positi in religione peccamus Salv. de gub Dei l. 3. in fine name When this most sacred name doth load our guilt for therefore under the stile of Religion we mock God because we sin under its holy profession Thus we see the loose carriages of former times hath sadded the hearts and sharpned the stile of Pious Zealous Judicious Writers Well were it if this prodigious sin perverting the grace of God had been confined to former ages The same impure corrupt Spring of dissoluteness that of old hath sent forth muddy streams of polluting opinions and conversations hath run in our own times in too offensive and plentiful a Current No side or denomination of Protestants as Lutheran or Calvinist Episcopal Presbyterian or Independent but in something or other either in greater or lesser spots they have defiled their Garments Gods chastising hand hath been very heavy upon the party of the Prelatical perswasion among whom I hope some have risen by their falls been inriched by their impoverishments and endeavored to secure the certainties of blessed Eternity by seeing the brittle glassen Pomp and glory of Dum splende scit frangitur the World glittering and broken and such a glorious fruit of the Crosse I wish to all complaining losers that they may see they have as well faln in their sins as their Estates But alas are not many of you wantons both under and against Gods Judgments and Mercies in your Principles Fancies Fashions sensual Pleasures Visits vain Education of your Children and Servants Family Irreligion mis-spending precious time Do you not throw the old scoff of Puritans upon all that dissent Doctor Potter once Provost of Qu. Colledge in Oxford from you Read with patience what a learned Doctor spake in an Holy Day Court-Sermon Our Profession is Christianity but not our practice We resemble Paganism We are so far from emulating gracious examples that of all things we cannot endure to be suspected of too much Holiness therefore we choose to swear swagger riot quaff with prophane company rather then to be defamed with the imputation of purity If your own experience Eccho with this loosnesse blame not what you read but be humbled zealous and repent And Reader if thou be such a one as hast sought for a strict Government Order and Worship of God in his Church thou hast even cause to resent it with grief tears and blushing that there want not proofs that endeavored Reformation hath been too impotent to prevent the wanton Abuses of Gods grace Have not some loose opinions been Preached Printed Dispersed Believed Tolerated yea infected Consciences and Lives Do those that cry out against the men spirit and ways of the world stand at such distance from the World in Lusts Affections Conversation as they do in Language Doth their outward garb shew they are not fashioned to the world Are not the Pleasures gaudy Fashions Estates Pomps of the World too grateful Tertullian hath taught us Thou art delicate O Christian If Delicatuses Christiane si in saeculo voluptatem concupiscis Quid lucundius quā Dei patris demini reconciliatio quam virtutis revelatio quam errorum recognitio quae major voluptas quam fastidium voluptatis Hae voluptates haec spectacula Christ anorū Tertul. de spectaculis thou desirest worldly pleasure Thou art a fool if thou accountest this pleasure What is more delightful then Gods Reconciliation Truths Revelation Errors acknowledgement Sins Pardon What greater pleasure then the contempt of Pleasure What greater liberty then an upright conscience a contented life and a fearless death These are the pleasures these are the spectacles the merriments of Christians How will standers by be convinced that that Reformation is of such a sublimate Heavenly extraction which should better appear by shining Graces then glittering out-sides I know Christian liberty as it is now stretched doth not onely allow monstrous long Hair but glorious apparel glittering in gold and silver lace and other sumptuous Gaudery which in the Judgement of Scripture Conscience and the last Tribunal were better bestowed upon the bellies and backs of the poor That speech might here be properly applyed Ad quid perditio haec I could wish Christians would learn of Proba an heavenly Christian descended of Roman Consuls brought up in Royal Delights yet was such an humble servant of God that she forgat her high birth and breeding contemned the delights on the body relieved the hungry by her abstemious fasting and was clad in Suam famem satiandis deservire corporibus vilibus tecta indumentis vestiendis pauperibus curam impendit Fulg. de statu viduali ad Gal. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Tom. 1. pag. 416. g Prov. 10. 20 mean apparrel that she might the better cloath the poor O ye rich professing Christians follow Proba and abatements of your pompous glory on your backs and tables will speak you less worldly and fit you to be more mercifull 'T is a ground of sad conjecture that you are little taken with inward glory when you lay out so much in outward Plato held it a notorious crime for a Magistrate to touch gold and silver to wear it in garments to drink out of it because said he they have divine gold and silver in their minds and need none of mans deeming it irreligion to prophane the divine with humane O professed Christians who if really such doe out-worth the gold of Ophir and the Spanish Silver Fleets if you can study value get and improve the choice silver of Righteous Tongues g and the richly wrought cloth of gold h visible shining Good Works you wil be very little taken with outward splendid glory He humbled you are such worldly gaudy fashion-followers Besides doe not your ungoverned passions and tongues want of Pitty courtesie equity external reverence in the Worship of God over-greedy covetous purchases selfishness slight formal keeping the Sabbath divisions contentions crying up and down the Ministry of the Gospel according to your fancy and humour not your reason not grace speak you Wantons and in these things too much carnal Psal 45. 13. and walkers as men i 1 Cor. 3 3. Think of this O all ye Reforming party that decry abuses in Prelatical Government and spend much breath heat and time in declaiming against them though I excuse none of their faults study bewail amend your own visible miscarriadges We can never confute nor reform others faults by our own Le ts take heed when we cry out against others that we doe not as Diogenes did of Plato trample upon their Pride with greater Pride O that all parties would lay to heart their sad unanswerableness to Costel-grace and by the wisdom that is from above without partiality think themselves concerned in the Annon fere omnes in foedissimo abusu denorum Dei vivimus Luth. in Gen. following Tractate No Christian unlesse he be drunk and spiritually mad by the Quakers cup of Error the intoxicating fume or
covenant of works If Freemen by profession are as willing and industious flaves by dispoâ—tion and practise as if they had heard of the author of Liberty the infinite price of Libeâ—ty the bounds of Liberty the peace of Liberty the purity of Liberty the designe of Liberty which was to imprison chain up and chastise felonyous Traytors Rebells evill thoughts carnal reâ—sonings perverse desires inordinate â—ffections dissolute courses not to give them the least allowance latitude and affection What honour can this be to Christian liberty when as huge multitudes of Libertines manage it Hell is broken loose under the favour of it whose intendment was to open heaven in a free practise of piety and pardon of be vailed failings in a free assiâ—anâ—e by the spirit of Libertine to endeavour to do every part of â—ods will and a free acceptance of imperfect yet sincere service Carnal worldly Liberty saith indulge your â—enius feast your senses deny your sensitive appetite in nothing the pleasures of this life are the chiefest good be not a slave to straight laced mopish melancholly rules exercises and society but true Christian Liberty sayes use no unlawfull delights you deny your self in lawful be not under the power of Creature sweetest allowances it counts that part of life most sweet freedome that in the zeal pursuit and affection of spirituall delights can be contented without and mortified to â—eihâ—y unnecessary delights he words of Tertul. are weighty Delicatus es O Christiane si in saeculo voluptatem concuâ—iscis c. Quid jucundius quam Deâ— Patris reconciliatis quam veritatis revelatio quam errorum recognitio c. Quae majorvoluptas quam fast idium voluptatis c. Hae voluptates haec spec tacula Christianorum Tertull De spectaculis pag. 592. Thou art delicate O Christian if thou seekest worldly pleasureâ— yea a fool if thou accountest this pleasure what is more pleasant then Reconciliation with God then acknowledgment of errors then pardon of sin past What is greater pleasure then the loathing of pleasure the contempt of the whole world then true liberty then an upright conscience then a life of contentment then living above the fear of death these are the pleasures these are the spectacles the rare sights of Christians Indeed an holy authority over sensuall delights a vacation and attendance to and pursuance of spiritual pleasures do speak the only Free-man in the World T is rare to find that mighty Apostolicall spirit among professed Christians not to be under the power of any thing they use not specular delights with Liberty but slavery not being possessors of them so much as possessed by them not to help but hinder the spiritual Race not to sharpen but dul the edge of holy Devotion Meditation and delight in God not as Ladders of scension to him but as Leaden Plummers to pul down the soule from him SECT 3. 3. COnsideration The credit of the Gospel how doth the 3. The credit of the Gospel should ingage us to beware of abusing the grace of God Schoole boy honour his Master when hee is a thriving Grammarian the Pupill his Tutor when he is a rare proficient in the Liberal arts and the Beleever his great Teacher Christ when in the Gospel Schoole he is come to high attainments in the deep and holy practical mysteries of Faith T is said of Demetrius He had a good report of the truth 3 Epist Joh. v. 12. The gospel of Salvation the highest word of truth gives a good Report of its strict Professors when it is so powerfull over them as to make them stand in awe of its Lust-curbing-requiries when its spiritual weapons are mighty through God to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ to hush the peevish insurrections of discontented imaginations to curb loose inward filthy motions to purge out their defilements to bewaile inward pollutions to watch them and beat them down in holy indignation and chastity of Spirit as they rise up and importune with their flattering insinuations to Rebellion and draâ—ing aside from God When the Gospel is thus the power of God to holy strictnesse it speaks wel of itsreligious observers so taking is its Majesty in the minds and mouthes of loose wicked men â—ho commend strict Gospellers yea wish sometimes they were in their case It speakes wel of fellow conscientious Christians who are glad to see their fellow Travellers in the Road of Christianity making hast to their eternal inheritance their fathers house It speaks wel in the joyous observance of the holy Angels who rejoyce in the Teares Prayers Strict services of the penitent it wil speak wel in the Lord Christ who wil be admired in careful and conscionable Bellevers at the great day 2 Thessal 1. 