and worne daily by us whereas the same weight on our shoulder would trouble us thus the grievousnesse of religious duties to carnal ones is taken away in the Saints partly by the fitnesse of them to the Saints principles as also by their daily exercise in them The disciples when newly entered into the wayes of Christ could not pray much or fast long the bottles were new and that wine too strong but by that time they had walk't a few yeares they grew mighty in both doest thou complain that heaven-way is rugged be the oftner walking in it and that will make it smooth But secondly were this constant exercise of grace more troublesome to the flesh which is the only complainer the sweet advantage that accrues by this to the Christian will abundantly recompence all his labour and pains First the exercise of thy grace will encrease thy grace The diligent hand makes rich A provident man counts that lost which might have been got not only when his money is stole out of his chest but when it lies there unimproved Such a commodity saith the Tradesman if I had bought with that money in my bags would have brought me in so much gaine which is now lost so the Christian may say My dawning knowledge had I followed on to know the Lord might have spread to broad day I have more understanding saith David then all my teachers How came he by it he 'll tell you in the next words for thy testimonies are my meditation He was more in the exercise of duty and grace The best wits are not alwayes the greatest Scholars because their study is not suitable to their parts neither alwayes proves he the richest man that sets up with the greatest stock A little grace well-husbanded by daily exercise will encrease when greater neglected shall decay Secondly as exercise encreaseth so it evidenceth grace Would a man know whether he be lame or no let him rise he 'll be sooner satisfied by one turn in a room then by a long dispute and he sit still Wouldest thou know whether thou lovest God be frequent in exerting acts of love the more the fire is blown up the sooner 'tis seen and so of all other graces Sometimes the soule is questioning whether it hath any patience any faith till God comes and puts him into an afflicted estate where he must either exercise this grace or perish and then it appeares like one that thinks he cannot swim yet being thrown into the river then uniting all his strength he makes a shift to swim to land and sees what he can do How oft have we heard Christians say I thought I could never have endured such a pain trusted God in such a strait but now God hath taught me what he can do for me what he hath wrought in me and this thou mightest have known before if thou wouldest have oftner stirred up and exercised thy grace Thirdly exercise of grace doth invite God to communicate himself to such a soul God sets the Christian at work and then meets him in it Vp and be doing and the Lord be with you He sets a soul a reading as the Eunuch and then joynes to his chariot a praying and then comes the messenger from heaven O Daniel greatly beloved The Spouse who lost her Beloved on her bed findes him as she comes from the Sermon Cant. 3.4 It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soule loved SECT 3. Vse 1 This falls heavy on their heads who are so far from exercising grace that they walk in the exercise of their lusts their hearts are like a glasse-house the fire is never out the shop-windows never shut they are alwayes at work hammering some wicked project or other upon the anvil of their hearts there are some who give full scope to their lusts what their wretched hearts will they shall have they cocker their lusts as some their children deny them nothing who as it is recorded of David to Adonijah do not so much as say to their souls Why doest thou so why art thou so proud so covetous so prophane They spend their dayes in making provision for these guests as at some Innes the house never cooles but as one guest goes out another comes in as one lust is served another is calling for attendance as some exercise grace more then others so there are greater traders in sin that set more a work then others and return more wrath in a day then others in a moneth Happy are such in comparison of these who are chain'd up by Gods restraint upon their outward man or inward that they cannot drive on so furiously as these who by health of body power and greatnesse in place riches and treasures in their coffers numbnesse and dedolency in their consciences are hurried on to fill up the measure of their sins We reade of the Assyrian that he enlarged his heart as hell stretching out his desires as men do their bags that are thrack't full with money to hold more Hab. 2.5 Thus the adulterer as if his body were not quick enough to execute the commands of his lust stirs it up by sending forth his amorous glances which come home laden with adultery blows up this fire with unchaste sonnets and belly-chear proper fuel for the devils kitchin and the malicious man who that he may lose no time from his lust is a tearing his neighbour in pieces as he lies on his bed cannot sleep unlesse some such bloody sacrifice be offered to his ravening lust O how may this shame the Saints how oft is your zeal so hot that you cannot sleep till your hearts have been in heaven as you are on your beds and there pacified with the sight of your dear Saviour and some embraces of love from him Vse 2 It reproves those who flout and mock at the Saints while exercising their graces None jeer'd as the Saint in his calling Men may work in their shops and every one follow his calling as diligently as they please and no wonder made of this by those that passe by in the streets but let the Christian be seen at work for God in the exercise of any duty or grace and he is hooted at despised yea hated Few so bad indeed but seem to like Religion in the notion they can commend a Sermon of holiness like a discourse of God or Christ in the Pulpit but when these are really set before their eyes as they sparkle in a Saints conversation they are very contemptible and hateful to them this living and walking holinesse bites and though they liked the Preachers Art in painting forth the same in his discourse yet now they run from them and spit at them this exercise of grace offends the prophane heart and stirs up the enmity that lies within As Michal she could not but flout David to see him dancing before the Ark. He that commended the Preacher for making a learned discourse of
THE CHRISTIAN IN Compleat Armour Or a TREATISE OF THE Saints War against the Devil wherein a Discovery is made of that grand enemy of God and his People in his Policies Power Seat of his Empire Wickednesse and chief design he hath against the Saints A Magazin open'd FROM Whence the Christian is furnished with Spiritual Armes for the battel help't on with his Armour and taught the use of his Weapon together with the happy issue of the whole Warre The First Part. By William Gurnall Minister of the Gospel at Lavenham Imprimatur EDMUND CALAMY LONDON Printed for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhill near the Royall Exchange 1655. Gurnalls CHRISTIAN ARMOVR I. P. To my Dearly Beloved Friends and Neighbours the Inhabitants of LAVENHAM My Dear Friends SOlomon saith The desire of a man is his kindenesse and a poor man is better then a liar Prov. 19.22 If you be of his minde I dare promise these Notes which I here devote to your service a kinde acceptance at your hands You will finde me to be the poor man by the mite I present you with but the hearty desire of your eternal happinesse from which it comes will I hope clear me from being the liar I never could be so serviceable to you as many Ministers are to their people having been with you in much weaknesse and still it is the good pleasure of God I should be staked down to a short tedder of strength and other abilities I have reason therefore that I may though not recompence that want yet expresse my deep sense thereof to croud the more love into the little I can do for you And truly my heart is enlarged to you and to God for you If any thing makes me loath to be gone into another world which my dropping house bids me above many prepare for it is not the least to think I shall leave no more of you walking in the way to eternal life and you who are on your way thither in no closer Gospel-order for your mutual help and comfort in your journey yea while I am among you little do you think how much of your poor Ministers life lies at your mercy If I should measure my life by the joy of it as indeed who doth not Then in some uprightnesse I can say with Paul I live as I see any of you stand fast in the Lord and die as I see others stand fast in their sins not to be moved with all the entreaties of the Gospel which have wooed you And why my dear friends should not the life of your soules be much more precious in your own sight then mine But I forbear I would not willingly be thought as some husbands are to be kinder to you abroad before strangers then I am at home What I present you with in this Treatise is a dish from your own table and so I hope will go down the better You cannot despise it though the fare be mean except you will blame your selves who chose the Cook I cannot be earnest with others to bestow so much time as to read over these plain Sermons lest it should be to their losse it were but to call them from gathering sheaves in the more fruitful labours of others to glean a few eares and those but thin also in mine yet with you my people I may be a little bold Physicians say the mothers milk though not so weighty as anothers if no noxious humour be tasted in it because natural is more proper for the childe then a strangers And I think it would not be an errour if I should say it held in the milk which the Minister gives to his flock A people conscienciously lying at the breasts of their own Minister if the milk he gives be wholesome may expect the blessing of God for their nourishment though it has not so much lusciousnesse to please the curious taster as some others Well whatever these Sermons were some of those few spirits which you found in hearing will be missing in the reading of them It is as easie to paint fire with the heat as with pen and ink to commit that to paper which occurres in preaching There is as much difference between a Sermon in the Pulpit and printed in a book as between milk in the warme breast and in a sucking bottle yet what it loseth in the lively taste is recompenced by the convenience of it The book may be at hand when the Preacher cannot and truly that 's the chief end of printing that as the bottle and spoon is used when the mother is sick or out of the way so the book to quiet the Christian and stay his stomack in the absence of the Ordinance He that readeth Sermons and good bookes at home to save his paines of going to hear is a thief to his soul in a religious habit he consults for his ease but not for his profit he eats cold meat when he may have hot He hazards the losing the benefit of both by contemning of one If the Spouse could have had her beloved at home she needed not to have coursed the streets and waited on the publick O what need we offer sacriledge for sacrifice rob God of one duty to pay him another He hath laid our work in better order one wheele would not interfere with another if we did more regularly A chief part of Davids Arithmetick of numbring our dayes lies in that which we call division as to cast the account of this our short life so as to divide the little whole summe thereof into the several portions of time due for the performing of every duty in An Instrument is not in tune except it have all the strings and those will not make good musick if the Musician hath not wisdome to cause every string to speak in its due time The Christian is not in tune except he takes in all the duties of his place and calling neither will the performance of them be harmonious in Gods eare if every one be not done in its proper season O my friends labour not only to do the duty of your place but that duty in its own place also Heare when you should hear Know your rime for closet and time for shop and when your retiring houre comes a few minutes now and then spent in taking a repetition of what formerly you heard shall not I hope another day be reckoned with your lost time The Subject of the Treatise is solemn A War between the Saint and Satan and that so bloody a one that the cruellest which ever was fought by men will be found but sport and childes play to this Alas what is the killing of bodies to destroying of soules 'T is a sad meditation indeed to think how many thousands have been sent to the grave in a few late yeares among us by the sword of man But far more astonishing to consider how many of those may be sent to hell by the sword of Gods wrath 'T is
