so neer to these heavenly copies as we approach the stronger we are in the grace of God in Christ And doubtless it cannot be but it is in the desire of every true childe of God not onely to enjoy a prettie moderate health of spirituall life but to be as strong in faith as Abraham in meekness as Moses in patience aâ—…Job in affâ—…ction to God aâ—…David and as zealous for the Lord and his glory as were this blessed pair of zealous servants of the most high Paul and Moses I Am now come dear Love to the third and last Head proposed which is some few means of recovering and preserving of â—…hristian health and cheerfulness and the preventing of spirituall sicknesses and diseases In this I shall desire to be brief left by too long a discourse I discourage thy reading and hinder thy use and improvement of it First then holy consideration of our estate a deep and frequent examination of our spirituall condition is an excellent means of Christian health and temper Thus teacheth us the holy Spirit of God by Jeremie Lam 2. Let us search and try our ways and turn unto the Lord This searching and examining of our ways in Gods presence is as it were a casting up of our accounts between God and our souls wherein we truly verifie that true saying That often reckoning makes God and our souls true friends This dutie is hard and therefore we must often crie tâ—…God with David Psal. 139. Search me O God and try my heart and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way â—…verlasting This holy practice ought to be frequent but then especially when the hand and Rods of the Lord are upon us For then as Iob saith God sofâ—…neth our Hearts and we are most like then to be as the ground mollâ—…fied upon a Thaw fit to be broken up or like the Ground moistned with storms and showers froâ—… Hâ—…aven then in some hopefull turn for the Lords most gracious seed and heavenly planting Secondly maintain an earnest longing and endeavour to enjoy Christ Iâ—…sus who is our souls life in every holy Ordinance which he hath appointed If it be possible with true satisfaction to our consciences and doubts in Gods presence let us never rest from being planted into the holy society of Gods children gathered into the order of Christ Jesus according to hiâ—… most holy will and Testament Remembring that Christian health grouth and flâ—…urishing are promised to the Trees planted in Jehovahs house And that the holy Ordinances are the Lords provisions and soul meals and Breasts which he hath graciously appointed for his children of all sorts and ages Especially be much in holy prayer and fasting before the Lord this is an Ordinance of which neither Pope nor Devill could ever deprive a child of God If it be possible practice this duty with others however before the Lord in secret remembâ—…ing how frequent the children of God in holy scripture were in this duty Daniel is an heavenly pattern and so is David who wept and chastised his soul with fasting although he was reproached for it Psal. 69. Our holy Bridegroom the Lord Iesus tels us that the Bridegroom shall be taken away and then his servants fast as if he had â—…xpresly named the times of the Antichristian bondage wherein the followers of Iesus like the blessed Womeâ—… John the 20. weeping cry out they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him This holy Ordinance is of such admirable use among the Saints that even in the first and purest times of Chrisâ—…ianity we read of Christan yoak fellows consenting to a seperation from each other for a time that they may give themselves to prayer and fasting 1. C. 〈◊〉 Obj. But some say fasting as it seems to be more proper to the Old Testaâ—…ent so seems it not so usefull in the New Covenant when more spirituall worship and spirituall joys seem more suitable and seasonable I answer all the former Scriptures declare it to be an Ordinance of the New Tâ—…stament as well as a prayer it self And for the use of it it is most admirable for the seperating and abstracting of the mind and spirit from earthly occasiâ—…ns and comforts for the devoting of the soul to heavenly consideration and examination of our wayes for the pouring forth of prayers and cries to God in the many greâ—…t and mighty straights which Gods people passe through in this vale of tears and Lamentation And indeed it is as I may say the taking of a soul sweat or soul purge for the avoiding and cleansing out our spirituall Humâ—…urs and corruptions Thirdly as ever we would preserve our spirituall health let us carefully take heed of spirituall colds and obstructioâ—…s For as it is in the naturall man a cold it self is a great distemper and the ground and â—…eginning of others when the warm streams of blood and spirits are stopt up and obstructed So is it and much more in the spirituall when our heavenly spirits are stopt by damp colds and â—…bstructions of unnecessary frequenting of cold societies and places destitute of the life of the Sun of