and upholds them The Saints are sure to persevere it is impossible they should fall finally or misse of glory because they are maintained by God 1. They shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand and none are able to plucke them out of my Fathers hand Joh. 10. 28 29. 2. For they are in the love of God Eph. 2. 5. Joh. 17. 26. 1 Joh. 3. 1. 16. 4. 16. They shall unavoydably come unto mee Joh. 6. 36 37. 3. God hath promised to preserve them Heb. 13. 5. For he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee 4. God is faithfull 1 Cor. 1. 9. 1 Thes 5. 23 24. Jer. 31. 40. And immutable I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. 5. And onely wise he knows how to preserve them Rom. 16. 27. 6. He hath power enough to preserve them 1 Pet. 1. 5. 7. Because they are in Christ Ephe. 1. 4. who shall ever live Because I live yee shall live also Joh. 14. 19. 8. Because they are so united to God that God they are but one Jo. 17. 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Joh. 17. 23. Oh sweet and happy union that is so intire reall full and eternall 9. Because God dwells in them and they in him 1 Joh. 4. 13. Joh. 17. 23. Therefore they are secure and safe enough being out of the reach of all the Devils in earth or hell The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage Christs lot and inheritance is his Saints who are delightfull and precious unto him Deut. 32. 9. I have a goodly heritage Christ is wonderfully taken with the Saints comelines it is a maine part of the excellency of Christs inheritance that it cannot be taken from him nor spent nor lost Goodly heritage Christ hath a high esteeme of his Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee Song 4. 7. They are without spot or wrinkle Eph. 5. 25. to 28. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Psal 51. 5. Rev. 19. 8. My beloved spake and said unto me Rise up my love and faire one and come away Song 2. 10. Oh happy Saint have thee a high esteem of Christ he is satisfied in thee and be thou satisfied in him rejoyce in nothing else but him Psal 33. 21. and sing praises to him THE SAINTS COMMUNION with God by Faith The life of Faith in effectuall calling Justification Sanctification infirmities in graces in means in time past in prosperity and adversity in glorification and to dye by Faith Wherein the life of Faith consists IT is in the communion the soule hath with God in Christ and the soules injoying of Christ in his promises both spirituall and temporall 1. Faith in effectuall calling It is the soules cleaving and depending upon Christ in his promise for pardon and life 1 Joh. 12. 1. Joh. 3. 23. Upon such places as these 2 Cor. 5. 20. Mat. 11. 28. Mat. 5. 2. The life of faith in Justification The Lord having spoken peace to the soule that Jesus Christ hath fully satisfied for all his sinnes so as they are all done away and shall be remembred no more Isa 53. 5 6. Jer. 31. 34. c. And that as the soule is happy so it injoyes the comfort of it and is filled with joy and peace in beleeving and now the soule lives a life of comfort chearfulnesse and holinesse 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rom. 5. 1. So that no sinne nor Satan and if corruption increase and God hides himselfe or seemes an enemy not any thing can cause this soule to let goe the Lord and cast away its confidence Though he slay me saith Job yet will I trust in him Job 13. 15. Rom. 8. 38 39. Isa 54. 7 8. 63. 16 17. Some hold the act of faith is that which God accepts to Justification but this is a mistake because it makes Christ inferior to faith and in ascribing such an honour to faith they dishonour Christ for although they doe not exclude Christ wholly yet in the act of Justification it gives all to faith They say as the act of Adams sin condemned him so our act of faith justifieth us Answer Adams sinne was enough to condemne him and us but our faith cannot save others nor our selves They reply Wee are justified by faith Answ Christ is called faith Gal. 3. 23. Before faith came which must be understood of Christ Wee are justified before God in his sight onely by Christ Rom. 3. 20. 24. My righteous servant Christ shall justifie many Isai 53. 11. We are not justified before God by faith which is in us but by Christ by his bloud justified by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. That which saves us is the bloud of Christ Jesus Christ hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his bloud Rev. 1. 5. Also wee are said to be justified by faith because it is the instrument whereby we apprehend and apply Christ our Righteousnesse by faith wee know our selves to be justified Rom. 5. 1. Though faith be a grace of God yet as it is an act it is a worke and to be justified by it is to be justified by a worke of our owne for with the heart man beleeveth Rom. 10. 9 10. That which justifieth us must be perfect and so it is no act of ours for all our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags c. Isai 64. 6. Not of workes least any man should boast Ephes 2. 9. Before wee had faith it seemes wee were not in Christ or in him and not justified for wee were in him before the world was Ephes 1. 4. And that at one time God should be angry with us as he is with all unjustified persons who are out of Christ Heb. 12. 29. He hateth all the workers of iniquitie Psal 5. and that our beleeving should make him to be at peace with us this is to make God changeable like man which is contrary to the Word for with him is no variablenesse Jam. 1. 17. I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. Nothing can be charged upon Gods elect Rom. 8. 1. therefore they are justified 2 Cor. 5. 19. Those who have no sin upon them are justified but Christ hath taken away all the sinnes of the Elect Job 1. 29. with Isai 35. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rom. 6. 6. And to say wee are not justified before God untill we beleeve is to say Jesus Christ hath not justified us which is contrary to the Scriptures which saith Wee are accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption by his bloud Ep. 1. 6 7. We are justified by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. Jesus Christ hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his own bloud Rev. 1. 5. Wee were reconciled by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 9 10. A full satisfaction Heb. 10 11 12 13 14. And in this God is well pleased before wee beleeve Mat.
24. Sight is higher then presence To be transformed into glory We are changed into the same image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. This shall be more full in glory Then shall wee appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. To have full communion with God Wee shall be filled with the fulnesse of God Ephes 3. 19. Union is higher then sight communion is higher then union as it flowes from it full communion is more we shall have as much as we shall desire wee shall be filled with it wee shall injoy the quintessence of all sweetnesse fulnesse goodnesse in God and shall be raised inflamed and ravished with him and be wholly taken up with admiring and praising him without any intermission or wearinesse this is our greatest good and blessednesse and the end of our being To be for ever with the Lord So shall wee be ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 17. Eternall communion with God As it is written Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. It transcends the utmost expectation of the most inlarged heart Wherefore comfort one another with these words vers 18. Faith beleeves the promises of glory and so lives comfortably in expectation of fruition when faith shall end in vision our eternall joyes draws on apace in the meane time lay hold on eternall life let faith beleeve it and hope expect it and patience waite for it to make this life tolerable bepatient indure all it will not be long ere glory come and continue for ever for this cause wee faint not 2 Cor. 4. He that lives by faith in glorification lives a sweet comfortable life in Christ his righteousnesse and is fruitfull sincere and content Lastly To dye by faith Which is to resigne up our soules to God beleeving death shall be a passage to glory When Christ who is my life shall appeare then shall I appeare with him in glory Col. 3. 4. These all dyed in faith Heb. 11. 13. The righteous hath hope in his death Pro. 14. 32. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Rev. 14. 13. When I awake I shall be satisfied in thy likenesse Psal 17. 15. Why should I feare that I would not escape what hurt will it be to me to enter into glory I cannot have my happinesse unlesse I goe unto it THE SAINTS DAILY DUTY AND DESIRE The severall Branches of the Saints daily duty and desire to walke with God every day 1. WHen I awake to thinke on GOD and to be thankfull to him for rest and sleepe and preservation from sin Satan and dangers satisfying my soule with the Lord craving his strength to walke with him all the day long reverently and seriously to minde him and obey him When I awake I am still with thee Ps 139. 18. I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse Psal 17. 15. see Act. 11. 23. Commune with your heart upon your bed and be still Psal 4. 4. It is good to season strengthen and perfume our spirits if time will permit with some sweet thoughts of God as that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. He is not changed Here is strong consolation in this sweet meditation My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104. 34. It is good for me to draw neere to God Psal 73. 28. To make him the object and end of all my actions O that my understanding had a more full cleare and glorious sight of him and a more perfect inward eternall and full communion with him then should my will and affections be more satisfied and more inflamed with unwearied desires high and restlesse aspirations after fresh additions of intercourses and communion with him The sight of God to a Saint is glorious and the knowledge and often meditation of him will raise and inlarge the soule Every childe of God hath in him an earnest desire to have communion with him to injoy his blessed presence and to see his glory As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God when shall I come and appeare before him Psal 42. 1 2. Nor will a seldome communion satisfie them it must be frequent and full it is a contempt of God to be willing to live without him and so much he injoys God as he seriously minds him and so much as wee desire God we follow after God for desire is the soules following of God and as God draweth we follow Song 1. 4. Unlesse the Lord fix and fasten the heart upon himselfe it will be fixed on things below and wander after vanities and fill both head and heart with them he that knoweth what it is to injoy God is sensible of the want of him and thinkes he can never have enough of him his soule will faint for him because nothing lesse then God can content him Psal 119. 81 82. Jer. 14. 8. Psal 13. 1. Exod. 33. 13 14 15. 18. So the soule lives where it loves and where it loves it lives and there is nothing more active and stronger then love for love is as strong as death the coales thereof are coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame Song 8. 6 7. 2. Live by faith Every day to live by faith in all estates and conditions the communion the soule hath with God is by faith in justification in sanctification in infirmities in graces in meanes using in duties and for a supply of all wants every day to live the life of faith in glorification 3. Watch heart That every day I watch my heart to keepe it continually still cleane spirituall content and that I observe warily the first and secret motions of my heart least I be unawares catched and insnared in sinne and that I doe not receive any thing without it be warranted in the word of God Keepe thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Pro. 23. 17. Thy heart is deceitfull take heed of it consider Jer. 17. 9. Heb. 3. 12. Luk. 6. 45. If wee cease to watch our hearts they quickly become vaine Consider how it was with David 2 Sam. 12. 9. and Peter Mat. 26. 72. our experience might teach us that our hearts are worse then wee tooke them to be when wee are crossed or tempted wee shew what metall wee are made of the best have cause enough to looke to themselves if one sinfull thought be admitted concerning the sweetnesse and pleasure of sinne the will is ready enough to accept the motion consent forecast the accomplishment the affections adde heat and strength the heart travels with iniquitie and in time by opportunitie sin is brought forth and delight and custome wraps a man up in sinne that he cannot get out such carelesnesse may cost
never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. Therefore they are well enough they need not care nor feare but in God alwayes rejoyce and sing praises to him Now unto him that is able to doe for us abundantly above that we are able to aske or thinke be praise and glory in all the Churches of the Saints to all ages Amen A Table of some of the principall things contained in this TREATISE A. VVHat it is to feed upon ashes 2 3. 5. Assurance faith differs 82 83. All that have faith have not assurance 82 c. B. Christ is the true bread 3. 5 6. Men beleeve before they know it 61. Men are in Christ before they beleeve 46 47. What all men are to beleeve 48 49. Such as desire to beleeve have faith 53. 101. A beleevers comfort hope joy should be alwayes the same 97 116. The state of a beleever in Christ is a state of perfection 13. 113. 149. Such as see a beauty in Christ loath themselves 23. 41. Mans beleeving procures no pardon of sinne 46 c. C. Christ is enough 132. and minde him 112. 113. 79. 131. Christ proclaimes peace to his 106 107. Christ and a beleever are one 12. Christs holiness is the Saints happiness 121. Christs bloud saves his 12. 145 147. Christ is the way to life 13. 36 37 38. Christ highly esteemes of his 136 137 142. Christ being made sin for me is better for me then if I had never sinned 15 16 161. Christ dyed not for the sinnes of Adams posteritie 7 8. Comfort to all that are in Christ 12. 65. 132 Vnlesse Christ had dyed man had not been saved 7. The Saints are to live onely upon Christ 79. The Saints comfort is in Christ 79. Who live upon Christ 15. 38 39. 79. 80. Such as are Christs should serve him 153. The Covenant of grace is not made with man but with Christ 26. The Covenant of grace is unconditionall on mans part 46 47. There is not any thing required of man to doe to make him partaker of the Covenant of grace 46. The consolatiōs of God are to be prized 121. The comfort of the Saints is not to depend upon their personall sanctification and why 114 115. The confidence of a beleever should be ever the same and why 113 114. 121 122. All our cares are to be cast upon God trusting him in all estates and why 129 130. Corruption may be strong in a Saint and why 96 97. 159 160. A man may be confident of his salvation and yet be deluded and why 14 15. 67. Grave Counsels 363. to the unmarried 369. To the married 372. 375. 378. D. Causes of doubting 65. 105. The fears and discouragements in many are groundlesse 3. and from the Devill 106. It is an infirmitie to give way to any discouragement 108. 79. We are to looke to Christ and not at discouragements 52. 113. There hath been discouragements in many of the Lords 87 88 89. Grounds of discouragements and feares 16 No man is to despaire 158. The time of doubting is a barren time 71. No man can deliver his soule why 12 13. There is death in our best duties 41. It is not any thing man can do that can make him to be loved of God 24 25 97. The Saints daily duty and desire 199 c. Causes of unwillingnesse to duties 77. E. Election not for foreseene faith 320. 148. It is impossible for the Elect to perish and why 140 141. We should be content with our present estate 130 131. 127. Treasure up experience of Gods goodnes 119. Severall experiences 331. F. There be divers kinds of faith 55. Faith what 56 57 58. 61. Many are mistaken in faith 55. Faith is not to be placed in enjoyments 80. Faith looks not at sight nor feeling 80. 124. Faith is so small and weak in many that they cannot discerne it 47. 83 84. 86. When faith is wrought by God in the soul 45 Faith is where spirituall desires are 75. 53. We should ever live by faith 79. 123. Faith quiets and settles the foule 103. 122. Faith evidenceth to us our justification 115 The word and promise of God is the onely ground of faith 15. 123. The act of faith is a worke 145. Faith is no condition of the Covenant of grace 46 47. We should not yeeld to feares 51. 102. We should not feare want why 165. 227 What it is to be fatherlesse 63. A remedy against feares 381. Wherein the life of faith consists 143. The Saints are to live by faith in justification 154. In sanctification 154. In infirmities 156 c. For graces 167. In use of meanes 175. For protection and supply of all wants 148. In adversitie 188. In the life past 189. For glorification 193. And to dye by faith 197. G. God is ready to forgive 25 26. God is unchangeable 80. 95. 97. God oft hides himselfe from his 94. God was found of them that sought him not 34. God is not an enemy to his though they greatly sin against him 26 27. 97. 146. Gods free grace is to be admired 127. God gives Christ to enemies 50 51. God never fayles his 78. God draweth the soule to Christ 41. The manner of Gods drawing men to Christ 42 c. Gods children are in various conditions 127. Of the growth of the Saints 70 71 72. H. Heart what where it is seated 53 54. What it is to give God the heart 54 55. There is hardnesse of heart in a child of God 100. The heart of man is not to be hearkened unto and why 7. We should watch our hearts 202. Why men follow the counsell of their owne hearts 10 11. Incouragements to hope 20 21. The happinesse of beleevers depends not upon their doings 34 35 36 37 38 39. 46. Of hearing the Word 259. I. How men are made just before God 10. 121. No effect of sanctification can evidence justification and why 115 116. It is one thing to be justified and another to be sanctified 114 115. Who are fit to judge of mens estates 111 128 Many mens apprehension of justification is not from God and why 116. 162 163. What an infirmitie is 155 156. When men live by faith in infirmities 163. K. It is one thing to know another to know that we know 94. 61. L. What it is to be lost 123. God loves us before we love him 49. The love of God being discovered scatters all discouragements and feares 5. We are not to answer Gods love by our mortification of sinne 78. God loves freely 110. 23. False lives men live 7 8 9 10 11 124. M. Fallen man cannot helpe himselfe 6. 12 13 The mercy of God is infinite 25. see 33. 51. Such as have received mercy from God should be mercifull to others 130. That which moves God to shew mercy is in and from himselfe 24 25. Meanes to settle a soule in assurance of the love of God 105 c. Meanes alone
