of which he was hewen and is not onely humbled thereby but forced with an holy admiration to wonder at the marvellous and extraordinary change which God hath wrought in him and also instructed to trust onely to Christs obedience in whom onely our good works are accepted and for whom alone they are rewarded To shut up all he endeavours so to live as if there were no Gospel and so to dye as if there were no Law CHAP. XXIV 1. ONely it remains that you look your selves in this Glasse and â—ry your selves by this touchstone for though others may give a shrewd ghesse yet the Mother knowes best whether the Child be like the Father or no and the signs of Salvation are to be sought in our selves as the cause in Iesus Christ our Justification is to be proved by the fruits of our Sanctification and though faith alone justifieth yet justifying faith is never alone but ever accompanied with spiritual graces the beauties of the soul and good works the beauty of graces yea they are as inseparable as the root and the sap the Sun and its light and as Fire may be discerned by heat and life by motion so a mans faith may be discerned by the fruits of it Nor can any one be deceived except he desires to deceive himself for every particular man is either the Child of God or the Child of the Devil as Chrysostome hath it for there is not a mean betwixt them and there be more differences between the Children of God and the Children of the Devil then there are between Men and Beasts whereof I have named not a few for whatsoever you may find the one herein set forth to speak think or do the other does the contrary and to have the true Character of an unbeliever you need but read this Chracter of a true Believer backward understand all by the rule of contraries and be satisfied I speak this to Naturians onely for the regenerate man knowes the one to be so by what he is and the other by what he hath been neither is there one of all these signes or characters but each experienced Christian finds it in some degree written in his heart as his conscience can bear me witnesse And would you know whether you belong to Christ This will inform you you will by help from above endeavour to bring into captivity every thought and thing to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. 1 Joh. 2. 4 but so have not you in the least so long as you love not or any way oppose the people of God for the very first part of conversion is to love them that love God 1 Ioh. 3. 10. yea in reason if the Image of God by faith were repaired in thee thou couldest not but be delighted with those that are like thy self And what saith S. Iohn He that pretends interest in God or Christ and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Ioh. 2. 4. and in the third Chapter and eighth Verse he affirms plainly That all wilful Sinners are the Devils servants And indeed let men flatter themselves or pretend what they will it cannot be denyed but the fruit tells best the name of the Tree the conversation above all shewes who carries the bridle of the will whether God or Satan and did not men purposely shut their eyes and stop their ears and harden their own hearts least they should see and hear and so be converted as our Saviour himself speaks Metth. 13. 15. they could not but know that the whole Bible beats upon this It is Saint Pauls everlasting rule Rom. 6. 16. Ye are his servants to whom ye obey And Saint Peters infallible Doctrine 2 Pet. 2. 19. Of whom a man is overcome unto him he is in bondage And Saint Iohns In this are the Children of God known and the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God but of the Devil 1 Ioh. 3. 8 10. And after this manner does our Saviour reason with the Iewes Ioh. 8. 33 to 48. See then whose Commands ye do Gods or Satans if Satans then saith Saint Iohn Let no man deceive you through vain words for he onely that doth righteousnesse is righteous and he that doth unrighteousnesse is of the devil 1 Ioh. 3. 7 8. wherefore if thou art a common Drunkard or a continual Swearer or an usual companion of Harlots or an accustomary Deceiver or a frequent â—landerer of thy Neighbour or an open and common Sabbath-breaker or canst thou boast of thy sin and mischief or defend it If thou makest no conscience of Praying in thy Family if thou callest evil good and good evil if thou hatest thy Brother for doing that which is good as Cain did Abel if Ismael-like thou mockest or Cham-like thou scoffest at the religious or usest bitter jests against them though it be under the notion of Round-heads Puritanes Sectaries Black-coats or the like if thou raisest slanders of them or furtherest them being raised if thou dost rejoyce at the secret infirmities of the godly or open scandals of Hypocrites if thou dost carp and fret against the Word refusing to heart it or withstandest the preaching of it if being a Minister thou disgracest or râ—vilest the godly in thy preaching so making sad the hearts of the righteous or justifiâ—st the wicked so strengthening them in their evil courses by preaching unto them peace if thou hast a base esteem of Gods people and their wayes and thinkest the worse of a man for scrupling small matters if thou makest Religion a cloak for villany if thou dost borrow