into light and yet never thus walkt in darknes p. 4 To take notice of such a condition there is which is usefull p. 5 1. To prepare them against it if it should afterwards befall them ibid. 2. To be kept more in dependance upon God p. 6. 3. To learne not to censure others p. 7 4. To feare God the more ibid. 5. To bee thankfull that God hath spared them ibid. Vse 3. To those that have beene in darknesse and are now recovered out of it p. 8 1. To bethankfull to God and Christ ibid. 2. To pitty others in that condition p. 9 3. To declare what God hath done for them ib. And to give warning unto others ibid. 4. To take heed of such sins as may bring them into such a condition againe p. 10 Vse 4. To such as feare God and walke in darknes ibid. Two sorts of such some more lightly troubled some more deeply p. 13 Ten directions for those who are more deepely troubled and meanes to be used how to recover light and comfort p. 15 1. Direction To take heed of rash impatient and unbeleeving speeches and wishes ibid. 2. Direct To make a diligent search and examination p. 19 Two things to be searched into ibid. 1. What is the true cause which provokes God to leave them to this distresse ibid. 2. What is the maine reasoning in the heart that causeth this questioning of the estate p. 21 3. Direct To consider as indifferently what may make for them as against them p. 25 4. Direct To call to remembrance former evidences and passages betwixt God and us p. 28 5. Direct To renew a mans faith and repentance p. 33 6. Direct To be resolute and peremptory in beleeving and turning to God what ever may be the issue p. 36 7. Direct Let him trust in the name of the Lord p. 39 That the name of the Lord in all sufficient prop and stay for a mans faith to rest upon when he sees nothing in himselfe ibid. By the name of the Lord 2. things are meant 1. Those attributes of grace and mercy 2. Christs righteousnesse p. 40 Instances of those that have trusted in his Name 〈◊〉 p. 41 Reasons 3. p. 44 How the Name of the Lord answers all objections ibid. 8. Direct To waite upon God in the use of all meanes p. 52 9. Direct To seek to God by prayer most earnestly together with Pleas and arguments to be used to God in prayer for recovery out of this condition p. 55 10. Direct Not to rest in ease but alone in healing p. 68 Other observations out of the 10. verse Doct. 2. That though it may befall one that feares God to walk in darknesse yet but to a few p. 75 Reasons three p. 76 77 Vses three p. 78 Doct. 3. That those few that walke in darknesse Christ hath an especiall eye unto and care of p. 79 Vses two p. 81 A childe of darknesse walking in light p. 86 Doct. 4. That when the children of God are under terrours the most eminent grace that doth appeare in them is fearefulnesse to offend God and willingnesse to obey him p. 81 Explication of it ibid. Reason p. 82 Vses two ibid. By fire and the light of it two things meant p. 84 1. Their owne righteousnesse ibid. By sparkes what is meant p. 87 What by walking in the light of their fire ibid. Vse 1. Examine what fire we offer to God ibid. Vse 2. Take heed of walking in the light of such fire p. 90 2. Outward comforts p. 91 Why fire is put for comfort p. 92 Why outward comfort compared to fire of their owne kindling to earthly fire ibid. The comparison holds in 6. things p. 93 FINIS A CHILDE OF LIGHT WALKING in DARKNESS ISAI 50. 10 11. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God 11. Behold all yee that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparkes walke in the light of your fire and in the sparkes which yee have kindled this yee shall have of my hand yee shall lie downe in sorow The words paraphrased WEE have in these words The Sumâ—â— A true beleever in his worst and naturall men in their best condition set forth together unto our view And withall the power of true faith as it alone upholdeth him in the saddest houre of darknesse that can befall him opposed unto and compared with the falsenesse of their presumptuous confidence in their greatest security Together with the differing supports of either The one in the tenth verse the other in the eleventh First Of the tenth verse take a true beleever who hath had the least beame 2 Cor. 4. 