great a God as our God thou art a God that doest wonders and his footsteps are not knowne vers 14. 19. If God in his greatnesse were knowne and the wonders he doth knowne and his footsteps the way he goeth knowne men would admire him and rejoyce at that for which they now mourne When thou art tempted to unbeliefe set before thee the evill of this sinne in it selfe and the effects of it Learne to know and distinguish between the voyce of Christ and all other voyces that thou maist say It is the voyce of my beloved that knocketh and hearken unto it Song 5. 2. Christs voyce is peace to his Luk. 24. 26. Thy sinnes are forgiven Luk. 7. 48. I will remember them no more Heb. 10. 17. Therefore that voyce that tends to hinder the peace of the Saints suits with Satan and is not the voyce of Christ I will heare what the Lord will speake for he will speake peace to his people Psal 85. 8. Satan also speaks in the soule saying Is not this a delusion is it likely to be from God hast thou a heart fit for Christ and because this last voyce is more sutable to reason the soule is ready to close with it and to conclude against God and his own soule that the voyce was not from God but a delusion of Satan mistaking Christs voyce to be the voyce of Satan and Satans voyce to be the voyce of Christ which is a miserable mistake Therefore learne to know the severall colours sounds and voyces which are for God and which are for Satan 1 Cor. 14. 7 8 9 10 11. Or else you will mistake and come unprepared to the battell 2 Cor. 7. 5. Learne to know and distinguish between the voyce of the Gospel and the voyce of the Law the Law saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to doe them Gal. 3. 10 11. When there is any worke required to be done upon paine of punishment or upon promise of eternall life it is the voyce of the Law the Law requires a doing of something for life Mâ—ses describes the righteousnesse of the Law that the man that doth these things shall live by them Rom. 10. 5. But the voyce of the Gospel is otherwise that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. And to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 10. 5. see 9. verse to 13. and that his mercy is above what we can aske or thinke Eph. 3. 20. So the promises of liâ—e they are free without condition and the Gospel declares what God workes in us and freely gives unto us I will love them freely Hos 14. 4. If some persons did listen more to the promise which is the voyce of the Gospel and not unto the voyce of the Law or the voyce of corruption they should enjoy more peace and lesse trouble Meddle not with the threatnings in the Word so as to apply them to thy selfe because they belong not unto thee they are no part of thy portion they have nothing to doe with a beleever nor he hath nothing to doe with them the threatnings are for them that are under the Law but wee are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. A beleever having sinned through weaknesse applieth the threatnings against that sinne to himselfe not considering that Christ hath satisfied for the sinnes they commit Christ being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. Be sure yee judge not your state by false principles as to be bad for the want of that which if thou haddest it would not prove thy state good as knowledge memory Pâ—â—ls sensiblenesse of sin c. Nor judge thy state bad for the having of that which if thou wert freed from would not prove thy estate good as passion temptations discontentednesse c. If this Rule were observed some should not be so troubled as now they are Take heed you be not overwhelmed with sin therefore eye not so much thy infirmities Beware of such a minding of sin and such a complaining of it either to Gods or man as may discourage oppresse and trouble thy soule for this is sinfull Davids experience might teach him this I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed I am so troubled that I cannot speake Psal 77. 3 4. 8. Therefore hearken not to thy faylings corruptions doubts feares for as they are all against God so they are all against thy soule There is no grace no mercy from them therefore what thou seest and feelest see not consiâ—er not forget and what thy sense sees not see Faith is the evidence of things not seene Heb. 11. 1. Walke by faith not by sight 2 Cor. 5. 7. Eye Christ onely mind him meditate upon him and his rich and free grace fetch all thy comforts from him who is made to thee Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. If thou attendest only to God in his promise thou shalt finde Rest Psal 116. 7. O beleever eye not so much thy selfe or thy sinnes as Christs full and perfect satisfaction which was offered and accepted for all thy sinnes Heb. 10. 14 15 16 17 18. Oh therefore live and rest thy soule upon thy sweet Lord Jesus Christ alone place all thy confidence in him Doest thou not heare God say to thee Cast away all thy feares and come to me I will settle thee comfort quicken uphold thee and be better to thee then thy selfe can be I will be all in all unto thee Know the happinesse and perfection of the state of a beleever in Christ he is cleane from all sin by the bloud of Christ 1 Joh. 1. 7. They are removed from us Psal 103. 12. A beleever in Christ is accepted of God in him as perfect righteous and comely as Christ is for Christ saith to his Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee There is not any sin a beleever can commit can be a ground sufficient to question the love of God nor ought they to cast away their confidence in God for any thing they doe or can befall them nor ought they to cause any unquietnesse of spirit in them Heb. 10. 19 20. 22. 25. For now there is none that can lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect as Rom. 8. 1. Oh meditate on this truth until thy heart be over powered with it and thou injoy the sweetnesse of it and ever mind it seriously thy full freedome and sweet libertie thou hast in Christ Gal. 5. 13. Learne to distinguish between thy Justification and thy personall Sanctification the first is perfect and compleat in Christ the latter is in our selves and is weake and imperfect and uncertaine as appeares Rom. 7. Let us looke off our sinnes and looke upon Gods sweet promise who saith Their sinnes and iniquities will I remember
But I have sinned against Gods intreaties to returne So did they I said after shee had done all these things Turn thou unto me but shee returned not Jer. 3. 7. But I have sinned against Gods Reproofes So did they Thou hast a whores forehead that refusest to be ashamed Jer. 3. 3. 8. But I have sinned against Gods corrections in not being reformed by them So did they In vaine have I smitten your children they have received no correction Jer. 2. 30. But I have committed one sin often So did they Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers Jer. 3. 1. 6. But I have continued sinning for a long continuance of time So did they We have not obeyed the voyce of the Lord from our youth unto this day Jer. 3. 25. 2. 22. But my sinnes are against knowledge and Conscience So was Davids sin concerning Bathshebah and putting to death Vriah And so did Peter sin when he said and swore he knew not Christ and that he was not with him Mat. 26. 69. to 75. But I am fallen back from what I have been So did they Returne thou backsliding Israel Jer. 3. 6. 12. But I have willingly and resolvedly forsaken God So did they saying We are Lords wee will come no more at him Jer. 3. 31 32. But I have willingly chosen sin So did they saying I have loved strangers and after them will I goe Jer. 2. 25. But I have seduced others and caused them to sin So did they Thou hast also taught the wicked ones thy wayes Jer. 2. 33. And Manasseh seduced them to doe more evill then did the Nations whom the Lord destroyed and made Judah also to sin 2 King 21. 9. 11. 16. And Paul compeld men to blaspheme Act. 26. 11. 16. Manasseh a great sinner obtained mercy 2 Chron. 33. 18 19. And a lesser sinner perisheth in his sin that men may know the Lord will have mercy on whom he will Rom. 9. 15. But I have committed as much sin as I could So did they Behold thou hast spoken and done as evill things as thou couldst Jer. 3. 5. But my sins are after vowes and Covenants So were theirs Thou saidst I will not transgresse when upon every high hill and under every greene tree thou wanderest playing the harlot Jer. 2. 25. But I have justified my selfe in all my sinnes So did they Because thou saidst I have not sinned I will plead with thee Jer. 2. 35. But I despaire and have no hope of mercy This is worst of all yet so did they Thou saidst there is no hope Jer. 2. 25. And when I cry he shutteth out my prayer and I said My strength and my hope is perished with the Lord said Jeremiah Lam. 3. 8. 18. And Job said My hope hath he removed like a tree Job 19. 10. My dayes are spent without hope Job 7. 6. 13 14 15 16. David in his hast said I am out off before thine eyes Psal 31. 22. Abraham beleeved against hope Rom. 4. 18. Yee were sometimes afar off without God and without hope Ephes 2. 12. yet at last they were made nigh by the bloud of Christ Eph. 2. 13. Behold all these were once like unto thee and the Lord hath had mercy upon them and so he may have mercy upon thee also therefore poore soule be not out of hope mind what David said I was brought low and he helped me Psal 116. 6. God is able to save to the uttermost Heb. 7. 25. Consider what the name of the Lord is Exod. 34. 5 6 7. Oh the unsearchable riches of his grace all that know his Name will trust in him Psal 9. 10. And because the greatnesse of sin is one of the greatest discouragements to a soule under the sense of sin Consider these things which are incouragements of hope unto thee 1. Incouragement to hope The multitude or greatnesse of sinne ought not to be a discouragement unto thee because the fewnesse or smalnesse of thy sinnes are not to be any ground or cause of thy confidence in God for pardon but in the promise of God of pardon in which promise the truth and faithfulnesse is 2. Incouragement to hope Because the word of God doth no where say that great sinners shall not be saved therefore to conceive so is folly and no lesse then a delusion of Satan 3. Incouragement to hope Because the word of God saith the contrary that Jesus Christ came to save sinners yea and the chiefe sinners and this is a saying worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. Come now let us reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be made as wooll Isaiah 1. 18. The word of God declares many great and sweet promises to great sinners as Jer. 3. Isa. 55. 7 8 9. 43. 24 25. There be many examples of great sinners received to mercy as Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 18 19. Paul and one who was a sinner with a witnes Luk. 7. 37. 47. And many others yea the rebellious also Psal 68. 18. 4. Incouragement to hope Because there is a fountaine set open for sin and for uncleannesse Zach. 13. 1. And Christ is mightie to save Isa 62. 1. He will abundantly pardon Isa 55. 7. And his compassions faile not Lam. 3. 22. 5. Incouragement to hope Because great sinners that are heavie laden with sinne are called to come to Christ Mat. 11. 28. If any man thirst let him came to me and drinke Joh. 7. 37. Every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Isa 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. 6. Incouragement to hope The Saints have made their greatnesse of sinne an incouragement to beleeve Lord pardon my sinnes for they are great Psal 25. 11. How great is his goodnesse much greater then thy sinnes Zach. 9. 17. Isa 43. The greater our sinnes are the greater our faith should be Loe here is great consolation 7. Incouragement to hope Because God doth not sell Christ or grace but he gives Christ and all that is his freely Yee that have no silver come buy and eate come buy without money Isa 55. 1. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and let whosoever will take of the water of life freely Rev. 22. 17. Jesus stood crying saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Joh. 7. 37. 8. Incouragement Because such as Jesus Christ saves are unworthy ungodly and without works Rom. 4. 5 6. The most perfect Saint that ever hath been did stand in need of mercy and was unworthy Behold he found no stedfastnesse in his servants and chargeth his Angels of folly how much more in them that dwell in
but attaine unto such a deep measure of humiliation and sorrow for sin then they think they have an evidence for heaven but alas this is no evidence save onely of great ignorance in that they see not death in their best duties the Lord may say to you who worke so hard for life Thou hast found the life of thy hand therefore thou wast not grieved Isa 57. 10. Thou comfortest thy selfe in thine own sparkes but sorrow is all the comfort such comfort can produce yee shall lie downe in sorrow Isa 50. 11. When we say our good works are not the way to life men esteeme it a grievous error yet Christ saith I am the way Joh. 14. 6. Are thy works Christ or no if no then they are not the way for Christ saith true and if Jesus Christ is to be unto us all in all Col. 3. 11. Our best workes are to be unto us nothing at all our workes make us not the better before God nor to be more beloved of God but declare us to be what wee are made by God the Papists doe good works to be saved but we abhorre it because it is condemned by God therefore all those who expect and hope for mercy because they leave their sinnes as they say and do many good works consider what I say unto thee Alas poore soule thou art still in the state of nature in the gall of bitternesse thou art not quite plucked up off of thine own stocke of self-workes and self-concurrence with Christ and therefore art not planted into Christ thou art ignorant of the righteousness of God which is the cause why thou goest about to establish thine own righteousnesse and so long as thou doest so thou canst not submit to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10. 13. But diddest thou know what a righteousnesse Christ is thou couldst not but have preferred it before thine own righteousnesse yea it would be esteemed by thee but drosse and dung to his as Phil. 3. 8 9. And unlesse the Lord Jesus open thine eyes and reveale his righteousnesse unto thee thy righteousnesse which thou joynest with Christs for salvation will of a certaine worke thy destruction unto all eternity Publicans and harlots are neerer salvation then thee when you who worke for life are Pharisees and if you dye in this estate you must perish Mat. 21. 31 32. Luk. 7. 29 30. I know many will cavill and say if Christ must doe all and man nothing then men need not care what they doe but live as they list Answ As it is our dutie so it is our desire to doe whatsoever the word of God requires but we are not commanded to doe any thing to procure the pardon of our sinnes but in reference to service and dutie I count my selfe to be never the neerer Heaven for my best workes then if I had done nothing else but blaspheme God But what saith the Scriptures Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 4. 2 3 4 5. Wee are saved not according to our workes but according to his own purpose and grace 2. Tim. 1. 9. When wee were enemies wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 10. I will doe away thy offences for my Names sake Isa 43. 25. A new heart also will I give thee Ezek. 36. 26 27. 31. I have seene his wayes and will heale him Isa 57. 17. I have blotted out thy sinnes returne unto me c. Isa 44. 22. When thou wert polluted in thy own bloud I said unto thee Live When thou wert in thy bloud thy time was the time of love and I covered thy nakednesse c. Ezek. 16. 6. 8. All unto whom the mystery of Gods love and free grace is revealed they cry grace grace Christ Christ Christ is all in all nothing but Christ their prayers teares duties devotions and all of theirs is nothing to them in respect of acceptation or justification or salvation they are now dead to working they doe no workes in the world to attaine any of these all theirs is vanished and is quite drowned in the infinite Ocean of Gods free grace It is so that God might have all the glory Eph. 1. 6. Jer. 9. 24. and that man might not boast Rom. 3. 9. but obey God freely Luk. 1. 74. But I have no worke of grace wrought in me The Spirit shall convince the world of sin and of righteousnesse Joh. 16. 7 8 9 10. God hath begun his worke in thee if he hath convinced thee of sinne and of righteousnesse To be convinced of sin implies Such a discovery of sinne which causeth the soule to see her selfe guiltie and utterly lost and undone by reason of sin they confesse themselves are vile and they abhorre themselves Job 42. 6. They loath themselves for their deeds Ezek. 20. 43. Esteâ—ming themselves as beasts Psal 73. 22. The soule is convinced so as to have no hope Jer. 2. in any thing it can doe to helpe it selfe out of that miserable state of sin he is undone in nature he cannot doe any thing from whence he may expect salvation or have any hope of it for a man cannot expect life and salvation from Christ alone untill the soule be taken off of all other things in respect of life This vision of God causeth the soule to see themselves and say There remaineth no strength in me my comelinesse is turned in me into corruption Dan. 10. 8. That is my best workes my righteousnesse is defiled and is sinne now sinfull selfe and righteous selfe are alike if there be any difference the last is the worst now the creature hath nothing to procure Christ nor no strength to beleeve in him the holy Spirit discovers to the soule that there is nothing but darknesse and death in our best duties He is so convinced of sinne that he justifieth the justice of God if he perish in his sin as Psal 51. 4. Gen. 44. 16. See Leviticus 26. 41 42. Micah 7. 9. 2. Sam. 15. 26. Lam. 3. 28 29. It is from grace to be taken so off of nature and he that is so taken off of nature hath grace is begotten and borne of God For when the soule is taken off his own bottom it must have another to rest upon or else it sinkes therefore when God takes away the soules false soundation which was her false hope God gives the soule a better in himselfe The teaching and drawing of the Father Joh. 6. is this that all men have sinned and are in an estate of death and that in Christ there is a ransome in which is life and all happinesse and that this Jesus and all that he hath done is for him When the soule hath heard and learned this there is a power goeth with this teaching which carrieth the soule by faith
