self-denyals Where their Fightings in Spiritual Armes against their corruptions Where are their Conquests Where their labours of Love Where their zealous pursuances of their own and others salvation Where the diligent improving of their general and particular calling for the glory of God Where their working out their salvation with fear and trembling Where their giving all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure Where is their making Religion their businesse to be found Most have the hopes of heaven but they are drowsie idle have no power of godlyness These in an especial manner are the Abusers of true Hope The Hope of Glory is a Rejoycing Hope We rejoice in the Hope of Glory Rom. 5. 2. When the Perspective of Faith hath fetched in the farre distant blessed objects of Eternity hath realized and substantialized them to the soul so that Faith saith to Hope I see the glory of Heaven I see the infinite rewards of sound Christians I see the infinite pleasures and satisfactions and ravishing joys of those blessed Citizens above Then saies Hope I look for them I expect them with unspeakable joy I wait for their Revelations and Fruitions A real Christian will not part with the joyes of his Hopes for a thousand worlds He is incomparably richer in hopes than worldlings are in hand but a delusive hope of glory continually joyned with joyous solitary worldly hopes is a stranger to the joyes of heavenly hopes The Hypocrite hath the fancy but never the reallitie of these hopes The joyes of these do not in him out-joy the joyes of earthly hopes they doe not lighten and sweeten the losse of worldly expectations Experience will prove it of unsound pretenders to their rejoycing hopes of Glory That if their hopes and the joy of their hopes below are gone they have no rejoycing hopes above The hope of Glory is a Lust denying hope The grace of God teacheth us the deniall of worldly lusts looking for that blessed hope 11. 12 13. As pilgrims and strangers here and therefore looking for your heavenly countrey abstain from fleshly lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. Ye shall appear with Christ in glory Mortifie therefore your fleshly lusts fornication uncleanness covetousness your inordinate affections the root of all evill concupiscence Col. 3. 4 5. They then that obey sin in the lusts thereof Rom. 6. 12. that walk after their own lusts their ungodly lusts as these wantons in Jude did Epist Jud. v. 16 18. and live and die in them and yet hope for heaven they clearly contradict Scripture that the servants of carnall lusts shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6. 9. That the wicked shall be turned into hell Psal 9. That the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience Col. 3. 6. That Libertines that count it pleasure to riot in the day time of Gospel light The Churches spots and blemishes not jewels sporting themselves with their own deceivings in their fearelesse feastings adulterous infectious examples covetous impenitent shall perish in their corruption and receive the reward of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2. 12 13 14. That what a man soweth that shall he reap if to fleshly lusts an harvest of eternall torments if to the spirit a rich crop of eternall life Gal. 6. 7 8. All these eternal Truths that divine Justice will infallibly make good Lust-pleasers not denyers nourishers not crucifiers doe blot out by their unchanged hearts dissolute lives and reall unbelief The slaves of their absurd unreasonable ungodly lusts doe in effect and interpretation speak these blasphemies God is an holy and righteous God and he will reward our unrighteousness and unholynesse with eternall life When we play the wantons with our lusts we think God and our selves alike Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self Psal 50. 21. That God hath not so pure a nature and pure eies Hab. 1. 13. but when hee seeth sin he likes it well enough he delights in wickedness Ye say every one that doth evill is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of judgment Mal. 2. 17. That the Word of God is false that godliness is true gain that the righteous onely go into eternal life that there is danger in sin that the wanton abuses of Gods grace perish in their corruption that the blackness of darkness for ever is reserved for them Thus doth Lust-favouring and pampering Hope abuse the Hope of Glory The Hope of Glory is a well living Hope The saving grace of God teacheth us to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2. 12 13. I have hope towards God that there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust and herein doe I exercise my self to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Act. 24. 15 16. He that hopes for the full summe is glad of the assuring earnest hee that would have the full harvest is pleased with the first fruits The hope of glory that rejoyceth to thinke of the eternal summe and harvest of holyness is carefull to get and joyfull to obtain the earnest and first fruits of the Spirit of grace But the common absurd foolish hope of glory expects an heavenly eternal summe when it hath no earnest here looks for an eternal harvest when the first fruits are neglected and despised it pleasingly dreams to live happily with God in glory when it never lived holily with God in grace The hope of Glory is an Affliction-enduring and sanctifying Hope For this Hope the Apostle Paul was called in question Act. 23. 6. Judged Act. 26. 6. Accused v. 7. Imprisoned chained Act. 28. 20. suffered any persecution with patience contentment and joy For the hope of the Resurrection he took pleasure in his infirmities As the hope of Riches makes the Merchant Cum est propositum cum hoste certamen esuriendum sitiendum vigilandum periclitandum ut omnibus pacis victoriae bonis per frui possis â—prius laborandum ut sis postmodum in otio Lact. l. 6. c. 4. crosse the Seas at any hazard even to the utmost Indies and of victory which makes the Souldier endure hunger cold watching blows and wounds It 's hope of gain maketh the industrious Tradesman to be up early encounter all Highway storms It 's hope of a good crop maketh the painfull Husbandman to endure Winters cold and Summers heat It 's hopes of Crowns which maketh the ambitious run the hazard of losing their liberties and lives and undoing their families to hew out their way to Soveraignty by bloody deaths that stare them in the faces So the heavenly expectations of immortall Riches Victories Pleasures Crownes are Affliction-enduring hopes But the Imaginary hopes of Glory are cowardly effeminate soft lascivious and are founded in pollicy not in piety measured by the interests of the body not the soul are pleased
tempora quasi damnationis tempora timeamus Greg. Mor. l. 17. c. 3. Quanto vita nostra est longier tantoculpa nostra fit numerosior gravior c. Otho Casmannus Innocence but without Book After 400 years suffering the seed of the Amorites to oppress Gods Israel Gen. 15. 13. black doom-day put a period to their Prosperities and Persecutions A long lived Libertine under the days of Grace hath more reason to fear his approaching destruction then salvation The Counsel of an ancient is wholsome well were it if accustomed slighters of Gods grace would lay it to heart it would fire them out of their perilous security It is necessary said he that we fear and tremble lest the prolonged times of Gods mercy do prove the times of our damnation It is the lamentation of a serious modern Writer The longer we live the more numerous is the account and the more heavy the weight of sin Hence when the just Judge comes he will turn the indulged times of mercy into an eternity of wrath and penalty SECT 4. 4. THe whole time of Grace is turned into Wantonnesse 4. The whole time of grace is turned into wantonness not onely sparing and long-suffering Grace but all the daies of Grace even to their late dying periods are also abused Backsliding is perpetuall The most under Gospel times refuse to return Ier. 8. 5. The Lord questions in his Word O Ierusalem how long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee Jer. 4. 14. Wilt thou not he made clean when shall it once be c. 13. 27. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge Prov. 1. 