under their convictions remain all their days in a stoutness and sullenness against God and will turn their heels upon duties and means and cry out All is in vain I shall be damned and thus their hearts were never truly humbled to lie at Gods feet Lord if thou damn me thou art righteous but O let me live and I shall praise thee but their hearts rise up against the Lord and are fit to curse God and die thus it is with many And if they perform any duties and use any means of Grace and God do not reveal his Love and pardoning Mercy they will take it ill at Gods hands and say as they did We have fasted and he regardeth it not and so under all legal workings and convictions there remains a desperate proud heart in a man still If mens Convictions arise so high as to see that they are Unbelievers and to be convinced of the greatness of that sin whereas many that have much trouble for sin never go so far then many times if God do not give them true Faith they will content themselves in a faith of their one making which is only a work of their understanding whereby they say that they will be justified by Christ but it will be such a dead faith that for the most part it hath no Sanctification not so much as outward Sanctification accompanying it Neither doth it truly humble the Soul and lay it prostrate at the Lords feet for a pardon meerly from his own good Will and free Grace but the soul is still full of its self and confident in its own qualifications Neither doth this Faith bring joy in the holy Ghost though there be some flashes of Joy as there was in the stony ground Hearers Mat. 13. For men to be convinced of sin both in general and particular is a thing worth the desiring yet this is not the saving work of Gods Spirit But how many are convinced of many gross sins and sins that are more plainly forbidden in the Law and their Consciences are troubled for them but yet it may be all their days never see these more secret sins of trusting in their own righteousness trusting in their own strength speaking evil of the Saints and ways of God quenching the motions of the Spirit neglect of duties and means of Grace These sins many are never convinced of that yet will cry out they are damned for some gross sins CHAP. VI. The ways and Temptations by which many souls miscarry under legal Terrors and a Spirit of Bondage WHen a soul is awakened with a sight of sin and hath legal terrors and warnings to flee from the wrath to come Satan soon takes the Alarum and bestirs himself to keep the Soul still in an unregenerate â—…ate To find out all the stratagems of this cunning and long experienced enemy the devil is a difficult thing his ways are like the way of a Serpent upon a rock or like the way of a ship upon the sea which leave no fotsteps to trace them by Were it not that our Lord Jesus knows all his divices and wiles and is able to prevent all his designs no flesh would be saved but all by one means or other would be devoured by this roaring Lion yet by the Light of the word and by the observation that Believers are helped to make of the motions of Satan we are not wholly ignorant of his divices not to speak here of the way he taketh to keep them from Christ who are wholly ignorant and had never any common workings nor to speak of the innumerable temptations upon Believers and those who are sealed by the Spirit of God whereby he endeavoureth to pluck them out of Christs hands only that they are kept by the mighty power of God through faith to Salvation only here to speak of the ways and temptations by which Satan endeavoureth to ruin them that are awakened with a sight of sin and are under legal terrors and fear of the wrath to come 1. Satan endeavoureth to keep such as are thus awakened and troubled for sin ignorant of the righteousness which is by faith in Christ Jesus that free Justification of a sinner which is by the blood of Christ insomuch that Satan the god of this world doth so blind the eyes of many that have been much awakened by the sight of sin that they never understand all their days the remedy that is provided for them no not so much as in a notional way with brain-knowledge but they set themselves in their own strength to reform their lives and think that God will accept of their doings for satisfaction for the wickedness of their former life and they have a kind of peace and satisfaction in their Spirits that God is at peace with them thus many are everlastingly cheated never knowing the things that belong to their everlasting peace and being ignorant of Gods righteousness under all their zeal of God and legal performances go about to establish their own righteousness where none but Christs will be accepted and so never submit to the Righteousness which is of God by faith Rom. 10.3,4 2. Satan endeavoureth to perswade such that those legal terrors and breakings are true conversion that they bless themselves in their legal humiliation as if it were Gospel-repentance and the heart of flesh that is promised in the new Covenent 3. Satan otherwhile puts those that are thus convinced and troubled for sin upon some way of opinion and Judgement and there by his delusion and the deceitfulness of their own hearts they find much peace and quiet their sore is skinned over and they are so far now from questioning their own Salvation as they did a little before that they now question every bodies Salvation but their own that do not fall in with that opinion that they are fullen upon 4. If the Gospel be preached