to Christ beleeving in him for the teaching of the Father and faith goeth together every one that hath heard and learnt of the Father commeth unto me Joh. 6. So that to convince the soule of righteousnesse is to be convinced of Christ to reveale Jesus Christ to the soule that in him onely is helpe and in his righteousnesse is deliverance I have laid help upon one that is mightie Psal 89. 19. Isa 63. 1. So fix and settle the eye of the soule upon Christs righteousnesse onely at least putting the soule under the hope of it for as soone as God hath stripped the soule of all hope in and from it selfe he turnes the soule to Christ and puts it under hope Ezek. 16. 5 6. when the soule seeth nothing but death God saith Live Ezek. 16. 6. and when the soule is a going downe into the pit God saith stay hearken I have found a ransome for thee Job 34. 23 24. Christ calls Come to me and be saved and the power of God goeth along with this call workes faith carrieth the soule to Christ as his own having possession of him When this is manifested to the soul faith acts in the love of God in pardoning his sinne greatly wondering at the greatnesse of his goodnesse or astonished with the glory of his present condition the heart being taken up as Luk. 1. 41. 43. though for the measure of it it is not in all alike For the first to be convinced of sinne then is more then a bare notion that it hath sinned for this may be in one that rests in themselves and in something else besides Christ and perish in this condition for by the letter of the Law and the light of reason men may see and say they have sinned as Saul and Judas did but those the Spirit convinces of sinne they are convinced to purpose because it is thorowly The Spirit shall convince the world of sin Joh. 16. 8. The Spirit discovers to the soule that she hath chosen something else besides Christ upon which the soule resteth and satisfieth her selfe withall and expects mercy and comfort from by reason of them and that they are her best services and other lying vanities as groundles hopes peace joy comfort c. telling the soule that there is nothing but death and darknesse in them and that if the soule rest in any of them there is nothing but death and destruction for them and there is a secret power of God which goeth along with this teaching which turneth the soule from darknesse viz. selfe Satan and all lying vanities to light to Christ where life is the Spirit reveales to the soule a sufficiency of life in Christ and it needs seek life in nothing else also the Spirit of God perswades a soule that this life is for him therefore he is to look to Christ for it and wait upon him for pardon and life and that the soule shall not lose her waiting and so be deceived but shall certainly have it at last Isa 57. 13. These things must be wrought in truth and in a measure in every soule that hath grace though for the measure of this it is not in all alike for in some it is in a small measure as it was in those who are named to be carnall and not spirituall yet then they were babes in Christ therefore their state was happy safe 1 Cor. 3. 1. 3. But when this is wrought in any measure in the same time faith is wrought and as the measure of this worke is wrought in the soule more or lesse in the same measure faith is wrought in the soule and as it appeares to the soule so accordingly faith appeares to the soule and when the soule seeth it selfe to be lost by reason of sin and seeth all to be in Christ for life and is taken off from resting upō any thing else besides Christ and to expect all from Christ resting upon Christ though this be but in the smallest measure wrought in the soule now this instant time faith is wrought Jesus Christ is formed in the soule and the soule is converted for this teaching of the Father and faith are inseparable Joh. 6. 45. 47. I cannot beleeve It is not in the power of the creature to beleeve in Christ Phil. 1. 29. therefore look not upon faith as a worke of thine own nor is faith any condition of the Covenant required on thy part for as the Covenant of grace is not made with man but with Christ as appeares Psal 89. 27 28 29 30. nor is there any condition in the Covenant of grace required on mans part neither is there any thing to be done by man to cause him to have an interest in the Covenant of grace or to partake of it for the Covenant of grace and life by Christ is every way free and unconditionall on mans part else how doth it differ from a Covenant of works if there were any thing to be done by us to have interest in it and if faith were a condition required on our part to partake of the Covenant or else not I see not but we are now in as bad a condition as to be under the Covenant of works it being as hard and impossible for man of himselfe to beleeve in Christ as it is to keep the whole Law as the Scripture declares How hard it is to beleeve the experience of many can testifie to beleeve is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. We must be in Christ before wee can beare fruit Joh. 15. 4. therefore we must be in Christ before wee can beleeve he that hath the Spirit of Christ hath Christ wee have the Spirit of Christ before wee beleeve therefore we have Christ before we beleeve Rom. 8. 9 10 11. Men are ordained unto eternall life before they beleeve Acts 13. 48. Faith is a grace of the Covenant on Gods part to be given to those who are given to Christ faith is given to some that by it they may know their interest in Christ and by it live upon him faith is no condition of the Covenant therefore they mistake who conceive faith to be a condition of the Covenant either required on mans part to partake of the Covenant of grace or given to men and then required of them as a condition although the Scripture expresseth that he that beleeves shall be saved yet is not faith any condition of salvation but such expressions are to be considered as a declaration to us what persons shall be saved viz. such as beleeve it is an information to such as know not who shall be saved and if any desire to know who shall be saved the answer is he that beleeves shall be saved Joh. 3. 16. If faith did give us interest in Christ when faith did not appeare to act it would appeare to us that we had no interest in Christ and that wee were not justified by him I know not whether I am bidden to
came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2. Chron. 20. 12. Look unto me and be saved Isai 45. 22. and so trust in Christ for life from a hope of mercy but this hope is without a certainty these are blessed as appeares Mat. 16. 17. Turne ye to the strong hold ye prisoners of hope Zach. 9. 12. Secondly the reflect act of faith which is to beleeve Christ came to save them from their sinnes as Mat. 1. 23. to know I beleeve he that hath this measure or degree of faith trusts in Christ from a knowledge of an interest in him we beleeve and are sure Joh. 6. 69. He that hath this act of faith hath the former but there be some which have the first act of faith but have not attained the second yet their hearts are turned unto Christ and fixed upon him and they long for him hope in him and rest upon him alone for life and salvation these have faith which causeth them to depend on Christ which none can doe but such as are possessed with Christ though at present they may not know it yet are they blessed Mat. 5. 6. and in his Name they doe trust Mat. 12. 21. The Apostle saith These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the Name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee have eternall life and that yee may beleeve on the Name of the Sonne of God 1 Joh. 5. 13. So that these words declare they did but weakly beleeve and that they did not know that they were possessed with eternall life yet they were therefore they had not that particular knowledge or assurance of the love of God yet did beleeve in Christ Some conceive they have no grace because they never had so deep a measure of sorrow for sin as some others have c. The word of God declares that those that beleeved had not one and the same measure of sorrow the Scripture declares no sorrow in Lydia receiving the Word Act. 16. 14. but it is said that the Jaylor trembled being in feare Act. 16. 29. The word of God is to be our Rule Isa 8. 20. and not mens conceits The greatest measure of sorrow griefe feare terror for sinne that ever any had made them not to be loved of God nor to obtain mercy from God nor did sensiblenesse of sin ever drive the soule to Christ but ever from Christ as Peters sensiblenesse of his sin caused him to bid Christ to depart from him Lord depart from me for I am a sinfull man Luk. 5. 8. therefore a deep sensiblenesse of sin hinders the soule in beleeving of Christ and drives it further from Christ Thou hast no cause to complain if God deales more gently with thee then he doth with some others it's a great mistake to thinke that God delights in slavish feares or teares What is the greatest sensiblenesse of sin worth that proceeds not from faith and floweth not from the apprehension of pardon love in so evill requiting God look not to sensiblenesse of sinne but to Christ thy very sensiblenesse of sin is not free from sin and it deserves nothing but death but in Christ is life If thou wert ever fatherlesse which is for the soule to be stripped of all that none of thy workes nor means nor men nor Angels nor nothing besides Jesus Christ can stand thee in any stead nor satisfie thee being resolved to wait upon Christ untill he please to manifest his free love in pardoning thy sinnes this is the worke of God in thee yea this is a great and sweet work of the Gospel and such a work as never was in any but such as shall be saved If thou renouncest all thy own sufficiency so as thy best duties cannot satisfie thee certain it is there is a better sufficiency come in place I feare my faith is not the faith of Gods Elect because it is attended with so many doubtings Feares and doubtings are no fruits of faith but of unbeliefe and as feares and doubts increase the stronger is unbeliefe in the soule so the soule is ready to judge that where so great unbeliefe is there is no faith yet the Scriptures declare that in those who had true faith the faith of Gods Elect yet at the same time have had much unbeliefe also in them so as they have been filled with doubts and feares Joh. 13. 1. And from hence it was that he in Mark 9. 24. called his faith unbeliefe because he was sensible of his great unbeliefe and was not unbeliefe strong in Thomas when he said he would not beleeve Joh. 20. 24 25. And seeing that a child of God may have true faith notwithstanding they may also have many feares and doubtings thou knowest not but the cause may be so with thee therefore take heed that yee deny not your selves to have faith lest yee call weak faith no faith and light darknesse and grace sin for to doe so is very evill Woe unto them that call evill good and good evill that put darknesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Isa 5. 20. those that put faith for unbeliefe doe so pray to God to strengthen thy faith as he did Mark 9. 24. and use meanes to remove such things as strengthen unbeliefe and hinder the sight of thy faith as ignorance is one cause of doubting also an over-sensiblenesse of infirmities sleighting Gods meanes neglect of duty or a formall performance or nourishing sinne more or lesse pronenesse to sin harkening to Satan to sense to carnall reasonings nourishing feare and unbeliefe c. Also endeavour to doe that which is a means to strengthen thy faith know the perfection of the state of a beleever in Christ in which the weakest and most imperfect beleever is as perfect as much justified accepted and as happy as the best live upon Christ alone make choice of and mind the sutablest promises for thee to feed and strengthen thy faith walk with God pray in faith aske his Spirit and thou shalt have it Luk. 11. 23. this Spirit will revive and fill thy soule with joy and peace in beleeving and make thee so wise and strong in his time that thou shalt not cast away thy confidence any more Heb. 10. 34. And as Gods love which is perfect full free is discovered to thy soule in the same measure thy doubts and feares are cast out for perfect love casts out feare And although you are to use meanes yet meanes are but means not causes of increase of grace it 's the operation of the Spirit of God in the soule which is as God pleaseth therefore looke up to God for faith I feare my faith is but presumption I feare the ground of this is thy not knowing or not minding what faith is and what presumption is What faith is see objection 15. and concerning presumption this word may
be understood in a twofold consideration first for such a confidence as is without a ground or secondly against a ground For the first he that presumes he hath a confidence of pardon but it is without any ground he hath no word of God for his confidence and it may be he can give no reason at all for his confidence much lesse a good reason that this discouragement may be answered and removed consider wherein faith and presumption differs He that presumes he hath no ground no word of God for his confidence here confidence is fetched from their own conceits they seek no life in Christ his word and promise 1. But he that truly beleeves in Christ his confidence is from the Word Wee through the Scriptures have hope Rom. 15. 4. In his word doe I hope Psal 130. 5. But I hope in thy word Psal 119. 81. 2. He that truly beleeves in Christ doth not receive any promise of life but in and through Christ in the riches of his grace But he that presumes if he receives a promise he receives it upon his qualifications without respect to Christ and he gathers conclusions of life from what they are and can doe their own righteousnesse was never to them as drosse and dung as Phil. 3. 8. So they depend upon their faith and not upon Christ by faith the ground of their confidence is because they are so good or not so bad as others as the proud Pharisee but he was never fatherlesse Hos 14. 3. nor did they ever receive the sentence of death in themselves 2 Cor. 1. 9. So they were ever confident and it was ever very easie for them to beleeve 3. He that beleeves his hope and trust is onely in God and they hope in his mercy The eyes of the Lord are upon them that hope in his mercy Psal 33. 18. 21. 22. And this is the work of God to perswade the heart to rest upon the free mercy of God in Christ Psal 13. 5. Psal 33. 18. I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Psal 52. 8. With the Lord there is mercy Psal 130. 7. God is rich in mercy Eph. 2. 4. Presumption cannot doe so Joh. 12. 37. 1 Pet. 19. 20. Joh. 6. 28 29. For the second so the confidence of the presumer is contrary to the word of God the word approves of no such confidence but protests against them and their confidence as appeares Jer. 7. 9. 15. So their presumption hardens them and makes them bold to venture upon sinful practises as lying stealing drunkennesse uncleannesse cheating and the like as theirs was Jer. 7. 9. c. 4. He that truly beleeves abhorres that which is evill and cleaves to that which is good Rom. 12. 9. Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe as he is pure 1 â—oh 3. 3. Purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15. 9. The grace of God teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11 12. Christ is precious to them that beleeve 1 Pet. 2. 7. They count all things but losse for Christ and for him they will suffer the losse of all things as Phil. 3. 8. Yet many there be who say they are confident c. and yet they dare not speak for Jesus Christ his truth his servants c. these are far from suffering the losse of all things for him So others can hold Arminianisme and free-will setting themselves and their endeavours above God and his grace in affirming that notwithstanding all the grace God affords to any man yet unlesse man shall please to will and improve it well for as they say he may choose whether he will or no it shall never be effectuall to him if it be so they may thank God for his grace without which they can doe nothing but much more themselves for saving themselves for others had as much grace as they as they say Judas had shall be damned and they had been damned also if they had not willed well c. and it was in their power and choice whether they would will well or no which is so contrary to the Scriptures so then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. Surely all those who have tasted of Gods free grace cannot but admire it and be thankfull for it and loath with the greatest indignation whatsoever shall intrench upon it although it were but in the least degree I have no grace because I grow not in grace my life is not holy nor am I like unto others who are the Lords Doest thou know thy age or degree in grace what art thou a child or a yong man or a father 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. there is a great difference between a childe and a man in nature so great is the difference between a babe in Christ 1 Cor. 3. 1. and a man in Christ 1 Joh. 2. 13. Also confider if thou canst whether if thou beest a babe in the wombe or borne Heb. 5. 13. He is a babe as a childe is begotten and alive while it is in the wombe before it be borne so thou maist be begotten from above and alive before thou canst be borne Christ must first be formed in us before we can be new borne babes Gal. 4. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 2. And when thou art delivered out of the state of bondage which is a place of darknesse of feares concerning thy soule thou art not borne and brought forth and as the wombe is a place of bondage so here and therefore canst not doe that service others doe if thou beest but new borne there cannot that be expected from thee as there is from a man in Christ as there is a difference between a childe and a man in nature so there is here learne to distinguish between the grace it selfe and the exercise of it it 's not the having of grace but the exercise of it which attaines to a holy conversation by the operation of the Spirit and when a soule is delivered from its enemies as Satan terrors wrath curse it 's borne being delivered we serve Luk. 1. 47. Deliverance is before working the time of doubting is a barren time men cannot fight and worke at the same time Regeneration consists in being begotten to the Lord to have union with him Joh. 17. 22. 23. 19. And for God to convey his power into the soule by which it is made conformable to the will of Christ and lives by faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. is another thing in some of the Lords the first is where the latter is not at least in the degrees of it beleevers are of severall growths and states as first babes children secondly young men thirdly fathers 1 Joh. 2.