22. How long The answer is not more sad then true for ever Should the loose persons of unconverted hearts and unreformed lives not bettered under a threescore years convincing and awakening Ministry and the frequent woings of the Holy Ghost be left to themselves should they live an eternity on earth they would still wrong the grace of God There is a Countrey phrase To while away the time O how many do while away precious time most do the works of darkness while Gospel light shines round about them yea in their mindes they cannot deny and yet they defame the glory of it While Christ knocks at the doors of their souls for entrance the Divel is bid welcome while the Spirit crys Repent repent the flesh wallows in the pollutions of the World while he passionatly solicits and perswades to accept of salvation upon salvations tearms the pathes of damnation are still troden in The hardened house of Israel will die While God is tendred as an everlasting portion the world is violently pursued while the pilgrimage delights of the spirit and the Heavenly Countrey Pleasures of Gods right hand are held forth to unregenerate mindes foolish souls hunt after the pleasures of sin and vanishing Creature delights While precious seasons to sue out a pardon are granted out for sins past more Treasons and Rebellions are heaped up against God while this vanishing life is proposed as a probation for Eternity lying vanities are skilfully and uncessantly pursued Five things will load this ause 1. Time one of the most precious things in the world is abused 1. Time is abused Nil pretiosius tempore heu nil hodie vilius invenitur Bernard Nothing says Bernard is more precious then it and alass nothing now a days is more slighted and vilified It is made the numbring measure of unholy and unrighteous motions but very rarely of heavenly conversation the thriving opportunity of Satans Kingdom but rarely as to the multitude of Christs The preciousness of time industriously heavenly as well as earthly merchants will tell you The worth of time an enraging afflicted Conscience on a death bed will tell you that breathed out lamentable crys Call time again call time again The excellency Veniet tempus quo vel unam horam ad resipiscendum redimere mirum quantum optabimus Otho Casmannus of time most awakened loose departing souls will tell you who will abound in fervent wishes to admiration that they might redeem but one hour to repent The dignity of time the damned in hell were they among us would tell us That had they a world they would give it to escape their torments they feel and shall endure for ever and to be in a state of Grace of Salvation The glory of time the glorified in heaven would tell us were they suffered to acquaint us with their unspeakable Joys Eternity it self will be little enough to bless God they have not lost their time but obtained salvation in the days of Grace It will ravish their hearts when as one phraseth it they shall think within themselves O blessed moment of Grace O happy days of Conversion O choicely spent time in holy mournings O beatum momentum gratiae and obedience O rarely improved time to be the shining witnesses of God against the wicked world O Heavenlized time in communion with God that contemned the world O 2. The possibility of escaping eternal misery is abused Quomodo eos pudebit pigebitque qui videbunt se opportuno tempore gratiae impenso potuisse in vita sua acerbam illam horribilem lamentabilem aeternitatem evadere the wise use of time that hath laid up treasures in Heaven and fitted espoused souls for the joyous eternal imbracements of their heavenly Bridegroom 2. The possibilities of escaping eternal misery and obtaining everlasting life are abused when the whole provisional space of preventing the wrath to come of preparing for glory in the foolish pursuit of the worlds shadows is lost when loose Prodigals of the time of Grace are impossibilitated to have a moment more What shame and grief will surprise them when they shall consider their secure neglect of the Jewel of time and the force of Eternity prevailing thoughts when set home on the conscience to make the profuse lavishers of the golden seasons of Grace the most thrifty Husbands How stinging will this sad conviction be if the opportune time of Grace were well managed they might have escaped that bitter horrible and lamentable Eternity wherein they are plunged and safely arrive to the Port of everlasting rest These things were once possible now they are not O sinners fear and tremble your sporting with sin your indignities and injuries put upon the grace of God doth exceedingly slight and despise your saving possibilities while the mouth of the bottomless pit is not shut upon you do no more disparage but honor your Gospel-seasons of Grace if you crucifie the Son of God and still despise the Spirit of Grace either laugh at or delay the necessary change of your hearts and lives be assured the next minute after your death you shall see a dreadful fixed unalterable gulf before your eyes that as the Saints in glory cannot come to your Hell so it will appear everlastingly impossible
justified 1 Cor. 4. 4. The Lord Christ his personall duty is beleevers perfect righteousness not their own sanctification 4. There will be no escaping the curse of the Law Christ crucified was made a curse for his people Galat. 3. 13. that they might not be accursed Their services and penalties are no deliverances from Gods curse which unremoved will flame in everlasting burnings All beleevers have infinite reason to say The Lord Jesus not their own Graces hath delivered them from the wrath to come 5. There will be no refuge against conscience stormes in a 1 Thes 1. 10. trusted-in righteousnesse of graces Bare inherent holynesse failing and polluted with corrupt mixtures cannot secure a tempted soul by the Laws arrests the accusing conscience and Satans indictments This subtle and potent pleader will drive assaulted Christians from the weak holds of their pettie performances yea bring them to the brink of despair untill they run to the Cross of Christ and get within the invincible and royal Fort Christs imputed Righteousnesse This is the Saints refuge against their sharpest temptations and conscience-stormes Heb. 9. 12 14. and 10. 2. 6. There will not be a sufficient Argument utterly to strip believers from all glorying in themselves about a perfect Righteousnesse Would our own bare obedience be a current title to glory beleevers might wantonly applaud themselves and dance about their high duties as the Israelites about their Golden Idol they might commend themselves and boast in heart for the glory of their holynesse their Prayers Tears Alms Mortification as they are too apt to do But when they know and beleeve the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 21. Christ is made Righteousness unto them there was not so much as a good thought either in them or from them contributed to the making of this glorious robe imputed righteousness now they are denyed all glorying in themselves As to their perfect legal obedience they onely glory in Jesus Christ He is of God made our righteousnesse that according as it is written he that gloryeth let him glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 2. 30 31. 7. There will be no sure title to eternal life The perfect and infinite righteousness of the God-man Jesus Christ is an equivalent intitling purchase to the Gospels infinite reward of the next life As God is just and a justifier of beleevers so he is just and will be their glorifier Rom. 3. 26. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Let these things be a warning to all those that would secure their hopes confidences and joyes of salvation from miscarrying to study that righteousnesse which will fully and equally answer the demands of infinite justice and as to a justified estate from the guilt of sin to account their imperfect obedience polluted defective yea as dung compared with the complere personal righteousnesse of Jesus Christ But alass this error is too common yea too much an error in reall Christians very ignorant of the mystery of an imputed Righteousnesse to lay either the whole or the greatest weight on a weak foundation The Philosophers spake much of virtue but their external shining virtues were headless virtues because they were without the knowledge and worship of the true God so were it possible that an unjustified person should eminently shine in all the graces of the Spirit and be voted the none-such of the Age in contempt of the world mortification and new obedience these graces would be headless graces Christ would profit him nothing in his choicest doings and sufferings while his active and passive obedience is nor a sinners infinite compleat and everlasting righteousnesse SECT 13. 13. GLoryfying grace in the hopes and confidences thereof is 13 Gloryfying grace is turned into Wantonness turned into wantonnesse It is called the grace of life 1 Pet. 3. 7. and eternal life is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. The crown of Glory is a crown of Free Grace adorned with that most orient Pearl the imputed Righteousnesse of Christ and the Jewels of the graces of the Spirit in their most perfect splendour and exercise that stand with the full fruition of God It is Grace that rewards Grace with Glory It is Grace that beginneth increaseth and consummates Grace Now many hope for gloryfying grace who almost but hope for heaven Who that have most just cause to feare yet are afraid in the serious and sad dwelling thoughts of their condition they are in eminent danger of Hell Instead of the blessed hope or hope of blessednesse the regular and warrantable expectation of glorifying grace there is a common hope and a cursed hope of Satans suggestion and corruptions entertainment though men continue in their sinnes they shall have heaven at length This hope never purifyed the heart and life 1 Joh. 3. 