same Inheritance But alas If the fore-mentioned steps of Abrahams Faith as troden by his Children do discriminate the Faith of the right kind from that which is of another race how many mens Faith who call Abraham Father will hereby be discovered to be but Bastardly and such as will never make good their title to the Inheritance which God hath promised to Abraham and his spiritual seed Does the Call of God back'd with a Promise by means of Abrahams Faith taking hold of the Promise with one hand and of the Command with the other draw him out of his own Country from his ancient Acquaintance Kindred and Fathers house which otherwise were lawful enjoyments What then shall we think of their Faith who though the Lord give forth Command upon Command back'd with great and precious Promises on purpose to draw men not out of their own Country but out of their ill Company out of their Intemperance and Excess out of their Uncleanness out of their Covetous practices out of their Pride and ridiculous fashions out not only of prophane Swearing and filthy Talking but out of light vain frothy frivolous Discourse and Communication out of their lukewarmness heartlessness and deadness in Religion and yet for all that are not drawn out of these unprofitable sinful and vain wayes unto this day Can any thing be plainer than this That either they have no Faith at all or that the Faith they have is of a bastard kind and such as shall never inherit Both they and their Faith must be judged of by their Works If they were Abrahams Children they would do the Works of Abraham but seeing they do the Works of the Devil they thereby plainly prove themselves to be his Children and not Abrahams as Christ who could not be mistaken hath told them Joh. 8.39.44 These as the unregenerate Jews that lived under the Word and Ordinances of God and yet were not renewed to God by them would needs claim from Abraham but Christ you see hath found them out another Father O that all such would therefore be perswaded now while it is called to day to take fast hold of the Commands of Jesus Christ made very pleasant and acceptable by the huge Promises that are annexed to them which would then certainly draw them out of their vain Conversation Shall Abrahams Faith enable him at Gods Command to offer to him his only and beloved Son Isaac and shall not thine enable thee to part with thy only beloved Lust Doest thou think thou hast more to say why thou shouldest not part with thy sin than Abraham had why he should not part with his Son If not then either cease flattering thy self as if thou wert one of Abrahams Children and Heir to the same Promise or else cease from thy vain and sinful wayes that thou mayest be so indeed CHAP. IX Shewing that it hath been the common and universal Property of the Faith of Gods Elect both in former and latter Ages of the World as well to depend upon and so to be ordered by the counsels commands and directions of God touching the way to life as upon his grace power and promise for life it self and that it is the highest point of Wisdom in men so to do And that mens mistrust of the suparlative goodness of Gods wayes counsels and commands and putting more confidence in their own proceeds from their mistrust of his power wisdom or good-will towards them in relation to their happiness Sect. 1 HAving shewed the nature of Abrahams Faith in the Properties and Effects of it and after what manner it disposed him in his deportment towards God and how the same is set forth as a pattern unto all men of that kind of Faith by which Justification is to be had let us now also take a further view of the same grace of Faith as it hath shewed it self acting its part in other of the Saints alwayes carrying in our eye along with us our own Faith and comparing it with theirs to see whether it affects and acts us as theirs did them as undoubtedly it will if it be of the same nature and kind with theirs For as all men in all Nations and Generations are of one bloud Acts 17.26 so all Saints in all Nations and Generations are in the general of our Faith Ephes 4.5 And as the one hath the same motion and operation in reference to the life Natural in all men so hath the other the same influence and operation in reference to the life Spiritual in all Saints Now then that which hath been in a manner as Natural to the Faith of all the Saints as the motion of the bloud in the veins is to all living men is this viz. To be verily perswaded that as happiness and salvation are assuredly to be had from God so the certain way not to miss of it but to receive it upon his Promise is and hath been still to eye his counsels and to follow the guidance of his directions and commands in all things as the direct way leading thereunto And the truth is for the creature man to be thus acted and steered in his dependance upon his God is the most rational thing under heaven and most connatural to that principle of understanding and light which God hath placed in men For first God by his preventing grace in propounding gracious terms and vouchsafing convenient and sufficient means of salvation unsought for on mans part hath given a plentiful proof and clear demonstration of his love and good-will to men and of his desire of their salvation And then secondly Having so done what is more rational than for men to be fully confident that the Lord will put them upon nothing advise them nothing command them nothing but what doth certainly tend to and perfectly consist with their chief good Will any tender Mother put her dearly beloved Child upon any thing but what tends to his good Or if she should would it not argue either want of Wisdom or of Love in her or both A want of neither of which are in God And then Thirdly If men are or have cause to be confident that God will advise or enjoyn them nothing but what hath a true and real tendency to their salvation which is his design towards them and that which he seeks after Is it not then most reasonable and the greatest wisdom in men to commit themselves to the guidance of God and to acquiess in his wisdom and love As being confident that that being truly followed will lead and bring them to that salvation which God hath offered and they desire and seek after It hath been in this Faith and confidence That the Saints from time to time have sincerely followed God which way soever he hath led them and not been turned out of his way by the greatest dangers or sufferings that could befal them from the hand of men as judging his Will and Counsel made known to them as to be
you remain in the same condition until death what judgment you shall have There 's no fear of the Judges awarding of any sentence contrary to Law contrary to the Doctrine of the Scriptures If your cause be good by that you do not need to fear the Judges being made against you if your cause be naught in the account of that there 's no hopes of deceiving or bribing the Judge as your cause is in the eye of the Law so and no otherwise will it be in the sentence of the Judg. And for your ease and accomodation in this great and weighty affair of your Souls and to the end you may not be mistaken in your own cause by mistaking the nature terms and true intent of the rule of your tryal by which you must be justified or condemned ignorance wherein and mistakes whereabout are wonderful dangerous I have in this Book laboured to fit things to your hands by opening the Doctrine of Justification especially in those parts of it that are most liable to mens mistakes and to deliver it from the incombrance of those crooked notions and mis-apprehensions by which men are in danger of making that to become a snare to them which God hath prepared for a Table That therefore to which I exhort you is that you put your selves upon the tryal now before-hand as men who are to run a race or to try masteries otherwise are wont to be proving their ability by a more private running of the Race or enuring of their bodies to other exercise before the day of publick striving for mastery comes Deal faithfully with your own Souls in trying your selves before the Barr of your own Conscience now for the present by that Doctrine of Faith here laid before you The Conscience is as it were Christs Delegate deputed by him to make Judgement by the rule of his Word of a mans spiritual condition in the interim before the solemn Assize and day of publick tryal come And therefore mens thoughts are said in the mean while mark that word in the mean while to accuse or excuse one another Rom. 2.15 that is to justifie or condemn as it finds a man guilty or not guilty according to that rule by which he is to be tryed by Chaist It is true the Conscience does not alwayes make that infallible Judgement in a mans case as Christ himself will do either for want of a right understanding of the rule of Judgement or the true state of a mans cause as being defiled and darkened and the eye of