A sermon preached before the King at White-Hall, March 6, 1673/4 by William Lloyd ... Lloyd, William, 1627-1717. 1674 Approx. 42 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 19 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A48847 Wing L2708 ESTC R20362 12402659 ocm 12402659 61306 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A48847) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 61306) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 767:29) A sermon preached before the King at White-Hall, March 6, 1673/4 by William Lloyd ... Lloyd, William, 1627-1717. [2], 33, [1] p. Printed by Andrew Clark for Henry Brome ..., London : 1674. Advertisement: p. [1] at end. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Church of England -- Sermons. Bible. -- N.T. -- Romans VIII, 13 -- Sermons. Lenten sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. 2003-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-12 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-11 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2004-11 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-01 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A SERMON Preached before the KING AT WHITE-HALL , March 6. 1673 / 4 ; . BY William Lloyd , D. D. Dean of Bangor , and one of his Majesties Chaplains in Ordinary . Published by His Majesties Command . LONDON : Printed by Andrew Clark , for Henry Brome at the Gun at the West-end of St. Paul's , MDCLXXIV . A Lent-Sermon . ROM . VIII . Ver. 13. If you walk after the flesh , ye shall die ; but if you through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body , you shall live . IT was the Apostles design in most part of this Epistle , both for his Converts at Rome , to whom it was immediately written , and for all other Christians that should come to read it in after times , to draw them off from a carnal and sensual course of life , to that which is most agreeable to our Christian profession . In order to this , he lays the foundation of his Discourse in a discovery of a two-fold principle in man , that strongly enclines him the one way or the other : he shews the certain tendency of both these ways ; the one exposing us to the just wrath and indignation of God , which must end first or last in our ruine and destruction ; the other pleasing to God , and beneficial to our selves , full of inward peace and comfort in this life , sure of endless joy and happiness in the future . These two opposite principles in my Text , so much spoken of in the beginning of this Chapter , are the same which our Saviour formerly mentioned in that discourse , St. John ● . 6. where he shews what they are , and whence they proceed . There is a principle of Flesh ( as he calls it ) in every man that is born into this world ; it descends to us from the parents of our flesh , in that taint of our nature which we call Original Sin ; and this addicts us to all Carnal and Sensual things , but more strongly to those which are evil and forbidden . There is also another principle in every Christian , the Grace which we receive at our New Birth in Holy Baptism : This our Saviour calls Spirit , for 't is infus'd into us by the operation of the Spirit of God. This inclines ( and inables those that will be led by it ) to those things which are spiritual and eternal . The opposition between these two principles in us , and the consequence of each to them that are led by it , is thus described by the Apostle in my Text , If ye , &c. That is , in other words , If you lead your life according to the Carnal Principle , and be not chang'd and renew'd by the Spirit , i. e. until you repent and be converted , you are spiritually dead in this life , and are to look for nothing but eternal death in the future . But if the Spiritual Principle have power in you , so as to subdue the irregular inclinations of the flesh , you shall live , i. e. being quicken'd and renew'd by the Spirit , you shall have that spiritual life here which shall be consummated hereafter in life everlasting . In the last words which are my subject at this time , I shall consider these four particulars . 1. What are here call'd the deeds of the flesh . 2. How these are to be mortifi'd . 3. How we are to do it by the Spirit . 4. How thus doing we shall live . All these parts I shall consider with a twofold respect . To them that have spiritual life , and to them that are destitute of it ; for those of both sorts have an interest in my Text , and a capacity to receive benefit by it . You that have Spiritual Life in you , if you mortifie the deeds of the flesh , you shall continue the life of Grace here , and shall attain to the life of Glory hereafter . And even you that are spiritually dead , you are not so dead but that you also may live ; if you by the spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh ; you shall thereby come to the life of Grace here , and so you also shall attain the life of Glory hereafter . To proceed in the method which I have propounded , I am first to consider what are the Deeds of the flesh . And if the flesh be , as is said , our original Concupiscence , then the deeds or actings of it must be actual sins . So that look how many sorts of such sins are in the world , so many sorts we may reckon of the Deeds of the flesh : Our Apostle gives us a black Catalogue of them , Gal. 5. 