to think too highly of themselves Now before I conclude I must say something in answer to a Question which will be easily occasioned by what hath been already spoken Since we are to try our selves by an adaequate Rule and by such Evidences as are competent to all justified persons and to them only What are those proper Characters of a true Christian I cannot here discourse at large of the several graces of the Spirit and shew how they may be distinguished from their counterseits yet that I may do something towards the satisfaction of Christians in this particular I shall first endeavour to explain the true Nature of saving Faith and then to discover so far as I am able what is the genuine temper and disposition of a child of God For the first It is that which our salvation depends upon and I chuse alwayes to describe it in the words of our common Catéchism which I would never willingly swerve from but keep close to that so Christians may be more secure in entertaining the truth and free from suspicion of being misguided by the singular notions of a private spirit Now there it is described A saving grace whereby we receive Jesus-Christ and rest upon him for salvation as he is offered to us in the Gospel I confess I do not look upon this as an acurate definition of Faith properly so called yet as consonant to the Scriptures manner of teaching Divinity being a practical Discipline the holy Ghost in Scripture doth not desine things as a Philosopher by their genus differentia but by their effects See the Scriptures definition of wisdom Job 28.28 of knowledg Jer. 16.22 of faith Heb. 11.1 of the fear of God Pro. 8.13 of the love of God 1 Jo. 5.3 of Religion Jam. 1.27 Faith is properly an assent to any thing upon the authority of him that affirms it and so more particularly divine Faith is an assent to any truth upon Gods authority but because it is not so easie to make a right judgment of the acts of the understanding as they have an existence in their Subject however we may speak something of the difference of them as they are in their Idea The Scripture takes notice of them when they come lower into the Will and observes what work they make or what effect they have there and thereby judges whether they be right or no. But let me a little explain this description of Faith that so we may the better understand the nature of it It is called a Grace because it is a gift freely given Eph. 2.8 a saving grace because it is one of those things which accompany salvation Mark 16.16 It is said to be a grace whereby we receive Jesus Christ Now I confess I do not see that the place usually alledged for the proof hereof Joh. 1.12 doth convincingly prove it since it may be otherwise expounded what inconvenience would follow if we should take the word receive in a larger sense as it is used Matth. 10.14 and the words following not exegeticè as an exposition of what went before but restrictivè as a limitation thereof The like restriction we have Psal 145.18 yet Faith may properly be called a receiving of Jesus Christ it being the firstact of the Will about the means leading to our end which act the Schoolmen call Election hence I suppose Doctor Ames Rolloc and others borrow this term which they make use of in explaining the Nature of Faith which they make to be an accepting of this or that means or choosing it before others by the approbation of the judgment as best conducing to the attainment of our end Or to speak more plainly and properly which is best if we consider Jesus Christ as the gift of God offered to us in the Gospel as is expressed in the fore-going description Faith is our receiving of him accepting of Gods offer Taking hold on Gods Covenant striking hands with him consenting freely that Christ shall be ours I cannot stand here to examine how necessary our acceptation is to the making a thing our own or a gift properly to us Or whether a man may in any case have not only Jusâ—ad rem or title but Jus in re or possession without his consent or acceptance remembring the end of my discourse which such disquisitions would have little tendency to Vid. Mestrezat de la Vertu de la Foy. pag. 97. Therefore to proceed It is added in this Description of Faith That it is a resting upon Jesus Christ for Salvation The former words do aptly express the first Act of Faith which is the souls fixing or pitching upon Christ in its choice as the only sufficient means of Salvation These words hold forth the porro esse as I may speak of Faith or the continued Act of it upon the souls former choice So that as a learned man Doctor Wallis in his most ingenuous answer to the Lord Brook doth well observe It is all one whether we make Faith to be a receiving of Christ for our Saviour or a resting upon him for Salvation Some choose to express it by the former Act some by the latter for the latter doth necessarily suppose the former and the former immediately inferre the latter if we consider how Christ is offered in the Gospel that is as the only Saviour Act. 4.12 and as a sufficient Saviour Heb. 7.25 But here observe That by a resting on Jesus Christ we do not mean a confirmed hope or a certain expectation of Salvation by Jesus Christ This is an effect of assurance but the leaning rolling staying of the soul upon Jesus Christ which we may conceive of by the notion which the Scripture oft holds it forth under a looking to him or having our eyes towards him Read 2 Chron. 20.12 Psal 121.1 123.1 2. Isai 45.22 Jonah 2.4 Micha 7.7 This Act the soul may put forth without Assurance Of the Difference between these two Acts see Doctor Ward De Fide Justificante cap. 8. 23. And in English Doctor Bolton Of the Nature of Faith pag. 60 61. This latter Act is aptly expressed by Master Cotton a man of much Christian experience on 1 John 5.10 whose words I shall set down because they are suited to the capacity and experience of weak Christians There is saith he a believing on Christ when the heart doth not yet rest on him but roll it self on him and that may be done while the heart is yet in motion resting is a setlednesse of condition but rolling is an unsetled tumbling about sometimes one way and sometimes another yet such a Christian believes on Christ because he is rolling towards him that so he may lie on him Psal 37.5 Commit thy way to the Lord according to the Original it is Roll thy way upon the Lord lean thy soul that way which is done by rolling thy self towards him that thou mayest rest upon him Pro. 16.3 a man may be said to leane on that whereon be is