10. Who have not put off themselves and others with the words but shined forth the power of the Gospel in holy humble heavenly close walking with God and living up according to the measure of Grace to its injunctions SECT 4. 4. COnsideration The strict and heavenly call of Christians they are called from the Creature to Christ from The strict high and heavenly call of Christians should keep us from abusing the grace of God dissolutenesse to regular life from lying vanities to the blessed realities of Eternity from the delights of sense to those of faith from a portion in this life to an inestimable one in God from the filthiness of the flesh and spirit to the clean paths of holiness from the cursed impure life of Devils to the holy Angels conversation Great spirits called to Court dignities and delights have ordinarily an answerablenesse of spirit to their secular greatnesse Christians are called to be the high Courtiers of the Heavenly Court their very call if seriously weighed is a mighty motive to strictnesse God hath not called us unto uncleaness but unto holinesse 1 Thes 4. 7. When God called us we were unclean lived in uncleannesse but noâ— saith Musculus He hath called us that of profane and unclean we might be holy As if Perinde ac siquis vocetur ad halneum Et puer qui mittitur ad ludum literariuÌ„ Et qui vocat ad se medicuÌ„ c. Musculus one be called to a Bath he is not called to abide in his impure distempers but to purge them out As if a boy be called to school he is not sent thither for barbarous rudenesse bâ—t to get learning Or as he that sends for the Physitian doth not call for him for siâ—kness but health to remove not to retain his disease Such is the condition of our calling in Jesus Christ to accommodate our selves to the will of God and not to wander from the scope of our calling hence the Apostle mentions Christians call as argumentative of a strict life and regular conformity to the Gospels precepts SECT 5. 5. COnsideration A lively sense of the Excellency of grace 5. A lively sense of the excellency of grace is a
taken it he was twice forced from his attempt to a sad retreat by almost vehement showr of rain and is reported to say When I could I had no minde to take Rome when I would I had no power There are too many that will to all Eternity confess that when Grace hath wooed them for their eternal salvation and repentance to life they had no minde to it but when they would on a death-bed repent they could not 'T is never enough considered by them that put off their repentance what infinite hazard they run to be lost for ever Subtle Satan and the wily flesh doth against deceived sinners as ill Debtors carry to their Creditors promise to pay but beg a longer day of payment and when that is come another and so another day and never pay Flattering Lust begs a longer day of repentance and being loth to leave Lusts dear sweet services and delights craves still a longer day and so the Debt of repentance is unpaid This cursed and common frame of Spirit doth in effect speak thus to God The real love and delight of my soul is in my sin I delay repentance not out of love to the duty or hatred of my delicious Lusts but to quiet my conscience and for fear of Hell I mean not to delay a repentance once but often yea always yea should I live an Eternity in the World my delicious sins shall have my heart my service Mortification is an idle dream The death of sin shall neither have my sentence nor endeavors I am loath to leave my sweet Companions Hence is it that from youth to man-hood from that to old age from that to Eternity there is no repentance in hardned vessels of wrath A while longer and a while longer is the constant importunity of the flesh Back-sliding is perpetual Jer. 8. 5. O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be Jer. 13. 27. This lazy disease of sluggish putting off repentance was in Augustine yea had ever been in him had not Grace cured it When he could not answer the convictions of the necessity Non erat quid respondereÌ„ veritate convictus nisi tantum verba lenta somnoleÌ„ta Modo ecce modo sine paululuÌ„ sed modo modo non habebat moduÌ„ sine panlulum in longum ibat Aug. in Confes Nitido cum flore juventus Num satanae senii faex erit apta Deo of repentance he craved forbearance not to do it yet I know not said he hat to answer being convinced of the truth but onely sluggish and sleepy words Anon behold anon suffer me a little But anon and anon had no measure and bear me a little held long Thus Satan hath the flower of age the strength of man-hood and God the dregs of old age 'T is mans folly and madness to give God the worst 'T is ordinarily his angry Justice not to accept it He that is denyed the sweet Rose of the Spring cannot be pleased with the dry Thorn Had God no delight in the yong-long-standing fruitless tree surely he can take none in it when 't is withered It 's no longer for the soil but fire Matth. 3. 10. If it be said God works Grace on a sick bed as one said An early Saint now in glory answered him in two things This is extraordinary 'T is not Gods usual course to begin and period death-bed repentance and further said he Do not you trust to that How reasonable will Gods usual refusal of sick-bed and old Non illos qui necessario sed qui sponte vitiis abstinent Coronat Deus Chrysost age returning thoughts appear in the other world They that put off repentance to the last do it not out of choice but necessity and God is not on t to crown forced and artificial but free and natural repentance It is a poor weak and unconvincing demonstration that a man delights in wholsome severe exercises of repentance who never set upon them but when going out of the World Their sins leave them before they PriusquaÌ„ peccata relinquaÌ„t â— peccatis retinquuntur leave their sins They think of leaving them because they have no more active spirits strength time to besto upon them not because of holy hatred against them indignation at and weariness of them Had this frame of spirit been infused by the holy Ghost in the renewed heart long ago sin had not had so many years faithful service This adjourning repentance reprieving not executing the flesh makes foolish men like bad Gamesters that throw up the Cards when they have lost the Game so these faint woulders after repentance never think of throwing up their sins till in their disease they have lost their lives they never think of ending their iniquity till the pleasure of their iniquity be at an end Ezek. 21. 25. But O dallying sinner that hâ—st a long time been caught in the snare of deep carnal security Hear the Apostles warning Awake thou that sleepest from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Hearken not to the Ravens Song Cras Cras to morrow to morrow That morrow comes not to many lingring sinners Art thou sure the repenting morrow will come unto thee The saving motion of the spirit often abused never comes again The safer and wiser words are Cito Cito Redi Redi Quickly quickly Return return Hearken O foolish sons and daughters of men to that of the wise Solomon How long will ye love simplicity sit in the region and shadow of death be the Devils Prisoners and your Lusts Captives and abide condemned under the curse of the Law Would you quickly run out of an House fired about your ears Would you flie from a drawn pursuing Sword to run you through O while under Gospel time and means of grace you are Wantons and pamper the flesh slight and contemn the ways and methods of Eternal Life even all this while the wrath of God the malice of Satan the killing Law is pursuing you for your immortal ruine O take the counsel that once a friend gave to Brentius when his enemies were suddenly plotting determining and endeavoring his death he wrote a Letter to him Fly Brentius with all possible speed Fly for your life O lingring sinners within Cito Citius Citissime Melch Adam a little of the Grave and Eternity that have abused the grace of God Fly with all possible speed from the state of damnation the wrath to come while your day of Grace is spending and it may be shortly will be quite spent your damnation slumbers not but with terrible awakened Lion-like eyes will stare on your departing souls if you go with the un-repenred unpardoned mountain load of all your sins into the other World As Solomon spake concerning flight from ensâ—â—â—ing undoing suretiship Deliver thy self as a Roe from the hand of the Hunter and as a Bird from the hand of the Fowler Give not sleep to thine eyes nor slumber
neighbours Before I leave this point I am constrained to warn and exhort all you that are carnal wicked Libertines of the present adulterous generation Make use I beseech you of your reason I say not of your grace for yet you have none to argue down your wicked peece of non-sense Godly men sin and therefore you may Will their falls priviledge yours Seriously consider three things 1. You should reason Gods children sin so and so therefore I must not I dare not If their grace hath not kept them innocent how can I be clean that am wholly corrupt If they trade poorly in heavenly commodities that have a stock of grace must not I be a bankrupt in goodnesse that have not a dramme If they sin thus that have a principle of life what danger am I in a dead sinner of eternal death To follow a good mans sin is at once sin and punishment a piece of sad vengeance God in wrath against me may suffer them to fall and break their shins that I may fall and lose my life Non voluit ea scribi spiritus sanctus ad statuendum morale exemplum sed in censolarionem non ad confirmandam licentiam peccati in posterum sed ad spem fidem excitandam Luth. in Gen. 2. Scripture examples and present instances of scandalous Saints were not proposed for but against sin not to embolden the presumptuous but comfort humble afflicted consciences Luthers saying is notable The Holy Ghost would not have the sinfull examples of the Saints recorded in sacred Writ that their examples should teach sin but to comfort fainting tempted penitents not to confirme a bold license of sinne for the future but to stirre up the faith and hope of pardon upon repentance Since their great yet purged sins have not blockt up the way to glory The Saints falls should be like fire in the chimneys top and the roof to warn neighbouring houses not like to fire in the hearth to warm and encourage others like a stake in the water to avoid it where some were drowned not to come near it 3. You will learn to your smart and shame without repentance in the great day a broad difference between the sinnes of the godly and your own in seven things 1. They sin who are in a state of Grace espoused to Christ and have him to be their surety for pardoning and purging grace and their advocate to plead the infinite merits of his obedience 2 Cor. 11. 