19. where he says , The works of the flesh are manifest , and they are these , Adultery , Fornication , Uncleanness , Lasciviousness , Idolatry , Witchcraft , Hatred , Variance , Emulations , Wraths , Strifes , Seditions , Heresies , Envying , Murders , Drunkenness , Revellings and such like ; which whoso does , shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. And lest our Apostle's calling them Works in that Text , and Deeds in this , should make any one think , he means only outward actions , and no other ; I must desire you to remember , that God sees not as man sees , nor judges as man judges . Man can see no more but the outward action , God looks chiefly , if not only at the heart ; man can judge of no sin till he sees it acted , with God it is acted as soon as it is conceiv'd . When lust hath conceiv'd , it brings forth sin ; and sin when it is finish'd , brings forth death , James 1. 15. 'T is conceiv'd as soon as ever it is thought of with consent ; as we proceed to delight in the speculation , it ripens ; when we resolve to commit it , then 't is finish'd ; for then the heart has done as much as it can do . Though we never proceed to action , 't is perfect sin . I cannot say it is more sin if we do bring it to action . Only then 't is the more dangerous , and approaches more to habit ; for the purpose continues all the while we commit it , and is confirmed by the pleasure we have in committing it . Therefore 't is the great mercy of God when he restrains us , when he hinders us , when he takes away the power and opportunity from us , that we cannot put an ill purpose in execution : though we are nevertheless guilty of the sin , having gone as far as we can go in it , when it is fully resolv'd and purpos'd in the heart . Mat , 15. 19. says our Saviour , Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts , Murders , Adulteries , Fornications , Thefts , false Witness , Blasphemy . They could not proceed out of the heart , but that first they were in the heart . And many sins may be in the heart , that are never brought forth into action . All the sins that I have mentioned may lie within in the heart , and only those come abroad that see their occasion ; but whether outward or inward , they are the works of the flesh , they are the same sins whether purposed and committed , or whether never committed , but only purpos'd and determin'd in the heart . These we are to mortifie , says my Text : To mortifie , that is , to kill them , to put them to death ; or , which is equivalent , yea much better , to keep them from ever coming to life . This mortifying of sin , is the proper work and business of Repentance : now Repentance ( ye know ) runs throughout the whole course of ones life : every day of our life has need of repentance , for no day is free from the pollution of sin . But through Gods mercy in Christ , sin shall not be imputed to them in whom it is mortified or subdued and kept under , in whom the power of it is conquered and kill'd , or in whom 't is kept from coming to life . I endeavour to use so many several terms , as may reach the several states of men , which I have to consider . The first state is of them that are not yet grown up to years of discretion , that cannot yet fully distinguish between good and evil ; they are to mortifie sin , ( I cannot properly call it repentance ) that have not yet soil'd the white robe of Innocence which they put on through Gods Grace in the Sacrament of Baptism . The second state is of them who having broke their Baptismal profession , and having fallen into sin , through ignorance and frailty , have not yet proceeded so far as to have defil'd themselves by any wilful or deliberate sin . The third state is of them who have thus transgressed , and yet not gone to that height of enormity , as to commit any sin against the light of nature , such as God has particularly threatned with excision ; and have not yet contracted any habitual custom of those sins into which they have fallen . The fourth state is of them who having done thus are therefore said to be spiritually dead The Question is , what men in each of these states have to do in the work of Repentance ? how in each of these states they are to mortifie the deeds of the flesh ? First of them that are not yet grown up to years of discretion , children that can scarce distinguish between good and evil ; the question is , what they have to do in this work ? sure there is much to be done by their Parents and Governours . 