upon him by pouring out their wants before him Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil Mat. 6. What hath been said may teach two things First the lamentable condition of such as neither can nor will pray that are as unaccustomed to it as the Heifer to the yoak living absolute Athiests in the World saying in their heart if not in their actions too there is no God Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen and families that call not upon thy name Secondly This teacheth to strengthen the hearts and hands of such as fear God to this service of prayer it being part of their defence or Armor Ephes 6. Praying alwayes with all prayer and suppliaction in the spirit watching thereunto with all perseverance c. When thou saidest seek my face my heart said thy face Lord will I seek thou wilt hide me in thy Pavillion Psal 27. 4 5 6 7 8 9. Read and consider so pass to the next Sign CHAP. XXII Containing in it an Assertion of the Causes of Affliction and that without great provocation God is not wont to afflict his people and though provoked very unwilling to extremity With four Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Answered SIGN XXII VVHen you are mighty careless to Inquire after the spiritual cause of Affliction and mighty careful to Inquire after the natural cure The more or less spiritual any man is may be easily discovered under this Tryal Affliction being of that piercing kind that other tryals are not because of the great influence it hath upon the sensitive part of man where ever it comes while sense remains it makes the person restless either to find out cause or cure or both We may therefore first inquire after the word Affliction what that meaneth to afflict is to lay some burthen upon a person that is not ordinary Gen. 15. 13. There they shall afflict you four hundred years this is opened in Exod. 1. Israel is made to serve with rigor Lam. 1. 4. 5. The wayes of Zion do mourn because none come to the solemn feasts all her gates are desolate her Priests sigh her virgins are afflicted and she is in bitterness I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt by reason of his task-master Acts 3. 34. By these Texts it appears that affliction meaneth any grief or trouble that cometh upon soul or body name or estate for the punishment of sin or the tryal of faith so that sickness and diseases as feavor and ague consumption inflamation the like are all comprised under this word affliction it will therefore be necessary to open the word Spiritual cause it being in the Sign oposed to natural cure by spiritual cause is to be understood some provoking God in the subject afflicted to the procuring this affliction nothing some cause or other why the Spirit suffers it to come upon us Now every body will be ready to grant that these things before promised may be truly called affliction but not grant that there can be such a spiritual cause in themselves and so make the Sign of no force Now to clear up this doubt let us make this inquiry whether any affliction or death it self come upon any man but for some cause or other from the man active or imputive that is he either so acted in his particular person or some body else in his general relation and on him it is righteously come For the resolution of this question let us inquire what causes in Scripture the righteous God assigns afflictions or death unto Gen. 3. 9 10 11 12 13. Who told thee thou wert naked hast thou eaten of the Tree I commanded thee not to eat the things in this Chapter considerable are these vers 14. the Serpent must go upon his belly eat dust and be curst above every beast of the field vers 16. to the woman he saith I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children and to Adam he saith Cursed is the Ground for thy sake Thornes and Thisles it shall bring forth to thee dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return you see in these verses misery both upon the woman and the man is brought the reason by God assigned vers 17. Because thou hast done this in hearkning to thy wife cursed is the ground for thy sake so also Josh 7. 7. Israel Gods prevailing people that by day had a pillar of a cloude and by night a pillar of fire ministring unto them now cannot stand before their enemies Joshua that at another time commands the Sun and Moon and they obey him now by prayer cannot prevail for Israel Gods people against the cursed Nation But what is the matter vers 11 12. Israel hath sinned and cannot stand neither will I be with them any more except they put the accursed thing from among them Lam. 3. 1 13. I am the man that have seen affliction vers 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin 1 Cor. 11. 3. For this Cause many are sick and weak and many sleep 1 Thes 2. 11. For this Cause God shall send them strong delusion that they all might be damned that believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness and let all the House of Israel know that without a Cause I have not done all that I have done saith the Lord Ezek. 14. 23. Much more might be said as to afflictions that attend both the body and mind together with the Causes and this left to consideration whether if Hell condemnation the highest of affliction be the fruit or reward of sin and unbelief much rather sickness and diseases with death it self which are the least afflictions must come from Creature Causes now if any man can assign any other Cause than God doth here assign let him do it if not by all this comparing of it with the eighth Sign of dying to Christ in which I have been more large upon affliction inward and outward with their Causes I shall therefore proceed to some Objections that seem to complain against this Doctrine Object 1. The first Objection is grounded upon 2 Sam. 12. 14. The Child that is born to thee shall surely die David is threatned with death in the child that hath not offended contrary to this Doctrine Answ This act of God to take away Davids Child if considered will be found mercy mixt with justice David by the Law was to die for the matter of Vriah now God in respect he bare to David for what good he had done and further were like to do being a man so after Gods own heart goes out of the ordinary way spares the person of David and imputes it upon the relation of David viz. his Child so in Davids seed he punished Davids person this is Gods usual way in Scripture and sets his Majesty out to be full of mercy in the middest of Justice
