Affections and Predominant they are nothing else but so many Fire-Brands of Confusion Land-Floods exceeding all Reason yea Deluges to bear down our Graces What Euripides spake of Sorrows is as true of all Inordinate Affections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As in a sudden Fray many a Man is wounded so by Tumultuous Affections many a Sin is increased and the Devil like Thieves in Uproares is most diligent about us when our Affections are Distempered within us He can Master us most easily when we can most difficultly Master our selves But if the Affections be rightly set and composed they are then the sweetest Spring of Duty the gentlest Hand-Maids of Grace our best Sails for a Course of Piety the Activest Weapons against Iniquity our Flames in Prayer and Wings to Heaven Therefore Watch these Affections They are a Cole quickly Kindled but not so quickly Extinguished Your Safety lies much in this How they are Set and how they Work The same Strings may make Pleasant Musick or a Jarring Discord All is as they are Set and Fingred Your Affections may be either your Pleasant Garden or your Turbulent Ocean Therefore Watch them for Rectitude of Motion for Measure of Motion and for Order of Motion If your Love which is the General of the Affections should be set not on God but the World or Sin If your Hatred should be directed not against Sin but Good Men or which is worse against Goodness it self If your Zeal should not be pure Flames for Divine Glory but a burning Rage against his Truth If your Fear should not be a Flight from Evil but an Apostasie from Christ If your Anger should be a Displeasure at another's Eminencies and not at your own Exorbitances If your Hope should not be a well-ballanced Expectation of Happiness but a blind and venturous Presumption of Mercy And if your Grief should be Trouble that you cannot be and do more Evil Ah! how Vile how Irregular how Dangerous are Affections thus Routed and Dis-ordered But if Love and Hatred be lookt unto to Keep their Right Centers to Move towards their Proper Objects to Love nothing but Good to Hate nothing but Evil Now there is Rectitude and now there will be Peace and Comfort But stay not here Watch likewise your Affâ—…ctions for their Order and Measure it is difficult to keep and observe these O! How much Holiness of Heart and how large an Influence of Spiritual Wisdom is required to Guide the Affections with an even and befitting Pulse to keep those Mettals in an Expedient Heat That I should utterly Hate and Abhor the Sin and yet Mercifully Pity and Love the Person Be at the same time throughly Zealous and yet abundantly Meek Contend earnestly for the Faith yet all this Contending to be carried without any Contentiousness Beat down Errors and yet not Revile Persons Patiently bear Afflictions and Injuries with Silence and yet not Slight any Suffering with Unsensibleness That when I do Behold much Mercy yet I should Fear And when I Feel much Sin yet I should Hope Not Presume nor yet Despair But temper Faith and Fear Grief and Hope together This is the Orderly Composure of our Affections and the Exercise of it is very Difficult though very Necessary And therefore Watch The last Bull-Wark or Fort which you must keep Watch on is Conscience Solomon calls it the Heart which must be kept with all Diligence There is much to be said why it is to be Watched that I will say but little Is it not God's Vicegerent in Man The Spy up on us Our Great Counsellour Our Best Friend or Worst Enemy Our Heaven of Peace or Hell of Torment Our Wall of Brass or Prison of Iron Know ye not the Vigorous Supports of its Excusing Testimony What Confidence it gave to the Martyrs at the Bar and what Rejoycing even in the Flames Have ye not heard the Terrible Affrightments and Amazements of its Condemning Power How when it hath been awaken'd and stir'd it hath so Imprinted on the Proud Sinner the Wrath of the Great God that he hath been driven to Great Consternation Well! be Advised in time Great Sins will make Great Wounds in Conscience yea and Little Sins Committed against the Light of Conscience will occasion great Stirs and Troubles Speak no more against Conscience Write no more against Conscience Flatter no more against Conscience Live not in any Sin do nothing against Conscience Remember what befel Francis Spira who adventured against the strong Dictates of his Conscience he could not Recover Peace to his Dying-Day Remember what besel Origen who consented to Sacrifice But Lord What Horrors what Confusions what Lamentations what Despairs what Extream Exigencies in Conscience did attend him for Sinning thus Remember Iudas also who Sold his Master to the High-Priest He Sold his Master indeed but Sold his Peace too Instantly is he Arrested and Charged by Conscience and the Guilt of his Sin Crucified Him before the Rage of the Souldiers could Crucify his Master No Rest no Hope He chose Death rather than Life and hastened to Hell it self for some Ease O therefore Watch to Conscience Get it Renewed and Purged from Dead Works Obey it when it brings Light from Heaven to Command Wound it not by Corrupt Errors and Practioâ—…s Keep it Undefiled and Resolute Farewel Peace farewel Comfort Hope God Heaven Happiness if you Sell your Consciences But if you would Live in Life Enjoy your Selves Live in Death Enjoy your Hopes Live after Death Enjoy God and Christ As you desire Comfort from God from the Creatures from your Selves Watch keep Conscience Right and Sound No not for all the World make Shipwrack of Conscience Thy Ark is Lost if Conscience be Split Secondly The Ports or Gates to be Watched and Guarded by which We Go out and an Enemy may Come in These Ports are our Outward Senses by which the Soul Goes out