'T is their duty to forwarn them of sin ; to make them know their danger of it , and by it ; to teach them , as they are able to learn , what solemn Vows and Professions were made for them in Baptism . The first promise then made for them was , that they should forsake the Devil and all his works , the pomps and vanities of this world , and all the sinful lusts of the flesh . Children should be taught what these things are ; how hard it is to forsake them , through the naughtiness of our natural disposition ; and yet how necessary 't is to forsake them , and how possible through the Grace and Goodness of God. Children should be taught in their daily prayers , to acknowledge what they find of their ignorance and frailty , to ask pardon for what has been amiss in their little time past , and to beg the assistance of Gods Grace for the future . Whensoever they do fall into actual sin , as soon as ever it comes to the knowledge of their friends , 't is their duty to admonish them , and to make them sensible of it ; to make them ashamed of it , and sorry for it ; To bring them , if it be possible , to hate and detest it ; To see that they Confess it to God , and ask his pardon for that sin and all other ; that they resolve by promise to forsake it , and beseech God for his Grace to enable them to fulfil that good resolution . In the whole course of our life after Infancy , being obnoxious to many and manifold sins ; some of Ignorance , some of Weakness , and some of Wilfulness and Presumption ; and none of these being to be forgiven without Repentance ; we ought , as far as we know and are able , to suit our Repentance to our Sins . For sins of Ignorance , and of daily Incursion , I conceive a general Repentance may suffice : for sins of Wilfulness and Presumption , there ought to be a particular Repentance . First , for sins of Weakness and daily Incursion , I say , 't is necessary there should be a general Repentance . Every one that has the use of knowledge and reason , should make such a daily Confession in his Prayers , as David did in that Psalm 19 , 12. Cleanse me Lord from my secret sins . This our Church has taught us to do in our publick Prayers ; and we should do it as oft as we repeat that Confession , Almighty and most merciful Father , we have offended against thy holy Laws , doing those things which we ought not to have done , and not doing those things which we ought to have done . In this and such like offices , we sum up together our sins of Ignorance and daily Incursion ; we cast our selves , with them , before the Tribunal of God ; imploring that Mercy , which according to the terms of the Gospel , we are sure he will grant to them that confess in the general those sins which they know not in particular . In this sense I conceive those words may be understood , 1 John 1. 9. We , says the Apostle of himself , and such as he was , cannot say that we have no sin : We have sins of Ignorance , and of daily incursion ; but blessed be God , if we confess our sins , he is faithful and will forgive us , according to the terms of the Gospel . As for those sins which need a particular Repentance , of them , says the same Apostle , he that abides in God , sinneth not , 1 John 3. 6. and ver . 9. He does not commit sin , he does not fall into wilful and deliberate sin . If he does , there is a breach , and he must speedily make it up by particular repentance for that particular sin . Good God! how many such sins do many of us commit , and pass them by without particular notice , and therefore without particular Repentance ? they do not remember themselves , and are as quiet as if God had forgotten them . Because this happens too oft , and cannot be helpt when 't is past ; I must mind them that are sensible of it , how much they are oblig'd to special and solemn acts of Repentance . This God will surely expect , and less will not be accepted at their hands ; that they should set apart some special times for their spiritual accompt , and especially when they would prepare to receive the Lords Supper . All Christians are oblig'd to receive at Easter , according to the ancient Laws yet in force . When those Laws were first made in the Primitive Church , care was taken there should be a time of preparation : and ( I suppose for this purpose ) it was wisely ordain'd , that there should be not only a whole Lent of Abstinence , but a Week of Fasting ; the Passion Week , in which men , as it were , with one common consent , not to interrupt and hinder one another , might set themselvs to examine the state of their Conscience , to mortifie their Lusts , and correct their evil Habits , to purge out the old Leaven before they come to the Feast of that Sacrament . What care the Church has taken for this , we ought our selves to take for all our other preparations ; to set apartSufficient time for the cleansing of the Conscience . To say how much is Sufficient , I shall not undertake , for the measures are various according to mens several circumstances : Of them that have much time , much will be requir'd ; and less will be sufficient for them that have less : But I beseech you let the thing be effectually done . Call your self into your Chamber or Closet , and there , as the Psalmist says , Commune with your own heart and be still . Examine your self wherein you have transgress'd , and wherein you have been most apt to transgress , especially in those things which are your foulest transgressions . Search as far as you are able into the very particulars of them : where you have forgot the particulars , yet at least , to remember the kinds of them . The kinds of every ones sins are known to himself : The kinds wherein men may sin