Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	act_n	faith_n	soul_n	2,950	5	5.3803	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81056	Samson a type of Christ in a sermon preached at Mr. Pomfret's meeting-house in Gravel-lane near Hounds-ditch, London: at the morning-lecture, on July 22. 1691. from Judg. xiv.5. Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Tunnath; and came to the vineyards of Timnath; and behold, a young lion roared against him. Wherein is shewed, I. In six particulars, how clearly Samson doth type forth Jesus Christ, ... II. With respect unto Samsons marriage, ... III. As Samson loved and married an uncircumcised woman, ... IV. As Samson did overcome the young lion which opposed him: so Jesus Christ doth overcome and destroy that roaring lion, the Devil, that opposeth him. Published at the request of the Congregation, for Publick Good. By D.C. an unworthy servant of Christ.	Crosley, David, 1670-1744.	1691 (1691)	Wing C7247A; ESTC R232725	34,097	40

that is but a counterfeit Conversion But alas we see too many Examples of this nature at this day in the World many set forth fair for Heaven in all outward appearance for a while and yet afterwards wither and dry away The Lord make all these Examples as so many awakening warning Caveats to us to be the more watchful for though all sleep till the Bridegroom's Voice be heard yet woe to them that sleep afterwards Oh the many Evils occasioned by a lukewarm Spirit Who is able to express them But in a word Luke warmness if it prevail setteth open a door forth at which all present Enjoyments of God take their Flight and in at which Satan Sin Death and Darkness come in And truly when once it comes to this the Face of Heaven looks black upon such a Soul Therefore I beg of you all that hear me this day have a care of a lukewarm Spirit CAVTION 2. Again Secondly If you find God delivering you from this dangerous Rock of Lukewarmness directing your Feet from this dreadful Path which directly leadeth down to the Pit so as that Satan can do no good of you here Then have a care on the other hand of splitting your selves upon the no less dangerous Rock of Hypocrisie and Self-conceitedness And to prevent this 1st SEE that you be found in the Faith especially in the great Article of Justification 1. Holding Justification by Faith 2. And that not Subjectively but Objectively not as a bare Act in us but as Beholding Receiving Imbracing and applying of Jesus Christ according to that clear and most precious Text Acts 13.39 And by him all that do believe are justified from all things c. And 2ly BE careful to live Holily and as careful to do it sincerely the Grace of God inforceth Holiness but hateth Hypocrisie and that you may do this 1st See that you expect not that Holiness should bring you to Christ but that you should derive Holiness from Christ being by Faith Primarily brought unto him 2ly That the performance of good Duties moveth not God to give his Grace to you but his Grace first given to you and wrought in you moveth you to perform good Duties if you do them aright 3ly THINK not that your love to God or to Goodness doth produce love to God towards you which was not in him before but contrariwise that God's Love to you manifested and revealed in you produceth and begetteth love in you both to God Goodness and Good Men nay to your very Enemies But Oh wherewith shall it be lamented that this Godly Love which always produceth Christian Unity is so much wanting at this day among professors But 4ly IN all your Holy Actings do not as it were Act for Life or that you may receive Life but on the other hand Act as from Life already received from Christ by Faith and revealed and wrought in your Hearts by the Spirit LASTLY Be not puffed up with or by any thing that you do have done or can do Oh forget it look over it take Christ's Advice let not the left Hand know what the right Hand doth and when you have done whatsoever is commanded you still account your selves unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 And be sure you hold fast the Foundation and Corner stone Christ Jesus and bring nothing as a Ground of your Faith into the presence and before the Face of God but Christ and him alone Oh observe the words of Luther upon his Dying Bed which are said to be his last words Says he Christ have I loved Christ have I feared Christ have I served Christ hav● I preached in Christ have I believed and unto Christ I commende my Soul Beloved here was a Blessed end here was a Comfortable and Glorious End The Lord bring us all to such an End for his Names sake And would you come to such an end then beware of Hypocrisie But I haste A word or two more of Caution to the Wicked and so I come to the Application AND in the first place if there be any Persons among us this day that are Ignorant of and Strangers to God and his workings upon the Souls of his People and that are mindless and regardless of God Christ the Gospel Heaven and their Souls Salvation living either in desperate Wickedness Moral Civility or Legal Holiness and yet without God Well to all such I would say Oh have a care have a care how you dally away your precious time Consider your Souls lie at stake and if you miss of Christ you are undone for ever remember the Rich Man Luke 16. who never lift up his Eyes till he was in Hell Oh examine before hand what you will do upon your Dying Beds when you must take your Leave of Friends and Relations go off the Stage of this World and pass into endless Eternity Beloved pray mind me there is as it were two great Porters if I may so speak which stand beside the Gates of Death viz. Christ and the Devil Christ as it were on the right hand and the Devil on the left and when the Soul of a Righteous