2. Heb. 7. 22. but you sin and are in the state of fin and wantonly run a whoring from Christ whom you pretend to match with and have him not your suretie to pardon and purge you by the benefit of his intercession Heb. 7. 25. Act. 5. 31. 2. Sin is not their deliberate purpose but obedience is Psal 17. 3. Psal 119. 106. They cleave to God with purpose of heart Act. 11. 23. even then when they sin against their purpose As the Marriners purpose is to sail to his intended Port when cross winds drive him off from his Compasse But your heart is set in you to doe evill Eccles 8. 11. Why will you die Ezek. 18. 31. We will not come to thee Jer. 2. 31. We will not do the word of the Lord Jer. 44. 16. 3. Sin is not their choice The evil I would not doe Rom. 7. 19. But duty is holy wisdom and understanding Prov. 16. 16. The way of truth Psal 119. 30. Christ the good part Luke 10. 42. One day in Gods service Psal 84. 10. Above a thousand in vanitie and sin yea an eternity But you chuse not duty the fear of the Lord Prov. 1. 29. but your own waies Isa 66. 3. The life of sense not faith earth not heaven 4. Sin is not their love but loathing They abhor it and themselves Rom. 7. 15. Ezek. 6. 9. They love God Ps 18. 1. Christ 1 Tim. 1. 14. The regenerate 1 Joh. 5. 1. The commandements Ps 119. 127. The divine presence in Ordinances Psal 16. 8. Whe coming of Christ to Judgement 2 Tim. 4. 8. But you love simplicitie Prov. 1. 22. secure slumbers Pro. 20. 13. covetousness Hos 4. 18. to wander Jer. 14. 10. Sinne is your darling the dearly beloved of your soul not your abhorrence Ps 36. 4. 5. Sin is not their delight The joy of their soules is the Law of God Rom. 7. 21. Doing his will Psal 40. 8. The sweet fruitfull graces of Jesus Christ Can. 2. 3. The Spirits comforts Psal 94. 19. The excellent The Saints in earth Psalm 16. 3. But sin is your delight 'T is clear 't is so you are glad to borrow a cloak to cover it made of good mens sins you sport in sin Prov. 10. 23. Take pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thess 2 12. Scorning Prov. 1. 22. Frowardness Prov. 2. 14. Abominations Isa 66. 3. 6. They rise from sin and after their falls turn to God Jer. 31. 19. but you are not renewed unto repentance Heb. 6. 10. but lie in wickedness 1 John 5. 19. Refuse to return Jeremiah 8. 5. 7. When they are risen they dread falling again have care to please God fear to offend him 2 Cor. 7. 11. You sin without fear in lawful things Jude ep v. 12. and unlawful things 2 Pet. 2. To have no care nor conscience to please and honor God and therefore the eternal difference between them and you is They sin and will be saved you sin and unless you draw better Arguments then loosness from the sins of Gods servants will be damned SECT 19. 4. TEmptation that hath much contributed to the abuse of 19. Divisions and contentions about Christian Religion ecause abuse of grace Bona pars Christiani orbis hoc tempo re potius videtur esse bustū quam Christianae gregis domicilium Otho Casmannus Miseram Christianitatem wiseram Ecclesiam Sententiarum animorum divortia Gods grace is division and contention about Christian Religion That in Christian Churches there are too sad contentions Mens spirits pens and tongues being dipt in Gall and that Victory mostly is more contended for then verity wants not truth nor proof Wrangling warring Divinity hath made the Church to be rather like a Bon-fire then the House of God One speaking of Christianity and the Church affixeth to them a sad Epithete Miserable Christianity miserable Church Indeed Scriptureless rending division is not her glory but misery Divisions of opinion and practices beget divorce of affections yea 't is too much a fault a siding Opinion is cryed up above a Saint and the shriller the voice is for highest discovery in point of Doctrine and Discipline sometimes the lower and calmer the truer and safer is more to be attended too 'T is sad experience in our Contests our Moderation is not known there is running from extreams to extreams While Satan hath the boldness and success to get into Christs Quarters and in the visible Kingdom of Christ not in all his Subjects infallibly true nor
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
their scoffing Table-talk when the Upright are called Hypocrites Righteous dealers are voted unjust or for one piece of unequal dealing are ever condemned so When the glorifiers of God before men out of conscience of duty because under a command are thought vain-glorious When exact walkers fearful of sin dare not run with others into excess of riot nor give allowances fond and liberal to their fawning lusts shall be called over-righteous deemed needless precisians making too much ado in the Church of God as if men could be too godly when the highest measures of holy strictness are exceedingly short of the rule and the life of Christ as if too much care conscience and pains according to requiries of Scripture either could be is or ever was in any Believer in the World as if when the word says real Saints are to give all diligence in the exercise of all Graces 2 Pet. 1. 5. c. To work out their salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. To make through work of it to redeem the time to be followers of Christ they could be too diligent and strict by the warrant of these and other Scriptures to assure and promote their eternal Salvation Every serious dying-Saint thinks he hath done too little for the honor of God and his Gospel for his own soul and others Every glorified Saint seeth his massy glory doth exceedingly outweigh his most diligent services and patient sufferings The abuse of holy examples is too general an injury to God and his choice servants The gracious the graceless are both guilty 1. The gracious low spirited Christians whose light is in a dark lanthorn that shine forth to outward view little or nothing of the glory and power of Religion O ye Christians of the lower form look to those that have out-learned you in Christs School continue not still in your weak Graces and strong Corruptions see you not some of your fellow-Converts are very Heavenly Let this correct your earthiness Are some meek let this shame and cure your passions Have they liberal hearts and hands let this open your shut bowels and purses Can they forgive great wrongs let this blame and mend you that can hardly pass by little Dare they not speak idely and frothily guarding the doors of their lips Let this urge you to repentance who speak not onely idly but wickedly uttering such corrupt communication that slanders by must needs conclude foul hearts when tongues are so foul Do they grow under the means of Grace Let their proficiency spur you to better progresses by holy Ordinances Do they practice Religion where they are most in their own Families Let your sinful Houshold omission of holy Duties or but cold formal performances your domestick disorders be reformed Lastly Do they live in the power of godliness let this warn your too powerless profession that you labor more for the power 2. The graceless are guilty of abusing the grace of God in the examples of Grace How will this load your guilt at the great day that as you have wronged the Gospel of Grace so you have gracious Gospellers you look on them as the vile off-scouring of the World 1 Cor. 4. 13. of whom the world is not worthy Heb. 11. 38. Can proudly judge them sometimes base persons for their despised though honorable Divine nature and their loathed holiness herein like to the Heathens of old who made the practice of Christianity and the Christians owning the Christian name their crime Though you cast contempt on vessels of honor whom you debase God esteems It is no flattering but Scripture Language The Scripture stiles them Precious Isa 43. 4. Jewels Mal. 3. 17. Honorable Isa 43. 4. Noble Acts 17. 11. Kings Rev. 1. 6. Princes in all Lands Psal 45. 16. that have the happiness to enjoy them If they be as dirt in your eyes they are as gold in Gods Be intreated to take a measure by the golden line of the Sanctuary whose examples are most Scriptural safe to the interest of immortal souls those you contemn or those you follow Though with a supercilious from you disdain to follow their sober chaste heavenly pious mortified penitential reformed lives Truth will make your awakned mindes when you die wish you had traced their holy steps and when you would at the great day be glad to follow them in glory this for ever will shut the door of hope and happiness you never followed them in Grace It is in vain with Balaam to wish the death of the righteous and with vulgar dead imaginary Believers to hope for the glory of the righteous when there is not with upright Saints living the life of the Righteous Holy and happy should you be that follow the huge multitudes that troop to hell in the broad way of pleasing evil examples if converting Grace did powerfully whisper in your Spirit and draw you back to the narrow way of life Here you should meet with a thin but blessed company Fellow O follow them who through Faith and unwearied patience in well-doing have their race answered with an eternall prize and them also who after their holy course is finished shall inherit the promises It will never grieve you if once you return from your mad errours and courses to your sober spiritual witts that you have changed undoing for saving presidents that you have left your soul-ruining good-fellowship for communion with Saints Angels the Mediator of the Covenant and with the blessed Trinitie for all Eternitie Have any of you ridden about life and death and with exceeding grief lost both your time and way have you rejoyced to meet with an unerring gride that hath not onely brought you out from your wandrings but set you in your way yea rode before you as a courteous faithfull guide The like joy yea greater you will find if after you have strayed like lost travellers God set before you leaders and you have the wisdome and grace to follow in the erring and dangerous wilderness of this world your holy guides to the heavenly Canaan SECT 8. 8. REconciling Grace is turned into Wantonness As in the 8 Reconciling grace is turned into Wantonness former Section the choice Presidents of Grace so in this and the following particulars the choice priviledges of Grace will appear to be abused God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5. 10. When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5. 10. The propitiatory atoning sacrifice of Christs death in putting away Gods destructive wrath is rich grace Even this is injured Reconciliation with God stands in many with agreement with Satan what in them lies peace with God and sin kisse each other as if a league with heaven and hell could stand together Seditious persons reconciled to their Prince abuse his goodness when at the same time they are Traiterous friends with his enemies hold intelligence with them doe homage to them are ruled by them