12 13. Can babes work and yet if they die in that estate they shall not misse of glory 1 Job 2. 12. It is one thing to be justified and another to be sanctified so it is one thing to live another to be borne and to worke is distinct from both there is as much difference between some of the Lords as there is betwixt willing and doing some are termed carnall 1 Cor. 3. 1. others spirituall Thou maist be begotten but not borne if in bondage and then it is not the season of growing as another season is If thou beest ignorant or in temptation thy understanding is clouded and thy heart being distempered with feare so as Job 23. 8 9. and thou art not fit to judge of thy growth is a new borne babe 1 Pet. 2. 2. fit to judge of its growth Also consider it may be thou art in Gods way and so thou doest not use his meanes or not rightly consider Psal 1. 3. with Song 4. 12. there thou shalt grow I am much tempted by Satan that I have no grace Satan tempts Christs babes to cast away their confidence which is forbidden Heb. 10. 35. therefore if Satan tell yee that yee have no faith thou maist reply if I have it not in the act to my knowledge I may have it in the grace it selfe if he say that he knows and you know you have no grace at all Reply the Devill knows not and if I should thinke so I may be deceived as fire raked up in ashes appeares not and gives neither light nor heat so corruption doth hide and obscure grace 1 Cor. 3. 1. And if I have no grace why let yee me not alone as yee doe others and as yee did me when I tooke my fill of sin then ye told me I had faith when I had none I have found yee a lyer therefore I will not hearken unto you and I am the more confident I have grace because ye tell me I have none He is a lyer and the father of it Joh. 8. 44. But suppose I have no grace there is no reason why I should despaire because every one of the Lords were once without grace in the estate of nature At that time yee were without Christ being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel strangers c. having no hope and withouâ— God in the world but now in Christ Jesus yee who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ Eph. 2. 12 13. which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy 1 Pet. 2. 10. Many are ordained unto eternall life which did not actually beleeve nor had any grace at all I nor any doe not know but I may be one of them also therefore I know no reason to despaire nor will despaire doe me any good it is better to use the means wait upon God trust him with my soule if mercy come I shall be happy and shall have cause to praise him There is nothing too hard for God Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Jer. 32. 17. Mat. 8. 2. I cannot pray nor doe any thing to purpose therefore I have no grace Unbeliefe deads the heart and hinders thy living upon Christs strength It is so with thee that thou mightst see a need of Christ Joh. 15. 5. and live upon him who hath promised to be a full supply to his If God hath given thee a desire to obey him say not it is nothing because God saith it's something 2 Cor. 8. to 11. he gives this and if this be all thou hast it is accepted vers 12. and he will grant thy desire He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he also will heare their cry and will save them Psal 119. 19. Christ will not quench the smoaking flâ—x Isai 42. When we see no fire we know there is fire by the smoake holy desires cannot be in a soule that hath no grace Psal 145. 19. Desire after grace is an act of spirituall life an act is from a faculty a faculty is from life and being a dead man cannot desire none can desire that which they beleeve not to be nor that they doe not love desires if spirituall they flow from faith love and are a part of what it desires A will to obey may be all that a beleever can find in himselfe at some time To will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I find not for the good I would I doe not but the evill I would not that I doe Rom. 7. 18 19 20 21. Presse after obedience to God yet know our greatest holinesse cannot justifie us before God For by grace are yee saved through faith and that not of your selves c. Not of workes lest any man should boast Ephes 2. 8 9. Even the strongest of the Lords are but weake creatures and the highest perfection they can attaine unto in this life is a fight of our imperfections and a desire and endeavour to obey and to live upon Christ by faith see Phil. 2. 12 13. And was not Paul one of the most strongest beleevers see Rom. 8. 37 38 39. yet what saith he of himselfe and his words are the word of God That which I doe I allow not for what I would that I doe not but what I haâ—e that doe I To will is present with me c. Rom. 7. 14. to 25. He had no power to doe what he would yet he lived by faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. I find no willingnesse to duties I find no relish in them so that I often omit them Unwillingnesse to duties argueth much corruption from whence omissions often flow God may have begun his work in thee although it be thus with thee it may arise from divers causes as from unbeliefe doubting of acceptance of person and dutie and it 's no wonder if such have little list to obey also eying infirmities and not Christ also with them and not exercising grace especially faith little love to Christ loving temporall things deads the heart and makes it carnall weaknesse of grace or from Gods not affording present strength sloath and ease that slayeth the soule undiscreet doing duties out of their season ignorance of the nature of duties and what God requires in some causes ignorance of the sweetnesse of spirituall duties So the soules sicknesse which hinders the soules relish of spirituall things also weaknesse of body is a great enemy to action My flesh and my heart fayles but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Psal 73. 26. he never fayles Surely I am deceived I have no grace because I am not able to subdue my passions This declares rather weaknesse of grace then otherwise and it 's certain it is not from a want of truth of grace if
thou doest that which thou wouldst not as Rom. 7. 14. to 25. in our selves we are imperfect at the best Gal. 6. 1. The strongest is not able to stand alone also some of the Lords partake more of naturall choler which increaseth naturally and as that choler is we are more or lesse hasty and passionate A wicked man may be naturally patient and a childe of God may be sinfully passionate Jam. 5. 17. Thou shouldst not measure Gods love to thee nor the truth of his grace in thee by thy mortification of sin consider Rom. 7. God may for ends best knowne unto himselfe suffer corruption to be too strong for thee it may be to abase thee more as Paul Rom. 7. that thou maist see what need thou hast of a Lord Jesus to pardon and heale thee who knoweth but God may leave thy personall sanctification the more imperfect that we may minde and behold Jesus Christ and our righteousnesse in him and so live the more in him and our joy the more in our justification by him Rom. 4. 6 7. It 's one thing to have thy sinnes forgiven or not imputed Psal 32. 1 2. and another thing to be clensed from it live in the apprehension of the love of God and down goeth sin and all discouragements so live in discouragements and sinne prevailes as Psal 77. 2. 7 8 9 10. Wee ought not to fetch our comfort from our subduing of sinne but in Christ in whom we want no righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. Christ is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods When we are at the best we may not live in our selves nor by sight but by faith and when we are at the worst we are to live upon Christ by saith and comfort our selves in him and in him onely many when they want strength or comfort they seek what they want from their duties and comfort themselves in their abstainings from sin but for Christ he is not in all their thoughts Psal 10. 4. What I once felt is now decayed The ground of our faith is God in his Word and not our sight and feeling that is sensuall 2 Cor. 5. 7. We live not by sight and feeling but by faith Whilst thou maintainest feares and jealousies of Gods love to thee it is no wonder it is so with thee call to minde the dayes of old as Psal 77. It 's certain if ever God manifested his love unto thee he is still and ever will be the same unto thee having loved his owne he loved them unto the end Joh. 13. 1. With him there is no variablenesse or shadow of turning Jam. 1. 17. A child of God may decay in parts sight feelings and exercise of grace for a time as Phil. 4. 10. these are sometimes more and sometimes lesse but alwayes as God seeth best that wee might rest and relie upon nothing but Christ I see and feele nothing in my selfe or all is as nothing to me save onely Jesus Christ who is all in all to me We ought to beleeve that we neither see nor feele faith is the evidence of things not seene Heb. 11. 1. To live by faith is to walke after the Spirit and to live by sight and feeling is to live after the flesh Rom. 8. 1. I am discouraged because nothing is made good to me I doe not possesse it If thou beest included and art under the promise of it and under the hope of it thou shalt possesse it It may be made good unto thee without thy possession of it for wee must not ground faith in the possession of what it beleeves possession is sutable to sense and there is neither faith nor hope in what we possesse To have right in it and to possesse it are two things they died in faith and yet they did not possesse what they beleeved Heb. 11. 17 18. The possessiō of things gives no being unto faith nor is essentiall unto it no otherwise then as faith gives being unto it Abraham beleeved he should have a sonne here was his faith Rom. 4. 3. 17. 18. yet he did not possesse his sonne his sonne had no being but in the promise of God therefore to place enjoyment to be essentiall to faith is a very great mistake As a man must first beleeve God is before he can goe to God Heb. 11. 6. so a man must first beleeve in Christ to have remission of sinnes by him and after receive remission of sinnes as appeares Acts 10. 43. It thou hast power to close with God in the truth of his Word as Sarah did that shee should have a sonne not onely before shee had him but against reason shee beleeved shee should have him thou hast faith But I am not assured that I shall be saved therefore I have no faith Faith and assurance is not one thing but are differing and distinct assurance cannot be without faith but faith may be without assurance for assurance is not the proper act of faith assurance is an effect of faith and a higher measure then that is and the greater our feeling of assurance is the lesser our faith is Faith in the act is an assenting or cleaving to the truth and faithfulnesse of God in his promise not from any thing shee feeles in her selfe but from something it apprehends in God in his word Rom. 4. 20 21 22. The act of faith is sometimes attended with much strife and strugling for Satan saith to the soule it 's in vaine for thee to looke to Christ to beleeve in Christ Christ saith Come unto me beleeve I will ease thee Now for the soule to rest upon the fidelitie and abilitie of Christ in his promise is no small measure of faith assurance is not from the habit of grace nor from the direct act of faith but from the reflect act of faith which is for a man to see and know that he beleeves which assurance is from the immediate testimony of the Spirit of God in the conscience of one who is already a beleever causing the soule to know it beleeves The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our Spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. Now abideth faith 1 Cor. 13. 13. therefore faith doth at all times one way or other sufficiently evidence the truth of our estates if we did at all times truly discerne the testimony or true act of faith and the reason why we discerne it not is for want of a full measure of faith to withstand all that is opposit to faith for some there be who have faith yet by reason of their ignorance and unskilfulnesse as Heb. 5. 14 15. 10. 15. forgetfulnesse babes are unskilfull and have not experience of Gods dealings with his both for order and manner so that when faith doth not so lively act and when Christ doth not clearly appeare in the soule he begins to doubt whether he be not deceived and when
guide thy feet in the way of peace Luk. 1. 78 79. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee Isa 26. 3 4. What was that which brought thee so low but poring so much upon thy sins untill thou wert filled with despaire and thy omissions and commissions against conscience increased thy horror do the contrary and first beleeve then repent and see that yee daube not your selves over with your duties and know that which is a great cause of mourning is no cause of despaire therefore cast not away your confidence Heb. 10. 35. for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 37 38. Therefore say as the Prophet said When I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me he will bring me forth into the light and I shall behold his righteousnesse Micah 7. 8 9. I am in great misery and want outwardly by reason of poverty if God did love me I should not be so much neglected as I am Thou shouldst not reason so what thinkest thou of the condition of those who wandred about in sheep-skins goat-skins in deserts mountaines dens and caves of the earth I feare they were more destitute of outward comfort then thee and suffered more hunger cold and nakednesse then thee hast thou not a house not a bed to lie on the places where they wandred afforded not these things unto them art thou destitute afflicted and forsaken so were they whom God loved and esteemed the world not worthy of Heb. 11. 37 38. Poverty and want hath attended and kept company with many a deare childe of God Job was poore yea the Churches of Jesus Christ have been poore the Church of Corinth was poore 2 Cor. 8. 14. The Church of Smyrna was poore Rev. 2. 9. The Church of Macedonia was in deep poverty 2 Cor. 8. 1 2. And our Lord Jesus Christ was poore 2 Cor. 8. 9. And thou maist be very poore and yet God may love thee as he loves Jesus Christ Joh. 17. 26. The poore receive the Gospel and the profession of the Gospel of Christ have made the rich poore in that for Christ they have suffered the losse of all things Phil. 7. 8. In thy greatest want be content to be like Christ in poverty as well as in glory Joh. 17. 24. for the time will quickly come in which you shall feele no want nor suffer no hunger cold or nakednesse There is no state and condition under the Sun that is free from Satanst ēptations those who have more abundance of outward things he suggests insinuates unto them that these things are all they are like to have that seeing they have a heaven here of outward contents they must not expect another hereafter And to those who have greater gifts and parts he saith they are not given to them in love but onely for the benefit of others and is ready to discourage them Satan is ready to get an advantage of us wee are not ignorant of his devises 2 Cor. 2. 11. The Lord teach his to know the depths of Satan Rev. 2. 24. to know his stratagems and to resist him And as there is no state under the Sunne free from trouble so it is a sweet comfort unto all that are the Lords that there is no state and condition but as God can so he will support his in and under it and make it sweet and comfortable unto them yea the best for them for all things shall work for good to them that love God 1 Cor. 10. 13. Rom. 8. 28. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 35. 38 39. I cannot see God surely God hath forsaken me Sometimes God hides himselfe from his as the Scripture declares Verily thou art a God that hidest thy selfe Isa 45. 15. I opened to my beloved and he had withdrawne himselfe Song 5. 6. Behold I goe forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himselfe on the right hand that I cannot see him Job 23. 8 9. Our carnall reason and corrupt heart and Satan with his suggestions are so neere us before our eyes that we cannot see God and wee hearken so much to what they say that we minde not the voyce of the Spirit Rom. 8. 16. It is one thing to know and another thing to know that wee know Christ said they knew they said they knew not Christ said Whither I goe yee know and the way yee know Thomas said unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest how then can we know the way Christ spake true and they knew not that they knew Joh. 14. 3 4 5. So shee saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus When their eyes were opened they knew him Luk. 24. 31. Paul prayed that they might know the hope of their calling Ephes 1. 18 19. When God hideth his face we are to wait upon him and look for him Isa 8. 17. for he will returne againe but Sion said The Lord hath forsaken me my Lord hath forgotten me Can a woman forget her sucking childe c Yea shee may yet will not I forget thee Isa 49. 14. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I gather thee Isa 45. 7 8. When God absents himselfe from his his love and care is the same unto them as it is when he most manifests himselfe to them Another is discouraged saying I thought I had true faith but since I fell into a great sin I am perswaded if I had been the Lords I should not have been so left of God as I was to sin so as I did Say not so but consider that even some of the children of God he hath suffered to fall if not into the same sinnes yet as great David sinned in adultery and murder how greatly did Solomon sin after he obtained mercy 1 King 11. 9. And Peter denied Christ with an oath yet his faith was not voyd or nought Christs prayer was heard I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luk. 22. 32. therefore his faith never fayled him These examples are recorded in Scripture to set forth the glory of the riches of Gods free grace Eph. 2. 4. That men may know what God can doe and that great sinners might not despaire or faint under their sin therefore Christ saith All sinnes shall be forgiven unto the sonnes of men and blasphemies Mark