Man passes the Gates of Death Christ whose everlasting Arms are still spread under all his with open Heart and Hand is there ready to receive him and will not suffer Satan as much as once to come nigh him but will say No Satan the time of this Souls warfare is accomplished thou hast had thy time to try and sift him and hast caused him to feel many a bitter hour of Trouble but I who long since bought him have saved him from thy Hands and will now receive him to Glory where thou shalt never trouble him more for precious to the Lord are the Death of all his Saints and Blessed are the Dead which die in the Lord from henceforth for they rest from their Labours Trouble and Toil. But on the other hand when a Wicked Unbeliever dyes and comes to pass the Gates of Death presently he falls into the Jaws of the Dog of Hell i. e. the Devil and is caught in the Arms of Satan and so hurried down into Eternal Flames and if he cry Lord save me No saith Christ for in thy Life time thou contemnedst my Grace and Gospel and cast off my Counsel and Reproof thou set light by my Death and Merits and would have none of my Salvation I will therefore now Laugh at thy Calamities and mock when thy Fear cometh Depart thou from me O thou Worker of Iniquity O consider this all you that forget God and while it is called to day and while the Door of the Bride-grooms Chamber standeth open hear fear and lay it to heart return to the Lord accept of Grace and embrace those things that belong to your Peace before they be hid from your eyes For the Devil designs nothing more than to draw you on with one Temptation or another in Blindness and Forgetfulness of God till Death hath closed up your Eyes and then

how vehemently did he cry out Ely Ely Lama sabachthani i. e. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27.46 Oh happy that Man or Woman among us this day that is thus tender on and desirous of the Heart-inriching Soul-ravishing Love Company and Presence of Jesus Christ But again 4thly LET us note the terrible opposition that Samson met with in his Journey even when he came nigh to the place so the Text coming to the Vineyards of Timnath Behold a young Lion roared against him Young noting vigour and nimbleness a young Lion noting strength cruelty and fierceness a frightful Adversary indeed especially considering how unprepared Samson was to an eye of reason for such an Assault which affords us this fourth and last Proposition viz. That as Samson in going about to Marry and Espouse this Woman of Timnath this Daughter of the Philistines to himself met with many oppositions but more especially this young Lion so Jesus Christ in endeavouring the Redemption and Espousal of his Church unto himself hath and doth meet with many oppositions but especially that roaring Lion the Devil 1 Pet. 5.8 For 1. when he was in the Flesh in order to the Accomplishment of Mans Redemption how often did this Lion this Devil set upon him and not contenting himself with daily troubling vexing and persecuting of him by his wicked Instruments the Jews he first drives him into the Wilderness to tempt him there where he deals with him as it were Hand to Fist but still doth no good Again 2. He stirs up his Disciples to molest and grieve him first Peter by his fleshly advice hence Christ saith Get thee behind me Satan c. Mat. 16.23 Then secondly Judas to betray him for saith the Text Satan entered into him again Thirdly Peter to deny him and that with Oaths saying I know not the Man Oh horrible And after all this he again comes himself as it were accompanied with all the Powers of Hell to assist him and taking him at the greatest disadvantage even when under the heavy burden of his Fathers Wrath according to Psal 69.26 as designing if possible at once to strike him down to Hell for ever But blessed be God it was not possible c. Joh. 14.30 The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me See then the Devils Malice though he had nothing in Christ yet would he not cease to afflict Christ whilst in his reach and he carries the same mind towards Christians also Luke 22.31 32. Simon Simon Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat c. Again secondly when he cometh in the Spirit in and by the Gospel actually to call and unite his People to himself the Devil still ceaseth not to interrupt him in his Proceedings if by any means he can although in this respect he doth not directly so much fight against Christ as Christians for he knows he can do no good with him he long since overcame him upon Mount Calvary Heb. 2.14 By death he overcame him that hath the power of Death even the Devil And now seeing he can do no good on Christ the Husband he desires to have poor Believers the Church that he may try and sift them as Wheat And truly Beloved the Devil hath put many a poor Christian hard to it he hath made many a one cry out Oh what shall I do And I doubt not but many of you in this Congregation have met with him to your sorrow and so by woful experience know these things I now speak to be true BUT to all you that are labouring in this bitter warfare and hour of tryal this day of Jacob's trouble let me say thus much to you Have a care of trusting to the Arm of Flesh and of putting confidence in Man Have a care of selling your selves for nought by putting confidence in that which cannot save but consider our great Samson is spiritually come down in and by the Gospel and he is among us and present with us and if he do but as much as shew his Head or make bare his Arm in any of our Hearts and Souls then the Devil is gone he is fled and though we seek him at such a time we cannot find him and why well because Christ is come down to dwell with us Oh Sirs could we but live more by Faith with and in Christ we should