silly chapmen to take off the braid wares of corrupt errours Have no opininions taught you looseness Why doe you not shew you are Christians to purpose in doing illustrious singular things that the neighbours that study your lives and are strangers to your inward Faith and Love may say These are children of God indeed would I were in their condition It is not the language but the power of your Profession that will draw hearts after it How have you defaced your Adoption when your sinfull omissions of convincing duties and breakings forth of corruption sharpen the edge of bitter language and tempt to these words of reproach O these are the children of God in scorn denying you the honour because you have denyed God the glory and your selves the credit of your Adoption Let this lord your hearts for your unwatchful and dishonourable conversation and call for future caution Your publick sinnes make your Father hear ill in the world 2. Christians of strict profession that have onely childrens name not nature artificial not supernaturally natural not lively in externall exercises of Religion that put over impious designs and practises the too good cover of a pious name that are adorned painted Sepulchers unclean within that make not Religion the great expedient for blessed eternity but a fair net Quidam probitate ficta c viam sibi ad potentiā muniunt Lact. de vero cult l. 6. c. 6. to catch the world in That in your zealous devotions more hot in the mouth than heart call God frequently your Father and make it the pleasing Prologue and usher of many of your Petitions Confessions and Thanksgivings and yet have no filiall affections of love and feare shame and sorrow no pleasure in pleasing him no real godly sorrow for his dishonour That betray the weaknesse of your painted piety having no real fervencie of heart for the interest of Gods name but your own concernments That betray the whole body of your Religion is a dead carkass without the life and soul of it the quickning Spirit No wonder if you stink when the ill savour of your loathed pollutions intemperance incontinence unrighteousnesse unnaturall sins betray the power of Religion was but feigned never feared in the heart that could never disperse inward nor outward beloved and delighted in imperious sins O you that are strict in the exercises of piety and do but feign not really affect and pursue Christianity Gods most heavy and smarting blows will be at you without great repentance and singular reforming sinceritie Doe no longer mock God nor men Hypocrisie at length ends in Apostasie The feigned friends of Christ are real enemies O let not Religion holy Religion be wickedly blasphemed nor be your play and game but your serious businesse in good earnest and know when you dye as well may you expect a painted fire should warm you as a painted Religion comfort your self-accused and tempted departing soules Before I close this point I must warn the loose and scoffing generation that possibly may read this page to forbear their triumph Some may say The Author hath hit the mark and ecchoes with our thoughts we are glad he hath payd the Hypocrites out upon these Precisians they are all Hypocrites And are you glad indeed Where is your charity That would not rejoice in iniquity 1 Cor. 13. 6. What if your merry sarcasmes and satyricall invectives against the Hypocrites be an arrow justly shot against your selves Did you never read there are hypocritical mockers in feasts Psal 35. 16. The severe censurers of Hypocrisie had need be upright Are not you eminently grosly guilty of the crime you cry down If you will not believe it it is easie to prove it deny it if you can Do not you profess salvation only by Jesus Christ Do not you know except you be born again you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven Joh. 3. 5. Is it not plain Scripture He that is in Christ is a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. Are you not commanded to redeem the time Ephes 5. 16. Are not livers in pleasures dead to God while they live 1 Tim. 5. 6. Must not he that abides in Christ walk as he walked 1 Joh. 2. 5. Now I beseech you that throw the dreadfull charge of Hypocrisie and it may be truly against some persons and yet care not though through the sides of Hypocrites yee wound the generation of Gods children are not you gross Hypocrites your selves You profess Christianity credit Gospel-revelation call Christ your Saviour dare not say you will not be ruled by his Laws expect salvation by him own his Ordinances and if asked the question before a Sacrament or on a sick bed by Ministers that please you will you follow the rules of the Gospel to fit you for heaven My charitie perswades me you would say yea God forbid but I should be ruled by Jesus Christ It is very easie then to conclude from your own concessions you are Professors now what is Hypocrisie but a constant contradiction to the profession of the power of godlinesse Is not yours such Be not angry with this home-speaking to your bosomes your consciences if you repent not will speak a thousand times more after death than a few pages Can your studious and ordinary giving up your selves to the lusts pomps and vanities of the world be interpreted a devoting or resignment of your persons up to Jesus Christ Are you born of the Spirit that shew no scripture proofs of your high heavenly birth the life of the Spirit the graces of the Spirit the leading of the Spirit that are not acquainted with the breathings of the Spirit at the throne of grace who never made your families houses of prayer Are you indeed new creatures Is it possible that the old oathes drunkennesse uncleannesse slighting and contemning the Word of God laughing at those truths you hear that should set you a trembling loathing of religious exercises living in the old affections and conversation should prove you were new creatures Can you beleeve Christ in you hath crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts which you pamper and keep alive Doe you redeem precious time all which should you live an hundred years abating the necessary and moderate attendances on the things of this life would call for all time in the numerous services of Religion conquests of Temptations subjection to the Gospel and preparation for Eternity Will you call your covetous costly passionate gaming in the afternoon till night yea sometimes from night till morning redeeming the time Is your sleeping till nine or ten a clock on the Lords day time Redemption Is your earthy frothy unedifying discourses one with another when you are commanded to provoke one another to love and good works Heb. 10. 28. To speak what may minister grace and soul advantage to the hearer Eph. 4. 29. Time improvements
implantation in Jesus Christ Iohn 15. 5. Can God be honored in his Sons honor John 5. 23. and magnified in the glorifying of his name 2 Thess 1. 12. when there is no new nature to honor him but the predominant old man to abuse him A solitary imputed righteousness without is wronged without a righteousness within God misseth of his honor where these are put asunder 2. No honor will be to the Gospel Bare appropriating Christs obedience will not secure the glorious Gospel from that unrighteousness and unholiness that licentious wickedness would pin upon it This part of Gospel Christ is our righteousness the flesh will like but that part of it The Justified must be holy penitent mortified it cannot endure It pleasingly believes the Gospel is to them the power of God unto salvation though it never was the power of God unto Conversion It is a Gospel Precept we should walk as becomes the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. Can an unregenerate man so walk Can night Birds abide the noon Light Can Children of darkness walk as children of light Can they be thought translated into the Kingdom of Christ that are strongly kept and abide in Satans Kingdom No confidences of imputed righteousness can keep a wicked man from an infamous un-gospel life When his corruptions break out the Gospel suffers Then Satan jeers in his Instruments These are your Professors These are your Gospellers as if the holy Gospel gave liberty to sin But nothing less for as it proclaims imputed righteousness so on pain of damnation it requires inherent 3. No thankful return will be to Jesus Christ The gift and benefit of everlasting righteousness deserves everlasting thanks It was never yet known that an unsanctified person was thankful to Jesus Christ He challengeth cordial verbal vital thanks but all this is above the reach of unregeneracy A carnal person can complement Christ with the cheap praise of the lips but his soul and all that is within him Psal 103. 1. His conversation can never bless him He wants the Gospel-power of an holy and a righteous life 4. No reputation will be to Faith Indeed it hath the honor to be the Grace that lays hold on Christs perfect Righteousness but this is not its onely office It sanctifies as well as justifies Acts 26. 18. Rom. 5. 1. It purifies as well as pacifieth the heart Acts 15. 9. Rom. 5. 1. The Just lives by it as well religiously Hab. 2. 4. as safely and peaceably Mark 5. 34. and is not onely freed by it from the guilt but the filth of sin The name of Faith divided from holiness hath this aspersion and dis-reputation to be stiled a vain faith a dead faith Jam. 2. 20. a faith like the Devils faith Jam. 2. 19. 5. No conviction will be to unbelievers Can the Christ rejecting World be drawn to own and love such pretenders to interest in his perfect righteousness who live unrighteously They are apt to think the happiness of this imputation is but a fancy and a fable that produceth not shining and glorious fruits When they that for Christs sake stand righteous in Gods account arise and shine and the glory of Gods holiness is seen upon them even wicked men will enquire after Christ and be constrained to think well of that Master whose name is so sanctified and illustrious in his servants 6. No communion will be with the holy God Were it possible an ungodly Man should be cloathed with Christs righteousness yet if he have not Christs Spirit Christs Image God and such a one could have no fellowship Communion requires likeness Contrary natures can have no converse Two cannot walk together except they be agreed How can a wicked person and the pure God walk together 7. No capacity nor ability of new obedience Suppose a Rebel against Christs Crown and Government were justified yet if he were not sanctified he could not do the will of God 1 Pet. 1. 