hereto the oftner we come to God the more welcome Cant. 2.14 Jer. 2.32 and the more boldness and liberty of access we shall have disuse and infrequency breeding a strangeness betwixt God and the soul and deading the heart to communion with him Direct 4. Be very serious in the performance of holy duties be carefull to joyn therein attention of mind Ezek. 33.32 sincerity of heart Psal 145.18 intension of affictions Rom. 12.11 Acts 27.7 and holy fear and reverence Heb. 12.28 Christians are very faulty in this particular for besides their rude irreverent behaviour in holy duties when the best supply that we can make to the defect of our prayers after our hearts have been roving and wandering therein notwithstanding the strictest hand that we can keep over them is by recollection of all the strength of our souls to enforce them by an hearty Amen You shall have men off their knees if ever they were on them or ready to run away from the duty when it grows towards an end as if they were glad that such a task were done Verily I have oft wondered how such prophaness in divine worship should be consistent with the fear of God and yet been loath to condemn those that are guilty of it I can scarce think of this but I am in Pauls case Acts 17.16 for as Mirandula saith in another case That its a wonder that any should doubt of the truth of the Gospel after so many proofs of it but a greater wonder that any should believe it and live as if it were not true Ep. 1. ad Nepot So it is a wonder that any should be so bruitish as to worship a false god but a greater wonder that any worshiping the true God should worship him as if he were no God We ought to give the more diligent heed herein because there is the same time spent in the slight performance of duties which is spent in a right performance of them and a man had better sow his ground with good seed though it cost him dear then with darnell or cockle though he can have it for nothing and as we lose the fruit of our duties and answer of our prayers when we are slight in them so we lose the sweetness that is to be had in communion with God in them and that is the reason we come with such dead hearts to duties and we had need be watchfull herein because Satan is very busie to interrupt us in holy duties Luk. 8.12 Zach. 3.1 and our own hearts are very apt to wander therein Bennard sadly complains of this in his Meditations cap. 8. and de demo interiori cap. 29 33. how he scarce could attend to his own prayers or mind what he said in them himself and so lost the fruit of them See Dike on the Heart cap. 21. Cyprian de Orat. Dom. Now for our help therein let us first consider the nature of God with whom we have to do he is a great King and his Name is dreadfull Mal. 1.14 read that Chapter throughout he will not bear it to be put off with slight services he will have none of his work done negligently Jer. 48.10 he will be sanctified of all such as draw nigh to him Lev. 10.3 he will be served with fear and trembling Psal 2.11 trembling at the Word of God is the Character of a godly man Isa 66.2 4. Ezra 10.3 Secondly Let us consider the nature of the services wherein we have to do with him and we may consider them under a threefold notion First as duties this will lay an awe upon our consciences and keep us to a due constant observance of them it is dangerous to free our consciences from this obligation by laying aside the opinion of duty for we see by experience how easily men are tempted to a neglect of those things which they look upon as only matter of liberty and not as necessary duty 2. Let us consider them as priviledges this will keep us from that weariness which is ready to grow upon us in them while we consider them only as burdensome tasks Mal. 1.13 And from resting in the work done which we shall be apt to do if we look upon them only as duties 3. Let us consider them as Talents which we must give an account of for so they are if we look upon them as means of grace Luk. 12.48 this will quicken us up to more earnest diligence in the improvement of them And for prayer in particular let me add this one word whenever we draw nigh to God in it let us but consider what it is or what we are about viz The making our requests known to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving Phil. 4.6 that so we may be furnished with expressions not from our heads but from our hearts that our words may not be fetched from our memories or inventions but from our reall desires and inward affections Direct 5. Be very carefull net to neglect known duties We use to observe in polemicall Divinity that the plainest truths are least studied because they are taken for granted and so men think they need not busie themselvts about them I wish we could not make the like observation in practicall Divinity though there is not the like reason for the neglect of the practice that there is of the study of those things which we know the end of knowledg is practice Deut. 29.29 But so it is usually that men are very inquisitive into those things which are doubtfull as if they wanted matter for the exercise of their zeal or as if they would complement with God as they sometimes do with men telling him in effect that they do but wait for an opportunity to serve him when they overlook ordinary acknowledged duties like the Jews which were very forward to enquire whether they should fast as they had done formerly and in the mean while they neglected the duties of morality Mic. 6.7 the greatest questionists are many times the least doers but as Luther would say God loves not Quaeristas but Curristas not such as will be alwayes enquiring but such as will be active or doing if you would know more of the mind of God in things that are doubtfull do more of what you already know Joh. 7.17 Mind what is your present duty what is the next step you are to take in the way to Heaven as the evil of the day so the duty of the day is sufficient for it Direct 6. Labour to know the true bounds of your Christian liberty Not that you may walk to the utmost extent of it for the satisfying of your naturall desires nor that you may for any carnall interest basely comply with mens humours but yet there may be great use of this both in respect of our selves and others men do oft lay unnecessary burdens upon themselves binding themselves where God hath loosed them to their own great prejudice like those 1 Cor. 8.7 instances whereof are
