upon him by pouring out their wants before him Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Mat. 6. What hath been said may teach two things First the lamentable condition of such as neither can nor will pray that are as unaccustomed to it as the Heifer to the yoak living absolute Athiests in the World saying in their heart if not in their actions too there is no God Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen and families that call not upon thy name Secondly This teacheth to strengthen the hearts and hands of such as fear God to this service of prayer it being part of their defence or Armor Ephes 6. Praying alwayes with all prayer and suppliaction in the spirit watching thereunto with all perseverance c. When thou saidest seek my face my heart said thy face Lord will I seek thou wilt hide me in thy Pavillion Psal 27. 4 5 6 7 8 9. Read and consider so pass to the next Sign CHAP. XXII Containing in it an Assertion of the Causes of Affliction and that without great provocation God is not wont to afflict his people and though provoked very unwilling to extremity With four Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Answered SIGN XXII VVHen you are mighty careless to Inquire after the spiritual cause of Affliction and mighty careful to Inquire after the natural cure The more or less spiritual any man is may be easily discovered under this Tryal Affliction being of that piercing kind that other tryals are not because of the great influence it hath upon the sensitive part of man where ever it comes while sense remains it makes the person restless either to find out cause or cure or both We may therefore first inquire after the word Affliction what that meaneth to afflict is to lay some burthen upon a person that is not ordinary Gen. 15. 13. There they shall afflict you four hundred years this is opened in Exod. 1. Israel is made to serve with rigor Lam. 1. 4. 5. The wayes of Zion do mourn because none come to the solemn feasts all her gates are desolate her Priests sigh her virgins are afflicted and she is in bitterness I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt by reason of his task-master Acts 3. 34. By these Texts it appears that affliction meaneth any grief or trouble that cometh upon soul or body name or estate for the punishment of sin or the tryal of faith so that sickness and diseases as feavor and ague consumption inflamation the like are all comprised under this word affliction it will therefore be necessary to open the word Spiritual cause it being in the Sign oposed to natural cure by spiritual cause is to be understood some provoking God in the subject afflicted to the procuring this affliction nothing some cause or other why the Spirit suffers it to come upon us Now every body will be ready to grant that these things before promised may be truly called affliction but not grant that there can be such a spiritual cause in themselves and so make the Sign of no force Now to clear up this doubt let us make this inquiry whether any affliction or death it self come upon any man but for some cause or other from the man active or imputive that is he either so acted in his particular person or some body else in his general relation and on him it is righteously come For the resolution of this question let us inquire what causes in Scripture the righteous God assigns afflictions or death unto Gen. 3. 9 10 11 12 13. Who told thee thou wert naked hast thou eaten of the Tree I commanded thee not to eat the things in this Chapter considerable are these vers 14. the Serpent must go upon his belly eat dust and be curst above every beast of the field vers 16. to the woman he saith I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children and to Adam he saith Cursed is the Ground for thy sake Thornes and Thisles it shall bring forth to thee dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return you see in these verses misery both upon the woman and the man is brought the reason by God assigned vers 17. Because thou hast done this in hearkning to thy wife cursed is the ground for thy sake so also Josh 7. 7. Israel Gods prevailing people that by day had a pillar of a cloude and by night a pillar of fire ministring unto them now cannot stand before their enemies Joshua that at another time commands the Sun and Moon and they obey him now by prayer cannot prevail for Israel Gods people against the cursed Nation But what is the matter vers 11 12. Israel hath sinned and cannot stand neither will I be with them any more except they put the accursed thing from among them Lam. 3. 1 13. I am the man that have seen affliction vers 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin 1 Cor. 11. 3. For this Cause many are sick and weak and many sleep 1 Thes 2. 11. For this Cause God shall send them strong delusion that they all might be damned that believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness and let all the House of Israel know that without a Cause I have not done all that I have done saith the Lord Ezek. 14. 23. Much more might be said as to afflictions that attend both the body and mind together with the Causes and this left to consideration whether if Hell condemnation the highest of affliction be the fruit or reward of sin and unbelief much rather sickness and diseases with death it self which are the least afflictions must come from Creature Causes now if any man can assign any other Cause than God doth here assign let him do it if not by all this comparing of it with the eighth Sign of dying to Christ in which I have been more large upon affliction inward and outward with their Causes I shall therefore proceed to some Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Object 1. The first Objection is grounded upon 2 Sam. 12. 14. The Child that is born to thee shall surely die David is threatned with death in the child that hath not offended contrary to this Doctrine Answ This act of God to take away Davids Child if considered will be found mercy mixt with justice David by the Law was to die for the matter of Vriah now God in respect he bare to David for what good he had done and further were like to do being a man so after Gods own heart goes out of the ordinary way spares the person of David and imputes it upon the relation of David viz. his Child so in Davids seed he punished Davids person this is Gods usual way in Scripture and sets his Majesty out to be full of mercy in the middest of Justice