or run in debt without care to pay again if thou delightest in cruelty if thou takest no care to provide for thine own Family if thou hadst rather the wicked should bear rule then the godly if thou art an enemy to reformation if thou hadst rather disobey God then displease great ones if thou desirest peace without any respect to truth if thou dost allow thy self in the practice of any known grosse sin if thou takest liberty to sin because God is merciful and forbears to execute judgment speedily if thou dost not believe all things to be ordered by Gods providence and in particular acknowledge him in all thou either receivest or sufferest if thou murmurest when thou wantest any thing without ever thinking of the many things thou hast beyond thy desert if thou canst hear God blasphemed and dishonoured without being moved thereat if the scandalous lives of Professors or the multitude of Heresies that are daily broached make thee think and speak evil of the way of truth if thou didst never see thy self out of measure sinful as being many wayes guilty of the breach of every of the Commandements in particular and so in a lost condition utterly despairing of all help in thy self acknowledging that thou hast deserved all the plagues of this life and of that which is to come if thou art not as
in his Word allowes or condemns them he censures none for things indifferent but you must â—e able to alledge the violation of some Law much lesâ—e will he mâ—ck oâ— despise a man for his poverty or any naturall defect as for judging anothers thoughts to be evil when he cannot tax his life or making ill constructions of good actions or sleighting and disparaging them or thinking the worse of a man for having of a tender conscience he utterly abhors He is not easily suspitious without just cause neither will he willingly wrest mens words or misconster their meanings but take their sayings and doings in the best sense He will â—ot hearken to talâ—-bearers nor is he apt to beleeve an evil report without good ground neither will he condemn a man without hearing him speak He never determins of any ones finall estaâ—e be he never so wicked well knowing that God may change his heart in a moment neither will he conclude one to be a wicked man or an hypocrite for appearances or moates or some sudden eruptions or common infirmities or for sinnes before conversion or for this or that single act of grosse impiety when the main tenor and course of his life besides is a continuall current of honesty and goodnesse though he may suspend his good opinion in case of some unexpected misdemeanour or for lesser evils either affected or often repeated He is tender-hearted and can bear with the infirmities of the weak and is ready to cherish them that are cast down He does not expect a full growâ—h of Grace in the Cradle of a mans conversion yea he yeelds the best Christians in this their state of imperfection their graynes of allowance as our Saviour did to his Apostles 2. He will neither backbite others nor give ear to backbiters of others Neither lend Satan his tongue to utter nor his ears to hear nor his heart to beleeve lyes and slanders He will not lesâ—en his own credit by traducing one that wrong him he will not lessen his own shame and blame by traducing one he hath wronged as too many do He wonders not so much at anothers ingratitude to him as at his own unthankfulnesse to God He will pardon many things in others which he will not tolerate in himself He will neither arrogate to himself nor derogate from another neither vilifie other mens doings nor over highly prize his own He will not condemn censure or slight that which â—e understands not To finde gall in a Pidgion a knot in a Bulrush where is none is none of his humour In relating an enemies words he will neither adde to them nor diminish from them The faults of a few shall not make him uncharitable to all nor the goodnesse of many make him credulous of the rest He envies none for doing or faring or being better esteemed then himself CHAP. XIII 1. HE is more knowing then the men of the world for as he hath the light of the Spirit and the eye of faith above them so the Word of Christ dwelleth in him plentifully in all wisedom and spirituall understanding and he increaseth daily in the knowledge of God and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ because God reveals himself to him in a great measure as to his friend Besides his knowledge is about the best things and one drop of soul wisedom and saving knowledge guided by the fear of God is more worth then all humane learning And to this knowledge unbeleevers are meer strangers Yea be they never so wise and learned in other things they have only the theory of this wisedom they can prattle of it by roat but they know not what it is by effect and experience Yea if a man want faith holinesse the love of God and the Spirit of God to be his teacher he shall not be able really and by his own experience to know the chief points of Christian Religion such as are faith repentance regeneration the love oâ— God the presence of the Spirit the remission of sinnes the effusion of grace the possession of heavenly comforts nor what the peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost is nor what thâ—communion of Saints means when every one of these are easie and familiar to the meanest and simplest Beleever And the reason is the Beleever digests his knowledge into practise and imployes it to the glory of the giver his neighbours good and the furthering of his own salvation He is neither ungrounded in the Principles of Religion nor unconscionable in the practice Each Book or Sermon both increaseth his knowledge and lessens his vices Yea he will pick something out of every thing and gather honey from the self same thing that others will poyson Anothers hating the truth shall make him love it the more for he iâ— instructed both by similitude and contrariety Whereas let the unbeleever know never so much he is resolved to be never the better and they who are unwilling to obey God thinks unworthy to know Whence it is also that as what the Beleever doth is good for the matter so he will do it well also for the manner and in all his actions observe whether his ends be good or evil for he will do good actions with good intentions and not be moved unto them by baâ—e end as is the unbeleever Nor is he puffed up either with his knowledge or parts well knowing that he is ignorant of many things for a few that he understands and that he falls short of others in what he most excells Nor will he build upon his knowledge but in cases doubtfull he will advise with others Yea he will submit to the better advice even of his inferiour or maid-servant 2. He is not erronious in his judgement he neither affects curiosity nor singularity which is the foolish ambition of unblest understandings But he wholly applies himself to those things which God hath revealed in his Word and to the confirmation of received truths which is the meeknesse and humility of the best judgements and so is wise according to sobriety Nor does he so cry up Justification as to cry down and quite overthrow Sanctification He reades and hears with an hâ—nâ—st and good heart and to the end only that he may know savingly beleeve rightly and live religiously and God granâ—s his desire in all the â—hrâ—e He is resolved to do Gods Will thâ—refore God gives him to know the Doctrine whâ—â—her it be oâ— God or no Neither will he give heed nor lend his â—ar to the iâ—â—ising words of false Propherts or spirits of 〈◊〉 who speak lyâ—s 〈…〉 as having their consciences burned with an 〈◊〉 iron None can bâ—gâ—ile him with their sleights and 〈◊〉 craftinesse whâ—râ—by they lye in wait to deceive for his hearâ— is stablished with grace He is not wauering nor carried about with every winde of Doctrine which vain talkers and deceivers of mindes daily vent because he is rooted and stablished in the faith He avoides all
very observable shall I shew you how the Lord blesâ—eth him in every thing he takes in hand or that does befall him I pray observe the severals and then if you be not yet a Beleever you will neglect no means indeavouror opportunity to obtain such a blessed condition the particulars are many I le mention a few only First if he be in prosperity as he shall be sure to have plenty of all outward things if God sees that it would be good for him so that he shall lend to others but shall not borrow himself He will be accordingly thankfull and as God blesseth him more or lesse so will he do good and the more rich the more rich will he be in good works and the more ready to distribute and communicate For he is pitifull and ready to shew mercy where is need and to defend rescue and deliver the oppressed out of the hands of their enemies and oppressors if he have power and opportunity to do it And by reason of his bountifulnesse to the poor he becometh more rich so that he is not more ready to pray for blessings in his want then he is to give thanks for them being obtained And be he never so rich he is not high minded neither does he trust in uncertain riches but in the living God For in his prosperity he forgetteth not his former low estate but is ever mediâ—ating upon and admiring the Lords goodnesse towards him Yea he sets a Memoâ—andum upon every remarkable mercy that he may not forget it and admires that God should set his delight and love upon him and choose him above many others and this makes him strive to surpasse others in his love and service to God again Whereas unbeleevers when they are waxed fat with the good blessings of God they will spurn with the heel and forsake God that made them not once regarding the strong God of their salvation but provoke him with strange Gods and other abominations but it fares not so with the Beleever neither doth he so requite the Lord And as he is thankfull to the Author so likewise to any that he shall make instrumentall for his good thinking himself bound to remember and requite good turns 2. Secondly if he falls into adversity or any kind of distresse he knowes it is sent of the Lord in love and to do him good and to give him occasion of rejoycing afterwards He wâ—â—l considers that scarce any thing more proves us his then his stripes that stripes from the Almighty are so farre from arguing his displeasure that contrarily there are few better tokens and pledges of his adoption and love and that they are bastards and not sonnes who are without