losse for Christ Yea doubtlesse and I doe count all things losse c. Secondly Bring your wills to a firm determinate resolution Ps 119.106 Acts 11.23 When men have not brought their wills to this consistency they are like fluid bodies which as we say Facilè continentur alienis terminis do yield to the form or figure of every vessel which they are put into So these double-minded men are unstable as water like Reuben Gen. 49.4 fashioning themselves to every occurrence which they meet with receiving the impression of every thing that is applied to them when the Word comes with power upon their souls they are quite born down with it and are all for Christ and when the world and sinne have an opportunity to set upon them they yeeld thereto This was as Maldonate saith the fault of the stony ground they had not Magnam profundam voluntatem such unstable men invite temptations whereas a firm resolution prevents them it discourages the importunity of men Acts 21.14 Yea It puts Satan to flight James 4.7 Vid. Guil. Parisiens de Tentat Resest prine Thirdly Commit the keeping of your souls to God in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.18 None fitter than Peter to give this counsell who had found by experience how vain it is to make resolutions in our own strength Matth. 26.33 c. We must not only believe on Christ for Salvation but to be kâ—â—â— by his power to Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 and God will not fail such as do thus wait on him Isai 40.28 though others that like young men are most confident of their own strength may fall Now then Canst thou in sincerity goe to God and say Lord I know that it is no easie matter to deny my self to cut off my right hand to pluck out my right eye to part with those sinnes which are most usefull most dear to me yet this I must do if I will be the Disciple of Christ yet having counted both the losse and the gain which I shall thereby have I freely choose Christ for my portion let him do what he will with me and bring me to Heaven which way seems good to him I am resolved to cleave to him through the assistance of thy grace Who though I am not able to think any thing of my self yet art able to keep that good thing which I commit to thee 2 Tim. 1.12 I know not what a soul should do more in the act of Faith if ten Heavens depended upon it I will very briefly adde something of the temper of a gracious soul 1. It hath a true love to Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 16.22 Joh. 14.21 and this is sooner discerned by the inward inclination and affections of the heart than the outward actions of the life Dost thou breathe after more inward communion with him Dost thou lament inwardly after him Though it may be thou hast not such a melting spirit as Mr Bradford who could sit and weep at Dinner till the tears fell on his trencher because he could love God no more yet is it a reall trouble to thee that thou canst love him no more nor do him better service Such a disposition I am sure cannot be without active endeavours but these are discoveries of a Divine Nature 2. A gracious soul is carefull to please God though it doth not know whether God love it or no This is a true filial disposition when a Child is willing to please its Father and is ready to do any thing wherein it may be serviceable to him though its Father will not it may be give it a good look nor take any notice of it if a soul find this disposition in it self let it stay it self upon its God hold thy self by him he bids thee he will not cast thee off Read Isai 50.10 3. A Child of God hates sinne God hates it Jer. 44.4 and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.16 And this is discovered in a general aversion from all sinne hatred is against the whole kind Some men fear sinne but they do not hate it many are afraid to be where some Creatures are lest they should do them hurt but if they are sure that they are fast chained they are well enough but where there is an Antipathy such cannot endure to be near those Creatures though they are sure they cannot hurt them So many are afraid of such sinnes as may damn them or bring them to shame or some other inconvenience in this world but a godly man abhorres his secret corruptions which he knows the best that go to Heaven are troubled with whilst they are here and which he knows will not hinder his worldly interest or as others aptly illustrate it many are afraid to touch a cole when it is hot for fear of burning them but those who are more curious cannot endure to touch it when it is cold least it should black them A wicked man is afraid to meddle with such sins as may damn him a godly man is offended with such sins as may defile him Thus Reader I have endeavoured to help thee in this great work but if thou dost not set thy self with all diligence hereto my labour is in vain Yea so it will be unless the Lord set in by his own Spirit to put forward the same Though the Prophet had told David plainly That the Lord had put away his sinne 2 Sam. 12.13 that would not silence the clamours of a guilty conscience nor quiet and calm his troubled spirit but he must sue to God to restore to him the joy of his salvation Psal 51.12 Some thoughts have offer'd themselves to me of inserting in this Edition some practical cases which might be occasioned by what is supposed in the fore-going Treatise and is now more generally received amongst Protestants then formerly viz. That Assurance doth not always follow upon Faith much less constitute it Hereupon it might be justly questioned How Christians that want Assurance can pray in Faith come boldly to the throne of grace approach with comfort to the Lords Table rejoyce alwayes in the Lord c. which seem to be duties incumbent on every Christian But I have put off such thoughts at present intending to reserve these with many other things for another Treatise which I shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impart to the world as I shall see occasion and have opportunity and end this matter with the desire of Bernard Med. cap. 5. Cum coram Deo in lachrymis te maceraveris precor te ut memor sis mei when thou afflictest thy self in tears before the Lord I pray thee remember me least when I have written and preached to others I my self should be a castaway FINIS ERRATA EPist Ded. p. 5. l. 12. for 9. r. 19. p. 7. l. 8. r. Psal 73.26 p. 8. l. 1. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is somewhere in the Epistle examples for example p. 11. l. 19. for si r. sic p. 28. l. 14. r. Psal 25.15 p. 30. l. 4. r. may p. 31. l. 14. r. 1 Cor. 6.20 p. 39. l. 21. r. capiunt p. 53. l. 10. r. soyl p. 55. l. 1. dele some p. 55. something is misplaced after Mal 3.16 adde Ita fabulantur c. to the second head