prepare you upon the most acceptable terms for future Glory is the true desire of Your unworthy Brother in the dear Concernments of the Gospel Francis Smith A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS Chap. 1. COntaining in it a Sign of Dying to Christ with three causes of its coming which being avoyded may serve as remedies against its ruin with profitable Objections answered 1 Chap. 2. Containing three Causes of weariness to spiritual Worship and the principal Reasons thereof 19 Chap. 3. Briefly shewing the cause of weariness to hear any truth often 23 Chap. 4. Briefly shewing how want of Charity in hearers causeth them dislike what is preached 27 Chap. 5. Containing five Causes of deceitfully thinking we know enough with four marks to know when we are under that deceit 31 Chap. 6. Containing in it Christians aptness through weakness to neglect coming to Christs Table with a short discription of offences that seemingly may hinder three Causes of this Decay 38 Chap. 7. Shewing the great decay to Christianity when mindless to prayer with a plâ—â—â— discovery of the Necessity Excellency Let Helps to prayer in sixteen particulars 46 Chap 8. Shewing the great Decay to Christianity when mindless to Reading and meditation in the holy Scriptures with six calamities very observable which Scripture Ignorance brings 54 Chap. 9. Shewing that an itching ear in Christians after Novelties bespeak them decaying to godliness with four Remedies against it 65 Chap. 10. Proving us dying to Christ when others sinnings are not our sorrowings with two Remedies against this Decay 69 Chap. 11. Shewing that unsavoury talking among Christians when they meet proves them earthly-minded with three Causes of this Decay 74 Chap. 12. Proving unpreparedness to hear the word of God a Sign of Dying to Christ with three sorts of hindrances which must be laid aside what must be our work before Hearing in Hearing and after Hearing 81 Chap. 13. Proving the state of such to be sad who assemble together more for fear of mans eye than Gods with four Discriptions how such may be known or know themselves with two Causes of this decay 89 Chap. 14. Shewing our state dying when we are more troubled at the decayes in our House than in Christs House with four marks to know when we are so dying 89 Chap. 15. Shewing that want of weeping in some when others of Christs Children with grief are stooping declares such to him a dying shewing also in four respects how we are to pitty with four Remedies against this decay 94 Cap. 16. Shewing that when the name of Christ credit to his Gospel is not so dear to us as personal sufferings wâ— are then surely on the dying hand that in estate body and life we ought to submit if called to suffering with four Causes of Decay here 99 Chap. 17. Shewing that sinning through impatience under Offences is a certain mark of deep decay with Objections Answers proving the degrees of anger and three Causes why Christians are impatient unto sin 104 Chap. 18. Proving those Christians to be almost dead that make it more their business to get the Form than the Power of Religion with its Causes and Remedies 111 Chap. 19. Containing in it a description of a decaying Christian by his light trouble at Miscarriages though known to Gods eye while kept from mans eye with two special Causes of this Decay 115 Chap. 20. Shewing the heart very bad when under faults it cannot bear plain dealing with three Causes of this badness 120 Chap. 21. Proving the condition of the rich as well as the poor to be a condition of trouble that whether it be common or more than ordinary to be answerable in prayer with a description of the different kinds of trouble with profitable Objections answered 125 Chap. 22. Containing in it an Assertion of the Causes of Affliction and that without great provocation God is not wont to afflict his people though provoked very unwilling to extremity With four Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Answered 132 Chap. 23. Proving those Christians under great Decay that pray more in Affliction to have it removed than sanctified with three Causes of this Decay 143 Chap. 24. Containing in it six Seasons in which Christians ought to humble themselves by fasting proving those under great decay that in times of calamity can find no necessity for fasting 152 Chap. 25. Containing in it the evil of Ignorance in not knowing wherefore Gods Rod is come nor what good it hath done with three Directions how to know when persons are under this Decay and three Remedies against it 159 Chap. 26. Shewing where sin takes its beginning and how by degrees if hearkned to it works ruin with six special marks how persons though pardoned may know when God will suffer them to fall into sin anew 164 Chap. 27. Shewing Satans way by which he gets in our day most advantage upon Churches and a plain discovery of the first rise of the Quakers shewing also the great Law of Edification to be preferred in all Doctrine with Cautions to such as live out of all Church way 177 Chap. 28. Shewing the necessity of humble waiting and confident depending upon the holy Spirit to help in the great work of mortification the necessity whereof is shewed in seven particulars with six directions how to get and keep this holy Spirit 189 Chap. 29. Treating of Spiritual Ignorance of our everlasting condition and five Scriptures tending to reducement from carnal security and three special Causes of such a damning Decay 205 Chap. 30. Shewing the miserable estate of such as after longer acquaintance with Christ are less in love to him with six Causes of this Decay 218 SIGNS OF A Living and Growing CHRISTIAN SIGN I. VVHen thy chief Delight is with the Saints epecially them that excel in virtue SIGN II. When the smites of the Righteous are not a burthen to thee thou canst hear of thy faults with affected attention SIGN III. When Jesus Christ in the midst of temptation is more to thee than all the World SIGN IV. When thou matterest not how dear it cost thee so thou make Corruption weary SIGN V. When increase of time in the use of Gods Ordinances works increase of affection to them SIGN VI. When length of time in Christs House works in thy heart increase of hatred to all sin SIGN VII When thou carriest about with thee a constant jealousie over thy heart proving its affectedness to God and goodness SIGN VIII When every known new mercy begets new thankfulness and that with delight SIGN IX When known calamitie in Gods House begets deep sorrow in thy heart SIGN X. When Gods afflicting thee for thy sin makes thee love God the better SIGN XI When the same care and travail thou labourest once in to get Christ thou as much if not more labours in to keep Christ SIGN XII When by thy labouring in Gods Vineyard thou art little grieved though outwardly
of his burthen were so unsensible that God complains against them Amos 6. 6. They were not grieved at the affliction of Joseph they were so far from easing him or freeing themselves from provoking of God to bring them into such like trouble that they were not so much as grieved had no burthen upon them were therefore fit matter to be indeed deservedly brought themselves into the like condition a most remarkable and profitable example if heeded by Christians we have to this very purpose in Daniel that holy man Chap. 9. vers 2. when he understands by reading that there were a number of years for Jerusalems captivity how was he burthened that he might know it is evident if you read but what he did vers 3. I set my face to seek the Lord God by prayer and supplication with fasting and sack-cloth and ashes behold here a gracious pattern for Christians that want to know great things from God Daniel sets his face unto the Lord with such qualifications attending this performance as though Daniel would be content with no denial so Chap. 10. 2 3. A thing was revealed to Daniel but the time appointed was long In those dayes I Daniel was mourning three full weeks I eat no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth till three whole weeks were fulfilled That such manner of burthen and trouble as this at the sense of ones ignorance is not only the way to get profit but indeed a most acceptable way with God and so liked as to speed presently Let us see then what is written in Dan. 9. 