2. Till sanctifying Grace subdue the natural rebellion of the heart Gods commands will be laid aside as if a Traytors heart be changed he will be subject to his Prince if unreformed he will still rebel 2. The Grace of imputed righteousness is abused When 2 Imputed righteousness is abused when inherent righteousness is rested on for salvation without imputed righteousness inherent righteousness is rested on for salvation without imputed righteousness This is one of Satans wiles to ruine souls If there be appearing strictness in the ways of holyness and godliness be deemed a sufficiency for eternal life so that Christs perfect righteousness be cast out of the Saint-like Professors Creed and the great weight of the souls confidence of happiness laid on the sandy foundation of imperfect obedience then the great title to eternal life Imputed righteousness is shouldred out and abused The largest tale of duties and sharpest sufferings of this life cannot make up a compleat righteousness When personal deficicient performances will wantonly get up into the throne and justle out the absolute obedience of Christ This setting up of a weak righteousness within above Christs perfect one without will to the hazard of the guilty sinners perishing fail in seven things 1. There will be no pacification of an angry God No gracious hearts nor godly lives atone God Christs Sacrifice onely was Propitiatory We joy in the Atonement said the Apostle Rom. 5. 11. but by Christs death The highest measures of Believers doings or sufferings cannot turn away Gods wrath for the least sin It was Jobs Faith when a penitent sinner seeth his righteousness he seeth his atonement Job 33. 23 24. That is onely by Christ not a Believer His own Prayers Tears Alms Duties do not pacifie God but the righteousness of Christ It is a common practical error we will be weeping and doing to turn away Gods avenging displeasure For though these duties are means appointed by God yet we must look through them unto Jesus Christ 2. There will be no satisfaction of Gods Justice Sin hath done infinite wrong Justice would have an infinite reparation Now it is impossible that finite doings and sufferings can make infinite satisfaction A rest then in failing inherent holiness at once leaves infinite Justice unsatisfied and souls unsaved Who of the best can tell that he hath done and suffered enough to make God amends for his sins yea for the least sin 3. There will be no proportion to the rigid Laws requiries It will not abate one Law nor Circumstance of Duty The Law is exceeding broad The eminentest of Saints that have studied the Law and their own hearts and lives could never bring before God an exact obedience parallel to command Had not Christ perfectly fulfilled the Law the exactest Christians could have no grounded hope of Heaven The Law would say even to a Paul Here is much wanting He durst not expect Justification from the unparalell'd services sufferings and success of his Apostleship I know nothing by my self yet am I not thereby
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
are not worthy of the name of men false to the Law of natural gratitude that serve not their deliverer and are not they as unworthy of the name of Christians false to the Law of supernatural thankfulness that serve not their professed infinite Redeemer Pretended favorites of Heaven are like those selfish Courtiers who abuse their Princes ear Smiles Grace Honors and Bounty to Chambering and Wantonness to the greatning of themselves and families but improve not their Soveraigns Grace to his Honor the glory of his Crown the increasing of his Treasure the establishment of his Dominions the lively Pictures of them that go for the Spiritual Darlings of Gods Court who live not to the glorious interest of their Heavenly King but bias all his gracious dealings according to the motions of worldly and corrupt 6. The Grace of God is turned into wantonness when the heart carryeth wickedly as to Christ Thesaurus omnium Christus donorum Marlorat selfishness SECT 6. 3. THe Grace of God is turned into wantonness When the heart carries wickedly as to Christ in three things 1. When the profuse riotous sinner runs in Gods Debt because Christ is his surety Indeed upon this truth and rocky foundation that Christ is the faithful surety of his people Heb. 7. 22. is built the eternal salvation of his Church It is the richest right orient Pearl in the Gospels Cabinet A Believer would not be without this everlasting prop and succor to faith this assured conveyance of eternal happiness for the world It is dross and dung to this excellent knowledge Christ is a surety But to whom and for what To refusers and despisers of him to loose the reins on the neck of lusts to priviledge the liberties and power of Satan to sin without controll and remorse Surely Christ as our surety on the Cross sustained our person and Christus ut sponsor personam nostram gerebat ut vetus noster homo in nobis necaretur Diks in Rom. 6. Faedus gratiae habet Christum sponsorem ut tanquam Dei amici ambularemus Diks in Heb. 7. made to his Father an engagement for us that our old man in time should die Rom. 6. 6. Yea in the great agreement of the holy and everlasting Covenant of Grace there was this part of suretiship that â—e should walk in holy fellowship with God and Christ by the Spirit as the friends of God and therefore it is an intolerable indignity to our heavenly surety at once to believe him an undertaker that corruption should die and to live in sin This maketh him a surety and no surety A surety in the professed Faith and owning of this suretiship no surety in the Preservation and not Mortification of wanton Lusts Consider this all ye that sin against the grace of your professed surety but without his leave or the least allowance of his Gospel was a gracious pardon-office dearly purchased by the infinite price of the blood of the Son of God that it should lavish out forgiveness of sins to dissolute livers Did God decree and Christ accept of a weighty costly and suffering suretiship that profuse Iewd Debtors might spend more freely merrily and daringly on the stock of their sureties satisfactions Such indignity carnal profession imposeth upon Christs saving undertaking The Lord invites the humbled burthened sinner to accept of Deus nos invitat ad veniam nos quoâ—idie cumulamus offensam his pardoning mercy and proud Libertines heap up sin These spots and dishonors in Christian Assemblies are like to a young riotous Gallant that spends largely in Gaming Feasting Whoring and comfortably stayeth upon this he shall not be Arrested not Imprisoned because he hath a rich surety will pay all So expensive Libertines give large vent to their corruptions in their sinful creature-excesses in their abominable hypocrisies in their unrighteous dealings in their idolized sensualities in their carnal securities and yet they chear and fully stay themselves in this Indemnity the Law shall not arrest them nor cast them into the eternal prison of utter darkness because they have a rich surety Jesus Christ who as they presume will pay all 2. When the faith of redemption by Christ worketh not Redemptio nos obstrictos tenet ac sub obedientiae fraeno cohibet Carnis nostrae lasciviam Calvin in 1 Cor. 6. Qui redemptus est alter us beneficio non est sui juris Calvin in Jer. 2. 20. subjection to him the grace of God is turned into wantonness Eternal Redemption is an eternal obligation to service a bridle to curb our lascivious flesh not a Feast to feed it God hath on purpose decreed Christ a Redeemer that he might be soveraign Lord over all his purchase as we have dominion over that we pay dear for Now where redemption by Jesus Christ is preached in common that the price of his blood was a sufficient ransome to redeem the whole world there are very few but believe Christ died for them But how is the mystery and mercy of Redemption abused the Faith of Redemption worketh not subjection in most professed Christians They would be saved in their sins not from their sins Christ hath redeemed his people out of the hands of their enemies but they are content to be in them still He died to rescue them from their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18. but they are vain Jam. 2. 20. Walk after vanity Jer. 2. 5. and shall finde vanity their recompence Job 15. 31. He was crucified to deliver from the power of Satan Heb. 2. 14 15. but they are still his possession Eph. 2. 2. as taken Beasts are the Hunters prey as Prisoners are the Conquerors spoil to be carried up and down dealt with at their pleasure 2 Tim. 2. 25. O that such as are by profession Subjects and by disposition and conversation Rebels against Christ would seriously ponder these things 1. Both the Scriptures and experience of loyal Subjects to Christ do clearly evidence that effectual beneficial Redemption is proved by subjection that he died not to redeem us to the life but death of sin not that we should live and die in sin but Non ut nos vivendo pecca tis immorarmur tandem immoreremur Otho Casmannus live and die in the state and power of Grace 2. They that believe themselves the redeemed of Christ and yet are the slaves of their lusts the vassals of Satan have either not considered at all or very slightly That the proper intention of Redemption was Dominion Ye are bought with a price are not your own your Body and Spirits are Gods 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. To this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might Nullus fidelium juris sui sed alieni Dicksonus Vtinam hoc altissimis radicibus in mente figatur Pet. Martyr in Rom. 14. be the Lord both of the dead and living Rom. 14. 9. Surely no Believer is of his own right but anothers His