are infinite , and yet these may be reduc'd under certain Heads ; and are so in some Books to which you may have recourse , in this duty of Self-examination . If you have not such a Catalogue of Heads ( which were well worth the having and considering at such a time ) you may do well to think deliberately with your selves what you know that God has commanded in Scripture , and what you know that God has forbidden in Scripture ; and examine your self how you have done those things which God has commanded , and avoided what God has forbidden . Especially If you know any Catalogue in Scripture , either of Commands and Duties , or of Prohibitions and Sins ; you may do well to examine your self by that Catalogue , and to consider what the state of your soul is as to every Particular . For example , you know the Ten Commandments of the Moral Law ; you may take a particular account of your obedience to those Commands . You know the three Theological Virtues , Faith , Hope , and Charity ; examine the state of your soul as to these three Graces and Virtues . You may possibly have observ'd sundry Catalogues of sins ; I quoted you one in Gal. 5. 19. you find there how God threatens all them that are guilty of such sins , you may do well to ask your selves with the Apostles , Is it I ? and see what answer you can make upon each of those Particulars . To do just as I advise in this matter , I know is not so absolutely necessary ; for the same thing may be effected sundry ways : but this way is the best that I am able to advise , and I am sure the thing might be profitably done : I question how faithful they are to themselves that leave it undone . The use of this advice is , as far as 't is possible , to find out the particulars ; at least to find out the kinds of your sins . That having found you may mortifie them ; bring them forth one by one in Confession , and recount them to God in the bitterness of your soul ; and take up strong resolutions against them , beseeching God by his Grace , to enable you to fulfil those resolutions . Yet when all this is done , I cannot say you have mortified your sin , till you have truly forsaken it , and at least broke the Habit of it . This is true Mortification , when the sin is cast off and forsaken ; when the lust , the parent of it is so conquer'd and subdued , that though still it dwell in us ( we cannot help that ) yet it hath no more dominion over us . But what shall we say when the sin is not forsaken , when lust is in full dominion , when Religion and the fear of God is so abandon'd and lost , that one does not stick at those Sins which the Gentiles , that have onely the Light of Nature , would have detested and abhorr'd ? Or when one allows himself in the Habitual Practise of that which he knows to be Sin , or might know , if he would but consider it ? In this Case , the Person being spiritually dead , ( which is the fourth and last State ) I am to show how such an one may yet mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh , ( that is ) may recover from this Death , and so scape Eternal Death ; which is the next thing that falls under consideration . And surely this Estate being extraordinary bad , is not to be remedied without extraordinary Care. Lust , where it has got an Head , where it has the Dominion , is like that Unclean Spirit , Mat. xvii . 21. that was not to be cast out without Prayer and Fasting . Without Prayer there is nothing to be done in any spiritual Business ; especially in this , there is need of most intent and most vehement Prayer . And there is need of Fasting too , that is , of much Severity to be exercised upon our selves : and that not onely in Abstinence from Meats , which of it self , St. Paul says , profits little , 1 Tim. iv . 8. but we are chiefly to abstain from the satisfying of our Lusts in those things which are more to us than Meat and Drink . This being as much the hardest , as most needful Severity ; our Saviour calls it , The plucking out of the Right Eye , the cutting off a Limb , Mat. v. 30. St. Paul calls it , The Circumcision of the Heart , Rom. ii . 19. and Gal. v. 24. The crueifying of the Flesh , with its Affections and Lusts. I know 't is in vain to proceed upon this Subject , to show how a Man spiritually dead , should mortifie fin ; how one dead in any kind , should do any act of life in that kind ; much more , to excite you with great Cost and Pains to endeavour it ; unless first I show that you are capable to do it : for no Man that thinks what he does , will set about , much less be at great cost to do , that which he thinks impossible to be done . Therefore , ere I go any farther , I shall endeavour to show , how he that is spiritually dead may mortifie Sin , and what is to be done on his part towards the mortifying of it . I trust you understand what is most certainly true ; that as there is no Man wholly free from Lust , so there is no Man entirely under the Dominion of it . That Devil is not so great in any Man living , that he can quite put out the Eyes , or stop the Mouth of his Conscience : Nay , he cannot hinder it from observing , and speaking out , and interrupting him between whiles . No Habit is so deeply