3. 28. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1. The bloud of Jesus Christ makes us cleane from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. To despaire of the mercy of God because our sinnes are great were to limit God in his mercy which is a greater sin and an adding sin to sin therefore for the greatest sinne a beleever can commit he ought not to moane without hope for no sin he can commit can never put him into a state of condemnation or under the curse Rom. 8. 1 2 3. And whilst we live in this world God healeth not our sinfull natures wholly nor takes it away quite the flesh lusteth Rom. 7. yet God ever esteemes his as they are in Christ and not simply as they are in themselves Eph. 1. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Paul saith I my selfe keep the law of God but with my flesh the law of sin Sin doth the evill that beleevers doe see Rom. 7. 15. 17. 20. 1 Joh. 3. 9. Consider Nehe. 9. 16 17 c. He knoweth our frame and remembreth that wee are but dust Psal 103. 14. God is never an enemy to his though they greatly sinne against him Psal 51. We are not beloved for our own sakes nor any thing in our selves but for Christ in whom God is well pleased Mat. 3. 17. Therefore nothing in us or that we doe can make us to be loved more or lesse God may well say of himselfe I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. His love is as himselfe ever the same and Christ in whom we are beloved ever the same Heb. 13. 8. therefore a beleevers hope joy and coÌ„fidence is to be ever the same in Christ Ps 23. 1. So we are commanded to Rejoyce alwayes Psal 5. 11. 32. 11. Let them exceedingly rejoyce Psal 40. 16. Psal 68. 3. and to rejoyce evermore Againe I say rejoyce 1 Thes 1. 5. 16. Phil. 4. 4. The joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8. 16. Oh there is enough in the Lord Jesus to satisfie thee at all times he is an unchangeable object of true joy in him onely is all our hope and happinesse whose bloud hath payd all the debt of all thy sinnes It 's Christ that died who now shall condemn surely none Rom. 8. 33. Therefore let not thy fall cause thee to question the love of God seeing thy salvation depends not upon thy repentance or holinesse but from Gods free grace Rom. 9. 15 16. Isa 43. 24 25. 57. 17. Ezek. 16. 1. to 9. My little children these things I write unto you that yee sin not 1 Joh. 2. 1. And for any to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse that is the sweet mercy and consolations of God to incourage them in their sinning they are led by the Spirit of the Devill he is their father and his works they do Joh. 8. I speak to you that regard iniquitie Psal 66. 18. that love sin and delight in it and are bold and venturous upon it and can drinke downe iniquitie like water Job 15. 16. You at present are in the gall of bitternesse and whiles it is so with them here is no consolation for them thâ—â—e may not be numbred with them who through weaknesse and temptation or want of watchfulnesse are overtaken and fall into sinne which they hate by not shunning the occasions of sinne c. Surely all the Lords have need to pray as David did to God Hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Psal 17. 5. Howsoever it be be not out of hope although thou didst persecute the truth as Paul did and them that professed it Act. 9. 1 2. yet afterwards he preached the faith Gal. 1. 23. thou knowest not but God may convert thee also The servant of God having fallen into sinne is to rise by faith for shall a man fall and not rise Jer. 8. 4. When I fall I shall arise Micah 7. 7. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth the iniquitie and passeth by the transgressions of the Remnant of his people Micah 7. 18 19 20. God subdues the corruption that is in his not all at once but by degrees therefore he saith I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and their sinnes will I remember no more Heb. 8. 12. God hath nothing against those who are in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 30. Yee are in Christ But alas I feele my heart is hardened There is much hardnesse of heart in a childe of God and they feele it and complaine of it and mourne under it which is from the new heart in them To feele hardnesse is from softnesse and the condition of an experienced childe of God O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare doubtlesse thou art our father thou O Lord art our father Isa 63. 16 17. Their hearts were hardened yet they were the children of God Motives or incouragements to beleeve NOtwithstanding faith is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Phil. 1. 29. it floweth from the Spirits operation in the heart therefore our beleeving is said to be the worke of God Joh. 6. 28. the operation of God Col. 2. 12. the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. The Spirit inlighteneth our understandings and boweth our hearts to beleeve So that without the Spirit of Christ we can doe nothing Joh. 15. 5. Ephes 1. 19. It is through grace that men beleeve Act. 18. 27. yet men are to use the meanes for when in the preaching of the Word we bid persons to doe so and so we expect the holy Spirit of God to put power to the words spoken to make them effectuall to enable the creature to obey as He said unto me Sonne of man stand up upon thy feet and the Spirit entred into me when he had spoken unto me and set me upon my feet Ezek. 2. 1 2. And the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare shall live Joh. 5. 25. Else it were in vaine to speak to dead men 1 Pet. 4. 6. To beleeve c. is a spirituall worke and all men by nature are spiritually dead Eph. 2. 1. 5. 14. onely they beleeve whose hearts God opens as Acts 16. 14. None can beleeve but they to whom it is given Phil. 1. 29. Therefore such words as these Beleeve in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Act. 16. 30 31. in this sense are to be understood for it is not in him that willeth and him that runneth c. Rom. 9. 16. it is God that worketh both to will and to doe Incouragements to beleeve 1. Because the Gospel is to be preached to every creature he that beleeves shall be saved Act. 16. 16. There is no precept or command for any to doubt none are exempted or forbidden to beleeve see Act. 16. 30 31. 1 Joh. 3. 23. but men are commanded
us any good 1 Cor. 1. 21. Doe not sleight nor refuse Gods consolations let them not seeme small unto thee are the consolations of God small with thee Job 15. 11. O soule own that comfort God gives thee if it seeme small to thee it s thy own own it lest yee live to complaine saying as David did My soule refused to be comforted Psal 77. 2. and to wish yee had that yee despised be thankfull to God for what thou hast received and hold that fast and let nothing goe that may tend to thy peace rest satisfied in Christs righteousnesse and adde nothing unto it I will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine onely Psal 71. 15 16. 19. 24. Thy righteousnesse is an everlasting righteousnesse Psal 119. 142. see Psal 22. 31. 35. 28. 50. 6. 51. 14. Jer. 33. 16. The perfection of Christs righteousnesse is held forth unto us and doth alwayes lie before us for us that we might ever be comforted with it and rejoyce in it with thankfulnesse for it seeing it so perfect and full of divine consolation Oh here is enough to refresh and satisfie all the Lords to all eternitie so that we have enough we need no other nor no more righteousnesse Meditate on Gods goodnesse unto thee let his loving kindnesse be ever before thy eyes Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O God Psal 48. 9. Beleeve in God I in Christ want of faith or want in faith is the cause of trouble in the soule Yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me and let not your hearts be troubled Joh. 13. 1. Faith in Christ quiets and settles a troubled soule Thou canst not be too confident in resting upon Christ in his free grace Psal 30. 5. therefore come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4. 16. Those who know God will trust him with their bodies and soules and that upon his word All that know thy Name will trust in thee Psal 9. 9 10. but a foole neither will nor can doe so O foole and slow of heart to beleeve Luk. 24. 25. But those who are made wise by God will trust in the word of the Lord Isa 26. 3 4. and say in his word doe I hope Psal 130. 5. When the Lord pleases to settle a soule in the assurance of his love he causeth the soule to trust in his word Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psal 119. 49. God by his word conveys that to the soule which is sutable to its wants and by his power and authoritie settles it upon the soule Above all take the shield of faith Eph. 6. 16. Feare not beleeve Luk. 8. 50. Yea cleave to God in his promise even then when thou art in thy greatest feares and most sensible of thy unworthinesse trust in him at all times God is a refuge for us Selah Psal 62. 8. If at all times then at the worst times also yea even then beleeve and heare nothing against thy beleeving God in his promise Abraham beleeved against hope Rom. 4. 18. So should wee doe oh beleeve God intends thy good Christ came to seeke and to save the lost Luk. 19. 10. Lost viz. in the sight and sense of thy own sin and misery and in thy own sufficiency Improve thy doubts feares temptations against beleeving to incourage thee in beleeving for hast thou not by experience found that it is but in vaine to hearken unto any of them Consider often and well these places Rom. 16. 20. Heb. 10. 35 36 37. Rev. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 4. 19. 5. 7. And search the Scriptures Reading helpeth mens judgements memories affections confirmes our faith and fits us to answer the temptations of Satan Renounce all lying vanities hearken unto none of them First hearken not to the voyce of thy heart it is a lying vanitie it will deceive thee Pro. 3. 5 6 7. Isa 44. 20. Secondly hearken not to Satan Thirdly hearken not to sense Thomas said he would not beleeve unlesse he might see and thrust his hand into his side Joh. 20. 24 25. But this sensuall practise is to be abhorred by us for this is to consult with flesh and bloud which cannot discerne spirituall things 1 Cor. 2. 14. and is condemned by God Gal. 1. 16. So some persons will see such a holy frame of spirit in themselves and feele such a sin subdued c. before they will beleeve yet faith looks not to such things as these but onely to God in his word therefore wee must not live by sight but by faith 2 Cor. 5. 7. and blessed are they that have not seene yet have beleeved Joh. 20. 29. Fourthly hearken not to carnall reason if it be hearkened unto thou canst not beleeve nor submit to God nor be setled for doth not reason say that a Virgin cannot bring forth a childe and a woman of ninetie yeares is past conceiving a childe therefore reason saith it cannot be and so contradicteth God himselfe Gen. 17. 16 17. Mat. 1. Also can reason beleeve that by faith the walls of Jericho fell downe and that the Saints stopped the mouths of Lyons and quenched the violence of fire by faith yet faith did it Heb. 11. 30. 33 34. Or is it likely or possible to reason for a man to walke upon the Sea as Peâ—er did Mat. 14. 29. And did not Christs command seeme vaine to Peters reason that he should cast in his net into the Sea seeing he had cast it in so often and fished all night and catched nothing Luk. 5. 8. Can reason conceive how the dead who are eaten with beasts or fishes or turned into dust can be raised to life or that the Sea can be divided the Sunne goe backward or the Rockes yeeld water in abundance surely there cannot be any reason given for them And seeing sense and corrupt reason is so contrary to God in his word why should we hearken unto them when they say the soule hath no grace because sense seeth none and that God will not pardon their sinnes because there is no reason to reason why he should nor no way to reason which way it can be yet it may be for with God all things are possible Mat. 19. 26. They that hearken unto lying vanities forsake their own mercies Jonah 2. 8. 5. Live not upon duties 6. nor upon good report 7. nor upon groundlesse hopes 8. nor upon peace 9. comfort 10. joy 11. raptures 12. ravishments though they all be true or false live upon God alone and upon nothing else besides God in Christ if thou doest live upon any thing else as thy foundation is unsound so it will deceive thee and whatsoever their sparkes may be they must and shall lye downe in sorrow Isa 50. 10. Let not thy comfort depend upon Gods actings or dispensation to the inward or outward man if thou doest thou canst not be setled for they are oft changeable and coÌ„trary one to another one day
3. 17. Isai 53. 11. Also to say we are not justified before God or in his sight untill we beleeve is to say we must adde our work to Christ to make up our justification before God and if it be so then wee in part save our selves and if we doe joyne with Christ in this worke why may wee not joyne with him in the glory of it for that may be esteemed one of the greatest parts of our justification without which we cannot be justified But this derogates from Christ and all such tenets we are to hate with execration For saith Christ I have troden the wine-presse alone and of the people there was none with me Isai 63. 3. Wee rather say if wee beleeve not yet he abideth faithfull he cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2. 13. What the Lord Jesus Christ hath done for us is perfect and is by God imputed to us so as it is really ours though it be inherent in another and by beleeving it wee know it to be ours Rom. 4. 24. First Not any shall be saved by Christ but those who were predestinated in him according to his eternall purpose Eph. 1. 4 5. 3. 11. And that there was not any foreseene faith or works in any kinde why he chose these rather then others the will of God was the cause one was chosen and not another all was according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise and glory of his grace Ephes 1. 5 6. Are we better then they no in no wise c. Rom. 3. 9. It was from his great love wherewith he loved us Ephes 2. 4. This love of God was the cause of Gods sending Christ Joh. 3. 16. and the chiefe cause of mans election and salvation 1 Joh. 4. 10. Eph. 1. 4. Joh. 17. 23. And that it is impossible for this great love to decrease or increase because it is infinite as appeares by Psal 139. 17 18. Jam. 1. 17. God is perfect and infinite he knows and understands all things that ever were are or shall be at once So he is one pure act therefore when we were chosen in Christ wee were justified and compleat in him God looked upon the Elect to be in Christ before the world was Ephes 1. 4. and so he ever lookes upon the Elect So that they ever appeare to him perfect and righteous as Christ for they are one and are in him 1 Cor. 1. 30. Yee are in Christ Jesus and ever shall be in him being justified freely by his grace in his sight Rom. 3. 20. 24. God properly was never wroth with Christ nor the Elect and therefore Christ could not suffer Gods wrath see Heb. 2. 9. So that in respect of their justification God seeth no sinne in any of the Elect even before their calling and after And as it is Gods will so it should be ours to set his glory above our salvation that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us to the praise of the glory of his grace Ephes 1. 5 6. Ephes 2. 7. Secondly In time the Elect did breake a holy and just Law and so lay under the curse and wrath of it which was death Rom. 3. 21. 23. Christ in our nature for our persons suffered death Heb. 2. 9. the penalty to free all the Elect so that they are now actually justified by Justice That he might be just Rom. 6. 15. 3. 25 26. If God should have justified us without this propitiation after he had made this Law and we breaking it he could not have been just but having received this propitiation he could not be just if he did not justifie the Elect That he might be just and the justifier c. Rom. 3. 26. Thirdly The soule by faith doth apprehend and apply Christ and what he hath done to be for him by which it knoweth it selfe to be justified in the sight of God and in the Word and in his own conscience Whence flowes joy and peace in beleeving Rom. 5. 1. because all that beleeve are justified And as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Act. 13. 39. 48. So that by beleeving I know I am ordained to eternall life because Gods word saith so and that wee are justified in his sight without the deeds of the Law Rom. 3. 20. 28. viz. by faith wee apprehend our selves to be freely and fully justified by Christ without any workes of our own Gal. 2. 16. without any addition of inherent goodnesse in us c. Fourthly by our workes in our outward subjection to Christ to his word we declare to men as farre as they can judge that we have the faith of Gods Elect 2 Pet. 1. 1. Thou O Lord knowest the hearts of all men but faith without workes is dead to men and buried also James 2. 18. 20. If there be no workes they can see nothing of it shew mee thy faith by thy workes Yee see then how by workes a man is justified 21. 24. In the 1. we are justified in respect of the knowledge and purpose of God in his sight Rom. 3. 20. In the 2. we are actually and vertually justified in Justice by the bloud of Christ which payd the debt now the full price the full debt being paid is it justice in law by God or man to require it againe surely no. In the 3. wee are justified in our Consciences by the holy Spirits manifestation and application of Christs righteousnesse unto us In the 4. and last we are justified before men or unto men Object If it be so that men are loved of God c. before they repent and beleeve then men may live as they list c. Answ We are to own and confesse the truth and not what men of corrupt minds and base spirits will say and will doe the Apostle saith If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2. 1. But what if one say it seemes the Apostle incourages men to sin to tell them there is an Advocate who is alwayes heard And the Apostle saith Where sinne hath abounded grace did abound much more Rom. 5. 20. By the Apostles answer it appeares some did say they might continue in sin that grace might abound what shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid how shall we that are dead in sin live any longer therein c. Rom. 6. 1 2. But this is an old cavill and slander cast upon those that teach the truth as the Apostle saith it was then in his dayes We be slanderously reported and as some affirme that we say let us doe evill that good may come whose damnation is just Rom. 3. 8. Their exception is against the truth of God and therfore we leave them to God to answer and satisfie them And though all the Elect are freed from the curse of the Law yet we establish the Law Rom. 3. 31.