in the hearing of men under legal terrors Satan will endeavour to make them rest in a bare notion of Christ and a faith of their own making that they will either conclude Christ and all his benefits is theirs because they have been so humbled and broken with the Law and have so reformed and amended their ways or else they will resolve in their own strength to believe in Christ and so though it may be they were convinced that they could not keep the Law in their own strength yet they think that its an easie thing to believe in Christ and so never saw themselves so fully undone that as they could not keep the Law so they could no more believe in Christ then they could raise the dead that now they were undone for ever if the Lord did not work faith by an Almighty power 5. It is commonly known and observed how Satan doth give ease to many in these troubles and terrours by turning their thoughts to something else sending them to company and pleasures to be cured of their wound which so cures them that they are no
deceive us because of the inlightnings they have and reformation of life and smooth carriage but the common sort of narural men do plainly bewray themselves to be out of Christ and it is a sign of a carnal man to judge every body to be Saints that make such sleight and overly profession of Christ as the common sort of people do if we be Saints and know what the new birth is we shall not think it is such an easie and common thing to be true Saints but that strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to eternal Life and few there be that find it Some deceive themselves by building their hopes of salvation upon their gifts parts and knowledge when as Satan and many Reprobates outstrip many Saints of God in those things and yet have no saving nor experimental knowledge Others build their salvation upon the esteem that they have with others that are Saints but thou maist be but a Judas or Simon Magus for all that the Apostle bids us in that case every man to prove his own work to see what work of Grace he can find in his own heart and then he saith he shall have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another Gal. 6.4.5 Others again build their salvation upon this that they have left some gross sins as swearing drunkenness whereas it may be their hearts are 〈◊〉 bad aâ— ever but only they were forced to leave those sins they so galled their Consciences but yet their reformation never proceeded from faith CHAP. III. Great Salvation in Christ for sinners GOD that might have damned all mankind for sin and might have left us in that lost estate for ever hath so loved the world that he hath sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have eternal Life Some things we shall here take notice of concerning him in whom God accepts us and giveth us eternal Life Christ our Mediator is God Joh. 1.2 Phil. 2.7,8 1 Tim. 3.16 He is God by nature God the Father acknowledgeth him to be God Heb. 1.8 when he saith to Christ Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever he knows the hearts of men Joh. 2.22 All the Angles every one of them is by the command of God the Father to worship him which shews he is God Heb. 1.6 He laid the Foundations of the earth and the Heavens are the work of his hands Heb. 1.10,11,12 He is God and therefore he is mighty to save he is God and therefore hath everlasting arms to hold his members from falling into hell O what a glorious head hath the Church though we are but like Nebuchadnezzars Image the feet of clay and Iron yet our head is of pure gold Christ Jesus our Surety and Mediator is man he was made flesh 1 Joh. 2. came in the likeness of sinfull flesh took our nature after it was corrupted Rom. 8.3 Because the Children that God hath given him were pertakers of flesh and blood he also took part of the same Heb. 2. This is no small comfort to us that Christ hath taken our nature and was made like unto us in all things sin only excepted he knows what it is to be tempted and can succour them that are tempted O This is wonderfull that Christ should put on the poor suit of our nature and after we had so stained it by sin O That God should be so mindfull of us as to send his Son in our nature to die for us that God who was infinitly happy before ever we were that he should â—o it That God that had so many thousand Angels to sing praises to him and could have created millions of creatures more glorious then the very Angels to praise him for ever and that could have created a thousand worlds before this of men to praise him that glorious God that took infinite delight in his Eternal Son the Lord Jesus before ever the world was Prov. 8. that this blessed God should send his Son in our Nature and humble him to death even the death of the Cross This is wonderfull indeed The Lord Jesus was a publique person Rom. 5. therefore he is called a Surety Heb. 7. A Saviour Luke 2.23 An Advocate 1 Joh. 2.1 A Captain of Salvation Heb. 2.10 The Covenant of the People Isa 42.6 A Ransom 1 Tim. 2.6 A high Priest Heb. 4.4 What he did was for others for our sakes he sanctified himself He was delivered for our offences rose again for our Justification Rom. the fourth and the last There is infinite merit in Christ to justifie all that believe in him that nothing needs to be added to his Righteousness for Justification in him in him alone without works shall the house of Israel be justified and shall glory Isa 45. ult The Believers under the old Testament looked for