must dance after Nebuchadnezzars pipe or burne This was the plot laid to ensnare Daniel who walk't so unblameably that his very enemies gave him this testimony that he had no fault but his singularity in his Religion Dan. 6.5 'T is a great honour to a Christian yea to Religion it selfe when all their enemies can say is they are precise and will not do as we do Now in such a case as this when the Christian must turn or burne leave praying or become a prey to the cruel teeth of bloody men how many politick retreats and self-preserving distinctions would a cowardly unresolved heart invent The Christian that hath so great opposition had need be well lock't into the saddle of his Profession or else he will be soon dismounted Thirdly the Christian must keep on his way to heaven in the midst of all the scandals that are cast upon the wayes of God by the Apostasie and foul falls of false Professors There were ever such in the Church who by their sad miscarriages in judgement and practice have laid a stone of offence in the way of Profession at which weak Christians are ready to make a stand as they at the bloody body of Asahel not knowing whether they may venture any further in their Profession Seeing such whose gifts they so much admired lie before them wallowing in the blood of their slaine Profession of zealous Professors to prove perhaps fiery persecutors of strict Performers of religious duties irreligious Atheists no more like the men they were some yeares past then the vale of Sodom now a bog and quagmire is to what it was when for fruitfulnesse compared to the garden of the Lord. We had need have a holy resolution to bear up against such discouragements and not to faint as Joshuah who lived to see the whole Camp of Israel a very few excepted revolting and in their hearts turning back to Egypt and yet with an undaunted Spirit maintained his integrity yea resolved though not a man beside would beare him company yet he would serve the Lord. Fourthly the Christian must trust in a withdrawing God Isa 50 v. 10. Let him that walks in darknesse and sees no light trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God This requires a holy boldnesse of faith indeed to venture into Gods presence as Esther into Ahashuerus when no smile is to be seen on his face no golden scepter of the promise perceived by the soule as held forth to embolden it to come near then to presse in with this noble resolution If I perish I perish Nay more to trust not only in a withdrawing but a killing God not when his love is hid but when his wrath breakes forth Now for a soule to make its approaches to God by a recumbency of faith while God seemes to fire upon it and shoot his frownes like envenomed arrowes into it This is hard work and will trie the Christians mettal to purpose Yet such a masculine spirit we finde in that poore woman of Canaan who takes up the bullets Christ shot at her and with an humble boldnesse of faith sends them back again in her prayer Fifthly the believer is to persevere in his Christian course to the end of his life his work and his life must go off the stage together This addes weight to every other difficulty of the Christians calling We have known many who have gone into the field and liked the work of a souldier for a battel or two but soon have had enough and come running home again but few can bear it as a constant trade Many are soon engaged in holy duties easily perswaded to take up a Profession of Religion and as easily perswaded to lay it down like the new Moon which shines a little in the first part of the night but is down before half the night be gone the lightsome Professors in their youth whose old age is wrapt up in thick darknesse of sin and wickednesse O this persevering is a hard word this taking up the crosse daily this praying alwayes this watching night and day and never laying aside our clothes and armour I mean indulging our selves to remit and unbend in our holy waiting on God and walking with God this sends many sorrowful away from Christ yet this is the Saints duty to make Religion his every day work without any vacation from one end of the yeare to the other These few instances are enough to shew what need the Christian hath of resolution The application followes Vse 1 This gives us then a reason why there are so many Professors and so few Christians indeed so many that run and so few obtain so many go into the field against Satan and so few come out Conquerours because all have a desire to be happy but few have courage and resolution to grapple with the difficulties that meet them in the way to their happinesse All Israel came joyfully out of Egypt under Moses his conduct yea and a mixed multitude with them but when their bellies were a little pinched with hunger and their greedy desires of a present Canaan deferred yea instead of peace and plenty war and penury they like white-liver'd souldiers are ready to flie from their colours and make a dishonourable retreat into Egypt Thus the greatest part of those who professe the Gospel when they come to push of pike to be tried what they will do deny endure for Christ grow sick of their enterprise alas their hearts fail them they are like the waters of Bethlehem but if they must dispute their passage with so many enemies they will even content themselves with their own Cistern and leave heaven to others that will venture more for it O how many part with Christ at this crosse-way like Orpah they go a furlong or two with Christ while he goes to take them off from their worldly hopes and bids them prepare for hardship and then they fairly kisse and leave him loath indeed to lose heaven but more loth to buy it at so dear a rate Like some green heads that childishly make choice of some sweet trade such as is the Confectioners from a liquorish tooth they have to the junkets it affords but meeting with soure sauce of labour and toile that goes with them they give in and are weary of their service the sweet bait of Religion hath drawn many to nibble at it who are offended with the hard service it calls to It requires another spirit then the world can give or receive to follow Christ fully Vse 2 Let this then exhort you Christians to labour for this holy resolution and prowesse which is so needful for your Christian Profession that without it you cannot be what you professe The fearful are in the forelorne of those that march for hell Rev. 21. the violent and valiant are they which take heaven by force Cowards never wan heaven Say not thou hast royal blood running in thy veins and art begotten
booty at the sacking of some town are spoil'd for fighting ever after CHAP. II. Of the Saints strength where it lies and wherefore laid up in God THe second Branch of the words followeth which contains a cautionary direction Having exhorted the Saints at Ephesus and in them all believers to a holy resolution and courage in their warfare lest this should be mistaken and beget in them an opinion of their own strength for the battel the Apostle leads them out of themselves for this strength even to the Lord Be strong in the Lord. From whence observe That the Christians strength lies in the Lord not in himself The strength of the General in other hostes lies in his troops he flâ—es as a great Commander once said to his souldiers upon their wings if their feathers be clipt their power broken he is lost but in the Army of Saints the strength of every Saint yea of the whole hoste of Saints lies in the Lord of hostes God can overcome his enemies without their hands but they cannot so much as defend themselves without his arme It is one of Gods names The strength of Israel 1 Sam. 15.19 He was the strength of Davids heart without him this valiant Worthy that could when held up in his armes defie him that defied an whole Army behaves himself strangely for feare at a word or two that drop't from the Philistines mouth He was the strength of his hands He taught his fingers to fight and so he is the strength of all his Saints in their war against sin and Satan Some propound a question whether there be a sin committed in the world in which Satan hath not a part but if the question were whether there be any holy action performed without the special assistance of God concurring that is resolved John 15.5 Without me you can do nothing Thinking strength of God 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God We Apostles we Saints that have habitual grace yet this lies like water at the bottome of a Well which will not ascend with all our pumping till God poure in his exciting grace and then it comes To will is more then to think to exert our will into action more then both these are of God Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure He makes the heart new and having made it fit for heavenly motion setting every wheele as it were in its right place then he windes it up by his actuating grace and sets it on going the thoughts to stir the will to move and make towards the holy object presented yet here the chariot is set and cannot ascend the hill of action till God puts his shoulder to the wheele Rom. 7. To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I finde not God is at the bottome of the ladder and at the top also the Author and Finisher yea helping and lifting the soule at every round in his ascent to any holy action Well now the Christian is set on work how long will he keep close to it Alas poor soul no longer then he is held up by the same hand that impowered him at first He hath soon wrought out the strength received and therefore to maintain the tenure of a holy course there must be renewing strength from heaven every moment which David knew and therefore when his heart was in as holy a frame as ever he felt it and his people by their free-will-offering declared the same yet even then he prayes that God would keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of his people and establish their hearts to him 1 Chron. 29.18 He adored the mercy that made them willing and then he implores his further grace to strengthen them and tie a knot that these precious pearles newly strung on their hearts might not slip off The Christian when fullest of divine communications is buâ— a glasse without a foot he cannot stand or hold what he hath received any longer then God holds him in his strong hand Therefore Christ when bound for heaven and ready to take his leave of his children bespeaks his Fathers care of them in his absence Father keep them as if he had said they must not be left alone they are poor shiftlesse children that can neither stand nor go without help they will lose the grace I have given them and fall into those temptations which I kept them from while I was with them if they be out of thy eye or armes but one moment and therefore Father keep them Again Consider the Christian as addressing himself to any duty of Gods worship still his strength is in the Lord Would he pray where will he finde materials for his prayer alas he knows not what to pray for as he ought Let him alone and he will soon pray himself into some temptation or other and cry for that which were cruelty in God to give and therefore God puts words in our mouthes Take words with you and say Hos 14.2 Well now he hath words put into his mouth alas they will freeze in his very lips if he hath not some heart-heating affections to thaw the tap and where shall this fire be had not a spark to be found on his own hearth except it be some strange fire of natural desires which will not serve whence then must the fire come to thaw the icenesse of the heart but from heaven The Spirit he must stretch himself upon the soul as the Prophet on the childe and then the soule will come to some kindly warmth and heavenly heat in his affections the Spirit must groane and then the soul will groane he helps us to these sighs and groans which turne the sailes of prayer He dissolves the heart and then it bursts out of the heart by groans of the lips by heavenly Rhethorick out of the eyes as from a flood-gate with teares yet further now the creature is enabled to wrestle with God in prayer what will he get by all this suppose he be weak in grace is he able to pray himself strong or corruption weak no this is not to be found in prayer as an act of the creature this drops from heaven also In the day that I cried thou answeredst me and gavest me strength in my soul David received it in duty but had it not from his duty but from his God He did not pray himself strong but God strengthened him in his prayer Well cast your eye once more upon the Christian as engaging in another Ordinance of hearing the Word preach't The soules strength to heare the Word is from God he opens the heart to attend yea he opens the understanding of the Saint to receive the Word so as to conceive what it meant It is like Samsons riddle which we cannot unfold without
