unconceivable so the time of it is indeterminable it is everlasting and hath no end Consider this with the former and it cannot be denyed but that the peace of God doth every way passe understanding CHAP. XV. Touching the removing of presumption an impediment to Peace IF you would enjoy this happy Peace you must first remove and avoyd the impediments Secondly you must use all helps and furtherances which serve to procure and keepe it I reduce the impediments unto two heads First A false opinion and hope that all is well with a man and that all shall be well with him in point of his Salvation when yet indeed God is not reconciled to him Hence will follow a quietnesse of heart somewhat like to peace of Conscience which yet is but a false peace Secondly Causelesse doubting and false feare that a mans estate touching his salvation is not good albeit God be indeed at peace with him Hence followeth trouble and anguish of heart some-what like unto that of Hellish despaire disturbing his true peace Either of these doe hinder peace The first hindereth the having The second hindereth the feeling and comfortable enioying of peace It hath beene an old device of Satan when he would keepe any man from that which is true to obtrude upon him that which shall seeme to be true but is false Thus he did in the first calling of the Iewes and to mee is more than probable will doe at their second calling When hee saw they had an expectation of the true Christ he to divert and seduce them from the true Christ setteth up false Christs Even so in the matter of peace If he can so delude men that they shall content themselves with a false Peace hee knoweth that they will never seeke for that which is true It is a common practice with the Devill to endevour to make all that are not in state of grace to presume that they are Also such is his cunning and malice that when any man is in the state of grace he will cast all the doubts and perils hee can to make that estate doubtfull and discomfortable to vexe and to wearie him if hee cannot drive him to despaire knowing that if he could drive him into hold him in utter despaire he were as certainly in his power as if hee did presume Now the Heart of man so farre as it is Vnsanctified being deceitfull above all things is most apt to yeeld to Satan in both these cases Whence it is that there are very many which bragge of much peace and yet have least of it And many feare they have no peace who yet have much of it Wherfore the Rule is Beleeve not either your deceitfull heart or the Devill when they tel you either that you are in state of salvation or in state of damnation But beleeve the Scripture what it saith in either You may know when these perswasions come from your deceitfull heart or from the Devil thus First If the meanes to perswade you to either be from false grounds or from misapplication of true grounds Secondly If the conclusions inferred from either perswasion be to keep you in a sinful course and to keep you or to drive you from God as to make you think that you need not be so strict in godlinesse or that now it is in vaine or to late too turne seek unto GOD then it is from Satan and from a deceived heart and you must not beleeve them But if these perswasions be from a right applicatioÌ„ of true grounds and doe produce these good effects to drive you to God in prayse or prayer and unto a care to please God they are from his gracious Spirit The false Peace and evill quiet Conscience doth arise from these three causes First from Grosse ignorance of the danger wherein a man lyeth because of sinne whence followeth a blind Conscience Secondly from Groundlesse security and presumption that all shall be well with him not withstanding that hee knoweth hee hath sinned and knoweth that sinne is damnable whence hee hath a deluded Conscience Thirdly from Obstinacy through delight and custome in sin whence commeth senslesnesse of Conscience which is a seared Conscience Wheresoever any of these evils raigne albeit God hath said there is no peace to the wicked that is no true peace yet such feare no evill but promise to themselves peace and safetie like those of whom the Prophet spake who had made a covenant with death and with Hell were at an agreement Yea though they heare all the Curses against Sinners which are in Gods booke denounced against them yet will blesse themselves in their owne heart and say they shall have peace though they walke in the stubbornnesse of their hearts But whosoever is thus quiet in himselfe through a false peace it is a signe that the strong man keepeth the house and that he continuing in this fooles Paradise is not farre from sodaine and fearefull destruction from the Almighty Whosoever therefore would have true peace of GOD must beware of these three impediments First Hee must know and be throughly convinced that by nature by reason of Adams first transgression which is justly imputed to him and because of his owne inherent wickednesse of concupiscence and of actuall sinnes of omission and commission both inthought word and deed he is in state of sinne and condemnation having God for his enemie yea is an heire of wrath and of eternall vengeance of Hâ—lâ— fire According to that of the Apostle All have sinned and are become guiltie before GOD and have come short of the glorie of God Ignorance of danger may give quiet to the mind for a time but it can give no safetie Is not he foolishly secure that maketh himselfe merry in a ruinous house not knowing his danger untill it fall upon him Whereas if he had known it he should have had more feare and disquiet but should haue beene in lesse perill Secondly let no man presume upon weake and false grounds that he shal escape the vengeance of hell or attaine to the joyes of heaven Now how weakely and vainely many doe ground their hopes and from thence their peace shall appeare by that which followeth 1. Some thinke that because God made them surely hee will not damne them True if they should have continued good as hee made them God made the Devil good yea an excellent creature yet who knoweth not that he shall be damned If God spared not his holy Angels after that they became sinfull shall man thinke that hee will spare him A sinfull man shall be judged at the last day not according to what he was by Gods first making but as hee shall bee found marred and made naught by the Devill and by his owne lusts When Iudah became a people of no understanding it is said He that made them will shew
report good of you to your face represse those speeches as soone and as wisely as you can giving the prayse of all things to God knowing that this is but a temptation and a snare and a meanes to breed and feed selfe-love pride and vaine-glory in you If this good report be true blesse God that he hath enabled you to give cause thereof and studie by vertuous living to continue it If this good report be false endevour to make it good by being hereafter answerable to the report If men report evill of you to your face Be not so much inquisitive who raised it or thought-some how to bring him to his answer or how to cleare your reputation amongst men as to make a good use of it to your owne heart before God For you must know this evill report doth not rise without Gods providence If the report be true then see Gods good providence it is that you may see your error and fault that you may repent If the report be false in respect of such or such a fact yet consider have you not runne into the appearance and occasions of those evils then say Though this report be false yetit commeth justly upon mee because I did not shunne the occasions and appearances This should humble you and cause you to bee more circumspect in your wayes But if neither the thing reported be true neither yet have yâ— runne into the occasions thereof yet see GODS wise and good providence not onely in discovering the folly of foolish and the malice of evill men who raise and take up an evill report against you without cause but in giving you warning to looke to your selfe iest you deserve thus to be spoken â—â— And what doe you â—now â—at that you shoâ—â—d have â—allen into the same or the â—â—ke evâ—ll if by these reports you had not beene forâ—warned Make use of the railings and reviling of an enemy for though he be a bad Iudge yet he may bee a good Remembrancer for you shall heare from him those things of which flatterers will not and friends being blinded or over-indulgent through love doe never admonish you Fourthly your conversation amongst all must be loving you should be kinde and courteous towards all men Doe good to all according as you have ability and opportunity Give offence wittingly to none Doe wrong to no man either in his name life chastitie or estate or in any thing that is his but be ready to forgive wrongs done to you and to take wrong rather then to revenge or unchristianly to seek to be righted As you shall have calling and opportunitie doe all good to the soule of your neighbours exhort and incourage unto well-doing If they shew not themselves to be dogs and swine that is obstinat scorners of good mâ—n conâ—emners of the pearle of good counsell you must so far as God giveth you any interest in them admonish and informe them with the spirit of meeknes and wisdome With this cloakâ— of love you should cover and cure a multitude of your companions infirmities and offences In all your demeanour towards him seeke not so much to please your selfe as your Companion in that which is good to his edification Speake evill of no man nor yet speak the evill you know of any man exceptin these or like cases 1 When you are thereunto lawfully called by Authoritie 2 When it is to those whom it concerneth to reforme and reclaim him of whom you speake and that you doe it to that end 3 When it is to prevent certaine dammage to the soule or state of your neighbour which would ensue if it were not by you thus discovered 4 When the concealment of his evil may make you guiltie and accessary 5 When some particular remarkeable judgement of God is upon a notorious sinner for his sinne then to the end that GOD may be acknowledged in his just judgments and that others may be warned or brought to repent of the same or like sinne you may speake of the evils of other But this is not to speake evill so long as you doe it not in envy and malice to his person nor with aggravation of the fault more then is cause nor yet to the judging of him as concerning his finall estate When you shall heare any in your company speake evill of your neighbor by slandering or whispering tale-bearing whereby hee detracts from his good name you must not onely stop your eares at such