and Objects Come in I cannot so distinctly Prescribe for these as for the rest only this we know That Sensible Objects have great Force to actuate and excite Peculiar Corruptions and Vile Temptations usually slip in and Co-operate with Outward Representations Satan by the Goodly Fruit deceived the Eye of Eve and Corrupted her to Transgression David's wandring Eye occasioned two Horrid Sins one of Adultery the other of Murder Therefore set a Strict Watch upon this Port or Sense of Seeing Iob did so He made a Covenant with his Eyes And Solomon Advises the Iunker not to Look on the Wine when it gives its Colour in the Glass And also not to Come near the Doors or Presence of the Strumpet Epiphanius saith That in the Old Law when any Dead Body was carryed by any House they were enjoyned to shut their Doors and Windows And in a Moral Sense the same Counsel were good for us When any Objects are apt to come in at the Windows of our Eyes Entising Alluring us to Sin shut the Windows presently lest Death should Enter by
TO THE Religious Worthy Mr. IOSEPH HOLDEN OF LONDON Gent. And my much Esteemed Friend Dear Honored Sir THE Dedication of Books unto Persons of Worth and Interest Service and Honor though often abused to Vain Flattery is of Antient Use and oft-times doth Secure the same from the Euroclydons of a Censorious Age And therefore the Custom is not to be Despised especially considering that one of the Pen-men of Holy Scripture hath Hallowed it by his Practice who Inscribeth his Gospel and his Acts to Theophilus a Person both Eminent in Religion and Dignify'd with Birth and Place which ever since has been Imitated by the Best and Wisest of Men in all Ages So that I shall use no further Apology on this Account But the Reasons why I Address my Self to You in this manner and Prefix your Name to this Work are many a few whereof may not be needless here to Insert viz. Your eximious Piety Faithfulness and Zeal towards God your laudable Love towards and Tenderness of all under what Names of Discrimination so-ever that have but aliquid Christi in them which is rare now a-days Sir I speak my Conscience That this is as an Orient Pearl shining in your Breast and in which lies much of your Eminency viz. Unfeigned Love to the Brethren which is one of those Excellent Things that accompany Salvation And that your Love is Unfeigned appears from the Spirituality and the Universality of it Your Love is Spiritual because it is a Love for the Image of God that is stamped on the Creature In the next place It is Universal in that it extends to all Saints as Saints how-ever Distinguished among us and not making this or that Difference in Judgment a Difference in Affection which too oft-times is Saintship is the Ground of your Love and where-ever you Espy it you Like it Love it and Admire it though their Errors may be many so they be not Fundamental and Approved Your Faith is enough to Justify this before God and your Good Works enough to Justify it before Men Of your Good Works many poor Souls besides God Angels and your own Conscience are Witnesses of Among whom I may well be accounted one who am able to attest the Largness of your Heart unto poor Christians and the Filling-up that Relation in which you stand viz. Your Succouring me in my Tempted Condition your Fervent Prayers Set and Occasional Solemn and Sudden that were made with and for me your gracious Words feeling Expressions pious Discourses wholsom Admonitions divine Cordials simpathizing Epistles And lastly which Crowned all was your incouraging and forwarding me in that Holy Work and Function where-unto God has called me of which I must have despaired as to all secundary Causes and outward Instruments assisting of me had not God stir'd up your Heart towards me on the Fore-sight of what I am now through Divine Providence arrived unto In a word You believed for me what I could not believe for my self So that my present State is an Effect of your Faith and a Fruit of your Hope and Labor which I desire may be to the Glory of God the Good of Immortal Souls and the Fulfilling of your Expectations which I know are High concerning me And well they may because of Expence that I have put you to Besides Your owning of me against the furious Onset of some prejudiced * Persons whose Names I shall conceal for the Glory of God's Sake and their own Reputation that would have parted between Friend and Friend by whispering in your Ears things of me unbecoming them of their Place to say especially considering me to be a Brother though the Younger One and the Unworthiest of all Yet none of these Things could byass your Unbyassed Disposition towards me and by vertue of that Spirit of Discerning which God has given you was more able to Judg of me than they And therefore they could not come to a Person with whom their Tales could be more unwelcom than with you Whence it is that notwithstanding those Jealousies which they would have fomented you have continued your Favor hither-to unto me This together with many other of your Favours which to enumerate I know would but disgust you have obliged me to this unfeigned Expression of my Gratitude and Service in what I may or can especially for your constant Countenance your undeserved Bounty and your propitious Acceptance of my poor fore-past Labors So that if you will but accept of this Plain and Unpolished Discourse also it will be an Additional Favor unto all the former My Confidence beloved Sir is in your Self and not in any thing of my Stile here that may merit an Admission into the Cabinet of your more serious Thoughts Matter and Method being both plain Only this I can say for my Book The Things contained in it are Weighty and High though the Expressions are Plain and Familiar