acceptance with God only through Christ and therefore offered up the Sacrifices that were Types of him prayed in his name Dan. 9.10 He set open his window prayed towards Jerusalem which was a Type of Christ and prayed verse 17. that God would look upon his Sanctuary which was desolate for the Lords sake that is for the Lords Jesus sake Christ hath purchased all Sanctification and is the Author of it to sinners The precious Faith by which we believe to everlasting Life is from Christ 2. Pet. 1.1 There the Apostle saith that precious Faith is obtained through the Righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord and so Heb. 10.2 And Repentance is from him Act. 5.31 And of his fulness we receive Grace for Grace Joh. 1.16 yea Phil 1.11 All the fruits of Righteousness all Grace whatsoever is said to come by Jesus Christ he was filled with Grace to communicate to us He is that Fountain and River of Life that serveth all the City of God that spiritual Joseph that laid in with abundance to serve all Aegypt The Lord Jesus had experience of all kind of sufferings and temptations that he might be a pittifull and a mercifull high Priest for us Heb. 2. ult Heb. 4. ult He was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin It was requisiite that the Lord Jesus our high Priest should be tempted in all points 1 That he might know the malice of the Devil experimentally by his own feeling 2 That he might overcome Satan The Lord Jesus the Captain of our Salvation fought a single duel with Satan that we might see his strength and that Satan might be overcom that so the Saints when they are set upon by Sathan might have faith in him that he who hath overcome him and broke the Serpents head where his wound is uncurable will prevent all his designs against them 3 That he might sympathize with the Saints and succour them when they are tempted in that fourth of the Hebrews v. 15. the Apostle saith We have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was tempted as we are
your troubled soul found rest and peace from his Blood yea the soul saith truly This I have felt in some measure why here is true Faith and Assurance and yet many a poor soul not considering that this is the saving work but seeing that it comes short in many things doth question whether it be in Christ or no whereas open and unravel but the work of Grace and say Have you gone this step and the other step and it can say truly that These things God hath wrought in me How much means is used to many and yet they can find no comfort and peace of conscience The Covenant of Grace is clearly opened to them servent prayers are put up to God for them the experiences of other Saints are made known to them but all will not do it for indeed the Lord only can speak peace to the soul he is the God of peace But let those that have peace of conscience and Assurance be thankful for it as a great mercy for all Saints have it not indeed it is a great mercy it yields much present refreshment to the soul what will make us glad if the light of Gods Countenance will not And so doth Assurance of Gods Love stand us in great stead in time of Afflictions it keeps the soul from sinking in great Afflictions it keeps Satan from many advantages yea when we come to die and look that King of Terrours in the face Assurance of Gods Love makes grim Death look smilingly in our Eye CHAP. X. The Ministry of Angels and their serviceableness to the Church THough curious and unscriptural Notions about the Angels are to be avoided yet these things that the Scriptures reveal of them and their Ministry are very profitable to be known The Angels are called spirits and a flame of fire Heb. 1.7 They are active and quick at the Lords work they are as a flame of fire not only for their terribleness but for their quikness how quick fire goes out of a Gun and how quick is a flash of lightning The Angels were very forward to perform their service to the Lord Jesus an Angel brought news to Mary that she should be the mother of our Lord Luke 1.27.28 An Angel at Christs birth told the Shepherds the glad tidings of Christs coming into the world and a multitude of them praised God saying Glory be to God in the Highest on earth peace and good will to men Luke 2.9,13,14 They had command to worship the Lord Jesus Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him but why must all the Angels of God worship Christ when he came into this world and was made flesh 1. To own and acknowledge Christ to be God now in that mean estate the form of a servant that he had put himself into for worship only belongs to him that is God 2 To acknowledge the benefit of confirmation that they have by the Lord Jesus by whom they are made immutably happy 3. To shew an example unto men to worship and honor Christ when as the Angels that are more excellent creatures do it 4. To shew their admiration of that glorious and wonderful way of Salvation by Jesus Christ And then at Christs death the Angels came and ministred unto him and strengthened him And as the Angels were forward to do service to Christ so they are to minister to the Saints for the Lord hath made them ministring spirits to them that shall be Heirs of Salvation The Lord makes use of them to keep his people out of many dangers Psalm 21.11,12 He hath given his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou shouldst dash thy foot against a stone indeed God is so careful of his people that he would not trust all the Angels in heaven wholly with the