sinners such shall finde least mercy false friends shall speed worse then open enemies Secondly they use not the Armour of God as God hath appointed who put a carnal confidence therein We must not confide in the Armour of God but in the God of this Armour because all our weapons are only mighty through God 2 Cor. 10. The Ark was the meanes of the Jewes safety but carnally applauded and gloried in hastened their overthrow so duties and Ordinances gifts and graces in their place are means for the souls defence Satan trembles as much as the Philistines at the Ark to see a soule diligent in the use of duty and exercise of grace but when the creature confides in them this is dangerous As some when they have prayed think they please God for all day though they take little heed to their steps Others have so good an opinion of their faith sincerity knowledge thut you may assoon make them believe they are dogs as that they may ever be taken in such an errour or sinful practice Others when assisted in duty are prone to stroak their own head with a Bene fecisti Bernarde and so promise themselves to speed because they have done their errand so well What speak such passages in the hearts of men but a carnal confidence in their armour to their ruine Many soules we may safely say do not only perish praying repenting and believing after a sort but they perish by their praying and repenting c. while they carnally trust in these As it falls out sometimes that the souldier in battel loseth his life by means of his own Armour it is so heavy he cannot flie with it and so close buckled to him that he cannot get it off to flie for his life without it If we be saved we must come naked to Christ for all our duties we will not flie to Christ while confiding in them and some are so lock't into them that they cannot come without them and so in a day of temptation are trampled under the feet of Gods wrath and Satans fury The poor Publican throwes down his armes that is all confidence in himself cries for quarter at the hands of mercy God be merciful unto me a sinner and he comes off with his life he went away justified but the Pharisee loaden with his righteousnesse and conceited of it stands to it and is lost Thirdly they do not use the Armour of God as such who in the performing of divine duties eye not God through them and this makes them all weak and uneffectual Then the Word is mighty when read as the Word of God then the Gospel preach't powerful to convince the conscience and revive the drooping spirit when heard as the appointment of the great God and not the exercise of a mean creature Now it will appear in three things whether we eye divine appointment in the meanes First when we engage in a duty and look not up to God for his blessing Didst thou eye Gods appointment in the means thou wouldest say Soul if there come any good of thy present service it must drop from heaven for it is Gods appointment not mans And can I profit whether God will or no or think to finde and bring away any soul-enriching treasure from his Ordinance without his leave had I not best look up to him by whose blessing I live more then by my bread Again Secondly it appears we look not at Gods appointment when we have low thoughts of the means What is Jordan that I should wash in it what is this preaching that I should attend on it where I heare nothing but I knew before what these beggarly elements of water and bread and wine Are not these the reasonings of a soul that forgets who appoints these Didst thou remember who commands thou wouldest not question what the command is what though it be clay let Christ use it and it shall open the eyes though in it self more like to put them out Hadst thou thy eye on God thou wouldest silence thy carnal reason with this 'T is God sends me to such a duty whatsoever he saith unto me I will do it though he should send me as Christ them to draw wine out of pots fill'd with water Thirdly when a soule leaves off a duty because he hath not in it what he expected from it O saith the soul I see it is in vain to follow the means as I have done still Satan foiles me I will even give over Doest thou remember soule 't is Gods appointment surely then thou wouldest persevere in the midst of discouragements He that bids thee pray bids thee pray without ceasing He that bids thee hear bids thee wait at the posts of wisdom thou wouldest reason thus God hath set me on duty and here I 'le stand till God takes me off and bids me leave praying CHAP. III. Sheweth that the Armour we use for our defence against Satan must not only be divine by Institution but constitution also SEcondly the Christians Armour must be Armour of God in regard of its make and constitution My meaning is 't is not only God that must appoint the weapons and armes the Christian useth for his defence but he must also be the efficient of them he must work all their work in them and for them Prayer is an appointment of God yet this is not armour of proof except it be a Prayer of God flowing from his Spirit Hope that is the helmet the Saint by command is to wear but this hope must be Gods creature who hath begotten us to a lively hope Faith that 's another principal piece in the Christians furniture but it must be the faith of Gods Elect. He is to take righteousnesse and holinesse for his breast-plate but it must be true holinesse Eph. 4.24 Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Thus you see it is not armour as armour but as armour of God that makes the soul impregnable That which is borne of God overcometh the world A faith borne of God a hope borne of God but the spurious adulterous brood of duties and graces being begot of mortal seed cannot be immortal Must the soules armour be of Gods make be exhorted then to look narrowly whether the armour ye weare be the workmanship of God or no. There is abundance of false ware put off now adayes little good armour worne by the multitude of Professours 't is Satans after-game he playes if he cannot please the sinner with his naked state of prophanenesse then to put him off with something like grace some slighty stuffe that shall neither do him good nor Satan hurt thus many like children that cry for a knife or dagger and are pleas'd as well with a bone knife and wooden dagger as with the best of all so they have some armour it matters not what Pray they must but little care how it be performed Beleeve in
indeed shew one sin thou hast slain by all thy praying Joseph was alive though his coat was brought bloody to Jacob and so may thy sin be for all thy mortified look in duty and out cry thou makest against them If thou wouldest thus try every piece thy credulous heart would not so easily be cheated with Satans false ware Obj. But is all armour that is of God thus mighty we reade of weak grace little faith how can this then be a trial of our armour whether of God or not Answ I answer the weaknesse of grace is in respect of stronger grace but that weak grace is strong and mighty in comparison of counterfeit grace Now I do not bid thee try the truth of thy grace by such a power as is peculiar to stronger grace but by that power which will distinguish it from false true grace when weakest is stronger then false when strongest There is a principle of divine life in it which the other hath not Now life as it gives excellency a flea or fly by reason of its life is more excellent then the Sun in all its glory so it gives strength The slow motion of a living man though so feeble that he cannot go a furlong in a day yet coming from life imports more strength then is in a ship which though it sailes swiftly hath its motion from without Thus possibly an hypocrite may exceed the true Christian in the bulk and out-side of a duty yet because his strength is not from life but from some winde and tide abroad that carries him and the Christians is from an inward principle therefore the Christians weaknesse is stronger then the hypocrite in his greatest enlargements I shall name but two acts of grace when weakest whereby the Christian exceeds the hypocrite in all his best array You will say then grace is at a weak stay indeed when the Christian is perswaded to commit a sin a great sin such a one as possibly a carnal person would not have it said of him for a great matter so low may the tide of grace fall yet true grace at such an ebbe will appear of greater strength and force then the other First this principle of grace will never leave till the soule weeps bitterly with Peter that it hath offended so good a God Speak O ye hypocrites can ye shew one tear that ever you shed in earnest for a wrong done to God Possibly ye may weep to see the bed of sorrow which your sins are making for you in hell but ye never loved God so well as to mourne for the injury ye have done the Name of God It is a good glosse Augustine hath upon Esau's teares Heb. 12. Flevit quòd perdidit non quòd vendidit He wept that he lost the blessing not that he sold it Thus we see an excellency of the Saints sorrow above the hypocrites The Christian by his sorrow shews himself a Conquerour of that sin which even now overcame him while the hypocrite by his pride shews himself a slave to a worse lust then that he resists While the Christian commits a sin he hates it whereas the other loves it while he forbears it Secondly when true grace is under the foot of a temptation yet then it will stir up in the heart a vehement desire of revenge like a prisoner in his enemies hand who is thinking and plotting how to get out and what he will do when out waiting and longing every moment for his delivery that he may again take up armes O God remember me saith Samson this once I pray thee and strengthen me that I may be at once avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes Judg. 16.27 Thus prays the gracious soul that God would but spare him a little and strengthen him but once before he dies that he may be avenged on his pride unbelief and those sins whereby he hath most dishonoured his God but a false heart is so far from studying revenge that he rather swells like the sea against the Law which banks his lust in and is angry with God who hath made sin such a leap that he must hazard his soule if he will have it CHAP. IV. Of the entirenesse of our furniture It must be the whole Armour of God THe third Branch in the Saints furniture is the entirenesse thereof The whole Armour of God The Christians Armour must be compleat and that in a threefold respect SECT 1. First he must be armed in every part cap-a-pe soule and body the powers of the one and