of meditations objects Wee meditate to know God and contemplate to love him To contemplate on the things above is pleasant to those who have tasted of the sweetnesse of it The contemplation of Gods free love and the soules interest in it doth much revive raise and enlarge the soule Divine contemplation makes us high in thoughts and rich in expectation Conversation A disordered conversation doth hinder spirituallnesse in holy duties and causeth trouble and sadnesse Commands The command of God is the most powerfullest thing in the world to a Saint There is not any of the commands of God needlesse If men did know the Majesty and Authority and infinitenesse of God no man neither would nor could doe what he forbids or neglect his command Many when convinced of a duty consult with flesh and bloud whether they had best to obey God or no. Deadnesse Deadnesse of heart argueth disaffection Deadnesse of heart is the grave of many good gifts Deadnesse of heart is an enemy to action One cause of our deadnesse and dulnesse in the things of God is unbeliefe and consulting with flesh and bloud Spirituall deadnesse is a great griefe to a childe of God When we are dead and dull the meditation of the love of God will revive us Delayes in good things Delayes be dangerous by delayes many a good motion dyeth and comes to nothing Delayes arise from sloath Delayes coole us and cause the affections to fall downe The more we delay the more we may When we are to doe good Satan cryeth hereafter and that is never to morrow to morrow cosens many a man By delaying we presume upon that we have not and neglect that we have Declining It is easie to decline in good things A declining heart will catcâ— at that which may plead for declining Even Gods own people are subject to decline from him Difficulties Difficulties are discouragements and handsome excuses are welcome to a sloathfull heart Love will carry on through all difficulties and all manner of torments Distractions Multitude of businesse causeth distraction especially when there wants a wise ordering and dispatch of them Distraction of minde in duties is either from a minding other things or resting upon our own strength or in not seriously setting our minds on the things propounded by us for on that the heart is throughly set upon it 's so attentive to it that on that instant it can be present at no other thing especially to hinder the thing in hand Of doubts and discouragemâ—nts It 's the nature of sin to raise doubts in the soule There is no good got but discouragements Ignorance is the cause of doubts and discouragements So much discouragements we admit of so much sight and comfort we loose in our life and happinesse Discontents A small matter occasioneth discontent All our discontents arise from disappointment frustration of expectation is the ground of vexation There is no man that is without discontents It 's folly and madnesse to be discontent at trifles There is the most difference between them that are one and most alike Disposition It 's the disposition of a wretch to be cruell A milde and loving disposition is amiable and desireable Duties A dead man lives upon duties It 's no wonder the Papists doe as they doe because they expect heaven for it The more a Saint doth for God the more he enjoyes God A Saints desire is to doe all for God A meanes not to sin is not to omit duties A man may do duties from convincement of understanding and not from a principle of life and love Such duties as flow not from faith and love are slavish Many will own and confesse their dutie in generall and wholy deny it in particular especially when it concernes them When a childe of God hath performed duties best immediately he is tempted by the Devill and his own heart To be streightned in a duty may doe us more good then if we had been much enlarged in it Of selfe-deniall So farre as we are spirituall or live by faith so much we deny our selves Selfe is content to be a little denied in one kinde to be pleased much in another Unlesse a man can deny himselfe in his will honour credit state relations wife life he cannot follow the profession of Christ There are but few that deny themselves but many deny Christ and his truth Such as cannot deny themselves cannot endure the troubles and indignities of an angry world They live the sweetest lives that most deny themselves If we could deny our selves every thing that befalls us would be easie and sweet unto us for all things are so farre under us as we are above our selves Of dreames God speaketh in a dreame in a deep sleep in slumber and man perceiveth it not By dreames we may know what sin we are in danger to fall into which we are not aware of An evill dreame doth shew some evill that prevailes in the heart Delight Such as delight not in God delight in finâ— The more we delight in worldly things thâ— more they sting and vex us when they part Fleshly delights are earnestly desired anâ— acted with great willingnesse Despaire Despaire can doe no good Ignorance is a cause of despaire Despaire is not commanded nor commended but condemned Distempers To be disquieted or cast downe arguerh a distemper of heart Distempers hinder us in our trust and delight in God Distempers hinder us in our spirituall and temporall callings Death We choose life with sorrowes rather then death without them I have heard that a porter being spent with his burden was forced to throw it downe oh death saith he come death welcome death death comes in a visible apparition what wouldst thou have with mee saith death oh nothing nothing but helpe me up with my burden By life we have a being but a better being is by death The day of death is the first day of life He whose hopes are in heaven is not much afraid of death Death is to him no misery whose hopes are in eternitie When death seemes to dispossesse a Saint of all it possesseth him of all The Saints have cause to welcome death Wise men desire death yet are content to live As loath as we are to dye God by death delivers his from all sorrowes at once and makes them happy for ever Death fully freeth the Saints from all crosses burdens and infirmities why should I feare that I would not escape what hurt is it to enter into glory I cannot have my happinesse unlesse I goe unto it Many good men at their death have feares and paines Death hath something to say to every man and would be heard but men are not at leisure If it were not for the miseries that attend this life many would lesse welcome death Concerning our ends The end is the ground and rule of our actions A man fully seeks to attaine his end nothing contents a man till he finde that which he apprehends he needs
respect 5. Look with what affection yee doe what yee doe serve the Lord with the best and serve him fully for measure and degree he that doth these things his conversation shall be beautifull and savoury Concerning affections c. 1. Ever suspect your judgement and affection when the cause concernes your selves 2. Often call your affections to account 3. When your affections exceed their bounds aske your soule the reason of it 4. Let not your judgement be taken captive by your affections let your judgement command your will and your will your affections and your affections your actions 5. Make not your affection knowne in company unlesse the cause be extraordinary Concerning afflictions 1. Slight not any affliction nor let it over-presse thee consider it 's appointed Rom. 8. 29. There is a blessing in every crosse eye that more then the sharpnesse of the affliction know the longer it continues the more thou maist get by it 2. Consider that nothing can befall thee but what is appointed by God 1 Thes 3. 3. 3. Search to know the cause why he sends his affliction that so thou maist be reformed by it 4. If thou art the Lords stay thy selfe in the love of God and attend upon him for the time manner and measure of thy deliverance Concerning Books Study the Scripture set a high price upon it keep close to it next the Scripture prize those books which keep closest to the language of the Scripture and doe clearest prove from them what they affirme Beleeve not any man upon his bare word if the substance of it be not expressed in the word of God reject it Make much of Christs speaking unto you in his Word Heb. 12. 25. Conscience Hearken to the voyce of conscience Prize and preserve a tender conscience Take heed yee wound not your conscience to please your affections Creatures Expect not much content and satisfaction from the creatures So use the creatures so as to be fitted by them to serve God and man God gave not the creatures to hurt us Concerning Company Avoyde familiarity with such from whom you receive meanes of cooling In the choice of a companion consider What soundnesse of judgement is in them What knowledge and sensiblenesse of their own inward corruptions Whether they speake of the infirmities of the Saints with griefe and compassion Whether they doe plainly reprove them for any sinne they see in them What are his companions Countenance and incourage those who hazard themselves in Gods service and good causes be companions of such Heb. 10. 33. Crosses Be not afraid nor offended at crosses they may doe thee much good and let out sinfull selfe Desires of the world Wee had need to moderate our desires to things below We should rather endeavour to equall our desires to our estates then to make our estates equall to our desires Excuses Be afraid to cover over any evill with an excuse Errors If you would be kept from errors pray to God search the Scripture labour to be well grounded in the principles of truth and shun false Teachers and their writings Luk. 21. 8. Of others falls Let the consideration of the many great falls the Saints have had cause thee to feare thy selfe to watch and pray to God to keepe thee from falling A friend Esteeme him thy friend that would hinder thee in sinne Faith Live by thy faith let not other mens beliefe be the rule of thine Griefe Discover not thy griefes to many Discover them to such as are able and willing to helpe thee the Lord is loving and pittifull able and willing to helpe it 's best to complaine to him Of good Thinke not much of doing a little good though it be with great trouble for to doe good we live Esteeme not that thy chiefest good which may be taken from thee God Be serious and zealous for God Gaine Be not greedy of gaine Glory Esteeme Christ his truth a good conscience the sufferings and reproaches of the Gospel to be your greatest glory Honour Honour the Lord with thy substance Infirmities Beare with the Saints infirmities and cover them with tendernesse Indure Indure that which thou canst not escape nor â—ure Judge Judge not thy estate by thy knowledge affections and actions but by thy principle Knowledge Prize knowledge above gold and wisdome above understanding Of lust of uncleannesse 1. Beware of fleshly lusts the sin is great and the consequence greater 2. Be temperate in all things dyet sleep apparrell recreation c. feare thy selfe watch thy senses avoyd the occasions of evill as persons places c. 3. Be frequent in fasting and prayer and look up to God for strength against it Losses What yee loose for Christs cause loose chearfully and count it your gaine Esteeme sufferings for Christ the most glorious passages of your life Heb. 11. 26. Liberty Study how to part with thy outward liberty Esteeme that bondage that causeth thee to sin and keeps thee from God Live In the use of creatures live above them Men. Be sure yee try men well and have good experience of their faithfullnesse before yee trust them with much Beware of men Minde If thou hast a sorrowfull minde a wearied and distressed conscience and wouldst have rest and knowest not what to doe have recourse to such as feare God and have a sound judgement wise and good experience and have meeke and loving spirits Opportunities Prize and improve opportunities of doing and receiving good Pilgrim Remember you are a pilgrim and have a pilgrims minde Heb. 11. Promises Provide severall promises sutable to thy severall necessities uses times and condition Promise Beleeve the promises of God meditate on them apply them let them satisfie thee Concerning the poore Part with your superfluities for their conveniencies yea part with your conveniencies to supply your poor brethrens necessities yea part with some of your necessaries to supply their extremities Religion Take heed of such a way of Religion and serving God as naturall men like and love Reproofe Receive reproofe willingly and profitably if it be causlesse revile not nor be angry Race Run the race set before you as becometh the Gospel Heb. 12. 1. Reproachâ—s Slight not reproaches if thou beest not so guilty thou art guilty in part or art guilty in another kinde and so it 's but a mistake or thou maist be guilty it may be it is sent to humble thee and give thee warning of the same sinne Sinne. Observe how sin enters thy heart and how it gathers strength and how it sutes with thy corrupt nature and how the Spirit of God helps thee to resist it and what meanes doth helpe thee most against it Judge not of sin by the matter or act of it but by the rule and authority of the Commander that forbids it and consider all the circumstances and aggravations of it Take heed least the unmortified roots of sin in you break out into scandall Be afraid to sin and use meanes to prevent 〈◊〉
