who prosper, who look big upon it, and speak con-
fidently, insomuch as through carnal reason it is a temptation to God's own
people, who sometimes are stumbled at it, and half persuaded that the pros-
pering side is the better; as David saith of himself, that his foot had well-
nigh slipped herein : Ps. Ixxiii. 2, 3, ' But as for me, my feet were almost
gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish,
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.' So, on the other side, when they
at Malta saw a great danger befall the apostle Paul by a viper's coming on
his hand. Acts xxviii. 3, 4, ' It is no doubt,' say they, ' but this man was a
murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, vengeance sufiers not to
live.' As many judge their estates to be good because they prosper in the
world, so many are encouraged to go on in their evil ways because they have
sinned again and again, and no evil hath come of it ; and therefore they think
they may do so still safely. As faith argues, God hath delivered, therefore
Jie will deliver ; so carnal reason argues. As God hath spared, so he will
spare. And the heart of man upon this is fully set to do evil: Eccles. viii.
11, ' Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, there-
fore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.' And, on
the contrary, the people of God have many jealousies cast up in their hearts
by carnal reason against their estates, and their being in the favour of God,
from the outward carriage of God to them; as Gideon said. Judges vi. 13,
' And Gideon said unto him, 0 my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then
is all this befallen us ? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told
us of, saying. Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt ? but now the Lord
hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.' Thus
many a poor soul is ready to say. If God had loved me, he would never have
let me fall into so gross and scandalous a sin, or he would never have afflicted
me, nor suflfered me to be tempted, as I have been.

4. Unregenerate men will fetch arguments to justify their state from out-
ward spiritual privileges which God has bestowed on them ; so those in Luke
xiii. 26, ' We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught
in oui- streets;' they thought because they had eaten and drunk with Christ,
therefore they should certainly be saved. Thus the common professors of
Christianity think that because they have been baptized, and live in the
church, and have the word preached, and the sacrament administered to
them, that therefore they are very good Christians, and shall go to heaven
without any more ado. In this manner they in Jer. vii. 4 upheld them-
selves : ' The temple of the Lord,' say they, ' the temple of the Lord are
we.' And when our Lord Christ preached to convince the Jews of the
danger of their state wherein they were, to silence their fears they had their
relation to Abraham ready to plead : John viii. 33, ' They answered him,
We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man ;' because
they were Abraham's children, they thought they must necessarily be saved.
After this rate Micah argued also, who thought that God would surely bless
him because he had a priest in his house to be his chaplain : Judges xvii.
13, ' Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord will do me good, because
I have a Levite to my priest.' Upon such outward privileges as these do
carnal men rest, and judge themselves to be in God's favour because of them.
The apostle cuts off all these pleas at once : Eom. ii. 25-29, ' For circum-

388 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

cision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law : but if thou be a breaker of the
law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore, if the uncircum-
cision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be
counted for circumcision ? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature,
if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost trans-
gress the law ? For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly ; neither is that
circumcision which is outward in the flesh : but he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly : and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the
letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God ;' Gal. v. 6, ' For in Jesus
Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision ; but faith
which worketh by love.' Gal. vi. 15, ' For in Christ Jesus neither circum-
cision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.'

5. Another topic from which carnal men draw arguments to give a reason
why the}' do not embrace the ways of true religion and godliness, is the out-
ward appearance of things in this world. The profession of Christ and his
gospel, in the purity and strictness of it, is, in external show, to a carnal eye,
poor and low, and attended with mean circumstances, and therefore they
think they have just reason to despise and neglect it. What kept the Jews
from acknowledging Christ to be the Messiah ? It was the poverty and
meanness of his outward condition, the lowness of his education, being bred
up in an ordinary mechanical trade, and not at the feet of their Gamaliels
and great doctors of the law. From this they furnished themselves with
many arguments, which they objected as reasons why they would not believe
on him : Mark vi. 3, 4, 'Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the
brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda and Simon ? and are not his sis-
ters here with us ? And they were ofiended at him. But Jesus said unto
them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among
his own kin, and in his own house.' This was the matter of offence to them ;
■whereas, if rightly considered, it was one of the strongest reasons which
might have convinced them, for it argued his wisdom to be not from men
but God, and that he was the great prophet foretold which should come into
the world, and therefore he marvelled at their unbelief more than of all other,
as expecting that among them (who knew him before by the prophecies con-
cerning him, and who now saw such great things done by him), he should
have been readily acknowledged ; that they of all others should have fallen
down, and said that God is in him, and that he was more than a man. And
therefore he takes occasion to assert and vindicate his divinity from that
which the Jews objected against it : John vii. 15, ' And the Jews marvelled,
saying, How Imoweth this man letters, having never learned ?' They there
object that he was never brought up to learning, and thence he takes occa-
sion to prove that his doctrine was from God : ver. 16, ' Jesus answered
them, and said. My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.' So the
barrenness of the place, both for religion and knowledge, where he was
brought up, stumbled Nathanael, and had like to have kept him from' Christ :
John i. 46, ' And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come
out of Nazareth ?' It was, it seems, a rude and a wicked, ignorant place.
So the meanness of his condition, that he was poor, and had not a hole to
hide his head in, and that none but poor people followed him, this stumbled
many ; and therefore, says Christ, ' Blessed is he who is not offended in me *
because of this. For before he had said, ' The poor receive the gospel ;' and
this he knew that many would be scandalised at, and that it would prove an
invincible obstacle to their believing : Luke vii. 22, 23, ' Then Jesus, an-
swering, said unto them. Go your way, and tell John what things ye have
seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed,

Chap. HI. J in kksi'ect ok sin and punishment, 381)

the deaf bear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And
blessed is he who shall not be offended in me.' Though he doth there
reckon up many miracles which he did, yet that the poor received the gospel
he knew would stumble them more than all his wonderful works would per-
suade them. And this indeed did oflend the pharisees, and they reasoned
from it against him : John vii. 49, ' J5nt this people who knoweth not the
law are cursed.' And are not now in these days many of those sharp arrows
which are shot against God's people fetched out of this quiver ? And are
they not spited, maligned, and despised, because of the meanness of their
condition, and low appearance in the world '?

(). Uuregenerate men, to defend their state, will argue from scriptures
themselves, either misunderstood or misapplied. As there is no heresy so
foul but in show produceth some scripture for itself, so there is no estate
so bad but will have something out of the word of God wherewith to justify
itself. The pharisees, who were most wicked and deadly enemies to Christ,
yet thought from some scriptures that they should be saved, and that with-
out Christ, misunderstanding the scope of Moses his ministry : therefore,
says Christ, John v. 39, ' Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have
eternal life, and they are they which testify of me,' i. e. they thought their evi-
dence for heaven lay there, and as they by their glosses had corrupted them, they
fancied that they spoke plainly, that by their doing they should live, being
ignorant of the righteousness of faith : Rom. x. 3, ' For they being ignorant
of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness,
have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.' And they
were Abraham's seed, as they thought, to whom the promise was made, and
on that account imagined themselves safe enough. Bat (says Christ) these
-scriptures you have not searched, and compared one thing with another ; for
if you had, you would find that they write of me. ' And that Moses in whom
you trust,' John v. 45 (as they built all their mighty confidence upon sayings
of his), he, if you rightly understand him, makes against you, ver. 46 ; and
I desire no other judge than him, to whom you appeal. Yea, to such a
degree of confidence were they grown, that they bring scripture against Christ
himself: John vii. 52, ' They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of
Galilee? Search, and look : for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.' They
urge this, that out of Gahlee, from whence Christ came, there ariseth no
prophet, for that in all the Scripture there was no mention of that country
to be the place of g ny prophet, which yet was the place of Christ's abode ;
but say they, ver. 42, ' The scripture saith that the Christ shall be of the
seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem,' which had they searched
into, as indeed they ought, they might have found to be the place of Christ's
birth ; but they were loath to make inquiry, but took advantage from the
place of his education, as if it were his country where he was born. And so
they argue against Christ from Scripture, in John vii. 27, ' Howbeit, we know
this man whence he is : but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence
he is.' They herein had reference (as it should seem) to Isa. Hii. 8, ' ^Vho
can tell his generation ?' which being spoken of his Godhead they apply to
his manhood; 'And as for this man,' say they, 'we know whence he is,'
which yet if they had known, they would not have said what follows : John
vii. 42, ' Hath not the scripture said. That Christ cometh of the seed of David,
and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was ?' So to this day,
how many scriptures are alleged to justify men's sins and sinful states.
]\Icn, to cloak their covetousness, will presently have that scripture in their
mouths, 'He is worse than an infidel who provides not for his family,'
1 Tim. V. 8. To quiet their hearts in delaying repentance, they will often

390 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

repeat that scripture to themselves, ' That at whatsoever time a man turns
to God, he will abundantly pardon,' Isa. Iv. 7. And therefore James says,
chap. i. 22, that many hearers of the word make iraoakoy'iciimc,, false syllo-
gisms, out of the word itself. And thus men fancy, too, that their lazy, good
purposes and desires shall be accepted, because, say they, God accepts the
will for the deed. Thus they also will flatter themselves that if their con-
sciences do but check them when they sin, it is well enough, for they will
abuse that place in Rom. vii. 17, and say, ' It is not I, but sin that dwelleth
in me.' And thus the pharisees, because it was said in Moses's law, * A
tooth for a tooth,' therefore thought it lawful to revenge themselves : Mat.
V. 43, ' Ye have heard that it hath been said. Thou shalt love thy neighbour,
and hate thy enemy.' And because they are bidden to love their neighbours,
Lev. xis. 18, they, understanding neighbour for only a friend, or one who is
not an enemy, thought they might lawfully hate their enemies.

7. Carnal men will argue for their practices and state, from common prin-
ciples agreeable to self-love, and from those proud, flattering conceits which
they have of themselves, making self-love their judge ; for example, Cain, he
reasons with God, ' Am I my brother's keeper? ' Gen. iv. 9. Self-love thinks
that it is bound to look only to itself. And thus men will commonly say,
Every man for himself, and God for us all ; we are to look only to ourselves,
and every man to take care of one. And self-love thinks this but reasonable.
So men think it equal too to cheat him who hath cheated them ; and so, though
to wrong an innocent was esteemed a sin among the heathen, yet Cicero
himself thought revenge to be laudable. Such as these Christ confutes. Mat.
V. 38, ' Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth
for a tooth.' They thought it lawful to revenge upon grounds of self-love,
and that it was a duty to hate their enemies, ver. 45. So Simeon and Levi
thought it just to take such a cruel revenge on the Shechemites because of the
high abuse offered to their sister: Gen. xxxiv. 31, 'And they said. Should
he deal with our sister as with an harlot ? ' and they thought it a good rea-
son. Thus out of those high conceits which men have of themselves and
their own cause will they argue, making themselves their own rule and
reason. Thus the pharisees stood upon their defence : John ix. 40, ' And
some of the pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said
unto him, Ai-e we blind also ? ' What, are we blind also ? What ! we ?
And this they did out of the high conceits w'hich they had of their own
knowledge. And so they thought it was reason enougk to persuade the
apostles to cease preachiogof Christ, that they would thereby bring innocent
blood on their heads : Acts v. 28, ' Did not we strictly command you that
you should not teach in this name ? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem
with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.' As if
they had said. What, will you accuse a whole state of murder ? Now all
this, the apostle calls comparing themselves with themselves, not with the
rule : 2 Cor. x. 12, ' For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or
compare ourselves with some that commend themselves : but they, measur-
ing themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves,
are not wise.' And yet by this way of judging will unregenerate men take
the measure of themselves ; and therefore they think what is beyond that
which they have must needs be hypocrisy, and censure those who are more
strictly holy than themselves to be close and sly hypocrites.

8. Others there are who do not deceive themselves so grossly, but have
something of show and pretence, who will argue for the goodness of their
condition from some rehgious duties and performances, or from some in-
ferior common works of God's Spirit upon their hearts. This the young

Chap. IV.j in bespect of sin and punishment. «3'J1

man insisted on, Luke xviii. 21. Thus Jehu bears himself up : 2 Kings
X. IG, ' And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. So they
made him ride in his chariot.' And thus are those hearers of the word
whom the apostle James describes, chap. i. 23, 24, &c., who, by the hear-
ing of the word, had got some stamp and form of religion upon their hearts,
though but an inferior work, and deceived themselves by reasoning from it
that their state therefore was good : ' If any man seem to be religious,' says
he, 7. e. to be hot and forward in duties, ' and refrains not his tongue, he
deceives his own heart ; ' for he thinks his religion such as will save him
when it will not, where a known sin is thus nourished with it ; and he
deceives not others only, but his own heart. And it is from the external
performances of duties that they plead unto Christ, Mat. vii. 22. They
urge Christ much with what they had done, how they had prayed and
preached in his name. Their own duties deceived them ; and in that they
are brought in pleading them then, it argues that they were not gross hypo-
crites, who had deceived men only, but who had deceived themselves, and
thought they had such pleas as would be of force before God's tribunal, and
therefore are brought in pleading them, which, if they had not judged them
good and vaUd, they would not dared to have done.

CHAPTER IV.

The pleas which men who have only morality make for themselves. — They urge
that they do not live in vicious courses; that they refrain from yreat and noto-
rious sins ; that they are honest ; that they have some knowledge of the truths
of the Christian reliyion, as well as make a profession of it. — What are the
reasons that men are so ready to account any moral righteousness which they
have to he grace.

We are laying siege and battery to all those false pleas and carnal reason-
ings (which the apostle calls * strongholds'), which all sorts of unregenerate
men build up for themselves to maintain a good opinion of their estates.
We having demoHshed those of the profane and ignorant sort, whose strength
and force are but weak and small, have already sat down before the holds
and forts of civil and formal Christians, whose number, as it is greater, so
their fortifications are of more strength, and will hold out a longer siege.
Their outworks, such pleas as are drawn from external privileges, which are
more common to them and all other unregenerate men, we have already
scaled and taken ; we will therefore now advance and set forwards towards
the main strength and castle of defence ; which is in view, and for the outside
of it towards men, a fair and goodly one, consisting of much righteousness of
their own, founded and fortified much of it by nature, and then repaired and
much enlarged by their education in the church ; and ere we begin to lay
battery against it, let us take a general view of it altogether, and ' go round
about it, and tell all the towers thereof,' and descry wherein the great
strength of it doth lie.

1. The greatest and eminentest tower belonging to it, is a negative
righteousness, and outward abstinence from gross sins, so that they can-
not be charged with the gross defilements of the world ; so said the pha-
risee, ' I am no drunkard, no adulterer ;' they wallow not in the common
mire, and so think themselves pure in their own eyes. * There is a gene-
ration that are pure in their own eyes, though they be not washed from their
inward filthiness,' as Agur saith, Prov. xxx. (which imputation, though these

ci'J2 AN UNREGENERATE MANS GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

men would fasten and apply to others better than themselves, who are truly
holy, yet it will be found that they themselves are the men the Holy Ghost
there meant and aimed at) ; yea, they further say, that they not only abstain
from such sins, but find no great inchnation thereunto ; yea, they utterly
abominate such courses themselves, and are zealous against them to punish
and reform them in others.

2. The second is, much good both in their natures and dispositions,
many virtues, which are likewise expressed in their lives in many actions that
are good : as sweetness, candour, goodness, and ingenuity of nature ; meek-
ness, kindness and love to those they live with ; pity to others in distress,
honesty and integrity of heart in their dealings with men ; uprightness in a
good and just cause.

3. These, joined with keeping a good conscience, and doing out of con-
science that which they do in secret. They say they would not wrong a man
that trusts them, no, not in secret ; they say they are diligent in their call-
ings, provide for their families, and careful in the places they live in, aim
at the public good, and will be missed when they are gone. And though
these be the most conspicuous parts of their righteousness, and which they
most trust to, and therefore are denominated civil men, the denomination
being from that which is most eminent in them ; yet to countenance this
their honesty the more, and to set it forth and varnish it for grace, they
plead they are not devoid of religion neither. Therefore they further plead,
and say,

4. We know the truth professed and taught amongst us, and we do assent
to it, and do hate and renounce popery, and in our practice we conform to
all holy duties publicly professed, and constantly we come to church, as all
Christians ought to do, and are conversant in those holy duties with reve-
rence, attention, and devotion (and if they have been more strictly educated,
they do sometimes say prayers privately), and unto all this we add faith in
Jesus Christ, looking to be saved alone by him.

5. Unto all which goodness they put in many excuses for what they want
into the balance to make it weight. It is true, saith such an one, I am not
so scrupulous in every small thing as some are, as in petty oaths and vain
speeches ; and what need I stand troubling myself with my thoughts, which
are so various and infinite ? Nor do I much stick to take some liberty in
some particular sin ; yet it is but my infiimitj', and all have their imperfec-
tions ; and God will not be strict to mark all that is done amiss, nor there-
fore need I be so.

0. And, again, what though I have not found such a work in me, as
some talk of, to see myself in a damnable estate, to have such heart-break-
ings for my sins, and have not had such longings after Christ, and con-
tempt of and parting with the world, nor such a relish of or running after
sermons, and delight in duties ; I thank God I know no cause I have to be
troubled, I never knew myself in a bad estate, I have been thus well dis-
posed from my youth ; I believe in Christ as well as they do, though I do
not keep such ado about him, in talking or thinking of him ; I do not remem-
ber that ever I wanted him, for I believed in him ever since I can remember;
I am sorry when I offend and sin, and do heartily ask God mercy, as that
publican did, ' God be merciful to me a sinner.' And what though I am
not so zealous nor so forward in many duties, as in talking of Scripture mat-
ters everywhere where I come, or in teaching and praying, and repeating
the word with my family, or confessing my sins, and mourning for them ; I
have not such gifts as others have, but my heart is good, though I make not
such a show ; and though I spend the chief of my time and thoughts upon

Chap. IV. j jn respect of sin akd punishment. 531)3

the world, and that all my care and desires, and chief delights, are taken
up in getting wealth and honours, and learning, &c., yet I follow but my
calling, and I take no unlawful courses to get wealth ; and he is worse than
an infidel that provides not for his family ; nor do I spend time in unlawful
pleasures forbidden in the word. Unto which and the like excuses I shall
hereafter speak.

This is in brief the model of that goodness, which, Hke another Babel,
they themselves have built to climb up to heaven with, and are bold to set
in competition with the truth of holiness in the most regenerate ; and, in-
deed, it is no wonder if nature, having any righteousness of its own, stands
upon it, and takes it for grace, without examining of it ; for surely, if out-
ward favours from God lead them into such an opinion, and their privileges
as living in the church (as was shewn) which are things external and with-
out them, et qiKr mm fecimus ipsi ; if these, I say, do yet flush men in a
good opinion of themselves, how much more any righteousness which is
their own, and in and from themselves ! And therefore Paul, besides his
outward privileges of being circumcised, reckons up as the chief thing he
made account of, that righteousness which was his own, Philip, iii. 6-9.
And if they esteem and magnify adherent, relative and sacramental right-
eousness so much, then inherent personal righteousness must needs be
much more extolled by them. A man's own righteousness in his own eyes.
Oh, it must needs be gi-ace, be it never so Httle ; any abstinence from sin,
any virtuous disposition, any religious devout performances : ' All a man's
ways are clean in his own eyes,' saith Solomon, Prov. xvi. 2 ; which inti-
mates two reasons :

1st, In his own eyeSj that is, himself being judge. And therefore, till a
man hath new eyes given him from the holy word of God, and be enlight-
ened by a supernatural light accompanying it, which might represent men
themselves to them and their condition, as it is set forth in the word, no
wonder if they think well of themselves. Now these kind of men are never
put out of conceit with themselves by the light of the holy word, revealing
their spiritual sinfulness in their natural condition to them, to humble
them. Though they hear it, and understand many things in a general man-
ner, so far as natural understanding reaches, yet they have not had such a
light as^to understand themselves by it, to see their own faces in it, as
James speaks; and therefore are but of the first sort of hearers, who
did not understand the word, that is, not with an applying or atiectiiig light
as the other, the stony and thorny ground did; and, therefore, having
but their own eyes, no wonder if their ways be clean in their own judgments
and opinions.

2dly. And again, because they look but with their own eyes, their natural
light, so because they be their own nays, yea, even all their urtys, as Solomon
speaks, so as even for the most of their wicked ways, they have some excuses
and fair pretences to colour them, but much more their moral virtues, and
righteous dealings, and good dispositions, their own righteousness, these
must needs be high in their own esteem. Every man is apt to niagnify what
is his own above the worth of it ; and by how much the worth of it is greater,
by so much the more a man useth to magnify it. If men have children
which are the fruit of their bodies, they doat on them, as the ape in the
fable, that presented its misshapen birth to Jupiter. If men have parts or
wit, whi<ih are the more noble and fair births of their brain, they much more
admire them in themselves than in others. But above all, if corrupt nature
comes to have any righteousness bestowed upon it, which is the noblest en-
dowment of all other, oh then, out of question it may be grace ! And by

394 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

how much more men had rather think well of themselves for righteousness
and goodness than for any other endowment whatsoever, by so much are
they yet made more prone to think well of their own virtues and performances
rather than of any other excellency. And therefore Paul, in that inventory
he gives in of w^hat was gain to him, and of most worth, we find no mention
made by him of his learning, which in other regards he stood upon ; but he
stands chiefly upon his righteousness, and virtues, and conformity to the
law. And therefore the philosopher also made the practice of virtue to be
man's chiefest good, so high an opinion hath nature of its own righteousness.
3dly. And add to this, that to men fallen into such a state of general cor-
ruption (as they hear all men are fallen into), any seeming righteousness and
goodness must needs seem the more to them, to prize it in that respect, that
they hear how corrupt mankind is. Beggars, w^e see how proud they are if
they get an old suit to cover their nakedness, a little money, to shew that
they have some, and this because they are beggars. So we the sons of men,
that are bankrupts, and of whom the word says, that by nature we are alto-
gether unrighteous, and that we are but flesh, wherein dwells no good thing;
that we should have anything like goodness, it makes us the more conceited,
and we think presently, surely it must be grace. So the church of Laodicea
says. Rev. iii. 17, that she was 'rich, and increased with goods, and had
need of nothing ; ' yet she was ' poor, and blind, and miserable, and
wretched.' She had got some old rags of righteousness, some brass shillings
and counterfeit pieces of good works and performances ; and how proud was
she ! Therefore no wonder if men ' go about to establish their own righteous-
ness' (as the Jews did, Rom. x. 2), if they advance it and set it up, if it
passes and gets out for grace, and be thought worthy of that degree in their
own thoughts.

CHAPTER V.

That all this mere morality in corrupt nature falls short of (/race, proved from
the instances of those brave spirits among the heathen, in uhom those virtues
shined, and yet they had nothing of the grace of God in them. — Proved also
from the Jews, icho made their boast of the law and its righteousness, and
u-ho yet, as inveterate enemies, opposed the grace of the gospel.

Thus you have a description and general scheme of their strongest holds,
consisting of natural and acquired righteousness, with reasons why men are
apt to rest in it as true grace. We will now fall to battery, and ere we
assault each particular apart, we will first answerably make a general assault
on the whole, as thus viewed and set together.

The state of the controversy is, whether corrupt natui-e, remaining still
corrupt, be not capable of all this kind of goodness, and whether it falls not
short of grace, which, if proved and detected once, convinces them of their
estates ? This I will demonstrate both in the on and diort of it, shewing the
grounds of it, and what principles there are in corrupt nature which do make
it capable of all this; it still remains corrupt as towards God.

And, first, for the on, that it is so. I will clear it by instances of those
in whom all these have been found, whom yet we will acknowledge that they
all wanted grace, which is a way of conviction Christ useth in the like case
to convince the Jews of their false righteousness, wherein they rested, telling
them that the Gentiles did the like, and that so do even pubHcans and
sinners : Mat. v. 46, 47, * For if ye love them which love you, what reward

Chap. V.J in respect of sin and punishment. 395

have ye ? do not even the publicans the same ? And if ye salute your
brethren only, what do ye more than others ? do not even the publicans so? '
Luke vi. 32, 83, ' For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye ?
for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which
do good to you, what thank have ye ? for sinners also do even the same.'
And lirst, for moral virtues.

1. Consider, that even in beasts the impression of many of those moral
virtues, thus taken for grace, are to be found ; I say, the impression of
them. For as in some beasts we use to say there are umhne rationis, sha-
dows of reason, as in apes, &c., beasts which have quick fair eyes; so in
others there are quccdam umbrce turn vitiorum cum virtutum : shadows as of
vices, so of virtues, are to be seen in them • as in horses, of pride and
revenge ; and in spaniels of virtues, of love and kindness to their masters ;
and ' the ox,' says God, ' knows his owner ; ' so of diligence too in the ant,
to whom God sends the sluggard ; so of faithfulness to their mates, in doves;
of chastity and modesty, in elephants, who will not couple in the sight of
others ; of requital of kindness, as in elephants too : so likewise in that lion
who fawned on the slave who was cast to him to be devoured, remembering
how that slave had pulled a thorn out of his foot formerly in the wilderness,
as Gellius reports.* Now as God sends the sluggard to the ant, and the
unthankful Israelites to the ox, to learn diligence and thankfulness, so I may
send those that rest in such moral virtues to these beasts, to teach them not
to boast of them, or rest in them. But it will be said that these want rea-
son, and therefore these are no virtues as in them.

2. Therefore consider, that in heathen men devoid of grace, all those
virtues were found in as eminent a manner as in thyself. What, should I
speak of Socrates, Cato, &c., and the rest of those philosophers, I could
bring as large a catalogue of such, for examples of moral virtues of all sorts,
as Paul doth of the worthies in the Old Testament, as patterns of faith,
Heb. xi., but that (as he saith there) ' the time would fail me.' Only do
but in general consider what the apostle saith of them : Rom. ii. 14, ' For
when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things con-
tained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves.'

3. Consider that in men sinning against the Holy Ghost, all these
moral virtues were eminently found, as in Julian the apostate, who lived
(after he had so sinned) as exactly according to the best rules of moraUty,
as ever any man did, and was naturally just, sober, temperate, patient, &c.
And though he sinned so highly in breaking forth into revenge against Christ,
yet that his sinning did not extinguish these virtues in him ; but he con-
tinued zealous against drunkenness and stage-players, &c. ; thinking indeed
by that his exact life and zeal against such abuses to have countenanced
heathenism, and set it up as a perfection in opposition unto Christianity and
godliness, by shewing that even without Christ men might live unblameably,
and therefore to prove, if he could, that there was no need of Christ to pro-
mote a good life. But you will say, I find I live thus out of conscience, and
do follow the guidance of it in these practices.

4. Consider, therefore, that so did also these heathen ; for the principle
from whence (as was mentioned) they did those things of the law, Paul
saith, was the law written in their hearts: Rom. ii. 15, 'Which shew the
work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness,
and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.'
And this is evident also in Abimelech, who pleaded to God, ' integrity of
heart,' and God acknowledged it. Now integrity is a conformity with some

•K- Gellius, Noctes Att. lib. v. cap. xiv.

8SjG AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

rnle, so as that integrity of his was his following the rule of his conscience
in the light thereof. And so Paul says of himself, when unregenerate, that
what he did, ' he verily thought he ought ' to do it. Acts xxvi. 9. And so
he did all out of such a conscientious respect. Yea, but you will say, though
they might do things out of conscience dictating, yet not out of a disposition
abominating the evil they shunned, as I do, for I abominate such courses.

5. Therefore consider that even the Gentiles also did avoid many sins
with such a spirit of detestation against them, 1 Cor. v. 1. That incest, or
fornication, of that Corinthian with his father's wife, was such a crime (Paul
says) * as was not once named among the Gentiles.' They loathed and
abominated that and such vices, so that they would not so much as name
them ; the speech and hearsay of such courses was odious to them.

But you will say that these are heathens, but I join holy duties of God's
worship to these, and I know God, and profess him and his worship, &c.

6. So did the Jews, who had a form of the law, and made their boast of
God : Rom. ii. 17-20, ' Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the
law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and appro vest the
things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law ; and art con-
fident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in
darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the
form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.' Thej had the whole
system of it in their heads, and not only so, but performed holy duties. So
the pharisees made profession of God, and came to the temple to the ordi-
nances, and this whilst they were in force, and owned by God as his public
standing worship ; none abounded more than they in such duties, both
public and private. 'A pharisee,' it is said, 'went up to pray,' &c., Luke
xviii. 10, and yet they, many of them, sinned against the Holy Ghost, Luke
XX. 19. That young man which Christ sent away so sorrowful and mourn-
ful, says, he had ' kept all the commandments from his youth,' Mat. xix. 20.
Yea, one of the scribes, Mark xii. 32, 33 (of whom Christ yet said, that he
had not attained to the kingdom of God, ver. 31:), went yet further, for he
discerned that a further thing was required than the outward performance of
all such duties of God's worship, namely, an inward love to God with all the
soul, and all a man's strength, which, says he, 'is more than all whole burnt-
offerings and sacrifices.' So his speech is, Mark xii. 33, and Christ hath
said too, ' Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes
and pharisees, ye cannot be saved,' Mat. v. 20. Ay, but you will say. We
l^rofess Christ also ; but the Pharisees did not profess Christ nor believe in
him. For answer to which consider,

1st. That those professors whom the apostle James speaks of, were negli-
gent hearers, and such as said, they had faith, and that faith such as was
joined with the practice of many things in the law ; yet still they neglected
the main thing of the law, or some duties of it which they knew, as appears
by that speech, ' If a man keep the whole law, and be guilty in one point,' his
faith profits him not. As also by that other in the same epistle, * He that
restrains not his tongue, his religion is in vain ;' so as they were obedient to
the law in all other things, and were religious also, and devout, as those
words imply.

And, 2dly, though it be hard to give an instance of civil Christians in
those primitive times, because persecution then kept out such as had no
i'urther work upon their hearts, or ground of profession, more than educa-
tion ; yet now in an established church, wherein religion is commanded by
the laws of the land, there are and may be many which have no more but
civility added to their profession of Christ. The name of infidel now is as

Chap. YL] in respect of sin and punishment. 897

odious as that of Christian was in the primitive times, and God working the
same eifects in the church as out of it, he civiliseth men therein, as well as
among the heathens, and yet often works no further. These civilised per-
sons onl\' add the profession of Christ unto their civility, because they live
in the church, as the pharisces did, and so professed God and Moses, yet in
opposition to Christ, as indeed these two set up an outsvard owning of Chris-
tianity and civility, in opposition to Christ and the power of regeneration by
Christ, and an outward form of religion in opposition to the spiritual worship
of God, as they in Timothy did, who set up a form of godliness that they
might deny the power of it : 2 Tim. iii. 5, ' Having a -form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof : from such turn away.'

And, 3dly, though in the primitive times there were no such instances of
a mere moral man's professing Christ for the reason aforesaid, yet we find
those who, though they went further than this, and not only abstained from
the pollution of the world (though a work from natural principles), but escaped
them through the knowledge of Christ, yet had not true grace, for they fell
away and apostatized : 2 Peter ii. 20-22, ' For if after they have escaped
the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end
is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not
to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to
turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened
unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit
again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.'

CHAPTER VI.

What are the principJes from irhence all this virtue and vwral actions in iinre-
geverate men do proceed. — Natural conscience. — A common work of the Spirit
in restraininf/ grace. — Natural jiisdom, a principle of modesty and the fear
of shame. — Good education, a common knowledge of the principles of religion
by the icord preached, v hereby a natural devotion is stirred in mot.

I come now to the hon, viz., to demonstrate to you those principles which
in corrupt nature produce all this righteousness that civil men build upon,
the discovery whereof will discover that all of it falls short of grace.

1. There is by nature in men's* understanding and natural conscience,
which hath many sparks of moral light concerning duties, both towards God
and toward men, raked up in it : llom. ii. 14, 15, ' The Gentiles which have
not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, their conscience
excusing or accusing.' The Lord, seeing man's nature to be wholly cor-
rupted, hath put a viceroy of his (viz., conscience) into their hearts, to rule
and curb their spirits, which conscience he hath put into the very heathen ;
which principle (as that place shews) is not only appointed merely as an
overseer, or a witness against them, to take notice of the evil of their actions,
but also it hath some stroke and power in men to restrain and cmb them from
many sins, and to make them do many things agreeable to the law, for it is
said, they are ' a law unto themselves ;' that is, suppose there were no laws
of men to constrain or restrain them, yet the principle of conscience would
and did make them do many things, and had the power of a law over them :
and that it might be of force to carry them on thus, it hath, as a law, power
to dispense both punishments and rewards, for it doth accuse them for evil,

* Qu. ' men ' ?— Ed.

398 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

and excuse them for good, as it is said there ; which two effects of it cause
men to do much, as it had such an influence on the Gentiles, therefore it is
said, they did the things of the law. It was not only a light to discover
what to do, but so strong a convincing light as to cause them to do what the
law required in many particulars.

2. To back this light, and that the authority of it may be further obeyed,
the Lord Christ, besides this, hath a work upon the wills of men, though
remaining still corrupt, a work that is suitable to this light of conscience,
and which makes them also in their wills and aftections somewhat more con-
formable to the light of their consciences, stamping such impressions upon
them as it shall become more easy for them to do what conscience dictates
to them, to abstain from gross sins, to be temperate, just, and sober. And
though indeed the will be left more to its corruption than the understanding,
yet there are impressions from God upon it ; and look as conscience, in the
light of it, hath a double effect, so suitably hath God upon the will also. As,

1st, Whereas conscience doth check and rein a man in from many sins,
the Lord comes also with a restraining work upon the wills of men, and
takes off their hearts from being inclined to many sins. He bridleth up and
tameth the wild and headstrong lusts of men, by allaying and driving in their
inclinations to some sins, even as in like manner he did promise to do to the
heathens about the Israelites' land : Exod. xxxiv. 24, ' For I will cast out the
nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders : neither shall any man desire
thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the Lord thy God thrice
in the year.' God promiseth there, that when the people should all go up
to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord thrice in a year, that then none
should desire their land. Here was a work of God's Spirit upon the hearts
of the nations round about, yea, upon their wills, whereby he did take away
their desire at such a time, when all the males were to go up to Jerusalem ;
when otherwise there was a fair opportunity for them to seize upon their
land, for they might know the set time of their going up, and so take their
advantage ; but God undertook to take away the desire after it. So that we
see there is a restraining work upon the wills of men who yet have not grace,
whereby God doth rebate the strength of their inclinations to many sins ;
such a work whereby he doth not only work by speaking instruction, as
working upon their reason, or by terrors, &c., and so by this work upon their
wills, as he did upon Balaam, and Laban, and Abimelech, warning them by
niffht. No, that is not all, but he influenceth men by more real, silent,
powerful, secret acts upon them, making their wills listless unto such an ob-
ject, so that he restrains the inclinations of corrupt nature, as when he kept
in the rage of the fire from hurting of the three children, Dan. iii. 27. The
like work he wrought in Esau, when he came against Jacob, — he turned his
heart to love him. It was not such a work as was upon Laban, for that to
Laban was by a speaking act, warning him by night, which Laban was sen-
sible of, and therefore says that God appeared to him ; but that on Esau was
an undiscerned act in the working of it, jei efficaciously restraining his wrath
acainst Jacob. And although that impression upon Esau's will was but for
that one particular act, and so was transient, yet what God did to him and
those others in these particular cases he may do and doth in some others for
continuance, by the same kind of working, in a permanent gift, restraining
sin, which men call a virtue. Thus Paul calls it the gift of continency,
1 Cor. vii. 7; Mat. xix. 11, 12, where Christ says there were some chaste
who were born so. And thus it may seem he dealt with Abimelech, not only
restraining him by his conscience and acts of reason, but by a secret act and
hand upon his heart, keeping his lust from the breaking forth of it upon

Chap. YI.J in respect of sin and punishment. 399

Sarah, though taken into his power and (as it is thought) into his bed : Gen.
XX. G, ' I kept thee,' says God, that is, held in or kept back, as the word
signifies, implying the impetuousness of his lust of itself; and 'I suffered
thee not,' and agreeable to the Hebrew it is, non dedi, or non tradidi te tibi,
that is, ' I left thee not unto thyself.' And this was such a work as Abime-
lech discerned not till God told him it, that he might acknowledge it. So it
it is, too, in Ps. Ixxvi. 10, * Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, the
remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.' The meaning is, take the enemies
of the church, so much of their wrath as shall make for the good of the
church and the glory of God, so much will he let out and suflfer them to
manifest and vent, and execute it upon his people ; but the dregs of their
wrath, the remainder of it, so much as will be for the hurt of his church,
and not make for his glory, that he will curb and restrain, and will not suffer the
dregs of it to be broached. Now, if he restrains some degrees of a lust in
regard of the working of it, he can and doth restrain it altogether in some,
and works so upon their wills, that the abstinence from such a lust shall be
very easy ; and this he doth without putting in a new principle of grace, but
b}' a common work of the Spirit upon the hearts and wills.

2dly, God doth not only cut short their spirits from desiring too many
evils, but works in them desires to many things morally good, and against
things morally evil.

(1.) He touches their hearts with many inclinations to what is morally
good ; there is an impression made by God's Spirit upon their wills which
doth incline'^ them to many things morally good, as to justice, temperance,
and obedience to superiors, and piety to parents, &c., 1 Sam. x. 26. When
God had anointed Saul, one of the smallest tribe and family, to be king over
his people (whereas the hearts of men are naturally inclined as much to
rebellion as to anything else, and men by nature are impatient to have others
rule over them, especially such an one as was raised out of so mean a con-
dition from among them), it is said that ' there went with him a band of
men whose hearts God had touched.' The Lord, by a common work of his
Spirit, did incline their hearts to be subject to Saul, he did put into them an
habitual disposition of obedience to him. As the loadstone toucheth the
knife, and there is a virtue left behind it, so God's Spirit doth touch men's
hearts, and put into them many moral dispositions, as of obedience, &c. So
he did touch the heart of Saul then, when David spared his life in the cave ;
he was overcome with kindness, the text says he wept, he had an ingenuity
in him, 1 Sam. xxiv. 16. By the like reason he toucheth men's hearts with
a disposition of heroicness, as he did Saul's also, which is the meaning of
that scripture, 2 Sam. x. 9. When he was king, he had another heart, and
it was girded over with heroical and kingly dispositions, which for two years
lasted in public aims for the good of his country, and often appeared in his
following reign. The like is that put into children towards their parents,
which the heathens called pietatem in parentes. So also he gave the Israelites
favour in the Egyptians' eyes (a people who otherwise hated them), to lend
them their ear-rings, which they might suspect they would carry away from
them, Exod. xii. 35, 36. What a work was this ! And a like work is it
when God makes men friendly to their neighbours, &c. So the barbarians,
when Paul and all the men with him were shipwrecked, they kindled them a
fire, and shewed them kindness, as the text says. Acts xxviii. 2.

(2.) So he sets their hearts against what is morally evil. This we may see
in Saul when he was king, 1 Sam. xi. 6. There was Nahash the Ammonite
came, and would have subdued the people of Jabesh-Gilead, and would have
this base covenant from them, that he might thrust out all their right eyes

400 AN UNKEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

— a barbarous cruelty ! Now, Saul being their king, though a wicked man,
yet the Spirit of God came upon him, and his anger was kindled greatly.
God's Spirit wrought in that affection such a disposition, whereby he was
exceedingly provoked with indignation of so inhuman a fact. There was an
heroicness of spirit fell upon him, whereby he did detest such a fact, and his
spirit boiled within him to revenge it, which was from God's Spirit. So
Hazael, a heathen, had such dispositions in him, that he did then detest those
cruelties that the prophet told him of, though they were wrought out after-
wards ; but he then said, ' What, is thy servant a dog, that he should do
this great wickedness ? ' 2 Kings viii. 13. He accounted him that should
do so a dog, a beast, not a man, the basest and vilest of men. Yet con-
cerning this let it be added, that this disposition is rather a looking at such
courses as contrary to principles of humanity (as his speech implies) than
as contrary to God. Men see a baseness, an inhumanness in them, which
they are conscious to be in them, and so out of heroic generosity rather
scorn them than hate them as sins.

Now, if it be asked, How these can stand and be symbolical in man's
nature, who is nothing but full of love to himself ? I answer. That though
it be granted that this common work is a winning of some ground (as I may
so express it) of self-love, that whereas a man loves none but himself, if
corrupt nature be left to itself ; God by such dispositions elevates corrupt
affections, so as self-love affords to others something of its love, and takes
not all to itself, but lets others have a share in its affections, friends, and
parents, &c., yet so as though it suffers others as sojourners to have some
room in the heart, yet self is king still, and hath custom out of all. But as
good nature is winning ground from self-love towards men, so grace is de-
posing it, and subjecting it to God ; for till it be deposed, the kingdom of sin
stands, though these virtues enjoy many boons and favours under it. So
that we see there is a common work of the Holy Ghost upon men's wills,
suitable to the light of their consciences, whereby he doth restrain men from
much evil, and whereby he doth put in them some heroic dispositions to
what is morally good, all which falls short of grace.

Now for God's end in this work : it is, first, for the elect's sake ; and,
secondly, that the world might stand.

1st, For the elect's] sake it is ; and, therefore, we shall find. Gen. xx. 3,
that God restrained Abimelech ; he did put into him an integrity of heart,
that he did follow his conscience ; and also he restrained and kept him from
Sarah for Abraham's sake; for that is the reason given: Ps. cv. 14, 15,
' He suffered no man to do them wrong ; yea, he reproved kings for their
sakes, saying, Touch not mine anointed,' &c. It hath reference to that
storv of Abimelech ; it was for Abraham's sake, and so for the seed of Abra-
ham's snke ; because if men were left to the villany and wickedness of their
nature, they would leave no man upon the earth, much more would they all
fall upon the elect, and encompass the holy city. For their sakes, there-
fore, that they may ' lead a peaceable life in regard of honesty and godU-
ness,' God doth put such moral dispositions in men. And,

2dlv, For the world's sake, for indeed without this the world could not
stand," for the wickedness of the world would be so great that men would
devour one another. Therefore as God doth give gifts to rebellious men in
the church, Ps. Ixviii, 18, to build up the church, or that it may stand to be
built up, so he gives men that live in the world, principles and virtues that
may fit them to live in the world, that it may stand. And therefore in this
relation thanks are to be given for all men, as well as prayers made for
them : 1 Tim. ii. 1, 'I exhort therefore, that, first of all, suppUcations,

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 401

prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.' And yet
again, while men are thus respected by one another, and mutually by each
other, by reason of these impressions made upon their corrupt nature ; yet
lost ho that made the world should have no respect given to himself, nor the
world be sensible of any duty they did owe to him, and so he should be
clean shut out of the world, therefore he did not leave himself without
witness ; but they should know there was a God, that even his enemies
uiight have some respect to him, acknowledge him, and reverence himself,
and do some offices of respect to him, as well as one towards another, there-
fore he hath put some sparks of the knowledge of a deity into all men'a
hearts, Rom. i. 19, 20. And withal, he hath implanted in their wills and
affections some impressions of fear and reverence, as appeared in all the
heathens, of whom some were naturally devout, as those women that yet
opposed Paul : Acts xiii. 50, * But the Jews stirred up the devout and
honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution
against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.' They are
called devout persons, which natural devotion is a third principle whereby
self-love doth naturally acknowledge God as kiug, and hath a motive of
doing some homage to him, and to acknowledge it due ; yet so as it is but
as those kings, or free states, who, though the}-- may acknowledge another
state their protector, yet live by their own laws, and dispose of all by their
own authority, while they thus acknowledge some respect to another. And
all these three principles, of conscience, moral virtue, and devotion towards
God, are internal more or less in every man.

But further, unto these God hath added some assistance to strengthen
conscience in what it dictates, and to help forward the practice of virtues.

As, 1, natural wisdom, which doth both assist conscience, and help to
strengthen these moral dispositions, and assists against many sins. So
Haman, though his revenge began to boil, and was ready to break forth, and
he was exceedingly wroth with Mordecai, yet notwithstanding he was kept
by his wisdom from present revenge, for he thought to a take fitter oppor-
tunity for it afterwards : Esther v. 10, it is said, ' he refrained himself.'
So Saul, his natural wisdom moved him to moderation, 1 Sam. x. 27 ; for
though a band of men whose hearts God had touched, followed him, yet
there was a company of the children of Belial, who said, * How shall this
man save us ? And they despised him, and brought him no presents ; but
he held his peace ; ' that is, Saul winked at this, and did not go about to
revenge it, for his natural wisdom told him that it was best for him to be
silent until he had made his party good. So as though there was no con-
science, yet natural wisdom makes men abstain from many sins, because it
will make for their credit and preservation of their name amongst men, and
the like. Fleshly wisdom is a great principle by which the world is guided ;
therefore we shall find that when Paul would clear himself, that his con-
versation was sincere before God, he saith, ' We have not walked by fleshly
wisdom, but we have had our conversation in the world, by the grace of God,'
2 Cor. i. 12. He puts these two as contradistinct principles which guide
men. Some carry themselves fairly, yet out of fleshly wisdom, which makes
them subject themselves to duties, to conform themselves to religion, which
makes them just, sober, and temperate ; but there was another principle
beyond this in Paul : ' We have had our conversation not with fleshly
wisdom.' Men see it is their wisest and best way, both for their own safety,
and the preservation of the world, to be sober, &c. For all the laws of the
second table are made especially for the good of men in their several rela-

YOL. X. c c

402 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

tions here in this world, and this makes men generally subject themselves
unto them.

2. The second assistance by which natural conscience is helped, is mo-
desty, whereby men are ashamed to do evil ; this restrains as well as
conscience and wisdom. God hath left shame to accompany the conscious-
ness of the baseness of evil courses ; as in Hazael, who blushed when the
prophet looked on him, 2 Kings viii. 11. ' It is a shame,' says the apostle,
Eph. v. 12, ' to speak of that which is done of them in secret.' Hence
sometimes the Gentiles did not so much as name such vile actions. This
principle is yet left, as we see in Adam and Eve when fallen, who were
ashamed. Gen. iii. This Tamar urged to Amnon, ' Thou shalt be a fool in
Israel ; and I, whither shall my shame go ?' 2 Sam. xiii. 12, 13. Modesty
and fear of shame is virtue's keeper, and overlooks corrupt nature, and keeps
men from being notoriously bad.

3. Education being added to all these is an help to civility, and to dis-
pose men to religion ; for all these former principles men have by nature,
and out of the church ; and, if so, we must not think God is less liberal in
bestowing all these upon them who live in the church, where himself is to
be worshipped, and where his elect hve ; he giving these gifts to these ends,
that he might be acknowledged, and they live peaceable lives. And men
having been brought up in such places where religion is professed, where
such sins are punished ; and seeing the daily example of those amongst
whom they live, to be against the practice of such sins, this doth mould
many to the outward practice of godliness. Example hath a great stroke and
sway amongst men ; therefore, saith Solomon, Prov. ii. 26, * Train up a
child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from
it.' What made Paul a pharisee so strict ? He was brought up at the feet
of Gamaliel, a pharisee of the pharisees ; this helped him exceedingly. Edu-
cation hath a great stroke to carry us to evil or good.

(1.) To evil. An example of this we have in Rehoboam. What made him
so wickedly to cast off the counsel of the old men ? It is said, 1 Kings xii. 8,
he consulted with those that were grown up with him. Those that he lived
withal, and conversed with, had a great deal of authority over him, and
therefore he took their counsel.

(2.) To good. So in good families the power of education works much
upon men : 2 Kings xii. 2, there it is said, that ' Jehoash did that which
was right in the sight of the Lord, all the days that Jehoiada instructed him.'
He having brought him up from eight years old, moulded him to a good
conformity ; so that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all
the while that Jehoiada lived ; but afterwards, as it was the force of com-
pany, and example, and education, that carried him on, so when the cour-
tiers came and bowed to him, and flattered him, he was carried away with
that stream to idolatry. This good education, therefore, being added to
light of conscience, and those impressions that God makes upon men's wills,
and unto natural wisdom and modesty, doth prevail with men to keep them
from gross sins, and to carry them on to holy duties.

4. The hght of the word being added to all this, must needs work more
upon the mere natural light in men ; for they, by living in the church, have
the light of the word added to the light of conscience and moral virtues.
This must have a greater power upon men, and though it doth not prevail
to convert, yet at least they shall smell of it ; for when men shall find in the
word of God the same things commanded and forbidden that natural con-
science doth forbid or command, natural conscience comes to have more
strength, and is the more backed ; for the word gives it a new and double

Chap, VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 403

commission, and fumisheth it with distincter and greater threatenings of
hell, and promises of heaven, to persuade men to obedience. It furnisheth
conscience with a new commission, and enlargeth it ; for it not only says
the same to men that conscience said, but enlighteneth it further with many
duties, which, when known, agree to the principles of conscience ; or, as
conclusions further drawn out, to the principles of reason ; so, as the pha-
risees had a form of knowledge of the law, Rom. ii., and answerably to that
form of knowledge, the virtues in their wills are enlarged much also, and
they come to have a form of godliness, 2 Tim. iii. And that this light of
the word, or living where the ordinances are administered, do strengthen
and help moral virtues, appears by the instance of the kings of Israel. Why
were the kings of Israel said to be merciful above all the kings of the nations ?
Because they had the ordinances. Therefore Ahab, though wicked, yet was
a merciful man, because he was a king of Israel.

5. Some particular ingredients in education, as the laws of men (which
are part of education), do mightily help forward to civilize men. The re-
spect to superiors doth keep men in awe ; so Esau was restrained, for he
would have killed his brother, but he did put it off till the days of his father's
death, and till mourning for him was past. What is the reason he did it not
then presently ? The respect to his father, whilst alive, restrained him.
Accordingly the apostle says, Rom. xiii. 4, that the magistrate ' bears not
the sword in vain, but is a terror to those that do ill ;' so that the laws of
men being added to the word, help exceedingly to civilize men, and are reme-
dies to corrupt nature.

6. And, in the last place, by living thus in the church, both assent is
wrought to the truths delivered in the word, and also natural devotion is
stirred up towards the true God in the duties of his own worship.

1st, To assent to the principles of religion, is upon that ground wrought,
so as to profess them. Thus, as they in John iv. 42, believed in Christ at
the relation of the woman, so do men profess religion by a human faith.
That which the papists say of believing as the church believes, might be
brought up much upon the experience of this, that many, and the most,
have no further ground of their faith than what this amounts to. Thus,
when Mordecai was exalted, many of the nations became Jews also, and
professed the same religion, Esther viii. 17. So there went, too, a mixed
multitude out of Egypt, who afterwards fell off and murmured. And thus
we see that men's opinions in all the churches are fashioned by the received
profession among them ; as Lutheranism among Lutherans, and popery,
where and when men are educated in it, as we see in private families
amongst us.

2dly, And thus is natural devotion stirred up towards the true God, and
in his worship ; for as there is natural conscience in men, so there is natural
devotion in them. The heathens had stamps and impressions of the power
of God upon their hearts ; for it is said, ' That which may be known of God
is manifest in them,' Rom. i. 19. There was and is a fear and reverence of
a God in the heathen. Now, if men live in the church, where the true God
is known, that natural devotion begins to be stirred and guided to the true
Deity and worship ; yet so as it remains, for the principle itself, but mere
nature, only directed to the right object, as being the God of the place and
nation they live in. A pertinent instance to this purpose is 2 Kings xvii.
24-41. There the heathens being removed by the king of Assyria from the
cities of the Medes to the land of Israel, it is said, at the first when they dwelt
there, they feared not the Lord, therefore he sent lions amongst them, which
slew some of them. Upon this they send to the king of Assyria, to send

404 AN UNREGENEBATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

them some of the priests that might teach them ' the manner of the God of
the land ;' and the priests teaching them, they began to fear the Lord,
ver. 41. Thus it is with men living in the church, they begin to fear the
God of the place, and their devotion is stirred up to serve the true God, the
God of the nation and church, and so to profess Christ, yet upon no other
ground than if they lived in Turkey they would profess Mahometauism. It
is natural to men to profess the god and religion of the country in which
they are. If they lived under popery, they would profess the same ; and
men living where the true fear of God is professed, the same natural devo-
tion is stirred up towards the true God, but upon no other ground save
natural principles. Thus Paul, Acts xxii. 3, was zealous towards God ; and
80 those women, who yet opposed Paul, Acts xiii. 50, are called devout
women. I yield indeed it is a work of the Spirit to cause men to assent
that Jesus is the Lord ; as 1 Cor. xii. 3, ' Wherefore I give you to under-
stand, that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed :
and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.' But
this is yet a common work, and reckoned there among those common gifts of
healing, &c.; such gifts as are given to the rebellious also, Ps. Ixviii. 18.
It was from education that Cain, though wicked, yet went out and sacrificed
as well as Abel ; there was a fear of God upon his heart that carried him to
this duty, j

€HAPTER VIL

Thmt the moral rir/hteousness oj unrecfenerate men proceeds from the fore-men-
tioned pnnciples, evinced, because they are most strict about their duty to their
neighbour, but nerjlect what they owe unto God. — That they abstain from such
sins to which by their natural disposition they are not inclined, which it is
easy for them to do whilst they induh/e themselves in other sins. — That they
are more strict against those sins tvhich are forbidden and punished by human
laws, and more zealous for those duties tvhich they enjoin.

Now, let us make application of this, and examine whether the actions of
civil men be not from these principles ; and that will appear, because they
go no further than these may work, than the force of this will carry them ;
and the streams not going higher than the fountain, it may be discerned that
the fountain is but from nature.

1. It appears that that civility that is in most men ariseth but from natural
conscience, because the chief things they make most conscience of, are often
but duties of the second table, and not of the first. The reason is, because
the chief stamps left in natural conscience are duties of the second table,
whenas the duties of the first were blurred and dimmed by the fall. Though
the heathens had some devotion, yet tfce main impression of the law was seen
in the duties of the second table, as honesty towards themselves and other
men, justice in dealing ; and these are the freshest stamps which are left.
I may compare civility to an old, ruinous monastery, where oftentimes the
hall and the kitchen stand fair, but the chapel is ruinated, only here and
there you may perceive a pillar or some ruins of it ; so in the castle of civi-
lity, that part which concerns duties towards men stands fair, men are fairly
sober, loving, and ingenuous; but that part that concerns duties towjvrds
God is ruinous. Here and there may be found an old remainder, an old
piece of a wall, a piece of a duty, something they will do;^ but the main
duties, the great things of the law (which if grace had enlightened thy con-

Chap. VII.J in respect of sin and punishment. 405

science, thon woiildst make most conscience of), as private prayer, sancti-
lying tho Sabbath, &c. these civil men regard not. And because they have
the chiefest respect to good manners, and a fair behaviour among men, and
to live like good citizens of the commonwealth, therefore they have the name
of civil men.

2. For the virtues thou hast, that they proceed from restraining grace, and
a common work of the Spirit, appears by this.

(1.) That thou wantestthe chiefest virtues and graces of the gospel. Though
men be temperate, just, <fec., yet they know not how to deny themselves, to
be broken in spirit for otiTending God, to be humbled under their natural
condition, to walk in a sense of their misery, which are some of the chiefest
graces of the gospel. Civil men know not what belongs to these gospel
virtues, they want that virtue also to love their enemies, which Christ pre-
scribes : Mat. V. 44, ' But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them
that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you, and persecute you.' Civil men want such evangelical
virtues as these. And as one saith of humility, that it is not to be found in
all Aristotle's ethics, so zeal towards God, and such graces as these, cannot
be found in civil men ; whereas, if they had their graces from Christ, these
would be most abundant in them.

(2.) All those virtues grow in men alone spontaneously, which evidenceth
that they proceed from nature. The earth brings forth daisies alone of itself;
but if you would have herbs come up, there must be a seed sown. So these
good dispositions of meekness and honest dealing, &c., you will find that you
had them from your youth ; as the young man in Mat. xix. 20, who could
say, ' All these have I kept from my youth.' But a man that hath graces
from Christ, shall find a seed sown in his heart, and the work of conversion
wrought by the word.

(3.) These virtues grow not up to an increase, which evidenceth they are
not grace, for that is of a growing nature ; but the moral man is just now no
more than he was twenty years ago. But the graces of the Spirit grow ; a
man grows more in zeal and love towards God. All graces coming from
Christ are of a growing nature, whilst the other are as limbs in dead men.
As dead members grow not, or as the parts of a picture grow not, so their
virtues do not grow, which argues that they come not from Christ by the
work of sanctification, but from a common work of the Spirit.

(4.) It appears by this that all their goodness is but from nature, because
all that abstinence from sin and vicious practices with which they content
themselves is only such as they can perform with ease, and what nature in-
clines them unto, or moral virtues facilitate to them, otherwise such sins as
are discovered to be as great sins as those they make conscience of (if dear
to them) they do not endeavour to abstain from ; and those duties which
are above the sphere of nature, they inure not themselves to, though dis-
covered to be as necessary as any other. Thus they pick and choose in the
ways of God, and ofi'er sacrifices of what costs them nothing. They sacri-
fice the lean sins, not the fat ; they only pare their nails, but cut not ofi" their
right hands, shave the hair upon their eyelids, but pull not out their eyes.
What comes alone and easily they will practise, as lazy apprentices in a
trade, but what is difficult and out of the common road they set not their
hearts unto. Their goodness, therefore, is not universal, as grace is,

3. That all this moral goodness proceeds most from natural wisdom
appears by this, that the consideration of fleshly wisdom guides them in
their ways, and orders them. The good they do is fed and nourished with
motives drawn from the world and worldly wisdom, and not such as are

406 AN TJNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

taken out of the word, and upon those they exhort their children to good
courses, if at any time they give good counsel.

4. That they have that which is in them by education and modesty, &c.,
appears,

1st. Because as to sins. What sins the law is most against, those they
are most against, and they estimate sins as they are punished by the judges,
as Job speaks, chap. xxxi. 11 ; but for other sins, as breaking the Sabbath,
petty oaths, and the like, they slight, and count them nothing, though the
law of God forbids them, if the laws of men be remiss in them. This argues
that they have their religion but from the laws of men, because they estimate
sins according as the law estimates them.

2dly. The same is evident as to their religious duties, for they are cast
into such a mould and pitch for the practice of them as the laws of men cast
them into ; so much religion as the law requires, so much they profess, and
no more. They perform public duties as they are members of a congrega-
tion ; but take them in a private personal walking with God ; those things
which the law of God requires and not men, they make no conscience of, as
meditating on the law day and night, examining their hearts, &c.

3dly. As for their assent to the principles of religion, they assent to all
the articles of faith, and that all men are corrupt by nature, and that they
must be justified by faith ; but it appears they have it from education, be-
cause they have not experimentally found the truth of them in their own
hearts. That a man's nature is so vile, they believe it in gross and in the
notion ; but to have a work upon their hearts, to see in themselves what the
word saith of corrupt nature, so as to be humbled by it, this civil men want
and never see, which godly men do. So, who in all those great points of
original sin, emptiness of all righteousness, and justification by faith, see all
these things in their own hearts, they do not believe these only in general,
but see all in the particulars of them, and have fetched the experience of
them out of the fire, as Luther said of himself, that he thus drew out the
doctrine of justification by faith. It is said by Christ, John vii. 25, • He
that doth the will of my Father shall know the truth.' A man that lives in
the church, and is truly converted to God, knows all the truths that the
church professeth by doing of them. He doth not take them up in gross, as
civil men do, but he finds them experimentally in his own heart ; he knows
them by doing, as Christ saith of regenerate men, John iii. 11, ' We speak
the things that we have heard, and testify the things that we have seen.'
Godly men learn over all the principles of religion anew by their own experi-
ence, and this civil men want, and therefore their assent to the principles of
religion is but human, and such as they would have given to Mahometanism
and popery if they had been brought up in it.

5. And lastly, that their devotion which they have in holy performances is
but natural appears by this, that all the duties they perform do not any way
quicken or build up their hearts in grace. If, by all the ordinances they come
to, their souls do not thrive ; if they go away as they came, and have no com-
munion with God, it shews all is but natural devotion, because their hearts
are not established with grace. That which the apostle says of the doctrines
of men, may be said of the performance of duties by these men: Heb. xiii. 9,
* It is a good thing to have the heart established with grace, and not with
meats, which do not profit them that are exercised in them.' These men do
not find their hearts inflamed with love towards God ; they have, indeed,
been conversant in duties long, yet they have not found any communion with
God in them ; their hearts have not been established and built up in grace ;
they are like a dead body that hath much earth put to it, and yet grows not ;

Chap. VIII.] in respect op sin and punishment. 407

so nor do they grow by their performances, they are but bodily exercises to
them. This diUerence of their performances from that which is truly graci-
ous, Paul expresseth, Rom. vii. 6, ' We do not serve God in the oldness of
the letter, but in newness of spirit.' He compares his former state and the
performances thereof with that which he was now in, and with his present
performances. Then he served God only in the oldness of the letter, as per-
haps when he came to public exercises he was attentive to the letter, but
there was not a newness of spirit to accompany the duties. So civil men
serve God in the oldness of the letter, and their understandings go along
with our sermons and prayers, but without a newness of the Spirit. While
men serve God thus, it is nothing else but a mere outward conformity, by
reason of the duties that are performed in the places where they live ; and
this being the state of many men living in the church, the chiefest thing they
rely [upon is civil righteousness, therefore they are called civil men, for
denominalio est d majore.

CHAPTER VIII.

That these moral actions want the essentials of goodness. — That they are defec-
tive in the manner of their performance, and not directed to their right end.
— That they also are done without faith in Christ.

Having thus spoken to the total model and compass of their estates in
general, we will now single out each several condition apart, and hear and
answer the pleas which they make for themselves.

The first thing that blinds them and preserves them in a good opinion of
their estates is the goodness that seems to be in many of their actions, for
they hear out of the word that unregenerate men in the estate of nature are
said to do no good, to^be altogether unprofitable, Rom. iii. 11, 12, and that
an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit, no more than thorns a bunch of
grapes, or the thistles figs, and that every thought and imagination is evil,
and only evil continually. Now with me (thinks such a man) I find it is not
so, for I do good, and much good ; good to the poor, I give alms twice a
week ; good to my family, I provide for them ; good to the commonwealth,
by diligence in my calling ; and I perform many duties of religion that do
glorify God. Will any man say that such actions as these are sins, or
that I am altogether unprofitable, and that every imagination in me is con-
tinually and only evil ? My actions testify the contrary. And can I imagine
but that God will accept and regard what good I do, and consider it, who
accepts the meanest services ? And here indeed they stick. So the phari-
sees did ; they could not see but what they did was good, and so justified
themselves ; and therefore it is to them that Christ spake those speeches,
Luke vi. 44, that ' an evil tree could not bring forth good fruit.' And, Mat.
xii. 34, ' How can ye, being evil, speak good things ?' He speaks in oppo-
sition to their thought of themselves. This rose in Cain's stomach ; he
brought a sacrifice to God as well as Abel, Gen. iv. 3, 4, and was as forward
to do it as he ; and it was a sacrifice, for the matter of it, as good as Abel's,
for the first fruits of the earth were commanded to be ofi'ered, as well as the
firstlings of the flock, and he saw no reason but that his sacrifice should be
accepted as well as Abel's, and his countenance fell when he saw it rejected.
Now what it was that made him think much, you may perceive by God's
reasoning with Cain, ver. 7, ' If thou do well, shalt thou not ^be accepted ?'
Cain thought that he had done as well for his part as Abel for his, and God

408 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

spealis tmto that secret reasoning of his, and tells him the fault lay in his
sacrifice as it came fi'om him, that it was not good, for if it had been such
he would have accepted it : 'If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted ?'
So they, at the latter day, not only before man's tribunal but Christ's, seem
to argue and plead what good they had done, as remaining, as might seem,
and that there was some good in them which Christ might accept. And that
they thus speak then argues that this is the great thing they stick at for their
estates, which they have most satisfaction in. Mat. vii. 22, 23. And the
reason why men are not wholly driven out of themselves, though they cannot
deny themselves to be guilty of great and gross sins, is because that yet they
cannot see but that many things they do are good, which bolsters them
out against the other : but when they come to see not only their evil ways,
but also their doings, which are not good, and that those doings which they
thought to have been good are indeed void of that goodness which they
imagined in them, then it is, and not before, they loathe themselves,
Ezek. vi. 9.

For answer and discovery of this false goodness these men imagine in
themselves,

1. If we find in many of them the quantity of this goodness, of which
they boast, we shall yet find there is not so much to boast of, for usually
the best part of civility lies most in negatives, as that I am no adulterer, no
drunkard, as that pbarisee said, &c. ; but there is little affirmative goodness.
Whereas grace is an active thing, makes a man zealous of good works :
Titus ii. 14, ' Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all
iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.'
Grace works as strongh' in carrying on to good as in restraining from evil,
for vivification and mortification are of equal extent ; and God will judge thee
by thy works, not by thy abstinence from evil : ' Cease to do evil, learn to
do well,' Isa. i. 16, 17, otherwise thou keepest the commandments as beasts
keep the Sabbath, wherein thou art not only to rest and abstain from labour,
— so the beasts do, — but thou must keep it holy. A man is truly accounted
covetous, though he abstain from unjust practices, if he have his riches shut
up, and he doth not lay them out in good works to himself, and the church,
and his family. And'' in like manner, he is truly wicked, who, though he
abstains from evil, yet is not zealous of holy duties. Two negatives make
an affirmative in grammar, but ten thousand will not make one in divinity.

But, 2. We will endeavour (through God's assistance) to convince such
men that even those few actions, which, in their own eyes and others', seem
so godly and glorious, are for the kind of them corrupt and abominable, and
that in deed and in truth they do no good ; no, none in anything that ever
they did. Their actions are not only imperfectly good, and in part tainted
with sin (as a regenerate man's actions are, being as a good apple that hath
some specks of rottenness in it, yet, that being cut out, the apple is pleasant
and hath a good relish), but as they come from them they have no true good-
ness in them ; are not as kindly apples a little corrupted, but as degenerate
crabs, as wild grapes, as the Scripture's expression is, which are no way
acceptable to God, or are for his palate. It is true, that if thou wert to be
judged by man's day,* many things which thou dost would pass for current,
and they could not but approve thee and reward thee for them. For what
thou dost is good in the appearance and outside of it, and also good and
profitable to men, and do applaud thee, so Rom. xiii. 3, 4. Men's works
are called good in a civil respect when they are outwardly so ; ' Do that
which is good,' though but externally so, ' and thou shalt have praise ' of

* Qa ' law '—Ed.

Chap. VIII. ] in respect of sin and punishment. 409

magistrates and rulers, says he, ' who are not a terror to good works, hut to
evil.' He calls them good works, when for suhstance they are such, and
though they have by-ends the magistrate meddleth not with them ; but he
that judgeth thee is the Lord, and God 'sees not as man sees,' 1 Sam. xvi.
7 ; for man doth not nor can look any farther than ' the outward appearance,'
but the Lord ' looks on the heart.' The pharisees, because men thought
and spake well of them (who saw no more but their outward actions), there-
fore they out of the flattery of their hearts thought well of themselves also :
so says Christ, Luke xvi. 15, 'And he said unto them. Ye are they which
justify yourselves before men ; but God knoweth your hearts : for that which
is highly esteemed amongst men is abominable in the sight of God.' You
justify yourselves before men (says he), and they had goodness enough to
challenge man's judgment ; but God knows your hearts, whence all the good
you do proceeds ; and consider (says he) that that which is in high esteem
with men is often an abomination to God, and so, says Christ, are all your
good works you boast of. But you will say, It is not only because men
approve what I do as good, but my own conscience also, which is God's
witness, and which knoweth the heart and things of a man, tells me so, and
excuseth me.

Therefore, consider 2dly, That many of thy actions may be good in the
eyes of thine own conscience, when yet they are abominable before God. The
heathen's consciences did excuse them : Rom. ii. 14, ' For when the Gen-
tiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law,
these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves.' Had they had no
other jury, they had been acquitted in many particulars. Titus, the emperor,
when he died, flung open the curtains when he was to die* (when con-
science useth to be most awake), and complained that he had not deserved
to die, so fair and good were his actions in his own eyes. But God is greater
than thy conscience, and thy actions may be good in thine own eyes when
abominable in his. ' There is a generation (Prov. xxx. 12) that are pure in
their own eyes, who are not yet washed from their filthiness ; nay, conscience
itself in thee is defiled (Titus i. 15) and bhnd. But thou wilt say. My con-
science looks into the law which I must be judged by, and finds my actions
agreeable to the law in many things, and are they not good then ?

Therefore, consider 3dly, That there are two parts of the law, inward and
outward, the letter and the spirit ; whereof the one requires the precepts to
be done, the other requires a right manner of doing them. This we find,
Deut. vi. 25, ' This is your righteousness, if you observe all these command-
ments, as he hath commanded us.' Mark it, not only to do the things com-
manded, but to do them as he hath commanded you ; not only to hear, but
to heed, says Christ, how you hear ; not only to give, but to give in sim-
plicity ; if to shew mercy, to do it with cheerfulness, Eom. xii. 8. So ser-
vants are to obey their masters with good will, as to the Lord, Eph. vi. 6, 7;
and ministers are to feed their flock, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready
mind, 1 Peter v. 2.

Now, whilst thou regardest not the manner of doing what the law re-
quires, as well as the thing itself the law requires, tbou leavest out the soul
of that goodness which should inspire the action, and make it truly good.
The Gentiles are said, Rom. ii. 14, only to do the things of the law, ra rov
vofMov, not the law itself. But the law is then said to be fulfilled, 1 Tim. i. 15,
when love out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned, can
run to it; otherwise the work is but a dead work, from which the conscience
must be purged as defiling it, Heb. ix. 14, as dead carcases did the Jews.
* Suetonius in vita Titi Vespas. c. x.

410 AN UNBEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEPOEE GOD, [BoOK X.

There is the corpse of goodness in such an action, but the soul is wanting ;
there is bodily exercise, but the power is wanting. But to give a more direct
conviction that all their good works God reckons sins, this appeareth from
Isa. Ixvi. 3, ' He that killeth an ox, is as if he slew a man ; he that sacri-
ficeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck ; he that offereth an oblation, as
if he offered swine's blood ; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol :
yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their
abominations,' where he parallels their sacrifices to the cutting off a dog's
neck, or the killing of a man.