upon him with his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 6. God hath in wisdome and love left sin in his to keepe them humble in the sense of sinne and that wee may know what we are and our strength that wee might exercise the graces of the Spirit faith for pardon wisdome watchfulnesse self-deniall c. which we could not doe if wee had no sinne and that we might long to be in heaven where we shall injoy a full freedome from all sinne and that wee might love and prise Christ more seeing we stand in such need of him to pardon and heale us and that wee might daily depend upon Christ against it and live upon the fulnesse of Christ which wee should have no need in this kinde if we could not sinne and that wee might not scorn nor insult over any and that Gods power may appeare in preserving a little grace in a soule so full of sinne and also the power of his grace in subduing so many and so strong sinnes and that wee might admire that rich grace that can love such as we are and pardon our so many and great sinnes The use of this is if it be so first expect not full freedome of sinne here as some dreame Secondly doe not sinne that grace may abound God forbid Rom. 6. 1 2 3 8. but in obedience to God and love to him use all meanes against it all thy dayes strive against it in the strength of Christ the love of Christ will teach thee and cause thee to doe so Thirdly Be not over-pressed and sunk under it but live by faith in all infirmities say as Paul I glory in my infirmities not as they are sins but because by them Gods power and goodnesse is the more seene both in pardoning and healing see Rom. 5. 20. 6. 1 2. 2 Cor. 12. 9. Rom. 3. 7 8. c. What if I should say all the Lords are the more happy they were sinners else how could they have been capable of mercy and heaven and union with God c. If there were not evill it would not be knowne what is good justice and mercy had not been known therefore how could God be knowne his wisdome in drawing good out of evill nor his infinite love in sending Christ to dye could not have been known and man could not come to that full happinesse in Christ if there had not been sin Sin should not hinder our faith it is hard to beleeve the pardon of seventy seven sinnes in a day yet faith is able to beleeve it and also to keep a sinner from being perplexed in his spirits with any sinne or trouble so as to hinder the soule from rejoycing in God all the day long faith looks to Jesus Christ his bloud intercession and obedience who hath payd all our debts 1 Joh. 2. 1. and now wee are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6. 15. So that the weakest beleever may say in the middest of all my imperfections have as much of the love or God and union with him acceptation reconciliation full and perfect righteousnesse in Christ to cover all my defects as the best Saint ever had and my state shall be as happie as any of theirs and were it not for Christ all their holinesse could not helpe them and they might cry they are unprofitable in all and had also perished in their sinnes Can a man be profitable to God Job 35. 7 Surely no and what shall hinder me of having as much happinesse and glory in heaven as the best Saint Oh who can expresse the sweetnesse that is in this doctrine of free grace to an humble soule and it is wonderfull sweet and it is a strong tie to God in all holinesse I know men of base spirits unbeleevers will catch at what I say but if they doe who can helpe it the children must have bread and if such dogs will snatch it to their perill be it as for you who love sin so as you are not willing to part with your sinnes that you desire to make Leagues and Covenants with sinners hell and death and the devill you take incouragement to sin because God is rich in grace c. Oh consider if yee have hearts yee are those who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse yee are still in your sinnes yee are the dogs touch it not it is not for you Christ saith It is not meet to cast the childrens bread to dogs Maâ— 7. 6. A childe of God is described by a desire to feare the Name of God Nehe. 1. 11. 1. Those that live the life of faith in infirmitie they eye Christs sanctification and injoy comfort in it 2. There is a harmony between that soule and Gods command Speake Lord for thy servant heareth 1 Sam. 3. 10. 3. He is not offended at Christ at any thing he requires Blessed is he that is not offended in me Mat. 11. 6. For this is the love of God that we keepe his Commandements and his commandements are not grievous 1 Joh. 5. 3. 4. He lookes at the word of God for his rule and his desire is wholly to be ruled by it he will trust God and relie upon his word 5. He eyeth Christs strength in his promise for helpe and by faith makes it his own Psal 46. 6. Surely in the Lord have I righteousnesse and strength Isa 45. 24. 6. He will with courage incounter against what ever opposeth God and contend earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints Jude vers 3. 7. He is sensible of good and evill and layeth to heart his own and others sins Acts 20. 31. 8. No sinne he commits doth so discourage him and sinke him but he can joy and rejoyce in Christ his joy and sorrow is not legall but evangelicall or spirituall and therefore may be in one Saint both at one and the same time 1 Thes 5. The second branch of this life of faith in infirmities it is to live upon Christ in his promise to helpe us against all our infirmities upon such places as these If thou beest in deadnesse of heart consider Behold my servant shall sing for joy of heart Isai 65. 14. In thy Name shall they rejoyce all the day Psal 89. 16. In dumbnesse consider The tongue of the dumbe shall sing c. Isa 35. 36. The mouth of the righteous shall speake wisdome and his tongue talkes of judgement Psal 37. 30. In forgetfulnesse The Spirit shall bring all things into your remembrance Joh. 14. 26. When thou art in feare of want consider There is no want to them that feare him Psal 34. 9. Trust in the Lord and doe good and verily thou shalt be fed Psal 37. 3. Seeke yee first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all things else shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 34. Take no thought for to morrow shall take thought for it selfe sufficient to the day is the evill thereof Take no thought for your life what yee shall
eate or what yee shall drinke nor yet for your body what yee shall put on is not the life more then meate and the body then rayment Behold the fowles of the ayre they neither sow nor reape nor gather into barnes yet God feedeth them are yee not much better then they O yee of little faith Which of you by taking thought can adde one oubit unto his stature Take no thought for after these things seek the Gentiles you heavenly Father knoweth that yee have need of these things Mat. 6. 25. to the end see Rom. 8. 32. Luk. 12. 15. Cast all your care upon him for he careth for you be carefull for nothing but in every thing let your requests he made known to God with thankesgiving Phil. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Let your conversation be without covetousnesse and be content with such things as yee have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. 5. In thy ignorance consider Wee have such an high Priest as can have compassion on the ignorant Heb. 5. 2. If any want wisdome let him aske it of God who gives liberally and it shall be given him but let him aske in faith without wavering Jam. 1. 5. Having fallen into passion to keepe thee from sinking under it consider what the Apostles said Wee are also men of like passions with you Acts 14. 15. Elias was a man subject to the like passions as we are c. Jam. 5. 17. And so of all other infirmities He will heale all thy diseases c. Psal 103. 8. If wee did live in Christ by faith more our infirmities would be lesse For a supply of all wants My God shall supply all you need according to his riches by Christ Jesus Phil. 4. 6. 19. Christ is able and will supply all our wants 5. The life of faith for graces and in the exercise of them To beleeve They shall trust in the Name of the Lord Zeph. 3. 12. This is his Commandment that yee should beleeve on the Name of his Sonne Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 3. 23. To increase in faith They shall grow from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. To live by faith The just shall live by faith Rom. 1. 17. To continue in the faith He that beleeves in me though he were dead yet shall be live c. Luk. 22. 32. 1 Pet. 1. 5. In exercise of faith Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee Isa 26. 3. Joh. 11. 25. 7. 38 39. He is a buckler to all them that trust in him Psal 18. 30. He that puts his trust in the Lord mercy shall compasse him about Psal 32. 10. To know God Thou shalt know the Lord Pro. 1. 23. They shall all know mee Jer. 31. 33 34. To love God Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Mat. 22. 17. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart that thou maist love him with all thy heart and soule Deut. 30. 6. I have declared thy Name that thy love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them Joh. 17. 26. In loving God He that loves me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my selfe unto him and dwell with him Joh. 14. 21. 23. To seeke God That they should seeke the Lord Act. 17. 27. Seeke yee the Lord. In seeking God Blessed are all they that seeke him with their whole heart Psal 119. 2. The Lord hath not forsaken them that seeke him Psal 9. 10. Your hearts shall live that seeke him Psal 69. 32. They shall praise the Lord that seeke him Psal 22. 26. They that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing To feare God I will put my feare in their hearts and they shall not depart from me Jer. 32. 39 40. They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes Hosea 3. 5. In fearing God The Lord takes pleasure in them that feare him Psal 147. 11. He that feares the Lord him shall he teach the way that he shall choose Psal 25. 12. There is no want to them that feare him viz. feare lest they sinne against him Psal 34. 9. He will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great Psal 115. 13. To hope in God In hoping in God The Lord takes pleasure in those that hope in his mercy Ps 147. 11. Wee are saved by hope Rom. 8. 24. Happy is he whose hope is in the Lord Ps 146. 5. Be of good courage he shall strengthen your hearts all yee that hope in the Lord Ps 31. 24. To waite on God Waite I say on the Lord and he shall strengthen thy heart Psal 27. 14. In waiting on God They shall not be ashamed that waite for me Blessed are they that waite for him Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what he hath prepared for them that waite for him Isa 49. 23. Isa 30. 18. 1 Cor. 2. 9. To delight and rejoyce in God Thou shalt have thy delight in the Almightie thou shalt rejoyce in God in thy Name shall they rejoyce all the day our hearts shall rejoyce in him Isa 41. 16. Psal 89. 16. Psal 33. 21. To praise God The living he shall praise thee daily shall he be praised they shall praise the Lord who so offereth mee praise glorifieth me Isa 38. 19. Psal 72. 15. Psal 63. 3. Psal 22. 26. Psal 50. 23. To injoy peace with God Let him take hold on my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Isa 27. 5. To love the Saints This is his Commandement that we should love one another 1 Joh. 3. 23. Little children love one another see that yee love one another with a pure heart fervently 1 Joh. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 22. By this shall all men know that yee be my Disciples if yee love one another Joh. 13. 35. 1 Joh. 3. 14. To love enemies Love your enemies doe good lend hoping for nothing againe and your reward shall be great c. Mat. 5. 43 44. Luk. 6. 35. To judge our selves They shall judge themselves worthy to be destroyed Judge your selves and yee shall not be judged Ezek. 36. 31. 2 Cor. 11. 31. To mourne for sinning against God I will powre upon them the Spirit of grace and they shall mourne Your sorrow shall be turned into joy Blessed are they that mourn in faith for they shall be comforted Zech. 12. 10. Joh. 16. 20. Mat. 5. 4. In poverty of spirit To him will I look saith God that is poore and of a contrite spirit c. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heaven Isa 66. 2. Mat. 5. 3. In desires after Christ c. Hoe every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and drinke if any man thirst let him come to me and drinke
out of your selfe in the conceits of other men he that is little in his own eyes will not be troubled if he seeme so to others he that is troubled because others words answer not his desires he shall never live quietly and he that priseth others praises he injoyeth neither God nor himselfe 18. To sympathize with others Every day to take notice and sympathize with the sorrowes and sufferings of those that are the Lords and to be content to stand or fall into any sorrow or sufferings with the Church of Christ to part with estate friends libertie life If I doe not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth Psal 137. 6. Lam. 1 2 3 4 5. Chapters 19. To meditate Every day to meditate upon God in his goodnesse unto me and mind what God hath prepared for me in heaven and how I may be preserved from sin selfe c. and order my conversation aright Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide Gen. 24. 63. doe so or enter into thy closet Mat. 6. 6. Consider Psal 1. 2. 32. 4 5 6. Heb. 10. 38. Jos 1. 8. The book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night Meditation is wonderfull sweet and profitable by it wee winde up our minds from things below Col. 3. 4 5. and injoy God and thy selfe and live in heaven while thou art in the earth refreshing thy selfe with the great varietie of those invisible comforts in heaven the interest joy rest that thou shalt finde at last we might meditate of the miseries frailtie and shortnesse of the time we have to live here and how we may prevent sin beare the crosse deny our selves live by faith be contented in want grow in grace escape temptations keepe a good conscience and what is my duty to God and man and-wherein I come short what mercies I injoy and how I live by faith in every thing how I profit by afflictions or am thankfull to God for his sweet mercies to my soule or body and a thousand profitable things in which the soule may finde sweetnesse and if yee be risen with Christ seeke those things that are above Col. 3. 1. By faith and meditation keepe thy heart above to view thy everlasting glory filling thy selfe with joy injoying the joyes of heaven which I shall certainly and quickly injoy unutterable unconceivable and infinite bottomlesse boundlesse endlesse Oh the ocean of the joyes of heaven the greatnesse of sweetnesse in so great confluence of all joyes pleasures and delights which shall be for ever and never have an end 20. Watch to deny selfe That I daily deny my selfe wit wisdome carnall reason learning favour of men applause passion ease libertie and all things for God Consider Luk. 14. 20. 33. Mat. 16. 24. Mark 8. 34. Luk. 9. 23. It is good thus to crosse our selves if we could deny our selves every thing would be easie for us to doe for all things are so sure under us as we are above our selves in the same measure we are spirituall or live by faith so much we deny our selves such as cannot deny themselves are not able to indure the troubles and indignities of this world but will shrinke and fall off in the day of battell Luk. 14. 28. 31. 21. To be humble That in all my actions I be humble and meeke sincere serious fervent chearfull For humilitie and meeknesse consider Mat. 11. 29. Sinceritie Deut. 18. 13. Ephes 6. 14. Joh. 1. 47. Without faith and sinceritie all is nothing worth Fervency Fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. Jam. 5. 16. Fervent prayer Chearfulnesse Rejoyce evermore 1 Thes 5. 16. A chearful and a willing spirit is most sutable and acceptable wee oft looke not so much what is done as from what affection it is done an unchearfull spirit is soone weary if we be overwhelmed with sorrow feare c. and if we be filled with lightnesse vanitie wee are unfit for any service of God 22. Watch in use of meanes That I use the meanes to injoy and increase in holy resolutions desires purposes c. to injoy God and the things of God for God With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not wander from thee Psal 119. 10. If resolution be wanting if thou beest forgetfull sloathfull thou art like to be a poore Christian Oh the strong and restlesse desires and the unweariednesse thereof after God of a heart touched with his love and tasted of his sweetnesse 23. Watch to joy in God That every day I rejoyce in God my union with him and interest in him and priviledges and happinesse by him c. and in the exercises of his graces and his word and Saints as the temptations chiefest joy and greatest advantage I was in his love before the world was love was the cause he shed his bloud for me it is his love that preserves me and crowned with it I shall be to all eternitie 24. That I scorne none That I sleight none nor checke any with their deformitie of body dulnesse or weaknesse of wit or memory meannesse of outward estate birth or smalnesse of gifts parts c. and to pitie those who are still in their sinnes Consider who made the difference between him and thee see 1 Cor. 4. 7. Job 10. 10. Psal 39. 13 14. 16. Isa 28. 26. In spirituall things Ezek. 16. Isa 43. 25. Rom. 5. 11. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Phil. 1. 29. Rom. 3. 24. Ephes 2. 10. The free grace and love of God onely maketh the difference and if God should convert him he may soone become better then thee or me 25. To know the vanitie of the creature Every day to consider the vanitie of these outward things and the hurt wee receive by them how wee exceed in our affections unto them notwithstanding they are not ours and may in a lesse time then an houre be taken all from us or us from them and that we are often distracted and unsetled by them to the end I may with more content want them and be weaned from them in my injoyment of them and so to use the liberties of this life soberly so as to be bettered by them All things below are full of transitorinesse mortalitie and change vanitie of vanities c. all is vanitie Eccl. 1. 2. These things are under the Sunne Eccle. 2. 7. but above is constancy and eternitie of all excellencies perfections and pleasures we have no certainty of any thing below Eccl. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 5. 25. Pro. 23. 4. Luk. 12. 15. Experience makes it appeare the more men possesse of outward things the lesse many use and injoy the more wee love them the more we are crossed with them and the more they have the more they are in want because of their insufficiency uncertainty and perishing nature Religion oft payeth for mens getting riches and oft suffers most by them 26. Watch in solitarinesse That