radicated in us , so entirely possest of us , but that it may be broken off , it may be alter'd by degrees , and turn'd quite into the contrary , as we may order the matter . That ill Habits may be alter'd we know , and by what Causes ; as by Diet and Physick ; by Education and Converse ; by diligent Exercise , whether for ones Moral Improvement , or whether out of any other Design . We know Men may be extremely changed , for we see by experience they are so . It were no hard thing to shew by Examples , some that have been in their time Lavish , Riotous , Spend-thrifts , and come after to be Greedy , Sordid , Penurious Wretches . Some that were Dissolute and Loose , without appearance of any Sense of Religion , have in time come to be Superstitious , Schismatical , and Factious . Such as have been factious in their Sect of Religion , having afterward found that to be a Cheat , and judging all Religion to be so , have turn'd Ranters , and run out into all manner of Licentiousness . Some that have much valu'd Themselves by their Cloaths , and taken a Pride to out - do others that way , becoming Quakers have put off that Pride , and put on Spiritual Pride in the stead . 'T is Lust governs them still , though it has shifted it self ; it hath alter'd its Habit , it hath quitted its Place , and put on other Circumstances ; 't is no other than Satan that has cast out Satan . However this sufficiently shows how possible it is for a Habit to be broken and left off , and turn'd into the contrary . Being sure then it is possible , we are to see how this may be done to good purpose in the way of Mortification . It may be done Morally , as I intimated before : So Heathens have done it , and so the Spiritually Dead may do it , Morally , by attending to the Dictates of Natural Reason . Common Reason will tell you what a weakness it is to give the Reins to your Lust , to let your Beast carry you whither he pleases ; to run out of your Estate , your Credit , your Health , in pursuit of an unsatisfying momentany Pleasure : and will therefore tell you how unwise they are that give themselves to Drunkenness , to Riot , and Uncleanness . Common Reason will tell you what a vain thing it is to Pride your selves in that which is not yours , or in that which soon may be anothers , ( for all things here are subject to Time and Chance . ) Common Reason will tell you what a madness it is to run into a Needless Quarrel , and then , as the fashion is , to stake all you have upon the issue of it ; to put it in the power of every worthless man to make you go to Cross and Pile with him for your Life . Common Reason will tell you what a vexatious , endless thing it is to set your heart upon uncertain Riches ; to live Poor , that you may die Rich ; to wrong others , and be never the better for 't your self , but much the worse , when all accounts are cast up . These and many things more , common Reason will tell you , if you attentively heed it . You may learn much from Reason , and 't is well if you do that ; But let me tell you , Reason will not do this business in my Text. It will not convince you of all Sins , it cannot cope with all Lusts , it corrects but few Habits , and not any sufficiently : for it does not purifie the Fountain , it cleanses not the Heart ; it does not place it upon God , the right Object ; it does not season it with Grace , the right Principle ; without which all that you do otherwise is light and defective , 't will not hold weight in the Scales of the Sanctuary of God. This it is which the Apostle supposes in this Work , saying , If you through the Spirit mortifie the Deeds of the Flesh : You must do it , but not you ; you of your selves , so you cannot ; but you through the Spirit , so you may , and so you ought to do it . The Spirit in this Text is taken by Interpreters for either the Spirit of God , or the Spirit of Man ; both these , in their several ways and degrees , have to do in the Work of Mortification . First Actively , onely the Spirit of God : and that either outwardly , by means ; or inwardly , working on our Spirit . Outwardly God has given us means of Mortification , both to them in whom it succeeds , and to them in whom it succeeds not : Those Means are both his Word and his Works . First , Gods Word is generally propounded in Scripture , where whoso reads and lists to observe cannot but see how God forbids and dissuades from all manner of Sin , how he invites and exhorts us to Repentance and Newness of Life . He cannot but see how God seconds his Commands with exceeding rich and precious Promises : He cannot but see how his Prohibitions are prest with Threatnings of Judgments both in this Life and the future . Of his Works : We have an account of His Wonders of old , in all the Historical Part of Scripture ; of the Mercies which he shewed to them that did Repent , and of the Judgments which he executed upon hardened and impenitent Sinners . We cannot but see in our own daily Experience the Works of Gods ordinary Providence , both his Judgments and his Mercies in this Life . We see daily enough to convince us , if we please to observe , that as the Psalmist says , Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous , verily there is a God that judgeth even here in the Earth . Nay , if we collect from Experience , we need go no farther than our selves . We are forgetful and ungrateful , if we observe not in our selves that God has been merciful to us , that he has not taken us at advantage ; that he has spar'd us when he might have punish'd us , and punish'd us Gently when he might have consumed us : We cannot but see how he has forborn us , and warn'd us ; how he has sometime come near and threatned us , and as it were walk'd off to see what we would do : We cannot but see what he has done to others before our Eyes , how he has made quick work with them , and cut them off in his wrath ; whilst we have been the Objects of his Patience and Long-suffering , treated with all the Means , and invited with great Opportunities , ( for what end ? ) to bring us to Repentance . If that be his end , as we are certain it is , where is the fault all this while , that You have not yet mortify'd the Deeds of the Flesh , O ye that are dead in Trespasses and Sins ? What is it because you are dead ? So some may conceive ; we being dead there is nothing for us to do ; yes , there is much for you to do , much that you may do ; so much , that as you cannot but confess 't is your fault that you are spiritually dead , so it is ten thousand times more your fault if you continue so . For though you are so far dead that you cannot be rightly active , you are to be more than meerly passive in the Work of Mortification . I mean , you are not Stocks and Stones , you are not tied to a necessity of lying still . Though you are so dead , that you cannot help your selves ; you can do that which being done , God will assuredly help you . God will help you if you earnestly apply your selves unto him ; if you use those Means which he has prescribed ; if you bewail that which has so deaded and disabled you ; if you earnestly sue to him for his Grace to enable you , and for his Mercy to spare you , so long time that this Work may yet be brought to Perfection . Prayer to God should have the first place , if it has any in this matter ; and that it has , St. Peter teaches in his Advice to Simon Magus , Acts viii . 22 , 23. Thou art ( says he ) in the Gall of Bitterness , and in the Bond of Iniquity ; yet pray unto God , if perhaps thy Wickedness may be forgiven thee . Doubtless a wicked mans Prayer is abomination to the Lord , while he resolves to continue such ; but we are as sure he can never be otherwise without daily and earnest Prayer unto God. But then Praying is not all , ye must also do what ye can . Ye can choose whether you will go to the House of Prayer at Prayer-time ; or whether you will sit at home , or visit , or walk the Fields : at home you can choose whether you will pray , or read a Book that may profit you ; or whether you will do that which may hurt , or which cannot profit you . You can choose whether you will give your mind to what you read or hear ; or whether you will divide it between Sleep and Talk , and other matters . You can , if you please , lay up what you learn ; you can think of it again in due time , and so apply it , that it may make some impression : I do not say you can have Faith when you please ; but St. Paul says , Faith comes by hearing the Word of God ; and you may hear it when you please ; and Gods Blessing is ready to go along with his Word , it is your own fault if you do not partake of that Blessing . If you are sick , and a Physician comes to you , and offers you that which he says , and you believe , will certainly cure you ; if you take his Physick , and observe his Rules , and so doing recover your Health ; it is he that has cur'd you , you have not cur'd your self . And yet thus much you have done towards it , you have done all as he directed you , you have been willingly passive , which was more than he could compel you to be . Now this is all that God requires in the Work of our Conversion ; He could compel us , but he will not ; for he expects we should be willingly passive : he would have us take his Physick , and observe his Rules . God expects we should apply our Hearts to Spiritual Knowledge , with a full resolution to live accordingly . God expects we should abstain from ill Diet , that is , from the satisfying of our Lusts , which ( I have shown you ) upon a Moral Account we are able to abstain from , if we please . God expects we should be conversant in his Word , and that we should observe him in his Works . For his Word , he expects you should read or hear it often , and diligently ; that what you read or hear , you should lay to heart , so as to make some impression ; that you should heed it with the same concernment , and with at least as much effect , as you would do if your Lawyer should tell you of something which endanger'd your whole Estate ; or if your Physician should warn you of some Disease , that , if not prevented , would shorten your Life . Of his Works , chiefly of his Judgments , God expects you should be a diligent Observer . First , when you see others suffer for their sins , which perhaps are also yours ; You cannot but know that God has made them Examples to you : and