safety of his people but hath given them unto Christ to be their Leader and Commander and bring them unto Glory who will lose none of all that the father hath given him who hath Infinite Power and Wisdom to manage all their concernments but the Angels are Ministers under Christ to be helpful to the Saints as the Pastors of Churches are Overseers and have the charge of the flock under him also And so the Angels lift up the Saints many times as Nurses do little children that they don't dash their feet against a stone whom every little thing would throw down They have their Orders from Christ whose Ministers they are to do his pleasure therefore Christ is said to sit between the Cherubins Psal 99.1 to shew how he hath the Angels fit to send upon his Designs and how often doth he send them to encamp round about the Saints in their dangers and deliver them and because of the Angels serviceableness to the Saints they are called their Angels Matth. 18.10 The Lord giveth them great Power for to perform this service and Ministry to the Saints we see that the Angel Act. 20.7,10 that was sent to fetch Peter out of prison he did but touch him and his chains fell off and when they came to the Iron gate it presently opened the Lord giveth the Angels power over the fiercest creatures that when Daniel was thrown into the Lions Den the Lord sent an Angel and shut the Lions mouthes that they should not hurt him Dan. 6.32 And as they serve the Saints in other things so in destroying of their enemies as an Angel smote Herod with death Act. 10.23 Yea 1 Kings 19.35 in that great strait that Hezekiah and the people of God were in when that huge Army of the Assyrians came against them the Lord the text saith sent an Angel that smote in one night on kundred fourscore and five thousand of them whom they left all dead corpses It s a wonderful Execution When Lazarus died he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom Luke 16. As they do rejoyce in the conversion of a soul so in the finishing of our course and are joyful to bring us home to our Fathers house yea the Scripture tels us that the Lord will send the Angels at the last day to gather his people together from the four Winds who will know them all in the utmost corners of the earth having been ministring spirits unto them may be stirring affections and freedom of speech from the apprehension of popular applause in some Auditories but gracious men know a difference between those inlargements and the soul-humbling assistance of Gods spirit 10 Gods Spirit gives to his servants many times a more then ordinary assistance in their labors amongst the Saints for their sakes for their quickning comforting strengthning and edification whose building up was one great end of the ordinance of the Ministry Eph. 4.10,11,12 11 Gods Spirit gives his servants affections in preaching as Zeal Compassion to souls and the like but though something of this may
The Law is taken into the hands of Christ and is made a rule for Believers to walk by the Believers Salvation or Damnation doth not depend upon his obedience or disobedience to the Law for he is freed from the Law as a Covenant of Works yet he is not freed from duty and filial obedience but the Law as it is a rule of obedience stands in force and is to be obeyed by all Believers Several reasons to prove it 1 Christ expounds the Law Mat. 5. and cleareth up the strictness and spirituality of the Law more 2 Else the breaking of the Law would be no sin which would be a monstrous opinion 3 The same things that the Laws forbids are set down in the new Testament to bring damnation 1 Cor. 6.9.10 as Idolatry Adultery Thest Covetousness 4. The new Covenant promises the putting of Gods Laws into our mind and writing them in our hearts Heb. 8.10 therefore the Gospelis no enemy to the Law but writes it in our hearts as it was writen in stone and gives us principles to obey it 5 Paul after his conversion looked upon it as a mighty work of Gods Spirit upon him that he delighted in the Law of God after the inward man Rom. 7.22 that is that God had given him a heart to delight to do those things the Law called for which shews that Believers are to make the Law as a rule of obedience Thus a Believer is not without Law to God but is under the Law to Christ as Paul saith he was 1 Cor. 9.21 that is as the Law is taken by Christ into his own hands and held forth by him to his people as a rule for their obedience to him so a Believer is under the Law every Command of it and every breach of it is sin even in Believers The Believer is not freed from the Do this of the Law but when the Law saith Do this and live he is freed from that he doth not expect life by his doing those things in the Law for he is justified freely by Grace he liveth not by his doing but by the faith of the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him And for the threatnings of the Law Not'do this and die the soul that sinneth it shall die this a Believer is freed from for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 Christ hath redeemed them from the curse of the Law by being made a curse for them Gal. 3.13 Quest How may a man know whether he hath a Gospel-work upon his heart or that he is yet under Law as a Covenant of works and hath only legal workings upon him Answ 1. Such as do not think it is a hard thing to come off from the Law as a Covenant of works to trust alone in the righteousness of Christ such may well suspect that there hath been only a legal