be less troubled with the Devils Company But I haste BELOVED time will not permit me to speak to all these Four Propositions thus raised from the words I shall therefore make choice of the Fourth and last of them for the subject of my remaining Discourse at this time viz. THAT as Samson in going about to Marry and Espouse this Woman of Timnath this Daughter of the Philistines to himself did meet with many Oppositions chiefly this young Lion so Jesus Christ endeavouring the Redemption and Espousal of his Church to himself hath and doth meet with many Oppositions and Opposers but especially that roaring Lion the Devil IN the handling of which Point I shall observe this Method First TO shew the State and Condition of Christ's Church in general and every Member thereof in particular before called by and United or Married unto Jesus Christ Secondly I shall consider whether the Church first seeketh unto Christ or Christ unto the Church in order unto the effecting of this Blessed Union or Marriage Thirdly MENTION some of the greatest Lets Hindrances and Impediments which do most interrupt this Blessed Union and Agreement betwixt Christ and his Church Fourthly I shall give you some Cautions in order to a timely prevention of the dangers occasioned thereby And Lastly MAKE some short Application First I shall shew the State and Condition of Christ's Church in general and of every Member thereof in particular before called by and United or Married unto Jesus Christ but I must be brief in the whole And First THE State of Christ's Church in general and of every Member thereof in particular before called c. is a State of Deadness This is plain from Paul's words to the Church at Ephesus Fph. 2.1 But you hath he quickened who were dead in sins and trespasses See also vers 4 5. Now this deadness is two-fold 1. A deadness to God and all Goodness And this deadness is 1. Absolute And 2. Universal 1. Absolute not a deadness in part as some do vainly imagine as if Man was partly dead and partly alive to God by Nature No for Man is wholly dead so as that there is no Spiritual Life to Heavenly things remaining in him 2dly It is an Universal deadness or a deadness throughout Death saith the Apostle Rom. 5.12 past upon all men for that all have sinned And as it passed upon all so it obtained a Compleat Dominion over all so that take an unconverted Man that is altogether natural and such a Man is with respect unto God a dead Man his Heart his Will

his Mind his Affections together with all other Faculties of the Soul are altogether dead and lifeless And secondly it is a deadness in sin not to sin for so is the truly godly according to their measures but a deadness in sin Hence note a natural Man thus dead in sin is First not sensible of sin secondly he is not troubled for sin thirdly he is not burdened with sin fourthly he hath no true desire to be delivered from sin true he may have some Convictions and perhaps sometimes sharp ones too but it is either not for sin as sin or else but for some particular Acts of sin more notorious than ordinary in the mean while not seeing that his whole Nature is polluted and that the best of his Actions whilst out of Christ is but as filthy Rags which instead of meriting any good thing for him doth rather like the Blood of Abel cry to Heaven for vengeance upon him for without Christ we can do nothing John 15.5 that is nothing well-pleasing to him for whatsoever is not of faith is sin O that the World could once be brought to see this then Men would have done talking of Free-will and of a power in Man whilst in Nature to do that which is good then would they be brought off trusting in depending upon or boasting of their own Righteousness then should we all fall down as one Man before the Lord crying out as with one Voice Oh wretched men that we are who shall deliver us from this body of sin Rom. 7. 24. Then should we know what Christ meaneth in that notable place John 5. 24 25. But Secondly THE State of Christ's Church in general and of every Member thereof in particular before called by him c. is a State of Hardness and desperate Wickedness but still I mean as to the things of God for alas if the Devil tempt if the World allure if the Flesh lust after its own things if any Profit Pleasure Honour Preferment or Advantage be offered to us Oh how soon then have we an Eye to see an Ear to hear and an open Heart to receive these things though tending never so much to our Souls ruine and destruction but on the other hand God may call and call again he may stand at the Door and knock day after day he may cry aloud in our Ears by his Word Works and Providences he may threaten Death Damnation and Destruction by the Law and again sweetly tender Grace Mercy Forgiveness of Sins and Salvation by the Gospel time after time and in Sermon after Sermon and yet for all this Man whilst in Nature hath neither Eye to see Ear to hear nor Heart to receive Oh sad Condition But again Thirdly THE State of Christ's Church in general and of every Member thereof in particular before called by Christ c. is a State of Blindness and Insensibility for though Man in this Estate lie in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity chained up in the Devils Prison where Satan himself is Gaoler though he be in a State which if lived and dyed in will certainly usher him into the Pit of Hell and though he be posting with the greatest Expedition towards everlasting Damnation sleeping and snoring in a Condition near equivalent to the Damned in Hell and though he hear all this from the Scriptures and God's Ministers yet still he remains blind and insensible till God move upon the Heart See Eph. 4.18 But Fourthly FOR I haste The State of the Church of Christ and every Member