to deny him his own 2. Love is the best thing we have therefore we should give it to God who is the chiefest and best good therfore he hath right to the highest pitch of our love and it 's pittie so sweet an affection as love is should be spent upon any thing but himselfe 3. Love will be fixed upon somewhat and it 's unreasonable to deny it to God and give it to the creature this were to forsake a living fountaine for a broken Cisterne Jer. 2. 4. God is the same he was when yee first loved him then yee looked upon him to deserve the highest measure of love and could not be loved enough God is not changed Heb. 13. 8. Therefore the change is in thy selfe 5. So much as you have left your first love so much you have left God God counts himselfe charged with iniâ—uitie when he is forsaken see Jer. 2. 6. In so doing yee greatly dishonour God as if there were not a fulnesse of perfection in him if there be in him what yee expected why doe you love him lesse thy practise declares thou repentest thee in loving him so much as if he is not worthy of it tell me canst thou mend thy selfe in bestowing thy love elsewhere 7. Lastly God hath done much for thee he hath saved thee from wrath hell and destruction and provided for thee a place of happinesse with himselfe yea given thee himselfe could he give thee more is all this as nothing to thee canst thou doe too much for him that hath done so much for thee why then doest thou not give him thy fiâ—st love and love him dearely and vehemently that hath so loved thee Use Leaving our first love is so great an evill that it should greatly humble us The meanes God prescribes for their recovery are three first to remember from whence thou art fallen secondly repent thirdly to doe their first workes Fallen persons may recover for God useth meanes to recover such this his love should worke upon us one great cause we doe not our dutie is because we doe not minde it our declinings might easily be discerned by us if we did but minde it The consideration and remembrance of what we once were and what we now are is a speciall meanes to convince one that is fallen Consider and see if you cannot remember the time 1. When your soules thirsted more for God and â—anted and brayed more vehemently after him then now short breathing is a signe of spirituall decaying therefore know you are fallen from your first love Psal 42. 1 2. 2. See if you cannot remember that time was when you tooke more sweet joy and delight in drawing neare to him and in communion with him then now then yee are fallen and your affections are divided 3. If you can remember the time was when you had more faith and confidence in God then now you have then you are fallen for a decay in faith and a decay in love ever goe together the lesse faith the lesse love so much unbeliefe so much want of love 4. If there was a time in which you were more willing to doe and suffer for God and to dye to goe home to him then you have left your first love 5. Are you as frequent in duties and as much in them now as ever are not spirituall duties something more wearisome and burdensome to thee then once they were then thou art fallen from thy first love Some may say once I prayed with more faith and fervency but now they are as my selfe more cold 6. Have you as much zeale for God and his truth now as ever the communion of Saints once more desired loved and delighted in then now if it be so then you are fallen from your first love 7. If ever you did love the things of the world lesse then you doe now then you are fallen for love to the world causeth a decay in our love to God love not the world so much as we love the world so much we come short in our love to God 8. Can you not say time was when I was more affected with the love of God and did more minde him and his love then you are fallen for so much as we forget Gods love to us so much we forget to love him the apprehending his love begets love in us to him We love him because he first loved us When Gods love in saving us did appeare to us to be great and wonderfull it set out hearts afire with love to him to live and dye with him and for him and because we minde his love lesse therefore we love him lesse If we should compare our selves with these Ephesians whom God finds fault withall because they left their first love what thoughts can we have of our selves when we consider how far short we come of them God saith of them vers 2 3. That they could not beare with them that are evill they could not marke that their love was so to him and zeale for him was so strong that it over-powred them they could not beare with sinners But alas wee can beare with fin and sinners They laboured in the worke of the Lord which implies carefulnesse and diligence in Gods worke but alas we are sloathfull and dead-hearted they were patient they indured all oppositions within and without they met withall for keeping the Commandements of God and the faith of Jesus they suffered much patiently as appeares Rev. 1. 9. We are impatient even at words Thou hast borne which implies afflictions sufferings pressures we can hardly beare with any thing And hast not fainted here was their courage for God and his truth they bore great trials without fainting we faint under small trials yea at the hearing of them For my Names sake their ends were holy they sought not themselves backs nor bellies but did all for the name and sake of God this holy frame of spirit is a sweet thing oh how farre short doe we come of them Obs Many good actions may proceed from them that are fallen from their first love many good actions cannot excuse for one fault Use Exhortation You who are convinced you are fallen from your first love oh lay it to heart your declinings from God a decay in our outward estate is laid to heart but our inward decayings should trouble us much more And repent the Lord bids thee repent what repentance is see Jer. 31. 18 19. The least declining in our love to God is cause enough of repentance it 's to be laid to heart Repentance is a duty sutable for a Saint that hath assurance of the love of God And doe thy first workes Doe saith God the life of a Saint is a life of action to live to God and for God is no idle life God requires many things to be done Doe thy first workes Repentance without reformation is not sufficient Such as leave their first love leave their first workes as we decay in our love
DIVINE CONSOLATIONS OR The Teachings of GOD in three Parts Part 1. Containes Observations Experiences and Counsels I have learned by experience Ge. 30. 27. None teacheth like him Job 36. 22. Part 2. Declareth how a soule may know and live in the sweet injoyment of the love of God c. Part 3. That Christ at and by his death freed the Elect from the whole punishment of sinne With an Answer to the Objections made against it And Doctor Crips Booke justified against Steven Geree By Samuel Richardson LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Aldersgate-streete 1649. To his Excellceney Thomas Fairfax Lord Generall and Oliver Cromwell Esquire Lievtenant Generall and Henry Ireton Esquire Commissary Generall and Collonel Thomas Harison Esquire Peace happinesse and joy Right Honorable and worthy Sirs AS your conditions are above others so are your temptations and tryalls doe what good you can you are men Be pitifull be mercifull doe good to them that hate you see Luk. 6. 27. 32. to 39. Ease and relieve the oppressed consider Eccle. 4. 1. Pro. 31. 9. Job 29. God hath made you speciall Instruments in saving this nation from ruine destruction he hath honoured you with his protection presence and blessing even to admiration you are the Advocates of Christians in that you have often pleaded their cause done as much good to the truth and people of God as any and in that you are of the number of them this is your greatest honour happinesse and glory It s the portion of the people of God to meet with reproaches and hard words Mat. 11. 12. 19. 29. 27. 39. 41. c. Christ did no sin 1 Pet. 2. 23. Yet he indured such contradiction of sinners against himselfe Heb. 12. 2 3. Hard speeches ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude v. 14 15. Christ was called a deceiver Mat. 27. 63. You must not think much if you be called so the servant is not above his Lord if they have called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more them of his houshold If it be sufficient to prove one guilty because accused then Christ was not innocent Many things of which you are accused I know are false of what truth the rest are I judge by these I have observed although good men have faults enough yet our accusers misse them and charge us of that whereof we are innocent It s a certain truth some report ill of men because they are no worse You are none of them of whom all men speak well of it s well you are freed from that woe Luk. 6. 26. To speake modestly we have not observed any in authority that have given greater testimony of their faithfulnesse readinesse willingnesse in improving opportunities for the safety and welfare of this Nation and that have shewed more love to the truth and people of God then these have done neither can I see how such do well who would have those whom God hath made the Bulworks of this Nation the butts for them to shoote their sharpe arrowes most bitter words Discontented Spirits ease themsâ—â—ves in abusing others but I trust you freely forgive them and endeavour to get good by them This I thought fit to expresse to correct their unreasonablenesse and to leave this testimony to after ages to answer theirs in print Expect not freedome from reproaches but to get good by them doe well and expect ill they hurt themselves not you Riches prosperity and honour causeth coldnes lukewarmnesse in Religion Hezekiah was a good man yet his heart was lifted up at a small matter in many things we sinne all humane â—railties every good man is subject unto great places have not so great an influence into good men as to free them from those infirmities which before they were subject unto they rather increase theÌ„ Such need some sharp crosse to quicken and revive and weane them from this world to cause them more to minde prize things spirituall eternall no worldly thing seems great to him that minds eternity You have had great successe in war and a great blast of the applause and praise of men therefore you need something to balance it Fraile man is like a little Vessell lightly laden not able to bear very great sailes winds crosses are sent to let out selfe to try us and to weane us from the world to examine our hearts and wayes and to be more watchfull and circumspect for the future they cause us to deny our selves and to live by faith they shew us what hearts we have and how like we are to Christ when reviled 1 Pet. 2. 