But you will say. How can this be ? Seeing the things we perform are
good for the substance of them, how came they to be sin ? I answer, though
they be good, yet they are turned into sin, and become sin, as coming from
such persons. Thus David speaks, Ps. cix. 7, ' Let his prayer become sin ; '
or, as the apostle says in another case, James iv. 17, ' To them it is sin.'
If you ask how that comes to pass, I answer, first, in general, they receive
both an external defilement from the estate of the person, and, secondly, an
internal from the corruption of the soul ; they come as proceeding from hearts
corrupted; both these are intimated, Titus i. 15, 'To the defiled and un-
believers all things are defiled.' There is noted out, 1, that their state doth
defile all ; and, 2, that the pollution of their minds also, whence all their
actions proceed, do infect them ; for it is added, * their minds and con-
sciences are defiled.' They receive an external defilement from the estate
their persons stand in, which, being an estate of wrath and enmity, Eph.
ii. 2, in regard thereof their persons are abominable, and therefore their
works ; for as Abel's person was first accepted, then his sacrifices, Heb.
xi. 4, so our persons must be accepted before our works come to be accepted.
Natural men fall a-doing, and think their works should bring them into
favour ; but that will never be till they get into Christ by believing, and till
by this the state of the person is altered. If a traitor is condemned, all he
doth is void in law ; as whether he seal a covenant, make a will, take an
oath, or give in a testimony, it is all invalid, for his person is not good in
law. Now they that believe not are condemned already, says Christ, John
iii. 18 ; and indeed, such being enemies to God, their gifts are no gifts, du^a
e^dpojv adu^a,. They say of some precious stones, that being put into a dead
man's mouth, they lose their virtue ; so all the prayers of an unregenerate
man, though in themselves good, yet in his mouth become sins ; and to the
same purpose Solomon says, Prov. xxi. 4, ' The ploughing of the wicked is
sin.' Neither have they only an extrinsecal, adjacent, relative defilement from
the persons and their state, and their sinful other courses, who perform them,
but there is also an intrinsecal inherent defilement in the works themselves,
as they come from them, in regard of the principles themselves whence they
flow, and which are the root of them ; thus in Titus i. 15. All things are
not said only to be defiled to them, because their persons are defiled, and
their state a state of unbelief, that they are defiled and unbelievers, but also
because the very best principles whence these works should proceed, even
their minds, and the highest and noblest acts of reason, and their con-
sciences, which retain the purest and noblest principles moving men to good
works ; all these are defiled and corrupted, because the nature of man, whence
they proceed, is not yet purified and renewed by grace and holiness. For
all the virtues they have do but gild and hide some corruption, they do not
change and alter their natures. Now unless the heart be purified, wherein
all our thoughts, and projects, and ends, and purposes, and motions (whence
outward acts do flow), are moulded, unless this be purified, all that pro-
ceedeth thence, must needs want all true goodness ; for the effect cannot be

Chap. VIII.] in bespect of sin and punishment. 411

better than the canse, nor the fruit better than the root. As Christ says,
Mat. vii. 16, 17, ' Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? A
corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit,' no, not one ; not only, not ordi-
narily, or not many, but not one. For ho argues from nature, as a thorn
cannot bring forth one grape, but all that grows out of it are briars and
prickles, unprofitable things, and fit to be burned, so nar can corrupt nature
bring forth any good unto God. And he instanceth in words, Mat. xii. 34,
* How can ye, being evil, speak good things ? ' Why, there is nothing more
easy than to speak well ; to think well, or to do well, is something difficult.
Well, but Christ says, that they being evil, know not how to speak a good
word. Yet the pharisees were often speaking godlily — as Christ says, ' do
as they say ' — but though the words are good for the matter of them, yet
their speeches, as they are theirs, are never good, for themselves are evil ;
they may say good things, but they cannot speak good things. Every bite
of a serpent is poisonous, because his nature is envenomed, not only when
he bites to hurt, but he poisons the very meat he takes. Now the poison
of asps is under wicked men's tongues, Eom. iii. 13 ; and though the
words they take into their mouths may be good, as Ps. 1. 16, ' Why takest
thou my words into thy mouth ? ' yet that poison in their hearts, and
under their tongues infects them, as they are theirs, and to them they be-
come poisoned and sinful. For as Job says, chap. xiv. 4, ' Who can bring
a clean thing out of an unclean ? not one.' So the apostle speaks too, Rom,
viii. 8, ' He that is in the flesh cannot please God.' As not his person, so
none of his actions, though virtues morally good, and sparks of light may
be added to that flesh and corruption that is in him, to abate the venom in
the working of it ; yet because the man himself is in that flesh, so that he is
overcome with it, and it is the main predominate principle in every action,
therefore they all are poisoned by it.

But suppose them without this positive defilement, yet these thy best
actions in a privative relation are sins ; though coming from virtues and
conscience, yet they are sins, because those good principles which must
concur to make an action good are wanting in them. For sin being a pri-
vation, the very want of those good principles that should have influence
into the actions, leaves them sinful. For there is no medium between evil
actions and good, as not between the estate of nature and grace. Therefore,
says Solomon, Prov. xxi. 27, ' The prayer of the wicked is abominable,
much more when he ofi'ers it with an evil mind ; ' though he should put no
bad end in, yet it would be abominable, because his mind wants those good
principles which should make good the prayer. Now, what says Paul ?
1 Tim. i. 15, 'Love is the fulfilling of the law, out of a pure heart, and of a
good conscience, and faith unfeigned ; ' all these must join to make up an
action good.

1. If thou wantest love to God, and aiming at his glory as the chiefest
end in thy heart, all thou dost is not accepted : 1 Cor. xiii. 3, ' If I give my
body to be burnt, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.' Faith must
set love a- work, and love must set thee a- work, as it did set Mary, and Paul,
and all the saints a-work. Love to men may set thee a-work, or to thy
children, parents, &c., but if love to God did not, it is nothing.

2. Thy good actions must flow also from a pure heart. The chiefest
thing wherein grace exerciseth itself, and hath the most work to busy itself
with, is within doors, in the heart ; perfect holiness cleanseth the spirit, the
spiritual faculties as well as the flesh, which is the body, 2 Cor. vii. 1 ; but
the civil man looks to outward actions only, and to keep them square and
fair is his chief business. If he cleanseth himself from lusts of the flesh,

412 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK X.

that is, the body, yet he hath no great ado nor care of the lusts of his mind;
and the reason is, because the eye of the conscience looks chiefly to the out-
ward act, to such lusts as tend to gross acts, but not to spiritual lusts ;
thus Rom. ii. 14, they are said to ' do the things of the law,' that is, tho
outward part. And also natural wisdom and the laws of m( u, which they
are guided by, look but to outward acts, and require no more ; but now
grace, having most to do with God, contents not itself with bodily exercise,
but frames the heart to inward purity and godliness, and there beg'ns its
work. A limner that makes a picture, shadows out the outward parts only ;
but nature, in making a living man, begins first to shape and form the most
inward parts, the heart, the liver, &c. ; and so doth true godliness begin,
Eph. iv. 22, He that knows the truth as it is to be known in Jesus Christ,
bath put off not the conversation only, but the lusts. A godly man, he
looks to God, and of all else, desires to approve his heart to him, and above
all keeping, keeps his heart, Prov. iv, 23.

^- -^^y good actions must proceed also from a good conscience, void of
base ends, for the end is the form of the action, quod forma in naturalibus,
id finis in moralibus. Now, then, when God is not chiefly aimed at, the
form of goodness is wanting. But thou wilt say, Are not such ends as do
respect men good, and therefore will they not make the action good, though
God be not principally aimed at ? I answer. No ; for these ends, though in
themselves good when subordinate, yet are evil when they are the chief,
because then they are unto thee in God's stead, and usurp his place. All
ends have their goodness, because they tend to God ; they hold their g od-
ness of him, for God is only good, as Christ says ; therefore now when God
is left out, they become evil ; as noblemen, though when they are subject to
the king, they retain their nobility, yet if they go about to usurp his place,
they lose it, and become traitors. Now, as kings are the fountain of nobi-
lity, so God is of goodness ; and as usurpers may do many good things in
the commonwealth, make good laws, &c., as our Richard the Third did, but
yet because he did it as king, it was evil; had he done all as protector under
that young King Edward the Fifth, it had been praiseworthy. Now, the
reason why in these very actions, wherein we do good to men, we should
principally aim at God, is, because though God made those commandments
of the second table for the good of men, yet principally that in the obedience
of them, his sovereignty might be acknowledged ; and so as in breaking of
those we are chiefly said to sin against him (as David confesseth in the
matter of murder, upon the person of Uriah : Ps. li, 4, * Against thee,
against thee only have I sinned'), so also in observing them we must look
higher than men, or else it is a sin. Thus, Eph. vi. 6, 7, servants are to
* obey their masters,' doing all ' as to God, not men.'

But you will say, I aim at God also, and have a respect to him ; and so
indeed heathens had some respect to God also ; Cicero monet rempublicom
administrandam, quo nihil gratius est Deo. So those wicked men too, Isa.
Ixvi. 5, who cast out their brethren for God's name's sake, and said, 'Let God
be glorified.'

I answer, that is true they may have God in their eye also ; as when we
do any other thing, we may take many considerations in by the by that are
not the mark we fully looked at ; as the eye looks directly but at one thing,
yet it doth look about and take in many things at once. Self-love may have,
and hath often, such a respect to God, that it may be glad that God is like
to be gratified and pleased by anything it doth; as there is no enemy (unless
one that doth all out of revenge against his enemy), but will be glad if he
pleasures himself, to enlarge it as a kindness to his enemy also, and make

Chap. VIII. j in respect of sin and punishment. 413

the most of it, and be glad that he hath pleasured him, and that he can say,
I did this for you. But God is not mocked, but hath a curious eye, and he
will be looked at directly, and not asquint.

4. Last of all, all thy good actions must be out of faith, which engrafts a
man into Christ. If thou art an unbeliever, let thy works be what they will,
they are defiled to thee, Titus i. 15. To unbelievers to do things out of
strength of virtue and conscience, signifies nothing, because it is not out of
faith: Heb. xi. 6, 'Without faith it is impossible to please God.' Now, to
be a believer is a great work, for it is that great work, the work of all works,
' the work of God,' John vi. 44. When a man doth an action out of faith,
he must renounce his own strength ; a man being humbled in the discovery
of his former unregenerate estate, and so cut off from the wild stock he did
grow in, from which root all his actions sprung, must be anew engrafted into
Christ, and then his actions will be good and acceptable, else not. The
apostle in Rom. vii. 1-5, shews how that in many unregenerate men, the
law to which they ai'e married, and which hath power over their consciences,
may beget many children, which outwardly are like the parent, conformable
to the law in the ktter, serving God in the letter, but all such God reckons
not as fruit to him ; therefore he says, ver. 5, a man must be divorced from
the law as a husband, and that is done by a work of humiliution, and he
must be married anew to Christy and then Christ by faith begets an holy
and new offspring of holy duties, which are fruit to God indeed ; that is,
which he accounteth fruit, relishing nothing but what comes from such a
behever ; and this Paul instanceth in by himself when a pharisee, acknow-
ledging, that though the law begat many good actions in him then, yet
because he was not married to Christ, they were illegitimate. A man must
also by faith fetch the strength of what he doth from Christ in the doing of
it: John V. 4, 5, ' Without me ye can do nothing.' All is nothing if the
strength we do it by be not fetched from Christ ; if from conscience, or the
law alone, it is nothing ; and by faith thou must fetch acceptance through
Christ's blood, therefore we are bidden to do all in the name of Christ.

5. But last of all, if men would but narrowly observe and examine their
best actions, and pry into the principles of them, as they are growing and
budding forth, thence they might easily be convinced that they are evil.
Tor,

1st, When the good a man doth, he doth out of some corrupt lust directly
{as much of the good many do ariseth thence), then there needs little ques-
tion of it ; as when the devil confessed Christ, that his confession might
discredit all other testimony of him ; when the pharisees made long .prayers
■to devour widows' houses ; when they preached :Out of envy, Philip, i. 15 ;
when such a lust wholly sets them a-work, and they choose doing good, as a
iinans to accomplish it; as when Jezebel proclaimed a fast to colour Naboth's
oeatb. Of such actions there is no question but that thay are evil.

But, 2d]y, when the incitation of conscience, and the inclination of virtues
carry men, as then doing this it may be doubted whether they be corrupt or
no. For nothing, -says Bellarmine (and so imay others think too) is corrupt ,
but what proceeds from corrupt nature «,s such. To clear that even then
such actions are <corrupt, take these considerations.

1. We grant that corrupt nature left to itself, and if not assisted by these
principles, would not have performed that good which it doth. Yet,

2. That though it performs it from the bias of these principles, and left to
its proper motion, it would not do any good without them, yet it may be
said, that still as it is corrupt, so it hath the chief stroke in them. And so
all the actions of men in an unregenerate estate are truly called fruits of the

414 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

flesh, because that is the predominant, swaying principle, even as reason or
the will is the predominant principles of a man, and have the great hand, and
stroke, and sway in all human actions. I illustrate and express it by this
similitude : self-love, which is corrupt nature, is (as I have told you), now
since the fall, as the king, set up in all the faculties (as love to God was be-
fore), so as it commands all, and hath all the strength of them, and all is at its
command and beck. Now this self-love, if it had been let loose alone to it-
self, would trade in nothing but what was directly evil, and what made
wholly for itself, and would do nothing that is good, either in order to God
or men. But God hath mingled with it the light of conscience, and some
moral dispositions to assist it ; so that they all are as a company setting up
a factory or trade (as strangers use to do in another dominion), whereof
conscience is the governor for the good of the common interest, that self
might not in men's actions wholly engross all, and so men be very devils
here in this life. And yet these virtues and principles of conscience do still
trade but as strangers in subordination to this king, self-love, who is not
deposed fi'om his regency a whit by them. They attempt not to undermine
his sovereignty, and to subject this self to God, but trade with the leave,
and for the profit only of self-love. For in all their trading they hire and
use its ships and vessels to traffic with, that is, those faculties whereof it is
king, which it never lets to stir but for its own ends. They apply themselves
unto, and still urge such considerations as suit one way or other with the
reason of this state and self-love's ends. And though indeed they divert and
hinder its trading with many gross evils, and obstruct its fetching pleasure
thence, and on the contrary put it upon a trade with such things that are of
some alliance to God, and which belongs to the kingdom of grace, yet so as
they apply themselves therein to the profit of self-love another way, and in
higiaer ends of pride, vain-glory, ambitious aims, &c., they sufier this self-
love to take custom and toll out of all, otherwise it would never sufier them
to trade, nor a ship to stir. I may illustrate this farther by the state-
maxim of Haman against the Jews, who would not harbour them, nor suffer
them any farther than they were for the king's profit; so that if they lived
and thrived in his dominions, he must have a fee out of all their wares and
all returns. Thus natural wisdom, that is the counsellor of self-love, which
is the great king in man, seeing this king's profit advance, and the cofiers of
many self-ends, and respects, and lusts, filled by such external morality,
strikes in with conscience and these virtues, and forbids trafficking with many
gross evils that are directly rebels to God, and makes use of these good
commodities to fetch gain out of them, for his prince self-love. And so the
man being debarred from enjoying other lusts (for he cannot trade with all),
strikes in with conscience and these virtues, and makes use of them to please
lusts of a higher nature, more state-politic lusts (as I may so call them), by
following what they direct unto. Thus, though he suff'ers such virtues as
good wares to be brought in, yet still for his own advantage ; so that all the
actions that are done,

1st, Are still principally the acts of corruption, because self-love remains
still king, and only suff'ers them to be done ; but it is his strength and stock
they traffic with. And so,

2dly, Are positively corrupted, both because self-love never gives his
warrant to have any good done, but to please a lust or an end some way for
himself, which is corrupt. He must have a bribe and consideration out of
all ; and ere a ship stirs, he considers what advantage will it be for me ?
Then some lust, pride, or fear of hell steps out, and says, it is for me, and
then he yields, else he would forbid the trade. So that a man doth look

Chap. IX.] in respect of sin and punishment. 415

upon all the good he doth, as suitable to some lust, and so it becomes sin
unto him ; for it is under that notion and consideration of being pleasing to
some lust he doth it, or else not. And therefore Paul, whose trade of life
was outwardly within the dominions of the law, and he was one of the sub-
jects of it, and was according to the law blameless, yet he says, Eph. ii. 3,
that his conversation was spent as well as any other in fulfilling the lusts of
the flesh and mind ; and therefore that humbled him when he saw such
lust in him, though he was moral and virtuous. If corrupt nature had no
lusts but lusts of the flesh, then by abstinence from gross sins, &c,, it should
be a loser ; but it hath lusts of the mind, which please carnal wisdom and
reason, such as hypocrisy, the credit of goodness, and a thousand the like.
Thus a man sees he may very well and profitably, and for the enriching of
himself, use things that are good to please other lusts in things evil and for-
bidden. Now that self-love should abuse these ^virtues and these checks of
conscience, which are the good gifts of God, and should pervert their use for
its own ends only, and so corrupt the virtues themselves to serve its turn,
this makes the action exceeding sinful. As when it makes use of the virtue
of just dealing, to grow into credit by it, and to get the name of being an
honest man, and so by that means to climb into a place of preferment and
trust. So when by their pity and Uberality men purchase to themselves a
good name, ' Verily ye have your reward,' says Christ (Mat. vi. 2), of the
pharisees ; if they pray, they pray amiss, says James ; why, because they
pray for something to spend on their lusts, James iv. 2. And in this re-
spect, that fact of Jehu, though done at God's command, and with assistance
from God, of zeal and elevation of spirit above what else he could or would
have done, is yet made and interpreted a sin of murder, Hosea i. 4.

Last of all, if we consider not only the principles from which these actions
proceed ; but the event to which they all tend, it will appear, that all the
little good they do, and the duties they perform, do but make them take
the more liberty in some sin : Jer. vii. 9, 10, ' Will ye steal, murder, and
commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk
after other gods whom ye know not ; and come and stand before me in this
house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these
abominations ? ' They came to God's house, and the performance of those
duties emboldened them to sin, so as they did but compensare vitia virtutibus,
make some amends for their vices by some*virtues which they practised.
The harlot paid her vows in Prov. vii. 14, and so thought she might com-
mit abomination. Thus as meat feeds but a sick man's disease, so their
good actions do but nourish their lusts. They leave one sin to take it out
in another, thinking God is not so strict. So, Isa. Iviii. they were said to
fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness. These
performances encouraged their hearts to do all evil, so as they sinned under
the protection of some duty, as the pharisees did, who devoured widows'
houses under the pretence of long prayers.

CHAPTER IX.

Some objections answered.

I shall now consider an objection or two which must be answered.
Obj. If all these virtues in us, and all we have done by the strength of
them be sins, then we had as good have been profane for the time past, and

416 AN DNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

have omitted the good we have done, for all comes to one ; and so we had
as good do for the time to come.

Ans. 1. For the time to come. It is true that a man unregenerate, sins
whether he does it or omits it : abstuiendu, quia non propter Deum ; et
faciendo, quia contra legem. For if he abstains from sinning, it is not for
God's sake; and if he commits the sin, he apparently offends against the
law.

2. But yet the sin is less, in doing the good thou dost, though in a wrong
manner, than to omit it.

For, 1st, to omit it, is peccatum per se, in its own natural evil ; but to do
the good in a wrong manner, is but peccatum per accidens, accidently so.
The one is absolutely and fully against the law, and both the spirit and the
letter of it also ; but thy performance of it in a wrong manner, is but by
consequence sinful, and is evil but as against the spiritual part of the law,
which concerns the heart and the manner of performance ; and God's law
requires both matter and manner to be good : Deut. vi. 25, ' And it shall be
our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the
Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.'

2dly, The sin in the wrong performance lies not in the action primarily,
but in the agent originally ; so that actio non est omittenda, sed tu corrigendus
es, the action is not to be omitted, but thy sinful heart is to be amended.
The fault is not in the matter which thou writest, but in thy pen and hand ;
mend that, and get true skill of guiding thy heart according to thy copy, and
all will be well.

And, 3dly, the sinfulness of an action in itself materially good, proceed-
ing thus from this corraption of man's nature, cannot loosen thee from sub-
jection to that duty, which God's peremptory and indispensable command
requires. Because thou hast lost grace and power to do things rightly, must
God's command be of none effect ? If thou failest in the manner, thou art
to be humbled for thy swerving from his law, and acknowledge thine in-
ability to do otherwise ; yet still thou art bound to do thy duty. We say,
where nothing is to be had, the king must lose his right, but it is not so as
to God ; if there were no more in it but to acknowledge what is thy duty,
thou art to subject thyself as far as thou art able, as unto the outward per-
formance thou art in some measure able.

4thly, Again, to perform it wrong is out of weakness ; Rom. viii. 3, he says,
' The law was weak through the flesh.' Through the weakness of corrupt
nature the law, though performed, could not justify, because that spoiled all
man's actions by defects ; but to omit the law altogether is wickedness super-
added to the weakness of nature ; the one comes chiefly from privative sin-
fulness, but the other from positive ; the one comes from a defect in the will,
but the other from a wilful neglect.

And, 3, it is not all one to be profane, as to live in the external observ-
ances of religion ; for in omitting these altogether, and running into vices,
instead of the good thou dost : 1st, Thou makest thy sin of a treble guilt ;
for to omit the duty wholly, is worse than to perform good in a wrong
manner, and to be doing evil instead of both, is yet much worse ; for the
soul being never idle but working, if thou ceasest to do good, it is certain
thy soul is busy about mischief ; as the sea cannot rest, but it will cast up
mire and dirt. In doing good therefore, though in a wrong manner, thou
wert less ill occupied, because that doing good kept out doing worse ; and,
2dly, though thou sinnest in abstaining from sin, as well as in doing it, yet
in the one only, quia non propter Deum, because thou dost not refrain sin
out of love to God, but in the other, because therein thou art a rebel against

CUAP. IX.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 417

him. Now to be against God is worse than simply not to be for him ; as
though it be treason in a subject not to take up arms for his prince, yet to
fight against him is much woi'se. And thus, though Christ bade his disciples
to let them alone who cast out devils in his name, and he would have them
go on still rather: 'For he that is not against me, is with me,' says he,
Mark ix. 40, that he meant this only comparatively ; for otherwise Christ
says, * He that is not with him, is against him,' Mat. xii. 30, that is, he is
in deed and in truth so.

And then again for the time past, whereas thou imaginest thou hadst as
good have done no good.

I answer, no, it is not all one. For,

1. Thou shalt be punished less in hell if thou shouldest die ere thou didst
get out of this estate, which is Augustine's answer, though hereafter thou
shalt have no reward for that imperfect good which thou hast done in thy re-
generate* state (as Christ told the pharisees: 'You have your reward,' namely,
all here, Mat. vi. 2), yet this will moderate and abate thy punishment.

2. They are rewarded here. The pharisees you see by that speech of
Christ were rewarded by men, who seeing the profit and benefit of much
good which they do, reward them with love and praise again for so doing.
They are also rewarded by magistrates, God's vicegerents, who bear not the
sword in vain, but are a terror to those that do evil, and a praise to them
that do well : Rom. xiii. 3, 4, • For rulers are not a terror to good works,
but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power ? Do that which
is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same : for he is the minister of
God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid ; for he
beareth not the sword in vain : for he is the minister of God, a revenger to
execute wrath upon him that doth evil.' And, 1 Peter ii. 14, 15, ' Or unto
governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-
doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God,
that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.'
They are also rewarded by their own consciences, which so far excuse
them : Rom. ii. 15, ' Which shew the work of the law written in their
hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean
while accusing or else excusing one another.' Yea, they are rewarded by
God; so Ahab was for humbling himself: 1 Kings xxi. 29, ' Seest thou how
Ahab humbleth himself before me ? Because he humbleth himself before
me, I will not bring the evil in his days ; but in his son's days will I bring
the evil upon his house.' So those flatterers were rewarded also, Ps Ixxviii.
36, 38, ' Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied
unto him with their tongues. But he, being full of compassion, forgave
their iniquity, and destroyed them not ; yea, many a time turned he his
anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.' For their flattering seeking
of God, God omitted their punishment temporal, and in that sense he for-
gave their sin. And thus God dealt with Jehu : 2 Kings x. 30, ' And the
Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which
is right in mine eyes, and has done unto the house of Ahab according to all
that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on
the throne of Israel.' Now thus God doth, because he will reward his own
gifts, for it is his gift to be chaste, as he told Abimelech he kept him. Gen.
XX. 6 ; and so it is from God's gift that men are otherwise virtuous, and
God loves to crown his own gifts in every kind, of what sort soever. And
these virtues, Augustine often calls, Dei munera ; and so Paul says of con-

* Qu. ' unregenerate ' ? — Ed,
VOL. X. ■ D d

418 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

tinency, that it was a gift, 1 Cor. vii. 7. And indeed God, who useth to
overcome with mercies as well as judgments, and to be before hand with all
sorts of men, will surely at least be as forward, and go as far in doing good
to wicked men, as they shaJl be to do any good that may be serviceable to
him or others ; yet therein also observing a proportion. For,

1st, As God thereby hath an outward honour in an outward acknowledg-
ment and subjection, as the action also an outward goodness, so God casts
upon them outward rewards, as riches, honours, &c., so God had honour by
Nebuchadnezzar's acknowledgment, Daniel iv. 36, 37. And God cast honour
upon him again, in raising him up to his kingdom. They have outward
kindness from God, for the outward kindness which they shewed him, and
God deals with them as men deal with flatterers.

But yet, 2dly, as he hath not their hearts, so they have not his, and there-
fore he receives them not to himself. He deals not with them as friends,
but flatterers ; but yet as he deals with his own people here in this life, so
he deals with these in a fit proportion; that look if his own people sin, yet
because their hearts are still for God, though an act of sin pass from them,
and so an act of punishment passeth from God ; yet still his heart is with
them, because their hearts are with him. So, on the contrary, God deals
with the wicked, and he rewards them outwardly for their external acts of
goodness ; but yet he doth not love them, because they love not him.

3dly, As all their outwai'd performances are sanctified, i. e. good for the
matter, but unsanctified for the manner, so the outward things which God
bestows are like thereunto, good in themselves, as the actions of these men
are ; but as their proud courses shew their actions to be evil in the issue and
in the event, so in the eflect, these outward mercies appear to be given in
wrath, as Saul was to the people of Israel. And so David saith of wicked
men, that 'their table is made a snare,' Ps. Ixix. 22; it is a snare to their
intemperance, and their blessings curses, as it is in the prophet Malachi,
chap. ii. 2. I will only put in here a caution or two.

(1.) That godly men, who are in covenant with God, must not expect this,
that for their dead performances they should be rewarded here as the other
are. So God would not release David, though he mourned and prayed, Ps.
xxxii. 5, till he was inwardly humbled, and did confess his sin unto God.
For,

1st, Since more is to be had from the godly, God will not take brass when
he may have gold ; he will have meet fruits, meet for them to perform, Heb.
vi. 7, and in their kind ; but he looks for no better of the other than mere
outward duties, and therefore rewards them accordingly, because they can
do no better.

And, 2dly, the outward mercies which God dispenses to his own children
are given in pure, everlasting love ; therefore that which draws out that love
in rewarding them must be outward good done in love from them. Till,
therefore, they are kindly humbled, he will not deliver them, or leave a
blessing behind, Joel ii. ; and so 2 Cor. vii. 14, for if he should, it might
prove a curse. Yea,

3dly, Seeing he may have better, he will rather punish them for doing no
better.

(2.) The second caution is, that God only rewards wicked men thus when
their performances are serious, and done in a natural kind of integrity, as
Abimelech's was, and as Ahab's humbhng himself was ; but if they be out
of a wicked positively bad end done, as when Jezebel fasted to colour the
taking away Naboth's vineyard, then they are not rewarded ; but, as Ahab
in his posterity, they are threatened and accursed. And such perverse ends

Crap, X.] in respect of sin and punishment. 419

do heinously aggravate the sinfulness of such actions, which in outward ap-
pearance are good : Prov. xxi. 27, * The sacrifice of the wicked is abomin-
able ; how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind ? '

CHAPTER X.

That all these virtues, and moral righteousness, are but some dark remains of
the image of God in Adam, nhich is not tvlwlly defaced. — What a poor and
despicable thing it is when compared with grace, demonstrated in several in-
stances of a comparison between tJiem.

To conclude, this pitch of honesty and religion, which the most rest in
for grace, is but from those principles which divines call reliquias prioris
imaginis, the relics of the first image defaced, which God hath put into
corrupt nature lest men should be devils upon earth. It is but a blaze
kindled out of the embers raked up in the ashes of corrupt nature, blown up
and continued by education, which men think to please God with, as Nadab
and Abihu did with strange fire ; which relics and imperfect pieces of the
law, written by nature in men's hearts, they set together, and set it up and
adore it as God's image. So as indeed they err the same error in the opinion
about their own estate, which Pelagius in his doctrine did ; for the ground
of his error was a mistaldng this moral goodness, and abilities of nature to
understand and assent to the word, for true grace ; as appeareth in Augus-
tine's disputes against the Pelagians ; and so do these men in their opinions
concerning their own estate, and so do as dangerously err against their own
souls as he did against the truth. And in this is the deep deceit of men's
hearts seen, that all errors of doctrine, abstractly considered, which they, in
their speculative judgments, often detest, they yet assume and take up in
their practical judgments, to judge of themselves or others by. So men that
deny justification by works, in the doctrine of it, do yet secretly trust to their
own works. And indeed popery is natural to men, and so is Pelagianism too,
namely, to take that in themselves for grace which Pelagius went about to
establish in his heretical doctrine to be grace. And let me add this consi-
deration here, that if much of such moral goodness, and these principles
mentioned, had not been in nature, Pelagius could have had no ground at
all for his opinions, nor would they have spread so as they did, nor have
been so generally entertained.

And so I come to a third sort of demonstrations, by comparing this glow-
worm with the true and glorious image of God, in whomsoever it is to be
found ; and so by bringing it to the true light, it will appear to be coun-
terfeit.

As, 1, let us view this true holiness, as it shines in the holy and spiritual
law of God; for Adam being now fallen, and so that image extinguished, and
never a pattern left by which to see what this image was, God therefore set
forth a copy of it in his word, which now is the means of sanctifying of us ;
and sanctification itself is but a writing of that law in the heart, and a con-
firmation of the heart thereunto. And if civil men will but bring their pitch
of obedience to this law, and compare themselves with the spiritualness of it,
they will find that not only there is a defect in degrees, but of essential parts ;
and that there are wanting the chiefest and eminentest parts of God's image,
which are to the rest as the face is to the rest of the members in the body of
a man, in which face there is more beauty and more of a man than in all the

420 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

rest ; and they picture often the face for the whole man. These great and
principal parts of holiness are wanting in unregenerate men, for that is holi-
ness which is a conformity to the first table, the duties whereof are called
the * great things of the law,' Hosea viii. 12 ; and which indeed are especially
called holiness, as being made immediately for God, when the other are for
man ; and the duties of the second table are called rirfhteo useless, of the first
holiness, Eph. iv. 24, and so distinguished, Luke i. 75. These great things
of the law which concern God and his service, are the least in their hearts,
and so they have, perhaps, the legs and feet of holiness, yet the face they
want. ' You tithe mint and cummin,' says Christ, Luke xi. 42, and ' pass
over the love of God,' which Christ calls ' the great commandment,' Mat.
xxii. 36. You shall find these men dead and heartless to such duties ; and
the more spiritual the duty is, and tends to set God up in the heart, and so
the more holy it is, the more averse their hearts are to it ; as to meditate in
private, to digest the word, to search their hearts, to speak of God and his
kingdom, &c.

If a man should bring the broad seal to a patent, and you should find that
the arms of England were left out (which is the chiefest of the three king-
doms) or misplaced, and those of the other kingdoms set above it, you
would say, surely this seal is counterfeit, and never had the impression
from the king's true broad seal above. So all you that do boast of God's
image, and yet the duties of the first table are in a great part left out, or
slighted by you, in comparison of the second, you may say truly, this heart
never came under the broad seal of heaven.

2. And where else shall we find this image of God ? Even in Christ, who
was the ' express image' of his Father, Heb. i. 3, and into whose image all
true Christians are changed : 2 Cor. iii. 12, ' Seeing then that we have such
hope, we use great plainness of speech,' and we receive of him ' grace for
grace,' John i. 15 ; that is, all graces in their measure answering to his ;
even as a father begets a child in his own image, limb for limb. Let these
men, therefore, but compare their pitch with the virtues and practices of
Christ, bring we then their counterfeit copy to this original, according to
which all believers are renewed, and therefore are called upon * to shew
forth the virtues of him who hath called us,' &c., in 1 Pet. ii. 9. And
though no believer receives this image in the same pitch of degrees that
Christ had, yet for kind and extent of essential parts, for the true grace and
of this breed, all do receive it ; and then those parts which were most emi-
nent in Christ will be so in a believer also. As in the child begotten by his
father in his likeness, look what members are biggest in the father, are in a
proportion so also in the child.

But dare you that are civil men come to this pattern ? Do but read his
story, view his steps, and what paths you find most in him. Was he a civil
man only, and rested there as you ? It were blasphemy to say so. It is true
he performed all you rest in, he followed his calling, and was obedient to his
parents, yet neglected not his heavenly Father's business ; but, above all,
took care for that, as he told his mother, Luke ii. 49. But this you neglect.
He paid also tithes to Caesar, yet that was but a by-business, and therefore
at the same time he called for God's due : Mat. xxii. 21, * To give to God
the things that are God's, as well as to Caesar the things that are Caesar's,'
because he that asked him that question, as they that sent him were proved
justiciaries, who, whilst they rested in paying men their dues, and in a for-
mal serving of God, neglected to give him that which was due to so great
and holy a God. He came also to the pubHc ordinances ; in one evangelist
it is said, It was his custom so to do, Luke iv. 16, it being the public wor-

Chap. X.] in respect of sin and punishment. 421

ship of the place. But was that all ? No ; he spent besides whole nights
in prayer alone by himself.

So, for moral virtues, they were all to be found in him, but yet all elevated
and raised, and of a higher strain ; so that if you would have them go for
signs to yourselves of a good estate, they must flow from union with him,
and then they will be of another kind than mere moral virtues are, differing
as much from those wild virtues in the heathens, and that grow in the ' moun-
tains of prey,' as the psalmist calls the Gentiles, Ps. Ixxvi. 4, even as much
as sweet-marjoram, or any the lilie herb that grows in the garden, differs
from that which grows in the wilderness ; the one is a weed, the other an
herb. And when men believe on Christ, then their meekness will not pro-
ceed from a softness of nature, but from a heart first humbled, tamed,
wounded with the wrongs done to Christ, and being overcome with his love
pardoning, they will be meek towards others that wrong them. Thus, in the
reckoning up those moral virtues of kindness, mercy, meekness, &c., shews
the differing spring and kind in the elect from what is in others : Col. iii.
12, 13, ' Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing
one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against
any : even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.' That speech, as the elect of
God, is both a note of distinction for another kind of humility, that becomes
the elect and beloved of God, than is found in others, and also is mentioned
as that, the consideration whereof was to be the root and nourisher of these
virtues in their hearts ; that considering God's electing peculiar love to them,
out of which he was kind to them when enemies to him, and out of that
love, long-suffering, forbearing them many years, bearing their bold and pre-
sumptuous offences towards him ; that they, as those whom God had thus
dealt with, would answerably carry themselves towards others, and so be
merciful, not as men use to be merciful, but * as your heavenly Father is
merciful,' Luke vi. 36 ; and so he goes om : Col. iii. 13, ' Forbearing one an-
other ; if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so
also do ye.' That is the spring of Christian meekness, and Christ he is the
rule and measure of it ; so do ye therefore : Mat. xi. 29, * Take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall
find rest unto your souls. * Learn of me,' says Christ, ' for I am lowly and
meek.' And, indeed, the meekest moralist in the world must learn a new
kind of meekness from Christ. Thus, too, as to that love and sweetness, and
ingenuity of nature to those we live with ; this, says Christ, the Gentiles
have towards those that love them. But Christ's love will extend itself fur-
ther, to the saints, as in David: Ps. xvi. 2, 3, ' My goodness,' says he, ' ex-
tendsth to the saints,' to those that excel in virtue. Christ, indeed, loved
the young man that was but civil. The text says, ' He looked on him, and
loved him,' Mark x. 21. But how did his bowels work towards his poor
sheep and children, and shewed his esteem of them more than of hfs kindred ?
' He is my brother, and sister, and mother, that doth my Father's will,'
says he, Mark iii. 35. Also that mercy and pity thou boastest of, if it were
of the right Christian kind, would work and extend itself further than to
bodily miseries that men are in. Thus Christ was affected for men's souls.
He was good to the bodies of men, indeed ; he healed their diseases and fed
their bodies, Mark ix. 37 ; but it was their souls he most compassionated,
because they wanted spiritual food ; that, therefore, is expressly added,
ver. 36. This drew tears from him when he wept over Jerusalem : Luke
xix. 41, ' How oft would I have gathered thee,' &c. And to do good to the
poor woman of Samaria, was better to him than his meat, and made him

422 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK X.

neglect his dinner. ' I have meat,' says he, ' you know not of,' John iv. 32.
So that humility in him was not that proud humility of the world, which is
indeed but courtesy, giving honour to others, expecting the like from them
again, as Christ says of the pharisees, that they * received honour one of
another,' John v, 44 ; but his was seen especially in not seeking honour
but in God's way ; so John vii. 3-5, when his kinsfolks provoked him to do
his great works, and shew himself to the world, ' My time is not yet come,'
says he. This was seen also in denying his own will, and submitting to his
Father: ' Not my will, but thine be done,' says he. Mat. xxvi. 39. So in
emptying himself of his glory, and becoming of no reputation, Philip, ii. 7.
To glorify his Father, he shewed his humility in the highest degree. Thus
will all your moral virtues be raised, if Christ hath but touched them with
that virtue that is in him.

3. If we would see yet farther what is the true genius and strain of holi-
ness, we must also search heaven for it, where it is in its brightness and
perfection in the angels, and ' the spirits of just men made perfect,' who wear
the parliamentary robes of holiness every day, to whom we are said, Heb.
xii. 23, to be ' come,' that is, to enjoy in some measure the same life, and
to be a-fitting for the same condition ; we now are a-making meet to be par-
takers of that inheritance in light. Col. i. 12, but they there in heaven have
the Spirit, the quintessence of holiness ; and yet those virtues which are
eminentest in civil men would have no use nor exercise at all there. Of so
little account are they in that place where holiness dwells and reigns, as
there is no use of chastity (for ' they marry not, nor give in marriage,' Mat.
xxii. 30), nor of temperance, nor just dealing, &c. These commandments
are but for this world, and concern the fleshly part of man, as he is to reside
here, which they therefore in heaven are not capable of; and therefore the
spirit, the soul, the power of holiness must lie in dispositions, and duties,
and performances, of a higher nature. These are but the sensitive part (as I
may so speak) of godliness, and they are to the power of holiness that which
the sensitive faculties are to the rational, which, when the body is laid aside,
the soul hath no use of, so neither is there any exercise for such virtues in
heaven.

Therefore, consider that the holiness which thou must trade with in heaven
must be begun here, without which no man shall see God ; and that the
duties of the second table are but for this world. In which that thou
mightest be fit in some measure to live orderly, God hath endued thee with
such virtues, and hath given principles to fit thee for such a life ; but when
thou art to go trade in another world, where holiness is only current, and
nothing but what hath God's image stamped upon it will pass, think with
thyself, what hast thou of holiness to carry thither, without which thou canst
not see God.

4. I may add unto this, in the fourth place, that we may see wherein the
image of God chiefly consists, by considering wherein the spirit and power
of wickedness consists. Now, the chiefest of the power of wickedness lies
not in drunkenness, uncleanness, and such kind of profane courses, for then
the devils should be less wicked than men, because they have not bodies with
which to commit such sins ; and by the same reason the souls in hell now,
and reprobate men after the day of judgment, should not be so wicked as
now. But these all are more wicked, and therefore their highest degree of
wickedness must lie in sins of a higher nature, and therefore such sins are
called (Eph. vi. 12) * spiritual wickedness,' which are seen in the neglect
and contempt of God, and the hatred of him and his saints. Now, there-
fore, by the rule of contraries, it must needs follow that true spiritual holi-

CUAP. XI.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 423

ness must chiefly consist in the contrary to all these spiritual wickednesses,
/. e. in loving God, fearing him, and in a fervent desire and endeavour]to
approve ourselves to him in all our ways, and worshipping him with an holy
worship, &c.

CHAPTER XI.

Where the nature of true holiness consists. — In what sense it is called the life of
God, and the fjlori/ of God. — How far a mere civil righteousness falls short.
— What excellence and praise may yet be allowed as due to it.

We have discovered by comparative demonstration, that civil righteousness
is not holiness. I now come to draw the last demonstration of the same
truth, from considering what true holiness is, and what are the essential
properties of it, common to it, wherever it is, whereby- it will appear civihty
fulls short of grace. I will not instance in the spring-tides of holiness, but
the ordinary streams and effects of it in their hearts, where it is in never so
small a measure.

1. Consider what holiness is. Peter tells us it is a divine nature, and
Moses and Paul tells us that it is the image of God ; and both the expres-
sions come to one and the same sense and import, that the nature of it is to
be above all for God. As humanity is that in a man which makes him
respect man, so godliness is that in a man which enableth him to respect
God, and glorify him as God. It positively fits the heart to receive happi-
ness from God, and actively makes and sets all in it a-work for him, there-
fore it is set out to us in two expressions fitted to express the nature of it.

1st, It is called the life of God : Eph. iv. 18, ' Having the understanding
darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is
in them, because of the blindness of their heart.'

2dly, And the glory of God : Rom. iii. 23, ' For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God.'

That whereas God is the chiefest good of the creature, and ought to be his
chiefest end. This,

(1.) Puts a principle into the soul to make it live in God, as his chiefest
good, and to make God his life, and therefore it is called ' the life of God.'

And (2.) To make God his chiefest end, and so to live to him, and there-
fore is called the glory of God, or to make the glory of God the prime end
of life. Of both these civil men fail short as other natural men, as those
places shew : Eph. iv. 18, Rom. iii. 23.

1. They are ' strangers from the life of God,' and all their righteousness,
or whatever is in them, ' falls short of the glory of God.' It is Paul's phrase.

1st, Civility falls short of the life of God, and is a stranger to it. There-
by men are, 1st, not fitted to walk with God. Nor, 2dly, quickened with
life and comfort from him.

(1.) Men are not by mere morality fitted to walk with God. Natural life
fits them to walk with the creatures, and it takes in from them what comfort
is to be had in them ; and moral virtues fit men to walk with men in all the
relations they stand in towards men, as husbands to wives, to give them
their due of love ; and as they are servants, to carry themselves to their
masters so as to be faithful and obsequious ; and so as they are subjects, to
give Cffisar his due, honour to whom honour ; and so as they are friends, to
requite love with love ; and so as they are members of a commonwealth, to
be profitable to it in a calling ; and so also to walk with themselves, so as

424 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

not to wrong their bodies or healths by intemperance, nor their estates by
riot or profane courses ; so nor their credits, neither by a flagitious and
profligate way of living. But what is all this to God, in whose hands are
thy breath and all thy ways ? Enoch ' walked with God,' and it is for that
holiness fits a man for, and enableth him unto it. Thou art courteous to
men, and walkest submissively and respectively* to them, but grace will
make thee ' walk humbly with thy God,' Micah vi. 8, to have an eye and
respect to him in all thy ways, to veil to him, and submit to him and his
will in the whole course of thy life. Thou art kind to thy neighbour, but if
unthankful to God, and not sensible of the kindnesses received, so as to
render again to him all thou hast, what availeth it ? Thou art just to thy
neighbours, and payest every man their due, and at their day, and in lawful
money ; but when God's times of payment for worship comes, as on the
Sabbath, and on morning and on evening times, to pray every day, thou then
neglectest to pay thy dues, to humble thyself, and acknowledge God in all
thy ways, and regardest not the duties which he requires at such times ; or
if thou tenderest payment to him, yet thou carest not in what coin, but
bringest anything, no matter how slight, dull, formal the performances are.
Now, if thou wert just indeed, thou wouldst give as ' to Caesar the things
which are Caesar's,' so ' to God the things that are God's.' Thou boastest
of thy good nature, which sweeteneth thy converse with men, and them to
thee, and thee to them ; but believe it, (frace is good nature to God, a blessed
divine nature, which demeaneth itself and behaveth itself well towards God.
Even as good nature makes thee carry thyself to thy friend, which is as thy
own soul, or as to thy wife in thy bosom, so this divine good nature makes
thee in love with God, and renders God pleasant to thee ; it makes thee
ingenuous to him, to walk upon terms of friendship, to observe the laws of
it as exactly as to men, to grieve when thou hast ofiended him, to be glad
when he is pleased, to go and unbosom thyself to him.

(2.) A man, notwithstanding morality and civility, remains a stranger to
the life and comfort is to be had from God. This advantage, indeed, a man
hath by it, that he placeth not his happiness in gross sins, as profane men do,
in lusts of di'unkenness and uncleanness, which are neither profitable to a
man's self nor others, but it raiseth his mind to place it higher, in carnal
excellencies of learning, preferment, riches, &c., or the credit of personal
endowments, and the exercise of them for the good of others, and in such
things as are profitable to himself and others ; but still it raiseth not the
heart up to God. The spring of his happiness, it may be, comes from a
higher hill than other men's, but is still on earth ; he fetcheth it not from
heaven, from that same river that runs from heaven in the conduit-pipes of
the ordinances, as the word, sacrament, meditation, and conference about
God and Christ, which makes glad the city of God ; he never tasted of the
water of this spring, as Christ told the woman of Samaria, John iv. 10, 14.
His virtues and natural wisdom set him a-work to trade in such wares for
the attaining of happiness, and the comfort of his life, the return of which
do prove profitable to the commonwealth and place he lives in, as if he traffic
for credit (and the commodities that bring in credit must be things that are
good and commendable, for they will never commend him else) ; or, if his
business lies in the exercise of virtue, so far as there is sweetness in the
excusings of natural conscience, this is the farthest step which he makes ;
but he tradeth not with God for happiness and comfort out of the word.
Civil men httle think that a godly man's chiefest delight lies here in this
book of God ; yet David saith it doth, and so distinguisheth such a person
* That is, 'respectfully.' — Ed.

Chap. XI.j in respect of sin and punishment. 425

from wicked carnal men, that * his deli^'ht is in the law of the Lord, and his
meditation is therein day and night,' Ps. i. 2, A carnal man knows not
what it is to be quickened by the word, and to be quickened by prayer,
which is David's language upon all occasions, and therefore he can want the
absence of God, and not to be troubled at it. But what says David, 'Thou
hiddest thy face, I was troubled ;' for ' in thy favour is life,' Ps. xxx. 7. A
godly man cannot live without it ; yea, ' thy loving-kindness is better than
life,' says he ; and as in God's favom% so in God's businesses, his life lies.
To see the church prosper, men to grow in grace, this is life to him, meat
and drink to him. ' If you stand fast now, we live,' 1 Thes. iii. 8. That
which is God's life is by a sympathy his life. Now, God's life is the enjoy-
ing of his own blessedness, and so the enjoying of God's blessedness in* his
life. The men of the world wonder men should keep such ado to find Christ,
and be so sick when they want him ; they see no more in Christ than in
another beloved. Cant. v. 9 ; and yet they were the * daughters of Jerusalem '
said thus, ver. 8, such as had heard of him, but saw him not as a believer
sees him ; no, they know no greater crosses than in the loss of things of this
world, nor taste no greater comforts.

2. Holiness is called the glory of God, Rom. iii. 23, because it makes
God a man's end, adopts all that is in a man for God, raiseth it up to be
for him. Civility may so far prevail as to raise a man up to be for common
good, and to have an eye at it, to put in an heroicness of mind for the good
of men ; and so those who live in the church may have a zeal for that cause
which is God's cause, as it is a common cause of the church, and as they
profess it against the enemies of the church. Thus Paul was zealous for the
religion he then professed ; and so the pharisees thought they did God good
service when they cast the apostles out of the synagogues, John xii. 2, but
they do not nor cannot make God their end. For as the principles of what
they do is but nature, so the good they do at the best is but quatenus con-
gruitjini naturali, as it agrees to a natural end. They may out of pity to
their brother give alms to relieve him, or venture their lives for their coun-
try, and for the religion of that party with which they join, as it is a common
cause ; but to interest God in all that a man doth, this trial was that which
the pharisees shunned when Christ would have brought them to it : John
iii. 20, 21, ' For every one that doth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to
the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doth truth cometh
to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in
God.' But one that is truly godly is willing to be searched, ' that it may
be manifest his works are wrought in God ; ' which implies, both according
to God's mind, and also that God is interested in them. Now this trial the
pharisees avoided, for therein their righteousness fell short.

And that God is not the end which men only moral and civil aim at,
appears by this, that they are not for such duties, and truths, and causes,
and persons, as tend to advance God, and set him up in the world. As duties
of the second table are for the good of men, for these they are very zealous ;
but those of the first, that tend immediately to the sanctifying of God, these
their hearts are least in.

Ohj. There remains an objection in the general to be answered, which
civil men use to make when they hear such discourses as these against their
conditions ; which is, that we utterly condemn and cry down all civility, and
discourage men that are honest so far, that it is enough to make them pro-
fane; for according to this doctrine, the one is in as good a condition as the
other, say they.

* Qu. 'is'?— Ed.

426 AN UNREGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

Ans. I answer you, first, that look what worth is in it, I will and do
acknowledge, and would have you to judge righteous judgment herein, and
give it its full due in what it is good for.

As, 1, that it is a good gift of God that men abstain from sins, and do
any good. So God told Abimelech, Gen. xxvi. 6, ' I kept thee : ' and so
civil men themselves are to acknowledge. For to that end God told Abime-
lech he kept him, that whereas Abimelech began to boast of his own integritj',
God put him in mind where he had it. And so Augustine, often in his fourth
book against Julian, doth acknowledge these virtues to be Dei miinera, God's
gifts. And so Paul tells us, 1 Cor. vii., that continency is a gift; but all
this is but gratia gratis data, not gratia gratum faciens ; it is freely given by
God, but it doth not render the person gracious. Grace I confess it is in
this sense, both that God gives it out of his mere good, free, gracious, dis-
position to one man more than another, for all men's natures are alike
corrupt ; grace also it is in this, that it is a real favour in many respects
unto them thus to restrain them ; for by this they escape greater punishments
hereafter, and have rewards here. And therefore God told Abimelech of
this withholding from sinning, as a favour he had done him, that he had
kept him, for else he had been ' a man of death ; ' but yet, that it is grace
unto salvation, as the apostle speaks, Heb. vi. 9, that is it I deny.

And, 2, I grant further, that when a man hath grace once, then these
gifts help him much in abstinence from sin, and to perform duties with ease ;
they help the boat to go the further when the helm is guided right. So as
a man shall perform duties of liberality to men, of piety to parents, of meek-
ness and patience, the easilier. As some metals M'ill take the stamp better
than others, so will some natures take more deep impressions of grace when
the stamp is set on ; and so a man that hath a spirit of generosity and
ambition, when satisfied,* will have larger aims for God, and easilier deny
himself than a base and low spirit ; and therefore, next to grace, they are to
be preferred even to learning, and all other gifts, even as the philosophers
also did give them the pre-eminence.

And, 3, I say further, that we are to honour it in them in whom we see
it, as Christ looked on the young man and loved him, Mark x. 21. They
are to be encouraged, and profane men are not ; but they are not to be
encouraged for resting therein, and we are to be ready to do them good the
rather for this their moral goodness. And so Abimelech, having been honest
in the matter of Sarah, Abraham was to pray for him, and at his prayer,
God healed Abimelech, by reason of his integrity, and also his family. Gen.
XX. 17, 18. I grant there is a goodness in this morality for this world,
though none for the world to come. It is good to human purposes, in ordine
ad homines, for the benefit of men ; but not in ordine ad Deum, to the glory
of God. Whereas grace, as Paul tells us, is good for all things, having the
promises, as of this life, so of that which is to come : 1 Tim. iv. 8, ' For
bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things ;
having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.' If
you should bring me a brass shilling that is silvered over or gilt, if, indeed,
you would put it ofi" for gold or silver I would deny it, and not take it ; nay,
in such a case, I would take it and stamp it through, as false counterfeit
pieces use to be. But if you ask me, if it be not good for something, I will
grant you yes, the brass, the metal of it is serviceable for many profitable
uses ; but if you will stamp the king's image on it, and have it go for coin,
then I arrest you as traitors against the king's majesty. And it is a like
case here, when you would have morality pass for God's image.
* Qu. ' sanctified ' ?— Ed.

Chap. XI.J in respect of sin and punishment. 427

But yet withal, this I further add, I must say it, and say it again, that a
man trusting in his morality, and looking no farther, is in the most dangerous
condition to hinder him from repentance and faith that any man can be in ;
and so, by consequence and accidentally, such a state is the worst, worse than
profaneness itself.

1. Because men that have civil righteousness of their own are ready to set
it up in the room of Christ, and so dishonour Christ more by their right-
eousness than profane men do by their sins.* This was the stumbling-
block which all the pharisees broke their necks upon : Rom. ix. 31, 32,
' But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained
to the law of righteousness. Wherefore ? Because they sought it not by
faith, but as it were by the works of the law ; for they stumbled at that
stumbling-stone.' Rom. x. 2, 3, ' For I bear them record, that they have
a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of
God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness,
have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.' The apostle
calls it a stumbling-block, when they setting up their own righteousness,
would not submit to Christ, and therefore the publicans and sinners did go
faster, and by greater troops crowd into the kingdom of heaven than the
pharisees.

And, 2, because these men, out of love to their own righteousness, are the
deadliest enemies to the power of godliness, as those devout women in Acts
xiii. 50, were to Paul, and Paul himself whilst in that estate unto the
Christians ; and so those, 2 Tim. iii. 3, ' Without natural affection, truce-
breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.'
The place is mistaken by interpreters, for it is not meant of temporary
believers, for they honour those who are good; but of civil men. Those that
have a form of godliness are the greatest deniers of the power, and despisers
of them that are good. They are in love with these apish imitations of
gx'ace, and bring it to God, and are enemies to them who discover it to be
counterfeit, as they would be angry with those who should prove all their
money, if they think themselves rich, to be false.

And, 3, because they are the farthest off from coming into the state of
grace. For whereas a man must be humbled, and part with his own
righteousness ere he can truly come to Christ, they are the farthest off from
that work of any other. As ignorant people are far off (as the Gentiles were,
Eph. ii. 12, 17, because without knowledge of God), so these, because of
the want of knowledge of themselves. As take a man that hath some wit,
and is conceited of it, he is farther off from being a wise man than one who
is more a fool. Solomon says, ' There is more hope of a fool than of him,'
Prov. xxvi. 12. Why ? Because ere he become wise he must become a
fool, as Paul tells us, 1 Cor. iii. 18, ' Let no man deceive himself : if any
man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that
he may be wise.' It is a double task to make that man wise, to shew him
he is a fool, and then to give him wit. So here is the difference between
profane and civil men, that though these last have something, that when
grace is wrought will be more serviceable to grace than a profane man hath,
and is in itself, comparing things with things, higher ; yet compare it with
the working of grace, this man is farther off the working of it, because a

* Crassailla vitia quae sunt contra secundam tabulam, adulteria, &c., leviora tamen
sunt, si conferas cum sapientia et justitia, quibus pugnant contra primam tabulam.
Candidus diabolus qui impellit homines ad spiritualia peccata, quae sese venditant pro
justitia, longe nocentior est nigro, qui tantum ad carnalia impellit. — Lutherus Com. in
J£pist. ad Gal.

428 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK X.

profane man will soon see himself wicked. But the publicans and sinners
went faster to heaven than the pharisees ; yet, I say, there may be a
greater nighness between the things, when yet there is a greater distance
between the working of them, and bringing them together. Thus, brother
and sister are nigher in blood, but farther off marrying each other
than two strangers ; and thus two men upon the tops of two houses, oppo-
site each to other in one of your narrow streets, though they are nigher to
each other in distance than those below are, yet in regard of coming each to
other they may be said to be farther off, for the one must come down, and
then climb up again. Thus now a moral man, though he seems nearer to a
state of grace, yet is really farther off; for he must be convinced of his false
righteousness, and then climb up to the state of grace, to see himself as low
and vile as the profanest man in the world, as every man when he is humbled
doth. Besides, if it were so, that a man were only to be restored to legal
righteousness, which man had in innocency, and to the acts thereof, then
indeed there would be a great nearness between civility and it ; but as to
evangelical righteousness, and that of faith, which is founded upon a denial
of a man's own righteousness, a mere civil and moral man is at the greatest
distance.

Chap. I.J in respect of sin and punishment. 429

BOOK XL

That an unregenerate man is highly guilty, by reason of the nwnherless account
of actual sins which he daily commits.

All this have I proved by wisdom : I said, I will be wise ; hut it was far from
me. That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out ? I
applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out uisdom, and the
reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and
madness : and I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares
and nets, and her hands as bands : whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her;
but the sinner shall be taken by her. Behold, this have I found {saith the
Preacher), counting one by one, to find out the account ; tvhich yet my soul
seeketh, but I find not : one man among a thousand have I found ; but a
ivoman among all those have I not found. Lo, this only have I found, that
God hath made man upright ; but they have sought out many inventions. —
EccLES. VII. 23-29.

CHAPTER I.

Tlie exposition of the words,

I CAST not here into this account that unsearchable mine of our inherent and
original sinfulness, which was inlaid as deep as the centre of our souls, from
our conception and nativity. The survey is now only of those heaps of
actual sinnings, which from and out of that mine are every day minted, and
bear the image and superscription of sin stamped on them, and are ordinarily
current in our hearts and lives.

This distinction between actual sins as the effects, and inherent sin of our
nature (which we call original sin), as also a state of sin, as the causes that
do defile the whole of a person unregenerate, is so well known and received,
as it need not be insisted on. It may suffice, that Christ doth exactly thus
distinguish, in saying, ' An evil tree brings forth evil fruit,' which explain-
ing, he applies to an * evil man' (there is his state), ' out of the evil treasure'
(that is, of his natural and acquired inherent corruption as the causes)
' brings forth evil things' (as the fruits). And our Saviour, by these evil
fruits, professeth to mean as well evil thoughts, the immediate issues of the
heart, as outward actings, whether in speech, as false witness, blasphemies ;
or in outward facts, as murders, thefts ; in all which he particularly there
instanceth ; and all these as distinct evils from the evil heart or treasure
itself they all proceed out of; thus Mat. xv. 19. The apostles were like-
wise careful to indigitate the very same as a necessary distinction, for us
heedfully to observe in ourselves, whilst they speak one while of our being
' dead in sin,' and the ' uncircumcision of the flesh,' Col. iii. 9 (as the state),
and then besides of ' dead works,' Heb. vi. 1, * works of the flesh,' Gal.

430 AN UNREGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

V. 19 (as the fruits thereof), and under that term of fruits expressly, ver. 22,
as the opposition there sheweth ; as also when we read in them of an * old
man and his deeds,' as Col. iii. 9.

Although many other Scriptures presented themselves as texts or founda-
tions unto that subject I have before me, yet I chose this ensuing.

Solomon, the wisest of men, and whose large understanding had acquired
and comprehended within itself as many several notions and matters of
knowledge as there be sands upon the sea shore, 1 Kings iv. 80, after a
long and sore travel, which by the conduct of that his wisdom he had per-
formed, and passed through the vast regions of things knowable, and made
the most exquisite search into all foreign parts of wisdom that lay out of
himself, as the works of God in nature, providence, or that belonged to
human societies and affairs, in all the kinds of them, he at last (as of the
prodigal it is spoken) ' came home to himself,' and by a renewed work of a
more thorough repentance descended into himself, and ' the chambers of the
belly,' Prov. xx. 27, his own soul.

And as the whole book of Ecclesiastes is a testimony of his repentance,
and his being gathered to the church, so this one solemn paragraph, from
ver. 23 to the end of this chapter, is a narrative to shew what this his last
study had been, and how it first began, and had been continued by him in
the search of his own, and upon occasion thereof of all mankind's sinfulness,
which to be the mind of Solomon in these words will appear by the opening
of them, which I reduce to these heads.

1. The narration which Solomon gives of his coming off from the study
of all other wisdom, and applying himself to this of sinfulness, in vers. 23-25.

2. What is meant by the reason and account spoken, vers. 25, 27, 29.

3. That it is the reason or account of his own personal folly and wicked-
ness, which, in the first place and principally, he intended.

4. He declares what had been the issue and success of that his new search
and study, and the product he had brought that account unto, whether of
his own or other's sinfulness, in vers. 26-29.

1. In vers. 23, 24, he relates what had been the great inquisition of the
former part of his life ; ' all this I proved,' that is, whatever before of know-
ledge he had been ever exercised and versed in. All this that he had treated
of in this book, even all, and the whole that lay within the sphere and capa-
city of being known, * I proved by wisdom,' that is, I attempted in the most
industrious way to comprehend, and exercised myself thereto, both by the
improvement of all such inward principles of infused wisdom, given me by
God extraordinarily, and those as accompanied and heightened by all out-
ward advantages (which being a king furnished him withal), whereby to try
all conclusions either of art or in nature. Yea, and I had, says he, set it
down with myself as the mark of my life, as the eminent excellency I affected
and resolved to attain a perfection in ; ' I said I will be wise,' finding myself
empowered thereto by all those abilities and advantages to attain it. Well,
but what was the issue of all ? but that after all this labour spent that way,
he found how infinitely short he was from an arrival at it, or the compassing
of it ; * but it was far from me,' and thereupon shuts up that pursuit of his
with this advice to all adventurers and travellers after him in this kind :
' That which is far off and exceeding deep ' {deep deep, as the Hebrew), ' who
can find it out ?' thus ver. 24.

Thereupon in ver. 25 he sets before all such, and all others, his own ex-
ample ; how he had (though late first) betaken himself unto another kind of
wisdom, more useful and necessary, which was the search into his own
wickedness or sinfulness ; and together therewith, that which is in all man-

Chap. I.J in respect of sin and punishment. 431

kind. Thus ver. 25, 'I applied my heart;'* that is, I came or turned
about, or converted myself and my heart from the former study unto this,
namely, 'to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason.'
But of what ? It follows, ' and to know the wickedness of folly, even of
foolishness and madness.' The general mind of which is, that the subject
of this, his new inquiry, had been the same which the great convert (the
apostle, at his conversion), his thoughts were taken up withal, 'the above-
measure sinfulness of sin,' as Rom. vii. 10, 13. So in like manner Solomon
came to see the abounding of folly and madness, and saw wickedness upon
wickedness, 'heaps upon heaps' (as the phrase is. Judges xv.), madness
added to folly (madness being an excess of folly), and he went to sum up and
search out the account of all.

The Hebrew word being (as Jerome long since observed) ambiguous, and
signifying as well the number or account as the reason of a thing ;f hence
I take both to be intended ; and so that both the sum and computation, as
also the reason or bottom-ground of all that wickedness, to have been the
aim and mark of his so eager pursuit.

And according unto these Wo acceptations of this one word, I make an
answerable division of the words following to be,

1. His study : to compute with himself the numerical account, that is, the
infinite number and variety his sinfulness did arise unto, from ver. 26 to
the middle of ver. 28.

2. The rational ground, which gave bottom-light and discovery of the
reason of that sinfulness, and innumerableness thereof, whether in himself
or in all mankind, which is fully set down in ver. 29.

I may term the one the arithmetical account, the other the logical ; and
he pursueth the first in the former part, and closeth with the second in the
last verse.

There is a second division subalternate, and included in this first, as the
more general. For whereas he says, ver. 25, he sought after the account or
reason of wickedness, the next inquiry necessary will be the wickedness, of
whom ? or whose it was that was the matter of this account ? And the
answer hereunto causeth this other division of the words, as to the matter
of the account taken, whether in the one or other sense.

1st, His own: the sinfulness of himself in his former ways discovered now
upon his repentance, and this chiefly.

2dly, But together therewith, of that universal corruption of all mankind
in both sexes.

And these two you have interwoven and carried on in the following verses,
namely, 1, the account of his own, vers. 26, 27, to the middle of 28; 2, the
account and observation he made of others, chiefly in that which follows in
the remaining part of vers. 28 and 29.

I. He begins, and principally, with the account of his own sinfulness, and
that was it which he professeth to have sought more directly after, and as
for that of others, but as led into it by occasion of considering his own
follies. And because this is a matter not insisted on (though cursorily
observed) by interpreters, I shall therefore enlarge upon the proof of it out
of ver. 26.

* Circuivi ego, et cor meuin ad sciendum, &c. — So Arias Mont, et Tigurina editio.
Converti me ego et cor meum. — So Piscator, Junius.

t Ch'jshbon : quippe secundum Hebraei sermonis ambiguitatem, et numerum pos-
sumus et summam, et rationem vel cocfitationem dicere. — Hieronimus in locum.

Septuaginta Tijipas, which is calculus quo computatur. — Ita Drusius in locum.
Sonat supputationem, subductionera rationis. — Mfrcer. Ratio pro computatione. — A
Lapidi', Montanus, Pagnimis, Ferdinandus, ct alii.

482 AN UNKEGENERATE MAN'S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

You may observe to this purpose in this 26th verse the saddest reflection
made upon himself, and in that which had been the eminent failure and stain
of his life, known to all, and noticed again and again in the story of him in
the Old Testament : ' I find more bitter than death,' says he, ' the woman
whose heart is snares and nets,' &c. He speaks not contemplatively, this ;
but the most feelingly, and with the deepest sense he could bewail in it, ' I
find more bitter than death ;' q. d. I would, if my time were mine own again,
and afore me, to live over again, choose far rather to die than so to have
lived. Bitterness is the most abhorred object that any of the senses have,
and death is the extremity of things abhorred, and that it is his own sinful-
ness that way, that circumstantial passage in ver. 28 confirms, that he had
' not found one woman of a thousand ' (which is the exact number of his
women upon roll, 1 Kings xi. 3), whom he had conversed withal, so pointing
at himself. And further, he acknowledgeth this to have been a great efi'ect
of God's displeasure on him, and punishment of other sins whilst he had so
walked, in saying, * Whoso is good (or greatly accepted) in the sight of
God, shall escape from her ;' that is, altogether escape, which he had not
the favour from God altogether to do ; yet withal celebrating this special
token of his having been beloved of God in this, that in the end he had
escaped from her, through this his serious and true repentance ; and there-
fore professeth to utter this and what follows as a penitent gathered soul
unto the church again, ver. 27. For that that indigitation of his, thus says
the preacher^ doth import so much, is enough known, that I need not insist
on it. And ordinarily when it is brought in in this book (which is not
often), it foreruns or follows some weighty matter of penitence, or of feeling
experience in himself. Nor indeed can we imagine that when his heart was
tender, as it was when he wrote this book, even as Josiah's in reading
the book of the law, and that when he professeth to have given over the
impetuous search after other wisdom, on purpose to convert his heart to
attend his searching into wickedness and folly, that he should not princi-
pally intend his own. And again, that speaking of a matter that came so
near him, and so particularly home to him (as what he hereabout says of
women doth), that his main scope should yet be to reflect upon the sins of
others, and study them ; to observe the beams in others' eyes, and not first
and principally those pearls (as one wittily said of David's love of Bath-
sheba) in his own. In this case, could his principal aim be supposed to be
only to declaim against and set forth the sinfulness of women, more than to
lament his own in that particular ? Sure it is that he winds in the mention
of them, and their wickedness that wound him in, but to exaggerate his own.
It is certainly therefore his own account he intends.

The most interpreters do dilute the true vigour and spirit that filled Solo-
mon's heart in this so eminently a penitential passage, whilst they represent
Solomon to speak but as an observator or animadverter of what wickedness
he, as a stander-by and looker-on, had noticed to be in women, as if him-
self had been no otherwise concerned therein. And they generally make no
more of it. Whereas we find Solomon here ' in his mouth,' and a being * in
bitterness and mourning,' as the prophet speaks, in a deep bewailment of
his own follies. This learned Grotius easily perceived, choosing to leave
this sole animadversion upon it : We have Solomon here brought in as one
touched (or struck) with the conscience of his own miscarriages and evil
actings, of which chiefly women were the cause and actors of him. Some
few other interpreters there are that speak more fully to this aim, whom I
need not name ; and many there are that have touches and glimmerings to-

Chap. I.] in respect of sin and punishment. 433

wards such a sense, which yet we find darkened and overcast again by their
runnings out upon this other interpretation.

But that Solomon's eye and aim in this sad passage was chiefly upon his
own sinnings, there are many things hiid together do evince.

I. That his sins with and by occasion of outlandish women, had been the
eminent stain of his life is so known as it needs not to be insisted upon.
The story of him doth again and again notice it, as 1 Kings xi. 2, that
Solomon ' clave unto these in lovo ;' and long after he was dead, the me-
mory of his example is revive 1, and that as a rare and singular instance for
admonition : Neh. xiii. 36, ' Even him did outlandish women cause to sin.'
How, then, can we imagine that himself here, not mentioning only, but so
vehemently exclaiming against them as snares and occasions unto sin, should
not intend his own sinnings with them, which the Scriptures so brand him
with?

And, 2. His own expression points us to that which after follows ; those
very women of his, whom the story mentions to have been temptations to
him. This that circumstance in ver. 28 shews, ' One woman of a thousand'
(as the opposition there to one of a thousand men shews), ' I have not
found,' which is the just exact number of his women in his seraglio upon
record, 1 Kings xi. 3, as those whom he had conversed withal ; thus plainly
pointing at himself and them. And then,

8. It is the most generally received opinion that he wrote this book as a
testimony of his repentance ; which, besides that the matter of it is a per-
fect decrying of all he had formerly acted, as vanity ; the title also which
he gives both the book and himself, so often repeated by him, ' Thus says the
penitent soul gathered to the church,' shews, and which you may observe to be
in the very next verse indigitated by him, upon this very occasion of search-
ing into his sinfulness. And I call it his penitential mark (of which after-
wards). Can we then imagine, that when his heart was tender, as in writing
this his book it was (as Josiah's, in reading the book of the law), that he
here coming, so setly, to speak of a matter that came, above all other, so
near him, and so particularly home to him, as what here about women doth,
that the chief intention of his mind should be upon the sins he had observed
in these women, and not upon his own sins with them, and by reason of
them ? Or that his scope, above all, should be to observe the beams in their
eyes, and not first and principally those pearls in his own ? (as one wittily
speaks of David's, calling Bathsheba a pearl in one eyej^'and his murder a
bloodshot in the other). It is true, he exclaims against the sins of his
women, but it is to exaggerate and lament his own.