thereof whilst in Nature and uncalled is a state of Alienation from God Alas whilst thus they have no true knowledge of him nor fellowship with him they see him not nor enjoy him though in him they live move and have their Being they rise up in the Morning and ly down again at Night Day after Day Month after Month and yet have not God in a godly way as much as once in all their thoughts they rarely do as much as once seriously consider whether they be going to Life or Death to Heaven or Hell to God or the Devil Fifthly and lastly THE State of Christ's Church in general and every Member thereof in particular before effectually called by Christ to himself is a State of Deceiveableness This Paul confesseth to Titus Titus 3.3 For alas generally nay I think I may say always they that are most without God have the least sense of the want of God they that are most with the Devil are in the least fear of the Devil and they that are really the greatest sinners are the least troubled for their sins for either they are wholly Carnal in their Lives as well as Hearts and so minding no Religon at all or else they fall a doing and working for Life building upon their Prayers Duties Works and Obedience thinking these shall stand them in some stead concluding that if they can but live Civilly deal Justly do their Duties orderly and keep all God's Commandments to the utmost of their Power according to the Law Well then undoubtedly all shall be well with them both in Death and Judgment and consequently to Eternity though they know nothing no nothing of Christ the Gospel Faith nor Self-denyal not minding that the Scripture saith That there is no name given under heaven whereby we can be saved but the name of Jesus and that whosoever believes not in him shall be damned for without Faith it is impossible to please him but Do and Live is the only Religon consistent with the fallen Nature it is wholly a stranger to all Gospel Mysteries and so I fear are too many called Gospel Ministers else why is Free-will and Mans works and Righteousness cry'd up at such a height at this day to the great dishonour of Christ and the Gospel in so many places and persons and why is there such Heart-burnings against such as preach the Pure Gospel of Christ whereby Man and his Righteousness is laid in the Dust and Christ and his Righteousness exalted according to the Scriptures But to conclude this Point Paul most plainly tells us what all Men are by Nature For indeed there is no difference In the second of the Ephesians 11 12. 1st Gentiles in the Flesh 2ly Uncircumcised in Heart 3ly Without Christ 4ly Aliens to the Commonwealth of Israel 5ly Strangers to the Covenant of Grace 6ly Void of Hope 7ly Without God in the World a dreadful Condition indeed and this brings me to the Second Particular To consider Whether the Church first seeketh unto Christ or on the contrary Christ first seeketh unto the Church in order to the effecting of this blessed Union or Marriage betwixt them And the Solution is plain First as intimated by the Text and 2ly As confirmed by all the Scriptures relating thereunto 1st As intimated by the Text thus viz. As Samson first sought unto and endeavoured after this Philistine Woman in order to the concluding of this Contract betwixt

his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own Life also he cannot be my Disciple That is Whosoever pretendeth to come to Christ and hateth not all these things with what else can be named besides Christ in comparison of or in competition with Christ cannot be his Disciple and then for certain not his Spouse Oh Beloved many keep a great stir about Sin being the main Let in the way of Union betwixt Christ and a poor Soul but I tell you it is not Sin but the Love of Sin that separateth betwixt Christ and the Soul See Rev. 22.15 Whosoever loveth and maketh a Lye is cast out of the Holy City not he that barely maketh a Lye through weakness or by reason of Temptation but he that not only doth so but also loveth to do so this is the Man of the Lord's Anger Therefore saith David If I delight in Sin God will not hear my voice This therefore is the main Let in our way of Union with Christ because we Love Sin and love the World together with the Pleasures and Profits thereof we love the Flesh and we love our Lusts our Selves our Works and our own Righteousness and therefore we cannot love Christ And further provided that we should hate Swearing and Drunkenness and yet love Pride and Covetousness this is nothing or if we should hate Pride and Covetousness and yet love Deceit and Hypocrysie we are still no better This is but as it were to change one Devil for another and so keep a Devil still But I cannot enlarge THE Third Let in our way of Union with Christ which I shall now mention is want of Faith in Christ And truly Beloved this is a great Mountain in our way indeed this is the Hydra the Monster-Sin Vnbelief for as there is nothing impossible to him that believes so there is nothing possible to him that believes not For as Faith hath the preheminence above all other Graces so Unbelief hath the preheminence of all other Vices And how many a poor Soul is there that is both sensible of troubled for and burthened with Sin and also sees a want of longs for and desires to be with Christ and yet hath little or no Union with Christ by reason of Unbelief Yea there are many that are weary of the World weary of Sin weary of the Devil and of themselves too accounting in their very hearts all things nothing in comparison of Christ and yet for all this have little or no Fellowship with Christ because of the want of Faith Oh therefore this want of Faith is a great Soul-plague it is as the Devil's Castle and Tower of Defence from whence he shooteth so many Darts