And I know not of any thing here handled but I first tried it by the Touchstone of the Word and could Seal to it by my own Experience So that what comes to the View of your Eye will I question not but be approved Some Rhetorical Flourishes that some much use are here wanting yet I am almost confident that it will prove Acceptable unto you that be my Friend and whose Property all along has been to wink at small Faults This Book I hope though it is not set out as some are may be useful to Christians of all sorts and sizes viz. Babes Little Children Young Men and Fathers and I suppose the Unconverted may find something here-in to Chew also When I Preached these things it was not without good Acceptation and Success as I have not a little Cause to presume The Happiness of Believers and the Unhappiness of Unbelievers is here opened The Nature of True Saving Faith is handled Iustification by Faith hinted The Potency of Christ's Intercession on the Behalf of the Elect Believers Perseverance Satan's Wiles Discovered Together with many other Useful Things All very Material Practical and Soul-searching Now these Good Sir do I Present unto you not that you needed them For I question not but that you have Treasured up every Thing that may be of Excellency in this Book long before my Time that am but of Yester-day My Desire is only as in part I have said already to express what I would if I could And more-over To let you see something that God has done for me and that your Endeavours have not been in vain 〈◊〉 the Lord. What is here was intended you sooner but some Emergent Occasions intervening prevented Besides my Design was â—…o have buried it in Oblivion â—…ut only that some that were Friends to it Revived it If this â—…ittle Spark may give Light or Heat to any Heart I shall have my desire What now remains ever Honored Sir but that God may Prosper you in all your lawful Undertakings That
so Faith works by Love which it Excites Love 't is true is the Grace that at last possesseth the Inheritance But it is Faith that gives the Christian Right unto it without which he should never have Enjoyed it Ioh. 1. 12. To as many as Received Him He gave Power to become the Sons of God Faith is the Grace of Graces It stands among them as the Heart in the midst of the Body Other Graces are but Stars unto this Shining Sun And now that Faith hath such a peculiar Excellency above all other Graces I shall shew in these following Particulars First In that the Apostle Recommends it to us above all Things what-so-ever Ephes. 6. 16. Above all taking the Shield of Faith where-with ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked That Faith hath a Preheminence above other Graces appears 1. By the Piece of Armour he compares it to the Shield which of Old was prized above all other Pieces by Souldiers They counted it greater Shame to Lose their Shield than to Lose the Field And therefore when under the very Foot of the Enemy they would not part with it but esteemed it an Honour to Dye with their Shield in their Hand It was the Charge that one laid upon her Son going into the VVars when she gave him a Shield That he should either bring his Shield Home with him or he be brought Home upon his Shield She had rather see him Dead with it than come Home Alive without it 2. By the Noble Effect which is here ascribed to Faith By which ye shall quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked The other Pieces are nakedly Commended Take the Girdle of Truth Breast-plate of Righteousness and so the rest but nothing singly ascribed to any of them what they can do But when he speaks of Faith he ascribes the whole Victory to it This quencheth all the fiery Darts of the Wicked Secondly The Commendations that are given to Faith above other Graces shew that it hath the Preheminence For you shall observe that in the same Action wherein other Graces are eminently Exercised as well as Faith even then Faith is taken notice of and the Crown set upon Faith's Head rather than any of the other We hear nothing almost of any other Grace throughout the whole Eleventh of the Hebrews but Faith By Faith Abraham by Faith Jacob and the rest of those Worthies did all those Famous Exploits There was a Concurrence of the other Graces with Faith in them all But all goes under the Name of Faith The whole Army fight yet the General or Captain hath the Honour of the Victory ascribed to him Alexander's and Caesar's Names are transmitted to Posterity as the Great Conquerours that Over-came so many Battles not the Private Souldiers that Fought under them Faith is the Captain-Grace all those Famous Acts of those Saints are Recorded as the Atchievments of Faith Thirdly The High Office that Faith busieth it self about shews its Preheminence above other Graces Now the Office of Faith is two-fold 1. The Office of Faith is to Unite us unto Christ. Faith and the Holy Spirit are the Bonds of the Spiritual Union The Spirit on Christ's part and Faith on Ours Hence it is that Faith is called Vinculum Unionis the Ingrafting Grace And in this it appears that Faith doth more especially Excel all other Graces Other Graces make us like Christ but Faith makes us one with Christ. By Love and Humility we imitate Christ but by Faith we are implanted into Christ. 