23. They exercise the fruits of the Spirit in us how could we forgive our enemies if we had none or deny our selves in suffering wrong patiently if none were offered unto us how could we rejoyce in trials temptations or know our strength or weaknesse or learne patience experience by them and reap the sweet fruit of them without them What you loose in one kinde I trust you gaine in a better great crosses prove none of the least mercies when we see God in them and that all comes from his free infinite love that not any thing shall hurt but all worke together for our good thâ—ugh we see not how Rom. 8. we injoy the sweetnesse of them are humble and thankfull and rejoyce in every condition because we know that ere long our joy and rest shall be eternall then shall we be for ever with the Lord out of the reach of all reproaches paine griefe or trouble Most noble Worthies Luk. 1. 3. the great respect you have shewed to the truâ—h people of God hath imboldned me to present this to you in love out of a deep respect unto you the Lord is with you Judg. 6. 12. Dâ—ut 33. 27. 1 Sam. 16. 18 The Saints love you they pray and praise God for you England fareth the better for you the children unborne shall praise you blesse God for you and though there be that revile you yet the memoriall of your names shall be for ever precious Your friend Samuel Richardson The first Part. Containing Observations Experiences and Counsels c. I have learned by experieâ—ce Gen. 36. 27. Concerning the affections THe affections are the pulses of the soule and they shew the state of it The affections are the motions of the will the wil is the seat of love The judgement distempers the affections and the affections the judgement and captive each other When the judgement is taken captive by the affections things are judged according to their pleasure Our affections of joy and sorrow will exceed their bounds unlesse they be restrained Many pay deare for being led by their affections It 's hard to set bounds to our affections wee need power to moderate them Wee have many occasions ôf doing good but wee often want hearts and affections to improve them Our affections do often deceive our selves and others and goe for
spirituall when they are naturall If our affections love anger griefe joy doe fit us to pray they are spirituall else not When the object is spirituall and the motive spirituall then the affection is spirituall In our greatest earnestnesse wee have most cause to examine our hearts and affections Our affections come farre short of that we thinke we have in our judgements If some mens affections were answerable to their apprehension of God it would indanger their lives The quicknesse of our affections depends much upon the spirits of our bodies All the disquietnesse and distempers in us and by us is occasioned by the want of well bounding and ordering our affections Our affections declare what we love the fooles mind was all for his ease and his belly Our affections are strong and unruly and hard to be subdued The will is much to be observed in it's tempers inclinations motions which are the affections of the soule It 's not easie to master our wils and affections because they rage and doat so vehemently after vanities We set our affections on things below When our affections are set strongly 〈◊〉 things below it 's good for us they be taken from us that wee may take more delight in God and the unspeakeable and everlasting delight prepared with himselfe Concerning actions The lesse we doe the more we suffer Actions profit most but contemplation pleaseth best As the soule is more noble then the body so the actions of the soule are more noble then the actions of the body That which is the cause ground and end of an action in it wee live whether it be God or selfe Even the best actions of the best men are subject to the mis-interpretation of others The more spirituall any duty is the more averse our hearts are to it Actions begun with selfe-confidence doe oft finde successe accordingly Actions which concerne our selves wee oft exceed in but those that chiefly concerne God we are hardly drawn to but easily from If Satan cannot corrupt the action he will endeavour to corrupt the judgement and affection Without some measure of love and joy we are not fit for any good action Selfe-love rules all a naturall mans actions Wee often act more from affection then â—udgement but such actions never produce â—olid comfort but often reall sorrow Actions without a word to warrant them cannot be done in faith and with comfort A roving minde devours time and action The more wise we are the more we weigh all our actions in the ballance of the Word Of afflictions Crosses and afflictions are Gods call to examine our hearts and lives Afflictions are as necessary for our spirits as food is for our bodies Afflictions cause many to see their sinnes to own and confesse them and to be humble Sinne makes affliction bitter God sends afflictions to his for to try and exercise their faith and patience to open their eyes more to prevent and remove sin and to quicken us Afflictions breed patience give understanding humble and mortifie selfe they teach a Saint experience reforme him and send him the oftner to God Such as are most afflicted have oft-times most experience of God and themselves Not any affliction could trouble a childe oâ— God if he did but know wherefore God diâ— send it It 's beyond our knowledge what good Goâ— will doe us by afflictions God is as sweet and may be as much injoyed in poverty and affliction as in prosperity God is alwayes present with his in affliction though alwayes we doe not see him because we often look so much on the affâ—ictioâ— if oppressed with it yet many of the Lord see God best in affliction It is not best to fasten our minds upon the affliction but to minde the end of every affliction which of a certain will be sweet and comfortable to all that are the Lords A childe of God may alwayes sucke some sweetnesse out of the bitterest affliction There is a blessing in every affliction to a childe of God whether they see it or no sooner or later they shall finde it Without affliction neither others know us nor we our selves Of assurance of the love of God Assurance of salvation is an effect of the testimony of the holy Spirit speaking peace to the soule A beleevers first assurance or comfort doth arise from the apprehension of Gods free love to him in Christ As our assurance is of the love of God so answerable is our peace and comfort and accordingly are we spirituall and our conversation is alike sutable Some things tend much to weaken and other things tend much to strengthen the assurance of the love of God Obedience is necessary to our comfort and assurance though not to pardon A childe of God may decay exceedingly in the sence and assurance of the love of God One that hath had the witnesse of the Spirit to evidence the goodnesse of his estate may notwithstanding in time of temptation and desertion question his estate and be full of feares and trouble The assurance of a Christians good estate may be maintained in him when the frame of his spirit and life is much degenerated from what it was The more we injoy the assurance of pardon of sinne the more contented we are in any estate and straight He that hath assurance of the love of God can trust himselfe with God in any estate and straight and can part with any thing for God A heart sensible of sinne and touched with remorse for it may stand with the assurance of pardon Authority The authority the husband hath over the wife is great but to exercise all of it ordinarily none but fooles will doe nor is it comely for the head to stand out of it's place Of the attributes of God The attributes of God are infinite The attributes of God are rocks of strength and fountaines of comfort to his and those that eye them live comfortably upon them It 's best in all our straights to looke to the attributes of God and live upon them by meditation faith and prayer Of Apostacy Going back tends to apostacy Infidelity is a cause of apostacy love of lusts love of the world ungroundednesse in the truth an unsound heart or not considering what attends the profession of Religion causeth many to draw backe Such as love not the truth will leave it To draw back from the profession of the truth is condemned by God and man Offences and darknesse and weaknesse cause many to stumble and turne aside Age. Old age is a state of griefe and sorrow and burden to themselves and others Age will kill no sinne Distrust and covetousnesse doe oft increase as age increaseth Every state and age hath some peculiar sinne to attend it It 's rare to see one full of yeares full of zeale for God Old and cold yet so it should not be Of anger Anger is a short madnesse it darkens our sight dulls troubles and corrupts us An angry man is weake he cannot
As a mans end is in his eye proportionably he useth the meanes to attaine it When the chiefe end is apprehended and minded nothing can divide between the soule and it The more God is intended the more he is desired When God is chiefly desired no bounds nor limits is set to the desires and endeavours to attaine it Every thing rests in it's proper place the attaining the end quiets the heart Unlesse we know and minde our end we cannot have the comfort of our obedience The chiefe end beareth the greatest power in us Such as a mans principle is such is his end The end declares to us the goodnesse of our action The end rules the meanes and is above them We may know what is our chiefe end by the place and power of it A man is constant to that which is his end and acts freely to attaine it Wee are strongly inclined and moved to our end willingly diligently patiently constantly to attaine it As we attaine our end so are we contented so farre as we intend God we desire him The end is first in the intention and last in execution A beleever is true to his end however he may faile in the meanes The place of the end is in the intention and affection Not the endeavour but the ground of it discovers the end whether it be God or selfe Error Ignorance is the foundation of error It is the property of all men to erre and be deceived When errors prove profitable many will imbrace them It 's common for error to be called truth and truth to be called error One way to suppresse errors is silence for by this meanes they will dye alone whimsicall persons that affect novelty will lay them downe as fast as they took them up if you will let them alone Excuses It is easie to frame an excuse for any evill To cover an evill with an excuse is to cover à lesser evill with a greater When we have sinned Satan and our corruptions will helpe to cover it with excuses Such things as we cannot justifie we oft excuse Extremities No extremitie holds long It 's common to run from one extremitie to another It 's hard to be angry without sinning to grieve for sinne without despairing to feare without doubting to be merry without lightnesse to be sad without heavy and unprofitable dumpishnesse Most men love extreames men eate too little or too much and worke too little or too much Of education Good education doth oft cause an outward Reformation Evill education is a great provocation to evill Election The doctrine of election and appointment unto wrath and how much the first cause causeth all actions the certainty of the event the certainty of the state of every person and the like doctrines cause a corrupt heart to be more loose and carelesse therefore to teach these to the world is to cast holy things to dogs witnesse experience Examples The worst examples are most observed The examples of men are forcible when they are universall An evill example of a good man is very dangerous The examples of the best men ought not to be a Rule for us to walke by Excesses Most men are drowned in adversitie or drunke with prosperity The drinking healths is an excessive wast To drinke others healths is the way to loose our own Effects Effects are in order to second causes not to God who most certainly necessarily and wisely hath willed them nothing falls out accidentall to him whose knowledge and purpose reacheth every thing The eye Davids roving eye caused him to fall greatly and procured him much sinne shame vexation and griefe who would have thought an idle glance could occasion so much mischiefe Fancy will take fire before we be aware