at the Souls of the Afflicted The Lord in Mercy arm us all against this Unbelief And truly my Friends there is no reason for the persons before spoken of to doubt of God's favour of all persons in the World for all the free and blessed Promises in the Gospel run with a direct tendency to and upon them I beseech you therefore if there be any such here this day that you would take courage trust in God and doubt no more and the Lord give and grant you Hearts thus to do for I know there is no such precious Herb as Faith is grows in the corrupted Garden of Mans Heart by Nature But oh you proud obdurate and hard-hearted ones whose hearts the Lord never yet touched nor who never yet trembled at Gods Words to you be it spoken the Dread ought to lie at your doors for there is not a Curse written in all Gods Book but it runs with a direct tendency to and upon you as little as you fear it think of it or are troubled for it now yet the Day is a coming even at the Door when you shall be made to know it The Lord God give you hearts to see it in due time before it be too late and the Offers of Grace be hid from your Fyes But there is at this day a sort of Professors of Christianity in the world who pretend to Faith and a holy Life or rather first a holy Life and then Faith as they suppose and these are still crying Do do do and upon doing they pronounce Men blessed happy and safe not regarding in the mean while whether such have any Faith or no or if they have whether it be rightly founded upon Christ or no without leaning to or depending upon any thing else especially in point of Justification But oh that such Persons would seriously consider 1. That Man as Man and whilst cut of Christ can do nothing So saith Christ himself Without me ye can do nothing John 14.5 But the strongest Argument that ever I met with to convince me of the truth of this is recorded in John 5.30 Where Christ saith thus I can of mine own self do nothing And from hence I infer That if the sinless spotless and only Son of God did acknowledge That he could of his own self do nothing that is as he was Man c. then is it most high Presumption for a poor mortal sinful wretched Creature Dust and Ashes to say or think that of himself as separate from the Grace Power and Goodness of God in Christ he can do any thing that is any thing acceptable or well-pleasing to God 2. Let them consider that whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Rom. 14.23 And also that without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 And lastly Let them consider that Faith is the Gift of God Eph. 2.8 and a Fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 And if so then pray what is sinful Man in and of himself but a poor lost helpless nothing undone Creature And this must man be made to see before ever he can truly close with Christ Jesus in Truth and Sincerity And when once he comes thus to be stript of all and made nothing in himself then is he a fit Object of Mercy in which God once coming to work Faith in the heart in order to an embracing of Christ then a blessed Union betwixt Christ and the Soul is immedily brought forth BUT Fourthly and lastly For I cannot stand to mention any more Particulars Another dreadful and most mighty Let in this way of Union betwixt Christ and his Church is the Devil of whom it is said in another case and may accordingly be said in this He that now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way 2 Thes 2.7 And indeed it is him which the young Lion in our Text doth most directly point at for as the young Lion roared against Samson when he came down to Timnath to take this Daughter of the Philistines to Wife so the Devil roared against Christ both when he came in the Flesh to purchase and redeem his Church and also as he cometh in the Spirit to call and sanctifie his Church in order to the betrothing of her unto himself

in an everlasting Oneness But at the former of these to wit his coming in the Flesh the Matter in hand doth seem more directly to point for in the latter to wit Man 's Calling and Conversion as indeed all a Christians Life-time after really made a Christian the Devil doth not so directly strive against Christ as I said before as poor Christians for he despairs of ever doing good of him who hath already led him captive and appointed him his Bounds saying Hitherto shalt thou go and no further But Oh saith he let me have a turn with Christian Man I once overcame Man when sinless in Paradise and perhaps I may do so again though he be made sinless in Christ Luke 22.31 32. But alas poor Satan is mistaken for Christians have now Christ to defend them and to fight their Battels for them which Adam in Paradise had not and therefore as Christians not so easily drawn to sin that is to sin with delight as he did And again provided they do sin still they have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the Propitiation for their sins But however many a poor Christian is many times hard put to it by the Devil for it is not in vain that Peter exhorteth to be sober and watchful because the Devil went about as a roaring Lion seeking whom he might devour 1 Pet. 5.8 For Peter knew by woful experience how hard a thing it was to resist and withstand him And indeed this is one main Reason why the righteous are said to be scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 And see but at your leisure what dreadful War he made against the Church in Revelat. 