23. At the Beginning of thy supplication mark that the Commandment came forth and I am come to shew thee therefore understand the matter and consider the vision Had not Daniels supplications fasting sackcloth ashes proved a prevailing cause with God to send an Angel to make him understand Wherefore serves this thus written At the beginning of thy supplication so Chap. 10. 12. An Angel said in a vision Fear not Daniel for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand and chasten thy soul before thy God thy words were heard and I am come forth because of thy words Doth not all this call upon Christians to do three things First to get a mighty sense of their ignorance which is the grand cause they do not profit Secondly to be greatly burthened that it is so with them Thirdly to set their faces towards the Lord God by prayer and supplication without ceasing both to be and to abide otherwise Is not the Prophet Daniels Writing for our learning and to encourage us to take the same course God sorely dislikes the contrary Isa 32. 9. Rise up ye women that are at ease not troubled or burthened hear my voyce ye careless Daughters and be troubled Thus much may serve to inform a willing mind how to get from under the power of this Dying Sign of indifferency to Assemble and so pass to the second third and fourth Signs of Dying to Christ in which I shall be somewhat brief they having some kind of dependance upon this first Sign CHAP. II. Containing three Causes of weariness to spiritual Worship and the principal Reasons thereof SIGN II. VVHen in your purest Worship you are quickly weary It is possible to come to this pass at but a seeming occasion and persons create some kind of pretence why they are weary if it happen that at some time they are not so particularly and personally concerned in that part of Gods Worship where they are present It so falling out that the matter God is intreated about they are not so at want in or what is preached they to some considerable degree are informed in already This may fall out in numerous Congregations where different conditions ministers different occasions as to the manner of carrying on their Worship and though at such a time for a growing Christian there is no room to be weary he being as well delighted occasionally to hear or pray over again what he knows as he is to hear what he knows not in the one he takes occasion to praise for what was in the other to praise for what is yet declining persons will in such a case as this when they are not so nearly concerned take advantage not only to be weary but from hence plead their justification so to be but this Sign speaks to persons under a further consideration such as in their purest Worship are quickly weary in their most intimate private personal closet performances retired from company and set to the most intimate Worship of God in fasting praying self-examining and the like yea from a sense of mighty Need drawn to this and yet quickly weary must needs argue them deep in this decay and that in such there is a very strong combate who shall now gain the field they being a weary in their purest Worship It is evident hence that the enemy hath got more than ordinary advantage and strikes now at the very root of their Religion aiming at once as it were to make a speedy end and puts such Christians instead of Worshiping faintly to cease Worshiping at all its high time therefore at the first sight of such declining which in our dayes is not the portion of a few for surely surely many there are in Churches that in their purest Worship are quickly weary I say again its high time that those that find the case thus with them do even like the Ninevites at the preaching of Jonah They beleived God proclaimed a fast from the greatest to the least Jonah 3. 5. Even so let such go to their knees humble themselves and cry mightily that they perish not Now the Causes of this decay seems to be these three First Self-conceitedness that they know enough Secondly Luke-warmness in their Religion Thirdly Unaptness to personal Duties Which may serve as helps to remove it where begun or prevent it where like to come First Self-conceitednesse that they know enough Now this comes to pass either First Through ignorance of what they ought to know or Secondly Through Carlesness to put in practise what they do know Let the Law of God as the Law of a Nation be never so plain in it self lâ—â—d down yet without studious industry to understand what is Gods own injunction we may remain ignorant of the same and that ignorance prove a sin to us it being the effect of sloathfulness contrary to Prov. 2. beginning If thou seek for wisdome as for silver and search mark that for it as for hid treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the Knowledg of God Psal 1. 2. Secondly Through carelesness to put in practice what they do know persons are very apt to complain of their ignorance of plain duties yea as though they were holden and hindred when as all experience speaks the only way to know more is to put in practice what we do know already Thou oughtest
The necessity of believing this is evidenced by the sad consequence of the contrary for denying Christ Jesus to be a fleshly substance and converting him into a Spirit any Spirit or every Spirit and so in truth deny the Christ of God And then blind injudicious men may form to themselves and world what they will fancy to call their Christ This premised I shall now speak of offences what they are and what offences are not to hinder There are three sorts of Offences First Offences given and taken Secondly Offences given and not taken Thirdly Offences taken and not given First Offences given and taken are such as when Nations or Persons when not provoked by invasion to defend yet by invadeing others will offend now they that defend defending here Offences are given and taken Secondly Offences given and not taken when we bless them that curse us do good to them that do hurt to us pray for them that despightfully use us Thridly Ofâ—â—nces taken and not given are when at a seeming and no real cause persons are moved and disquieted Christ Jesus coming in the dayes of his humiliation not as he will come after the dayes of his exaltation or at his second coming proved a seeming cause was no real cause for the Jews to stumble at him his visage was marred more than any mans when they looked for him to come and presently restore Israel Now such Offences taken and not given is the intent of this sixt Sign under the terme Small so that when persons give way to their passions and are so moved at something which seems to be a just Offence to them from brethren or any other without or before they had duly weighed not suspending all kind of dislike till in the ballance they have tryed whether it be really an Offence or but seemingly so is a sign of great weakness proving that such are under some spiritual decay marked out though upon another account by Christ Jesus Mat. 13. 