Wilderness for there is no bread neither any water and our souls loath this light bread Here Gods own institution that once was welcome to them and being now they was mighty eager after it in so much that they could dispence with breaking a law to gather it as Exod. 16. at large proves where we read of its first institution this Manna that the Holy Ghost Psal 78. 25. calls Angels food they now loath and call light bread this Manna though Gods own appointment that fed them to the full and was to continue with them till they come to eat the old corne in the Land of promise Josh 5. 12. yet this they loath under its constant injoyment and wish for Egypts food again How zealous were persons in this age ten or twelve years ago when truth begun more clearly to break forth no cost or early pains mattered happy were they that could come soonest then were assemblies crouded good men incouraged to labor Gods name delightfully worshipped in so much that without wrong one might say since such dayes the Kingdome of Heaven have suffered violence and the violent take it by force is Gods hand shortned that such workings of heart are not now as was then is not now assemblies thin performances small seldome and late is it because God is a Wilderness to his people is it not because they surfeit under fulness Doth not many run too and fro that knowledge is increased and sons and daughters prophesie How then may this serve to rebuke that sloathful Spirit in any that are careless to assemble and calls on them to be restless with God till they are again restored to such a Spirit of zeal as they had in the dayes of their first Espousal lukewarmness here being that inlet sin to spiritual spoiling disappointing God of gratious opportunities to inrich them and thorow this neglectance offers daring occasion to the Devil to tempt them Doth not the holy Apostle Rom. 10. 14 15. plainly imply an impossibility of believing in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear saith he without a Preacher as it is written how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things doth not this saying in so many words declare the reason of perishing to be want of knowledge Hos 4. 6. And the cause of ignorance the want of preaching How doth this then commend Gods high approbation of assembling it being the proper season for preaching Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name In an evil time when many grew weary and said it is a vain thing to serve the Lord what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances and walked mournfully before him then such as met often were high in Gods account Alas alas is not preaching though accompanied with never so much inward and outward pains-taking then matter of scorn to standers by who live vainly also a joy to the Devil our grand adversary when few attend it and of those most part flat low indisposed and weary having little spiritual life or vigor in them on whom common custome to assemble hath eaten out the spiritual relish that should be in them but I shall close this with Gods counsel Heb. 10. 24 25. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as we see the day approaching For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin Doth not this dismall conclusion ver 26. proffer it self as the most probable end of such as cease to assemble and makes way for their fearful and inevitable ruine shall any dare then to content themselves with light excuses to hinder their assembling and not rather provoke and exhort one another to so good a work I shall conclude this first Sign of dying to Christ with offering briefly three Remedies how it may be removed where begun or prevented where like to come First consider and lay to heart That to assemble is a very weighty duty and requires all your heart Isa 35. 3. Encline your ear come unto me hear your souls shall live see Prov. 8. 34 35. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching dayly at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors for who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Plainly noting that diligent hearkning which cannot be without assembling is the way to life therefore not to be slightly looked at Acts 3. 23. Every soul that will not hear this Prophet shall be cut off from amongst the People Persons may think it a light thing to forbear hearing and an offence onely to the assembly but God will count it a despising him and the means he hath ordained The Chrildren of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows turned back in the day of Battel they kept not Gods Covenant but refused to walk in his Law therefore the Lord heard this and a fire was kindled in his wrath against Jacob For their hearts was not right with God Let us take heed therefore that we refuse not him that spake from Heaven but as we must consider that it is a weighty duty to assemble so it requires that we come with all our hearts this God calls for and where it is wanting performances will not be acceptable This people draw nigh me with their mouths and honour me with their lips but their heart is far from me Isa 29. 13. it is Gods complaint by Jeremiah Juda hath not turned to me with her whole heart but fainedly with a heart and a heart a heart as much a contrary way as that way they were indifferent as willing not to turn as to turn this makes offerings to be abhord the contrary by Christians must be made at Blessed are they that seek him with their whole heart Psal 119. 25. Lesse then the whole heart begets jarring prevents harmony hinders the spiritual building A second Remedy is to consider that it is not possible to prevent this spirit of indifferency but by continuing as industruous to keep what ye have gained as you were to get it the prayers the teares the searchings of heart the attentive hearing and frequent assemblings that you in order to your first Espousal did diligently follow you must still hold on in that you may keep and increase the same for the promises run in no other channel Prov. 2. 4. If thou seek for wisdome as for silver and search for it as for hid treasure Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Hos 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the