3. but will prove to them that trust in it like the thin and weak webb to the spider be swept away with the besom of destruction An evill conscience Pessima spei contubernalis mala conscientia Granat is the most dangerous companion of Hope Because many hope to be saved in the way of ruin their diseases become incurable like foolish patients that conclude health from that which increaseth their disease and hastneth their death Carnal hopes might have been cured by conditionall despair that ever soules should be saved while false hopes are rested in An hope of life in the paths of death is destruction to the soul A despair of ever getting good by such an hope might make men looke out for better hopes and more saving securities There are doubtlesse many that will in the other world curse their irrationall unscripturall and groundlesse hopes of Heaven A Prince hopes to wear his Fathers Crown How doth he abuse his hopes by living like a scullion and consorting with beggars Dishonourable imployments are below Royal state Many hope to wear the white robes of glory Rev. 3. 4 5. and yet embrace dunghill lusts and courses live dishonourably and abusively under their high expectations These resemble the Lapwing accounted an Emblem of infelicity which feeds on dung though it weares a Coronet on its head In the common abused hope of glory Hope is put out of office the springs of Hope are not regarded the work of hope is not done the properties of Hope are not to be found 1. Hope is put out of office It hath the office of a setling Anchor in heaven in tempestuous and troublesome times But the vulgar hope though it pretend heaven for its hold casts Anchor only among the creatures of which is worse among the Devils staying and strengthning it self in their counsels and lusts It hath the office of a saving refuge against Afflictions Desertions Temptations Corruptions Heb. 6. 18. The carnal hope of glory hath no City of Refuge but below viz. Wits Riches Friends Honours c. It hath the office of purging water which makes inside and Job 31. 24. 1 John 3. 3. outside clean The false hope of heaven wallows Swine-like in
Person is deeply and dearly paid for now what is bought passeth into the dominion of the buyer The ransomed of Christ are Peculium Christi Christs own possession It was an holy wish of an holy Writer O that Christs Lordship with deepest impressions might be rooted and fixed in our mindes The loose depravers of Redemption run the hazard of perishing when they refuse to be Christs possession 3. The greatest freedom pomp and glory of the world that Impii pre vilisfimis abjectissimis habentur licet spiendeant in oculis hominum Davenant in Coloss takes carnal eyes dischargeth no wicked Libertines from being the most vile and abject slaves Nobles though bound in silver chains are Prisoners The Devil and the old Man will never envy their spiritual Captives outward freedoms while efficacious Redemption hath made no powerful Translation unto Christs Kingdom of salvation 4. Carnal walkers conceits of Redemption by Christ are pleasing delusive and vanishing dreams While the Israelites served Quicquid somniant homines carnales de liberatione suâ est vanissimum Nam ut Israelitae dum Phaaroni inserviebant non erant libertate donati sic Christiani dum Diabolo parent dum peccati delitiis diffluunt Davenant Pharaoh they were not delivered so titular Christians never felt the power of Redemption while they obey the Devil and abound in the pleasures of sin The chained Prisoners thoughts of Ransome are very sorry ones while he still starves and dieth in his Irons 5. The avenging jealousie of the Lord Christ will flame out against them who rest yea boast in heart yea sometimes in tongue of his ransoming Grace and yet shake off his rightly purchased Government He counts them no better than enemies that refuse his dominion and threatens their destruction Luke 19. 27. He shall come from Heaven to revenge their disobedience to his Gospel 2 Thess 1. who prophanely rested on the Grace of his Redemption How can they answer their undoing fallacy of dividing what God hath joyned parting Redemption from iniquity and Redemption from Hell as if the whole of it were to rescue lost sinners from the smart not the filth of sin to give them a licentious ease not to fit them for their professed Lords use and their own eternal sweet communion with him to keep them from being vessels of wrath not to make them vessels of honour What a dishonour is this to the grace of God That Lust the Devill and the World should Lord it over Christs purchase What reproach to Redemption that those who beleeve they are ransomed by him will not be subject to him but abide Col. 1. 21. Enemies to him in their minds declared by wicked workes Are not these men like ransomed captives bought by a deare price who are so far from subjection and paying honour to that they rebel against their Lord 3. When Christ is desired for his comforts not for his service Gods grace is turned into wantonness Thus many take Christ to serve their turnes of him not to serve him for a shelter to comfort them in storms not a Master to doe his will When under the terrors and sorrows of death and hell they would have comfortable words from Christ even then when they have rebellious hearts against him I have heard from an eye and ear-witness a sad report of a tipling adulterous prophane man when he had the terrours of an angry God on his wounded soul and not onely fear of Hell but confessed feeling of the paines and flames of hell in his spirit was in his flesh like another trembling Balshazar at the hand writing against him a real afflicted Quaker sent for the Minister cried out of his grosse sinnes yea his barren and forsaken use of reading and prayer but the slavish sorrows were soon wasted and the terrified sinner soon grew vain frothy sensuall and voluptuous Such as like onely the pacifying but not the purifying part of Religion have whorish hearts wandring from God to other Loves even then when they are afraid of him Wanton unclean wives would have their husbands good lookes words and gifts though disobedient to them and defilers of the Marriage bed Thus too many adulterous hearts when the lips only matched with Jesus Christ would have the comforts of Reconciliation Remission Adoption the peace and joyes of the Holy Ghost even then when they contemn his holy strict Gospel-government The Apostle Paul will be a condemning instance against these selfish wantons As he obtained Pardoning mercy 1 Tim. 1. 13. So he was the servant of Jesus Christ Rom. 1. 1. yea laboured in Christs vineyard more than any of the Apostles 1 Cor. 15. 10. Should God put sound hearts to the choice whether they had rather have eminent grace to doe the will than see the sweet face of Christ they would prefer dutifulness before joyes and rather obey the commands than see the smiles of God But rotten hearts are all for the comforts Hypocritae magno supercilio jactant pietaetem sed pias monitiones rejiciunt Calv. Isa 50. nothing for the self-denying mortifying precepts of the gospel would be content to spend their daies in carnall rejoycing not working for the Lord Jesus It is just with God that all such who onely seek the comforts but not the labours and tasks of christianity shall everlastingly be strangers to the solaces who were enemies to the duties of the Gospel They who center Optimo jure nobis adimitur gaudium ubi in ipso gaudere nescimus Calv. in Isa 24. their joy in themselves shall never have true joy O that these men that fear no evill but wrath and Hell and so doe keep in not leave their wickednesse and see no good in Religion but its comfort and peace would seriously consider the experimentall words of Zanchy Evill men doe but inwardly restrain their wickedness which without feares they would wantonly powre forth Suam pravitatem intus cohibent quaÌ„â—lioqui petuâ—â—nter effusuri erant unde nec meliores nec justiores apud Deum quia licet timore impediti suam iniquitatem exercere non audent tamen intus habent cor peccatis aestuans neo renovatum ab obedientia Dei Zanchius de legis officio and this maketh them not the better nor more righteous in Gods account because though chained up by fear they dare not act their iniquity yet within they have sins impure flames pent up but no heart renewed by the obedience of God SECT 7. 4. VVHen the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Law of God The Grace of God is turned into wantonness 7 When the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Law of God This is done Doctrinally and Practically 1. Doctrinally When the Justifying grace of God is made 2 dis-obligement from the obedience of the Law Because they that are under grace are not under the damning power of the Law Therefore loose Opinionists teach they are not under the commanding power of the Law as if Christ dyed