20 21. But he that received the seed into stony places the same is he that heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it but when tribulation and persecution ariseth because of the word by and by be is offended Now persecution and tribulation is no real cause of Offences but rather an encouragement to hold fast the word being one common mark such are in the truth the Apostle Paul makes it an argument of this kind 1 Thes 3. 5. For this cause when I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith least by some means the tempter have tempted you and our labour be in vain We would have no man moved by these afflictions for your selves know we are appointed thereto and instead of being offended we are commanded to glory in tribulation this may teach us to bemoan such and beg them be warn'd not to keep themselves from Christs Table because of this or that seeming or real miscarriage in others if in order to their reducement from it we have done our duty For any therefore to estrange themselves from Christs Table it being no less than a refusing the food he hath prepared because things go not just as they would have them doth greatly argue the stop to be in themseves though not by such heeded they being great wanderers abroad into the wayes of others perhaps more busying themselves than they ought and yet as great strangers at home to self-examination and due personal preparation which where ever it is is that indeed that so warrantably cals persons to come to Christ Jesus Feast of Bread and Wine purchased with his blood that negligence therein will prove no less than their great sin What is it therefore that should keep us from that service wherein by faith we are to feed as it were upon the flesh of the Son of God Whose flesh is meat indeed and whose blood is drink indeed Truly nothing but self-unworthiness or unpreparedness Surely surely the spiritual growing Christian whose hungrings and thirstings are after hourly communion with Jesus Christ can better forgo his natural food a thousand times than yeild to a stop from this performance Let us therefore examine our selves that we are meet subjects discerning the Lords Body and so let us eat that Bread and drink that Cup. Now the Causes of this decay or yeilding upon small Offences to absent from Christs Table may be these three First Too great Ignorance who are the Subjects Christ calls to this Service Secondly Too too great aptness to be easily provoked Thirdly Want of Love to Jesus Christ the Author of this Service First Too great Ignorance who are the Subjects Christ calls to this Service which consists in a misconstruing his general invitation to all penitent believing baptized Disciples who have had an orderly admittance thus far and by way of Precept are injoyned both to come to this Service and continue in it The same day were added to the Church three thousand souls and they continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine fellowship breaking of Bread and prayer it is peculiarly unto such appointed and sanctified that they may keep in remembrance their Lord and Saviour So often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come But I would not be mistaken here as that I mean the outward badge of these only makes right Subjects for Christs Call yet this outward must be but wo to it when it is alone The Kings daughter is to be all glorious within as well as her garment of pure gold The hungerer and thirster after his supply that sensibly sees all his springs to be in him and as the Hart panteth after the brooks of water hath his foul crying Oh when shall I come and appear before him negligence to be thus fitted causeth ignorance of Christs Call But Secondly Too too great aptness to be easily provoked Some Christians are so weak that they will be still forming discontent to themselves ill interpreting others actions and straining at every Gnat which generally comes through weakness in judgment and unaptness to be busying themselves with their high Calling the worth of Gods gracious priviledges afforded them by which means the inward man is too much raked or made raw and so apt to smart at every little touch as special care therefore must be had in Churches that none give just offence so that none upon too light account take offence for it doth but argue such Children or Babes in Christianity and greatly robs themselves of that spiritual refreshing strength that otherwise might be their present portion and fills their heart with disquieting thoughts to the hindring their spiritual appetite from taking in that rich refreshment Christ Jesus Table is furnisht with for every prepared guest But Thirdly Want of love to Jesus Christ the Author of this Service All those motives that provokes the heart to love Jesus Christ should be active now viz. The greatness of his love to purchase
lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed So Rom. 1. 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 darkned 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 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 Now such fore judgments as these are come upon and procured by many who turn the grace of God into wantonness professing to be most spiritual live as the almost most carnal little minding because greatly ignorant of those spiritual causes they may run into to the bringing upon themselves such spiritual judgments or sicknesses and afflictions as these And indeed how comes it to pass that such afflictions are not feared before they come to the provoking such to walk so as may prevent their coming but ignorance of the Scripture they not conversing often with them to the well informing themselves what judgments may come on their minds and what are the Causes God assigns of their coming so as to be in trembling and dread continually to the keeping themselves out of that channel where such bitter waters runs Again there are outward sicknesses and afflictions and they are such as these Deut. 28. 58 59 60. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this Law that are written in this Book that thou maist fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance sore sicknesses and of long continuance Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt which thou was afraid of and they shall cleave unto thee Levit. 26. 15 16. If ye shall despise my Statutes or if your soul shall abhor my judgments that you will not do them but that you break my Covenant I also will do this to you I will even appoint over you Terror Consumption and the burning Ague that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart and ye shall sow your seed in vain for your Enemies shall eat it But I shall speak fully to the Causes of Affliction in the Twenty second Sign and therefore proceed no further here but come to the second Calamity that Scripture Ignorance brings Secondly That your uneven walking with God may bring upon your selves death before its time This Particular is proved thus Long life promised to the obedient Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Also Deut. 32. 46 47. Set your hearts to all the words which I testifie among you this day command them your Children for it is not in vain because that through this thing mark that ye shall prolong your dayes in the Land whither ye go over into Jordan to possess it This is also proved by the contrary which comes upon the disobedient Deut. 11. 