2. To Justify us Being Iustified by Faith we have Peace with God Not Justified by Love Repentance Patience or any other Grace beside Faith O how harsh doth it sound in a Christian Ear Iustifying Patience Iustifying Repentance If they were concern'd in the Act of Iustification as Faith is the Name would as well become them as it doth Faith it self But we find Iustification Appropriated only to Faith and all other Graces are hedg'd out from having to do in the Act of Iustification though supposed and included in the Person Justified Faith I say Justifies us not Qualitative but Relative in that it apprehends the Righteousness of Christ the Subject matter of our Iustification That we are Justified is not by any Vertue that lies in Faith not in Faith considered purely as a Grace but as it hath Respect to the Object The Vertue is not in Faith but in Christ. Fourthly The Mighty and Universal Influence that Faith hath upon all her Sister-Graces makes her the Chief of them all What makes the Sun so Glorious a Creature but because it is a Common Good and serves all the Lower World with Light and Influence First Faith finds all the Graces with work As the Rich Tradesman gives out his Wool some to this Man and some to that who all Spin and work of the Stock he gives them out So that when he ceaseth to Trade they must also because they have no Stock but what he affords them Thus Faith gives out to every Grace what they Act upon If Faith Trades not neither can they To instance in one or two Graces for all the rest Repentance This is a Sweet Grace but set on work by Faith Niniveh's Repentance is attributed to their Faith Ionah 3. 5. The People of Niniveh believed God and proclaimed a Fast and put on Sackcloath All is whist and quiet in an Unbelieving Soul no News of Repentance nor Noise of any Complaint made against Sin till Faith begins to stir When Faith presents the Threatning and binds the Truth and Terrour of it to the Conscience then the Sinner hath something to work upon Secondly As Faith sets the other Graces on work by actuating their Objects about which they are Conversant So Faith doth assist them in working by fetching Strength from Christ. Christ is the Magazine and Faith the Radical Grace sucks Vertue Vigour and Strength from this Magazine Not to speak any more touching the Preheminence of Faith above other Graces though I might dilate in several Particulars more I shall conclude this Head with those several Appellations that are given to Faith whereby the Glorious Excellencies of that Grace are shadowed forth 1. Faith is called a Key because as a Key it opens Hidden Heavenly Treasure 2. Faith is call'd an Eye because as an Eye it beholds Things though Invisible 3. Faith is call'd an Hand because it layes hold on Eternal Life in that it Apprehends the Merits of Christ by which Salvation is Purchased 4. Faith is call'd a Mouth because it Eats Christ the Bread of Life 5. It is call'd a Ladder by which we Ascend up to Heaven Now in all these the Excellency of Faith discovers it self Moreover Faith is a Tree the Root whereof is a Sound Knowledge of God and his Wayes The Branches thereof is Assent and Application And the Fruits of it is the Production of Good Works Yea so Excellent is Faith that it is compared
9. Iam. 1. 21. Ioh. 1. 14. Arg. 5. Fifthly The Love of God to his Chosen Ones is Unchangeable Ioh. 13. 1. Ier. 31. 3. Isa. 54. 4 5 6 7 8. 10. Arg. 6. Sixthly Their Union with their Head Christ Iesus is Unseparable Ioh. 10. 28. Matth. 16. 18. Hos. 2. 19. Arg. 7. Seventhly The Kingdom and Dominion of Christ within them is Invincible Luk. 1. 33. Luk. 21. 22. Dan. 2. 44. Psal. 2. 9. Arg. 8. Eighthly The Power by which they are Supported is Unconquerable 1 Pet. 1. 4 5. Psal. 73. 24. 1 Cor. 1. 8 9. Arg. 9. Ninethly No Temptation shall utterly cast them down 1 Cor. 10. 13. Matth. 8. 26. Arg. 10. Tenthly The Saving Gifts and Graces of God's Spirit are without Repentance Rom. 11. 29. Ier. 32. 40 41. Arg. 11. Eleventhly All turn for the Best to them that Love God Rom. 8. 28. All these Arguments Christian Reader in my Mind do so Evince the Truth that no Grounds of Doubting can be left SECT III. Testimonies Antient. 1. That this Truth may not appear as a Novelty see it owned by the Church and divers Worthies Antient and Modern Saint Chrysostome on Luk. 22. vers 32. But I have Prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not seems to be of this Opinion Mark saith he he doth not say I have Prayed for thee that thou shouldst not Deny me but I have Prayed that thy Faith should not Vanish and be Abolished As for Augustine 't is well known he writ a whole Book of the Perseverance of the Saints in which he has these Excellent Expressions Perseverance is a continual Profesâ—… of Faith and Demonstration of the â—…its of Faith Because the Elect alâ—…es Retain their Faith and some â—…its of it They are alwayes as the â—…ee planted by the River-side Psal. 1. vers 3. They are alwayes held up by the Hand 〈◊〉 Jehovah and therefore cannot fall They are alwayes like Mount Zion â—…hich cannot be Removed Psal. 25. â—…rs 1. Bernhard in his Epistle 129. and Ser. â—…7 Cant. hath many Excellent Things â—…out Perseverance Those who would be further Satisâ—…d as to the Judgment of the Faâ—…rs may find Passages enough for â—…at end Collected to their Hands 〈◊〉 Dr. Kendal's Sancti Sanciti in Engâ—…h and in Latin in Hier. Zanch. De â—…rs Sanct. in Miscell V. 3. Oper. Alsted in his Famous Book of Theology saith That Perseverance is a Gift and such a Gift whereby God doth so firmly keep his Elect in a State of Grace as that they shall never fall from thence Dr. Wolleby in his System of Divinity hath Five Arguments deduced 1. From the Certainty of our Election Matth. 24. 24. 2 Tim. 2. 19. 2. The Certainty of our Vocation Rom. 11. 29. 3. The Certainty of our Faith though Weak if it be True 4. The Certainty of our Iustification Rom. 8. v. 1. 5. The Certainty of our Sanctification Phil. 1. 