Righteousnes Christ Jesus The Lord Jesus is a Christians Garment O let us keep that blessed garment always close about us and in all places and in all companies and upon all occasions expresse the life and power of Christ Jesus longing to know and to follow his blessed words and examples in life and death Fourthly take heed of spirituall surfets that the feeding too much upon the comforts of â—…oak fellows children credit profit though sweet and wholsome as hâ—…ny â—…urn not to bitternes and loathing Gods children as travailers on the Land as Passengers in a ship must use this world and all coâ—…forts of it with dead and weaned and 〈◊〉 affâ—…ctions aâ—… if they used them not If Riches iâ—…Childâ—…en iâ—…Cattel if Friends if whatsoever increase let us watch that the Heart fly not loose upon them But as we use salt with raw and frâ—…sh meats let us use no worldly comfort without a savoury Remembrance that these worldly Goods and comforts are the common portion of the men of this perishing woâ—…ld who must peâ—…ish together with them Let us muse upon their insufficiency to content and fill our Hearts upon their uncertain coming and going with Eagles wings upon their anxiety and perplexednes full of Thorns vexation upon their certainty of departing how soon we know not O leâ—… us therefor beg graâ—…e from Heaven that we may use earthly comforts as a stool or ladder to help uâ—… upward to heavenly comforts profits pleasures which are only true and lasting even eternall in God himself when these Heavens and earth are gone Fifthly to maintain spirituall health and 〈◊〉 is of no small use as Paul writes to Timothie sometimes to help our cold stomacks with a little wine or strong
EXPERIMENTS OF Spiritual Life Health And their PRESERVATIVES In which the weakest Child of God may get Assurance of his Spirituall Life and Blessednesse And the Strongest may finde proportionable Discoveries of his Christian Growth and the means of it By Roger Williams of Providence in New-England London Printed in the Second Month 1652. To the truly Honorable the Lady Vane the Younger Madam YOur favourable and Christian respects to me both of former and latter date your Godly and Christian Letters to me so many thousand miles distant in America And your many gracious Demonstrations of an humble and Christian Spirit breathing in you are a three fold Cord which have drawn these lines into your presence While I have sometimes mused how to express a Christian gratitude I am at last perswaded to crave your Ladyships acceptance of these poore Experiments of each true Christians personall union and communion with the Father of Spirits It is true I have been sometimes prest to engage in controversies but I can really and uprightly say my Witnes is on high how harsh and dolesul the touch of those strings are especially against such Worthies both in old and new-England in whom I joyfully before the world acknowledge in many heavenly respects a lively character and Image of the Son of God This broken piece is a breath of a still and gentle voice none but the God of this world and the men of this world can I lightly at this turne expect my opposites At other times I have been drawne to consider of the little flock of Jesus his Army his body his building that for these many hundred years have been scattered routed and laid wast and desolate At present I onely examine who are the personall and particular Sheep of Jesus Christ his Souldiers his living materials though scattered divided and not compos'd and ordred at their souls desire I confess Madam it was but a private and sudden discourse sent in private to my poor Companion and Yoak-fellow occasioned by a sudden sickness threatning death into which and from which it pleased the Lord most graciously to cast and raise her The forme and stile I know will seem to this refined age too rude and barbarous And the truth is the most of it was penn'd and writ so as seldom or never such discourses were in the thickest of the naked Indians of America in their very wild houses and by their barbarous fires when the Lord was pleased this last year more then ordinarily to dispose of my abode and travell amongst them And yet is the Language plaine it is the liker Christs Is the composure rude such was his outward Beauty Are the tryals seemingly too close such is the two edged Sword of his most holy Spirit which pierceth between the very Soul and Spirit and bringeth every thought into the obedience of Christ Jesus Amongst the many Crowns of mercy Madam which it hath pleased the Father of mercies to crowne your soul with as David speaks of his Psal. 103. there are two which justly challenge and your Ladiship I know doth humbly acknowledge them to be the fairest The first That he himselfe most high most holy who makes his common choice the poor Jam. 2. and chooseth few Lords few Knights few Ladies few wise few noble few mighty hath freely chosen you Madam in so gracious and blessed a measure