16 17. Take heed to your selves that your heart be not deceived and ye turn aside and serve other Gods and then the Lords wrath be kindled against you and ye perish quickly from off the good Land which the Lord giveth you Eccles 8. 13. But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are as a shadow because he feareth not before God So Chap. 7. 17. Be not over much wicked neither be thou foolish why shouldst thou die before thy time Thirdly By means of Scripture Ignorance you cannot know to ask in faith the things you want for soul or body that is you will not know where to be absolute or positive in your asking and whereto be submissive and conditional in your asking Now the Scripture gives directions as to the putting up Petitions to God and men may easily err by not observing them Gen. 32. 26. And he said to wit the Angel Let me go for the day breaeth and he answered to wit Jacob I will not Let thee go except thou bless me So Exod. 32. 12. Wherefore should the Egyptians say for mischief did he bring them out to slay them in the Mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people So Acts 12. 5. Peter therefore was kept in prison but prayer was made without ceasing unto God for him By these Scriptures we may observe that to be conditional or indifferent in our asking when God may be dishonoured by denying is not good therefore in this case may a man coming in Gods way be bold to ask pardon of his sins peace to his conscience power over his corruptions without condition in such case Gracious and humble resolutions to have no denial greatly liketh God and suits with his will Isa 62. 6 7. I have set Watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night you that make mention of the Lord keep not silence till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the earth But observe in all cases Petitions putting up must not thus be framed Acts 21. 14. And when he would not be perswaded we ceased saying the will of the Lord be done So Rom. 1. 9 10 For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son that without ceasing I make mention alwayes of you in my prayers making request if by any means I might now at length have a prosperous journey by the will of God mark that to come to you So Jam. 4 15. For that ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that I shall leave this to consideration and proceed to the fourth Calamity Fourthly Negligence to Reading and Meditation will make you ignorant wherein you may prevent the presence and comforts of Gods holy Spirit that is that God may either take away his spirit from striving with you or you away from his spirit My spirit shall not alwayes strive Gen. 6. 3. 1 Sam. 16. 14. But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him Psal 51. 7. Take not thy holy spirit from me Neh. 9. 30. Yet many years didst thou for bear them and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy Prophets yet would they not give ear Therefore gavest thou them into the hands of the people of the Land But they rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore was he turned to be their enemy and fought against them By these Scriptures we may see that the holy Spirits company may be put away from us through ungracious
to them now they loath it while it remans the same from Gods own continued institution yet they are a weary of it calling it light bread An unsetled people taken with new things because new and a weary of this though true bread The Author to the Hebrews chap. 13. 8 9 seems to rebuke such a Spirit as this Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Be not carryed away with diverse and strange Doctrines clearly noting that they were ready to hearken after something or other that would have tended to their subverting That we henceforth be no more Children tossed too and fro and carryed about with every wind of Doctrine note that by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but growing up into him in all things which is the head even Christ All which premised bespeaks professors care to be how they may stand unmoveable abiding and abounding in the way of the Lord and not to be soon moved in their minds from their standing because of some new spirit that seems to proffer it self As a help therefore against this disease I would humbly offer three or four directions so conclude this Sign 1 That you would pray often for Gods leading before ye take upon you his Religion Secondly As well hear as duly consider what can be said against what you are about to receive as what can be said for it Thirdly That you be able to warrant every principle of your practice at least by two or more texts of Scripture Fourthly That you labour as far as you are knowers by striving to be doers negligence here provokes God to suffer a Spirit of error and deep sleep to fall upon many CHAP. X. Proving us dying to Christ when others sinings are not our sorrowings with two Remedies against this Decay SIGN X. VVHen you can hear of foul miscarriages in others with little or no heart remorse That is When the knowledge of others sinning proves not thy sorrowing where the name and honour of God lies near a heart a deep wound must needs come at the tydings of miscarriage and by this most certainly may a growing or declining Christian be read and read himself if heeded for answerable to the spiritual sense or feeling of things will their behaviour be A man that is wounded in his body is more or less astonished at it and amazed by it as he more or less retains his senses want whereof lessens not the wound it rather shews the danger of such to be the greater Three or four things considered must needs declare and prove such Christians not only dying but near dead as can hear of others sining and by no means they themselves toucht with sorrowing First the great dishonour that sin brings to God the sin of no people dishonours God so much as the sin of professors You have I known of all the Families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Amos 3. 2. Secondly The great reproach it brings upon the Gospel A man that never profest any thing better than making it his trade to sin though his estate be miserable yet he professes not better but for such as take upon them the name or profession of Jesus Christ and not depart from or again turn to iniquity provokes the enemies of God to blaspheme 1 Sam. 1. 12. Thirdly The lamentable misery that such bring upon themselves There is more hope of one that never made any profession the sin of this is next door to impossibility of redemption from final hardning It had been better they had never known the way of truth then after depart from the holy commandement 2 Pet. 21. 4. The evil World by seeing such sin are not only tempted to remain in their sinful state but to glory in it for they may think they do but sin and serve and please themselves if professors so do why may not they Thus the Devil secretly laughs at them openly gets advantage by them Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. Elies Sons that was in the Priest-hood is singled out with marks of Gods displeasure as sinners of a deep dye insomuch that want of suitable indignation against them for their evil in their Father Eli who in other things was a good man brings upon him that that makes the ears of all Israel that heard of it to tingle 1 Sam. 2. 