but Lord thou hast said Micab 7.19 20. Thou wilt subdue our iniquities and cast our sins into the depth's of the Sea Oh Lord perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham that thou hast promised yea sworn to our Fathers in the days of old Now soul if thou dost find in thee a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication that thou canst plead with God in his promises as I have instanced here in one why then 't is a good sign thou art thy self called of God and precious in his sight but I would hasten toward an end of these things XXIX 'T is a good sign thou thy self art in Christ if thou art willing to bring others into Christ grace is of a diffusive nature it will spread it self Peter saith Christ when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Luke 22.23 It may be this is of a second conversion and you know Paul speaks of travelling in Birth again till Christ be found in the Gallatians Gal. 4.19 It seems to intimate they were born before but were turned aside to crooked pathes for saith Paul Verse 20. I stand in doubt of you but I will not dispute it here but leave it to the sober wise but however When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren that is do what thou canst to convert and confirm others in their most Holy Faith Wherefore Brethren edifie one another as also ye do 1 Thess 5.11 Grace will beget and strengthen as many as it can it will draw others what may be to the good ways of God Come saith David and I will tell you what God hath done for my soul His spirit was full it was ready to break before it had vent and thus it was with the Woman of Samaria when she had once heard Christ She run into the City and saith Come oh come and see a man that told me all that ever I did She was willing they should know all that ever she knew of Christ and so saith Paul I would thou wer 't such as I am except these hods Acts 26.29 Oh how did his soul long for the conversion of others in Rom. 10.1 My hearts desire and prayer for Israel is that they may be saved Soul is it thus with thee dost thou know thy friends and relations to be in an unconverted estate and dost thou long and pray they may be converted Is thy fellowship with the Father And dost thou desire their fellowship may be with you with the Father and the Son Jesus Christ and dost thou declare to others what thou hast seen and heard of Jesus Christ that thou mayest draw them into fellowship with Jesus 1 John 1.3 If so 't is a good sign thou art one in Christ XXX And lastly If thou art in Christ thou lovest the Saints of Christ not love them barely as they are men but as they are Saints a man may love another but not upon the account as he is a Christian man he may love him as he is of a sweet behaviour and carriage or as he is a relation or as an aquaintance or as a friend that may be profitable to a man in the World I but I speak of love to a Saint as he is a Saint and therefore Christ saith He that giveth to a Prophet not as he is a man or a friend But as in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward Matt. 10.41.42 Now I say if thou lovest Christ's Disciples thus thou art in Christ and Christ saith by this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples how so why If you love one another John 13.35 This Spirit was in Moses which made him say If thou wilt not forgive their sin blot me out of thy Book Exod. 32.32 Which Book we would with submission say 't is the Book of his Temporary Life and truly this was great love that he would lay down his life for Israel in this he was a Type of our Lord so David had a great love to the Saints and a delight in the Saints Psal 16.3 To the Saints and to the excellent in the Earth in whom is all my delight Had David nothing else to set a little of his delight upon yes David was a King he had a Crown and many things else to have delighted in but to the Saints and to the excellent in whom is all my delight Davids delight was all on the Saints and that with good reason because they were most excellent Why had not David many mighty Men of Valour that were excellent ones you may see a whole Catalogue of Davids Worthies in the 1 Chron. 11.10 to the end and were none of these Noble Princes of valor that were in his Court his delight no saith David to the Saints in whom is all my delight and it will appear by the delight he had in the company of them that fear the Lord Psal 119.63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee Not of Nobles and great Men of whom then Of all that fear thee why David there be some poor Men that fear God dost not thou think scorn David being a King to company with poor Men no saith David I am a companion of all that fear thee and 't is so with others too saith David Vers 74. They that fear thee will be glad to see me or when they see me the Saints be glad to see one another therefore David saith again Verse 79. Let those that fear thee turn unto me be they poor or rich be they those that fear thee Oh let them turn unto me be they