work upon them for its the hardest thing in the world to rest only upon Christ though it is easily said 2 Such as do not know the Law from the Gospel and the Gospel from the Law in their main Principles and terms there are too many that know not in the least measure no not with a notional knowledge what the difference between the Law and the Gospel is such may well think that they are not yet come off from the Law as a Covenant of works 3 Such as have their hearts rise against Gospel-preachers and Professors as Gal 4.29 As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now A man that is upon the Law for life hath a strange enmity in his heart against those that look to be justified freely by Grace 4 Such are under the Law as a Covenant of works as cannot bear the vilifying of mans righteousness as to Justification though he heareth the same persons urge it never so vehemently as to Sanctification and walking before God to all well pleasing O if thou canst not freely say that all thy own Righteousness is as menstruous rags and that when thou hast done all thou art but an unprofitable servant then thou maist justly fear thy estate 5 Such as think they have kept the Law themselves like the young man in the Gospel All these things have I kept from my youth 6 Such are under the Law yet as have had legal breakings for sin but never had the least Gospel sorrow for sin who have never in the least mourned for sin because it peirced Christ but only because it pierceth themselves Let all labor for a right understanding of the Law in which take their directions 1 Look upon the Law as requiring perfect obedience so strict as that it will not abate one farthing to a sinner there is no compounding with the Law 2 Count your selves utterly unable to keep the Law 3 Count the forfeiture for breaking of the Law to be no less then eternal damnation 4 Always look upon Christ as having a righteousness answering the Law fully Rom. 10.3.4 Rom. 8.3,4 5 Count your selves under all the wrath and curses of the Law except you be in Christ Gal. 3.10 whatsoever are the intentions of God and the merits of Christ for an elect person yet uncalled he being considered as a child of old Adam he is under the curse he doth not in his own person enjoy the state of freedom which God hath graciously purposed to bestow upon him and the Lord Jesus hath purchased for him though yet it is impossible for the Law to throw the Elect person into hell because God will certainly bestow upon them in his own fit season the Grace that Christ hath purchased for them 6 If you be in Christ reckon not your selves to have to do with the curses and threatnings of the Law but see them all taken away by Christ from you 7 Often seriously remember that many perish everlastingly by their mistaking of the Law and resting in the Law that you may see by the Epistle to the Romans and Galathians where the Apostle shews the danger of resting in the Law and shews how forward men are to do so 8 Never go out in your own strength to obey the Law but fetch strength from the promises of the Gospel to obey the commands of the Law 9 In the reading of Scripture observe what places are most properly Law and what places are especially Gospel and make those which are Law and Duty to come in after free Justification to come in as filial obedience to the Lord. 10 When a soul hath been enabled to yield a good measure of obedience to the Law and Commands of God yet he must rely upon the Lord Jesus by faith as freely and alone justifying him he cannot spare the least part of Christs Righteousness after all the holiness he hath attained to but is still to desire to be found in Christ not having on him his own righteousness but that which is by
the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by Faith CHAP. XVIII The true Humility that is in the Lords People ALL Saints have more or less a humble frame of heart that whatsoever Grace or Gifts God bestoweth upon them they have low thoughts of themselves 1. How a humble frame of heart is shewn towards the Lord. 2. How a humble frame of heart is shewn in our carriage towards other Saints I. Towards the Lord. 1 When after all our duties and performances we look upon our selves but as unprofitable servants and infinitely unworthy that God should deal so graciously with us but we look upon all as free grace without this a man hath no Gospel humility but is a proud Pharisee whose heart is puffed up with his own righteousness and doth not glory only in the Lord. Where there is true humility of heart the Soul saith with Jacob Genesis 32.10 I am not only unworthy of of Christ and Heaven but I am less then the least of all the mercies and faithfulness which the Lord hath shewn to his servant but a man under legal workings only hath a desperate proud heart against God still and is fit to stand upon terms with God that he hath no cause to damn him though he in words confess he might do it 2 This is true humility of heart when a man can loath and abhor himself for sin as David Psalm 51.3,4 Job 42. But when a man can think of old sins and new sins and no way affected it s a sign of a proud unhumbled heart 3 When a soul is in some measure submitted to all Gods dealings to all chastisements and afflictions as David Psalm 39.9 I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it there is much humility of heart seen in this when we are willing God should do with us our Estates Relations and enjoyments as it seemeth good in his own eyes a proud