qui alle gorica resurrectionem imaginando veram illam quae nobis promissa es solvunt Marlo in Cor. 15. 1. time His words are There are those who do wrest the resurrecion of the Body manifestly declared in Scriptures into an imaginary signification a resurrection from the death of ignorance to the life of truth Marcion Basilides Valentinus Apelles were poisoned with the same Error Marlorat noted also the same evil spirit surprized a sort of furious men possessed with Devils who called themselves Libertines who imagining an Allegorical Resurrection deny the true literal promised resurrection of the Body Satans grand design in overthrowing this great truth is a carnal voluptous dissolute life Let us eat and drink to morrow we shall die will be the counsel and practice of the flesh if the dead rise not 1 Cor. 15. 32. The genuine fruit of such a corrupt error is playing the wanton under yea against the light of nature and grace At what door any unstable licentious Christians of the present Age have suffered first the questioning then the slight assent to and lastly the positive denial of the bodily Resurrection to come in the care of good life goeth out Moreover The party of Perfectists under the pretensions of a compleat transcendent grace inherent in the regenerate having first abused the word of grace have eminently dishonoured regenerating grace That sweet grand truth whoever is born of God sinneth not Joh. 3. 9. That is either the sinne unto death or reigning sin as in the unregenerate is wrested as the support of a possible perfect innocence yea as the cover of any sinne not to be accounted sin if in the regenerate The Pelagians and Catharists abused this place so called because they seigned Beleevers in Libertinorum insana opinio qui persuadent omnem sensum peccati abjici endum quod hominum imperfectorum sit conscientiae motibus perturbari eos dicunt vere in ChrisÌ„to renatos a mortuis excitatos qui nullum peccati sensum amplius habent et existimant quicquid agant vel tentent placere fect Deo unde quum apudipsos adulteria facinora hujusmodi deprehenduntur ea ne quaquam insiciantur sed aiunt sibi non esse peccata quod ea pro peccatis non habeant sed illis ad pecca tum imputari praedicant quiper infirmita tem peccata esse existimant Marlor in 1 Cor. 9. 9. this life have an Angelical purity some Anabaptists have renewed this dream The same folly the Spirit of Error hath transmitted to the sottish Quakers All which depravers of the holy Text the same Apostle John that wrote it hath sufficiently confuted in these words If we say we have no sinne we decieve our selves and there is no truth in us How easie is it for ignorant loose stupid sinners to perswade themselves they are born of God And if nothing they doe is sinne with what bold security unbridled liberty and unconscionable insensibility will they give themselves up to the uncontrouled swing of their domineering Lusts How sadly hath the word of truth concerning Regeneration and Perfection been abused of old and present times The saying of Marlorat hath been transcribed in the erring braines and loose lives of some Monsters of Christian profession among us 'T is the mad opinion of Libertines who perswade said he that all sense of sin is to be cast off that it appertaines to imperfect men to be disturbed by the motions of conscience And therefore they say they are truly regenerate in Christ and raised from the dead who have no more sense of sin and think what sorever they do or hold pleaseth God When they are taken in Adultery and such kind of villanies they doe not deny them but say they are no sinnes to them because they do not account them so but they affirm they are onely imputed to them as sin who through their weakness think they are sins If this be weakness to account sin sin and to be troubled for it and it be Christian perfection not to think sin sin nor to have an awakened sensible conscience of sin I know not what wickedness is O sad and desperate delusion Here is the plain efficacy of Satan to miscall an admantine remorsless heart Chriperfection of life and healths activity Yet the of the Christian name dare call the stupidity of a dead and seared conscience Perfection If we right name and nature it let it bee called Perfection but of wickedness not holyness 'T is a character of sinners past grace They give themselves over to lasciviousnesse to work all uncleanness with greediness and that a licentious impenitent liberty may never meet with check again they are said to be past feeling the word imports past grieving Eph. 4. 19. There is some hope of recovery in a troubled conscience none a sorrowless Trouble of spirit for wickedness may stop a bold careere hel wards and beget thoughts of returning but he that gallops to destruction hath not an inward pang a sing a groan a tear in his way must infallibly perish Wel were it if this vile spirit of error had been in that hell of gross darknesse â—hence it came but the same impudent Diabolical looseness that Reformed Writers condemned and discovered long agoe a generation of false adulterate Christians have revived in our sad infamous and spotted times I mean the Ergtish Borborities impure Ranters whose toadish natures have suckt up that venome their loose fraternitie powred out in the time of Calvin Marlorat and others as Calvins Opuscula especially his judicious and Zealous Tract against Libertines and Marlorat in his New Testament Expositions But O you scandals of the English name and bolts of Christianity Heavens scorn and Hels triumph the highest form in Satans School that rant it out in most free and liberal allowances of your uncontroled Lusts that make not sins definition The transgression of Gods Law 1. loh. 3. 4. but a Thought an Opinion Nothing is sinne with you unless you think and account it so who have so much sinned against conscience that you have quite cast off the sensible conscience of sin if your debauched looseness hath not cast off the Eible and sâ—n-discovering books out of your hearts and hands and providence may lead you to the reading of this Section I beseech you fear tremble repent and know the holy Text of which your impure hearts unmotified lusts vile affections have given a depraved Exposition be no patron of but severe enemy against your monstrous impieties impurities and unrighteous dealings Wil you not be speechless in the arraignment of the Last Judgment when from a double Tribunal of Nature and Grace Reason and Religion Paganism and Christianty you will be infallibly condemned You will learn that Virtue is Virtue Vice Vice Grace is Grace and Sin is Som whether they be thought or beleeved so be or no a stupid conscience in a stupid hellish Liberty to sin is no Christian
and lives that with the repenting Jaylors they had had heart tremblings then with the secure Sodomites a fair morning a sun-shine of prosperity should usher in fiery avenging stormes of warth How wise and safe had been their estate that at once have peace with sin and as they think with God had they at once seen God and sin their enemy their softest beds had been to them beds of Thornes their sweetest comforts bitter vexations the creatures armed against them feared their very meat might prove their poyson every night might be the last that these awakening driving terrors might chase unquiet afrighted spirits into Jesus Christ that the fear and war of the spirit of bondage might end in the joy and peace of the spirit of adoption that tempestuous soules might hear these sweet calming words Be of good cheere t is I be not afraid Mat. 14 27. Fear not I am thy God Isa 41. 10. My Person Spirit Graces Comforts Glory infinite merits are thine Some in the Wildernesse of their sins feares and sorrowes have at length leaned on their beloved when the false peace of most presumptuous ones hath lur'd them into Hell As many there as have been tempted by secure flattery into their tormenting easelesse bed of Tribulation will have cause to think and say within themselves accursed be that calm of our polluted quiet hearts lives that hath brought us to an eternall storme accursed be that peace that hath cheated us into an eternall war accused be that sweetnesse that hath inticed us into eternall bitternesse accursed be that friendship with the world and Devill that hath betrayed us to an eternall enmity with God SECT 14. 4. The presumption of setting death and Judgement at far distance Sect. 14. The setting of death and judgement at far distance causeth the abuse of Grace 1. Death Resentment of it as of a Traveller thousands of miles off at scores of yeares removes begets through the deceits of the flesh and lyes of the Devill a tolleration yea a resolution to play the wanton not only against Nature but Grace The Epicure that beleeves not the Soules immortality concludes wanton voluptuous life from probable short life Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die 1 Cor. 15. 32. And the Christian though he beleeveth his Soule shall live for ever doth wantonize in carnall delights from probable length of dayes he shall have time enough to get the Grace of Repentance and therefore he abuseth the space and call yea the conviction of returning the vilest of Christians while under the sentence and on the bed of death seeme to have some sober thoughts of the excellency and necessity of Grace and of some complying desires and wishes O that they had it who when they beleeved it yea found it at vast distance from them despised and abused the motions of the spirit and word and of Grace How Saint like is the inlightned Libertine within a few houres of his death how dissolute ten years scores of years before it 2. Judgement Because particular Judgement after death and the generall Judgement of the great day is delayed Therefore The heart of the Sons of men is set in them to do evill Eccles 8. 