seale by sudden refreshings falling like the dew upon his heart and establishing his soule before the Lord especially after holy duties yea his hope as being built upon Gods Word and promises fills him with such joy unspeakeable that it makes him rejoyce even in tribulation § 28. He sometimes loseth the efficacie feeling and comfort of faith but the seed and habit of faith alwaies remaineth He is often and grievously assaulted with feares and doubtings but in the issue he alwaies gets the conquest and is the more assured for having been so much assaulted and does so much the more strive to make his Calling and Election sure and to be assured of future happinesse after this his earthly pilgrimage § 29. Or if he hath but a weake faith yet it is sound against which the very gates of Hell shall never prevaile for he never utterly falls away from the grace of God but perseveres in the truth and in well doing to the end and therein findes also a blessed thriving and gracious progresse in true holinesse § 30. He is perfectly justified by the bloud of Christ freed from the rigour of the Law and in some good measure from the spirit of bondage is often in combate between the flesh and the Spirit but the Spirit in the end ever gets the upper hand § 31. And as he beleeves in his heart so he is not ashamed of the Crosse of Christ but will professe the truth boldly in all estates and in times of suffering and publish what Christ hath done for his soule to Gods glory and the comfort of others yea if called to it he will God assisting him lay downe his life for Christ and the Gospell and rejoyce also that he is counted worthy § 32. Neither is he high-minded but more feares the want of grace then confides in what he hath for he workes out his salvation with feare and trembling and trusts not in the least to his owne strength but is ever jealous and suspicious least his heart should deceive him but he resolves by Gods grace not to use any unlawfull meanes nor yeeld to any thing against the truth for the avoyding of what he feares be it burning at a stake as knowing and being fully perswaded that all things shall worke together for the best unto him And indeed the feare of God which is his continuall guardion keepes him in some measure from the feare of death and terrour of the world for he feares not them that can onely kill the body in any degree like him that after he hath killed can cast both body and soule into Hell Nor does he grutch to lose a temporall life when in lieu thereof he shall obtaine an eternall Crowne of glory § 33. He is wonderfully inflamed with the love and estimation of God and of Christ especially upon the returne of his prayers or the obtaining of some mercy the which he shewes by his hating of evill and by his constant obedience and the delight he hath in keeping of Gods Commandements and by his willingnesse to be at cost or suffer for him Neither is he so in love with the world or any thing in it as that it shall diminish his love to God yea he so loves and longs for Christs appearing that he may be united to him and enjoy his presence that his daily prayer is Come Lord Jesus come quickly § 34. Againe he intirely loves and highly esteemes Gods people not out of any carnall or selfe ends but for their graces the truths sake and because they are borne of God more loving and honouring the poore that walke uprightly then they that pervert their wayes though they be rich and loving them best that serve God most He is prone to justifie them and speake in their defence when he heares them reviled slandered or contemned by wicked and ungodly men though he incur their displeasure by it § 35. He does not estrange himselfe from the people of God in their misery but is ready to minister unto them when they stand in need and use any meanes for their reliefe He will solicite great ones in their behalfe and in Christs cause though he indanger himselfe thereby and can be as earnest a Suitor at the Throne of Grace for others that are in distresse as for himselfe even thursting and studying how he may doe them most good as participating and being touched with compassion and having a fellow-feeling both of the misery and felicity of others as one member hath of another especially of the Churches as a member hath of the whole body Neither can he rejoyce in his owne peace and welfare while the Church and people of God are in distresse whose welfare he preferres before his owne § 36. He delights in the Saints company above all others as finding an heavenly sweetnesse in their conference and society where every ones words doe savour of grace and wisedome and when in every company he shall either doe good or receive good § 37. And as he loves and delights in holy company so he loathes evill company neither will he have any fellowship with the workers of iniquity or be in league with the wicked as Swearers Drunkards Whooremongers Scoffers c. but avoyd all needlesse society with them Place these 25. Sections next after page 10. § 37. Such other signes or properties of A true Beleever as offered themselves while the second sheet was by a providence somewhat long in printing 1. § HE will neither back-bite others nor give eare to back-biters of others Neither lend Satan his tougue to utter nor his eares to heare nor his heart to beleeve lyes and slanders He will not lessen his owne credit by traducing one that wrongs him he will not lessen his owne shame and blame by traducing one he hath wronged as too many doe He wonders not so much at anothers ingratitude to him as at his owne unthankfulnesse to God He will pardon many things in others which he will not tolerate in himselfe He will neither arrogate to himselfe nor derogate from another neither villifie other mens doings nor over highly prize his owne He will not condemne censure or slight that which he 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 2. § His graces and goodnesse gaines him more enemies and breeds him more danger then vice and wickednesse does another man but he is more pleased then displeased at it for he knowes by the worlds hating of him that he is not of the world but that Christ hath chosen him out of the world and that he some way discovers the worlds treasons and deceits He knowes also that