correction And so it is that as many as God loves he rebukes and chastens And as it is sent for his good so it doth him good crosses in his estate diseases in his body maladies in his minde are medicines to his soul the impairing of the one is the repairing of the other His sinne dies with his fame or with his health or with his peace or with his outward estate Yea it both lessons his sins and increaseth his graces for God sends him afflictions both for his instruction and reformation to scout away the rust of corruption and to try the truth of his sanctification for the increase of his patience and the exercise of his faith and the improvement of his zeal and to provoke his importunity and to double his obligation to greaten each other grace and to augment his glory Again he inflicts a lesse punishment to avoid a greater and by smarting in his body state or name he is saved from smarting in his soul He is chastened that he may be converted not confounded his worser part to wit his body state or name is impoverisht that his better part that is his soul may be saved in the day of Judgement But see it in some particulars as first how it makes him humble and thankfull for he not only calls to minde his own unworthinesse of the least mercy he still injoyes and how he hath provoked the giver for he is ever meditating of what Christ hath done and suffered for him and how he hath provoked Christ but he also compares what he suffers with what he might have suffered arguing thus with himself He that hath taken this from me might have taken more he that afflicts me for a time could have held me longer he that hath touched me in part could have stricken me in whole he that laid this upon my body hath power to lay a greater rod both upon my body and soul without doing me the least wrong And so goes on I was born a childe of wrath and whereas God might have left me in that perishing condition and chosen others he hath of his free grace adopted me and left others And this makes him cry out O the depth as a mercy beyond all expression saying further O my soul thou hast nor room enough for thankfulnesse And the truth is if we could but seriously think upon our deliverance from hell fire it alone would be thought cause enough to make us both patient and thankfull though the things we now delight in be taken from us And sure I am nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures in Heaven which shall endure for ever O that we could keep fast in our memories but these two things and upon all occasions make use of them and consider withall that the least mercy is beyond our best merit And no better remedy for impatience then to cast up our receits and compare them with our deservings But secondly Gods corrections are his instructions his lashâ—s lessons his scourges schoolmasters his chastisements advertisements to him by feeling of smart he learns to decline the cause Yea this hath taught him to fly from the works of darknesse at a great distance and to consider as well the bitternesse of what will follow as the sweetnesse of a momentary pleasure and so cleared his sight that he can now discern sinne in all he thinks and speaks and does for he is ever bewailing his wants and weaknesses the hardnesâ—e of his heart want of faith c. Thirdly it abundantly increaseth his joy and comfort for admit Satan and the world should deprive him of all outward comforts at once yet God at the same time will supply the want of these with comforts farre surpassing and transcending them as first the assurance of the pardon of sinne alone is able to clear all stormâ— of the minde it teacheth misery as sicknesse poverty famine imprisonment infamy c. even to laugh for then let death happen it matters not when a malefactor hath sued out his pardon let the Assizes come when they will the sooner the better But to this is added the peace of conscience the marrow of all comforts otherwise called the peace of God which passeth all understanding and surpasseth all commending for never did
told Paul that his Sect was every where spoken against Acts 28. 22. yea all both small and great rich and poor free and â—â—nd receive the mark of the Beast in their fore-heads Rev. 13. 16. so that number is but an ill signe of a good cause or rather it is the best note of the worst way 2. Secondly nor will any wise man think his actions ever the moâ—e warrantable for that he does as the greatest richest and noblest of the Land do for Not many noble are called but as Paul speaks God hath chosen the base things of the world and things that are despised to confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1. 26 27. And hath chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith James 2. 5. yea be â—illeth the hungry with good things whereas he sendeth away the rich empty Luke 1. 52 53. Neither is this the manner of his donation onely but of his acceptation also for God esteems more of vertue clad in rags then of vice in velvit he tespects a man not for his greatnesse but for his goodnesse not for his birth but for his New Birth not for his honour but for hiâ— holinesse not for his wealth buâ— for his wisdome The righeâ—ous â—aith Solomon is more worthy then his neighbour Prov. 12. 