It 's in vaine to expect better fruit if we suffer our hearts to run after our eyes Experiences By observation we get experience Experience makes men wise because it gives understanding Experience teacheth what doth helpe or hinder a gracious temper in us Experience strengthens faith Without experience we know not where our strength and weaknesse lieth Things imaginary historicall traditionall will vanish in time of need Envie Envie torments the minde and dryeth the bones No good man can escape the envie of others Expressions Such as leave the Scripture expressions will soone loose the faith of Christ and receive error in stead of truth Extraordinary To doe to all as we would be done unto is extraordinary For men not to seek themselves is extraordinary For a man to deny himselfe is extraordinary To practice the truth against great oppositions is extraordinary To imbrace disgrace poverty prison and paines rather then to deny any truth is extraordinary To be more humble by knowledge and to goe against custome is extraordinary To be more humble when exalted is extraordinary For the rich to take reproose willingly and profitably from their inferiors is extraordinary For to refuse to joyn house to house when he can is extraordinary To part with riches as freely as they were received is extraordinary For man to seek not his own but others welfare is extraordinary To tell great persons of their faults in love wisely is extraordinary A minde that cannot be provoked is extraordinary To be willing to leave the world and to be zealous for God in prosperity is extraordinary Eternity Untill we have some serious thoughts of eternity we minde not our soules Serious thoughts of eternity will weane us from the world The favour of men The favour of some is much desired The favour of men is a vanity The favour of men is uncertain oft soone got and sooner lost The more some desire the favour of men the more God denieth them to exercise their faith or to weane them from the world or because we performe not our duties to them Folly It 's folly to meddle with other mens businesse and neglect our own Many never see their folly untill it be too late A fooles minde is all for thingâ— below and present but the wise prize most the things above they look beyond this life A foole multiplieth words Feares We feare what we should wish and wiâ—h that we should feare Feares make the understanding weake and the judgement dull Of all passions anger and feare doth most disquiet the heart The feare of an evill doth more afflict then the evill it selfe To be alwayes in feare is to be alwayes in misery it 's painfull to dwell upon the expectation of evill Feare betrayes care and hinders reason of affording it's help Feares hinder faith Feares multiply evills but faith diminisheth them Feares make dangers greater and helpes lesse then they are Feares present too many wayes of helpe So much as we feare men so much we slight and forget God Faith Faith is the staying of the minde upon God Faith quiets comforts and strengthens the soule Faith excludes not all doubting but fights against it Faith is under God the supporter of the Saints under many
solitarinesse Satans temptations have come more frequent and stronger when alone and many sin more freely when alone Satan is most bold when we are alone and his temptations take a deeper impression Suggestions If evill suggestions be admitted they will grow and increase exceedingly into consent and consent into delight and delight into practice and practice into habit from habit into custome from custome into senslesnesse Of small things A small matter will trouble our spirits yea and interrupt us in our communion with God Of suâ—etiship Those who have least cause require sureties as Usurers Many have run themselves upon great straights and others have undone themselves by suretiship He is wise and safe that aâ—horres suretiship Concerning fleep The more the body is exercised with labour the more sleep it requires Foure houres sleep in a day and a night is enough for some and five for others six is enough for any one Some say they cannot sleep if they did labour and work more they should sleep more Much sleep maketh poore dulleth the wit and looseth time Season The season of an action addes to the goodnesse of it Every thing is beautifull in it's season Sadnesse Sadnesse of spirit breeds unsetlednesse uncomfortablenesse unthankfulnesse to God If we be sad we injoy not the comfort of any thing An unchearfull spirit is not fit for any duty What we goe about unchearfully we are soone weary in or off Sadnesse of spirit helpes us to yeeld to discouragements An unchearfull spirit doth nourish hard thoughts of God One cause of the sadnesse of a childe of God is because he doth not minde and apply such promises as are sutable to his condition and behold and live on the things above Satan Sin and Satan are never pleased It 's a great designe of Satan to cozen the Saints of their peace and comfort and to draw the Saints from God his truth and people and that we neglect the meanes or wholy relie on them Satan in his subtilty and malice watcheth to discourage and terrifie the people of God It 's a deceit of Satan to put a man upon the practice of a contrary duty to hinder the soule and cause a disorder In good things Satan separates the meanes from the end and in evill he laboureth to separate the end from the meanes An unadvised resisting of Satan causeth disappointment Senses The senses of our body doe every day decay by little and little though we take no notice of it Our senses doe often prove traytors to our soules and bodies Soule If our soules be downe it 's best and easiest presently to raise them up by meditation of Gods free love the longer we stay the more we may Selfe-seeking All men are full of selfe Selfe-seeking is dishonourable and dangerous Selfe alwayes aimes at her own ends and ends there Selfe cannot oppose selfe in a particular opposition Spiritualnesse The more spirituall a man is the more he abhorres and loaths himselfe A spirituall man is not alwayes alike his faith love zeale joy peace is sometimes great and sometimes small he is sometimes strong and sometimes weake Saints A Saint lives in the love of God The weakest Saint will passe with some graines of allowance and the best or strongest will not passe without Sinners Some will confesse in the generall they are faulty but in the particular utterly deny it Suffering Hope of glory incourageth in suffering We cannot suffer chearfully as we ought unlesse we know and minde our interest in God and minde sutable promises and the faithfulnesse of God in performing them the necessitie of suffering the end of it and the reward A good conscience a good cause and a good call will cause a sweet suffering As our love is to Christ and his truth so is our willingnesse to suffer for him It is best quietly to suffer that which we cannot prevent It is better to suffer then to sin He that intends to suffer for Christ must not hearken to fleshly reasonings To suffer for small matters in Religion is most honourable Single life There be helps conducing to a single life naturall morall and spirituall Surmises Secret surmises doe oft hurt our selves and others Seeke The more we seeke any thing the more we love it and the injoyment of it is more sweet unto us Speech Many make long discourses of that which a little is too much Many love to heare themselves speake and thinke to please others because they please themselves He is wise who hath skill when to speake and when to be silent Straights God doth provide for his people in their straights God puts his in straights that they might live by faith Slothfulnesse Our beloved said Come away but our sloath selfe-love ease carelesnesse inconstancy unsetlednesse hinders us exceedingly in going to our beloved Time Our time is short as a span a shadow a dreame it 's our duty and wisdome to preserve and redeeme it for good actions Losse of time is a great losse wee loose much time in idlenesse and idle visits in trifling and sleeping in which time much good might have been done Time is not valued to it 's worth A great part of our time slideth away in doing evill and impertinent and nothing He is wise that improveth time Time well spent is laid up for the future Time past cannot be called againe Time ill spent turnes to great losse and ends in deep sorrow Much time is spent about the body We loose much time which we take no notice off Time wasteth all things Time hasteneth to an end and runneth to eternity Time shall be no more We spare not so much time for God as we might We doe and will spare time for what we list and love That time is well and sweetly spent in which the soule obeys God and beholds God and glory and hath communion with him Of truth Whatsoever is against or without the word of God is not truth That which the most follow is not truth That which carrieth the greatest shew of humility is not truth The authority of men is not alwayes for the truth Mans reason cannot dive so deep as the truth The more naturall wâ—se any is the lesse capable he is of divine truth Neither the learned nor unlearned can know the mystery of the truth till God teach it them Many will have truth to be error Christ is truth and his Word is truth A man may loose Christ in the truth and close with truth and not with Christ He that receives truth as from men truth is but a tradition to him If truth may have liberty to goe abroad it will quickly suppresse errors The greatest enemy truth hath is concealement The more manifest truth is the more glorious it appeares The glory of the understanding is truth Every truth of Christ tends to holinesse God esteemes truth above the lives of his Saints Teaching Those God teacheth he first unteacheth in making them wise he sheweth them that they are
what conscience can yee weare gold and silver costly apparell and by fine laces and the poore Saints want bread other necessaries Consider what the Christians did in the Apostles time Acts 2. 44 45. 4. 33 34 35. Yee say yee be followers of them is not the 2 Cor. 8. 14. a command how then dare yee neglect this dutie Full ill will they sell their lands much lesse dye for their brethren who will not spare their laces and superfluities to feed and cloath the naked body and hungry belly of Jesus Christ I was an hungred and naked and Lord when saw we thee an hungred and naked c. They knew no such thing nor did they inquire nor came where they might have seene it And he shall answer Verily in as much as yee did it not to one of these yee did it not to mee Mat. 25. 34. to 46. Whether Christ dyed for the sinnes of all Adams posteritie Some men say so but the Scripture doth not say so He tooke on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. But all Adams posterity are not Abrahams seed in no sense Secondly Christ saith He laid downe his lâ—fe for his sheepe John 10. 11. 15. All men are not his sheepe as yee beleeve not because yee are not my sheepe vers 26. Whether all those for whose sinnes Christ dyed shall be saved They shall all be saved as appeares Rom. 5. 9 10. John 6. 37. 39. John 17. 2. 19. 24. 29. Heb. 13. 20. Jer. 32. 40. 31. Mat. 25. 33. The salvation of Gods Elect is certain Some say Christ dyed for their sinnes who shall not be saved But to what end shall Christ die for their sinnes who are not appointed to life Doth not Christ loose the end of his death to die for their sinnes who shall perish Some are not ordained to eternall life as appeares Acts 13. 48. Doth it stand with the wisdome of God to send Christ to die for their finnes whom he before decreed to condemn The Lord hath made the wicked for the day of evill Pro. 16. 4. 2 Tâ—es 2. 11. Isa 43. 6 7. Q. Wâ—etâ—er Christ is offered to all or no The Gospel is to be declared to every creature Mark 16. 15. 