to be the worlds friend is to be Gods enemy yea he esteemes it an honour to be evill spoken of by evill men because when a thing is best they will like it least and a grace to be disgraced for Christ who was farre more disgraced for him Besides the single approbation of one wise experimentall Christian is enough with him to countervaile the disdaine and dislike of a whole Parish of sensualists and an ounce of credit with God more worth then a tallent of mens praises And how little is that man hurt whom malice condemnes on earth and God commends in Heaven If he cannot avoyd their malice and evill words he will be sure not to deserve them which is much at one upon the matter for as the best confutation of their slanders is not by our great words but by our good works so his conscience knowing him innocent like a constant friend takes him by the hand and cheeres him against all his miseries However he will not in the least wrong his conscience to avoyd the imputation of singularity The scoffes of Atheists shall not beat him off from his Profession No if he does well hath Gods Word for his warrant and glory for his aime nothing can daunt or discourage him Neither the threatnings of fire nor the faire and large promises of cunning and cruell adversaries neither paine nor losse can make him shrinke from Christ much lesse the censures and scoffes of lewd persons The conscience of good intentions let their successe be what it will is both a sufficient discharge and comfort to his generous minde 3. § Through the studdy of vertue and Christian prudence he makes the servile passions of his minde feare and anger subject to the more noble faculties of his soule reason and understanding As appeares in the provocation of an enemy for let him be injured he will both forbeare and forgive well considering that it is the glory of a man to passe by an offence and that it is greater fortitude to overcome his owne passions then to vanquish a City Wherefore in stead of returning like for like he will pacifie his enemy with milde words and gentle behaviour which may be resembled to Milke that quencheth Wild-fire or Oyle that quenches Lime which by water is kindled and thinkes it enough for one to be angry at a time He is not like our Ruffians and sonnes of Beliall who when they are displeased with others will fly in their Makers face and teare the name of their Saviour in peeces even swearing away their part in that Blood which must save them if ever they be saved Nor like our Gallants whom the Devill hath so blinded and bewitched that they will contend for the way and strive for the wall even to the death and kill one another as though either of their honours were of more worth then both their soules Or admit one get the victory miserable is that victory wherein thou overcomest thine enemy and thy passions yea the Devill in the meane time overcomes thee perhaps thou slayest his body but the Devill slayes thy soule Nor like those sooles you see walking in Westminster Hall that like two Cockes of the Game peck out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport No sayes he why should I vexe my selfe because another hath vexed me Or why should I doe my selfe a shrewd turne because another would And admit carnall reason shall alleadge to him that his enemy is unworthy to be forgiven rectified reason will answer but Christ is worthy to be obeyed who hath commanded me to forgive him And well may I beare with him when his Maker beares with me and forgive him when Christ hath forgiven me much more Nor can any repute him a coward for this his humble patience the true coward is your Hot-spur that feares the blasts of mens breath and not the fire of Gods wrath that trembles at the thought of a Prison and yet feares not Hell fire But the Beleever is as bold as a Lion if his cause be good yea to speake rightly there is no such coward none so valliant as the Beleever without Gods warrant he dares doe nothing with it any thing He feares none but the displeasure of the highest and runs away from nothing but sinne Indeed he more feares the least sinne then the greatest torment as may be seene in the Martyrs that noble Army But he is so farre from fearing an impotent enemy that he feares not death it selfe no not the Day of Judgement 1 Joh. 4.17 Luke 21.25 to 29. yea he is so strong withall that he is able to prevaile with God Gen. 32.26.28 Exod. 32.10 And overcome the world the flesh and the Devill 1 John 2.14 and 5.4 Gal. 5.24 and all this by his faith and prayer and not seldome does he overcome his enemy too by well-doing for he lives so well that his back-biting adversaries are either put to silence or constrained to praise God and speake well of him 4. § He is more knowing