him that our spirits may be composed and our whole man rightly disposed craving his strength to inable us to a right performing of this holy dutie In particular 1. For the person he must be accepted must be a Sonne Rom. 8. 15. Also all that pray ought to put away all wrath strife envie c. God esteems so highly of peace that he will have his service stay till it be accomplished Mark 11. 25. Mat. 5. 24. Therefore we should take heed that there be no such distempers found in us by him who knows our hearts for it will choake conscience and weaken our boldnesse with God If we regard iniquitie God will not heare our prayers Psal 66. 18. Such as love their sins God loatheth their prayers The prayer of the wicked is abomination to God God looks at the heart Christ saith When thou prayest forgive Such a forgive not others pray without life 2. Prize prayer have it in that esteeme which God puts upon it God hath honoured prayer so that every one that useth it is the better for it for every one that asketh receiveth Mat. 7. 8. 3. Set times apart for to pray and separate thy selfe to some place where thou maist be alone and out of the hearing of others if thou canst that so thou maist freely powre out thy soule to God without hypocrisie for a mans desire he will separate himselfe Pro. 18. 1. Christ chose a time before day early in the morning and one of the places he chose was a Wildernesse Mark 1. 35. Sometimes a mountaine and a garden and when that cannot be had he faith When thou prayest enter into thy Closet c. Wee should so pray and worship God as men set free from all other things So we need avoyd all occasions of hypocrisie Hypocrites stand in corners of the streets because they love to be seene of men 4. Before thou prayest spend a little time some thoughts concerning what God is and what may raise thy heart and incourage thee to draw neere to God Consider what be thy chiefe wants lets temptations corruptions also to consider the sutable promises of a supply fits the soule to pray also to consider what mercies we have received above others and what cause wee have to be thankfull to God 5. Prayer requires our ends to be holy and right placed as to injoy God and for grace to obey him and last and least of all for such things as chiefly concerne our selves as peace c. If the end be nought or good and not right placed we aske amisse Jam. 4. 6. Deny thy selfe and come empty headed hearted handed of all that is thy own that God and his grace may be all in all emptinesse raiseth our hearts in prayer 7. Mind thy own inabilitie to doe any thing that is spirituall and looke up to Christ by faith for strength eying his promise we are no more able to pray or doe any spirituall worke of our selves then to remove a mountaine at once 8. Consider God in his attributes that he is great gracious mercifull slow to anger c. and that he is so to thee and that he is neere thee yea present with thee all in God is ready to helpe his his ocean of grace cannot be exhausted spent his fountaine doth nothing decay though multitudes draw from it 9. When thou comest to God thinke thou canst not have too high thoughts of God nor too low ones of thy selfe Dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. a worme corruption so Job Thou canst not set God high enough nor thy selfe low enough if we could see our own filth we should stinke worse then the filthiest carrion in our own nostrils 10. Come to God with a heart that is large chearfull by faith in assurance of person and prayer accepted hate suspitions and jealousies of God see Ps 65. 2. 7. 7. 4. 7. aske chearfully such as goe not chearfully to God know not what a God they go to say to thy soule Come O soule rejoyce be chearfull for thou art a going to thy God 11. Be abased under thy pride formalitie coldnesse dulnesse deadnesse and breake through all impediments to goe to God in prayer 12. Empty thy selfe of all distractions cares and clogs of spirit that thou maist be free when thou comest to God hold thy heart close to God in love zeale meeknesse c. 13. Observe fit times and seasons to goe to God in yet prefer that season wherein God and thy own heart sends thee to prayer before a set time imbrace it gladly and quickly so sweet a motion of the Spirit put it not by till another time I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed Psal 119. 147. with Mark 1. 35. 14. Be sensible of others wants especially for such as are the Lords that you may pray with a feeling of their necessities 15. Pray for grace to stirre thee up to pray and fit thee with sutable matter sutable to the occasion either for the Church thy selfe or others and to enliven us in all abhorre forme and fashion pray not in print they are deadly enemies to spiritualnesse pray from an inward feeling and sensiblenesse of thy wants book-prayers is such a crutch as it makes them that use it quite lame we are not so much to looke to a set order of words as to a well ordered heart weak expressions in uprightnesse of heart the Lord likes well but if there be nothing but well framed sentences God abhorres them 16. Above all come to God in faith Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him on whom they have not beleeved see Heb. 11. 6. Jam. 1. 6. Mark 11. 24. This is the most spirituall grace to come to God with above all other no other save this can fasten upon a promise thou canst not see God without faith whatsoever thou needst beleeve that promise Every one that asketh receiveth Mat. 7. 8. Christs incense and odors of his sacrifice Rev. 8. 4. is for him that beleeves Faith gives force and life to prayer it troubles not Satan to make a thousand prayers full of teares if they be without faith according to our faith so is our prayer Rom. 8. 38. Faint faith faith prayers prayer without faith is but beating the ayre according to thy faith be it unto thee Consider Mat. 21. 22. All things are possible to him that beleeves Mark 9. 22. Let him aske in faith saith James nothing wavering that is in a certain assurance to be heard and that his request shall be granted Jam. 1. 6. 17. Read and meditate before prayer if time will permit for the better preparing our hearts thereunto The graces of the Spirit uprightnesse purenesse thankfulnesse integritie soundnesse of heart and the like these will inable inliven and fit thee to pray These well observed and God blessing them will fill thee with heavenly affection and rid thee of thy own inventions manner and ends c. Oh all yee sonnes and daughters of the
most High in this fulness go forth to meet your God with joy and full assurance of a supply of what yee need Concerning a right manner and spirituall behaviour in the duty of prayer observe 1. Fix thy mind and faith upon God in the flesh of Christ who is God with us and neere us else he cannot be comprehended by us eye the flesh of our Advocate united to the deity and hold the eye of thy faith upon it all the while thou art in prayer which gives life and strength to prayer else thy prayer is but a morall devotion a meere shadow by the flesh of Christ so united we have union with God and accesse to God which else could not and the more our faith layeth hold upon this flesh of Christ so united to the divinitie and we also by it the more the Ordinance imparts Gods goodnesse unto the soule for whatsoever vertue there is in any thing it 's conveyed by application and touching of it that whereby wee touch God is our faith which never toucheth him but it draweth vertue from him but that in which our happinesse consists is our union with the divinitie by Christs humanitie which is full and admits not of any degrees 2. Pray in knowledge and not in ignorance Joh. 5. 14. 3. Watch and pray against Satans discouragements sloath ease vanitie of minde that if it were possible no vaine thought might come in all the while 4. Pray as thy present state condition and frame of spirit requires 5. Strive for the best affections thou canst in prayer those ravishing which may carry thee furthest from thy selfe and neerest to communion with God and looke to the bottome upon which thy affections stand as faith and inward grace and eying a promise serve God with all thy might courage strength with frequency and fervency for time zeale intention long prayers oft dead others affection it 's good to pray briefly and often as Christ Mat. 26. 39. Consider what others can beare minde the time occasion and season in long prayers we must take heed of custome superstition and ambition and in short of prophanenesse and carelesnesse whether long or short you must pray with affection as joy desires and griefe 6. When thou prayest to one in the deity mind all three and sever them not the object of our worship must be the union of the flesh with the Trinitie 7. Give God all thy heart and see that thy heart and tongue goe together all the while and observe when and in what the heart draws backe c. 8. If thou canst observe Gods order first expresse Gods greatnesse next his goodnesse and his goodnesse to thee his large love and thy ill requiting him be thankfull for former mercies 1 Chron. 15. 13. Seeke and aske spirituall blessings before earthly c. If time will permit confesse thy sins freely to God with inward griefe and in faith beg the Spirit of supplication and mourning Zech. 12. 10. And let all mourning flow from faith of thy person accepted and sinnes forgiven or else all thy mourning and teares are worth nothing and no better then the howllng of a dog but that mourning which flowes from faith of pardon is a sweet grace and an acceptable sacrifice to God In thankesgiving it is fit we should be as much and as large in it as in requests be as ready to be thankfull for mercies thou hast as to aske new ones spirituall temporall c. Be thankfull for all to thee thine and others and thou shalt not be barren for either matter or manner wee ought to be more ready to be thankfull then to crave what wee want wee should prefer God before our selves In supplication aske the Spirit of prayer to pray in the holy Spirit and in understanding c. and aske all graces and temporall things in faith and a blessing upon all and be content to be at Gods dispose in all and wait Gods time know if God heareth thee not in that kinde thou desirest he intends that which is better for thee in stead thereof God hath not absolutely promised thee measure of grace and temporall things in particular and so sometimes denies them in love to his because not fit for them therefore aske with submission Adde fervency and importunitie as one loth to be sent away empty and let thy earnestnesse be according to the degrees of goodnesse of things prayed for or of thy necessitie of them The life of prayer consists in the heat of earnest and fervent desires Rom. 15. 30. 8. 16. Psal 143. 6. Of a cold prayer expect not more then a cold answer if a righteous mans prayer be not fervent it will not prevaile Jam. 5. Oh Lord give me what I come for cease not knocking till yee speed what we need wee have in God and this is ours oh sweet love turne feares into hopes complaints into prayers and thy lamentations into supplications and Christ will turne thy darknesse into light and thy deadnesse into life thy bondage into libertie and thy weaknesse into strength Covet the best measure of grace and rest in that measure God thinks best forthee pray often 2 Cor. 12. 10. see Isa 26. 26 27. Be thankfull to God in prayer for what thou obtainest from God by prayer and in prayer use that gesture that most befits the duty and most befits thee for the dutie weigh it well consider the weaknesse of thy body yet abhorre unreverence in prayer both in soule and body Acts 7. 60. Concerning a spirituall carriage after Prayer 1. As soone as the dutie is ended especially if inlarged and before others eye some one or more of thy defects in prayer to keepe thy soule humble and also eye what was of God in dutie to the end thou maist be thankfull and not dejected and overcome in viewing thy weaknesses and distempers view all the parts of thy prayer how it was performed if thou canst both for matter manner heart and affection and consider what feelings desires comforts God gave thee in prayer take heed thou doest not over-like thy prayers nor thinke that God dislikes them because thou seest not what thou shouldst in thy prayers 2. Renounce all that is our owne in prayer feelings hopes affections zeale as they are the ordinance of God so I prise them but as they are acts of mine they stinke in my nostrils yet the Lords fire shall heat me My power is perfected in my infirmity very gladly will I be under infirmitie that his power may be magnified in me 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. 3. Watch that Satan wound thee not with thy prayers if thou beest in any measure sensible of sinne thy defects in dutie Satan is ready to tell thee if thou hadst the Spirit of God then shouldst thou have the Spirit of prayer and if thou hadst it it should be otherwise with thee then it is but if the soule consent to what he saith to be true yee both agree