11. wanton scoffers walke after their own ungodly Lusts saying Where is the promise of his coming 2. Pet. 3. 3 4. That cooling word in the Indulge exple animi cupiditates scito tan dem sis ratio nem Deo red diturus q. d. fac quicquid mali poteris tandem vapu labis aut in manus carnificis incides Mercer l. 5. c. 2. hot chase of sin Remember God will bring thee to Judgement Eccl. 11. 9. is too litle remembred the words of Mercer are observeable Feed and dandle thy lusts with most cockering indulgence coming to every desire of thy carnall mind yet know at length God will reckon with you fill up your measure of sin to your utmost possibilities at length you shall smart for it and fall into the hands of avenging Execution my Lord hath delayed his coming said the loose evill servants and therefore they were intemperate and injurious rioted in drunkennesse and Beate their fellow servants Matth. 24. 48 49. As the wanton whorish woman argued to uncleannesse Come let us take our fill of Loves let us solace our selves with Love for the good man is gone a long journey Prov. 7. 18. So the wanton Christian argues to licenciousnesse he may in the spacious intervalls between his healthy time and the last Judgement bathe his fleshly mind in fleshly loves and delights for it will be long ere the last Assizes come and will it be long what if millions of years it will come at length too soon and too sore upon the injurious slighters of Gods Grace Ah Christians that sport your selves with your own deceivings Irremediabile periculum sit aliquem cupiditatibus fraena laxare ut se rationem Deo non meminerit redditurum Bernard that Gospell Grace and liberty will favour your disordered walking that give your Lusts too large roome under the plain hearing and convincements of strictnesse that stumble in high noone day slacken the Reines to your head strong desires as if God would call you to account Bernard tells you this is an irremedilesse soule danger If the Faith of the last Judgement do not teach men holy Wisdome Repentance Temperance Obedience what will what can weep you said the Apostle James to the rich loose wantons of his time And howle for the miseries that are come upon you Jam. 5. 1. why Ye have lived in pleasure in the earth and have been wanton ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slangther v. 5. The coming of the Lord draweth nigh As if he had said you play the wantons with creature mercies forgetting God and your duties but the accounting day is nigh Faciat jructū qui potest adest dominus qui fructum requirit faecundos vivificet steriles depre hendet Am. Super Luc. The Judge is at the doore They are good words of Ambrose Let every one bring forth the fruit of Grace the Lord is present in his word to faith who will require fruit will not be put off with leaves He will give eternall Life to fruitfull trees will take and cast barren ones into Hell SECT 15. 5. The presumption of time enough to repent hath brought 15. The presumption of time enough to repent doth cause the abuse of Grace forth this uncomely Monster The abuse of Grace There are not a few incurable instances in the other World who have first delayed and then everlastingly lost the space and Grace of repentance Those words of Christ concerning Jerusalem may be truly and sadly said of Grace-refusing and abusing Christians Hadst thou known in this thy day the things belonging to thy Peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes Hannibal bewailed the loss of his opportunity to master Rome when he would have
up wealth so they grow rich care not how they abuse one another by Impostures Frauds and Injuries As all earthy nominal Christians slight that Gospel grace in which they prosess their felicity is wrapt up and more industriously pursue that which is a shadow then substantial happiness so in spiritual real ones through the inclinations and temptations of the old man in them there is some abuse of Gods grace surely they know wherefore Grace is recieved what hinders but that it should teach them how they ought and might improve it who have more abilities then others to walk close with God deny themselves be fruitful in good works live in Heaven honor their Lord and Master Jesus Christ by a shining convincing conversation be the presidents of mortifying grace and in brief to hold forth the glory and power of Religion to make it amiable in the eyes of wicked men even these cannot but be conscious to themselves how far short they are and live up to the dignity essicacy and majesty of that Gospel Holiness and strictness they profess and in some measure but too little discover That real servant of Christ is one of an hundred yea one of a thousand that doth not in one thing or another spot the garment of his holy Profession and in some lower degree yet intolerable and unallowable of wantonness fall short of the honor and power of Gospel grace Happy is the person The None-such The Phaenix of the Countrey who is so eminently mortified so self crucified to the world impowred against Satan grown in Grace dwelling in Heaven makes the practice and power of Religion the great business hath such daily and hourly assisting grace is in such constant guard of his heart and fear of God that the transcendent Professor rather lives as an Angel then a Saint among men but it is very rare to finde Christians coming nigh this Character Who are there that know the large and hard things required in the Law and strict rules of the Gospel and his swervings from both but hath cause to charge himself with some inward or outward loosness or both and say with David I have done foolishly with Job I am vile with the Publican A sinner O God! with Paul In me in my flesh dwells no good thing though in my minde I serve the Law of God yet in my flesh I play the Wanton and serve the Law of sin This great sin The abuse of Grace is Epidemical and so much the more abominable As that Plague is worst that Eo graviora sunt peccate quo magis Catholica zanch. is generally raging and infections That of Zâ—â—by shall period this point The more Catholick sins are the greater they are Generality of any sin is its aggravation SECT 14. 14. IT is an un-Churching sin It provokes God to take away the 14. The abuse of Grace is an unchurching sin gospel the golden Chandlesticks that hold sorth glorious Gospel saving light and to give the abused good tidings of grace to them that will bring forth the fruâ—s of it Matth. 21. 43. Abusing Gods grace was the sin of Sardis who had a name to live the life of grace but was dead Rev. 3 1. It was the sin of Laodicea that boasted her self rich in gifts and graces in gospel Treasures when she was poor and miserable but rich in sin Rev. 3. 17. It was the sin of the Jews that cryed the Temple of the Lord boâ—e much on Sacrifices the types of Gods grace in Chriâ—t which was abused to stealing murther false swearing idolatry and so perverted the ceremonial Religion of Gods grace into a securing Den of Robbers Jer. 7 9. 11. but used it not as an healing Medicine If God enter into judgement with England he may and there is cause to fear he will un-Gospel and un-Church her He may justly do with than part of his loose Family as Masters do with their loose servants take away those Candles and that Food they play the wantons with Is not Evangelical Doctrine sweetly clearly plainly and commonly Preached throughout the Nation Are we not like Capernaum lifred up to Heaven in Ordinances Deserve we not to be like Capernaum too cast to Hell for our impenitence barrenness thriving wickedness wanton abuse of the means Are not the plentiful showres of Heavenly Doctrine the sweet and warm Beams of the Gospel Sun dishonored by a plentiful Spring of Thoms Hemlock noisom Weeds cursed Opinions and Practices We are Judgement proof and Sermon proof neither the voice of Gods Word nor Rod amends us O incurable England Are we not sick of the remedy Are not Soul Physitions now adays Physitians of no value And O sad truth of little yea in some places of no success Did it kill the heart of Eli that the outward glory the Ark was departed from Israel O our stupidity spiritual death hard heartedness want of zeal for the honor of God credit of his gospel salvation of Souls The inward glory of the Ark is gone or almost gone the astonishments the conversions the Devil-banishing the World-conquering the heart-changing the soul-warming the Lust-mortifying the Spirit-quickning the Grace-growing power of the Ordinances is by many deg ees from what it was gone from us Many years agoe the terrible and needful truths of the Law Preached have made the Auditors hair even stand an end trembling and weeping resolving and practicing