senses of the other not any part left naked A dart may flie in at a little hole like that which brought a message of death to Ahab through the joynts of his harnesse and Satan is such an Archer who can shoot at a penny breadth If all the man be armed and only the eye lest without Satan can soon shoot his fire-balls of lust in at that loop-hole which shall set the whole house on flame Eve look't but on the tree and a poisonous dare struck her to the heart If the eye be shut and the ear be open to corrupt communication Satan will soon wriggle in at this hole If all the outward senses be guarded and the heart not kept with all diligence he will soon by his own thoughts be betrayed into Satans hands Our enemies are on every side and so must our armour be on the right hand and on the left 2 Cor. 6.7 The Apostle calls sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an enemy that surrounds us If there be any part of the line unguarded or weakly provided there Satan falls on we see the enemy often enter the city at one side while he is beat back on the other for want of care to keep the whole line Satan divides his temptations into several squadrons one he employes to assault here another to storme there We reade of fleshly wickednesse and spiritual wickednesse while thou repellest Satan tempting thee to fleshly wickednesse he may be entring thy city at the other gate of spiritual wickednesse Perhaps thou hast kept thy integrity in the practical part of thy life but what armour hast thou to defend thy head thy judgement If he surprise thee here corrupting that with some errour then thou wilt not long hold out in thy practice He that could not get thee to profane the Sabbath among Sensualists and Atheists will under the disguise of such a corrupt principle as Christian liberty prevail Thus we see what need we have of universal armour in regard of every part SECT II. Secondly the Christian must be in compleat armour in regard of the several pieces and weapons that make up the whole Armour of God Indeed there is a concatenation of graces they hang together like links in a chain stones in an arch members in the body prick one vein and the blood of the whole body may run out at that sluce neglect one duty and no other will do us good The
thus watch and observe Christ from time to time doth it not behove thee to look about thee lest he take thy grace at one time or other napping what he misseth now by thy watchfulnesse he may gain anon by thy negligence Indeed he hopes thou wilt be tired out with continual duty Surely saith Satan when he sees the Christian up and servent in duty this will not hold long When he findes him tender of conscience and scrupulous of occasions to sin This is but for a while ere long I shall have him unbend his bowe and unbuckle his armour and then have at him Satan knows what orders thou keepest in thy house and closet and though he hath not a key to thy heart yet he can stand in the next room to it and lightly hear what is whispered there He hunts the Christian by the sent of his own feet and if once he doth but smell which way thy heart enclines he knows how to take the him if but one door be unbolted one work unmann'd one grace of its carriage here is advantage enough Thirdly because it is so awky a businesse and hard a work to recover the activity of grace once lost and to revive a duty in disuse I have put off my coat saith the Spouse Cant. 5.3 She had given way to a lazy distemper was laid upon her bed of sloth and how hard is it to raise her her beloved is at the door beseeching her by all the names of love which might bring to her remembrance the near relation between them My Sister my Love my Dove open to me and yet she riseth not he tells her his locks are filled with the drops of the night yet she stirs not What is the matter her coat was off and she is loath to put it on she had given way to her sloth and now she knows not how to shake it off she could have been glad to have her Beloveds company if himself would have opened the door and he desired as much hers if she would rise to let him in and upon these termes they part The longer a soule hath neglected duty the more ado there is to get it taken up partly through shame the soul having played the truant now knows not how to look God on the face and partly from the difficulty of the work being double to what another findes that walks in the exercise of his grace here is all out of order It requires more time and pains for him to tune his instrument then for another to play the lesson He goes to duty as to a new work as a Scholar that hath not look't on his book some while his lesson is almost out of his head whereas another that was but even now conning it over hath it ad unguem Perhaps 't is an affliction thou art called to bear and thy patience unexercised little or no thoughts thou hast had for such a time while thou wert frisking in a full pasture and now thou kickest and flingest eeven as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Jer. 31.18 whereas another goes meekly and patiently under the like crosse because he had been stirring up his patience and fitting the yoke to his neck You know what a confusion there is in a town at some sudden alarm in the dead of the night the enemie at the gates and they asleep within O what a cry is there heard one wants his clothes another his sword a third knows not what to do for powder thus in a fright they run up and down which would not be if the enemie did finde them upon their guard orderly waiting for his approath Such a hubbub there is in a soule that keeps not his armour on this piece and that will be to seek when he should use it Fourthly we must keep grace in exercise in respect of others our fellow-souldiers Paul had this in his eye when he was exercising himself to keep a good conscience that he might not be a scandal to others The Cowardise of one may make others run the ignorance of one souldier that hath not skill to handle his armes may do mischief to his fellow-souldiers about him some have shot their friends for their enemies the unwise walking of one Professor makes many other faire the worse But say thou doest not fall so far as to become a scandal yet thou canst not be so helpful to thy fellow-brethren as thou shouldest God commanded the Reubenites and Gadites to go before their brethren ready armed until the land was conquered Thus Christian thou art to be helpful to thy fellow-brethren who have not it may be that settlement of Peace in their spirit as thy self not that measure of grace or comfort Thou art to help such weak ones and go before them as it were arm'd for their defence now if thy grace be not exercised thou art so far unserviceable to thy weak brother Perhaps thou art a Master or a Parent who hast a family under thy wing they fare as thou thrivest if thy heart be in a holy frame they fare the better in the duties thou performest if thy heart be dead and down they are losers by the hand So that as the Nurse eats the more for the Babes sake she suckles so shouldest thou for their sake who are under thy tuition be more careful to exercise thy own grace and cherish it SECT 2. Object O but may some say this is hard work indeed our armour never off our grace alwayes in exercise Did God ever mean Religion should be such a toilsome businesse as this would make it Answ Thou speakest like one of the foolish world and shewest thy self a meer stranger to the Christians life that speakest thus a burden to exercise grace why it is no burden to exercise the acts of nature to eat to drink to walk all delightful to us in our right temper if any of these be otherwise nature is opprest as if stuff't then dfficult to breath if sick then the meat offensive we eate so take a Saint in his right temper 't is his joy to be employed in the exercise of his grace in this or that duty Ps 122.1 I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the house of the Lord. His heart leap't at the motion When any occasion diverts him from communion with God though he likes it never so well yet it is unwelcome and unpleasing to him as you who are used to be in your shops from morning to night how tedious is it for you to be abroad some days though among good friends because you are not where your work and calling lies A Christian in duty is one in his calling as it were in his shop where he should be yea where he would be and therefore far from being tedious Religion is burdensom to none as to those who are infrequent in the exercise of it Use makes heavy things light we hardly feel the weight of our clothes because fitted to us
who may lay as much claime to their care of instructing them as to their labour and industry in laying up a temporal estate for them If he should do unrighteously with his childe that should not endeavour to provide for his outward maintenance or having gathered an estate should lock it up and deny his childe necessaries then much more he that lives in ignorance of God whereby he renders himself incapable of providing for his childes soul but most of all he that having gather'd a stock of knowledge yet hides it from his childe Secondly they are unrighteous to God First in that they keep that talent in their own hands which was given to be paid out to their children When God reveal'd himself to Abraham he had respect to Abraham's children and therefore we finde God promising himself this at Abraham's hands upon which he imparts his minde to him concerning his purpose of destroying Sodom Shall I hide from Abraham saith God that thing Which I do I know that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18.17 19. The Church began at first in a family and was preserv'd by the godly care of Parents in instructing their children and houshold in the truths of God whereby the knowledge of God was transmitted from generation to generation and though now the Church is not confined to such strait limits yet every private family is as a little nursery to the Church if the nursery be not carefully planted the Orchard will soon decay O could you be willing Christians that your children when you are laid in the dust should be turn'd into the degenerate plant of a strange vine and prove a generation that do not know God Atheisme needs not be planted you do enough to make your children such if you do not endeavour to plant Religion in their mindes The very neglect of the Gardner to sowe and dresse his garden gives advantage enough to the weeds to come up This is the difference between Religion and Atheisme Religion doth not grow without planting but will die even where it is planted without watering Atheisme irreligion and profanenesse are weeds will grow without setting but they will not die without plucking up all care and means little enough to stub them up And therefore you that are Parents and do not teach your children deale the more unrighteously with God because you neglect the best season in their whole life for planting in them the knowledge of God and plucking up the contrary weeds of atheisme and irreligion Young weeds come up with most ease simple ignorance in youth becomes wilful ignorance yea impudence in age you will not instruct them when young and they will scorne their Ministers should when they are old Secondly you deale unrighteously with God that traine not up your children in the knowledge of God because your children if you be Christian Parents are Gods children they stand in a foederal relation to him which the children of others do not and shall Gods children be nurtured with the devils education Ignorance is that which he blindes the mindes of the children of disobedience withal Shall Godschildren have no better breeding The children of a Jew God made account were borne to him Thy sons and daughters whom thou hast borne to me Ezek. 16.20 God had by the Covenant which he made with that people married them unto himself and therefore as the wife bears her children to her husband they are his children so God calls the children of the Jews his and complains of it as an horrible wickednesse in them that they should not bring