to wound thy faith and confidence in God not onely for an answer of thy prayer but of thy persons acceptance Nay rather charge all upon thy corruption and want of preparation exercise of grace and be the more carefull and watchfull for time to come and learne to distinguish between a nullity and a defect and in a word if thou art sensible of thy sin in praying and art sorry for it thy imperfection is passed by and thou doest not pray in fashion The Spirit of God discovers deadnesse indisposition and unbeliefe and the like in prayer flesh and bloud cannot discover these and the Spirit of God onely makes the conscience tender and pliable 4. Let the frame of thy Spirit be alwayes thankfull and chearfull after prayer whether thou beest inlarged or straitned inwardly or outwardly alone or with others for when thou art at the best thou standst in need of a Jesus looke upward then by faith upon thy Advocate and when thy defects are most and thou art at the worst will not the same Jesus save thee yea surely and if thou groundest thy comfort upon a right bottome rightly thy comfort and the cause of it is the same because Christ is the same Heb. 13. 8. And if Christ be thine shall not he disanull all thy sinnes as well as one seeing he is able and willing But this is the childrens bread this pearle is not to be cast to swine 5. If in prayer thy heart have been opened and inlarged thy faith strengthned and thy conscience eased c. count it a sweet mercy be thankfull to God for all for want of taking notice of Gods goodnesse and thankfulnesse for it it is just in stead of light to possesse darknesse and for feeling to finde deadnesse c. 6. Presse after what thou hast prayed for in the use of meanes Pro. 2. 3 4 5. there is the prayer indeavour and blessing As he that makes prayer the end of his prayer rests in his prayer and prayes to no purpose So he that doth not in good earnest pursue with zeale and conscience the grace good things he prays for Ioseth his prayer The Saints pray to put their prayers in practise we tempt God to aske that wee use not meanes to attaine our indeavours must second our prayers Pro. 20. 4. It is for hypocrites to pray and returne to their lusts with more freedome as if they intended to have libertie to sinne Such prayers are odious to God take we heed that what we build up with prayer wee pull not downe by our practice by remisnesse sleightnesse frothinesse of Spirit it had been well if this knowledge had not been experimentall but a word is sufficient to the wise 7. Expect and wait patiently for a full answer of thy prayers in Gods time and way consider Psal 40. 1. Rev. 3. 10. Hab. 2. 2 3. Wee should be loth to lose any part of the answer of our prayers and that we may wait wee must first be sure we have a promise that wee shall speed that wee may feed our minds with the meditation of it this is necessary for the time of fulfilling may be long lest wee faint Psal 147. 11. Psal 135. 6 7. Have patience and tary that comes hardly is oft most prized but lightly come lightly goe God knows the fittest season to doe us good take not a delay for a deniall many things God hath promised he hath not set down the time or yeare but when it 's best for us let God alone for the time and ye shall see what God will do Watch we what event our prayers have and observe Gods dealings with our selves and others both with his and his enemies and be thankfull for any answer of prayers The Saints are often afflicted that they may often pray and that often praying they might pull downe many benefits from the Lord and returne many praises unto him wee sinne against God and hurt our selves for want of thankfulnesse For hearing the Word 1. Labour to be informed of the excellency and preciousnesse of the mercy to heare the Word and that no treasure of this world is like it for goodnesse beautie and truth there is nothing like the Word it informes convinces comforts what comfort is like to this if the heart be not lost in profits pleasures forth and ease 2. Prize the Word 1 Pet. 2. 3. Above all things we prize precious things and for such as love their lusts let them consider Ezek. 14. 7 8. 3. Heare not for noveltie c. but let your ends be good in obedience to God to know and practise 4. Deny thy selfe thy own wisdome see the Lord in all be a foole that thou maist be wise set God above all and say Speake Lord for thy servant heareth 5. Come in faith beleeve God can speake in particular to thee whether weake or strong and supply thy wants Micah 2. 7. to the end Isa 48. 17. eye the promise If any man will doe his will he shall know whether the doctrine be of God or no Joh. 7. 17. Heare and your soules shall live Isa 55. 3. Beleeve the promises meditate on them plead them apply them as thy own portion and rest satisfied and contented with them they that have the promise are sure enough 6. Come with a resolution to learne and a heart resolved to practise what God saith say as David Psal 119. 33 34. Psal 86. 11. And covet earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12. 31. Consider 1 Cor. 12. 4. 1 Cor. 3. 4. 22. 7. Come emptie in the sense of want he filleth the hungry but the full are sent emptie away Luk. 1. 51. Pro. 27. 7. Emptie of distractions and worldly thoughts and affections Exod. 3. 5. Emptie of prejudice of man gifts or meanes be humble the humble he will teach Psal 25. 9. 8. Pray to God to prepare thy heart and to open thy eyes Psal 119. 18. Shew me thy truth and blesse it to me pray that he that speakes may not seeke himselfe and so rob God and that he may speake as he ought to speake Col. 4. 4. In hearing take heed to your eyes eares hearts Luk. 8. 18. Ezek. 40. 4. 1. Consider thou art in the presence of God and consider Job 21. 6. Psal 16. 8. Acts 10. 33. 2. Attend diligently Isa 55. 23. Watch that nothing come between thee and it sleepe not wander not gaze not Luk. 8. 18. Consider Act. 8. 6. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things that Philip spake 3. Heare for thy selfe and mind especially that which most concernes thee 4. Heare with understanding and judgement Mat. 13. 13. Mat. 15. 10. Joh 21. 11. Put a difference between truth and error The simple beleeveth every word Prov. 14. 15. Take heed what yee heare Mark 4. 24. and whom yee heare and how yee heare 5. If thou canst observe the methode and scope of the speaker to helpe memorie 6. Heare with thy
for it is bound by Gods decree so as not any thing can be done but what he hath determined yet nothing can satisfie some unlesse it be granted that they have power of will to crosse Gods decree 3. If the cause why God chooseth me and not another is because I will c. then it is not meerly from his will and then you deny the freedome of Gods will Also if a man hath libertie of will to resist Gods will and worke so as God shall not convert him it will follow that when we are converted we convert our selves which is contrary to the Scriptures as Psal 51. And doe not they give the Scriptures the lye that say the will of an unregenerate man may be free to righteousnesse will it and imbrace it when it is proposed But if a seeing eye were in darknesse it could not discern any thing how much lesse shall the blind see By nature we are blind Rev. 3. 17 18. Wee are darknesse till we be made light in the Lord Eph. 5. 8. Darknesse cannot comprehend the light Joh. 1. 5. The naturall man cannot receive the things of the Spirit for they are foolishnesse to him 1 Cor. 2. 14. Therefore the Saints pray to God to reveale to them the knowledge of Christ and to inlighten their eyes by the Spirit of wisdome and revelation Eph. 1. 17 18 Mans will being wholly inthralled into sinne as appeares Rom. 6. 20. 8. 6. The carnall mind is enmitie to God it is not subject to the Law of God nor can be how then can it will desire and receive grace by nature As God commanded Pharaob to let Israel goe yet he could not for God hardened his heart that he could not be willing Joh. 12. 39. with Rom. 11. 32. they confesse that unlesse God give faith it 's impossible for men to beleeve so then the reason men doe not beleeve is because God doth not give them faith Phil. 1. 29. But to what purpose is it for God to give Christ to dye for mens sinnes seeing as they confesse they shall have no benefit by him unlesse they beleeve and that they cannot doe without God and God doth not give them faith if he did they could not but beleeve what great love is this which is shewed to them The substance of those famous or rather infamous opinions of ours of such as hold free will and that Christ dyed for the sinnes of all Adams posteritie is that God wills the salvation of all men but he is disappointed of his will Those whom God will save by his antecedent will he will destroy by his consequent will that God doth seriously intend the salvation of all persons yet neverthelesse he calls men by a meanes and time that is not apt nor fit by reason whereof those who are so called doe not follow Gods calling That faith is partly from grace and partly from free will that God is bound to give all men power to beleeve They distinguish between the obtaining of salvation and the application of salvation The first they say is for all The second is onely for them that beleeve but the application of salvation is neither willed nor nilled to men That man may determine and open his own heart and receive the word of God That the reprobate may be saved That the number of the Elect is not certain That the decree of Reprobation is not peremptory And that a Reprobate may convert himselfe And that faith is not of-meere grace They bring in God speaking thus I decree to send my Sonne to save all who shall beleeve but who and how many they shall be I have not determined onely I will give to all men sufficient power to beleeve but he shall beleeve who will himselfe I will send Christ to dye for the sinnes of many whom I know it shall not be effectuall at all unto to whom I will never give faith and notwithstanding Christ hath satisfied for all their sinnes yet they shall suffer my wrath for them for ever That God did not elect for foreseene Faith VVEE grant God knew all that ever was is or shall be but we deny that God did elect to life any for any thing he did foresee in them for if God should looke out of himselfe to any thing in the creature upon which his will may be determined to elect were against his al sufficiency as if he should get knowledge from things we doe implies an imperfection of knowledge and of will if he should see some thing in us before he can determine as if God were in suspence saying I will choose this man if he will I will upon foresight of my condition absolutely choose him To say I will elect 〈◊〉 if they beleeve is a conditionall election and if they can doe this without God then God is not omnipotent if they say he will give them faith to beleeve then it is all one with an absolute will as I elect to life and I will give these faith Far whom he predestinateth them he calleth c. Rom. 8. It seemes God wills our salvation if we beleeve that is he wils the having a thing on a condition that he will not worke and then it is impossible unlesse the creature can doe something that is good which he will not doe in him or on a condition which he will worke and then he worketh all he willeth or on such a condition as he seeth the creature cannot performe nor himselfe will not make him performe and this were frivolous Also to say God decreed to send Christ to save all if they will beleeve I see they neither will nor can therefore I will condemne them Joh. 12. 39. God hath shut up all in unbeliefe as Rom. 11. 32. therefore they could not beleeve because he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and be converted Joh. 12. 39 40. Concerning Infants Baptisme SOme reasons why we dissent from it 1. Because we finde no command nor example in the word of God that any infants were baptized and wee are forbidden to presume above what is written And if we should admit of any one thing in the worship of God which we finde no warrant for in the Word we should be forced by the same reason to admit of many yea any invention of men 2. Because God requires that such as are baptized should first be made Disciples Beleeve and repent c. Mat. 28. 19. Acts 8. 12 13. 36 37 38. Acts 2. 38. 41. Mat. 3. 6. Mark 1. 4 5. Acts 10. 44. 47 48. 3. Because Christ in his Testament which is his last will the Legacies therein contained are given to such as beleeve and to none else Gal. 3. 6 7. 14. 23. 29. Rom. 8. 17. 14. 11 12. These are the heires of the kingdome of Christ with the priviledges thereof Jam. 1. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 23. Joh. 1. 12 13. 1
like Christ Great crosses are good physicke for great stomackes Contentment Earthly contents are present to our sense No earthly thing can give content Joy in God breeds content So much as wee deny our selves so much contentment we have Contemplation Divine contemplation makes us high in thoughts and rich in expectation Contemplation of Gods free love and the soules interest in it doth revive raise and inlarge the soule To contemplate on the things above is most pleasant of all things to them who have tasted the sweetnesse of them Covetousnesse Such as are not contented with that they have are covetous Distrust of God causeth covetousnesse which is the root of all evill So much as we are discontented with our estates so much covetousnesse there is in us Covetousnesse doth us and others more hurt then we are aware of Such as thinke themselves least covetous are most covetous A child of God knows not how to be revenged upon his selfe for his covetousnesse of the things of this world Contraries Every contrary the more it is resisted the more it appeares Deadnesse of spirit Deadnesse of heart is an enemy to action he that will support diligence must support chearfulnesse deadnesse is the grave of many graces Such as come to God unchearfully oft returne unthankfully Spirituall deadnesse is a great griefe to a childe of God Delayes Delayes a rise from sloath The more we delay the more we may By deferring wee presume upon that we have not and neglect that we have To morrow to morrow cozens many a man Death Death hath something to say to every man and would faine be heard but men are not at leisure Every man must dye The day of death is the first day of life He whose hopes are in heaven is not much afraid of death Death is to him no misery whose hope is in eternitie Death when it seemes to dispossesse a Saint of all it possesseth him of all things Such as are spiritually dead are not aware of it they onely mind and savour the things of the flesh Difficulties Difficulties are discouragements and handsome excuses are welcome to a sloathfull heart Love will carry on through all difficulties and to undergoe all manner of torments Dreames An evill dreame shews some evill that prevailes in the heart By dreames God may foreshew some sin to come which we are in danger to fall into which we are not afraid of Selfe-deniall They live the sweetest lives that most deny themselves There are very few that do deny themselves but many can deny Christ and his truth Selfe may be denyed a little in one kinde if it may please selfe much in another Distractions Distractions of minde in duties is either from our minding other things or resting in our own strength or from a not serious setting our minds on the thing propounded by us for that which the heart is throughly set upon it is so attentive to it that it can be present to no other thing at that instant especially to hinder the thing in hand The want of a wise ordering and dispatch of businesse causeth a great distraction in men Duties It is no wonder some doe so much because they expect heaven for what they doe Such duties as flow not from faith and love are legall and slavish Many will own and confesse their dutie in the generall that will wholly deny it in particular especially when it concernes themselves A beleever as he is a beleever he doth fetch all from God refer all unto God and doe all for God Examples The examples of men is not to be any rule to walke by Mens example is very forcible when it is universall The worst examples are most observed Excuses When we have sinned Satan and our corruptions help us to cover it with excuses which is to cover a lesser evill with a greater It is easie to frame an excuse for any evill Education Good education doth oft cause an outward reformation Evill education is a great provocation to sinne Excesses Men doe too little or too much men love extreames as many eate too little or too much worke too little or too much Most men are drowned in adversitie or drunke with prosperitie Extraordinary For men not to seeke themselves is extraordinary To practise the truth against great opposition to be the more humbled by knowledge and to goe against custome is extraordinary For a man to refuse to joyne house to house when he can is extraordinary For the rich to take reproofe willingly and profitably of the poore is extraordinary For to part with riches as freely as they were received is extraordinary Ends in duties The end rules the meanes and is above them A beleever is ever true to his end but he often failes in the meanes Error When errors prove profitable many will imbrace them Ignorance is the foundation of error It 's common for error to be called truth and truth to be called error Effects Effects are in order to second causes not to God who most certainly necessarily and wisely hath willed them and nothing falls out accidentally as referred to him whose wise intention reacheth every thing Favour of men The favour of men is a vanitie yet much desired The favour of men is an uncertaine thing soone got and soone lost Men desire the favour of men God denies it to some to exercise their faith weane them from the world or because we performe not our duties unto them Folly Many never see their folly untill it be too late Feares Feares make the understanding weake and the judgement dull Feares hinder the certainty of faith So much as we feare men wee forget and sleight God Faith Where God gives faith he gives trials also to exercise it Faith quiets comforts and strengthens the soule We injoy Christ by faith and not by feeling When faith is at the greatest then there is the least feeling As our faith is so are we incouraged to obey God The more faith the lesse feare God Gods presence in every place is a great comfort to his They that live upon God alone live most comfortably for there is satisfaction and no changes he feares nothing that can befall him he lives comfortably in all Grace Grace is exceeding strong especially faith love to carry a man through all God will exercise the graces that are in his The more grace any have the more need to pray because Satan is most ready to tempt such Griefe We cannot heartily be grieved for that sin in another of which wee make not conscience in our selves It is a griefe to a childe of God to speake of any good they finde a want of in themselves If we did not immoderately love outward things we would not grieve at the losse of them nor keepe such a doe to get them Of gifts The greater gifts spirituall or temporall the prouder the flesh is and the readier Satan is to assault Good A man may doe good in the strength of a