Reformation were the happy fruits of â— rousing Ministry The same Truths with some suitable affections in their godly Messengers are Preached now but with little success How thin O how thin are the numbers of repenting reforming Believers How rarely are spiritual Fishermen and the Words Net blessed by a draught of souls How seldom do we see and feel the beauty and power of glory of Christ in the Sanctuary as experimented in former times Are not multitudes of Christians of large profession grown more debauched sensual careless of their souls Yea Are not stricter Christians grown looser then they were Is there not a sad fall from degrees of prizing the Ordinances first Love tenderness of Conscience the fear of God guard over thoughts and words Is it not true of many that have the root of the matter in them They are not so fruitful as once they were Good Trees that should be better are worse and are not evil professed Christians grown stark mught thrive onely in sin and grow worse and worse yea Do not the convictions of these truths lie dead upon the spirits of the most lively and best approved Christians Is there not even in quickned souls a kinde of dead insensibility of Gods dishonor the abuse of his Grace the reproach of his Gospel Is it not very rare to get a few hearty sighs and groans to wring a few tears that the Gospel grace of God the Christians glory is universally abused May we not fear this spiritual Judgement of hardness of heart is the fore-runner and will be the procurer of a
not the cold of this World When the cloathes were put off he thought of death he should be uncloathed of Flesh and of the Resurrection to put it on again as his cloathes were put on in the morning When the day-light appeared he minded Christ the light that knows no Night nor Evening but is always as bright Mid-day His Journying taught him to think this life a Pilgrimage the way is dangerous that there is need of Christ the Guide in the high way to glory How injurious are we to Gods end of his Creatures unto our own rational faculties and to the ingenuities that grace would put upon us if we gain not affective and active Meditations by what daily comes into the doors of our senses If so great be the sweetness and glory of Gods out-house the visible World what transcendencies of delight and honor are the happy reserves in the invisible state and place of heavenly glory in the next life It is an ungracious frame of spirit that is confined to the things below They are strangers and enemies to their own happiness that could take up with a visible Eternity of poor sublunary things and cannot abide the thoughts of death the destruction of their earthly Gods Thus Reader in the forementioned eleven Sections maist thou try and take a measure of thy loose heart and life if in impartial Judgement thou canst and wilt be so faithful to the Truth and thine own soul as to believe thy guilt of manifest and gross abuses of Gods grace confess it to God deeply lay it to heart repent of it lest it prove thy ruine CHAP. XI Containing a second Branch of Examination how we may know the secret close and more refined Abuses of Gods Grace HAving enquired into the more visible and notorious affronts of Gods grace My next labor shall be rifling bosom-work to go into the inward Rooms of the heart and there to finde out the inward Libertine that dares impurely and immodestly to licentiate before the Lord This searching inward filthy cells of darkness by the bright Candle of the word of Truth as it is always unpleasant to a close Hypocrite all whose Religion is a constant jugling with God and men so to soundest upright hearts it is very desirable If the secret rotten double-hearted Professor shall read the following Conceptions without a blush fear and trembling laying a better foundation for his propriety to Christ assurance of Grace and the hope of Heaven then cheating appearances If he have scarce patience and heart to try himself by ensuing discoveries yea though he read them will wickedly deny the signs of close dishonors to Gods grace are not in him he may shift of Paper Arraignments he shall not the unbosoming Judgement of the great day when his Sheeps skin shall be pluckt off the inside shall be turned outwards and the close Hypocrite shall appear a wicked impenitent abuser of Gods grace Indeed I have little hope to do good to the habitual Jugleâ— in the things of God who hath made a play of his Religion aâ—â— never been in good earnest My hope is a Blessing from Heaven may second Convictions in the sound heart searching Reader who is ever most charitable to others but most jealous off and servere against his own heart for thy sake O self-basing abhorring mourner in Zion I have endeavored to lay down the Transcript the Counterpane of thy wretched heart I know thou â—ilt say the next Pages are thine own experience look over weep over pray strive against the ungrateful unkinde wrongs to thy gracious God thy dear Redeemer the Spirit of Grace gracious motions thy principle of grace I know by the help of grace thou wilt lay to heart and repent of the secret Injuries of grace where the prophane hypocritical world scarce see any sin or if so very slightly think of it and have no care and conscience to reform Weigh and ponder then the evidences of close and less discerned abuse of Gods grace as laid down in the subsequent method SECT 1. 1. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is a sinful close of spiritual Injoyments By these I mean all the Ordinances of grace whose ends and fruits are spiritual where succesful also the gifts of Grace Knowledge Judgement Invention Memory Utterance in Divine things Adde hereunto the sanctifying graces of the Spirit the sâ—eet motions of the Holy Ghost the joys of the Spirit in the light of Gods countenance in the Faith of Attonement by Christs blood in the sight of sincerity victory over Lusts c. These are all spiritual injoyments Now when the close of these is sinful there is a secret abuse of grace It is sinful in five things 1. In self-advancement Gods free grace is either wronged by his Servants as a Benefactor by a boasting Beggar he is well fed fat and fine and while he should lift up the bounty of the giver he is glorying in himself as a receiver So when the giver of grace in his heavenly Alms should be magnified how often do the best of men advance themselves The richest Saints in Earth and Heaven are but vessels of mercy Rom. 9. 22. Utensils Instruments God is pleased to use No thank to the tool but to the hand if it work No house builds it self When we see a comely building we praise the Art of the Builder The action of the Instrument is reduced to the essicient Ashur forgat himself and God when he looked not on God but himself Boasting in an Instrument is as if the Saw should magnifie it self it cut well and the Ax should magnifie it self it hewed well Isa 10. 15. If the Workman holds his hands the Tools do nothing Believers are the spirits Instruments God works in and by them and they dishonor the grace of God by transferring the work to themselves saying I prayed I preached I wept I gave alms I rejoyced in God I did this and that good As lofty Nebuchadnezzar lookt onely on his great boasting This I did this was my doing Is not this Babel that I have built for the glory of my Majesty So I have done this and that is the Poison that mars all the breathing of Satan turn'd angel of light the high abuse of Gods grace â—h Christian be humbled for it Diabolus laudat qua se perspicit superari virtutem injicit cordi jactantiam c. Fulgent ad Probam ep 3. and correct it by the Glass of Pauls self-abasing Grace and Christ-advancing I labored more than the other Apostles yet not I but the Grace of God 1 Cor. 15. 10. I live yet not I but Châ—ist lives in me Gal. 2. 20. 2. In dulling the edge of holy zeal This is the sad and frequent lacquey of spiritual injoyments We converse with them to a blunting and dulling of our spirits They should be as whetstones to set a keener sharpness on our hearts but they are as stones to the Sithes that gap and blunt them It is