them up as his but offer them up to Molech They have slain my children saith God v. 21. And are not the children of a Christian his children as well as the Jewes were hath God recall'd or altered the first Covenant and cut off the entaile and darest thou slay not only thy children but the Lords also and is not ignorance that bloody knife that doth it My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge Hosea 4.6 Do you not tremble to offer them not to Molech but the devil whom before you had given up to God when you brought them to that solemn ordinance of Baptisme and there desired before God and man that they might become Covenant-servants to the Lord and hast thou bound them to him and never teach them either who their Lord and Master is or what their duty is as his servants of thy own mouth God will condemn thee Fourthly consider you who are Parents that by not instructing your children you entitle your selves to all the sins they shall commit to their death We may sin by a proxy and make anothers fact our own Thou hast saith God by Nathan to David concerning Vriah slaine him with the sword of the children of Ammon 2 Sam. 12.9 So thou mayest pierce Christ and slay him over and over with the bloody sword of thy wicked children if thou beest not the more careful to train them up in the feare of God There might be something said for that Heathen who when the Scholar abused him fell upon the Master and struck him Indeed 't is possible he might be in the most fault When the childe breaks the Sabbath it is his sin but more the fathers if he never taught him what the command of God was And if the Parent be accessary to the sin of the childe it will be hard for him to escape a Partnership yea a Precedency in the punishment O what a sad greeting will such have of their children at the great day will they not then accuse you to be the murderers of their precious soules and lay their blood at your door cursing you to your face that taught them no better But grant that by the interposition of thy timely repentance thou securest thy soule from the judgement of that day yet God can scourge thee here for the neglect of thy duty to them How oft do we see children become heavy crosses to such Parents It is just that they should not know their duty to thee who didst not teach them their duty to God or if thou shouldest not live so long to see this yet sure thou canst not but go in sorrow to thy grave to leave children behind thee that are on their way to hell Some think that Lots lingring so long in Sodom was his loathnesse to leave his sons in law behinde him to perish in the flames No doubt good man it was very grievous to him and this might make him stay pleading with them till the Angel pull'd him away And certainly nothing makes holy Parents more loath to be gone out of this Sodomitical world then a desire to see their children out of the reach of that fire before they go that God will rain upon the heads of sinners You know not how soon the messenger may come to pluck you hence do your best while you are among
own example that he hardly made a Sermon for several yeares but this was part of it to warn every one night and day with teares We need not prophesie what Impostors may come upon the stage when we go off There are too many at present above board of this gang drawing disciples after them And if it be our duty to warn you of them surely 't is yours to watch lest you by any of them be led into temptation in this houre thereof wherein Satan is let loose in so great a measure to deceive the Nation May you not as easily be sowered with this leaven as the disciples whom Christ bids beware Are you priviledged above those famous Churches of Galatia and Corinth many of which were bewitched with false teachers and in a manner turned to another Gospel Is Satan grown Orthodox or have his instruments lost their cunning who hunt for souls In a word is there not a sympathy between thy corrupt heart and errour Hast thou not a disposition which like the fomes of the earth makes it natural for these weeds to grow in thy soile Seest thou not many prostrated by this enemy who sate upon the mountain of their faith and thought it should never have been removed surely they would have tooke it ill to have been told you are the men and women that will decry Sabbaths which now ye count holy you will turn Pelagians who now defie the name you will despise Prophecie it self who now seem so much to honour the Prophets you will throw family-duties out of doors who dare not now go out of doors till you have prayed there Yet these and more then these are come to passe and doth it hot behove thee Christian to take heed lest thou fallest also and that thou mayest not First make it thy chief care to get a through change of thy heart If once the root of the matter be in thee and thou beest bottom'd by a lively faith on Christ thou art then safe I do not say wholly free from all errour but this I am sure free from ingulphing thy soule in damning errour They went out from us saith Saint John but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us 1 John 2.19 As if he had said they had some outward Profession and common work of the Spirit with us which they have either lost or carried over to the devils quarters but they never had the unction of the sanctifying Spirit By this verse 20. he distinguisheth them and comforts the sincere ones who possibly might feare their own fall by their departure But ye have an unction from the Holy One and ye know all things 'T is one thing to know a truth and another thing to know it by unction An hypocrite may do the former the Saint only the latrer It is this unction which gives the soule the savour of the knowledge of Christ those are the fit prey for Impostors who are enlightened but not enlivened O it 's good to have the heart establish't with grace this as an anchor will keep us from being set a drift and carried about with divers and strange doctrines as the Apostle teacheth us Heb. 13.9 Secondly ply the work of mortification Crucifie the flesh daily Heresie though a spiritual sinne yet by the Apostle reckon'd among the deeds of the flesh Gal. 5.20 because it is occasioned by fleshly motives and nourisht by carnal food and fuel Never any turn'd Heretick but flesh was at the bottome either they serv'd their belly or a lust of pride 't was the way to Court or secur'd their estates and saved their lives as sometimes the reward of truth is fire and fagot some pad or other is in the straw when least seen and therefore it 's no wonder that heresies should end in the flesh which in a manner sprang from it The rheume in the head ascends in fumes from the stomack and returnes thither or unto the lungs which at last fret and ulcerate Carnal affections first send up their fumes to the understanding clouding that yea bribing it to receive such and such principles for truths which imbraced fall down into the life corrupting that with the ulcer of profanenesse So that Christian if once thou canst take off thy engagements to the flesh and become a free-man so as not to give thy vote to gratifie thy carnal fears or hopes thou wilt then be a sure friend to truth Thirdly waite conscionably on the Ministery of the Word Satan commonly stops the eare from hearing sound Doctrine before he opens it to embrace corrupt This is the method of soules apostatizing from truth 2 Tim. 4.3 4. They shall turn their eares from the truth and shall be turned unto fables Satan like a cunning thief drawes the soul out of the road into some lane or corner and there robs him of the truth By rejecting of one Ordinance we deprive our selves of the blessing of all other say not that thou prayest to be led into truth he will not hear thy prayer if thou turnest thine eare from hearing the law He that loves his child when he sees him play the truant will whip him to school If God loves a soul he will bring him back to the Word with shame and sorrow Fourthly When thou hearest any unusual Doctrine though never so pleasing make not up the match hastily with it have some better testimony of it before you open your heart to it The Apostle indeed bids us entertain strangers for some have entertain'd Angels unawares Heb. 13.3 but he would not have us carried about with strange Doctrine vers 9. by this I am sure some have entertained devils I confesse 't is not enough to reject a doctrine because strange to us but ground we have to wait and enquire Paul marvelled that the Galatians were so soon removed from him who had called them unto the grace of Christ unto another Gospel they might sure have stayed till they had acquainted Paul with it and asked his judgement what no sooner an Impostour come into the countrey and open his pack but buy all his ware at first sight O friends were it not more wisdom to pray such new notions over and over again to search the Word and our hearts by it yea not to trust our own hearts but call in counsel from others If your Minister have not such credit with you yet the most holy humble and establish't Christians you can finde Errour is like fish which must be eaten new or it will stink When those dangerous errours sprung up first in New England O how unsettled were many of the Churches what an outis was made as if some mine of gold had been discovered but in a while when those errours came to their complexion and it was perceived whither they were bound to destroy Churches Ordinances and Power of Godlinesse then such as feared God who had stept aside returned back with shame and
of his own unworthinesse and great unrighteousnesse tell him of a pardon alas he is so wrapt up with the thoughts of his own vilenesse that you cannot fasten it upon him What will God ever take such a toad as he is into his bosome discount so many great abominations at once and receive him into his favour that hath been so long in rebellious armes against him he cannot beleeve it no though he heares what Christ hath done and suffered for sin he refuseth to be comforted Little doth the soule think what a bitter root such thoughts spring from thou thinkest thou doest well thus to declaim against thy self and aggravate thy sins indeed thou canst not paint them black enough or entertain too low and base thoughts of thy selfe for them But what wrong hath God and Christ done thee that thou shouldest so unworthily reflect upon the mercy of the one and merit of the other Mayest thou not do this and be tender of the good Name of God also Is there no way to shew thy sense of thy sin except thou asperse thy Saviour Canst thou not charge thy self but thou must condemn God and put Christ and his blood to shame before Satan who triumphs more in this then all thy other sins In a word though thou like a wretch hast undone thy self and damned thy soule by thy sins yet art thou not willing God should have the glory of pardoning them and Christ the honour of procuring the same or art thou like him in the Gospel Luke 16.3 who could not dig and to beg was ashamed Thou canst not earne heaven by thy own righteousnesse and is thy spirit so stout that thou wilt not beg it for Christs sake yea take it at Gods hands who in the Gospel comes a begging to thee and beseecheth thee to be reconciled to him Ah soule who would ever have thought there could have lien such pride under such a modest veile and yet none like it 'T is horrible pride for a beggar to starve rather then take an alms at a rich mans hands a malefactour rather to choose his halter then a pardon from his gracious Princes hand but here is one infinitely surpassing both a soule pining and perishing in sin and yet rejecting the mercy of God and the helpng hand of Christ to save him Though Abigail did not think her self worthy to be Davids wife yet she thought David was worthy of her and therefore she humbly accepted his offer and makes haste to go with the messengers That 's the sweet frame of heart indeed to lie low in the sense of your own vilenesse yet to believe to renounce all conceit of worthinesse in our selves yet not therefore to renounce all hope of mercy but the more speedily to make