reports but must set your speech and countenance against him like a North-wind against raine When you heare another well reported of let it not be grievous to you as if it detracted from your credit but rejoyce at it in so much that God hath enabled him to be good and to doe good all which maketh for the advancement of the common cause wherein you are interessed Envie him not his due prayse Detract not from any mans credit either by open backbiting or by secret whispering or by any cunning meanes of casting evil aspersions whether by way of pittying him or otherwise As He is good or doth well in such and such things But c. This but marreth all And to heape up all in a word In all your speeches to men and coÌ„munication with them your speech must bee gracious that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace not vice to the hearers It must not be prophane nor any way corrupt filled out with oathes curses or prophane jests it must not be flattering nor yet detracting Not bitter not railing not girding either by close sqâ—is or salt iests against any man It mâ—…t not be wanton ribaldry lasciâ—ious and filthy It must not be false no nor yet foolish idle and fruitlesse For all eviâ— communication dâ—th corrupt good manners And Wee must answer for every idle word which wee speake Besides a man may easily be discerned of what Country he is whether of Heaven or of the earth by his language his speech will bewray him There is no wisdome or power here below can teach and enable you to doe all or any the forementioned duties This wisdome and power must bee had from above Wherefore if you would in all companies carrie your selfe worthy the Gospell of Christ First be sure that the Law of God and the power of grace bee in your heart else the Law of grace and kindnesse cannot bee in your life and speech You must be indued therefore with a spirit of holinesse humilitie love gentlenesse appeaseablenesse long-suffering meekenesse and wisedome else you can never converse with all men as you ought to doe For such as the heart is such the conversation will bee Out of the evill heart come evill thoughts and actions but A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good
like proud Lamech and froward Ionas 2. Be not overwhelmed or eaten up with griefe like covetous Ahab and foolesh Nabal But 3. Beare them patiently 4. Beare them chearefully and thankefully 5. Beare them fruitfully Now to helpe you that passion and heat of anger kindle not or at least breake not out or last not First Convince your judgement thorowly that passion and rash anger is forbidden and hated of GOD. It is a fruit of the flesh A worke of the Devill Bred and nourished by pride folly and selfe-love Also that it surpriseth all the powers of right reason putting a man besides himselfe causing him to abuse his tongue hands and the whole man making him like a foole to let flye and cast firebrands at every thing which crosseth him and that not onely against his neighbour and dearest friends but against God himselfe Consider likewise that it maketh a man out of case to pray heare the Word or to performe any worship to God and unfit to speak or heare reason or to give or receive good counsell God barreth such as are froward the company of good men and saith That such a one doth abound in transgression that there is more hope of a foole than of him Wherfore he must needs be exposed to all the just iudgements of God temporall and eternall By these and such like thoughts worke your selfe to an ill opinion of this vice and to such a loathing of it that you may beware and shun it Secondly Observe watchfully when anger beginneth to kindle and stirre in you and before it flame break forth into tongue or hand set your reason aworke let it step before it to hold it in and bridle it Nay set Faith aworke having in readinesse and calling to minde such pregnant Scriptures as these Be angrie but sinne not And Anger resteth in the bosome of fooles And say thus Shall I sinne against God Shall I play the foole Then you sinne and play the soole in your anger first when it is without cause as when neither GOD is dishonoured nor your neighbour or your selfe indeede injuried when it is for trifles and onely because you are crossed in your will and desire and the like but chiefly when you are angry with any for wel-doing Secondly though you have cause yet if it be severed from love to the person of him with whom you are angry so as you neglect the common and needful offices thereof Thirdly when it exceedeth due measure as when it is over-much and over-long Fourthly it is sinfull when it bringeth forth evill and unseemly effects such as neglect or ill performance of dutie to GOD or man also when it breaketh out into lowd clamorous reviling or sâ—appish peeches or into stamping staâ—ing flinging churlish sullen or dogged behaviour or when it breaketh out into any injurious act Thirdly If you cannot keepe anger from rising and boyling within you yet be sure that you binde your tongue and hand to the good behaviour Make a Covenant with them charge them not to shew it nor partake with it any farther then considerate reason and good conscience shall advise you Set a Law to your selfe that you will not chide nor strike while you are in your scalding heate of anger If there be cause of either deferre it untill you be your selfe If you say that if you doe them not in your heate you shall doe neither I answer that in saying so you discover a great deale of impotencie folly corruption I am sure you never doe them well in passion And conscience of dutie should lead you to chiding and correcting when there is cause not passion for in it you serve and revenge your selfe upon the partie but not God Fourthly Both before and when you are in a chafe See GOD by the eye of your Faith comming in hearing you and looking upon you This will make you whist and quiet causing you not onely to hold your hands and tongue as you finde by experience you use to doe when some reverend friend coÌ„meth in but this will coole and abate your very inward heate and passion Fifâ—ly if you feele your corruption and weakenesse to be such and the provocation to anger to be so great that you feare you cannot hold then if it be possible avoid all occasions of anger remove your selfe but in a peaceable and quiet manner from the person object or occasion thereof And at all times shunne the company of an angry man as much as your calling will give you leave lest you learne his wayes Sixthly Howsoever it may happen that anger doe kindle in you and breake out Be sure that youâ—uâ—dâ—e it before it grow into hatred of him with whom you are angry For this cause Let not the Sunne goe downe upon your wrath you know not what hatred it may hatch before morning And the best means which I know to subdue it is If you finde your heart to boyle against any pray heartily to God for him in particular for his good this you are commanded And be so farre from seeking revenge that you force your selfe to be loving and kinde shewing all good offices of love with wisedome as you shal have occasion overcome evill with good Pray also to God for your selfe that he would please to subdue this passion for you This act of love to him performed before God before whom you dare not dissemble will excellently quench wrath and prevent hatred aganist him with whom you were angry and will give proofe betweene God and your Conscience that you love him If pleading for your selfe you shall say It is my naturall constitution to be cholericke and flesh and bloud will have their course Know this is to nourish your passion Knowalso it is a wicked and hateful constitution of body which came in with the fall And flesh and bloud shall not inherite the kingdome of God Say not I am so crossed and provoked never any the like For Christ was more injured and more provoked yet was never in a chafe And you provoke God daily a thousand times more every day yet he is patient with you Say not It is such an head-strong passion that it is impossible to one who is of a cholericke nature thus to bridle and subdue it For I can assure you that by using the former meanes if a man also do oft and much shame and abase himselfe before God for his passion and folly and daily repent thereof and be watchfull over himselfe he may of a most cholericke man become most meeke before hee dye I have seene it in old men whose age in it selfe giveth advantage to tutchines and frowardnes who were exceeding passionat intheir youth yet through the grace of God by constant coÌ„flict against this vice have attained to an admirable degree of meeknesse Next as carnal anger so
excellency of Christian Experience 126 127. F An answer to them that question their Faith because they want feeling 590 Many doe not feele they have Faith because they feele not for it 603 How a man may know that he hath Faith 621 Reasons why many without cause thinke they have no Faith 584 Many presume they have Faith but have none 614 Reason for which many thinke they have Faith but have not 463 Who may Fall from grace and how 683 A regenerate man may Fall farre backe but not quite away 685 Grounds of difference betweene the Fals of men truly sanctified and others 688 Whence it is that a true Convert cannot Fall quite away from grace 695 Of Religious Fasting 68 A generall Reason of Fasting 72 Reasons why the body must be afflicted in Fasting 73 Reasons why the soule must be afflicted in Fasting 74 Who are to keepe a publike Fast 76 Who may keepe a private Fast 77 How oft we must Fast 78 How long we must Fast 80 Preparation to a Fast 82 How to keepe a Religious Fast 84 c. What to doe when a man is interrupted in his private Fast 142 Motives to oft Fasting 143 Directions what is to be done after a Fast 145 Cautions touching Fasting 146 Needful fear before coÌ„version 485 Holy Feare after conversion 486 Causlesse Feare 488 The kindes of causlesse Feares ibid Strange effects of Feares rising from naturall distempers 489 There is some difference between the regenerate in those Feares which arise froÌ„ melaÌ„choly others 490 Difference betweene those Feares which arise chiefly from melancholy and those which arise from trouble of conscience ibid Grounds of false Feares 495 Feare of punishment must be turned into trouble for sinne 498 Feares of sinning against the holy Ghost removed 527 Feare that because the heart condemneth God will condemne much more removed 529 Feare of being reprobates removed 531 Feare that God will not have mercie because they have let passe the time of their Conversion removed 540 Feares arising from doubts of Gods love removed 576 c. Feares through conceit of being in worse