Art would wonder how so many wheels should keep such a constant orderly motion whereas one that understands the manner of their motion knows that one wheel doth protrude or thrust forward another and that the motion could not easily be so regular if there were fewer wheels in it so it is in this case one duty puts forward another and doth dispose us to the practice of another or as in the body labour or exercise begets an appetite when we have an appetite our food is mort pleasant to us and it likewise helps digestion and so our food doth us more good and strengthens us to labour so the more we exercise our selves unto Godliness the more experience we shall have of our own insufficiency and of the need that we stand in of a daily supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ and so we shall more prize and endeavour to improve those Ordinances which are the ministration of the Spirit as Prayer and the Word of God And therefore if men slight Ordinances 't is an ill sign that they have grown negligent in the practace of godliness for he that sets himself to walk so as he may please God will find all means little enough to maintain the vigour of his grace and the more we improve our communion with God in Ordinances the better shall we be enabled to hold on in a course of godliness so that as it is in the body naturall and misticall one member is usefull to another it is likewise in these duties I may also add that the benefits of such a practice which I have before recounted will abundantly recompence any diâ—igence which we can use therein which hath been confirmed by the experience of those which have been exercised therein as you may see in Mr Rogers Seaven Treatises where he tells us Treat 4 cap. 11. of divers godly men who when they were at first put upon such a course as is here prescribed looked upon it as a thing impossible to be observed but being perswaded to make triall of it they freely acknowledged that they found and obtained more use of their knowledg more constancy in their course and sweet delight in serving of God then ever they looked for and hereby they came to be better able to perform duties to bear crosses and afflictions to subdue their affections and to overcome their doubts and fears Methinks the hope of like success should encourage any that make Religion their business to make triall of this practice those that have more objections yet to make against it may find them answered in Drexelius his Trismegistus lib. 1. cap. 7. And now Reader I may conclude with Tertullian de patientia prin or in the words of Bishop Sales in the Preface to his Introduction I confess I have writ of a devout life without being devout my self yet not without a desire of being so and it is this desire which hath given me courage to instruct thee for as a great Learned man said To study is a good way to learn to hear is a better but to teach is best of all The truth is I entertained the first thoughts of making these Directions thus publike whilest I was drawing up somewhat for my own use hoping they might do others more good then my self which might have better hearts to make use of them as indeed I should oft preach with an heavy heart were it not for hopes that many that hear me may be more affected with what I speak then I can get my own dull soul to be but I was further encouraged to this work when I considered what an obligation it would be upon my self to the most earnest endeavours in the practice of those things which I have thus pressed upon others for if I should chuse my devise it should be those words of the Apostle Rom. 2.21 Which I wish I could as oft suppose my self to hear sounding in mine ears as Jerome did the last Trumpet Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy self and I desire this little Book may come into remembrance with me to shame me when ever I shall through inadvertency or any other infirmity swerve from these Rules my self which I have here set down for the use of others THE PRACTICE OF GODLINES LAbour to improve your acknowledged principles concerning God I mean such principles as are generally without dispute or hesitancy assented to unless you think the Word of God to be a cunningly devised fable 2 Pet. 1.16 or that the Kingdom of God is in word only and not in power 1 Cor. 4.20 that Religion is but an empty sound of no use or vertue let your faith as the Apostle faith of patience Jam. 1.4 have its perfect work use it as far as it will go and you shall find what an influence it will have upon your whole Conversation True knowledg is the foundation of all Religion Jer. 22.16 Eph 4.18 and that knowledg is not right which is not operative and efectuall 1 Joh. 2.3 4. Now there are three things more especially a fixed apprehension and serious consideration whereof will be of singular use to us in all the passages of our lives First The alsufficiency of God Gen. 17.1 This makes him the chief good for this we choose him as our portion and chief happiness Now this is the first step which the soul takes towards Heaven this goes in order before Faith and Faith is but subordinate hereto this being the act of the soul about our chief end Faith respecting the means leading to this end Why do we beleeve on Jesus Christ but that we may by him be brought unto God 1 Pet. 3.18 these two acts are the brief abridgment of the Gospel Acts 20.21 so that we see this is essentiall to Christianity to take God for our chief happiness Now if this were but setled in our hearts how would it ballast them and keep them steddy that they would not be tossed up and down with the various occurrences of this life neither lift up with prosperity nor cast down with adversitys for whether we have more of these things they make no considerable addition to us God is our happiness and not the Creature or whether we have less of these things it is no diminution of our happiness we still have our portion we are but as a man that hath turned his estate into money though he have not houses nor lands nor flocks nor herds yet he hath that which answers all things Eccles 10.19 so it is with one that hath God for his portion whose is the earth and the fullness thereof Hab. 3.17 18.1 Cor. 10.28.2 Cor. 6.10 Give twenty pounds to a poor man and you make him take so much from him and you undoe him but it is nothing in a rich mans purse that hath thousands coming in yearly let an unbeliever lose the world and he loses all he complains with Laban that his gods are gone let him have these things in abundance and