6. of the light of the glory of God which shines in the face of Christ let in upon his soule and his heart so taken with that sight as it became eternally divorced from all things here below and resolved to adventure all his future hopes of comfort and happinesse in the enjoyment of that Light of Gods countenance alone Which that he may enjoy he feareth to offend the Lord more then Hell and endeavoureth as truely to obey the voice of his Servants as ever he desires to attaine unto that happinesse Thinke with your selves what is the worst thing next to the eternall losse of God really and indeed that can be supposed to befall this man What worse then to have that cranny through which he first espied that beame to bee as it were cleane shut up the Light of Gods countenance withdrawne yea all Light and appearance to him of his owne graces withheld and overclouded The face of heaven so overcast with Darknesse that neither Sun-light nor Star-light appeareth to him so as he hath no light yea further findes his soule beset and besieged round with all the powers of Hell and darknesse and the terrours of the Almighty shot into his soule And he thus quite left walking in this darknesse is filled with strong feares and jealousies that God is not His God nay questioning whether he ever will be Psal 77. 7. yea apprehending by the wrath he feeles God to bee became his enemie All this is set forth to us here as the very estate of one who feareth the Lord and obeyes him and is comprehended in these words That walketh in Darknesse and hath no Light You see him at his worst In which forlorne condition what is there to bee found to releeve and support this man But onely one thing which is here held forth to him The name of the Lord for him to trust and stay himselfe upon Both that Name of God Exod. 34. 6. The Lord God gracious and mercifull c. and that Name of Christ which is called Ierem. 23. 6. Iehovah our righteousnesse Both or either of which Hee by the naked hand of faith laying hold upon may now make
and visits their hearts from on high who are as yet strangers to him The needle of Gods favour and love varying as much that I may so allude towards Hell in their Compasse who shall be saved as it doth heaven-ward in the other many of whom arrive not thither Mar. 12. 34. and as they are brought nigh to the kingdome of heaven as Christ told him so of true beleevers it may be said that their soules doe often draw neere to hell in their owne sense and apprehension and the paines of hell doe take hold upon them And as the other are enlightned as Balaam was so they are left to walke in darknesse and see 〈◊〉 light and doe taste of that wrath which the Law threatens as those other taste the goodnesse of that salvation the Gospell offereth God out of a temporary anger chastising them for a moment as with a temporary favour he shineth upon the other That as they for a season rejoyce in that light John 5. 35. So Gods dearest children may bee for a season in much heavinesse as the Apostle speakes 1 Pet. 1. 6. and walke in darknesse And as the similitude of the dealings themselves runne along so farre in a parallel line of comparision So it holds in the false apprehensions which Satan and our hearts doe make out of both and the cause of the mistake in each is also alike For Gods dealings with those Temporary beleevers being so like to those dealings towards such as receive a state of adoption from him They thence too hastily conclude their acceptance unto life And on the contrary Gods dealings with these Temporary despairers as I may so call them being so like in their sense to his proceedings with those hee cuts off for ever they in like maner as hastily conclude I said in my haste sayes David their eternall rejection Onely in the issue they prove unlike tending but to their present discomfort through their frailty but in the other through their owne willing neglect their enlightnings turne to their destruction So as to conclude wee must warily sever the worke of Gods Spirit herein from that of Satan and our owne hearts not attributing such desperate conclusions to the Spirit Thus that depth of sorow wherewith that humbled Corinthian was well nigh swallowed up 2 Cor. 2. 7. is ascribed unto Satan when ver 11. it is made and termed one of his devices which word doth in part referre to the Corinthians sorow Thus David also imputes that his questioning Psal 77. Whether God would be mercifull to him ver 7. unto his owne heart this is My infirmity sayes he ver 10. So as the blame herein is to be divided betweene Satan and our hearts CHAP. V. How our owne hearts are the causes of this darknesse The principles therein which are the causes of it TO speake more particularly of either First that our own hearts should be the causes and producers of such distresse and darknesse when the holy Ghost thus deales with us is at all no wonder because 1. As we are creatures §. 1. there is such a weaknesse and infirmity in us as David speakes 1. By reason of our weaknesse as we are creatures by reason of which if God doth but hide himselfe and withdraw his presence which supporteth us in comfort as in being we are ready presently to fall into these feares of our selves The Psalmist saith of all the creatures Psal 104. 29. Thou hidest thy face and they are troubled and this by reason of their weaknesse and dependance upon God And no lesse but farre greater is the dependance of the new creature upon Gods face and presence that it cannot be alone and beare up it selfe but it failes if God hide himselfe as Esay speakes Chap. 57. Especially now in this life during the infancy thereof whilest it is a childe as God speakes of Ephraim Hos 11. 