12. And what Joy the Saints made in Heaven ver 10. when he was cast from thence But why do I thus numerate Scriptures I will appeal to all your Experiences that know any thing of God And Beloved let me ask you Do you not find this Devil this Dog of Hell do you not find him I say tempting tossing and turning you over and over to and again Do you not find him lurking in every corner you come in and laying Snares in every thing you meddle with Do you not find him rising up and lying down with you going to Bed and Board with you in Light and Darkness Day and Night still with you And for sure he designs you no Good it is your dear and precious Souls he still aims at The Lord deliver us all from his hands But perhaps you will say Alas we know by most woful experience that all these things are true and that we are daily thus troubled with the Devil upon all Accounts but oh how shall we do to withstand and overcome him I Answer If you would stand against and be saved from the Devil then flee from and renounce your selves as well as him for if Self be kept alive in your Bosomes the Devil will not be far from thence Both sinful and righteous Self must be put off if once Jesus Christ be rightly put on And pray Sirs further have an eye to the Son of God our great Samson who is come down in and by the Gospel into our Philistine Land to marry us notwithstanding the uncircumcision of our Hearts and Natures to himself who though thou canst put no Power Goodness Merits nor Deserts as a Weapon into his Hand will yet notwithstanding by his own Almighty Power tear Satan in pieces like a Kid in his own time as Paul told the Romans Chap. 16.20 The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established 2 Chron. 20.20 I might now come to shew you some of the principal Ways Means and Methods which Satan takes and makes use of in order to the disturbing molesting and if it were possible hindering of this happy Union betwixt Christ and Christians but Time not permitting I must pass that and so come to the Fourth Thing premised from the general Proposition viz. To give you some Cautions in order to a timely prevention of the Dangers occasioned by the aforesaid Lets and they are these that follow And first To the Righteous CAVTION 1. And to such I say First Have a care That after God in some measure hath come in upon your hearts and that you have had as you suppose some Tastes of this heavenly Union and are brought not only to see your selves to be in Death and Darkness by Nature but also through Mercy to be brought into the Land of the Living by Grace and have seen the Day dawn the Shadows flee away and the Day-Star of Grace arise in your hearts so as that you have been made to say The Winter is past the Rain is over and gone the Flowers appear on the Earth the time of the singing of Birds is come and the voice of the Turtle is heard in my Soul saying Arise my Love my Dove my fair One and come away I say have a care that after all this the Devil meet you not and rob you of your first Love God is oftentimes pleased to permit Satan to try his Children Rev. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried And be sure the Devil will run at long Rope he will strain his Commission to the utmost to do you a Mischief and tender Grapes are soon spoiled And I know the Devil will often assault you that are in this condition with these or the like Temptations Oh Soul will he be saying now thy Troubles are over and thy Dangers past thy Darkness is fled away and Light from Heaven is broken in upon thee thou needest therefore to take no further care it is not possible that thou shouldest err or miscarry thou maist now sit still and take thine ease for the time of thy prosperity is come thou shalt sit as a Widow full of sorrow no longer therefore take Courage and surely well thou maist for what is it that God requires in his Word that thou hast not done thou hast mourned prayed repented believed and reformed and is not this enough God is none such a hard Master Lift up thine Eyes therefore behold the World is before thee Is there never an Object in it well pleasing to thee What needest thou be so precise Dost thou not read of a Gospel-Liberty Thou maist safely endeavour after and delight in the lawful things of this World and yet take no harm witness many great and approved Professors that do the same BUT Beloved have a care of these and the like Temptations for as they are of and from the Devil so they tend to your Souls ruin and destruction It was the great Fault of the Galatians that they began in the Spirit and ended in the Flesh and it will be no less fault in you And truly Saints are not distressed and troubled for a while that so afterwards they may live again to the World and to themselves

he knows well enough that Hell shall close its Mouth on your Souls if you miss of Christ you miss of Heaven for ever AGAIN Secondly Beware that upon your turning from your evil ways you do not close with a false Faith in an unfound way of Religion for it will be a sad thing if you talk your selves to Hell with heavenly Words or go to Death and Judgment with a Lie in your right-hand But may be you will say But how shall I turn aright I answer I shall direct you to the Lord 's own counsel Jer. 4.1 If thou wilt return O Israel saith the Lord return unto me Mind the words Return unto me It is not enough to turn to this or that Man 's particular Way or Form nor to joyn to this or that Congregation though never so pure and Apostolical neither is it enough to turn from a vain and sinful to a good and godly Life from Vices to Vertues from evil and wicked Works to an outwardly holy and righteous Conversation though all these are good in their places and always certain Adjuncts of true Christianity and evermore Concomitants of true Faith in all that are truly godly so far as possible BUT the Root of the Matter lyes in this a sincere and godly turning to the Lord I say To the Lord and a closing in the first place with Jesus Christ by Faith as our Mediator Advocate and only Saviour as our King