then the men of the world for as he hath the light of the Spirit and the eye of saith above them so the Word of Christ dwelleth in him plentifully in all wisedome and spirituall understanding and he increaseth daily in the knowledge of God and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ because God reveales himselfe to him in a great measure as to his friend Besides his knowledge is about the best things and one drop of soule wisedome and saving knowledge guided by the feare of God is more worth then all humane learning And to this knowledge unbeleevers are meere strangers Yea be they never so wise and learned in other things they have onely the theory of this wisedome they can prattle of it by roate 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 owne experience to know the chiefe points of Christian Religion such as are faith repentance regeneration the love of God the presence of the Spirit the remission of sinnes the effusion of grace the possession of heavenly comforts not what the peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost is nor what the communion of Saints meanes 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 owne salvation He is neither ungrounded in the Principles of Religion nor unconcionable in the practice Each Booke or Sermon both increaseth his knowledge and lessens his vices Yea he will pick something out of every thing and gather honey from the selfe same thing that others will poyson Anothers hating the truth shall make him love it the more for he is instructed both by similitude and contrariety Whereas let the
life of his life and soule of his soule And his love to sinners also for his zeale against them is a sweet compound of love and anger for though he hates the vices of a wicked man yet he loves his person he can chide him sharply and yet at the same time pray for him heartily Whereby he not seldome saves his brother for he findes favour in the sight of God and prevailes with him for things hard to be obtained As when Stevens prayer prevailed for persecuting Paul and our Saviours prayer for his murtherers 7. § He is not sordedly covetous nor given to filthy lucre for the covetous person is an Idolator and hath no inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God And therefore cannot possibly be a Beleever nor doe we read of one godly person in the whole Bible that was covetous He is contented with things necessary and desires not great matters for if he have food and raiment he will therewith be content considering how they that will needs be rich fall into temptations and snares and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction And that the desire of mony is the root of all evill which while some lusted after they erred from the faith and peirced themselves through with many sorrowes He will neither defraud nor oppresse his brother in any matter he will not deale unjustly in line in weight or in measure He lusteth not after forbidden fruit nor coveteth that which is anothers He will not remove his neighbours Land marke nor conceale any Deeds or Writings that make for his neighbours advantage If his neighbour suffer prejudice or loffe in any thing belonging to him through his or his servants meanes he will make him recompence to the full In case his Cattell breake into his neighbours ground and eat his Corne or Grasse he will willingly and without compulsion satisfie for the damage He will not detaine the poore Workmans hire untill the morning least his family should want Bread for the present He loves Justice in the least things and desires rather to buy what he would have then that it be given him Chusing to eat his owne bread and to drinke water out of his owne Cesterne He hateth gifts least they should corrupt his judgement and make him partiall Nor is he legally just or conscionable according to the statute only but piously just If his conscience tells him that he hath any way prejudiced his neighbour though there be noue to witnesse against him though it be unknowne to the party himselfe that suffers the damage he will make him satisfaction and never thinke he merits by it If he finde any thing he both desires and indeavours to finde out the owner that he may restote it He will not take advantege from his neighbours poverty or simplicity to oppresse or cousen him He will not compound with Creditors for ten shillings in the pound when he is able to pay all He will not take an enemies goods or the goods of an Heathen though it be beyond the Line without making satisfaction or returning a valuable consideration although the Lawes of the Land wil beare him out in it yea although he have Letters of Markq for his warrant unlesse there be some other cause If he make an oath or promise though to his and Gods enemy and to his great disadvantage he will faithfully performe it and not violate the same Before he useth the extremity either of Law or of Armes he offers conditions of peace and before he will fall to blowes he will try what reason will doe soundly examine the cause and heare what the party can say for himselfe and after that he will rather suffer and yeeld some part of his right then doe wrong contend or goe to Law For he will not doe all he may least evill men speake ill of him or insult as they are very prone to doe by reason of their spight at Religion Lastly he seldome but gets the victory yea it is rare if he be vanquisht either in going to Law or making War because he never undertakes War or Suit without