the stamp of the great Law-givers authority what sacrilidge is it to slight the precepts of the great God as little The spiritual wisdome from above lookes upon every command and sin as great doing no little mischiefe against the soveraignty and purity of no little God deserving no little Hell the losse of no little Heaven Servants are not their own may not presume in little offences like and dislike pick and chuse obey and rebel as they please but obey in all things Col. 3. 22. Else they do not their Masters wil but their owne Insolentissimus abusus quod placet assumere quod displicet repudiare Salv. de Gub. Dei lib. 2. What we account a most insolent abuse and badge of pride in our servants is in Gods they wrong his Soveraignty when they are fast and loose wil do and not do and are not through paced in â—epentance and Obedience It speakes our soundness in the cause of God in our faithfulnesse to the crown of Christ if we dash in peeces the Babylonish brats the little Theeves of Latrunculos primorum motuum Paris sins first motions the petty traytors of Insurrection as â—ell as the signall Rebels happy are they that in the high improvements of and honourable respects to Gods grace dare not adventure on the lest sins A little Leaven will leaven the whole lump a little sin without great mercy will ruine the whole man SECT 6. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods Grace is discontent at 6. Abuse of Gods grace appeares in discontent at Gods gracious corrections Gods gracious corrections his frowns on his children are his favours his rods love tokens Heb. 12. 6. His family discipline hath not only good instructions and liberall maintenance but wholesome chastisements he is his childrens Father and Physitian as wise to know so able and willing to cure their diseases their sins are ill humours affliction Physick themselves patients But alas hoâ— under the discipline of correction are the Lords people like delicate wantons that will not take from but give their Physitian directions this Physick is not right that were better any Affliction any Potion rather than this as if God knew not better our disease the way of cure and our strength better then our selves we are no sit choosers of our rods the cross we would exchange for might be ten times heavier when we repine at the wise allotments of our heavenly physitian make faces and spit at his wayes of healing we discover our folly and wantonnesse that Loosenesse that contracts Diseases will not bear the method and smart of cure this is the holy and humble submission of Grace Lord give power to beare and blessing to sanctifie the Crosse and keep me under it while thou pleasest Shall good children pay â—everence to their chastising parents and not Gods children to him correcting Heb. 12. 9. chusing our trouble fretting under Gods present hand as imprudent or injurious despising his corrections declares us have wanton kicking spirits we never sweetly humbly and quietly bear the healthful indignation of the Almighty till we by Faith give him the glory of the gracious wisdom and soveraignty of his corrections then be the tryal never so fierie the soul will say I shall come forth as tried Gold SECT 7. 7. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is daring to doe 7 The daring to do that when the rod is off which one would not when the rod is on is a sign of the abuse of grace that when the Rod of God is off which would not be done when it is on In affliction there is powring out of prayers Isa 26. 16. Hanging down the head and heavyness of heart for sin sense of civil reverence of God a stop to carnal delights good words of Holynesse promises of better Obedience reforming appearances Saint-like deportments But it is frequent injury to the gracious chastisements of God that their Physick hath rather been a skinning over than a cure of diseases As unsound Recoveries break forth into old sores and worse relapses so the universall work of Correction betraies it self either into a neglect of Prayer or a Praying formalitie carnal Merriments Remorslesnesse of Spirit impudent Irreverence Breach of Vows loose Conversation these are great enemies to strictnesse There are not a few that have exceedingly shamed Gods School of Correction like some unbettered children under the Rod who acknowledge their sin kneel down and cry pardon and mingle the sense of their folly and smart with teares promise they will never doe so again fear and tremble at the next blowes are very humble and shew much good manners but when the smart is off the old sauciness stubborness and disorders return How hath that righteousnesse that hath light impression in the mind by affliction like the print of the Rod in the flesh soon worn out This Insinceritie is deservedly deplorable of all them that know their own hearts and finde these true charges flying in their faces Such as these that in and out of Affliction are so unlike themselves betray they are not sound in heart by their unsteadiness in Gods Covenant Psal 78. 37. Hath God in mercy not chastned us sore nor delivered us up to death and hell to cure not to kill us How dishonorable is it to the sparing chastising grace of God and perilous to our own souls when the holy manners we seemed to learn under the Rod are lost when it is taken off SECT 8. 8. EVidence of close Abuse of Gods grace is shamelesness before 8 Shamelesness before the Lord for acknowledged sins is an evidence of the abuse of grace the Lord for acknowledged sinners If grace bee not so strong as to resist sin it is so sound and ingenuous as to blush at it The Moral blush at uncivil and unvirtuous baseness speak a good moral heart And the spiritual blush at ungospel unchristian vilenesse speaks a good gracious heart O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God Ezra 9. 6. Yee gracious Romans are now ashamed of your fruitless sinns Rom. 6. 21. Mary Magdalen an infamous sinner but famous Saint look'd on her sinnes with tears and shame and in token of her blushing conscience stood behind Christ as ashamed her once impure eyes should behold his sacred face Luke 7. 38. Were they ashamed said God of the impudent Jews Jer. 6. 15. They could not blush they wanted the colour of grace What disgrace is it to the grace of God that persons in grace weak ones God knowes are convinced of their sinfull foolish frothy idle yea sometimes eminently wicked language of venomous Serpents lurking under the hidden leaves of filthy consciences of ugly monsters harboured in their bosomes proud vain-glorious envious malicious adulterous unrighteous oppressive Atheistical prophane abominable thoughts every day flying up and down in their souls like birds in the air and that this filthy hellish vermin crawling up and down the
wofull estate till they worke on thee fear and trembling and then further awaken thy secure heart with these sad what iff's What if thou shouldst die suddenly What if thou shouldst shortly be forced into the presence of thine angry Judge whose Grace thou hast many thousand times desperately abused What if now I resist the movings of the Spirit of Grace and hee never stir up a thought of Repentance in me more What if in the other World the avenging remembrance of my wanton sportings in sin and mocking my plain dealing instructers more torment my wounded conscience than all the Tortures of Tyrants have tender bodies What if God laugh at my destruction who have laught at the Counsells of Reformation Then go further and thus upbraid thy selfe saying O monster of men and Women O wonder the Earth hath not swallowed mee up quick as weary of such a burden O marvell that I am not in Hell O fool O wretch O beast O mad one worse then a Devill He never had the time nor offer of Grace The grace of God teacheth to deny ungodlinesse I have an Atheisticall heart and have led an ungoldly life the grace of God teacheth to deny worldly lusâ—s and I have made provisions for them and pampered them the Grace of God teacheth to live godly but I have been so far from leading a godly life that I have not only hated the power but the form of godlinesse in my family The grace of God teacheth to live righteously but I am guilty of unrighteous dealings with my neighbours name and estate The grace of God teacheth to live soberly but I have been a wanton intemperate Glutton and Drunkard and an uncleane incontinent person if these thoughts and such as these O loose Reader shall put in thee resolves in the strength of Christ to repent of the worst of pardonable sins the gâ—osse Abuse of Grace if they shall bring thee on thy knees if thou shalt cry mightily to God to repent to give thee a better heart to honour that Grace of God and Jesus Christ which alone must save thee if ever thou be saved when thou shalt lye on thy Death Bed thou wilt never repent of following this Counsell delay not to search try and amend thy loose heart and life lest thy Libertinisme prove thine everlasting ruine SECT 2. 2. TAke heed of denying the proof of grosse afronts to Gods Take heed of denying the proof of gross affronts to Gods grace grace such as have been named herein the guilty plead innocent though they oppose Gospel merits and mercies to calling upon God they will say they though they do not though the Grace they pray for be never received into their hearts nor is seen in their lives yet think they yea they affirme the contrary though they shroud unrighteous and oppressive courses under the Grace of God they will not owne the charge though Lord have mercy on me and God give me his Grace be thought dayly satisfaction for dayly reigning sinnes in their account yet this will not be be beleeved and so other symptomes of palpable wrong to Gods grace are rarely credited This wickednesse was among the Jewes though the manifest tokens of impiety and cruelty were upon them they denyed it the Prophet was put to it to convince their injuries to Gods grace in abusing the Prophets their soule Physitians by ocular demonstrations Si fur deprehensus fuerit non poterit negare neque occultare sce lus suum Calv. Judaei respersi sanguine usque ad extremas partes vestium crimen vestrum plus quam notum est non E. tantum rebelles fuistis doctrinae meae sed crudeliter prophetas meos occidistis Calv. in loc the Theef is ashamed when he is found so the Jewes were taken in the open acts of wickednesse Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor Innocents Jer. 2. 