16. But to declare a thing and to offer it is not one thing The Scripture doth not say that Christ is offered to any men say so but not truly nor safely The saying Christ is offered to all occasioneth many errors as to say if God offereth Christ to men and they have no power to receive him and God gives them none they are mocked and that God is unjust and unreasonable and that he doth not meane as he saith else say they all men have power and may be saved if they will and they may will c. The purpose of God Christs death salvation and the revealing it in the Scripture are one in the extent the one is not larger then the other neither is the ministery thereof to be larger in the declaration viz. in the application of salvation is not to be larger but rather straiter because he is bounded to beleeving and baptizednesse He that beleeves and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. He may not apply it to any person that doth not beleeve c. Whether sufficient grace is given to all for conversion That which is sufficient is effectuall if I put sufficient strength to move the whole earth will not motion follow if it be not effectuall it is not sufficient sufficient and effectuall goe together That the conversion of man doth not depend upon the will of man See 1 Cor. 2. 14. Deut 29. 3 4. Mat. 1â— 34. John 1. 5. Eph. 1. 17 18. 2 Cor. 3. 5. The will of God determines who shall bâ— saved Acts 13. 48. God worketh all things after the counsell of his own not mans will Eph. 1. 11. See and consider the word of the Lord Isa 46. 10. Psal 2. 13. Psal 135. 6. 115. 3. Pro. 29. 26. Psal 33. 15. Pro. 21. 1. Pro. 16. 33. Mat. 10. 29 30 31. Acts 2. 23. 4. 26 27 28. Pro. 16. 9. Jam. 4. 13. 15. Rom. 9. 19. 2 Sam. 17. 22. Rom. 1. 24. 1 Kings 22. 22. Psal 105. 25. Isa 63. 17. John 11. 20. 2 Thes 2. 11. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. He hath mercy on whom he will 18. To ascribe conversion to the freedome of mans will is to exempt the creature from being under the power of God for if he be able to convert himselfe or to refuse so as not to be converted then convesion is under his own power If it depend upon the will of the creature then the will of man is the cause why God willeth this or that this were to bring the will of God under the will of man as if God should say I will convert that man if he will I have willed nothing or my will is mutable my will shall waite on your will and change as oft as yours shall if the will of God should not determine all things the will of God should not be the first cause if there be two first causes then there are two beginnings or more and so more Gods then one If God gives power and leaves it to mans will then God hath not determined what shal be done or else his purpose is changeable If the cause why God chooseth me and not another is because I will then it is not according to his will Eph. 1. 11. If Gods will be not the cause you deny the freedom of Gods will and make the will of man the cause of his being saved If God by his omnipotent power inclines the wills of men whether he will as is above proved then he hath them more in his power then man hath if so his decreeing is the cause necessity followes the will of the creature is not the cause of the necessity of things because mans will is bounded by Gods decree and as the first waight or wheele moves the second so the first cause moves the second He whose salvation God willeth he must of necessity be saved because he wants no power nor wisdome to accomplish his will man cannot resist an almighty power Ephes 1. 20. 3. 20. Col. 1. last therefore God cannot be hindered of his will if he should will any thing he could not obtaine he were imperfect and so not God if he can obtaine it but wil not how doth he wil it Isa 46. 10. Ps 44. 2. To grant that man hath power to hinder Gods will is to grant that he hath power to hinder his working and so to frustrate Gods counsell and make him a lier yet nothing will satisfie some unlesse this be granted if there were any good of which God were not the cause how is the praise and glory of it to be ascribed to him To the praise and glory of his grace
liberty thou hast in Christ which is full and sweet Gal. 5. 13. 11. Learne to distinguish between thy Justification and thy personall Sanctification the first is perfect and compleat in Christ the latter is in our selves and is weak and uncertaine untill a soule be setled in the point of Justification the soules objections cannot be answered he that understands not the true nature and doctrine of Justification cannot injoy true setled constant peace and consolation for in the right understanding of Justification lieth the life of the Saints comfort 12. Let not thy comfort depend upon thy personall Sanctification because from it there can no sure setled constant comfort flow the seeking of comfort from our Sanctification is a cause of much trouble in many weake beleevers Sanctification hath nothing to doe with Justification nor Salvation as any cause of it Also Sanctification admits of degrees but Justification admits of neither rules nor degrees and is more glorious then Sanctification our Justification should comfort us Justification depends not upon our apprehending it not in our receiving it but upon what the Lord Jesus hath done for us Justification is effected by Christ and it s apprehended by faith Heb. 11. 1. The Spirit and faith doth evidence to us our Justification all that beleeve are Justified Acts 13. 39. It s possible to have a full assurance of faith Heb. 10. 22. Faith is an unquestionable evidence and when faith is hidden and doubtfull Justification is not apprehended and when faith is hidden and doubtfull Sanctification is not evident but doubtfull and so cannot evidence to us our Justification The effects of Sanctification cause men to question their Justification therefore no effect of Sanctification can evidence to the soule its Justification and the soule that apprehends his Justification by Christ not onely knoweth it but may live upon it and injoy the sweet fruit of it peace joy strength without any sanctificatioÌ„ in himselfe Seeing Christ is made Sanctification to a beleever 1 Cor. 1. 30. why may not a soule live upon that and say I have Sanctification in Christ which is perfect my actuall Righteousness doth often faile me but his indures for ever Psal 111. 3. Therefore I will fetch all my comfort from Christ and my Justification by him And as we are not to conclude our Justification from any effect of Sanctification so we are not to conclude that apprehension of Justification to be from God as shall take men off the meanes and rules of Sanctification because its a dishonour for men not to walke holily according to the word of God Titus 2. 14. 13. Be sure yee allow your selfe in no sin but in the strength of God hate and abhorre with the greatest indignation all sin and the appearance of it it is better to die then to sin There is that which accompanieth sin which strikes at a beleevers peace and comfort it will damp straighten and oppresse the soule it will hinder their comfort joy and peace in God unlesse God doth wonderfully strengthen their faith in him we finde by experience that sin is a let to our faith and comfort it having often unsetled and disquieted us in our peace comfort though we ought not to be so 14. Trouble not thy selfe with the feare of what may befall thee in case thou wert certaine great troubles shall befall thee be not troubled at any trouble much lesse at future troubles nor thinke to encounter with supply a future trouble with a present strength if many and great troubles come God is all-sufficient he will remove them or give strength to beare them when they come 1 Cor. 10. 13. 15. Minde seriously those promises that are sutable to thy condition and apply them God hath imparted himselfe in his promise and it is our wisdome and duty to rest upon it Seperate thy selfe to meditate on them Pro. 18. 2. There is strength and sweetnesse in the promise thou maist safely venture thy soule upon God in his promise and live upon it thou knowest not but God may reveale the promise more to thee in thy meditation of it and settle it by his almighty power upon thy soule Eph. 1. 19 20. Let not the promise of God be strange to thee be not willing to leave a promise untill thou beest refreshed by it yea raised and ravished with thankfulnesse for the exceeding riches of his mercy Eph. 2. 9. his plenteous redemption Psal 130. 7. The promise in Heb. 10 17. Their sinnes and iniquities I will remember no more is enough to quiet and settle a troubled soule it s so full of sweetnesse and life 16. Remember the dayes of old I have considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient time Psal 77. 5. Thou hast been my help Psal 63. 7. I was brought low and he helped me see 2 Tim. 4. 17 18. Psal 89. 49. Therefore he will helpe me if thou didst treasure up the experiences of Gods goodnesse to thy soule it would be a means to quiet thy soule c. But who among you will give eare to this who will hearken and heare for time to come Isa 42. 23. 17. Keep thy heart calme and quiet from all passion feare and griefe the still soule can best know and heare Christs voice where feare vexation and distemper dwells they are not aware of Christ and themselves and commonly they feare most who have least cause as appeares Luk. 2. 9 10. When the soule is troubled with passion it is not at the command of faith Luk. 24. 41. the violence of their joy hindered their faith Let not your hearts be troubled Joh. 13. 1. If they be you cannot injoy God nor your selves quietnesse is the stay of the soule to doe or receive many by supposed feares draw upon themselves reall sorrowes ând unnecessary discontents many are possessed with bitter sorrowes from supposed sufferings 18. Be content with thy present estate and sill not thy head heart or hand with more buisinesse then thou must needs Consider Heb. 13. 5. Take heed of the cares of this life Luk. 21. 34. 15. 19. Order thy conversation aright To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God Psal 50. 23. Want of wisdome to dispose and want of diligence to dispatch what necessity requires to be done in its right place and time hath produced such inconveniences as have unavoidably caused trouble and a disquiet and an unsetled spirit 20. Walk with God in his wayes ordinances and meanes appointed by him for thy comfort strength joy and peace in him there is no quiet to those that worship the Beast Rev. 14. 10 11. Use the meanes and live upon God in them Rom. 18. 2. 4. 21. Doe not slâ—ght nor refuse Gods consolations Are the consolations of God small to thee Job 15. 11. Let not them seeme small to thee wilt thou not own the comfort God gives thee if it doe seeme small to thee own it because it is