6. Calvin was clearly for this Point as you may see in his Institutions Luther's Words about this Doctrine are many in divers of his Writings One Passage of his especially I cannot omit which I find quoted by Dr. Manton in his Notes on Iude pag. 58. As 't is impossible to sever the Leaven and the Dough when they are once mingled and kneaded together So Christ and a Believer when they are United together there is no Parting more Melancthon on these Words Quis separabit nos a dilectione Dei Who shall separate us from the Love of God has these Famous Lines which I shall Transcribe Conclusio est totius Consolationis Cum Deus diligat nos propter Meritum Intercessionem Filii certissimum est servaturum esse Ecclesiam etiamsi est infirma horribilibus Furoribus Diabolorum Impiorum oppugnatur Disputant autem hîc aliqui An possit Electus amittere Dilectionem quâ Deum diligit Haec Questio aliena est ab hoc loco Dictum est autem alibi Electos posse labi sicut lapsi sunt Adam Eva Aaron David Paulus autem hic loquitur de Dilectione qua Deus universam Ecclesiam diligit loquitur de Conservatione Universae Ecclesiae Deinde etiam de singulis Membris quae reverae per Fidem sunt Ecclesiae Membra Haec Dilectio in Promissione revelata est quae affirmat Deum semper collecturum esse Ecclesiam quae in totâ Eternitate fruetur ejus Vitâ Justitiâ Laetitiâ juxta Dictum Portae Inferorum non praevalebunt adversus eam Adfirmaâ—… item Promissio Conversos qui verâ Fide inseruntur Christo diligi â Deo ut Johan 14. dicitur Sâ—… quis diligit me sermonem meum servabit De hâc Certitudine hic loquitur quâ Conservationem universae Ecclesiae scimus certam esse Certò etiaâ—… scimus singulos perseverantes in Fide salvos fore Addit igitur Servabitur Ecclesia etiamsi erunt magna Certamina oppugnabitur variis modis dulcedine Vitae metu Mortis insidi is Diabolorum terroribus Tyrannorum Exercituum Nam Tyrannoâ—… nominat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exercitus autem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 videlicet Tota agmina persequentium SECT IV. Modern Testimonies 2. WE are in a better State by Christ than we should have been in if we had continued in Adam speaking of Perseverance I shall Transcribe a Letter concerning Falling away from Grace by that Incomparable Prelate Ioseph Hall My good Mr. B. you send me Flowers from your Garden and look for some in return out of mine I do not more willingly send you these than I do thankfully receive the other I could not keep my Hand from the Paper upon the Receipt of your Letters though now in the Midst of my Attendance As my Desire of your Satisfaction calls me to Write something so my other Employments force me to Brevity in a Question wherein it were easie to be endless I am sorry that any of our New Excuti-fidians should pester your Suffolk although glad in this that they could not light upon a Soyl more Fruitful of able Oppugners It is a Wonder to me to think that Men should labour to be Witty to rob themselves of Comfort Good Sir Let me know these New Disciples of Leyden that I may Note them with that Black Coal they are worthy of Troublers of a better Peace than that of the Church the Peace of the Christian Soul They pretend Antiquity What Heresie doth not so What marvel is it if they would wrest Fathers to them while they use Scripture it self so Violently For that their First Instance of Hymeneus and Alexander how vain is it like themselves Nothing can be more plain than that those Men were Gross Hypocrites who doubts therefore but they might fall from all that Good they pretended to have What is this to prove that a True Child of God may do so But say they these Men had Faith and a Good Conscience True such a Faith and
Goodness of Consciâ—…nce as may be incident unto a Worldly Counterfeit Yea but they reply a True Iustifying Faith I think such an one as their own Rather I may say These Men deserve not the Praise of Hymeneus his Faith which is nothing in this place but Orthodox Doctrine How oft doth St. Paul use the Word so to his Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 1. In the latter Times some shall depart from the Faith Interpreted in the next Words And shall give Heed to Spirits of Error and Doctrines of Devils And 2 Tim 3. 6. he describes his False-Teachers by this Title Reprobate concerning the Faith which I think no Man will Expound of the Grace but the Doctrine Yet say they there is no necessity binds us to that Sense here But the Scope of this Place compared with others may Evince it That which follows plainly points us to this Meaning that they might learn not to Blaspheme Their Sin was therefore an Apostacy from the Doctrine of the Gospel and casting foul Aspersions upon that Profession So that an Opposition to wholesom Doctrine was their Shipwrack They except yet A Good Conscience is added to this Faith Therefore it must needs be meant of Iustifying Faith Do but turn your Eyes to 1 Tim. 3. 9. where as in a Commentary upon this Place you shall find Faith and aâ—… Good Conscience so conjoyned that yet the Doctrine not the Vertue oâ—… Faith is signified St. Paul describeâ—… his Deacon there by his Spirituaâ—… Wealth Having the Mystery of Faith iâ—… Pure Conscience no Man can be sâ—… Gross to take the Mystery of Faitâ—… for the Grace of Faith or for anâ—… other than the same Author iâ—… the same Chapter calls The Mystery of Godliness It is indeed fit that a Good Conscience should be the Coffer where Truth of Christian Doctrine is the Treasure Therefore both are justly commanded together And likely each accompanies other in their Loss And that of Irenaeus is found true of all Hereticks Sententiam impiam vitam luxuriosam c. Yea but Hymeneus and Alexander had both these then and lost both They had both in outward Profession not in inward Sincerity That Rule is Certain and Eternal If they had been of us they had continued with us Nothing is more ordinary with the Spirit of God than to suppose us such as we pretend that he might give us an Example of Charity in the Censure of each other Of which kind is that noted Place Heb. 10. 