to desire to feare his Name A second That for your dearest Companion and Guide in this vale of tears amongst the famous Worthies of this age he hath graciously guided you to such a blessed choice of such an Husband on earth who beares so bright an Image of your Husband in the Heavens and in whose most holy and gracious hand he hath been such a mercifull and faithfull Instrument for both the freedoms both of the outward and inner man I doe humbly acknowledge that upon an absolute account all is mercy and yet I am also humbly confident that in a respect as he graciously remembred his old friend Abraham and tels us of a speciall love he yet bears the Jewes for Abrahams sake even so he hath graciously vouchsafed at this present an honorable remembrance to the NAMES of some of his more eminent former friends and witnesses How hath he â—…rowned the memory of those his 2 zealous Servants in K. Henry the 8th his days * with a most eminent and blessed succession of such names and spirits at this day and in a gracious remembrance of his love to that blessed daughter and witnesse of his the Lady Vane in Q. Maries dayes how hath it pleased his wisedom and goodnesse to remember and to honour that Name both in your Ladiship and so many otherways with so many loving kindnesses at this day My humble cry Madam to the Lord shall never cease those all those your many obligations of both temporall and eternall mercies may like chaines of Adamant draw and bind your precious Soul more and more to resolve by his grace assisting to make his name great who hath made your so and so to love his Name his Son his Spirit his Truth his Children that others at the Torch of your exemplary meeknesse and fear of God may light and kindle theirs That your Souls-eye more and more brightly may see him who is invisible and may so experimentally resent those invisible and internal Honors pleasures and profits that are in him that in comparison thereof the visible and worldly may be accounted by you but dreams of shadows c. That your great desire may be a likenesse of so high and holy and so dear a Saviour and as in other excellencies so in that especially of a desire of saving others your Children Kindred Servants Friends yea Enemies that neither the pleasing calme of prosperity nor the dreadfull storms of changes may quench or dampe that holy fire of your Souls love in Life and Death to Him whom your Ladyship hath so much infinite cause to love but never yet saw in whom and for ever I desire to be Your HONOURS unfeinedly faithfull R. W. To every truly Christian Reader AS it is in the Earthly so it is in the Heavenly Marriage of a poor Sinner to his Maker There useth first to passe a private kindling of Love and a private consent and pomise which sometimes are long before the open solemnity and the publikâ—… profession of a Married life together This is my present designe not to controvert the matters of publike Order and Worship but to present some poor Experiments of those Personall excellencies of each true beleeving soule and spirit The Holy Spirit in Isaiah tels us of Ballances wherein the most High weighs the Hills and Mountains As also in Solomon of Ballances wherein hee weighs the very Spirits even of men whose way is right in their owne eyes And in John 14. he commands us to try the Spirits pretending to come from Christ Jesus whether they be of God or no There
the outward and the inner man 2 Cor. 4. Though our outward man perish yet our inner is renewed day by day It hath pleased the most high to cast downe thy outward man and againe graciously to lift him up and thereby to teach us both to examine and try the health and strength and welfare of the inner I will not now enter upon the Disputes about that question what is the Inner-man whether Christ himselfe as some say or an Image or likenesse of Christ Jesus as others say That is a Candle or Torch to me which is written Ephes. 3. That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by faith unto which agrees that of the first of John As many as received him that is received Christ Jesus into the house of their hearts to dwell there by beleiving and obeying of him they are borne of the Spirit and are the Sons of God This Inner man this new-man which after God is created in holinesse and righteousuesse I say this Inner-man hath his tempers and distempers his health and sicknesse as well as this outward-man this body of Clay Hence we hear so often mentioned the renewing of the inward-man the growing and increasing of Faith and Love and other breathings of Gods Spirit the losse that is in a measure of the Ephesians first love Hence the many falls of the Lords best Servants recorded in Scripture and the sleep of the Spouse of Christ Jesus although her heart wake in the truth of marriagelove which can never wholly dye in her and be extinguished The holy Scripture mentioneth a three-fold persoâ—… in all that are borne againe First the body of Flesh