Servants or any I 'le keep them company that fear the Lord I but David would it not credit thy Court to keep Ranters and Swearers for the World saith he is no Gentleman that cannot swear no saith David I 'le keep no such as they are My eye shall be on the Faithful in the Land they shall dwell with me Psal 101.6 7. But for those that work deceit they shall not dwell in my house nor he that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight This was the Spirit that was in David he loved the Saints let them be poor or rich be they Masters or Servants All that fear thee I am a companion toe by the way give me leave one word to those one 's of this age we live in Sirs how many will Davids practice condemn he was a companion of all that fear God he was a King and it may be thou art some Trades man and yet thou thinkest scorn to converse with the poor Saints if he be some of the great ones of the City then thou art a companion of such but if a poor Saint come to thee then thou art in hast or some one or another stay for me this is a sad Spirit that is crept in among us in these days And from this also may Ministers themselves be rebuked and that sharply too truly among you men of low estate are low in esteem for ought I
can discern else what meaneth this courting of the great ones while the poor of the Flock stand by disregarded and when a poor man comes to speak with you I am busie come another time when at the same time if a great one comes then make all ready to give them entertainment and all possible respect shewed them Sirs what doth this come short of that charge Jude 16. Having mens persons in admiration because of advantage If it be not really so I appeal to you whether or no you do not give others just occasion to judge so Oh Sirs precious in the sight of the Lord are all his Saints and so should they be to you excuse me that by the by I return to the Apostles evidence they were also of that Spirit to love the Saints 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us Ah but how shall we know that we love him Verse 20. He that saith he loves God and hates his Brother is a lyer How shall we know who loved God Verse 21. He who loves God loves his Brother also and Chap 5.1 Every one that loveth him that begat that is God loveth him also that is begotten of him Soul dost thou love him that is begotten of God then thou dost love God love God may many a man say why I never saw him how then should I love him Chap. 4.12 No man hath seen God at any time Exod. 33.20 No man can see God and live but in John before quoted If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us Note his love is perfected or compleated in us Ah soul dost thou love thy Brother Saint indeed 't is a good sign thou art a child of God it may be thou thinkest thou hast but little grace it may be but as a Mustard Seed 't is but as a spark of fire in a great heap of ashes a spark of grace in the midst of a great heap of corruption or it may be thou dost not shine in the sight of others so eminently it may be thou canst not discourse nor pray so excellently to appearance as some can I but dost thou love the brethren then I 'le assure thee 't is very well with thee who these brethren are Christ tells us they are they that do the will of the Father Mark 3.35 not thy natural brother if he hath not grace he is not thy brother in Christ 'T is well with thee if thou lovest the Saints so saith the same Apostle 1 Epist John 3.14 And with that I 'le wind up all as to these things We know that we are passed from Death to Life Why how dost thou know John we know by this Because we love the Brethren dost thou love the Brethren of Christ above and beyond all other men and as they are the brethren of Christ meerly upon no false account but only as they are the Brethren of Christ and the Family of God and as they are the Citizens of Heaven 't is a sure sign thou art a child of God and to use the Phrase in the Text One for whom Christ is sacrificed Thus now I have gone over those Carracters that have been found upon some one of the Saints or other that are found in the Word and though it may easily be discerned that they might have been contracted yet let such remember I design if the Lord will the relief of some poor soul that is ready to give up all hope and not what will be spoken either in praise or dispraise For he that will adventure in this sort must not mind mens good or bad report examine thy self therefore soul by what is before thee and if thou canst not find all these things in thee yet if thou findst but here and there one if God set in by his Spirit thou may'st find a little relief to thy poor trembling soul and if thou art found sincere before the Lord thou art a righteous one one that Christ the Righteous is slain for and so comfort is to be ministred to thee and that leads me to a use of consolation Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with him Isa 3.10 So in Eccl. 8.12 Surely it shall go well with him that fears God Here is comfort