case than any other removed 561 Feares that God loveth them not because they thinke their prayers are reiected removed 576 Feares from doubting of faith removed 581 Feares of not being sanctified because they thinke they were never sufficiently humbled nor have repented removed 626 Reasons why some feele more sense of Feare and horror in their first conversion than others 627 Feares that a man is not sanctified because he is pestered with worse thoughts than ever removed 637 Feares of not being sanctified because of falling into grosse sinnes removed 656 Feares that they are not sanctified because of sense of dulnesse and deadnessein spirituall duties removed 665 Feares of not being sanctified because of sudden dulnesse after fresh feeling comforts removed 670 Feares of not being sanctified because out-gone by others removed 671 Feares of not being sanctified because of hardnesse of heart removed 677 Feares of falling away from grace removed 681 c. Feares taken from thinking the heart is deceitfull removed 727 Feares from present fainting removed ibid Feares because we doe not our part removed 729 Feare from want of such graces where of God hath absolutely promised removed 676 Feares through want of peace of Sanctification removed 744 G Convincing reasons to prove that there is a God 647 God doth never wholly forsake his children 566 Once and ever in state of Grace 685 Reasons why man being once in state of grace can never fall quite from it 701 Reasons why many thinke they have lesse grace now than in their first conversion but mistake 714 H What is the cause of Hypocrites well-doing 341 Disswasives from hypocrisie 361 365 Meanes against hypocrisie 373 Grounds of false hope discovered and removed 444 I Meanes to strengthen the Inner man 133 Rules to direct Inferiours 62 Causes of error in Iudging of a mans state 754 Of Iudging and condemning of a mans selfe 126 L ATable of Duties commanded and of Vices forbidden in the Morall Law 90 c. No man must abuse Christs lenity 620 Signes to know when God giveth good things in love 265 Directions for sanctisying the Lords day 147 M What Meditation is 195 The distinct acts and parts of Meditation 198 Rules for meditation 202 Cautions about the matter of meditation 203 Motives perswading to meditation 211 Meanes of Mortification 131 O When it is that a man obeyeth out of conscience and love to Christ 340 Weakest performance of duties is lesse dangerous than whole omissions 551 P A description of Christian Patience 286 Inducements to patience 286 287 Meanes of Christian patience 288 Vpon what grounds arguments may be taken to worke the heart to patience 291 292 What peace is in generall 414 The peace of GOD explained and magnified by the opening of Philip. 4. 6. 7. 415 The different sorts of peace of God 421 Reasons proving the excellency of the peace of God 432 The impediments of peace 437 Whence presumption and false peace doth arise 441 Signes of false hope and false peace 476 An excellent helpe to peace of conscience 765 Meanes to get and keep true peace ibid How to know in time of peace to hold out in time of persecution 725 How to be kept from dastardly feare in time of persecution 723 Reasons of due preparation of the heart to prayer 32 How to bee disposeà in the act of prayer 35 God heareth prayer many wayes 578 Cautions to be observed in preparation and in prayer 37 Signes of distempered thoughts thorough worldly businesse to prayer 42 Remedies against distempered thoughts in preparation and in prayer 43 How to know when thoughts of worldly businesse are distractfull in preparation in prayer 45 Remedies against the said distractions in preparation and in prayer 47 Pride is a manifest hinderance of Christiâ—â— Comfort 764 765 Grounds of presumption discovered and removed 437. unto 481 Rules of holy carriage in prosperity and when men have good successe 245 246 Good effects of prosperity 247 Doubts of Gods love because men prosper removed 559 Presumption of Gods love because they prosper removed 448 Presumption ariseth either from false grounds of hope or from true grounds misapplyed 442 Presumption that God will save a man because he made him removed 444 Presumption of escaping Hell because men thinke they have it in this life removed 445 Presumption they shall ever be wel because hither to they have escaped evill removed 446 Presumption they shall be saved because as great sinners as they have bin saved removed 450 Presumption of Salvation by Popes Pardons pennance and merit of workes removed 452 Presumption of salvation because God is mercifull removed 454 Presumption from universall Redemption removed 456 Presumption of Salvation because as men thinke their faith and repentance is good when it is not removed 462 Presumption of repenting hereafter removed 475 R How to read the Word profitably 187 Who must
he What is that all no but he proceedeth to this last act of meditation and saith I will have respect unto thy wayes Gods holy nature attributes Word workes also what is dutie what is a fault what you should be and doe what you are and what you have done what be the miseries of the wicked what is the happinesse and what are the privileges of the godly are fit matter of meditating by the direct act of the understanding That which must settle your judgement and be the rule to direct your judgement what to hold for true and good must be the Canon of Gods Word rightly understood and not your owne reason or opinion nor yet the opinions or conceits of men for these are false and crooked Rules In seeking to know the secrets and mysteries of God and godlinesse you must not pry into them farther than God hath revealed for if you wade therein farther than you have sure footing in the Word you will presently lose your selfe and be swallowed up in a maze and whirlepoole of errors heresies These deepe things of god must bee understood with sobrietie according to that measure of cleare light which God hath given you by his Word When Sinne happeneth to bee the matter of your meditation take heed lest while your thoughts dwell upon it though your intention be to bring your selfe out of love with it it steale into your affections and worke in you some tickling motions to it and so circumvent you For the cunning devices of sinne are undiscoverable and you know that your heart is deceitfull above all things Wherefore to prevent this mischiefe 1 As Sinne is not to bee named but when there is just cause so is it not to be thought upon but upon speciall cause namely when it sheweth it selfe in its motions and evill effects and when it concernes you to try and finde out the wickednes of your heart and life 2 When there is cause to thinke of sinne represent it to your mind as an evill the greatest evill most lothsome most abominable to GOD and as a thing most hatefull and hurtfull to you Whereupon you must worke your heart to a detestation of it and resolution against it 3 Never stand reasoning or disputing with it as Eve did with Satan but without any plodding thereupon you must doe present execution upon it by sheathing the Word the Sword of the Spirit into the heart of it and by the deeds of the Spirit kill it And if you would insist long in meditating upon any subject make choise of matter more pleasant and lesse infectious It is needfull that you be skilfull in this first part of meditation for hereby you finde out and lay downe propositions Whence you may conclude who is to be adored who not what is to be done what not what you should be what not But the life of meditation lyeth in the reflect acts of the soule whereby that knowledge which was gotten by the former act of meditation doth reflect returne upon the heart causing you to assume and apply to your selfe what was propounded whence also you are induced to endevour to worke your heart unto that which you have learned it ought to be This though it be most profitable yet because it is tedious to the flesh is most neglected Wherefore it concerneth you which are well instructed in the points of faith and holinesse to be most conversant in this when you are alone whether of set purpose or in your journyings or otherwise You should therefore be well read in the booke of your conscience as well as in the Bible Commune oft with it and it wil fully acquaint you with your selfe and with your estate It will tell you what you were and what you now are what you most delighted in in former times what now It will tell you what streights and feares you have beene in and how graciously God delivered you what temptations you have had and how it came to passe that sometimes you were overcome by them how and by what meanes sometimes you overcame them It will shew what conflicts you have had betwixt flesh spirit what side you tooke what was the issue of the conflict whether you were grieved and humbled when sinne got the better whether you rejoyced were thankfull in any sort when Gods grace in you held his owne or got the better Your conscience being set aworke will call to remembrance your over-sight and advantages which you gave to Satan and to the lusts of your flesh that you may not doe the like another time It will remember you by what helpes and meanes through Gods grace you prevailed got a good conquest over some sinne that you may flye to the like another time If you shal thus take observation of the passages and conflicts in this your Christian race and warfare your knowledge will be an experimentall knowledge which because it is a knowledge arising from the often proofe of that whereof you were taught in the Word it becommeth a more grounded a more perfect and a more fruitfull knowledge than that of meere contemplation It is onely this experimentall knowledge that will make you expert in the trade and warfare of Christianitie Take me a man that hath onely read much of Husbandry Physicke Merchandise Policie and martiall affaires who hath gotten into his head the notions of all these and maketh himselfe beleeve that he hath great skill in them yet one that hath not read halfe so much but hath beene of long practice and of great experience in these goeth as farre beyond him in Husbandry in giving Physick in Trading in Policie in true feats of Armes as he goeth beyond one that is a meere novice in them Such difference there is betweene one that hath onely notions brain-knowledge of Christianitie and in may be some practice withal but severed from experimentall observation and him that taketh notice of his owne experiences and is oft looking into the Records of his owne Conscience throughly to peruse them The experiments which by this meanes you shall take of Gods love truth and power of your enemies falshood wiles and methods of your owne weaknesse without God of your strength by God to withstand the greatest lusts and strongest Divell yea of an abilitie to doe all things through him that strengthneth you will beget in you faith and confidence in God and love to him watchfulnesse and circumspection lest you be overtaken with sinne yea such humilitie wisedome and Christian courage that no opposition shall daunt you neither shall any drive you from the hold you have in Christ Iesus Where reade you of two such Champions as David and Paul and where doe you reade of two that recorded and made use of their experiences like these Wherefore next to Gods booke which giveth light and rule to your Conscience reade oft the