and clay this outward naturall being which must be dissolved and dye then rise againe to Glory The second is the body of corruption or old man which being deadly wounded by the Son of God alreadie in all that are his shall shortly give up the ghost and rot and never rise again The third is this holy heavenly inner man of whose health and daily renewing I now discourse who is born of an immortall seed and therefore can no more die then Christ himself Rom. 6. Now as this outward man desires not onely life and being but also health and cheerfulness in all the living motions and actions thereof So and much more ten thousand fold requires the inward and spirituall man an healthfull and cheerfull temper For as the Lord loveth a cheâ—…rfull giver So loves he also a cheerfull Preacher a chearfull hearer a chearfull prayer and a chearfull sufferer for his Name sake He loves that the fhoes of preparation be on our feet ready to run all wayes and weathers the paths of his Command â—…ents That like a vessel our leaks be stopt and our whole soul be ready in an holy trim and tightness for all his holy employments of us in the greatest tempests â—…hat like heavenly souldiers our Arms be fixt or like an Instrument the strings of our affâ—…ctions and parts be all in tune to make heavenly musick in the holy ears of our heavenly Lord and King T is true as it is between a loving couple and as it was in the Church at Ephesus it is not easiâ—… to keep in the first flame of Love fresh and equall although the fire of the truth and sinceritie of marriage love never die or be extingnished It is true that Paul cries out how much more may we O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death T is true that sometimes corruption and Satan surprize and carry away the stâ—…ongest champions of Christ Jesus as slaves and captives for a time untill Christ Jesus rescue redeem and ransome by giving repentance unto his Israel as he did to David Peter c. as Abraham rescued Lot and as David recovered all his precious captives led slaves away from Ziklag I am far therefore from passing the sentence of death upon the least of the little ones of Jesus notwithstanding their spirituall weaknes and sicknesses in whom the leaâ—…spâ—…rk or breathing of the spirit of Life can be discerned And I desire to see and lament the spirituall sicknesses and diseases of mine own and others Spirits which yet are not unto death as Christ Jesus spake of Lazarus but for the glory of God in the fall and rising of his servants Yea as Paul distinguisheth of Gods afl cting hand on his Saints at Corinth so must I distinguish between these three death sicknes and weakness Every sicknes of Gods Children is not a death for the inner man cannot die no more then Christ himself Rom 6. Again every weaknes is not a sicknes for some are weak little ones in the knowledg and love of Christ while others are grown to be strong and aged in Christ Jesus Yea the strongest and oldest Souldiers of Christ Jesus who have not thought their dearest Heart blood to dear for such a Lord and Master have yet been troubled with some weaknes and fits of spirituall distempers Weaknes in their Eyes is not discerning aright the mind of Christ Jesus weaknes in their hands and Feet hindring their spirituall chearfulnes and activity in Christs wayes which weaknesses yet have not brought them to a down right halting in Christianity I propose therefore with the assiâ—…tance of Gods holy spirit to examine these three particulars First what a ethe Arguments of that measure of spirituall life in Chrâ—…st which yet may stand with great spirituall weaknesses and diseases 2ly What is that 〈◊〉 of the grace of Christ Jesus which may be called the health and chearfull temper and disposition of the inner man 3dly What are those spirituall preservatives which may keâ—…p the Soul in an healthfull temper free from spirituall sicknesses and dâ—…stempers In these Examinations I professe two thinâ—… First not to oppresse thy thoughts and memory with any long discourse intending only to send thee after thy sicknes a little posey fit and easie for thy meditation and refâ—…shing 2ly All my Flowers shall be some choice example or speech of some son or daughter of God pickt out from the Garden of the holy Scriptures for our spirituall refreshing and consolation I begin therefore with such trialls and arguments as declare the true life of the inner man notwithstanding spirituall weaknes sicknes and distempers First then when the Spirit of the Lord in 1 Job 2. describeth the severall Ages and grouths of this inward man to wit a child a strong man and an old man it pleasath him to describe the young or little one by this difference that He knows the Father to wit that he knows the Lord so as to look upon him in his measure as to a Father that he fears him loves him obeys him and calls upon him as on a Father according to that of Gal 4. Because you are sons he hath sent forth the spirit of his Son crying in your Hearts Abâ—…a Father Father pardon me Father help