But these are but general evidences, though making this probable, if not
more than so.

II. Let us consider the particular words in the text: he that sounds into
them with the fathoming line, may find and fathom a soul heavy loaden
with the burden of sin, and drawing a deep water (as seamen use to speakj
of the sensibleness thereof. Let us consider every word in it.

1. And out of the sense of his own bitterness within himself, he utters this
here, ' I find more bitter the woman,' &c. He says, indeed, the tvoman, but
metonymically means, that together with them, the remembrance of his sins
was bitter to him, the sins which they had been the means and causes of
in him. Sin being once revived in the conscience, makes the remembrance
of every person, place, thing, that minds him of it, bitter to an humbled
soul.

2. And sin I find more bitter. He speaks not contemplatively this, as men

VOL. X. E e

434 AN UNREGENEKATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

use to do their observations or animadversions of the sins of others ; but he
speaks his own sense and personal experience, I find it to my cost. ' The
heart knows its mm bitterness,' says the same Solomon, Prov. xiv. 10. It
was the bitterness of his own soul that tasted the bitterness of his own sin,
which his soul had wrought, not others. I may apply that of the prophet
to him, ' His own wickedness corrected him,' and let him * know how evil
and bitter a thing it was to sin against the Lord,' Jer. ii. 19. And with
such a sense he speaks it (as the prophet Zechariah speaks of the Jews' re-
pentance for crucifying Christ) ; he was ' in bitterness and in mourning, as
one that is in bitterness for his only son,' Zech. xii. 10 ; or as of that famous
penitent, who is said to have ' wept bitterly,' Mat. xxvi. 25.

3. More hitter than death. It is one disposition of a repenting soul that
truly feels the bitterness of sin, to say with itself, I had rather die, and die
ten thousand deaths, than sin again as I have done. And to this effect Solo-
mon expresseth himself here, 'I find more bitter than death;' which is
too deep a speech for any but a penitent to utter, and then only in the case
of his own sins. Bitterness is the most abhorred object any of the senses
have ; and death is the extremity of things abhorred (unto which, therefore,
bitterness is ascribed by way of particularity, 1 Sam. xv. 32) ; but here is
a bitterness above that of death.

4. Nor means he only bodily death, but the second death, hell itself.
' Her end is more bitter than wormwood ; for her steps take hold on hell,'
says the same Solomon, Prov. v. 5. And the wormwood that grows in and
about the banks of that infernal lake (the wrath of God), was not so bitter
to Solomon's taste as was his sin that grew out of his own heart. And a
more sublimated property and affection of a genuine and spiritual repent-
ance (and which is indeed proper to it) there is not to be found, than to
taste a greater bitterness in sin than is in hell itself. Yet to this degree of
soundness was Solomon's spiritual taste restored, when he spake this ; and
it could come from no other than a true penitential frame and disposition,
which he must be likewise in at that time whilst he was speaking of it. For
it is one of the most raised evangelical affections an holy heart can exercise,
as towards sin, that the apostle's pen could reach to express this by, airoarw
yuuvTig tI cti/jjpoi', Rom. xii. 9, which words import, abhorring evil as hell,
fi-om (rTi)|, and more than hell, says Solomon.

III. The next words, ' whose heart is snares and nets,' ' whose hands are
bands.

Both which do make up but one continued sentence with the former words,
and therefore are still necessarily to be understood that he speaks of what
himself had found that sex, the women, to have been unto him : ' I find the
woman more bitter than death, whose heart is nets,' &c. ; and therein shews
wherein the bitterness he had found lay, namely, from the snares and nets
wherewith they had seduced him unto sins. And though he seems to speak
of the wickedness that was in their hearts, in saying, ' whose heart is,' &c.,
yet not singly or simply as it was immanent in them, or had been acted
within themselves, but mainly, to signify how operative and potent they had
been upon his heart, which those metaphors do principally import. These
nets, though woven by their hearts, yet were to catch his heart, which, when
framed once, they used as drags to draw him unto such sins as otherwise
were against his heart ever to have committed.

Moreover, by these nets and snares that ensnared himself, he doth not
simply mean the inordinacy of his amorous affections towards them, or the
sinful pleasures which had immediately flowed from those afiections and
enjoyments (which yet the story first notes as the rise of that which now

Chap. I.] in respect op sin and punishment. 435

follows to be mentioned, in prefacing to that story, that Solomon * clave to
these in love,' 1 Kings xi. 2), but chiefly his heart here was upon those con-
sequential sins, which they, working upon that love, drew him into. And
that is it which the following part of the story wholly insists on, as the
dreadful eftects of those his loves. For it immediately follows in vers. 3, 4,
' His wives turned away his heart,' namely, through that love; ' for Solomon
went after Ashteroth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the
abomination of the Ammonites,' ver. 5. Not that he was an idolater himself,
for in ver. 6, it is as by diminution thereof said, that ' he went not fully
after the Lord ; ' implying himself forsook not the worship of the true God.
But, vers. 7, 8, the matter of fact charged on him is, ' Then did Solomon build
a place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before
Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of Ammon. And likewise did
he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense, and sacrificed to their gods,
even of all the nations round about,' ver. 2. Note, /or them, not for himself.
And unto this with their nets they drew him, and with their drags pulled
him out of the element his heart was in, which was his life, the command-
ments of God, ver. 10, the iniquity of which, and the aggravations of it,
no tears of repentance could enough lament. That one circumstance (besides
what]God himself doth aggi'avate his sin by, vers. 9-11, which I leave to the
reader to peruse), I only mention, that he had built those idol temples upon
an ' hill before Jerusalem,' so, ver. 7, as thereby even out-facing God him-
self, such was the spiteful ambition of the devil. Of God who sat between
the cherubims in the temple, built on the opposite hill Zion, insomuch
that God could not ' look out of his holy place ' (as the phrase in the psalms
is), but his prospect just before it must be these profane temples and their
idols : Ezek. xliii. 8, ' Post by post ' exalted Christ and Belial. This fact
came very far up to the open breach of the very letter of the first command-
ment, ' Thou shalt have none other God before my face' (so in the Hebrew),
yea, and against my face, as the original words will also bear.

Moreover, how many persons, by his kingly authority, were set a- work to
build those temples for those several gods of his several wives ? and so
thereby he became guilty of so many sins to himself as there were persons
employed by him, or actions of those persons about it, or assistants in the
work ; as also in carving those images, adorning those temples or high-places.
Also, at what an excessive cost and expense he must be supposed to have
been at, not only to maintain so great a seraglio of seven hundred princesses,
and three hundred concubines, and their retinue, 1 Kings xi. 3 ; but further,
to build stately temples, high places, make provision for sacrifices, idol feasts,
and then afibrd a liberal allowance to so many several idolatrous priests and
devotaries for their several worships ; and all aggravated by this, that he
thereby increased the taxes of the people, who, the story notes, had been
sufficiently already burthened for the finishing of the temple, and his own
houses and provisions, 1 Icings iv. 7, but ' the yoke grew more grievous ' by
these new occasions, 1 Kings xii. 4.

0, what is man ! that ever he that built the temple of God by God's
special designment of him thereto, above all men else, yea, and rather
than of his father David ; and who uttered and penned that first most excel-
ling prayer at the consecration of it, 1 Kings viii. ; that that same man
should be so bewitched as to build temples to devils, and that in such a
place ! But it was these nets and snares drew him to all this.

It hath been wondered at by some interpreters why Solomon, in the re-
hearsal of all other vanities, as music, pleasant orchards, gardens, wine, and
other the delights of the sons of men, in the first and second chapters, should

436 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

leave out the mention of these his women there. But the reason may appear
that he reserved his repentance for these sins that followed the inordinate
love of them unto this, as a more peculiar proper place for it, thereby to
make it the more singular and notorious, to that place, when he should more
setly come to mention the account of wickedness and sin, and to express the
work of humiliation upon himself for it ; which he accordingly sets out, not
only as ' vanity of vanities,' &c., above all his vanities (these were terms
too low to his sense to utter this by), but loads his sins herein with the
worst of words he could, — folly, madness, wickedness : as also, that their
temptations had been that unto his very soul what nets are to fishes and
fowls, in which they are caught to their ruin, — ' she hunts for the precious
life,' Prov. vi. 26, — or else what snares or toils are unto wald beasts, made
to be taken and destroyed. Also, he compares them to bonds and chains,
in which either enslaved captives or persons condemned to death are kept
and reserved unto execution : instruments of death all, and of death unto
the soul. Oh it is bitter (says he here), and reacheth to the heart (as the
prophet adds), 'more bitter than death ;' and he means not the first death
only, as I shewed, but hell itself. So that what the apostle speaks of
covetousness, that it is not only a great evil in itself, but also ' the root
©f all evil ' to some men, drawing on with it a world of other sins, as
consequents thereof ; such was this one sin, the love of his wives, unto
Solomon, which, besides and beyond what inordinacy was singly and alone
in that way of sinning in and by itself, it proved a root of evil, of many,
other evils to him, a mother of great abominations. He fell into tempta-
tion and a snare, &e., but I shall have occasion again to parallel that place
and this.

IV. Those other two passages in the close of the verse, ' Whoso pleaseth
God,' or ' who is good in the sight and face of God, shall escape from her:
but the sinner shall be taken by her ; ' these may seem in the manner of his
uttering them to be far remote from containing any penitential strain in
them, and to be but merely two doctrinal aphorisms and monitories given to
others of the sons of men as touching these sins.

And yet, so taken, they express to this eifect, that a man's being given to
such low, vile, and foolish lustings and ali'ections of this kind, is a more
special token of God's severe anger and displeasure against that man, and a
punishment from God of other preceding sins* and looseness of spirit in
another kind, and a severer punishment by far than any outward judgments
in estate, body, &c. This I understand to be the spirit and mind of those
words, ' The sinner shall be taken by her.' Where, by sinner, I understand
one that is and hath been by way of eminency such ; one that is guilty in
other kinds of sinnings to some special degree, by giving way to other lusts,
and not strictly or only to be limited to any mere unregenerate man ; and
his purpose is to shew that there is usually a great displeasure towards any
man from God by reason of former sins, that is entangled in such lustings
as these, and this likewise so far as he is entangled in them. And those
opposite words, ' Whoso pleaseth God shall escape ' (that is, altogether
escape, or at least so far as to be kept from those inordinacies in this kind),
do confirm this interpretation, signifying that it is both a singular special
token of God's grace, favour, and acceptation of such a man ; as also that it

* Et hoc quidem perniitti a Deo in poenam aliorum peccatorum. — Pineda invi.rha,
num. 1. and nu7n. 4. See the li.li. English Aunotator.
Meritis peccatoris tribuitur capi, &c. — Cajetmi in loc.
Pcccator (i. e.) qui altis peccatis assueius est. — Pineda in verba, num. 4.

Chap. I.] in respect of sin and punishment. 437

is a special fruit and reward of former strict and exact walking,* the words
well bearing each of these interpretations, of the first of which we shall have
use afterwards. And though Solomon's case here was not utterly that which
himself elsewhere speaks of: Prov. xxii. 14, 'A strange woman,' saith he,
' is a deep ditch ; and he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein.'
This, I say, was not utterly Solomon's case, for though they were outlandish
woutien, yet they had been taken into his bosom as wives (inasmuch as some
apply these two sentences of Solomon here ; the 1st, unto the blessing to
have good wives, and to escape bad ; and the 2d, unto the curse of having
evil wives), who though according to strictness of the law were to have been
put away, as all strange wives were, Ezra x. 3, 19. But yet it would seem
that there was a common apprehension and pretension among the Jews for
the keeping of them, if they were wives already, as appears by that very in-
stance in Ezra. , Nor yet had Solomon's person become such an abomina-
tion to the Lord, as himself in the Proverbs speaks of God's love and grace
reviving again towards him, as we shall see here also to be insinuated by and
by. Yet, however, a grievous punishment and displeasure from God there
was in it, to have left him thus foully to transgress in marrying them, and
to cleave so in love unto them. And thus much as to the effect of these two
passages, considered barely as they are doctrinal monitories.

But, withal, it must be acknowledged that these two sayings do, to a great
degree, set out what had been, and was, his own individual case, and indeed
are an abstract of it. For, to be sure, he had not altogether escaped, but
was taken by her, as hath been shewed ; so as if we understand them as
doctrinal admonitions (as they are), yet thus much further must be granted,
that they coming so home to himself, he could not have taken the matter
hereof so much as into his thoughts, much less so deUberately into his pen,
but, if not hardened, he must be affected with a deep sense of his own con-
dition as a grievous sinner, in the uttering of them, as well as in the former
words we have seen he was. It was a serious and solemn repentance there-
fore which did thrust these forth here, as well as it had done the former.

And that a true penitent should express and lament his own unhappiness,
and also accuse, condemn, and lament himself, under a comparative view
and consideration, made and taken of God's dealings towards others (whether
of such as have been kept innocent, or otherwise guilty of the same enormi-
ties), and so there-under to bewail himself the more, cannot be thought
strange or uncouth unto any one that knoweth what the exercises of serious
repentance are ; nay, it is most proper to the nature thereof. My meaning
is, that for such a soul to bewail himself in such a way as this : ' There are
others that, having walked closely and circumspectly with God, whom God
hath and will keep from such or such miscarriages which I have run into.
And 0, how happy are such ! For " he that pleaseth God, and is good in
his sight, shall escape them." But, alas 1 I have not been such, nor so good
in his sight, as to have had this favour from him ; but out of his just displea-
sure taken at other sins, I, wretched I, have been left by him to these, as a
punishment of those former sins : the sinner is and shall be taken.' And
even such an one lamenteth the more for this, that God should have been so

* Some interpreters do carry those words to the special grace and favour of God ;
others to man's having pleased God greatly by holy walking, or that is become greatly
beloved. Both Charus Deo, and quem JJeus bonum jndicat. (Mercer.)

Quod unus capiatur, hoc quidem permitti a Deo in poenam aliorum peccatorum ;
quod unus eflfugiat, illud tribui tanquam proemium aliorum bonoium operum et vitse
sanctions. — Pineda.

Quern Deus probat, et quo ille delectatur. — Carthwritus in loc.

438 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

justly displeased at him, as in such a manner to punish him, and that he
should give occasion to it more than others had done.

It is certain that the church (or Jeremiah, or both), Lam. iii,, in her re-
pentings there recorded, doth, in some like sort or strain, mournfully warble
forth her own condition. She had begun (as here), ver. 1, to speak in her
own person, /, and so carries it on all along, as therein grammatically speak-
ing of herself, unto ver. 25 ; but then he turns the manner of her speech, and
falls to utter the rest in the third person, he, setting down by way of doc-
trinal maxims, what is the wont and guise of true penitent souls, as what
others in her case used to do : ' He sits alone, and puts his mouth in the
dust,' &c. ; and yet still she means herself in all these, and vents her own
condition under these, as well as in the former she had done ; and thus
doth Solomon here.

And he that considers what was even now said, how near. all this came to
Solomon's heart whilst he was writing this, may well grant that he here still
continues to speak but his own experience, and but what he had full dearly
learned, and upon repenting had laid to heart ; and that indeed he but wraps
up and forms his own particular reflections of God's dealings with him, and
of his towards God, into these two wholesome pills for others to take, from
his p7-obatum est. So as I may say of it, repentance wrought this experience
(or experimental review or recognition), and experience brought forth these
axioms, and all as now grown out of his own heart, and he venting his heart
thereby.

But then let this further be added for confirmation of this, that his I find,
in the preceding sentence, which leads on and gives aim to these words,
doth evidently send down unto these following sayings a continued, though
implied, application to himself; so as we may as well set a new 1 find, be-
fore these words also (though but as understood) as well as himself had done
to the former ; and then to be in effect as if he had said, ' And I find also,
that he that pleaseth God, and is good in his sight, escapes her, but I have
not been so good nor so happy.'

In fine, upon all these accounts, methinks the pulse of Solomon's heart
(for there runs a secret artery under the veins of these words) doth beat with
a double motion therein.

The first of a deep bewailment, as to this effect : Alas ! that ever I, who,
at my very birth, was declared and owned by God to be his beloved, 2 Sam.
xii. 25, and unto whom God had, when I was as yet young and tender, ap-
peared twice, 1 Kings xi. 9, thereby to allure my heart unto him ; at which
times also God commanded and forewarned me concerning this very thing,
that I should ' not go after other gods,' ver. 10, thereby in a special manner
admonishing me above all things, to look to and beware of that, and of all
whatever that should any way lead to or be occasioned by it ; of which God
also as expressedly foretold would be the certain event of marrying outlandish
wives, * They surely will turn away thy heart tifter other gods.' Deut. vii. 3, 4,
* And yet that I, wretched I, in the future progress of my life, should first
prove so vain a sinner, as (finding I had all the freedoms and pleasures of a
king in my power and within my reach, without control to enjoy) thereupon
to give up my heart to a loose and inordinate use of all sorts of the de-
lights of the sons of men lawful, to the utmost excess therein,* and so
should thereby, through lusts running out unto, and intermixing with all
these, so far provoke God, as in the end further to leave me to worser, and
these more wild extravagant exotic affections, unto outlandish wives out of
all the nations, &c. And that I thus, proceeding on through God's displea-
* This he decries in the first and second chapters.

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 489

sure, from evil to worse, should be so enfettered and ensnared in their toils,
as to be drawn by them to set up other gods, and the idolatrous worship of
them, and build temples to them, &c. And oh, the displeasures of God
against me this way shewn ! that he should be so provoked as to give up my
soul from one sin to another, until it came to these ! This wounds my soul ;
especially the more when, withal, I compare mine own wretchedness herein
with others of the sons of Israel that have continued good in the eyes of the
Lord, and pleased him by a strict and holy walking ; who have been and
shall be kept from (yea, altogether escape) such gross sinnings as these, out
of a special favour and respect which God hath unto them. 0 but I,
wretched I, have not been thus good, nor had the grace in my own heart,
nor mercy from God, but have been caught and taken like one of the Ught
fools and sinners in Israel. And thus sighs and waileth he.

Yet, withal, there is a second secret motion and out-breathing a contrary
way (as of man's heart and pulse there is), namely, a magnifying or cele-
brating with joy the rich and free goodness of God towards himself, which I
take to be the spirit that runs in the vein of these words, ' He that is good
in the sight or face of God, shall escape her.' I find many interpreters to
give the scope of that phrase, good in his sight,* to denote not scantily one
that is good or virtuous in that particular or chastity, or good at large, but
such an one whom God loves, favours, and who is the object of God's free
and sovereign grace, out of which grace alone, God is moved within himself
to deliver such an one, though formerly he had been addicted unto that kind
of sinning from such entanglements and snares. The end why I allege this
interpretation is, that Solomon hereby doth set forth his own case in this,
as well as his sinful case in the foregoing ; and so that Solomon should have
an eye to God's gracious dealings with himself, whilst he uttered this, * He
that is good in the face or favour of God' tacitly signifying, that now at last,
that love and grace, which at first had taken hold of him, as the Jedidiah,
the beloved of the Lord, had now revived and flourished again towards him,
had broke forth and manifested itself in an eminent degree of favour upon
him, in giving him a serious, sound, and efi'ectual repentance, in the power
and efficacy of which he was enabled utterly or clean to escape (as the
apostle's word is, 2 Peter ii.) from out of these fetters ; and thereupon with
joy, like an enthralled prisoner newly delivered, points to his gyves and
chains, in the words foregoing, as if he had said. Now there my fetters lie,
and here am I escaped through the infinite goodness of God. Thus much
that conviction and sense of his own sins, and the dealings of God with him
are intended by him in ver. 26.

CHAPTEE IL

That the infinite number of his sins is here the issue or product of his seeking
to find out the account [ivhich was the fourth head propounded). — Some
difficulties previously solved for the clearing that this is the scope. — TJie ele-
gancy of his expressing that this account was numberless, by saying^ Behold^
this I find, &c., but I find not.

The exposition of the foregoing verses hitherto hath been but preparatory
to this, the subject in hand, which is specially contained in these words.

* Bonus in facie Elohim. Divinae gratise tribuitur, &c. — Cajetan in locum.

Qui est chants Deo. {Mercer.) Ex beneplicito gratuito. {Hugo.) Praesupponitur
bonitas, gratia, complacentia, et beneplacitum divinum. {Ferdinandus).

Potius qui faerit Deo gratus hoc habebit ei divina gratia quod evadat. — Pineda.

440 AN uxekitExerate man's guiltiness before god, [Book XI.

Wherein he sets down a second and further conviction, of which in the
division t spake, which extends and comprehends the sins of his whole life.
And this is that which is the grand account, and so styled by him the ac-
count, and ushered in with the greatest solemnity : ' Behold, this have I
found, says the preacher.'

In the former, ver. 26, he insisted more especially upon the heinousness of
guilt (which he found most bitter) in one particular way of sinning. But in
this he proceeds on to the general account of the total ; and, as a convicted
person, acknowledgeth a judgment of the whole debt, which he confesseth to
be ' infinite, and past finding out.'

That which we have gained by so enlarged an exposition of the former
verse hath been this, that they were his own sins which he aimed to give
the account of in all these verses, and that he speaks thereof as a penitent,
which we shall carry along with us as his main scope into these 27th and
28th verses, which now follows as a new text to be expounded; and "yet,
further, that they concern his own sins and the sins of his whole life, as a
penitent, will more abundantly appear in the opening of them in the next
succeeding chapter, as also in the fourth.

That which is my task in this chapter is to conflict with and break through
some difficulties in the outward shell of these words, which the inward pith
or sense given, as the kernel, is enclosed in. And unto any ordinary reader's
first view and essay the outward expressions and manner thereof have a
sensible hardness and crust in them.

The difficulties are such as these, what the this I have found, points at
and refers to, and whether that it centres and determines in I find not. And
that there the full period is set to the whole sentence, and ends. Also the
circumlocution, or his fetching a compass about to express himself, ' count-
ing one by one to find,' &c., and that he should close with so strange a riddle,
'But I find not,' when yet he had said, ' This I found.' These, and the
phi-aseology and the contrivance of his speech about them, I must first over-
come and settle.

I choose to manage the assoiling of these, as also the whole exposition
that follows, by way of queries, and then answers thereto (which I call as-
s^ertions), orderly succeeding each the other, and so placed and disposed as
the answer to the first query begets a second query, and then the answer
unto that occasioned a third query, and so on, till they have brought forth
the full meaning of the whole, and everything therein. And this course I
shall hold both in this and the following chapters.

Our first and fundamental query must be concerning the this; a small
word, ' This have I found,' that meets us at the first. What that should
refer unto ?

The reason of this query is, because it is plain that of the account itself,
he says. He found it not.

The this, then, is not the account itself, and yet must be some great matter
concerning that account, for it is prefaced with a behold, ' this have I found.'

Ans. The Dutch annotators have bluntly given this brief resolve of it, I
find nothing else but this, that as yet I find nothing, so making the this
have I found absolutely to determine and centre in / find not ; and so his
meaning to be this, that whereas he declared that he had applied himself to
seek the account, ver. 25, he now makes this return of that his grand inquest,
as the verdict of the jury of his pains and study impanelled and laid out
thereon, to be a non inventus, a bill not found, as jurors use to speak. Thus
making but I find [not] to be the very object or termimis, and the very this,
which he says he found, and with that the whole sentence to end.

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 441

But I had this demur at their paraphrasing the sense thus, that the lan-
guage would not bear it without an harshness. For if indeed he had said
' This I have found, that I find not,' the language had been smooth and
even, as for such a meaning ; but this but coming in between seems to have
an exception against the bringing of these two sayings together, as to that
sense. For to say, I have found, but I find not ; and to intend and mean
I find that I find not, is incongruous and hobbhng in the way of speaking.

But then that which now follows plained or smoothed the but or rub, in
the way again unto the sense given. That is true, if these two sayings men-
tioned had immediately followed one the other, there would have been that
seeming harshness mentioned ; but we see there are many intermediate words
do come between them, both after the first this have I found, which begins
the whole sentence, and afore but I find not, which ends it. Those inter-
mediate words are these, ' counting one by one to find out the account, which
yet my soul seeketh,' and then follows, ' but I find not ' (the sense of those
words being this, I have used my utmost diligence to find it, and do still
seek after it). Now then, after all this, to close all with but I find not, is
most congruous ; for by this the interposition of but, is occasioned by and
relateth to those endeavours used as not arriving at what he aimed to find,
and likewise serves to increase the wonder of his behold, &c., and yet withal
still yokes weU enough these two sayings and the first and the last together.
I say, take them, and all this between, together (and take in all we must,
for they all concur to make the sentence complete), and then the language
is round enough, and all runs in a fair and direct channel into this our in-
terpretation given ; behold, this (upon trial) I have found, namely, this, that
I have set myself by counting to find out the account, but, notwithstanding,
I find it not.

But besides, there are many versions render it and I find not, which trans-
lation is yet more yielding and pliant to this our sense.

And thus we may see, this I have found, though placed at the beginning
remotely from the close, yet gently to roll down through all those inter-
mediate winding passages, and taking them along with itself, to fix itself at
last in / find not, as its terminus, and there rests. And so the whole of all,
ultimately terminating in I find not, is that very this which Solomon in-
tendeth here, and says he found.

And thus this clause, in the sense now given, doth absolutely stand entire
and clear apart from both the foregoing and the following words, as those
which do make up a whole complete sentence within themselves, that we need
not take in the next succeeding words, ' One man have I found,' &c. (as
some would), to perfect them into an entire sentence. And we shall find
(when it comes to be opened), even that succeeding sentence, ' One man
among a thousand have I found,' &c., to stand out likewise, in the sense
thereof, from this here, and to subsist on its own feet, as being another dis-
tinct maxim of and within itself.

And in the meanwhile, till we come to the opening thereof, there is this
in the general that may aforehand serve as sufficient evidence, that these
(my text) make one period or full sentence, and those succeeding words
another ; even the order and conduct which Solomon observeth through-
out the whole paragraph, which is this, that whereas in the first place he
had shewn he had set his heart to search and seek the account, ver. 25,
then in the rest that follows to the end of the chapter, he gives forth four
maxims as the several issues and products he had experimented of that his
search. And to the end that his reader might be able to discern them in
their distinction one from another, he takes up this form of speech, ' I find,'

442 AN UNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK XI.

or * I have found,' which he hath four times up, prefixing or affixing it anew
to every one of those special maxims. Thus he begins his first particular
return of account, ' I find more bitter than death, the woman,' &c., that's the
first; and then begins this new and second one with, 'this have I found,'
ver. 27, which endeth with a ' but I find not,' with which he perfecteth the
second. He then, in Hke equipage of speech, gives out a third in the end of
ver. 28, * One man have I found, but one woman I have not found.' Then
a fom-th, which is the conclusion of the whole 29th verse, ' This only have
I found,' &c., that is, this only to my full satisfaction, ' That God made man
upright, but they,' &c. So as a this have I found, still parts every period
as a mark of di^dsion ; and by repeating it thus four several times, ' I find,'
or ' I have found,' he severs the materials of each of these sentences one
from another, as we use to do by so many principal posts or studs, so many
divisions or sets in a row or rail. And therefore we may conclude that these
two sentences before us in vers. 27, 28, the one, my text, the other, ' One
man have I found,' &c., having two new I founds set them, that therefore
they speak of differing matters, as well as those other two clauses in vers. 26,
29, ai'e generally acknowledged to do, these having the like posts or marks
of separation set between them that those other two have.

The attentive observation of these things, though but generals, concerning
this passage (my text) now at the entrance, is a matter of great moment
unto the true and right understanding of this text, and so of the rest of the
whole paragraph. And look what scope or aspect interpreters do put upon
the ' this have I found,' and what that should refer to ; that accordingly is
made by them the hinge upon which their particular interpretations of all
the rest that follows do turn, this way or that in their variety. And accord-
ingly, that the this should refer and centre in I find that I cannot find it
(which is the scope of it by me proposed), is, in like manner, the very hinge
of that interpretation which I am now pursuing.

A second query is, what should be Solomon's intent and plainer meaning
to express himself thus in so strange a riddle, ' Behold, I find, I find not.'

The answer in plainer words is, to shew that he found the matter of this
account to be infinite and past finding out. And indeed the best commenta-
tors, though they carry the this either to the wickedness of women, ver. 26,
or both men and women, in the succeeding words, which I do not, yet they
fall, in common, in with this general paraphrase or sense I now give, that
Solomon's meaning was to express, that he found it was infinite. And in-
deed the phrase itself, ' I find not' (especially as it is here coherenced), doth,
by comparing other scriptures, import no less ; holding some lesser analogy
in its drift and sense with that expression of the apostle (as it is translated)
concerning the ways of God, "How unsearchable, &c., and his ways past
finding out,' Rom. xi. 83. In like manner here, Solomon of his sinful ways
(though bearing a far less degree of proportion for infiniteness), that they are
past finding out. Or it corresponds with another like phrase used by the
same apostle, ' passing knowledge ;' yea, and if we view these words in
their coherence, you may discern that Solomon comes near in terms to both,
and all of these of the apostle ; for in saying, ' I applied my heart,' 1, to
' search,' and also sought ; 2, to ' know ; ' and 3, to * find this account' (all
which you have in terminis, compare but vers. 25 and 27 together), and then
for him to conclude, ' But I find it not,' is all one as to say, that upon search
into it, I found it to be, 1, unsearchable ; and 2, passing my knowledge ;
and 3, past finding out ; and so to be an account infinitely beyond all account
I can give of it.

And supposing (by what hath been said out of ver. 26, and shall be further

Chap. II.] in bespect of sin and punishment. 443

proved in the next chapter) that it is the account of his own sins he speaks
this of, then it is the same thing in efiect which David his father had uttered
afore him, though in other words, ' Who can understand his errors ?' or
Jeremiah after him, * The heart, &c., who can know it ?' And in substance
and sense, the very same which David useth of God's infinite thoughts of
love and mercy in pardoning such au infinite multitude of sins ; ' Many are
thy thoughts, 0 God, to us- ward, they cannot be reckoned up in order to
thee ; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be num-
bered.' It is the efiect of what Solomon intends here of his sins, as shall be
further shewn.

1. This infinity, or surpassing his finding out, he further amplifies and
exaggerates by setting out, 1, His pains and diligence used to find it, ' I
applied my heart to search,' * to know,' ' to seek out ;' three words so mul-
tiphed and put together, import utmost diligence, this in ver. 25. 2. Exact-
ness in casting the accounts of it, * Counting one by one to find the account,'
so in ver. 27 (even as arithmeticians do to bring their accounts to a balance).
3. The continuation of his labours therein, ' Which my soul yet seeks,' that
is, continues to do it. 4. By the vehemency his soul had in the prosecution,
which my very ' soul seeks ;' and notwithstanding all this, ' I find not.' All
these streams empty themselves into, and settle in this gulf, I find not,
neither bank nor bottom.

Unto which may be added the abilities of wisdom and understanding that
Solomon was endowed withal ; so as one should think he had counters enough,
wherewith he (if ever any) might have been able to have numbered them,
having ' an understanding as large as the sands upon the sea-shore.' But
his sins infinitely exceeded the sands in number (of which after), and passed
both his, and all human understanding, and so his skill fell short ; he found,
as Asaph says, it was ' too hard for him.'

And therefore his arithmetic faihng him, he betakes himself to his rhetoric.
For what could be greater and higher, than for the most renowned wise man
that ever was, or will be in the world, and now anew made wiser by the
hght of a serious and thorough repentance, properly directing and disposing
him to the knowledge of sin, to make first so loud a proclamation, ' Behold,
this I have found ;' and then exaggerating the matter (as hath been opened)
by his pains in searching to find, &c., and all to shew that he valued the
attainment of this above all other pieces of wisdom ; and all this to raise up
and heighten the expectation of all who should read this, what it would be
he should bring forth as the issue and product of this his search and finding.
And then to come oti' with this, ' But I find not ;' what shall I compare or
liken it unto, but the apostle's so solemn story of his rapture into the third
heaven ? And then all the news he brings from thence, should be, that it
was unutterable, and that he could tell nothing of it, was all he had to tell.
This contrivance and circumlocution, and fetching the matter about, which
Solomon useth, was such as no rhetoric or invention can mend, whereby to
set out the surpassing infiniteness of this account. This as to the mind
and unriddling of this riddle, I find, I find not, in the general intent of it.

I now close this chapter, with adding this great observation out of all
hitherto, that Solomon judged this to be a point of greatest moment and
concernment for all men to know ; in that of all lessons else which from
experimental repentance he had learned, he chooseth to leave behind him
but this alone, or at least above all other, that upon his most exquisite
search, he found his actual sins were infinite ; and to proclaim this with a
behold, and the greatest solemnity, calling upon aU men deeply to consider
it ; which point I shall enlarge upon afterwards.

444 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK Xl.

CHAPTER III.

A larger confirmation of this interpretation given, and a fuller exposition of
the words, by shewing that the matter of t/us account was of his own per-
sonal wickedness, as a penitent; and not only that one particular sin, but
of his whole life past and present.

What hath been hitherto spoken concerning the way and manner of his
speech used, and but in generals, must needs beget further desires more
certainly and particularly to be assured this to have beeii his scope, and
accordingly provoke to make a more narrow and thorough inquiry.

What the subject matter or thing this account concerns should be ?

And the answer thereto is, that the matter of this account, whereof he
l^ronounceth this, * I find, I find not,' was,

I. An account of wickedness.

II. Of his own personal follies and wickedness, which,

III. As a penitent he searched into, by self-examination, &c., and with
repentance for them.

IV. The wickedness, not of that one particular way of sinning only, but
of his whole life past and present.

V. That was the innumerable multitude rising up afore him in his search
to such an infinity that caused him to say, ' Behold, this I have found, I
find it not.'

These particulars I shall endeavour to demonstrate, either out of these
words themselves, or their coherence and aspect to the words foregoing or
following after. And this by parts. The four Ikst in this chapter, and the
fifth in the next.

And this resolve comprehending many particulars, whereof some will oc-
casion new queries to be drawn forth ; I shall therefore prosecute them in
the way of query and answer (whereof the one will beget the succeeding), as
I have begun, till the'y have all of them brought forth.

I. To be sure it was the account of wickedness, some or other, either of
himself or others. For after he had, in ver. 25, as his introduction, related
how he was turned about, and had applied his heart to know, search, and
seek out the account of wickedness, &c., he here the second time repeats
and mentions this accoimt, and how de facto, and according to that resolu-
tion, he had pursued the seeking of it. And this also, although it be but a
general observation, yet conduceth greatly to fix the interpretation, and to
bring it to an head, and strikes ofi' many other wide and wild interpretations
♦hat are given of this clause, which otherwise I should not have indigitated.

II. They were his own personal follies, sought out by him he intends
this of.

A late judicious commentator observing how the word translated, ver. 25,
* the reason of things,' did signify the account (as was by me observed), and
to be also the very same word that is translated the account here in ver. 27,
and that addition of things not to be there in the original ; and withal, that
Solomon in these words prosecutes the same account that he had spoken of
in ver. 25, he thereupon paraphraseth the words of ver. 25 thus, Solomon
applied his heart, or turned it about to seek wisdom, in taking account of
himself, and seeking to know the wickedness of his own folly, and the foohsh-
ness of his own madness. And so these words (says he) in ver. 25, ' The
reason of things ' is better rendered, * the account of myself and ways.' And
according to this premise, he interprets these words in my text, vers. 27, 28,

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 445

of his own wickedness and folly ; thus he. And it is certain that if Solo-
mon's own sinfulness be aimed at in that speech, ver. 25, then in this also.
For it is evident it is one and the same account in both (which I shall urge
by and by) which is confirmed by this, that ver. 26 (which comes betwetm
this speech and it, in ver. 25, and so his main scope transmits from ver. 25
unto this ver. 27), treats (as I have shewed) of the follies of himself, which
he there bewaileth as a penitent. And the inference from thence will have
a redoubled strength for this, that therefore much more he goes on in these
words to speak of his own personal follies he had sought the account of,
but found it was infinite and past his skill. I here add no more, because
the whole of what follows in the very next succeeding third section does fully
and directly serve to prove this head also.

III. In a way of repentance and daily self-examination and search into
them ; which appears by two characters.

1. That he sets to his penitential mark or token when he comes to these
words, and so upon the matter thereof, as being of a penitential nature.
Behold, this have I found, says the soul that is by sound repentance gathered
or returned to the congregation of the saints ; and says it, to testily his true
repentance. This to be the comprehensive meaning of those words rendered,
' Thus saith the preacher, ' I take so much for granted amongst Protestants
as I will not detain the reader in a large proof of it. The word coheleth is
a participle of the feminine gender, and therefore interpreters use to supply
it with nephesh, which is of the feminine gender also ; and then it is all one
as to say, < a soul gathered,' as implied thereby. And whereas in those other
places of this book, where this title comes in, it is joined with a masculine
verb, here alone the verb amorah, saith, is in like manner feminine, and so
further serves to import his soul to be intended, which is yet further con-
firmed by what doth immediately follow, ver. 28, ' which my soul seeks.'
All which declar% that in this new stile and title Solomon intended his soul
as the subject, as withal to shew how and with what a vehemency his very
soul was in this matter engaged. And then again, the word coheleth signify-
ing a being gathered to the congregation or the church ; it is inferred that
therefore his repentance was withal as significantly connotated thereby ; for
by no other thing is a soul truly gathered to the church (or ' added to the
church,' as the apostle's phrase is) than by true and sound repentance ; and
it is the soul that is the subject of repentance, and so still in Scripture it is
attributed to it, as therefore here, when repentance is spoken of ; and it is
as true that true soul-repentance is of and for a man's own personal sins,
and therefore they must be intended. The words of the fore-cited right
reverend annotator's paraphrase upon this word, are these: Solomon here
added this clause (says he) to testify to the church his repentance, namely,
• This have I found,' saith the soul, which by sound repentance is returned
unto the congregation of the saints, which was before ensnared in the nets
and bands of seducing women. To that special sin indeed he restrains it
here, but I extend it to the sins of his whole life.

I call this Solomon's penitential mark or token (proper to him in this his
book of repentance) only in allusion, as in point of speech, unto that great
apostle's apostolical terming that one of his mark or token set by him to all
his epistles, 2 Thes. iii. 17.

Now put but all these together : 1, an account spoken of, 2, an account
of folly and wickedness, 3, which my soul yet seeks to find, 4, says the
penitent soul. And what account else should this be supposed to be, other
than the account of his own sins, and follies of his own soul ? And then
by what other ways and means should it be, he did yet seek out that account.

446 AN UNKEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

other than by self-examination and a daily searching into, and so computing
of it?

2. A second character that he speaks all this in a way of daily self-examina-
tion and repentance, is that great vehemency wherewith his soul (as we find
it here expressed by him) was carried out to find this account, together with
his suitable diligence and exactness, or pains he professeth he had taken
therein. And this will also as strongly serve to evince that they were his
own sins he intended in these words. First, his vehemency and eagerness
is thus expressed, 'which yet my soul seeketh ;' that is, the very whole of
my soul, and the utmost intention of it, continues after the hottest and most
eager pursuance of finding it, even to that very day ; which the word ' yet
seeks ' argues. These shew that the matter of this account he looked upon
as of greatest moment, and the finding of it to be a wisdom far transcending
all other wisdom, which he had given over. Yea, and (which yet height-
eneth this) that although he had found the very same discouragement in the
pursuit of this which he had found in the study of all other wisdom, which
for that very reason he professeth to have in a manner quite given over, vers.
23, 24, because it was too deep for him, ver. 25, and given over to that end,
to attend this new account or point of wisdom, yet still we see him, notwith-
standing this discouragement, prosecuting this unto that very hour ; yea, we
find his soul in a full career after it, panting and almost out of breath through
ardency and heat of pursuit whilst he utters this. What must be or can be
supposed to have made the difi'erence, but that he found this point of wisdom
of infinitely greater moment, even such as his very soul and everlasting sal-
vation was concerned in, and so deeply concerned, as he could never lay the
study of this again down. For why ? He must have laid repenting down
else ; for by the law of true repentance (whereof the studying to find out
one's sinfulness is always a concomitant, yea, pre-requisite) he was daily
engaged to this duty unto the end, to humble his soul greatly before God, as
great sinners truly repenting use to do, and therefore daily to seek into this
account, and to do his best to cast up that still ; and this although he still
found he fell never so short of it, for that would but still serve to humble
him the more. So as his But I find not the perfect account did not, ought
not, could not discharge his soul from a yet of seeking to find it. Add unto
this (which still increaseth the evidence on this hand), 2, that great dili-
gence, pains, and exactness which he professeth to have continued in this,
expressed in these words, * counting one by one to find out the account ;'
which, whether it refers unto times spent therein (as Junius), semel atque
iteriim, that is, once and again, or one time after another, as we use to speak
when we would express sedulousness and industry, we say, still to be at it,
and upon a thing ; or whether it refers to the things numbered or summed
up ; how that he had told them over one by one. However, either the one
or other, they each import his great diligence put forth in it. But the latter
of these two speaketh further the most exquisite exactness, and how that he
had been as curious and exquisite in his search, according to his power and
skill, as any neat accountant (a merchant suppose) useth to be, who, to be
sure to cast up a sum punctually, he doth it one by one, and contents not
himself with a confused guess only. Even thus, says Solomon, have I en-
deavoured to do, by a daily view of my fore-past actions, taken singly and
apart ; yea, and I take actions in pieces, to find out their sinfulness. I have
considered the principles of them, my ends in them, the motives, the aflfec-
tions that influenced them, the circumstances that did accompany them, and
have narrowly examined and searched into all these one by one. This is
the second character.

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 447

And unto these two, both first, so exact, and secondly, so vehement a soul-
pursuance, it could not simply or mainly be the account of others' wicked-
ness (to which most would carry it), nor can it be supposed to be that which
should thus deeply have engaged, fired, and fixed him, but that a deep sense
of his own wickedness awakening him should do it, and ought to do it.
This the examples in the word, the nature of true repentance, and the ex-
perience of all renewed souls after a relapse (as his case was) unto a fresh
and deep repentance, do abundantly confirm.

Here another query doth arise, that it being granted that he speaks this
of his own sins as a penitent, yet whether not only of the account of that
one species or kind of sinning by women, and the consequents thereof, be-
cause he had alone insisted upon the mention thereof in ver. 26, this remains
still a question.

My return unto this is, that both that sort and the other, even all other
sins throughout the whole course of his past, and also of his present daily
conversation, were the object or matter of this penitential inquiry and ac-
count here insisted on, which he, upon his renewed repentance, had pro-
secuted with a continued examination and observation to that day. To go
over these by parts.

1. As touching those particular sins about women, &c., two things.
(1.) It is certain that those are intended and included in a special and
singular manner ; for he instances therein, and therein only, in the verse
afore, as having been the chiefest of his sins, which useth always to be unto
souls thoroughly humbled, the grand material of their repentance, and upon
which they are wont to spend the strength of their sorrowful thoughts and
tears, as being the imprimis of their account. We must necessarily, there-
fore, judge that Solomon did bring down along with him, from the foregoing
verse, the account of this sin into this his main account, ver. 27.

(2.) It is as certain that that one rivulet or stream of sinning had afibrded
so great a spawn and multitude of sins, as did alone amount to such an in-
finity as might deserve those great words by which he exaggerates his not
finding, &c. But then I would have it noticed withal, that if this had alone
been intended, it still were a suflScient foundation for my design and purpose
out of these words ; for if the transgressing of one commandment doth pro-
duce and afibrd so large a reckoning, what will the breach of all the other
throughout the course of a man's hfe amount unto, when every command-
ment shall bring in their bills (as at such audits they use to do) ? But
though we pass and allow that to have been his great imprimis, yet we may
and must take into this account all the other, though perhaps lesser, items,
which, being put together, do far exceed as to the number of them.

2. As to that other part, that all the other follies of his life, past and pre-
sent, were also the matter of his search and observation, to find out the ac-
count thereof, upon this his revived repentance, &c. For this there are these
competent evidences.

(1.) The aspect or correspondency this speech holds in the matter of it,
with that of ver. 25. Had, indeed, these words had reference only to ver. 26,
they might have been limited by, and unto those his sinnings with women,
and his meaning then to have been, That in his searching into that parcel
or heap of sins, he found that alone to be infinite. But it is apparent that
these words look higher, and hold a former and more elderly pre-acquaintance
and strict connection of no less immediateness with those foregoing, viz., ' I
applied my heart to know, and search, and find out the account of wicked-
ness, and folly, and madness,' in ver. 25, which apparently speaks of wicked-
ness indefinitely, yea, universally ; one kind of wickedness as well as another.

448 AN UXREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

Well, and suitably unto that speech doth he here speak this, ' Behold, this
I have found, counting one by one to find out the account, which yet my
soul seeketh,' &c. It is evident 'tis the same account he speaks of in both,
for the word in the original is one and the same in both (though there
translated the reason, here the account). When therefore in these words he
says he sought to ' find out the account ;' I ask, what account ? but that
and the same, he says, he had took up a resolution to search into in ver. 25.
And further, which strongly confirms this, he useth (in efi"ect) the same
words to express his search after it in these words, which he had done in
ver. 25. There he expresseth his purposed resolution by multiplying three
words, to know, search, and seek, implying all diligence ; and in this he sets
down his performance of that resolution, in terms equivalent as to the ex-
pressing his diligence, viz., that he had ' counted one by one to find out the
account,' and adds ' which yet my soul seeks ;' and there is but this difier-
ence between what is said about it in both places, that in ver. 25, he speaks
as of what his fixed intention and resolution at his first applying his heart to
that study was ; but here in these he speaks of his performance after some
progress made, and withal what the issueless issue or event of that perform-
ance was, viz., ' But I find not ;' yet still so as what was the object matter
of that account in the one, is one and the same in the other, even folly and
wickedness, in both, of all sorts. The very looks and mutual aspects which
both verses cast one upon another, are so direct, full, and broad, as none
may or will deny that attentively eyes them both, specially in the original
language.

If therefore it were the search into his own wickedness and follies indefi-
nitely and generally expressed, and not one particular way of sinning only,
that had been the object of that his resolution there expressed at the first
entrance into this discourse ; and that it were also the same, of which here
he relates the prosecution ; then it is the whole of his sinfulness indefi-
nitely considered, and the account thereof, and the issue of that account,
which he here makes the return of. And the diflerence is but this, that in
ver. 25 he shews how he had first set himself to the work, to ' search out
wickedness,' &c., all sorts, one as well as another ; but here he relates how
he had ' counted them one by one,' &c.

2. The word account, itself here used, when it is set single and alone, with-
out any addition of what it might be limited by, is still in Scripture put for the
whole and general account of a man's sinfulness, which ovo/^aSTixug is styled
tJte account, as being the grand or great account of all accounts ; even as the
day of judgment is styled that day. And so the word account is used here,
ver. 27 ; it is said alone, ' the account,' and no more ; he adds not of such
or such a thing, and is therefore intended of all his sins. And likewise ver.
25, ' to know the account,' is explained by saying, ' And to know the wicked-
ness of folly' as being all one ; and that other phrase, ' one and one,' also
favours this, which implies, as a descending to particulars, so his reaching
after the comprehension of an universality, all or the whole, as Pineda*
observes, or as we also say, one and all. And therefore it is not to be re-
strained to the account of that one particular sinning, though that only was
particularly forementioned for all the rest.

(3.) This assertion is further strengthened from their coherence with the
next succeeding words, * One man of a thousand have I found, but not a
woman amongst them all ; ' of which although the main and substantial part
of theii' scope be to declare what the wickedness of each sex was in them-

* Numcrus iste binarius [unum et alternm] sijinificat unirersalitatem, coinprehenden-
tein omaia. —Pineda in verba, et in tit. 2 prcejixo.

Chap. Ill,] in respect of sin and punishment. 449

selves, or as they stand in comparison one with the other in that respect,
yet withivl, as casting back to the 27th verse ; this shadow issuing from the
coherence with these foregoing passages about his own sins, as thereby
shewing what influence either sex, in his conversation with them, had upon
him, as they had been occasions, more or less, of sinning to him, which sins
were now become matter of account and repentance to him. And perhaps
a more close or sutficienter reason of his subjoining, so immediately, this
succeeding passage to the former, will hardly be found out. It was to shew,
that as they were corrupt in themselves, so coiTupters, as the prophet
speaks, Jer. vi. 18, deceiving as well as deceived ; as the apostle, 2 Tim.
iii. 13, enticing as well as enticed, that is, con-upter of him unto sin, Prov.
i. 10, with James i. 14. And so the mind of that coherence is to insinuate,
how that, upon the review of his own sins past, and account thereof, he had
by sad experience found (as his word is) the generality of men he had con-
versed with, to have been temptations to him ; scarce one of a thousand but
had been so unto him, though comparatively the women, to an universality,
had been much more. Which scope from the coherence is confirmed by
this, that if his intent and purpose in uttering that latter part, ' Not one
woman among them all,' was to shew how they had been such seducers and
means of sinning unto himself (and this interpreters do very generally
acknowledge and observe to have been his intent therein), then why
should not the fore part, one man of a thousand have I found, have the same
drift also ?

If any will say, ay, but he mentions that about men with a difference of
commendation rather.

My reply is, that his commendation is but of ' one among a thousand,'
which includes a more than implied accusation of all the rest of men, to
have been even as women in this respect unto him. (To him, I say, and not
only as corrupt in themselves, but enticers too, or infecters of himself with
evil.) For to the same real intent and respect that he mentions that of all
women, he doth also that of the thousands of men. Now it is evident from
ver. 26, that in and unto that respect it is he repeateth this again here about
the women ; only indeed he sets the eminent brand upon the women, and
his sins occasioned by them in both places. Now if this be his general
scope, then it will readily follow that his own sins, occasioned by his con-
verse with men, as well as those by women, were those which he here had
in contemplation before him, whilst as a penitent, he pronounced this in
ver. 27 ; and therefore it is not to be limited to that one score of sinnings
from women, but to be extended unto those from men also. And if so, then
why not as generally to any other kind of sinnings, whether alone by him-
self committed or with others ? All which now, as a penitent, he had cause
to search the account of, to remember and bewail.

III. As it was the account of the sins of his life past, so it doth take in
withal a continued search into sins present, or those which daily passed him.
For from the time of a begun or renewed repentance, the examination of
daily sins useth to be a penitent's daily task. This that small insertion of
one word, the particle yet, ' The account which my soul yet seeks,' doth im-
port ; yet, that is, continually and unto this day,* from the first that I did
set afresh upon this repentance work. And as he thus speaks of a continual
exercise of his soul this way, so it may seem more rational, that he suitably
should principally intend to shew his daily exercise to have been about his
continual daily sinnings of what kind soever. And so about sins quotidian(R
* Usque in banc horam. — Campetisis.

VOL. X. F f

450 AN UNEEGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK XI.

incursionis, or which through the remainders of corruption do fall out and
accompany one's ordinary conversation. And it is far harder to imagine his
meaning to he limited to that one way of sinning mentioned ; as if he would
signify how his mind had been taken up with the accounts of that extrava-
gancy alone, rather than to suppose it was about all other sins generally and
indefinitely, though began upon occasion of that, especially if withal it be
considered, that he speaks this of a very narrow search and inquisition,
whereas those his effeminate sinnings, and the consequences thereof, had
been more gross and conspicuous, and came staring in upon him, his con-
science being once awakened, whereas they are the leaven of quotidian cor-
ruptions, that are apt to scape our observation and finding out, without a
curious and more diligent inquisition into every corner of the heart, * to find
out the account' of them, which he professeth here to have made.

Yea, the mien, look, or manner of his speech (if viewed together with all
the other lines and glances we have observed it casts) doth insinuate that,
after he had made instance of that one way of sinning, apart, in the former
verse, he should now proceed and rise up higher (for he speaks by way of a
progressus), how that from thence he had been led into the account of the
sins of his whole life one by one ; and thereupon did here give his estimate
upon the total or universal view thereof. And unto this purpose it is some-
what significantly observable, that but noiv it is, he affixeth his behold upon
this ; whereas whilst he was upon bewailing those particular sins, ver. 26,
he forbore it, and expressed his sense thereof, only in the language of
' bitterer than death ' (or hell), &c., reserving his behold, and his this have I
found, until now. And why ? because noiv he was upon the whole and total
of his sinfulness, which rose up before his view, upon his searching into the
account of it, to so vast and amazing a prospect (or rather retrospect) as
that of the whole account of his whole life must needs be supposed to afford
him, that being the great and infinite sum. This, the account of all ac-
counts, and, as was observed, by way of singularity, so styled in the scrip-
tures.

The genuineness of the series and coherence that this whole interpretation
doth give unto tbe wbole of these verses, the 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, doth
exceedingly illustrate the truth of this assertion. I may briefly paraphrase
them thus, and draw this diagram through them ; as if Solomon had said,
I did set myself to find out the account of folly and wickedness, and I began,
and was first struck with a sense of what had been my bosom-lnst, my in-
ordinate love to women, and in that one lust, and the issues thereof; and
upon seiarch, I found many, many nets and entanglements, I had been held
in, ver. 26, and thereby being awakened, I was from the view thereof carried
on, and gently led into a casting up the accounts of my other sins whatever
in my life ; and thereupon I found such swarms and troops came up before
my own humbled soul, that if you ask me the account thereof, I can give no
better, than only to say, * Behold, this have I found, that I find it not ; '
and this notwithstanding my utmost diligence, ' counting one by one,' and
most ardent desires in the prosecution of it continued to this day, ' which
my soul yet seeks.' Thus far Solomon.

And in the last place, this draught or coherence of these verses given,
doth as naturally comport with the method and order of God's working upon
men in the experience of the most of true penitent souls, whether in their
first or renewed repentances after a great relapse. In which the progress of
God's dealing (as I shewed at the entrance to the exposition of ver. 26) holds
usually this course, to begin to trouble a soul, for some eminent grosser mis-
carriages, and from thence to lead them on to the astonishing discovery of

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 451

all the rest, the whole of their other sinfulness, of what kind soever. And
unto this, as God's method, the ordinary experience of most repenting spirits
will likewise readly assent ; so as this interpretation every way approves
itself in all these respects to be most genuine.
V. Other interpretations briefly animadverted.

It cannot therefore be that any matter of foreign knowledge, merely out
of himself, or out of the sphere of his own proper concernment, should be
the chief, much less the only subject of his search and studies here intended.
Such as either, 1st, to find out the wiles, cunning devices, artifices, and
deceits, &c., that are in women's hearts to enveigle and ensnare men ; nor
yet, 2dly, his having observed how the wickedness of women doth com-
paratively exceed that of men; and then, 3illy, how both had so far sui-passed
his skill and wisdom to find out ; (which things many interpreters do carry
the whole or main of the sense and coherence of these words unto). These,
I say, cannot be the main scope, upon all the accounts forementioned.

For, 1, it pitcheth Solomon's main scope upon too mean a subject for all
this grand and solemn proclamation : (1.) ' Behold (but four .times used in
this book) ; (2.) with this indigitation or emphasis. Behold this; 'this have '
I found ; who (3.) am the great preacher in Israel, and now a penitent soul.
It pitcheth, I say, all these upon a poor low business, in comparison, a
theme which philosophers and poets so abound in, and declaim upon, as all
this about women's wiles, &c., is.

Nor, 2, could he esteem that so great a point of wisdom, as to give over
all other wisdom for the study of it.

Nor, 3, was that a matter of so great moment as should deserve, yea,
swallow up his most precious time and intention of mind to ' find out the
account ' of, which he here professeth he had spent, and was engaged ' yet '
to spend upon it.

There are two things which specially have occasioned this mistake.
1. In that his ' searching one by one,' ver. 27, seems, in the first sound of
it, to have respect to, and to be the same thing with his having found but
* one of a thousand,' and among women, ' not one ;' and the one to answer
to the other. Whereas in reality his counting one by one, ver. 27, is not a
reckoning, studying, or counting of persons one by one, of either sex, but a
counting of sins and follies, one by one, as its coherence with, and reference
to ver. 25 manifestly shews ; as also to find out the account, ver. 27, is to
find out the sum or account of the number of wickednesses, as Jerome says
the word signifies.

The 2d mistake, that the latter clause, ' one man have I found,' &c., but
among women ' I have not found,' should answer unto, and be but a further
explaining of those two foregone passages, ver. 27. The first, ' this it is I
have found' (so there), namely, ' one man,' &c. (here) ; the second, 'But I
find not' (there), that is, I find not one woman (here).* Whereas, besides
that it is dilute enough at best, this gloss doth make the matter of these
latter clauses to be, in whole and in all, but one and the same thing with the
foregoing in ver. 27. Whereas it is everlastingly unimaginable that merely
his finding out this maxim, but one man of a thousand, and his not finding
one woman, &c., should be the sole object matter of so great an outcry about
it, or be so great a matter, as that which in ver. 27, and the beginning of
ver. 28, he doth make of what he there speaks of, as appears by what hath
been exaggerated about it, and but now alleged ; yea, I may say, it is im-
possible it should be the same. Therefore these two several sayings, the
first and last, must necessarily materially difier. The first sayings, speaking

* See Mercer.

452 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

of one thing, viz. the caccount of bis own sins; the latter of another, viz. his
observation of the wickedness in both sexes comparatively made. This in
the primary intention of it ; and are so far from being in all, or in whole,
the explication of the former, tbat it is no part of that account there, which
was of sins properly belonging to himself, further than as in that secondary
respect (which I mentioned) which riseth merely from its so immediate
following after the former, that wickedness in both sexes had been accidental
occasions of sinniugs and temptation to himself. But I shall expound those
latter speeches apart by themselves by and by.

CHAPTER IV.

That it was the multitude of si?is was in his eye that made him to say, I find not.

If any will yet make query (if perhaps after all this there be any need),
what it was in his own sinfulness that Solomon found to be thus infinite ;
for which query, because there may seem this ground, that there are two
infinites in sin, one of greatness for guilt, the other of number and multi-
tude, and so which of these should be intended might be yet a question ;
but chiefly because the resolution gives further opportunity to confirm the
very point or main of this my intended subject, I therefore shall give further
answer thereunto.

I easily grant the first of these two to be included ; for his sad bewail-
ment in ver. 26, argues it, ' I find more bitter than death,' speaking of that
one way of sinning by women. Yet still it was in a more eminent manner the
number and the multitude of sins in his whole life, which he hath in his eye,
in this 27th verse, that caused him to utter the infiniteness thereof by this
unexpressing expression, ' I find not.'

I. That his eye was upon the number, that phrase in the middle of the
words, ' counting one by one,' argues ; for it most properly imports an hav-
ing sought an account by numbering. And though the word countiny is not
in the original, yet our translators understood that to be evidently impUed
as the sense of that phrase, one by one, and so they choose to render it,
' counting one by one,' and if that word counting should be left out, yet the
phrase itself, one one, or one and one, or, as some, one unto one, as in num-
bering by addition, or one and the other (all which are several readings which
the original doth bear), still all comes to one as to our purpose ; for each of
them properly concern numbering.* And further, one and one, or 07ie and
t' other, are in ordinary plrrase of speech put to express, 1st, universahty, or the
all of things, as we use to say, one and all ; and, 2dly, withal import a pai-ticular
distinct view of things, and not in the gross only. In like sense we also use to
say, one and V other, or, neither one nor f other, so noting forth particularity.
And thus the mind of that passage, ' counting one by one,' proves to be this,
that Solomon going about to find out the account of all and the whole of his
sinfulness, had unto that end considered his sins distinctly and particularly,
one and one, and not contented himself with a confused knowledge and sense
of them, such as the generality of men have of their sinfulness, who use in

* Ilia est simplex et genuina exponendi ratio, qiiam Hieronim-us, Albinus, Nicolaus,
Lyra, et Hebrsizantes omnes sequuntur, ut unum et alterum referatur ad numerum.
Rursus, nunierus (nempe iste Binarius), unvm et altervm, significet universitatem
comprehendentem omnia. — Pineda in verba, et in titulo 2, prcefixo.

Some read it copulative, xinum tt unum, Campensis ; unum et alterum, Vulgate.
Others with prepositions, unam adunam, Symmachus; unumadaliud, pariendo scilicet
grandem summam. — Hieron. in Comment, in locum, /^la tS fna, Septuagint.

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 453

a slight and common reckless manner to speak of it, * We are all sinners,'
and so pass it over, and think such a conviction sufficient; but it was not so
in Solomon. This, then, is the first evidence, that it refers unto an account
by numbering; or, which is equivalent in sense thereto, unto a weighing and
considering all and each distinctly aud particularly. Now, if it were such an
account by numbering, then it follows, that it was the superabounding
multitude or number which did put the stand or set to his apprehensions,
or which made him to say, ' I find it not,' as that which was infinite in that
respect.

But, further, and more particularly, it appears, if we either consult the
words immediately afore, or if we consider what follows in the sum and con-
clusion of all in ver. 29.

II. The ivords afore. For although, as was observed, the heinousness and
the dangerousness of those ways of sinning to his soul are the eminent
things set out in ver. 26, yet there also a multitude and a variety of sinnings
are intimated and connotated. And he begins even from thence to shew he
had found many and manifold evils to be the concomitants and consequents
thereof. This, those similitudes of nets and snares, and bonds, which he
so cries out of, evidently import, and they signify not only that they were
many, but manifold, variously wrought and interwoven contrivements and
artificial webs of many threads, and engines of many links ; for such works
of art and variety are nets, and snares, and chains. And he intends thereby
to set forth his own seducements and entanglements, for multitude and
variety, and what they had been to him. Aud thus, though he cries out
of the bitterness or greatness of his sin in them, yet particularly in and
by those expressions he further points to the multitude of temptations he fell
into.

And to illustrate this, I may pertinently reassume that scripture I did
before but mention, and thereby anew set forth the mind of Solomon as to
this, both these scriptures being in scope and expressions exceeding parallel
each to other. It is, 1 Tim. vi. 9, ' They that will be rich, fall into tempta-
tion and a snare, and into many and hurtful lusts, which drown men in
perdition.' Thus speaks the apostle of the love of riches. And further in
the following verse, in respect unto those many lusts, he styles it, ' a root of
all evil.' There are many things in this the apostle's speech, that are
parallel to Solomon's case, and unto his expressions here about it. The very
phrases and allusions there are like and near of kin to these here, if we will
but look round about the words ; as whilst he entitleth his sin, ' folly and mad-
ness,' ver. 25, the apostle doth the same, 'foolish lusts.' Solomon com-
pareth his temptations unto snares, in which beasts, made to be taken and
destroyed, are caught; the apostle in express words useththe same metaphor.
Again, as Solomon compares them to nets for fowls or fishes, so the apostle's
phrase is, ' drowned in perdition,' even as fishes and fowls when caught are
destroyed in boiling hot water, or such scalding liquor, so these in perdition.
But that which I principally called in the help of this place for, was to shew
that in Scripture-phrase a snare or temptation, when applied thus unto a
bosom-sin, in such a case as this of Solomon's, implieth a many and mani-
fold, yea, an innumerable company of sins, which it leads into, and which
accompany it. For unto that purpose it is the apostle there useth the
phrase, whilst he declares the danger of such a sin to be a falling into
' temptation and a snare,' which he then further amplifies and explains by
this, and ' into many foolish lusts ;' yea, and for the same respect terms it
also, a ' root of all evil.' Now, let us but first understand Solomon, when
speaking of his bosom-sin in respect of the consequences thereof, to intend,

454 AN UNREGENERATE MAU's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

by snares, a many hurtful follies, which he had run into by reason and occa-
sion thereof, and this according to the intent of the same Spirit, who wrote
both the one and the other, in the Old and New Testament, and knows his
own language ; and then it may be evident, that in like manner he here
intended that this bosom-sin of his had been a root of many evils to him.

And, then, if there were such a multitude of sins that sprung out of the
womb of this one sin, which he had the apprehension of, in wi-iting ver. 26,
it is then obvious enough, that in these next verses, in which he sets down
the account of his whole life, together with these, that he intends to express
an infinitely far greater number, which caused him with astonishment to cry
out, ' Behold, this I have found, I find not;' and so, that this, of the multi-
tude, is that very thing which he drives along in all.

III. In the words after. If all this might not persuade that this was
indeed his drift, you have Solomon himself, ere he takes ofi" his pen, inter-
preting himself, in using the very same plain word, which the apostle inter-
preted his meaning also by ; for in the centre and conclusion of the whole
discourse (and which sums up the whole) he terms all these and other sins,
the ' many inventions,' namely, which he himself for his share, and all man-
kind each of them for theirs, had sought out to sin against God withal, and
brings it in, in the conclusion, as that which had been one main thing this
his account of folly throughout his discourse had run upon, and which he
had in contemplation all along.

I should here enforce this third and last evidence (for so in order it is),
whiah may be extracted from that word many, as it stands in ver. 29, as
that which is strongly pertinent to prove the numberless multitude of sins
to have been in Solomon's eye, in these verses now expounded, and all
along. But there lies a brief remainder of ver. 28, in my way first to be
explained.

One man among a thousand have 1 found, hut a woman among all those
have I not found. Because these words lie as a seeming interruption be-
tween that which I mainly am in prosecution of, namely, that third evidence
from the many, ver. 29, I shall at present give but a brief account of them ;
yet ^ome, to the end I may hold an equipage about this parcel of this scrip-
ture, with what I have done in the former, which I have expounded, and so
I shall this.

The account hereof shall be : (1.) Of the occasion of their insertion ;
(2.) Their coherence with the former ; (3.) To what purpose they come in ;
and (4.) also the sense of them. All which will remove any stumbles that
might arise from them, to divert from the sense of the foregoing words
hitherto given.

First, Let it be heedfully remembered, that they are utterly a new maxim,
and no part of the sentence foregoing, or of the account there spoken of.
This their having a new have I found given them, shews that, in common,
having been used by Solomon as a mark or post of distinction given to four
several complete periods (whereof this is one), to sever them each from other,
in this paragraph. See the first resolve in answer to the first query above.
Secondly, His insertion of it besides had a pertinent occasion and rise from
the foregoing. For in his having, as a penitent, taken a view of the sins of
his whole life past, he found, and could not but find, his own sins to have
been complicate and interwoven with the sins of multitudes of others, both
men and women, he having (being a king) had more occasion of access
to, and so of converse with varieties of both sexes, more than any other
man. And they generally having been occasions of temptations to him, and
of his so much sinning, which he now with grief remembers, he therefore in

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 465

remembering his own remembereth theirs, and so aptly subjoins his observa-
tions about their wickedness also, after he had despatched and spoken that
of the account of his own, in the foregoing words.

Thirdly, His annexing it was to this end and further scope, to render his
discourse and account about folly and wickedness the more complete, ^ For
(1.), by the annexing of this he should as then have comprehensively spoken
to the corruption of either sex, and so of all mankind, and given in a judg-
ment thereof as well as of his own. And (2.) thereby further make a fair
and advantageous introduction into that general and final maxim wherein he
centres, ver. 29, which was to comprehend the demonstration of his own and
all mankind's sinfulness: • God made man upright, but they,' &c., and there-
fore full meet it was to insert this before.

Fourthly, For the sense and meaning of the axiom itself, that will be cleared
by putting, and then answering, a query ; the ground for which is this ; —

That if his scope be asserted to be to set out the wickedness and madness
in all the sons of Adam, this maxim seems to except some few of men from
that general corruption : ' One man of a thousand have I found.'

The answer whereunto will rise from the genuine sense of the words, which
we shall arrive at, by considering them either,

1st, Simply; or,

2dly, As they are a comparative between men and women.

1st, If we consider them simply, or how men and women are simply repre-
sented by him, without comparison one with another ; and then their scope
is that,

1. As towards God, they are both and all universally corrupt; he supposes
that here, for the next words do expressly affirm it : ' God made man ' (all
men) 'upright' (in Adam), 'but they' (all of them) 'have sought out,' &c.
And his father David had aforehand instructed him in two psalms, xiv. 3,
liii. 3, that unto God's eye, who is said to ' look down from heaven upon the
children of men ;' ' every one of them is gone back ; they are altogether
become filthy : there is none that doeth good, no, not one.' So as in rela-
tion unto God, they are all ' fallen short of the glory of God,' as the apostle's
interpretation of these sayings is, Rom. iii. 23. It is not therefore his drift
here to exempt any one man, no, not his one of a thousand, from his share
in that common corruption and apostasy. But,

2. His speech is to be understood as relating to the working of corruption
in them, in the way of human converse, and intercourse of their relations,
one to and with another, and so far as they are any way outward occasions
or temptations to others of sinnings through mutual converse. And the
reason is, for by what himself had had in converse with either sex, and by
experience had /own J, as his word is, of either sex, to have been of damage
to him ; on that occasion it is, and so with a great eye and respect thereunto,
he utters this.

3. He pronounceth the generality of men to be every whit as bad as
women : never barrel (or basket rather, as Jeremiah's allusion is, chap,
xxiv.) better, &c. For whilst he says but one man of a thousand, that is,
of a great number, he concludes the generality of men under the same con-
demnation he doth the universality of women, — all alike. Thus simply.

2dly, As for his comparative considering them (in that so small difference
of but one he had found), it is thus to be understood.

First, Negatively, in two respects.

1. Not in respect of grace, as if more men were godly, and comparatively
fewer or none of women ; for,

(1.) It holds not true either in the Old Testament or the New ; and that

456 AN UNEEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK XI.

equal privilege, neither male nor female in Christ, &c., preferring neither
before the other, as to that respect, cuts off all supposition of such a mean-
ing here,

(2.) Solomon, professing to utter this from experience, *I find,' &c. ; his
judgment or verdict had been founded upon a partial and not competent evi-
dence, if that should have been his meaning ; for as to women, his knowledge
and converse had been most with heathenish idolatrous women, 1 Kings xi.
And as to men, it was mostly with his own countrymen the Jews (and ' sal-
vation was of the Jews' then, as Christ says, Jobn iv.). And therefore such
a general sentence of such a difference between the sexes, as to point of grace,
upon his experience of persons so unequally compared, as to that respect
attested, had been notoriously incompetent, and liable to exception.