haste to Christ that wooes us All the pride and unmannerlinesse lies in making Christ stay for us who bids his messengers invite poor sinners to come and tell them all things are ready But may be thou wilt say still it is not pride that keeps thee off but thou canst not believe that ever God will entertain such as thou art Truly thou mendest the matter but little with this either thou keepest some lust in thy heart which thou wilt not part with to obtain the benefit of the promise and then thou art a notorious hypocrite who under such an out-cry for thy sins canst drive a secret trade with hell at the same time or if not so thou doest discover the more pride in that thou darest stand out when thou hast nothing to oppose against the many plain and clear promises of the Gospel but thy peremptory unbelief God bids the wicked forsake his wayes and turne to him and he will abundantly pardon him but thou sayest thou canst not believe this for thy own self Now who speaks the truth One of you two must be the liar either thou must take it with shame to thy self for what thou hast said against God and his promise and that is thy best course or thou must proudly yea blasphemously cast it upon God as every unbeliever doth 1 John 5.10 Nay thou makest him forsworn for God to give poor sinners the greater security in flying for refuge to Christ who is that hope set before them Heb. 6.17 18. hath sworn they should have strong consolation O beatos quorum causâ Deus jurat O miserrimos si nec juranti credamus Tertul. de poenit O happy we for whose sake God puts himself under an oath but O miserable we who will not believe God no not when he sweares Secondly when the soul hath shot the great gulfe and got into a slate of peace and life by closing with Christ yet this mannerly pride Satan makes use of in the Christians daily course of duty and obedience to disturb him and hinder his peace and comfort O how unchearfully yea joylesly do many precious soules passe their dayes If you enquire what is the cause you shall finde all their joy runs out at the crannies of their imperfect duties and weak graces they cannot pray as they would and walk as they desire with evennesse and constancy they see how short they fall of the holy rule in the Word and the patterne which others more eminent in grace do set before them and this though it doth not make them throw the Promises away and quite renounce all hope in Christ yet it begets many sad fears and suspitions yea makes them sit at the feast Christ hath provided and not know whether they may eat or not In a word as it robs them of their joy so Christ of that glory which he should receive from their rejoycing in him I do not say Christian thou oughtest not to mourn for those defects thou findest in thy graces and duties nay thou couldest not approve thy self to be sincere if thou didst not A gracious heart seeing how far short his renewed state forthe present falls of mans primitive holinesse by Creation cannot but weep and mourn as the Jewes to behold the second Temple yet Christian even while the tears are in thy eyes for thy imperfect graces for a soule riseth with his grave-clothes on thou shouldest rejoyce yea triumph over all these thy defects by faith in Christ in whom thou art compleat Col. 1.10 while imperfect in thy selfe Christs presence in the second Temple which the first had not made it though comparatively mean more glorious then the first Hag. 2.9 how much more doth his presence in this spiritual temple of a gracious heart imputing his righteousnesse to cover all its uncomelinesse make the soule glorious above man at first This is a garment for which as Christ saith of the lilie we neither spin nor toile yet Adam in all his created royalty was not so clad as the weakest believer is with this on his soul Now Christian consider well what thou doest while thou sittest languishing under the sense of thy own weaknesses and refusest to rejoyce in Christ and live comfortably
without any such a burden that therefore he was grown weaker you would soon tell him where his mistake lies Temptation lies not in the same heavinesse alway upon the Christians shoulder observe therefore whether Satan is not more then ordinary let loose to assault thee whether thy temptations come not with more force and violence then ever possibly though thou doest not with the same facility overcome these as thou hast done lesse yet grace may act stronger in conflicting with the greater then in overcoming the lesse The same ship that when lightly ballasted and favoured with the winde goes mounting at another time deeply laden and going against winde and tide may move with a slow pace and yet they in the ship take more pains to make it sail thus then they did when it went faster Secondly positively how thou mayest conclude that grace is declining and that in a threefold respect First in reference to temptations to sin Secondly in reference to the duties of Gods worship Thirdly the frame of thy heart in worldly employments First in reference to sin and that is threefold First when thou art not so wakeful to discover the encroachings of sin upon thee as formerly at one time we finde Davids heart smote him when he but rent the skirt of Sauls garment at another time when his eye glanced on Bathsheba he takes no such notice of the snare Satan had him in and so is led from one sin to another which plainly shewed that grace in him was heavy-eyed and his heart not in so holy a frame as it had been If an enemy comes up to the gates and the sentinel not so much as give an alarm to the City of his approach it shewes he is off his guard either fallen asleep or worse If grace were awake and thy conscience had not contracted some hardnesse it would do its office Secondly when a temptation to sin is discovered and thou findest thy heart shut up that thou doest not pray against it or not with that zeal and holy indignation as formerly upon such occasions it is a bad signe that lust hath got an advantage of thy grace that thou canst not readily betake thy selfe to thy armes Thy affections are bribed and this makes thee so cold a Suitour at the throne of grace for helpe against thine enemy Thirdly when the arguments prevailing most with thee to resist temptations to sin or to mourn for sin committed are more carnal and lesse Evangelical then formerly may be thou remembrest when thy love to Christ would have spit fire on the face of Satan tempting thee to such a sin but now that holy fire is so abated that if there were not some other carnal motives to make the vote full it would hazard to be carried for it rather then against it and so in mourning for a sin there is possibly now some slavish arguments like an onion in the eye which makes thee weep rather then pure ingenuity arising from love to God whom thou hast offended this speaks a sad decay and the more mixture there is of such carnal arguments either in the resisting of or mourning for sin the greater the declination of grace is Davids natural heat sure was much decayed when he needed so many cloathes to be laid on him and he yet feel so little heat the time was he would have sweat with fewer I am afraid many their love to Christ will be found in these declining times to have lost so much of its youthful vigour that what would formerly have put them into a holy fury and burning zeal against some sins such as Sabbath-breaking pride of apparel neglect of family-duties c. hath now much ado to keep any heat at all in them against the same Secondly in point of duties of worship First if thy heart doth not prompt thee with that forwardnesse and readinesse as formerly to hold communion with God in any duty possibly thou knowest the time when thy heart echoed back to the motions of Gods Spirit bidding thee Seek his face Thy face Lord will I seek yea thou didst long as much till a Sabbath or Sermon-season came as the carnal wretch doth till it be gone but now thy pulse doth not beat so quick a march to the Ordinances publick or secret nature cannot but decay if appetite to food go away a craving soule is the thriving soule such a childe that will not let his mother rest but is frequently crying for the breast Secondly when thou declinest in thy care to performe duties in a spiritual sort and to preserve the sense of those more inward failings which in duty none but thy self can check thee of It is not frequency of duty but spirituality in duty causeth thriving and therefore neglect in this point soon brings grace into a consumptive posture Possibly soul the time was thou wert not satisfied with praying but thou didst watch thy heart strictly as a man would every piece in a summe of money he payes lest he should wrong his friend with any brasse or uncurrant coin thou wouldest have God not only have duty but duty stamp't with that faith which makes it currant have that zeal and sincerity which makes it Gospel-weight but now thou art more careless and formal O look to it poor soul thou wilt if thou continue thus carelesse melt in thy spiritual estate apace Such dealings will spoil thy trade with heaven God will not take off these slighty duties at thy hands Thirdly when a Christian gets little spiritual nourishment from communion with God to what it hath done The time hath been may be thou couldest shew what came of thy praying hearing and fasting but now the case is altered There is a double strength communion with God imparts to a soule in a healthful disposition strength to faith and strength for our obediential walking doest thou hear and pray and get no more strength to hold by a promise no more power over or brokennesse of heart under thy usual corruptions what come down the Mount and break the Tables of Gods Law assoon as thou art off the place as deep in thy passion as uneven in thy course as before there is a sure decay of that inward heat which should and would if in its right temper suck some nourishment from these Thirdly by thy behaviour in thy worldly employments First when thy worldly occasions do not leave thee in so free and spiritual a disposition to return into the presence of God as formerly may be thou couldest have come from thy shop and family-employments to thy closet and finde that they have kept thee in frame yea may be delivered thee up in a better frame for those duties but now 't is otherwise thou canst not so shake them off but they cleave to thy spirit and give an earthly savour to thy praying and hearing thou hast reason to bewail it when nature decayes men go more stooping and 't is a signe some such decay is in thee