heart will not bear to be crossed but saith a humble heart Though it be a grievous affliction that is befallen me yet it is from the Lord and I will be dumb and not open my mouth against it because he doth it 4 When a soul goes on to wait for a mercy and beg for a mercy when God delays a mercy and seemeth to slight the soul and yet now for the soul to wait and not to stir from the door of Mercy but beg the Alms more humbly and submissively this is like the woman of Canaan indeed she doth not go away in a snuff let Christ call her dog and she saith Truth Lord I am no better yet Lord give the dog a few crums but hearts that have not been truly humbled will fling up praying and hearing presently if they cannot find Comfort soon like a sturdy Beggar that if the Alms do not come presently goeth away in a rage O but there is many a humble heart waits and prays many a year for a mercy 5 When a soul can submit to God when he takes away a mercy that he had given us but a little before O saith a proud heart when God takes away a mercy If God had never given me it it had been better I could have been content to have been without it but did God give me Estate Children Honour to take them away so presently again O but saith an humble heart I was unworthy to have this mercy at all I have cause to bless God that I have had any sun-shiny weather in my jorney 6 It shews humility of heart when after God hath made great use of a man and God will now lay him aside that yet now we are well content and take great care that Gods work may go on though we be not imployed in it as Moses Num. 27.14,15,16,17 when the Lord told him that he should die and not lead the people into Canaan because of that sin at the water of Meribah he doth not stand upon terms and say After I have done such great service wilt thou be angry for such an offence that I who have had such a great deal of care and trouble with this people should not see the end of the work No No he doth not say a word to excuse his sin or to shew the least discontent that he was laid aside but takes care for the work going on when he is laid aside saith he Lord set a man over the Congregation that may go in before them and go out before them that the Congregation of the Lord be not as sheep without a Shepheard a proud heart would have been so offended that he would not have cared what became of the work if he were laid aside So secondly Humility of heart is seen in our carriage towards other Saints As 1 when we look upon our selves as the least of all Saints as Paul saith of himself saith an humble heart Though it may be I can discourse better yet I cannot pray so well as younder poor Saint or I cannot trust God in straits and difficulties so well as he or I have not that Gospel simplicity that he hath or I am not so forward to heavenly discourse as he is or saith an humble heart Younder Saint can submit better in affliction then I or surely he hath not so vain a heart as I or surely he hath not such distractions in duties as I so that an humble heart in one respect or another doth truly look upon himself as the least and unworthyest of all Saints 2 When we can take a reproof from the meanest Saint in the world the meanest for Estate or Gifts whereas a proud heart saith If such a one had told me of my fault I could have born it but for such as you to reprove him he cannot take it well but saith an humbly heart Lord I bless thee that thou openst the mouths of any to deal faithfully with my soul 3 Where there is an humble heart we are desirous to partake of the Light and gifts of others as well as shew our own 4 An humble heart doth not envy others that out go him in Gifts and Grace and success and are more honoured then he is as John did not envy Christ that he out-stripped him John 3.26,27,28 but could cheerfully bear witness unto Christs deserts though he ecclipsed him 5 An humble heart can condescend to the meanest office to be serviceable to poor Saints a proud heart is fit to think it a disparagement to go to the houses of poor Saints and to be seen with such mean people but saith an humble heart It s a great Mercy and favour that I may enjoy Communion with the Lords people or be any way serviceable to them though they be never so mean and poor 6 An humble heart is not so delighted and tickled and puffed up with applause and commendation from others but many times is the more humbled upon it and is more sensible of his own unworthiness All Saints have cause enough to be humble
and very low in their own eyes aâ— for the sins of our unconverted Estate which we should often think of so as to admire Gods free Grace in calling of us out of darkness and to have new sorrow for old sins so as to put forth fresh acts of Faith for pardon so as to avoid all Occasions and Temptations to draw us to those old sins again so as to rely mightily upon Christs strength to keep us and so as to be humble and very low all our days The Lord many times sets on old sins upon the Consciences of his people with some terror but then it is usually when we are either in danger of falling into those sins again or have our hearts grow proud and puffed up forgeting what we were formerly but that God hath loved us freely And so our daily sins after Conversion our deadness and formality and unserviceableness all call for great humility of heart and self-abhorrence CHAP. XIX Some directions for Believers in their walking with God and their conversation in the world 1. LEt all Saints be well acquainted