1. then it cannot stand or goe alone unlesse God beare it up in his armes and teach it to goe as he speaks there ver 1 3. And then also as children left alone in the dark are afraid of bugbeares and they know not what and are apt to stumble and fall which is by reason of their weaknesse So is it with the new creature in its childhood here in this life It was my infirâ—â—â— sayes David and againe Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30. 6. There is not onely such a weaknesse in us as wee are creatures But 2. Also an innate darknesse in our spirits as we are sinfull creatures §. 2. since the fall 2. Of an innate darknesse as we are sinfull creatures our hearts of themselves are nothing but darknesse and therefore no wonder if when God drawes but the curtaines and shuts up the light from us that our hearts should engender and conceive such horrid feares and doubts Thus in the 2. Cor. 4. 6. The Apostle compareth this native darknesse of our hearts unto that Chaos and lumpe of darknesse which at the first creation covered the face of the deepe when he sayes that God who commanded light to shine out of darknes hee referreth to the first creation Gen. 1. 1 2. hath shined into our hearts even of us Apostles to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ So that no longer then God continues to shine either the light of comfort or of grace no longer doe our hearts even of us beleevers retaine light in them And if at any time he withhold that light of comfort in his face when yet he continueth an influence of grace Then so farre doe our hearts presently returne to their former darknesse And then doth that vast wombe of darknesse conceive and forme all those feares and doubts within it selfe Considering withall that our hearts are a great deepe also so deepe in darknesse and deceitfulnesse as no plummet can fathom them Deceitfull above all things who can know it Jer. 17. 9. Darknesse covereth not the face of this deepe only but it is darknes to the bottome throughout darknesse No wonder then if when the Spirit ceaseth to move upon this deepe with beames of light it cast us into such deepes and darknesse as Heman complaining speakes of Psal 88. 6. and frameth in it selfe such hideous apprehensions and desperate conclusions of a mans owne estate Especially seeing 3. §. 3. There is so much strength of carnall and corrupt reason in men 3. Principles of carnall reason ready to forge and invent strong reasons and arguments to confirme those sad feares and darkened apprehensions and those drawne from those dealings of Gods Spirit mentioned For as it is said of the Gentiles that when their foolish heart was darkened that is when left and given over to their own naturall darknesse they became vaine in their imaginations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the originall hath it in their reasonings Rom. 1. 21. and this even
affirmation But further also it would seeme to imply some kinde of physicall working though not immediately on the spring of the clocke yet upon the wheeles and weights of it I meane the passions in the body and the images in the fancy though not upon the understanding immediately all which what influence they have to sway the judgement and pervert it experience shewes Fourthly §. 4. he is further able to follow and continue his reasonings as occasion is Satan is able to continue the dispute and often to make replies to the answers of his false reasonings and to keepe up the dispute and hold out arguments with us and out-reason us by putting in new replies to our answers and so to maintaine and manage and cary along the dispute and to come up with fresh supplies which in this respect is called wrestling Ephes 6. 12. We wrestle not with flesh and blood but principalities and powers it being as the bodily wrestling transacted by reiterated assaults and attempts to overcome and get the victory hee as it were going about to strike up our heeles as wrestlers doe that is to take away from under us those reasonings which supported us by cavillling objections which kinde of spirituall wrestlings how often have we experience of in spirituall agonies In the houre of temptation beleevers finde conflicts and bandyings of disputes rationally caried along and pertinent objections brought in against those answers which they secretly meditate of In which case therefore Divines bid men not to dispute with that cunning sophister Thus many when death hath approached have found that they have had their reasonings for their estates and those evidences they have had recourse unto taken away confuted as fast as they have thought of them And that Satan hath this