booke of your Conscience See what is there written for or against you When you finde that your selfe and life is according to the rule of God booke keepe fast to that with comfort but wherein you finde your selfe not to be according to this rule give your selfe no rest untill in some good measure at least in indevour you doe live according to it I have insisted the more largely on this point of meditation because of the rarenes necessitie and profitablenesse of it manie of Gods people omit it because they know not how to doe it and because they know not their neede nor yet the benefit which they may reape by it I have indevoured to shew you how That you have neede to meditate Consider that reading hearing and transient thoughts of the best things upon whatsoever occasion leave not halfe that impression of goodnesse upon the soule which they would doe if â—y meditation they might be recalled and be made to stay and â—t sometime upon it Without â—his meditation the good food of the soule passeth thorow the understanding either is quite â—ost or is like raw indigested â—â—eate which doth not nourish those creatures that chew the â—â—d till they have fetched it â—acke and chewed it better Meditation is in stead of chewing â—he cud All the outward meanes of Salvation doe little good in comparison except by meditation they be pondered and laid up in the heart 2. That meditation will doâ— you much good know it by these 1 It doth digest ingraft and turne the spirituall knowledge tendered in Gods ordinances into you and it doth frame and turne you into it so that Gods will in his Word and your will become one willing the same things 2 Meditation fitteth for prayer nothing more 3 This Meditation maketh for practice of godlinesse nothing more 4 Nothing doth perfect make a man an expert Christian more then this 5 Nothing doth mak a man know and enjoy himselfe with inward comfort nor is a clearer evideÌ„ce that he is in state of happines then this For in the multitude of my thoughts within me â—aith David to GOD thy comforts delight my soule And he doth by the Spirit of GOD pronounce every man blessed that doth thus meditate in Gods Law day and night CHAP. IX Of keeping Company as in the sight of God SECTION 1. VVHen you shall be in company of whatsoever â—…rt you must amongst them â—alke with God Directions hereunto are of two â—…rts First shewing how towards â—ll Secondly how towards good â—r bad First in whatsoever companie you are your Conversation in word and deede must be such as â—aâ— procure 1 Glory to God â—2 Credit to Religion 3 All â—…utuall lawfull content helpe and â—…ue benefit to each other For these â—…re the ends first of societie secondly of the variety of the good â—ifts that GOD hath given unto men to doe good with To attain these ends your conversation must be 1. holy 2. humble 3. wise 4. loving First it must be holy you must as much as in you is prevent all evill speech behaviour which might else breake forth being alike carefull to breake it off if it be alreadie begun in your company Suffer not the name and Religion of God nor yet your brothers name to be traduced but in due place and manner contest against either Be diliget to watch and to take all good occasions to utter and to nourish good speech and good motions even whatsoever may tend to the practice and increase of godlinesse and honestie Secondly your conversation must be humble You must give all due respect to all men according to their severall places and gifts reverencing your betters submitting to all in authoritie over you Esteeme your equals better then your selves in honor preferring them before you Condescend unto and tender them of the lower sort Thirdly you must be wise and â—iscreet in your carriage towards all and that in divers particulars 1. Be not too open nor too reserved Not over-suspicious nor over-credulous For the simple beleeveth every word but the prudent looketh well to his going 2. Apply your selfe to the severall conditions dispositions of men in all indifferent things so farre as you may without sin against God or offence to your brother becomming all things to all men comporting with them in such sort that if it be possible you may live in peace with them and may gaine some interest in them to doe them good But farre be it from you to be as many who under this pretence are for all companies seeming religious with those that be religious but indeed are prophane and licentious with those that are prophane licentious for this is carnal policy and damnable hypocrisie no true wisedome 3. Intermeddle not with other mens businesse but upon due calling 4. Know when to speake and when to be silent How excellent is a word spoken in season As either speech or silence will make for the glory of God and for the cause of Religion and good one of another so speake and so hold your peace 5. Be not hastie to speake nor be much in speaking but onely when just cause shall require for as it is shame and folly to a man to answer a matter before he heare it so it is for any to speake before his time turne This is commended to you in the example of Elihu in Iob. Likewise know that in the multitude of words wanteth not sin but he that refraineth his lips is wise 6. Be sparing to speake of your selfe or actions to your owne prayse except in case of necessary Apologie and defence of Gods cause maintained by you and in the clearing of your wronged innocency or needfull manifestation of Gods power and grace in you but then it must be with all moddestie giving the prayse unto God Neither must you cunningly hunt for prayse by debasing or excusing your selfe and actions that you might give occasion to draw forth commendations of your selfe from others This seeking of prayse any way argueth pride and folly But doe prayse-worthy actions seeking therein the prayse of God that God may be glorified in you then you shall have prayse of God whatsoever you have of maÌ„ Howsoever follow SalomoÌ„s rule Let another prayse thee not thine owne mouth a stranger and not thine owne lips 7. As you must bee wise in your carriage toward others so you must be wise for your selfe which is to make a good use to your selfe of all things that fall out â—â— company Let the good you seâ— be â—â—â—â—er of conâ—ent and of thankes to GOD and for your imitaâ—ion Let the evill you see be matter of grefe humiliation and a warning to you lest you commit the like sith you are made of the same mould that others are made of If men
to destroy the Iewes nor like the carefulnesse of Darius Princes how to entrap Daniel Neither is it like the carefulnesse of those of whom Salomon speaketh who cannot sleepe unlesse they doe mischiefe Thirdly This holy provident care maketh choyce onely of lawfull meanes to obtaine that lawfull thing which is cared for David had care of his owne life therefore he gat intelligence from â—onathan of Sauls evill purposes towards him He did slie and hide himselfe from Saul but would by no meanes lay violent hanâ— upon his annointed Lord and King though he had faire opportunities and strong solicitations to kil him he falling twice into his power and was earnestly called upon by his servants to dispatch him Observe likewise Iacobs care to save himselfe and all that he had from the fury of his brother Esau he used onely apt and lawfull meanes For though a mans intention be never so good and the thing cared for be good yet if the means to get it be unlawful that care is naught To care how to provide for yourselfe and for yours is in it selfe good needfull but so to care that you run to unjust and indirect meanes it maketh it evill To care how to be saved is an excellent care but when you shall seeke to attaine it by wayes of your owne or of other mens inventions as by Idolatrous worship and voluntary Religion or looking to be saved by your owne workes by Purgatorie Popes Pardons and Indulgences as the Papists doe this is a most sinfull carefulnesse To care how to bring glory to God is the best care but if any man for to procure it use lying for GOD or any other unlawfull meanes it is an unholy care Fourthly This provident holy care is a full and impartiall care even of all things belonging to a mans care It is not such a care of the body and state as causeth neglect of the soule Neither is it such a care of the soule as it with neglect of the body life state or name It is not such a care of the privat as to neglect the publike good or of the publike so as to neglect the private It extendeth it selfe to whatsoever God hath committed to our care both for ourselves and others Those who care only for theÌ„selves for the things of this life sinne in their care Likewise those who seem to care onely how to please God and to save their soules yet wittingly or carelesly neglecting their bodies and affaires of their families belonging to their place or the comon good of others in Church or Common-wealth all these are partiall and doe sinne in their care All worldlings and selfe-loving men offend in the first kinde All superstitious indiâ—creetly devout men offend in the second kinde As not onely Papists in their Popish cloystering up men and women and in their whipping and cruell macerating their bodies and in their penitentiary Pilgrimages and in other acts doe not sparing the body but also all such who for devotion sake neglect the necessary duties of their particular calling Fifthly Care of providence is a discreet and well-ordered care It putteth difference betweene things more or lesse good and between things necessary or not necessary between things more necessary and lesse necessary In all things it would keepe first due order then due measure First caring most for GODS glory as Moses and Paul did who cared more for the glory of GOD than for their own lives and honours yea if they had beene put to it than for their owne salvation Next it careth for that one thing needfull how the soule may be saved in the day of