it made dim by too much communion with sinful lusts which it may be have corrupted and bribed it partially to favour the mans cause or at least to be neuteral as not to justifie so not to condemn but to leave things in doubt But to what degree it is truly enlightened in the nature of Christs Law and the nature of a mans cause that is to be tryed by it so far it will and can hardly do otherwise than make the same judgement and determination concerning a mans condition if a man will bring his cause before it as Christ himself will do Otherwise there would not be that ground of spiritual triumph and rejoycing in the verdict of Conscience which was found in Paul and his Christian companions upon that account 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world Sect. 3 The Devil as he makes it his work and business to accuse the very servants of God themselves before God day and night Rev. 12.10 so at certain times and seasons which he watches for on purpose as after some notable slip in the Christian walk or in time of some deep affliction and especially towards the hour of death he will accuse them at the Judgement-seat of their own Consciences and bring their cause to a tryal there to force them if possible to despair of any good issue when they shall come to be tryed before the Lord which he will say hard to if he can but confound and puzzle them in the evidences of their Justification and defence in the Court of their conscience And you shall find still in the issue and upshot that the stress and pinch will lye upon the evidence of the goodness of a mans Faith for if a man be but sure he have a right shield of Faith in the hand of his Soul he will easily be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Devil Ephes 6.16 If he lay to their charge and set before them the greatness and multitude of the sins and miscarriages which they have been guilty of at times heightened with all the provoking circumstances of aggravation the plea and defence will be that Christ the lamb of God taketh away the sin of the world John 1.29 That the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 That he is the propitiation for our sin and not for ours only but also for the sin of the whole world 1 John 2.2 And that not only few and small offences but even all manner of sin and blasphemy that against the Holy Ghost excepted shall be forgiven unto men Mat. 12.31 If he tell you though that be granted yet it will not follow that therefore your sins are forgiven or that you are actually cleansed by the blood of Christ because though Christ gave himself a ransom for all yet all shall not be saved by him for that wide is the gate broad the way that leads to destruction and many there be that go in thereat Mat. 7.14 And so put you upon proving your title to the promise of Remission of Sin by his Blood your plea will be your belief in him as that to which the promise of Justification and eternal Salvation is made in whomsoever found John 3.16 Mark 16.16 Acts 16.31 Rom. 3.25 But then its like he will go further with you and argue against you that it does not follow that because you have some Faith in Christ as that he is the Son of God that he dyed was buried and rose again that therefore you are justified and shall be acquitted before the Lord because there is a certain kind of formal feigned and dead Faith which will not save James 2.14 And that Simon Magus did believe though for all that he were in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Acts 8.13 and so did others who for all that were in no very good condition John 2.23 and 12.42 43. If therefore he shall lay to your charge that yours is but a Faith of this sort and kind and consequently that it will not avail you nor render your title to the promise valid you have no other way to deal with him and so defend your selves against this Article of Indictment but by producing such proofs and evidences of the truness goodness
or as he had said vers 14. to save For that clearly is the sence of Faiths being dead in this place and not its barrenness of good Works Though that 's true likewise that Faiths being dead in another sence i. e. void of spiritual vigour force and power is the cause why it is alone and not accompanied with the goodness of conversation yet here in this place the deadness of Faith is the effect of its being alone and not the cause of it the deadness of Faith proceeds from the absence of Works as here spoken of and not the absence of Works from the deadness of Faith Faith is dead being alone saith he that is because it is alone for so it is plain that its being alone carries the force of a reason why it is dead And therefore Faiths being dead here notes it utter inability to justifie or save which answers the scope of the Apostle which is to convince the carnal professor that his Faith without Works would not save him as is manifest by the fourteenth Verse upon which the following Discourse to the end of the Chapter depends He sayes after Verse 26. That as the body without the spirit is dead so Faith without Works is dead also In which comparison or similitude as the body answers Faith so the Spirit answers Works and as the absence of the spirit from the body is the cause why the body is dead and does not the service unto which a living man is appointed so the absence of Works from Faith is the cause why Faith is dead and does not him in whom it is the service unto which the true Faith is appointed to wit to justifie or save him that hath it Sect. 4 And here by the way we have clearly set before us the true sence in which Works are necessary to justification as well as Faith and that is as they do qualifie Faith for that Work or Office of justifying unto which God of his meer Grace hath designed it For so is the will of God that though he will so magnifie his grace in the salvation of men as to justifie and save them by Christ upon or upon condition of their believing in him yet hath he therein made such provision to magnifie his holiness and his love of it in his Creature as that he will not confer the grace of Justification upon any other Faith or entitle any other believing unto that attonement which Christ hath made by his blood than such as hath its fruit unto Holiness the end of which will be everlasting life In which sence I conceive it is that Faith is said to be made perfect by Works James 2.22 that is as I understand put into a compleat capacity of attaining its end which is to justifie as a house is then said to be perfected when nothing is wanting in it as to the end and service for which it is built 2 Chron. 8.16 So is Faith when nothing is wanting to it to answer the end whereto it is to serve But now as long as Faith is alone or by it self without Works it is dead as we heard before and so in no capacity to justifie or reach its end Nor does it come under the saving influence of the Promise till it Work by Love that being the only kind of Faith that hath the promise to avail Gal. 5.6 and therefore Works added to Faith as children are added to their Mother being the same thing that makes the difference between that Faith that will justifie and that which will not and which brings that kind of believing under the promise without which all other believing is excluded hence it is I conceive that Works may well and truly be said to perfect Faith as putting it into a right capacity of reaching its end But thus much on the by in this place Sect. 5 As Iames so Iohn opposeth the vain confidence that is built upon the dead Faith 1 Iohn 1.6 If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth This doubtless he wrote in opposition to some professors of the Christian Faith who though they walked in darkness led lives disagreeing to the light of Christs Doctrine yet said profest and were confident that they had fellowship partnership with God and with his Son Jesus Christ in his Love Saving-mercy and promises of Grace as if as these were Gods to give so they were all theirs to enjoy But as he would take them off their vain confidence in this so he directs them how to be better built in the next Vers 7. saying But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin Meaning I suppose that if that perswasion which they had of fellowship with God interest in his Grace Love and Mercy and share in Christs blood were but accompanied with an upright endeavour of purifying themselves as he is pure and of being holy in all manner of conversation as he that had called them is holy which I think is the same thing as to walk in the light as he is in the light then they might be confident indeed that they had fellowship with God in his Grace and Love and share in Christs blood to cleanse them from all sin But otherwise and without this what ever their opinion pretence or confidence was of their good condition they did but lie and falsifie the truth Of which delusion and dangerous deceit he admonisheth the Christians Chap. 3.7 8. saying Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous as he is righteous he that committeth sin is of the Devil By which saying he suggests that there were some amongst them of another opinion and perswasion and that they were in danger of being deceived by them to think that though they did indulge themselves in some sin yet they might be counted and dealt withall as righteous persons as being in Christ and knowing of him as they supposed In opposition to which vain conceit and lying imagination he had said in the verse before Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him The like admonition ministred by Paul to the Ephesians implyeth like danger from men of the same profession Eph. 5.6 Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience .. Implying that there were some among them that were otherwise perswaded than that those unholy wayes from which he had newly before dehorted them would expose them to the wrath of God who trusted in Christ for salvation For of such he prophecied whilst he was yet with them Acts 20.30 That of their own selves should men arise speaking perverse things wrested or swerving things to draw away Disciples after them Men professing the same Faith and expecting