3 4. What a plague was brought upon those that did evil before the Lord in Moses time twenty four thousand slain til Phineas in his zeal to the Lord stood up and made an attonement Numb 25. It is without all question that the Nations round about were as to the act more wicked and abominable as to the same and such like wickedness yet we do not read of such severity in God towards them as to those his own people that had seen his miracles and his wonders were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely and say our hand is high and the Lord hath not done this I would scatter my people among the Nations but for tempting the wicked to do more wickedly Gods severity should be set out against his own people in bitter characters this must needs render such very much dying to Christ that can hear of soul miscariages in other professors and not themselves taken with horrour and astonishment My bowels my bowels I am pained at my very heart because thou hast heard Oh my soul in Jerusalem the sound of the Trumpet the Alarm of War Set a mark upon the fore-heads of the men that sigh and weep for the abominations that are done in the midst thereof Zekiel 9. 4. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assemblies who are of thee to whom the reprobate is a burthen Zeph. 3. 18. Doth not the Scrptures with one consent discribe the growing declining Christian by this very mark one is sorrowful the other mourns not it is reported there is fornication amongst you 1 Cor. 5. and you are puffed up and have not rather mourned clearly noting that this was none of their vertues but indeed an evident token of spiritual loss in them the contrary being so honorable in Gods account viz. a sorrowful spirit at others misdoings plainly proving that if a wanting a certain character of great decay I shall come now to offer briefly some Causes of this spiritual decay and some Remedies to remove or prevent it and so conclude this Sign First want of zeal that burning shining Grace which when accompanied with judgment cannot bear to see or hear of Miscarriages in others without personal horror As soon as Moses came nigh the Camp and saw the Calf and dancing that was there his anger waxed hot and he took the Calf which they had made and burnt it with fire ground it
to pouder Exod. 32. So Phineas in his zeal to the Lord when he saw the evils that were committed in the Camp arose and slew both the man and the woman and so the plague was staid But secondly want of becoming love to others eternal welfare is a Cause of our not sorrowing at their sinnings that good man Jeremiah chap. 13. 17. If they will not hear but persist in their evil way his soul shall weep in secret places for their pride See this also in Jesus Christ that had such love to perishing Jerusalem That when he was come near and be held the City he wept over it Luke 19. 41. As Remedies against this decay First consider what a wide breach it makes in our spiritual state and whither in a little time it will bring us Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will sight against them with the sword of my mouth Revel 2. 16. Secondly In order to removing this do as men do that have a desperate mortal disease growing upon them if not speedily remedied how will they go and run pray and pay leave no stone unturned no means unattempted Even in like sort must spiritual diseases be looked at and laboured with Seest thou a man diligent he shall stand before Kings and not mean men Prov. 22. last Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Psal 51. 2. CHAP. XI Shewing that unsavoury talking among Christians when they meet proves them earthly minded with three Causes of this Decay SIGN XI VVHen in your comings together your talk is not savoury and heavenly Upon various occasions Christians meet together sometimes with those that are wringing their hands for sorrow sometimes with those clapping as it were their hands for joy sometimes at the Assembly sometimes at one anothers dwellings Now all comings together ministers occasion of Talking and will greatly evidence where most is each others Treasure it being natural for persons when they meet by their voyce to express what is the workings of their mind And as the heart is more or less heaven-ward so certainly will their talk bend more or less that way Earthly minded men when they meet will be carrying on their trade counting it matter of duty to promote what lyeth nearest their hearts so those that decay to spirituals having begun to affect themselves with new Lovers and so losing the sense they once had to the best things may be discerned now to have changed for the worst by their unsavory earthly talking and how advantagious all meetings are to the promoting whatsoever it designed none is able to express but such as experimentally make a view of it well considering That evil communications corrupt good manners or lessens a mans hold to the best things and when that pretious time in Christians meetings together is so spent that its rather spilt like water upon the ground such leaving no savour of grace behind them must needs argue that they are falling if not fallen from their first Love besides the dishonour done to God great hath been the wrong such have done both themselves and their adherents in publick or private assembling What more unpreparing the heart and indisposing the affection to the spiritual worshiping of God then either before hand being in a carnal slepy posture or else in such unseasonable if not worse talking some of their Farms others of their Merchandise nay perhaps backbiting and whisperingly opening the infirmities of others to the sowing prejudice in the hearts of those that through ignorance weakness incline to hear them whereas on the contrary such whose minds are alwayes carrying about with them the contemplating of Gods end in giving opportunity after opportunity puts themselves with trembling care into such imployment of still getting or doing good as may obtain from their gracious God the approbation of redeeming time see that good Nehemiahs practise for this he no sooner meets Hanani but what I asked concerning the Jews that had escaped which were left of the captivity and concerning Jerusalem he is inquiring presently how it fared with the people of God and Jerusalem the City of David and place of his Fathers Sepulchre and full near his heart their welfare lay as appears by his hearty affection and affliction at the evil tidings Chap. 1. 