Priest and Prophet as our Head Lord King and Husband for ever Taking him as of God he is made over to us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption believing that he hath bought us and paid our Debt for us that he hath acquitted us from Sin the Law Curse Death and Hell and that by him we are accepted of and justified before God Almighty and that our Sins are laid upon him and his Righteousness imputed to us by God the Father according to that golden Text 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him And that now henceforward we must not live unto our selves but unto him that hath redeemed us and died for us and that we must fear him and serve him not as Slaves but as Sons not for Rewards but of a ready Mind accounting it as our Meat and Drink to do the Will of God according to his Word knowing that a Free-will Offering is only acceptable unto God These things I commend to your Consideration I would enlarge further but that time calls for a Conclusion However take a few words of Application AND first of all by way of Examination And because we are upon a Matter of very great Importance I desire we may all be faithful to our own Souls herein The several Particulars which I shall commend to your Consideration by way of Examination are these following FIRST Pray let us examine Whether Samson be come down to Timnath I mean Whether Christ Jesus be come home to our Hearts Whether he hath given an awakening and an effectual Call in and by the Gospel to our Souls which hath brought us out of darkness into his marvellous light and out of the Kingdom and Territories of Satan Death and Hell into the Kingdom of his dear Son OBJECT But may be you will say But how shall I know it ANSW To which I Answer by these three following Marks FIRST If Samson be come down to Timnath if Christ be come home upon your Hearts to call your Souls home to himself as aforesaid then hath he given you a true sight and a sense of your Philistine Condition of your Uncircumcised Estate which you are in by Nature A true sight of which doth chiefly consist in these five things 1st In being brought to see your selves to be the chief of Sinners even as Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 2ly In being brought to see the exceeding sinfulness of this Sin wherewith you are thus polluted Rom. 7.13 3ly In being made truly sensible of the dreadful Curse with the which the Law threatens you for and because of this sin and sinfulness Gal. 3.10 4ly In being accordingly made sensible of your own insufficiency by any worth or merit in your own selves to satisfie for the Sin or deliver from the Curse whereof you are guilty and with the which you are attended whilst you are in this condition 5ly In being brought to see at what an infinite distance you stand from God in this Estate and consequently to see how far you are 1st From Reconciliation with God and 2ly Of the Certainty of your Damnation if you be not reconciled unto God SECONDLY A Second Mark is this If Christ hath called you to himself out of darkness into his most glorious light then as he hath let you see an insufficiency in yourselves to save your selves so he hath let you see an All-sufficiency in himself whereby you are brought to understand that though you be wholly lost in your selves yet that there is a full and absolute possibility of your being both redeemed and saved in and by Jesus Christ so that despairing in the first place of all power peace and safety without Christ you may be brought wholly and alone to confide in Christ for the same And this is a sure and most happy Condition and I beseech you be serious in the Examination of it AND Lastly The Third and last Mark is this If Christ hath called you home to himself as aforesaid then are your selves become a burthen to your selves and you find your greatest Enemies to be them of your own House which makes you call and cry day and hour unto the Lord your God to help uphold and strengthen you against Self and all its Assistants that so being freed from the same you may be given up wholly to Christ Jesus both in Faith and Practice which is a Condition most desirable to all true Christians though God knows too many Professers at this day are strangers to the same SECONDLY A Second thing which I would have you to examine is Whether this young Lion the great Opposer of Christ viz. Satan be destroyed and slain yea or no OBJECT But may be you will say How shall I know that ANSW If this young Lion be slain I mean If Satan be overcome in and upon your account then you may know it in some measure by these following things FITST If Satan be thus overcome then you are made sensible that it was not you but another upon your account that did thus overcome him even Christ Jesus and so consequently that not to you but to him belongs all the Glory for evermore SECONDLY If Satan be thus overcome by Christ Jesus in you and for you then are you abundantly troubled for that you can no more love and give Praise to Christ Jesus for the same for Beloved I am very much satisfied that it is one of the greatest Troubles that a true Child of God meets