to free from the malediction that men might be free from the direction of the Law This abolishment of the pure divine Laws Authority betrayes as a crackt brain so an unholy heart An holy Law cannot but be bid welcome of an holy heart and a spiritual Law will please a spiritual heart It is too clear an evidence of a loose spirit to disanull the government of a strict Law They are wanton Sons who because they are free from their Fathers disinheriting will therefore be free from their Fathers ruling The Lord Christ hath set a black mark of displeasure upon these dissolute Opinionists and hath taught us They that teach beleevers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. minimi siet imo nihili vult e. dicere illos iriè regno coelorum Pisc Schol in Mat. are quit from the obedience of Gods commandements shall be least in the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 5. 19. He shall be called least that is he shall have the least yea no account with God at all for thus Christ would be understood they shall be banished from their hopes of having a part in the Kingdom of Heaven A severe threatning against doctrinal Antinomianisme 2. Practically When under pretence that Christ hath redeemed sinners from the curse of the Law they really lead accursed lawless lives They grosly erre that think the wrath and hell of the Law shall never reach them that are lawless Assurance of saving Grace joyned with a disordered life seemes to fasten a disgracefull agreement on Christ which he will never own that he shall take off the Laws curse that they may shake off the Laws yoak Hence Libertines take a course by their false Faith and covenant that all the volleys of the Law discharged from a jealous angry God against them are but naked powdercracks a scaring noyse not killing bullets not doe execution upon them Now Lust and the Devill in these Practical Antinomians for such are wicked men that abuse the grace of God gaine a priviledging license from the death of Christ to sin securely as if an open trade in Hells commodities were allowed and sealed by the blood of Christ The Apostle hath told these to their terrour unless the hardning habits of constant irregular courses have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lex posita legis contemptoribus iis qui subjici nesciunt Dum legem divinam deseris saluteÌ„ propriam derelinquis Salv. put them past fear The avenging Law is made for the lawless and disobedient 1 Tim. 1. 9. for ungoverned practical Antinomians that live as they list under the favour as they think of Gospel grace But little doe daring Rebels think that have made voyd the Laws of God in their hearts and lives That while they leave Gods Law they forsake their own salvation it being a signal part of their salvation to be saved from sin Mat. 1. 21. which is a transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. How little doe these abusers of Law and Gospel consider intention which was not onely to save sinners from Hell but his Law from wilfull constant disreputation and violation in the world He hath magnified his Law and made it honourable Isa 42. 21. not onely by his own personal obedience but commending it to and commanding it of all his followers as a most equall rule of life and way of happinesse They that oppose freedom from the Laws curse to binding in the Laws bonds should remember that this spirituall blessing is a deep obligement Oritur hoc de bitum ex beneficiis in nos collatis ne amplius semper secundum carnem vivamus Peter Mart. in Rom. Carni nihil debemus nifi mortifieationeÌ„ Ex. eod to abhor a carnal conversation and that they are not debters to the flesh but the spirit not to sin but Christ Rom. 8. They owe on provisions to but mortification of their lusts Yea further they should consider the Spirit voice is the Laws and the leading of Gods Sons by the spirit is leading them in the cleane paths of the Laws obedience Such as dare abolish obedience to the Law because the grace of God in Christ hath freed from the curse should doe well to fear and tremble they are the men and women that shall never escape the curse who ever abhorred and cast off the authoritie of the Law It is a word of eternall veritie equity and purity The Idaea of eternal right reason in the minde of God most fit to be an immutable and eternall rule of duty and will justly and infallibly call for eternal punishment upon all loose Rebels against it hatsoever sanctuary they think to Lex in sanctis aternum durat find in Gospel grace Well were it for Lawless Libertines could they see themselves under the cursing Law and feele the smart of it as a severe Schoolmaster to lash them unto Christ that being rescued from the curse they might bee enabled by the spirit of Faith love and power to performe the duties of the Law The Grace of God is turned into wantonness when the heart carryes wickedly as to the Gospel of Christ Audiunt voceÌ„ servi ejus Isa 50. 10. Subesttacita Antithesis inter audientiam quam exigit licentian spernendae doctrinae calv SECT 8. 5. THe grace of God is turned into wantonnesse when the heart carrieth wickedly as to the Gospel of Christ and so it doth 1. When the Gospel cometh in Word onely not in Power when all its sweet invitations intreaties wooings exhortations doe but bear the air are never entertained by the true hearing ear into the beleeving heart when Gospel Sermons Chapters Discourses Examples take no impression upon hard hearts when glorious Evangelicall mysteries Angels admiration are slighted by the carnal vngrateful world yea when a long barren uneffectuall living under Gospel saving discoveries sadly declareth it hath not yet bin the power of God unto salvation when after ten twenty forty years convincing inviting ministry it may be said of too many under souls Physitians what was said of the woman with the bloody issue under bodily Physitians They are nothing bettered but grow worse Mar. 5. 26. when the most favour carnal spirits give the gospel is to give it the hearing and that is all like wanton sons that give their Fathers the hearing of their commands and that is all in this case the grace of God is highly abused Against such as oppose the word of Holiness Life and Salvation and have no faith to mingle it in their hearts as if it were a fable a lye a loss so doe injudicious slighty careless obâ—linate though professed christians these are witnesses The Thessalonians who did not only hear the word but felt the power of it 1. Thes 1. 5. The fruitfull colossians who heard it and knew the grace of God in truth Col. 1. 5 6. The Romans who after it was delivered unto them were delivered in its tranforming mold as mettal into the Bell-founders or clay into
debauching Those that seemed to make hast heaven-wards and think they have travelled almost enough in the way everlasting that have dreamed either of their possible or actuall perfection in this life need no better discovery of their nakedness than themselves they are their own sufficient confutation How far are the generation of Popish and Quaking Perfectists from the prize they seem to run after further off were their eyes opened than those they un-saint from Gospel-attainments This sottish supercilious opinion of enoughs in the knowledge and practice of Religion hath begotten monstrous libertines in the present age Such as have been filled with windy swelling conceits not the real fruits of the Spirit like some of the high-flown puffed up Corinthians reigned as Kings 1 Cor. 4. 8. blessed themselves in their high attainments viz. Knowledge Faith Love Mortification Communion with God Joyes of the Spirit and noy as if rich enough they had nothing else to doe but to contemplate their eâ—â—ate and gaze upon their glory their lazy contemplative life hath swallowed up the active they lay by trading in heavenly commodities religious attendances and exercises Their name is up with their deluded fraternitie yea in their own foolish brains and now they may lay abed till noon yea sleep in carnall securitie in and before the light of their high-noon attainments As some men that have gotten vast estates look over their rich Lordships with much contentment are knighted trade no more have goods layd up for many years so many rich Laodiceans that think they abound in spiritual goods and want nothing and have nothing no more than an empty sounding barrel and are sainted in Satans Kalender these trade no more in heavenly negotiation as if they could too much increase their Lords Talent and give fearfull symptomes that for all the puffs of their spirituall estates they are but bankrupts That generation is well known who have already decried and voted down Gods standing Ordinance the Ministry of the Gospel as needlesse who load them with no better honours than the stile of Baals Priests Deceivers of the people the Locusts of the bottomless pit the fewel for the fierie furnace of Hell and so bind up all Preachers in the same bundle of death as well the most industrious circumspect and conscientious as the most lazy loose and unconscionable Hath not this wanton daring Age brought forth such proud pittifull poor it is to be feared but nominal christians that have had the boldness to call mourning for sin a low attainment dayly prayer a poor sapless businesse all private solemn as well as publick vanities carnall things too low for their spiritual seraphical spirits as if they were not in the body nor had no body of sin as if they were so Angelical in their high Revelations and maintained so constant blazing divine fire of love to God as that it needed no further fewell nor bellows of Ordinances nor the Spirits hands to use them for holy and heavenly heart inflammations Now behold with fear and trembling the spirituall Judgement of spiritual Pride spiritual Blindness spiritual Wickedness spiritual yea visible gross Apostasie 'T is just with God that they which will not keep in the safe plain the secure beaten valley but they will be mounting up to the narrow tops of hills perilous pinacles they should fall and that deadly Some men and women have not contented themselves yea to their shame it must be spoken some Ministers with the safe plain the Ordinances of Grace the Doctrines of Faith Repentance Mortification and New obebedience nor keep in the secure valley of walking humbly with God but mounting up in their lofty minds to the tops of Hils Doctrines too high for them injudicious unscriptural Altitudes the perillous Pinacles of conceited Perfection a stupid and sensless assertion of a kind of Adam-like Innocence before the Fall That they that are born of God sin not at all I say some are the spiritual black marks of Gods vengeance from these perillous heights The visible and fearfull falls of haughty adventurous wantons are legible demonstrations to the observing world written in broad characters that without infinite mercy they are very deadly How have some in their scandalous falls from pretended spiritual eminencies betrayed a double fearfull loss both of Christianity and civility of Christianity either with Arrians denying the Deitie of Christ or blasphemously and sacrilegiously getting into the Throne of his God-head using these wicked Phrases they are Godded with God Christed with Christ yea that there is no difference of the God-head dwelling in the flesh of Christ and the flesh of the Saints as if their flesh did as equally subsist in the Infinite person the Son of God as the flesh of Christ did whence it would follow that the fulnesse of the God-head did dwell corporally in them as it did in Christ of consequence speak them sinless perfectly holy and contradict the preheminence of Christs Mediatorly anointing who was anointed with the oyl of gladness the Holy Ghost above his fellows the highest measures and graces in Saints and Angels How unchristianly doe some of those fearfull children of