just cause and to a good intent Yea it is rare also if this be not the issue the lesse he covets the more he hath and the lesse he thirsts after these temporall things the more he covets spirituall things 8. § Neither love nor hatred shall rob him of his judgement or make him partiall He will neither esteeme Father nor Mother nor Wife nor Childe so as to disobey God in the least for their sakes He will not wrong his Children by a former Wife to give that which is due unto them unto the Children of a second Wife but he will make his first borne Heire and give him a double portion of all that he hath If his Sonne be stubborne and disobedient a Riater and a Drunkard he will not nourish him in it but inflict due punishment upon him according to his demerits He will not seek to save a Murtherer from death least he make the whole Land guilty of blood No be it his owne Sonne least in saving him from a temporall shame and punishment he should bring upon him an eternall and in liew of saving his body he should destroy his soule Besides he will rather his owne Childe shall be destroyed then God dishonoured and his Law not executed It matters not to him what others would doe nor what all the world sayes if they bring not a written word they prevaile nothing he will goe on in his uprightnesse and not shame to be singular as more fearing Gods anger then the worlds scornes Neither custome nor example of his fore-fathers will he follow without or against the written Word No he will not follow Panl himselfe any further then he followes Christ He remembers how vaine ignorant and sinfull his former conversation which he received by the traditions of his Fathers was and thinkes it too much to continue still therein Nor will he take incouragement from the Saints falls to doe the like but they shall serve him as Sea-markes to make him beware Indeed when things are of a doubtfull nature he will take the surest not the strongest fide and which draws nearest to probability and where the Law written doth cease he will observe that which is allowed by the practise and custom of the godly and religious 9. § He honours and obeyes his Parents and God accordingly prospereth him and prolongeth his dayes If they stand in need he will nourish and maintaine them as they did him in his need If a servant he serves his Master with singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service but out of conscience And the Lord is with him and prospereth all he takes in hand gives him such favour in his Masters sight that he trusteth him with all he hath Yea the Lord blesseth his Master and all the family fares the better for his sake He will not be
resolution be peremptory and constant and take heed thou harden not againe as Pharaoh the Philistines the young man in the Gospell Pilate and Judas did Resemble not the Iron which is no longer soft then it is in the fire be not like those that are Sea-sick who are much troubled while they are on Shipboard but presently well againe when they are come to shore for that good saith Gregory will doe us no good which is not made good by perseverance If with these premonisions the Spirit shall vouchsafe to stir up in thine heart any good motions and holy purposes to obey God in letting thy sins goe quench not grieve not the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 returne not with the Dogge to thy vomit least thy latter end prove seven fold worse then thy beginning Matth. 12.43.45 As it fared with Julian the Apostate and Judas the traytor O it is a fearefull thing to receive the grace of God in vaine and a desperate thing being warned of a Rock wilfully to cast our selves upon it Neither let Satan perswade you to deferre your repentance no not an houre least your resolution proves as a false conception which never comes to bearing for as ill Debtors put off their Creditors first one weeke then another till at last they are able to pay nothing so deale delayers with God Besides death may be suddaine even the least of a thousand things can kill thee and give thee no leasure to be sick § 85. Secondly or if death be not suddaine repentance is no such easie worke as to be put off to sicknesse and though true repentance be never too late yet late repentance is seldome true and indeed there is small hope of repentance at the houre of death where there was no regard of honesty in the time of life and Millions are now in Hell who thought they would repent hereafter not being wise enough to consider that it is with sinne in the heart as with a tree planted in the ground which the longer it groweth the harder it is to be pluckt up or a nayle in a post which is made faster by every stroke of the Hammer As what saith the Holy Ghost Can the Blacke Moore change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill Jer. 13.23 § 86. Thirdly or suppose after many yeares spent in the service of sinne and Satan thou art willing to relinquish thy lusts and offer to God thy service and best devotions at the last gaspe will he accept of them No he hath expresly told us the contrary Prov. 1.24 to 32. yea is it likely that God will accept of thy dry bones when Satan hath suckt out all the marrow That he will give his heavenly and spirituall graces at the houre of death to those who have contemned them all their life Yea is it not most just and equall if God will not be found of those that were content to loose him If he shut his eare against their prayers calling to him for pardon that stopt their eares