observe the tempers faculties abilities capacities conditions of those with whom we have to do that we may accommodate our selves as far as may be thereunto this will render our society more acceptable to others more profitable both to others and our selves By observing mens tempers we may the more easily insinuate what we please into them by observing their faculties and abilities we may both please them and profit our selves because men love to discourse of things belonging to their own faculties or wherein their abilities chiefly lye and about those things we may expect the most satisfying answers from them if they be such things as may be any advantage to us to know if we suit our discourses to mens conditions it will add much grace and comeliness to our speech Prov. 15.23 25.11 but if we do not in all things apply our selves to mens capacities we shall but weary them and what we labour to pour into them will run beside Joh. 16.12 Rom. 14.1 But remember still to be swift to hear slow to speak Jam. 1.19 to shew all meekness towards all men to speak evil of none unless you be called thereto Tit. 3.2 to be sparing of your promises and as sparing of your secrets unles to such whose faithfullness you have good experience of or unles they leave as much in pawn with you as you trust with them for by imparting our secrets to others we oft put our selves into their power so that they have a check upon us according to that Scire volunt secreta domus atque inde timeri Juven Sat. 13. And lastly Joyn prudence with innocence that you may neither do wrong nor receive any Mat 10.16 Psal 101.2 2. Labour to spend your time well when you are alone Take heed to your spirits Mal. 2.17 there is the beginning of all mischief Mat. 15.19 then is the season for Satan to come and deal with us about his works of darkness which he hath to put us upon therefore we should prevent him by some good and profitable exercise if David had taken this course 2 Sam. 11. how much evill might it have prevented how much work have we lying upon our hands to take up every spare minute of our lives how many things are we ignorant of which we may imploy our solitary time about in informing our selves by reading the Word of God or using the help of others which we have ready at hand in suâ—h abundance or if we cannot read the Scriptures or some other good books as in a journey or in our beds in the night how much work have we to do upon our hearts How many affections to quicken by holy meditation how many doubts to resolve and questions to answer concerning our own spiritual condition by self-examination And for your help in these exercises 1. Labour to have the Word of God dwelling richly in you Prov. 6.12 Mat. 12.35 2. Have this good treasure in your heart disposed into some order when our thoughts lie on a confused heap we cannot so easily find out what we have occasion to use let us sometimes look upward to God consider his Nature his Attributes Psal 104.34 his Wisdom Goodnes Power Faithfulness which he hath proclaimed in his Word manifested in his Works especially in that work of his manifold Wisdom which is the subject of Angels meditation Eph. 3.10.1 Pet. 1.11 Sometimes he looking backward on the wayes of Gods providence toward you Ps 139.8 c. 2 Sam. 22.1 c. or your ways towards God 1 Tim. 1.13 Sometimes look downwards into your own hearts see what work of God you can find there what remainders of sin are stil there Sometimes look forward towards your end Meditate on Death Judgment Heaven Hell So there are other usefull Subjects as the love of God the excellency of Christ the vanity of the World the sinfulness of sin the deceit fulness of the heart which Christians of ordinary capacities that are acquainted with the Scriptures and use to hear Sermons may easily improve by Meditation to the quickning of their affections and strengthening their resolutions and make your choice of these Subjects to meditate on according to your present state as in prosperity oft be thinking of such things as may keep your hearts low as your former condition and Gods gracious providence in raising you up if your condition have formerly been worse Gen. 32.10.2 Sa. 7.18 however of the vanity of the creature the brevity of life the joys of Heaven c. in adversity choose such matter of Meditation as may be most fit to work you to patience and contentedness Mic. 7.9 Ezr. 9.13 and then also make diligent search into your own hearts and ways to find out what may probably be the cause of Gods contending with you Ps 77.6 Job 10.2 34.31 32. 3. Raise up matter of holy Meditation from earthly things God hath done much for our help in this exercise by holding forth heavenly mysteries in his Word in similitudes taken from earthly things so that almost every creature every action may suggest some useful Meditation to us if we be travelling if we see a pleasant way and much company we do not consider these things but what way it is that leads to the place we go to so though the way of sin be pleasant to the flesh and most walk in it Mat. 7.13 14. that should be no temptation to us because that doth not lead to Heaven whither we go If we meet with bad lodging or mean entertainment at our Inn we know it is but for a night and we shall have better when we come to our journeys end so though we have but bad entertainment in this world we are but strangers this is but our Inne we shall be better accommodated when we come to those Mansions which Christ is gone before to prepare for us Joh. 14.2 The like Meditations may be raised from most occurrences of our life Direct 8. Let us continually set before us the perfect patern of our Lord Jesus We are more easily led by examples than precepts and Christ is the only perfect patern others are to be followed so far only as they follow him 1 Cor. 11.1 Not that all the actions of Christ are imitable he was not meer man but God also and Mediatour betwixt God and Man and what he did as God or as Mediator we cannot imitate him in but there are divers things wherein the Scripture propounds his examples to us for imitation as 1. Love Eph. 5.1 2. 1 Joh. 3.16 2. Meekness and Humility Mat. 11.29 Joh. 13.14 Rom. 15.3 3. Self-denial Mat. 16.24 Phil. 2.3 c. 2 Cor. 8.9 4. Patience 1 Pet. 2.21 5. Making it his work to do good Act. 10.38 And these are graces which carry a great stroak in all the passages of our lives Now the example of Christ doth not only serve for our direction so as we should oft think with our selves in the conduct and management of the affairs