errour set up a Christ within them in opposition in abolishment of a Christ without them who poring upon their spiritual transcendencies have either quite put-out of their Creeds the imputed Righteousness of Christ without them or else forgot it As little honour it is to be feared hath Christ from some of these monuments of delusion as to the faith of the bodily resurrection whereof hee was the First fruits and as if his Ordinances were dead and buried they have no more Communion with them than wee with the dead and lastly as for his visible Image living Christians they are boldly stiled the Devils children As sad a fall is there from pretended perfection even to the abolishment of civilitie as if externall Morallities contained and required in the Second Table were no Ipsa est perfectio hominis invenisse se non esse perfectum Aug. Indefessum proficiendi studium jugis conatus ad perfectionem perfectio repuâ—adar Bern no part of of Gods will How farre are they from growing to the full stature of Christian practicall Religion whose errors in opinions and practises have made sad breeches upon all civill and naturall callings and relations It had been well if these sad objects of pitty praiers and tears had learned of Augustine a truth which would have kept them safe humble diligent and zealous after true perfection 'T is mans perfection to finde that he is not perfect and of Bernard The unwearied study of proficiency and constant eâ—deavour after perfection is perfection and of Paul I count not my self to allain but I persson to the mark and of Peter 〈◊〉 que hic viaee imas Taantum cunque hâ—c proficerimus nemo dicat sufficit mihi c. August Inter profectum defectum nihil medium Nolle proficere non nisi deficere
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
foolish alone but they draw others into the fellowship of their sin as if society were the solace of destruction The huge fellowship of the damned will be no diminution but aggravation of their torments SECT 18. 3. TEmptation too sadly and commonly effectual to abuse 18 Scandalous sinnes of good Christians are temptations to abuse Grace Gods grace is the scandalous sinnes of good Christians in the main orderly and upright in some things irregular and hypocritical their Falls are too often the plea of sin and used by Satan as the protection The old man is a loose Libertine where ever he is the new creature is not perfect Spiritual soundnesse is not without some grudgings of the old distempers A most eminent servant of God said in his flesh he served the Law of sin Rom. 7. 25. The flesh will be insolent and unruly in the spiritual part Hence there are Scripture records of loose practises in good men We read of Abrahams equivocation Jacobs dissembling Davids infamous uncleanness and murder Jonahs pettish passion Peters denyal of Christ aggravated by repetition swearing perjury The Corinthians spiritual pride and division and some carnal acrimony and bitterness of thought and language between Paul and Barnabas So the present age to the deforming dishonour of reforming endeavours hath too much abounded in the offensive notices of pious persons miscarriages for which they are unsainted by malicious critical observers who better observe a mote in the eyes of Gods servants than a beam in their own yea look upon a gross sinne in strict walkers contrary to the vent and stream of their conversation as the unpardonable sin or next unto it who bind up them and their hated fellows in the same black bundle of death as hypocrites What we experience that acute students of true beleevers scandals who hate their power of godlyness and without charity rejoyce in their iniquity feast themselves with their sins not their graces had rather feed on the Devils dung than Angels food at every turn of wry words and actions thus flout and scoff These are your Puritans thus doe your Puritans thus doe your Puritans say and doe and beleeve O that the nick-named Puritans would be more humbled and loath themselves and repent of their polluted hearts lips and wayes then their impure deriders doe take a disallowed liberty to sinne and blaspheme the waies of God O sad dishonour to God and reproach to Religion when a Prince in Israel is faln choice Christians reveal their yet unmortified corruption 't is the Devils Gawdy-day he playes no small game now he spits on the face of God through the sides of the miscarrying Christian the name of Christ is wounded he heareth ill from the disordered house of his friends And now a Saints sin becometh a wicked mans license to make a trade of it Men and Women dare to be prophane excessively voluptuous irreligious yea turn Papists because some Professors have spotted their garments The Devils swine with delight will wallow in their mire because Christs sheep contrary to their cleanly nature are faln into the dirt Because unwary walkers have with great smart broke their bones desperate mad ones will breake their necks T is not more irrational than unsafe because one man against his serious purpose is self-wounded therefore another will kill himselfe Seeing it is thus by experience which is to bewailed if possible with tears of blood that visible loosenesse in Gods servants is a speeding temptation to unconscionable Libertinisme in wicked persons O visibly scandalous but in the main pious Reader read this Section with a mourning heart thou art not the cause thou art the occasion of others licentiousness rebellion impenitence and damnation Shouldst thou occasionally tempt another to kill himself ensnare another to fall into a scalding cauldron betray another to fall from a faire estate to beggery and imprisonment urge another to fall into a tormenting disease which makes him roare night and day if there be any thing of natural bowels left in thee thou wilt at once bitterly bewail thine unkind what lyes in thine example undoing others and be fearful for the future to tempt any to their ruin How then shouldst thou resent the soul-ruining tendencie of thine offensive and infectious conversation with bitter tears Have not vessels of wrath sinne enough in them to cast them into the fieâ—ie furnace of almighty eternal vengeance Have they wanted the Devil to ride and spur them in the broad way to destruction Doe they need to mend their pace by the encouragement of thy sinful practise Suppose forlorn desperate damned souls in Hel should thus cry out Cursed be the time occasion that ever I kneâ— such and such professours I saw covetousnesse and oppression in such a one I saw uncompassionate and unmerciful carriages in such a one I saw spiritual pride and despising of others in such a one I saw excesse in eating and drinking in such a one I saw mad and furious passion in such a one I saw breach of covenant and lies in such a one I saw disordered loose life in such Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants I saw corrupt opinions of such a Learned one I saw prayers and practise rare in such a one I was wont to hear little but frothy and vain language from such a one I curse the time that ever they were born they did so and so and I thought the allowances they gave themselves were venial faults Peccadillo's would not prejudice their salvation and therefore not hinder mine what wil become of them I know not but sure I am here I am in intollerable torments and I may thank their examples for my damnation O unwary Chrisâ—ian who hast been the Devils instrument for ought thou knowest to expedite and hasten soules everlasting misery now mourning ever in the other world following of thy steps would such news as this from Hel make thine heart to ake wound thy soul spoyl thy rest bring thee with sorrow to thy grave 't is probable very probable O ye offensive children of God whose dark side hath tempted others into eternal darkness that the observance and following of your sinnes hath snared others into the state and feeling of eternal damnation O heires of glory for the Lords sake for the Gospels sake for precious immortal souls sake yet under the means of Grace for the future feare and tremble to wooe and sollicite any more foolish and daring sinners by your visible corruptions into the wayes of sinne and death Be no longer Satans Merchants to put off his wares The least part of his drudgery ill becomes Gods servants If vessels of wrath wil perish and they wil doe it by bad examples Satan hath too many of his own to shew them The broad road to hell hath too numerous travellers Your work is what in you lyes to save not destroy soules Speak live so that you may convince convert not pervert undoe your wicked
Gospel Famine That the word of God the God of the word will depart from us and leave England in that Death Darkness Destruction it hath deserved May we not from likeness of sins fear likeness of Judgements Abuse of Grace hath been we may fear it will be an un-Churching sin O all you Zions mourners who are what you are by distinguishing Gospel grace bewail your own unsuitableness to Gods grace Sigh and cry for all the Abominations that are done in the midst of our sinful Jerusalem if days of desolation come it will cheer your hearts you were affected with Gods dishonor you will be markt out either for deliverance out of common evils supportance in them or an happy issue out of them CHAP. VII Wherein are set forth the Punishments of this great sinne Abusing Gods Grace WEE have seen the aggravated evil of this too common and dishonourable Sin the Abuse of Grace We can be in nothing more crosse to the choice design of God than in wronging his grace Not to give God the praise of the glory of his goodness in nature is deep ingratitude but to deny him the praise of the glory of his grace is deeper indignity The wrath of a King will be more enraged when he is abused in his Throne than in his Common Highway The Gospel acquaints us with Gods Throne of grace God slighted in his grace is an abused King in his Throne This without repentance will turn the Throne of grace into a Throne of angry Justice They that abuse the blood of the Lamb shall feel the wrath of the Lamb. No damnation like that which is heightned by the abuse of Salvation For the Gospel to be a savour of death unto death puts a sharper and fiercer sting into eternal death than when it punisheth onely unnatural sinnes God sets black marks of his displeasure upon the Abuse of Gospel grace He is wont to plague it with these punishments in special six sad ones wherein he expresseth dreadfull vengeance SECT 1. 1. IUdgement is giving up to carnal Lusts As God hath punished the abuse of his Goodnesse in nature so he hath revenged 1. Sheweth the greatness of the judgement to be given up to carnal lusts the wrongs of it in grace He shined forth the glory of his Godhead Eternal Power Love Wisdom and other glorious Attributes in the Workmanship of the World the Glass of his Glory the great Folio every Leaf whereof proves his Invisible Deity but when the goodnesse of God was abused to Idolatry the creature was served and worshipped more than the Creator the Lord in just wrath gave up wantons against the light of nature to their own lusts Rom. 1. 