against his Voyce calling upon them for repentance The Lord hath made a promise to late repentance not of late repentance if thou convertest to morrow thou art sure of grace but thou art not sure of to morrowes conversion if in any reasonable time we pray he will heare us if we repent he will pardon us if we amend our lives he will save us but for want of this timely consideration Dives prayed but was not heard Esau wept but was not pittied the foolish Virgins knockt but were denied and so thousands have cried unto God at the houre of death and found no repentance but they dyed as they lived and went from dispaire unto destruction Wherefore as you tender the good of your owne soule set upon the work presently provide with Joseph for the dearth to come and with Noah in the dayes of thine health build the Arke of a good Conscience against the flouds of sicknesse imitate the Ant who provides her meat in Summer for the Winter following yea doe it while the yerning bowels the bleeding wounds and compassionute arms of Jesus Christ lyes open to receive you whiles ye have health and life and meanes and time to repent and make your peace with God As you tender I say the everlasting happinesse and welfare of your almost lost and drowned soule as you expect or hope for grace or mercy for joy and comfort for Heaven and salvation for endlesse blisse and glory at the last as you would escape the direfull Wrath of God the bitter Sentence and Docme of Christ the never dying sting and worme of Conscience the tormenting and soulescorching flames of Hell and everlasting separation from Gods blisfull presence abjure and utterly renounce all wilfull and affected evill To which end § 87. In the next place be diligent to heare Gods Word powerfully preached which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable Cannon-shot which beateth and battereth downe all the strong holds of sinne and Satan § 88. Thirdly ponder and meditate seriously on Gods inestimable love towards us who hath nor spared to give his onely beloved Sonne out of his bosome to dye for us and to purchase thereby every good thing we doe enjoy either for soule or body even to the least bit of bread we eat and this will make thee if thou hast any ingenuity to direct all thy thoughts speeches and actions to his glory as he hath directed thy eternall salvation thereunto and often force thee to breake out into this or the like expression What shall I render unto thee O Lord for all thy benefits but love thee my Creator and become a new creature § 89. Fourthly consider that the Lord beholdeth thee in all places and in every thing thou dost even as the eyes of a well drawne Picture are fastened on thee which way soever thou turnest yea consider him as a just Judge who will not let sinne goe unpunished and this will make thee keep a narrower watch over thy very thoughts then any other can doe over thine actions § 90. Fifthly if thou wilt be safe from evill workes avoyd the occasions at least if thou wilt keep thy selfe from iniquity have no fellowship with the workers of iniquity for it is not more hard to finde vertue in evill company then to misse vice They were mingled among the Heathen saith the Psalmist and what followes they learned their workes Psal 106.35 yea how soone was Peter changed with but comming into the High Priests Hall and the like with David and Salomon which made David to say so soone as he had considered it Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity for I will keepe the Commandements of my God Psal 119.115 knowing that he could not doe the one without the other And indeed the choise of a mans company is one of the most weighty actions of our lives for our future well or ill being depends on that election and many a man had been good that is not if he had but kept good company § 91. Sixthly and lastly but chiefly and principally omit not to pray for the assistance of Gods spirit otherwise thy strength is small yea except God give thee repentance and removes all impediments that may hinder thou canst no more turne thy selfe then thou couldest at first make thy selfe We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke much lesse to speake least of all to doe that which is good 2 Cor. 3.5 John 15.4 5. we are swift to all evill but to any good immoveable wherefore beg of God that he will give you a' new heart and when the heart is changed all the members will follow after it as the rest of the Creatures after the Sunne when it ariseth importune him for grace that thou mayest firmely resolve speedily begin and continually persevere in doing and suffering his holy Will desire him to informe and reforme thee so that thou mayest neither misbeleeve nor mis-live to regenerate thy heart change and purifie thy nature subdue thy reason rectifie thy judgement reforme and strengthen thy will renew thy affections and beat downe in thee whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Jesus Christ not forgetting that prayer is the key of Heaven as Ambrose calls it And now for conclusion if thou receivest any power against thy corruptions forget not to be thankfull and when God hath the fruit of his mercies he will not spare to sow much where he reapes much Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding to strive after those graces wherewith a true Beleever is quallified and whereof I have given you a Copy in the fore going Character FINIS Adde this Character of A true Beleever as an appendix to The Cure of Misprision