of our life what Christ himself would do or how he would carry himself in such a case were he upon earth again as formerly that we may behave our selves after the same manner But 2. It may be for our encouragement he is of a mean base spirit that will not follow where his General leads Malus miles est qui imperatorem gemens sequitur Sen. Ep. 107. Therefore Cato when he was to lead his souldiers through a place of danger and difficulty told them he would go before them and they should not see him drink while they were thirsty nor take his ease while they were weary nor see any thing in him which should difference him at all from a common souldier Lucan l. 9. So Christ may say to us He took upon him the meanest condition Phil. 2.6 there is nothing which he calls us to suffer but he hath suffered worse for us why should not we then take up our cross and go after him Yea 2. after his suffering he was crowned with glory Heb. 12.2 3. So If we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him Rom. 8.17 Mat. 19.28 Direct 9. Every night take an account of the passages of the day past Vid. Bald. de consâ—ient l. 4. c. 2. cas 2. Examine your selves how you have observed the fore-mentioned rules what the constant frame of your heart hath been what you have done upon what grounds whether it have been with the warrant of Gods Word for what end whether it hath had any tendency to the glory of God and subserviency to your chief end whether that hath been in your intention what opportunities you have neglected of communion with God what hath been the carriage of your heart in holy duties how you have behaved your selves in company what good you have done whether any have been the better for you or you for them what you have taken into the good treasure of your hearts and what you have laid out Mat. 12.35 what temper your heart hath been in when alone and so you may go over the several passages of the day Hereby you will always be in some good preparation for death it will not surprize you wholly unready when you daily cast up your accounts you will be better acquainted with your own spiritual estate you will see what progress you make in the way towards Heaven what ground you gain of your corruptions where Satan hath most advantage against you what sinne you are most frequently overtaken with what is the weakest place of your soul you will likewise be kept hereby from lying long in any sinne unrepented of if David had constantly observed this course he had never lien so long as he did in carnal security you may likewise do well to take special notice of the passages of Gods providence towards you And to keep a record or journal of the more remarkable passages of your lives is a practice commended by divers godly men from their own experience For direction wherein see Mr White in his Treatise of the Power of Godliness and Mr Bedle in his Diary of a thankefull Christian And further this review of Gods dealings with you and your carriage towards him will furnish you with matter of confession petition thanksgiving and put you upon the fresh exercise of your faith and renewing your hold on Jesus Christ in your Evening Prayers Direct 10. Awake with God in the Morning I have disposed of this Rule here because of the dependance which it hath on that which goeth before This was Davids practice Psal 139.17 18. How precious are thy thoughts i.e. the thoughts which I have of thee the affix in the Hebrew Notes oft the Object and not the Subject as Gen. 16.5 Jer. 32.40 1. God visits us every morning Job 7.18 Lam. 3.23 2. Then our hearts are fittest for heavenly Meditation when our spirits are refreshed and our hearts have not yet been intangled with the things of the world 3. If holy thoughts do not first take place Satan will soon thrust in Our hearts are as Bernard saith like a mill that grinds every thing that is put upon it whether good or bad Med. devot eap 10. See there how he complains of the sad effect of giving way to evil thoughts how his heart was thereby estranged from the love of heavenly things 4. This is necessary for getting our hearts into a right frame for walking with God all the day if we would have our watch go right all the day we must wind it up in the morning so we had need to wind up our hearts every morning if we would order our conversation aright 1. Then let us meditate on the goodness of God towards us particularly the night past our protection preservation refreshment that God should think of us when we cannot think of him take care of us when we can take none of our selves watch over us while we sleep keep us from sleeping the sleep of death and bethink your selves what thanks you should render to the Lord for his gracious dealings with you and how you may return the use of that life to him which he restores to you every Morning And to this end 2. Review the account which you took of your selvs the night before See wherein it was that you was most easily overtaken where Satan got an advantage against you whether you were not ready to offend with your tongue in company whether your heart did not steal from you in holy duties whether vain thoughts did not devour the time of your solitude what baits you found your hearts most ready to rise to what are the usual out-goings of your hearts what evil haunts they have whether pride and vain-glory sensuality rash anger peevishness impatience or what other sin hath the greatest advantage against you and consider what temptations you are lik to meet with that day which may most endanger you and having found out the plague of your own hearts 3. Furnish your selves with the strongestarguments against such a sin which you may gather up as you meet with them in your hearing or reading and inforce them upon your own souls by communing with your hearts till you have brought your selves to some fixed resolutions of cleaving to the Lord Act. 11.23 Psal 119.106 Some advise us for the confirming our resolutions to lay some penalty upon our selves every time we fail of making them good Of which you may see several instances in Drexelius his Trismegistus Christianus lib. 1. cap. 6. But although some of them savour too much of Popish Superstition yet godly sorrow doth work an holy revenge 2 Cor. 7.11 which we may take upon our selves by denying our selves the use of our lawfull liberty in those things wherein we have abused it or wherein we are in danger again to abuse it if we should take it and watching our own hearts as we would watch a thief when we are cast upon such temptations as we have formerly been easily ensnared