soul for thee if in Christ who eyer thou art if thou art born of God though but a day old yet surely it shall be well with thee art thou in doubt touching thy condition as in Dent. 28.66 Doth thy life hang in doubt before and thou fearest day and night and hast no assurance of thy life of thy pardon of thy Salvation why behold God hath bid me tell thee to which he hath added this word of assurance surely it shall go well with them that fear God thou saist surely there 's no pardon for me no peace to me and surely it shall go ill with me at last Ah poor soul doth thy life thy pardon haug in doubt and hast thou no assurance of thy life why yet surely it shall go well with them for whom Christ dyed but what consolation is there to be ministred to such truly abundance more then I can tell thee of 1 Cor. 3.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither can the heart of man conceive what is prepared for them that love him but saith the Apostle in the next words 'T is revealed to us by the Spirit 't is the Spirit of God oh soul that revealeth the consolation of God to thee 't is the Spirit that sheweth things and so comfort that is to come and though I cannot tell thee all thy comfort yet I 'le tell thee some of thy comfort for 't is God that comforteth us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort you which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God but in a few particulars I 'le shew thee some of the consolation that pertatineth to thee First I will shew thee a little what thou shalt be delivered from Secondly What thou shalt partake of and be priviledged too very briefly First Thou shalt be delivered from the vengeance threatned against the wicked Ah soul let me tell thee it shall be ill with the wicked Isa 3.11 'T is true the Godly man may be afflicted for his sin for God doth not willingly afflict nor grieve the children of Men Lam. 3.33 No 't is for some sin he will visit you sometimes the Godly Man shall not go altogether unpunished Jer. 30.11 But here is their comfort I will not make a full end of you no many at time hath he turned away his anger and did not stir up all his wrath Psal 78.38 It may be he let out a little of his anger like the leakings of a Floodgate but yet he did not let open the Flood-gates of his wrath that the full stream might sweep all away before it but now he opens the Flood-gate upon the wicked he reserves
believed in this Lord Jesus Christ that is sacrificed for us then shall he have great rejoycing in himself alone and not in another if a man examine himself alone and find his state good he shall have rejoycing alone what ever others think or speak it matters not much if he find upon due measure and search that his work be right he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another in Gal 6.4 Now it were in vain to bid us try our state if it were not to be known and I hope none dare be so bold as to charge the Spirit of God with Vanity But now a little to hint at the various ways that God uses as means to bring back lost man to himself First He doth it by a strong hand from Heaven thus he did to Paul with thundrings from Heaven as you may read at large Acts 9. Poor Paul was amazed he was in a storm there arose Euraclidon upon him how is it with thee poor soul didst thou ever find thy self tossed in the Tempestuous Waves of Divine frowns immediately darted out from the Almighty wast thou ever smitten down as it were on thy face wast thou ever sensible of Divine anger against thy sin try as thou readest but briefly Secondly Sometimes poverty and want is the means that God uses so it was with the Prodigall Luke 15.15 When he was so hungry that he would have eat with the Swine then 't is said He came to himself though this is but a Parable yet it teacheth us that it 's Gods way by poverty to bring home his children to his house try how 't is with you I confess I am afraid when some people are brought to great straits then they will get into the fellowship of the Saints that so they may be provided for and indeed coming in in such condition their state is to be suspected therefore look to it for this is but too follow Christ for the Loaves and is no less then hipocrisie but if thou art sincere and thou find'st upon due search thou hast no such design 't is well for thee God brought thee low Thirdly God uses to shew his people Visions to bring them to their considerations as with Cornellius Acts 10. beginning God did send him to a secondary means he must hear Peter what he shall tell him but the Vision that he saw was the first step to his conversion this was the Vision of an Angel that he saw at the ninenth hour of the day Have none of you met with the Angel of the Covenant at any time that hath told you you must go to Peter to some faithful Minister to inquire what you shall do but this is not very frequent in our days Fourthly Sometimes God compasseth men round with outward troubles distresses and afflictions he doth afflict them with enemies to bring them home to himself this way God took with Manasseth who was as wicked a man as any you Read of yet such is the power of God that he hath his way to bring him home to himself he hath the hearts of Kings in his own hands which are for the most part the untamedst hearts in the World yet he turns them as the Rivers of Water which way he pleaseth Prov. 21.1 As he did this King 2 Chron. 