the LORD As any thing is best or more needfull for the present that is cared first and chiefly for If all cannot bee cared for the lesse worthy things the lesse necessary for the present those things to which a man is least bound shall be omitted Secondly As provident care doth through discretion keepe due order for it is an ordinate care so it keepeth due measure seeking Spirituall and Heavenly things with more diligence and zeale than those that â—â—e temporall and earthly caring for the things of this life with great moderation without eagernesse and greedinesse of desire alwaies proportioning the care to the goodnes and worth of that which is to be cared for Now because the world is to be loved and used as if we loved and used it not it being of little worth in comparison therefore the cares about it in comparison of the best and most necessary things must bee as if you cared not Then cares of the things of this life are inordinate and immoderate when they will not give men leave to take the comforts and naturall refreshings of this life as sleepe meate and drinke and other needfull and lawfull recreations but especially when they hinder them from exercise profitable use or due performance of religious duties 2. Secondly when they are first and chiefe in amans thoughts the minde alwayes running upon them 3. When they cause a man out of his over-much haste to be rich and to enjoy the world to use unlawfull and indirect meanes or to enter upon dealing and trading beyond his skill stocke and meanes well to manage the same 4. When they cause a man so to minde his worldly businesse that he thinketh nothing wel done or safe if his eye or hand be not in it and if it be not in his owne custody albeit there is cause why others should be used and intrusted with it Sixthly this holy provident care knoweth as about what and how so how farre to care It knoweth its limits how farre to goe and where to stay Namely when it hath chosen a lawful object to bee conversant about and hath found out and used lawfull meanes and applyeth it selfe to one thing as well as another in due order and measure it stayeth there caring no further but waiteth patiently GODS pleasure for good successe casting all care of event and successe upon God by prayer and supplication with thanks giving SECTION 2. Of Carefulnesse and taking thought BY all that hath been written in the former Section you may see that although you may and must care for many things according to the directions there givâ—â— yet you must as the Apostle saith Be carefull in nothing This is now the point to be insisted on God would have none of his servants and children to care inordinately about any thing noâ— yet when in obedience to his Commandement and due observance of his providence they have diligeÌ„tly used lawful means for things lawfull and have able that they should care at all about the issue or successe Hee would not that they should suffer their minds to hang in doubtfull suspence and feare there-about but would that they should roule themselves and their affaires upon him whether it be in
with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous Who by being made a curse for you hath redeemed you from the curse of the whole Law Therfore from the curse due unto you for your greatest sinne Consider this againe can the sinne of a finite creature goe beyond the pardon of an infinite Creator Can a sinne in some sense finite deserve beyond the satisfaction of a price for value every way infinite Howsoever it is impossible for a notorious sinner yea for any sinner by his owne power or worth to enter into the kingdome of Heaven Yet know what is impossible with man is possible with God Is any thing too hard for the Lord Hee can alter and renew you and give you faith and repentance he can make these things possible to you that beleeve yea all things are possible to him that beleeveth I you will say if I did beleeve Why what if yet you doe not beleeve It is not hard with him you comming to his meanes of faith you harkening to the precepts and promises of the Word considering that the God of truth speaketh in them I say it is not hard for him in the use of these meanes to cause you to beleeve Wherefore neither greatnesse of sinne nor multitude of sinnes should because of their greatnes and multitude make you utterly despaire of salvation or feare Damnation When once you can beleeve or but will and desire to obey beleeve the greatest matter of feare is past I know if you never had sinned you would not feare damnation Now to a man whose sinnes are remitted his sinnes though sin dwell in him are as if they were not or never had beene For they are blotted out of Gods remembrance I even I am he saith God that blot out thy transgressions for my names sake and will not remember thy sinnes And who is like thee saith the Prophet that pardoneth iniquitie c. hee will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and will cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea A debt when it is paid by the Surety putteth the principall out of debt though he payd never a peny of it The holy Ghost speaketh most comfortably saying that God doth finde no sinne in them whose sinnes are pardoned In those dayes and at that time saith the Lord the iniquitie of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sinnes of Iudah and they shall not be found but how may this be he giveth the reason for I will pardon them whom I reserve If you beleeve that God can pardon any sinne even the least you have like reason to beleeve that God can pardon all yea the greatest for if God can doe any thing he can doe every thing because he is infinite He can as easily say thy sinnes are forgiven thee all thy sinnes are forgiven thee as to say Rise and walke He can as wel save one that hath beene long dead rotten and stinking in his sinne as one newly fallen into sinne For he can as easily say Lazarus come forth as to say Damsell I say to thee Arise Lastly to make an end of removing this fear I ask thee who art troubled with the greatnesse of thy sinnes past and with feare that they can never be pardoned how stand you affected to present sinnes Doe you hate and loath them Doe you use what meanes you can to be rid of them Are you out of love with your selfe and humbled because you have harboured them to GODS dishonour and your owne hurt And doe you resolve to returne from your evill wayes and to enter upon an holy course of life if God shall please to enable you and is it your heartie desire to have this grace to be able And are you afraid and have you now a care lest you fall wittingly into sinne then let Satan and a fearefull heart object what they can you may say though my sinnes have beene great and hainous for which I loath my selfe and am ashamed yet now I see that they were not onely pardonable but are already through the rich mercy of God pardoned For these are signes of a new heart and a new minde Now to whomsoever GOD giveth the least measure of saving grace to them hath he first given pardon of sinne and will yet abundantly pardon For he saith Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne to the LORD and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon SECTION 3. Removing the feare that riseth from doubts that God will not pardon THere are others who make no doubt of Gods power they beleeve hee can forgive them but they feare yea peremptorily conclude that hee will not pardon them and that because they be Reprobates as they say for they see no signes of Election but all to the contrary I answer these thus When your Consciences are first wounded with a sense of Gods wrath for sinne it is very like that before you have beleeved and repented you cannot discern any signes of Gods favour but of his wrath for as yet you are not actually in state of grace and in his favour And oft-times after a man doth beleeve though there be alwaies matter enough to give proofe of his Election yet hee cannot alwayes see it If you be in either of these estates conceive the worst yet you have no reason to conclude that you are Reprobates It is true that God before the foundation of the world fully determined with himselfe whom to choose to Salvation by grace to which also hee ordained them and whom to passe by and leave in their sinnes for which he determined in his just wrath to condemne them But who these be is a secret which even in point of Election the Elect theÌ„selves cannot know untill they be effectualâ—y called nay nor being called untill by some experience and proofes of their faith holines they do understand the witnesse of the Spirit which testifieth to their spirits that they are the children of God and doe make their Calling Election which was alwayes sure in God sure to themselves But in point of reprobation namely that God hath passed them by to perish everlastingly in their wickednesse no man living can know it except he know that he hath sinned the sinne against the holy Ghost that unpardonable sinne For God calleth men at all ages and times some in their youth some in their middle age some in their old age yea some have beene called at their last houre Now let it be granted that you cannot by search into your selves finde the signes of effectuall calling which yet may bee in you though your dimme eies cannot perceive them Nay suppose that you are not yet effectually called here is no cause for you utterly to despaire and say you are Reprobates How know you