yet awake and free in true inclinations and desires willing though mixt with sleepy unwiâ—…ingnes to be at any pains and cost to enjoy her souls beloved Christ Jesus in his own appointments Hence such expressions with sighs and tears if I were perswaded of Gods will if I were perswaded of the â—…ecessity of such publick ordinances and formes Hence others expressions if I were perswaded of such and such ordinanâ—…es that such a people or such a people were in the true way of enjoying Christ Jesus how joyfully should I joyn with them Hence holy David though not so throughly awaked to enjoy the Ark and presence of God he and all Israel brings up the Ark of God with rejoycing though not after the Lords due order which caused his holy jealousie to send that perez Vzzâ—… that breach of Vzzaâ—… amongst them It is in the heavenly as in the earthly marriage there are degrees of marriage affection and yet all true The affections of some are more lively and strong of some more dull and weak When yet the truth and life appears in a true and longing desire to enjoy the Lord Iesus in what way soever himself is pleased to ap point and to turn from the bed and bozome that is the worships of all false Christs and strangers A â—…th discovery of true spirituall life in weaknes I find to be a painfull and a restles mind in temptations to sin in yeelding to sin and lying in sin the breach not being made up with the Lord in humble confâ—…ssion and suit for mercy in the blood of a Saviour This was Davids painfâ—…ll cafâ—… in his silence Psal. 32 When I kept silence my bones waxed olâ—… through my roaring all the Day So that as a Fish out of the â—…ater itâ—… element 〈◊〉 a bone broak or disjoynted is the troubled mind of a child of God upon his discovered or but strongly suspected sinfull way or practice Obj. May not Hypocrites be troubled in the sence of Gods displeâ—…sure for sin as Sâ—…ul Abab and Iudâ—… c. I answer an Hypocrite like some Traytor or murtherer may desire a pardon from the King of Kings whose person he hates so did Saul and Ahab and so may any dissembler for his own ends of peace and safety c. But Gods children and they only grieve at Gods displeasure and grievance Only a true Wife and Spouse of Christ Iesus can grieve and morun for the displeased absence of Christ Iesus and cries out in humble bitternes of sâ—…l saw ye him whom my soul loveth A 10th triall of the true life of the inner man though weak and sickly is a discerning and liking and secret wishing that beauty and shining of the grace of Christ Jesus which appears in others of Gods children and which we see wanting in our selves Thus were there a sort of Gods children which could see beauty and excellency in those which so affectionately inquired after Christ Iesus in his visible worship and the severall parts thereof although themselves were not so zâ—…alously affected Thus therefore say they Oh thou the fairest of Women an acknowledgment of heavenly grace and beauty and they also enquire and desire to see that beauty of Christ Iesus which the other Saints so praised And in Cant 6. they say whither is thy Beloved gone oh thou fairest among Women that we may seek him with thee Hence many of Gods dear Saints in Qu Maries time and other bloody days in our own and other countries have praised God for and have been ravished with the beauties of the heavenly love and zeal and patience in others of Gods servants which they have seen wanting in themselves And thus whatever be our weaknesses it must needs argue a life of grace when we can view the lives and deaths of the blefsed martyrs or witnesses of Christ Jesus either in the holy scriptures or other Records I say can view them with a liking and true affecting of their graces with an humble acknowledgment of our own wants and poverties and a mourning desire of attaining to such a beauteous profession of Christ Jesus Such a beauty doubtles did many of Gods children apprehend in the Lords Ordinances and in such as suffred for them in England who yet found not strength themselves to stand and suffer for and with them yet left much and fled to New England hoping to enjoy there though with too much weak desire of peace and liberty the Ordinances of Christ Jesus their souls Beloved Obj. But did not Balaam see the beauty and excellenâ—…y of Gods Saints when he cried out let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his c. I answer it is usually well said Balaam desired the death and blessednes of the righteous but not the life and righteousnâ—…sse of the righteous Obj. Balaam seems to have seen the beauty of righteousnesse it self I answer he might see and like righteousnes in the end and fruit of it and yet not in the true nature and beauty of it for then he would have as well desired the life as the death of the righteous just as these Indians amongst whom I write these lines thâ—…y see the