had built a Wall of partion about them viz. his Ordinances to distinguish them from the Nations of the Gentiles and to make them as a Garden enclosed and had also set a Hedge of his special Providence and Protection about them and had watered them with Rain from Heaven in the Doctrine of the Law and Prophets whose Doctrine did drop as the Rain and whose speech did distil as the dew and then according to his cost looking for the good Grapes of Judgement and Righteousness yet instead thereof meeting with the unsavoury and wilde Grapes of Oppression and Crying what does he do with his Vineyard in this case What He commands the Clouds that they rain no rain upon it Isa 5.6 So that the Complaint was The Law is no more her Prophets also find no Vision from the Lord Lam. 2.9 Whereupon followed a Famine not of Bread nor thirst for Water but of Hearing the Words of the Lord Amos 8.11 The partition Wall also to wit the Law of Commandements contained in Ordinances Ephes 2.14 15. he brake down upon which this Lamentation was taken up saying He hath violently taken away his Tabernacle as if it were of a Garden he hath destroyed his places of the Assembly the Lord hath caused the solemne Feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the King and the Priest The Lord hath cast off his Altar he hath abhorred his Sanctuary c. Lam. 2.6 7. Finally The Lord pluckt up and brake down the Hedge of his Protection which had been a Defence to them in their enjoyment and solemnization of his Publick worship exposed them unto the grievous molestation and oppression of the enemy upon which followed that doleful Complaint Psal 80.12 13. Why hast thou broken down her Hedges so that all they that pass by the way do pluck her The Boar out of the Wood doth waste it and the wilde Beast of the Field doth devour it Behold here you have a taste of Gods sore displeasure against his own and only Vineyard of old when unfruitful after sufficient cost and care bestowed on it to make it fertile And if God spared not the natural Branches take heed lest he also spare not thee was the Watch-word of the great Apostle of the Gentiles to a Gentile Church at Rome Rom. 11.21 And I beseech you Brethren let his Admonition sink down into your ears and take warning betimes For where are now I pray you those once famous and flourishing Churches of Corinth Galatia Philippi Colosse Thessalonica the seven Churches of Asia yea and of Rome it self which were planted and watered too by the Apostles themselves Are not those golden Candlesticks removed out of their place Are not those Vineyards laid waste Are not those Fig-trees cut down as cumbering the ground And what 's the reason of all this Of a truth unfruitfulness hath been the cause of all and the true reason why the Lord hath let forth his Vineyard to other Husbandmen to see if they will render him fruits in their season Matth. 21.41 And you my Friends among others are those other Husbandmen unto whom the Lord hath how for the present let forth his Vineyards expecting that Fruit from you which those other Churches now desolate with-held from him He is now proving you by frequent dressings prunings waterings rainings upon and watchings over to see if you will bring him forth fruits meet for Repentance and worthy amendment of life And if not remember that word And now also is the Ax laid to the root of the trees Every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire Matth. 3.10 And again Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away Joh. 15.2 And a third time also Luke 13.7 Then said he unto the Dresser of his Vineyard Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree and find none cut it down why cumbereth it the ground Upon how many Churches have these words taken hold since they first came forth from the Lord And the edge of them is not at all blunted with cutting down so many but is as keen and as ready to do execution now as at the first and will first or last cut down all unfruitful Churches and take away all unfruitful branches And therefore it exceeding nearly concerns you my dearly beloved and so it does all the Churches to take special care that you bring forth fruit and that your fruit may remain according to Christs word John 15.16 Sect. 7 For it is not enough if you have run well hitherto and brought forth fruits until now except your fruit remain except you be as a tree planted by the waters which shall not cease from yielding fruit Jer. 17.8 For how did the Apostles many times glory over those first Churches that were planted by them because of the first fruits of their Faith love and patience wherein they did for a time richly abound Rom. 1.8 2 Cor. 9.2 2 Thes 1.4 and yet how soon was the glory departed especially from among some of them as if their goodness like Ephraims had been but as a morning cloud or as an early dew that goeth away Hos 6.4 And the Apostles even while they were yet among them had too much cause to change their voice concerning them Gal. 4.20 For many there were then while the Apostles had the dressing of them who lead the way of that dreadful decay first and apostacy after in which the Churches themselves as the event gives cause to fear following in time came to utter desolation They were as Jude describes them Trees whose fruit withered without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots Jude 12. The foundation of their utter eradication and final desolation was laid we see in the withering of their fruit first I I pray you observe it and fear It should seem at the first they were not altogether without fruit but their misery was they fell into spiritual decayes their Fruit withered grew harsh and unkindly thin shriveled and blasted And that which in a short time followed this was their total barrenness being without fruit by which it being manifest they were stark dead and so no hope left of their bearing Fruit any more the sad conclusion was plucking up by the roots There were at the first excellent good things found in the Church of Ephesus for which Christ commended her Rev. 2.2 3. but having lost her first love and fallen into some decay he threatens her that except she were made sensible of her sinking condition remembred from whence she was fallen and so repented and did her first works and recovered her self again he would come unto her quickly and remove her Candlestick out of its place which since hath come to pass Behold then my Brethren and be astonished and fear lest you at any time expose your selves to like danger by like declinings Look to your selves