(3.) This did no way pertain to his scope or design at first proposed,
ver. 25, which was to search into folly, madness, &c., which is therefore the
measure of that which follows, and according to the line thereof, this saying
must be understood. It had therefore been a going out of his line to have
pronounced what diflerence grace doth put ; this was no part of his cogni-
sance. His general drift, then, must relate to the workings of corruption
and madness, which may be observed to be in men and women comparatively
in either state, whether of grace or not ; comparatis cowparandis, that is,
comparing whether godly men with godly women, or ungodly with ungodly.

2. As to persons. Nor is this sense (as not that speech neither in the
former, ver. 26) about women to be limited unto the ' whorish women' only,
for the Old Testament gives not heathenish wives that language, but of
' strange wives,' &c. And again, in that sense to have said, he had not
found one among a thousand of such, had been all one as to have said, I
find not one good or virtuous woman among so many whores. But it is
women in the general, as denoting that sex in distinction from men. This
as to the negative.

Secondly, Positively, *and so the difference intended respects,

1. The outward breakings forth and workings of corruption in a visible
manner, unto what such a man as Solomon or others may find (that is his
word), that is observe in them.

2. How that, in respect of visible breakings forth in human converse, &c.,
you may perhaps find a man, who by reason of a strength of wisdom, and
deeper stamps of moral virtues accompanying it (which the masculine tem-
per renders men more capable of), are in respect to a running out into a
visible madness of folly, or an excess of folly (which is Solomon's measure,
ver. 25), as disingenuities to reason, weaknesses of passions, humours (all
which the female temper is universally, yea, and men generally, more prone
and exposed unto). In respect, I say, unto these excesses, there may be
found some of men, who is a* sober moderate sinner, and their corrupt
nature so poised and attempered as they may be conversed withal more safely
by their relations and associates, without affrication, or catching and con-
veying the itch of any gi-eat distemper ; as also in relation to human societies
and public f good. Such paragons of virtue were some among the heathen,
as Fabritius, Socrates, &c., and some such Solomon had found among the
Jews in his time, as Ethan, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, of whose
excelling wisdom mention is made, 1 Kings iv. 31.

3. Nor that rigidly neither, that none, none among women such ; for him-

* Tolerabilem. So Clarins on the words,
t Folitice probnm. — F erdinandus.

Vinim cordatum et sapientem, fidelem et constat! tern. — A Lapide.

Virum fidelem, cui tuto quis se credere possit. — Fineda.

Chap. V.J in respect of sin and punishment. 457

self sets out a virtuous woman in all respects, Prov. xxxi., but yet more
rarely than among men, ver. 10. ' A virtuous woman who can find ?' Varum
pro nulla rrjvitatur.

The ground of this difference I will not insist on, which even philosophers
have been much upon, inasmuch as virtue among the Romans had its name
derived (a viro et cb viribus) from what excels in*'' men : et mulier quasi moUior.
Women, their name from softness and weakness, their temper being as soft
wax, not capable of a permanent virtue and stayedness, or as thin and slighter
paper, wherein ink doth dijjhiere, run into stains, blots, passions, humours,
whereas other is compact. Nor are the Scriptures altogether silent in taking
notice of this reason of the difierence. Besides that place quoted in the last
marginal note, that also in 1 Peter iii. 7, * Let the men dwell according to
knowledge,' namely, as becometh men, by which the Holy Ghost attributeth
wisdom and knowledge to the man, and wisdom is the governor of virtue,
but then terms the woman ' the weaker vessel,' which even in innocency she
was, and therefore noticed to have been first set upon by Satan, and first in
the transgression. And now, in this fallen estate, weakness of sin being
added to weakness of constitution, it makes the weakness comparatively
greater. And Solomon here is not far ofi" from this whilst he thus expresses
himself, ' One man (in the original it is an Adam) have I found,' &c. For
an high paragon of virtue, wisdom, constancy, &c., is the nearest shadow
(which some term the relics) of that image of uprightness (of which in the
next verse) which Adam was created in ; even as temporary enlightenings,
&c., which are in men not attaining regeneration, are the shadow and coun-
terfeit of saving evangelical grace.

Having thus cleared the way, I come now to the exposition of verse 29.

CHAPTER V.

Jhe exposition o/ verse 29, and that the imiltitude of sinnivgs is the centre of
Solomon's discourse : ' Lo {or behold) this only have I found, that God
made man ujiright, but they have sought out many inventions,' dc. — Shew-
ing, in general, that this verse contains, 1. In the latter clause, a summary
repetition of what in the former verses; 2. In the whole of it, a demonstra-
tion of man's corruption, and vjherein that demonstration lies.

The whole of my design upon these words is accomplished in two things.

I. An exposition of the words.

II. The third evidence aforementioned, which the word many, as it stands
in this verse, gives, that the multitude of sins had been in his eye in the
former verses also, unto which that epithet hath an aspect.

The first in this fifth chapter, the other in the sixth chapter.

First, The exposition.

I. These words are the grand and final issue and conclusion, as generally
all interpreters do acknowledge, discovering the soitrce, spring, and well-
head of all the corruption which is in us all, whether himself or others, he
had been discoursing of; which became him thus at last to add and set down
as the coronis of the whole. And he magnifies the finding of it above all
those other discoveries forementioned, and that upon a treble account. 1.
As that which had humbled him through comparing his corrupt estate with
that uprightness God had created us all in ; and, 2, which alone had satis-
fied him, it arriving at the bottom ground upon which the follies of himself
* See 1 Cor. xvi. 13. Shew yourselves men, be strong, are synonjmes.

458 AN UNKEGENEKATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOBE GOD, [BoOK XI.

and all men do come to be sin and wickedness, even because God made
man upright at the first, their sin in that regard Ij'ing in their having devi-
ated and swerved from that uprightness ; as also, 3, laying open the true
rise of all that variety and multitude of wickedness men run into, even by
being fallen from that integrity, which whilst they retained, they sought and
enjoyed in that one thing, which was the true and their sole happiness, viz.
in God ; but having lost, and ceasing to do so, they go astray, and wander
in a thousand ways of error, and seek out new inventions to be happy by.
And that Solomon was thus highly aflected at the discovery of it, as rising
up to a perfect demonstration thereof, his words shew : ' This only have I
found,' that is, this alone as satisfactory to my mind ; and to see things in
their true causes and originals satisfies the mind of any wise and intelligent
inquirer, as he was. He had descried afore that this wickedness was infinite
for number, and universal for extent in all men, but that sight left him con-
founded rather than satisfied : ' This I find, that I find it not,' and in that
strain he speaks of that ; but this was it he acquiesced and rested in, * Be-
hold, this only have I found,' &c.

And that this verse should be a demonstration, giving the reason of the
former, the current and series of his whole discourse, whereof this is the
close, doth further shew ; for having at the beginning, ver. 23, professed to
search the reason and account (using on purpose a word that signifies both)
in the process of it, he first declares what he had by experience found as
touching that account, tJiat is, 1, the numerical account, ver. 25 ; and then,
2, in this 29th verse, at the end of all, he proclaims with a behold the
rational account of what had gone before.

And in course of speech we know it is usual, when one hath made a bare
narrative of a matter, then to come in at the close with the bottom causes or
grounds of what he had related before. And so hath Solomon done here,
and it is as if he had said, As touching what I have hitherto spoken of,
either mine or of others' sinfulness, I find this to be the source and rise of
all, and specially of the multitude of sins in me and them, ' That man was
made upright, but they have sought out,' &c. This, in general, that the
whole verse contains a demonstration.

II. More particularly, this last clause of the verse, that is, these words,
* They sought out many inventions,' may be considered two ways.

First, Singly and abstractly, from those immediate foregoing in the same
verse, and so they are the summary of the drift, yea, of the matter of what
Solomon had been discoursing of in all the verses afore, gathered up and
contracted in other words. To demonstrate which, the chief matter of the
former may be reduced to two heads: 1. Concerning persons; 2. Concern-
ing things.

1. The persons spoken of had been himself, women, men, and so the
universality of mankind.

2. The things were the folly, wickedness, &c., which he had descried
in himself, and observed in them. And now, the total about both per-
sons and things, he folds up in this final clause, ' They have sought out
many inventions.' 1. The they comprehendeth the persons (himself in-
cluded, as I shall shew) ; 2. Their seeking out many inventions, that com-
prehends the things which had been spoken of, and concerning those per-
sons, under new words, but to the same efiect.

As, 1, what afore he had termed foily, wickedness, &c., in the general, or
particularly had aimed at, in calling them nets, snares, &c., or whatever
actual e\dl in any kind he had insinuated to be in men, women, or himself,
these he, by a new-found name (and a word invented on purpose suitable to

Chap. V.] in kespect of sin and punishment. 459

the thing), terms inventions, and a seekivg out for them. And what are all
actual sins, other than new-found inventions and turnings aside to wicked
ways, digressions from that solo, single, upright way unto blessedness, which
God at first instituted, directed, commanded, made and cstated mankind in,
and under ?

2, What he had insinuated of the abounding plurality of them, either
under the similitude and expression of snares, bands (as hath been shewn),
or in his I find, I find not, that here he more plainly declares by inserting
the word many. This, for the first consideration of these words, abstractly
considered from the other immediately foregoing in the same verse.

Secondly, This clause is yet penned in such words, as if we take into
them (as we must) those anteceding words, ' Man was made upright, but
they,' etc., then they do as clearly contribute, together with the former, to
the demonstration forementioued ; that is, do express the true and proper
principles and original causes, how or from whence it comes to pass, or
unto what and whom it is to be attributed, that such an overflow of wicked-
ness hath invaded all, and each of mankind, unto the production of an infi-
nity for number of wickednesses. And this multitude of them is made
the more eminent thing or matter demonstrated thereby. And as to this
purpose,

1. The word they is not to be understood suhjective only, but causally also
(it serves to both senses), and notes out not only that the persons of all man-
kind are the subjects of this corruption, but further pointeth to them, as the
causes thereof, as the opposition to God made, &c., shews. He lays it upon
the they, that is, tliemselves, to be the authors of those inventions, and the
multitudes of them, even as the prophet elsewhere, * Thy destruction is of
thyself.' In like manner,

2. Also the word inventions, as likewise that phrase, that they seelc out,
are as aptly chosen forth by him, both to import the nature or quality of
actual sinnings, what they are, seekings out, &c., as also most significantly
to denote, in part, the bottom-ground or cause of all actual sinnings, and of
their multitude.

Thirdly, And thus considered, the demonstration or reduction of man's
corruption into its right principles, is exactly set out both ways by Solomon
here, negatively and positively, that so it might be full.

1. Negatively : Removendo non-causam pro causa, by removing what guilty
man, to excuse himself, is prone to cast all upon, and ascribe it unto, as the
cause, even God himself, and God his making me such and such. No, says
Solomon, it is the perfect contrary, ' God made man (even all men, the
they) upright.' He thus first thrusts the imagination thereof away with both
hands. Then,

2. Positively : resolveth it into the true cause, ' But they,' &c. And the
explication of that consists of three particulars :

(1.) That they baving been thus originally made upright in Adam, but
fallen from that state of uprightness, were now degenerated ; for in saying
they were made upright; that is, at first indeed such, he withal insinuates,
that alas, now they are not so ! as in that speech, Fuimus Troes, so we were
once upright, — made so, but now become otherwise. And in saying made,
he points to God's first creation of man, shewing what we were then made.
And that word referreth not to what we are when born, as by generation
since. He could not intend that making of us, when by generation each of
mankind comes personally to exist, as if that then we were made upright ;
for Solomon had learned otherwise of his father David,. 'Behold, I was
^hapen in iniquity, and in sin conceived,' Ps. li. He here therefore sends us

4G0 AN UNREGENEBATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK XI.

to their creation in Adam, of whom we read, ' In the image of God created
he him ;' j^ea, and therefore he did designedly make choice of the word Adam ;
for what is translated, ' God made man upright,' in the original is, ' God
made Adam upright ;' and yet not Adam singly, but the woman also. For
in the same Gen. i. 27, it immediate^ follows, ' male and female created he
them,' namely, in that image he had afore spoken of. And thus, as in him,
all those who were to come by generation, were first by creation made up-
right ; go likewise in him they are degenerated, he being the first man that
represented all both in his creation and fall, 1 Cor. xv. And thus Solomon
full well, we see, understood to be intended in the story of Adam's creation
and fall, and had found it (as his word is here) in the first and third chap-
ters of Genesis. And unto this he points whilst he says, * Behold, this I
found,' which the apostle doth more clearly both understand and express :
Rom. V. 12, * By one man sin entered into the world, in whom all have sin-
ned.' Yea, accordingly, many interpreters* have understood by that clause
that follows, ' But they sought out,' &c., to be intended, in order, first of
our first parents Adam and Eve, and their first sinning : they began the
round. ' Thy first father hath sinned,' as Isa. xliii. 27, and withal thereby
both our first parents became the fathers of these inventions (as the first
inventors of arts are styled. Gen. iv. 20-22), as well as of us their chil-
dren. Yea, and a learned criticf is bold to translate from the original these
words, thus, ' They sought the inventions of the great or mighty,' that is,
of the angels, ' great in power and might,' 2 Peter ii. 11. So running up the
original cause in Solomon's drift yet higher, even to intimate that influence
the old serpent had in this matter, whose inventions they were, cast in by
him, which they, our first parents^, so greedily ran after and pursued. This,
for the first part, or the demonstration fetched from the orir/inale originans,
which I do intend no more at all to touch upon in this treatise.

(2.) Hereupon the whole theij, the gang of all mankind, their posterity,
being deprived of this uprightness through the forfeiture of these their first
parents, they, out of their depraved wills and affections, seek out for happi-
ness in all other things where they can get it, or imagine they may find it,
even in anything but God, from whom they are ' estranged from the womb,'
Ps. Iviii. 3. And all this the word seek out doth aptly and fully hold forth ;
and this is a second cause goes to make up the demonstration of this gene-
ral corruption.

(3.) They also set their corrupted understandings or wits a-work to find
out inventions for the supply of these desires of their wills, &c. And this,
that word invention notes out as fitly, even that part or hand which the un-
derstanding hath in sinnings ; and is answerably translated by divers, ratio-
cinia, reasonings; by others, cor/itationes, ihonghis ; all denoting what in the
intellectual part of the mind is the cause of sinning. And this is the third
part of the demonstration here intended.

All which put together do make up as complete a demonstration as per-
haps will elsewhere be found in any Scripture about any subject whatever,
in so few words.

I may illustrate this by the condition of a vicious young spendthrift, that
had sprung from parents of high and noble spirits, raised and elevated an-
swerably to a mighty great estate and dignity, which having been, by a for-
feiture of his parents, or otherwise, made away and gone, he yet retaining

* See for this also the Chaldee Paraphrast.
f Ludovicus de. Dien, Quffisierunt invention os magnatum.

X Quod qusesivisse dicuntur, eo docere voluit, illas fraudes SatanjE avide ab illis
arreptas fuisse — Carlhwritus in locum.

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 4G1

an inbred greatness of mind and height of spirit natural to his breeding and
ancestry. Concerning this man it may be said that the former fulness and
height, though accidentally, and his present boggarliness directly, meeting
and joined with an elevation of spirit continuing in the foundation of it for
Uxrgeness of capacity and aspirings, the same, though now corrupted ; that
all these complex together, concur one way or other directly or accidentally,
and are the causes how and whence it comes to pass, that he affects to live
at an height of pleasure and gallantry ; whenas yet having lost wherewithal
to do it, suitably to what he had before, he is thereupon put to his shifts,
and lives by his wits, his arts, and inventions, and so proves a mere shark,
seeks out and useth a thousand tricks to maintain his riot and voluptuous-
ness, at as high a rate as whatever he can rap or rend here and there, will
any way possibly enable him to, so to keep up a livehhood (God-wot a poor
one). Thus it is, in what Solomon here says of debauched man, fallen from
his first uprighteousness.

And thus much may serve for an exposition of this verse, in some corres-
pondency to what hath been done that way upon the foregoing verses.

CHAPTER VI.

Tlie chief remark out of this verse, as to the confirmation of our sid)ject is,
That the multitude of sinnings is the ultimate centre of Solomon's discourse,
and the main conclusion which the demonstration in special falls upon ;
and that, as rehearsed, out of the foregoing verses ; and wherein that de-
monstration lies.

It may be remembered how in the 4th chapter I reserved a third evidence,
that the multitude of sinnings had been in Solomon's view and drift in
vers. 26, 27, as that which might be fetched out of this verse, and the word
many, &c., as it stands in the verse. And having now finished the expo-
sition, I proceed to the prosecution of this evidence, which I shall do by parts.

I. It is the ultimate centre and conclusion ; for he coucheth and brings it
in with an emphasis at the very last in the final close of all, as aimed at to
be demonstrated. And this to do was no other than what is usual in the
course of ordinary speech, in the like case. After a large narration of a
matter first made, when we come to the demonstration, then to tuck up the
main thing of all had been spoken of and intended in a special manner to be
demonstrated, in some one comprehensive and expressive word, and to in-
digitate it at the very last with the demonstration itself; thereby to hold
that thing up, in a special manner, unto the hearer's eye and observation.
Just thus, I take it, and as unto such a purpose, doth Solomon insert this
word, the many inventions, as that quod erat demonstrandum.

II. In a special manner to be demonstrated. That the whole verse in-
tendeth a demonstration of man's universal corruption, in the general (which
had been before discoursed of), I have shewn ; and that this demonstration
doth eminently, and in a special manner, fall upon this special thing, the
multitude of sinnings, is also as evident. For,

1. What is the pith and substance of this verse, other than this assertion :
That man is departed from that rectitude or uprightness he was at first made
in, and thereby left at a loss, and so hath betaken himself to other inven-
tions, whereby to seek out for happiness elsewhere, and in other ways ?
This is well nigh the very words of Solomon here. And then that from
hence it is that the multitude of actual sins do spring ; and whence it comea

462 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

to pass that men seek so many inventions, to an infinity, cannot be denied.
And that therefore this was intended as the demonstration of it, for the
reahty of the thing itself speaks it. If all intellectual natures would set
their understandings a-work, they could not find out a more suitable and
proper demonstration of this thing than this, and what else this verse yields
and afi"ords. It may very well therefore and rationally be supposed, that
this was intended by Solomon as the demonstration of this matter in a special
manner. I shall choose to present this demonstration as appHed to this
very thing in the words of another* commenting on the words, rather than
in my own (who yet in other pieces of his interpretation is far enough ofi" from
what I have driven) ; his words are these : Because man hath departed (saith
he) from that one God, hence it is that he is after so many and various
creatures ; and finding rest and satiety in none of them, he is continually
thinking or imagining, and lusteth after another thing, and then another,
everywhere seeking rest but finding none ; and therefore is tossed with a
thousand thousand thoughts and desires.

That which I chiefly observe as agi'eeing with my sense and Solomon's
scope, as eminent in this passage- of his, is, that he fetcheth the rise of all
from the singleness or oneness of that wherein man's uprightness at first
consisted, viz. in uno Deo, in God, who alone is but one, that one universal
good, one all-sufiicient object and fountain of happiness to man, and his
will and glory the sole measure of man's uprightness ; and so it came to pass,
all ran but in one current as then ; but that man departing, ab uno Deo,
from this one only object of happiness, and that only way of righteousness ;
hinc, hence it is (saith he) that now we are diffused, do wilder and scatter
into the many, which is the main of the reason here indigitated by Solomon,
though not the whole.

III. As rehearsed and repeated, viz. as that which had been contained in
the foregoing verses. For,

1. That his design in this 29th verse was to give a demonstration of what
he had before spoken of man's corruption, is manifest by what hath been
opened in the foregoing chapter. And that also the same demonstration
falls pat, and plum, and perpendicularly upon this, why the many, hath been
now shewn. And therefore this may well be supposed to have had its part,
yea and an answerable special portion and share in the matter pnd drift of
those verses foregone, and so repeated as well as the other. Yea, it was
shewn, that this last clause, ' But they found out many inventions,' was the
breviary or repeated sum of what was before largely dilated upon. It is to
the former as that point in a burning glass which contracts and draws to
centre what had been more largely diffused. Now then that this word many,
or both words, maiiy inventions, having both and each the special emphasis
and indigitation in this breviary or repetition of the whole, each must needs
be found and allowed to have had answerably a place and room, though it
be in fewer and other words, in his foregone discourse. And in what pas-
sage or passages thereof shall that of the many be so plainly found, as there,
where our interpretation, vers. 26-28, have pointed and fixed it?

2. Neither, I beheve, will there be a better account given why he should so
electively, and to choose, single forth this adjective many to attribute that
unto these inventions (thus at the close), rather than any other sad epithets
and adjuncts, which might have presented themselves, if so be this had not

* Quia ab uno Deo descivit, hinc in diversa et plurima distractus est, et mens ejus
post creaturas varias vagatur ; curaque in nulla reperiat requiem, aliam semper et
aliam cogitat et concupiscit, ubique quserens quietem et non inveniens ; quare mille
cogitationum, &c. — Cornelius a Lapide in locum.

Chap. VII.] in respect of sin and punishavent. 463

been, above all other, the only most proper as to this very scope. For other-
wise he might as well have concluded with saying, These cursed, hateful,
crooked inventions, &c. (It is well known that our sinnings have names
enough, and bad enough they might deservedly have been called by.) And
even that latter of crooked inventions had been exceeding proper, as in an
opposite respect to that vpritjlitness he said we were made in ; yea, and why
should he not have B&id foolish inventions, having before termed them folly,
ver. 25, or mad inventions, having there styled them madness ? or why not
nicked, having called them inckeduess ? or bitter and grievous, having to his
cost found some of them more hitter than death ? ver. 26. No, not one of
these, or any other such appellations, do come into this his conclusion, or
winding up of all ; but of all other the many must come in. And why ?
But because it was that which above all other he had had in his aim in his
discourse before, and for which reason he would now, above all other, draw
his reader's eye and observation upon it, as mainly intended by him therein ;
yea, and as set up and indigitated at the last, as the thing aimed at to be
demonstrated ; which otherwise might certainly have been spared, and at
the best was otherwise comparatively wholly foreign and extravasal to his
scope, and remoter than any of the former mentioned.

And, 3, for any to say that this, the ynany, was utterly a new thing, which
he had been silent in before, and no ways touched upon, nor brought over
from what before, were all one as to say, that whilst Solomon had gone about
to give demonstration of what he had before spoken (and it is undeniable
that he does), he yet ultimately did thrust in under it a new subject matter,
and that as his main conclusion demonstrated, differing from what went be-
fore, and so had not concluded ad idem, or to the same thing intended, which
must not be admitted.

It rests then, that it is one and the same thing both before spoken, and
here demonstrated. And that both the universal corruption of men, as also
the multitude of actual sins, had been both before treated of; and that the
demonstration seals up as with a common seal both at once with one and the
same impression. And so, in fine, if that the corruptions of men, &c., are
m^ny, be that which is demonstrated, then, that they were many, is also a
matter before treated of, and now anew rehearsed as the conclusion of the
demonstration.

CHAPTER VII.

An ohjection by way of query, how Solomon himself, and his account of his own
sins, in ver. 27, can be supposed, intended and included in his saying. They
have sought out ? dx. Resolved. The final conclusion of all, confirming
the whole subject.^

There is a query or objection that may perhaps deserve largely to be in-
sisted on, for the removal of it ; it is, that Solomon according to our inter-
pretation given of vers. 27 and 28, having intended only his own sins, and
the account of himself ; but in this ver. 29, the many inventions he speaks
of, belonging unto all mankind. How then can this be the repetition (in
that respect), of what had been discoursed before, or refer unto that particu-
lar passage of himself ? Also that Solomon speaks under the third person
here, the they, and so but of others, as distinct from himself; and how then
is himself aimed at and included in the they f

The answer is made up of these four things put together :

464 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

1. Though Solomon in that 27th verse, speaks but of his own personal
account, yet he therein intended and proposeth his single instance as a com-
mon example unto all mankind, whereby to warn and instruct all of them
from that his experiment, to search into themselves, and that all and each
of them would find, that the sins and account of each and every person of
them also, was thus infinite, as he had found his own to be. And to set it
home to them all, he likewise affixeth a behold unto it, thereby calling upon
all to consider this, as alike concerned therein with himself ; nor doth he (as
you may observe), afiix it unto the account of that particular way of sinning ;
' more bitter than death is the woman,' &c., because all men's transgressions
do not lie in that particular way. But when he comes to his general account
of all sorts of actual sins through his whole life, in all other kinds of acts of
sinnings, multiplied to such an infiuity, then it is he cries, Behold, &c., for
that was it ; that was the like general concernment of all and every of man-
kind grown up to years of manhood ; of which again more in the next
chapter.

2. And yet in those other passages which are concerning others, the mul-
titude of their sinnings is at least implied, as the subject of his aim. As
when in ver. 26, he lays to the women's charge that their hearts and hands
were snares and bands, &c., which, how eminently it doth import multitude
and variety, I have shewed ; and then, how fitly those expressions (which
all interpreters understand of the arts and wiles of women) do correspond
with this of inventions in this last verse, is obvious enough. And again, in
charcino the generality of men in the last clause of ver. 28, to be as corrupt
as women ; they in their kind and ways of sinning, even as women in theirs.
His meaning therein still is, that in point of multitude and variety of sin-
nings, as well as in other respects of sinning, it is, that they are much alike.
So as he carrieth along in his aim, this of the many, as well as their- heinous-
ness in sinnings, to the end to bring all at last into this general conclusion
of his discom-se. So as we may take this as an undoubted premise, arising
from these two last things mentioned, that whether he speaks of his own sins,
or of others of either sex, this of the multitude of them is still to be taken
in, and understood. ,

And then, 3, let us add to it that it was meet and requisite for him to
utter this general conclusion of the whole matter in ver. 29, in the language
of the they, and in the name of all others of mankind, rather than otherwise:
and there, and thereby, to bring home the multitude of sins, and lay it at
their doors, as well as he had done at his own ; because he had interwoven
along (as we have shewn) the mention of their general corruption, as well as
of his own. Yea, and in this, which was the close, he ascending nnto the
original cause of all sin, and therein reaching to take in Adam and our first
parents' sinnings, in whom Solomon himself, and mankind all had sinned,
and thereupon how all then- posterity do follow them in the multitude of
their inventions (as was shewn to be the scope), this made it congruous for
him to frame his speech in that manner, as might best at once universally
reach and take in all, even Adam and Eve, and all men downwards since,
who were at first made upright in him. And thereupon, thus at last to
express himself, They have sought out, was more adequate and congruous to
such a general scope ; and it had been too naiTOw for him to have said, * I
or we were made upright, but have sought out,' &c. His they doth better
comprehend himself and them all.

4. And yet in saying they, he is, in the coherence, himself sufficiently in-
cluded ; nor doth he speak it of others, as apart from himself. For in that
first part of his speech, 'God made man upright,' it is certain he intends to

Chap. VII. J in respect of sin and punishment. 465

include himself as well as any others of mankind ; and this other part that
follows, * but tJteif,' &c.,must be taken as extensive as that former was, for it
is the perfect opposite to it. Nay, he therein propounds the consideration
of that original uprightness as that which himself took in to aggravate all
his sinfulness fore- spoken of by ; as in like manner it also doth all man-
kind's ; and the discovery of which, and comparing himself with which
primitive integrity, with what he now was, this was the last and great ingre-
dient into his humbling of himself, being added to that foregoing account,
which he had given of so vast a share of wickedness in himself. And unto
that end (one among others) it was he sets it down ; as well as that all man-
kind might be humbled under the sense thereof, as himself had been ; and
therefore in uttering it of all mankind universally, it is all one as if he had
named himself, and had said, Thus /, and every man from Adam, even all
whom God made at first upright, have sought out these many inventions.

Let us therefore but, 1, allow Solomon's sins a due share in his intend-
ment in the many, which we well may, because they had taken up the most
in his foregone narrative, there having been three verses spent thereon ;

And then, 2, let us take him in, as included and intended by himself
among the they, the persons.

And then, 3, withal allow him as eminent a proportion of special reflec-
tion on his own sinfulness, whilst he yet speaks of the generality they and
the many, in the intendment of him, who stands forth on the stage of this
scripture, as the sole penitent in this confession, as an example unto all, and
who was now humbled and self- condemned, and knowing more, many more
sins, by himself than by all others, as all true penitents do : and who in the
particular sense thereof did utter this (though expressed at last in a general
confession in the name of all, yet including himself, whilst he utters it), and
then we will all easily be satisfied, as to this objection made.

The conclusion of this matter shall be : Let us now bring together these
two sayings of his, that stood at some small distance each from other, as if
they had not been acquainted with each other, which yet they may greatly
be found to be, the one that of vers. 27, 28, ' This have I found, that seek-
ing the account, I find not,' and then this other in the last conclusion of all,
' They sought out many inventions,' spoken as well of himself as of all man-
kind ; and then by bringing both together, that dark riddle we at first ob-
served in Solomon's words, is unfolded ; for this last expresseth and brings
to light in plainer terms, the reason why he had said, He found he could
not find, namely, because they are many, an infinite multitude and variety
of them.

Which secret affinity and correspondency that is betwixt these two sayings,
the vulgar translation upon the latter words helps forward the discovery of,
in rendering the many the infinite, that is, for number ; whilst on the other
hand the best commentators (as I observed) cast the same light of interpreta-
tion upon that other saying in ver. 28, paraphrasing that clause ' but I find
not,' to be all one as to say, ' It was infinite,' and infinite for number ; and
so both agree in the sameness of language and sense. And by thus compar-
ing both, we come to know what it was that made that account of sin, in
ver. 28, to be infinite and past finding out, namely, the number and mul-
titude which this word many, in ver. 29, suggests and supplies, and puts us
out of doubt that to have been his intendment. All which arrives at the
very point I have thus largely been steering unto, the subject that is to
follow.

VOL. X. G g

4G6 AN UNBEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XT.

CHAPTEK YIII.

Two corollaries and monitories dravm out touching the suhject in ha/nd : — \st,
TJmt the account of every mans actual sins is infinite and numberless as
well as Solomon s. — 2dly, That /or every man to know and be convinced of
the innumerableness of his sins is a matter of greatest weight and moment.

The fruitful field of this one scripture, as it hath been opened, yields
many -wholesome, though sour herbs, concerning conviction of sin, and
humiliation for sin. And perhaps the most of what are the object matters
of our sinfulness in true convictions, and also the most of the genuine dis-
positions of heart in humiliation and repentance, might all, without straining,
be extracted from hence alone. Many of both these may have been observed
ah-eady, to grow above ground scatteredly here and there in the exposition,
as it hath been given. I forbear at present to recollect them, or gather
them up together into a bundle ; my scope is about this one particular as
my subject.

That the account of each man's actual sins, who is grown up to years, is
infinite and numberless, as well as Solomon's was.

I. Of each and every man. For it was one great scope of Solomon here
to propose his own example in the case, with a behold and proclamation made
to every man that should read this. And what, to that end only that they
might know historically that the account of this individual person, Solomon,
his sins, who lived so many thousand years ago, did amount to this infinity?
&c. No, sm-ely, this was not all, or the main of his scope ; but that every
man (and every man is called upon to behold it) should understand and con-
sider what his own condition is, if he would but come to understand himself,
and what his heart and ways aright are. Neither is Solomon's instance
single or extraordinary in the case, or alone recorded for this thing; but the
like verdict is given in, in the Scriptures, by a multitude of other saints
greater than Solomon, of their own accord, as touching this innumerableness
of their own sinfulness (which I shall in the treatise that follows add by way
of demonstration of it). And surely both one and the other were written for
the instruction of all others of mankind : and they therein set themselves out
to us as general measures of what is of the like innumerable sinfulness in us
all, in some proportion or other.

But that Solomon should here, in proposing his own example, in a special
manner have aimed at this, is evident. For, after his own example given,
in his winding up at the last, ver. 29, he wraps up all of actual sinners
under this same guilt in this very respect, ' they have sought out,' &c. And
they imports not a mere indefinite, as that many of them have many sins, or
that the whole bulk and body of them (take them all, collectively, together)
have an infinity of sins amongst them ; but is partitive as well as imiversal,
that all, and each one personally, for his own part and share, hath. And
for the conviction of every such son of Adam, and for the humbling of every
soul it is that he pronounceth this of them, having first propounded his own
conviction (in the verses before) for an instance and example unto all the
rest of the truth of it.

And again, look as his forepart of that general conclusion, * God made
man upright,' is true of every particular individual soul (as in Adam's crea-
tion they were considered), so likewise this other part, ' they sought out,'
&c., is true of all and each of such of mankind now fallen, that live to years,
and are capable to behold and to consider it.

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishitent. 407

II. Of actual sins. Which (1.) the phrase ' one and one,' ver. 27; (2.)
' inventions,' ver. 29 ; (3.) and which ' they sought out,' or, which them-
selves have acted, do all manifestly argue ; and this in a distinction from
that body of original sin that is derived to all infants, and to themselves
when such. I added, therefore,

III. Of men (frown up, &c. For he speaks of them that seek out for
themselves, and seek out inventions, and so act reason in sinning ; and the
word iinriitioiis is translated by some ratiociida. And it is necessarily to be
understood of such as are capable to behold and consider of this thing, and
of all such ; and he twice calleth upon all such to do this : 1. when he
pi'opounds his own example, ver. 27 ; and, 2. here again in this passage,
ver. 39, and thereby in both calleth upon every man to lay his hand upon
his own heart, deeply to consider and search into this.

IV. That the many inventions imports an infinity of sins, as likewise his
I find not, ver. 27, doth, I shewed before.

There is one other observation :

That for every man to know and be convinced of the innumerable number
of his actual sins is a matter of greatest weight and moment.

All the former streams do contribute to this assertion ; his solemnity of
proclaiming it, beliold, Sec. ; his prefacing what his pains, &c., had been, set
also before it, do fully argue this. But beyond all, that whenas he, a penitent,
doth take on him to declare his best knowledge from, and what that utmost
lesson of wisdom he had found in his searching this account should be, he
should choose to single out this one thing alone as the great result of all, 'I
find it is past finding out ; ' and to say no more of it, nor no other thing
about the whole matter, what was this other than to declare that the great
product of this his repentance was the mighty impression and sense which
this thing, above all other, had left upon him, and had been experimentally
learned by him ? And the mind thereof is, that if he were to leave upon
record but one reflection or memorandum, which had been the fruit and
result of his casting up this account, unto the rest of his brethren, the sons
of men, it was and should be this, merely for the grand importance and
usefulness of the knowledge of it ; which usefulness lies in these things
following.

1. Which himself gives, to awaken all sorts, both good and bad, to look
about them, and seriously to consider what an infinite account, in point of
sinning, they are all and each to give at that day, when every work shall be
brought to judgment, whether good or evil, and therefore to set upon this
great and absolutely necessary work of self-judging and humiliation for sin ;
and to that end as diligently to ' count and cast up one and one to find out
the account,' as himself had done. For that this was indeed a matter of
such moment in his esteem, there is" this further remark at last set upon it
by himself, in that he should shut up this his whole book of repentance with
that very adriso and admonition now mentioned, chap. xii. ver. the last, he
there reducing the conclusion of the whole matter of his aim in this book to
two things : 1st, To ' fear God, and keep his commandments ; ' 2dly, ' For
God shall bring every work to judgment,' that is the other. Hereby pro-
voking all the sons of Adam, once created upright, and fallen in him, to
search Into their ways, and turn unto the Lord ; and to continue so to do
(as he professeth of himself here that he had done), and so by judgi)ig them-
selves, to prevent their being judged and condemned of the Lord, who hath
the accounts of all men in his divine understanding, though men cannot find
out in this life the sum of them.

2. The moment of it lies in this, that the searching into, and a true con-

4G8 AN UNEEGENEKATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

viction of this innumerableness of sins, conduceth to, and helps forward all
the gracious workings of the Spirit in us. (1.) It brings in the materials for
the deepest humiliation, which when true and spiritual, is sensible of, and
bewails as much the multitude of lesser sins, specially contrarieties to
spiritualness, as the heinousness of greater, which, in the ensuing treatise, I
shall shew. (2.) It prepares for faith, and an admiration of God's free grace ;
for that speech, ' Where sin abounded,' Horn, v, 20, is manifestly spoken
of sin's abounding in a true convert's sight and sense, as well as of its
abounding in reality ; for he had said just before, * The law entered that sin
might abound ;' that is, in the discovery of the abundance of it; for ' by the
law is the knowledge of sin,' chap. iii. ver. 20. Now, the abounding there
spoken of also refeiTeth to the multitude of sins, 'many offences,' ver. 16,
and so his meaning must be, that where sin, thus in the sight and appre-
hension of an humbled soul, doth abound ; there also, as it follows, in such
an heart doth grace come to ' abound much more.' And it, by the law of
opposition, must be understood to the same sense that sin's abounding was
intended in ; and so that in such a convert's heart as saw sin much to abound
in himself, that heart oomes answerably to apprehend the superinfinite
abounding of God's free grace to him in pardoning. And in pardoning
what ? but the multitude of sins, as in vers. 15, 16, he had said, that * the
gift of grace had abounded to the pardoning of many offences to justification.'
And so thereby comes to magnify and adore that pardoning grace the more.
And then (3.), this sight of the innumerableness of sins conduceth to enlarge
the heart unto new and holy obedience, and so to love much, because much
is forgiven, Luke vii. For so much love there is, as there is and hath been
apprehension of much forgiven. (4.) It wonderfully provokes unto prayer,
and daily great outcries for mercy and grace, fSoyihia (as the word is, Heb.
iv. ver. the last), ' Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord,' Ps.
cxxx. 1, what depths ? of sins that came over his head, as it follows, ver. 3,
' If thou shouldstmark iniquities,' &c. He himself had marked and observed
so many ; as thought he, if God, that is greater than our hearts, shall mark
and animadvert, and bring all that he knows upon me too, or upon others,
' who shall stand 7 ' His being struck with the apprehension of this made
him to cry out so, as there he doth.

CHAPTER IX.

That the jiidf/ment of their sivfulness at the ffieat day, as also often in this
life before that day, hath the style of an account f/iven it in scriptures. —
That the Scriptures do reduce this account unto two heads, tlie heinousness,
and the multitude of sins.

In the prosecution of the subject proposed in the former exposition, I
shall begin to shew out of other scriptures that God's reckoning with men
for sins, whether in this life upon repentance (as with Solomon) or at the
day of judgment, hath very commonly the style of tlie account, or an account
put upon it, which I shall briefly shew, not only to verify Solomon's use of
the word in that sense, and my interpretation given, but further as being
necessarily introductory unto the following discourse.

I. That the judgment and work of the great day hath frequently the title
of an account (even as Solomon's audit here held with God about his sins, to
prevent his being so judged, hath), is evident both in the Old Testament and
in the New, Ps. 1. (throughout which psalm, God's coming to, and process

Chap. IX.] in respect of sin and punishment. 409

in judgment at that day is set out) in the close thereof, this account is signi-
fied by a ' setting of sins in order before men,' ver. 21, which Solomon in
the last chapter of this book termeth a * bringing to judgment every work,'
&c. And in the New Testament it is styled, in terms synonimous to
Solomon's expression, an account, or a ' giving an account of a man's self;'
so Rom. xiv. 12, and that whether of the good done, all of which is reckoned
•fruit to our account' (as Philip, iv. 17, the phrase is), or of the evil we
have done or spoken : Mat. xii. 3G, ' I say unto you, that every idle word
that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judg-
ment ; ' and in the same style it runs up and down in the epistles, of an
account, then to be made of whatever things had been committed to our
trust. Hence of ministers it is said, they are those that ' must give an
account' of the souls committed to them, Heb. xiii. 17. Also of others,
• an account of their stewardship,' Luke xvi. 2. Hence Christ himself, who
is appointed the judge, hath the title of cr^d? ov o Xoyog, ' to whom the account
is to be given' (so in the original), Heb. iv., an account even unto every
' thought and intention of the heart,' ver. 13, which title of his there is and
may fully be explained by that, 1 Peter iv. 5, ' We shall give an account to
him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.'

1. Christ is God's great auditor or accountant for him, and is perfect in
every man's accounts, ' ready,' hath them all before him, and at his fingers'
ends (as we say), which in the same place, to the Hebrews, is thus expressed,
' All things are naked and opened to him, to whom the account is to be.'

Moreover, 2, the Scriptures, they are as books of this art of Christ's
arithmetic, setting forth the rules and proportions by which this account is
to be cast up, according to which we shall be judged at that day, John
xii. 48.

And, 3, our consciences, they are God's records or count-books (as we
call them) for matters of fact, wherein the particulars are written, Rom. ii.,
and both these books are said to be opened at that day. Rev. xx. 12.

4. Yea, and God's bringing men to see their sins in this life, upon any
special occasions, is in like manner styled an account, as being preparatory
to the account at the day of judgment, and indeed are but lesser days of
judgment. And of this latter sort of reckonings is that parable to be under-
stood : Mat. xviii., from vers. 23 to 27, ' Therefore is the kingdom of heaven
likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.' Ver. 24,
' And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed
him ten thousand talents : but forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord
commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had,
and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped
him, saying. Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.' This
account is not that final one at the latter day, or after death in hell (though
some foregoing exemplar thereof), but such as God begins, as the phrase
is, ver. 24, to hold in his church, which he calls ' the kingdom of heaven,'
whilst some souls being arrested by the powerful ministry of the word, are
brought in to God, as ver. 24, and are so far wrought upon thereby, as to
acknowledge unto God their fore-passed sinfulness, and debts they have
incurred, with deep conviction of conscience, and oftentimes with terrors
joined thereto, and resolution for the future to make amends; for so it is
spoken of this accomptant or servant brought in here, ver. 26 ; and there-
fore is not that final great account. Which is further evidenced by this,
that this account is that which men make to God through conviction and
confession when they repent, and promise amendment, as this man did, and
when God gives time and patience to them, upon trial of what they will do

470 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

for the futui'e. Thus expressly, ver. 26 ; and besides, it is said, that after
this, ' this servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, that owed
him an hundred pence,' &c., and his cruel dealing with him you know and
read, ver. 27, &c., w^hich argues this to have been transacted in this life, for
at the latter day there is no room for such a supposition. And thereupon,
and after all, it is that that other final account of this merciless servant is
said to follow, ver. 34, ' The lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tor-
mentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.' So that this reckon-
ing was but a forerunning account ; God's first beginning to account with a
man, as that, ver. 24, expressly termeth it.

And these accounts, either of them, first, that at the latter day, is not to be
made only of the quality of the actions, but of the number also, even to a
farthing, Mat. v. 26 ; as likewise that other in this life. Mat. xviii. was, for
a sum is set down, * An hundred thousand talents.'

And the reason why the Scriptures pursue this metaphor is, because, in-
deed and in reality, our sins are considered not only as crimes committed
against God, as he is judge of all the world (as all legal crimes use to be in-
dicted as against the king), but further they are considered as so many debts
against God as a creditor, who stands out of purse in point of honour,
riches of patience, &c. Thus expressly, Mat. vi. 12 and Mat. xviii. 23, God
is said cuvaoai \6yov, to compute with, as men do with debtors by mutual
reckonings on both parts, and the balance of that man's account there reck-
oned, is said to be ' ten thousand talents,' ver. 24, as being a sum of debts.
And reckoned they are both by multiplication and addition. The phrase for
the first is frequent in Job and the prophets, ' Thou hast multiplied thy
abominations,' Ezek. xvi. 51 ; the other, by addition, is used of Herod's
putting the Baptist to death, whereof it is said, ' He added this to all the
evils he had done,' Luke iii. 7 ; and of all together it is spoken as of debts
which do make up a total sum, and therefore are said to 'abound to account,'
Philip, iv. 17. Thus much for the first assertion, as also to justify our in-
terpretation of Solomon's using the word account unto this our sense, which
in the exposition we so largely pursued.

II. These Holy Scriptures do hold up before the consciences of men two
main considerations about their sinfulness.

1. The quality or heinousness of eminent sins.

2. The multitude of sins, both small and great, cast up together into one
sum. To the end that under these (as two general heads) we ourselves
might know how to marshal and order our otherwise confused or rather con-
founded thoughts therein.

Like as the praise of the glory of God in his works is set forth by these
two, ' 0 Lord, how great are thy works,' Ps. xcii. 5 ; and then, • 0 Lord,
how manifold are thy works,' as Ps. civ. 24 ; and both set together are cele-
brated, Job ix. 20, ' Who doth great things past finding out ; yea, and won-
derful tvithout number.' Even so the sinfulness of man's dishonouring God,
or of man's works against God.

Eliphaz, seeing Job's miseries so extraordinarily to exceed the proportion
of God's dealing with other saints, and knowing that the way to humble him
was to make Job apprehensive of his sinfulness, he doth suitably, accord-
ing to what his own apprehensions were about Job's condition (judg-
ing that he was an unregenerate man), call upon Job to consider these
very two things about his sinfulness, or these two heads of account specified,
Job xxii. 5.

1. Whether he had not been guilty of heinous sins. This in that first
query, ' Is not thy wickedness great ?' His meaning is in a respect of

Chap. X.] in eespect of sin and punishment. 471

grosser crimes ; for he instancoth in the worst of sins towards man, both of
omission, ver, 7, 9, and of commission, ver. 6. And then,

2. ' Are not thine iniquities infinite ?' that is, for number.

Then again David, Ps. xix., takes into consideration these two ; first,
great transgressions, such as presumptuous sins, ver. 13 ; great, that is, for
heinousness ; and then withal the known and unknown multitudes of other
sins: ver. 12, 'Who can understand his errors? Cleanse thou me from
secret faults.'

In like manner Ezra, chap, ix., in his confession, first humbleth himself
for the multitude of their sins, ' Our iniquities are increased over our heads,'
ver. 6 ; and then, ver. 7, for their sins that were most heinous, ' We have
been in a great trespass unto this day,' that eminent sin of marrying strange
wives.

Our Saviour Christ (t^os ov o Xoyog) doth hi like manner speak of sins,
some that are as camels for greatness, and some as gnats (that
by troops in those hot countries used to pester travellers every step they
took), also of beams and motes, likewise talents and farthings. Mat. xv. 26,
Luke vii. 24 ; whereof the one signifies great sins forquahty, the other small,
yet exceeding in number.

CHAPTER X.

The main subject of this ttvatise, viz. that the Scriptures set the value and
balance of the account of men's sinfulness upon the multitude of their sin-
nings. — The demonstrations of it; first from the judgments both of God and
of Christ, either as they are judges in condemning men, or pardoners in for-
giving.

In those foregoing treatises about sins against knowledge, and the , rest of
that kind, I have set forth some aggravations that render sins heinous ; I am
now to speak of their number.

And this, which is the main proposition, orderly follows the former, viz.
that in Scripture -account it is the number or multitude which God sets the
value of men's sinfulness upon, and for the most part of mankind doth ex-
ceed the greatness of their heinous sins. And this doth clearly accord with
Solomon's scope in this twenty- seventh verse. I shall give several demon-
strations of it out of the Scriptures, as also reasons why God sets the chief
value thereupon.

The demonstrations hereof will arise and appear, if we take either: 1.
God's own judgment declared in the case ; or, 2. Of men in their conversa-
tions ; or, 3. Of saints themselves after their conversion, in the humblings
of themselves before God, whose judgment in these cases rnay well be taken,
as supposed to have been directed by^God therein, and to have judged right-
eous judgment of themselves in so confessing and judging of themselves by
the multitudes of their sins.

The first demonstration of it is from the consideration,

I. Of God's judgment herein, and of him considered; either, 1. As a
judge, judging men for then: sinfulness ; or, 2. As a pardoner, justifying of
sinners.

1 . Of God as a judge.

God himself, the 'judge of all the earth,' Gen. xviii. 25, did once cast up
the whole world's accounts (after they had run out for 1656 years), and it
was precursory to, and the semblance of the great day of judgment to come.

472 AN UNREGENEBATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

Now what is it that God's own charge and indictment falls chiefly upon ? but,
as Gen. vi, 5, * God saw that the wickedness of men was great in the earth,
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart w^as only evil con-
tinually.' There were in that old world great sins for heinousness, circum-
stantiated with deep aggravations, which are instanced in in that same
chapter, as the apostasy of those that professed the true religion and purity
of worship, &c. vers. 2, 4; as also that ' the whole earth was filled with vio-
lence,' or oppression, ver. 13 ; and all aggravated by this, that the Spirit of
God had striven with them in the ministry and example of Enoch, Noah, and
others their godly ancestors, ver. 3. But yet the grand reckoning, which
God the judge accounts great above all, and laid heaviest to their charge,
was, that * every imagination of their thoughts were evil continually,' which
was all one as to have said, that their smallest sins were infinite for number;
and it is in that respect that he so complains, the wickedness of man was
gi'eat, even in respect of number, through that constant, continual, and un-
interrupted multiplication of them. And they are the smallest sort of sins
he there mentions, imaginations and thoughts, which yet arose to a greater
guilt than all their heinous iniquities ; so as the numerousness, though of
smaller sins alone, is the greatness here spoken of, and the word for great
in the original serves to that sense also, as is well known.

He proceeded by the like measure in his account concerning the two cap-
tivities, both of the ten tribes of Israel and of Judah, into Babel, as appears
both by the threatenings before, and during that captivity, and after in the
acknowledgments of that church. 1. In the threatenings before, and during
the captivity, God by Ezekiel justifies his sentence pronounced, and the
execution of that captivity then in part begun, chap, xvi., by this, thou hast
multiphed thy fornications, ver. 25, 29, and vers. 51, neither hath Samaria
(viz., lihe ten tribes carried away before), ' committed half thy sins' (he com-
puted the number we see, as it also follows), ' but thou hast multiplied thy
abominations more than they.' And these last quotations do involve that
former captivity of the ten tribes of Israel as well as this of Babylon, and
shews that the ten tribes of Israel had been cast out for the multitude of
their abominations also.

And, 2, after their captivity it is likewise put upon the same in the church's
own acknowledgment ; Lam. i. 15, ' For the multitude of her transgressions,
her children are gone into captivity,' &c.

And this innumerable multitude it is, that when men's consciences are
awakened once and convicted by God for sin, comes in upon them, and
which they do profess themselves above all other most sensible of, as the
cause of their punishment : Isa. hx. 11, 12, ' We roar hke bears, for our
transgressions are multiplied before thee, and testify against us, and for our
iniquities we know them,' God having set them in order before them.

2. Of God considered as a pardoner.

Consider God and Christ as pardoning. By which act of his we may as
certainly estimate what rate or value he puts upon our sinnings as when he
judgeth ; for as David, Ps. h., and the apostle after him, Kom. ii. : He
pardoneth to the end he may be justified when he comes to judge ; and to
be sure God's divine nature inclineth him to reckon in, and with himself,
with as much exactness then when he pardoneth, as when he punisheth ;
for he values his mercy, and the manifestation of it, at the higher rate ; and
his mercy in pardoning is to be rated and exalted by what he pardons. Now
we find that when he hath pardoned the greatest sinners, he hath not reckoned
so much by the greatness as by the number, as that part of the account
whereby he chooseth to hold forth to us the infiniteness of his grace in par-

Chap. X.] in respect of sin and punishment. 473

doning, nnd as that whereby he would draw forth onr love to him again for
pardoning. Upon the occasion hereof, says Christ (and it was as great a
speech as he that was the Word itself hath uttered), ' her sins which are
many are forgiven, because she loved much.' And he says it, you see, upon
this occasion of his pronouncing pardon to a grievous sinner, and adds, ' And
to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.' In which latter words, he
interprets what he means by the little and the much, even the many, or the
number of sins. Thus Luke vii. 47.

In like manner, when God would exalt Christ's righteousness to us, which
is the price and ransom that was paid lor all (and therefore we may warrant-
ably estimate the one by the other), that also is greatened, not by the mag-
nitude so much as by the multitude of sins forgiven, which are mentioned
on that occasion. Thus speaking of the excelling merit of his obedience,
♦ the free gift and abundance of righteousness is for many offences to justifi-
cation.' And again, the greatness of God's grace in conversion (when by
any of us as an instrument, a sinner comes to be converted), is greatened,
as by this, that it is the * saving of a soul from death ;' so, moreover, that
it is the * hiding of a multitude of sins,' James v. 20 ; as thereby setting
forth the greatness of that salvation ; and yet that sinner spoken of there
was one whose sins were as heinous as sins pardonable can be supposed to
be, even the sins of a professor backslidden and apostatised from the truth,
ver. 19 ; and yet of the two it is the multitude there that alone is specified
as the measure of his sinfulness, and thereby of magnifying God's grace in
pardoning.

I will here return unto and enlarge a little more upon the instance of that
both great sinner and great convert so famous in the Gospel, upon occasion
and for comfort of whom it was that Christ uttered that former speech, but
even now related, * Her sins that were many are forgiven her.' And I place
it here because it is a middling instance, which will aptly serve either this
or the following demonstration, which shall be taken from new converts.

In the Gospel you read of a woman without a name, dwelling in the city
Nain, Luke vii., who washed Christ's feet with her tears, &c., which woman
was none of the Marys in the Gospel mentioned, for she was neither she of
the city Magdala, Mat. xv. 29, from whence that Mary called Magdalene had
her appellation, and who was a woman of quality and riches, for she was one
that ministered to Christ in his journeyings with all the train of his disciples,
Luke viii. 23 ; nor was this woman that other Mary of Bethany, who yet is
recorded to have done the like things to him, John xi. 2, who was the sister
of Lazarus. I say, this woman was none of those two Marys, no, not the
latter of Bethany (for which there is yet so much appearance), as would
evidently appear, if we might without diversion insist on it, this alone suffi-
ciently shews it, that this woman, Luke vii., was of another city, viz. Nain,
vers. 7, 5, 11, and 37, and this matter of fact of anointing him, &c., was
done by her in that city of Nain ; and though in one Simon's house, yet it
was ' Simon the Pharisee,' Luke vii. 36, 39, 40, 44 ; but that other anoint-
ing by Lazarus's sister, though in some circumstances it was like to that of
this other woman, was acted in the house of ' Simon the leper,' and by that
appellation diversified from that other, the Pharisee, and in another town,
namely, in Bethany, Mat. xxvi. 6. This woman of Nain hath no other
name recorded, but that foul and infamous one of her being ' a sinner,'
known and notorious to all that city, as Simon's words do import, ver. 39.
This as to her person.

Now, observe her posture and frame of spirit, and what it is Christ speaks
of her, and which makes to the pui-pose in hand. She comes humbled,

474 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

standing behind Christ's seat, in a silent deep mourning, speaks not one
word, weeping in such abundance, as served to wash his feet, so much as
they needed being wiped dry, which she did with her hair, that hair she had
sinned withal. Now, what was that in her sinfulness which Christ the par-
doner takes notice of, and would have her carry home with her, and us all
to consider ? ver. 48, ' Thy sins, which are many, are forgiven thee ;' yea,
and he indigitates it, to shew that it was that also which had broke her heart
so deeply, even the many, the number of her sins ; this Christ, that knew
both what himself forgave, and the meaning of the spirit of her, doth himself
enforce, and utter for, and concerning her. And that speech was at once
both a comment upon her heart, shewing what it was in her sinfulness she
wept so for, as also of his own heart, who considered well what and how
much it was he pardoned, to declare which it was he made that whole par-
able ; and it was the disproportion in number of her sins from those of others
whom he pardoneth, which Christ considered in saying, ' Many sins are
forgiven,' for he expressly put the difl'erence upon the comparison of number ;
to her he forgave five hundred pence, to another but fifty, in saying, ' the
one owed five hundred pence, the other fifty ;' and yet I trow her sins had
been very great and heinous, for known and famed she was to all the city,
vers. 37, 39, and what kind of sin it must be she was famed for, we may
gather by what special kind of sins that sex was and usually is vulgarly in-
famous for, and styled a sinner for ; as also by her repentance, she wept
with those eyes which had enticed, kissed Christ's feet with her mouth, and
wiped them with her hair (0 what revenge !) ; she yielding up all these, which
had been weapons or instruments of her unrighteousness, now unto holiness,
and to express and signify the brokenness of her heart ; and though those
her greater creditors (I mean those sins), might and did arrest her first, yet
it was the multitude in those her sinnings, and in all other sins, that now
came in upon her upon occasion of that arrest, and so, both she, the sinner
in her soul, and Christ the pardoner in his heart, doth put the much of her
sinfulness upon the viany, as by his speech appears.

CHAPTER XI.

A second demonstration, taken from the judgments of saints of themselves in
their confessions, both, 1. At their first conversions ; 2. In after- humhlings
upon great occasions.

A second head of demonstration we may take from the audit-books of the
saints, and the calculations they have left upon record in their free and un-
forced confessions. And truly their judgment herein may well be taken by
us ; for though God is greater than their hearts, yet their judgment of sin,
and of the proportions thereof, is mostly regulated according as God judgeth
(that is, they in their measure), by the Spirit that ' convinceth them of sin,'
as well as of Christ's righteousness, and what true holiness is, John xvi. 9-10.
' The knowledge of the holy is understanding,' Prov. xi. 10, and especially in
their estimate of sinnings and the rates thereof, into which even natural con-
science sees very far, and is as ' the candle of the Lord, that searcheth the
chambers of the belly,' Prov. xx. 27 ; but the Spirit's conviction goes and
searcheth far beyond it.

This estimate we may take either from the conviction of saints at their first
conversions, or afterwards upon God's visitations of them for sin, and their
deepest humiUations for both.

Chap. XL] in respect of sin and punishment. 475

I. The confessions of men converted. The greatest convert in the Old
Testament was Manasseh, 2 Chron. xxxiii ; the greatest convert in the New
was Saul,* and made by conversion one of the greatest apostles.

1. Manasseh. He is commonly reckoned the greatest sinner that was
pardoned in the Old Testament, whose transcending wickedness we may
read, 2 Chron. xxxiii. from verse 2 to verse 11, and more largely, 2 Kings xxi.,
from verse 2 to verse 17. And his sins were of the deepest gi'ain, and most
heinous nature that could be, as witchcrafts, dealings with the devil, heathenish
idolatry set up in the very temple, in which God had said, ' I will put my
name ;' yea, abominations ' above all that the Amorites did which were
before him,' and causing Judah to * do worse than the heathen whom God
had destroyed ;' ' shedding also innocent blood from one end of Jerusalem
to the other.' But Manasseh, after all this, ' humbled himself greatly before
God, &c., and prayed to him, and God was entreated of him.'

Now, if we consult that prayer said to be his (which yet was perhaps but
the collection of some broken parts of it let down by tradition, and set toge-
ther by some other), though reckoned among Apocrypha, yet (as Junius
says) is pious, and certainly expresseth the true sense of a deeply-humbled
soul. Now, his confessions there run not upon the heinous part of his sins,
as such, but upon the many : ver. 9, ' For I have sinned above the number
of the sands of the sea : my transgressions, 0 Lord, are multipHed, my trans-
gressions are exceeding many ; I am not worthy to behold and see the height
of the heavens for the multitude of my unrighteousness.' The prophet Isaiah
had a little before compared the wicked to ' the raging sea that casts up mire
and dirt,' for the tumultuousness of it ; and Manasseh, not long after, com-
pares his sins to the sands of the sea (which the sea continually casts up),
for the number of them.

In the New Testament I exemplified this before in that great sinner and
convert, the woman of Nain.

2. That great convert and apostle that styled himself 'the chiefest of
sinners ' and ' least of saints,' view we the account he gives of his humilia-
tions at his conversion ; and though in one place he reckons up his talent-
sins, ' t was a blasphemer, persecutor, and injurious,' namely, to the saints,
yet in another place, we find he reckons only those that were minutes, his
farthing sins, as those wherein the multitude of sins is most conspicuous,
viz. the abounding of all inward lusts and concupiscence in his heart, ' all
manner of concupiscence,' Rom. vii. 8, and in verse 5 he mentions chiefly
the motions or passions (as he there styles them for their violence) ; that is,
of such sins as continually boiled and ' wrought in his members to bring
forth fruit to death.' And it is the account of such sins which is the total
he in that place gives, which yet he professedly speaks of to have been those
which deeply humbled him at his first conversion, as in that other to Timothy
he had done of his more heinous sins ; yea, in this to the Romans his intent
is more setly to declare that special work of conviction of sin and humiliation,
which at conversion is had by the law.

11. Go we to saints after their conversion.

God hath been pleased to enter into heavy reckonings with his best ser-
vants after conversion, as with Job ; chap. xiii. 26, 27, ' For thou writest bitter
things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth ;'
and ver. 27, ' Thou puttest also my feet into the stocks, and lookest nar-
rowly to all my paths ; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet ;' that
is, exactly observest me, and settest an impression upon my conscience of
the iniquity of my heels, speaking of himself in that expression of setting a
* Acts viii. 1, and ix. 4, ' Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?'

476 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

print on his heels, in the same kind of phrase as we use to do of one
arraigned at the bar, where he hath been burnt in the hand. The like
account we find raade by God with David, Ps. vi. 1 , 2, and xcviii. 4.

Take we the holiest and best of saints we can pick and choose. Solo-
mon's instance we have heard, but we will instance in greater and holier
than he.

Let Job first, who is one of God's three worthies in God's own judgment
of men under the Old Testament ; I say, let Job first come in as the fore-
man of this juiy to deliver the verdict, in the name of all men else that have
been or shall be, though never so holy, chap. ix. 2, 3 ; a chapter wherein,
if ever in the whole Bible, you will view a saint divesting himself of and
throwing away his own righteousness, behold it there in Job, in the renun-
ciation of which he comes not a whit behind that most humbled of saints :
Phil. iii. 8, 9, ' I account all things but loss,' &c., 'not having mine own
righteousness,' &c. Read that whole chapter of Job, and observe his deep
expressions, first in verses 2, 3, ' I know it is so of a truth : but how should
man be just with God ? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him
one of a thousand ;' and then in verse 20, 21, * If I justify myself, mine own
mouth shall condemn me,' (for I sin in every word, and my mouth would
condemn me whilst I should speak it) ; ' If I say I am perfect, it shall also
prove me perverse : yea, though I were perfect, yet would I not know my
own soul ;' in which latter clause I understand the pulse of his heart to beat
the same, if not deeper, than the holy apostle's did, when he said, ' Though
I know nothing by myself, yet I am not thereby justified, 1 Cor. iv. 4 ; for
Job, with a greater vehemency and indignation, professeth that, if he could
suppose himself never so perfect, yet he would not ' know his own soul,' that
is, as to its having any such perfection in it ; he would take no cognisance
of it, he would not entertain one thought of it, nor cast a reflection or one
look upon, or have the least regard thereto, that is, so as to stand upon it.
It follows, ' I would despise my life ;' his sense wherein is, either that he
would much more despise his former life, which had been so mixed with
sin, or else, that if for the future he could continue in that perfection, he
should despise even that also ; all which he speaks as in relation to his being
justified thereby afore God, having once been a sinner against God ; for that
to be his scope, his conclusion he lays in the 2d verse, which leads on the
matter of that gallant chapter as the main argument of it, evidently shews,
where he thus begins, * How should a man be just with God ?' Just, that
is, justified at God's tribunal ; for otherwise, as to that other part of righteous-
ness, of truth of heart, sincerity, and uprightness, whereby a man that is jus-
tified is truly but imperfectly sanctified, we find him afore and after this to
stand upon his points sufiiciently ; but, coming to speak of this righteousness
of justification he knows not his own soul.

Now, this premised, the words that I seize on, as to my purpose, are
those in ver. 2, ' How should a man be just with God ? If he will contend
with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.' And truly, if Job had
known but any one action by himself, wherein wholly to justify himself,
which he had found firm under him, and himself free from sin in it, he would
have stood upon that too, as we may perceive by the stoutness of his spirit
in those other intercourses betwixt God and himself which follow, wherein
yet we only find that he pleads and insists upon the truth and sincerity of
his heart in his actings, but nowhere doth he stand upon a freedom from sin
in any one act. And what in this passage he acknowledgeth, he does it out
of his having made a sad and experimental survey and trial of this matter :
' I know it of a truth.'

Chap. XI.] in bespect of sin and punishment. 477

This phrase, one of a thousand, at first sound to English ears might seem
but a diminution, and a speaking within compass, as we use to say, that is,
as if in some acts, though scarce one of a thousand, that is, of many, when
yet perhaps of twenty thousand, or a vaster sum, Job might have picked out
some one to have stood upon terms with God about, and how that he had
not sinned therein. But Job's scope and mind is absolutely and utterly to
deny that he could in any one thbuj whatever, in his whole life, acquit him-
self, and therefore falls down as deficient, and obnoxious in all some way or
other.

And, first, that the phrase, one of a thousand, should import thus much,
a thousand being a perfect or periodical number, is put to express all, and
any the greatest number that can be supposed, be it what it will be ; and so
one of a thousand should be as much as to say, not one of all, or not one at
all. Yea, saith Aquinas,* a thousand is put for an infinite number, for, as
he observes, there being between one and a thousand no proportion, a thou-
sand is therefore at random used to express a number numberless, an infinite-
ness, such as a man's thoughts who hears it gives up the accounting of, as
of a sum that is without bounds or limits ; and so it comes to this, that I
cannot answer God one (no not one) of all the innumerable actings of my
heart and life. And truly, if this import had not been in the phrase of those
times intended, then it would follow, when, in the like tenor of speech,
Christ in the book of Canticles is extolled by the spouse as the * chiefest of
ten thousand,' her meaning must have admitted, or at least have left a sup-
position, that yet perhaps one amongst twenty thousand might have been
found to match him ; but her scope therein is to extol him absolutely, and so
as to exclude and shut out the infinity of all other worthies or eminencies that
have been, or can be supposed to be : so here. Or else, secondly (which I
as readily judge may be the purport of that phrase and Job's intendment),
that holy Job having upon this heavy afiliction, and at other times often
before examined and viewed over his whole life as it were by thousands, that
is, by parts and piecemeal, sometimes this and sometimes that heap of
actions as they had been acting ; sorted as it were into several thousands, as
several heaps of coin use to be ; and that he had sometimes singled forth
this, then that week's actions, in every of which a man's soul or mind coineth
thousands of smaller or lesser pieces, that is, of thoughts, affections, inten-
tions, desires, and ends ; and that yet he should, upon the survey and issue,
find that he could not find so much as one, no, nor one of those heaps of
thousands that were wholly pure gold or pure silver for the substance of
them ; but so as clip any of them where he would, yea, single forth what
he had judged the purest out of any parcel, still he discovered some dross
or false metal mingled in it, even in any one of them whatever ; or at least
that that one was otherwise some way deficient, as in weight, &c,, some way
or other rendered not perfect current. Yea, let us make these two further
suppositions, that he had by choice singled forth some day or week wherein
his heart had been kept, and wound up to the holiest and intensest frame of
communion with God and holy walking. Or, furthermore, that he had by a
yet more refined elective discretion or discernment, culled forth a thousand
actions out of all the heaps, the million of milhons of his whole life, as hop-
ing to have found some one at least of this last choice selected thousand

* Inter unum et mille nulla est determinata proportio : millenarius nutnerus pro
infinito sumitur; itaque significari nulla numeri specie aut mensnra exprimi posse.
Which, although Pineda in Job ix. 3, num. 3, thinks this of Aquinus to be nimis
aigutum in him, yet bis fellow Sanctius falls in with it. Si Deus mille, id est, infinita
objecerit, qu« daranare vult ; homo aou habebit quod illoram uni possit honest^ re-
spondere. — Com, in Job ix. 3.

478 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

which he might have stood upon. No ; Job had experimented it in all these
or the like ways so far and so often, and every way so much, as he is now
confounded, and despaireth of any essays that should anew be made of this
kind, and yields, therefore, as convicted in the whole, that he could not
answer God in one of such a thousand, or all the thousand thousands of life,
and professeth to speak this knowingly, and as one that had experimented
it thus often, ' I know it is so of a truth.' And as Solomon said of his own,
havincr experienced that all was vanity, * What can the man do ' (that way)
' that cometh after the king ?' so, in point of justifying his actions, thoughts,
or speeches, or any one of them, Who can come after holy Job ? of whom
God pronounced a non-such. They can do no more than what hath been
done already, but fall down all must, and say, We cannot answer thee,
0 Lord, in one of all in our whole lives.

If the objection be, that it is barely said that but * in many things we
offend all,' and not in all and every action,

Ans. It is true that we do not sin in all and every action, but then we
must understand it, as the apostle there doth intend that speech, namely,
that take such actions as for the matter and substance of the act, are such as
are against the very outward letter of the law, as to speak evilly of others,
or idle words, &c., and in that sense God forbid that it should be thought
that saints do sin in all and every action, namely, such sins as these ; though
in many actions, greater or smaller, even that are such sins, the saints may
and are found to err and slip more or less. But that which we have been
speaking of out of Job is, that in the best actions, yea, if we could suppose
a saint never outwardly to sin in what is materially sinful, but always to
think, speak, or do what is substantially holy and good, yet there is and will
be that adjacent sinfulness found cleaving to all such actings, even to our
sincerest affections and intentions ; or, at least, there is a deficiency of that
holiness that should be in them, as will cause any holy man that shall com-
mune with his own heart to cry out, ' I cannot answer thee, 0 Lord, one of
all.' And that is it which Job extends his speech unto. And it is apparent
that that maxim, in the coherence of it, was uttered about such offences as the
critical eye of men may observe in one another, to be sinful in the outward
appearance of them, and so not of such as in the utmost extent are betwixt
God and us, and which he observes in us, for the apostle's scope was thereby
to refund the masterly arrogance of men that would take on them to censure
others for any visible infirmity their censorious eye could discern. ' Be not
many masters,' says he, ' for in many things we all offend,' though some very
small ; and therefore be not thus prying and censorious in marking what ye
may espy to be amiss in one another, for then every man must be continu-
ally reproving one another.

Next, David.

There are two sorts of visitations from God, and discoveries of sin set
upon the hearts of his people. 1. Such as are joined with wrath and dis-
pleasure. 2. Such as are more gentle, and are sweeter illapses of light about
our sinfulness. David had experience of each : he had many and frequent
visitations from God by way of rebuke for sin, and sometimes such as were
joined with wrath ; as Ps. xxxviii. 1, I 0 Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath ;'
verse 4, ' Mine iniquities are gone over mine head, as an heavy burden they
are too heavy for me.' Such visitations usually are for gross and more hein-
ous sins. But at other times he was visited with more mild and still rebukes
and discoveries of his sins, which, as they are more calm, so prove more
deep and thorough discoveries. Under the first, the soul is as the air in a
storm, disturbed and muddied, in a hurry, and so sins are presented more

Chap. XI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 479

dimty and darkly, and with an horror ; but in the latter it is with the saints
as in a sunshiny day without clouds, in the shine whereof the smaller moies
and minutes of sinfulness are easily discerned through the pureness of the
light let into, and quietness of the soul.