29. And counted the Blood of the Testament where-with he was Sanctified an Unholy Thing And those unusual Elogies which are given to the Churches to whom the Apostolical Letters were Directed This Place therefore intends no other but that Hymenaeus and Alexander which were once Professors of the Christian Doctrine and such as lived orderly in an Unblameable and outwardly Holy Fashion to the World had now turn'd their Copy cast off the Profession which they made and were fallen both to Loosness of Manners and Calumniation of the Truth they had abandoned For that other Scripture Rom. 8. 12 13 no Place can be more effectual to cut the Throat of this Uncomfortable Heresie St. Paul writes to a Mixt Company It were strange if all the Romans should have been truly Sanctified Those which were yet Carnal he Threats with Death If ye live after the Flesh ye shall Die Those which are Regenerate contrary to the Wicked Paradox of those Men he assures of Life If ye Mortify the Deeds of the Flesh by the Spirit ye shall Live How doth he Exclude the Spirit of Bondage to Fear which these good Guides would lead in again How confidently doth he aver the Inward Testimony of God's Spirit to ours and ascribes that Voice to it which bars all Doubt and Disappointment and tells us by the Powerful Assurance of this Abba We are Sons and if Sons Heirs Co-heirs with Christ Let them now go on and say That God may Dis-inherit his own Son that he may Cast off his Adopted But say they to the same Regenerate Persons he applies these Two Clauses and saith at once Ye have Received the Spirit of Adoption And yet If ye walk after the Flesh ye shall Dye What follows of this Commination Any Assertion of the Possibility of Apostacy in the Regenerate Nothing less These Threats are to make us take better hold and to walk more warily As a Father that hath set his Little Son on Horseback it is Zanchies Comparison bids him hold fast or else he shall fall though he uphold him the while that both he may cause him hereby to sit fast and call the more earnest for his Supportation But the Scope of the Place plainly extorts a Division of Carnal Men and Regenerate The Threats are propounded to the One the Promises and Assurance to the Other And therefore no Touch from hence of our Uncertainty in a Confessed Estate of Renovation For that Matth. 12. 43. The Apodosis or Inference of the Parable might well have stopt the Mouths of these Cavillers For you shall find in the End of it So shall it be with the Wicked Generation I suppose no Man will be so Absurd as to say These Iews had formerly received True Iustifying Faith How should they when they rejected the Messias And yet of them is this Parable spoken by our Saviours own Explication Maldonate himself a Learned Spightful Iesuite can Interpret it no otherwise Ideo Christus hoc dixit ut doceret pejores esse Iudaeos quà m si nunquam Dei legem cognitionem accepissent And to this purpose he cites Hilary Hierom Beda And this Sense is so clear that unless the Seven Devils had found Harbour in the dry Hearts of these Men they could not so grosly Pervert it Quench not the Spirit 1 Thess. 5. will never prove a Final or Total Extinction of Saving Grace The Spirit is Quenched when the Degrees of it are abated when the Good Motions thereof are by our Security let fall We grant the Spirit may be Quenched in tanto not in toto Or if we should so take it as they desire I remember Austin Parallels this Place with that other to Timothy Let no Man despise thy Youth Note saith he That the Spirit can be Quenched or that Contempt can be avoided but that in the one we may not endeavour to do that which may tend towards this Wrong to the Spirit and in the other that we should be careful not to do that which may procure Contempt The Place I remember not directly But Numeros memini si verba tenerem But in all likelihood that Place sounds quite another way as may appear by the Connexion of it with those two Sentences following As if he should have said Discourage not the Graces that you find in any of your Teachers Despise not their Preaching Try their Doctrines And now What is this to the Falling away from Grace Which of us do not Teach the Necessity of Perseverance He only that
Bernhard Thou shalt find more in the Woods than in a Corner Stones and Trees will Teach thee what thou shalt not have from Learned Doctors I shall Conclude with Iob Chap. 12. Vers. 7 8. Ask now the Beasts and they shall Teach thee and the Fowls of the Air and they shall Tell thee Or speak to the Earth and it shall Teach thee and the Fishes of the Sea shall Declare unto thee That is saith Neat and Accurate Mr. Caryl The Creatures Teach us when we think of them They Teach us though not Formally yet Virtually They Answer and Resolve the Question put to them though not Explicitely to the Ear yet Convincingly to the Conscience So then we Ask the Creatures when we Diligently Consider them when we search out the Perfections and Vertues that God hath put into or stampt upon them To set our Mind thus upon the Creature is to Discourse with the Creature The Questions which Man asks of a Beast are only his own Meditations Again The Creatures Teach us when we in Meditation make out Collections and draw down a Demonstration of the Power VVisdom and Goodness of God in making them or of the Frailty of Man in needing them Such Conclusions and Inferences are the Teachings of the Creatures FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Benj. Harris at the Stationers-Arms at the East-End of the Royal-Exchange in Cornhil THE Accomplisht Ladies Delight in Preserving Physick Beautifying and