dexterity and skill thus to manage such kinde of disputes with us is further evident in the framing of heresies wherein he assists the contrivers of them with pertinent considerations to backe and confirme their notions in their private meditations studies and contrivements And indeed if Satan were not able and skilfull thus to oppose and reply these kind of temptations which consist in disputes could not be managed for otherwise Satan in theÌ„ did dispute with us but as if one of us should reason with a dumb man that can heare but his answers cannot be known so we know no way what reply to make Therfore surely Satan hath some way more or lesse a guesse and inkling often what may be the answers of the heart againe which were it otherwise the glory also which God hath by the victory gotten over Satan in these temptations were much obscured and Satans confusion lesse for the victory of our faith in these disputes and the resistance it makes lyes chiefly in those replies which are made wherby it quencheth all his darts whereof the devill when he is once sensible and perceives it he is confounded for then when he is once sensible and apprehensive that he is resisted doth he fly from us as the Apostle speakes Iames 4. 7. and that of his owne accord as the expression there imports even as a foiled and disgraced souldier And this we may see in his cariage in those his teÌ„ptations of Christ which were managed by mutuall disputes and the foiling of satan was by the answers out of Scripture which Christ gave Mat. 4. 11. by which being confounded he left him as the text sayes as out of pride ashamed that he was foiled So that Satan some way or other is able to guesse at and discernes the replies in our hearts to his objections as well as to make and cast in objections CHAP. VIII That Satan is able to worke upon that other corrupt principle in us Guilt of Conscience Both how farre he is able to know matter by us to object against us as also to set it on and worke upon the guilt and erroneousnesse of the conscience THus we see how able Satan is to joyne with and assist carnall reason in us against our selves wee will now further consider what power and working he may exercise upon that other principle in us our consciences in joyning with the filth and defilement thereof in accusing us and laying particulars to our chaâ—ge in which consisteth the greatest of his strength even in an army of accusations of us to our selves which in this warfare hee musters up against us This sort of temptations we have in hand consists either of false majors or false minors which are like the two wings of an army His false majors they are such as misapprehensions of the wayes and of the worke of grace or misunderstanding of sayings of Scripture c. which by reason of that darknes of ignorance that is in us he puts upon us wrested and perverted As That to relapse into the same sinne againe and againe is not compatible with grace and many the like For the opinions whereby some doe measure what strictnesse is essentiall to the being in the state of grace are often too severe and rigid as in others too loose The measure of some is too scant not giving allowance to failings as of others too large taking in such grosse corruptions and the constant practise of them as cannot stand with grace And Satan deceives with both As the one sort of prophane men to flatter themselves to be in a good condition when they are not so the other of weak and tender consciences that they are not in a good estate when they are And in like maner places of Scripture misunderstood doe oft prove matter of great temptation to many as that Hebrewes 6. unto One who having fallen from his first love concluded he could never bee saved because it is there said that they which are once enlightned if they fall away it is impossible they should be renewed to repentance whereas it is onely to be understood of a revengefull totall Apostasie Acts 13. 10. Thus as Elymas perverted the right wayes of the Lord So doth Satan also Elymas being therefore there called child of the devill because he did the work of his father therein Now all such false reasonings as are founded upon such mistakes of the things of the rule it selfe whereby we should judge of our estates false majors do properly beloÌ„g to the former head of Carnall reason But he hath another wing of forces to joyn to these and they are false accusations of a man to himselfe froÌ„ the guilt of his own heart wayes misconceits of a mans selfe and misapplications to a mans self another sort of arguments wherein the minors are false So as although a man be full of knowledge through the light thereof hath a right judgement both of the Scriptures of the wayes work of grace by which mens estates are to be judged so therein Satan cannot be too hard for him with all his sophistry yet by misrepresenting a man to himselfe and by perverting