Faith to lay hold on Jesus Christ in Sincerity fear not but it shall be well with you to Eternity And in your turning to God beware of this That your outward Appearance as to Lives and Conversations do not go before or without your Hearts and inward Inclinations And further have a care of seeking after God in another way than he himself hath appointed Consider that not in the way of Works but in the way of Faith we are to meet with live and walk with Jesus Christ for the Just shall live by Faith And pray note it it is not every one that cryes Lord Lord that shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven because all that profess the Name of Christ have not Hearts endued with sincere Love to Christ and I must tell you that a sanctified Heart is better than a Silver Tongue and a heart full of Grace is much better than a head full of Notion Ard certain it is that you may pretend to be Gods Servants when you are not his Sons but undoubtedly if you be his Sons you will be his Servants not by constraint or for Rewards but most freely and with a ready mind And one word further I desire to commend to you and I desire you to observe it A Man may seem a Christian and not be so but if a Man be a Christian he must of necessity seem so AND so I come to the last Use which is a word of Comfort to all such as apprehending themselves to live in the Land of the Philistines I mean afar off from God do long breath groan pray and most earnestly desire to be brought nearer to yea and wholly to be joyned with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Husband And to all such I would say fear not for your Redeemer liveth and the most holy One of Israel will be your Refuge He that is the God of Glory and that inhabits Eternity can and will help all that love him fear him trust in him and depend upon him OBJ. But perhaps thou wilt say True I desire yea and that with all my Heart so far as I know it to be made one with and Married unto Jesus Christ But the Devil this roaring Lyon of whom you have spoken doth so withstand and oppose me herein that I am afraid that what I desire herein can never be effected Surely never poor Soul was so tempted with and oppressed by Satan as I am TO which I Answer Poor Soul thou feelest no Mans burthen but thy own neither doth Satans Temptations to another trouble thee but do but thou ask another in thy Condition and he will tell thee that he is tempted even by Satan as thou But may be thou wilt say But I think there is none in such a Condition as I am To which I answer Why what a State art thou in Well perhaps thou wilt say First I am full of Sin and sinful pollutions and so consequently more abominable in my self than a Toad So that when I come before Christ Jesus to beg Mercy and Acceptance alas I see that I deserve none And besides when I come I have almost always the Devil to bear me Company on purpose to prevent my embracing of and being joyned unto Jesus Christ and therefore surely never Person was in my Condition To which I answer Alas poor Soul thou art quite mistaken for there is not a true Christian but is in the same Condition less or more yea I my self could tell thee the same Story and much more yea and that by woful Experience But however for thy better satisfaction I shall commend to thee an Example from the Scripture See Zech. 3.1 2 3. and note it well saith the Prophet there He speaking of God shewed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan stood at his right hand to resist him And saith the Text Joshua was cloathed with filthy Garments and stood before the Angel Now Joshua in this place is a Figure of the Church and the Angel of Christ The Text therefore teacheth us thus much That when the whole Church in general or any Member in particular do come before Jesus Christ in order to Justification and Salvation in and by him then and at that time they come clad with filthy Garments so undeserving of acceptance and also have the Devil to bear them company in order to the preventing of their either joyning with or confiding in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Husband accordingly as thou sayst of thy self so thou art not alone in this Condition But pray mind how Joshuah in this Estate was freed rescued and delivered both from his filthy Garments and also from the Devil See the third and fourth verses Christ first rebuked Satan and then caused Joshua's filthy Garments to be taken away cloathing him himself with changes of Raiment and as he did to Joshua so will he do to thee if thou believe but in him But perhaps thou wilt say Nay but I am Poor Barren and Unfruitful I answer Even so do all God's People judge themselves to be they are crying out of their Leanness daily and hourly and think with and of themselves That they do nothing for God but though they think thus of themselves yet God thinks otherwise And indeed this I have observed over and over That the Godly have still such low Thoughts of themselves and are base in their own Eyes whereas the wicked on the other hand are proud and lifted up and have high thoughts of themselves and it seems by our Saviours Words That both the Righteous and the Wicked will have the same thoughts each of themselves at the Judgment-day See Mat. 25. from 31. to the end where first he tells the Righteous That they had fed him cloathed and visited him c. But they cry out Lord when did we so and so Alas they took no notice of their good doings Well but Christ did Oh blessed Professors it is to be feared there is too few such at this day for most are looking upon what they are have know and do and Oh! this spoils Religion puffs up with Pride and undoes the Soul But the Righteous cry out When saw we thee hungry sick or in Prison and did these things unto thee But now mark when he turns him to the Wicked saying I was so and so and yet ye did not such and such things unto me They answer Lord when saw we thee so and so and did not these things unto thee Alas Blind Souls they had deluded themselves with the doing of this and that all their Life time when as they had done nothing in God's account forasmuch as they had not Believed on the only begotten Son of God for not Doing but Believing brings the Soul to Jesus and so to Truth and Holiness in and by him Oh that Professors would seriously weigh these things But alas few do But however when the Lord shall pour forth more of his Spirit