excellency of the English industry joyned with plenty and a better condition then their own but endure not that life of laâ—…our and indeavour wherein that plenty and better state is found But Gods children beholding the beauty and excellency of the heavenly lives and deaths of others like souldiers in a Field are provoked by those examples to desire to follow Christ Jesus in those holy paths and secretly to bemoan their own infirmities and deformities These and many more discoveries of the life of Christ Jesus in the soul though in the midst of many weaknesses and spirituall sicknesses I hope my dear love and faithfull companion thou in truth discernest in thy self and I and others have discerned in thee But oh search diligently in the Lords holy presence and humbly beg his help that as the Spirit of God admonisheth Gal. 6. thou maiest have rejoycing in thy self and not in anothers good opinion of thee But grant all these and the assurance of a true and blessed life of grace within us Grant this life is as the life of Christ never again to be extinguished Yet who rejeyceth not in health who mourns not under the pains and weaknesses of a sick bed Next therefore to the discovery of spirituall life all that are born of God must try their spirituall strength and health and chearful temper The particular instances whereof being propounded as examples copies and samplars for us to follow in the holy Scripture I shall pick and gather and bind up for both our incouragement and comfort I confesfe the beholding of such heavenly patterns may astonish and anâ—…ze uâ—… and make us dispair to attain to the like heavenly temper I pray thee therefore dear love observe what before I
of Christ Jesus to wit the glorifying of God in the saving of the poor sons of men Object But is it not possible for Gods children to be slack in this work and trade of doing good to the souls and bodies of others and yet be strong in grace and healthfull I answer Doubtlesse Gods Children may be strong one way and weak in another strong in one grace and weak in another strong in one tryal and weak in another But it is their weaknesse and sicknesse when they are slow and negligent of so gloâ—…ious and heavenly a worke Thus Paul complains of the Saints of Asia that he found none that stuck close to him but Timothie Thus was it in Barucks weaknesse and sicknesse to seek great and earthly things and Jeremie strong in spirituall health and life chides and reproves him for it Jer. 45. Secondly It argues strength of spirituall life when we bear a strong affection to the seed of the woman Christs seed Gods children To doe good to all men is a Christians trade but especially to the houshold of faith This was Davids affection Psalme 16. when he look't upon Gods children as the excellent of the Earth and placed all his delight in them Thus Jonathan though he lost his Fathers love for Davids though he was to loose a Kingdom by David yet he loves him as his owne Soul Thus Ruth so loved that holy woman Naomi that although she were growne poor a widow and now in a tedious travel from Moab to Israel and Naomi did also intreat her and her sister to goe back and Orpah her sister was already returned to her kindred and her Gods yet such was the flame of her holy affection that she intreats Naomi not to intreat her Intreat me not to leave thee for whether thou goest I will goe where thou dyâ—…st I will dye and there will I be buried thy God shall be my God c. Object May not wicked persons favour love and respect Gods children Did not Saul greatly respect Samuel and for a while Herod John the Baptist Did not Michol love King David as well as did her brother Jonathan yea did not David finde wonderfull favour in the eyes of a Philistian Achaz I answer The nature and the grounds of the love of naturall persons to Gods children must be rightly distinguished Gods children themselves may and ought to love each other and others also acccording to any naturall and civill Relation yet onely Gods children can love Gods children for the grace and spirit of God which they see and finde in each other Thus as two Candles or Torches they spiritually close and embrace each other with heavenly affection being of one common heavenly nature together Thus Countrey-men meeting in strange and forraign nations presently know each other by their language c. Thus Brethren rejoyce to finde each other in strange places and to know themselves the sons of one Father and Mother Thus Fellow-souldiers which stick close each to other in life and death yea although routed disordered and flying if possible they can discerne and know each other Object But did not holy David who was a man strong in grace did not he lay plots for the life of an holy man noble and faithfull Uriah Did not Asah that holy King of Judah practice false Imprisoning in committing the man of God to prison and that onely for his faithfulnesse in reproving him from God I answer This shews that both