4. And it came to pass when I heard these words that I sate down and wept and mourned certain dayes and fasted and prayed before the Lord God of heaven I shall add another text and then proceed to the Causes of this decay Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another but their talking was so savoury and so heavenly that the Lord hearkened and heard it yea and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name Now the Causos of this Decay which being avoyded may also serve as Remedies against it and they are three First Long custome to Christian Meetings Secondly Uunskilfulness in Gospel Self-denial Thirdly Negligence to a plain duty First Long custome to Christian Meetings though this be not in it self a Cause yet it may be easily so converted for without a godly jealousie over the heart in often meeting with Christians the very custome of it will by little and little steal away that spiritual vigour that ought to run in the veins of every one where ever they are to the making their being as much as possible to Gods honour and their souls edifying for custome begets such an aptness to any service that except the heart be still examined persons will be in meetings together very destitute both of suitable preparation and answerable expectation and all through long custome for as in sinning it will take away in time the conscience of sin so in the best performances it will rob a man of that forehand care that should attend him unless he be much upon his watch Secondly A second Cause is Unskilfulness in one great point of Christianity viz. Gospel self-denial which stands in a conforming the whole man to be alwayes pleasing and serving the Lord such knowing themselves not to be their own but bought with a price and therefore whether eating drinking talking walking to be doing all to the glory of God whose they are Now unskilfulness herein will be still carrying on all affairs with much mixture partly in designing the Lord partly designing self having not so learned to live upon anothers bottome as the Gospel grace of self-denial teacheth Mat. 16. 24 25. Mark 6. 34 35. by which means many are at a great stand how to spend this and that opportunity and so instead of asking their fellow Christian how he grows or stands affected to the best things what temptations are upon him when at what times he findes himself most weak and unable to resist And whether often in closet prayer watchings fastings and what assurance he hath from some solid marks whether he
from his peoples enemies how much rather from their friends Isa 47. 5 6. Sit thou silent and get thee into darkness O Daughter of the Caldeans for thou shalt no more be called the Lady of Kingdomes I was wroth with my people and gave them into thy hands but thou didst show them no pitty upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoak For this cause they must get them into darkness clearly noting that though God for his peoples evils do afflict trouble them yet it is not at all either to warrant his people or his peoples enemies to add to the burthen he layeth upon them but on the contrary calls for pitty yet not pitty with their sins but such pitty as may reduce them from their sins First in taking notice that they are in misery Remember O Lord what is become upon us consider and bebold our reproach The Church counts it of tendency to her healing by having her affliction taken notice of Secondly you must pitty them in helping them to understand the cause why it is come Lam. 3. 36. Wherefore doth the living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin Thirdly Pitty in provoking them to search and try their wayes and turn to the Lord their God Fourthly Pitty in helping them down that is laying the displeasure of God before them to humble them and when duly humbled to comfort them least such should be swallowed up with over much sorrow We may conclude this evil to be very commonamong professors and it may call upon them to a self-examining whether and wherein they are under this spiritual decay for the removing or preventing of which I shall offer three or four things briefly so conclude this Sign First to consider the precepts of this duty and from whom they come Rom. 12. 10 14. Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love in honour prefering one another Weep with them that weep put on as the elect of God bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness long suffering who is afflicted and I burn not Secondly Consider the danger of being wanting here First it makes us most unlike God in all their afflictions he was afflicted Secondly It opens a door to let in upon us equal misery Amos 6. 7. Therefore shall they go into captivity with the first that go captive and the banquit of them that stretch themselves shall be removed Thirdly It leads the way to heart-hardning Zech. 7. 10. Oppress not the widdow fatherless stranger nor poor but they refused to hearken and made their heart as an Adamant stone A Third help against this decay is to be considering or laying to heart the condition of such thinking it might now be and yet may be our own you that are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness Considering thy self lest thou also be tempted bear ye one anothers burthens and so fullfil the Law of Christ Gal. 6. beginning A Fourth help against this decay is humbly and constantly to beg of God a heart according to the new Covenant Psal 86. 11. compared with Ezek. 36. 26. and so Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name I will give you a heart of flesh or a tender heart 2 Chron. 34. 27. CHAP. XVI Shewing that when the name of Christ and credit to his Gospel is not so dear to us as personal sufferings we are then surely on the dying hand and that in estate body and life we ought to submit if called to suffering with four Causes of Decay here SIGN XVI VVHen you will rather betray the Name of Christ Jesus and the credit of his Gospel by your silence then appear for it to your own suffering and disparagement Three things may be observable as to the opening of this Sign First what is ment by the Name of Jesus Name refers to his person and properties as his power wisdome judgment mercy justice goodness dishonour done to all or any of these is done to him because this is the matter or substance he is made known by and understood to be 't is clear that Name in Scripture when referred to the person of God and Christ notes all this Exod. 20. 7. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain Chap. 33. 19. Chap. 34. 6 7. Josh 7. 10. John 17. and Acts 9. Secondly how far if called ought we to suffer for this Name Suffering is a word reduceable to three heads all centring in man First in estate there he must suffer by having his goods spoiled his bodily substance wasted Heb. 10. 35. Secondly in body by persecutions and reproaches bonds and imprsonments Heb. 10. 32 33. chap. 11. 36. Thirdly In life Luke 14. 26. Acts 21. 15. Revel 12. 12. Now in what cases may we be proved guilty of this dying Sign as falling under any or all these three heads First If because of our estate we comply with or countenance any evil or refuse to confess any good John 12. 42. 2 Tim. 4. 10. Nevertheless among the chief Rulers also many believed on him but did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue Secondly If because of our bodies to free them from sufferings we will comply with or countenance any evil or refuse to confess any good Mat. 13. 21. But when tribulation or persecution riseth because of the word by and by they are offended Thirdly If because of our lives to free them we will comply with any evil or refuse to confess any good contrary to Dan. 3. 17 18. chap. 16. 16. Under all or any of these considerations when professors can hear the great Name dishonoured and by their silence suffer it to be betrayed it is very evident they are dying to the things of God No man or woman in a Christian profession but one time or another are lyable to temptations of this kind that is to have the Name and credit of Christ and his Gospel come in competition with their sufferings and disparagements And answerable to their weakness or strength so ordinarily is their behaviour to suffer or to sin there may be considered three or four Causes of this which being heeded and avoyded may prove as Remedies against this decay First A slavish fear of men and things pertaining to this life Fear ye not the reproach of men neither be afraid of their revilings upâ—n this score either fearing men or fearing losing the things pertaining to this life as John â—2 many believed but did not confess him for fear of losing their place in the Synagogue It is much to be feared that with regard to this many hear and bear to hear see and bear to see know and bear to know that dishonour contracted to the name of Christ and his Gospel that otherwise they would not and certainly ought not Have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them that is