Now at and upon such a time it was, whenas David's soul had been taken
up into a holy contemplation and admiration of the perfection, purity, and
enlightening power of the law, Ps xix. 7, 8, and so on ; in the midst thereof
he cries out, ' Who can understand his errors ? cleanse thou me from secret
sins,' And what was the matter caused him so to do, that is, thus to divert?
That which befell him was, that whilst his mind was environed about with
this admiration of the glory of the word and law, which now shone through
and through his soul, the Holy Spirit did turn his eyes, and caused him to
cast them down upon that rriv evTri^'laTarov a/xa^riav, Heb. xii. 1, ' The cor-
ruption that surrounded him ;' and he having been first let into this clear
surrounding light of the law (by which ' comes the knowledge of sin, Rom.
iii. 20), he thereby saw and penetrated far, even to an infinite distance, into
the deep chaos of his own heart, and far farther than ever he had done be-
fore. And as when the sun shineth into a jakes in a clear summer's day,
one's eye may discern thousands of small crawling creatures, vermin en-
gendered in that filth, which else had, and at all other times do pass one's
sight ; so here it fell out. As it did also with the apostle, Rom. vii., 'When
the law,' says he, * came,' that is, a new and spiritual light of it, in upon his
soul, he saw ' all concupiscence had wrought ' in him And thus it was with
David ; such an innumerable company of sins appeared to him, as caused him
abruptly to cry out, ' Who can understand his errors ?' And observe, that
he utters not this of himself and of his own particular alone, as if he spake
what he saw his own sins for multitude to be, though upon occasion thereof,
but he speaks in the persons of all or any the greatest or most discerning
saint or saints, that was or should ever be in the world ; and saith not only,
who doth, or who shall understand his errors ? but who can ?

And thus the rise and reference of this his speech from and with the fore-
going passages in the psalm, may be understood to have been either, 1, that
from a fresh prospect and view of all those sins, whereof he had in former
times the conviction, all along in his hfe, by parcels, as they had been com-
mitted, that now came to be represented together, and rendezvoused before
him in one general muster ; and sometimes the Holy Spirit of God makes to
his people's apprehensions, a quick, sudden, and large scheme and prospect of
their forepast sins (as Satan did of the glory of the world), and upon such a
view, these his sins might arise in his apprehension to such a vast heap and
sum, as utterly passed all comprehension ; or else, 2, it may import such a
discovery made to him of sins, which he had never descried before, but which
by the light of that brighter beam that had now visited his soul, did appear
to be an infinite number, and so that thereupon it was from this new experi-
ment that he should infer and pronounce this, ' Who can understand his
errors ?' And if this latter be intended, his inference and collection there-
upon was very just ; for although he had digged deep into his heart before,
yet now he had discovered a new mine. And in reference to this sense it
may well be thought it was, that in the next words he terms them hidden or
secret sins. Why, but because he had now discovered such as had been hidden
to him, and never discerned before ? And thus by comparing his former con-
victions and his new experiment together, he had the greatest reason to cr\'
out, ' Who can understand his errors ?' for having but even now seen the law
of God to be so perfect, and likewise all his former knowledge of sin to have
fallen so short of what he now had anew attained thereby, he might well con-

480 AN UNREGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

elude from thence, Oh, how am I still infinitely defective, and to seek in the
knowledoe of myself! and might therefore think with himself, there may,
yea, and there do yet lie hid a great multitude of sins behind, as utterly still
unknown by me, as there had done afore, even swarms of hidden sins I
never imagined to have been in me ; and thereupon to judge, I am yet as
far off, or as far to seek as ever. Even as it is with a deeply knowing man
ip point of learning, who, observing that the farther he wades into it, the
farther off he is (as Solomon himself, in- Eccles- vii. 23, ' I said, I will be
wise, but it was far from me') he therefore concludes, that the most of what
he knows is but the least part of what he yet doth not know. Thus David
here in point of knowing himself. And hence it was that he adds, ' Cleanse
me from secret sins,' that is, that are as yet utterly secret to myself, which
himself had never as yet been privy to, nor was ever like to be in this life ;
which yet defiled him.

So that it falls out in this our discovery of sins, like to what is made of
the starri (under the numberless number of which the Scripture often express-
eth any innumerable multitude), the multitudes of unseen stars are far more
than the visible ones. Skilful astronomers have told the number of those
that are visible, and yet the Scriptures tell us more certainly that the stars
are so infinitely many, that it is an appropriate honour to God alone to know
the number of them : Ps. cxlvii. 4, 5, ' He calls them all by their names.'
The angels (though of heaven) are not able to make a dictionary of them ;
and therefore this must be spoken in respect of stars that are unseen by us,
which must therefore indeed be innumerable. That large tract, the milky
way, that runs thwart the heavens, is discerned to be but a conglomeration
of so many small stars, like a long causeway strewed thick with small sparks of
diamonds, (the heavens Mald'mcB I call them, in allusion unto those thousand
small islands that, like mole-hills or small tufts of earth, stand thick to-
gether in the Indian Sea, and stretch out into a great length) which we can-
not discern to be distinct stars by any several twinklings, and yet they cause
that gleam. In like manner the Pleiades (or seven stars, as we call them,
because no more ordinarily appear) are discovered to be in all seventy-two ;
an heavenly septuagint of lights and sweet influencers, as God himself (Job
xxxviii. 31) speaks of them. And thus it is with godly men's sins and their
own discoveries of them, the secret or hidden ones (as David here terms them)
do infinitely far exceed the known or those that are conspicuous, until their
spiritual sight is elevated by some new telescope or fresh illumination of the
Spirit, presenting them to their view ; and yet then that sight also falls
infinitely short of what they are in an abounding of them in our hearts and
lives.

If we will further inquire what kind of sins they were, the apparition of
which had at that time surprised holy David, and most amazed him with their
multitude ; it appears they were of the smaller sort of sins, they were sins
had cleaved to his tongue (which the apostle so complains of), and also the
inward sins of his thoughts. Thus much his prayer (that was occasioned by
this new sight of his sins) which followeth, shews, the malady is known by
the remedy. Now in his prayer that follows thereupon, he instantly seeketh,
* Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable
in thy sight ; ' by the light of which coherence I gather, that it being the
contrary holiness unto that abounding corruption which is found to be in
speeches and thoughts, that was the thing he sought for, that therefore the
secret sins he had now been thus convinced of had especially lain hid in these
two ways of sinning, and had so exceedingly abounded in times past in him,
and therefore he calls upon God for so special a remedy against these two, in

Chap. XL] in respect of sin and punishment. 481

these words, * 0 Lord my strength and my Redeemer.' First, he calls upon
God as a redeemer for the pardon of these sins past, as needing ' plenteous
redemption ' for the multitude of them, Ps. cxxx. 7, 8; as also that he might
be redeemed out of that corruption, the power whereof had and did incline
him so much to sin in these two ways ; and then that his thoughts and
speeches might for time to come be formed and framed, through God's
strength and assistance, ' 0 Lord my strength,' in such manner, as they
might be ' acceptable to God,' which he had now seen to have been so
abominable unto God ; for which also he abhorred himself.

I shall but add to this instance that other in Ps. xl. 12, ' Innumerable
evils have encompassed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold on me, so
that I am not able to look up ; they are more than the hairs of my head,
therefore my heart faileth me.' Which, whether spoken by David of himself
only, or of Christ (for whom purposely some passages in the psalm were
made, compare vers. 6-8 with Heb. x. 5-9), when God did 'lay upon him the-
iniquity of us all,' or of both, the one in the type, the other in the antitype, I
will here waive the dispute of; we will for the present understand it as spoken
by David of himself. And then there is that obvious in it, which is full to
oar purpose in hand, that it was the multitude of his sins which he intendeth,
as appears by his multiplying expressions to set foi-th that multitude.

1. He says they are innumerable : 'innumerable evils have encompassed
me.' These evils were his sins, miseries, and troubles in his spirit for his
sins; for in explaining himself he subjoins, 'My iniquities have taken hold
of me.' The original is, usque ad non nunierum, multiplied till they surpass
all number.

2. He says they came over him, yea, over his head : circumdederunt super
me, they besieged me. The allusion is to an army, that first besiegeth round
about ; but, secondly, to such an army as besiegeth over head too, for what
here is said to be super me, over me, is in Psalm xxxviii. 4 thus expressed
(speaking of his sins), they ' came over my head,' which is an unheard-of
way of besiegement, such as other enemies are not wont to.

3. If you inquire the space and room they take up over our heads, or how
high they planted their siege over his head (by which we may estimate their
multitude), it is elsewhere told us that they are so many as are piled up, and
reach as high as heaven, and so fill up that infinite expansum, over our
heads. This addition we find Ezra ix. 4, '.Our iniquities are increased
over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens ;' as if you
could suppose an heap, which at first was but small, were yet so increased
by being added to continually, that it grew so high as it reached up to heaven
itself; thus here. Those spiritual wickednesses, our enemies the devils, do
environ us over our heads indeed, and assail us, yet they are confined to the
lower regions of the air ; but sins extend to heaven.

4. No wonder then that if he says, ' I am not able to look up,' that is, I
cannot know them ; for so those words thus translated / cannot look up, are
rendered by most, et non potui ut viderem, I could not see nor descry them.

5. He addeth an expression more familiar to vulgar ears, * They are more
than the hairs of mine head ;' which, though in reality would seem far less
expressive of a multitude than the former, for the hairs of any man's head
may de facto be numbered by man, yet because proverbially it was used to
set out any innumerable multitude, as that not one of a thousand you heard
also was ; and this suiting best to popular ears, he therefore addeth it. This
for the multitude of them.

The effect hereof follows, * Therefore my heart fails.' It is not, you see,

VOL. X. H h

482 AN UNREGENEEATE MAX's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

60 mnch the beinousness of his sins is mentioned or insisted on, as the in-
finite number be saw, and beyond what be could see, that has the therefore
put upon it : ' Therefore my heart fails,' or sinks ; that was it which appalled
him. He had compared them to an army, and it is the multitude in an army
(when orderly set and well armed) that hath the terror in it, although also
some Goliaths may be among the multitude. This we find in Scripture ; as
1 Sam. xiii., ' The Philistines gathered themselves together, thirty thousand
chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand of the sea for
multitude,' ver. o ; which when the men of Israel saw, it is said ' they hid
themselves in caves and in rocks,' &e., vers. 6, 7.

Now, the day is coming wherein God himself will ' set thy sins in order
before thee,' as Ps. 1., as an army in full battalia, or battle array. And how
will thy heart, even the stoutest heart of any of the sons of men, sink when
it sees the multitude of small sins, as the infantry, to be for multitude more
than the sands of the sea ; and then great sins, as millions of chariots and
horsemen, how wilt thou in that day call upon the rocks to cover thee, and
the chffs to hide thee !

CHAPTER XII.

The sense of this main assertion further stated, or how it is to be understood,
that God puts the valour or chief balance of the account of tnens sinfulness
upon the multitude of their sins. — Some reasons which, put all together, make
a full demonstration of it.

I. Unto what an infinite excess of disproportion for number every man's
minute or small sins do abound unto, above the number of his heinous ones,
both the Scriptures have shewn u?, and every man's conscience that is en-
lightened must needs be apprehensive of. And reason also may inform us ;
for as for outward gross sins (take them in the generality of men unregene-
rate), and they are not always, and at all times, and comparatively but
seldom, committed by them, through the power of restraining grace common
to man : ' Those that are drunk are drunk in the night,' 1 Thes. v. 7, Acts
ii. 15. So likewise the grosser acts of uncleanness, and other like crying
sins, they be perpetrated but at times and by fits ; but as for smaller sins,
they issue from us continually both night and day ; as clocks commonly
sound and strike aloud but at hours, but the wheels and springs are going
to and fro perpetually. Some men are so superlatively profane, Belials (as
the Scripture calls them), as they may perhaps in this be excepted, such as
sell themselves to work wickedness, who as some clocks strike every quarter
as well as every hour ; but yet even in them the lesser sort of sins must
needs be confessed far to abound. And the reason of either is, that the
soul, the seat and subject both of original and acquired corruption, is in a
continual motion ;* not only as it is a soul, but as it is a sinning soul, and
is therefore, as such, compared unto such things as are in perpetual motion.
1. A fountain that perpetually is a-running : Jer. vi. 17, 'As a fountain
casts out her waters, so this city,' says God, 'casts out her wickedness.'
Then, 2, to the sea, continually casting out sedge and foam : Isa. Ivii. 20,
' The wicked are like the troubled sea ; when it cannot rest, it casts up mire
and dirt.' The heart of man, as it is at all times, is compared to the sea
for its tumultuousness; not in its sedate, calm condition, but when it is most
disturbed with storms. The like Jude 13, ' Raging waves of the sea, foam-
* Thales terms the soul ^i/<ri» airx/vsTci'.

Chap. XII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 483

ing out their own shame.' 3. To a wheel, the wheel of nature,* or the course
of nature, James iii. 6, which is always a-running and in swift motion, as a
wheel, you see, useth to be. The sense of the apostle is, that whereas the
course of our corrupt nature runs it round fast enough of itself, for it is as
a wheel, the tongue (of all members else the worst) often moves it faster
than otherwise it would unto fiery evils (as he calls them), and whirls it
about so hurryingly and so swiftly, that as wheels in mills and millstones,
nimio motn ignem concipiimt, by too violent a motion strike fire, and inflame
the mill they grind in, so here. See the words. f Hence it apparently
follows, that some (though smaller sins) are continually a-bringing forth,
the soul is and will be working.

Now, this holding true of the most part or generality of mankind, the
assertion may well be understood and supposed, that if the infinity of each
of their smaller sins, in respect of number, be put into one scale, that they
will ordinarily cast the scale against the heinous. And unto this assertion,
in this sense understood, do many of the scriptures already alleged incline,
and the reasons to be alleged do contribute very far to the confirmation
thereof.

II. Take a man's heinous transgressions alone, and the very number of
them considered apart, in their multiplication and reiteration, doth provoke
God more than simply or alone their single material heinousness, if that
might be abstractly considered. This assertion the second and third reasons
do, in the close of them in God's expostulation, how oft ? in the psalmist,
and these ten times in Moses, manifestly shew. And indeed whether we
take small sins apart, or great sins apart, that is, sins of any sort apart, the
number of either doth in their several proportions cast the aggrandisement
on them.

But, III., there is this other state or sense of the assertion, that take the
multitude of each man's sins (whether they be greater or lesser sins) as put
together, the whole of them into one heap or total, considered barely in their
number ; and prescind or abstract their heinousness, and consider that apart
in a distinct account by itself; and as thus understood, it is that most of
the scriptures alleged do so vehemently insist, and hold up before men's
consciences, the multitude of their sins as so highly provocative against God,
rather than the heinousness. And this sense is it the following reasons do
principally concern, and this takes in the universality of mankind. This as
to the true stating the assertion.

And, lastly, it must be remembered that the following reasons do present
themselves (singly considered) but as so many partial steps or degrees of
proofs, and not each or any one making up an integral demonstration, but
so as the second adds further strength and force to the first, and then the
third unto the second, and so all put together make the demonstration com-
plete.

Reason 1. Multitude in any kind riseth to a greatness in that kind ; so
that if we will first take and make the estimate, but from the general
standard or measure of weight and greatness which in ordinary account is
put upon any huge multitude of smaller things, whatever they be in their
several kinds ; and then take a multitude of smaller sins in their kind, and
by the same common rule of value, common to all things else in their several
proportions, it must be acknowledged that an infinity of sins for number
doth rise to an infinity of greatness, although thus merely weighed at that
balance that is hung up in the common market-place of the world, to weigh
all things whatever. This will appear by instances.

* Tot r^i-^ov tH; yiAriu;. T^ox'! " verbo r^ix.^iv, to run. t Vatabliis.

484 AN UNREGENEEATE WAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

Take the sands (unto which for number Manasseh's sins are compared) :
we know how small each sand alone is, jet collectively and together, look as
they arise to such a multitude as 'cannot be numbered,' Heb. xi. 12, so
withal that multitude grows into such a greatness in all dimensions, as can-
not be measured ; which expression the prophets use of them, as Jer.
xxxii. 22. And sands, if they were but heaped up together, make also a
weight as utterly insupportable. ' Oh, if my grief were thoroughly weighed,
it would be heavier than the sand of the sea,' says Job, chap. vi. ; and there-
fore sand in an heap is proverbially used to express weight as well as multi-
tude, Prov. xxvii. 3.

If we would further improve this illustration taken from sands, look as
the sands that are within the sea, at the bottom of it, are they that make
the many, and would (if cast into one heap) far exceed both in weight and
number those other sands that are but upon the shore of the sea, or without
the sea (unto which yet alone those comparisons of immeasurableness, &c.,
are in those places now cited made), so in like manner comparatively do our
inward sins exceed our outward ; the outward are but as the sands on the
sea shore, of which yet it is said the}' are uvapidf/.rjToi, 'without number,'
Heb. xi. 12.

Again, for another instance, take the sea itself. What is that vast heap
and body ? it is but a gatheringt ogether of many waters, as in Gen. i. 10,
and those waters but of innumerable drops.

This universe, the world, how immense is it ! And yet some both ancient
and modern philosophers say, it is altogether made up of, and but a con-
geries of small atoms, motes, or dusts, locked and wedged into one another,
and crowded together, which make up this greatness. Now apply but this,
as we did that other, unto sins ; if the sins of one member (the tongue) do,
when collected into a catalogue, make a 'world of iniquity,' James iii. G,
then, when every idle word shall be put to account, as Christ says, oh
then, what will the account of all other sins, both inward and outward, arise
to, when the account of the tongue is but of which is merely outward,
and that but in one member, which also lies still and stirs not half of a man's
time, that is, when we are asleep or alone by ourselves ?

And that which strengthens this reason as on the part of sins is, that
every sin, even the least, hath an infinite sinfulness in it (as in the first
treatise about sin I have shewn), and that though it must be affirmed that
sins are not equal, but some exceed in malitid, in sinfulness, as they are
more against knowledge, and partake more of the will, &c., yet all are sins ;
and if sins at all, then objectively infinite ; even as though one devil is more
wicked than another, Mat. xii. 47, yea, and the great devil is to be acknow-
ledged more deep in guilt than many of his fellows (and for that cause let
him enjoy the title of prince of devils), yet all the other are devils as
well as he ; so in like manner these smaller are sins as well as the greatest.
And as of that legion which possessed that one man in the Gospel, it might be
perhaps affirmed, that if all the iniquities which they have perpetrated were
put into one, they would match that great devil in point of wickedness ; so
why may not a few smaller sins exceed some one that is very great, seeing
the least is infinite in that fore-mentioned respect ? It is not in this value
of sins, as it useth to be in coins ; there may be so vast a collection of brass
farthings as will be (as to passing current) as much as a talent of gold comes
to, but yet for the matter of them they are but brass, of another kind of
metal ; well, but the smaller sins thy heart minteth, they are sins, and of the
same species with the bigger, they are all transgressions of the law ; that is

CilAP. XII. "' IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 485

the apostle's definition common to them all ; and so each are like smaller
pieces, of the same alloy with the biggest.

And truly this ensuing parallel between sins and devils will give some
further light into the illustration of the reason in hand, viz. why a company
of smaller sinful acts should in value with God countervail, yea, exceed some
one great one ; for look as in each and every such devil, there is by sin a
spoil of an whole individual intelligent nature made by God to glorify him,
which sin hath undone, and turned to the contrary, and at that rate, the
sins in a few of the lowest rank of that black guard will amount into a
greater loss and detriment unto God and his glory, than a far greater degree
of wickedness in the greatest devil of all. For why ? In him alone, but one
single intelligent nature is spoiled (though of a greater degree of excellency,
and therefore now of a greater size of sinfulness) ; thus parallel it is in point
of sin : a great iniquity in one act of sin, though of a great magnitude, is yet
but the spoil of one act or action, whereas the sinfulness of many acts
multiplied, though of a smaller sort, are the destruction of so many several
acts of an immortal and intelligent soul, made to have glorified God in each
and every of its actings And unto what an account might and would that
have arisen unto ? And also unto what and how great an improvement and
advance of an high contrary holiness and glorifying God might each of so
many acts of such a soul have amounted to ? This we cannot imagine, so
that though in positive iniquity one great sin doth far surmount what is also
positive in many of a lesser degree, yet privatively, and in the way of diver-
sion from, and exclusive of so many glorious acts as may be supposed might
have been produced, in that respect, a few of smaller sins may be justly con-
ceived to exceed the other.

Reason 2. There is yet a more special and further peculiarity of reason
which properly concerneth sins and crimes against God, that when they are
multiplied to an excess of number, there should arise from thence, and by
reason thereof, a superadded greatness of provocation and exacerbation in
the breast of God against the sinner. In some other things, when they are
many, it is but barely their aggregation' or collection together, which renders
them great merely by cumulation (as we say), as in a heap of sands or stones
gathered together, there is simply a bulk or moles thence arising, such as
mere quantity atfords (and upon that account it was that the former reason
only did proceed). But some sorts of things there are even in nature, the
accumulation of which together in one bulk have thereby, besides the in-
crease of their quantity or greatness as such, also a physical force and virtue
wonderfully augmented thereby, and so virtually become stronger and more
efficacious through the multiplication of them, and addition of one to the
other. As take but as vast a company of the dusts of lime, and cast them
into one heap, and let a little water be put to them, yea, often of themselves,
how do they grow up into a vehement fire and burning heat, and over what
greatness, or what, simply as an aggregated body, their lump ariseth to in
respect of quantity. Now thus are sins to be further considered through
their multitude to work in the heart of God an inflammation of wrath against
the sinner, a provocation, as the Scripture styles it. In poisonous liquors,
the matter is more evident. Besides what the continual addition of many
drops will increase unto in single quantity, every drop superadds a new
virtual strength of venom unto the whole mass it is put unto, which we see
evident in their operation on men's bodies ; one new grain superadded to a
many of the same kind causeth a working manifold as much as those former
grains (though many more) would alone have done until that new addition
came. We see it also in those doses or potions of drugs which physicians

486 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

give for physic ; the adding of a little more of the same adds withal a mighty
virtue and spirit to the whole. As this holds in things that have a physical
virtue in nature, so in actions moral ; multiplication of them doth in their
kind the very same. Thus the multiplication of injuries from one to another in
men's hearts. That disciple who asked Christ the question, 'Shall I forgive
my brother till seven times ? ' Mat. xviii. 22, judged that an addition of one
injury (an eighth, suppose) more might justly have provoked beyond forgive-
ness. Yea, a small injury heaped upon many preceding ones, revives the
remembrance of all the former, and then they altogether work in the virtue
thereof, and contribute a mutual difiused and increased strength one to the
other. Men use to say. You have offered me such and such affronts already,
but if you offer me one more, &c. And thus it is and must needs be in God's
heart also. 1. The multiplying of sins do increase and have a provocative
virtue or strength in them to stir the anger of the Lord : Jer. v. 6, ' Because
tbeir transgressions are many, and their backslidings are strong ' (so in the
Hebrew and margin) ; that is, their multitude increaseth a strong provoca-
tion. And elsewhere, it is said to cause in the heart of God a great hatred,
as it is in Hosea ix. 7, ' The days of visitation and recompence are come, for
the multitude of their iniquity, and the great hatred ;' which is to be under-
stood of that hatred which God's heart had from that multitude of their sins
conceived against them, as well as meant of the hatred of their hearts against
God in sinning ; for here it signifies their being an hatred to God, or of
their being objects of God's hatred, which the same word and expression
used in the very next verse shews, and is also commonly used in other lan-
guages to express the object hated. Again, you find God reckons ' How
oft have they provoked me ? ' Ps. Ixxviii. 40 ; yea, and the times of reiterat-
ing the same sins as the cause of his being provoked, ' They have provoked
me these ten times,' Numb. xiv. 22, which yet is but a definite number to
express how infinitely many more. As likewise in Eccles. viii. 12, 'If a
sinner sin an hundred times ; ' he reckons this number not definitely, but
merely to shew how much continuation and reiteration of sinnings do pro-
voke the patience of God, as both the 11th verse and the following speech
there do shew. And, 2, in Scripture also you find that a new adding of
further sins puts a new additional virtue into all the former, to set God's
heart a-working against the sinner ; and therefore it is said of Herod, hav-
ing spoken of his sins in the verse afore, that ' he added yet above all, that
he shut up John in prison.' It is added in reference unto God his being
provoked thereby.

Reason 3. Add to this, when these sinnings have been committed without
interruption or intermission, for many years' continuance, or for a long time.
In that Gen. vi. 5, the Lord heaps up three things, as those which caused
their very thoughts (though small sins) to have- been so highly provocative
(1) that every thought (2) was only evil (3) continually. If they had been
evil but now and then, as in greater sinnings it falls out, it had been far less;
but that continually, though in small sins, this proved the heightening exag-
geration. In other things this is also seen : ' As a continual dropping in a
very rainy day, so is a contentious woman.' A continual contention, what
a sore vexation proves it to a man's heart that lives with such an one. And
such must needs be to God's heart the continual sinnings of a sinner. A
continual ' contradiction of sinners,' though in never so small things, what a
grating must it needs be ! This is a continued bearing up of a quarrel or
contention with God ; for which cause God calls every sinner that continues
in his sins a contentious person with him, and that is it increaseth the wrath :
* Unto them that are contentious, indignation and wiath,' Kom. ii. 8. See

Chap. XII. j in respect of sin and punishment. 487

this in its contrary; how much continuing in prayer without ceasing or
intermission prevails with God we often read, and the parable shews, Luke
xviii. 1. And therefore the church makes an argument of it to God to over-
come him with : Lam. iii. 49, ' Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not,
without any intermission. Till the Lord,' &c. Thus it fares in sinning.
Yea, hence it is that the Lord allegeth from how long a sinner hath con-
tinued thus to sin, ' This city hath been to me a provocation of mine anger
and my fury, from the day that it was built unto this day,' Jer. xxxii. 31.
And of the wicked, he counts up from how long they have begun thus con-
tinually to sin : Ps. Iviii. 3^ ' The wicked are estranged from the womb; they
go astray as soon as they be born.' To conclude this head ; if not to have
' continued in all things to do ' what the law requires, and but to fail in any
one, the smallest, duty brings a curse, forfeits all, Gal. iii. and Ezek. xviii. 24,.
then, on the contrary, how will a sinner his having continued to transgress
the law in all things some way or other, from his very infancy to this hour,
provoke to an infinity !

Conclusion. I shut up this part of the discourse with this. All these
things put together, no wonder if we find in Scripture all dimensions of
' height, breadth, length, depth,' ascribed unto men's sins, even of particular
men, and that in respect to their number.

1. Hei/jht. How high, I shewed you afore. Ezra took the elevation of
that : chap. ix. 6, having first said, ' Our iniquities are increased over oiir
heads,' he adds, ' and our trespass grows up to heaven.' And in that
coherence it evidently relates to the multitude of them, and is not only
spoken in relation to that one great particular trespass of marrying strange
wives, which they stood in the guilt of, for he distinctly after speaks of that
particular, ver. 7. And both those his expressions, ver. 6, seem to be an
allusion to that overflow of the waters at the general flood ; and yet of that
it is but said, that ' the waters prevailed fifteen cubits upwards over the
hills and mountains that were under the whole heavens.' But those sins
were so many, as they prevailed and increased upwards to heaven itself.

2. Depth. In that fore-cited place, Hosea ix. (the multitude of their sins
havmg been first specified, verse 7), in the 9th verse, it is added, ' they have
deeply corrupted themselves ;' Hebr., * They have deepened, they have cor-
rupted.' And David, Ps. Ixix. 2, ' I sink in deep mire, where there is no
standing ;' that is, so deep, as it hath no bottom. ' I am come into depths
of waters ;' which is spoken of his sins, as verse 5, ' 0 Lord, thou knowest
my fooHshness, and my sins are not hid from thee.' Again, ' Out of the
dc])t]is have I cried,' Ps. cxxx. 1, still spoken of sins, and also with a respect
to the multitude of them : verse 3, ' If thou shouldst mark iniquities,' &c.,
and therefore oppositely pleads, ' There is plenteous, or a multitude of re-
demption with thee,' verse 7. It was the number that made that depth.

3. Breadth and length, or expanse, they ' cannot be measured ' for vast-
ness and wideness of extent (as of the sands it is said), which accrues merely
from their number, for it is added, ' nor can be numbered.' The words are,
* that cannot be measured nor numbered,' Hosea i. 10, as also Jer. xxxii. 22.
And if David says of the holy law, that it is so 'exceeding broad,' that there
is no end or bounds of it, Ps. exix., then are sins of an exceeding breadth
also ; for there is not a law in the book but there is a sin in the heart
opposite to it : ' the law of the members ' in us is as large in commanding
sin, as the law of God is in forbidding, Rom. vii. 21, 22, 23, 25.

So as indeed there is nothing can match it in all these respects but that
love and grace in God and Christ's heart (who also subdued these number-
less iniquities by a plenteous redemption for them), unto which love of his

488 AN UNEEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XI.

all ihese dimensions also are attributed. Oh what then is ' the height, the
breadth, the length, and depth of the love of Christ, which passeth know-
ledge,' and prevails as far above all our sins, which yet reach unto heaven,
as far as the heavens, and as the heavens do above mole-hills here on
earth. God's coming to judgment is compared unto a vintage, Joel iii. 12,
and such a vintage as for the abundance is like that of clustered grapes,
which through their number, when pressed in the wine-vat, make the wine-
press full, and all the vessels to flow over. This allusion doth God apply
unto their wickedness ; ' their wickedness is great,' or ample, large, and un-
measurable : ver. 13, * Oh the multitudes, the multitudes !' which doubled
exclamation is spoken both of persons, and that but more remotely, ver. 12,
but in the next coherence it is sins that are to be judged, ver. 13, and both
at that day, ver. 14.

If, therefore, thy heart be not moved with the heinous greatness of thy
sins, even the least, but that seems small, add this to the consideration
thereof, the number, ' Oh the multitudes, the multitudes, in the valley of
decision ! ' But then withal, further, add to that infinite number of smaller
sins thy heinous enormities also (whereof one, perhaps, is in weight as much
as millions of small), but when you shall have put both together, to what an
infinite guilt will the total rise up unto ! Therefore let every soul take heed
of dying in their sins.

Book XII.] in kespect of sin and punishment. 489

k

BOOK XII.

An unregenerate man's gnillineaii by reason of the aggmvalions of his sinfulness.

[This Book was published separately by the author himself, and is contained
in Vol. IV. of the present edition, under the titles, 'Aggravation of
Sin ; Aggravations of Sinning against Knowledge ; and Aggrava-
tions of Sinning against Mercy.'^ — Ed. J

490 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

BOOK XIII.

0/ the punishment of sin in hell. — Tliat the wrath of God is the immediate
cause of that punishment.

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance helongeth unto me, I will recom-
pense, saiih the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge his people. It is
a faiful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. — Heb. x. 30, 31.

Jn flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey
not the gospel of our Lotd Jesus Christ : who shall he punished with ever-
lasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of hts
power. — 2 Thes. i. 8, 9.

What if God, loilling to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, en-
dured with much long-suffering, the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction ? —
Romans ix. 22.

CHAPTER 1.
The subject and general division of the discourse.

We have seen how sinful and guilty every man is in his unregenerate
condition ; what last remains, is to consider the greatness of that punish-
ment, which all this sinfulness deserves : a punishment so great that it can-
not be comprehended by our thoughts, nor ever be sufficiently expressed.
For what hell and destruction are, is a mystery, as well as what heaven is :
and the true and proper notion or conception of either, are a riddle to the
most of men. As ' eye hath not seen, ear not heard, nor hath it entered
into the heart of man' (the natural man), * what God hath prepared for those
that love him;' so, nor what God hath prepared for them that hate him.
For it is the same, and no other punishment but that which is ' prepared
for the devil and his angels,' as Christ says. And what it can be that
should torment them, or be the immediate executioner of vengeance on them,
the imagination of man, confined to worldly agents and instruments, cannot
divine or take in.

Other scriptures go metaphorically to work in setting out this punish-
ment by things outwardly, sensibly dreadful. But these scriptures (of all
other) that are my texts, do more plainly, and without parables, declare it to
us, in its immediate causes, and from them do leave us to infer the fearfulness.

For instance, other scriptures set it out to us as a 'prison,' 1 Peter iii. 19,
large enough, to be sure, to hold men and devils : ' The wicked shall be
turned into ,hell, and all the nations that forget God,' Ps. ix. 17. As also
by their being retained in chains of darkness, 2 Peter ii. 4, where men
must he till they have paid the utmost farthing. Mat. v. 26 ; where is no-
thing but ' darkness, utter darkness,' 'blackness of darkness,' Jude 4, that
is, an emptiness of all good, not a beam of light to all eternity ; also a ' place

Chap. I.] in respect of sin and punishment. 491

of torment,' Luke xvi. 28, where there is not admitted ' one drop to cool
one's tongue,' in the midst of the most raging scorchings. Also, I find it
elsewhere expressed by the most horrid punishments and tortures that
were found amongst the nations, cutting men in pieces, dividing them in the
midst {dixoro/j,r]i!ii, Mat. xxiv. 49, 51), tearing them in pieces, Ps. 1. 22 ;
' cutting tuem up to the backbone,' Heb. iv. 12, 13 ;* ' drowning men in
perdition,' 1 Tim. vi. 9, and that with 'millstones about their necks,' as
Christ adds, Mat. xviii. 6, to make sure they never rise again ; also unto a
being cast ' bound hand and foot,' Mat. xxii. 13, ' into fire,' to be burnt
alive ; ' a furnace of fire,' twice in one chapter. Mat. xiii. 42, 49, 60 ; ' a
lake of fire,' and so drowned over head and ears for ever ; a lake ' fed with
a stream of brimstone,' which (of all matter that feedeth fire) is the most
fierce ; then again, ' eternal fire,' and that never to be slacked or extin-
guished. And you may with the Uke analogy go over whatever else of
torment is most exquisite to outward sense.

But these and all else you can imagine, are but shadows and similitudes
(as I myself heard one upon the rack of terror of conscience cry out, in a
like comparison, These are but metaphors to what I feel), and indeed unto
what the thing itself is. As to say of heaven, there are rivers of pleasures,
a city whereof the streets are of gold, the gates of pearl, and such like, they
are but metaphorical descriptions ; for it is God himself that is the fountain
of life. And oppositely it is said of the wrath to come, that ' God is a con-
suming fire,' Heb. xii. 20.

But these scriptures which I have read, they all speak essences, quintes-
sences. And as hell is said to be ' naked before the Lord, and without a
covering,' Job xvi. 16, so do these words lay hell open nakedly, not unto
our senses, but to the understanding of us, and then they leave us to infer
how fearful !. And although these scriptures consist of words that differ,
yet they conspire together in the same scope and matter, viz., to set out
damnation to us in the true and proper causes, and the real horridness
thereof argued from those causes.

I shall confine myself to two heads ; and in handling thereof, what the
one of these scriptures is wanting in, the other will supply ; in what the
one is dark, the other explains.

The heads themselves I shall take as I find them in the first of these
Scriptures, Heb. x. 31.

First, That God himself, by his own hands, that is, the power of his
wrath, is the immediate inflicter of that punishment or destruction of men's
souls in hell. It is a ' falling into the hands of God.'

Secondly, The dreadfulness of that punishment inferred and argued there-
from : ' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.'

Which two are the doctrinal parts of this discourse.

For the first, that God himself is the immediate inflicter, &c.

For exphcation. We must distinguish how that God perfoi-ms two parts
herein : 1. Of a judge, to give forth the sentence of his authority. 2. Of an
avenger, a party injured and provoked, and, as such, the inflicter. My scope
in this distinction is, that we may, in reading the scriptures that speak of
this punishment, know how to put a difference, and not transfer the whole
ot God's agency in this matter unto that of sentencing it as a judge only.
And besides that many scriptures do apart shew this distinction, there are
some that still carry along with them both these agencies, or hand of God in it
together, and yet as distinct ; the one under the term of wrath and vengeance,

* See for this the interpretation hereof in the Child of Light, &c., p. 49, 50. [Vol.
III. of this edition. — Ed.]

492 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

the other under the notion of its being a judgment, the judgment of God
and the judgment of hell-fire,* as Mat. xxiii. 33. Thus first the text Heb.
X. terms it somewhile ' vengeance and fiery indignation,' ver. 80, 27 ; then again
judgment, as ver. 27, ' a fearful looking for of judgment,' and ver. 30, ' the
Lord will judge,' &c. The like, Kom. ii. 5, 8, 9, where all is reduced in like
manner to these two, God's righteous judgment, and his wrath and indigna-
tion treasured up. Also, 2 Thes. i., ' The righteous judgment of God,' vers.
5,6, there is the sentence, and ' destroyed from the glory of his power' as
the inflicting cause, ver. 9 ; likewise Rom. ix., as sovereign Lord he shews
s^ovsiav, authority in this punishment, ver. 21, and then as the immediate in-
flicter, wrath and rh dui/arov, the ' power of his wrath,' ver. 22. That speech
of our Saviour about this matter, one evangelist, Luke xii. 5, records it,
' Who is able, 'E^oufy/r/v 'i^ovra, to cast into hell,' namely, as a judge who casts
a malefactor into prison. The other. Mat. x. 28, * Who is able, Tov buvd-
[livov, to kill the soul, and to destroy body and soul in hell.' Noting thereby
that he useth his intrinsic power and force as the inflicter.

I shall be large in handling and proving this latter, as a great truth, con-
cerning which I further premise, that I would not be understood to exclude
other miseries, as inflicted by creatures used as God's instruments, accom-
panying this; but that which I contend for is, that principally and eminently
above all such, it is the wrath and indignation of God himself, working im-
mediately in and upon men's souls and consciences, that is intended in
these and other scriptures. This is the subject of the first section of this
discourse.

And let it be noticed now at the entrance, that the same scriptures and
reasons that shall be brought to prove this in this first section, will be found
again to serve as new arguments by way of inference, to set out and infer
the latter also ; that is, the dreadfulness of it, as vN-ill appear in the second
section.

CHAPTER IL

The first sort of proofs from Scriptures : first, those three prefixed as the texts.

Let us first see what the Scriptures speak more directly to this great point.

Heb. x. 28-31, He that despised Moses law died without mercy under two
or three witnesses : of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be
thought xoorthy, who hath trodden tender foot the Son of God, und hath counted'
the blood of the covenant whereioith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and
hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace f For we know him that hath said.
Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saitn the Lord. And again.
The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands
of the living God.

In order to the proofs from hence, observe the occasion of the apostle's
mention of this punishment here, to be his having treated of the highest sin
and kind of sinners, the sin against the Holy Ghost. By the occasion of
which, he gives us to understand what for the substance is indeed the recom-
pence of all manner of other actual sins, small and great ; the punishment
being in solido, one and the same to all, though with a vast difierence of de-
grees. And therefore it is said unto all that are found wicked at that day,
whether of greater or lesser proportions and sizes of wickedness, ' Go into

* Quid a justo Dei infligitur. — Gerard de inferno, sect. 30.

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 493

fire prepared for the devil and his angels.' The devil is the greatest of
pinners, yet all go with him into the same torment, that is, for suhstance the
same. And upon the like ground, what is here spoken b}' way of cminency
concerning the punit^hment of these, the highest sort of sinners of the sons
of men, is true of all others, there being but one common lii-e or punish-
ment, in the subatsnce of it, for all.

2. Observe the manner of his setting forth the dreadfulness of that punish-
ment to us. It is only by way of insinuation ; for seeing he could not ex-
press the soreness of it, he thought fit to suggest only who is the immediate
author and inflicter of it, and so leaves it to our thoughts to infer how dread-
ful it is ! This is general.

To argue the point in hand out of this text, let us take these things along
with us.

1. You see he here brings in the great God, as an enraged enemy, chal-
lenging the execution hereof to himself. This ' vengeance belongeth to me,'
or, as Rom. xii. 19, ' Vengeance is mine, I will recompense ;' as if he had
said. Let me alone with it.

2. In that when he would set out the severeness of this punishment (which
is his professed aim, ver. 29) as infinitely exceeding all those kinds of cor-
poral deaths in Moses' law, he inferreth the soreness of this from God him-
self as the avenger. ' We know him that hath thus said, Vengeance is mine,'
that is, what a great and powerful God he is. The saints only know God by
faith in himself and his greatness, as Heb. xi., and that so as no other men
in this life do. And by what we know of him, and the apprehensions we
have of him, we cannot but forewarn what that punishment must needs be,
when God himself shall thus solemnly profess himself to be the avenger.
It is argued, you see, both from what this God is, and from that knowledge the
saints have of him. They, and they alone, know him in his love, and have
tasted and found that his immediate ' loving-kindness is better than life ;'
and from the law of countraries, they know that his wrath must be more bitter
than death. They are able to measure what he is in his wrath, by what he
is in his love. And some of the primitive saints, especially the apostles, who
* had the first fruits of the Spirit,' knew and had tasted how good the Lord
is in his love, by immediate impressions of it on their souls, in communion
■with himself. The like tenor of speech has that in 2 Cor. v. 11, ' We know-
ing the terror of the Lord.' It is termed Ids terror, as noting out that which
is proper to him and his greatness, in his being able to punish and destroy
sinners.

Moses, who in the Old Testament had seen the glory of God the most
immediately of any man (and was therein a type of Christ), was thereby
made sensible of this very thing as touching this punishment, and therefore
complains in the very like language, Ps. xc, ' Who knows the power of thine
anger?' lamenting how the generality of men did not know it, because
indeed they knew not God. But we, says the apostle, have known him, &c.

3. And thereupon he further calls this punishment a falling into God's
hands. That very phrase often notes out immediate execution, as in ordi-
nary speech it doth. When a father or a master threatens a child or a young
servant, already corrected by other hands at their appointment, yet when
either would threaten more severely, they will say. Take heed how you fall
into my hands, or come under my fingers, when they mean to correct them
themselves.

4. And then that the apostle thereupon infers from this the dreadfulness
thereof even from this, ' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God.'
Reason tells us that the soreness of any torment, the fearfulness of any

494 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

death, ariseth from the power, force, violence, or efficacy of that which is
the immediate agent or cause inflicting it. As why do we argue burning or
dying by fire a more terrible death in respect of torment than drowning in
water ? But that fire, being the immediate agent or instrument applied to
that execution, hath a more fierce and violent working than water hath,
which despatcheth a man more easily. Now, therefore, the fearfulness and
soreness of this punishment (and that with difi"erence from that by creatures,
compare for this vers. 28, 29) being here argued, that it is a falling into
God's hands ; and we knowing this withal, that he is in himself able to work
by his tierce wrath more powerfully and exquisitely upon the reasonable soul
of man sinful than all created agents whatever, and the soul itself being also
capable of such a working upon by him ; this doth strongly argue his own
immediate execution by his own hands to have been intended.

5. In ver. 27, he termeth the immediate cause inflicting this punishment
a ' fiery indignation devouring the adversaries.' Indignation or wrath is of
some intelligent nature provoked. And whom should this refer to ? or whose
indignation can it be supposed but of this God, ' who himself (as the apostle
expounds, and comments upon it) ' hath said, Vengeance is mine, saith the
Lord ' ? And this indignation is called fiery, because it works as fire ; is in
tormenting like to fire; or as a flaming sword, red hot, when it is made the
instrument of one's death, which wounds and kills, and doth torment with a
superadded anguish. For the further opening of which I shall at present
only say two things.

(1.) That God compares himself in this respect unto a devouring or con-
suming fire in this very epistle : Heb. xii. 29, ' Our God is a consuming
fije.' There are two creatures which God assimilates himself unto in con-
trary respects. 1. To light, as often, and * God is love,' 1 John iv. ; and
both these are spoken of him in respect of what he is to the saints in glory.
Light is of all creatures the most comfortable, and ' in his light it is we see
light.' And the state of glory is therefore termed ' the inheritance of the
saints in light,' Col. i. The second is to fire, and this on the contrary in
relation to what he is to men in hell. And the parallel runs upon what he
is immediately unto both, by analogy of reason. Of all creatures, fire is the
most dreadful, the most raging, subtle, and piercing in its operation ; and
so God in his wrath must be understood under that similitude to be, and
therefore it is his wrath is termed ' fiery indignation.'

(2.) Those words in their coherence are an allusion to those extraordinary
punishments executed under the old law. For in ver. 28 he enforceth his
argument (the scope of which was to aggravate this punishment as a minori)
from the instances of those punishments that did befall men that died for
despising Moses's law. Some of them we read were destroyed by fire, and
therein he more especially refers us to those examples of Nadab and Abihu,
who ' perished through fire,' Lev. x. 1, 2, where the very words the apostle
here used to set out this punishment by are used by Moses, and so more
evidently shew the allusion to be made thereunto. ' There went out fire
from the Lord, and devoured them,' says that text ; and yet he argues from
thence the surpassing soreness of this punishment above that from that fire,
though it were a fire even from heaven itself that killed them. But more of
this hereafter.

I come, secondly, to that other scripture, 2 Thes. i. 8, 9, ' in flaming
fire, taking vengeance of them that know not God, and that obey not the
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ : who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.'
Where it is to be observed, that though he mentions ' flaming fire,' and the

Chap. II.] in respect of sin and punishment. 495

ministry of his mighty angels, which accompany Christ's appearing, yet he
clearly resolves the ultimate and immediate cause of wicked men's destruc-
tion into the immediate presence and glory of Christ's power : ver. 9, ' Who
shall be punished with everlasting destruction//om the presence of the Lord,
and from the (jlory of his power.' So as herein is set forth,

First, The punishment.

Secondly, The causes of that punishment.

1. For the punishment, there is, 1st, the nature of it ; it is termed de-
struction ; 2dly, the duration of it, everlasting destruction.

2. The causes of it ; from or by ' the presence of the Lord, and the glory
of his power.' That particle acrd, which we translate from, is causal, im-
ports the efficient cause, as in all those salutations, ' grace and peace //owi
the Father, and from Jesus Christ,' it doth, Rom. i. 7, 2 Cor. i. 2, that is,
as from the fountain, the principal and sole authors and efficients of grace
and peace. And thus the word is used in multitudes of places else. And
accordingly we find in other scriptures also that God and Christ are the im-
mediate causes of peace. Thus 2 Thes. iii. 16, ' Now the Lord of peace
himself give you peace,' &c., and chap. ii. 16, 17, * The Lord Jesus himself
comfort your hearts.' Now, on the contrary, when in like manner he says,
' Everlasting destruction /ro??/. his face, presence, and the glory of his power,'
it may and is to be understood the Lord himself, personally by his own mere
presence, and by the strength of his own power, inflicteth their destruction
forever: they die by no other hand. This particle /rom (as in speech we
often use it) hath led some from the true intent of the apostle. They there-
upon supposing this the meaning, that they are punished with destruction
from the presence, that is, out of the presence of Christ ; as if this were the
fulfilling that speech of Christ, ' Depart from me, into everlasting torment.'
This, though it be true of this destruction spoken of here, in respect of
Christ's local presence, consider him as he is man ; yet, as Slater upon the
place well says, to him that attentively considers the words, the causes of
destruction are held forth herein. For, 1st, he says not simply, or alone,
that they are punished //-o^/i his presence, but further adds,//-owt the glory of
his power, the same particle a.'jro, oy from, being therefore in common to be
applied to the one as well as the other. Now the intent of the latter, from
his glorious power, cannot note forth that they were punished out of, or from
ivithout his glorious power, as in respect of absence, but the contrary, that
the presence and efficacy of it is to be that which is the author of their
punishment, so that it imports nothing less than absence, or a withdrawment
by God, or a throwing them out of his presence ; but positively an efficiency
or energy put forth by him, and so carries with it the relation and influence
of an efficient cause. If indeed he had added, instead hereof, either from
his glory, or from his blessedness, unto that other from his presence, it might
have carried both unto poena damni, the punishment of loss ; that is, to note
out what they had lost, and wanted the communication of, and so their ex-
clusion from the participation of God's face and blessedness (which is more
ordinarily termed his presence), and together therewith had noted out an
exclusion also of this sense which I argue for ; but his saying also /rom the
glory of his power, manifestly notes power put forth in execution, and in-
flicting that destruction, and glorifying himself on them thereby.

And, 2, further know that the word here used is not potestas, as of a
judge, that is, authority, whereof John v. 27, ' The Father hath given the
Son of man authority to execute judgment;' and in relation unto which, in
ver. 5 of this chapter, he had termed it, ' The righteous judgment of God ;'
but the word is /ff^:)?, which signifies inward personal strength, vigour, rohur,

496 AN UN-REGENERATE MAx's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

such as a crlant hath in his own liinba.* And, therefore, when their destruc-
tion is said to he from his power, as thus denoting personal strength, the in-
tendment must needs be to denote a putting forth of that strength which is
in himself to destroy them. Parallel with that in Rom. ix. 22, ' What if
God, willing to shew his wrath, and make his power known, on the vessels
of wrath fitted to destruction ; ' of which anon.

Yea, and 3, even this other phrase, destroyed from his presence, doth like-
wise as fully close with this sense, to note the efficient cause of their destruc-
tion. The word in the original is, from his face, d-zb toS crgoffwTou : now
God's anger and wrath is as well, and very frequently expressed by his /ace
in Scripture, as his favour useth to be ; for the face as well holds forth anger
and wrath, as favour and grace. Thus Lev. xx. 6, ' I will set my face
against that soul, and will cut him ofi";' that is, I will put forth mine anger
to destroy him. And Lam. iv. 26, where it is translated ' the anger of the
Lord,' in the Hebrew, and in your margins it is, ' the face of the Lord.'
As there is ' the light of God's countenance,' in which * is life,' so the
• rebuke of God's countenance, at which we perish,' Ps. Ixxx. 16, even as
the wax is said to melt ' at the presence of the fire,' Ps. Ixviii. 2, and often
elsewhere.

So, then, to be destroyed /rom his face and presence, is all oije as to say,
from his anger and tvrath. And we have both exegetically met in one scrip-
ture : Rev. vi. 16, * They said to the mountains, Fall on us, to hide us from
the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb ;'
and suitably this destruction here, in 2 Thes. i., is said to be both from God
and Christ, even as the happiness of heaven is immediately from the pre-
sence of God and Christ : Rev. xxi. 23, ' And the city had no need of the
sun, neither of the moon to shine in it : for the glory of God did lighten it,
and the Lamb is the light thereof.' Thus, on the contrary, is it in hell;
and so at the day of judgment it is ' the face of God,' and ' the face of the
Lamb,' that the wicked most of all do dread, as that which is the inflicter of
their torment.

As for any objection from those words, ' in flaming fire,' &c., I shall an-
swer it afterwards.

CHAPTER IIL

The passaqe in Bom. ix. 22 explicated, only so far as concerns the execution.
— Several particulars in the words that shew the power of God's wrath to he
the inflicting cause, and immediately inflicting this punishment. — An expli-
cation of a fourth scripture. Bom. ii. 8, 9, added, for the confirmatton
of all.

What if God, toilling to shetu his wrath, avd to make his potver kno^vn,
endured itith much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction / —
Rom. IX. 22.

I shall insist on this passage but so far as respects the execution of this
destruction in hell, after much long-sutfering past, and not to touch at all
upon anything of that point of rejection from eternity, whether intended or
not. But that the words should respect the execution in hell (which is the
point only before us), I take that as clear, and much for granted. And the
reason is, because it is the glory of heaven, which in the next words the
* Ipsa vis naturae per se considerata. — lllyricus.

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 497

apostle joins with it, and sets by it, as parallels illustrating each the other : so
ver. 23, ' And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the ves-
sels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory :' in heaven, namely.
The only thing which by the way I observe is, that the sin of the creature
is that which prepareth or fitteth the creature for the execution of this
punishment ; and a difference may be observed in this (though otherwise a
parallel), as put in cautiously by the apostle, that God himself prepareth the
saints to glory, ver. 23 ; but the other are fitted, that is, by themselves, unto
destruction, ver. 22, ere he destro3'eth them.

The point before me is, that God's wrath and his power are to be the im-
mediate inflicters of that destruction. There are several particulars in the
words, which, taken singly, might perhaps be sufficient to prove this, but,
laid all together, will become a strong eviction thereof.

1. That God's wrath and his power, or the power of his wrath, are spoken
of as the inflicting or executing causes, is evident ; for it is a power of effi-
ciency here spoken of, as whereby God produceth this destruction, as a cause
doth its proper effect ; and accordingly he is said to make known and shew
his power and wrath therein, like as the force and virtue of an efficient cause
is made known and demonstrated, in and by the effect it produceth. And
so is spoken to the same effect with what, in chap. i. 20, he had said, that
his ' power and Godhead' is ' clearly seen from the creation of the world,'
and ' understood by the things that are made.' He that is, 6 b-jvarog, ' the
mighty one' (as the blessed virgin thei'e, by way of eminency, styles him),
Luke i. 49, is said to ' shew strength with his arm,' ver. 51. And here,
' to make known,' to huvarhv avroii (a word suited to that other), his ro x>osse,
or what is possible to be done by him. It is then a power of strength, and
energy, or efficacy, with his own hands and arm, and that according to the
utmost of his ability, as the word imports. And so the power here spoken
of is an inflicting power, that works and effects this destruction ; and not
that of authority only, or a power of liberty to do as one pleaseth, as the
potter with the clay ; for that kind of power he had before ascribed to God
in this matter, in the foregoing verse, which this word here is distinct from.
And this is one step ; unto which add,

2. It is his power joined with his wrath ; that is, the power of his wrath,
or his wrath in the power of it. For thus Moses, the man of God, Ps. xc.
11, had long afore put them together, when he speaks of this very wrath in
hell, of which here the apostle doth. For after he had, 1, set out the time
and condition of man in this life, ' The days of our years are threescore years
and ten,' &c. ; and then, 2, ' we fly away', so expressing death, and our go-
ing into another world ; then, 3, follows, ' Who knows the power of thine
anger?' as that which succeedeth and seizeth after death upon the most of
mankind dying in their sins. The apostle here mentions power and wrath
apart ; but Moses there maketh power an attribute of his wratla, and so con-
sidered, it hath a double meaning, and both serving our purpose : 1. That
wrath stirs up his power, and draws it out unto this execution ; and there-
fore wrath is the first of the two here mentioned. Yea, further, that it is his
power, as it becomes heated, inflamed, and intended* by wrath, that inflict-
eth this ; and as a man in his anger strikes a greater blow, so may God be
supposed to do, when represented as thus smiting in his sore displeasure.
And 2. That God's very wrath and anger, if but shewn and revealed by him
to men's souls, hath such a power in it, that that alone is enough to destroy
them. The nearest resemblance that the Scriptures make of this wrath is

* That is, ' stretched ' or ' intensified.' — Ed,

VOL. X. II

498 AN UNEEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

that of fire (of which anon), and that as fire melting wax by the very pre-
sence of it. As therefore when we would express the power of fire, we say,
the power of the heat that is in the fire, that thus melts and consumes, &c.,
its heat being in itself so fierce and vehement a quality, that when but applied
it thus works ; so here it is the power of his wrath, if it be ' kindled but a
little,' that destroys, if but made known once or discovered. And as in the
text, it is a shewing his wrath, and thereby his power in destroying is made
known. It is but his being angry, and shewing it. And this is the great-
ness of God, that his very wrath discovered, should have this power ; and
how receptive the conscience is of it, I shall after shew. As ' in hislfavour'
(if but manifested to men's souls) ' is life,' Ps. xxx. 5, so, in his anger, when
discovered by himself, there is death. If the 'wrath of a king' be 'as
the] roaring of a lion,' and ' where the word of a king is, there is power,'
then what is the ten*or and power of the wrath of the great God, that
alone strikes dead ! And thus understood, it is an argument of itself
alone, that the power of his wrath doth speak an immediateness of God's
execution.

A second particular is, that that which makes God willing, by reason of
sin, to execute this, is thereby to obtain a glory unto his power by shew-
ing his wrath. So as that although he hath already shewn his power in
creating the world at first, and upholding it by the word of his power, and
other effects, that yet over and above, and besides all this, he takes the
advantage of sin to shew, as the riches of his mercy in saving from sin, so
the greatness of his power another way, namely, in destroying for sin. And
accordingly, in that 2 Thes. i. 9, there is a peculiar glory attributed unto
that power of his, from or by which men are destroyed, ' punished from the
glory.' says that text,' of his power,' or from his power, giving a demonstra-
tion, or shewing his glory therein ; that is, unto that end, that it might be
known how gi-eat and powei-ful a God he is in himself, by the judgment which
he executes, as the psalmist speaks.

Now then from hence, ere we add the other two particulars, the argument
riseth thus : that if God should execute this by creatures only, and not im-
mediately by himself, he attained not the full of this his end, and that upon
a double account.

1. Because, when all had been done that could have been by his power-
ful arming and setting on of creatures to punish the sinner, jxt still him-
self being able to give a gi-eater demonstration of power this way, if himself
would take it in hand, and the soul of man being fully capable of his imme-
diate workings upon it, and sin also deserving it, and the wrath of God
being first or last to come upon impenitent sinners to the uttermost, there-
fore until this demonstration were given, he had not made a full proof of
his power, which the apostle here professeth to be his aim.

And, 2, in* that after all other instances and demonstrations of power
given in creation, miracles, in conversion of souls, that is, take his creating
part in it, &c., all which he hath done immediately himself, without the in-
tervention of created influences, that he should, last of all, be willing to give
forth anew, or shew forth his power afresh in this work also, and yet should
not then give a demonstration of like immediate power, but execute it only
at second hand by creatures alone ; this would fall short, and hold no pro-
portion with that power already shewn forth in those fore-passed works.
And then this being the last, or one of the last, after all his other works
ended, purposely to shew forth his power in, it had not been such a'demon-
stration of power, as in his last work (wherein he professeth to shew forth
any attribute) he useth comparatively to give. For still his manner is, in

Chap. III.] in respect of sin and punishment. 499

the shewing forth of any attribute, to give greater demonstrations thereof
in his latter works than in the former ; of which more afterwards.

Add this to it, which heightens the argument, that the apostle specially
singleth forth this attribute of power, and by way of eminency mentioneth
it in speaking of this punishment, as that attribute, whereof God is willing
to give fullest demonstration in this work, above any other attribute, or at-
tributes in himself therein. In all the great works of God, some one special
attribute hath still the honour given it, as being in a way of eminency put
forth : as in man's salvation, ' mercy and grace,' Eph. ii. 9 ; in man's glori-
fication, 'riches of glory and mercy,' as here, ver. 23. But look down
into hell, and it is his power which (as here in difference from those other)
is said to be the predominant attribute that he would shew! forth, and
which appeareth there. And the comparing of these two, salvation and
damnation, as the}-^ stand in an opposite parallel, this in ver. 22, and the
other in ver. 23, doth confirm this observation, taking in withal that other
passage in 2 Thes. i. 9, where they are said to be punished ' from the glory
of his power,' which manifestly gives the glory unto his power in this work,
above any attribute. His sovereignty is seen in salvation as much (if not
more) as it is in destruction : ' I will have mercy on whom I mil,' &c. But
his power or omnipotency, that is said to be seen in destroying for sin.
Whereof perhaps one reason is, because there is shewn in this, a duplicated
power, a contrary stream of power running cross and thwart in its effects in
this. For at the same instant (and that lengthened out for ever) God sets
himself by his power to destroy the creature utterly, in respect of its well-
being ; -whilst yet again, on the other hand, as great a power is requisite
to uphold it in being and sense, and to prevent its sinking into its first no-
thing, or from failing before him, in respect of being to bear it. And in
respect to continue the creature to be, &c., and to endure the weight of
God's power in wrath, to be dry stubble in a flame never consumed, this is
more than for God to create. This puts the great God upon a double ex-
pense of power.

A third particular, in this Rom. ix. 22, that contributes to this is, that as
the cause inflicting is termed the power of his wrath, so the miserable sub-
jects hereof are denominated ' vessels of wrath,' even as on the other side
those saved are termed * vessels of mercy.' Common use of speech tells us,
that vessels ordained to be filled with such or such materials have their de-
nomination from that matter they are ordained to contain, 'and are filled
withal. You say this is a vessel of oil, that a vessel of wine. These here,
you see, are said to be vessels of wrath. If you demand whose wrath ?
God's. * What if God, willing to make known his wrath.' Now as touch-
ing its opposite here, vessels of mercy, all will acknowledge that when it is
spoken of as in relation to heaven (as here it is) it importeth souls, their
being set apart to be immediately filled with the love and mercy of God ;
that as God is love, so that they, as vessels, swim in that ocean for ever,
that they dwell in God immediately, and are filled with fulness of him.
And why should not then this other, of being vessels of wrath, be intended
in the same sense also, and that sense be urged accordingly ? especially
seeing it is evident that one scope of the apostle here, was to make a parallel
between the eternal glorification of the one, and eternal destruction of the
other, and accordingly between what are to be the causes of them. And
if so, the law of this parallel will also carry it to this, that as the saints in
heaven have an immediate participation of God, that likewise in hell there
shall be oppositely an immediate participation of God's wrath. In heaven,
they are not said to be vessels of mercy because God shews them mercy

500 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTIKESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

only by created benefits or gifts bestowed, or because they haye God's
mercy communicated by creatures (though it must be affirmed that there
is a confluence of these), but because God himself appears all in love,
mercy, and kindness to them.

And it is not nothing, that according to the same analogy of speech, unto
this particular, in multitudes of scriptures in the New Testament, this de-
struction is fmiJja6Tix,Mg, by way of singularity, eminency, and simply styled
wrath, and the wrath of God. And so it bears away that denomination
from all other punishments by creatures (except that by magistrates in God's
stead, and who bear the image of God, Rom. xiii. 5), so bearing the name of
its immediate cause.

The Baptist he began that style in the New Testament, — ' the wrath to
come,' Mat. iii., — by way of distinction from all that is executed in this life.
And the whole New Testament afterwards much useth that phrase. As
when the day of judgment is styled 'the day of wrath,' Ptom. ii., and else-
where. It is equivalent to say, ' a child of hell,' Mat. xxiii. 15, and 'a
child of wrath,' Eph. ii. 3; to say, ' fitted to destruction,' as Rom. ix., and
' ordained to wrath,' 1 Thes. v. 9 ; to say, ' damnation hasteneth,' 2 Peter
ii. 3, and ' the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience,' Col.
iii. 6. As in like manner, on the contrary, ' saved from wrath,' Rom. v.,
' delivered from wrath through Christ,' 1 Thes. i. 10, is all one, and ' saved
from death and hell,' elsewhere. And this is usually termed the ' wrath of
God ;' so John iii. 86, Col. iii. 6, and Eph. v. 6, Rom. ix. 22.

That which I would observe from both is, that according to the general
analogy or common speech in all languages, the punishment, as the efiect,
bearing the denomination of that which is the immediate instrument of the
principal agent in that punishment (thus the torture by the rack is called
the rack ; whipping, the rod ; so in deaths, crucifying was termed the cross ;
hanging, the gallows ; thus it is in the punishments which men execute) ;
that in like analogy of speech, this punishment should so generally be termed
wrath, and the wrath of God, by way of eminency and difi'erence from all
other forerunning effects of wrath, executed by creatures in this life ; this
still strengthens the former notion, that is indeed the wrath of this God itself,
in a way of eminent difference from what by creatures he doth in wrath pour
oijt, that is the inflicter of that punishment.

I shall for the close of this cast in one Scripture testimony more, both to
confirm this interpretation of wrath given upon Rom, ix., and the whole of
the point in hand. It is

Rom. ii. 8, 9, Indirination and wrath, tribulation and anguish unto every
soul of man that doth evil, &c.

I observed afore from the second verse of this chapter, how that this punish-
ment was termed both the 'judgment of God,' ver. 2, as denoting God to be
the judge, and also 'wrath,' as of God the avenger. Now, in these words,
ver. 8, 9, the apostle pursueth the latter more fully, when he says, ' Indig-
nation and wrath, tribulation and anguish to every soul of man.' These are
two pairs or conjugates of causes and effects: 1, 'indignation and wrath,'
as the causes ; 2, ' tribulation and anguish,' as the two efiects ; and that on
the ' souls of men,' which are the vessels of this wrath and indignation, and
subjects of that tribulation and anguish thence arising. And truly his
instancing in the soul, which, though it often signifies the whole person, yet,
here seems purposely done, as being that in or of man, which alone is imme-
diately capable of this indignation and wrath of God, and the impressions or
effects of anguish therefrom, and is the proper seat of that anguish and tri-
bulation ; and that phrase of wrath, its being said to be ' treasured up,' in

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 601

the 5th verse, suits this. For what is the treasury or magazine thereof, but
the heart and bosom of God himself, in which it lies hid, as treasures use to
do in some secret place ? Even as the saints' life is said to be * hid in God,'
Col. iii. 3, compare Deut. xxxii. 24.

I shall but further superadd that noticed saj-ing of Luther (which, out of
deep experience of the wrath of God in his soul, at his first humiliation and
conversion he had learned), The wrath of God is hell, the hell of devils and
all damned spirits.

CHAPTER IV.

That this immediate wrath of God is in Scripture set forth unto vs under the
similitude of fire, and fiery indi/jnation. — The examples of persons devoured
by fire in the Old Testament, shadows of this jmnishment by the immediate
wrath of God. — This the fire ivherein the devil and his angels are tormented.

There hath been nothing more divertive of the thoughts of men from
apprehending, or so much as imagining God's immediate wrath to be a cause
of that punishment in hell, than that the Scriptures do so often make men-
tion of fire, &c., as the instrument thereof, and so men's conceptions do
terminate therein, and go no further.

But I shall rather on the other hand make an argument of it, namely,
that indeed the Scriptures do set out this immediate wrath of God under the
similitude, resemblance, and representation of fire, and that sometimes, when
hell-fire is spoken of, the wrath of God is intended thereby.

Unto which I yet preface this, that I must not, nor dare I say that there
is no material fire in hell ordained for punishment to men's bodies, but that
it is rational, that the body having sinned as well as the soul, it should have
a meet recompence of reward suited thereto, as well as that the soul should.
But yet so, as either of them have this meted out to them, according to their
vastly difi'ering share, and hand, and acting which they had in sinning ; in
which the soul is always the principal actor, and in some sins the sole agent
and subject. To be sure, in heaven there is a confluence of created excel-
lencies, suited to the bodies of saints, made spiritual, as well as God him-
self, the happiness of their souls ; ard sure I am that, on the contrary, it is
distinctly said of each apart, that God destroys * both body and soul' in
hell. Mat. x. 28 ; and accordingly each of .them, with a punishment suited
unto each.

The passage of Scripture unto which the gathering will be of several
others, for the proof of this my present assertion (which is the subject of
this chapter) is that of our apostle in the 28th verse of this Heb. x., a little
atbre my text ; he there setting forth the judgment to come, in the causes
and eflects of it to be,

A ' fiery indignation, devouring the adversaries.'

I did but touch upon it before, when I drew out other arguments from
this text, but then reserved a fuller handling of this by itself.

The original hath it, the indignation of fire. But indignation is in and
from the heart of an intelligent person provoked, which is God, as the text
shews. Grotius therefore interprets it, ' the anger of God,' but adds,
' putting forth itself by fire.' I suppose he means by corporeal fire, as its
instrument. But why not rather the anger of God himself, devouring hia
adversaries as fire, and so to relate to the manner of his anger its working,
as represented under the similitude of fire, seeing God himself is in this
epistle styled a consuming fire, which interprets this ?

502 AN UNREGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

And in tliis expression oi fiery indignation which devoitreth, he hath par-
ticular reference unto those, of all other the most extraordinary judgments
upon Nadab and Abihu: Lev. x, 2, '(There came out fire from the Lord, and
devoured them.' They are in terminis the very words of the apostle here ;
and we may take in also (that so we may have two witnesses too, to con-
firm this our interpretation of the apostle's allusion) ' That two hundred and
fifty princes perished by fire from the Lord in the rebellion of Korah,' Num.
xvi. 35. This as for what examples is referred unto.

Now, to raise up our thoughts unto how much a sorer punishment the
fiery indignation that remained for those gospel adversaries should be, he
suggests how transcendently the gospel exceeds the ministration of Moses's
law, in these words that follow: ' He that despised Moses's law died without
mercy under two or three witnesses : of how much sorer punishment, think ye,
shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and
hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an
unholy thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of gi-ace ? ' M oses's law
(the old covenant, as joined with the law ceremonial), was sprinkled or
consecrated with the blood of beasts, chap. ix. 19-21. But the gospel of
the new covenant, and the persons enlightened thereby, have been sanctified
by the blood of the Son of Grod. If, then, such an extraordinary fiery judg-
ment befell the despisers of this Moses's law, thus sprinkled, &c., what fiery
indignation proportion ably must it be that shall befall the treaders down,
both of the book, covenant, and sacred blood of Christ ! And in this lies
the weight and strength of the apostle's argument.

That maxim of the judicial law which is annexed, that despisers ' died
without mercy under two or three witnesses,' is brought in for that grand
circumstance's sake, whereby the apostle heighteneth both the iniquity of
those persons destroyed by fire, who sinned before many thousand witnesses,
the whole congregation of Israel ; as likewise this other far transcending
guilt of these adversaries, who had renounced Christ and his blood only,
before the whole world and Christian church. So chap. vi. 6, it is said they
did put the Lord Jesus to an open shame, and they are the same persons
whom he threatens this against here, and speaks of there.

But still, by what surpassing proportion may we estimate, or suppose (as
the apostle calls us to do) how much this fiery indignation is sorer than that
outward devouring them by fire. It is certain that Moses's law, and that
sprinkling with beasts' blood, &c., which he argues from, held but the pro-
portion of types, figures, and shadows ; but the new covenant, and Christ's
blood, &c., of the substance and reality comparatively to these. Then in
like manner, his intent in proposing these examples of judgments by fire,
was as of those that hold the proportion but of a type, a figure of this fiery
indignation that is to come upon the treaders down of the blood of Christ.
For indeed a mere bodily death, the sharpest (as those by fire were), is but
as the shadow of death, unto the second death (the thing intended here),
which is utterly another kind of thing.