26. As innocent Blood on the out-side of the Murtherers garments demonstrates cruelty so their open butchering of the Prophets and yet thou sayest I am innocent v. 35. Again How canst thou say I am not polluted I have not gone after Baalim Jer. 2. 23. Thus the open enemies of Gods grace that will not be perswaded though they be perswaded they are guilty are impudent denyers of their wickedness as Thieves and Murtherers deprehended in the Fact like Frantick men in a Feavor that talk idly rage have skâ—lding flesh spirits inflamed cannot sleep and yet say they are well like men that have the Plague sores in their faces and hands too very visible yet deny the infection Take heed of denying the palpable symptomes of wronging Gods grace This mischief comes on it As the mortally diseased that denies his danger will not seek out for nor welcome the Physitian so nor these be capable of healing grace SECT 3. 3. SEe to it that you slight not the conviction It is a small 3. Slight not the conviction matter to offer open injury to Gods grace Is it a light matter to have the fearful marks of the spiritual eternal death without sound repentance Is it the maner of condemned persons slight the convictions of death Wantons before it are serious spirit-smitten and wounded after it When Physitians tell their Patients they are dead in their disease if such and such means be not used and blessed Are not men usually deeply affected with such sad news O sinner thou hast the grosse Characters of abusing grace upon thee Thou hast the visible marks of death upon thee The Lord affect thine heart with thy condition that thou maist see it be converted and repent SECT 4. 4. REfuse not to put sad and serious questions to thy soul 4. Refuse not to put sad and serious Questions to thy soul these eight especially 1. Question Shall I make a mock of God and Christ This I doe If I professe my self a friend of Grace and kick against it and say Hail Master to Christ the Author of Grace and betray the honour and power of Grace I am one of those mockers the Apostle Peter and Jude prophesied of May not God mock at my destruction surely he scorns the scorner Prov. 3. 24. 2. Question Shall I be the worst of enemies David charged his pretended friends with higher guilt then his open enemies Psalm 55. 14. Christ will not bear it that his name should be wounded in the House of his friends The Duke of Florence said he read He was to forgive his enemies not his friends Turks Infidels are not such deeply guilty enemies against Jesus Christ as prophane Christians that openly abuse his Gospel-grace and Baptismal-mercy Such friends without deep Humiliation and Repentance Christ will not forgive When Judas prophanely ushered in his open Treason against his professed Lord with an Hail Master and a kiss Matth. 26. 49. Christs immediate word was Friend And Jesus said unto him Friend Wherefore art thou come v. 5 c. As if he had said I
means to prevent abuse of grace Homines secundum gratiam ipsam creantur i. e. constituuntur in novo esse ex nihilo Aquin. 12 ae q. 110. 2 Gratia auxilium Dei Aqu. 1 2 ae q. 113. 9. Arg. 2. Arg. 2. Gratia habituale donum excedens ordineÌ„ naturae bonum gratiae unius est magis bâ—num naturae totius universi Ib. Grace is the new Creature By it the sinner saith Aquinas is created in a new being now how unworthy is it of the new Creature to look again like the old man It must be with the supernatural as it is with common Creatures they shew according to their properties formes and inclinations what is put into them by the benefit of their creation Grace is the glory of God Let me see thy glory saith Moses God shewed it in his grace I wil be gracious to whom I wil be gracious Exod. 33. 18 19. God in his Grace is a King in his Throne The Throne of grace Heb. 4. 16. Abuse grace and you spit upon the King in his Throne this is to deal with God as Davids enemies did with him to Turn his glory into shame Grace is the arme of God his strong arm by which hee aydes and defends his people and casts down Satan to wrong grace is to weaken the arm of God Grace is a matchlesse goodnesse of finite excellencies the chiefest exceeds all the good of nature All the Creatures Riches Honours Pleasures of this world are inconsiderable to Grace the least filing of its precious gold the least dramme of its soveraign worth the lowest degree of it excells the Abstract the Quintessence the Composition the Spirits the united Glory of the whole worlds desirables The poorest Saint doth outwealth the richest sinners rich Libertines that swim in pleasures have reason to wish they could change states with poor Beleevers the rich heirs of glory but it was never yet known that a real needy Saint would change conditions with gracelesse prosperous worldlings and mighty Cedars Look not upon the wicked of the world with envy but with pitty they that see in the Sancturary of God what wil be their dreadful end fret not to see bruitish christians fatted in their wealthy pastures like Oxen for the slaughter they know their delicate and superfluous meate is sweet til the reckoning come weigh things by their ends not present enjoyments the references they bear to eternity not this life Grace is a christians holy water a christal spring the well of water springing up to eternal life is the spirit of Grace Joh. 4. Gratia caelestis rivus Justin Prot. Patriar venetiae 14. To debase the grace of God to sin is to throw dirt into a pure spring to muddy a pure stream that the christians face cannot be seen in it Grace is spirituall light a saving beam of the Sun of righteousnesse Gratia spirituale lumen Aq. 1 2 ae q. 211. 5. Arg. 3. that makes day in the soule where it is and speakes its enlightned subjects children of light Now loose wanton works of darknesse what in them lyes turn the day into night make the beautiful Sons of Zion to looke like uncomly Negroes black Ethiopians turnes Heaven into Hell the christians fairenesse into foulnesse his glory into shame Grace is the choice love token of God Hos 14. 2 4. Eph. 2 4 7. To Abuse Grace is as if a Spouse should blot and blur her Bridegroomes Love-Letters and cast his kind tokens under feet Grace is a christians ornament the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit 1 Pet. 3 4. the ornament of grace unto the head and chaines about the neck Pro. 1. 9. a ravishing comliness to Jesus Christ Can. 4. 9. A gracious christian though his outward appearance be never so meane is a more comly peice to spiritual Dignitasin indigno est ornamentum in luto Salvian eyes then the fairest face of the Limners art yea then the most beautiful face of flesh and bloud that ever God made the filth cast upon grace is like dirt cast upon a brides ornaments or dung on scarlet Grace is a christians distinguishing character by it said Paul I am what I am 1 Cor. 15. 10. It makes the great difference in the world it differs the spiritual from the carnal as the resonable soul doth a man from a bruit to sin by grace is to make the sun darkness to turn a man into a beast to be filthy by a clean spring is a great contradiction to the nature and distinguishing formality of Gratia est similitu do Dei Aq. 3. â— 2. 10. Arg. primum Grace Grace is Gods image to wrest grace to sin is to make Gods picture look like the Devils Grace is a christians heaven begun eternal life to mingle sinwith grace is to mingle hel with heaven and death with eternal life Gratia sanitas mentis Aq. 1 2 ae q. 11 3. c. Quasi murâ— gratiae civinae circum quaque communiti fideles Chrys Grace is the soules health to abuse grace is to turn health into sickness the sweet temper of the mind into a diseased distemper Grace is a christians walled city his safety lyes in this that he is walled round with grace to shelteâ— sin under grace is to throw down a securing wall and to make it useless grace in its vigour liberty and exercise wil shelter the soul against all its assaults Grace is a christians store house gives out supply for Life and Vnico hoc gratiae vocabulo continetur ingens ille beneficiorum acervus Davâ—nant in Colos godlinesse My grace is sufficient for thee this one word grace is an Abridgment of gospel blessings all are in grace Paul was wont to begin and end his Epistles with grace as the foundation and top-stone of eternal happinesse Sin against grace by the leave of grace is the pick-lock theefe that comes into the christians store-house and robs him of all his blessings Grace is the earnest for glory to make grace give liberty to sin is to turn the earnest of Heaven into an earnest for hel it is like a wanton servant to cast his masters earnest into the gutter Thus O christian get a lively dwelling sense upon thy spirit of the fair face of grace and thou wilt not dare by thy filthy thoughts words and workes to bemire it consider the high honour of grace and thou wilt not disgrace it FINIS