as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather implies as the ligaments and the sinews and the tendons by which the joynts doe move so these are they upon which our designs doe move and turne Even all those cogitationes compaginatae plotting thoughts the word it discovers and cuts up and also judgeth and examineth and passeth sentence upon them yea and that so exactly as not the smallest fault can passe uncensured by it it is as a curious Critique in this review 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it judgeth exactly as Critiques use to doe So as by this anatomy which the word makes all things in man every creature even the least Fibra the smallest string in the heart which would escape the sight of the most exact Anatomist are all naked and opened and cut up afore the eyes of him with whom we have to doe The reasons why God hath reserved this to himself The reasons are 1. It was for the glory of God that hee should have one private cabinet among the creatures which hee alone should know and keep the key of which might argue his omniscience as also one place to be sanctified in whither no creatures eye could pierce That so the greatnesse of his glory might appeare namely in this that he is not worshipped outwardly only as great ones are but inwardly in spirit and truth and that his glory is such as commands the inward parts which no eye seeth but his own so as a man will respect God so much as to sanctifie him in secret when no creature looks upon him 2. That God alone might be the Iudge and rewarder of mens wayes and so look'd at by them to whom alone men must give an account which would draw the creatures eye alone upon him when the strength and first borne of all our actions are his subjects alone and do come under his eye and view Therefore it is said that hee rewards men according to their works 1 Kings 8 39. whose heart he knowes It was fit that hee onely should take upon him to reward who only could know the principles of all actions in which the chiefe of the good or evill in the action lies This is the great glory of God and Christ at the day of judgement that they will discover the secrets of all hearts 1 Cor. 4. 5. It is not said so much of mens actions that they shall be then discovered as that the secrets of their hearts For therein lies Gods glory which he will not give to any other This premised as a most necessary Caution § 2. I come to the disquisition of that Quaere mentioned How satan hath matter to accuse object against us How and how farre Satan may come to know so much matter against us whereof to accuse us 1. In generall it may be considered Two generall considerations 1. That he knowes what ends 1. That hee knows what corruptions are in all mens natures and may obiect them to every one and intentions and thoughts and lusts such corrupt hearts as ours usually produce and bring forth in all men and therefore can imagine what by-ends c. may be stirring in such and such actions and solay them to our charge and so often hit right therein speake a mans heart thus at randome For our natures are apt to bring forth all concupiscence as the Apostle sayes Rom. 7. Therefore if there were no more then that hee knowes all temptations common to mans nature hee might goe far in accusing every man he having keyes of all sorts sorted to all mens spirits tryes with every one which will enter And as Davids elder brother charged David when he came into the warres This is the pride and the naughtinesse of thy heart guessing at his by-ends in it so doth satan hee often in like manner charges us by guesse Thus he did Iob Doth Iob serve God for nought hee knew such by-ends were in some mens hearts and so ventures to lay them to Iobs charge also 2. Though he should know very little of us 2. By casting in a jealous thought from some one particular he knows by us he might set the heart awake to examine all the rest yet he may from some one particular which hee doth know or suspect cast in a suspitious thought about a mans estate and so set the jealous heart aworke it selfe to search out more matter against it selfe As in case of treason the least hint given by some one sets the State aworke to examine the bottome of the businesse and so to get all out So as satan often gives and casts in but a scruple which proves as a theame for the heart it selfe to dilate upon and the conscience upon enquirie finds matter against it self to prove and encrease that surmise Thus in generall But 2. he may more particularly know much against us to accuse us of 2. More particularly and so frame bills against us out of what hee knowes He may know and this first supposing he had no accesse to our inward parts and that hee had no further way of knowing of us then men have one of another it being made the limits of mans knowledg by God to Samuel to judg by outward appearance yet all those advantages which men have to know one another by he hath over us more then any man can have and all more eminently For 1. 