In Heb. x. ver. 1, he says of the good things of the gospel, that what the
law held forth were but the shadows of those good things to come, as Canaan
of heaven, chap. iv. &c. ; the like, Col. ii. 17. And why may it not be also
said, that as all the good things under the law, the best were but shadows
of those good things to come, so that the highest and worst of outward evil
things executed then, were in like manner but shadows of those evil things
which the gospel brings to light, as the punishment of sin? And we may
see in his succeeding discourse in this same chapter, how he, having first in-
stanced in the good, he after instanceth in the highest of evil, in these words

Chap. IV.] in respect of sin and punishment. 503

I am upon, vers. 27-31. And in like manner the like extraordinary judg-
ments then are expi'essly said to have ' happened to them as types ;' so in
Greek* and margin, 1 Cor. x. 11 : types not merely monitory of hke events,
but withal prefigurative of punishment of an higher kind, &c. What death
could be outwardly sorer than to be destroyed of serpents ? ver. 9, and those
fiery too. Num. xxi. G, the effects of whose stings are described to be as
dolorous as being burnt alive. f But under the gospel, sin and the law, and
so God's wrath, these as the substance are set out to be the sting of that
death to come, 1 Cor. xv. 55. Again, ver. 10, ' destroyed of the destroyer.'
Who was the destroyer then ? Angels : so Heb. xi. 38. And what destruc-
tion or destroyer under the gospel is it that is typified out by these ? Even
God himself, who, as by Christ, is said to ' kill the soul,' and ' destroy body
and soul in hell.' So, ere the apostle took off his pen from prosecuting that
argument, in the very same chapter he in full effect says as much, in setting
before them how it was God's power and wrath, instead of those other de-
stroyers, with which sinners have now to do. Ver. 22, * Do you provoke the
Lord to jealousy ? are you stronger than he ?' I might confirm this notion
from other types, 1 Cor. xv. 44, 45. This forelaid ; —

To approach nearer to our purpose in hand, there are two things fui'ther to
be done. 1. As touching the type itself, what kind of fire that was which
devoured them ; and the manner of their deaths.

The fire was another manner of fire than this our elementary common
fire. This was fire from heaven, and therefore said to be a &refro7n the Lord
that devoured them ; it was such a fire, as blasts of lightning are, which
strike, and blast, and shrivel the spirits of a hving body in an instant, which
is evideat by the manner of their deaths. The Hebrew doctors say of it,
that it was a fire which burnt their souls, not their bodies ; their meaning is,
their bodies were not consumed or devoured by it : for Lev. x. 5, it is said,
They carried their bodies and coats into the tent, as untouched. It was
therefore such a fire (as lightning is from heaven) which useth to strike, and
lick up men's spirits in an instant, when yet in the mean time it consumes not,
breaks not so much as skin or flesh, which our elementary fire preys first and
most upon. It was therefore a far subtiler fire than culinary or kitchen fire,
which suitably served as the fittest and nearest type of this fiery indignation,
and of the vengeance which it executes. And this was but the shadow.

The second is, What the substance answering to these types should be ?
This I shall set out by two things :

1. What is the thing or subject devoured by this fiery indignation ? It is
the immortal souls of men. These are the fuel which this fire doth prey upon.
As to the truth of the thing itself, I need not insist on it ; but the analogy
of that as the shadow, and this as typified thereby, that is the matter afore
me. Let it be considered, that the death and destruction of the immortal
soul in man could not any other way be more lively shadowed forth than by
such a devouring (as Moses's word is) or hcking up the vital and animal spirits
that run in the body, when yet the body itself remains unburnt ; thereby
demonstrating that it was such a fire as struck immediately at that which is
the fountain of hfe itself in the body, and at that which is the bond, the t;i/i-
culum, the tie of union between soul and body ; for such are those spirits.
And yet not so much as to singe the outward bulk or carcase of the body.
There could have been nothing invented in the whole compass of nature, to
have borne a resemblance so near to shadow forth the immortal soul, as those

* 'fif iv Tv-jtii, rudiores imagines perfectioris.

t See Lucan, of the effects of the' stingiugs by African serpents upon Cato's soldiers,
lib. ix.

504 AN UNBEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

spirits running in man's blood and arteries do, which some aflBrm to be the
very animal and vital soul in man. Sure I am, they are as the oil whereby
life is preserved and fed ; and in the blood is the life, says Moses, our best
interpreter in this. Neither doth this shadow hold a similitude in this par-
ticular only, but in another like case as evidently. The pouring forth of the
blood of the beasts that were sacrificed under the old law was particularly
ordained to signify Christ his ' pouring forth his soul unto death,' as Isaiah
speaks ; as well as in general, that the sacrifice of these beasts did typify
forth Christ's sacrifice in the whole of it. And this was as near a represen-
tation of that particular as could any way be made, by what was corporeal
in beasts, or else in the whole creation (for a sacrifice of mankind, or the
blood of men, God liked not to be made to him in his worship) could pos-
sibly have been found to pourtray it forth.

The second thing is, that the substance shadowed forth by that fire was
no other than the indignation or wrath of the great God himself, which is
termed fiery indignation here.

For proof of which, I insist not, that some shim thereof this shadow itself
doth cast, in Moses his saying again and again in terminis, that ' a fire /row
the Lord,' &c., which hath a great emphasis and resemblance of this in it.
But for proof I ask.

First, Where shall we find, or how shall we imagine any created fire so
to exceed that fire from heaven, recorded in that story ; and so far exceeding
it as the substance doth a shadow, or such as should melt down immortal
souls ? You may sooner invent or imagine a fire so much comparatively
hotter than that of the sun itself (which is the contract of fire and light),
and so much exceeding it, as should be able to shrivel up this sun into a
burnt black coal, as to imagine any such created fire, so transcending this
of lightning from heaven, as shall thus devour reasonable souls and immor-
tal spirits, that in the substance of them (as being spirits) do bear the image
of God. In what furnace will you think to find such a fire ? Nowhere but
in the bosom of him who hath here said. Vengeance is mine, even of God
himself.

2. To confirm this. What created fire can be conceived more subtile or
powerful, than the angels themselves are conceived to be ? whom, as Heb. i.
7, out of the Psalms, the apostle compareth to flames of fire, that is, in our
European language, to lightning. Now then I ask, when Christ says. Mat.
XXV. 41, 'Go into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels' (shewing
that man's punishment shall be from the same hand that the punishment
of those evil angels is), what fire can be supposed such, that can work on
angelical natures, who themselves have power over fire ; of fire of lightning
from heaven, as in Job's case was seen. None other but that, which, as the
apostle resolves us (if we will rest in it), that ' our God is a consuming fire,'
Heb. xii. 29. So that consideration, the state and condition of the devil, I
cannot but celebrate that fore-cited conclusive speech of Luther's, Im Dei
est infenius diahnli et omnixim damnatonim, it is the wrath of God that is the
hell of the devil, and of all the damned : for there can be no other fire in
which the devils can be tormented. Outward washings may as soon reach
conscience, as Heb. ix. 9, 1 Peter iii. 21, as such created fire to torment an
angel.

3. Let us consider other scriptures, which, as I said, do gather about this,
to give testimony to this interpretation.

First, That of the prophet Isaiah, chap, xxxiii, 14, ' The sinners in Zion
are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the h}T)Ocrites : Who among us shall
dwell with the devouring fire ? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting

Chap. IV.J in respect of sin and punishment. 506

burnings ?' I shall afterwards have occasion to take notice of this scripture
by way of use. In the mean time, observe, that it is God himself who is
meant by this devouring fire here ; for in a smart and quick retortion (and
it is a most elegant one), the prophet gives answer, ' He that walketh right-
eously, and speaketh uprightly, he shall dwell with him' (whom you, that are
hypocrites, so much dread, and have cause enough to do so) ; with him shall
an upright man dwell, who is, and will be unto you, in the state you are in,
a devouring fire. And thils they are reproved, and taught what it is to be
hypocrites, by the opposite condition of the upright, and the differing event
of being such. And further, that it is God himself there the prophet in-
tendeth, as with whom the upright should dwell, the words following do
also shew : ver. 16, ' He shall dwell on high' (namely, with that ' high and
lofty One, that dwells in the high and holy place,' &c.). Do but punctually
compare that Isa. Ivii. 15 with this here ; likewise ver. 17, ' Thine eye' (0
thou upright soul) ' shall see the King in his beauty ;' that is (as Christ
says), ' the pure in heart shall see God.' The result is, that the same God,
who appears all in flames, and as a devouring fire, unto hypocrites in hell,
is all light and beauty to the upright in heaven. Like as unto a sound and
vigorous eye, ' it is a pleasant thing to behold the sun,' as Solomon speaks,
but to sore eyes it is a terror.

Add to this Ps. xxi. 8, 9, ' Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies,
thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Thou shalt make them
as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger : the Lord shall swallow them up
in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.' This the Chaldee paraphrast
interprets of the fire of hell ; and so you have all meet to interpret this fire
to be meant of the wrath of God himself. 1st, God a consuming fire,
Heb. xii. 29 ; then, 2dly, God himself to be that devouring fire, Isa.
xxxiii. 14 ; and, 3dly, his wrath interpreted to be that fire by the psalmist.
And lo, how these all meet in this one saying, ' The fiery indignation that
devours the adversaries !' which the apostle himself also interprets of God
himself afterwards, ' We know him that hath said. Vengeance is mine ; and
it is a fearful thing,' &c.

Particularly for that scripture, even now cited, Isa. xxxiii. 14, if we con-
sult the context, the occasion of bringing in that horrid outcry, * ^\Tio among
us,' &c. (as interpreters agi-ee), was that the prophet had set forth in the
verses before, that most wonderful and prodigious slaughter of the king of
Assyria's host, when an hundred fourscore and five thousand (as 2 Kings
xix. 35) were in one night destroyed by an angel. And thereupon the pro-
phet, in this passage, is to be understood either to have related what an im-
pression of dread this so unparalleled a judgment had made upon, and struck
the hearts of the hypocrites in Zion with ; as that which had made them to
cry out thereupon, ' Oh how then shall we dwell with everlasting burnings ?'
that is, with God himself ; for they may well be supposed to have reasoned
thus with themselves : If one angel, that is but a ministering spirit to God,
is able to blast and consume such a multitude in one night, how shall we
have to do with God himself, who is that infinite immense devouring fire,
and all those angels but as sparks, and his ministers ? And so, according
to this meaning, themselves are brought in, speaking by the prophet, as the
men of Bethshemesh did upon the like judgments : 1 Sam. vi. 20, ' Who is
able to stand before this holy Lord God?' Or else those words may be sup-
posed to have been the prophet's own meditation and use of instruction,
deduced from that example ; which he uttereth, as forewarning the sinners
in Zion to consider, that if God be so terrible in the judgments he executes
by others, his angels, who are flames of fire, how will you endure to dwell

50G AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

with God himself, and have immediately to do with him for ever, who is a
devouring fire and everlasting burnings ? &c. And our Saviour's speech is
not remote fi-om this of Isaiah, when, speaking of hell, it is the ' fire pre-
pared for hypocrites,' says he, Mat. xxiv. 51. Even as here Isaiah pro-
fesseth to speak this of, and unto the hypocrites in Zion, as the persons above
all others forewarned when hell is threatened. Again, as in Isaiah, God
himself is called the devouring and everlasting fire, so here in the text, his
wrath is termed ' fiery indignation devouring.' And the word translated
adversaries here, falls out also to be a word deciphering hypocrites or false
professors, ii-svamovg, under-hand enemies, who are also said to look for, in
their trembling consciences, this fiery indignation ; even as of those hypo-
crites Isaiah also speaks, as being the expectants of hell. And again, our
apostle, chap. xii. 29, ' Our God is a consuming fire.' So as upon several
accounts it is, that God himself and his wrath is, more eminently, that fiire
in hell the Scriptures sometimes speak of.

If it be objected out of my text, 2 Thes. i. 8, 9, is it not said, * He
Cometh in flaming fire with his mighty angels ' ? Will he not then use cor-
poreal fire, as also the might of his angels, and both as instruments of his
execution, and their destruction ; and to that very end mentions the might
of his angels ?

I answer, 1, This fire here is not mentioned as that which is the cause of
their everlasting destruction, but as that which is a concomitant of Christ's
appearing ; and also a forerunner or harbinger to that judgment he comes
to pronounce sentence of, whereof the destruction that follows is the final
execution. Judges use for terror, and for a demonsti-ation of their autho-
rity, work, and otfice they are employed in, to have visible instruments of
death carried before them, as ensigns of their power; a company of hal-
berds, or the like, for their guard to go before, and environ tlaem round ;
which yet are not to be the immediate instruments of the execution of male-
factors itself, but accompany their persons at the examination and sentence.
And as to this or the like use, is this guard of angels, and of flaming fire
mentioned, to be understood to serve ; both these referring evidently unto
that his appearing. ' Who shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty
angels in flaming fire,' but not spoken of, as the causes of the destruction
itself that follows.

The angels further serve to gather men from'all the four corners of the
world. Mat. xiii. 41, 42, to hale and bring them before the Judge ; and after
sentence to cast them into the place of torment, called thei*e a furnace of
fire ; but not of their making, but God's. They do but deliver them into
the dreadful place, wherein execution is acted and performed.

2. This fire which he appears with is to burn up this visible world, as a
fore-running sign, to shew the fierceness of the fire of that wrath which shall
after prey and seize upon the invisible world ; that is, men souls and devils
for ever. Not that men's souls are to be burnt up with no other fire than
what the world is burnt withal, but that which burns the visible world, is an
example and demonstration of that other fire that is kindled in his auger,
that shall in the end ' burn to the bottom of hell,' Deut. xxxii. 22. This as
to what may be objected out of that place.

3. I deny not from other scriptures a created fire in hell. Let but that
also be allowed which some of the ancients also speak of, that there is a
double fire there : one inward in men's souls, another outward. Gerson
aptly applieth that place of the psalmist fore-cited, Ps. xxi. 19, unto that of
this inward fire, ' Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven ; the Lord shall
swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.' The tire of

Chap, v.] in respect of sin and punishment. 507

an oven is a fit'similitude of a fire within, as into which fire is put to heat
it, and the heat made more intense by the cavity or hollowness of the place.
Whereas, to be cast into a furnace of fire, as Christ speaks, or into a lake of
fire, as Rev. xix., xx., xxi., imports a fire without, into which the matter or
persons to be burnt are cast. "

And thus much for bare Scripture testimonies. Many other there are
which might be collected to confirm this, but are scattered in several parts
of this discourse in a duer place.

CHAPTER V.

A second sort of proofs. — Demonstrations from instances both ofivicked men and
holy men, who have felt in tJiis life impressions of God's immediate wrath. —
And that such impressions are evidences of what, in the fulness, is in hell.

A second sort of proofs are demonstrations from instances in Scripture, of
persons in this life, who have felt impressions of this wrath of God in their
souls, upon God's rebuking them for sin. And these instances of experience
upon record, being added to those foregone Scripture testimonies, will serve
as ruled cases, joined unto maxims in law, alleged both of them for the proof
of one and the same thing, and will give yet more clear demonstration what
is meant by "wrath, and what hell is in the fulness of it, and, being joined to
the former, do altogether give an abundant evidence of this great truth.

I say, 1, of men in this life. And if any should deny the truth hereof,
or that which we have been prosecuting, themselves, perhaps, ere they die,
may be made miserable examples, verifying of both, and out of their own
woful experience, live to confess and acknowledge the truth herein ; for God
doth in this life single out some, both of his children and others, to whom
he gives a taste what the one should for ever have undergone, but that
Christ did it for them, and of what the other must undergo for ever without
repentance ; whereof those instances that follow are undeniable evidences.

And, 2, these terrors ai-e wrought by God's immediate hand, and from
immediate impressions and representations of his wrath, made by him on
their souls, and to their consciences ; for, as God puts joy into the hearts of
his children in this life, by the immediate light of his countenance, as Ps.
iv. 6, ' Lox'd, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us ;' and verse 7,
' Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their com
and their wine iucreaseth ;' and again, ' Whom though we see not, yet
believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious,' as the apostle
speaks of those primitive saints ; even so when he is pleased to rebuke
man for sin, he doth the like, in a way of contraries, on men both good and
bad ; correcting them, by and with anguisbments from the like immediate
stroke of his own anger. God is the Father of all sphits, and of the spirits
of his own children upon a double creation. And if the fathers of our bodies
corrected us, Heb. xii. 9, and had power to do it with bodily punishment, by
bodily instruments, do we think that our souls, which lie naked befoi'e God,
Heb. iv. 13, are not as immediately subject and exposed to his correction, as
a ' Father of spirits' ? and if so, that then he may and doth sometimes choose
to correct even his own children with no other rods but of his own, which are
the immediate emanations, streamings, and dartings of his own displeasure,
which, when they feel, they wax pale and wan, and wander up and down
like unto ghosts in hell, as if they were cut ofi' by his hand ; and that those
anguisbments which either of these feel are from God's immediate hand

508 AN UNEEGENEEATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

alone, those that have felt the smart thereof do readily acknowledge, for it
is not in the power of any creature to strike so hard a stroke.

And you shall hear some of themselves by and by, speak out so much,
whilst they were under the present sense thereof. These things premised.

There are two things to make this demonstration complete.

First. The instances themselves of persons in this Ufe, on the evidence of
which the main stress lies, for the proof of the assertion.

The second is, that such immediate impressions of divine wrath are evi-
dences of what kind of torment it is, which in the fulness of it befalleth men
in hell, and that both proceed from the same immediate cause.

The instances are of two sorts, that so we still may have under two or three
witnesses this word established.

First, Of good and holy men.

Secondly, Of bad and wicked men.

1. For instances of holy men, there are divers of them. As of Job, see his
complaints ; chap. vi. ver. 2-12, ' The arrows of the Almighty are within
me, the poison whereof drinks up my spirit : the terrors of God do set them-
selves in array against me. Oh that it would please God to destroy me ;
that he would loose his hand and cut me off.' Which, with other passages
in that chapter, I shall after open at large. Again, chap. xiii. 24, 26, 'Thou
boldest me for thine enemy, thou writest bitter things against me, and
makest me to possess the sins of my youth ;' also, chap. xvi. vers. 12-15,
' God, he also hath taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set
me up for his mark. His archers compass me about, he cleaveth my reins
asunder, and doth not spare ; he breaketh me with breach upon breach, he
runneth upon me as a giant.' I shall here only single out that of Heman,
which is a most full one, and alone sufficient, and reserve the explicating
that of Job's case wholly unto the setting forth the dreadfulness, which is
the subject of the second section.

Heman complains at the third verse of that Ps. Ixxxviii., ' My soul is full
of trouble,' &c. And what was the matter of that trouble, and the inflicting
cause thereof? Ver. 7, 'Thy wrath lies hard upon me, and thou hast
afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.' Those words, thy ivratli lies hard,
&c., others read, sustains itself, or hears up itself upon me, which is as if a
giant should with his whole weight stay himself upon a child. ' And thou
hast afflicted me with all thy waves.' The waves of that immense ocean of
wrath (for unto such waves he again compares these terrors in ver. 16, 17)
he says they came over him continually, and overwhelmed his soul, as bil-
lows of the sea wallowing and tumbling upon a Jonah cast into them. And
vers. 14-16, he sets out his condition such as wherein there was not only
a privation of God's favour, and that God seemed to reject his soul as if he
never meant more to look upon it, or regard it : so ver, 14, ' Why castest
thou off my soul?' But further, positively, ver. 15, 'I suffer thy terrors;'
and ver, 16, 'Thy fierce wrath goes over me, thy terrors have cut me off.'
The blows which God gave his soul were so hard and sharp, that to his feel-
ing they not only wounded or cut into, but cut off his soul at every stroke.
The like follows ver, 17, and this put him into the condition of men in hell.
' I am free among the dead,' ver, 5, that is, of that society, number, and
company ; and as one of them that are ' cut off from thy hand,' or, as the
margin renders it, ' by thy hand.' All which are as if he had said. They are
not the strokes of creatures I feel, or of thine anger as conveyed by creature
distresses, but of thine own immediate hand, and such as those that are in
hell itself do feel from thee. These are notes and degrees beyond, and
higher than the Ela of dolours from or by the hands of creatures, though set

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 509

on by God. They are strains of another key, the doleful air of which doth
sound another hand and stroke (purely divine) that did immediately strike
upon their heart-strings that spake these things. These are the resound-
ings of blows and strokes which God's own immediate hand gave upon the
bare spirit of one wounded by him ; he that attentively listens to them will
soon perceive and esteem (as they said) this man stricken and smitten of
God himself. Creature distresses give a far less report.

But that it was God's own immediate hand is more plainly by himself ex-
pressed, ver. 16, ' Thy terrors have cut me off,' and ver. 15, ' While I suffer
thy terrors I am distracted, and ready to die from my youth up,' as in the
same verse. Thy terrors, so he termeth them (he speaking to God), or the
terror of thee; that is, 1st, from thee efficiently, and from thy hand setting
them on; and, 2dly, of thee, as arising in me from and with dreadful appre-
hensions and thoughts of thee objectively, and of thy sore displeasure repre-
sented to my soul by thee. And so God's terrors are every way set forth in
distinction from distresses from creatures, or such as are made mediately by
or from creature-afflictings, although they also be from God. Thus, in like
phrase of speech, it is appositely said, 1 Peter iii. 14, ' Be not afraid of their
terror;' he speaks it of men that were persecutors and threatened the saints.
Their terror, objective, that is, the terror of them, or that terror which the
apprehension of their power, greatness, strength, threatenings, &c., may
possibly work in you. In a like sense thy terror here is spoken of God. And
the other great apostle, speaking of this ultimate punishment of hell, he in
like phrase termeth it ' the terror of the Lord,' 2 Cor. v. 11, that is, that
terror which is peculiar and proper to him, in and to the souls of men, who
is the terrible God (as he styles himself in Moses), and, says Nahum, ' Who
can abide, or stand in the fierceness of his anger ?'

There are, further, two effects which Heman there relateth, of this his
having suffered these terrors, or that befell his spirit whilst these terrors were
upon him. 1. That he was continually ready to die ; the wrath that lay on
him was so heavy as it even well nigh thrust his soul out every moment, and
made the spirit to fail. And, 2, it made him not himself (as we say), put
him out of his right mind. ' V/hilst I suffer thy terrors I am distracted ;'
for the intention of a soul taken up with, and extended by the wrath of God,
is such, and is wound up so high, as the string is ready to crack. You
usually term this in such persons deeply wounded trouble of conscience (but
that is more common), whereas this dispensation requires a higher word; it
is indeed the wrath of God, or the terror of God in conscience, making it as
a fiery oven within itself, as the psalmist speaks. This for the instances of
good men.

A second instance is of bad and wicked men. What was it caused Judas
to hang himself ? The prophecy of the psalmist, and the apostle's refer-
ence to it, have resolved us, that it was the curse or wrath of God enter-
ing into his soul. The psalm is the hundred and ninth, which was penned
on purpose about him ; the apostle's reference and application is in Acts i.
20. In the psalm it is said, ver. 18, ' as he loved cursing,' that is, sin,
which is that accursed thing before God, so ' the curse of God came into his
bowels (or inwards) like water, and like oil into his bones,' and filled all
within him full of anguish and torment ; and so was fulfilled that saying,
' indignation and wrath,' namely, of God, caused 'tribulation and anguish' in
his soul. The simihtudes or allusions there are elegant : that as there are
spiritual oils which men's bodies being anointed withal, they soak into the
bones, &c. ; they cool, refresh, and repair spirits and strength, and allay
fervent heats and pains, into which more inward parts, other medicines,

510 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

more crass and druggish, cannot soak or come. In the way of a contrary
virtue or effect, he compares the curse of God on his soul unto a spiritual
oil, of a piercing, penetrating violence, that strikes in as quicksilver, into the
bones and nervous parts, and fills them vpith unsufferable torments. He
compareth also this curse, and the effects of it, unto such painful diseases as
are caused by sharp corroding waters in the bowels, as of the gout in the
bowels, which when it possesses those inwards, is mortal and intolerable.
The apostle's allusion elsewhere is correspondent to both these of the
psalmist, when he says. The word of God (through the power of the Spirit)
is a ' savour of death unto death ' in some men's hearts, as * of life unto hfe,'
in others, 2 Cor. ii. 16. The meaning whereof is, that look as venomous
and sulphurous vapours and damps in mines and caverns, arising out of the
earth, do strike up such scents or smells as often kill, by extinguishing the
spirits of those that descend into them, such exhalations of hell and wrath
doth the Spirit of God, by the word preached, exhale and draw forth, and
cause to ascend in some men's consciences, which gives them the very scent
of hell itself. They are the savour or odour of death aforehand, unto death
and damnation, and so are vapours of the same kind, out of the same mat-
ter that is laid up in the mine or treasury itself, as those out of the earth
use to be.

The second thing requisite to be added for the completing the demonstra-
tion is, that such immediate impressions of divine wrath in this life are
sure and certain evidences, I say not as to what persons, but of what kind
of torment it is, which in the fulness of it befalleth men in hell, and that
both do proceed from the same immediate cause. This needs not much pro-
bation, for the instances afore given carry their own evidence with them of
this thing to any intelligent reader. And this general reason for it will
readily occur to any one's thoughts, that surely God will not punish them in
hell with a punishment of a lesser sort or kind (for we speak not now of com-
parisons of degrees) than what his dispensation reacheth forth unto some
men in this life, — for that is the proper day and time and season of wrath,
and of the fierceness of his wrath, — in which the fruits of their own doings
are every way in their full ripeness and maturity to be returned to them ;
and these inflictions in this life are but the buds and blooms that precede,
yet both from the same root and cause. Now to be punished by God's
wrath but mediately, through the force only of created instruments, &c., as
of material fire, or the like (if that were all the punishment there), this were
certainly by a lower kind or sort, than to be punished immediately from the
wrath of God itself, as will abundantly appear in the second section, when
I shall set out the dreadfulness of such a punishment.

But let us particularly weigh the instances themselves, as we have singly
and apart delivered them.

1. Those dispensations to wicked and bad men, as Judas, &c.

2. The same as they are exemplified in good and holy men, as Heman, &c.
And either of them will afford an argument for the proof of this proposi-
tion in hand.

These direful impressions of God's immediate wrath, when they do befall
wicked men, what are they to them ? Not only pledges or fore-runners of
that punishment to come (for such all sorts of afflictions are unto wicked
men), but further, these are spices and grudgings, and lesser intermitting fits
of those future fiery, burning, and continued calentures and fevers ; yea, ear-
nest-pennies of hell, and so of the same kind with what in full men shall
there receive.

As we use to say and speak of those glorious joys, which some saints afore-

Chap. V.J in respect of sin and punishment. 511

hand have the privilege to partake of, that they are pure drops of those rivers
of pleasure, flowing immediately from the same fountain of life : so we may
as confidently say of those breakings forth of wrath upon wicked men's souls
here, that they are the sippings of that ' cup of wrath without mixture,' (as
the llevelation distinguisheth it from those in thiS life, Rev. xiv. 10), whereof
the wicked must * drink the dregs,' though it be to eternity, unto the bot-
tom. And therefore we may make a true and warrantable measure of what all
such men are to look for in hell, by what some few of them do partake of here.

And the argument is strong every way, from the one of these unto the
other. For as heaven and hell are parallel in a way of contraries, as out of
Romans ix. 22, 23 hath been shewn, so those unspeakable glorious joys,
and these contrary extraordinary horrors and anguishes, on the other hand,
do hold parallel also, in being (in their several kinds) prehbations and tastes
of what is to come in the other world. And in this very posture and ten-
dency doth the apostle set these two dispensations together in this life, in a
parallel way (as in Romans ix. he doth the other), whilst in the same scrip-
ture, 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16, he compares those joys, common in those times, in
them that are saved, to the breakings forth, at the opening of the gospel, as
of spikenard, of ' a sweet odour or savour of life unto life' (namely of the life
to come) aforehand, sensing* their souls with some of those perfumes that are
fetched from that country, and only grow there ; and on the contrary such
also he declares those precursory savours or odours of death in their kind
to be, which do arise from the threatenings of the same word in horrors upon
many that perish, which he pronounceth to be the very evaporations of that
' lake of fire and brimstone, which is the second death,' in styling them the
odour or ' savour of death unto death ;' so speaks he. These men often
smell the scent of hell in their consciences, and the spirits of it do strike up
into their souls. The very ashes and smoke of that Vesuvius or Etna of hell
(I allude unto the last words of Deut. xxxii. 22) do fall upon them, which
lighting upon men in this life, do, as those ashes of the furnace (Exod. ix.
8, 9, 10) miraculously did, they cause sores and blains upon men's con-
sciences. And however, if the apostle did therewithal intend the more com-
mon dispensations by the word, and so both the ordinary and extraordinary,
of which we now speak, yet still take and compare those extraordinary joys
in the one, as a savour of life, with the extraordinary horrors, that are the
savour of death unto the other, and in their proportion there is still the like
reason of both, as to the matter in hand; and an alike presignificancy in
either of those two eternal estates.

Again, that each of these are alike by and from God, and by his more
immediate hand dispensed. This I take from Philip, i. 28, and submit the
interpretation of it : where, exhorting Christians unto an holy courage and
confidence in their appearings, for the cause of Christ, before their persecu-
tors' tribunals, ' In nothing be terrified by our adversaries,' says he. And
upon such a bold undauntedness on their part, two effects, he tells them, do
often follow ; and both from God alike, as two wonderful contrary efiects.
First, in themselves, God elevateth and raiseth up that their confidence of
faith into a glorious assurance and taste of heaven and salvation, whither
they are a-going ; so, in these words, * which is a token to you' (yourselves)
' of salvation ;' but, on the contrary, which is ' an evident token' (namely,
in their persecutors' consciences) ' of perdition,' if they repent not, ' and
that' (namely, both these eff'ects) ' of God.'

Two things I observe :

1. That these two contrary efi"ects run parallel still, and that in order to,
* Qu. ' censing ' ? — Ed.

512 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

and of tlieir being tokens either of salvation or perdition, as in that other
place, 2 Cor. ii. And so that as the joys put into the hearts of these con-
fessors are the 'first-fruits of the Spirit,' Rom. viii., and therefore of the
same kind with what fruit and harvest they reap in heaven ; and thereupon
also a spirit of glory is said to ' rest upon them ' in such a case, 1 Peter
iv. 14 ; it being itself initial gloiy, and the fii-st-fruits of glory, in a way of
glory. Thus, on the contrary, those terrors God strikes their adversaries'
hearts wdthal, are like tokens and evidences of hell, no other than the suburbs,
the first-fruits of hell, and shadow of death.

And, 2, I observe (which is that for which I quote it) that both these ex-
traordinary effects are alike wrought in the hearts of either, by the same or
hke hand, namely, impressions from God. The apostle therefore adds dcro
Tuu y.oivou unto both, ' and that of God,' he being the immediate author of
the one as well as of the other ; and both unto a like, though contrary, pur-
pose. And the reason why God thus often takes that season and occasion
to put forth his immediate power in the consciences of either at such a time
is, because his glory is in no passages of providence in and upon earth so
hicfhly interested and engaged as upon such trials, wherein both his truth
and children are brought to the bar at once, and therefore is then pleased
to discover something more than ordinary (though secretly) in the spirits of
men : ' Have they no fear,' says the psalmist, ' that eat up my people like
bread ? ' one would think so, they look so big, and fall to so heartily to de-
vour them. Yes, says the psalmist, answering it, ' there were they in great
fear.' Tliere ; that is, upon such an occasion, at such a time. And yet the
same psalmist tells us that there was no cause of fear (compare for that Ps.
xiv. 4 with Ps. liv. 4), that is, not from creatures. What was the matter, then,
or whence comes this great fear ? ' God is in the generation of the right-
eous,' says the psalmist ; thence was their fear, and ' that of God.' So the
apostle in that very case. God takes part with his children, and so strikes
and terrifies their adversaries' souls, as he comforts theirs. And this is to
them an * evident token,' and as the first baptisms, washings, or sprinklings
• of that perdition ' which their souls will be everlastingly drowTied in (as the
apostle's allusion is in Timothy) if they turn not.

The truth and real-verification of both these so immediate effects by God
and from God (he as with a double-edged sword striking contrary ways at
once), multitudes of instances of both kinds the story of the martyrs doth
relate ; and particularly in the examples of those persecuting emperors
Galerius and Maximinus, as Eusebius hath recorded them. Insomuch as that
lamentable outcry in the sixth seal, Rev. vi. 16, ' Which the kings of the
earth, and mighty men' (the persecutors) are brought in so loudly uttering,
in ' saying to the mountains, Fall on us, and hide us from the wrath of the
Lamb,' Mr Mede and others have appHed (as the time and order of the
visions of that prophecy require) unto those great persecutors in the Roman
empire, whom authentic antiquity hath related to have been terrified and
struck with horror by God and the Lamb, in prodigious extraordinary ways
of confusion ; and those terrors, such as stories have related them, as were
the liveUest representations of that great day of wTath, ver. 17 ; and are
therefore set out under the notion thereof, as having been to them the very
imperfect beginnings of it. This for the argument from the instances of
wicked men.

II. The argument is as strong, though not so direct, from the instances of
holy men.

For, 1, this dispensation to them is not only an argument in common with
other afilictions of this world, in their being a ' manifest token of the judg-

Chap. V.] in respect of sin and punishment. 513

ment of God,' 2 Tlies. i. 9 ; and that therefore a sure and certain judgment
is to come upon the wicked, as he there argues. But this kind being a judg-
ment of a spiritual nature (as immediate inflictions of wrath are), and pro-
perly belonging unto souls as they are the subjects of the other world, it
argues therefore upon a more proper account, that the punishment to come
is of the same kind therewith. And such they must needs be, unless we
will suppose that God whips his own children in this world wdth scorpions,
but wicked men in the other world, but as with rods in comparison of them.
For it must be acknowledged that these, God's own blows, from his own im-
mediate hand, are sorer, and cause wounds of a deeper blue than what are
given by him through creatures. Surely God hath not laid up gentler rods
for the wicked in hell than he puts in use towards his children : ' Have I
smote them as I smote thee ? ' Isa. xxvii. 7. 'I will correct thee in measure,'
Jer. XXX. 1 ; not so them. The equity of those ruled cases (which the reader
may consult), Jer. xxv. 15, 16, 17, 28, 29, Luke xxiii. 31, and 1 Peter iv.
12, 17, do hold in this, and give us warrant in like manner to argue, that if
his own children do drink of so bitter a cup here, then surely you, the wicked
of the earth, shall much more drink of the very same. And these scriptures
alleged, and the strength of this our inference, are all resolved into that of
Ps. Ixxviii. 8, ' In the hand of the Lord is a cup, whereof the wicked of
the earth shall ' (finally) ' drink the dregs.' And the force therefore lies in
this, that if such kind of judgments and fiery trials as these (I allude unto
that speech of the apostle), thus falling upon their spirits from God himself,
do begin at some of ' the household of God,' then ' where will the ungodly
and sinners appear ? ' For his own people do but begin in this cup to them
who are to drink the dregs, whereof themselves have but the droppings.

2. This dispensation of impressions of wrath, when it doth befall either
the godly |or the wicked, although there are difi'ering ends and purposes
from God towards either ; yet as they are one and the same in substance
(as other afflictions are), so also they meet in this one and the same issue,
namely, to be an evidence and demonstration what hell itself in the extremity
of it is. For as in the wicked they are imperfect testimonies of what they
shall undergo, to the end they may repent, so in the godly they are evidences
of what they have deserved, in common with those and all wicked men ; and
to shew that they are alike ' children of wrath, even as others,' Eph. ii. 1 ;
also unto them, they are sensible experiments of what they should have
undergone, but that Christ hath saved them from the wrath to come, that
so they may be thankful, and love much. And many other holy ends there
are ; yet still so as these contrary lines do centre in this, that hell is pre-
Ubated and tasted by the one as well as the other.

But for a clear eviction that these terrors in the godly are no other than
the very shadow of death, or vive and lively resemblances of what men feel
in hell ; hear what themselves say of it, whilst under the sense thereof.
First Heman, for all the rest, while you find him as with his mouth put in
hell, into the very dust of death, bemoaning himself thus, Ps. Ixxxviii. 5, ' I
am free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the gi'ave, whom thou re-
memberest no more ; and that are cut oft' from' (or by) ' thy hand.' When
he says slain, it is in language the same which Christ useth of that execu-
tion, Luke xix. 27, ' Slay them before me.' And the whole of it is all one
as to say, My condition is Hke unto a man's that is in hell, and in some
respects the same. Not that it had the same consequents, all efi"ects of
despair that wrath hath upon the damned ; but in respect it is God's hand
that inflicteth it, and also the same wrath itself he felt. And David, who

VOL. X. K k

514 AN UNREGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

had experimented them, expressly terms them ' the pains and sorrows of
hell,' Ps. xviii. 5, and cxvi. 8, and elsewhere. And Jonah says the like
whilst he was in the whale's belly for his rebellion against God ; compare
for this Heman's speeches, Ps. Ixxxviii. 6, 7, 16, 17, with these of Jonah,
chap. ii. 2, 4. And so you have out of their own mouths this assertion
verified, and the consequence we have insisted on confirmed.

CHAPTER VI.

A third sort of proofs from reasons : — 1. God's justice. — 2. Avenging wrath
otherwise not satisfied. — A demonstration added.

I come now to the reasons of it, which will shew the necessity of this
course, namely, of God's taking it into his own hands. It might be won-
dered at that the great God, having an host or army of creatures ready to be
his avengers, should, over and above what they might do, himself set his
hand to this. But God and Christ are so far from esteeming this a staining
of their glory, as earthly judges think it would be to execute any themselves,
that this being a trophy of regaining honour debased by the creature, they
account it a part of their glory. Thus God here challengeth it to himself,
' Vengeance is mine,' as a glory he would not give to any other. And Christ
is so far from accounting that he ' staineth his raiment with their blood,'
Isa. Ixiii., as that he glories to ' tread the wine-press of his Father's wrath
alone.' He glories in it.

There are two reasons drawn from the final causes of this punishment,
which makes this dispensation necessary: 1. It is for the glory of his
justice ; 2. It is an act of avenging wrath, retributing vengeance. Which
two do centre in this as a third, that it is to be destruction to the persons it
falls upon as the issue of both ; all which can never be attained but by an
execution made by God's own immediate wrath.

I shall found these reasons, as I did the other proofs, upon what I find
foundations for in these very texts I have chosen.

1. It is an act of justice ; so in this Heb. x., ' I will repay ; ' and 2 Thes.
i. 6, 'It is a righteous thing in God, To dlxaiov dvai-odovvai, to repay again,'
or recompense, and ver. 9. 'OiTivsg dixrjv Tiacuaiv, who shall 'pay or lay
down a punishment justly sentenced,' which in Heb. ii. 2 is called a 'just
recompence of reward ; ' and Rom. vi. 23, the wages or reward of sin. And this
is the last payment, and all that for ever, sin in them, or God for sin, shall
have, and therefore that whereby the glory of God is to be fully recovered.

2. It is an act of avenging wrath, as in both these places is expressed.
Let us see what evidence of reason each of these apart do afford, much

more put together.

1. Justice. Concerning that the assertion is, that if there be a satisfaction
made for man's sin unto God's justice, but so far as it may be attained upon
the creature to be punished in hell, God himself will set his immediate hand
to it ; and justice reqtiires this,

(1.) I say, a satisfaction, so far as may be attained upon the creature that
hath sinned, and which is to be the subject of this punishment. I put this
in, because otherwise it must be afiirmed of Christ alone, that he gave full
satisfaction unto God's justice, in whom there was svdsit,ig diKaiooffvvrjg Qiod,
a ' manifestation or demonstration of God's justice for sins that were past,'
Rom. iii. 25 ; yet still, as although a full satisfaction can never be had from
or upon the creature (therefore in hell they always suffer), yet God doth

Chap. VI. J in respect of sin and punishment. 515

recover what can be had, and payeth himself out of them as far as it will
go; as those phrases, ' pa3'ing the utmost farthing,' Mat. v. 26, and, selling
them, and all they had, to make money thereof. Mat. xviii. 25, do shew.

(2.) In this case that which justice will require unto any tolerable equit-
able satisfaction in this punishment is, that as exact a proportion be observed
as possibly there may be, and as the subject is capable of. The justice of
God, as it is ' according to truth,' so exactness and equity ; and the work of
God is perfect in every kind, and performed in due weight, number, and
measure, but above all else, where justice is professed. You may hear justice
speak in Isaiah, chap, lix., * Accordiv/f to their deeds, accordingly he will
repay, recompense to his enemies.' There is an accordiiuj and an accordingly
to that, so as all due measures and rules of proportion every way shall be
observed. Which measures being set out in this matter will evidently
demonstrate that God's immediate hand is necessarily required thereto.

[l.J Let the demerit of sin be weighed. And for that in the general, I
refer unto the first of these treatises of the heinousness of sin, and we shall
find, that although the crasser part of sin is an inordinate lusting after, or
enjoyment of things created, or sinful comforts in creatures, yet that the
great and foundation-evil of it lieth in an aversion or turning off from God,
and therein and thereby there is a reflecting upon God an immediate slight
or undervalue, to an infiniteness of dishonour and contempt cast upon his
goodness, blessedness, that is to be had in him ; as also to his sovereignty,
prerogative, supremacy, holiness, &c.., which are shewn forth and laid at
stake of every of his laws, whereof sin is the transgression. Now if indeed
it could have been supposed that sin were nothing else but that gross and
crass part spoken of, the enjoyment of creatures, then a punishment by crea-
tures only, might equivalently have been even with that its obhquity of debas-
ing its own excellency unto creatures ; but it being an immediate reflection
upon God himself, none can fill up the proportion of a meet and full punish-
ment, which justice doth require for this, but God himself. I may make use
of Eli's speech : 1 Sam. ii. 25, ' If one man sin against another, the judge
shall judge him and revenge it ; but if against God, who shall entreat for
him ? ' thus he. And upon the same or like ground of reason, I infer^ if one
creature wrong another, a creature of the same kind can revenge it. If a
man shed man's blood, so far as it is wrong to the bare creature, ' by man
sball his blood be shed ; ' so says the law in relation to man's day in this
world; but if man sin against God, who shall recompence it when God's day
comes wherein he is to be glorified ? None, so as to give satisfaction to his
most exact justice, but God himself.

Yea, further, if we retained to that opinion of many learned men, that
Adam's enjoyment of God for ever, in that holy estate of innocency, should
have been of God, but as manifested in and by creatures and his holy law,
and not as in himself or as in heaven, &c., yet this would not serve for a
rule whereby to estimate or make proportion, that therefore this punishment
should oppositely be only from God by and through creatures. For what-
ever his enjoyment should have been, whether of God mediately, or of God
as in himself immediately, I dispute not ; yet, to be sure, when God was
cast ofi" by him, or is by us immediately and directly reflected upon, even
God as God, which is that whereby every man's sin is heightened, in Rom.
i. 21, the meaning whereof is, that God as in himself is debased by sin.
So that, as the apostle says in the like case, Rom. v. 15, 'Not as the ofi'ence,
so is the free gift.' On the contrary, upon the like ground, not as was tbe
case or merit of Adam's righteousness, so is the demerit of sin ; and so, nor
of punishment. Because there is so transcendent an undueness, yea, an

516 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

injury done to the great God himself by the creature in sinninw, over and
above the proportion of all created grace or obedience. For all obedience
was due, and all man's reward in obeying was from the mere goodness of
God, which he and his obedience and all depended upon ; and so the pro-
portion thereof is no way to be looked at, either as the measure of the evil of
sin, or of what is to be the punishment thereof. Sin, we are sure, is so great
an evil, as no mere creature, but Christ God-man, and his obedience or suffer-
ing, could have satisfied God for in the behalf of another. And why may it
not also be said, that as none but he, that was subjective God, could satisfy
God for the demerit of sin, committed against God ohjectire, so that sin is
such an evil as cannot, in the sinner himself, be thoroughly punished unto the
satisfaction of justice but by God himself efficiently ; that is, God to be the
inflicter thereof immediately ?

[2.] A second equitable rule of proportion, that justice, requiring the full-
est satisfaction that may be had, will exact, is, that the principal author and
actor in the sin should principally bear the punishment. This not only
vengeance (which is the second topic) doth in a more eminent manner aim
at and affect, but justice doth call for it also ; the justice both of God and
men. Now the principal in sin is known to be the soul of man. Which I
shall urge when I come to show how vengeance also seeketh to wreak itself
thereon. That which serves to my present purpose (which is this, that in
the point of satisfaction, to be made unto God's justice, it is most proper for
God himself to punish sin in the soul) in order thereunto, is,

1st, To inquire what it is in the soul or spirit of man, which God, when he
comes to deal strictly and downrightly, as a judge of men's souls, hath prin-
cipally to do withal ? All must acknowledge that it is conscience that hath
to do with God as a judge ; for it must be that in man, which is the most
proper seat of the guilt of sin, which guilt is the obligation unto judgment
and punishment ; and this to be men's consciences, the Scriptures hold
forth, and every man's ovm soul feels. Hence also to be purged from an
evil conscience, is all one, and to be perfectly acquitted from the guilt of sin.
And for God no more to remember our sins, or to be atoned with us as a
judge, is all one as to say that we on our parts have no more conscience of
sins, Heb. x. 2, 3, 10, 11, 17, verses compared. Conscience is that part of
the soul, whereby God as the judge, arraigueth every man. It is the hand
which a guilty soul holds up at God's bar for all the rest of man, and is God's
witness within man against himself, Rom. ii. 15, and that in order unto
judgment, as follows in ver. 16.

Again, 2dly, I inquire, when it shall come to the execution of the punish-
ment sentenced, what is it in the soul or spirit of man that is most directly
and naturally capable of anguish and torment, and what that part is, which
God may most properly strike a man's soul in, when he would rebuke him
for sin ? Certainly, still a man's conscience. All beasts have one tender
part above any other that most grieves them if smitten. This, in guilty man,
is conscience. We see it in Cain and Judas, God burnt them both in this
hand ; in the hand of conscience in this world.

Ha^^ng by these two enquiries stated the principal, both in guilt and in
being the seat of the execution, I shall for the proof hereof, as also in order
to the clearer making forth the argument before us, namely, that justice re-
quires God's immediate hand, &c., I shall in a more ample manner set
together these five ensuing assertions.

1. That conscience and tlie intellectual, or understanding power in man's
soul, are God's enriaqee, and the principal in a double respect : 1st, con-
science is responsible for the whole in man ; or, if you will, principal in the

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 517

obligation, as being that which, by its own acknowledgment of a judgment
made imto God when he shall come to judge, binds over itself, and with
itself, the whole soul for the payment ; and upon that account is to be
reckoned the chief obligee : and therefore the execution is justly to be served
upon it, and through it upon the whole soul. 2dly, If we take in together
with conscience, the nnderstanding part in man, the intelU(/eutia, or the
spirit of the mind in the summity of it ; that is really to be accounted also
the principal, in respect of its share in the very acts of sinning, so as justly
the guilt of every act is refunded upon it as the principal actor. For it is
betrusted by God with the steering and management of the whole soul, with
the conduct of it as the general. By reason of that light God at first
seated in it, it was appointed for ever to be the guide and leader of the will
and aflections. And therefore God justly requireth the account, or the de-
fiiults and miscarriages of the whole, at its hands. According to the inquiry
of those rules declared concerning rulers of the people : Jer. v. 4, 5,
' These have known the way of the Lord,' &c. As also from that other Uke
to it, given forth touching the priests, and which we find so often inculcated
iu Ezekiel, ' I will require their blood at the priest's hands.' And all these
founded upon one and the same common ground, common unto conscience
with these, namely, conscience and knowledge there being the guides ; and
yet, in that conscience gives but an ineffectual weak warning against sin
(which should powerfully sway the whole) and the spirit of the mind, or the
practic understanding, doth still wickedly give secrect consent unto sin, &c. ;
hence therefore that denunciation in Ezekiel holds, that God will ' require the
blood of the soul at his hands ;' although the soul (the will and affections)
do perish too, in their iniquity, as it is there spoken. And, for this cause
it becomes justice to punish this chief agent and offender, or this great
minister of state in sinning, and to make these the seat of the execution,
above any or all other faculties.

2. It will furthermore agree with the rules of justice, yea, it will be a
special trophy unto justice, to have sin itself in the guilt of it, made as far
as possibly, to be its own tormentor and instrument of the highest punish-
ment in and unto the soul that hath sinned. There is no sword like unto
that, will justice say, to slay a sinner withal. It is of all other the most
proper and exquisite way of punishing. For the sinner to eat (for ever) of
the fruit of his own ways, and to be filled with their own devices, and their
iniquity to slay them, Prov, i. 32. This is the justest and highest doom
which wisdom itself can invent, or God's power execute. The very same
doth Jeremiah also speak, chap. ii. 19, ' Thine own wickedness shall correct
thee : know, therefore, and see, that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou
hast forsaken the Lord thy God.' Certainly for the sinner to feel, in the
most intimate and immediate manner that may be, the bitterness of the guilt
of sin, and to find that that, above all other punishments that can be inflicted,
is the sharpest and severest, this is a transcendent strain of justice indeed.
Now this is most exquisitely accomplished through that proper capacity which
conscience and the intellectual part in man have as to this very thing. And
in their being the seat of the guilt of sin, they are thereby further fitted to
become the vessel or receptacle of this the highest punishment. This is in
a great measure verified by that in Isa. lix. 11, 12, ' We roar all Uke bears.'
And what was it that caused this ? ' For our transgressions are multiplied
before thee, and our sins testify against us, for our transgression are with
us,' they dwell with and possess us, and we possess them ; as Job also speaks,
♦ And as for our iniquities, we know them.' It was their very knowing of
their sins, as set on by God, that made them thus roar, which is the loudest

518 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

and wildest tone of grief and note of insufferable torment. And observe,
how that that knowledge had two things in contemplation, which caused the
roaring. 1st, Sin, together with the wrath of God, ' our transgressions are
multiplied before thee.' And so they had God in their eye as a judge, which
those words shew, * We look for salvation, but it is far from us,' ver. 11 ;
and, 2dly, ' They testify against us.' This was the accusation of their own
consciences themselves. So as it was conscience which was the seat, the
habitation as it were, where these two took up their dwellings, continually
quartered upon and possessed. Jeremiah says the same, to ' see and know
how bitter a thing it is to sin,' &c. And though these scriptures speak not
immediately of hell, yet they do clearly point out to us what and wherein the
most exquisite punishment of sin lieth, and by what effected, namely,
knowledge of sin and wrath, whether it be in men in forerunning anguish in
this life, or hereafter in hell in the fullness of it.

3. It is not, nor can it be the mere spiritual evil that is in sin, as sin is
sin, and an opposite to true holiness, and as it stands in a contrariety to the
holiness and goodness of God ; that is not it which men in hell shall spirit-
ually know and see, so as to lay to heart the evil thereof in that respect.
No, for that is the peculiar effect of grace, and proper to the saints, even as
to see the beauty that is in holiness as it is holiness, likewise is — it is there-
fore sin in the bitter effects thereof only, whereby souls still remaining wholly
sinful (as those in hell do), can come to know this bitterness of sin.

Now, to prosecute this ; the evil of sin is not sufficiently or perfectly felt,
no, not in the effects of it, by the conscience of a sinner (so as it may be),
until it be felt in that which is the highest, and most transcendent, and pro-
per, most immediate and first-bom effect thereof, of all other. And that is
no other than the wrath and indignation of the all-powerful God. For that
his wrath shall break in upon the sinner, and so considered, it is the most
proper effect of all other of the demerit of sin, God being stirred up and pro-
voked thereunto by sin. ' Do you provoke the Lord to jealousy ? ' 1 Cor.
X. 22. The like, Jer. vii. 19. Sins are as a heap of charcoal, wicked
men's consciences the oven, and God's wrath the fire. Let this fire be put
into this coal, and let both meet in a guilty conscience, and it instantly be-
comes a fiery oven within itself. And as concerning all other punishments,
I may say it, that all other, of what kind, or from whomsoever, although they
are all the effects and deserts of sin, according to that in Jeremiah : ' Thy way
and thy doings have procured these things to thee, and this is thy wicked-
ness' ; as it follows therein, Jer. iv. 18. Yet still these are all of them de-
ficient, and fall short in representing unto the heart and conscience the
demerit of sin, even so far as by the effects it may be known, and the sonl
yet further is capable to feel. But if once the wrath and indignation of the
great God come into the soul and conscience, this, when felt, doth bear some
answerable proportion, as an efi'ect, unto so great an evil as sin is, which it
hath deserved ; and when revealed unto and impressed upon the sinner's con-
science, it hath also the fullest dimensions of such an evil (even to the sinner
also), as sin justly deserveth, as far as any way the creature is capable.
Then it is that the sinner feels and takes in the evil of sin, not as in second-
ary outward effects only (and such all other punishments whatsoever are in
comparison to the wrath of God, and therefore fall short), but in this case
it feels immediately the demerit of sin, in that which is the cause, the only
cause, the highest cause of all other secondary punishments which sin hath
also deserved, whereof it also is the cause. And this dispensation of im-
mediate wrath riseth up unto the exactest demonstration of the evil that is
in sin, which any way from effects can be made or given unto the creature.

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 519

4. Of this immediate wrath (as it is an evil of punishment), the conscience
and intellectual part in man's soul is not only capable to be made the vessel,
the receptacle thereof, but it lies immediately exposed unto it. It is bare
and naked unto him with whom we have to do, Heb. iv. 13, as in respect to
(rod's knowledge, so of God's punishing, as I have elsewhere shewn. Con-
science is an open door or inlet ; or as an open window is to the sun, so is
it to God, for him to come in at any time, that whenever God will but
take upon him to perform and execute the part of a judge and avenger, a
conscience that is guilty, lies exposed nakedly and barely unto his anger, to
receive the strokes and impressions of it. For I ask. What is God's justice
against sin, but his just anger against sin (as Rom. iii. 5, the original hath
it) ? And what is a guilty conscience, but that in man that is naturally
suscipient or apprehensive of it ? And these two are suited as faculty and
object, and are (as it were) made one for the other ; there needs no third or
other thing (if God but please to hold forth his anger, and apply the corro-
sive to the sore, so this unto the soul) to convey his own displeasure by ;
conscience hath an ear to hear what God will speak, without any medium to
convey the voice. Look as faith is a principle peculiarly fitted to take in
God's free grace, and Christ's righteousness, such is conscience (when
guilty) unto God's wrath, immediately susceptive of it. If God will but set
a man's sins in order before him, and withal say unto conscience, I am angry ;
yea, look but angrily, and present himself as such ; then conscience instantly,
like the sensible plant, is struck, shrinks, and falls down. For if God be
angry but a little, as Ps. ii. 12, and rebuke us in his anger, Ps. vi. 1, then,
at the very rebuke of his countenance we perish, Ps. Ixxx. And it is most
certain that God can reveal his anger to the soul immediately, as well as his
favour. And what is this punishment we are speaking of, but the revelation
of the righteous judgment of God, revealed, as before others, so principally
to a man's own soul ? as ver. 9. And what is that judgment, but God's
judgment expressed, as in sentencing, so in shewing his anger and wrath
against sin ? as the whole stream of that Scripture shews. It is therefore
the wrath and face of God and the Lamb, when discovered, which a guilty
conscience flies from, Rev. vi. 16. That, as Luther says. Animus sibi male
consclus j)otins ad diaholum ipsumferretur, quam ad Deum accederet ; it had
rather be brought before the devil, and see his face, than see God's. Terror
of conscience, what is it, but all one with God's wrath in conscience ? See
it in its contrary. Peace (which we call peace of conscience), which pass-
eth understanding, is rather denominated the peace of God which passeth
understanding, Philip, iv. 7, than peace of conscience, although conscience
be the subject pacified, and whose peace and quietus est it is. And in like
manner, terror is styled the terror of the Lord, 2 Cor. v. 11. And these
things may perhaps aff'ord as true a light towards the understanding of that
maxim of the apostle, Rom. ii. 8, 9, indignation and wrath (viz. of God),
tribulation and anguish unto every soul (as the seat of their anguish), of
man that doth evil, as any other ; and withal shew how it comes to pass,
that this tribulation is executed from that wrath, even by the reception of
conscience. For of conscience also the following words, ver. 15, do there
speak, and that as in order unto judgment, ver. 16.

5. I add, as a corollary from this, that conscience, though it be thus
naked and open to God and his wrath, yet it is so great a secluse, so fast
and privy a cabinet, so intimate a power and principle in and unto the soul
itself, and so entirely reserved unto God himself, who is the Lord thereof,
as it is not immediately subjicible to, or to be broke open by, creatures ; no,
not those who are superior spirits to it, either angels or devils ; they are not

520 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

able to terrify the conscience, until it hath been first made raw and tender
by God. God only made the heart, and God only knows the heart, and
God only can come at and strike at the root of the heart. The devils or
angels can come but into an outward room, the fancy, and cast in images
thereinto ; the fancy being the soul's looking-glass, wherein it vieweth its
own thoughts, and Irom which it takes ofi" into itself the species that are cast
in there. Also they may stir bodily passions (both which I have elsewhere
shewn), but they cannot enter into the closet of the soul. God only is
inthnior intimo nostra, as the ancients express it ; God only is greater than
our hearts, as the apostle expresseth it. Conscience is a book so fast clasped,
as it is God's prerogative alone to open it, which he then at that day will
do ; and thereunto that likewise may be applied, ' He openeth, and none
shuts ; and he shuts, and none opens.' That speech holds as true of con-
science, as of any other thing. And as it is a book which he alone can
open, so in which he alone can write over every man's sins, not with ink,
but with wrath, which, like aquafortis, every letter of it shall eat into the soul,
according unto that in Job, ' Thou writest bitter things against me, and
causest me to possess the sins of my youth,' Job xiii. 26. Let no man
therefore imagine that devils are the g.reatest tormentors of men, or of their
consciences in hell ; or if any would affirm it, I would demand, who it is
that torments the consciences of devils themselves ? Certainly none but
God. They now believing there is a God, do tremble ; but in hell they
fear him, and for ever have to do with him. And it is as sure, that the
same God, with whom those spirits and their consciences have for ever to do,
the consciences of men shall also.

And as for all other mediate or outward ways of judgments executed, in
which the wrath of God is revealed from heaven but as at the second hand,
take the sorest and severest of them that ever God executed by creatures ;
yea, suppose all of the several kinds of providential judgments (I call them
such which are executed upon men in this world aforehand), -which God hath,
as judge of all the world, in his riding circuit through all ages since the fall,
revealed his wrath from heaven by, against all sorts of unrighteousness of
men (as the apostle, speaking of these judgments, says in Rom. i. 18), sup-
pose, I say, they were let fly upon any one sinner all at once, yet would they
not reach or touch that man's conscience, further than as God should, over
and above the efficacy of them, strike the conscience itself with his anger and
displeasure, revealed more or less by himself therewith. And although in
all such judgments, his goings forth are as of a judge, and he accompanies
such judgments more or less, but as with some ordinary light and glimmer-
ings of an angry deity, yet his coming as a judge upon men's consciences,
at the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (as if
he had never revealed his wrath before), this is another manner of coming,
and shewing himself a judge indeed, rendering indignation and wrath upon
the souls of men ; and of that judgment it is the same apostle in the second
chapter treats, as of that other in the former.

And I may say of all the former, in comparison to this latter, that they
all are but as the batteries of the out-works, and as bullets shot against the
walls in a seige, which may indeed terrify the inhabitants, and make them
tremble, Deut. xxxii. ; and so these the soul, as by remote efiects in the
suburbs of it, Eom. ii. But the latter is as shooting in of grenadoes, which
have been laid up with him in his treasm-y, carrying fire from thence in
them, the fire of his fierce and sorest indignation ; and these himself alone
ran shoot into the inwards of men's souls. And this is as shooting fire into
the very magazine, into that which is the most inward in the soul, and forti-

Chap. VI.] in respect of sin and punishment. 521

fied against the entrance of all created powers ; the magazine where all the
gunpowder lies, that is, the guilt of a man's sins ; so as there needeth
nothing else to blow up all. If his wrath doth but touch, it takes and sets
fill on fire.

Yea, give me leave upon the same ground, and by the like reason, further
to say, that all the material fire in hell, by which the soul shall and will
suffer, by way of a compatibility (as it is termed), or suffering by and with
the body an unspeakable torment, and this for the sins a man is guilty of ;
yet these flames nor these punishments (taken materially, and abstracted
from this revelation of God's wrath), would not break into conscience, not
until God did therewithal break in with the fire of bis wrath, and make the
conscience and intellectual spirit of the mind a fiery oven within itself, as
the psalmist expresseth it in Ps. xxi. 9, almost in these very words.

This being the state of matters between God the judge of all, and the souls
and consciences of sinners, as touching that due and equitable punishment
for sin, and the execution thereof, which men's souls are capable of, I shall
now complete the reason why the justice of God should move him to be
willing ; yea, and that there is in respect unto divine justice a kind of requi-
siteness (if not necessity), for the great God to take this course, to punish
the sinner by the revelation of his own immediate wrath ; and this I shall
do, by gathering together what hath been said, from which the arguments
for both these two assertions that follow lie fair.

1. That God for his justice' sake should be willing; for conscience being
the principal engagee obliged unto God as a judge, and the understanding
power in man the eminent transgressor, and both lying so naked and im-
mediately exposed unto God's wrath, and capable to receive the revelation
of it, an anguish made thereby in his soul is the most proper, natural,
suitable reward unto sin, to pay the sinner home in his own coin, as also the
Biost ready, direct, and short way for God to take.

If therefore we suppose justice be left to have but its free and full course,
if justice (according to the prophet's language, and God's own rule and
direction given unto us) run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty
stream, in its proper natural channel, and so as to fall into that most capa-
cious vessel or receptacle that is in man to receive it ; again, if divine
justice hath a will to put and lay its charge and execution where principally
it is to be laid, even against the principal, whether in the obligation for sin,
or in the guilt of the act of sinning ; or if it be deemed that divine justice
will take a recovery where the fullest and fairest advantage lies, and recover
his principal debt of that which is the principal debtor, and from that in
man which is capable to afford the most due satisfaction and punishment,
as being that which is the treasury of all the guilt of sin, and most exqui-
sitely capable to suffer, and thereby to make fullest payment for all : then
we may conclude that assuredly God is willing to wreak his just anger, and
in his wrath to break forth upon the conscience and intellectual faculty of
the sinner in hell, by the immediate revelation of his wrath, and that upon
all the accounts forementioued thereby to punish it. And we may well sup-
pose that his justice is willing to do this, because ' God is' (as the psalmist
with an emphasis) 'judge himself,' Ps. 1. 6, and judgeth for himself, Prov.
xvi. 4, and for the recovery of his own glory, and revelation of his righteous
judgment. And this course of immediate wrath being a way above all other
so natural, so ready, so direct, so compendious, and so suited to the demerit
of sin (as hath been shewn), we may well think that God will be rather will-
ing to shew his wrath (as the apostle speaks) this way (if we could suppose
there might be ano^ber), because this so falls in with, and agrees unto the

522 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

rules and proportions of justice fore- mentioned, which are most near and
sacred to him.

2. The second assertion, that it is also requisite, yea, necessary (I speak
it, as in relation to justice attaining its ends). For all mediate punishments
executed by creatures being deficient, as unto that wherein the very essence
of this punishment lies, they all not reaching the inwards of the spirit of the
mind and conscience ; and seeing that without God's wrath revealed there-
with by God himself, all such punishments would not complete the justice
of God in a punishment in any tolerable measure suitable : then if justice
will have its perfect work, and bring its suit against the sinner unto the
ultimate issue, it is requisite God himself put his immediate hand to the
execution, otherwise this work of justice will not be perfect (as yet every of
his works in their kind are said to be), and so he should not only fall short of
satisfying his justice, but also by not doing that towards it which is in his
power to do, and which he is Lord of, he should not in any tolerable measure
content it. Especially if we further consider, that when all is done that can
be, this punishment will not arise to a perfect satisfaction (for the creature's
punishment will not afford it, and therefore it doth for ever suffer), but only
unto what may be had out of them towards it. I shut this point up there-
fore with this, that if God be judge himself, he will do this work himself,
which none else can perform for him, and without which all else would be
utterly imperfect and defective. For, upon what hath been afore argued, I
may say of all other punishments and punishers, although set by God upon
a man, what the apostle says of those legal ordinances, though instituted by
God for his worship, that they could not make the service perfect, as per-
taining to the conscience. So, nor all outward torments, take them alone
without God's wrath accompanying them, they cannot make a perfect or
complete punishment as pertaining to the conscience.

And all this also shews one sufficient reason of difference, why earthly
kings and judges leave the execution of traitors and offenders wholly unto
others, because they have no more power, as in respect of execution, to in-
flict a condign punishment than other men ; but others can do it as ex-
quisitely, and their justice be as fully satisfied thereby ; but it is not so
here. And for these causes God is so far from staining his glory thereby
(which other judges would esteem to be so) as that is the only way fully to
recover his glory. And so much for that argument drawn from satisfying of
justice,

A second reason is drawn from satisfying of vengeance, or avenging wrath
as against enemies, which heightens justice. Thus in many places in the
Old and New Testament, Deut. xxxii., Rom. xii. 19, 2 Cor. x. 6, Rev. vi. 10,
in which last place God is styled both a judge and an avenger ; ' judge and
avenge,' say the saints there. A judge most commonly doth acts of justice
in the behalf of others ; but an avenger is one that doth, or seeks justice in
his own cause, and in his own behalf and interest ; therefore the next a-kin,
seeking the life of a murderer, was termed an avenger of blood. Now God
is more nearly concerned in this, than any creature can be, in what may
concern vengeance in them for whatever injury. This is therefore poena
vindictcE, as of one enraged and provoked ; patience having been abused, as
Rom. ix. 22, and so is turned into fury.

Now there are two properties of vengeance, from whence I argue this,
being put together.

First, That it is the property of revenge to vent itself upon that which is
principal in the injury, and to make that the vessel of its wrath; it will never
be satisfied else. Now that is the soul of man, which is the chief seat and

Chap. VI.] in kkspect of sin and punishment. 523

subject of the corruption of sin, the chief cause of the act proceeding from
thence, and that in which the guilt arising from both doth principally abide.
The body is but instrumental in what the soul doth ; yea, and in some, and
the greatest sins, the soul hath the sole and immediate hand. This soul
therefore, which is the chiefest vessel of sin, must be the chief vessel of
wrath. ' Indignation and wrath upon every soul of man that doth evil,' Rom.
ii. 8, whereof this undeniable instance is given by God, that the soul is it
that sutlers for the whole man until the resurrection, as the instance of the
rich man shews ; and it must be no less an immediate sufi'erer, although
not the alone sufierer ; but much more, after the day of judgment, unto
eternity.

A second thing which vengeance affecteth is, that the person that wrought
the injury die by the hand of himself, that is, the avenger : It loves to do
that w^ork itself. And this especially holds good in this cause of God, and
seeing it is to recover glory to God by shewing vengeance, he comes to be
glorified, rendering vengeance from the glory of his power.

I need not go about to form up any argument from hence, for these two
things, especially the latter, do speak home unto the point, and, being added
unto what hath been spoken in the former head of justice, maybe sufficient.
There is a third thing which (as I said) both divine justice and vengeance
do conspire in, and that is, the utter destruction of that which is the principal
offender (which is the soul), it is the nature of vengeance to work the de-
struction of that it is set against. And in this case of sin, God's justice
also doth the same; the demerit of sin is such, as it exciteth vengeance to it.
And therefore in both these places which are my texts, destruction is men-
tioned as the issue and product of this revenge and wrath. So in 2 Thes.
i. 6, 7, * to render vengeance on them, who shall be punished with everlast-
ing destruction.' And Rom. ix. 22, ' to make known the power of his wrath
on those vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.' Destroyed they shall be,
though not in regard of being, for they are to be vessels of wrath, and there-
fore to be still kept whole, in respect of being, else they could hold no
wrath ; and that is another property of vengeance, to have the party made
sensible of its misery, and that his enemy is even with him ; and therefore
God upholds their being, but destroys their souls in regard of well-being.
Now that is never, till it be stripped of every comfort, and every corner of
the soul be filled with misery ; for if any corner be empty, it is not de-
stroyed, it will not die.

Now, this third or last thing doth of itself afford at least a demonstration,
ab efectis, from the event and effects of this punishment, that therefore it
is God's immediate hand that inflicts this punishment; which demonstration
is to be added unto the former reason, which was drawn from the causes of
it. For I argue, asking this question, What is able to fill the soul of man
with good or evil ? The soul, which was created in so large a capacity as
to be filled with God, and with none but God himself, he only is able to fill
the vast comers of it with either. Creatures like itself may affiict and tor-
ment it much, especially whilst in the body, so much as to cause it to desire
death and a being out of the body, but the soul they are never able to
destroy. The soul is a castle so strong built, as it can bear the assaults of
all its fellow- creatures, and sustain itself and not sink into destruction.
Nothing can destroy the well-being of the soul but God's power ; for it is
said. They may kill the body, but God only can kill the soul. And else, ac-
cording to that argument of Christ, ' Fear not them that can kill the body only,'
&c., they were to be feared as God himself is, if they could kill thosoul as God
can do ; for Christ says, God is therefore to be feared, and only to be feared,

524 AN UNEEGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

because he can destroy both body and soul. And he redoubleth it with an
emphasis : ' Fear him, yea, I say unto you, Fear him,' Luke xii. 5. Indeed,
one evangelist says, ' Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast
into hell,' which expresseth no more but an act of authority to sentence and
cast into hell as the judge doth into prison. Yet the other evangelist puts
it upon this, because he is able to kill the soul, and that only he is able to
destroy both body and soul in hell. He says, not barely to cast into hell,
as by way of authority, but adds, kills and destroys in hell when they are
cast thither ; for God is both judge and avenger, and therefore if it be
destruction, it is evident he only can and must do the execution. And,
therefore, in the text, 2 Thes. i. 8, 9, their being punished with everlasting
destruction is attributed to the glory of his power. These are some of the
reasons of this great point.

CHAPTER VII.

A fourth sort of additional confirmations, drawn from the harmonies that are
between it and other divine truths.

I shall in the last place cast in some harmonies, or congruities and cor-
respondencies, which this holds and makes up with other divine truths ; and
in such harmonies and concords, there is much of reason, at least to con-
firm, if not demonstrate, truths in divinity.