that God will not call you before you dye It were a farre wiser and better course for you that will bee thus hasty in judging your selves to be Reprobates to busie your selves first with other things Acquaint your selves with Gods revealed will in his Word Learne to know what God hath commanded you to doe and do that also what he hath threatned and feare that and what hee hath promised and beleeve and rest on that After you haue done this you may looke into your selves and you shall reade your Election written in golden and great Letters For God never intended that the first lesson which a Christian should learne should be the hardest and highest lesson that can be learned taken out of the book of his eternall counsell decree and so to descend to the A. B. C. of Christianity Which were a course most perplexed and preposterous But his wil is that his schollers children should learn out of his written Word here on earth first that God made all things and that hee made man good and how that man hearkening to Sathan they found out evill devices and so fell from grace and from God and so both they and the whole world that came of their loynes became guilty of eternal dānation Next God would have you to learne that hee in is infinite wisdome goodnesse and mercy thought of and concluded a new covenant of Grace for the effecting whereof hee found out and appointed a way and meanes to pacifie his wrath by satisfying his justice punishing sin in mans nature by which he opened away unto his mercie to shew it to whom he would namely Hee gave his onely Sonne very God to become very man and being made a common person and surety in mans stead dyed and endured the punishment due to the sinne of man and rose againe and was exalted to sit at Gods right hand to raigne having all authority committed vnto him Thus he made the new covenant of grace established in his Sonne Iesus Christ the tenour and condition whereof required on mans part is that man accept of enter into this covenant beleeving in Christ in whom it is established then whosoever beleeveth in him shall not dye but have everlasting life This God did in his wisedome justice mercy and love to man that hee himselfe might be inst and yet a iustifier of him that is of the faith of Iesus And hath therefore given his Word and Sacraments and hath called and hath given gifts to his Ministers thereby to beget and increase faith in men by publishing this good newes and by commanding them as in Christs stead in Gods name to beleeve and to be reconciled to God and to live no longer according to the will of their old Masters the Divell the World and the Flesh under whom they were in cursed bondage but according to the will of him that redeemed them in holinesse and righteousnesse whose service is a perfect blessed freedome Now when you have learned these lessons first and by looking into your selves can finde faith and new obedience then by this your effectuall calling you may as by safe stayres ascend to that high point of your Predestination which will give you comfort through assurance that you shall never fall away When you observe this order in learning your Election to life it will not minister vnto you matter of curious and dangerous dispute either with God or man thereabout but of high admiration thankesgiving and unspeakeable comfort causing you to cry out with the Apostle O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. And Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should bee holy and without blame before him in love having Predestinated us unto the Adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in his well-beloved c. There are yet some who having heard that there is a sinne against the holy Ghost and that it is unpardonable are full of feares that they have committed that sinne thence conclude that they are Reprobates for they say that they have sinned willingly against knowledge conscience since they received the knowledge of the truth and tasted of the heavenly gift and of the good Word of God If you who thus object have sinned against knowledge and conscience you have much cause of griefe complaint against your selfe and have much cause of humbling your selfe before God confessing it to him asking pardon of him and grace to beleeve and repent both which you must endevour by all means Yet I see no cause why you should conclude so desperately that you have sinned against the holy Ghost and are a Reprobate For as few in comparison though too many commit this sinne so few know what it is All sinne against knowledge and conscience is not this sinne Nor yet all wilfull sinning It is not any one sinne against the law nor yet the direct breach of the whole law nor every malicious opposing of the Gospell if it be of ignorance neither is it every blasphemie or persecution of the Gospell and of those that professe the truth if these be done out of ignorance or passion Nor yet is it every Apostacie and falling into grosse sinnes of diverssorts though done against knowledge and conscience yet this sinne against the holy Ghost containeth all these and more It is a sinne against the Gospell and free offer and dispensation of grace and salvation by CHRIST through the Spirit Yet it is not any particular sinne against the Gospell nor yet a rejecting of the whole Gospell if in ignorance nor yet every denying of Christ or sudden revolting from the outward profession of the Gospell when it is of infirmitie through feare such like temptation Neither is it called the sinne against the holy Ghost and is unpardonable because it is committed against the Essence or Person of the holy Ghost for the essence of the three persons in Trinitie is all one And the person of the holy Ghost is not more excellent than the person of the Father and the Sonne but it is called the sinne against the holy Ghost and becommeth unpardonable because it is against the Office of the holy Ghost and against the gracious operations of the holy Ghost and therein against the whole blessed Trinitie all whose works out of themselves are consummate and perfected in the worke of the holy Ghost Moreover know that it is unpardonable not in respect of GODS power but in respect of his will Hee having in his holy wisedome determined never to pardon it And good reason why he should will not to pardon it in respect of the
that if hee offer grace to day who can tell whether he wil offer it to morrow Or whether he will offer it again Who knoweth whether God will take him from the meanes of Salvation or will take the meanes of Salvation from him All this our holy and wise God hath revealed in his Word to make men wise to take the opportunity and time of grace while it is offered Wherfore whosoever have let slippe their first times offers of grace have sinned plaied the fooles egregiously for which they have cause to be much humbled But for you to conclude hence that the date and time of your conversion is out hath no sufficient ground For it is not possible for you to know that your time of conversion is past all recoverie But you shold rather for the present time beleeve and hope that it is not past Indeed to presume to put off receiving grace untill to morrow is foolish and dangerous but if God give you time till to morrow that you live and it can be said to day so long as you yet live and the externall meanes of Salvation are not taken from you either in their exercise or out of your remembrance but you doe yet live to heare what God hath commanded you to doe and to heare what good things hee yet offereth unto you with Christ or if the meanes be taken from you or you are detained from them by sicknesse c. so long as you yet live to call to remembrance what God hath commanded you to beleeve and doe you cannot say the time is too late If you would yet condemn your selves for refusing grace heretofore and would be now willing and desirous to accept of it Moreover would you now with all your heart use the meanes of Salvation and indevour to beleeve and repent if you thought it were not too late And doth it grieve you that you have let slip the opportunitie And would you gaine and redeeme that lost time if you knew how Then I dare in the name of God assure you that the date of your conversion is not out It is not too late for you to turne unto the Lord. While it is to day I may boldly say harden not your heart which if you doe not you must know that now is an acceptable time now is the day and time of your Salvation At what time soever GOD doth send his Minister unto you by whom GOD doth beseech you they intreating you as now I doe in Christs stead that you would be reconciled to GOD this is the acceptable day if you will be intreated by them The day wherein GOD will accept of you is not past Moreover at what time soever and by what meanes soever any man shall humble himselfe for sinne and aske grace the date of Gods acceptance of him is not out Learne this in the example of Manasses and many other who had refused grace in their yongertime yet were converted in their age You have Gods expresse words for it who saith From the dayes of your fathers that is for a long time Yee are gone away from mine ordinances and have not kept them Returne unto me and I will returne unto you saith the Lord of Hoasts That place in the Proverbes rightly understood doth not contradict any thing which I have said nor yet serve for that for which it is alledged For by refusing there he meaneth a constant and obstinate refusing of wisedomes counsell untill such time that God hath broughtsome misery on them theÌ„ they should call upon him By calling upon him in that place is not meant a hearty praying with godly sorrow for sin making request for pardon and for grace but a crying or howling rather like those in Hosea under the sense of Gods judgements praying in truth onely to be eased of it For at what time soever a sinner shall repent GOD will turne to him And whosoever looketh towards Christ the true Temple shadowed forth by the materiall Temple at Ierusalem and confesseth his sinne and asketh pardon God will pardon for so hath he promised But may not a man pray too late and seek repentance in vain as Esau did who found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with teares Did not the foolish Virgins seeke to enter into the Bride-chamber but were not admitted And doth not our Saviour say many shall strive to enter in and shall not be able No man can aske grace and forgivenesse of sinnes too late if he aske for grace and power against sin heartily But a man may aske a temporall blessing or the removall of a temporall evill when it may be too late As for Esaus carefull seeking of repentance you must understand it not of his owne repentance from his prophanenes and from other dead workes but of his Father Isaacks repentance he would have had his father to change his minde and to have given him the birth-right which was already bestowed upon Iacob Read Gen. 27. 34. 38. Whereas the foolish Virgins did assay to enter into the Bride-chamber when the doore was shut know that this is a parable and must not be urged beyond its generall scope which is to shew that formall professors of Christianitie such as have onely a forme of godlinesse without the power of it they although they will not live the life of the righteous yet they could wish their end might be like theirs And because of their outward profession of Christs Name in this life they securely expect eternall life but because before their death they did not provide the oyle of truth and holinesse therefore at the day of Iudgement they shall be disappointed of entering into Heaven which in the time of their life they did so much presume of The like answer may be given unto that place alledged out of Luk. 13. 24. Yet unto that place more may be said You mistake when you say that Christ saith many shall strive to enter and shall not be able He saith Strive to enter in at the straight gate for many I say to you shall seeke to enter in and shall not be able he doth not say many shall strive to enter There is great difference in the signification of the Greeke words and so there is betweene striving and seeking signified by them Seeking imports onely a bare professing of Christ such as is shewed in giving the name to Christ comming to Church hearing the Woâ—d and receiving the Sacraments For thus did the men spoken of by our Saviour who are said not to be able to enter But to strive to enter is to doe all these and more it is to strive in seeking for him that they take up their crosse and follow him they give their hearts to him as well as their names they are heartie and sincere in Praying Hearing Receiving they strive to subdue their lusts which offend Christ