1. All corporeal acts committed Those spirits can discerne all corporeall actions though not of all men at once for then why should satan travaile up and downe the earth to review all in it◠yet in that distance is proportioned unto them they understand not onely by innate inbred species but some things per species acceptas à rebus They learn daily This by the Church the good Angels are said to learn what they never knew before of the mysteries of the Gospell Eph. 3. 10. and though these species in them and their manner of knowing corporeal things differs from ours yet they are analogicall with ours and wee no more know the manner how they should receive species à rebus corporeis the images of all things done by bodily substances then a blind man can imagine how men that see should receive in colours yet this wee may be sure of that all that the senses or minde of man can know that they can also for naturall things are all Debita objecta due objects made for them for they were therefore made to be discerned by intelligent creatures and if by any then by the most supreme and intellectuall natures 2. They make it their businesse to study men 2. Which knowledge he improves by study it is their trade to goe up and downe and consider men Hast thou not considered sayes God to satan my servant Iob Satan useth to consider and study men and as the Apostle exhorts to consider 〈◊〉 another to provoke to love so satan considers men to provoke to sinne
and eares her owne words And now that her heart began to listen to what might comfort her presently she began to have hope This sullen peevish desperate obstinacy is a thing you ought to take heed of for hereby you take Satans part and that against those you ought to love so deerely even your owne soules But as they said Let Baal plead for himselfe So let Satan plead his owne cause doe not you Hereby also you forsake your owne mercies as it is said Ionah 2. 8. you give up your owne right and are so farre befooled as to plead against your owne title your owne interest in the best things you can have interest in Gods mercies made yours by an everlasting covenant you give up your portion bequeathed you in your fathers will which you ought to maintaine and you trust to lying vanities the sooth-sayings and fortune-tellings as I may call them of Satan and of your owne hearts Hereby also yee become judges of evill thoughts Iames 2. For hee is an ill hearer of a cause who will heare but one party speake Direction 4. THe fourth direction is to make diligent search into and to call to remembrance what formerly hath beene between God and you The remembrance of former things doth often uphold when present sense failes This David practised in the like case Psal 77. ver 5 6. when his soule had refused comfort as I told you v. 2. yet in the end he began not onely to bee willing to listen to what might make for him but set himselfe aworke to recall to minde to consider the dayes of old to make diligent search namely into the records and register of Gods dealings ver 11. to see if there were never a record extant which might help him now the devill pleaded against his title even as if your houses and lands were called into question you would search over old writings deeds so do you in this I considered sayes he the songs in the night that is that joyfull communion he had enjoyed with God when God and he sang songs together and I communed with mine owne heart and made diligent search I tossed and tumbled over my heart to see if no grace formerly had beene there and if no grace at present were there he searched into what might comfort him as well as into the causes might provoke God thus to deale with him for I take it both may be meant And so Iob did when he was thus stricken and forsaken of God he viewes over every part of his life he seekes what dry land he could finde to get footing upon in the midst of seas of temptations recounts what an holy life he had lived with what feare and strictnesse he had served God Chap. 29. and Chap. 30. and Chap. 31. throughout and tells them plainely Chap. 27. ver 5 6. That let them pleade and argue what they could against him and goe about to prove him an hypocrite till I die sayes he I will not remove mine integrity from mee nor let goe my righteousnesse I will never give up mine interest in Gods mercies nor the evidences I have to shew for them and sayes he Chap. 19. 