is as proper for the holy Spirit to be prompting the heart to good if hearkned to as for the fire to give heat waiting upon the soul in every season whether of rejoycings or weepings whether of doing Gods will or suffering for his name still to be putting such as wait upon it into some such action as tends to their enlargement heaven-ward but it must be quietly and silently heeded that when it saith Seek my face the answer may be Thy face will I seek Great care and feâ—r therefore must be had that we neither grieve it by not hearing what it saith or not doing what it bids nor yet quench or lightly esteem those gracious services it prompts us to Thirdly A third Help may be this A retaining in the heart a high value of its company this is the way to keep and to be richly encreast with the company of the holy Spirit it cannot dwell where it is not valued at the highest rate and that because ignorance of its worth and work incapacitates the soul to high expectations being ignorant both of the ability and delight that essencially abides in the holy Spirit to be greatning in the heart things to come and lessening in the heart things present Christ Jesus could not in one place do many mighty works because of their unbelief the low and mean esteem of him lessened their expectation from him Now the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God We are therefore called upon to be filled with the Spirit and if we live in it to walk after it being strengthened with its might in the inward man to a full understanding the deep things of God Labour therefore praying over this to retain in your hearts an high value of its company CHAP. XXIX Treating of Spiritual Ignorance of our everlasting condition and five Scriptures tending to reducement from carnal security and three special Causes of such a damning Decay SIGN XXIX VVHen your are so Ignorant of your Spiritual standing that you know not whether you grow or decay This is not only a Sign of great Decay but a prediction of a speedy fall or total throwing off those holy badges by which a Christian is known from other men such being of a Laodicean spirit neither hot nor cold yet say they are rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing Being in a besotted careless state not minding when they do well or ill when Professors come to this pass they grow useless and fit for nothing but to be laid aside for were such hot that is zealous active and lively they were fit for encouragement and were they cold that is quite dead they were to be plucked up by the roots and cast into the fire now this sort of Peoples ignorance is a very high crime it being premised that their ignorance of their standing growing or declining in heavenly things doth not come upon them for want of Gospel means allowed on Gods part in order to their being fruitful but that under sufficient allowance in order to their growth they prove empty dry and huskish yea and such that were otherwise in the dayes of their first Espousal but length of time in Gospel standing for want of due care to observe Gospel ends they have by little little entertained Spiritual slumber so lose their stomack to and relish of the true use and powerful end Means from God to them hath been so long continued and so by long custome in his service come as his people come sit before him as his people do and hear his word day by day but do it not or live not like it having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof viz. the spiritual end designed by God in giving the forme being not listed up to provokes God to complain against such of old The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider though I have nourished and brought them up yet they understand not that I taught Ephraim to go taking him by the armes but he knew not that I had healed him though strangers devoured his strength yet he knew it not and though gray hairs were here and there upon him yet he knew not Hos 7. 9. Nay some were grown to that pass in spiritual slumbers that even under judgments they knew not how it was with them Isa 42. 25. He hath poured upon Jacob the fury of his anger and strength of battel and it hath set them on fire round about yet he knew it not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart By all this we may see that some were so ignorant of their spiritual standing under plentiful means that they knew not whether they grew or decayed though it is apparent the decay was great they knew not how it went with them At such a loss may Professors be in their heaven-born state that while they are objects of pitty and sorrow of heart to growing Christians that behold their decay yet all makes not for their awakening but still they think it well with them and that they have need of nothing though blind and naked Now the Causes why persons under Gospel means grow to this senseless pass in their spiritual estate may be these three First Carnal security in an evil time Secondly Contentment with out-side Christianity Thirdly Not being conversant about things to come First Carnal security of hereafter Glory which consists in a kind of confidence of Glory to come without certain care of being in that way through which Glory is promised It is such a state as promiseth safety to it self and yet lives a careless life when the children of Dan went to seek them an inheritance they come to Laish and found the people that were therein how they dwelt careless after the manner of the Zidonians quiet and secure this proves such an advantage to them that they take their City burn it with fire and upon the ruins thereof build themselves an Inheritance Judg. 7. 8. Clearly noting how dangerous a state some manner of security is When they shall say peace and safety then suddain destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thes 5. 3. It seems in that good mans time there was some that had high thoughts of hereafter Glory yet should meet with disappointment and their expectations come to nothing though they might cry as in Jeremiahs time Peace peace yet peace there was none like the old world in Noahs time Sodom and Gomorrah in Lots time They eat they drank they builded they planted until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and Lot left Sodom being under such kind of security as no awakening word would warn them till at last Destruction ruins them We have the like instance from Jesus Christ speaking of the last dayes I say to you many shall come from the East and West and sit down