spirituall things for as no soule can be sensible of the want of Christ untill the soule be possessed of him Rom 8. 10 11. so no soule can desire Christ above all things in the world unlesse Christ had their hearts and they dearely loved him and beleeve in him Christ is precious to them that beleeve 1 Pet. 2. 7. Therefore such as esteeme Christ precious doe beleeve So the seate of faith is in the heart which is the understanding and will but more principally in the will so that if our wills be renewed our hearts are renewed Rom. 8. 5 6. Paul saith To will is present with me good I would doe so then with my minde I serve the law of God Rom. 7. 18 19. with 21. 15. By which it appeares the will is one with the minde and the heart is one with them these three are one and alwayes goe together and are alike spirituall Christ saith Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also that is the minde Mat. 6. 21. And by affections in Colos 3. 2. is meant the heart Set your affections on things above So that the heart and the affections are one thing Many beleeve and yet doe not know whether they beleeve or no so that they doe as the blind man did call their faith unbeliefe Mark 9. 24. So many mis-take faith some have thought comfort joy and ravishments of soule with God to be faith and have concluded because they had not them they had not faith He that beleeves that Jesus Christ is the Son of God shall be saved all is included in this He that beleeves this 1. Know Christ to be the anointed Luk. 23. The Saviour of his people from their sinnes Mat. 1. 21. 2. He rests upon him Leane or stay himselfe upon the Lord Pro. 3. 5. To beleeve in him Rom. 10. 9. 11. Psal 17. 6. To cleave to God Deut. 30. 20. Joh. 23. 6. Acts 11. 23. Psal 119. 30 31. To hope in him Psal 147. 11. is all one 3. He cannot but own and confesse Christ Simon said Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the living God Mat 16. 16. Rom. 10. 9. A man may say that Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Devils confesse this I know thee who thou art Jesus Christ the Sonne of God therefore this cannot be the faith of the Gospel Two things to be considered in the nature of â—aith 1. Illumination this is to consent to the 〈◊〉 that its true this is called faith and 〈…〉 Devill doth Jam. 2. Mark 5. 8. A s 〈…〉 2. To beleeve that Jesus is the Christ which implies a seeing and knowing all to be in Christ for life and to trust in him for pardon and life to rest upon him for it he that thus beleeves in Christ is brought over to Christ and so centered upon him that it will not goe from him as Peter Whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life Joh. 6. 58. My soule waite thou on God for my expectation is from him Psal 62. 5. This no Devill can doe As for the application of Christ as their own in particular this all that beleeve have not attained this is not so much of the nature of faith as assurance to know all is in Christ no way or meanes of life but him and to rest upon him for it is more then illumination or saying so The Scriptures clearly prove that to beleeve Jesus Christ to be the Sonne of God is the faith of the Gospel I prove by these Reasons 1. Because this is the faith which the Apostles preached and witnessed unto and the faith that is recorded to us in the Scriptures see Acts 18. 28. 1 Joh. 2. 22. Our salvation depends upon the faith of what God saith 2. None can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 3. 3. Because upon the profession of this Christ builds his Church Mat. 16. 16. 18. 4. Because upon the profession of this the Baptisme of Christ is to be dispensed Acts 8. 37. 5. They who have this faith dwell in God and God in them 1 Joh. 4. 15. 6. Because God reveales this to the soule flesh and bloud cannot doe it Mat. 16. 16 17. 7. Such are borne of God Whosoever beleeves that Jesus is the Christ is borne of God 1 Joh. 5. 1. 8. This is the faith that overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5. 4 5. 9. Because such as beleeve this are pronounced blessed and shall never dye John 11. 25 26. 10. He that beleeves this shall be saved as appeares Rom. 10. 9. Joh. 11. 25 26. There is a lesser degree of faith then a full and certain assurance of life by Christ for him in particular Isa 45. 21 22. Mat. 5. 3 4 5. They had not this yet were blessed and shall be satisfied there is a hope of mercy without a certainty such are blessed Turne yee to the strong holds yee prisoners of hope Zach. 9. 12. They hope and in his Name they doe trust Mat. 12. 21. A man may beleeve and yet not know that he hath eternall life The Apostle saith These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee have eternall life 1 Joh. 5. 13. They had it but they did not know so much they beleeved yet had no assurance The people of God are ready to admit of discouragements when there is no cause as the Scriptures and experience testifie Mary was troubled and afraid Luk. 1. 29 30. All the matter was the Angel saluted her and saâ—d Shee had found favour with God So the Shepheards were afraid when the Angel brought them tydings of great joy Luk. 2. 9 10. So Peter was afraid when he drew up much fish Luk. 5. 8 9. But what cause had these to feare God saith Feare not but beleeve and we feare when we should beleeve to the dishonour of God and the hindering our own peace therefore I shall name some of the discouragements which hinder the Saints comfort and indeavour to remove them 1. Discourg Some are discouraged and thinke they have no worke of God in them because they have not had so great a measure of sorrow for sin as some have 1. All that beleeve have not the same measure of sorrow for sin Lydia received the word with joy Acts 16. 14. but the Jaylor trembled being in feare Acts 16. 29. 2. The greatest measure of sorrow for sin any have had was not the cause they were loved or saved it s a great mis-take to thinke God delights in feares or teares 3. A deep sensiblenesse of sin hinders the soules beleeving and drives it from Christ as it did Peter saying Lord depart from me for I am a sinfull man Luk. 5. 8. 4. Doe not complaine that God deales more gently with thee then others 5. What is sensiblenesse of sin that flowes not from the apprehension of pardon love wee must not looke
your charge for as it was with the Damsell Deut. 22. 25 26. even so is this matter 14. Dis I feare when persecution comes I shall not be able to suffer and so not hold out to the end but dishonour God betray his truth shame and grieve his people Take no care for the morrow cast all these cares and feares upon the Lord in nothing be carefull Phil. 4. 10. He will care for you I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. God will take care for his glory truth c. his wisdome power and faithfulnesse shall order all 15. Dis I am discouraged because I am not filled with joy and comfort 1. Faith may be strong when joy is absent David had faith when he had no joy Restore to me the joy of my salvation Psal 51. 12. He refused comfort Psal 77. 2. But after he wanted it 2. Such as judge their conditions good because they are filled with joy build upon a wrong foundation in that they are not founded upon Christ alone If some had joy they would make it a Christ to them live upon it and so abuse Christ and themselves and their joy it s a mercy to such to want joy till they can better use it 16. Dis But my soule is filled with terrors I have a hell in me I feele the wrath of God in my soule and so have been for a long time 1. This is a sad condition yet thus it may be with one that is the Lords thus it was with Heman who said Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from me I am ready to dye whilst I suffer thy terrors I am distracted thy fierce wrath goeth over me thy terrors have cut me off Psal 88. 15 16. Job cryed saying He hath kindled his wrath against me and counts me unto him as one of his enemies see Job 19. 10 11. 7. 6. 13 14 15 16. And David in temptation judging himselfe according to the law and sence and feeling said I am cast out of his sight Psal 31. 22. Christ said My God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 26. 48. Horror hath overwhelmed me Psal 55. 7. 77. 8 9. And Jeremiah said He hath led me into darknesse and not into light he hath broken my bones and compassed me with gall he hath made my chaines heavie he hath filled me with bitternesse thou hast removed my soule farre off from peace and I said my strength and my hope is perished from the Lord Lam. 3. 2. to 19. Some conceive if God loved them there should be no such tempest in their soules but a sweet calme and in stead of wrath and terrors sweet peace and joy but the Lord hath his way in the whirlewinde and in the storme Nahum 1. 3. Some injoy peace and joy but it s not so with all see Job 13. 26. Job said to God Why doest not thou pardon my transgressions c. Thou hast set me as a marke against thee so that I am a burden unto my selfe Job 7. 18 19 20 21. â—3 14. Our comfort depends not upon freeâ—ome from terrors but upon the Spirits reâ—ealing truth and application of it to the â—oule Lam. 3. 21. 2. The Angel of the Lord said to Gidcon The Lord is with thee But Gideon said Oh my Lord if the Lord be with us why then is all this fallen us c. Judg. 6. 12 13. So saith the soule If the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us that we are so full of terrors yet it may be so and as Gideon was mis-taken so maist thou 3. The greatest peace any Saint injoys is not to be neither ground nor incouragement for them to beleeve therefore not any terrors any possesse ought not to be a ground of discouragement in beleeving for our happinesse is not in any thing we feele or apprehend in our selves but in the word and promise of God and in that wee are knowne of God who loves us and comprehends us in himselfe and his not imputing ouâ— trespasses unto us Psal 32. 1. Of this see more in part the third 4. A soule in such a sad condition should consider what the Lord saith Isa 8. 20. and cast all their feares of hell upon God in a promise and trust in the Lord Isa 26. 3 4. When thou art in the flames of this fire thou shalt not be burnt with God nothing is impossible O troubled foule the tender mercies of our God hath visited us and so it may visit thee also and give light to thee that sits in darknesse and in the shadow of death to guide thy feete in the way of peace Luk. 1. 78 79. 5. If thou wouldst be freed from these terrors trust in God that is the way to be freed from them Thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee Isa 26. 3 4. 6. Consider what brought thy terrors but poring so much upon thy sinnes untill thou wert filled with despaire and thy omissions and commissions against conscience increased thy horror doe the contrary and see that yee daube not your selves over with your duties and know that which is a great cause of mourning is no cause of despaire therefore cast not away your confidence Heb. 10. 35. for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry ver 37 38. Therefore say as the Prophet said When I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me he will bring me forth into the light and I shall behold his Righteousnesse Mica 7. 8 9. 17. Dis I am in great outward misery and want by reason of poverty surely if God did love me I should not be so neglected as I am Thou shouldst not reason so was not this the condition of those who wandered about in sheep-skins goat-skins in desâ—ts mountaines dens and caves of the earth Surely they were more destitute of outward comforts then thee and suffered more hunger cold and nakednesse then thee hast thou not a house nor bed to lie on the places where they wandred afforded not these things to them art thou destitute afflicted so were they whom God so loved that he esteemed the world not worthy of Heb. 11. 37 38. Poverty and want is no small burden many desire death rather then such a condition yet know that 2. Poverty and want hath attended and kept company with many of the children of God Job was poore the Apostles were poore 1 Cor. 4. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 10. the Churches of Christ were poore the Church of Corinth was poore 2 Cor. 8. 14. The Church of Smyrna was poore Rev. 2. 9. The Church of Macedonia was in dead poverty 2 Cor. 8. 1 2. And our Lord Jesus Christ was poore 2 Cor. 8. 9. And thou maist be very poore and yet God may love thee as he loves Christ Joh. 17. 26. The poore receive the Gospel and the profession of