therefore ( whatsoever his end may be towards them ) you have much cause to fear , that unless you repent , God will also make you ( perhaps you next ) an Example to others ? When any Judgment of God is fallen upon your self , God expects you should consider whence it comes , and wherefore 't is ; to take away your sin : that you should mind this especially in Sickness , which is the greatest Temporal Mercy , in order to a Spiritual good , the greatest God can show to any hardened and yet not incorrigible Sinner . If ye neglect all these Methods and Means of Conversion , what remains but a sad and fearful Account ? An Account that comes Slow , but will be most Sure ; First for your Sin , and then for your Impenitence , and then for your neglect of the means of Repentance . This last will make you quite inexcusable . When you are in Hell , whither you are going , and must come , without Repentance , it will be another Hell to you to consider ; how possible it was for you , by repenting in this Life , to have prevented that misery which now you are for ever to endure ; and to have obtain'd that Bliss from which you are now separated for ever . Whereas contrary wise , if you lay hold on this Opportunity , if you make use of these Means , that use for which they were intended of God ; you will soon find a sensible Benefit , in certain Effects which ▪ deserve more time then I have now to consider them . First , You will find the Means of Grace more effectual by degrees : You will find a Lesson from hence make more impression upon your thoughts : You will find both a softning and a strengthning of your Heart . I dare promise you from God an encrease of the Means of Grace ; and perhaps a longer Life to profit by them ; Why not ? For God willeth not the Death of a Sinner , but rather that he should be converted , and live . If longer Life therefore be needful to compleat your Conversion , God will give it : if not , he will the sooner perfect your Conversion ; for he has declared in favour of such as you are , that He will not quench the smoaking Flax , nor break the bruised Reed , until he has brought forth Iudgment to Victory , till he has given you a full Conquest of your Sins . But how ? Through his Spirit : That is , the inward Work of it ; which comes next to be considered . God works outwardly , as you have heard , by giving us the Means of our Conversion . God works inwardly by his Grace , which gives efficacy to the Means ; or more properly , he gives it to Us ; to a Sinner so humbled , and so contrite , as ye have heard , for his own Promise , for his own Mercy 's sake , God gives that Grace which is the Life and Soul of Conversion . And this being infus'd into our Spirits by the Spirit of God , may cause that Doubt among Interpreters , as ye have heard , ( though it comes all to one ) whether our mortifying of Sin be by the Spirit of God , or by our Spirit enlightened and enabled by his Spirit . Sure enough the Agent or Efficient in our Conversion is the Spirit of God ; Our Spirit , which is willingly Passive before and in our Conversion , after this becomes Active , it cooperates with the Spirit of God. First in our Conversion 't is the work of Gods Spirit to mortifie our Lusts , to break the power of them in our Hearts , to set our captive and enthralled Affections at liberty . 'T is the Work of God to change our Spirit or Rational Soul ; having thus broken the Bonds of Death wherein it was held , to quicken it , to give it Spiritual Life : so to create in us , as it were , a New Heart , and a New Spirit ; whence the Soul that repents is said to be a New Creature , made as Adam was at first , after the Image of God. Both these Works of Gods Spirit St. Paul requires of us , though our part in them be onely such as you have heard , Ephes. iv . 22 , &c. That we put off , concerning the former Conversation , the Old Man , which is corrupt , according to the deceitful Lusts ; and be renewed in the Spirit of our Minds ; and that we put on the New Man , which after God is created in Righteousness and Holiness . Our Spirit being thus quickned and renewed , becomes Active , and hath its work upon all the inferiour Faculties , it bestirs it self to fill the room of those Lusts which God has chas'd out of our Hearts ; it changes the Work of every Part to an unspeakable Advantage ; it never rests till it has the whole Body to offer up as a living Sacrifice , holy and acceptable to God. But its chief Work is on the Affections ; which , while they were Servants to the Flesh , commanded under it , and were the Instruments of its Tyranny over the whole Man ; when God has set them at liberty , they are as able to fight on his side , and to make them as willing , that is the work of the Spirit . Between God and the World St. John shews you the opposition , 1 John ii . 