their faces with shame and souls with sorrow who have designed nothing but peculiarity of Honour to the Gospel and edification to men by ingaging in that profession after the same manner as some in the Church of Corinth were sometime an humbling to holy Paul by their Debates Envyings Wraths Strifes Back-bitings Whisperings Swellings Tumults and other enormities that were among them 2 Cor. 12.20 21. I write not these things to shame you but as my beloved Brethren I warn you 1 Cor. 4.14 lest any of you should cause the way of truth to be evil spoken of as some others have done But ye Beloved if ye have any mind to lift up the head of your way which the weakness of some and wickedness of others in it have caused to hang down and to complain of being fallen into too many ill hands if you have any desire to open mens eyes to see that which you say you see and to commend your cause to their Consciences as that which is of God then labour to outstrip and excel all that dwell about you in humility sobriety meekness patience long-sufferance gentleness goodness injustness and fairness of dealing in love mercy and bounty and in your readiness to every good work For the most of men are sooner perswaded to think well of this or that way which comes forth in the Name of God by the goodness of their behaviour that profess it than by the strength of their Arguments by which they assert it and better understand the plain language of a good life than the subtilties of Disputation Men may talk over their way long enough before they get any ground of men unless the goodness of their cause be made to shine through the goodness of their conversations I nothing doubt but that if the Argument from Life in the Anabaptists as they will needs call us did but as far excel those that are contrary minded as their Argument from Scripture for their way does excel theirs for their way that oppose them there would be but few that truly fear the Lord would be able to hold it out against them But the unhappiness is there is some unlovely thing or other which some that are weak and others that are unworthy lay as a stumbling-block in their way and their eye is so much upon this as that it causes them to suspect there 's somethng worse in the Argument for our way then they can see Sect. 11 Though in the mean while there is not that Christian Candor and Fairness which might well be expected from those who will needs burden the way of our profession it self with the unworthiness and wickedness of some of our profession who are indeed a greater burden unto us than they are an eye-sore unto them Nor do they in this play the part of judicious men as from the strange judgements which have as they say befallen many of our profession to argue the naughtiness of the way and profession it self For would it at all follow that because the sins and abominations that were found among the children of Israel were more and greater than those in Sodom and Samaria Ezek. 16.47 48 51. that therefore the external Form of Worship amongst them and professed by them was not of God Or that because in the Apostles time there was such Wickedness among the Christians as was not so much as named among the Heathen and many walking in pernicious wayes 1 Cor. 5.1 2 Pet. 2.2 that therefore the Christian Religion and Profession was but a delusion Or might they not as well conclude that because such strange and fearful judgements one in the neck of another pursued the Congregation of Israel first and the several primitive Churches after as broke both the one and the other in pieces and left them at last dreadful spectacles of the Lords sore displeasure that therefore the Form of Religion and Worship amongst the one people or the other was not in their respective times and seasons of God but the contrivement of men Would it be worthy wise men thus to argue Or is their arguing against our way from the aforesaid premises of any better import I would pray them to judge I will not deny but that possibly the Judgments of God may have at times pursued many under our Form both particular persons and whole Churches when they have corrupted their waies and turned Religion into meer Form and prided themselves in the Form as if this of it self would exalt them above all others in Gods favour and this is nothing but what I have now been foretelling from Scripture grounds shall yet befall more of them if they bring forth no other fruit to God but leaves But this severity of God against particular persons or Churches that have been under our Form upon the account before specified is so far from being an argument that our Form is not of God that it rather turns to an excellent testimony and amounts to a kind of demonstration that it is of God For by how much the nearer any fort of men have been wont to draw unto God in the Form of his Worship and yet have been tardy in some extravagances or other that have prophaned or brought disgrace upon the way of God professed by them by so much the severer hath the Lord still been found in the way of his proceeding against them When the Lord in an unusual way of Judgement smote Nadab and Abihu Priests of the Lord for their unworthy act this was the account of it Levit. 10.3 This is it that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified Upon which account above fifty thousand of the men of Bethshemesh and Uzza also were handled more roughly for being so bold with the Ark than the Philistines were 1 Sam. 6. 1 Chron. 13. And it s very probable that Annanias and Saphira had never fallen in this world by so severe a stroke as they did for telling a lie had they not made their approach so near to God as they did in the Form of their Profession Acts 5. And in that the Lord was more quick in his Judgements inflicted on Israel and sometimes more severe than he was in his proceedings against the heathen round about it was because their sins were so much the more provoking by how much they were a people nearer to God in Form of Profession and by special obligation then others were Amos 3.2 And when the Lord Christ threatens to spew the Church of Laodicea out of his mouth for her luke-warmness Revel 3.16 he presently adds as many as I love I rebuke and chasten be Zealous therefore and repent vers 19. the nearness of relation hastens the rod. Is it any argument that the Church of Rome is the true Church of Christ Or that the Form of her Worship is of the best kind because she sits so long as a Queen and sees no mourning Or
because it is so long before her desolation comes Surely no. For the tenor of Christs threatnings against Churches under the true Form when once they grew Formal and carnal run thus I will come unto thee QUICKLY and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Rev. 2.5 Repent or else I will come unto thee QUICKLY and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth Rev. 2.16 In that God therefore is wont to be so swift a witness against a people under the right Form of professing his name when provoked by unsuitable walking and yet is so slow as experience proves to take vengeance of the Harlot Church who hath broken the everlasting Covenant and changed the Ordinances the Church of Rome I mean which hath now stood undemolished for many ages well may the examples of Gods severity against some of your Profession be a rouzing admonition to you my brethren to fear and tremble before the Lord and to take heed of Formality in Religion of unfruitfulness in your way of scandalous walking and of espousing any tenent or practice dishonourable to the Gospel or prejudicial to the glorious propagation thereof the usual fore-runners of Church Desolation but may not as I conceive by any means be received as any valid argument against that part of the Form of your Profession it self wherein you differ from other Christians I mean of Baptizing after profession of Repentance and Faith as the onely Scriptural way of entring and admitting persons into visible Communion with the Church but rather as a proof of the divine original of it Sect. 12 But though as I am very sensible the many taunts and reproaches vilifyings odious representations and upbraidings of your Profession it self with the miscarriages of some Professors and Gods displeasure following such by which some seek to render both you and your way odious is very apt to provoke and the flesh would fain gain an advantage thereby to pay such in their own coyn and to render evill for evil reviling for reviling and to take all advantages to lay open their weaknesses and to set them in the very eye of all men as their manner is towards those of your way yet as I hereby beseech all other our Brethren to refrain herefrom so I am bold towards you by vertue of my charge to enjoyn you in the name of the Lord and by authority from his word to do no such thing For behold I will set before you a better pattern and that is of him who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not 1 Pet. 2.23 and of them who when they were defamed intreated 1 Cor. 4.13 and when they had mischievous things spoken against them were as a deaf man that heareth not and as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth and in whose lips are no reproofs Psal 38.12 13 14. And the injunction is strong upon you 1 Thes 5.15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man and again be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Rom. 12.21 And I must needs warn you against the use of those unhandsome reflections and that broad language which I find some too apt to use towards their antagonists in their controversal writings which I utterly dislike and bear my witness against as that which is unbeseeming the sobriety and humility of Saints and which doth greatly wrong and prejudice the cause they plead in the minds of sober people It s no matter how sharp and cutting your arguments be but let them alwaies be wrapt up in soft words And if ever you would have truth to gain upon men by your mannagement of it