1. To begin where I left. Hereby it comes to pass, that as the souls of
men and other spirits were immediately made and created by God, who is
therefore in a peculiar respect, and with an opposite distinction to the fathers
of our bodies, said to be the Father of spirits, and the God of the spirits of
all flesh, so that their last termination or end should be into and by his
immediate hands also, this makes up a congruous and suitable dispensation.
That look as they receive their first being from him, likewise they should
return to him, as Ecclesiastes speaks, as to their sole and immediate author and
creator ; and so receive from him, as a Father of spirits, their portion at his
immediate hands. And man's ultimate end, either way, is called their por-
tion, Ps. xi. 6, Mat. xxiv. 51, whether it be in blessedness, as their inheri-
tance out of his love, or misery as the wages of their sin. And thus hereby
God himself is made the end, and the beginning or terminus, the Alpha and
Omega of souls, to whom be glory for ever !

2. Thereby also there comes to pass an answerableness and a proportion
held between the two conditions of heaven and hell, which the apostle seems
to make the ultimate aim and determination of God's counsels, unto which
all in this world are but preparations, as he calls them. Thus Rom. ix. 22, 23,
for the shewing forth of his ovra immediate glory : ' What if God, willing to
shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-
sufiering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction : and that he might make
known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore
prepared unto glory?'

3. And thirdly, also, it is said, that after that Christ the judge of all, hath
delivered up his administration and kingdom unto his Father, then God
should become all in all, 1 Cor. xv. 28 ; not in respect of being, that is,
not as if the being of all things shall return into God again, as some have
wickedly dreamed, or that God's blessed being and the creatures should
become one ; that can never be. It is a contradiction to say a creature
made out of nothing should come to be of itself ; and such God in his being

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 525

is, but all in all in respect of immediate dispensation. And so look as to
the vessels of mercy, he will then be all in all, so that they shall not need
the light of the sun and the moon, &c. (that is, the comfort of any creature,
though all created excellencies in the spirit and quintessence of them shall
be there), why should it not be also meant that the same God, which makes
up a parallel, seeing men's sins deserve it, shall be all in all in hell too, in a
contrary way to the other ?

4. And the rather this may be thought, because when God shall have
caused this visible world to pass away, the earth and the heavens we now
behold, as some judicious divines have inclined to think from Job xiv. 12,
and other scriptures, either by turning them into nothing or into their first
chaos ; and so there being none, that is, of this old word left, but pure
heaven and hell, which are as two spiritual places or worlds, and therein
these two sorts of creatures rational, either those who are wholly spirits, as
angels good and bad, or the spirits of men, whose bodies are raised spiritual
and so fitted for that other kind of world, both of which are capable of
happiness or woe from him ; that then these two sorts of intelligent natures,
God and they being left thus alone, the brutish part of the world being done
away, should have to do with him for ever immediately, either in a way of
wrath or blessedness. And so God shall be all in all in eiiher worlds ; and
this is to be the final ending and catastrophe of all. But these I urge not,
but only mention.

CHAPTER VIII.

The dreadfulness of this 'punishment argued from all and eo h of the particulars
treated of in the former chapters. — That it is a falling into the hands of God
immediately. — That it is the destruction of the soul. — That it is for the glory
of God, and the manifestation of his power. — That it is satisfaction of God's
justice and avenging wrath. — The dreadfulness of it argued also from, those
instances of good and bad men, their having suffered those kinds of terrors in
this life. — And lastly, that it is a falling into the hands of the living God.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. — Heb. X. 31.

The second thing at first propounded to be handled, was the dreadfulness
of this punishment. ' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God.' Which being an inference from the foregoing words, and not a simple
affirmation only, do come in with an amazing kind of implication, wherein
the apostle leaveth it to our own thoughts to conceive of, and is as if he had
said. How dreadful must it needs be ! which I leave to your own thoughts
to conceive of, I not being able, says he, to utter or express the terror of it.

Hence the genuine and natural way of handling this part, is to set it forth
by way of inference or corollary from that former point, which we have
despatched. I shall therefore accordingly draw forth demonstrations of the
dreadfulness thereof from those fore-cited scriptures, or grounds already
laid in the fore-gone chapter, which doth afibrd sufficient topics unto this
head.

First, Let us take the main doctrine itself, as in the general it is uttered
here, that it is a falling into the hands of God himself, and not of creatures
only ; and a being punished from his presence and the glory of his power
immediately, as 2 Thes. i. 9. And then extend and widen your apprehen-
sions to take in how fearful this must be, which I shall demonstrate by a
comparative gradation, raised thus :

526 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

I. If it were but a giving us up into the hands of mere creatures to afflict,
and thev assisted by God, but with the common and ordinary concurrence of
his power, which joins with and upholds the agency of all things in their
workings, whether in comforting us or in distressing of us : this the lowest
degree of supposition. And yet consider how dreadful this supposition
would render to our thoughts such a punishment to be, if God should be but
as the looker-on, and withal the setter of them on ; or, as in the Scripture
phrase, Mat. xviii. 34, but only deliver us up to these tormentors. As
when it is termed a being cast into a lake of fire and brimstone, suppose it
were a lake of material corporeal fire only, wherein thy body is cast, and
thv soul, no otherwise to sufier than by what the spirits of that body it is
united to and dwells in, is by that fire made sensible of. And suppose,
withal, the spirits thereof were kept up, in their utmost sensibleness, of what
torment that fire could inflict, and thy body continually flaming (as the bush
in Exodus) and yet never burnt up, how terrible is it for flesh and blood to
think but this of it ! Or, to use another comparison, if a man were bound
hand and foot, with his mouth set open, and were cast into a pit, wherein,
as in the apostle's sheet let down from heaven, were all manner of creeping
things, toads, serpents of all sorts, fiery scorpions, cockatrices, vipers, adders,
snakes, &c., flies, hornets, lice, pismires, and frogs, &c. ; and that these
should bite and sting thee with exquisite pain and torment, also creep in at
thy mouth, down into thy inwards, gnaw and swell thee there. How did
but one sort of these creatures, when sent by God, afflict Pharaoh and all
the Egyptians ! A man in this case should endure not only the pains men-
tioned, but beyond them the torture which antipathy, contrariety, and natural
abhorrency works, which is of all other most exquisite, and turns nature
backward (as of Jordan it is said) into a recoil, and wresteth it against itself
and throws it ofl' its hinges. I need not instance how, by this way of anti-
pathy, a cock makes a lion roar, a mouse the elephant to tremble, a serpent
or a toad, a spider, sets the whole of nature in man into an inconsistency ; a
man knows not how to bear up, sustain himself, or be himseU". But, be-
sides, what pains or torments these, or any of these, can inflict ; —

II. Let us proceed in our supposition a step further. If God should so
far further assist as to set his wisdom a-work, and that only to find out and
invent, what mixture of torments from creatures would be most exquisite of
all others. As if a king (whose wrath is compared to the roaring of a lion,
who yet sets but others to torment) should but order ten men to invent tor-
ments for one poor man, as the Sicilian tyrants did. Hence, Mctjus tor-
mentum Siculi non invenire tyraimi. And then consider, for the exaggeration
of this unto your thoughts,

1. That the nature of man is so framed as it is capable to receive discom-
fort as well as comfort from every creature. The least creature hath a sting
in it as well as honey, unto something or other in man's nature, if it be ap-
plied and turned against it.

2. God knows all the ingredients in the creatures' natures ; as also, it is
said, he knows our frame, and so therewith the suitableness of sense in man's
nature thereunto. Think, then, what punishment from their mixture can he
invent and temper, and put all the venoms (the dregs) into one cup, as the
psalmist speaks. And as by some lesser proportion we may estimate this
by what those that know the secrets of nature can effect, above what other
men, as Solomon did.

3. Now, raise up your apprehensions from these two steps of comparison
thus first laid. If, as the psalmist says, he that made the eye shall not he see ?
speaking of that infinite omniscience in God himself above what is in the

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 527

creatures, say I then in this case, if the creatures that God hath made may
thus be supposed able to work anguish to a man, dolour and misery, what
then can God, the great God that made all these himself, immediately inflict !
As the prophet Isaiah slighteth the Egyptians and their assistance, Isa xxxi.
8 ; thus, their horses are flesh, not spirit, and the Egyptians that ride them
are men, and not God ; so we may of all these suppositions, and still say,
these are but of what creatures can do, who are creatures, and not God ;
flesh, and not spirit.

III. That we may yet heighten the dreadfulness of this immediate hand of
God, let us make a third supposition beyond the former, that God not only
should use his ordinary concurrence with creatures, but (as sometimes he
hath done), arm those creatures with his own wrath, over and above the
activity of their ordinary sphere of workings, heating that sword of created
powers he strikes with red-hot in the fui-nace of his fiery indignation, and
so intending the power of creatures beyond their strength, yet still so as to
use them as the sole instruments of that anguish wrought, conveying his
anger with them but as at second-hand ; and so, as the man so afilicted is
sensible, not of the stroke of the creatures only, but of God, and his wrath
accompanying and seconding it through them. This would be yet more
dreadful than the former, and yet still fall short of what the doctrine hath
held forth, that himself is the avenger, and strikes immediately.

1. This latter is more dreadful to suppose than the former, yea, is not a
bare supposition ; for if God conveys his wrath with the least aflliction,
and in his providences fights against a man, and the heart is thereby made
sensible of his wrath therein, this, as it often falls out, so it useth won-
derfully to inflame and rage in man's spirit, even as a poisoned arrow useth
to do the flesh, which itself alone would only pierce and wound, but as it
is an arrow ; but if further dipped in poison, or, as the apostle's com-
parison is, Eph. vi., made a fiery dart, it works a further anguish and
torment. Now there is no creature but if armed with God's wrath, or if it
be but a messenger and a representer of God's anger, but it is infinitely more
di-eadful than of itself otherwise it is. What is less than the shaking of a
leaf, which seems itself to tremble ? But if God send faintness of heart and
terror with it, and by it, into a man's heart, the very * sound of the shaking
of a leaf chaseth them,' Lev. xxvi. 36. Every grass-blade, burnished with
God's wrath, strikes terror into the heart, as that flaming cherub did into
Adam's, This is experimented in men troubled in mind, unto whom,
Iratnmque refert qucelihet herha Deum. Every creature presents an angry
God, and strikes trembling of heart into them. * They fear where no fear
is.' The light, which of all creatures is the most amiable and pleasantest,
yet to a spii-it wounded the beams thereof ai-e dreadful ; and when it is day,
he wisheth it were night, and that darkness might for ever cover him ; and
why should the light arise, says he, to disclose my rebellion against my
maker ? Thus Job iv. 20, ' Wherefore is the light given to him that is in
misery ?' even as on the contrary to a soul God's face shines on, every
creature strikes up comfort and gladness into it. He hears the thunder
(which made Caligula tremble), It is my Father's voice, says he ; views the
stars, These are mine, saith he. The greatest afllictions to such an one do
turn into joy, knowing he hath a treasury of love in the bosom of his Father
that sent them. The perfect contrary is here.

2. This latter supposal of God's arming the creatures with his displeasure,
and conveying it by them, falls yet lower, and is less than God's immediate
wi-ath fi-om himself, even as God's love, conveyed by ordinances and means,
is a far lower dispensation than the immediate communication thereof from

529 AN UNREGEMERVTE M.VN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

himself. God's power, tliough never so great, yet in working by and through
an instrument, is abated, lessened, stinted in working. You may have read
and heard (perhaps) the comparison between God's power and the creatures,
in respect of torment, thus expressed, that the one is but as if a child should
strike a blow in comparison of a giant. But to the case in hand; I have used
to raise it thus : A giant that can of himself give a great blow immediately,
if he yet should take but a straw to strike withal, the stroke would prove but
small, and yet it would be greater than if a child should strike with it. Why?
Because his power is limited and enervated by the instrument he strikes withal.
Now, what are all the creatures, though in God's hand, but as straws in a
giant's ? And yet how terrible is his wrath when conveyed by them ! I
conclude this with allusion to that speech of Rehoboam, 1 Kings xii. 10.
The weioht of God's little finger is heavier than that of the whole creation ;
and if they be able, or God by them, to scourge us with whips, then God
himself immediately with scorpions.

Having thus considered how the immediateness of God's working doth
comparatively exceed that of the creatures, or of himself by the creatures,
in the

Fourth place, let us go on more sadly, in a positive way, to consider
what his immediate power is, what the strength of those hands is which men
must fall into. And how may this amaze you ! As it is said of God's wis-
dom, ' There is no end of it, no searching of his understanding,' so nor of his
power. And how can I discover or unbare that arm before you ? I begin
to do it thus : God had begun to enter into a contest with Job, and touched
him but with his Httle finger, and Job soon felt him, and cries out, ' If I
speak of strength,' or think that way to grapple with him, ' he is strong,'
Job ix. 19. If but his little finger be so strong, as Job found it, what is his
fist, which Ezekiel next sets forth the strokes of his wrath by ? And what
God himself there speaks against covetous and bloody men, Ezek. xxii, 13, 14,
do you apply to every sin you live and go on in. Says God, ' I will strike
with my fist at thy dishonest gain. And can thy heart endure, or thy hands
be made strong, in the day in which I shall have to do with thee ?' Let
every one that heareth or readeth this, who yet go on in their sins, consider
with themselves. Am I able to stand it out and encounter this God ? And
encounter him thou must, if thou goest on in thy sins. Or, Can my heart
endure ? sayest thou. The apostle puts the very same consideration upon
the Corinthians' spirits, when guilty of idolatry. (And it is the same case
of uncleanness, or any other known sin). 'Do you provoke the Lord to
jealousy ? are you stronger than he ?' 1 Cor, x. 22 ; as if be had said. Do
you not consider what a powerful God you have to do withal, and that imme-
diately? Can you grapple with him, think you, or make your part good
with him ? Hear yet further by what way it is that the apostle sets forth
to us the strength of God ; and let us make a further estimate thereby as to
the matter in hand. The apostle, in the same epistle, though upon another
occasion, chap. i. 25, had said that ' the weakness of God is stronger than
the strength of men ;' in which speech he evidently puts our thoughts upon
making of a measure of what is to be accounted more or less stronger or
weaker in God, in respect of the putting forth his power by what the Scrip-
tures do express of him, after the simihtude of man, as in Job the comparison
is of his little finger, and in Ezekiel of his fist ; whereof the one is weaker
(in man) and the other stronger. Now, in man, what is weaker than his
breath, which will scarce blow away a straw ? (and his weakness is usually
expressed by this, that ' his breath is in his nostrils.') Now, estimate the
strength of God according unto what is said in the Scriptures of God (and

Chap. VIII.J in respect of sin and punishment. 529

that as to this point of destroying us) after the manner of men. ' By the
very breath of his nostrils we are consumed,* Job iv. 9. His power is such
that he needs put forth no more (as it were) to destroy us. His very weak-
ness is enough. Job had in the same verse first said, ' By the blast of him
we perish,' but because a blast imports some forcibleness, the utmost might
of what is in a man's breath, and it is a man's putting forth his breath with
a more than ordinary violence ; therefore, by way of diminution and correc-
tion, he adds, ' by the breath of his nostrils ;' that is (still measuring it as
spoken after the similitude and manner of men), by the most ordinary and
weakest putting forth of his power. And yet we see if he puts forth no
more, he blows us to destruction when his intent is to destroy. And why ?
For of us the Scriptures use a comparison suitable thereto, in saying that we
are but ' as the dust of the balance :' Isa. xl. 15, ' Yea, all the nations (put
all together) are but as the small dust of the balance ;' as that little that
is left in the balance, when what is weighed is taken forth, which is easily
blown away with a man's breath. Again, yet lower, in man, his nod is of
less force than his breath ; and yet, ' lo, at the rebuke of his countenance
we perish,' Ps. Ixxx. IG ; ' He can look on one that is proud, and abase
him, and his eye can cast about rage and destruction,' Job xl. 11-13. He
had said before, verse 9, * Hast thou an arm like God ?' He riseth from
the power of his nod, the weakness of his power, unto the power of his arm ;
and so may we, from his looks to his breath, from that to his little finger,
from that to his fist, from that to his arm and hands, in which his strength
is said to lie, Luke i. 51. Oh think how dreadful, then, it must needs be to
' fall into those hands ' (as here in the text) ; into those hands, I say, that
' measure the waters in the hollow of them,' that ' span the heavens,' and at
the same time comprehend also ' all the dust of the earth ' in one grasp, as
one of us doth a little pebble ; and verse 15, ' takes up the isles as a very
little thing,' as you would do hazel nutshells out of a pail of water. Now for
thee, a poor grasshopper, to be taken into those hands, and to be gripped,
and crushed, and squeezed with the might thereof; but the Scripture ex-
pressions go further jei : to have this God, like a mill-stone, fall upon thee
with his whole weight, which is Christ's comparison. Mat. xxi. 44. ' Thy
wrath lies hard upon me,' said Heman. You see in summer little green
flies creeping upon green leaves, which, if a man doth but touch, they die.
Such a slight creature art thou in comparison to this God. Or further (as
Job's comparison is), that this great and mighty God should run upon thee
as a mighty giant with his full force, the utmost of his force, as a man doth
upon his enemy ; yet so Job speaks of it, chap. xvi. 14. And in another
place, the same Job, that he should * take thee about the neck' and throttle
thee. Oh what do we, poor ' potsherds of the earth, striving with our Maker!'
as Isaiah speaks, chap. xlv. 9 ; or, as Christ spake from heaven, will flesh
think to kick and spurn against such iron pricks and pikes, which run up
into the soul whilst it strikes upon them.

And that we may yet further have a thorough sensibleness of our
obnoxiousness and exposedness to this great God, let us withal consider his
absolute sovereignty over us, as well as his power. What an inconsiderable
portion doth any one soul (and every one is singly to deal with him for his
own particular) bear unto this infinity of being and glory ! To whom not
one nation, but all nations ; and not only all nations that are now extant in
the world, but that ever have been, or shall be, are counted ' as nothing,'
yea, ' less than nothing.' What a little thing is this island of ours to the
whole body of nations ! And yet all isles are to him but a little thing, as

VOL. X. I, 1

530 AN UNKEGENEEATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

Isaiah speaks. Lord, think thou, what am I to thee, or any man, that thou
shouldst regard him ! Yea, and being sinful, why should any man (as he is
of himself) think that God should have any stick or demur within him, to
withhold himself from destroying him every moment ! For, lo, even the
greatest of men, that have been of greatest wisdom, parts (being sinners), he
hath in his distance and greatness laid them aside, and regarded them not
at all : Job xxxvii. 24, ' He regards not the wise in heart.' What is all or
any excellency in thee to him !

There is therefore no way but to turn unto him, and seeing you must fall
into his hands, prevent him by putting yourselves into his hands. This
great arm of his may be held : Isa. xxvii, 5, ' Let them take hold of my
strength ; fury is not in me.' There is an arm also of another one, that is,
Christ, who can deal with God for thee, and overcome him. Isa. liii. 1,
' To whom is the arm of the Lord (so he termeth Christ) revealed ?' Thus
you have seen and heard something of the greatness of this God, and that
but in general, as he is the author of this punishment, and thereby this
punishment aggrandised unto us, and yet how little do we know of him ! as
Job speaks.

Secondly, Subjoin hereunto the consideration of what is the eminent sub-
ject of this punishment, the soul of man, and that the issue of this punish-
ment is no less than the destruction of that soul. And these two (which I
join together) will afford further reflections, to help us to conceive of the
fearfulness of this punishment. And the consideration hereof cometh in
most pertinently next unto the foregoing, wherein the power of the agent was
spoken to, but now in this the capacity of the subject or patient, and the
receptivity thereof of impressions from this worker.

That the soul is the immediate vessel of this wrath, that I spake to before :
Mat. X. 28, ' Fear not them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the
soul : but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in
hell.' The former part of which words evidently import, 1, that the soul
alone, and immediately in itself, and not only in respect of what it suffers
with or from the body's suffering, is the subject of this punishment, though
the body also is ; and, 2, Christ concludes, that it is the destruction of both
body and soul.

You know also the rule, that the measure of every agent's working upon
another must be taken from the capacity of the subject which the impres-
sion is made upon, as well as from the power of the agent that works. Fire
works more fiercely upon oil and brimstone, than upon stones, or upon dust
or sands. You may discern this in the parts of your own body. Rheum
falling upon the lungs doth not torture so, as falling upon a tooth, a joint,
or eye. How also are the inward parts capable of more exquisite torment,
as by the stone, &c., bred in them, than the outward are, by any cuttings or
wounds ?

Now, the soul of a man is capable of more exquisite impressions from
God's hand, in that it is an intelligent spirit, and in the substantial faculties
of it assimilated to him, made in his image, a spirit as God is, that hath an
understanding, and other faculties to receive and take in from him what he
is pleased to pour forth into it by them, and is accordingly more sensible
thereof, than the senses of the body are or can be supposed to be from
creatures. The prophet Nahum seems to have considered this, chap. i.
ver. 5, 6, when, setting out God's wrath to men in the effects of it, he first
considers how it works upon inanimate creatures, that are at such a dis-
tance (in respect of the kind of their being) from God's : ' It kindleth a fire,'
Bays he, ' which maketh the hills to melt, and the earth is burnt up at his

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 531

presence ; yea, the world, and all that dwell therein' (which he will one day
burn up with fire). Now from these the prophet infers and raiseth up our
thoughts. Doth he work thus upon insensible creatures, as the hills, and
the earth, and the whole world ? Do the elements melt with fervent heat?
Are the heavens shrivelled up as a scroll of parchment before him, by the
violence of that fire which he sends forth ? Consider, then, oh consider, ye
sons of men, how will the fire of his wrath work upon your intellectual souls!
And as unto this scope and coherence with the former, I understand what
follows, ver. 6, ' Who can stand before his indignation ? who can abide ia
the fierceness of bis anger?' He here turncth his speech, and applieth it
to men. For the souls of men being in their beings and kind nearer of kin
to him, spirits, as he is the great Spirit, and the Father of spirits, which were
made only for God, and to be filled with God, have accordingly a more
intimate sense of his workings on them. And it is as if he had said, If,
then, he sends forth such a fire as melts r^nd dissolves the earth, mountains
of iron or brass, how much more will it be able to melt wax ! And such
are men's souls to God, comparatively to other creatures. Christ speaking
of his soul, when he had thus to do with God, in the day of his anger, Ps.
xxii. 14 (that psalm was all made of him) ' My heart is melted like wax, it
is melted in the midst of my bowels.' And towards this sense doth Sanctius
seem to understand that complaint of Job's, uttered to his friends, concern-
ing those terrors of God which he felt within him : Job vi. 4, 11 verses com-
pared, ' Is my strength the strength of stones ? or is my flesh,' my nature
or constitution, ' of brass,' that I should be able to encounter with this indig-
nation of the Almighty ? Stones and brass have no sense in them (or but
a dull sense, if their opinion should hold true, de seiisu remm), they have
no blood nor spirits to make them sensible of these arrows of God's auger he
had spoken of, ver, 4. Ay, but Job meaneth to say, I have a soul made of
other metal, suited to God, the great Spirit, whose an-ows I feel, which is
exquisitely sensible of all his actings. Take the statue of a man made of
brass, or cut out of stone, and slash and cut him, and he feels it not ; but cut
the same Hmbs that answer to these in a living man, made of flesh and blood,
with the same knife, and what torture is it ! You may see this, and aggra-
vate it to yourselves, by what inferior spirits to this great Father of spirits, as
angels and devils can work upon man's soul, that is a spirit like themselves,
being yet inferior to them. When Saul had but one evil spirit sent from
the Lord, how distracted and terrified was he, though in the midst of the
enjoyments of a kingdom ! 1 Sam. xiv. 14. Also that great apostle, that
had his spirit fortified, as having been newly feasted with the joys of heaven,
and that not as at a distance only, but as a spectator, that stood by, present
there, 2 Cor. xii.; yet one angel, ' Satan, bufi"eting him,' he was so disturbed
and put to it, as he knew not what to do, or how to bear it ; only God told
him, ' My grace is sufficient for thee.' Well, but do men's souls in hell
* fight with flesh and blood,' yea, or ' with principalities and powers' chiefly?
No ; that is but whilst they are the 'rulers of this world,' as there it is
added. And yet if these spirits have such power over our spirits to buffet
and terrify them, what hath God, the Father of them ?

Again, consider how the soul is capable of more joys and sorrows than the
bodily senses are, and this by how much it doth exceed them in its eminency
and capacity. The soul is able to drink up all the pleasures the whole crea-
tion can afford the bodily senses, or they bring in ; to drink them up (I say)
even at one draught, and yet would in the midst of it still cry. Give, Give.
Now, as it is in the body of a man, look whatever part is capable of more plea-
sure, it is also capable of more pains. So the soul proportionably ; look how

532 AN UNKEGENERATE MAN's GUILTIKESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

capable it is of greater joys (as it is from God), it is as much of sorrows also,
unto the same extension and intension of them.

Add, II., as to this point, that as the soul is thus vastly capable of more
sorrow and anguish, so further, that these souls to be punished are filled
with sin, and in that respect termed ' vessels of wrath fitted to destruction,'
Horn. ix. 22. Take a barrel of wood, and of itself it will burn as it is wood ;
but if withal it be pitched within, and full of tar and combustible matter, it
will buiii more ragingly. Of unfruitful branches, apostatising from Christ,
it is said, Johnxv. 6, that they are ' cast into the fire, and they are burned ;'
that is, they bui-n to pm-pose, make a mighty fire. That clause, ' and they
are burned,' is added by way of aiu-esis or emphasis; else it needed not. We
see when sins were but laid upon Christ by imputation, who in himself was
separate from sinners, and had no conscience of sin, how yet the anger of
God against sin dealt with him, as undertaking to be a surety for sin. And
' can you drink,' says Christ, ' the cup that I am to drink of '?' that is, so as
to bear it and not be overcome with it. Now, in Luke xxiii. 31, you may
see how Christ infers fi'om his sufferings, as being the sufiierings of one who
had not been himself personally guilty of sin, what therefore, with difference,
those in whom sin is inherent must expect. ' Weep for yourselves,' says
he, ' for if they do those things to the green tree, what will be done in the
dry ?' that is, who are fit combustible matter for the fire, and, as the pro-
phet says, ' are as stubble fully diy,' Nahum i. 10 : and of the terribleness
of God's anger he had before discoursed (as was even now observed) in ail
that chapter.

Again, III., in the soul, some faculties are more capable of anguish from
his wrath than other, even as in the body some parts are more of pain. If
a man would avoid a scalding drop to be let fall upon any part, of all other
he would fence his eye. You see how a mote, a fly troubleth it ; a scalding
di-op of oil would much more. So it is in the faculties of the soul. You
read there is the * spirit of the mind,' Eph. iv. 23. Now God will wound
even that, and aims at it in this punishment. ' A wounded spirit who can
bear ?' says Solomon. If a man's flesh be torn and cut, he may yet bear up
himself, but if his bones be broken, ' who can stand ?' Now the immediate
strokes of God are so compared by David, as unto the breaking of the bones,
in comparison of other dealings of God with, and inflictions from God to-
wards us.

The next thing which I mention, but as an appendix to this head, is, that
it is the destruction of the soul. So Christ and the apostle again and again.
They are said to be lost ; and though men may metaphysically dispute that
it is better to be, though in hell, than not to be, yet Christ hath said, ' it
were better not to have been born.' I shall say no more as to this head
than what the apostle expresseth this by, in 1 Tim. vi. 9, in saying, that
men are ' drowned in perdition and destruction.' One would think for him
to have expressed death and destruction, it might have been enough to have
said that a man were drowned, or sunk down to the bottom of waters, or the hke
materials that would suffocate a man ; but to say he is ' drowned in perdi-
tion' itself, or that ' perdition and destruction' are the pit, the lake he is
plunged into, what can be said beyond it ? And yet here he is not content
with one single word to express that by either, as to have said, ' drowned in
perdition,'' but must double it, and add another word, destruction, also. De-
stroyed, therefore, over and over ; drowned over head and ears, as we say,
and all that is in them drowned and sunk into perdition ; the whole soul,
yea, the whole man. No part above water : destroyed with a double destruc-

Cli\P. VIII. ] IN KKSlMCOr OF SIN AND I'UNISHMKNT. 583

tlon ; both for object double, and also for the subject of it, both body and
soul. So Christ says.

The third head that aflbrds matter of exaggeration to our thoughts, where-
by to infer the fearfulness of this punishment, is taken from the ends or final
causes mentioned in that first section : the ends, I say, which God hath
in, and is provoked by unto this punishment. And as I then singly argued
from each of them the immediateness of God's hand therein, so now I shall
from each of the same, the dreadfulness hereof. There were three attributes
of God in special, and his glory in common, which God aimeth at the mani-
festation of, in this ultimate guerdon or reward for sin. 1. The manifesta-
tion of the glory (that is in common) ; then particularly, 1st, of his power ;
2dly, the satisfying of his justice ; 3dly, of his wTath. The scriptures I
then had recourse to, do specify all these. I shall speak to these in this sec-
tion, and to the other in the following.

1. In general, that he aimeth at his glory in it (which is God's general
aim, and is common to these and all other attributes) is evident. His glory
(as it is to be manifested to us) is but the result or shine of all or any of his
attributes, manifested in that place of Prov. xvi. 4, ' The Lord hath made all
things for himself,' that is, for his glory (for that is himself, ' My glory I
will not give to another') it follows, ' yea, even the wicked for the day of
e^dl.' The day of evil there is the day of punishment, the wicked them-
selves also making and preparing themselves by sin thereto ; but so as
thereupon God manifests his glory upon them, as well as upon all things else,
which he hath made in their several seasons and kinds. And Solomon doth
mention this of punishment, as one eminent instance of all things else what-
ever that are for his glory, and which will be ordered then by him thereunto
in a special manner ; and because (it being so great an evil) men might think
otherwise, yea, but, says Solomon, God seeks and will have a glory out of
this punishment, as well as out of all things else, of which ye all acknow-
ledge that God made them for himself. And so in that 2 Thes. i. 9, they
are said to be ' punished from the glory of his power ;' that is, from his
power, gloi-ifying himself on them, as I before expounded it. And as it is
for the glory of this his power, so by the same reason of all or any of those
other attributes, he is pleased to put forth therein.

I shall premise two maxims, from whence forelaid the inference for the
dreadfulness of this will more readily rise, in an infinite height, unto our more
serious and sober apprehensions.

1. The first, that all things which God doth for his own glory, he will per-
form them like himself, that. is, like God, and so make the utmost of everj--
thing that that subject matter, whatever it be, will afibrd of glory to him.
This rule is ascertained to us, as from the nature of God, so from that say-
ing of the apostle, Rom. i. 21, where he condemns the Gentiles, that they
' glorified him not as God,' that is, in such a manner as was worthy of him ;
they came not up to that height of glory, so great a God must have given
unto him from creatures. Now, if it be the sin of creatures that they fall
short in glorifying God as God, then be assured that if God himself under-
takes and professeth to do a thing for his glory, he will, in the whole of it,
and issue thereof, either glorify himself as God, or never begin to essay or
meddle with it, but would have let it alone for ever.

2. From hence take this also along with you, to carry it in your view
through each particular that follows : that then, if God seeks to glorify him-
self in a way of punishment, that punishment must be answerably_ great and
proportioned to raise up a glory unto God, such as shall ' glorify him _ as
God ' in that way. For it is the punishment or the judgment itself which

534 AN UNKEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFOKE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

he executes (as the psalmist says) out of which this glory must spring. This
punishment, as it is a punishment, is that wherein God will be glorified as
God ; that is, it is the soil which this crop of his glory is to grow up out
of, and the crop or harvest of glory can be but what the fertility of that soil,
as such, affords. These things in general forelaid.

Now, 8, the greatness or vast comings in of that glory God reckons upon
from this may rise up in your view by these particulars.

(1.) Had it not been that, in comparison of other works of his, an infinitely
exceeding revenue of glory would have arisen unto him from this, God would
never have set his heart or hand to this work of all other ; I say it again, he
■would never have set his hand to this work of all other. For as he is
Creator, he hath a love to all, and hates nothing that he hath made ; he loves
no such bloody work for itself, nor would have ever imbrued his hands in
the destruction of his creature, had it not been for an exceeding weight of
glory ; and as being justly provoked thereto, it becometh a just prize on that
hand presented to him, which he will be sure withal to manage and perform
"with the utmost righteousness. It is certain that this is to him opus alieraim,
a work strange to his nature, as the prophet speaks. He does not naturally
nor willingly (says the Lamentation) ' afflict or grieve the children of men,'
Lam. iii. 33. Men's quarrellings and cavils hereabout did put him long
since to his oath, and he hath cleared himself by oath in Ezekiel : ' As I live,
I will not the death of a sinner ;' that is, not simply, as if I delighted in it
for itself, as a God that is cruel (which was objected) ; and therefore I say
peremptorily it must be an infinite mass of glory, after much longsufiering
and impenitency of men, that moves him to it. And if so, then, accord-
ing to the principles even now mentioned, do you that are impenitent sin-
ners look to it, for ex vestro corio (I allude to Job's speech, skin for skin),
out of the blood of j^our souls, and their destruction, shall this tribute and
tax of glory be raised, according unto what your sinfulness shall be found to
have been. And oh, then, do you collect how fearful it is like to be ! View
it in a contrary, and indeed though an instance far transcending the propor-
tion of this, yet in respect of holding some likeness to God's proceeding in
this, will conduce to heighten our thoughts about this. It is a consideration
that helps our faith (and it is a great one) that for God to deliver up his
own Son to death, and for himself to bruise him (you have it all in a short
saying, Isa. liii. 10, • It pleased the Lord to bruise him '), and that this
should be the object of his good pleasure, there must have been some in-
comprehensible vast design of glory to accrue therefrom, to be attained by
doing it, some high end and far transcending design that was to be the issue
and product of it ; which, as you know, was the glory of his mercy and love
in the salvation of men : ' Glory to God on high, good will to men.' And
this is as great an evidence and argument to our faith that God is resolved
to save sinners as can be given. For what hath been thus done to Christ is
past recalling, not to be recompensed any other way than by saving many by
the knowledge of him, as God there speaks. Now as this instance of the
highest kind serves to evidence this thing to us, so, though in a far lesser pro-
portion, you may take somewhat a like illustration, at least in the point in hand;
that certainly it must be a great surpassing mass of glory that will come in
unto him by this punishment for sin, which should any way gain him to be
so much as willing to it, against which otherwise he hath so much in his
own nature, who had it withal in his absolute power to have given effectual
grace to all as well as to some ; which latter all acknowledge he hath done,
even as it was in his power to have saved the world without Christ's death,
Mark xiv. 36. 0 ye sons of men, know and understand your God, and

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 585

be moved theroby to turn unto him ; and the more by this, that it must and
will prove an infinite punishment that is coming upon you, because, were it
not an immense sum of glory would accrue to him out of it, and that but
upon your final impenitency ; he that is a God so good in himself would
never else bring it upon you. And according to that first maxim premised,
it must be the soreness of the punishment from whence that glory must
arise.

(2.) Consider herewith how that he hath reserved this, as his last work in
that other world, when this world shall come to bo folded up as a garment,
and a final conclusion be put to all these other dispensations and works of
glory that are now on foot. And as Solomon told us that he hath * made
the wicked for himself and for the day of evil,' so Job also tells us, that ' the
wicked is reserved to tlie day of destruction, and shall be brought forth at
(or to) the day of wrath.' Reserved by God till after all his other works of
wonder are ended and gone, then to be brought forth as a trophy of his glory.
Both themselves and all their sins are reserved till then, and laid up amongst
God's treasures, to be then made public. The salvation of his elect and
the destruction of the wicked are the last and only works that then remain,
and do remain, and are purposely kept unto that time, when he means to
shew himself to be God indeed, and to make all men and angels know that
he is God. It is an argument of the fearfulness of that punishment the
devils shall undergo, Jude 6, 2 Peter ii. 4, that he hath ' reserved them in
everlasting chains unto the judgment of the great day.' It is a certain rule
that God's latter works do still exceed and put down the former, so far as
the former shall not in comparison be remembered, Isa. Ixv. 17, Jer. iii. 16.
When God would make his apostles (as to this world) the greatest spectacle
of miseiy that (excepting what he made his own Son, who was the first
born among many brethren), he ever put upon saints, prophets, or martyrs,
that had preceded and were before them, how doth the apostle express his
design in it, 1 Cor. iv. 9 ? 'I think,' says he, ' that God hath set forth us
the apostles last as it were, men appointed to death, for we are made a spec-
tacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men : ' alluding to those gladia-
tors brought up last upon the stage as a spectacle to the people. The thing I
cite it for is, that the greatest work in that kind he appointed to be at last,
as also was that which immediately preceded it, the coming of his Son in the
last days. And but this of punishing the wicked in his last, and very last,
of all that he will do for ever.

(8.) Especially let us withal consider besides how all his ^actings and works
whereby to glory himself for ever shall be reduced and contracted to these
two. He gives over all other of providence and spiritual dispensations by
ordinances, and sets down and betakes himself to these two alone. God
hath nothing else to do in the other world ; and he hath no other revenue
of manifested glory that remains extant ; he lives and reigns eternally in or
upon these two ; and yet this is, then, when he is resolved to the utmost to
be glorious. And yet all is but what comes out of these two works, the
salvation of the elect and destruction of the wicked.

(4.) Again, consider these two are uniform works, and unvarying, and
* without shadow of turning.' In this world he makes a variety and inter-
change of providences, which are exercised in such works as he sometimes
takes up and then lays down again at pleasure ; he ' sets one thing against
another,' as Solomon speaks. Every day and age produceth a variety and
alteration. And this is because his glory, that appeareth but imperfectly in
some one (as in this and that particular), may have an additional perfection
in some other, that so all that variety may, like small pieces in tapestry,

580 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [^^O^K XIII.

make that piece of work complete. And yet we see how in this mixture,
and often but in some one single work or piece wrought and done but once,
how much of God's glory appears to the wonderment of men and angels.
Whereas now this last work of punishing wicked men (as likewise that other
of salvation), are but as one continued dispensation, of one woof, and uniform
for ever, without change, variety, or interruption. The whole stream of God's
activity contracts itself unto and runs in these two channels, and no more, in
onme volubilis cevum. And how strong must you needs suppose these two
streams each of them to be, whenas the manifestation of the Deity doth now
run so strongly in a thousand rivulets. This in general, from the manifesta-
tion of his glory.

I named three attributes in particular, which God doth more eminently
shew forth in this great and last work of his

First, His power.

Secondly, Justice.

Thirdly, Avenging wrath, to the end to gain a glory to himself out of all
these.

First, His power. That you have in two places : Rom, ix. 22, * What if
God, willing to shew his wrath, and make his power known ?' His power,
you see, is mentioned distinct from his wrath, though indeed it will provoke
to be the power of his wrath ; but I shall distinctly speak of it. You have
it also mentioned as that attribute which shall be most glorified hereby in
2 Thes. i. 9, ' Who shall be punished with destruction from the glory of his
power.' I afore spake some things of the greatness of God's power as in
relation to this punishment, in shewing how fearful it is to fall into the
hands of God, in the first head or demonstration in this section. I shall only
here add,

1. This general rule concerning it, that the drawing forth of power or
activity by God in any work, is still but what is proportionable and answer-
able to the work ; that is, the efiect shall be answerable in greatness to the
power that is said to be put forth. It is certain God over-acts nothing. Now
the efiect wherein this power of his is put forth, is here said to be destruc-
tion ; and therefore that destruction must be conceived proportioned to the
power that is said to be exerted. There was never work which God ever
did, wherein he professed to shew forth a transcendency of power, or of any
other attribute, but it was wonderful and glorious in its kind. All his attri-
butes are himself, and so as great as himself. This visible world, in its
kind, what a glorious building is it, consisting of heaven and earth ! and to
what end was it that he professed he made it '? You have it Rom. i. 20, that
by the creation of the world might be ' understood his eternal power and
Godhead.' And if he that created and raised up such beings out of nothing
shall profess yet further to make his power known, and will use that power,
and put it forth in destroying, to shew forth the glory of it, how great will
that destruction be which must bear a proportion to such a manifestation !
That after God hath in so gi-eat and so various works preceding this, suffi-
ciently, as we might think, shewn himself God, in point of power, or what
a powerful God he is ; that yet after all, as if in all these he had not given
so full proof or demonstration of power, and as not satisfied with all the
former as not enough, he should be after all willing, as the apostle says here,
at last to begin a new work, which should make the ears of the whole crea-
tion tingle, on purpose to make his power known : this is it swallows
up my thoughts into astonishment, knowing both that, according to the
rule before given, his last works ordained to shew forth any attribute, must
infinitely exceed the former, that served to the making known thereof; and

Chap. VilL] in respect of sin and punishment. 687

that again puts a new amazement into my thoughts, to think how, or
wherein so much a greater proportion of power should be spent ! If it were
barely to annihilate, and bring the creature to its first nothing, there needs
not an extension of power ; it were but withdrawing that word of his power
that tolds up and bears up all things, Heb. i. 3, and these, as all, would fall
to nothing. But over and above, you read here of such a destruction as
draws out his power positively, and makes his power known afresh. Spe-
cially, when again I consider as to this particular, that to destroy the well-
being of anything is, in the ordinary experience of us creatures, more easy
than to give being. A mau that cannot make alive the least of creatures,
not the least fly or flea, can yet with an easy touch destroy them. I hinted
before some respects wherein this destruction might exceed, in respect of
power concurring to it, that of the creation. In the creation there was
but a single expense of power, namely, of merely raising up out of nothing ;
but in this a double. For the wrath of God, exerted in the fierceness of it,
hath a tendency to bring, and would, if no other power intervened, bring the
sinner unto nothing ; as that speech of Jeremiah doth imply, chap. x. 24,
' Correct me not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing ;' as also that
of Nahum, ' Who can stand in the fierceness of his anger ?' So as under
this his pressure of the creature unto nothing, for God to uphold that crea-
ture in being, is equivalent unto a continual educing it out of nothing again.
Oh what destruction must that then be in the execution of it, in which God
will positively put forth more power than in creating, and thereby, after all
other works of power shewn, get himself the name among the whole creation
of being a powerful God indeed ! But of this destruction, more hereafter.
Thus much for that of power.

The second attribute is justice, which he will to the utmost shew forth in
this punishment. So in the text, ' The Lord shall judge his people ;' and
2 Thes. i. 9, {dlzriv rlaovdiv) ' They shall lay down, or pay a punishment ;'
and ver. 6, ' It is a righteous thing in God to recompense tribulation,' &c.
And indeed, God's power herein is not put forth simply out of sovereignty,
or for itself, but is drawn out by justice and wrath, to execute what they
are provoked unto. I before gave this as one reason why God himself
must execute this punishment, because else the punishment will not come
up to satisfy his justice ; but now I make use of the same to infer the dread-
fulness thereof: that it is the falling into the hands, as of a potent God, so
of a just God recompensing for sin, and extending his mighty power to
inflict a punishment, which should in justice hold proportion with the de-
merit of sin, that so the exactness of his justice might appear.

Now, to heighten our apprehensions of the dreadfulness of this punish-
ment from this particular, consider,

1. The infinite demerit of sin. Which is not enough known or considered
by the miserable subjects thereof, because indeed God himself, in his holi-
ness, and in his greatness, is not known by them. Now, because men will
not otherwise know, nor be sensible of sin, in the spiritual evil of it against
God, therefore it is that God is put upon it thus to make men know it, and
what God himself is ; for men to sin against him by such dreadful efiects, as
in justice shall hold proportion with their sin and the desert thereof. And
God professeth he will herein be exact, Heb. ii. 2, so as ' every transgres-
sion shall receive a just recompence of reward;' not such or such sins, some
few more eminent sins only, but every transgression shall have a reward pro-
portionate. ' He that is the Judge of all the world, shall not he be exact?'
as Abraham in another case, Gen. xvii. Yes ; in this ultimate punishment
he will be sure to I e, as Isaiah speaks, chap, xxviii. ver. 17, ' To lay judg-

538 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII

ment to the line, and righteousness to the plummet,' as carpenters do when
they would fit things one to another, and make things uniform and corres-
pondent, and square them adequately to an hair's breadth, as we say. And
thus God will do in judging ; he will bring his line and his plummet, take
measure of the heinousness of every sin, and mete a punishment adequate
thereto. And if so, then this punishment, how dreadful will it be ! ' If thou
■wilt be severe to mark what is done amiss, who will be able to stand ?'
says the psalmist, Ps. cxxx. 3, The heinousness of sin is measured by
the greatness of that glory whereof it is the debasement ; and that debase-
ment done to him, further measured by this, that it is by so mean things
as we creatures are to God ; and so is estimated by the worth of that person
against whom it is committed, which therefore could by no other means be
expiated, but by the debasement and emptying of as great a glory, due to
the person of the Son of God, appearing in our nature as one person there-
with. Sin, the apostle tells us, Eom. vii. 13, is ' above measure sinful.'
And hence, accordingly, this punishment is estimated to be above measure
fearful. Thus Jer. xxx, 11, and Isa. xxvii. 7, 8, God putting this very
difierence between his punishing godly men, his own children, and his punish-
ing wicked men, 'Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him ? '
No ; for he puts this difference in the 8th verse, he smites his own in
measure. You may thus take the compass, the magnitude, and the depth
of it by this, that therefore oppositely his punishing the other exceeds all
measure. Sin is the creature's proper work, and'punishment is God's work.
* Vengeance belongeth unto me,' says the text ; he challengeth it as his.
Now it is certain God will shew himself as perfect and as exact in his work
as man and Satan have been in theirs ; he will not be exceeded dr outgone
by them. ' The Lord is known,' says the psalmist, ' by the judgment that
he executeth,' Ps. ix. 16. If the creature be so wicked as to bring forth so
heinous an evil {in rjenere moris) as sin is, which is malum catholictim, a
catholic evil, and accordingly hath the name of all evil given it, as virtually
and transcendently containing all that God or man calls evil, then be assured
that God who is so just will be as sure to bring forth, by way of return upon
the creature, a punishment that shall be, in genere poemc, in its kind, malum
catJwlicum., an universal evil also. And such Ezekiel terms it, speaking of
the evil of punishment; it is 'an evil, and an only evil,' Ezek. vii. 5 ; that
is, such an evil as shall be nothing but evil, and that shall contain the spirit,
the quintessence of all evil in it. Therefore, Ps. Ixxv. 8, ' In the hand of
the Lord there is a cup, and it is full of mixture ; ' as if an artist that knows
the nature of all simples should temper a cup that is full of all sorts of
poisons, and which is a compound of the bitterest, loathsomest ingredients
this earth puts forth. Even thus hath God strained the quintessence of all
evils into one cup ; and it follows there, ' the wicked of the earth must drink
the dregs of it ; ' which phrase also argues such a mixure as this we speak
of ; the bitterest of all is at the bottom, and it is eternity to the bottom,
and they must not nor shall not leave a drop, but suck out the dregs, as the
prophet's phrase is, Ezek. xxiii. 34. Thou hast a ' cup of abomination,' and
when thou hast ' filled up thy measure,' then will God take a measure of
thy cup, and fill the same proportion of dregs and mixture to thee in a cup
of his tempering.

2. Consider that in the manifestation of this attribute of justice there
must, of all other (nest unto that of mercy), be a more special glory intended
and designed by God himself, unto which this punishment must bear an
eminent proportion, as being the matter wherein it appears. I said before,
that if God professed to manifest any attribute of his whatever, it still hath

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 539

been done in such eflfects of wonder as all the creation is set admiring of.
Now of all other attributes, these two of justice and mercy are the prime,
which he sets the greatest value upon the manifestation of. And therefore
still look how they are more eminent, or by how much the more eminently
he intends to manifest them above other attributes, by so much must the
effects in and by which he manifesteth them exceed and excel all other works.

Now that these are the brightest jewels in that crown of his glory, and
which he intends most to embellish, may be seen in this : 1. That he hath
chosen the choicest and most excellent of his creatures as the stuff or mate-
rials in which to set these forth ; namely, angels and men, and Christ him-
self the head of all. That look as curious engravers, when they would shew
their best art and chiefest workmanship, they cull out the choicest materials,
as either precious stones, cedar, or marble, to work upon ; and so embroid-
erers, the finest stuff or cloth for the groundwork they would embroider
gold or pearls upon ; thus hath God singled forth angels and men, the
chief of, and more noble creatures (in the stuff they consist of) than the rest
of his whole creation. Power and wisdom is seen in other creatures, but
vindictive justice, as also grace and saving mercy, only on men and angels.
And, 2, although he hath shewn forth more of wisdom and power in the
frame and fabric of men and angels than in the whole of heaven and earth,
yet still, comparatively, more of justice and mercy in these two, than that
all or any of the otlier attributes shewn forth in and upon them comes
unto ; whereof this is sufficient evidence, that they have the name of ' vessels
of mercy' and 'vessels of wrath,' Rom. ix. You read nowhere that they
are termed vessels of power or vessels of wisdom, which is a token that they
are filled with these, in that they carry away the denomination (which is
VLsnallj d prlncipaliori), as if no attributes else in comparison seemed to
appear. And yet how much of power and wisdom is seen in the fabric of
man, David tells us, ' I am wonderfully or fearfully made.' So then, those
that shall prove to be the miserable vessels of this his wrath and justice,,
shall be so filled with the punishment whereby this justice is made known,
as shall deservedly bear the name of wTath and judgment engraven upon
it of all other attributes. 'The day in which he will judge the world,' Acts
xvii. 31, is elsewhere called the day of destruction, the day of wrath, the
day of judgment, &c. It beareth its denomination from this very work we
speak of.

And further, consider how [he hath given out beforehand, almost six
thousand years before, concerning this work above all works else, and hath
posted it upon Enoch's pillars (you know the tradition I allude to) as you
use to do citations, Jude 14, 15, or as you do indicere diem, set a day for
the most solemn works. 'Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied
hereof, saying. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to
execute judgment upon all,' &c. And further and besides, God speaks of
preparations to have been all along made by him during the time of this
world against that day. The persons are a-fitting, Rom. ix ; the punish-
ment a-preparing, ' prepared for the devil and his angels,' even from their
very first fall. Now certainly God would never raise up in us, by such
words given out by himself, so gi'eat expectations, if the reality, the execu-
tion, the thing itself, should not answer to all these. Yea, after all his other
works of wonder finished and perfected, he professeth to come on purpose to
be glorified. And in what ? as well in rendering vengeance in the destruc-
tion of wicked men as in the glorifying his saints, 2 Thes.i. 6-10, ' Seeing
it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that
trouble you; and to you that are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus

540 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ : who shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord, and from the gloiy of his power : when he
shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that
believe, in that day.' He carries on the glorifying himself and of his power
in the one as well as in the other.

Yea, and to render the solemnity of this work and day yet greater, he
calls a general assembly of all men and angels that are or have been, or of
men that yet shall be, in either worlds, to be present and see the execution.

To conclude. It is therefore called ' the great day,' as that ' reserved to
the judgment of the great day,' Jude G, and other speeches. And why the
great day, but from this work of that day that shall be done upon it, which
this day shall then bring forth and produce ; as days have their style and
denomination from the work of the day, opus diei in die siio. So this (as
was said) is called the day of destruction, wrath, &c. And if so, then that
style of greatness must be from the greatness of the work that shall be done
thereon. And so the judgment of the great day, because great will the
judgment be that is to be executed on that day.

Lastly. God hath in the mean time suftered his glory to be debased,
himself to be the least regarded in the world, sin and the devil to carry all
before them, and sinners to have the glory ; relieving himself in the mean
time that he hath a treasure of glory to be broken up at that day, Rom.
ii. 3, when he will come on purpose to be glorious. He hath suffered an
eclipse of six thousand years, that in the end he may break forth with a
redoubled glory. And all that glory must come in this way, even from this
punishment he shall execute. And it must be a recovery of greater glory
than he should have had by man's holiness in that first state by creation,
or God would never have let sin have come into the world ; he meant not to
be a loser.

I come next to argue this from the third attribute, his wrath ; or if you
will, his power and justice, as intended and heightened to extremities by
wrath ; and though he will be just in what he doth, yet it is justice put on
by wrath. He recompenseth sin, not only as rector universi, judge of all the
world, and so upon the account of public rules given forth, to vindicate the
equity and righteousness of which, he punisheth the transgressions of them ;
but over and above he doth it as resenting an injury, a personal affront given
to himself, his person ; and this draws forth his wrath and vengeance on his
own behalf.

As it is termed vengeance, so zeal, in Heb. x. 27, and 1 Cor. x. 22, ' Do
you provoke the Lord to jealoixsy ?' In Nahum i. 2, see what a conglome-
ration there is of attributes and effects.

God is jealous ; that is the first. He compares that in God unto that in
man, which, Solomon tells us, is the * rage of man,' Prov. vi. 84.

Again, 2, The Lord reiJengeth, the Lord revengdh. That is the effect,
and he says it twice, as speaking of one who is inflamed with anger.

Then, 3, to shew how fiercely in revenging he executes it, even with fun',
he adds, The Lord revengeth and is furious'; who yet professeth elsewhere of
of himself, 'Fury is not in me ;' that is, of myself it is not, Isa. xxvii. 4.
But as he is provoked by sin and impenitency, so fury is in him. ' The
Lord is furious.'

Then, 4, follows the subject thereof, and what they are to kim whom his
fury^waxeth so hot against, enemies and adversaries : ' The Lord will take
vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.'

Chap. VIII.] in kespecx of sin and punishmknt. 541

Which accords with this text, ' Vengeance is mine, I will recompense the
adversaries,' ver. 27,

And, 5, if any urge, Yea, but is not God merciful, and slow to anger ?
Yes, says he, ver. 3, the Lord is slotc to anf/er. But he brings it into shew
that in this case it is that very patience of his, which in the issue works up
unto that fury, Losa putieiitia fit furor.

And then, 6, he further warns them to consider, that in the execution of
this fury to the utmost, his power comes to be engaged, The Lord is great iit
power.

And lastly. He u-iU not at all acquit the wicked that lives and dies in his
sins ; which is a clause or proviso he still puts in, even when he speaks the
greatest things of his mercy. See Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.

And although the very reading this description of God as an avenger
shews forth alone its own dreadfulness, yet further, to clear and enlarge
upon it, consider,

1. How it is justice heightened by wrath to a fury, and all of these whet-
ting on and drawing out the greatness of power. And to this purpose we
find, as was observed, power and wrath joined, in Rom. ix. 22 and Ps. xc,

* Who hath known the power of thine anger ?' His jealousy draws out his
strength, and his power works in a way of wrath. Take a man ; let his
blood, his fury be up, and thereby all his spirits are intended and stirred,
and he is able to strike a greater and heavier blow than at another time ;
as Samson, in his fury against the Philistines, he pulls down the pillars
of the house. Now bring this to God, and though his power is the same,
and not greater, when he executeth vengeance on his enemies, than at all
other times ; yet being attributed to him after the manner of men, it im-
ports to us something of analogy (whereby the wox'king of his power in such
a case is set out) which it holds with what is in men in the like case.

And so shews (1.) that if ever he did or will upon any occasion, or can
be supposed to shew forth power and strength, it will be in this, for he is in
fury ; and in that fury talks of the greatness of his power, which in men in
their fury useth to be at the highest ; and they shew forth their strength in
no acts so much as those which they do in fury.

(2.) That comparatively therefore unto other works of his, wherein he
shews forth power, he is to be supposed to shew forth more of power in this.
Consider, therefore, if God shewed forth power in creating the world, &c.,
yet according to this analogy I may say of all those kinds of works whatever
(speaking after the manner of men), that he did them coolly as it were ; but
this he doth in fury, and so may well be supposed to put forth more of power
in these, in that respect, than in those other.

• 2. Avenging wrath is more than simple anger. A man is angry with a
friend, and so is God often with his children ; and then he ' stirs not up all
his wrath,' as Ps. Ixxviii. But the butt and mark which revenge shoots its
arrows at, is an enemy, as both out of Nahum and the twenty-seventh verse
of this chapter was observed. And not only so, but such as are irrecon-
cileable enemies ; for that is the state of men in hell, and the posture of
their spirits there towards God, to be fixed in malice. Now when vengeance
in God shall be extreme, who shall be able to bear it ?

3. Justice hath a mixture of pity mingled with it ; but when it is a case of
revenge, there is a decorum put upon the extremity of justice. It is the re-
venge of an injury, which, though in the creature, who itself is a subject of
Gods (who only hath the sovereignty of power), it is therefore inglorious and
unworthy ; yet, in God, who is the supreme, in case of wrong and injmy to
himself, this hath a glory in it : ' Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.' No

542 AN UNEEGENEEATE MAK's GUILTINESS BEFOEE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

wonder, then, if it be termed * severity,' Rom. xi. 23 ; ancl James ii. 13, ex-
pressly, ' judgment without mercy ;' and perhaps in that respect also it is,
that. Rev. xiv. 10, it is termed, ' wrath without mixture ;' that is, pure wrath
which hath no mixture, not a drop to cool one's tongue. And again, * wrath
to the uttermost,' as 1 Thes. ii. IG, the apostle speaks of that wrath which,
upon the destruction of Jerusalem (the type of the day of judgment), befell
that nation. And so it is set forth in the language of the wrath at the great
day, as Grotius hath observed, which is wrath to the uttermost ; and as God
is said to ' rest in his love ' shewn to his children, Zeph. iii. 17, so his
wi-ath satisfies itself in accomphshing vengeance : Ezek. vii. 8, 9, ' I will ac-
complish mine anger upon thee ; and I will judge thee according to thy
ways, and I will recompense thee for all thine abominations. And mine eye
shall not spare, neither will I have pity ; I will recompense thee according
to thy ways, and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee, and ye
shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth ; ' and therefore is often called
a sacrifice, as Mark ix. 49.

And this answers an objection may be made. Did not David expressly
choose rather to ' fall into the hand of God than man '?' 2 Sam. xxiv. 14.
The answer is at hand in the same place : ' for his mercies are great ;' that is
David's reason for it there. And so indeed the difference lies in chastising
anger, and avenging wrath, and David there speaks of God's chastising his
children in this world ; but in the world to come you see the case is altered. It
is the falling into the hands of an avenger, who in that execution professeth
to shew no mercy : ' He that made them will have no pity on them.'

Lastly, Consider how wrath sets all that is in God against a man, whets
and sharpens the whole activity of every attribute. What is the reason that
in the text, when this dreadful execution is spoken of, the attribute of the
living God is mentioned rather than power ? &c. The life of God speaks
the whole of his attributes. The whole of his nature and Godhead, as it is
active and working, this life imports. In hell, God draws out all his forces,
all his attributes into the field, whereof wrath is the leader and general. All
his perfections conspire either to stir up and enkindle wrath, or to assist him
in the execution. How power is drawn forth and intended, I shewed before.
Wisdom, that marshals all into order, * sets both thy sins in order,' in the
view of thy conscience, Ps. 1. 21, and ' sets his terrors in battle array against
thee;' it is Job's expression, chap. vi. 4, and the same word in both places.
And as it marshals all, so whets on to vengeance : Prov. i. 25, ' Ye have
set at nought all my counsel ; I will therefore laugh at your calamity, I will
mock when your fear cometh.' It is wisdom speaks this, ver. 20. * Be not
deceived,' saith the apostle, ' God is not mocked,' Gal. vi. 7. It imports
two things :

1. That sinners think to illude and deceive God. As what is it else to
think to defer repentance to the last, and then to come and flatter, and look
to be saved, as if they had served him from the very first moment of their
lives ? They herein think to go beyond God.

2. That in such cases God's wisdom takes it and resents it to the height.
Nothing adds unto provocation more, in a man that is wise, than to perceive
how another man thinks to go beyond him, and impose upon his wisdom.
And it is wisdom in a man that makes him he would not be mocked, deceived,
or trifled withal ; this principle riseth up in God's heart, the judge of all
the world. Again, his holiness cries out to him against the sinner : Thou
art a pure God, and I can endure to behold no iniquity ; and the ' eyes of
my glory have been provoked ' by this sinner continually. Then says justice
too, I must be satisfied to the utmost farthing, and have the last drop of

Chap. VIII.] in respect of sin and punishment. 543

blood that is in their souls ; and this their punishment executed on their own
persons is all I shall have or can recover for all the dishonour hath been
done thee ; for Christ, through their unbelief, hath not taken off one farthing
of their debt, but all is left and remains upon their own score. And I can
no other way recover glory, but by having it out of them ; and therefore it
is that an eternity is required, because, but by an eternity of suffering it is
that they can come to satisfy : Prov. xxvii. 20, ' Hell and destruction are
never full,' or satisfied, as the next words shew the meaning to bo. Then
saj'S truth and righteousness, Their whole lives have been contrary to my
love, the whole actings and courses of them have been but a mnking a lie, a
web of hypocrisy, continually woven and vended: Rev. xxii. 15, that 'love
and make a lie;' and Rom. iii. 13, ' their tongues are full of falsehood and
deceit ; ' and again, ' give them their portion with hypocrites,' whom of all
else I hate, says truth. Then boils up jealousy, Eveiy creature hath been
an idol, and made their god, and set up in God's stead, and they have been
inflamed with them, as of idolaters the prophet speaks; 'idols of jealousy'
have all their lusts been, and the glory due to me hath been given to them.
But you will say, Will not mercy at last speak a good word for them ? Will
it not allay and moderate all these ? No ; but turn as fiercely against them as
any other attribute, and plead, I indeed did a long while resti'ain all these
other attributes that were provoked every moment, ' whom God endured with
much long-sufi"ering,' says Rom. ix. 22 ; and that they have lived so long free
from wrath hath been by means of me, I waiting for their repentance, which
hath cost me millions. I have spent riches on them, in forbearance of them,
all which now is to be reckoned to them in wrath. You have it Rom.
ii. 4, 5, ' They have despised the riches of his goodness, and forbearance,
and long-suffering ; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth them to
repentance ; but, after their hardness and impenitent heart, treasure up
unto themselves wrath,' &c. And says grace, I was presumed on, and made
a stale to and defender of their lusts, and was ' tui'ned into wantonness,*
Jude 4.

And thus all in God is set (as it were) on fire against a sinner, and (as I
may so speak) do turn all in him into fury. And look as to God's people,
all in God is assimilated into love towards them, and they live and dwell
in love, and see nothing else as it were in God but love. ' God is love,'
says the apostle, namely, to his own, 1 John iv. 16. Nothing else appears,
or rather, all that is in him appears in that hue, under that dye, with that
tincture. So here, on the contrary, all in God is turned into fury : Icesa
patient la fit furor. Though he is not so of himself, — 'Fury is not in me,'
says he, Isa. xxvii., — but sin hath made him such.

A fourth head of demonstrations is taken from the instances given both
of good and bad men. Which instances, as I then alleged to prove the im-
mediateness of God's inflicting it, so now I shall from thence present some
inferences of the fearfulness hereof. Do but sit down a little with Job and
Heman, who were the instances of good men ; or go to that roll which the
Scriptures have recorded of Cain, and Judas, and others, or which ecclesi-
astical stories or present examples of our age have afi"orded, of men in
horror ; weigh and perpend their cries and roarings, and consider what a sad
spectacle such instances afford.

1. Of good men. Heman I insisted in before, and acquainted you with
his complaints, as sad as man can utter. I reserved that of Job specially for
this place, as I then professed all the while that he had but afflictions com-
mon to men ; and although he was every way surrounded with them, as being
visited with a loathsome disease, his body filled with dolours and pains, his

544 AN UNEEGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

children lost, servants destroyed by fire from heaven, his estate quite gone
unto an extremity of poverty, his wife abhorring his breath, and tempting
him to blasphemy, all this while the text tells us, chap. ii. 10, that ' in all
this did not Job sin with his lips,' but was quiet and patient, as the Holy
Ghost in the New Testament takes notice of him : James v., ' You have
heard of the patience of Job.' Well, but God himself in the end came in
upon him with his immediate wrath. And now will you hear of his impa-
tience too ? He was not pricked to the quick till now. But then he begins
to curse the day of his birth, chap. iii. 1-3, and at that rate talks all along
that chapter. For brevity, let us only consult his lamentations, in chap. vi.
vers. 2-4, ' Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid
in the balances together, for now it would be heavier than the sand, there-
fore my words are swallowed up.' The rest that follows, I shall add by
and by. What was it caused this sudden outcry and alteration in Job's
spirit, from that still and sedate frame we left him in before ? What was
it ■? The thoughts of his lost estate, children, wife's unkindness, or the
pains of his bones and body, &c., or his downfall from a petty kingdom?
Did these begin now at length so sadly to return upon him, so as in the end his
spirit should begin to take them in, and lay them at length to heart, which
at first he in an holy gallantry had made so light of ? Oh no ; he had
fully concocted and digested all that had been occasioned from all or any of
these, and had quieted himself with one or two good cordials, namely, that ' the
Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, and blessed be the name of the
Lord,' chap. i. 21 ; and again, ' Shall we receive good from the hand of the
Lord, and not evil ?' chap. ii. 10, which had carried away all that sorrow
might have been stii'ring in him from these. What might be the matter
then that was the cause of these so high disturbances ? The next words,
ver. 4, do inform us, ' For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the
poison whereof drinks up my spirits ; the terrors of God do set them-
selves in array against me.' Let us go on duly to weigh and consider these
passages of his.

Heman, in his horrors, had complained, Ps. Ixxxviii. 7, that ' God's wrath
lay hard or heavy on him,' and says no more of it. But Job here, in like
manner feeling the like weight thereof, goes about to express how heavy
and how great the burden was of his grief, that was caused thereby. And
he calls for a mighty scale to weigh it in, such a scale as might be large
enough to contain all the sands of the sea. ' Oh that my grief were
thoroughly weighed, and my calamities laid in the balance together ; for
now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea.' His meaning is, that to
have his grief and calamity put in one of the scales, and the sand of the sea
in the other, his calamity would be infinitely heavier. His invention was
heightened by what he really felt ; the greatness of it made him eloquent ;
for as love, so deep sense of misery useth so to do. And he pitcheth, as
you see, upon the weightiness of sand, to express it by, which is of all things
the weightiest, as Solomon tells us : Prov. xxvii. 3, * A stone is heavy, and
the sand is weighty.' Yea, and ' the sand of the sea ; ' which, take both
those sands within the sea at the bottom of it, and those also scattered with-
out on the shore, they do make an immense bulk and body condensated, if
they were gathered together into one heap (as the waters were into one
place when God made the sea). Job had a most sublime fancy, as the high
strains of that whole book shew ; and this is in view a comparison vast and
great enough (one would think) as could be used. But yet further, observe
how he breaks ofi" that attempt of his to express it by this or by any such
comparisons, though in appearance never so hyperbolical. Which breaking

CUAP. VIII.] IN RE3PECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMKNT. 645

oflf his next speech utters, * My wonls,' sa)'3 he, * are swallowed up !' As a
small thing is swallowed up of a greater, as a drop of the ocean, as one small
scattered sand would be in the bulk of all those sands of the sea whin cast
in amongst them, so were all these his vast expressions and coinpiirisons he
had used, although thus great (which yet from all rhetoricians would have
had the name of hyperboles, far exceeding the reality), but yet in hi.s sense
and feeling were swallowed up by the thing itself. I feel my words fall
short, says he ; so Broughton paraphraseth on those words, and therefore
he cuts himself off from using any more or higher decipherings of it of any
kind, if any could have been found, as being all but mere metaphors, too
light, and holding no weight with that far exceeding weight of misery he
felt (as the apostle, on the contrary, comparing present afflictions and the
glory to come together speaks), but Job here, he gives it clean over as a
thing unexpressible. And instead of all essays that way, he chooseth rather
to speak and shew the cause thereof, the same which I in this treatise have
endeavoured to do. And thereby he sets forth in a reality the dreadfulness
of it indeed ; and more than by all things whatever that his grief could have
been compared unto. This you have in these words, ' For the arrows of
the Almighty are within me.' He had sores without in his body, and afflic-
tions in his outward man or condition ; fears without, and terrors within.
He complains not, that yoa hear, of them at all. Oh, but they are these
arrows that are within me, says he, ' the arrows of the Almighty ;' that is,
which none but an Almighty hand could shoot, and shoot so deep ; such
arrows as could come out of no other forge or quiver. The soul of a man is
a spirit of a vast depth, and God, and God alone, can shoot up into it unto
the arrow head. And yet again, besides the strength of the arm that shoots
them, and the forkedness of the arrows themselves, they were all as arrows
that are dipped in poison, envenomed with the guilt of his sins, which as
chap. xiii. 23 and 26, God had now set on upon his soul, ' Thou makest
me possess the sins of my youth.' Thus it follows in the next words, ' and
the poison thereof drinks up my spirit.' They do not only lot out the spirits
(which wounds made by other arrows use to do), but they * drink them up.'
The strength and violence of the venom of them had such an efficacy on his
veiy soul, and the very spirit and life thereof, as they drank all up. Again
it follows, ' And the terrors of God have set themselves in array against me.
God drew forth his wrath, as it were, into a well-ordered army, into rank
and file, at once to fall upon him. If one man had a whole army set against
him, and each armed man therein were to shoot a bullet or an arrow into
him at once, and if, withal, we could make the supposition that that man
should have his life still renewed after each wound given, so as never to die,
and yet they still to renew to shoot all at once every moment, how dreadful
is this to any one's thoughts thereof! But yet these are but men, not God,
whose arrows he says these were. ' Oh that he would destroy me !' saya
Job ; that is, kill me outright ; so vers. 8, 9, ' Oh that I might have my
request, and that God would grant me the thing that I long for ! Even that
it would please God to destroy me, and that he would let loose his hand,
and cut me off.' Well, but Job, canst thou not stir up thy spirits, and
harden thyself against all these present sorrows ? ' The spirit of man will
bear its infirmity,' if it be steeled with resolution. To this Job himself gives
answer by way of pire-occupation to this effect : that if death indeed, or a
being utterly cut off, should come upon me with all that host of fears
(thereof elsewhere Job tells us death is the king), I could harden myself
aga'nst that ; yea,, and to endure the pains of the most exquisite tortures

VOL. X. Mm

546 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS KEFORE GOD, [LoOK XIII.

any kind of death could inflict, if thereby God would thus cut me otl';
then indeed (if such news of death were brought me) ' I should j'et have
comfort ; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow,' so ver. 10. And let it be
the worst death he can put me to, for so it follows, ' let him not spare.'
Oh but they are these arrows of his own within me ! these 1 cannot bear :
so ver. 12, 'Is my strength the strength of stones, or my flesh brass,' that
1 should be able to endure and bear up myself against these encounters ?
Oh no. Read on those his expressions further roared forth by him in chap,
xvi. vers. 12-14, 'He hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by
the neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark. His archers
compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare ;
he poureth out my gall upon the ground. He breaketh me with breach upon
breach ; he runneth upon me like a giant.' What should I instance in more,
or how to comment on them ?