illa quâ cognoscit homo seipsum Bern. de inter Do. cap. 29. princ 2. Do not judge your selves by any particular action or by the frame of your spirit at some seasons for an hypocrite may sometimes do that which is materially good as a godly man may sometimes do that which is evil whereof David Samson Peter and others in Scripture are sad instances so a wicked man may sometimes have his heart in a serious frame under the smart of some outward affliction when senseconvinces them of that which at other times they are backward to believe as Psal 78.34 or under powerfull convictions of the Word as those compared with the stony ground Luk. 8.13 So a godly man may sometimes be in a wofull frame as David 2 Sa. 11. one would have thought that had never known him before that he had been a man of a seared conscience that had sung away care and banished the fear of God from before his eyes and Jonah was little better Jon. 4.9 but we must observe what is the constant habitual frame of our hearts and the ordinary carriage of our lives A godly man in Scripture is described not by his particular actions but by his walking which imports his ordinary course and the general tenour of his conversation Ps 1.1 119.1 Rom. 8.1 Indeed to be frequently overtaken with sin is an ill sign yet to determine how oft a godly man may be overtaken by temptation or how many sinfull actions are inconsistent with sincerity is as impossible in Divinity as to determine in Morality how many actions go to the acquiring of an habit In such a case there is much need of a spiritual discerning and a prudent weighing of particular circumstances sorthe making of a right and safe judgment 3. In judging our selves we must have some respect to natural temper and inclinations and to the temptations which our condition layes us most open to A little sugar serves for sweet wines but there is more required to sweeten that which is more sharp so a little grace makes a great shew in some tempers and a great deal scarce appears in others as an eminent man said of one now in Heaven That he had grace enough for ten other men but scarce enough for himself which he would himself bewail saying he had such a crooked nature that if God had not given him grace none would have been able to live a day with him So likewise the more in offensive lives of some men may be imputed rather to the want of temptations then to a greater measure of grace The truth is a mans sincerity is much discovered in keeping him from his own iniquity Psal 18.23 Est virtus placitis abstinuisse bonis Ovid. and overcoming temptations when he is assaulted therewith Prov. 24.10 Yet let a man have an equal tincture of supernatural grace in all the affections of his soul Let the Spirit of God diffuse it self like leaven indifferently through the whole lump yea let a man bestow also the most care in watching his own heart in some particular outgoings of it he shall notwithstanding find himself most defective in that very thing and as Dr Preston rightly observes those sins are with the most difficulty mortified which our natural temper doth most dispose us to Some affections are more predominant in one age some in another There are youthfull lusts 2 Tim. 2.22 and infirmities more proper to old age as covetousness peevishnes fear suspicion c. So God likewise suits mens tempers many times to the imploiments which he reserves them for Moses was the weekest man on earth Num. 12.3 and so he had need to be who had such a perverse provoking generation of men to deal with Luther was a fierce hot spirited man and he was thereby fitted for the work which he had to do which was to stand as a brazen wall against the whole world and choler is not only Cos ingenii to whet the wit as the Philosophers say but it adds vigour and activity to mens spirits fitting them for action as the sting in the Bee without which she is but a drone And I am inclinable to think that Luther had as much of the grace of meekness as of charity or bounty but being of a generous spirit naturally he would say he never found the least inclination to covetousness whereas his passionate fierceness made his conversation very unpleasing and put poor Melancthon to cry out Vince animos iramque tuam qui caetera vincis So for temptations they may make those graces yield wherein Christians if in any do most excell as we see in the case of Job who was an eminent example of patience Jam. 5.11 yet we do not observe in his story that any grace which he had gave out so much as his patience because that bare the burden and heat of the day his condition did most exercise that And this must be observed both in judging our selves and others thou perhaps seest more failings in another than in thy self be it so and that thou art not partial to thy self yet this may be not because thou hast more grace but because he hath more temptations 4. Take heed that thy grace do not make thee to think thy self graceless or at least less gracious then thou art There are some things which make Christians seem lesse in their own eyes then they are and that is the reason why we ordinarily hear those who may be thought to have the best hearts making the saddest complaints against themselves There are many graces the more a Christian hath of them the worse he thinks of himself 1. The more knowledge a Christian hath the more he sees of the extent of the Law of God and the more clear apprehension he hath of his duty and so he sees more of his own defects We shall see that this made Paul think worse of himself after his conversion then he did before if we compare Phil. 3.5 6. with Rom. 7.9 2. The more liveliness and tenderness of spirit a Christian hath the more sensible he is of his corruption as those who are more tender and delicate are more troubled at such things as are offensive to them then those who are of a more dull heavy temper 3. The more humility a man hath the meaner thoughts he hath of himself and of his services 4. The more love a man hath to Jesus Christ the more free he is of his service to him and so more affected with his own infirmities when he falls short of what he hath an heart to do for him 5. The more the soul bungers and thirsts after righteousness the less doth any measure of grace seem which it hath already received as a covetous man who thirsts after more wealth is always complaining of his poverty and thinks that to be nothing which he hath already And as the best Christians do oft thus wrong themselves so others that have less of these graces are prone