26. and Better is the poor that walketh uprightly then he thas perverteth his wayes though he be rich Prov. 28. 6. and thus the Bereans are reputed by the Holy Ghost More noble men then they of Thessalonica because they received the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures whether those things were so which Paul preached Act. 17. 11. Whence it is that David thought it not so happy for him to be a King in his own house as a Door-keeper in Gods house that godly Constantine rejoyced more in being the servant of Christ then in being Emperour of the whole world that Theodosius the Emperour preferred the title of Membrum Ecclesiae before that of Caput Imperii professing that he had rather be a Saint and no King then a King and no Saint yea Ignatius said he had rather be a Martyr then a Monarch Besides experience proves greatnesse nobility and riches to be a most deceitfull rule to walk by for the Kings of the earth â—and themselves and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ Psal. 2. 2. And in 1 King 20. 16. we read of no lesse then two and thirty Kings in a cluster that were every one drunk and elsewhere that a thousand of the chief Princes of Israel committed fornication and were all destroyed for their labour in one day Numb. 25. 9. 1 Cor. 10. 8. yea of twenty Kings of Iudah which the Scripture mentions we read of but six that were godly and of eighteen Kings of Israel all but two are branded by the Holy Ghost for wicked and yet this Nation was Gods peculiar and chosen people out of all the world and lastly when the Rulers sate in counsell against Christ none spake for him but Nicodemus Joh. 7. 50 51. All which shews that it is neither a good nor a safe way to imitate other mens examples be they never so rich never so great or if we sinne together we shall be sure to perish together as when those three and twenty thousand Israelites committed fornication after the example of the chief Princes they were every one destroyed both leaders and followers Numb. 25. 9. 1 Cor 10. 8. and as when those other Cities followed Sodoms Just they were all consumed with Sodoms fire Iude 7. 3. But thirdly admit thou couldest alledge for thine excuse that thou dost but as most of the wife learned and greatest Scholars in the Land do yet all were one this could not excuse thee for first Not many wise men after the flesh are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to câ—nfound the wise 1 Cor. 1. 26 27 29. yea the preaching of Christ crucified was foolishnesse to the wise Sages of the world 1 Cor. 1. 23. It pleaseth God for the most part to hide the mysteries of salvation from the wise and learned and to reveal them unto babes Matth. 11. 25. Luke 10. 2â— yea the saving knowledge of Christ is hid to all that are lost 2 Cor. 4. 3. but if once men abuse their knowledge and learning to Gods dishonour and comply with Satan and the world against the Church as how many Scholars in all ages of the world have resembled Trajan who was indued with great knowledge and other singular vertues but defaced them all by hating Christianity and opposing the power of godlinesse in this case he taketh that knowledge which once they had from them as he took heat from the fire when it would burn his children Dan. 3. 27. I will destroy the tokens of the Sooth-sayers saith God and make them that conjecture fooles I will turn the wise men backward and make their knowledge foolishnesse Isa. 44. 25. And again He taketh the wise in their own craftinesse and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish Job 5. 13. And justly are they forsaken of their reason who have abandoned God yea most just it is that they who want grace should want wit too for which read 2 Thess. 2. 10 11 12. Thus I might go on and shew that we may not imitate the actions nor follow the examples of the best and holiest men in every thing they do though we have some plausible reasons for our doing so and also good and holy intentions in our so doing or if we do that we may go to Hell notwithstanding CHAP. 28. 1. But you will say if neither custome of the greatest number nor of the greatest men nor of the greatest Scholars nor of the best and holiest men though we have reason for our doing it and good intentions in the doing of it is a sufficient warrant for our actions but that all these are crooked and deceitfull guides then what may be a safe guide and an infallible rule in all cases to steer by and square all out actions I answer As a Rule directeth the Artificer in his work and keepeth him from erring so doth Gods â—ord direct the religious in their lives and keep them from erring The right way is the signified Will of God and whatsoever swerves from or is repugnant to the right is wrong and crooked Law and Precept is a straight line to shew us whether we do mis-believe or mislive 2 Pet. 1. 19. Ephes. 2. 20. Gal. 6. 16. Iohn 5. 39. And it hath ever been the care of Christians to stick close to the written Word having always and in all cases an eye thereunto and without this written Word a man in the world is as a Ship on the Sea without a guide yea he that lives without making this his rule he who sets not the Diall or Clock of his life by this Sunne he who directeth not his course in walking by