24. to vile affections 26. to a reprobate sense 28. to receive in themselves by these spiritual Judgements the recompence of their error v. 27. whip them with their rod chuse their own delusions and suffering them justly to perish in their own choice The like vengeance he hath exercised on the injuries done to his Gospel grace The Lord proclamed himself to the God of Israel in an external Covenant of Grace I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of AEgypt typifying the Grace of Redemption from Saran and the world sweetly inviting them to desire and accept his grace with enlarged hearts open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81. 10. But this sweet tender of grace in postive rebellion was wantonly rejected But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me and thus the Lord plagued them with their own choice and waies So I gave them up to their own hearts and they walked in their own counsels ver 12. The sadnesse of this Judgement in giving sinners up to their carnal Luds for the perverting of Gods grace appears in four things 1. It is a sad judgement for a sinfull weak erring creature to be deprived of a safe unerring guide the Grace of God When Contumaciae pana gravis desertio spiritualis Ames the offers and restraints of his Grace are removed man is like the Philistins house when the Pillars by Sampson were removed an heap of ruin like a Coach without a Coach-man to order it like a Ship without a Pilot like an Infant without a Nurse like an heady people without a Magistrate The spiritual departure of Gods grace is a great punishment of obstimte contumacie It is just that grace should forsake those that forsake it 2 Chr. 24. 24. that they should have none of its safetie that wil have none of its soveraignty that they should perish without it that would not be ruled by it It is Chrysostomes resemblance when a King seeth Rex cum perditum vidit fidium suwn abdicat eum boais suis deserit Chsys his Son lost and past recovery he casts him out of his Royal Protections Provisions and forsakes him so God strips loose sinners of his aide and grace As it is great mercy to be guided by Gods counsel so it is great severity to be deprived of it The way of man to obtain everlasting happiness is not in himself He is safe in Gods way but perisheth in his own 2. It is a sad Judgement for a sinful weak erring creature to have a false deceitful guide and so have all they that are given up to their own luâ—s They are like Traiterous Collonels that lead their Regiments into the very mouth of ruin within the Enemies Ambush Besides they are foolish Guides and unskillfull they know not the way of peace Who will take a naturall fool or a stranger to be guided in a journey That Ship with it 's Fraught and Passengers is in a poor case that hath an ignorant Pilot and the full Coach that hath a blind Couch-man Carnall Lusts are foolish 1 Tim 6. 9. O the folly of immortal soules that are led by the foolish guidance of their lusts 3. It is a sad judgement to be given up to carnal Lusts because these are Gods â—vengers He is revenged of men where they least beleeve it Even in those sweet Lusts they hugg and pamper will God plague the enemies of his grace No need of Non opus eâ— carnisicibus externis domesticos habemus ultores Pet. Mart. in Rom. Outward Punishments if we will plâ—y the wantons with his grace He hath his Avengers in our very bosomes The Lusts of wicked men are Gods â—ods xes Halters The servants of sinfull Lusts are an inestimable infinite masse of misery when they shall feele it in the other world they will beleeve it Men sinnes are Gods punishments though they see it not 4. It is a sad judgement to be given up to carnal Lusts because such are Volunteers in their own destruction It is sad to fall by the Sword but more sad like Saul willingly to fall by ones own Sword It is a sad judgement to die by Poyson but willingly to drink up a known cup of Poyson is
purified your heart by the spirit 1 Pet. 1. 22. The spirit mortifieth the deeds of the body Rom. 8. 13. Let us walk in the spirit not desirous of vain glory provoking envying one another Gal. 5. 25 26. Quantumvis se Christianum vel millies glorietur He that hath not the spirit of Christ saith one belongs not to him although he should a thousand times over glory he is a Christian Where Christ with his Spirit dwelleth there is a proof of his inhabitation the guidance of his Spirit is followed the body of sin is gradually destroyed The spirits walks are clean principles are holy motions are pure Much wantonness in Religion is entertained from the spirits allowance and is guilty of this real blasphemy as if the holy Spirit were an unclean one It is not because men live in the Spirit but because they live not that they live and speak so loosly in filthy Ranterism in odious Libertinism When the Apostle prayed that the Colossians might be filled with all spiritual Wisdom and Understanding have inlightned mindes and renewed wills and affections Col. 1. 9. his meaning was that they might walk holily and strictly not uncleanly and loosly That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing ver 10. not by a Popish worthinesse of Merit but by a Gospel-worthinesse of fitnesse decency and non-repugnance to Gospel-grace walking worthy a Christians call Eph. 4. 1. Worthy of God 1 Thess 2. 12. Worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. All which is done by following the guidance of the spirit and not serving the lusts of the flesh which is the fruit of spiritual Wisdom and Understanding Sensual not having the spirit Jude Ep. ver 19. Will be a condemning evidence that wanton Sensualists were but pretended Spiritualists and real Carnalists The Spirits way is a way of holinesse a clean way Impure Libertines never walked in it Get in it and the dirty miry pathes of the worlds pollutions will be avoided SECT 7. 7. HElp is serious thoughts what it is to crucifie lusts The 7. Serious thoughts what it is to crucifie lusts is an help to prevent the abuse of grace not understanding of nor submitting to the crucifying work of grace is an experienced grand omission in all loose delicate Christians They choose and like onely that Religion that gives most liberty ease and life to the flesh Crucifying grace hath three irksome terrible and unpleasing severities which carnal wisdom and wantonness abhors Restraint Pain and Death 1. Restraint The Roman Malefactors that were fastned to the Crosse had not the free use of their members So when the Body of sin is Crucified its earthly Members are as it were nailed fastned to the Wood that they cannot have liberty to move as formely The Spirit never crucifieth but the flesh is nailed Carnem nostraÌ„ clavis in crucem agamus ut etiam invita sâ—iritui subjecta essecogatur to the Cross and is compelled to be subject to its dominion 2. Pain Piercing with nails Hanging bleeding on the Cross was a tormenting penalty when the Grace of God crucifieth it torments the flesh It s spiritual arms puts corruption to pain When it is vexed and afflicted it is as it should be No crucifying without pain 3. Death The kinde of death Christ died was Crucifixion He gave up the Ghost on the Crosse Crucifying grace is killing grace it at length utterly destroys this grand Malefactor the old man The same spirit of grace that is said to crucifie is also said to mortifie Rom. 8. As the Apostle Characterizeth true Christians by this They have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. so he exhorts Mortifie your earthly members Coloss 3. 5. For want of serious and solid pondering what the hard and rigorous work of Christian â—eligion is it gives no liberty to the flesh but nails it to the Crosse of grace puts it to pain and at length toâ—tures it to death it comes to pass that effeminate pleasant carnally joâ—und flesh-pampeing professed Christians in their indulgent wantonnesses are as far off from the severities of repentance as if they had never read nor believed Christ was crucified and that on pain of damnation the old man must be crucified also Take this wholsome counsel O loose Reader If thou wouldst repent of thy wantonnesse Be informed in and submit to the power of Crucifying grace when thou art loth to pinion and imprison thy lusts this is not to crucifie Câ—nst not endure to torment thy covetous vain-glorious malicious unclean intemperate lusts this is not to crucifie When thou doest reprieve them and deliver them as they that did Barrabas this is not to crucifie But when corruption would have a large room restrain it rather this is crucifying When thy heart is vexed and grieved to part with a dear lust it is great inward pain and smart to thee the rather smite and asslict deeply wound thy corrupt nature this is to Crucifie When it is death to thee to deny thy wisdom will and part with thy money delights carnal ease and interests yet to deny these things this is to Crucifie As Papists deal with their Crucifixes they please themselves with a painted Crucifix that have not the vertue of Christ crucified in their hearts and lives So loose Proâ—estants have a fancy Crucifix imagine their old man is crucified not a real Crucifix Their flesh is not at all crucified in their spirits and conversations SECT 8. 8. HElp is a thankful spirit It becomes the upright to be 8 A thankfull spirit is a special help to prevent the abuse of grace thankful Sincerity is the lustre and glory of every grace Hypocrisie keeps mercy returns it not uprightnesse will Can that heart be upright in it self that returns sin for grace nay makes grace to serve and lacquey to sin Do ye thus requite the Lord Oâ—â—e foolish people and unnise Deâ—â— 32. 6. Do you give him Straw for Pearls Dirt for Gold â—re â—â—â—bellions good thanks for pâ—â—dons Are sparing no â—llowanâ—es to Justs good ansâ—ers of sparing â—â—ace Is long 〈…〉 an high hand without remorse a good requital to long-suffering grace Deal you ingenuously with the despised and rejected offers of grace when at the same time you close with the offers of sin Deal you kindly with the gifting purifying sealing spirit of Grace when you turn you turn your back upon him and beâ—â—ay a spirit of pride worldlinesse and security Well doth the Apostle joyn together Unthankful and Unholy The Libertine is unthankful and unholy The â—entiles were unthankful and wantons against nature Pretended Christians are unthankful and wantons againâ—t Grace That thanks for the infinite goodnesse of God in Christ that would give up body and soul a reasonable sacrifice unto God would not dishonor the dominion of Christ and Temples of the spirit by loose wantonnesse Study and practice that of the Apostle What soever