that is unprofitable to him that doth not keepe the Law Gal. 5. 3. Therefore Circumcision hath nothing to doe with the covenant of grace 2. The Scripture doth not declare that Circumcision was an old seale of the covenant of grace Col. 2. 11 12. Doth not prove it was 3. Because if Circumcision had been a seale of the covenant of grace those who had that should not need a new seale 4. If Circumcision had been a seale of the covenant of grace then the urging it could not have overthrowne the Gospel as the Apostle said it did see Gal. 2. 17 18. with Gal. 5. 10. and Chap. 3. 5. Because the promise of blessednesse by remission of sinnes Gen. 12. 3. is farre different from that covenant Gen. 17 7 8. which was sealed by Circumcision Lastly Circumcision being an intolerable yoke Acts 15. 10. it could not be a seale of the righteousnesse of Christ if it had then it had been a benefit and not a burden Luk. 5. 4 5 6. Observations MAster Christ is to be owned acknowledged and obeyed We have toiled all night Much paines And have taken nothing Mens labours without Gods blessing are fruitlesse Neverthelesse I let goe reason experience and likelihoods to obey thee At thy word Christs word prevailes a word from Christ is enough to put us upon action his word is to be eyed I will So soone as the soule heares Christ speake it submits Let downe the net Faith and the use of meanes agree Nets filled Obedience of faith never fruitlesse c. Matth. 10. 29 30 31. Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father the very haires of your head are all numbred COnsider the lilies of the field how they grow they toile not neither doe they spin Mat. 6. 28. God provideth for the young Ravens their food Job 38. 41. All things are ordered by the providence of God Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the seas and all deepe places Psal 135. 6. Our God is in heaven he â—hath done whatsoever he pleaseth Psal 115. 3. Many seeke the Rulers favour but every mans judgement cometh of the Lord Pro 29. 26. He fashioneth their hearts Psal 33. Whose hearts God hath touched 1 Sam. 10. 9. 26. As the Rivers of waters he turneth it whither soever he will Pro. 21. 1. The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord Pro. 16. 33. The preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord Pro. 16. 1. A mans heart deviseth his way but the Lord directeth his steps vers 9. Yee ought to say if the Lord will we will goe unto such a Citie and doe this or that Jam. 4. 13. 15. They shall fight against thee but they shall not prevaile Jer. 1. 19. The consideration of these Scriptures are very necessary profitable and comfortable these Scriptures declare that what God willeth he effecteth all things are as he pleaseth to order them Job seeing of God in all his crosses was patient content and thankfull The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord He knew men could doe neither more nor lesse then God will it was God that did it A cause of that great care and over-thoughtfulnesse of heart in fearing men and want is because wee see not all things to be ordered by God wee are more like heathen Gentiles as Christ saith Matth. 6. Wee have need to minde that Chapter more to be more content and to live by faith and to be thankfull to God which we cannot be untill we see it s sent from God it s a gift of love whether it be bitter or sweet it shall doe me good Psal 34. 1 Cor. 13. 10. All our care and dislike c. cannot alter what God will doe it might cause men to be content Job saith He is in one minde and who can turne him and what his soule desireth even that he doth for he performeth the thing that is appointed for me and many such things are with him Job 23. 13 14. As if he should say I cannot helpe it God will have it so I may use the meanes but I must waite upon him both for the time and manner of my deliverance Man disquiets himselfe in vaine because he doth not see and minde the providence of God in the ordering of all things and so are not content with our conditions nor beare crosses patiently If thou art lost and fatherlesse Luk. 19. 10. Hos 14. 3. Christ is precious to thee and thou art precious to him Oh know Christ came to seeke and save you and that you shall injoy life and glory by him God is at peace with you he hath loving kindnesse for you that is better then life loe all is yours for God is yours and that for ever what can be more sutable pleasant profitable and delightfull better or more desireable Oh the fulnesse sweetnesse gloriousnesse of this peace it passeth knowledge if thou art nothing in thy own eyes thou hast a right in it and therefore mayst apply it and be ravished with it Consider what I have said what God hath given thee sent unto thee and put into thy hand even his rarest choisest dainties from his banquetting-house flaggons of his most excellent and richest wine full of spirit and life one taste is able to cheare and revive thy heart yea raise and ravish thy fainting soule with love into love Oh here is enough Christs dainties are durable his fountaine is bottomlesse and infinite it cannot be exhausted or drawne dry therefore eate O friends and drinke abundantly To be comforted and strengthened with it if God please to blesse it to thee it will be sweet and profitable instead of darknesse light shall shine clearly sweetly pleasantly if the Lord cause thy soule to be this light love to live in it be overpowered with it thou wilt acknowledge his goodnesse with thankfulesse and ioy as some have done he creates the fruit of the lips peace if he speak the word it s done Gen 3. 3. The Lord so speake to thee that thou maist profit by it and that thy joy may be full A Song of the love of God to such as are in Christ Make yee his praises glorious with a joyfull voice Psal 66. 1 2. 1. THe love of God hath been to me full great In leaving me in such a state to be And then to set me free from that estate He gave his onely Sonne to dye for me Which is a greater happinesse to me Then if I had not been in misery 2. I was as vile as any man could be And my vile state did openly appeare When God in love did please to looke on me And caused me a joyfull voice to heare For passing by me he to me said
to the other foure Treatises the most of them have been published severall yeares O yee that love the truth is it a small matter to you for Christ to be dishonoured and his truth condemned Doe yee not regard what violence is offered to the sufficiency of Christs sacrifice if yea why are yee so silent as if there were none to answer God complaineth None pleadeth for truth Isa 59. 4. It might grieve us to consider that others take more paines for errour then we doe for truth Can we say we love the Lord and his truth as we should and not lay it to heart In these cold dayes the love of many too many waxeth cold to God and man many professe love to Christ yet few love him as will appeare ere long for the knowledge and practise of the truth shall be slighted and hated there shall be found but a very few that will own it The more darke or doubtfull any thing appeares the more narrowly search the Scriptures and consider them the benefits will answer the paines set aside partiality prejudice and the opinions of men neither receive nor refuse without sufficient tryall pray to God to reveale his truth to thee I trust the Lord that hath directed this to thee will blesse it to thee so as thou shalt praise and honour him all thy dayes which is the desire of Samuel Richardson To Collonell Robert Tichborne Mr. Moris Thompson Merchant Mr. William Packer Captain and Mr. Methusalah Turner Linnen Draper Fulnesse of joy happinesse and glory Much honoured and worthy Sirs CHrist and him crucified is the best and most desireable object that can be presented unto your view what can be better or more desireable this is our happinesse glory and our chiefest joy Joy sweet satisfying unmixt pure spirituall glorious full and eternall there is no sweetness like to this of Christ dying for my sinnes his suffering for us the whole punishment of sinne so that God will not impute sinne to that soule for whom Christ dyed therefore we are for ever freed from the punishment of sinne The more we know this truth the more sweet is Christ to us and the more fixed on Christ our hearts will be the more we love and obey him and contend for the truth once delivered to the Saints This subject is love the best love which is most sweet and full of divine consolation In the view thereof I trust you shall finde some sweetnesse and if you had not injoyed this sweetnesse you could not have sented it forth so naturally fully and sweetly to me as you have done I have great cause to be thankfull to you and to God for you your love to me hath caused me to dedicate this small Treatise to you as a testimony of my hearty thankfulnesse to you for your love the Lord blesse you and keepe you from all evill So he prayes that remaines Your much obliged Samuel Richardson Of the Justification of a Sinner before GOD. Rev. 1. 5. Vnto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in bis own bloud THese words declare the vertue fruit and efficacy of Christs bloud and the priviledges and happinesse of the Elect by it The word our comprehends the Elect as appeares John 17. 29. 6 37. c. Rom. 11. 17. Acts 20. 26. By the word sin here we are not to understand the being of sin for sin hath still a being in the Saints Paul saith Sin dwelleth in me Rom. 7. 17. see 1 Joh. 1. 8. In many things we sin all nor are we to understand it of the pollution and defilement of sin for sin is as filthy or and as abominable as ever and as defiling â—he ever therefore by sin we are to understand oâ— the charge curse wrath the condemnation of sin viz. the whole punishment of sin The word washed is a borrowed word from washing the dirt and filth from cloths c. so here washed us from our sinnes separated and clensed us from sinne viz. the punishment of sinne This him that hath washed us is Jesus Christ Rev. 1. 5. The word bloud comprehends his death and something else as appeares Heb. 9 22. 2â— He offered himselfe through the eternall Spirit 1 Joh. 1. 14. The life and substance of all lay hid under this vaile that is to say his flesh Heb. 10. 26. By vertue of this union there was such a worth in Christs bloud as was able to doe it 1 Pet. 1. 19. with Acts 20. 28. Hath washed us in his own bloud which declares that it is done and therefore it s not a doing nor to be done for he did it in his own bloud that is when he shed his bloud his own bloud that is the bloud of his body by his death he did wash and clense us from our sinnes that is from the punishment of them The cause why he washed us from our sinnes that was his love which was in himselfe nothing in us or done by us did cause him to y dye for us Doct. That Jesus Christ by his death upon the Crosse he fully freed his from sin that is to say the punishment of sin for ever as fully as if they had never sinned For prooâ—e consider these Arguments or Reasons drawn from Scripture and I shall be the 〈◊〉 large in it because there is much consolation in it also it is denied by many who ascribe our Justification from sin to beleeving c. For from the Scriptures I thus reason Argu 〈◊〉 Iâ— Jesus Christ hath suffered for our sinnes then he hath suffered the whole punishment of sin if so then we are freed from the punishment of sin and if he freed us not from that his suffering for us was ineffectuall and he freed us not from any thing at all for there was nothing we were liable unto but the punishâ—ent of sinne But Christ suffered for us for our sinnes the just suffered for the unjust 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. He was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. He offered himselfe for the errors of the people Heb. 9. 7. The punishment of our sin was death In the day thou earest thereof thou shalt dye Gen. 2. 17 Christ tasted death and underwent the same Heb. 2. 9. He gave himselfe for our sinnes Eph 2. He laid downe his life for ours Joh. 10. 15. Christ shed his bloud for the remission of sinne Mat. 26. 28. Therefore it was sufficient for the remission of sinne if it be remitted the punishment is taken away if his life was not sufficient for ours his precious bloud sufficient to satisfie for all our sinnes 1 Pet. 1. 19. to what purpose did he die for us The law said Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3. 10. So that we were under the curse nor liable to it the curse was the punishment of sin Christ to free us from it he was made a curse for