33.12 When he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly note here God brought him down before he would humble himself and he prayed to the Lord and 't is said he was intreated of him how is it with you Sirs try I pray you Fifthly Sometimes God brings them to read the Scriptures and there he sets in and takes hold of their hearts thus it was with that Eunuck of Ethiopia a man of great authority under Candace Queen of Ethtopia who 't is said had the charge of all her Treasure note here by the way that God calleth some great men rich men though Christ tells us 't is hard for rich men to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 19.23 Yet he doth not say 't is impossible for the next words almost saith With God all things are possible and though the Apostle saith Not many Mighty nor many Noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 Yet he doth not say not any for this Centurion and this Eunuck that I speak of even now were called And among the Chief Rulers many believed on him John 12.42 But to return pray you excuse a little my extravagancy I say by reading the Word this great Man was in Gods way and God sendeth Phillip to second his endeavours to open the Scripture to him and so he Believed and was Baptized as you may see in Acts 8. from the Vers 27. to the end this may be witnessed by History that of Austin and others but I forbear have any of you to whom these lines may come found a word by reading take hold on your hearts with power let experience speak I must not enlarge necessity lyeth upon me Sixthly Sometimes souls are called by the Preaching of the Gospel and indeed this is Gods most ordinary way For Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.17 And God hath ordinarily two voices in Preaching or speaking to sinners to bring them in First By the voice that shew them their sins and strikes thee down or if you please by a terrible voice the voice of his terrour doth sometimes sound as that word The same Jesus whom you have Crucified he is made both Lord and Christ Acts 2.36 'T is as dreadful a word as could have been spoken for it smote them to the very heart and made them cry out What shall we do this voice made them a terror to themselves this very voice did then shake their Earthly hearts it shaked them so that they were never setled again until 3000. of them were set down safe in Christ but then Secondly God speak sometimes by a sweet still voice after the fire of Christ love is stirred up to them there comes a small still voice then the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land a sweet mild voice by this voice Lydia's heart was opened Ah! when souls have the love of Christ spoken to their hearts then the very love of Christ constraineth them some one way and some other ways are brought over to Christ by Preaching yea by hearing the word Preached there were 3000. souls Acts 2. and Acts 4. 5000. souls brought to Christ these were glorious Sermons that were the means to convert so many souls and Acts 15.7 saith Peter God made choice among us that the Gentils by my Mouth should hear the Gospel and believe So Eph. 3.8 Vnto me who am less then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should Preach among the Gentils the unsearchable riches of Christ to make men see what is the fellowship of the Mistery Making men see is the very first work upon a soul from God now by the Word Preached mens eyes are opened
the devil hath not forget his old trade of transforming himself into an Angel of light he can tell them 't is lawful to provide for their Family they are worse then Infidels that do not but this Nehemiah might have as many excuses as thee who ever thou art and yet Nehemiah would not leave the Lords work no he preferred the Lords work and esteemed it a great work this Christ would have all his children do Matth. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness I and that 's the work that should be done in the first place before all other things try how 't is with thee if it be thus 't is a good sign thou art a child of God XXVI Hast thou in any measure overcome the World and dost thou seek the things above I put these together for they are of the same import 't is a sign thou art quickned with Christ if thou seek the things that are above and gett'st the world under thy feet this made Moses contenin the Treasures in Aegypt alas he valued it not Heb. 11.26 so John 1 5.4 He that is born of God overcometh the World and as they have overcome the World so they seek the things of another Paul would have the Corinthians live in the world like Men and Women of another World 1 