27 28. Though my reines be at present consumed yet the root of the matter is in me that is though God deales thus hardly with me as you see yea though the exercise of grace is much obscured the Sun-shine of Gods favour withdrawne his face hidden from me and the joyfull fruits of righteousnesse and comfortable fresh greene speeches and leaves you have knowne to grow upon this now withered stocke fallen off yet there is the root of the matter still 〈…〉 a root of faith that decayes not a constant frame of grace that still remaines which hareth sinne loveth God and you shall all never beare me from it And canst thou call nothing to remembrance betwixt God and thee which argues infallibly his love what nothing Looke againe Did God never speake peace to thy heart and shed his love abroad in it Hast thou at no time found in thine heart pure straines of true love and good will to him some pure drops of godly sorow for offending him and found some dispositions of pure selfe-deniall wherein thou didst simply ayme at his glory more then thine owne good Hast thou never an olde tryed evidence which hath beene acknowledged and confirmed againe and againe in open court what not one And if thou 〈◊〉 now call to minde but one if in truth it may support thee For if one promise doth belong to thee then all doe for every one conveyes whole Christ in whom all the promises are made and who is the matter of them as in the Sacraments the bread conveyes whole Christ and the wine also whole Christ so in the word every promise conveyes whole Christ And if thou canst say as the Church of Ephesus Rev. ◠6. This thing I have that I hate sinne and every sinne as God hates it and because he hates it as Christ owned them for this one grace and though they had many sinnes and many failings yet sayes he this thou hast c. If Christ will acknowledge thee to be his for one eare-mark or if he sees but one spot of his child upon thee Deut. 32. 5. thou maist well pleade it even any one to him Yea though it be but in a lesser degree if in truth and sincerity For God brings not a paire of scales to weigh your graces and if they be too light refuseth them but he brings a touchstone to try them and if they be true gold though never so little of it it will passe currant with him though it be but smoak not flame Mat. 12. 20. though it be but as a week in the socket as it is there in the originall likelier to dye go out then to continue which we use to throw away yet he will not quench it but accept it Yea and though at present thou findest in thy sense no grace stirring in thee nothing but hardnesse deadnesse c. yet if thou canst remember yea but this once I had as a woman with childe though after her first quickning she doth not alwayes finde the childe to stir yet because she did feele it stir she still conceives hopes and thinkes shee is with childe So thinke thou of the new creature formed within thee These things you are to recall and consider in time of distresse to remember former graces and spirituall dispositions in you and Gods gracious dealings with you God remembers them to have mercy on you and why should not you remember them to comfort you Therefore Heb. 6. 9 10. We hope sayes he better things of you for God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love namely to reward you and therefore hee calls upon them in like maner Heb. 10. ver 31. To call to remembrance the former dayes to comfort them how they held out when their hearts were tryed to the
the light of this fire which carnall men not born againe content themselves with is that excusing which naturall conscience upon the performing any outward act of just dealing hath in such mens hearts mentioned Rom. 2. 15. And the walking in the light of this fire What by walking in the light of the fire is resting therein all their dayes not endevouring to have their hearts changed and to get a new principle of grace and of love to God fetcht from Christ as the spring of all Vse THe first Vse is Vse 1 seeing so many offer up but common fire to God Examine what fire we offer up to God it is good you examine whether that righteousnesse you think to please God with be any more then fire of your owne kindling First 1. The originall of it That righteousnesse which is kindled in thy heart and blazeth in thy life whence was it first enkindled examine the original of it Was it kindled in thee by fire from heaven that is by the Holy Ghost comming downe in Gods ordinances on thee as fire burning up thy lusts 〈◊〉 thy heart dissolving the workes of the devill enkindling sparks of true love to God zeale for his glory which are above the reach of mans naturall ability or is it no more then that whereas every man hath some sparkes of ingenuity and honesty towards others and of sobriety and of devotion to a Deity raked up in the ashes of corrupt nature for even the heathen had the Law written in their hearts Rom. 2. 