not setled And indeed the Hebrews express the Act of Affiance by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to roll Psal 22.8 Let the Reader only observe that Mr Cotton takes resting in a stricter sense than we do in the former description when he opposeth it to rolling he understands thereby the Affiance of Hope which follows Assurance To come then to the Question Dost thou freely accept of Jesus Christ for thy Saviour Art thou heartily willing to strike hands with God in the Covenant of Grace And though thou hast not a particular Assurance that Christ will save thee Dost thou look towards him Dost thou roll thy self upon him though unbelieving thoughts return oft and presse hard upon thee As a man may roll a burden upon something and it may return oft upon him again before he can make it lie Thy condition is very hopefull But here it will be objected That there are some that for a time believe and yet fall away Luk. 8.13 I confesse this case is very difficult yet I shall give the Objection a fair hearing before I answer it Indeed I do believe that there is a real intrinsick difference between the first Act of Justifying Faith and the Faith of a Temporary Yet many times this difference is not discernable by the persons themselves which so believe That you may understand what I mean Suppose two men under the same affliction as the Israelites Psal 78.31 c. or both hearing the Word together as Luke 8.13 These men may be so wrought upon as that they may both make the same resolution as seems to themselves with alike seriousness and without dissimulation freely taking Christ for their Saviour or casting themselves upon him for Salvation they may have the same apprehensions concerning their own Acts themselves one of these may fall the other persevere This is that which hath been long since taught see Dyke on the Deceitfullnesse of the Heart Chap. 20. where speaking of the Israelites Psalm 78.34 he sayes They spake as they thought and meant to doe See likewise more sully on this Doctor Jackson of Faith Chap. 7. Paragr 14. And it is generally acknowledged That there are not only grosse Hypocrites that deceive others but close Hypocrites that deceive themselves But how comes it to passe that one stands and another falls I answer As it is in colours two things may appear at first of the same colour one abides the other fades Now the Reason of this is there is an addition of some ingredient which gives the one a more lasting tincture than the other one is died in grain the other hath but an ordinary die So to those rational Motives which are the inducements both to the one and to the other to believe there is in one the addition of a spiritual infusion which gives to one mans Faith a true and abiding tincture There is a seed of God abiding in him 1 John 3.9 You will say If it be thus How shall we ever come to any Certainty concerning our own Condition if we may be deceived in the Acts of our own souls If it be said That we must know the truth of our Faith by the trial of it in standing out against temptations This is something indeed But what time must we take for the tryall of our Faith When may we confirm the truth of it with a probatum est When shall I know that the worst tryall is over Some stood out in the time of Queen Maries persecution which afterwards fell away in time of liberty and prosperity Joab turned not after Absalom but he turned after Adonijah Though I turn not after one temptation I may after another Yea a lesse temptation may overcome me after I have stood out against greater Adversus majora vigilantibus quaedam incautis minuta subrepunt Aug. As Lot retained his integrity in Sodome but miscarried when he was only with his own family Gen. 19.33 And so we must conclude There is no assurance to be had without special revelation by this means while we are in this life Dicique beatus ante obitum nemo c. Having thus urged the Objection with all its strength I answer There is yet another way for the tryall of our Faith although many times in the first Act of Faith as Streso observes the soul is not so deliberate it doth not stand to debate the matter long or to form Syllogismes but pressed with the apprehension of its danger layes hold on what is next to save it and flees for resuge to the hope that is set before it yet afterwards when it comes more deliberately to recognize its former Act which he is supposed to have opportunity for who is enquiring after the sincerity of his Faith in this recognition or renewing the Act of Faith there is that which doth clearly difference it from a temporaries Faith Therefore there are three things which I shall lay down which may serve both to direct Christians in the exercise of their Faith and the srequent renewing of their hold on Jesus Christ and to try the sincerity of Faith in the renewed Acts of it First Sit downe and count the cost of being the Disciples of Christ Luk. 14.26 And see in the two fore-going verses the occasion of these words Consider That Christ will rule you if he save you and that his Laws are not suited to your carnall interests or corrupt lusts We must take Christ as he is offered in the Gospel God hath condescended there as farre as he will he cannot be brought to lower termes Indeed in the first Act of Faith usually the soul hath chief respect to pardon as that which it is then most sensible of the want of the soul therein flees for refuge to Christ Heb. 6.18 Flees from the wrath to come Matth. 3.7 But though pardoning grace be Ratio motiva or the first inducement to bring us to Jesus Christ yet it must not be ratio terminativa or that which must bound our desires after him Here now the Hypocrite fails when he comes to see what it is to be a Disciple of Christ he repents of his repentance and comes off with a non putâram Christ had many followers while they saw his miracles and he was likely to be made an earthly King but they turned their backs on him when they understood the Nature of his service John 6.16 60 66. Many under the lash of afflictions or the convictions of the Word betake themselves to Christ for shelter but afterwards despise the simplicity of the Gospel and the strictnesse of holinâ—sse as one that in a storme takes shelter in a Cottage where he would not be afterwards perswaded to dwell or borrows a Coat which after the showr is over he would scorn to wear But Paul when he came to make a recognition of his former act Phil. 3.7 8. He stands to his former choice and judgement Those things saith he that were gain to me I counted