Cor. 7.29 It remains that they that have Wives be as they that have none no why should they run away from them no that 's not the meaning but they should sit loose from them if God call for them be as willing to part from them in his fear without repining at Gods hand as if they had none at all And they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this World as not abusing it Note well the Apostle doth not say you shall have no Wives nor you shall not weep nor receive nor buy nor use this World no but take heed how you have and do things in the World as if the Apostle should say I would not have your hearts set on these things We should use the World to carry us to our Fathers House but we must take heed you rest not here Arise arise Man this world is not thy rest Get wings man and fly up live like men of another world in this world such a life as this did Paul live when he said Our conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3.20 Why Paul are not you among the Saints on earth among men on earth yes but converse in Heaven I trade about Heavenly things my thoughts Heavenly my affections Heavenly my conversation Heavenly my words they are Heavenly too they are such as are a Paradox to the Men of this world the men of the world speak of the world the world hear them but said the Apostle We are of God and they that know God hear us and they that are not of God heareth not us no poor Creatures they know not what we say 1 John 4.5 if you speak of God the world know not what you say these are out of their reach therefore Christ said to the poor blind Jews You do not understand my speech why because you cannot bear my Word in John 8.43 'T was a mistery that he speak to them therefore Paul saith 3 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of God because they are Spiritually discerned Talk to him of Meat and Drink and Sleep and ease and the pleasures and sports of this life and this he heareth and knoweth this is sensual not spiritual Jude 19. This his sence understandeth talk to him of a Kingdom that consisteth of Meat and Drink this he is willing shall be his Heaven but alas poor carnal man thou art mistaken The Kingdom of God consisteth not in Meats and Drink Rom. 14.17 But now soul hast thou overcome these sower things and is thy heart set on Heaven hast thou thy heart soaring aloft I am afraid the most professors of this age are great strangers to this and many other things that are the life of Christianity what ever specious pretences they may make yet their very practices speak it out to loud but if thou art one whose life is in Heaven then thou art one of wisdoms children For the way of life is above to the wise Prov. 15.22 XXVII Art thou a new creature then 't is a sign thou art in Christ Are all old things done away the old Companions the old lusts the old love of the folly of this world is turned into the love of Heavenly things 2 Cor. 5.17 It may be thou canst not shed tears so plentifully why man repentance doth not so much consist in that but is thy nature changed and dost thou abhor thy self as Job 42.6 Dost thou find in thee a hatred to thee way of wickedness that thou wast wont to love and a love to the things of God that of old thou wast wont to hate dost thou loath sin and loath thy self for sin 't is a good sign thou art in Christ it may be formerly thou wouldst not have this man to reign over thee but now give me Christ or else I dye formerly thou wer 't alive and active in sin But now thou art dead to sin and alive to God Rom. 6.11 Now you do not alow your selves willingly in any known sin Oh soul is well with thee thou art pure in heart though not perfect yet in part XXVIII Hast thou a spirit of prayer and supplication poured out upon thee when Paul was converted to Christ whom before he persecuted Ananias was bid to go and enquire for Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth why did he never pray before possible he might utter words before but he had not the Spirit of Prayer before there be many from the invention of memory or in a form seem to pray excellently that yet do not pray in the Holy Ghost Acts 9.11 And you know Jude speaks of praying in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. So that men cannot pray but by the Holy Ghost Men may as I said mumble over a form of words it may be I but a man cannot pray but by the Holy Ghost 't is the Spirit of God that will help souls to pray to confess sin and to plead promises the Spirit helpeth our infirmities with groans that cannot be uttered he that hath the Spirit can come to God as a Friend and say Father I have need of such and such mercies I have need of strength against sin and such and such corruptions are like to overcome me he that hath the Spirit of God is the Friend of God as Abraham was called the friend of God often times take one place for the rest that comes next to my hand 2 Jam. 23. Now a friend of God can go and plead with God and say Lord such and such sins and corruptions are to hard for me