let the manifestation of love and good-will to the men themselves prepare them to consider and receive what you have to offer And let it be and be made appear to be matter of real grief to you that darkness on either side should make you and other good men to differ Avoid as muuh as in you lies both heights and heats of spirit and language Speak evil of no man but be gentle shewing all meekness unto all men Tit. 3.2 and remember that the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves 2 Tim. 2.26 25. Sect. 13 And when you have done your best to make others of your mind but cannot take heed if you have no better ground then that of questioning their integrity Remember how that the Apostles of our Lord heard from Christ but understood not a Doctrine as great as that of Baptisme and declared with as much plainness and expresness of words as ever that of Baptism was and that was the Doctrine of Christs Suffering and Resurrection see the place Luke 18.31 32 33 34. Then he took unto him the twelve and said unto them behold we go up to Jerusalem and all things that are written concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spitefully intreated and spitted on and they shall scourge him and put him to death and the Third day he shall rise again And they understood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither knew they the things which were spoken Why did they understand none of these things Was it because the Doctrine was obscurely delivered certainly no for neither that nor any other Doctrine could lightly be more plainly delivered then it was Or did they wilfully shut their eyes against a plain truth that I suppose no Christian can imagine But the true reason doubtless was because they were pre-possessed with a contrary notion and opinion as their Brethren the Jews amongst whom they lived and with whom they had been trained up in the tradition of their Fathers generally were and that was that the Messias should not dye and consequently not Rise again as you may see John 12.34 and 20.9 And therefore while this was rooted in their minds and their thoughts ran strongly upon it the plainest words of a contrary import could not enter into their Soul And wherefore do I present you with this but to let you know that it s not only possible but greatly propable and to me unquestionable that the disagreement of many in Judgement with you proceeds from the like cause of a preintanglement of mind and that the true reason why many who do truly fear the Lord as the Disciples under the foresaid mistake did do not receive your Allegations and grounds for your way in opposition to Infant Baptism nor can understand them to be of God though as we think plainly enough built upon the Scripture is because they are deeply prepossessed with the contrary opinion which they have drunk in under the approbation and authority of an ancient Tradition and recommended to them not only as a common custom of the most that profess Christianity but also
conceive vouchsafed by the gift of Jesus Christ for all such means and opportunities of grace even unto those that shall perish and so much power and ability of improving those means and opportunities for the end for which God gives them as will discharge the Lord of their condemnation and cast their loss of Salvation wholly upon themselves yet I cannot but fear that many make that ability which God hath given unto the creature on this behalf greater in their own thoughts than it is in it self And I am not without fears too lest the large apprehensions which some have touching the power of the creature and what all men are able to do out of the stock of common grace wherewith God hath prevented them and what others are able to do out of that stock of special grace with which God hath blessed them should have betrayed them into too low and too narrow apprehensions touching the necessity of additional supplies from God for the issueing of common grace into special and for the maintenance activity and growth of special grace it self And there is too much cause to fear also That the largness of manies apprehensions touching what God hath already given in this kind hath contributed much towards the making of their dependance upon God low and little and their applications to him weak and faint for further supplies and consequently their receptions in this kind to amount but to little Which if such a thing be as is too much cause to fear then I am perswaded that this is the true reason why many whose judgements run too much this way are less spiritual are flatter and duller Christians less versed in the Work of God upon the heart whose Religion lies more in matters of a Controversal and Disputable nature or in matters of external Form and Order And while men are busied and taken up with the skirts and borders of Religion and in the mean while neglect their inward and close communion with God and study of their own hearts and their spiritual trade and intercourse with God it 's no marvel if they be found but huskish dry and barren in the power of holiness and experimental part of a Christian For surely the Spirit of God does not take pleasure in this or that opinion which men hold in Religion but as it serves them in bringing them neerer to him and causing them to prize him his grace and presence more and working in them a greater love of his likeness and longing after the power of his grace to conform them to it Nor is the other extream Opinion touching mens being meer Passives in the hand of Grace and that Grace alwayes works it's effects in men in an irresistable way any better friend I conceive to the thriving way of depending upon God for more grace in a due use of what they have alreay received For as the Opinion of mens having more power than they have or that that power which they have is more conducible to the principal end Salvation then indeed it is obstructs their applications to and dependance upon God for what is indeed necessary on this behalf so does an Opinion of having received no power at all freez the Soul and bind up the faculties of it from using and improving that power which it hath from God in seeking of more and consequently deprives them of receiving more or at least of so much more as otherwise they might have Sect. 13 All which I have noted for Caution lest while men are striving who shall approve themselves the greatest friends to the grace of God in point of Opinion they should in the mean while fall short of the powerful and saving effects of it in their own hearts And since the end of all Doctrines and Ordinances in Religion and consequently of every particular Branch Point and Opinion concerning them is to bring men back again to God and to restore them to his likeness and similitude it concerns every man therefore in his holding and managing any matters of Controversie hereabout to be so true to his own and others Souls as thereby to drive on the principal end of all and to steer himself in holding or letting go Opinions as they appear consonant or repugnant to that end CHAP. XI Shewing how Faith worketh by Love both to God and Men. Sect. 1 THere is one property more of Faith which I have had oft occasion to mention but shall now a little further enlarge on and so conclude this part of my Discourse touching the nature of Faith And this quality in Faith is that property of it by which it works by Love which is made the badge and character of that Faith that shall avail men Gal. 5.6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but Faith which worketh by Love As the Apostle shews that not circumcision but Faith avails men under the Gospel so he shews too what manner of Faith it is that does so namely such as works by love not every Faith that is so called but that Faith which is thus distinguished So that it concerns every one as he desires to have something that will avail him in the sight of God and in the great concernments of his Soul not only to prove himself to be in the Faith but to prove his Faith to be that Faith which will avail him by this operation of it here specified When he sayes that Faith works by love I take it for granted that he means love both to the Lord and unto men for they go together as inseparable companions Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him 1 Joh. 5.1 And he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen 1 Joh. 4.20 But then the Question will be How Faith works by Love And the Answer is It does so First by working this grace heavenly qualification spiritual affection or principle in the soul and so in the second place disposing the man in whom it is by means of this principle unto a deportment and actions suitable to such an affection And this I would set out in Two things especially Sect. 2 1. First Faith raises this principle of Love in the soul both to God and men by having it self so much to do with the Love of the Lord as indeed it hath For the Love of God and Jesus Christ to poor man is the very element in which Faith lives the food and nourishment upon which it continually feeds the lovely and most beautiful object which it delights continually to behold lodges in the bosome of it and finds no rest but in this bed of Love Faith is wonderfully intent on it exceeding busie with it marvellous curious in its inspections into enquiries about it 1 Joh. 4.16 We have known and beleeved the Love that God hath to us And by means of Faiths free frequent familiar and intimate