with Gods workings upon their souls the time and manner and be sensible of the backwardness and opposition of their own hearts to all the grace that God hath wrought in them that God hath magnified his Grace exceedingly in all the good that he hath done them Our Iniquities and the stubborness of our hearts testifie against us but God hath made it appear that he hath done all that he hath done for us for his own names sake 2. Be sensible of the corruption of our hearts remember all the iniquities of our youth get sound Repentance for the sins of our unregenerate estate when we knew not God observe our great backslidings since our Conversion and the sins that do most easily beset us and loath our selves for them and beg special Grace and strength from Christ where we are most weak and tempted 3. Renew our Faith daily upon Christ and meditate upon Gods free Grace in Christ which is notonly to be taken as a cordial in some swooning fits but our daily food for we live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 4. Getting Intimacy with the spirit of God and wait daily for his comforting teachings strengthnings and sanctifying influences and seasonable bringing of Scriptures and truths to our remembrance refuse not his light when he would teach us any thing though it be a despised persecuted Truth and never so contrary to our former apprehensions quench not his motions when he would put us upon any duty resist not his motions to stop us in any way of sin be thankfull for all his visits for his visitations preserve our Spirits we will thank a godly man for a visit much more the blessed Spirit count all our Prayers and services but as dead carcases if there be not the Spirits breathings and influences in them grieve him not who is our Comforter and makes us glad be not proud of his enlargements but let him have the praise of them 5. Be constant in all duties and Ordinances private and publique and be carefull that we neither be dead nor formal nor rest in our duties pray against distractions in duties which is a sin that is very hardly mortified 6. Watch against errors in judgement be not taken with the outward appearance of those that bring opinions knowing that Deceivers will come in Christs name Mat. 24. and will transform themselves into Ministers of righteousness Nay follow not men that are really godly without light out of the word for godly men know but in part do not reject every thing that seemeth to be new for many Truths especially about Discipline are revealed in these last times which godly men in former times were ignorant of that though God revealed to them the necessary Truths to Salvation yet in other things they are mistaken 7. Expect Temptations every day and be sensible of our own weakness to stand in an evil day labor to know that our Temptations are Temptations don 't venture upon Temptations don't come too near the devils forts and think we can retreat when we wil don't think that the devil plays only one game at once he hath many stratagems at once if he cannot prevail to draw to sinfull lusts he will endeavour to draw to Error if he cannot sink the soul with terrors he will labor to puff it up with Gifts be not confident when we have gotten a victory over Satan and think we have routed him he will not leave us so but will rally his forces again and give us open battell or lie in ambush for us Sometimes Satan only feigns himself to be overcome and comes afterward with more success yea a soul that hath got the better through the strength of Christ in some great temptation wherein Satan hath seemed to fight with all his forces yet may be worsted in a less temptation if Christ the Captain of our Salvation do not lead us on 8. Be well skilled in the Promises and meditate in them day and night and go not to the Promise upon legal terms close with the Promises of free Grace such as Ezek. 36.27,28 Jer. 31.32,33 before we close with the Promises that are made to Grace already wrought such as are made Mat. 5. to such as are poor in Spirit and hunger thirst after righteousness close with Christ before we close with the promises for all the Promises are Yea and Amen in him and through him to them that are in him 2 Cor. 1. And they are made first to Christ Gal. 3.16 as the head of the Elect let every Promise be as a stream to lead us to Christ the head and wel-spring of the Promises who hath all that in him that all the Promises put together do contain 9. Though in our young time we have been carried out in holiness in some comfortable measure yet be careful least in our old age and when we have been Professors a great while we do not fall off from our first love and zeal and tenderness of Conscience we read of Asa 2 Chron. 15. what great things he did for God in his young time yet in the next Chapter we see how much he fell and Solomon in his young time was fearfull of Idolatry but in his old age he was mightily carried away with it not only young Christians but old Saints of twenty or thirty years standing had need walk circumspecty 10. Practice that great duty of self-examination daily and desire of God to search us and try us and make us to know our iniquities and give us sound humiliation for them for godly men may lie a great while in a sin before they be truly sensible of it as David before he was truly sensible of that sin of Adultery as appears by 2 Sam. 12. that it could not be less then three quarters of a year for when the Prophet Nathan came to him the child that he had by