15 , &c. All that is in the World , says the Apostle , is the Lust of the Flesh , the Lust of the Eye , and the Pride of Life : As 't is the business of our Lusts to engage our Affections to the World ; so those Lusts being mortified as you have heard , 't is the work of a renewed Spirit to convert all those Affections to God. What is the Pride of Life , but an Affection to worldly Honour and Greatness ? The Affection being mortify'd to that , the New Creature exalts to true Honour and Greatness : No such Honour , no such Greatness as this , to be the Child of God , and to bear the Image of God. To which Image Sin is so contrary , that it is only Reproachful , only worthy of our Scorn and our Disdain . The Child of God aims at no other Glory , but that of God , which we advance ; and that from God , which we are sure to receive , by Well-doing . The Lust of the Flesh is the Affection irregularly set on worldly and carnal Mirth and Pleasure . The Affection being mortifi'd to that , is for Mirth and Pleasure still ; but only such as is worthy of a good Man , and of a true Child of God. If this Affection ever hated Melancholy before , 't is more freed from it than ever , when converted to God : 'T is entertain'd with the continual Feast of a good Conscience , a Feast that consists not of Meat and Drink , but of Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost : It has the Love of God , which is infinitely above the Love of Women : It has within it self the matter of eternal Thanksgivings , and some Tastings of those Joys of the Blessed , whose work it is to Praise God for Evermore . The Lust of the Eyes is an Affection set either on Revenge , or on Covetousness . 'T is the business of Revenge to see ones Will upon his Enemies : The Affection being mortify'd to that , has its exercise still , though it has no Enemies : For , as Tertullian says , A Christian is no Mans Enemy : But he hates and declares against the Enemies of God ; that is , not against Persons , but Sins ; against Atheism and Profaness , and whatsoever it be that dishonours God , that affronts his Name , that disgraces his Worship , that defaces his Image , Truth and Holiness , the best Image of God amongst Men. And what is Covetousness but an Affection irregularly set upon worldly Goods , still craving and saving for an uncertain Future ? The Affection being mortify'd to that , the renewed Spirit sets before it a certain Future , a lasting Future , that is and will be the same to Eternity : the Affection cannot be too intent upon that , no Provision can be excessive for that , no Care can be too great to preserve it , nor Watchfulness against him that would rob us of it . There is but one that can rob us of it , that is , Sin ; the Affection cannot be too watchful against Sin. There is but one Provision will do us good , that is , Good Works ; the Affection cannot be too intent upon Good Works . O wise and happy Covetousness of that true Riches which will neither be lost nor left behind , but will follow us , and be with us for ever ! This then is True Mortification of the Deeds of the Flesh : When a Sinner being Convinc'd of the Evil of his VVay , reflecting on his Guilt , and apprehending his Danger , seeing the Jaws of Destruction open before him ; applies himself humbly to the Methods of God ; abstains from his Sin , takes all that God prescribes , waits on God for the Effect , in Supplication and Prayer . God is pleased to give him the Conquest of his Lusts , sets him free from the Bonds of Death , creates in him a New Heart and a New Spirit ; which being purged from its Filth , finds a New Current for its Affections , sets them wholly on things Spiritual and Eternal . The Whole Man being thus transformed to the Image of God , in Goodness and Holiness and Truth ; He whose Eternal Delight is in these Lineaments of Himself , delights and dwells in that Man whom he has thus consecrated to Himself by his Spirit . What remains ? but that it should be our Care for the future not to Grieve that Good Spirit of God ; but to Rejoyce him with Good Works , that we also may Rejoyce with him and in him ; Enjoying that Blessed Estate of Spiritual Life here , Preparing and Waiting for the full Possession of Eternal Life hereafter . FINIS . Some Books Printed for Henry Brome , since the Dreadful Fire in London . DR . William Lloyd ' s Sermon before the King against the Papists . His Sermon at the Funeral of John Lord Bishop of Chester . A Seasonable Discourse against Popery . A Reasonable Defence of the Seasonable Discourse . The Difference between the Church and Court of Rome considered . The Papists ●●●t : Or , Their Way to gain Proselytes . Answered by Ch. Gataker . Dr. Heylin on the Creed . Folio . A Sermon at the Assizes at Reading : By Joi . Sayer , M. A. Mr. Stanhopp ' s Four Sermons on several Occasions . Mr. Hampton ' s Assize-Sermon . Mr. Tho. Tanner ' s Sermon to the divided and scattered Members of the Church . A Sermon at the Funeral of Dr. Turner Dean of Canterbury : By Dr. Du Moulin . Education and Governing of Children of all Conditions ; By Dr. Du Moulin . The Controversial Letters , or Grand Controversie , concerning the pretended Authority of Papists over the Whole Earth . Popery Manifested : Or the Papist Incognito made Known . Toleration discussed : The Second Edition Enlarged : By R. L'Estrange Esq. The Vindication of the Clergy . Manudictio ad Coelum , or a Guide to Eternity : Extracted out of the Writings of the Holy Fathers and Antient Philosophers . Written originally in Latin , by John Bona.