and procured by the Word there the Word by means of this Faith works effectually to the raising or producing of that love which is the end or design of the Commandement It 's said of some Heb. 4.2 that the word did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it The Word is then said not to profit men when it looses it's end and design of good towards them when it does not work in them and procure from them that frame and disposition of Soul and habit of behaviour which does answer its nature and scope as when the Doctrine of Love is preached to them and yet no such thing is wrought in them But the cause of this disappointment is the not mixing the Word with Faith If men do not verily beleeve it to be a Word from the Lord or that it comes from him upon like or far better termes than hearty counsel from a Friend as both able and faithful to advise and direct upon the best termes for good or if they think themselves and their own good not much concerned in it and the like no marvel if it profit them not if it procure not that complyance from them which should give it an abiding place in the Soul to work there as seed does which is wont to bring forth Fruit according to its kind But where the Word the Doctrine of Love for example is mixed with Faith with respect to the authority power wisdom design of good in the author and the conducibleness of the word it self to the real and substantial happiness and felicity of the person himself in whom this Faith is there it prospers in the thing for which it is sent Sect. 4 Having now thus shewed how Faith works by love by contributing to its being and consequently to its motions and operations and considering that Faiths working by love is the characteristical mark and distinguishing property of that Faith which shall avail men unto salvation let us now put our selves upon the tryal of our Faith and so upon our title to life by this evidence And I will begin with that love which is wrought by Faith to the Lord. Hath then the sight and sence which Faith hath given you of the wonderfulness of the Fathers love and of the Sons love in doing suffering and designing such marvellous things for Persons so unworthy of them and so worthy of what is directly contrary to them as we are as may well astonish the rational part of the whole Creation I say hath the sight and sence of this divine fire of Love kindled upon your souls and caused a heavenly burning of affection to the Lord. Hath the sence which Faith hath given you of his love to you exceedingly endeared your souls by way of return in love to him Hath your Faith opened such a passage for Christs love to come at the Soul as that you can say with the Saints of old The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again 1 Cor. 5 14 15. Hath it such a force and influence upon you in causing you to devote your selves your lives to him as his love to you had upon him in causing him to give his life for you and himself unto you Sect. 5 1. To what degree any Man or Woman loves another to the same degree they are usually wont to be desirous and careful to please them And therefore the Apostle supposeth this to be the natural effect of that conjugal relation and affection that is between Husband and Wife viz. the ones caring to please her Husband and the others caring to please his Wife 1 Cor. 7.33 34. And there 's no doubt but it is so with all those that love the Lord indeed the more they abound in that affection to him the more desirous the more thoughtful and the more careful are they how to please the Lord in every thing they do and in every thing he would have done And therefore the Scripture measures mens love to the Lord by their care to do his commands which are indeed the things that please him 1 John 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements And again John 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandements And verse 21. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me And again verse 23. If a man love me he will keep my words And yet again verse 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings 1 John 2.5 But whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected And therefore when men are not full of thought and care about what will please and what will displease the Lord and desirous and industrious to come at his mind hereabout but are untender and do things at a venture either in his Worship their own calling or in their converse with men not laying it close to the heart to give glory to God in all it argues that things are not yet as they should be with them in their love to the Lord. Sect. 6 2. Again where the Soul by means of Faith hath had a taste of the exceeding sweetness and preciousness of the Lords love 1 Pet. 2.3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious and is thereby brought in love with his love as highly prizing it and the sence of it there the soul will be wonderful fearful of acting or doing any thing that might make any breach between the Lord and it that might offend or grieve him or that should cause him to turn away in displeasure or to hide his face or to with-hold the influences of his quickening and comforting grace And if at any time through want of care and watchfulness such a soul hath been surprized and drawn to speak or act yea though but in the in most parts of the soul that which tends to grieve the Spirit to provoke the Lord and to work any estrangement O what humbling is there what taking of shame what begging crying and earnest intreating that God would passe it by that it might not obstruct the course of their communion with the Lord And if it hath wrought any distance and the Lord hath hereupon withdrawn himself a little O how the poor soul is cast down how earnest in her pursuit after her Beloved that hath withdrawn himself and is gone and how restless till the breach be made up and the Lord hath smiled again upon the soul by some gracious effects of his presence there Such things as these are undoubtedly found in greater or lesser proportion where true and entire love to the Lord hath been raised by Faith in the Soul Ps 51.7 8 9 10 11 12. Cant. 5.2 8. Sect. 7 3. Furthermore to what degree Faith works by Love to
the Lord to the same degree it casts fear out of the Soul I mean fear of suffering reproach shame disgrace the loss of Friends Estates Liberties and Lives for the Lord for adhering to him his Truth and Cause So saith the Apostle 1 John 4.18 There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment he that feareth is not made perfect in love It 's true where love to Christ is not predominant in the Soul but though a man hath some love to him yet hath more to himself Relations and worldly interest there when Christ and these come in competition the fear of the loss of these will cast love to Christ out of the Soul Mat. 24.12 Because iniquity to wit of persecution shall abound the love of many shall wax cold viz. to Christ and to his Gospel But where a man loves Christ more than all other things which he hath loved or does love in this world as he that loves Christ sincerely and savingly does Mat. 10.37 there his love prevails against his fear and casts it out of possession Not that he that loves Christ truly and sincerely is not troubled at all with fear of loosing that which is dear to him in the world for Christs sake for something in that kind is surely incident to the best of men 1 Cor. 2.3 but such a mans love to Christ gets the mastry of his fears is stronger to hold him to Christ though in danger of loosing all in this world but him then are his fears of loosing all for his sake to cause him to desert him If fear in this kind do arise in the Soul work trouble torment there and fill the heart with divisions of thoughts and some degrees of feebleness and fainting for a little time yet by that time love to Christ hath but mustered up its forces and called in and strengthened it self with considerations near at hand and ready to offer themselves to such a ones service fear is driven out of the Soul and the tumult which fear had caused there is appeased the storm laid and all things reduced unto a peaceable calm and then Love begins to triumph and to say Who shall separate me from the love of Christ Rom. 8.35 But if a man so fears as that his fears drive him from his duty hurry him into acts