they renew their griefe and repentance yet they doe not fall into an allowed course of sinne any more Thus much in answer to the first doubt of Sanctification Secondly There are many which doubt they are not sanctified because of those swarmes and multitude of evill thoughts which are in them some whereof which is fearefull for them to thinke or speake are blasphemous unnaturall and inhumane calling Gods being truth power and providence into question doubting whether the Scripture be the word of God and many moe of this nature having also thoughts of laying violent hands upon themselves and others with many moe of that and other sorts such as they never felt at all or not so much in their knowne state of unregeneracy before they made a more strict profession of godlinesse such as they thinke none that are truly sanctified are troubled withall To resolve this doubt know that evill thoughts are either put into men from without as when Satan doth suggest or men doe solicite evill thus Iobs wife Curse God and dye Or they doe arise from within out of the evill concupiscence of a mans owne heart And sometimes they are mixt comming both from within and without Those which come onely from Satan may usually be knowne from them that arise out of mans heart by their sodainenesse and uncessantnesse namely when they are repelled they wil somtimes returne againe an hundred times in a day Also they are unreasonable and unnaturall and withall are strange and violent in their motions taking no nay but by violent resistance Wheras those which altogether or in great part are from mans owne corrupt heart they usually arise by occasion of some externall object or from some naturall cause and are not so sudden and incessant nor are so unnaturall inhumane and violent Now all those evill thoughts or thoughts of evill rather which are from Satan or from mans putting them into you if you consent not unto them but doe abhorre and resist them with detestation they are not your sinnes but Satans and theirs that did put them into you They are your crosses because they are matter of trouble to you but they are not your sinnes because they leave no guilt upon you They are no more your sinnes then these thoughts Cast thy selfe downe headlong and fall downe and worship me viz. the Divell were Christs sinnes if you consent not but resist them as CHRIST did You should heedfully observe this For if the Divell was so malicious and presumptuous as to assault our blessed Saviour with such divellish temptations casting into his head such vile blasphemous notions and thoughts should you thinke it strange that he doth pester you with the like And if for all this you have no cause to doubt whether Christ were the Sonne of GOD or no though the Divell made an if of it and it was the thing the Divel aimed at why then should it be doubted that any of Christs members may be thus assaulted and yet have no cause for this to question whether they be sanctified or in state of grace For these in them are so far from being abhominable evils that being not consented to they as I said are not their sinnes It is a peece of the Divels cunning first to fill a man full of thoughts for matter abhominable and then to be the first that shall put in this accusation and doubt viz. Is it possible for any childe of God for any that is sanctified with Gods holy Spirit to have such thoughts But consider well that an innocent Beniamin may have Iosephs cup put into his sacks mouth without his privity or fault by him who for his owne ends intended to make matter thereof wherby to accuse Beniamin of theft and ingratitude Was Beniamin any whit the more dishonest or ingrateful for all this A malicious Cutpurse having tempted a neighbour to jayn with him in cutting of purses being denyed by him doth craftily plot how to doe him a mischiefe and meeting the said neighbor in a throng of people cutteth another mans purse and closely conveigheth it into his neighbours pocket and presently asketh if none have lost their pâ—â—se which being missed hee poâ—â—â—eth at his neighbour saying that â—e suspecteth him who being taken and searched the purse is found about him yet you will judge this neighbour to be innocent Sathan doth not want malice or craft in this kinde to play his â—â—ates Where he cannot corrupt men yet there he wil veâ— and perplexe them But let it be granted that these blasphemous and abhominable thoughts which trouble you are indeede your sinnes either because they arise from your owne evill heart or because you did consent to them they being cast in by others If so then you have much cause to grieve and to repent but not to despaire or to say you are not Gods childe For it is possible for a sanctified man to be made guilty either by outward act or by consent and approbation or by some meanes or other of any one sinne except that against the holy Ghost yea of any blasphemy except that now albeit a man be guilty of these vile or blasphemous thoughts and doubtings yet if he confesse and bewaile his sinne even his blasphemy if his heart ake at the thoughts thereof if hee repent beleeve and aske mercy it shall be forgiven him For he hath our Saviours word for it And whereas you say you were not troubled with such abominable thoughts before that you made profession of an holy life I answer this is not to be woÌ„dred at For before that time the Devil and you were friends then hee thought it enough to suffer you to be proud of your civill honesty or it may bee to content your selfe with a meere forme of godlinesse suppose that you were free from notorious crimes as adultery lying swearing c. For when hee could by these more plausible wayes lead you captive at his will he saw you were his sure enough already what need was there then that hee should solicite you any further or to disturbe your quiet But now that you have renounced him in earnest and that hee and you bee two you may bee sure that he will attempt by all meanes to reduce you into your old state or if he faile of that yet as long as you live so farre as God shall permit hee will doe what hee can to disturbe your peace by vexing and molesting you Moreover GOD doth permit this for divers holy purposes 1. To discover the Devils malice 2. To chastise his children and to humble them because they were too well conceited of the goodnesse of their nature in their unregeneracy or might be too uncharitable and censorious of others and too presumptuous of their owne strength since they were regenerate 3. God likewise permitteth these buffetings and winnowings of Satan as to prevent pride and other sinnes so to exercise and make
was felt witnesse your owne experience for before the hammer and fire of the Word was applyed to your hearts you had no sense of it and never complained thereof You must not call a heavie heart a hard heart you must not call a heart wherein is a sense of an indisposition to good a hard heart except onely in â—omparison of that softnesse which is in it sometimes and which it shall attaine unto when it shall bee perfectly sanctified in which respect it may bee called hard Whosoever hath his will so wrought upon by the Word that it is bent to obey GODS will if he knew how and if he had power this man whatsoever hardâ—esse hee feeleth his heart is soft not hard The Apostle had a heart held in and clogged with the flesh and the law of his members that it made him to thinke himselfe wretched because hee could not bee fully deliverd from it yet wee know his heart was not an hard heart Amongst those that are sanctified there remaineth more hardnesse in the heart of some than in others and what with the committing of grosse sinnes and a cursorie and slight doing of good duties and through neglect of meanes to soften it the same mens hearts are harder at one time than at another of which they have cause to complaine and for which they have cause to bee humbled and to use all meanes to soften it But it is false and dangerous hence to conclude that such are not in state of grace because of such hardnesse in the heart For as GODS perfectest Children on earth know but in part and beleeve but in part So their hearts are softened but in part SECTION 7. Removall of feares rising from doubts about falling from Grace THere yet remaine many who though they be driven up into so narrow a corner that they cannot reply to the answers given to take away their false feares and doubts but they are inforced to yeeld that they find that they now are or at least have beene in state of grace they now see they have beleeved and have beene and it may bee now are sanctified yet this they feare that they either are already fallen or shall not persevere but shall fall away before they dye Touching falling away from grace first know that of those that give their names to Christ in outward profession there are two sorts The first sort are such who have received onely the common gifts of the Spirit as first illumination of the mind to know the mystery of Salvation by Christ and truâ—y to assent unto it Secondly Together with this knowledge is wrought in them by the same spirit a â—â—â—hter impression upon the affections which the Scripture calleth a taste of the heavenly gift and of the good Word of GOD and of the powers of the world to come By these gifts of the Spirit the souâ—es of these men are raised to an abilitie to doe more than nature and meere education can helpe them unto carrying them further then nature or art can doe by working in them a kinde of spirituall change in their affections and a kinde of reformation of their lives But yet all this while they are not ingrafted into Christ neither are deepely rooted as the Corne in good grouÌ„d nor yet are throughly changed and renewed in the inward man they have at best only a formâ— of godlinesse but have not the power