yet the comforts in that state exceed the crosses The best marriages are not free from crosses A married condition is a state of care and trouble Marriage breaches are not easily healed they seeme to be healed before they are They provide ill for their own comforts who in marriage lay a foundation of discontent as those doe who marry persons of another judgement and practice in Religion Every good man is not fit for every good woman Persons ill joyned carry their complaints to their graves Few in marriage deny themselves In marriage few choose the best things wealth and beauty are too much desired by the best In the choice of a husband or wife next Religion care is to be had of their dispoâ—ition because we are not made of brasse but of flesh Such as are married need observe all the passages of Gods providence in bringing them together that they may see God in it to increase love and cause content Mortification The quicker the temptation is a taking the lesse mortification when the thoughts of former sinnes prove snares lust is strong the more sin disturbs us in duty the more it prevailes in the heart Of mankinde The nature of man is subject to extremities either to be sad in want or wanton in fruition It 's the nature of man the more he is kept from a thing the more to desire it No man is wholly free from humane frailties oft he is as a bird catched in a snare before he is aware The wit of man is ready to defend that which pleaseth him It 's not comely for a man to beg or to complaine it tends to the griefe of his friend and the joy of his eâ—emy It 's best to handle weake persons tenderly and wilfull ones roughly It 's but in vaine to trust in men to day they erre to morrow they perish It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in Princes We need observe humorous persons for they have sudden pangs and passions from affection not judgement that rise high on a sodaine and fall as fast when the humor is over one sex is more prone to this then the other A man may know whether he be good or bad by observing his principle and his constant inclination to will is present with me Man cannot make straight that which God hath made crooked There is no man so honest and upright that never swarved from the duty of a good man Such measure as we mete to others we oft meet with Melancholy A small matter finkes one that is melancholy Of meanes It 's hard to trust God for that for which we see no meanes to attaine When all meanes saile God will send help in the mount will the Lord be seene Of mourning It 's best to mourne alone and to rejoyce with company It 's profitable to goe to the house of mourning and to behold a dying man Of malice The malice of the Devill few know fewer well waigh fewer wisely and carefully resist Nature Nature cannot well beare a sudden alteration That which is naturaâ—l to a man he is constant in and acteth unconstrained Nâ—cessity He is wise that converteth necessity into a vertue That which cannot be cured must be endured Memory Order is a help to memory and understanding Originall The originall is God whom if we know we know the originall Ordination What God hath ordained it must be mans ordination oft comes to nothing Order For want of order some reade much and profit little Offences None are more forward to take offence then those who are most forward to give offence Such as are fullest of failings can least beare with others failing Christ and his truth and people are a great offence in the eyes of many Obedience Obedience is a harsh word to proud persons Our obedience to God is most direct when there is nothing else to sweeten the action It is not safe to judge of our obedience by the successes of it but by the Word Of oaths An oath is of force to him that thinkes it lawfull bound to keep it but when that opinion is ceased it doth more hurt then good Because of oaths the Land mournes Of peace Man cannot give peace unill the LORD speak peace there is no peace Where no peace is there may be quietnesse or silence Those that injoy peace doe so prize it that they are afraid to loose it The people of God are a peaceable people He can easily be at peace with men that knows God is at peace with him When peace among the good is wanting the Devill works strongly When quietnesse is in the heart there is not much disquietnesse in the tongue He that can but a little deny himselfe may injoy much peace Profession The Saints are subject to let goe their profession Prevent He wills his fall whose fall he could prevent but would not Providence When meanes faile God can help without Sometimes wise men want breadâ— politick men riches skilfull men favour with others The providence of God reacheth all things yet few observe it A froward and discontented spirit doth not know minde nor acknowledge the will and providence of God As we are discontented at the providence of God so much carnall reason and so much want of faith The providence of God discovers his willâ— as â—ell as his Word though not in the same way Every thing happeneth to every man yet nothing happeneth but what and when God appointeth it Prise That which a man prizeth most he loves best and is most provoked when hindred in the injoyment of it Paâ—ience Patience suppresseth and restraineth great â—isâ—hiese Patience is a salve for all sores Patience will keep a man from being miseâ—able though it cannot keep him from misery Impatience doth perplex distract a man He that would be a patient man must not take liberty to be angry at trifles Of porâ—ions Great portions and great stomacks high spirits and costly fashions and great expences oft goe together A lesser portion with prudence in seven yeares may equall one much greater Pride As a naturall man groweth in giâ—ts and parts so he groweth in pride Pride is one of the greatest enemies to the free love of God Pride is the nurse of hypocrisie The pride of man befooles him The proudest men are the weakest and most troubled with discontent He that thinkes not himselfe great thinkes there is no great hurt done if he be a little wronged If we did fully know our selves we could not be proud We are ready to be most proud of that which should most humble us Spirituall pride is usually cured with a fall Our delicate fare costly apparrell and idlenesse causeth the wise to despise us Passion Passion robs us of quietnesse and confidence which is our strength Passion doth no good in the things of God or man When we give way to passion the Devill enterâ— Passion distracts counsell and judgement and causeth to erre in the choice of
a right end meanes and time Untamed passion is the cause of unquietnesse The cause of anger and passion is ignoâ—ance and pride Contrary passions are cured with their contâ—aries as mourning is with joy As unhewen stones so unhewen spirits are uâ—fit for the house of God Of poverty Some to escape poverty run into greater poverty It 's better to be poore and weaned from the world then rich and covetous Many are much afraid of poverty yet it never did any hurt The poore are out of danger of being flattered The heires of heaven are oft pinched with poverty Saints who are Kings lie in prison Men spend their time in idlenesse and wast their estate in costly apparrell and fare and then say they are not able to supply the necessities of the poore people of God A childe of God in his greatest want of outward things is not poore because God is his God A slack hand in giving to the poore and a slâ—ck hand in labour each maketh poore Some have sweetly injoyed God when fed with bread and water and have had sweet smiles from God when they could not see the face of one friend In the want of outward comforts the Saints have injoyed sweet comforts from God they have more experience of Gods faithâ—ulnesse care and love see more of their own hearts are more spirituall and humble and live more upon God and are more weanâ—d from the world then those that are rich Prospeâ—ity Prosperity swels â—he heart with pride The prosperity of fooles destroys theâ— Prosperity causeth men to forget 〈◊〉 and themselves Many a childe of God hath found prosperity hath done him more hurt then good Outward peace begets plenty plenty begets security and idlenesse and idlenesse begets all evill It 's in vaine for those in prosperity to think it will last long Of pleasure Pleasure is a flattering delight The pleasures of the body are the poyson of the soule Those whose eyes are open see outward pleasures to be but meane things The more carnall the heart is the more it affects naturall pleasures In idlenesse delight and pleasures the Devill-easily intangleth men in his snares Theâ— mistake the time and place of pleasures that expect it in this world heaven is the Saints place of pleasure Sin is desired for the pleasure of it but there is more griefe misery then pleasure Sinfull pleasure ends in sorrow Such as delight in pleasure shall finde their greaâ—est pleasure become their greatest pains Such as thinke on the supposed pleasure and sweetnesse of sin are deceived and insnared Promises The promises of God are a great stay and comfort to a childe of God The promises of God are the foundation of the Saints comfort The promises of God are free full and firme The promises of God beares up the soule in all straights There was never any ashamed that did rest onely upon God in his promise The promises of God do not make His neither wicked nor carelesse but more fruitfull and serviceable The wicked desire promises for peace and not to strengthen them against sin One promise from a man pleaseth them more then ten from God Some men are freeâ— in promises then in performances Of praises of men He that prizeth others praises he injoyes not God nor himselfe Prayer Necessity teacheth to pray When the heart is filled with feares prayer powres them out Prayer puts the heart into possession of peace Prayer sweetens all troubles That which a man obtaines by prayer it inlargeth his spirit God by prayer supports his in the greatest troubles Verball prayer causeth great deadnesse There is no duty so counterfeited as prayer is Prayer is more of the minde and heart then of the mouth When prayer is wanting the action of fin is as ready as the tentation Some pray when they should sleep and sleep in prayer and pray when they should worke but wisdome divides to each their proper time and season By prayer we attaine a more sense and feeling of our wants and more strength to pray A good conscience nourisheth faith and faith prayer He that makes prayer the end of his praying rests in his prayer and prayes to no purpose What many build up by prayer they pâ—ll downe by their practice by remisness â—lightnesse and frothinesse of spirit Princâ—ples When a principle of error is taken â—or a principle of truth the more it is relied on the worse it is Preacher He that doth not rightly distinguish between the Law and the Gospel is not a good Preacher nor a good Christian Quietnesse Man disquiets himselfe in vaine A quiet soule is the seate of wisdome In tâ—e worst times a Saint may quiet himselfe in God In quietnesse confidence is our strength Untill men be satisfied they cannot be setled quietnesse is the fruit of both Satan hath most advantage against us when we are troubled and disquieted He that is troubled because others words answer not his desires cannot injoy quietnesse They injoy most quietnesse of minde that most submit themselves to the providence of God Reason Naturall Reason cannot be satisfied in things spirituall because they are above the fight and reach of nature Religion The Saints finde sweetnesse in the bitterest things in Religion Where Religion is in truth it is in power and it enableth a man to practise it There are no people one indeed that dissent in Religion It 's not possible for all men to be of one Religion and judgement because their understandings and ends differ When a man differs in Religion those from whom he dissents load on him false things to make him odious thus many condemne as odious those whose arguments they cannot answer nor dare offer to answer Most men love that Religion best which best sutes with their lusts as honour pleasure ease and their bellies A forme of Religion with riches is imbraced rather then the power of Religion with poverty The Religion of many is to be irreligious In these dayes iniquity abounds and many depart from the faith to needlesse dispâ—tes and principles that destroy the foundation of Religion Most men take their Religion upon trust and hold it by the copy of mens countenances and certain reservations and the permission of their lusts Mens lives and Religions are commonly alike He that will not leave his sin for his Religion will leave his Religion for his sin A little Religion will goe a great way in great persons His Religion is to little purpose whose knowledge is not distinct and certain It makes much for the benefit and comsort of a Christian to understand the grounds and principles of Religion Rules When we come to the particular case if it concerne our selves we forget the Rule A weak mens Rules may be better then the best mens actions The Rules of many mens actions are onely tâ—eiâ— own wills Suâ—h as like not the Rules of God in his Word like the Devils and their own Of Ruling When a man comes to Rule he