of disloyalty to his Lord and put him upon disgracing Christ and his truth such a mans love to Christ whatever otherwise it may be is not according to Saint Johns phrase made perfect He that feareth is not made perfect in love his love is not of the perfect and right kind But where love to Christ is prevalent and predominant there it is strong as death Cant. 8.6 which we know is so strong that all the opposition that men by their wit and wealth policy and power can make against it will not turn it out of its way Of which conquering strength in Love proof hath been made many and many a time by the faithful Martyrs of Jesus whose love to him hath held it out against all manner of enticements and allurements on the one hand and all the variety of the most horrid and dreadful torments on the other hand which the wit and malice of men assisted by the policy and rage of Hell could invent whereby to take them off their entireness of affection to their Redeemer Many waters cannot quench love neither can the flouds drown it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned Cant. 8.7 Neither does this love to Christ when thus proved only conquer and barely get the victory over the world as it does when it holds its own against all its attempts 1 John 5.4 but it makes a Christian more then conqueror when his love shall hereby get more strength and vigor than it had before as it does when Christ giving a clearer vision and more lively taste of his Love at such a time than at any other as usually he does shall thereby indear himself further to the Soul and render himself more precious and the world lesse desirable than ever before Nay in all these things saith he we are more than conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.37 Men by this manifestation and proof of their love to the Lord I mean in suffering for him shoot themselves further into his love and consequently draw forth richer discoveries of it to themselves than formerly according to Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me And John 14.21 He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Where we see the proof of a Christians love to the Lord is answered with a gracious return of the Lords love back again to him He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him And the Lord is so well pleased herewith that he must needs let the poor Soul know how he is taken with his love how his Soul is as it were more knit to him for he does not only say that he will love him but that he will manifest himself to him viz. in clearer discoveries of his Love than formerly which we know too is wont greatly to increase the Christians love to the Lord. So that sincere love to the Lord when it is thus put upon the tryal does not only cast out fear but does more too it gathers and contracts an additional strength and increase Which consideration that Love does not only cast out fear in the time of fear but prefers a man both in the Lords love to him and in his own love to the Lord serves not only for a proof and tryal of the sincerity of our Faith which yet is one thing which it does for it 's Faith that gets the victory in this kind 1 John 5.4 only it works out this victory by love but also is an excellent encouragement for men not to be afraid and shie of suffering for Christ or any truth of his in which he may be owned Let it not seem a smal thing in any mans eye that he hath hereby when it comes a special opportunity and advantage ministred unto him of being enlarged in the Lords love to him and in his love to the Lord and in the evidence of both unto his own Soul which is indeed a priviledg to them that know the worth of it of no mean account And as you would have the proof and evidence both of your Faith and Love and of your Faith by your Love come fairly out so take heed of all undue and carnal complyance with worldly-minded men either in saying or doing any thing that may bear hard upon the honour and interest of Christ his People Ordinances or holy wayes out of design to preserve your own reputation or worldly interest with them and
and soundness of your Faith and thereby the validity of your title to the promise as will satisfie the Judge Delegate Conscience and make that on your side and then you have cast your adversary and foiled him in his suit he can proceed no further with you his accusation and Bill in this kind being thrown out of the Court of Conscience as malicious and scandalous Sect. 4 But then O how does it concern us to have the evidences and proofs of the goodness of our Faith which is our title to be alwayes in a readiness and not to seek for to be sure shall they be wanting or should they be lost or but defaced and blur'd or but in a capacity of delivering themselves ambiguously our Adversary the Devil is so diligent to prie into matters of this nature as that there will be no hiding them from him and so subtile to improve advantages in this kind given as that we shall hear of him in such a time and season which of all other we have least need to be troubled by him And therefore as you would not have your bitter and cruel Enemy the Devil to vex perplex and worst you in the Court of your own Conscience be careful above all things so to shew forth your Faith by your Works James 2.18 as that you may put the Devil out of heart as it were of attempting you in this kind or if he do that you may be sure he shall but loose his labour He that is begotten of God sinneth not but keepeth himself that the wicked one toucheth him not 1 John 5.18 It 's sinning and matter of miscarriage unevenness and faultering in ones way that gives the Devil advantage against one and power of impleading him but those that are truly careful to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing mark that Col. 1.10 as those that are begotten of God do they keep themselves out of the Devils reach that the wicked one toucheth them not though he diligently seeks it yet he cannot get this advantage against them It 's in vain for the Devil to bring his accusations against a man at the Barr of his Conscience if Conscience it self which is Judge in the case be able to bear a man witness that his Faith is of that kind that in the tenour of his life worketh by such acts which argue unfeigned love both to God and men This brest-plate of Righteousness will effectually safeguard the Soul from all the thrusts of the Devil that he shall not be able to wound the Spirit Ephes 6.14 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way Prov. 13.6 it 's that to the Soul which a coat of Mail is to the body it preserves the Soul from the molestations of the Devil his weapons cannot enter his insinuations touching a mans bad condition before God cannot take place The armour of righteousness is armour of proof on the right hand and on the left 2 Cor. 6. â—7 If a man have that on the Devil can find no way to enter or to draw blood of the Soul but let a man leave off that but a little and he shall soon feel the Devils darts striking through his Liver to allude to Prov. 7.23 and his Sword passing through his Soul and such aches paines and gripes occasioned thereby in the Soul as sometime caused a stout Souldier of the Lords upon that occasion to roar for the disquietness of his heart Psal 38.8 and to complain of broken bones Ps 51.8 Sect. 5 And truly for Conscience it self which is such a Judge as next to the supream Judge is privy to all a mans wayes inward outward it cannot take a mans part against the Devils accusations and pleas before its Barr touching the unsoundness of his Faith and brokenness of his title to the promise of Justification and life if it discern not in him those spiritual qualifications as will in the eye of the holy Law of Jesus evince his Faith to be living and not dead For as it is the living and not the dead among men in whom the title in Law rests and is alwayes so judged so is it the living and not the dead Faith in which the title in the sence of the Gospel rests and will be alwayes so judged by an upright Conscience And therefore if you would have Conscience to pass the sentence on your side and against the impleadings of your enemy and to be a witness for you in your cause be you sure you do nothing at any time to offend Conscience and to disoblige it or to make it a witness against you For if the Devil shall appeal to Conscience it self which is the Judge whether it be not able to witness that at such and such a time such and such offences and transgressions of the holy Law were committed and done in word or deed not only in its sight but contrary to its items and checks and the Conscience knows it to be true can the Conscience think you in such a case vindicate a mans cause against his Enemy surely no but must give the Devil his due and say as he sayes so far as he speaks true And how far a few instances of this nature will go towards the spoiling of a mans cause when he