thereof Now these men may and oft doe fall away not onely into some particular grosse sinnes of which they were sometimes after a sort washed but into a course of sinning falling from the very forme of godlinesse and may so utterly loose thoâ—e gifts received that they may turne Papists Anabaptists or may fall into any oâ—her Heresie and in the end become very Apostates yet this is not properly a falling from grace It is onely a falling away from the common graces or gifts of the Sâ—irit and from those graces which they did seeme to have and which the Church out of her charitie did judge them to have but they fall not from true saving grace for they neuer had any For if ever they had beene indeed incorporated into Christ Iesus and had beene sound members of his body and in this sense had ever beene of us as the Apostle Iohn speaketh then they should never have departed from us but should no doubt have continued with us The second sort of such as have given their names to Christ are such as are indued with true iustifying faith and saving knowledge and are renewed in the spirit of their minde whereby through the gracious and powerful working of the sanctifying Spirit the Word maketh a deeper impression upon the will and the affections causing them not onely to taste but which is much more to feed and to drinke deepe of the heavenly gift and of the good word of GOD and of the powers of the world to come so as to digest them unto the very changing and transforming them by the renewing of their mindes and unto the sanctifying of them throughout in their whole man both in spirit soule and bodie so that CHRIST is indeed formed in them and they are become new creatures being made partakers of the divine nature Now concerning these It is not possible that any of them should fall away either wholly or for ever Yet it must bee granted that they may decline and fall backe so farre as to grieve the good spirit of GOD and to offend and provoke God very much against them and to make themselves guiltie of eternall death They may fall so farre as to interrupt the exercise of their faith wound their Conscience and may loose for a time the sense of Gods favour and may cause him like a wise and good father in his iust anger to chide correct threaten them making them beleeve hee will turne them out of doores never to receive them into his heavenly Kingdome untill by renewing their faith and repentance they returne into the right way and doe recover GODS lo-ving countenance towards them againe That you may understand and beleeve this the better consider what grace God giveth unto his elect and how and from what they may fill also you must observe well the difference that is betweene the sinning of the regenerate and unregenerate together with their different condition wherin they stand while they are in their sinnes In the first act of Conversion I speake of men of yeeres and discretion GOD by his Word through his holy Spirit doth infuse an habit of holinesse namely an habit of Faith and all other saving graces this every childe of GOD receiveth when he receiveth that holy annointing of the spirit that which the Scripture calieth the Seede remaining in him Secondly God by his gracious meanes and ordinances of the Gospell doth increase this habit and these graces Now because every man
SataÌ„s cunning in casting in blasphemous thoughts o Gen. 44. 2â—4 15. p Mat. 12. 31 32. Reasons why worse thoughts maybe cast into a mans head after then before conversion Reasons of Gods permission of Satan to cast in most vile thoughts q 2 Cor. 12 9. How to be armed against blasphemous thoughts before they come Convincing reasons proving that there is a God Psal 19. 1. Psal 104. r Lu. 12. 25 Å¿ Mat. 5. 36. * Iob 38. 10 11. u Ps 104. 6 x Act. 14. 15 16 17. a Rom. 1 20 b Pro. 16. 4 c Eccl. 12. 14. d Heb. 11. 27. e Heb. 11. 3. 6. Convincing reasons that the Scriptures are the Word of God â— * Heb. 4. 12 13. Psal 19. 7. f Gal. 3. 22 g Rom. 1. 17 h 1 Cor. 2. 9 k 2 Cor. 10 4 5 6. l 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. How to be forearmed against temptations to acts unnaturall and inhumane m Exo. 20. n Act. 16. 28 o Gen. 39 9 How to be kept from the hurt of Devillish thoughts in the time of temptation p Mat. 4. 6. 7 Doubts of Sanctification because they have fallen into grossesins removed Answ Hos 14. 1 2 3 4. q Ioh. 8. 44 r 2 Sam 1 1â— 1 Kin. 15. 5â— k 1 Kin. â—â— 4 5. * Mat. 26. 74. a 1 Cor. 10. 11 12. a 1 Cor. 10. 11 12. b 1 Cor. 4. 4 1 Ioh. 3. 9. l Iam. 3. 2. m Rom. 7. 15 c. n Ioh. 8. â—4 Rom. 6. 16 18 19 20 22. o 1 Ioh. 5. 17. 18. Doubts of Sanctification because they feare they have not Repented removed Answ p Isa 1. 19. q Rom 8. 4 r Psa 51. 17 s 2 Sam. 24 17 18. t 1 Kin. 21 27. 29. u 2 Chr. 6. 36. x Rom. 7. 23. * Rom. 7. 20 Doubts of Sanctification because of their dulnesse in spirituall duties removed Answ a Phil. 2 12 Neh. 1. 11. Doubts of Sanctification from sudden dulnesse after comforts removed Answ b 2 Cor. 12. 7. Doubts of Sanctification for that they are out-gone by others removed Answ a Eph. 4. 7. â—om 12. 3. b 1 Cor 12 11. Psal 119. 9 100. Mat. 25 21 22. 23. * 1 Cor. 12 15 16. c Mat. 20. 15 d 1 Cor. 12 26 Doubts of sanctification from the sense of the want of growth of grace removed Answ Doubts of Sanctification from the senâ—e of hardnes of heaâ—t removed e Zac. 7 1â— Answ f Eph. 4. 19 g Isa 63. 17 h 2 Chr. 34 27. i Rom 〈…〉 k 1 Cor. 13. 9 Answ a Heb. 6. 4. 5 First sort of Christians b Heb. 6 4 5 c Mat 13. â—1 d 2 Tim. 3. 8 Who may fall away and how e Luk. 8. 18 f 1 Ioh. 2. 19 The second sort of Christians g Rom 12. 2 h 1 Thes 5 23 k 2 Cor. 5 17 2 Pet. 1. 4. Once ever instate of grace A truly regenerate man may fal far back though not quite away a Psal 32. 3 b Psal 51. 8 9 10 11 What grace God giveth to his Elect in their conversion and how l oh 2. 20 m 1 Ion. 3 9 Whence it is that the Elect may decline and backesâ—â—â—e and how â—arre He never fals from the first infused habit of grace o 1 Ioh. 3. 9 DiffereÌ„ce betweene the sinning of the regenerate and unregenerate o 2 Pet. 3. 5 p Psal 39. 1 q Psal 116 106 * Mat. 26. 35 Å¿ Gal. 6. 1 â— 2 Sam. 11. 2 t Gen. 27. 4. Micah 2â— a 2 Sam. 11 8 unto 2â— b Ps 19. 13 c 2 Sam 11 8 9 1 11 12. d Ps 32 3 4 e â— Sam 12 13. Psa 51. f 2 Chro 15 17 g 2 Chr. 16 10 12 k 2 Sam. 12 24 l Eccles 2. Neh. 13. 26 m 1 Kin. 11 3 to 10. Ecclesiast b 1 Sam. 28 3 6 7 c. c 2 Chr. 2â— 17. 18. to 23. Grounds of differences between the falsâ—f men truly sanctified and others d Ioh. 4. 14. The condition of the true Christian differs froÌ„ that of the forâ—all Christian in respect of Gods purpose and love e Ioh. 8. 35 f Ioh. 17. 9 15. 20 * 2 Sam. 14 24 g Lev 13. 46 2 Chro. 26 21 Rom 8. 15. 16. 17. 35 1 Ioh 2. 27 1 Ioh 3. 9 h Rom. 8. 33 unto the end Whence it is that a true Convert cannot fall quite from grace i Rom. 9. 11 Quest Answ k Gen. 1. 2 1 Gen. 3. m Ier. 32. â—0 n 2 Cor. 1. 21 22 Ephe. 1. 4. n 2 Cor. 1. 21 22 Ephe. 1. 4. o Rom. 6. 5 unto 12. p 1 Pet. 1. 3 4 5 d 2 Tim. 2. 19 Reasons prooving that a man effectually called can not fall quite away e Rom. 11. 29 f Ioh. 13 1 g Heb. 7. 2â— 25 Heb. 7. 21 h Ioh. 6. 3â— Luk. 22. â—â— Ioh. 17. 1â— i Eph. 1. 13. 14. k 1 Pet. 1. 23 25 Ier. 32. 40. Objections for falling from grace answered l Ps 73. 24 Rom 6. â— c. m Psal 2. 8. n Ioh. 17. 1. o Dan. 9. 1. p 2 Sam. 7 27. a Luk. 7. 4. b Ioh. 〈…〉 c 2 Cor. 5. 14 d 1 Ioh. 5. 3 q Iude 4. Rom. 5. 21. r Rom. 6. 1 15 s Ezr. 9. 13 14 t Rom. 6. 2. u 1 Ioh. 3. 1 2 3. Feares of falling away quite because men doubt they have onely a forme of godlinesse Removed a Psal 15. 1 2. 5. Note Doubts through being already fallen backe removed Answ b Rev. 2. 4. c Rev. 2 5. * Ps 73. 24 Psa 89. 30. 32. d Rev. 2. 11 Reasons why many think they have lesse grace now than at first but mistake e Psa 92. 14 * Ioh. 2. 12 13 Pro. 16. 31 Feares of falling quite away because others are already fallen removed f 2 Tim. 4. 10. Answ g 1 Cor 10 12 h 1 Ioh. 2. 19 Psal 51. k Ecclesiast Feares of falling away in time of persecution removed l Ephes 6. 11. 13. 14. Answ How to be kept from dastardly feare in time of persecution m Luk. 21. 14 15. * Rev. 3. 8. 10 How to know in time of peace to hold out in persecution Doubts taken from deceitfulnesse of heart removed Answ Doubts from present fainting removed Answ * Psal 27. 23 24. n Psal 73. 26. o Iona. 2. 4. 7 p Isa 50. 4. 10 Psal 27. 23 24. Reply We do not our part therefore God is not tied to 〈◊〉 Answ Act. 5. 30. 31 Reply Answ u Isa 54. 13 Caution Heb. 4. 2. Iam 1. 7. Psal 81. 11 12 Mat. 21. 43 Feares rising from want of such graces as God hath promised absolutely removed a Psa 119. 5 b Neh. 1. 11 c Mar. 9. 24 d Isa 1. 19. e 1 Cor. 8. 12. g Psal 85. 8 h 2 Tim 2. 19. Troubles through want of peace of Sanctification removed Answ Gal. 5. 17. k 1 Cor. 13 9 l 1 Cor. 16 13. a 1 Cor. 10 13. b Heb. 2. 18 c 1 Cor 10 13. d 1 Pet. 5. 10. Heb. 10. 37 e Luk. 22 32. Ioh. 17. â—5 20. m Rom. 16 20 n Rom. 8. 37 How notwithstanding all a mans causes of fears hee may know the peace of God belongeth to him Quest o Neh. 1. 4. p 1 Sam. 4. 20. 21. q Psal 15. 4 Psal 16. 4. r 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Psal 16. 3. s Psa 141. 5 t Pro. 25. 12 u Psa 73. 23 Causes of errour in mis-iudgeing of a mans state first removed a Psa 31. 22 b Rev. 3. 17. c Pro. 3. 5. d 1 Cor. 3. 18. * Hos 2. 19 20 Obiect Answ Obiect Answ An excellent helpe making way to peace of conscience Rules how to lay open our state to others when the Conscience is troubled Men overgone with trouble of conscience are most unfit toiudge of their own estate Reply Answ c 2 Cor. 1. 4 d 1 Thâ— 5 14 e Isa 50. 4. Ioh 20. 23. Chap. 17 Meanes to get and keep true peace f Ioh 14. 16 g 1 Cor. 2. 12 Reply Answ h Ioh. 5. 3 â— Meanes to obtain the Spirit Mat. 5 3 4 5 6. i Isa 4 4. 3. k Ioh. 14. 17 l Act. 10. 44. m Gal 3. 5 n 2 Cor. 3. 6. 8. o Lu. 11 14 p Eph. 4. 30 31 q 1 Thes 5 19 20. o 1 Ioh. 2 27. p Rev. 1. 6. q Eph. 4. â—0 t 2 Cor. 1. 22. Ephe. 14 How the Spirit doth witnesse to a man that he is Goâ—s 〈…〉 a Zâ—ch 12. 10 b Isa 61. 3. a Rom. 8. 26 * Act â— 8. Gal. 5. â—2 Act. 24. 16 Isa 30. 21. s Psa 51. 14 t Isa 9. 6. u Isa 53. 5. c Mat. 11. 29. d Ioh. 16. 33 e Heb. 9. 14 e Heb. 10 12 f Heb. 10. 2 Heb. 9 Psal 32 3 4 5. How to keepe the Conscience tender See also Cap. 15. Sect. 2. at the end of it Mat. 11. 19 Isa 32. 17. Rom. 8. 6. Rom. 5. 1. Rom. 8. 33 Rom. 8. 25 Heb. 6. 18. 19 Psal 119. 165. Mat. 11. 29 Gal. 6. 16. Heb. 12 5. Heb. 12. 6. Meanes of being put in mind of Gods consolationss Rom. 15. 4. a Isa 12 3. b â—sa 66. 11 Gal. 3. 24 c Rom. 10 15 d Luk. 1. 79 Iob 22. 21. 23. Psal 85. 8. Psal 37. 37. Rom. 15. 13 Heb. 13. 20 21.