grows yea or nay and what value he puts on fellowship with God and injoying the light of his countenance what all this is and what its worth when it shines when it s clouded but if instead of such Communings as these time be vainly spent in hearing and telling some new thing complaining rather of hard times than hard hearts this and the other outward loss instead of true losing if the case be thus it must needs proclaim you dying Christians for that in your comings together your talk is not savoury and heavenly Thirdly A third Cause may be this Negligence to a plain duty Heb. 10. 24 25. And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhort one another dayly while it is called to day that is certainly to be upon doing the work of the day and so much the more as you see the day appreaching Clearly impying that we should be so far from neglect to spiritual and profitable talking when we meet that it should be our care so to consider one another wherein they begin to grow faint weary flow remiss and wantiâ—g as to be provoking or seeking occasion to pâ—rswade and put forward such to that thâ—t they ought not to be backward in This was the trade of Gods Children as you may read Acts 15 36. And some dayes after Paul said to Barnabas Let us go again and visit our Brethren in every City where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they do Acts 18. 27. Who when he was come helped them much which had believed through grace This certainly is as true in Paul and Barnabas as in Apollo let then I pray you what hath been said in this Sign serve for caution thus far that you will all be careful when you feast when you fast when you sit by your fire walk by the way lie down rise up for the avoyding precious times mispending to be talking of the Lord and his Laws consider what you read and pass to the next CHAP. XII Proving Vnpreparedness to hear the Word of God a Sign of Dying to Christ with three sorts of Hindrances which must be laid aside and what must be our work before Hearing in Hearing and after Hearing SIGN XII VVHen you are so little prepared for the solemn Assemblies that they come before you think of them or long for them When Persons suffers themselves to be so taken up with common or worldly business as that they leave no room for solemn Prayer and Preparation to meet in Gods Ordinances at dayes appointed it s an evident token of little reverence besetting the heart and as little consideration who they are to meet Now to come before the Lord in his Assembly where he is wont to be and hath promised to be there doubtless remains a work upon us to be done by us by way of Preparation and that because of Gods presence being there as in the Temple the Type of Gods Assembly or Gospel Church Kings 1. 3 9. I will put my Name there and my heart and my eyes shall be there perpetually his power presence and goodness shall be there and he ever was and is wont to meet his People there Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest and makest thy flocks to rest at even if thou knowest not go thy way and feed thy Kids by the shepheards tents Cant. 1. Now that great preparation as to this and that by way of duty ought to be will appear by what may follow want to prepare therefore must needs be a character of spiritual decay and the rather if we consider how strict the Lord was as to them that drew nigh him when he gave out the Law Exod. 19 10. And the Lord said unto Moses go and sanctifie the people to day and to morrow and let them wash their cloaths and let the Priests also which come near to the Lord sanctifie themselves lest the Lord break forth upon them Nadab and Abihu for not sanctifying the Lord when they drew nigh him there went out a fire from the Lord and devoured them and they died before the Lord Levit. 10. 2. Most remarkable is that passage in good Joseph Gen. 41. 14. Before he will come into the Kings presence he shaves himself changeth his rayment layeth aside his prison garments How much rather should those prepare and lay aside that come into the presence of the King of Kings Hear the word of the Lord ye that tremble at his word Isa 66. 5. Persons may hear from day to day and remain much like the same rather worse than better which must needs argue some defect in themselves by unduly approaching near so solemn a Service I shall therefore in humility offer some Directions what we may do in order to our profit before hearing in hearing and after hearing First Before Hearing pray God bless his Word unto you and lead you in his way Psa 25. 4 5. Shew me thy way O Lord teach me thy path lead me in thy truth Teach me for thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day Exod. 33. 15. If thy presence go not with me carry us not up hence This is as true in one case as another Secondly Go to the Assembly with reverent considerations that you are to meet God Amos 4. 12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel King Rehoboam did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord 2 Chron. 12. 14. compared with Chap. 19. 3. There are good things found in thee in that thou preparest thy heart to seek God Thirdly Before you go to hear you must lay aside all superfluity 1 Pet. 2. 1. Wherefore laying aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness receive with meekness the ingrafted Word There are three sorts of Superfluities to be laid aside which else will hinder you from profitting First All those doubtful carping cares for the things of this life you are incident to Mat. 13. 22. Mark 4. 19. Secondly You must lay aside all those vexatious frets of this life you are incident to Judges 16. 16. compared with 1 Sam. 1. 6 7. Thirdly You must lay aside all those pleasant pleasing pleasures of this life you are incident to Psal 45. 10 11. All or any of these being carried with us and heeded by us will so load us that there will be no room for the Word to profit Fourthly When you come to hear come with hungring and thirsting Mat. 5. 6. Psal 42. 1 2. The second Direction as to Hearing is what you must do in the time of Hearing First You must hear with reverence as Gods Embassage Psal 2. 11. compared with 89. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence
sweeps away by hundreds on our right hand and on our left and we remain untouched this certainly is never to be forgotten so the red Sea deliverance the pillar of Cloud by day and of Fire by night together with the dividing of the Waters of Jordan are Parables doubtless in Gospel dayes and we under as gracious Obligations to remember with thankfulness Gods loving kindness David that good man makes observation in this case of old Israel and hath left their stain for Generations to come to read and take warning by Psal 106. 9 10 11 12 13. God rebuked the red Sea and it was dryed up and redeemed them from the hand of their enemies yet they soon forgot his works and waited not for his counsel so 2 Chron. 32. 24. Hezekiah was sick to death and he prayed to God and he gave him a sign but Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done him mark that his return was not as signal as his favour therefore God suffers wrath to come upon him by all which it is clear that more than ordiâ—ary favours cals for more than ordinary returns and where it s a wanting God is provoked to suffer such to fall I pray God make this hint as acceptable as it is seasonable to those that shall meet with it Fourthly A fourth Mark how persons may know when God will suffer them to fall into Sin When under great straits you are not much with God for wisdome and counsel Neglect here must needs be dangerous for it is a kind of tempting God a daring as it were the holy One of Israel When under great straits that for good ends he brings upon them they are careless to request his help for their escaping and answerable gaining No man that trades in the way to heaven but at times is exercised with great straits of one kind or another the very entrance into it promiseth nothing less Mark 8. 34. Whosoever will come after me let him take up his Cross dayly and follow me So that Jesus Christ would have persons count upon meeting with hard things that will be his Disciples For man is born to trouble as the sparks flie upward Job 5. 7. Now that none may sinck under them Jesus Christ hath made provision which if they neglect they are like to perish Mat. 26 4. The Shepheard shall be smitten and the Sheep all scattered now the best preservative against such a danger is Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Luke 21. 26. Mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after what shall come to pass for the Powers of heaven shall be shaken Therfore watch ye and pray alwayes that ye may be accounted worthy to escape By these Texts together with Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God Clearly noting that persons under straits are not in Gods security out of the way of prayer well therefore may this prove an acceptable caution to every Christian when he undergoeth his share in the Cross of Jesus to make his complaint and earnest cries to him by prayer with supplication No doubt but such will find Christ seasonably helping him but if you find a secure drowsiness attend the heart then conclude your misery is not yet at the height The Disciples are found asleep three times together and cannot watch with their Lord one hour before their misery will be greater by his being taken from them but I shall end this Mark leaving for our gracious pattern the example of Jesus Christ Who being in an Agony and swet as it were great drops of blood he at that time prayed the more earnestly Luke 22. 44. Fifthly When you readily close with occasions to sin this tempts the Devil to tempt you and tempts God to leave you Sampson in Judges 14. seeks to take a Wife among the Uncircumcised that he might seek an occasion against them Even so doth not the Devil make his attempts whereby he may give an occasion to Gods People to sin The ready closing wherewith tempteth him further to tempt them and indeed tempteth God to leave them Now occasions to sin comes many wayes and from different objects that may have but little beginning and yet tall conclusions sometimes the ear heareth that which sets the heart on fire sometimes the eye seeth that which brings wo to the mind witness David who at the top of his roof as he was walking seeth Bathsheba washing her self and her beauty passing through the casement of his eyes this small occasion took possession and made him a prisoner to his great overthrow so Joshua 7. 21. Achan saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish Garment and a Wedge of Gold his eye looked and his heart lusted till he was ruined Now every man that knoweth any thing of sins way knows that it seeks and takes occasion from very small beginnings Behold how great a fire a little spark kindleth it begins by little taking its degrees and is carried through the eyes to the thoughts then to conception then to affection then to consent then to action Now the provision the holy Scripture makes in this kind is positively engaged by way of Precept To astain from all appear ances of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Clearly noting that in order to persons certain security from the commission of all evil they must abstain from its Appearance Very observable is Gods care to Israel of old no sooner were they out of Egypt but he seeks to take all occasions of sin out of their way Exod. 13. 17. And it came to pass that when Pharaoh had let the People go that God led them not through the Land of the Philistines although it was near note that lest peradventure the people see War and return to Egypt again So Exod. 23. 13 33. Also Deut. 7. 25. Prov. 22. 24 25. They must cut down their graven Images and burn them with fire and desire none of the silver that 's on them lest they be a snare unto them So the Wise-man counsels to make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man no not to go lest we learn his wayes and get a snare to our souls Sixthly When you are not pittiful to the tempted but in your prosperity forget their calamity God is pleased many times to suffer Satan to be let loose upon some Christians and to try them sorely yea to engage them deep in actual War whilest other Christians as it were are lookers on to let the one see how weak he is in the hands of this spiritual Adversary if left to himself and to try the other what frame of heart he carries towards his brother in distress and this if wisely improved turns to the great advantage of both The personal sufferer if he endure becomes heir to the promise annexed to the condition of the tempted Jam. 1. 12. And the looker on if he by beholding