14. which sparkes thou living in the Cuurch where civility and religion is professed civill education naturall wisedome and the accusings of naturall conscience enlightned have blowne up to some blaze to some just dealing common care of serving God yet know that if there be no other principle nor no more it is but fire of your owne kindling and you will lie downe in sorrow Secondly 2. The fuell examine what duties are especially the fuell of that fire in thee in what duties is that righteousnesse thou thinkest thou pleasest God with chiefly spent and exercised are they principally the duties of the second Table of just dealing with men and sobriety and it may be thou bringest withall a stick or two of the first Table to this fire that is some duties thereof such as for thy credit thou must not omit as comming to Gods ordinances of publique worship This fuell if there be no more argues 〈◊〉 but common fire for looke into the chimneys of the heathen thou shalt finde the most of all this practiced and in that thou dost put the chiefest of thy religion in them it is argued to be but a fire kindled of those sparks which are raked up in nature for those coÌ„mon sparks which are in all mens hearts are especially those of the second Table But now if it were a fire from heaven theÌ„ though those would not be left undone yet the chiefest heat of thy heart would be to the duties of heaven of the worship of God publique and private when men practise but so much righteousnesse as is necessary for them to doe if they will live in the world in any comfort or credit as to be just and sober is necessary as also to frequent Gods ordinances for the state we live in enjoyns them But when mens zeale and fervour contends also and lives upon such duties which the world regards not as mourning for sinne taking paines with the heart in private between God and a mans own soule and feeds upon heavenly things and thoughts and is such fire as the world quencheth it is a signe t is more then common fire Thirdly 3. By warming onely the outward man in these duties common fire warmes but the outward man as that fire doth which you feele daily it heats you not within so common righteousnesse contents it selfe with bodily exercise a formall performance of duties publique and private but fire from heaven heats first within heats the heart within as at the hearing the Word did not our hearts burn within us say they so it heats the heart in prayer makes a man fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Fourthly 4. What incentives enflame it examine what bellowes cherish and keep alive that fire of righteousnesse that is in thee and makes it flame that is what motives set thee awork to doe what thou dost if worldly ends make thee abstaine from sinne and to be just in thy dealings as credit with the world and feare of disgrace or the accusings of conscience onely or feare of hell or hope of heaven this is but common fire but if love to God the consideration of his mercies his eternall love and the love of Christ zeale for his glory if these be the bellowes the fire is heavenly But if when thou art to be moved with such as these they stir not thy heart It is but common fire The second Vse is Vse 2 to take heed of walking in the light of such fire that is resting in it for salvation and contenting your selves with it as most in the world doe and as the Iews here did for you will lie down in sorrow if you doe But you will say wee doe not trust in this our owne righteousnesse for we professe Christ and beleeve in him which added to this is enough I answer That though you professe Christ yet1. unlesse you have had a light that hath discovered to you that all the righteousnesse you have by nature and emproved in nature is a false righteousnesse you doe then as yet rest in your owne righteousnesse and rely not wholly on Christ So Phil. 3. Paul first sum all to be drosse and dung counted it losse that he might which râ—st it implies he could not have him els Men though they seem to take Christs Title as many will procure the Kings Title for a living to make all sure yet they keep and stick to and plead their own but you must give up that first and rely wholly on Christ or hee will not save you 2. Hee that doth not daily above all things directly and immediately aime at and seek out for Christs righteousnesse and maketh it not the chiefest of his thoughts prayers and businesse is restlesse without it rests in his owne for so when he had given up his title in his owne hee mainely endeavoured after this to bee found in Christ Phil. 3. Thirdly you will seeke from Christ a new righteousnesse of sanctification also for you will see that the common righteousnesse of nature and education will not please him and Christ must be made sanctification to you 1 Cor. 1. 30. aswell as righteousnesse Thus Nicodemus though a civill man afore yet when he came to Christ his old civility would not serve without being borne againe and becomming a new creature so as you must not think to make a supply or addition unto Christ with fire of your owne kindling you must have