Cookery The Second Edition with Large Additions Price 2s War with the Devil Or The Young-Man's Conflict with the Power of Darkness Discovering the Corruption and Vanity of Youth the Horrible Nature of Sin In a Dialogue between an Old Apostate and a Young Professor The Fifth Impression Price 1s The Second Part of the War with the Devil The Grand Impostor Discovered Or The Quakers Doctrine weighed in the Ballance and found wanting A Poem by way of Dialogue wherein their Chief and most concerning Principles are laid down and by the Authority of God's Holy Word thereby Refuted Price 1s Animae Astrologiae Or A Guide to Astrologers with a New Table of the Fixed Stars Rectifyed for several Years to come and divers other Illustrations By W. Lilly Student in Astrology Price 1s 6d Summonds to the Grave Or A Timely Preparation for Death Demonstrated in a Sermon Preached at the Funeral of Iohn â—…rcost With Two Elegies there-unto prefixt By the Author of War with the Devil Price 8d The History of the Young Converted Gallant Or Directions for the Reading of of that Divine Poem War with the Devil Shewing the Readers thereof how to Read the same Poem right in these four Respects c. First In reference to the Substance or History thereof Secondly In reference to the Intent or Mystery thereof Thirdly In reference to the Consequent Doctrine thereof Fourthly In reference to the Practical Application thereof Compiled in a Poem By Iohn Mason â—…tleman of Fordham in Cambridge shire Price 1s The Beauty Vigour and Strength of Youth be-spoke for God In a Sermon lately Preached to Young Men from the Twelfth of Ecclesiastes on Verse the First By Thomas Powel Minister of the Gospel Price 6d Blessed Rest for the Burdened Sinner Or The only Center of the Soul Wherein is Discovered First Who he is that Invites and calls Sinners to this Rest. Secondly The Incouragement to come unto him for Rest. Thirdly Many Obstructions and Impediments which keeps back Sinners with their Unreasonableness answered Fourthly The Rest that every one shall have that comes unto Christ. Delivered in several Sermons from Matthew the 11. 12. By Iohn Hopwood Preacher of the Gospel * Luk. 1. Act. 1. 3. †So much I conceive is intimated in that Form of Address 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Term which is wont to be given to Persons of Honor as Acts 24. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Acts 26. 5. In both Places we render Noble ‖ No Man can Love Grace in another Mans Heart but he that has Grace in his own * Faith and Good Works go â—…gether â—…ough not in the Act of â—…stifying †A Simpathizing Friend as one sayes is like a Dry House in a Wet Day ‖ Some two or three Ministers that violently assail'd my Book Entituled The Young Mans Conflict w th Victory over the Devil by Faith c. Reporting that it was Fictitious which Sir next unto God and my own Conscience you your self can bear witness unto the Truth thereof being an Eye-witness of me when I was under the Workings of the greatest part that I declare there If my Method and Stile being dark and obscure and unbeseeming the Matter declared in that Book has offended any I am sorry and would not have done it had I not in my Iudgment deem'd it most In-offensive How-ever â— hear of Good that it has done and that almost Daily * A Sermon Preached by me on Psalm 22. v. 1. †One Old piece of Gold is worth a thousand New Counters so one Old Truth of God is more worth than a thousand New Errors ‖ T is not the Knowing of Truth nor the Hearing of Truth nor the Commending of Truth nor the Talking of Truth but the Indwelling of Truth in your Soul that will keep your Judgment Chast and Sound * Deus est summum bonum omne bonum in summo †Dr. Manton in Jam. Cap. 1. 21. ‖ Omnia siperdas animam servarâ—… memento †JesusChrist has purchased a Salvation that is possible necessary rare near everlasting * Here the New Man is mingled with the Old ‖ Spiritual Desertions many a gracious Soul in his Life time is exercised with †Grace that dwells in such a Soul a Soul that dwells in such a Body a Man that dwells among such variety of Business Companies and Temptations cannot but be under much Variableness and Alterations * Our Faith is mixt with Unbelief our Humility is stainâ—…d with Pride ‖ God's Church is now rented w th Schisms eclipsed with Error oppress'd with Trouble †And now may be added also The Church of God in England that is at this Day in great Affliction * Ingratus qui beneficium accepisse se negat quod accepit ingratus qui id dissimulat rursum ingratus qui non reddit at omnium ingratissimus est qui oblitus est ‖ The Mercies of God in number are as the glittering Stars of the Firmament the Drops of the Briny Ocean the Sands upon the Winding Shores the Dusts of the Earth the Atoms thâ—… swim in the Sun-Beams are not so numerous as them †Which I understood from others before I did from you * You may Sir draw Comfort from Jam. 1. ult Pure Religion undefiled before God and the Father is this To Visit the Fatherless and Widows in their Afflictions c. ‖ The Giver should shut his Eyes when he opens his Hands †Humility should be every Christian's Upper-Garment * 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoretus ‖ Ingentis animi est alienâ causâ ad vitam reverti Vita ista sine tentatione duci non potest We cannot live without Temptations saith Augustine Piscat in Loc. Brugensis in Loc. The Assembly's Notes on the Place * Satanas ex petivit c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Expetiit Quaesivit Postulavit Depoposcit Petiit vos sibi dedi Allusio ad Jobi Historiam Pool's Synopsis Crit. Com. in Luc. 22. 31. Eos quaerit dejicere quos videt stare Cyprian Lib. 3. Epist. 