That which, in the second place, is proper next to be done, is to provoke
those that are secure sinners, &c., and others also that are awakened, to
raise but up their thoughts from the consideration hereof, to infer and gather
how dreadful this punishment in hell must be, above all that these dispen-
sations can represent unto us. And this is most strongly inferred from these
examples, whether they be the examples of good men, as Job was, or bad
men, as Cain and Judas were, in both which I formerly instanced in.

I shall make inference from each of these apart, as in the first section I
also did in arguing from them, the immediateness, &c.

Firs', From these of good men. If you consider that all these terrors
which Job and Heman endured from God were yet all in love, out of so solid
and substantial a love, permanent, and abiding in God's heart all this while
towards them, and that all these were but chastisings of them for trial, and
' to make them partakers of his holiness.' And be-;ides, what manner of
auger was it towards them ? It was but anger which love stirred up ; and
those his afflictions were accompanied and joined all with everlasting kind-
ness and thoughts of peace all the while. According to that in Isa. liv. 8,
* In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with ever-
lasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.*
Yea, those two known cordial recipes, so frequently made use of, and com-
monly taken by most Christians in their distresses, and cited by two apostles,
James i. 12, chnp. v. 11, Heb. xii. 5, and Christ himself from heaven. Rev.
iii. 19. ' Happy is the man whom God correcteth; therefore despise not
thou the chastening of the Almighty,' were first spoken and directed unto
this our Job whilst in the midst of these atflictions, in chap. v. 17, and are
particularly applied to that his condition in the worst of it by the Holy
Ghost, James v. 11. Yea, and all this that was upon Job was in itself
(how great soever it seemed to his sense) but the touch of God's little finger.
Job i. 11. Oh think, then, how great will that vengeance be which is pure
wrath. Rev. xiv., which is out of furj', as was shewn, which is the fiery in-
dignation of patience abused, boiled up into fury. This that befell them is
said to be but a little wrath, and for a moment. And yet (as also it is said,
Ps. ii. 12) if God be angry but a little, who is able to abide it! Then what
^\ ill this last and extreme vengeance reserved for hell be ? These chastise-
ments of Job's and Heman's were, in comparison of what awaits men in hell,
but as rods of birch or rushes, which we use to whip our children withal :
Ps. Ixxxix. 32, 33, ' Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and
their iniquity with stripes : nevertheless, my loving-kindness will 1 not ut-
terly take from them, nor sufi'er my faithfulness to fail.' These were all rods
of mercy's own gathering and making, the stripes whereof are not so deep

Chap. VIII.] is hespect of sin and punishment. 647

but they may be and were bealed again ; as in the same book you also find
it, chap. V. 18, ' He inaketh sore, and bindeth up ; he woundeth, and his
hands make whole ;' and so was Job in the issue thus healed ; and Heman
likewise, and made thereby one of the wisest men in the worM, 1 Kings iv.
J31. Yea, but these wherewith v. icked men in hell are eternally lashed and
cut off, are rods of revenge's making ; ' rods of iron' (as the psalmist in that
second Psalm speaks), ' to break them in pieces like a potter's vessel,' never
to be set together again or made whole. Again, those strokes on the chil-
dren of God are in measure, as Isa. xxvii. 7, 8, but of these in hell it may
be and is said that wrath comjth upon theaa without measure. Again, in
the midst of these corrections he remembers mercy, but in this of hell there
is 'judgment without mercy,' James ii. 13. In those other stripes given
his children God himself is afflicted, and feels every stroke he gives them,
as Jer. xxxi. 20, and Isa. kiv ; but in these in hell, vengeance and justice
do satisfy themselves in their deserved damnation. It is styled a sacrifice
to him, Mirk ix. 43, 49, compared, and elsewhere.

Secoiidlij, The same inference may be much more raised from those in-
stances given of bad men suffering in this life the like terrors to those men-
tioned. If we but consider that when they fall and seize upon them in the
greatest extremity, that yet then they are, in comparison to what remains to
them in hell, but as the sippiugs of the top of that cup here, the dregs whereof
are reserved for them there, to drink to the bottom : as Ps. Ixxv. 8, ' In the
hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red ; it is full of mixture,
and he poureth out of the same : but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the
earth shall wring them out, and drink them.' Those words, be poureth out
the same, and hut the diegn thereof, are an opposition each to other, shewing
how that in this life God promiscuously poureth forth the same from the
upper part thereof, both upon good and bad. And that all that is but the
overflowings of what is uppermost, but the dregs, the brackish, bitter stuff',
is reserved for hell ; and the truth is, men can bear but the sippings thereof
here. Should they drink but a little deeper, their souls would be giddy, auJ
reel out of their bodies in a moment. As the joys of heaven cannot be in-
herited by flesh and blood, so nor the torments of the fulness of this wrath.
But in hell their bodies shall be nealed (as we speak of glass) that they may
end ire this fire. All the terrors of conscience here are, as is said of the
joys of the saints, but the earnest-pennies, farthing-tokens, in comparison to
that great, immensely vast treasure of wrath to come you have heard the
Scriptures speak of. All here is but the shadow of death, and yet if tha.
can wither men's souls so, w^hat will the blackness of darkness do ? as the
apostle speaks of this. The utmost threatened here is, that ' the anger of
the Lord shall smoke ' against a man, Ddut. xxix. It is but smoke ; but in
hell it breaks forth into raging flames of the fiercest fires, Luke xvi. 24, that
till every corner, and break out at all the windows of the soul.

The fifth and last head, which represents the dreadfulness of all this unto
an infinity, is, that it is a ' falling into the hands of the livuifj God." The
living God. The former exaggerations have been raised from falling into the
hands of the great, powerful, just, and avenging God ; but this further of the
living God. Which, of all other attributes, the apostle hath singled forth to
set out the dreadfulness of it by, and is therefore most of all to be heeded
by us, as having as much weight in it to the thing in hand as any of the
other. The living God notes out, not only God's activity, and how the
whole of his life and being is engaged and active in this punishment (as was
noticed), but further, both that, 1, he shall execute this to eternity ; and, 2,
that during that whole space of eternity he will permanently continue to

548 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIIT.

inflict it. His being the living God notes out, 1, eternity; 2, with a con-
tinuation of acting all that while ; and so his being the living God both
threatens and effecteth, 1, an etei'nal, and, 2, a continual death in those that
are the subjects thereof. And to imply so much it is that he hath that de-
noD-iination, specially and so eminently given him here, when this punish-
ment is spoken of.

First, consider thy soul is an immortal soul as to the duration of it, and
that this great God is the living God. And sin in thee, and the injury of it
to Gcd, is an eternal stain, which hell fire cannot eat out or satisfy God for,
but in an eternity of time ; and therefore whilst God lives, and thou iivest,
he will inflict it on thee. That is one meaning.

Again, God's life, as it is in itself a continual act, so in its being attri-
buted to him with respect to this punishment, it imports his continued acting
therein witliout cessation or intermission. For he doth it as the living God.
Job, whilst he endured the terrors of the Almighty, complains they were eo
incessant that God ' sufffred him not to take breath :' Job ix. 18, he followed
his strokes so thick, ' with one breach,' as he there speaks, ' upon another.'

You have both these set forth in one and the same scripture : Rev. xiv.
10, 11, ' He shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God ; and he shall be
tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in
the presence of the Lamb : and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for
ever and ever. And they have no rest day nor night.' First, they have no
rest day nor night; that; shews they have no intermission. And then, that
the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever shews the eternity. Yen,
and further, to stiike our dull hearts with the sense of this eternity, if one
eixr be not enough, another is added, for ever and ever. Which eternity, as
5'ou know, our S;iviour is still careful to indigitate, when he speaks of hell,
in love and warning unto men's souls, that they might be moved by the mo-
ment thereof to endeavour to escape it.

Now, it being thus, this infinitely superadds unto all the former. The
former heads have given demonstration to us, wherein the substance of this
great punishment consists, and then comes in this as the fatal and final
rolling stone upon the grave or sepulchi'e of souls. And with the grave hell
is oft paralleled. Or these two imports thereof are as two millstones hung
about the necks of those that are plunged into this lake, to sink them down
for ever ; for these two things mentioned do work in the spirits of those that
undergo it, perfect fear and perfect despair. The efi'ects of both which make
up a perfection of misery in such a state.

1. Perfect despair. Hope was given to reasonable and intelligent natures
(and in peculiar unto them) to be as a breathing hole in time of misery, to
keep up life in such ; n one whereby to sustain itself. And the reasonable
soul being in its duration eternal, and having an eternity of time to run
through and sail over, hath this privilege, denied to beasts, to take a pros-
pect or foresight of time that is yet to come, and if it can spy out any space
or spot of time in which it shall have happiness or ease, or outlive its misery,
it will not utterly die; yea, it will harden itself against present misery with
this thought, that, however, it shall not always be thus with me. But on
the contrary here, by reason of this ability of foresight, it comes to pass that
a wretched soul in hell, viewing and turning over all the leaves of time to
eternity, both finds that it shall not outlive that misery, nor yet can it find
one space or moment of time of freedom and intermission, having for ever to
do with him who is the living God. And then it dies and dies a.iiain, and
sinks into a gulf of despair for the future, as well as it is swallowed up with
present sense of wrath.

Chap. IX.] in respect of sin and punishment. 549

2. Perfect fear. Which these likewise cause, and keep up within that
soul, and that continuall}-, of all their misery that is yet to come. And the
nature of fear is to outstrip a man's misery, and to take them up before they
come, as hopjs use to do our comforts, so as by reason thereof it comes to
pass that the soul is not only tormented by what it at present feels, but with
the thought of all that is to come, whic'i still further strikes the soul through
and through. So as this thought, that it will be with me thus for ever and
ever, makes it completely miserable. Yea, hereby the soul doth come all
along in every instant to endure and be possessed in fears and dreadful ap-
prehensions of all that woo that in eternity is 3'et to come, as well as that at
present.

CHAPTER IX.

The inferences and uses of the doctrine. — If God punish eth sins, he is not the
author of it. — Let us he firmly persuaded of the reality of this wrath to
come. — Let us adore and fear the rjrentness of God, and he moved to turn
to him. — Let us consider what it is to die, and lohat the state of the other
world is. — Let hdievers learn highly to value that salvation which Christ
obtains for them.

If God in his wrath be the immediate inflicter of that punishment for sin,
then certainly he is not the author of sin. Fulgentius, among other highly
evincing demonstrations of it, casts in this : iniquitalis ciijus est ultor, noii
est alitor; God is not the author of sin, whereof he is the avenger; which
maxim is founded upon an high principle of reason and equity. God puts
the whole of this matter so far off from himself, that he lays all, both sin
and punishment, wholly upon man ; so as although the punishment itself
be from his own just wrath, that is provoked to inflict it, yet even thereof
he thus speaks, ' Do they provoke me to anger ?' (it is true they do) but
'do they not provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces ?' So as
he ascribes his own wrath, that inflicts that punishment, wholly to themselves!,
returns even that upon themselves. As if he had said, I am angry indeed,
&e., it is true, yet they are more the provoking causes of that anger than
myself. They spite but themselves, when they sin against me. Like unto
which is that speech also, Romans ii. 4, 5, ' Thou treasurest up wrath unto
thyself.' Thou- to thyself ; although it be God's wrath in his breast that is
treasured up, yet the treasuring of it up is ascribed unto themselves.

God will send his Son Jesus Christ on purpose to clear all such imagin-
able suspicions and suppositions that men or devils can cast upon him, for
condemning of men, or executing this punishment himself. ' Enoch, the
seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten
thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all
that arc ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have
ungodlily committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners
have spoken against him.' His work at that day is to convince, yea, and to
convince is named first, as well as to execute judgment. And it is certain
that in order thereto he will speak all fairness, equity, justice, and reason,
it were not conviction else ; and he will have all his saints and angels about
him, as judges and witnesses. He will have all the world to hear it, and
how equal it is for him to execute so sore a vengeance. And as he will con-
vince them of their deeds to be ungodly and deserving it, so of their hard
speeches ; and that, whatever his decrees were, they themselves were un-

550 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

godly, and their deeds ungodly, and ungodlily committed. Mark but how he
doth unijodly them. And he will convince them, and stop their mouths lor
ever. Christ sent him in the parable speechless to hell, Mat. xxii. 12. And
this is one great service the man Christ Jesus is to do for God at the latter
day : and if he should not do this satisfyingly, and clear all thase things, he
must shut up his books, and come off the bench, and proceed no further,
either to sentence or execution.

Let our meditation upon what hath been delivered be what Moses hath
prompted to us ; anl let us make the same use thereof which he also did.

The 90ih Psalm was penned by Moses (as the title shews, .4 prayer of Moses
the man of God), and it was composed by him in his latter days, after he had
seen his forty j-ears, a whole generation in a nation of men removed out of
this world, and their ' carcases fallen in the wilderness,' a spectacle so sad,
as perhaps not any one man in the world hath seen, or age afforded, but at
the flood, before or since, in so short a compass of time. His song is a
funeral elegy, or meditation of death, made upon that whole generation,
ver. 3, * Thou turnest man to destruction ; and sayest, Return, ye children
of men.' And vers. 5, 6, 'Thou carriest thtm away, as with a flood. In
the morning, they are like grass which groweth up; in the morning, it flour-
isheth and groweth up ; in the evening, it is cut down, and withereth.' And
God from that time began also to stint and limit man's years to that measure
which it hath held to unto this day : ver. 10, ' The days of our years are
threescore years and ten ; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore
years ; yet is their strength but labour and sorrow : for it is soon cut off",
and we fly away.' Our souls fly away like birds when the shell is broke ;
and then hell follows (as the Revelation speaks, chap. vi. 8), as in reality, so
in Moses's discourse. And that was it which was the matter of deepest and
saddest thoughts in this meditation unto him of any other. Ver. 11, it fol-
lows, ' Who knoweth the power of thine anger ? Even according to thy fear,
so is thy wrath.' Which he utters,

1. By way of lamentation. He sighing forth a most doleful complaint
against the security and stupor he observed in that generation of men in his
time, both in those that had already died in their sins, as well as of that new
generation that had come up in their room, who still lived in their sins. Oh,
says he, ' Who of them knoweth the power of thine anger ?' namely, of that
wrath which foUoweth after death, and seized upon men's souls for ever ;
that is, who considers it, or regards it, till it take hold upon them ? He
utters it,

2. In a way of astonishment, out of the apprehension he had of the great-
ness of that wrath : 'Who hath known the power of thine anger !' that is,
who hath or can take it in according to the greatness of it ? which he en-
deavours to set forlh, as applying himself to our own apprehension, in this
wise, ' Even according to thy fear, so is Ihy wrath.' Where those words
thij fear B.\e taken objective, and so is all one, and the fear of thee ; and so
the meaning is, thai according to whatever proportion our souls can take in,
in fears of thee and of thine anger, so great is thy wrath itself. You have
souls that are able to ccimprehend vast fears and terrors ; they are as exten-
sive in their fears as in their desires, which are stretched beyond what
this world or the creatures can afibrd them, to an infinity. The soul of
man is a dark cell, which when it begets fears once, strange and feariul ap-
paritions rise up in it, which far exceed the ordinary proportion of worldly
evils (which yet also our fears usually make greater than they prove to be);
but here, as to that punishment, whi.;h is the cfi'ect of God's own immediate
wrath, let the soul enlarge itself, says he, and widen its apprehension to the

Chap. IX.] in ifsiect of sin anp i tniphmknt. 551

utmost; fear what you cnn imngine, yet still God's wrath, and the punish-
ment it inflicts, are not only proportionable, but indnilely exceeding all you
can fear or imagine. 'Who kuoweth the power of ihine anger?' It passelh
knowledge.

Now the use Moses makes of all this doctrine of death and wrath, in the
next following ver. 12, is this ; ' So teach us to number our days, that wo
may apply our hearts to wisdom.' This he spake to God in behalf of that
present generation that then survived ; and by spreading before them all
these considerations, thereby also exhorteth Ihem to that which is the only
true wisdom, even to turn unto the Lord, so to escape that wrath that is to
come. And he, as an holy man, that knew the terror ot" the Lord, doth thus
persuade men ; and oh let our souls be persuaded by it. And to this end,

Use 1. I would first persuade you to believe, that there is this wrath to
come. ' We knowing the terror of the Lord ;' that is, ourselves being as-
sured by believing that such a wrath is in the heart and breast of God against
impenitent sinners, as also understanding what and how dreadful that wrath
is; we do ' persuade men,' 2 Cor. v. 11. And for men to apprehend and
Leleve it, is the first most effectual engine to persuade them by. God did
not, ere he placed these souls of ours in our bodies, first carry them down
to hell, and then up to heaven, that so we having a fore-knowledge of either
by sight and sense, might then be left to act in this world accordingly ; but
God hath left, on!}' the revelation of both these unto faith, in this world, by
the word. Heb. xi. 7, it is said, ' Noah being wained of God of things not
Been as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house ;
by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness
which is by faith.'

You know how the day of this great wrath to come, the day of judgment,
is assimilated by Christ to the days of Noah, Mat. xxiv. 37-39, and that,
among other, in respect of the security and unbelief that is and will be, afore
it comes, in the hearts of men about it (which is Christ's special scope there).
And the place in the Hebrews cited answerably, I'eckoneth that faith of Noah
(who being forewarned of the flood, was moved with fear, and prepared an
ark to save himself and his family) amongst those other instances of saving
faith which that chapter doth enumerate, as that which had this wrath to
come signitied thereby in his eye, shewing withal the foundation of the con-
demnation of that world to lie in this, that though Noah declared this wrath
to come unto them by his preaching and example (for as he was a preacher
of righteousness, so of this wrath, as Enoch also had been), yet they believed
it not, because it was unseen, as the words of that seventh verse are. For
these things then happened in types of what was to fall out concerning this
great wrath to come, that destruction of the old world being but the shadow
of this, as expressly it is interpreted to be : 1 Peter iii. 20, ' The spirits in
prison, which sometimes were disobedient, when once the longsufiering of
God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing. The like
figure whereunto is baptism, which now also saves us.' If the ark was of
salvation, then the flood of damnation ; and that, then, as the word nko
now evidently shews. This wrath, it is a thing to come, as that of the flood
then was to them, styled therefore the wrath to come ; and so it is a thing
not seen, and so is reckoned amongst the objects of faith.

Men, indeed, have some lesser stitches in conscience aforehand, both from
it and about it, but little do they imagine that these will or should ever be-
come the matter of such torturing aches as they rise up to in the end.
Men do as little imagine this of these fore-running warnings, or secret grip-
ings and twitches, as the old world did then that the usual clouds of heaven

552 AK UNEEGENEBATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

that cause storcrs would ever have swelled to the drowning of the world. Nor
indeed doth this fall out to men's souls until the curse or wrath of God enters,
' like oil into their bones,' as the psalmist speaks of Judas, Ps. cix. 18.

For this wrath is in the mean time a thing hidden in the breast and bosom
of the Almight}', and is therefore terriied ' a treasure of wrath ; ' a treasure,
hecau-e hid, so treasures use to be (they are termed 'hidden treasures,' Prov.
ii. 4, and elsewhere). And for the same reason, the coming of it upon men
is called the ' revelation of the righteous judgment of God,' Luke xix. 42.
As the things belonging to men's peace, so their destruction are ' hidden
from their eyes.' Though ' damnation slumbers not,' 2 Peter ii. 3, but is
on its march, and proceedeth in its approaches towards them, every hour
nearer and nearer, yet men slumber in respect of the belief thereof, and not
so much as dream of it in their slumber, 1 Thes. v. 3, 6, 9. The apostle's
complaint there is the same in efl'ect with that of Moses : ' Who knows the
power of thine anger,' so as to ' apply his heart to wisdom ? '

The Baptist, who began the publishing of the gospel, he began it with
fore-warning men of his wrath, and styled it ' the wrath to come.' And
Christ, whose office was to preach that gospel, seconds him therein, and
terms it hell fire, &c. Now observe how he speaks to the pharisees about
it : '0 ye generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath
to come ? ' Mat. iii. 7. It is vox adniircntis; as if he had said, It is strange
that the preaching of wrath to come should anyway startle your so hardened
hearts as to see you here attending at my sermons ; and that the] considera-
tion thereof should any way arrest or make any dint upon your souls. The
reason of his wonder was, because indeed men believe it not, or very slightly.
• Who hath demonstrated it unto you ? ' as his word is. And Christ useth
the very same word about this matter, Luke xii. 5, *I will forewarn you' (or
demonstrate to 3-ou) 'whom you shall fear, even him that can destroy in hell.'
All this still tends to shew how hidden it is from the most of men. The very
same unbelief is more darkly, and in other terms expressed in the Old Testa-
ment : Deut. xxxii. 29, ' Oh that they would consider their latter end ! ' and
Eccles. xi. 8, 9, ' Piemember the days of darkness, for they are many ; but
know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment.'
Now to help you a little in the belief of this:
Besides what the Scriptures speak hereof,

1. Consult thine own heart. Thou hast a busy principle within thee.
Conscience, that like a spy sent in from an adverse party into another's
quarters, observes and takes notice of all that passeth ; not thy actions or
speeches only, but what is done in thy privy chamber, or closet of thy soul;
and not only so, but thou mayest hear the noise of his pen still a-running,
and punctually writing that which it observeth ; and there is not a motion,
a lust, a desire, a purpose, an end, a flying thought, but it diligently doth
set down, and can give thee the sense thereof, and thou canst not stop the
course hereof. And what is the meaning of all this, but that thy judgment
is continually a-preparing, thine examination a-takiug all thy life long? For
where there is a register, a clerk of the assize thus busy at work, there is a
judge, whose officer he is. Be wary, therefore, what thou dost. Thou art
surprised and undone if thou heedest not, for all this is in order unto judg-
ment. And as letters wiitten with onion or lemon juice appear not at the
present, so may not the impresses of these sad lines against thee; yet bring
but thy soul to this fire we have been speaking of, and every character,
tittle, yea, accent or aggravation of sin, will be made visible and legible.
And hence it is the books are said to be opened, Rev. xx.

2. Again, do you not hear daily the noise of cannon shot from heaven let

Chap. IX.] in eespkct of sin and punishment. 653

ofT, and ilie 1 nllets fly about yonr cars, and st o them strike this man and
that man in your view ? It is the apostle's c( nviction to the Gentiles, Rrm.
i. 18, that thenlbre there is a treasury of wrath to come, which he speaks
of, chap. ii. 4, because at present even in this world, ' the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and uiirightcous-iiess of men,
that withhold the truth in unrighteousness.' The meaning ^\ hereof is, there
is no sort or kind of unrighteousness or ungodliness, lut in tl e instance or
example of seme man or other, God halh by seme manifest judgment shewn
his wrath against it, in the view and observation of the very heathens thrm-
Felves, of and whom it is he speaks this. There was never a nation of the
heathens, but the stories of it would have afforded a theatre of God's judg-
ments against all sorts of evils in one person or other, singled out by
decimation (as it were) in this world, to shew thereby that there was an hidden
wrath to come in the other world, which would fall upon all the rest, who
yet escaped at present. Those few and scattered instances manifested a
treasury, a magazine of wrath in heaven ; his phrase is /win hcaroi, that is,
in and from God, which the heathens also were sensible of; witness their
sacrifices of atonement directed unto heaven. And this to be the apostle's
scope is clearly seen, in that he prosecutes this in the following chap, ii.,
vers. 1-5, ' Therefore thou art inexcusable, 0 man, whosoever thou art that
judgest : for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for
thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judg-
ment of God is according to truth against them vhich commit such things.
And thinkest thou this, 0 man, that judgest them which do such things, and
doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God ? Or despisest
thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering ; not
knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But, after
thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against
the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.' And
unto this account you may put the enumeration of those instances of judgment
iriade by the other apostles, as those upon the angels that fell, and on the
old world, on Sodom and Gomorrah, Korah, &c., whereof though some were
outward and temporal punishments, yet Lecause they were evidences of
that wrath to come upon like impenitent sinners, both these apostles do to
that purpose allege them, and make use thereof to beget this belief in us.
For so expressly the one begins his discourse thereof: 2 Peter ii. 3-5, 'Whose
judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth
not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to
hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judg-
ment ; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a
preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the un-
godly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomormh into ashes, condemned
them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after
should live ungodly.' Then the other apostle adds, Jude, ver. 7, ' They
FufFuiing the vengeance of eternal fire. The Lord knoweth how to deliver
the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of
judgment to be punished.' Consider also what his wrath hath been to whole
nations ; and how he says he will one day turn ' all the nations into hell
that forget God,' as the psalmist tells us, Ps. ix. 17. He hath prisons large
enough, and chains strong enough to hold them all. "When the Jews saw
one hundred and eighty thousand of the Assj-rian's host killed in a night
before the very walls of Jerusalem, ' fearfnlness surprised the h^poeiites; '
their hearts melted with terror to think what the wrath of God must be for
ever, Isa. xxxiii. 14, &c.

554 AN UNBEGENERATE Man's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, ;BoOK XIII.

Use 2. Then learn to adore and fear the greatness of our God, to the end
to turn to him.

Where he shews favour, ' his favour is hfe,' Ps. xxx. 5 ; yea, his lovinc;-
kiudness is better than hfe : ' Ps. Isiii. 3, ' Whom have I in heaven but
ihee ?' There needs no other there.

On the contrary, if he be provoked, there needs no other judge or avenger
but himself. I may say, the weapons of his warfare within himself are
mighty to revenge all disobedience. This great general needs not borrow,
nor call in the aid of his creatures (though in respect of their being his
militia, he is styled ' the Lord of hosts '), to make war and destroy. That
very face of his gives hfe, and strikes dead and kills. * In Ihy presence is
fulness of joy,' Ps. xvi. 11. And 'from his presence is destruction,' 2 Thes.
i, 9. ' Oh hide us,' say they, Rev. vi. 16, ' from the face of him that sits on
the throne, and from the wr.ith of the Lamb.' They point to the fountain
of their anguish, and speak what above all was it they dreaded. It is greatly
observable what and how God talks to Job to this veiy purpose. Says God
to Job, chap, xl., ' Wilt thou contend with me ? ' So, ver. 2, he begins to
dare him : Come, says he, let this be among other one trial of thy power
(who had been a prince, &c.) in comparison of mine ; take upon thee (as I
mean to do), and be judge of all the world ; pi;t on thy jurige's robes, and
thy biggest looks. Thus ver. 10, ' Deck thyself with majesty and e.xcel-
lency, and array thyself with glory and beauty.' And pariicularly try, try
what thou canst do or effect, when thou art most angry, by thy mere looks.
' Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath,' ver. 11. Throw sparkles of thy most
fiery indignation from thine eyes. Canst thou look a man dead, and cover
a man's iace for ever with confusion ? ' Look on every one that is proud,
and bring him low.' So ver. 12, ' Hide them in the dust together,' be they
never so many, ' and bind their faces in secret ;' that is, cover them with con-
fusion of face, with a look or rebuke of thy face ; make them run into holes
or seek mountains to cover them, to avoid the terror of thy looks. Now all
this I can du, says GoJ, with a mere look, whenever I please. And I can
as easily save also, as I can thus destroy (which thou canst not do thine own
soul), as the next verse insinuates, ' Then will I confess thine own hand can
save thee.' You see he resolves saving and destroying into the same power
of his, and maketh the same estimate of either, which the apostle also doth :
chiip. iv. 12, ' There is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy.'

My exhortation therefore in fine is, let us not fear creatures, but ' fear
him, and make him your dread ;' and learn to know what a God ye walk
before every day, and have for ever to do withal. Christ, that came out of
his bosom, knowing him, doth (Luke xii. 4 and 5, compared with Mat.
s. 26 and 28), upon knowledge of this God, make this same exhortation :
* I say to you,' says he, and ' I will forewarn you ' (he says it twice, and it
is as if he had said, Take it from me that know him), ' fear hitn that is able
to destroy body and soul.' The apostle succenturiates, ' We know him that;
hath said. Vengeance is mine,' so here, Heb. x. And again, we ' know-
ing the terror of ihe Lord,' 2 Cor. v. 11, which they know, by an estimate
taken from his goodness, that his wrath must be answerable. And Moses
also, that had seen his back-parts and his glory, he cries out, * Who knows
the power of thine anger ? ' Hypocrites and carnal professors (as those were
whom God professedly takes to task, Ps. 1.) think to play with the great
God, and deal wi;h him anyhow (as we say), as with a man that is their
fellow. They know him not : Ps. 1. 21, ' These things hast thou done, and
I kept silence; and thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thyself.'
And what things they had done and were gu.lty of (see if thou hast not been

Chap. IX.] in respect of sin and punishment. S55

guilty of the same or like) the 18ih, 19lb, and 20th verses shew: • When
ihou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker
with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth
deceit. Thou siltest aud speukest against thy brother ; thou slanderest
thine own mother's son.' And God was silent or long-suffering. The like
you have, Isa. Ivii. 11, 12, ' Of whom hast thou been afraid, that thou bast
lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart ? have not I held
my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not ? ' &c. But mark what is the
issue of all this ; in Ps. 1. 21 it follows, ' But I will reprove thee, and set
them in order before thee.' They had never felt the smart of his anger iu
all their lives, and little thought that the lion was in him ; but it follows,
' Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none
to deliver.* Oh t ike heed and turn to him, or on the sudden he will start
up like a mighty lion and tear your souls in pieces, as a giant might do cob-
webs, and prey upon the blood of your very souls, and break the bones
thereof as a lion could of the most silly creature. Add to this,

Use 3. Consider what it is to die, and what the state and condition of the
other world is. It is to have to do with God immediately, either in wrath
or love, aud from his own hands, as well as from the immediate sentence of
his mouth, to receive thy weal or woe. That we come naked into this
world, aud go as naked out of it, was Job's meditation first ; after that
David's : Ps. xlix. 15, ' We shall carry nothing away,' that is, of what be-
longs to this world ; then after him Solomon the son : Eccles. v. 15, 'As
he came forth of his mother's womb (speaking of man), naked shall he re-
turn to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may
carry away in his hand.' The effect of which divine meditation comes to
this, to put secure and careless man upon the consideration of his immortal
soul's condition, which first conieth into this world naked, as well as his
body. And, poor thing ! the meaning of its first cry (if the soul itself could
then speak out its mind) is, I am an empty thing, and have brought nothing
with me ; who will shew me any good "? But after its being grown up, it
begins to find the world richly furnished with all things to enjoy, as the
apostle's phrase is, 1 Tim. vi. 17. But yet again, when he goes out of this
woild, he is then turned out of house and home as perfectly naked as he
came into it ; and, as Rev. xviii. 14, ' The fruits that thy soul lusted after,
and all things which are dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou
shalt find them no more at all.' Death is therefore compared unto the
breaking or failing of a merchant or tradesman proving bankrupt : Luke
xvi. 9, 'Then when ye fail,' &c., says Christ; of which I have elsewhere
spoken.

Now, if this be thy case as to this and that other world, think with thy-
self what thine eternal soul must then betake itself unto, and also unto
whom in that other world. My doctrinal part hath informed you that it is
God himself, God immediately : Eccles. xii. 7, ' The spirit returns unto him
that gave it.' To explain which, there was that evident difference put in
the making man's soul at first from that of his body, that God made the
body out of the earth, but the soul was breathed in by Go 1 ; and therefore
not out of any pre-existent matter, as the souls and forms of all other living
things are. And upon this dissoluton or separation of each from other, it
is that Solomon says, ' Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was,
and the soul to God that gave it ;' that is to say, the same common law
befalls either in their kind, that to other things in their kind, they are re-
duced unto their first principles. And so look as the body is materially
resolved into the earth, which was the first matter of it, so, according to

55G AN UNREGENEEATE MAn's GUII^TINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

some kind of analogy thereunto (and so far as the soul is capable of a like
return unto God), the soul returns to God that gave it, as having been the
immediate original of it, not materially, as a spark is out of the tire, but as
the immediate efficient. It came from God by way of gift, God gavj it ;
that is, freely and voluntarily produced it by a sole single free act of his will
an. I power, whereby he created it out of nothing ; and so in tbe whole of it,
it was an entire and mere gift of his. And, therefore, in the beginning of
bis exhortation, verse 1 of this chapter, he had aforehand laid this us a
foundation for it, ' Remember thy Creator,' or ' Crea'ors ;' and is so styled,
because he is in a more special manner thy Creator, than of our bodies, or
of other creatures ; and that because himself immediately gave thy soul in
such a manner as he produced not our bodies, nor material substances.
And hence it is it returns to him, as the immediate judge or arbiter of its
eternal condition. It returns to EI,ohim, which, as a Lapide and Ferdi-
nandus have observed in their comments, signifies also a judge as well as a
creator, and so was chosen out here, as a word more filly serving that his
pcope, than any other name of God's. Now then, think what it is to die ;
it is to to return to God, so as eternally and immediately to have to do with
him.

And then withal cons'der the different dispensations of this great God
towards you in this world, and that next. In this world men's souls having
creature-comforts, God communicates himself unto them thereby, and by
reason of his patience and longsuffering to them added hereto, they bear
not of, nor from him immediately ; the most of men do not otherwise than
in these mediate ways. 'I was altogether silent,' sa-ys God, Ps. 1. He
answers them neither good nor bad. And thus, though he is not far off from
any of us, but men live and move in him, in respect of his power to uphold
them, as Acts xvii. 28, or, as ver. 25, ' He giveth life and breath unto all
things ' (which clause doth interpret that other, ver. 28), yet as to con-
verse with, or intimate knowledge of him, he is the ' unknown God,' ver. 23,
and men live without God, in that respect, in this world, as Eph. ii. 12.

But although men thus live without God here, they shall not live (I might
Ray not die rather, for it is a death) without God in the world to come. I
beseech you, think with yourselves, bow your converse with this great God
in this world is (I express it by that of men with a lion comparatively), but
as thx-ough a grate (as that of the spouse's with him is said to be but
through a lattice. Cant. ii. 9). And he keeps to the laws of his ordinary
providence ; he breaks not forth immediately, but lies still and quiet, and
through his patience suflereth and permitteth men to walk by him, and do
all their heart's desire, and lets them alone. But, brethren, when you come
to die, it is as if one were turned in unto that lion with the grate open ; and
those repagula of his patience removed, your poor souls, your naked souls,
are upon him immediately, and must (in a clean contraiy way to what the
saints do) dwell with him for ever. The consideration of this struck dread
and horror into the hearts of the sinners of Zion, as it may well do in any
poul that hath not communion with God. Isa. xxxiii. 14, ' The sinners in
Zion are afraid ; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites : who among us
shall dwell with the devouring fire ? who amongst us shall dwell with ever-
lasting burnings ?' (I opensd that place before, and shewed that this de-
vouring fire was God himself.) These speak one to another as men affrighted
use to do, and as struck on the sudden with apprehensions of the greatness
of that God, whom their consciences (now awakened) told them they had to
do withal for ever. And they look ti-embling one upon the other, and tbe
common cry and voice among them thereupon is. Whose portion will this

Chap. IX.] in rkspkct of sin and punishment. 557

prove to be ? For it will be the portion of some ; or, who of us, or all crea-
tures, is able to bear it, or endure it ? And upon this conference (as I may
term it), and inquisition among tliemselves, God by the prophet steps out
and answers them, but in a clean contrary way, and to their further con-
fu-iion, and tells them, there are those that shall dwell with ine thus imme-
diately, unto whom I will be glory and happiness, who shall walk in the
comfort of this fire which you thus dread ; and who (like the three children
ill that fiery furnace) shall be refreshed therein. So it follows, ' He that
walks righteously, and speaks uprightly, he shall dwell on high,' And there-
fore it further follows, 1, as a promise to the upright and pure in heart, ver.
17, ' Thine eyes shall see the King in his glory.' And, 2, with a further
threatening to the hypocrites, ' Thine heart,' who art an hypocrite, ' shall
meditate terror,' ver. 18.

Now then again, seeing you have thus to do with the great God alone for
ever, let every one of us ' prepare to meet our God,' Amos iv. This neces-
sarily puts you upon seeking of him here in this world, and to seek that face
and favour of his, in which alone is life. You must therefore also give up
your souls unto him here, to live in him, as in your chiefest good, and not
in your lusts ; and to live to him as your highest end and constant interest,
and as whose glory should act and steer you in all your ways, and not unto
yourselves. And therefore you, that have neglected this great God, or served
him but in formality and hypocrisy (which in Sciipture hath the denomina-
tion of those that forget God), who never knew what it is to have intimate
communion and fellowship with him through faith, in prayer and other con-
verses, joined with hearty love unto him, and to the interest of his glory,
think, oh think with yourselves, when you come to die, that you must go to
him, and be with him for ever, in that sense I have given. Think with thy-
self thus : My soul will be turned naked out of this world, and there is
nothing, no, not a rag of any of the comforts I pursue after here, which shall
be carried with it from hence ; but it is the great God I must be turned
naked unto, and appear before ; and if my soul be found naked of his image
too (which to have renewed in me was the only errand he sent my soul for
into this world), and if I bring not that along with me, as my current token,
ticket, and pass into the other world, there will not be a dwelling place of
bliss for me, to receive me into ; not such an one as the apostle speaks of
for the comfort of the saints : 2 Cor. v. 1, 3, ' We know that if our earthly
tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building of God ; if so be we shall not
be found naked,' ver. 3, that is, devoid of his image, as also of Christ's
righteousness. But instead thereof, this great God will be unto me as a
furnace, and I must dwell with those everlasting burnings spoken of, even
for ever.

And then think with thyself again, What communion or correspondency
hath my soul kept and held with God ? What acquaintance hath it had with
him ? For otherwise it will be strange you should commend your souls into
his hands (as Christ did, and the saints use to do when they die), and that
with a desire and intention to live that eternity with him which is to come,
and yet not to have lived at all with him, or to him here. How dost thou
think thou canst look him in the face at thy first appearance before him ?
If they should take thy soul away from thee this night, as Christ's speech
is, Luke xii. 20, how canst thou think God should then at first look on
thee, much less take thee into eternal, immediate bosom-communion with
himself for ever ? I pray, upon what acquaintance ? And so may God
also say unto thee. Oh, therefore, ' remember thy Creator in the days of
thy youth ;' learn to know and fear him ; ' acquaint thyself with him, and

558 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

be at peace. Receive the law, I pray thee, from his mouth,' &c., Job xxii.
21, 22.

Again, thiuk with thyself,' What do I pursuing after the things of this life
with my dearest afleclions, and utmost intentions ? Alas, I am to live for
ever with God, and not with these. The apostle sets forth a manifesto upon
it, 1 Tim. vi. 7, ' We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain (or
manifest, says he, rb brjXov) we carry nothing out ;' and thereby provokes
them to pursue with might and main after godliness, which alone is great
gain, and only current money in the other world. And this is the manifest
coherence of those two sayings, following immediately one the other in those
two verses, vers. 0, 7, * But godliness with contentment is great gain. For
(says he) we brought nothing into this worLl, and it is certain we can carry
nothing out ;' the latt-r being a motive to the former. And therefore also
upon the same ground it follows, ' Trust in the living God, and not in riches'
(so neither in learning, wisdom, credit, &c.), ver. 17. For wh}'^ ? It is the
Uvinq God whom you are to have to do withsil for ever. Although he hath
for the present given you, and provided all things in this world richly to en-
joy (as it follows there), yet he hath reserved himself for you to enjoy in the
other world. And it is the living God in my text likewise, into whose hands
vou fall, as of a judge and avenger, if you fall short of godliness, Heb. x.
And it is this living God you must be made happy in and by for ever.

The great theme and subject of Ecclesiastes, you know, is, that * all is
vanity and vexation of spirit.' Now you may observe, how Solomon, upon
this very g found and account I have now been pressing, doth set a fresh
stamp upon, and his last seal unto that truth, that all is vain, Eccles. xii. 8,
even from this ground, that a man's spirit returns unto God that gave it,
ver. 7. Read and observe the coherence of those two verses, ver 7, 8,
' Then shall the dust return unto the earth as it was, and the spirit shall
return to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, all is
vanity.' He had in the beginning of this book pronounced them vanities :
chap, i., ' Vanity of vanities,' &c. And he had all along proved them vain at
lest, as they are enjoyed in this world, unto those who enjoy them most
abundant^, most fre^dy. But now when in the conclusion he had brought
man himself, that is, the enjoyer of them, and discoursed him into his grave,
laid him in the dust, and said thereupon that his soul must immediately go
to God, then he cries out anew, having reserved it for the conclusion of all,
and that also upon an account greater than all the former : ' Vanity of vani-
ties, saith the Preacher, all is vanity ; ' and thereupon infers as the close,
• Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter : Fear God and keep his
commandments : for God shall bring every work unto judgment, with every
secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.' You may observe
how the apostle in a parallel manner also speaks, ' It is appointed for all
men to die, and after this the judgment,' Heb. ix. 27, just as Solomon here.

Let me next deal strictiui, or at downright blows with you. I first serve
every soul here with an arrest, that he was once a child of wrath : Eph. ii. 3,
' Children of wrath by nature as well as others.' Let every man clear him-
self of it unto God as he can ; all were born such, and continue such until
now, 1 John ii. 9, if they have not become otherwise, by an escape made,
from the sense of this danger, which is termed by the Baptist, a ' flying from
the wrath to come,' Mat. iii. 7 ; an ' escaping the damnation of hell,' by
Christ, Mat. xxiii. 33, as the murderer did when he ran to the city of
refuge from the attack of the avenger of blood (as in Heb. vi. 18 the allu-
sion is), a flying for refuge unto Christ. Which escape is made by a solid,
and serious, and overpowering apprehension of that estate to be such, as

Chap. IX.] in respect of sin and punishment. 559

that a man continuing therein, he apprehends he is every moment obnoxious
to this ■vvrath, which drives him unto Christ as a deliverer from that wrath,
joined with a giving a man's self up to him. Both which, through the power
of the Holy Ghost accompanying them, do work a change of heart and life
in him, an actual turning of the soul unto God, from all sin to godliness.
And until a man bo thus ingrafted into Christ, and thereby made a new
creature in him, 'all this wrath,' as Christ says, John iii. 80, ' remains or
abides upon him.' Which word remains imports, as was said, his condition
to have been originally, and in itself, and from the beginning, uninterruptedly
under wrath; until saving faith, which is accompanied with regeneration and
true repentance, puts the difference. So as there needs no more to be in-
quired of such a man, but what have you to say for the alteration of your
estate ? without which it is one and the same that it was at the first ; he
continues under condemnation until now, wrath remains. As we use to say,
an outlawry, a sentence of death remains upon a man till pardoned. He
says not only that the wrath of God is coming upon such a man, as the
apostle's phrase is, but it abides, &c. ; the apostle indeed says, it comes, as in
respect to the execution of it, but Christ says, it abides on a man, in respect
of a man's being bound over unto it, until the Son doth make him free.

Then again, think with yourselves, how that this wrath of God is declared
to be ' against all ungodliness and unrighteousness ' of any kind, continued
in a way of disobedience. And be thy sins small or great, yet whilst thou
art in that estate, this wrath is in their proportion due unto all that un-
godliness and unrighteousness in thee, and remains upon thee for them.
First, against all ungodliness, though it be but in deadness, averseness unto,
and running aside from God unto the creature ; whereupon follow neglects, con-
tempts of him, enmities to him, and thence omission of duties towards him,
and ' not glorifying him as God,' as there ver. 21. And, secondly, all un-
righteousness unrepented of and continued in ; the enumeration of the
particulars of which you may have in the same chapter: vers. 29, 30, 'Being
filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, mali-
ciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, back-
biters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things,
disobedient to parents,' &c. And to strike thy heart yet more, think what
sins the apostle more especially singleth out, as those for which he specially
indigitates that ' the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience.'
Col. iii. 5, 6, Even 'fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil
concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. For which things' sake
the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience ; ' that is, that
live in them in a way of rebellion and disobedience unto God.

And consider, they are not heathens only, whom the wrath of God is
poured forth upon ; though so, Ps. Ixxix. 6, ' Pour out thy wrath upon
the heathen that have not known thee ;' and Ps. ix. 17, ' All the nations
that forget God shall be turned into hell ;' but it is also those that live under
and ' obey not the gospel,' and those especially. In 2 Thes. i. 7-9, the
subjects of this wrath are reduced to these two : those that know not God,'
they were these heathens ; and those that ' obey not the gospel,' that is,
who professing it, and living under the means of it, even the children of the
kingdom (as they are called. Mat. viii, 12, and Mat. xiii. 41), there ' shall
be gathered out of the kingdom' (that is, the visible professors of religion, in
the strictness of it), ' all things' (that is, persons) ' that do offend, and do
iniquity,' or are workers of it. Those first, and especially, that have given
scandal by doing iniquity openly, and repented not, and then those that
secretly du iniquity, that are found workers of it in any kind, they shall be

560 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [SoO'^ XIII.

g ithered, s lys Christ, ' and cast into a furnace of fire ;' and hypocrites espe-
cially, thej are made the measure and standard of all other that are cast
into it, both by Christ and the prophet Isaiah.

But not only these, but in Mat. xii. 22, ' He that but wanteth the wed-
dinc-garment ;' not the positive doers of iniquity onl}', but that want true
grace, s'ncerity of faith, and love unto Jesus Christ ; the wanting all those
graces. Col. iii. 12, Gal. vi, 15, which as a garment he should have put on,
as in those places, that csme to such a wedding, the wed ling of so great a
parson. And when there, he savs to sush a o,i3, ' Friend' (it is an up-
braiding speech, such an one as Christ used to Judas, Mat. xxv. 40, because
he had professed himself to be a frend, but is discovered to be a false and
fL-i:fned one), ' how comest thou hither ?' here is no room for thee. And
though Christ is said to spy out but one such among that company, yet it
is the case of many : for, that the conclusion of that parable, ver. 14, im-
porteth, ' many are called, few are chosen ;' and so that one person is pro-
fessedly made but the instance or example of what Christ will do with all
others that are such, who will prove many. And it is said that he was
speechless, or strangled as with an halter (as the original word signifies),
tiirouch obstupefaction of spirit. Now of this man, and all other such,
Christ the King saith, ver. 13, ' Bind him hand and foot' (that he may not
be able to help himself, or deliver himself), ' and cast him into outer dark-
ness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' And the true rea-
son is, because if men's estates be found unrenewed or unregenerate (as this
man's was through want of true grace), then the sins of their whole lives do
abide upon their score, and are charged upon them. And every such an
one, even the finest-spun hypocrite, hath sins enough (if he had no other)
in those very deficiencies and fallings short of trm and spiritual grace, which
he wholly wants. And the highest and most sublimated work of the Spirit,
which a man remaining unregenerate is any way capable of, through heavenly
enlifhtenings, and tastings of the powers of the world to come, stirring up
but self only, and the afi'ections thereof towards spiritual things, is capable of
beinfT discovereJ, not only that it is a deficient work, and short of true holi-
ness at that day ; but also when all the inward obliquities, motives, ends,
purposes, affections, that are in such men's hearts, that were the influencers
and guides of their ways and actions, are discovered, it will be found that
they all are matter of wratb, as truly as their other sins ; and their persons
will be proved to have continued under the wrath of God abiding on them,
as well as grosser sinners. And that there will be the discovery of these
things in such men, is the genuine scope of that passage, Heb. iv. 13, 14,
' The word of God' (understand it whether of Christ, or the word of Christ)
' is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even
to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and
is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hejrt : neither is there any
creature' (that is, of the heart of man) ' that is not manifest in his sight,
with whom we have to do.' For unto such professors iimong the Jews, as
had been enlightened, &c., as chap, vi., of whom you also read up and down
in that epistle, and yet still remained in real and spiritual unbelief, as
ver. 11 of this very chapter compared with Jude ver. 5, is this passage par-
ticularly directed, and of them intended.

Consider, moreover, that the longer thou goest on in this estate, or in thy
sin, the more of wrath thou ' treasurest up unto thyself,' as Rom. ii. Every
moment sins do add unto that heap ; and all thy sins are barrelled up in thy
conscience, as gunpowder fully dry, and an answerable proportion and mea-
sure of wrath is laid up in God's heart ; and when these meet, and that it

Chap. IX.] in respect of sin and punishment. 5G1

comes to pass that the fire of God's wrath breaks forth out of his heart into
thine, then thy soul is blown up in an instant, and a fire kindled that burns
for ever in hell.

And meditate also how frail thy life is, how thin and slight a screen of
flesh there is betwixt all this wrath and thy bare soul ; which, if worn, or
any way sliced through, the soul runs out. Nay, that venomous spider, thy
soul, dwells but in a cobweb, which, if broken, or any violence be done it,
it instantly flies away into the other world. Job, in several places, delights
to compare our lives and condition in this world unto a candle or lamp.
Now let the candle be let alone to burn itself out fairly to its full length, yet
some last but a very little while, and those of the greatest size cannot long.
Oh, but how many intervening casualties are there, that afore do put it out ?
The ' candle of the wicked shall be put out, and destruction cometh upon
them,' Job xxi. 17, that is, ab extrinseco, from without. How many thieves
in the candle, or fatal accidents, do men meet with, that unawares consume
it ! Immoderate sorrows and cares swale it ; intemperance, like too much
oil poured thereon to feed it, choketh and extinguisheth it ; too much inten-
tion of mind turns the flame downwards upon itself, and so it evaporates.
Often another man's breath, in seasons of malignity (which fall out more or
less every year), blows and puffs it out. A friend's breath comes in with
an infectious vapour, and throws his soul out who visits him ; yea, an un-
skilful or else a mistaking hand of a physician, who undertakes to snufi" and
brighten it, unwarily clean snufis the candle out. Yea, men strong and
vigorous 'go to the grave in a moment,' as in the same 21st chapter of Job,
ver. 13. Yea, as Ps. Iv. 15, they ' ^o quick to hell :' it is an allusion to
Korah, Dathan, &c.. Num. xvi. 30, 33; of whom it is said twice, ' They went
alive to hell.' Many die so suddenly, that they are in hell in a trice, and
as it were ere quite dead. And truly the most of men live in this world like
silly sheep in a pasture, as David's similitude is : Ps. xlix. 14, ' They are
put into hell like sheep ;' (so some*). It notes oixt their security in respect
of that slaughter which comes upon them. This man dies, then that, then
another, and they regard it not; even as the sheep do not, when the butcher
(as his pleasure is) takes out first one, then another, and carries them to
the shambles, whilst the rest feed on, and know not that they themselves are
a-fatting to the day of slaughter also.

Let us consider also what millions of transgressions are we guilty of in
one day ! Oh, then, what in thy whole life ! And what a reckoning will
the sins of thy whole hfe come to, when every commandment shall bring in
their bills ! And that thou hast to deal with a God who,

1. Hath all thy sins before him : Isa. Ixv. 6, ' Behold, it is written before
me, but I will recompense,' &c.

2. That will never forget anyone of them : Amos viii. 7, ' The Lord hath
sworn. Surely I will never forget any of their works.'

3. With a God who will bate thee nothing : ' Every transgression shall
receive a just recompence of reward.' He ' spared not his own Son,' Rom.
viii. ; and will not thee, unless by regeneration thou hast a portion in his
Son. Think with thyself what a case thou art in, if thou must answer jus-
tice for all and every one of these.

The most of these things hitherto by way of use spoken by me, are no
other than what David himself spends one whole psalm together upon;
it is Ps. xlix., and styles it the ' meditation of his heart,' ver. 3, which
caused me to entitle that former about what it is to die, a meditation rather

* See Ainsworth.

VOL. X. N n

562 AN UNREGENERATE MAn's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

than an use, as I had done that of Moses also, Ps. xc. This of David's I
shall here add, to set the deeper seal and weight upon all that hath been
treated.

He begins the psalm, and shews the moment of these matters, though in
view but ordinary, with as solemn a preface and proclamation, calling upon
attention and heed hereto, as anywhere we find in Scriptures.

1 . In the first verse he summons all the world into a ring about him : ' Hear
ye this, all the people ; give ear, all the inhabitants of the world.'

And, 2, particulariseth forth his auditors into all sorts of conditions: ver. 2,
' Both low and high, rich and poor together.' For why ? What he was to
utter to them did as much concern the one as it did the other, and behoved
them all alike to look to, as being that which especially concerned them in
respect unto their being in the other world, how difierent soever their con-
dition was in this.

And, 3, he cries up the matter itself as the greatest wisdom, ver. 3, and
a deep mysterious parable and dark saying : ver. 4, ' My mouth shall speak
of wisdom ; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. I
will incline mine ear unto a parable ; I will open my dark saying upon the
harp.' Now, what should this matter be ? It was to declare two things,
which take up that whole psalm.

The first, how in the style of a be it known to all men (for we have seen
he publisheth it to all), he aloud declares, I for my part am not afraid to
die, and go into that other world. Which confidence of his he greatens by
this supposition superadded, that if, when he should come to die, all the
sins of his whole life were presented before his view, yet notwithstanding he
should not be afraid. Thus, ver. 5, ' Wherefore should I fear in the days
of evil, when the iniquities of my heels shall compass me about? ' A strange
confidence, which yet he found reason for from God ; for he challengeth all
or anything to bring in reason to the contrary. Let them all say, * Where-
fore should I fear ? ' And yet his other psalms as well as his story tells us
what an infinite number of sins were upon his score, and how sensible he
was thereof. And that this bold speech of his relates specially to the day
of death, or days wherein he might have cause to fear it (though I will ex-
clude no other times of trouble that were yet to come before in this life to
be intended by him, which interpreters wholly carry it unto). That this is
his scope, I shall make appeal to the whole drift of what follows throughout
the psalm, which concerns the state of wicked men in their death, which I
shall by and by shew. But specially I argue it from the reference and cor-
respondency this speech hath with and to verse 15, 'God will redeem my
soul from the power of the grave, for he shall receive me. Selah,' There
you have the reason or ground of this his confidence, which he had at first
uttered in verse 5, perfectly expressed, as that which he opposed unto all
therefores or ivherefores to the contrary ; yea, though they should be fetched
from his very sins, that might (if anything) make him afraid. But there in
that resolve of his, ver. 15, he centres and landeth this which he had so
confidently uttered in verse 5. And all the rest of his discourse that comes
between, is apparently about the opposite condition of wicked men ; as that
they must die, and what their estate is in and after death. All which was
but to illustrate this confidence of his.

He plainly in this verse 5 puts himself into the supposition, as if he were
then to die, and as if death (' the king of terrors,' Job xviii. 19) were setting
down his siege about him, and that all ' the iniquities of his heels,' or ways
(which are death's strongest forces : ' The sting of death is sin, and the
strength of sin is the law,' 1 Cor. xv. 56), were as an army formed up,

Chap. IX.j in respect op sin and punishment. 563

'encompassing him round' (which out of Psalm xl. 12 I have shewed to
have been his case, and the very metaphor he there also useth). But now
David was so steeled, as though he placed himself thus aforehand in the full
view and face of all these, single and alone in the midst of them. He yet
outdares them all, as the apostle did, Rom. viii. 33, strengthened with this,
' for the Lord will receive my soul ; ' which phrase of speech to be the same
that a dying saint useth, you all know. And this part of his speech, ver. 5,
might have come in as comfortable an use as any other of that former doc-
trine, the innumerable number of sins ; but that this other part that now
follows doth properly belong unto what hath been nov/ last insisted on, and
80 I rather placed both here.

The second thing is the opposite state of wicked men in their lives, and in
relation to their dying, and also at and after death, by which he both illus-
trates and expounds his meaning in ver. 5 to be to utter his own blessed
condition at his death, verse 15; and to that purpose it is he further dilates
upon the death of wicked men in the rest of the psalm, and which is indeed
a kind of summary of what in the former meditation I have pressed.

During their lives, ' they trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the
multitude of their riches,' verse 6, and yet they see (as the word is, verse 10),
that they cannot redeem their own or others' precious souls from bodily death,
or obtain of God by a ransom, that they should live for ever, ' for he sees
the wise man die like as the fool, and so leave their wealth to others ;' thus
in verses 7-10. That which therefore (miserable wretches) they relieve
themselves with against this is, ' their inward thought is that their houses
shall continue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations ; they
call their lands after their own names, and their posterity approve their
sayings, though, when he dies, he shall carry nothing away, his glory shall
not descend after him,' &c. And whither goes he when he dies ? ' His
soul ' (so it is in the original, and varied in the margin) ' shall go to the
generation of his fathers ' (to the company of those giants of the old world,
from whom hell hath its name so oft in the Proverbs). And where are
they all ? The ' spirits in prison.' So the apostle resolves us, speaking
of the men of the old world, 1 Peter iii. 19. ' And they shall never see
light ' or comfort more, says the psalmist ; but as for me (says David,
verse 15), ' God shall receive me ' into the bosom of his love and bhss.
And then, again, upon their dying, ' they are laid as sheep in the grave ;
death shall feed on them,' and prey upon them ; the first death upon their
bodies in the grave, the second death upon their souls. ' And their beauty
shall consume in the grave,' so as at the morning (as there) of the resur-
rection, the greatest personages that have had such a gleam of glory to
attend them whilst they lived, accompanied perhaps also with dominion
over others, shall then rise such ugly shabby death-eaten and hell-eaten
creatures (as we use to say moth-eaten), all their beauty being preyed
upon (that is his word) and consumed. And such shall appear in judgment,
where the upright whom they despised ' shall have dominion over them,
ver. 14. ' But,' says David, ' God shall redeem my soul from the power of
the grave ; for he shall receive me. Selah.'

And, for the further illustration of all this, and how it relates unto death,
I shall only cast in a manifest parallel between what David here had meditated
about the condition of wicked men at death, with what our Lord himself hath
seconded it withal, in expressions fully herewith agreeing, treating of wicked
men's dying also, Luke xii. 16-21. It is the parable of that rich mtvn whose
soul was taken away that night. 1. Says David, ' Their inward thought is,'
&c., ver. 11 ; and says Christ, ' He thought within himself,' so ver. 17.

5G4 AN UNREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

2. ' Whilst he lived he blessed himself,' so David, ver. 18, namely, in those
his inward thoughts about his goods and posterity. And the like speaks
Christ, to be the inward speech and applauding himself, of his rich man :
' He says to his soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years ;
take thine ease and be merry.' Again, 3, of this man Christ says, ' Thou
fool, this night,' &c. ver. 20 ; and David of his, * This their way is their
folly,' ver. 10. 4. And finally, the reason of that their folly, which both
Christ and David give, do centre in one and the same : ' This night thy soul
shall be required of thee, then whose shall these things thou hast provided
be?' thus Christ, ver. 20 ; and David, correspondently, ' His soul shall go,'
&c. They shall never see light, ver. 19, and he shall carry nothing away,
but leave his wealth to others,' vers. 10, 17.

But still withal let us remember what David's conclusion is concerning
himself at his death, and which he placeth in the midst as the centre of his
discourse, which hath all this other about wicked men round about it, and
to the end to magnify the mercy thereof to himself. ' But God shall
redeem my soul, and shall receive me. Selah.' The mercy of both which
the last use of all that next follows doth concern, and so shuts up this dis-
course.

Use 4. Let all believers from hence learn how to set a due and full value
upon that salvation which they profess to expect, and which God hath
designed to give them.

Our great and gracious God, the more to bind and oblige the redeemed of
the sons of men unto himself, hath twisted their salvation of a double cord
of love. 1. A privative one, seen in what they are snatched out of, which is
termed a being ' saved from wrath,' Rom. v. ; a ' delivering from wrath,'
1 Thes. i. 10 ; an * escaping the damnation of hell,' Mat. xxiii. 33 ; a not so
much as ' entering into condemnation,' John v. 24. 2. The other a positive
part, ' the glory to be revealed,' the greatness of which no tongue can utter
or heart conceive. That blessedness or glory conferred on the elect angels,
and that favour shewn them, hath not this privative part of salvation to
greaten it, further than as by way of prevention, in that God upheld them
from falling into the merit or desert of it, whereas we men are all become
guilty before God, were actually under wrath, * children of wrath even as
others,' one as well as another, Eph. ii. And the weight of this, he in that
scripture would have them put into the scale whenever they thought of sal-
vation, ' By grace ye are saved,' so as with a note of remark it follows,
ver. 8. God hath thus doubled the mercy of salvation to us, on purpose to
make it salvation indeed ; ' so great salvation !' as the apostle speaks,
Heb. ii., which duplication is seen in all parts of our salvation as well as
this, as might be largely shewn.

There are many gracious saints that have had no impressions of wrath, no
fears and terrors of hell, set upon their souls in their first humiliation ; nay,
the consideration thereof hath had but small influence into their hearts by
way of motive in turning them unto God, but it hath been pure free love
hath taken their hearts and swallowed up their thoughts. Yet mark what I
shall say unto thee in this case, although, indeed, the less thou hast been
moved in thy turning to God with such fears or impressions of hell, it be in
some respect the better, for the more kindly hath God's work been in that
respect upon thee ; and it also argues a special tenderness in God's heart
towards thy soul to have restrained the roughness of the east wind from
blowing on thee, as the prophet speaks. Yet let me withal say, that the
more any one hath after conversion taken into consideration this wrath, I
do not mean by terrors, but by a practical meditation of it, and his own

Chap. IX. J in respkcx ok sin and punishment. 5G5

desert thereof, the more, when joined together with the former, of God's
pure love, it will move his heart to thankfulness to God for saving him. And
the more thine heart hath this way been enlarged, the more God's love,
which thou art either assured of or reliest on, must needs be greatened to
thee, yea, and prove the higher incentive of love unto God again from thee.
Whereas, on the contrary, that I may give a caution, because there seemeth
to be such an ingenuity in grace, its working in that first respect mentioned,
that wrath hath had no influence at all, hence such persons are apt too
much to neglect, or not to mind the consideration of God's wrath at all, no,
not so much as in this latter way mentioned ; but thinking to keep up an
ingenuity of love, they entertain not this at all in their meditations. But
sure this is far more blameworthy than that other is commendable, and that
by how much there comes thereby to be a loss, of so much and of so great
a part of God's love purposely thereby designed to be shewn ; I term it a
loss, for what is not seen, and the heart considers not, nor is sensible of, is
as if it had not been. And further, 1 add, that this valuing of God's love
herein shewed, at its own full rate in both respects, is a matter of greater
moment than the working of thy love to him in so ingenious and kindly a
way, as thou supposest, without all or any consideration of hell or wrath,
can arise unto ; and this, by how much God's love to us, in the full latitude
of it, is a thing more precious than our love to him. Of the two, God had
rather have us apprehend his love towards us in the utmost extent thereof,
than have our love, or love from us to him, to work but in that one way of
ingenuousness ; yea, and in the issue you will all find, that if you join the
considerations of both together, they will concur to work an higher ingenuity
of love, than that other way alone can do.

If we will come to comprehend with all saints the height, and depth, &c.,
of the love of God and Christ, in all the dimensions of it, we must take that
course and way in our meditations about it, which God himself hath laid
out and designed on pui-pose to set it forth and greaten it unto us by ; which
he hath done as well by so great a deliverance from so great a wrath due to
us, as by conferring so rich an inheritance of glory upon us. And look as
God hath two such vast contrivances of infinite weight each of them, the
one in his right hand, the other in his left, for the manifestation of his love,
80 we should have two scales in the hand of our faith to weigh each by ;
and of the two, it may perhaps be hard to say which is the more massy,
that is, in the apprehensions of some of those who have been deeply
humbled for sin, and under sense of wrath, though I think glory carries it
by far.

I observe, that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ himself, though but
made a surety for sin, and though it was impossible he should be holden of
wrath or anything he was to suffer. Acts ii. 24, yet he doth consider, as well
for his blessing God, as also to his own comfort, in Ps. xvi. 7 and 10, a
psalm made wholly of him, and magnify the delivering part of salvation :
' Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, nor sutler thine holy One to see cor-
ruption ;' I say, he considers this as well as the joy which followed thereon,
which yet also follows there, ver. 11, ' Thou wilt shew me the path of life.
In thy presence is fulness of joy ; at thy right hand are pleasures for ever-
more,' He reckons up both, as two distinct parts of favour shewn in that
salvation of his, which is both the cause and pattern of ours. And that it
was to bless God for both these, which he thus distinctly and apart mentions,
his preface to both, ver. 7, ' I will bless the Lord,' &c., shews. Thus as
man. And there is this further evidence of it, that look as what any one
exerciseth faith for, and prays for much before it is obtained, that propor-

56G AN UXREGENERATE MAN's GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BoOK XIII.

tionably he is thankful for after. And the same is seen in Christ in this
very particular; for as we read in that psalm, that he exercised faith for this
deliverance as well as for that glory ; so, in like manner, Heb. v. 7, that
' he ofiered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto
him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in what he feared.'
And hence it came to pass, that we find him after his deliverance so greatly
blessing God for it. So you read of his praising God for the same in Ps.
xxii. from ver. 2 to the end, and in express words, ver. 25, even as well as
you may read his prayer for this deliverance in the former part of that psalm.

If he who, but for us and our sakes, needed no deliverance, then how much
more lies this upon us, the persons saved, and unable to save ourselves, dis-
tinctly to remember both these parts of our salvation with infinite praise and
blessing of God's great name ! ' Bless the Lord, 0 my soul ; and all that
is within me, bless his holy name, and forget not all' (that is, not any of)
' his benefits,' says the psalmist in his own person, Ps. ciii. 1, 2. And what
sort of benefits were they ? It follows, ver. 3, 4, ' Who forgive th all thine
iniquities ; who redeemeth thy life from destruction : ' there is salvation
from sin and hell, the privative part ; ' Who crowneth thee with loving-
kindness and tender mercies' (over and above deliverance), ' and satisfieth
thy mouth with good things : ' there you see also is the positive part. You
might observe the very same in this 40th Psalm, ' Thou shalt redeem me,'
&c., and, ' Thou shalt receive me.'

By all that hath been spoken, although you are saved from it, yet, look
down into hell a little, as it hath been set out to you ; and think with
yourselves. Hath God delivered me from so great a death, and given me
such a deliverance as this, from a death so dreadful and eternal also ! How
would the devils and spirits in prison prize an escape and deliverance from
wrath present and to come, if they could be supposed capable thereof, yea,
if they had no more ! A nobleman or favourite that hath run into great
and high treasons, to have but mere life given him, how would he value it,
though he never saw the court more, nor were never restored unto his estate
and dignities, had he but wherewithal to live ! If a man were in danger to
be drowned, and a rope were thrown him and a crown, and bidden take his
choice, with promise. Thou shalt be king of all the world, if thou come to
shore safe with the crown on thy head ; of the two he would in this case take
hold of the rope, and refuse the crown. And why? Because it is salva-
tion and his life. But for a man to be both wafted safe to the shore, and then
arriving there, to have this crown besides, how great salvation would this be
valued ! stupendous grace and love !

These things the saints should consider chiefly unto two ends and pur-
poses :

1. To be thankful to God and Christ.

2. To comfort their own souls.

1. To be thankful both to God and Christ.

(1.) To God the Father. It was his part to contrive the whole desiga of
our salvation, to the end to set forth his love to us. And the Scripture
spreads before us the love of the Father herein upon this double considera-
tion : 1, that he appointed us not to wrath, which otherwise we should have
in the issue and execution, by reason of sin fallen under; 2, that he ordained
us to salvation. You have an express scripture for both these, setting
forth the love of God the Father hereby : 1 Thes. v. 9, ' God hath
not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation.' Here are first, two
parts of the mercy vouchsafed : 1, deliverance from wrath ; 2, salvation.
Then the love of the Father in his not appointing us to wrath (and so not

Chap. IX.] in respect of sin and punishment. 567

to leave us under it), as well as appointing us to salvation, and both as
appointments of God, the one as well as the other.

And then in the second epistle, chap. ii. 13, he provokes them unto
thankfulness for this, ' But we are bound to give thanks unto God for you,
who hath from the beginning choson you unto salvation, through sanctifica-
tion of the Spirit and belief of the truth ; ' which he speaks with reference
to what was done to others (ver. 12 compared). Let me speak to you then
in the apostle's language : Oh what thanks are yourselves then bound (if the
apostle gave them for others) to give unto God for yourselves, to whom God
hath given faith and holiness, upon both these respects !

(2.) To Jesus Christ for that hand which he had in this our deliverance
from wrath, thus expressly, 1 Thess. i. 10, 'Ye wait for his Son from heaven,
even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.' Here acain you
have these two parts of salvation set together. 1. His coming from heaven
which they waited for with hopes of his carrying them thither, as he tells
them, chap. iv. 17, ' We shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air ;
and so shall we ever be with the Lord.' Then, 2 (which the apostle adds
with an emphasis), ' Even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come.'
Take in that, too, says he, and forget it not, to endear your Jesus to you ;
and for ever know him by this character, it is that Jesus who delivered you
from the wrath to come. It was the Father's work, indeed, to appoint and
ordain this deliverance, and us unto the benefit of it through faith ; but it
was our Jesus, his Son's work, to effect and accomplish it ; it was his soul
that paid for all.

And the manner or way how he deHvered us from this wrath, heightens
this his love yet more ; for he delivered us from it by being ' made himself
a curse for us,' Gal. iii. 23.

2. The second thing I propounded was, to comfort your souls in the
consideration of this salvation and deliverance. Thus Christ, Ps. xvi. 9, 10
for his deliverance, ' Therefore my heart is glad, my flesh also shall rest in
hope ; for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, thou wilt shew me the path
of Ufe,' &c. And David in the 49th Psalm, which led on to this, doth com-
fort himself also, ver. 15, when of wicked men he had said, 'Like sheep
they are put into hell ' (as some read it), ' Death shall feed on them ; ' he
then for his own particular comforts himself with this, ' But God shall re-
deem my soul from the power of hell, for he shall receive me.' And the
apostle to the Thessalonians, 1st epistle, chap, v., having, ver. 9, set before
them (as was before opened) that God had not appointed them to wrath, but
to obtain salvation, he subjoins, ver. 11, ' Wherefoee comfort yourselves

TOGETHER.'

END OF VOL. X.

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