God be more frequently conversant with it David tells us where he renewed his spiritual life and got his soul so oft into a heavenly heate when grace in him began to chill The Word he tells us quickened him This was the Sunny bank he fate under The Word draws forth the Christians grace by presenting every one with an object suitable to act upon this is of great power to rouse them up as the coming in of a friend makes us though sleepy before shake off all drowsinesse to enjoy his company Affections they are actuated when their object is before them if we love a person this is excited by sight of him or anything that mindes us of him if we hate one our blood riseth much more against him when before us Now the Word bring the Christian graces and their object together Here love may delight her self with the beholding Christ who is set out to life there in all his love and lovelinesse here the Christian may see his sins in a glasse that will not flatter him and can there any godly sorrow be in the heart any hatred of sin and not come forth while the man is reading what they cost Christ for him Secondly from the Word go to meditation this is as bellowes to the fire that grace which lies chosk't and eaten up for want of exercise will by this be cleared and break forth while thou art musing this fire will burne and thy heart grow hot within thee according to the nature of the subject thy thoughts dwell upon resolve therefore Christian to enclose some time from all worldly Suitours wherein thou mayest every day if possible at least take a view of the most remarkable occurrences that have past between God and thee First ask thy soul what takings it hath had that day what mercies heaven hath sent into thee and do not when thou hast askt the question like Pilate go out but stay till thy soul has made report of Gods gracious dealings to thee and if thou beest wise to observe and faithful to relate them thy conscience must tell thee that the cock was never turn'd the breast of mercy never put up all the day yea while thou art viewing these fresh mercies telling over this new coine hot out of the mint of Gods bounty ancient mercies they will come crowding in upon thee and call for a place in thy thoughts and tell thee what God hath done for thee moneths and years ago and indeed old debts should not be paid last give them Christian all a hearing one time or another and thou shalt see how they will work upon thy ingenious spirit It is with the Christian in this case as with some Merchants servant that keeps his Masters cash he tells his Master he hath a great summe of his by him and desires he would discharge him of it and see how his accounts stand but he can never finde him at leisure There is a great treasure of mercy alwayes in the Christians hands and conscience is oft calling the Christian to take the account and see what God has done for him but seldom it is he can finde time to tell his mercies over and is it any wonder that such should go behinde-hand in their spiritual estate who take no more notice what the gracious dealings of God are with them how can he be thankful that seldome thinks what he receives or patient when God afflicts that wants one of the most powerful arguments to pacifie a mutinous spirit in trouble and that is taken from the abundant good we receive at the hands of the Lord as well as a little evil how can such a soules love flame to God that is kept at such a distance from the mercies of God which are fuel to it and the like might be said of all the other graces Secondly reflect upon thy self and bestow a few serious thoughts upon thy own behaviour what it hath been towards God and man all along the day Ask thy soul as Elisha his servant Whence comest thou O my soul where hast thou been what hast thou done for God this day and how and when thou goest about this look that thou neither beest taken off from a through search as Jacob was by Rachels specious excuse nor be found to cocker thy self as Eli his sons when thou shalt upon enquiry take thy heart tardy in any part of thy duty take heed what thou doest for thou judgest for God who receives the wrong by thy sin and therefore will do himself justice if thou wilt not Thirdly from meditation go to prayer indeed a soul in meditation is on his way to prayer that duty leads the Christian has to this and this brings help to that when the Christian has done his utmost by meditation to excite his graces and chase his spirit into some divine heat he knows all this is but to lay the wood in order The fire must come from above to kindle and this must be fetch 't by prayer They say stars have greatest influences when they are in conjunction with the Sunne then sure the graces of a Saint should never work more powerfully then in prayer for then he is in the nearest conjunction and communion with God That Ordinance which hath such power with God must needs have a mighty influence on our selves It will not let God rest but raiseth him up to his peoples succour and is it any wonder if it be a means to rouse up and excite the Christians grace how oft do we see a dark cloud upon Davids spirit at the beginning of his prayer which by that time he is a little warme in his work begins to clear up and before he ends breaks forth into high actings of faith and acclamations of praise Only here Christian take heed of formal praying this is as baneful to grace as not praying A plaister though proper and of soveraign vertue yet if it be laid on cold may do more hurt then good Fourthly to all the former joyne fellowship and communion with the Saints thou lived amongst No wonder to hear a house is robb'd that stands far from neighbours he that walks in communion of Saints he travels in company he dwells in a City where one house keeps up another to which Jerusalem is compared 'T is observable concerning the house in whose ruines Jobs children were entombed that a winde came from the wildernesse and smote the foure corners of it it seems it stood alone the devil knowes what he does in hindering this great Ordinance of communion of Saints in doing this he hinders the progresse of grace yea brings that which Christians have into a declining wasting state The Apostle couples those two duties close together to hold fast our Profession and to consider one another and provoke unto love and to good works Heb. 10.23 24. Indeed it is a dangerous step to Apostasy to forsake the communion of Saints hence 't is said of Demas he hath left us and
must deliver thee up when that comes Even when thy strength is firmest and thou eatest thy bread with a merry heart that very food which nourisheth thy life gives thee withal an earnest of death as it leaves those dregs in thee which will in time procure the same O how unavoidable must this evil day of death be when that very staffe knocks us down to the grave at last which our life leans on and is preserved by God owes a debt both to the first Adam and second to the first he owes the wages of his sin to the second the reward of his sufferings The place for full payment of both is the other world so that except death comes to convey man thither the wicked who are the posterity of the first Adam will misse of that full pay for their sins which the threatening makes due debt and engageth God to perform The godly also who are the seed of Christ these should not receive the whole purchase of his blood which he would never have shed but upon the credit of thar promise of eternal life which God gave him for them before the world began This is the reason why God hath made this day so sure in it he dischargeth both bonds The third branch of the point follows That it behoves every one to prepare and effectually to provide for this evil day which so unavoidably impends us And that upon a twofold account First in point of duty Secondly in point of wisdome First in point of duty First it is upon our allegiance to the great God that we provide and arme our selves against this day Suppose a subject were trusted with one of his Princes castles and this man should hear that a puissant enemy was coming to lay siege to this castle yet takes no care to lay in armes and provision for his defence and so 't is lost how could such a one be clear'd of treason doth he not basely betray the place and with it his Princes honour into the enemies hand Our souls are this castle which we are every one to keep for God We have certain intelligence that Satan hath a design upon them and the time when he intends to come with all his powers of darknesse to be that evil day Now as we would be found true to our trust we are obliged to stand upon our defence and store our selves with what may enable us to make a vigorous resistance Secondly we are obliged to provide for that day as a suitable return for and improvement of the opportunities and meanes which God affords us for this very end We cannot without shameful ingratitude to God make waste of those helps God gives us in order to this great work Every one would cry out upon him that should basely spend that money upon riot in prison which was sent him to procure his deliverance out of prison And do we not blush to bestow those talents upon our lusts and Satan which God graciously indulgeth to deliver us from them and his rage in a dying houre what have we Bibles for Ministers and preaching for if we mean not to furnish our selves by them with armour for the evil day In a word what is the intent of God in lengthening out our dayes and continuing us some while here in the land of the living was it that we might have time to revel or rather ravel out upon the pleasure of this vaine world Doth he give us our precious time to be employed in catching such butterflies as these earthly honours and riches are It cannot be Masters do not use if wise to set their servants about such work as will not pay for the candle they borne in doing it And truly nothing lesse then the glorifying of God and saving our soules at last can be worth the precious time we spend here The great God hath a greater end then most think in this dispensation If we would judge aright we should take his own interpreration of his actions and the Apostle Peter bids us count that the long-suffering of the Lord is salvation 2 Pet. 3.15 which plate he quotes out of Paul as to the sense though not in the same forme of words which in Rom. 2.4 are these Or despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance From both places we are taught what is the minde of God and the language he speaks to us in by every moments patience and inch of time that is granted to us It is a space given for repentance God sees as we are death and judgement could bring no good news to us we are in no case to welcome the evil day and therefore mercy stands up to plead for the poor creature in Gods bosome and begs a little time more may be added to its life that by this iudulgence it may be provoked to repent before he be called to the bar Thus we come by every day that is continually superadded to our time on earth And doth not this lay a strong obligation on us to lay out every point of this time unto the same end 't is begged for Secondly in point of wisdome The wisdom of a man appears most eminently in two things First in the matter of his choice and chief care Secondly in a due timing of this his choice and care First a wife man makes choice of that for the subject of his chief care and endeavour which is of greatest importance and consequence to him fools and children only are intent about toys and trifles They are as busie and earnest in making of a house of dirt or cards as Solomon was in making of his Temple Those poor bables are as adequate to their foolish apprehensions as great enterprises are to wise men Now such is the importance of the evil day especially that of death that it proves a man a fool or wise as he comports himself to it The end specifies every action and gives it the name of good or evil of wise or foolish The evil day of death is as the end of our dayes so to be the end of all the actions of our life Such will our life be found at last as it hath been in order to this one day If the several items of our life counsels and projects that we have pursued when they shall then be cast up will amount to a blessed death then we shall appear to be wise men indeed but if after all our goodly plots and policies for other things we be unprovided for that houre we must be content to die fooles at last And no such fool as the dying fool The Christian goes for the fool in the worlds account while he lives but when death comes the wise world will then confesse they mis-call'd him and shall take it to themselves We fooles counted his life to be madnesse and his end to be without honour But how is he now numbred among the