comes to be tryed for his integrity I leave to every Soul seriously to consider A few acts of this nature will go further to evince a man to be unfaithful and false to God and under the condemnation of his Law in the maine than a great many good actions in company of these will do to prove him to be faithful and under the protection of the Law Ezek. 33.12 13. The righteousnesse of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression Again When I shall say to the righteous that he shall surely live if he trust to bis own righteousnesse and commit iniquity all his righteousnesse shall not be remembred but for his iniquity which he hath committed he shall dye for it Which surely remains in force where true Repentance which consists of contrition and reformation hath not altered the case which otherwise is indeed a remedy against the Sin of backsliding as well as against other evills where it takes place Sect. 6 Again Conscience in its testimony or verdict is that which does not only acquit a man from the accusations of the Devil when calumnious but which also gives him boldness towards God of receiving a gracious and merciful sentence of final Justification and absolution from Christ when the day of his solemn and publick tryal shall come For as here in London at the Sessions of Peace an inferior Court things are prepared and made ready for tryal at the Grand Sessions so that a man may guesse by the verdict of the petty Jury in the lower Court how things are like to go with him in the Upper Court even so may a man be able to make a kind of certain Judgement how things are
like to go with him touching his final Justification in the grand Session of the Judge of all the world by that preparatory tryal which hath been impartially made in the Court of a mans own Conscience as I noted before If he be acquitted justified here by the testimony and verdict of Conscience grounded upon the Statutes of Christ and agreeable to matters of Fact he will be full of a comfortable confidence of speeding well at the Judgement seat of Jesus Christ 1 John 3.21 Beloved if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God But if a mans conscience which if it err on any side it 's like to be in favour to the man himself if this find a man guilty and obnoxious to the condemning sentence of Christs Law there 's smal hopes for that man to expect a sentence of Justification and absolution at the tribunal of Christ unlesse he can upon the sence of what condition he is in bestir himself in the mean time to procure his pardon by taking such a course of amendment as by which through infinite Grace it may be had 1 John 3.20 For if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things hath a more piercing sight to discern a mans guilt than Conscience it self hath and therefore will condemn much more Sect. 7 O Sirs how does it then concern every one of us to carry all things fair in the sight of our Conscience which indeed is privy in a manner to all our doings and to maintain Friendship with that and to take heed of wronging and abusing that or making that ill affected towards us Sin and unworthiness of behaviour in word or deed is that which defiles Conscience which troubles and disturbs it which grieves and ill affects it and disables it from pleading a mans cause before the Lord or giving testimony on his side so that it can never send a man with boldness before the Lord till that which hath defiled and offended it be taken away Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience Mark to the drawing near to God in full assurance of Faith with boldness and confidence of being accepted with him this we see is absolutely necessary viz. that the heart be first sprinkled from an evil conscience that that be taken away which made the Conscience evil while it was there and what 's that but sin So long as the guilt of sin and filth of sin remain upon the heart the Conscience will be evil if sin trouble the Conscience Conscience will trouble the man and fill him with those fears as that he will be far from drawing nigh to God with confidence and full assurance of Faith but rather like Adam in that case run away and hide himself from God if it were possible Paul no doubt well knowing this to the end he might maintain his hope and confidence in God touching the Resurrection-day in good plight and might alwayes have his Conscience on his side and ready to present him unto God with a good testimony what did he do What! Herein saith he do I exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence towards God and toward men Acts 24.16 In all his behaviour God-ward Men-ward and that alwayes he was so intent upon this thing of gratifying his Conscience that he made it his constant exercise was wonderful fraid of giving his Conscience any offence of offering any injury or wrong to that for he knew if he did that would spoil his hope towards God As the mysterie of Faith 2 Tim. 3.9 so the confidence of Faith must be held in a pure Conscience indeed it 's able to live in no other ayre A pure heart a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned these are linkt together 1 Tim. 1.5 where you find one there you will find all and where any one is wanting to be sure there the other will be missing If a good Conscience be once put away as it is where a pure heart is not kept it 's in vain for men to boast of their Faith and confidence in God 1 Tim. 1.19 Holding Faith and a good Conscience which some having put away concerning Faith have made shipwrack If a good Conscience be once put away the next news you hear is the ship-wrack of Faith Men may have a liveless form of Faith as the body and bulk of a Ship sometimes remains after a Wrack but is rendred useless and unserviceable and so is Faith when once a good Conscience is gone it 's of no use to entitle a man to the Promise and consequently of no use to give a man confidence towards God or to imbolden him to come before him If therefore to have Conscience which is Judge under Christ to be your Friend be any thing in your eye if to have that to plead your cause and to be a witness for you against the subtile insinuations malicious accusations and violent prosecutions of the Devil be a thing desirable to you if to have Conscience to send you to Christs Barr with Letters testimonial in your hand signifying that your cause hath been tryed in that Court and evidences and witnesses impartially heard and considered on both sides and your cause found good and you your selves under the Justification and protection of Christs Gospel I say if such things as these be any thing worth with you then be sure you use Conscience well which hath its eye upon you alwayes do not trouble it do not provoke it do not disoblige it at any time by any means and then the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Friends these are great matters and you your selves every one of you greatly concerned in them if you have not the sence of it now yet know ye that the time is coming apace wherein ye will better understand what these things mean But take heed this sence come not upon you too late when the opportunity of acting the part of a good Conscience is over remember how the foolish Virgins were then to provide themselves of Oyl for their Lamps when the wise by the light of that which they had provided in due time entred in with the Bride-groom and the door was shut against the other I have now done with giving this piece of instruction caution and advice and the good Lord prosper it to those that have heard it and to those that shall read it it remains on our part every one of us that we be presently up and doing according to it or else it will be a witness against us in the day of the Lord. And I my self who have been holding forth to you these great things am very sensible God knows that I am but a very poor and weak Creature and have had many a trembling of heart for my self as well as others whilst I have been writing these matters of mighty moment lest I should strike upon any of those Rocks whereof the troublesome sea of this sinful world is very full and of which I have been warning others before I make the fair Haven towards which I am steering And I dare say you will be never the near the danger if you be under the same sence and fear too But O then set us all away to God and follow him day and night with our fervent supplications to be upheld and kept by him taking hold of his strength trusting under the shadow of his love depending upon Christ for supplies of all necessaries for the Christian life carefully avoiding all things that might distast or grieve him and cause him to withdraw and leave us and with like care to do alwayes those things that please him so may we be certain that his eye will be alwayes on us and his heart towards us for good and his right hand shall uphold us and preserve us to his Heavenly Kingdom Amen THE END