David and Asah at this time were very sick and David upon his recovery laments his weaknesse and wickednesse and Blood-guiltinesse Psal. 51. Quest But may not Gods children have just cause of exercising sharpenesse each to others Yea doubtlesse for Paul withstood even Peter himselfe to to his face and the Church of Corinth must put away and deliver the incestuous person to the Devill though probably yet deare and a brother according to that of Paul to the Thesselonians yet count him not as an Enemie but admonish him as a Brother In a way of Justice in a way of Physick the dearest friend or Brother may exercise much bitternesse though with much sweetnesse of temper and with much tender melting and bemoaning of affection Thus in cases have we seen mounfull violence used to a wife or brother in some kind of distempers and distractions But when Gods children shall so far degenerate as to pursue the life each of other though it be with desire to cover a sin and to keep Gods name from being dishonored as in Davids case it is a weaknesse it is a sicknesse which although it be not unto death yet bringeth it neer unto Deaths door and made David cry out with bitternesse of his soul Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse O my God and my tongue shall sing loud of thy righteousnesse A third tryal of spirituall health and strength is a compassionate anâ—…pitifull melting-heart over the afflicted or miserable yea although our enemies or enemies of their owne Salvation Thus the Lord Jesus sighs for the hardnesse of the heart of his Enemies thus he weeps over Jerusalem that was to kill him and prayed for his persecutors and enemies Thus Jeremy powres forth his Book and Rivers of Lamentations for Jerusalem of old as Christ for the latter Thus Gods people are commanded to weep with them that weep And when any oppose themselves wee ought in meeknesse and patience to bear it as knowing their wofull and miserable bondage and slavery to Sathan And who knows whether it will please God in infinite mercy and compassion to deliver them by vouchsafing repentance in Christ Jesus as he hath done to us Object But may not Gods children exceed and ouer grieve for others Yea doubtlesse and therefore God chideth Samuel for over-grieving for Saul because God hath rejected him Gods children may as well exceed the bounds of gtiefs as of joy and auger and any kind of Passion or affection but it is ever safer to fall on the right hand of too much mercy and compassion then on the left of Anger Wrath and Cruelty Hence David weeps over sinners with Rivers of Tears because they keep not Gods Law Hence we are commanded to bear the burthens of others and so fulfill Christs Law All sin is a burthen but especially to Gods children whether they commit it out of a deceived judgment and conscience or out of passion and sudden slight of temptation Their sins therefore especially if superiours we must cover and with shame and sorrow go backward like Shem and Japheth as grieving and unwilling to behold their nakednes Obj. But we are commanded not to suffer sin upon our Brethren but reprove them I answer then is the tongue a fit instrument to reprove others when it is tuned by a grieved heart that considers and ponders it self as subject to temptation and sin as others except mercy make the difference and deliver from temptation Fourthly it is a good
But some may say Can these sayings be any other then a Parable or similitude for is the Devill capable of any materiall fire such as now is grievous and painfull to flesh and blood I answer Grant these sayings Parabolicall or similitudes as also that of Dives and Lazarus yet what are Parables and similitudes but Glasses to represent unto us in more plain and easie wayes the holy truâ—…h and mind of God The Kernell of truth is not the lesse sweet though wrapt up in the sâ—…els and husks Beyond all question therefore Christ Jesus foretels most sure and inconceiveable plagues to all that know not God and obey not his glorious Gospel And by this Worme that never dyes and this fire that never goes out declares a torment to be inflicted upon both men and devils which shall be extream like fire which shall be universall upon the whole sinfull creature no part exempted which shall be also eternall never dying never ending yet we may adore Gods righteous judgâ—…ments and working out Salvation with fear and trembling make sure of a Jesus a Saviour to deliver us from the wrath that is to come In the next place my deare Love let us downe together by the steps of holy meditation into the valley of the shadow of Death It is of excellent use to walke often into Golgotha and to view the rotten skuls of so many innumerable thousands of millions of millions of men and women like our selves gone gone for ever from this life and being as if they never had life nor being as the swift Ships as the Weavers shuttle as an arrow as the lightning through the aire c. It is not unprofitable