faithful Creatour Secondly improve this Almighty power of God and thy interest therein in temptations to sin when thou art over-powered and fliest before the face of thy strong corruption or fearest thou shalt one day fall by it make bold to take hold of this attribute and re-inforce thy self from it again to resist and in resisting to believe a timely victory over it The Almighty God stands in sight of thee while thou art in the valley fighting and stayes but for a call from thee when distressed in battel and then he will come to thy rescue Jehoshaphat cried when in the throng of his enemies and the Lord helped him much more mayest thou promise thy self his succour in thy soul-combates Betake thy self to the throne of grace with that promise Sin shall not have dominion over you and before thou urgest it the more to help thy faith comfort thy self with this that though this word Almighty is not exprest yet it is implied in this and every promise and thou mayest without adding a title to the Word of God read it in thy soul sin shall not have dominion over you saith the Almighty God for this and all his attributes are the constant seale to all his promises Now soule put the bond in suit fear not the recovery 't is debt and so due He is able whom thou suest and so there is no feare of losing the charge of the suit and he that was so gracious to binde himself when he was free will be so faithful being able to perform now he is bound only while thou expectest the performance of the promise and the assistance of this Almighty power against thy corruptions take heed that thou keep under the shadow of this attribute and condition of this promise The shadow will not cool except in it what good to have the shadow though of a mighty rock when we sit in the open Sun To have Almighty power engaged for us and we to throw our selves out of the protection thereof by bold salleys into the mouth of temptation The Saints falls have been when they run out of their trench and hold for like the conies they are a weak people in themselves and their strength lies in the rock of Gods Almightinesse which is their habitation Thirdly Christian improve this when opprest with the weight of any duty and service which in thy place and calling lies upon thee Perhaps thou findest the duty of thy calling too heavy for thy weak shoulders make bold by faith to lay the heaviest end of thy burden on Gods shoulder which is thine if a believer as sure as God can make it by promise When at any time thou art sick of thy work and ready to think with Jonas to run from it encourage thy selfe with that of God to Gideon whom he call'd from the flaile to thresh the mountains Go in this thy might hath not God call'd thee fall to the work God sets thee about and thou engagest his strength for thee The way of the Lord is strength Run from thy work and thou engagest Gods strength against thee he 'll send some storme or other after thee to bring home his runaway servant How oft hath the Coward been kill'd in a ditch or under some hedge when the valiant souldier that stood his ground and kept his place got off with safety and honour Art thou call'd to suffer flinch not because thou art afraid thou shalt never be able to bear the crosse God can lay it so even thou shalt not feel it though thou shouldest finde no succour till thou comest to the prison-door yea till thou hast one foot on the ladder or thy neck on the block despair not In the Mount will the Lord be seen And in that houre he can give thee such a look of his sweet face as shall make the blood come in the gastly face of a cruel death and appear lovely in thy eye for his sake He can give thee so much comfort in hand as thou shalt acknowledge God is aforehand with thee for all thy shame pain thou canst endure for him And if it should not amount to this yet so much as will bear all thy charges thou canst be put to in the way lies ready told in that promise 1 Cor. 10.13 Thou shalt have it at sight and this may satisfie a Christian especially if he considers though he doth not carry so much of heavens joy about him to heaven as others yet he shall meet it as soon as he comes to his Fathers house where it is reserved for him In a word Christian relie upon thy God and make thy daily applications to the throne of grace for continual supplies of strength you little think how kindly he takes it that you will make use of him the oftner the better and the more you come for the more welcome else why would Christ have told his disciples Hitherto ye have ask't nothing but to expresse his large heart in giving loath to put his hand to his purse for a little and therefore by a familiar kind of Rhetorick puts them to rise higher in asking as Naaman when Gehazi asks one talent entreats him to take two such a bountiful heart thy God hath while thou art asking a little peace and joy he bids thee open thy mouth wide and hee 'l fill it Go and ransack thy heart Christian from one end to the other finde out thy wants acquaint thy selfe with all thy weaknesses and set them before the Almighty as the Widow her empty vessels before the Prophet hadst thou more then thou canst bring thou mayest have them all fill'd God hath strength enough to give but he hath no strength to deny here the Almighty himselfe with reverence be it spoken is weak even a childe the weakest in grace of his family that can but say Father is able to overcome him and therefore let not the weaknesse of thy faith encourage thee No greater motive to the bowels of mercy to stir up Almighty power to relieve thee then thy weaknesse when pleaded in the sense of it The pale face and thin cheeks I hope move more with us then the canting language of a stout sturdy beggar Thus that soule that comes laden in the sense of his weak faith love patience the very weaknesse of them carries an argument along with them for succour CHAP. V. Wherein is answered a grand Objection that some disconsolate soules may raise against the former Discourse Object O But saith some disconsolate Christian I have prayed again and again for strength against such a corruption and to this day my hands are weak and these sons of Zerviah are so strong that I am ready to say all the Preachers do but flatter me that do poure their oyle of comfort upon my head and tell me I shall at last get the Conquest of these mine enemies and see that joyful day wherein with David I shall sing to the Lord for delivering me out of the
hands of all mine enemies I have prayed for strength for such a duty and finde it come off as weakly and dead-heartedly as before If God be with me by his mighty power to help me why then is all this befailen me Answ 1 First look once again poor heart into thy own bosom and see whether thou findest not some strength sent into thee which thou didst over-look before this may be yea is very ordinary in this case when God answers our prayer not in the letter or when the thing itselfe is sent but it comes in at the back door while we are expecting it at the fore and truly thus the friend thou art looking for may be in thine house and thou not know it Is not this thy case poor soul thou hast been praying for strength against such a lust and now thou wouldest have God presently put forth his power to knock it on the head and lay it for dead that it should never stir more in thy bosome is not this the doore thou hast stood looking for God to come in at and no sight or newes of thy God his coming that way thy corruption yet stirs it may be is more troublesom then before now thou askest where is the strength promised to thy relief let me intreat thee before thou layest down this sad Conclusion against thy God or self see whether he hath not conveyed in some strength by another door Perhaps thou hast not strength to conquer it so soon as thou desirest but hath he not given further praying strength against it Thou prayedst before but now more earnestly all the powers of thy soul are up to plead with God Before thou wast more favourable and moderate in thy request now thou hast a zeal thou canst take no denial yea welcome any thing in the room of thy corruption Would God but take thy sin and send a crosse thou wouldest blesse him Now poor soule is this nothing no strength Had not thy God re-inforced thee thy sin would have weakened thy spirit of prayer and not increased it David began to recover himself when he began to recover his Spirit of prayer The stronger the cry the stronger the childe I warrant you Jacob wrestled and this is called his strength Hos 12. It appeared there was much of God in him that he could take such hold of the Almighty as to keep it though God seemed to shake him off If thus thou art enabled soule to deal with the God of heaven no feare but thou shalt be much more able to deal with sin and Satan If God hath given thee so much strength to wrestle with him above and against denials thou hast prevailed with the stronger of the two overcome God and he 'll overcome the other for thee Again perhaps thou hast been praying for further strength to be communicated to thee in duty that thou mightest be more spiritual vigorous united sincere and the like therein and yet thou findest thy old distempers hanging about thee as if thou hadst never acquainted God with thy aile Well soule look once again into thy bosome with an unprejudiced eye though thou doest not find the assisting strength thou prayedst for yet hast thou no more self-abasing strength perhaps the annoyance thou hast from these remaining distempers in duty occasion thee to have a meaner opinion of all thy duties then ever yea they make thee abhor thy selfe in the sense of these as if thou hadst so many loathsom vermein about thee Jobs condition on the dunghil with all his botches and running sores on his body appears desirable to thee in comparison of thine whose soul thou complainest is worse then his body O this afflicts thy soul deeply doth it not that thou shouldest appear before the Lord with such a dead divided heart and do his work worst that deserves best at thy hands and is all this nothing Surely Christian thine eyes are held as much as Hagars or else thou wouldest see the streamings forth of divine grace in this frame of thy heart surely others will think God hath done a mighty work in thy soule What harder and more against the haire then to bring our proud hearts to take shame for that whereof they naturally boast and glory And is it nothing for thee to tread on the very neck of thy duties and count them matter of thy humiliation and abasing which others make the matter of their confidence and self-rejoycing Good store of vertue hath gone from Christ to dry this issue of pride in thy heart which sometimes in gracious ones runs through and through their duties that it is seen or may be by those that have lesse grace then themselves Answ 2 Secondly Christian candidly interpret Gods dealings with thee Suppose it be as thou sayest thou hast pleaded the promise and waited on the means and yet findest no strength from all these receits either in thy grace or comfort now take heed of charging God foolishly as if God were not what he promiseth this were to give that to Satan which he is all this while gaping for It is more becoming the dutiful disposition of a childe when he hath not presently what he writes for to his father to say my father is wiser then I his wisdom will prompt him what and when to send to me and his fatherly affections to me his childe will neither suffer him to deny any thing that is good or slip the time that is seasonable Christian thy heavenly Father hath gracious ends that hold his hand at present or else thou hadst ere this heard from him First God may deny further degrees of strength to put thee on the exercise of that thou hast more carefully As a mother doth by her childe that is learning to go she sets it down and stands some distance from it and bids it come to her the childe feels its legs weak and cries for the mothers help but the mother steps back on purpose that the childe should put forth all its little strength in making after her When a poor soul comes and prayes against such a sin God seems to step back and stand at a distance the temptation increaseth and no visible succour appears on purpose that the Christian though weak should exercise that strength he hath Indeed we shall finde the sense of a soules weaknesse is an especial meanes to excite it into a further care and diligence One that knowes his weaknesse how prone he is in company to forget himself in passion how apt he is to flie out if there be a principle of true grace this will excite him to be more fearful and watchful then another that hath obtained greater strength against such great temptations As a childe that writes for money to his father none comes presently this makes him husband that little he hath the better not a penny now shall be laid out idly Thus when a Christian hath prayed against such a sin again and again and yet finds himself