1. Leigh in Loc. * Milk is used to denote weak Nourishment is opposed to strong Meat And thus Milk notes the first Principle of the Oracles of God the Alphabet of Christian Religion Leigh's Critica Sacra Convenieunt rebus nomina sepe suis. Ovid. Some fall as Wood or Cork into the Water sink at first but get up again being helped by the Hand of Divine Grace Thus Believers may fall Some fall as Lead or Stone even into the bottom of Hell â—…s Pharoah's Host into the Bottom of the Sea Thus â—…e Wicked fall a Gen. 12. b Gen. 15. 16. c Gen. 17. 24. d Gen. 22. The Iudgments of God upon Sinners are in Terrorem The Examples of God's Mercy to Saints are for Props to our Faith and Spurs to Holiness Something we have Recorded of Job's Impatience as well as of his Patience Holy Job saith one had his Out-bursts David was a Man for the most part Elevated yet sometimes Dejected Psal. 23. 4. Psal. 3. 6. Confidence is good according to the Goodness of the Subject that it Reposeth upon Wherefore Confidence in God the only Soveraign Good perfect solid and immutable is the best of all and the only that can give Assurance and Content to the Soul He that hath such a Confidence is half in Paradise already he shall not Fall with Peter but shall always remain Firm Safe Meek Serene and too Strong for all his Enemies Du Moulin Some say That Peter after his sad Fall was ever anon Weeping and that his Face was even furrowed with continual Tears Clement otes That Peter so Repented that all his Life after every Night when he heard the Cock crow he would fall upon his Knees and weeping bitterly would beg Pardon for his Sin Many there are that can sin with David and Peter but cannot Repent with David and Peter St. Cyril upon the Weeping of Peter saith Locum flendo recipit quem negando perdidit He found that in Weeping which he lost by Denying Luther ingenuously confesses That before his Conversion he met not with a more displeasing Word in all his Study of Divinity than Repent but afterward he took delight in the Work Paenitens de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet Peter falls dreadfully but rises by Repentance sweetly A Look of Love from Christ melts him into Tears The Saints though they do sin yet it is not Voluntate plena sed semi-plena with a whole Will but as it were with a half Will an unwilling Willingness * Multorum disce Exemplo quae facta ris qua fugias Cato When you hear of any Man 's Slipping say as Bernard Ille hodie ego cras He fell to Day so may I to Morrow * A Weak Believer a Strong Christ can do all things Bolton Mortalis Divûm auxilium desiderat omnis Ovid. 2 Cor. 12. 7. Sequitur superbos ultor a tergo Deus Sen. God Resisteth the Proud Let God alone to choose what 's Good Nunquam bella bonis nunquam certamina desunt Hor. ‖ Interdum miscentur tristia laetis Certandum est nulli veniunt sine Marte Triumphi Mar. * Vita nostra in hac peregrinatione non potest esse sine tentatione quia profectus noster per tentationem fit nec sibi quisquam innotescit nisi sit tentatus â—…ec potest coronari nisi qui vicerit nec potest vincere nisi qui â—…rtaverit nec potest certare nisi inimicum tentationes â—…abuerit Aug. †Qui no n facit Diaboli voluntatem in eum non habet potestatem Alsted * Pliny writes That the Tears of the Vine do Cure the Leprosie of the Skin So the Tears of the Faithful grafted into the True Vine Christ Jesus do Cure tâ—…e Leprosie of Sin * To pity the Tempted is the least we can do ‖ Be sure praise God when thou receivest Power against Sin Temptation and you shall experience all his Attributes especially these concern'd in thy Conflicts †What the Philosopher saith of the Soul it is in every part where there is Life there is the Soul for the Soul is the Life So whatever is in us comes from us or â—…s acted by us is sinful If Christ ' s Love is not grâ—…ter than our Lusts his Mercy than our Iniquity we shâ—… inevitably perish * Coelum non animum mutat qui trans mare currit Hor. Deduct 1. ‖ That Satan is our Enemy is evident if we do but consider that he wounds us with these several Darts of 1. Diffidence 2. Concupiscence 3. Avarice 4. Pride 5. Luxury * Satan is a Subtil Enemy †Subtle Persons like the Devil who is a subtil Enemy For he hath bin learning his Policies ever since he discarded himself from Heaven Rev. 12. 9. * The Devil saith one is not alwayes a Lyar but he is always a Deceiver ‖ Apta ferunt magnam tempora rebus opem Mant. * A fic Season much advantages any Affair †Accidit in puncto quod non speratur in anno Mr. Gurnal * Satan hath great Advantage in tempting the Elect before their Faith in Christ. ‖ A capite ad calcem †There are five Faculties of the Soul 1. Understanding 2. Memory 3. Will. 4. Affection 5. Conscience All which are corrupt yea even them of Elect Believers before Conversion during till which time is Satan's Season of Tempting them into a sinful Licentiousness and a very Advantageous Season it is in as much as all the afore-said Faculties are capable of any Work that the Devil shall employ them about * God's Children sometimes advanced in this World ‖ The Condition of God's Children may sometimes be very low Psal. 42. 7. †This present Age is too Licentious * Vigilate Orate should be the Motto of every Christian ‖ Many are the Machinations and Stratagems of Satan †Many through the Prevalency of Temptations have called the Truth of God's Essence into question yea with Pharaoh they have said Who is the Lord Exod. 5. 2 and with the Fool that said in his Heart There is no God Psal. 14. 1. The Fool hath said in his Heart There is no God It is rather an Option than an Opinion that is faiâ—… Austin He could be content there were None In his Heart that is None dare speak it though he may think it The Fool. Every wicked Man is a Fool. Haec Phrasis hunc sensum