to remember the faces of such whom we knew with whom we had sweet acquaintance sweet society with whom we have familiarly eaten and lodged but now growne loath some ugly terrible even to their dearest since they fell into the jawes of death the King of terrors And yet they are but gone before us in the path all flesh must tread How then should we make sure and infiniâ—…ely much of a Saviour who delivers us from the power and bitternesse of Death and Grave and Hell who is a resurrection and life unto us and will raise up and make our bodies glorious like his glorious Body when he shall shortly appear in glory It is further of great and sweet use against the bitternesse of Death and against the bitter-sweet delusions of this world daily to thinke each day our last the day of our last farewell the day of the splitting of this vessell the breaking of this buble the quenching of this Candle and of our passage into the land of Darknesse never more to behold a spake of light untill the Heavens be no more Those three uncertaintiâ—…s of that most certain blow to wit of the Time when the Place where the Manner how it shall come upon us and dash our Earthen Pitcher all to pieces I say the consideration of these three should be a threefold cord to bind us fast to an holy watchfulness for our departures and a spur to quicken us to aboundant faithfulnesse in doing and suffering for the Lord and his Christ it should draw up our minds unto heavenly objects and loosen us from the vexing vanities of this vaine puffe of this present sinfull life Oh how weaned how sober how temperate how mortified should our spirits our affections our desires be when we remember that we are but strangers converse with strange companies dwel instrange houses lodge in strange beds and know not whether this day this night shall be our finall change of this strange place for one far stranger darke and dolefull except enlightned by the Death and Life of the Son of God How contented should we be with any Pittance any Allowance of Bread of Cloaths of Friendship of Respect c How thankfull unto God unto man should we poor strangers be for the least crum or drop or rag vouchsaf'd unto us when we remember we are but strangers in an In but passengers in a Ship and though we dreame of long Summer dayes yet our very life and being is but a swift short passage from the bank of time to the other side or Banck of a dolefull or joyfull eternity How patient should our minds and bodies be under the crossing disappointing hand of our all-powerfull Maker of our most gracious Father when we remember that this is the short span of our purging and fitting for an eternall Glory and that when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world How quietly without the swellings of revenge and wrath should we bear the daily injuries reproaches persecutings c. from the hands of men who passe away and wither it may be before night like grasse or as the smoake on the chimnies top and their love and hatred shall quickly perish Yea how busie how diligent how solicitous should we be like strangers upon a strange Coast waiting for a winde or passage to get dispatched what we have to doe before wee hear that finall call Away Away let us be gone from hence c. How should we ply to get aboard that which will passe and turne to blessed account in our own countrey How should we over-look and despise this worlds trash which as the holy woman going to be burnt for Christ said of money will not passe in Heaven How zealous for the true God the true Christ his praise his truth his worship how faithfull in an humble witnesse against the lyes and cozening delusions of the Father of lyes though guilded o're with truth and that by the hands of the highest or holyest upon the Earth How frequent how constant like Christ Jesus our Founder and Example in doing good especially to the Souls of all men especially to the Houshold of Faith yea even to our enenemies when we remember that this is our seed-time of which every minute is precious and that as our sowing is must be our eternall Harvest for so sayth the Spirit by Paul to the Galathians He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption or rottennesse and he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting FINIS Cor. 3. * Cromwel and Lambert Thy Maker is thy Husband Isa. 5. Isa. 40. Prov. 21. Great pretences to the holy Spirit of God To counterfeit the holy Spirit dreadfull The least of the little ones of Christ Jesâ—…s oâ—…ght to rejoyce Communion of Saints most sweet and to be lamented after Two Christian Riddles suiting these times and spirits The true use of sicknesse The outward and inner mâ—…n What the inner man is Subject to many distempers A threefold person in Gods children A spirituall cheerful temper Spirituall distempers Distinction between spirituall death spirituall sickness and spiritual weakness The Heads of this Discourse The weakess of Gods children cry unto God as to